Live music highlight of block party By ANNABELLE SHERRY Collegian Ms Writer Amid the bustle of students returning to State College from summer break, WQWK (97.1) held its fifth annual QWK Rock's the Block Party Sunday afternoon on Locust Lane. The block party featured a free con cert and rows of tables manned by area vendors with free items to give away. Events got started at 2 p.m. when Velveeta took the stage armed with a slew of cheesy 'Bos covers. Next up was the band out of Johnstown, Badwrench, which receives air time from QWK Rock. Because of the steady flow of people stopping by to hear the four-band lineup, Badwrench lead singer Chuck Budzina said the concert was "ten times better than any previous year." Thousands of students and State College residents passed through the block party during the day. Rob Schmidt, general man ager of WQWK, said in terms of atten dance, this was the most successful year. Some local merchants who participated in rocking the block attributed the strong turnout to the location. The table promoting Vibes Music, 226 E. College Ave., drew a consistent crowd of people all day, said assistant manager Aaron McGuill. The music store gave out free compact discs to promote its new fre quent buyer program. "What Too Want To Eat" Breakfast - Lunch - Dinner 7777779 7 7 7 9 7 7 7 ifiniac_cAi ONsioniarA ki.nmrk_txi THE TAO OF ? POOH. So much to read so little time. That's why we're here. 7 At the Unitarian Universalist Church. our services may quote 7 Kafka, Anne Frank, Confucius, 7 • Mohammed, Jesus, and many others. • Because the search for truth doesn't begin in one particular religion, it begins in you Join us this 9 Sunday to find out more. 9 • The Unitarian Universalist Church. • It's one church that doesn't • go by the book. 7 780 WAUPELANI DR. EXTENSION , STATE COLLEGE 7 237-7605 ? SUNDAY SERVICE 10:30AM ? 2797997 9 7 9 9 7 9 7 FALL RATES • CAMPUS SAVINGS 400/COPY THE NEW YORK TIMES Newspaper in Education Program @ Penn State 60% OFF THE NEWSSTAND PRICE TO STUDENTS / STAFF The New York Times is available at 40it a copy (daily rate special). Information will be phoned or mailed. Send check or drop off at executive Suite, 240 S. Pugh St. (Days Inn). No papers Sept. I, Nov. 27, 28. • LOCATION PICK-UP (Circle one): Bookstore ent. Gateway Deike Cedar/Moore Annex Carnegie lower lev. Jefferson Commons Nittany Comm. Ctr. Shields Wamock Hammond underps. Pattee West ent. Creamery Mat. Res. Lab Kern ent. ( ) 9/2 - 12/12 $28.80 ( ) 9 / 8 - 1 2 / 1 2 $26.80 ( ) 9/15 - 12/12 $24.80 ( ) Full Year 9/2-12/12; 1/12-5/13 $62.80 NAME PHONE ADDRESS CITY STATE Student Staff _____ COURSE: Credit Card:: [ ] VISA [ MASTERCARD CARD# Signature: Make checks payable: JORDAN ASSOCIATES (Return check fee $l5; early cancellation fee assessed) (Detach here, insert in envelo. • and mail) "The location is great because we've been catching traffic from both sides," he said, referring to College and Beaver avenues. One reason why the radio station orga nizes the block party is to form a partner ship with the local business community, Schmidt said. The station accomplishes this by putting the focus on downtown business, said Mark Antolosky, senior accounting execu tive for WQWK. "If the vendors do better (business), we do better," he added. Both merchants and new students unfa miliar with the area said they benefited from the publicity of Sunday afternoon. "A lot of people don't know where some stores are and this will help them get familiar with where everything is," said Tiffany Dynda (senior-art), employee of Artifax, 323 E. Calder Way. This was true for Rachel Hines (fresh man-communication disorders), who only arrived at the University the day before and said she had been having problems finding her way around. "At least now I know where some places are," she said after visiting different tables. The main objective of the festivities was, however, to "introduce QWK Rock to new and returning students and to show r 1 I NORTH 237-1414 I I SOUTH NOT VALID WITH DOMINATOR OR ANY OTHER I PE SCIAL OR COUPON. CUSTOMER PAYS 234-5655 ALL SALES TAX. C7BBl 4 I 0 e: 4 0 4) . 41 * *4% NORTH 237-1414 SOUTH 234-5655 SPECIAL OR COUPON. CUSTOMER PAYS ALL SALES TAX. C9BB I READ $7BB MEDIUM PIZZA WITH I 1-TOPPING, BREADSTICKS I & 2 12oz. COKES. Expires: 8/31/97 $9BB LARGE PIZZA WITH 1-TOPPING, & A 2 LITER COKE. Expires: 8/31/97 NOT VALID WITH DOMINATOR OR ANY OTHER & RECYCLE mki tool the crowd a good time by bringing in some national acts," Schmidt said. Despite all the distractions from ven dors, the live music was a major draw for passers-by. Naked, a band hailing from Los Angeles, took the stage at 4:30 p.m. and played a set from its self-titled debut album. For 45 minutes, the band succeeded in holding the audience's rapt attention. Lead singer Jonathan Sheldon said-after wards he was pleased with the perfor mance. "Almost everywhere I looked, people were singing along with the music," he said. The band agreed all the external activity did not present competition for the audi ence's attention. "We kept people's attention by putting a hex on them," bassist Damon Martin joked. Sheldon explained that playing an out door venue in the middle of the day can be more difficult than performing in a bar, which is where Naked played the last time it came to State College. "The mindset is usually more open at night because people have had a few drinks. The afternoon was a challenge because the sun's out and people are look ing at us more analytically," he said. "Our music works well in either environment, though " The last band to perforM, The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, received an enthusias- DOUBLE y our DISCOUNT Drive. Intensity. Those aren't your character, confidence and words you're likely to see in many decision-making skills. Again, course requirements. Then again words other courses seldom use. Army ROTC is unlike any other But they're the credits you need to elective. It's hands-on excite- succeed in life. ROTC is open to ment. ROTC will challenge you freshmen and sophomores with mentally and physically LEADERSHIP out obligation and requires through intense leadership, about five hours per week. Reg training. Training that builds M ister this term for Army ROTC. i \ 0 krg-4Tigg A crowd gathers at the QWK Rock's the Block Party. Live music and free giveaways were the draw at the corner of West College Avenue and Locust Lane on Sunday. tic response from the crowd as well. Some members of the audience milled around the stage, dancing. Others sat on the lawn of a nearby church until the set was over, ignoring the light drizzle that began to fall. After the music ended and the tables were dismantled, one student walked away ill II II w:14.1,, , ~inliElikil :{H:1•01 J . , iala II?, ,Iv, ,)1 For details, visit Room 212, Wagner Building or call The Daily Collegian Wednesday, Aug. 27, 1997 from the block party after expressing her appreciation of the event. "It's really cool that something like this was put together right in our neighbor hood," Nina Folino (junior—chemical engi neering) said. "It's cool we could head down and see bands like this for free." 863-0368 Collegian Photo/Kevin A. Moreau
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