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PRESS: The Signal 04/01/2009
Amethyst helps CUB retrofy Stud
Attendees of the College Union Board's 'Awesome '80s Prom' rock out to '80s cover band Amethyst.
By: Laura Herzog
Everything from the music to the decorations was awesomely '80s at the
College Union Board (CUB)'s "Awesome '80s Prom" event at the
Rathskeller on Tuesday, March 24.
Neon paper streamers and silver stars lined the walls, silver tinsel
hung from the ceiling and pink and white balloons adorned each table.
A sign on the back wall proclaimed "Class of 1987." Cover band
Amethyst energetically played '80s favorites as diverse as "Mickey,"
"99 Red Balloons" and "Don't You Want Me (Baby)?" as the lead singers
danced around the stage. Few attendees could resist bobbing their heads
and clapping to the music as they consumed their hamburgers and fries.
"I personally love '80s music," said junior communication studies major
Raquel Fleig, who organized the event for CUB. "I really wanted to have
an '80s cover band. But we really wanted to make it a bigger event and
go all out with the decorations and everything."
The event encouraged '80s wear by reducing the cost of entry from $2 to
$1 for attendees who arrived in their '80s best. Handlebar mustaches,
shaggy mullets, oversized suit jackets with the sleeves rolled up,
black lacy gloves and brimmed hats with flouncy bows, à la Molly
Ringwald's signature hat in "Pretty in Pink," were par for the course.
Fleig, whose favorite song is A-Ha's "Take on Me," donned a light pink
mini-dress with white heels and lacy socks, her hair swept up on the
side with a pink bow.
"It's a fun event because it reminds me of when I was a little kid,"
Rat sound technician Tim Pyles, senior mechanical engineering major,
said, raising his voice to be heard above Amethyst's fervent rendition
of "Come On Eileen."
Amethyst's energetic performance helped to maintain the lively atmosphere of the evening.
According to lead male vocalist/guitarist Peter Amadeo, the band
"actually started in 1987" when he, the bassist and guitarist all were
in high school together. Since then, the band underwent some changes,
including acquiring its female lead vocalist.
"We play pretty much everything," said Amadeo, whose favorite song
to perform is currently "Love Shack." "We play weddings, believe it or
not. We play colleges … We play a lot of 40th birthday parties because
kids of the '80s are growing up. We even played a christening."
Most attendees shuffled in and out of the three-hour event upon
finishing their meals. However, about 20 enthusiastic CUB members
stayed for the duration of the event, dancing on the floor and around
the stage. Incidentally, the event was scheduled to correspond with the
21st birthday of CUB member Estephanie Betances, junior psychology
major. The band briefly strayed from its '80s playlist to play
"Birthday" by the Beatles, as per Fleig's request.
"I couldn't have asked for a better event to go on during my birthday,"
Betances, who will be CUB's Rat Co-chair next year with junior
sociology major Allie Axel, said. "It's so much fun because it's such a
new and interesting idea. It's interactive. It's more interesting than
a normal Rat show because there's more to it than just listening to a
band."
With a moment's reflection, she cheerily added, "It's better than an
actual prom - I'm with cool people and I can legally drink."
© Copyright 2009 The Signal
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