Northwest Missouri State University - Tower Yearbook (Maryville, MO)

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As WE GATHER AT OUR BELI Tower, a symbol of freedom. we are tragically reminded that freedom is not free. 55 :TAYI()k BaR .(S A poem lell 111 iiuinorul i»t Vpi M park% ( iloruiu (ilow-rv t HHi hi jl « ui Urns the JttJlk itnpjvtcil our lutiiMi (iUnrr nIjuhI. Ninv (lui (Scpc ) i ht-n- Jiii. It i J lYiiicnihraiKC- It j11 tinpjitcd is liitK-ix-niK, Jiid tni lan ' t help but think Amhh cM.h ot lu. tunv it inipuiitcJ i . Jiul iIh pct»pk- who Jk vI ' fJfc ' h) Mutt fry In rrn»rmbranc« of Sept. II. 2001 Burnc Cochrinc pin j nuinonal to the tjhrit jroutul the Ikll Io Mr Stixlnitv thnnij Hit tJx tLi kit MfCzi, jriry «kI jmica Lucz fcachcr wifC ( oUm IVwidwith ' thki t aiKlii iiiinmif itKit»hm The I jmlk-Iif tit wjik hcy Au jriHUKt the IW-ll r«»wrT and SEPTEMBER 1 1 IS

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D EMI BY Bi rsY Lfi As the crowd amassed, hundreds of voices rose together, creating a dull roar. Pinned memorial notes surrounding the Bell Tower waved softly in the wind, a silent reminder of the reason for the gathering. The sky was slowly darkening as the crowd gathered for the candlelight vigil Sept. 11. Student Support Services organized the vigil as a way to bring people together to memorialize the event. I came here tonight because of my love for the country, Michael Long said. I ' ve always had a lot of pride, but seeing everyone ' s faces tonight inspired me. Before any speaker rose to the podium the atmosphere was similar to any other social gathering. People in small groups conversed about nothing more prophetic than their daily events, weekend plans or class schedules. However, the moment a voice crackled over the loudspeaker, breaking through the crisp night air, silence prevailed. No shifting, no movements and no noise occurred for a moment. Only the shuffling of students trying to catch a glimpse of the American flag proceeding down the sidewalk broke the silence. Following the flag presentation, Provost Taylor Barnes attempted to express the day ' s meaning. No words can describe the insane acts we witnessed, Barnes said. As we gather at our Bell Tower, a symbol of freedom, we are tragically reminded that freedom is not free. Barnes and the Director of Campus Ministry Marjean Ehlers addressed onlookers gathered to remember the events of Sept. 1 1 , 2001 . The candlelight ceremony began after the final speaker Student Senate President Kara Karssen k?ft the podiiun. tu With soft grass underfoot and the harmonies of the Alliance of Black Collegians Gospel Choir floating into the air, the flame spread through the crowd. The candlelight created a s ift glow in the quickly darkening sky. Following the flag, the crowd began a procession toward the International Plaza. People cupped their candles, protecting the symbol of peace from the wind. When we were gathered at the tower, 1 thought there were maybe a couple hundred people, Mary Bossong said. Then when we started walking I thought, ' Oh my God, all these people are here to show they care. ' It was truly moving to see so many people here. Over a thousand people, still clutching their melting candles, made the walk through the flagpoles at the International Plaza, to gather near Colden Pond. As members of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia performed the Star Spangled Banner, members of the crowd hesitantly added their voices to the hamionies. It unified us as everyone joined in, Kelly Hucke said. You could hear so much emotion in their voices. Softly singing the Lord ' s Prayer as the crowd dispersed, members of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia hugged each other warmly; a few wiped away tears. The Lord ' s Prayer is always so moving to me, Chris Shobe said. The words are so powerfril. According to Shobe, the gathering at the candlelight vigil was not enough tOa sufficiently memorialize the event. fl It ' s a start. 1 think it ' s sad to see thar- we couldn ' t come together like this before the terrorist attacks, Shobe said. We need to keep doing it, remembering those wh o died and showing our pri de. 9 m ' FPATIK rS

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Student MUSICIANS lY A Rocking vvaryville ' s MUaC SCENE Bands uke Prank Monkey, Mile 29 and Ethos perform at area venues; each fill a niche and satisfy the musical hunger of students. w W ▼hei hether it was writing lyrics to free one ' s mind, taking frustrations out on an innocent drumhead or jumping in a mosh pit to release built-up energy, music has long been an outlet for students. Students took advantage of Maryville ' s various genres to feed their musical hunger. Punk, jam bands, techno and more supplied opportunity for people to find their niche. Prank Monkey, Mile 29 and Ethos were three of a handful of bands who entertained crowds in and around the area. The members of each band were dedicated to each other and improving music in Maryville and surrounding areas. It ' s (Maryville) the musical black hole of the universe, Prank Monkey bassist Rob Eischen said. Eischen, along with two others, improved the situation by creating a pop-punk band. Man, my balls are sweaty; 1 need some Gold Bond — Hey, check out our kick-ass web site at prankmonkey.com! lead singer and guitarist Jonathan Hutchins screamed, while onstage. The sound of Prank Monkey came from the combined influences of Green Day, Incubus, Blink 182, MxPx and others. Hutchins, Eischen and drummer Brian Jewell used these influences to form new punk, a term they used to describe their fast-paced, punk- influenced songs about girls. Prank Monkey formed in September 2001 and played 30-plus shows within the year. Maryville appearances included The Pub, The Palms, Molly ' s and the Hole-ln- One Ind{K r Miniature Golf Course. The band branched out of Maryville to larger cities in the Midwest including Dcs Moines, Iowa; Omaha, Neb; St. Joseph and Lawrence, Kan. Their fan base grew outside of the United States as well. We even have fans in Europe who sign our web site guestbook saying they loved the music they downloaded off our site, Hutchins said. Jewell said the real turning point for the band occurred in April 2002, when they played five shows and started to earn real followers. They hoped to form a bigger fan base after all members graduated. Hutchins planned to be the last to graduate in May 2004; then, the sky was the limit. Hutchins said they wanted to take Prank Monkey as far as they could, preferably in California. We just want to be able to support ourselves — we don ' t necessarily have to explode like Blink, Jewell said. The future of the band after college was up to fate. Members thought that in order to succeed they would have to withstand the occasional verbal fight. We would kill each other on a tour bus, Eischen said. At times we act like a bunch of 40-year-old women going through menopause, bitching at each other. Despite the occasional bickering, all members felt they had the musical skills and friendship to achieve their goals. What makes Prank Monkey different from other bands is that we have energy, crowd interaction, experience and dedication, Jewell said. We are tight as a band and as a whole. Prank Monkey ' s look was also unique, compared to other local bands. Jewell and Hutchins could be spotted from afar by colorful mohawks. They changed hair color weekly, encompassing every shade in the color wheel. They accesorized thrift store apparel and the occasional leather jacket with an array of jewelry and piercings. Along with a punk look, the band ' s name made them stand out. Hutchins said the idea came from the Simpsons episode where Homer was dressed as a panda and his boss, Mr. Burns said, ' I will now call you my little prank monkey. ' Another Northwest-founded group with a unique style and name was Mile 29. The band said their name was more than just a name — it took on a life meaning. It comes from a mile marker on 1-29, Bass guitarist Brent Steffens said. There are so many mile markers, like in life. You go from mile marker to mile marker every day. Everyone is going to pass the one marker. Mile 29 ' s music was the true passion of the five guys trying to make it in Maryville. Up until the last few years, the music scene really sucked in Maryville, saxophoni.st Jason Paiva said. Com inued page 19 761 FEATURES