Ohio University - Athena Yearbook (Athens, OH)

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N ou, !ook what you ' ve done , -X%- — D. Eng, ■ate Whatbarshould wehit tonight? Well, I don ' t know. Why don ' t we just do the Court Street Shuffle? This conversation can be heard just about anywhere on campus, and just about any night of the week. The Athens bar scene is a festival that does not discriminate day or night, weekend or weekday. But the word bar is almost deceiving, be- cause students go uptown for other reasons than to take their pick of the top shelf. The fact that Athens is just a small town in Southern Ohio is the bad news for all the big-city partiers. Unless one stretches his imagination to its fullest extent, the choices for entertainment on an average night are minimal. But, no one ever said they were non-existent, right ' Bobcats hit the bars because they offer a fun, carefree, let-loose atmo- sphere. The environment allows you to blow off steam after hitting the books or taking an exam. Students can chat, or challenge someone to a game ot pool. Or, they can dance their stress away or just kick back to their favorite music. The college of Athens personalities and the broad range of bars creates the student ' s perfect spot to unwind in whatever way one chooses. One reason that bars are usually packed is the fact that there are specials nearly every night of the week, which is especially appealing to a college student and his budget. Scott Rabinowitz, a senior, said, I think the CI is one of the best bars in Athens. Cheap furnish- ings, cheap drinks, and some of the best rock-n-roll on the jukebox makes it a great place to party. Sophomore Rick Piatt said, Uptown is really fun, the people are really friendly, and rarely do 1 return home sober or unsatisfied about the night. A big problem that bars had to tackle this year was the new drinking age. Students that did not make the grandfather clause when they were 19 will not be allowed to drink legally in bars. The Greenery counter- acted this problem by allowing underage students the chance to socialize without drinking. In the future the entire class of barhoppers will be 21 and over, but most of the bar owners don ' t seem to he concerned. Each bar in Athens seems to have its own distinct personality. There are dance bars, like the Greenery and the Nickleodeon, and then there are bars like the Crystal Casino and the CI that get their fame from cater- ing to many different tastes in music, drink, and a very casual atmo- sphere. Many bars get their tame from hosting bands that play on a regular basis. Oftentimes, the bands have a faithful following, and are guaran- teed a large group of fans every time play play. The bands in Athens each have a unique style, so students tind it easy to get attached to them. Mike Phillips, a senior, shared an inside joke about Events, Hey Joel Rudy, buy me another drink! Senior Byron Ward commented, On Tuesday night, Events is a re- laxing place to chill, even if the wings cost too much. By Thad Plumley ON TAP At the Cat ' s Eye, a bartender fixes a drink for a patron. We don ' t know their names because the under-age photog- rapher was asked to leave. Student Life

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I went to the Union to see Great Plains and, well, I was a little drunk and I ivas bouncing around a lot and everyone else was bouncing around a lot and some one just bounced real hard on my foot and it broke. Ed Beuthien DUDE ... Jim Miller sings and plays lead guitar in the band Oroboras at MacSweenys. Oroboras, meaning snakes, is a Cleve- land band. BANG YOUR HEADS! Three members of Play Tough strut their stuff at the first Battle of the Bands. The event was sponsored to raise money for Springfest. Bands and Bars

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N OL %ok what you ' ve done OU attracted many speakers and performers to share their talents with the Bobcats during the 87-88 school year. Comedian Rich Hall, King of Sniglets, took center-stage Oct. 10 at Memorial Auditorium. As Hall took the spotlight, he chose to make light of many things in everyday life that he found ridiculous, peculiar or, in a sarcastic sense, just plain true. Opening for Hall were four of Mel Helitier ' s comedy class alumni. Comedian Steven Wright ' s appearance, on Mom ' s Weekend, marked the first sellout performance at OU in twelve years. Wright ' s odd humor was brought out as he paced back and forth across the stage, making ob- servations about life in his famous low-key, almost distraught manner. Sophomore Julie Young said, I really liked Stephen Wright be- cause he finds humor in things no one else does. Some of his jokes you really have to think about. My mom and I went to see Rich Hall. It was a great show, and a much better way to spend time with my mom and than going up- town would have been, said Heather McNaught. The Great Drug Testing Debate stirred up controversy on Feb. 23, when Peter Bensinger and Timothy Leary hashed out the issue of manda- tory drug testing. Bensinger, former head of the Drug Enforcement Agency, was greeted by scattered boos, while Leary, a former Harvard professor and spokesperson for the cultural revolution, was welcomed with a standing ovation. Bensinger blamed the federal government for not using its resources to fight drug abuse, while Leary argued that forced drug testing is a severe infringement upon American citizens ' personal liberties. By the time the debate ended, however, the crowd cheered Bensinger and taunted Leary. Keith Morris said, I went to the Timothy Leary-Bensinger debate, and my question is: is Leary really what he seems to be? To be wary of Leary is only to lear at the first of the new wave riders. You ' ll drown. stated senior Jim Lynch. Hopefully, the way was paved for future performances by the appear- ances of speakers such as: Governor Richard Celeste, Nobel Peace Lau- reate Elie Wiesel, Robert Owens, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Ramsey Clark and photographer Duane Michaels. I had to go see Ramsey Clark for my news reporting class. I thought his speech was very informative, but a bit dry, said Ross Bonifield. Junior Teri Burkhart said, Elie Wiesel was one of the most com- pelling speakers I ' ve ever heard. I learned the importance of learning from the past and not hiding our faces from the future. By Michelle Mihalick KICK ME! Timothy Leary autographs a t-shirt for Spiro Antonopoulos. Leary, after his experiments with LSD in the 60 ' s, now runs a profitable computer business. CONTRADICTION Oliver North ' s top aide Robert Owen explains his tie-in to the Contra affair. Owen wore Asics jogging shoes for a quick get-way. Speakers