Pittsburg State University - Kanza Yearbook (Pittsburg, KS)

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Two Kansas City bands, Secrets, and Shooting Star, combined at the Tower Ballroom January 23 to bring almost 1,000 people to a fever pitch. As people began arriving, an- ticipation grew. More and more people crowded in, to the amazement and delight of the concert co- sponsors SUB and KMRJ-KSEK, Latecomers found themselves standing in the back of the ballroom or sitting on the floor right in front of the stage. Throughout the evening, people milled around, looking un- successfully for somewhere to sit. Mike Sullivan, SUB director, said that they were within 30 people of a sell-out crowd, but it would have slap been hard to envision fitting even 10 more people in the Tower that Friday night. The concert was delayed for a half hour due to a grass fire in the south parking lot which blew up one car, belonging to Secret’s lead singer Brent Hoad, and damaged the engine of another. It created some ex- citement as members of the audience rushed out to make sure their car was not the one. At last, Secrets took the stage shouting “We are Secrets; let’s rock!” Hoad, dressed in black shirt, jeans, and white tennis shoes, burst into their first song, “She’s Alright to Me,” and the band kept right on rocking to the end of the set. Their driving rhyth- m got hands to clapping and feet to tapping. Some people found themselves enjoying the Secrets more than the main attraction. One student commented, I’ve heard that Shooting Star is good, but Secrets is the band to watch.” They made good the promise. Hoad took command of the stage with impulsive movements, hard guitar playing, and vocals that sometimes resembled Bruce ROCKING THE NIGHT AWAY with one of their many hits, Van McLain sings lead as Charles Waltz and Gary West back him up.— photo by Dot Koehler 24—Shooting Star

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the most popular watering hole of all the surrounding pits. The pits provided a cool place to spend those hot days only if you could find the time. However, the 2,400 students that attended PSU last summer found that things seemed to move slower. Many bodies could be seen laying under one of the numerous shadetrees on the Oval. There were of course the ever present frisbee throwers defying the heat and to some defying normal sanity. Others, less inclined to heatstroke, spent as much timeas possible in air- conditioned buildings playing such things as ping pong. The heat even seemed to slow down the preparations for the demolition of Carney Hall. Most of the work on the condemned building took the form of transporting salvageable contents. Summer also gives prospective new students an opportunity to learn more about PSU during Freshmen Previews run by the admissions department. The purpose of these Previews are to help freshmen with the transition to university life and explain the educational opportunities available to them at PSU. Education continues even through the heat of the summer. “Summer to me on campus is really enjoyable. It gives me a chance to take classes that during a regular term would be a lot larger and probably harder. It’s also a good time to catch up on credits I’m going to need to graduate. Besides, although I’d rather be somewhere else when I’m in class, the short term makes it easier,” explained Nila Siedel, Pratt senior. Lea Ann Davied, Arma sophomore DURING MID-JULY FRESHMAN PREVIEWS, Mark Farris, Randy Jones and Kevin Baldwin talk to TKE member Otto Stuber about fraternity life, —photo by Kyle Cleveland said, “The only thing about summer courses I don’t like is going every day, but I do love the casual at- mosphere and the small classes. I really like summer classes,” she added. Summer is tans, shorts, sports and fun, but along with this an op- portunity to get a little ahead on classwork.—by Cindy Cowan Summertime—23

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Springsteen, He shared the spotlight with guitarist Steve Davis. During numbers such as So You Want to Be a Rock and Roil Star, the audience went into an uproar as Davis used the microphone stand to fret his guitar, and made it sound like different instruments by switching hand positions. At times the two guitarists bent toward each other, playing hard driving rock, and almost challenging each other to do their best. Bass player Norman Dahlor helped out on vocals for some songs. Hoad played keyboards for some songs, including a cut of the album, “Homegrown,” number one on the charts in Kansas City for a few weeks before Christmas. Most of the band’s numbers were originals, such as “Sqeeze Me Back in Your Life” and Wanna Get Ver- tical.” Pat Tomek’s drum solo fascinated the crowd, as he ended by throwing a drum stick across the stage. Hoad, playing the keyboards, yelled out, “You guys are a noisy bunch.” To the answering yell from the crowd, he called, I love it!” The applause after the final number, Devil With a Blue Dress On,” brought the band back for two en- cores. The crowd stomped and clapped for the first return, and the roar was almost deafening as Hoad called, You guys are tremendous. Thank you!” At the second return, he yelled, Get out of your chairs and raise hell!” He followed his own advice, jumping up on the keyboard and finishing up with grandstand theatricals. They finally left the stage at a quarter till 10, as a girl in the front row grabbed at their legs. Hoad commented, We like playing to audiences just like this. When the crowd looks like they’re having a good time, it gets the band rocking.” His comment was echoed by Charles Waltz, blond keyboard player of Shooting Star. He said, I’ve been kind of down and out all day, kinda had the blues. Once we got on stage, the crowd was going nuts, and it really picked me up.” Due to technical problems with the lights before their set, they started playing at about 10:30, to an audience that was really fired up. Friends had been conversing in a low roar, and looking unsuccessfully for a seat, when suddenly the lights went out. Lights flashed on a rotating mirror ball, sending rays of light darting about the room, as an old Walt Disney recording of “When You Wish Upon A Star” played on stage. Suddenly the stage broke into light and sound as the powerful six man band started off with Don’t Stop Now,” a cut from their first album. Before the end of the song, the crowd was on its feet, immersed in the music of Shooting Star. The next number, You’ve Got What i Need,” emphasized the keyboard playing of Charles Waltz and Bill Guffey. Songwriters Van McLain and Gary West led with strong, weil-blended vocals. McLain played fierce guitar solos directly to the people crowding the stage, to the enthusiastic response of people ready to GET DOWN. West switched from guitar to piano to accompany his vocals. The lights went down again, and gradually keyboard music built up. Waltz’s blond head was all that could be seen in the dim light, providing a IN THE HAZE OF RED LIGHT, Charles Waltz sets the mood for the audience as he plays his violin.—photo by Dot Koehler focus as the music built to a crescendo and exploded into light again. Throughout the concert, he switched from violin to piano, adding vocals when needed. As he got into the music, his black-and-white striped jacket came off, revealing a bright yellow shirt. Drummer Steve Thomas and Ron Verlin, bassist, provided an important part of Shooting Star’s sound, but the flamboyant antics of the others overshadowed their contributions. Shooting Star has been a group as it is now for two and a half years, Waltz said. He was one of the last members to join the current band. Waltz said, “The only problem with people dancing (in the aisles) is that we’re not really a dance band. For us it’s more fun when it’s crowded and people focus on us.” He got his wish that Friday night. When Sullivan told McLain that they were 30 short of a sell-out, the musician laughed and commented, How could you pack any more in here?” McLain summed up the evening for everyone, from the bands to the audience, to concert sponsors. “We had a great turn-out!” he said.—by Olive Sullivan Shooting Star—25