University of Iowa - Hawkeye Yearbook (Iowa City, IA)

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Free ime un ldentification, keys and money in pock- et, the group goes first to Maxwell's mati- nee, where no cover charge is necessary. Still carrying backpacks, they meet friends who have saved tables up front. Chairs are rearranged into groups, and the waitresses meander through the maze of tables. Climbing over the banister to the dance floor, a lone couple bounces to initiate oth- ers to join them. During the last set, the dance floor is filled, and the crowd chants and claps for an encore, knowing that if the extra song is not played, the band will eventually return to Iowa City. Liquor is expensive at Maxwell's, so the real drinking has to wait for budget beer at the House of Subs, more commonly known as the House of Pitchers. The early drinkers, priming for a night of bar crawl- ing, irritate the lone students munching on sandwiches. The plastic atmosphere and radio back- ground don't distract the night people from Late night music: Hazel and the Mother Earth Blues Band performs at Maxwell's, one of lowa City's bu- siest places for a night on the town and the dance- floor. TGIF is the word for two University of lowa students at MaxweIl's bar late Friday night. drinking their fill before moving elsewhere. The unattended salad bar, out of view of the apron-clad submarine makers, is prey for those who venture from the walled booths for a carrot or cracker. Quarters are bounced into plastic cups, the objective being for all to drink until drunk. When the glasses are empty, a debate begins about where to go next. A consen- sus is reached: off to the Crow's Nest, to see a band with an unrecogniziable name. The stairs of the loft bar are filled with the waiting, ready to be stamped. Since each band has its own following, the crowd var- ies from night to night. Leftover 60s radi- cals and new wave students can be spotted dimly through the smoky haze. The standing room only crowd gathers at the well-lit bar to watch the bartenders splash the counter and to comment on each costume. The band cranks, and peo- ple gyrate on the dance floor, oblivious of partners. Sophomore Emily Embree ex- 1 l plains her attraction to the bar. This place contains wild creative minds which l tend to gravitate towards. Partially deaf now, threading between sweaty bodies, the group moves on to the Airliner where fitting in is tragic, and not belonging is equally tragic. With few ren- ovations since 1944, the bar reeks of tradi- tion and still contains the original split plas- tic booths and Formica table tops. Greeks congregate in the main room where the afternoon's popcorn is floored, rarely wandering into the Hanger, where the walls are lined with airplane paintings and more serious discussion takes place. You never meet anyone here, says Me- linda Bailey, a junior. You only see people you know. Preppies parade down the aisle wearing the latest L.L. Bean Catalog, searching for faces worth talking to. After seeing and being seen, they move on to the Fieldhouse, where spotting ath- letes in the crowd and maneuvering around l l 2 1 l

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The quick and the bed The Prkes and therr Lrttle Sisters go against strff competition as onlookers cheer While the winners enjoyed their victory those who dld not wln could only hope to do bedder next year Early to bed early to ruse another bed crew IS anx- lously poised at the start of another heat ld never even heard of a bedrace before sald freshman Sue Wlese but lt was fun

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sweaty bodies to get a drink are the attrac- tions for a S2 cover charge. Dancers below the second floor balcony become objects of scrutiny and moving splash targets. Move it or wear it, a fuzzy blond threat- ens to spill her drink to get through. Not the place for conversation, the guys check out the girls and the girls size up the guys, earning the Fieldhouse its reputation as a pick-up joint. Girls are like buses, ex- plains Jon Kessler, a UI junior. Just wait 15 minutes and another comes by. At closing time, the music is turned off and the bouncers usher couples and par- tiers out the door. With the lights on, one finally can see clearly who he or she has been trying to pick up all night. After evac- uating the bar, the crowd lingers outside to eat bagels from the Bagel Buggy and con- templates whether to go home or to contin- ue into the after hours. Barroom buddies congregate at Maxwell's for the Finals week is over for these University of Iowa stu- weekly Friday afternoon matinee, with no cover dents at the Copper Dollar bar. charge and a live band for end-of-the-week relaxing and celebrating. If