2008 Woodie Awards
Guilford's bacchanalia
Kevin Bryan
Issue date: 4/6/07 Section: Features
- Page 1 of 1
"Ten, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, Happy New Years!" chanted the crowd just before the first rocket launched into the air a full day after Serendipity's official opening, circling above the trees before bursting into a crackle and dying just as quickly.
The rockets were launched by a group and their ringleader, who would only identify themselves as "T for Tendetta and the Rocketeers." T for Tendetta and his group set off about 10 bottle rockets before heading to the lake for the final big launch.
A salvo of 20 fireworks sped into the night sky, traveling up more than 100 feet before exploding and showering colored sparks into the air. A large crowd had amassed, watching the explosions not far from President Chabotar's house. The fireworks could be seen as far as Milner and were heard as far as Bryan.
Approaching Bryan, I was struck by the odor of booze. So thick was it, that it seemed to form a wall of smell at every door. The stairwells shook to the sound of Great Divide and their guest drummer, Micah Rushing. Great Divide wasn't a planned Serendipity act, but instead was a Guilford band that only got permission to play the day before. They were the focus of the Bryan party at the time, but not the highlight of Serendipity's Bryan festivities.
Friday night, in Bryan quad, the same location of their previous fight, Osama Sabbah, Faris Khader and Mike Bates hugged. "All of a sudden they were in the middle of the quad hugging and everyone was cheering, and they did games in the quad together," said sophomore Liz Sasso-Karelitsky.
But, no spring celebration would be complete without the Satyrs and Maenads. This year, the Satyrs were a group of students from other colleges, who camped out in the woods for Serendipity in a rat-filled fort. They wandered from event to event, swimming in the lake and generally having a good time. The students, who would give no name but "The Satyrs" were quite glad to tell me that they "haven't seen anybody else swim … but it was squishy."
Maenads made an appearance during the afternoon baseball game, as several naked women climbed over the fence and ran across the field distracting the opposing team. "They freaking jump down the fence, as the other team is out there, one of them high-fived the outfielder," said a member of apartment 763. "Good looking women, they were yelling and screaming. The crowd was cheering. (The women were) wearing only baseball caps, shoes and long socks," added a member of the rocketeers.
Meanwhile, festival-goers wandered with beverages in hand.
"Show Pro guys were giving out cups, you could get red cups (if you had a drink)," said first-year Ross Macgregor.
Lili Sharpless, hall director of Milner, explained the cup policy. "If it's obviously alcoholic, you're obviously breaking the law. If it's in cups it's harder to detect … I just hope people recycle their cans and stay out of too much trouble." The recycling cans were full of cans and cups, so were the trashcans and the Bryan quad. Blue cups could even be found in the woods.
During the Common concert, jazz played throughout Founders quad above the drone of the cicadas. Four Guilford students decided that the night needed more free music, and so they played jazz while plugged into a light post on the Founders walkway. "Play as long as we can, free, for whoever likes music," said one of the players, Matt Del Olmo. "We have a f**king awesome quad; there should be music more often, that's Serendipity, something out of the usual."
Later on in the evening Guilford bands, I Crap Blood and Photosynthesize Now, played on the lawn near Binford. I Crap Blood was a welcome alternative to the stereos of Bryan and managed to make itself distinct from the other musical acts of the evening.
"I think I Crap Blood plays some high intensity riot ska, and they are a lot of fun, completely different environment and attitude," said first-year Henry Cordeal.
As usual for Guilford, responses to the weekend were mixed. "Best two days I'll never remember … but not enough hallucinogens," said a man who would only identify himself as Kilgore Trout.
Said a disgruntled Bryan resident going by the name Dante, "It's a bunch of f**king drunk retards."
"The Tarot reading was great; everyone enjoyed it, doubly for the masseuse. CAB did a great job in simplifying with the entertainment and not spending lots on rides," said senior Erik Belmont.
Asked his opinion about the events, a Bryan resident concluded with "KRUNK, KRUNK, KRUNK!"
Click on image for higher resolution.
The rockets were launched by a group and their ringleader, who would only identify themselves as "T for Tendetta and the Rocketeers." T for Tendetta and his group set off about 10 bottle rockets before heading to the lake for the final big launch.
A salvo of 20 fireworks sped into the night sky, traveling up more than 100 feet before exploding and showering colored sparks into the air. A large crowd had amassed, watching the explosions not far from President Chabotar's house. The fireworks could be seen as far as Milner and were heard as far as Bryan.
Approaching Bryan, I was struck by the odor of booze. So thick was it, that it seemed to form a wall of smell at every door. The stairwells shook to the sound of Great Divide and their guest drummer, Micah Rushing. Great Divide wasn't a planned Serendipity act, but instead was a Guilford band that only got permission to play the day before. They were the focus of the Bryan party at the time, but not the highlight of Serendipity's Bryan festivities.
Friday night, in Bryan quad, the same location of their previous fight, Osama Sabbah, Faris Khader and Mike Bates hugged. "All of a sudden they were in the middle of the quad hugging and everyone was cheering, and they did games in the quad together," said sophomore Liz Sasso-Karelitsky.
But, no spring celebration would be complete without the Satyrs and Maenads. This year, the Satyrs were a group of students from other colleges, who camped out in the woods for Serendipity in a rat-filled fort. They wandered from event to event, swimming in the lake and generally having a good time. The students, who would give no name but "The Satyrs" were quite glad to tell me that they "haven't seen anybody else swim … but it was squishy."
Maenads made an appearance during the afternoon baseball game, as several naked women climbed over the fence and ran across the field distracting the opposing team. "They freaking jump down the fence, as the other team is out there, one of them high-fived the outfielder," said a member of apartment 763. "Good looking women, they were yelling and screaming. The crowd was cheering. (The women were) wearing only baseball caps, shoes and long socks," added a member of the rocketeers.
Meanwhile, festival-goers wandered with beverages in hand.
"Show Pro guys were giving out cups, you could get red cups (if you had a drink)," said first-year Ross Macgregor.
Lili Sharpless, hall director of Milner, explained the cup policy. "If it's obviously alcoholic, you're obviously breaking the law. If it's in cups it's harder to detect … I just hope people recycle their cans and stay out of too much trouble." The recycling cans were full of cans and cups, so were the trashcans and the Bryan quad. Blue cups could even be found in the woods.
During the Common concert, jazz played throughout Founders quad above the drone of the cicadas. Four Guilford students decided that the night needed more free music, and so they played jazz while plugged into a light post on the Founders walkway. "Play as long as we can, free, for whoever likes music," said one of the players, Matt Del Olmo. "We have a f**king awesome quad; there should be music more often, that's Serendipity, something out of the usual."
Later on in the evening Guilford bands, I Crap Blood and Photosynthesize Now, played on the lawn near Binford. I Crap Blood was a welcome alternative to the stereos of Bryan and managed to make itself distinct from the other musical acts of the evening.
"I think I Crap Blood plays some high intensity riot ska, and they are a lot of fun, completely different environment and attitude," said first-year Henry Cordeal.
As usual for Guilford, responses to the weekend were mixed. "Best two days I'll never remember … but not enough hallucinogens," said a man who would only identify himself as Kilgore Trout.
Said a disgruntled Bryan resident going by the name Dante, "It's a bunch of f**king drunk retards."
"The Tarot reading was great; everyone enjoyed it, doubly for the masseuse. CAB did a great job in simplifying with the entertainment and not spending lots on rides," said senior Erik Belmont.
Asked his opinion about the events, a Bryan resident concluded with "KRUNK, KRUNK, KRUNK!"
Click on image for higher resolution.
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