Students welcome old favorite back to Rider

By Lacey Korevec

The candlelight flickers, casting shadows across faces huddled around tables. A group of thespians uses crayons to sketch graffiti and caricatures on a paper tablecloth. Others laugh while slapping down Uno cards. In the background hums the low vibes of a bass guitar being tuned.

The music begins.

“You say you want a revolution,” bursts from the speakers.

A shaggy-haired beatnik sitting on a tabletop closes his eyes and nods his head to the rhythm. He stops only to take a drag from his cigarette, as the escaping trail of smoke snakes its way through the crowd.

This may sound like a scene from a Jack Kerouac book read through the lenses of John Lennon, but for a handful of students, it’s just your average Tuesday night. Once a week, at 9 p.m., the BLC Pub is transformed into Brownwater — an open- mic coffee house.
The purpose, said Brownwater Treasurer senior Bill Lambusta is to “foster the artistic sides of Rider students and give them a forum.”

This tradition began several years ago and stayed strong until fall of 2004, when it fell apart as a result of poor planning, according to Lambusta. He, along with other students including Brownwater President senior Ken Levin, worked stepped up to resuscitate it for this fall.

“We all wanted it back,” said Lambusta. “I was just happy to be a part of it.”
Now, students like senior Rebecca Knab, who has been a loyal Brownwater groupie since she first entered Rider, can return to their weekly escape. According to Knab, there is no better way to meet new people and see creative acts.

“It doesn’t have to be bands,” she said. “It can be poetry. Anything —
expression.”

On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Brownwater teamed up with WRRC and held a Halloween-themed costume party. Having come out just to support friends who were performing, sophomore Alverson Layne did not know what to expect when he showed up to his first Brownwater.
“It’s really chill,” he said. “People are in costumes. Everyone’s relaxing and laughing and taking pictures and talking.”

An artist and budding musician himself, Layne said he likes that there is an “outlet” here on campus.

“Performing anywhere can provide a start for a lot of growing musicians,” he said. “That’s what I see here.”

Though he was not able to experience it last year, Layne said he’s glad he can now.

“I was a freshman so I didn’t know I was missing something,” he said. “But to have this taken away, I would have a problem with that.”

A high school senior from Bordentown, Barbara Parker is anticipating attending Rider in the fall. She played a two-person set with her sister, Jaime Parker ’05. Clad in leather and dressed as a biker, she said she hopes to perform at future Brownwaters as a student.
“It’s really relaxing,” she said. “I know I have to go home and write an essay, but I don’t care. I’m happy to be here. I dig it.”

Aside from singing, Parker also recited a rap she had written called “Frustration.”
“It was about my frustration with the situation of the world and how politics is screwing everything up,” she said. “I was jamming. It didn’t matter that I was making a bunch of mistakes. It’s like a big family and everybody’s friends.”

Parker said she especially liked the fact that it was an alcohol-free event.

“It’s not like you’re going to get drunk,” she said. “You’re going to have fun and listen to music. You’re not going to get wasted and forget your problems. You forget your problems because of the music, not because of any other substances.”

After three years of performing each week, Brian Spitz ’05 was let down when Brownwater had disintegrated by his senior year.

“I was involved in the radio station so we were able to hold our own events and it was cool to try and recreate it but it was nothing like the original,” he said. “I’m glad it’s back.”
Spitz remembered the first time he stood before a Brownwater audience.

“It was very crowded. Very smoky. The lights were dim. It was actually the week after September 11th, so it was kind of somber,” he said. “A lot of people just read poetry and just kind of went up and spoke their mind. It was a cool experience to have my first Brownwater be that one because it was just wall-to-wall.”

Nowadays, Spitz takes time out from the real world to return to Brownwater when life permits.

“I’ve come back to a handful of them,” he said. “I can get a good half-hour set in.”
Aside from sharing his own sound, Spitz said he still values the diverse and often avant-garde performances he can catch.

“You could see a punk band go up there followed by a kid with just an acoustic guitar,” he said. “Everybody’s understanding of different musical styles.”

Now that it’s back, Spitz said students should take advantage of Brownwater.

“Everyone’s got their favorite place to stop in and catch a cup of coffee. It’s kind of like that. Just stop in, if you like what’s going on then you might stay for two hours. If you don’t then just walk away and know that it will be there next week.”