From imported sand to snazzy lingerie, Greek houses have planned a variety of diverse attractions to attract Webster Avenue-bound students during Winter Carnival. While some houses will offer their standard fare such as dance parties at Kappa Kappa Kappa fraternity and Chi Gamma Epsilon fraternity others will feature live bands such as BALLYHOO!, Vega and Dartmouth's Clusterfunk.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity will hold back-to-back nights of live music, beginning on Thursday with The Van Burens jazz ensemble, SAE social chair Joseph Dang '10 said. The Van Burens, led by Raj Majumder '11 and featuring members of the Barbary Coast Jazz Ensemble, performed at Champagne a formal party that SAE throws every term. Filligar a Chicago-based band comprised of Pete Mathias '09, Teddy Mathias '09, Johnny Mathias '11 and Casey Gibson will play at SAE on Friday evening, Dang said.
BALLYHOO!, a Baltimore-based reggae-rock band, will perform at Alpha Delta fraternity on Friday night, Alpha Delta president Michael Shrubb '10 said.
"We listen to them a bunch," Shrubb said. "It's going be a really energetic and fun night."
Partygoers who hope to escape the snow can find respite in Alpha Chi Alpha fraternity's 36th annual beach party on Saturday night. The members of Alpha Chi will fill their house's front room with five tons of sand, Alpha Chi president Scott Niehaus '10 said.
This year's beach party will feature Hypercane, a cover band from Boston, Mass., that played at Alpha Chi's Pig Stick barbecue last spring, Niehaus said.
"All of the brothers are really excited about it," Niehaus said. "It is one of our biggest nights."
Hypercane typically plays a varied set list, including songs by classic bands AC/DC, Bon Jovi and ZZ Top, for example as well as songs by newer acts like The Killers, Puddle of Mudd and The All-American Rejects, according to the group's web site.
For those not in the mood to get sand in their shoes, Vega, a glossy electro-synth-pop act, will play at Psi Upsilon fraternity on Saturday night, Psi U social chair Max Pollack '10 said.
Vega is the brainchild of Alan Palomo, who also composes music for Neon Indian, a distinctly ramshackle sound.
"Winter Carnival is a good excuse for everyone to go out and have a good time," Pollack said. "[Saturday] is going to be a big night."
On Thursday, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity hosted the student band Clusterfunk which calls itself "Dartmouth's only supergroup" Sig Ep social chair Kel Jackson '11 said.
Tri-Kap and Chi Gam will each host a campus-wide dance party on Friday, according to Tri-Kap president Michael Brasher '10 and Chi Gam social chair Matt Broccolo '10.
"It's kind of a tradition that we throw a dance party on Winter Carnival weekend," Broccolo said. "The alumni expect it. They expect the same traditions every time."
Chi Heorot fraternity will host a dance party on Saturday, according to Heorot social chair Jason Lyon '10.
"I was considering how all of the amplifiers across campus only go up to 10, and I was thinking about how awesome it would be if we had a party where the volume went all the way to 11," Lyons said in an e-mail to The Dartmouth.
"It will be a fun night indeed, considering our music selection and that our volume goes a full notch higher than anyone else is capable of," Lyon said.
The Tabard co-ed fraternity will host its "Disco Inferno" party Saturday night, Tabard social chair Mackenzie Howell '10 said.
"Disco is the event we are best known for," Howell said. "Everyone wears costumes from the 60's and 70's. Expect lots of costumes and awesome music."
As a warm-up for the big weekend, Tabard hosted its signature lingerie show on Wednesday night, Howell said.
"It's a chance for Tabard pledges and anyone else to get on the stage and have fun," Howell said.
