1993_09 Insight September 1993

              Page 4
Insight/California State University, Fresno
September 22,1993
Zapp's
ENTERTAINS
By Eric Alan
Staff Writer
Customers have to sometimes
duck when an enthusiastic musician
starts swinging his axe.
Zapp's is a small Fresno nightclub, about 500 square feet.
It's so small, in fact, that the ladies
rest room is located in the restaurant
next door.
The postage-stamp dance floor
fills up quickly and every square
inch of unoccupied space becomes
fair game for dancing feel.
From the day Tom Boyajian
opened his nightclub, back in 1986,
his goal was to make a contribution
to Fresno's culture.
"I wanted something special,"
Boyagian said. "I've spent a lot of
time in San Francisco where great
things were happening on every street
corner.
"But where could you go in
Fresno?" he said.
It took Zapp's six years to evolve
into a live musk seven-nights-a-week
nightclub.
"When we first started out, we
tried everything from comedy to fla-
iiiciicu dancing," said Dv^jpaaV iS
he rolled his eyes and chuckled.
Zapp's, located at 1105 N.
Blackstone, serves a diverse crowd,
ranging from suits and (opsey-tails
to sandals and tattoos.
The club's name, location and
theme are derived from a private-
owned amusement park that opened
inl910 and closed in 1917.
The decor is warm, with an antique bumper-car and a merry-go-
round horse.
"Monday blues" is one of Zapp's
more popular features.
A group of regularly appearing
performers invite a variety of local
musicians to "sit in" on an old-fash-
Half the audience prefers to listen
with eyes closed, rocking back-and-
forth in time with the music. The
other half have ear-to-ear grins.
"There's something about this music," said Karen Williams, a regular
at Zapp's.
"It just pulls me in," she said as
she swayed to the music and ordered
another zapper.
A "zapper" is an after-dinner drink
made with coffee and Irish cream
liqueurs and rum.
When the rum is set aflame, and
cinnamon sprinkled from a couple
feet above, the flames fly and the
customers jump.
"It's a fun drink," Williams said.
"Maybe I'm a firebug."
The amplifiers rattle and hum between songs as band-leader Ed B urke
shouts "Hey, listen up y'all, there's
not enough in the tip jar to even go
out for coffee after the show."
"Somebody, pass that jar around."
Burke said.
The jar got passed, everyone
laughed and the band wailed.
DlaneTroha/INSICHT
A celebration of Mexican independence could be heard In the Pit Thursday, gathering a
crowd of mora than 200. Irma Sanchez and Ruben Diaz were among many who danced.
Working it
By Jason Peepgrass
Staff Writer
Hundreds of people arc running,
stepping and riding thousandsof miles
daily in Fresno, only lo go nowhere
fast, except that they are getting
heal th icr, stronger, and in better shape.
They are exercising at die many
health clubs in Fresno and Clovis,
which also have grown in popularity,
along with society's emphasis on looking and feeling good.
People at these health clubs say that
choosing the right club is just as important as choosing the right tool to do
a job.
Making a decision on a health club
means considering personal'goals, atmosphere, fitness, and cost.
"You really feel good about yourself," said Brandy Cole, who works
out at Fitness for Women, a club that
caters only to women and that offers
spas, tanning and manicures, as well
as fitness equipment.
However, Mark Cooper, a member
at Clovis Athletic Club, said he exercises there forcardiovascular reasons.
"I like to keep my weight down and
heart in shape. I don't really care
about my size."
"No matter how often you wale out,
whether it's once a week or five times
a week you feel better both mentally
and physically," said CAC member
Dawn Price.
"It makes me feel better, and I have
a lot more energy."
Whatever the reason.cxcrcisers say
that being active and getting involved
with aclub is an essential toa heal ihicr
life.
"Exercising is always going to be
around," said Dan Gamel's Fresno
Racquet Time manager Dan Kuehne.
"It's a piece of mind on your daily
outiook and how you feel. It affects
everything you do. After a while ii
becomes a habit for both young and
old," he said.
Cole said that she mainly exercises
to stay fit.
"Trial's what is really important,"
she said "You meet a lot of people
and it's a nice atmosphere."
Late Niqkr wrrh... KFSR's disk jockEys
By Eddie Garcia
Staff Writer
KFSR disc jockeys know what it means to
pay their dues—starting at ihe bottom is just
part of the job at CSUF's radio station.
DJ.'s who go on air for the first time,
begin their broadcasting career in the 3 a.m.
to 6 a.m. time slot.
This late-nighi slot allows them to begin
in a low-pressure situation with little
listcnership. They prove their abilities by
earning a better time slot
The idea of a full day of work, school, or
both, followed by D J. work in the wee hours
of the moming for no pay is incomprehensible to most students.
"When 1 tell people I work 3 to 6, they say,
'in the morning?' They give me a look like
a couple of screws fell out of my head." Gary
Petrosian said.
After a month of 3 a.m. to 6 a.m.,
Pctrosian's Monday moming blues show was
moved up to the 12 am. to 3 a.m. slot. Others
aren't able to move so quickly.
Dan Williams worked the 3 to 6 shift for
four months.
He developed an early morning ritual.
"My alarm would go off at 2:40 a.m. and I'd
just go in my pajamas and slippers and head
out without combing my hair or anything."
Kevin Pe ndergrass has been working his 6
a.m. to 9 a.m. slot for over a year.
"It's hell getting up that early, but you've
got to pay your dues," Pendergrass said.
"There have been some grueling days when
I didn't go to bed and had an 18-hour work
day," Petrosian said.
Most of the DJ's say their love of music is
the major reason why they work the hours
they do.
"I enjoy music a lot and enjoy listening to
music, so I just wanted to play music I like,"
Williams said.
His Disco Dan hour was moved to the 4
p.m. to 5 p.m. slot and became one of the
most popular shows on the station.
Gary Petrosian also does his show for the
love of music.
"I really wanted to do it because the blues,
that's my favorite thing they play on the
station," Petrosian said.
"I tell everyone it's a great experience and
I can put it on a resume, but the real reason I
do it is for fun," Petrosian said.
Kevin Pendergrass enjoys music as much
as other DJ.'s, bul started his show for a
different reason.
"I needed on-air experence for the career
I want to get into and KFSR is a good place
to start," Pendergrass said.
Whatever the motivation, one thing all the
late-night DJ.'s share is beginner's mistakes.
Williams said, "I used to have the record
in cue to preview a song and then forget to
take it out of cue, so I'd hear the song but it
was actually dead air."
Petrosian said, "Every once in a while, I'd
forget to turn the mic off and my conversations on the phone or with the next DJ.
coming in would go over the air."
"Sometimes you hit the wrong button or
bump the record needle while it's playing so
it's generally a learn-by-error situation."
Pendergrass said.
"Most of the people
who call are either
wackos or young
girls."
—Dan Williams
Late night DJ.'s also know about the
strange people thai call in during ihe night.
"Most of ihe people that call are either a
wacko or young girls," Williams said.
Petrosian said, "These girls call up
and want obscene conversation or tell
me their life story."
"I've had people call in and say that
they just broke up with their boyfriend or
girlfriend and want to hear something
depressing," Williams said.
Most DJ.'s agree that the biggest thrill
is when someone calls in and says they
like the job they are doing.
"There's a bar that calls in every Monday morning and says, 'the whole bar is
listening— play something for us.' I
really enjoy that," Petrosian said.
"When somebody calls in and says
they really like that song and 'could you
play this,' it really makes the job a lot of
fun." Williams said.
"The station also gives you a lot of
freedom. I like to play it loose, so the
college station scene has been great for
me," Williams said.
Pendergrass, Petrosian and Williams
are all telecommunication majors who
hope their KFSR experience will help
them in their career, but they'll always
have great memories of late-night campus radio.
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