Contact: Sarah Maxwell
Director of Media Relations
(507) 646-4183

December 17, 1997
SP 55
Story by Debbie Urbanski, '98

CARLETON'S CAVE A 70-YEAR OLD PLACE FOR COFFEE, STUDENT BANDS, JELLO WRESTLING AND MINNESOTA ROCKERS

Northfield, Minn. -- The 70 -year history of the Cave-- the student hang out in Evans' basement--makes for a dramatic timeline of enthusiastic openings and short-term closings, with some good music, cabaret theater and jello wrestling in between.

Constructed in 1927 in a time of women's curfews and same-sex dorms, the Cave was a place where both sexes could dance the night away, at least until 11.45 p.m. when socializing officially ended for the evening. Since those beginnings, the Cave has made a habit of emerging every few years with newly renovated insides and a new direction. Extensive remodeling occurred in 1948, 1951, 1967, 1971, 1984, 1987, and, most recently, throughout 1994-1997. Now in its 70th year, the Cave is trying diversify its offerings to students and is gradually becoming more successful in defining itself as something more than a student bar.

The Lentils, a Carleton band now based in Minneapolis, have played at the Cave nearly every term since their first performance there in the fall of 1993.

Matt Ryan '96, the Lentils' drummer, remembers the Cave when he first arrived at Carleton as "a classic-old-dingy-graffiti-on-walls cave." Despite a notoriously difficult PA system that has since been replaced, Ryan says the Lentils were still able to connect with their audience at that first performance.

"We were psyched that first time we played -- we had no idea people would dance," he said.

Ryan believes that the extremely low stage of the Cave makes it an unique place to perform. "It's as if there's no stage at all. It's fun to have the audience on the same level as you," he said.

In response to student complaints that the Cave previously showcased too much music of the same genre, current programming coordinator Nate Johnson is attempting to bring a more diverse group of musicians to campus, covering reggae, zydeco, jazz, funk, rock, and most things in between.

Bands who have played so far this year have ranged from Minnesota Music Award winners Detroit, a '80s style rock band who performed with spandex, big hair, and pyrotechnics, to the well-respected folk singer Lucy Kaplansky.

Throughout its history, the Cave has always been a space for student bands to perform. Though Johnson, a junior, is trying to secure some of the best music from the Twin Cities for Friday nights, he wants the Cave to remain a space for student performers on other nights of the week. "We want to make sure if students want to perform, they have a place," Johnson said.

With a programming budget of only $8,000, the Cave has a policy of not paying student performers. "We're making due -- it's still a lot of money," Johnson said. Senior Joe Homlar, who has played at the Cave in a number of student bands including a folk-rock band Saspirilla and a punk band called Second Hand Virgin, is not bothered however with performing for free at the Cave.

"It's equally a favor for me -- I enjoy playing at the Cave," Homlar said. He describes the mainly student audience as creating a supportive environment for performers. "They're not afraid of dancing or showing support for student bands."

For many years in the '80s and early '90s, the Cave was seen simply as the student bar on campus. Alcohol became a much more sensitive issue, however, in 1986 when the Minnesota drinking age was raised to 21. Suddenly less than 1/4 of the campus was old enough to legally drink. As a way to control underage drinking, a portion of the Cave was sectioned off with chicken wire in 1994 and that area designated as the only place where legal drinking could occur. Needless to say, treating the 21 and over crowd like poultry didn't sit well with the student body. Attendance dropped and led to the Cave's removal of the chicken wire in fall, 1995.

Angie Scott became the staff supervisor of the Cave six years ago and helped develop the current system of using bracelet id's, passed out at the door, to determine who was of legal drinking age.

"Not a lot of attention had previously been paid to legality or rules -- that was supposed to be part of the Cave's ambiance and charm," Scott said. As supervisor, she tries to find a balance between leaving students in charge of the Cave while staying in accordance with health codes and laws.

Even with a staff supervisor, the Cave is still essentially a student operation, run by 12 student workers who do everything from check id's and serve drinks to manage the sound equipment.

This year's student staff are also trying to help develop the Cave's atmosphere, Johnson says. A few comfortable couches are now scattered around the room and the walls are used as a display for student art. Tuesday night is usually devoted to student performances, whether it be student bands or open-mic poetry readings. Carleton music groups like Nightfall, the a cappella jazz ensemble, and Carleton's film society have also used the space for performances and screenings.
The Cave also houses the Recording Co-Op, begun in the fall of 1996. Ryan, with the help of Homlar, founded the co-op, which makes available to students a four track recorder, microphones, and a mixing board. About 35 students have been trained in how to use this equipment so far.

Despite a new look, a new direction, and much more coffee on the menu, the Cave still remains a part of the Carleton experience, as it has for the last 70 years. Sure, it's a basement, and a dimly lit one at that, but somehow the room dug out of a small East side hill has found a found place in many generations of Carleton memory.

"It's changed some, but it's still much more the Cave than anywhere else," Ryan said.

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