Live rock music returned to Wayside Central for the first time in more than 20 years Friday night.

“Battle for Broomfield” at the Wayside, 2000 S. Mission St., consisted of four local bands with a variety of musical styles performing.

Instant Prehistoric, Head Trip, Come Find the Lion and Free Music were all local bands, all having at least partial Central Michigan University student representation.

Free Music was the headline band, while Come Find the Lion drew the most audience members. Head Trip won the competition.

As the mellow glow from light fixtures shook with the music, guests consisted mostly of CMU students. Seated guests nodded with the music, appreciating the chance to see some of CMU’s local music scene, said Clarkston junior Andrew Anderson.

“I just came for the music,” he said.

Some people drove for more than an hour to see some of the bands.

“I came to see Come Find the Lion, to support them,” said David Abdelkader, a Grand Valley State University sophomore. Abdelkader came with a group of friends to show support for Come Find the Lion.

Metal enthusiasts from Come Find the Lion were eager to state the story behind their unique band name.

“We had a hot tub party, and our long-johns got wet. The pact was that nobody was allowed to leave the hot tub until we thought of a name,” said Adam Rash and Jay Eleridee, guitar and bass players for Come Find the Lion.

Adam Rash from Come Find the Lion said their musical influences are not just metal, but a fusion of genres.

“It’s all about playin’ a show,” Eleridee said.

Some band members came to the Wayside with a more perplexing attitude.

“What makes us unique is that we’re mysterious,” said Brad Badas, a Mount Pleasant senior and member of Instant Prehistoric.

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The students of RPL 430: Recreation Programming will be registering contestants for a charity hot dog eating contest from 2 to 4 p.m. today in front of the Bovee University Center.

The contest is being put on Tuesday at The Pixie Restaurant, 302 N. Mission St., by students in RPL instructor Tim Otteman’s class.

“I’m an event’s management minor, so it’s great experience for me,” said Jennifer Pickford, a Lansing junior and co-leader of the event.

The actual competition will consist of four different competitions, with six people per event. The categories are guys, girls, registered student organizations and staff. Each competitor will be judged on how fast they can eat three hot dogs. The winner of each category will receive a prize.

Katie Talbert, a Rochester Hills junior, is also a co-leader for the event. She said she encourages people to come and register.

“It would be nice if people came to support our cause and made a donation,” she said.

Even if students do not want to participate in the feast, they can still support the cause by showing up and donating $10 and get a T-shirt in return. The Pixie will also be offering a 15 percent off deal with any purchase during the event.

Ruth junior Eric Pionk, who is also in the class, said the contest is a great way to learn about programming.

“I’m just trying to learn from the experience, since we are future programers,” he said.

Sticking on the subject of food, the contest will be held in order to raise money for the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen, Talbert said.

The entry fee will be $10, and includes a T-shirt with “ask me about my wiener” printed on the front. The shirt can also be purchased by non-competitors, for $10.

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An informational meeting about the Disney College Program will be from noon to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Bovee University Center Auditorium.

Disney has been working with Central Michigan University for 28 years, giving students chances to work with trained professionals in multiple fields, while earning college credit and making money through partnerships and internships.

This year’s fall presentation will be all about the “Spring Advantage Program,” a six to seven month program that accepts all majors.

Collegiate courses offered during the Spring Advantage Program include communications, experiential learning, hospitality management, human resource management, marketing U: personal and career development strategies, organizational leadership and practicum.

Anyone interested in participating in the program should register by Feb. 20, 2009.

While working alongside Disney, CMU does require each student to complete “work experience,” which means students must take one Disney Education Course, turn in a written assignment and submit an evaluation completed by a Disney College Program supervisor.

The written assignment requires students to turn in a description of work and learning experiences, overall expectations and evaluation of the Disney College Program and two interviews with workers, also known as “cast members.”

Working with Disney provides a huge advantage over many normal internships, said Dean Wallin, director of Leisure Services.

“Disney’s like a small city, with 55,000 to 65,000 employees, they have all kinds of representatives that our students are exposed to,” he said.

Wallin also said all students can take advantage of the program.

“I think the experience is just a dynamite experience, no matter the department,” he said.

CMU was one of the first of 30 universities to work with Disney, and CMU always stands in the top three universities regarding enrollment into the program, he said.

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The reading is estimated to last roughly eight hours. Multiple English faculty and students are expected to take turns reading.

“Leaves of Grass” is a modern classic, as one of the first modern-untraditional works of literature in the late 1800s, said temporary faculty member English Allegra Blake.

“I think it’s interesting because (Whitman) is one of the biggest influences in modern poetry,” she said.

As Walt’s influences range from a dysfunctional childhood, to devastation in the Civil War, his poetry works tend to be darker in nature, something that wasn’t common in poetry during the time, Blake said.

Lakeport senior Joe Kane and Harbor Beach junior Steve Roggenbuck are headlining the event.

“We just hope people will come to listen; it’s a big celebration of poetry and life,” Roggenbuck said. “All we’re doing is being happy about being alive.”

The event will be Bovee University City lobby if weather is poor. Anyone is welcome to stop by and read aloud to pedestrians, as the event will be happening nonstop all day. For further information please contact Joe Kane at kane2jj@cmich.edu.

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