Fraternities offer a way for men to unite in brotherhood under their three letters which the always brandish with pride. However, so often fraternities gain the stereotype that they are unable to get along with someone who’s letters are not the same as their own.
You are bound to have your ignorant ones, but the 19th & a 1/2 St. Band along with Fat Boys plan to unravel the hearsay.
The boys of 19th have planned the first Greek Games, which will provide inter-fraternal unity through playing unconventional games.
The 19th and Fat Boys are both well-known entities in Huntsvegas.
The game is simple. The 19th brings the jams. Fat Boys brings the food. People go to see bands play. People go to restaurants to eat.
But with the start of today’s Greek Games, begins an entertainment outlet that has never been implemented in Huntsville.
“19th & a 1/2 St. Band has had a long running relationship with the owners of Fat Boys. When Fat Boys opened up, they hooked up as being the new guys in town.
The Greek Games will put all the all of the SHSU fraternities that are members of the International Fraternal Council against each other in a tournament style battle of wits. The men will compete in thumb and arm wrestling and paper, rock, scissors.
“Everyone likes competition and everyone likes a good laugh,” said lead guitarist “Papa” Dan Nichols. “So when you combine the two together, you come up with rock, paper, scissors and thumb and arm wrestling,” he said.
Fat Boys was the first place that 19th & a 1/2 St. Band approached about having the Greek Games as soon as the event was in the planning stages.
The band goes by the quote, “He who knows it, feels it.” The switch from just playing music to planning an event was no problem for them because it was something they felt.
“Our main goal as a band is to entertain people.,” said guitarist and lead vocalist Billy Sheely. “If that consists of a concert, or a mass scale event such as the Greek Games; we do what it takes to entertain in a town lacking of excitement,” he said.
The members of 19th & a 1/2 St. Band are in two fraternities themselves. Sheely and Nichols are Delta Tau Delta, and Shanks is Sigma Phi Epsilon. Their crusade for unity began when they created the band.
Fat Boy’s will have the “You Call It Hot Dog.” You just tell your waiter what you want on your hot dog and it’s simple as that. Also, they will be serving $1.50 cans of beer.
The band started out in jam sessions on 19th & a 1/2 St. These sessions took place in the small houses where they used to do recordings. They are know one of the most prominent acts in Huntsville.
The 19th & a 1/2 St. Band has their first road gig in El Campo at Greek’s Brothers during Spring Break on March 15. On March 28th, the band will playing Shenanigans with Colin de la Santos as their special guest.
The “Shenasties” show will be a milestone for the band because they will have officially played at every bar in Huntsville. As far as the games Greek Games are concerned:
“We will see how this year’s goes,” said Shanks. “If all goes well then next year will be bigger and better,” he said.
For more information on the band, check out their Web site at http://www.19thandahalf.com.