"Horn Guy" performs Lakeview Cafeteria lunch time show

Kellen Jenkins / The Bulletin

Dave, “the Horn Guy” performs his rendition of the theme song for Super Mario Bros. Wednesday afternoon inside the Memorial Union cafeteria. Dave has performed for a variety of shows and events including The Gong Show on Comedy Central.

“It was cool how he was able to use all of his body parts to create noises on the various horns,” said Greg Schuck, freshman undecided major. “He was able to get everyone in the crowd to interact pretty well.”

There were no empty chairs available in Lakeview Cafeteria during lunch time yesterday because of a man in a bright orange jumpsuit with horns strapped all over his body. Dave Enns, also known as the Horn Guy, played a show for students while they ate lunch.

“It’s a comedy show basically,” Enns said. “I play all types of jams and have all sorts of crazy props.”

Enns was originally scheduled to host the Huge Event Fair that was to take place in Union Square on Wednesday but the event was cancelled because of inclement weather and Enns’ performance was moved inside.

“We still wanted to bring (Enns’) entertainment to the students,” said Mary Shivley, assistant director for student involvement. “So the cafeteria seemed like a good place for it.”

Enns wears approximately 30 horns strapped to his suit with hair bands. The horns were custom ordered from a German company that also makes trumpets and trombones.

Enns creates a melody by using different parts of his body to manipulate the horns in a specific pattern.

“I have a bunch of bulb horns strapped all around,” said Enns. “They are in my armpits, leg pits, neck pit, elbow, back, shins everywhere. I just squeeze my joint and make music.”

Enns played his horns, performed jingles, beat boxed, did impressions and threw out miniature horns to a packed cafeteria. He played familiar tunes such as “Mario,” “Chopsticks” and “When the Saints Come Marching In.” He interacted with the audience by playing “Happy Birthday” and having the crowd sing and clap along.

“It was cool how he was able to use all of his body parts to create noises on the various horns,” said Greg Schuck, freshman undecided major. “He was able to get everyone in the crowd to interact pretty well.”

Enns started playing the horns eight years ago when he performed “Jingle Bells” at a church Christmas show in California. Three weeks later, Enns was on The Jay Leno Show performing the song and then put together a routine the following spring.

In addition to Leno, Enns has performed on America’s Got Talent and recently won Comedy Central’s talent competition, The Gong Show. He has been playing horns as a full time job for three years now but had never done a show in a college cafeteria until yesterday.

“I am excited to do it in a cafeteria because I have never done one before so it is different,” Enns said. “As long as it is packed and there are people grubbing we will have a good time.”

Blythe Eddy, associate director for programs and community service, felt that the cafeteria performance from Enns was a positive outcome of the unfortunate cancellation of the Huge Event Fair due to rain.

“I feel bad for the student organizations that wanted to share what they are all about with the student body,” Eddy said. “But I loved that there was a good audience for Dave and the students seemed to enjoy him.”