Tig r HiLi e
“I request that during that month our people rededicate themselves to the splendid aims and activities of the Red Cross.” —President Franklin D. Roosevelt, first Presidential Proclamation of March as Red Cross Month, 1943
March 3, 2009
Somthing Elegant: Max Herre Staff Writer
As prom approaches most students check the web pages from leading dress producers to get a sneak peek at some of the best looking dresses of the season, but pretty prom dresses have their price and not everybody can or wants to spend so much money on a dress that they are just going to wear once. With this thought in the back of her head, choir teacher Kendra Wohlert and the women’s choir decided to sell gently used prom dresses for a lot less than their original price, which makes them very affordable for students with tight budgets. “Part of the experience of prom for young women is the buying of the dress. Girlfriends get together and they make an afternoon (or two) of it. We want the women to have a unique and special experience buying a dress from us. Our choir room will be decorated like a boutique complete with complimentary tea and cakes. We have a large full length mirror and dressing rooms as well,” Wohlert said. Even though junior Alicia Tindall has been looking for a dress for a long time, she supports the choir selling prom dresses. “It’s a great idea. Prom is a fairly expensive event, and it’s great that prom dresses are being re-worn. I think it really helps out a lot of high school students who can’t afford the price of a new dress and other costs that prom includes,” Tindall said. Wohlert and the women in choir are going to fit and sell the dresses. Interested buyers can just come into the “Something Elegant Boutique” (choir room 178 at the high school). The choir members will help them to find a dress in their size and preferred color. The choir is also selling like new shoes, handbags, accessories and jewelry, as well as brand new lotions, perfume and makeup items. “It is a win-win situation for everyone,” Wohlert said.
Volume 49 Issue 16
1015 Division St. Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
CFHS treble choir hosts prom sale with affordable dresses, accessories
“It is a winwin situation for everyone.” —Kendra Wohlert choir director Wohlert said that the choir needed a fundraiser for its program but at the same time it can help women go to prom who otherwise couldn’t afford to go. She said in this economy everyone is hurting for money. Wohlert added that they “don’t feel right doing a fund raiser that sells cheap and largely useless items to family members just to get a percentage of the profit.” The sale runs Saturday, March 7 from 12-4 and Sunday, March 8 from 1-4. The Something Elegant Boutique will also be available before, during and after school the week of March 9-12. The final sale is Tuesday, March 24 from 3:30-5. The women’s choir is also looking for people who would like to sell their prom dresses and accessories on consignment as well. The students would pay a $10 non-refundable fee for handling and advertising of their dress or accessories and put whatever price the seller would like on it. The choir will do its best to sell the seller’s items. Donated dresses and accessories are welcomed too. For further questions, contact Wohlert at wohlertk@cedar-falls.k12.ia.us. For many students, prom is one of their most important events in their high school career. Tindall admitted that she’d probably “be more excited when I get a dress, but I am definitely looking forward to prom this year. Prom is an event people usually remember their whole lives, and I am excited to share the experience with my friends.”
1. Chelsea Larsen Photos
2.
3. Shoes and other prom accessories are available at the “Something Elegant Boutique.” The boutique will offer gently used prom dresses and accessories such as shoes, handbags and jewelry for a cost that is more affordable than if the items were purchased new in stores.
3.
1. Choir director Kendra Wohlert helps sophomore Riley Hoffman into a dress so she can model it. 2. All of the models pose with the dresses. Standing from the left are junior Amelia Sutton, sophomore Ellie Chestnut, sophomore Cadi Trask, sophomore Riley Hoffman, sophomore Sarah Wallingford, sophomore Kelsey Finke and sophomore Lisa Boelman. Seated are sophomore Melina Gotera and sophomore Hannah Eilderts.
2Robo Respect: N ws
Arlene Freudenberg New Editor
The CFHS robotics team (Team 525) made it to the semifinals in the Kansas City Regional FIRST Robotics Competition on Saturday. Feb. 28. “The object of the game is to put moon rocks into other robots’ trailers that they carry at the end of their robots. There are two alliances that compete against each other and the match last two minutes 15 seconds with a 15 second autonomous period where the robots are controlled completely with preprogrammed code,” senior Deanna Amet said. The team had a very successful day on Saturday. They were even picked to be an alliance for the semifinals. “It was so exciting to be on the floor and discuss strategy with the
other teams. When I heard we got picked for the finals, I screamed and freaked out. It is neat to meet other people and see how so many of them solve a single problem in so many different ways,” Amet said. Cedar Falls was one of the few schools that competed in the finals. “There were a total of 61 teams there, and we ended up getting picked by the 4th-seeded alliance and ended up going into semifinals and losing to the first alliance, which means our alliance got third,” Amet said. The team improved a lot throughout the weekend. “At the end of Friday, we ranked 46th out of 61 teams, behind the team with the robot who could barely coordinate dumping balls, but had a great showing Saturday. We managed to move our rank up to 20th and most importantly get picked as
T H g
i r
iLi e
March 3, 2009
Robotics team receives professionalism award alliance partners with the 4th-ranked team to move on to the quarter finals and then semi finals,” senior Michael Miller said. An impressive ranking was not the only thing the team took home. “We won the gracious professionalism award, an award for helping other teams. It was great recognition for specifically one of our mentors who helped so many teams out,” Miller said. The team showed some outstanding character while at the competition to obtain the award. “We won the award because we helped a team who had their trailer stolen. Mr. Swartley came up with the idea to donate our MasterCard gift cards to team 1108. We asked around and collected over 20 donations, so we collected about $2,000. Also, Neil Kruempel, one of our main programming mentors, went
around to teams in need and helped them program their autonomous modes or helped with their drivers’ stations,” sophomore Emily Hurban said.
“The award means more to us than if we had actually won the Regional.” —Emily Hurban sophomore Although they did win the Gracious Professionalism award, they did not help the other team just to simply earn the award. “It was really neat just to help a team in need just because we wanted to and not for recognition,” Amet
said. However, when the announcer confirmed that the team had woin the prestigious award, the robotics team was far more than simply enthusiastic. “During the award ceremony, I leaned over to Hannah Howland and whispered ‘I want this so bad.’ When the announcer started listing off things we had done I was making a mental checklist. I was in so much shock when we actually got picked. I think I jumped about 10 feet into the air. Everyone there was so happy for us. That award means more to us than if we had actually won the Regional,” Hurban said. On Monday, March 2, Swartley and most of the driving team — Jennifer Hurban, Hannah Easton and Chris Guetzlaff — drove to the capital in Des Moines where they will be in the lobby area to talk about and showcase the robot to the legislators.
Cedar Falls sets up new security cameras Ben Olson Staff Writer
Recently, Cedar Falls Community Schools were awarded a $31,000 grant that will help to improve security at Cedar Falls High School. The money will go towards 32 new video cameras connected to a central video recording system for monitoring. In addition, new door entry systems will be put into place on the exterior doors that will be controlled electronically with cards or key fobs. “The Black Hawk County gaming commission provided us with this money. We are going to be able to double the amount of cameras we have here,” said principal Richard Powers. The reasons for a security update are mainly for safety, but also because the current system is outdated. “It’s like a cell phone that is five years old. You wouldn’t use it. Our current security system is six or seven years old. This grant helped
reduce tax-payer burden on the community project. Overall, the upgrade could cost $75-80,000,” said Dr. Powers. Currently, some areas of the school are not under camera view. “We have a large multilevel building with several unsupervised areas. This opportunity to expand our security system may serve as a deterrent to theft and/or violence,” said associate principal Dana Deines. There will also be other updates besides the 32 cameras provided by gaming commission grant. “Our plans are to update our building access and security by introducing a new door entry system to better monitor access to each part of our building. The plan will have five or six doors converted to an electronic key lock system with a sensor system to monitor all other outside doors,” said Dr. Deines. The advantages of an electronic locking system are that more doors will be locked down and staff won’t
have to worry about losing an expensive key. “One-hundred percent of doors won’t be open one-hundred percent of the time anymore. We are planning on every teacher having an electronic key to the new system, and police will have access to the camera monitoring,” said Dr. Powers The new cameras have much better image quality and storage capacity than the current ones, and they aren’t limited to views inside the hall anymore. “Most of our current cameras are focused inside the building and around main entrances and corridors. With the proposed updates, we may be able to monitor behavior both inside and outside the building,” said Dr. Deines.
Overall, the new security measures provide an update and maintain
safety for our school. “The purpose of this is not targeted at catching tardy students. We are fine tuning to make things safe, but at the same time we aren’t trying to lock down the school completely,” said Dr. Powers.
T H g
i r
p ioN i
O
iLi e
March 3, 2009
g
ov
ur i ew Student finds choices overwhelming
Security steps provide needed safety, yet warrant reserved use
The high school is poised to receive a $31,000 grant for security improvement, and students can expect major changes to security for next school year. Among the changes are increases in updated security cameras connected to a central monitoring system and a new door entry system accessed electronically with cards. These changes to security will bring obvious benefits. The money allows not only for updates to the now outdated technology of the current security cameras, but it also provides more of them. No longer will there be any areas in the school not under security camera surveillance that should be. Also, we believe that the new door entry system is another positive as doors will no longer be left unlocked during the day and will only be able to be accessed by those who should enter. Teachers and janitors will also not need to worry about misplacing expensive and cumbersome keys. However, although the changes to security have obvious benefits, we believe there is also a potential downside. As of now, the security changes are welcome and do not seem overly imposing, but we worry that they may lead to increased security measures. Students at Cedar Falls High School are relatively fortunate concerning their freedom compared with students at other high schools across the country where some students need to cross through metal detectors just to get to class, and we feel that the new security changes in no way threaten students freedom. Nevertheless, concerns about security may sometimes send the wrong message: the message that students are expected to commit wrongs that call for being monitored. Student security is obviously important, and we feel that new security changes brought by the grant money will only help to better protect students without overly imposing on their lives. However, we would like to caution against too strict of security measures as they send a negative message to students concerning their behavior.
Contact the Tiger Hi-Line
The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes of Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division St., Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Wednesdays to read in their DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) classes. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Hi-Line or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial staff view is presented weekly in the editorial labeled as Our View. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to the Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Thursday for publication the following Wednesday. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Include address and phone number for verification.
Editorial Staff
3
Editors-in-Chief: Honor Heindl, Kellie Petersen and Ellen Wrede Business Managers: Jill Dally and Alex Entz News Editors: Arlene Freudenberg and Sara Strever Opinion Editors: Maggie Devine and Vincent Stigliani Sports Editors: Jackie Jordan, Nick Penticoff and Paul Strike Feature Editor: Honor Heindl On-Line Editors: Torie Jochims and Ellen Wrede Entertainment Editors: Maggie Devine and Torie Jochims Photo Editor: Honor Heindl Cartoonist: Katie Dexter Graphic Artist: Tasha Woods
The other day, I was waiting in and sizes. Still, I would have felt line at an ice cream shop when it hit undoubtedly disappointed if my opme. As is often the case, I could not tion was limited to a medium-sized decide what I wanted. There was vanilla cone. Personally, I don’t even a handful of forms the ice cream like cones, and I do prefer a more could come it dressed up flavor like spu(cone, shake, cup, moni or moose tracks. So, smoothie, etc.), all what is the perfect amount that could come in of choice? four different sizes. Well, the answer to Then there were this question isn’t easy about 50 differto decipher. There is a ent flavors, all that fine line between choices could be had alone empowering and just plain or in a combination. overwhelming. I think of I made a hurried debeing a child and going to cision, but all these the grocery store with my decisions set me mother. She would allow up for disappointVincent Stigliani me to choose the cereal ment. How could I we would eat that week. Opinion Editor be content with my While the cereal aisle decision when there were hundreds can be daunting on one’s own, my of options I didn’t choose? mother’s guidelines automatically According to my experience at eliminated whole shelves of boxes the ice cream parlor, happiness is bearing household names such as not found in limitless flavors, forms Cap’n Crunch and Lucky Charms.
Then there was the price limit factor, which left me with a group of cereals that came in drab orange boxes and bore the titles of All Bran or Grape Nuts. It goes against common understanding of happiness to actually feel empowered by limits—in this case, price and sugar content. However, I can say that I never once looked back after selecting the box of Quaker Oat Squares. At home I savored my breakfast without pining for Lucky Charms. I believe that this is the medium between too many choices and too few. The difficulty is establishing those limitations for oneself in a country that is known for giving the consumer free choice. Perhaps the answer is limiting yourself accordingly. Going back to the ice cream—long term, I need to save money and short term, I’d like to avoid a migraine from too much sugar—looks it’s the small bowl of frozen yogurt.
Cutting of baseball ends tradition to travel expenses incurred by sports The saga of UNI Baseball guarbringing in little money (women’s antees that no sport is safe in the current climate of heady budget cuts. tennis, women’s golf, cross country) would have worked much better than No matter whether the program has cutting such a revered sport. UNI been around for nine years or 103 years—nay, Title IX and mistaken claimed its competitive edge could public officials have decided to be damaged, but the cuts have little to do with the quality of re-write the traditional players UNI currently rules. has. By spreading the In place of spreadcuts across the board, ing the cuts around to various sports, UNI could have saved UNI decided to cut baseball and a lot of hard feelings to boot. the one of the oldest Baseball is America’s programs in the United sport — not soccer or States, let alone Iowa. tennis or volleyball. Without question, UNI baseball has been a These sports bring in far less than baseball (nearmajor program around ly $100,000). Not only the campus for over a do they play a small hundred years. Rick Alex Entz role in the community, Heller, the UNI baseBusiness Manager ball coach, runs sevthey are younger and eral annual programs to help out baseball athletes from around the state. His expertise and the effect he had in shaping numerous varsity baseball players was either not taken into account or underestimated. Spreading the cuts around to the different sports, particularly
far more expendable than a 103-year old program glorifying America’s greatest game. Then the casual observer sees Title IX come into play. The decision was partly shaped because UNI’s women student-male student ratio (57-43) to the women athlete-male
athlete ratio (39-61) necessitated the cutting of a male sport. Reverse discrimination at its finest, this shows just how handcuffed colleges have become by this rule. Despite the realities presented above and the fact that UNI carries nine women’s sports to what will be six men’s, UNI baseball still got the short end of the bat. By refusing to spread around the cuts, the baseball players currently on the roster—all 35 of them—will either need to switch schools or just forget about their prospective baseball futures. While it may have been possible to fix this year’s problem this year and fundraise furiously in the off-months to save the next few years, this decision probably marks the end of the 103-year tradition. The nail seemingly in its coffin, UNI baseball has only a few more months to capitalize on what will likely be their last season. To the community: Go out to Riverfront Stadium this season and show your support for this ailing program, if for no other reason than simply to pay your respects to an ancient franchise.
F 4
at rE
Guys & Dolls
TH g
i r
iLi e
March 3, 2009
Musical favorit
“I becau perfo Cedar Falls High School schoo will present the musical Guys sic. I and Dolls on Friday, March Peop 6 and Saturday, March 7 at shine 7:30 in the Clare Stanard out v Auditorium. Many “Nathan Detroit, one of focus the lead gangsters of New Also York, is sneaking around tryCF in ing to keep his floating crap direc game running. The local law Pro enforcement, run by Officer lot di Brannigan, is hard at work a pla trying to catch Nathan in the dema act, while Miss Sarah Brown bigge and her uncle Arvide Aberevery nathy are attempting to bring quick the gamblers to their mission “O and change their, ‘evil ways,’” notic senior Chris Bowden said. musi The New York accent of espec Guys and Dolls is no stranger cal is to a high school stage. and t Arlene Freudenberg
News Editor
one.
Honor Heindl Photographs & Illustration
TH g
i r
iLi e
March 6 & 7 7:30 p.m. $6 student/$7 adult
March 3. 2009
te opening this weekend
I picked Guys and Dolls use it’s one of the most ormed musicals in high ol. It has really good muIt gives vocal and dance. ple have more time to e because it balances vocal, dance and acting. y musicals have more s on the dances or vocals. o, it hasn’t been done at n a really long time,” ctor Michelle Rathe said. oducing a musical is a ifferent from producing ay. The work is a lot more anding, the cast is a lot er and the stress level in yone’s heads boils a lot ker. One major difference I’ve ced between plays and icals is the size — the cast cially. The cast in a musis double the cast of a play, that makes it a lot more
chaotic but a lot more fun,” junior Ashley Sorenson said. Even though they have to shove cast members to make room on an overcrowded stage, they won’t let that stop them from having an amazing opening night. “In a musical, everyone has to work together to make the show happen, and from that comes a stronger castcrew bond. Everyone has his or her own strengths, and we collaborate to put together a great show,” junior Katelin DeSerano said. The cast and crew have shared many laughs while producing this performance. “It’s a great play filled with, laughs, great songs, romance and an awesome plot. It’s been a blast putting it together, and we can’t wait to perform it,” Bowden said.
three.
two.
F
at rE
5
one. Carter Allen (’10) confesses his sins at the Save-A-Soul Mission during the performance of “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.” two. Hot Box girls Deanna Ament (’09) & Sarah Halloran (’09) dance and sing to the playful tune “Take Back Your Mink.” three. Amelia Gotera (’09) sings of the heartache her lover Nathan (played by senior Chris Bowden) brings from his gambling in the touching piece “Sue Me.”
6
T H
Ent i m nT t r
N eW Rel eases
Music:
•Kelly Clarkson All I Ever Wanted •Taylor Hicks The Distance •New Found Glory Not Without a Fight •Handsome Furs Face Control •Pete Doherty Grace/Wastelands •Roxy Epoxy and The Rebound Band-Aids For Bullet Holes
Movies:
•Watchmen •All About Steve
Pod cast
This week’s feature podcast as well as eight others that are updated every other week can be found on The Tiger Hi-Line Online (http://www. cedar-falls.k12.ia.us/buildings/cfhs/ journalism/index.html) by following the podcast links. Internet Explorer does not work for viewing this site. Use Safari, Firefox or Opera for best results. The website is also linked off the high school’s website.
Devine Aesthetics with host Maggie Devine
On this vodcast, viewers can look forward to the latest in makeup tips without breaking their bank accounts. Feb. 19/ Episode Ten Today, we’ll offer one more winter combination before spring arrives and explore some face care products.
g
i r
n
iLi e
March 3, 2009
Eastern Iowa holds a hidden trove of treasure in theater opportunities Monica Reida Staff Writer
As March begins, we reach a dead spot with films, in addition to having spring break. During this month, the amateur theater companies in Eastern Iowa are performing a nice variety of plays, all of which have student tickets for less than $20. Two shows are opening on March 6, which sadly conflicts with the opening of the school musical, Guys and Dolls. At the Paul Engel Center in Cedar Rapids is A Number, a 2002 play by British playwright Caryl Churchill directed by Josh Beadle. The show focuses on a man named Salter and his three sons, Michael Black, Bernard 1 and Bernard 2, who are clones of Michael. The show not only touches on the subject of human cloning but also on identity and nature versus nurture. Stage Left Productions specializes in bold plays that touch on social issues. The company, which is still fairly new, has done The Flu Season by Will Eno, and Betrayal by Nobel laureate Harold Pinter, among others. Stage Left Productions did this in a poorly heated room in Cedar Rapids but presently it is one of the finest productions I have ever seen in my 12 years of attending live theater. A Number runs March 6-8 at the Paul Engel Center, located at 1600 Fourth Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids and then finishes its run March 13-15 at Performance Space 1 in Iowa City, neither of which are poorly heated. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and are available at the door. The curtain for all performances is at 7:30 p.m. Also opening the same weekend is the Black Hawk Children’s Theatre’s production of The Velveteen Rabbit based off of the novel by Margery Williams, and it is under the direction of artistic director Tyler Hayes Stillwill. The play focuses on a boy named Steve who loves his toys very much. Although this might sound a bit too lame for you,
it would be a great show to take your younger sibling or cousin to for an hour. The Black Hawk Children’s Theatre puts on productions of plays based off of both classic and contemporary children’s stories and novels. Their recent productions include Rapunzel, Anne of Green Gables, The Phantom Tollbooth and a production of Jungalbook that was in an urban setting and featured actors in street clothes wearing animal masks while moving about on a graffitied stage. Under the direction of Stillwill, Black Hawk Children’s Theatre has done twists and unique takes on classic stories that ultimately leaves one with an immense sense of fulfillment from seeing such amazing productions. The Velveteen Rabbit runs March 6-8 at the Hope Martin Theater in the Waterloo Center for the Arts, which is next to the Young Arena. The performance on the 6th is at 7 p.m, and the performances on the 7th and 8th are both at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for both students and adults and can be purchased by calling the box office at 319-291-4494 or visiting their website, www.wcpbhct.org. Opening on March 20 at Theatre Cedar Rapids is a production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fences by August Wilson. The show focuses on an African-American family in Pittsburgh in the 1950s that has to face discrimination. The play features an all-African-American cast of seven actors and is directed by Theatre Cedar Rapids’ artistic director, Leslie Charpair. Theatre Cedar Rapids is one of the oldest community theaters in the state and was founded in 1925 in the studio apartment of Grant Wood. The theater company is presently celebrating its 75 anniversary—the date is a bit off due to a hiatus the group took during World War II— but is performing at a location near the Lindale Mall after their home, the Iowa Theatre Building, suffered extensive flood damage. Their previous productions include Cabaret,
Photo Credit: Theatre Cedar Rapids
The poster promoting the play Fences in Cedar Rapids.
Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer prize winning epic Angels in America, Fiddler on the Roof, and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. Their current season has included the musical Gypsy, The Rocky Horror Show (upon which the cult film is based) and The Sound of Music. It will also be performing the musical Hair later this season. The show runs March 20-22 and 27-29. Tickets for Fences are $20 or $25 for adults, $15 for students and there are $10 rush tickets 30 minutes before every performance, which is a great chance for a play since there are generally more seats open before a performance. “It’s a great opportunity for students and people on a tight budget to get to see quality live theater for
pretty much the same cost as a movie ticket. That’s a tough deal to beat,” Theatre Cedar Rapids’ community relations director Rob Merritt said. Tickets are available by calling the box office at 319-366-8591, the will-call window at the venue or at their website, www.theatrecr.org. All performances will be done at the theater’s Lindale location, at 4444 First Avenue SE in Cedar Rapids, with Friday and Saturday performances at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday performances at 2:30 p.m. Throughout the month of March, there are many opportunities for you to take in the great productions of serious non-musical shows in Eastern Iowa without breaking the bank, so go out and see a show.
T H g
i r
iLi e
We’re Cookin’ Now
March 3, 2009
Ent i m nT t r
n
7
David Cook wows Wartburg crowd Torie Jochims
Entertainment Editor
American Idol star David Cook performed at Wartburg College in Nuemann Auditorium on Monday, Feb. 23. I walked toward the front of the room to a place by my friends right near the front, my heart beating with excitement for the concert to begin. I had high expectations and hoped Mr. Cook would not disappoint. The lights dimmed, hoards of screams filled the air as the opening act, Ryan Star, came on stage. He was a real treat for the audience, an interesting mix of alternative and rock with an occasional splash of something that verges on folk. It was the most unique sounding opening act I’ve heard in a while – and I mean that in the very best of ways. Star and his bandmates left the stage after one heck of an opening act and again the lights dimmed on stage and came up in the audience. A frenzy of people fitered about the stage, setting it up for Cook and the band. The downtime was excruciating, the anticipation thrilling, and just when I thought Cook might not grace us with his presence after all, the lights went completely out, shadows of bodies came on stage, picking up instruments and fiddling with knobs on amps. Everyone knew the moment had come. A moment of eerie silence with a few excited whispers separated the previous idle chatter to pass time, and then – high-pitched screams and loud cheering filled the air with the most intensity the night had seen … thus far. The lights came on in fiery tones of red and orange, and Cook and the band started the show with the sweet-lyriced, rocking song “Heroes.” Right from the start, any member of the audience could plainly see why this man won American Idol cycle seven by 12 million votes. The next tune, Mr. Sensitive, held true to the rocker persona that suits him so well while piercing with lyrics that
probed society’s lack of depth. The temperature in the room, already toasty from the sheer number of bodies was rising to a higher degree as more of the crowd (at least from my vantage point, near the front) started to understand that this was an allout, high energy rock concert. Following the second tune was a bit of witty banter that got still more people on their feet. A frantic fan shouted “I love you, David!” with the sheer luck to hear him smile and respond “Love you too.” It was official – more than just a gorgeous voice and awesome stage presence, this was a fans’ performer. He continued, slowing it down just a bit with a love song tinged with regret, “I Did it For You.” More screams, a momentary pause in the music while Cook explained how glad he was to be there. “Three songs in, and I’m having a blast. I hope you guys are, too!” The song that followed this bout of banter was one written about the past year in Cook’s tumultuously changing life, “Life on the Moon.” Haunting, slower, the lyrics to this make you see that he’s an artist remaining grounded (or doing his best to do so) despite the extreme changes his life has made since Idol ended. “Life on the moon wouldn’t feel this far away. The life that I knew is through, and I’m gonna need you more than ever. I’m alone in this crowded room. It’s like life on the moon.” The chorus is perhaps the most haunting portion of this song, during which you could plainly see Cook’s raw passion for everything he’s doing as he jammed on his guitar and sang in a voice so strong and sure, every note permeating the swaying crowd. Two more songs from his album followed, “Declaration” and “Avalanche,” and then he broke into one of the most high-energy songs of the night, “Kiss on the Neck,” with a killer drum solo at the beginning, and lighting that made the number feel just that much more energized. This was a real crowd-pleaser.
As if this rock anthem modeled after the classics of yesteryear wasn’t enough to get the crowd really going, he followed it with one for the guys, “Hot for Teacher,” a cover of Van Halen’s hit. Van Halen would have been proud, Cook and the band brought a life to the song that was fresh and classic, old and new all at the same time. It was clear that this man was born to rock. Maintaining a beautifully balanced setlist, the next song was more than a normal treat for the students filling Neumann. Cook explained that the next song was one he’d written with two members of his band that he’d known for six years, and then revealed that all of us lucky enough to be present that night would be hearing “Anodyne” performed live for the first time Cook and the band had done so. Another ballad that greeted the crowd with a softer, blue lighting (Cook gave up the guitar in this one for a more personal feel as the song progressed), and at the end of the song the guys in the lighting booth kicked it up a notch, showing some exciting, surreal effects on Neal, one of the band’s guitarist. By the midpoint of this beautiful ballad, I broke my gaze from the commanding singer on stage to notice that goosebumps had taken over the skin on my arms. Judging by the looks on the faces nearest me, the song was having similar effects on them. After this song ended, I was so wholly invested in the way Cook commanded the attention of every person in the audience that I dared not break my eyes from his performance. Throughout the concert he made a point of keeping the audience involved, something not every artist has a knack for, but a thing that Cook had perfected. During “Hot for Teacher,” for example, he looked straight at a girl a few people to my right, and I nearly went deaf from the excited giggles and screams (as if the volume and intensity of the concert wasn’t enough to effect my hearing already) that ensued. The same understanding of the “enter-
Torie Jochims Photo
David Cook performs with obvious, intense ardor for his work. tainer” label he now proudly wears followed through “Breathe Tonight” and “Light On.” But before I knew what to do, the concert was … over? He thanked us all for being there and then left the stage, the lights went out. A few rounds of “David Cook, David Cook …” resounded, accompianied by loud cheers before finally the band’s drummer came on in the pitch black blanket on stage and broke it with drumsticks that had lights on the end. The effect of one blue and one red light zinging as he soloed with apparent drum expertise was smileprovoking. Once more, Cook did not disappoint. “Bar-Ba-Sol,” one of my favorite tracks from his album, started off the encore with the most edgy sound I’d heard from him all night. Cook notched up the intensity for the start of the encore and brought it down for the final song of the night, “A Daily AntheM.” Though not the most exciting on the album, it is without a doubt the most meaningful. Cook wrote this song before his fame began, for his brother. If you take the time to notice, the capital letters in the song’s title spell “Adam” which is the name of David’s brother, who suffers from
cancer. With lyrics like “Now the verses take hold/A gentle undercurrent of more years to grow old” the poetic prowess of the man on stage simply struck me silly. How many on this planet are gifted with such a treasure trove as poetic ability to write soulful, deep lyrics and sing them with a set of vocal pipes that many would sell their soul for. As “ADAM” (abbreviated as such by fans) came to a close, the band dropped out so that Cook and the crowd were the only ones left singing. Then Cook dropped out, and the crowd was singing the “Oh, oh, oh, oh” chorus acapella. A few parting bits of banter from Cook and the concert officially ended. I left the auditorium (ready to scramble for the bus when he came to sign autographs and mingle with fans) feeling as though I’d never spent a more worthwhile night anywhere. He had no doubt left the crowd completely wowed, but I’d gained more respect for him and his true musical ability than I had walking into that auditorium. Cook lived up to, and surpassed, the high hopes I’d had for the concert, showing what true musicianship, and being a true entertainer, really means.
T H
S
p rs t
iLi e
March 3, 2009
State Drive
Athlete Week of the
Men face Kennedy in Substate Finals
James Harrington Men’s Basketball Freshman
Freshman James Harrington starts on the varsity men’s basketball team. His superb handle on the ball under pressure has turned the team into a force down the stretch.
dogs in the contest, but then again, they have come away with victories over highly ranked opponents The Tigers proved to be the top recently; including a season finale cat on Friday, as they ended the Mar- upset over second-ranked Linn-Mar shalltown Bobcats’ season, 61-57, and the Substate Semifinal win at in Marshalltown. The Bobcats were number nine Marshalltown. ranked ninth in Class 4A. An incredible run to the State The team was led by junior guard Basketball Tournament by the Tigers Andrew has been in Wirth, who large part We’ve played them before. It was a thanks to the scored 22 pretty close game and hopefully we insertion by points. The Tigers can beat them this time in order to freshmen James go to state. have to win Harrington in the next game the lineup. in order to go -Senior Kyle Bernard “It feels to State. good to play “We played a good game. I liked varsity. It’s fun to play against that we had a lot of fans show up tougher competition. It’s a challenge even though the game was away,” each play,” Harrington said. senior Kyle Bernard said. He controls the Tiger tempo with “They’re not that great of a team, a steady hand, but the most imporbut they played a good game and tant effect he has had is freeing up gave us a challenge,” junior Jeff junior shooting guard Andrew Wirth Conrad said. to roam the perimeter. There is still much work to be “Hopefully, next game I can done for the Tiger men. They have shoot a little better. It’s a good thing earned a date with Cedar Rapids I have dependable teamates that I Kennedy in the Substate Finals at the can rely on to make up my slack,” McCloud Center Tuesday. the senior Bernard said. The Cougars of Kennedy have The Tigers’ fire that has brought only one loss on the season, and that them to this point is still unloss was not to Cedar Falls. quenched. With the season on the
In earlier season action vs. Cedar Rapids Jefferson, senior Darion Howard drives to the hoop. The Tigers face Cedar Rapids Kennedy in substate finals at the McLeod Center on Tuesday, March 3 at 8 p.m. The Tigers lost to Kennedy by one point earlier this year.
said. The Tigers are the clear under-
team’s philosophy. The team’s philosophy will have to be put into its truest action, for Kennedy will undoubtedly bring the heat. The team is banking on huge
Paul Strike Sports Editor
“We’ve played them before. It was a pretty close game, and hopefully we can beat them this time in order to go to State,” Kyle Bernard
line in every game from now on, the Tigers will seriously need to keep up their awareness and play out of their minds in order to keep on winning. “Enjoy every game, leave it all on the floor,” Bernard said of the
Kristen Aldrich Photo
fan-power to propel the Tigers on to State. The Tiger men play Kennedy next on Tuesday at 8 p.m. on March 3 at the McLeod Center.
Student Intro Special (Student ID Required)
Expires 03/20/09. Tax included, not valid with any other offer. Limit one per person. 6322 University Ave, Cedar Falls 268- 2031 and 275 E. San Marnan Dr., Waterloo 232-4554
1. What do you like most about basketball? It’s a team sport. In AAU, I’ve always traveled with a team, and it’s a lot of fun just chillin’ with my teammates. 2. How do you prepare for games? Before every game, we go through plays we are going to run. 3. Who do you look up to? I’ve always looked up to my dad. He has always encouraged me and been there for me. 4. What goals do you have for basketball? I want to get a scholarship and play a sport in college. I don’t know if I want to play basketball in college yet. In my high school career I want to win a state championship.
Tigers in Action
Men’s Basketball (15-8) Beat Marshalltown 61-57 on Feb. 27 Next: Substate Finals vs. CR Kennedy (21-1) (@ McLeod Center in Cedar Falls at 8 p.m.) Waterloo Warriors Hockey Won Iowa Junior Hockey Champs
Advertise with the Hi-Line
“The Sun Always Shines Down Under”
20 points for $20
8
OIL CHANGE and LUBE OIL FILTER (up to 6 quarts, synthetic is extra)
$21.95
Expires 03/20/09
6283 University Ave Cedar Falls (319)-277-6200
Phone by day: 319-553-2590 Phone by Evening: 319-415-3119 Email: J.Dally022@gmail.com
Support CFHS
g
i r