MAY 4TH, 2014
ISSUE #8
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
So this is it guys. This is our last issue of the semester. It is with great pride that I not only present your 2014 Cuture Shock issue, but also introduce to you to Janet Katsnelson, who will be succeeding me next year. I introduce her and this issue together because it was her baby. Janet ran meetings for our Cuture Shock coverage, helped in it’s coverage, and has sat beside Steph and I while we put the issue together. She, and the rest of our staff, have contributed a great amount of ideas that have brought this issue into fruition. Honestly guys, she’s gonna do some amazing things with The Load next year. So keep an eye out and show her your support! Rest in Peace, Jams with Jan.
Awkward hugs, Alyce
The Load is a non-profit newspaper paid for by the Mandatory Student Activities Fee. We welcome and encourage submissions from readers. The Load is a forum for campus issues and events, to give the students the voice they deserve. Any opinions expressed are those of the writers, not those of The Load, it’s editors, or the PSGA. Publication of submissions is not guaranteed, but subject to the discretion of the editors. No anonymous submissions will be considered, but we will accept use of pseudonyms on a case-by-case basis. Send all submissions and inquiries to PurchaseMedia@gmail.com. Our office is located on the first floor of Campus Center North, room 0025.
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All archived issues of The Load can be found at www.issuu.com/purchaseload
Contents
Head of Purchase Media
Michael Piazza
Print Editor-at-Large:
Alyce Pellegrino
All Hail Cakes Da Killa . . . . . . . . . . 03
Design Editor:
Unsung Heroes. . . . . . . . . . 07-08
Staff Writers:
Stephanie Knipe
Side Stage coverage
Nina Braca Ariana Cuadra Dylan Green Janet Katsnelson Alyssa Spizzirro
A Main Stage Spread. . . . . . . . 14-16
The Load Logo by:
Your Culture Shock Team. . . . . . . 09-10 WPSR’S Side Stage . . . . . . . . 11-13
Modern Baseball. . . . . . . . . . .17-18
An interview with Brendan Lukens and Jake Ewald Zombie Prom Flashback. .. . . BACKPAGE
An interview with Andrew WK
Philip Gibson
Cover Photo by:
Janet Katsnelson Copy Editor:
Alyce Pellegrino Culture Shock Photographers:
Nina Braca Ariana Cuadra Dylan Green Janet Katsnelson Maximum Russell Alyssa Spizzirro
2 MAY 2014
ALL HAIL
CAKES DA KILLA
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4 MAY 2014
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6 MAY 2014
Thank you to PSGA Tech Services and the stood staff
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unsung heroes
8 MAY 2014
THANK YOU RAYMOND CHALMé
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& THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES BOARD
10 MAY 2014
Sunflower Bean
By Ariana Cuadra
wpsr’s side stage
This group was possibly one of my favorite acts at Culture Shock this year. It’s really a shame that they played so early and had a relatively small audience. Self-described as neo-psychedelic for the digital age, my expectations were low. However, they totally blew my mind with the tightness of their sound and the vision of their songwriting. The lead singer Julia, who also plays bass, had a light, free and inspirational voice reminiscent of Kate Bush or Lykke Li. Their original song 2013 was especially engaging and whimsical. Sunflower Bean plays around with difficult sounds and melodies along the neo-psychedelic line, but unlike many of their peers they actually had incredible dynamics. Every instrument was clear in their mix and it wasn’t just because of the venue, their recordings sound just as great. Do yourself a favor and look these guys upon bandcamp.com
Magic Peter
This was an act I probably could have done without. He began his bit by setting the mic stand on fire, which was pretty cool; but it all went downhill from there. His next piece was not a magic trick but a pretentious rambling on Albert Camus’ philosophy on absurdity. It was absurd, but definitely not in the way he intended. I can’t write this review without mentioning that one of his acts included literally pulling a card out of his ass-crack, much to the shock and disgust of the audience. Some people clapped, most people gagged, I just shook my head. He ended his performance with a long, awkward, and often fumbled history of fire-breathing that he punctuated with examples of several techniques. He has potential, but this act fell pretty flat. Perhaps it was just out of place.
Vinyl Canvas Now here’s an example of true, raw talent.
This R&B and neo-soul group boasted seriously impressive vocals and percussion. Their stage presence was literally moving, as the audience immediately got into the groove of their sound. The vocals of Alaysia Jordon and Kameron Smith were like butter on toast- an absolutely delightful blend, and electronic keyboard added a contemporary taste to their old school sound. It was a real pleasure to witness such authentic artists doing their thing on our campus. This group really brought the bacon to the table this year, and I hope they make many happy returns!
By Dylan Green
Shores The second half of Friday night’s Side Stage started off
with a slowly enveloping vibration rather than a proper bang, with the band Shores. Somewhere in between rock, jazz and ambient elevator music, they got the crowd moving, but not in a crazy way. Imagine the way your best friend looks when he comes into your room and notices that you have a lava lamp on your desk that he’s never seen before; that pretty much sums it up. They put on a great show, no doubt about that, but it was a more somber opening than I was expecting... 11 THE LOAD
Murder By Scooter ...and that somber feeling was
blown out the window by the second act. The high energy punk-ska of Murder By Scooter not only put ants in everyone’s pants, they drew in a huge crowd of skankers and concert heads itching for some dancing with what is their last Purchase show as students. The respective middle and end of their set was punctuated with covers of spiritual ancestors No Doubt (Underneath It All) and Smash Mouth (All-Star). The mics in The Stood failed to pick up most words from lead vocalist Jess Carlisi because the overall ensemble is huge, with guitarist Sean Conway, bassist Dan Poorman, trombonist Andrew Frey, saxophonist Jacob Garbus, and drummer Joe Yonkers all playing at once, but they sounded so good I didn’t even notice. Even the photographers couldn’t contain themselves, myself included.
Mikavillain Thoroughly psyched up after Murder By Scoot-
er’s set, the crowd had grown in size and in capacity for kick-ass music just as Mikavillain hit the stage. Yet another full on-stage ensemble, this time with two emcees on lead vocals, their hip-hop/live band sound drew in an even larger crowd and The Stood quickly became densely packed. Finding places to take pictures even became a hassle after a while. There were no wall-huggers during Mikavillain’s set, which surprised me. Not because their music isn’t good or anything like that. In fact, their Roots-like sound was immaculate. There’s just usually at least one person who doesn’t want to leave the wall and just nods their head the whole time. I started looking after a while, until I looked up and realized that the only person hugging the wall was me. Wow. Embarrassing.
Everything is Terrible!
The hip-hop fans quickly cleared the scene after Mikavillain finished their set. For what seemed like an eternity, comedy act Everything Is Terrible! started setting up their show. They had a sizable crowd at first, but bored concert-goers began to pour out of The Stood as they just took way too long to start their routine. They specialize in a sort of remix comedy, if you will. Everything is Terrible! finds old VHS tapes, ranging from Christian self-help videos, corny elementary school hip-hop safety videos, etc, and edits them together for comedic effect. Once they finally hit the stage, dressed up like marshmallow Coneheads, the paltry few who stayed behind for them got a good show out of it. While I wouldn’t call the laughs consistent, the show was the most unique I saw at Side Stage that night, with an anarchic sensibility that yanked laughs out of my throat even when I was completely confused.
By Alyssa Spizzirro
GrIOT Rumba So, this didn’t happen. They decided not to Spectral Citadel LIVE It was pretty awesome perform to “an empty room.” It takes a lot of courage to not care about that kind of thing, but I guess I understand that things fall through or no one decides to come to your event. It was really unclear to me as to what was happening. I just thought spoken word poetry was supposed to be...spoken. I get it, you’re shy artists who write poetry and I respect that. At the same time, when a tree falls it still makes a sound when no one is there to hear it. I think the show should have gone on, at the very least the people who work at the Stood probably would’ve haphazardly listened.
to see a radio show performed in the flesh, and I think it provided the group the opportunity to do more with the narrative than is usually permitted. The narration and range of the voices was pretty incredible, but I think there were moments where the plot became difficult to follow. I may have missed the point of the piece, so it’s hard to say. They seemed dark and mysterious and their costumes looked fantastic. There was something going on with Marx and the Russians, I think? Sorry in advanced for being mildly disengaged, nothing personal. You all seem really intelligent and intimidating, I will listen to you on WPSR on Fridays at 8 p.m. and everyone else should too.
Our Lady of Little Hope Sunday Mike Cronin’s Late Night Comedy School Bible Musical There was a pool. They had an inflatable kiddie pool. It was intended to represent the flood in Special This wasn’t a huge disaster. It begins with Cronin, in his the story of Noah’s arch, which is really funny and ridiculous. That pretty much sums up what this show was, hilariously entertaining. The cast was engaging toward the audience. At one point Moses lead “the Israelites” (the audience) out of “Egypt” (in a circle around the Stood). There were songs. Music scores borrowed from actual songs- my personal favorite being “Come Sail Away.” All the music was played live, and even the moments of uncertainty between the cast worked with the way the show was structured. All it really did was tell stories from the bible without providing any forthright opinion on how they should be interpreted. I know anything involving religion has a tendency to be controversial, but we can all agree we are a bunch of authority hating liberals who don’t really care about protecting the feelings of religious extremists anyway.
Jimmy Kimmel-like style, begging people to stay. He acts as a host and introduces two comics from New York City (I’m pretty sure they didn’t go to Purchase). The first comic called the Stood “the largest garage of the creepiest pedophile ever” and made an off-colored joke about bringing a chloroform rag on a date because women don’t sleep with him. I went outside to smoke a cigarette after the rape joke, because fuck that. The second comic had a much better stage presence and very obviously connected to the (growing) audience in a way that just wasn’t present with the first act. I get it, comedy makes fun of everyone or whatever, but the Stood is supposed to be a safe space so maybe don’t tell rape jokes, kthxbye.
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OXEN Musical Armageddon. I was told they were a “doom
band,” whatever that means, but it seemed like they were. Actually, I am now a Nihilist because of their performance. The band was really approachable and casual with the crowd. The crowd was really energetic and I felt like I wanted to not be holding a camera so that I could thrash and resemble some type of dancing movement. It’s good music to dance to because you can just dangle your limbs and feel cool. It’s the type of music your mom probably hoped you wouldn’t like. But you do. And she’s not the boss of you, so keep being metal \m/.
Mood Tattooed Mood Tattooed, aka Hagan
Knauth, put on an incredible show. From my understanding, this was his first non-solo performance under the moniker. People crammed into the back of Whitson’s while others sat on couches and the seats alongside the wall. More and more people would come in and, contrary to most of the other acts, very few people would leave. Everyone, including myself, was completely immersed in the vibe of their set. People would sometimes bob their heads, but for the most part it was a very introspective experience. This was music writer’s, Janet Katsnelson, favorite side stage act of the day.
Bermuda Triangle Mystery Movers This was one of the most colorful and upbeat
performances on Side Stage. The band is an example of how talented students on this campus are and what they are doing to bring joy and fun to others. There was a member wearing this Mardi Gras style mask, and it seemed like they went all out with creating a stage persona. The lighting worked in a really spectacular way to emphasize how cool everyone looked. The band’s positive energy carried over the exuberant crowd, and
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the intensity of their set grew as the room moved to their sweet groovy tunes. There was this funky, jam band type of feel. I felt my shoulders involuntarily rotating, I think I was trying to dance.
Noelle Tannen Orchestra
Noelle Tannen appeared to also be a part of Bermuda Triangle Mystery Movers, as did a number of members part of this ensemble. Supplement that with the fact that Tannen arranged the sounds of the entire performance. Who even has time for that? What are you all, wizard genies that never sleep and only practice? There were so many people involved, that you’d think there would be an absence of fluidity in the sound. But no, this spirited performance worked so well. The horn section was amazing, it was all amazing, and lively, and wow. Noelle has such an incredible stage presence, nothing gets me weaker in the knees than a soulful female vocalist.
Purchase Guitar Orchestra
The ensemble consisted of about twenty (plugged and unplugged) guitarist sitting in an “U” in the middle of the room, playing an original composition by Peter Katz. The entire room was pulled into this ambient hypnotic current; students sitting on the floor and surrounding the orchestra. The intimacy of Whitson’s assisted in creating this really internal connection between the audience and the music, which was pretty avant-garde. The piece sounded like one giant instrument producing the type of sounds one would hear when you’re in space surrounded by beautiful alien jellyfish. It almost felt wrong to move, like I was on this drug that paralyzed my ability to do anything but nod my head in agreement with whatever subconscious message Peter was trying to tell us all. He would probably make a good cult leader. It was awesomely bizarre.
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16 MAY 2014
MODERN BASEBALL Right off their tour with The Wonder Years, the members of Philly-based Modern Baseball played Culture Shock (inside) on Saturday night to a packed crowd. I was lucky enough, and super excited, to sit down and talk with them about everything from tour to shotgunning beers.
Nina Braca: How do you feel
you’ve changed in the last year? Brendan Lukens: I’ve lost weight…and we’ve definitely gotten better at our instruments. Jake Ewald: Yeah. BL: We are now road warriors, we understand the concept of time. I think we just got better at what we were doing okay at. JE: It’s pretty much the same stuff, but we definitely feel more comfortable doing it. NB: So where do you think you’ll be within the next year? BL: Not even sure. We just announced a tour in June with Tiny Moving Parts, The Hotelier and Sorority Noise, and once we get back from that we go to school and then… school is just “hash tag school” so we’ll see what happens. NB: Are you going to be seniors? BL: I am officially a super senior because I took off term to go on The Wonder Years Tour. JE: And I’ll be a junior. NB: What are you studying? BL: Communucations. 17 THE LOAD
By Nina Braca
JE: Music recording. NB: At Drexel right? BL: Yes. JE: Indeed, our stomping grounds. NB: Do you think you guys are
[this album], but we also discussed doing things with close friends. We are definitely gonna chill on this record, we love the songs. NB: What are your favorite songs from the record? going to stay for Lil’ B? BL: All of them honestly. Favorite BL: We are unfortunately not! We songs to play live…I really like to are so bummed because we were play “Charlie Black.” like, ‘oh shit, we are playing with NB: What was it like being on tour Lil’ B.’ But Sean has to go to Ireland with The Wonder Years? tomorrow, so we have to head back. BL: We went on to that tour, me and NB: So what has your impression of Jake specifically, being like, we’ve Purchase been? listened to this band since 9th grade. BL: We like it! It’s cool. So we, like, freaked out. And they JE: Very pretty, cool kids. are the most incredible people. They actually taught us things. It was NB: When it’s a little bit nicer out incredible. it’s a lot better to be hanging out around here. JE: It was like a big brother experiJE: We go to school in Philly which is ence. We did this tour in a van, and they had been in that position for just, like, piss in the streets. so long. They were just, like, touring BL: So this is very nice! in a van for so long but now they NB: A lot of people complain about are more successful and play bigger the brick buildings. places, but they still have the menBL: That’s what I love! I’m from tality that they are, like, in a van. the suburbs of Pennsylvania, like, BL: Also, because we’ve seen them a outside Philly, so the trip to do when lot, it was definitely the tightest that we were young was Gettysburg. So they’ve ever been. whenever I see any stone walls it NB: Whats the hardest part about brings me back. “Hashtag brings being on tour? me back.” And we are both from BL: I love it. I love it a lot to the Maryland. We went to high school point where being home is weirder in Maryland, and Harper’s Ferry is, to adjust then being on the road. But like, right there so all this stuff is we are both on the same page where nice. we could never do the Touche move, NB: So you just released “You’re where they tour like 200 days of the Gonna Miss It All” earlier this year. year. We are like a four, five months Do you have plans for recording top band. So after this cycle we are again. just like, ‘alright we are just gonna BL: We are definitely gonna sit on chill now!’
JE: It’s cool to have stuff every day,
and have a schedule every day, and have stuff you like to do. But sometimes you think, like, ‘oh, I’m not gonna be able to go in my room and shut the door for the next 6 weeks.’ Then you’re like, ‘oh, fuck.’ If you can enjoy the moment then it’s awesome. NB: Do you ever get sick of each other? BL: I think me and him [Jake] butt heads the most, but we also make up the fastest. We bicker; bicker is a good work for it. So no real fights. Just like old couples. NB: What are you most excited for
as a band? BL: The UK is gonna be so cool. And we just announced we are playing Fest, so we are very excited for Fest. We are very excited for the summer and playing with the bands we really love. It’s gonna be very awesome touring with Tiny Moving Parts again. They taught us how to shotgun beers. JE: We had this opportunity, like, ‘okay, we have 20 days to do a tour, who should we bring? Lets just bring all of our homeboys!’ They’re all so friendly and not pretentious at all. After a lengthly discussion on drinking games which may or
may not be appropriate for The Load, we got on the topic of The Naked Issue, which was particularly interesting to the band.
BL: I wanna hear more about The Naked Issue! JE: It’s just naked people? BL: Lets do it! NB: You have to be a student, but you can transfer here if you want! BL: We got it! NB: You can be as naked or as not naked as you want. We put out the issue each year! BL: That’s really punk.
18 MAY 2014
ZOMBIE PROM FLASHBACK INTERVIEW WITH ANDREW W.K
Jan: How’s your day going? ANDREW WK: Very nicely. It’s a
By Janet Katsnelson
Jan: What does party mean to you? AWK: Not being dead. Jan: Unless you’re at Zombie Prom! AWK: Now we’re getting closer to
take it out on pizza. I would take it out on Wonder Bread or something. It’s just plain bread. beautiful early spring day. Beautiful Jan: What is your number one part of New York, White plains. I party song right now? don’t often get to see it even though the source! When you get to a place I live close. AWK: “Bottlez” by T-Pain. The last like Zombie Prom, you’re tredding three days, that’s the song I’ve Jan: Have you heard of Purchase very close to the edge. For those listened to the most. before? folks brave enough to cross that AWK: Yes, I’ve played here before. threshhold between death and life, Jan: What is your advice for anyone scared of the party? Also, my cousin attended school here all I can say is, be careful what you for theater. Specifically Theater Deexplore. Even though it may be AWK: Your instinct is right. Don’t sign. He excelled, perhaps more than imaginary, you are venturing into an join the party. Not the party you’re most folks do. If I do dare to say he intense area for better or worse. afraid of. I once wanted to join a became one of the top theater tech party that was full of lions. They Jan: What do you do to keep the people in the world! Or at least the look fluffy from afar, and I’ve seen party alive? US. Or New York. Or just Purchase. AWK: Not die. Eating pizza. I had a them in that MGM opening and That’s the most exciting thing that thought, ‘I want to hug that beast.’ very bad pizza earlier today. has happened to me since the last That beast is extraordinarily fierce. It Jan: I’m sorry. time I played here. has sharp claws and extremely sharp AWK: Even a bad pizza is pizza. teeth. A lot of strength. It’s like a Jan: What made you realize the What are the pizza places around bear that turned into a cat. Don’t importance of positive partying? here? doubt those instincts. Follow them. If AWK: Feeling bad and depressed your instincts tells you to party with Jan: Sunshine Pizza? is really intense. It takes a lot of energy, a lot out of you. So I allows AWK: This was like Sunset pizza. It something cuddly and comfortable, do that. Don’t hug a snake. Unless appreciate those things in the world was a very chewy dough, there was it’s a garter snake. If it’s a cobra or a lot of resentment in the person that can cheer me up and pull me that delivered it and probably made a rattlesnake, you’re better off trustout of that state. I was drawn to that. It’s like a moth to a flame, in a it. An anger that comes through. The ing those deep instincts telling you, ‘no.’ Once you die, as far as I know, force with which they pressed the good way. At the same time I hope dough and flattened the dough. You the party ends. Or it could continue! I can come up with something that would not only offer that to myself, start off with a small, humble ball of It could actually be the biggest party. dough. Do they encourage and coax but to others as well. Some kind of that dough into a round flat circle? cheerful, empowering energy. It is so intense just to be alive. I’d like to Or do they punish it with anger? I cheer myself up through that experi- would punish it with anger because I have a lot of anger. But I wouldn’t ence and hopefully others as well.