APRIL 04, 2018
VOLUME 125, ISSUE 11
SPIELBERG’S “READY PLAYER ONE” FALLS SHORT
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TRIBAL FLAGS RECOGNIZE DU’S HISTORY
DU HOCKEY PLAYERS SIGN WITH THE PROS
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PUERTO RICO STILL IN 4 NEED OF AID pa g e
DEAD SEA SCROLLS COME TO DENVER
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DU CLARION
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APRIL 04, 2018
| NEWS
Driscoll Student Center to begin reconstruction this summer
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s part of the DU Denver Advantage plan, which stems from the greater Impact 2025 initiative, one of buildings that is scheduled for reconstruction is the Driscoll Student Center (DSC). Home to the high-traffic bridge that allows students to cross Evans indoors, the building is planned to be demolished and the various services offered in the building will find a new home around campus. “Part of the challenge between now and when the new building opens is to kind of figure out how do we continue to provide services to student groups,” said DSC Director John Nichols. At DSC, student organizations often sought spaces at this building for their meetings and would often be at little to no costs. Nichols and the assistant director, Kate McHargue, during the two-year transition period are on the lookout for new, affordable spaces for student organizations. Anderson Academic Commons (AAC) has been one of the parts of DU that is prepared to help host these meetings or other
events normally hosted at DSC during the transition period. Nichols and McHargue describe this favor as the library paying back for the accommodations DSC made when AAC was under construction a few years ago. The DSC will be renamed as the Community Commons and is expected to have four floors. The first floor is outlined to be office and event space. “The whole second floor of the building is food service operations,” said Nichols. DU is expecting this area to be a centralized dining area with food options to accommodate for various diets. There are plans to also host a Starbucks on this floor. The third floor will offer more office spaces for the services that were originally at DSC. The fourth floor will be a rooftop where DU community members can socialize and enjoy a scenic view. McHargue said the goal for the new Community Commons, as the name suggests, is to “[make] it the center of campus, a place where people actually spend time rather than just coming through getting
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whatever resources they need and heading back out.” All sections of DSC are preparing to move out as the end of the quarter nears. There is no set move-out date but students can expect to see the transitioning out process to gradually come about. Logistics have been in discussion as inventory on the equipment of the building have been accounted for and new relocations have been determined. Without a bridge for easy crossing, adjustments on Evans
are also being planned for in order to make the crossing safer and spacious for the increasing number of pedestrians. The team involved in construction and design includes: Anderson Mason Dale Architects, Moore Ruble Yudell Architects and Planners and Saunders Construction. Visit the Denver Advantage page for details on other upcoming construction projects in the next coming years. Daniela Santos | News Editor
Taryn Allen | Clarion
DU Clarion EDITORIAL STAFF
JOHN POE, Editor-in-Chief RYAN NINESLING, Executive Editor TARYN ALLEN, Editor-in-Chief Elect GRACE CARSON, Executive Editor Elect DANIELA SANTOS, News Editor The Clarion is the official student newspaper of the University of Denver, serving as the “Voice of the Pioneers.” Founded in 1899, it covers campus and local stories with the highest level of journalistic integrity possible. 1000 copies are distributed each Wednesday afternoon (throughout the academic year) across the DU campus, and every article is also published at duclarion.com. The Clarion does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the faculty, staff and/or administration of DU, and the opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of the Clarion. Reproduction of The Clarion in whole or part in any form written, broadcast or electronic without written permission of The Clarion is prohibited. The opinions expressed by columnists and contributing writers do not necessarily reflect those of The Clarion. Weather forecasts are of courtesy of the National Weather Service. The Clarion reserves the right to reject advertising, stories, columns or letters to the editor that it deems graphic, obscene or that discriminate on the basis of race, culture, gender or sexual orientation. The Clarion welcomes letters to the editor. Those who submit letters must limit them to 500 words. Some letters may not be published because of space limitations, overly-libelous content or similarity to past submissions. Please submit letters to duclarioneditor@gmail.com.
HOW TO JOIN
The Clarion is open to contributors of all years and majors at DU, including both undergraduate and graduate students. There’s no application necessary; all you have to do is show up to one of our weekly meetings, which are held every Monday at 6 p.m. (during the academic year) in the Driscoll Underground. Can’t make it to a meeting? Send an email to duclarioneditor@gmail.com and we’ll do everything we can to get you published.
NIKKY JOHNSON, Sports Editor ELIZABETH LOCHHEAD, Opinions Editor KENDALL MORRIS, Arts & Life Editor CAITLAN GANNAM, Photo/Video Editor GRACE HOUSER, Photo/Video Editor MONICA MCFADDEN, Podcast Editor JUSTIN CYGAN, Copy Editor MAYA PINON, Copy Editor ANDREW MATRANGA, Faculty Adviser Photo Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
CONTRIBUTING STAFF HANNAH BRANIT CLAIRE BOGGS NINA PETROVIC
APRIL 04, 2018
DU CLARION
NEWS | 3
Cheyenne and Arapaho flags now hang in Driscoll Bridge
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n April 2, a ceremony to raise the tribal flags of the Northern Cheyenne, Northern Arapaho and Southern Cheyenne and Arapaho Nations over DU’s campus took place, officiated by Chancellor Rebecca Chopp, Provost Gregg Kvistad and representatives of the three Native Nations. This was done to recognize the fact that DU is situated on the traditional homelands of Cheyenne and Arapaho peoples. This act is significant considering the history of DU’s founder, John Evans, who was responsible for the Sand Creek Massacre, in which he commanded a group of U.S. militia to attack and kill an estimated 160 women, children and elderly members of the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes as governor of the Colorado Territory and as territorial superintendent of Indian affairs. Chancellor Chopp began the ceremony by acknowledging DU’s past and looking forward in their relationship with Native peoples, saying “Although we understand that the road ahead is long, and we have so much further to go on this difficult
journey, this extraordinary occasion testifies to the resilience and persistence of Native people, while speaking to the inherent generosity, compassion and forgiveness. Their communities hold up as a source of inspiration for us all. I thank you.” Elders from the tribes talked about the trauma that Sand Creek Massacre has left them with. Waylon Rogers, a speaker from one of the tribes, said, “Every time I go to Sand Creek, I have a heavy heart and a lot of anger and a lot of pain. And from what I’ve been studying, Sand Creek was the beginning of a lot of our problems. We were wounded, and we have never recovered. What Sand Creek did to a lot of us was historical trauma, transgenerational trauma.” He continued, “Every day I see my people suffering and it all started from Sand Creek and other massacres.” The three tribal Nations’ flags now hang in the north side of Driscoll Bridge alongside the flags of the U.S., the State of Colorado and the DU. Grace Carson | Executive Editor Elect
Photo courtesy of Viki Eagle
Grace Carson | Clarion
Facebook changes privacy tools after data controversy unfolds
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n March 17, it was revealed that Cambridge Analytica, a data analysis firm that worked with Trump for his 2016 campaign and its related company, Strategic Communications Laboratories (SCL), stole data on 50 million Facebook users and kept it. Facebook users are now criticizing the social media website for not adequately policing this behavior. While Facebook has now suspended both Cambridge and SCL as they investigate whether the companies retained Facebook user data that had been provided by a third-party researcher, which is a violation of Facebook’s terms, they say they knew about the breach but had received legally binding vows from the companies
that all of the data was deleted. The data was gathered using an app called “thisisyourdigitallife,” a platform in which users could take personality quizzes. Users who downloaded the app gave it access to their personal data kept on Facebook about where they live, their likes and if their privacy settings allowed, who they were friends with. But users do not just put the blame on the data analysis groups, they blame Facebook. Wired addresses the concern: “After two years in which Facebook has struggled to explain how Russian propaganda and fake news proliferated on the platform, it now must explain one of its fundamental flaws: Facebook offers unprecedented data to its paying
clients, but has next to no controls in place to ensure that data will be handled properly.” In response to the backlash from users, Facebook has decided to change their privacy tools. On March 28, the social media website introduced changes to their privacy tools, including making data setting controls easier to find, and privacy shortcuts that will make an account more secure, control personal information, control the ads on one’s personal page and manage who sees users’ profiles and profile information. The new changes also give users the option to download the data Facebook has accumulated from users more easily, as well as the option to delete Facebook data. The social media compa-
ny’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, responded to the controversy on Facebook, saying “We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you.” He continued, “I want to thank all of you who continue to believe in our mission and work to build this community together. I know it takes longer to fix all these issues than we’d like, but I promise you we’ll work through this and build a better service over the long term.” Zuckerberg will testify before Congress because of the data controversy, as requested by three congressional committees. Grace Carson | Executive Editor Elect
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| SPORTS
APRIL 04, 2018
Five Denver Hockey players head to the pros
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fter an incredible season, five Denver hockey players have signed to play in the National Hockey league (NHL): junior forward Dylan Gambrell (Bonney Lake, Wash.), sophomore forward Henrik Borgström (Helsinki, Finland), junior forward Troy Terry (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), junior defenseman Blake Hillman (Elk River, Minn.) and senior defenseman Adam Plant (Penticton, B.C.). On March 26 it was announced that Gambrell signed a standard, entry-level contract with the San Jose Sharks. “Dylan is one of the top college players in the country, who has proven through his many accomplishments that he can compete at the highest level,” Sharks General Manager Doug Wilson said in a press release. “We believe his speed, combined with his high-end Hockey IQ, make him ready to be an NHL player. We are confident that with his skill set, he will make
an impact with our team.” Also on March 26, the Florida Panthers announced that Borgström signed a three-year, entrylevel contract with them. “Henrik is a highly-talented, exciting and dynamic young forward who has been a dominant player over his last two seasons in Denver,” Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon said in a press release. “In a short time he has put together an accomplished career in the college game, including a national championship. We are thrilled to have him take the next step in his development with the Panthers. Henrik’s addition to our skilled, young core of players further strengthens our foundation for success for years to come.” The Anaheim Ducks announced on March 26 that Terry signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the them. Terry finished his collegiate career with 115 points in 115 games and tied for 63rd among
Denver’s all-time scorers. He finished second in team scoring and eighth in NCAA scoring during the 2017-2018 season, scoring 48 points in 39 games and leading the team with 34 assists. Terry scored 25 points in NCHC play and had the fifth-highest points per game average (1.14) in the conference, earning Second-Team All-Conference honors. The Blackhawks announced on March 27 that Hillman signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks that will run through the 2018-2019 season. Hillman finished his college career with 31 points in 123 games. He was the Pioneers’ second-highest scoring defenseman during the 2017-2018 season, logging 12 points, 96 shots, 44 blocked shots and a team-leading 52 penalty minutes. In 2016, Hillman was named the Most Outstanding Player of NCAA West Regional after recording four points in the tournament. On March 28, the Laval Rocket
announced that Plant signed a one-year, one-way contract with the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 2018-2019 season and will play the remainder of the 2017-2018 season with the team on a professional tryout contract. Plant recorded 42 points in 154 collegiate games. He logged 11 points in 32 games during the 2017-2018 season, averaging a career-best 0.34 points per game. In the 2016-2017 season, Plant was a co-recipient of the Keith Magnuson Award, which honors Denver’s best defensive player. Plant was a four-year member of the Academic All-Conference Team. Prior to coming to Denver, Plant recorded 65 points in 104 games in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). We wish our Pioneers the best as they compete on the professional level.
Nikky Johnson | Sports Editor
Erika Sobelmann | Clarion
DU Women’s Lacrosse rolls past Butler 16-1
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n March 31, the Pioneers powered past the Butler Bulldogs 16-1. Ten different Pioneers scored, 11 players recorded at least a point and every Pioneer on the roster saw playing time. Junior attack Julia Feiss (Baltimore, Md.) was the team leader in scoring with four goals. She was also team leader in points with two assists. Freshmen Bea Behrins (Basking Ridge, N.J.) and Sammie Morton (Eden Prairie, Mn.) had their first goals of their Denver careers, and freshman goalkeeper Amelia Cole (Alexandria, Va.) made her first appearance, playing 33:88 and making four saves. Junior Kendra Lanuza (Lit-
tleton, Colo.) started the Pioneers scoring 15 seconds into the game. She followed her goal up by assisting Feiss in another goal 30 seconds later, the first of her team-high three assists. Behrins scored her goal at 28:14, making the score 3-0. Lanuza scored her second goal of the game at 26:55 off a Feiss assist. The next goal was a product of Feiss and Lanuza when Feiss scored off a pass from Lanuza at 14:55. Feiss scored again at 22:32 with an assist from redshirt junior Kennedy Milburn (Whitby, Ontario). Milburn finished the game with three caused turnovers. Freshman Eliza Radochonski (Englewood, Colo.) scored at 20:47 with an assist from Feiss. She was followed by senior Caitlin Derry
(Seal Beach, Calif.) off an assist from freshman Quintin Hoch-Bullen (Severn, Ontario). Hoch-Bullen scored the next Denver goal at 7:37 with an assist from Lanuza and a second unassisted goal at 1:417, the last goal for the Pioneers before halftime. Denver entered the second half with a 10-1 lead. Feiss opened up scoring in this half with her fourth goal at 26:48. Sophomore Laura Milleker (Severna Park, Md.) scored a goal at 23:21 with an assist from sophomore Molly Little (Tiverton, R.I.). Morton scored her goal, an unassisted goal at 16:51, to make the score 13-1. She was followed by Behrins, who scored at 10:19. The final scorer for Denver was senior captain
Hanna Bocklet (Cross River, N.Y.), with one second left. All three Pioneer goalies had playing time, with sophomore Carson Gregg (Severna Park, Md.) getting both the start and the win. Cole replaced Gregg at 15:31, and stayed in the net until senior Katy Miele (Park City, Utah) subbed in for the last 11 minutes of play. Gregg had two saves, Cole was credited with four saves and Katy had a ground ball. Denver will play next on April 4, against the Georgetown Hoyas at 12 p.m. at the Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. Hannah Branit | Contributing Writer
DU CLARION
APRIL 04, 2018
SPORTS | 5
Denver Men’s Lacrosse beats Georgetown 6-5
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n Saturday, March 31, the Pioneers beat Georgetown 6-5 in a game that saw senior faceoff specialist Trevor Baptiste (Denville, N.J.) move into second in career faceoff wins for NCAA Division I history. Denver defense also matched its season low in terms of goals allowed. Sophomore Ethan Walker (Peterborough, Ontario) was the team offensive leader with two goals and an assist, while sophomore defenseman Danny Logan (Upper Arlington, Ohio) and junior defenseman Dylan Johnson (Englewood, Colo.) led the Denver defense with
two caused turnovers each. In the first 15 minutes, junior Austin French (Danville, Calif.) was the only goal scorer, off an assist from Walker. Denver entered the second quarter down 2-1. After being held scoreless in the second quarter, the Pioneers were held to just one goal in the first half for the second-consecutive week. In the third quarter, Walker scored twice to bring the score to 5-3. Both of his goals were unassisted goals. Baptiste opened up the scoring in the first minute of the fourth quarter with an unassisted goal. His goal was followed by unassisted
goals from senior Joe Reid (Petaluma, Calif.) and junior Colin Rutan (Walnut Creek, Calif.). Sophomore goalkeeper Josh Matte (Issaquah, Wash.) was credited with three saves in the quarter, preserving Denver’s one point lead. “First of all, all the credit in the world to Coach [Kevin] Warne, his staff and his players. They took it to us. Their goalie was fabulous and they battled for 60 minutes. It was a great defensive lacrosse game with two goalies that both played well,” Head Coach Bill Tierney said, following the game. “Our guys found a way to win a slow game today, our defense played well and Trevor was
of course great facing off and got a big goal to start the fourth quarter for us. In the end though, credit to Georgetown with the way they came out to play today. We haven’t had a close one with them in a while, and you could tell their kids wanted it.” The Pioneers travel to No. 8 Villanova April 7, a Big East opponent. Faceoff is at 12 p.m., MT. The game can be watched on the Big East Digital Network, and will be broadcast on ESPN Denver 1600.
Hannah Branit | Contributing Writer Caitlin Gannam | Clarion
The Sidelines: Basketball takes second
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U Women’s Club Basketball earned second place at the Regionals Tournament in Lincoln, Nebraska in a weekend matchup against five teams: University of Colorado at Denver, Missouri State University, Colorado State University and Iowa State University. In addition to the second place finish, two athletes won All-Tournament Honors. “This is the best we have ever done in my three years on the club team and I am glad we all came together and played so well,” said junior forward and president of the club Catherine Ray (Parker, Colo.). “It is really exciting for us as a club to have this kind of success, and I think it will help us to develop a winning culture going forward and hopefully generate more interest in our club.” The Pioneers came out strong in the first game of the tournament, beating CU-Denver 38-19. In their next game, Denver lost to Missouri State, 41-35. But the excitement picked up in the semi-final game against CSU that put the Pioneers in the Championship. Guard Rebecca Grant (Petaluma, Calif.) scored a big three-pointer for the Pioneers near the end of the game, and in the final
minutes Ray hit crucial free throws to seal the win, 27-24. “Collectively we played as more of a team than I have ever seen us play. We had good ball movement and high defensive intensity,” said sophomore point guard and vice president of the club Sydney Mock (Truckee, Calif.). In the championship game, the Pioneers lost to Iowa State University 55-33. Despite the loss, Ray and Mock both earned spots on the All-Tournament team. “This tournament was different because we had confidence going in,” Ray said about the weekend games. “I think we all knew we were capable of winning this regionals, and having that perspective from the beginning helped us to have high expectations for ourselves. Our confidence really showed well on the court and helped us to get into the Championship game.” DU Women’s Club Basketball will be playing in the Nationals Tournament at Ohio State on April 20-23. They meet every Tuesday and Wednesday in the Ritchie Center to practice from 8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Nikky Johnson | Sports Editor
Photo courtesy of Sydney Mock
DU CLARION
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APRIL 04, 2018
| SPORTS
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APRIL 04, 2018
OPINIONS | 7
Puerto Rico is still in need
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t has been over six months since Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico, destroying homes and lives on the island and wiping out power completely. Soon after the event, forecasts from Puerto Rico’s governor about the time the island would need to even restore power projected many months. Now, those many months have passed, and indeed, about a third of Puerto Rico still has no electricity, and recovery remains a daunting task. Though time has passed, Puerto Rico still needs support—federal assistance has lagged shamefully since the hurricane struck, and this assistance is still badly needed. Private donations of food and water coming into Puerto Rico have slowed, and according to recent reports from USA Today and The New York Times, many residents on the island continue to feel frustration toward the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the long delays many faced waiting for assistance. Though recovery has continued over the past few months, many Puerto Ricans still cannot rely on electricity, and this affects most areas of life including food, laundry and work. A recent special on the late-night show “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” profiled a number of people on the island who are finding creative ways to work around power outages,
including sponsored laundry trucks where people can do their laundry. While these stories are inspiring, major recovery efforts should not have to fall so heavily on the shoulders of affected
though this is an important step, it is not sufficient— in November, Puerto Rico estimated that recovery would require $94 billion. Providing additional federal dollars will not only help
Photo courtesy of The New York Times
Puerto Ricans themselves. The largest step needed for continuing aid to Puerto Rico is more dollars being allocated at the federal level. In February, Congress included about $16 billion in disaster relief into their two-year budget plan and
relief efforts that have already faced delays but will support infrastructure improvements that could decrease damage done by future storms. Questions have been raised regarding the discrepancies in responses to Hurricane Harvey,
which hit Texas in September 2017, and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. A recent Politico analysis examined the difference in federal response to Hurricane Harvey and found that the Trump administration responded more promptly and with much more money in Texas than it did in Puerto Rico (the image that represents this best is Trump memorably chucking a few rolls of paper towels into a crowd on the island). While true that Puerto Rico is not a state (it is a self-governing commonwealth of the U.S.), its people are American citizens. Increased federal dollars to help these citizens get their electricity back after seven months is not too much to ask. The challenges that are still being faced in Puerto Rico this far out from Hurricane Maria are unacceptable. More dollars from the federal government should be allocated, but there are also many organizations, such as the Hispanic Federation, that continue to assist Puerto Rico in its recovery. These organizations need support, and donating or contributing is an important way to do this. Without a much more committed and funded federal effort, Puerto Rico’s recovery will not be possible within a reasonable timeline, a timeline that has already become unreasonably long. Elizabeth Lochhead | Opinions Editor
Ben Carson makes another bad decision
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Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
ecretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson is often visible in the news for silly things like buying expensive furniture or being poked fun at by Saturday Night Live, but as fun as it is to roll our eyes at this particularly confusing cabinet member, we can’t forget to criticize his policy as well. Carson’s plan of action has thus far been a diligent deconstruction of all Obama-era HUD policies,
and the latest of these was his decision last week to scale back the enforcement of fair housing laws. This decision, taken with Carson’s overall actions since his appointment, shows how backward and dysfunctional this small but essential federal department has become. The health of HUD should matter to everyone who cares about income inequality and equal opportunity, and these goals should also matter much more to Ben Carson. Under President Obama, a concentrated effort was placed on investigating and enforcing violations of fair housing policy. This was an attempt to combat racial and income discrimination in government-subsidized housing programs. Carson will now end these efforts. In November, a hold was placed on several fair housing investigations that had been in progress with topics such as disabled access to residences and a location for a group home for former criminal offenders. The reasoning for this has been described by the department’s spokesman as a “recalibration” for the agency. Also wrapped up in this issue of fair housing, surprisingly or not, is Facebook. HUD started
investigating Facebook in late 2016 after accusations that the social media company was allowing advertisers to prevent certain demographic minority groups from seeing ads for housing. At a time when Facebook is making headlines for abuse of data and information, one would think that Carson would see profiling in housing advertising as problematic. But Carson cancelled meetings with Facebook executives and has not followed up on the investigation. This is a clear lack of concern for discrimination happening right under his nose. Carson’s other major actions since his appointment are equally nonsensical and destructive. Last year, he placed a hold on the “small-area fair market rents” (SAFMR) rule, a (you guessed it) Obama policy intended to help people using housing vouchers to move to more affluent neighborhoods. Earlier this month, Carson removed the words “inclusive,” “free from discrimination” and “quality” from the department’s mission statement. There is an appalling absence of sensitivity to the issues of housing segregation, overall discrimination and income
mobility from within Carson’s department. When touring a number of low-income housing units and homeless shelters last year, he made clear that such facilities shouldn’t be too “comfortable.” Anyone who worries that people will choose to stay poor or homeless because there is a TV in the shelter does not understand the needs of those with housing insecurity. HUD is a mess—only four of the department’s top 13 positions have been filled, its funding is set to be deeply cut and Eric Trump’s literal wedding planner is in charge of the New York regional office. HUD may not be a large department, but it has a major impact on those seeking fairness in housing and opportunity in urban and non-urban areas across the U.S. It is embarrassing that the federal agency in charge of meeting the needs of these people can be handled with such ridiculousness. It is worth repeating over and over: housing and urban development are extremely important for overall equity and opportunity in the U.S., and HUD needs to be responsible for these goals.
Elizabeth Lochhead | Opinions Editor
DU CLARION
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APRIL 04, 2018
| OPINIONS
Thursday, April 5 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Driscoll North Ballroom
Join us for food, music by DU alumnus DJ West and your one-stop for — Cap and gown Announcements Diploma frames Alumni gear and more!
Undergrads —
Tickets are required for the ceremony – request up to five at Grad Fest
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APRIL 04, 2018
DU CLARION
ARTS & LIFE | 9
Austin band Holy Wave releases dreamy synth album “Adult Fear”
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oly Wave, an Austin, Texas-based psych-pop band, dropped “Adult Fear” on Friday, March 30. While their sound is en mode and not totally original, I’d argue that they’re one of the better bands of the bunch. Washed out, lo-fi, melodic pop decorated with light, modular synth, Holy Wave is not unlike the Clientele or Salvia Plath. “Adult Fear” is dreamy, blissed out and spread thin. It runs on pastel colors, and the tracks are airy and of simple construction. If you’re looking for something easy to listen to as you go through the day, this is it. Their pedal work could be compared to shoegaze bands of the early nineties like Rain Parade, while their pop licks could be likened to chamber pop bands of the ‘60s like The Zombies. But Holy Wave is mostly working within the newly minted genres of chillwave and psych pop that dominate festivals like Levitation, which is held in their hometown of Austin. Their 2014 release “Relax” was the recipient of a good amount of traction and attention and is similar in sonics to the band Quilt, whose album “Arctic Splendor” dropped the same year.
Local psych-pop band Flaural has capitalized on the synthy psychpop trend and opened for Spoon at the Belly Up on Saturday in Aspen. It’s no secret that Holy Wave isn’t the only one who can work a pedalboard and write a pop melody to match it. But there’s something about their sound that seems separate—
slightly less familiar and a little more listenable than some of the others. Stand out tracks include the roadtripper “How Was I Supposed to Know,” a low flame which builds loftily, and the final track of the album, “Time is Not Okay,” with sparser vocals, more complex melody and a strong emotional core.
If you’re interested in finding more artists like Holy Wave, check out the San Francisco label Mexican Summer which recently put out a good deal of great music that’s more than worth a listen. Kendall Morris | Arts & Life Editor
Photo courtesy of Self-Titled Mag
Down-under eats at The Waltzing Kangaroo T
he longer days and better weather of spring invites travel and experiencing all the state of Colorado has to offer. A day trip to one of Colorado’s other fantastic cities and towns is a great way to expand your knowledge of the state and the its culinary landscape. Fort Collins, the home of Colorado State University, located about an hour-and-a-half drive from DU, contains a wealth of tasty and relatively inexpensive dining options to satisfy the college crowd. One such establishment is the Waltzing Kangaroo, which provides the Fort Collins populace and anybody else who ventures out in the city with an array of Australian specialities. The shop, located in a nondescript strip mall right off of CSU’s central campus, is a bustling cozy space that smells of delicious baked goods and freshly roasted coffee. Its interior is warm, decorated with calming tones and a modernist aesthetic. It features some beautiful wood countertops and a hardwood floor. Displayed prominently, perpendicular to the shop’s beautiful jet black espresso machine, is a giant display case showing off the store’s range of pastries and pies. Kangaroo makes an arrange of wrapped delicacies, such as sausage rolls, custard tarts, spinach & andouille sausages, quiche and apple turnovers for $4. But the pride and joy of the shop is the very pinnacle of the Australian culinary pyramid, the
humble yet spectacular meat pie. Kangaroo offers 11 different types of beautiful, savoury meat pie. Options range from the classic steak and gravy ($6) to chicken and thai peanut sauce ($6). I had a chicken, bacon and avocado pie, which was a heavenly treat that helped soothe my morning-after headache. The pie itself was a delicious and flaky treat, baked to golden brown perfection. The steaming fillings of chicken, a large quality of bacon and perfectly ripe avocado combined with the pie crust to form a moist and savory dish. To help with the morning after going out blues, Kangaroo offers a wide range of locally roasted coffee selections. Well-represented are Australia’s contributions to the global coffee scene, the long black and the flat white. The long black is basically an Americano, produced with Australian style open air roasted beans. The flat white, Australia’s signature coffee drink, is a velvety, slightly sweet espresso drink similar to the style of a cafe latte, but with a higher proportion of espresso to milk. My flat white was perfectly prepared, better than any other flat white I’ve had in Denver or Colorado in general. DU and Denver at large can sometimes be a bubble. Colorado is a big state, and the other cities and towns peppered throughout it can provide amazing opportunities for new culinary experiences. Getting out and about and trying new places in the state
is one of the best ways to enjoy the spring in Colorado. Waltzing Kangaroo, the hundreds of other amazing food spots and the entertaining and vivid college
scene make Fort Collins a great weekend getaway. Justin Cygan | Copy Editor
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| ARTS
& LIFE
APRIL 04, 2018
HBO’s “Barry” is an intriguing new dark comedy Photo courtesy of HBO
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he pilot episode of HBO’s “Barry,” which premiered on March 25, opens with a montage that reveals a normal day in the life of Barry Berkman (Bill Hader, “Saturday Night Live”): he catches a flight, checks his mail, takes a shower, plays video games and goes to bed. First, however, he leaves a man shot to death in bed. Viewers slowly become aware that Berkman is an ex-U.S. Marine turned hitman. The apathetic Midwesterner kills people for a living for easy money, though he’s ultimately bored and unsatisfied with his purpose in life. Episode one, “Chapter One: Make Your Mark,” takes Berkman to Los Angeles for a job, sent by handler Monroe Fuches (Stephen Root, “Get Out”); as he’s tailing his next target, however, Berkman ends up at an acting class run by the over-the-top Gene Cousineau (Henry Winkler, “Happy
Days”). A misunderstanding results in Berkman taking the stage in class and later joining the optimistic and misfit crew of actors for drinks. Despite his underwhelming performance, Berkman feels a strange passion for acting, and, encouraged by the stunning Sally Reed (Sarah Goldberg, “The Dark Knight Rises”) and others, ignores his hitman duties and attends the acting class once again. Because of this, trouble ensues, and the episode ends as police lights flash and Barry Berkman embraces his stage name, Barry Block, and cracks a smile for the first time. It sounds like a strange plot, but HBO has used this pilot to set up an intriguing dark comedy series. The humor comes between the lines in “Barry,” but it’s definitely there, and it comes smartly and subtly alongside the tragedy. The character of Barry, wrestling with depression and
a lack of purpose in life, delivers a tone similar to shows like “Bojack Horseman,” and there are strong notes of Michael C. Hall from “Dexter,” only without the inner monologue. Overall, though, Barry is ultimately a likeable character. He may be a killer, and he drearily floats through the first episode with very little emotional expression, but he’s motivated by optimism, newly-found passion and the thrill of acceptance. This is likely what will push viewers to continue watching. The second episode premiered on April 1, and both tragedy and comedy are only heightened. Smart comedy is immediately followed by cringe-worthy torture scenes. Overwhelming grief is countered with cheesy characters and costumes in the acting class. Eerie stalking follows a hilariously awkward romantic interaction. With the second episode, “Barry”
seems to be building momentum and refining its style, raising the bar for each episode to come. Fans of Bill Hader should definitely give the show a try; Hader created the show alongside screenwriter Alec Berg (“Seinfeld”), and he has directing, producing and acting credits. It’s a departure from the conventionally goofy, awkward and laugh-out-loud-funny Hader many know from SNL and other comedies he’s worked on, but his sense of humor still shines through in a more understated way. It’s dark, tragic, witty, genre-defying and thoroughly human. “Barry” is moving comedy in a new direction, but so far, it seems successful. The first two episodes of “Barry” are available to stream now on HBO GO. Taryn Allen | Editor-in-Chief Elect
10 Denver concerts to catch in April
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ith spring in the air, going to a show this month would be a great way of getting out of hibernation and welcoming the warmer air. At various venues and price ranges, there will surely be a show that suits Denver music fans.
Jake Bugg, April 4 at the Bluebird Theatre Jake Bugg is a singer-songwriter stuck in the wrong century. His nasally voice is reminiscent of Bob Dylan while his lyrics about adolescence can relate to many of his listeners. He’s skilled on the guitar and deserves to be seen live. alt-J, April 8 at the Fillmore Auditorium Indie rockers Alt-J will leave audience members relaxed but sleepless with their electronic-folk sound. Classics like “Breezeblocks” and “Tessellate” alone are enough reason to go but with three albums under their belt. New and old fans alike are not going to want to miss this show. Echosmith, April 11 at the Gothic Theatre Echosmith’s hit single “Cool Kids” was inescapable in everyone’s summer playlists back in 2013. Fans can anticipate new music from the pop-rockers this year and can look
forward to hearing them play their new single, “Over My Head,” when they come to Denver on April 11.
AMZY, April 13 at the Bluebird Theatre Denver band AMZY brings a fun, high energy to their shows as they all sport spiffy suits. Fans of 93.3 have likely heard their current hit “Sorry (Not Sorry)” and can attest to their happy spirit. Camila Cabello, April 18 at the Paramount Theatre The breakout artist, formerly known as a part of Fifth Harmony, is solo now and has taken over the airwaves of pop radio. As a natural performer, her strong vocals and choreography are likely to make this a show to not miss. Next time she comes to Denver, she may be selling out the Pepsi Center.
on YouTube, his witty lines and fast flow are upbeat and often funny. He also uses his skills to speak on contemporary issues which will make for a diverse rap show that will keep guests on their toes. Big Thief, April 24 at the Bluebird Theatre These Brooklyn indie rockers know how to sound raw and soothing. Their show at the Bluebird is an inexpensive getaway from reality.
King Krule, April 25 at the Ogden Theatre Get these tickets before they’re gone. King Krule’s masterpiece albums cannot be contained by a
Mile High 420 Festival, April 20 at Civic Center Park A Colorado staple, at this year’s Mile High 420 Festival attendees can expect clouds of smoke and great free live acts including: Lil Wayne, Lil Jon, Original Wailers, Inner Circle, Whitewater Ramble, Taylor Alexander and more. Watsky, April 21 at the Ogden Theatre A favorite amongst fans who recognize him from is earlier days
Nikky Johnson | Clarion
single genre and are examples of his versatility.
Big K.R.I.T, April 25 at the Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom Southern rapper and producer Big K.R.I.T. has proven himself to be a top name in the clustered genre. His new album “4eva is a Mighty Long Time” shows that he is not afraid to not hold back which will make for a lively performance.
Daniela Santos | News Editor
APRIL 04, 2018
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“Isle of Dogs” is a joyous, if somewhat troubling, celebration of man’s best friend
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wee is a word often levied out of affection at the films of writer-director Wes Anderson (“The Grand Budapest Hotel”), and twee indeed is his newest quirky delight, “Isle of Dogs.” Set in a near-future Japanese city where an outbreak of disease has led to local government banishing dogs to a garbage-ridden island, the story follows young Atari (Koyu Rankin) travelling to the aforementioned isle of dogs in order to find his lost canine, Spots (Liev Schreiber, “Spotlight”). He is helped along the way by a scrappy group of dogs led by Chief (Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”), a human-hating stray who will help Atari shape the future for dogs and humans alike.
Anderson, a director with an infamous history for bombarding animal characters with a variety of abuses, turns a new leaf here with a film that is essentially a cinematic love letter to man’s best friends. Every frame of the film, rendered in lush stop-motion animation, is bursting with affection for what’s on screen. Much of this love and care is reserved for the dogs themselves, brought to charming life by Anderson’s kooky script and a stacked cast of talented voice talent including Cranston, Jeff Goldblum (“Jurassic Park”), Bill Murray (“Rushmore”), Scarlett Johansson (“The Avengers”) and more. The animation is beautifully
done, allowing for Anderson to tap into the most eclectic of his aesthetic choices and let the charm of the film shine through not only in the plot but in the craft of the film as well. For all its care in its craft and characterization, there is a danger to Anderson’s affection that is evident in his depiction of Japan and its culture. The film is steeped heavily in a Westernized view of Japan, and whether or not the film is appropriation of homage to a country that has produced some of the world’s most important cinema has been heavily debated online. It’s difficult to believe Anderson’s narrative choices are out of malice, but when you have a
consistently uneasy relationship with race in your films, making an homage to Asian culture is perhaps the most problematic kind of blissful ignorance. In the end, it’s hard to dismiss the film’s unabashed joy and message of standing up for the underdog in the face of immense political strife, but it’s hard to shake the slight discomfort present throughout the film’s exploration of Japanese culture. However, it’s important in this era of moviegoing to realize that recognizing something as problematic and still enjoying that media do not have to be mutually exclusive statements. Ryan Ninesling | Executive Editor Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight
The corporate dazzle of “Ready Player One” can’t hide its hollow heart
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or all the joyous memories and heart-stopping experiences it can provide, gaming is an entertainment sphere often shrouded in toxicity. It is an often difficult community ravaged by a shit-talking, machismo culture born and bred on insults and threats of every vile variety, ranging from perverted sexism to highly exclusionary racism. It has the potential to be so much more, to be a tool for bringing people of all backgrounds together in fun, exciting ways. Why then, one asks, does Steven Spielberg’s (“Jurassic Park”) “Ready Player One” seek to celebrate the very elitism and power fantasies that prevent this culture from evolving? Like the bestselling novel it is based on by Ernest Cline (who also
Warner Bros. Pictures
penned the screenplay), “Ready Player One” is set in a dystopian near future where the entire world escapes the banality and suffering of everyday life by spending most of their time in the OASIS, a virtual reality playground steeped in video game and ‘80s culture. The plot follows Wade Watts, a “gunter” who spends his time in the OASIS hunting for an Easter egg left behind by the world’s creator James Halliday (Mark Rylance, “Bridge of Spies”), the discovery of which promises the inheritance of his fortune and total control of the OASIS itself. Facing off against Watts and his friends is Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline”), who seeks to gain power over the OASIS in order to exploit it for commercial gain.
The film allows for Spielberg, whose success in recent years has been found in heady period dramas, to tap into the manic, imaginative energy that made him a household name. Littered with utterly dazzling, cheekily fun action set-pieces that serve up homage after homage, Spielberg is gifted with a digital playground that allows him to put his biggest strengths as a blockbuster director on display. Those who dismissed him as unable to adapt to the needs of the increasingly CGI-based industry will surely be silenced after this film, which proves the legend is as deft as anyone when it comes to staging elaborate and impressive visual effects. Where the film fails, however, is in the fanbody perversions of its
script, which improves upon the exhausting reference dropping of the book, but not by much. The pandering messages of love the film conveys for its nerd culture expose a fear of truly critiquing a mindset which thrives on easy wish fulfillment. Name a problematic trope with narratives driven by “nerdy,” white, male protagonists and the film’s got it: a manic, pixie dream girl love interest (complete with birthmark, Joy Division t-shirt and absolutely zero amounts of chemistry), using a dead female character as a plot device, treating pop culture knowledge as the ultimate character trait and more. The irony, ever so apparent in scenes such as the one where Watts proudly calls the villain a “noob” for not knowing his cultural references, is that the sort of capitalistic practices this culture claims to rally against are in fact the very master of the products it worships. Both the script and the novel are too egotistical to acknowledge that disparity. This naivety is ultimately what makes the film, like the most disappointing of video games, utterly exhausting despite its visual splendor. Sure, it’s cool to see Jason Voorhees blasted to smithereens or Master Chief rally into a battlefield along with Tracer, the Iron Giant and Chucky. But can’t the film see, if even for a moment, the nature of placing such high importance on what are ultimately corporate creations? No, it says. GTFO, it says. “Ready Player One” doesn’t just celebrate the wistful ignorance of this collection of culture vultures,; it galvanizes them into screaming into the face of everyone not “cool enough” to understand them. The sound is deafening.
Ryan Ninesling | Executive Editor
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Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit comes to Denver I
n 1947, while searching for a lost goat, a group of young goatherders stumbled upon a cave along the Dead Sea and discovered an assortment of ancient clay jars containing scrolls wrapped in linen. In the following decade, over 900 more scrolls were discovered, leading to intense research of these scrolls and one of the greatest archaeological finds for the history of Judaism and Christianity. The Dead Sea Scrolls contained fragments and representations of biblical texts from books such as Psalms, Isaiah and Jeremiah. They have now come to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in a brand new exhibit. The exhibit opened on March 16 and features ten of the scrolls for public viewing. Around the scrolls are four walls that show the history of the scrolls and their influence on religion today. After three months, these ten scrolls will be replaced with ten new scrolls for the sake of preservation. In total, viewers will be able to view twenty of the Dead Sea Scrolls during the six-month exhibit. Viewers will also be able to further immerse themselves in biblical history through 600 additional artifacts such as coins, stone carvings and textiles from the ancient Middle East. The Dead Sea Scrolls have impacted the religions of Judaism and Christianity from the moment they were discovered. The Scrolls were most likely written by the Essenes, a Jewish sect that held apocalyptic views in their writings. Discovering the Dead Sea Scrolls showed the Essenes’ view and lifestyle of being disaffected of Jews from the Jerusalem Temple and held to the apocalyptic worldview.
Nina Petrovic | Clarion
“When the Scrolls were discovered in 1947, there was a great deal of interest to see if Jesus was a member of the Dead Sea community and reflective of that particular worldview,” said Dr. Gregory Robbins, the professor of Christian Studies at DU. “Since the beginning of the 20th century, there has been a recognition that Jesus is a first century Jew whose worldview was shaped by intertestamental apocalypticism.” The Dead Sea Scrolls not only represent the thoughts of Old
Testament prophets, but also contain writings of prayer, commentary of Old Testament passages and the rules of the Dead Sea community. The Dead Sea Scrolls also arose the question of how religions came to follow a sacred book concerning questions of how one comes to the world and how one should live his or her life on Earth. “Whether you’re religious or not, the Scrolls illuminate a light of history that impacts all of us in Western civilization,” said Dr. Alison Schofield, the profes-
sor of Judaic Studies at DU. “It illuminates this era of history where religion becomes focused on sacred writing and that idea becomes passed down to us in Western civilization, even if some of us don’t follow Judaism or Christianity.” The Dead Sea Scrolls Exhibit will be open until September 3, 2018. Tickets for the exhibit can be found on the Denver Nature and Science Museum website. Nina Petrovic | Contributing Writer
Lighthouse Writers’ Poetry Collective: A beacon for the bookish
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t’s no secret that Denver has deep-rooted literary history. You may have driven by or toured “Poets Row,” where Cassady and Kerouac bummed around. Perhaps you’ve heard of John WIlliams, who founded the English department here at DU, started the Denver Quarterly and is the author of “Stoner.” There are obvious haunts for Denver bookies such as Tattered Cover or Mutiny Information Cafe, but for those who want to get their writing on bookstore shelves, there’s Lighthouse Writers. I attended an information session at Lighthouse on March 31 for their annual Poetry Collective, which is now accepting applications. The Poetry Collective is run through two well-known writers, Andrea Rexilius and Elizabeth Robinson. Rexilius and Robinson are both published poets who invite all budding wordsmiths to challenge their craft beside them, regardless of whether you’ve been published or not.
Elizabeth Robinson is the author of more than a dozen volumes of poetry, including “Three Novels,” “Counterpart” and “Blue Heron” and is the recipient of various awards. Andrea Rexilius is a professor at the Regis College Creative Writing MFA program and is the author of “New Organism: Essais,” “Half of What They Carried Flew Away” and “To Be Human Is To Be A Conversation.” Every year, only 12 students are accepted. Applications are due by June 20, so if you’re interested, start thinking about your writing sample which needs to be composed of 10 to 12 of your best works. The Collective will begin in August and finish in June with a reading and Lit-Fest, a weeklong celebration attended by writers from all walks, cities and degrees of success. Through close-mentorship and workshopping, graduates leave the Collective with a completed manuscript. The course is composed of
four one-on-one mentor meetings, three day-long intensives, four in-depth manuscript workshops and one additional meeting with a Lighthouse poetry instructor. Considering that Lighthouse operates independently from any university or MFA program, the applicants mostly have non-literary careers: teachers, nurses, dentists, you name it. This also means that the members of your “cohort,” (the program is divided into two groups of six, mentored by either Robinson or Rexilius) will have diverse and unique perspectives. The building where Lighthouse Writers currently resides in is historical— it’s the largest building in Colorado to have ever been moved in one piece and remain intact— and it happens to be absolutely beautiful too: dark wooden staircases with plush green velvet carpeting, a large dining table set for literary discussion and surrounded by a library of lit journals and local works, six classrooms
and a grand performance space that fits over 100 people. The total cost of the program is $2,760. The payment is accepted in monthly or quarterly installments. While the cost may seem steep, it’s important to consider it with the cost of tuition, and especially the cost of tuition for an MFA program. Some graduate from an MFA program sans manuscript but with $40,000 or more in loans. The program offers a great opportunity to turn your literary aspirations into a cohesive, submittable manuscript, and it places you among others who share the same love of writing that some of us dare to have.
Kendall Morris | Arts & Life Editor