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THURSDAY February 22, 2018 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
buzz TIME scholars bring attention to mass incarceration issue BY MARK TOLEDANO STAFF WRITER
The opposite of criminalization is humanization. That’s the big takeaway the audience walked away with at Lincoln Halls screening of the film “13th.” “13th” is a Netflix’s documentary about mass incarceration and the prison system in the United States. The film, which was nominated for an Academy Award last year, was presented in Lincoln Hall by the TIME Scholars (Those Impacted by the Mass-incarceration Era), an RSO on campus dedicated to aiding those affected by mass incarceration. “TIME Scholars looks to inject themselves into the mass/hyper-incarceration conversation,” said Chris Miner, president of the TIME Scholars. “With so many people in the campus and C-U communities being impacted by the criminal justice system, it is necessary to both spread awareness as well as destigmatize people who have been afflicted by this epidemic.”
At first glance, the title of the documentary might seem misleading. It refers to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished slavery. But the film only covers what happened after the 13th Amendment. No accident here. Mistreatment of black Americans did not end with the passage of the 13th Amendment. As the documentary shows, mass incarceration is a form of abuse still yet to be countered. The spotlight of the evening fell on James Kilgore, research scholar at the Center for African Studies in the College of LAS. Kilgore, who was interviewed for the film, knows firsthand the effects of mass incarceration. He spent six and a half years incarcerated in the California prison system for charges he was convicted of as a young man. “What I saw in prison, people coming in and doing sentences, I told myself I wasn’t going to forget the people I left behind,” Kilgore said. “This film should be shown in every
single school classroom in America.” Kilgore’s passion for justice was reflected in every word he spoke. Immediately following the screening, he led a discussion session with the audience. Personal stories from members of the audience brought the mood in the room from shocked to humbled and ended on a motivating note. “As someone who has spent 6 1/2 years in federal and state prisons,” Kilgore said, “what is missing (in the documentary) is the experience of families. For those people who have been incarcerated, you know that when you are locked up, your family is doing that time with you.” Kilgore and Miner are now leaders of a Champaignbased organization called First Followers. According to the group’s website, they help formerly incarcerated individuals obtain housing, education, identification and employment. markjt2@readbuzz.com
REVIEW
Sons of Apollo plays classics, captivates audience in Joliet BY BEN TSCHETTER STAFF WRITER
On Sunday night, the newest progressive metal supergroup, Sons of Apollo, finished the first leg of their very first tour. They played at an intimate venue in Joliet called The Forge, which often books metal shows. The group, consisting of Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Mike Portnoy, Jeff Scott Soto, Billy Sheehan and Derek Sherinian formed in 2017 and has only been touring since the beginning of February. Their tour is in support of their debut album, “Psychotic Symphony,” and fans have been very into the music since day one. The group burst onstage with their prog-epic, “God of the Sun,” and didn’t stop rocking until the end of the show. Fans seemed to be well-versed already with their relatively new debut album, and the majority could be seen singing word-for-word. The setlist consisted of the entirety of their first record, with the wellreceived additions of Dream Theater covers and solo spotlights. “And The Cradle Will Rock.” Billy Sheehan shook the room with his thunderous bass solo, and short-
BEN TSCHETTER THE DAILY ILLINI
Sons of Apollo ends their performance in Joliet, Illinois, on Sunday. From left to right: Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, Derek Sherinian, Jeff Scott Soto, Mike Portnoy, Billy Sheehan. Prior to Sons of Apollo, Thal toured with Guns N’ Roses as their guitarist for eight years.
ly after, Derek Sherinian sent chills down audience members’ spines with his rapid keyboard solo. After a cover of Dream Theater’s “Lines in the Sand,” the band quickly thanked the crowd and ducked offstage. When they returned a moment later for the encore, they were seemingly missing vocalist Soto until the spotlight was positioned to face the back of the room, revealing the singer grabbing a drink at the bar. He then proceeded to sing the Van Halen classic “And the Craddle Will Rock” in the crowd of fans as the
band backed him from up onstage. They closed with the band’s most well-known song, “Coming Home,” and received a massive round of applause. Sons of Apollo’s show was nothing short of spectacular. First off, the band had incredible chemistry, and each member is a staple in the intricate sound of their music. One would probably say that the members are a perfect match for one another. Bumblefoot’s guitar parts are enjoyable for both the casual metalhead or a skilled musician who appre-
LOUD AND LOCAL Local musicians live on your local radio station This Sunday at 7 PM the UNDERWEREWOLVES are WPGU LOUD going to be rocking out AND LOCAL 3x5 LIVE on WPGU 107.1’s Loud and Local.
ciates the details. He uses two necks on a double-necked guitar — regular and fretless — to achieve different sounds and to switch from heavy to technical riffs. On drums, Portnoy, creates a harsh drive to each song, adding a beat you can rock out to. Portnoy works closely with Sheehan, a proficient bassist and outstanding musician, to create a solid rhythm section that is the force behind the music. Alongside the riffs of Bumblefoot, Sherinian uses the keyboard to create very prog-rock sound effects
and adds a necessary flavor to every song. Soto rounds everything off with his powerful lead vocals. In each and every song, he adds intensity and proves to be one of the most talented metal vocalists of the present day. This combination of musicians creates a lethal weapon in the metal world that had fans wanting more. Each band member was very interactive with fans, too, whether they were performing onstage or chatting with fans after the show. This activity, combined
with a killer set of music, made a memorable and very enjoyable night for fans. Sons of Apollo have a very promising future ahead and are just getting started. They will take a month off and resume in April for an extensive tour that runs until the fall, hitting all over the Americas and Europe. Check out Sons of Apollo this spring as they come close to Champaign-Urbana with a show in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 22 and a show in St. Charles, Illinois, on May 12. brt2@readbuzz.com
WPGU CONCERT SERIES SPRING 2018
2/15
BOOGIE T. & SQUINTO
2/17
BIG WILD
2/18
KAYZO
2/25
BIG GIGANTIC
3/9
SUMMER CAMP: ON THE ROAD TOUR
3/15
MALCOLM LONDON
4/12
PAPADOSIO
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