Queens of the Stone Age resurrect old favorites at the Tennessee Theatre
Photo Essay: Scenes from Saturday’s fire at McClung Warehouse
RENT teases audience with peek of Sex Week 2014
ARTS & CULTURE >>pg. 5
ARTS & CULTURE >>pg. 6
Opinion: The Vols need to set their sights on repeating history (the good kind)
IN SHORT >>pg. 2
Monday, February 3, 2014
SPORTS >>pg. 7
Hayley Brundige • The Daily Beacon
Issue 18, Volume 125
Political activist to speak on race, feminism Jenna Butz Staff Writer
See DAVIS on Page 3
Country artist Keith Urban plays at Thompson-Boling Arena on Friday as part of his “Light the Fuse” Tour. Little Big Town and Dustin Lynch performed as Urban’s opening act.
Urban ‘Lights’ up Thompson-Boling Claire Dodson Arts & Culture Editor Keith Urban adores his fans. He brings them up on stage to sing to them, he tells off security for keeping them away from the front and Friday night, he gave one lucky girl the electric guitar off his back -- with an autograph to boot. And that was just the beginning. Urban brought his “Light the Fuse” tour to Thompson-Boling Arena Friday and a a nearly sold-out crowd of dedi-
cated fans. Openers included Dustin Lynch and Little Big Town. Urban’s crowd-centered approach was immensely appealing. He encouraged his diversely aged audience to leave their seats and come closer, and he had a second stage on the back end of the floor where he could get even closer to his fans. “I know how many concerts there are and how many musicians come through,” Urban said on stage, “but I want you to know how much it means that you are here tonight.” This humbled attitude framed the
whole show, from his low-key entrance while the house lights were still up to his acknowledgement of nearly every sign attendees made for him. He also let the audience in on the fears wife and actress Nicole Kidman had about marrying him, explaining the inspiration behind his 2006 hit “Once in a Lifetime.” “When I talked to Nicole about getting married, she was scared, worried about the future with a guy like me,” Urban said. “She called it a long shot. This is the song that came out.” He was joined on stage at several
Garrett Ahmad Contributor Lee Stadium’s clubhouse was packed Saturday as fans of all ages came to meet their favorite players and coaches of the Lady Vols softball team. The fourth annual “Meet and Greet” saw the largest attendance in the event’s history as fans lined out the door to get autographs from the team. Players happily stayed 30 minutes after the scheduled hour in order to accommodate all the fans, many of whom had waited in line for more than half an hour. Senior pitcher Ellen Renfroe was especially impressed by the large crowd and appreciated all the support. “I remember driving in 15 minutes early from when it was supposed to start, and there was already a long line of people out there,” Renfroe said. “So it was just really exciting and inspiring for the whole team to know that we’ve got so much support.”
Sophomore Rainey Gaffin, left, and senior Madison Shipman sign autographs at the Lady Vols softball Meet and Greet on Saturday at Lee Stadium. In addition to meeting all the players, fans were able to tour the Lady Vols’ clubhouse and stadium and take batting practice in the cages. Co-head coach Ralph Weekly said it “means the world to us”
to see the amount of support his team has received. Weekly credits the sizable crowd to his players’ actions on and off the field. See SOFTBALL on Page 7
points throughout his nearly two-anda-half hour set by Lynch and Little Big Town, both of whom did a decent job prepping the crowd for Urban’s performance. Little Big Town proved especially notable, performing many of their country hits, including “Pontoon,” “Tornado” and “Your Side of the Bed.” Their music came to life on stage, especially with the incredible vocals of Karen Fairchild who joined Urban alone during, “We Were Us.” See URBAN on Page 6
UT asserts need for animal testing
Softball Meet and Greet adds to buzz for season
Bradi Musil Wade Rackley • Tennessee Athletics
“We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.” These words are from Angela Davis, an iconic activist from the Civil Rights Movement who will speak Tuesday in the Cox Auditorium at 7 p.m. A counter-cultural radical, Davis will discuss ideas beyond race, including feminism and the prison-industrial complex – ideas also intertwined with racial inequality. Hannah Bailey, senior in political science and Issues Committee chair, said she views Davis’ talk as an opportunity for students to reach beyond her iconic look and delve into lessons from her activism. “We wanted to give students and community members the opportunity to learn about prison reform – an idea which is not often addressed in the media – from a woman who has not only studied prisons but has spent time inside of one as well,” Bailey said. “She grew up in an era which students today need to hear more about. “By learning about our own history, we can better identify the flaws in our current society and work to improve upon them.” Davis was born in 1950s Alabama when the Civil Rights Movement was just catching on. She attended segregated schools and witnessed violence against the black community while her mother worked with the NAACP. “She grew up in an environment which inspired her to rebel against an unjust system,” Bailey said. Davis, a scholar, author and Communist, arose as an ally for the Black Panther Party and vocal activist for not only racial equality but gender equality and prison reform. Beyond her ability to speak on social issues, Davis’ passion and perseverance are key reasons Brianna Rader, senior in College Scholars, proposed bringing Davis to campus. “Angela Davis, regardless of your personal political views, is a perfect example of what it means to put everything on the line for a cause,” Rader said. “Her protests were very powerful, and we could all learn from her passion for equality for all. “Davis is a historical icon, and I think it’s important to hear her perspective on issues that are not often discussed, even in academia such as: racial politics, feminism and radical beliefs on overturning capitalism.”
Staff Writer The Humane Society of the United States estimates that approximately 25 million animals are used each year for research, testing and education in the U.S. Yet, researchers, veterinarians and technicians at the University of Tennessee and institutions across the U.S. are changing the face of animal research, asserting the legality and necessity of animal research. Patricia Coan, director of the Office of Laboratory Animal Care and the attending veterinarian for UT, has contributed to the education of veterinarian students and the regulation of animal care at the university for seven years. “We have a lot of laws and regulations that we follow to use animals in
research and teaching,” Coan said. The Animal Welfare Act of 1966 was the first law to address the regulation of animal care in research. Overseen by the United States Federal Department of Agriculture, USDA officials pay annual, unannounced visits to the university, verifying that acceptable standards for animal treatment and care are being upheld. Despite comprising more than 90 percent of animals currently contributing to lifesaving research, mice, rats and birds are not covered by the 1966 act. However, all animals are protected by National Institute of Health guidelines in the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals. See TESTING on Page 3