The Wake, Issue 3, Fall 2013

Spooky Twin Cities p. 6 Building an Edible Oasis Q&A: Oaks p. 16 - 17

vol. 13 | issue 3 October 28 - November 10

p. 11 - 13

©2013 The Wake Student Magazine.

All rights reserved.

Established in 2002, The Wake is a fortnightly independent magazine and registered student organization produced by and for the students of the University of Minnesota.

The Wake is published with support from Generation Progress/Center for American Progress (online at www.genprogress.org).

Production Production Manager

Editorial Editor-in-Chief

Sondra Vine

Alyssa Bluhm

Graphic Designers

Managing Editor

Sondra Vine, Eric Berry, Kelsey Schwartz, Brittany Long

Art Director

Sam Gordon

Whats Inside?

Measuring Misogyny p. 4 3 Nobel Prize Winners p. 4

Hot Costumes for 2013 p. 15 Q&A: Oaks p. 16 - 17

What Course Should I Take? p. 5

Totally Gross National Takeover p. 18

Top Ten Terrors in the Twin Cities p. 6 How to Survive Winter on Campus p. 7

Two Folk Acts p. 19 Pusha T p. 19

Voices Editor

Bike Regulation p. 8

Fresh Sounds From Old Legends p. 20

Scholastic Safety Bubble p. 9 Budgeting for Adventure p. 9

Radio K Heads to NYC p. 21 Hollywood's Gaping Black Hole p. 21

Defining Disability p. 10

3 Reviews p. 22

How Addicted Are We? p. 11 - 13

Events Calendar p. 23

Bruce Ferguson

Kelcie McKenney

Web Editor

The Wake was founded by Chris Ruen and James DeLong.

the purpose of the Wake is to provide a forum in which students can voice their opinions. opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as a whole. to join the conversation email abluhm@wakemag.org.

Grace Birnstengel

Sam Lindsay

Social Media Manager

www.wakemag.org

Justin Miller

Cities Editor

DISCLAIMER

The Wake Student Magazine 126 Coffman Memorial Union 300 Washington Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55455

Sound & Vision Editor Sara Glesne Courtney Bade

Web Assistant Brittany Long

Staff Writers Nathaniel Kitzman, Ethan Lauer

Business Manager Cooper Henckel

This Issue Cover Artist Sarah Brewer

Photographers Sarah Brewer, Molly Davis, Colette Forsyth

Illustrators

What do three Nobel Prize-winning economists, a 22-year-old food guru, and a guy that can’t stop checking Facebook on his smartphone have in common? Well for one, they are all products of our beloved University of Minnesota. Secondly, and more importantly, you are about to commence on a journey that tells the stories of these all people and then some.

As a student-run magazine, we are able to tap into the student experience at the U and write some awesome articles on a number of topics. But what makes the Wake so great is that we do so much more than that.

All it takes is a glance through this issue and you’ll see just how much area we are really able to cover.

This issue is packed to the brim with stories about the good and the bad at the U. It offers unique perspectives on bike regulation, the definition of disability, and crime around campus. We even feature the story of the $1 Million Dollar Idea challenge winners and how they are connected with the U. That’s not to mention guides on how to choose some fun classes for next semester, how to fashionably dress for the winter freeze, and where to get your scare on for Halloween.

We don’t always talk about how great we are, but when we do it’s usually in the Letter from the Editor.

That’s what makes us the most interesting publication on campus.

Justin Miller Managing Editor

Eric Berry, Mackenzie Cress, Parker Hoffman, Sam Lindsay, Peter Mariutto, Liann Matt, Jennifer Yelk

Contributing Writers Joe Buchholz, Andy Buckley, Emily Chang, Blair Emerson, Kirsten Erickson, Sara Glesne, Nathaniel Kitzmann, Aimee Lace, Ethan Lauer, Tyler Lauer, Peter Mariutto, Lianna Matt, Haley McCullum, Adam McFarlane, Kelcie McKenney, Luke Michaels, Justin Miller, Cora Neisen, Francis Pineda-Fischer, Christian Sobek, Alex Van Abbema

Can't get enough of The Wake?

Twitter: @the_wake Facebook: /TheWakeMagazine Wake-Mag.tumblr.com

13:4

Cities Measuring Misogyny Despite rule differences, is the U’s Greek community sexism-free?

By Emily Chang

Throughout the years, collegiate Greek organizations have received many stereotypes of questionable tenability.

Despite burgeoning negative connotations with Greek organizations across the United States, sorority and fraternity members say Greek life at the U of M is sexism-free.

SAM LINDSAY

“I do not see groups of fraternity men disrespecting women,” said a Greek member who wished to stay anonymous. “Only individuals who are not following their fraternity’s creed. Fraternities show a great deal of respect towards sororities and individual women. I have never been in a situation where a fraternity man had more authority over a sorority woman.”

Three Nobel Economic Prize Winners Are Always Better Than One

Two of the Laureates Have Ties to the U of M

By Lianna Matt

Lars Hansen, Robert Shiller, and Eugene Fama are the recipients of a $1.23 million reward and, more importantly, the 2013 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel for “Trendspotting in Asset Markets.”

Currently, all three Nobel laureates are professors, two at the University of Chicago and one at Yale, but both Shiller and Hansen have strong ties to the University of Minnesota.

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Yet major rule differences exist. Fraternities are allowed to have alcohol in the houses, while sororities are not.

This is because the Panhellenic Council is, in general, stricter than the Interfraternity Council, according to another anonymous Greek. “Along with this, sororities are not willing to incur as much damage to property as fraternities are.”

The Panhellenic Council consists of the council’s executive board and delegates from each member chapter and governs 12 sororities at the University of Minnesota, while the Interfraternity Council governs the 29 IFC fraternities on campus.

Certain sororities also require assigned mediators to settle arguments between members, which is something that no national fraternity leader sees the need for. When one sorority member was asked whether she believed any of this to be sexist, she said that, due to the bylaws, it was not.

monogrammed with the letters of their respective organizations, are satisfied enough with Greek life on campus that these rules still behoove them.

Some believe the rules themselves are not what is actually encouraging sexism in Greek organizations across the United States.

“Treating women right, taking them to formals, and following old school traditions are standards that have done many men good,” said an anonymous fraternity member at the U of M. “What needs to change are expectations around alcohol, partying, as well as male mindsets toward the human body. Trends in pressure to have sex amongst fraternity men and unwilling women increase due to trends in general American college party culture in which there are pressures to have sex amongst both genders.”

Sexism does not seem to be a problem for students intent on joining Greek life at the U of M, and sororities and fraternities continue to grow. This year, a record 752 young women took part in sorority recruitment on campus and the U’s administration endorsed a new growth plan that will allow 1,000 new Greek members to be recruited over the next five years.

Greek bylaws were created by a national body consisting of graduates and leaders of fraternities, the Interfraternity Council, and the Panhellenic Council. Whether these rules were constructed out of old school sexism or truly objective decisions elected in the best interest of both fraternities and sororities, University of Minnesota men and women, neatly Shiller was an assistant professor in Minnesota’s Economics Department from 1972-1974, and Hansen received his doctorate at the University of Minnesota in 1978.

Out of the 25 Nobel laureates from the University of Minnesota, seven of them come from the Economics Department as faculty or students.

While Hansen, Shiller, and Fama did not collaborate on their research, their work compliments each other. The three research topics flow from the very nature of stocks to their long-term trends and how rational investors respond to them and their uncertainty.

In the 1960s, Fama began his investigation into the stock market and ended up culminating his Efficient Marketing Hypothesis. It consists of the three layers (weak, semi-strong, and strong forms) of how an asset price is formed: the history of the company, the instant integration of new information, and the prediction of future outcomes. Fama argues that asset prices are efficient and rational, and

SAM LINDSAY

his work showed that buying stock indexes, not individual stocks, is more practical.

Shiller’s research in the 1980s is the opposite of Fama’s in that it shows how the stock market is not rational. Stock prices can vary daily, but even if their values are being erratic, Shiller found that an investor can look to the corporate dividends to see a more easily discernible trend line of a company’s future outcomes and profits. Shiller also has investigated and predicted the effect of the populace’s belief in a certain market (i.e. the housing market) that can lead to optimism or negativity and cause the stock prices to behave in a way that does not reflect their actual status.

Hansen began his exploration in the 1980s and came up with a statistical method that tests economic models in relation to their actual outcome, as well as explaining more about how asset prices work. Because of the tweaks and changes that the statistical method makes to the theories, they mathematically show how the outside world, the macro-level economy, and individual financial markets affect each other.

JENNIFER YELK

CITIES

WHAT COURSE SHOULD I TAKE?!

By Wake Staff

With spring registration creeping up on us in just a few weeks, you might be wondering how to fill that extra space in your schedule. Some courses sound promising but are nothing but a letdown, while others slip through the cracks under the facade of a boring course title. There’s only one source you can trust to make life’s biggest decisions for you--and that’s, well, us. Without further adieu, The Wake presents “WHAT COURSE SHOULD I TAKE?!”

Facebook Addict?

JOUR 4551 New Media and Culture From robots to Twitter to video game addictions—it’s all here. Professor Shayla Thiel-Stern will open your mind and broaden your perspectives.

Feeling Sexy?

PSY 3666 Human Sexuality Sexuality is universal; why not know a thing or two about it? For your final project, your group covers one STD or STI in-depth.

FSOS 1101 Intimate Relationships

When’s the last time you got to write about something you actually wanted to write about? Or rather, when’s the last time you wrote just to write?

Yogi?

DNCE 1331: Yoga An 8 a.m. is worth it when you’re taking the time to get in touch with your body, mind, and soul. Yoga is known to increase strength and flexibility, reduce stress, improve circulation, strengthen the immune system, and give an overall sense of well-being.

AFRO 3112: The Poetry of Rap This course is an excellent venue to discuss and interact with peers who are equally as interested and engaged in rap music. Analyze your favorite rap songs and soak up knowledge from the brilliant Dr. Taiyon Coleman.

It’s the idiot’s guide to relationships. Practical + enjoyable = perfect class.

MUSIC 1014: Rock Music II, 1970 to Present

BIOL 1003 The Evolution of Biology and Sex

Let a dedicated Rock Musicologist help you analyze lyrics, structures, and instrumentals to deconstruct the history of rock music from the ‘70s on. Bonus: the professor frequently displays his killer piano/guitar skills for the class.

Did you know that when giraffes mate, the female pees into the male’s mouth so he can taste her pheromones—telling him whether she is ready or not to get it on? Acquire party facts like this and fulfill your biological sciences requirement at the same time.

Writer?

ENGW 1102: Intro to Fiction Writing

Musican?

One with nature?

ENGL 3501 Public Discourse: Coming to Terms With the Environment Not looking to broaden your artistic OR sexual knowledge? That’s okay, we’ve still got you covered. 3501 gives students a sense of environmental appreciation through pleasure-filled novels and laid-back class discussions.

Visual Artist?

ART 1601 Experimental Media Arts No matter your artistic forte, this course will have something or you: photo, collage, drawing, video, sound, etc!

Your need to create will be covered.

DES 1111 Creative Problem Solving Because what other class has weekly assignments called “Do Something Different?” Push your boundaries. No two class periods are the same.

ESCI 1005 Geology and Cinema Stop watching terrible movies on Netflix and start watching them in class. Plus, detect whether the geology in them is correct or not. That’s a resumeworthy skill.

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5.

Cities Top Ten Terrors

Halloween Attractions in the Terrifying Twin Cities

7) Shafer Corn Maze: Stalkers of the Corn

By Blair Emerson and Haley McCullum Because Halloween is more than wearing a barely-there costume or getting wasted at a local frat party, we have made a top ten list of fun and unique Halloween attractions in the Twin Cities area. Celebrate Halloween whichever way you want, whether it be navigating your way through the Soap Factory’s Haunted Basement or learning about our city’s tumultuous criminal past at the Landmark Center’s Gangster Ghost Tour. Here is a list of spooky discoveries that might entice any Halloween thrill seeker.

1) Haunted Basement You might want to checkout the Soap Factory’s Haunted basement for a true Halloween scare. Designed by a creatively demented group of artists to harass and spook all your senses, the tour includes a creative and totally deranged crew of decked-out actors and a terrifyingly spectacular set that will leave you shaking for weeks. This is an interactive activity and it is recommended that participants bring a change of clothes. Learn more about the Haunted Basement on their website (www.soapfactory.org). Participants must be 18 and older. Be aware that tickets are hard to come by, so hurry and reserve your spot online. The exhibition runs Oct. 3 to Nov. 3 from 6 to 10 p.m. and is located in Southeast Minneapolis right off St. Anthony Main.

2) The Dead End Hayride For a totally active thrill that is straight from your worst nightmares, The Dead End Hayride will literally make you pee your pants. Take a hayride through the creepy woods and stay a while at the Sunny Vale Asylum where you are chased and scared into insanity by the Asylum’s demented residents. This exhibit starts Oct. 11 until Nov. 2 and is open Wednesdays through Sundays. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the lines are long, so get there as early as you can or prepare to freeze your butt off in the sometimes hour-long lines. You can buy your tickets cheaper online via credit card for $14 to $17 (two-for-one deals, too) or pay cash at the door. The location is a bit of a trek (35 minutes north of the cities in Wyoming). Visit their website (www.thedeadendhayride. com) for tickets and more information.

3) Zombie Paintball Apocalypse at the Trail of Terror How many times have you wanted to punch the masked impersonators harassing you at a haunted house? Well now you [almost] can. Though punching is not allowed, you are

6. october 28 - november 10

houseofgore.tripod.com) for more information. Tickets are $5 at the door and this attraction is open from 5 to 11 p.m. every weekend in Oct. and every night during Halloween week, as well as Nov. 1 and 2 located in St. Paul.

able to shoot them with a paintball gun. Located on sight at the infamous Trail of Terror in Shakopee, Pro Paintball hires “zombies” to walk around in full protection gear and let you fire rounds of glow-in-the-dark paintballs at them. You pay $15 online or $20 on-site to attempt to survive the zombie apocalypse and thus save humanity. The upcoming dates for this attraction are on Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 17-20.

Zombie hunting starts at 7 p.m. Visit their website (www. mnpropaintball.com) for ticket information and www.trailofterrorfest.com for more information on the Trail of Terror.

4) Scream Town Located in a desolate forest in Chaska, Scream Town is sure to scare you with their five haunting attractions. At $25 a ticket, you’re paying just $5 per attraction. There is a corn maze trail of revenge, a new humorous redneck resort, and a 200-yearold haunted forest in which Scream Town claims, “We have witnessed guests over the age of 30 in tears and having to turn around almost instantly to GET OUT.” Ooh, beware! The attraction opens at 7 p.m. and there is a large free parking lot.

Also, get a $5 off coupon when Halloween costume shopping at the local Spirit Halloween stores. Tickets are available for purchase online (www.screamtown.com).

What’s scarier than getting chased by a masked maniac through a corn maze? Something straight out of The Shining, the Shafer Corn Maze will give you the heart-racing feeling that you have been searching for. Race through the twisting paths and try to outrun characters that have been ripped right from your nightmares. Located about an hour from the metro in Shafer, this corn maze is takes about half an hour and it’s totally worth it. Enjoy Stalkers of the Corn the last three Friday and Saturday evenings in October. Tickets are $12 individually or $10 per ticket group rate (20 or more people with a reservation). Visit www.shafercornmaze. com for more information.

8) Gangster Ghost Tour Check out our cities wicked and crime-riddled past by taking the Gangster Tours through the Landmark Center. Guides in costume replay St. Paul and Minneapolis’s criminal history by taking you through the lives of infamous gangsters, G-Men, and moles and their ruthless and murderous past. Reservations are required for this one. $5 per ticket at the Landmark Center in St. Paul. To set up a tour call 651-292-3293 or visit their website (www.landmarkcenter.org).

9) Victorian Ghost Stories: 5) ValleySCARE: Halloween Haunt Are you a thrill seeker and a Halloween nut? Do you enjoy haunted houses and roller coasters together? Then you’ll love ValleySCARE: Halloween Haunt. Every year ValleyFair puts on an exhibit each Friday and Saturday of the Halloween month from 6 p.m. to midnight. There are over 15 adrenaline-pumping roller coaster rides and seven haunted mazes for you to explore. Some of the best include Camp Wekilou, Hellside Farm, and Mangler Asylum. Tickets are a bit pricey, ranging from $31-$44 for an all-day pass.

However, check online for discounts and coupons (www. valleyfair.com/haunt). A few words of advice, eat well before you go there, the $15 burger is not worth it. Also, the top of the Wild Thing is especially cold in October, so make sure to dress in layers.

6) The Butcher Shop: House of Gore This bloody butcher shop will make you feel like you’re in an actual horror story. It features a full-size maze and other gory details like rats, cadavers, ghosts, and insanely masked individuals. Visit their Facebook page for grotesque photos and local reviews as well as their website (butchershop-

Looking for a historically scary way to celebrate Halloween?

How about hearing eerie 19th Century ghost stories in the dimly-lit parlor of the James J. Hill House in St. Paul. Not your traditional Halloween escapade, but this show runs on Oct. 19, 20, 26, and 27 nights at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 and reservations are highly recommended. Visit the Minnesota Historical Society’s website (www.mnhs.org) for more information.

10) Twin Cities Horror Fest II If you are a theater buff looking for some great Halloweenthemed performances, the Southern Theater has just what you are looking for. Forty horrifyingly good shows, both fright-inducing and humorous, will take place over two weekends from Oct. 31 to Nov. 9. Horror Fest features “Edgar Allen Poe” by the Coldharts, the comedy show “The Harty Boys and the Mystery of the Mall of America... of Death!” by the Comedy Suitcase, and a horrific tale called “Hear No Evil” created by RawRedMeat Productions, as well as many more. You can visit www.tchorrorfestival.com for specific show times and more information.

CITIES How to Survive Winter on Campus Without Looking Like a Scene from Fargo

When your stylish riding boots and North Face fleece just don’t cut it

By Cora Neisen

The number of tweets regarding excitement over sweater weather and the number of Pumpkin Spice Lattes sold in recent weeks show that fall is officially here. With the arrival of fall comes the anxious anticipation of a Minnesota winter.

Locals, tourists, and foreigners alike have a hard time making it through winter without frozen boogers, occasional frostbite, and seasonal affective disorder. On top of that,

style is often sacrificed for warmth, creating a herd of puffy, Michelin men-esque students. Yet, there is always the occasional student that believes they can combat the Minnesota winter with stylish riding boots, jeans, and a slim fitting North Face. On the other end of the spectrum, there are the students with oversized parkas, industrial snow boots, and winter hats fit for a scene in Fargo.

So, as we near winter, is there a way we can stay warm on campus without looking like first graders headed out to the playground, decked out in snow gear packed by mom?

Although campus has an intricate tunnel system, walking outside is inevitable. Most students agree that the key to staying warm is layers. Junior Megan Johnston offered her advice to staying toasty: “Start with long underwear under both your jeans and top, then add a light long sleeve shirt under a warmer long sleeve layer. Finally finish it off with a warm winter coat. I would invest in a warm snowboard jacket, but ask if they have last year’s model—it’s usually cheaper.”

A MSBA program designed for one year The Carlson School of Management (CSOM) is offering a new master’s degree for the 2014-2015 school year: Master of Science in Business Analytics. It is a one-year degree starting in the summer and runs three 15-credit sessions through the following spring. The final semester includes a project where students serve as a consultant in a field such as marketing, operations, or finance. The program anticipates 30 students in the first year’s cohort, said Linh Gilles, director of marketing and recruiting for Carlson’s Master of Business programs.

“The program will offer an integrated curriculum blending management theory with contemporary practice and a global perspective towards building capabilities in data analytics,” Gilles explained. “It’s a very exciting time to launch this type of program.”

Despite fashion often being the number one concern, several students simply give up on the latest trends for warmth.

Senior Lake Johnson jokes about throwing style out the window, “I prefer the onesie snow suit! Maybe even add a scarf! Oh, and boots. Wear boots!”

MACKENZIE CRESS

Some even joke about giving up on class altogether.

“Just don’t go to class,” senior Kyra Broschofsky said with a laugh.

Layers, snow suits, and scarves may be the key to surviving winter, but senior Sam Neisen provides one undisputable fix: “Just study abroad spring semester.”

But how do you make your winter ensemble fashionable?

“Try matching either the pattern, color, or theme of your

Carlson School Offers New Degree: Business Analytics

By Adam McFarlane

hat, gloves, and scarf,” Johnston said.

Mackenzie Becker, a U of M senior agrees. “Wear a warm jacket or parka and jazz it up with a cute scarf,” she said.

A high demand exists in the business world for professionals skilled in analytics and Gilles hopes for the CSOM degree to be a leader in terms of quality, reputation, and rigor.

The ideal candidate will have computer programming experience, at least one semester of college-level calculus, and an undergraduate degree related to economics, business, computer science, or math.

es,” said Linh. “For instance, in our MBA program, only a third of our students come from a ‘traditional’ business background. Another third of our students will typically have technology or engineering backgrounds, and another third from the liberal arts: social sciences, humanities, non-profit, education, and more.”

In 2011, the McKinsey Global Institute reported that “there will be a shortage of talent necessary for organizations to take advantage of big data. By 2018, the United States alone could face a shortage of 140,000 to 190,000 people with deep analytical skills as well as 1.5 million managers and analysts with the know-how to use the analysis of big data to make effective decisions.” This new degree addresses that gap.

Gilles expects the program to attract people already PARKER HOFFMAN studying or working in Minnesota. “I am also seeing a The business analytics program will join large international interest in this program, mostly from the six Master’s and two Ph.D. programs in addition to unChina and India,” Gilles said. dergraduate studies offered at the business school, which U.S. News & World Report ranked at 23rd in their list of the But CSOM students shouldn’t be overgeneralized. “Our stutop U.S. business schools. dents come from very diverse backgrounds and experienc-

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7.

VOICES Bike Regulation: A misstep in combatting congestion The University should focus on expanding bicycle access, not constraining it

By Christian Sobek and Francis Pineda-Fischer

The fine for riding a bike in a dismount area is $98.00 For years, the University has promoted that students should bring their bikes for access to classes across such a large campus, yet it has now initiated a crackdown due to increased bike and pedestrian traffic. There has been an increase in foot traffic in certain areas due to the limitation of walk space and new and lengthy construction spread across campus.

“The University’s fall bicycle count estimates that there are more than 8,500 bikes on campus, about 1,000 more than last year,” Vice President of University Services Pamela Wheelock stated in a recent email.

This increase in bicycle traffic is happening concurrently with the new Light Rail line’s construction. Presently, it blocks off portions of the street on Washington – where bikers would usually commute – sometimes making sidewalks bicyclists’ only option unless they take an alternate and often longer route. With both walkers and bikers using these same walkways, there is increased congestion leading to higher risk of accidents.

Wheelock also said in the email, given these circumstances, that UMPD officers will be “writing tickets to bicyclists who ride on sidewalks in highly congested areas”

The fine for riding a bike in a dismount area is $98.00 as defined by the University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD). According to Lieutenant Wilkins of the UMPD, 48 citations have been issued to bicyclist in the first week of the regulation alone. Although these citations contribute to campus safety, there is not a warning policy in place.

With the addition of construction it is understandable why there are heavy biker regulation on and around campus, but is the cost of the regulation justifiable?

U of M student Jesse Simmons said that the UMPD should try “stopping people, tell people to stop, or slow down,” without giving such hard-hitting fines to university students.

“The other day I had locked my bike on a tree outside of Appleby Hall and when I came out of class there was a UMPD lock placed around my bike, and I was unable to get my bike unlocked until 6:00 p.m. the next day,” Daniel Wocken, a freshman, said.

While Wocken did not receive a fine, he was greatly inconvenienced. Students are not the guilty party in this case.

The University has failed to accommodate the growth of bikers on campus. Seeing as the number of total bikers has increased by 1,000 this year alone, there are 1,000 less parking spaces available.

Punishing bicyclists for a temporary congestion problem is not necessary, Rather, the University could take it upon themselves to provide more parking spaces for students, helping to eliminate the some of the congestion.

Although regulation may require fines, it seems that there needs to be a greater level of effort put into opening of more bikeways and additional parking spaces.

It is the University’s responsibility to manage the campus and to continually look for new solutions to navigate the challenge of the school’s continual growth.

A great idea in theory, the problem with the warning policy is that there are cases where people ignore the rules, and when this occurs there needs to be a punishment in place so that they do not begin taking advantage of the UMPD’s leniency.

Lieutenant Wilkins said giving tickets out to university students is not on the list of things they like doing. However, he said there have been increasing complaints by many walkers that there is a problem with the close interactions between walkers and bikers.

A solution to this problem without the use of fines would be additional temporary bikeways, as currently bikers are forced to navigate through campus alongside walkers, making it hard to avoid fines.

There are more than 8,500 bikes on campus, about 1,000 more than last year.

Similarly, this increase in congestion has also lead to fewer parking spaces for bikes, forcing students to park alongside trees or anywhere where a bike lock might fit. However there have been new regulations made regarding bike parking, preventing students from locking their bikes in areas where bike racks are not present or too full to fit.

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SARAH BREWER

VOICES Scholastic Safety Bubble

Does college shield us from society’s ills or make us vulnerable to them?

By Nathaniel Kitzmann

Twitter and texting aren’t the only way cell phones can kill a party. Every jaw in Andy’s house dropped in unison as he relayed the news that our friend Dan was mugged after setting foot for home, less than half an hour earlier. People had been coming and going throughout the night; it could have been any of us. Thankfully he survived the encounter without a scratch but not without first handing over his computer, wallet, and iPhone.

Local news site MinnPost reported 499 Minneapolis violent crimes in August of 2013 alone. But to us students, standing there on that perspective-shattering night in mid-October, violent crime was still a myth. It was supposed to be restrictedto movies, headlines, and classroom statistics. As students living in a self-contained social environment like the U of M, we pay a lot of money for the luxury of keeping itthat way.

Budgeting for Adventure Tips on how to plan for a Study Abroad

By Aimee Lace

The beginning of each semester brings many reunions for people who studied abroad. The campus hums with stories of exploring the Amazon and hiking in the Alps. I had two such homecomings to the University of Minnesota, one at the end of a semesterin Ecuador and the other after a summer in Switzerland.

While it was fun to share my stories, the transition back to Minnesotan life included a different awareness of money. I could hardly buy a cup of coffee at Starbucks without remembering that I could have bought two meals for that price in Ecuador. My paradigm shifted once again in Switzerland, where Starbucks cost even more and I had tolearn how to make the most of my experience without going broke.

Any critical thinker with an internet connection and a library card can find all the information contained in any given college course (albeit with a lot more effort), after all. A lot of college’s appeal lies in its exclusive sense of mindful solidarity, especially one as walled from its surrounding cities as the U. For four years, we get to shroud ourselves from the dangers and anxieties of normal civilian life to focus on developing ourselves into people with the skills and resources to face the world on its own terms.

Campus is supposed to be a place where you can consume your mind with Plato not paranoia. While trudging home from night class, campus is supposed to be a place where

For those of you who, like me, have panicked when thinking about paying for study abroad, here are a few strategies for budgeting for abroad that I learned along the way.

First, it is important to choose a study abroad program with your budget in mind. For me, the $11,590 for the MSID Ecuador program was in my price range, unlike the $17,720 for Toledo, Spain. Though it meant giving up the chance to learn Spain’s versionof Spanish, choosing Ecuador saved money and let me to explore a different region of theworld. Additionally, the low cost of living in Ecuador (10 cents for bread) allowed me have a wide range of experiences without breaking the bank.

My study abroad experience in Switzerland presented more of a challenge. I had to find ways to supplement my own funds. One way was a Study Abroad Scholarship through the Learning Abroad Center. The Learning Abroad Center gives out many awards each term for $1,000 to $2,000, and the selection is essaybased. Private or governmental scholarships are also good funding options, such as the Gilman International Scholarship of up to $5,000.

you can take your laptop from one house to another without fear of it being jacked from some hoodlum on his way to the pawn shop. Those worries should wait until after graduation.

Or should they? There’s a difference between working toward a community oflike-minded thinkers who collectively mind their own business and pretending it’s already here. The point of college is to prepare us for reality, not make us unaware of it.

It’s hard to reconcile the serenity of walking down Washington Bridge on a crisp fall evening, moonlight reflecting off the water like steel, with the horrific situations my own friend and many other victims of violent crime have encountered on University and the surrounding streets – victims of simply being in the wrong place at the worst possible time. Yet the numbers, the testimonies, and the scared late-night calls from someone else’s phone speak for themselves. We’re not perfect. All the more reason not to get complacent.

A penny saved is a penny earned. I prioritized my spending so I could pay for keyexperiences. For instance, I put the $7 I would have spent on a Swiss coffee towards a day trip to Mount Blanc.

Overall, study abroad can be an irreplaceable part of the college experience. Through researching costs and planning ahead, it is possible to have fantastic, affordable adventures.

LIANNA MATT

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9.

VOICES Defining ‘Disability’

The U needs more accommodation for temporary setbacks Adam McFarlane

This semester melted down into a mess of stress. Caffeine and alcohol became my best friends. I drank coffee and Dr. Pepper in the morning then Chardonnay and Maker’s Mark in the evening. By the time I saw a counselor at Boynton, I was panicked. An assignment was due the next day. I had already spent over eight hours on it. And it still felt wrong.

I spent half the appointment talking about the assignment.

I was anxious, I had no sleep schedule, and I was afraid I was slipping into depression. Will I fail out of the U in my first semester? If I or anyone for that matter needed help, their first stop would be Disability Services, a branch of the Office of Equity and Diversity, located in the McNamara Center.

However, can disability services deal with anxiety?

There, consultants review documentation and provide referrals for students who need documentation, students like me.

After reviewing documents, a consultant can certify that a student qualifies for disability accommodation. A qualified student receives an official letter that can be presented to indicate the need for accommodation. I needed that letter at the time.

During my appointment, the counselor asked, in so many words, can’t you just e-mail the professor?

He’s away at some conference, I said.

I asked Disability Services about numbers of students with identified disabilities, but they have yet to respond to my request.

Without those numbers, I can only speculate. According to the government advisory group Minnesota State Council on Disabilities, approximately 20 percent of Minnesotans have a disability. The New York Times last year cited government figures that indicate 11 percent of undergraduates have a disability.

A recent Star Tribune article stated that 40,629 students between fourteen and twenty-one years old in K-12 schools were disabled in Minnesota during the 2000-11 school years. Yet these statistics beg the question: what is a disability?

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To be eligible for disability services, according to the reasonable accommodation process, a student must have a “documented disability condition.”

The same source said in absence of said documentation, disability services can issue a referral.

Anxiety is normal, the counselor reassured me during my appointment.

She then asked about my mental health history.

A few years ago, someone important in my life died in a drunk driving accident. Less than a month later, I left my job and I moved in with my parents. I lost twenty pounds, started taking antidepressants, and attended weekly therapy sessions. I couldn’t work. I wouldn’t have been able to study if I’d been a student—at least, not without help. Would I have qualified for accommodation if I’d been a student or could I at least receive a referral?

Disability Services is adept at handling learning disabilities, but issues of mental health? Test anxiety is accommodated. But what about general anxiety? Could the rising anxiety over my schoolwork have been considered for disability? The website for Disabilities Services says that most students they serve have non-apparent disabilities such as mental health conditions, chronic medical conditions, brain injuries, learning disabilities, and ADD/ADHD. Only 20 percent of the population they serve has a visible disabilities—e.g., mobility, blind and low vision, and deaf and hard of hearing. What about the other 80 percent?

The website goes on to say that temporary health conditions generally aren’t “disabilities.” A student whose education is impacted by a temporary health condition can contact them.

When accommodation is decided by people trained to handle visible and/or documented disabilities, how do they decide how to ac-

commodate mental illness given the looseness of disability’s definition?

The exact definition according to the Pacer Center, a local organization dedicated to children with disabilities, students with disabilities are protected by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act defines a person with a disability as “a person who has with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment” in major life activities.

According to the Department of Education these impairments include reading concentrating and thinking.

Anxiety can impair concentration and thinking, so disability service should create a strategy on how to accommodate that as they would any other disability.

Two months into the semester, I’ve got a better handle on things. My initial panic is over. I’m in control of my classes now. I recognize how the stress of college life pushes people over the edge. Therefore, the University, either because of how loosely defined the term “disability” is or because so many suffer from this kind of anxiety, needs to create a more clearly defined policy on how to accommodate temporary mental illness like depression and anxiety.

A disability shouldn’t be an obstacle—real or imagined—to an education.

F E AT U R E : B u i l d i n g a n E d i b l e O a s i s A Million Dollar Idea with Local Food on its Mind

By Justin Miller

Photos By Colette Forsyth

www.wakemag.org

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F E AT U R E : B U I L D I N G A N U R B A N O A S I S It’s an age old question, a boilerplate conversation starter intended to tease out your innermost dreams. What would you do with $1 million? Perhaps a nice house on the beach? A trip around the world? A shopping spree? How about this: turning a dilapidated and abandoned old building into a local food hub.

Maybe not your first thought, but that’s what the winners of the 2013 Forever St. Paul Challenge are doing.

The challenge, sponsored by the St. Paul Foundation, was to submit an idea that answered the question, “What would you with $1 million to make St. Paul great?” Tracy Sides, a St. Paul resident and self-described public health entrepreneur, submitted the idea to build an urban oasis in St. Paul that centered on local food. After 946 different ideas were submitted, over 40 volunteers read all the proposals and whittled them down to 30 semifinalists in May. The Urban Oasis idea made the cut and Sides and her assembled team got to work fine-tuning the plan.

The U of M Angle Sides is an alum of the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health and worked at the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Her connections at the U proved to be a big part of how the project team was put together—several people that helped in the planning process came from the U. One of those people is recent graduate Eric Sannerud.

Sannerud graduated from the U in 2013 with an individualized degree that encompassed Sustainability Studies, Applied Business, and HECUA, and he’s certainly no stranger to the subject of local food. He’s advocated for a number of food issues at the U. He founded an organic community support agriculture program in 2012. Through the Institute on the Environment’s environmental entrepreneurship program, Acara, he helped create a local aquaponics start-up. And on top of his Urban Oasis work, he’s currently working on expanding his business as a local hops producer.

“Food, greater than any other issue or topic, is something that you can really interact with. It’s a very integral thing,” Sannerud said. “For me, that’s why I really love food. Anybody can have that experience. You can sit down and have a meal and talk with someone. Food is the connection to everything else.”

The team had very fluid dynamics and in the beginning only met every once in a while. But at each step of the challenge, the idea gained momentum. “At each benchmark, we’d be like, ‘Oh, we moved forward, awesome.’ And there was a little bit more work to do for [the team],” Sannerud said. Once they had further solidified the Oasis plan, a panel of experts, including hometown food celebrity Andrew Zimmern, selected the three best ideas from the pool of 30. Yet again, the Urban Oasis was still in the $1 million running, along with ideas to turn vacant railcars into artist and business spaces and to build

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a youth creative arts center. Throughout the second half of August, the public was invited to vote on their favorite idea.

The challenge’s rules didn’t allow any physical promotion of the ideas—no posters, fliers, business cards—so the team took to the internet and Sannerud was able to spread the word through various networks with the help of Twitter, Facebook, and email.

Sannerud said of the marketing push, “It was totally crazy. It was kind of like running for public office in a way. But it was a lot easier for people and people probably cared more.”

It definitely paid off. After over 16,000 votes were tallied, the Urban Oasis pulled in over 50 percent of the votes and was declared the winner.

More than just a building On a warm fall afternoon in late September, I ventured out to the proposed project site with Sannerud to talk about the future of the Urban Oasis. Nestled just off Interstate 94 between St. Paul’s Lowertown, East Side, and the Mississippi River lies the enigma that is the project site. Juxtaposed with the constant roar of highway traffic and the nearby bustling downtown, there is a quiet nature preserve. Here sits the Lowertown Depot, a long-abandoned four-story building covered in decades’ worth of graffiti and neglect.

Seeing the evidence of extensive squatting and hooliganism up close, it takes some imagination to envision this place becoming anything close to an oasis. At the same time though, it’s hard to ignore the seemingly limitless potential. There’s thousands of square feet to each floor and its unique location is unlike any other place in the city. This building is as much a part of the $1 million idea as anything else.

“It really started because of this building. There’s always been this community vision,” Sides said. But what Sides, Sannerud, and the rest of the team are most passionate about is the

power that creating a local food hub could have for the city.

The plan is for the Urban Oasis to be a resource for local food aggregation, processing, and distribution. “There will be a commercial kitchen set up where we can freeze, can, slice, or dice fresh produce,” Sannerud explained. “If you are growing your food and selling it at the St. Paul Farmers Market, farmers always have extra food. So having this place can cut down on wastage and spoilage. There’s more economic opportunity for local farmers.”

Cooking classes, catering opportunities, and a nature-themed event center that builds off its surroundings are all part of the plan as well.

Community Strong community connections are essential for the project to succeed. The team has been working with the East Side’s diverse communities, as well as business associations to ensure that this new resource will reflect the community that it will serve. For the Urban Oasis team, reaching out to the East Side is important for a number of reasons. The area is known just as much for problems of crime and poverty as it is for its vibrant diversity, and some say the East Side tends to be marginalized. “The East Side has such a bad name from the media, but there’s a lot of great things going on surrounding food,” Sides said.

F E AT U R E Tapping into the Hmong community’s well-known farming tradition in the city and being a resource for community gardening networks like the East Side Local Food Resource Hub are all possible avenues for Urban Oasis collaboration. There are a plethora of opportunities, as the proposal suggests: “Imagine buying tomatoes at the St. Paul Farmers Market and learning to can them at the Oasis kitchen! Or EcoLab managers walking over from their downtown office for a strategic planning retreat fed by inspiring experiences on the land and nourishing locally grown food.”

What’s different about this food hub is its ability to do things grocery stores, co-ops, and small farmers cannot. “We’re kind of like a cog in the system compared to the farmer that produces the food or the grocery store that sells it. We’re in between both,” Sannerud said. “It’s really about creating more opportunities both for the producers to sell their extra produce and for the consumers who will have a wider array of local food options from, hopefully, a wider array of food vendors for hopefully a longer period of time.”

Creating a Connection Despite being such a crucial part of life, we as a society tend to distance ourselves from the food we eat. It’s compartmentalized as an easily available thing—from a restaurant, from the grocery store—but with that easy access, we can lose the personal relationship that comes from being involved in, or at least aware of, our food system.

With $1 million, what’s next?

“All of the details are up in the air, because they have to be,” Sannerud said. “That’s due to all the crazy things that need to happen: funding, demolition, construction.”

It could take up to three years for the Urban Oasis to come to fruition, and during that time there are things to figure out.

Will it be a non-profit, a co-op, or a for-profit? Who will be in charge? What will be in the rest of the building? What will the city’s role be? On the long and uncertain road from a $1 million dollar idea to a real and functioning operation, these are all questions that will need be answered.

“I certainly think it will not look exactly the way that we envision it in our heads. Reality will take its piece,” Sannerud said.

There’s talk about the city, which currently owns the building, investing money for the redevelopment. There’s talk of a cultural center, a restaurant, and a rooftop garden. There’s talk about a lot of things, and if it all works, it could work as a blueprint for other cities.

“We’re not the only city that has opportunities like this and old abandoned buildings,” Sannerud said. “We may be the only city with a $1 million grant competition, but if we can prove that it’s possible maybe other cities will get some money going too.”

One thing is for certain though. Now that the Urban Oasis has won the grant, the real work is just beginning.

What the Urban Oasis hopes to do is bridge that disconnect by framing food in different ways: economically, socially, personally.

Kathy Lantry, St. Paul City Council President and council member much of the East Side, has been a vocal proponent of the idea from the start. “It capitalizes on the food truck movement, the local food movement, the ethnic food movement.

The number of angles that this hits, it does a bunch of things rather than one thing,” Lantry said. “The thing I’m thrilled about is that the common theme that brings people together is always food. It’s a great way to bridge cultural and communication barriers.”

Because of the originality and inclusivity of the Oasis, she believes it will become a vital cornerstone in Silver City’s already burgeoning local food movement. “It currently doesn’t exist.

It’s not like there are 40 of these things. This is a really cool, new idea because it’s accessible for all incomes,” Lantry said.

The Oasis can capitalize on the city’s CSAs, farmers markets, and community gardening all while helping weave together these community connections surrounding local food, regardless of culture, race, or income.

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STUDENT GROUPS LOCAL BUSINESSES MISSED CONNECTIONS WHATEVER ELSE!

VOICES How Addicted are we?

A Smartphone doesn’t have to be a student’s best friend.

By Alex Van Abbema

The first “smartphone” was released back in 1992. In 2013, it has become the cornerstone of social interaction. According to marketing charts.com, 69 percent of students own a smart phone today.

With over two-thirds of students owning smartphones, it does nothing to help the technological addictions we currently face. This cellphone invasion has run rampant around campus. It seems that we are beginning to value the presence of our phones over the presence of other people.

I decided to record a normal day, specifically focusing on my encounters with people and their cell phones in an attempt to see just how much we rely on these devices.

I wake up and immediately check my iPod Touch for Twitter, Snapchat, and so on. I’m immediately plugged in from the moment I get up. I’m not alone: 77 percent of students check their phones as soon as they wake up, according to a survey by the University of Colorado.

At breakfast, many people around me are using cellphones and sitting by themselves. Just as I did when I first woke up, it seems as though others at breakfast need to immerse themselves in social networking soon after they wake up.

However, a lot of people (myself included) are having conversations with one another.

On the way to class, I see people checking their phones, risking collisions with rogue bicyclists and other pedestrians, as they walk.

Journalism class: Fewer people than I expected are on their phones before class, about half from what I can tell. Once class starts, several people around me go on their phones and I am tempted to as well.

Around 9 p.m.: Later I go back to my friends’ room to hang out and do homework. A couple people are on their phones, but for the most part, we all converse. Later we do stupid college stuff like play hallway rugby. We are able to stay away from our phones the whole time. So this is possible, but only if we actively choose to avoid our phones.

Around 8 p.m.: After a bit more homework, I decide to go to the Rec Center and work out. Apart from a couple guys sitting in the waiting area on their phones, it seems to be a phone-free zone, as one would assume. Here, using a phone would be more of an inconvenience than a cure for boredom, so it looks like there are and will be at least a few phone-free areas around campus.

Lunch: I don’t see anyone around me that I know, so I decide to sit by myself. I see much of the same things I saw at breakfast, and I eat while absorbing myself in my Twitter feed. In this ADHD infused society, deluxe devices make it so much harder to focus on our on classes, on life, and on our surroundings, especially when what we’re learning may not be of any particularly interest.

Meteorology lab 1 p.m.: When I walk in to class a couple minutes before it starts, I look around in the quiet and mostly still room and see about 80 percent of the students on their phones. I only hear about two conversations going on and, apart from this, everyone seems to keep to themselves. 92 percent of students say that they use their smartphones during idle time at school, according to that University of Colorado survey previously mentioned. I would assume that students in the past conversed with each other a lot more before class, and therefore met more people and made more connections.

Around 6 p.m.: After doing homework for a bit, with Twitter breaks in between, I go to dinner with my friends. We eat, converse, and occasionally look at our phones. I can’t help but wonder how people were able to deal with eating with each other in college before the days of smartphones. We could benefit from having actual, uninhibited conversations during dinner or other meals.

Judging by the fact that I personally crave face-to-face interaction, and the fact that my friends and I are able to do that gives me hope that we won’t eventually become phone-obsessed cyborgs. I’d be a hypocrite to say that I don’t have some form of the “phone addiction” that is rampant around campus, but I and everyone else around campus could definitely work on it.

Wyoming Catholic College recently banned all phones from their campus in an effort to increase face-to-face communication. While I don’t suggest doing anything this drastic, we could all put the phones away once in a while. It’ll help you experience things you wouldn’t have otherwise, and will give you a richer overall college experience.

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Q&A going for with regard to the art. And the art I think is just as important. It’s really important with the record. It expresses something clearly, I think.

The Wake: What challenges did you have with the process of recording?

Erica: Well, just getting everything in order takes time. And a lot of energy and a lot of thought and it was just even the logistics of it. Getting the layout when you do it all yourself is something you really have to concentrate on.

Jim: We really wanted it to have a visual presence in a really specific way.

Erica: So technically speaking it was challenging for me, especially because I had never done album layout before to that extent. I’ve only ever done CDs and it’s much different than just having a picture on the inside with some words. So, it was really cool though. I really liked it and I want to do it again.

Q&A: Oaks

Shedding light on the dark

By Sara Glesne

Following the guiding principle that it takes time to make something beautiful, Oaks takes a slow and natural approach to the process of writing music. Their simple, vocally-charged music has been characterized by some as dark and heavy. Erica Krumm and Jim Kolles are the couple that make up Oaks. The Wake sat down with them to talk about their first vinyl release earlier this year and their current plans to slowly but surely work their way toward future recordings and more performances.

The Wake: So how long have the two of you been playing music together?

Erica: For three years. No, since fall of 2010. So three years.

Jim: Wow. The Wake: How did you came up with the last EP name, Field Beat?

Erica: It’s the name of one of the songs on the EP and we just really liked it. It fit the flow and the theme of the record and the other songs really well. It was a good summary I think of the imagery we were writing about at the time.

The Wake: How would you describe that imagery?

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Erica: I’m actually really obsessed with fields, which is a weird thing to say, I guess. And I really like the idea of laying alone in the middle of a field with not really anything around you to protect you and I sometimes go and do that. And, I don’t know, there’s no real story behind that necessarily, but I think that it ties in with a lot.

Jim: I can’t articulate it very well, but like natural imagery and dancing like a beat.

The Wake: How do you feel the EP turned out?

Jim: It’s really terrifying to send someone just like pictures and hope that it looks good on the album. Like this is final, we’re sending this, now.

Erica: I remember poring over every word over and over again to make sure that there wasn’t a typo or that we didn’t spell a friend’s name wrong who we were thanking.

Jim: I’ve definitely put out some pretty serious typos in my life. [Both laugh] Erica: And you know, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, but you’re trying to do it yourself. You’re trying to be really careful.

Jim: I like it. [Both laugh]

The Wake: Are there any other music or art projects either of you are working on right now?

Erica: Yeah, we were really happy with the way the recording turned out. Our friend Trent recorded us and it was a really fun process, the whole thing. I had never put out vinyl before so that was a really fun learning experience and also was really challenging, but it’s really cool when you get an actual record album in your hands that is yours. And, it was just so much fun.

Erica: I’ve just been trying to write every day. Which is challenging when life gets really busy. And I’ve been doing a lot of poetry, which is just something I’ve always loved to do.

And often that turns into lyrics which is great when it does work out, but I’m trying to write even if it’s total garbage, just to keep something flowing out.

Jim: Our friend Ellen did the art and I was really happy with how the cover art turned out. We didn’t give her any direction. She just listened to the album and came up with this thing that fit perfect, I think.

Erica: Yeah, she’s a close friend. And she and I have shared writing with each other a lot and so she knows me well. She knows us well, and I think she could sense what we were

Jim: And we’re trying to write more Oaks stuff too. I’ve been doing a lot of kind of the same thing with music. Just making silly music with friends, just to keep creating things so that we don’t get stuck in any kind of a rut. So I don’t at least.

The Wake: How do you go about writing a new song for Oaks?

Erica: Lots of different ways.

Q&A Jim: One of us comes up with some part of it, and we kind of jam on it.

Erica: We do a lot of just hanging out in our practice space and getting really loud and having fun. We try to keep it just a flowing thing that doesn’t have to have be super goaloriented with writing. And then if a song comes up and it’s starting to work, then we focus in on it, change it, and work on it really, really hard for a long time sometimes. But, the beginning of it I think what might be the conception of it is often pretty loose.

Jim: And I think we really want to stay fluid and not be in ‘writing-an-album’ mode. You know? ‘We gotta crank out this new record!’

What’s great about being a band like us is that we have no obligation to anyone and there’s not a record label that cares what we’re doing.

It’s just totally up to us, so we can take advantage of that and just write as things naturally come up, which I think is really nice.

The Wake: What is a practice like?

Erica: It depends, if we have a big show that we’re preparing for we run our set or come up with a set that we want to play and go through it. We talk a lot. It’s a good time for us in the week to just catch up. It can just be like crazy with work and everything and then when we go into rehearsal space it’s a really good time to just chill together, honestly. We run our set and then we usually try to work on new stuff or just jam out for awhile.

Jim: We do a lot of jamming. I’ve never been in a band where jamming worked. And live we don’t and our final songs are not jammy at all. But, I feel like a lot of times [Erica] will have a riff and then I come up with something and then [Erica] will change [her] riff a little bit and then I’ll change my riff and writing parts like that. It’s just a process, not like ‘I tabbed out a part for you.’

The Wake: How does Oaks compare to other music you’ve made before?

Jim: Most of the bands I’ve been in have been me singing.

And so, in this band I’m playing bass. I’m doing a little clean singing now, which is nice. I’ve done metal stuff before. And that’s fun, but otherwise I’m a lot more involved in the writing process in this band. And I’m not screaming and I play an instrument. That’s the separation, I guess.

Erica: I think it’s different in like every way because we’ve never played music together until this band, but we’ve both always played music. So, it was an accident and it’s been awesome.

Jim: Yeah, like being a couple and being a duo. It’s very different. We went on tour this summer and it was just really cool.

Erica: It was a road trip for us.

The Wake: How would you describe Oaks’ sound?

Jim: Simple is one of our guiding principles. We keep trying to strip things down as much as we can.

Erica: A friend of ours who we just played with at Terma Fest a couple of weeks ago said something that I think struck both Jim and I. I think he said something to the extent of, your music is really dark and sad, but also really happy.

Jim: But it makes me feel happy, is what I think he said.

Erica: It was just really sweet to hear that because I think that we have a really kind of weird mix of darkness and happiness.

Jim: Yeah, it’s like getting through shit.

Jim: When you’re just starting in a band, you’re just exploring this new thing, and then it’s easy to let it become something where you’re like trying to play. When we started writing we didn’t know what Oaks sounded like. And you don’t want to try to sound too much like the stuff you did before or you know try hard to not sound like the stuff you did before.

And so,

I think we’re both really just trying to write in a way that is still just a natural process.

Erica: And I think it’s kind of tricky because not only outside pressures, but just internal pressure if you’re kind of goaloriented, which I am in general. This instinct comes up to already start thinking about what your next record is going to be called before you even have the songs written. And start planning when you’re going to record before you even have the songs written. It ends up taking away from the pleasure of just being, just writing. So, I think that’s a really good way to put it. A major goal for me is to try to keep the same spirit alive that we had when we were first just kind of messing around and playing music together and not have it be a serious, I mean, we are serious at the same time and I want that, but not in a way that makes us feel pressured to create things. Then it starts to feel artificial.

Erica: Yeah, I guess that’s life.

The Wake: Is that what you mostly write about then, getting through?

Jim: And it’s not our job, and that’s awesome. Cause you know, it’s not going to affect whether we can eat if people like our new album or not.

Erica: No, it’s different. There’s always reoccurring themes, but I don’t know. I’ll tell you what I’ve been writing about lately, which might not necessarily reflect on the record. A lot of life upheaval and change and you know, the mysteries of the world. This force of nature that’s just this constant, inevitable change and it seems to be growing when you get older, like really, really fast.

Erica: I think it’s definitely a goal that we both share to put out new records, in time, and to record and definitely tour more and meet with new bands. That’s one of my favorite things, just playing shows with bands and being like, ‘oh my God, they were so awesome.’ So, doing more of that.

The Wake: What brought that about?

Jim: I think we actually don’t have anything set up right now.

We’ve been trying to just write.

The Wake: Any upcoming shows?

Jim: Seasons. [Laughs] Erica: We’ve had a lot of big changes in our lives, with family and different things like that. We’ve gone through a lot of change, and had some heartache.

The Wake: Right now, do you see any future hopes for where you’re going with Oaks?

Erica: I want to just keep writing songs in a way that’s fun for us and is something that nurtures our lives and isn’t another job or obligation ever. Just something that feeds us, you know.

Erica: We’re kind of intentionally taking just a small break, not from the band, but from playing shows so that we can actually write. We played shows all summer. It’s really fun, but it’s hard to have the energy and time to put into new stuff. And personally, we’re also in the process of moving right now. So, lots of other stuff is going on.

Check out Oaks and their EP on Bandcamp: http://oaks. bandcamp.com/music and Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/OaksMpls

www.wakemag.org

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Sound & Vision Totally Gross National Takeover

Minneapolis’s most diverse music label is a force to be reckoned with

By Ethan Lauer Local experimental music label Totally Gross National Product is taking over the Twin Cities music scene. Four artists on the label have recently put out albums, and each release has had its own buzz amongst fans with the common denominator being TGNP. It is an especially interesting label in that its music is mostly categorized as experimental, at least to some degree, yet each band’s sound is distinct. The new releases from TGNP’s bands The Cloak Ox, Lizzo, Poliça, and Marijuana Deathsquads range in genre from indie rock to eardrum-shattering, rap-infused electronic mayhem. Here’s a little bit about each artist and what you can expect from their new albums:

1.

The Cloak Ox – Shoot the Dog

This band is probably the least “out there” and experimental of all the musicians on TGNP, but that’s not to say they are generic by any means. Although they may have a somewhat typical indie band set up with a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and guitar-playing singer, they manage to assert themselves as innovative with their ventures into different indie sub-genres. Some songs are jazzy, some groovy, and some have totally face melting guitar riffs. Somehow they manage to have a distinct identity and sound despite their range of combined genres. The band consists of guys with a lot of musical experience under their respective belts, some having performed multiple styles of music across bands, and that cumulative experience is what creates their catchy yet atypical sound. Their second album Shoot the Dog was put out last month and they’re currently on tour with Volcano Choir, so look out for The Cloak Ox as they continue to assert themselves as a super team of indie music veterans.

2.

Lizzo – LIZZOBANGERS

No, this is not a Miley Cyrus remix album (unfortunately).

It is, however, Lizzo’s first solo album. She isn’t new to the Twin Cities scene though by any means. She’s also a member of both The Chalice and GRRRL PRTY, both of which have played multiple local shows this past year and have been putting out new music consistently. After being named “Best Female Vocalist” by City Pages this past year, Lizzo is on top of the female rap game right now (that’s right Dessa, take a seat). Even Doomtree producer Lazerbeak is hopping on the Lizzo trend, having produced the album in its entirety.

Lazerbeak’s banger beats compliment Lizzo’s aggressive, hungry flow in a way that is comparable to distorted guitar riffs in a punk band melding with a front woman’s angstridden shouts. Check out LIZZOBANGERS if you want some hard-hitting and passionate hip-hop.

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3.

Poliça – Shulamith

This is Poliça’s second full-length album, following up last year’s Give You the Ghost. Their signature percussion-heavy instrumentals blend with front woman Channy Leaneagh’s auto-tuned crooning to create a uniquely industrial yet comforting and nostalgic sound. “Chain My Name,” the first song off the album, really sets the tone for the rest of the tracks.

It’s so much more upbeat and danceable than anything they’ve put out before, but the emotion remains. They’ve definitely changed their sound without changing their identity. If you liked their last album but want something more upbeat with less undertones of sadness and angst, then check out “Shulamith.”

4. Marijuana Deathsquads – Oh My Sexy Lord Lately these guys have been evolving and cranking out new music at an unprecedented pace, releasing three free fulllength albums this past year. This super-team of innovative musicians includes Ryan Olson (Poliça, Gayngs), Isaac Gale, Stef Alexander (P.O.S.), and Ben Ivascu (Poliça). Although those are what you could call the official “members” of MDS,

they tend to collaborate with other musicians frequently.

Their new album features more artists such as Channy Leaneagh (Poliça), Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Har Mar Superstar, and various others. Oh My Sexy Lord is a statement of MDS’s identity, demonstrating a definite evolution from their previous work. They have honed in on the sound that has set them apart from everyone else and explored that niche extensively on this album. That being said, there is still a range of sound and emotion throughout the album with “Ewok Sadness” and “8 9 3” being absolutely insane speaker-blowing electronic madness while “Scheme” is more of an eerily ambient slow composition. In addition to this album, MDS just released a remix album of P.O.S.’s most recent album We Don’t Even Live Here, and it’s FREE, so go download that and a bunch of other free MDS mix tapes at marijuanadeathsquads.com.

It will be interesting to see what becomes of Totally Gross National Product as they continue to build momentum and facilitate collaboration between the artists that make up their diverse portfolio. As for now, they’re off to a promising start.

Sound & Vision Two Folk Acts Spar for Supremacy

A look at The Avett Brothers and The Head and The Heart

By Kirsten Erickson

These days, one can’t turn on the radio without hearing the pluck of a banjo or some earnestly sung harmonies. Since the rise of bands like Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, and Of Monsters and Men, the folk scene has joined the mainstream.

With so many overalls-clad and “O Brother, Where Art Thou”-loving performers though, it’s hard to tell different folk bands apart, let alone declare the best of the best.

On October 15, two such folksters released new albums, resulting in what can only be declared a folk-off. It’s time to trade in the acoustic guitars for boxing gloves and decide a winner.

In one corner are veterans The Avett Brothers with their latest release Magpie and the Dandelion. With eight albums and a devoted fan base under their belt, the North Carolina natives have proven to be folk mainstays.

However, their past successes almost work against them on Magpiewith tracks like “Another Is Waiting” and “Open

My Name is My Name...

KING PUSH

How Pusha T’s album stands against the competition in 2013

By Andy Buckley

Ended Life” lacking the emotional tension in instrumental arrangements that have made past releasesso electric. “Souls Like Wheels” is one of the few tracks that packs a punch, with singer Scott Avett’s voice almost at a whisper, pleading with his lover to let him go.

In the other corner are newcomers The Head and The Heart with their sophomore effort Let’s Be Still. Prior to this release, songs from their self-titleddebut like the acoustic guitar and piano-driven “Lost In My Mind” quickly madea name for the Seattle band.

Maybe it’s because this is only their second album, but The Head and The Heart seem to have a fresher approach. Confrontational lyrics like “I’m sorry but I find no glory in that/I just want you off my back,” from the track “Homecoming Heroes” contrast nicely with the soft, heartfelt lyrics that folk typically offers, while “Another Story” offers lush violin solos and a haunting falsetto vocal that transcends.

That point aside, The Head and The Heart’s latest proves to be a more captivating release overall. The Avett Brothers sound over-produced, while their opponent has a more organic sound. In the end, while the Avett Brothersshould be commended for their stamina in the ring, The Head and the Heart have tapped into an emotional energy that make them the clear winners of this folk-off.

VS.

THE AVETT BROTHERS

THE HEAD AND THE HEART

That isn’t to say that Magpie is outright knocked out. The Avett Brothers definitely take more risks with sound, such as using synthesizers on “Vanity.” With emphasis on acoustic instruments and vocal harmonies, The Head and The Heart take the more traditional route.

It has been a turbulent year in the rap industry. Yeezus blew traditional norms of hip hop and rap out of the water. Magna Carta brought us a contemporary classic hip-hop/rap album.

J. Cole dropped one of the best sophomore albums in recent memory with Born Sinner and the list continues with the likes of Mac Miller, Drake, Big Sean, and Odd Future affiliates Tyler, the Creator and Earl Sweatshirt making contributions.

With everyone dropping big projects left and right, it has been hard to identify the big winners of 2013.

And yet, one name stands higher than the rest and he has proclaimed himself king of 2013. Still basking in the platinum success of good kid, m.A.A.d. city, Kendrick Lamar has been absolutely killing it. With only one big album out, not even from this year, his feature verses on other artists’ projects speak for themselves, and in case you’ve been living under a rock, nothing has been the same since “Control” dropped.

Now it might be Kendrick’s year and I’m gonna let you finish but uh, Pusha T just dropped the album of the year and nobody even knows it. Proclaiming it to be so since day one, Pusha’s My Name is My Name is an album that brings together innovative beats with raw, no-BS lyrics in uniform perfection.

With production for the project heavily influenced by Kanye West, it wasn’t hard to guess that this album would push boundaries similar to Yeezus, but it was uncertain how.

What came was a ballad so dark and beautiful, it might as well have been called Pusha T’s Beautiful Dark Twisted Reality. Singles such as “Numbers on the Board” and “Who I Am” illustrate this sound that can only be identified as revolutionary, grand, and substantive.

While the production may be the foundation for this album, it’s Pusha T’s lyricism that delivers like a punch. His “dope boy” demeanor is clearly present in his work, he implements his cold killer attitude into his tone and delivery. Not a single song or lyrical phrase is out-of-place or irrelevant. When he says he’s “King Push” he has the lyrical facts and flow to show it.

Like Kendrick, Pusha T is taking nothing from nobody and is also someone to look out for in the next year. These two are bringing street rap back to the limelight of the music industry, but even more than that, it’s intelligent street rap.

It’s like it is 2001 again with 50 Cent and the gang except this round the critically acclaimed are taking over the commercially successful.

www.wakemag.org

19.

Sound & Vision Fresh Sounds from Old Legends Pearl Jam proves that rock music isn’t just a young man’s game

By Luke Michaels

It seems almost inevitable for a band to either die young or live long enough to see themselves drag their own reputation through the mud. Rock legends can try desperately to avoid recording their own Chinese Democracy, but with each album the pressure to sustain legendary status grows more intimidating. I’ll admit I was nervous when I saw the announcement of Pearl Jam’s tenth studio album, Lightning Bolt back in July. The prospect was promising, to say the least, but this is a band that so many, like myself, revere as next-to-godly, and any album less than perfect would feel like a knife through our Pearl Jam-infatuated hearts. They remain one of the few truly legendary rock bands still in commission, alongside other ‘90s alt-rock giants like Radiohead, Smashing Pumpkins, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. But they know that already.

Looking back about 10 years, some may have confused Pearl Jam for a band that would eventually fade into the background of an ever-evolving rock music scene, leaving behind

only an angsty aftertaste. These “fans” lost interest right around the time the genre-bending No Code hit the shelves.

Pearl Jam wasn’t a grunge band anymore. They recorded bizarre singles like “Bugs” and “Stupid Mop,” isolated right wing fans with heavy political ranting on songs like “Bushleaguer,” and wrote soft-core, damn-near pop songs like “Come Back” and “The Fixer.” But the Pearl Jam faithful saw the promise in the experimentation that, one could argue, began during the sessions for Vs. Pearl Jam was dynamic.

They were growing up and many didn’t allow themselves to grow with them. But it’s evolution baby and you’d better keep up.

They remain one of the few truly legendary rock bands still in commission.

What happened though? Five years have gone by since they released Backspacer and fans everywhere have been going through heavy withdrawal. Don’t be fooled. They didn’t just sit on their success for the past half-decade.

A 20th anniversary blowout in East Troy, Wisconsin, reissues, a few tours, one single, a movie, Eddie Vedder released Ukulele Songs, and Stone and Jeff proved that they could make music too. One can appreciate the time spent focusing on other projects, but still, it’s about damn time.

And now, Lightning Bolt. For three months Pearl Jam fans sat at the edge of their dingy polyester couches awaiting what was hyped to be nothing less than another classic by the band that has been placed on a mile-high pedestal, serving as one of rock’s last remaining bright-burning stars. Fans

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october 28 - november 10

greedily scooped up every vignette, teaser, and single that the band was willing to release as the fateful clock ticked down day by day. Well, the day is here. And they did not disappoint.

Lightning Bolt satisfied the starving masses and Pearl Jam has another classic under its belt.

This album, released on the band’s Monkeywrench label, is a gem and fully supports itself in Pearl Jam’s legendary catalog. The album is dark and contemplative. Songs like “My Father’s Son,” a meditation on an absent father figure (you Pearl Jam fans can probably figure that one out), and “Pendulum,” a somber reference to Poe, clearly show that Eddie Vedder has had a lot on his mind. Vedder’s love for the Ramones is evident on the super-charged, punky lead single “Mind Your Manners,” and the slow-burning “Yellow Moon” wouldn’t have been out of place on Yield or Riot Act. Pearl Jam also proves, yet again, that it is capable of producing big sounds on the absolutely stunning tracks “Infallible” and “Future Days.” However, “Sirens” is clearly the record’s magnum opus and demonstrates Pearl Jam’s ability to tap into our emotions with musical grandeur.

So the legacy lives on. Lightning Bolt satisfied the starving masses and Pearl Jam has another classic under its belt. Who knows what the future will hold for our heroes. They kicked off a tour in Pittsburgh earlier this month promoting the new record and will surely sell enough tickets to fill a threestory Victorian. I want to believe that they’ll go on forever, immortalized simply by their presence in so many lives, but one day they won’t. Until then, though, I hope they rage on and continue to prove that it is possible to produce rock music that matters well into your 40s. It kind of makes you wish that others had done the same.

PETER MARIUTTO

Sound & Vision Radio K heads to NYC

College music journalism gathers college radio stations, artists from across the country

By Alex Van Abbema

Since 1981, college radio stations and music artists from around the U.S. have gathered annually for the College Music Journal Music Marathon in New York City. Professionals ranging from BBC to London-based independent label Domino Recording Company show up to speak and mingle with the guests. This year the event was held from October 15 to 19.

The Music Marathon is mainly centered on performances by up-and-coming or already successful artists. Lady Gaga, Mumford and Sons, MGMT and many more popular acts have performed around NYC through the event in years past.

The event also involves career-building activities for college radio station members, staff, and volunteers.

College radio station members got to meet members of other college radio stations, hear from professionals in the radio community, and participate in group discussions. This year, attendees also got to tour record labels and network with different promoting companies and labels.

Members heard about opportunities waiting for them in radio after college graduation. “We got to learn where they were based out of, and what they did before they got where they are now,” Radio K Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator Nailah Taman said of the record labels they were introduced to. “They were all super young and super willing to help.”

The college radio awards were held October 17. They are a way for college radio stations all over the country to get recognition for the work they do. The University of Minnesota’s own Radio K (KUOM) was nominated for station of the year, and won awards for Most Creative Programming, Best Community Resource, and Biggest Champion of the Local Scene.

“We’ve been nominated for a bunch of awards in the past, but this is the first year we actually got to take home any awards,” said Taman.

According to Taman, Radio K was well-qualified for the awards they won. For instance, Radio K was the victorious contender for Biggest Champion of the Local Scene because of the sizable number of local bands the station promotes on their airwaves and website.

A lot of the radio stations at the Music Marathon had limited resources and solely broadcast online. Still, they were able to get their brand out there. Radio UTD out of Dallas, Texas won the award for Best Student Run, Internet-Only radio station. They struck a chord with the members of Radio K. “They were able to make themselves known, and have a following, despite the fact that they’re online only,” Taman said. “That’s a really big deal.”

Hollywood’s Gaping Black Hole Gravity presents visuals in 3D and characters in 2D

By Tyler Lauer Space movies, in their literal impossibility and necessity of invention, seem to be Hollywood’s testament to how far cinema has come. So if Gravity–the highly anticipated space epic featuring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney–is a sign of the times, what’s it saying?

Not one reviewer has had a conversation about Gravity without talking about the technology developed specifically for this film. In Bullock’s existential quest we are treated to shots that last impossible lengths of time and which circumnavigate the actors as they hurtle through space. These effects were created with industrial arms retrofitted with lights and cameras, used to map out movements of the actors to fit the pre-programmed CGI. All of this work, and years spent waiting for the technology to improve, was in an effort to more realistically present what it’s like in orbit around the Earth.

It seems futile to compare these two movies, and that can simply be attributed to matters of scope. In A Space Odyssey, Kubrick took on philosophical musings of man’s place in the universe, presenting a product of the times, combining fears of “progress” with such sensational visuals he was accused of helping to stage the moon landing. With Gravity, Bullock’s character arc boils down to a simple question: do I even want to keep on living? This could be a jumping off point for a great cinematic achievement, but Bullock’s character exhibits less depth than HAL 9000. She fluctuates between limply hating space and cheesy self-affirmation provided by ghostly George Clooney.

If this tepid thematic quandary of “what’s the point,” especially when coupled with 3D, is a product of this decade, what does that tell us about Hollywood today?

There is no question that this movie was painstakingly crafted to give audiences a true-to-life experience–with intentional sensationalization–but the effort to engage the infinite emptiness of the universe seemed to bleed into the characters, leaving them just as empty. To claim your place in cinema history you can’t forsake the need to tell a believable story, at least in feeling, in favor of graphics.

Even 2001: A Space Odyssey, which was released over 40 years ago, still holds its own against Gravity.

There is something even more substantial about the depiction of spacecraft in A Space Odyssey, possibly from filming models instead of creating most of it with CGI. As for the 3D in Gravity, it did make possible the immersive atmosphere, but that is not to be equated with a presentation of believable reality like the one relayed in A Space Odyssey.

SAM LINDSAY

www.wakemag.org

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Sound & Vision

3REVIEWS

Whosah

Radical Face

by Peter Mariutto

By Kelcie McKenney

If Justin Timberlake doesn’t deserve a Grammy this year, then I don’t know who does. After a seven year absence from the music industry, he released his album “The 20/20 Experience” last March and the album debuted at number one.

Antique light bulbs stood bare and at least a hundred plastic candles glimmered on Varsity Theater’s stage during Radical Face’s performance on October 17. The flickering added to the eerie feel of the band’s music and set the stage for their depressing and dark lyrics. With pre-recordings of creaking staircases, the ocean, and wind whistling through chimes, the dancing lights became even more mesmerizing.

It’s Not Just Me In Here

Eerie and Beautiful at Varsity Theater

If that wasn’t enough, after it debuted Timberlake announced that there would be a second part to “The 20/20 Experience,” sending fans into a frenzy. Although I was skeptical that Part 2 would be able to live up to Part 1, I was definitely proven wrong on September 30 when he released the second half. Part 2 also debuted at number one.

The second part consists of 12 additional songs with two bonus tracks on the deluxe edition. Timberlake proved his talent once again with this one by giving us a variety of singles and mixing genres. From the single “Take Back the Night” which has a dance, almost disco-like vibe, to “Only When I Walk Away” that has more of a pop/rock vibe, to the smooth love song “Not a Bad Thing,” Timberlake shows us his versatility and why all kinds of people like his music.

I still can’t decide if Part 1 or Part 2 is better, but i will say that Part 2 is slightly edgier with songs such as “True Blood” and “Murder” while Part 1 has some smoother, softer songs.

Both parts of “The 20/20 Experience” make fans want to dance and sing along and were well worth the wait.

OFFICIALVGHC.COM

Pokémon X and Y

By Joe Buchholz When Satoshi Taijiri conceived Capsule Monsters, it was an homage to the lost, rose-tinted summer days he spent collecting insects as a child. He envisioned bugs traveling across the Game Boy’s Link Cable peripheral from one console to the other. This social element of trading Pokémon has been an integral piece of the series’ sustained success from its beginning.

For years, kids couldn’t stop talking about Pokémon. A dizzying array of rumors circulated playgrounds as trading cards and other Pokémon paraphernalia became kindergarten contraband. Neighborhoods and playgrounds transformed into social hubs for trading and combative competition.

Now, with the recently released Pokémon X and Y, microcosm has swollen to macrocosm. The kids that used to talk about Pokémon on the swing set are now talking about Pokémon on smart phones in claustrophobic buses. The intimacy of a link cable has been removed and replaced by Wi-Fi connectivity. The Pokémon communities that fueled adolescent obsession have now all merged into one global community.

You can seamlessly connect to Wi-Fi to battle with anyone at any time. You can sit in the middle of Coffman and trade Pokémon with nearby students in real time. This is also the first Pokémon game in the mainline series to have completely 3D polygonal models. However, this transition to 3D has unfortunately affected the way the game runs, and its frame rate ranges from smooth to noticeably stuttering. It’s also one of the easiest Pokémon games (which can be a positive or negative, depending on your experience), but the game manages to hit an enigmatic sweet spot of appealing to our generation as well as another younger generation of Poké-

CDBABY.COM

22.

october 28 - november 10

mon fans.

The theatre was packed with fans who seemed to sing along with every word. Ben Cooper, the lead singer, and also a snarky, dry-humored guy, made the entire concert feel like a chill hangout with someone you’ve known for ages. He prefaced every song with his personal inspiration behind the music, which ranged from the capture and death of winter to a soldier’s suicide from a rooftop. He joked that his voice had once been compared to that of a 12-year-old girl with mono, and the audience bellowed with laughter. But what stood out most was Cooper’s casual attitude and comfortable banter with members of the audience.

Radical Face played “Welcome Home,” their most famous song, towards the end of the set, but made sure the entire audience helped sing the chorus as well. Cooper’s high and soft voice combined with the piano and steady beats of clapping blended beautifully with the “ooohs” of “home” that reverberated off the walls of Varsity Theater in a tidal wave of harmony.

Although the majority of their music is considered sad and lonely by fans and critics, Radical Face ended their show lightheartedly; Ben Cooper covered a song from “Robin Hood” as the rest of the band did an interpretive dance with maracas and tambourines. For a group of guys who create music about sadness, heartbreak and death, their playful personalities and carefree demeanor were what really radiated from the stage.

RADICALFACE.COM

Sound & Vision

3REVIEWS

Whosah

Radical Face

by Peter Mariutto

By Kelcie McKenney

A high-output, optimistic, rhythm-latent performance is always expected of local band Whosah. The band’s combination of synthy undertones and upbeat lyricism make for classic pop rock, but that’s not to say the band lacks attitude. The incorporation of a childish nature that manages to be simultaneously profound is the band’s trademark.

Whosah’s EP It’s Not Just Me In Here continues this tradition with tenacity, delivering a product with a fresh flavor, but the overall sound should be familiar to long-time fans.

Tracks like “Let’s Not” and “I’m the Bad Guy” addresses with enthusiasm some big questions, such as wishing life away and the trouble with relationships. The band’s heavy lyrical themes allows the audience to reflect, but doesn’t totally distract from having a good time.

It’s Not Just Me In Here is the band’s first official contribution to the music world. As their debut, it manages to put its best foot forward. Audiences that enjoy positive vibes in easy-todance-along-to music will not be disappointed. This album carries enough rhythmically charged energy to make its way around.

Whosah has laid it out for us nicely. It’s Not Just Me In Here is a strong beginning, a promising take on the world of pop rock.

Regardless of the future direction of the band, their strong optimism will always promote results, and whether or not you choose to take their hand, they’ll always hold it out to you.

Antique light bulbs stood bare and at least a hundred plastic candles glimmered on Varsity Theater’s stage during Radical Face’s performance on October 17. The flickering added to the eerie feel of the band’s music and set the stage for their depressing and dark lyrics. With pre-recordings of creaking staircases, the ocean, and wind whistling through chimes, the dancing lights became even more mesmerizing.

It’s Not Just Me In Here

Eerie and Beautiful at Varsity Theater

OFFICIALVGHC.COM

Pokémon X and Y

By Joe Buchholz When Satoshi Taijiri conceived Capsule Monsters, it was an homage to the lost, rose-tinted summer days he spent collecting insects as a child. He envisioned bugs traveling across the Game Boy’s Link Cable peripheral from one console to the other. This social element of trading Pokémon has been an integral piece of the series’ sustained success from its beginning.

For years, kids couldn’t stop talking about Pokémon. A dizzying array of rumors circulated playgrounds as trading cards and other Pokémon paraphernalia became kindergarten contraband. Neighborhoods and playgrounds transformed into social hubs for trading and combative competition.

Now, with the recently released Pokémon X and Y, microcosm has swollen to macrocosm. The kids that used to talk about Pokémon on the swing set are now talking about Pokémon on smart phones in claustrophobic buses. The intimacy of a link cable has been removed and replaced by Wi-Fi connectivity. The Pokémon communities that fueled adolescent obsession have now all merged into one global community.

You can seamlessly connect to Wi-Fi to battle with anyone at any time. You can sit in the middle of Coffman and trade Pokémon with nearby students in real time. This is also the first Pokémon game in the mainline series to have completely 3D polygonal models. However, this transition to 3D has unfortunately affected the way the game runs, and its frame rate ranges from smooth to noticeably stuttering. It’s also one of the easiest Pokémon games (which can be a positive or negative, depending on your experience), but the game manages to hit an enigmatic sweet spot of appealing to our generation as well as another younger generation of Poké-

CDBABY.COM

22.

october 28 - november 10

mon fans.

The theatre was packed with fans who seemed to sing along with every word. Ben Cooper, the lead singer, and also a snarky, dry-humored guy, made the entire concert feel like a chill hangout with someone you’ve known for ages. He prefaced every song with his personal inspiration behind the music, which ranged from the capture and death of winter to a soldier’s suicide from a rooftop. He joked that his voice had once been compared to that of a 12-year-old girl with mono, and the audience bellowed with laughter. But what stood out most was Cooper’s casual attitude and comfortable banter with members of the audience.

Radical Face played “Welcome Home,” their most famous song, towards the end of the set, but made sure the entire audience helped sing the chorus as well. Cooper’s high and soft voice combined with the piano and steady beats of clapping blended beautifully with the “ooohs” of “home” that reverberated off the walls of Varsity Theater in a tidal wave of harmony.

Although the majority of their music is considered sad and lonely by fans and critics, Radical Face ended their show lightheartedly; Ben Cooper covered a song from “Robin Hood” as the rest of the band did an interpretive dance with maracas and tambourines. For a group of guys who create music about sadness, heartbreak and death, their playful personalities and carefree demeanor were what really radiated from the stage.

RADICALFACE.COM

Sound & Vision

Events Calendar WEDNESDAY, Oct 30

SATURDAY, Nov 2

Totally Gross National Product Icehouse / 9:30 p.m. / $5 / 21+

THURSDAY, Oct 31 Barebones Halloween Show Hidden Falls Park / 5 p.m. / Donations Goosebumps Unscripted Calhoun Square / 8 p.m. / $12-14 Halloween Party and Costume Contest First Ave / 8 p.m. / $10 door / 18+

THURSDAY, Nov 7 The Lower 48 The Whole / 7:30 p.m. / Free

Fidlar w/ France Camp 7th St. Entry / 8 p.m./ $15 door / 18+ McNasty Brass Band & The Tasty Tones Palmer’s Bar / 10 p.m. / $5 / 21+

FRIDAY, Nov 8

MONDAY, Nov 4 Auto Tune Karaoke with Lizzo and Sophia Eris Nomad Pub / 10 p.m. / No cover / 21+

SUNDAY, Nov 10

TUESDAY, Nov 5

Anthony Green Triple Rock / 7:30 p.m. / $20 door / 18+

Kanye West Target Center / 7:30 p.m. / $40+

FRIDAY, Nov 1 Halloween Cover Show Turf Club / $8 / 9 p.m. / 21+ Of MontrealC Cedar Cultural Center / $21 / 7 p.m. / All ages

Prof Coffman Union / 8:00 p.m. / $5 advance student tickets Wak Lyf Kitty Kat Club / Free / 21+

WEDNESDAY, Nov 6 Lucy Michelle feat. Chan Poling & John Munson and Aby Wolf The Whole / 6:30 p.m. / $5 students Movember Movies MOA Theater / 7:30 p.m. / Through Nov. 27 / Donations

HTTP://COMMONS.WIKIMEDIA.ORG HTTP://F.BANDCAMP.COM

HTTP://BAREBONESPUPPETS.ORG

HTTP://BLOGGIUSMAXIMUS.FILES.WORDPRESS.COM

HTTP://THEATRESMOA.COM

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