THE
alestle
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
the student voice since 1960
Wednesday, June 1, 2022 Vol. 75 No. 31
insidE: City of Edwardsville partners with Stop the Bleed PAGE 2
Fuller Dome offers meditation with gong bath PAGE 4
What you may have missed in spring sports PAGE 8
Chrissy Chapman dressed as a Handmaid from the novel “The Handmaid’s tale” at a protest in Edwardsville. The protest was started in response to the Supreme Court’s opinion draft indicating the potential overturn of Roe v. Wade. | Emily Sterzinger / The Alestle
alestlelive.com
PAGE 2
Wednesday, 06.01.22
BY THE NUMBERS / COVID-19 AT SIUE, SUMMER 2022 New confirmed positive cases (from tests conducted by SIUE and self-reporting):
Tests conducted by SIUE:
May 14 - May 20: 5 students, 12 faculty/staff
May 14 - May 20: 230
May 21 - May 27: 4 students, 3 faculty/staff
May 21 - May 27: 220
14-Day New Positive Cases: 9 students, 15 faculty/staff
14-Day New Tests Conducted: 450
All prior weeks positive tests: (May 14 - May 27): 9 students, 15 faculty/staff
All prior weeks tests conducted: May 14 - May 27: 450
Total active positive cases: 5 students 9 faculty/staff
Positive cases identified by SIUE testing: May 14 - May 20: 8 May 21 - May 27: 5
14-day new positive cases: 13
All prior weeks positive cases: May 14 - May 20: 13
MADISON COUNTY DAY BY DAY:
Positivity Rate (last 14 days): 2.89%
150 120 90 60
Percentage of isolation/quarantine space available on campus
30
Source: Health, Reporting, and Testing page on SIUE’s
0
(as of May 30): 100%
COVID-19 website, as of May 30. MAY 20
MAY 21
MAY 22
MAY 23
MAY 24
MAY 25
MAY 26
Officer responded to report of a man walking around in his underwear around the Cougar Lake apartments. Officer reported the man was gone before officer’s arrival.
05.02.22
Officer responded to a carbon monoxide detector alarm in the Cougar Lake apartments. Edwardsville Fire Department was dispatched and shut the gas off to the stove. Housing was notified.
05.06.22
A bycicle was reported stole from the Bluff Hall Lot. A taser was found in Evergreen Hall.
MAY 27
City of Edwardsville collaborates with Stop the Bleed organization AHMAD LATHAN reporter
Stop the Bleed will help the city of Edwardsville train residents to prevent serious bleeding in case of accidents. Edwardsville firefighter, Derek Huber, said the city wanted to have ways to stop bleeding in the case of accidents around town. Huber said they thought about workplace accidents and the farming communities in Edwardsville. He said the goal is to stop bleeding and have a quicker reaction when severe bleeding happens. “We know that workplace accidents happen, and we have a strong farming community where accidents can occur also. The training is easy to take, and the program is free for all residents to learn,” Huber said. Huber said that he even took one of the courses offered himself. “We know that the greatest cause of “I took a level one trauma course three death after an injury to four years ago with is due to trauma and Stop the Bleed,” Hubleeding out. So, we ber said. want to give people Huber said there the tools necessary was an original verto save someone’s life sion of the training if they are bleeding that has since been out,” Dodd said. slightly updated. “I deal with the “The updatstock relief program, ed version prepares emergency medical you for domestic services committerror, power tool tee, and our disasaccidents and even ter committee at school shootings,” the American ColHuber said. lege of Surgeons,” Jimm Dodd, Dodd said. manager of the Dodd said the Stop the Bleed proorganization pursues gram, said he has severe bleeding traina dual role with ing before professionthe organization. al medical responders Dodd said Stop arrive. the Bleed empowered “The main obthe instructors to go jective is to get everyJimm Dodd out and train to do one trained in these Manager with Stop the Bleed what they needed to steps necessary to step do when connecting in and be an immediate responder,” Dodd with Edwardsville. He said people will have the training to said. Dodd said the organization has been have the ability to save someone’s life.
“
05.01.22
“We know that the greatest cause of death after an injury is due to trauma and bleeding out. So, we want to give people the tools necessary to save someone’s life if they are bleeding out.
05.07.22
A wallet was found in the Cougar Lake apartments.
05.08.22
Officer responded to a report of a fire extinguisher taken off the wall in Founders Hall and extinguished in the basement bathroom.
05.10.22
Officer responded to report of large dog walking in and around Building A on the East St. Louis campus. The animal was located and held until animal control arrived.
05.11.22
A purse was found in Building B on the East St. Louis campus.
05.12.22 | Samuel Ramos / Unsplash
doing its training for almost six years, after former President Barack Obama was responsible for using his presidential implementation due to the Sandy Hook incident. He said Stop the Bleed was influenced by the war in Afghanistan and Iraq after seeing types of injuries that they were not ready to treat. “People were losing their extremities and we started giving tourniquets out to service members that were in need of an operation,” Dodd said. Dodd said by using the new techniques, they drastically reduced deaths caused by uncontrolled bleeding. He said the training is not dependent on age and they have trained children as young as five years old before. “The organization is global and present in 134 different countries with certified instructors,” Dodd said. Right now, the organization is supporting Ukraine by providing Stop the Bleed training equipment to Ukrainian citizens. To learn more about Stop the Bleed regarding advocacy, information about its origins and success stories, you can go to their website. Residents can call (618) 692-7540 if they would like to attend Stop the Bleed training in Edwardsville.
Officer responded to a report of a snake in Evergreen Hall. Officer advised the snake was removed.
05.16.22
Several items were found in Prairie Hall, including knives, golf discs, gold necklaces, a credit card and a Cougar Card.
05.19.22
Officer took a report regarding a catalytic convertor being stolen from an SIUE truck in Parking Lot E3 on the East St. Louis campus.
05.25.22
Officer responded to a report of a man walking around Science Building East asking for money. Officer advised the building was checked and the man was gone on arrival. Officer responded to a report of a Cougar Lake apartment resident stating that someone came into their apartment without permission. The resident stated the subject had left the apartment. Investigation continues.
alestlelive.com
Wednesday, 06.01.22
PAGE 3
New Meijer supercenter coming to Glen Carbon LIV KRAUS reporter
Glen Carbon will soon be getting a Meijer, a store that includes groceries, electronics and a pharmacy. Students at SIUE have many thoughts on the matter. Molly Linder, senior in psychology from Canton, Illinois, said she imagines a new store in the area would take business away from places like Walmart and Target. She said she doesn’t think it would hurt these other businesses enough to matter and it might end up being a good thing for customers in the area. “Honestly, sometimes it feels like these stores are too busy and sometimes it’s a hassle to even go to places like Target because there’s so many people there, so it might be nice to have another store,” Linder said. Hailey Henschen, senior psychology major from Fairview Heights, Illinois, said she feels indifferent to the upcoming Meijer because there are already other stores in Glen Carbon that are similar to it. “We already have a Walmart, Target
and Best Buy that are all pretty close to fic, more accidents and it could become each other,” Henschen said. deadly to a point. Is Glen Carbon realNicole Jerome, senior in political ly willing to take the risk of more deaths science and English from Collinsville, on their hands because they wanted more Illinois, said her money? That’s my family is from Glen biggest concern,” Carbon and they Jerome said. have watched the Jerome said she area expand over the doesn’t plan on visyears. iting the new Meijer “We think with when it opens. the more businessLinder said she es they add, they’re might visit Meijer going to choke each when it opens just other out just like to see something how it happened in new, but doesn’t Fairview Heights,” think she’ll stop Jerome said. “More shopping primaricompetition equals ly at Target and the Emma Pritchard less customers.” other stores nearsenior anthropology major from Fairview Jerome said she by. She said she can Heights, Illinois is worried about the see how other peotraffic that comes ple might choose to with more businesses like Meijer arriving start shopping there. in the area. “I guess if you live closer transpor“There’s going to be more traf- tation-wise, with gas prices, you might
“
“I think it’s going to be good for the Edwardsville area, because Meijer tends to be more affordable.
choose Meijer over the other stores,” Linder said. Henschen said she likes the idea of new businesses opening in the area. “I might go there a few times just to check out their products and help their business since this will promote Glen Carbon’s idea for welcoming new businesses coming to the area,” Henschen said. Emma Pritchard, senior anthropology major from Fairview Heights, Illinois, said she is familiar with Meijer and thinks it will benefit people near Glen Carbon. Pritchard said as a commuter, she doesn’t always have time to run home for things like snacks to bring on campus. She said she could see herself going to Meijer for instances like this as an alternative to one of the more expensive stores. “I think it’s going to be good for the Edwardsville area, especially for the college students, because Meijer tends to be more affordable. With Edwardsville being a lot of higher-class living, it will be a good opportunity for college students to be able to find somewhere that’s a little bit cheaper,” Pritchard said.
CAPITOL RECAP: Survey: Illinois undercounted in 2020 census CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
SPRINGFIELD – The Census Bureau released new survey data, suggesting the population of Illinois may have been undercounted by nearly 2 percent in the 2020 headcount. That was one of the findings of the Census Bureau’s Post-Enumeration Survey released May 19, or PES, something the bureau does after each decennial census to assess the quality of the census data. The results do not change the official population numbers of any state, nor do they affect congressional reapportionment, but they do help guide the bureau in its planning. According to the survey, Illinois, with a 1.97 percent undercount, was among six states with “statistically significant” undercounts. There were also eight states with statistically significant overcounts, while 36 states had neither an undercount nor overcount. The other states with undercounts were all located in the South: Arkansas at 5.04 percent; Florida at 3.48 percent; Mississippi at 4.11 percent; Tennessee at 4.78 percent; and Texas at 1.92 percent. In Illinois, the official 2020 census showed the state’s population as 12,812,508. That was a decline of 18,124, or 0.1 percent, from the 2010 census. As a result of the state’s population loss, combined with large gains in some other states, Illinois lost one of its congressional seats, leaving the state with only 17 U.S. House seats. However, if Illinois really was undercounted by 1.97 percent, as the survey suggests, that would have meant that the population actually grew by more than 257,000, putting it at just over 13 million. Thursday afternoon, Gov. JB Pritzker released a statement hailing the survey results as good news, but also expressing frustration that the state’s growth was not reflected in the official census.
“While it is disappointing that these numbers were not reflected in the initial count, I have already spoken to members of our congressional delegation and will work tirelessly to ensure Illinois receives its fair share of federal funding,” he said. “I look forward to celebrating this development with all Illinoisans, including those who routinely badmouth our state.”
Ghost Guns
Owners of firearms that do not have serial numbers – referred to as ghost guns – will have 180 days to take them to a federal firearm dealer to have them serialized or they will risk being charged with a misdemeanor. Pritzker signed the measure containing that provision, House Bill 4383, into law May 18 at an event in Chicago, aiming to crack down on the growing use of unserialized ghost guns that can be obtained without a background check. The governor called the measure “one piece of a larger strategy” in reducing gun violence, but he said ultimately the federal government must take a more sweeping approach. The measure applies to 3D-printed guns as well as unfinished receivers, which include “any forging, casting, printing, extrusion, machined body, or similar article” that can be converted into a functional firearm. It does not apply to antique, permanently inoperable guns or those manufactured before 1968. The owner of an unserialized firearm or unfinished frame will have until Nov. 14 to take it to a federal firearm dealer to receive a serial number. After that, possession of an unserialized, unfinished firearm will become a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500. A subsequent violation would be a Class 3 felony, punishable by 2-5 years in prison and a fine of up
to $25,000. Sellers of those guns or frames would be guilty of a Class 4 felony, punishable by 1-3 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000, for a first violation. Subsequent violations would be a Class 2 felony punishable by 3-7 years and a fine of up to $25,000. Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said ISP labs analyzed 62 unserialized ghost guns in 2020, 180 in 2021 and already 164 in 2022. “Criminals are finding it easier and cheaper to buy an unfinished firearm frame than to steal a gun or find one on the streets where the serial number has been defaced. With a little work, the unfinished frame becomes a fully functioning firearm,” he said. Kelly said ghost guns include pistols, AR-15s and extended and high-capacity magazines.
TITLE X
Illinois has resumed participation in the federal Title X family planning program after refusing to take part for the past three years in protest over a Trump administration policy regarding abortion services. Pritzker announced this week that the state has been awarded $5.4 million in federal funding for the upcoming fiscal year and will soon distribute $11.2 million in grants to agencies that operate 98 family planning clinics throughout the state. At issue has been the Trump-era policy, recently reversed by the Biden administration, that prohibited recipients of those grant funds from counseling patients about abortion options or referring them to abortion providers. “Now that the Biden administration has reversed Trump’s gag rule, I’m proud to announce that we have rejoined the federal Title X program and we’re putting record funding toward our Illinois family planning program,” Pritzker said at a Monday news conference.
Prior to the Trump administration’s rule, which took effect in 2019, the Illinois Department of Public Health received about $4 million a year through the program. Pritzker announced in August 2019, shortly after the policy took effect, that IDPH would no longer participate in the program while a number of other family planning service providers, including Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Aunt Martha’s Health and Wellness, said they would not comply with the new requirements. The following year, IDPH expanded the program with $5.8 million from general revenue funds to fund Planned Parenthood, and other providers that weren’t previously part of the state’s Title X program. Speaking Monday at the Erie West Town Health Center in Chicago, one of the clinics that will receive funding, Pritzker said family planning clinics provide critical services like pregnancy tests, cancer screenings and tests for sexually transmitted diseases and that most of the patients they serve live below the federal poverty level.
CAPITOL RENOVATIONS
The cost of renovating the north wing of the Illinois Statehouse will be more expensive than officials initially estimated. Only one bid came in for the project, which is about to get underway. CORE Construction Services of Illinois Inc. priced the job at $243.5 million, well over the $170 million that was originally estimated. “Despite initial interest from multiple contractors on this project, only one firm submitted a bid while the others cited the difficulties of the current construction climate,” Statehouse Architect Andrea Aggertt said in an email. “Given the challenges this industry is facing across the nation, such as inflation, increased costs, demand issues, and labor shortages, the project has sur-
passed its original budget, which was established well before the economic pressures were recognized,” she added. “With that being said, the project is still within the amount that was appropriated by the state.” State lawmakers set aside $350 million for Statehouse renovations as part of a $45 billion capital improvements package that passed in 2019. The project is scheduled to take about two and a half years and will make the north wing the main entrance for visitors. That will involve excavating the hill that leads up to the steps along Monroe Street, removing the circle drive on that side of the building and constructing a new entryway leading into the basement level of the building. That entryway will also be connected to a new underground parking garage, a separate project that is already underway. Officials have said the project is intended to address a number of safety and security concerns, but also to return the historic architectural details to the interior of the building. From the new entrance, people will pass through a single security station before entering the building. The project also involves installing new fire alarms, sprinklers and lighting as well as accessible restrooms, entryways and door hardware. There will also be new, updated stairs to allow for emergency exits that lead directly outdoors and modernized mechanical, electrical, and heating and ventilation systems. While the Senate chamber is under renovation, the state Senate will meet in a temporary chamber being set up in the auditorium of the Howlett Building, just south of the Capitol. That building also houses the secretary of state’s offices. Senators and their staffs with offices in the north wing will be moved to other parts of the Capitol or to office space in other buildings in the Capitol area complex.
NEXT WEEK: GRANITE CITY MELTING POT FESTIVAL PAGE 4
lifestyles
contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527
alestlelive.com
Wednesday, 06.1.22
Fuller Dome offers gong bath hosted by Kundalini yoga instructor NICOLE BOYD opinion editor Ashaleah, of Wellness with Ashaleah in St. Louis, led a mantra and guided meditation with a gong bath and crystal singing bowls as part of the Fuller Dome’s bimonthly sound healing. Tovia Black, manager of the Fuller Dome, said sound practitioners use various instruments such as Tibetan healing bowls, gongs, flutes or drums, and use the vibrations of these instruments to take people through a meditative journey. “The vibrations go through your body and they can clear blockages, they can open up your creativity, just calm your nerves, any combination of things,” Black said. “Sometimes it’s not just the sound meditations, but it may be some form of guided meditation, some form of breathing exercises or light yoga.” Black said sound healing can be different from time to time depending on where a person is, based on the group dynamic, or on what’s going on in the world. “Sometimes when all this stuff is happening in the world, we can be carrying that and it’s nice to just be able to come in and just relax to the vibrations and let them work their way through the tension,” Black said. Ashaleah is a Kundalini yoga teacher and licensed massage therapist, and uses the same crystal singing bowls in sound healing as in sonic massages. Kundalini is
a yoga practice that focuses on breath and posture combined with chanting, meditating or singing. Ashaleah said she got into sound healing, particularly using a gong, while living in an ashram, and felt empty without a gong upon returning to St. Louis. She said she createdand sold a Kundalini yoga calendar to raise money to buy a gong. “Our brain loves to create patterns, like if we look at a cloud we want to say that’s a dog. And sometimes with the gong there isn’t a discernible pattern, so our brains like trying to find that pattern, and it can’t,” Ashaleah said. “It finally just turns off and relaxes and that’s the method to the gong, is that there is no pattern, and so the brain turns off.” Ashaleah said for the crystal singing bowls she just plays different chords, but sometimes wants them to be dissonant. “The dissonant sounds clear the blocks and then when it’s pretty again, that’s when it’s like [a sigh], so there’s some method to that,” Ashaleah said. In her practice, Ashaleah said she adheres to the four agreements of Don Miguel Ruiz. She said the agreements are that nothing others do is about you, don’t make assumptions, always do your best and have integrity in one’s word, which means no gossiping or slandering. “I just don’t believe in right or wrong or good or bad, and when I find myself in judgment, I try to put myself in [others’] shoes, so I feel like I
live a really happy and peaceful life,” Ashaleah said. Ashaleah said something she tries to do differently from other gong baths, which can be sacred and ceremonial, is to bring laughter and joy. Lacey Brown, a massage therapist from St. Louis who attended the event, had also attended Ashaleah’s spring retreat and said she brought silliness to it. “We did the sound baths and the yoga, and there [were] different work-
The Fuller Dome hosts different practitioners.
sound
shops that you could go to, but then at night we sang karaoke around the bonfire and had snacks, so I feel like she really is great about bringing that element of keeping it fun and playful,” Brown said. Black said something she always finds amazing is seeing people’s faces when they come in and then when they leave. “[They’ve] just dropped all their tension and they’re lighter, they just feel lighter and more joyful,” Black said.
healing
twice a month by two | Damian Morris / The Alestle
Campus summer theater back for the first time in three years LIV KRAUS reporter Summer theater is returning with two new productions. This season will begin with William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” and end with “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” is a romantic comedy about two couples and their struggles with love. Rice and Webber’s “Joseph” is a musical following the Biblical story of Joseph and his ability to interpret dreams. Director Kate Slovinski, said that she picked this musical because of its fun and uplifting nature. “This is the first time we’ve been able to do a live performance in two years in the summer,” Slovinski said, “It was important to celebrate something that was inclusive and open and fun and just great to see and enjoy.” Slovinski said her creative process for directing a musical involves reviewing material, listening to the music and doing a lot of research. She said planning is a key element of directing and that she likes to give herself plenty of time for good and bad ideas. “I spend about a year on each project just dreaming and thinking about them and leaving time to be responsive to what’s going on creatively in my life and as things change for me it kind of changes the stories that I wish to share,” Slovinski said.
Slovinski said that because they’re involved in an educational institute, the rehearsal process is a little bit longer. She said it’s usually around six to eight weeks, but can be as short as three weeks. “After this long, waiting to be in front of an audience again, the performers and I are hardly able to stay home,” Slovinski said. “We can’t wait to get started so it’s a great time to be part of theater.” “Joseph” is only one of the new summer theater projects. Later, the theater department will present William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” directed by department chair Chuck Harper. “As opposed to the regular academic school year where we focus almost entirely on casting students, the summer programs are open to students, the local Edwardsville community and to the St. Louis professional community,” Harper said. Harper said his show is made up of about half SIUE students and the other half from the St. Louis theater community. “It’s still about a five-week rehearsal period where we work on the show with the cast and then we have about a week to put in on stage with lights to set and costumes,” Harper said. Harper said the theater department has more time during the school year to work with students who have different levels of experience. “We tend to allow a bit more time to rehearse during the school year, and then things happen a little bit faster during the summer where there’s an expectation that most of the artists involved are pretty
good at what they do,” Harper said. Katie Garrett, fourth-year theater education major from Owensboro, Kentucky, is the lead role in “Much Ado About Nothing” and said that this will be her seventh show. Garrett said the COVID-19 shutdown happened when she was a freshman and no summer shows have been done since. “It was a very interesting semester and a few years going forward, but I’m happy we’re kinda getting back to normal,” Garrett said. “We’re finally able to have our Shakespeare shows for the summer theater program and I’m really excited to get back.” Garrett said the cast has been rehearsing since May 9 and are on a tighter schedule for the summer semester. “We’ve been on a tight schedule. We’ve been blocking things rapidly, but creating really interesting choices that just crack all of us up in a single rehearsal so that’s really fun,” Garrett said. Garrett said working with Harper is fun. “He’s a very big personality. It’s really fun working with him on this show because it’s something he’s wanted to do,” Garrett said. “He hasn’t gotten to direct one of the Shakespeare shows since COVID and he’s really excited to do it.” Harper said it feels strange and exciting to be back in a room collaborating with so many artists after three years. “We’re really happy to be back in the theaters this summer and are hoping that
our audiences come back and find us,” Harper said. For more information on dates and ticket prices, you can visit their website.
Wednesday, 06.01.22
alestlelive.com
PAGE 5
Headphone Jack: Summer vibes for summer nights EMILY STERZINGER editor-in-chief
choice to put it on the playlist over the standard version.
Late summer nights driving around with friends are meant for making memories, and they deserve a great soundtrack like this one.
‘BLONDIE’ BY CURRENT JOYS Though it’s more low-key, this song’s longing vibe encapsulates the more calm times of summer. Its soft, angsty lyrics match perfectly with a calm instrumental.
‘TONGUE TIED’ BY GROUPLOVE This song slaps, from its understated guitar intro to its impassioned vocals. Not to mention, the lyrics perfectly fit the vibe of this playlist. ‘OUT OF MY LEAGUE’ BY FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS Summer brings a new chance to enjoy your life a little more, and this song is the perfect soundtrack to your summer romance(s). ‘FLUORESCENT ADOLESCENT’ BY ARCTIC MONKEYS Quite the classic, this song manages to be just as good nearly 15 years after its release. With lyrics filled with longing for youth, it’s a great reminder to enjoy what you can about your college years. ‘AS IT WAS’ BY HARRY STYLES This recently released song by Harry Styles has a nostalgic feel to it, and besides that, its instrumental is incredibly catchy (probably why it got so popular on TikTok.) ‘MEET ME AT OUR SPOT - LIVE’ BY THE ANXIETY, WILLOW AND TYLER COLE This song was a kind of obvious pick for this playlist, being a joyful song that’s literally about taking a drive and hanging out with your friends at night. The live version is better, hence the
‘TOWNIE’ BY MITSKI This song will make you want what’s described in its lyrics, a “kiss like my heart is hitting the ground,” among other things. It encapsulates the vibe of young rebellion, with a gnarly indie-rock instrumental to match. ‘KILL THE DIRECTOR’ BY THE WOMBATS This song’s lyrics don’t necessarily have any connection to the theme of this playlist, but the upbeat tone and passionate singing and shouting still fit the general vibe. ‘DOG DAYS ARE OVER’ BY FLORENCE + THE MACHINE Though the lyrics can seem darker if you speculate on them too much, the joyful sound of this song will make you feel free and ready for anything that comes at you. ‘EVERYBODY TALKS’ BY NEON TREES The energy of this song makes it a timeless bop; even after over a decade it’s just as fun and appealing as ever. ‘ANNA SUN’ BY WALK THE MOON Smooth vocals and a dreamy instrumental combine with peppy lyrics to create a song that’s perfect to listen to during the summer. Go ahead, romanticize your own life while listening to this.
| Photo by C D-X on Unsplash ‘I WANNA GET BETTER’ BY BLEACHERS Summer isn’t just a time of happiness and sunshine, but a time for new beginnings. This upbeat song about recovery sends a message of changing for the better. ‘JENNY (I WANNA RUIN OUR FRIENDSHIP)’ BY STUDIO KILLERS This song details a specific scenario that not everyone can relate to. But even if you’re not trying to date your best friend, you can still see how great this song is. ‘PRETTY PICTURES’ BY CUB This sweet-sounding twee pop song is from the ‘90s, but almost feels older in a nostalgic way. It has a timeless sound to it, even if the song itself is a bit short.
signature vocals, it’s a great song to listen to. ‘ELECTRIC LOVE’ BY BØRNS With its electronic influence (no pun intended), this song evokes similar feelings to some classic ‘80s synth pop. Romantic and crooning vocals just top it off to make it even better.
FIND THE PLAYLIST ON OUR SPOTIFY.
‘A-PUNK’ BY VAMPIRE WEEKEND Another short song that still slaps, this song is unapologetically peppy. From the iconic guitar riff to Vampire Weekend’s
REVIEW: Blame Canada tour proves pop punk isn’t dead EMILY STERZINGER editor-in-chief
With crowd surfing, intense effects and a new double album announcement, the Blame Canada tour’s stop in St. Louis was exciting from start to finish. During Sum 41’s set, frontman Deryck Whibley announced a new double album release, titled “Heaven and Hell.” “Heaven” will be in line with their classic pop punk music, whereas “Hell” will embody the heavier sound their latest music has. One interesting thing about their performance at the Pageant on May 21 was the variety of covers from Sum 41
The audience at the Pageant cheers for Sum 41. | Emily Sterzinger / The Alestle
and Simple Plan. Sum 41 performed a rendition of “We Will Rock You” by Queen, as well as the riff from “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes. Although honestly, I wish it had been a full cover, that song slaps. Simple Plan on the other hand performed short excerpts of a few songs, namely “All Star” by Smash Mouth, “Sk8er Boi” by Avril Lavigne, and “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers. The crowd was incredibly lively throughout the night, mirroring the bands’ energy. Cody Carson, front man of Set It Off, was especially energetic. As he bounced across the stage throughout the set, his energy was infectious, clearly imbuing that energy in the audience. Besides the dynamic performances, I found it funny when Simple Plan, before performing their hit song “I’m Just a Kid,” acknowledged that the song had semi-recently gone TikTok famous. This just goes to show that even zoomers born after the song even came out can acknowledge a timeless classic when they hear one. A stand out during Sum 41’s set was Underclass Hero. The song really brought some upbeat intensity to the set, and the crowd was especially hyped at the line Whibley had them sing. Though that’s common enough at concerts, it really felt like an authentic moment of a singer connecting to his fans. As a 2000s kid, I had a lot of fun when Simple Plan performed “What’s New Scooby Doo,” the theme song of the early 2000s cartoon with the same
(Left to right) Bassist Jason McCaslin and guitarists Tom Thacker and Dave Baksh of Sum 41 play their instruments for a cheering crowd. | Emily Sterzinger / The Alestle name. I saw that it had a lot of the crowd hyped up as well, namely those within the Zillennial to older Generation Z demographic. Another song I really enjoyed was “Skeleton” by Set It Off, one of their most recent songs. Though the energy was still high, the vulnerability of the song really stuck out to me, especially with the emotional performance — not just by Carson, but by the whole band. Though the concert wasn’t necessarily emotional for the most part, I was
really moved by the last song of the night, “Perfect,” performed by Simple Plan. The song’s topic of an estranged father and son pulled at my heartstrings. I didn’t cry, but I definitely teared up. Ultimately, I really enjoyed the concert overall. From the action to the more emotional moments, this concert certainly delivered on the tour’s hypedup reputation. Although I’m not the biggest fan of any of the bands in particular, I did come out liking them more — they did not disappoint.
Wednesday, 06.01.22
By noon Monday for Wednesday issue or anytime for Online.
alestlelive.com
PAGE 7
sports
contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527
alestlelive.com
Page 8
NEXT WEEK: GETTING TO KNOW RECENTLY SIGNED BASKETBALL PLAYERS Wednesday, 06.01.22
With OVC championships, tournaments and close games, spring sports come to an end BRANDON WELLS sports editor
MEN AND WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD Both men and women’s track and field teams had an impressive season this spring, with several athletes standing out in their OVC placements and beating personal records at the end of the season. The women’s track and field team had a seventh place finish at the indoor OVC championships during the middle of the season, but stepped up at the end of the season with three athletes beating their seasonal PRs in the OVC Outdoor Championships. Showing similar progress from the midseason OVC Indoor Championship, the men’s team took their last-place finish and propelled it with four different athletes scoring in the top three for their events, with Ethan Poston, a junior jumper from Metamora, Illinois, scoring second in men’s high jump. The teams overall both ended the season with highs despite their placements in both OVC Cha mpionsh ips.
BASEBALL With a 27-28 overall win-loss ratio, the Cougars held their own for most of the season. With 17 home wins, eight away and two neutral for both teams, they gave their home audience a show this season. Their highest scoring game this season was against Austin Peay, resulting in a 19-13 win over the Governors on April 23. During this same series against the Governors, they also won with one their highest point advantages of 9 points in their prior game on April 22. The highest point advantage was also against the Governors in the OVC championship, winning 13-1 with a 12-point lead.
WOMEN’S TENNIS Starting the season off strong by being undefeated for 10 games and dominating the OVC, the Cougars women’s tennis team ended the season with a win-loss ratio of 16-5. With a strong showing at regionals and 10 consecutive wins for the start of the season, the Cougars only suffered their first loss against Western Kentucky University, losing 1-4. The team gained another four wins before suffering another loss. During their season, the team also made a phenomenal showing by winning five games in a row with a 7-0 shutout, only to lose this streak by going 6-1 for two games. The team also managed to make it to the OVC Quarterfinals before losing to Murray State in a 1-4 loss. This is the second season in a row that the team had a record in double digits with a high win ratio. They ended the previous season with a 10-7 win-loss ratio, showing massive improvement.
SOFTBALL The Cougar’s softball team ended the season with a winloss ratio of 19-35, with 10 of those wins at home. This season, the softball team was set to play in five separate tournaments, but was only able to play four, after the Hub City Challenge was canceled due to health and safety concerns for the team. Their regular season games and OVC season games proved to be their most fruitful games, with their highest scoring game a 12-11 win against the Eastern Illinois University Panthers. That win also started a fivegame winning streak against both EIU and the Tennessee State University Tigers in their series.