Arizona Daily Wildcat — Feb. 24, WildLife by Arizona Daily Wildcat

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B section

wednesday, february , 

Wildlife

Steven Kwan Arts Editor 520•621•3106 arts@wildcat.arizona.edu

Ingredients for a fortunate life

BEFORE YOU GRADUATE

Bored? Look no further. Moments of boredom shall now be few and far between — that is, if you take advantage of these events and places. I bet you did not realize how large Tucson really is until now — how about a little bit of poetry, some crowded street vendors and a couple of biomes to get started?

Particularly poetic experiences

The UA Poetry Center is nationally recognized and sitting in your own backyard. You know what that means — take advantage of this honking piece of history and its first-rate resource while you still can! Famous poets from around the world participate in readings throughout the semester. The Poetry Center has invited Liza Porter, the 2009 Mary Ann Campau Fellow, to read on March 25 at 8 p.m. For more information on events and poetry competitions, visit poetrycenter.arizona.edu.

More than flimsy tents and boiled hot dogs Tim Glass/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Above: Harold Jones, the UA Center for Creative Photography’s first director, at his Tucson home on Feb. 10. The photograph on the wall is of his wife, Francis. Left: Harold Jones and his wife Francis at their home.

First UA photography director muses on life’s work By Emily Bowen Arizona Daily Wildcat Harold H. Jones was born in Morristown, N.J. He worked his way through high school at the local A&P, stocking the candy aisle. When it came time to pursue a higher education, Jones opted for the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art; a school that offered certificates rather than degrees. He was a painter, so, naturally, he studied painting. His parents didn’t think art school was a good idea, but he went anyway. “I had a teacher. I took photography as an elective as a lot of people do. I was a painter, I had studied painting and so it was that same semester it was taught by professionals from New York City. He was teaching this class I was in, and I made some pictures and did the work. He told me I had sense for it,” Jones said. Forty-four years later, his photographs, photo drawings and paintings have been exhibited in hundreds of galleries, and he is credited with being a founder of the LIGHT Gallery in New York and the founding director of the Center For Creative Photography, among other accomplishments. Maybe art school wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

I met Jones on Feb. 10, right before it started raining. I had been riding my bicycle in circles for 15 minutes before I finally decided to call him and admit I could not find his house. After he pointed me in the right direction, he asked that I please call him Harold. I don’t remember if I ever did. It’s hard to call someone anything when they have certain accomplished calmness about them as he does. So when I arrived, I locked my bike to the wrought iron fence and walked up the concrete steps that led to his front door. I thanked him for welcoming Arizona Daily Wildcat photographer Tim Glass and me to his home and called him neither Harold nor Mr. Jones. Willow, his small dog, barked for the first 20 minutes we toured the house, but it hardly distracted from the pictures that hung from almost every wall within the house. The complete basement beneath the house held his entire collection, a dark room and a laundry room. Up the stairs that were too high and narrow to be built in a modern home, were his paintings and a small wall dedicated to work of family and friends. JONES, page B8

Chris Brown’s penance still unpaid

INSIDE

Chris Brown will be coming to Tucson on Sunday to headline 98.3 FM’s Sunday Nite Slow Jams Live. This marks Brown’s first concert in Tucson since he was let go as the headline for last year’s Associated Students of the University of Arizona Last Smash Platinum Bash. The reason for his dismissal: assaulting pop star, Rihanna. Damn good reason. Whether celebrities ask for it or not, they are role models for children and teenagers. It’s inescapable. Children see celebrities as an ideal whose life epitomizes the American Dream. Celebrities have money, fame, power and influence. They have the freedom to do whatever they want — for better or worse. Whether Chris Brown wanted to be or not, he was a role model. Specifically, he stood to be similar to Michael Jackson — the next success story for an entire generation of black youth. To many, Brown was an escape from the cold reality of economic disenfranchisement. Last month, the Department of Labor released earnings-related statistics. Caucasian men have an unemployment rate of 9.1; black men, 17.6. Caucasian men make an average of $12,168 more per year than black men. Chris Brown was a millionaire with job stability by his 16th birthday.

You can’t tell me Brown wasn’t idolized that his first YouTube apology after the immediately. He was a fairy tale. Born incident was“heavily coached.” in the small town of Tappahannock,Va., The same Chris Brown who, accordBrown taught himself to sing and dance ing to the affidavit released by the Los and was discovered Angeles Police Department, by a local production punched Rihanna numerteam at his father’s gas ous times, put her in a head station. He was a multilock, restricted her breathing platinum recording and caused her to start to artist with aspirations lose consciousness. He also of an acting career and COMMENTARY BY threatened to beat and kill was dating Rihanna, her, and he bit her ear and Zachary Smith one of the most attracher fingers. Arts writer tive and talented pop The same Chris Brown stars in recent years. He was only 19. who, nine days after beating Was. Now, I don’t know what he is. I Rihanna, sent her an apology — via can only tell you what he isn’t. text message. He isn’t the celebrated artist who can The same Chris Brown who appeared push 3 million units worldwide like he did on“Larry King Live,”flanked by his for each of his first two albums. Billboard mother and an attorney. reports that Brown’s Graffiti sold a paltry The same Chris Brown who doesn’t 258,184 copies as of Feb. 1. He isn’t dating have a single sponsor anymore and, given Rihanna anymore, as there is a five-year the facts, seems unmarketable. restraining order of 100 yards separating Despite these damning details, tickthe two. His episode of“Sesame Street” ets for Brown’s concert have been sellwill never be aired again. He is only 20. ing for as much as $290 and have sold Yet, in Brown’s own words on a out all except the front three sections, Sept. 2, 2009, interview with Larry in which the cheapest seats cost $175. King: “I don’t think, at the end of the It seems Tucsonans want to see Chris day, my career is over.” Brown perform. They, like Brown, don’t This is the same Chris Brown who want his career to be over. And I don’t admitted to ABC News’ Robin Roberts understand that one bit.

I’m all about second chances. I think everyone deserves a second chance. But people have to earn them. Second chances aren’t unconditional. Michael Vick had to serve 21 months in jail to earn his. Robert Downey, Jr. spent four months in jail and more than a year in a substance rehab facility to earn his. What has Chris Brown done to deserve a second chance? He took a plea deal that gave him 180 days of community labor and five years of probation. He issued an apology, but since when is an apology the same as a reset button? Brown beat a woman savagely. He should have to atone. Or is the going rate for domestic violence forgiveness these days 180 days of community labor? The infamous TMZ.com picture of Rihanna shows two large contusions, five distinct bruises and one bite mark. For argument’s sake, let’s say there are 10 distinct wounds left on Rihanna by Chris Brown. That’s 18 days of community labor per bruise. Ladies, it seems a black eye from your boyfriend will cost him 18 days working at the local library or cleaning the highway. What will that same black eye cost you? SMITH, page B8

B6 POP! & rock fun

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New Tucson production group inspired by Warhol

Fourth Avenue bulges at the seams: Hundreds upon hundreds of vendors selling trinkets, rugs, paintings, vases, pizza, hot dogs, etc. squeeze into the street, line the sidewalks and hold up traffic. Music vibrates off buildings, competing with the thousands of conversations and innumerable footsteps. Every Tucsonan may or may not be there. The Fourth Avenue Spring Street Fair takes place March 19 to March 21 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. You will need to set aside at least three hours if you want the whole experience. For more information visit fourthavenue.org/ fairs/general-information.

A global trip in miniature

It is a bit of a drive, but worth every mile. Biosphere 2 may be one of the few places where you can stroll through mangrove wetlands, a fog desert, savannah grasslands and a rainforest in a little more than an hour’s time. Follow stairs deeper into the biosphere and you can even observe an ocean complete with a coral reef. Between 1991 and 1994, two groups of researchers were sealed in Biosphere 2 for months on end. Trapped under globes made of glass, the biomes are still being used for researching the relationships between human life and earth, studying space science and nurturing endangered plants back into the environment. Pathways have been constructed through trees and bushes from around the world, allowing tour groups easy access between the environments. There are even lungs — not human lungs, but two massive, sealed off structures designed back in the day to keep Biosphere 2 from imploding or exploding due to changes in oxygen levels. Its echo ability is astounding: Youtube “Biosphere 2 lung chant” to hear the blessing monks bestowed on the lungs before it opened. Located at 32540 S. Biosphere Rd., Biosphere 2 is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Student tickets are discounted at half price ($10). For more information visit www.b2science.org. — Kim Kotel

Is there something you think we should do before graduating? Send your suggestions to arts@wildcat.arizona.edu. Please include your name, major and year.

• wednesday, february 24, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat

local scene

To-Do List

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24

Bob Schneider, a long-time singersongwriter, will play at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. 8 p.m. $15. 21+.

OUR PICK

THURSDAY, FEB. 25

Zac Harmon will play at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. His sound is reminiscent of the great blues legends who hailed from Farish Street in Jackson, Miss. 7:30 p.m. $10. Kelley Hunt, an R & B and Americana singer-songwriter, will play at The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. 8 p.m. $15 advance, $16 day of show.

FRIDAY, FEB. 26

Mike Doughty, the former frontman of Soul Coughing, will play at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. 7 p.m. $13 advance $15 day of show. 21+. Powhaus Productions presents POP, a celebration of Andy Warhol and his factory dance party, at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. 10:30 p.m. $3. HAIRSPRAYFIREANDGIRLS will play at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St., for their CD release party. 10 p.m. $5. 21+.

Ed Flores/Courtesy of UA School of Dance

Tucson Roller Derby’s Saddletramps trounce Montreal’s New Skids on the Block

SATURDAY, FEB. 27

“Warhol: From Dylan to Duchamp” will show at The Eric Firestone Gallery Exhibition and Event Space, 403 N. Sixth Ave. Exhibit consists of photographs of the life and times of Andy Warhol. Monday - Friday. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. through April 25. Namoli Brennet will play at Club Congress. Her versatility and ability to play guitar, mandolin and piano separate her from the typical singer-songwriter. 311 E. Congress St. 7 p.m. $5. Pork Torta, Golden Boots, Mr. Free, Cadillac Steakhouse and Lenguas Largas will play at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. The event features five local bands with drink specials. 9 p.m. $5. “The Remembering: A Community Shapeshift” will take place at Solar Culture, 31 E. Toole Ave. It is a potluck, so bring food to share. 6 p.m. - 9 p.m. Free.

SUNDAY, FEB. 28

A Storm of Light, Via Vengeance and Juarez will play at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. A Storm of Light’s new album, Forgive Us Our Trespasses, is described as having “equal parts funerary lament and celebration” according to suspendedinlight. com. 8 p.m. $7. 21+. Electronic ambient bands STS9 and Emancipator will play at the Rialto Theatre, 318. E. Congress St. STS9’s album, Ad Explorata, is inspired by the idea that there is always something to be discovered. 8 p.m. $17.50 advance, $20 day of show. “Moose and Company,” a program by two local filmmakers on nature filming, will be held at The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. 3 p.m. Free.

MONDAY, MARCH 1

By Marisa D. Fisher Arizona Daily Wildcat “I don’t think we’re going to get in!” The worried refrain can be heard along the entire line of anxious would-be spectators. It’s Saturday night, and it’s roller derby time. The parking lot of Tucson Indoor Sports Center, is full, and people are lining up around the arena hoping to get in. Those who purchased tickets early are the only ones guaranteed entrance through the door at will call. Tonight is Tucson Roller Derby’s first international bout, and the turnout far exceeds anyone’s expectations. Those selling tickets will turn away an estimated 200 fans when the arena reaches its 1,100 person capacity. The Tucson Saddletramps are the lucky team about to take on an international opponent. Hailing from Montreal, Canada, the New Skids on the Block are a neon pink and green skating machine. Ranging in ages from 18 to mid-30s, women in spandex and tights knock helmets and skate circles around each other in an attempt to score points. For a first-time spectator, the track looks like mildly controlled chaos. The competitors are, in fact, adhering to a strict set of guidelines set forth by the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association . Three positions on the team work together in the point-scoring process. Recognizable by the star on her helmet, the jammer tries to wriggle her way in between the other team’s players to lap them on the track to score points. The three blockers on each team are responsible for helping their jammer along while using their speed and strength to keep the opposing jammer from getting ahead. The

“Occult Origins of Medicine: An Introduction to the Gnostic Teachings,” a talk on how ancient schools approached disease and healing, will take place at the Ada Peirce McCormick Building, 1401 E. First St. 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Free.

Alan Walsh/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Wrath Poutine, left, and Bianka Trohl wait for the whistle to signify the start of the jam at the Tucson Indoor Sports Complex last Saturday.

pivot, who wears a striped helmet cover, is available at the bar. the leader of the pack and acts as an anchor. Roller derby draws a diverse audience. She is the last obstacle between the jammer The crowd is full of rollergirls from other and the points she tries to score. Each jam teams, couples, rowdy cliques of teenagers, period last two minutes. parents with children and those who’ve Amid the stinging slaps as girls collide been watching derby bouts for years. One and collapse, the referees watch for little girl sports a shirt with the slogan: misdirected elbows, aggressive fists and “Roller derby is for girls who took the heads numerous other penalties that will earn off their dolls.” the offending player some time in the The Saddletramps just may have been penalty box. With player names like Beater those kinds of girls. They are relentless in Pan-Tease, Helen Wheels and Myna in keeping the lead, holding New Skids at bay Possession, it’s no surprise that the bouts through the second half as well. They move can get a little rough. A skater by the name as a pack, and that coordination proves to be of Georgia W. Tush is called out on a penalty just what they need to stay ahead, although halfway through her first jam. the margin narrows considerably in the final A rogue toe stop from a jam. The final score is 117player’s skate is loose on the 108, and Tucson now stands track. It belongs to a skater 2-0 in the league. who goes by the name of Though the bout has ended, Pinky McLovin’. the night is just beginning. “We’ve got Pinky McLovin’ There are team meetings to be with a wardrobe malfunction!” Tucson Indoor Sports Center had, interviews to give, pictures shouts the announcer, and to take and an after-party at 1065 W. Grant Rd. play is halted until she can the Surly Wench that both put her brakes back on. teams will be attending. Junior Saturday, March 20 By halftime, each cheer roller derby fans run across 7 p.m. from the crowd grows louder the track, pulling up tape and and “The Wave” has rippled $7 advance, $10 day of chasing each other around the around track a few times. The arena. Others stop to chat with Tucson Saddletramps have their favorite players before carried the lead and now stand 74-45 against heading out to the bars. The Saddletramps New Skids on the Block. The announcers are break down the match to prepare for next wisecracking, and the crowd is full of energy, month’s bout, and the fans are just as eager to fueled in part by the cheeseburgers and beer return for another scrappy bout.

The Saddletramps vs. Gotham Girl’s Wall Street Traitors

“Warhol: From Dylan to Duchamp” will show at The Eric Firestone Gallery Downtown, 403 N. Sixth Ave. Exhibit consists of photographs of the life and times of Andy Warhol. Monday - Friday. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 2

Rebelution, with Soja and Zion I, will play at The Rialto Theatre, 318. E. Congress St. This band embodies the best the Cali-reggae scene has to offer. 8 p.m. $15 advance, $18 day of show. The Appleseed Cast will play at Plush, 340 E. Sixth St. The indie rock/pop band will play the albums Low Level Owl Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 in their entirety. 10 p.m. $8 advance, $10 day of show. 21+.

Currently running at the Stevie Eller Dance Theater is “Premium Blend 2010,” presented by the University of Arizona School of Dance. The show features four premieres of dance performances by students in the dance department, choreographed by professors Amy Ernst, Douglas Nielsen, Susan Quinn and Michael Williams. The first performance is titled “Four Temperaments,” a 20th century neoclassical ballet originally performed at the New York City Ballet and created by founder and ballet master George Balanchine. Few dance companies around the world have been allowed to perform the ballet, and UA Dance has been honored with the opportunity to perform this ballet. The second performance, “VOLT”, by Quinn, is based on electrical forces with hip-hop sequencing and classical music. The 20 dancers in this piece show high technical skills and promise to entertain. “Hush,” the third piece, by Ernst in collaboration with Regina Gagliano of Sonora Theatre Works, is a piece incorporating a 42-feet by 60-feet fabric covering the stage. The performance is original because there aren’t a lot of performances using mixed mediums like the fabric and nothing like audiences have usually seen in a dance performance. The evening ends with “ITZaJAZZthing” by Williams. The performance uses jazzy props like canes, chairs and hats. The performance is a mix of trumpet and vocals by Wynton Marsalis and Dianne Reeves. “I think it has a good mixture of ballet, modern and jazz allowing for the unseasoned dance audiences to experience different styles, especially with Ernst’s piece,”said Kenny Bochard, a dance sophomore. “The stage is completely transformed into a beautiful quilt with dancers moving seamlessly in and out of the fabric.” This week’s performances are from Feb. 25 to Feb. 28 with shows at 1:30 p.m. and 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 for UA students, faculty and staff, and $25 for general admission. Visit www. uapresents.org or call the Fine Arts Box Office at 621-1162 or UApresents at 621-3341 for tickets. —Bryan Ponton

Alan Walsh/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Wrath Poutine tries to race ahead of the opposing team.

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arizona daily wildcat • wednesday, february 24, 2010 •

Lady Antebellum’s latest album perfect for R & R shelves, Need You Now, the group’s second album, has become a top seller among both the country and mainstream circuits. While it is no surprise that the album has reigned in at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Chart since its Jan. 26 debut, Lady Antebellum’s smooth vocals and heartfelt lyrics have also appealed to a wider audience, enabling them to hover at the top of the Billboard 200 chart. Although Lady Antebellum is fairly new to the music scene, having formed in 2006, the group is no stranger to the top of the charts. In 2007, the trio captured the attention

By Dallas Williamson Arizona Daily Wildcat A country album on the Billboard 200 chart? Yes, you heard right, and I am not talking about the countrypop sensation Taylor Swift — although, sorry Kanye, her album still finished the week off on a high note at No. 10. No, this time it is the contemporary country trio Lady Antebellum that caused a stir. Beating out such highly buzzed-about artists as Lady Gaga and Jaheim, Lady Antebellum’s new make-youfeel-good album Need You Now seems to be just what music listeners need right now. Within days of hitting the

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of fellow artist Jim Brickman, launching into the music industry as guest vocalists on his single “Never Alone.” Shortly after they signed with Capitol Records and released their self-titled album, Lady Antebellum. With such hit singles as “Love Don’t Live Here” and “I Run to You,” the album not only made history as the first album by a duo or group to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard Country Albums chart, but it also earned them numerous awards, including several Grammy Award nominations and Country Music Association’s Vocal Group of the Year award. As of last October, Lady Antebellum’s debut album

‘Dear God’ a chore to listen to By Kellie Mejdrich Arizona Daily Wildcat Despite the hype and artschool lionizing that Xiu Xiu has graciously enjoyed by the underground indie community, their new album, released Feb. 23, titled Dear God, I Hate Myself, is unlistenable for most casual ears. Whether this band wants to forge a “new musicesque” aesthetic or regurgitate and defy classic motifs with excessive layering, listening to their music remains a chore for the audience. And for what? To have more indie cred? Most listeners will probably throw the album away or delete it after the first few tracks, which is a shame, because the few good tracks that exist are embedded deep in the middle of the playlist. Since the band started in 2000, Xiu Xiu has experienced a huge turnover of musicians, with frontman Jamie Stewart the only remaining original member. Their 2004 release, Fabulous Muscles, was probably their most successful album. Since then, the group has produced numerous EPs, remixes and five albums before Dear God. They’ve been busy, but it seems as though their latest album doesn’t

Xiu Xiu

random country song laden with Dear God, I Hate Myself banjo seems out Kill Rock Stars of place in the album, but it is Released Feb. 23, 2010 an interesting reflect all the work they’ve sound for the been doing band. The layering and musically. complicated rhythms work The opening well with the vocals. Xiu Xiu track, “Gray could probably follow this Death,” seems sound and become popular, to send a although it’s completely message of “KEEP OUT” unlike everything else on to all who aren’t ready to the album. train their ears to enjoy Not many tracks on Dear cacophony. The lead vocalist’s God are actually enjoyable tremolo is hard to define, to listen to. Depending on sounding like The Smiths’ how someone approaches Morrissey or Grizzly Bear’s the album, Dear God might Ed Droste. But the layering be an artistic adventure. But of sound is so complicated for most listeners, this album that the vocals get lost in is too varied, overly complex overinstrumentation. When and cacophonous to warrant the song comes to a chorus, any interpretation. the listener is left wondering It is arguable that the most where the song even went innovative and popular indie from the last refrain. bands are focusing on how to The album ambles along layer a vast quantity of instruuntil a couple notable tracks. ments and sounds into their “Hyunhye’s Theme” is an extracks. Some people are doing cellent meshing of string licks it well. However, to make a and guitar, violin and synth bold claim, Dear God, I Hate sampling. The string motifs are Myself’s self-loathing title has experimental in an accessible some translational clout when way, resembling a modern considering the album. Maybe Velvet Underground. Xiu Xiu should stop letting “Cumberland Gap” is their own self-hatred reflect on another notable track. This their music.

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went platinum, and I venture to guess that Need You Now will follow suit, if not proving to be

even more successful. Bursting with soothing melodies expressing sentiments sung with genuine passion and clarity, Need You Now is the perfect CD to pop in the stereo when in need of a little R & R after a long day. Better yet, it would make the perfect complement to an afternoon road trip: windows down, sun shining on your sunglasses, fresh air blowing — the uplifting nature of the trio’s vocals and musical accompaniment makes it hard to not love being alive. With lyrics touching on Lady Antebellum a wide variety of themes such as true love, regret and Need You Now precious moments in life, Capitol Nashville the album’s tracks also offer Released Jan. 26, 2010 a relatively refreshing range

of style and tone. Not only do you hear the trademark country twang of an acoustic guitar throughout many of their songs, but the band also combines such instrumental accompaniments as drums, electric guitar, piano and strings, adding a rich resonance to the crisp vocals of Hillary Scott and Charles Kelley. The album’s title single, “Need You Now,” which weaves crisp and haunting harmonies with tender laments, earned Lady Antebellum immediate success, helping them to sell over 480,000 copies in its first week alone. So, if you haven’t yet listened to Lady Antebellum, I suggest you do so — now.

Silver Mt. Zion album does more with less By Steven Kwan Arizona Daily Wildcat Canadian band, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra, continue their modus operandi of evolution in small movements with Kollaps Tradixionales, the group’s sixth album. With each name change — the band began in 2000 as A Silver Mt. Zion — comes a change in their lineup. Yet the three core members, Efrim Menuck, Thierry Amar and Sophie Trudeau, remain to preserve the band’s post-rock sound. As in previous albums and in their other band, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Thee Silver Mt. Zion pushes and pulls the listener during songs that emanate desperate urgency. On Kollaps Tradixionales, Efrim’s vocals are more prominent and not as buried under previous sonic landscapes, which ranged from harsh squalls of sound to the looping of gentle piano chords. The 15-minute opening track, “There is a Light,” finds the singer sounding vulnerable against a melancholic waltz

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“Collapse Traditional” and “Kollaps Tradicional (Bury 3 Dynamos),” form a suite that counterbalances the previous songs. Its first movement is laden with mournful strings and Efrim’s vocals that strain at the top of his range. The second movement provides a short interlude before “Kollaps Tradicional” crescendoes to a slow, loping ending that recalls the best of math rock band Chavez. Thee Silver Mt. Zion Kollaps Tradixionales ends “’Piphany Rambler,” Memorial Orchestra with a 14-minute song that Kollaps Tradixionales recalls earlier Silver Mt. Zion with its guitar Constellation Records feedback lurking in the Released Feb. 16, 2010 background. It drones and morphs into an allcomposed of electric guitar, out musical assault that finds violin and drums. a delicate balance between “I Built Myself a Metal Bird” each instrument. picks up the tempo from there While post-rock may not to take on a menacing tone that possess the same cultural power gets its best moments when as it did when millennial fears Trudeau’s violin cuts through and tensions called for artistic the buzzing guitar.“I Fed My expression, bands such as Metal Bird the Wings of Other Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Metal Birds” opens with a few Orchestra nevertheless have cleansing minutes of spare instrumentation before building continued to tread their own musical paths, creating up to a coda that revisits the complexity from simplicity. musical theme of “I Built Those who pay attention and Myself.” notice the clues left behind will The next three tracks, find their patience rewarded at “Kollapz Tradixional the end. (Thee Olde Dirty Flag),”

• wednesday, february 24, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat

‘Percy Jackson and the Olympians’ a striking movie By Kathleen Roosa ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT We’re suckers for teenagers with magical powers. Give us more quests, more wizards and more dragon riders. Throw in some ripped werewolves and sparkling vampires and we’ve got a party. The good ol’ plot about a normal kid who is suddenly submerged into a fantasy world has taken the literary and cinema spheres by storm. “Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” follows the same vein. The movie opens with Zeus accusing Poseidon’s son of stealing the powerful master’s lightning bolt. Meanwhile, on Earth, Percy (Logan Lerman) is a typical high schooler who doesn’t know who his father is, but learns something’s a wee bit off when his substitute teacher explodes into a leathery-winged bat monster. His mother and his best friend Grover (Brandon T. Jackson) try to whisk him away to a camp

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called Half-Blood Hill, but his mom is taken by a Minotaur. Tragic. Once Percy arrives at the camp, audiences learn that his dad is none other than the sea god Poseidon. Between learning about his demigod status and engaging in the most epic game of capture the flag ever invented, Percy learns of a conspiracy to frame him as the lightning thief. To rescue his mother, Percy must travel to the underworld, but only after gathering three glowing pearls that will guarantee a safe return from Hades’domain. Joining the Olympic team is Annabeth (Alexandra Daddario), daughter of Athena and Percy’s love interest, and Grover, who turns out to be a fuzzy-legged satyr. It’s appropriate that Chris

Unquestionably, the book is better. That’s the way it usually goes though. If you’re brave enough to lie to the Barnes & Noble employee and walk into the frog-bedecked children’s section, you won’t be disappointed. Be forewarned that the plot and the characters are dramatically different.

Courtesy of Fox

Chris Columbus Percy Jackson and the Olympians Fox 2000 Pictures Released Feb. 12, 2010

Unlike the movie, the characters are between 11 and 13 years old, and their ages carry across to the tone of the book. The main villain of the movie is merely a pawn in the novel where the bad guys are more sinister and calculating. Percy’s quest toward the underworld is fraught with more

Columbus, director of the first two Harry Potter films, returns with another adolescent hero movie. He is pretty successful with a remarkably powerful supporting cast, beginning with Sean Bean as Zeus, returning to fantasy after his stint in“Lord of the Rings”as Boromir. Anyone would sneak a peek at Uma Thurman’s portrayal of Medusa, while Rosario Dawson plays Persephone, a sexy mistress of the underworld. And who knew James Bond’s Pierce Brosnan would look awesome with horse legs? We’ll likely be seeing much more of Jackson, who supplied the film’s comic relief as Grover. The comuter-generated images are incredible. From hydras that sprout fire-breathing heads to a fiery, hellish underworld that could have

challenges and interactions with higher beings than the film could contain. Author Rick Riordan plays around with more gods and has fun with placing these well-known personalities in a modern setting, where readers can finally enjoy all the mythology references they hated in middle school. Grade: A

been easily torn out of Dante’s “Inferno,” the monsters and images are anything but childlike. But the main characters’ acting isn’t always up to par. Lerman barely questions his unceremonious induction into the fabled world, and doesn’t appear too torn up by his mother’s kidnapping. When facing demons, he’s more apt to shout“whoa”than bust out his sword and kick some evil butt. Daddario’s performance as Annabeth is all over the emotional radar — now she hates Percy, now she loves him. It’s unfair to blame it all on the acting though, as the writing borders on cliché and trite pretty often. Remember, it is a PG movie. So yeah, there will be some cheesy writing and bad acting at times. Expect heavy-handed foreshadowing and awkward sexual tension. But also expect to laugh at the wisecracking Grover and to be impressed with the cinematography. All in all,“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is entertaining enough to head to a theater, grab some popcorn and enjoy.

‘Planet Porno’ still sexy after three decades By Heather Price-Wright ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT Something strange is afoot on Planet Porno. The title story of Yasutaka Tsutsui’s short story collection “Salmonella Men on Planet Porno” takes place on a distant planet, Nakamura, nicknamed Planet Porno because of the bizarre habits of its flora and fauna. The sole aim of every plant and animal on the planet is sex, but not for the sake of reproduction. The whole planet’s goal is pure physical pleasure. Some characters call the planet obscene; others, beautiful. Such is the type of duality upon which every one of Tsutsui’s stories touches. In the title story alone, Tsutsui flits effortlessly from

Darwinism to Freudian theory, speculative zoology to sexual politics, ballet to pornography. Never is one sure whether to be profoundly disturbed or utterly amused. In the end, in a bizarre and almost nihilistic plot twist, a main character is transformed into a spider with a human head. The reader is left thinking, above anything else,“Say what?” The collection, published in 1979 but translated in 2006 by Andrew Driver and rereleased in the United States in 2010 by Vintage Books, toes a fine line between the mundane and the absurd. In the story “Don’t Laugh,” a character invents a time machine, and he and the narrator use it to go back in time to watch

A-

Yasutaka Tsutsui Salmonella Men on Planet Porno Vintage Contemporaries Released Jan. 12, 2010 themselves laugh hysterically about the idea of a time machine. One has to read the story several times for it to sink in, but the delicate balance between nullity and hilarity leaves the reader reeling. The book is a madcap jaunt through postmodern ennui. In each of these dizzying stories, the characters find themselves trying to make sense of a world that has gone mad: A community realizes it’s only the figment of one man’s dream, a man brings death and destruction upon his country by accidentally singing the correct words

to a nonsense song. The modern world has become completely nuts here, and Tsutsui teaches us that there is nothing to do but laugh, sometimes a bit crazedly. Though written in 1979, the stories here are still relevant, many eerily so. In “Rumors About Me,” a totally normal office drone becomes the subject of relentless media scrutiny, purely because he is so normal. The role of media in our daily lives is a theme just as relevant today as it has ever been — if not more so — and the story addresses the creepy-crawly feeling that stems from the ever-watchful

eyes of the press. “The Very Edge of Happiness”addresses such all-too-pertinent issues as high mortgages and low will to live within an uneasy, onthe-verge middle class. The story’s spooky conclusion is a reminder of just how close we all are to falling right off the edge. As with all Tsutsui’s stories in this collection, the moral is hard to face, but even harder to turn away from. These deliciously small stories swing madly from hilarious to terrifying and back again, leaving a dizzying self-consciousness in their wake. The modern condition is stripped bare here, reminding us all just how close we are from the precipice. “Salmonella Men on Planet Porno” bids us take heed.

Courtesy of Vintage Contemporaries

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arizona daily wildcat â&#x20AC;˘ wednesday, february 24, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘

live music

Playing up to the fans We The Kings energizes The Rock with safe set By Emily Moore Arizona Daily Wildcat OK, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll admit it, I am a We The Kings fan. I have seen them four times already, and I have known about them since before their radio days. I have a T-shirt. I even have the clichĂŠd I-metthe-band-member photos. So when I heard they were coming back to Tucson, I was interested to see them in action once again. Outside The Rock on Friday, there was a never-ending line and the people kept coming. The venue was jam-packed inside, with gangs of tweens pushing and shoving to reach the much-coveted spots by the barricade. It was not a comfortable experience, but it kept me on my toes. The screaming, hooting and hollering brought out the opener Stereo Skyline. They all looked the same â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from their wispy scenester hair to their choice of pastels and flannel. The lead singer sounded like he was on a little helium, but it somehow worked with their dance beat tracks (think Hellogoodbye on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!â&#x20AC;?). They warmed up the crowd. The quartetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cover of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Build Me Up Buttercupâ&#x20AC;? was catchy and a refreshing take on the original. The 12-year-olds making up the majority of the crowd didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem to know the tune. There For Tomorrow took the stage next, high-fiving each other before starting their set. Their lead singer looked like Fez from â&#x20AC;&#x153;That â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;70s Show.â&#x20AC;? The band had stage presence â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the only problem was that the lyrics were unintelligible. They also had some squeaky and malfunctioningmicrophone moments that distracted from their set list. Fans near the stage groped them the second they moved to interact with the crowd. Their guitars were strategically placed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or at least they appeared to be. Next up was familiar band, A Rocket to the Moon. Their set seemed extremely blunt in comparison to the othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. The foursome made a display of their merch guy due to the fact that it was his birthday. They also did a quick â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ring of Fireâ&#x20AC;? intro to one of their songs. They werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Johnny Cash, but they took it and made it their own. Their set list didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t impress â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they played it safe. Despite a lack of creativity, they were still good. After A Rocket to the Moon, things got crowded. After going to a concert at The Rock, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll really understand what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like to be a sardine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mayday Parade! Mayday Parade!â&#x20AC;? the crowd chanted in excitement. The band was taking too long to set

Lisa Beth Earle/Arizona Daily Wildcat

From left: Music composition freshman Hector Sanchez, on lead guitar, vocal studies freshman Justin Fanus, on vocals, mechanical engineering freshman Daniel Millstone, on bass guitar, and Tucson resident Dashiell Albrecht, on drums, practice for their Battle Royale performance.

Justin Fanus take on Battle Royale, cancer

and Millstone have acoustic-pop soul styles. Sanchez played in a metal band prior to Justin Fanus. Albrecht is into Several blocks from campus, a R & B and typically brings a funky neighborhood appears to be just like any twist to their tracks. other; quiet and average. Their softer, laid-back style is all their Little do people know that behind one own. If Jason Mraz, the Gin Blossoms of these average houses is an amateur and the Red Hot Chili Peppers had a love band rockinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;out in the backyard. child, Justin Fanus would be the result. For now the band is called Justin Justin Fanus have been practicing Fanus, named after one of the founding once or twice a week to prepare for their members, but theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to add to Battle Royale debut. They have two new the name. songs they plan to unleash â&#x20AC;&#x201D; one will be Four guys, Justin Fanus (lead singer played, while the other is still being fineand rhythm guitarist), Hector Sanchez tuned. Both songs have yet to be named. (lead guitarist and back-up vocals), Fanus said the band has been growing Daniel Millstone (bassist and back-up a lot and has started gaining a fan base. vocals) and Dashiell Albrecht (drummer â&#x20AC;&#x153;At one of the shows, we were singing and back-up vocals) make up the band. a song that was one of our more popular Friday marks the bandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first Battle ones that people know probably a little Royale (aka Battle of the bit more. I said to the Bands) performance at audience,â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If you guys The Rock, 136 N. Park know this one, sing it Ave. Battle Royale allows with me,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;and I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Battle Royale local bands to compete expect anyone to. But they for $1,000 in recording ended up singing with The Rock time from OG7 studios me and it was really cool 136 N. Park Ave. and about $500 in (because) I was able to Friday, 6 p.m. sponsor gift certificates. stop singing and listen to The Battle Royale is a the crowd sing our music. chance for bands to It just kind of made me $7-$9 compete for a spot in the realize that not only is finals. the music for us to make Fanus, Sanchez and Albrecht are all a living with, but to affect other people,â&#x20AC;? studying music and Millstone is studying Fanus said. engineering. Fanus and Millstone attend The quartet wants their music to affect the UA, and Sanchez and Albrecht people the same way music has affected attend Pima Community College. them, whether it be inspiring people or Fanus began playing with changing someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mood. Sanchez four years ago, writing and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crazy that just listening to collaborating. It wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until three something can evoke a certain feeling. I years ago they decided to start creating think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the coolest things ever,â&#x20AC;? music. Two years ago on New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve Fanus said. Millstone came into the picture, and In addition to their Friday the band was formed. They welcomed performance at The Rock, the band is Albrecht into the mix just over a year also playing at the Leo Rich Theatre ago. All four members went to Tucson in the Tucson Convention Center on Magnet High School together. Sunday for Drop Boms on Breast Cancer. Each member brings their own All the proceeds go toward the National musical background to the mix. Fanus Breast Cancer Foundation.

By Emily Moore Arizona Daily Wildcat

IF YOU GO

Tim Glass/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Lead vocalist and guitarist Travis Clark of the Bradenton, Fla., band We The Kings throws up their new â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Wâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sign. The band headlined the Take Action Tour, which stopped in Tucson at The Rock on Friday night.

up, and the crowd was getting antsy. Mayday Parade finally took the stage, blasting bass and all. Mayday Parade thrusted, jumped and danced around the stage and the crowd followed. This one and only quintet of the evening was full of entertainers. At times, the drummer, Jake Bundrick, or bassist, Jeremy Lenzo, would take over the lead vocals, but the bass line still overpowered the vocals and other instruments, a crutch for a band that isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t performing up to par. Fans were inching up to the front of the stage in anticipation for the last act: We The Kings. They skipped up the stage to their spots. They kept the crowdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest with a few stories about UA bobble heads and creating a band gang sign while walking around drunk in Georgia. They played a good mix of their new and old songs, beginning with â&#x20AC;&#x153;She Takes Me High,â&#x20AC;? and ending with

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Check Yes Juliet.â&#x20AC;? They continued Maydayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blasting bass to the point where anything else was hard to hear. People were screaming, jumping and even fist-pumping along with the music. The only downfall in their performance was that the set list was a little on the weak side. They played crowd-favorites and watered-down songs, like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Promise the Stars,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll Be A Dream,â&#x20AC;? instead of their more powerful tracks like â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is Our Town,â&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whoa.â&#x20AC;? After the show, all of the bands except We The Kings stood outside waiting to meet their fans. Lead singer Travis Clark took almost an hour to grace fans with his presence. Their performance and new attitude about meeting fans made me miss the old We The Kings. The band that performed Friday night seemed to be more eager to conform than to play for the pure love of music.

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• wednesday, february 24, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat

the arts scene

Powhaus produces art for fun’s sake By Kellie Mejdrich Arizona Daily Wildcat

Beginnings

Looking at 1960s videos of The Who, McKinley’s inspiration was to bring a rock‘n’roll aesthetic back to dance. Rock ‘n’ roll is alive and well in “You had all these ‘60s hipsters and Tucson — just take a look at Powhaus they were dancing, they looked great. Productions, whose slogan boasts“art for They were dressed up and they were cool, fun’s sake.” you know? And I thought, why isn’t this Powhaus Productions is an expanding happening anymore? It’s got to happen,” group of local artists who host over-theMcKinley said. top rock ‘n’ roll dance parties complete He began by throwing parties, mainly with live music, lightshows, decorations at galleries. By January, Rialto event booker and an outrageously costumed dance Curtis McCrary had invited McKinley to troupe called“The Maximalists.”They try his parties on the Rialto stage. then videotape them for an ongoing McKinley and Nadine Roselle online television show art project. Ruiz-Carlson, his wife and co-producer of Powhaus Productions’ main concern is Powhaus, had doubts about the stage. to let anything and everything happen. “We thought he was crazy,”Roselle “I don’t want it to be like all the other Ruiz-Carlson said. clubs, where if you get a little too nuts But after a great deal of planning, the a bouncer comes up to you. As long as Rialto turned out to everyone’s in a good be the perfect venue, vibe and no one’s McKinley said. getting hurt, I want Powhaus’s first it to be permissive, I Rialto Theatre Rialto production, want people to come “Clusterf**ck,”on Jan. in like half-naked. I 318 E. Congress St. 2 turned out to be a want it to be like ‘60s surprising success. Warhol, anything-goes The Imploding Silicon “We wanted it to Studio 54,”said Jared Improbable be a hodge-podge of “Kitty Katt”McKinley, featuring Under Velvetground rock ‘n’ roll subculture,” the group’s founder. McKinley said. Named after an Friday 8 p.m. About 500 people early 1900s German art $10, all ages attended the premiere. school and 1970s band, Attendants get free Powhaus Productions the group is all about had tapped into taking creativity and admission to POP! something locals were wildness to the next POP! looking for. level, McKinley said. The next show, Tucson artists Dallas Friday 10:30 p.m. “The Glitter Ball,”held “Desert Diamond” $3, 18+ Jan. 29, was a success, Reece and Clif Taylor with more than 1,000 host Powhaus with attendees, McKinley said. McKinley and will be hosting“POP!,”the An homage to all things glam rock, group’s newest dance party at the Rialto the show included a“glittering station,” Theatre, 318 E. Congress St., on Friday a bathtub filled with glitter — just in at 10:30 p.m. This will accompany the case you wanted a little more sparkle — upcoming Andy Warhol exhibit opening and a procession of motorized scooters at the Tucson Museum of Art and is driving through the stage amid costumed preceded by a concert put on by the dancers flailing to rock ‘n’ roll tracks. Rialto Theatre featuring the band Under The show created quite a buzz in Velvetground. Tucson, leading to a lot of anticipation for “We put a little bit of artwork into their“POP!”show. nightlife,”Reece said.“As far as Tucson Warhol’s aesthetic is a direct inspiration goes, I’ve developed a kind of stardom for Powhaus Productions itself, McKinley that I really like.” said.“We sort of are like the Factory,”he The Powhaus’s rise to arguably the said.“Our group of people, we’re a bunch kings of the local rock‘n’roll dance scene, of freaks and we like to throw parties.” was a lengthy and complicated adventure.

if you go

Lisa Beth Earle/Arizona Daily Wildcat

The members and friends of Powhaus Productions. The group meets to plan for Tucson events, revise their set productions and conduct screen tests of their performers.

Opening up Tucson to all

Powhaus Productions see their projects as not only fun parties, but also as ways for people to express themselves and to include more people in the local art scene. “I think a lot of us are very creative people who have been stuck in something like the grind,”Roselle Ruiz-Carlson said. Roselle Ruiz-Carlson said people of Powhaus have very different day jobs. She works at Bookmans Entertainment Exchange when she’s not editing, shooting or planning video projects for Powhaus. The UA brought many Powhaus members to Tucson where they fell in love with the local art scene, McKinley said. McKinley studied botany, ecology, creative writing and Greek classics and Roselle Ruiz-Carlson studied Spanish and plant science. “I draw, I sew, I do cartoon characters. Everything I did in school I finally get a chance to use,”said Reece, who graduated last May with a degree in interdisciplinary studies, focusing on

studio art, creative writing and Japanese. Reece said Powhaus is bringing back something different and fun for everyone. “This is something like a lost genre … It’s nice to bring it back in our own weird, funky, desert way,”Reece said. “People at the U of A often don’t see that when you get into that U of A world; the school is like an island,”McKinley said.“You hang out with other students, and then there’s this huge art scene. There’s a lot of famous people who live here too, and no one really knows.“ Powhaus Productions is working to bridge that gap. “It’s just been two separate worlds,” McKinley said. “The Glitter Ball”created a vibe where frat boys could be seen dancing with drag queens, McKinley said. “Imagine (a drag queen) pretty much naked and sparkly, and he’s getting down with frat boys! I was just like,‘Nowhere else. He would usually get beat up by these guys,’”he said. “Yeah, we don’t want to exclude

anyone. We encourage people to dress up and get wild, but you don’t have to dress up, you don’t have to dance — just come,” Roselle Ruiz-Carlson added. Regardless of who comes, they’re pretty much guaranteed to have a wild night. Besides the“POP!”show, Powhaus plans to have an ‘80s underground Leigh Bowery dance party and is helping the Tucson Museum of Art host First Fridays in March. They are creating a Web site and a television show on powhausproductions.com, projects the group hopes to complete by the end of the month. McKinley and his fellow Powhaus artists have a zest for life that has rubbed off on Tucson in a short time. But their work is a direct reflection of their desire to get the most out of every experience. “I think the whole point of art in general and what we’re doing as well, is that we want life to be more than just about eating, shitting and sleeping, you know?”McKinley said.“Otherwise, why do you fuckin’ bother?”

Collection captures ‘man-altered’ landscapes architecture, it’s landscape,’”he said.“It turned out to be about landscape. And it still is, I’ve noticed.” Through all the questions of content, there is a cohesive element that, though distinctive, When Bill Jenkins selected 10 young can elude audiences, curators and artists alike. photographers to capture the“man-altered landscape”of 1975, he wanted each and every picture Perhaps it is an element that emerges from the to question the notion of style. As the original curator idea that, as Gohlke phrased it,“something as supposedly mechanical as a photograph bears of the influential“New Topographics: Photographs the imprint of a particular mind.” of a Man-Altered Landscape,”it fell to Jenkins to Though it’s something the curator and artists sum up the intent of the show. He maintains now aimed to minimize, this imprint might be what what he said then:“The pictures were stripped holds the expansive show so tightly together. of any artistic frills and reduced to an essentially Robert Adams, another of the American artists, is topographic state, conveying substantial amounts of visual information but eschewing entirely the aspects responsible for some of the most striking images present in the exhibit. Gohlke mentioned Adams’ of beauty, emotion and opinion.” uniqueness in an effort to convey this elusive With this no-frills agenda in mind, eight property, saying,“There is this light (in Adams’ American men and one German couple produced photographs) that makes you think about tract a slew of black-and-white landscape images, which houses in a way tract houses wouldn’t normally were then framed in silver and presented in rows make you think.” on sleek grey, expansive walls. This phenomenon of light Joe Deal and Frank Gohlke as mood and catalyst for were among the American contemplation pervades the exhibit. artists whose contributions were “New Topographics” instrumental in forming the Center for Creative Photography Henry Wessel Jr.’s“Hollywood” (1972), is nearly“I-Spy”-like in historic show. Both men, along 1030 N. Olive Rd. its intricacies, though its edges with Jenkins and current curator Britt Salvesen, were slated to Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. contain little but shadows and speak at the panel following the Saturday-Sunday, 1 - 4 p.m. clouds. With this, and nearly every other piece, the discrepancy show’s re-opening at the Center Runs through May 16 between natural landscapes and for Creative Photography on oft-imperfect human constructions Friday. Deal was unable to attend Free admission comes to light. due to illness, but Gohlke’s lively In the same vein, Lewis Baltz’s heavily edgepresence and Jenkins’ sincere enthusiasm shed light on the dense exhibit. influenced prints employ a grid presentation, “When I first knew him as a photographer affixed to the wall in window-pane fashion. he was Joseph M. Deal,”said Jenkins of Deal’s Taking direction from curbs, roadsides and influence on the project. Then he came to vanilla ‘70s architecture, prints like “West Wall, Jenkins one day and the project wasn’t“Recent Pacific Telephone, 2911 South Daimler, Santa Topographics,”it was“New Topographics,”and he Ana” (1974), keep the theme of stylelessness and was just Joe Deal. reflect exactly what Baltz said of the buildings The theme of brevity pervades the exhibit now he captured: “You don’t know whether they’re as much as ever. According to Gohlke, he, along manufacturing pantyhose or megadeath.” with the rest of the contributors,“was interested But, arguably, best of all is Adams. His“Tract in getting things done with a minimum of fuss.” House, Westminster, Colorado”(1974), is an image “Art that makes a point of understating simultaneously fraught with desolation and crispness. everything has a hard time getting noticed,” Relying on the repetition of triangles to pull the viewer Gohlke added.“I would get questions like ‘Why in and bounce the eye through the intricacies of the are your photographs so dull?’” image, along with an expert command of exposure From a perspective of content, such a question and contrast to create richness even in black and might be valid. As Jenkins said,“These pictures white, the print has expert technical merit. are largely of buildings because that’s what’s As Jenkins said,“Craft then was really a given out there — you know, unless you want to go to … if you couldn’t make a good print, you had no Alaska — I don’t want to go to Alaska.” But from business taking photographs.” an artistic perspective, the photos contain much There’s no denying, however, that“New more than their inanimate subjects. Topographics”contains more than what Salvesen Jenkins draws a distinction, though, referred to as the epitome of“beautiful gelatin prints.” between documenting buildings and capturing “So much of art is calculated,” Gohlke said. surroundings. “Here there’s the notion that something could “Joe (Deal) was the one who said, ‘It’s not command your attention and hold it.”

By Christy Delehanty Arizona Daily Wildcat

if you go

The stimulus date

arizona daily wildcat â&#x20AC;˘ wednesday, february 24, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘

Three ways to invigorate post-Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outings conventional, so hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a new twist on the old favorite. For this picnic, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to want to do some culinary preparation, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need access to a fire for reheating food. For this date, I recommend making brickoven pizza â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy, tasty and makes you look like a cooking god. Start with Trader Joeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pizza dough. At $2 for a package of pre-made dough, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cheap and delicious. The store also has a great selection of fresh ingredients and more cheese than France. Make a pizza with your date, and cook it to about 90 percent completion. Cut the pizza into slices before leaving. Then you should visit the Yetman Trail. To get there, head west on Speedway Boulevard until you hit Camino de Oeste. Follow Camino de Oeste south as it turns into a dirt road and eventually dead ends at the trailhead. Take the trail for about a mile, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see a giant old stone house. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your pizzeria. There are two fireplaces for you to strike up a roaring hearth and reheat your dinner, with nobody for miles. The house does not have a roof, so if you have a blanket, you and your date can gaze up into the night sky â&#x20AC;&#x201D; or at each other, which is usually more fun.

By Zachary Smith Arizona Daily Wildcat If Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day is the party of the dating scene, the rest of February is the hangover. All of the romance and excitement comes to a head on Feb. 14, only to dissipate in a morass of unimaginative postValentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dates and depleted bank accounts. Statistically speaking, most dates in the second half of February suck. But I can help you. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why the Arizona Daily Wildcat hired me, really. You know the scene in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Pulp Fictionâ&#x20AC;? in which The Wolf shows up and fixes everything? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s me right now. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got three dates guaranteed to make your relationship hotter than a Bar Refaeli photo shoot.

The Escape

Leisure date for the hopeless romantic: Relatively gentle Supplies: Firewood, lighter fluid, matches, a metal spatula with a long handle Cost: $25 Picnics are clutch dates. They are ineffably charming; however, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re becoming all too popular. Dates should never feel too

The Don Juan

Fast-paced date for the culturally inclined: Potentially embarrassing, requires some rhythm Supplies: CD of tango songs Cost: $15-$30 Your dates should always be on the cutting edge of cultural sensations. Worldliness is sexiness. You can only go out for sushi so many times before you start to appear helpless. I suggest tapas. Tapas are appetizer dishes from Spain. They can be eaten as hors dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ĺ&#x201C;uvres or combined to constitute a full meal. Tucsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Casa Vicente has such an incredible selection of tapas that there is no reason to order anything else. Located at South Stone Avenue and 14th Street, their Spanish chorizo and mushrooms with salt pork are muy delicioso. Plan your date for a Wednesday night so you can take part in Casa Vicenteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s free Argentine tango lessons at 7:15. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worry about how much better than you most of the regulars are at dancing. Instead, take note of the way your dateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body feels against you, and then suggest that you two go someplace a little more private. Drive north on Campbell Avenue into the Catalina Foothills until you can see the entire the city lit-up, then pull over. Play your mixtape of tango songs you pirated earlier that day, and show off your moves with Tucson at your feet.

The Urban Gem

Gritty, rough date for the thrill-seeker: Not for the faint of heart or claustrophobic Supplies: Flashlight Cost: $15 Fact: Danger is sexy. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great aphrodisiac. But, what exactly is too dangerous for a date? Petting untamed jaguars is probably too

Giuseppe DeMasi/Arizona Daily Wildcat

dangerous. Urban spelunking, however, is just right. When it rains on campus, that water has to drain somewhere. On this date, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to explore that drain: High School Wash, the storm runoff just south of Sixth Street. Between Euclid Avenue and Third Avenue, the drain runs underneath Tucson High School. Park your car on the east side of Tucson High, take your dateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand and head into an urban time capsule. Just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t touch the walls. Seriously. After youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked up a hearty appetite from your danger trek,

youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need sweet, sweet protein. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never eaten at a local carniceria, you are missing out on the best part of the Gadsden Purchase. On a Saturday afternoon, you can find grills fired up in front of almost any carniceria, grease flares bursting around succulent meats. Walk inside, buy some fresh carne asada, wait in line and have the masters of the meat prepare your lunch. I recommend Mercado Y Carniceria El Herradero on East 22nd Street and South Columbus Boulevard. Save some for later, just in case this date results in any other exercise.

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â&#x20AC;˘ wednesday, february 24, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ arizona daily wildcat

SMITH

continued from page B1

Brown wasted opportunity to be role model

Stories, light inspire photos

JONES continued from page B1

After graduating from Newark heart-wrenching choices, fell into School of Fine and Industrial Art in place all on its own. He has left 1963, Jones enrolled at the Maryland his good name here at the UA. Institute of Art in Baltimore. He had â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think that Harold has been a expected to study painting, but instead giant in the field of photography, ended up studying photography. thanks to his leadership in the LIGHT â&#x20AC;&#x153;I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a very good phoGallery and establishing the Center for tography teacher at the Maryland Creative Photography. He has made institute, actually. But I got to know astounding contributions to field and a historian and a guy who was a culwe are lucky to have him here at the tural historian. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know I liked University of Arizona,â&#x20AC;?said Carla history, so I did learn something Stoffle, dean of the libraries and curthere,â&#x20AC;? Jones said. rent interim director for the Center for He obtained a graduate degree Creative Photography. from the University Jones said he keeps of New Mexico. Jones his technique fresh had always tried to by heading out to difI went, I did imagine what the ferent places and just a good job, I Southwest would look taking a couple hours worked hard. like. When he arrived, to shoot. His photo the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s presence drawings in particular I thought that astounded him. Some come from the orphan was what I was of his first photographs prints that donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stand supposed to do. were of animal shapes up to the standards he and shadows on the had for them. ground. Thanks to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sometimes, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Harold H. Jones a helpful professor, about solving the Founding director of he was able to get a picture. The photo the Center for Creative prestigious internship drawings come from Photography at the George Eastman orphans, pictures I print House during school. It was at this that I think are going to be great. With same gallery that he was offered his the photo drawings, I make a picture first job as an assistant curator upon work perfectly. Like when you write graduation. During the five years he something and you think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going worked there, he met his wife Francis. to be really good that day and then â&#x20AC;&#x153;I never had to really look for a the next day you wonder what you job. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve helped so many people look were thinking â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that same thing. for jobs. One things kind of leads I would have a photograph I thought to another, not on purpose. I went, was really great, but then a week later I did a good job, I worked hard. I it was not unfolding, it was not doing thought that was what I was supanything. I used to tear them up and posed to do,â&#x20AC;? Jones said. throw them away. I started saving We paused as Francis cut in to say them. This is a point where I wanted she was going to leave for the store to get back to painting and drawing,â&#x20AC;? before the rain started. Tim asked for Jones said. a quick picture of Harold and Francis The photo drawings are prints that together prior to her departure. are altered by pen and ink, acrylic She obliged and said,â&#x20AC;&#x153;The women paint, or, in Jonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience, behind the man.â&#x20AC;? Jones laughed and sandpaper. Jones values the technical said,â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amen to that.â&#x20AC;? precision it takes to make a solid and From the George Eastman House beautiful print. on, life unfolded leading Jones to When asked what the most New York then Tucson. He held the prominent elements of his work position of director of the CCP for were, he said,â&#x20AC;&#x153;I guess one part of my two years before stepping down. He work is about storytelling, the other decided that teaching would keep thing is the nature of light.â&#x20AC;? him home with wife and two young I left Jonesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house that day in the daughters. Jones retired from teachrain. As I unlocked my soaked bike, I ing at the UA after only five years. couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help but think that maybe the Ultimately, his career, rather recipe for a fortunate life included simthan extending from a series of pler ingredients than I had imagined.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

â&#x20AC;?

Illustration by Ken Wright/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Young adults who are old enough to understand this situation are given two clear take-away messages. Boys are told that they should expect leniency for hitting a girl. Girls are told their bruises arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worth a single day in jail. Onâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Fallin Down,â&#x20AC;?Brown sings,â&#x20AC;&#x153;Why is it so easy for you to blame / Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m only human weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all the same.â&#x20AC;?Something tells me he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get it. Keep in mind that Rihanna is a celebrity. There was no way she could keep her bruises concealed. How many women have the luxury of paparazzi announcing an assault? Likewise, Brown is a celebrity. There was no way he could keep his actions quiet. How many men have the luxury of silent, domineering violence? According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, women experience about 4.8 million partner-related physical assaults and rapes yearly. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the reported number, anyway. Patricia Tjaden and Nancy Thoennes, working with the National Institute of Justice, estimate that only one-quarter of all physical assaults by domestic partners are reported. To answer Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s question, that is why itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so easy for me to blame. Brown may not have asked to be a role model, but he had to have known young adults looked up to him. Not only as a young black man who had found incredible success but also as a figurehead for

children escaping abusive upbringings. His family torn apart by domestic violence, Brown had firsthand knowledge of the agony. Speaking of his abusive stepfather in 2007 with GIANT Magazine: â&#x20AC;&#x153;He used to hit my mom â&#x20AC;Ś He made me terrified all the time, terrified like I had to pee on myself â&#x20AC;Ś I hate him to this day.â&#x20AC;? The wordâ&#x20AC;&#x153;cyclicâ&#x20AC;? comes to mind. Even before his arrest, Brown had the opportunity to become an advocate against domestic violence. As a celebrity, he carried enormous clout among youth. As a survivor of abuse, he had every reason to make a difference. He did nothing. After his arrest, Brown had the same opportunity. As a celebrity, he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t spend a day in jail. He wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fined a single dollar. He was in a blessed position to do something positive. Instead of becoming a voice for those who have none, he recorded a CD. On â&#x20AC;&#x153;What I Do,â&#x20AC;? Brown sings,â&#x20AC;&#x153;Everywhere I go, they show me love, so I give it back.â&#x20AC;? I suggest giving Brown a different message. We control Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cash flow. Sales for Graffiti were in the garbage, but I somehow doubt that was a moralistic objection â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the CD sucked outright. If the ticket sales for Slow Jams are any indication, he can still fill an arena, and that sends the wrong message. Buying a ticket for Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s show says you believe he has

paid for his crime. If the concert sells out, Brown proves his star power â&#x20AC;&#x201D; his career flourishes. And we are enablers. I want you to think about your best female friend. Imagine her face. See her hair, the way it outlines her forehead and temples when it hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been torn at by her attacker. Now, focus on her cheeks, her chin, her lips; look at each one carefully, noting the smoothness and color. Picture them torn apart and bruised. Look her in the eyes. Picture her holding back tears while she smears make-up over contusions in the morning. And now, try to imagine yourself consoling her. Try to think of what you could say to make her feel better, make her feel whole again. Would you forgive her abuser after a mere three weeks? Would you pay him, too? Brown never once apologized for the shame he caused Rihanna. For the week after the beating, she walked through public, her face covered in bruises, labeling her a statistic. And while she wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t alone in that regard, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure Rihanna certainly felt that way. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure the 4.8 million women affected by domestic violence feel that way. I hope Chris Brown, despite performing in front of a packed arena, feels that way on Sunday. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Zachary Smith is a psychology senior. He can be reached at arts@wildcat.arizona.edu.

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B10 • wednesday, february 24, 2010 • arizona daily wildcat

Rillito Park ‘small but important’ piece of Tucson

One Wildcat’s eye-opening day at the races By Joe Dusbabek Arizona Daily Wildcat Every January and February, Rillito Park hosts three weekends of horse racing. As a newcomer to the world of horse racing, I had no idea what to expect when I walked into the park Sunday. Entering the gates half an hour before start time, I found myself engulfed in the Tucson of old. Surrounded by cowboys, purebred horses and lots of dirt, I had no idea how exciting the experience would end up being. I’ve never participated in much of anything outside my comfort zone without laughing, and I’ve certainly never been a part of any event that has meant so much to people for such a long time. I was reminded of this when I saw a man with a leather jacket that proudly stated“Rillito Park Races — 1984.” It wasn’t too hard to imagine that many of these cowboy hats and rancher boots had been bought before I was even alive. The history of this place was evident by the aging white sign that adorned the front of the complex, the thick rust coating every bench in the grandstands and the dilapidated scoreboard. The old-school odds board in particular surprised me with its charm. It wasn’t even digital! The betting register had remnants of paint worn off long ago. It was as if the venue couldn’t do enough to convince me that this was an authentic experience. People swarmed around the thoroughbreds as I walked through the crowds. I bought a hot dog and a Pepsi at the concession stand and promptly placed a bet on horse number six with no knowledge of how odds work. I felt accomplished as I walked up to the grandstand. The event was slated to start soon and I waited with anticipation as the horses were walked out for the first race. The crowd chattered until a piercing trumpet cut through the noise with the sounds of our national anthem. I felt a bit jostled when the whole park got serenely quiet during the song I’ve heard so many times during the Winter Olympics. Since I live in student apartments, silence is something I rarely hear. I paused to

Rodney Haas/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Horses come down the stretch to the finish line at Rillito Downs on Sunday. Rillito Downs hosts thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing every year in January and February.

look around. It was here where I first felt the gravity of the whole event. People from different backgrounds gathered here every weekend, twice a year, to enjoy the one thing they all had in common. From retired couples to Mexican-American cowboys to university students, everyone was represented in that moment. Before the races started, the classic trumpet tune pierced the silence to indicate everyone should pay attention. The purebreds shot off for a fast lap around the track.”Damn!” I yelped when they took off with astonishing speed. I lost $5 on horse number six in just 45 seconds, but I couldn’t have been less disappointed. With my uneducated bet, I hadn’t expected faring any better and I probably got what I deserved. Losing money has never been so fun. The $5 was worth watching 700-pound horses have the jitters before the gunshot and seeing their rippling muscles fire as they ran. When a group of smaller horses came to the back to prepare, I asked an elderly woman if mules were racing too. She paused as the gray

hair on her temples throbbed slightly. I could almost hear her wondering whether I was serious. She peered at me strangely through her razor-thin glasses and said quietly,“Those are Quarter Horses.” I blushed profusely and thanked her. After another race or two I quietly gathered my things and decided to go. I’m not much of a people person and the festive atmosphere had worn me down. As I walked out, I stopped to take a look at the jockey area. The jockeys wore bright outfits in bold hues of red, blue and green. It was evident these were just normal people who loved what they did. In their normal lives, they likely worked full-time jobs and had families. On weekends, they were here — celebrities in their chosen world. If the races at Rillito Park taught me anything, it’s that diversity can be found in even the most unlikely places. Even in a place like Tucson, where college students generally assume that all there is to do is party, this stood out as one of the gems of culture. Many years after its inception, the races remain living proof that there is fun to

Rodney Haas/Arizona Daily Wildcat

Rillito Park, which opened in the 1940s, is on the National Register of Historic Places. It is the birthplace of Quarter Horse racing and features races every weekend in January and February.

be had in Tucson if you are willing to look for it. After being told by a tall and apathetic teenaged concession worker that the city is currently in talks to raze the track to make room for more soccer fields, I couldn’t help but feel depressed at the thought of this unique piece of Tucson being destroyed. Looking around at everyone who had invested in this opportunity by buying real snakeskin boots and

felt-textured hats, I thought it would be a real shame if this ever came to pass. Rillito Park represents a small but important part of southern Arizona’s landscape. After my experience there, I can’t imagine it disappearing. While it may have been just a pleasant afternoon for me, for many people the park represents half a lifetime of personal investment and memories. Here’s to not letting it all go to waste.

HPV Fact #16: It is estimated that each minute in the US, there is a new case of genital warts. HPV Fact #8: Guys can’t get screened for HPV. So there’s no way to know if a guy has the virus or is passing it on. Why risk it Visit your campus health center. hpv.com Copyright © 2010 Merck & Co., Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in USA.

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