THE AS
REVIEW
Catching up with Stephen Steen of Specters, p. 4 Ten apps to make your life easier, p. 6 B-Side Magazine to hold fundraising concert, p. 7 AS responds to riot with a community service position, p. 8 Vol. 29 #13 1.13.14
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Larger-than-life images of dogs sprint across the walls of the Fine Arts Department B-Gallery. The installation piece, Cincture, by Hannah Cwiek and Debbie Kenote will be on display until Jan. 17. Isaac Martin // AS Review
MAKING YOUR LIFE BETTER, ONE PAGE AT A TIME Viking Union 411 516 High St. Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360.650.6126 Fax: 360.650.6507 Email: as.review@wwu.edu as.wwu.edu/asreview @TheASReview facebook.com/theasreview © 2013. Published most Mondays during the school year by the Associated Students of Western Washington University. The AS Review is an alternative-weekly that provides coverage of student interests such as the AS government, activities and student life. The Review seeks to enhance the student experience by shedding light on under-represented issues, inclusive coverage, informing readers and promoting dialogue.
IN THIS ISSUE NEWS 7 B-Side Magazine New arts magazine to host concert to fundraise for publishing
8 Riot-response
Position Created AS Board creates position to give-back to community after riot
STUDENT LIFE 6 Apps for Students Ten apps that make studying, socializing, balancing budgets and staying updated on news easy
FEATURES 4 Specters to Return to Bellingham
Catching up with Western alum and Specters’ frontman Stephen Steen
5 Ten Ways to Annoy a Hipster
Time to guard your vintage vinyl and thrifted-wardrobe
We welcome reader submissions, including news articles, literary pieces, photography, artwork or anything else physically printable. Email submissions to as.review@wwu.edu. We welcome letters to the editor. Please limit your letter to 300 words, include your name, phone number and year in school, if you’re a student. Send them to as.review@wwu.edu. Published letters may have minor edits made to their length or grammar.
THE AS
REVIEW Cade Schmidt Kylie Wade Isaac Martin Kelly Mason Andrew Wise Annika Wolters C Hayley Halstead Dominic D’Angelo Designer Kristina Huynh Adviser Jeff Bates
Editor in Chief Assistant Editor Lead Photographer Copy Editor Writers
Sydney Donaldson lays up a shot against Central Washington University on Jan. 9. Donaldson lead the Viks with 21 points in their 71-64 win. Photo by Isaac Martin // AS Review
Jan. 13, 2014 • 3
EVENTS In Motion Jan. 13-31 // 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. // VU Gallery // Free The Viking Union Gallery presents In Motion, a showcase of student artwork expressing ideas of motion, momentum or movement.
Babeland: The Sex Ed You Wish You Had Jan. 14 // 6-8 p.m. // AH 100 // Free Presenters from Babeland, a sex toy store in Seattle, return to campus in this annual sex education event. The event is aimed at being positive and inclusive and is brought to you by the Sexual Awareness Center, the Women’s Center and the Queer Resource Center.
Crash Course in Photography Jan. 14 // 6:30 p.m. // CF Journalism Department // Free Attend the first meeting of the Western chapter of the National Press Photographers Association to learn all about the tools of the professional photojournalist. Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting.
Western Athletics: Men’s Basketball Jan. 15 // 7 p.m. // Carver Gym // $5 for students, $8 GA Watch the men’s basketball team take on Seattle Pacific on Wednesday night. The game will also be broadcast on ROOT TV.
Wednesday Night Concert Series: Specters w/ Fictions
opening it’s doors again as an all-ages music venue with a free show featuring an incredible line-up.
Jan. 15 // 8 p.m. // UGCH // Free
Sir Mix-A-Lot, Grynch & Boombox Kid
Don’t miss the first Wednesday Night Concert of the quarter! The show will feature punk duo Specters with opener Fictions. For more on Specters, check out our story on pg. 4.
Don Jon Jan. 16 // 7:30-10 p.m. // AH 100 // Free AS Productions presents this screening of Don Jon, a film written by, directed by and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
B-Side Magazine Fundraising Gala Jan. 17 // 6-11 p.m. // VU MPR // Western Writers United presents the B-Side Magazine Fundraising Gala. The event will feature five bands from across the Northwest and the money raised will go towards the launch of new alternativearts publication. For more on B-Side and the gala, check out our story on pg. 7.
Make.Shift Grand Reopening Show w/ Kithkin, the Palisades, Candysound & Vacationeer Jan. 17 // 8 p.m. (Doors at 7 p.m.) // 306 Flora St. // Free Make.Shift is a nonprofit, DIY art and music venue dedicated to “innovative, alternative and unusual art and music.” After months of hard work, Make.Shift is
Jan. 17 // 10 p.m. - 1:20 a.m. // Wild Buffalo // $15 The Wild Buffalo presents a special late show with Sir Mix-A-Lot, Grynch and Boombox Kid. If you miss it, catch Sir MixA-Lot again Saturday night in a second show with Ayron Jones and the Way. The Saturday show is from 9:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Both shows are 21+.
Vice President for Business and Operations Candidate Meeting Jan. 17 // 6-8 p.m. // BH 103 The special election for AS VP for Business and Operations is on! If you are interested in running, don’t miss this mandatory candidate meeting and the paperwork deadline the day before. The meeting will discuss the timeline for the election and the Election Code. The press will also be present to take candidate photos. For more information, email AS Elections Coordinator Nic Doherty at AS.Elections@wwu.edu.
Western Athletics: Men’s Basketball Jan. 18 // 7 p.m. // Carver Gym // $5 for students, $8 GA Pack Carver Gym for this Saturday night showdown between Western and Montana State-Billings.
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Catching up with Specters’ Stephen Steen to other writers and different styles of music. It’s easy to get juices flowing in Bellingham. I The pop-savvy, punk-driven Western just started Specters two years ago and Bham alumni duo is coming back to Bham to stay was the perfect place to spend that time. true to the old and unveil the new. Specters Seattle isn’t quite as accessible. You either will be performing at 8 p.m. on Jan. 15 at the can’t touch anybody because they’re hot shit or Underground Coffeehouse as a part of AS they’re just really busy. Productions’ Wednesday Night Series, where they will unveil some new tunes. The Review Now that Western alum Noah Magen caught up with frontman Stephen Steen to has replaced Sterling Laws on drums, chat about his relocation to Seattle and a post- what’s different? Western Specters. I have a new drummer, from The Palisades, What has the transition from Bellingham really excited to have him. Our band chemistry to Seattle been like for you? is awesome. He is very social with a lot of - a lot of - energy, for someone who regularly gets It was much needed. I took a year off thrown into social situations night to night. He from school after freshmen year and lived in is a very charismatic punk drummer and our Anacortes. Then I spent a lot of time in Bham. music is going in that direction. I spent about five years up there in college limWe’re still playing a lot of the songs that we bo, so I needed a change of scenery. did with Sterling [Laws], before he moved, but I was looking to record an album and it it sounds more straight-forward with Noah. seemed like it was easier to get that done living The music used to be more focused on in the city. Seattle was a good choice because I nimble percussion. A lot of the melodic songdidn’t leave the Northwest. This is where I grew writing style was showcased more. With Noah up, where I built momentum for the band. It’s the aesthetic is more cohesively punk or altwhere I feel creatively most comfortable, and rock. There is more of a garage sound to it. I feel like it would be a waste if I spent my life Noah sort of settled into the beat, in a more living in the Northwest without ever having gut kind of way. lived in Seattle. We’ve been friends forever. For four years, since he’s been at Western too. What do you miss most about living in Bellingham? What can listeners expect to see and hear from your show? I miss everything being so close together. There is one downtown, not multiple downWe have some new songs, but we’re saving towns. You can walk everywhere. It’s a beauti- them until the record comes out. The audience ful place to live, in every season. The commu- can expect a little bit more electricity and more nity was much closer-knit. Everybody knows of a punk charge, also a little more camaradeeach other. It’s not as easy to be anonymous. rie between personnel on-stage, because of me You can call someone up and they’re close. and Noah playing. Later this month we can exThe music was good [in Bellingham] be- pect bass. We have a bassist we’ve been practiccause there’s always a show around the corner. ing with. The two-piece is now a three-piece, It was my incubation chamber, being exposed or will soon be. By Annika Wolters
Steen performs with Specters during AS Pop Music’s Bham Jingle Jam in December 2012. Photo by Cade Schmidt // AS Review
At the Underground Coffeehouse, I’ll be playing some brand new songs from the upcoming album that we won’t be playing as a band, but I’ll be playing them solo. So that show will be more exclusive on the song category. I do that to practice and see how people react. I like to get feedback from the audience members. I like for all my songs to be based on good songwriting as opposed to simply having a catchy tune and a good drummer, I want the songs to speak for themselves. So I play them live to test them out.
Jan. 13, 2014 • 5
TEN WAYS TO ANNOY A HIPSTER
3. Buy all the PBR at their favorite booze-stop.
1. Bet them they can’t ride their fixie down the Taylor Street hill.
5. Break or misplace their vinyl copy of their favorite record by The Flaming Lips.
4.Decaf Miley Cyrus.
6. Pretend to mistake them for a member of One Direction.
Decaf
2. Tell them that in fact you have heard that song before.
9. Replace their organic Americano with decaf Folgers.
7. Delete the Instagram filters on their phone.
8. “Accidentally” step on their Ray Bans.
10. Tug on their mustache or braids.
LIST BY ANDREW WISE // GRAPHICS BY KRISTINA HUYNH
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Ten apps to make your life easier By C Hayley Halstead // Graphics By Kristina Huynh Weighing over 2 pounds and costing as much as $4,000 when it was introduced in the 1980s, the cell phone is now the staple of many college students’ lives, can fit into a pocket and thanks to apps, can perform an astounding variety of tasks. Taking into account popularity, usefulness and innovation, we have constructed a list of top free cell phone apps that can make any Western student’s life just a little bit easier. VENMO
VENMO
SNAPCHAT MINT.COM
TINDER GOOGLE DRIVE
When the bill comes and you have a large party trying to split it, it can be a huge hassle. Instead, have your friends download Venmo and link their bank accounts to the app. This is a quick and easy way to pay your friends or have them pay you back without using cash. MYHOMEWORK GOOGLE MINT.COM All transactions are protected by the FDIC. DRIVE
This free photo-sharing mobile app lets you send a photo or video for a designated length of time (10 seconds max). After the timer goes off, that picture is then “gone forever.” If you love sending a virtual journal throughout the day or want to get away with a secret conversation, CANVAS SNAPCHAT then Snapchat is the app for you.VENMO MINT.COM
Having trouble meeting potential partners in Bellingham? Tinder lets you scroll through potential matches in your area and filter by distance. You can only communicate with your matches after they reciprocate the interest – so SEATTLE you know that some curiosity was perked SNAPCHAT VENMO MINT.COM SEAHAWKS SPORTSCENTER both ways.
Another app that will connect to your bank account is Mint.com, a budgeting app that will break your expenditures into categories so you can track your spending habits. Mint.com also protects user data to the same extent a REPIX TINDER ESPN MYHOMEWORK CANVAS GOOGLE financial institution would. DRIVE
TINDER GOOGLE DRIVE
MY
Over the course of your college career, If the basic Instagram filters just aren’t doing compiling a group paper or PowerPoint it for you, check out Repix. It has an array of presentation is not uncommon, so try using photo editing options, including frames, filters Google Drive. You can create documents, edit and unique effects. While Repix is a free app, them and view them while other users who there are optional add-ons for purchase to REPIX SEATTLE MYHOMEWORK ESPN have been invited CANVAS to your documents can SNAPCHAT REPIX TINDER make your photos glisten even more. SEAHAWKS VENMO MYHOMEWORKSPO GOOGLE MINT.COM make changesSPORTSCENTER simultaneously. DRIVE
For all of the sports fanatics who check This mobile student planner makes it easy to scores religiously and obsess over breaking schedule, plan and track the assignments that sports stories, ESPN’s SportsCenter is come your way. You even have the option to a must-have. The app includes all things send yourself a reminder when something will REPIX SEATTLE ESPN sports, but is also customizable so you can MYHOMEWORK be CANVAS due soon. SEAHAWKS SPORTSCENTER SNAPCHAT REPIX TINDER easily find whatGOOGLE you’re lookingMYHOMEWORK for. VENMO MINT.COM
Did you know that Canvas actually has an app? This app is a convenient platform to view your grades, assignments, syllabus, files, notifications and messages. You also can opt ESPN in SEATTLE for notifications to know right away when RK CANVAS SNAPCHAT SEAHAWKS SPORTSCENTER there is activity from your class.
ESPN CANVAS SPORTSCENTER
DRIVE
The Seattle Seahawks app makes it easy to keep up with your local football favorites. You can check out breaking news, view stats and standings, watch videos, see schedules and even track fantasy players. And yes, there is TINDER ESPN a section to view REPIX the lovely Sea Gals.
SPORTSCENTER
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
S
Jan. 13, 2014 • 7
A new publication: B-Side Magazine Western Writers United to host fundraising concert to their specific needs.” Gendreau speaks from personal experience. As a member of three The city of Bellingham is home to hundreds of talented musicians, bands, including Great Pacific, Sola Mesa and Brain Child, he’s been in artists, writers and more, most of whom are undiscovered. Now, one and out of the music circulation here in Bellingham. The most challengup-and-coming magazine seeks to change that. B-Side Magazine, cre- ing part, according to Gendreau, is essentially breaking the mold. He’s ated and produced by the Western Writers United club, aims to rework noticed that music venues tend to choose from a similar pool of acts, Bellingham’s music, art and literary scenes by establishing a community while not paying attention to lesser known artists. for artists of all kinds. “You know, if you want In order to get the to play at the Buffalo, you ball rolling for B-Side either have to be a very “We intend for it to be a big night. We intend for it to be Magazine, Western big touring artist or you Writers United is hosting a an opportunity for all these people to get under the same have to be on the waiting fundraising gala on Friday, list for a very long time. roof and get artists in one place where they know that Jan. 17 in the Viking Or they call because they Union Multipurpose trust them, but that’s not they’re in a community to find the things they need.” room from 7 p.m. to mid99% of people. A lot of the night. The gala will feabest musicians are in that ture live performances 99% of people, but what from The Vonvettas, the 10-10 Brass Band, Cannabidroids, The Julian do you do about that? So, that’s what we want to demonstrate, that MacDonough Trio and Before Cars, featuring former Nirvana drum- there is already a lot of amazing stuff happening here that is more or mer Chad Channing. less acknowledged.” B-Side Magazine’s Editor-in-Chief and Western Writers United’s Eventually, the magazine hopes to help those artists who seek to get Budget Officer Nick Gendreau welcomes everyone to the event, which themselves out there and into the music scene. costs $5 with a Western ID and $8 without. All proceeds from the gala Most of the bands performing at the gala got their roots in go towards the making of B Side Magazine. Bellingham, which reinforces the driving idea behind the B Side “We intend for it to be a big night,” Gendreau said. “We intend for it Magazine - rebuilding the artistic community in Bellingham. to be an opportunity for all these people to get under the same roof and “A big trend is that Bellingham musicians that get good go to get artists in one place where they know that they’re in a community to Seattle,” Gendreau said. “It’s not a bad thing, it’s kind of the most logifind the things they need.” cal step, but there’s no hometown heroes attempting to save the scene.” B-Side Magazine expects to be the one-stop shop for all artists in The magazine isn’t only limited to musicians. The B-Side Magazine Bellingham. Backed by the Western Writers United club, which focuses accepts all forms of artistic submissions from short stories to photograon honing writing techniques, the magazine plans to not only showcase phy. Art, in any medium, is welcome from anyone, from Western stunew rising stars, but wants to serve as a resource or platform for all new dents to the wider Bellingham community. artists to get their start. “It’s always based around Bellingham and about art. So those are re“That’s really just the ultimate problem, people get discouraged ally the only guidelines [for submissions],” Gendreau said. “We’re kind from pursuing whatever it is that they’re really good at,” Gendreau of all over the place, but we love it, it gives us the ability to actually cresaid. “There are just so many exciting and crazy marketable things go- ate stuff instead of coming at it from a traditional publication view.” ing around town that don’t get very much attention. We started talking The B-Side Magazine will begin publishing in February. To subabout what we could do to change that and to offer people who typically mit to the B-Side Magazine, email your artistic piece to TheBSide. don’t get a chance a shot to shine. We’re an organization that will listen bham@gmail.com. By Kelly Mason
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STUDENTS GIVE BACK: POSTRIOT WESTERN By Andrew Wise The Associated Students is beginning the quarter with a new position in the Board of Directors’ office. Senior Sarah King was named as the first Western Students Give Back Logistics Coordinator. The position was created in the wake of the much discussed Indian Street riot that occurred on Oct. 12. “From the time of the riot up until the creation of this position, most of the responsibility for coordinating response efforts has been mine. There are many responsibilities stretching the time of [the presidential] position and “I hope to get some good fundraising events going on and volunteer opportunities to try and make the biggest impact we can in a quarter,” said Sarah King, the AS’s new Western I want to make sure that I’m able to devote Students Give Back Logistics Coordinator. Photo by Isaac Martin // AS Review my attention where it is most needed,” said AS President Carly Roberts. The position will involve coordinating the continuing response to the riot and it’s impact Indian Street was also damaged. The riot left the City of Bellingham on the community. with $20,000 in damage, a number King’s position is designed to off“[King} has the academic background and she also has had a lot set through community service. of involvement around the community and on our campus as well,” “Western already has an exceptionally high amount of community Roberts said. service and an exceptionally good connection to our city,” Roberts said, Work will start for King on Jan. 13. She will work with community noting that the university has won the President's Higher Education organizations including Whatcom County Volunteers as well as on- Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction award for the last campus volunteer organizations to coordinate events and programs three consecutive years. throughout the Bellingham Community. The creation of the position was approved at the AS Board of “I’m really excited to show… the good work that our students al- Directors meeting on Dec. 11. The board elected to bypass the perready do,” King said. “Our students are volunteering a lot, I think that sonnel committee and the typical Associated Students hiring prosometimes gets overlooked when they lash out and create a ruckus in cess in order to appoint someone to the position before the start of the community.” winter quarter. The riot took place on one of the first weekends of fall quarter and That move is not unprecedented, in 2005 the board used the same involved a crowd amassing to several hundred angry partiers, after a procedure to create a Tsunami Disaster Relief Coordinator after an party on Jersey Street was broken up by Bellingham Police. earthquake and resulting tsunami devastated Indonesia, Sri Lanka, After several warnings to disperse, Bellingham Police emptied India and Thailand in Dec. 2004. their entire non-lethal crowd control weapons stock, including pepThe position is only budgeted through the end of winter quarter, per balls and smoke canisters. but there is potential for the position to be renewed. Several police vehicles were damaged by bottles hurled by rioters, street signs were uprooted from the ground and private property on