Pulse - March 2014 by CVPulse

MARCH 2014

IN GOOD TASTE

GO PIG OR GO HOME

TWINS PARTY

BRYAN ADAMS

PULSE HIT LIST

This exhibition looks at the work of artists active in France over the course of the past 400 years, revealing many of the major European art movements during that time. This exhibition is made possible in part by a Program Fund Grant from the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. Pablo Picasso, Fumeur (Smoker), 1964, color aquatint and soft-ground etching, 18 x 13 ¼ in., gift of Dr. and Mrs. John Huston Jr., 75.2.

410 Third Avenue SE Cedar Rapids, IA 52401 319.366.7503 www.crma.org

in good CEDAR FALLS Beck’s Sports Grill | American, Sports Bar 2210 College St., Cedar Falls 319-277-2646 Hours: Open daily at 11 am www.barmuda.com Featuring Beck's homemade microbrews, voted best burger, locally owned restaurant, sports bar and place to play pool in the CedarValley.

Bourbon Street | American, Cajun and Creole 314 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-5285 Hours: Monday - Saturday 4 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com Bourbon Street is a step off of Main Street into the French Quarter featuring Certified Black Angus steaks and delicious seafood complimented by an extensive wine list. Voted best choice for dinner with best steak in the Cedar Valley

WATERLOO

Ferrari’s Ristorante | American and Italian 1521 Technology Pkwy., Cedar Falls 319-277-1385 Hours: Monday - Friday 11 am - 10 pm Saturday 4 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com Ferrari's features only the finest steaks, freshest seafood and authentic Italian fare. Offering light, quick lunch options along with an extensive dinner menu and wine list. Voted best place for a business lunch.

Ginger Thai Cuisine | Authentic Thai Food 111 W. 2nd Street, Cedar Falls 319-266-2150 Hours: Monday - Saturday 11 am - 3 pm, 5 - 9 pm; Sunday 10 am - 4 pm facebook.com/ginger-thai-cuisine Authentic thai cuisine offering lunch and dinner options. Appetizers, entrees, desserts and express menu for a quick lunch. A variety of flavors from coconut, fresh lemongrass, ginger, tofu and vegetables. Take-out and delivery available.

Soho Sushi Bar & Deli The Stuffed Olive | Deli, Sushi, Tapas, Martinis 119 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-9995 Hours: Mon-Fri at 6:30 am and Sat-Sun at 7:00 am www.barmuda.com Fresh made sushi and deli sandwiches, salads and paninis combined with globally inspired tapas dishes and over 100 different martinis. Homemade cookies made from scratch daily! Now open for breakfast too! Stuffed Olive voted best place for a girls’night out.

The Lone Wolf | Bar, Restaurant 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo Guerilla Brewing/Lava Lounge/Beer Hall | 319-833-2157 Microbrewery and Bar Hours: Monday-Friday-Breakfast 7:00 am - 10:30 pm 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo Sunday-Thursday 11:30 am - 1:00 am 319-234-5686 Friday & Saturday - 11:30 am - 2:00 am Hours: Monday - Thursday 5 pm - Midnight Voted best burger, best happy hour, best locally owned restaurant Karaoke - Wednesday 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm Friday & Saturday 4 pm - Midnight and sports bar in the CedarValley Howl Hour 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Monday - Thursday Artisanal Nano Brewery is releasing limited run beer, producing $2.00 drafts & domestic beers and food specials 10 gallons of each new recipe. We produced 50 different beers in www.waterloo.isleofcapricasinos.com 2013. Brand new brew gets tapped everyThursday. Whether you feel like getting food to go or plan to stay a while,The ® Lone Wolf is sure to please. We have mouth-watering food and thirstOtis and Henry’s Bar and Grill | quenching drinks with an atmosphere unlike any other. Bar and Grill Southtown Bar & Restaurant | 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo American 319-833-2241 2026 Bopp St., Waterloo Rudy’s Tacos | Hours: Tuesday - Saturday open at 5 pm 319-236-9112 Mexican Closed Sunday and Monday Hours: 7 am - 10:30 pm, bar open later 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo www.waterloo.isleofcapricasinos.com www.southtownwaterloo.com 319-234-5686 Located next to Witham Ford behind Golf Headquarters. Stop Combines the comfort of a neighborhood bar and grill with the Hours: Monday - Saturday 11 am - 9 pm www.rudystacos.com in for the great broasted chicken or fresh-made pork tenderloin. favorites of a steakhouse. Choose from the delicious pastas, Rudy’s uses local ingredients through the Northern Iowa Food sandwiches, salads, steaks, fish and more. and Farm Partnership’s Buy Fresh/Buy Local program.

PRICING GUIDE (per entrée) | $10 2 PULSE

Beck’s Sports Brewery Sports Bar | American, Microbrewery 3295 University Ave., Waterloo 319-234-4333 Hours: Open daily at 11 am www.barmuda.com

$20

$30

$40+

Hilton Garden Inn | Conference Center 7213 Nordic Dr., Cedar Falls 319-266-6611 New Hilton opened in 2012, elegant dining and entertaining of Hilton standards. Full service hotel with Ballroom seating up to 350 people. Garden Grille Restaurant and Bar open to the public for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as large exterior patios with firepits. Full service dining on site, Chefs with banquet menus and banquet bars available. Deposits and minimums required, full payment required prior to event. Guest room blocks available.

CONTENTS

dubuque

waterloo

cedar falls

cedar rapids

iowa city

Issue No. 114 | March 2014

FREAKS AND GEEKS

Music, tech, literature, comedy, culture. Is there anything the annual Mission Creek Festival in Iowa City can’t do?

A SIZZLING GOOD TIME

Get your fill of delicious fat at the first ever Cedar Valley Baconfest. Seriously. Who doesn’t love crispy strips of bacon?

BOY BAND

SPICY CREOLE Zydeco artist Cedric Watson’s songs channel his diverse ancestry, creating his own brand of sounds. Oui Oui!

0314

in this ISSUE

UNFINISHED BUSINESS Artist Kim Behn says his work is never done. See for yourself in his exhibit at Waterloo Center for the Arts.

Calling themselves an 1890s boy band, UNI barbershop quartet S.H.O.P. brings fresh four-part style to an oldschool sound.

TITANS AND TOTS Titanfall’s one of the most buzzed-about games in a while, but if shooters aren’t your thing, Yoshi’s back to take care of Baby Mario.

MAGAZINE An award-winning product of Courier Communications, P.O. Box 540, 100 E. Fourth St., Waterloo, IA 50703.

Wanna know more about this awesome magazine? Get in touch.

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6 PEEPS

ADVERTISING

EDITOR

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

CREATIVE CAT

WEB GURU

Sheila Kerns 319.291.1448 sheila.kerns@wcfcourier.com

Meta Hemenway-Forbes 319.291.1483 meta.hemenway-forbes@wcfcourier.com

Alan Simmer 319.291.1487 alan.simmer@wcfcourier.com

John Molseed 319.291.1418 john.molseed@wcfcourier.com

David Hemenway

Chris Koop

PULSE 3

Every spring, the Mission Creek Festival offers up a full buffet of music, literature, food, film and more. This year you can also satisfy your inner geek at the new tech and innovation mini conference. Mission Creek takes place in venues across downtown Iowa City, including but not limited to Blue Moose Tap House, the Englert Theatre, Gabeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, The Mill, Yacht Club and

Trumpet Blossom. Programming includes concerts, comedic performances, literary readings and events, film screenings, public lectures and culture events. All events are within a five-minute walk. You can attend Mission Creek shows with a Festival Pass or purchase tickets to individual events. Some events are free and open to the public. For more information, head to missionfreak.com.

KISHI BASHI

The Mission Creek Tech + Innovation Conference April 4-5 celebrates what technology empowers, highlights where tech culture must improve and showcases what the future may hold. National and regional technologists will gather to explore these themes. This conference positions itself as a networking and knowledge-gathering hub for Midwest-based technologists and entrepreneurs, as well as an oasis for thinkers from the coasts. Confirmed speakers include Jen Myers, Riley Eynon-Lynch and Dan Sweeney of Pear Deck; Shawn Cornally, Chad Whitacre and David Gould of the Downtown Project in Las Vegas; and Matthew Israel, director of the Art Genome Project of Artsy. missionfreak.com

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THE HEAD AND THE HEART

WOLF EYES This calendar is just the tip of the iceberg. The Mission Creek events calendar will be updated regularly prior to the festival at missionfreak.com. (Pro tip: !!! is said “chick chick chick” out loud.)

TUESDAY, APRIL 1 Mark McGuire, The Mill, 7 PM

WILLIAM ELLIOTT WHITMORE

Warpaint, Gabe’s, 8 PM

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2 Hannibal Buress, Englert Theatre, 6 PM Earth, Gabe’s, 7 PM Wolf Eyes, Yacht Club, 9 PM

THURSDAY, APRIL 3 Of Montreal, Blue Moose Tap House, 5:30 PM Philip Glass, Englert Theatre, 6:30 PM S. Carey, The Mill, 7 PM Dessa, Gabe’s, 9 PM

FRIDAY, APRIL 4 Jason Isbell, Blue Moose Tap House, 7 PM The Head and the Heart, Englert Theatre, 7 PM Kishi Bashi, The Mill, 8 PM Weekend, Yacht Club, 8 PM !!! with Caroline Smith, Trouble Lights, Gabe’s, 10 PM

WEEKEND

SATURDAY, APRIL 5 William Elliott Whitmore & The Pines, Englert Theatre, 7 PM

PULSE 5

SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO

META HEMENWAY-FORBES | PULSE EDITOR

oger Wirtz, manager of the Cedar Falls Fareway store asks, “How can you not love bacon?” He’s well aware it’s a purely rhetorical question, and that’s why Fareway stores are on board as the presenting sponsor of the first ever Cedar Valley Baconfest. Baconfest organizers are expecting a sell out for the event, which takes place March 29 at McElroy Auditorium. Tickets will be $25 in advance and will get you multiple bacon creations from more than 15 vendors. Among the vendors will be Here’s What’s Poppin’, Mo’s One More Lounge, Damon’s Sports Bar 6 PULSE

& Grill, Mark’s Smokin’ Que, Waverly Bakery, RiverLoop Public Market, The Bacon Donut, The Isle Casino Hotel Waterloo, Phat Kat BBQ, Savory Spoon, Papa Murphy’s and Beaver Hills Country Club. There also will be a cash bar, live music, free-with-admission bacon goodie bags, a bacon eating contest, a best bacon swag contest and other activities. The Cedar Valley Baconfest is being organized by 93.5 FM The Mix, 1650 AM morning show personality on The Mix. The Fan and Cruisin’ 1250 AM radio. “Us radio people, we get a little weird.” “There’s going to be a lot of pounds of Only 1,500 tickets will be sold and are bacon,” said organizer Bob Westerman, available at Fareway stores in Waterloo,

Cedar Falls, Evansdale and Waverly. “It’s a new, exciting thing for the Cedar Valley,” Wirtz said, noting the success of the annual Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest in Des Moines. Other Baconfest sponsors include Veridian Credit Union, Budweiser, Premier Locations, Riddles Jewelry, Koch Construction, Martin Brothers Food Market and Mid State Towing. Cedar Valley Baconfest 11 AM to 3 PM March 29 McElroy Auditorium, Waterloo $25 | cedarvalleybaconfest.com

Mar

3-1: 3-8: 3-15: 3-21: 3-22: 3-28: 3-29:

8PM-10PM uncle cHuck Pallesur banisH misforTune oPen mic dave malam PHil & Travis GreG & susan dirks

Jazz by Hands of Time every THursday TIFFANY RUSHING | PULSE PHOTOGRAPHER

Old school boy band

MELODY PARKER | PULSE WRITER

hey’ve done some One Direction, but when it comes to this University of Northern Iowa boy band, they prefer things a little more old school. “Yeah, we’re a ’90s boy band – an 1890s boy band,” jokes junior Brandon Schneider, laughing. Colby Campbell, a senior, cofounded barbershop quartet S.H.O.P. three years ago with Ben Owen, a junior. They’re joined by Schneider and sophomore Austin Nolan. All are music majors. Finding a group of college students who sing barbershop harmonies in their spare time is a bit unusual, Campbell acknowledges. “We don’t have to do it. It’s fun because we’re working together to make great music just for the joy of it.” They also sing four-part choral music and modern pop and jazz songs. S.H.O.P. is an acronym for the quartet’s official name, “Super Hardcore Overtone Project,” although Campbell confesses the definition has been known to change from performance to performance. Barbershop is defined as a cappella or unaccompanied vocals in fourpart harmonies. Schneider, as lead, sings the melody; tenor Nolan harmonizes above the melody; Campbell, the bass, sings the lowest notes; and Owen, the baritone, completes

Yeah, we’re a ’90s boy band – an 1890s boy band. the chord below the lead. “I’m the garbage can. I get all the notes nobody else wants,” Owen says, laughing. The young men rehearse for an hour three times a week in whatever vacant space they can find at the Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. Their harmonies are crystal clear, delivered with professionalism, showmanship and flashes of humor, singing songs like Hello Mary Lou, Sold and Baby Face. The students have gotten encouragement and a few tips from members of the Proud Image Chorus, the Cedar Valley’s award-winning men’s barbershop chorus. Owen, a church organist, was inspired by a musty binder of music he was given by a woman whose husband used to sing barbershop. It turned out to be a treasure trove of classics, he says. Colby began singing barbershop in high school and didn’t want to let it go as a hobby, while newest member Nolan enjoys small-group singing and jumped at the invitation to join

the quartet. Schneider’s personal goal – singing the “The Star-Spangled Banner” at a UNI ball game – was realized two years ago. Since then, S.H.O.P. has performed at several UNI sporting events and brought down the house at the UNI Varsity Men’s Glee Club Christmas Variety Shows. “One of my favorite memories is our first year performing at the variety shows. We sang ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,’ and people just freaked out,” Colby recalls. “Hearing the audience freak out was amazing,” Ben agrees. “In barbershop, the chords are set up in a way to create excitement. It plays to the audience, and it was cool to hear the reaction.” They’ve been known to break into song at passers-by and follow students across campus singing barbershop tunes. The quartet once staged a barbershop-singing flash mob at the Cedar Falls Walmart. “That’s a cool thing, to hear people’s reaction. They really enjoy hearing us. We’ve been told it’s nice to see young people still singing this music,” Schneider says. For Schneider, the quartet is “like a band of brothers. We work off each other. There’s a certain purity to it. At the end of the day, it’s just four guys in a room singing.”

WO-030212008

happy hour 3-7 and great food! Fri, Feb 28 sat mar 1 sun, mar 2 Fri, mar 7 sat, mar 8 Fri mar 14 sat mar 15 sat mar 22 Fri, mar 28

hazer Guss royalle Carli Jean ChilCote 8pm $5 otis Campbell band dimestore hooKers 8pm bam marGara blue Felix 9pm $7 hip hop show with the40 oz Killers plus Guests 9pm $5 urban leGend 7pm st patty’s day party tba 9pm moonshine and sorrow 9pm no Cover alesana KaraoKe Get sCared every hearts and hands thursday! Farewell my love meGosh 7pm $12 adv / $15 dos

3555 University Ave Waterloo 287-5747

www.thereverb.net PULSE 7

Talent Français One of the brightest young talents to emerge in Cajun, Creole and zydeco music over the last decade, Cedric Watson is a four-time Grammy-nominated fiddler, singer, accordionist and songwriter with seemingly unlimited potential. Watson made his first appearance at the age of 19 at the Zydeco Jam at The Big Easy in Houston. Just two years later, he moved to south Louisiana, quickly immersing himself in French music and language. Over the next several years, he performed French music in 17 countries and on seven fulllength albums with various groups, including the Pine Leaf Boys, Corey Ledet, Les Amis

COURTESY PHOTO

Tomboys on Parade C edar Valley power pop group Twins is planning a two-day album release party in Cedar Falls March 28 - 29. The group is releasing a fulllength album this month, Tomboys on Parade, on the Maximum Ames

Records label. Vinyl prints of the LP will be available for sale at the concerts. The event, Tomboys on Parade: All Iowa Pop and Rock Showcase, will be at the Octopus in Cedar Falls. Music starts at 9 p.m. each night.

Creole with Ed Poullard and J.B. Adams, and with his own group, Bijou Creole. Cedric Watson & Bijou Creole resurrect the ancient sounds of the French and Spanish contra dance and bourré alongside the spiritual rhythms of the Congo tribes of West Africa, who were sold as slaves in the Caribbean and Louisiana by the French and Spanish. Watson’s songs channel his diverse ancestry to create his own brand of sounds.

Cedric Watson Friday, March 7 @ 8 PM CSPS Hall, Cedar Rapids $17 advance, $21 door legionarts.org

JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER

“It’s basically a two-day music festival,” said Twins guitarist Joel Sires, “We figured a one-night release show just wasn’t enough because we are lucky enough to know so many great bands that we wanted to share the night with.”

The Friday lineup will be Gloom Balloon, Christopher the Conquered, Holy White Hounds and Twins. Saturday’s lineup includes Uncle Dad, God Don’t Make No Trash, H.D. Harmsen & the Electrophones and Twins. COURTESY PHOTO

8 PULSE

COURTESY PHOTO

Connections Suddenly, time and space was so big. And suddenly, he felt so small. Jay Nash was 11 years old when “the endless stream of time first dwarfed my perception of my own reality and ... for the very first time ... I felt afraid and alone.” His crisis ended with a single discovery: music. Among Nash’s musical influences are Cat Stevens, the Grateful Dead and Bob Dylan, but more important to him as an artist, he says on his website, is “the connective power of music.” “I seek that connection. I search for that sound. I suspect that the universe has some particular resonant frequen-

cies and I believe that is truth that we are all looking for. Just as it exists in the physical world, I think that we can find that resonance in melody, harmony, rhythm and poetry. I was lucky enough to discover it very early on in my life – and so, I take that as a hint from the universe that I should encourage and enable others to make similar discoveries.”

Jay Nash March 26 Cedar Valley House Concerts RSVP at cvhouseconcerts.wix.com

save the date! women’s weekend out | decorah, iowa

Stripped down Bryan Adams brings his highly successful solo tour to Davenport with a special concert at Adler Theatre. The show provides a rare opportunity for fans to see the hard-rockin’ artist as they’ve not seen him before — acoustic and intimate. Adams has sold more than 65 million records, toured six continents and achieved No. 1 status in more than 40 countries. With hits like, Cuts Like a Knife, Summer of ’69, Kids Wanna Rock, Can’t Stop This Thing We’ve Started, (Everything I Do) I Do It for You, Open Road and most recently Thought I’d Seen Everything, Adams’ status as one of the great songwriters of our time has been solidified.

friday & saturday, april 4 & 5, 2014 Fabulous Opening Party & Marketplace featuring dazzeling Iowa Drag Queens Wine Tastings Free Swag Bags Door Prizes & Giveaways Comedy Night Style Show Brunch Purse & Accessory Parties Fantasic shopping deals all over town!

Bryan Adams March 27 @ 8 PM Adler Theatre, Davenport $31.50, $57, $77 800.745.3000 | ticketmaster.com

For more information and to register, go to

visitdecorah.com/wwo COURTESY PHOTO

PULSE 9

Crowd 10 PULSE

WORK IN PROGRESS MELODY PARKER | PULSE WRITER

BRANDON POLLOCK | PULSE PHOTOGRAPHER

“Art is never finished, only abandoned.”

rtist Kim Behm quotes Leonardo daVinci, smiling. “It’s true. There’s always the possibility of change, a new direction. It’s my personal attitude and thought of the work itself. The whole process of painting is pushing the boundaries and critical thinking. For me, ‘work’ is a verb. It’s never finished – and it’s fun.” “Kim Behm In Progress” is the title for the exhibition of one of the Cedar Valley’s most respected and dedicated artists, on display through April 3 in the Forsberg Riverside Galleries at the Waterloo Center for the Arts. Nearly 50 paintings are included in the exhibition, gathered from various sources and from the artist’s own studio. In its entirety, the exhibition spans about 40 years of Behm’s career as a professional illustrator, painter and educator. Interestingly, it is 30 years to the month when Behm’s first exhibition took place at the WCA, and as an example of the “in progress” nature of the show, he has included a work he first painted in 1977. “I reworked it for the 1984 show and I’ve repainted it three times since then, as recently as a few weeks ago. My other choices depended on how much I liked the work, whether I wanted to share it.” Behm explains. He admits it was difficult to edit his selections. “There were some I felt intensely about, but I changed my mind a few

Granada

times,” and walking into the exhibition “is a little scary, a little intimate. That’s me on the walls, my personal stuff. That can be a bit intimidating.” His philosophy is to remain sensitive to the artistic process. Many paintings reference art history, a subject Behm teaches at Hawkeye Community College as assistant professor of fine art and art history. His work, he says, is rooted in older traditions “with both representational subjects as well as more abstract geometric works that suggest but often contradict depictions of space.” A self-described “people watcher,” Behm’s paintings often feature portraiture and crowds in various compositions. “I have a broad focus, and I don’t make caricatures. I treat people as benign subjects, as a kind of tapestry. I study crowds for compositional angles, postures, shapes, light and shadows.” Geometry also intrigues and pleases Behm because “we are a species that loves geometry. Our lives are organized geometrically. It seems rational, and we seek it out, relate to it, and arrange our world in geometric shapes.” Chawne Paige, WCA’s digital arts manager, is the show’s curator. He deliberately arranged Behm’s work to create vignettes that draw in the viewer. “The work definitely relates to the world around us, and I wanted the public to see the paintings in perspective. The beauty of Kim’s work, the vision, creates a new dialogue and even more appreciation for his art,” Paige explains. Behm comes from a family of artists. His father, who is in his 90s, lives in Tucson, Ariz., where he still paints. One sister is an artist in Seattle, and another sister has taken up painting as a hobby. He trained as a graphic designer and photographer at Des Moines Tech, graduating in 1967. He earned degrees in printmaking, painting and art history from the University of New Mexico, and taught at the university as well as the University of Northern Iowa. Presently he teaches painting, drawing, art appreciation and art history at Hawkeye Community College. His career includes a lengthy stint as a professional illustrator, and he continues to work as a freelancer. His medium of choice is oil on canvas. “It’s traditional, and it’s flexible and takes time to dry – and it smells good.”

Artist Kim Behm at the Waterloo Center for the Arts.

Castle PULSE 11

Greek general Themistokles leads the charge against invading Persian forces led by mortal-turned-god Xerxes and Artemisia, vengeful commander of the Persian navy. Maybe everyone wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t die this time?

MARCH 7

MARCH 21

STARS: Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Allison Janney A spelling bee loser sets out to exact revenge by finding a loophole and attempting to win as an adult.

12 PULSE

20TH CENTURY FOX, WARNER BROS., SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT, FOCUS FEATURES IMAGES

STARS: Sullivan Stapleton, Rodrigo Santoro, Eva Green, Lena Headey

MARCH 7

STARS: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Stephen Colbert, Leslie Mann

Using his most ingenious invention, the WABAC machine, Mr. Peabody and his adopted boy, Sherman, hurtle back in time to experience world-changing events first-hand and interact with some of the greatest characters of all time. They find themselves in a race to repair history and save the future.

MARCH 21

MORE MOVIES MARCH 7

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL STARS: Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham, Edward Norton The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.

MARCH 14

NEED FOR SPEED STARS: Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper, Scott Mescudi, Imogen Poots Fresh from prison, a street racer who was framed by a wealthy business associate joins a cross-country race with revenge in mind. His ex-partner, learning of the plan, places a massive bounty on his head as the race begins. Jesse Pinkman??!!! Yes!!!

MARCH 28

NOAH STARS: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson STARS: Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet Beatrice Prior, a teenager with a special mind, finds her life threatened when an authoritarian leader seeks to exterminate her kind in an effort to seize control of their divided society.

Noah takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look in the Bible if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to spoil the ending.

SABOTAGE STARS: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington, Terrence Howard Members of an elite DEA task force find themselves being taken down one by one after they rob a drug cartel safe house.

PULSE 13

ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER

South Park: The Stick of Truth This game is written and voiced by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, so the character treatment will be good. Whether the actual gameplay holds up, well, let’s hope for more and expect less just in case.

MARCH 21 Hi, Delsin. (Great name, by the way.) You’ve got super powers, which is cool and all, but Seattle’s Department of Unified Protection doesn’t take too kindly to your type. By which I mean I’d invest in some Kevlar.

FOR: PS4

PC, PS3, X360; March 4.

Metal Gear Solid V I thought, wow, they made that game fast! But Ground Zeroes is just the “first segment” of MGSV. Is this something we want to encourage? Or are we happy to have part of a game for $40? PS3, PS4, X360, XB1; March 18.

Dark Souls II Is the whip you use to lash yourself getting worn? Tired of berating your reflection in the mirror? Now there’s a new way to torture yourself with the sequel to Dark Souls!

It’s the first-person shooter to redefine the first-person shooter ZOMG!!!!!! But really, it looks pretty cool. I mean, look at that big roboty armor thing. How can driving that thing around not be fun? The game is totally online multiplayer but promises to have the big set pieces of a single player campaign as well.

MARCH 11 FOR: PC, XB1

MARCH 25 FOR: X360

PC, PS3, X360; March 11.

Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD FFX and FFX-2 get a fresh coat of paint plus the international content we never got here, along with a new 30-minute audio drama bridging the gap between them. PS3, Vita; March 18.

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Something about a Soulstone and evil and blah blah blah. More to the point: new loot! Mac, PC;

14 PULSE March 25.

Fact: Yoshi is adorable. Fact: Yoshi’s Island is a fantastic game. Theory: This sequel, featuring giant eggs and new morph powers, will also be awesome. Saddle up!

FOR: 3DS

MARCH 14

Bravely Default forges a new path for RPGs ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER

’ve never been a big fan of the job system in Final Fantasy games, where all the characters are essentially blank slates waiting to be assigned a role like summoner or swordmaster. I’m not sure what exactly it is about the Bravely Default version, but it’s topnotch. Maybe it’s the variety of roles Tiz, Agnes, Edea and Ringabel can slip into, 24 in all from salve maker to merchant. (Agnes is pronounced ahn-yez, FYI, not ag-ness.) Maybe it’s the expansive menus that let you know exactly what skills each job has at a glance — and, more importantly, tell you what each of them does with the touch of a button. Mixing and matching

those skills and jobs will allow you to play the game the way you want. And if using four white mages isn’t working out against the enemies at hand, flip roles and try again. The best part of the battle system is the title mechanic, however. Instead of choosing to attack or use magic, a character can Default, or defend themselves for a turn. This accrues BP, which can then be spent on advanced skills or multiple attacks in a row using Brave. Brave can also be activated before Default, but that puts the BP count in the red and creates turns where the enemy is free to take a swipe. When used wisely it’s possible to eliminate enemies in one fell swoop; rush in fool-

ishly and feel the pain. Enemies can use the system too, which makes for tense boss fights. The great battle system is backed up by a decent soundtrack, lushly painted backgrounds and a solid story, which is mostly voice-acted. Side conversations between party members add a lot of personality to the characters and provide a deeper connection to the story. It might not have Final Fantasy in the name, yet the spirit of the franchise is alive and well in this handheld gem. It’s great to see new ideas infused into a well-known format. It makes Bravely Default feel like a breath of fresh air, and it’ll be fun to watch this offshoot blossom into something great.

For: 3DS | Price: $39.99 | Rated: Teen PROS: Fresh tweaks to battle system. CONS: The endgame, some grinding.

Retro City Rampage a complete package ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER

etro City Rampage is clearly a labor of love. You can’t swing a bat or a mariachi guitar around the streets of Theftropolis without hitting a reference to the last three decades of video game and pop culture.

Threes! For: 3DS; also on PSN, PC and WiiWare Price: $9.99 | Rated: Teen PROS: Great gags; gameplay is quick to pick up.

The game originally came out in October 2012. I reviewed it then, noting the challenging rampages and the big dose of nostalgia. Rampage has only gotten better over time, with numerous free updates pushed out as the game found a home on more and more platforms. Now the definitive edition is out for the 3DS: Retro City Rampage DX. It’s worth owning even if you already have a copy of the game on PC, Wii or the various Sony devices. Rampage DX plays like it was always meant to be on Nintendo’s handheld device. With the city

CONS: Losing all your stuff when you die.

map on the bottom screen and the ability to switch between the scads of weapons via the touchscreen, the game makes good use of the unique controls available on the 3DS. The missions have also been retooled and rebalanced, so the overall experience feels more smooth. Tool around in arcade mode or play through the missions. Rampage is a blast either way.

UBISOFT, NINTENDO, SONY, EA, VBLANK, SIRVO, SQUARE ENIX, SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES

For: iOS | Price: $1.99

A new addiction ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER

ike you needed another way to waste time on your phone. But new puzzle game Threes! is too good to pass up.

The goal of the game is to merge numbered tiles. Ones and twos combine with each other to make threes, and from there on the tiles only match with equal numbers. Each move slides all the tiles on the board in whichever direction you choose, and one new tile is added. The game ends when all the spaces are full and no merges are possible. There’s surely a great deal of strategy involved, but it’s just as fun to swipe aimlessly and see what happens. With a fun background tune and quick play sessions, there’s no reason not to get Threes!

PULSE 15

REVIEWS

ERIC CHURCH THE OUTSIDERS

hen Eric Church became the king of “bro country,” coined for his party-ready mix of country, rock and hip-hop’s appeal to young dudes, with his album Chief, it was pretty clear that wouldn’t last. Church’s reputation is built on being a rebel, and you can’t really rage against the machine when you have become the machine. So on his new album, The Outsiders, Church consciously tries to move outside the mainstream again, looking to be more artistic.

And, for the most part, he succeeds. His eight-minute epic Devil, Devil (Prelude: Princess of Darkness) combines a spokenword allusion to Charlie Daniels with a catchy bit of gospel-tinged rock. On That’s Damn Rock ’n’ Roll, he raps, kind of, over an AC/DC guitar riff mixed with some Rolling Stones grooves.

“We let our colors show where the numbers ain’t / We’re the paint where there ain’t supposed to be paint.”

The Joint is a must-hear if only for the low, rumbling grumble he uses to tell the story of his mama’s arsonist streak.

However, he sounds completely natural on much of the album when he delivers pleasant songs like Give Me Back My Hometown and the catchy Roller Coaster Ride, as well as a soon-to-be “bro country” anthem, Cold One, with its clever wordplay, hip-hop scratching and bluegrass breakdown.

Sometimes, he tries a little too hard, like on the title track — a hybrid of talking blues and hip-hop where he throws in lines like

Church may want to be an Outsider, but he’s destined for a mainstream embrace, whether he likes it or not. — Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

NEIL FINN DIZZY HEIGHTS

PHANTOGRAM VOICES

he so-called “sophomore slump” is something most artists aim to avoid but somehow manage to hit with precision.

that wrap listeners in a mummy’s bandages of longing and regret as is experienced on Never Going Home.

Not so with Phantogram. The New Yorkbased duo, whose songs blend deep and defined throbbing foundations with swirling but dirge-like grooves that float and careen around in a whirl of melody, has safely hopped over that trap with Voices, its new 11-track album.

But it’s not all melancholy. Sarah Barthel and Josh Carter have found an equilibrium that pulls the very best of each other’s talents to the forefront and blends it for songs that have a stunning heft.

It’s the follow-up to the electronic rock act’s 2009 debut, Eyelid Movies, and comes after Phantogram’s well-received collaborations with Big Boi of Outkast. There’s no slumping on Voices to be found anywhere except for the heavy-handed lyrics and layer upon layer of heavy tones

This isn’t music for jubilant parties. This is music for listening, parsing for meaning, for introspection and for making bold declarations. Phantogram has crafted an epochal album, a generational capstone that will reside in playlists for a generation to come and returned to in times of heady joy and nostalgic reminiscence. — Matt Moore, The Associated Press

CANDICE GLOVER MUSIC SPEAKS

he music industry is rarely fair, but Candice Glover has drawn a remarkably unfortunate lot for her debut, Music Speaks. The reigning American Idol champ, whose strong, soulful voice actually makes her one of the most promising winners in years, has been hampered by a lot of situations out of her control. Those asterisks seem to have affected her music prospects, though, resulting in her debut arriving a ridiculous nine months after interest in her peaked and a lead single, Cried, that is among the album’s weakest and saddest tracks. Who uses a downbeat song with a motif of tiredness and a chorus of “I cried and I cried and I

cried” as an introduction? Yes, it was written by the great Jazmine Sullivan, and Glover does OK with it, but come on, Sullivan’s Damn would have been a way better choice. The fun Coulda Been Me, which combines a girl group vibe and a hip-hop groove, is a far stronger potential single, and the Mike Will Made It-produced ballad Passenger could generate far more buzz. Glover smartly includes her version of The Cure’s Love Song on Music Speaks, arguably the best performance ever on Idol, as a reminder that she has the chops to weather this storm. It’s just sad that she needs a comeback even before she really starts. — Glenn Gamboa, Newsday

16 PULSE

eil Finn has written effortless pop songs since the 1970s, both in Split Enz and, especially, in Crowded House. He also has a penchant for working with family: with brother Tim in Split Enz and the Finn Brothers; with wife Sharon in the Pajama Club; and, on Dizzy Heights, his third solo album, with sons Liam (a successful singer-songwriter in his own right) and Elroy as well as his wife. Dizzy Heights steps away from the perfectly crafted guitar pop that has usually been Finn’s specialty. At times, it’s more abstract and experimental (the grandiose, falsetto Divebomber and the ominous White Lies and Alibis, with its disruptive electronics), and these tracks display the fingerprints of producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, Mercury Rev). Elsewhere, Finn tries his hand at blueeyed soul (the slinky, string-kissed title track and the Hall & Oates-like Flying in the Face of Love). The latter style works better than the former, but Finn too often sounds like he’s working hard to stretch outside of what he does best. — Steve Klinge, The Philadelphia Inquirer

Wartburg Wartburg College WHAT GETS THE PULSE STAFF JAMMING Coconut Boogaloo by Medeski, Martin & Wood This funky, acid jazz tune showcases why this band has such an eclectic fan base. — Chris E. Swimming Pool Blues by Miniature Tigers This chipper, sleek single augurs well for the indie pop band’s upcoming album, Cruel Runnings. — Alan S. Dangerous Range by John June Year These Cedar Valley rockers are working on a new album, but songs like this off last year’s Lounge Lizard EP still sound fresh. — John M. Boxcar by Shovels and Rope A young couple wrote this dark love ballad. Perfect for hobo-ing, swinging your legs off the dock or sipping neat whiskey. — MacKenzie E. Believe by Cher I’ve been hitting the treadmill lately with this one. What better way to sweat off my love handles than with a little Cher? — David H. Saint Valentine by Gregory Alan Isakov This song reminds us there are worse things than being broken-hearted, like being the poor sap who’s the patron saint of lost causes in love. — Christinia C. Own It by Mack Wilds This actor-turned-R&B singer’s breakout single features a delicious little recurring bass riff. — Meta H. All My Rage by Laura Marling Letting go of anger is a whole lot easier with the help of this British folk darling’s warbling voice on this lighthearted tune from 2011. — Christinia C. What You Won’t Do for Love by Bobby Caldwell I had forgotten all about this smooth groove until I heard it on a car commercial. I got a thing for this song. — Meta H. Walking on the Spot by Crowded House This 1993 song from Australia’s biggest pop band is on my mind a lot lately with its clever lyrics and somber tone. — David H. Chase by Giorgio Moroder Moroder gained a ton of notoriety from the new Daft Punk album. This track is a reminder that he’s been doing the disco thing for a while. — Chris E. I Want It All by Karmin The melody’s not especially strong, but it’s all about the beat and the chant in this dance hall stomper. — Alan S.

M Monday, onday, Mar March ch 24, 7:30 p p.m. .m. T uesday, Mar ch 25, 7:30 p .m. Tuesday, March p.m. Wartburg Wartburg Artist Artist Series Series presents presents

THE TEXAS TENORS Adult Tickets: $29-$40 K-12 Students: $10

From Alabama to Puccini, John Hagen, Marcus Collins, and JC Fisher bring their unique blend of country, gospel, classical, and Broadway to the stage.

ORDER TICKETS TODAY! 319-352-8691 or www.wartburg.edu/artist PULSE 17

Older and wiser JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER

APrIl NCC CAleNdAr OF eVeNTS April 4th – Faythe Kubik Public Dance – Electric Park April 5th – Winter Storage Pull Out April 12th – Cedar Valley Dance Club Charity Ball – Electric Park April 18th – Easy Does it D.J. – Electric Park April 19th – Cedar Valley Derby Divas – McElroy Aud. April 25th – Boys and Girls Club - Harley Party MAY NCC CAleNdAr OF eVeNTS May 2nd – Honor Flight Fund Raiser – Electric Park May 2-4 – Barrel Racing – Pullin Simonsen arena May 5th – World’s Largest Garage Sale – Estel Hall May 8th – Thursday Night Dance – Electric Park May 9th – Easy Does It D.J. – Electric Park May 9th – Shrine Circus – McElroy Aud. May 10th – Green Scene Plant Sale – Ag Building May 11th – Rabbit Show May 16th – Faythe Kubik D.J. – Electric Park May 17th – Cedar Valley Derby Divas – McElroy Aud. May 21st – Iowa State Tail Gate May 23rd – Show & Shine Car Show May 24th - 4th Street Cruise Dance – Electric Park

*Progressive Bingo on Sunday, Monday, and Thursday – Pepsi Pavilion Call 319-234-7515 for more information or visit www.nationalcattlecongress.com 18 PULSE

ena Dunham’s Girls might be the most honest show on television. Without personally knowing Dunham, one is still compelled to assume a degree of honesty in that her show, which credits her as creator, writer, star and often director, frequently depicts her in a less-than-flattering light, dwelling on flaws of character and physique. In her depiction of 20-something experiences she’s more interested in depicting the age as awkward, uncertain and misery-infused instead of amusing and thrilling. The show, now in its third season, continues the painfully awkward and awkwardly painful misadventures of freelance writer Hannah (Dunham), would-be singer Marnie (Allison Williams), free spirit Jessa (Jemima Kirk) and high-strung student Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet). Unlike Sex in the City, that other HBO show about four women in New York City, these ladies are not bound by indestructible friendship. In fact, their frictions and tensions often color the proceedings with shades of loneliness, the kind that strikes in a full room. All of the characters are fearful, neurotic, selfish and uncertain in varying degrees. The issues are myriad: cultural, eco-

nomic, practical and romantic, among others. The series’ standout performance continues to be Adam Driver as Hannah’s boyfriend, a singular engine of sweaty masculinity, occasional sensitivity, obtuse emotional responses and recovering addict anxieties. Of near equal merit is Alex Karpovsky’s Ray, now managing a coffee shop and positioned to be the catalyst for romantic disaster. Coming on board as a recurring character is Gaby Hoffmann (Field of Dreams) as Adam’s sister, an emotionally destructive, somewhat malicious lunatic. Dunham’s steps aren’t always wise. Her insistence on portraying Hannah as a Midwestern transplant always falls flat, as the NYC born-and-bred auteur wouldn’t know Ohio from Mars if she had a GPS. Also, her propensity to film herself in the nude wears thin, removing the viewer from the show and straight into her body image issues. One of Dunham’s best moves, though, is her willingness to separate the characters. Primary players often go whole episodes without interacting with one another or even appearing at all. So what keeps these individuals in one another’s orbit, other than geography? Dunham sees them as mutually possessed of uncertainty about anything and everything, wracked by the suspicion that happiness is illusory and personal and financial successes belong to everyone else. But even as Dunham resists optimism, she manages to mine the situations for sharp humor. Barbs and observations play off of and build on each character. The commonality is that they’re each utterly unsure of what they want and need, the natural result when you mix reality’s shortcomings with cultural addiction to happy endings and emphasis on individual uniqueness. It’s to Dunham’s credit that Girls remains a funny, insightful watch despite the bleakness of its theme. Girls 9 PM Sundays, HBO

CHANNEL

SURFING True Detective True Detective is a searing burst of Southern gothic fire, a mystery that places as much emphasis on the philosophical as it does the procedural. Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson star as Louisiana homicide detectives whose personal issues come to an explosive head as they close in on a serial killer in 1995. You won’t see a more thoughtful, engrossing or exciting show this year, and with

only eight episodes slated for this story, it’s a case worth cracking. 8 PM Sundays, HBO

Community Community has been on life support since its first episode, but its rabid fan base has successfully kept it alive long enough to reach a fifth season. Creator Dan Harmon is back, Chevy Chase is out and Jonathan Banks (Mike in Breaking Bad) is in. If you’re looking for deliriously witty plays on pop culture with an airtight cast, this is one to watch.

making plans? 7 PM Thursdays, NBC

we’ll point the way

Justified Based on the works of the late Elmore Leonard, the fifth season of Justified places his characters where the author himself never put them — in a pressure cooker of intense emotional strain. And that’s good cookin’, as trigger-happy marshal Raylan Givens (Timothy Olyphant) and his boss (Nick Searcy) finally seem to be on the verge of a complete fallout courtesy of the former’s violent behavior. All the while, redneck criminal kingpin Boyd Crowder (Walton Goggins) seems

to be able to handle any problem except how to spring his beloved fiancee (Joelle Carter) from prison. 9 PM Tuesdays, FX

HBO, FX, NBC and SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOS

ReaD. WATCH. sURF CVPulse.com

PULSE 19

GALLAGHER BLUEDORN

2013-14

season

LISA LOEB APR. 7:30 P.M. / 24

Lisa Loeb’s storybook-like career, which began in the mid-90’s. She emerged from the New York coffeehouse and club circuits with her trademark Grammy nominated hit “Stay (I Missed You)” and to this day, remains the only artist to ever have a number one Billboard pop single while not signed to a recording contract. Loeb has chosen to stay true to her roots and is a perfect introduction to the Gallagher’s club series.