THE CURRENT Your weekly dose of arts and entertainment • Thursday, February 20, 2014
w o n e c n a d , y d o um b b l a y t s r r fi e e s a e Ev -look band prepares to rel New
acemer bassist repl ay. -girlfriend/for aw ex d ar e kw th of aw t The members The “It’s like the leas en,” Carroll said. fth pp lized after a fi ody All yb er Ev t that could ha ody All The Time was fina nd en ach ba E E m . S ay N E e hd rt R on bi n H s yb w ll’ do BY SARA The name Ever eer in celebration of Carro and after conTime didn’t sit ld of B estion, or gg W su at ” n . d nd ow un r ba ro a start it B waitresses. his or he e should totally tioning through members as came up with oup decided to poll the WO e phrase “W on k, rs in pe th d an h si ug day inner. Th ght, the gr also went thro nd evolved, tran e out as the w siderable thou m ca e Instead, the ba e fans and play more gigs. It d Turnt. pile of musiim T e when, with a id, “We’ve or ody All Th lle m ng ca yb t ri er ac as sp tr w Ev st at la nd to g ba n d gi e bega t, an lly, th Tommy sa to a prior l ’s percussionis and ange: Origina t to deal with, itself harkens en pm ui , everybody al eq an identity ch Tommy Carroll, the band st d ri ruments an as, the bongos y, and Turnt n, its guita st so ng in l co hn e ca Jo th t ke . go la er Medill junior geth ent B memor bay, we’ve graduate stud friend and began jamming to ghtgot the drum !” The phrase stuck in their McCormick ri up ual ut go an m s t’ a k, le h ic tr e, ug pa ro the tim vocalist, met th uate student Madison Fitz er its original bass ad aft was a goner. McCormick gr ss player, joined the band -boyfriend, moved ba ex c Fitzpatrick’s turned-electri happened to be player, who also
t for ready to go. p was a Habita The band was t gig as a grou rs fi s e’ im T e Th e Everybody All er in Fisk Hall. id. “I think w rais nd fu ity an g,” Johnson sa tin ee Hum m a e lin rder “That was bo p.” re is a a cappella grou here, even if that somewhe joy an r fo ed en op en ew m rs so be t ar em st to group’s m But you’ve got sk. Plus, all the Fi in ll ha e ur fairly small lect atter the venue. ing on stage.” m performing no ,” Fitzpatrick said. “I love be d engaging with -t s“I love this performing an stant rush of ded. in is th st ju “It’s son ad is great,” John ODY, page 2 people, which so likes » See EVERYB The band al home. e to to keep it clos
Source: Everybody All The Time
@thecurrentnu
INSIDE: Odds & Ends 2 | Columns 3 | Reviews 4
Page 2 | The Current
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Odds & Ends
Everybody
REU, a benefit concert for a medical supplies mission Feb. 27 at Silvie’s Lounge. Performing live is one thing; recording an album is a different experience all together. Fitzpatrick joined the band after they recorded the album, but Carroll and Johnson were there for every track and every tweak. “I think recording is definitely a delayed gratification thing,” Johnson explained. “You put yourself through really uncomfortable hours of loud music in your ear, but when it’s done, you feel really great about it.” The band’s first single, “Girls,” has already been released, in part because the group had actually
Their performances are generally in Evanston, and they often cater to the Northwestern student body. “The demographic at Northwestern responds well to our music,” Johnson explained. “It’s been a very supportive community.” One of the band’s most recent gigs was at Dance Marathon’s Battle of the Bands, where their set garnered attention and some social media clout. “People sought out our Facebook page and liked it independently, which was pretty sick,” said Carroll. The band is looking to build on that Battle of the Bands momentum with their next show, Rock for From page 1
finished mixing it and also because of its general popularity among their fans. “Girls” and the other songs on the album are written by Johnson — and often about Johnson. “They’re largely autobiographical,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of cool to see the progression of my life on this album.” Once he writes a song, he presents it to the rest of the band. “Me playing it with them will change how the song gets written. They’re part of the creative process in this call-and-response way,” Johnson said. And thanks to the band’s diverse interests, it’s likely that Everybody All The Time’s sound will cater to a
wide range of musical tastes. The members describe the band’s sound as “indie pop with some rock sensibilities,” but each individual member brings his or her own preferences to the music. Fitzpatrick listens to jazz and the blues, Johnson gravitates towards indie pop and rock and Carroll is all over the place, filling his playlist with anything from obscure African disco to Blake Shelton. “I think it’s interesting that nothing has to be a pure anything,” said Carroll. And Everybody All The Time plays what it wants to play. sarahrense2016@u.northwestern.edu
Ben Savage
ERICA WITTE
WHERE ARE THEY NOW COLUMNIST @ericawitte
industry for guest appearances in shows like “Chuck,” “Bones” and “Shake it Up!” Just when we thought he was finally fading from the biz for good, the best thing in the world happened: Girl. Meets. World. Yes, you understood me correctly. Disney Channel is bringing Cory and Topanga back as a married couple with kids. The show will debut this summer (OMG) and will take place in New York City, where the Matthews couple moved in the last episode of the series. Cory is now a teacher at the school his daughter attends, and I fully expect him to become the new Mr. Feeny. Topanga, on the other hand, is apparently a pudding entrepreneur. Interesting. So, I don’t know about you, but I simply cannot wait to watch this show, which is weird because I started boycotting the station in high school when it got lame. Well played in drawing back those ‘90s kids, Disney Channel, well played.
Even if you’ve never heard the name Ben Savage, I can almost guarantee you know the name Cory Matthews. If you haven’t, you had a most unfortunate upbringing. If one show has that taught me anything about life and love, it was “Boy Meets World.” Although I was never a prepubescent boy like Cory, the lessons he learned guided me through the trauma of grade school, and I still have nightmares about the Halloween episode where Shawn is evil. Hailing from the place where it is currently hailing, Savage left the Windy City to begin his childhood acting career. After dabbling in commercials, TV and film as a youngster, he snagged the lead role of “boy” on “Boy Meets World,” which ran from 1993-2000. Shortly thereafter, he studied political science at Stanford University, where he was a member of Sigma Chi. After graduating, Savage returned to the
Source: @bensavage on Instagram
ericawitte2017@u.northwestern.edu
THE STEAM PRESS: The Final Countdown MACKENZIE BRODERICK BOOKS COLUMNIST @badbroderick
Greetings, culture lovers! As the quarter system continues to test our mental fortitude and capacity for caffeine, finals loom like a giant black hole, slowly sucking us toward its gaping vortex. Once again using the power of literature to predict the future, The Steam Press flips through “Cold Comfort Farm” by Stella Gibbons to gain insight for finals week. Monday “Once … when you were a little girl … you had seen something nasty in the woodshed.” In the midst of taking the test, you will experience a traumatic flashback. You will
freeze up as you recall an unfortunate middle school haircut, that calc final you bombed or any other of the many embarrassing moments that have led up to this point.
and stop stressing about your hook-up buddy to concentrate on the task at hand. Wednesday “Flora was desperately sleepy: she felt as though she were at one of Eugene O’Neill’s plays; the kind that go on for hours and hours and hours.” Poor choices Tuesday night will come back to haunt you Wednesday morning as you struggle to stay awake in the face of endless multiplechoice questions.
Tuesday “The trouble about Mr. Mybug was that ordinary objects, which are not usually associated with sex even by our best minds, did suggest sex to Mr. Mybug.” Interpersonal problems will influence your test-taking skills on Tuesday. Get your mind out of the gutter
Thursday “But I am sure you could do it.
Or you might do journalism. Or book-keeping. Or bee-keeping.” As the week stretches on, you begin to question your life choices. Is it too late to drop out and become a basket weaver? Do I really need a degree? What is learning, anyway? Friday “From the stubborn interwoven strata of his subconscious, thought seeped up into his dim conscious.” By the time the end of the week finally arrives, your brain will have melted into mush. You will no longer be able to stand upright, speak in coherent sentences or hold a pencil. mackenziebroderick2017@u.northwestern.edu
HERE WE GO AGAIN
—Compiled by Erica Witte
“I do my own tweets. If Martha makes a typo, they think I’m drunk.” — Martha Stewart, at The MAKERS Conference in Ranchos Palos Verdes, Calif.
Editor in Chief Devan Coggan
“I just wished someone a ‘Happy VD’ and then realized that could be interpreted a few ways... #HappyValentinesDay” — Jessica Biel, on Twitter
Assistant Editors Laken Howard Hayley Glatter
“What did the the digital clock say to the grandfather clock? Look grandpa! No hands! #ClassicJokeWednesday” — Ellen DeGeneres, on Twitter
THE CURRENT Design Editors Jessica Fang Susan Chen
Writers Mackenzie Broderick Mollie Cahillane Benjamin Kraft David Lee
“Why do all the people who post ‘cute cat videos’ on YouTube edit creepy music over the videos? Ruins my cute cat watching enjoyment.” — Olivia Munn, on Twitter Source: Facebook
Sofia Rada Sarah Rense Chelsea Sherlock Erica Witte
Thursday, February 20, 2014
The Current | Page 3
Columns
Wrap up Olympics with these gold medal movies chelsea sherlock movie columnist @musovogr
The Olympics end Sunday and hopefully along with it will be the end of #sochiproblems and the return of my favorite television shows. Despite not really following any of the winter sports, the Olympics are still very engaging for me and many others. It’s a cultural event filled with upsets, triumphs and heartbreak. Because I only know about a
Source: Facebook
handful of the athletes, I love listening to the promo packages shown before competitors compete. The Olympics can become all about the personal stories of the journey to the games. Everyone has stories for why you should root for them, which gives me a personal investment in wanting them to win and keeps people glued to the television in anticipation. If you’re like me though, it feels like the Olympics have barely started. Between midterms, meetings and attending class, I’ve watched very few events and have missed out on the whole Olympic experience. Part of what makes the Olympics such a key event to watch is that it only happens once every four years, but the downside is I now have to wait until I’ve graduated for the next Olympic games, the ones in Rio. To handle withdrawal from the Olympics after the closing ceremonies, watch these Olympic-related and inspired movies. The majority of these are cheesy, feelgood films, but that’s what makes them great. 1) “Ice Princess” In one of Michelle Trachtenberg’s breakout movies, she stars as Casey Carlyle, an excellent high school student who uses her gift for math to figure out the physics behind skating. She teaches herself to skate and against all odds, journeys to nationals. This movie is definitely geared towards straight females. There’s a love interest, rooting for the underdog and drama between other skaters and parents. The fabulous Joan Cusack, Hayden Panettiere and Kim Cattrall all have supporting roles.
Source: Facebook
2) “Miracle” Do you believe in miracles? With that being the title, the viewer definitely goes into the movie not expecting to be surprised, but this movie, based on the USA hockey team’s quest to beat the dominating Russian team in the 1980 Olympics, is a classic sports film that will bring out the patriot in anyone. Kurt Russell stars as the team’s inspirational coach. 3) “Cool Runnings” Confession: I have never actually seen
Cooking & Recipes: Minestrone soup benjamin kraft recipes columnist
I don’t know if you check the weather daily, waiting for 30-degree temperatures and sunshine like I do, but if you do, you may have noticed that later this week it is supposed to be 40. I suppose it’s been 40 already this quarter, but I’m talking positive 40. Bathing suits, flippy-floppies, sun bathing on rocks, Fanta commercials, the works. I decided I needed some hearty soup to last me until Thursday when the whole campus may be one giant puddle, at which point we’ll find out if there is still earth underneath the eternal snow drifts. With a quick trip to Whole Foods or Jewel-Osco and a few pots and pans, it’s easy to make a delicious dinner in your dorm or apartment. This week, I took over the kitchen in Allison Hall to make this hearty and satisfying soup. Though last week’s quinoa wrap recipe was incredibly healthy, I was worried I was compromising taste for nutritional value. I didn’t go to the opposite extreme and wrap everything in bacon, but settled for a slightly less healthy dish that was scrumptious to a fault. Two quick additional tips: 1. The cooking time entirely depends on how large you chop the potatoes, carrots and celery, so cut them into 1/2-1 inch cubes and keep your cook time down while making your vegetables bite-sized rather than into spoon-wrecking, titanic
proportions. 2. After you add the noodles, run over to the grocery store and buy a still-warm loaf of country French bread that is soft but crackles explosively when squeezed. Slice it and use it to sop up the soup and anything else. All the deliciousness. Serves 6 | Hands-on time: 15 minutes | Total time: 1 hour | Source: Allrecipes Ingredients: 4 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup chopped carrots 1 19-ounce can cannellini beans 1/2 cup shredded cabbage (I don’t like spinach either, just trust me) 1 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 1/2 cups cubed potatoes 1 quart chicken broth 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons dried parsley 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup elbow macaroni 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Directions: 1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrots; saute for a five minutes. 2. Add beans, cabbage, tomatoes, tomato paste, potato, stock, garlic, parsley and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. 3. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes or until vegetables are barely tender. 4. Add pasta, and simmer for 30 minutes more or until pasta is al dente. 5. Serve hot with a sprinkling of Parmesan and a slice of bread. benjaminkraft2017@u.northwestern.edu
Benjamin Kraft/The Daily Northwestern
this movie because I didn’t have the Disney Channel growing up. However, during a discussion about the Jamaican bobsled team, a group of my friends brought up this movie. They went on for a good 10 minutes about how much they love this movie, set during the 1988 Olympics, and how relevant it is to this year’s Olympics. John Candy stars as the team’s coach, and as always, he gives a great performance. This is a movie I’m putting on my own watch list. chelseasherlock2017@u.northwestern.edu
Think global to broaden your music taste sofia rada
international columnist
People like to be passionate about music. Whether the DJ changes genre, artist or song, someone at the party will have a reaction. Maybe multiple people will. Sometimes that means people will stop dancing and instead stand still, look up at the ceiling, clench their firsts and proclaim that they “came in like a wrecking ball.” Music taste tends to vary largely among people based on personality, age, ethnicity or what have you. But ignoring individual taste, certain types of music dominate at certain events, certain places and, yes, certain countries. I’ve had multiple conversations with other international students about the music people play at parties here.”Here” could mean Northwestern, the Midwest, college in general or this entire county. One recurring comment is about how we’ve listened to more rap, hip-hop and trap now that we’re here than ever before. Latin American students tend to miss reggaeton. If you don’t know what that is, think of “Gasolina.” You’ve probably heard it. It was the first reggaeton song to be nominated for Record of the Year for the Latin Grammy Awards and was heard far from Puerto Rico. Reggaeton is not completely foreign to the United States. In fact, many songs are actually produced and become popular here. But they don’t often make it to the mainstream. Generally students from abroad tend to miss electronic dance music, or EDM, even though the genre has some popularity here. People tend to know the lyrics to songs like “Clarity” and “Wake Me Up,” but these are some of the few, more pop-friendly songs that do make it to the top. Listing the genre in your favorites isn’t quite so common here, although it is elsewhere. Especially in Europe. In fact, if you look at the big names — Avicii, Alesso, Afrojack, Calvin Harris — they’re mostly European. Many of us international kids are excited that EDM is increasingly more popular here. Don’t you worry, children. You’ll love it soon enough. Some international kids may miss hearing K-Pop or other Asian pop music. Some could miss sertanejo or another genre of the many that exist in Brazil. Hits like “Gangnam Style” and “Ai Se Eu Te Pego” (or “If I Get Ya”) have helped bring music from around the world into the American spotlight. If anything, they serve as a reminder that there’s more to non-U.S. music than Justin Bieber and One Direction. If you’re ever sick of Miley and Lady Gaga, try to get ahold of someone from a different place. They might introduce you to music you’ll grow to love. sofiarada@u.northwestern.edu
Page 4 | The Current
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Reviews
The craziest moments of ‘House of Cards’ season two
Source: Facebook
Like many, I traded DEVAN COGGAN a real Valentine’s Day CURRENT EDITOR for a date with Kevin @DEVANCOGGAN Spacey breaking the fourth wall, and I finished the entire second season of “House of Cards” in less than 36 hours. And Netflix’s most popular original series brought the drama once again, with plenty of highs (Cashew for president) and lows (Raymond Tusk… yawn). But more than anything, season two was filled with those bizarre plot twists that “House of Cards” does so well — the moments that make you sit up and ask, shocked, if this show can actually be serious. From erotic asphyxiation to multiple dead bodies, season two had plenty of WTF moments, and I’ve ranked the top five in order. (Obviously, major spoilers, so if you haven’t seen the second season, go watch. If you try, I bet you can beat my record of 36 hours.)
chummy with a billionaire money launderer and go to therapy with his wife. 4. The fall of Freddy In a series filled with malicious, two-faced characters, the owner of Freddy’s barbecue joint was refreshingly simple: His only goal was to cook and sell mouthwatering ribs, occasionally offering a welltimed barbecue metaphor to advance the plot. But halfway through season two, we learn that good ole Freddy has a criminal backstory, which apparently means he has to immediately sell his business and cut all ties with his BFF, Frank. We’ll miss you, Freddy. Now that you’re out of the picture, Cashew the guinea pig is the only character worth rooting for.
3. Untouchable Underwood I’m the first to succumb to Spacey’s charming drawl, but Frank Underwood is actually mortal, right? Not only did Underwood get away with murder (twice, now), but he rocketed from house majority whip to PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES within a single season. Sure, the man could sell water to a fish, but his ascension to the presidency feels way, way too easy. Here’s hoping his proclivity for murdering people who get in his way catches up with him next season. 2. Three’s company Remember Frank’s words of wisdom from last season: “Everything is about sex. Except sex. Sex is
5. The worst president EVER At the end of Garrett Walker’s presidency, his approval rating was at a lousy 8 percent. To put that in context, Richard Nixon’s approval rating was at 24 percent when he resigned in 1974. With a single digit rating, you’d think President Walker was out murdering puppies and pushing people in front of subway trains. In reality, all he did was get a little too
Rundown
Ellen Page comes out as gay, LGBT community rejoices At an event called Time to THRIVE, Ellen Page officially disclosed her sexuality. In a heart wrenching speech, Page said, “I’m here today because I am gay. … I am tired of hiding, and I am tired of lying by omission.” The video of her speech had me in tears. Though the LGBT community was not necessarily surprised, I applaud her bravery in coming out in such a public and effective way. Also, I knew there was a reason “Whip It” is a lesbian favorite.
The
Shia LaBeouf pulls strange skywriting stunt The long-troubled actor’s odd acts have escalated when on Monday he hired a skywriter to spell out “START CREATING” over the east side of Los Angeles. He confirmed via Twitter the message was his doing. LaBeouf is no longer the cute chubby boy he was during the era of “Even Stevens.” Now he’s just bizarre. I don’t think anyone fully understands what he’s up to. Michelle Rodriguez confirms relationship with Cara Delevingne It’s been a great week for queer women. Michelle Rodriguez has officially confirmed the relationship between herself and British supermodel Cara Delevingne. Rodriguez said it’s going “really well” between the pair. There’s nothing that warms my heart (or my Tumblr dashboard) more than two beautiful women finding happiness. Leighton Meester, Adam Brody apparently tie the knot Spotted: Adam Brody wearing a wedding ring. US Weekly reported that the two wed in a secret ceremony. The couple has been dating for over a year and announced their engagement three months ago. I wonder what Blair Waldorf and Seth Cohen would have to say about the nuptials. Probably nothing very nice. — Mollie Cahillane
Source: Facebook
about power.” And although season one had plenty of sexy times that explored the show’s power dynamics, season two’s sex scenes seemed like afterthoughts designed to shock, not advance the plot. There was that brief bit with businessman Xander Feng and erotic asphyxiation, which held no importance to the plot and was never mentioned again. And of course, there was that crazy threesome between Frank, Claire and their secret service agent, Edward Meechum. Steamy? Perhaps. Important to the plot? Less so. 1. Bye-bye, Barnes Fans of the original British series knew journalist Zoe Barnes was on her way out, but nobody expected one of the show’s biggest stars to meet her end halfway through the first episode. Zoe’s untimely death was so unexpected I seriously thought the second episode would open by revealing this was all just a crazy dream sequence. But alas, poor Miss Barnes had served her purpose, so Frank gave her a gentle push onto the train tracks. Which brings us back to this season’s theme: Frank Underwood can literally murder someone on a crowded subway platform and suffer no consequences. I mean, if the prospective vice president of the United States is going to commit murder in a public place, he should at least consider a better disguise than a trench coat and a hat. devancoggan2015@u.northwestern.edu
Big Gigantic provides more of the same on upbeat new album DAVID LEE
MUSIC COLUMNIST @DAVIDYLEE95
Although the songs on Big Gigantic’s latest offering, “The Night is Young,” are largely indistinguishable, the new material offers more of the group’s signature sound and more fodder for its legendary live performances. For the uninitiated, Big Gigantic is a duo consisting of Dominic Lalli, a virtuosic saxophone player who provides the electronic production, and Jeremy Salken, who provides powerful drum beats. My first introduction to the group was Governors Ball 2012, when the largely unknown duo electrified the crowd even though they were opening for more established acts. I had heard some of their music off of 2012’s “Nocturnal” and was blown away by how entertaining the music was. I thought it was just one guy standing behind a desk creating this music. When a drummer and a saxophonist came onstage, I was thrown for a loop. Yet their set was so much fun that I remember female concertgoers screaming praises like, “You guys should be headliners!” and “I wish I was that saxophone!” And boy, does Lalli know his way around that saxophone. He graduated from the prestigious Manhattan School of Music with a master’s in jazz performance, after which he performed with an Afro-Cuban band called The Motet. Lalli channels all of his musical energy — of which there is an outrageous amount — into a unique, hardcore, energetic and pounding electronic sound. The only real complaint I had was that after Big Gigantic walked off, I was exhausted. There was not a single break during the whole hour to stop jumping and catch my breath. The off switch separates “The Night is Young” from its predecessors. The title track has a noticeably laid-back vibe to it, very reminiscent to Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.” “Shooting Stars” begins with a lengthy saxophone interlude. The band’s trademark banging drums
don’t even enter for an entire minute and eight seconds. But for the rest of the time, Big Gigantic is doing what they do best: making music to jump with. To be honest, the fast-paced songs blend into each other and remain indistinguishable. Only one such song is entitled “Let’s Go!,” but honestly, the album should really just be one track with that title. Big Gigantic is not in the business of creating songs, though. The group is crafting and perfecting a sound, and I will gladly listen to its innovative approach to electronic music. The album is absolutely spectacular, perhaps Big Gigantic’s best work yet. And although they
sound great on recordings because of Lalli’s onpoint production, I am most excited to see them somehow blow the roof off of an outdoor stadium live. Now, when they come to Chicago for the 2014 Spring Awakening Festival, they won’t be relegated to middling status. They are headlining alongside big names such as Diplo, Kaskade and Tiesto. Steve Aoki is actually opening for Big Gigantic on the last night of the festival. So although this album is mostly more of the same, it serves as a coronation. Welcome to the big leagues, Big Gigantic. You absolutely deserve to be here. davidlee2017@u.northwestern.edu
Source: Facebook