Students in Professor George Bentley’s Digital Earth and Our Changing World class flew a drone above Larned Beach Feb

HEARTS & FEATURES

Sawaari takes FSU on a musical ride

By Robert Johnson Jr. Arts & Features Editor

After a nice, long winter break, the Midday Performances series at FSU resumed with a workshop and a performance from the Boston-based band, Sawaari, for the penultimate concert in the series, Feb. 10.

The band comprises of five members - Fabio Pirozzolo (vocals and percussion), Jussi Reijonen (oud), Mike Rivard (sintir and double bass), Andy Bergman (saxophone, clarinet), and Amit Kavthekar (tabla), each of them with a diverse background just as diverse as their musical range.

As 34 members of the FSU community sat in the audience, the band opened with “15,” a song that combined the melodies of Indian percussion with jazz-like compositional stylings. At some point in the song, it broke out into something similar to that of a rock number.

One of the biggest components of “15” comes from Kavthekar’s vocals, which open the song, but also appear in some spots in the middle. Combining this with his virtuosic banging on the tabla and a well-supported saxophone solo by Bergman, the band gave the audience a taste of what was to come in the performance.

The second song in their set was described by Pirozzolo as “a popular tune from Tunisia.” “Bahdha hbibti” wasted no time when it came to getting loud.

With percussion reminiscent of a ballroom dance, “Bahdha hbibti” had a great emphasis on the percussive efforts of Pirozzolo and Kavthekar. Bergman’s saxophone playing brought the piece together, and Reijonen and Rivard traded solos with each other, truly making their interpretation of the song a collaborative and fun time. “Both Ways,” the next song on the setlist, was one that “doesn’t come from any tradition but ours,” in the words of Pirozzolo.

Boasting a prog rock-like time signature of 27/8, this song has “been through many versions” and had everything a listener could want - a soft opening reminiscent of a ride along the countryside, call-and-response sequences, virtuosic, quick playing from all five

Sawaari performing in the McCarthy Center Forum, Feb. 10 Brennan Atkins / THE GATEPOST

members, pitch changes, and a whole lot more.

This song’s spotlight was on the dynamic duo of Reijonen and Bergman, with a lengthy oud solo from Reijonen taking space in the middle, with a backing track accompanied by Bergman playing underneath it. However, once that solo concluded, Bergman got one of his own, making use of the brief motifs found earlier in the piece.

The fifth tune in the concert, “Lo Jocu di la palumbella,” came from the place of Pirozzolo’s native Calabria, Italy.

“I don’t know if you are familiar with Italian geography, but if you mention Italy as being ‘the boot,’ this tune and this dialect comes from the heel - the one that borders with Sicily,” Pirozzolo said.

He added, “The lyrics are like one of those southern Italian dramas where somebody falls in love with someone - in this case, this young girl falls in love for a young, handsome guy who wants to be a soldier.”

The song opened up with an introduction by Reijonen’s oud, but this opening passage also gave way to Pirozzolo’s passionate vocals in Italian. Once that introduction passed, Kavthekar and Rivard joined the fun, but Bergman jumped in after an intense percussive hit on the calabash by Pirozzolo, sending the song into a different, more serious tone than the opening initially let on.

Bergman’s saxophone work, complemented to Pirozzolo’s vocals, full of solo potential with Bergman taking advantage of two key moments, where his soloing was accompanied by the quick diddles of Kavthekar. As the song concluded, all of the instruments fell out, one-by-one, until Bergman remained.

The song that followed was a composition by Rivard called “5 of Swords,” a melody that, naturally, placed an emphasis on Rivard’s sintir techniques, with the occasional playing around with weird, unidentifiable time signatures from moment to moment.

Perhaps the most exciting bit for the audience came in the form of a “drum battle” between Kavthekar and Pirozzolo during the later parts of the song.

The two traded technical blows back and forth to each other, but, as the other instruments played underneath this friendly duel of percussive proportions, the two men smiled at each other, making their chemistry known to the entranced audience. After all that drumming and a song that got people to get up and dance, Sawaari’s ride came to an end with a selection called “Neqsha,” a slower-paced tune with lots of interaction among band members.

Bergman played on a flute-like instrument alongside Reijonen’s oud, playing a few of the opening passages together, but as the song went on, Bergman began to perform trills on the flute that Reijonen responded to in kind.

Not one to go out slow, the band accelerated their way to the end with quick playing. And Kavthekar slapped the tablas furiously, one last time for the audience.

If you want to learn more about Sawaari, visit them on passim.org/ artists/sawaari.

The final Midday Performance of the school year will take place April 13, in the Heineman Ecumenical Center at 1:30 p.m., with the Entwyned Ensemble.

Would you ‘Stand by Me’

By Patrick Brady Staff Writer

Rob Reiner’s classic 1986 film, “Stand by Me,” is one of the greatest coming-ofage films ever made.

The film stars Wil Wheaton as Gordie, a boy who is dealing with the loss of his older brother, and River Phoenix as Chris, a boy who is mistreated by his father.

Additionally, the film features actors such as Corey Feldman as Teddy Duchamp, Jerry O’Connell as Vern Tessio, and Kiefer Sutherland as Ace Merrill.

Vern overhears his older brother and his brother’s friend talking about a boy’s dead body they found on the railroad tracks. He tells his friends - Gordie, Chris, and Teddy - about the discovery, and they decide to venture out of town in order to find the body. But Gordie is hesitant at first, since his brother just died, and the thought of seeing the body disturbs him. Each boy deals with their own traumatic experiences in the film and are far from perfect. As they travel farther and farther from town, they begin to realize things they didn’t know about each other - for better or worse. They are being hunted down by Chris’ brother, Ace, and his friends who have learned about the motive behind their disappearance.

“Stand by Me” is perfectly cast - both the teenagers and kids act realistically and never lack emotion. Even the kids from “Stranger Things” can’t compete with Phoenix and Wheaton’s acting ability.

Despite the exceptional writing, the film was snagged from receiving an Academy Award for best screenplay.

Raynold Gideon and Bruce A. Evans - the screenwriters of the film - produced the most realistic and natural dialogue I have ever heard in any movie. And the cast’s execution of it was flawless.

Whether it’d be from Chris opening up to Gordie about his troubled past, to the four boys joking with each other in their treehouse at the beginning of the film, it is difficult to tell if you’re watching a movie or not.

Above all else, the chemistry among the four main characters succeeds on all different levels. For this reason, the film never lacks heart, even in the darkest of scenes.

While the movie does deal with some uncomfortable subject material, it sprinkles humor in too. For instance, there is a scene in which the four boys talk around a campfire while hilarious dialogue ensues. The first time I watched the film, the scene had me in stitches.

The soundtrack of the film is superb as well. And while it could be considered slow by present-day standards, it helps to set the somber tone.

Although the soundtrack and screenplay of the film are astounding, there was one aspect film that stood above all else - the cinematography. Whether the scene was shot from a distance or up-close, the backdrop of the four main boys was beautiful.

Even though the story in which the film is based off of was set in Maine, “Stand by

Me” was filmed in Brownsville, Oregon. Therefore, the background is often rolling green hills covered with blossoming trees - with the occasional river.

While the landscape can be distracting at times, it also progresses the plot forward, since nature is often associated with innocence, and the driving theme of the film is loss of innocence.

The ending can be off-putting for some, but it certainly matches the underlying tone of the film. As a society of filmgoers, we have grown used to happy endings, but the film pushes us to accept the fact we’re all human and life isn’t a fairy tale. Even though it came out in 1986, the film was well ahead of its time, since it dared to explore character-based territory many films hadn’t ventured into before.

“Stand by Me” shows the loss of innocence in adolescence - and even though it might be terrifying, we all experience it sooner or later. Columbia Pictures

ADMIT ONE

Grade: A The film explores the struggles of growing up through loss and friendship.

ADMIT ONE

By Lauren Paolini Copy Editor Red carpet ready

The 92nd annual Academy Awards took place this past Sunday, but more importantly, celebs walked the Red Carpet before the show. It’s no secret our favorite actors shined in this year’s top movies, but I am here to assure you they saved some stardust for the pre-show carpet. Well, most of them did. I’ll give you the bad news first. One of our favorite female comedy duos, Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph didn’t exactly serve the looks we were hoping for. Wiig wore a bright red Valentino gown with outrageous side ruffles and long black gloves. Although the color is flattering for the “SNL” alum, I can’t help but agree with the Twitterverse on the dress giving major lasagna vibes.

No shade to lasagna - I’d just rather eat it than wear it. Wiig’s partner in crime, Rudolph, also missed the mark in terms of Oscar attire. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll always support a sequin-covered queen, but the orange hue of her Valentino gown ruined the look for me. The dress could have worked in a black or even navy blue, but the orange is off putting and leads to the illusion of too much fabric.

I love you both, but after that “Bridesmaids” catastrophe of a wedding gown, you should have learned to choose a better dress.

Another unfortunate fashion decision was made Sunday by Sigourney Weaver. The actress wore a long-sleeved Dior gown with a braided belt. The hunter green is a striking color on Weaver, but this dress looks like grandma’s favorite curtains and has far too much ruching.

Sigourney, you’re 70 and you look amazing. My advice to you is to have Stanley Yelnats throw that dress in a hole, and find an outfit which highlights your timeless beauty.

Aside from the mentioned celebs, the majority of the Oscar attendees cleaned up quite nicely.

Brad Pitt elevated the classic black tux with a velvet Brioni jacket tailored to perfection. His black bowtie perfected the classic-yet-modern look.

Brie Larson looked absolutely heroic in her blush Celine by Hedi Slimane gown.

This, my friends, is how you rock a sequin. Larson’s accessories, hair, and makeup perfectly complemented the V-neck gown.

And yes, the dress did have a cape. Captain Marvel, anyone?

I am ashamed to say that I have yet to see the movie adaptation of my favorite book, “Little Women.” However, I am grateful to have seen Florence Pugh’s Oscar-night ensemble. The up-and-coming actress stunned in a green Louis Vuitton dress. The fitted top and tiered skirt of the dress were matched with strappy heels of the same color, creating a monochrome.

Pugh’s hair was pulled back into a braided topknot and her makeup was kept neutral, allowing for the dress to take center stage.

Last, but certainly not least, is Natalie Portman. If you haven’t heard, the Academy are not the most inclusive bunch. Portman used Sunday to make a statement on the lack of female directors nominated this year. The actress wore a custom black and gold Dior gown with the names of female directors who didn’t get nominated embroidered on her cape.

I’m not part of the Academy (I know, shocking) but my award for best dressed goes to Natalie Portman.

‘Dolittle’ does little right...

By Brennan Atkins Arts & Features Editor

By Noah Barnes Entertainment Correspondent

“Dolittle,” directed by Stephen Gaghan, features a star-studded cast including names such as Robert Downey Jr., Tom Holland, Selena Gomez, Antonio Banderas, Ralph Fiennes, John Cena, and even Oscar-winning stars such as Rami Malek and Octavia Spencer.

The film is based on the beloved Doctor Dolittle character created by Hugh Lofting, and is played by Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ), who is arguably at the height of his career.

RDJ’s iteration of Dr. John Dolittle is interesting to say the least - he has a very strong Welsh accent, and it sounds as if his lines may have been dubbed over - poorly at that. Some scenes that are exploding with action have him whispering at best, while other times, he’s screaming in a quiet room.

RDJ doesn’t bring anything special, and this is certainly one of his more forgettable roles to date. RDJ is an excellent actor given the right script, but ultimately looks bored and unsure of himself throughout the film. It feels like there’s a strong possibility this casting choice was the only reason the rest of the film was made. It’s as if they’re taking a page from the “Cats” playbook. They overload the movie with huge stars only to lack content.

The story revolves around Dr. Dolittle, a physician with the unique ability to talk to animals. With his crew of animal companions, Dolittle embarks on a quest to an unknown island.

That just about wraps up the whole story. There isn’t much here and it’s your typical “it’s about the adventure, not the destination” plot in which the characters all grow together.

Of course, this is a kids’ film, but so is Eddie Murphy’s “Dr. Dolittle,” and at least that didn’t have headache-inducing attempts at comedy.

The humor is juvenile and lazy, not to mention thrown into every other line in the film. A lot of the jokes are callbacks to jokes they’ve already made.

Yes. We get it. The goose (played by Oscar winner Octavia Spencer) thinks the celery are forceps - it’s the fifth time.

Not a single joke lands, to an extent that you almost feel bad for the film.

Almost. The cinematography featured in this film simply gets the job done and nothing more. It’s mostly continuity editing for the sake of keeping the movie intact, but not many creative

liberties were taken behind the camera.

To be blunt, the animals may be the worst part of the whole film.

That “star-studded” cast we were talking about earlier is ultimately wasted on semi-decent renders of Dolittle’s best mates. Rami Malek plays a gorilla that’s scared of everything, Tom Holland plays a dog with glasses, and John Cena plays a polar bear that ... gets cold easily.

Each animal has an odd “humorous” character flaw that is used in about every bit of their respective dialogue. If you say it enough times, it’s funny, right?

It’s just very odd to blend this kind of cookie-cutter comedy with an intense action movie - it destroys the pacing of the film. One scene - which actually wasn’t awful - is when Tommy (Harry Collett) is riding a giraffe through London streets.

This goofiness quickly wears off when, seemingly out of nowhere, Dolittle gets in a naval battle with Dr. Blair Müdfly (Micheal Sheen) and all the animals are bracing for impact - definitely an odd direction for the narrative.

The CGI in some scenes could’ve looked a lot worse - some of the world elements, as well as some of the animal renders, actually look pretty good.

It feels as if Gaghan had no idea what this film was going to be about, what the actors are going to do or say, or how to write comedy because this film is extremely forgettable.

It’s definitely a kids’ movie to the core, but that doesn’t mean it can’t contain compelling characters, a gripping story, and jokes that take more than 13 seconds of writing. The Oscar-winning “Toy Story 4” was able to accomplish all of these feats and can still be dubbed “a kids’ movie.” CONNECT WITH BRENNAN ATKINS batkins@student.framingham.edu CONNECT WITH NOAH BARNES nbarnes@student.framingham.edu ADMIT ONE ADMIT ONE Grade: DIf it were up to us, we would stick to Eddie Murphy.

Kaitlyn’s Kosmetics

Over the Moon for oVertone

By Kaitlyn Cullen Staff Writer

I’ve seen so many ads for this brand and, honestly, I don’t hate them. I hate their products even less! The goal of oVertone is to deposit color in hair not only without damaging it, but while reviving it as well.

Their two color-depositing products are the Coloring Conditioners and Daily Conditioners.

The Coloring Conditioner is exactly as its name advertises - a hydrating color-depositing conditioner, perfect for initial hair “dying.” It only takes 10-to-15 minutes to fully deposit color, significantly less than traditional hair dyes. For brighter color, apply to dry hair.

The Daily Conditioner is a slightly weaker version of the Coloring Conditioner. It’s perfect for daily use to

maintain color and hydration. This product should be left in clean, wet hair for three-to-five minutes for optimal use. Most conditioners suggest a leave-in time of one-to-three minutes for optimal softness, but the extra time is needed for proper color renewal.

The third product I want to highlight is The Remedy.

This is a zero-color product which gives intense hydration to your hair - much like a hair mask. You leave it on for 10-to-15 minutes in wet hair and your hair is left feeling like it’s mermaid-quality.

So, the big question - does it work? Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! I used the Basics Ginger Complete System in lieu of constantly dying my hair. If you know hair, you know red is the hardest hue to keep. The fact this product not only has the Coloring Conditioner AND Daily Conditioner, it also comes with a mini travel bottle of the Daily Conditioner!

Bonus - with my online purchase, I got a free sample of The Remedy.

The advertisements for oVertone always say, “Scared of stains? Use gloves!”

This is imperative information for the WHOLE process.

Every order comes with a pair of disposable dying gloves, but make sure you keep them around for the rinsing process. You might also want your own reusable pair when using the Daily Conditioner for every other day touchups.

I had people asking me if I had jaundice or if I was molding pottery due to the residue that stained my hands when I rinsed my hair gloveless - lesson learned.

I am more than happy with these products. The Coloring Conditioner brightened my hair enough that the Daily Conditioner is only needed every so often, so I can use my (second) favorite conditioner whenever I want to. The Remedy felt clean, light, and hydrating.

My rainbow hair days are on pause for now, but from what I’ve seen from their brighter samples, they work just as well. Of course, all hair coloring products work best on lightened hair, but oVertone’s For Brown Hair line really shows that this company is all about catering to an audience that wants the look without the damage.

I wholeheartedly give this product an A.

VRAM: The Konami Arcade Championship informs the uninformed that DDR is not dead

By Robert Johnson Jr. Arts & Features Editor

News flash, and this might come to you as a shocker - “Dance Dance Revolution” is still a thing in America.

Although “Dance Dance Revolution” lost mainstream relevancy stateside after the release of 2006’s “Dance Dance Revolution SuperNOVA,” people in Japan and other Asian countries kept stepping on metal pads and grabbing onto bars, maintaining a competitive grassroots community in the process.

At the same time in America, the internet - especially YouTubers who were looking to prove themselves - was fixated on rhythm games like “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band,” despite the former running itself into oversaturation with a new game every year from 2008, onward.

However, while people were spending every waking moment banging on plastic drum kits and strumming on plastic bars that moved up and down, the competitive community for “Dance Dance Revolution,” adjacent games, such as Roxor Interactive’s “In The Groove,” kept operating as normal in the United States.

All of this context might seem unnecessary, but it sets the stage for an event that happened 12 years after a

“SuperNOVA” exploded into arcades - the ninth installment of the Konami Arcade Championship (KAC), that went from Feb. 1 to Feb. 8, spread across two weekends.

When the first KAC happened in 2011, it was a Japan-exclusive event, in the sense that only rhythm game players from Japan could duke it out with their fellow countrymen and women, but as of the most recent edition, people from the United States, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and a whole slew of other countries can enter and prove themselves to be the best BEMANI player in the world.

Games such as “Pop’n Music,” “Jubeat,” “Nostalgia,” “Sound Voltex,” “DANCERUSH,” and even “Dance Dance Revolution” were put on display for spectators to witness.

Of course, with these games, there have to be competitors, and with those competitors, there are stories - much like those you would see in something like baseball or American football.

In “Pop’n Music,” spectators were treated to more of the same. This is a good thing if you’re TATSU, a repeat winner of the biggest tournament in BEMANI. He has attended and won every KAC for the game since the event’s inception in the Male Division - which, as a concept, was added in the 2016 edition of KAC.

The Female Division winner of “Pop’n Music,” 8322, claimed her second straight title, but fourth overall, thanks to 10kai’s victory over her in 2018’s KAC, disrupting the streak.

However, the biggest story of the tournament cycle was found in Chris Chike’s journey in “Dance Dance Revolution A20,” being the United States’ “golden boy,” favored to win the tournament.

Chike, or “iamchris4life” as he’s often known, has a background in rhythm games that dates back to before 2008, being a prominent member of many “Guitar Hero” communities, setting world records left and right in “Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock.”

This domination over the game led to a Guinness World Record for his efforts in conquering the game’s hardest song, DragonForce’s “Through the Fire and Flames.” This was a record he traded with Danny “GuitarHeroPhenom” Johnson until Johnson got the upper hand in that duel.

On the topic of “Dance Dance Revolution A20,” though, he was the number one seed in the six-man bracket, and while his rival, FEFEMZ, was not able to attend the ninth KAC, due to his mandatory military service, Chike’s run to the top was still not going to be easy.

Yet, somehow, after an hour-and-ahalf of close matches and thousands of steps on metal pads, Chike hoist

ed a trophy above his head in victory - his second in the four KACs he has attended, so far.

What I’m saying through all this is the following - rhythm games can be just as competitive as your favorite contemporary esport, and the stories are just as impressive, if not more so than most. If you have an afternoon to spend in front of a laptop, I advise you check out a few of the KAC archives on YouTube and see some truly worldclass talent on Konami and BEMANI’s biggest stage.

Courtesy of Robert Johnson Jr.

CONNECT WITH ROBERT JOHNSON JR. rjohnson10@student.framingham.edu

ACROSS 1. Early educational lesson 5. You love, in Latin 9. DJ’s supply 12. Evil-natured 14. Yard parts 15. For a farm machine? 17. Not in use 18. “Moving right along ...,” e.g. 19. ___ Valley (city near Los Angeles) 20. Facts and fi gures 21. Teacher’s favorite 23. For a metric weight unit? 25. For the sovereign government? 30. Rage 31. Stuff in Bubble Wrap 32. Trash, like a plan 34. Discontinues 38. Bamboozle 40. Large bags 42. Whiffenpoofs’ college 43. Eco-friendly energy type 45. Old-fashioned showdowns 47. Solo on the big screen 48. Jr.’s son 50. For an imperial weight unit? 52. For actress Shelley or Nia? 56. Internet picture extension 57. Kachina doll maker 58. Anthracite, for one 61. Trees, shrubs and such 65. Last word in prayer 66. People who say “aye,” or an alternate title for this puzzle 68. Competed on “The Voice” 69. Exam often taken in a blue book 70. Tennis center? 71. Usually nocturnal insect 72. Some are named for queens DOWN 1. Band aids? 2. Unadorned 3. Plumbing problem 4. Ab strengtheners 5. Santa ___ 6. PC alternatives 7. Start to freeze? 8. Walk angrily 9. Wood whose smell can kill 71-Across larvae 10. Triangle in the Greek alphabet 11. Locomotive power 13. Welcomes 14. Antsy 16. “FourFive-Seconds” singer, to her fans 22. Diplomacy 24. Surgery sites, briefl y 25. Quarterback’s option 26. Puerto ___ 27. Spoken 28. Stepped (on) 29. Relish 33. Pressure source at school 35. Diamond Head locale 36. Think ahead 37. Post, as a letter

39. Posting, as a letter 41. Tedious crossword puzzle, say 44. 2016 Olympics host 46. All gussied up 49. Machu Picchu builder 51. Recently 52. Terrible twos, e.g. 53. Like the numerals on a sundial 54. Starts the bidding 55. Hebrew folklore fi gure 59. In addition 60. Lean to one side 62. Done (with) 63. Civil rights icon Parks 64. Creative endeavors 67. “Not happenin’!” Puzzle solutions are now exclusively online.