Issue 211 by Maroon Weekly

Issue 211 // January 19, 2012

JOSEF PIERRE

This House is Not a Home

RUSTY TACO Check out the new taco joint in College Station

TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY Brandon takes a look at the newly released blockbuster

contents

Business Manager Andrea Maynard Editor in Chief Chris Shepperd

maroonweekly.com // Nov 17, 2011

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Publisher Mick Maynard

MANAGING EDITOR Chris Zebo

music

Design/Layout Chris Weachock

Josef Pierre // Chris Zebo sits down with local talent to talk about upcoming album.

writers

calendar

Autumn Dawson Mara Kogan Erin McAllister Brandon Nowalk Ian Soares

Jan 19 - Feb 1 // Find out what is going on in BCS. We have the scoop on everything.

PHOTOGRAPHER Cameron Gott

food

DISTRIBUTION Meredith Morse Erin Tanner

Rusty Taco // Mara heads over to the new taco joint in town. See what she had to say.

sports

Coach Jo Evans // Exclusive Interview with A&Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Softball Coach Jo Evans.

movies

INTERNS Morgan Brown Jonathan Gomez Meredith Morse Lauren Platt Chris Weachock

Maroon Weekly is an independent, student-operated publication and is not affiliated with Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university funding.

Top 20 picks // See what Brandon has to say about this weeks top 20 box office hits.

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon Weekly is not liable for omissions, misprints to typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher. 1st copy is FREE, additional copies are $0.50 each Maroon Weekly 216 W. 26th Street ste 29 Bryan, Texas 77803 ph: 979.696.3971 | fax: 281.312.5160 ÂŠ Copyright 2011 Legacy Media Inc.

for giveaways and prizes follow us on twitter @maroonweekly www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 3

Music

By Chris Zebo

Josef Pierre: This House is Not a Home

4 // maroon weekly Jan. 19, 2012 www.maroonweekly.com

Music

Originally from Houston, Josef Pierre is a student in sociology at A&M (2012). If you were ever to meet him, after a few soft-spoken words from his mouth you would think he was either a taciturn nerd or a mysterious, smooth rapper. He’s actually both. This young talent is about to release his first full-length album worldwide from the remotely secluded town of— you guessed it—College Station.

Moi—into a soundscape that’s as uplifting as it is enticingly innovative.

In 2010, Pierre released The Distant, a 7-song hodgepodge of genre playfulness with all songs leaning more or less in the experimental rock direction. Although he disavows the album as“growing pains” music, it also holds sentimental value for him. The songs embody his first attempt as a solo artist.

This House is Not a Home will be released on noisetrade.com February 1, free to download. Maroon Weekly will also be offering fans of our Facebook page a download link in their newsfeeds in February.

Now, almost two years later, he is weeks away from releasing This House is Not a Home, an earnest project which has taken nearly a year to write and record. The new album seamlessly stitches together Pierre’s vast influences—such as Radiohead, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Church music, and Toro y

We sat down with Pierre in Starbucks in Northgate to talk about his new album. Over a cacophony of coffee grinding and milk frothing, we also delved into Pierre’s unique “place” in hip hop and how he tricked his dad into liking his music.

MW: Tell us a little about how the new album was produced. You had over 10 people contribute to this one. It must have been hard to manage everything. Pierre: I think that when I kinda figured out this is what I wanted to do, it was after listening to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, the Kanye album. And he has a ton of features on

the project. They were actually in Hawaii and Kanye flew everyone out to this compound, and they just sat and worked on music. And you can tell they’re his songs, like he wrote them. But everybody was in his ears with ideas. And I think that’s kinda how I felt with this. MW: You’re releasing your new album This House is Not a Home as a free download. Why free? Pierre: I don’t ever pay for music. I can’t think of the last time I paid for any album. But I know that I’ll go see people in concert. I just paid $95 to go see a concert recently. I don’t expect people to pay for my music at this point. So if I don’t pay for Grammy winner’s, why would they pay for an independent’s? MW: The range of influences that you personally lend to your music reaches into seemingly unrelated genres. Did you just say one day, “To hell with it! I’m gonna do my thing the way I want to!” www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 5

Music

you were able to keep in some licentious lyrics without setting off any alarms. On the other hand, you have another song on the album with a sample from The XX [an indie band from the UK] used predominately in your song, “The Struggle.” You manage to take the quirkiness out of the sample without becoming hipster hop. Pierre: It’s so funny coming from Houston and then this is the music I make. I grew up listening to rap. It’s so crazy. I let people hear the beats that I make, and they give me a weird look. It’s good, but they’re like, “Why is it so different?” They’re just not used to it. I feel like a lot of tracks on here are not typical, but when I listen to them, they sound like me. Growing up, my parents were really religious. My mom toured across the country singing for Women of Faith, the women equivalent of Promise Keepers. And my dad’s been a Deacon. So it’s crazy to know what they expect [from me] and how I was raised and what I actually am. It’s not that I haven’t forgotten it. I know it’s still important-MW: But this outlet has allowed you to ask questions? Pierre: Yeah. It’s not like a blind faith anymore. It’s so much easier to have a blind faith. “That’s what I’m told, that’s what I grew up thinking.” I kind of miss that in some ways, but I know I need to figure things out this way, too. MW: So...what do your parents think of your music? Have they listened to it? Pierre: Over the weekend, I went home and played one of the songs for my mom, a song called “Man in the Mirror.” I was like, “So, what do you think?” And she said, “I just don’t know why you have to use that language.” I let my dad listen to some of the songs, some of the songs in production, just the beats. And he’s like, “Meh, it’s okay.” And I said, “What are you looking for?” And he said, “Movie scores.”

Pierre: With the sampling, I wanted to do different things than most people would do in hip hop. I would say that most people have sampled a lot of soul music; I didn’t grow up on that, and I don’t listen to that much now. I respect it. But that’s not what’s featured in the album. I listen to a lot of indie stuff, electronic stuff, and 6 // maroon weekly Jan. 19, 2012 www.maroonweekly.com

stuff that most people in hip hop might not listen to. I really took what I listen to and sampled that, and that’s why the beats are a little bit different than what you might typically hear. MW: The music on this new album fuses elements of indie rock and Southern rap, which would seem like a highly unlikely marriage. But you take the hard edge out of dirty rap and yet

MW: That’s probably not such a bad thing. Your parents might be good thermometers for what’s poppy and catchy. Pierre: They ended up liking a song. I tricked my dad, didn’t tell him who it was. After listening to it, he said, “I like the beat. I like the guy who’s singing.” And I said, “Well I made the beat and that’s me singing. Tricked you! You like my song!”

hot picks

November 10-16

/concert///// ///JOHNNY COOPER/// With four albums and another one in production, Johnny Cooper has made a lot of music for a 23-yearold. Having idols such as John Mayer and Justin Timberlake, Cooper’s music is a unique blend of pop, rock and country. Make sure to visit his merch table; Cooper frequently visits his fans to thank them face-toface.

when Jan. 24 10 p.m. where Schotzi’s

Calendar JANUARY 19

Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast @ Rudder Theatre The MSC Carter G. Woodson Black Awareness Committee at Texas A&M University will hold the Fifth Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast at Rudder Theatre on January 19, 2012 at 5:00pm. The guest speaker is world renown actor, singer, and humanitarian, Harry Belafonte. Food and a book signing will be available to all attendees following the event. 5:00 p.m. Thursday, January 19 at Rudder Theatre, (1232 TAMU, College Station) $11 for students, $14 for faculty and guests. (979) 845-1515

The Velcro Pygmies @ Daisy Dukes

Intense, head banging, in your face rock band The Velcro Pygmies has been

compared to bands such as Van Halen and Bon Jovi. After coming together 21 years ago, the band still produces high-energy shows. As a tradition, the band likes to have the ladies take blow pops from the band, so ladies… come prepared. 10:00 p.m. Thursday, January 19 at Daisy Dukes (217 University Drive, College Station) $5 for girls, $5 for guys 21+, $10 for guys under 21 (979) 268-9601

JANUARY 20

Two by Two @ The Theatre Company Come witness the telling of Noah and the events that happened leading up to the Great Flood and its aftermath on January 20, 21 and 22 at 7:00pm 7:00 p.m. Friday, January 20 at The Theatre Company in Bryan (725 E Villa Maria, Bryan) $10-$25

(979) 779-1302 http:// www.theatrecompany.com/ current-shows/

p.m. Friday, January 20 at Schotzi’s (205 University Dr, College Station)

Friday’s Finest Ladies Night @ Velocity

JANUARY 21

Mr. 10-4 Promotions and Velocity have teamed up to bring a night dedicated to ladies. This dress-toimpress night lets the first 50 ladies in free for a night of hip-hop, house, and top 40 mixing from new-comer DJ Neaux 9:00 p.m. Friday, January 20 at Velocity (913 Harvey Rd, College Station) First 50 ladies get in free; $5 for 21+, $10 for under 21 (979) 703-1807

Nelo @ Schotzi’s

Alt-country band Nelo is fresh out of Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio after recording their latest album. The sextet out of Austin brings their innovative altcountry/rock sound back to College Station for a rare performance. 10:00

Two by Two @ The Theatre Company Come witness the telling of Noah and the events that happened leading up to the Great Flood and its aftermath on January 20, 21 and 22 at 7:00pm 7:00 p.m. Saturday, January 21 at The Theatre Company in Bryan (725 E Villa Maria, Bryan) $10-$25 (979) 779-1302 http:// www.theatrecompany.com/ current-shows/

Rock & Jazz Entertainment @ Revolutions

Mega Fauna was proclaimed “one of the best bands on the planet” by Austin’s locally famous rock poet, Thax Douglas; they will be doing a show with J. Wesley

Velcro Pygmies @ Daisy Dukes

By Morgan Brown

Not just a little bit of rock and roll, but a lot of rock and roll is the best way to describe the Velcro Pygmies. In your face, wearing tight leather pants and handing out blow pops to the ladies—you may be shocked you’ve never heard of them.

20 //////

The band has seen its fair share of members after going through 10 members in the past 20 years. But that’s not because the band is notorious for living reckless rock star lives. Contrary to popular opinion, the band members are living their personal lives on the calmer side. Each band member has found happiness with one

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Thursday

In fall of 1991, the Velcro Pygmies performed their first show ever in front of a crowd of just eight people at the Supper Club in Auburn, Alabama. Lead vocalist Cameron Flener got his energy noticed right off the bat. Being booked a couple times a year at their starting point in Auburn, the Velcro Pygmies made a name for themselves in the college town.

woman and surprisingly enough, Flener has never had a sip of alcohol. Flener can also be considered a very professional person in his private life showing interests in finance, politics, and talk radio. But forget we ever told you that. These guys will blow you away.

Calendar Haynes Trio, a complex instrumental Jazz band. 8:00 p.m. Saturday, January 21 at Revolutions Café & Bar (211B S Main St, Bryan)

Joe Teichman and The Cool Arrows @ The Beer Joint

Formerly known as Roadside Texas, Joe Teichman and The Cool Arrows return home to College Station. Enjoy fanfavorite covers and original songs which mix bluegrass twang and Texas country over a game of shuffle board, billiards, or darts in The Beer Joint’s professional dart alley. 9:00 p.m. Saturday, January 21 at The Beer Joint (12550 State Hwy 30, College Station) $3 (979) 776-2377

Salsa Dancing @ Village Café

Voted Best Night of Dancing (2011), Salsa Saturdays starts with a fun “30-Minute

Crash Course Salsa Lesson” at 10pm followed by a hot night of dancing. Come prepared to sweat and to meet new people at this Aggie favorite hot spot. 10:00 p.m. Saturday, January 21 at The Village Café (210 W 26th St, Bryan) $5 www. mambosentertainment.com/ salsasaturdays.html

Rasta Grooves Zapatos

Rasta Grooves, as the name suggests, will transport you (at least aurally) to the palmtree-lined beaches of the Caribbean. Always a crowd favorite, the group goes great with a rum and coke in hand. 10:00 p.m. Saturday, January 21 at Zapato’s Cantina (211 University Dr, College Station) (979) 260-0662

JANUARY 22

Two by Two @ The Theatre Company Come witness the telling of

Noah and the events that happened leading up to the Great Flood and its aftermath on January 20, 21 and 22 at 7:00pm 7:00 p.m. Sunday, January 22 at The Theatre Company in Bryan (725 E Villa Maria, Bryan) $10-$25 (979) 779-1302 http://www. theatrecompany.com/ current-shows/

JANUARY 24

Chamber Concert @ First Presbyterian Church

First Presbyterian Church is hosting the Vinca String Quartet for a chamber concert on January 24, 2012 at 7:30pm. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 24 at First Presbyterian Church (1100 Carter Creek Pkwy, Bryan)

Johnny Schotzi’s

Cooper

With four albums and another one in production, Johnny Cooper has made a

lot of music for a 23-yearold. Having idols such as John Mayer and Justin Timberlake, Cooper’s music is a unique blend of pop, rock and country. Make sure to visit his merch table; Cooper frequently visits his fans to thank them face-toface. 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 24 at Schotzi’s (205 University Dr, College Station)

JANUARY 25

Salsa Dancing @ The Village Café

Salsa Wednesday’s offer an hour and a half professional dance lesson(8pm) followed by a night of dancing from 9:30-12am. A great night to learn new moves or just let loose on the dance floor. 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 25 at The Village Café (210 W 26th St, Bryan) $8 for lessons and dancing, $5 for just dancing www.

mambosentertainment.com/ grouplessons.html

JANUARY 26

Senior Identity Theft Need to Knows @ Waldenbrooke Estates This informational will target mostly seniors and adult children of seniors. There is no cost but please RSVP no later than 1pm on January 25th. 11:30 a.m. Thursday, January 26 at Waldenbrooke Estates (2410 Memorial Dr, Bryan) RSVP no later than 1pm on Jan 25 (979) 7741298

Live Music Village Café

The

The Village Cafe is hosting singer/songwriter night (by: Christopher Clonts & Brandon Lacy) on January 26, 2012 at 8:00pm. Come to listen or share music. 8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 26 at The Village Café (210 W 26th St, Bryan)

Harry Belafonte @ MLK Breakfast Event By Meredith Morse

The “King of Calypso” himself will be visiting Texas A&M as the featured guest speaker at the fifth annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast on January 19. The Carter G. Woodson Black Awareness Committee (WBAC), a diversity educational programming organization on campus at A&M, plans to commemorate the life and work of Dr. King with a combination of pancakes and impassioned words. The “breakfast,” held this year at 5pm in Rudder Theatre in order to accommodate a larger audience for the speaker, will include a catered reception of early-bird bites to eat in addition to a private book signing by Belafonte and for his latest memoir, My Song.

And this year Belafonte will share his experiences with students and guests at the MLK Breakfast, sponsored each year by the WBAC as the centerpiece in the organization’s “Campus with a Dream” celebration, a series of events honoring the legacy of Dr. King. Tickets are on sale at the MSC Box Office. Students receive a discounted rate of $9, and tickets are available to faculty, staff and guests for $14. For more information, visit boxoffice. tamu.edu

Thursday

Along with popularizing Caribbean music in the 1950s, Harry Belafonte is best known for combining his magnetic stage presence and musical forte with his legendary participation as an activist during the civil rights movement. His passion has led to a lifelong involvement in countless political and social causes; in his newest book, Belafonte details his close friendship with Martin Luther King, Jr., his role between Dr. King and the presidential administration, and his continued fight for what he believes in.

www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 9

Calendar Alternative Revolutions

Rock

The Ex-Optimists mirror 1980s college radio. Mission of Burma, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadon fans will be able to relate. 10:00 p.m. Thursday, January 26 at Revolutions Café & Bar (211B S Main St, Bryan)

JANUARY 27

Library Games @ Larry J Ringer Library

Adults and teens are invited to come play board games and card games at the Larry J Ringer Library in College Station on January 27, 2012 at 1:00pm 1:00 p.m. Friday, January 27 at Larry J Ringer Library (1818 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy S, College Station) (979) 764-3416

Marcus Manchild Velocity

Houston hip-hop artist Marcus Manchild is currently wrapping up his sophomore album “Free Yo Mind Music” for a February release date following his album debut “Spaced Out” released last February. Hosted by Versy and the Vixen’s Calendar Release Party, Roosh Williams, Ash McGlory, Brooklyn Flywalker, and DJ Ksmooth will be opening this

special concert at Velocity. 9:00 p.m. Friday, January 27 at Velocity (913 Harvey Rd, College Station) $5 for 21+, $10 for under 21 (979) 7301807

Holm will perform Christian songs from his recording days and other hymns. A $5 donation is requested. 6:00 p.m. Sunday, January 29 at Emmanuel Baptist Church (408 E 24th St, Bryan) $5 (979) 209-7316

JANUARY 28

Dirty River Boys @ The Tap

JANUARY 31

The El Paso band Dirty River Boys back up their self-described Outlaw FolkAmericana style with a lively, whisky-stomping rock show. 9:00 p.m. Saturday, January 28 at The Tap (815 Harvey Rd, College Station)

Bart Crow Schotzi’s

Wine Tasting @ Messina Hof

Messina Hof is hosting a wine appreciation class on January 29, 2012 at 3:00pm. Here you can taste fine wine and learn about all the many flavors, textures, and forms. 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 29 at Messina Hof Winery & Resort (4545 Old Reliance Rd, Bryan) $19.95 (979) 7789463 http://www.messinahof. com/events_wineclasses.php

FEBRUARY 1

Salsa Dancing @ The Village Café

Salsa Wednesday’s offer an hour and a half professional dance lesson(8pm) followed by a night of dancing from 9:30-12am. A great night to learn new moves or just let loose on the dance floor. 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 1 at The Village Café (210 W 26th St, Bryan) $8 for lessons and dancing, $5 for just dancing www. mambosentertainment.com/ grouplessons.html

Dallas Holm @ Emmanuel Baptist Church

Emmanuel Baptist Church will host Dallas Holm on January 29, 2012 at 6:00pm.

Marcus Manchild @ Velocity

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A little bit country, and a little bit rock and roll, Bart Crow Band was recently playing their music over in Italy. Being a regular in College Station, Bart Crow Band brings back to town some of their most famous hits. 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 31 at Schotzi’s (205 University Dr, College Station)

JANUARY 29

Friday

Band

Salsa Dancing @ Village Café Every Wednesday and Saturday night, the Village Cafe in Downtown Bryan offers a fun night of salsa lessons and dancing. Voted Best Dancing in 2011, salsa at the Village begins each night with salsa lessons for the complete beginner, no partner necessary. On Wednesdays, they offer an hour and a half lesson for those wanting to learn cool moves. On Saturdays, they offer a fun “30-Minute Crash Course Lesson” to introduce you to the basic steps. After the lessons, the dance floor opens to a sweltering hot night of dancing. A fun way to socialize, learn something new, and meet new people. More info at mambosentertainment.com.

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Food

By Mara Kogan

The latest restaurant to break into the Northgate fast food scene is Rusty Taco, a small Dallas-based taco chain known for its straightforward menu, fresh ingredients, and low prices. Located just blocks away from Chipotle and Taco Bell, Rusty Taco differentiates itself in the Mexican fast food market with a distinctive ambiance, notably low prices, excellent values, and a small selection of high-quality menu items. Decor at Rusty Taco is decidedly minimalistic and understated. Both the exterior and interior are relatively unadorned. Inside, the restaurant decor is neutral in shades of gray. The atmosphere is friendly and the setting is kitschy casual, with tables and narrow counter-style seating reminiscent of an old time-diner. The no-frills interior decor includes exposed ducts, scuffed cement floors, and backless bar stools. There is also an outdoor seating option for those who prefer to dine at the picnic tables on the restaurant’s patio. Customers order and pay at the counter, adding to Rusty Taco’s casual atmosphere. Tacos and sides are served in large, bright, primary colored paperlined bowls bearing Mexican beer emblems and slogans. Service is friendly and contributes positively to the overall friendly dining environment. Rusty Taco may have a small menu, but they make up for the limited choices by offering customers an excellent value for their money. The most expensive item on the menu is the margarita, coming in at $5. For between $1 and $3.50, diners can enjoy a selection of imported and domestic beers available in bottles on ice.

All other menu items ring in at just $1 (side of chips and salsa or pico de gallo, $2 (all handmade tacos and breakfast tacos), or $3 (guacamole and queso dip). Portion sizes are somewhat small, but the quality of the menu items is excellent for the price. At just $2 a piece, Rusty Taco customers can sample a wide variety of flavors and combinations of tacos. Popular homemade tacos include fish tacos, roasted pork, brisket, chicken fajita, black bean, and the signature Rusty taco featuring achiote pork and pineapple, cilantro, and onion. Breakfast tacos are also served throughout the day, with a variety of eggs and cheese combinations paired with your choice of potatoes, brisket, sausage, bacon, chorizo, or brisket. Rusty Taco is centrally located across from campus in the Northgate area, at the corner of University and Stasney in the building formerly occupied by Papa John’s Pizza. Open until 2:30 AM on Friday and Saturday, Rusty Taco makes a great late-night stop after a night on Northgate. It is also especially convenient for those on campus to stop by for a quick lunch or dinner between classes. If you’re looking to drive by to pick up a bite, parking is less than ample. The small parking lot behind Rusty Taco has a capacity of less than ten spots, meaning taco-seekers must drive up and down neighboring roads and find street parking or walk from the public Northgate lot or garage. However, for those coming from the Texas A&M campus or the Northgate area, Rusty Taco is just a short walk away.

www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 13

Community

By Meredith Morse

Brazos Valley Farmer’s Market Since doctors and Congress disagree about whether or not you should get your daily nutritional serving of veggies from pizza, why not skip the uncertainty and support the BCS community by buying your produce locally? Brazos Valley Farmers Market makes it easy for the everyday consumer to enjoy the fruits of our region’s labor. Held every Saturday morning from 8am to 12pm on the corner of Texas Ave and Bryan Pkwy and each Wednesday afternoon from 4pm to 7pm in the Village Foods Shopping Center parking lot, Brazos Valley Farmers Market creates opportunities for local shoppers and vendors to interact with one another and share in the abundance reaped from our region’s land. Brazos Valley Farmers Market has grown substantially ever since it was moved to its two current locations in 1997, but the goal of the organization has always remained the same– to support the region’s farms by connecting consumers directly with local food producers, thereby strengthening community bonds and educating BCS residents on the benefits of eating home-grown food. What originally started as a small Saturday market with only a handful of vendors has flourished into a year-long schedule of two weekly markets, boasting over forty different local distributors that contribute to the wide spread of products available. Is rabbit food not your thing? Are you allergic to all foods deemed “healthy?” If it’s not coated in chocolate, it’s not going in your mouth? Not to worry–Brazos Valley Farmers Market offers its customers far more than just produce. Apart from the freshest greens around, BCS residents are also invited to select from locally-grown goods like coffee, honey, homemade olive oil, jams, jellies, preservatives, and even seasonal foods grown by Texas A&M Horticulture students. In addition, you’ll find handmade bath and body products, scented wax melts and room fragrances, wooden crafts and jewelry, handthrown pottery–all in a vibrant environment where friends can meet to browse and shop.

Brazos Valley Farmers Market provides resources for learning about food, agriculture, nutrition, and the community benefits of buying homegrown and local produce. The organization is governed entirely by an all-volunteer board and receives no city, state or federal funding, which means that the salt of the BCS earth is brought to consumers solely through vendors’ fees and countless hours of volunteer time. So in appreciation of their efforts–and for the

sake of your health–check out all that the local BCS vendors and volunteers have to offer at the Brazos Valley Food Bank. You can support the area’s agriculture, learn more about the benefits of buying from regional vendors.

www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 15

Fashion By Haili Z

Spring Apparel: Statement Pieces

Transitional statement pieces to carry from your fall wardrobe into your spring wardrobe to get even more use out of your apparel. Leather Apparel This spring, bold colors are key. If you have a black leather skirt, “spring” it up with a shirt that’s bold in color to add pizzazz! Don’t wear leather on leather; add texture with a shirt that’s a different material. Cotton or silk shirts added to your leather skirt will pull off the look this spring. Whitney wears the look of the season – a leather skirt paired with a lovely striped sweater topped off with an oversized bow. This look is adorable and can work both in the office and ready to wear, for dinner or a casual meeting. Bright & Colorful Pair bold patterns with neutral colors. If you have a bright and colorful blouse, combine it with a sleek skirt to pull your look together. If in the office, add minimal accessories. If out on the town, add bold accessories. Mayra wears a colorful, bold, patterned blouse with a neutral skirt pulling the look together with a statement necklace. This can be worn for a date night or in the office by pulling a blazer over this look.

Check out more from Haili Z. at

www.allzedetails.com

Whitney

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Mayra

From the sidelines Exclusive INterview // Coach Evans Recently, Maroon Weekly had the opportunity to meet with the Texas A&M softball team’s head coach Jo Evans. Now entering her 16th season with the Aggies, she is one of the winningest active coaches in Division I softball. Amid all of the construction and renovations taking place on west campus, we had the chance to sit down with her and discuss the upcoming season, recruiting, and her plans for moving into the SEC. Looking at only three should we young team

the roster, there are seniors listed. What expect from such a this season?

We are young, but we are really talented. We have a great number of impact players that are sophomores and juniors. It doesn’t worry me that we only have three seniors. The seniors that we do have are the mainstays for us. Natalie Villareal is probably one of our best players. Kelsea Orsak is one of our team captains. And then there’s Lindsey Sisk, who has been working to be healthy for an entire season. I’m not concerned about our age. I think the experience is there and the talent is there.

So you do expect [starting pitcher]Lindsey Sisk to be healthy this season? Yes. In fact, she had her best off season yet. She’s stronger, faster, and quicker in all of her testing than she’s been since she got here. I’m really excited about that and her recovery. She’s back 100%. You have a lot of Texas players, but you have also managed to recruit some great talent from other states too. How

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Photos courtesy of Glen Johnson/Aggie Athletics

By Ian Soares

From the sidelines much emphasis do you place on getting that kind of team dynamic? My main goal is to get Texas kids. My philosophy has always been if we can get the best players in Texas and then surround them with a few kids from other states, then we would have success--and that has been true. We are always looking across the country, but I do prefer to stay close to home. Those are the kids I get to see the most often. I get to know their families. I know that they understand the A&M culture and the Texas culture. As far as the kids that we get from out of state, we try to make sure that they have the same values and that they have the same desire to be in a family atmosphere. Values are really important. I attribute a lot of our success and team chemistry to that. It’s easier to manage twenty people when they are pretty much on the same page. On the subject of transitioning to the SEC, do you expect to see a significant change in the style of play as you prepare to move to the new conference? The Big XII is known for having really great pitching across the board. In fact, we have AllAmerican pitchers in half the schools in our conference, which is really significant. In the SEC, they are all about hitting. They are putting up really huge numbers right now offensively. You’ll see the difference right now is that in the Big XII, pitching is really dominant, while in the SEC, hitting is what’s dominant. With that being said, do you foresee yourself changing to compete in the SEC or will they have to adapt to you? I think we have to continue to improve offensively. Of course, great pitching typically beats great

hitting, but it’s hard to find. [For instance] we have Mel Dumezich who’s an All-American and has been really successful, but there’s not a player like her on every corner. It’s just really tough to find a pitcher like that. So, offensively, we have to continue to get better and better. Is it true that you coached in the longest recorded NCAA softball game? That is true. When I was coaching at Utah, we were playing in the WAC championship game. We were the undefeated team in the tournament. The game started at six o’clock in the evening and lasted 31 innings. Then, because we lost (1-0), we had to [immediately] turn around and play a second game and that one went another 25 innings. We finished up at six in the morning, over twelve hours after we started. The only change to our lineup was that our ace pitched the first game and our No. 2 pitcher pitched the second. We were the visitors, playing at Creighton University, so we ended up eventually holding them off for the 4-3 win. Once you’ve held your own like that, you gain the confidence to do anything. That experience catapulted us to the WCWS. We actually came here to A&M for Regionals, as the underdog, and ended up winning and going on to the College World Series.

fans a lot of credit for that. The thing that’s great about our fans is that they come here to have a good time. They come here to actually participate in the festivities, the attitude, and the atmosphere. They are not bystanders by any means. We also have the “Softball Sugar Daddies.” They were formed a while back by a group of guys who wanted to support our players. From that time forward, they established themselves as a formal organization on campus to support the team. There’s one for every player and they are a big part of creating the atmosphere that we have. They like to rag on the opponents, they use discretion, but they are really good. They definitely create an energy in the stands that we don’t encounter anywhere else. I’m really excited about this upcoming season. I’m excited about our pitching, our depth, and our incredible atmosphere. I think we are going to build on what he had last season when we made it to the Women’s Collegiate World Series.

COACH JO EVANS: Position:

Head Coach

Hometown:

Salt Lake City Ut.

Alma Mater: Utah ‘83 Experience: 16 Years at A&M 5 Years at Utah 4 Years at CSU

Career: 902-496-2 15

straight

career record

6 Forty Win

win seasons

seasons

12 trips to NCAA 2

trips to

tournament

(with A&M)

WCWS (with A&M)

12 trips to Regionals (with A&M) 4 trips to Super Regionals (with A&M) 3 Big 12 titles

I guess after going through the emotional and physical highs and lows of 56 innings, everything else seemed fairly easy. Last Season you were 25-0 for your homes games, to what do you attribute that kind of overwhelming success? I feel supported by our community and our student body. It’s tough to beat us at home. We feel really comfortable here and I give our www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 19

Games

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Games

www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 23

Movies

By Brandon Nowalk

Coming Soon: 8 movies you don’t want to miss 1. The Oscar Candidate: Carnage, in limited release now. Powerhouse cast (Kate Winslet, John C. Reilly), killer director (gender-and-power auteur Roman Polanski), and acclaimed source material (stage show God of Carnage) has me drooling for this Edward Albee-inflected black comedy. The Iron Lady, on the other hand? Meh. 2. The Action Flick: Haywire, in limited release on Jan. 20. Contagion director Steven Soderbergh’s been on a roll lately, and this spy-revenge thriller looks like a promising next step. The godly Michael Fassbender only heightens interest, but I’m excited for Rampart and—don’t tell anyone—Man on a Ledge, too. 3. The Indie: The Turin Horse, in limited release on Feb. 10. A swan song from a genuine master, this is Béla Tarr’s Nietzschean contemplation of mortality in rural Hungary. Maybe take an extra Prozac beforehand. Alternates include Ralph Fiennes’ modernized Coriolanus and Terence Davies’ take on The Deep Blue Sea. 4. The Guilty Pleasure: This Means War, out wide on Feb. 17. Okay, so McG is the McDonalds of directors, but Tom Hardy is one of our great rising actors. I’ll follow wherever he leads, even a silly little rom-com about a love triangle at the CIA. Nicholas Sparks fans: The Vow may be more your speed. 5. The Blockbuster: The Hunger Games, out wide on Mar. 23. The brilliant young adult series hits the big screen courtesy of Oscar-nominated writer-director Gary Ross. Inspiringly feminist, politically trenchant, and above all a moving adventure. Bella who? That said, The Avengers also comes out soon, and we didn’t sit through Thor for nothing. 6. The 3-D Movie: Titanic 3-D, out wide on Apr. 6. Because Titanic hasn’t made enough money yet, James Cameron (also of Avatar fame) is back with his deliriously entertaining kitschstravangaza. Shallow, sure, but I’ll be the first one in line. Beauty and the Beast is also getting the 3D treatment. 7. The Horror: The Cabin in the Woods, out wide on Apr. 13. Winter horror is hit-or-miss, but a script by Joss Whedon & Drew Goddard promises plenty of wit in this terror scenario. I bet it outscares The Raven, starring John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe, and Dark Shadows, Tim Burton’s update of the grotesque soap. 8. The Comedy: The Five-Year Engagement, out wide Apr. 27. Nicholas Stoller follows up Forgetting Sarah Marshall with this funny-sad-relatable story of the title, between Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. Yeah, suspension of disbelief required. Will Ferrell also returns with Casa de mi Padre, and David Wain’s back with Wanderlust. www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 25

Movies

By Brandon Nowalk

Contraband

1/2

Then again, pretentious, fluffy, and wannabe inspirational practically scream Oscar.

Contraband

I hope taping stuff to your torso becomes the first meme of 2012. At the very least, it’s a topical way to smuggle food into Contraband, a cheesy okay time. Actual catchphrase: “That’s no bueno.”

15New Year’s Eve

So many celebrities are crammed into this running time it’s like a benefit concert, only none of the proceeds are going to Africa. Sample dialogue: “My water broke.” “All of it?” These are the jokes.

top20 films

2Beauty and the Beast

While less artistically ambitious than The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast finds relevance in Aesopstyle fable but transcendence in swooning romanticism, from the Busby Berkeley-inspired “Be Our Guest” to the Ophulsian title song.

The centerpiece—Ethan Hunt climbing the BurjKhalifa in Dubai— is alone worth the price of admission. Simon Pegg and Jeremy Renner mercifully leaven Tom Cruise’s Scientology intensity, but Brad Bird’s slumming it and it shows.

4Joyful Noise

No one’s denying the virtues of Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah, and Joyful Noise gets by entirely on their charm. But, shockingly, Glee: In Church isn’t equipped to take on theodicy, much less comedy.

Sadism masquerading as a slick raperevenge potboiler, it’s immaculate trash, like Da Vinci sifting through your just used toilet, arranging the contents into a sculpture, and telling you to look at it for two and a half hours.

There’s a reason audiences are booing this latest exorcism horror. Hint: it’s insultingly bad. Don’t worry, I won’t ruin the ending for you. The Devil Inside does that all on its own.

and the Chipmunks: 8Alvin Chipwrecked Do parents have no self respect? There are so many great children’s movies in theaters, but the squeakquel to the Squeakquel is at nine digits. Just Say No: It’s not just for kids anymore.

Holmes: A Game 9 5Sherlock of Shadows In this sequel Holmes and his life partner are joined by the whole gang: brother Mycroft, thief Irene Adler, and villain Moriarty. Like the original, it’s a pleasant diversion, but it’s no Sherlock the TV series.

Girl with the Dragon 6The Tattoo

Hugo

1/2

A group of kids (Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Max Minghella) visiting Moscow save the planet from invisible aliens in this subTV suspense flick. They went from headlining Oscar indies to this? My sincerest condolences.

Mission: Impossible: Ghost 3Protocol 7The Devil Inside 1/2

The Darkest Hour

Warhorse

Pretty much what it looks like: Spielberg’s title horse goes from person to person spreading the disease of tears across a war torn Europe. It takes more than pretty skies and horses to reach John Ford.

The Iron Lady

1/2

Sorry, my worship arm is tired. Meryl Streep is Hollywood’s greatest ringer, giving grand

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performances in mediocre movies, and I’m done praising her for it. Someone’s gotta play disappointed parent: You have so much potential!

11We Bought a Zoo

Splotchy “everyman” Matt Damon has never looked worse than he does here, and he once played Greg Kinnear’s Siamese twin. Oh, he buys a zoo and gets sad and then happy again. Bravo, Cameron Crowe.

Adventures 12The TinTin 1/2

It takes some adjustment getting into this European picaresque, but once you do, Tintin is a deliriously fun 3-D adventure that doesn’t overstay its welcome. Just don’t forget that the target demo is children.

The Descendants

George Clooney’s adulterous wife is in a coma, launching his sentimental coming-of-middle-age, wrapped up in unruly teens and a Hawaiian land deal. But Shailene Woodley steals the show as Daughter #1. Where’s her Oscar campaign?

The Artist

This smarmy modern silent is so lightweight you could forget you’ve seen it, but it wowed Cannes and is on course to win Best Picture.

1/2

An orphan living in a train station finds a magical mystery. Scorsese made a great 3-D kid’s story—emphasis on vocab, for instance—but it’s really a bait-andswitch involving classic cinema. Get ‘em hooked early!

18Carnage

What could be mere PC mockery becomes straight-up political philosophy as two groups of parents get together to discuss a fight between their children. Come for the waspy passive-aggression, stay for the state of nature.

Breaking Dawn 19Twilight: Part 1 It’s hard to imagine Twilight getting worse, but in that respect, this is one impressive franchise. Bella has Rosemary’s Baby and Robert Pattinson glowers it out of her womb. Or something. I was asleep.

20A

Dangerous Method

Freud’s sex research is met with a stiff upper lip in this brilliant battle for the minds (and the liberation) of 1920s Europe. Talk about Best Actor: Michael Fassbender even upstages Keira Knightley’s jawbone.

Movies

By Brandon Nowalk

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Tom Hardy, Colin Firth 1/2 R|

The great mystery of DRAMA 2011 is Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, almost a direct rebuttal to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the holiday’s other prestige crime investigation: see how great you can be when your content is as rich as your form? Based on ex-MI6 agent John le Carré’s classic novel about a mole in UK intelligence, it’s a film that apes the life of a spy as much as possible. It’s got a mean poker face, it only makes sense in retrospect, and it’s a total buzzkill. That is, until the ending reveals George Smiley to be the coolest cat in town. See, Le Carre’s novel is all about marginalization as his subjects pass into the sunset, from aging cuckold George Smiley to Great Britain herself, a one-time superpower lapsing into sidekick territory during the Cold War. Naturally, Alfredson plays all this moodiness as an elliptical stream of consciousness, disembodied

narration scoring flashbacks within flashbacks. It’s practically therapy, one long rueful sigh wrapped up in sexual frustration. I’m not sure if it’s more appropriate to say the espionage is about sexuality or the sexuality is about espionage, but the film is unmistakably interested in gender and orientation, what with all its middle-aged bachelors wrestling with secrets and living double-lives screwing with each other. But as with everything else, Alfredson plays it close to the vest, merely hinting at the hundred secrets wrapped up in the mystery of the mole. Hence that marvelous spectrum of earthy neutrals keeping everything equally under emphasized. It’s all there—the clues, the red herrings, and the dozen intertwined themes—but if you wanna play spy, you better pay attention. Gary Oldman’s performance is a hall-offamer, all drying paint and calibrated movement, but it’s not gonna catch your eye. That’s the whole point. www.maroonweekly.com Jan. 19, 2012 maroon weekly // 27

Books

By Autumn Dawson Starting the New Year on the right page...

#1 Gift of Magic

#2 Touch of Power

#3 The Scottish Prisoner

#4 Lothaire

#5 The Maid of Fairbourne

Lynn Kurland

Maria V. Snyder

Diana Gabaldon

Kresley Cole

Julie Klassen

The sixth installment in Kurland’s Nine Kingdoms series is, as always, a satisfying breath of fresh air from formulaic novels. It is a beautiful story of courage, love and loss, and the lengths we go to fight for a tomorrow that is better than today.

Full of lush scenes and brilliant forestry, this irresistible world pulls you in to walk with the characters each step of the journey. And it is one heck of a journey. If you like your adventure fast-paced with a dash of romance and fantasy, this is your kind of story.

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Like all of Gabaldon’s books, this one isn’t easily categorized: part mystery, part thriller, part historical, all woven together to make one fascinating tale. Lovers of well-written stories that touch the heart and respect the intelligence of the reader, I advise you (if you haven’t already) clear a space on your bookshelf for this talented author.

For all of you who have been anxiously waiting for Lothaire’s story, the wait is over. And, while I won’t give away the twisted plot, permit me to say that Lothaire is (though I wouldn’t have believed it possible) even more fascinating than I’d been expecting. Let me just say, enjoy!

If you think reliably fresh sounds like an oxymoron, clearly you have never experienced Julie Klassen. Twists and secrets appear effortlessly woven into this masterpiece of a tapestry that is The Maid of Fairbourne Hall. I give a standing ovation to this brilliantly researched historical fiction with a love story intertwined.

Books #6 Prized

#7 Cinder

#8 Shattered Souls

#9 Fate’s Edge

#10 The Merchant’s Daughter

Caragh M. O’Brien

Marissa Meyer

Mary Lindsey

Ilona Andrews

Melanie Dickerson

For those who enjoyed Birthmarked (or dystopian adventure), go buy, beg, or borrow a copy of this latest installment in O’Brien’s trilogy. Unlike most “middle” novels, this one is well-paced, intriguing, and every bit as delightful as its predecessor.

An old tale with a new twist. Meyers has taken Cinderella and plopped her in a world of cyborgs, androids, the plague (just for old time’s sakes, I think), and a kingdom on the moon. Yet, have no fear, for the author retained the most important part. After all, what would Cinder be without that dashing prince? Don’t know, wouldn’t want to read it.

What if noises appeared without warning inside your head? Static that slowly grew louder and more persistent. What if voices started coming through the static? Voices pleading for help… That is just the problem our young heroine faces in this refreshingly original debut novel. Intrigued? You should be.

The third installment in Andrews’ Edge series lives up to the hype. Packed with action, magic, some romance, and of course, a gifted thief who is determined to reform. It will have you smiling from page one.

If I were wearing a hat, I would take mine off to this author. In a haunting style reminiscent of Jane Eyre, Mrs. Dickerson has taken a classic and created a tale both meaningful and touching to this generation. There are no flashy lights or witty tricks here, but a beautifully written, heart touching retelling of Beauty and the Beast.

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the lofts

AT W O L F P E N C R E E K