FREE PUBLICATION
04.30.14 - VOL. 10, NO. 32 - MAROONWEEKLY.COM
pg 2 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
contents
05.01-05.07
meet the team PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Chris Shepperd BUSINESS MANAGER Leisha Shepperd MANAGING EDITOR Chris Zebo CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bekah Skinner ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kaitlin Vickers WRITERS
Sara Gilmore Katie Lea Cheyenne Mueller Luke Murray Amanda L. Reynolds
Essentials: Listen Play Discover Look
4 12 19 20
On the Cover:
6
Sam Riggs talks with us about his music and how his mentor, Ray Wylie Hubbard, helped spark his music career.
INTERNS Haley Clark Katy De Luna April Elkins Alex Gieger Brittany Holm Avery Moore Kelly Porter Heydy Sanches Kyla Spaugh Camille Youngblood DISTRIBUTION Chris Frank Randy Shepperd
Maroon Weekly is an independent, publication and is not affiliated with Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university funding.
Festivals: 16 - An advance preview of
what makes summertime in Texas best: the many music festivals from here to the Mexican border.
Film: Voices: 8 - HardChord DynaMix’s 21 - Cheyenne gives Spring Concert will be a night full of music that is only made by one instrument: the voice.
a rundown of this week’s top 20 box office films.
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 or typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher. © Copyright 2014 Campus Press LP
HUNTER HAYES Album: Storyline
Release Date: May 6, 2014
Rating: Sounds Like: Usher Macklemore Balkan Beat Box
Reviewed by Haley Clark
Wild Card Storyline Still Fallin Tattoo Invisible ...Interlude You Think You Know Somebody Flashlight When Did You Stop Loving Me ...Like I Was Saying Secret Love Nothing Like Starting Over If It’s Just Me Love Too Much
Hayes co-wrote every song on the 14-song record and coproduced the album, as well. The multi-talented singer and instrumentalist (he can play more than 30 instruments) has an impressive set list, including the tune “Wild Card”, an energetic, upbeat tune that is perfect for summer with the windows down and the song turned up. The catchy tune, “Storyline”, the album’s namesake, is about writing your own love story; and “You Think You Know Somebody” talks about not fully knowing the other person in a relationship. The new album will also include his already popular single “Invisible”, which explores feelings of being an outsider. Storyline showcases what we already know and love about Hunter Hayes: his vocals, instrumentation, and his gift for writing lyrics that connect.
pg 4 • MAROON WEEKLY •April 30, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
LISTEN
Tracklist:
••••••
Hunter Hayes is now a household name and it seems as if he’s been around forever. But it was just a few years ago, in October 2011, that he released his self-titled debut album, which spawned the hit “Storm Warning” and the number 1 singles “Wanted” and “Somebody’s Heartbreak.” The reissue of the album, entitled Encore, included the hit “I Want Crazy.” The Grammy-nominated singer is releasing his sophomore album, Storyline, to the delight of fans on May 6.
Imogen Heap
“Sparks”
Release Date: Mar. 5, 2014 Reviewed by Kelly Porter Sparks marks British musician Imogen Heap’s fourth album. What makes this album unique is that Heap released various songs off of the album every few months until the album culminated and was ready to be released in full. The record is a pinnacle of diversity; for example, the track “Minds Without Fear” features Vishal-Shekhar and has an Indian-style flare. Another collaborative effort on the album is “Telemiscommunications” with deadmau5. Despite the variations from Heap’s typical style in some of the songs, Sparks stays true to Heap’s unique sound with tracks such as “Propeller Seeds”, which has the same reminiscing, electronic melodies she is known for.
Future
“Honest”
Release Date: Apr. 22, 2014 Reviewed by Katy De Luna Born Nayvadius D. Wilburn, Future came onto the music scene in 2009 after releasing some moderately successful mixtapes. Members of the Dungeon Family (a hip hop / R&B / soul musical collective) gave him his stage name believing that he was “the future” of music. Now, if you’ve heard Future’s first major label album, Pluto, then you understand that he had a certain sound or formula that he used for those tracks: it’s all about the rhyme and sound rather than the words and if they make any sense. Future’s latest album, Honest, does not follow that formula. Rather, some might ask, “Isn’t Future supposed to be a rapper?” There is a lot of auto-tune on Honest but also a lot of solid rapping thanks to Future and his featured artists, such as Kanye West on “I Won,” Drake on “Never Satisfied”, and Pharrell on “Move That Dope.”
EELS
“The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett”
Release Date: Apr. 22, 2014 Reviewed by Katy De Luna Mark Everett, most commonly known as E, is the core member of the ever-changing EELS. Since 1995, members and the groups sound have come and gone, and E is the only one who has played the entire time. The alternative rock band has created really loud and optimistic music in the past with albums like Wonderful, Glorious, but their 11th album, The Cautionary Tales of Mark Oliver Everett, has a different tone. E wrote TCTME as both a warning to fans of how not to treat people and a solace to those who may be mistreated. The introspective album has tracks such as “Mistakes of My Youth” and “Parallels”, which both have a softer sound meant to comfort the listener while being some of those “you’re not alone” songs we need to hear from time to time.
maroonweekly.com • April 30, 2014 •MAROON WEEKLY • p 5
Exclusive Interview: Sam Riggs By Kelly Porter Under the instruction of his mentor Ray Wylie Hubbard, Sam Riggs has been able to draw inspiration from other artists, including Hubbard, and to find his own voice. We were able to sit down with Riggs and hear about his band Sam Riggs and The Night People as well as their first fulllength album Outrun The Sun. On May 2, Sam Riggs and The Night People will be coming to the Lakeside Icehouse at Lake Bryan. Doors will open at 5pm and the show will begin at 8pm. MW: You moved from Florida to Austin to pursue your music career. How does a Floridian become a Texan? SR: [Laughing] Very slowly. So the process of moving to Texas was basically…well, it happened really fast. I got here and hit the ground running. I feel like I should have been born in Texas, but I was born in Florida. It’s such an amazing state and an amazing place; the culture, the mindset--it’s just overall awesome here and really focused on originality and entrepreneurship, which I love. So fitting in here was not hard for me. It kind of came second nature. It wasn’t too bad. I’ve been here for 7 years. MW: How do you feel like Hubbard has influenced your music and your identity as an artist?
SR: Well, he definitely taught me to think hard about lyricism in a longevity standpoint. He has this saying, “If you cut your words, they should bleed.” Which stands for me that they should live--they should be living, breathing words that are kind of timeless. Definitely affected me in that respect as a songwriter to where everything I write I take it seriously. I don’t really write just to write. He saved me a lot of heartache and a lot of hardships, for sure.
MW: You said that you don’t just write to write. What is the driving force behind your writing? SR: It’s kind of like if I don’t write, I’ll go crazy. That’s a big part of it. The other part of it is inspiration; I’m an inspirational writer, so basically when I find something that really catches my attention or tugs at my heartstrings, I have to find a way to say it in a song,
“I’m an inspirational writer, so basically when I find something that really catches my attention or tugs at my heartstrings, I have to find a way to say it in a song, in a way that no one’s ever said it before.” - SAM RIGGS MW: So do you still talk to Ray? SR: We still talk now and then. Shoot a text message back and forth, catch up, meet each other out on the road sometimes.
pg 6 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
in a way that no one’s ever said it before. I really try to focus on that. And then there’s also the way you wanna make every song a hit. There’s so many aspects that come together to make sure a song is noteworthy and as good as it could possibly be in all areas. It’s a frustrating process.
MW: What’s the best concert you’ve every played and the worst? SR: It’s hard to say. We’ve had so many amazing shows, amazing nights with amazing fans. Every time we play Austin, it’s always a blast. I would say one of the coolest shows I’ve ever played was actually in Craponne, France at this thing called the Country Music Rendezvous Festival. There were like 7,000 people out there. It was in the French hillside – beautiful, and everyone knew our songs. It was just insane. When we came out there, they were excited - a sea of people, as many as I could count, singing along and screaming at me. It was awesome. The worst show. Oh, man. I try not to remember those things. I think probably the worst one--I can’t remember exactly where it was, but it was in this little town kind of towards south Texas and the power kept going out over and over and over again. I was like, “You know what? This is stupid.” So it was at minimal volume, almost completely acoustic. I mean, I’ve never been booed off stage or anything crazy like that, so I guess it’s not as bad as it could be. MW: What was your favorite track to record on Outrun The Sun? SR: That’s tough. That entire record was a spiritual experience for me. It’s an amazing thing just to dive into every song and watch them grow. I would say one of my most favorite tracks to play and record was probably “Angola’s Lament.” That song was a blast. That one and “Oilfield Town” was really fun, too.
Get the Goods: Tuesday giveaways on
Facebook facebook.com/maroonweekly
#TakeItHome Thursday on
Twitter @maroonweekly
MW: What’s the background behind “Angola’s Lament”? SR: It got up to number 9 on Texas Music chart this week and it’s climbing pretty swiftly. The song is based around the Angola Penitentiary. It kind of has this rock, swampy, bluegrass thing going on. The song is about a prison guard who murders his wife and her lover, and he never gets caught for it and it does two things: it torments him knowing he should be a prisoner and kind of hardens him to the point where he basically becomes the devil himself. The Angola Penitentiary is one of the bloodiest prisons in the US. It has a really corrupt history. MW: Where did the part of your name “The Night People” come from? SR: It came from a Ray Wylie Hubbard song, actually, called “Rabbit.” The line is, “There’s two kinds of people in the world: The day people and the night people”, and it’s the night people’s job to get the day people. I asked Ray if we could name it Sam Riggs and The Night People and he said, “I guess. It’s your band. Hope you don’t regret it.”
Check us out on
Instagram @maroonweekly Find us on
Pinterest pinterest.com/maroonweekly
maroonweekly.com • April 30, 2014 •MAROON WEEKLY • p 7
The Texas A&M University Watch by
www.seikoUSA.com
A Seiko Quartz timepiece officially licensed by the university. Featuring a richly detailed threedimensional re-creation of the university seal on the 14kt gold finished dials. Electronic quartz movement guarantees accuracy within fifteen seconds per month.
Just Like Aggies, They’re One of a Kind
By Haley Clark
All-Gold $315 | Two-Toned $295 Men’s and Women’s sizes available. Phone orders are welcome and engraving is free of charge! (979) 691-0677 1501 University Drive E. #100, College Station
facebook.com/douglasjewelers1964
Help Wanted Six Bucks
Independence Harley-Davidson® is currently seeking self-motivated individuals to work as a hydro-tech in the service department.
about
Duties include but are not limited to:
a day*
CHEAPER THAN YOUR SMOKES A SIX PACK washing customer and internal bikes movingTICKET all motorcycles in and out of dealership daily A PARKING assisting technicians A GAS STATION BURRITO delivering motorcycles to customers A BAR TAB
basic shop maintenance helping with dealership events
no Boot experience required Motorcycle Camp April 25 class m endorsement preferred
FREE FOOD AND BREW, GIVEAWAYS & EVERYTHING riding experience a must!! YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MOTORCYCLES!**
6-8pm
RSVP:PLEASE ihdBootCamp.eventbrite.com APPLY IN PERSON @ INDEPENDENCE HARLEY-DAVIDSON SERVICE DEPARTMENT
Independence Harley-Davidson®
4101 STATE HWY 6 S. COLLEGE STATION, TX 77845 979-690-1669 * FUN@INDEPENDENCEHD.COM
IndependenceHD.com
HardChord DynaMix’s Spring Concert will be a night full of music that is only made by one instrument: the voice. HardChord DynaMix, also known as HCDM, is Texas A&M’s coed a cappella group. The group states that their “mission is to contribute the finest collegiate a cappella music to the surrounding community.” The vocal group does this by performing shows every semester and by hosting several others around campus and throughout Bryan/ College Station. By using just their voices to create the words and instrumental sounds, HCDM covers an array of artists and songs to satisfy everyone. They’ve covered songs by Paramore, Neon Trees, Carrie Underwood, Sara Bareilles, and One Republic in the past. Jeremy Dockan, Marketing Director of HCDM, says that the vocal group “prepares for our show by attending bi-weekly rehearsals and performing at various events all around the Brazos Valley. We learn our new songs with sheet music that has been arranged by our members. When we feel comfortable with the song, we then use it at our various performances.” Dockan says at this year’s Spring Concert you can expect to hear songs from popular artists including “Dark Horse” by Katy Perry, “Pompeii” by Bastille, and “Awake My Soul” by Mumford and Sons, plus many more. HCDM’s annual Spring A Cappella Concert will be held on May 3 at 7pm in Rudder Forum. The show will last anywhere between an hour and a half to two hours, with an intermission between acts. Ticket sales will start at 6:30pm and tickets are $5 at the door (cash or check is accepted). T-shirts will be available for purchase during intermission and after the concert. Also, there will be T-shirt raffles, karaoke, and jokes to embellish the night.
**Please ride responsibly
pg 8 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
By Kelly Porter
Sean McConnell @ Harry’s Coming from a family of full-time musicians, Sean McConnell felt a calling to pursue a career in music. He started small – in coffee houses and at school events. But, gradually, he worked his way up, and by the time he left for college he had two independent records. Nashville-based McConnell has accomplished many impressive feats since his start, including being awarded the “Emerging Artist” award from Lone Star Music Awards, signing a publishing deal right out of college with Warner/Chappell Publishing, co-writing a song with Rascal Flatts, and having his songs featured on TV commercials as well as on shows such as “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Nashville”. His songs have even been recorded by bands such as the Plain White T’s, Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley, Martina McBride, The Eli Young Band, and many more. He prides himself on being a songwriter first and foremost, and says that for him “It’s all about the song. That never changes. It always starts with an acoustic guitar and a notepad. The lyrics are the point. The story is central.” You can hear McConnell at Harry’s on Friday, May 2. He will be accompanied by Texas country artist/singer-songwriter William Clark Green. Doors open at 9pm and tickets can be purchased online for $10 (“plus applicable fees”).
the scoop WHAT: SEAN MCCONNELL WHERE: HURRICANE HARRY’S WHEN: MAY 2 maroonweekly.com • April 30, 2014 •MAROON WEEKLY • p 9
pg 10 • MAROON WEEKLY • March 19, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
ME
Starlight Music Series w/ Del Castillo By Heydy Sanches Gather your blankets, load your picnic baskets, stock your coolers, and get ready for some quality local entertainment in the heart of College Station. The Starlight Music Series at Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheatre is best known for fun family-oriented festivities, great performances, and classic southern hospitality for both entertainers and guests. The concert series will showcase three featured artists/bands with regional connections. On May 3, 2014, Del Castillo, an Austin based Latin rock band who’s a cross cultural powerhouse musically, will be rocking out on stage with special guest Los Taxmaniacs. On May 24, 2014, the Cody Johnson Band will be performing their nationwide chart topping hits alongside Curtis Grimes. On June 7, 2014, Matt Wertz, a soulful pop singer-songwriter from Nashville, will be showcasing his latest EP alongside guest performer Brad Cooper. The talent-studded event is sponsored by the City of College Station and multiple broadcast stations. Each event is open to the general public and is completely free for all ages. Gates open at 6pm and the shows start promptly at 7pm. Concessions, alcoholic drinks and apparel will be available for purchase. Additionally, coolers must be 48 quarts or smaller and containers will be allowed (as long as there are no glass containers). Blankets and lawn chairs are strongly suggested for comfort. For more information check out the Starlight series on the city’s Facebook page.
the scoop WHAT: DEL CASTILLO WHERE: WOLF CREEK AMPHITHEATER WHEN: MAY 3 maroonweekly.com • April 30, 2014 •MAROON WEEKLY • p 11
By Haley Clark and Heydy Sanches
THE BIG TINY: A BUILT-IT-MYSELF MEMOIR
by dee williams
With all the hustle and bustle and the wrapping up of the semester, we tend to get caught up in the whirlwind. Dee Williams knows a thing or two about that. Williams had a life-changing, near-death experience when she was at the grocery store. She was diagnosed with a heart condition, and at the age of 41, she came to the realization of just how short life can be and how valuable time really is. She realized who, what, and where she wanted to spend her time (which included a restored, gorgeous, luxurious Pacific house, but did not include the payments, repairs, and ownership of the house). Williams realized she didn’t need all the stuff that filled her home, so she built an eighty-four-squarefoot-house with her own hands. She built the house from bottom to top and was building a new life for herself the same way. Williams has downsized a lot—she can clean her house in about 10 minutes, her monthly bills are less than $10, and everything she owns can be written on a single piece of paper. Without all the hustle and bustle and upkeep of her previous home, Williams now has more time with family and friends and to explore nature and be adventurous whenever she feels inclined to do so. Williams’ half how-to, half memoir shows what its like to downsize, cut back, and enjoy the valuable things in life.
ASTONISH ME
by maggie shipstead
MARIE ANTOINETTE, SERIAL KILLER by katie alender
Astonish Me, Maggie Shipstead’s second novel, is both a journey into the world of professional ballet and a loving family story. And like the main ballerina at the heart of the novel itself, Shipstead tells a wonderful story that does exactly what its title says it will. Astonish Me is about the world of professional ballet and the story of Joan Joyce, a woman whose life is shaped by her passion for dance and by her love for another amazing Russian dancer. The novel follows Joan from girl to grown woman, watching as passion drives her to success, neglectful of the consequences and agony that are the ultimate outcome from impassioned affairs. As Joan slowly spirals downward both on and off the stage, the novel becomes a intensely thoughtful reflection on the adamant pursuit of perfection and just how far we’re willing to go for love.
pg 12 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
More than just a murder mystery with a link to the French Revolution, Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer is about a young girl’s life through friendships, love, and the consequences of her family’s legacy. Colette Iselin is thrilled to go on her spring break class trip to Paris, the city of love, cute boys, and chocolate croissants. Before her departure, Colette discovers her grandmother’s medallion. The medallion signifies the ‘key’ that launches her into an investigation that horrifically ties her to the mysterious murders of the descendants of the people who planned Marie Antoinette’s beheading. With the help of a charming French boy, Colette discovers that Marie Antoinette’s spirit has been awakened, and she’s now on a bloodthirsty strike.
maroonweekly.com • April 30, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 13
3 Apps You A Tradition of Exceptional Mexican Food.
Won’t Regret Downloading BEATS MUSIC - BY HALEY CLARK Now, when you put on your Beats headphones, Beats Music can stream through them with a selection of over 20 million songs to choose from that span every genre. The ever-popular headphones now has music flowing through them with Beats Music, a new streaming service for music that incorporates their curatorial expertise with their technology. Features of Beats Music include: Just For You (mixes albums and playlists that are exclusively selected by Beats music professionals), The Sentence (where you create your own mix of music), Highlights (a quick look at what’s hot in music and what’s worth listening to), Find It (if you don’t know what you’re in the mood for, you can pick a genre, activity, or curator and Beats will help you out), and Share (share your favorite songs, playlists, and albums, with your friends or fellow users on Beats Music, Facebook, and Twitter). NBA GAME TIME - BY HEYDY SANCHES It’s playoff time in the NBA and let’s be real: you can’t possibly watch every game live on TV. With the NBA Game Time app, you can follow your favorite (and least favorite) teams, live-stream press conferences and other live events, watch game recap videos, highlights, and more with this newly redesigned app. Easily upgrade to NBA plus and have access to more news, stats, and league info, home and away live radio broadcasts, and other fun features. Additionally, Sprint customers get free access to NBA Game Time Plus with live radio broadcasts, unlimited live coverage, and much more. You can now get it at the iTunes app store and Android market for free.
840 University Drive 979-260-3400 Join our text club for offers and more!
Text: “signup” To: 256-2668
pg 14 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
GASBUDDY - BY KATY DE LUNA You’re on your way to grab a couple $2 tacos when you realize your gas tank is on empty. You’re not going any cheaper on the tacos, so you need to find less expensive gas. Well, the search for the cheapest gas station prices has come down to a simple tap on the GasBuddy app. The app allows you to search for gas stations by price or distance, and you can also search by city, zip or postal code. Users can report gas prices, and every day they get a chance to win $100 for gas. In summary, you save money and earn money with a simple tap of the app. Just imagine how many tacos you could buy with the money you save.
maroonweekly.com • March 19, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 15
By Kelly Porter
Weekender: Summer Music Festival Guide Summer can be a challenging time for Texas music fest lovers. With SXSW over and months to wait until ACL kicks into gear, there’s a long stretch of summer ahead and not much to look forward to…until now. We’ve got your summer guide to some of the best musical festival happenings in the coming months. Austin Psych Fest: On May 2-4, head to Carson Creek Ranch for the Austin Psych Fest. With psychedelic light shows, film screenings, multiple visual artists, on-site camping, multi-media installations and art exhibits by artists from Austin and beyond, and yoga offered by Black Swan Yoga, Austin Psych Fest is a perfect escape from the real world (at least for a few days). And what’s a festival without music? The Brian Jonestown Massacre, Loop, The Dandy Warhols, Panda Bear, The Black Angels, The Zombies, The Horrors, The War on Drugs, Of Montreal, The Black Lips, and many other bands will be there. Unlike a lot of festivals, you’re able to purchase day tickets at the Austin Psych Fest for only $60. Weekend passes are $150, and for a deluxe upgrade for weekend passes add $100. Our favorite part of Austin Psych Fest is that it strives to support local business in Austin and beyond with handpicked food, retail, clothing, and record store vendors all in attendance. Festival doors open each day early in the afternoon and the music will end around 1:30am. Don’t forget about the two kick-off parties on May 1 at Red 7 and Mohawk, too. Neon Desert: Zedd, Wiz Khalifa, MGMT, Calle 13, Method Man & Redman, The Bloody Beetroots Live, and Capital Cities are all coming to Downtown El Paso for Neon Desert, which will take place on May 24 and 25. For $90, you can be a part of the fun (or $250 if you want the VIP treatment). There will be food and merchandise vendors, and, according to their Facebook page, they’ll have the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey Airstream there, too. If you’re in need of a place to stay, the Camino Real
pg 16 • MAROON WEEKLY • April March30, 19,2014 2014••maroonweekly.com maroonweekly.com
Hotel is offering single night as well as multiple night stays, but be sure to make reservations ahead of time. Festival gates open at 3pm and close at 2am. Free Press Summer Fest: FPSF offers a one-of-a-kind experience including not only music but art, too. The annual festival will be held at Eleanor Tinsley Park in Houston on Saturday, May 31 and Sunday, June 1 from 11am-10pm. If you’re going to go to any festival this summer, FPSF should be the one. Big names such as Jack White, Vampire Weekend, Zedd, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Above & Beyond, Wu-Tang Clan, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Dwight Yoakam, Childish Gambino, Deftones, Cage the Elephant, The Kills, The Naked and Famous, Lord Huron, Ying Yang Twins, First Aid Kit, The Oh Hellos, and so many more will all be there. What makes FPSF special though is its focus on art. They consider Eleanor Tinsley Park and Allen Parkway to be their canvases and have opened these locations to Houston and area artists. If the image of a seesaw-turned-giant-mustache boasting “FREE MUSTACHE RIDES” for all found on their website is any indication, they’re going to have some freaking cool art at the fest. General admission passes are $158.50, fancy pants passes are $230.50, and silk pajamas passes are $499 (gives you access to the private Artist Village). Sun City: On August 30 and 31, El Paso’s largest electric outdoor music festival will be taking place. The third annual Sun City Musical Festival will be held at the Ascarate Park in El Paso. Although the lineup for this year hasn’t been released yet, last year they had Armin Van Buuren, Steve Aoki, Tiësto, Alesso, and others. If you love electronic music and massive dance parties, Sun City may be the perfect way to end your summer. You can get a general admission, two-day pass for $99 (plus fees) or a VIP two-day pass (21+) for $169.00 (plus fees).
Wood-Style Flooring Flat-Screens in Every Apartment Stand-Up Tanning Booth Fully-Equipped Fitness Center Basketball & Sand Volleyball Courts Individual Leases Resort-Style Pool Game/Activity Room
Chec out o k upco ur ming SP
ECIA LS
“Luther” to 47464 for information* *standard text messaging rates apply
thedistrictonluther.commaroonweekly.com866.973.5389 • April 23, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 17
Viz-a-Go-Go Returns to First Friday for Annual Showcase Viz-a-Go-Go, an annual showcase of work by students from the Department of Visualization at Texas A&M, is returning to Downtown Bryan for First Friday, May 2. Masters-level students will be showing their animation and live action shorts at the Palace Theater beginning at 8:30pm. There will be a second showing Saturday at 8:30pm for those unable to attend First Friday. Photographs, sculptures, and interactive design pieces will be displayed in the Amity of Bryan building beginning Thursday evening through Saturday, May 3. The Movie in Sale Park, sponsored by Allen Honda, will be the new classic, Frozen. The Downtown Bryan Association has procured the sing-a-long version of Frozen, so all movie viewers should be prepared to belt out their favorite song right along with the movie! Frozen will start at 8:15pm after dusk and movie goers are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs. As always, food from local downtown merchants is welcome inside Sale Park. The Brazos Valley Computer Museum will be hosting their Computer Collection Unveil and Sidewalk "Meetup" in the lobby of the Wimberly Building, next to Emily’s JimS, at 110 N. Main Street. Two of the highlights of the old microcomputers from the 1970's to the 1990's exhibit will be an original Compaq Portable 1 and a rare Osborne 1. Members of the BV Computer Museum will be bringing their favorite computers to display and will also be on hand to explain and discuss some of their classics. For art lovers, an ARTHunt will be taking place during First Friday as well. Twelve local artists have donated a piece of art which will be hidden inside various stores throughout Downtown Bryan. If you find the art, you get to keep it! Also during First Friday, tickets will be sold to the upcoming Sip and Shop on Saturday, May 17. Tickets are $25 and will include a keepsake glass, shopping bag, and map with the participating merchants. We have 17 merchants that will each sample a red and a white variety of wine from different regions of the world. Only a limited amount of tickets are available, so purchase early before they are sold out. More information on all of these events can be found at downtownbryan.com.
the scoop
WHAT: VIZ-A-GOGO WHERE: DOWNTOWN BRYAN WHEN: MAY 1-3
Viz-a-GoGo Exhibit By Haley Clark Drum roll please…. It’s that time of year again, when Texas A&M and the Department of Visualization present their annual Viz-a-GoGo event in Downtown Bryan. The special event is in its 21st year, and will include a screening at the Palace Theater and an exhibition that coincides with First Friday. An exhibition that showcases various works of art will be held at the Amity building in Bryan, a 1930s building that was an automobile showroom back in the day and has since shifted to housing antique furniture, various collectibles, jewelry, and more. The exhibit at the Amity will include process art, interactive media, artwork, and animation stills. The theme of this year’s Viz-a-GoGo event is “Broadcast Viz”, which parodies the excess of flowing Internet ads that are ever-present for Internet surfers. The Visualization Department’s MS and MFA students, plus their thesis work, class reels, videos, and animations will consist of a majority of the screening. The exhibition at the Amity in Bryan will take place on May 1 from 1-7pm, May 2 from 1-11pm, and May 3 from 1-10pm. The video screening at the Palace Theater will take place on May 2 and May 3 at 8:30pm.
maroonweekly.com • April 30, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 19
By Cheyenne Mueller
Netflix Review: Butter
The Other Woman Comedy (PG-13)
Hell hath no fury like a woman (or three) scorned. With the intention of surprising her boyfriend with a sexy gift, Carly Whitten (Cameron Diaz, Bad Teacher) discovers that her perfect boyfriend Mark (Nikolaj CosterWaldau, Game of Thrones) has one small flaw: he’s married. Without revealing her discovery, she ignores Mark’s advances and tries to get her ruined life back on track. Meanwhile, in an attempt to sort out her own ugly truths, Mark’s wife Kate (Leslie Mann, This is 40) visits Carly at work. The two become an unlikely pair as they realize how much they have in common. When yet another affair is discovered, all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on their cheating, lying, three-timing SOB. This film, while still revolving around a man, goes a different direction than most films of a similar premise. Despite being duped by the same guy, the three women rally together and form an unlikely friendship, a very different outcome than the usual fight-for-the-man, damn-all-the-women drama fests. Which is good. In a society that’s beginning to get called out for it’s skewed views on men and women, having a different character than the catty woman is a nice change of pace. The Other Woman brings women together and they form a sisterhood, experiencing real emotions and not hating on each other. No woman is the villain in this movie; the blame falls solely on the guy, and his actions aren’t excused or praised.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of butter? Probably Paula Deen, huh? Well, in the 2011 indie flick Butter, the saturated-fats queen would have a heart attack (unrelated to ingesting copious amounts of cholesterol) based off of the sculptures that are made from her favorite condiment. Butter is set in Iowa, showcasing the talented and 15-year veteran butter carver, Bob Pickler (Ty Burrell, Modern Family). His success has made him and his family celebrities in their small-minded, small town, which his ball-and-chain wife, Laura (Jennifer Garner, Dallas Buyers Club) sees as an opportunity to parlay their “fame” into politics, attempting to channel their inner-Schwarzenegger. However, contest organizers request that Bob retires from the competition to allow for new talent, and Laura becomes outraged and decides to enter herself into the competition. She faces Destiny (Yara Shahidi, Alex Cross), African-American foster child and prodigal butter carver, as well as Brooke (Olivia Wilde, Drinking Buddies)--a prostitute Bob has yet to pay for her... company. When things don’t go Laura’s way, she enlists the help of Boyd (Hugh Jackman, Prisoners), an old boyfriend, to help her cheat her way to the top (in more ways than one). But as Laura learns, acting like a big baby won’t get you victory.
Leslie Mann and Cameron Diaz deliver a pretty solid performance, but models as actresses don’t always pan out. Kate Upton fared well for her character; she was still the 20-something sexpot beauty queen, but she had moments of quippy banter. Nicki Minaj makes an on-screen appearance, as well; but there was nothing extremely memorable. At least her hair isn’t neon green.
WARNING: this film is a satire. Because of the film’s comedic genre, everything is a bit exaggerated. But it works well for this cast. Race is often times the elephant in the room; but the characters in the movie have no qualms about calling it for what it is. Jennifer Garner’s character is much different than any of her other characters, but damn if she isn’t talented. Even though her husband is the breadwinner of the family, Laura is definitely the HBIC, and when she’s mad, she delivers the look that makes you remember all of the horrible things you’ve ever done. Olivia Wilde doesn’t have as much screen time as her other counterparts, but her character, Brooke, is such a culture shock to the Iowan suburb that it’s impossible not to laugh.
The Other Woman isn’t funnier than Bridesmaids, but it’s funny, and it’s a good start for female-driven movies heading in the right direction. The public wants it, too – the chick flick dethroned Captain America for the number one spot. The film is 109 minutes long and rated PG-13 for mature thematic material, sexual references, and language.
The cast makes this film – as with any. However, with this script, a less-than-stellar cast would have made this movie fall flat. Even so, Butter won’t be winning any major awards; but it’s one of the better choices that Netflix has to offer in the movie department.
At the end of the film, two out of three women end up with men. Men are great and all, but for this film’s message to really be driven home, the ending could have had all three women flourishing without having rings on their fingers.
pg 20 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
1. The Other Woman
After discovering her boyfriend is married, Carly soon meets the wife he’s been cheating on. And when yet another affair is discovered, all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on the threetiming SOB. PG-13 (109 min)
8. Bears
A documentary that follows an Alaskan bear family as its young cubs are taught life’s most important lessons. G (77 min)
9. Divergent
Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier. PG-13 (136 min)
In a world divided by factions based on virtues, Tris learns she’s Divergent and won’t fit in. When she discovers a plot to destroy Divergents, Tris and the mysterious Four must find out what makes Divergents dangerous before it’s too late. PG-13 (139 min)
3. Heaven is for Real
10. A Haunted House 2
2. Captain America 2
A small-town father must find the courage and conviction to share his son’s extraordinary, life-changing experience with the world. PG (100 min)
4. Rio 2
Blu, Jewel, and their three kids are hurtled from Rio de Janeiro to the wilds of the Amazon. As Blu tries to fit in, he meets the most fearsome adversary of all: his fatherin-law, Nigel. G (101 min)
5. Brick Mansions
An undercover Detroit cop navigates a dangerous neighborhood that’s surrounded by a containment wall with the help of an ex-con in order to bring down a crime lord and his plot to devastate the entire city. PG-13 (90 min)
6. Transcendence
As Dr. Will Caster works toward his goal of creating an omniscient, sentient machine, a radical anti-technology organization fights to prevent him from establishing a world where computers transcend the abilities of the human brain. PG-13 (119 min)
7. The Quiet Ones
A university professor and a team of students conduct an experiment on a young woman, uncovering terrifyingly dark, unexpected forces in the process. PG-13 (98 min)
Having exorcised the demons of his ex, Malcolm is starting fresh with his new girlfriend and her two children. After moving into their dream home, however, Malcolm is once again plagued by bizarre paranormal events. R (87 min)
11. God’s Not Dead
College student Josh Wheaton’s faith is challenged by his philosophy professor, who believes God does not exist. PG (113 min)
12. Draft Day
At the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver has the opportunity to rebuild his team when he trades for the number one pick. He must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with NFL dreams. PG-13 (109 min)
13. The Grand Budapest Hotel Wes Anderson chronicles the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the world wars, and Zero Moustafa, a lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.
14. Noah
A man is chosen by God to undertake a momentous mission of rescue before an
apocalyptic flood destroys the world. PG13 (138 min)
15. Oculus
A woman tries to exonerate her brother who was convicted of murder by proving that the crime was committed by a supernatural phenomenon. R (105 min)
16. The Railway Man
A former British Army officer who was tormented as a prisoner of war at a Japanese labor camp during World War II discovers that the man responsible for much of his treatment is still alive and sets out to confront him. R (116 min)
17. Mr. Peabody & Sherman The time-travelling adventures of an advanced canine and his adopted son, as they endeavor to fix a time rift they created. PG (92 min)
18. Muppets Most Wanted While on a grand world tour, The Muppets find themselves wrapped into a European jewel-heist caper headed by a Kermit the Frog look-alike and his dastardly sidekick. PG (107 min)
19. 2 States
Krish Malhotra and Ananya Swaminathan meet at the IIMAhmedabad College and during the program they fall in love. However, complications arise after the program comes to an end and they decide to get married, even though they belong to two different states of India.
20. The Lunchbox
A mistaken delivery in Mumbai’s famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to an older man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. PG (104 min)
maroonweekly.com • April 30, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 21
“BRB”
- I gotta go get changed
Across 1 Govt. product-tester 4 “Viva ___!” (1952 Marlon Brando movie) 10 Rather adept at reporting? 13 “How cute!” sounds 14 Demons that prey upon sleepers 15 Air filter acronym 16 Creating a Pitt-shaped cake? 18 Sheltered valley 19 Full of it 20 “Blueberries for ___” 21 One of Xavier Cugat’s exes 22 Periods of boredom 24 “Night” author Wiesel 26 Bro, say 27 Temperature meas. 28 Heart readout, for short 30 Mississippi River explorer 32 Breakfast item that’s only around for a short time? 35 “Alice” diner owner 37 Apprehension 38 TV series set in the Tanner household 39 1980’s Punky as an impediment? 42 Conductor Toscanini 43 Play leapfrog 44 Sault ___ Marie 47 Apparel size: abbr. 48 Blown away 51 Made an “Old MacDonald” sound 53 One of the Carpenters 55 Thread target 57 River by the Louvre 58 Big boats 59 “I’m getting seasick in this jail,” e.g.? 61 Bikini Bare competitor 62 Took in too much 63 Georgia’s capital, casually 64 Barnyard pen 65 “Go away!” 66 “Cats” inspiration’s monogram
Answers
pg 22 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 30, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
Down 1 Legendary 2 The Rock’s real first name 3 “Who’s ___?” 4 More piquant 5 “Life of Pi” director Lee 6 Banned pollutants, briefly 7 Distinctive atmospheres 8 Game for little Little Leaguers 9 Lend a hand 10 “3 Feet High and Rising” hip hop trio 11 Drink before dinner 12 Tiny machine 15 MLB banned substance 17 Shiba ___ (dog breed) 21 Average grades 23 Big name in ‘80s hair metal 25 “Same here” 29 “Pretty Woman” star 31 Mufasa’s malevolent brother 32 French cheese 33 Hardly any 34 Big shindig 35 Oscar-winning role for Meryl 36 ‘ neighbor 39 Troubled region of Europe, with “The” 40 Word in many cereal names 41 Hulu offering 44 Telluride top 45 Basic doctrines 46 1926 English Channel swimmer Gertrude 49 Spine-tingling 50 Fizzling out 52 Circus precaution 54 Secaucus clock setting 56 Frozen waffle brand 59 Consumer protection org. 60 Affable Affleck 2014 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)
By Katie Lea
Food For Thought World hunger is something we often write-off, perhaps dismissing it as a problem of the “poor” or of a country too far away to really affect us here. But the truth is world hunger, true world hunger, is knocking on our door. According to Dr. Fred Davies of the bureau of food security in the U.S. Agency for International Development, “food issues could become as politically destabilizing by 2050 as energy issues are today.” For the most part, we all realize that the global population has grown to huge proportions. We’re stacked on top of each other like sardines in big cities. But why the sudden concern? We’ve been able to maintain ourselves so far, right? Despite the growing population? The harsh reality is that we’re already exhausting our resources, but in about 40-50 years, “for the first time in human history, food production will be limited on a global scale by the availability of land, water, and energy.”
Dr. Davies is not only senior science adviser for the USAID, he is also a Texas A&M AgriLife Regents Professor of Horticultural Sciences. So when it comes to facing the “monumental challenge of feeding the world,” he’s our guy. He spoke on that very topic in Washington D.C. at the North American Agricultural Journalists meeting. Davies says we not only need to focus on improving technologies but we also need to make sure improved agricultural techniques also get passed down to the small farmers (who often get overlooked) and not just to big corporations. Hopefully, by focusing on high-value horticultural crops and by finding a way to improve “agricultural productivity, food security, food safety, the environment, health, nutrition, and obesity – [which] are all interconnected” – we can find a way to solve very serious global problems knocking at our door.
maroonweekly.com • April 30, 2014 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 23