The Battalion: March 7, 2017 by The Battalion

Silver Taps

TONIGHT WE HONOR THE FALLEN

when 10:30 p.m. Tuesday where Academic Plaza In honor of Aggies who have died, the Ross Volunteer Firing Squad will march in Academic Plaza and fire three rifle volleys of seven shots. Buglers from the Aggie Band will play a special arrangement of Taps.

Alex Jones 1991 — 2017

Ross Travis Lightfoot 1993 — 2016

Ronald Thiessen 1994 — 2016

Professor Bruce Dvorak (purple) works with his Ph.D students to check temperature, status and growth of numerous plants.

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GREEN

Maria Fuentes — THE BATTALION

Langford’s roof goes A&M researchers establish ideal conditions for rooftop gardens in unfriendly Texas climate By Prateek Jain @prateekjn1

reen roofs have thrived for hundreds of years in the Mediterranean climate but have not worked in areas like Texas. But an ongoing research project at the Langford Architecture Center has identified ideal plants and conditions for a green roof in the Texas climate. Three A&M professors in architecture, atmospheric sciences and horticulture started this project to establish an understanding of green roofs — a garden atop a building — in Texas in 2012 and have successfully identified more than a more than a dozen plants that survive well in the southern climate. Data is collected through hundreds of sensors that record ambient factors such as the soil moisture content, tempera-

tures and the duration of sunlight. If they can determine the ideal conditions for Texas green roofs, they could have many benefits locally, including improved air quality and reduced energy consumption. Bruce Dvorak, assistant professor of landscape architecture, said the climate of Texas has been the hardest obstacle the team has faced. “First year some of the plants died so we consolidated successful plants on one side and we started purchasing additional plants and we would start planting those and from the new plant teams we would have some successes and some failures so every year we just kind of keep modifying it,” Dvorak said. Dvorak said the winter temperatures have played a major role in whether certain specie of plants survive and are best suited for Texas weather. “We had 18 degrees [Fahrenheit] and that 18 degrees wiped out several plants that are marginally hardy here, so you kind of learn that you are in zone 8b here and even though you might have a mild winter three or four years in a row we’re going to

have a cold temperature,” Dvorak said. “It doesn’t matter if it is one day or 15 days—still that one day can kill plants that are not cold hardy.” Dvorak said most meteorologists are environmentally minded but tend to lack the manual labor skills of designing green roofs to collect data, making this project attractive. “In order to do science on a green roof it was clear to me that there would have to be a lot of sensing done, a lot of instrumentation,” Dvorak said. “Meteorology these days can be kind of tied to the LED monitor and sitting in front of the computer. So I think even some of the manual labor skills of just assembling the green roof in the beginning was a real positive for the people that were involved and the chance to be next to plants.” Despite the severe challenges posed by the extreme weather conditions, the project has identified more than 12 species that have done well on the roof. Zhihan Tao, landscape architecGREEN ROOF ON PG. 2

Independent films come to B-CS Red Wasp festival offers platform to international filmmakers Sunday By Abbie Maier @AbbsMaier The Red Wasp Film Festival Sunday showcased films from all over the world and celebrated its 15th year of providing the Brazos Valley with high-quality independent film Sunday night. The Red Wasp Film Festival began with a desire from Carol and Craig Conlee to increase film appreciation in the Bryan-College Station community and to create a platform for up-and-coming filmmakers to showcase their work. This year’s festival was held at Coulter Air Field in Bryan, and awards were given for Audience Favorite, One to Watch and Best of Festival. Carol Conlee created the Red Wasp Film

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Nate Silver, editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight accurately predicted the last two elections.

Leah Kappayil — THE BATTALION

Films were screened inside an airplane hangar during the Red Wasp Film Festival.

Festival in 2003, while she owned a local bed and breakfast, called the 7F Lodge. Playboy Magazine called Conlee, wanting to use the 7F Lodge as the backdrop for a photoshoot RED WASP ON PG. 2

One of the events at last year’s International Women’s Day Event was slam poetry.

FILE

Conference to celebrate Women’s Day By Kenya Robinson @AbbsMaier The fifth-annual International Women’s Day Conference will once again celebrate Women’s History Month by recognizing the diversity of the Aggie family and emphasize the importance of women in leadership. Student organizations Feminists for Reproductive Equity and Education and Women’s Organization for Motivation, Expression, and Nurturing (WOMEN) will team up with the

American Association of University Women and the Women’s Resource Center for the annual conference. The conference will include performances by student organizations on campus, presentations showcasing women achievements around the world and small group discussions for registered participants. The conference will take place Tuesday in the Memorial Student Center from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. WOMEN’S DAY ON PG. 4

Nate Silver to visit campus By Brad Morse @bradmorse53 Nate Silver, editor-in-chief of FiveThirtyEight, will give a speech titled “The Signal and the Noise: An Evening with Nate Silver,” focusing on statistics and how they relate to the modern world. Silver is also the main data scientist and founder of FiveThirtyEight, which is owned by ESPN. The site covers sports, politics, economics, science and popular culture. Silver is known for his work with statistics, which he uses to predict the outcome of various events. He was able to accurately predict the outcome of 49 of 50 states during the 2008 presidential election, and all 50 states in the 2012 election. The speech, sponsored by MSC Bethancourt, will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Rudder Auditorium. Accounting junior and MSC Bethancourt executive Brett Lucy said Silver will talk about how to use statistics to analyze today’s society. “Nate will be discussing how to combine different analytical tools and how to use them to properly sort through all the information and data that comes our way today,” Lucy said. “He will use relevant topics in the world today to relate how his methods can help one rise above all the nonsense and useless information that is often espoused by others.” Although the speech will be centrally focused around statistics concepts, Lucy said the speech won’t be tailored to math-oriented people. “Honestly, we have been targeting the whole campus,” Lucy said. “We want as di-

verse of an audience as possible, and we truly believe that everyone on this campus will benefit from this talk.” Lucy said MSC Bethancourt chose Silver because of his unique methodology and relevance to the world today. “He is an outside-the-box thinker and someone who has — and continues to — break ground in a variety of subjects,” Lucy said. “On top of this, he is extremely relevant at this point in time. With the recent election and the continued chaos of the new administration, Nate has been an important voice and someone that has been looked to for clarification. This modern state of affairs and our mission as an organization made him a great person to come speak to our campus.” Political science senior and MSC Bethancourt chair Alexa Etheredge said the group decided to bring Silver to campus because they thought his speech would offer a fresh perspective on current events. “We really admired his work both with data and making predictions with that data,” Etheredge said. “We thought [bringing him to campus] would be a great way to talk about dealing with a world that is so saturated with data, and he is able to approach these topics from a different standpoint.” Etheredge said she hopes the speech proves impactful to those who attend. “He has a lot of knowledge that students could benefit from,” Etheredge said. “I think that he will give students a great perspective on making decisions and predictions about the world today. Hopefully they can take something away and back into their lives.”

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declined the offer, and when another filmmaker called later in that week, she was hesitant to accept any offers without looking at a script. “He drove out, gave me the script, and it was extremely good,” Conlee said. “When it was over with, I asked him ‘Where are you going with this?’ He told me that the only place you can go as an independent filmmaker is to festivals. I had an event facility, so I said, ‘Let’s do it.’ And that was the start.” Mic Brown, a College Station High School senior, submitted his film “For the Love of the Art” and won the award for One to Watch. Brown said he has been interested in film since his freshman year, when he took an introductory course. “This is the first film I’ve made that

I’ve been comfortable showing people. I feel like a lot of people struggle with conveying topics that need to be discussed. So film is a good way to bring it up in popular culture,” Brown said. Mike Downey, a returning attendee, said the Red Wasp Film Festival contributes to the community. “It’s a place for someone who doesn’t have a million dollar budget to be on the screen,” Downey said. “I think that’s the main reason it’s around.” Jason Habel was this year’s Audience Favorite, and has participated in various other film festivals. “Short film is important for self-expression. There’s not a lot of places where people can express non-commercial ideas in a public forum like this,” Habel said. “Short films give people an opportunity to make things that

might not be seen in a regular movie theater.” The Arts Council has taken over the responsibility of organizing the festival in recent years. Jan Creery is a member of The Arts Council Committee and is excited for the festival’s future. “I think that’s really going to help with our community to get us on the map, people will start to recognize this as a world class film festival. Come to it next year. Submit your films. Please come see it. It’s something out of the ordinary,” Creery said. After 15 years, Conlee hasn’t ceased to believe in the impact that film has on the surrounding community, and beyond. “No one knows who goes where from here,” Conlee said. “The power to tell story is the stuff that can change the world.”

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architecture graduate student and researcher, said the team will focus on urban agriculture on the roof in the coming months. This research requires constant inventory and checking of equipment. Meteorology instructional professor Don Conlee said despite the weather climate, keeping the sensors working is an obstacle. “One of our biggest challenges is keeping everything up and running,” Conlee said. “We’re looking at 27 soil moisture sensors, there’s 23 rooftop temperature sensors so there’s just a huge amount of things which is a lot more than a typical meteorological station … You don’t need 23 thermometers or 27 soil moisture probes and temperature probes.” Conlee said one of the more interesting findings so far has been identifying the stark difference in rooftop temperatures between two bare and vegetated plots, which proves that it’s not the plot alone but the photosynthesis being carried out by the plants

Maria Fuentes — THE BATTALION

The Ph.D. students observe the plants’ growth and discuss overall performance of the plant species on the rooftop of Langford.

using the sun’s energy that ultimately prevents it from heating the roof. Despite many of the advantages of a green roof, not all buildings may be structurally sound for a green roof, and many buildings would need to be retrofitted. However, Dvorak said the additional maintenance required for green roofs depends on the design of the green roof itself to a large extent. “I would say that there’s not one roof on this campus that is not maintained already because you have to go up and do the annual inspections and those kinds of things. So yes, it would be another kind of maintenance but the benefits far outreach going with

the cheapest possible solution,” Dvorak said. The additional cost may be able to offset other expenses by reducing energy consumption in the building, by the capture and use of rainwater and through naturalized vegetation, which requires a lower level of maintenance. “I would say just that people don’t have to be afraid of green roofs,” Conlee said. “I think there’s a lot to be gained from studying and learning about these things and other universities are doing this all across the country so I think if we can push that direction more it would be a good thing.”

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The Battalion | 3.7.17

August 8, 1996 — February 19, 2017

ALEX JONES A loving friend, son who transformed the world around him By Megan Rodriguez @MeganLRodriguez

emembered for his selflessness, compassion and never-ending pursuit to better the world, Alex Jones will continue to live on in the hearts of loved ones c l o s e s t t o h i m . As a triple major in political science, economics and international studies, a Texas A&M Ross Volunteer and the recently announced 2017-2018 Aggie Band Commander, Alex had talents which constantly intersected with his desire to help those around him. Bettina Jones, Alex’s mother, said Alex had a wide range of interests and cared deeply for those he loved. “Alex has always been a very energetic person — a very high achiever,” Bettina said. “He always wanted to make everybody happy. He had a great sense of humor and was very mischievous. When someone was sad he would always come up with a small prank to make them laugh. He really loved his friends and family and he loved languages and traveling. He was very athletic and loved to run and loved the outdoors.” In addition to having strong relationships with his friends, Alex’s father Cecil “Burt” Jones said he and Alex always had a special bond.

PROVIDED

Alex Jones conquered every task in his life as unmatched determination and a never-ending desire to positively impact his community.

“He was my buddy; we did a lot of things together and he was always up for an adventure,” Burt said. “One time I was talking about going hunting when he was young and he said, ‘Well when are you going to take me hunting?’ So we took hunting classes together and we both qualified to be hunters in Texas. Anything I wanted to do he wanted to do, too. He would always make time for me and I would make time for him.” Bettina said Alex’s plan to join the Air Force after graduation was brought on by his desire to improve the world he lived in.

“He loved the Air Force,” Bettina said. “On [Feb.16] he’d heard he had a pilot slot with the Air Force. He had taken flying lessons last year because he said he wanted to be sure he wasn’t afraid of heights. He said he wanted to join the Air Force, not just to be a pilot and fly around, but to portray America in a positive light and make friends around the world and somehow make peace.” While Alex’s career goal was to join the Air Force, it was Alex’s passion for band which was one of his earliest and strongest displays of determination.

“We went to church when he was little and there was a trumpet concert and he just listened to it and was really patient and he said, ‘This is really beautiful mom, I think this is the music of the angels,’” Bettina said. “And so he said from when he was six years old, ‘I want to learn how to play the trumpet.’ In sixth grade when they got to try out with instruments the trumpet was not his talent, and it was unacceptable to him. He said he was going to try until he was good enough to play the trumpet … starting seventh grade he was first chair and that never changed again.” While Alex has always had a wide range of interests, Bettina said a constant in Alex’s life was his understanding of the importance of kindness toward others. “When he was in high school band in ninth grade he didn’t like how the seniors were belittling the freshman so he said to the band director, ‘I’ll quit band unless that changes,’” Bettina said. “Since then the high school is still doing special things for incoming ninth graders. Every ninth grader has a 12th grade friend who helps them navigate the first year of high school, and they’re calling it the ‘Alex Jones method.’” Bettina said it was times like these when Alex truly lived out his life motto. “Alex’s motto was, ‘Life is a team-sport, where everyone is supposed to give the best of themselves to make the world a better and happier place,’” Bettina said. “If you give your best, then you have done your part and have nothing to worry about.”

September 10, 1993 — February 15, 2017

ROSS TRAVIS LIGHTFOOT A selfless friend with a profound intellect By Angel Franco @angelmadison_

oss Travis Lightfoot is described by his family and friends as a carefree and loving person who always put others before himself. Sports was a way of life for Ross and his family. Although he played many sports, baseball was at the top of the list. Lisa Thompson, Ross’ aunt, said baseball was a family affair. “My dad coached him at a young age in t-ball all the way through high school,” Thompson said. “My brother was a high school coach so my brother coached him in high school. Baseball was life for us — that’s what we live and breathe around here.” Thompson said some of her fondest memories of her nephew Ross came from his days playing baseball. “Baseball had to be the best memories of all with him,” Thompson said. “He was really good at any sport he played. I loved watching Ross play sports.” Although he loved to play baseball and competed at a junior college nearby, Ross’ passion and love for Texas A&M was always strong, making his decision to transfer to Aggieland and leave competitive baseball behind

PROVIDED

Ross Travis Lightfoot’s family and friends describe Ross as an adventurous and caring person.

an easy choice. “He loved A&M from the time he could talk; he knew he wanted to go to Texas A&M,” Thompson said. “He wouldn’t come home on thanksgiving because he was at the A&M game. It was just normal. So, we would have to facetime him for thanksgiving because that’s where he was.” Another sport Ross loved was snowboarding. Ross’ mother, Gayle Lightfoot, said snowboarding was a sport he always made time for. “He loved to snowboard,” Lightfoot said. “That was his passion — what he loved to

do. He talked about moving up [to Colorado] when he got out of school so he could snowboard all the time.” Both Ross’ mother and aunt said learning came naturally to him, a trait which helped as a computer engineering major. “He was very very smart,” Thompson said. “Always intelligent … He was always a straight-A student, top of his class in high school. Heath Donaldson, Ross’ childhood best friend, said Ross’s intelligence and ability to socialize despite having a heavy course was something that always amazed him.

“Another thing that always got me was how dang smart he was without even trying,” Donaldson said. “He easily graduated third in our class in high school. I mean I’ve always made good grades, but he would just show up after not studying and ace everything. He had to have had one of the most active social lives in the computer engineering department for sure.” His aunt describes Ross as a person who was always willing to help someone in need but never asked for anything in return. Thompson said he was an independent soul. “He didn’t want people to worry [about him],” Thompson said. “He didn’t want people to help him if he needed anything. He just was just a great guy never asked for anything. He didn’t want you to put yourself in a bind trying to help him.” Donaldson said he couldn’t think of a time in his life where he and Ross weren’t enoying themselves just spending time together. “He has just always been there in my life,” Donaldson said. “He’s in a majority of the memories I have. He was just always so funny and fun to be around and never got bothered by anything. Every single memory that comes to mind of a time we had together, or anything that he did I just remember we were always laughing and having a blast. He was hilarious and didn’t even mean to be, because he would just say whatever came to mind no matter how random or off the wall it was.”

September 24, 1996 — January 26, 2017

RONALD THIESSEN A hard-working student who cared for family, friends By Tyler Snell @tyler_snell2

ggies look forward to the day they step foot on campus and continue their higher education. For Ronald Thiessen, this dream became a reality when he transferred from Angelo State University last semester. Ronald was described as a hard working and caring student who always completed his assignments on time and looked for challenges. “I remember that he had told me that one of the teachers had told him that he would be good if he could do a 3.5 [GPA] here,” said Tina Thiessen, Ronald’s mother. “But he would always try to reach as high as he could.” Tina said she can remember how Ronald was always looking forward to becoming an Aggie and walking across the stage. “He was looking ahead two years ago with plans to go to A&M,” Tina said. “It was his dream. He was really excited that he could go and that he could go into the classes that he had studied already.” Ronald was a hardworking student who included in his transfer essay the desire to become a software engineer and one day start his own company.

PROVIDED

Ronald Thiessen was a studious Aggie whose determination led to success in all his endeavors.

“He was a student with great promise,” said Rick Furuta, professor and undergraduate adviser in the Department of Computer Science. “It is sad both that he could not develop this and also that we could not gain the benefit of his contribution to our community.” A drive to put others first and make them feel special is what Tina said she will always cherish about Ronald. “When it came up to Mother’s Day or Father’s Day or someone’s birthday he would always be the first one to have something ready for us,” Tina said. “He always showed love to us and that was something that I will keep in

my heart that he did for us.” Raymond Thiessen, Ronald’s older brother, said Ronald was a loving brother who knew how to work hard and play hard. “We always played video games together,” Raymond said. “We always played sports together, too, and watched football together. That’s something I will really miss.” Raymond said his favorite memory of Ronald is when he was learning to ride a bike. “When he was younger, he didn’t know a whole lot, but I pushed him and he didn’t have training wheels,” Raymond said. “He fell and it was actually pretty funny.”

Amidst the times of laughter and hard work, Raymond always thought Ronald was a great example for those around him. “He was always a quiet guy but very productive and didn’t like to brag,” Raymond said. “He was a very good example and role model for younger kids.” Tina said Ronald knew how to stay focused and organized and will miss his presence and what he did for each of their family members. “He would always have everything in order like his accounting and everything that he had with school,” Tina said. “He was really, really good at organizing. I will miss him the most that he won’t be around us anymore and what he [has] done for us.” Ronald’s organization carried over to his academic career where he had hopes of graduating from A&M’s computer science and engineering department. “He loved the school, and that was always where he wanted to graduate,” Raymond said. “He told all of us that they were almost the top in the nation in computer science and engineering. He thought that after he graduated, there would be a very good chance that he would get a good job.” Ronald spent many weekends with friends and family, and Raymond said he will always cherish their last one together. “The last time I saw him is when we played the newest Madden game,” Raymond said. “I was the Cowboys and he was the Eagles and he beat me. That was a good memory.”

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Aggieland 2018

Qualifications for editor-in-chief of the Aggieland yearbook are:

REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester; PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society); • Have demonstrated ability in writing, editing and graphic design through university coursework or equivalent experience; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible position on the Aggieland or comparable college yearbook.

Application forms should be picked up from and returned to Douglas Pils, Student Media General Manager, in Suite L410 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, 2017.

THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR

Editor-in-Chief

BATT THE

The IndependenT STudenT VoIce of TexaS a&M SInce 1893

Fall 2017 –Spring 2018 FILE

(The fall and spring editor will oversee print and digital editions, and serve Aug. 14, 2017, through May 14, 2018)

Qualifications for editor-in-chief of The Battalion are: REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester. PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society) or equivalent; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible editorial position on The Battalion or comparable daily college newspaper, – OR – Have at least one year editorial experience on a commercial newspaper, – OR – Have completed at least 12 hours in journalism, including JOUR 203 (Media Writing I) and JOUR 303 (Media Writing II) or JOUR 304 (Editing for the Mass Media), or equivalent.

Application forms should be picked up from and returned to Douglas Pils, Student Media General Manager, in Suite L410 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, 2017.

The International Women’s Day Conference held last year was put on by five different organizations.

WOMEN’S DAY CONTINUED Founder and president of WOMEN and chemical engineering grad student Prerna Jain said she is excited for this year’s conference because it aims celebrate diversity and the global achievements of women around the world. “I believe it is important to host such an event at Texas A&M’s campus as this is a way to celebrate the accomplishments of women at Texas A&M and the community at large.” Jain said. “We at the WOMEN organization believe that it is important to recognize the accomplishments of women from all backgrounds because this would lead to higher dignity and self-respect for women.”

In addition to increasing diversity, WOMEN Events and Marketing leader Carla Zamalis said she believes the conference will show how women are willing to uplift and encourage one another through difficult times. “With the recent ‘Chalk Talk’ incident, Brock Turner’s hearing last year and certain sexist issues that have occurred on our own campus, I think it is good to show the bright side of things,” Zamalis said. “It’s good to show that there exists such an organization that stands for supporting women, embracing our strengths and standing together.” President of Feminists for Reproductive Equity and Education and political science junior Emmalea Lan-

ingham said she looks forward to the International Women’s Day Conference because she hopes it will give women of all backgrounds a chance for their voices to be heard. “By sharing the individual experiences of women, the International Women’s Day Conference aims to define, confront and challenge the inequality faced by women internationally,” Laningham said. “Texas A&M’s campus will be afforded a diversity of international experiences from female perspectives that have been silenced in other regions of the world. Hopefully, Aggies will gain knowledge that will inspire them to improve the lives of women and communities globally and drive positive change.”

THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR

Editor

DIAMOND DISCUSSION

BATT THE

Serving TexaS a&M UniverSiTy Since 1893

Summer 2017

(The summer editor will oversee print, digital and special editions, and will serve May 14, 2017, through Aug. 13, 2017)

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PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society) or equivalent; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible editorial position on The Battalion or comparable daily college newspaper, – OR – Have at least one year editorial experience on a commercial newspaper, – OR – Have completed at least 12 hours in journalism, including JOUR 203 (Media Writing I) and JOUR 303 (Media Writing II) or JOUR 304 (Editing for the Mass Media), or equivalent.

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Application forms should be picked up from and returned to Douglas Pils, Student Media General Manager, in Suite L410 of the MSC. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 28, 2017.

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Notice of University Student Rule Revisions Additions, deletions and changes to the University Student Rules may occur over the course of the year. The following student rules have been revised: Rule # 14.1

Rule Degree Requirements

Date Student Rule Website Updated March 2, 2017

Each student has the responsibility to be fully acquainted with and to comply with the Texas A&M University Student Rules. Student Rules can be found at http://student-rules.tamu.edu.

LIFE&ARTS

The Battalion | 3.7.17

Local singer-songwriters find home at The Village Musicians show off talent Thursdays at Bryan cafe, learn from each other By EmmaLee Newman @emmy_lee014 The Bryan music scene has gradually grown in noise and notoriety over time, but a special night reserved for singer-songwriters at The Village Café has been going strong and loud for the past eight years. Thursday nights from 8 to 11 p.m. local artists come to the café to perform their original works for an audience. Keith Kalimantan, a local musician, has been writing music for 10 years and performs all over Bryan, but always makes time to come out to “singer-songwriter night” to experience the music of people he’s inspired by. “Most of the songs I write come from experience, life experiences, things I’ve observed through others, and I try to translate feeling into lyrics,” Kalimantan said. “The lyrics aren’t necessarily biographical but they communicate an emotion … I think we all inspire each other.” The night is described as a “casual performing environment” by Kristy Petty, owner of The Village Café, and always has a diverse group of performers come through their door. “The hardest thing for [the event] is that this town has a four-year cycle for B-CS, so we get some musicians that are coming real consistently and are building it up and they move off to Austin or somewhere to do music,” Petty said. “It ebbs and flows by semester, and typically we end with seven or eight musicians and they bring their friends.”

Joey McGee, host of singer-songwriter night, has been a performer for more than 20 years and has hosted at The Village Café since 2011. McGee said the atmosphere offers a strong support system and hosts a diverse music community from folk to rock. “I think the host sets a tone and the tone I set is to be encouraging,” McGee said. “What I love about it is it’s a place where people who will get not only students but retirees or people who’ve gone through a divorce or students who for the first time are playing outside their bedroom and I love that so for me I love encouraging people to explore their creativity.” Steven Alcala, telecommunications junior, and Sam Armstrong, local high school student, are a regular performance pair at singer-songwriter night. The duo described their sound as a blend of Ed Sheeran, City in Color and Bluegrass style. They said their music highlights the diverse music scene in downtown. Alcala believes Downtown Bryan has a lot to offer for music in the future. “[Music is] big here … and I know a lot of my peers don’t know about it or Downtown,” Armstrong said. “Downtown is one of the best kept secrets in B-CS in my opinion so it’s getting bigger and I’d love to see it grow and keep growing. It definitely hasn’t reached its peak yet.” Armstrong said the environment of the café is one where expression can flow, which helps the overall creative process. “Not only is it a good way to express yourself through writing or music but it also grows a community,” Armstrong said. “I wouldn’t have ever known a lot of these guys if it weren’t for singer-songwriter nights and getting to know them through their music.”

Rachel Grant — THE BATTALION

Local artist performs for the Village Café diners singing his own original songs.

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