vol. 14 | issue 4 November 11 - November 24
Another Crime Alert? B.W.O.C. (Big Wizard On Campus)
p. 7
p. 11 - 13
Q&A: The Lower 48 p. 16 - 17
©2013 The Wake Student Magazine. All rights reserved. Established in 2002, The Wake is a fortnightly independent magazine and registered student organization produced by and for the students of the University of Minnesota. The Wake is published with support from Generation Progress/Center for American Progress (online at www.genprogress.org).
Production Production Manager
Editorial Editor-in-Chief
Sondra Vine
Alyssa Bluhm
Graphic Designers
Managing Editor
Sondra Vine, Eric Berry, Kelsey Schwartz, Brittany Long
Art Director
Sam Gordon
Whats Inside? Tibet Still Matters p. 15
The Great Balancing Act p. 4
Q&A: The Lower 48 p. 16 - 17
St. Paul Campus Guide p. 5
Bookstores of Minneapolis p. 18
Capitalism Killed the Music p. 6 Another Crime Alert? p. 7
A Farewell to Lou Reed p. 19 Transforming a Neighborhood Bar p. 19
Voices Editor
UDS Kills Consumer Choice p. 8
Fresh Sounds From Old Legends p. 20
The Battle Between Pepsi and Coca-Cola p. 9 Can Drones Be Doves p. 9
Point v. Counterpoint - Monogenre p. 21
Bruce Ferguson
Kelcie McKenney
Web Editor
The Wake was founded by Chris Ruen and James DeLong.
the purpose of the Wake is to provide a forum in which students can voice their opinions. opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as a whole. to join the conversation email abluhm@wakemag.org.
Grace Birnstengel
Sam Lindsay
Social Media Manager
www.wakemag.org
Justin Miller
Cities Editor
DISCLAIMER
The Wake Student Magazine 126 Coffman Memorial Union 300 Washington Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55455
Sound & Vision Editor Sara Glesne Courtney Bade
Web Assistant
3 Reviews p. 22
Assassains in Training p. 10 B.W.O.C. (Big Wizard On Campus) p. 11 - 13
Events Calendar p. 23
Brittany Long
Staff Writers Nathaniel Kitzman, Ethan Lauer
Business Manager Cooper Henckel
Distributors Shawna Stennes Nesteen Param
This Issue Cover Artist
Kelcie McKenney
Photographers Sarah Brewer, Katie Dougherty, Sam Lindsay, Kelcie McKenney, Natalie Ward
Illustrators
Ah, mid-November. The time when snow starts to stick and there are more clouds than sun. The time when nothing tastes as good as the turkey and mashed potatoes you know you’ll be wolfing down on Thanksgiving. The time when a quiz, two tests, and three papers are scheduled within one week, and the bags under your eyes become so deep you could almost crawl inside them and take a nap. Not that you have time to sleep. With all the extra stress and work that piles up toward the end of the semester, you might be worrying: Am I going to pass? One way to answer this question, as you might have guessed by the cover of this issue, is to ask Gandalf. As it turns out, “You shall not pass” isn’t his only catchphrase - “You shall pass” is an option too.
And while I don’t really advise leaving your fate up to a fellow Gopher who cosplays as one of the best wizards in pop culture, he has a point. Finding time for the things you love amidst all the crazy that is the second half of the semester is essential. Sure, you might only have time for those things in moderation, but finding time for them in the first place is essential to keeping your brain from deflating. So go ahead – watch Netflix, take naps, and overindulge on stuffing and pie. You deserve it. But, you know, don’t forget to study.
Alyssa Bluhm Editor-in-Chief
Eric Berry, Dan Forke, Sam Lindsay, Peter Mariutto, Lianna Matt, Jennifer Yelk
Contributing Writers Courtney Bade, Kirsten Erickson, Herbert B. Ferguson Augustus, Pascal Filatre, Maddy Fox, Sara Glesne, Nader Helmy, Nate Kitzmann, Ethan Lauer, Brittany Long, Martha Lueders, Lianna Matt, Kayla McCombs, Luke Michaels, Cora Neisen, Zach Simon, Nick Theis, Sarah Valli, Alex Van Abbema, Natalie Ward
Can't get enough of The Wake? Twitter: @the_wake Facebook: /TheWakeMagazine Wake-Mag.tumblr.com
13:4
Cities The Great Balancing Act
How do football players manage school with their football commitments? By Alex Van Abbema
Walking around the practice facility’s player lounge for the University of Minnesota football program, one can see footballs on display that mark big wins and team accomplishments, as well as trophies celebrating championships of years past. But one wall shows a different aspect of the players lives: plaques honoring the top 12 academic achievers as well as those who have a 3.0 GPA or higher. This wall serves as a reminder that these athletes also have important lives as students. Every player has a different amount of time they need to commit to football. For instance, those who are “redshirted” are out of competition for a year. These players don’t play in games, spend less time at practice, and therefore have more time to focus on their schoolwork.
Practice time varies among all of the players. “Technically practice is only allowed to take 20 hours, but the amount of time spent doing football-related things such as treatment, working out, or learning the playbook is probably closer to 30 or 40 hours,” said Hawthorne. Sophomore Rodrick Williams, a well-used running back on the team, said he has to practice around seven to eight hours every day. He doesn’t have much free time and has to find ways to manage his time efficiently. “I get a planner, make sure I write everything down. It’s always easier when I put everything in front of me,” Williams said. Some of the players occasionally miss classes on Fridays due to the team’s travelling for road games. But Williams said that students are able to cope with this relatively well. “We just give [the professors] a letter saying ‘I had to miss this class because of the football team.’ Normally they’re okay with it.” Williams said.
Freshman punter Ryan Santoso is currently redshirted, and as of now has workouts every morning and practice twice a week. Next year, however, is going to be a big change for him and his workload. “I’m going to be taking more credits in the fall than I did this year,” Santoso said. “Plus, I’m going to be actually playing. It’s going to be harder to manage my time.”
The players say that coaches put a strong emphasis on schoolwork. “If anybody’s slacking, they’ll get on you,” said Michael Conway, a quarterback and wide receiver. The coaches also set up tutors to help the athletes with their homework. According to Santoso, players have tutoring “at least three times a week, if not more.” The tutors review the student’s homework and make sure they understand all of their material.
Other players whose positions are less demanding, such as kickers or punters, don’t have to work as often to learn plays or strategies. “I think one of the perks about being a kicker is that you don’t have to learn the playbook like the rest of the guys do, so I’m able to focus on school,” senior placekicker Chris Hawthorne said. But Hawthorne still finds productive ways to fill up his schedule. “I’m president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, I’m in the process of organizing and trying to facilitate a dance marathon, and I’m on the academic committee for athletics,” said Hawthorne.
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JENNIFER YELK
Only 1.7 percent of college football players play a down in the NFL, according to Business Insider. The rest will all have to find jobs in their respective fields, and it all starts by getting that crucial sheet of paper. “Besides being Big Ten champs, our goal is to get our degrees,” said Santoso.
CITIES St. Paul Bound? We’ve got you covered The hidden gems the St. Paul campus has to offer By Martha Lueders
When considering student housing, many have a checklist of what they are looking for. For some it’s the possible commute time or how the place looks, and for some it’s as simple as feeling like a home. At Bailey Hall, which already has the commute working against it, outward appearance also does not seem to be enough. Bailey Hall was ranked the worst freshmen dorm and one of the worst dorms at the U overall by College Prowler. The lush green mall, horticulture gardens, and the surrounding quaint neighborhoods that form the St. Paul campus are apparently not enticing enough.
“A 30 minute bus ride!?” a University of Minnesota freshmen said with an appalled look on her face. “Who would ever want to live there?” Her friend sitting next to her shrugged, “Beats me.” Whether you were forced into living off in Timbuktu, or you chose St. Paul as a place to call home, there is still hope in having fun in St. Paul, contrary to popular belief.
STRIKE!
EXPLORE THE NEIGHBORHOOD
“Bowling was always fun,” said Janny Moua, a previous resident of Bailey Hall. On Sundays, Moua would go bowling with some of her friends that lived in Bailey for cheap. St. Paul offers a number of deals on bowling in the Student Center. One of them being all-you-can-bowl for $7 on Saturdays.
“Though it was tough to get out there and do things that weren’t right out your front door,” Mooradian said, “I loved living in St. Paul because it felt like going home.” The neighborhoods around Bailey were one of Mooradian’s favorite places to take walks with friends. “I’m forcing my roommates to take a field trip to St. Paul to walk around the neighborhood,” she continued. “They need the full experience!”
CA-CAW! If you’re looking for an attraction that will ruffle your feathers, the Raptor Center may be a perfect fit. Students are able to see a number of different birds, ranging from owls to vultures. The owls were a favorite of Sarah Moordian, a junior who lived at Bailey her first year at the U.
WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM! After a long week of studying, what’s better than an ice cream study break? Every Wednesday from 2-5 p.m. there is an ice cream, cheese, and meat sale inside the Andrew Boss Laboratory of Meat Science (ABLMS). The most popular product among students seems to be the ice cream. The small room is lined with freezers and refrigerators all holding the delicious treats that many students crave. “I’d say Gopher Gold is our most popular,” Jodi Nelson said. Nelson has been helping serve flavors like Gopher Gold for 25 years. The store has about 15 different kinds of ice cream, but there are almost 40 different varieties, Nelson explained. If ice cream isn’t your thing, there is also a variety of cheeses that you can devour during a much-needed study break. There are about 15 different flavors of cheese, but the Parmesan, Gouda, and spicy cheeses seem to sell the fastest, said Nelson.
St. Anthony Park was a favorite by many, including Mooradian, but is not the lone attraction. “If you go a little further,” said Alex Eninsche, a junior architecture major, “Just west of Como, there is Langford Park. They have free skating there.”
AFTER ALL… “St. Paul is a different environment,” Moua said. “It was a very enjoyable experience.” Moordian echoed this opinion, even though Bailey wasn’t her first choice of dorm to live in. “It was my last actually,” she said with a laugh. After her experience, she would recommend anyone to live or at least visit the St. Paul campus. So make the trek to St. Paul and see what there is to offer. Make sure your trip is complete by taking a photo with the legendary bronze bulls on the mall, the landmark of the agriculture campus. PHOTOS BY SAM LINDSAY
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5.
Cities Capitalism Killed the Music The Socialist Perspective on the Minnesota Orchestra lockout By Ethan Lauer October 1 marked a full year of the Minnesota Orchestra’s lockout due to pay cuts proposed by the Minnesota Orchestral Association (MOA) as a part of the Minnesota Orchestra’s contract renewal. Without any management, backing, or funding from the Minnesota Orchestral Association, the performers renamed themselves “The Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra” and took it into their own hands to self-manage and coordinate their own performances. One might say, “What’s the big deal? They’re still performing, aren’t they?” Yes, but not on as large of a scale as they were able to with the backing of the MOA. Due to the lack of external funding, the musicians must pass extra costs on to those who want to see them, causing their performances to be more expensive and exclusive. Because of this, it is much more difficult for the general public to see the musicians perform.
perhaps at its current level of excellence, cannot be sustained. As much as both sides would like to think the orchestra is all about the art, it’s really, at this dreadful moment, all about the money. There is simply not enough of it.” The International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) has recently announced their full support of the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra regarding this issue. Eric Lee, coordinator of IYSSE at the University of Minnesota, made it clear that this seemingly unrelated scenario is in fact directly related to the broader issues that socialists believe are inherent to capitalism. Lee explained how the capital expenditure that goes into financing one day of war effort in the Middle East is about the same as all of the federal funding allotted for the arts in an entire year. The IYSSE believes that this astounding fact is merely a symptom of a much more complex issue wherein the majority of Americans disagree with the amount of funds being allocated for a largely disapproved war. Meanwhile, the arts and culture that people cherish and that accentuates the beauty of humanity is almost completely neglected as far as funding goes.
The capital expenditure that goes into financing one day of war effort in the Middle East is about the same as all of the federal funding allotted for the arts in an entire year. Lee argues that this discrepancy between the will of the people and the decisions of the government is inherent to a capitalist system. The only solution he and the IYSSE (and the Socialist Equality Party as a whole) propose is a total rev-
olution involving the seizure of power by the working class. Fighting for additional funding for the orchestra may be a short-term progressive treatment of a symptom, but unless the system is changed to put the power in the hands of the working class, similar problems will continue to persist. Lee points to several other examples of capitalism’s privatization and destruction of arts and culture, most notably the proposition to sell of the majority of art in the Detroit Institute of Arts to private owners. The 65,000 pieces in the museum include famous pieces such as a van Gogh self-portrait. Detroit may be forced to sell these priceless works of art to the highest bidder because the city declared bankruptcy. This art is being treated like any other asset with a monetary face value that can be legally repossessed to pay debt. Lee argues that the decision to sell these publicly held masterpieces to private owners is not in accordance with the will of the vast majority of Detroit residents, and is instead due to poor decisions made by politicians that weren’t in the interest of Detroit residents. Again, Lee reiterates the point that the privatization of this publicly held art is a symptom of the capitalist system that values bottom line costs over public interest. The IYSSE and SEP believe that the incidents involving the squashing of publicly available art are all interconnected with the root of the problem being the capitalist system. The IYSSE support of the Musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra is not specific to these musicians, but rather an effort to spread the awareness that although this specific problem may be solved, more will arise unless a major shift in power to the working class happens, in which the will of the people is what influences political decisions.
Fighting for additional funding for the orchestra may be a shortterm progressive treatment of a symptom, but unless the system is changed to put the power in the hands of the working class, similar problems will continue to persist. The MOA has not budged on the issue and refuses to cooperate with the musicians, despite the resources available to them. The MOA Board of Directors is composed of several presidents, VPs, and CEOs of highly profitable corporations including Wells Fargo, US Bancorp, and General Mills. With all of these resources and business connections, one would think that a reasonable salary budget for these world-class musicians could be arranged. However, recently the Editorial Board of the Star Tribune, whose CEO is on the MOA board, wrote, “The Minnesota Orchestra in its current form, and
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EYESONLIFE-GINAHUNTER.BLOGSPOT.COM
CITIES Another Crime Alert?
MSA to implement new safety campaigns to combat rise in crime
By Cora Neisen
By now, the crime alert emails seem to be part of the daily Monday routine. Not only is it no surprise, but it’s also expected that we receive an email explaining a violent crime that occurred on or around our beloved campus.
Crime appears to be at an all-time high with no signs of slowing down, and is subsequently on the minds of everyone.
Although the new safety campaigns cannot replace the feelings of anger, mistrust, and confusion among victims, Minnesota Student Association (MSA) is working hard to prevent more crimes of similar nature from occurring. “Our biggest responsibility is to represent the voice of the student body and relay the feelings of students to UMPD, U of M administration, and the city of Minneapolis,” senior Matt Forstie of MSA said. The student association is cur-
rently working on active solutions such as creating longer Gopher Chauffeur hours, increasing patrols, and having a door knocking night to raise awareness and give out safety tips. In the future, they plan to work with the city of Minneapolis and UMPD to assess whether or not the size of the police force is big enough to adequately keep students safe. MSA may be working hard to keep us safe, however, one thing they have no control over is stopping students from walking alone at night.
“We are trying to combat the perception that walking alone at night is okay,”
An anonymous freshman that was a victim of a recent robbery gives his story of being blind-sighted one Saturday night. “It was one of those things that you never think would happen to you, especially because I was walking with two other guys and was only a block away from the Superblock,” he said. “I’m definitely more paranoid now when I’m walking at night, and I check behind my back a lot. I do feel safer now because there are more cops patrolling the area, and I’m more aware of my surroundings.”
Forstie explained. “The ‘it won’t happen to me’ misconception needs to end because, the truth is, it can happen to anyone.”
PETER MARIUTTO
Hopefully, as students become more informed and UMPD comes up with successful solutions, crime around campus will begin to drop. Until then, when going out at night: goodnight and good luck.
www.wakemag.org
7.
VOICES UDS kills Consumer Choice Has Aramark’s monopoly overstayed its welcome? By Nader Helmy Aramark entered into a 12-year contract with the University beginning July 1, 2008, providing catering for the U in various ways, with locations and events around campus, according to Business Wire. Not simply limited to catering, Aramark’s activities stretch from clothing production to health and sports facilities to educational institutions. The company seems successful and legitimate for the most part - except when you find out just how far their god-hand reaches. Their history provides an interesting, puzzling narrative of seemingly noble practices coupled with hidden allegations. Just this year, Ethisphere Institute named them to be one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2013. At the same time, CBS Sports reported earlier this year that after commissioning Aramark to sell wine and beer at their college football games, the University of Minnesota actually lost money. The math seems to defy all logic, until discovering that the company received over half of the overall profits. Beyond its role on University campuses, Aramark’s transgressions include tax evasion in 2005, wildly underpaying Baltimore workers in 2004, and mistreating workers and withholding pay at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2008. The list goes on. Back before 2008, voices on campus and in the larger metro community opposed the renewal of the company’s contract, which had begun nearly 10 years earlier. One of these voices, former columnist for the Minnesota Daily and former Aramark employee John Hoff, launched a five-part investigative editorial on the company entitled “What’s behind your lunch,” in which he delved into the company’s policies and track record. The voices never gained traction and word wasn’t spread quickly enough, so the University backed recommendations on the company and Aramark bought 12 more years on their lease. In the end, they wielded their power of complete monopoly to convince people to stick with what works. Students living in a dormitory are required by the University to purchase a meal plan from University Dining Services, which is managed by Aramark. If they neglect to choose one, they are assigned the most popular $1,891 meal plan, as opposed to the cheaper $1,712 plan.
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Aramark’s lack of transparency as a company and their general justification of normally questionable behavior is becoming problematic. The Minnesota Daily reported back in 2008 on the countless cases of wrongly paid workers due to manipulation of timecards coupled with record-high termination rates. This came after the company claimed employee satisfaction had risen, which was met by those same employees claiming managers created a hostile work environment, used verbal abuse, discouraged injured workers from seeking immediate medical attention, and using borderline unethical practices to save money.
By staying out of conversation, Aramark has stayed out of trouble. The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities chapter of the activist organization known as the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG) is attempting to change that by investigating their contract and relationship with the University, and above all else, starting a dialogue. Although the conversation is merely beginning, the group is already hitting roadblocks regarding the company’s seemingly airtight contract, with issues like unjustifiably high prices and a lack of affordable options for non-residents at the University being explored. More than that, it’s important that someone, some voice, some group always try to keep our corporations honest.
A typical meal at a University Dining Hall: a group of students notice one of their peers is not eating nearly as much as tradition dictates. The wisest of the group warns, “Eat up. This meal costs you $8.” The beauty of Aramark is that no one really knows about them. No one has to know. UDS employees and freshmen Harsha Sanekommu and Roman Kachinske had never even heard of Aramark prior to our conversation. Then again, the company has never really been one for appearances. They find efficiency in operating below the belt and out of the public eye. At the Sanford Hall dormitory dining room, I asked to speak with the manager for UDS. I was introduced to a man who I asked if I could interview. “I’d have to speak with my marketing manager,” he replied. After hesitating for a moment, he added, “What is the interview about exactly?” Upon explaining that it is an article regarding Aramark and their relationship with the University, he said, “I can’t do that interview.”
LIANNA MATT
VOICES The Search for the Mystical Pepsi Machine on Campus By Brittany Long Monopolies run rampant in the University of Minnesota campus area. They infiltrate everything from food to internet. Just getting a sandwich from someone other than Aramark or fast internet from someone other than Comcast is a hurdle. The most apparent and annoying monopoly on campus, though, is the company Coca-Cola. It gives new meaning to the 1993 Coca-Cola slogan, “Always Coca-Cola.”
Some do otherwise and seek greener (or bluer) pastures. With the ever-continuing tradition of late night studying or partying, it’s easy to see how popular carbonated drinks are on campus. Student’s need variety, though. No matter how good a classic Coca-Cola tastes, the deliciousness fades with time.
Can Drones be Doves? The University should oppose drone research being used for military applications By Nick Theis There is drone research at the University of Minnesota. Our university’s own Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle (UAV) laboratory builds and flight-tests small UAVs outfitted with experimental fail-safe and flight detection technologies intended for use in both unmanned and full-sized aircraft such as passenger jets. As international debate escalates on the legality of drone warfare, the question arises: could our professors be facilitating war machines? One current project aims to provide UAVs with a way to be locate located in case of a GPS system failure. The lab envisions, develops, and flight-tests these kinds of technologies in-house, which UAV Lab director Brian Taylor said distinguishes drone researchers at the U from their colleagues. “You don’t want to optimize one small piece and forget what that does to the rest of the aircraft,” Taylor said - a systems-
Students and young adults are notorious for doing what they are not meant to do. “Oh, you’re not 21, that’s ok, here’s some vodka.” “No bikes allowed on sidewalks? I swear officer, I didn’t see the sign.” Keeping with this tradition, Coca-Cola wants the University of Minnesota student body to only drink Coke products. Some do otherwise and seek greener (or bluer) pastures.
My first year, I heard hushed whispers about Pepsi’s presence on campus. Now, having a job that allowed me to walk campus for long bouts of time also allowed me to do a complete search of campus in early 2012. I found the locations of three Pepsi machines, but over the course of two years, only one remains. This machine is the sole Pepsi presence on campus, the last defiance against Coke’s domination. Knowledge of this location is highly secretive and closely guarded… What?! Did you expect me to just give you the location? Ha! No, but here’s a list of clues in order for only the select few to find this mystical location. We would not want this sole machine to be sold out, now would we?
level approach is therefore important. However, the aircraft itself is not the entire system. What keeps their research from being another component in the larger military industrial complex? Taylor believes we shouldn’t be weaponizing aircraft and that there are many civilian uses of drones (agriculture, wild-life surveys, traffic control, etc.). Yet the University’s UAV lab has been funded by several governmental paramilitary organizations. These organizations include NSF, NASA, and the Department of Homeland Security, as well as some small private companies. However, the lab was not only funded by governmental organizations, it spearheaded military projects. In the early 2000s one of the group’s researchers, Gary Balas, was the principle investigator for a DARPA project that researched technologies that would enable drones to coordinate with each other in strategic combat situations. Therefore, there has been war research here.
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?
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The Location of the Mystical Pepsi Machine:
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The Battle Between Pepsi and Coca-Cola
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This machine is both within and outside of the U of M. The people who walk past are knowledgeable about the human body. ? ? Deal or no Deal? No, it’s south of that.
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You can reach the machine if you enter from the surface and walk two flights upward.
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Is that sirens?
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Despite friendly civilian applications, drone strikes continue to kill civilians, and have killed U.S. citizens. Recently, Amnesty International alleged that U.S. drone strikes might be war crimes. The U.S. government is now using surveillance drones domestically. The aerospace research community needs to stand against the military applications of this technology publically, and we all need to encourage them to do so. Researchers may not be culpable, but they are responsible for the applications of their technologies. If University drone researchers truly want to distinguish themselves from their colleagues, they will take action against military expropriation of their research.
SAM LINDSAY
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9.
VOICES Assassins in Training
The U.S. government has been funding violence in Latin America for decades By Kayla McCombs
As someone who is double-majoring in journalism and global studies (with an emphasis on human rights and social justice, no less), I usually pride myself in being well-read on issues concerning worldwide topics. News, controversies, politics, and movements are always of interest; I plan to build my career on this foundation. I am thus dumbfounded by the fact that I was unaware of the issues surrounding the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, a violent training school for Latin American students in counter-insurgency located in Columbus, Georgia at Fort Benning. This is not a new problem; this is not a well-hidden series of events. The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation promotes torture, assassinations, and other blatant human rights violations and crimes, and it is time for this generation to become as aware and as angry as others before have been for seven decades. As a nation, more high-profile international issues have distracted us. Perhaps the reasons behind our lack of awareness of this particular problem stem from things such as our obsession with the Middle East or Hispanic prejudices. Rarely are issues in Latin America talked about as excessively as other parts of the world. The School of the Americas was renamed The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHISC) in 2002, partially in response to international criticism of the school’s graduates, many of whom have been accused of heinous crimes in Latin America that were encouraged by the United States government.
civilians. These are just a few of many, and the lack of proper investigation of the school is a sure sign that the atrocities are not about to end. Killing, raping, and military coups should be enough to enrage and inspire people to take action. However, the moral issues surrounding WHISC extend much further. Considering that most of the controversial activity has resulted in the destruction of what we in America view as democracy, one has to wonder exactly how the tax-funded training of criminals lines up with our country’s desired international image of heroism. Surely we must be embarrassed by this undeniable hypocrisy, a stain on many of our country’s decisions and values. Americans should be outraged by the secrecy associated with the school’s methods, which continue to be covered up, denied by the Obama administration; little of the transparency that we continuously demand from our leaders is allowed. In response to the situation in Fort Benning, numerous peaceful protests
have taken place to demonstrate disgust and disapproval, as well as to bring about a greater sense of urgency. Every year, thousands of people of different ages, backgrounds, and occupations gather outside the gates of the school in what is known as the Vigil. This year, the Vigil will take place between Nov. 22 and 24 and will feature music, speakers, workshops, and ceremonies honoring the victims of the violence resulting from the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation. This event promotes the idea of using education and creativity to fuel change; it has never been the goal of the protestors of the school to use violence to make a statement, and this should be a source of hope and encouragement for people to get involved. It’s an easy sentiment to spread across the United States; we as Americans tend to have no problem getting angry, protesting, and making a difference when our government fails. The primary reason why the SOA and its resulting violence has not been properly addressed is that education on this issue is far too low. It is going to take strong leadership and publicity to inform the public and instill that sense of urgency for something to get done. With our government already under high pressure, could this be the perfect time for justice at last?
The school itself originated in 1946 and was created to influence the social and economic situations in Latin America for the purpose of spreading American political systems abroad. Students at the school were taught to use rape, murder, and torture to sabotage left wing governments. Infamous examples include General Hugo Banzer Suarez, who gained power in Bolivia after conducting a bloody coup and repressed free speech during his dictatorship. Then there was General Hector Gramajo, a Guatemalan who was found guilty by U.S. courts of war crimes including rape and forced displacement; Gonzalo Mercado, a commander-inchief who is on trial for his part in the murder of 67 innocent
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DAN FORKE
F E AT U R E : B.W.O.C. (Big Wizard On Campus) Gandalf the Grey @ UMN By Zach Simon Photos By Kelcie McKenney
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11.
F E AT U R E : B.W.O.C. (Big Wizard On Campus)
Sitting down with the university’s very own Gandalf the Grey, it is impossible not to notice that he does have a Gandalf-ish effect. I felt a lot like a Hobbit standing a measly 5’10 to his 6’4. However, in true Gandalf style, he has a friendly demeanor of the kind only found in elderly wizards, making it easy to peel back the layers of mystery and thick, flowing beard to see the real person underneath it all. Wake: For those reading not familiar with Gandalf, firstly shame on them; and second, would you mind telling us a bit about yourself? Gandalf: My name is Michael Knudson and I’m a junior in the Civil Engineering program. And I’m Gandalf. Wake: What gave you the idea to dress up as Gandalf and walk around campus? Gandalf: Well, the summer after freshman year I decided to make this very elaborate costume for Gandalf and it ended up being my Halloween costume. I couldn’t justify putting so much work into the costume and only wearing it once, so I started to go out to big campus events wearing it as well. Wake: What are some of the things that you like to do as Gandalf? I assume you don’t just jump out of bed in the morning and think, “Today I’m gonna be Gandalf.”
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Gandalf: I’ll go out to large campus events like Pride & Spirit for the freshman, the homecoming parade, the Yule Ball, the Awkward Dance, and
I even got to crowd surf at Spring Jam one year! It’s a bit more planned out than just putting on the costume whenever I feel like it, although sometimes my friends will pressure me into going out to parties wearing the costume. Wake: I’ve heard talk of you going into lecture halls near finals week and shouting “YOU SHALL PASS.” Also, how do you think the University feels about you walking around as Gandalf in general? Have they ever approached you? Gandalf: Yeah, that is the thing I’m most known for. No one has really approached me, it’s never really been that big a deal. Usually I’ll just go into lecture halls during a class’s final lecture, not actually during their final exams, and yell “YOU SHALL PASS” or “YOU SHALL NOT PASS.” It’s never been an issue, I don’t think anyone minds. Usually professors are pretty good spirited about it and just laugh. Wake: What types of things are you interested in besides dressing up as Gandalf?
Gandalf: I really like physical activity. I’m in the Parkour club, the Quidditch club, Humans vs. Zombies, and I like to play Capture the Flag a lot on campus. Otherwise I like puzzles, music, books, movies, normal stuff really. Also, I’m a part of a civil engineering student group and Tesla Works. Wake: How long have you been Gandalf, and do you think you will continue to roam the campus after graduating? Gandalf: I haven’t put a lot of thought into it, but I figure I’ll probably come back to campus for football games and other alumni things and dress up for fun. Otherwise, I may have to find a successor to take up the costume.
Actually, a girl I know was talking about killing me and taking up the mantel as Gandalf. Wake: I’m under the impression that you like The Lord Of the Rings, so operating under this assumption, who is your favorite character and why? Gandalf: Haha wow, that’s actually a really good question. Gandalf is out of the question, he’s kind of everyone’s favorite. And besides, that’d be too easy. I guess I’d have to say Faramir since he’s very wise and noble, and everybody looks up to him as a great leader and soldier.
F E AT U R E
Wake: If given the choice, would you go back to Middleearth and live there?
up a lady? If so, any successful moments/pick-up lines I can use later?
Gandalf: I do think it’d be fun to live in Middle-earth for a little while. I think once the fantasy wears off it’d just be like the real world with higher chances of dying a horrible death, and no convenient modern technology. While the idea of going to another world and fighting a distinguished enemy seems really fun, odds are I’d be bored most of the time and die fighting a bunch of orcs.
Gandalf: I haven’t actually tried too hard to pick up any girls in the costume. Most people just want to get a picture and then be on their way. Honestly the costume is a little distracting for both myself and the others. I prefer to be myself if I’m ever trying to meet someone.
If I just want to hit people with swords I can play Skyrim or try larping. Wake: Have you ever tried using your wizardly charm to pick
Wake: Favorite color? Gandalf: Gonna go with dark green. Sorry it’s not grey or white. Wake: What was it like fighting the Balrog? Would you recommend it to others? Gandalf: “A demon of the ancient world, this foe is beyond any of you. RUN!” Basically, avoid the Balrog at all cost.
Imagine trying to fight a 20-foot bonfire. Most people can’t even stand within ten feet of that. And it’s lashing at you with a whip and sword, and moving. I mean, I die fighting it and I’m one of the Maiar. I do not recommend fighting it, but if you must then try to drop it down a bottomless pit. And watch your ankles. Wake: My friend brought this up because he thought it would be funny to know “what kind of ride Gandalf be pimpin’.” So if I may ask, what is your vehicle of choice? Gandalf: A white Mustang or a Firebird. I’d prefer a white horse or an eagle, but you ask for a vehicle and this is as close as I can get. There you have it folks, undeniable proof that there is a magical wizard on campus, and he wants you to do well on your exams. So at least you’ve got that going for ya.
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VOICES Tibet Still Matters A cause sustains a movement By Lianna Matt As people walked past the United Nations building in Geneva on Oct. 22, a large banner caught their eye, its scarlet words bold against the white backdrop. “China Fails Human Rights, UN Stand Up For Tibet” hit the world. It left a 9-by-15 meter mark and an even bigger implication only hours before China’s Universal Periodic Review.
on to the next protestor. The movement is not only in Tibet, though; activists in other countries have been taking on that message, too. Their hope is that if enough of the public puts pressure on its leaders, they can band together and finally take action in the China-Tibet conflict, not recommendations, to aid the oppressed Tibetans.
During this review, the UN’s Human Rights Council went over China’s human rights policies and offered suggestions or critiques. Whether or not the banner was effective in galvanizing the council to question China about Tibet, it did not hurt. Thirteen out of the 47 current members made verbal or written recommendations about Tibet while many other members did not publically condone China’s treatment of Tibet. China refused all requests and suggestions.
People are not some fad that we can pick up and then set aside when we’re bored. However, the problem with going against China is its economic influence over the world. As of last year, China holds at least $1.3 trillion of US debt, 4:1 export ratio with the
United States, and has a large percentage of the market for consumer goods globally. China will cut anyone who goes against them, striking a major blow to their economy. No matter how little the outside world advocates for Tibet, the spirit in Tibet has endured through all of the repression because the Tibetans refuse to bow down to a government that rob them of their human rights. They rely on each other for strength, and it is that sense of community that makes them even more determined to fight for their culture. As people learn about China’s abuse of Tibet, they might feel uneasiness in their conscience, compelling them to simply say, “That’s not fair.” This one sentence has the power to unite people and reignite the fight for humanity. Contrarily, if we ignore that uneasiness, we are stripping ourselves of the capacity to make change. People are not some fad that we can pick up and then set aside when we’re bored. Their suffering does not end because our interest in them does. This applies to any group that faces persecution, not just Tibet. If you feel like nothing is changing, realize that the Tibetans feel the same way and yet they keep pressing onward because they know that one day, something will happen based on what they do now.
Their reaction is hardly surprising. Since the 1950s, the opportunities that the Chinese takeover supposedly gives Tibet have faded into job discrimination and Chinese ownership of Tibet’s mineral-rich land. Since the Chinese occupied the Tibetan region, they might as well make the Tibetans into the Chinese with policies that limit the use of Tibetan language, destroy monasteries, and force monks and nuns to go to “patriotic education sessions.” Any opposition to the Chinese government faces injury, arrest, or death. The political prisoners of Tibet can expect jail just for waving a Tibetan flag and torture such as electric shocks and beatings is used for more severe protests. Soldiers stand on every corner, and they have begun to openly fire on protesting crowds. Not only is the soldiers’ job to deter disobedience and force nationalism toward China, but also to hide Tibet from the world. It’s working: According to Reporters Without Borders, Tibet is more difficult to gain access to than North Korea. Nevertheless, after 50 long years, the Tibetan Independence movement is not losing momentum. Inside Tibet, the voice of the movement is revitalizing itself with the new generations, not dying. Protests have been for the equality of nationalities, the safe return of the Dalai Lama, and freedom of language. In October 2012, Tibetan student Wanchuk Dorjee helped lead a peaceful march that united as many as 10,000 students. Inevitably, he was arrested and sentenced to four years in prison. But Tibet is not giving in, and for every protestor killed or arrested, their message is carried
LIANNA MATT
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Q&A them.” So before it wasn’t a love song at all, it was “They don’t know you anymore, lying naked on the floor” and now it’s “I never knew ‘bout love before, now it’s knocking at my door.” So yeah, Bob Dylan song turned Beatles song. And then Sarah and Nick added all their stuff. That’s sort of implied because when I say I wrote it, it’s like a ridiculous understatement. There should be a different word for it.
Looking Back With The Lower 48 A Track-by-Track By Sara Glesne and Courtney Bade
Portland-based The Lower 48 has close roots with our great city of Minneapolis. The members of this nostalgic 60s poprock trio, Sarah Parson (guitar, vocals), Ben Braden (bass, vocals), and Nick Sadler (drums, vocals), originally formed the original, folkier version of the band in Minneapolis about four years ago. The band returned to Minneapolis back in August to release their latest, self-titled album at the Triple Rock and came back for round two at the Whole Music club this past Thursday, November 7. After having the album available to ears for a few months now, The Wake wanted to get a taste of the memories, inspirations, and reflections of each song. So here it is, the first ever Wake track-by-track:
3. Lion’s Den ing the melody and she wrote the harmony for it. That was one of our longest running ones. That took a long time, I think like a year? It was a year and it was good and then--we have this producer who we work with, he’s this British guy, and he said [in British accent] “It needs to be longah!”-- and so we made it longer. It was really short and there’s that ending part now and that drum break, and it kind of gets groovier. The feel changes.
S: A lot of the songs I write are pretty dark.
S: It’s really fun to play live. It hasn’t gotten old.
B: There was an intro.
B and Nick Sadler: Yeah, not at all.
S: Oh yeah! There was an intro and an outro.
2. Long Time Coming S: That was Bien.
1. Rabbit Hole W: Haha, what? Sarah Parson: I wrote it about being jealous and not being able to move forward with your life when you’re hung up on someone and feeling kind of crazy. So it all just kind of spilled out one night. Ben Braden: It’s kind of a stream of consciousness. Wake: Did you write it all in one night? S: Yeah. Yeah, I mean I wrote the lyrics and the basic form of it in one night. I think I even wrote it on Ben’s miniguitar, actually. B: I have a little kid’s guitar. That would make sense because of the key it’s in.
S: Ben, I call him “Bien.” B: Originally written, that one was really folky. I mean, not really folky but sort of Bob Dylan-folky. Especially in the strumming pattern. Right now it’s really straightforward, but before it was really, really Bob Dylan-y. My dad was like, “It’s too much like Dylan.” And then I decided that I just wanted to make it way pop-ier. I was kind of frustrated because I really only wanted to write a pop song. But I kept writing these Bob Dylan songs, because I was listening to him a lot and ripping him off. So I was like, I should just change one of them into a super bubblegum pop song.
S: Yeah, it’s kind of a rambling of thoughts.
W: Yeah, it’s funny I definitely thought I heard some Beatles in that song.
B: Well we worked on it for a really long time. It was just Sarah singing the melody and acoustic guitar. Now I’m sing-
B: Yeah! This was when I was watching “The Beatles: The First U.S. Visit” during this and thought, “Wow, look at
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S: It’s like they’re skeletons when you bring them to the table and everybody adds so much to the song. That one was actually my favorite bass-writing experience. I made it a little too difficult for myself so it was a challenge to sing and play at the same time. But it was fun.
B: That was the first one we played together just us three. Right? S: Yeah, so it started off really slow. It even had a second part to it, like a totally different, weird… I don’t know what to call it. Fuck it.
Wake: Why did you cut them? S: We just decided to try it faster one day and it sounded better. After a while it was like “Fuck the intro! Fuck the outro!” I dunno. I think it’s better now. I kind of have these bizarre things that I do with intros and outros. I dunno. I’m on a kick. I’m glad I was challenged to delete. B: That was one of the first ones that… There was a moment where we started becoming the band we are now and how we’ve kind of stayed. And that was the song where we figured out I’m playing bass, Nick’s playing drums, Sarah’s playing guitar and singing lead, and Nick and I are singing back-up harmonizing together. Which is definitely a theme
Q&A yesterday and it was so weird. It was this middle school out in Fairfax, Minn. and that song was totally a crowd pleaser.
a good end to the album. It’s very anthemic. It just made sense. And that laugh at the end is Nick.
S: I think they had looked us up too before. There were these two girls in the front row singing along. I was like “Damn, this is weird.”
S: We all have our thing whenever we fuck up in the studio. We laugh or it’s “ah fuck!” B: Sarah just swears.
B: Kids are so cool, they’re down to do whatever. They’re not interested in getting laid so they can just be themselves. So everyone was just yelling at the top of their lungs. S: We told them to scream and they were just freaking out. N: It was ear-hurting loud.
5. Bowtie
N: My voice cracked and so I laughed. B: We thought it was such a good laugh that we just took it and put it at the end of the song. Instead of “FUCK” [laughs].
The Album: Wake: Overall, how do you feel The Lower 48 was as a whole?
B: [to Sarah] Didn’t you write it about a dream? S: No, I wrote it about a picture I saw of this man in blackand-white, and I pictured him as an old man. And, I dunno, I made up a story about him, about my friend and I hanging out with this old guy--well he’s a dead guy, but we don’t know until he disappears out of nowhere and all that’s left is his bowtie. It’s morbid, but, eh. we use a lot now, all of those combined together. There’s also a lot of Sarah writing a song and then adding a lead bass line. There’s a lot of lead bass lines, a lot of me and Nick singing “doo-wahs” behind her. We do that a lot on the songs we haven’t recorded yet. And this song was the first time all of that happened.
4. That’s What I’ll Say N: Well I remember the crazy thing about that song was I was picking up Ben for practice and he said, “Check this out,” got halfway into the car, put the guitar on his knee and sang “Oooh that’s what I’ll say,” or whatever with that verse. And I was like, “Oh my god, this is gonna be a hit. We gotta take it to practice right now.” So we went to practice and I think we just like… played it. We started working on it right away and it was sweet. It worked out really quick. It was a magic song.
S: I think we loved every minute of what we did. I think everything works so well together, even the album art.
B: I think it’s our jammiest song. If it’s going well live we just play it for longer and longer. It’s kind of our stoner jam.
6. Setting Sun B: This one’s been around for awhile too. That one is kind of like a… I dunno. I just wrote it about a breakup. It’s pretty much how I felt, but artistic license definitely made it sound worse than it was. S: I think that was the song where you started on guitar and wrote it on guitar, and then we switched and I played guitar. B: Yeah I wrote it on guitar but I play bass in it. And Nick plays a lot of trumpet on that. Live he does it too, but on the record he played so much trumpet. All those trumpets are him. It was really weird because he just taught himself in like a month.
Wake: Did it change a lot from there?
SARAH BREWER
N: I feel like it’s the coolest thing I’ve ever worked on. B: Yeah, I’m really proud of it. There’s some days where I just can’t listen to it. You know, it happens.
Wake: When? B: Mmm.. yeah but not that much. We all knew how it should go. There was no “how should we explore this one” it was, “Oh, this is a Rolling Stones song. Let’s go for that.” That riff is really just a rip off of “Satisfaction.” Even the name is very Stones inspired. It’s one of our catchiest songs I think.
S: I haven’t listened to it in months. I’d feel too vain. N: It was right when we started working on that song I think. I was like, “I hear some trumpets on this,” so I went on Craigslist and bought a trumpet.
Wake: How is it to play live?
Wake: Did you put “Setting Sun” at the end because of the name, or am I just reading into it?
B: Super fun. At least I think so. We played in a middle school
B: We put it at the end because that last chorus seemed like
B: You can definitely tell we recorded this to sound like the 60s. I’d say next time we’d try to make it sound a bit more modern. We took out the low end of almost everything on the soundboard, and you can hear it. That’s maybe the only thing I’d change. But at the same time, I don’t think I’d change anything. I’d just do it differently next time. Wanna find out more? Check out www.thelower48.com
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Sound & Vision Bookstores of Minneapolis
What makes four spots around town unique By Natalie Ward
Exploring these four bookstores brought me to appreciate Minneapolis even more than I already did. The city’s strong appreciation for literature is apparent as it allows these wonderful bookstores to continue to flourish and grow. The Wake chose four unique stores to profile that show the variety of culture in Minneapolis. Let’s hope this inspires everyone to pick up a good book and support our local bookstores. Magers & Quinn is located near Calhoun Square on Hennepin Ave. It is an impressively large bookstore and has been expanding for years. Magers & Quinn opened the doors to its 1920s era building, which was originally meant to be a Chevrolet dealership, during the Uptown Art Fair of 1994.
In addition to its wide variety, a unique part of Magers & Quinn is their expansive collection of rare books. They have everything from children’s books to medical journals and encyclopedias from many years past. The rare and collectible books range in price anywhere from $20 to $4,000, according to one of their booksellers. The staff is very helpful and knowledgeable, and the bookstore itself has a friendly environment. Birchbark Books is nestled in a quaint neighborhood on the north side of Lake of the Isles. It is owned by local Native American author Louise Erdrich. Birchbark, although not expressly limited to it, has a strong focus on Native American culture and literature. The store strongly supports native art and culture, and the staff is mostly made up of individuals with native heritage. The historical building’s wooden floor
is still there. The store has birch tree accents and native arts all around, a reading corner for children, and soothing music. Another highlight of the store is Erdrich’s ongoing installation art piece: a beautifully repurposed confessional with one side representing “Cleanliness” and the other “Godliness.” Birchbark has a warm and homey vibe and is a great resource for all things native. Magus Books and Herbs is a gem of Dinkytown. The name doesn’t leave much unanswered about the store. They have a wide array of books, including many on metaphysics, Wiccan spells, and other spiritual matters. They also carry a grand collection of herbs, teas, incenses. A highlight of this bookstore is their psychic readers, including Christine Athena. She does tarot card readings and teaches classes on developing spiritual abilities. The staff at Magus seems knowledgeable and willing to help answer questions. Explore your spiritual side in Magus Books and Herbs.
NATALIE WARD
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The Book House is a used bookstore located in Dinkytown. They carry over 30,000 books in a relatively small and cramped space. The shelves stacked up to the ceiling with books creates the feeling that the store may never end. With everything from classic poetry and literature to a 1905 edition of Gray’s Anatomy, the store has wide variety. There are some really unique books to be found in this bookstore, and they also have an expansive online catalog of more than 30,000 books available for order. The Book House could be a great resource to find something very specific, or just something different to read.
Sound & Vision A Farewell to Lou Reed
The Prolific Musician Leaves Behind a Legacy By Luke Michaels
Lou Reed is selling more records now than ever before. His record sales famously fizzled in their respective times. Reed once told the Wall Street Journal that the now legendary album The Velvet Underground & Nico sold just about 30,000 copies its first five years after release. But in the week following his death, his album sales jumped 607 percent, according to Nielsen SoundScan. A modern van Gogh, it seems that his death has had a sizeable impact on his level of interest in the public eye. Lou Reed died October 27 at his home in Southampton, New York of liver disease after a transplant in April. Many other well known musicians have paid tribute to Reed already, including Reed’s longtime friend David Bowie, Metallica’s Lars Ulrich, Iggy Pop, Tom Morello, and Brian Eno to name a few. In his music career, Reed released four studio albums with the legendary avant-garde outfit The Velvet Underground, and moved on to produce 22 studio albums himself. In spite of his prolific career, however, he managed to get only one single, “Walk on the Wild Side,” on the Billboard Singles chart, which landed at a tepid 16. He released classics like The Velvet Underground’s The Velvet Underground & Nico, which debuted on the Billboard charts at 199, and his solid
Transforming a Neighborhood Bar
First Avenue buys the Turf Club By Sarah Valli
One of the best-known venues in Minneapolis meets with one of the most beloved spots in St. Paul as First Avenue buys the Turf Club. The deal was brought up between Tom Scanlon, current owner of the Turf Club, and First Avenue General Manager Nate Kranz over a friendly cup of coffee. “When I first heard that Tom bought the Turf Club, I was jealous. If we would have known it was for sale, we would have bought it earlier,” Kranz said. “Now, I’m excited to take the Turf Club back to its roots.”
sophomore solo effort, Transformer. His albums reshaped rock music with their loose and dirty garage feel, and served to inspire punk and glam bands of the 80s and 90s. Lou Reed was experimental and magnificently sloppy and his trademark snarl is still branded on the brains and ears of millions.
He was a dark poet who penned unusual, yet beautifully cynical lyrics.
that he helped construct during his heyday in the early 1970s. With his strong influence, as well as the ongoing influence of The Velvet Underground and his solo work, you could say that he will never be completely gone, but for some fans that doesn’t make the loss much easier to swallow. The Lou Reed-shaped hole in our hearts will always be there, but the future is bright for rock music and Lou would surely be proud.
His music borders on high art. Of course Lou Reed’s legacy will live on in rock bands that continue to build on the foundation The Turf Club is nestled at the midway point between downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul. Surrounded by the University of Minnesota, Hamline, and Macalester College, Kranz hopes to expand the audience of the Turf Club to college students. Soon the Turf Club will have a light rail stop basically at its doorstep. “I remember not going to shows because of the $25 cab ride home,” Kranz said laughing. “Hopefully, this will help bring in a college audience.” Kranz’s plan for the Turf Club is to make it “the best possible Turf Club it can be.” He said the Turf Club has been one of his favorite places for years. “It sort of has a spirit of its own,” Kranz said.
First Ave doesn’t want to change the character of the Turf Club, but rather clean up the place by fixing the bathrooms, air conditioning, and incorporating food service, Kranz said.
SAM LINDSAY
He also wants to fix up one of the stages to create a different kind of live music and dining experience. After St. Paul’s smoking ban started however, the Turf Club lost part of its appeal for some. While there still won’t be indoor smoking, Kranz said he hopes to transform the Turf Club back into a neighborhood bar. Downstairs, the Turf Club has the Clown Lounge. Kranz plans to keep the room’s cocktail bar demeanor, but wants to enhance the atmosphere by adding jazz shows. Kranz said the Turf Club will continue to host a variety of genres of acts, from folk, rock, and Americana to other bands, that fit the venue. “We like to put bands in the right situation, Kranz said. Another venue Kranz is looking into buying is St. Paul’s Palace Theatre. A ghost-venue since 1984, Kranz has big dreams to rip out all the seats and make it into a nightclub with live music. “We like to try and adapt to whatever is going on,” Kranz said. “It’s a testament to the music fans of this town.”
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Sound & Vision KATIE DOUGHERTY
Bridging the Rift
Made Here: Connecting the community with its downtown By Sarah Valli “The amazing thing about this is exhibit is looking past the photos.” said Joan Vorderbruggen as we peered into the buildings of Block E. Looking into the windows of the vacant buildings of Block E past the animated artwork is like taking a step back into its dreary past. Block E has a history that is shrouded in bad enigmas and quick turnovers with all the businesses that have tried to make it there and failed. It is a section of Minneapolis that many people avoid, making it a sort of disconnected black sheep in the family of blocks in the city. However, no matter how bad the past looks, it is never something that can be ignored.
The Hennepin Theatre Trust sought another way to bring all of the pieces of Block E together and pour it back to the community. The HTT talked in-person to thousands of people to figure out how the community as a whole felt about this notorious neighborhood. The majority felt it was an uneven experience. The vacant shops that lined the block made it seem like a perishing piece of Minneapolis, which made pedestrians feel alone and isolated from the life of the city. This is where the Made Here initiative comes into the picture. After an 18-month collaboration between the HTT, the Walker Art Center, and other art organizations, window-designer Joan Vorderbruggen was called upon to help the dream of Block E become a reality. As a woman with a big heart for the community (and an even bigger heart for her artists), she was the perfect candidate to resuscitate this neglected piece of Minneapolis.
Tom Hoch of the Hennepin Theatre Trust had a vision to bring this part of the community to life. Deeper than the typical disconnected businessman, Hoch’s memories of Block E stem from his childhood. Block E of the past had an “explicit, seedy feel” to its demeanor, said Hoch. Something had to be done to make the streets walkable and comfortable for the community while still maintaining the history and character of Block E. Hoch and colleagues proposed a streetscape plan with the goal to clean up and make the walk down Hennepin a more enjoyable experience. The plan was to add foliage, level sidewalks, and a clean space for the community to enjoy. This plan was paid by the owners of stores and consists of five blocks now known as the theater district. Although this was a great springboard to a new Hennepin, something was still missing.
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“I wanted to do it in a way I knew how.” Vorderbruggen said. KATIE DOUGHERTY
And she did. Vorderbruggen heads “Artists in Storefronts,” another neighborhood project to display art to the public in a creative way. Bringing her core group of artists along with a panel of professional, bigger-name artists, Made Here was born behind the empty storefronts windows of Block E. The art that is displayed in Made Here varies drastically from shop window to shop window, ranging from representations of the desk of a conspiracy theorist to a mediation field. The artwork isn’t screaming out a political statement or the need
for a revolution to its viewers, but this is exactly the image that Vorderbruggen wants for the block. “We all should be able to get the opportunity to see good art. It shouldn’t be justfor the privileged. Seeing people that aren’t normally exposed to art finally get the chance to view it, that is my gasoline!” Vorderbruggen said. The artwork is meant to connect the community with each other, not to cause a rift in the viewing public. Having a piece of artwork that a child can relate to as well as an elderly man is the beauty of Made Here on Block E. The people that normally walk down Block E are ones that are waiting for the bus stop, merely coming and going to wherever life takes them. “This city is a river; we are all coming and going.” Vorderbruggen said. It seems that Made Here is indeed an effective way to connect the public with the heartbeat of Minneapolis. At every window there were a handful of viewers, along with some comments thrown in from the public. “That’s an interesting take on origami!” a man stated as he walked past the window of manipulated book artwork. It looks like Block E is finally transforming from a disdained, hungry caterpillar into an alluring butterfly. Halfway through our tour of Made Here, a window of news articles stares back atus. “I would not have done this project if we weren’t going to include the history of Block E somewhere in it.” Vorderbruggen said. “The past is what connects us to our future.” So, why would anyone ignore the past, even if it is an ugly one? Block E has a history soaked in controversy, which is now on display in one of the windows of the vacant stores.
Sound & Vision Point
VS.
United State of Appropriation:
Don’t blame dearth of music industry on too many influences By Nate Kitzmann Four years after Jay-Z laid down The Blueprint for post-millennial American music in 2001, LCD Soundsystem gave us their triumphant manifesto. Grizzled mastermind James Murphy channeled styles ranging from psychedelic pop to EDM to disco into an eponymous debut that was danceable and dense with ideas. It shamelessly mashed and juxtaposed influences like Joy Division and Daft Punk into a collage that felt both familiar and like the first of its kind. Even the cover art – a simple disco ball – hinted at the reflective, multi-faceted Soundsystem sound. Murphy took the basis of 90s hip-hop sampling, as first produced by maestros like RZA, of Wu-Tang notoriety, and DJ Shadow, then wielded it both as a creative tool and a philosophical stance on the nature of originality in this era of diminishing guitar tones and chord progressions that have yet to be invented. He helped a generation of musicians not only come to terms with the inherently derivative nature of their work, but to embrace it and make it their own. So what exactly went wrong since then? Why do the influences surfacing in today’s popular music scene seem so jarringly at odds with each other when they blended so harmoniously before? Jay-Z’s idea of “sampling” these days, as his currently charting single “Holy Grail” illustrates, is to paraphrase old Nirvana lyrics and have Justin Timberlake sing them as a hook. Critics insist that genres are rapidly becoming so intermingled that our music culture is starting to lose all definition and meld into the artless, bass-heavy “monogenre.” Having the same 40 genres referenced in every Top 40 hit makes for 40 songs that sound equally bland and uninspired. Maybe rock needs to step back and just be rock for a while, perhaps sample-friendly producers should learn their way around a synth pad and make their own sounds for a change. Give the genres a chance to reestablish themselves. If only it were that simple. Pop music doesn’t sound bad because it’s too reliant on what came before. Pop music sounds bad because it is bad. Justin Bieber’s tunes would be insufferable with or without their classic R&B elements. Whether generating chord progressions or directly lifting them, the minds behind Top 40 gems like Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” or Katy Perry’s “Roar” are not in the business to make art; it’s the other way around. In fact, they might even benefit from incorporating more established music influences.
Counterpoint
Hail the Monogenre:
How sampling destroys innovation By Herbert B. Ferguson-Augustus In a small factory in the southwest town of Dafen, China, artists divide colors amongst themselves and each paints a single stroke across a frame before passing it to the next artist in assembly line fashion. In minutes, they have reproduced the works of Rembrandt, Waterhouse, and Michelangelo for the walls of cheap hotel rooms and office cubicles. The American music industry has worked in much the same way for some time now. Every song ever made has been broken down into single strokes, which are then borrowed and combined to create the reproduction that is pop music. This practice has escalated to the point that Fun’s “Some Nights” blatantly rips off Simon & Garfunkel’s “Cecilia.” “Some Nights” reached the number three spot on Billboard’s top 100, leaving us to question whether the mainstream values originality anymore. Sampling, that is taking sounds directly from other music, has saturated the music industry to such an extreme that an artist seems to need it to achieve billboard success. Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball” replicates the choral progression of Bruno Mars’ “Locked out of Heaven,” and Coldplay’s “Talk” borrows the keyboard hook of Kraftwerk’s “Computer Love.” It seems mainstream music has conflated into a polymorphous monogenre. From a business standpoint, there is little reason to oppose the monogenre. Capitalizing on nostalgia for past hits guarantees record sales. Since the Newton v. Diamond case of 2003, record companies face no real ramifications for the recycling of music. Sure, they always run the risk of an expensive legal battle like the 2006 court case between Kanye West and Ludacris, but rarely do these cases result in losses that seriously damage a major record company. When sampling someone else’s music, mainstream artists typically seek approval from that artist through a process called “clearing.” This places less established artists at a distinct disadvantage, because they cannot always afford the process. For example, when Danger Mouse released The Grey Album in 2006, paying tribute to the Beatles through samples of their The White Album, he faced a major onslaught by EMI Records, the Beatles’ label. The musical mainstream ostracizes new artists, adding to barriers that prevent their market success. Mainstream artists can, without reprehension, steal from the color palette that is today’s music. The quality of music under the monogenre degenerates over time as mainstream artists paint pieces we have already heard. For the art company in Dafen, business is good. In 2012, the company produced 60 percent of the world’s oil paintings at record low prices. For the recording industry, business is much the same. A handful of artists claim billboard success and their record companies make millions on someone else’s ideas.
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Sound & Vision
3REVIEWS
France Camp: Loud, Rowd(y), & Proud
ROLLINGSTONE.COM
Circuit Des Yeux: Overdue
“the story of my life aka the story of your life” -Fohr
Local band’s label debut channels their live charm By Maddy Fox
By Pascal Filatre
France Camp’s self-titled album captures the band’s live energy perfectly. Without fear of changing up tempos or defying genres, it conquers the surf-rock sound, shakes it up, and throws it in your face with bluesy guitar riffs and atmospheric, strongly executed pop melodies.
Haley Fohr’s third proper full-length album is a further example of her command of the best traits of sinister psych-folk. The discography of Circuit Des Yeux has always been topnotch,though a clear polarity has existed in the handful of releases she’s done. Whereas previous albums were rife with intense Jandekian clattering (Sirenum), her most recent music has been a certain breed of austere balladry (Portrait). Yet, nowhere more than Overdue does Fohr exemplify how well fringe experimentations can add fantastic ornamentation to her more structured songs.
Fronted by France Camp (Jay Simonson), who lends his own name to the band, France Camp’s newest release, out on Forged Artifacts as of October 31, takes the sound of their formerly ultra-lo-fi recordings and polishes it up while maintaining that same essence. 2013 has been a transformative year for the band. Back in February, they opened for The Vaccines at The Triple Rock with a different lineup that included female vocals alongside France Camp’s. Now it’s all France, and he’s killing it. France Camp played a Nov. 2 show at the 7th Street Entry, opening for FIDLAR alongside fellow local act Frankie Teardrop. As always, they were not afraid to engage with the crowd. At one point, France deep throated his microphone, then asked if anyone in the audience wanted to try. One kid responded, but didn’t catch on, yelling into the mic instead. France embraced it, playing an overzealous guitar riff alongside the kid’s screams. Antics like this were paired with energetic renditions of every song off their new album. Old, reworked favorites like “Let’s Roll” translated just as well as new songs like “Ghost Town,” which closed the set. All in all, France Camp is embracing Minneapolis’ unexpected surf-punk trend in a worthwhile, tireless way. See them live, and take the energy home with you by picking up their album.
Arcade Fire Get Down on the Dancefloor A Review of Reflektor By Kirsten Erickson There’s a lot of pressure that comes with being Arcade Fire these days. After winning a Grammy for Album of the Year and receiving many a critic’s praise for being one of the best bands of our generation, where do the Canadian natives go from here? To the dance floor, of course. For their fourth album titled Reflektor, Win Butler and co. have teamed up with producer and LCD Soundsystem frontman James Murphy to deliver a set of songs that not only provide their staples of introspective lyrics and atmospheric instrumentation, but also a danceable groove. The album opens with a flurry of bongos and synthesizers on “Reflektor,” a seven-minute long epic complete with dreamy, overlapping English and French vocals by married couple Butler and Régine Chassagne and a guest appearance by David Bowie.
Overdue is a masterpiece in the art of meeting the standard with the weird. Fohr still sounds isolated and outsider as ever, but her vision has become more structured, crystallized, and even more delicate than before. Tunes like “Lithonia” and “Nova 88” blend equal parts open-chord folk with cosmic meditation. “My Name is Rune” is about as stark of a tune as you’ll ever find and “Some Day” is like what a sardonic sneer would be if it were music. Casting spells with her music, Fohr dances in the hurricane of sound, conjures up some ghosts, and moves on to the next tune. She’ll reverse tunes, send others into phasers, whisper “I am a peach,” and then yell “I AM A PEACH” like she wants your mirror to fall apart over your bed. Fohr knows how to stick the knife in your back and then politely patch it back up. Simply put, Overdue is a fine record.
Other tracks, including “Afterlife” and “Here Comes The Night,” also employ the oddly appealing contrast of rather downcast lyrics, such as “Afterlife/ Oh my god, what an awful word,” with energetic, syncopated beats. However, Arcade Fire haven’t completely left behind their indierocker ways, with songs like “We Exist” and “You Already Know” embracing the guitar and drum-heavy songs that dominated the sounds of past albums like The Suburbs and Funeral. Overall, it’s refreshing to see the band embracing a new sound. While the dance beats may confuse longtime fans at first, the songs have the potential to grow on listeners. If there’s any band that knows how to create well-crafted songs, it’s Arcade Fire, FACEBOOK.COM/FRANCECAMP
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november 11 - november 24
and why shouldn’t club-goers experience the magic, too?
WWW.JUNO.CO.UK
Sound & Vision
Events Calendar TUESDAY, Nov 12 Athens Boys Choir Trans Awareness Show Coffman Theater / 6:30 pm / Free Mazzy Star Mill City Nights / $35 / 8:00 pm / 18+
WEDNESDAY, Nov 13 Movember Movies MOA Theater / 7:30 p.m. / Through Nov. 27 / Donations suggested Productivity^2 Moos Towers / 6:00 pm / Free
THURSDAY, Nov 14 Albert Hammond Jr. Varsity Theater / 8:30 pm / $17-20 Astronautalis, Night Moves, Strange Names, Fort Wilson Riot Triple Rock / $20 / 7:00 pm / 18+ Karen Vieno Paurus Minnehaha Park / 8:00 pm / $25-35 / Through Sat.
FRIDAY, Nov 15 James Blake First Avenue / $25 / 8:00 pm / 18+
SATURDAY, Nov 16 UMN Squash Team Tournament Rec Center / All Saturday and Sunday
MONDAY, Nov 18 MGMT Roy Wilkins Auditorium / $30 / 6:30 pm / All Ages
TUESDAY, Nov 19 Alkaline Trio and New Found Glory First Ave / 5:00 pm / $30 door
WEDNESDAY, Nov 20 Less Than Jake Varsity Theater / 7:00 pm / $25 door / 18+ Literary Death Match Amsterdam Bar / 7:00 pm / $10
THURSDAY, Nov 21 Fitz & The Tantrums and Capital Cities Myth / 7:30 pm / $28 door The Hunger Games Double Feature MOA Theater / 5:00 pm / $25
FRIDAY, Nov 22 Cults First Avenue / $18 / 8:00 pm / 18+ Ghost Towns of the West, Carroll, Red Daughters, Fire in the Northern Firs Cabooze / 8:30 pm / $7 MCAD Art Sale MCAD / 6:00 pm / $25 door
SATURDAY, Nov 23 Gloss, France Camp, Prissy Clerks, Holographic Sands Triple Rock / $5 / 9:00 pm / 18+
SUNDAY, Nov 24 Said the Whale 7th St Entry / 7:00 pm / $8
WANT TO WIN FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS TICKETS? Retweet bit.ly/wakecontest or Share bit.ly/wakecontestFB FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! 11.21 / MYTH / 6:39pm with Capital Cities
KEVINREAPE.COM
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