12 Arts
The Pioneer Log, April 22, 2011
Senior poets share semesters work
BY ZIBBY PILLOTE
Arts Editor
Photo of the Week
Sam Margevicius (11)
Sam placed all his photos within luggage, within luggage. The photos that squeeze in between the two pieces of baggage, and the one that lines the bottom of the smaller bag, show the different multitudes that photography filled Sams life on campus. Most notable about Sams photos are how many people have found their way into his frame. The suitcases are filled with friends and frames, two obvious passions in Sams life. During the senior art project, Sam instructed people to take a photo from the suitcase. As people picked their favorite shot, they completed the cycle of people coming and going through Sams collection: his art. -Bosse
Each poem is an experiment of what a poem may be. To write a poem is to create a new being of life, said Assistant Professor of English Mary Szybist at the beginning of last Tuesdays senior poetry reading. Fourteen talented poets from Szybists senior poetry class filled the Armstrong Lounge with their semesters work. Suicide is one of those words you can roll off your tongue until it loses meaning, read Nathan Breen from his poem entitled Self Portrait. Breen and his fellow seniors took turns reading one or two poems that they had been working on all semester. To accompany one of the poems they had chosen, each poet printed the piece on a broadside, which they designed themselves. Jess Holmes shared a piece about two lovers divided by war, and another that was inspired by the recent political conflict in Libya. Sometimes at night I start thinking about the inevitability of my own death, reflected Riley Johnson before reading his selected poem. The speaker of [this] poem is coming up with a model of what death will eventually be like. All 14 poets explained the inspiration behind their poetry and had different things to say and ways to say them. Rhea Manly explained that her poem Pepper Pot Soup is a palindrome, meaning it can be read backward and forward from the middle and read the same way. Robin Cedar used the sestina structure for her poem At Shi Shi Beach, Olympic National Forest, Washington. A crowd favorite was Sophia Diazs broadside poem, which takes place in real life and in memory. The poem bounced between the speaker at the dentists office and in the midst of a sexual experience. Diazs vivid imagery was punctuated with bold descriptions of body heat and waistband elastic, and a strong sense of awe could be felt in the audience. Other poets who read included Kelly Behm, Fred Demien, Ben Wallin, Natalie Eagan, Catherine Polityllo, Luke Rife, Emma Towne and Kelsi Villarreal. Overall, the night was a toast to talented students who have a way with words.
The Fuzz Box
A music column devoted to bridging the gap between Palatine Hill and Portland
KEVIN MUHITCH
Staff Writer
This weekend welcomes KLC and LCMCs annual music festival: Sunburn. Here is a quick guide of the eight stellar bands lined up.
BY ZIBBY PILLOTE
Arts Editor
THE HEAT IS ON: Sunburn 2011
boards, fiddles and distinct drumbeats and guitar parts. The lead singers distinct voice is hauntingly catchy. This fresh sound is just what you need to get warmed up for Sunburn. More traditional folk sounds come from Leviticus Appleton, a local musician whose album was recorded in a barn in Missouri. The whimsical songs combine harmonies and acoustic and electric guitar to create simple tunes sure to have audiences swaying back and forth. The Co-op, Saturday, Apr. 23, 12-5 p.m, free SUNBURN This years Sunburn lineup includes music from Portland and beyond. There is something for everyone amidst the bands that KLC and LCMC have hand picked just for this years festival. Woods hails from Brooklyn, New York and creates lo-fi indie pop music that is catchy and fun to listen to. With upbeat drums, summery guitar riffs, simple lyrics and a strong sense of fun coming from their songs, Woods is the perfect headliner for this years festival. The bands light and airy tunes are perfect for dancing away a starry April night. Local band Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside offer up nostalgic funky tunes reminiscent of 70s soul jams. The four-piece group is lively, with influences from old rock n roll and gospel music. Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside aims to juxtapose contemporary pop music by creating more traditional music that is no less awesome. Folk-punk god Andrew Jackson Jihad will bring his DIY music, jangly guitar, clear vocals and poignant lyrics to the festival. With a stand up bass, mandolin and acoustic guitar to help him out, Jihad creates music that will stick in your brain and get you moving one way or another. Jihads songs are simple and exciting, with built up beats and fast-paced tempos. Seattle band Astronautilus of-
Co-op presents:
CRITICAL BLAST
HAYLEY TRIVETT
Arts Editor
Relish the moment of relaxation between the last day of classes and finals and partake in the festivities of Critical Blast, the Co-ops yearend blowout party. Critical Blast is a massive amalgamation of everything the Co-op does in one night, said Music Coordinator Zein Hassanein (13). There will be live music, a clothing swap, tie dying, barbeque food and outdoor games. Student bands scheduled to perform include The Dancing Hats, Speak Easy, Gus Griswald, Kwesi, JPC, Faster Than Radio, the Marimba Ensemble and Kohu. A multi-media bikecar from B Media Collective will also be at the event. The bicycle features a mounted video camera and projector and functions as a creative tool for mobile documentation. This eclectic celebration is bound to live up to its name and end the year with a blast. The Co-op, Thursday, Apr. 28, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. (music until 11:30), free.
SUNTAN Before you get burned, check out Sunburns pre-game show, Suntan, from 12-5 p.m. at the Co-op. Lewis & Clark band The Neverdowells kick things off with mellow indie pop. Made up of Dan Byers (13), Ian Wollman (13), Sam Wenc (12) and non-student Kyle Moderhak, the group offers a unique brand of rhythmic pop with an emphasis on percussion, guitar build-ups and structural songs. Gus Griswold, composed of Daniel Nickerson (14), Henry Schmidt (14), Lucy Roberts (14), Robert Pirtle (14), Elliot Kuhlman (14), Erik Lundgren (14), Gaby Canjura (14) and Daniella Jimenez (14), plays upbeat, fun, and unique music that will definitely get a crowd moving. Living Rheum, composed of Jon Satin (13), Dan Byers (13), Ian Wollman (13), Daniel Nickerson (14), Daniela Jiminez (14), Oceana Wills (14), Ian Griffith (14) and Kyle Moderhak (nonstudent), have a distinct folk punk sound and DIY attitude. Front man Satin has worked on Living Rheum for years. Local ska/folk punk group The Taxpayers plays melodically upbeat music with dark lyrics that you can shake your hips to. This band will no doubt get you pumped up for Sunburn with fast tempos, a brass section and lively vocals. Campus favorite The Dancing Hats, composed of Julia Cosgrove (13), Ricardo Huerta (13), Shohei Kobayashi (13), Jenny Louthan (13), Cate Margeson (13), Jordan Buysse (13) and Canaan Schlesinger (13), will play their brand of folk pop music, tambourines, trombones and all. The band uses an eclectic mix of instruments including the mandolin to create music that LC students just cant get enough of. Next up, The Sarcastic Dharma Society livens things up with experimental folk, featuring key-
fers up goofy songs and dont take themselves all too seriously. With hip hop and rock influences, Astronautilus will definitely be a lively addition to the festival. Their unique brand of alternative music features heavy vocals, keyboard and electric guitar. Just like Lewis & Clark, theyre a little bit weird. Wait What brings hip hop to the festival straight from San Francisco. The group mashes up pop and rap favorites to make music that is impossible not to want to dance to. Wait What can turn a song that you hate into a song that you will be shamelessly getting down to. Local trio Guidance Counselor plays fast-paced upbeat psych folk. With harsh keyboard and synth sounds, combined with sloppy drums and monotone vocals, the experimental group certainly brings a different flavor to Sunburn. Mount Eerie will mellow out the festival with experimental pastoral folk. With acoustic guitar, drum machine, synth and gloomy lyrics, Mount Eerie offers up some low-key lo-fi that will prove to be an excellent addition to the lineup. Ritchie Young of local group Loch Lomond will bring his solo show of indie pop to the festival. Loch Lomond plays a modern and unique rendition of chamber pop, and Youngs solo interpretation is sure to be just as intoxicating as the groups work. Simple and homey, there is no way you could be less than pleased with Youngs sound. Schedule: 6:30 Ritchie Young 7:30 Mt. Eerie 8:30 Guidance Counselor 9:30 Wait What 10:30 Astronautalis 11:30 Andrew Jackson Jihad 12:30 Sallie Ford & the Sound Outside 1:30 Woods Stamm, Saturday, Apr. 23, starting at 6 p.m., free for LC students with ID and $10 for non-students
Blue skies and sunshine begin to emerge as the spring semester comes to a close. The semesters end will force many members of this oasis of weirdo music freaks to leave Oregon and head back to suburban neighborhoods where music culture only exists in the form of blues bands at middle-aged birthday parties and luaus. For those of us lucky enough to stay in Portland, however, this summer will be jam-packed with great releases and even greater shows. Better yet, you wont have to put on rain boots and a heavy jacket to go to them. Kicking off the summer storm is LCs annual Sunburn Music Festival. Featuring many bands from the Northwest and beyond, the festival is an exciting way to get the summer going. Especially exciting are sets by Mt. Eerie and Woods. Mt. Eeries recent set at the Artisterys closing weekend was blissedout and fantastic, reminding us that the independent spirit of Olympias K Records scene never really died. As headliners, Woods is sure to end the show with a beautiful set of psychedelic folk jams deep into the night. Tomorrow, 8 p.m., Stamm, free w/ student I.D. If you find spare time during finals week, Portland folk musician M. Ward will be playing three days in a row at the Crystal Ballroom. Tuesday, May 3 through Thursday, May 5, 8 p.m., $25. The weekend after finals is also promising to be a particularly great weekend for music. Starting it off is an early evening show at the Burgerville on Hawthorne, featuring some of Portlands best jammers. BOOM!, Edibles and Grandparents will be playing at the fast food joint as a benefit for Portland State Universitys radio station. Friday, May 6, SE Hawthorne Burgerville, 5:30 p.m., free. Later on that night, Black Francis of Pixies will be playing at the Aladdin Theater, rounding out possibly the best week of music weve had all semester. Friday, May 6, 8 p.m., $27. Lastly, be sure to catch PDX Pop Now!, a free festival that showcases all local bands. Rotture (320 SE 2nd Ave), Friday, July 22 through Sunday, July 24, free. In addition to the shows mentioned above, Portland will be packed with the usual house shows and other shenanigans to celebrate the second coming of the sun. Portland will be in full form this summer and is sure to offer all the funky energy its become so widely known for. Now that the sun is out, get on your bicycles and go to a show! There is no excuse not to. Well, besides finishing that 15page research paper.
