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Arts & Life Editor Christina Oddo ’14 sat down with Matthew Scannell, lead vocalist and guitarist for Vertical Horizon, before the concert on Oct. 26 at Uptown.

Arts & Life Editor Christina Oddo ’14 sat down with Matthew Scannell, lead vocalist and guitarist for Vertical Horizon, before the concert on Oct. 26 at Uptown.

How did you write the song “Everything You Want?”

“I was living in NYC and money was really, really tight, so it was like a time bomb ticking; when is this all going to crash and burn? One night at around 3:30 in the morning, I was asleep, but I heard this mantra. I thought, wow that’s really cool, I like that. I said I really should, being a ‘song writer,’ get up right now and write this down. But I thought, well it’s so good that I will easily remember it in the morning. I don’t have to get up now. And that never ever happens. You never ever remember anything in the morning. I roll over and I go back to sleep, like you do when you get a great idea. About an hour later, I heard the chords. I thought, I really should get up and write this, but I’m really tired. I’ll remember it in the morning. Then at about 5 o’clock in the morning, I heard the music, the mantra and the chorus all at once, and the lyric was there; everything was there. I said I have to get up now. I thought, this is cool. This is a good song and I need to get up and actually write it down. And it came out very quickly. Sometimes they’re easy like that, or really hard, like ‘Best I Ever Had.’ ‘Best I Ever Had,’ I probably worked on for about six months–coming back to it and going away from it. I knew it was a melody that felt right, but I didn’t know how to get there. And I was experimenting with it in third person. Ben Gross, who was working with us on the record, suggested that I use first person. And he was absolutely right. Instantly the song just came together, and created itself after that I guess.”

How do you prepare for a show?

“Unfortunately, I’m not a natural singer so I have to work at it, and I hate that. I have to rehearse and I have to do warm-up exercises. I take vocal lessons from a vocal coach in LA, and I keep the vocal lessons on my phone. I run down a vocal lesson before I go onstage, so usually about 25 minutes before we go on stage I’m singing and making all kinds of awful noises in the dressing room. And I definitely won’t let you record that!”

What is your favorite part of performing live?

“I love the interaction. I love it when people sing with us. I think that’s the biggest honor. I love the intimacy of that–even when it’s a big group of people. It feels like we’re unified. And the fact that it’s my music is a complete honor; that never fails to amaze me. I love that.”

What is your main inspiration for your music?

“Generally speaking, my experiences inspire me. They are things that I’ve gone through. Every once in a while I’ll write about something I imagine happens out there in the world, more of a story-style song. But most of my songs are first-person experiences, things that have happened to me, whether they are good experiences or bad experiences. They’re all the more real, and the lyrics feel all the more real, because they are things that have been lived. I am able to put a little bit more of my heart into it.”

What was your favorite album to create?

“‘Everything You Want’ was certainly one of the most important for us to create. It was the one that really raised the profile of the band, and made people around the world aware of our music. The latest record we are working on now, which will be out hopefully in the first quarter of 2013, is to me the most enjoyable thing we have ever done. It is the most laid back, the most natural we have felt in the studio. I think we are really comfortable with where we stand as a band. We are not forcing anything; we’re just letting it be. But at the same time, musically, we are reaching new places that are stylistically getting into some fresh territory for us: a little bit more influence from electronic music, dance music and a little more up tempo. Sometimes we tend to be in the mid-tempo songs. And I love quicker songs that really propel you, so this record has been a real thrill for me.”

What’s going to happen after this album comes out?

“We will certainly tour behind this record, and that probably means internationally as well. I know we are going to Asia in January, and maybe we will be able to play some of those new songs then. We will see how far we can take this record. I just plan for us to be able to keep doing this for as long as we can. In the music business it’s easy to make a plan and then realize, oh crap, we need to change the plan. I think for me, we agree to keep the goals very simple; the goal is to continue to play for our fans, and continue to be grateful because ultimately it’s the fans who enable us to play music, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to do in my life. It’s a please-and-thank-you kind of thing continuously for us. I am getting more into working with other artists as well. I hope to over time become a producer. That’s a really fun thing for me to do. And it doesn’t necessitate me being on a tour bus or in a bunk somewhere. I can be in my own bed.”

What artist would you want to work with in the future?

“The artists I want to work with are probably artists I haven’t heard of yet–that sense of wonder at hearing something brand new and exciting. I’m on a huge Elbow kick. I love that band. I just got the new Miike Snow record. I think that’s very interesting. I love working with women, too, because I am so used to the things I do as a man, that it is really refreshing to hear a woman’s voice. I’ve done it in the past a little bit, but it would be nice to find someone fresh and exciting and see what we could do.”

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Arts & Life Campus Events Review

Macbeth

 

Estie Pyper | The Bucknellian
Elyas Harris ’13 completely encompassed the role of Macbeth, reciting his line with intensity, confidence, and a sense of personal ownership.

Christina Oddo
Arts & Life Editor 

This past weekend, a group of students performed one of Shakespeare’s most renowned works. The University’s Department of Theatre and Dance was proud to present “Macbeth” on Oct. 19-22 in Tustin Theatre. This production was directed by Anjalee Deshpande Hutchinson, assistant director of theatre and dance, aided by assistant directors Gwenn Gideon ’15 and Bronwyn Barnwell ’15.

The set of the production itself included a staircase leading to a door, a trap door in the floor and other openings and pathways. Realistic sound effects, as well as projected images and footage and fog effects, allowed for an even more three-dimensional performance. At multiple times during the production, actors performed right in front of the first row of the audience. Such a cozy venue allowed for great audience engagement, and an up-close, intense experience.

Estie Pyper | The Bucknellian
Michael Strauss ’14 conveys his role through his relationships with the other actors onstage.

“One challenging aspect of this production was being open to all the historical interpretations of Lady Macbeth while also letting go of all preconceived notions and letting her spirit emerge organically,” said Victoria Moyer ’13, who played Lady Macbeth in the production. “Another challenging aspect for me was to open myself to my own darker nature in order to become Lady Macbeth. The idea of ‘what’s done cannot be undone’ weighed really heavily on me each night … It was such a roller coaster experiencing Lady M’s highest hopes and dreams transformed into her worst nightmares for the past weeks.”

The actors grew as artists through the development of relationships with one another and with their characters.

Estie Pyper | The Bucknellian
Katrina Medoff ’13 acts as one of the three Wyrd Sisters. Eerie body movement, along with excellent lighting, costume, and stage setup, add to each of the Wyrd Sisters.

“We had an amazing cast–I think each one of us opened ourselves, to each other, as fellow creators and artists,” Moyer said. “I had an eye-opening experience developing the relationship of the Macbeths with my phenomenal fellow actor, Elyas [Harris ’13] , and I felt the complexity of our bond and eventual undoing grew immensely with each rehearsal.”

At first, the students needed to tackle Shakespearean language in order to capture and portray the true essence of emotion on stage. Over time, it became less about memorization, and more about immersion.

“Having time over the summer to memorize lines and study the poetry and form of the text was necessary so that the physical exploration could happen right away this semester,” Moyer said.

The actors grasped the language so fully that emotion was expressed with what seemed like ease.

“Everyone was so talented; it brought much more emotion to Shakespeare than I expected,” Nicole Davis ’15 said.

The actors became their characters with this great understanding of the language and its meaning.

“In Shakespeare’s world, the characters are not afraid to speak, and they must articulate for their very survival,” Moyer said. “Being immersed in Shakespeare’s language has rekindled my passion for this kind of expression, yet I am dismayed sometimes to find our generation operating in a mode of stuttering, trailing off, indecisiveness, neglecting the power of the voice. I hope that the audiences this weekend were moved not only by the power of the story, but by the power of the language.”

Above all, the cast not only became a closer group of artists and performers, but also a closer group of friends, creating and enforcing a group environment in the theatre.

“Macbeth was a group effort,” Ethan B. Van Buskirk ’13, who played Angus and Lord said. “Everyone was on top of it; lines down, cues up, extra hours from everyone. Anjalee was great too. She had a strong sense of what needed to happen in the show, but was exceptionally flexible and receptive to everyone’s input. The best part of the show for me was easily the sense of community. Theatre doesn’t exist in a vacuum, it needs people to thrive–including not only production, but the audience.”

 

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Arts & Life Campus Events Review

Oktoberfest events at Uptown prove successful

Laura Crowley
Senior Writer

On Oct. 19, Uptown held Oktoberfest, at which students over 21 were offered three free drinks per person. In the spirit of October and the German holiday Oktoberfest, students were offered Sam Adams’ Oktoberfest draft and hot pretzels. Alternative options of Coors Light, wine and non-alcoholic beverages were also available. The three-drink limit was enforced by a wristband system in which bartenders removed tabs from the band after each drink.

Games of pool and foosball were active all throughout the event, which lasted from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The music consisted of a DJ who opened the floor up to karaoke for students on several occasions.

“It was my first time at pub night at Uptown, and it definitely won’t be my last,” Ben Sunshine ’13 said. “The atmosphere was very relaxed and I didn’t feel cramped once inside.”

The turnout was substantial, as the bar was quite full towards the end of the night.

Pub Nights at Uptown are typically held on the last Friday of each month, and are a fun way to enjoy time with friends while maintaining a budget.

Uptown also hosted a non-alcoholic Oktoberfest event on Oct. 20. Uptown provided students with free mugs and access to a Birch beer keg. Soft pretzles were also served, along with pierogi and mini brownie dessert bites. Face-in-hole photos and holiday-related music were other fun additives to the event.

“The non-alcohol event, BisonHaus, proved that people can have fun without drinking. Face-in-hole cut outs, free souvenir mugs and typical German food made the event memorable,” Emilie Ratajczak ’15 said. “It is definitely an event that has so much potential, so we hope to hype it up more next year.”

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Arts & Life Campus Events Review

ACE presents a night of Mexican food and activities

Anna Jones
Writer

After several weeks of intensive planning and advertising by the Spades Committee of Activities and Campus Events (ACE), headed by Asha Harvey ’15, the committee pulled off a successful Fiesta Night in the Terrace Room on Oct. 19.

Upon walking into the room, guests were overwhelmed by the sound of festive music and the enticing smells of Mexican food, including make-your-own tacos and burritos. On the other side of the room, there was a long table filled with bowls of chips and just about every kind of salsa possible, ranging from extremely spicy to more mild. If your taste buds needed something to cool down, virgin margaritas were being served in the middle of the room. In another corner sat cinnamon covered churros with vats of chocolate for dipping. People raved about the food, which was prepared by the University’s dining staff. 

One of the main events of the night was the hot pepper eating contest.

“[It] was a huge attraction for many attendees,” Harvey said.

Harvey said they wanted to “facilitate friendly competition,” and that the committee is working to make the competition even better for next year’s Fiesta Night. This year’s winner was Farhan Altaf ’15, who won a piñata full of $50 in cash and lots of candy.

Guests also had the opportunity to take part in the Mexican piñata activity. Upon entering the Terrace Room, every guest received a ticket with a number. Every 15 minutes, ACE committee members drew five numbers; whoever’s number was called got the chance to swing at the piñata three times after being blindfolded and spun around three times.

After several people beat up the piñata, it fell to the ground and there was a mad rush for the candy inside. A few pieces were labeled with bright green tags; the lucky winners of these pieces won gift cards to shops in downtown Lewisburg. One of the winners was Meghan Mahoney ’16.

“I expected that I had gotten a free Milky Way bar, but it turned out that I’d won a $10 discount at any store downtown. It was a very nice surprise!” Mahoney said.

For the more artistically inclined students, there was a table for decorating maracas and Mexican fans with markers. The Latino Dance Corner performed a dance and even gave a short lesson on the tango to students. For even more of a Mexican feel, ACE had flower pins for guests to put in their hair.

Finally, there was a “guess how many beans” contest. Students could guess how many beans were in a jar, and the closest estimate won a $30 gift certificate to El Caporal, a Mexican restaurant in Lewisburg. Patience Osei ’14 was the lucky winner of this gift certificate.

With almost 300 guests, Fiesta Night turned out to be a huge success.

“I’d say it was a success,” Harvey said. “The Latin Dance Corner turned up the heat and we had so much going on it wasn’t a surprise that people stayed the whole night.”

ACE has many more events planned for this semester, including Casino Night this weekend at the Campus Theatre and BU After Dark on Nov. 2.

“ACE activities are great ways to bring the entire community together and break down boundaries,” Harvey said.

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Arts & Life Campus Events Music

Musical group gives voice to Chilean people: a representation of Latino culture

Molly Ford
Writer

Inti-Illimani, the Chilean instrumental and vocal Latin American music group, performed at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 11. The eight-member group utilizes over 30 instruments and numerous cultural and musical influences to create a distinctive, Chilean folk sound.

“The blending of traditional South American sounds, the versatility of the musicians and the soulfulness of their lyrics made me experience one of the best performances here at Bucknell,” Angel Hernandez ’13 said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better representation of my Latino culture.”

The performance was one stop on the group’s 45th  anniversary tour. Inti-Illimani became a voice for the Chilean people during a time of political unrest in 1967, and the group continues this mission today.

“I loved the performance, both for wonderful music and their extraordinary musicianship, but also because they continue to bear witness and give voice to people all over the world, and especially Latin Americans, who have struggled against oppression,” Professor of Geography Paul Susman said.

The group has performed at Amnesty International Concerts alongside Sting, Peter Gabriel and Bruce Springsteen, proving the group’s status as a cultural icon.

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Arts & Life Campus Events

Retreat fosters lifelong bonds and a vision for a better Bucknell

 

Courtesy of Laura Yeckley
Director, assisant directors and facilitars create lifelong friendships during the Common Ground Retreat.

Christina Oddo
Arts & Life Editor 

Common Ground continues to be a rewarding experience for students year after year during fall breaks. Common Ground is a free, five day diversity immersion retreat that takes place at the Cowan Forrest Brown Conference Center. Common Ground focuses on issues surrounding race, sexual orientation and gender. Thirty-five students participated this past fall break, lead by Director Capri Dubois ’13 and Assistant Directors Sam Lauer ’13 and Ana Aguilera Silva ’14. There were also 11 facilitators for the program.

Courtesy of Laura Yeckley
Thirty-five students break out of their comfort zones to learn more about one another.

“As a facilitator, Common Ground taught me that the things I say truly do have an impact on people,” Kate Albertini ’14 said. “One night, through tears and laughter, I encouraged participants to say ‘hi’ when they pass people they know on campus. At the time, I did not think it was that profound, but I can tell you that I have been so incredibly touched by all the amazing hugs and greetings I have both witnessed and received since returning to campus.”

Students take part in different activities that highlight topics about identity. The “Race Iceberg” is an activity that deals with racial and ethnic stereotypes, while the “Falling Stars” activity explores the coming out process. Different levels of discussions are facilitated in small and large groups throughout the retreat.

“I do not come from a very diverse background, and the diversity immersion retreat opened my eyes to the difficult experiences many Bucknellians are going through at home and on campus in relation to issues of race, sexual identity and gender among others,” Jennie Means ’14 said.

Favorite bonding activities among the participants include “Trees & Stumps,” “Mafia,” “Psychiatrist,” dance parties and campfires.

“What gives me the most hope for the future of Bucknell is the response members of the retreat have had since returning to campus,” Means said. “The experience we had together and the love and respect we now share is something that will not only help us maintain our friendships into the future, but will also drive us to make change on Bucknell’s campus and follow through on the action plan we created.”

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Arts & Life Campus Events Review

Uptown to be new Fall craze

Anna Jones
Writer

Throughout September, Uptown, the University’s on-campus nightclub, has hosted many different events, such as a poetry slam, a dueling pianos performance, Sunday Night Football games, a club night, Trivia Night and more.

The year started off strong on Sept. 7 when Uptown partnered with WVBU to showcase student musicians and groups. This received much support from the student body.

“[Uptown] would like to have more students performing … in the future,” Uptown Manager Steph Wyld ’14 said.

Next, on Sept. 14, the Stadler Center for Poetry hosted their Poetry Slam at Uptown.  More than 100 people attended, including students from Susquehanna University who were also able to participate.

“This is one of our favorite events because it exposes students’ creative side and is really entertaining to attend,” Wyld said.

She reminds everyone to look forward to the second Poetry Slam of the semester on Nov. 2, as well.

Over Family Weekend, the Midwest Dueling Pianos made an appearance at Uptown. They played everything from Billy Joel to Bruno Mars, and even took requests from the audience. 

“Groups of students and families came out to see this entertainment … and we would like to make this an annual event,” Wyld said.

Club Night, on Sept. 28, was a dance party co-sponsored by the Latino Dance Corner, and more than 100 people showed up. The dance group led a workshop on Latin dance technique and DJ Ian Hackett ’15 kept the crowd dancing all night. Emilie Ratajczak ’15, Assistant Manager of Uptown said free soft drinks and snacks were served to the guests. Ratajczak also said that people actually had to be asked to leave at closing time because the event was so popular. The party was a huge success, with most people rating the event as a four or five on a five-point scale on the event evaluation.

Finally, NFL Sundays, happening all throughout the season, continue to be a big hit as always. Students watch the games on a large projection screen while enjoying the comfort of Uptown’s multitude of couches and free snacks. Another perk of watching the games at Uptown is the season long raffle of official merchandise. Fans can enter their name every quarter and winners will be picked at the Super Bowl Party in February.

“I love Uptown because it’s a great way to meet all sorts of new, interesting people in a very fun atmosphere,” Ratajczak said. “There will be plenty more dance parties in the future [along with] trivia, karaoke and pub nights.”

The first Pub Night for 21+ will be held on the Oct. 19, followed by Bison Haus on the 20. During Homecoming weekend, Vertical Horizon will be performing a free concert at Uptown.

“[The club] is really trying to bring back live bands … and [we] hope this will be a great success,” Wyld said.

Lastly, a jazz café is an event to look forward to in November.

Be sure to like the Facebook page (“Uptown Nightclub at Bucknell”), and to stop by the club sometime soon to enjoy it for yourself.

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Arts & Life Campus Events

PHILADANCO performs a diverse selection of pieces, putting a twist on modern dance

Molly Ford
Writer

The Weis Center for the Performing Arts hosted the Philadelphia Dance Company (PHILADANCO) on Sept. 28. The audience also had the opportunity to attend a pre-performance talk with company founder Joan Myers Brown. Brown has experienced many accomplishments in the international dance world. Her experience with racial prejudice inspired Brown to train young black dancers and provide them with opportunities to perform. PHILADANCO is founded on the basis of integration and equal opportunity not only in modern dance, but ballet as well. Brown’s simple goal turned into an exceptionally successful international dance company.

Audience members were impressed with the company’s performance. Kelly Knox, associate professor of dance, articulated why she loved the performance, hightlighting the group’s diverse repertory.

“With all of the different choreography they were performing, the dancers had to be well versed in ballet with clean lines, pirouettes and leg extensions,” Knox said. “They also had to understand Horton and African techniques while being able to incorporate an integrated, full body experience of modern [and] a hip hop piece to top it all off.”

“The dancers showed immense strength while also showing incredible beauty,” Kelsey Fletcher ’14 said.

For Fletcher, the highlight of PHILADANCO’s performance was the piece performed atop a table. She was impressed with how effortlessly the dancers jumped and danced on a tall table.

Knox also commented not only on “the exceptional ability of the dancers,” but also on the “range of pieces, and elegant and vibrant design elements.”

“The audience didn’t just see technique; we saw human beings oozing with vitality and creating universes with their bodies,” Knox said.

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Arts & Life Campus Events

Molly Miller ’14 joins Dena DeRose Trio in Jazz ensemble performance

Christina Oddo

Arts & Life Editor

Students and faculty gathered in the lobby of the Weis Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 12 to experience a Dena DeRose Trio performance. Molly Miller ’14 had the opportunity to perform with the Trio at the event. This jazz ensemble performance was part of the Janet Weis Cabaret Jazz Series.

“I met Dena DeRose in her studio apartment in Long Island City almost 10 years ago,” Miller said. “After which, Dena became–and continues to be–my greatest musical inspiration. I used to listen to her albums every night while I fell asleep, and I carry the lessons that I’ve learned from her with me always.”

DeRose has performed at many legendary venues, including the Jazz Standard in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Jazz Showcase in Chicago.

“Dena DeRose was incredible!” Katie Wimmer ’15 said. “Her voice was smooth and a pleasure to listen to. Some of my favorite parts were the solos of the base and drums. But my favorite part of the performance was Molly. She has an incredible voice which rivals the main performer. After going to this concert, I am now a fan of jazz.”

For Miller, this was an unforgettable experience.

“I have never had more fun performing than I had last Wednesday night, singing with the Dena DeRose Trio,” Miller said. “Matt Wilson is one of the most enthusiastic and dynamic people I’ve ever met. I love working with Martin Wind for his sensitive touch and creative intuition. And of course, there’s Dena. I am so grateful not only for the time spent with Dena, Matt and Martin, but also for the incredible opportunity to share some of my favorite music with my friends at Bucknell. The Janet Weis Cabaret Series gave me the chance to integrate my collegiate life into my life outside of Bucknell.”

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Arts & Life Campus Events

Shakespeare (abridged) will leave audience laughing

Molly Ford

A group of University students will perform the complete works of William Shakepeare in an unpredictable and hilarious single two-act and one hour-long production. “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged),” directed by Adam Wennick ’13, will be this weekend, Sept. 22 and 23 at 8 p.m. This student-run performance is modeled after the work of a three-man comedy group, The Reduced Shakespeare Company.

Wennick, along with 10 actors, a lighting designer, a stage manager, two assistant stage managers, a props master and a lighting operator will take on the lofty challenge of putting a modern spin on Shakespeare’s classic works by combining Shakespearean and contemporary language and themes.

After a witty introduction, the actors portray the beloved “Romeo and Juliet” and immediately follow up with the less successful “Titus Andronicus” in the form of a cooking show. Wennick did not want to give too much away when asked about the performance.

“We lovingly parody all of [Shakespeare’s] works,” Wennick said. “I have been picking apart the script and loving it for the past year.”

Wennick’s inspiration came from taking Assistant Professor of Theatre and Dance Anjalee Hutchinson’s directing class. After the Theatre and Dance department decided to do the mainstage of “Macbeth,” Wennick thought it would be a good idea to do a whole Shakespeare season.

“I had trouble deciding exactly which show I wanted to do, so I thought, why not do them all?” Wennick said.

Wennick wants the audience to laugh harder than they ever have at a University performance. He is most excited for the second act and the audience’s reactions.

Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the box office.