Artist utilizes spray paint for charity

The MacVittie College Union’s Kinetic Gallery is currently hosting “Spray Matters” by Joe Kubek. In its slogan, the exhibition promises “an eclectic collection of spray paint art”—and it does not disappoint. The gallery is lined with Kubek’s pieces, all simply framed in black. The pictures range in a myriad of different vibrant colors and subjects. Most predominantly, his pieces seem to depict different themes of nature juxtaposed with cityscapes.

Interestingly enough, almost every one of Kubek’s pieces seem to contain a sun or moon in the background—both acting as perfectly circular shapes that stand out amongst the various layers of commotion he paints. The circles appear to be created by a sort of stencil—a common technique used by spray paint artists.

Another reoccurring symbol is roosters, as there are two rooster paintings in the collection. One that caught my attention was an eerie green rooster painted with what looks like finger strokes for the feathers. The other rooster was gentler-looking, painted in an iridescent blue.

Kubek’s success of combining textures on the canvas is clear throughout his artwork. In one painting, he is able to combine the flat strokes of a finger in smudged paint alongside the harsh lines of direct untouched spray.

Another one of his works that caught my eye was his outer space piece. Kubek beautifully placed the celestial bodies of various planets against a deep black background with subtle sparkles. His distinct technique was applying a glossy sheen to each of his pieces, which gave each of his works a lustrous finish.

Kubek’s nature landscape pictures were particularly intriguing to me. The colors in the natural imagery jumped off of the walls. There seemed to be much more personality woven into them. It’s hard to believe that Kubek does not have professional artistic training.

What made Kubek stand out even more was his background. Before he began spray painting, Kubek worked as a stand-up comedian. In addition, he owned a whitewater rafting business and dabbled in advertising. Shortly after picking up the can, however, Kubek realized that spray painting was not only something that brought him pleasure, but also it was great for fundraising.

Kubek doesn’t just make art for fun—he has a cause. In the summer of 2009, his wife Lisa was diagnosed with a rare neurological disease that took away her ability away to talk, walk and use her hands. Portions of his art’s proceeds are donated to the Spastic Paraplegia Foundation to help those fighting the deleterious disease.

If you want to check out Kubek’s fascinating artwork and support his cause, the Kinetic Gallery is open Monday-Thursday until Oct. 16.

Iroquois exhibit displays tradition, connection to nature

The Bertha V.B. Lederer Gallery is holding a “Beaded Birds and Beasts” exhibit that highlights the work of contemporary Native American artists Natasha Smoke Santiago, Carrie Hill and Peter Jemison. Though some of their beads have lost their vibrancy, the craftsmanship nevertheless enriches the history within the pieces, as some of the artwork dates back to 1912.

The beadwork varies from wall hangings to purses to pincushions, all utilizing a wide variety of colors. In addition, the theme of the beadwork seems to highlight nature itself. Many of these seemingly mundane utalitarian works prove to be artwork—they are adorned with animals like wolves, dogs and birds. The importance that the Iroquois place on nature is clearly expressed in these works.

There are other pieces of mixed media as well, such as ceramic and acrylic on canvas. Santiago’s pieces seemed to emphasize Iroquois women in particular. Her piece “Mother Fracker” captured the bodice of a pregnant woman in ceramic. This work was interesting because it had what looked like an amber strand of DNA draped over the right breast. “Mother Fracker” stood out over some other pieces and moves people to take a moment to stop and appreciate it.

Another thought-provoking piece of Santiago’s was “Sky Woman.” This work contained a small statuette of mixed media that depicted a Native American woman with diabetes. In one hand, she held an insulin syringe and in the other, braided feathers of the tribe.

This work beautifully captured the juxtaposition of Western medicine and Native American tradition. Surrounding the woman were tiny bottles of insulin, reflecting the pressures of Western culture that bombard Native Americans.

Alongside Santiago, Hill exhibited traditional Iroquois baskets woven out of sweet grass and splint. This piece reflects the artisanship that accompanies basket weaving and how tedious, yet rewarding, such creations can be.

Lastly, Jemison’s work was oil and acrylic on canvas. One of his most significant pieces was “Sentinels (Large Yellow).” The painting has a desert background image with several wilted yellow flowers—their heads drooping to the yellow floor in sorrow.

Interestingly, Jemison chose to paint multiple lines coming off of the flowers, reminiscent of halos. Perhaps this symbolizes how some Native American tribes worship nature as their deity. Though this piece was a bit puzzling, it was still profound. The flowers were dying, yet they gave off a sense of life—what reincarnation centers on. By showcasing motifs of birth, decay, death and rebirth, Jemison gave a wonderful depiction of Iroquois culture and belief.

This exhibit will be open until Oct. 7. Lederer Gallery itself is open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 1–4 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 1–5 p.m. There is ample work to be appreciated by all who visit regardless of how familiar one is with Native American culture.

Riviera Theater resurrects classic films, impresses community

The newly restored Riviera Theater is currently running a series of classic films, as selected by the followers of The Riviera’s Facebook page. “The movies are chosen by the people,” owner Don Livingston said.

Livingston is all about preserving history. This history is accessible to all members of the Geneseo community—both young and old. “Theaters are dying in our society [today]—that’s why we wanted a multi-purpose space [in Geneseo],” he said.

In the spring of 2014, Livingston renovated the theater that first opened in the early 1900s. Livingston’s reasoning for renovating was to allow Geneseo residents to get in touch with the past by taking advantage of an opportunity: the opportunity to enjoy old classic movies and live performances. Livingston’s rationale for showing classic rather than contemporary films is simple: “This is a classic theater, so we should show the classics.”

The theater is all about preserving the past and Livingston’s goal is to stay true to that theme. Comedians, plays and concerts have all found a place on the stage of the Riviera. Livingston also aims to have a jazz band come for New Years’ Eve with all the grandeur of tinsel and champagne. “We want this to be a fine establishment,” he said.

Livingston emphasized that despite the theme of “classics,” he is not aiming to attract or alienate any age group. He noted that he welcomes the younger crowd of Geneseo students who may or may not have been exposed to these older movies. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that all movies are only $5, making it an affordable night out of entertainment for broke college kids.

The Riviera recently had a showing of The African Queen, a film that came out in 1951. Knowing that the movie came out just after World War II gave the movie deeper context and authenticity. It tackled ideas that are still prevalent in society today, such as feminism and social equality.

It’s unique to have an establishment focus on preserving a specific time in history and to have less of a concern for keeping up with the latest trends and technologies. Livingston is able to allow for both town residents and Geneseo students to enjoy everything The Riviera has to offer.

Livingston noted that he will be hosting a small international film festival soon and plans on showing three different films, including one from Brazil. The Riviera is currently showing the Disney classic Sleeping Beauty with a showing on Saturday Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. The Riviera’s next classic movie showing is the original King Kong, released in 1933. It will run from Wednesday Sept. 16-19.

Vimeo webseries follows life of NYC drug dealer

As the name suggests, “High Maintenance” is a web series that follows the escapades of a high-end marijuana dealer through the hubbub of New York City. Averaging about 10 minutes each episode, the show succeeds in capturing the metropolis and subcultures of the city on a microcosmic level. The show does a great job of displaying the many different social enclaves that exist in the Big Apple. A main motif is the sharing of universal personal stories—every character introduced has their own unique background and storyline.

Although the show focuses on people purchasing and smoking marijuana, the humor is not quite of the stoner culture. Instead, the show capitalizes on reasons why characters use marijuana regularly and how the drug has morphed conceptually into the 21st century.

Co-creator and star Ben Sinclair’s character is never named. Instead, he is always referred to as “The Guy.” As viewers, we watch the identity-less bourgeois delivery boy make his rounds to various parts of the city, each episode focusing on a different person or group of people.

Sinclair and wife Katja Blichfield have both worked previously on “30 Rock,” and bring a similar subtle comedic coloring to their own show. The show does seem to poke fun at the “hipster” culture that now pervades New York—one episode takes place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the so-called pioneering hipster capital of the nation.

Sinclair serves as the main star of the show as well as the producer, director and editor. “High Maintenance” started off as his own personal project purely for fun, and has now exploded onto the scene with overwhelmingly positive feedback. The production has always been on the simple side. The crew is small and they use inexpensive DSLR cameras for filming, yet the cinematography is breathtaking.

Recently, video-sharing site Vimeo announced that it would be funding the next few episodes of the web series and that they would be available for purchase sometime in November, though the cost of each episode is yet to be announced. It will be interesting to see if there are any noticeable changes in the new episodes now that the production team is backed by Vimeo. Fans of the show are eagerly awaiting the new development.

All of the past episodes can be accessed online at vimeo.com/channels/highmaintenance.

Local Beat: ALittleBlind sees value of small community

Big music can often come from tiny towns. John “Gusty” Gustavson and Jason Hill know this all too well. The pair makes up ALittleBlind, a community- oriented alternative jam band from around Livonia, New York. Recently, ALittleBlind has been performing in Geneseo where the small-town lifestyle is alive and well. Vocalist and guitarist Hill and bassist Gustavson have been playing together since high school. Each of them has been immersed in music from a young age; Gustavson has loved music since he was 3 years old and Hill has been playing since he was 13. Both are self-taught musicians.

Livonia is not exactly a booming metropolis––a small- town environment can make it difficult to gain a widespread fan base. A small community does have its perks, however. Hill ad- mits that coming from such a town “has driven [the band] to be better dreamers.”

Both band members spoke about the closing of Muddy Waters, the recently closed coffee shop on Geneseo's Main Street that was well known for hosting open mic events. “There needs to be somewhere around here where musicians can come and express themselves,” Gustavson said.

Despite the closing of their favorite venue, ALittleBlind is doing everything it can to stay relevant in Geneseo. Their goal, however, is to see success in their hometown. “It’s tough to gain a fan base locally, especially with the Internet these days—it’s just so much easier to sit at home on your computer and watch Beyoncé’s newest music video [than it is to go out and see local live bands],” Gustavson said.

The band’s name is unique and the decision to eliminate space between the words is sure to stick with those who stumble upon its performances. The meaning behind the name is an idea very close to the band: be- ing in love. “If you’re in love and someone is messing with you, you won’t really notice ... because you’re in it, you know?” Gustavson said.

ALittleBlind enjoys cover- ing groups such as Dave Mat- thews Band and Phish. Along with a plethora of covers, the band has about 10 original songs. The duo prefers acoustic numbers and timeless folk vibes, which may be a product of their small town roots.

Gustavson writes most of the chord progressions and melodies, while Hill provides lyrics and voice along with some acoustic backing. “We’re emotional about our lyrics,” Hill said. “Family is so important when it comes to musicianship.” This sort of emo- tion is what attracts and embraces a community audience like Geneseo’s.

The band can often be found performing on Thursdays be- tween 3-6:30 p.m. at the Geneseo Farmer’s Market located on Main and Center Street. These perfor- mances are free and open to both students and community mem- bers. ALittleBlind’s next live per- formance will be on Oct. 16 at the Market. Some original and cover music can be found online at facebook.com/alittleblindband.

The Black Keys rock Rochester with distinct blend of rock and blues

A loud and enthused cry of “Rochester” was the first greeting the crowd heard on Sunday Sept. 14 at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, where The Black Keys performed with openers Cage the Elephant. Cage the Elephant set the mood for the crowd with each high-power hit it played. Although it was a short performance, each member of the band exuded incredible energy that was clearly contagious throughout the crowd, setting the stage for the headliner to come.

The real show started when guitarist and vocalist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney took the stage to start the Keys' set. They plunged into their show with the catchy “Dead and Gone,” bringing everyone to their feet. It wasn’t until after they finished the second song that the curtain behind the band fell, giving way to a gaudy display of lights and a wild array of various-sized screens. With such a mix of music and intense visuals, the audience could barely contain themselves in their seats.

Despite the highly enjoyable experience, the evening had a few drawbacks. The first one being the venue's muddled acoustics. It was evident that Blue Cross Arena was not the best place to see a musical performance. The only time the sound came through clearly was when Auerbach pulled out his acoustic guitar for “Little Black Submarines”—the famous Led Zeppelin-esque track off their 2011 album El Camino. Auerbach extended the song intro and had the audience in awe.

The only other issue was the tempo at which the band played. Each song they performed seemed to be significantly slower than its original speed. It was not clear whether this was intentional or if maybe they just didn’t have the energy. Perhaps they were just responding to the mellow nature of the crowd.

Aside from the a few wild fans, the crowd was noticeably reserved, save for the people who came early enough to rush the stage. When glancing around the concert arena, one could see that most people stayed in their seats and did not go beyond finger tapping in response to the powerful thundering of the musicians on stage. This was a puzzling sight, but these relaxed few were not prevalent enough to bring down the excited fans that were letting the music do its magic.

Auerbach stole the night with his display of musicianship via his riff-happy, blues-influenced style of guitar playing and through his quiet, tasteful fingerpicking. Carney was completely on point for the evening as well. His drums were set forward to the front of the stage—a classic Black Keys move. Together, the duo gave off an infectious vibe that began at their fingertips and went all the way to the listeners’ dancing feet.

It would not be a Black Keys concert without the audience screaming out the words to the catchy “Fever,” a track off of the group’s latest album Turn Blue and fist-pumping wildly to classics like “Tighten Up” and “Howlin’ For You.”

This concert was no sold-out Madison Square Garden, but it still was a prime example of the fun, sonic experience that is The Black Keys.

Rochester band bends genres with towering rhythms

I took a cosmic trip inside the minds of Rochester band Maybird on Sunday Sept. 7. Fresh on the scene, the interesting personalities of Maybird’s members correlate with the interesting sounds they produce. Maybird is a sonic experience that one would expect to find at a well-known club in the East Village of New York City or perhaps opening for respected groups such as Delicate Steve or Deerhunter.

Maybird was originally called The Josh Netsky Band and it wasn’t until the summer of 2013 that the permanent lineup formed. “Before last August, Maybird was just sort of a revolving door of people playing drums, bass or whatever—you never really knew what you were going to get,” lead guitarist Sam Snyder said.

Current co-lead and pedal steel guitarist Kurt Johnson came into the picture when asked to cover a gig for Snyder. Snyder was able to make the show after all and the two ended up playing together for the first time. The result was a blend of raw sounds that the band agreed was exactly what it was looking for.

With Josh Netsky on vocals and guitar, his brother Adam Netsky on drums, Johnson on lead and pedal steel, Snyder on lead guitar and bassist Mike Schuler, Maybird creates a euphoric sound that is distinctly its own. The genre-defying band displays a maturity that can soar anywhere from mind-numbing psychedelic pandemonium to catchy indie-pop hooks reminiscent of Australian band Tame Impala.

“Tame Impala will come up at least once in every rehearsal… it’s almost like a joke between us at this point,” Johnson said. Although it can be easy to create a saturated sound with an abundance of layers and effects, the band has managed to steer clear of sinking into such trite acoustics.

The general feeling of respect between band members is apparent. “I wouldn’t mind going deaf, as long as it’s by Kurt…not Josh—he’s loud,” Snyder said. Despite silly quips, it is obvious that Josh is definitely held in a positive light by the band.

“I’m totally under a spell by Josh’s songs. They mean a lot to me—I’m haunted by them sometimes,” Johnson said.

For the most part, Josh brings the ideas to the table and the others take those ideas to the next level. Josh said that many of the melodies and chord changes actually come to him in dreams. The lyrical content, however, is deliberate.

“I try to sit down and actually write something meaningful,” he said.

The Netsky brothers recently made the move to Brooklyn, New York, while the rest of the band remains in Rochester. The band members said they aren’t too worried about the effects of the move.

“There’s definitely a community of really great artists here that [we] will always want to share time with,” Sam said. It makes sense—right now they’re still the big fish in the small pond, whereas Brooklyn will be a completely different story.

As both musicians and people, the band gives off a positive vibe that reflects the excitement about its future. Maybird even has a new album in the works.

“The next album we’re working on is very Maybird through-and-through and much more in-your-face psychedelic,” Johnson said.

To experience Maybird, check out Maybird.bandcamp.com which features the band’s sole album Down & Under as well as an earlier EP. Be sure to check out “Two Horizons,” a standout on the record with its eerie lyrics, hypnotic drum beat and tasteful instrumental layers. Whether it’s the quiet lull of “One Wing Only” or the raucous commotion of the track “Maybird,” the band’s dreamlike sound is worth checking out.