“Full House” revival full of nostalgia, lacks innovative plotlines

Nearly 20 years after “Full House’s” original series premiered in 1987, Netflix released a “Full House” revival series on Friday Feb. 26. Titled “Fuller House,” the series showcases many of the original cast members, giving them the cheesy narrative arcs that only “Full House” could get away with. The nostalgic feeling in “Fuller House” was extremely prevalent, starting with the title sequence. The opening credits successfully made its audience feel sentimental, featuring a poppy cover of the original theme and displaying pictures of the cast from “Full House” next to the new—but older—cast members. To tug on the heartstrings even more, the credits showcased new film sequences of the cast acting the same as they did in the original title sequence. For example, just as Danny Tanner—played by Bob Saget—threw around a football in the “Full House” sequence, he is shown throwing a football in the same setting 20 years later.

The show managed to sign on most of the original cast, including Candace Cameron Bure as DJ, Jodie Sweetin as Stephanie and Andrea Barber as Kimmy. As guest characters, the show has Saget as Danny, Dave Coulier as Joey, John Stamos as Jesse, Lori Loughlin as Rebecca and Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit as twins Nicky and Alex. Although the show was unable to enlist the second pair of twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen to play Michelle, “Fuller House” is stockpiled with fan-favorite characters.

Right from the start of the first episode, it’s clear that the writers have used the same cheesy tropes that made “Full House” such a family-friendly show. DJ Tanner is now DJ Tanner-Fuller, a single parent with three boys—very reminiscent of single Danny with his three daughters. Although Kimmy and Stephanie have their own lives now—as Kimmy is raising her teenage daughter Ramona and Stephanie Tanner is trying to start a singing career—family comes first on “Fuller House,” so the two decide to move in to help DJ raise her family in the original “Full House” house.

The show still maintains its fun, G-rated humor with cute little remarks. Kimmy hasn’t changed one bit on the show, still wearing the tackiest outfits as she displays her ever-present stinky feet. Even the Tanner-Fuller children are funny—similar to Stephanie’s classic, “How rude!” catchphrase, middle child Max tries to get his own with “Holy chalupas!”

Although it was very heartwarming to see these beloved characters back on screen together, the plotline past the pilot episode was lacking. Any “Full House” revival series is going to be cheesy—and that’s fine. If viewers don’t like corny shows, then they probably didn’t like “Full House” to begin with. But “Fuller House” had misleading messages that should not be spread to viewers.

For one thing, with Kimmy’s relationship with her ex-husband Fernando, “Fuller House” sends the message that it’s OK to be cheated on and forgive a significant other when they try to get you back by buying you an outrageous amount of gifts. No, not by apologizing through words, but with gifts. And that’s ignoring the fact that the show was racist in its portrayal of the Hispanic Fernando.

In addition, the cast constantly makes snide remarks regarding the fact that the Olsen twins didn’t come back on the revival. In the pilot, Danny says, “Michelle sends her love, but she’s busy in New York running her fashion empire” and the cast shatters the fourth wall by staring at the camera for more than 10 seconds. Stamos can comment all he wants that the lines weren’t digs, but when Kimmy said, “[With the Olsen’s clothes’] prices, no wonder they don’t need to act anymore,” it was clearly meant to insult the twins. Sorry that the Olsen twins are too busy running their successful clothing line to come back—they’re more than just childhood stars like Bure and Sweetin.

Perhaps the most perplexingly misrepresentative plotline was DJ’s, with a love triangle with former love interest Steve Hale and new suitor Matt Harmon. Throughout the series, she strings the two along by dating both of them until the end when she still leaves them hanging onto her with her choice to choose “me.”

Other than these hiccups, however, the show is indeed a cute revival—the original also had some questionable plotlines. It was nice and refreshing to see the cast reunited, and I am looking forward to another season, as Netflix renewed “Fuller House” for a second season on Wednesday March 2.

“Beautiful Dreamer” rekindles memory of Stephen Foster’s patriotic anthems

Created, produced and directed by Richard and Cathie Craig Barry, the Geneseo Riviera Theater brought a lively and interactive side-by-side performance called “Beautiful Dreamer” to the Geneseo community on Saturday Feb. 27. “Beautiful Dreamer” is a performance piece in which Richard Barry is an informative and creative resurrection of Stephen Foster, offering everyone a chance to get to know the “Father of American music.”

Foster was born on July 4, 1826. He struggled his whole life to make a prosperous career with his compositions, but he never gave up. His most prolific period was when he married his wife Jane and became a father a year later.

Richard Barry has acted for most of his life. He has appeared in performances at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester and in many live theatre venues, commercials and films. In the Riviera performance, he demonstrated his passion and talent as an actor while narrating each story behind Foster’s songs—which are thought to be autobiographical.

Accompanying Barry and playing all of his music was the musical duo The Dady Brothers. The music of John and Joe Dady transcends genres and generations by the melding of American Folk roots and Irish traditional influences. These Rochester natives have traveled around the world for their music. John Dady’s daughter Mara also accompanied the band.

The Dady Brothers performed a variety of songs including “Beautiful Dreamer,” “Oh! Susanna,” “Nelly Was a Lady,” “Ah! May the Red Rose Live Alway!,” “My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!,” “Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,” “De Camptown Races,” “Gentle Annie,” “Nelly Bly,” “Hard Times Come Again No More,” “Comrades Fill No Glass For Me” and “Old Folks at Home.”

Foster’s song “Oh! Susanna” is influenced by a variety of musical traditions, taking its beat from the polka. This is one of the more well known American folk songs—the San Francisco 49ers unofficially adopted it as their theme song.

“Nelly Was a Lady” was one of many pieces that portrayed Foster’s progressive views on diversity. This was the first song in which a black woman was referred to as a “lady.”

“My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night!” was eventually adopted as the state of Kentucky’s official anthem. It appears that Foster took inspiration for this song from the popular anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe.

Written during the first half of the 19th century, “Gentle Annie” is a tribute to Annie Jenkins, the daughter of a grocer who died. It was debated whether or not Annie was black or white, but in this performance, Foster inquires, “Does it matter?”

“Comrades Fill No Glass for Me” was very popular during the temperance movement, written after Foster turned to drinking in order to cope with the loss of his wife. “Old Folks at Home” is more uplifting, centering on the notion that home will always be where our parents are and that the reflection of them within us is comforting. In this song, Foster expresses his belief that this comfort is what allows us to dream.

Foster died young at just 37 years old on Jan. 13, 1864. At the time, his wallet contained only 38 cents and a scrap of paper upon which he had written, “Dear friends and gentle hearts.” His last song was “Beautiful Dreamer”—after which this performance was named—and he died having written nearly 200 compositions.

This side-by-side performance was distinct, informative and entertaining, with the audience being encouraged to sing along. It was amazing to learn the story behind each of Foster’s famous songs and it thoroughly traced the narrative of his creative life.

The 1975 explores different genres, take risks on sophomore album

The 1975’s latest album I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It was perhaps one of the most highly anticipated album releases of the year. The 1975 took drastic measures to ensure that fans would understand the grandeur of their second album. First, they deleted all of their social media accounts after tweeting cryptic messages revealing lyrics—a highly successful publicity grab.

Released on Friday Feb. 26, the album contains 17 tracks. This album contained more electro-pop songs than previous releases, however it still had many slow songs—in line with older works.

In addition to electro-pop, the band experiments with both gospel and ballad music on the album. The 1975 is widely known as an alternative rock band. With this album, however, the band pushes its boundaries by exploring different genres that many rock bands would not dare to venture into. On top of it all, the band was able to maintain its angst—something so beautiful that seems to disappear every time a rock band steps into the pop genre.

Every mainstream album has at least one or two defining songs that blow up in popularity due to their repetitive, catchy sound. The 1975 decided to make these songs readily available for the public to enjoy as samples of the album. “The Sound,” “UGH!” and “Love Me” are the three pop songs on this album that are most likely to be overplayed on the radio and get stuck in people’s heads. While undeniably mainstream-friendly, these songs carry a unique electronic sound that works to maintain their originality.

Fans of The 1975 crave their slow, romantic songs alongside their pop songs. “A Change of Heart” and “Somebody Else” are the typical heartbreak songs that listeners love so much. With deliberate melodies and long notes, the two songs are dreamy, beautiful break up songs.

For the track “If I Believe You,” The 1975 traded in slow melodies for jazzy gospel music. “If I Believe You” was a huge risk for this band to take—alternative rock bands seldom experiment with gospel music. The song turned out to be a success, though, and the soulful gospel choir complemented lead singer Matty Healy’s voice extremely well. The amount of emotion expressed is so tangible in this track—especially with the addition of the gospel choir.

Many songs on this album deal with the psychological, a topic that can be very difficult to present in a comprehensible way. “UGH!” is a reflection on Healy’s cocaine addiction, delving into his frustration and shift in mental state through the pure angst of the lyrics. “The Ballad of Me and My Brain” is more explicitly named regarding the exploration of the inner psyche and discusses the less glamorous aspects of being famous.

The album closes with “She Lays Down,” a song about Healy’s mother going through depression shortly after giving birth. Despite many critics’ opinions, The 1975 is not a band catered to 15-year-old girls. The deep, self-aware lyrics indicate that The 1975 is a sophisticated, mature band.

Too often, rock bands lose touch with who they are after their debut album. Pop culture infiltrates their music to the point where they become part of it. Paramore is a prime example of this, as they lost their angst throughout the years as exemplified by their latest album, which was disappointingly pop. I Like It When You Sleep for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware of It may have a ridiculous Fall Out Boy-esque name, yet it is hugely successful in combining the pop sound that a general audience likes so much while also keeping their originality and identity.

The 1975 experimented with different genres of music on this new release, a true sign of an extraordinary band. The sophomore album has lived up to expectations and was the antithesis of a “sophomore slump” for The 1975.

Orchestra celebrates renowned composers

Conducted by lecturer in music Jim Tiller, the Geneseo Symphony Orchestra—composed of current students and faculty—offered up a spirited and, at times, stormy soundtrack to the early spring afternoon on Sunday Feb. 28 in Wadsworth Auditorium. The orchestra opened with “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso,” composed by Camille Saint-Saens in 1863. This performance featured a solo violin performance by adjunct lecturer in music An-Chi Lin. In addition to her work with the Geneseo orchestra, Lin has performed in the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s Educational String Quartet and the Hochstein String Quartet.

“Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso” was written in honor of the incredibly skilled violinist Pablo de Sarasate. Saint-Saens wrote the piece to showcase de Sarasate’s talents and the piece is often used as an opportunity for a solo violinist to showcase their own skillset.

Accompanied by the Geneseo Symphony Orchestra, Lin’s stellar solo performance set the tone for the main performance of Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Opus 64.” Tchaikovsky composed “Symphony No. 5” in 1888 while he was nearing the end of his life. When Tchaikovsky first performed the symphony, it received mostly negative reviews from critics, but audiences loved it. To this day, it remains one of his most popular works.

The symphony has four movements, each characterized by different cadences and power. These four movements are tied together by a melody that Tchaikovsky called “fate,” which is present in each movement. The fate theme begins in the first movement, which gives the feeling of a funeral. From there, fate appears in the next three movements, but increases in tempo and feeling until it reaches its climax in the fourth movement, ending as an upbeat march.

Reminiscent of cold, grey winters, the concert started out moody and dark, slowly moving toward an exciting, warm finish. The performance by Geneseo Symphony Orchestra encapsulated the desired feeling for the symphony—and, in likelihood for its Western New York audience for a warmer season.

The Geneseo Symphony Orchestra skillfully executed the performance. Each change in mood was accentuated by individual and group performances and each movement flowed well, coming on strong and powerful when needed and clean throughout.

Yoga exhibit presents connection to nature, different views on wellness

Students may think that the library is exclusively for studying and meeting up with friends, but it’s also the home of some exceptionally intriguing art exhibits. Milne Library is currently showing an exhibition of 11 photographers who have taken yoga as their artistic subject. What is different about their photos, however, is that they all feature one woman doing yoga in locations that are out of the ordinary, including on top of buildings, in the woods, on the beach and more. Located in Milne 208, the exhibit is colorful, raw and genuine. Each Rochester-based photographer has a different visual aesthetic and a different charity that they regularly donate to. They include Janine Susz—who donates to the Breast Cancer Coalition—and Lindsay Kathryn Jewett—who helps out Living Water, an organization that builds clean water systems in Central American villages. The photographers donate 25 percent of their profits to these charities.

All of the photographers featured Liza Savage-Katz, a yoga, Pilates, spinning and dance teacher. Savage-Katz explained that she is dedicated to personal health and fitness and to helping others achieve a healthy lifestyle that is tailored to each individual.

“Whatever the situation or circumstance, I will work with you and your family to develop a yoga and wellness program that supports you in being the healthiest, happiest you,” she said. This passion is translated beautifully and artfully into the photo series.

It’s true that each individual photographer has their own aesthetic. For example, Jasna Bogdanovska—who is a native of Macedonia and whose work holds a large amount of symbolism—photographs Savage-Katz as a small part of her surroundings. Whether she is under a tree on the waterfront or on top of a city roof, Bogdanovska zooms out so that Savage-Katz and her yoga poses become a part of the photo landscape.

This is quite different from Nitin Sampat’s work, which focuses on the yoga poses as the central feature of the images. He has put Savage-Katz in both natural and industrial environments, such as Rochester’s Highland Park.

Despite their individual artistic styles, the photographers share some similarities, such as their passion for personal health and wellness in both a physical and mental sense. Tracey Grier noted that she “loves to bring out the beauty of the moment and the passion of the persona being photographed,” and Teri Fiske—who is a boudoir photographer—“loves the energy she gets from helping other women find their fierce and own it.”

Visually, there are a few commonalities as well. The photos of Savage-Katz posing in front of colorful graffiti were popular, as was the theme of yoga in tune with nature.

Amy Vena and Bailey Johnson utilized Rochester’s graffiti as a background for Savage-Katz’s poses in order to create a contrast between the naturalness of the human body and the harsh structural architecture of an urban center. This juxtaposition is not a negative one, though. Rather, it serves to suggest to the viewer that one’s spiritual and mental health can be found wherever you go.

Both Susz and Bailey Johnson put Savage-Katz in natural environments, suggesting the human body’s connection to nature. Susz chose a woodsy haven, with Savage-Katz balanced on top of fallen tree trunks and in streams. In contrast, Johnson opted for the waterfront—complete with sandy beaches—and featured the yoga guru carefully posing on a surfboard.

With its medley of artists who each have a different take on personal health and wellness, such a unique photography exhibit is a rare one that should not be missed.

Rock band The Scarecrow Show to release debut album featuring original songs

Based out of Delevan, New York, rock band The Scarecrow Show will be releasing its first album and EP within the next few months, per an independent recorder. The Scarecrow Show features Geneseo sophomore Ben Juchniewicz on bass. Making up the rest of the band are Ben Juchniewicz’s older brother Jon—who is the drummer and lead vocalist—and their longtime friend and lead guitarist Ray Cook III. The trio grew up with music-centric interests and began jamming together long before formally establishing the band.

Priding itself on its versatility of sound, the band upholds a hard rock foundation while remaining receptive to a myriad of influences.

“We usually try to steer clear from pigeonholing ourselves into a specific genre,” Ben Juchniewicz said. “We pretty much call ourselves hard rock with a lot of influences, including punk and blues, all coalescing into one sound.”

The Scarecrow Show has existed as a band for about a year. They played at Geneseo’s Battle of the Bands in spring 2015 under a different name—RC3. The band soon after democratically decided to change their name, ultimately voting on calling themselves The Scarecrow Show to better reflect the motif they wished to portray through their music and style.

Appreciative of its opportunity to participate again in this year’s Battle of the Bands on Feb. 4, The Scarecrow Show hopes to continue gaining local exposure.

“We got a great reaction from the crowd at Battle of the Bands this year. Everyone swarmed the stage and was singing along or dancing to the songs they knew,” Juchniewicz said. “We didn’t win, but that’s alright. We exposed our work and got ourselves out here. People know us now and seem to like us, so it’s a foot in the door.”

While the band hasn’t played any full shows in Geneseo yet—its primary sites are in the Buffalo area—the band hopes to start soon and gain more recognition locally.

During shows, The Scarecrow Show sometimes plays its original music, while other times they exhibit their vast dexterity of covers. The album and EP include a profusion of the members’ own work.

“We’re mostly an original band,” Juchniewicz said. “We write a lot of our own stuff, but in an area like this, where there isn’t a very strong music market, it’s often necessary to play shows where we’re covering songs people are familiar with.”

He added that the band first recorded 12 songs for their album and then decided to add more. “I think it’s up to 19, including the EP,” he said. “Now, we’re just mastering them in the studio.”

Passionate about their music, The Scarecrow Show members are adamant about their organic process of creativity, doing only what comes effortlessly to them rather than molding their songs around the limits of society’s expectations of rock. Sometimes, they write songs separately from one another before bringing them to the band, while other times they join together and just play, building sounds off one another that gel and eventually become distinctive songs.

“We’re not doing it to make money—we love our music and we want other people to love it as well. We do what feels natural to us,” Juchniewicz said. “We don’t try to cater ourselves too much to what people would like to hear because we hope there are enough people who like what we’re doing enough to hop on board and come along for the ride.”

The band’s plan for the foreseeable future is to try to play about three shows each month, especially after its album is released. Between recording, getting shows, networking and pursuing exposure, The Scarecrow Show currently has a lot in the works—and its members wouldn’t want things any other way.

“We love what we’re doing. We love the music we make, the people we’re working with and all of our fans,” Ben Juchniewicz said. “We’re excited to see where this whole thing takes us.”

Kinetic Gallery displays harsh reality of human wastefulness

Geneseo Campus Activities Board hosted a photo-video art exhibit entitled “Ecologies of Inconvenience” in the MacVittie College Union’s Kinetic Gallery on Tuesday Feb. 23. “Ecologies of Inconvenience” is a multi-dimensional exhibit featuring foodscapes from urban and pastoral environments alike. The exhibit highlighted the nature of humanity and a deep, cognitive understanding of the world humans have created. “Ecologies of Inconvenience” was created by husband and wife duo Cary Peppermint and Leila Nadir. Nadir is a writer and critic and Peppermint is an artist. Both currently teach at the University of Rochester.

Together, Nadir and Peppermint co-founded EcoArtTech—an environmental art collaborative focused on the interconnectivity of modern life and nature. EcoArtTech is composed of conceptual art—art that is meant to convey ideas, mess with form and shift the perception of viewers. “Ecologies of Inconvenience” initiated much contemplation about humanity and the environment.

Four different videos were displayed in the exhibit as well as a photo gallery. The photo gallery displayed exact shots from a few of the videos with blurred filters. The exhibit was visually demanding, with a lot of information presented in a small space.

The first pair of videos displayed on projectors showed the different practices humans use to obtain food. The practices range from being simplistic and obvious to convoluted and difficult to understand. Simple videos show Peppermint collecting water from a spring or making tea in the wilderness. More complicated videos show a military base or a busy highway.

These videos display parts of the food production system that are unidentifiable to the naked eye. The military base represents the wars fought for oil—an important resource in food production—and the busy highway illustrates a method of food transportation. The juxtaposition of simplistic and complex foodscapes is striking and provoked thought about the modern practices of obtaining food.

The second pair of videos titled “Late Anthropocene” and “Wilderness Trouble” were filmed 10 years apart from each other. Both videos rapidly change back and forth in displaying the tranquility of nature and complexity of modern cities in an avant-garde manner. Some of the videos were startling, such as “Late Anthropocene” showing a gas mask hanging on a tree and “Wilderness Trouble” depicting a woman drinking at a bar.

The ending of “Late Anthropocene” was incredibly striking. It shows a beautiful view of the sun setting over a lake with mountains and slowly zooms out. In this situation, filmmakers would typically zoom in to get a better view, but Nadir and Peppermint chose to zoom out to symbolize the destruction humans have caused to the environment.

The photographs on display were also quite intriguing. Most were completely blurred to the point where viewers would have to squint to decipher them. A few looked as if there were a mosquito net placed on top of them.

Nadir and Peppermint provided different reasons as to why the photographs were hazy. Peppermint explained that the blurry filters were homemade and simply added an artistic quality. Nadir added that the unclear photographs would stimulate more thought than clear photographs. The different interpretations revealed that the two viewed their collaborative art in different ways, an interesting characteristic of the writer and artist duo.

One of my favorite juxtapositions of this exhibit was the video in which Nadir walks through a quiet forest with a repeatedly beeping cell phone in her hand. Too often, environmental issues are framed in solutions. “Ecologies of Inconvenience” instead focuses on the cause of environmental issues—the human species.

By raising awareness through thought-provoking art, perhaps the deeper meaning of sustainability will be able to reach viewers through this exhibit.

“Hip-Hop Symposium” insightful on inspirational graffiti

As part of the Office of Multicultural Programs and Services’ weeklong “Hip-Hop Symposium 16–The Revolution Age” event, Rochester-native Shawn Dunwoody spoke to students on Tuesday Feb. 23, describing his artistic endeavors by noting the purpose of his current initiative: “Creating is about being there with people.” To begin his presentation, Dunwoody discussed the historic significance of graffiti—typically regarded as an act of vandalism—as an important form of self-expression and personal “branding” for the artists who create it.

Dunwoody’s current art initiative transforms urban buildings and objects into canvases featuring positive sayings, words and decoration designed to foster a greater community spirit in areas that desperately need it.

Working in conjunction with the Rochester community, Dunwoody was initially asked to paint portraits of prominent members of the community or those with historical relevance, such as Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X. He soon realized, though, that communities evolve quickly and that these types of portraits would lose their significance once the people who had requested them moved on. Furthermore, new generations would come along with fewer ties to these types of portraits.

Taking this into account along with the evolved perception of commercialized graffiti––both in mainstream advertising and in art pieces with expensive price-tags—Dunwoody decided to create his own version of graffiti advertising for positivity with “words to live by.” In Dunwoody’s mind, words don’t lose their meaning like images do and they will have a longer-lasting impression.

Dunwoody has done projects all over Rochester, which he said helped him expand happiness and increase a sense of community connections. He told a story about one of his murals—the words “Believe in U” on a simple blue background—which he was asked to paint on a building located on a street corner that has a reputation for being dangerous.

During its creation, people in the neighborhood informed Dunwoody that the area he was painting in was Blood territory—a gang whose color is red. Their rival gang—the Crips—identifies with the color blue.

Despite this, Dunwoody said he witnessed a lot of positivity in response to the finished artwork, with people on the corner repeating the saying by using it as a greeting to other people they met on the street. He also talked about watching a mother read the mural to her young child, a prime example of the positive impact that Dunwoody hopes to have with his work—especially with youth community members.

Dunwoody explained that he is interested to see if he can “tip the scale” in dangerous neighborhoods by applying his art to what is already present in the community. He is currently working in some of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Rochester, making graffiti art while also working on other projects such as a community fruit garden and glow-in-the-dark crosswalks that will improve visibility on dangerous streets at night.

For Dunwoody, his work is about using movement and shape to give meaning to the simple things around us—such as blank walls and empty lots—and creating connections where they may not exist. While change such as this is not always easy, Dunwoody’s commitment to creating art that radiates happiness, positivity and a willingness to make communities stronger is a way of making these changes stick.

Deadpool slams box office, emphasizes comedy over drama

Sorry Avengers members, looks like you’ve got some competition. Debuting as the eighth installment in the X-Men film series, the R-rated Deadpool has all but obliterated its competition in the box office, currently grossing $497.6 million since its release on Feb. 12—a total which The Guardian notes is greater than the totals from Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, Thor: The Dark World, Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier combined. While I am a huge Marvel fan and love all of the aforementioned movies, it’s clear after watching Deadpool as to why the film has done so well. The prototype for a superhero-centric film is drama with bits of comedic relief sprinkled throughout. Deadpool, however, flips the script on the generic model, using incessantly outrageous and clever humor throughout the movie to create a refreshingly new addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

For instance, watching protagonist Wade Wilson—Deadpool—break the fourth wall in intense action scenes to quip with the audience about whether or not he left his stove on or why “that guy in the suit just turned that other guy into a fucking kebab” brings a much-needed sardonic playfulness into a film genre that is often executed with excessive seriousness.

Arguably, the largest factor in Deadpool’s success is the superb acting of Hollywood heartthrob Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool. Reynolds plays the sassy, obscene pansexual mercenary with endearing charm and authenticity, dropping F-bombs and sexual innuendos left and right while fighting off bad guys. Reynolds’ ability to portray the multi-faceted nature of Deadpool’s personality keeps the film from becoming too kitsch. He is a sweet and devoted boyfriend one minute, an immature teen giggling about teabagging a villain the next. He’s fun, he’s flirtatious and he uniquely brings both elements into his fighting style.

Not only did Reynolds shine in his role, but so did the supporting cast members. Deadpool’s bespectacled bartending best friend Weasel—played by T.J. Miller—is sweet and funny, deadpanning brilliant one-liners like, “You are haunting, you look like an avocado had sex with an older avocado.”

X-man Colossus—voiced by Stefan Kapičić—is a giant teddy bear of solid steel, acting as a patient advisor to badass female trainee Negasonic Teenage Warhead—played by Brianna Hildebrand. When teaming up with Deadpool, the chemistry between the three was great and I hope to see them work together again. I also really liked Morena Baccarin as Deadpool’s girlfriend Vanessa, but since Reynolds has hinted that his character may have a boyfriend in the sequel, it’ll be interesting to see if she sticks around for long.

The only time I thought the characterization fell flat was when it came to the antagonists. In the opening credits, we learn that the movie features “a British villain.” And that’s pretty much all the substance we get from said villain and mutant: Ajax. His motivation to experiment on humans to make and sell mutant “slaves” to wealthy clients wasn’t developed well at all—neither was any indication of how these individuals lose their agency. Ajax’s henchwoman Angel Dust is no better in terms of personality—or lack thereof. I was surprised and disappointed that both villains were so underdeveloped.

While I do agree with many critics that the plotline is pretty standard, the utterly unique characters presented in the film, their hilariously shocking actions and their comments kept the audience captivated and itching for more. Deadpool unapologetically tore down antiquated constructs of what makes a superhero film great—and judging by these box office numbers, people are very happy with the result.u

Kanye’s album dynamic, reminiscent of older work

“A gospel album with a whole lot of cursing on it” is how Kanye West described his seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo, which was released on Feb. 14. This sparked excitement amongst the many fans that favor West’s first album The College Dropout, an album known for its soulful feel. Though reminiscent of the spiritual sound associated with earlier West, the final product is something much more than anything a younger, College Dropout-era West could have made. The album is a beautiful mess. It opens with one of West’s best songs ever, “Ultralight Beam,” which features Chance The Rapper and a full chorus. This song is reminiscent of “Jesus Walks” from The College Dropout.

Following “Ultralight Beam” are what can only be described as gospel-trap songs titled “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1” and “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 2,” produced by Metro Boomin. This pivot in musical style foreshadows the rest of the album.

After its upbeat beginning, the album moves into a more somber tone with “FML” featuring the Weeknd, “Real Friends” and “Wolves” featuring Frank Ocean. Each of these songs retain the album’s gospel feel, but also focus on heavier subjects such as failed relationships, bad friendships and depression. An intermission titled “Silver Surfer Intermission” and four bonus tracks—with guest appearances from artists such as Kendrick Lamar and André 3000—follow.

Though the gospel vibe remains constant throughout the album, West layers this with other music styles and with lyrics that reflect his own personal experiences with the pitfalls of fame and past relationships—which some people consider to be controversial and misogynistic.

With the release of his sixth studio album Yeezus in 2013, West offered a new, minimalistic sound that won over many listeners who were initially skeptical about this sound. Making musical departures has been commonplace for West, as he excels at making music that is sonically ahead of the game. The Life of Pablo is no different.

West took the non-traditional tactic of inviting the public into the creative process that led up to the release of TLOP. West changed the album’s title multiple times and tweeted out multiple track lists, then added and removed songs seemingly at will.

On top of this, West—unafraid to speak his mind—unleashed a Twitter tirade on fellow rapper Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose—West’s ex-girlfriend and Khalifa’s ex-wife—after Khalifa tweeted his displeasure at one of the previous album titles.

An early version of the album was unveiled during a fashion show at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 11, where West also launched his third clothing line. Following an erratic performance on “Saturday Night Live,” the full album was released for streaming to eager consumers three days later on Tidal.

While the changing styling from song to song on TLOP can seem as if it is haphazardly thrown together, it’s almost certain that this was an intentional move by West. Ever the perfectionist, West continues to tweak the songs daily on Tidal.

With its sonic highs and lows, The Life of Pablo perfectly encapsulate what seems to have been West’s mindset when making the album. Religion ties together the offerings, whose themes range from depression to pure elation.

With Paul the Apostle—a teacher of Christianity in the first century—as the album’s namesake, West seems to signal that he, too, is bringing Christ’s teachings to the modern world in his own strange, beautiful and twisted way.

Art Club workshop equips students with useful Photoshop skills

Art Club hosted a Digital Photography and Editing Workshop on Monday Feb. 22 in Milne Library. Former Lamron assistant photo editor and current campus photographer Keith Walters ‘11 instructed the workshop using his experience and skill in Photoshop to teach students about photo editing. The workshop featured an intimate group of students learning how to edit a photo of a snowy landscape through Walters’ instructions and tutorial. Initially, he showed the students how to adjust the different colors, midtones and shadows of the photo. He also explained the use of layers within the picture, as well as specific tools that are helpful in perfecting a photo.

There was a lot of trial and error amongst the students in attempting to obtain a flawless image, but Walters offered individual help to students throughout the process. This helped participants better understand the program and create an overall better photo.

Walters explained to the students that he usually works on Photoshop with raw photos that he takes himself. According to Walters, his goal was to teach the students his own technique of “painting the pictures,” which enhances the image by adjusting its color and brightness.

He also aimed to show the students the basic tools and mechanics of the program so that in the future, participants will be able to navigate the initially confusing and overwhelming software. His overall goal was to give students more control and flexibility with Photoshop.

Apart from working at The Lamron during his time as a student at Geneseo, Walters also worked for the Office of College Communications and Publications. Walters still works in the same department and has held his position of campus photographer for the past four years.

Walters explained that he is self-taught in Photoshop and has used it for the past six years. In addition to holding workshops similar to this one, Walters has been progressively working in more and more workshops for the Photography and Art Clubs.

In the past, the Art Club hosted a basic photography class where students simply learned “how to take a good photo,” according to Art Club vice president senior Amy Liang. Other workshops included figure-drawing taught by professor of art history Tom MacPherson. Last semester, Art Club offered a water coloring class and they will soon hold a ceramic workshop.

Liang explained that the club strives to cover a wide range of mediums. Each workshop ranges from different areas of art—such as hands-on activities like drawing and charcoal—to more technical activities like graphic design and photo editing. Liang added that each workshop is designed for all skill levels, so a student can either learn more or practice and expand on what they already know.

Liang expressed her delight that Art Club has gotten significantly more materials and art supplies, allowing members to work and practice more with these mediums in an informal setting.

Thanks to Art Club, workshops like this can help students to refine their skills in specific areas of art to use for fun or even in a professional manner.

Instrumental groups give harmonious performances

Conducted by adjunct lecturer in music Ernest Lascell, Geneseo’s Wind Ensemble, Clarinet Choir and Saxophone Quartet held a touching performance in Wadsworth Auditorium on Sunday Feb. 21. The Wind Ensemble started with distinguished service professor of music James Walker’s “March L’Homme Armé.” When translated from French, the title means “The Armed Man.” The piece was actually written for the Geneseo Wind Ensemble and features a cantus firmus—fixed song—which is a medieval composer’s device to provide unity to a musical composition. This was a light and energized song, reminiscent of a victory march.

The ensemble’s second song was Alfred Reed’s “A Jubilant Overture.” Reed was an American neo-classical composer and he created this composition in 1970. This song is set in a three-part overture form, which means it starts fast, slows down and then returns to its initial speed. With its succinct notes, the performance of this composition was very impressive.

Brass specialist, teacher and composer of nearly 300 pieces for bands and orchestras Clair Johnson’s “Three Trombonists” followed. The trombone trio featured freshmen Robert Marino, Timothy Snyder and Patrick Buckley as soloists. This song bounced between the soloists and the band accompanying them, keeping the audience engaged.

The Saxophone Quartet performed one song following the Wind Ensemble: Eric Ewazen’s “Rhapsody for Saxophone Quartet.” Ewazen received a bachelor of music degree at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester and a master of music and doctor of musical arts degrees from the Juilliard School. Furthermore, he has won many awards for his compositions. His song had a more attentive tone than the previous songs and instilled ideas of overcoming adversity and triumph.

The Clarinet Choir then performed Robert Roden’s “Difference of Opinion.” This song was more relaxed than the previous works—which resembled marches—yet also maintained the sense of joy and contentment. At times, the song instilled visions of walking along Parisian streets with its uplifting tone.

The Clarinet Choir’s second song was Gustav Holst’s “St. Paul’s Suite” arranged by Matt Johnston. Holst was an English composer, arranger and teacher best known for his orchestral suite “The Planets.” The students performed the first movement of “St. Paul’s Suite,” appropriately named “Jig.” This fast-paced song and its high notes resembled and captured the happiness accompanying an Irish jig.

The Wind Ensemble reconvened to play three more songs following the Clarinet Choir. The first was Gary Gilroy’s “Four Dance Episodes.” The first of the four “episodes” varied the remaining dances in this piece, as it included a tune of multi-metered rhythmic changes—which also highlighted all sections of the group. The second was a “hoedown,” featuring jazzy rhythms; the third was a ballad and the fourth a very fast, driving movement featuring the brass and percussion sections.

Wind Ensemble then performed “Ballade for Alto Saxophone” by Alfred Reed, featuring soloist senior Alec Friedman. This piece is for alto saxophone and a band, as it emphasized the vocal quality of the saxophone through long lyrical passages accompanied by the band in a harmonic background. This song had a sentimental, retrospective tone to it, especially with Friedman’s solo.

Wind Ensemble concluded their performance with Rossano Galante’s “God’s Country.” A very interesting, engaging and powerful piece, this song was a reminder of the fairytales that captivate children. This song phenomenally depicted the landscapes of our country’s statuesque mountain ranges and waterfalls through soaring melodic lines, brass fanfares and lush harmonies.

Performing songs new and old, Geneseo’s Wind Ensemble, Clarinet Choir and Saxophone Quartet displayed their hard work through their execution of these compositions, each of which celebrated students’ instrumental talent here at Geneseo.

Musically adept family band brings warmth, versatility to Geneseo

Fresh off touring as the opener for O.A.R, up-and-coming indie-folk rockers The Hunts lent some heat to a freezing cold Geneseo night with a spirited performance on Saturday Feb. 13 in Wadsworth Auditorium. This concert was part of the Limelight and Accents Performing Arts Series. Since the 1960s, bands with leanings toward folk traditions have held an important place in the music industry. Folk music has recently risen to new popularity with bands such as The Lumineers and The Head and The Heart achieving commercial success with their unique takes on the classic folk music style.

The Hunts—a seven-member band of brothers and sisters who hail from Chesapeake, Virginia—are part of today’s indie-folk music wave whose style and instrumental leanings combine classic folk with an alt-pop sound.

At the start, The Hunts seemed to be settling in for an old-school folk performance; the five brothers and two sisters lining the stage poised with banjos, mandolins, violins and drums. Once the music started, however, the concert felt anything but old-fashioned. The Hunts’ pure joy for their music—along with their grinning and dancing for the entirety of the concert—created a warm and fun-filled feeling for the show.

In addition, each of the multi-talented Hunt siblings sing and play a variety of instruments; keeping things fresh and adding a degree of intrigue about who will be playing next and showing their range of talent.

Accompanying The Hunts on tour are the performers’ parents, both of whom are musicians in their own rights. During the show, The Hunts talked to the audience and explained how as each child would grow up, they would join their parents at shows until they all started to play together.

The majority of songs that were performed came from The Hunts’ debut 2015 studio album Those Younger Days. The album includes “Make This Leap,” which has been in rotation on many indie radio stations and is currently the band’s most streamed song on Spotify. The band also played a number of songs they said would be on their next album, which they expect to release sometime this year.

The show also featured two “intermissions.” In the first, sisters Jenni and Jessi Hunt performed a timely, Valentine’s Day-themed version of Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love” with a ukulele accompaniment. This got the crowd singing along with them, adding to the homey feel of the concert.

The next solo featured the band’s chief songwriter and vocalist Josh Hunt soloing on a song he wrote. Josh Hunt admitted—surprisingly—that he typically didn’t have a good history with audience reactions to his solos. To his observed relief, the song was a great hit with the Geneseo audience of both students and locals.

The band’s live performance offered a unique perspective on just what the musicians are capable of. Without all the voice enhancers and production found so commonly in today’s music, the artists are reliant on their skills and showmanship. This can either be an eye-opening introduction to the depth of the artist’s talent or it can reveal how superficial the band really is—the former being the case for The Hunts.

The Hunts did not disappoint. They warmed the auditorium on the blisteringly cold night with their music, showcasing what’s earned them a place in the ranks of today’s successful American folk revivalist musicians.

Lockhart Gallery exhibits local artist’s famous watercolors, oil paintings

Housed in the historic McClellan House on Main Street, Geneseo’s Lockhart Gallery is helping to bring Western New York’s art scene back into the limelight. The gallery is currently housing the exhibit “Rose Shave, the artist from Nunda,” which had its open reception on Feb. 10. Shave was an artist from Western New York who was well known for her oil and watercolor landscapes and still lifes at the start of the 20th century. The works featured in the gallery evoke a sort of coziness through the thick pastels of her idealistic oil landscapes and her light, airy watercolors of flowers, which she was renowned for throughout the country.

The oil landscapes are very seasonal, either featuring an intensely snowy winter, a bright red-yellow autumn or a blossoming spring. Looking at them up close, one is able to see Shave’s slight use of impasto and the subtle scratching of her brushwork—all adding up to a very elegant yet lively piece of work. The oil pieces sometimes feature small human figures, which add to the paintings’ assertion of the beautiful power of the elements.

The watercolor pieces included in the exhibit are breathtaking in their attention to color. “Pink Roses” (1904), “Mums” (1910) and “Grape Still Life” (1911) are all representative of Shave’s national success. In fact, Shave was ranked third in the country in watercolor paintings of flowers in 1895; paintings which she showed in exhibits all across the United States.

Two very unique pieces included in the exhibit are the “Sampler” pieces. “R. Shave Sampler – Lg” (ca. 1900) and R. Shave Sampler – Sm.” (ca. 1900) are essentially a group of small paintings compiled on one sheet of paper. The mini paintings are all framed in different shapes: circles, rectangles and arches. Some of them meander outside of their borders, like in “R. Shave Sampler –Sm,” which includes a circular work whose tree branches venture out onto the page.

All of the works are a part of the Nunda Historical Society’s Rose M. Shave Collection, an organization that played a large role in conserving and framing 41 Shave paintings over the years. The Society is very proud of its collection, with Shave being a native of the town of Nunda, which lies southwest of Geneseo. Shave chose to live and work there for most of her life. Thus, the subjects of Shave’s paintings are all original compositions of the New York landscape—from Nunda to Long Island.

At the gallery’s opening, Nunda Historical Society representative Joan Schumaker gave a talk on the life and work of Shave. The accompanying presentation showed more of Shave’s works, including her paintings on ceramics. Schumaker explained to the audience that almost all of the information that the society learns about Shave is uncovered in old newspaper articles and ads.

From these artifacts, the Society learned that Shave taught art classes out of her own home in Nunda. She graduated and later taught at the U.S.’s very first women’s college: Ingham University. This lack of concrete information, however, means that the organization can only make educated guesses about Shave’s relationship with her sister Belle—who lived with Rose until she died in Nunda and was also an artist.

Despite questions that art lovers may still have about Shave’s personal life, here in Geneseo we have the great opportunity to experience and to appreciate the legacy of one of Western New York’s most talented artists.

SPOTLIGHT ON: Oliver Diaz

Junior English and French double major Oliver Diaz has always loved writing and making people laugh. When he came to Geneseo, he decided to put those passions to use when he picked up the creative writing track on his English major and joined the improvisation group No Laugh Track Required. Diaz explained that comedy was “something that [I] grew up with,” noting that he was profoundly influenced by his father, who also had a passion for comedy.

Diaz added that he knew early on that he appreciated the power of comedy, specifically recalling a time in elementary school where he and a close friend of his were hysterically laughing on the floor from a simple joke they made. “I remember always trying to make people laugh,” he said.  This love for spreading laughs helped to foster his interest in improv comedy.

As the years have gone by, Diaz emphasized that No Laugh Track Required has become more than just something fun for him—it’s become a creative outlet. “I went to a [No Laugh Track Required] show my freshman year,” he said. “In my next semester in my freshman year, I went to audition and was really lucky to get in. It’s slowly become a really important thing for me that I enjoy.”

Diaz noted that one of his favorite parts about the improv group is the “potential for growth” amongst performers. “[Improv is] silly, but you can get good at it ... just being involved in it and seeing over the past two years [how] people get better has probably been the most rewarding thing,” he said. “It’s really cool to see people improve in anything ... and to improve personally.”

Such personal growth for Diaz is reflected in his newfound confidence and outgoing nature—traits that he wouldn’t have attributed to his younger self. “I was really small and scrawny and didn’t know how else to communicate with people,” he said. “I definitely was really timid and awkward and quiet.”

Apart from developing personally, Diaz noted that he loves the group dynamic of No Laugh Track Required. “I really enjoy our rehearsals [and shows],” he said. “It’s just a place where a bunch of people who relate in this way of making jokes constantly throughout the day can convene and work together toward something that they’re passionate about.”

When he’s not working on comedy, Diaz can often be found exploring his passion for writing. He explained that he has loved creative writing since elementary school, expressing himself through music or in journals. Toward the end of high school, Diaz began writing reflective entries that extended past typical daily recordings. It wasn’t until he attended Geneseo, however, that he realized that he could do something more with his love of writing.

After taking ENGL 201: Foundations of Creative Writing, Diaz knew that the creative writing track was the right choice for him. “I think I almost tricked myself into deciding [a major] very early and it was the right choice,” he said. “Now, I’m like, ‘Yes, this is really what I want to do.’”

Diaz’s experiences in both improv and writing have allowed him to explore other creative avenues like acting. Diaz performed in the theater department’s fall staged reading series as Mr. Marmalade in director junior Joshua Shabshis’ adaptation of Noah Haidle’s “Mr. Marmalade” and will return to the stage in director senior Samantha Clowes’ staged reading of Christopher Durang’s “Beyond Therapy.”

With so many different creative talents, Diaz isn’t quite sure about his postgrad plans. “In an ideal world, I would go on and keep doing improv and write and life would just be a “Saturday Night Live” experience, but it’s not that simple,” he said. “I love it, it’s what I want to do, but it’s not that simple.”

Diaz noted that while he has looked into potentially taking classes at Upright Citizens Brigade Theater or The Second City to further his improv career, he has also considered other careers like teaching. Whatever career path Diaz ends up on after college, it’s certain that his talents and enthusiasm for comedy, writing and acting will guide him to a successful future.

Literary journal accepts work of all disciplines

Etcetera Magazine is a student-run interdisciplinary magazine that recently made its debut at Geneseo. The online publication encourages students to submit a diverse array of work to more accurately showcase the talents of the diverse student population. Videos, music, photographs, artwork and even maps are examples of work that students are able to submit to the website. Etcetera Magazine is open to submissions from all student majors and minors, whereas other publication sources may only appeal to the more literary majors such as English or communication. Shying away from the typical journalistic or literary approach, Etcetera Magazine is open to students of math and science majors who wish to express themselves and their interests as well.

Juniors Ariana DiPreta and Zach Muhlbauer are the two founding members of Etcetera Magazine at Geneseo. DiPreta is an English major with a human development minor and Muhlbauer is an English major. Both have extensive editing experience from working at the Writing Learning Center, making them strong and passionate leaders for this literary magazine.

Etcetera Magazine possesses a distinct collaborative aspect for submissions. Students are able to work with one another to produce content stemming from multiple mediums. This includes everything from a story written about a photograph to a poem written about a piece of artwork.

In addition, students are able to collaborate with work that has already been submitted to the website; they can connect their work with someone else’s through the simple click of a hyperlink. This collective feature emphasizes the magazine’s philosophy of free flowing, open-ended submissions from a variety of students.

The editing process of Etcetera Magazine is set up in a manner that almost guarantees the publication of all submissions—something that often hinders submitted work from being published in other magazines and journals. DiPreta and Muhlbauer plan to set up weekly meetings and office hour appointments in order to edit submissions with the person who submitted the work. Instead of submitting a piece of work and having it edited to the point where it’s barely recognizable to the person who created it, the submitter is able to have a say in how their work gets altered before it’s published.

All submissions go under a personal profile that is a simple click away from employers. While Etcetera Magazine is still a new publication website at Geneseo, DiPreta expressed a desire to expand the executive board into having editors for each section as the magazine grows in popularity.

Online publication sites similar to Etcetera Magazine have recently become very popular among college students, with Odyssey Online going viral at many colleges. Etcetera Magazine has much of the same format as Odyssey Online, with a profile page, picture and biography for each person that submits work to the website. Furthermore, writers may add hashtags to each submission to further categorize the work.

The major difference that distinguishes Etcetera Magazine from other online publication sources, however, is the variety of submissions that are allowed on the website. Odyssey Online allows for written pieces while Etcetera Magazine allows for submissions such as artwork.

Geneseo is an optimal college for Etcetera Magazine to thrive in. The interdisciplinary ideals of the website cater to students of a liberal arts college. With a vast amount of talent among the student population, Etcetera Magazine provides a platform for students to show off their work to an online audience.

Beyoncé’s new single controversial, important social commentary

The iconic Beyoncé performed her new song “Formation” at Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7. Both her performance at the halftime show and the music video—which was released a day before Beyoncé took the stage—have received mixed reviews. While some praise Beyoncé for showing visible support for the Black Lives Matter movement, others have gone so far as to protest Beyoncé. Indisputably, Beyoncé was making a political statement. At the halftime show, the backup dancers wore Black Panther berets, formed a letter X for Malcolm X and held up a homemade sign demanding “Justice for Mario Woods.” In the complex music video, Beyoncé references Black Lives Matter with graffiti slogans such as “Stop Shooting Us” and a sinking police car.

Regardless of what Beyoncé chooses to reference from the Black Lives Matter movement, she is creating a conversation that needs to be started. People’s reactions to her activism, however, have been unnerving. Demonstrations such as an anti-Beyoncé protest rally in front of the National Football League headquarters was staged on Tuesday Feb. 16; this on top of a “Boycott Beyoncé” sign-up page and “#boycottBeyoncé.”

Beyoncé rightfully took the opportunity to raise questions of civil rights to an audience of 111.9 million viewers when she took the stage at the Super Bowl. The anti-police motif in both her music video and halftime performance is nothing a person couldn’t see turning on their computer—or even their television.

“I always thought the purpose of the show at halftime was for entertainment and not for political agendas,” President of the Detectives’ Endowment Association Michael Palladino said. “[Beyoncé] incorporated the Black Panther stuff in it and Black Lives Matter. Yeah, I was surprised by the halftime show.”

Palladino inadvertently raised up a separate issue in her performance, the issue as to why people have responded in outrage over Beyoncé’s performance: people see what they want to see. A myriad of people only want to be entertained—they do not want to be politically engaged and they do not want to be involved in what doesn’t pertain to them. Ignorance is bliss.

So, when a public figure like Beyoncé is in the spotlight for generating important conversations, you have those who react negatively. “Saturday Night Live” put it best on their Saturday Feb. 13 episode where they mocked the outrage toward “Formation” with their sketch “The Day Beyoncé Turned Black.”

“It was the day it shook the whole white world,” “What about ‘Single Ladies?’” and “I don’t understand how they can be black—they’re women” are just a few of the skit’s lines that satirize the whole “crisis.”

Beyoncé is extremely sexualized for the public’s viewing pleasure—people forget that she has important things to say. It isn’t as if this is the first time Beyoncé has taken a political stand. Her and Kelly Rowland started a charity to help Hurricane Katrina survivors and she and her husband Jay-Z donate munificently to civil rights charities. The only difference is that decriers weren’t paying attention then because it wasn’t for their entertainment. Now, Beyoncé is making them pay attention.

It is as Eavan Boland states in Object Lessons: a female artist can only take the feminist approach or romantic approach when it comes to being successful. For Beyoncé, that means she can only write songs like “***Flawless”—with lyrics such as, “Why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage and we don’t teach boys the same?” and “Feminist: a person who believes in the social, political and economic equality of the sexes”—or she can write songs like “Blue,” which romanticizes child-rearing.

This very notion that Boland refers to dictates what female artists can and can’t say. It is the very thing that shows why Beyoncé commenting on civil rights generated backlash. This idea, however, shouldn’t keep her—or any other female artist—from commenting on civil rights or any other issue of societal importance.

Bhangra’s “Mela” showcases multicultural performances

Geneseo Bhangra hosted “Mela: A Mix of Talents” in the MacVittie College Union Ballroom on Saturday Feb. 13. This event offered many student organizations a chance to showcase their talents and to celebrate their heritage. Opening the show was a cappella group Between The Lines performing a mash up of James Blake’s “Retrograde” and Fun.’s “Some Nights.” They also covered Marianas Trench’s “Who Do You Love.” This group seemed to entrance the audience with their ability to replicate these songs without the use of instruments.

Following Between The Lines were two members of South Asian cultural club Shakti performing a dance to traditional folk music. Shakti devotes their time to discussing, sharing and learning about the various cultures of South Asia.

Geneseo’s Japanese Culture Club also performed two dances. The first dance involved very swift movements to the more traditional Japanese music. It appeared that karate—which originated in Japan—had a strong influence on this dance. Their second dance was to a more techno-influenced song, which also featured Asian conical hats; mixing more traditional aspects of Japanese culture with more contemporary elements.

Geneseo’s improvisation comedy organization No Laugh Track Required followed JCC and brought big laughs to the audience. These comedians performed examples of long-form improv, which requires audience participation. In this case, an audience member provided a word and then the members built a comedic scenario. These comedians seemed to impress the audience with their skillfulness at thinking on the spot.

Original Dance Expressions came next, performing student-choreographed dances to songs including Kerwin Du Bois’s “Circles,” Eddy Kenzo’s “Sitya Loss” and Kanye West’s “Monster.” This incredible performance was fast-paced, allowing members to show off their complicated dance moves, talent and creativity in the art of dance.

Closing out the show, Bhangra took the stage in their signature vibrant and ornate outfits. Bhangra is a type of popular music combining Punjabi folk traditions with Western pop music. A few of the songs to which they danced include Benny Benassi’s “Cinema [Skrillex Remix],” Fort Minor’s “Remember The Name” and David Guetta’s “Hey Mama.”

These Bhangra dancers gave a magnificent performance, astounding the crowd with their execution of tricky dance movements and their ability to almost constantly be jumping. The dancers also made use of wooden clappers called sapps, which accompanied their performance by augmenting certain beats of the music to which they danced.

“Mela: A Mix of Talents” succeeded in its aim to celebrate an assortment of talents and cultures. Not only did this event highlight interesting differences among cultures, but it also depicted some similarities as well.

“Vagina Monologues” explores female sexuality

Directed by juniors Emily Bantelman and Olivia Knowlden, Women’s Action Coalition presented “The Vagina Monologues” from Feb. 1–Saturday Feb. 13 at the Knight Spot. Eve Ensler wrote “The Vagina Monologues” in 1996. Ensler conducted a series of interviews with women, specifically asking them about their experiences with their vaginas. The result is a number of poignant stories, ranging in theme from slut-shaming to love to sexual abuse.

In the monologue entitled “Flood,” sophomore Jenna Lawson gave a hilarious and touching performance as a 72-year-old woman whose “down there”—as she called it—“had to go” after a fight with cancer. Another memorable performance came from sophomore Marley DeRosia, whose character in “Because He Liked to Look at It” has a sexual encounter with a man who loves vaginas.

Freshman Courtney King added her own comedic twist as she walked into the audience during “The Woman Who Liked to Make Vaginas Happy” and sat on the lap of an audience member, momentarily breaking character with a laugh to tell the audience, “This is my sister.” Her bit added a much needed sense of authenticity into the performance.

After the show, there was a talkback session where the audience had the chance to have a conversation with a panel consisting of cast members, directors and members of the WAC executive board.

One audience member inquired about the way the show was staged. The cast members were seated throughout the audience during the show, offering snaps and encouraging words to their fellow actors who were performing on stage. When the narrator—senior Beth Wrisley—was on stage to introduce the next monologue, the cast members would often be engaged, offering comments or—as in the case of “The Woman Who Liked to Make Vaginas Happy”—sexual moans.

“We wanted to give the show a very tight-knit feel,” Knowlden said. “Anyone you see in the audience could have a story to share. We didn’t want it to be a show so much as it is a story.”

Additionally, there was a discussion inspired by the monologue “My Short Skirt” about public school dress codes. Performed by sophomore Emily Bayhan, “My Short Skirt” is a statement against slut-shaming and victim-blaming, ending with the powerful line, “My short skirt and everything under it is mine.”

Audience and cast members alike recounted stories of being sent home for not abiding by their high schools’ dress codes. “I actually directed ‘My Short Skirt’ because it’s my favorite monologue in the whole show,” Bantelman said. “I just have such a problem with people telling you what’s sexual in your own body and what isn’t.”

Another question came from the issue about diversity in the show. “There’s been a lot of criticism since [“The Vagina Monologues”] came out about lack of diversity,” WAC president junior Jes Heppler said. “Monologues have been removed and added over time.”

One of the monologues that was added is “They Beat the Girl”—performed by freshmen Abi Kahl and Hunter Simms—which tells a powerful story about transgender women. It was first performed in 2004 by an entirely trans cast. Another addition since 1996 is “My Vagina Was My Village”—performed by senior Harneel Aujla—which tells the haunting story of a Bosnian woman’s rape.

Heppler noted that while there may not be as much diversity as they would like, the cast members, directors and WAC members all recognize the need for a variety of stories and perspectives in the show. “There’s a big difference between this woman who seems like she went into [sex work] for fun and people who go into sex work to survive because they can’t find other work,” she said. “That’s a big thing for trans women.”

This performance of “The Vagina Monologues” offered a fresh and unique spin on a well known production, bringing an important message of self-acceptance and awareness to the campus.

Sia’s This Is Acting boasts superior songwriting abilities

You may have first heard of Australian singer-songwriter Sia due to her chart-topping single “Chandelier,” which rocked radio stations throughout 2014. The hit “Elastic Heart” was also featured in various television shows and movies, and both successful songs are off of her 2014 album 1000 Forms of Fear. To the surprise of many, however, Sia has actually been in the music scene since the late 1990s. She has even written songs for big artists—such as Beyoncé’s “Pretty Hurts” and Rihanna’s “Diamonds” along with countless other hits you’ve most likely heard on the radio. While songwriting is Sia’s primary craft, she is also known for her raspy, powerful belts and cracked, slurred vocals.

Although Sia likes to keep away from the spotlight—she began to hide her face with a blonde wig beginning in 2014 to avoid the attention that fame brings—her music often shows her vulnerability, personal struggles and fight to be alive.

Her most recent album This Is Acting is so named because virtually all of the songs on the album were written for other artists. Therefore, Sia is “acting” by singing these songs.

1000 Forms of Fear and This Is Acting sound very alike sonically—with the beginning of “One Million Bullets” sampling the beat of “Chandelier”—but this is not a bad thing.

Prior to 1000 Forms of Fear, Sia’s music was collectively alternative/new wave. Beginning with 1000 Forms, though, Sia delved into dance beats, techno synths and electropop. This Is Acting is a continuation of Sia’s newfound, more upbeat sound.

“Alive” features a chilling, belted chorus, similar to that of “Chandelier.” Though the song was originally written for Adele, Sia could not have done a better job of encapsulating the power and raw emotion of the song with lyrics like, “I wanted everything I never had/Like the love that comes with light/I wore envy and I hated that/But I survived.”

For those seeking a dance track, “Move Your Body”—fittingly titled—offers a break from the independent, introspective theme of the album with its upbeat and suggestive lyrics.

This Is Acting’s impressive number of highlight tracks makes it a five-star album, with powerful songs such as the opening track “Bird Set Free,” which speaks about rising above from criticism. “Unstoppable” is another inspiring song and speaks of being a “Porsche with no brakes.” The songs “House on Fire” and “Footprints” are also must-listen-to songs.

Produced by Greg Kurstin, “Cheap Thrills” is one of the most memorable tracks on the album. The track is accompanied by Chipmunk-esque vocals and cheerleading squad chants echoing in the chorus.

Lyrically, though, “Reaper” is a much stronger song. The song discusses the struggle of battling with depression and suicidal thoughts. In the song, Sia speaks to her mental illness, singing in the second verse, “Don’t come for me today/I’m feeling good, let me savor it/Don’t come for me today” and singing in the pre-chorus, “So close I was to heaven’s gates/But no baby, no baby, not today.”

A final standout song from This Is Acting is “Broken Glass,” a four-minute track where Sia speaks to her lover about their violent relationship. Sia pleas for peace, comparing their fights to stormy weather and rough seas, but still lets her lover know that she will not discard them so carelessly like broken glass.

Sia may not have written these songs for herself, but at the end of the day, the lyrics shine through her. This Is Acting clearly demonstrates how much heart and soul Sia has placed into every one of her songs—even if other artists rejected them. The album drips with emotion, emphasizing Sia’s musical talent in singing and songwriting, all while also showcasing liberation from her personal battles.