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(10/29/08 12:00pm)
Students and residents of Ewing Township braved the wind and rain at the annual Community Fest, hosted at the College Saturday. As promised, the festival was held despite the inclement weather. Equipped with umbrellas and ponchos, residents eagerly gathered at this highly anticipated event, contributing to the culmination of communal and seasonal spirit.
This year's festival was held on Quimby's Prairie in front of Green Hall. The environmentally friendly theme, "Go Green for Halloween," was fully embraced by the myriad of local businesses, vendors, organizations and student volunteers.
Students welcomed the opportunity to interact with the community, an occasion that rarely presents itself on campus. Whether volunteering with the many student organizations or merely observing the festivities, students were introduced to Ewing beyond the brief impressions provided by the College.
Though a small campus has many benefits, students often find themselves separated from Ewing Township. It is for this reason that Community Fest strives to maintain the title of "the area's biggest and best festival of the year."
The "Community Fest Village," shielded from the uncooperative weather by a series of tents, provided a variety of crafts, games, pamphlets and other treats for those wishing to retreat from the rain and get a head start on their holiday shopping. There were fun activities geared toward guests of all ages, from pumpkin painting to political discussions.
Frances Foti, sophomore math, science and elementary education major, enthusiastically participated in the festivities.
"This is my first time doing this," Foti said. "It's great to see all the people of (the) community coming out and having a good time, and there's lots of entertainment."
Accompanied by sporadic rain showers, the area echoed with the sound of Ewing's finest. Ewing High School, Fisher Middle School, the Lore Elementary School Choir and Parkway Elementary School provided the entertainment. Special musical guests the Sensational Soul Cruisers, Thursday Night Jazz, the Tone Rangers and Miss Amy and Her Big Kids Band also shared the stage.
With the immense amount of activities and entertainment supplied, planning this annual event was no simple task. According to Bert Steinmann, chairman of the organizational committee for Community Fest, preparation for this one-day festival is a yearlong process.
"As soon as this event is over we start planning for next year," Steinmann said.
This year's Community Fest required minor adjustments due to the weather. The intended "fun zone," an area that would have included jugglers, magic shows, a mad scientist and an inflatable fun house, had to be canceled due to the rain.
"I'm pleasantly surprised by the turnout," Steinmann said. "I feel bad about the fun zone being canceled and for the vendors who are stuck at their stations . but everything seems to be moving well. All in all, everyone's been receptive."
Despite slight setbacks, the festival brought the College and community together, which, according to Steinmann, is its primary objective.
"The overall main goal of this event is to show the citizens of Ewing how (the College) and the government works together, by allowing them to visit the campus and come together, they can better understand that process of communication," Steinmann said.
Judging by the success of Saturday, the message was well-received.
(10/29/08 12:00pm)
On Oct. 23, Ink introduced "rock star" poet and editor Joshua Beckman to the College.
Beckman, who earned his bachelor's degree from Hampshire College studying poetry and the art of the book, gave a reading and answered questions at Ink's Visiting Writer Series. He is an editor at Wave Books and the author of five inventive books of poetry, including "Things Are Happening," "Something I Expected to Be Different," "Nice Hat. Thanks.," "Your Time Has Come" and "Shake."
Latecomers had difficulty finding seats in the crowded New Library Auditorium. The anticipation of the audience, indicated by its impressive size, was met with the poet's raw delivery of poems from two of his books, "Your Time Has Come" and "Shake."
Beckman began with three poems from "Your Time Has Come." The selected poems, brief in number and content, were indicative of the writer's distinct style. Beckman is known for his short poems, often consisting of three to five lines, which, while light in physicality, were infinite in profundity. The writer's often puzzling works require the reader to revisit his words to gain greater understanding.
Beckman primarily focused on 2006's "Shake" for the rest of the evening. The writer explained the reason for his disproportionate presentation of the two works.
"When I finish a book, I end up wanting to read from it, and get involved in it," he said.
The writer's intense involvement in his work was evident in his performance. Pausing only to take a drink of water, Beckman emphatically delivered the beginning section of his most recent work. The poems presented a series of somber, yet humorous impressions, characterized by themes of love, sex, lust and urban life. The fragmentary lines, though seemingly incomplete and independent, were interwoven with Beckman's use of repetition and unconventional alliteration. Beckman demonstrated his innate connection with the unidentified voices of his poems that he was immersed in his words and the emotion they carried.
The reading was followed by a Q-and-A session. When asked how he determines which poems are suitable for publication, Beckman said, "I think . to some extent it's about how good it is or how bad it is ... A majority of the poems I write are terrible . The ones that are good are the ones that stick around for a while and as time passes I see if I still care about them."
Though fully engrossed in his work during the reading, Beckman revealed his humor beyond the page when answering questions. Regarding the influence editing has had on his poetry, Beckman said, "I have yet to figure out what effect it has on my work ... It means I have health insurance."
Luckily for readers, editing has enabled this talented poet to produce works of innovation that embody the voices of many, yet echo the condition of all.
(10/22/08 12:00pm)
Last Friday, students were greeted by a clash of style and rhythm and treated to the musical talents of student bands Attic and Electric Panel at the College Union Board's Student Band night.
Attic took the stage first, opening with John Legend's "Ordinary People," incorporating their characteristic hip-hop sound into the song. Attic, led by singer Mina Greiss, senior biology major, and keyboardist Pierre Miller, senior biology major, is known for its club-friendly adaptations of popular R&B songs.
The band members' fraternity demonstrated its enthused support, accompanied by other campus Greeks. The melodies, complimented by the lingering aroma of Hollister perfume, provided a typical club atmosphere.
Compilations of popular party beats seem to be the band's strong suit - a strength they flaunt frequently. The band's creative mix of River Phoenix's "Stand by Me" with Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girl" was received particularly well by the audience.
Greiss eagerly accepted a request from the crowd to cover Chris Brown's "Wit You." Judging by the frequency of requests, fans of the band seemed to appreciate Greiss' pseudo-similarity to Brown's sound.
After Attic had exhausted its own compilations of other individuals' work, the band performed an original song. While he didn't provide the name of the song, Greiss said, "This song is an original. You'll find it on a lot of Web sites and stuff."
The band closed with a version of Sara Bareillies' "Love Song."
"This is our first night performing this song, but I like it," Greiss said.
Electric Panel faced the difficult task of following Attic. The band performed a series of rock and heavy-metal instrumental songs, displaying impressive ability in guitar and drums.
The band, consisting of Leo Mahaga, senior criminology major, on guitar and Andrew Oliva, College alumnus, on drums, projected a classic rock sound with a Jimi Hendrix undertone.
Though polar opposites in style, both bands were met with profound support from a zealous audience.
(10/08/08 12:00pm)
Students, faculty and other enthused intellectuals gathered for a lecture titled "Playwrights on Wilder," on Oct. 3. Sharing in this exaltation of Thornton Wilder's works were four contemporary playwrights whom the audience observed with fascinated silence as Tina Howe, Donald Margulies, Lee Blessing and Edward Albee approached the stage of the Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall.
Despite the veneration demanded by these theatrical giants, the speakers were highly interactive and cordial to the audience. When questioned about Wilder's influence on a work, each writer had a story to tell.
Albee, three-time Pulitzer Prize winner and writer of the Tony Award-winning "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" recounted his personal relationship with Wilder. Albee's humorous account of himself as a young, aspiring writer sharing his poetry and bottle of bourbon with the famed playwright produced more than a few chuckles from the audience.
Margulies, the Pulitzer Prize-winner for his work "Dinner with Friends," discussed his initial exposure to Wilder, what he called "a very bad school production of 'Our Town.'" With his exposure to better productions, he grew a greater appreciation and insight into the work.
Howe and Blessing surprised the audience when they announced their fascination with Wilder's works had only recently emerged. Howe, writer of the acclaimed "Coastal Disturbances," described her epiphany two days prior to the conference as she read Wilder's "Our Town" for the first time. "I realized that Wilder is my influence, but I'd never read him before," Howe said.
The discussion was concluded by a brief Q-and-A session. When asked how he incorporated Wilder's work into his own, Albee replied, "There aren't many playwrights that can involve you in the motion you're describing . the influence is there to help you find your own way."
Judging by the success of these four individuals, Wilder's plays have done just that.
(10/08/08 12:00pm)
Poetry lovers flocked to the New Library Auditorium Oct. 2 for this year's first edition of the Visiting Writer's Series, sponsored by Ink.
The tranquil yet emphatic voice of poet Tracy K. Smith captivated a full audience of eager listeners. Smith read works from her books, "The Body's Question" and "Duende."
The tone of the evening was established with Smith's reading of "Duende's" titular poem. The book, awarded the James Laughlin Award, embodies the "dark and dangerous energies that the artist is trying to channel from within," according to Smith.
The dark qualities of the poem are playfully contrasted by the incorporation of Spanish flamenco themes.
Smith also read from her first book, "The Body's Question," including the poem "Appetite." Regarding the book's compelling title, Smith said, "It struck me as preposterous that our body is a question, but at the same time it is true . (It's) an invitation that has a little bit of a threat to it."
Smith also read some of her most recent works, which included "The Universe Is a House Party" and "What If You Had Gone Anyway." Between readings, she offered insight on the poems through thought-provoking, humorous anecdotes.
Though she initially appeared timid, Smith quickly enchanted the room with both her profound words and melodic voice.
Her humble demeanor and down-to-earth persona bolstered the fluidity of her words. Smith's relaxed interaction with the audience eased any sense of intimidation inspired by her complexity.
When questioned on her best tactic for countering writer's block, Smith said, "I put my energy into other mediums . the camera helped me draw information from what I can see. It gave me a sense of the power of the image."
Smith concluded the night with a love poem titled "Everything That Ever Was." True to the whole of her work, the poem illustrated her passionate and unconventional style.
Smith described life as a series of questions, rather than an attempt to answer the impossible. This quality distinguishes her work from her contemporaries in its celebration of uncertainty and the elusive.
Through her poetry, Smith invites readers to approach life as she does her writing ---- with the attitude that ".the impossibility of the task makes it an exciting thing to do."
(09/24/08 12:00pm)
College students were faced with the ultimate conundrum last Wednesday night: whether to attend a night of comedy or music.
Those who attended The Molotov Cocktails concert, sponsored by WTSR and held in the Kendall Hall television studio, were delighted when they were treated to both.
The Molotov Cocktails, or the Molotov "Oooktails" as they jokingly referred to themselves throughout the night (the band's slogan, "cock rock," had to be made TV friendly), gave a tremendous performance despite their sustained technical difficulties.
The band opened with "Do You Think You Can Save Me," the title track of their recently released album. After completing what was an incredible introduction, the band experienced unrelenting problems with percussion, which eventually escalated to a completely shattered snare drum, cutting the night short.
Drummer Tyler Yesse's custom snare drum broke early in the performance when a wire suspending the snare mechanism snapped. The drum's well-worn head also broke late into the set.
Although these problems disrupted the organization of their performance, the band adapted and continued with other tracks off their new album, such as "Fifteen Dollars, Pour the Pitcher," "Kiss You Everywhere" and "To Make It Clot or Let It Bleed." The band also introduced two new songs, "It's a Trap" and "Loser in Love" to the enthusiastic audience.
The band, consisting of singer/songwriter Adam Streicher, bassist Steve Mariani and Yesse on drums, is known for delivering the goods, having claimed first place in last semester's WTSR Battle of the Bands and performing in The Bamboozle 2008, the Jersey-based punk and alternative rock festival.
The studio echoed with dynamic, intense rhythm, epitomized by the zealous nature of the musicians known for their poise and passion for girl pants.
Witticisms and constant commentary from the band members countered the unexpected difficulties of the night, leaving the audience in stitches.
Streicher interjected between and during songs to ease tension, informing the audience, "I am a spelling major."
When asked how they would characterize their innovative, fresh sound, Streicher said, "We like to call it tragedy. Tragedy rock. But not in the emo way. Tragedy actually happens onstage."
The band attributes much of their sound to the influence of bands like The Beatles, Incubus, Ted Leo, Foo Fighters, Panic at the Disco, Jet, My Chemical Romance and Weezer, but their style is entirely of their own creation.
"How you sound is different than who you're influenced by. I'm really influenced by The Beatles but I don't sound like The Beatles," Streicher said.
After Yesse broke the head of his problematic snare drum, Streicher concluded the performance with a solo acoustic performance of "To Make It Clot Or Let It Bleed."
While the night was unfortunately cut short, The Molotov Cocktails delivered an entertaining performance true to their name: It was explosive.
(09/17/08 12:00pm)
Music. Food. Free stuff. Alluring as these features of the night were, it was the distinct sound of the Mike Montrey Band that brought students to the Kendall Hall TV studio for the second WTSR Concert Series of the semester Sept. 10.
Montrey, equipped with a bright pink guitar, took the stage with flair. The studio was brought to life through the animated band members, whose eclecticism was accentuated by the presence of a blue lava lamp and Yoda statue.
The band opened the show with "World Full of Dreams," the first song off their recent album, "A Perfect Reality." They followed up with other tracks off the album, including "Take Me Down Mississippi," "Care for Me Tomorrow" and "Mr. Last Night."
These songs were a compilation of different styles and rhythms, combining the smooth, jazzy saxaphone of Adam Garnys, the thunderous drumming of Rob Smith, the rumbling bass of John Mangan, the melodic piano of Karl Dietel and the raspy, yet inspired voice of Mike Montrey.
The audience sat mesmerized by the explosive energy of the music and the enthusiasm and passion of the band members.
While this was the band's first performance at the College, Montrey, the lead singer and namesake of the band, was impressed by what he called the "intimate" atmosphere in the studio.
"I like the pink chairs," he said.
The band continued to joke with the audience throughout the performance. In honor of the start of the fall semester, and to the amusement of the audience, the band covered Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall," slowing it to a crawl.
Montrey, a New Jersey native, is currently touring with his band in cities across the state, and in locations in Pennsylvania and New York. In an interview with Lions Now, the 31-year-old said he'd been playing since he was 17.
When asked what he envisioned for himself in 15 years, Montrey enthusiastically said, "I'll definitely still be playing."
Montrey's music refuses to be stylistically categorized, derived from many traditional forms such as folk, jazz, country and rock, a combination that left the audience - though small - wanting more.