Noted Author, Poet, And Screenwriter Sherman Alexie Visits The UWS Campus
Sherman Alexie, author of books such as The Toughest Indian in the World, The Lone Ranger And Tonto Fist Fight In Heaven, and The Absolutely True Dairy Of Part Time Indian, stopped by the Thorpe Langley Auditorium, on the University of Wisconsin-Superior campus on October 5. This visit was part of his “Without Reservations: An Urban Indian's Comic, Poetic and Highly Irreverent Look at the World” lecture tour and as a kick-off to the University of Wisconsin-Extension's “Building Communities Of Respect” series.
The evening started off with Tradition Drumming performed by the Little Otter Drum Group and led by singer Pete Gahbow, based out of the Mille Lacs Reservation. Or, as Mr. Alexie referred to them: “The offensive line for the Minnesota Vikings.”
Then the audience was treated to clips from Alexie's movie The Business of Fancydancing. The movie follows the lives of two Spokane Reservation friends, Aristotle (Gene Tagaban) and Seymour (Evan Adams), who left the “Rez” to go to college in Seattle. Seymour flourishes in college and becomes a successful author and poet while Aristotle returns to the reservation. The story flashes back and forth between memories of the two friends growing up and the present time in which their mutual friend Mouse (Swil Kanim) has passed away. As Seymour wonders if he should go home after being away for 16 years, Aristotle and others from back home wonder if he belongs at all anymore.
After some introductions, it was time for the main event and Sherman Alexie did not disappoint. He strode to the stage and asked the audience in the voice of his fictional character, Lester Falls Apart, “What did you expect? A warrior?”
It seems Lester is a stumble-drunk who has self-esteem issues and is always looking the next place to find some vodka and a set of railroad tracks to lie on. A few uneasy laughs were returned to Alexie. It seemed most people were expecting a literary reading, not a stand-up comedy act.
“Ok, all right. Here is my warrior look.” Alexie turned his face so the crowd could see his profile and lifted his hands to shade his eyes. His expression became serious. “You're supposed to stare at the sky, like you're looking for an eagle.” This time the audience roared with laughter, applause broke out, and for the next hour Alexie shared tales of his youth growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in Washington state, his experiences attending an all-white high school, and some of his worst traveling pet peeves (he implores the audience to “ never, ever put your seats back on an airplane.”)
But Alexie did get his message across, and in between laughs he hadsomething that he wanted people to understand: no matter what color you are, you really aren't much different than the next person. The humorous way that he told tales of contemporary American Indian life helped reshape the myths and stereotypes about race relations. But, he wasn't just there to talk about race. Religion, politics (“Everyone listens to Rush Limbaugh because he's funny”), homophobia (“If anything, two guys having sex should be funny," which he demonstrated slapping his fingers together), war, and morality are all fair game. As the evening came to an end, Sherman Alexie took a few questions from the audience and, of course, had to answer them in a comedic fashion. As people filed out, you got a feeling that the audience was in agreement with Alexie that the world is full of pitfalls and possibilities. It's all a mater of perspective.
November 9, 2007 12:19 PM
Music Doctors Overwhelm Webb Hall
The 2007-2008 University Recital Series was back in action Tuesday, November 6th in the Webb Recital Hall. This time the Series featured violinist Dr. Erin Aldridge and accompanying pianist Dr. Beth Gilbert, who supplied a variety of great classical music for all in attendance. Dr. Aldridge and Dr. Gilbert showcased their talents with classical violin pieces, ranging from the great composer Johann Sebastian Bach to more recent composers such as Fritz Kreisler. Everybody, from the people in the first row to the music students who, due to the show being sold out, sat outside in the lobby seemed to have extremely enjoyed the show.
Dr. Erin Aldridge came to UWS in 2003 as a member of the Music faculty where she serves as Director of Orchestra and Assistant Professor of Violin. Dr. Aldridge is also a member of the faculty piano trio, Trillium, and in 2005 was named concertmaster of the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra. Dr. Aldridge has been a featured solo and chamber artist throughout Europe and South America, as well as being a guest artist at the AIMS (American Institute of Musical Studies) Festival in Solsona, Spain. The American Institute of Musical Studies is a renowned musical institute based in Graz, Austria. Dr. Aldridge is a sought after performer in the United States and South America and has also been published in Strings Magazine. Dr. Aldridge received her Bachelor’s degree at Indiana University before coming to Wisconsin to get her Master’s degree and performer’s certificate from the University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee and finally receiving her Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Wisconsin in Madison in May 2003.
The theme of Dr. Aldridge’s show was "variation", and surely each piece had plenty of variation. Each piece of music showcased Tuesday evening had slow and highly melodic parts, fast finger- burning parts, and everything in between. The crowd's favorite appeared to be the ensemble of Fritz Kreisler pieces which featured more modern and familiar violin melodies for the less experienced classical music members of the crowd. After the opening piece, “Chaconne in G Minor” composed by Tommaso Vitali, Dr. Aldridge expressed disbelief the turnout for the performance. Many members of the Music faculty were in attendance, along with many students, classical music lovers and even UWS Chancellor Julius Erlenbach. There was such a high demand for tickets that many students sat outside Webb Hall in the Holden Fine Arts Building lobby because of the high demand for tickets.
All music lovers should make a point to go and see Dr. Erin Aldridge next time. Some events are not promoted around campus, but a sharp eye can catch even the least publicized event. Dr. Aldridge is well worth the six dollars for students or ten dollars for adults to go and see. For this writer, it was worth every penny.
October 31, 2007 12:07PM
SevenDust
Nolan Peterson
Entertainment Editor
The event started out much like the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a bunch of guys sitting on a stage with microphones, answering questions and telling stories. But, instead of Larry the Cable Guy, we got to see Morgan Rose, Drummer, Lajon Witherspoon, Vocals, Vincent Hornsby, Bass, Sonny Mayo (the newest edition, having only played with Sevendust since 2005) playing guitar, and John Connelly, on guitar and vocals. Having the headlining band answer questions from fans was almost as surreal as having a big name band playing in Mertz Mortorelli gym.
After the question and answer session concluded, the opening band took the stage. Neverset was the first act in the “Get Out of Jail Free Tour.” Neverset is a four man band that plays like six. Their high octane performance was enough to entice the crowd into forming an early mosh-pit.
Black Light Burns was the next band to take the stage. The front man came out and informed the crowd that the band was from
10 Years was the third band in the tour, they are well known for their song “Wasteland”, which occasionally gets played on local radio stations in the Twin Ports. 10 Years has a sound which requires less guttural screaming, and so it felt like the perfect time to sit at the back of Mortorelli gym and let the music sink in.
The setup between 10 Years and headliner Sevendust seemed to be the longest; perhaps it was delayed in order to work the crowd to a fever pitch. Once Morgan Rose’s drums were uncovered, a roar ripped through the crowd.
As the headlining band, Sevendust did not disappoint. Not only was their performance outstanding, but their professionalism was of the highest caliber. Sevendust proved that you can rock out and still respect the venue and the rules.
Sevendust blazed the stage with a healthy mix of both old and new material. Witherspoon and the band did make one dedication. Before playing their hit “Enemy,” they sent it out to the troops in
Sevendust had played in
October 30, 2007 12:55PM
Horror Movies for Halloween
Kathryn Schaefer
Staff Writer
Horror movies truly are a very interesting subject. Why do people enjoy them so much? Do we really love to be scared? The good news is that the one time of year where we celebrate being scared and the things that frighten us is here: Halloween. In the spirit of the holiday, here is a list of DVDs to rent - if you’re brave enough.
Halloween (1978): What better way to kick off a Halloween movie marathon than with a film named for the holiday? John Carpenter’s masterpiece, besides managing to turn a guy in a latex mask into a cultural icon, also launched the slasher flick craze of the 1980s, not to mention Jamie Lee Curtis’s career. Murderer Michael Myers (the aforementioned guy in the mask, played by Tony Moran) escapes a mental institution and spends his Halloween tormenting babysitter Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis).
Kansen/Infection (2004): Hospitals are inherently creepy places, and this is especially true of the hospital in Masayuki Ochiai’s Infection. In this film, the doctors and nurses of a failing hospital aren’t having a very good night. It starts with Dr. Akiba (Kôichi Satô) making a mistake, killing a patient. While he and the rest of the staff scramble to cover it up, an ambulance arrives, dropping off a patient with a highly contagious illness. The infection spreads to the staff, picking them off one by one.
Session 9 (2001): So, what’s scarier than a hospital at night? How about an abandoned mental hospital at night? Or during the day, for that matter? This is, of course, the setting for Brad Anderson’s psychological horror. While there is some gore, it focuses more on messing with the viewers’ heads than with more visceral scares. In this one, an asbestos cleaning crew is hired to clean out the abandoned Danvers State Mental Hospital. One of them finds tape recordings of a doctor’s sessions with a patient, which provides a backdrop as each of the men slowly begins to crack under the strain of a nearly impossible deadline and the disappearance of one of their coworkers.
Night of the Living Dead (1968): This is the quintessential zombie flick, and the perfect addition to any DVD collection. It spawned five different sequels (the most popular probably being Dawn of the Dead), and turned its director George A. Romero into a household name. In Night of the Living Dead, the dead have mysteriously begun rising from their graves, looking to feed on the living. The story follows a group of people trapped in an abandoned house, desperately trying to survive.
Slither (2006): James Gunn’s horror-comedy takes influences from old drive-in horror/sci-fi movies, and it shows. In Slither, the small Southern town of Wheelsy has a little bit of a bug problem: namely, an invasion of parasitic alien worms that take control of the populace. With most of the town infected, it’s up to a small group led by Sheriff Bill Pardy (Nathan Fillion) to save the world. If you’re looking for an experience that’s equal parts laughs and scares, Slither is definitely the movie for you.
1408 (2007): This movie managed to make The Carpenters’ “We’ve Only Just Begun” seem menacing. In 1408, we follow the story of Michael Enslin (John Cusack), a non-fiction writer whose main claim to fame is books about haunted hotels, despite his own skepticism on the subject. This all changes when a mysterious postcard arrives, inviting him to stay at the Dolphin Hotel’s room 1408, the site of many mysterious deaths and suicides. At first, the room seems normal enough, but soon enough, the true horror begins.
So, here you are. Head down to your local video store, pop some popcorn, and prepare to be scared.
Where to go For Halloween Fun
The Duluth-Superior area can be pretty boring once in a while, with not much advertisement of local attractions. This Halloween, there are two places everybody should visit: the SS. William A. Irvin haunted tours and the Haunted Shack in Morgan Park. While both are minimally advertised, they are a must-see this Halloween season.
The SS. William A. Irvin is a 611 foot flagship of the U.S. Steel Fleet, built in the late 1930’s as an ore and coal vessel. The SS. William A. Irvin sailed safely for 40 years around the Great Lakes until her retirement at the end of 1978 season for economic reasons. Now, the Irvin is a fixture around the Duluth waterfront, where it’s birthed at an old World War II shipbuilding slip and attracts thousands of tourists each year. The Irvin’s busiest time of year, however, seems to be Halloween, when the annual Haunted Tours are held aboard the ship.
Just as in other years, the haunted ship is having great success. The SS. William A. Irvin is one of the must-see Halloween attractions in the Duluth-Superior area and is fairly well priced. Adults can enjoy the haunted William A. Irvin for only seven dollars, while children under twelve can get in for just five dollars. The last of the season’s Haunted Tour dates are October 28th, 30th and 31st, running from 6pm to 10pm. So, if you wish to climb aboard, time is running out. If you miss the terrifying Haunted Tours this year, remember not to forget about next year’s Haunted Tours. Haunted Tour information is available at the DECC’s website www.decc.org.
Also, while you’re there you might want to wander over to the Omnimax Theatre in the DECC complex to enjoy a showing of “Haunted Castle”, a 38 minute horror film released in 2001, directed by Ben Stassen. Price of admission is only five dollars, and if you are already right across the street at the William A. Irvin, why not stop in and catch the show? For more information and show times, contact the DECC at 218-727-0022 extension 236.
One other place you might want to visit this Halloween season is the Haunted Shack in Duluth’s Morgan Park. The Haunted Shack premiered a few years back as a fundraiser for local Special Olympics. Now. along with the donations to Local Special Olympics, the Haunted Shack also holds a canned food drive for the local Food Shelf. Over the years, the Haunted Shack has evolved into a large production with a large sound system, computer animations, live actors and an army of volunteers. For a complete history of the Haunted Shack, visit their website www.hauntedshack.com.
The Haunted Shack is located at the Morgan Park Community Center at 1242 88th avenue in Duluth. The website also features Mapquest and Google Maps links for directions to the venue. Sadly, the last day of the Haunted Shack for the season was Saturday, October 27th. Again, if you were not able to make it out to Morgan Park for the Haunted Shack this year, keep it in mind when next Halloween season rolls around, and be sure to add it to your list of things to do for Halloween. Prices this year were six dollars for people ages seven and older, while children under seven get in free of charge. For all you faint-hearted people and children, the Haunted Shack also offers a night for you that is less terrorizing, with a reduced cost.
Be sure to get out there as soon as possible and catch the wonderful Halloween attractions offered by the good people of the Duluth-Superior area. Next year be sure to be on the lookout for these attractions and others that may pop up as time rolls on. Also, remember that some of these places are to help a good cause. Keep safe this Halloween, and please be creative with your costume selection this Halloween, for all our sake.
10. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
After less than six weeks of development, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was ready to hit shelves for the 1982 Christmas season. Unfortunately, the small amount of time showed in the final product. Plagued with difficulty and monotonous game-play, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was destined to disappoint children everywhere.
9. American McGee’s Alice
In this macabre version of Alice in Wonderland, the plucky young heroine found in the books and Disney movie finds herself in a more twisted state. After escaping a mental asylum, Alice finds herself again in Wonderland, now under the despotic rule of the Queen of Hearts. On the journey to free Wonderland, Alice must do battle against the Jabberwock and the Mad Hatter, now a mad scientist who had used the March Hare and the Dormouse as scientific experiments.
8. Nightmare Creatures
Taking place in 1834 London, where monster sightings are a daily occurrence, Ignatius Blackward and Nadia Franciscus search the city for the evil Adam Crowley. Using a mysterious mixture of ingredients, Crowley and his group, the Brotherhood of Hecate, are turning the people of London into disfigured creatures who roam the city streets in the name of world domination.
7. The Thing
In this game, based as a sequel of sorts to the 1982 film, the player takes control of Captain Blake, a commanding officer in charge of one of the rescue teams sent to the research station several hours after the film ends. While fun to play, the fear/trust/infection system was too much for one game, and ergo has been lost to the dustbins of history.
6. Alone in the Dark
In this series based off of the works of H.P. Lovecraft, an influenced in later games by H.R. Geiger, the player takes control of Detective Edward Carnby through the timeframe of four current games, and one to be released on the Playstation3. Throughout each game of the series, Carnby finds himself once again in a mansion or town that is overrun with the undead and other supernatural entities.
5. Doom
A staple of the horror genre (when it comes to video games, at least), Doom brought the player to Mars, which creatures from Hell begin to invade. Luckily, as Doomguy, the player has access to several weapons, including the ever-loved BFG. Spanning through three games, Hell keeps bringing more baddies to use as target practice.
4. Parasite Eve
Released for the Playstation in 1998, Parasite Eve was the sequel to a Japanese novel of the same name. Set in Manhattan, a young Aya Brea finds herself battling mutated beings in the city, including a nasty mutation named Eve. Aya discovers that Eve is planning to give birth to the Ultimate Being. Through a six day time span, Aya must learn how to defeat Eve, and attempt to do so before the military destroys New York as well.
3. F.E.A.R.
F.E.A.R. is a relatively new game, it came out in 2005. The premise of the game is based more upon the Japanese horror genre, as opposed to the regular monsters and shock factors for most games nowadays. When the game begins, the player doesn’t really know what is all going on, as the beginning only gives minor clues to the plot, which turns the game into an adventure rarely seen in today’s society. As it turns out, the player is a new recruit to F.E.A.R., a United States special operations group specializing in paranormal activity. Through the course of the game, the player finds that the target, Paxton Fettel, may be being controlled by a ghost named Alma. While it is basically a first person shooter game reminiscent of Doom, the story is all of its own.
2. Resident Evil
What’s a horror-games list without zombies? Resident Evil was the first game to be called a ‘survival-horror’ genre game. Taking place in the fictional Raccoon City, Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) members find themselves in an abandoned mansion, unable to go outside due to ferocious, man-eating dogs. Yet, they are unable to remain inside due to a zombie infestation within the mansion. After finding several documents, the player finds that all of the problems they are now facing are due to the nefarious Umbrella Corporation, which has been conducting illegal research in the confines of the mansion. The player will have to navigate through the mansion and the true goals of the S.T.A.R.S. teammates until all can escape.
1. Silent Hill
Come visit lovely Silent Hill, never mind the perennial fog, or the monsters running around in the blood-soaked streets. Silent Hill is a lovely community full of happiness and death! Silent Hill ranks the highest on this list, due to the morbid nature of the town itself and all the grotesque monsters within, based mostly upon hidden fears. The town has several layers, a derelict town covered in fog, or “Otherworld,” which is soaked in blood and is home to a numerous amount of monsters. Of these monsters, several are long-standing in the game’s history and minds of the fans, such as the nurses, creepers, and ,of course, everybody’s favorite psycho - Pyramid Head.
THE TELEVISION BUZZ: TRICK OR TREAT EDITION
Corbin Eastman
Staff writer
ceastman@uwsuper.edu
Boo! Did I scare you? No? That’s okay, because I'm not really into scaring people, but I do love Halloween. When else do adults get to dress up and people buy 25 pound bags of candy? Oh yeah, pretty much every holiday these days, right? But Halloween was so much more enjoyable when you were a kid. You would dress up, go out, and collect pillow case, shopping bags, or those plastic pumpkins full of your favorite treats. Then, it was belly aches and cavities for the next two weeks. I was always amazed at what people considered candy. I always got my favorites of course (Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, Snickers, and M&M's), but people would sneak in apples, popcorn balls, Jell-O wrapped in plastic wrap (true story), and those black and orange colored peanut butter candies. Does anyone really know what those things were? Anyone? It made you wonder who was tricking who with those sub-quality treats.
Not unlike our Network candy givers, who try to give us sub-standard television programs when all we want is the good stuff. I guess they think that if they slip it to us while we are focused on all our favorite shows, we wont notice that, amongst our giant bag of treats, we have somehow found a Bit O' Honey or some licorice that tastes like the inside of an inner-tube (I'm talking to you, Good and Plenty).
I decided to dump out my bag of TV treats and see which ones I'm going to keep and which ones I'm going to make my little brother trade with me for his good stuff.
The Big Bang Theory – Mondays @ 730pm – CBS
The Big Band Theory follows two lab geeks named Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) and their new extremely attractive neighbor, Penny (Kaley Cuoco). She's a waitress at the Cheesecake Factory, and they both work as physicists. Hilarity and awkward moments ensue. Since I am one-eighth geek and it is part of my heritage, I can relate to a couple guys who have a hard time talking to the opposite sex, play Halo 3 online, and argue the merits of who would win in a fight between Superman and Spiderman. For the record, who could possibly beat Superman? Like any new show, though, things need to develop a little more before I can decide if its a hit or a miss. From what I've seen so far its funny, different, and thats good enough for me..
Caveman – Tuesday @ 7pm – ABC
What happens when you take a funny television commercial and turn it into a half-hour sitcom? You get a painfully bad TV show that makes you wish the commercials would come on. Joel (Bill English) and Nick (Nick Kroll) are cavemen trying to live in a modern society that doesn't think cavemen exist anymore. The problem I have seen so far is that what made the commercials funny (high brow humor) is missing in the TV show. It feels like an episode of Friends with cavemen.
Bionic Woman – Wednesdays @ 8pm – NBC
I was so excited once I heard that they were remaking the Bionic Woman. I remember the older bionic series like the Six Million Dollar Man, and I thought that this would measure up nicely with that action/adventure show. From what I've seen so far, though, I'm wrong. First of all, Jaime Sommers (Michelle Ryan) doesn't use her super powers enough. Most of the fight scenes involved martial arts and fisticuffs. The second problem might be just me, but our super heroine not only saves the world each episode, but she also takes care of her ungrateful younger sister (played annoyingly well by Lucy Hale) and works as a bartender. It all seems to take away from the action. If I wanted to be bogged down with pointless plot, I'd watch Grey's Anatomy. Give me some action, bionic super powers, and evil bad guys (and girls)
Official TV BUZZ ruling: trick
Life – Wednesday @ 8pm – NBC
All you need to hear is the plot line for Life and you will be thinking the same thing I was: they must really be running out of ideas for cop shows. Charlie Crews (Damien Lewis) is a former police officer who gets framed for a crime he didn't commit. After serving years in prison, he is set free, given a bunch of money, and given his old job back. I know I'd sure go back to my old job if I had 100 million dollars. Now he uses that money to find out who framed him. It's kind of like Batman without the cool cape and car. Or like a NYPD Blue without Sipowitz's butt. Wait! Thats a good thing!
Kid Nation - Wednesday @ 7pm – CBS
Have you ever wondered what if would be like if forty kids were given the chance to run their own society? Me neither, but apparently CBS had different ideas. So they brought together all these young ones, Real World style, to an abandoned New Mexico town and let them at it with no adult supervision. The strange part is that you can't tell the difference between their childish way and the childish ways of their adult counterparts on other reality shows.
October 19, 4:30 PM
Chrono Trigger; Standing the Test of Time
James Armstrong, Staff Writer
In the year 1999, the world ends. A cosmic parasite known simply as Lavos has come to destroy civilization in its wretched search for an end to its eternal hunger. That is until three young youths from present day (1000 A.D.) find a time portal and begin a quest to change the future.
Chrono Trigger for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) was no doubt an instant classic for the company, and another triumph for the Squaresoft company. Even for non-role playing gamers, Chrono Trigger was still a fun game to play. For any number of reasons, gamers kept coming back for more.
With six given characters and one secret character, each with their own elemental attribute (Lightning, Fire, Water, or Shadow) and which could be switched in the party after joining, players could choose the ultimate team of their choice. With this function, the player would find that with certain character teams, more powerful magic could be used. This came in the form of duel techs, using the abilities of two characters, or trile techs, using an ability from every character.
The music for this game is excellent, one of Squaresoft's best, if one can pick from the amount of great songs the company has made through their many games. From the regal tone of Guardia Castle to the mysterious theme of Schala, the soundtrack fits most aspects of the game to a tee. Very rarely does the music delve from this.
Chrono Trigger is a sixteen-bit game, so I won't be harsh for the graphics. Well…I couldn't be harsh on the graphics anyway. The graphics are nothing more than what they should be for the type of game that Chrono Trigger is. Everything moves smoothly, and the sprites are all unique. The game doesn't even use repainted enemy sprites for the most part, which is kind of rare considering the generation it came out in. Graphics in this game are brilliant, from the swishing of Magus' cape in the wind, to the race against Johnny in the future.
Another thing to consider is the amount of side-quests that can be completed. There are seven total, but each one is a challenge, to their credit, and each one has its own boss for you to face. The side quests vary from finding a shell to defeating an evil tyrant, and each can be found in a different era of time throughout the game, some better than others, but all very unique to their own at the very least.
The amount of replay-ability the game has is excellent as well. In the first place, there are thirteen endings that can be unlocked, which is enough to replay the game at any rate, but the real star of the replay is the New Game Plus system. In New Game Plus you can start the game from the beginning, but keeping your stats and equipment from the file that you had beaten the game previously in.
In short, Chrono Trigger is definitely a game to be played, even if you only like RPGs a little bit, give this game a chance. And since the game has been re-released for the Playstation 1, there should be little excuse to do it.
Chrono Trigger: 10/10
October 19, 4:28 PM
The Phantom Game Play Value
James Armstrong, Staff Writer
Before I even start, I'm going to be straight with you readers. I'm not a Zelda fan. The only Zelda I've really enjoyed to this point of my gaming career is A Link to the Past for the Super Nintendo. It simply is not one of my favorite franchises. Nor am I appreciative of the new cel-shading style that the makers have decided to turn the series towards, I feel it looks cartoony, and to be honest, cheap in the face of all the possibilities that can be done to games nowadays.
My personal feelings however, do not dictate my overall feel of a game before I start playing, and while I wasn't a huge fan of The Phantom Hourglass, I can't deny that the pros outweigh the cons for this part of the series. The game is typically Zelda, with all of the basic staples, lots of areas to explore, a variety of puzzles and a generous amount of combat.
The first thing to notice about this game is that just about everything is done via the touch screen, which I'm sure sounds good on paper, but doesn't quite fit in real life gaming. In a game like Legend of Zelda, it's typically good to have a view of the screen, which is a problem when you have to use up half of the screen at any given time, leaving you with a nice view of your hand, and half of a screen. I'm not a fan of dragging your stylus around either, which was something you could do in Animal Crossing: Wild World, but you also had the ability to use the conventional directional pad.
My problem with this game is that there is nothing entirely new or inventive about it without using the touch screen argument. If you're not a hard core Zelda fan, it just seems like any other Zelda game, finding treasures, going through a seeming unending amount of dungeons, and eventually fighting two different versions of the final boss. Not to mention using the special item that you just received to defeat the next boss is just too easy to figure out after doing through over 7 games. There's just too much of the same going on in this game. Have I mentioned that I don't like the cel-shading? I did…guess it's time to move on.
In the end, I suppose I would recommend this game if you just plan to sit and play games for a few hours when you need a break from homework, but don't expect a landmark game that totally redefines the direction of the series. I wasn't a fan of it, but I am but a minority of people who think like that. Overall, it was a good way to spend some time, but it's nothing you wouldn't really be able to do on any of the many other Zelda games that are available to play on any given Nintendo system. I'm sure the hardcore fans of the series will be able to appreciate this game much more than I did.
The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass: 7/10
October 17, 4:27 PM
Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin and Seether Rock the DECC
Scott Luostari
Here in the Duluth-Superior area Sundays are usually reserved for football and getting work done around the house. Sunday October 7th however, was different as thousands of people flocked to the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center Arena to see Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin headline what would turn out to be a great show.
If you could measure the quality of a show by the bruises suffered in the mosh pit then you could say the show was a hit. Everybody from the general admission, hard core fans, to the less physical balcony fans seemed to be impressed by the latest chapter in Duluth’s concert schedule. From the opening band Skillet to the final song by Three Days Grace, the DECC arena was rocking.
The opening band Skillet, hailing from Memphis Tenn. started the show off with a bang with “Whispers in the Dark” a track off their 2006 album “Comatose”. Although having a short set as an opening band Skillet still set off mosh pits with their high energy and emotional performance.
After a short intermission, Seether took the stage to continue the show. They opened with “Gasoline,” the first song off their first album to the delight of the audience. They continued their set with other hits such as: “Fine Again,” “Driven Under,” and two songs off their new album “Fake It,” and “Like Suicide.” Having lost guitarist Pat Callahan last year Seether is back to the three piece band they started out as, but it didn’t reflect on their performance as they put on the angry and emotional show Seether is known for.
Not wanting to disappoint Breaking Benjamin took the stage and left most wanting more. More was out of the question as front man Ben Burnley had a bad cold and was forced to cough throughout the show. Cold or no cold Burnley and the rest of Breaking Benjamin rocked the crowd with cd quality sound and great vocals even with Burnley’s cold. Breaking Benjamin opened with their first single “The Diary of Jane” off their latest album “Phobia”. They continued to play songs off all their albums and even included their first hit “Polyamorous”
In the middle of Breaking Benjamin’s set Seether front man Shaun Morgan and Three Days Grace guitarist Barry Stock came onstage and did a rendition of “Change” by the Deftones while Burnley wandered around the general admission area, handing out bottles of water to the delight of the fans. Burnley and company then played the beginning of the Three Days Grace “Animal I Have Become” before screaming “psych” and finishing their set with their hit “So Cold”.
Last but surely not least on stage was Three days Grace who started off their performance with “Animal I Have Become” much to the happiness of the crowd who was teased by Breaking Benjamin earlier. Three Days Grace continued to rock the Arena with songs off both of their albums. Things on the floor got interesting during the hits, “I Hate Everything About You,” “Just Like You,” and “Home,” off their self titled first album. The crowd was surly there to get their pent up anger out as the Arena erupted during those three particular songs.
Seether is on the verge of releasing their 4th album “Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces” on October 23rd Seether, made their second stop in the Twin Ports Sunday; they played “Stockfestapalooza” at St. Scholastica Gym in 2004 after the release of their second album “Disclaimer 2”.
Out of the many concerts that have come to this area geared toward young people, this concert was one of the best shows for the low cost of tickets in recent memory. The young people of the Duluth-Superior area can only hope that a concert of this caliber, with so many great bands in one show, will come back here and rock the socks off anyone privileged to be in attendance.
October 17, 4:23 PM
Maroon 5 at Excel Energy Center
Caitlin Boyle, Staff Writer
Since 2002’s release of their debut album Songs About Jane, Maroon 5 has emerged from a band no one knew about to having a fan base that stretches across the world. On Monday, October 1, the band paid a visit to the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota and brought along some special guests for a night that was strictly about the music.
Sara Bareilles opened the show for a half hour set. Relatively unknown, Sara sparkled as the only female on the concert roster. She stuck by her keyboard and her rich mid-soprano voice drew attention to the audience and she was able to strike up a fan base. The audience was able to fall into her music with her smooth delivery.
The Hives followed Bareilles with a very different sound to the opening of the concert. With only a couple hits under their belts, the audience had trouble recognizing a lot of their songs. The lead singer tried his best with entertaining the audience while most of their songs went unnoticed and sounded the same. The hard rock of The Hives added some diversity to the show but during most of the band’s set, the audience was ready to have Maroon 5 get out on the stage for the main event.
A half hour after The Hives left the stage, the auditorium was set to have Maroon 5 come out on stage. Lead singer Adam Levine, guitarist James Valentine, bassist Mickey Madden, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, and new drummer Matt Flynn opened their show with the first 2 songs off of their current album, It Won’t be Soon Before Long including their most recent single “Makes Me Wonder”. The audience was an eclectic one, made up of avid fans and some families as well, which was evident when the band’s current single “Wake Up Call” was played. Most of the audience was on their feet dancing and singing along to the song and the kids seemed to identify with it more as well. While Maroon 5’s music does not try to attract young listeners with most of their music pertaining to the more adult audience, the show stayed pretty clean and entertaining throughout the band’s hour and 20 minute set.
It was clear that Maroon 5 wanted to keep their show focused on their music and the fans that have followed their every step. There were not a lot of pauses to focus on any cover songs or a lot of talking in between songs. Levine paused once to say how much the group loved Minnesota, mostly because it was the home of Prince, an obvious icon for the group. Music was the theme of the evening and the band never slowed down, combining the new songs with the older ones. It was an eclectic mix that seemed to agree with everyone.
The one thing that makes Maroon 5 a great band is the chemistry each member has with each other when performing. Levine paused briefly toward the end of the set to introduce the other band members who he had great love and respect for. During the encore, Levine playfully poked fun at guitarist James Valentine and started singing their hit “She Will Be Loved” to him. It was a great way to show just how much respect the band has for one another and it is something very rare to find in bands today.
The music of Maroon 5 is not your typical pop or rock music. They combine every genre into each song they record and are able to incorporate everything into their live shows. They want the audience to enjoy every minute of their show and do not ignore the fan favorites or leaving them wanting more. Levine proved he is a true performer and his vocals shined throughout the entire performance and the band backed him up without ever seeming to tire. Maroon 5 is a music group that should not be ignored and their early autumn performance in St. Paul has hopefully helped them move ahead to their next project and gain a lot more fans along the way.
October 17, 4:21 PM
Jazz Recital Lights up Sky Lounge
Nolan Peterson, Entertainment Editor
A gin and tonic, flowery cocktail waitresses, and the sticky sweet haze of cigar smoke floating in swirling veins of air are all that is needed to transport one back to the golden age of jazz in America. Well, that and listening to masterpieces from the mind of Dave Brubeck with new arrangements written by University of Wisconsin-Superior associate professor Dr. Greg Kehl Moore.
As the recital goers settled into the plush seats of the skylounge, the lights dimmed and glowed warmly, setting a low, somber mood to match the music. The humidity of the fall air, coupled with the body heat of about 75 people, made for a moist, tactile experience. Everyone had a sheen of sweat gliding down their necks, but none so prevalent as the performing musicians. They didn’t just play the music; they translated it. They took it from the foreign language of notes and rests, pulled it into their bodies and released it with smooth, jerky body movements and frenetic blowing into their various instruments. They didn’t simply play the music, they lived it. The musicians made the music part of their souls, which they then shared with us.
Long solos were punctuated by appreciative applause. Much more than perfunctory clapping, it was a conversation between the audience and the musicians. The trumpet screamed out its soulful song and the audience clamored for more, frequently applauding as though to say, “More please.”
One of the many patrons who attended was Tom Wentz of Saginaw, MN, one who enjoys all types of music, especially live performances. “I thought they did very well,” Wentz said. Wentz, a season ticket holder for the Duluth/ Superior Symphony Orchestra, was once the Post Master for Superior and always tries to attend University events.
In this concert – the first of the University Recital Series – the jazz ensemble was led by Dr. Moore. In this performance, he played the alto, soprano, and baritone saxophones.
Joining Dr. Moore was Scott Belck, who packed the strongest punch with his trumpet work. While most jazz instruments attempt to sooth and coax all people, the trumpet felt like a beautifully unsettling plea. The shrill notes were hit in just the right manner to make that feeling in the pit of one’s stomach feel like their soul wants to jump out of their body and fuse with the music. In the past, Belck has played with the Cincinnati Pops and Aretha Franklin.
Randy Lee, who played tenor saxophone and clarinet, is also the artistic director for the Big Time Jazz Orchestra. Lee received a Bachelor Of Music in Music Education with a minor in Jazz Studies from UMD, and a Master Of Science in Education/Instruction from UWS. Lee is currently an adjunct staff member for UMD.
Ryan Frane, the pianist for this sextet, is the Director Of Jazz Studies at UMD, where he teaches Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Combo. In addition to his work at the university, Frane is the coordinator for the Head Of the Lakes Jazz Festival, an event held at UMD and has been happening for thirty-four years.
Brett Jones, drums, is the assistant professor of percussion at UWS. Jones earned his degree in Musical Education from the University Of Colorado, and his master’s degree from Texas Tech University.
John Thorene, who played bass, is a former member of the Big Time Jazz Orchestra.
In 1959, the Brubeck Quartet released the album, Time Out. On this album was the song, “Take Five,” which has gone down in the annals of jazz history as one of the greatest jazz compositions ever written. Dr. Moore put a personal twist on this classic, along with others such as “The Duke,” “In Your Own Sweet Way,” “Bossa Nova USA,” “Recuerdo,” and “Blue Rondo a la Turk.”
October 16, 2007
The Seeker: The Dark is Rising
Kathryn Schaefer, Staff Writer
KSCHAEF@uwsuper.edu
Rating: PG
Starring: Alexander Ludwig, Christopher Eccleston, Frances Conroy
Stars: 2
Imagine for a moment that you’re the only living soul that can save the world and that you’ve been given myriad superpowers to complete this task. Now imagine that you’re a 14-year-old boy. This is the basic premise of The Seeker.
Based on a series of five novels by Susan Cooper, the movie focuses on Will Stanton (Alexander Ludwig), an American teenager currently living with his family in England. He is soon discovered by an organization of immortal warriors (called the Old Ones) led by the affluent Miss Greythorne (Frances Conroy) and her butler Merriman (Ian MacShane), who fight for the Light against the machinations of the Dark. They tell him that he is the last of their number to be born, and that he is the Seeker: the one who has to locate six Signs within five days to prevent the ascension of the Dark. At the same time, he also discovers powers he never knew he had: telekinesis and heightened strength, as well as the ability to step into different time periods. He also encounters a servant of the Dark, known only as The Rider (Christopher Eccleston), who wants to destroy both the Signs and the Seeker.
The Seeker does suffer from its share of problems. First of all, a lot of the dialog comes off sounding melodramatic or cheesy. One example of this is The Rider using the extremely clichéd line “You have failed me for the last time” before offing one of his henchman. There are also overused instances of Will supposedly being reminded that he is the Seeker, but it comes off like the audience is being reminded of this fact – over and over again. There are also moments of silliness that have nothing to do with the dialog, such as the fact that The Rider seems to have the ability to trap people in what appear to be snow globes.
The story also seems to be rather predictable. This, however, is to be expected, since it follows an arch that is quite common to young adult fantasy fiction. In these stories, the hero (usually a young boy) discovers mystical powers and that he is the only one who can save the world. And, of course, the good guy always wins. The Seeker follows this course to a tee.
I will say this, however: the film is visually stunning. There are many moments that will make you say, “Whoa, that was cool.” For example, there is a scene near the beginning when Will is caught by a pair of mall security guards who are actually servants of The Rider in disguise. Will, sensing that something is horribly, horribly wrong, starts running from one of the guards, who explodes into about 20 crows. The computer animation is so seamlessly done that it looks like it really happened.
The best part of the movie for me, though, was Christopher Eccleston’s portrayal of The Rider. In one scene he manages to go from a smiling, lovable dork (in his disguise as the village doctor) to scary and menacing, back to the dork persona in the space of about five minutes.
That said, although The Seeker does suffer from quite a few flaws in its storytelling, it definitely isn’t the worst I’ve seen. It’s worth a look if you’re a fan of fantasy. I’d catch a matinee or wait until it’s out on DVD before spending $7.50 on it.
October Concert Calendar
Beaner's Central
(All Ages Coffeehouse, All Shows Start @ 8PM Unless Noted)
Entertainment:
17th - Open Mic @7pm - 11pm
19th - Six Mile Grove ($8)
- Featuring Dana Cooper / TBA
20th - Lookdown Moon & Leslie Rich ($5)
24th - Open Mic @7pm - 11pm
26th - Slow Loris / TBA ($5)
27th - Love In October & Cry On Cue ($5)
31st - Halloween Open Mic @7pm - 11pm
- Dress Up
The Tap Room
Drink & Entertainment:
(21+, $2 - $10 cover depending on performer)
15th - $5.50 Pitchers, & $2.25 Cpt. Morgans
16th - Comedy Night @8:45pm
- Featuring Auggie Smith & Will C.
- $2 High Life & Old Style bottles, and $3 Vodka Red Bulls
18th - College Night
- Live DJ
- FREE BEER @9pm - 10pm
- $1 Miller Lites @10pm - 1am
- $3.50 Jag Bombs @10pm - 2am
19th - Down Lo w/ Heavy J & the Fantastics @10:15pm
- $2.25 High Life and Old Style bottles
20th - G.B. Leighton @10:15pm
- $2.25 High Life and Old Style bottles
21st - Free Darts, $5.50 Pitchers, & $2.25 Cpt. Morgans
22nd - $5.50 Pitchers, & $2.25 Cpt. Morgans
23rd - Comedy Night @8:45pm
- Featuring Grandma Lee & Will C.
- $2 High Life & Old Style bottles, and $3 Vodka Red Bulls
25th - College Night
- Live DJ
- FREE BEER @9pm - 10pm
- $1 Miller Lites @10pm - 1am
- $3.50 Jag Bombs @10pm - 2am
26th - City Collective w/ the Melodramtics @10:15pm
- $2.25 High Life and Old Style bottle
27th - White Iron Band @10:15pm
- $2.25 High Life and Old Style bottle
28th - Free Darts, $5.50 Pitchers, & $2.25 Cpt. Morgans
29th - $5.50 Pitchers, & $2.25 Cpt. Morgans
30th - Comedy Night @8:45pm
- Featuring John King & Tim Sullivan
- $2 High Life & Old Style bottles, and $3 Vodka Red Bulls
Sir Benedict's
Entertainment:
(21+, All Show Times Begin @8pm)
Mondays - Teague Alexy
Tuesdays - Open Mic Night
Wednesdays - Blue Grass Jam
Thursdays - Celtic Jam
Norm's Beer & Brats
Drink Specials:
Mondays - Classic Brat & 20oz Beer for $3.75
Tuesdays - $.25 Cent Tacos, $2.50 Coronas,
& $3 Margaritas
Wednesdays - Buck Burgers & $3.50 Domestic Pitchers
Thursdays - Wing Ding Night
- 12 for $7 or 24 for $12
- $2 Coors Light Pounders
Goodsport's Bar & Grill
Drink Specials:
Monday - $10 Buckets of Beer
Tuesday - $2 16oz. Tap Beer
Wednesday - 50¢ Off Specialty Imports
Thursday - Ladies Night
- $3.50 Margaritas & Daiquiris'
- 2 for 1 @ 7:00PM to Close
Friday - $3.75 Long Island Ice Tea
Saturday -$3.50 Russians and Bulldogs
Sunday - $3.25 Bloody Mary
Shooter's Saloon
Drink Specials:
Monday - $3.50 34 oz. Domestic Beer
- Free Pool & Karaoke
Tuesday - $4 Jack Daniels Drinks in Mason Jar
Wednesday - $2 Mystery Beer
Thursday - $5 Morning Wood in Mason Jar
- $4 34 oz. Domestic Beer
Friday - $2.50 16 oz. Domestic Beer
Saturday - $5 Morning Wood in Mason Jar
Sunday - $3.50 34 oz. Domestic Beer
- $4.50 16 oz. Bloody Mary
- Free Pool
Thirsty Pagan Brewing
Drink Specials:
Monday - $21 Pizza & Pitcher @4pm to 9pm
Tuesday - Late Night Happy Hour @9pm to 11pm
- $2.75 Pints
Wednesday -$2.75 refill w/logo pint mug @4pm to 2am
Entertainment:
(Free, 21+)
Wednesdays - Paul Newberg & Tom Berrigan @9pm
SUNDAYS - OPEN MIC W/ PAUL WHYTE
The Dubh Linn Irish Pub
(21+)
Thursdays - Free Shrimp @5pm - 8pm
- Irish Pub Music @7pm - 9pm
15th - Open Mic Comedy Night @8pm (Free)
20th - Comedy Pro Tour @9pm ($10)
- Featuring David Graham & Mike Baldwin
Frankie's Tavern
Drink Specials:
Every Night - $1 Shots (30 to choose from) @8pm
- Featuring Karaoke
Wednesdays - Ladies Night @8pm
- Domestic bottles - $1.50
Grandma's Sports Garden
Drink Specials:
Wednesdays - College Night
- $1 Domestic Beer, $1.50 Imports, $3 Cpt. Morgan, & $2 Smirnoff
Wed - Sat - Red Bull Bar
- $3 Jag or Smirnoff Red Bulls, $2 Ink Drops
Thursdays - 1/2 priced drinks all night.
Fri - Sat - Weekend Party
- $2 Beer, $3 Cpt.Morgan, $2 Smirnoff Flavors
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or contributions (listing, graphic banner) you'd like to see published, please inquire with Jay Kariesch @ jkariesc@uwsuper.edu .