Arts & Events

So often in the musical community, one must grapple with the constant question that looms over new indie music; is this good music because it sounds cool or is this good music because it’s genuinely creative? One genre that brings to mind that concern is the fascinating spawn of the New Wave/New Romanticism movement. Every few years, indie rock becomes saturated with synth-pop heavy music (remember 2008)? That bass-filled, electronic, Brit rock sound has infiltrated Brooklyn’s trendy music scene and the result is Bear in Heaven’s third LP, I Love...

It’s the end of the year-- what better way to celebrate than with cake? But when you just want a slice of celebratory cake after having finished your final paper, you probably don’t want to go to the trouble of baking a whole cake, especially if you aren’t celebrating with a huge party. Well, look no further for a single-serving recipe, because this is about to make your cake-eating life exceedingly easier. This recipe is a single-serving cake in a mug and only requires a few ingredients that everyone should...

Two very darling soft-spoken musical artists occupied the Paramount stage in Seattle on April 9. Andrew Bird and Laura Marling delighted the crowd with their sets, with Marling opening for Bird. All audience members felt the anticipation of the concert as they waited for it to commence. When the house lights dimmed and the stage lights came up, gasps and enthusiastic applause emerged from the crowd. British folk artist Laura Marling timidly sauntered on stage and uttered a quaint hello to the crowd before beginning her songs. Marling’s rich and...

Given that our society devotes significant effort to the conception and raising of children, both through the actions of parents and through our educational systems, We Need To Talk About Kevin contains a very pressing and contemporary kind of trauma, one connected deeply to women’s liberation, to child-raising in the “new” American family and to violence in our educational system. The movie is an adaptation of the 2003 novel of the same name by Lionnel Schriver, helmed by critically acclaimed Scottish director Lynne Ramsey (Ratcatcher, Morven Callar). A chilling, nihilistic...

    Want to try something fresh? How do $2.75 happy hour drinks sound or $7 specialty Martinis or drink? No need to fill your gas tank to get to this little gem, just lace up your kicks and head towards 6th and Alder. What place am I speaking of? Overtime Tacoma Bar and Grill. This sports bar is a diamond in the rough. After sitting down for only a few moments I felt transported into 27 Dresses; Katherine Heigel and James Marsden could have been dancing atop the bar....

Art and business. Though the two are distant and in many ways dissimilar, they are inextricably linked. Jeff Haydon, class of 1997, and Gretchen DeGroot Lenihan, class of 1999, returned to Puget Sound on Wednesday and Thursday, Apr. 4 and 5, to discuss that relation with interested students, and to share how their undergraduate experience at Puget Sound helped prepare them for life ahead. One of Haydon’s first stops on campus brought him to the Adelphian Concert Choir’s daily rehearsal in the music building. Haydon had been an Adelphian all...

Dinosaur Feathers may be one of the sweetest bands you’ve never heard of. Their first album, Fantasy Memorial, boasted some catchy tunes but never became very popular. With summer approaching, Dinosaur Feathers’ brand of sunny indie rock-pop may finally have its time to shine. Their latest record, Whistle Tips, is a jangly feel-good compilation of fresh material. The band has a knack for upbeat melodies and serious lyrical prowess; it’s that technique that sets Dinosaur Feathers apart from blander beach bands. The first track, “Young Bucks,” is one of the...

On Friday, March 30, the University of Puget Sound Senior Theatre Festival 2012 presented Tallgrass Gothic, a 75-minute drama set in the great plains. Directed by Marissa Miles-Coccaro, the play focused on Laura (Sarah Smith) who is stuck somewhere between an abusive marriage to Tin (Stephen Hamway), and the love of her life, Daniel (Peter Wallerich-Neils). The play follows Laura as she falls further into a fantasy of escape and freedom with Daniel and becomes more frustrated with her husband. Written by Melanie Marnich, Tallgrass Gothic was first staged in...