Music review: The Roots and Legend wake up N.Y.

Posted by Eli Cohen

On Sept. 23, veteran hip-hop group The Roots came together with R&B crooner John Legend and legendary director Spike Lee at Terminal 5, a nightclub located in Hell's Kitchen, New York.?

The concert was broadcast live and for free on Youtube to publicize the new collaboration album "Wake Up!" that was released two days earlier on Sept. 21.?

The partnership has allowed The Roots, a group known for playing its own instruments rather than having a backing DJ, to display a more rock 'n roll side to its musicianship. The group proves its worth with scorching guitar solos from Captain Kirk Douglas and powerful drum beats by the revered Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson. "Wake Up!" presented Legend with a chance to depart from his usual piano-backed ballads, and allowed him to play what some might consider more substantial, ambitious music.

The Roots, a historically outspoken politically charged group, and Legend claim that they were inspired by the 2008 presidential election to record this album. This vision lead the artists to re-imagine 1960s and 1970s soul music for the new record.

Except for the closing track "Shine," which was written by Legend, the record is composed exclusively of covers from classic songwriters such as Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye.? The show, however, integrated originals by both The Roots and Legend, combining smooth hip-hop, courtesy of Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter, with Legend's soulful brand of rhythm and blues.?

Guest appearances were made by celebrated Chicago rapper Common and R&B diva Jennifer Hudson. Both artists are featured on the new album. These two very different musical forces combined smoothly and effortlessly. Pure enjoyment emanated from every performer and there was no struggling for attention or reserve. Both The Roots and Legend threw themselves full-bodied into their performance.

They played with no opening act, and only one short break in the set. The amount of physical exertion was clear from Legend's sweated-through button down shirt.

The Thursday night concert, for which tickets were a mere $36, featured John Legend staples, including "Green Light" and "Ordinary People." The set list also included some less predictable choices, such as "I Can't Write Left-Handed," a song focused on the Vietnam War. They also played "The Fire," a cover of Canadian indie-rockers Arcade Fire, demonstrating the band's diverse musical interests.?

"Wake Up!" combines the Marvin Gay-esque heartfelt singing of John Legend with the funk rap that The Roots have become known for.

Janelle Mon??e brings funk to Skidmore

Posted by Jenna Postler

This year's Fall Big Show on Oct. 1, featuring both Janelle Monáe and Eli "Paperboy" Reed and the True Loves, was more than just a show — it was a performance. The sheer stage presence of both acts was overflowing with excitement.

 Both Janelle Monáe and Eli "Paperboy" Reed and the True Loves thrilled students and community members with their interactive, experimental funk and soul show, which the Student Entertainment Committee brought to Skidmore College.

Openers Eli "Paperboy" Reed and the True Loves exuded cool, soulful energy as they performed for a small crowd. The group performed its single, "Come and Get It." Alex Orthwein '13 was thoroughly impressed by Eli. "Eli brings back such a unique style from the '60s. It's not a cover though. He puts his own spin on it," Orthwein said.

Although Eli is the face of the group, on Friday night he left the stage and let the True Loves showcase their talent. The horn section, guitarist and other musicians played their best and demonstrated that the True Loves can stand on their own.

Both acts performed energetically, which translated well to the crowd. Eli's drummer displayed a heartwarming grin throughout most of the performance, and playfully tossed his drumsticks into the crowd.

After a brief pause between acts, a member of Monáe's entourage stepped onto stage and invited the audience to the performance. Shortly after, Monáe appeared as the ArchAndroid on a video screen broadcast against the back of the stage. When the video ended, Monáe entered the stage wearing a dark cape over her traditional black and white ensemble.

From then on, the show adopted an air of unpredictability. Monáe's show was well choreographed, but still appeared spontaneous. The artist's antics for the night included her traditional dance moves: a fake seizure, a crowd-surfing stunt and an onstage painting to the mellow tunes of "Mushrooms and Roses." The show was far from placid as Monáe's surprises kept the mood upbeat.

Nick Santa-Donato '13 got up-close and personal with the songstress, when she dove into the crowd near him. "I saw the crowd surfing, and I pushed some girls to the ground. I helped to support her, but then she sort of fell into my face," Santa-Donato said.

The artist attempted to give her painting of the female form to a lucky spectator, but a member of Monáe's entourage took the painting back, due to struggles for it in the crowd, which left most of the front row covered in paint.

Monáe's set primarily included songs from her sophomore album, "The ArchAndroid." She also performed music from "Metropolis." Some of the highlights of the show included her performances of, "Cold War," "Faster," "Wondaland" and "Dance or Die."

While some audience members may have been skeptical of the headliner's futuristic funk, the show was very danceable.

Monáe saved her single, "Tightrope," featuring rapper Big Boi, as her closing number, then treated fans to one final encore performance. After the show, the artist remained in the gym, selling and signing albums, T-shirts, and other merchandise.

Eric Moretti '13 thought the show was downright amazing. "After seeing Janelle perform live in the gym, the ‘ArchAndroid' will be the soundtrack of my fall semester," Moretti said.

There's no doubt that Eli "Paperboy" Reed and The True Loves and Monáe brought funk to Skidmore. The Fall 2010 Big Show was a performance that won't easily be outdone.

Theater of war in a house of peace

Posted by Tegan O'Neill

"Theater of War in a House of Peace" signals the first attempt at a year-long initiative on the part of the Director of Religious and Spiritual Life Rick Chrisman to foster a campus-wide reflection on war.

The exhibit, as the title suggests, is located in Wilson Chapel. Chrisman procured art for the exhibit from Jason Blue Lake Hawk Martinez with the intention of sparking conversation about America's wars. The exhibit opened on Sept. 21 and runs through Oct. 11.

"We have been a nation at war for eight years and it is unthinkable that we have pushed it to the back of our minds. We read the paper and we see clips on TV, but nobody asks us to really think about the war and express what we feel about it," Chrisman said.

The project was partly inspired by a touring production called "Theater of War," which presents readings of Sophocles' tragedies "Ajax" and "Philoctetes" to military communities in the U.S.

The exhibit includes a series of 14 paintings titled "Stations of the Crass" as well as a sculpture titled "Kiva." Martinez incorporates elements of Native American and Roman Catholic traditions to represent the effects of war on humanity. According to a statement written by the artist, "Each painting corresponds with the traditional Roman Catholic Stations of the Cross combined with Pueblo and Judeo-Christian end time scenarios."?

Martinez uses the image of the Kachina doll, a symbol in Pueblo culture, to represent the suffering of Christ prior to his crucifixion. "The paintings represent the pain that humanity feels because of war. Christ stands for humanity. Humanity is being crucified by war," Chrisman said.?

In his paintings, Martinez depicts party balloons on the cross and uses a light color pallet. "It is lovely when you first look at it but frightening and disturbing when you examine the content," Chrisman said.

The sculpture, "Kiva," is also an unconventional religious depiction. A Kiva is an underground meeting place used by the Pueblo peoples for spiritual ceremonies. In the bowels of Martinez's "Kiva," a tape-recording plays the sounds of an atomic bomb going off.? "Basically, it forces us to get down on our hands and knees and think hard about destruction — something that we generally just gloss over," Chrisman said.?

Chrisman also hopes that the exhibit will shed light on what he believes to be the injustices of the recruitment policy. "We place the costs of war on very few people. Just the other day, Secretary Gates warned that we are slipping into this state of having a professional fighting class, which is contrary to our country's founding principles," Chrisman said.

Chrisman advocates a Universal National Service that would require all citizens from the ages of 18-22 to serve in the military, the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, hospitals, urban schools, etc.?? Chrisman feels that the Universal National Service would alleviate the burden of war that befalls a small portion of the population.?

On the closing day of the exhibit, Oct.11, there will be a round table discussion with Martinez in the Chapel.

Upcoming exhibits include a series of photographs taken by an Iraqi student who rebuilt a school in his community, a short ballet piece produced by the dance department and a play presented by the classics department, among other events and installations.?

"It is going to take the entire year to build up a body of expression for the community to be able to reflect on war and articulate what it means to be a nation at war," Chrisman said.

Bailiwick shows off diverse acoustic stylings

Posted by Samantha Skurdahl

The on campus hot spot Falstaff's has seen its fair share of DJs and dance bands over the years. More recently, however, Skidmore students are packing the place not only to dance to the newest hits, but also for the acoustic stylings of student band Bailiwick.

Sophomores Jane Esterquest, Brett Hartman, Colin Manjoney and Ned Porter formed the band last academic year. Since then, Bailiwick has made a name for itself both on campus and throughout Saratoga. The bands past performance spots include Virgil's Cafe and the legendary Caffe Lena.

While Bailiwick chooses not to lump itself into one specific genre, the group's mix of instruments, which include the guitar, mandolin, ukulele, and banjo, create a sound which violinist Esterquest terms, "crunk folk."

Bailiwick has found a large fan base in Skidmore music lovers of all types. "Obviously our friends are our biggest, most obsessive fans, but I think people's enjoyment of our music has spread pretty far across the student body," Brett Hartman '13 said.

The band cites its song "That Boy" as eliciting the most enthusiastic response, with fans clapping and singing along. "A memorable moment was when we played Virgil's Coffee House last year and people knew the words to our songs. Two kids gave each other high fives when we played ‘That Boy.' That pretty much blew my mind," Jane Esterquest '13 said.

Bailiwick hopes to have a full album recorded and for sale this year. The members also plan to continue performing and hope to widen their venues beyond Saratoga.

Bailiwick has Facebook page, facebook.com/pages/Bailiwick, and a website, Bailiwick.bandcamp.com, where its songs are available to download.

Photos from Oktoberfest Weekend 2010

Posted by Lauren Elsner and Melissa Cohn

Pavement show: relaxed, not lackadaisical

Posted by Eric Shapiro

Judging by reviews of Pavement's shows since its reunion a couple of months ago, I expected to see a band whose slacker attitude and time apart manifested itself in extreme sloppiness.

But unless Friday night's show at the Rumsey Playfield on the east side of New York's Central Park on Sept. 24 was a complete anomaly, the aforementioned assessment couldn't be further from the truth. Actually, it's a bit insulting (although it's difficult to imagine a band known for its apathy taking offense); Malkmus, Spiral Stairs and company are seasoned musicians, and it's not as if they haven't picked up their instruments since Pavement broke up in 1999.

The only mistakes the band made were entirely deliberate. One might call such instances "audience alienation," but the fact is, the crowd – made up of both middle-aged fans from the band's heyday and college age hipsters – seemed to relish the intentional gaffes, as if they were in on some musical joke. Barring a few half-hearted gestures, Stephen Malkmus remained studiously disengaged, seemingly oblivious to the fact that Pavement's reunion triggered a collective orgasm in the ever-growing world of independent music.

The fact that the audience responded so well is a testament to how much of an impact Pavement's aesthetic has had on modern music. 1980s alternative rock bands like Dinosaur Jr. and the Replacements pushed their brands of apathy to varying degrees of success, but Pavement set the terms for following decade.

The only aspect of the show that didn't seem entirely incidental was the setlist. Thankfully, the band had enough sense to realize that even they couldn't get away with playing all obscurities (tickets don't cost $10 dollars anymore!); fan faves like "Cut Your Hair," "Range Life," "Gold Soundz," "Shady Lane," "Summer Babe," "Silence Kit," "Father to a Sister of Thought" and others were all forthcoming.

The mood was unquestionably positive, relaxed rather than lackadaisical. There was no stage diving, but plenty of singing along.

And honestly, although I'm too young to have seen Pavement play in the 1990s, Friday night seemed like an approximation of how the band must have sounded back in the day rather than a major event.

I wasn't blown away, but it probably wouldn't have been a true Pavement concert if I were.

Righteous babe plays Zankel

Posted by Alex Brehm

On Sept. 26, Skidmore College and Caffè Lena came together to offer Ani DiFranco's performance in the Arthur Zankel Music Center.

DiFranco, whose piercing music and poetic lyrics have enthralled fans, got her start in music in the fall of 1990 in downtown Saratoga Springs, on the stage of Caffè Lena. She performed only a year after the venue's owner, Lena Spencer, died.

"She only played for an audience of about 40 people. Everyone could feel this remarkable charisma and magic about her," said current Lena director Sarah Craig.

Caffé Lena is celebrating 50 years in operation, and has brought in a slew of well-known musicians this year. In May, Arlo Guthrie took the Zankel stage.? "We're trying to celebrate the artists who have played Lena and gone on to have really extraordinary careers," Craig said.

The show opened with Erin McKeown, a folk songwriter featured on DiFranco's Righteous Babe record label. She reached the audience with interaction, encouraging snaps and claps during songs. "This song is about claustrophobia and to feel claustrophobic. I need you all to whisper while I'm singing…like you're talking about me," said McKeown. McKeown played solo on an electric guitar with a gritty sound and songs sprinkled with her own hisses and stage whispers.

Then out came the Righteous Babe herself. DiFranco took the stage to cheers and opened with her crowd-pleaser, "Anticipate." DiFranco also played solo, often switching guitars in between songs, taking advantage of different acoustics and tunings.

Members of the audience frequently took the initiative to interject in between DiFranco's songs. DiFranco played two encore songs, bringing McKeown back out for a duet rendition of "Overlap."

Caffé Lena staff used the concert as a chance to promote the venue's new student rush ticket policy. When concerts do not sell out, students will be able to purchase tickets on the night of the performance for $5, about one-fourth of the regular price. At sold-out concerts, rush tickets will not be available.

Lena staff have expressed the desire to bring more singers to Zankel in a joint production with the college, but currently there are no joint performances billed. Downtown at Caffè Lena, many more well known folk artists will be performing, including Mary Gauthier, Eric Andersen and John Doyle.

Twitter brings Kanye West full circle

Posted by Jenna Postler

Life has come full circle recently for  Kanye West.

It's been over a year since the artist's infamous, "I'mma let you finish" incident at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, when he stole the microphone from 20-year-old award winner Taylor Swift. For fans and critics alike, it seems that the hip-hop artist's career is finally back on track. To re-launch his career, West used an unlikely option: Twitter.

As many celebrities do after committing a faux pas, West disappeared from the music scene for several months following the incident. Out of the public eye, we can only assume that the artist took this time to do some soul searching.

On July 28, West joined the social networking site Twitter, and he hasn't stopped tweeting yet. In and of itself, West creating a Twitter account is not big news. What's startling about West's use of technology is that he has cemented himself in popular culture as simultaneously being a professional crazy person and a gifted artist.

West, in addition to providing us with the snippets we would expect from a rap artist about cars, women and clothes, took to giving his followers important life advice. West, who tweets about a variety of things, several times a day, has composed such insights as: "HEADED TO THE CLUB... these tweets were made of real bits of panther!!!!" and "Make sure your accounts receivable are faster than your accounts payable."

After the initial insanity of West's tweets wore off, and fans stopped laughing at his random tweets about cherubs and goblets, West began to use his Twitter account for self-promotion. Through a series of tweets on Aug. 22, West announced his plans to release a new song a week as part of a program called, "G.O.O.D. Fridays."

Since then, West has kept to his promise to release a new track a week until Dec. 25. The artist's weekly releases have featured such artists as: Raekwon, Jay-Z, Swizz Beatz, Nicki Minaj and Bon Iver. The releases are no doubt part of a promotional program preparing for the release of his fifth studio album, which is currently untitled.

West's most recent, and arguably his best to date, G.O.O.D. Friday release is titled "So Appalled." The track features RZA, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Swizz Beatz and Cyhi the Prynce. The sheer lyrical genius of this collaboration is best demonstrated by rapper Pusha-T's verse, in which he rhymes: "Success is what you make it, take it how it come. A half a mill in twenties like a billion where I'm from. An arrogant drug dealer the legend I've become, CNN said I'd be dead by 21."

With releases like "So Appalled," West is providing fans with real, talent-filled music that we haven't seen from the artist since his third studio album, "Graduation." After an ill-fated experimentation phase with auto tune, and his album "808s & Heartbreak," some feared the artist would never get back to giving his fans quality music.

Luckily, just over a year after the Taylor Swift incident, West is back on track and just as eccentric as ever.

Dining Hall employee Simon Grimes dishes out album

Posted by Jean-Ann Kubler

On Sept. 23 Dining Services employee and emcee Simon Grimes released a 24-track album titled "Da Mixed Ape," available for free download online.

The album contains over 200 minutes of music, most of which were composed in the last four months. The album was released under the stage name Sime Gezus.

Grimes, who is originally from nearby Cambridge, N.Y., has been involved in the music industry for over 10 years, both as an emcee and a producer. His interest in music was sparked during his junior year of high school.

"My girlfriend at the time got this program where you could make beats and I started to play with that here and there. It was really basic, but the more that I messed with it, the more I loved it," Grimes said.

After high school Grimes enrolled in the Art Institute of Boston (AIB) where he studied studio engineering for a year.

"The kids at AIB were so advanced — they could make the music and rhyme. I couldn't rhyme at that point. I would free style here and there, but they really opened up my eyes," Grimes said.

At AIB, Grimes mainly studied production. "I didn't take it that seriously because I knew I wanted to record my own stuff, not just produce," Grimes said.

Today, Grimes is producing his own music alongside a close-knit team at Sub-Bombin Records, a production company based in Saratoga.

"Sub-Bombin is like a mini family," Grimes said. The artists connected to Sub-Bombin all help produce and are often featured on each other's tracks. Grimes is currently interested in finding female artists to become involved with the company.

Grimes is also involved with the upstate label Glass Ceiling Effect which produced "Da Mixed Ape."

The title of his new album is based on Grimes' state of mind while working on it. "I was going through some difficult personal things this summer and as a result I fell back in love with music after a little hiatus from it. I felt like a weird monster, dealing with these issues and having all of this creativity flowing," Grimes said.

Grimes describes his musical style as abstract, eclectic and somewhat dark. "I don't want to call it depressing, but it's not exactly upbeat either. To understand a lot of it you just need to listen. Every song is a different emotion," Grimes said.

Grimes cites Biggie Smalls, Tupac Shakur, the Doors, Portishead and Radiohead as his musical influences. His biggest influence, however, is the Wu-Tang Clan.

"I was always into hip hop but when I first heard the beats RZA made for the Wu it really inspired me. I'd never heard anything like that. It's phenomenal," Grimes said.

"The Mixed Ape" is a change from where Grimes began 10 years ago. "My music has developed. I used to just try to put any words to a beat. I've come into my voice since then," Grimes said.

"The Mixed Ape" along with Grimes' previous albums are available to download at www.simegezus.bandcamp.com.

Is there enough space in Zankel?

Posted by Jesse Shayne

As the Arthur Zankel Music Center enters its first full year in use, questions have arose concerning the rehearsal space system.

The state of the art facility offers a lot more than the old Filene Music Building but, at a college with a highly musical student population, there still may not be enough space to accommodate student needs.

With the number of ensembles, acapella groups and other musical organizations pushing well into double digits, reserving group rehearsal space is a tricky task.

Google Calendar has become the system used to schedule practice time. "The calendar is almost completely covered. The whole day is this dense network, sometimes overlapping," music department Chairman Thomas Denny said.

One problem with the scheduling is that the rooms in Zankel are also rented out to groups outside of the music department and sometimes groups outside of the college altogether.

Yet, performing music groups still get high priority in the scheduling process. "We have sometimes encountered that scheduling in these spaces conflicts with our offerings. Some of us worry that the College's eagerness to earn income by renting spaces might conflict with our educational mission," said Professor Gordon Thompson.

Meanwhile, students who are not enrolled in music courses are prohibited from using the practice rooms, due to the limited amount of space. The rooms require students to swipe their Skidmore ID card for access. Only the cards of students who are taking music lessons will open the doors. However, it's possible to get in without using them.

"Officially the rooms are reserved for students taking lessons. However, students do find their way to play instruments in practice rooms. Nobody is up there collecting ID cards. Students are resourceful. They have friends they can play with," Denny said.?

As far as the number of rooms goes, music students haven't had much trouble finding space to practice. "Everyone has their own class schedule and their own time to practice so it works out nicely. My experiences have been really peaceful," music student Lyndsay Stone '14 said.

Despite scheduling conflicts, the new building addresses many needs that Filene did not. The new concert hall offers acoustics that none of the other theaters on campus possess. There are more practice rooms, more classroom space and the rooms offer sound isolation. "We really just outgrew the old building," said Denny.???????????????

The final issue with Zankel is that it still doesn't address the need for a permanent place for unchartered student bands to rehearse. As with Filene, bands aren't allowed to practice at Zankel. "There's a long history of bands trying to play in the music buildings. There's a number of reasons why they can't: space, concerns with equipment, damage to facility, etc. The building is primarily an academic teaching facility and has to function as such," Denny said.

As of right now it's possible for bands to rehearse at the Chapel or Falstaff's, although clubs are given priority. Robin Adams, assistant director of Leadership Activities, along with the Student Government Association and various committees on campus, are still discussing the option of a permanent place for student bands to practice. A temporary solution is being worked out.???????

A soundproof trailer is most likely going to be put next to Falstaff's within the next month. Bands will get priority with renting the space. Denny was optimistic about the trailer. "It's a huge need for students to have some sort of facility for bands. It's a big student life issue," Denny said.????

Kuch delivers Fox-Adler lecture

Posted by Kristin Travagline

Michael Kuch delivered the 2010 Fox-Adler Lecture on Sept. 23, titled, "The Annotated Image:? When Picture Precedes Text — The Books of Michael Kuch."

Kuch's artistic skills are primarily grounded in solid pen and ink craftsmanship. He is also comfortable working in ink wash, watercolor, oils, pastels, etchings, lithography and bronze sculpture. He often incorporates woodcuts and etchings into his limited edition books.

The title of the lecture was reinforced by Kuch's beginning statement. "Words are lovely, but they are not my first love. In my books the text is a concomitant, an adjunct, an afterthought," Kuch said.

Along with explaining the technical aspects of his artwork, Kuch described his close student-teacher relationship with Professor Leonard Baskin of Hampshire College.

After Kuch graduated from Hampshire, he wanted to continue printmaking and asked Baskin if he could use his studio in exchange for his assistance. Kuch half joked that his first job for Baskin was hanging sheetrock. "That wasn't what I agreed to at lunch," Kuch said.

Baskin had recently become friends with writer and civil right activist James Baldwin when he died in 1987. A limited edition book collaboration had been in the works involving Baldwin's poetry and Baskin's artwork.

After Baldwin's death, Baskin etched portraits of the writer, depicting him at different points in his life. Baskin gave Kutch his professional start by inviting him to print these etchings for the book, although Kuch had never printed an edition of etchings before. "Leonard knew that he wanted a printer with artistic sensitivity as opposed to a clean, precise and proper printer," Kuch said.

Kuch continued working as Baskin's assistant, printing etchings for Gehanna Press until Baskin's death in 2000.

In 1994, while working for Baskin, Kuch decided to start his own press. Kuch named his Double Elephant Press after the largest dimension possible for page size of a book. "In truth, the name of the press was not designed to connote anything so ambitious, I merely thought I would enjoy drawing elephants," Kuch said.

In 1996 the Double Elephant Press published "Amour and Armor." The motif for Kuch's book was the image of seashells that took on the human form in the context of a field-guide.

"There had always been something engaging about these spiraling, abandoned homes. I would be talking about human vulnerability, though this time it would be examining our defenses, that is the great shells we live in, carry around with us and how these shells can often be quite pointed," Kuch said.

Kuch continued the lecture by describing his milestone publications. In 2004 Kuch published "A Sphinx's Field-Guide to Questionable Answers." This publication in particular illustrates Kuch's newfound experimentation with wood block printing. Kuch had not worked extensively with this medium until after Baskin's death. The woodcut was Baskin's specialty and Kuch had wished to differentiate himself from his mentor. "After Leonard's death in 2000, for whatever reason, be it Freudian or a fellowship, I felt freer to explore the medium of woodcut," Kuch said.

Kuch's explained how he also creates artwork from a satirical perspective, motivated by current events. "In 2003 with the onset of the second war in the gulf, it was obvious to many of us that aside from the usual stupidity of any war, in that it attempts to resolve conflict by killing people, a new threshold of idiocy had been crossed by launching the precipitating attack," Kuch said.

In response, Kuch created the "Common Monsters of the United States" series, in which he designs beasts that depict aspects of social behavior that foster war. For example, one of Kuch's pieces in titled "Common Oilsucker" and depicts a moth with camouflage wings, wearing a gas mask.

The events of Sept. 11 also had an effect on Kuch, whose apartment is five blocks from Ground Zero and his artwork.

"At first the event seemed too raw to react to as an artist…. However, I was dismayed at the time at how the disaster was being used by the political and media establishment to whip up a frenzy to go to war or rather wars. I was struck by how little space was actually given to actually grieving this national loss," Kuch said.

For the one-year anniversary of Sept. 11, Kuch produced the book "Falling to Earth."

Kuch's most recent work is titled "Waterlines" and includes a work, done with woodcut, related to the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina.

Kuch ended the lecture by relating his artistic mission. "What does it mean, 10 years into a new millennium, when there is much talk about the death of books? Will books be killed off by the Kindle? I'm sure they will, just as photography killed portrait painting. My mission is not to mourn the death of books, but to celebrate its death because, in doing so, I celebrate the life of books," Kuch said.

Creating space on campus for Skidmore students to jam

Posted by Kristin Travagline

Due to the increasing scarcity of space on campus, Skidmore College is taking steps to create a temporary space for unchartered student bands to practice.

Robin Adams, assistant director of Leadership Activities, is heading the project and hopes to have a sound proof trailer installed near Falstaff's within the next month.

Various committees are still discussing plans for a permanent space. Adams, however, is optimistic. "I'm fairly sure this will happen, but we're still running it through various committees on campus that raised some concerns, but nothing that we can't address," Adams said.

The temporary space, a soundproof trailer, will cost approximately $10,000 to remain in place until the end of May. Payments will be coming from the Presidential Discretionary Fund, which aims to "support projects that, as determined by the president, are designed to sustain institutional vitality and self-renewal," the Presidential Discretionary Fund application said.

Student bands will have first priority. Student bands will sign up with Adams to practice in the space for a time-span of two to three hours. Once the bands have been accommodated, clubs will then be able to sign up to use the space as well.

"The hope is that it'll become student run entirely," said Student Government Association President Alexandra Stark '11.

"Clubs get first dibs on everything including Falstaff's and the Chapel. For just this one space we are going to reverse it. Ninety percent of what I do here is working with clubs, but I think we all have a responsibility to every student on campus," Adams said.

If the trailer receives a positive response Adams will move forward with plans to establish a permanent structure for student bands to use. Adams is not sure how much the permanent structure will cost, but hopes to build a fairly inexpensive steel structure.

"From the SGA perspective, we are so excited about this possibility and we feel that it's a really great solution to the problems that we've been hearing. We've been wracking our brains trying to figure it out because we know how important it is for student musicians and bands and anyone who needs a practice space to have that," Stark said.

Transitory nature of art at the Tang

Posted by Kristin Travagline

Many people find contemporary art confusing. The unconventional structure of Paula Hayes' exhibit, "Understory," at the Skidmore College Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery, imbues the art with a refreshingly accessible quality.

In contrast to the bustling nature of the college campus, one cannot help but appreciate the peacefulness of Payne Room, where "Understory" is located. Tall evergreens in green and blue malleable silicone planters, as though the trees are wearing slippers, fill the space.

To the left, a rectangular platform displays numerous glass terrariums of varying sizes. Each terrarium is a clear, round orb, pleasing to the eye in its simplicity. It appears as though the artist grew miniature, magical worlds in her carefully designed pods. Likewise, each terrarium differs in its plants and composition.

At the back of the room, several sets of hand blown glassware and printed cloth napkins are on display, stacked on shelves much like one could imagine them in the artist's own home. Similar to the terrariums, the plates were constructed out of curving, clear glass, resembling the organic shape and texture of a clamshell. Deep ceramic bowls, quite unlike dainty dinnerware, lead the viewer to draw associations with comforting home cooking.

The most surprising aspect of the room is two enormous, dark blue beanbags that rest in the center of the gallery, imprinted with the form of the students who last sat there. Yet, these beanbags embody the spirit of "Understory" and encapsulate Hayes' philosophy on art. In fact, Ian Berry, the associate director for Curatorial Affairs at the Tang, conducted most of his interview with Skidmore News from a deep seat in the middle of one of the bags.

Hayes is a Skidmore alumna. She grew up on a farm not far from Skidmore and spent her time at the college discovering what the life of an artist could entail. After she graduated from the college, Hayes moved to N.Y.C. and received her Master of Fine Arts from Parsons School of Design. While living in the city, Hayes supported herself by developing a gardening business.

The smaller portion of "The Understory" that is located on the second floor of the Tang is based upon the artwork that Hayes made during this earlier period of her life. Accompanying this section of the exhibit are personal touches from Hayes' journey as an agricultural artist. In the center of the room is a large tree branch suspended by the ceiling with a yellow cloth draped from the extending limbs. Below the branch, on the floor, is a mixture of colored tissue paper, glitter and wood chips. In comparison to the main exhibit of "The Understory," one can sense in the chaotic mezzanine Hayes' initial struggle to balance her two passions.

Gradually, Hayes learned to merge her artistic passions with her gardening practice until they seamlessly evolved into a single lifestyle, represented by the main gallery of "The Understory." In subtle ways, Hayes' dilemma in striving to merge her agricultural knowledge with her life as an artist exemplifies her greater desire to create art that interacts with life, which is illustrated by the way that students literally leave their imprint on the beanbags.

"Paula is trying to figure out how her artwork can intersect in the spiritual life of people and how artwork can interact with our everyday health and good feeling, as opposed to just being something at arms length that is in a gold frame on a wall," Berry said.

Skidmore student Melinda Kiefer '11 also interacts with the exhibit on a first hand basis as she helps Hayes maintain the terrariums as part of her job at the Tang. During her interview with Skidmore News, Kiefer was in the middle of removing mushrooms from one of the terrariums with enormous surgical tweezers.

"A really big, important part of Paula's work, even her mission as an artist, is to have you interact with her art and experience its transitory nature. I've changed the terrariums up and that's okay because I'm doing it and it's my aesthetics. I've even added some crystals and just fun things," Kiefer said.

To ensure that students and faculty interact with the exhibit, Hayes and the Tang faculty have planned a series of 10 dinner parties throughout the course of the academic year, which will be held in the gallery and eaten on the hand blown dinnerware.

Although the dinners are by invitation only, campus wide events are being held in conjunction with the meals. One such event will be held on Sept. 25 at 1 p.m. at the Tang. There will be a panel discussion given by local farmers followed by a "hands on party" in the college garden.

"I would like to encourage students to think about how plants, and food and their lives can be intertwined with art and what happens at the museum. I think sometimes people don't see those things as connected. This is really about a holistic experience," Berry said.

Affleck saved by a few good plot twists

Posted by Rachel Kim

Ben Affleck tries his hand at directing with "The Town" after his critically acclaimed directorial debut, "Gone Baby Gone." Unfortunately, this one falls flat.

"The Town" is a crime-thriller that follows Doug MacRay, our troubled star from Charlestown, Boston. Our typically flawed hero is tied to his notorious hometown and dark childhood.

Fallen far from his pro-hockey days, MacRay wreaks havoc and robs the banks of Boston with his neighborhood friends, Jim Coughlin (Jeremy Renner) and Desmond Elden (Owen Burke).

When one of the plans falls apart, MacRay and his gang become the new targets of FBI agent, Adam Frawley (Jon Hamm). MacRay finds himself in more trouble when he falls for the hostage, Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall), a witness to the bank robbery who is not aware of MacRay's true identity.

Take the oft-used story about the bad streets of Boston, mix it with a cliché love story, add in a rushed ending and the result is "The Town."

Writers Peter Craig and Affleck tackle this overly familiar plot and develop some good characters. A few good plot twists save them from losing the audience's interest.

The few nods to "Good Will Hunting" are endearing, but Craig and Affleck make the mistake of giving too much attention to the personal troubles and love life of MacRay, leaving other characters like Frawley with little screen time and character depth.

As a director, Affleck is able to successfully control the audience's attention with the well-timed unfolding of the characters' stories. Still, "The Town" reminds the audience why Affleck has had better luck working behind the camera, rather than in front of it.

The car chases, elaborate bank robberies and active plot make "The Town" an entertaining, fun movie that commands the audience's attention until the final scene.

However, the mediocre acting and lack of an innovative plot weigh down Affleck's potential directorial skill.

Once Affleck is finally able to separate himself from his own native city of Boston, he may make the full transition from actor to director and find himself capable of continuing his Hollywood career as a successful director.

Theater students think outside the box

Posted by Kristin Travagline

Creative endeavors are coming from Skidmore College theater students. October will bring two completely student-run theater studio projects, one an original play, the other an adapted musical-comedy.

The original play, tentatively titled "Pegasus," is being written by Sam Kahler '11 and directed by Ilana Saltzman '11. Kahler and Saltzman discovered last summer that they were each interested in writing and directing, respectively, an original project. They also both wanted to delve into the dream world and explore its relation to reality. Motivated by these common interests, they constructed the story together.

The premise centers on three characters, a couple and one of their fathers, who are all struggling to come to terms with the young couple's pregnancy. Their worries, as it so often happens in reality, start to influence their dreams. Yet in this case three symbolic dream characters help them sort out their problems nocturnally.

The title refers to the Pegasus constellation symbolizing the dream world they reach in slumber. Incidentally, the impregnated woman in question is named Peg. Kahler and Saltzman wanted the creative process to be collaborative and evolving. They are polishing off the latest of several drafts with the help of the cast and all involved.

The other up-and-coming studio project is a comedy-musical directed by Danielle Zweibon '11. Though not an original production, Zweibon is hoping to breathe new life into a show that affirmed her passion for show business. The yet to be named show is based on "Title of Show," which had a short stint on Broadway and enjoyed a cult following. The student directed show humorously centers on two guys writing a musical about two guys writing a musical. Paige Hempe '12 is the musical director.

"Pegasus" will be performed at 8 p.m. Oct. 13-15 in Studio A in the Janet Kinghorn Bernhard Theater. The musical-comedy will be performed at 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 as well as at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Oct. 9 in Studio A in the JKB Theater.

Prof. Addy receives Heritage Award

Posted by Kristin Travagline

On Sept. 22 in Washington, Skidmore faculty member Yacub Addy received a National Heritage Fellowship Award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The NEA annually awards National Heritage Fellowship Awards for master folk and traditional artists. These fellowships recognize artistic excellence and support the artists' continuing contributions to an American traditional arts heritage.

Addy has been a faculty member of the college music department since 1995, sharing his talent for creating new musical works that are rooted in tradition.

Addy is the eldest living drummer in the Addy family of performers from Ghana. He is a son of Okonfo Akoto, a medicine man, and Akua Hagan, a lead singer in her husband's medicine music. Addy credits his elder brother, Tetteh Koblah Addy, as his most influential drumming teacher.

In 1956, the year of Ghana's independence, Addy organized and led the first major staged performance of genuinely traditional Ghanaian music and dance at the Accra Community Center.

Addy later formed the historic groups Ashiedu Ketrekre, which set a performance standard in Ghana in the 1960s, and Oboade, which became the first professional traditional Ghanaian group to tour in the West. Addy's music took him from Ghana to Europe and America where, in 1982, he created the acclaimed performance ensemble Odadaa!, composed predominantly of Ga artists, which he leads to this day.

Addy's work has preserved and contributed to the music and dance heritage of Ghana, and has maintained in the U.S. a rare standard of traditionalism. "I don't agree with the western idea of stardom; it brings nothing but division. With God's help, I'm determined to stay true to my culture and speak the truth," Addy said.

Colorful contrasting of fantasy and reality: Schick Art Gallery hosts satirical Michael Kuch exhibition

Posted by Kristin Travagline

Michael Kuch's exhibit of multiple mediums and brilliant colors appears too bold to be contained within the small Schick Art Gallery, where it is on display until Sept. 26.

Kuch will discuss his experiences as a printmaker and book artist when he delivers the 2010 Fox-Adler Lecture on Sept. 23 at 5:15 p.m. in Gannet Auditorium. The lecture is titled "The Annotated Image:  When Picture Precedes Text—the Books of Michael Kuch."

A reception in the Schick Art Gallery will immediately follow the lecture. Admission to the gallery, lecture and reception is free.

Kuch's artistic skills are primarily grounded in solid pen and ink craftsmanship, He is also comfortable working in ink wash, watercolor, oils, pastels, etchings, lithography and bronze sculpture. He often incorporates woodcuts and etchings into his limited edition books.

Kuch's wide variety of expertise characterizes the exhibition with energy and vibrancy. "Kuch's various talents give his themes room to evolve according to the subtle, expressive strengths of each material," the catalogue accompanying the exhibit said.

The exhibit explores themes as weighty as imperialism, mortality and the human imagination, keeping the viewer's mind reeling. "Kuch's art does not focus on verisimilitude, nor does it dwell in aesthetic interpretation; rather, these qualities attend human experience as revealed from the inside: a world of psychological reflection," a description accompanying the exhibit said.

Kuch's piece "Fossil Dirigibles" is an etching on handmade paper that serves as a powerful reminder of human mortality. The etching displays a skeleton attached to a long-stem flower by thin, delicate threads. Bronze wires and clusters of string bind the pages and creatively mirror the composition of the image.

Another primary theme coursing through the exhibit is the relationship between reality and fantasy. "Kuch portrays a world both fantastic and familiar," the description said.

The monotype "Pegasus" is especially arresting and exemplifies this theme of the show. Monotyping is a type of printmaking. The artist draws or paints on a smooth, non-absorbent surface. The image is then transferred onto a sheet of paper.

"Pegasus" is the largest framed piece in the exhibition and Kuch's skillful use of bold primary colors gently provokes the attention of the viewer. Strong reds, blues, greens and yellows accent the arches of the broad wings that span the entire length of the canvas. Further traces of these colors add emphasis to the mythical creature's muscular chest and strong legs.

Yet, the piece maintains a soft, misty, ethereal quality appropriate to Pegasus' divine associations. The predominantly light gray background and white accents on Pegasus' body and wings help achieve this effect. "Patient tenderness suffuses his imagery," the description said.

The head, chest and front legs of the Pegasus command the central focus of the image, while the rear of the body and back legs recede into the background. This deliberate composition gives the impression of Pegasus emerging from the canvas, blazoning forth in a full gallop.

Kuch was born in 1965 and grew up in Northern VT. He was self-taught until he came under the wing of Leonard Baskin at Hampshire College.

In 1994 Kuch started his Double Elephant Press. In 2000, he produced the book "Falling to Earth," in response to the events of Sept. 11.

More of Kuch's artwork is on display on the first floor of the Lucy Scribner Library.

Many of Kuch's limited edition books are held in the artists' book collection in the Department of Special Collections in the Pondorff Room of the Lucy Scribner Library.

More information about Kuch can be found at http://cms.skidmore.edu/schick.

Caffe Lena to host folk singer Ani Difranco at Zankel

Posted by Alex Brehm

Ani DiFranco is Joan Baez, Joan Jett and Betty Freidan all rolled into one. The singer-songwriter has created a small indie recording empire, Righteous Babe, featuring talent such as Toshi Regan, Andrew Bird and Buddy Wakefield. She is famous as a deeply intelligent lyricist, talented musician and passionate political activist.

In a concert featured by Caffé Lena, DiFranco will play in Zankel Music Center on Sun., Sept. 26.

 DiFranco writes poetic lyrics in an often punctuated, alliterative style. Her guitar work is similarly staccato and twangy, and her recording uses a wide range of instruments. Her arrangements often feature marimba, whistling, exotic percussion and dark, ambient recording effects. Her recent album "Red Letter Year" features clear electronica influences.

Skidmore student Fortunato De Sousa '11 praises DiFranco's "lyric" style. "It's very smooth, you know, from the heart," De Sousa said.

DiFranco writes confidently about political topics, advancing issues of gender and orientation bias in her songs, and describing rape, racism and war. More recently, she has written songs inspired by religion and by becoming a mother. "November 4th, 2008" is dedicated to President Barack Obama's election. DiFranco's personal history of challenging traditional gender roles and identification as bisexual made her a figure of the queer pride and rights movement.

Folk singer-songwriter Erin McKeown will open for DiFranco. In 1998 McKeown performed at Queerstock, a music festival that promoted LGBT musicians. McKeown's style is a swing-rock she says is influenced by, "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." McKeown is known for her energetic stage presence and eccentric dress.

The historic Caffé Lena is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. This is not the first time the café has featured a joint concert with Skidmore College. As part of anniversary celebrations at the beginning of the summer, Arlo Guthrie played in Zankel Music Center.

DiFranco will begin performing at 7 p.m. Students can buy tickets on brownpapertickets.com for $15.

Battle of the Bands kicks off semester

Posted by Isaac Baker

The first Battle of the Bands this year went down Friday Sept. 10 at Falstaff's and, like all Skidmore events, it rocked.

The Student Entertainment Committee pulled together four fantastic bands to compete for the grand prize of opening for the band Beach Fossils the following night.

After the audience filed out of the Falstaff's lounge, the host turned things over to the first band, Baliwick. This band's comfortable acoustic presence brought the audience to the floor where they sat peacefully and appreciated the intricate harmonies and diverse instrumentation. They were called back to the stage for an encore and laid down one final tune that was met with raucous applause.

The second band to take the stage was Sticky Friction. They kicked off their set with a Jackson Five cover that brought everyone quickly to their feet.

The funk and rock influences took the audience by storm and the dance floor was packed with students jumping and singing along to the music. They "were a tight band all around and certainly knew how to shake things up," Jesse Shayne '14 said.

The next band, Slim Charles, took things in a different direction. The house lighting went out and the black lights came on which gave the band a heightened psychedelic feeling. Each song featured multiple time changes and hypnotized the crowd with powerful bass playing and intricate riffs.

The final band, DTF, finished out the night with a few covers that grabbed the attention of the dwindling crowd. They covered a variety of bands ranging from MGMT to Old Crow Medicine Show and pulled it off with gusto. A few technical difficulties aside, this group rocked the house.

After a riveting night of music, judges from the SEC and WSPN struggled to choose a winner out of the four talented groups. The panel picked Slim Charles as the winner of the evening, but no one could deny that it was a close contest and certainly the best concert anyone had attended so far this academic year.

Soul funkstress Janelle Monae to play Skidmore

Posted by Jenna Postler

The college community is preparing to welcome soul funkstress Janelle Monáe as this year's Big Show. At 8 p.m. on Oct. 1, the Student Entertainment Committee will host the artist in the Sports and Recreation Center.

Similar to last year's act, Grizzly Bear, Janelle Monáe may be an artist who is unfamiliar to many students. Although rising in popularity, she is still widely unknown.

Some may recognize her single "Tightrope" featuring Big Boi of Outkast and the even catchier "Wondaland" remix featuring B.o.B. Currently touring and promoting her new album, The "ArchAndroid," Monáe has been a standard opener for indie pop band Of Montreal.

"The ArchAndroid," Monáe's sophomore album, tells the story of Cindi Mayweather, the heroine of her first album "Metropolis." Through imaginative songs and orchestral arrangements, Monáe paints the picture of Cindi as the ArchAndroid, sent to free the citizens of Metropolis.

The openers for Monáe, Eli "Paperboy" Reed and The True Loves, are equally soulful and play Sam Cooke inspired tunes.

"SEC is really excited about booking Janelle because she is such a unique female performer who has her own aesthetic and sensibility. Also, we know she will put on a great energetic and very danceable show," SEC President Hannah Ronson '12 said.

Monáe will be sure to get students and community members alike moving to her soul, funk and afro-punk inspired music.

Tickets are $5 for students and $20 for the public. Tickets are available for sale in Case Center and online at brownpapertickets.com.