Posts for March 2007
Saturday, March 31 2007
One Night Only
Everyone could stand to see a little more live music. The amount of shows being played in Boston on any given night can be bewildering. For example, I know for a fact that there are at least ten different clubs, bars, lounges or venues providing live entertainment on this particular weeknight. Tourfilter knows what’s playing when and where.
Back home, around seventh or eighth grade I discovered a local venue where a lot of my favorite bands would come to play. Being well under the legal age to drive, getting back home around midnight would have been impossible had it not been for my father’s willingness to drive myself and my small group of friends back from this club, even on weeknights. I didn’t think anything of it at first, but eventually realized this was not typical its-a-weeknight-get-to-bed parenting and asked my dad one night why he had no problem driving our freshly teenaged selves about at all hours of the night.
Years ago, one of his best friends offered him an extra ticket to go see Jimi Hendrix in New York City. Rather than accept this offer, my father went to go see his girlfriend at the time instead, figuring he would see him “the next time he came around.” Months later, Hendrix was found dead, and my dad had missed an opportunity to see one of the most innovative and influential guitar players of all time. Bad call. Because of this, my dad was willing to provide transportation to shows whenever possible — hey, you never know when it might be the last time to see that act. This isn’t to say that the lead of your favorite indie band will be found asphyxiated on wine and vomit, but no one likes to be in class the day after and have that annoying kid that sits in front of you talking loudly to his friends about HOW AWESOME that show last night was. Anyway, back to internet-stuff.
Make an account at tourfilter (takes five seconds) and start filling in your favorite acts. The site tracks the online listings of Boston-area venues and posts them all in an easy to read format. Whenever a band that you have added to your list makes plans to come to town, tourfilter sends you a heads-up via email so you can get your tickets well in advance. The site is so easy to figure out that it’s barely worth trying to detail the minutiae, just try it. However, one feature that is worth noting just because it’s fucking sweet is the little gray link at the top of the page that reads “tourfilter mixtape.” This launches a flash player that generates a radio station composed exclusively of music that will be soon appearing in this fair city. Hear something you like, add it, and the show is listed in your “upcoming” list. I think I’ll go see if there’s anything that strikes my fancy for this weekend. Rock on, kids.
Photo courtesy Flickr user skyfaller under Creative Commons license.
Friday, March 30 2007
No Phishes, No Marleys, No Daves
Sebadoh’s III, one of Erik’s Non-Typical
College Albums
Moving to Boston and attending college has ushered in an entirely different environment than the one I previously inhabited in Cincinnati, OH. Offering probably the largest deviation is the music people are into up here. This has been to my advantage, however, because there have been several times back home where I”ve tried to show albums to more punk minded friends of mine and been turned away, or shrugged off like “Oh Erik, you and your indie rock.”
Too many times in magazines I”ve read in the past, in some attempt at wit, a writer has tried to rank the top 10 college albums of all time. These usually include such played out jams like Bob Marley’s Legend, any number of Dave Matthews Band albums, or some other album that’s constantly being played while a bunch of dudes chill back over some Nati Ices and “bro out.”
While I completely understood going into this article that Emerson defies the “bro” stereotype by about a mile (thankfully), please, allow me to complain. I still hear too much Dave. I don’t care about Dispatch. Or, now that I live in the big shiny tower known as Piano Row, I hear a shit ton of show tunes, or people just talking about show tunes. I don’t really think I”ve heard people just TALK so much about a genre as much as I have show tunes. It was bad enough having “Seasons Of Love” from Rent play as our class song at high school graduation.
So, without further ado, I present to you, in somewhat of an attempt at wit:
The Top 10 Non-Typical College Albums (in no particular order)
Sebadoh - III
In 1989, J Mascis kicked Lou Barlow out of Dinosaur Jr. Almost immediately, Barlow retreated to his home and began kicking out all sorts of lo-fi jams under the name Sebadoh. III, which is thought by many to be the band’s peak, also stands as a great example of a college age adult hiding in their room constructing tunes on their own budget, something that Emerson students have a tendency to do. Drop this album on your acoustic-jamming roommate’s bed. It”ll change things.
Thursday, March 29 2007
Getting Your Hands Grubby: Volunteer with Grub Street Writers
Grub Street: “where boston gets writing”
Emerson has long been a school which prides itself on encouraging its students to gain as much hands-on, real-life experience as possible. Whether through internships, volunteer work, or one of the plethora of on-campus organizations, a little (okay, preferably a lot) of time spent working in your chosen field pays off well after graduation–you might not have to join that Facebook group about picking a major you like and someday living in a box. Emerson tries to keep students aware of the various opportunities available by hosting preparatory meetings and internship fairs, but most of the work lies within the student’s motivation. To get an internship or accumulate volunteer hours takes effort–find the organization, contact the right person, get hired, haul yourself across town by foot or by T and finally, maybe, you’ll get some credentials for that ever-intimidating resume. Little do many know, however, that a bright-and-shiny chance lies just down the block, provided you can navigate getting buzzed in, braving a creaking, ancient (and strangely spaghetti-scented) elevator, and making it up to the fourth floor of 160 Boylston.
Meet Grub Street Writers. Some of you (most likely the other WLP students like myself) recieved the e-mail about their Recruitment Meeting. Like many, I would have disregarded the email because it doesn’t give a lot of information about Grub Street. However, I recently visited with the coordinator after a rather serendipitous encounter last week (involving a 1940’s graduate of Emerson discussing World War II Hollywood and then directing myself and two friends up to Grub Street offices–”Now tell them Pat sent you dears!”).
Wednesday, March 28 2007
How To: Print on Campus Anywhere, Anytime
So simple, even cats can do it!
It’s happened to the best of us. Mid-printing your fifteenth copy of your paper, your ink cartridge that’s been warning you for half a year about its sorry state dies and you’re left with unreadable, streaked pages.
Little do most students know that even though you’re not on a lab computer, as long as you’re on campus, you can print to almost any print station throughout the campus. From the Library to the Ansin labs, all can be accessed from your laptop or dorm desktop. This can be a huge help for time-crunched students. But, make sure you’re going to be by the printer soon. From the Emerson Labs page:
Please note that print jobs will only be available at the Print Release Stations for two hours after they are sent to the printer. For this reason, we suggest to print to a printer that is geographically convenient to you. Also, some computer labs host classes during the day. To avoid disturbing a class, we suggest printing to the following open access facilities:
- XML
- Advanced Projects Lab (APL)
- Tufte Lab
- IT Help Desk Print Kiosks
- 150 Boylston Print Kiosks
- Emerson College Library
To get the ability to print to these stations, all that’s needed is a simple download.
Download: for Mac, for Windows (browse down to “For Windows XP,” where you can pick where you’d like to print).
Good luck!
Photo courtesy of Flickr user thejulietflies under Creative Commons.
Tuesday, March 27 2007
Rez: The Synthesis of Interactive Media, Electronic Music, and Auto-erotic Stimulation
In 2001, Sega released a game for the Dreamcast (and later for the PS2) called Rez.
On the surface it appeared to be yet another railshooter full of eyecandy; however, the unique aspect of the game was its use of music. As the player fought through the levels, each enemy produced a characteristic sound when locked onto and shot down. These sounds were sequenced in time with the throbbing electronic soundtrack, encouraging the player to experiment with building new musical elements in real time.
Monday, March 26 2007
Kayla’s Awesome Cheddar-Beer Fondue
Pro chef & entertainer Kayla Parker displays the ingedients for our viewers at home
Want to seem classy but have trouble with even the simplest concept of sophistication? Well don’t fret (no need to start disfiguring those tiny forks your mother gave you when you went to college even though 97% of the time you eat with your hands). I have an easy, cheap, and deceptively refined recipe to serve at your next party.
CHEDDAR-BEER FONDUE!
This is my own recipe that I modified from a formal one simply because I really can’t justify buying a whole bottle of Worcestershire sauce and cayenne pepper for one pot of beer fondue. Also, there isn’t an exact science to making this dish so don’t worry if you find yourself with the less than perfect fondue. Almost all problems related to this dish are easily remedied. If you are nervous, don’t worry- I”ve gotten nothing but amazing feedback about this dish.
Friday, March 23 2007
Boston, Lost In
Cell it up, yo!
It’s around 11:00 on a Friday night, and you got dragged to some lame house party in Allston. Between sipping your room temperature Keystone Light and trying to get out of earshot of the awful music, your phone rings! A friend on the other line shouts over what sounds like a packed house. In straining to hear, all you manage to pick out is, “Margaret St! North End! Wooo!” and the sound of the phone snapping shut. Now what? You’re here having a terrible time out by Harvard Ave and any number of your buddies are tearing it up in a labyrinthine neighborhood a world away. A cab’s not an option, you would be heading out alone and you broke your last ten bucks for a cup at this poor excuse for a soiree.
Meet Hopstop, a free service that provides practical city transit directions for New York, San Francisco, Chicago, DC, and most importantly, Boston. Instead of senselessly fumbling over a train map and a street address, this service tells you exactly how to get around. In addition to the main page, and what really separates it from the MBTA website, Hopstop offers a mind blowing mobile service. If you need to get from Point A to Point B on the fly while you’re running around Boston (or find yourself in something similar to the hypothetical situation above) and have your phone registered, just text the to and from to a special number and it will spit back free step by step directions: getting to the T, any transfers you need to take, and the streets needed to get you wherever you need to go. Never take a taxi again! Two bucks and the will to hoof it a couple blocks will get you and your digital divining rod out and back home quick.
Classic Cocktails, Vol. II
Welcome to part two in my series on cocktails. This time around we’ll be covering the Margarita, Manhattan, and Tequila Sunrise.
This one has been quite popular in recent years. Like the Whiskey Sour, this drink has suffered from companies that take advantage of people’s lack of knowledge and market cheap premade mixers. There is no reason to buy “Margarita Mix” - it’s quite simple to make one yourself, and far more tasty!
There are two main variations of the margarita - the traditional cocktail, and the trendy “frozen margarita.”
You’ll want some decent Tequila (try to get the kind that is 100% Agave - it’s pricier, but until you’ve had it you don’t know what Tequila is supposed to taste like. Try to get a gold Tequila, but white Tequilas will work as well.) Also make sure to pick up some Triple Sec (don’t skimp here - I prefer Cointreau or Curaçao, and some people use Grand Marnier, an orange liqueur made with cognac.) Finally, get some fresh limes, and Agave nectar (you can also use simple syrup, but the agave counterbalances the Tequila quite nicely.) You may also want to pick up some rimming salts, or just simple table salt. There are many types of rimming salts and spices you can find in specialty stores, give them a try.
Thursday, March 22 2007
Learn From Stephanie: Watch Yo’ Shit in the Library!
Cubbies are more dangerous than they look
During the peak times of the school year (I’m thinking along the lines of mid- and end-of-semester), it can be pretty hard to find a seat in Emerson’s library, especially if you”re eyeing those little single-person cubbies hugging the walls. After what seems like an eternity, you”ve found a vacancy, and you must act like the studying beast you are, marking your territory by dropping your things onto the desktop. Then, when you have to get up to get a book, you have to leave the desk you worked so hard to obtain. Of course, the most logical thing to do is to leave your stuff behind to make sure nobody takes your seat.
Well, Emerson Junior Stephanie Appell did just that, leaving her cubby for 15 minutes, and when she returned, someone had not taken her seat, but $3000 worth of her stuff. This includes Stephanie’s PowerBook, brand-new iPod, and week-old cell phone. This is what she had to say:
It is looking increasingly like whoever did this was not a member of the Emerson community, by which I mean an “outside job,” someone who knew what they were doing, knew to dress like a student, come into the library before six o’clock, and just wait for an opportunity to present itself. The objects taken vs. the objects left behind indicate that they were efficient and interested only in items of value. The fact that my wallet ended up in the garbage can on the corner of Boylston and Tremont is probably due to the fact that it only had $15 in it. There are other factors, too, but I’ll leave it at that.
Stephanie’s LiveJournal Post
Tuesday, March 20 2007
RIP Shane Cross
A couple weeks ago, the skateboard world was hit with the news that one of the industry’s most loveable figures, Ali Boulala, and one of it’s most promising up-in-comer’s were involved in a deadly motorcycle accident. Twenty-year-old Shane Cross passed away shortly after the crash while Boulala was rushed to the hospital. Boulala was then placed into a medical induced coma and treated for the two fractures in his skull. According to his board sponsor, Flip:
Since Monday [March, 12th] the hospital have slowly but surely bringing him out of the medically induced coma. While this process has been going on a lot of tests have taken place. The news on these tests is that Ali’s neck is not broken and the brain scans have been positive. We will give you further updates when we have them.
Ali Boulala has been a favorite among core skateboards for years due to his drunken, reckless style on and off his board. Any Boulala footage is worth a watch, however he is most known for his part in Flip’s legendary video Sorry. Other parts included Osiris” Subject to Change and Flip’s Really Sorry.