April 28, 2011

Issue 199 | April 28, 2011

Duck jam making a big splash

EnD of school bash bEnEfits japan

bombErs signthrEE aggiEs

2 | MAROON WEEKLY April 28 – May 4 www.maroonweekly.com

www.maroonweekly.com April 28 – May 4 MAROON WEEKLY | 3

PublisherMick Maynard

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writers

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Caviar Dreams: Font

gabrielle nguyenbrandon nowalk

erica PitmanMegan roizian soares

Joey trevino

Kassie Cessnaautumn dawsonturner dawson

Josh howellsarabeth lacyMara Minsberg

sherrill Mogonye

News & Views

bE on thE look-out for this stickEr arounD town:

By Chris Shepperd

When it comes to roommates, complexity is the norm. When it comes to paying your utility bills, on time, simplicity is key. But in an environment where ramen noodles and water is a balanced diet, it is hard to find an easy work-around to the utility bill landscape. Enter AggieBills.com.

AggieBills.com is a service designed by two Baylor grads (and former roommates). The concept is clear. AggieBills.com helps students setup their utility bills, consolidates those bills into one easy monthly payment, divides that bill evenly among the roommates, and does it all for $4 per person per month.

Kevin Jones and Colin Heller founded the service back in 2008 (BearBills is the company name in Waco). Within 8 months of going live with the business, the company had over 2,000 customers. The company is now in multiple university markets throughout the state of Texas including Aggieland.

“When we were roommates we got tired of having to pay each other back for the bills,” Jones said. “So we sat down at the kitchen table and said ‘there has got to be a better way to do this.’ That is how [AggieBills.com] was started. It came from experience and necessity.”

AggieBills.com addresses several key factors. First they help students get signed up for

the multiple utilities required for having a fully functioning d o m e s t i c residence. Second they consolidate those bills into one payment. Rather than having 4 or 5 different bills coming at different times. Third they divide the consolidated bill evenly among roommates. Now no one person is ultimately responsible for the bill. Roommates are only responsible for their share of the bill.

“We help students set-up their utilities; combine all utilities into one bill with one due date; and split the total by the number of roommates so that each roommate gets one bill for only their portion of the utilities,” Jones said. “The students pay AggieBills.com and AggieBills.com pays the utility providers, on time.”

AggieBills.com requires students to have a form of payment on file. So bills are paid on time and there is minimum effort involved in keeping up with things.

“AggieBills.com allows roommates to get along. With AggieBills.com, there is no concern over collecting from roommates for utility bills, making sure their checks are deposited in your account before paying the bills and remembering to pay each utility bill on time,” Jones said. “We take the hassle away and allow you to love your roommate again.”

If you would like to find out more about AggieBills.com or if you would like to sign up for their service, visit them online at www.aggiebills.com.

Aggie Bills takes the stress out of paying your bills


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News & Views

By Joshua Howell

There have, in this series of articles, been several organizations covered which, as part of their self-imposed obligations, consider it worthwhile to bridge the gap between those new to America and those in Aggieland. Most are only uni-cultural, specifically targeting one brand of incoming student. The Aggie International Ambassadors, however,

account for every international student, no matter their origin. Despite the heft of this responsibility, their work is bidirectional. Not only do they attempt to acclimate them to American culture, they also strive to bring international culture to domestic students.To accommodate these challenges, AiA does not accomplish its work alone, but work with several organizations as well. Their most prominent coworkers are the International

Student Association (ISA) and One Aggieland. With the ISA, they regularly participate in I-Week, a week devoted to international students. One Aggieland is a burgeoning organization whose primary goal is to initiate a “network or organizations that can work together to fight global injustice.”

In addition to this, they attempt to attend many of the events other organizations

put on, so that they might support these organizations and international networking in general.

“One of the biggest challenges we face is that, as students, we can be kept in a ‘bubble’ sometimes. We find ourselves consumed only with what is going on right around us in College Station, rather than the world as a whole. AiA, therefore, promotes education about international issues as an avenue to becoming more globally aware,” explained Kristin Bartlett, the sitting president of AiA.

AiA attempts to promote international awareness by putting at the forefront study abroad programs. Most of their members either intend to, or have taken part in, study abroad programs.

“We have members that have lived overseas, members that have travelled extensively, members that are international students, and members that have never been outside the U.S.”

Their members include Mohammed Baban, the current treasurer, who is in charge or the organization’s finances and creating fundraising opportunities. Caitlyn Hill, the Director of External Events leads the on campus and community events for the Association, while Director of Internal Affairs, Brittany Dever, overseas internal duties such as planning social events, speakers for meetings, and handling membership.

Their meetings are hosted Thursdays from 6:30 to 7:30 in Rudder and, once a week, they take time to have a social instead of a meeting, which consists of dinner at a restaurant which serves international food, an international movie, or simply gathering together.

While the AiA have been putting on events all year, their most recent one, Global Revolution, was perhaps the biggest. On April 12th and 13th, they hosted a “Fold for Japan” table, in which passers-by could fold origami paper cranes. For every paper crane created, the Bezos Family Foundation donated two dollars to reconstruction efforts in Japan. They are currently counting the cranes, but early estimates say that several hundred were created.

“Understanding where each person comes from, whether foreign or domestic, is a way to bridge culture gaps and is especially important within our organization. Integrating all of our members’ differences into the group is an essential part of a club that is so diverse.”

On campus clubs: AiA


News & Views

Buger BoyBy Joey Trevino

Since they served up their first burger in 1979, Burger Boy has been the hidden gem of Northgate. Formally nestled behind the Apple store and Happy Yogurt, the institution of great food at great prices and even greater service has been around as generation after generation of Aggies come and go.

But as of Monday, April 25, 2011, Burger Boy will be turning the page and starting a new chapter as it opens the doors to a new location at 4337 Wellborn Rd., near Garpez, in the Westgate Shopping center.

Although they have a new building, when it comes down to business, Burger Boy has the same attitude. You can still expect fast delivery on and off campus and exceptional food, with the added benefits of a more

convenient location, plenty of parking, a larger dinning room and better overall facilities.

“Long time customers can expect the same great food, great prices and the great service they’ve come to expect from Burger Boy over the past 32 years,” said Ken Simmons, owner of Burger Boy, “but now we can offer them ample parking, easier accessibility, and a nicer place to eat.”

For more information about Burger Boy you can visit their website at www.burger-boy.com, follow them on twitter @burgerboy1979 or find them on Facebook.

With 32 years in the business of serving up burgers, the future for Burger Boy couldn’t seem any brighter. Be sure you stop in to the new location for a bite to eat and see what they’ve done with the place.



Arts & Entertainment

By Chris Shepperd

Tucked deep in Thompson Hall on the Texas A&M campus is an engineering shop. It is past all of the classrooms, offices and labs. If you aren’t looking for it you may miss it. But there is no mistaking what takes place in that shop.

A team of students, led this year by Project Manager Miles Egbert, a mechanical engineering senior, are working to build their very own hybrid race car. The Society of Automotive Engineers is building the car to compete in the Formula Hybrid International Competition taking place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, May 4-7.

According to the Formula Hybrid website “Formula Hybrid challenges college and university students to design, build, and race high-performance, plug-in hybrid vehicles. Building on the Formula SAE program, Formula Hybrid adds an extra level of complexity: fuel efficiency. With technological challenges for students with backgrounds in electrical, mechanical, and computer engineering, Formula Hybrid encourages interdisciplinary teamwork

and innovation.”

The SAE program, and this race car project specifically, is what drew Egbert to A&M.

“My dad told me about this project as I was starting to look at colleges,” Egbert said. “I came here to be a part of this project and to build a race car.”

The team is comprised of students enrolled in ENGR 401 and ENGR 402. The car is student designed and most of the parts and all of the body is student built.

“The average budget for most cars competing in this competition is $60,000-$100,000,” Crew Chief Will Hiltebeitel said. “But we don’t have that kind of money. We make the parts ourselves.”

Despite the large gap in budget, A&M has fared quite well in past competitions.

“This is our third year to compete in the hybrid portion of the competition,” Egbert said. “In our first year we placed first by a large margin. Last year we placed second. We lost to a team from Italy by four points.”

With a team built of Mechanical Engineers and Electrical Engineers, there is no lack of knowledge and skills when it comes to building this car. But they are competing against the best in the world.

“There are several international teams that compete each year,” Hiltebeitel said. “This year there are teams from Italy, Russia, and a few other places.”

Hiltebeitel was pretty much spot on. International teams this year are coming from Canada, Russia, Sweden, Italy, India and Taiwan. While the field is predominately American, the International field is well represented.

While the race is the obvious pinnacle for the team and their car, there are countless hours invested in the project throughout the year.

“We have been putting in 40+ hours a week for the last two semesters,” Egbert said. “But what we gain in the shop is valuable hands on experience in the engineering field.”

Apparently the experience is paying

off. Egbert and several others on the team have already secured jobs after graduation in the engineering field.

“What we are doing in the shop directly relates to what employers are looking for,” Egbert said. “We are learning to problem solve, to think on our feet, to work in a team environment. All of that translate well into the workforce.”

The build may be nearing completion but the fun is just beginning. Egbert and his team are driving to New Hampshire with one goal in mind.

“We have been making sure we have all of our ducks in a row,” Hiltebeitel said. “We have a great car and have been able to learn from the teams that have come before us.”

Building Champions extends past the athletic department at A&M. This class has produced champions before and they fully expect to do it again.

“We are going up there to win,” Egbert said. And he means it.

Aggie Engineers design hybrid race car


events

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Thursday, April 28The Original College Night @ Texas Hall of FameKaraoke @ Schotzi’s8pm Singer/Songwriter night @ The Village Café 6-8pm Party on the Patio @ Ozona’sJohnny Falstaff & Hank Schyma @ Church Street Blues & BBQMatt Harlan, Scott Shelby Band @ Stafford Main St.Tyler Cannon @ La BodegaLadies’ Night @ Gatsbys

Friday, April 29DUCK JAM @ Wolf Pen Creek AmphitheaterCatfish & Hushpuppies @ Church Street Blues & BBQThe Blaggards @ O’Bannon’sSouthern Sound, Clint Levi Band, Reagan Firestorm @ Schotzi’sDeFacto Production’s 2nd Annual End of School Bash @ Stafford Main St.Jay Greene @ La BodegaBrian Burke Band-Duckjam Afterparty (get in free with your Duckjam wristband) @ Hurricane Harry’s

Saturday, April 30DUCK JAM @ Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater10pm Salsa Dancing @ The Village Café A Formal Affair, Brazos Stone @ Schotzi’s8pm Bonnie Blue @ Stafford Main St.Texas Twisters @ Lakeside Icehouse, Lake Bryan6:45pm Fade 2 Black Dance Ensemble’s 20th Anniversary Spring Show @ Rudder AuditoriumThe Longhaul Band @ La BodegaLandon Dodd & The Dancehall Drifters @ Texas Hall of Fame

Sunday, May 1DJ Verros and DJ Drock @ Schotzi’s12:30pm Claire Domingue Acoustic Brunch @ Church Street Texas Blues & BBQ

Monday, May 2Open Mic @ Schotzi’s

Tuesday, May 3Josh Abbot Band-Dead day party w/ Rich O’Toole @ Hurricane Harry’s

Wednesday, May 48pm Salsa Lessons @ The Village Café 10:30pm Seth Candan @ Church Street Texas Blues & BBQ

Thursday, May 5without a face @ Stafford Main St.Karaoke w/ Tyler Cannon @ La BodegaSinger/Songwriter night @ The Village Café 6-8pm Party on the Patio @ Ozona Grill and BarKaraoke @ Schotzi’sLadies’ Night @ Gatsbys

Friday, May 6First Friday in Downtown BryanTyler Brown @ La BodegaKevin Fowler w/ Rosehill @ Texas Hall of FameRoad Side Texas, Nelo, Chief Nation @ Schotzi’s10pm JT Coldfire @ Church Street Texas Blues & BBQ

Saturday, May 7Matt Harlan, Chandler, The Headliners, Johnny’s Body, The Phuss, Ray Johnston, The Primary, Flawless Escape, Sounds Under Radio, The Heart is a Lonely, The Black and Blues @ Stafford Main St.Rooftop Renaissance @ La BodegaCharlie Robison w/ Shawn Jennings @ Texas Hall of FameDewey Wayne and Brad Cooper @ Schotzi’s

Sunday, May 8DJ Verros and DJ Drock @ Schotzi’s

By Autumn Dawson

Throughout this trilogy, Steig Larsson creates not only a twisted thriller, but unique and memorable characters that are both morally complex and intelligent. The theme of violence against and the exploitation of women runs throughout all three books, and unlike many authors, Larsson doesn’t shy away from the dark side of human nature. There are multiple scenes of graphic violence that will make your stomach turn, but this ugliness is tempered by the strong moral code and sense of justice exhibited by the main characters of Mikael and Lisbeth. And it is Mikael and Lisbeth that make these books so compelling and fascinating.

The third and final book recently hit shelves, but I strongly recommend beginning with book one, hence the review being of the entire trilogy.

The first book, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, introduces Mikael Blomkvist (crusading journalist) and Lisbeth Salander (hacker extraordinaire), as they team up to solve a 40-year-old murder and extricate Mikael from the mess of the Wennerstrom affair. There exists all the expect and unexpected twists and turns, in addition to one that surprised me: reading of a heroin who is essentially the female version of Dumas’ infamous Edmund Dantes (The Count of Monte Cristo), though she has certainly been updated for the Information Age. Like Dantes, Lisbeth merges fantastic cunning and physical strength to escape imprisonment, work the system for an inexhaustible fortune, and create an unstoppable extra-legal machine of revenge for the outrages suffered by women in general including herself, and more particularly her mother. Like Dantes, she even celebrates victory by sailing off anonymously to an island in the same sea as Dantes’ isle of Monte Cristo.

Then there is book two, The Girl Who Played With Fire. In this inspiring novel, Larsson provides us and Mikael with the back story on why Lisbeth is who and what she has become. As with anything related to Lisbeth, the story is complicated and multi-layered and fraught with violence. And when her past comes back to haunt her and she’s framed for a triple murder, no one but Mikael and Dragan Armansky believe she is innocent. The book focuses on the police’s hunt for Lisbeth Salander, while Lisbeth and Mikael race to uncover the conspiracy against her and find the real murderer. This installment of the story ends with a bullet lodged in Lisbeth’s head.

Which brings us to book three, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest. This last installment opens with Lisbeth in a chopper on the way to a hospital, her body mangled and a bullet in her brain. The third book is woven with non-stop action and revelations, culminating in the trial of Lisbeth Salander in which her life is laid bare and her fate decided. Will she end up in jail? Be committed to a psychiatric facility? Escape from the authorities and vanish? Be vindicated once and for all?

I’m not telling... nor would you want me to.

One of the most fascinating things about the plot of this final novel is that in another book, the good guys and the bad guys could have easily switched places. There are no cookie-cutter heroes and villains in Larsson’s world. And unlike many trilogies, the third in this trilogy is the author’s best work, which is high praise indeed considering the two novels that came before. Despite the author’s plans for another book in this series, cut short by his untimely demise, the third creates a wondrous end to a truly unique and fascinating tale.

Rest in peace, Mr. Larsson.

book review

Trilogy by Steig Larsson



Trilogy by Steig Larsson


By Brandon Nowalk

It’s safe to come out, Scream fans. It took a decade for the stink of the bloated, pointless Scream 3 to finally wash out of Ghostface’s dimestore costume, but the franchise is back for a reboot with new self-aware teens and contemporary horror tropes. What a decade it was, with the Saw/Hostel torture porn franchises, the Final Destination grand guignol, and the girls-pushed-to-their-limits sagas of The Ring and The Descent filling the void. Naturally Wes Craven’s Scream 4 devours and regurgitates these entries in mainstream horror, but usually just with a name-check and Jigsaw’s yellowy garage lighting. This Scream is obsessed with nothing so much as itself.

Set on the anniversary of the initial Woodsboro murders from Scream, the story charts—you guessed it—another set of high school murders, this time from the next generation with its iPhones and Facebook stalking and Twitter stardom and webcams. Scream was built on landlines and VHS tapes, so Scream 4 derives most of its bite from the new technologies teens use to mediate their experience in the world. Except for hottie red herring/Skeet Ulrich 2.0, the new kids on the block are updated, too, which is good because Sidney, Dewey, and Gale get lost in the screenplay. Where Jamie Kennedy and Rose McGowan were broadly clever, Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere are a lot more low-key, and not for no reason, either. Disaffected is the new obnoxious.

Naturally we wind up with new film club geeks to tell us the rules of reboots, but, as with Scream 3’s anything-goes-including-the-supernatural nonsense, Scream 4 doesn’t actually have anything to say about reboots, instead coming up with rules with no actual basis in American horror: “Only surefire way to survive a modern horror, you pretty much have to be gay.” It’s an obvious invention for the sole purpose of calling back to it later, art pretending to imitate life.

But Scream 4’s war on postmodernism doesn’t stop there. The film’s self-awareness is a refreshing embrace of the series’ purpose—which is supposed to be a subversion of the slasher genre—and the opening of Scream 4 opens the curtains with the perfect amount of humor, scares, and TV starlets deconstructing horror. The problem is that beyond a few clever lines, the meta has no point, and many setpieces lacked tension because we’ve seen them before. Besides, the ending is a sharper indictment of certain Generation Y cohorts than slasher clichés. Characters act like they’re in a scary movie just because that’s what characters in Scream do. It makes for a witty back-and-forth in Kevin Williamson’s script, but onscreen it’s empty calories.

That said, the opening phone ring is killer. The best part of the franchise, other than smart, tough girls running and fighting, is that verbal sparring that precedes the slashing. Panettiere absolutely steals the show, and her phone chats pulse with suspense thanks to her credible performance, disbelieving, nervous, brave, terrified. Yes, Hayden Panettiere is the star of Scream 4. Now that I didn’t see coming.


movie review book reviewscream 4 Little bee by chris cleave

By Gabrielle Nguyen

I love being a book reviewer, but it’s not always the easiest job. Each week, I chug a book and churn out a review, and since I spend a lot of time immersed in that book, selecting the right book is essential. Which is why the sparse and cryptic synopsis of Chris Cleave’s Little Bee made it both intriguing and somewhat of a gamble.

After reading Little Bee, though, I can see why the most informing part of the synopsis was: “This is a story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice…Two years later, they meet again—the story starts there.” It is hard to reveal more of the story without adversely affecting the experience of the novel. I can tell you, though, that the two women are Little Bee, a self-named refugee from Nigeria seeking asylum in the UK, and Sarah Summers, a discontent, upper-middle class British mother and recent widow.

The beauty in this engaging novel is the characters, most especially Little Bee. Her observations, descriptions, and even opinions are unique and memorable and can range from poetic to comedic. The opening line of the novel is, “Most days I wish I was a British pound coin instead of an African girl. Everyone would be pleased to see me coming.”

And in describing tea, it is, “the taste of my land: it is bitter and warm, strong, and sharp with memory. It tastes of longing…Also it vanishes—the taste of it vanishes from your tongue while your lips are still hot from the cup…I have heard that your country drinks more tea than any other. How sad that must make you—like children who long for absent mothers.”

After all the horrors that she has endured after being rudely evicted from her simple and sheltered life, Little Bee still sees the world in a refreshingly optimistic way and even manages sympathize with others. In Sarah’s half of the story, her four-year-old son Charlie steals the show with his emphatic claim that he is Batman and his refusal to don anything other than that costume.

Little Bee is a stunning, moving, and thrilling novel. With each little discovery, you are left with a greater curiosity as to what happened between Little Bee and Sarah all those years ago. While the situation often seems dire and it seems like a truly happy ending is impossible, you can’t help but hope and yearn for the best, and you wonder, if you were in those characters’ shoes, would you make the same choices.

Those who enjoyed Little Bee might also like Jamie Ford’s Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (a well-crafted tale revolving around the dynamic between Asian immigrants and their Americanized children and of the tensions between the Chinese and the Japanese), Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto (in which high profile party goers are forced into an extended stay by Latin terrorists), and Ian McEwan’s Atonement (a devastating story of how one girl’s lie destroyed the lives of two lovers, one of which was her sister).



By Erica Pitman

Duck Jam is a weekend of music, food and other activities that is put on by Ducks Unlimited, a volunteer-based wetlands and waterfowl conservation organization.

This year, the 6th annual Duck Jam, courtesy of Ducks Unlimited, Global Event Group and the City of College Station, will take place Friday April 29 and Saturday April 30 at the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheatre in College Station.

“The 2011 Duck Jam lineup includes Bellamy Brothers Band, Dirty Heads, Cody Canada and The Departed, Rich O’Toole, Hotel California, The Rock-A-Fellas and more,” Cassie Bobbitt of Global Event Group said.

There will also be other attractions such as the ‘Lil Quacks Camp’ for the children and the brand new ‘Taste of the Town’ featuring more than 20 different local restaurants, Bobbitt said.

Duck Jam, as this large event, is a Ducks Unlimited effort to gain more members and to raise money for habitat conservation, specifically for wetlands and waterfowl.

Ducks Unlimited began in 1937 with a small group of sportsmen who wanted to protect the dwindling waterfowl population and the corresponding ecosystem in which the waterfowl live, the wetlands. More than half of the original wetlands in the United States have been lost, and 80,000 acres continue to be lost each year. Ducks Unlimited has a passion for protecting these productive ecosystems, and has successfully conserved more than 12 million acres.

Since its humble start, Ducks Unlimited has grown into the world’s leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation with its vision being wetlands sufficient to provide skies filled with waterfowl. And in order to make their vision a reality, Ducks Unlimited relies on memberships. The Ducks Unlimited members are the heartbeat of the organization, and they are essential to its success and survival.

Membership being so important, Duck Jam is one of many key events, as it brings in more new members than any other event, Bobbitt said.

“Membership drive is important to them,” Bobbitt said. “Memberships allow them to campaign for many different things like giving Ducks Unlimited more power at Capital Hill and raising money for the organization.”

When Global Event Group got involved with Duck Jam, the event itself was successful, but it wasn’t reaching a broad enough audience.

“When we stepped in, we broadened the show,” Bobbitt said. “We geared Friday night more toward the college age, and made Saturday more family friendly. The demographic for Duck Jam is very much everything; it is very very broad.”

Any and all are welcome to Duck Jam, so be sure and come out to enjoy the exciting festivities. And remember, while you are there, that you are supporting a greater cause. You are helping to conserve some of the world’s most efficient ecosystems, the wetlands, and the animals that inhabit them, the waterfowl.

Duck Jam raises money, awareness for Ducks unlimiteD

Duck Jam


Ozona Grill & Bar520 Harvey Road • College Station, TX979-694-4618

Thursday Party on The Patio:$2 Domestic Drafts$2 Well Drinks$3 Twisted Teas$5/lb Crawfish

Have you ever wanted to see if you have “the chops” tobe a performer? Tired of karaoke? Come perform forthe Ozona crowd with the Ozona house band. Sing

or bring an instrument and belt it out. This is your chance toplay with a full band and show off your stuff...FOR FREE!

If you’re not a performer, come out and see the up and comingartists around the Brazos Valley while enjoying some of thebest drink specials in town!

Open MicOpenOpenOpen MicMicT H U R S D A Y

with the Ozona House Band backing you up!

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Cedrick and Mitch of the Ozona House Band


By Sherrill Mogonye

The Dirty Heads are a musical group that play a mix of reggae rock, hip hop, ska punk and acoustic. The band from Orange County was also recently named one of the “best new bands of 2010” by Rolling Stone magazine. This year, they will be performing right here in College Station at Duck Jam.

Their Sublime-like catchy tunes immediately transport you to a sunny beach in SoCal with surfers and skateboards buzzing by. This image epitomizes the 5-man band, The Dirty Heads, who also love to skateboard, surf and party. Their name originated from a time that they were stealing a 12-pack of beer and someone shouted ‘come here you little dirty heads!’

The band was founded in 1996 by vocalist and guitarist, Jared “Dirty J” Watson and vocalist, Dustin “Duddy B” Bushnell. They were later joined by percussionist, Jon Olazabal, drummer, Matt Ochoa and bassist, David Foral. The band performed at small local venues for years, but only recently released their debut album that put them in the spotlight.

Their hit single “Lay Me Down” from the album “Any Port in a Storm” was released in September of 2008. The music video for “Lay Me Down” which premiered on MTV in June 2010 featured Rome Ramirez of Sublime with Rome, who The Dirty Heads also toured with this year.

Their tunes may remind you of similar bands popular in the 1990s and early 2000s: Pepper, 311, the band formerly known as Sublime and Matisyahu. Their swift beats and lyrics are similar yet modernized.

The “Any Port in a Storm” debut album features many big names from the industry including the late Beatles collaborator, Billy Preston, who is often referred to as the “fifth Beatle.” He is featured in three songs on their album and these are some of the last recordings from Preston before his death in 2006. The album also features Josh Freese, the drummer for Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle and the iconic guitarist, Slash.

Some of their songs have been used in skateboard video games, television shows and the Surf’s Up movie. Matthew McConaughey also personally chose their music for his movie Surfer, Dude.

The Dirty Heads are currently one of the most popular bands in their sub-genre of Reggae. They will definitely bring a different aura to the Duck Jam scene and you will want to see what they’re all about. You can’t miss the guys with flat brimmed caps, sunglasses, long wavy hair and tattoos.

The Dirty Heads


plus tax

710 University Drive East • 979-691-8501 • rosascafe.com

®

Located on Northgate103 Boyett, College Station

www.obannonstaphouse.com979-846-9214

Where a Pint Precedes Every Story...

By Lana Rothe

If you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t heard about Cody Canada and the Departed you are in for a musical treat. And if you’re like me and you’re missing the days of Cross Canadian Ragweed, don’t fret folks, there’s a new band in town!

Front man Cody Canada, formerly of Cross Canadian Ragweed enlightens us on a different level with this new band, set to release its first record “This is Indian Land” an Oklahoma tribute album this summer. CCR roadies put your bandana’s back on, grab a beer and get ready to rock.

Seth James, David Bowen, Jeremy Plato, Steve Littleton and Cody Canada comprise Cody Canada and the Departed. I heard the buzz about this new band and I was excited to see them live. Over Spring Break they played at Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas and I was quite amazed at the different yet somewhat familiar sound ringing before my ears. I stood in the dancehall intrigued in musical heaven and loving everything I heard.

There are unique things that stuck out to me making the Departed an impressive act. Canada played lead vocals for more than half the songs but shares the stage with Plato and James. The three together make for a strong performance as one. Then, there’s Steve Littleton on the keyboard which makes the Departed’s sound original and compliments the blues and rock riffs. It’s the reason the sound is different in comparison to Ragweed, which was strings and percussion.

Nonetheless, Canada never disappoints with his entertaining onstage person and the new band mates bring a lot to the table in sound and performance alike.

Canada and the Departed take you on a musical adventure reliving the Ragweed days while introducing the new and improved sound of The Departed.

If you get the chance, check them out and be open to the change. Seth James’ raw, bluesy voice is a good addition and who wouldn’t want to fall back into Canada’s spell. You’re in luck because they will be in town rocking out on Friday, March 29th at Duck Jam. Just as some of the souvenir shirts say…In the end, “Blame Canada” for forming this amazing band.

Cody Canada

Duck Jam



By Sherrill Mogonye

What do the latest Texas A&M Battle of the Bands, Parents of the Year and 6th Annual Duck Jam have in common? Kimberly Dunn. This emerging singer and songwriter has a charming personality and a sensational voice that is gaining popularity in the Texas country music industry, and it all started here in College Station.

Last November, Kimberly Dunn ‘10 (also known as Kimberly Sue Garcia) tried out for the MSC Town Hall’s Battle of the Bands. Her solo acoustic act then proceeded on to the finals where she competed against two other bands on the Rudder Auditorium stage. Both bands were very talented, but it was Kimberly who came out on top.

One of the judges for the competition, Scott Willson, is also a guitarist for Flawless Escape, the 2008 Battle of the Bands winner. Scott recently started his own music management company called Up & Out Artists and upon witnessing Kimberly’s infectious sounds, he encouraged her to meet with him and his partner Will Harrison. Kimberly traveled to Austin to meet with them a few times and by the end of November they were her managers and promoters!

Kimberly, a native of San Antonio, first picked up a guitar at the age of 14 and hasn’t put it down since. She always loved music and even played clarinet and saxophone in her high school band. Kimberly soon realized that her passion for writing poems went hand in hand with the tunes of the guitar. She said that seeing a young LeeAnn Rimes sing and play the guitar was also inspiration to her from an early age.

“I was a closet singer at first,” Kimberly explained, but when she finally sang for her parents the first time they were very impressed. This gave her the motivation to keep singing. As a junior in high school she tried out for a talent show and the response from the crowd was great.

“I was never really good at something before,” she explained. But this was different.After high school, Kimberly attended San Antonio College and continued writing music for a year. She then got accepted to Texas A&M, following in her father and sister’s footsteps (class of ’80 and ‘08). Kimberly’s desire to stay involved with music led her to join the Corps of Cadets to become a member of the Aggie Band. Due to the time commitments of the Corps and the Aggie Band, her grades were suffering and less time was spent on her own music. With her friends’ and family’s support, she decided to leave the Corps to focus on her true calling.Throughout the next few years Kimberly was met with several opportunities to further her music career and each time these chances failed. Kimberly has never let this stop her from doing what she loves and her strong support system is what has steered this ambition.

This year, Kimberly’s parents were named the 2011-2012 Texas A&M Parents of the Year. They are strong supporters of Texas A&M, entrepreneurs and great role models for Kimberly. She says no matter what

hardships have gone on in their lives, they never show it and they never missed an Aggie football game or a chance to support their three daughters.

Their advice to her, “Don’t worry about money. Do what you love and the money will come later.”

That is exactly what Kimberly has done. She is currently recording her debut studio EP at Ray Benson’s Bismeaux Studios in Austin, Texas, which is also the home of Asleep at the Wheel. The EP is scheduled to be released later this summer as Kimberly also finishes her last semester as an undergraduate student.

None of this could have been possible without the help of Scott and Will’s management.

“Their contacts have opened so many doors,” says Kim, “ever since I met Scott and Will everything has exploded!”

When I asked her where she sees herself in five years, Kimberly explained that she’d like

to be headlining major venues like Harry’s and The Hall of Fame.“I want to be respected in the music industry,” she explained.

Kimberly went on to say that she hopes to make a name for herself so that she can support the nonprofit business that she has created which produces funding for malaria shots and other immunization shots in third world countries.

Kimberly’s enthusiastic view on life will undoubtedly lead her to success in the music industry and in her philanthropic endeavors.

Kimberly Dunn will be performing in support of Aaron Watson and The Bellamy Brothers at the 6th Annual Duck Jam on Saturday at 4:15 p.m. She will debut her single “Randy Rogers” and will leave you yearning more of her Texas country melodies.

Learn more about Kimberly Dunn at reverbnation.com/kimberlydunn.

Duck Jam

KIMBErly DunN


Duck Jam

By Chris Zebo

Last week, we caught up with Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights front man, Jonathan, as the band made its way up the East Coast to play a show in Portland, Maine. The 5-piece rock band out of Dallas will be wrapping up their tour soon and swinging back around to College Station to play at this year’s Duck Jam (6:30pm, Friday night).

In the past three years, JTNL has played alongside bands such as Erykah Badu, Leon Russell, The Black Crowes, Kool & the Gang, and Cross Canadian Ragweed. Interestingly, they were discovered by an A&R rep at SXSW (they actually DO find and sign bands there) in 2008 and quickly signed to F-Stop Music/Atlantic Records. They’ve won numerous awards and accolades, including Dallas Observer Music Awards for “Best Group,” “Best Male Vocalist,” and “Best Blues Act.” Their most recent album, Pardon Me, was released in 2010, and their take on rock ’n’ roll is old school and yet fresh at the same time. We wanted to prod Jonathan’s brain for some of the ingredients that went into the band’s retro-rock recipe. It took a little maneuvering; but we got him to open up.

MW: In your song, “Pardon Me,” you say, “Maybe it’s been too long since rock ‘n’ roll turned you on.” You guys have been consciously trying to bring something back to rock music. Do you feel rock ‘n’ roll has lost its course over the years? And, if so, what are you trying to bring back?

JT: Yeah, I definitely think that rock ‘n’ roll is pretty dead. I don’t really see any real rock bands out there. A bunch of bands calling themselves rock ‘n’ roll, but no one’s really doing the real thing, which is rhythm and blues music. It’s what rock ‘n’ roll is; it’s Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Rolling Stones. It’s not all this Nickleback stuff that’s out right now. A lot of guys call themselves rock ‘n’ roll, and I just don’t get it.

MW: What is it about the state of the music that turns you off? Is it some sense of authenticity that’s missing?

JT: I don’t want to make this interview about bashing some other people, but it doesn’t have the rhythm vibe; it’s just straight-up, straightforward, no real backbeat.

It’s just a musical thing. It’s not really danceable. And that’s what rock ‘n’ roll is: danceable rock music.

MW: Are there any groups in particular that epitomize the R&B side of rock?

JT: I mean, there are obvious ones. But right out of Texas, or Texas and Oklahoma, someone like Leon Russell. People may not know about his earlier music.

There’s guys like King Curtis; he’s a jazz guy but it’s definitely in that arena of rock ‘n’ roll. The obvious ones would be like Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, or Ray Charles. It’s music that has rhythm and blues.

MW: Right.

I didn’t think you were gonna go back that far. I read in an interview that when you were learning guitar, you were influenced by guys like Slash, so I guess I was thinking you’d drop names from the late eighties and early nineties.

JT: Honestly, that was one of those things where I said probably five or six people and they picked out one guy. I was listening to Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimmy Hendrix. Slash was one of them. I was just

listening to anybody I could and trying to learn how to play guitar off of everything.

MW: You’ve had a strong connection, musically, with Townes Van Zandt. You said something once about his lyrical honesty. I’m wondering if he’s a kind of point of reference for you, someone you might measure your own sincerity against when you’re writing.

JT: Yeah. There’s different types of songwriters out there. There are ones that don’t draw on any connection to their life in their songs. And there are other ones that are very open books about their lives in their songs. I think Neil Young is one. I think Townes Van Zandt is one. I really like that style because…I don’t know--you can just draw parallels from their lives, from their songs.

I don’t think it’s healthy to compare much.

Jonathan tyler and the northern lights

But I think it is good to have other people out there that have paved that way before you and give you the confidence that you can do it that way, that it can be good that way, that there are other people sharing in that same fight.

MW: What contemporary musicians are you listening to right now that impress you?

JT: I’ve got the new Delta Spirit album. I think it’s pretty good. Grace Potter’s pretty good. I’ve always liked Citizen Cope. The White Stripes--anything Jack White does. Black Keys, of course.

MW: Thanks for taking time on your tour to talk to us. We’re excited about your show at Duck Jam this year. And be safe getting back to Texas.

JT: Thank you. We’re looking forward to it!


Duck Jam

By Joey Trevino

Country music artist Aaron Watson is no stranger when it comes to performing in the BCS. No, I’d say Mr. Watson is a regular around these parts and on Sat. April 30, 2011, he will be bringing his unforgettable performances back once again when he plays live at the Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheatre for this years Duck Jam.

After a brief collegiate baseball career, Watson returned to his hometown of Abilene and attended Abilene Christian University. It was at ACU that his foundation in music was set. Since his musical beginnings he has drawn from influences such as the great Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and many other traditional country artists to write and perform his own original songs.

Over the years, Watson has produced some of the greatest country music to come out of Texas. His first release entitled “Texas Café” quickly got Watson into the Texas music circuit and for the past ten years he has yet to look back.

In addition to his self-titled album released in 2001, “shutupanddance” in 2002, and the “Honkey Tonk Kid” in 2004, he released a live album that was recorded live at Bryans own Texas Hall of Fame. “Live at the Texas Music Hall of Fame,” is a 19 song and features the popular song “reckless” and “When all those Aggies move to Austin.”

In 2010, Watson released the album “The Road and The Rodeo”. The Album has produced the singles “Wall” which topped the both the Texas Music Chart and The Texas Regional Radio Report and “Best for Last” which is still riding the charts.

Over the past decade Watson has taken his music all over the state of Texas as well as Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, Missouri, Nevada, California, Illinois, Oklahoma and New Mexico. He is not in it for the fame; he is in it for the music.

You can see Aaron Watson when he rolls through College Station Saturday, April 30 at 9:15 p.m!

For more information on Aaron Watson you can find him online at www.aaronwatson.com or by visiting his facebook page at www.facebook.com/aaronwatsonmusic.

Aaron WatsonBy Megan Roiz

Global Event Group and Ducks Unlimited are partnered up with the City of College Station to host the sixth annual Duck Jam in Aggieland at the Wolf Creek Amphitheater. A weekend of music, barbecue and other events are sure to entertain while making an effort to raise money for wetland and associated habitat conservation.

Duck Jam offers a variety of attractions to many different audiences. Families, students, music lovers, competitors and more from all over can enjoy all of the attractions that Duck Jam has to offer. Some activities are targeted to specific guests, but the whole weekend is full of safe, clean and enjoyable fun for families.

Among many other things, Duck Jam hosts a barbecue cook-off that features prizes in three meat categories (brisket, pork spare ribs and chicken). First place receives a prize of $250 while second place receives $150, and third place receives $100.

For the duck division, the meat is provided to each team. To the winner, a trophy and a year’s worth of bragging rights will be awarded. Prizes are awarded to the best overall teams for both Duck and Showmanship competitions.

If you and your team wish to enter or for more information send an email to [email protected] or you can contact Richard Sossamon at 979-236-2579.

Duck cook-off carries bragging rights, prizes


$1offThanks

ooffer expires 8/1/11

Aggies!

BEST DESSERT“Truly amazing,”

- lifeinbcs.com

More “Best of,” awardsin more cities, including:

AustinNew York

Los Angeles SeattleChicagoChicago

Las Vegas San Francisco

- Maroon Weekly Best of BCS 2011

A “more exotic experience.”- The Battalion

The Brazos Valley Bombers are thrilled to announce the signing of 3 major cornerstones to the 2011 roster. Three members of the Top 10 ranked Texas A&M Aggies will be joining the Bombers as they embark on a 5th consecutive playoff run. Junior - Jacob House, Sophomore – Ross Hales and Freshman – Krey Bratsen will call the Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark home this summer.

House and Hales will be back for a second year with the Bombers, after both posting great numbers last year. Together, they helped the Bombers break several club records last summer while helping lead the team to a record 32 win season.

This Spring, House is currently hitting .297 and leading the Aggies in several batting categories including home runs (3), doubles (10) and RBI’s (28), while the left-handed Hales is currently posting a 1-1 record on the mound with an opponent batting average of only .219.

Krey Bratsen, born and raised here in Bryan, Texas is new to the group this summer, but has already begun making his presence heard locally. Bratsen is hitting .333 for the Aggies and has driven in 15 RBI with an on-base percentage of .389 as a freshman. Bratsen has been named Big 12 new comer of the week this season for the Aggies and was a four-year letter winner at Bryan High School, while helping the Vikings make the playoffs each year.

Along with such great on-field news, the Bombers are thrilled to announce that thanks to Team Auto of Navasota all parking at Brazos Valley Bank Ballpark will be FREE! As gas prices have been rising, the Bombers wanted to continue in making their games that much more affordable. “We are very excited that Team Auto of Navasota General Manager Mike Vivaldi decided to step up and provide free parking for our community” said Chris Clark, Bombers General Manager.

The Bombers season kicks off Wednesday, June 1. Tickets are available and start as low as $5 online at www.bvbombers.com, by phone at 979-779-7529, or at the Bombers offices at 405 Mitchell Street in Bryan.

brazos VallEy bombErs sign thrEE aggiEs


979-589-4077 [email protected]

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roommates CAN pay bills and be friends

Combine all your utility bills

Split them among roommates

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Sign up at AGGIEBILLS.COM today!JOIN the MOVEMENT

(thousands of students across Texas already have)



chart1 Rich O’Toole The Cricket Song (PTO)

2 Eli Young Band Crazy Girl (Republic)

3 Brandon Rhyder Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good (Smith Ent.)

4 Reckless Kelly I Hold the Bottle, You Hold the Wheel (YepRoc)

5 Deryl Dodd You’re Not Lookin’ For (Smith Ent.)

6 Randy Rogers Band Interstate (Mercury)

7 Max Stalling Long Way To Get (Blind Nello)

8 Aaron Watson Best For Last (Big Label)

9 Casey Donahew Band Let Me Love You (Almost Country)

10 Eleven Hundred Springs This Ain’t The First Time (Smith Ent.)

11 James Lann Halfway to Houston (Ari-Tex)

12 Sean McConnell Lie Baby Lie (SM)

13 Rob Baird Blue Eyed Angels (Carnival)

14 Cody Johnson Texas Kind Of Way (CJB)

15 Kevin Fowler Girl In a Truck (Kevin Fowler)

16 Bleu Edmondson Blood Red Lincoln (American Saint)

17 Cory Morrow Lead Me On (APEX Nashville/Write On)

18 No Justice Gone Ain’t Far Enough (Carved)

19 Hayes Carll KMAG YOYO (Lost Highway)

20 Tejas Brothers Say It Again (Smith Music)

21 Jamie Richards Easier By Now (Winding Road)

22 Jason Boland & the Stragglers Outlaw Band (APEX Nashville/Proud Souls)

23 Whiskey Myers Bar, Guitar & A Honky Tonk Crowd (Wiggy Thump)

24 Bart Crow Band She’s The Only Reason (Winding Road)

25 George Ducas Breakin’ Stuff (Propel)

eat good

10% of all profits go to LOCAL non-profit

organizations

725 E. Villa Maria Rd. Suite 2900

Bryan, TX 77802

979-823-1783$2 off

a $5 purchase

do good

Aggie Japan Project is a group of people collaborating with and combining the efforts of over a dozen on-campus organizations at Texas A&M University focused on providing disaster relief in Japan. AJP’s three goals are raising money for the Red Cross by selling t-shirts and holding a benefit concert, increasing the turnout of other events benefitting Japan by promoting them in College Station, and keeping track of how much is raised by Aggies here in College Station and around the globe.

Aggie Japan Project T-shirts will be on sale all over campus for $10 from 12-4 p.m. every week day until April 29th, and a free concert is being held on Simpson’s Drill Field April 29th from 6-10 p.m. to wind up the 30 Days of Giving and announce how much was raised by Aggies for Japan.

To volunteer, find out about sponsorship opportunities, or get help promoting an event, contact Robbie Cimmino at [email protected].


SportS

By Ian Soares

With the thrill and excitement of the Texas A&M Women’s basketball team’s National Championship still fresh on everyone’s minds, Texas A&M Athletics made sure that Aggie fans would continue to have plenty to cheer about over Parent’s Weekend.

The biggest victory came on Saturday April 16th, when the equestrian team’s Western Squad secured its’ third Varsity Equestrian National Championship (VENC) in as many years.

“There’s nothing like a hat trick, that’s for sure,” Head Coach Tana McKay said. “We’re excited to be able to bring this championship back to the University, especially with all the success the other sports have had.”

The equestrian team knows quite a bit about success too. Since its’ inception in 1999, the equestrian team has won nine National Championships. But Coach Tana McKay is also quick to point out that that impressive level of success does not diminish this most recent championship in any way. “People can take it for granted when you are at the top, but our girls have never taken it for granted. The teams we play keep us working hard and keep us on our toes. Today was an awesome competition. All the hard work for an entire year paid off and came down to this moment, and our kids deserved it. I couldn’t be happier for them.”

The smiles didn’t end with the equestrian team either. Over on the diamonds, the

A&M baseball and softball teams did their best to continue the weekend’s celebrations.On Saturday, the 22nd ranked Aggie softball team took on 12th ranked Nebraska where fans got to witness a familiar treat as starting pitcher Melissa Dumezich pitched her ninth solo shutout of the season and senior Rhi Kliesing hit a home run to give the Aggies the 3-0 win.

The Softball team continued their winning ways throughout the weekend by sweeping the series with Nebraska by earning a 5-1 victory at the Aggie Softball Complex on Sunday.

The No. 5 Texas A&M baseball team also won its’ weekend series against Baylor and protected its’ share of the Big XII lead with rival Texas.

The baseball team opened up its’ series, on Friday night, against Baylor by winning 5 -1 in Waco. The victory was due in large part to a solid defensive performance by junior pitcher John Stilson.

Unfortunately, the good feelings were short lived as the Aggies stumbled offensively and defensively in a 12-1 loss before the home crowd at Olsen Field on Saturday. The only high point of the game came just prior to the 1st inning when Texas A&M honored the late Tom Chandler, the former head coach who led the Aggie baseball program from 1959 to 1984.

On Sunday the Aggies were able to shake off the loss and “reload” by taking back the

series with a 2-1 win over Baylor at Olsen Field. Once again, the win was attributed to good defensive performance and solid pitching; this time by junior starting pitcher Ross Stripling.

Following the series coach Childress had this to say, “There is a whole lot of mental toughness that goes into (winning a game like this) after getting beat 12-1,” He then went on to say, “Baylor got after us last night and knocked us back on our heels a little bit there in the first inning. For him (Stripling) to get settled back in after that and turn it into a pitcher’s duel, I’m really proud of Ross.” The Aggie batters also rewarded their pitcher by getting some timely hits when they were needed the most.

If the weekend was highlighted by championships and series wins, then it’s also fair to say that the punctuation point was added by a game in which winning wasn’t even the focus.

The Texas A&M football team held its’ annual Maroon & White game at Kyle Field before a crowd of over 16,000 fans. Although the offense will go down in the books as having won the day, the true focus of the day was to showcase a glimpse of what might be expected this fall.

In that case, the Texas A&M football team did not disappoint. This year’s game featured something that had not been seen in a long time; a proven offensive line with depth and experience. This improvement was amplified by the return of veteran quarterback Ryan

Tannehill, senior wide receiver Jeff Fuller, and a very experienced receiving corps. But the biggest benefactor to the improved line would most certainly have to be the running game. With the return of running back Christine Michael, this years’ Maroon and White game presented the fans with a hint of what many believe to be one of the best running back duos in the nation (Christine Michael and Cyrus Gray.)

Many fans were eager to see Michael return to full contact after suffering a broken leg during a 45-27 victory over Texas Tech last October. He claims to be 90 to 95% back, but based on his two touchdowns and hard running he appears to be well on his way. “I don’t have any limp any more. I don’t have any pain,” Michael said. “I didn’t hold anything back today ... and it felt great.”

The only person that might have excited more fans, by being seen on the field, would have to be Defensive Coordinator Tim DeRuyter. The second year coordinator found himself in high demand after a monumental rebuilding effort last season. As a result, many fans had been worried that his time in Aggieland might have been cut short.

Coach Sherman is turning out to have a pretty good eye for identifying talent, an even better ability to develop great talent, and probably the most important skill of all (as demonstrated by retaining Von Miller last season along with Jeff Fuller and Coach DeRuyter this season) the ability to keep that talent around.

Aggies win big over Parent’s Weekend






Sports CalendarThursday, Apr 28

TBATrack & Field, Cross Country

vs Penn Relay Carnivalat Philadelphia, Pa.

Friday, Apr 296:00 PM

Baseball vs Missouriat Columbia, Mo.

12:00 PMMen’s Tennis vs Oklahoma State

at Waco, Texas

3:00 PMWomen’s Tennis

vs Nebraska or Coloradoat Waco, Texas



Saturday, Apr 302:00 PM

Baseball vs Missouriat Columbia, Mo.

4:00 PMSoftball vs Kansasat Lawrence, Kan.

12:00 PMMen’s Tennis vs TBD

at Waco, Texas


vs Big 12 Championships - Semifinalsat Waco, Texas



Sunday, May 11:00 PM Baseball vs Missouri

at Columbia, Mo.

12:00 PMSoftball vs Kansas at Lawrence, Kan.

1:00 PMMen’s Tennis vs TBD

at Waco, Texas


vs Big 12 Championships - Finalsat Waco, Texas

Tuesday, May 36:00 PM Baseball vs UTSA

at San Antonio, Texas (Wolff Stadium)

Wednesday, May 46:30 PM

Softball vs Texasat College Station





By Gabrielle Nguyen

I love being a book reviewer, but it’s not always the easiest job. Each week, I chug a book and churn out a review, and since I spend a lot of time immersed in that book, selecting the right book is essential. Which is why the sparse and cryptic synopsis of Chris Cleave’s Little Bee made it both intriguing and somewhat of a gamble.

After reading Little Bee, though, I can see why the most informing part of the synopsis was: “This is a story of two women. Their lives collide one fateful day, and one of them has to make a terrible choice…Two years later, they meet again—the story starts there.” It is hard to reveal more of the story without adversely affecting the experience of the novel. I can tell you, though, that the two women are Little Bee, a self-named refugee from Nigeria seeking asylum in the UK, and Sarah Summers, a discontent, upper-middle class British mother and recent widow.

The beauty in this engaging novel is the characters, most especially Little Bee. Her observations, descriptions, and even opinions are unique and memorable and can range from poetic to comedic. The opening line of the novel is, “Most days I wish I was a British pound coin instead of an African girl. Everyone would be pleased to see me coming.”

And in describing tea, it is, “the taste of my land: it is bitter and warm, strong, and sharp with memory. It tastes of longing…Also it vanishes—the taste of it vanishes from your

Diversions

tongue while your lips are still hot from the cup…I have heard that your country drinks more tea than any other. How sad that must make you—like children who long for absent mothers.”

After all the horrors that she has endured after being rudely evicted from her simple and sheltered life, Little Bee still sees the world in a refreshingly optimistic way and even manages sympathize with others. In Sarah’s half of the story, her four-year-old son Charlie steals the show with his emphatic claim that he is Batman and his refusal to don anything other than that costume.

Little Bee is a stunning, moving, and thrilling novel. With each little discovery, you are left with a greater curiosity as to what happened between Little Bee and Sarah all those years ago. While the situation often seems dire and it seems like a truly happy ending is impossible, you can’t help but hope and yearn for the best, and you wonder, if you were in those characters’ shoes, would you make the same choices.

Those who enjoyed Little Bee might also like Jamie Ford’s Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (a well-crafted tale revolving around the dynamic between Asian immigrants and their Americanized children and of the tensions between the Chinese and the Japanese), Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto (in which high profile party goers are forced into an extended stay by Latin terrorists), and Ian McEwan’s Atonement (a devastating story of how one girl’s lie destroyed the lives of two lovers, one of which was her sister).

BCS for Less: Summer travel

Cheap and easy

Chicken Fajita TostadasBy Autumn Dawson This week’s delicious meal for the non-gourmet chefs, on the average broke college student’s budget: Chicken Fajita Tostadas. Anyone in the mood for Mexican food? How about something different than the same old taco? If that sounds appealing, you’re reading the right article. This meal has the kick of fajitas with the crunch of a taco combined. It’s cheap, easy, and delicious. What could possibly go wrong? Serving Size: 4-5 girls, or 2-3 guys Preparation Method: Stove and OvenPreparation Time: 15 minutes Total Cook Time: 20 minutes (Add 10 minutes if you use raw chicken)Difficulty Level: Slightly more intelligent than a Cocker Spaniel

Ingredients:• 8 tostada shells• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast (rotisserie chicken is the

easiest, you can of course use raw chicken if you want to actually cook it)

• 1 cup refried beans• 1 medium green pepper (thinly sliced)• 1 medium onion (thinly sliced)• 1 packet (1.25 ounces) taco seasoning mix• 1/2 cup lime juice• 1/2 cup water• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese• **Optional toppings: Shredded lettuce, diced tomato, salsa, sour

cream and guacamole for garnish • **Optional side: packaged dirty rice can be bought in the $1.00 range

and makes a great side dish.

Directions1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. Combine taco seasoning, water and lime juice in a medium sized

bowl and stir well. 3. Slice pepper and onion, then place both in a medium sized bowl.4. If chicken is already cooked, chop up or slice into strips, whichever

you prefer. If chicken is raw, slice into strips. 5. Pour half of the taco seasoning mixture over the shredded chicken

(you can put the chicken in a skillet prior to this, or put it in a large bowl, mix, then place in skillet) The other half of the taco seasoning mixture should be poured over the chopped pepper and onion. Stir.

6. Cook chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the sauce starts to thicken slightly (2-3 minutes, unless you’re using raw chicken, in which case it’s more of the 10-12 minutes). Remove chicken and keep warm. Add peppers and onions. Cook until the sauce starts to thicken and veggies start to wilt (about 3-4 minutes). Remove and keep warm.

7. Lay tostada shells on an ungreased baking sheet. Top each shell with 2 tablespoons refried beans, 1/4 cup shredded chicken, peppers and onions and cheddar cheese to taste.

8. Bake until the cheese just starts to melt (about 5 minutes). Remove from oven and serve with optional garnishes.


maroon weekly gamepage


By Maggie Dotson

Performing at the End of School Bash are an array of rock-based bands: Two local bands, We Can We Will and The Lonely Hunter, Gatlin Elms and The 71’s from Houston, Quiet Company, Driver F, and Electric Touch from Austin.

Jose Arredondo is the founder of Defacto Productions, a local talent company. The mission of the company, “is to provide the startup tools and needs for local, independent and unsigned musicians, artists and bands to get their name out and develop themselves.”

Defacto Productions isn’t your everyday run-of-the-mill talent company. Not only does Defacto aim to help promote local talent, however, one of the company’s main missions is to give back to the community. “We strive to provide awareness and benefit great causes and non-profit organizations to help those in need.” Arredondo said. “This is our way of giving back to society and doing something to make this planet a better place and to help those in need while at the same time helping these local and independent musicians reach out to many people.” A couple of organizations and causes that have benefitted from the help of Defacto’s productions include Aggie Relay for Life and The American Cancer Society. This year, due to the recent tragedies in Japan, Defacto Productions has teamed up with The Aggie Japan Project. The Aggie Japan Project involves various student organizations around campus working together to help raise funds and awareness for Japan each day for the month of April. To close the 30 days of giving, Arredondo and his team decided to host this final benefit concert on Friday, April 29 at 8 P.M.

Last year, The 1st Annual End of School Bash was very much successful. Artists

and fans packed the Stafford in Downtown Bryan.

“This not only was the best way to end the semester before finals and give students that last break from school before hitting the books hard, but it also gave all the bands that played that night an amazing experience, a great show and great exposure to a bigger crowd,” Arredondo said.

As this is the second year for the End of School Bash concert, several upgrades have taken place; one of which includes an online-ticketing system where you can pre-purchase your tickets via their site: http://defactoendofschoolbash11.eventbrite.com/ . Pre-sale tickets are $8.

“Because last year’s concert was pretty good and this year we’re really hoping to sell out The Stafford, we are encouraging people to buy their tickets now so they’re guaranteed entrance,” Arredondo said.

Arredondo and the staff of Defacto Productions have high hopes for expansion on various endeavors.

“As for the future, we’d definitely love to get feedback from attendees about their experience so we can make it bigger and better next year and work towards an even better event.”

The Stafford in Downtown Bryan is located at 106 S. Main St. Bryan, TX. Tickets will also be sold at the door for $8.

More information may be found on Defacto Production’s Facebook and official website: http://www.facebook.com/defactoproductionshttp://defactoproductions.org/defacto.html

Background on End of School Bash


By Ryan Frische

Since 2005, the Austin based band, Quiet Company has continued to fulfill their goal of writing, “epic pop music that is intelligent, honest, and thought provoking. “ Making a splash at 2010’s SXSW, Quiet Company continues to broaden their fan base and gain attention and critical acclaim. With songs that include instruments like the piano, guitar, synthesizers, trumpets and saxophones, Quiet Company is not limited to a one trick sound.

A critic described front man, Taylor Muse as having, “a gift for delivering heart-felt performances with his pensive tone, personal lyrics, and dynamic vocal melodies. The group as a whole is known for its contagious energy and piano-driven rock ballads that make both recordings and live performances by Quiet Company thoroughly enjoyable by all.”

After listening to several of their songs I realized a couple were recognizable and then I realized I had heard them on television. Sure enough, their songs were featured on E! Network’s Keeping Up With the Kardashians as well as MTV’s Real World New Orleans. The band also performed on ABC’s My Generation and had several songs featured as well. With this national attention, Quiet Company’s local presence is bound for a broader audience.

In line with the bands mission, their lyrics are hopeful and pop tone is breezy and light. Quiet Company’s songs are in line with the indie pop genre and they are bringing their talent to The Stafford in Downtown Bryan on April 29th along with, Electric Touch, Driver F, The 71s, Gatlin Elms, The Lonely Hunter and We Can We Will.

The Stafford performance will give B/CS residents the opportunity to not only listen to the talents of several great bands but also a chance to benefit the Aggie Japan Project. The 2nd annual “End of School Bash” is put on by Defacto Productions and is the final benefit concert event of the 30 days of giving for Japan.

Quiet Company is a perfect headliner for this event given their optimistic and enjoyable sound. With lyrics that inspire and melodies that bring a smile to your face, it only seems fitting that they lend their voice to a concert whose goal is to bring hope and prosperity back to those in need in Japan.

End of School Bash

Quiet Company By Vladimir Amador

Put together a Brit from Nottingham along with a group of guys from Houston and what do you get? You get the dynamic, British-American blend of rock music that everyone needs to take a listen to. This unique conglomeration of talent that goes by Electric Touch will be sure to charge up the auditory waves of their listeners and have them touching the replay button for an overabundance of tracks.

With a name like Electric Touch, you can guess their music will pack an authoritative punch, but the songwriting is also just as electric. Each song is unique and sometimes the style changes from the first verse to the last, but they all share the quality of catchy hooks and dynamic melodies.

Electric Touch has the experience of playing many shows with many of the big names. Their tour is constantly lined up with dates around the country which makes one wonder how they have the energy to do it all! Right after the creation of the band in 2008, the boys got signed with a Texas label Justice Records and then the madness began. Their first big break was performing on the stage of Coachella where they rocked the crowd and received such rave reviews that other big name shows wanted some of their Touch. Other festivals that Electric Touch entertained were South By SouthWest, Lollapalooza, Austin City Limits, and Bonnaroo!

British lead singer Shane Lawlor has

vocals that range from subtle and restrained to frenzied and powerful. Louis Messina on drums, Christopher Leigh on guitar, Isaac Strycker on guitar/keys/vocal, and Portland Musser on bass/vocals add the necessary accompaniment that has accomplished the praise and the wow from fans and soon-to-be-fans across the country.

2011 will be a big year for Electric Touch as they are set to release their anticipated new album as a part of Island Records. They are working along with Howard Benson, a Grammy-nominee for Producer of the Year, so this record will surely be a work of artistic genius. Following up performances at SXSW and Coachella, still slated on their jam packed tour are stops at EdgeFest, BuzzFest, Vans Warped Tour, and of course a stop in College Station. They will be performing at the 2nd Annual End of School Bash at Stafford on Main Street April 29th at 9 pm. This stint benefits a good cause in To Write Love on Her Arms, so come out and enjoy a rocking performance while promoting a foundation that deserves its name in the lights.

Be sure to catch a show of “raw power” from this British-American conglomeration and be prepared to send your props to the Queen for blessing us with the talents from across the pond.

For more information on the band or their tour dates, check out their website at www.electrictouch.com



By Chris Zebo

The 71’s formed in early 2006 and quickly became one of Houston’s most beloved rock bands. Front man Keeton Coffman teamed up with his great friend and gifted guitarist, Ryan Cecil, straight out of college. They both dreamed of creating a band that would expand the artistry of Christian music, establishing truth, energy, and excellence as the pillars of their music.

After sculpting their first set of songs (found on their self-titled EP), drummer Jay Snider and Jacob Lisenbe joined the group and the quartet was complete. The group released their second EP, Want You To Know, in the spring of 2007. On July 3, 2010, they opened for American Idol Season 8 winner Kris Allen at his concert at the Moody Gardens Outdoor Amphitheater in Galveston, Texas. With Keeton as the front man, the band has gained a reputation for passionate, high-energy performances on stage.

The 71’s

By Joey Trevino

The Lonely Hunter creates an original sound that comes from a deep-rooted passion for creating art. For this four-piece band, fame and fortune is not what making music is about. Instead they are just thankful for having the opportunity to be able to influence people in a different way.According to the band, music has always been a source of inspiration in their own lives and they are able portray that through making their own original music.

“We have a genuinely good product,” Brewer said. “We all love music more then anything and none of us would be happy if we didn’t have an outlet like that. Music makes us happy and there is a lot of joy in our stage presence, it’s a passion that I think a lot of bands miss out on.”

Each member of The Lonely Hunter, which is based mainly out of the Bryan/College Station area, brings in a style that is based on the influences that have shaped the artists they have become. This combination of influences that include bands such as The Rocket Boys, Death Cab for Cutie, The Starting Line and many others form the sound that they call melodic indie rock.

The Lonely Hunter delivers music with a foundation that is very melodious. The lyrics focus on a variety of aspects such as life, love, and the world around us. According to Brewster, most of his passion and emotion has come from the romantic department and that is what his lyrics reflect. In addition to well-written lyrics, The Lonely Hunter features a solid rhythm section in Jacob Massey (Bass) and Brian Cox (drums).

The band released their first EP in December 2008 entitled “We’re not meant to be alone.” Their second release “places we call home” launched in November 2009 and “The Resolution” in May 2010.

“I am in a life mode and I am taking in the things I love around me, whether that’s music or what I’m pursuing otherwise,” Brewer said. “Love is a part of life and it is going to be part of the album in that same way. This [next album] should be a telling album.”

End of School Bash

The Lonely Hunter


The Lonely Hunter

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April 28, 2011