Apps for “U” p. 11-13

Q&A: Quilt p. 16-17

MNTV Showcase p. 21

vol. 13 | issue 7February 17 - March 3

Can't get enough of The Wake?

Twitter: @the_wake

Facebook: /TheWakeMagazine

Wake-Mag.tumblr.com

ProductionProduction Manager Sondra Vine Graphic Designers Sondra Vine, Eric Berry, Kelsey Schwartz, Brittany Long Art Director Sam Lindsay Social Media Manager Kelcie McKenney Web Editor Sam Gordon Web Assistant Brittany Long Business Manager Cooper Henckel Distributors Shawna Stennes Morgan JensenSara Glesne

EditorialEditor-in-Chief Alyssa Bluhm

Managing Editor Justin Miller Cities Editor Grace Birnstengel Voices Editor Bruce Ferguson Sound & Vision Editor Sara Glesne Courtney Bade

Online Editor Lauren Cutshall Faculty AdvisorShayla Thiel-Stern

This IssueCover Artist Emily Chang (Front), Kelsey Schwartz (Back)

Photographers

Sarah Brewer, Emily Chang, Lauren Cutshall, Zach Simon

Illustrators

Dan Forke, Sam Lindsay, Lauren Long, Peter Mariutto, Lianna Matt Contributing Writers

Grace Birnstengel, Alyssa Bluhm, Aaron Bolton, Lauren Cutshall, Kirsten Erickson, Herbert B. Ferguson-Augustus, Sara Glesne, Nader Helmy, Aidan Hutt, Thomas Hvizdos, Kenai Klaskin, Dahsol Lee, Lianna Matt, Justin Miller, Shelby Miner, Alex Nelson, Eric Newland, Sam Schaust, Zach Simon, Nick Theis, Connor Wright

13:7

DISCLAIMERthe purpose of the Wake is to provide a forum in which students can voice their opinions. opinions expressed in the magazine are not representative of the publication or university as a whole. to join the conversation email abluhm@wakemag.org.

©2013 The Wake Student Magazine. All rights reserved.

Established in 2002, The Wake is a fortnightly independent magazine and registered student organization produced by and for the students of the University of Minnesota.

The Wake Student Magazine 126 Coffman Memorial Union 300 Washington Avenue SE Minneapolis, MN 55455

www.wakemag.org

The Wake was founded byChris Ruen and James DeLong.The Wake is published with support from

Generation Progress/Center for American Progress (online at www.genprogress.org).

Whats Inside?

Black History at the U of M p. 4

Target Express in Dinkytown p. 5

Here to Stay - New Broadcast Club p.6

Polymet Will Mine and Dash p.7

Obama's State of Disunion p.8

It's All Greek to Us, or Them? p. 9Target Data Breach p. 9

Forsaking the T in LGBT p. 10

Apps for "U" p. 11-13

The last time I noticed Ellen Page was when she was kissing Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Inception, and I was devastated. After her coming out speech this weekend, I’m not that concerned anymore.

But Page’s speech calmed me in another way, just by her sheer honesty and positivity. It’s rare to see people express raw emotion without being as phony as Anne Hathaway at last year’s Oscars, and in the process Page made some great points about everyday struggles. Just because she was talking about gay hate doesn’t mean they don’t apply to other parts of life.

Take this quote, for example:

This world would be a whole lot better if we just made an effort to be less horrible to one another.

There is no better way to phrase it. We’re all college students struggling under our respective homework-, job-, and life-shaped onuses, and being horrible to peo-ple isn’t going to make it better. Even on the worst days, don’t fo-cus on trying to be nice when you don’t feel like it. Just focus on not being horrible. Making others feel bad doesn’t do anything good.

But if you’re really at a loss, try drinking like, ten tons of Sunny D.

Alyssa Bluhm

Editor-in-Chief

Student Service Fees p. 15

Q&A: Quilt - 16-17

A Coffman Piano Player p. 18

A New Northrop p. 19Story Club Minneapolis p. 19

Siberia Through Photography p. 20

Nostalgia in the Modern Age p. 21MNTV 2014 Showcase p. 21

3 Reviews p. 22

Events Calendar p. 23

4. february 17 - march 3

Cities

On Jan. 14, 1969, seven students marched into the records

office of the University of Minnesota's own Morrill Hall and

refused to walk out. Upon creating the Black Student Union

that same day, students protested the lack of resources and

respect for black students on campus. Forty-five years later,

the University now strives to implement new strategies to

create more opportunities for black students.

One of the most recent additions to the University's re-

sources for black students is the Huntley House – a Living

Learning Community (LLC) on campus for black males that

opened in August of 2012. With troubling retention and

graduation rates for many black men, the Kaler Administra-

tion and Housing and Residential Life decided to tackle the

issue together. The Huntley House provides a space for black

males to participate in various service events, weekly study

sessions, one-on-one meetings with staff members, as well

as a monthly in-house barber shop.

While students in the Huntley House do not officially apply

to be involved, they are often recruited by the Office for Eq-

uity and Diversity, the Office of Admissions, or Housing and

Residential Life. Many believe the space not only gives these

students a better opportunity for academic success, but it

provides a better sense of community.

"[For students in marginalized groups,] there is a potential

to be 'othered' or made different, in an environment not

designed for [them]," said Leonard Taylor Jr., the resident di-

rector of 17th Ave. Residence Hall where the Huntley House

is located. The Huntley House also provides members with a

link to other student organizations such as the National So-

ciety of Black Engineers or the Black Student Union in order

to continue the legacy and community of the LLC far beyond

the year they spend living together.

Forty-five years after its establishment at the start of 1969,

the U of M’s Black Student Union continues to stay strong

in its mission to "encourage a positive image of black people

and to support its members in achieving their education

goals." Composed of an executive board of less than a dozen

people, and a general board of over 150, the BSU holds

meetings as well as various education events and often part-

ners with other black student organizations and fraternities.

While the majority of students involved are either African,

African-American, or a part of the African Diaspora, it is

open to all students at the University.

In honor of Black History Month, the

BSU is putting on several events for all

students to attend in order to better

inform everyone about black history.

“[Black history month] is to make peo-

ple conscious of our plight, our realities

of social injustice, and our commitment

as students," said DeSean Smedley, the

cultural awareness chair of the BSU

and an African American and African

Studies major. "What are we doing to

fight social injustices for our future?"

Though there has been much success in

the struggle for equal rights, the issue

of equal opportunity remains.

As students all across the country

participate in some form of cultural rec-

ognition in the month of February, the

achievements of black people are seem-

ingly condensed into just 28 days. With

February – coincidentally the shortest

month – designated as Black History

Month, the question arises: does Black

History Month point out a separation

that needs to be addressed, or is it drawing attention to a

problem we have overcome?

“Though there have been many successes in the struggle for equal rights, the issue of equal opportunity remains.”

Although many people believe that Black History Month is a

time to educate people of all races on black history, Smedley

sees it primarily as a way for black people to learn about a

heritage and history that has faced considerable difficulties.

"Black people have never had it good in America," Smedley

said. "But Black History Month is a time for us to examine,

'Where are we today?'"

For Smedley, Black History Month is an attempt to "heighten

black people's consciousness" in regards to the history and

current state of black people's rights and opportunities. Cur-

rently, the month of February provides a platform for speak-

ing out about black history as well as the future for black

people, especially within the realm of higher education. Such

a platform is necessary and for Leonard Taylor Jr., is a "step

in the right direction."

Yet, the only-one-month controversy continues to irk many

people in that it encourages a binge of black history educa-

tion, only to be ignored the other 11 months of the year.

"For me, black history month is 365 days, 24/7," Smedley

said. "There is no time that I'm not black." Still, he acknowl-

edges the importance of learning how to make the most of

the month that is available.

Though Black History Month may stir up emotions, it is

largely seen as not a dwelling on the past, but as an oppor-

tunity to change and improve the future. Even 45 years after

the Morrill Hall takeover, the formation of the Black Student

Union, and the creation of department of African American

and African studies, new programs are promoted to encour-

age thoughtful and progressive discussion. Ultimately,

Smedley concluded that Black History Month is for everyone

"to understand black culture and break down the stereo-

types and prejudices… even if it causes cognitive dissonance.

It's a learning process, and this is the space to do that."

By Lauren Cutshall

From Then to Now: Black History at the U of M An ongoing story of pride, protest, and public education.

LAUREN CUTSHALL

www.wakemag.org 5.

CITIES

By Kirsten Erickson

The monopoly that Walgreens and CVS stores have held

around the U of M campus may soon be over, as the first ever

TargetExpress will open July 27 in Dinkytown on the corner of

5th Street and 13th Avenue SE.

Minnesota’s hallmark retailer will offer university students a

condensed Target experience including grocery and pharmacy

items, along with a small selection of basic clothing, home

decorations, and electronics, according to the New York Times.

The store will be the first of its kind, a sort of test to see if the

store could work in other urban environments in the future.

Stores like Walmart Express, located in Chicago, have used a

similar formula in the past.

Squeezing into a 20,000-square-foot space on the ground

floor of the apartment building that replaced the old University

Technology Enterprise Center, the store will be one-fifth the

size of a normal, big-box Target. That’s even smaller than the

already-established CityTargets.

The July 27 opening is planned with the hope that students will

be able to shop at the store for the fall semester. The company

said it hopes to benefit from university students needing to buy

supplies for back to school.

For students, this new store will offer an alternative to the simi-

lar set-ups of Walgreens and CVS stores around campus. Prices

at the store will be based competitively on similar stores in the

area, according to the Minnesota Daily.

“It will be nice having another convenient, and hopefully

cheaper, option than the CVS on campus,” U of M freshman

Amanda Wambach said.

Other students, however, said they would have liked to see a

more grocery-oriented option close to campus, as the nearest

Cub Foods or Rainbow Foods is a bus ride away.

New Target experience planned for DinkytownTargetExpress will be a smaller version of big-box stores

“The last thing we need is another small convenience store.

Can we please just get a store within walking distance that has

a full-scale grocery?” sophomore Joanna Shoemaker said.

Whether students are welcoming the latest development or

not, Target will try to make this TargetExpress a success. Given

the significant challenges big-box retailers face today, creating

a popular new shopping experience is important.

If all goes according to plan, TargetExpress may soon become a

staple of college campuses and other urban areas.

Black History Month & U Of M Timeline

Morrill Hall Takeover

Jan.

14

1969

Jan.

14

1969

Formation of the UMN Black Student Union by John Wright

Creation of the Afro-American and African Studies (now African American and African Studies) Department, one of the first in the nation.Fa

ll 19

69

Spri

ng 1

970

Dr. Horace Huntley graduates as a part of the first AA&AS Class

Huntley House Living Learning Community Opened

Aug

ust

2012

PETER MARIUTTO

6. february 17 - march 3

Cities

By Lianna Matt

Like most new student groups, Ski-U-Media’s first semester

was spent forming the basis of the club. Despite making

their presence known at the beginning of the school year by

taking part in events like the School of Journalism and Mass

Communication (SJMC) Activities Fair and talking with the

Minnesota Daily, they had a slow, deliberate start to figure

out what their mission was, what kind of content they want-

ed to produce, and, surprisingly, something that had nothing

to do with film itself: public relations. Ski-U-Media is more

than just a hobbyist club, and by focusing on marketing,

they aim to be a prominent, professional club on campus.

Charles Weirke, one of the club’s co-presidents, has used

his knowledge as a journalism and communications major

as well as experience from his current video production

internship for the Minnesota Swarm lacrosse team to bring

Ski-U-Media to life. He realized that to make a presence on

such a large campus, he would need help.

“When we decided to reinvent ourselves this year, [Ross

Acampora] was the first person I spoke to because I knew

his background with startup businesses, and I knew he could

help out,” Weirke said.

Acampora, a strategic communications major and a veteran

in marketing for startup companies like the ByME app, had

taken Introduction to Mass Communication with Weirke.

“I was interested just from a PR

standpoint. [Weirke] had the film

experience; I have the management

experience,” Acampora said.

As the other co-president, Acam-

pora brought the mindset of busi-

ness direction that Ski-U-Media

was missing.

Ski-U-Media has three meetings

per week: one with the videog-

raphers, one with the business

people, and one big meeting to

keep them cohesive, and up-to-

date on matters and assignments.

Here To StayA new broadcast club is ready for the new semester.

Club Officer Lee Murphy strongly believes in the importance

of public relations in Ski-U-Media.

“It’s up to the PR branch to generate revenues and take care

of the bureaucratic groundwork,” Murphy said.

During public relations meetings, the students go over top-

ics such as marketing strategies for social media or ideas for

future fundraising campaigns.

“It also comes down to me [the head of the PR branch]

to make sure that all of our production efforts meet the

group’s brand standard,” Murphy said.

With teamwork between members, Ski-U-Media is learning

to navigate problems.

“What we’ve done has taken a massive amount of work to

make a reality,” Murphy said. “I’ve gotten a sense of appre-

ciation for the struggle of creating a group from the ground

up. It takes so much bureaucracy, paperwork, promotion,

politicking, and diplomacy to make a group the right way.”

All of that work channels into Acampora and Weirke’s vi-

sions of what the club could be.

“I hope our group will one day provide all U of M students

with an opportunity to learn video production, news

reporting, marketing, and all aspects that go into creating

successful broadcasts,” said Weirke. To get to that point,

though, Ski-U-Media has to create a professional learn-

ing environment, and they fully realize that.

Ski-U-Media is now armed to the teeth with

high-quality equipment and a studio

courtesy of SJMC. Acampora

spoke highly of SJMC’s director, Albert Tims. “[Tims] put it

in the hands of the studio lab manager and said, ‘Yeah, we’ll

get you in there; we’ll get you some equipment. Let’s see

what you can do,’” said Acampora.

With full dedication from both the business and produc-

tion sectors of the group (and some members participating

in both), Ski-U-Media is excited for the chance that SJMC

helped give them, but they are not being foolhardy. To avoid

dying out like previous broadcasting groups, they are careful

to prepare members for the amount of time that produc-

tion and marketing strategies can take so members do not

overwhelm themselves or lose enthusiasm.

In a media-rich campus (and a media-rich world), Ski-U-

Media is trying to make its mark. “The end goal is to pro-

duce content every other day, if not daily. We want people

to go on Twitter, click [a link], get a 30 to 60 second

update, and then a monthly news show,” Acampora said.

“The Wake brings news and culture in a magazine form,

Minnesota Daily brings news in a print form, Radio K brings

news every Sunday, and we’d like to bring news in video

form for everybody.”

As Murphy put it, “We’ve laid some serious founda-

tion and plan for Ski-U-Media to be around for a

long time.”

Prepare for a new way to consume

news on campus.

LIANNA MATT

www.wakemag.org 7.

VOICESPolymet Will Mine and DashAnd let’s face it. There will not be any jobs on a dead planet.

By Nick Theis

Let’s assume for a moment that global warming is

a hoax, that polluting Hoyt and Babbit lakes,

nearby streams, and possibly even the

Boundary Waters themselves with acid

mine drainage and heavy metals

were non-issues. If this were the

case, Polymet would have

its mineral rights and

the miners of Northern

Minnesota would have

their jobs... right?

Okay, no more pretending. You

have probably heard about the

copper and nickel mining proposal

—the so called “Northmet mine” in

Northern Minnesota—that the Cana-

dian company Polymet has submitted

to the State? If so, you’re probably

familiar with the environmental hazards it

will create, and you probably know that it will take

hundreds of years to clean up.

Proponents of the Polymet mine, however,

argue that it will create jobs and spur

economic development. This is a com-

mon argument levied against environmentalists.

Polymet’s mining project will generate about 300

jobs—but only for the 20-year duration of the

project. Moreover, what happens when the

project is over, and there is no more copper and

nickel left in the area, just a bunch of toxic sludge?

The Boundary Waters is the most popular wilderness area in

the U.S., attracting about 250,000 visitors annually. In Ely,

Minn. alone there are about 1,000 tourism jobs in the sum-

mer and 400 in the winter. Once the Ely area is polluted with

sulfide mining waste and the miners have retired to a life-

time of lung disease, these sectors of employment will take

a hit. In the Duluth Complex area, there are about four times

as many tourism and recreation jobs than will be created by

the mining project. Losing the tourism industry to pollution

is simply not worth it.

The Polymet mine will not create a substantial number of

jobs in the short- or the long-term. Both would cause a small

boom of construction jobs initially, but so would building

wind turbines and solar farms.

Will the Polymet mine help the Minnesota economy? The

metals market is notoriously volatile, and if copper and

nickel prices dip, there is no guarantee that Polymet won’t

dip with it. Where mining companies have seen their proj-

ects through, they have often left the taxpayer with the

burden of the clean-up. For instance, the Summitville Mine

in Colorado, which leaked into the groundwater in the ‘80s,

and has since cost taxpayers $185 million to clean up.

And anyway, about half of all copper consumed in the U.S.

each year is recycled copper. Recycling copper is more

efficient than mining it, and the copper recycling industry

could be expanded. Why not start a copper recycling pro-

gram in Minnesota, instead of a hazard and unsustainable

mining project? Why not divest from tar-sands oil entirely,

and move to more sustainable forms of energy?

Simply put, these projects are not intended to help ordi-

nary people, Minnesotan, American, or otherwise. Both

Polymet and its primary funder, Glencore Xstrata, are not

the least bit concerned about our interests. In fact, neither

is our government.

The environment is a non-issue to these people. Promises

of “jobs” and “economic gain” are lies. Working on a mine is

hazardous. All economic gains vary with world prices.

Mineral extraction is a matter of profit—but

perhaps not for much longer. A bill intro-

duced to congress last year would make

mineral extraction a matter of National

Defense: HR761, the National Strategic

and Critical Minerals Production Act.

If passed, this bill will militarize

the mining industry. Never mind

the environment, jobs, and the

economy, because “defense”

trumps all. But then again,

there won’t be much

to defend on a dead

planet. Now more than

ever, Americans, let alone

Minnesotans, need to put

their communities over temporary

paychecks as well as keep their govern-

ment in line.

Minnesotans need to set their priorities

before they are set for them. Unem-

ployment will always spike in good times

and bad as prices rise and fall. The tempta-

tion of sulfide mining is not worth jeopardiz-

ing the environment and the livelihood and

health of the average Minnesotan. Take a stand

Minnesota!

DAN FORKE

8. february 27 - march 3

VOICESObama’s State of DisunionHow does one issue and $10 represent the American Government?By Nader Helmy

Logging the complete record of U.S. President Barack

Obama’s relationship and rapport with the public is no easy

task. Initially, he was the young, refreshingly animated and

charismatic forward-thinker that the nation needed in a

post-Bush era. Since then, he has fluctuated from seeming

overly optimistic to too hesitant, to downright weary.

President Obama had much to consider when gearing up

for his fifth State of the Union address on Jan. 28. We see

him increasingly threaten to exercise the power of execu-

tive orders in order to accomplish things that he believes

have been delayed for too long.

“My fellow Americans, no other country in the world does what we do.”

His idle congress and stagnantly low approval ratings seem

to mimic his position on one issue in particular: the federal

minimum wage. The issue has widespread economic and

social support, and yet it manages to be bogged down by

bureaucracy and dysfunction.

He said, “In the coming weeks I will issue an executive order

requiring federal contractors to pay their federally funded

employees a fair wage of at least 10 dollars and 10 cents an

hour because if you cook our troop’s meals or wash their

dishes you should not have to live in poverty.”

While companies are, in general, turning up higher profits,

he said, “Average wages have barely budged. Inequality has

deepened. Upward mobility has stalled.” He urges businesses

to be more like Minneapolis’s own Punch Pizza, who has

made its minimum wage $10 and has seen lower employee

turnover and higher productivity as a result.

Recognizing the barriers in place, he encourages local legisla-

tors that, he said, “You don’t have to wait for Congress to

act. Americans will support you if you take this on.” He’s

finding other ways to get the job done—recognizing that the

problem needs a fix on the federal level, but using businesses

and legislators in the interim.

Present at the speech were the authors of a bill to be put

before Congress that suggests raising the federal minimum

wage to $10.10 an hour. All this is to say that logic and

reason both point to the obvious solution (and this seems to

be an increasing trend with all of America’s hot-button con-

troversial issues), but it is a matter of working through and

around some of our government’s bureaucratic structures in

order to fully realize it.

It’s hard to shake that the entire speech had an air of

re-establishment about it. He attempts to remind us of

the qualities which traditionally have made our country

successful. As he puts it, it is, “The spirit of citizenship,”

the story of an underdog who does his part to do good by

others and is raised on a platform of riches and respect

because of it. Obama’s rhetoric makes America sound

more like The Little Engine That Could than the powerful

big brother that we are. There’s a spirit about Americans

that sets us apart. We’re different, sure, and his SOTU is

recognition of that difference.

“My fellow Americans, no other country in the world does

what we do,” he said. But with relatively straight-forward

problems like the minimum wage remaining unsolved, un-

fortunately, it’s getting harder to ignore whether or not that

remains to be a good thing.

Nevertheless, the State of the Union has often been chas-

tised for being a catalog of vague promises. The major policy

promises that need to be made are clearer now, but Obama’s

lethargy with these issues is also just as evident. That is why

he manages to come off as simultaneously self-congratulato-

ry and self-aware. Conspicuously absent, as in his 2012 run

for re-election, were those all-encompassing buzzwords like

“change.” Instead, he calls for a “year of action,” propelling

forward ideas and bills that are already widely supported and

yet rarely implemented.

President Obama’s most recent job approval rating as

reported by the Gallup Poll is quite telling. Currently at a 42

percent approval rating, he is a full percentage lower than

even George W. Bush’s approval rating during his own second

January after re-election—43 percent, and higher only than

the old Richard Nixon’s at that same point in his presidency. In

other words, he is in hot water with his constituents.

With a stagnant Congress and a restless nation, Obama is

to breathe life into a nation in gridlock, but so long as these

issues hold us back, Washington is in comatose.

LAUREN CUTSHALL

www.wakemag.org 9.

VOICES

Training the DogThe Target debacle shows our power over corporationsBy Herbert B. Ferguson-Augustus

There are wolves in the world. Driven by the smell of prof-

its, the loyalty of corporations lies solely with the pack

that is the shareholders.

This is the image prescribed to us of the modern corporation,

when in reality they are less wolves and more like their domes-

ticated cousins. They wag their tails when you shop in their

stores and bark during talks of greater government regulation.

Yet, when you consider companies like our very own Target

Corporation, they can only do as much as you allow them.

Target peed on the carpet. In mid-December, news broke of

hackers compromising the credit and debit card information

of more than 110 million customers. The hackers responsible,

according to National Public Radio, accessed the information

through one of Target’s vendors, HVAC heating systems. It’s a

stain on the company’s history no one will soon forget.

But what is more telling of the corporation’s behavior is what

happened after the story of the data breach went viral. The

company’s stock prices hit a two-year low, revenue flattened

despite strong sales in early 2013, and the federal govern-

ment called a cyber security hearing with Target CFO John J.

Mulligan being the guest of honor. In response, the company

offered a 10 percent discount to customers for the week of

Dec. 17, and moved to implement smart chip technology for

enhanced cyber security. Even now the extent of the dam-

age of the data breach remains to be seen.

Still, Target’s response attests to its vulnerability as a

retailer and the power of its customer base. According to

Bloomberg Businessweek, discount retailers like Wal-Mart

and Macy’s continue to undercut Target prices, forcing

them to invest billions in public relations to maintain a

positive corporate image. Like a puppy to an old dog, ev-

erything changes when people have another animal

upon which to project their affections—and

their dollars—on.

Therefore, Target’s response has been practi-

cal with the apologies, discounts, and security

upgrades. This may seem miniscule in comparison

to the danger of the data breach, consider-

ing companies like AIG and how they behaved

during the 2008 financial crisis. Indeed, some

dogs are more rabid than others, but all of them roll

over when their revenue is on the line.

We as citizens and consumers need to realize this power we

have over corporations. We can no longer see ourselves as

the victims, and them as victimizers, when we fundamen-

tally determine our relationship by deciding what firms we

frequent. Target Corporation still isn’t exactly a good dog.

The average hourly wage for employees working the floor

is $8.50, according to Glassdoor, lower than other major

discount retailers like Costco, which pays $11.51 an hour.

We need to demand more accountability, greater trans-

parency, and decency to employees from our corpora-

tions because ultimately we’re the ones who adopt these

lovable dogs.

PETER MARIUTTO

SAM LINDSAY

It’s All Greek to Us, or Them? By Kenai Klaskin

The University of Minnesota campus is home to many differ-

ent sororities and fraternities, traditional and multicultural

alike. These two types of Greeks have stayed separate, never

really associating with or bothering to learn much about

each other, identifying both a distinction and a divide.

Sophomore Rawnaq Al-Gheithy, a member of the multicul-

tural Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, said that the traditional

sororities and fraternities on campus concentrate mostly on

the social aspect of Greek life, such as networking, while the

multicultural ones focus on helping out in the community

and on campus instead.

Al-Gheithy said, “I have a lot more respect for people who

pledge multicultural Greek organizations. I know they know

their history, and that they joined for the right reasons: to be

an impact on their communities through service.”

Freshman Matt Miner is a member of the traditional frater-

nity Sigma Nu. In response to Al-Gheithy’s opinion, he said,

“We actually had to take tests. If she had to go through both

processes, I think she would find that they’re quite similar.”

And while he doesn’t disagree that traditional fraternities

and sororities have a bigger focus on the social scene, he

considers this to be the most important part of Greek life.

He also quickly dismissed the idea that one type of Greek

organization deserves more or less respect than the other.

When asked how he thought the multi-

cultural Greeks run their organizations,

he didn’t have a good idea.

So, even though a clear difference has

been established between the two, both

of them still wear the Greek badge. It

still seems strange that groups that fancy

themselves “Greeks” seem to have such

little understanding of other types of

sororities and fraternities.

Traditional and multicultural Greeks are even organized

under different hierarchies, with the former organized under

the Interfraternity and PanHellenic Council and the latter

organized under the National PanHellenic Council, Multicul-

tural Greek Council.

Could their traditions be so old and cherished that they’ve

stopped caring about outside intervention, even if it means

expanding their horizons? This is hard to determine without

opening a broader discussion. The question thus arises as to

how the divide came to be and more importantly, what that

says about the University.

10. february 17 - march 3

VOICESForsaking the T in LGBTAccepting Gay Marriage is not the same as accepting the LGBT community By Connor Wright

Let’s have a talk about what being an ally to the LGBT com-

munity means. In the year where Macklemore’s “Same Love”

dominates the airwaves as states across the country enact

same-sex marriage initiatives, discussions around LGBT

rights and same-sex marriage echo the refrain, “Love is love.”

“...an individual on top of the ride shouted, “We won! Minnesota has gay marriage! The war is over!” The war is not over.”

For many, it seems obvious to think that the lives and

relationships of LGBT individuals are the same as their

straight compatriots. Pro-gay marriage ad campaigns

dedicate themselves to normalizing LGBT relationships

by focusing on middle-class, middle-aged white couples

posed against a backdrop of systematic discrimination.

Absent from these campaigns, however, are the other

forms of systematic discrimination LGBT persons face in

their day to day lives.

Statistically, we know no more than 10 percent of youth

are LGBT-identified; however 40 percent of all homeless

youth are LGBT. In Minnesota alone, over 4,000 youth

experience homelessness every night. Transgender

individuals are four times as likely to live off a household

income of under $10,000 compared with the total popu-

lation. In 2011, a survey of 16 states found that while

hate-violence incidents have decreased the number

of hate-murders of LGBTQ individuals increased by 11

percent. Eighty-seven percent of those murdered were

people of color, an increase from 70 percent in 2010,

and 45 percent of these individuals were transgender

women. Transgender individuals were 28 percent more

likely to experience physical violence compared to their

cisgender/gender-normative counterparts.

I remember attending the 2013 Twin Cities Pride Parade and

as the last float made its way down the street, an individual

on top of the ride shouted, “We won! Minnesota has gay

marriage! The war is over!” The war is not over. If anything,

the rise in deadly violence against our community, against

queer trans people of color (especially trans women) tells us

that war is increasingly claiming casualties.

When we claim we fight for LGBT equality, what are we

fighting for and are we fighting forour most vulnerable? Are

we fighting for CeCe McDonald, a trans woman wrongly

jailed for defending herself following a hate attack against

her and her friends one night in Minneapolis? Are we fight-

ing for justice for Islan Nettles, a trans woman brutally

murdered in NYC this year? Or Monica Jones, a trans woman

who spoke at a community event protesting anti-trans and

anti-sex worker police programs and was subsequently ar-

rested and charged under vague anti-prostitution statutes?

In our fight for equality, we need to center our advocacy on

queer, trans people of color.

At the recent Creating Change: National Conference on

LGBT Equality, keynote speaker Laverne Cox delivered a

heartfelt speech that soon went viral as activists latched

onto her quote.

“When you call a transwoman a man, that is an act of violence,” she said.

Soon, her video and subsequent gif sets of her words

spread across Facebook and Tumblr, and in articles

on the Huffington Post and Buzzfeed, spurring a

large discussion around the U.S.’s culture of vio-

lence and discrimination against transgender persons.

Trans women are women, Trans men are men. By charac-

terizing the act of misgendering as an act of violence, Cox

clearly states that any attempt to delegitimize transgender

lives and identities is an act of violence. If you want to show

up in support, you need to come correct.

Recently, Piers Morgan, a journalist for CNN who hosts his

own show, interviewed transgender advocate and author

Janet Mock for the release of her memoir ‘Redefining Real-

ness.’ During the course of the interview, Morgan repeated-

ly made a point to describe Mock as previously being a man,

as being a “boy until age 18,” and implying that her surgery

marked her official transformation into a woman, despite

Mock maintaining before and during the interview that she

has always identified as a woman.

Turning to Twitter, Mock and her followers let Morgan know

that his show was laced with transphobia. Instead of engag-

ing in calm discussion with Mock, Morgan disregarded her

comments, defended himself as being a staunch ally to the

trans community, and attacked Twitter users as engaging in

“cisphobia,” or the irrational hatred of cisgender individuals.

Morgan can call himself an ally all he wants, but being an ally

does not always mean raising your voice. It does not always

mean occupying designated community spaces. It does not al-

ways mean prioritizing advancing “the cause” over the needs

of individuals within the community. It means recognizing

trans individuals, their lives, their skills, and their hardships.

The war is not over. For many, little relief has been provided

to those most affected by the hate and bigotry of LGBT

people in our communities, our police force, and our govern-

ment. When we claim to be fighting, we need to ask: Who

are we fighting for?

LAUREN LONG

www.wakemag.org 11.

FEATURE

Apps for

“U”

12. february 17 - march 3

By

Her

bert

B. F

ergu

son

-Au

gust

us

It c

an b

e da

unti

ng. S

ocia

l net

wor

king

app

s ov

ersa

tu-

rate

the

mar

ket.

Not

just

Fac

eboo

k, T

wit

ter,

Tum

blr

and

Inst

agra

m b

ut T

inde

r, Fi

nd M

y Fr

iend

s, V

ine,

Yond

or, a

nd H

ango

ut a

ll co

mpe

te fo

r ev

er d

imin

ishi

ng

atte

ntio

n sp

ans,

cre

atin

g ne

w a

nd e

ver

mor

e re

dun-

dant

mea

ns t

o co

mm

unic

ate.

So

inde

ed, i

n th

e ap

p

mar

ket

gold

rus

h, t

his

min

e se

ems

stri

pped

.

How

ever

, for

fres

hmen

Col

ton

Sinn

ing

of t

he U

nive

r-

sity

of M

inne

sota

–D

ulut

h an

d th

e U

’s o

wn

Ale

x T

raut

,

that

was

mor

e of

a c

halle

nge

then

a d

eter

rent

. Ac-

cord

ing

to T

raut

, Tur

f LLC

vic

e pr

esid

ent,

the

y w

orke

d

wit

h a

free

lanc

e pr

ogra

mm

er t

o de

velo

p T

urf a

Soc

ial

Net

wor

king

app

.

The

app

is a

geo

grap

hy-b

ased

soc

ial n

etw

orki

ng

plat

form

. Wha

t do

es t

hat

mea

n? It

mea

ns e

very

loca

-

tion

on

cam

pus

can

have

tur

f, or

sim

ply

a pa

ge w

here

peop

le c

an p

ost

stat

us u

pdat

es, e

vent

s or

sho

ut o

uts,

but

only

if t

hey’

ve p

hysi

cally

bee

n in

tha

t lo

cati

on a

t

leas

t on

ce, T

raut

sai

d.

“We

wan

ted

to b

ring

col

lege

kid

s to

geth

er,”

Tra

ut s

aid,

desc

ribi

ng t

he p

urpo

se o

f the

app

. How

ever

, Col

ton,

Pres

iden

t of

Tur

f LLC

, con

cept

ualiz

ed t

he id

ea a

t a

DEC

A m

arke

ting

com

peti

tion

. Ini

tial

ly, T

raut

sai

d, t

he

idea

con

fuse

d ju

dges

at

the

com

peti

tion

but

Col

ton

used

tha

t co

nfus

ion

as m

otiv

atio

n. S

ince

the

n th

ey

have

not

onl

y de

velo

ped

the

app

but

built

a u

ser

base

of o

ver

2,00

0 pe

ople

.

Wit

h th

e la

test

pat

ch r

elea

sed

Feb.

11,

the

tw

o de

vel-

oper

s ar

e fo

cusi

ng o

n m

arke

ting

, wor

king

wit

h V

ERG

E,

the

Uni

vers

ity’

s ow

n ad

vert

isin

g ag

ency

, to

grow

the

app

user

bas

e, T

raut

sai

d. A

ddit

iona

lly, T

urf’s

tea

m is

wor

king

to

add

even

mor

e “t

urf”

to

thei

r da

taba

se,

focu

sing

now

on

the

Din

kyto

wn

area

.

As

apps

rus

h to

find

the

nex

t bi

g th

ing

in s

ocia

l net

-

wor

king

, for

tune

s ar

e m

ade

and

lost

in e

qual

mea

sure

.

How

ever

, for

Col

ton

and

Tra

ut, T

urf i

s ju

st t

hat:

the

next

big

thi

ng.

Clai

min

g yo

ur T

urf i

n th

e A

pp M

arke

t

By

Aly

ssa

Blu

hm

Hun

gry

colle

ge s

tude

nts,

list

en u

p: t

here

’s a

new

way

to fe

ed y

ours

elf.

All

you

need

is a

sm

artp

hone

and

an

.edu

em

ail a

ddre

ss.

The

app

ByM

E ac

com

plis

hes

the

sam

e ta

sk a

s G

rou-

pon,

but

doe

s it

bet

ter.

Whe

reas

Gro

upon

’s d

isco

unts

are

som

etim

es s

till

too

expe

nsiv

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a b

udge

t, o

r ar

e

only

ava

ilabl

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tsid

e th

e ra

nge

of M

etro

Tra

nsit

,

ByM

E w

orks

dire

ctly

wit

h bu

sine

sses

sur

roun

ding

cam

pus

to b

ring

rel

evan

t de

als

to s

tarv

ing

stud

ents

.

The

dea

ls, c

alle

d “d

ibs,

” ar

e a

soci

al e

ffor

t. F

or e

x-

ampl

e, if

you

cla

im a

free

bow

l of n

oodl

es a

t N

oodl

es

& C

ompa

ny, t

he d

eal i

sn’t

imm

edia

tely

ava

ilabl

e. E

ven

afte

r ca

lling

dib

s on

an

offe

r, it

isn’

t un

lock

ed u

ntil

a qu

ota

of d

ibs

has

been

cal

led.

Onc

e th

e qu

ota

has

been

rea

ched

and

the

dib

is u

nloc

ked,

no

mor

e di

bs

are

avai

labl

e.

Ano

ther

adv

anta

ge t

o us

ing

the

soci

al c

ompo

nent

of B

yME

is t

o ge

t be

tter

dea

ls. B

yME

wor

ks t

hrou

gh

Face

book

(do

n’t

wor

ry, y

ou h

ave

the

opti

on n

ot t

o

post

any

thin

g to

you

r w

all)

, so

user

s ca

n in

vite

peo

ple

on t

heir

frie

nds

list

to d

ib c

erta

in o

ffer

s or

to

join

the

app.

Whe

n fr

iend

s re

spon

d to

a u

ser’

s in

vite

s, t

he

invi

ter

rece

ives

poi

nts.

The

mor

e po

ints

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ser

has,

the

high

er le

vel o

f use

r th

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ecom

e, a

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ore

likel

y

they

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to

rece

ive

cert

ain

deal

s th

at m

ay o

nly

be

mad

e av

aila

ble

to h

ighe

r-le

vel u

sers

firs

t.

“You

’re

doin

g yo

ur fr

iend

s a

favo

r by

invi

ting

the

m,”

Ros

s A

cam

pora

, mar

keti

ng m

anag

er o

f ByM

E, s

aid.

“Rea

listi

cally

, you

cou

ld g

et a

mea

l a d

ay fo

r fr

ee.”

Uni

vers

ity

of M

inne

sota

gra

duat

e C

had

Ols

en t

he a

pp

whi

le h

e w

as s

till

a st

uden

t in

201

1. T

hen,

the

inte

nt

of t

he a

pp w

as fo

r so

cial

net

wor

king

. Soo

n af

ter

its

rele

ase,

how

ever

, he

adde

d de

als

to in

crea

se r

even

ue.

Alt

houg

h th

e ap

p is

sti

ll in

the

bet

a de

velo

pmen

t

phas

e, B

yME

is lo

okin

g to

exp

and

to o

ther

col

lege

s

and

univ

ersi

ties

in t

he a

rea,

Aca

mpo

ra s

aid.

The

app

is a

lso

expa

ndin

g in

to o

ffer

ing

free

mov

ie p

asse

s an

d

deal

s at

loca

l bus

ines

ses

like

the

Ref

iner

y.

Vis

it g

etby

me.

com

to

star

t ca

lling

dib

s.

ByM

E: B

ette

r th

an G

roup

on

Feat

ure

www.wakemag.org 13.

By

Sara

Gle

sne

The

re’s

a w

ay t

o ta

ke a

bre

ak in

the

mid

dle

of y

our

jam

-pac

ked

Tue

sday

cla

ss s

ched

ule,

ste

p in

to t

he

woo

ds fo

r fiv

e m

inut

es o

f cal

m, a

nd m

ake

it b

ack

in

tim

e fo

r yo

ur n

ext

lect

ure.

Wel

l, th

ere’

s a

way

if y

ou

use

your

sm

art

phon

e an

d a

bit

of im

agin

atio

n.

Wel

lsca

pes

is a

n ap

p fo

r iP

ad a

nd iP

hone

cre

ated

thro

ugh

a pa

rtne

rshi

p be

twee

n th

e U

of M

’s C

ente

r

for

Spir

itua

lity

& H

ealin

g an

d na

ture

pho

togr

aphe

r

Cra

ig B

lack

lock

. It

cons

ists

of f

ive-

min

ute

vide

os o

f

natu

re a

ccom

pani

ed b

y ca

lmin

g so

unds

like

a b

ubbl

ing

cree

k or

chi

rpin

g bi

rds.

On

top

of t

hose

sou

nds,

use

rs

can

play

a g

uide

d m

edit

atio

n tr

ack

that

hel

ps le

ss

spir

itua

lly-i

nclin

ed m

inds

get

into

pra

ctic

e by

off

erin

g

advi

ce t

o fo

cus

on b

reat

hing

, phy

sica

lly r

elax

ing,

and

just

enj

oyin

g th

e sc

ener

y pr

esen

ted

by t

he a

pp.

Mar

y Jo

Kre

itze

r, di

rect

or a

nd fo

unde

r of

the

Cen

ter

for

Spir

itua

lity

& H

ealin

g, a

ttri

bute

d th

e pr

ojec

t’s

insp

irat

ion

to a

har

dshi

p of

Bla

cklo

ck’s

: his

mot

her’

s

stru

ggle

wit

h ca

ncer

. She

sai

d th

at t

hrou

gh t

he

app

Bla

cklo

ck h

oped

to

“bri

ng t

he o

utdo

ors

to h

is

mot

her,”

from

her

bed

.

The

cre

ator

s of

Wel

lsca

pes

reco

mm

end

taki

ng a

bre

ak

betw

een

offic

e m

eeti

ngs

wit

h th

e ap

p. It

cou

ld a

lso

serv

e as

a s

tudy

bre

ak t

hat

mig

ht ju

st h

elp

a st

uden

t

focu

s m

ore

than

con

vuls

ivel

y ch

ecki

ng F

aceb

ook

does

.

Five

min

utes

isn’

t su

ch a

long

tim

e, e

spec

ially

whe

n

rela

xing

cou

ld b

e th

e re

set

butt

on y

our

min

d ne

eds

in

the

mid

dle

of a

day

on

cam

pus.

Giv

e it

a t

ry. A

fter

all,

Wel

lsca

pes

is fr

ee! A

hea

ds u

p:

the

app

com

es w

ith

just

one

five

min

ute

vide

o lo

aded

.

The

four

add

itio

nal v

ideo

s se

ll fo

r $1

.99

apie

ce. T

his

tim

e of

yea

r, I’d

rec

omm

end

anyt

hing

asi

de fr

om

“Win

ter

Mar

sh”

whi

ch, w

hile

bea

utifu

l, m

ight

just

mak

e us

ers

feel

glu

m a

bout

the

win

ter

wea

ther

in o

ur

actu

al n

atur

al s

urro

undi

ngs.

Cent

er fo

r Sp

irit

ualit

y &

Hea

ling:

Wel

lsca

pes

App

Smar

t Pho

ne T

echn

olog

y Fo

r N

atur

e an

d R

elax

atio

n

By

Just

in M

ille

r

Like

any

goo

d te

ch id

ea w

orth

its

wei

ght

in fu

ture

IPO

pot

enti

al, t

he E

vent

Spa

rk m

obile

app

sta

rted

in

a do

rm r

oom

. In

the

spri

ng o

f 201

3, a

few

U o

f M s

tu-

dent

s liv

ing

in C

omst

ock

Hal

l tos

sed

arou

nd t

he id

ea

of c

ompe

ting

in t

he U

’s M

obile

App

Cha

lleng

e. T

ired

of t

he s

trug

gle

to fi

nd t

hing

s to

do

afte

r a

long

day

of s

choo

l, th

e te

am d

ecid

ed t

o ta

p in

to t

he s

ocia

l app

tren

d an

d cr

eate

a “

spat

ial e

vent

find

er.”

Now

juni

ors

at t

he U

, the

stu

dent

s th

at b

roug

ht t

he a

pp t

o lif

e in

-

clud

e W

ill N

ayes

, Ale

x W

esto

n, R

yan

Kot

val,

Jona

than

Stef

fl, a

nd Ja

cob

Wal

der.

It’s

an

app

that

allo

ws

user

s to

cre

ate

or fi

nd e

vent

s

in t

heir

are

a si

mpl

y by

bro

wsi

ng t

he v

irtu

al r

ealit

y of

a G

oogl

e M

aps

inte

rfac

e. T

hink

of i

t as

Fac

eboo

k’s

even

ts fe

atur

e, e

xcep

t ev

eryo

ne’s

invi

ted

and

you

can

easi

ly v

isua

lize

the

loca

tion

s an

d ty

pes

of e

vent

s

goin

g on

. Bro

ken

dow

n in

to s

ix e

vent

cat

egor

ies—

aca-

dem

ic, a

thle

tics

, ent

erta

inm

ent,

pro

mot

ion,

soc

ial,

othe

r—Ev

ent

Spar

k is

nov

el in

its

abili

ty t

o of

fer

a bi

t

of e

very

thin

g.

“We

wer

e ai

min

g fo

r a

mid

dle

grou

nd b

etw

een

inst

i-

tuti

onal

and

thi

ngs

that

are

for

fun.

We

real

ly w

ante

d

to m

ake

it c

ompa

tibl

e fo

r bo

th,”

sai

d A

lex

Wes

ton,

a

biom

edic

al e

ngin

eeri

ng m

ajor

.

Even

tho

ugh

the

grou

p of

guy

s co

mbi

ned

had

con-

side

rabl

e ex

peri

ence

wit

h pr

ogra

mm

ing,

in t

he a

pp

wor

ld “

we

had

to s

tart

from

the

gro

und

up,”

sai

d R

yan

Kot

val,

a co

mpu

ter

scie

nce

maj

or. T

here

wer

e pl

enty

of c

halle

nges

wit

h tr

ansf

erri

ng t

heir

idea

into

a s

leek

,

intu

itiv

e ap

p; ir

onic

ally

, one

of t

he m

ain

obst

acle

s w

as

that

the

y w

ere

a bu

nch

of c

ompu

ter

scie

nce

and

engi

-

neer

ing

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www.wakemag.org 15.

VOICESStudent Service FeesMismanaged Despite rising student service fees, minimum oversight on their disbursement persistsBy Shelby Miner

Each year, over 80 student groups apply to get funding for

the next year from the SSF coffer. This funding is one of

the few ways that many student groups stay afloat and are

able to function. The SSF board is made up of students who

review the budgets submitted by student groups and ad-

ministrative units on campus. The board looks over how the

groups contribute to campus and benefit all the students

who pay into Student Service Fees (all of us).

One of the largest issues with this system is there is no limit

to the amount of funding the SSF board can award. Theoret-

ically, they can give out as much funding as they want, and it

would get charged through tuition to students the next

semester. This is one of the reasons the fee charged to

each student per semester has been raised consistently

over the past few years; more and more groups request

funding, so more money is doled out.

“One of the largest issues with this system is there is no limit to the amount of funding the SSF board can award.”

This seems like a minor problem—until it is exploited. During

the 2011-2012 academic term, the Campus People Watch-

ers requested $1,000,000,000,000 for their group in order

to purchase the state of Minnesota. Although this is clearly

an unreasonable request, according to Katie Saphner, previ-

ous chair the SSF board, the board had trouble finding a

criterion with which to turn the group down.

She said they ended up claiming the group had turned in an

“intentionally falsified budget” on the grounds that it “in-

cludes programs the student group admittedly does not plan

to hold.” But, what if their request had met the criteria for

funding? What if the group was planning on actually buying

Minnesota? The fact there is no limit to funds that can be

allocated creates an opening for the system to be exploited,

which ultimately is paid for by the students.

Another big issue effecting fair funding is the fact that the

Minnesota Student Association (MSA) and the Graduate and

Professional Student Association (GAPSA) have the right to

veto two members each of the applicants to be on the SSF

board while still appealing to SSF for their yearly funding.

This clearly creates a conflict of inter-

ests in which SSF board members

can be kicked off the committee

for not approving the budgets of

GAPSA and MSA.

According to Katie Saphner

and Kyle Kroll, many

members of the SSF

board either

don’t

re-apply to be a

board member due to

this fear. This conflict of

interests has been made clear

several times, once in an instance

where MSA was

the only student group to receive fund-

ing at meetings in 2011, and once when

GAPSA turned their budget in late, only to

still receive full funding.

Moreover, the SSF board is the confirmation that student

groups are spending student money the way they said they

would. This is determined by an audit, which each student

group goes through every three years. This audit determines

future funding of the group by SSF if they determine the

money was spent responsibly and legally.

In 2010, the Black Student Union was audited, and was

recommended to receive $0 of the requested $65,000.

This was due to a failure to comply with the minimum

criteria for funding. Saphner said specifically that their

audit was off by “several thousand dollars” and “BSU

failed to produce records for multiple transactions,”

causing the committee to believe “the many discrepan-

cies revealed in audit of the Black Student Union are

signs of financial misconduct of inability to maintain

proper records on the

part of BSU.”

Basically, how

student money was

spent was not accounted for or

it was spent fraudulently. According to

Katie Saphner, the BSU was not happy

with this decision, and many of the

group members attended one of the

public hearings offered by SSF, dur-

ing which time they called the committee

members racist and insisted the discontinua-

tion of their funding was based on prejudice and not

on fraudulent spending. The BSU received $54,992 of the

requested $65,000.

“The SSF process is a good one – in theory. In reality, the system has a lot of flaws and questionable processes.”

The SSF process is a good one—in theory. In reality, the

system has a lot of flaws and questionable processes. All of

the records of SSF activity are public, but many students

don’t even know what the SSF charge on their tuition bill is.

The lack of student awareness and oversight of this com-

mittee is one reason these events have taken place. If more

students get involved with the process, it’s possible it could

be changed for the better.

MICAHSTUBZ.COM

16. february 17- march 3

Q&A

By Grace Birnstengel

Boston’s Quilt released their sophomore effort Held In Splendor less

than a month ago on Mexican Summer. The Wake had the chance to

sit down with members Anna Fox Rochinski, Shane Butler, and John

Andrews before their show on Feb. 7 at 7th Street Entry to talk about

their tour, being called a “throwback band,” and Valentine’s Day.

The Wake: It’s your fifth night on tour. How’s it going so far?

Anna: It’s going well. We did a co-headlining tour once, but this is

our first “just us” headlining tour.

The Wake: How does it feel?

Anna: Pretty cool.

The Wake: Have any cool fan stories?

Anna: We got drawings from this guy in Baltimore. He gave us art

that he made. It was amazing, just so nice.

Shane: He made us drawings and framed them. We each have one.

He drove from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The Wake: Is this your first time in Minneapolis?

Shane: We played at the 400 Bar once. After our show we had this

really amazing experience in St. Cloud.

John: Our van broke down.

Anna: We had to go to a transmission specialist there. So while the

van was getting worked on, we got my amp fixed and went to a

guitar store to get strings. It was a day of winning.

Shane: We found all these great stores in town and everyone was

so nice.

The Wake: It’s a classic Minnesota town.

Anna: Awesome accents and stuff like that.

The Wake: For sure. So, congrats on the new album. It’s extremely

cohesive, but not in a way where all the songs sound the same. From

that, I’ve come to the conclusion that you guys must have a really

great vibe and dynamic within the band. Could you describe it?

QuiltRetro without ever trying

John: We’re all songwriters. We write and sing songs outside of

Quilt, too. So when we’re all together, it’s ideas going all over

the place.

Shane: I think it’s kind of like that thing with highway inter-

states, you know? Like there’s all the highways and they’re

connected at different crossroads. Quilt is like the intersection

and it’s a very good place to hang out.

The Wake: I like that analogy. I was reading a bunch of reviews

online of Held In Splendor and people slap the craziest labels on your

music. Like, “psychedelic folk,” “paisley-colored retro pop-rock.”

What do you make of this?

Anna: I take them with a grain of salt. I mean, it’s always really nice

if journalists take time out of their day to write about you, even

if it’s like “paisley Austin Powers beaded necklace bedroom lo-fi

psych-pop-oriented.” But I also prefer the reviews where they use

more inventive language and the review becomes a little piece on

its own. You know, they get more into the language play of it and

it’s less about comparing us to a bunch of stuff. At the same time,

we’re in the 21st Century and we’re in a very unique culture where

art is produced in a different context than it ever has been. So if

everything is referential, I can deal with it. What’s really nice about

the reviews is that they’re mostly saying, “It’s this retro-sounding

record without being like a throwback or stuck in the past.” That’s

all I can ask for at the very minimum. To me, we weren’t trying to

make a ‘60s-sounding record, but if that’s how people are respond-

ing to it, that’s at least a positive outlook. I’m just open to whatever

people put out.

The Wake: Do people always just assume that you’re influenced by

‘60s and ‘70s music?

The individuality of each person is a very real thing, but the reality of the band is that we are really just stitched together and it’s a beautiful thing.

Anna: Yeah, which we are. It’s a fair assumption to make.

John: There was no point in the album where we were in the studio

and we were like, “We want this to sound so ‘60s, or else!” When

I listen to the album, I hear like The White Stripes and stuff. We’re

influenced by stuff like that just as much.

Shane: We like contemporary stuff just as much.

The Wake: Could you name a few?

Anna: My whole year has been like, St. Vincent, Tame Impala, and

Cate Le Bon.

Shane: Parquet Courts, Atlas Sound, Deerhunter. Also, it’s funny

that you talk about our vibe, because we never had any intention

of being a retro band or anything, but we do have some kind of

vibe like that in-the-car, like-the-hippie vibe. We’re all light-hearted

people in general.

The Wake: Yeah, I suppose you guys get called hippies a lot.

Anna: Since I was 9-years-old. But it’s not the ‘60s anymore;

therefore I don’t think those labels mean anything. I love throwback-

sounding bands, but that’s not the goal.

The Wake: If you had to turn people onto your music in one sen-

tence, what would you say?

Anna: Qdoba Understands I Love Tacos. It’s an acronym for Quilt.

Shane: Quirky Underwear In Little Tote Bags.

Anna: Quit Using Italian Leather, Tina!

Shane: Quiet, Understand I Love Tuna.

Anna: I had a good one that was like real deep, too. Quivering

Underneath Infinity Lovers Turn. Before we actually had a band bio

back in the day, we just wanted our bio to be all the acronyms.

Shane: It was on Last.fm. Probably 50 of those acronyms.

The Wake: As long as we’re talking about Quilt acronyms, why are

you called Quilt?

Anna: Just because. It’s not a very interesting story. What is interest-

ing is that over time, it creates its own meaning for us and we start

to pick up different threads. Oh, wait, that’s such a bad pun. I didn’t

just say that.

The Wake: What’s the current interpretation that you’re sticking with?

Anna: I was thinking about the idea of evolution as a group. The indi-

viduality of each person is a very real thing, but the reality of the band

is that we are really just stitched together and it’s a beautiful thing.

Shane: I think about DJ culture a lot, too. DJs mix and match songs

together and I think about us in terms of this weird DJ. We essen-

tially take all of our influences and play them for people. It’s like all

of this music that we love, filtered in so many ways that you can’t

recognize it.

The Wake: I want to talk about Mexican Summer a little bit. A lot

of bands in similar genres get lost in big label pools. Do you think it

benefits you to be on a smaller label?

Shane: It’s awesome. A lot of the bands on the label are buddies of ours.

It’s turning into a family of bands, which is great. We know everybody

www.wakemag.org 17.

Q&Athat works for the record label and we talk to them daily. When we’re in

New York we hang out with them and we go to the office.

Anna: It’s kind of like a clubhouse or something. There’s the office

and then there’s the studio downstairs.

John: There’s a record shop next door, too, that they basically run.

Anna: We’re so lucky.

The Wake: How did they find you?

Anna: It was basically through a friend who works for Captured

Tracks. We put out a single and she sent it to Mexican Summer. We

had recorded most of our first album and hadn’t planned to put it

out on a label, but then one thing led to another. They were even

into the idea of putting more songs on the album that John had writ-

ten since joining the band.

The Wake: They sound really chill.

Shane: Mexican Summer really allowed us to take the time to make

sure we had everything we wanted. They also provide us with the

support to get things done on time.

John: We got a good vibe off the start and they’re nothing but the

best to us.

The Wake: Valentine’s Day is coming up. I want each of you to tell

me your favorite love song.

Shane: “You’re So Great” by Blur. I love melancholy love songs. It’s

beautifully sad.

Anna: “Let Me Try” by MC5. We were listening to it in the van today.

It’s this beautiful, slightly sad, yet sexy love song.

John: I’d say “Museum of Love” by Daniel Johnston. It’s not like a

straightforward love song. It’s more abstract ways of saying that.

When you’re in a relationship, saying I love you doesn’t really cut it.

The Wake: Are you going to keep up with the Olympics? I know you

guys just went to Russia, so you have that connection.

Anna: I don’t know if we can!

John: We’re going to be in bars every night, and they’ll be playing it. I

love watching the Olympics.

The Wake: Which sports?

John: Hockey. I’m a huge hockey fan.

Shane: Snowboarding. I just love watching humans fly through the air.

The Wake: Did you pick up any Russian while you were in Russia?

Anna: No. People that we were with spoke English.

John: It was so much fun going there.

The Wake: Were you in Moscow?

John: Yeah, for four and a half days or something. We were really ner-

vous before we went. We all thought we were going to get arrested or

something. So we were really conservative at first and then just kind

of felt it out. Next thing we knew, we were walking up to the venue at

6 a.m. so drunk, yelling at people in the windows of stores.

The Wake: Did you try Russian vodka?

John: Yeah, they told us not to, but I did.

Shane: One of the first things that our guide said to us was, “What-

ever you do, do not drink Russian vodka!”

The Wake: The Wake is made up of a lot of aspiring student artists,

both in our membership and readership. As former art students, do

you have any advice for those trying to make their art into a lifestyle?

Shane: If you look at biographies of artists, you’ll see that a lot of

them went through periods of long sacrifice. To be an artist, it

might help to allow yourself the freedom to live an irregular lifestyle,

and that does mean sacrificing certain types of comforts. Create a

lifestyle where you can sustain yourself while being able to focus on

your art. Don’t worry about what everybody else is doing.

Anna: Be around artists, too. If you associate yourself with fellow cre-

atives fairly consistently, it’ll help. It’ll keep you in your flow. Just do it.

John: That’s what I was going to say! Nike: Just Do It. A lot of people

can talk about doing it forever, and then when it comes down to it,

they don’t. Actually make stuff. Sometimes you won’t be satisfied

with everything you make. I went to community college for film and

remember working on projects where I just didn’t like what I was

making. You have to get through weird times in school so you can

actually work on things you want to work on.

Shane: Don’t be afraid to share as much as possible. Critique helps

you move past it.

Anna: Everyone has his or her own comfort level. Don’t get overly

frustrated if you hit a wall. Take it one step at a time. Don’t think

you’re going to be like this Renaissance man constantly. Be patient.

Shane: Look up “John Cage: Some Rules for Students and Teachers.”

Those steps are a great thing to read.

The Wake: After this tour gets done in about a month, what’s on

the Quilt agenda?

John: A lot of touring.

Anna: Europe, then more U.S.

Shane: And then possibly more Europe.

The Wake: Are you exhausted just thinking about it?

Anna: I mean I could make myself exhausted, but like, I think it’s just

going to be really fun. PITCHPERFECTPR.COM

18. february 17- march 3

Sound & Vision

By Aaron Bolton

The piano in the Coffman Student Union can be a great addi-

tion to your time there or a terrible one, depending on who

sits on its bench. With a good player at the keys, it may be

one of the best features of the union.

The piano players provide entertainment, background noise

while visiting with friends, or just a good reason to procras-

tinate. Popular songs students already know are covered,

along with an array of beautiful classical pieces. Songs may

get covered on the daily, but how often do you hear original

material echoing from the corner?

He enjoys writing songs on the spot at Coffman as well as experimenting with material written at home beforehand.

Chicago transplant Quinn Devero isn’t just one of the few

people you may hear simultaneously playing and singing cov-

ers in Coffman; he also performs his own original material.

A sophomore at the U of M, Devero has been playing piano

since age three. He learned on his grandmother’s piano.

Taking lessons were a part of his very young start, though he

outgrew them fast. He quit formal piano classes at age five.

Since then, he’s primarily been self-taught.

His material ranges over a variety of songs, from his comical

“Friend Zone” song to many more serious tunes that spin

a variety of stories. He enjoys writing songs on the spot at

Coffman as well as experimenting with material written at

home beforehand.

There are many facets to his music, such as his guitar play-

ing, and beat boxing. One notable display of Devero’s talent

is his cover of “The Way It Is” by Bruce Hornsby, which he

accompanies with some spot-on beat boxing.

Though he likes playing piano, Devero said he has been

gravitating more toward guitar recently. He enjoys playing

at Coffman because he enjoys having an audience. The pres-

ence of others motivates him, and that in turn, he said, helps

his songwriting process. Performing in the corner might not

provide a stage for all to see, but Devero’s music often com-

mands the attention of the room.

He enjoys playing at Coffman because he enjoys having an audience.

Devero said he hopes to eventually get a band together.

Right now he’s actively looking for more people to play

music with. Coming from a city as large as Chicago, he said

he enjoys the tight-knit music scene in Minneapolis.

In recent weeks he has found several places to display his

talents, like open mic nights and public spaces. He recently

played guitar in a downtown skyway, and said his music

received a nice response. If you’re in Coffman frequently

enough, you will likely hear Devero. His music may distract

your mind from studies by captivating your ears.

A Coffman Piano PlayerNot your typical background music

SARAH BREWER

www.wakemag.org 19.

Sound & Vision

Art and cultural events start up again after constructionby Dahsol Lee

Whether it was receiving a diploma, watching a ballet

performance by the Royal Ballet of England, or listening to

a thought-provoking lecture presented by Robert Frost,

history has been made on the University of Minnesota’s

Northrop Auditorium stage for nearly 85 years.

Since remodel construction started in February 2011,

however, exhibitions at Northrop have been put on pause.

These renovations include acoustic modifications and a

redesign to increase student recreation areas. And, after

three years, those renovations will finish on April 4.

“I still miss the old Northrop, especially considering com-

mencement took place at Mariucci while renovations were

underway,” said 2012 graduate Tim Mackie. “But I’m excited

to see what the new auditorium looks like.”

Northrop Director Christine Tschida described Northrop

as “more than a stage to march across only at graduation.

Northrop is a place you can visit every day and experience

something new.” After the renovations, student acces-

sibility will be greatly increased, with the addition of six

new study lounges, a café, and some smaller rooms fit for

seminars and discussions.

“If you’re interested in ideas and culture it will be constantly

brewing at Northrop,” said Provost Kathy Hanson, who has

played a role in the completion of this project since her ap-

pointment in February 2012.

A Minnesotan and University of Minnesota graduate,

Hanson remembers attending performances and lectures at

Northrop back when she was in junior high. “Everyone in my

community would want to come hear from people who were

making news, shaping the world, and who were reputable,”

she said.

With a new film and lecture hall and a visual art gallery, on

top of the renovated stages for some of the most respected

performances in theater and dance, Northrop will maintain its

reputation for bringing the best in the arts to the university.

And Northrop will spare no time in reviving that reputation.

Opening week events are planned to integrate students,

faculty, staff, and community members into the celebration.

Opening weekend kicks off April 4 with an opening gala,

performances by the American Ballet Theatre, and various

activities on the plaza to give students a chance to get in-

volved. However, the celebration doesn’t stop after reopen-

ing week. Several events have been booked for the season

that are also free (that’s right, FREE) to students, like Colleg-

eHumor Live on April 10, and Trey McIntyre’s Contemporary

Dance Company on April 22. A full list of events can be seen

at northrop.umn.edu/events.

Story Club MinneapolisA laid-back evening of storytellers and listenersBy Erik Newland

Tucked away in a nearly hidden corner of Bryant-Lake Bowl

is a small, sparsely lit theater which seats about 90 people.

On the last Thursday of every month, this unassuming venue

is host to Story Club Minneapolis.

Originally a hit in Chicago, where it was founded, Story Club

has held monthly shows in Minneapolis since September

2013. Through a combination of open microphone and cu-

rated storytelling, Story Club offers something unique from

similar spoken word events, such as the older Story SlamMN!

and New York’s The Moth. There are no judges, no scores,

and no constraining themes. There’s just an evening of

eight-minute-long stories, and as host Mimi Nguyen assures,

there are “no dudes with guitars, and no poetry.”

A clipboard and a pencil hang by the door. Audience members

can sign up for open mic slots before the show starts at 7 p.m.

Before the show starts, the stage is empty, save for a micro-

phone, a music stand, and a worn-out rug. The stories told

from this stage are as varied and colorful as the storytellers

themselves. One storyteller, Minneapolis artist Amina Harp-

er, shared a story about an embarrassing medical condition.

“I can hear that some of you know what a staph infection is,

but I don’t care, I’m telling you anyway,” she said. The rest of

the stories were no less forthright.

For those who haven’t done much storytelling before and

may be nervous about putting their name on the open mic

sign-up, don’t worry. Story Club attracts first-time storytell-

ers as well as more established local artists and writers.

Nguyen herself, a storyteller and friend of the Chicago

event’s founder, attributes this variety to the “very relaxed

and supportive” atmosphere. It’s one in which the lack of

judges and scores puts the focus on “sharing the human

experience through stories.” It’s this atmosphere that makes

Story Club so unique.

Don’t want to tell a story? Just relax and listen. You can have

dinner served right to your seat, as well as an extensive

selection of beer and wine. Tickets are on a “sliding scale,”

allowing you to choose what price you’d like to pay between

$6 and $12.

Show up to listen to the stories of others, and leave inspired to

come back the next month—to tell a story of your own.

LAUREN CUTSHALL

MINNEAPOLIS.CITIES2NIGHT.COM

A NEW NORTHROP

20. february 17- march 3

Sound & Vision

By Thomas Hvizdos

Photography is a peculiar thing. It’s an art form, to be sure,

but it’s more commonly used to convey information—to

capture an image for later use.

In Siberia: Imagined and Reimagined, Leah Bendavid-Val

lets her photographers’ images play both roles. The photos

themselves are beautiful, representing the best work of a

century of Russian photographers. They’re also mini history

lessons. Bendavid-Val has written several books on Russian

photography, and her knowledge shows. Each photo (or in

a few cases, set of photos), has a detailed placard explaining

the cultural and historical context of the images. It’s a unique

combination, and it works really well. The images are striking

in their own right, but they become even more interesting

when you learn the socio-political background. Both the

images and the text are extremely well-executed, and they

enrich each other a great deal.

The exhibition covers quite a bit. Pictures range from the

late 19th century to the present, and are diverse in their

subject matter. Themes include religion, collectivization,

industry, leisure, and more—all from a Siberian perspective.

Through PhotographySiberia Brought to Our Own Frozen Tundra

It’s a testament to Bendavid-Val’s skill that the exhibit never

feels scattered. Each image fits seamlessly with the photo-

graphs around it, while at the same time offering something

unique from both a visual and thematic perspective.

The exhibit is split into roughly two galleries. The first sec-

tion features photographs in the “Socialist Realism” style,

which, as the name implies, is a mode of photography that

strives to produce images as true to life as possible. This goal

(and the accompanying restriction on artistic interpretation)

was attractive to communist leaders, and, as a result, it was

more or less the only form of photography permitted by the

state. Most of the photos in this section deal with life behind

the Iron Curtain, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, the overall

tone is rather bleak. The majority of the photos are in black

and white, and even the happier pictures are accompanied

by descriptions of the many humanitarian and environmen-

tal injustices perpetrated by the Soviet regime. The few pho-

tos from the present continue that theme, noting the many

ways in which Russia’s current government remains less than

concerned with the well-being of its citizens or wildlife.

The second part of the exhibit conveys a more upbeat, if less

focused, message. Here, black-and-white devastation gives

way to the vibrant color of Siberian life. The majority of the

photos were taken after the fall of the Soviet Union, and

there’s a big increase in the number of styles on display.

Again, the images are artfully chosen, and provide a series

of charming windows into everyday modern living.

If the exhibition falters, it is in the final collection, which

is devoted to comparing Siberia with the American West.

Here, various photos of Siberian life are placed next to

pictures depicting almost identical scenes taking place in

America. It’s a neat concept, and the photos are compe-

tently composed.

But there’s a lack of vigor to it. The pictures are just sort

of… there. After such a fierce and precisely composed les-

son on the unique beauties and history of Siberia, they feel

out of place.

That said, Siberia: Imagined and Re-imagined is a fascinat-

ing experience. Whether you’re interested in Russian cul-

ture, or just want to look at cool photographs, it delivers.

And, with the Weisman being free and on campus, there’s

no reason not to check it out.

SERGEY MAXIMISHIN, VLADIVOSTOK, 2008. RASUL MESYAGUTOV, NAGAYEV BAY IN WINTER, MAGADAN REGION, 2006.

www.wakemag.org 21.

Sound & VisionNostalgia in the Modern Age: Budget Movie TheatersBy Zach Simon

Walking through south Minneapolis the other day, I hap-

pened to pass by the iconic Riverview Theater in all its Mad

Men-esque glory. It reminded me of the good old days:

Legos, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Disney movies, and the time

uncle John had just a little bit too much to drink at my sixth

birthday party. Events like these define a childhood.

For me, childhood memories are intimately linked with mov-

ies of the past. But seeing the Riverview’s lobby filled with

happy moviegoers, a question nagged at my mind: how do

these temples of sentiment stay afloat in a modern, prag-

matic world?

In the words of Don Draper: “Nostalgia—it’s delicate, but

potent… It’s a twinge in your heart far more powerful than

memory alone.”

Walking into the Riverview, you’re surrounded by a scene of

vintage decor and De Stijl-style end tables. Buying tickets at

the box office feels like a step into the past. The attendant

sports a retro red jacket, a bowtie, and greased-back hair.

The nostalgia hits harder when you walk through the next

round of doors: that timeless smell of popcorn.

While theaters like the Riverview charge next to nothing for

admission ($3 evenings, $2 matinee), the same money-mak-

ing tactics used by big chains like AMC are still at play: con-

cession sales. Ticket prices merely cover the cost of provid-

ing the movies, but the amazing aroma of the popcorn and

those fizzing sodas are what really keep the lights running.

I asked a moviegoer on his way out of Captain Phillips why

he went to the theater when alternatives, such as Netflix and

Project Free TV, are so plentiful and accessible. His response

was simple: “When I was a young man, I used to go to the

theater all the time with my friends. It was just the thing to

do. Now I can’t imagine a world without it.”

I can’t guarantee that every one of us was an avid moviegoer

as a kid. However, there is always some childhood activity

that sticks with a person—from reading aloud, watching

Saturday morning cartoons, or going to the theaters.

That’s one thing that Netflix and Hulu will never be able to

provide. At the Riverview it’s not about the taste, it’s about

the contentment.

So go ahead. Buy that $8 bag of salty heaven. You deserve it.

By Aidan Hutt

With the Golden Globes in the past and the Academy

Awards on their way, film is a hot subject within the national

art spotlight. The Walker Arts Center fits within this trend

with multiple film-related exhibits. Complementing their

regular screenings of documentaries and critically acclaimed

films, the Walker now hosts MNTV 2014.

Partnered with the Inde-

pendent Filmmaker Project

of Minnesota (IFP MN),

Twin Cities Public Televi-

sion (TPT), and the Walker

Art Center Film and Video

Department, MNTV is an

exhibit that showcases 15

independent Minnesota

filmmakers. Hosted in the

Walker Art Center’s lecture

room, MNTV 2014 will be

featured until Feb. 27.

Compiling 15 works into

three separate hour-long

programs, MNTV brings to-

gether shorts of all genres.

While there are seven

documentaries, ranging from three to 25 minutes in length,

the programs also contain traditional narrative films, experi-

mental films, animations, and music videos. An introductory

video starts every program off, explaining the program’s

intention of giving Minnesota filmmakers an opportunity to

show their films.

The presentation of the exhibit is optimal for attracting

viewers. As the films do not run very long, a visitor does

not need to commit a great deal of time to enjoy some

independent films. Each film runs its duration and, before

most screenings, the director of the following short gives an

insight or detail regarding their films. Apart from an oppor-

tunity to present their achievements, the independent direc-

tors are given a podium to speak on behalf of their work.

The films are selected based off of merit, with no particular

theme, and the variety that each program offers makes each

a very dynamic experience. After being hooked by a charm-

ing hybrid stop-motion/live love tale, Eric Groves’ Keepsake,

Forever More and then sucked in and spat out by Ann Prim’s

nightmare-influenced, intensely textured experimental Time

has Peeled Back the Skin of Things, the potential of Minne-

sota’s independent filmmakers is obvious. A non-traditional

documentary about a Christmas tree-packaging factory,

Beaver Creek Yard, by Laska Jimsen, is both beautifully and

simply shot. Emily Fritze presented a finely crafted animated

music video, “Ship of Fools” for the Minneapolis-based blue-

grass band, Pert Near Sandstone, while fellow animator John

Akre screened Sheepdog Wanted, a black comedy animation

about a disguised wolf managing a sheep flock.

The standard styles of narrative cinema were Katina Petsou-

lis’ Sister and Darin Heinis’ DET. The latter film closed out

the program with a 15-minute thriller about a war veteran

struggling to reconcile his past.

The variety of topics and style that the three separate pro-

grams of MNTV 2014 provide are enough to guarantee film

lovers will be checking back to the Walker to catch them all.

MNTV 2014 Showcases Best of

Minnesota’s Independent Film

ZACH SIMON

EMILY CHANG

EMILY CHANG

22. february 17- march 3

Lola Arias: The Year I Was Born / El Año en que nací

By Sara Glesne

Theater has long been used as a tool of political resistance in Chile. In her play “The Year I Was Born,” Argentinean writer Lola Arias transformed this history into a new sort of play that interacts with the politics of generations past to show how they inform modern Chile.

The country has a turbulent and somewhat recent past of violent conflict. An early scene retells the stories nine cast members, all Chileans born in the 1970s-90s, remember hearing from childhood of where their parents were on September 11, 1973: the day that dictator Augusto Pinochet took leadership in a coup d’état.

Through a variety of media—1970s TV clips, sentimental sailor postcards, and articles of clothing that are the only remnants of family members now dead—the cast captured the audience’s attention.

In one scene, the actors organize themselves in a line representing their parents’ political affiliation and socioeconomic status. The tiffs that break out over this order feel pressing and natural, despite being scripted and pre-translated.

Cast members reflected on their parents’ lives today. Some former members of MAPU (a radical leftist group) no longer talk politics. One mother was killed during the dictatorship: her story told, chalk body outline and all, during the play. One cast member lost contact with her mother because she doesn’t approve of the play, and has simultaneously discovered where her “disappeared” father has been for years: in prison for a murder committed during the dictatorship.

While the actors portrayed themselves, it doesn’t mean they don’t push the limits of their comfort onstage. In “The Year I Was Born,” Arias and her team successfully roll history and personal narrative into one.

Quadron at First AveBy Alex Nelson

Danish electro-soul group Quadron made some rumblings with their formidable 2013 sophomore effort Avalanche, but the roar didn’t carry quite as far as it deserved. The duo, composed of Robin Hannibal (also of Rhye) and songstress Coco. O, are bringing their tunes on tour with Mayer Hawthorne, where their groovy pop-infused soul sound will surely catapult them into the relevance they deserve.

At First Ave on Feb. 13, Coco strutted onto the stage in a shimmering jumper and launched the band’s sassiest song into the crowd: “LFT,” a smashing ode to a night of pre-gaming, partying, and “looking for trouble” with her girlfriends. Audience members are already shouting their appreciation of Coco’s mas-terful vocals (in the form of steamy “ow!’’s and screams) when the band relentlessly storms into their second stomper, “Favor-ite Star.” At this point, everyone in the crowd was convinced that this chick is a flawless and fabulous diva.

These conclusions are confirmed when Coco tackles Lauren Hill’s iconic “Ex-Factor.” Since the band has won over the at-tention of everyone in the joint by now, they dial back the diva notch just a bit to unleash “Sea Salt,” which, instead of charging forward with soul-powered force like preceding numbers, sizzles and simmers as it’s brought to a softer boil.

To conclude the 30-minute showcase of their unique passion-ate and danceable fusion of jazz, pop, R&B, and soul, Quadron settles into “Pressure.” This is an expert presentation of show-stopping powerhouse vocals that erupts into a bouncy display of upbeat pop music, springing Quadron into the realm of full-blown stardom.

Octodad: Dadliest CatchBy Sam Schaust

Your secret is safe with me, Octodad. As the low-fi hum of his theme song goes, “Nobody suspects a thing,” and as his operator, it’s your job to keep his identity safe. Besides masquerading as a father of two, Octodad only cares to be ordinary in the sense of grilling burgers, weeding the garden, and grocery shopping with his family.

Finding your footing is the greatest challenge in a game confidently categorizing itself as “fumblecore” (a genre founded on purposefully flustering control schemes designed for comical failure). There is no mastering Octodad as each limb confusingly utilizes its own button of control—meaning that when your daughter Stacy wants a glass of milk, you’ll spend half a minute banging the jug against her face before throwing it halfway across the room into a china cabinet. It all adds up to some of the finest-tuned slapstick humor you’ll find nowadays.

This three-hour-long misadventure is short and sweet, and prime to share with friends. As a miraculous godsend, there is cooperative action for up to four well-coordinated comrades where each player can operate a separate tentacle. Under this mode, communication is critical, yet can result in some of the best laughs as your roommate accidentally slips on a banana peel, sending everyone flipping into a crate of watermelons. It must be said, the second half of “Octodad” is littered with maddening stealth segments, although the game is forgiving. After all, when your protagonist is a blubbering cephalopod who plays like a wound-up pile of wet spaghetti noodles, who gives a shit?

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UPCOMINGEVENTSTUESDAY, February 18

The Wild Feathers

Turf Club / 7:00 p.m. / 21+ / $15 door

WEDNESDAY, February 19

FRIDAY, February 28

SATURDAY, February 22

U Choose: Students’ Night

Weisman Art Museum / 6:00 p.m. / Free

Film: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Coffman Union / 7 & 10 p.m. / Free

The Music Man

Open Book / 8:00 p.m. / $15-25

THURSDAY, February 20

SUNDAY, March 2FRIDAY, February 21

THURSDAY, February 27

Film: Inequality for All

Willey Hall / 3:30 p.m. / Free

Last day to skate

The Depot / 10-6 p.m. / $9

U of M Job and Internship Fair

Minneapolis Convention Center / 10-4 p.m. / $25

door

University Dance Theatre: New Dance/ New Space

Rarig Center / 7:30 p.m. / $6 students

Handsome Midnight, Delta Routine, SDRA

Kitty Kat Club / $5 / 21+

Oscars

Your TV / 7:30 p.m.Film: Gravity

Coffman Union / 7 & 10 p.m. / Free

www.wakemag.org 23.

The WakeCome to our next meeting Monday February 24@ 8pm

Fowell Hall Room 12 // We need Illistrators, Photographers, Writers, and You // wakemag.org for more info