This preview was originally posted on the City of Iowa City Summer of the Arts website 7/19/2010.
Downtown Saturday Night presented by the Downtown Association of Iowa City returns to the Weatherdance Stage, right outside the Iowa City Sheraton Hotel, this Saturday night at 6:30 with performances from William Elliot Whitmore and The New Bodies.
Hailing from a horse farm along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, William Elliott Whitmore has developed an intense love and spiritual understanding of the land, which he flawlessly conveys through all of his records. With live performances that will leave one completely stunned in silence, and albums full of songs from the heart and the heartland. Whitmore is one of the most interesting contributions to today's diverse collection of musical ingenuity.
Natives of Des Moines, The New Bodies play a brand of Rock that blends punk sensibilities and a strong alternative influence with catchy hooks. These guys are the real deal!
Make sure to follow us on Facebook (Click Here) and Twitter (Click Here) for updates on this week's festival.
Preview originally posted on the City of Iowa City Summer of the Arts website 7/6/2010
The MidwestOne Free Movie Series continues this weekend with a presentation of the 2008 blockbuster The Dark Knight at sun down on the Pentacrest.
Director Christopher Nolan's second film in the rebooted Batman franchise follows the caped crusader (Christian Bale) as he works to put an end to Gotham City's crime syndicate with the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and newly appointed D.A. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart). However, their progress is thwarted when a new criminal called the Joker (the late Heath Ledger, in an Oscar-winning performance) whose crimes cause widespread panic and chaos for Gotham's citizens. Together, the three must work together to stop The Joker and find a way to give Gotham both the hero it needs, and the one it deserves.
While The Dark Knight is widely considered to be the greatest super hero film ever made, parents should know the film is rated PG-13 for "intense sequences of violence and some menace." Some children may also find the Joker character to be frightening.
Make sure to follow us on Facebook (Click Here) and Twitter (Click Here) for updates on this week's festival.
All previews posted on the City of Iowa City Summer of the Arts website under each respective events web page 6/28/2010.
Friday Night Concert Series page:
There is no Friday Night Concert Series this week due to our weekend long, Toyota/Scion of Iowa City Jazz Festival, which kicks off its 20th anniversary this Friday at 4:30 with the United Jazz Ensemble
Composed of students from both Iowa City and West High Schools, this eighteen-piece band will open the show on the Miller Lite Main Stage. For seventeen years this program has immersed students in jazz and built a strong bond between the two programs.
Also taking the Miller Lite Main Stage this Friday night is U.S. Army Blues, the premier jazz ensemble of the U.S Army. This eighteen-piece band his a standard at government locales including The White House and the State Department. The band works hard to preserve the music of big band legends such as Count Bassie, Duke Ellington and Woody Herman.
Make sure to follow Summer of the Arts on Facebook here and Twitter here for important updates leading and information leading up to this weeks festival.
Downtown Saturday Night page:
There is no Downtown Saturday Night this weekend due to our weekend long Toyota/Scion of Iowa City Jazz Festival which continues all day Saturday.
The festivities continue into the evening as Gabriel Espinosa takes the Miller Light Main Stage at 6 p.m. A native of Merida, Mexico, Espinosa will play from his most recent work, "From Yucatan and Rio" which is best described as a beautiful blend of rhythmic, lyrical horns and affecting vocals.
Capping off the evening, 2010 Jazz Journalist Association winner for Best Trombonist, Rosswell Rudd and his Trombone Tribe will grace the Miller Light Main Stage at 8 p.m. This 5 member group is known for their eclectic influences which range from Kurt Weill to Eastern European gypsy brass bands and their ability to get even the most stubborn of crowds on their feet.
Make sure to follow us on Facebook (Click Here) and Twitter (Click Here) for updates on this week's festival.
Originally posted on The city of Iowa City Summer of the Arts website 5/24/2010
The Friday Night Concert Series celebrates twenty years of free local music this Friday night at 6:30 PM at the Weatherdance Fountain Stage in the Ped Mall, right outside the Iowa City Sheraton Hotel.
Join us for a delicious dinner of pulled pork sandwiches, a choice of baked beans or pasta salad and a cookie prepared by Mama's Deli and served on a commemorative 20th Year Celebration Frisbee Plate all for just $8.00 per person!
This week’s reunion show is jam packed with musical talent, featuring David Zollo and The Body Electric, Shame Train and Iowa City's very own Dave Moore.
Dave Zollo began playing the piano at four years old and found his sound after he discovered his father's eclectic record collection. In his formative early teens, he would entertain his parents house parties with Ray Charles and Huey "Piano" Smith Covers. Since then Zollo and his band, The Body Electric tour the Midwest fusing the likes of The Rolling Stones and Country Rock and released three records.
Created in 2000 by lead singer and songwriter, Sam Knutson, Shame Train has dealt with personel changes that helped shape the band into the rockin' ensemble they are today. Sometimes referred to as "real country" or "roots rock," this group of close, musical veterans thrives on sharing their creativity with the Iowa City community.
Upon moving to Iowa City, musician Dave Moore settled into the local music scene both quickly and easily. Moore is known for keeping his musical collaborations specifically Iowan but still manages to gather national recognition, having appeared on NPR's A Prairie Home Companion, All Things Considered, World Cafe, and Live from the Mountain Stage.
Originally published in The Daily Iowan 12/17/2010
The relationship between the song and its listener is subjective, but many songs pertain to specific experiences in our lives — especially when they deal with tragedy. However, only a select few still resonate. Here are a few that resonate particularly strongly.
• Bruce Springsteen, “The River”
A pregnant girlfriend ends up in a loveless marriage. The Boss’s harmonica and swelling voice gets the room misty every time.
• Damien Rice, “The Blowers Daughter”
After I told a friend I was listening to Damien Rice, she asked me if my dog had died. Rice’s voice is heartbreaking as he sings about a loss he can’t bear.
• Coldplay, “The Scientist”
On one of his band’s simpler numbers, Chris Martin’s voice convinces listeners that a reboot may be the best medicine for a relationship gone south.
• Death Cab For Cutie, “Tiny Vessels”
This poor guy singing this track landed a hottie and spent a few weeks with her in California, only to realize he didn’t care about her.
• Eric Clapton, “Tears In Heaven”
Clapton wrote this song after the death of his 4-year-old son. Try not to shed a tear.
• Pearl Jam, “Last Kiss”
A classic song that is simple, yet true enough for Pearl Jam to do a cover that suits Vedder’s deep vocals.
• Pete Yorn, “Just Another”
Nothing is more tragic than disappointment, especially when it involves a romantic interest. Yorn’s brooding voice rings true with dejected frustration.
• U2, “One”
In the quintessential tragic romance, two people continue to get together only to hurt each other time after time.
• Roxy Music, “More Than This”
Partially because of its appearance in *Lost In Translation*, this track warns the listeners to do everything they can to avoid disappointment.
• Weezer, “Perfect Situation”
“Here’s the pitch / slow and straight / all I have to do is swing and I’m a hero / but I’m a zero” — the story of every awkwardly charming geek’s adolescence.
Originally published in The Daily Iowan 12/16/2009
One of UI senior Paul Worrell’s fascinations lies in conflicting cultures living together. He observed such a divide firsthand in his hometown of Denison, Iowa, and the experience has forever shaped his interests in the world.
Worrell, 22, recalled the change his predominately white community went through when the Latino population amplified.
“During that time, my town faced a huge culture shock,” Worrell said. “Seeing that even though there’s not that much difference between people, I began to think about how different they were.”
Most recent data shows roughly 1,200 Latinos lived in Denison in 2000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 17.4 percent of its population. In comparison, approximately 3 percent of Iowa’s population was Latino that year.
The clashes and cooperation all piqued Worrell’s interest in conflicting cultures, influencing him to travel to South Africa twice. He will graduate this month with degrees in journalism and international studies and a minor in French, which he hopes to use to pursue more worldly adventures.
Worrell first traveled to South Africa through the UI’s study-abroad program in the spring of 2008. He craved the cultural diversity and wanted to see the transitions the country had made since abolishing apartheid.
The semester abroad also led Worrell to develop an interest in traditional medicine — also known as ethno-medicine — and encouraged him to make the trip back to South Africa last summer to research.
Worrell said traditional medicine is very much a part of South Africa’s cultural conflicts — practitioners have more entrepreneurial freedoms, allowing them to market and sell their remedies more freely.
“It’s really fascinating to me — this old institution that’s being thrust into this modern world,” Worrell said. “You go to different places in South Africa, and it’s different because modern world hasn’t reached all.”
His traveling has moved some of those he’s encountered, including his professors. Worrell took Writing across Cultures with journalism Associate Professor Gigi Durham. She recommended him for a UI Student Government research grant to return to South Africa this past summer.
“Paul has an adventurous spirit that has impelled him to venture into places many people wouldn’t think to travel,” Durham said.
In addition to traveling, Worrell has also served as a reporter and newscaster on KRUI.
He plans to attend graduate school to focus on African studies but hopes to culminate his interests one day and write for a publication that will allow him to travel and learn more about other cultures. His dream is to work for National Geographic.
No matter where his journey takes him, Worrell is convinced he will return to South Africa.
Originally published on The Daily Iowan Arts blog 11/20/2009
If you've been reading your friends Facebook updates or Tweets as of late, you may have noticed some were submitted "via Xbox Live." This is because the nations Xbox's got there biggest update since Micro$oft changed the menu interface. In this update, Xbox Live members can now use streamlined versions of Facebook, Twitter, and Last.FM (similar to Pandora) from their TV's.
I was skeptical about all this at first. Why would anyone use facebook on their Xbox when they can't chat, send private messages, write on peoples wall or play those stupid games? There are a couple of positives in this intergration. The first being you can view all your pictures in a slideshow on your TV which is awesome especially if you're rocking the flat panel. The other major benefit is you can now find your facebook friends who are also on Xbox Live which is great because very few xbox users can admit their friends list is compiled of all their real life friends.
Microsoft has also said users will be able to challenge their friends via facebook and post high scores. Being able to challenge my friend to shoot a 4 on the 5th at Spyglass in Tiger Woods has a lot of cool potential in a Jet Man sort of way.
Unfortunately I don't know if this will work to its fullest potential. I've already gotten some grief for updating my status on my Xbox. Im assuming gamers aren't going to "come out," so to speak, and admit they are avid online gamers. Are girls going to see this and be turned off by that cute kid from their class because he said put his thoughts on last nights "30 Rock" through their Xbox? I hope not as this update is intended to draw the casual social networking crowd to Microsoft's console but there will always be haters. We just have to keep our thumbs down.
Originally published in The Daily Iowan 11/13/2009
Exposure is key.
It’s what UI senior Olivia Rendone believes about the world of art, at least.
That’s why the 22-year-old worked with students at Tate High for her Honors project in the UI School of Art and Art History, showing them the works they create have an outlet and that they are very much real artists. The project culminated with a reception for the students’ gallery at the Lindquist Center on Thursday.
“It was something they didn’t seem to be exposed to,” said Rendone, an art-education major. “I wanted to figure out a way they could see their work in a nice gallery.”
And she did. After working with students and administrators at the school, she set some deadlines and requirements and worked twice a week with the student-artists. The work will remain on display in Lindquist until Dec. 14.
Her path to art was probably as original as her work.
Starting on the nursing track, Rendone, who hails from the northwest Chicago suburb of Cary, Ill., found herself eyeing the art-class offerings.
She consulted her father.
“I said to my dad, ‘I really want to take these classes, but I don’t have room in my schedule.’ So he said he’d pay for a fifth year,” Rendone said.
While she started balancing the two, she eventually made the switch completely to art. “That’s where my heart was,” she said.
Though the shift may have been difficult for Rendone’s parents, it did keep with her desire to give back — just in a different way.
“When it came down to it, I didn’t think I would connect the best way in an emergency room,” Rendone said.
Her project is something UI art history and education Associate Professor Rachel Williams finds beneficial. Most high school freshmen don’t have a professional outlet for their work, she said.
“A lot of our students haven’t taken art classes since junior high,” Williams said. “Often they take their art classes early so they can take their AP classes.”
Stephanie Corlett, a UI senior also in art education, worked with Rendone on the project. Corlett, who is also good friends with Rendone, said she will make a great art teacher.
“She works so hard and is really dedicated,” Corlett said. “She’s got some really ambitious goals.”
After finishing 16 weeks of student teaching back home, Rendone will spend eight more weeks in New Zealand this summer.
She’ll share this time with New Zealand’s indigenous population, the Maori, who are known for their stone cutting and using art as a way of life.
And Rendone won’t leave such an experience in the mountains and sea that dominate the country.
“I feel like that’s a great experience for me to bring to my students,” she said, noting the intimate relationship between the culture and art in the country.
Ultimately, Rendone said, she doesn’t know where her travels will take her career, but she’s open to whatever comes her way.
“I think the sky’s the limit. You’ve got to take your opportunities when you can get them.”
Corresponding video I shot and edited for The Daily Iowan website:
Originally published on The Daily Iowa Arts Blog 11/13/2009
****While we already had an excellent post on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, or as I affectionately call it "COD", it is set to be the biggest entertainment release ever.. There is a specific part of the game that warrants discussion. I'll let you know where the spoilers start.****
Like seemingly every other red-blooded American male, I stood in line to get the newest COD game. When I got home and booted up the campaign to see what the story offered. I was alerted with a message saying that some missions might be offensive and I had the option to skip them.
These types of parental guard are now common place in most "M" Rated (17 and up) games. Assassin's Creed gave gamers and their parents the option to turn of blood. The recent Brutal Legend demo (and I'm guessing the game) gave the option to do the same as well as bleep all F-words. As a 22 year-old I dismissed the menu. Bring it on. Then I ran into this little mission early into the game.
***Spoilers Begin Now BTW***
[YouTube Video of "No Russian" level]
Anyone who's played the COD series knows each game is about immersion. Breaks between missions only exist to load the next level and any cut scene usually puts the player in someones shoes like in the mind blowing intro to the last game.
[YouTube video of opening cut-scene from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare]
The "No Russian" mission in the latest COD game is the best example why violent games use to (and still do to some extent) garner so much controversy. It's all about engulfment - the player taking on the mentality of a character - that scared cable news pundits when the old Grand Theft Auto games came out. No one wants to think their kids have some taboo desire to be a criminal or terrorists but it's fine if they're Allied Soldiers or Athletes.
Game companies always point to their games rating and some of the aforementioned in game options. Popular Chains have now even begun to respect the ratings and the controversy has appeared to die down. However its just like getting booze, all you need is an older friend - sometimes a stranger will do.
If you want to try (and likely succeed) at beating the DI Video Game Guy on Xbox Live Ill be around: Docholliday8706
Playing Now: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, NHL 10
Wish I Was Playing: Red Dead Redemption, Mass Effect 2
Originally published on The Daily Iowan Arts Blog 11/1/2009
The fall brings two of my favorite past times to the fore front: Football and the fall TV season. While many viewers are going to work at a northeast paper company, grabbing a pint at their favorite Philly bar, or singing infectious pop songs with their hip Spanish teacher a select few are putting on their shoulder pads to enjoy the drama under the Friday Night Lights and every night in between.
The reason I use the words “select few” is because the fourth season of the once hit show is back on DirectTV channel 101. Unfortunately for myself and all the others in Panther (or should I say Lion) nation, we don’t have the satellite service and are left in the dark until spring, when the season airs on NBC.
However, fans have no reason to complain; in fact they should rejoice and praise DirecTV for taking a chance on one of the best shows on TV. After a lackluster second season, there was no reason for either the satellite provider or NBC to pick up a third season. And while last season was strong and harkened back to season one – one of the best seasons of any show ever – DirecTV picked up not one but two more seasons!
Like many Friday Night fanatics I had to find an alternative means to see last Wednesday’s premiere and while I know this means I will be one less viewer come spring, my excitement consumed me as this last season lived up to my expectations ten-fold.
To state the obvious, Coach Eric Taylor is a stallion. Any self-respecting guy is lucky to grow up to be half the man he is. He takes anything that comes his way and meets it head on and is the perfect lead character to have in case a show needs to shake up its formula. The same can be said of Tami Taylor (Connie Britton). Her quick tongue and Coach’s stubborn will make for TV’s best couple. Period.
It’s a true testament the actors and the writing that a show is able to stay fresh for so long. Sure season two's infamous rape plotline went on longer than it should have but other than that, the show remains strong even with character’s graduating from Dillion High and this season is the best example of that.
While I don’t want to give anything away for those waiting for the NBC season, the lines in Dillion, Texas have been clearly drawn and I can’t wait to see where they lead.
Originally published in The Daily Iowan 10/16/2009
Whether it’s Dungeons & Dragons, the Choose Your Own Adventure series, or simply sword fights in the backyard, role-playing games have been steadily changing since the ’70s.
Author and Dungeons & Dragons enthusiast Ethan Gilsdorf explores this evolution of role playing in his first book, Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks, from which he will read today at 7 p.m., at Prairie Lights Books, 15 S. Dubuque St.
As with many of his fantasy-loving counterparts, Gilsdorf said he originally picked up the polyhedral dice (the Dungeons and Dragons weapon of choice ) to escape into a world without the problems of reality during his childhood.
“What makes the fantasy realm so compelling is that it’s backward looking and much more romantic,” he said. “You just had your sword, the village you lived in, and the creatures that endangered your little corner of the shire.”
The weekends he spent scouring dungeons for gold, fighting orcs, and rescuing princesses — all in the comfort of a friend’s basement — eventually gave way to new adventures. He said he felt he couldn’t pursue his desires to develop new friendships under the social stigma associated with the game.
“I forcefully had to say this was something I didn’t want to be a part of,” Gilsdorf said. “I wanted to get the girlfriend, go to parties, and drink beer.”
Many years and a marriage later, he said the success of The Lord of The Rings movies rekindled his interest in fantasy role playing even while he lived in Paris.
“When those movies came out, it was very hard not to think of that time in my life,” the writer said.
After digging up his old Dungeons & Dragons gear, Gilsdorf embarked on a quest to discover the new forms gaming and fantasy life had taken on. A lot had become part of the mainstream.
Robin Johnson, a UI graduate student in media studies, said mainstream acceptance of role-playing societies could leave it in danger of losing its appeal among its ardent fans.
“When any kind of subcultural practice becomes mainstream, it becomes less intimate,” Johnson said. “The hard-core [fantasy players] will find their culture has been robbed because they have no control of what mainstream does with it.”
Gilsdorf said another big reason for fantasy’s mainstream success is the popularity of massive multiplayer online role playing games, such as World of Warcraft.
“Online gaming can be absorbing because it’s acceptable to spend so much time in front of your computer,” he said. “[But] I think it is largely good as long as it brings people together. It’s as healthy as playing cards on a Friday night or other social activities.”
Whatever the next step, Gilsdorf said role playing and cyberspace will continue to interweave, but neither are a replacement for the real thing.
“One of the reasons there is resurgence in live action [role playing games] is because of the more time people are in front of screen,” he said. “There’s a tactile face-to-face element that is impossible to re-create.”
Originally published in The Daily Iowan 10/09/2009
The steep climb to the Picador’s second floor is no longer as precarious as it was when the venue was known as Gabe’s.
That news will make Straylight Run drummer Will Noon very happy. The musician said he remembers hauling gear up Gabe’s metal mass of stairs when his former band, the now defunct Breaking Pangaea, played at the venue years ago.
Noon will return to Iowa City to ascend those remodeled stairs tonight and will bring new company this time around — John Nolan and Shaun Cooper, formerly of Taking Back Sunday. Together, the three musicians make up Straylight Run. At 6 p.m. today, the alt-rock threesome will overtake the Picador, 330 E. Washington St. Admission is $12.
Because of a contract with Nolan’s and Cooper’s former group, Chicago-based label Victory Records released Straylight Run’s self-titled first album. After the band recorded a second full-length album (The Needles The Space) and an EP, the band joined Universal Republic Records. Noon said the label led the band to believe it knew how to support the album, which he called its “least radio-friendly record.”
“They pushed one song on the radio, and they said they didn’t know what to do,” he said.
With such little support for its album, he said, Straylight Run left Universal Republic Records. Cooper now splits time between Straylight Run and Nolan’s sister Michelle DaRossa’s band Destry.
Since its fallout with Universal Republic, Straylight Run runs independent of any big labels. Noon said the three are responsible for organizing tours, new music releases, and music videos, and he prefers the extra work.
“It’s nice to have a bunch of people working for you,” Noon said. “But there are times when they are distracted on other things. I’d rather have three of us working really hard than 300 not working hard.”
The band is on tour promoting its new EP, About Time. As was the band’s last release, the new tracks are only available through download.
“EPs aren’t a huge commitment,” Noon said. “If we put something out and we can’t tour, we can get right back in the studio and record new songs.”
The new sound the band explores is less melodic and more folk-oriented, therefore setting it apart from Nolan’s and Cooper’s previous bands and records.
“It’s hard to step out of that,” Noon said. “We’ve always been the odd man out.”
Originally published in The Daily Iowan 10/01/2009
The Academy Is … bassist Adam Siska’s last visit to Iowa City was painful.
Literally.
He cut his right index finger on a broken glass bottle last spring while at the Picador, 330 E. Washington St. The accident put him in the hospital, and forced him to rent a car and go home for four months while the rest of the band continued the tour.
Siska and the band will return for a show at the Picador at 6 p.m. today, with You Me at Six and the Secret Handshake opening. Tickets are $17.
Siska said he is excited about coming back to Iowa City, partially because of the residents.
“I was surprised at how many beautiful women are walking around Iowa City,” he said.
The group played an all-acoustic set in April that showcased Siska’s talent on two songs. He admits that although acoustic shows allow the band to showcase its music in a different way, he looks forward to performing an electric set.
“I prefer the energy of electric shows,” he said. “An acoustic bass doesn’t sound as good.”
Siska — a native of Barrington, Ill. — said his fans’ energy helped the band rise above other pop-punk groups that came out of the Chicago suburbs, such as the Audition and the Junior Varsity.
“There was something really special happening in the Chicago suburbs from 2001 to 2004,” he said. “It was like Seattle in the ’90s or San Francisco in the ’60s.”
The perceived lack of music opportunities in the Midwest — as opposed to larger coastal markets — played a large part in attracting fans who were “really behind the bands,” he said, and the majority of those fans were teenagers.
“It’s an age where you look to music to get away,” he said. “When you’re trapped in the Midwest, music takes you somewhere else.”
However, as the Academy attracts older fans, the 21-year-old Siska said his band has to work harder to connect with new audiences while still keeping original fans interested.
“As you grow, things change, and it’s hard to relate to where you were in high school,” he said. “As you get older, music becomes secondary.”
The band tries to move forward through evolution in its music. The band’s second album, Santi, featured a more alternative-rock style as opposed to the straightforward pop-punk sound of the first album, Almost Here.
“They’ve been collecting pieces of a puzzle,” Siska said, “We still haven’t made our best record.”
The band members plan to do a lot of writing for a new album while on the road. In the meantime, fans can enjoy their new EP Lost in Pacific Time. The disc has five brand-new tracks and is available only through digital distribution. It was recorded on the band’s tour bus, and its release was a surprise for fans. The title is taken from a line in the band’s song “New York (Saint in the City),” which refers to the effects from touring across the country.
“It’s become a daily part of touring to be in a new time zone,” Siska said.
A version of the EP is also available on the band’s website as well as at its shows, but not in stores. Siska said he and his bandmates decided the record was better suited for a digital release.
“It wasn’t something we needed to put in stores,” he said. “We didn’t want it to feel like you’ve seen months of advertising.”
Originally published on The Daily Iowan Arts Blog 9/20/2009
My earliest video game memory comes from when I found an old Intellivision in my grandparents basement. Despite its archaic graphics, I was able to convince my parents to let me take it home with us. There were only two games left with the system; a space invaders rip-off and a baseball game. The latter of which lived in the system. My dad and I spent hours in our den adding to the bitter rivalry between the Red Team and the Blue Team. It became more about the bonding experience than anything else.
Sports and video games are a perfect marriage. Both feature competition and add to the traditional gamer demographic – the adolescent male. Furthermore, they allow sports fans to live out fantasies beyond their skill level which makes it a no brainer that the Madden series is not only the most popular sports game series but also one of the most popular franchises period. If you don't believe me check out this brilliant piece of marketing:
[Video: Madden 08 "Field Generals Ad."]
It's amazing these games cause players to look past any socio-economic differences. Unfortunately, other sports games get left under the radar, namely EA Sports’ NHL series. Some of this is due to Hockey’s status as one of the least popular sports in the U.S., behind only soccer. However, there isn’t one gamer over 18 who doesn’t have fond memories of late night marathon sessions of NHL ’94-’97. The series is a staple in guy culture, it’s even made appearances in male oriented comedies like Chasing Amy, Mallrats, Swingers.
Last year’s NHL 09 is one of, if not the, best sports game ever made. It is the one game I can say I played with my roommates from the its release last year, to last Monday night, less than 8 before the 2010 version came out. This is just subjective experience either. The game garnered twelve “Sports Game of the Year” awards, according the NHL 10 box; a feat any current generation Madden entry has yet to accomplish.
What’s more is these games are a great way to introduce gamers to sports they wouldn’t seek out otherwise. During the 2006 World Cup, my friends and I started playing FIFA World Cup 2006. We then followed the real life tournament with more interest as we knew at least one player from all the major countries. On the same note, I wouldn’t be able to name more than two Chicago Blackhawks if it wasn’t for NHL 10.
If football wasn’t as popular as it is, the Madden series wouldn’t be the pop culture phenomenon that it is. Football games make for a slower experience than hockey, and if you’ve ever gone back to a Madden entry on the Sega Genesis or Super Nintendo, you’ll see what I mean. On the other hand, any NHL game from the same era still holds up as well today as it did upon its release.
As the new Madden 10 faces less than spectacular sales, gamers are clearly looking for new sports to fix the twitch in their thumbs.
A cross-country tour and credits on numerous television soundtracks have put singer/songwriter Tyrone Wells on many people’s radar. Those following Wells will find him in Iowa City tonight.
He will play at the Mill, 120 E. Burlington St., at 8 p.m. today as part of his Remain tour to promote his new album of the same name. Admission is $14. Chicago native Dick Prall and folk artist Matt Hires will open the show.
Wells said his new album’s title track sums up the record best. While recording in London, the LP took a more epic turn.
“It’s a more lush production,” he said. “I’ve been more sparse in the past.”
He doesn’t think about his fans or their expectations, he said, when tackling material different from what he’s done in the past.
“I’m not that calculated,” he said. “I do try to be honest and write songs anybody can sing along to.”
Wells is no stranger to Iowa City. He has played both the Picador and the Englert and has done some collaborative work with local musician Jason Reeves — which, he said, he’s always enjoyed.
“I really love the process of collaboration,” he said. “It opens you up to write something you wouldn’t have on your own.”
However, the most important thing to him is people’s ability to hear and enjoy his music whether live, on iPods, or on television.
People can hear Wells’ songs on such hit shows as “Rescue Me,” “One Tree Hill,” and “Numb3rs.” One of his new songs, “Sink or Swim,” can be heard in a commercial for the new season of “Grey’s Anatomy.” It’s necessary for him to use these outlets, he said, because it’s hard to “break through the noise” of all the music around today.
More importantly, the tactic works.
“I can’t tell you how many times people come to my [concerts] because they heard my song on their favorite show,” Wells said.
He doesn’t seem to be worried about potential backlash from followers who might find the crossover off-putting.
“If someone doesn’t like [my music on TV], there are probably 20 people who heard it on TV who do,” he said.
Opening act Dick Prall said he got some extra exposure through a Starbucks sampler CD, and he doesn’t fault Wells or any artist for using such promotion tactics.
“Licensing deals are far more lucrative than trying to get a record deal,” he said.
He is quite familiar with Iowa City — he recorded his first record at Minstrel Recording Studio, 130 Lafayette St., and he remembers playing at the Picador when it was still called Gabe’s.
His set will feature a violinist and cellist. He has been experimenting with such stringed instruments, he said, and they will play a prominent role in his next EP.
“They are something I’ve always loved since I was a kid,” Prall said.
The orchestral string sounds will have to mesh with the Mill’s cozy atmosphere. Wells said he likes smaller venues for his music because of the atmosphere.
“I love intimate venues where there is almost something spiritual happening,” he said.
Originally published on The Daily Iowan arts blog 9/15/2009
Break Up Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson
For those wondering what happened to the Pete Yorn from his debut album, Musicforthemorningafter, take a listen to his new album Break Up which he recorded with Scarlett Johansson back in 2006. While the title suggests the two are singing about a failed relationship, the majority of the songs are filled with the pop hooks that made him one of the top up and coming artists back in 2001.
The album sets its tone with the opening track, “Relator,” which opens with Yorn on the guitar, and some horns for good measure. It’s a simple song and will be on adult contemporary stations in no time.
However, it’s in the song “Blackie’s Dead,” where echos of Yorns first album are most evident. The song has the perfect combination Yorn’s voice with his skills on the acoustic guitar that made 2001's “For Nancy (Cos It Already Is),” so damn infectious.
People looking for something to showcase any of Johansson’s vocal talents will be disappointed as she serves as back-up for a large part of the album. This is reversed in a psuedo acoustic cover of Chris Bell’s “I am the Cosmos.” This is the best of the tracks which Johannson is the lead singer on and which is due to source material.
Johannson isn’t a terrible singer by any means and her deep voice certainly can sustain the album but most of her songs (with the exception of “Cosmos”) are the records low points. It’s great to see Yorn hasn’t forgotten the pop sensibilities that fans have been asking for ever since his songs became much more moody, hopefully he will stick around longer this time.
****/***** Tyler’s Picks: “Relator,” “Blackie’s Dead,” “Wear and Tear,” "I Am the Cosmos" — by Tyler Lyon
Originally published on The Daily Iowan Arts blog 9/14/2009
The music/rhythm genre is getting older than Keith Richards. And like Mr. Richards, the Guitar Hero and Rock Band series won’t go away as long as there is money to be had.
Every year, we can look forward to at least one entry in both Activision and Harmonix’s respective Guitar Hero and Rock Band series but have to deal with an oversaturated market. Since June 2008 Activision released five console games in its series while Harmonix put out two. When Harmonix announced the recently released The Beatles Rock Band would replace a third entry in their series, I applauded there stand against this problem. Alas, I spoke too soon as a Lego Rock Band will come out later this year.
It hurts to see Harmonix not pushing the same innovation when they released the first Guitar Hero entry and were the first to add drums and vocals to the mix. This winter, Activision will release DJ Hero in an attempt to put some fire back in the genre but players don’t need more plastic instruments collecting dust in their living rooms, they need the songs they want.
Block rock aside, it appears Harmonix understands that the genre has become so repetitive it’s all about the songs, which is why they have made it a point to release new songs every week for purchase. I even rented Guitar Hero: World Tour just so I could play Springsteen’s “Born To Run” and “My Lucky Day” for five days and I did the same for the Beatles game.
Despite convincing me to dust off my plastic Fender Stratocaster, I realized the inclusion of the fab four should be the end of the music genre. Other than my personal favorites, there isn’t any other act I’m itching to play as. Activision shares this sentiment as their next game will focus on mash-ups, rather than other artists. However the original innovators need to figure out their next play as the mass market will soon come to this realization as well.
Along with competing with gamers around the world, one of the best parts of the Xbox LIVE and PlayStation Network services is the ability to download game demos at no extra cost. No longer do players have to head down to the drugstore and spend $10 for a magazine (that contains information available for free online) and a disc containing four or so demos, some of which are for games that aren’t of interest.
Now, every thumbstick jockey with an Internet connection can try out the newest games without putting pants on or dropping a Hamilton on the counter at CVS. These demos are free because they’re considered to be promotional content and are meant to persuade players to buy the full game when it comes out in the following weeks. Sometimes the demo succeeds and works as a small game on its own (Call of Duty: World at War, Fight Night Round 3), or it confirms any fears the skeptics might have — as was unfortunately the case for the Batman Arkham Asylum demo.
Batman is easily my favorite superhero, but to be honest, comic book-based games haven’t had the best track record. I wasn’t surprised when the demo revealed the game is only style-oriented, with its attempts at substance consisting only of tapping the attack button repeatedly. Demo deleted.
I was shocked when reading the reviews of Batman’s latest adventure. It received a 92 on Metacritic and broke the Guinness World Record for “Most Critically Acclaimed Superhero Game.” I downloaded the demo again but still couldn’t find what everyone was talking about. I decided to rent it and play through what I could. I was instantly hooked.
This lesson demonstrates how poorly the demo was conceived. In playing the actual game, I found the demo left out the detective work and gadgets that make the players feel as though they’re Batman. The demo version, however, focused only on button-mashing combat and a stealth situation that amounts to no more than waiting on gargoyles to literally hang thugs out to dry, one by one.
Because new games are running for around $60 a disc, demos can offer the consumer a very valuable “try before you buy” opportunity. However, when the demo can’t capture the true essence of a game and the only people who check for reviews are hard-core gamers, such gems as Batman Arkham Asylum will be in the Wal-Mart bargain bin within six months.
It’s official now — both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are down to $300, only $50 more than the Wii (which has outsold both since being released). But will these price cuts change anything?
The short answer is “yes.” Both Microsoft and Sony will see an increase in sales through the holiday season. There’s also good reason to believe that the PlayStation 3 will outsell the 360 because of the built-in Blu-ray player and Wi-Fi capabilities. However, if the Wii’s popularity has shown us anything in this current generation of consoles, it’s that the consumer doesn’t always care about the technological features.
The Blu-ray player may sell some people on the PlayStation 3 over the 360, but no one will buy Sony’s console for the sole purpose of gaming. When I was at Wal-Mart recently, I saw a Blu-ray player for a $100, and I’m sure even more of them will be that price by Christmas. These things obviously don’t matter, though, because the Wii doesn’t have high-definition graphics or play DVDs — let alone Blu-ray — and it still outsells both consoles.
The Xbox 360 is the Wii for hard-core gamers, except it uses its library to draw in players. Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, EA Sports Games, Rock Band/Guitar Hero, and now the latest Final Fantasy entry are all on both consoles. Microsoft is also the exclusive home of the Halo series, downloadable chapters for Grand Theft Auto IV, and the Mass Effect trilogy. I can’t find a single title coming for the PlayStation 3 that makes me want one the same way that Grand Theft Auto III made me want a PlayStation 2.
While Wii owners are sacrificing a deep third-party library for more immersion, Xbox owners sacrifice the lack of built-in Wi-Fi, free — albeit poorly executed — online service, and a Blu-ray player. But in the end it’s a fair trade.
Currently playing: NHL 10 demo, NHL 09, Grand Theft Auto IV, NCAA Football 10
Wish I was playing: Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony, NHL 10, Beatles Rock Band, Mass Effect 2.
After an admittedly unpleasant fifth season, “Entourage” rocked the first episode of the new season and has managed to make the show interesting again.
The writers have finally realized that the three supporting members of Team Vince deserve their own spotlight moments. Vince has always been the show’s Ferris Bueller, while Eric (and the rest of the crew) plays Cameron. Anyone who says otherwise is lying.
What’s really impressive is the way the writers have developed Turtle into a real person. He’s been the generic pseudo-street, stoner horn dog for the majority of the show, and to see him question his role, as well as his future, has been the show’s biggest transformation. His relationship with über-hot Jamie-Lynn Sigler doesn’t hurt, either.
Even Johnny Drama grew up this season when he stood up to the studio executive who challenged the Sigler character’s integrity.
Of course, the show isn’t up to the caliber set by the first three seasons, but most sitcoms don’t last more than seven or eight years, anyway. But with the new focus on the full “Entourage” cast rather than just Vince, E, and Ari, I wouldn’t be surprised if HBO cranks out at least two more seasons.
DI Arts reporter Tyler Lyon knows all the latest video-game tips, tricks, and releases, and if you know the right key combination, he might just unlock his secrets for you.
My dad said it best after he heard my uncle describe the Wii Fit he got for his family: “They would find a replacement for oil if they spent as much time as they do researching entertainment.”
I thought about the comment and realized how much digital entertainment, particularly video games, are a now part of our daily lives — especially compared with my childhood.
Unlike my peers, I didn’t spend afternoons or weekends searching for warp zones in Super Mario World, and I never did play through Goldeneye as Oddjob. The only console I had was a Game Boy, which my parents allowed because we traveled a lot (and my mom loved Tetris). And while I was kept up to date with every model of the handheld through the Color model, it wasn’t until I was 14 that I finally got an Xbox (which I had to win from Taco Bell).
This lack of experience made home consoles my own holy grail — the unattainable. I spent a large portion of my time reading about games I would never play, first in the local library’s subscription toNintendo Power. As I got older, this interest led to a similar curiosity in the business and marketing as well as the games.
While the market used to consist of a divide between gamers and everyone else, it has now broken down into “casual,” “hard-core,” and “everyone else” (the latter is progressively smaller every day). Graphics aren’t as important as they used to be; it’s now all about the experience.
While I’m not one to fight change (I switched to Vista), I have yet to fully embrace casual gaming.
There is no depth to the majority of games, a requirement to keep my interest. I will always choose Madden on the Xbox 360 rather than a Wii because it’s the type of playing on which my friends and I grew up — the four-face button controller is more “casual” than swinging a nunchuk will ever be.
Ultimately, whether something can be deemed as casual or not is relative to the size of the learning gap. Both Microsoft and Sony have their own motion-sensing devices on the way, and, hopefully, they will be able to do more with it than Nintendo has done so far.
But regardless of how the games are actually played, I know I’ll be there — as long as there’s an alien to blow up or a Koopa to stomp.
Researchers for Vertex Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Mass., are developing a medication that could cut treatment time for hepatitis C in half. But until Wednesday, they were almost crawling over each other to do it.
The company officially opened a new research facility at the UI BioVentures Center on the Oakdale Campus on Wednesday afternoon, moving across the street from its old, less-adequate facility.
Now, the seven members of the Iowa team have space tailored to their needs, said the associate director and site head for the Vertex Iowa team, Ute Müh.
Müh said one of the biggest advantages of the move is gaining four labs and four offices, including a dedicated conference room.
“We are no longer crowding into my office, all seven of us practically sitting on my desk so we can video conference with Cambridge,” she said.
The researchers also now have space for their robots, a new isotope room, and wet labs, which are used for chemical research, Müh said. All of which will help the company complete research on its new treatment for hepatitis C.
The drug is called Telaprevir; Ann Kwong, the Vertex head of infectious diseases, said it could cut the usual recovery time in half.
It usually takes 48 weeks to complete treatment using current medication, she said, and 24 more weeks to guarantee the treatment is successful. However, she said, the current treatment has a fail rate of about 60 percent as well as another downside.
“It also makes you feel terrible,” Kwong said. “These people feel like they have the flu for a year.”
Researchers for Vertex Pharmaceuticals of Cambridge, Mass., are developing a medication that could cut treatment time for hepatitis C in half. But until Wednesday, they were almost crawling over each other to do it.
The company officially opened a new research facility at the UI BioVentures Center on the Oakdale Campus on Wednesday afternoon, moving across the street from its old, less-adequate facility.
Now, the seven members of the Iowa team have space tailored to their needs, said the associate director and site head for the Vertex Iowa team, Ute Müh.
Müh said one of the biggest advantages of the move is gaining four labs and four offices, including a dedicated conference room.
“We are no longer crowding into my office, all seven of us practically sitting on my desk so we can video conference with Cambridge,” she said.
The researchers also now have space for their robots, a new isotope room, and wet labs, which are used for chemical research, Müh said. All of which will help the company complete research on its new treatment for hepatitis C.
The drug is called Telaprevir; Ann Kwong, the Vertex head of infectious diseases, said it could cut the usual recovery time in half.
It usually takes 48 weeks to complete treatment using current medication, she said, and 24 more weeks to guarantee the treatment is successful. However, she said, the current treatment has a fail rate of about 60 percent as well as another downside.
“It also makes you feel terrible,” Kwong said. “These people feel like they have the flu for a year.”
The reason for the lower recovery time is because the drug Telaprevir — when taken with the other drugs — prevents the virus from replicating, and patients experience an improvement in recovery by more than 20 percent.
The drug is in its third stage of development — determining the ideal dose — which is the last stage needed to submit the drug for approval in the United Sates and Europe, Kwong said.
“For the clinical trials, we have to monitor whether the patients who don’t get [sustained virological response] if they become resistant to the drug,” she said.
The data gathered in this stage of research will go toward a new drug application, she said. Diane Gallagher, the UI interim director of the Research Park & BioVentures Center, said the success of the drug could have a positive effect for the university.
“Anything that Vertex does bodes well for the university, because it is a spin-out from technology here at the university,” she said. “And the fact that Vertex Pharmaceuticals — which is in Cambridge, Mass. — decided to keep this unit here, I think really says something about the University of Iowa.”
Video I shot and edited for The Daily Iowan website:
After getting some exposure by supporting Coldplay on the North American portion of its Viva La Vida tour, Australian quartet Howling Bells is ready to complete its run for U.S. audiences with the release of its second album, Radio Wars.
The album’s title itself fits well — implying the band believes it can conquer the mainstream audience by getting heavy radio play. Unfortunately, the album is intent on tricking listeners into believing the songs are going one way only to make a U-turn when its direction appeared to be certain. Like a good plot twist, this can be a strength or letdown. Here, it’s the latter.
The best example is in the album’s first single, “Cities Burning Down.” The song starts with only Juanita Stein’s voice and brother Joel Stein’s guitar followed by Glen Moules’ drums as Juanita Stein repeats the song’s title. And while this sounds like a precursor to an explosion of indie-pop confetti, the listener is quickly taken back to the wallowing of the first verse.
There are similar moments within the tracks “Let’s Be Kids,” “Nightingale,” and “Into the Chaos,” all of which are the equivalent of having the beginning of a commercial jingle repetitively playing in one’s head.
Radio Wars’ first upbeat track, “It Ain’t You,” provides the first sense of joy in Juanita Stein’s voice. She opens the track by pining for a lover, singing that seeing his face and hearing his voice everywhere is “such a beautiful thing.” While the sound treads a bit into Coldplay territory — minus the heavy piano — the song is enough of a change that the connection is no more than an afterthought.
The album’s second single, and best track, “Digital Hearts,” succeeds because it breaks the album’s trend of false promises. From the first second, every instrument is going at full speed, almost as if the band took all its built up energy in every other hook and put it into three and a half minutes of exaltation. If it weren’t the album’s penultimate track, it wouldn’t risk becoming a case of too little, too late. Thankfully it doesn’t.
Radio Wars suffers from what “Sam’s Town Syndrome” — a few good to very good songs that can’t save the rest of the album. Sure, a couple of the memorable tracks will probably end up on buried on a mix tape or playlist, but the others will be left alone. While most of the songs on Radio Wars show promise at one point or another, sometimes an unfulfilled vow is better off unsaid.
Tyler’s Picks: “It Ain’t You” and “Digital Hearts”
The Iowa City-to-Chicago train will likely have its depot near the UI campus.
The Johnson County Council of Governments Urbanized Area Policy Board approved a proposal that will allow Iowa City officials to look for a location for a train-station site.
The measure passed 10-4 on July 21.
A feasibility study found UI students would make up the majority of passengers traveling to and from Chicago, which contributed to the decision, said Brad Neumann, the board’s assistant transportation planner.
Neumann said a one-way ticket would probably cost in the neighborhood of $45 to $60 based on current Amtrak routes.
Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey said the only candidate for a location is the train depot on Wright Street, between Clinton and Dubuque Streets. Officials haven’t looked elsewhere because it is “ideally located” for students.
In a June 10 presentation, Rebecca Neades, the vice president and director of public policy for the Iowa City Area Chamber of Commerce, said the train would benefit Iowa City — visitors to Johnson County spent more than $294 million in 2007.
Neades said it will take roughly five hours to get from Iowa City to Chicago and the Iowa City location will be more convenient for residents who normally use the Mount Pleasant station — a roughly one-hour drive.
Neumann said the approval will boost the Iowa Department of Transportation’s applications for $32.5 million in federal stimulus money, which is intended to help renovate the tracks.
The freight rails need to be changed to help the passenger trains move faster and more smoothly, Neades said.
Neades also said she is confident about obtaining the money because officials are asking for a relatively small amount; the federal government had set aside $8 billion for train transportation.
The early morning sun shone over the old Art Museum through the leaves of the sugar maples fortunate enough to survive the 2008 flood. However, the tree taken down by UI arborist Andy Dahl Monday wasn’t so lucky.
Sawdust flew through the air as he took its branches off with a chain saw one by one while standing in a cherry picker. Fellow arborist Mike Rhinehart threw each limb into the wood chipper.
Dahl, 38, said his affection for arboriculture rubs off on his family. So much so, his children’s early vocabulary reflected his work.
“My first daughter’s first word was ‘tree,’ ” he said. “So I know she’s mine.”
Dahl, who has worked as an arborist for the university for 10 years, said he enjoys his job because he works with trees all day, whether it’s planting them or trimming them.
“You get to do it all,” he said, “You get to have fun planting new species that usually don’t grow here.”
He and the other arborists often recommend changes in the type of trees on campus, he said. And that’s not always fun — it means cutting down those that are dead.
“It’s not taken lightly,” he said, “Some of these trees are like old friends. To see them go, it’s a sad thing, but people’s safety is the most important.”
However, Dahl said, last year’s flood forced him and the other arborists to cut down more of the university’s trees. UI Facilities Management grounds supervisor Shawn Fitzpatrick said the university has 7,000 trees on the Iowa City campus.
“We’ve taken down about 120 trees that we normally wouldn’t have” because of the flood, Dahl said.
The number could grow; the university will have to wait to see if any more need to be removed or if new ones can be planted — a decision that will be influenced by the new Hancher complex location.
“We’ll replant once it’s all finished, but that may be a few more years down the road,” Dahl said.
Dahl used to run his own landscaping business but switched to arboriculture so he could have more time with his family.
“It’s just hard finding help, insurance cost, and customers own your soul from 6 a.m. to 10 at night, seven days a week,” he said. “With a family it’s just not possible.”
Rhinehart said he also worked in landscaping, but he took his job with the university because he was tired of working in sales and wanted to do more “hands-on actual maintenance.”
Along with the occasional side landscaping gig, Dahl manages to design and maintain a unique look for his own lawn.
“I’m the crazy guy on the corner with all the plants in the yard,” he said
And while he said arborists are meant to help maintain public safety on campus, he hopes his work will be recognized and appreciated 50 or 100 years down the road.
“Hopefully, someone will go, ‘Wow — someone knew what they were doing back then,’ ” Dahl said.
Video I shot and edited for The Daily Iowan website:
Clutch’s new album, Strange Cousins from the West, makes it difficult to pass definitive judgment on the group. The band’s Southern rock/blues sound invokes thoughts of ’70s bands that tried to be an edgier — but were ultimately a lesser — Lynyrd Skynyrd. However Clutch gets credit for putting out a brand of rock that has taken a back seat to the likes of Nickelback and Fall Out Boy.
Strange Cousins from the West has the simple goal of rocking harder than Daughtry’s mom on a Sunday morning. The group’s ninth album achieves this goal with banging drums, blues guitar riffs, and lead singer Neil Fallon’s boisterous voice. This is also the Clutch’s first album in five years without keyboard player Mick Schauer. His absence goes unnoticed — it is hard to imagine Schauer or anybody else playing piano without changing the overall feel of the album. However, his inclusion may have been able to provide more variety, because the album’s general sound is much more memorable than any of the individual songs.
This sound is summed up in the album’s opening track, “Motherless Child.” It uses the same riffs throughout the entire tune and features the repetitive lyrics “My father tried to break me / my mother she tried to raise / the county correct me from my wild ways.” It’s the combination of these elements that makes most of the album sound as if it would be used somewhere on the soundtrack for the motorcycle drama Sons of Anarchy. Again, this isn’t a terrible thing but all of the other nine songs the albums sound the same.
For the most part, Strange Cousins from the West doesn’t change things up until its final song, “Algo Ha Cambiado,” which is, clearly, entirely in Spanish. The song also features the album’s most memorable guitar riff, but that’s about all it offers. Credit in this song, though, goes to Fallon and his ability to be consistent in his voice, even when singing in a foreign language.
Fallon is the main discovery for those who haven’t heard the band before. He delivers the deep voice necessary for these songs but also has a range of styles that can be rough and grimy as in the album’s first single, “50,000 Unstoppable Watts,” which showcases Fallon’s deep, bass voice.
Although Strange Cousins from the West is a solid album that differs from most typical modern rock, there isn’t much variance among the tracks. It would’ve been nice to see the band take more chances with the genre, even if it didn’t succeed.
Can a lifestyle double as college credit, even a certificate?
The UI is offering a certificate in sustainability this fall, and one enrollee has signed up so far. But recent UI graduate Eric Holthaus has dedicated his job, apartment, and habits to being environmentally friendly.
“The idea is being aware and learning a formalized way to show a lifestyle,” said Holthaus.
He is an intern in the UI Office of Sustainability, created last December as an effort to bring green to a solidly black and gold campus. On July 10, Holthaus manned a table at the information fair at freshman Orientation.
Approximately 40 students signed up, expressing interest in the new certificate. Only one person enrolled, but Holthaus said the program is valuable to students in all majors.
He passed out fliers to educate incoming students about the certificate at the table. The fliers — double-sided on quarter-sized pieces of paper — show ways students can make their dorm rooms more green, student organizations that are environmentally friendly, and ways they can find used clothes or furniture.
Holthaus said the hardest part of changing his lifestyle was breaking old practices.
“I never grew up with any of these habits,” he said. “You just kind of learn them on your own.”
He started close to home. At home, in fact, he filled his Dubuque Street apartment with energy-saving features. On Monday, the afternoon sun provided the room’s only illumination as the fluorescent bulbs — which use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs — were all turned off. The cool breeze flew through the open windows past the silent air conditioner and his Energy Star-approved TV.
And Holthaus has proof that his apartment is more environmentally friendly. From his building’s basement, he is able to keep track of his unit’s energy use in each billing period and compare it with others.
The meter for Holthaus registered at 1,426 kilowatt-hours so far on July 13. Other rooms clocked in as high as 7,844.
But a sustainable lifestyle isn’t without difficulties. Holthaus said he has found it impossible to completely eliminate any one item from his life. Plastic is one example.
“Plastic is so everywhere,” Holthaus said, “It can be taxing on your mental sanity.”
For college students, adhering to a particular lifestyle can get complicated with a roommate. There were times when Holthaus asked his former roommate to turn off a light not in use, but the man didn’t bother, Holthaus said.
Still, living green offers one major incentive. One of the biggest advantages to the lifestyle is the money he saves, he said.
“Buying things in bulk is always cost savings, me not driving my car is cost savings,” he said.
While anybody could live a green lifestyle, he said, the university’s new certificate aims to put more focus on sustainability on a larger scale.
“Every time I go out, I get questions about it,” said Liz Christiansen, who became director of the Office of Sustainability in December 2008. “What we found at the table is the parents are really interested.”
UI Registrar Larry Lockwood said he expects the program’s single participant to have classmates in the sustainability certificate soon; the enrollment numbers could increase because students can register for the program online.
Video I shot and edited for The Daily Iowan website:
