BLOGS > HOMEDRONE Live Review: Angel Olsen at Georgia Theatre By Adam Matonic | February 3, 2017 11:30am GH O Pinit “What day is it?” Angel Olsen asked her audience. “What did the groundhog do?” She was pseudo-miffed to learn both answers. Olsen brought together charming levity and acute focus at the Georgia Theatre Thursday night. Olsen's music drips with emotional intelligence and intensity. Though many of her songs exude intense brooding and longing, her performance Thursday was a celebration of these complications, rather than a mere cathartic outpouring. Her voice has grown in power and quality since her 2010 debut, Strange Cacti, taking on a full-throated, silvery sheen supported by her already-honed spinny, timeless vibrato. The night’s standouts included the rocllicking and jaunty “Give It Up.” a stripped-down synth version of “Intern” and the sultry and self-aware “Heart Shaped Face”—all from her most recent and most celebrated album, My Woman. Olsen is adept at starting small, expanding her songs into a fizzy sprawl with a directness and simplicity that demands not to only be heard, but felt. This format was felt most fully with “Sister” and “Woman,” My Woman's centerpiece and penultimate track, respectively. “Everything's fine,” Olsen drawled through a tapered grin. “Call your local representative. Everything's fine.” She then eased into the night’s most disarming and direct moment as she began to play “Lights Out? a highlight from her 2014 LP, Burn Your Fire for No Witness. “Ifyou feel like quitting now, then try a little harder,” she sang. “The things we need the most, they seem to take a little longer.” Her words were unavoidably overcast considering our present national politics, and they morphed into a survival mantra for the next four years. While she's not an expressly political artist, Olsen seemed to be calling on her audience to remain steady in confronting today’s issues. “If you feel like running out, then stand in one place,” she continued. “When you're still and when you run, there's something to face.”Matonic On Music i songs that either Reagan Martin / The Johnsonian cooled you down or kept you hot this summer Adam Matonic matonica@mytjnow.com “Alright” - Kendrick Lamar Enhanced by one of the best music videos of the past decade and a cataclysmic live perfor- mance on the BET Awards, this song reached anthemic heights this summer. The track fea- tures a surreal alto saxophone, a pulsating Pharrell sample, and grating cymbals that give the soundscape a dissonant tenuousness. It manages — along with the album from which it’s cut — to incisively serve as the soundtrack to racial tensions in the U.S. today. “Cool for the Summer” - Demi Lovato Easily the most exciting pop moment of the summer, this siz- zling, sweaty tune was produced by hit-making mad scientist Max Martin, the man behind “Blank Space” and “Teenage Dream.” Lovato’s delivery drips with charisma and asserts a burgeon- ing confidence as she whispers bisexual innuendos and belts about body positivity. Those who are complaining about this being too akin to Katy Perry are missing the point. Pop music is derivative; learn to live with it, and life will be a lot more fun. “Hotline Bling’ - Drake Don’t be fooled by the mini- malist production; there’s a lot going on in this one. Of course you have the typical Drake schmaltz and the familiar trope of love being just a phone call away, but this song has a clean sense of humor. I don’t know at which point Drake is winking harder: the repetition of “cell phone” (Aren’t all phones cell phones when youre singing to millennials?) or the fact that this song uses a sample that sounds like hold music you would hear calling a locally owned hard- ware store. Drake’s vocal is an evocative meld of punchy envy and smooth seduction. But the sexiest part of this song is the fact that it’s so aware of its own cheesiness. “Good for You” - Selena Gomez featuring ASAP Rocky The best pop music is a little subversive, and this song is well aware of that. We find ourselves in the era of watching Disney stars outgrow their industry- imposed innocence, and it’s as thrilling as it is unsettling. In the digital age, the virtue of self- esteem has become increasingly abstracted, and Gomez haunt- ingly embodies the struggles as- sociated with that. The Lana Del Rey comparisons are inevitable — A$AP Rocky’s appearance on this song is no accident — but Gomez stands on her own with a ghostly incandescence that almost makes you wince. Also, props to ASAP Rocky, whose smirky sensuality both height- ens the stakes and lightens the mood, “High By the Beach” - Lana Del Rey Speaking of Lana Del Rey: this song’s wispy, blurry vibe makes apathy in today’s world even more enticing than it already is. Del Rey’s firm and whispery stand against an overbearing fanboy with flair may be refresh- ing to those who have critiqued her reticent stance on feminism. “I don’t need your money to get me what I want” is an exciting development in the life of Lana who infamously said, “Whenever people bring up feminism...I’m just not really that interested.” “Annie” - Neon Indian Electronic, beachy, and guitar- driven, “Annie” is the summer fling you didn’t even know you wanted. This song is just well- conceived fun. What more is there to critique, really?the Adam Matonic matonica@mytjnow.com The words "political revolution" don the back of Bernie Sanders’ campaign T-shirts. These shirts careened through the heart of Win- throp's campus on Saturday evening as Sanders was met by 3,000 sup- porters, his highest turnout in South Carolina so far. Revolutionary rhetoric seldom delivers in the 21st century, and it's far too early to know if Bernie's will. One thing is certain however: Sand- ers is a visionary. Bernie's platform offers free pub- lic college, a $15 federal minimum wage, taxes on Wall Street specula- tion, criminal justice reform and getting private funds out of political campaigns. Visionary leaders have built and repeatedly reformed America. As voters, we must support leaders who, rather than coddling our cur- rent circumstances, push our minds beyond them. Bernie Sanders is the only presidential candidate, Demo- crat or Republican, attempting to do that. Sanders ideas aren't just vision- ary; they are staunchly reasonable. A lifelong progressive, Sanders’ refusal to be a Svengali to special in- terest groups and corporations has made him a beacon to his constitu- ents and a pariah to the political elite. From fighting for civil rights, through advocating for gays in the military, all the way up to his lack of sympathy for bailing out billionaires — Bernie Sanders being on the right side of history is nothing new. His indomitable vision flourishes en the basis of his faith in working- class’and poor Americans. Instead of vilifying those in poverty, Sand- ers seeks to empower them by end- ing mass incarceration, expanding social security and thwarting the norm of centuries of institutional- ized racism in the U.S. The Vermont senator's increasing lead over Hillary Clinton in key pri- mary states, lowa and New Hamp- shire, is not an accident. Having to overcome scoff and scorn from both sides of the aisle has only galvanized September 16, 2015 Jacol Ha ex / The Johnsonian his campaign effort. Voters are sick of contrived, pan- dering politicians, who rather than leading public opinion, only aspire to benefitting from following the progress of others. If you’re think- ing I just described once-presumed Democratic nominee Hillary Clin- ton, that was intentional. Sanders has made a point to abstain from criticizing Clinton, and in turn, she has refused to talk about him. The success of Sanders' Demo- cratic Primary campaign rests in the hands of young voters. If you are reading this and you're not regis- tered to vote — please stop read- ing this now, go register and then resume reading. Younger generations grew up on the scandals of the Clintons and later the chronic misinformation of the Bush administration. Sanders responds to deep need in the Ameri- can electorate, and that is a need for accountability, sincerity, experience and effectiveness. In his feature called “When Bernie met Hillary,” Ben Schrenkinger of Politico writes of a telling exchange from 1993 when Sanders met Hillary Clinton about healthcare reform. Bernie, who was not ready to resign to the stifling influence of insurance companies on healthcare in America, said to Hillary: "How about the president of the United States actually leading the American people?’ and she said, ‘Tell me something real.”” + Therein lies the ideological dif- ference between a progressive and a mere politician. Voters are done with uninspired, self-conscious politicians — not to mention the dy- nastic influence of the Clintons and Bushes. Voters are done with pup- pet politicians with policies stuffed full of billions of dollars from people they never elected. Bernie Sanders is our sensible visionary for these times. T hope none of you left your enthusiasm for progress in Byrnes Auditorium on Saturday night. I urge you to let that enthusiasm sustain you, propel you deeper into the important issues and straight into the voting booth for the South Carolina Democratic Primary. aeEditorial: Trump unelectable Ed ito rsays S an de rs straight-talk and relatability, y: qualities that Trump could win, but supporters find praise-worthy. Sanders — provided his Tr ump has no campaign can diffuse the stigmas attached to socialism chance in America (which is a tall order) — may have the ‘AaGaL Matonic potential to appeal to the everyman, grassroots, working class voter in a way that Donald Trump, even at his most entertaining, cannot. to fear is our fear of Donald The flagrant way in which Trump itself. Perhaps Franklin Trump speaks to the American Roosevelt would agree. public has a clear aim, and While Trump may play to that aim is to engender a the fetishes of the far-right, the fine-tuned sense of fear sheer number of his alienating, and undue paranoia. It was offhanded and violent remarks jhe perpetuation of similar about minority groups renders —_feay-of-neighbor narratives him unelectable in the general that gave the scare-tactics of election. ; McCarthyism so much steam Bernie Sanders could satiate —_ in the 1950s. voters who are hungry for > see TRUMP pg. 10 matonica@mytjnow.com The only thing we have Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press Donald Trump speaks at a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, DC on May 27, 2014.September 2, 2015 _\ theJohnsonian Donald Trump on Bern notice Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders. >» from front TRUM Unlike Joseph McCarthy, Donald Trump is not even worthy of having his own “ism.” Needless to say, we don't have to worry about Trumpism becoming a thing, and we can thank the Internet for that. The rapid and deep accountability that the Internet offers our society makes a Trump bully pulpit presidency highly improbable. The number of Americans who get their news from television is on the steady decline, so it may be safe to assume that Fox News' reactionary chokehold on American politics is less permanent than it is momentarily stifling to progress. In his pointed op-ed following the Fox News Republican Primary debate, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote: "What distinguishes Mr. Trump is not so much his positions as it is his lack of interest in maintaining appearances. And it turns out that the party’s base, which demands extremist positions, also prefers those positions delivered straight. Why is anyone surprised?" It’s clear voters today appreciate straight talk, and it's also clear that the base of the Republican Party is too draconian to be sustainable. So it comes down to the simple choice: Do voters want straight talk that promises reactionary policies and blatantly racist, sexist rhetoric in Trump? Or do they want straight- talk backed by a consistent record of progressive Associated Press/Susan Walsh legislation and deliberately inclusive, impactful rhetoric in Sanders? So, stop worrying about Donald Trump. He’s like a 4-year-old in the heat of a temper tantrum. If you ignore him, he will shut up. I’m going to go back to ignoring him again starting right now, and you should, too. We — as voters in a struggling democracy that’s sitting under a fat, greasy oligarchy — must turn our attention away from the allure of an insecure businessman's antics and toward candidates who have proven themselves to be effective legislators and leaders. Bernie Sanders is far more deserving of your attention.Three decades, two twins, one history: “The Mineola Twins” show two big different characters £9 April 16,2014 & Special To The Johnsonian @ 0 Comment The gender-bending play “The Mineola Twins” by Paula Vogel was presented by Winthrop’s Department of Theatre and Dance, at the Johnson Theatre Wednesday through Sunday, and was directed by Laura Dougherty. “The Mineola Twins’ tells the story of Myra and Myrna, two polarized twins, who fight each other through decades of American history while adopting staunchly opposite expressions of womanhood. Although the play itself is zanily and voraciously satirical, Dougherty’s production was fully human, spontaneous and The Mineola Twins: A Comedy in Six Scenes, Four Dreams and Six Wigs by Paula Vogel. Photo by Tyler McGregor warm. Both the roles of Myrna and Myra were played by Riley Ketcham, who seamlessly and distinctively was transitioned from twin to twin. Ketcham embodied the prudish Myrna just as easily as she did the tarty Myra, and evolved the characterizations of both women from the Eisenhower administration to the Bush Sr. administration. In the 1950s, Myrna is saving herself for marriage despite the insistence of her older boyfriend, while Myra is a James Dean-adoring cocktail waitress who has an affair with that same boyfriend. By the time the early 90s roll around, Myrna is a conservative talk-radio host who bombs abortion clinics, while Myra works at Planned Parenthood. The play is weaved together with dream sequences that were eerily, intricately and intensely performed by the production's ensemble. The supporting cast, comprised most notably of Bridgette Smith and Rodrick Freitas, played off Ketcham with palpable chemistry. Smith played the philandering boyfriend, seemingly plucked out of the recurring cast of “Mad Men," in the first act, and Myra’s leather jacket-wearing lesbian girlfriend in the second act. Smith exaggerated both genders in a way that was both provocative and endearing. Freitas played Myrna's son, the wholesomely hip Kenny, in the first act as convincingly as he channeled "Saved By the Bell” in the second act with his portrayal of Myra's son, Ben. “Through the play, we exaggerate stereotypes of societal expectations of women as a means to climb inside those stereotypes in order to explode them,” Dougherty wrote in her director's notes. "When forced into the good girl/bad girl dichotomy, there's nowhere to go but crazy.” The play serves to humanly mock and thus show perspective on the expectations of women in the U.S. and is certainly relevant today in our current cultural paradigm of polarization.heJohnsonian In praise of “no” Adam Matonic Copy Editor College is a time for great connectivity. You choose certain relationships and situations, while others choose you, and these run the gamut from inspiring to draining to everything in between. In this climate of sensory overload and abundant possibilities, the right choices can be difficult to discern. As students committed to growth, it’s our job to get clear about which relationships and situations are fulfilling us and which are depleting us. Once we clear this up, the word “no” becomes a powerful friend. Humans have a built in “no” reflex when it comes to overtly dangerous situations, like, say, jumping into a fire or off a building. We instinctively know to avoid these situations, but our clarity is a bit more foggy when it comes to refusing situations that simply don’t fulfill us. For instance, when I was a freshman, I felt I was always being pulled by somebody in some direction; offers for social stimulation and distraction were always on the table. Friends were practically kidnapping me and taking me to Cook-Out or dragging me to clubs in which I was barely able to feign interest. I didn’t have the presence of mind to say no to these offers and perhaps instead get an early start on some homework or take an hour or two for a mental health break. My inability to say no was impeding my focus on what I truly cared about. I thought I was going with the flow, but I was actually caught in a riptide of intentions that weren't mine. Now, I’m not urging you to become a recluse or take a vow of silence. Instead I’m urging you to take ownership of your own college experience. It’s impossible to truly thrive when you are overcommitted. It is possible to say “no” with grace, and I promise you, those in your life will survive hearing it. If your default response is “yes,” then it’s likely you'll find yourself half-heartedly participating in activities that deplete you, which will give you less energy to apply to the activities you actually do care about. An inauthentic yes is actually a decisive “no” to your personal growth. Letting go of your fear of saying “no” gives your yes more power. Asmart “no” gives way to an even smarter “yes” and gives a greater sense of purpose to everything you choose to take on. Saying “no” from a place of inner clarity naturally provides a sense of confident compassion for both the person you are refusing and for yourself.Activist dispels rumors about Islam and terrorism ' “What Fox News will not show, I'm here to show you,’ said author Zohra Sarwari, who came to visit and talk to Winthrop students. Photo by Adam Matonic By Adam Matonic Special to the Johnsonian The media’s treatment of Muslims has been dominated by “scare-tactics,” according to Mus- lim author Zohra Sarwari, who spoke in Dina’s Place as a part of the DSU’s lecture series on Tuesday night. “There is no race, gender or religion associated with terrorism,” said Sarwari, an entrepreneur and mother of four. “The media says that all Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslim.” Sarwari presented the statistic that 48 percent of Americans have an unfavorable view of Mus- lims and said, “It’s one thing to be a minority but it’s another thing to be hated by almost half of the country you call home.” By clearly defining what it means to be a terror- ist as opposed to what it means to be a Muslim, Sarwari drew a strong distinction between the terms that are all too often perceived as mutually inclusive. “What Fox News will not show, I’m here to show you,” Sarwari said. Defining the word “Muslim” as simply “one who submits his or herself to God,” Sarwari went on to accentuate the unifying and peaceful principles at Islam’s core by quoting a few benevolent passages from the Quran, the Muslim holy book. Sarwari also called for increased responsibility ‘in the members of organized religions. After reading several frequently misconstrued excerpts from the Quran, Sarwari said that Holy Scripture “is not for us to take out of context and do whatever we want with it.” “Before 9/11, people would tell you Muslims stand for peace, equality, and strength of char- acter,” Sarwari said, also adding several glowing testimonials of Islamic faith by many leaders and scholars, ranging from Mahatma Gandhi to George Bernard Shaw. Citing the First Amendment’s protection of freedom of religion, Sarwari questioned if U.S. lawmakers are really practicing what they preach. She spoke of laws in Georgia, Oregon and Nebras- ka that prohibit Muslim women from wearing traditional dress in certain settings. When Sarwari travels by plane, because she chooses to wear traditional Muslim garb, she “almost always” gets stuck in customs and misses her connecting flight. “Tt actually brought me to tears,” said sopho- more art major Kathryn Thoma. “I was shocked by the extreme racial profiling she [Sarwari] has to face every day.” Michael Bowen, a junior social work major and religion minor, enjoyed Sarwari’s “high energy” delivery. “She gave a really good first-person ac- count. It was nice to get this kind of information in a way that isn’t just theoretical,” he said. “She was very straightforward,” senior psy- chology major Kimberlie Kirkpatrick said. “She opened my eyes to different aspects of Islam I wasn’t aware of before.” Attributing many ignorant opinions of Muslims as stemming from fear, Sarwari has made it her life’s work to help dispel wrongful stereotypes as- signed to people of Islamic faith. Sarwari said, “When you're afraid of something, learn about it.”