Volume 124 Issue 108
kansan.com
Thursday, March 1, 2012
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ENTERTAINMENT
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Q&A with: Blind Pilot
//KELSEY CIPOLLA
The past three years have been busy for Blind Pilot. In 2009, the band released its first album, a folksy blend of pop and indie rock that earned one of the top spots of Billboard's digital album charts. The success led to appearances in clubs across the country, a spot in the Lollapaloza lineup and a performance on "The Late Show with David Letterman." Late last year, the six-piece Portland-based band released their sophomore effort, "We are The Tide," which they're currently playing on tour. Catch them on Saturday, March 3 when they perform at the Granada. Until then, get acquainted with Blind Pilot's songwriter and lead singer, Israel Nebeker.
HOW DID THE BAND GET STARTED?
Ryan (Dobrowski, drummer) and I met in college, and we both did a study abroad program together in England in a town on the coast of Cornwall. It's sort of a vacation destination and a big surfing town. There are lots of musicians playing music on the street. We just decided to do that. I had my guitar and he got together a sort of trash kit with a five gallon bucket and a cheese grater and bottles and a sketch pad. We loved meeting people that way, and it turned out really great. Then we finished school, and a few years later we ran into each other in Portland. We wanted to do just a regular bike trip, and it just seemed to make sense, since we've done it before, to bring our instruments and fund the trip that way.
HOW DID BIKING WITH INSTRUMENTS WORK OUT FOR YOU?
We had bike trailers. Ryan had his drum kit. He had this kind of cool system of nesting his drum kit, sort of like Russian nesting dolls. I had a guitar, so I had it easy. Our goal that time was to go from the Canadian border to the Mexican border. We made it as far as San Francisco. We went to the museum of modern art there and when we came back, our bikes were stolen. That was the end of the trip. It was the greatest experience of my life, musically or not. We came back and recorded "3 Rounds and a Sound."
DO YOU HAVE A TOUR BUS THIS TIME AROUND?
We have a tour bus, but I don't know if it's a legitimate tour bus. It's an old crown school bus from the '70s. We gutted the whole thing and put in wood floors. I love touring in that thing because it feels like home.
HOW IS THE NEW ALBUM DIFFERENT FROM YOUR FIRST?
we were going for a different sound this time. I definitely write songs that I don't think are anything like Fleetwood Mac, but I was listening to a lot of Fleetwood Mac at the time and I thought it would be a fun thing to try to make it more of that rich or classic sound. The last one was so sparse, and I think that was the strength of it. We didn't want to do the same thing again, so we kind of did the opposite.
YOU'VE PLAYED IN LAWRENCE BEFORE. WHAT WAS YOUR IMPRESSION OF THE CITY?
It was amazing. Really, truly amazing. We see a lot of big towns and we see a lot of small towns, but I remember just having the most incredible day ever there. We went and got this incredible Mexican food. There were like these two women from Africa and they got up and started dancing in the restaurant. I was like, "This is an incredible place." We met a lot of really good people.
From left to right, Luke Yolstie, Katie Claborn, Ryan Dobrowski, Israel Nebeker, Ian Krist and Dave Jorgensen are Blind Pilot. The indie-pop band will play the Granada Saturday, March 3.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Top Album:
Of Montreal's Paralytic Stalks //RACHEL SCHULTZ
Named for a woman "of Montreal," this band is creeping up charts all over the continent.
Of Montreal's newest album, Paralytic Stalks, has a funky, jazzy and electronic vibe to its first few tracks. Listening on, the band's style is much more complex, featuring a flute, violin and steel guitar.
Although it's hard to pin down an exact style or genre, it's clear that this album is a truly personal creation from songwriter Kevin Barnes as he reflects on emotions ranging from anger and self-hatred to thoughts on human existence and relationships. It's eclectic, but the album forces the listener to get immersed in the music and experience it along with the musicians.
"You just want to dance silly when you hear them," says Claire Pedersen, a sophomore from Omaha, Neb., majoring in graphic design. "Their vocals make you feel as though you're in someone's backyard for a private concert in the summertime."
The band recorded Paralytic Stalks, its 11th album, in Barnes' home studio in Athens, Ga. For the first time, Barnes worked with session musicians, or musicians hired just for a certain period of time, while recording. Many of them are now touring with Of Montreal. Barnes made a strong connection with session musician Zachary Colwell, who arranged all of the brass and woodwind pieces for the album, and as a result became the newest member of the band.
Kevin Chael, a senior from Olathe majoring in mechanical engineering, has seen the band in concert. He says they use props and costumes to help engage the audience and play their music videos on a screen behind the stage.
"It all told a vibrant story," Chael says. "They were pretty trippy."
Unfortunately many fans in Kansas will have to wait to see the album performed live. Although currently on tour in the United States, the performance closest to Lawrence is in Oklahoma City on March 12.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Paralytic Stalks is Of Montreal's 11th album.
be in strot, to mim national player of the year honors after losing three of his closest family members is something to admire.
If you think you're going through hard times because you're struggling with class, you broke up with your partner, you're struggling with your relationships with your family and friends or undergoing financial hardship, just take a good, hard look at what Robinson has endured.
Losing your mother and grandparents at 19 is something nobody should have to go through.
He has responded to his misfortune by committing himself, whether it's by taking care of his younger sister Jayla, or being the best basketball player he can possibly be. He doesn't want people to feel sorry for him. He is a symbol of hope, determination, strength and perseverance.
I know senior day is a day to honor the seniors, but Robinson should be honored as well. If you aren't planning to attend Saturday's game against Texas, I strongly urge you to go because it's probably the last time you'll see Robinson play at Allen Fieldhouse.
Edited by Jeff Karr
Coach Ritch Price said that a tournament format allows for teams to choose who they want to throw their best arms against. In a normal three-game series format, the teams match up their number one, two and three pitchers.
The layhawk will play in their third preseason tournament, The University of Texas — San Antonio tournament, this weekend in San Antonio, Texas. In each of the three tournaments, Kansas has been one of the marquee teams.
Coming into the season, the Kansas baseball team knew it would be facing the best pitchers of each team it plays. That's the price that comes with being a member of the Big 12 conference.
"I told our team in a short team meeting that the advantage of playing at the University of Kansas is going to a tournament and getting everybody's best guys," Price said. "Those are the guys we're going to see in
"That's one of the big things when we start playing conference series," Elgie said. "If we can use the bullpen the first couple days, that leaves them kind of shorthanded for the weekend. The more you can do that the more you can wear them out and they can't use their best pitchers later on."
While the Jayhawks have been able to get players on base often, the clutch hit has proved elusive. Kansas has left 63 runners on base already this season, which averages to nine runners left on base a game. Senior catcher James Stanfield said the team needs to lay off sliders down in the strike zone, and look for fastballs.
focused heavily on being patient against opposing pitchers. In seven games so far, no starting pitcher for the opposing team has made it past the fifth inning against the Jayhawks. Senior infielder Zac Elgie knows that getting starting pitchers out of the game early will lead to success.
Price said the team would need to be confident and relaxed at the plate to be successful.
Stanfield said the team has to make sure they stay patient later in the game because that's when the at-bats are the most important.
The Jayhawks will look to build off of their 14-1 victory over Mississippi Valley State last Sunday in San Antonio.
"The hardest part about baseball is that it beats you up mentally, at any level." Price said.
much," Stanfield said. "A lot of the times in the those situations you just need a ground ball to the right side or a fly ball to the outfield."
"Anytime you're successful offensively, you're successful one-through-nine in the lineup." Price said. "The first couple of weekends we've had two or three of our key guys who are off to a slow start, but all it takes is one good weekend to turn it all around."
Edited by Katie James
BY THE NUMBERS
63 The number of runners Kansas has left on base in seven games.
5. 0 The most innings an opposing starting pitcher has lasted against Kansas.
15
10 The number of runs Kansas scored in the first inning Sunday against Mississippi Valley State.
39 The number of runs Kansas has scored in seven games.
11 The number of runs Kansas has allowed in seven games.
1
X
1
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