REVIEW
MUSIC REVIEW // THE BLACK ANGELS-
> KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption. PHOSPHENE DREAM (BLUE HORIZON)
(BLUE HORIZON)
Recorded in Los Angeles, Phosphene Dream is the Black Angels' third full-length offering, and it represents a brand new sound. 2006's Passover was the band's debut burner, essentially a collection of bluesy pop songs dressed up and hidden behind massive reverberation and delay with a dark, vaguely anti-war stance. The Angels' 2008 sophomore effort, Directions to See a Ghost, was a step further into the murky drone. It was longer, heavier, more complex and an even bigger nod to psych legends The 13th Floor Elevators and Spacemen 3.
Though both of these albums were more aligned with the dissonant repetition of early Velvet Underground, 2010 brings more pop and more groove. The blackness, bleakness and evil are still here, but there are the occasionally lighter moments.
Opener "Bad Vibrations" is exactly what it sounds like: a droning, moody and defiant rocker reminiscent of The Doors' and Jefferson Airplane's darker moments. "Sunday Afternoon" is pure mid-'60s sunshine glow-pop, but with a menacing offer: "Well come on, over
here. It's alright, over here..." The electric jug completes the picture.
There are too many fantastic songs to mention, but along with "Telephone" (which could have been on the Nuggets compilation), "Yellow Elevator #2" stands out. The track begins with a funky, fuzzy bass that lopes along while maniacal, backwards guitars submerge and resurface. Eventually the song breaks down into a slow, beautiful realization: "Now I can see how the seasons all repeat..."
If you've been out of the loop, I recommend checking up on the Angels' new, somewhat less horrifying, direction.
★ ★ ALEX TRETBAR
RESTAURANT REVIEW // ENCORE CAFE
> The taste of the town, one meal at a time.
There is almost certainly a group of cells in every person's brain, located in the "food" area, that cries out "Chinese!" every month.
A similar arcane craving came to me, so I headed to recently renovated Encore Café, a Chinese-Japanese synthesis restaurant located at 1007 Massachusetts St. First sampling the crab rangoon and then the "Cantonese style Chow Fun," the food satisfied my craving. The crab rangoon was pretty good, and my entrée was large, savory, and filling.
Starting when humanity lived in caves, carrying big sticks, the craving would drive them mad, as most of the cave-people had no access to Chinese food and would try absurd substitutions, like frying their own lice instead of rice, or making fortune cookies out of worded stone tablets with bad caveman grammar, folded within some intricate, not-very-tasty, impossibly brittle cave cookie.
But there wasn't anything to distinguish Encore Café from any other "Chinese" establishment. In fact, the restaurant was
surprisingly plain — very little décor, with an awkwardly large dining area that felt a little bit like a cafeteria. The only source of style was a meagly fish tank near where the wait staff kept breaking water glasses.
THOMAS C. HARDY
don't usually get a chance to go to theater.
John Staniunas, chair of the University's department of theatre and film, said the uniqueness of the theater experience cannot be duplicated by movies or TV, and that is
The fund is now named after Jack B. Wright, a longtime University professor of theater.
Staniunas said the fund is publicized through Student Senate and always gives tickets to the McNair Scholars Program. The program is a federal organization designed
tion, which he said is because he rarely sees advertisements for events.
"Depending on the show, I would definitely take advantage of a free ticket," Cobb said.
The University's McNair chapter gets an average of 15 to 20 tickets each year. Faculty members take the scholars to the show, and
that comes from the theater is extremely beneficial and students truly appreciate the experience.
All proceeds from "Pastiche" and the post-show reception will go directly to the fund.
— Edited by Alex Tretbar
City to host annual energy conservation fair
LOCAL
BY ANGELIQUE MCNAUGHTON amcnaughton@kansan.com
"Most people just aren't aware how much they can conserve," Benson said. "We're hoping that through this fair, people who aren't aware of conservation will become aware and people who are aware will learn other ways that they can reduce further."
The Energy Conservation Fair is hosted by the City of Lawrence Waste Reduction and Recycling Division and will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the City of Lawrence Community Building, located at 115 W. I11th St. The fair will feature 40 exhibits and will also feature presentations, workshops and performances all related to energy conservation and education.
Tickets will be required for the Sustainable Homes Tour, but admittance to the fair is free to the public. To show the benefits of public transportation, the Lawrence Transit System will also
Lawrence residents peruse booths at last year's Energy Conservation Fair. This year the event will include a presentation by Westar Energy and a performance by "Eco Elvis."
Benson, a sophomore from Orlando, Fla., will miss Saturday's home game to volunteer at the 10th annual Lawrence Energy Conservation Fair. Benson is the coordinator for the Resource Conservation committee and is an officer in Environs, the student organization that promotes environmental awareness.
When Nick Benson discusses energy and power on Saturday, he won't be referring to the football team.
Jeffrey Severin, director for the center, said they would be trying to illustrate how the University is addressing energy in a variety of ways. Severin said that at the fair they would be looking at some of the research that is going on around campus through the Energy Council, through the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis and a variety of research centers on campus that focus on issues that either address renewable energy or energy consumption and climate change.
Kathy Richardson, the waste reduction and recycling operations supervisor, said in the past this event has grown to attract more than 600 attendees who enjoy learning from a variety of presenters including builders, architects, insulation experts, heating and cooling contractors, government agencies, non-frachts and alternative fuel vehicle representatives.
be offering free rides on the T all day Saturday on all fixed routes.
The University's Center for Sustainability will present at the fair again this year speaking about conservation around campus.
"Environmental issues always seem like such large challenges and somewhat overwhelming." Severin said. "Energy conservation is something that we can all easily do in our daily lives. Fairs like this really help put that into perspective."
Severin said in the past these fairs have always provided a lot of great information to anyone interested.
Eileen Horn, the sustainability coordinator for the city, said the fair provided a forum for people to come and learn about energy conservation, new energy technologies and ways to become more energy efficient.
Horn said Nickie Lee, who works in the State Energy Office and will speak about Efficiency Kansas, can educate students who rent on how to save money and
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
SEE ENERGY ON PAGE 3A
10 a.m. — Lawrence Energy Conservation Fair opens with exhibits.
11 a.m. — Dominique Davison of Davison Architecture + Urban Design LLC talks about residential housing and the associated environmental effects.
Noon — Eco Elvis, an environmentally friendly Elvis impersonator, will perform modified Elvis songs with an environmental message. 1:30 p.m. — Nickie Lee from the State Energy Office will speak about Efficiency Kansas. 2:30 p.m.
15
2:30 p.m. — Larry Kinder with LilyPad EV will speak about plug-in electric vehicles and their benefits to the environment and businesses.
4 p.m. — Exhibits close.
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Source: Kathy Richardson
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Inside
films all n for eries
er player new film and the Wave.
Classifieds...4B
Crossword...4A
Cryptoquips...4A
Opinion...5A
Sports...1B
Sudoku...4A
INDEX
Recovery act grants bring funding to the University for research on a drug that could prevent cancer from nicotine.
funds may help bring new drug
TODAY'S WEATHER
HIGH
87 LOW 62 Scattered T-Storms
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