The University of Minnesota’s Professional Student Government (PSG) Congress convened on Nov. 17, and unanimously passed a resolution titled, “Resolution Amending the Policy on Makeup Work for Legitimate Absences,” which aimed to help professional students gain more flexibility in attending classes in-person or online both during and following the pandemic.
During her candidacy for PSG President, Ujjoyini Bhowmik said she ran to boost accessibility for students.
“We saw that the University was able to provide education remotely,” Bhowmik said. “We also saw a gap.”
Bhowmik said the gap appeared to her when she became sick for two weeks as an undergraduate student in 2019. She said she missed lectures she needed to attend and her professors did not provide recordings.
“I was not well enough to get up and go to class, but I was definitely well enough to turn on my laptop and attend it from home,” Bhowmik said.
University mechanical engineering student Riley Mathiasen is currently attending classes completely online due to a family member who has an autoimmune disease.
“Some of my classes were offered online, and some I arranged accommodations with professors to be able to complete their class remotely,” Mathiasen said.
The policy that is currently in place has put more responsibility on students to either record the class themselves, ask other students to record for them or watch them at night.
“We wanted a standardized policy around the University to allow students to attend remotely, if they had a legitimate reason,” Bhowmik said.
Some professional students said some of their professors will record and allow students to attend remotely, but some do not. However, Bhowmik said, students would benefit from class recordings and synchronous options if they get sick from COVID-19.
“Overall, I have had very positive experiences being one of the only students attending class remotely. However, I have only been in classes with lecture and discussion sessions this semester,” Mathiasen said. “I think it would be very hard to take classes with lab components remotely and still learn the concepts.”
PSG Vice President Victoria Anderson added, “We did connect with the needed stakeholders while trying to implement this policy within the University. And what’s really nice about [Bhowmik] and I, is because we have diverse programs. So between just the two of us, we have three different programs within the Professional Student Government, and also our executive board.”
Recently, the Minnesota Student Association (MSA) passed the same PSG resolution in the University’s Student Affairs Committee and then brought it to the Forum body. The resolution was tabled by MSA to make more changes.
“I think what the [biggest] concern for us was just to ensure that there is accessibility for people who are sick, and people who are mothers who can’t attend classes sometimes, because they’re running late in a snowstorm, and they’re trying to pick up their kid from childcare,” Anderson said. “There’s so many different perspectives and diverse opinions that we can take into consideration.”
Zach Robole is a second-year at the University’s Law School, who is in favor of the resolution and said he would benefit from the expanded accessibility.
“My wife and I had our first son over this past summer. It’s really been great and overall he is a very healthy baby,” he said. “However, he started daycare right around the time that I returned to classes in September, and since then, he has been, shall I say, building his immune system and constantly seems to have a cold or worse.”
The creators of the resolution say they hope it will allow for students to be more comfortable taking advantage of online learning while taking care of themselves during the pandemic. In addition, the resolution aims to help professors take care of themselves as well, by holding the lecture online instead of in person due to health concerns.
“If this resolution was in place, my wife and I would not need to scramble to decide what to do if we were to wake up and find my son too sick to go into daycare. It would be somewhat silly for me to ask my wife to wait at home or figure something out with her employer while I drove up to campus for an hour and then came back home,” Robole said. “I think any professional student can attest to how far behind you can feel after missing just one class.”
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More than $1,000 worth of clothing was stolen from the campus student store Saturday at 11:48 a.m.
An employee of the student store, located at 2496 Bancroft Way, attempted to stop the suspect but was battered in the process, according to a UCPD alert. The suspect was able to get away.
UCPD encourages those with information about the crime or similar incidents to contact 510-642-6760.
The University of Utah men’s basketball team dropped a close game on Saturday afternoon against the Missouri Tigers. Utah drops to 7-4 on the season following the loss, with just one more non-conference game to go before they head into full-time Pac-12 play.
This game was close almost the entire way, with the Utes running out of gas at the very end. Utah held a lead at halftime, 33-32, as it was pretty much a one-score game for the entire first half. It was a quick pace through the first ten minutes, with both teams slowing a bit down the stretch of the half.
Utah was without Branden Carlson today, who entered into health and safety protocols. He is also out on Tuesday against Fresno State. In his absence, head coach Craig Smith elected to go with Lazar Stefanovic in the starting lineup, therefore playing without a true center. Lahat Thioune came off the bench as Utah’s only legit big man.
David Jenkins Jr. stayed with the bench unit again after being moved there for the last game, and he played well in this one with 18 points on 6-10 shooting.
Down the stretch of the second half, it was a tied ball game with about three minutes to play. From there, the Tigers took over the game and managed to secure a victory. Missouri’s Kobe Brown took over the game, scoring 12 straight points for the Tigers and putting them up by four. Utah still had a chance following a pair of free throws by Both Gach, making it 73-75, but a clutch three by Jarron Coleman basically iced the game.
The Utes fouled multiple times to give themselves a chance, but all it did was allow the Tigers to pull away, eventually winning 83-75.
Utah will now return home to face Fresno State on Tuesday, Dec. 21. It’s their last non-conference matchup before heading up to Oregon for a game each against the Beavers and the Ducks.
In the second installment of Trojan Eats, podcast staff members explore food and beverage places around the USC area. In this episode, Andrew Kerner, Brooke Soriano and Nikhita Datar visited three popular sandwich places near campus: Honeybird, Greenleaf and Rock and Reilly’s. Take a listen for recommendations and reflections!
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey created a workgroup that will make recommendations for economic recovery, with plans to present its findings in early 2022.
The workgroup will have five meetings over the next three months to develop advice on economic recovery, development, the workforce and housing. Depending on group reports, the mayor may create new programs, policies or change the budget.
The group is made up of 26 people who are Minneapolis business owners, board members and prominent Minneapolis residents, such as P.J. Hill, the second vice president of the NAACP.
The economic recovery workgroup is one of three groups that will advise Frey on issues such as public safety and government structure.
The group hosted an introductory meeting Dec. 7, where they covered what has happened in the city’s economy since the pandemic began.
The focus of the group is to provide growth and opportunity for Minneapolis residents, said Adam Duininck, the co-chair of the group and director of government affairs for the North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters.
“We want to be in a place where employers are attracted to build great jobs,” Duinick said. “We want to be in a place where people want to live and work and find jobs on the worker side.”
Duininck said the workgroup will be looking at safely reopening businesses in downtown Minneapolis. The pandemic affected multiple job markets, causing many people in fields such as hospitality, retail and restaurants to lose their jobs.
Antonio Cardona, vice president of career readiness at the Project for Pride in Living, said he wants to use his experience to help people who lost their jobs during the pandemic.
“Those are jobs that have high concentrations of people of color, and those are not the jobs that are coming back,” Cardona said. “[We’re looking at] how do we match people with whatever the new jobs are, and understand what the skills are that they are prepared with.”
The group will be looking to create jobs in the Minneapolis market while adopting an inclusive economic recovery plan in neighborhoods most affected by the pandemic.
Anisha Murphy, a member of the Community Now Coalition and the economic recovery workgroup, said her goal is to create tangible initiatives and to ensure the work of the group moves forward after they are done meeting.
“My biggest thing is advocating for the voices of the marginalized and making sure that their voices are heard as these economic inclusive policies, programs, get passed,” Murphy said. “Black and brown folks, Indigenous folks, our inclusion doesn’t look the same as our white counterparts. It has never looked the same.”
Andrea Brennan, director of the Department of Community Planning and Economic Development for Minneapolis, said rebuilding was an important part of inclusive economic recovery.
“We think about not rebuilding where we were before, but rebuilding in a way that is strategic and leads to transformative change in reducing the racial disparities that exist in our city,” Brennan said.
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Spider-Man: No Way Home—a aftereffect of 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming and 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home—is the third Spider-Man cine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the 27th blur in the authorization overall. The cine stars Tom Holland as Peter Parker (a.k.a. Spider-Man), a aerial academy apprentice with spider-like superpowers. The blur is set afterwards the contest of Spider-Man: Far From Home, which saw Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) betrayal Peter as Spider-Man and anatomy him for his murder. Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Peter ask Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for advice to restore his activity and abstruse identity. However, Dr. Strange’s spell doesn’t go as planned and the abracadabra break accessible the multiverse to acquiesce supervillains from alternating realities who fought added versions of Spider-Man to access in the MCU’s Spider-Verse.
At the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, Peter is unmasked as Spider-Man to the whole world. Spider-Man: No Way Home will pick up from there, with Peter overwhelmed by the new reality of everyone knowing he is Spider-Man. For help, Peter turns to Doctor Strange to use his magic and get everything back to normal. However, when the spell goes awry, unwelcome visitors from other dimensions, like Doc Ock, Green Goblin, Electro and more, arrive and it’s up to Peter to stop them.
In addition to Holland, Spider-Man: No Way Home is bringing back Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, Tony Revolori, Angourie Rice, Martin Starr, JB Smoove and Hannibal Burress, as well as adding Benedict Cumberbatch, J.K. Simmons, Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe and Jamie Foxx from other Marvel and Spider-Man movies. Rumors have also swirled about previous Spider-Man actors Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield popping up, but Marvel has mum on that.
With so much going on, you definitely don’t want to have the experience spoiled for you, so here is how to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home as soon as possible.
Spider-Man: No Way Home Release Date
Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to release in India on Thursday, December 16. The movie will be released in Indian cinemas in English, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
Countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, and Ukraine will also see a December 16 release of the new Spider-Man movie.
Spider-Man: No Way Home will hit the cinemas a day earlier on Wednesday, December 15 in countries including Finland, France, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Sweden, and the UK.
Spider-Man: No Way Home will see its US release only on Friday, December 17.
Sony Pictures is going for an exclusive theatrical release for Spider-Man: No Way Home. No word for now when Spider-Man: No Way Home will arrive on online platforms.
Spider-Man: No Way Home cast
Tom Holland as Peter Parker aka Spider-Man
Zendaya as MJ
Marisa Tomei as May Parker
Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds
Tony Revolori as Flash Thompson
Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange
Benedict Wong as Wong
Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan
JK Simmons as J Jonah Jameson
Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus
Spider-Man: No Way Home cast: who is playing who?
Tom Holland is reprising the role of Peter Parker, Jacob Batalon is back as Peter’s friend Ned, and Zendaya will return as MJ.
Marisa Tomei and Jon Favreau are also back as Aunt May and Happy Hogan. Tony Revolori, too, seems to have reprised his role as Flash Thompson complete with a blonde hair makeover, as we see in the first trailer.
Benedict Cumberbatch’s Stephen Strange will likely take over Iron Man’s role as Spider-Man’s mentor-in-chief and help to undo the multiversal damage that he helped to create. Alfred Molina, fresh from confirming his return as Otto Octavius to Variety, is also part of the proceedings.
Spider-Man: No Way Home director, writers, producers
Spider-Man: No Way Home is directed by Jon Watts. Watts had also donned the director’s hat for Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) and Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019). Watts has also been tapped to direct the MCU’s Fantastic Four movie.
The screenplay of the movie is by Chris McKenna and Eric Sommers. Both of them had previously collaborated to write the screenplay of Spider-Man: Far From Home and shared the screenplay credits of Spider-Man: Homecoming with director Watts, Jonathan Goldstein, John Francis Daley, and Christopher Ford.
The new Spider-Man movie is produced by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and former Sony Pictures chairperson Amy Pascal under Columbia Pictures, Marvel Studios, and Pascal Pictures. Spider-Man: No Way Home is distributed globally by Sony Pictures Releasing.
Cinematographer Mauro Fiore, who has won the Academy Award for Best Cinematography, has wielded the camera for Spider-Man: No Way Home. Academy Award-winning music composer Michael Giacchino (Up, Jojo Rabbit) has scored the music for the movie.
How to watch ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’
There’s only going to be one way to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home when it first releases, and that is at your local movie theater. Releasing to international audiences (including the U.K.) on Dec. 15 and then to U.S. moviegoers on Dec. 17 (or Dec. 16 for those who want to check out a Thursday night early screening), Spider-Man: No Way Home is getting an exclusive theatrical release.
Though Disney and Marvel has previously released Black Widow simultaneously in theaters and on Disney Plus (for a $30 fee via Disney Premier Access), the studios have reverted back to exclusive debuts in movie theaters for following Marvel movies (most movies, really), including Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Eternals. The understanding is that Spider-Man: No Way Home will have at least a 45-day run in movie theaters before it makes its way to digital/streaming.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is one of the biggest movies of the year, so the good news is that it shouldn’t be difficult to find a theater that’s playing it. Check movie ticket sites like Fandango or your local theater’s website for movie times. Once you’ve picked one, you can purchase your tickets online ahead of time or at the theater. If you’re interested in making trips to the movies a bit more affordable, definitely check out movie theater subscription deals, which offer discounts, flat monthly fees to see multiple movies and other promotions.
When you head to the movie theater, please be aware of your area’s mask/vaccine mandate to ensure that you and everyone else has a safe and enjoyable experience.
Will There Be a Spider-Man: No Way Home?
Never say never! Netflix always has the hunger to start their own blockbuster franchises. With sequels to Bright, Bird Box, Extraction, The Old Guard, Enola Holmes and Murder Mystery all in development as well as buying the rights to the highly anticipated sequels to Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, the streamer is not one to turn down a sequel.
Is ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ streaming?
The web-slinger isn’t on the web just yet. Anyone hoping to stream Spider-Man: No Way Home will have to wait at least 45 days. However, once it becomes available, the movie is almost certainly going to be available to stream on Disney Plus, the streaming home of the MCU, including this year’s Shang-Chi and Eternals.
A Disney Plus subscription costs $7.99 per month ($79.99 for a full year) as a standalone service, but it can also be bundled with ESPN Plus and Hulu for $13.99, or, starting Dec. 21, new and existing Hulu with Live TV subscribers will get access to Disney Plus (and ESPN Plus) automatically as part of their $69.99-$75.99 (ads vs no ads).
Is Spider-Man: No Way Home On HBO MAX?
No. Spider-Man: No Way Home is a Netflix movie, not a Warner Bros. movie, and therefore will not be streaming on HBO Max when it opens in theaters. While HBO Max—which is owned by Warner Media—has been the streaming home for Warner Bros. movies like The Suicide Squad, it will not be the streaming home for MGM movies like Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Is No Way Home coming to Disney Plus?
Long story short: Probably, but not for some time.
After Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and, soon, Eternals, you’d expect the latest Marvel blockbuster to be heading the way of Disney’s streaming platform. Shang-Chi hit Disney Plus 45 days after the movie’s theatrical release, and Eternals is scheduled to be exclusively in cinemas for a minimum of 45 days, pegging its Disney Plus release for at the earliest late December (one report says it won’t arrive until mid-January).
But No Way Home is a Marvel Studios and Sony-produced movie, so the playing field is a little different. Thanks to Sony’s deal with Starz, No Way Home is slated to have its streaming release exclusively on the TV service early next year, following the movie’s home release (normally about three months after its theatrical release).
Disney has access to Spider-Man content, but it likely won’t stream No Way Home for some time — until after the movie has had its run on Starz.
Is Spider-Man: No Way Home on Amazon Prime?
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is not streaming on Amazon Prime Videos as of now but is likely to become available on-demand in the near future. You can buy or rent the first film here. Prime members searching for similar films can alternatively watch ‘Time,’ which is another Documentary film
Is Spider-Man: No Way Home on Hulu?
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is currently not available for streaming on Hulu. However, audiences looking for similar creature features can try watching ‘Crawl,’ ‘Dustwalker,’ and ‘Sea Fever‘ instead. All of them feature varied kinds of deadly monsters that will thrill/scare you for sure.
University of Minnesota student-athletes are creating personal brands for themselves using their names and images in partnerships and deals with businesses from around the state and nation.
Prior to July 2020, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) name, image, likeness (NIL) policy prevented student athletes from endorsing or promoting products and services. Since the rule change, several student athletes have taken advantage of partnerships with companies, as well as building their own brand.
The NIL policy now allows student athletes to “monetize” their names, images and likeness in sponsorship deals where they may be financially compensated, or in other independent activities. Senior associate Athletic Director Mike Wierzbicki said he believes the NCAA change was made to acknowledge how fast social media has evolved in recent years and the growth of student-athletes’ online following.
Although the state of Minnesota does not have laws restricting NIL deals, a University policy restricts students from using the University logo in their sponsorships.
“One thing that’s been a large education piece with our student athletes in these deals has been the use of University trademarks and logos,” Wierzbicki said. “That is something that we’ve had to educate our students on.”
While the University may not allow student athletes to use logos in their brand deals, they share professional photos taken at sporting events in hopes of it growing their social media presence and opening up NIL brand opportunities, Wierzbicki said.
The University also partnered with Team Altemus, an outside consulting firm that educates athletes on the legal language and long-term implications of contracts proposed to them.
“Two main areas that we focus on through our NIL program [is] to provide opportunities to grow their brand, and then also provide education and make sure that they’re aware of as much as possible in this space,” Wierzbicki said.
Although some athletes may utilize outside resources and agents to help with navigating NIL deals, other University athletes like basketball player Parker Fox choose to independently handle their branding.
“I’ve learned how to approach companies. I’ve learned how to create deals with companies. I’ve learned how to read contracts, that stuff that I really wouldn’t do if it wasn’t for this opportunity,” Fox said. “It’s real world stuff that’s been able to allow me to grow not only as an athlete in our school, but also as a person in business.”
Fox said due to the schedule and time commitment required of student athletes, it is difficult to have a job or earn money while attending school as student athletes are not paid as professional athletes.
Fox is currently juggling 20 different NIL deals with multiple companies including Restore Hyper Wellness, Water Wave TV and My Place Hotels. Some require weekly posts on social media in exchange for pay, while others are less consistent in exchange for free merchandise, Fox said.
“It works for you because you’re getting free stuff and you’re just posting Instagram stories. That’s not too hard,” Fox said.
Fox said some bigger deals will dictate the content and caption they want him to post online.
“They just send it to me and then they send me exactly what they want me to say,” Fox said. “Every week we’re doing a post and that’s where I’m written into a contract and it’s a lot more work but that’s where you see more of the money come from.”
This opportunity has also allowed athletes to build their brand in ways other than receiving endorsements. University hockey player Sammy Walker has used the new NIL policy to create his own hockey youth training camp.
“That was always something that I wanted to do, but I never could and then the rule passed and I was like I might as well try to do this,” Walker said.
Walker said he enjoys promoting his brand on his own terms without being in a contract, and the opportunity to give back to the community.
“For me, running these camps and just being myself and having the kids see the real me and not just someone you watch on TV,” Walker said. “I think it was a really cool way for the kids to meet Gopher hockey players and be able to get on ice with us.”
NIL deals have given the freedom for student athletes to reveal their creativity and authenticity beyond their athletic abilities, Wierzbicki said.
“We’re finally able to use who we are outside of our sport. To show that we’re more than just players, we’re more than just athletes, we have a different side to us and we can make money off that,” Fox said.
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Emory University will require all students, faculty and staff to receive the COVID-19 booster vaccination shot before returning for the spring 2022 semester, University President Gregory Fenves announced on Dec. 16. The deadline for receiving the shot is Jan. 19.
“The booster is the next step in an evolving public health strategy that has seen us adapt to every new development in the pandemic to continue the learning, teaching, and discovery that define Emory,” Fenves wrote in an email to the Emory community.
(Creative Commons/wuestenigel)
COVID-19 booster shots are additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine that are administered after immunity from the initial shots has decreased. Data from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna has shown that booster shots “increased the immune response in trial participants.”
Any person over 16 years old is eligible for a booster shot two months after receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine or six months following the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. If a person is not eligible for a booster by the Jan. 19 deadline, they can report the booster at a later date, but within two weeks of getting the shot, the email stated.
Students can start uploading their booster documentation to the Student Health Services Portal on Dec. 20. Faculty and staff will have to complete an online form that can be found on the Emory Forward page beginning Jan. 6 to indicate their booster status.
Individuals who have previously been approved for a vaccine exemption do not need to take any additional actions.
Amir St. Clair is the Associate Vice President and Executive Director for COVID-19 Response and Recovery for Emory University. (Emory University)
Associate Vice President and Executive Director for COVID-19 Response and Recovery Amir St. Clair told the Wheel in a Dec. 16 email that the University has “closely monitored” the COVID-19 pandemic and that this decision was made based on expert medical advice and in the “best interest of our community’s health and safety.”
“While Emory University’s COVID-19 case numbers remain low, the national rise in Omicron variant cases, emerging public health guidance, and challenges currently facing other institutions have signaled the need to take a proactive step and use the upcoming winter break to get our campus community boosted,” St. Clair wrote to the Wheel.
The Omicron variant has been reported in 28 states as of Dec. 15, including Georgia.
Over the past 14 days, COVID-19 infections have increased 59% in the state and 109% in DeKalb County. In the past 10 days, 22 students and 16 faculty and staff members tested positive, according to the University COVID-19 dashboard.
As of Dec. 16, 97.9% of students and 96.8% of faculty and staff are fully vaccinated. According to the dashboard, a person is fully vaccinated two weeks after the final dose of an approved vaccine. The definition currently does not mention booster shots.
“Vaccines remain critical in our fight against COVID-19, and COVID-19 booster shots are an important, effective line of defense to promote public health, especially in response to the Omicron variant,” St. Clair wrote.
Off the heels of her third studio album Things Take Time, Take Time, Courtney Barnett is back to touring — awing audiences and spreading immense joy along the way. Almost three years since her previous tour, a nearly sold-out Fox Theater welcomed Barnett and her band with tangible excitement. Upon entering the theater, it was immediately clear that Barnett’s fans had been eagerly anticipating her onstage return, with merch-wearing and mustached hipsters packing the floor.
Opener Bartees Strange set the stage perfectly for the night that was to follow. Strange combined impressive guitar skills with masterfully smooth vocals and energetic dancing galore, leaving the audience ecstatic and ready for Barnett’s long-awaited entrance.
With the lights dimmed and the crowd growing silent, the energy within the room shifted to pure happiness as Barnett and her band entered the stage to booming cheers. Within seconds the iconic snare drum intro to “Avant Gardener” filled the theater — signaling to her exhilarated fans that their wait was finally over. Singing “I sleep in late, another day/ Oh, what a wonder, oh, what a waste” with the voices of thousands behind her, Barnett proved to sound just as wonderful live as in the studio, all while kicking off her dynamic set.
Barnett played in front of a set of living room lamps and a striped, black and white fabric backdrop. The hominess that radiates from her personal, somewhat eccentric songwriting style transferred perfectly onto the stage. Performing alongside only a bassist and a drummer, her usually understated guitar stylings were put onto full display (and for good reason). The trio carried the night away with their folk-rock instrumentation, indescribable chemistry and infectious smiles.
One of the many highlights of the night was Barnett’s rendition of the beloved “Depreston.” Barnett, drenched in blue lights, flawlessly performed the stripped-down track about touring homes and moving to the suburbs. With her band growing quiet and her guitar dialing back to single strums, Barnett asked the audience to sing along while repeating the line “If you’ve got a spare half a million/ You could knock it down and start rebuildin’.” The audience sang — rather, screamed — the lines back at her, and Barnett’s band slowly joined back in, finishing out the marvelous song. After graciously complimenting her euphoric audience members for their “beautiful” singing voices, Barnett transitioned into the following song on the tracklist, leaving her listeners to marinate within the heartwarming atmosphere.
Another undeniably memorable moment from the concert was Barnett’s anger-filled performance of her hit song “Pedestrian at Best.” The second that the distorted guitar rang through the room, the audience immediately began to jump and bang their heads. Clever lyrics such as “Give me all your money, and I’ll make some origami, honey/ I think you’re a joke, but I don’t find you very funny,” made it unsurprising to watch the crowd react with screams, laughter, pushing and dancing. With the pent-up energy of toddlers at recess, Barnett masterfully entertained and entranced her captivated audience.
With not a single dull moment throughout the night, Barnett proved herself to be just as talented a performer as she is a songwriter. Beloved for her charming musicality, the Fox Theater’s audience was mesmerized by the enchanting performance. Simultaneously stripped-down and full of energy, Barnett and her band took her already catchy songs to the next level — making audience members dance, laugh, cry and most importantly have fun. If one were to sum up Barnett’s spectacular show with a single word, that word would without a doubt be “unforgettable.”
