The Drexel University men’s and women’s crew teams started off strong with four wins in the nation’s capital at the George Washington Invitational, which was held on the Potomac River April 6 and 7. The men and women’s varsity and second varsity eights and the women’s four all came away with first place wins.

On the first day of competition, the men’s varsity eight team, who raced in the Lois Krall II boat, faced off against Hobart College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and ended up winning by 2.2 seconds ahead of Hobart with a final time of 5:36.60. The women’s second varsity eight team raced in the Cara Fry boat and faced off against MIT and the Georgetown University lightweight rowing team. Drexel came out superior in this race, as they beat the lightweight team by nearly seven seconds, with a final time of 6:35.20. The men’s second varsity eight team, who raced in a Sandra Lee Sheller II, went head to head against Hobart, and ended up victorious, edging them by one and a half seconds with a final time of 5:50.0. The women’s varsity four continued their hot streak with another win at this invitational. They raced in the Diane Corle boat and comfortably won with a time of 7:15.30. The Drexel men’s third varsity eight, racing in the Lois Krall boat, held off the University of Michigan for second place, but could not beat the United States Naval Academy, who finished 8.5 seconds ahead of them. The women’s varsity eight team, who raced in the new Alleva XVII boat, had a similar fate when their oars crashed with the Georgetown lightweight team’s oars, causing them to get second.

The next day, the women’s varsity eight had more luck and edged out the University of Rhode Island by half a second to win with a time of 6:21.60. The women’s varsity four team got their second win of the invitational, defeating Rhode Island by nearly seven seconds. The men’s varsity eight team, as well as both the men’s and women’s second varsity eight teams, got second place finishes on the second day. The men’s varsity eight lost to Navy by 5.5 seconds, but the second varsity team got closer to them, only losing by 1.5 seconds. The women’s second varsity eight got the closest to getting first, finishing two-tenths of a second behind Rhode Island.

After these six wins, Drexel moved onto the annual Kerr Cup Regatta April 14, which takes place on the Schuylkill River. This event is hosted by Drexel and its alumni, and is in honor of Dr. Thomas Kerr, who was the founder and first coach of the crew team. In this regatta, the Dragons came home with four gold medals from the women’s varsity four, the men’s second varsity eight and both the men’s and women’s third varsity eight teams. The women’s varsity four team, racing again in the Diane Corle boat, easily coasted to a win with a time of 8:13.70. The men’s second varsity team raced a close match, especially in the last 500 meters, and ended up beating the University of San Diego by 1.9 seconds. The men’s and women’s third varsity eights won the first medals of the day, with the men’s team cruising to a win over Saint Joseph’s University by more than six seconds. The women’s third varsity match was a closer one, beating Saint Joe’s by only three-tenths of a second.

The women’s varsity and second varsity eight, as well as both men’s freshman teams, all got second place finishes for the Dragons. The women’s varsity eight, who has won the Lela H. Kerr Cup for seven of the last nine years, had a strong time of 7:18.98, but Rhode Island ended up victorious, winning by nearly eight seconds. The women’s second varsity eight also could not overcome Rhode Island, losing by five seconds. The men’s freshman eight came close to beating Temple University, but ended up running out of water to catch up, losing by less than two seconds. The men’s freshman four had a similar fate, losing by just over two seconds to the University of Delaware.

The Dragons will return to the Schuylkill to compete in the Bergen and Kelly Cups April 21. Both of these events are considered the unofficial city championships and are hosted by Saint Joe’s University.

The Drexel University men’s lacrosse team traveled to Connecticut to play Fairfield University April 14. Drexel started strong, grabbing a 4-2 lead by the end of the first period. Goals were scored by sophomores Matthew Varian and Nick Fox, and seniors Robert Frazee and Will Manganiello. Drexel continued to dominate in the second period by outscoring Fairfield 5-3 to give Drexel a 9-5 lead heading into the third period. The Dragons who scored in the second period were senior Jake O’Donnell, sophomore Chris McLallen, junior Marshall King and two goals by sophomore Reid Bowering.

Through the first two periods of the game it looked as if the Dragons had this game under control. However, Fairfield had other ideas as they got themselves back in the game by matching Drexel in the third period with four goals, bringing the score to 13-9 in favor of the Dragons. King and Manganiello each scored their second goals of the day in the third period for the Dragons.

In the fourth period the Dragons were outplayed by Fairfield and outscored 5-3. The Dragons gave up five unanswered goals until finally with four minutes remaining Frazee scored his second goal of the game. Bowering and junior Cam Harris also scored late in the second half giving the Dragons a 16-14 victory. Drexel senior goalie Chre Teitelbaum had eight saves on the day and faced 34 shots. While Drexel did get the victory, one facet of the game they have struggled with all year is their turnovers. Drexel committed 18 turnovers overall in the game and Fairfield only had four.

The Dragons’ next game will be April 21 against Hofstra University, who currently have the same record as the Dragons 5-6. Drexel hopes to win the last two games of the season to have a winning record and go into the Colonial Athletic Association tournament with confidence.

The Drexel University softball team started off their week of games a little rocky, as they were defeated by Towson University April 7, 9-1. However, they recovered and went on to beat Howard University April 10 in a doubleheader, 9-1 and 6-5. But, the Dragons ended the week on a sad note April 11, with a close loss to the University of Pennsylvania 7-4.

Drexel started off the week with a game against Towson. Things did not get off to a great start for the Dragons, as Towson got to a 6-0 after three innings. This barrage of runs began in the first inning after two RBI doubles, a single and a sacrifice fly, which finally ended with a bases-loaded walk. This put Drexel back a little, but they put a stop to the barrage of runs by blanking Towson for the next two innings. At this time, Drexel replied with a run of their own after a home run by freshman Kristi DiMeo.

However, this comeback did not last long because Towson scored three more runs using a groundout, double and single, which implicated the run-rule and ended the game.

Drexel moved onto their doubleheader against Howard, where the Dragons had a little more luck. The first game started off great with yet another DiMeo home run, which was her sixth of the season. This gave Drexel a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

Howard replied with one run of their own due to a RBI double, but Drexel just came back with two more runs of their own, increasing their lead by three. Sophomore Devon Grippe came in as relief and shut down the Bison in the fourth inning. This lead to a three-run bomb by sophomore Linda Rush, which was another step to sealing their win.

Drexel scored another two runs starting with a double by Rush. This, along with an error, put two runners on base, and with a sacrifice fly by freshman Emma Dryden, the score became 9-1, which activated the run rule and ended the game.

In game two, Drexel got off to a rocky start when Howard used an error and a couple of hits to get off to a 2-0 lead in the first inning.

An RBI single and a two-run home run by Rush brought Drexel back to a 3-2 lead. In the next inning, Howard had a reply of their own with a RBI double and sacrifice fly, giving them two more runs. After Howard scored another run in the fourth inning, Drexel came back and scored three runs of their own: freshman Elena Woulfe hit a double to drive in sophomore Taylor Kent and junior Jenelle Ladrido, and after a wild pitch, Woulfe scored herself to seal the game at 6-5.

Drexel moved onto one of their Philadelphia rivals, UPenn. The Quakers got an early lead due to a fielder’s choice after a single and walk. An RBI double extended Penn’s lead to two, before a sacrifice fly by Rush brought in freshman Reilly Jo Swanson. Penn had even more luck in the third inning, where a home run and a two-run double extended their lead to 5-1. However, Drexel used this as fuel to score three more runs, utilizing three consecutive RBI singles by Kent, Rush and DiMeo. However, the Quakers tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning to get to the final score, 7-4.

Drexel bounced back from these two losses when they faced Coppin State University April 12 in a doubleheader. The Dragons fell short in the first game 9-8 but came back to win the second game sending Coppin State home 18-1.

The Dragons will welcome the University of North Carolina Wilmington, a fellow Colonial Athletic Association rival, for a doubleheader April 14. The first game is at 12 p.m.

The Drexel University men’s lacrosse team traveled to play a Colonial Athletic Association conference game against Towson University April 6. Drexel came into this game trying to start a win streak to end the season. Unfortunately, Towson had other plans and started a win streak of their own after losing their past two games.

Towson dominated Drexel, winning by a score of 17-9.  While Drexel had the lead at times in the game, the Dragons couldn’t counter all the goals that Towson was scoring. After the first period, the game was tied 3-3, but not for long after Towson sophomore Matt Sovero scored back to back goals in the span of a minute to finish the second period and extend Towson’s lead to 8-4.

Even though Drexel gave up 17 goals, senior Chre Teitelbaum had seven saves. Junior Marshal King had himself a game as he scored three goals to go along with two assists to give him a career high of five points. One aspect of the game where Drexel struggled was with turnovers, as they committed 17, including having nine in the second half.

Drexel will look to bounce back when they travel to play Fairfield University April 14. Fairfield currently has a record of 4-8. Drexel will look to avenge their two-game losing streak as they have only three games remaining in the season.

To the delight of Philadelphia 76ers fans, the team seems to have finally solved the biggest problem with their roster in the “process” era: they have their franchise point guard. In a surprising move, the Sixers traded up from the third spot in the draft to the first to select 19-year-old point guard Markelle Fultz, and it appears they have solidified a core that — with any luck — can grow to dominate the league in the years to come.

On his own, Fultz fills the role of the ideal point guard for the modern NBA. He’s got a slick handle that he combines with prototypical size, good shooting and strong court vision. He can shoot off the catch (though admittedly he can improve in this area) but most importantly, he has an array of dribble and step-back moves that allow him to find his own shot from anywhere on the floor. He can score from all three levels — near the rim, midrange, and three-point — and has shown an impressive ability to get to the rim even with poor spacing on his college team. He can play on or off the ball, and be a difference maker either way. He projects to be a top 15 offensive player in the league, and even that might be an understatement. For the Sixers, there might not be a better fit for what they already have.

Last year’s first overall pick, Ben Simmons, looks to be a unique piece to their team-building puzzle, with otherworldly handle and passing ability for a power forward and the size to be a stopper on defense as well. Even with his abilities, there are weaknesses. He seems to shoot with the wrong hand, as he finishes a lot of drives going left but shooting with his right, and his jump shot looks uncomfortable when he decides to utilize it. In college, he rarely settled for jumpers, instead focusing on getting to the rim to score or find teammates. In the NBA, it’s likely this will be more difficult against pro-level defense, and he’ll need to improve that jump shot to reach his considerable ceiling as a player.

With Simmons’ considerable skills and also his weaknesses, you’d want to surround him with a certain type of player. You need someone who can shoot to space the floor and also receive kick-out passes, but also someone who can function as a secondary playmaker to lighten the load and keep defenses further off-balance. Ideally, the player would have the size to defend either the shooting guard or point guard positions, because Sixers’ head coach Brett Brown remains intent on trying to play Simmons as a point guard on both ends of the court. Does that player sound a little bit like Markelle Fultz? It should, because that’s his game to a T.

That’s why this move to get Fultz works so well for the Sixers; they get a player who can be great on his own and also maximize the growth of another of their franchise cornerstones. Speaking of franchise cornerstones, the fit between Fultz and the other member of the Sixers’ core, Joel Embiid, is even better than the fit with Simmons. Embiid showed in his shortened rookie season that if he can stay healthy, he’ll be a destroyer of worlds for years to come. With dazzling footwork in the paint as well as silky jump shot, Embiid will likely prove to be unguardable in the years to come. With Fultz, Embiid will not only have a great shooter to receive kick-outs when he is doubled, but will also gain a pick-and -roll partner with more skill than he’s ever experienced. Embiid is an ideal pick-and-roll center, drawing the entire defense as he rolls or as he pops out for the jumpshot. Paired with Fultz, either player can pop for the jump shot or use the space vacated by the other to roll to the rim. This pick-and-roll pairing (and that of Simmons with Embiid) may become unstoppable in the coming years.

As of now, the starting lineup will certainly involve all three of Embiid, Fultz, and Simmons with Robert Covington and a shooting guard. The lineup has shooting, playmaking in bundles, and tons of defensive upside. With or without a big free agent signing, this team will be fun and will probably delight fans this year and for years to come.

Photograph by Shane O’Connor for The Triangle

Union Transfer was nearing full capacity as indie band Frankie Cosmos took to the stage in support of Real Estate May 19.

As part of one of the strongest show bills I’ve seen in 2017, neither band disappointed the sold-out crowd.

Every opportunity to see Frankie Cosmos in action is a pleasure. Greta Kline is one of the best songwriters going nowadays and her band is no slouch either. Drummer Luke Pyenson, keyboardist and vocalist Lauren Martin and bassist Gabrielle Smith were firing on all cylinders as they went through song after song during their seemingly too brief opening set.

A good number of the fans right up in front of the stage seemed solely there for Frankie Cosmos, really saying something considering the headliner. Each song is often short, fleeting almost, yet so engaging. I couldn’t help but bobbing along to “On the Lips,” “What If” and “If I Had a Dog.”

The lady next to me danced to every track like it was a dance club banger. “Buses Splash With Rain” must have sounded like “Clarity” by Zedd to her. Is that what the kids in the dance clubs are listening to these days? Anyways, she, myself and especially The Triangle Editor-in-Chief Billy “The Skids” Bauer were all having a good ol’ time watching Frankie Cosmos do their thing.

“Fool” was a song that I have been yearning to hear live for quite some time now and it did not disappoint. “Too Dark,” another stand out, nearly brings me to tears every time and I’m not sure I could tell you why. A couple members of Real Estate even came out to help with the vocals on a song, it was delightful.

Frankie Cosmos debuted two new songs, one of which really clicked right from the start. After the strength of their last album “Next Thing,” I cannot wait to see what their next release holds.

After the stellar opening set, Real Estate took the stage and launched right into “Saturday.” That song is buried at the very end of Real Estate’s latest album, “In Mind,” and boy is it a winner. The extended piano intro by keyboardist Matt Kallman is beautiful and conjures up a wistful, nostalgic atmosphere before the trademark Real Estate guitars slowly creep in before breaking out into an upbeat road trippin’ type of song. I know it’s pretty easy to get bogged down while listening to “In Mind” but if you make it all the way to the end, “Saturday” is a real treat.

I had tempered my expectations going into Real Estate’s set. On the record, they can be a little too laid back, but live they bring some renewed source of energy, let me tell you. Until I saw Alex Bleeker play live I never realized just how dirty almost all of his basslines are. The man is workin’ hard, contributing way more to the rhythm section than I would have guessed after listening to their records.

The guitar section is tight as ever, with Julian Lynch taking over on lead guitar and Martin Courtney as steady as ever. Courtney holds down the fort on vocals and rhythm guitar as Lynch’s fingers dance across the fretboard of his big ol’ Fender Coronado. It’s amazing to see how these two great musicians weave together the dense web of guitar sounds that has become quintessentially Real Estate.

The setlist was chock full of hits both new and old. “Darling” and “Stained Glass” from “In Mind” did not disappoint as well as “Municipality” and “It’s Real” from “Days.” The sold-out crowd provided some fantastic background vocals for the chorus of “It’s Real,” arguably the band’s best known song. However, for me, it was the drawn out extended jams that cemented this concert as one of my favorites of 2017.

The trio of “Two Arrows,” “Beach Comber” and “All the Same” were spectacular, each clocking in well over their album track time. “Beach Comber,” the first track from Real Estate’s self-titled debut, is my favorite of theirs, with “All the Same” a close second. Hearing both done so well live was cathartic as hell.

In front of a sold-out Union Transfer crowd, Frankie Cosmos delighted with their short and sweet songs while Real Estate reveled in letting some of their tracks really breathe.

Photograph by Shane O’Connor for The Triangle

Photograph courtesy of Shane Keyser/Kansas City TNS

The National Basketball Association Draft Lottery has come and gone, and with it comes some much needed clarity for the teams involved. The Philadelphia 76ers came through as slight winners on the night, as they jumped into the top three, landing the third pick.

For many Sixers fans, this outcome resonated less so as a pure placement in the draft and more as a vindication for years of fervently supporting Sam Hinkie in the face of intense media and league pressure. Of all of the moves Sam Hinkie made in his run as Sixers general manager, his trade with the Sacramento Kings — exchanging virtually nothing for Nik Stauskas as well as two pick swaps and an unprotected first round pick — stands as the crown jewel. Even before this lottery, that stood as an undisputable fact.

Now, with the Kings jumping into the top three in the lottery and the Sixers swapping picks with them due to the trade, in essence bumping the Sixers’ draft position up two spots from five to three, it is a historic fleecing of a poorly run Kings team that still has more to give the Sixers.

Regardless of that wonderful moral victory for Sixers fans still rueing the loss of their patron saint of basketball operations, landing at three is a decent outcome for the team. The one or two spot would have obviously been ideal, providing an easy lane to a point guard to fill an obvious hole on the roster, but we don’t live in an ideal world.

At three, point guards Lonzo Ball and Markelle Fultz will almost certainly be off the board, leaving the Sixers with a seemingly tough choice to make. The guards remaining after those two all have glaring flaws and are likely not top three talents, while the best players available all play positions that are somewhat crowded on the Sixers’ roster.

This seems like it creates a conundrum for the Sixers’ general manager Bryan Colangelo, but it really shouldn’t. In my mind, there’s only one real choice at number three. The Sixers need to select Josh Jackson, small forward from Kansas University.

Jackson looks to absolutely be the best player available at this spot in the draft. Physically, he’s got good size and borderline freak athleticism for a winger player, and he uses his slender frame well and is willing to play physically. He’s twitchy and instinctive on defense and plays very fundamentally in on-ball defensive sets. His athleticism and speed allow him to be a difference maker defensively, versatile enough to switch onto smaller players and also quick enough to cover ground and recover in help defense. In his freshman year at Kansas, he put together a highlight reel of jaw-dropping chase down blocks, and his instinctive defensive abilities will likely translate well to the next level.

Offensively, he’s a bit of a mixed bag. A strong first step allowed him to blow by defenders often and he has a tight enough handle to finish drives confidently, but his game doesn’t require him to dominate the ball. His speed and leaping ability make him a devastating off-ball cutter, and many of his points last season came from finishing lobs over and around defenders. On this Sixers team, with Ben Simmons likely dominating ball handling responsibilities, it is pivotal that any players brought into the fold don’t hold the ball too much and are also confident and able to finish passes coming from the Australian forward. Jackson seems to fit into that mold well around the rim.

What really stands out about Jackson offensively is his passing abilities. His basketball IQ allows him to find shooters and cutters easily and his ability to complete passes with both hands makes him a potentially great playmaker in the NBA, and he’ll fit in well next to Ben Simmons and Dario Saric, who both shine when finding open teammates.

For a small forward, Jackson also rebounds very well, ending his freshman campaign with 7.4 rebounds per game. Of those 7.4, 2.3 were offensive, which is another place where Jackson shines. He’s instinctive and works hard on the offensive glass, which is unique for his position and should translate well to the NBA.

He does, however, have weaknesses. In today’s NBA, the league is trending towards playing smaller and faster, and it’s not clear how Jackson fits into that mold. As more of a natural small forward, sliding him to the power forward position likely will leave him exposed due to his short wingspan and thin frame. Offensively, his jumpshot is, for lack of another word, disgusting. He has a hitch and releases the ball from an awkward angle and takes too long to get his shot off. It’s difficult to see him being a great shooter in the league without an overhaul of the jumpshot, despite the fact that he ended his only college season on a hot streak. However, as the year went on, a lot more of his shots came in rhythm, which is something he seems to be good at controlling as a spot up shooter.

These issues make him a bit of a shaky fit with the Sixers, but they need not overthink this draft choice. Jackson is the best player available, and the one most suited to their team at three. He’s got legitimate two-way potential and looks to make an immediate impact defensively and in transition with Ben Simmons, even if his jumpshot doesn’t come together just yet.

Ben Simmons, the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round, and first overall, draft pick with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, left, during the NBA Draft on Thursday, June 23, 2016, from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. (Yong Kim/Philadelphia Daily News/TNS)

The most important time of the National Basketball Association season is rapidly approaching. The teams involved are gearing up, hoping they’ll have enough to reach the finish line, accomplishing a feat that can change the perception of a franchise for years to come. That’s right, the NBA draft lottery is mere days away.

The draft lottery can change the scenery of the entire league, leaving some teams with their hopes crushed while others rejoice in the glory of pure, stupid luck. At stake this year: the Boston Celtics receiving the first overall pick and finally adding a bonafide star to their already strong roster, the Phoenix Suns adding a difference maker to their bad but fun team, and more and more. Only one story really matters though, because the key to this year’s draft lottery revolves around the Philadelphia 76ers.

Going into the lottery, the Sixers are in a good (and possibly great) position going forward. Last year’s number one pick, Ben Simmons, is finally healthy and has started posting videos of him dunking viciously on Instagram. Joel Embiid, though injury prone, has shown that if — and it’s a big if — he can stay healthy, he’ll be haunting the dreams of NBA players and coaches for years to come. Add to that one (possibly two!) high draft picks in the 2017 draft, and baby you’ve got a stew going.

So, here’s where they stand in the lottery. Their fourth place finish in the standing gives them a 14.7% chance at the first overall pick, when including in the extra ping pong balls that they receive from the Sacramento Kings due to the Nik Stauskas trade. Further, due to the Michael Carter-Williams trade — I regret to even call it this because he’s been so inconsequential, but so has basically everyone else in that deal — the Sixers will receive the Los Angeles Lakers’ first round pick if it falls outside of the Top 3 picks. Because the Lakers finished third, the Sixers have a 53% chance of receiving their pick and a 39.5% chance of having two picks in the top five.

In what looks to be a tremendously strong draft class, the outcome of this lottery can change the Sixers’ future from merely bright to nearly undeniably great. The first overall pick would land them Markelle Fultz, a phenom point guard who fits perfectly with the pieces they have in place and is a nearly guaranteed future star.

Having two top five picks would allow them to draft a strong point guard and also pick up a much needed shooter, someone like Malik Monk from the University of Kentucky. Even if the Lakers pick doesn’t convey, they’re not off the hook, the Sixers will receive their 2018 first round pick no matter where it lands. In a league like the NBA, an unprotected draft pick can have incredible value, as teams can hugely underperform expectation in any given year.

Photograph by Andy Gorel for The Triangle

The first time I heard of New Jersey band Pinegrove, they were opening for a stacked lineup of emo groups last April, including The World Is a Beautiful Place and I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, at the Theater of Living Arts.

I reviewed that show for The Triangle, intending to focus most heavily on the headliners.

I couldn’t.

Pinegrove’s opening set electrified the crowd and made a statement that was unmatched for the remainder of the night. The same could be said about their sold-out headlining show April 28 at First Unitarian Church.

Opening the show was Birdwing, a charmingly do-it-yourself feeling band, touring their EP “Four.” Birdwing has a somewhat “just happy to be there” feeling, where you could feel the joy they had just to be getting the opportunity to play music for a crowd of people. Overwhelmingly happy and lighthearted, the band’s attitude meshed well with that of the audience creating a friendly environment that was a pleasure to experience.

Musically, they’re sort of slow and droning overall, but they make great use of pacing in their songs, often allowing the pace to grow and then bringing the song to a thrilling stop and turning back to a groggy chorus. It’s an interesting technique and it makes for a surprisingly very enjoyable listen.

Following Birdwing’s strong set, Austin Texas lo-fi rock duo Hovvdy followed suit. Hovvdy is a group that falls more into the traditional indie sound than Birdwing, but also has a do-it-yourself vibe. They’re reminiscent of Philadelphia artist (Sandy) Alex G in his less energetic records. They performed with a lot of energy in their live set, and despite a lack of interaction with the crowd, musically they shone. In particular, the song “Pretend,” from their new record “Taster,” impressed. Melancholy and downtrodden, the lyricism shines on this one, as does the crooning vocalization throughout the bridge.

With the crowd properly worked up, Pinegrove took the stage to thunderous applause. The band is currently on a short six show tour while working on their follow-up to their tremendous debut LP, 2016’s “Cardinal.”

“Cardinal” contended strongly for my personal album of the year in 2016, a raucous country-ish indie gem that floats between the best of the last 20 years in indie seamlessly driven by the emotion and charisma of the band’s frontman Evan Stephens Hall. Stephens Hall’s lyrics are evocative and powerful, reminiscent of a novel rather than a song. A word is never wasted, as Stephens Hall probes and pokes at the norms of verbiage that typically overcome indie bands, typically those as young as Pinegrove.

Stephens Hall views life through a uniquely geometrical lens, one that allows him to paint a scene in what becomes a language of his own.

On “Size of the Moon” from “Cardinal,” looking back on a long ago night spent dancing with someone special, Stephens Hall compliments the grace of his partner, describing her dancing as “Caravaggio moves,” a reference to an Italian renaissance painter known for his adeptness at positioning bodies. The song “Aphasia” is a masterpiece of emotive description, a rollercoaster ride through the artist’s own fears that one day he’ll fall short of the ability to simply find the words to describe what he’s feeling.

More than anything, “Cardinal” and all of Pinegrove’s music feels relatable and youthful in the most joyous and painful ways. The crippling fear that one day you won’t be able to formulate your thoughts to someone you care about strikes young people deep to their core, and it resonates strongly on the album.

The songs “New Friends” and “Old Friends” take alternative routes to the same destination, the idea that sometimes we don’t have the ability to put as much into loving people as we should.

“New Friends” does so by exploring the wasteland that follows a break-up; the significant other is gone and we realize that we hadn’t spent enough time taking care of our other relationships. “Old Friends” explores the torrent of emotions and guilt following the death of someone close to the narrator, lamenting the fact that he got too caught up with his own life to care for others. Those core emotions resonate, particularly with young people, and it’s what makes Pinegrove so special to so many people.

That resonance may have been a reason why the crowd seemed to be a part of the performance that night at First Unitarian, rather than just bystanders. From the first song, “Old Friends,” the crowd screamed the lyrics with a fervor unique to truly beloved artists, and it made for an amazing environment. Similar to Birdwing, the use of pacing is significant in Pinegrove’s music, and it propelled the set along with a fury that is rare. Many of the songs start slow and build to a crashing crescendo, with Stephens Hall screaming as well as the entirety of the crowd.

Following “Old Friends,” the band leapt into “Aphasia,” which was a clear fan favorite. The second half of the song booms with the clear peak coming at the line “if I don’t have you by me then I’ll go underground,” where both band and crowd rose together for a raucous moment.

Following “Aphasia” was a selection of songs from “Cardinal” and older releases, but the show really hit a higher gear about halfway through with “Angelina.” From the first chord, the entire crowd knew what was coming; moshing began and screaming ensued, turning the basement of the church into a whirlwind of movement and noise unlike many shows I’ve ever experienced.

It was amazing, a true joy to take part in.

With the crowd amped up from the insanity surrounding “Angelina,” the band brought the tempo down for a new song, “Easy Enough,” a song which seems to fall well in line with their catalogue as a whole and one I’m eagerly awaiting for a studio version of.

Following a few more songs, including “Size of the Moon” and “Need 2,” the band took a moment. Without any real place to hide to await an encore, they had a much needed water break onstage, and Stephens Hall passionately appealed to the crowd to participate in the coming People’s Climate March in Washington.

For the encore, the band played “Recycling,” an older song and one that truly shines brightly in their pre-“Cardinal” catalogue.

For the final song of the night, they played “New Friends” and absolutely brought the house down. Most of the admittedly tiny venue fell into a fury of moshing and thrashing bodies, while the crowd sang every single word as loudly as they could possibly muster.

First Unitarian is likely my favorite venue in the city and has provided me two or three of the best concert experiences of my entire life. Pinegrove on April 28, 2017 can now be added to that list.

Do yourself a favor and go see them the next time they roll through town.

Photograph by Andy Gorel for The Triangle

The Drexel university wrestling team took to the mat Feb. 11 in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. The Dragons took on Rider University in a tight matchup.

Rider has is a team full of good wrestlers and a few that are ranked highly. The Dragons were looking to continue their win streak which was at four. This was going to be the toughest task yet for the Dragons.

The match began with the 125-pound weight class. Junior Zack Fuentes, who has had some great matches in the past few weeks, was unable to come away with a victory in this match. He took his opponent head on and wrestled well, but lost a tough 2-1 decision.

No. 13 senior Kevin Devoy Jr. made sure to retaliate. Devoy defeated his opponent Anthony Cefolo in another close match, winning a decision 3-2.

Senior David Pearce followed up Devoy’s performance with a great show of his own in the 141-pound match up. Pearce defeated his opponent on a 4-0 decision. No. 18 senior Matthew Cimato looked to continue Drexel’s success as he went up against his 149-pound foe. Cimato dominated his opponent Jesse Rodgers, beating him in a majority decision 10-0. Cimato’s win gave the Dragons a solid 10-3 team score lead after four matches.

The middle weight classes had some trouble with Rider. In the 157-pound match No. 20 B.J. Clagon won a 14-5 majority decision against Drexel’s sophomore Willie Davis. Junior Austin Rose lost a tough 12-3 majority decision to No. 5 Chad Walsh at 165 pounds, and, in the 174-pound weight class, freshman Ebed Jarrell lost to Dean Sherry in a 11-3 majority decision.

Junior Alex DeCiantis took back some momentum for the Dragons when he defeated his opponent in the 184-pound weight class. He was able to defeat Michale Fagg-Daves in a 3-1 decision.

In the 197-pound weight class, junior Joshua Murphy was defeated by No. 13 Ryan Wolfe in a 10-4 decision. No. 18 junior Joey Goodhart finished off the match with a Drexel win in the 285-pound division. He beat his opponent in a 4-1 decision.

The Dragons lost this matchup by a team score of 18-16. It was close throughout, but Drexel could not win one more match to put them on top. Although their win streak was snapped, the Dragons have been wrestling extremely well and continued to do so against a tough Rider team. This loss may jump start the team’s batteries again and a new win streak may start from it.

Saturday, Feb. 18 the Dragons will host the University of Maryland for a very special Senior Night. On Sunday, Feb. 19, Drexel will travel down Chestnut Street and visit Philly rival University of Pennsylvania for the last match of the weekend.