On the evening of Friday, Dec. 6, the University of Maine’s Honors College Student Advisory Board (SAB) hosted the Deals for Meals Bar Crawl. The event raises money for the Honors College Annual Maine Day Meal Packout, and each $5 Bar Crawl bracelet sold helped to fund over 15 meals for the packout. 

“It’s truly amazing to see all of the hard work pay off, and to know that we have done something helpful for our community,” Megan Driscoll, a third-year marine biology student and treasurer of SAB, said. “Come Maine Day, all the people who donate and buy bracelets will get to know that they helped fight food insecurity in Maine, and had some fun while doing it.”

Orono Brewing Company (OBC), Marsh Island Brewing, The Family Dog, Black Bear Brewing (BBB), Woodman’s Bar and Grill and The Common Loon participated in the event. Each of the six venues are located near campus in Orono and had a certain time slot where they offered deals and coupons. Most of the discounts applied to a percentage off for drinks, like $4 OBC pints and 10% off Black Bear Beer at BBB, or a reduced priced menu item. 

“To plan for the bar crawl, there is a lot of communication with the bars. I set out an initial schedule, and contact each of them to see if their slot works. If one cannot do a time slot, I shuffle everyone around until all the bars are happy,” Driscoll said. “The bars get increased service that night, we get money for meals, and the participants end up saving money, too. After the crawl itself is all set up, we table to sell bracelets up until the night of the event.”

The Honors College Maine Day Meal Packout occurs every year on May 1, and relies on volunteer groups and students to help pack meals and raise awareness about hunger in Maine. Organized by the Honors College and run by many Honors faculty and students, the Meal Packout takes place at the Memorial Gym on the morning of Maine Day.

“100% of profits go directly towards funding meals for the Maine Day Meal Packout, which is an annual event where we pack thousands of meals to be distributed to people who are food insecure all over the state of Maine,” Driscoll said. “Last year, we packed 75,000 meals, and we hope to match that this year. The bar crawl usually is a very successful fundraiser for the event. Even though the purchase of a bracelet is only $5, it can still make a huge impact.”

SAB functions in the Honors College as a mediator between the dean, staff and Honors students. They meet to discuss and communicate information to the Honors staff about things going on within the college and it also offers opportunities for leadership and representation.

Due to its yearly success in fundraising for the meal packout, SAB hopes to continue the bar crawl in the years to come.

On Nov. 19, the University of Maine Jazz Ensemble gathered on the stage to perform their annual fall concert. Located in Minsky Recital Hall, the concert was $9 for the community and free for students with a Mainecard.

There were 17 members of the group who were present for the performance, and together they played 13 songs with an intermission in between. The concert featured saxophone, trumpet, cello, crums, electric guitar and piano. Three students made up the rhythm section, keeping the tempo and beat of each song performed. 

The performance featured a wide array of songs introduced by the conductor, associate professor Jack Burt, who explained the background of each song and spoke about the process of rehearsing them for the show. 

Burt is the director of the UMaine Jazz Ensemble as well as the Brass Ensemble. He announced each soloist performer after they played, including trumpet players Ryan Long, Isabelle Montoro and Max Carter. The concert ran for about two hours.

“There is a lot of variety in the songs we are performing,” Burt said. “There’s old, new, something borrowed and lots of blues.” 

Jazz, a genre that first emerged in America in the late 19th century, includes songs that are known for their repetitive form and structure. The repetition and use of the same underlying chords mimic the style of blues music and help the audience follow along.

The first jazz song performed in the concert was “Ahunk Ahunk” from Thad Jones’ album, “Consummation” that was written in 1970, followed by Benny Carter’s “Easy Money” and swing composer Joe Eckert’s “The Snake was on his way to a Gig.” Many of the songs that were chosen for the concert were a mix of jazz, blues and swing music. The ensemble led into the short intermission with Jim McNeely’s “Extra Credit.”

“Jazz is one of the only genres of music that originated in our country,” Burt said. “The structure can sound like a bunch of notes, but also has a repetitive form like the blues.”

The ensemble also played “Almost Like Being in Love,” “The Legend,” “She’s Leaving Home,” “Donna Lee,” “Back of the Bus” and “Straight No Chaser.” 

The University of Maine’s Jazz Ensemble is an audition-based group that meets on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. To learn more information visit https://umaine.edu/spa/academics/ensembles/. 

On Friday, Nov. 15, six University of Maine faculty and students discussed their expedition of Mount Everest, which took place this past spring, during a Climate Change Institute panel. 

The expedition was part of a series of “Extreme Expeditions” meant to discover the effects of climate change on certain glaciers of Mount Everest. The leader of the expedition and director of UMaine’s Climate Change Institute, Dr. Paul Mayewski, was a member of the panel.

The other members were Assistant Professor Aaron Putnam, doctoral students Mariusz Potocki, Heather Clifford, and Peter Strand, and masters student Laura Mattas. Each member of the panel took part in the expedition with the Climate Change Institute and spoke about their findings from the trip that took place in April and May of 2019. 

The group researched a number of areas during their time on Mount Everest, which included testing water chemistry and quality levels, studying landmarks, the landscape, and the irregular behavior of the jet stream over the mountain. 

“The very best thing about the work we get to do is that we can travel all over the world to fantastic places, bringing with us students who get to have life-changing experiences,” Mayewski said. “You really are absolutely in your own world up there. It’s one thing to get up to these mountain ranges, it’s another to be able to think about what you’re doing and collect good science too.” 

National Geographic and Rolex financially supported the exposition and selected Mayewski to put together and lead a team of scientists to climb with him. This was his fourth trip to Mount Everest and his 55th career expedition. Each member of the team lived at the “Base Camp,” which was located on melting glaciers at the base of the mountain. With around 1,000 travelers living in the camp, the UMaine team was able to take advantage of the amenities and travel safely on one of the most dangerous mountains in the world. 

“When we arrived at Base Camp there was a snow storm so we couldn’t really see anything about the landscape,” Clifford said. “In the morning, the shock set in and we could see the mountains and glaciers. The view was absolutely gorgeous, there were so many people and helicopters flying overhead.”

“Paul Mayewski directed the entire biological, geological, glaciological, meteorological, mapping and multimedia enterprise from the Base Camp,” Journalism professor and moderator of the discussion, Beth Staples, said. “Mariusz Potocki was a member of the team that attempted to summit. He drilled the world’s highest ice core —at 8,020 meters on South Col.”

The UMaine-led expedition made headlines recently as it set the world record for the most comprehensive assessment of Mount Everest in history. Mount Everest and its glaciers supply 20% of the Earth’s water and will wreak havoc on the people living in the Himilayan area if water quality continues to change, glaciers melt further and the planet continues to warm.

“[The researchers] all had different roles on the expedition, so I think hearing each of them share their experiences, successes and challenges on the world’s highest mountain is fascinating,” Staples said. “The discoveries from the scientific work they all conducted there may provide insight into solutions to protect the planet from climate change.” 

Members of the team Putnam and Strand flew drones around during the expedition to collect imagery and data, and the team is now using the information to create digital maps of the landscape in order to complete further research.

“The biggest takeaway was just how fast this region is changing,” Strand said. “The glaciers are melting and being rearranged because of the warming mountains. This is why it is so important to deliver the message with our photos and accounts.” 

3 out of 5 stars

“Fractured” is a new Netflix release that has been heavily anticipated by fans on social media. The 1 hour, 40 minute long psychological thriller was released to Netflix on Oct.11, and doesn’t live up to its hype — or the sheer amount of memes it spurred. Although shocking, thrilling and gripping, “Fractured” was a film unlike anything that was advertised or showcased to be by Netflix. Even the trailer is deceiving and makes a lot more sense than the actual film.

The movie was originally derived from a screenplay written by Alan B. McElroy and was first premiered at Fantastic Fest, an annual film festival in Austin, Texas, on Sept. 22. The film is about a man named Roy Monroe, played by Sam Worthington, who is driving home from visiting his family over Thanksgiving. His young daughter Perri, played by Lucy Capri, is in the car along with Roy and his wife Joanne, played by Lily Rabe. Things take a turn when the family has to stop at a dilapidated rest stop for Perri to go to the bathroom, and Perri and Roy both take a hard fall into a huge construction site. From there, terror unfolds as Roy rushes his family to the hospital and is sitting in the waiting room for hours.

Things ramp up when his daughter and wife are nowhere to be found after hours of waiting, and Roy starts to get agitated. The film winds through an array of chaotic events as Roy starts to realize that both his wife and daughter have gone missing in the hospital. There are so many plot twists and unforeseen events that everything gets jumbled and becomes very hard to follow. Roy, despite his mania and hysteria, attempts to talk to doctors and employees at the hospital, who seem to remember him coming in by himself to be treated for a head injury.

Roy stops being able to recall what actually happened and what didn’t, which makes for a very unreliable main character in the film. Once the police get involved, the stakes increase alongside Roy’s insanity. The concept of the film is very interesting, jarring and high-stakes, but the actual execution of the film was less than stellar and not up to par with such an interesting idea for a movie.

The thriller was too jumbled with events and emotions from Roy to even pay attention to the actual mystery that needed to be solved. Roy’s role as the narrator took us on a wild ride, and I found myself almost out of breath as I was forced to run through the hospital in a state of mania and panic with him.

The acting was very well done, but the scene changes and clips that were edited together were not as coherent as they could have been. I found myself wishing I was able to focus more on the story and on trying to guess how the ending would turn out instead of how crazy Roy was acting or what was going on in each moment. The ending was also very expected and easy to predict, which does not usually produce good reviews from a psychological thriller that tells fans to expect the unexpected.

Overall, this movie was worth watching, but only so you could talk about how crazy it was with your friends and try to piece together what actually happened.

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, University of Maine students and staff gathered in Minsky Hall to recognize eight female composers at the Women Composer’s Concert.

The Women Composer’s Concert is an annual event held in the fall that is meant to showcase female composers and to celebrate the presence of women in music. This year’s event featured Libby Larsen, Cecile Chaminade, Lucy Simon, Carla Bley, Billie Holiday, Bridget Kearney, Abbie Betinis and Carol Barnett. 

“What I liked most about the concert was that it showcased many different styles, and gave a great well-rounded performance and representation of the talented women composers from both today and in the past,” Marissa Anne Smith, a fourth-year music student and publicity manager of The University Singers, said. “I think it’s important to represent these female composers and their pieces because it spreads awareness and hopefully inspires artists to seek out these pieces to know and perform.” 

The music varied widely in genre and style, and mostly included opera, classical and soundtracks from musical theater. Lucy Simon was among the composers featured in the concert. “The Secret Garden,” one of Simon’s musicals, first appeared on Broadway in 1991 and has been known for its emotional and strong message. One song, in particular, that was performed during the concert was “Lily’s Eyes,” a dramatic and intense duet between two men reminiscing over a loved one. 

Many of the composers showcased at the event are still alive today, making and producing music around the world. Each of their pieces were sung by individual members of The University Singers and UMaine Renaissance who performed in small groups and also played instruments. Some of the instruments included in the performance were the flute, bass guitar, piano and trombone. 

“When we listen to music, many of us don’t even think about who is behind it — who had this idea and created it,” Smith said. “The industry is still male-dominated, so when we find these works by women, it is especially important to make sure they are recognized so that more of them will enter the industry and share their talent.”

Pianist Dr. Laura Artesani accompanied each of the student performers and also introduced the composers and gave background information for each piece. Flutist Megan Howell accompanied The University Singers during the last few minutes of the performance and also performed herself in multiple numbers. She is a member of The University Singers as well as in the UMaine Renaissance.

UMaine Renaissance and The University Singers both performed songs as entire groups at the end of the event. The University Singers were conducted by Dr. Dennis Cox and sang “Cedit Hyems” by Abbie Betnis and “Steal Away” by Carol Barnett.

“We have been rehearsing since the second week of the semester,” Smith said. “These two pieces will be a part of our full set. We will continue to work on them throughout the year and will sing them at our Fall Concert on November 16th, Yuletide on December 8th and our annual New England Spring Tour in March and Spring Concert in April.” 

The University of Maine takes pride in its wide array of housing options available to students on campus. In addition to the on-campus options, UMaine students have many other options in the surrounding Orono and Old Town areas that many students opt for once they’ve gotten a taste of on-campus living. Each fall, when leasing season hits, the apartment complexes in these areas begin to reach out to students, competing to fill their spots for the following school year. For students looking to move off-campus during their time at UMaine, there are dozens of opportunities to rent and lease apartments or houses in the area that range from affordable to luxurious. The following is a rundown of the big three: The Avenue at Orono, Orchard Trails and The Reserve.

The Avenue at Orono, commonly referred to as the Ave, is a large complex of high-end apartments designed to give college students an aesthetic space where they can get away from the stress of school. There is an array of different layout options, and the base price per month for a standard size, three-bedroom, three-and-a-half bathroom is $615 per student per month.

The amenities of the Ave include the largest student housing fitness center in Orono, tanning beds, a hot tub, a yoga studio, a movie theater, a computer lab and a golf simulator. A key feature of The Ave is its bus service, which runs every school day until 6 p.m. and takes students from The Ave to UMaine.

“I love living off-campus. The dorms were a classic college experience, but I have way more freedom in an apartment,” fourth-year psychology student and resident of The Ave, Taylor Chomicz, said. “Being able to cook, having my own room and bathroom and all of the other freedoms that come with living on my own put me in a much better mental state than when I was in the dorms. The separation between school and home life also helps with the ability to do my school work and do well in my classes. Overall, I wouldn’t trade my dorm experience for anything, but I love living in an apartment now.”  

Orchard Trails Apartments is one of the competitors of The Ave. Located right next to campus and Aroma Joes, the apartment complex comes with standard four-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments that start at $440 per month. These apartments also include amenities such as a clubhouse, a tanning bed, an outdoor grilling station, volleyball court and study lounge. Orchard Trails is the closest apartment complex to campus, which is an attractive feature to many students and allows them to walk or bike to campus if they don’t have a car.

“I personally like living and working at Orchard Trails. It’s better to sign up sooner rather than later so you can get a better rate,” fourth-year athletic training student Nick Soper said. “The lounge is nice and there’s a weight room, tanning bed and computer lab for printing.” 

Similar to both The Ave and Orchard Trails, The Reserve is a complex in between the two price-wise that also offers personal bathrooms and amenities at an affordable rate. A three-bedroom, three-bathroom apartment starts pricing at around $530. The Reserve is pet-friendly, fully furnished, has walk-in closets and is also walking distance from UMaine. 

“I loved living at The Reserve because it is pet-friendly and you get a lot of perks living there,” fifth-year education student Brooke Ferris said. “They have community rewards where you can earn gift cards to places like Target or Amazon for completing certain tasks. I also love that they have a gym and a game room.” 

All three of the off-campus apartments have many similar features and amenities, such as gyms and common spaces, and The Ave and Orchard Trails both have shuttle busses to take you to and from campus. Each complex is unique in their prices, rules, features and apartment size, but among these apartment complexes you can find the experience you need. 

4 stars out of 5

The band City and Colour has released a new album that brings a returning Canadian musician back on the charts. With his charm, soothing voice, and unique sound, Dallas Green, otherwise known as City and Colour, does not go unnoticed with this popular indie album.

“A Pill for Loneliness” is City and Colour’s sixth album, and was released on Oct. 4. Since his last album, “If I Should Go Before You,” which came out in 2015, fans have eagerly awaited City and Colour’s return. Dallas Green was also a part of the music group Alexisonfire when he started making his own music under the name City and Colour. The 40-year-old Canadian musician has a unique sound and plays a mixture of rock, folk, alternative and acoustic. 

“A Pill for Loneliness” was everything that was expected and more from this talented musician. Dallas Green uses this space to show his audience the struggles he has faced throughout his life. His songs feature an array of emotions surrounding the feelings of loneliness and isolation that the singer has felt, and he uses the album to tell the story of separating himself from his family and friends in order to do what he thinks is right. Many of the songs on the album also speak about the injustices done to our planet and what is left of it, and he asks us who will be here to pick up the pieces of the world that other people have destroyed. Overall, the melancholy tone of the album reflects the discussion of many serious topics, but the album also offers hope and optimism for the future in relation to our planet and what we can do for it.

The first song in the album, “Living for Lighting,” is one of the shortest of the 11 tracks included, but one of the most memorable. The song sets the tone for the rest of the album and introduces philosophical ideas and lyrics that are rather complex for City and Colour. He uses this track to help listeners understand how he feels walking through this life and trying his best to make it a great one.

The song “Astronauts,” released to the public on June 3, was the first one released to the public to give fans a taste of what the upcoming album would sound like. It reflects the mixture of genres that the album includes as a whole, and can’t be pinned down to one specific kind of sound. Green is a talented singer and has a lyrical ability that is very similar to other indie artists like Vance Joy and George Ezra, and that becomes especially apparent in this song.

“Strangers,” the eighth track on the album and second single released to the public, talks about humans being strangers in their own land and asking them if it is possible to “relearn how to live.” The longest song on the album, titled “The War Years,” spans six minutes and 37 seconds. Although lengthy, the song is relaxing and really captures the essence of what this album is about in one single song. There are so many different emotions expressed throughout this song, and you can tell that Green is so passionate about the Earth and his family and is using his music to help get himself through a hard time.

The album cover reflects the colorful and artistic elements that are present throughout this unique album. Green’s profile is surrounded by an array of watercolors and a halo of green and orange surrounding his head. Although I would have preferred a darker, more abstract cover that reflected his own dark feelings, his cover does the album justice. 

“A Pill for Loneliness” is thoroughly enjoyable, and Green has the opportunity to make the indie genre more widespread and well known if he continues to produce music. If you are looking to stretch your music taste into the world of folk and indie, City and Colour is a great starting point.

Spotlight Cinemas in Orono is known for its reasonable prices, clean environment and wide array of movie. Now more than ever, movie industries all across the country are looking for ways to spruce up their theater and add new takes on the original movie-watching experience. 

Rewind Wednesday is a new event coming to the Stillwater Avenue movie theater on one Wednesday each month that features older movies on the big screen. The movies will range in time period, content and variety, and will be chosen based on what the people in the Orono area would like to see. 

On Wed. Oct. 23, the Cinema held the very first “Rewind Wednesday,” which featured the classic holiday film “Ghostbusters.” “Ghostbusters” was a film released in 1984, raking in almost $300 million from the box office. In the spirit of Halloween, the first film showing for the event had Halloween elements of ghosts and ghouls. The idea for the event was first pitched and designed by University of Maine student Jay Theriault, who works at the theater and hopes to run his own one day.

“Movie theaters aren’t as popular as they used to be, and we wanted to figure out a way to reignite the passion for going to the movies in person,” first-year business student Theriault said. “One idea we came up with was to bring back old movies that people can re-experience with family and friends.” 

“Rewind Wednesdays” is an event directed towards older members of the Orono community who are looking to combine the movie theater experience with their favorite classics. Spotlight Cinemas was first opened in 1996, and was known as the first discount theater in the Bangor area. With seven movie screens, a concession stand, and gaming area, the theater has continued to improve by coming up with new ideas to appeal to the Orono area over the years.

“Our first showing had really positive feedback, and people seemed excited to have this opportunity,” Theriault said. “One man told us how happy he was to be able to take his family members to see movies that he grew up with. That is what we wanted out of Rewind Wednesdays.” 

There are currently eight movies showing in the theater, all new and up-and-coming. Rewind Wednesdays is a change from the usual variety of newly-released films and brings a nostalgic aspect to the theater and to Orono, a place filled with rich history.

“I grew up in the Orono area, and I really want to show people that movie theaters are still around and such a great experience,” Theriault said. “It’s like listening to music on your phone but still going to see the concerts in person – things are just better when you get to experience them live, in real-time, with other people. Laughing alone at a movie on Netflix just isn’t the same as laughing in a group of dozens of other people watching and experiencing the same thing that you are.” 

Next month’s showing will be the movie “Space Jam,” which will show at Spotlight Cinemas on Wed. Nov. 20.

4 Stars out of 5

New Music from 2000’s era alt-rock bands has been few and far between. Alternative, indie and rock genres have been on hiatus while bands have been producing their albums and planning upcoming tours. Jimmy Eat World is a prime example of a band that isn’t always producing new music but will never be forgotten by its fans. Surprising the world with their 10th album release, Jimmy Eat World has excited alternative and rock fans now that they are back making music.

Jimmy Eat World is a rock band from Arizona that started in 1993. The type of music that they play could be categorized as alternative, emo pop and pop punk. This interesting mix of variety and sound is what makes the band so unique, and what allows them to still be around decades later. 

The band has 10 albums, five live show albums, and 15 Extended Plays (EPs). Their newest album, “Surviving,” was released on Oct. 18, 2019. The album features 10 songs that range from around three to five minutes and is in total is 36 minutes long, making it one of Jimmy Eat World’s shortest.

The main staple of the album would have to be its first song, “Surviving.” It builds in intensity and captures the classic Jimmy Eat World sound that is present in their other albums. Lead singer Jim Atkins has a very distinct voice that is true to the alternative rock genre and could be compared to artists like Derek DiScanio from the band State Champs. 

“Recommit” is also a popular song on the album, one that includes interesting vocals that almost sound like a whisper at some parts of the song. Running three minutes and 48 seconds long, it is not my favorite of their material but is definitely something worth listening to. 

“Diamonds,” a stand-out track on the album, captures everything about Jimmy Eat World that I love. It is powerful, real and just fun to listen to. The chorus isn’t long or repetitive, and it really showcases the band’s talent and beautiful voices. It reminds me a lot of another song on the album, “One Mil,” with its upbeat nature and fast-paced lyrics. The use of prominent instruments like the guitar, bass and piano in the album gives it a very alternative feel. 

The artistic red cover of the album with a creative font displaying the title connects with the songs featured on it, and brings the alternative aesthetic together nicely. It also looks very different from any other cover of an album the band has produced, which represents their new image and reemergence after a few years. 

This is, without a doubt, an album worth listening to, whether you are a fan of alternative music or not, as it appeals to a variety of different fan bases and audiences. Jimmy Eat World will hopefully continue to be around for years to come. 

On Oct. 16 in the Hudson Museum’s Maine Indian Gallery, Frances Soctomah shared with peers and faculty her work in the art of basket making. Her showcase is one of many taking place this month at the Hudson Museum. The talk and demonstration were free and open to the public.

Located on the second floor of the Collins Center for the Arts, the Hudson Museum is an artistic staple of the University of Maine that brings residents and guests from all over to the Orono area. The Maine Indian Gallery, located on the right side of the museum floor, showcases baskets and craftwork that have been created by Penobscot and Maliseet tribes. Basketmakers have passed down these traditions through family members over generations.

“It is so cool to have a place to go to on campus that is filled with so much history about the land we are on and the indigenous people who have made their home here,” third-year physics student Dana Tumal said. “I have always been so interested in the culture and traditions of the Penobscot nation, and I will always appreciate the Hudson Museum for its interesting artifacts and pieces of history.” 

Basketmaking involves making typically wicker or other products by weaving certain materials together, often in a pattern. Indigenous people often use natural resources to make things that make their lives more efficient, such as baskets. Brown ash trees are the primary components used in weaving the baskets showcased around the museum.

Tribe members also used these trees to create bowls, decorations, paintings and other necessities. Some of the baskets that were gathered by the University were once used for potato collecting, packing, fishing, sewing, trash collecting, as keepsakes and stationary. Also included at the Hudson Museum are many displays showcasing American Indian clothing and dress, transportation, housing, kitchenware and other authentic creations.

“Going to events like these are a great way to explore the Hudson museum and to learn more about the land that UMaine was built on,” fourth-year English student Hannah Dyer said. “The Penobscot tribes have been here long before us, and we should always remember and celebrate that.” 

The Wabanaki Artist Showcases began on Oct. 2 and will run weekly until Nov. 20. The guest speakers are all artists and basketmakers. They will share the history behind the art that they have come to love.

“This space helps to create a feeling of welcoming and acceptance on campus, and it is a really special place,” Tumal said. “I love going here to look at the clothing on display and to see all of the baskets and pottery that are handmade.”

The next Wabanaki Artist Showcase event will be held on Nov. 6 and will feature a conversation and demonstration by birchbark artist Butch Phillips.

“Because I am from Maine, I think that it is really important to honor the tribes that have been on this land for generations,” Dyer said. “They have passed down and shared traditions with us that have contributed to the university and to the local Orono community in so many ways.”