Hip-hop made its comeback tonight at the Cuthbert Amphitheater as the Word of Mouth tour turned up the bass for the people of Eugene. Jurassic 5, Dilated Peoples and the Beat Junkies all worked together to set the underground tone in the amphitheater, ending the show with a concert that many are sure to never forget.

Just as any underground hip-hop concert should, the crowd trickled in slowly to ’90s hip-hop throwbacks transitioning perfectly into a rhyme session with the lesser known stylings of the Beat Junkies. MC Supernatural did his best to steal the show by showcasing his freestyle talents by requesting crowd members to hand him any item on hand and further incorporating it into the beat. Supernatural treated the intimate crowd to a poetic mix of sounds and words exciting the audience for the rest of the night.

As the Dilated Peoples took the stage, the intimate audience grew to a full crowd bobbing up and down to both familiar and unreleased jams. The trio composed of Evidence, Rakaa Iriscience and DJ Babu from the Beat Junkies, gave the crowd a reason to get off their feet as dedicated fans filled the mosh pit to bounce to the rhythm. DJ Babu also let the crowd know what he was about as he did his best to show off his skill set, only to be upstaged by the incomparable duo of DJs and vocalists by the name of Jurassic 5.

Just as the sun was disappearing, the Jurassic 5 sextuplet hit the stage. Their entrance onto the stage magnetized the crowd, drawing fans from the back of the amphitheater to the pavement below the stage. Whether it was the $5 Coors Lights kicking in or the loss of sun, the group of six managed to summon a crowd that blanketed the chairs behind the mosh pit, turning the Cuthbert into a new arena. Mercilessly the group turned up the bass loud enough to hear for miles outside of the amphitheatre, giving even those listening from outside the  gates an equally dazzling show. With two DJs and four vocalists, the band created a seamless concert leaving no gaps for the crowd to fall out of rhythm.

The highlight of the night was the performance given by Jurassic 5′s DJs, Cut Chemist and DJ Nu-Mark, who cut and sliced different jams taking their synthesizers off their tracks and to the front of the stage. They put the other DJs of the night to shame as they played around with what appeared to be a 3-foot tall record that they spinned facing the crowd to keep it extra funky.

Only a rare group of musicians can flawlessly execute a musical performance that treats the ears, energizes the crowd and sends a nostalgic feeling through the audience as they leave the venue. Jurassic 5, however, has proven to be a group who has effortlessly mastered this talent.

Reggae filled the air at the Cuthbert Amphitheater on Wednesday as the Summer Sessions Tour 2014 kicked off with G.Love. G.Love paved the way for Stephen Marley and Slightly Stoopid to later steal the stage. The crowd and artists had their spirits high as they all experienced the tour’s first night in action.

G.Love kicked off the night with acoustic sounds and rhythms that had hints of a reggae vibe, but hit just off the mark from Stephen Marley. Instead, their music called to the crowd as an invitation for all to get up, get ready and to move.

Stephen Marley got the entire crowd on their feet asking, “What’s up Eugene?” Thus, creating a ripple effect of shouts throughout the crowd. To start off the night, he played many of his classic and favorite hits before honoring his infamous brother, Bob Marley, by cranking out a number of tunes, including “Buffalo Soldier” and “Could You Be Loved.” The concert also came with an introduction to the music of Stephen’s son, Jo Mersa Marley, who embodied a powerful mix of both Stephen’s tunes and Bob’s voice. The duo danced atop the stage with Jamaican flags flowing in the heat of the summer evening.

As the Marleys sang into the night, to prepare the crowd for Slightly Stoopid’s big appearance, the crowd did not settle. It seemed as though through the night the artists and music only served as an instrument to energize the loyal fans to continue jamming. The crowd was filled with spectators of all ages, from the many fans who had been with the bands since their early years, with their young children to teens and young adults.

Slightly Stoopid made their appearance as the sun disappeared, to let the musicians light up the amphitheater for the rest of the evening. The band played everything from their usual reggae beats to throwbacks with a few songs in between. Comfortable with the audience and crowd, the band teased their fans pretending to bow off early. However, the commanding crowd pleaded for an encore. The band took back to the stage in style, as they sang freely and played popular hits to entertain the crowd in the last few sets. The sound was perfectly on pitch and each band member conducted their voice and instruments to please the  mosh-pit members.

Even more delightful was the humble Slightly Stoopid bunch, who deemed themselves grateful by asking the crowd time and time again to applaud G.Love and Stephen Marley on their previous performances. The band left nothing but smiles on the faces of the audience and the Marley band members, who had inconspicuously made their way into the crowd.

The evening ended and the mix of perfect temperature, great music and peaceful fans maintained the energy. All in all,  The Summer Sessions Tour 2014 is not one to be missed.

For those looking to get in shape this summer without spending their life savings on a gym membership, Eugene has much to offer. Putting aside the fact that we are surrounded by miles of luscious green trails offering hundreds of hikes, there are even more free and inexpensive ways to get in shape.

For runners looking for new loops, or some fun people to run with, Team Run Eugene is a local non-profit who has a series of runs that meet daily to serve the community. The organization offers a schedule and different training opportunities for youth to elite runners. The calendar gives a time, meeting spot and description of the anticipated run to allow those interested to pick and choose the loop to best serve their ability, and generally start on street corners and parks only a few blocks from campus. These runs are free and open to the public. However, they do accept donations online.

Complimenting Team Run Eugene is the Monday night running group, another free running club that meets at Eugene Running Company at Oakway Center on Mondays at 6 p.m. The Monday Night Running Group welcomes all ages and abilities and vows to leave no one in the dust by accommodating to the needs of each participant. In the summer, the group runs at Alton Baker Park and Pre’s Trail offering those interested a perfect opportunity to explore popular trails near campus.

Kate Armstrong, operations coordinator of the UO Bike Program, offers suggestions for bikers in Eugene.

“For people interested in mountain biking and getting into better mountain biking shape there’s the Disciples of Dirt, or the DOD,” says Armstrong.

The DOD is a local Eugene mountain biking group that holds weekly rides of all lengths and varieties. In addition, each Tuesday they have a women’s only ride to explore Eugene’s mountain biking wonders. Disciples of Dirt has an annual membership fee of $30, the same amount it costs to rent a bike out from the UO Outdoor Program for a term.

For those interested in biking for leisure, the monthy Moonlight Mash offers less-serious bikers a chance to meet new people and have some fun.

“It’s is a fun way to get out-and-about and to figure out where some cool bike routes are around Eugene,” says Armstrong.

The Moonlight Mash takes place every full moon and attracts more than 200 participants. Bikers meet downtown at the corner of Broadway and Willamette to enjoy each others company, some cold beverages, and eventually bike around the town. The event is free and each month there is a different theme posted to their Facebook page.

UO Student Recreation Center employee Taylor Sharman also reminds its members, both community and student, that they are granted a free exercise class weekly with their membership.

“Tuesdays during the summer [the SRC] has a sunrise yoga class that meets at 7, which is super early, but for those people trying to get in shape it could be nice to wake up to some sun salutations,” says Sharman.

As for more creative ways to get involved, student Josh McCraney notes that there is always the opportunity to head to the coast to try out some surfing skills.

Whether its running on the banks of the Willamette or biking through downtown Eugene, get out, get active and enjoy the sun before the rain, once again, washes it away.

Bagels may be one of the world’s greatest foods. However, many people do not how the delicious rolls came to be. In a hunt to find just how the world was graced with such an amazing discovery, I set out to find the truth. I started my journey by venturing to three of Eugene’s best bagel shops to ask the experts: Eugene’s bagel-ista’s. To my surprise, none of the bagel-loving workers could tell me the origin of the carb-filled treat. Alas, I went back to my apartment and consulted Google.

Bagels, just like many important things, have a rocky past. Many sources have speculated that bagels were first invented after the Battle of Vienna in 1683 to commemorate Poland’s King and his victory over the Turkish Ottoman Empire. We now know this idea to be incorrect. As Yiddish lexicographer Leo Rosten says in his book, “New Joys of Yiddish,” bagels were invented over six decades beforehand by the Jewish. The bagel was known to be a delicacy amongst the poor due to the fact that it was composed of white flower, as opposed to its normal black grained goods. The bagel was also seen as a symbol of luck due to its circular shape that was defined by the Greeks as, “the perfect form” due to its lack of beginning and end.

For these reasons, bagels were commonly served in Jewish homes during funerals and births to, “symbolize the ‘unending’ round process of life and the world,” says Rosten.

Rosten also says that the world “bagel” is derived from the German word “beugel” meaning “a loaf of bread.”  However, another Yiddish scholar still claims the origin to be Yiddish, “beygn,” meaning, “to round.”

Although we may never find a meeting point on this highly important matter, there is still one thing we can all do to keep the peace for all bagel historians out there: eat more bagels. For this reason, I have compiled a three-stop list of the nearest bagel shops to the university’s campus to allow us to fill our bagel eating desire. The list is as follows:

1. Milky Way, located conveniently across from the DuckStore, provides students with an on-campus shop that is easy to stop by on breaks, according to employee Jean Jang. Natalie Maier, another Milky Way employee, suggests the breakfast bagel sandwich with sausage.

2. Humble Bagel, located on 24th and Hilyard, is also a close spot for those who live a few blocks off campus. Employee Dakota Haugen says that their bagels are better than those of other Eugene establishments and are “made with love.”

3. Bagel Sphere, located downtown on 8th and Willamette,  is also a great shop to stop by when downtown.

Employee Crystal Clark says that they, “Boil (their) bagels so that they have the harder exterior shell rather than being super soft and chewy.”

Not matter how you cook it, it’s hard to disagree with Leo Rosten when he says, “If you’ve never tasted a bagel, I feel sorry for you.”

Summer may bring a few classes here, an internship there and three months of freedom to fall in love and get a great tan.  As is expected, you take a few notes from the summer relationship “how-to DVD”, also known as Grease, and begin to Sandy your way into Danny’s arms. If all goes as planned Danny will be going back to his Kenickie, Sonny and group of Thunderbirds to say his farewells before delivering you an iced Skinny Caramel Macchiato and cuddling up to an episode of Sex and the City. Simple enough right?

Reality then strikes to the tune of your iPhone ringtone when Kevin G starts calling you belligerently at 2 a.m. to try and convince you that he “wants to see you” and more importantly, that this is a good time. You go back to sleep with the help of the ignore button and pretend that “tomorrow” you’ll meet your Danny Zuko.

Flash forward to reality. Audrey Moss-Strong, a UO student, sits by her phone two minutes after “Ethan”, the guy she met in Las Vegas was suppose to call her; she smiles with a glow in her face. She only called whatever was going on a “fling.” However, the emotion and excitement of a new relationship resides on her face.

Summer romances, flings, or whatever we decide to call them seem to bring out the giddy, fickle and hopeful side in even the most pessimistic of us all. Maybe it’s the Vitamin D (or C), or maybe it’s just that we’ve all agreed to play along.

One factor that seems to always come into play when dealing with summer flings is distance. As it may act as the trump card at times,  distance has proven to be the determining factor for all summer romances.

For Amber Provost,  Moss-Strong’s roommate, it is soon to be the second summer that a romance has heated up quickly and landed her in a summer lust-trap. Her summer romance would, once again, be moving out of the country.

“Everything goes so much faster,” says Provost, “but he’s leaving in two weeks.” Provost, not completely willing to open up, has accepted that she will need to once again say her final goodbyes.

Her roommate Katie McCafferty, met her current boyfriend Richard Nelson, last summer while playing volleyball. As the summer dwinled on, their emotions grew deeper the couple was faced with the summer love dilemma: break up or stick it out.

Nelson says that the secret to it all is simple: “Be honest and truthful. It makes it so much easier,” she said.

So what’s the magic equation for a summer romance? Whether single or madly in love the group agrees there isn’t one; if distance isn’t your thing, don’t do it. If you aren’t ready to put in the work to make it last, it wont.

After all, some of the best things–such as chocolate milk–come with an expiration date.

The Maude Kerns Art Center’s 31st annual Art and the Vineyard Festival kicks off this July 4-6 at Alton Baker Park in Eugene. This year’s festival is bringing together over 100 artists who will be displaying everything from ceramics to jewelry from across the U.S.

Sabrina Hershey-Black, the associate director of the festival, said that Art and the Vineyard is the primary fundraising event for the 64 year-old Maude Kerns Art Center.

“Maude Kerns Art Center had this crazy idea to bring the art out to a vineyard and do an art exhibit out there,” Hershey-Black said. “I think the very first Art and the Vineyard was actually at a winery”.

As the event has evolved and grown to the expected 30,000 in attendance, the center has moved the event to Alton Baker Park.

Hershey-Black describes the event as one that is beneficial to all assets involved. With a “booming” Oregon wine industry, and a large range of artists, the festival gives every member of their festival a chance to “get their name out there.”

“There’s going to be some wonderful talent this year,” says Tim Flowerday, the Art and the Vineyard Event Coordinator.

Among the many exhibits and performances, the festival will be honoring prolific ceramic artist Gill Harrison, a local Eugene artist who passed away last year. Harrison is most famous for his futuristic ceramics that once earned themselves a role on the set of Star Trek Voyager in 1997.

Another high-profile act appearing at the festival will be the Beat Frequency, a vibrant singing duo that appeared on the 2012 NBC show, “The Voice.” The Vancouver natives may be best known for their ability to make their way onto Christina Aguilera’s spunk-filled team during the season.

The festival kicks off on Friday, July 4 at 11 a.m with the artist market. It will continue into a pie-eating contest at 5 p.m. For those looking to truly celebrate the holiday, there will also be a firework show to light up the sky at sunset. June 6 will showcase Beat Frequency and a number of other up-beat bands. It will be followed by a blues-filled afternoon on July 7.

Outside of the art and music there will be over 20 Oregon Wine companies selling wine to sip. Wines will be available for purchase, and many of the vendors will also be selling wine by the case.

For those not fond of wine or art, there is also much to look forward to. Eugene’s famous Zany Zoo will make an exotic appearance by bringing in animals to entertain people of all ages. As for a University of Oregon campus favorite, The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, will be holding youth performances throughout the weekend.

The weekend of fun, however, does come at a small cost. Admission is $16 for the weekend or $9 on July 4 and $7 from July 5-6. The festival will be open on Friday, June 4 from 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m, and Saturday and Sunday, June 6-7, from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

The Maude Kerns Art Center is also still looking for volunteers, who get free access to the festival.

If you’ve ever wandered around the South University neighborhood in Eugene, you may notice something slightly out of the norm. Fire hydrants painted in vibrant colors dot the sidewalks from 18th to 24th, in between Patterson and Agate.

Hydrant painting started when the South University Neighborhood Association, lead by Mimi Kato, initiated the project in 2009.

“I was on my neighborhood board at the time and wanted to do something that was positive and community building,” Kato said.

During her 10-month project, Kato worked on laying out the budget, timing and logistics of how everything would be executed. This included applying for a City of Eugene Neighborhood Matching Grant, which she was eventually awarded, as well as getting the OK from the Eugene Fire Department.

In an effort to embody elements from all community members, Kato searched for residents from all ages and areas. Each group was given a specific selection of colors to work with and instructions on what to create.

“Initially I thought my family would paint a hydrant — we were even drafting our designs — but then there was so much interest we ran out of hydrants and had to turn people away who were asking to paint one,” Kato said.

On its original timeline, the project was anticipated to be executed during the spring of 2010. However, in characteristic Eugene fashion the rain extended the deadline into June of that year.

The project ended up taking about 10 months from beginning to end.

The most striking part of the project may be its inconspicuous nature within the neighborhood. Some local residences who pass by notice the artwork without giving much thought, but upon noticing the hydrants, people approve of the project.

University of Oregon student Cody Thompson is a fan of the hydrant art. “I love em’, I love em’,” he said. “It’s better than all yellow.”

Junior Blake Wolfington also enjoys the hydrants.  “It’s cool seeing people taking art to the street,” he said. “I think it shows a lot about the city.”

Yet another feature to the project is its interactive website, which allows visitors to access a map of each hydrant’s location. In addition to the map, the website has a picture with information on who designed each hydrant and the streets on which it resides.

SUNA, however, is not the only group to have taken on this task. Communities throughout North America have initiated different programs to spice up its streets. San Francisco is famous for its golden fire hydrant, while Chicago has taken it to another level by displaying large-scale replicas to be decorated by artists and businesses.

Kato believes in the overall power of community arts projects. For her, they show that, “People are excited about where they live, that they feel a sense of place and connection there.”

Last night at the Cuthbert Amphitheater, the smell of marijuana and glasses of red and white wines blended over the brightly colored crowd. Ponchos, rain jackets and umbrellas covered the field like grass in anticipation to experience Georgia’s classic duo the Indigo Girls and the headliner Joan Baez.

The Indigo Girls came with the rain, yet both came with the anticipation to stay. As Amy Ray and Emily Saliers took the stage, they set the mood. Then, Sailers gave credit to their spectacular Eugene lunch of the day. Each of their songs filled the area with cheer as the rain began to pick up and wash away all thoughts of any member in the crowd leaving. Mothers, daughters and grandparents took to their feet to enjoy the vibrant songs as the duo took turns playing their hits and singles from their country albums. From the stage, Ray kept the crowd in high hopes by injecting rain jokes in between songs, and taking note of the large number of ducks marching behind the stage.

Baez took to the stage  in a similar fashion by jokingily saying that the remaining members of the crowd “must be nuts.” However, she appreciated their “hearty souls.” Her voice and vibrance lifted the crowd, now soaked from the downpour, encouraged them to sing along to her folky melodies. As each of her band members entered the stage, she introduced them with honor, sharing with the crowd their importance to each song. Her music rang to a pleasing tone and she finished the night off with folk and classic hits.

Both groups captivated the audience as their folk rock music perfectly captured the essence of a rainy, calm and euphoric atmosphere. The intermission between the two acts lost a few observers, yet singled out the die-hards from the rest. Most surprisingly, the crowd was composed of those over the age of forty and under the age of six. The majority felt the bands deemed worthy enough to withstand downpour.

The Indigo Girls and Joan Baez filled the night with a summer sweetness that reigned on into the end of the overcast summer night.

If you are interested in catching up with either of the groups at a later time this summer, the Indigo Girls’ tour schedule can be found here, as well as that of Joan Baez here.

The time has once again come for World Cup to take over the world and its television sets. As we in the U.S. know, it’s one of the few times that we are able to walk into a bar and regularly see soccer streaming. It also happens to be that time of year where graduates are getting their caps on and diving into the real world. Unfortunately for many, work and play will never find the perfect match.

Hattie Chandler, a recent University of Oregon graduate, is proving that this notion isn’t always true. Born and raised in Bath, England, Chandler remembers how soccer helped her transition into life in the U.S.

“It’s the reason I met my two best friends,” Chandler said.

At the age of 10, Chandler and her family made the move from England to California, forcing Chandler to start her life again. No more accent, no more England and no more life as she knew it.

Soccer, on the other hand, remained the same. She played for her high school in California and she continued to play for intramural teams at the UO. Soccer slowly started to become an idea for the future. During her time studying abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Chandler wrote a research report on the impact of soccer on girls in developing neighborhoods. She organized and hosted a Grassroot Soccer tournament on campus this past May.

With aspirations of continuing into the soccer field, Chandler applied for an internship with Street Soccer, a non-profit organization that helps children in tough situations with soccer, and was selected for the position.

“Her passion and determination for soccer is inspiring and has helped her achieve her goals,” Chandler’s friend Cecily Fernandes said.

To Chandler’s dad, Andrew Chandler, her achievements serve as a reminder of all the games and practices he attended over the years.

As many Americans sit in their air-conditioned cubicles and secretly stream World Cup games on our desktops, Hattie Chandler can serve as a reminder that it is never too late for a career change.

University of Oregon’s soon-to-be graduates got out of their beds Monday morning and headed over to Taylor’s Bar & Grill to begin celebrating their big day. This, with little surprise, gathered hundreds of eager students to line-up and join in on the fun.

“I closed last night and we were so slammed I barely got home and got called right back in,” said Josh Laraut, who works at the bar. “I haven’t even been to bed yet.”

Luckily for Josh the crowd had started to taper off around 9 a.m. However, the anticipation of a busy night remained. Taylor’s wasn’t alone in their early opening as bars across campus opened their doors bright and early to accommodate to the influx of graduates.

Students and their families ordered everything from Bloody Marys to tequila shots to get their morning started.

Gavin Arblaster, a graduate, said he had gone out to dinner with his parents the night before, which had led him to a later start time the previous evening. He and his friends went to their favorite bar, Max’s, the night before and ended up staying out later than expected. He anticipated starting at 6 a.m., but he admitted that he and his friends were too hungover to get out of bed. Gavin and five of his friends were sitting on the outside patio of the bar watching soccer and taking shots. They wore their green robes with pride as they ordered, what could be, their last drinks from the bar.

Neighbors of the bar didn’t need to be reminded that the bar was opening early due to the large amount of sound that filled the streets in celebration.

Michael McDermott, who lives within a few blocks of Taylor’s, said he could hear the graduates starting at 4 a.m.

“It’s their day of celebration,” he said. “I think it’s okay as long as they’re not getting wasted.”

The general ceremony for all graduates will take place at 9:30 a.m. at Matthew Knight Arena and will conveniently lead a walk to the arena down University Street, the same block that Taylor’s resides on. For Michael and his friends, a 9 a.m. start time should be nothing to worry about. However, those who got out of bed for the 7 a.m. kick-off may be needing some extra help.