Eugene’s alternative culture seems to disappear a little bit each year. Luckily, there’s a spot for it to go. A mere two miles away from campus (yes, Eugene does have something to offer off of 13th Avenue besides Autzen Stadium), exists the Whiteaker – Eugene’s only neighborhood withits own Facebook page and annual block party. The Whiteaker (pronounced Whit-aker) Neighborhood Facebook page helps personify Eugene’s most hippie neighborhood with posts like “More Creativity! More Community! More Sustainability!” and  “WISHING YOU ALL A VERY HAPPY AND SATISFYING 2013!” The Whit has a nightlife scene that may be tempting to explore when campus bars feel a bit crowded and the experience can seem repetitive.

If you’re sick of waiting 20 minutes in line at Max’s only to feel akin to a salmon during spawning season, check out these spots in the Whiteaker.

407 Blair Blvd. Opens at 4:30 p.m., minors allowed until 8:30 p.m.

If you hear people talking about heading to Sam Bond’s, you should know he’s not some guy who hosts parties in his garage. Established in 1995, Sam Bond’s one of the Whit’s most popular bars. It also serves food and serves as a concert venue for both local and touring bands, comedy and even burlesque shows. Sam Bond’s reaches the University of Oregon student population through specials like Bingo night, which occurs every Monday and boasts eclectic prizes -— like romance novels. Be sure to check out Tuesday nights as well, as the bar hosts a free Bluegrass jam. Esquire even named it one of the Best Bars in America, describing it as “a shady, overgrown co-op of artists, ecoanarchists, spirit healers, drug dealers and permanently circling vagabonds.” Not sold yet? There’s pizza.

Tacovore

530 Blair Blvd. Open 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Mon.-Thur and Sun., 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. Friday-Sat.

Start your night at Tacovore. Although not a bar, this brightly-decorated Mexican restaurant offers sustainably-made Mexican food, chips made in-house, as well as Mexican beers and an extensive tequila collection. Cocktails are served in mason jars, making your meal wholly Instagram-able. Try a jalapeño cocktail or the Tijiuana hot dog — a “bacon wrapped provisions hot dog with pico de gallo, lime mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard & hot Sauce,” according to the Tacovore menu.

Oakshire Brewing

207 Madison St. Open 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. every day.

Located right across the street from Eugene’s famous Wandering Goat Coffee lies the Oakshire public house. Besides offering keg pickup and growler filling services, the public house offers an ecclectic spot to hang out and drink beer. With wooden bars and booths and a subtle painting of a mountain on the wall, the public house is appropriately Oregon, as it should be. Oakshire Brewing started in Eugene in 2006. Look out for its periodic new beer release nights where the public house hosts the Oakshire brewer to talk about the new beer. The public house also hosts live music on some weekdays and weekends. Be sure to also look for the the daily visiting food cart, which parks right outside the public house. Enjoy everything from Da Nang Vietnamese Eatery to Oregon Wood Fired Pizza. As the public house closes at 10 p.m., it’s also a great place to begin a night out at the Whit.

Izakaya Meiji Company

345 Van Buren St. 5 p.m. – 1 a.m. every day.

Izakaya Meiji Company’s slogan is “Where East Meets Country & Western,” which explains its specialties of whiskey, beer, sake and Japanese food. This Whit staple offers several different specials. Sunday night is $12 for a burger and either beer or bourbon. Monday offers happy hour for the entire night. On Tuesdays, it offers a different flight every week. Wednesdays is $1 off cocktails. Try the Beaneath a Banana Leaf, a cocktail containing bourbon, blackberry, banana, falernum and stone pine liquer. Or to keep it basic, a shot of whiskey — the Company has over 60 different kinds.

Tiny Tavern

394 Blair Blvd. 7 p.m. – 2 a.m.

This small bar recently went through a change of ownership. Although it previously had a reputation as a dingy dive bar, Tiny Tavern is turning its street cred around. Check out its live music and Saturday night comedy nights while enjoying a late night salsa mac ‘n’ cheese or pulled pork sandwich and Bloody Mary served up by the cooks and bartenders of the Whit’s nicest dive bar.

Ever heard someone complain there’s nothing to do in Eugene? It is simply untrue. Whether you’re looking for beer, comedy or music, Eugene has plenty to keep you entertained this term. Ditch your basement fraternity party or your 50th trip to Max’s for one of these nights out.

Oct. 3 Art Walk: Lane Arts Council will host its monthly First Friday Artwalk, which includes several galleries and shops to check out. The art walk begins at 5:30 p.m. and is free with a guided tour hosted by Eugene’s Slug Queen, Queen Professor Bulbus Slimebledore.

The tour begins at The New Zone Gallery on 164 W Broadway. At New Zone, attendees are exposed to experimental art produced by local artists. The gallery prides itself in producing a home for non-traditional pieces of art and many of the art pieces represent the artist’s unique experiments and creativity.

The next stop is at Passion Flower Design on 128 E Broadway. The goal of this unique flower shop is to “make the world a more beautiful place,” according to their website. Passion Flower has paintings and drawings on display and for sale from Erika Beyer, a local Eugene artist.

Pacific Rim Art Guild and Gallery, the tour’s third host gallery, showcases art pieces that “express the Heart of God through art.” This gallery’s goal is to express one’s God given talents. Pacific Rim has art from professional artists, but also includes art from those who take up art as a hobby.

Out on a Limb gallery provides some of the funkiest pieces on the art walk. The gallery is located on 191 E Broadway. Out on a Limb features obscure artwork made from everyday objects.

The final stop on the art walk is Goldworks Jewelry Art Studio on 169 E Broadway. This shop has unique designer rings, necklaces and earrings. A large portion of jewelry pieces are crafted in Eugene and the shop also features jewelry from professional artists.

October

Oct 2 Aaron Carter, This Boy That Girl and Matt Ryan King: Aaron Carter returns to WOW Hall in his Wonderful World Tour. It’s sure to be funny, at the very least. WOW Hall (291 W 8th Ave.), tickets $18 in advance, $2o at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m.

Oct 24  UO Campus Oktoberfest: Watch the UO vs. Cal football game while enjoying Oktoberfest music and food. Alcohol isn’t allowed on campus, but look for alcohol voucher giveaways for 21 and over students. South Lawn of the Knight Library, free, 2 p.m. – midnight.

Oct 26 Mt. Pisgah Arboretum Mushroom Festival: Ditch the Pumpkin Spice Latte and celebrate fall with mushrooms, music and food at this annual festival. Mt. Pisgah Arboretum (Take exit 189 off I-5, just south of Eugene-Springfield), free admission with a suggested donation of $8, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Oct 29 Chromeo and Wave Racer: Celebrate Halloween early with this sure to be energizing show. McDonald Theater (1010 Willamette St.), tickets $29.50 in advance, $33 at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m.

Oct 31 Foreverland: Thrill your night with this Halloween Michael Jackson tribute show, played by a 14-piece band. McDonald Theater, tickets $16 in advance, $20 at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m.

November

Nov 7-8 McKenzie Cider and Craft Beer Festival: Enjoy fall beers at this festival with over 60 craft beers and ciders, music and food. Willamalane Center (250 S 32nd St. in Springfield) tickets $12 in advance, $15 on site, 5 – 11 p.m. Friday, 12 – 11 p.m. Saturday.

Nov 16 Chris D’Elia: Hear D’Elia joke about Drake and drunk girls at his comedy show. McDonald Theater (1010 Willamette St.), tickets $30. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Nov 20 David Sedaris: See the witty, ironic humorist responsible for Me Talk Pretty One Day and several other books. Hult Center for the Performing Arts (1 Eugene Center), tickets $29.50-$49.50, 8 p.m.

Nov 22 Lane County Farmer’s Market Holiday Market: The holiday farmer’s market continues every weekend until Dec. 21, featuring locally grown food, restaurant vendors and music. Lane Events Center (796 W 13th Ave.), free admission, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sundays.

Nov 23-24 Cirque Dreams: Holidaze: Check out Cirque du Soleil’s holiday show — it may be the only chance you have to see Santa fly. Hult Center for the Performing Arts (1 Eugene Center), tickets $30-73, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday.

Follow Sophia June and Mike Mendoza on Twitter @skittlejune @MikeWheresIke

The Great Wolf Lodge is a prime symbol of conspicuous conservation and Disneyfication, hidden under the slick guise of America’s favorite family water park.

But the slides are awesome.

The Great Wolf Lodge is located in Grand Mound, Washington, a 3000-population Census Designated Place near Centralia. To get there, you take an unmarked exit off of I-5 and take a right on Harrison Avenue, which quickly turns into Old Hwy 99, a 2-lane 3.8 mile stretch that constitutes Grand Mound CDP’s main street.

The view ranges from whitewashed shacks stained grey from rain, dirt and a general lack of care to one-story homes with elaborate gardens, sweet grandmothers and lawn ornaments. Besides a group of overweight pre-teens with red and green streaks in their hair walking on the side of the road, nobody is around. The answer lies in the parking lot of the Junction Sports Bar & Grille, which is nearly filled with cars.

Twenty-eight percent of the Grand Mound CDP population lives below the poverty level. The median income is $45,079, compared to Washington state’s median income of $59,374. The per capital income is $19,242 and you can buy a three bedroom house for less than $200,000.

As the highway continues, the mobile homes abruptly disappear, allowing a gleaming stucco-style mammoth of a building to occupy the majority of your passenger window view. Two wolves, which the majority of the kid-aged lodge guests would describe as “ginormous,” made to look hand-carved surround the Great Wolf Lodge sign, which hangs under a classic ski lodge A-frame.

In front of the automatic lodge doors, children run amok, sporting the complimentary gray wolf ears that the lodge provides to every guest — that is, with the purchase of a $200-600/night suite.

Actually entering the lodge is what I can imagine Alice felt like after going down the rabbit hole (for lack of a better metaphor): holy shit. Immediately, the smell of chlorine and six-year-olds (a sour mix of Chuck-e-Cheeze, Toys ‘r Us and Fruit by the Foot) permeates the air, along with a humid musk. Haphazardly placed taxidermy wolves stand on the fake roof covering the check-in desk and in various places of the lobby. When kids ask if the wolves are real, the employees cheerfully recite, “of course not!”

Giant chandeliers made of antlers hang from the x-braced ceilings, no doubt the creation of a cracked out ex-Pottery Barn designer inspired by a bad mix of the Sasquatch Music Festival and Duck Dynasty. The lobby’s centerpiece is the facade of a woodland cottage surrounded by a faux log fence, a C-list Disneyland knockoff photo op spot.

Behind the cottage lies a gift shop bigger than those in most international airports where you can buy Great Wolf-branded everything, from a “lodge-urious” $34.99 towel to a  $21.99 “Great Outdoors Glitz Tumbler.” They even have shot glasses. Never mind the fact that there’s no alcohol anywhere in the lodge, much to the chagrin of my 21-year-old self (shout out to Dad for sneaking in beer).

Wolves on cups, wolf statues, wolves on tote bags, wolf stuffed animals, wolf picture frames and enough other wolf products to make even Fred Armisen cringe.

Don’t want wolves? (Leave.) Don’t worry. Right across is a Magi Quest store, the Great Wolfe Lodge’s own fantasy franchise, which exists only inside the lodge and vaguely fits in with the forest/wolf theme. For a $25 base fee plus a $25 activation fee, you can buy a light-up wand that allows your child to go on a “Magi Quest” through the lodge, which consists of riding the elevator up and down the six floors and pointing it at closed treasure chests and whatnot.

There’s also a Starbucks. (which serves as the only reminder that there is a world outside the Great Wolf Lodge and all of their rhyme and alliteration-filled trademarked restaurants.)

Great Wolf Resorts is the largest water park franchise in the United States. They have 13 locations all over the country and even one in Niagara Falls. Grand Mound’s resort was the first west coast location and opened in 2008. The $170 million dollar resort project gained a heavily debated tax exemption in 2005 due to a partnership with the Chehalis Tribe.

The most puzzling aspect of The Great Wolf Lodge is its reputation for being environmentally friendly. The resort even has a Green Seal Silver Certification for being sustainable. I’ve got to hand it to them- somehow a 68,000 square ft. water park, which boasts using 30,000 gallons of water, has managed to brand themselves as being a leader in conservation- or at least they did in 2011, when the certification was given.

At least three times a day, the lodge offers The Great Clock Tower Show in the lobby (one of the only free activities).

The clock strikes eight and an animatronic nightmare ensues. A moose pokes his head out from cheesy log cabin. A Barney-esque voice fills the loudspeaker as the moose addresses the dozens of children and parents sitting on the carpet. And so begins the ten-minute descent into the Uncanny Valley. The trees start mechanically jiggling, an owl jerkily moves its head from left to right. And most disturbingly, the log cabin window opens to reveal a life size girl doll dressed in traditional Native American dress who starts singing about conservation. (Is this is the Chehalis influence that allowed the tax exemption?) The show abruptly (and thankfully) ends and a Great Wolf employee walks in front of the tower, followed by two costume character wolves. The employee informs the crowd that she will be reading a book (written by the Great Wolfe Lodge, of course) about how important it is to take care of the forest. When she pulls the costumed-wolf’s necktie, everyone must howl.

Nobody listens to the story because A. the woman doesn’t have a microphone and B. putting a costume characters in front of a small child is like putting a stripper in front of an 18-year-old boy. Afterward, the kids line up and take photos with the wolves, who are dressed as a nature-loving Boy Scout and a pink and purple-clad little cub.

It’s too easy and unexpectedly inaccurate to accuse The Great Wolf Lodge of green-washing. What’s more accurate and problematic is the Disneyfication — the relentless merchandising, theming and inflation of prices that has come to define the family vacation. As the homepage boasts, “Your family getaway begins here.” Here being an 84-degree, 56,000 square-foot indoor water park where everything is Great Wolf — branded except the indoor Starbucks.

But hey, the slides are awesome.

Rebelution proves that, contrary to what your mom thinks, your college cover band can become commercially successful.

The five-piece reggae rock band recently released its fourth studio album Count me in, which debuted at No. 14 on the Billboard 200 chart and took the top spot on the Reggae Album chart. Rebelution is currently on the Count Me In summer tour, with Iration, The Green, Stick Figure and DJ Mackle. The tour hits Eugene’s Cuthbert Amphitheater on August 17.

“Coming back to the West Coast, the energy is going to be crazy!” said bass player Marley Williams in a phone interview.

Rebelution formed in 2004 in the sunkissed city of Isla Vista, California.

Williams, who’s named for Bob Marley, was attending the city college and had recently switched from playing baseball to playing bass and singing in choir. Williams immediately connected with frontman Eric Rachmany when he heard someone playing reggae music behind a closed door.

“I know I loved reggae music. That’s what I was raised on,” Williams said.

The band grew to five guys who started playing reggae cover songs they liked and various shows. In 2006, they independently released a five song EP which became popular in Hawaii, Williams said. 2007 marked the release of their first studio album,  Courage to Grow.” The band’s next album, Bright Side of Life was released under their own label, 87 Music and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Reggae Albums chart.

The band prides itself on its independence. With the creation of their own record label, Rebelution joins the ranks of other music biz DIY-ers, including Nine Inch Nails and Kid Cudi.

“We figured out that if we were doing all this work, we might as well be under some kind of umbrella,” Williams said. “Mainstream labels are not the angle we’re taking. Our purpose happens to be a more grassroots independent thing.”

Another aspect of the band that’s impossible to ignore is their positivity. With lyrics like “Think about your life, the thrill/Don’t you cry look on the bright side of life” and “Empty out the hatred in life/ We’re bringing only good vibes,” it’s not hard to imagine a group of college guys stoked to sing these songs on a beach.

After ten years, they’re still stoked to sing them.

Williams encourages fans to follow their passions.

“I went from being a quote-un-quote ‘jock’ or ‘meathead’ to being in a reggae band,” Williams said. “Don’t let yourself stop you from what you want to achieve. Go and get it and don’t get in the way of yourself.”

Listen: “Roots Reggae Music” 

Aug 17 Rebelution at the Cuthbert Amphitheatre (601 Day Island Rd.), tickets $30 in advance, $35 day of show. Gates open at 5 p.m. Show stars at 6:30 p.m.

Dining out is more expensive than cooking food at home, but dining out is more convenient. Or is it? Two Emerald reporters set to find out. Sophia June and Leigh Scheffey each received food budgets of $30. June could only eat at restaurants, while Scheffey spent $30 at the grocery store. Here’s what they found.

June: Dining Out

Day 1

Breakfast: Eating out for breakfast proved to be more inconvenient than I had originally thought. On a day that I didn’t work at 8 a.m., I’d walk down to south campus’ favorite walk of shame breakfast stop, Humble Bagel. But I had to be in Oregon Hall on 13th and Agate at 8 a.m., so I went to Eugene City Bakery and grabbed a Rooberry Lemon muffin for $2.25, which took longer and cost more than if I had made my favorite breakfast: oatmeal and peanut butter. I should also mention that the muffin was the cheapest option. I wanted a cranberry scone, but it was $2.75.

Lunch: I had a one-hour lunch break and didn’t pack anything the night before, so eating out for lunch was convenient. I got a gyro salad at Caspian for $6.95. It was huge and I only ate half of it. I just hate paying $7 for lettuce, but the portion was a good size.

Dinner: I did it up big, going to Agate Alley Bistro and ordering a burger and fries for $11.

Total spent on day 1: $20.10 ($9.90 remaining)

Day 2

Breakfast: I walked to Humble Bagel to get a $2 cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese and a 16-ounce iced coffee for $1.90. As much as I enjoy a good and humble bagel, I still would have preferred to eat cereal at home, unless I was going to breakfast with a friend.

Lunch: Running lower on money than I had predicted, my lunch and dinner options became much slimmer (unlike my body after two days of bagels, muffins and pizza). I selected a slice of cheese pizza from Sy’s for $2.75. I’m a pizza fanatic, but I felt like I was eating the meal of pure functionality, which took some enjoyment out of it.

Dinner: By dinner, I had $3.15 left. In defeat, I ate my last meal out at Sy’s again and finished hungry.

Total spent on day 2: $9.80 (ran out of money).

One thing that surprised me was how much time I had to allow to dine out. Instead of eating lunch at home while I’m on the computer, painting my nails or reading a magazine, I had to set aside time to travel to the chosen restaurant. I also realized that I enjoy dining out much more with friends when the act is treated as celebratory instead of purely functional. Basically, this experiment inspired me to become a better cook.

Sheffey: Dining In

In hopes of getting the most out of my $30 eating-in meal plan, I planned a grocery list and a meal list for the upcoming week. I thought about buying diverse ingredients to be used for different daily meals as well as food that I would actually enjoy. I created a list of groceries that added up to $28.10.

The grocery list:

1 package of chicken sausage ($4.49)

1 package of arugula ($2.50)

5 Roma tomatoes ($1.09 total)

2 Greek yogurt containers ($1.90 total)

12 Slices of cheddar cheese ($4.29 total)

Strawberry cream cheese ($1.69)

1 Loaf of sourdough wheat bread ($2.99)

¼ Pound of sliced turkey ($3.99)

1 Grapefruit ($0.99)

1 Box of whole wheat pasta ($0.99)

2 Single serving bags of coffee ($1.18 total)

1 microwavable side of rice ($2.00)

Day 1

Breakfast: After receiving Sophia’s text that read, “Eating a muffin….” I headed downstairs to start my challenge. Unlike my normal habit of eating the first three things I see when I open the fridge in the morning, I stuck to my plan of a yogurt and coffee.

Lunch: As my class ended two hours prior, I was drooling over the idea of my “hand-crafted artesian turkey, tomato and arugula sandwich on sourdough wheat,” which I happily shared with Sophia. She was eating her $7 salad at Caspian. I was the clear winner of that meal.

Dinner: Although not entirely hungry for it, I cooked my third meal of the day. I had originally decided to eat pasta with my chicken sausage, but I wasn’t in the mood to get that crafty once again. I grabbed the bag of microwavable rice, threw a sausage on my stove and took out the arugula. I ended with a pile of rice, chicken sausage, arugula and tomato. My meal was comparable to a Cafe Yumm Bowl but better. Basically, I’m a great cook.

Day 2

Breakfast/Lunch: I ate the same breakfast as the day before: yogurt and coffee. I woke up at 8 a.m. and planned to run a few errands early in the morning then return home to pack my lunch before my 10 a.m. class. Because I left the house still a bit hungry, skipping lunch was out of the question. One late employee and a broken photo-printing machine later, I headed back to my house at 9:55 a.m. In any other scenario, I would have gone with the take-out lunch route, but instead I was stuck with the food in my fridge. I arrived at class 20 minutes late with a repeat of the dinner from the night before to avoid waiting to eat until my busy school/work day would be over at 5 p.m.

Dinner: I whipped together another turkey sandwich on sourdough, with cheese, tomato and arugula. This meal was also a bit strange since I was eating it before I met up with a group of friends who were going out to dinner. After our meal out, I felt better than they did. However, I was stuck dealing with the awkward “I’m not eating,” scenario at The Vintage when we first arrived.

Day 3

Breakfast: Out of yogurt, I chose to eat a whole grapefruit with a side of coffee – definitely a weird mix.

Lunch: No more than an hour after I had eaten my grapefruit, I decided to have a second breakfast – which I will call lunch – consisting of an open faced turkey sandwich. Surprisingly, I wasn’t getting sick of the sandwiches yet.

Dinner: My well-deserved dinner came as half a box of pasta, a juicy,  perfectly sauteed chicken sausage, mixed with two chopped tomatoes and a touch of arugula and shredded cheese. It was a meal that I would have been happy to buy at a restaurant, but I saved a lot of money by putting in the effort to make it myself.

Day 4

Breakfast: As I walked into my kitchen for breakfast, I could only think about how stupid it was for me to have purchased strawberry cream cheese. I regretfully ate a slice of toast with my poor decision and didn’t feel that great afterward.

Lunch: With the last of my greens, cheese and turkey, I assembled another sandwich, still for some reason not boring to me, and then looked at my options for dinner.

This is what I found left over: Most of the box of pasta, four slices of bread, one chix sas, two servings of turkey and most of the cream cheese.

I still felt pretty great after Day 4 as I did throughout the process, but I threw in the towel with the end of my vegetables and fear of yet another breakfast with strawberry cream cheese.

A lot of people choose to deal with life’s problems through the route of humorous self-deprecation, or in psych lingo- defense mechanisms. For many, laughter is the best way to deal with pain. There’s even scientific evidence behind it. I, being one of these people, loved this film. Obvious Child‘s main character Donna Stern, played by former SNL cast member Jenny Slate, is also one of these people.

The film opens with an intimate (both in camera placement and subject matter) standup comedy routine from Stern, who jokes about being Jewish, the state of her underwear at the end of the day and farting after sex. She is in-your-face, vulgar and her high-pitched breathy voice is hard to take at first (unless you’re a fan of Marcel the Shell, who Slate is the voice of.) However, something about her is undeniably likable. Her sister Nellie, played by GIRLS actor Gaby Hoffman sums it up in a later scene- she is unapologetically herself.

The film progresses formulaically- Stern’s boyfriend cheats on her with a mutual acquaintance, dumps her and she loses her job at Unoppressive Non-Imperialist Bargain Books  (yes, that’s actually a place in the West Village).  After several scenes of drunken moping, Stern goes to a bar, meets Max (played by the unconventionally attractive Jake Lacy) and has a one-night stand.

From that point on, the film loses any romantic comedy conventions it may have held before. Stern finds out she’s pregnant and decides without much scripted “should it stay of should it go?” deliberation to get an abortion.

Essentially, the film is a comedic defense mechanism to the extremely controversial and sensitive issue of abortion.

For example: On the eve of her Valentine’s Day abortion, Stern performs a comedy set about it. In the bathroom beforehand, her sister says, “You’re going to kill it” to which Stern quickly and tartly responds, “I actually have an appointment to do that tomorrow.”

People who are easily offended by the humor defense mechanism will most likely find this film alarming and offensive.

Let’s take Christianity Today.

“Perhaps more disturbing, there are a couple irreverent jokes about the abortion, as the lead character tries to make light of a heavy situation,” wrote managing editor Katelyn Beaty.

However, even in the mess of “irreverent jokes”, Beaty finds a reason to recommend the film, to some at least.

“If mature, discerning viewers can stomach Donna Stern ‘going there,” I’d recommend Obvious Child to them. While I ultimately disagree with Robespierre’s political aims, at the least she has provided a sometimes funny, often tender portrait of many (though not all) women who face an unplanned pregnancy.”

Even the film’s writer and director, Gillian Robespierre recognizes the need  for jokes with a serious subject.

 “Speaking of jokes — of which there are plenty in “Obvious Child” — Robespierre said she didn’t let the touchy topics or serious subject matter restrict any of the film’s potential for humor,” said Tierney Sneed in a US News review

Almost every review of the film includes comparisons to Juno, Knocked Up and Waitress– the three hit movies of Baby Bump ’07. In many ways, Ellen Page is like the younger version of Slate: sarcastic, sharp and offbeat. However, although Juno started as a low-budget film fest flick, it became widely accepted because we got to see a cute baby at the end and the baby went to the woman with her shit together (Jennifer Garner). In Knocked Up, Heigl immediately writes off abortion and ends up with Seth Rogen. They happily celebrate their daughter’s first birthday as the credits roll.

Although not in your face, these movies allude to pro-life.

In a Los Angeles Times column, Jonah Goldberg points out that Obvious Child’s pro-choice stance will likely keep it from commercial success.

“‘Obvious Child,’” then, seems less like the cultural watershed its friends and foes make it to be and more like a barely successful art house flick,” he says.

Obvious Child gives audiences their first look at women after they have an abortion: twiddling their thumbs, looking sedated, clad in light pink hospital gowns and shoes covered in plastic bags. Scenes that haven’t been portrayed on screens before, and even now, only shown in art house theaters.

Obvious Child may not become commercially successful, but it’s a start to repainting the scarlet A– portraying more accurate, controversial stories and not being afraid to let humor and cathartic jokes help.

Obvious Child (R) is playing at The Bijou Metro (43 West Broadway). Weekdays 3, 5, 7 and 9 p.m., Weekends 12, 2, 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets $7.

Last night, The Plain White T’s, Daughtry and the Goo Goo Dolls played the Cuthbert Amphitheatre, filling a Eugene summer night with rock music.

The Plain White T’s was the quintessential opening band. Confined to far downstage as a result of all of Daughtry’s and Goo Goo Doll’s equipment, Plain White T’s were spread horizontally across the stage. They used it well, especially frontman Tom Higgenson, running around and interacting with the pit, which was about one third full. The band, with their boyish look, seamless harmonies and light-hearted hits that made any college-aged student in the audience think of their crush, was the ideal opener.

Daughtry was next up, whose significantly harder rock approach was a bit jolting at first, but served to further pump up the crowd, who was getting drunker and more sun tired by the minute. The number of people in the pit tripled. Daughtry addressed the crowd, most likely wooing several women with his slight Southern twang, blue v-neck and tight black pants. The Daughtry crew was given more stage space, as well as a projection behind them, which was mostly filled with vague American images of canyons, roads and motorcycles in pop art colors.

If there was one thing Daughtry enjoyed more than smacking the tambourine, it was yelling. Some of the more memorable yells, amplified to an abrasive volume with the help of his mic: “Ya’ll remember 2006?”, “Ya’ll got a lot of pollen out here. It’s killin me,” “I’m gonna play my favorite song. Yes, it’s all about me right now” and the crowd-pleaser “Got to see your people and your culture and what they’re about…I wanna move here.” Daughtry sang “I’m Going Home” half an hour before he actually left the stage, much to my disappointment. However, a magical Eugene crowd psychology moment happened when he encouraged people to sing along to the “ohhh”s in “Long Live Rock & Roll”. One by one, people started throwing up the Oregon O, and suddenly dozens of people, both singing along and not, proudly held up the “O”, the lights of the stage shining through the opening in their hands instead of a football field.

Daughtry’s set ended just as the sun was setting. By the time Goo Goo Dolls struck their first chord, the sky was dark, the stage was covered with smoke and red lights and at least two women in my eyeline had gotten up and began to gyrate. Goo Goo Dolls were given the entire stage, as well as 18-some guitars stage right, which frontman Johnny Rzeznik took full advantage of. Rzeznik’s subdued yet melodic voice exemplified everything good about early ’90s alternative rock, as did his favoring of the rockstar power stance.

Rzeznik playfulls interacted with the crowd, calling Eugene citizens “Eugeniuses” and giving shoutouts to the men who got dragged to the show by their girlfriends. Like any good rock show, at least three people’s crowdsurfing dream came true. Rzeznik even validated one guy, shouting, “Hey you look good up there!”

Upon first glance, the night’s lineup seemed a bit random- like creating an unconventional meal out of the last ingredients in your pantry. I wasn’t convinced the three bands had much cohesion until the Goo Goo Dolls third song- “Slide.” Goo Goo Dolls are a blending of the melodic, harmony-laden romantic Plain White T’s and the rock energy and driving electric guitar of Daughtry. Even Rzezznik himself seemed to be a blend of the two openers, with his long-bangs boyish rockstar look and scruffy voice. Whether it be a good headbanger or the cathartic release of romantic frustation/love/the frustration of being in love, I’d like to think everyone left satisfied.

This Sunday, July 20, OK Go, the mid-2000s pop rock band that made DIY music videos cool, will play the Hawthorne Theater in Portland.

On October 14, the band will release Hungry Ghosts, their first album since 2010. The album’s catchy single “The Writing’s On The Wall,” has already gained over 9 million views on Youtube, thanks to the mind bending music video.

Band member Tim Nordwind (bass/vocals) says he is excited to tour to see fans’ reactions in person.

“It’s got millions of views, yet I can’t actually see what people look like when they’re watching,” said Nordwind in a phone interview.

From catchy choruses to tight harmonies to even athleticism, the band oozes energy. It’s one thing to create energy in a studio or music video shoot, but is often difficult to bring on tour. Nordwind ensures that although there will be no treadmills onstage, their tour is just as energizing, if not more, than the band sounds through headphones, calling it a “multimedia event” that will be “appealing to most of your senses, one way or another,” he said.

“There’s so much we can do up there on stage besides playing,” Nordwind said. “There’s a lot of energy in our music. What’s fun is experimenting with that energy.”

Hungry Ghosts kicks up the energy even more by incorporating the electronic-influenced sound that’s gained popularity since their last album.

“We wanted to experiment with production and turn the term ‘pop’ on its head a little bit,” Nordwind said. “I think this record sounds very modern. It’s the most immediate songwriting we’ve ever done.”

Hungry Ghosts was produced by David Fridmann, the renowned producer who’s most famous for working with Mercucry Rev and the Flaming Lips, as well as Weezer, MGMT and Tame Impala.

“I’m a big fan [of Fridmann],” said Nordwind, who says he listened to a lot of Flaming Lips in college. “I always wanted to work with him, but not ever believing I could.”

Today, Nordwind listening to a “spectrum” of music, but particularly enjoys St. Vincent and Flume. He also talked about the state of today’s music, which is permeated with remixes.

“The Disclosure song ‘You and Me’ is one of my favorite things I’ve heard all year, and it’s a remix. That’s where we are,” he said. “When a remix is good, it holds its own place in music.”

Listen: “I Won’t Let You Down”

Check out OK Go at the Hawthorne Theater (1507 SE 39th Ave.). Tickets $18. 8 p.m.

While Jurassic 5 takes “four MCs and makes them sound like one,” nine-piece Brooklyn-based funk band Turkuaz highlights the unique and varied talents of an entire group of Berklee-schooled musicians.

Turkuaz, pronounced Tur-kwaz, recorded their first album in 2011. Roommates Dave Brandwein, who is a composer, producer, guitarist and vocalist. Along with Taylor Shell, who is a composer and bassist. The have been making music together for fun. Without their knowledge, a friend submitted a recording to Heavy Rotation Records, Berklee’s own record label. The duo was then invited to be a part of the label’s compilation record and live show. Brandwein and Shell enlisted the help of several musician friends for the gig and Turkuaz was born. Today, five of Turkuaz’s nine members were a part of the original show three years ago.

In a musical era where electronic and remixes permeate the airwaves, it is rare to find a band that is truly old-school. Turkuaz is unique because their stage is filled with people playing actual instruments, not just sound boards.

“We’re a younger band playing older music,” said Craig Brodhead, guitarist and synths man. “It gives us a little bit of a niche and comes from a record we all really like. If you have some degree of authenticity, I think you makes you unique.”

The band’s recently released record Highway 86 is 52 minutes of sheer funk energy that strangely enough, makes you want to boogie with someone you find very attractive and your parents at the same time.

“One of the things I like about the band is that we can play different demographics of people,” said Brodhead.

Instrumentally, the band includes what the usual four-piece bands usually omits: a  tenor sax, baritone sax, trumpet and tambourines.

A nine-person band means more instruments, but also presents its own challenges. Brodhead explained that space is extremely limited and everything is split nine ways. But how bad could touring America with eight of your friends be?

“When you have that many people, it becomes like a party all the time,” Brodhead said. “Our network is much larger. We have family and friends everywhere in the country.”

Join the Turkuaz funk party this Wednesday night at Cozmic Pizza.

Start with: Bubba Slide

Show: July 16 at Cozmic Pizza located at 199 W 8th Ave. Tickets: $10 at 9:30 p.m.

On Thursday July 10, Jurassic 5 will take the Cuthbert Amphitheatre stage. The alternative hip hop group formed in 1993, the same year as the release of the paleontological Spielberg blockbuster that shares half the group’s name. The band, who is famous for “Taking four MC’s and make them sound like one,” (although they now have six) is still riding the catapult success of their 2013 reunion, which came after a 6-year hiatus.

Despite the hiatus, J5′s Facebook page is laden with enthusiastic fan posts, including, “I just came in my panties, finding out you guys are coming to Denver!!!!” and “It’s a Jurassic 5 kind of day.”

Just this year, J5 released their first new music since the hiatus — a White Stripe-sampled single titled “The Way We Do It.” Their 20-city Word of Mouth Reunion Tour kicks off July 7 in Reno, Nevada and will end August 3 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Beat Junkies, the DJ supergroup, famous for tasty turntabling, are set to open the show.

The LA-based hip hop group Dilated Peoples will follow, fresh from a Euro tour (they play in Germany the night before the start of Word of Mouth).

Jurassic 5, Beat Junkies and Dilated Peoples. Cuthbert Amphitheatre located at 601 Day Island Rd. Tickets are $37 and gates open at 5:30. The show starts at 7 p.m.