Friday evening, a group of Taiwanese dancers performed under the dimly lit blue and yellow lights in Marche Café at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art as part of Cinema Pacific’s Fringe Festival, turning an otherwise posh lunch and coffee spot into a cultural expression.

The annual Fringe Festival is one of the more avant-garde events of the festival’s programming. Friday’s festival featured multimedia art installations, the first public showing of a Godzilla video game and the winners of a film remix competition of a classic Taiwanese film.

Cinema Pacific staff was at the museum at 9 a.m., converting the Marche Café, an area stocked with dozens of tables and chairs, into an art exhibit and performance space. The Fringe Festival effectively created an entire multimedia party down the often forgotten entrance hallway of the JSMA.

“I really feel like people have fun with the idea of mixing culture with new media,” said Fringe Fest assistant coordinator and senior Cinema Studies major Keith Hoskins. “All the way through the process, from the remixes to the classic dance and music. The whole idea is to showcase the identity of our focus country with a dash of new.”

One art installation titled “Hunting Requires Optimism” consisted of ten vintage refrigerators lined up. When opened, there were TVs showing black and white videos of animals being hunted in the wild. The piece is by Vanessa Renwick, who will be giving a live performance with Portland underground music composer Menche of a similar piece tomorrow night at 8 p.m. in the JSMA.

Another installation, called “Mapping Taiwan,” consisted of a wood-carved geographically exact map of Taiwan with a projection on a screen, which showed clips from the classic Taiwanese film. When you touched certain points on the woodcarving, different clips would project, based on their location in the film.

“We worked with components of the video and used real-time space,” said artist Amanda Novy, a senior Digital Arts major. “I would like for people to get an interest in the experience of the place itself.”

“We wanted to emphasize its size and geography by giving it a tactile element,” said John Park, Novy’s art instructor who also worked on the piece.

The event also featured the first public showing of “Godzilla Smash 3,” designed by Eugene-based software company Pipeworks.

“People are excited about the game. One thing I’ve noticed is that doing something live like this is a great experience, getting to meet people and see their reaction to the game is very valuable,” said John Cboins, the game’s lead artist.

Godzilla Smash 3 will be released on May 16, the same day as the new Godzilla film. It is a free application that will be available on both Apple and Android products.

Cinema Pacific Film Festival will be in Eugene this weekend. Here are some of the highlights from the festival.

April 24

Villa: Check out this free live staged reading of the Chilean play about a former villa turned into torture barracks by the military. Director Guillermo Calderón will be present and Portland actors Rebecca Lingafelter, Cristina Miles and Dana Millican will be performing the reading. Bijou Art Cinemas (492 E 13th Ave.), free admission, 3:30 p.m.

El Topo: See the critically-acclaimed, aesthetically radical 1971 Mexican film praised by John Lennon. This cult hit claims on its poster to be “the film that shocked America with its sex and violence.” Bijou Arts Cinemas (492 E 13th Ave.), tickets $6 for students, 9:35 p.m.

April 25

On My Career As A Comics Artist: Graphic novelist Jung Henin —whose film Approved For Adoption is screening Friday night at 6:45 p.m. at the Bijou— is giving a talk on his career in comics. Proctor 41, Knight Library (1501 Kincaid St.), free admission, 2:30 p.m.

Big In Japan: Director John Jeffcoat and Seattle-based band Tennis Pro, who are featured in the film, will be present at this screening as part of the Cinema Pacific Film Festival. Bijou Art Cinemas (492 E 13th Ave.), tickets $6 for students, 9:15 p.m.

April 26

Hope and Prey: Check out this three-screen projection of animals hunting and being hunted with a live score by Portland underground music composer Daniel Menche. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, tickets $6 for students, 8 p.m.

Adrenaline Film Project Screening and After Party: Enjoy short films created in 72 hours by students, followed by an after party. Prince Lucien Campbell Hall (1415 Kincaid St.), tickets $7 for students, 9:30 p.m. – 12 a.m.

April 27

The Raw and the Cooked — A Culinary Journey Through Taiwan: Check out this documentary about the food of Taiwan, which also delves into social issues surrounding food. Tasty Taiwanese treats will be provided by the Taiwanese Association of Eugene. Bijou Art Cinemas (492 E 13th Ave.), tickets $6 for students, 6:45 p.m.

In Eugene 

April 27 Divisi and Friends Variety Show: Check out UO’s women’s a cappella group, along with other musical guests. Beall Concert Hall (961 E 18th Ave.), tickets $7 for students, 2- 4 p.m.

April 25 Last Friday ArtWalk: Enjoy a walk through the Whiteaker Arts District to see 20+ works of art on display. Whiteaker Arts Neighborhood (1172 W 2nd Ave.), free, 6-9 p.m.

April 25 Jake Shimabukuro: Enjoy a night with young ukelele jazz master Jake Shimabukuro. McDonald Theater (1010 Willamette St.), tickets $30-50. 8 p.m.

April 26 Bleepin’ Funny and Just People: Enjoy a night out, first with a free comedy show at 5 p.m. and then a performance by Portland soul-rock band Just People. Sam Bond’s Garage (407 Blair Blvd.), 21 and over, tickets $5. 9:30 p.m.

April 27 Fortunate Youth, Los Rakas, True Press, Sol Seed: Check out a night of feel-good hip-hop infused reggae. WOW Hall (291 W 8th Ave.), tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door, 9 p.m.

In Portland

April 25-27  The Quality of Life: Check out this drama about four baby boomers who confront life’s struggles in this award-winning play. Artists Repertory Theater (1515 SW Morrison St.), tickets $25 for students, 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m.

April 25-27 Cirque du Soleil: Totem: This circus never fails to impress, especially with their new show that explores evolution. Portland Expo Center (2060 N Marine Drive.), tickets $35-95, Friday and Saturday 4 and 8 p.m., Sunday 1 and 4:30 p.m.

April 26 Comedy Sportz: Enjoy a night of improvisational comedy. Comedy Sportz (1963 NW Kearney St.), tickets $15, 8 p.m.

April 26 Franz Ferdinand: Rock out to hits like “Take Me Out” from the famous Scottish indie-rock band. Roseland Theater (8 NW 6th Ave.), tickets $30, 9 p.m.

April 26 Howler: Check out this Minneapolis-based indie-rock band at Portland’s best sandwich shop, which doubles as a bar; Bunk Bar (1028 SE Water Ave.), 21 and over, tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door, 10 p.m.

In Eugene

What better way to celebrate good ‘ol 4/20 than by honoring one of the greatest stoner bands of all time? It is difficult to find a “Best Songs To Listen To While High” list without the band the Grateful Dead. The Dead played for 40 years before stopping in 1995 with the death of their lead man, Jerry Garcia. In their heyday, the Grateful Dead played in Eugene and sold-out shows at Autzen Stadium, as well as the Cuthbert — even the EMU Ballroom. This Saturday night the critically acclaimed Dark Star Orchestra will take the stage at McDonald Theatre.

Named after the Grateful Dead’s 1968 23-minute long hit, Dark Star Orchestra formed in 1997 and has performed over 1,800 shows.

Dark Star uses set lists from old Grateful Dead shows and creates their own. Dark Star calls their show the “Grateful Dead Concert Experience” because they seek to create the same vibe that drew many to the Grateful Dead.

Several of the original members of the Grateful Dead have played with Dark Star, giving them the stamp of approval. Grateful Dead newbie? Check out “Live/Dead,” which is the 7th Greatest Stoner Album, according to Rolling Stone.

Check out the McDonald Saturday night for a night of groovy, improvisational psychedelic jam rock.

April 19 Dark Star Orchestra: Enjoy arguably the best Grateful Dead cover band and concert experience, McDonald Theatre (1010 Willamette St.), tickets $25 in advance, $30 day of show, 8 p.m.

On Campus

April 18 Artist Talk & Film Screening: Don’t miss esteemed filmmaker and photographer Anna Gaskell speak about her film Bona fide as part of the Art History Association’s 10th Annual Student Symposium, Gerlinger Hall, Alumni Lounge (1468 University St.), free admission, 3 p.m.

April 18-19 UO Repertory Dance Company: Check out UO’s own dance company comprised of students from the School of Music and Dance in this spring show, which is choreographed by dance department faculty, Dougherty Dance Theatre (1484 University St.), tickets $5 students, $10 general admission, 8 p.m.

April 19 TEDxUOregon:  A day of TED Talks is coming to UO. A series called “Intersections: Diversity is Critical to Creativity” will feature several speakers, videos and performances in an all day event, Beall Concert Hall (961 E. 18th Ave.), tickets $40 (includes a box lunch), doors open at 8:30 a.m., program 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Off Campus

April 19 Buffalo Exchange’s Dollar Day Sale: Check out clothing items on sale for $1 to honor Earth Day, Buffalo Exchange (131 E. 15th Ave.), free admission, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

April 19 Mobb Deep & Landon Wordswell: WOW Hall (291 W. 8th Ave.), tickets $10 for students (presale), $20 at the door, 8 p.m.

In Portland

April 18-19 Spring Beer and Wine Fest: Segway into spring with beer, wine, food and entertainment at this festival’s 20th anniversary, Oregon Convention Center (777 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.), tickets $8, sample tokens $1, 12 – 10 p.m.

April 18-19 Carmen Lynch: Check out this comedian who’s appeared on Comedy Central’s Last Comic Standing and Premium Blend, Helium Comedy Club (1510 SE 9th Ave.), $20 general admission, $25 reserved, 21 and over, shows at 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.

April 19 Chelsea Handler Book Signing: Don’t miss out on a chance to meet Chelsea Handler and have her sign a copy of her newest book Uganda Be Kidding Me, Powell’s City of Books (1005 W. Burnside St.), free admission, 12 p.m.

April 20 Switchfoot: Check out rock band Switchfoot on the tail of their newest album Fading West, along with upcoming indie rock band The Royal Concept, Crystal Ballroom (1332 W. Burnside St.), tickets $25 in advance, $28 day of show, 8 p.m.

April 20 NW 4/20 Party: Celebrate with a night of underground hip hop, featuring Sleep (from the Chicarones), Bad Habit and Kinetic Emcees; Ash Street Saloon (225 Ash St.), 21 and over, free admission, 9 p.m.

Thursday night, the Cinematheque Cinema Scholars Club screened The Five Obstructions, an experimental Dutch film as part of a weekly film event collaboration between the Departments of Cinema Studies and Romance Languages.

In a time when a movie ticket is upwards of $11 and even a Netflix subscription costs $8 a month, free film screenings are a great way to enjoy a high-quality film in a community-based setting similar to a theater.

At a large university, students often forget to take advantage of the many free events put on every week. Cinematheque is open and free to all students, faculty and community members. Bring a snack and a bud, sit back and enjoy. Your parents will be proud of how cultured college has made you.

Rebecca Rosenberg, a junior Italian major, attended the screening for the first time on Thursday night.

“I’m excited to be exposed to different areas of cinema you wouldn’t normally be exposed to,” Rosenberg said.

Professor Sergio Rigoletto, who teaches in the Department of Romance Languages, teamed up with a team of graduate students in his department, as well as in the Comparative Literature department last year to create the first term of Cinematheque screenings. Part of the Cinema Studies requirements for creating a weekly film screening is that the organizers create a format and must also ensure that the films selected are both diverse and mainly international.

“We’re doing this because we love cinema, and we also want to show films that matter, and also to make academic life more interesting,” Rigoletto said. “Many people collaborate and we try to show films you wouldn’t watch otherwise.”

Each term focuses on a different theme. This term’s theme is “playing and games.” Thursday’s screening showed a film that experimented with breaking the rules of the entire filmmaking process.

Ivano Fulgaro, a graduate student in the Department of Romance Languages volunteered for the screenings last year after taking one of Rigoletto’s Italian film classes.

“We try to watch movies that are not average. Movies that you need to look through a critical eye with,” Fulgaro said.

Next week’s film is Le grand jeu, a romantic French poetic realism film from 1934. The May 15 screening will be the Italian crime drama, Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion, followed by the Japanese crime film Pale Flower on May 22.The year’s last screening on May 29 will be Sonatine — a famous 1993 Japanese film.

Cinematheque screenings are held in Fenton 110 at 7:15 p.m. every Thursday during spring term.

The creator of the near-famous @UOFreePizza Twitter account spoke with the Emerald at Sy’s New York Pizza Monday evening. The account has one simple yet noble purpose: to alert students every time there is free pizza on campus. The account has gained 483 followers since its first tweet on Feb. 4, a simple but intriguing “who likes pizza#”.  Since then, the account posts photos and clever tweets in addition to alerting campus where to get a free slice. The owner of the UO Free Pizza account declined to reveal his identity to the public, but sat down with the Emerald to explain the recent pizza phenomenon.

How did UO Free Pizza get started?

UOFP: I think I started UO Free Pizza because whenever I’m hungry and broke, I would just love it and I wanted to share, so anyone can just find free pizza where there’s free pizza.

Were you inspired by @UOCrushes or any of those accounts?

UOFP: Not really, I don’t follow those. The way I got my fanbase was I went on UO Crushes and everyone who was interacting and favoriting things, I would follow all of them, so I followed like 100 people and then I got like 200 followers in the first two days and I was like “sweet.” I had actually been thinking about it for awhile. I thought for some reason I wanted to make an app with a map, but that’s just too much.

Do you hope to see an app in the future?

UOFP: I think it’s going to go global first. Soon, @WorldFreePizza will start and then countries will start giving away pizza. That’s the dream. But this is my last term, so I have to pass off the torch secretly. Someone will come forth and embody everything that UO Free Pizza embodies.

Are you ever going to reveal your identity?

UOFP: Maybe. Maybe not. I don’t know; I don’t think I need to reveal my identity. I think that would take away from it. Because once you put a face to it, it kind of ruins it. It’s not a personified piece of pizza tweeting at you, it’s a stupid senior who’s got too much free time.

Do you ever think you’ll have a staff?

UOFP: I actually have a media intern and I’ll text her and say ‘pizza tweet’ and she’ll send me a pizza tweet on the spot. And then there’s one other intern but he doesn’t do much. He’s a pizza insider.

Do your parents know?

UOFP: I told them. They’re more unproud of me than ever.

Have you always been a big fan of pizza?

UOFP: I think so. At a young age, I liked it more than broccoli. I think that’s a natural occurrence. I think everyone loves pizza.

Your dream pizza. What does it have on it?

UOFP: Integrity, cheese and various meats.

What is the weirdest message you’ve gotten on your account?

UOFP: I had some girls direct message me and they told me to meet them at Starbucks, but I didn’t. They were like “We need to know who you are.”

 I have to ask about April Fool’s Day. That was pretty good. What was the inspiration behind that one?

UOFP: I just thought what’s the total opposite of pizza? Salad. I think I lost like 10 followers.

Have you ever gone to an event you otherwise would not have gone to for free pizza?

UOFP: I would. If it’s a new experience for you to go get free pizza, rather than just showing up and taking a piece and peacing, that’s not cool. You gotta enjoy the experience.

So through providing free pizza, you’re providing greater life opportunities?

UOFP: I think so. But I don’t do that. It’s all the pizza. The pizza works its own magic.

Perhaps growing older means you stop understanding things like the MTV Movie Awards.

The 22nd MTV Movie Awards featured Conan O’Brien in a space suit and a strange apocalypse theme. The opening video probably offended somebody, showing meteors smashing into large cities. In his opening monologue, O’Brien called them the “Satanic Cult” awards.

O’Brien, who is about to turn 51, seemed intensely self-aware that he’s an unlikely host for a network award show with a median audience age of 16. “Fire, explosions, rap music — all things you associate with Conan O’Brien, am I right?” O’Brien joked.

MTV has been bringing out the worst in people since Season 1 of The Real World. This was further proven tonight with the Best Shirtless Performance award — which went to Zac Efron — who has only managed to stay relevant because of his abs. However, Efron clearly was not relevant enough for Jessica Alba, who pronounced his name incorrectly. Rita Ora (who?) then removed his shirt in lieu of an acceptance speech and Efron flexed like he never could on Disney Channel.

Not that it matters, since MTV hasn’t played music since about 2001, but let’s talk about the music. The first performance was by Twenty One Pilots whose performance featured white facemasks that were too evocative of the Ku Klux Klan to be considered cool or edgy. The tweaky lead singer awkwardly rapped while playing piano and then put on a white facemask himself. Looks like the beginning and end of this band’s career.

Eminem and Rihanna performed “Monster” with classic fog machines and use of red and blue lights, which worked a lot better than the masks from the previous performance. Rihanna sounded gritty and powerful and Eminem continued to wow with impressive breath control. Ellie Goulding and Zedd closed the night with a performance of “Bleeding Heart” that quickly turned into an all-out electronic dance party that held an appropriate youthfulness for MTV.

Mila Kunis won the award for Best Villain for her performance in Oz: The Great and Powerful and off the cuff — she was the only woman nominated in the category. She and Jonah Hill, who won for “Best Comedic Performance” for The Wolf of Wall Street, both commented on the fact that they watched MTV when they were younger and that winning an MTV Movie Award felt “cool.”

The most vague award went to Channing Tatum, the recipient of this year’s Trailblazer Award, which apparently means “a super good-looking guy who becomes the lead in movies,” joked Jonah Hill when he presented the award to Tatum.

The Generation Award went to Mark Wahlberg who joked that it should be called the “too fucking old to come back” award before reflecting on his career. In what was maybe an effort to seem younger, Wahlberg swore through his entire speech.

The show also featured a video tribute to Paul Walker featuring clips from his films, as well as from his philanthropy.

The Hunger Games won the final and most prestigious award of the night for Best Movie of the Year — proving that the MTV Movie Awards are more a celebration of youth, hype and teenagers getting to vote for something than it is about cinematic excellence. Overall, a strange but entertaining throwback. But then again, I’m not a 14-year-old getting to stay up late on a school night.

In Eugene

The Vietnamese Student Association’s annual Vietnamese Culture Night is this Sunday. Enjoy a night of authentic cuisine, performance and prizes. This year’s theme is “Việt Nam Ơi,” which means “Hey Vietnam.” Proceeds from the event will go to benefit the Sunflower Mission, a non-profit organization, which gives education opportunities to Vietnamese children.

“It is our biggest event of the year — a showcase of Vietnamese culture to the UO community,” said Thuc Vinh, the Vietnamese Student Association media coordinator.

The VSA puts on events throughout the year. Every Thursday during spring term they host “The Meet,” a weekly meeting featuring refreshments and special guests. These meetings include speakers from the Cinema Pacific Film Festival to the UO team for Liberty in North Korea (LiNK) fundraiser. Meetings are open to everyone and take place in the Mills International Center at 5 p.m.

For the Lunar New Year, VSA hosts an annual Tet Celebration, an event which features food and performances to celebrate Vietnam’s biggest holiday.

Check out the Mills International Center for multicultural events.

Later this month, UO International Student Association will host International Week and Night, a celebration of multiculturalism and the biggest annual international event on the UO campus.

Interested in volunteering? Email vsa@uoregon.com and receive free admission, food and a t-shirt.

April 13 Vietnamese Culture Night: EMU, tickets $5, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

On Campus

April 11 Oregon Computer Security Day Learn from a panel of distinguished speakers in the technology field about cyber security from current research to future trends, Jaqua Academic Center (1615 E. 13th Ave.), free admission but email to sign up. 8:15 a.m. – 3:50 p.m.

Off Campus

April 12 Color Me Rad 5K: You’ve seen the photos. Make running actually enjoyable by getting color bombed the whole way and supporting the local neglect prevention organization Relief Nursery, Valley River Center (293 Valley River Center), $50, 9:30 a.m.

April 12 Eugene Saturday Market: Don’t miss the opening weekend of downtown’s charming market, with plenty of food, music and tie-dye as always, Downtown Park Blocks (8th Avenue and Oak Street), free admission, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

April 12 Schoolboy Q, Isaiah Rashad, Vince Staples: Enjoy a night of hip-hop and catch these three artists on their Oxymoron World Tour, WOW Hall (291 W. 8th Ave.), $25 in advance, doors open at 6 p.m.

April 12 Eugene Poetry Slam: Check out this recurring Saturday night event, which features open mic, weekly featured national poetry and a Slam, Tsunami Books (2585 Willamette St.), admission $5-10, 7 p.m.

In Portland

April 11 ‘80s Video Dance Attack Ninth Anniversary Party: Start your weekend off right with some Soft Cell, Blondie and other hits, all projected on giant screens. This Friday marks the ninth anniversary of this beloved Friday night dance party, Crystal Ballroom (1332 W. Burnside St.), 21 and over, tickets $6 in advance, $8 at the door, 9 p.m.

April 11 Shook Twins: Check out this fun Portland native folk twin sister duo as they celebrate the release of their new record. Steve Poltz opens, Mississippi Studios (3939 N. Mississippi Ave.), 21 and over, tickets $15, 9 p.m.

April 12 Live Wire Radio Show!: A radio variety show filled with beer, music and comedy, all taped in front of a live audience, Alberta Rose Theatre (3000 NE Alberta St.), 21 and over, tickets $20 in advance, $25 day of show, 7:30 p.m.

April 12 The Colourist: Check out harmony-driven indie pop band The Colourist. Night Terrors of 1927 and The Wind and the Wave open, Wonder Ballroom (128 NE Russell St.), tickets $12, 8 p.m.

April 13 Diabolical Experiments: With a combo of all of Portland’s best improvisers in a room, you’re guaranteed to have a good time at this local comedy show, Brody Theater (16 NW Broadway St.), tickets $5, 7 p.m.

Every spring and summer, people gather in large outdoor areas to shake off winter blues like it’s 1967. Urban Outfitters sees a spike in crop top purchases, chunks of change are withdrawn from bank accounts, 30 bands are crossed off to see lists and photos of college students looking drunk on hills permeate Instagram.

Welcome to music festival season.

Spring

Willamette Valley Music Festival

When: May 10, 12 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Where: University of Oregon campus, three stages

Cost: Free

Vibe: WVMF, which actually began in 1970 and was called Willamette Valley Folk Festival, is UO’s own segway to the festival season. Local, easy to attend and put on by UO students and the UO Cultural Forum, WVMF features a slew of cool local bands. This year’s lineup includes Portland indie rock band Wampire, psychedelic soul band Night Beats, plus a video game tournament and a petting zoo stocked with animals from Zany Zoo — whose mascot is a friendly lemur.

“Something I’m really excited about is our main stage is going to be in Gilbert Plaza, the area in the front of Lillis, which gives a ton of space for people to chill and hang out in the grass,” said sophomore Taylor Jones, one of the WVMF coordinators. “There’s a little bit of everything in the festival music-wise and culturally.”

WVMF is happening at the same time as the ASUO Street Faire, creating a music festival meets Saturday Market experience right on 13th Avenue.

Sasquatch

When: Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-25. In case you haven’t heard, the second show during fourth of July weekend is cancelled.

Where: The Gorge Amphitheater, six hour drive from Eugene

Cost: Tickets $325, plus fees

Vibe: A college student classic, the Columbia Gorge may be UO students’ most popular cover photo. The festival features a wide range of bands, from indie folk to electronic: Outkast, First Aid Kit, Kid Cudi and 101 other acts are on the lineup. Prepare for car camping, flower crowns, ravers, hipsters, bros, middle-aged men and $10 cans of PBR. If you’re hesitant to pay the large chunk of change, try dividing the ticket price by the number of bands you actually have been wanting to see. If you would be willing to pay that amount for one concert, then it’s probably worth your money.

Summer

Paradiso Festival

When: June 27-28

Where: The Gorge Amphitheater, six hour drive from Eugene

Cost: Tickets $197 with fees, camping $85 per vehicle

Vibe: Think the Gorge Amphitheater backdrop that Sasquatch made famous but with a smaller crowd, less days and an all EDM lineup. This year features Bassnectar, Above & Beyond, Kewella and Zedd.

“At rap concerts and stuff, you hear about fighting, but that this festival everyone just loves each other,” said junior Michael Morris, who has attended the festival twice. “The first night of camping is the best, it’s crazy. It’s almost the best part besides all the music.”

“The vibe at Paradiso is unlike anything you can experience anywhere else. I would encourage people to go to Paradiso for the experience whether or not they like EDM music. It’s all about love for one another and love for music. How can you have a bad time dancing your nights away in a beautiful place with amazing people?” said junior Brenda Mahrt.

Pickathon Independent Music Festival

When: Aug. 1-3

Where: Pendarvis Farm, Happy Valley, Ore. Two hour drive from Eugene, 25 minute drive from Portland

Cost: Tickets $273, with fees

Vibe: Called “the chillest music festival on planet earth” by VICE, this festival consists of indie folk, rock and bluegrass music on an Oregon farm. At Pickathon, you can do acid around a campsite with 20 college students and sway with dads and watch kids blow bubbles. As Pickathon is extremely dedicated to sustainability, guests must either provide dishes or buy dishes with a $10 token. Food is provided by local vendors and there are several campgrounds, including a quiet campground and a jam campground. This year’s lineup includes Blind Pilot, Foxygen and Parquet Courts.

Bands To Look Out For

Pickathon

CHARLIE PARR

Parr is a bearded flannel-clad folk singer from Minnesota. He’s influenced by Lightnin’ Hopkins and Woody Guthrie and an appreciator of Northwest beauty. Parr plays the banjo and guitar, using a Resonator and a 12 string. Parr’s sound is timeless. His own style is built on the shoulders of traditional folk, making him the perfect Pickathon act.

“It’s an amazing festival, one of my very favorites. It’s so unique. It’s intimate. A lot of festivals you go to you kind of get rushed around a bit. Pickathon was the opposite. It’s a very exciting opportunity to appreciate music,” Parr said. “A lot of attention was given to the setting where artists performed. They put a lot of effort into it and I really appreciate that.”

Sasquatch

BIG FREEDIA

Big Freedia is one of America’s most unlikely festival stars. The female stage persona of New Orleans musician Freddie Ross, Freedia has acted as the unofficial ambassador of the regional New Orleans dance style called “bounce music.” Bounce music is focused on call and response chants and relentless ass shaking, guaranteeing an experience that’s interactive, fun and a bit physically exhausting. Though Ross is gay, he rejects the “sissy bounce” label placed on many of the scene’s queer stars, encouraging people of all sexual and gender identities to come “shake their azzzzz.”

Packing guide:

Water: It’s the most important item for your survival over the festival weekend, unless you have an inclination toward sink water provided by Honey Bucket. Bring several gallons along with packages of plastic bottles.

Watch: Your phone will die and you will get over it. But you won’t get over missing Cut Copy.

Trash Bags: Environmentally friendly Northwest somehow makes an exception for Sasquatch and Paradiso. Music festivals are notoriously unsustainable, but cleaning up your campsite will help.

Camping supplies: A tent is more important than a flower crown. Don’t forget basic camping supplies — including sleeping bags, blankets, rain gear, plastic utensils and camping chairs.

Schedule: Schedule printouts are often as gone as a handle of vodka by the first day of a festival. Although stumbling to different stages can be fun, printing out a schedule ensures you see at least a few of the bands you were planning on.

Ticket: Nobody needs to deal with being six hours away from Eugene and realizing your ticket and wristband are on the kitchen table.

Food

Food inside venues is somewhere between $12 quesadillas and $6 hot dogs. If you’re drinking and dancing all day, it’s best to bring your own food to keep you going. Bagels, peanut butter, granola bars, fruits and vegetables are easy to bring into venues, relatively healthy and cheap. Canned soup is easy to heat up if you bring a camping stove. Best to stay away from perishables.

Although it seems like people only watch How I Met Your Mother, Game of Thrones and House of Cards, there are plenty of shows out there just asking for you to get addicted. Not a weekly TV watcher? Check out a Sunday night award show.

New Shows

The 100: This CW show falls somewhere between Pretty Little Liars and Ender’s Game. Post-apocalyptic worlds and science fiction are in right now, and the pains and perils of teen love has always captivated viewers’ attention, making this show a seemingly unbeatable combo. The premise of the show follows 100 teen delinquents that are forced to live in a post-apocalyptic world while adults live in spaceships that orbit the Earth, letting the teenagers test the earth’s safety. “There’s a huge outbreak of apocalyptic shows right now, so I thought this was an interesting take on it,” junior Sarah Lindner said. Airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m on the CW.

Silicon Valley: Check out HBO’s newest addition to its famous Sunday lineup. In our technologically saturated world, what better way to poke fun than with a show based in the start-up city? Celebrate the power of the nerd with this comedy from Mike Judge, the genius behind Office Space. Think of it as a spring tech replacement for GIRLS. Instead of artists in New York, the show is about computer programmers in Silicon Valley. ”It looks like it might have the potential to be a funny and tech-savvy show. It seems to appeal to the younger generation, especially those in the computer science studies,” senior Andy McClain said. Airs Sundays at 10 p.m on HBO.

Review: This American version of the Australian show Review with Myles Barlow came to Comedy Central this spring. Check out the character of Forrest MacNeil who reviews aspects of life by participating in them — such as drug addition, sleeping with a celebrity and eating lots of pancakes. MacNeil’s commitment to his reviews ends up affecting his personal life, which makes the show even more thought-provoking. Airs Thursdays at 10 p.m on Comedy Central.

Award Shows

2014 American Comedy Awards: Enjoy a lighthearted night celebrating the best comedic actors in film and TV, best club comics and even the best viral videos. “I think it’s an amazing idea. Everyone loves to laugh, and I will definitely watch the awards show,” said Uriel Wolfe-Blank, a member of the Absolut Improv team. Airs Thursday, May 15 at 9 p.m. on NBC.

The 29th Annual Rock and Roll Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: An often more exciting night for music lovers than the Grammys, this year the annual ceremony will induct Hall & Oates, KISS, Nirvana and Cat Stevens, among others, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Airs Saturday, May 31 at 9 p.m. on HBO.

Last night, Valley River Center hosted the premiere screening of the psychological thriller feature film Something Wicked, starring the late Brittany Murphy. The film was shot in Lane, Linton and Benton counties and includes scenes shot on the University of Oregon campus.

Something Wicked producer Scott Chambers offered to have the premiere benefit Cinema Pacific, an annual University-wide film festival which features film screenings, multimedia and art, which runs April 23-27.

“Cinema Pacific has a long history with Chambers Communications. [Chambers] supported the festival from the beginning, particularly helping with Adrenaline,” said Richard Herskowitz, the festival’s director.

Currently, Valley River Center is the only theater playing “Something Wicked.” On April 11, it will be released in five Portland theaters and seven Seattle theaters.  Eugene isn’t normally a hot spot for movie premieres, but the filmmakers wanted to honor the location where it was shot.

The film features the University of Oregon campus, Sahalie Falls and the historic Hull Oaks Saw Mill, which was one of the film’s main inspirations.

“Shooting on campus was really cool because those scenes require a lot of extras and we had student lining up to be a part of it. University of Oregon was very cooperative,” said Joe Colleran, the film’s producer and screenwriter.

Maddie Dunkelberg, the intern publicity coordinator for Cinema Pacific saw an advanced screening of the film in addition to the sold-out premiere last night.

“We were more scared the second time, seeing it in a theater. Seeing shots of campus, like outside the EMU was cool because it’s like ‘oh, I go to school there!’ It’s also really interesting to see Brittany Murphy onscreen again,” Dunkelberg said.

Oregon is becoming an increasingly popular place for television shows and films to be shot- “Grimm,” “Twilight” and “Into The Wild” to name a few.

“In Oregon, there is no bureaucracy to get location permits and citizens themselves are much more generous,” said Colleran when comparing filming in Oregon and California. “I hope primarily that people see the location and beautiful scenic background and people will want to come shoot here. It would be great for the economy.”

Be sure to check out Something Wicked at Valley River Center, as well the Cinema Pacific Film Festival later this month.