On Jan. 17, the Homecoming Bonfire will kick off Drexel’s biggest school spirit week. Similar to the school’s unconventional quarter system and unique co-op programs, Drexel’s school spirit can seem unique and unconventional from the outside. 

The university defunded its football team in 1973 with the goal to reallocate funding towards other school-sponsored teams with better performance and a better use of budget funds. University President John Fry can be quoted from an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal in 2016. 

“At Drexel we recognize the benefits of sports but are not burdened by the distractions that come with maintaining a football program. Drexel hasn’t fielded a team since 1973 when administrators realized its budget burden,” Fry wrote. 

Without the major excitement generated by college football mania, Drexel students and staff miss out on the typical school spirit craze that is centered around a predominant sport team. Drexel has 18 Division I sport teams, with basketball generating the most attention, and yet the student body still seems to lack any excess pride and excitement about the success of the school’s teams and the school outside of academic achievements. 

“None of the students here seem particularly invested in school spirit here. The students don’t seem to be hyped about the school, the sports, or the events,” Akari Seiner, class of 2025, second year biomedical engineering grad student. “It’s nothing against the school, Drexel is a great school with great opportunities, but it lacks the school pride in a lot of ways.”

The lack of excessive school spirit almost seems synonymous with a lack in a student community. Students on campus can be seen in small groups, representing the school through merchandise and showing up and showing out for games, but none of those factors seem to build that same sense of community that is seen in the hubris of a big state school with a successive football team. 

“I hope to see more of a community driven by common goals and causes. It always helps people to feel like they are part of a community and people feel like they are a part of something when they have a common goal or cause,” said James Spaulding, a student in Goodwill College, class of 2027.

The student community is extensive, with over three hundred clubs and student organizations. So what is stopping the student body from having the same mania seen in Big Ten schools with successful football teams?

Rolling Stone is one of the most iconic magazines for all things music and pop culture. However, that level of fame wasn’t achieved without controversy. Despite its acclaim, it seems that almost every article they’ve ranked music, whether the top songs of all time or the best albums from a specific year, creates backlash from readers. Other sites like Billboard or iHeartRadio rely on airplay or sales data in order to compile their lists, while Rolling Stone’s music-centric articles are almost entirely opinion-based. The lack of statistical evidence behind their lists makes the whole process rely on its writers’ subjectivity. This invites more criticism from consumers, so the reaction towards the Rolling Stone’s new article “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” comes as no surprise. 

I want to address what they did right first. The contributors of the piece admitted that their previous list favored ‘60s and ‘70s classic rock artists. Their new list did a great job of expanding into different genres while still including rock. Similarly, they did a great job at including recent performers. “All time” lists tend to pander more towards older audiences, and it was nice to see newer singers get the recognition they deserved. Finally, I found that the top 20 artists were justified. While I could see where someone might want to switch out certain rankings, most of my issues lie with different aspects of the article. 

The first problem that stood out with the piece was the sheer amount of artists listed. Reading through the article, I found it difficult to feel completely confident in in the 200-100 range. While I knew each singer was talented to some extent, I often felt they were too interchangeable to feel solid. “Top 100 lists” are often more digestible for readers; a shorter list would’ve allowed the writers to focus on and highlight those who truly stand out.

The second (and arguably biggest) issue with the list was the ranking itself. While there were plenty of issues to choose from, I’ll list the lowlights. The first glaring issue was Usher at #97. Not only did he make the top 100, but he beat out incredibly influential artists like Elton John at #100, Lauryn Hill at #138, and Barbra Streisand at #147 and others. While Usher is a well-known artist, it becomes difficult to understand the author’s decision when looking at how many heavy-hitters he was up against. While Usher wasn’t the only underqualified artist, he was definitely the one that stood out the most.

Another issue that stood out to me was the amount of iconic artists listed that didn’t even break the top 100. While I don’t consider myself to be a Taylor Swift fan, I expected her name to clear at least the top 50 based on influence alone. I was surprised to find she sat at #102. As a default Grammy nominee and a career that spans almost two decades, Swift (along with other singers) seemed snubbed with such impressive backgrounds. Their rankings of Amy Winehouse at #83, Erykah Badu at #115 and Fiona Apple at #111 seem to discredit the amount of talent and impact these artists actually have.

The final problem was the artists that were missing, particularly Celine Dion. Whether the rankings were based on vocal ability, stage presence or impact on the industry, I find it hard to believe that Celine Dion doesn’t qualify for any of those categories. Still, the “My Heart Will Go On” singer is missing from the Rolling Stone list. 

At the beginning of the article, the author writes, “What mattered to us most was originality, influence, the depth of an artist’s catalog, and the breadth of their musical legacy.” However, with the amount of artists missing, artists ranked a bit too high or a bit too low, the list seems to have created a lot of criticism coming from a variety of their readers. 
If you want to review the article or compare your own rankings, visit “The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time” Rolling Stone article.

The day had finally arrived, the day I had been waiting for since I beat “Pokémon Shield” back in Nov. 2019. The newest main Pokémon series game has been released, “Pokémon Violet and Scarlet.” I had preordered the game beforehand, waited until 12 a.m. Nov. 18, and had my Nintendo Switch charged up for the night ahead. It wasn’t the experience I was expecting, but it was a worthy one at the end. 

Overall, I’m conflicted.  It is such an ambitious game; there are so many new features that have never been seen before in a Pokémon game (especially not a main series game) and there is so much content. The story was unique, full of surprises and kept my interest the entire time. 

When starting the game, the character customization is the first thing you do. It is more detailed than any other Pokémon game to date. There were a good amount of options compared to past games, and although it isn’t too detailed, it was exciting to have more choices in this gameplay. 

Your character is a member of a prestigious Pokémon trainer boarding school with a school uniform. Because of this you cannot take the uniform off and there are very few clothing items. The only accessories available are hats, glasses, backpacks, gloves, socks/leggings and shoes. However, there are many stores to shop at and many different cities to visit. 

Each main story Pokémon gameetting is based on a real life country and typically takes inspiration from the cities inside that country. This time the game was based on Spain. 

There were the classic eight gym badges that must be completed, but there were two brand new sections to the game. One of them was Team Star, a group of students at the school who you must battle to achieve five badges over the course of the game. The story unravels as you progress and there is more to uncover as each battle ends. Finally, there are titan battles in which you must gain five more badges throughout the game. You fight massive Pokémon in five different regions. My favorite new feature is that you can ride the legendary Pokémon throughout the entirety of the game. The Pokémon is ridden like a motorcycle, and you unlock more abilities after obtaining the titan badges. 

There are so many things to uncover in this game and there are plenty of hours of gameplay to dive into. It is a thrilling experience overall. 

However, there were many problems; problems that should not occur in a AAA game. Upon opening Pokémon Violet for the first time, I immediately noticed the graphics. Not in a good way–they were awful. They’re reminiscent of the original DS games. The shadows were pixelated, there was no detail in the visuals, there was a general overall blurriness, there were glitches very often, the non-player characters completed repetitive movement and the same characters were copy-pasted to one another. It all felt lazy. These seemingly little details felt massive when playing and it honestly took away from the experience. It grew to be frustrating. 

It is important to mention that Nintendo has been known to rush game designers to push out content quickly. In this instance, it would make a lot of sense if this is the case. “Pokémon Scarlet and Violet” has many new features and is a large game overall. If Game Freak, the game developer company, was competing against a deadline, it makes sense if corners may have been cut in the graphics department. 

This is especially frustrating because it would have been such an amazing game if it didn’t feel lazy or unfinished. 

The part that makes me conflicted is that it is still an incredible game and worth the price. It is just unfortunate that it wasn’t as good as it could and should have been.

After over 10 years together, the Texas native boyband BROCKHAMPTON has disbanded, but not before releasing two final albums: “The Family” and “TM.” “The Family,” released on Nov. 18, was promoted pretty regularly by the band’s leader Kevin Abstract. It wasn’t until after “The Family” had dropped that “TM” was announced and released the next day. Both albums had decent tracks. Yet, I found myself returning to “TM” more regularly and had trouble recalling the standout songs from “The Family.” While I could talk about each song on both albums, there were three tracks off of each release that I thought stood out.

“Take It Back” is a perfect opener to their “final” album. With a heavy bass and high-energy vocals, Abstract reminisces over how the band formed, what he wishes they did and what he is grateful the band gave him. The song sets the tone for the rest of the album and feels like a goodbye letter to his bandmates. 

Following “Take It Back,” “RZA” is the second song off of “The Family.” Similar to most of the tracks on the album, “RZA” only has Abstract on the song -– despite being labeled a BROCKHAMPTON album. Initially, I wasn’t a huge fan of Abstract’s solos, but “TM” made up for the lack of other members on the previous album. “RZA” is a song with an upbeat sound that contrasts with bittersweet lyrics like “My mama asking me/Ian why don’t you keep the band together.” The song includes a pitched-up sample, a funky bassline and Abstract doing a great job at keeping the energy up with his vocals. The song runs just under 2:15 and really carries the first half of the album.

The final track from “The Family” that stood out to me was the fifth track titled “All That.” It has a more relaxed feeling than the previous song, but is just as strong. While the other tracks on the album were very good, “All That” felt more like a BROCKHAMPTON song than any of the other tracks. The high-pitched harmonies over the smooth guitar line were reminiscent of their old projects; which was a nice surprise to hear. Abstract explains a fight that broke out between the band, giving the audience a glimpse into why the band actually broke up. I would have to say that out of the three songs off of “The Family,” I returned to “All That” the most.

While I liked “The Family,” “TM” felt like the sendoff that BROCKHAMPTON needed. The first track that stood out to me was “MAN ON THE MOON,” a fun, fast-paced song with a peppy melody, quick drums and jazzy keyboard. My favorite aspect of the song was the synth accents that easily keep the listener engaged while still keeping the energy up. While no other song on the album sounded like it; it didn’t feel out of place and added diversity to the album as a whole.

The second song that stood out to me was “BETTER THINGS,” a dreamy, slow and synth-heavy piece. The simple instrumentals and quiet vocals are a perfect change of pace for the album. The panning synth accents and bells added to the hazy feel of the song and emphasized some of their more emotional lyrics. While “GOODBYE” is the slow closer of the album, I felt that “BETTER THINGS” was more emotional and should have been the finale for “TM.”

“CRUCIFY ME” was the last song that stood out to me and was arguably the best song off of both albums. A soft jazz piano accompanies slower lyrics, and gentle electronic accents add a level of mystery to the song. However, the most notable part of the song is around 2:48 when the piano slowly becomes more harsh and dissonant. More instruments are added as the song builds, and by the 4:22 mark the song is completely disjunctive, only to end with a final droning synth chord. The song perfectly encapsulates the creativity that drives BROCKHAMPTON and the style that they have so carefully curated.

Despite the previous six songs being my favorites, I found it very hard to narrow it down and thought that both albums were a great final bow from the group. If you’re looking to listen to more BROCKHAMPTON, you can find them on all streaming platforms or follow the group members individually.

Breaking records is not new to Taylor Swift. Shortly after the release of her tenth studio album “Midnights,” she was shattering streaming records, becoming the first artist in history to hold the entire top 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. Unfortunately, when it comes to record-breaking ticket sales, the unprecedented demand for her upcoming Eras Tour has not only led to millions of frustrated fans, but possible legal trouble for infamous ticket vendor Ticketmaster. 

On Nov. 1, 2022, American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift announced that she would go on a United States stadium tour, titled “The Eras Tour,” which will include multiple days at Philadelphia’s own Lincoln Financial Field. Three days later, on Nov. 4, she announced that more dates would be added to the tour due to “overwhelming demand,” and even more were added on Nov. 17. Demand was in part measured through Ticketmaster’s Presale registration, which allowed fans to register their information in hopes of being contacted with a presale code that was used on Nov. 15 to purchase tickets. 

According to Ticketmaster, preferred access to the presale would be allowed for Capital One cardholders and those who had purchased tickets for Swift’s Lover Fest Tour through Verified Fan; a tour which had been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans who registered by Nov. 9 had a chance to receive a code on Nov. 14, the idea being that holders of presale codes would have earlier access to tickets. Little did anyone know, these fans would be the only ones able to purchase tickets. 

According to Ticketmaster’s official apology after the incident, over 3.5 million fans pre-registered in hopes of participating in the Presale, and roughly 1.5 million were sent codes for a show date. Remaining fans were put on waiting lists, with the chance to join in the general sale later in the week. Although only 1.5 million verified fans received codes, Ticketmaster reported that 14 million fans attempted to purchase tickets when the sale opened at 10 a.m. on the 15th. This demand, combined with bot attacks, resulted in a reported 3.5 billion total system requests and a disaster.

Fans all over the country waited for hours in online queues, many not getting through the “waiting room” at all. Of those who did make it to the sale, only a lucky few were able to successfully purchase tickets. Fans encountered site crashes, code failures, and messages that, in the seconds it took to complete checkout, their selected tickets had been bought by someone else. Prices rose throughout the day, resulting in widespread confusion over pricing, specifically with fans wondering if Swift opted into “dynamic pricing.” 

Alexa Viola, a freshman at Drexel, detailed her experience attempting to get tickets for Swift’s shows at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Viola, a presale code recipient, said “I was in line first for five minutes, and then I was in line for six, seven hours.” 

Viola logged in early, following the instructions released by Ticketmaster, and was able to get through to the presale. 

“I got in, I got two tickets, it was giving me a hassle saying that I wasn’t logged in and that my code was wrong,” she explained, “I finally got two tickets in the floor for $265 [each], I believe, went to checkout, got confirmed, everything was checking out, my screen went blank white and then refreshed, and it kicked me out and put me back into the queue with 2,000+ people in front of me.” 

Viola waited in the queue, with no success: “When I finally got in seven hours later, the whole entire show was sold out. So, I didn’t get tickets.” 

Metlife Stadium has a capacity of 82,500, even greater than Lincoln Financial’s capacity of 67,594, yet it sold out in a mere matter of hours. On Nov. 15, over 2 million tickets to the Eras Tour were sold. The rest of sale dates were canceled since remaining availability was low. After days of online outrage, Ticketmaster released their explanation of events, which did little to appease furious fans. The online discourse, however, has drawn attention to Ticketmaster’s possible violations of antitrust laws which prevent companies from becoming monopolies. Investigations are beginning to open up into Ticketmaster’s practices and powers, with numerous senators and general attorneys claiming to look into the issue. The New York Times has reported that the U.S. Department of Justice allegedly intends to open an antitrust investigation into Ticketmaster. 

The calls for breaking up Ticketmaster’s “monopoly” can be traced back to a 2010 merger between Ticketmaster and Live Nation, a promotion company. According to David Creagan, an attorney at White & Williams LLP in Philadelphia who works with anti-trust law, “Under U.S. antitrust law, a monopoly can be legal or illegal, depending on how the monopoly was acquired and how it is maintained. A monopoly may violate the antitrust laws if it was acquired or is maintained by anticompetitive means, i.e., means that injure competition to the detriment of purchasers or consumers.” Mergers are a part of business, but mergers intended to take away competition can cause the danger of stifling monopolies forming, taking away the consumer’s choices and the ability for other companies to be successful. 

Ticketmaster is as powerful as it is in part because of a number of exclusivity contracts with venues; which have been pointed to as evidence of a monopoly. As Creagan explained, “In this case, exclusivity contracts require concert and event venues to sell tickets only through Ticketmaster or Ticketmaster affiliates.” 

Venues such as Lincoln Financial Field can sign these contracts agreeing to get access to certain opportunities in exchange for using Ticketmaster to sell tickets. These contracts bind the artists like Swift to Ticketmaster if they choose to use the venues that have made agreements. 

So what would happen if the DOJ opened up an investigation into Ticketmaster? 

“The DOJ would investigate the merger of Ticketmaster and Live Nation to determine if the merger reduced competition in the sale of tickets for music and other events,” stated Creagan, “The DOJ would look into whether the market power of Ticketmaster allowed it to set artificially high prices for tickets and/or to control the market for ticket sales and keep potential competitors out of the ticket distribution market and the market for concert promotion services.” 

If Ticketmaster was found to have violated antitrust laws, the penalties could range from fines to the dissolution of the conglomerate. 

As Creagan explained, “If the DOJ concluded that the merger was anticompetitive, it could try to “unwind” the merger, i.e., break Ticketmaster and Live Nation up into the two separate companies that they were before the merger. The DOJ could also assess monetary penalties against Ticketmaster/Live Nation for violating the terms of the consent decree reached with DOJ and antitrust regulators when the merger was approved.” Although many fans were left disappointed, Swift’s shows at Lincoln Financial Field on May 12, 13 and 14 have been sold out. Hopefully the fans that were able to fight their way through “The Great War” for tickets are still able to enjoy the experience in Philly as planned. As for those left behind, Swift (who has remained relatively quiet through the incident) is reportedly continuing to look into new opportunities to perform for fans.

Currently based in Philadelphia, Kreature is an artist that wants to “wreak havoc with its army of mutated insects” through their dark and intricate dubstep music. “Genesis,” released on Nov. 4, is the first EP of (hopefully) many projects in the future. 

As if the music itself wasn’t good enough, the EP is story-based, following Subject 069, an entity that represents the physical embodiment of the human emotion disgust, created in and experimented on in a lab. Throughout the EP, we watch as Subject 069, later named “The Creature,” escapes the lab with the help of various mutated animals, destroying anything and everything in its way. The EP has six tracks with a run time of just under 20 minutes. Even in such a short amount of time, Kreature is able to fully immerse the listener in the story through equally impressive production and storytelling. 

The title track of the EP “Genesis” opens with a radio transmission warning the listener of Subject 069 and the destruction they’ve caused in the lab. A rising synth crescendos as the radio transmission continues, followed by a thumping 808 that only briefly cuts out before the beat drops. Kreature does a fantastic job at setting up the storyline and creating an immersive atmosphere with both the transmission and instrumentation throughout the piece. A highlight of the song comes in around the 2:10 mark when, after a quieter dynamic shift, a chorus is introduced, completely subverting the listener’s expectations and intensifying the song. Overall, the song is a perfect introduction to who Kreature is and sets the tone for the rest of the story.

After a seamless transition from the previous song, “Laboratory Log 012” brings the audience back to the beginning of the Creature’s story. The anonymous scientist from the radio transmission details how Subject 069 was created and alludes to the problems to come. Similar to “Genesis,” “Laboratory Log 012” does a great job at continuing the story in a way that is engaging and leaves the audience eager for what is to come.

“Breach VIP” was a single released back in Feb. 2021 before making it onto the EP–for good reason. This song gives the listener enough information on the story of the EP without giving it all away. A robotic voice repeats “Subject 069 has breached containment. Please evacuate the facility immediately” throughout the beginning of the song until it fades into the beat drop. My personal favorite part of the piece is a brief drum break that appears for under two seconds, another great example of how Kreature is able to creatively keep the listener entertained. “Breach VIP” highlights Kreature’s incredible production skills and storytelling abilities.

“Intervention VIP” is another terrific example of Kreature’s production skills. From the sampling of Kira’s laugh in “Death Note” to the dramatic synth strings at the beginning of the song, it is hard to believe that Kreature was able to come out the gate with this level of production. While the transitions between songs within “Genesis” are already a testament to how well the story of the EP is layed out, “Intervention VIP” is particularly good at tone switching without straying from the overall concept. After a couple of full listens through the EP, I find myself gravitating towards this song the most.

While “Intervention VIP” was my favorite song off of the EP, I found that “Infantry” stood out the most to me. The eerie entrance of the song followed by intense instrumentals and another log titled “Laboratory Log 013” felt to me like a pivotal point in both the story and the EP itself. Log 013 explains that the animals in the lab are starting to gravitate towards Subject 069 and that they’re slowly starting to regret creating the Creature. The final section of the song perfectly transitions into the closing song of the EP.

“Mission Statement” is the perfect way to end the EP. The track runs just under 2 minutes and consists of a message from  itself in the year 2040. The Creature explains that they took over the body of the scientists from the laboratory logs and that “nobody is safe” from their destruction. “Mission Statement” creatively closes out the EP while also serving as the perfect potential introduction for another project. 
Whether you are looking for a good story, great production or just overall good music, “Genesis” has something for new and returning dubstep listeners alike. Be sure to keep an eye out for new music and future projects from Kreature.

 “Wakanda Forever.” A phrase which serves as a promise that there is always a way up in the face of tremendous grief and hardship. This concept was a main focus in the sequel to “Black Panther,” which premiered last Friday, Nov. 11. 

Director Ryan Coogler returned to tell the story of a post-T’Challa Wakanda following the death of star Chadwick Boseman suceeding in portraying his vision with elegance. While the film gracefully honors Boseman and his impact on the film industry as a whole, it still works to push the story forward and retain the quality of the original.

The film’s lead is Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, portrayed by Letitia White. The audience is privileged to learn more about her and see her step up into her leadership role in Wakanda, while also discovering her sense of humor. Overall, there were humorous instances in this movie compared to the last one, which allowed for “brain breaks” throughout this lengthy and heavy film.

With the introduction of new problems and unexpectedly powerful antagonists from foreign lands, Wakanda is no longer untouchable and Wakandans are painted as the underdogs, showing the vulnerability of our favorite characters. This plot twist made this movie more relatable than the first and drew viewers in. “Wakanda Forever” skilfully combined emotional real-world themes with blockbuster entertainment. Representation was also at the forefront of cast and crews’ minds as characters of color were presented as strong and resilient. 

Overall, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” is worth the attention and praise it is receiving. The film was emotional, yet logical and pushed the story forward in a way which honored the past. Interestingly, viewers will not be lost watching this film if they have not seen the prequel, as the script was designed to be a stand-alone story. 8/10.

The night was Oct. 21, and Ortlieb’s throbbed with punk rock. The feeling of a Friday night hung in the air of the narrow barroom preceding the shows. Members of the acts Sloptart, Friend, Shid and Larlene mingled together and with friends at the bar before the first band went on. People drank, reminisced, planned and laughed. The circuit of social connection surged with musical current.

All I had to do to get to Ortlieb’s was take the Market-Frankford line to Spring Garden St. and walk five minutes north until I saw the great big “O” on the face of the building. I was surprised that such a cool venue was just a short trip away. 

The performances took place in a room in the back that was about the size of a two-car garage. Dozens of us looked over each other’s heads to the stage in front. Cotton candy clouds and sky provided a welcoming frame to the green acid rain tinsel on the wall behind the band. I felt as if I had one foot in the back room of Ortlieb’s and the other in Twin Peaks’ Black Lodge.

I spoke with Dev, the lead singer and sole guitarist of Sloptart, and asked how they would describe the band. They confidently responded “brat punk!” with a proud smile. I could not have described Dev’s squealing vocals better myself. In addition to Dev’s vocals, crunchy power chords, thick basslines and abused cymbals punched into the crowd. 

Dev shared their history with music: “My dad’s a punk rocker; I grew up around music. I played jazz saxophone for eight years.” 

Dev shares their love of music by running the Pouch (@thepouchphl), a West Philadelphia house venue right outside of Clark Park. “There’s seven of us; we all throw our own kind of shows. Everyone’s into a different thing so it works well.”

I also got a chance to talk with Friend, the second band of the night. They were easy to approach because the bassist of Friend, Matt, is also the drummer in Sloptart. I caught up with the double-dipping drummer-bassist after their set and was introduced to Josh and Aubrey, the guitarist and drummer respectively.

Josh, who studied at University of the Arts, was the catalyst for Matt and Aubrey moving from their hometown in Virginia up to Philly. The three-hour travel sessions to play shows every weekend started to take their toll on Matt and Aubrey, so they decided to pick up and move to the city, where “you can throw a stone and hit a super talented band.”

“Why Philly?” I asked, unaware that I had just asked exactly the right question. Josh spun me a tale.

“There’s something really special happening in the city right now that isn’t happening in other places. We’ve been traveling for the past year; we’ve gone to New York, Richmond, Harrisonburg, Atlanta, Asheville, Boston. Every city has been cool in its own way, but there’s something so special and unique about this moment right now that’s happening in Philly. … there’s such a strong community; everyone knows each other and is so nice and kind and supportive and trying to take care of each other. Every given Friday and Saturday there’s like fifteen shows happening where every band is fantastic. It’s insane. It’s all college kids who are doing it themselves out of basements, skateparks, tunnels. It’s totally throwing away the idea that you need a label and you need LiveNation and corporations. You don’t need any of that to have a music scene. We’re all supporting each other.”

I followed up with a question that I myself wanted the answer to: if you could give advice to someone who wants to participate in the local music scene, what would it be?

“Go to shows. Go to a show and just talk to someone. You’ll meet cool people, you’ll meet really kind people who just want to collaborate and make music together. Even if you don’t want to participate in the scene as a musician or artist, the scene needs people who enjoy and appreciate the music.”

I left Ortlieb’s feeling like my presence at the show made a difference; it has been too long since I’ve been to a venue where it was so easy to share eye contact with the musicians. The intimate venue lent itself to Dev and Josh’s commitment to using music to connect people. I encourage everyone to follow Josh’s sage advice and go to a show to experience the sense of community the local Philly music scene seems to be known for.

On Wednesday, Oct. 12, press arrived at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA)’s preview for the anticipated “Matisse in the 1930s” exhibit.

PMA is in collaboration with Paris’ Musée de l’Orangerie and Nice’s Musée Matisse Nice to showcase the first major exhibition dedicated to the pivotal decade and art of world renound artist Henri Matisse (1869–1954).

Outside the Exhibit

Outside the museum stood the PMA Union: the first “wall-to-wall” union at a major art museum in the US. They represent about 190 workers in most departments including curational and conservation workers along with retail and development staff. 

Union members believe museum management has continuously engaged in union busting and Unfair Labor Practices. A contract has been circulating for two years yet management has not acted on the issues.

While workers were on strike, management used non-union “scab” workers to perform their work, including installing paintings for “Matisse in the 1930s” and giving misrepresented negotiations to PMA staff, city officials, and the public.

Matt Carrieri, Local 397 Executive Board Member at Large stated, “the biggest news of the season isn’t the Matisse opening; it’s the incredible spirit and solidarity of the PMA workers in the face of management’s abject failures.”

According to National survey data from the Association of Art Museum Directors and PMA’s financial disclosure forms, executive positions are compensated at rates close to 50% more than executive positions at other art museums while unionized staff makes on average about 30% less than the staff doing comparable jobs at other museums.

On Oct. 14, PMA workers and museum management reached a contract agreement, including 14% wage increases through June 2025, cost reduction on health care plans, four weeks of paternity leave, and increasing the minimum wage to $16.75/hour. 19 days later, workers returned to their jobs.

Attendees saw the contrast of the museum’s interior versus exterior. Luncheon tables were accompanied by illustrated scholarly catalogs and waiters serving well-cooked platters as conversations regarding art and the union strike continued. 

University of Pennsylvania Sophomore Irma Kiss-Barath was appalled by the “irony of fine dining indoors while outside workers don’t even make a living wage…” 

“But Matisse is all about sensory pleasures!” she added sarcastically.

Ironically, both the strike and PMA’s new director and chief executive Sasha Suda began their work the same day. Having had previous experience at the National Gallery of Canada and unionized workforce, observers were disappointed with Suda’s inaction.

During the luncheon, Suda spoke her perspective, stating “We’ll get there in time… The last few years have been an immovable block in history. A turning point. We are looking forward to a new beginning.”

Inside the Exhibit

Philadelphia’s “Matisse in the 1930s” includes about 140 works, including renowned and rarely seen paintings and sculptures, drawings and prints, illustrated books and documentary photographs and films.

The partnership’s curational team includes curators of modern art at PMA: Matthew Affron, Muriel and Philip Berman, Cécile Debray (President of the Musée National Picasso-Paris) and Claudine Grammont, director of Musée Matisse Nice.

The collaboration enables PMA to vividly portray Matisse and his Philadelphia story, utilizing the deep connection between each institution.

Matisse’s transformative years were influenced by obtaining his worldly vision through his residence in Nice and his 1930s visit to Philadelphia. This era had never been featured in a standalone exhibition before and PMA offers a rare opportunity to immerse visitors in his creative process, new methods and career outlook.

Affron noted his “decorative environment is crucial… [it’s] something about the space… you need to look twice to see it.”

Matisse was “a man in touch with his times … and in touch with the history behind him” from updating Delacroix and Renoir’s traditions to his Avant Garde transformation. 

An attendee adds “It’s not completely out of time. It’s not completely related to Delacroix and Renoir. It’s also the present.”

Following his Philadelphia visit, Matisse drifted from his 1920s naturalistic space concept to a flatter, bolder and larger approach while maintaining the emotion from his original work.

Drawing was typically Matisse’s basic building block. He would use charcoal to understand his motif through tone, shadow and range. Next, he drew unalterable, pure, un-shadowed modulated line in ink.

The relationship between these drawings built his understanding of details for his final piece. Rumor says once Matisse learned the motif, he barely looked at the model.

Many artists get lost in the process versus the final product, yet Matisse used his own methods to combine the two concepts.

For example, he was discontent with his weaved tapestry, so he tested various medians until he was happy with the final product.

In another instance, Matisse painted charcoal on canvas, a technique typically used for sketches or mural paintings. He displayed this artwork on the wall of his study to clarify its completion while wanting people to wonder his median used and degree of completion.

Matisse even had his model fabricate herself a skirt. In this portrait, he separated the line design from color yet still created rhythm and interaction.

Later in his career, Matisse’s primary inspiration became dance. He drew lines as dancers rather than painting figures, showing dance’s hold on his imagination. His inspiration is linked to his U.S. travels and re-emerging his 1930s modernist style.

The final exhibit concluded Matisse’s story with drawings from his remaining days and reflection on his process. He illustrated books with his methods and themes, showcasing his drawings in a linear fashion and teaching the mechanics of his work.

The end of the gallery showcased “Seated Woman with a Vase of Amaryllis” (1942) a painting where all his themes come together in reflection of his career, conveying the well-known feelings to the viewer.

Overall, the museum collaboration between Philadelphia, Paris, and Nice “offer a special, much-anticipated opportunity for a new and unparalleled exhibition about this decade.” Debray adds that “above all, the collaboration marks a friendship” regarding her colleagues and friends, Claudine Grammont and Matthew Affron.

Taylor Swift has created a fantastic blend of all her sonic eras, with a heavy focus on pop, for her eleventh studio album, “Midnights,” released on Oct. 21. The album drop caused the classic Taylor Swift-fueled Spotify crash, but does that really surprise anyone? 

“Midnights” is about 44 minutes in length and consists of 13 songs. Or at least the original does. While us Swifities are usually good at finding the hidden clues Swift leaves in everything she does, we did not expect her to drop an extended album at 3 a.m. titled “Midnights (3am Edition).” This edition has seven additional tracks, and caps off at about an hour. 

I will admit at a first listen, I was not that big of a fan of “Midnights.” Not because it is bad, but because I am partial to Swift’s softer and sadder albums “folklore” and “evermore.” However, if my Spotify history is any indication, I have clearly changed my mind from my original stance as I have had the album on repeat all day, every day, since its release. I much prefer the “3am Edition” to the original album, as most of my favorite tracks are from the last seven songs. 

While every song on “Midnights” deserves a paragraph dedicated to it to analyze the intricacies of Swift’s mind, I will only highlight the most notable tracks in my opinion. 

In track three, “Anti-Hero,” Swift discusses that she might be the cause of various problems in her life with the lyrics “It’s me, Hi! / I’m the problem, it’s me.” This song is a bit more sonically simplistic than others on the album, but it works as a great accompaniment to Swift’s more complex lyrics. Identifying yourself as the “problem” in situations, whether you are or not, can be an isolating experience, which ups the relatability factor of this track. 

Track four, “Snow On The Beach,” is a collaboration between Swift and Lana Del Rey. As someone who is a fan of both of these artists, this is a collaboration I have been waiting a while for. While I think the song is beautiful, I share the popular sentiment of wishing more of Rey’s vocals were included. Rey’s musical influence and background vocals are clearly present, but I do wish she had her own verse. 

Track five, “You’re On Your Own, Kid,” definitely gives a bittersweet feeling. While it is a sadder track, it is a bit more upbeat. It fosters healing in adulthood, but also acknowledges the body image issues that Swift has had throughout her life. This is an important topic to touch on as many of her fans have had the same struggles, and to know that she is healing along with them is something so painfully pure. 

Track ten, “Labyrinth,” incorporates a bit of synth, and has an airy feel to it. This song describes falling in love with someone who brings you out of the darkness you have been experiencing. The lyrics “You know how much I hate that everybody just expects me to bounce back / Just like that” hit so close to home. If you find someone who does not expect you to act fine even in times of stress, keep them.

Track 12, “Sweet Nothing,” is a painstakingly sweet ballad that has entered my daily song rotation. Swift sings about spending a beautiful life with someone who wants nothing from you. Her beautiful vocals warm your heart effortlessly. 

Swift describes herself as a “Mastermind” in track 13 because she perfectly put everything into place so that her lover would fall for her. Yet, while she was forming this diabolical plan in her mind, he knew all along. I am sure we have all thought about ways to leave small hints in order for the people we like to know that we are interested in them.

“Would’ve, Could’ve, Should’ve,” track 19, is a switch in energy. Swift’s lyrics showcase the horrors and effects of an abusive relationship that she was in. The bridge lyrics “Living for the thrill of hitting you where it hurts / Give me back my girlhood, it was mine first” are so powerful. Swift is practically begging for her innocence back. These lyrics in particular have been trending across all media platforms and have resonated so deeply with everyone in the fanbase. 

I could write a whole dissertation on Swift and her music if I tried. But the best way to immerse yourself in the true meaning behind these and the other songs on the album is to listen to them. Repeatedly. 

As if 20 songs was not enough, Swift also just announced the U.S. leg of her next tour: The Eras Tour. This tour includes the openers: Paramore, beabadoobee, Phoebe Bridgers, girl in red, MUNA, HAIM, GAYLE, Gracie Abrams, and OWENN. See you there!