Last week, when the Emerald spoke with Long Beach rapper Vince Staples, he hinted that his upcoming performance at the Roseland Theater will be a not-to-miss event and boy was he not kidding.

New wave female vocalist/rapper Kilo Kish — who is touring with Staples for the entirety of his 26-city North American “Life Aquatic” tour — opened the show Wednesday night in Portland. Wearing a designer business suit, Kish used a red analog telephone and a briefcase full of random clothing as props during her performance.

While some audience members ignored Kish’s performance to engage in their own side conversations, others were utterly enamored by her synth-driven alternative rap that seemed more like a piece of performance art than a standard music show.

After Kish finished her 30 minute set, the audience was forced to wait for another 30 minutes before Staples began his performance. After the house lights dimmed, the distinct intro to the title track from his most recent album, “Prima Donna,” began playing, sending the crowd into a frenzy of excitement. Staples walked onto the stage just as the beat dropped and began his verse, singing, “Kick cack ce cool, watch a n**** get it.”

The mysterious backdrop that was indiscernible during Kish’s performance lit up and blinded audience members who had adapted to the dark room, putting an exclamation point on Staples’ grand entrance. Once everyone’s eyes had adjusted they could finally make sense of this mysterious backdrop. A concave wall of 12-foot high LED screens surrounded the Long Beach rapper, showing images of oceanic life, trippy animations and flashes of blinding color throughout the show.

View the Emerald’s photo coverage of Vince Staples’ Portland show here. 

Just as the crowd was getting used to this incredible visual display, lights mounted on top of the massive screens created a wall of rotating light over the crowd. Staples had won over the audience just three songs into his set. As the light show continued to dazzle the audience, Staples confidently rapped the lyrics to his song “Smile,” asking, “How you feeling everybody? Hope you had a nice day.”

It was obvious that Staples was feeding on his fans’ energy. Staples was rushing through his songs at an impossible pace. Only 22 minutes into his set, he had already played eight songs, including some of his older and deeper tracks like “Fire” and “Lift Me Up.”

Although crowds at the Roseland Theater are often known for getting kind of rowdy and even a little out of hand at times — especially for rap concerts — this show seemed to have more energy and excitement than most. About halfway through his set, Staples took time to perform songs he has been featured on as a guest rapper, such as Flume’s “Smoke and Retribution” and With You’s “Ghost.” As he was performing GTA’s “Little bit of this,” a sizable mosh pit broke out in the center of the venue.

As he finished his initial set with “Blue Suede,” many audience members — acting as if this were the first concert they’d been to — chanted in despair for the song they had all come to hear, which still hadn’t been played. But just as quickly as Staples had exited stage, he triumphantly returned singing the lyrics to his most famous song, “Norf Norf.”

While Staples has always had an energetic sound to his music, his live performances have always lacked the same energy from him. He will often stand in one place on stage for minutes at a time or pace in the same monotonous fashion. The addition of a half-dome of LED screens and a laser light show that was better than some EDM concerts helped push Staples often stoic physical performance from being a good live performer to a great one.

Follow Zach Price on Twitter: @zach_price24

Like the Emerald’s coverage of hip-hop music? Check out our review of Future’s recently released album “HNDRXX” here.

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Atlanta rapper Future showed that the rumors of his incredible work ethic weren’t faked after he released his self-titled record earlier this month that featured 17 tracks and no guest features only a year after his last record. After releasing another 17-song record, “HNDRXX,” just one week removed from his last, it’s hard to make the argument that Future “Ain’t Tryin’” anymore.

Although they both have 17 songs that are performed by Nayvadius Cash, “Future” and “HNDRXX” share almost else nothing in common.

“Future” is a prime example of an artist who has realized his strengths and utilized them to cover his weaknesses. While sticking to strong trap beats and avoiding too much singing, Future gave his listeners exactly what they wanted by rapping about his high quality and quantity of sexual encounters, expensive spending habits and dangerous drug use.

It seemed as if the 34-year-old had finally found a winning formula on his self-titled fifth studio album, but after listening to “HNDRXX” it appears that isn’t quite the case.

The record begins with several strong tracks; “My Collection” opens the album with legendary producer Metro Boomin’ laying down a slow beat that draws attention to the song’s lyrics, which discuss the “collection” of women that Future has dated in the past. While the verses seem to be talking about specific people, the chorus suggests that his “collection” doesn’t just refer to the famous relationships he’s had, saying, “If I only hit you once, you still part of my collection.” The beat might be slow, but Future seems to be up to his usual tricks when it comes to lyrics on this track.

Probably the most highly anticipated track on this record, “Coming Out Strong” marks the first time since Future and The Weeknd have collaborated since the smash-hit “Low Life.” While they sang about how they like to still live what is considered to be a low life on this last collab, Future and The Weeknd discuss their frustrations with being famous. The two make it clear that they’re tired of hearing how “I think the money has changed you” from old friends and seeing fake news from the paparazzi.

Like our coverage of hip-hop music? Check out the Emerald’s interview with Long Beach rapper Vince Staples here.

These first two songs start the record slow and melancholic, but they serve as an early peak that goes unmatched by the rest of the album. The rest falls into a pit of repetitiveness which Future never seems to find the proper tools to dig his way out. From the lyrics to the production, all the way down to the overall themes and concepts of the songs, this record reaches to make Future something that he’s just not: introspective.

For seven tracks straight, Future gives listeners stories of his love life that are completely contradictory to the stories of one night stands and of swooping married women that he tells on “Future.” On this run of relationship rants he has on “HNDRXX,” Future discusses the trouble he’s had trying to date women. On “Use Me,” which is just the beginning of his half-hour long relationship rant, Future tells of how one of his girls is just using him for his money and how he has become increasingly frustrated with this.

On later tracks, Future seems almost desperate to find some sort of meaningful relationship.

Future shares how he’s worried he might lose his current girlfriend on “Neva Missa Lost.” To keep the relationship alive he feebly attempts to take interest in her hobbies like vegetarianism and astrology, but it’s obvious that Future just feels a connection to her because they share a mutually passionate sexual appetite.

This obvious contrast between the external persona that he exhibits on “Future” and the attempt at the insightful, internal character that appears on “HNDRXX” must’ve been intentional. It’s hard to tell if this record is the material he’s always wanted to rap about but avoided because he knew people wouldn’t like it, or if he’s doing this to prove that he’s not just a one-dimensional artist. Either way, I think everyone can agree that Future should stick to his bread and butter: trap bangers.

Follow Zach Price on Twitter: @zach_price24

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It’s common to hear rappers brag about how they’ll stay up all night working on their craft, but after listening to his recently released self-titled album, it’s clear that Future isn’t exaggerating about his work ethic. In a recent Twitter Q&A, Future revealed that when he and fellow Atlanta rapper Young Thug hit the studio together, they will often stay up all night and record at least ten songs.

Following 2016’s gold-certified “EVOL,” the 34-year-old rapper’s fifth studio album, “Future,” is a clear sign that he has honed in on what he’s best at and worked on what he’s not. On the album he raps about cars, women and drugs while he avoids pushing his vocals by only singing on two tracks. 

Just like previous records, “Future” is full of references to the copious amounts of Xanax and high grade Molly he consumes, comparisons of foreign cars to women, and buying just about everything in his sight. Tracks like “Good Dope” and “Scrape” are reminiscent of Future’s sophomore album, “Honest,” which dissects the ins and outs of trapping in East Atlanta.

Unlike his earlier albums, Future is rapping over much better beats that make his flow smoother than ever before. With the likes of legendary producers Zaytoven, Southside, 808 Mafia and Metro Boomin’ laying down the beats, the production on this record might be of higher quality than of any of his previous works. While the first half of the record emphasizes the beats and production, the arrangements on the second half provide a nice contrast that make you focus on the song’s lyrics. 

After listening to this album, it’s clear that Future worked hard to earn his fortune and there’s no way in hell that he’s ever going to lose it. “Rent Money” and “POA” chronicle the long and winding road he had to take before achieving his current level of success. But no song better captures his continuous work ethic than “Outta Time,” where he describes his obsessive spending habits as motivation to maintain his status and wealth by saying, “I can’t take no vacations, I can’t lose.” 

He also believes that he’s the real deal. On “Draco,” the best song on the record, Future expresses his frustration with rappers who “front,” or act tough just to put on a persona that fits the identity of a trap-style rapper. This frustration stems from the fact that he actually did have to sell drugs to pay rent. Rappers who front on this are just disrespecting the hardships he and so many others had to go through. 

At first glance, putting 17 tracks on this album might seem as if Future is just throwing out a bunch of songs in hope that a few of them become hits, but they also paint a telling picture of the man behind the songs.

None of the album’s 17 tracks feature guest singers which indicates that Future believes in his ability to produce a hit record under his own power. Although he has never been short on self-confidence, this record shows that Future has reached a new level of fortitude. Comparing himself to Jesus on “High Demand” and completely disregarding copycat rappers on “Zoom” are just a few of the instances where Future reveals that he truly believes that he’s the best rapper alive. 

Follow Zach on Twitter: @Zach_Price24

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For Long Beach, California, rapper Vince Staples, being a popular musician isn’t always as glamorous as it might appear.

“I didn’t grow up wanting to be a rapper,” Staples said in a phone interview with the Emerald. “I’m not going to lie and say that I did. But I definitely appreciate the things that it’s opened up for me and given me a life.”  

Staples first breakthrough performance came when he was featured on three tracks from Earl Sweatshirt’s record “Doris,” which is often considered one of the best Hip-Hop records of 2013. His first hit single, “Norf Norf,” peaked at number 28 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in its first week of release and skyrocketed his career.

Since then, Staples has become one of the most prominent figures in the alternative rap scene. His sophomore album, “Prima Donna,” charted in the Billboard Top 50; he has performed at some of the country’s largest music festivals and earned a reputation as one of the internet’s biggest celebrity trolls.

Despite his recent success, Staples says he approaches his musical career like he would any other job. He fulfills his commitments, writes his music and plays his shows. Some might think this approach means he doesn’t like playing music, but that’s not entirely true.

“It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, it’s just that I take it serious. It’s more about putting on a good show than anything else,” Staples said. “I try my best to put on a good show so people get their money’s worth.”

Many aspects of being a popular musician prove to be a giant headache. Behind the scenes production and dealing with record labels are just some of the things that frustrate the 23-year-old, but being able to support and provide for his family makes it all worth it.

On Feb. 3 Staples released “BagBak,” the first single from his upcoming third studio album. Featuring a gritty beat and Staples’ signature hard-hitting cadence, the track builds on themes from his previous albums; however, the song’s lyrics seem to discuss more controversial social issues than before. Although these issues have recently attracted prolific media attention, Staples doesn’t think that he’s rapping about anything he hasn’t in the past.

“I don’t think it’s political and I don’t think it’s new in all honesty,” Staples said. “These are things that have been going on. Everyone just supposedly cares about it now.”

From taking a shot at America’s prison system to denouncing racial wars, Staples did just about everything except tell the President to suck his dick on his new track — wait, he did that too.

While Staples wouldn’t share details about the upcoming album with the Emerald, fans can expect it to come out “very soon,” according to his label.

His critics like to label him as a “thug” and claim that his music has a negative influence on children, but Staples believes that his music is simply a reflection of the realities he’s faced.

“I am a Black person,” Staples said. “As a Black person I make music from a Black perspective. I can’t make music from the perspective of another race just like I can’t make music from the perspective of a woman because I don’t know what it’s like to be either.”

Now that he’s established himself as a prominent figure in the hip-hop community, Staples understands he has a responsibility to have a positive influence on his younger listeners.

“I want my audience to have the best chance in life and for them to be whatever they want to be and have the best perspective and the best mind,” Staples said. “A lot of that shit they hear when they’re young affects them deep down. Then they’ll think they’re stupid and this and that. I think an understanding of the world they live in will feed their confidence.”

The “Life Aquatic” tour begins on Friday in San Diego. Staples will make a stop at Portland’s Roseland Theater on March 1. New wave Vocalist Kilo Kish is set to open for Staples for the entirety of the world tour. Information about tickets for his show in Portland and for the rest of his world tour can be found on his website, vincestaples.com.

Follow Zach on Twitter: @zach_price24

Watch the video for “Norf Norf” below:

Update: An earlier version of this article incorrectly listed the date of Staples’s concert as March 5. It as actually March 1. 

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Oakland-based EDM duo Dimond Saints drew a sizeable audience at WOW Hall on Friday night. The group just kicked off the tour after releasing its third studio album “Prism In The Dark” earlier this month.

Dimond Saints comprises DJs An-ten-nae and Releece. The duo has made a significant impact on the underground EDM scene since forming in 2013. An-ten-nae is most famous for inventing the genre Acid-Crunk, which combines clips from TV programs in order to tell stories. Prolific beat-maker Releece makes up the second half of the up-and-coming duo. While they both have solo careers, their work together has drawn more attention from EDM listeners.

The show was opened by Eugene DJ ANIBUS, who sported a homemade fox mask with light up eyes for much of his hour-long performance. Mostly sticking to remixes of popular rap songs with big dubstep drops, the local DJ kept the small audience that was there early enough for his set occupied and entertained while they awaited the main act.

After ANIBUS finished his set with the classic dance remix of “Candyman” by Zedd and Aloe Blacc, Portland-area DJ Pacific Patterns took the stage. There was no wait time between acts, which kept the good vibes alive and well.

The Portland DJ stuck to his roots by performing a set that consisted of a variety of instrumental house beats that lasted for about an hour. While the music didn’t feature a usual amount of drops that you might suspect from an EDM artist, Pacific Patterns’ transitions were the most impressive aspect of his music. The DJ played more than 15 tracks, but the seamless transitions between songs made it seem as if it was one continuous song that constantly built upon itself.

Dancing, talking and music all combined into one as Dimond Saints set up their equipment in the sweaty dance hall.

Again with little to no layover between acts, Dimond Saints took the stage. As the audience gathered closer to the stage in a huddle around the front of the venue, the DJs began playing an intense, slow-churning mix from the latest album.

The DJs took a while to build their music, but they reached epic heights by the sixth song. Heavy, sustained bass accompanied by a blaring arrangement of horns led to a mid-song applause from the audience.

While there were many good musical performances, the best part of this concert — as with most EDM concerts — was the atmosphere.

The DJ duo kept to their stark personas throughout the show, but the audience continued to feel free as they released any inhibition that they might have come to in this judgement-free space. It actually might’ve been better that the venue wasn’t completely packed. The extra space allowed everyone to enjoy their own personal area of dance and relaxation without bumping into their fellow ravers every two seconds.

No EDM performance would be complete without a set of dazzling lights to accompany the DJ’s beats. Unfortunately, Friday night at WOW hall didn’t feature nearly the amount of visual distractions and entertainment that was so desperately needed.

Unlike rock or rap shows, EDM artists don’t provide much for audience members to look at. As entertaining as looking two guys playing with their laptops is, a visual component would’ve made this show infinitely better.

Yet again, the visual limitations of holding an EDM show at WOW hall overshadowed the solid musical performances from some DJs that are certainly on the rise.

If you missed this performance, don’t fret. The Oakland duo will be performing at several EDM festivals this summer, including Symbiosis, Electric Forest and Lighting in a Bottle. If you want to hear more of Dimond Saints, check out their website or head to their bandcamp to listen to their latest releases.

Follow Zach Price on twitter: @zach_price24

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On this day in 1992, Saturday Night Live’s iconic film Wayne’s World first appeared in theaters across the U.S. Based on the long-time SNL sketch hosted by cast members Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, the film captured the post-rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia that many young adults felt in the early ‘90s.

Even 25 years after its release Wayne’s World continues to be considered an all-time comedy classic and an icon of pop culture at the time. While most people won’t ever host a public-access TV show in their parents basement, young adults can still relate to Wayne and Garth’s shenanigans.

There’s something about the youthful ignorance and stupidity that is so elegantly portrayed in Wayne’s World that gives viewers a sense of nostalgia.

The cheesy one-liners and drawn-out cutaways are certainly cornerstones of the film that help create this sense of youth and immaturity. Catchphrases from the movie such as “Schwing,” “Party on!” and “That’s what she said” can still be heard echoing through adolescent sleepovers and college frat parties everywhere.

Countless examples could be used to portray this overwhelming feeling of nostalgia, but no scene better captures this innocence of youth than the infamous “Bohemian Rhapsody” scene.

“That scene is the epitome of youthful exuberance,” director Penelope Spheeris told Rolling Stone in 2015. “I think people that are that age love to feel that way, and people that are older love to remember how that felt and people that are younger, they want to feel that way.”

The movie’s memorable jokes might be what Wayne’s World is best remembered for, but the way the movie adapts a classic love story to fit the life of a dorky, suburban teenager is what keeps the film relevant for viewers today.

Weaving this archetypal love story through scenes that are relatable to its audience might be the film’s most outstanding accomplishment. Conversations of love and destiny are subtly intermingled with scenes of singing songs while aimlessly driving around and uncontrollably laughing at dumb inside jokes.

There have been plenty of movies written about the loser guy getting the popular girl. But there is only one movie that tells a love story for all the guys who are deemed dorks, nerds or losers. Wayne’s World is truly the love anthem for all of those who consider themselves “not worthy” of finding true love or achieving a happy ending.

While there were many notable guest appearances, much of the movie’s success has been credited to its original creators, Myers and Carvey. With help from Spheeris, the comedic duo seamlessly transformed their well-known sketch into a full length-feature film.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Spheeris raved about the former SNL cast members.

“They were great. Just like any great comedy team, they are always trying to one-up each other. So Dana would come up with an idea and then Mike would build on it and it just kept evolving.”

Ever since his success starring in the Shrek and Austin Powers series in the early 2000’s, Myers has mostly kept out of the public arena. A few SNL cameos and several Shrek sequels pretty much sums up his last decade of work. Lately, Myers has been more active.

Myers signed a two-year contract with cable network HBO earlier this year. While details of the deal haven’t been released yet, the signing could be an indicator that the longtime SNL comedian is mounting a career comeback.

This month, Myers was cast as the well-known improv actor and instructor Del Close in an upcoming biopic directed by Betty Thomas. The movie is set to be released in the fall of 2017.

In honor of the Wayne’s World’s anniversary, the film’s setting of Aurora, Illinois, will be hosting the a six-month long anniversary celebration.

The Chicago suburb will hold an anniversary bash for the movie that put the small town on the map. Lasting all the way through July 4, the celebration will include a look-a-like competition, an air guitar contest and a doughnut eat-off hosted by the fictional shop featured in the movie, Stan Mikita’s Donuts.

Movie theaters across the nation will have showtimes for Wayne’s World in honor of the film’s anniversary. In the Eugene area, both the Valley River Center and the Cinemark 17 theater hosted showings for the film last Tuesday night.

With the movie’s anniversary approaching, there was a lot of speculation surrounding rumors of a possible new Wayne’s World. When asked about a possible remake during an interview with CTV News, Myers’ didn’t seem too optimistic, but he wasn’t totally opposed to the idea.

“It would be an interesting examination of Wayne at 50. I don’t know what it would look like, but the idea of it makes me laugh and Dana [Carvey] and I had a blast at [Saturday Night Live’s] 40th anniversary, so I don’t know.”

Whether you make it to Aurora for the celebration or just watch it from your couch, be sure to pay homage to this classic movie on its 25th anniversary.

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The recent release of this year’s lineup for the Columbia River Gorge’s annual Sasquatch! Music Festival can only mean one thing: It’s time to look at which upcoming music festivals have the best lineups. 

There are over 100 music festivals that take place in the U.S. throughout the spring and summer, so this is obviously not a comprehensive list. Several popular music festivals that haven’t released their lineups yet, including Lollapalooza, Pemberton and Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC).

This list only takes into account the quality of a festival’s lineup based on musical variety, the lineup’s depth of quality artists and headliners. Other factors such as ticket price, location and time of year are not taken into consideration.

5. Governors Ball

Randall’s Island, New York, June 2-4

This festival could potentially have the best set of live performers of all the summer festivals. Although headliners Chance the Rapper, Tool, Phoenix and Childish Gambino don’t hold nearly the same level of popularity as other festival headliners do, they are widely known for their energetic live performances. Considering that EDM artist Marshmallow, rock group Cage the Elephant, rapper ScHoolboy Q, and hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd will also be performing, it’s clear that Governors Ball will be the most energetic festival of 2017.

4. Hangout Music Fest

Gulf Shores, Alabama, May 19-21

At first glance, Hangout’s lineup looks awfully similar to Sasquatch’s; however, once you look past the identical headliners, you realize that this festival not only has a ton of musical variety, it is also extremely deep. EDM artists Major Lazer, NGHTMRE, Dillon Francis and Marshmallow provide a nice contrast to the heavily stacked alternative rock lineup.

3. Rolling Loud

Miami, Florida, May 5-7

This lesser-known music festival made it on the list because of its deep hip-hop lineup. The entire lineup exclusively features hip-hop artists, many of whom are at the height of their popularity. Grammy-award winner Kendrick Lamar, legendary rapper Lil’ Wayne and critically-acclaimed Atlanta artist Future will be the main headliners. Just to put how deep this lineup is into perspective, 2016 breakout artists Amine and Denzel Curry are seven lines down on the festival poster.

2. Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

Manchester, Tennessee, June 8-11

This year, Bonnaroo’s lineup is definitely top heavy, but the headlining acts are good enough that it doesn’t really matter. Going to this festival will give you an opportunity to hear two of the most popular acts of all time with bands U2 and the Red Hot Chili Peppers headlining. Considering Chance the Rapper and The Weeknd will also be performing, this is the most musically diverse set of headliners at any 2017 festival. Alternative band Car Seat Headrest, EDM artist Flume and pop singer Lorde are also set to perform.

1. Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival

Indio, California, April 14-16, 21-23

No big surprise here. Once again, Coachella has provided its fans with an incredibly deep, diverse and extensive lineup. Each day of the festival has enough musical variety to be a strong festival lineup on its own. Headliners on Friday are Radiohead, The xx and Travis Scott; on Saturday Beyonce, Future, and Bon Iver will be performing; Kendrick Lamar, Lorde, and DJ duo Justice will be closing the weekend. Looking deeper into its lineup, Coachella has something for everyone with more than 150 artists performing. No matter what type of music you like, Coachella will be a weekend full of good times and great tunes.

Honorable Mentions

Jazz Fest

New Orleans, Louisiana, April 28-30, May 4-7

In past years, Jazz Fest has had extremely musically diverse lineups, but this year it seems to be relying heavily on blues/rock bands and the festival’s reputation to sell tickets. Stevie Wonder, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Dave Matthews and Kings of Leon are the featured headliners.

Ultra Music Festival

Miami, Florida, March 24-26

Pending the release of the EDC lineup which should be out in early Feburary, Ultra will have the best lineup out of any of the EDM music festivals this year. This comes as no surprise since it has featured the best headliners for the past several years. Justice, Major Lazer and the Prodigy will be this year’s headliners. Also rapper Ice Cube will be a special guest.

Dishonorable Mention

Sasquatch! Music Festival

The Gorge, Washington, May 26-28

After an underwhelming showing in 2016 and cutting an entire day from its festival, many fans speculated that this year’s Sasquatch! lineup would bring the festival back into the realm of relevance. Although it has the same headliners as Hangout Fest, Sasquatch! doesn’t have nearly the depth of diversity. Mac Miller is the only semi-intriguing rapper and Big Gigantic is the only EDM artist. Expect Sasquatch to have an even smaller turnout than last year’s all-time festival record low.

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This weekend, Springfield’s Wildish Community Theater will host a performance of William Shakespeare’s classic play Romeo and Juliet. The theater will be decorated with a three-quarter sized replica of London’s Globe Theater, which is where Shakespeare first premiered Romeo and Juliet more than four centuries ago. The performances will run Jan. 27 through Jan. 29 at 630 Main St.

“People who have ever seen [The Globe Theater] look at our replica they say, ‘Oh it’s the Globe’ because it looks just like it,” said Judith “Sparky” Roberts, the play’s artistic director.

The replica was built by the Lane Community College Performing Arts and Theater department several years ago. This is the first production outside of LCC that will use the set. It features an elegant backdrop of a Renaissance-style mansion along with the iconic balcony where Juliet confesses her love for Romeo.

It can be argued that Romeo and Juliet is just as relevant now as when it was written in the 16th century. The play follows a young couple as they pursue a relationship forbidden by their feuding families, the Montagues and Capulets. Incorporating themes of fate, tragedy and duality, Romeo and Juliet is often considered to be one of the most famous and influential works ever written. Roberts has updated certain aspects of the play to fit today’s society.

Roberts has 40 years of acting and directing experience and 33 years of teaching performing arts. This will be her 12th time directing one of Shakespeare’s plays.

Despite studying and performing Shakespeare’s plays for much of her career, Roberts said she and the crew still get excited to work with his scripts.

“We get a real charge out of doing Shakespeare,” Roberts said. “We relish the language. We try to taste it and chew it and then deliver it in a way that’s really delicious.”

The title roles will be portrayed by local thespians Cloud Pemble and Nicole Trobaugh. Former Oregon Shakespeare Festival actors Joe Cronin and Maya Thomas play Friar Laurence and the Nurse, respectively.

The production also includes several current University of Oregon students as well as a video produced by recent UO film graduate Jordyn Roach. Working closely with Roberts, Roach developed a video in the artistic style of Chiaroscuro, a technique developed during the Renaissance that creates a dramatic effect by using strong tonal contrasts.

The multimedia aspect of the play is one of the ways Roberts has brought the play into the 21st century. This version of Romeo and Juliet isn’t necessarily ultra-modern, but it embraces the cultural and technological advancements that have occurred over the past four centuries.

“The humanity [Shakespeare] brings to his characters is so enduring,” Roberts said. “Geniuses like Shakespeare and Mozart kind of make being a human being more meaningful. They’ve left a legacy that is unerasable. Something about the quality Shakespeare brought out of humans is permanent.”

Another challenge of directing such a popular play is getting audiences to pay for something they’re familiar with or may have already seen. Shakespeare is often considered to be the most influential playwright of all time, but the language he uses in his works can intimidate people and scare them away from attending his plays.

“People don’t go because they think they won’t understand it,” Roberts said. “It’s true that some of the words have changed over time, but in context with the actors and the set, anyone can understand it. Whether the words are a little bit unfamiliar or not, the [audience] gets it.”

Roberts understands this challenge, but she believes that whether audience members are seeing the play for the first time or the 40th, Romeo and Juliet can be an enriching experience.

“A knowledge of Shakespeare not only deepens people’s understanding of English literature and language, but also themselves,” Roberts said. “The issues that he wrote about and the people he wrote about are always relevant.”

General tickets cost $22 and can be found at Wildish Theater’s website. A grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust has made a limited amount of $5 tickets available for students and seniors. Once those tickets are gone, regular student and senior tickets will available for $15.

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From Desiigner to Lil’ Yachty, there were many artists who had breakout performances in 2016; however, history shows that not all of these breakout artists will continue to have the same success in the coming year. Here are the artists expected to continue on their path to stardom, as well as some names that will soon fade from listeners’ memories.

Going from the featured drummer on Dr. Dre’s Compton to being a Grammy nominated artist, Anderson .Paak had one of the biggest breakout years in recent history.

In a field where a good ghost writer and a smart publicist can make the even the least talented musician a pop sensation, .Paak’s original brand of hip-hop still shines through. His excellent technical skills, unique ingenuity and energetic live performances are just a few reasons .Paak will be able to achieve continued success in the music industry. They say there are no guarantees in life, but Anderson .Paak having a long, successful musical career might be an exception.

Similar to .Paak, 21 Savage and rap group Migos both broke onto the mainstream with the release of their sophomore studio LPs that followed up their marginal past successes.

Critics tend to give producer Metro Boomin’ much of the credit for the success of his joint album with Atlanta rapper 21 Savage, but if the duo stick together, they will continue to release records that slap. After working with the likes of Kanye West, Drake and Future in 2016, Metro will still have plenty of work available if he and 21 Savage decide to go their separate ways.

Although Migos’ breakout hit “Bad and Boujee” reached one-hit-wonder popularity levels, a closer look at the group’s past material proves that these guys have more than just one hit. Led by frontman Quavo, the Atlanta-based trio has been waiting for their time in the spotlight since the group formed in 2009. Now that they’ve found a mass audience for their music, they won’t be going away anytime soon. The follow-up to YRN 2 is set to be released later this month.

Female rapper Noname and Haitian producer Kaytranada stunned audiences with their debut albums in 2016. Add their names to the list of artists expected to continue their career with successful follow up material.

While many artists will capitalize on their breakout performances from last year as they continue on their rise to stardom, others won’t be as fortunate.

Rapper Desiigner is the mostly likely breakthrough artist from last year to fade from the public arena. His mega-hit “Panda” was enough for Kanye West to sign him to the GOOD Music label; however, the New York rapper has proven himself incapable of writing anything that rivals his first single. After dabbing himself to the point of vomiting at a concert last summer, it became increasingly obvious that he is without a doubt a one-hit-wonder.

Lil Yachty, another Kanye protege, impressed listeners with a series of features on other artist’s tracks as well as several standout performances off of his own record. Unlike many artists who broke out last year, Yachty not only raps, but sings too, leading some people to believe that his breakthrough year wasn’t just a fluke. His career is very similar to mid-2000s rapper T-Pain. Like T-Pain, Yachty may prove to be a good artist to sing hooks as a featured musician, but his solo career will not continue to rise after his unexpected success.

Portland-area rapper Amine, 2016 XXL freshman class member Lil Uzi Vert and singer D.R.A.M. are amongst the other breakthrough artists from last year who fans should expect to soon forget.

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Many other genres seemed to fall by the wayside as hip-hop artists filled the music scene with new releases and top hits last year. But now that 2016 has ended, it’s time to take a look at some of the albums that are set to be released in the upcoming year as well as some albums that are rumored to be in the works.

One of the most highly anticipated records that are rumored to come out this year is Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter Five. Although the record was originally set to be released in 2014, Wayne’s label Cash Money and co-founder Birdman has refused to do any such thing. As the two parties have been at a standstill since the record’s announcement, infamous entrepreneur Martin Shkreli has supposedly gotten his hands on Weezy’s long-awaited record. In a live video announcement on Periscope, Shkreli played a short clip of the record. Despite only being a 30-second preview, this is still a huge step in the record’s release battle. All of this suggests that 2017 might finally be the year fans get to hear Wayne’s long-awaited record. 

As artists like Major Lazer and the Arctic Monkeys stuck to traditional album promotion to disclose their 2017 releases, others took to social to announce their new records.

ScHoolboy Q, Lorde and the Gorillaz all used Instagram to inform fans of their 2017 musical releases. While Lorde and the Gorillaz have been awfully quiet since their last releases, ScHoolboy had an active year. Which is why he surprised fans when he revealed he was headed right to the studio after finishing Blank Face in December.

Following her hit debut album Pure Heroine, Lorde’s fans pestered her about new material enough that they actually solicited a response from the New Zealand superstar. Although the date of her record is still unknown, Lorde has confirmed that her sophomore record will be coming out this year.

The British virtual rock band the Gorillaz brought back one of its old fictional characters to help announce its 5th studio album. There was speculation that the new record would come out last year, but it was pushed back after an apparent hold up with the studio. Pending any further setbacks, the album should be out in early 2017. 

As many artists announced their solo records set to come out in the coming year, there’s also a slew of collaborative records that are rumored to be in the works. While there’s a lot of speculation surrounding upcoming releases from these artists, there is no concrete evidence that these records will come out in 2017.

At an OVO Festival concert in Toronto last summer, Kanye West joined Drake onstage, and West egged on the audience by asking “Are ya’ll ready for this album?” There has been hype for a collaborative album since the single “Forever” was released in 2008, but it is yet to be seen if 2017 will be the year that fans finally hear a full Kanye-Drake album.

Bigger acts aren’t the only artists dominating potential album headlines this year.

Travis Scott and close friend Quavo have reportedly hit the studio together. The two are known to have a good history working together after collaborating on the track “Oh My Dis Side” for Scott’s debut record. 

Other artists who have been spotted in the studio working on joint albums together include Anderson Paak. and producing legend Pharrell Williams as well as Chance The Rapper and Childish Gambino. Ever since appearing on his mixtape Acid Rap in 2013, fans having been dying for more music from Chance and Gambino. 

The post Album speculation for 2017: What’s known, what’s expected appeared first on Emerald Media.