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THURSDAY
OCTOBER 9 Ip
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[[MV THUHSDHV « 111 I'M » SH
80's Night
minHV. HBD • III I'M » S.‘i
Avery Bell
Mellowdrome
(the concubot)
Mine 37
SMTURDHV. 4TH • 10 PM • S3
Real Kidz/UNU Productions presents
FRESH
Hip-Hop Electronica Dance Night
SllNDHV. 5TH • 9 l»M • FPFF
Sad Bastard
Singer Songwriter Night
With Mike B from Courtesy Clerks,
MUNUHV, HIM * MUSli: HI O) PM
A Night off Celebration for
Eugene Anarchist Projects
Music by The Kitchen Syncopators,
Toad in the Hole, Christie and
McCallum, The Shudders
Plus videos and information.
HILSLIHV. 7IH • ill PM * S2
Rhetoric Tuesday
Alpha Charlie
Fuzz
IIILDNESOHV. HIM
Early Show • 7pm
Scrambled Ape
10pm • $2, ladies free
DJ Tekneek Hip-Hop vs.
Kal El Reggae
/ / lllHSt HfOadllldtJ (next tn I «iAir s Hd/.i.ir.)
• i in i ii i ijnhnhfif irijsnl i ib.nnm
Corporate entertainment
breeds mindless stagnation
There seems to be a disturbing lack
of care in the world of corporate en
tertainment — so much so that it's
difficult to find the "art" in any of it
these days. After all, art should be cre
ative and uplifting; it should instill a
desire to make the world a better
place and make us feel kind and com
passionate in our interactions with
the world.
Shouldn't it?
Shouldn't it breathe beauty and
peace? Move our bodies and expand
our minds and perceptions? I'm not
finding much of that around
these days.
Maybe art shouldn't "do" anything,
in which case you're probably satis
fied with the world of entertainment
that exists now. But even "mindless"
entertainment does something. I
speak generally because I'm trying to
trace a trend that a majority of enter
tainment on the marketplace contra
Aaron Shakra
Notebooks of DJ Serpentine
diets any real creativity and instead
operates to pacify the participant. Ac
tually, it abolishes the notion of par
ticipation altogether. The entertain
ment I'm finding is all about being a
watcher and a consumer. Instead of
basing life around our experiences
and immediate surroundings, enter
tainment becomes the axis around
which the world revolves. For exam
ple, a television show, a video game,
the latest "event" film, keeping up
with the latest fashion or latest tech
nology — all of this for the sake of it
self and a means to nothing else
This may very well be satisfying, ful
filling our needs for contentment,
meaning and connection among hu
mans. The problem is, it's like eating
a giant chocolate cake for dinner — it
may be satisfying on the short term,
but ultimately, it's an incredibly
thoughtless act. Likewise, entertain
ment isn't about thinking ahead, it's
about immediate gratification for the
subject without any thought of the
consequences.
For years, we have heard about the
"desensitizing" effects of violence in the
media. Along with the various statistics
of atrocious arts shown on television
and other mediums usually comes a
slew of naysayers calling for v-chips and
censorship. But censorship isn't the an
swer. The problem I'm sketching would
only become amplified because there is
Turn to SHAKRA, page 14
From minivans to Miller beer:
Indie rockers are selling out
Scottish rockers Mogwai played at
the WOW Mall last Wednesday. The
band is one of my favorites, and it was
my first time seeing it perform. I'm
happy to report that it lived up to my
high expectations. The band mem
bers' atmospheric songs worked the
audience into a post-rock frenzy. The
next night at the bar, one of my
friends confessed she had a "religious
experience" during their set. I don't
think she's alone in that sentiment.
They're that good.
1 do have one small complaint,
however. During the last Super Bowl,
Levi's premiered a commercial star
ring a herd of buffalo chasing two
denim-dad models through a desert
ed urban landscape. Playing in the
background was Mogwai's song
"Summer."
When 1 first saw the ad, two words
immediately came to mind: sell out.
Selling out is the number one sin an
artist can commit.
Mogwai is hardly alone, however.
Modest Mouse has licensed its song
"Gravity Rides Everything" to Nissan
Helen Schumacher
Notes from the underground
— for a MINIVAN commercial for
CHRISTSAKES! — and Miller Gen
uine Draft. The band Smog also has a
song in a Miller advertisement. Mc
Donald's paid The Shins for the use of
their song "New Slang." The Walk
men have a song in a Saturn ad. And
which band hasn't been in a GAP
commercial?
It's hard not to feel a bit betrayed
when your indie band goes commer
cial. Kids usually get into the inde
pendent music scene for two reasons.
First, the people that go to the shows
are way hotter than the people that go
to corporate shows. Have you ever
been to a Dave Matthews Band con
cert? It's not pretty. Second, you get to
be an elite member of an under
ground community.
There is a camaraderie between the
bands, the labels and the fans. Buy a
T-shirt at the show and the band
members are good sports when you
ask them to shotgun beers with you at
the after party. Send your 'zine to a
record label and they'll send you a
free album or two to review in the
next issue. The audience is an integral
part of the music and it's hard not to
feel a sense of ownership in it. That's
why it is so upsetting to hear musi
cians selling cars and clothes.
However, to quote producer Steve
Albini: "Indie credibility doesn't buy
groceries." Most indie musicians have
day jobs to support themselves. Even
those signed to bigger labels have
trouble scraping by. The music busi
ness isn't run by people who genuine
ly love music; they genuinely love
money. And they'll exploit who they
have to in order to make it.
If a band decides they'd like to
Turn to SCHUMACHER, page 11
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organically grown produce • organic beer & wine
organic bulk foods * vitamins & supplements
organic herbs & spices • special orders / case discounts
natural body care products • locally owned & operated
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Now Hear This 2003-04
OFAM
MUT°o
nn i ss
www ofam.org
(ISLKR&ffl)
lorn Fest
Friday, Oct. 3
Saturday, Oct. 4
3 Classical 7:30 pm
ct. 4 Cobra 2:30 pm
Masada 7:30 pm
Masada Tix: 682-5000
Other TiX: 687-6526