3A — Friday, November 2, 2018
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
By Ed Sessa
©2018 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
11/02/18
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
11/02/18
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
Release Date: Friday, November 2, 2018
ACROSS
1 Service calls
6 Emotionally
bother
11 Sonic the
Hedgehog maker
15 Miller’s salesman
16 Audibly awed
17 Dirt handful
18 Commonly bristly
covering
21 “Settle down!”
22 Watch name
23 Black shade
26 Positive aspects
27 Make the cut?
29 Christmas
celebration
32 Sock part
33 Innate abilities
34 Ginsburg
colleague
36 With 37-Across,
an apt reminder
37 See 36-Across
39 Pile
43 Off the plate
46 Mooch
48 SHO sister
channel
51 Last-minute
deadline
54 Whaling weapon
56 Narrow inlets
57 Friend of Frodo
58 Red flag
59 World Heritage
Site org.
61 “Things are
different now” ...
and an apt hint
to three other
answers
67 Long-billed wader
68 Like Stout’s
Wolfe
69 Former National
Endowment for
the Humanities
chair Cheney
70 Great balls of fire
71 Herd butters
72 Radiate
DOWN
1 1980s TV ET
2 Call from Mrs.
O’Leary’s barn
3 Dingo prey
4 Cop making a
traffic stop?
5 Nosy sort
6 Mustang’s rate of
speed, at times
7 Selfishness
8 Delicacy
9 Sound of
disapproval
10 Special __
11 Ponzi schemes,
e.g.
12 Firstborn
13 Like lovestruck
eyes
14 Pop-up source
19 Reasons to take
painful steps?
20 Verb in the song
“Sloop John B”
23 Mutt’s
companion
24 “First Lady of
Song”
25 Colorful duck
27 Polio vaccine
pioneer
28 TV forensic
series
30 Nasty
31 Cheese go-with
35 “Trouble ahead!”
37 “It’s __ fun”
38 Farm crawler
40 Genesis
grandson
41 Water en un lago
42 Salon offering
44 Scintillas
45 Short still?
46 Squirrel away
47 Range on which
7 denotes
neutrality
48 Strictly speaking
49 “Two and a Half
Men” beach
setting
50 Pack without an
inch to spare
52 First name of a
literary “Papa”
53 Family reunion
attendees
55 Persist, with “on”
59 Pigmented eye
area
60 Black shade
62 “Sooey!”
responder
63 Blood
classification
letters
64 Beast that
rhymes with zoo
65 Word with living
or dead
66 When doubled, a
Ramone
Being a schoolgirl is not sexy.
Trust me, I went to Catholic school
for a whopping 15 years, from the
moment I was potty-trained to the
ring of “Pomp and Circumstance”
in my ears. Before I came to the
University, I had only gone to one
school for my entire life, and barely
owned clothes for the winter,
because I had been wearing a
uniform for at least half of the year
beforehand. Plaid is in my blood
at this point. But it’s interesting to
see how the perception of Catholic
schooling plays out in the media
with a firsthand knowledge of
how it actually is in real life. It’s
a complicated thing to think
about — some of the tropes of all-
girls education are true, but gloss
over the deeper realities of that
experience. There are very few
depictions of schoolgirls in movies
and TV that actually show them
as they exist, instead sexualizing
or
emphasizing
certain
traits
that marr the truth behind those
characters beyond recognition.
That isn’t to say that we didn’t
play into it: My first year of college, at
least 10 of my 28-person graduating
class went as sexy schoolgirls for
Halloween. Now, we already had
the materials — the high school I
went to was very Catholic, all-girls
and everyone rolled the bands of
their skirts to the point that pink
slips were no longer a punishment
in their ubiquity. The point of this
was to be trendy more than sexy,
and create some control within the
rigid lines of our dress code. Despite
this, no one ever dressed up. These
skirts, however short they were,
often countered baggy sweatshirts,
giant wool blazers, messy buns
and makeupless faces. But I think
that the difference between media
portrayals of schoolgirls and their
real-life counterparts goes beyond
the length of our skirts or even
our image itself — we were mostly
trying to impress each other rather
than a male voyeur, keeping it
trendy and on par with our own
fashion senses, not to explicitly
reflect a fantasy. The interplay
between media’s expectations of us
and our expectations of each other
was complex, a relationship that
could either act as a mirror or an
example of stark contrast.
There were many layers to that
relationship, as both the media and
the people around me influenced my
perception of myself as a schoolgirl.
The disconnect there was more
abstract than I realized when it was
actually happening — while I was
never the sexy archetype depicted
in media imagery like Britney
Spears’s “Baby One More Time” or
even the conniving, manipulative
version of schoolgirlery in “Kill
Bill”’s Gogo Yubari or “Battle
Royale,” but those aspects of the
uniformed, flirty images all around
us infused a sense of self-awareness
into the way I dressed and acted. I
would often forget I was in uniform
until I got weird looks from men
on the street, and although there
were several Catholic schools
in
my
conservative,
largely
wealthy
white
neighborhood,
that hyper-observation of my
surroundings continued every time
I was in public. There was always
a consciousness in the back of my
mind about what the people around
me were thinking: Did they notice
my skirt? Did they even care?
I have heard stories, specifically
from friends who live in larger
cities, that going out into the world
in uniform is a treacherous thing
— that the catcalls only escalate,
that they feel like bait while just
trying to get to school. “Schoolgirl”
is a highly-searched term on any
internet porn website, and that’s
just the beginning. These portrayals
of uniformed teenagers are often
infantilized, but they exist among
over-adult depictions as well. The
girls that I spent every day with
weren’t anything like the extreme
versions of themselves shown in
hyper-sexualized
imagery,
but
they also weren’t like Blair Waldorf
and Serena van der Woodsen of
“Gossip Girl” legend. We didn’t go
out clubbing every weekend, didn’t
have wild trysts with teachers
or administrators, didn’t sit on
the steps of local museums and
certainly couldn’t do the kinds of
things they did with their uniforms.
The schoolgirls shown in media
like “Gossip Girl” weren’t girls;
they were women. And I certainly
wasn’t a woman when I wore that
skirt, and neither were most of my
friends and classmates.
However,
as
realism
seeps
into the media and more female
directors take their first steps with
fantastic films and TV shows,
these stereotypical images of life
in uniform are softening, taking
more realistic shape in movies
like Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird.”
When I saw the trailer for that film
initially, I was slightly skeptical
— would she do that experience
justice? Would Gerwig be able to
capture the awkwardness, the
laughter, the tears and the intense
female bonding that an all-girls
school can foster? I finally saw
the movie, and was sobbing by the
end. It was the first time that my
thoughts and feelings around life as
a schoolgirl were actually realized
on screen, without a sexual or
violent edge like I had seen in other
media before. Everything, from
the gross sweatshirts to the shitty
theatre department with a brother
school, to the sadness that comes
from a male-teacher crush in a
world full of women, was accurate
and piercingly honest to the pure
awkwardness and reality of what
being a schoolgirl really means.
We need more media like “Lady
Bird,” because I loved my life in
plaid, and it wasn’t sexy; it was just
fun and supportive, a community
that I could fall back into when the
going got tough. So the next time
you see the flash of a plaid skirt on
the street, don’t think of Britney
Spears. Think of friendship, of
laughter in hallways and the slam
of lockers as school lets out. When I
see my younger sister in uniform, it
makes me smile. Being a schoolgirl
is much more than what we look
like — it’s a way to equalize, to learn
under the same umbrella of terrible
fashion during the best and worst
years of our lives. Don’t turn it into
a whistle on the street.
Plaid skirts & white shirts
DAILY GENDER & MEDIA COLUMN
CLARA
SCOTT
Big Ticket Prod. organizes
display of rising music acts
ANNIE KLUS / DAILY
G-Men combine spectacles
of talent for annual G-Fest
A group of best friends,
heartthrobs
and
talented
singers, the Michigan G-Men
are ready to let loose and have
fun this Friday at their annual
variety show “G-Fest.” The
premier all-male a cappella
group
will
be
performing
alongside
other
University
performance groups including
Revolution
(a
performance
collective
specializing
in
Chinese
Yo-yo,
Photonix,
glowstick visual artists) and
Midnight Book Club (an improv
comedy troupe).
The G-Men have been on
campus for 24 years, and their
hard work has continued to
impress audiences. The group
commits to participating in
philanthropic
events
and
a concert tour around the
country. Rehearsing for seven
hours a week, the G-Men
are dedicated to mastering
their collaborative talent and
eclectic sound, carrying with
them an array of voice parts
and personalities. Their sets
usually
consist
of
ranging
music genres from modern pop
to experimental rock and more.
Two of their untraditional
but popular hits are “Eleanor
Rigby” and “Skinny Love.”
During their travels, the
guys have been able to share
their talent as well as meet
other students with similar
interests and experiences. “We
travel a lot and are asked to
perform at competitions and
shows,” said LSA Senior Daniel
Honet. “You get to connect
and meet all these incredible
people that you wouldn’t get to
know otherwise,” which also
reflects the embodiment of
G-Fest.
Their effort in creating a
stimulating and entertaining
performance represents the
G-Men members. Many of the
guys are not SMTD majors,
but are involved in all types of
fields and still commit time to
singing and working with the
group.
“The G-Men is where I can
relieve all the stress that I get
from academics and stuff like
that,” said G-Men President
and LSA Junior Kyle Kim.
“We’re always having a lot of
fun.”
Although
the
group
is
used to performing within a
musical, a cappella setting,
G-Fest shows its uniqueness
by bringing together various
artistic mediums. The concert
showcases a “specific niche of
Michigan culture, so it’s nice
to see them coming together
… spectacles of all kinds,” said
LSA Senior Jake Wilson.
Designing
a
mosaic
of
flavors and artists, G-Fest is
an event made for anybody to
enjoy. “G-Fest is always just a
really enthralling performance
for the people who are in the
audience because it brings
something for anyone of all
ages,” Wilson added. The event
is hosted on parents’ weekend
every
year,
so
they
can
“come and see which student
performing
groups
are
on
campus and what this campus
has to offer.”
Whether that be parents,
students
or
community
members, the audience feeds
off the performers’ energy.
Kim,
Wilson
and
Honet
emphasized the notion that
when showing up with smiles
on their faces, being goofy and
radiating how much fun they’re
having, the audience can’t
help but to party alongside
them. “The audience is so
supportive,” Honet added. “The
crowd is constantly supporting
anything happening on stage,
even if someone messes up.”
It’s evident that this is a
notable trait of the G-Men and
their familial bond.
“My favorite part about the
G-Men is just having a support
network,” Wilson said. “U of
M is a big place, so it’s nice to
have a group of people that
you know are going to be there
for you week-in and week-out,
both in person and in spirit.”
Excited to highlight their
work and the talents of other
artistic collectives, the G-Men
present “G-Fest 2018” this
Friday at Rackham Auditorium.
ERIKA SHEVCHECK
Daily Arts Writer
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
“G-Fest
2018”
Nov. 2, 2018 @
8:00 p.m.
Rackham
Auditorium
Students $7,
General $12
The enthusiasm was nearly
as tangible as the rain as
students
crowded
into
the
Hill Auditorium with their
umbrellas
Saturday
night.
Despite the Halloween scene
and festivities, there was no
denying the ardent presence
of the concert (soon to be
party)
goers
donning
their
costumes for the A R I Z O N A
concert hosted by Big Ticket
Productions. The excitement
for the opening acts were as
high — T-shirts and posters
bearing “Mikky Ekko” and
“Electric Guest” were seen
throughout the crowd. By the
looks of it, the concert was set
to be an absolute spectacle for
fans who’ve been waiting for
the recognition of these up and
coming musicians.
I’ll admit it: I couldn’t quite
grasp it at first. I came because
of a friend’s recommendation,
a tabula rasa and a skeptic to
the alternative rock genre
that
prevails
oversaturated
and
derivative across Spotify. I
couldn’t bring myself to listen
to a single track before the
show. Nonetheless, I kept an
open mind and curiosity for the
acts of the night and the type
of energy they’d exude; could it
compare to the passions of their
fans?
I tentatively sat between my
just-as-clueless friend and a
girl who screamed ecstatically
when the lights dimmed to
the entrance of Mikky Ekko.
As someone whose experience
with opening acts is a general
disinterest, I was wonderstruck
by the charisma and force
Mikky Ekko delivered. His
thunderous, synth-heavy vibe
was immersive and emotion-
packed, albeit a bit chaotic; it
felt as though it came in waves
of
percussions
and
dense,
poetic lyricism. It paired well
alongside
his
spazzed
out
dancing that carried to the
beat like an exorcism. He didn’t
just move to the beat, the beat
moved him. His voice was calm
and melodic, adding a balanced
undertone to the performance.
Ekko’s
closing
rendition
of
“Stay” by Rihanna showcased
how multifaceted his vocals are
as he shifted to a rawer tone
gainst the sparse instrumentals:
melancholic and delicate. His
moves were just as present and
emotive, as he closed his eyes
and swayed to the beat.
Following
Mikky
Ekko
was
Electric
Guest.
When
the lead singer stormed onto
the stage with a plastic mask
and animated dance moves,
my friend turned to me and
said: “How is he not lip-
syncing?”
His
falsetto
was
perfect,
energy
contagious
and his moves, though not as
grand as Ekko’s, were deft
and smooth. The lead singer
could swing from low to high
register with ease and overall
proved a stunning performer.
Though blithe and laidback,
their sound had a light, almost
nostalgic energy to it with its
sunny
instrumentation
and
varied vocals. The band had a
cool, LA-esque element to their
music that I’m usually quick to
dismiss, but their swagger and
charm was contagious. The
band’s penultimate song of the
night “Oh Devil” now holds a
prominent place in my most
recent playlist.
It was roughly two hours
into the show by the time A-
R I Z O N A finally made an
appearance.
Despite
their
labeling as the headlining act,
their performance lasted only
the final hour of the show. At
that point, the crowd notably
whittled down then flourished,
as fans of the opening acts
departed and those of the
DIANA YASSIN
For the Daily
main act packed themselves in.
Despite A R I Z O N A’s sound
having elements from those of
the opening acts, their entrance
was on a different plane. It was
a lot less energetic, more well-
paced, upbeat and, dare I say,
more conventional — it wasn’t
so much that I was unimpressed
but that their music felt a lot
more traditionally pop. That
being said, their performance
was far from lackluster as the
band could handle songs from
all across the board, from
dance jams to slower, more
poignant serenades. I will say,
I really preferred their slow
songs and the way they flowed
to their dreamy aura.
A R I Z O N A’s aesthetic
is everything you’d expect
from
a
contemporary
band
experimenting
with
’80s
synth:
a
bit
angsty,
a
bit
minimalistic,
but
very
ambitious.
There
were
snippets of lyricism
and
emotion
that
were
profound and translated well
through
the
lead
singer’s
higher vocals. There were
points
where
the
synth
felt flat and instrumentals
underdeveloped, not unlike
an incessant metronome — the
saving grace of variety for this
band was their skillful guitar
player
and
his
occasional
solos. The singer’s vocals were
also versatile for the types of
songs the band played: He was
a skillful live singer even when
dancing. And the band has a
certain magic on stage; you
can tell they’re comfortable
and in the zone, even when
they do share a laugh or two
or give one member a special,
momentary spotlight (even if
he didn’t want to speak; major
props to the lead singer).
Overall, it was a wholesome
display of togetherness many
more illustrious bands fail to
capture in their performances.
Packed
between
songs
were
mini
motivational
speeches based on the band’s
tribulations, lasting the length
of a song. Though admittedly
trite at times, the lead singer
spoke to the experience of
college students struggling to
find their place in the world.
This also went on to showcase
a willingness to connect with
the audience beyond inviting
them on stage and reaching
out for their hands during
performances, as his remarks
were based on questions he’d
ask the audience to raise their
hand to.
Despite having a similar
genre and musical elements, the
three acts had their own distinct
glimmer throughout the show.
Big Ticket Productions did a
fantastic job of organizing a
concert that allowed for each
artist to showcase their music
and unique presence. I can
definitely say that by the end of
the night, I would call myself a
fan of each performer.
CONCERT REVIEW