Month: February 2016

A unique venue and multiple artists are some of the things you can look forward to if you attend Dixie Fest 2016.

The concert changed venues from year to year, but the event will return to the old airport March 18. The headlining act will be hip-hop artist Kid Ink, with additional performances from local hip-hop dance crew Kalamity, and disc jockey Marcus Wing.

Sarah Ramaker, a senior dance major from Midland, Michigan, and Dixie State University Student Association vice president of student life, said she and other members of DSUSA are excited for the concert because it is different from other concerts in the area.

“Dixie Fest is unique because of the venue, the timing, and the artist,” Ramaker said. “Being up at the old airport above the city is so exhilarating.”

Planning for Dixie Fest 2016 began last summer, Ramaker said. After narrowing it down to a few artists DSUSA felt the students would love, Ramaker said they sampled a diverse population of the student body and some community members for more feedback.

Ramaker said that DSUSA can not officially confirm that the new mascot will be announced at the concert.

Patrick O’Boyle, a sophomore theater major from Pasadena, California, said he hopes Dixie Fest will have more of a festival feel with multiple groups performing and food trucks.

“I remember seeing awesome artists like Yellowcard, Andy Grammer, Macklemore and American Authors come to Dixie,” O’Boyle said. “I think Kid Ink will be an awesome artist for the event.”

Even Stevens, a local sandwich shop, will be sponsoring the event. According to their website, the restaurant was originally founded in Salt Lake City, and is known for donating food and donations to nonprofits. Ramaker said there are no plans for other food trucks to attend the event.

McKenzie Dunford, a freshman art major from Herriman, said although there have been two hip-hop groups in a row, DSUSA has done a good job of mixing up the genres of visiting artists.

“Everyone says that it’s a lot of fun and worth the money,” Dunford said.

The Dixie Fest tradition began in 2013 with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis as headliners. Although community members spoke out about the rowdy nature of the concert, DSUSA has continued to invite an artist to perform at Dixie Fest every year since then.

Tickets for Dixie Fest are being sold for $20 at the bookstore and online at SmithsTix.com.

The annual Mr. Dixie pageant has a twist: The winner will have a chance to represent Dixie State University in a big way this year. 

Mr. Dixie 2016 is Cajun Syrett, a junior integrated studies major from Bryce Canyon City. The second runner-up was Patrick O’Boyle, a sophomore theater major from Pacadena, California, and runner-up was Ashton Vandermyde, a senior finance major from West Jordan. 

All three are members of Raging Red, and Vandermyde said this win is a tribute to their skills as performers.  

The Gardner Student Center filled with students and the contestants’ families eager to see the show. Miss Dixie 2016, Sarah Wulfenstein, a junior business major from Pahrump, Nevada, and the reigning Mr. Dixie, Matt Devore, a senior integrated studies major from Mesquite, Nevada, and student body president, commentated the event and introduced the 11 contestants. Mr. Dixie is infamous for being a spoof of the typical formality of female beauty pageants, but the stakes were higher this year.

Syrett said he is excited to compete at Mr. Utah, held at Utah Valley University, in March. He said the pressure of the opportunity to compete for Mr. Utah didn’t stress him out but definitely added to the excitement.

“There was a lot more preparation I put into it this year because there was something more than just Mr. Dixie,” O’Boyle said.  

Vandermyde said while he felt there is less pressure in the Mr. Dixie pageant than in female pageants, he still felt pressure to do well, especially in the talent round.

“I was just excited to get out and perform,” Vandermyde said. “It was just a bonus that I got first runner-up.”

Syrett attributes his win at Mr. Dixie to his performance in the talent round, which was a dance routine to Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies.” He plans to bring this talent to Mr. Utah 

“Thank goodness my mom blessed me with a good dancing gene,” Syrett said. “These hips do not lie.” 

The added possibility of competing in Mr. Utah made the Mr. Dixie contestants more competitive. 

“It just makes them want it a bit more,” Wulfenstein said. 

Devore said the exposure Mr. Utah could bring to DSU is a great opportunity, not just to get DSU’s name out.

“It can tie … together all the institutions in the Utah school system,” he said.

If Syrett wins Mr. Utah, Devore said it would be a great way to remind other universities, “Dixie can bring it.”

Wulfenstein said she doesn’t expect Mr. Utah to be as formal as Miss Utah. She said she thinks it will be more of a funny event, like Mr. Dixie is, but that’s a good thing. 

“I think it makes it more fun of a show when the guys are just being their goofy selves,” she said.

Syrett said he does get nervous thinking about the onstage questions and the platforms, which could be more serious on a state level.

He doesn’t want to be overconfident, but Syrett said he thinks he may have a shot against Utah’s other collegiate institutions.

“Those other schools don’t know what’s coming, so they better watch out,” Wulfenstein said.

Contestants dance in the Mr. Dixie competition Feb. 24. The winner of Mr. Dixie will have the opportunity to compete in the Mr. Utah Pageant this month. Photo by Alexis Winward. 

 

If you’re in for a laugh or a good story and some mystery, both “New Girl” and “White Collar” are awesome to watch, so grab a blanket and some snacks and get ready to binge.

“New Girl”

A word often associated with Zooey Deschanel is “quirky,” and in “New Girl” her character, Jess, is just that. Jessica Day, an elementary school teacher, has just been cheated on by her boyfriend of four years. With nowhere else to go, she looks to the Internet where she answers an ad for a new roommate. She moves into a loft apartment with three single guys: Nick Miller, Schmidt and Winston Bishop. Miller is a law school dropout, Schmidt is a glamorous man, and Winston is an former professional basketball player in Latvia.

Day is trying to be a part of the gang. She runs around getting involved in her roommates’ love lives, often causing more havoc than being helpful. Her best friend and model Cece Parekh is trying to keep Day and her meddling in check.

This show makes me feel better about my life. These roommates don’t have their lives put together and neither do I. They certainty don’t have anything figured out, and they’re 30, but, while watching them, I know if I am that old and still don’t have it all together, I can have fun anyway.

This fun-loving comedy is a great laugh. Day is always up to something that is sure to turn out differently than she expects and often backfires in some way. At the end of the day, her new roommates are there to help her out and make her feel better about her life. They love the quirky new girl, even if they are hesitant to be sensitive enough to admit it.

“White Collar”

Neal Caffrey is a suave con artist fond of the finer things in life like beautiful women and fine art. Caffrey made a deal with FBI agent Peter Burke to be let out of prison in order to help Burke as a criminal informant. Together, Burke and Caffrey prove that in order to catch the craftiest of criminals, you must hire the best of the business. 

Caffrey, played by the handsome Matt Bomer, is a charming art forger. With the help of his best friend, Mozzie, Caffrey is always getting into trouble, tempted by the thrill of a new con. Even though Caffrey is always pushing the buttons of his FBI handler, they develop a father-and-son like bond.  

This crime show is unlike others because it isn’t all about the cases. The new ways they solve the cases every time is interesting and exciting. There is a new con and a little love story and drama to accompany the elaborate puzzles and close encounters. With a con artist eager to test his boundaries and able to talk his way out of every situation, or at least most of them, there is never a dull moment.

Of course, Matt Bomer is a pretty face to look at which is always a plus when you’re watching a good show. There are a few good-looking women as well. All seasons of this show are on Netflix, so you don’t have to wait for further episodes to be available. You can watch it all the way through, and you won’t be disappointed by the ending.

            

            

There was much speculation of who exactly Pablo was after Kanye West changed the title of his seventh studio album for the fourth time. 

It could’ve been Pablo Picasso, Pablo Escobar, or maybe even Pablo Sanchez (you know, from the Backyard Sports series).

West finally delivered Feb. 14 after many false promises of his album’s release date, and everyone in the world stopped to listen together.

On his Twitter, Kanye initially drew the parallel that Pablo refers to the Apostle St. Paul, and West sees himself as some sort of a messenger for our generation. With this (along with many other tweets), people immediately started to think West had completely lost his noggin, and he was crazy in the head. Even myself, being the West fan that I am, began to think the same. I was extremely skeptical of what in the world the direction and sound of this album was going to be. 

With so many pushbacks and last minute additions, I thought this was another rushed job like West’s “Yeezus,” and it was going to be another underwhelming project.

I couldn’t have been any more wrong.

Despite the less than impressive packaging and presentation of the album, the music itself is superb. The album starts with “Ultralight Beam,” a song that truly emphasizes West’s desire to make this a gospel album.

A lush choir and tremendous production, a common theme with all of West’s projects, really carries this song to its peak. It also features a spectacular verse from fellow Chicago MC Chance the Rapper, and he steals the show on this song.

For the second track, “Father Stretch My Hands,” is broken up into two parts. The first, featuring Kid Cudi, has a triumph theme to it where West exclaims in his autotuned voice, “I just want to be liberated.” From there, we have a transition to a heavily trap-influenced part two, which features new G.O.O.D music signee Desiigner where he boasts about having broads in Atlanta and having a white BMW X6 that resembles a panda. Both parts are equally solid and give a strong start to the album.

Some more highlights of this album come in the form of songs such as “Feedback,” which is more reminiscent of “Yeezus” but sounds extremely more polished. “Waves,” another triumphant-sounding theme, is probably the standout song of this album production-wise. If the Sistine Chapel of Rome was accompanied with audio, it would probably be the song “Waves.”

Moving down the tracklist, we have songs such as “Real Friends,” which was featured in a previous Tunesday, “Wolves,” a dark track compared to the rest of the album featuring a feature from the elusive Frank Ocean (we’re still waiting, Frank) and “30 Hours,” which is my personal favorite. The production of “30 Hours” is simplistic yet so full and fitting, allowing West to just be West without any kind of compromise.

Wrapping up the album, we have three songs that are more fun, so to say. They don’t really fit into the cohesiveness of the album, but they’re absolutely appreciated regardless. “No More Parties in LA,” which features Kendrick Lamar, has both rappers spit extended verses with their experiences of dealing with women, but it’s in a lighthearted manner.

In addition, we have “FACTS” that got a complete face lift courtesy of Charlie Heat. Originally, this song was heavily compared to a watered-down version of the song “Jumpman” by Future and Drake off their joint album titled “What A Time To Be Alive.” However, this revamp definitely sets it apart and gives the track a fierce sting.

Lastly, we have “Fade,” which features a synth bass line and a drum rhythm that reminds me of the kind of song that would be played in an underground club where all the lights are red. Everyone’s cramped and packed together, but no one really cares. They’re just slaves to the rhythm of the beat — almost like zombies. Everything is moving in slow motion, and you just find yourself in the middle of it all. 

Stand out tracks: “Ultralight Beam,” “Father Stretch My Hands Pt. 1 & 2,” “Waves” and “30 Hours.”