Cedars, April 27, 2006

Thursday, April 27, 2006 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 6 | C EDARS Demerits Release Road Trip Cedarville’s one and only Irish folk band, the curiously named Demerits, played to a full house in the Hive after sunset on St. Patrick’s Day. The moni- ker “Demerits” is puzzling because most dictionaries define a demerit as “a mark for deficiency,” but the on March 17 the Demerits once again proved themselves very proficient at their art—namely, the art of beguiling nor- mally prim college students into clap- ping their hands red and linking arms with a friend in acts of square dancing rarely displayed in public. But no one ever said the Irish don’t know how to break it down. The Demerits kicked off their re- lease party with a rousing reel featuring both of the night’s dancers—soft-slip- pered Melanie Frageorgia and clogger Lauren Denius. They sat near the stage and rose to dance in front of the band when they felt the urge. Since the Demerits were playing to promote their new CD Road Trip , they mostly stuck to performing pieces from that album. During a break, the band’s frontman, Dr. John Mortensen, ex- plained the two reasons for naming the CD Road Trip . First, Road Trip ’s pieces are a combination of traditional Irish tunes and American folk melodies, and Road Trip stands for the musical jour- ney between the two closely-related styles. Dr. Mortensen cited as the other cause for the CD’s title the anticipated graduation and departure of band mem- bers Rachel Talbott and Chris Brubaker as they go on their own personal jour- neys in May. Thanks to the amalgamation of Irish and bluegrass music, the night’s tunes were a mish- mash of spicy vari- ety. Each piece performed was a blend of several other tunes, often beginning with Irish melodies and ending with rough-and-tumble American favorites like “Turkey in the Straw.” Some of the pieces, like “The Floating Crowbar” (a medley of piraty Irish reels), “Another Jig Will Do,” “Slip and Slide,” “Cranky Breakfast Monster,” and “The World’s End” (featuring American folk staples like “Old Joe Clark” and “Arkansas Traveler”) were as quick and lively and unruly as any red-blooded Irishman. Such boisterous jigs as these invari- ably provoked the audience into a fit of hand slapping and boot stomping, with the grace of Frageorgia’s dancing and the jaw-dropping high kicks and con- tagious percussive clicks of Denius’ hard heels capping off each piece at the climax. Enthusiastic and elfin, Dr. Mortensen usually set the standard for rowdy, jumping out of his seat on one tune to perform the Charleston Knee Knock and a quick spin with the flut- ist before returning to his instrument. Even while seated he often ended up pumping both legs up and down in a fierce effort to produce especially loud foot-stomps. Other pieces called for more subdued responses. These were slower, achingly beautiful tunes like “North Star” and “Crested Hen.” After the show, Dr. Mortensen said he felt pleased with their performance. “It was funkaliscious,” he declared, dabbing the sweat from his face. He admitted that the loss of Talbott and Brubaker renders the Demerits’ future uncertain, but added that he was always on the lookout for “talented virtuosos who want to play in the Irish style. And who can play fast as heck.” The Demerits, a group founded by Dr.Mortensen in 2003, consists of Chris Brubaker on guitar, Linda Mortensen on flute and recorder, Rachel Talbott and Heather Hennessey on the violin, and of course, Dr. Mortensen, who plays accordion, various whistles, and Uilleann pipes. Road Trip is on sale for $15. Their St. Patrick’s Day perfor- mance had us raising our cups of frozen green tea in approval, so it is probably safe to say that Road Trip will satisfy anyone with an appreciation for Irish or American folk music. · Whitney Miller · Contributing Writer Infusion Highlights Talent Spontaneity and good humor abounded on Tuesday, April 11, when the Hive once again hosted the monthly “Infusion,” showcasing the talents of Liz Pesce, Gabriel Coyle, and Phillip Hundley, with Mark Urman running the sound equipment. The evening opened with Liz Pesce on piano. Liz played two songs by Jewel, as well as an original entitled “How Would I Know.” Liz’s singing and playing were beautiful as usual, in spite of her busy schedule as she pre- pares to graduate. Following Liz, Gabe and Phillip took the stage with a series of guitar pieces. Their selection ranged from popular worship songs to several by John Mayer to some originals. They concluded with a fun burst of audience participation for the chorus of “You’re Already There.” In addition to the scheduled per- formers, several impromptu guest per- formers took the stage. Seth Gibson took the piano and treated the audience to some classic Elton John. Following that, Colby Taylor played an original of his own. Then Colby joined Gabe and Phillip for the song “Yearn,” and the trio spontaneously formed a band, call- ing themselves “Colby and the Mon- terey Jacks.” Phillip Hundley said of the evening, “It was a fun night, relaxed and excit- ing at some times. Gabe and I just have fun playing around and using our tal- ents for God. I hope we gave people some entertainment.” Gabriel Coyle added, “It was a good mixture of relax- ation and excitement.” · Tammy Fitzgerald · Contributing Writer The Underground and The Lonely Hearts Play Charity Relief in Wake of Katrina On Saturday April 29, The Under- ground will put on its most prodigious and enriching show for the Cedarville University community in Alford Au- ditorium, as it brings in the help of alt-rock and neo-Americana act The Lonely Hearts. Also playing are Ce- darville University’s own The Retail Age and SuperCede, both of which have demonstrated their talent in pre- vious Underground events. Adding to the eclectic atmosphere of the show, CU sophomore John Hawkins will be reading his own poetry between sets. The concert’s proceeds will go to the Katrina Relief fund. For the last three semesters, The Underground, Cedarville University’s campus band organization, has been promoting campus band talent by putting on shows in Alford Audito- rium and Joe’s Java. Kerry Hand, The Underground’s executive officer, or “chief,” said in regard to the upcoming event, “I’m excited about where we are as an organization, the things we’ve been able to accomplish so far, and what we’ve got planned for the future. I’m excited about the new elements we’re adding to this show in particular –bringing in an outside band, incorpo- rating spoken word, and using music to support a cause. I’m hoping all of that and more will continue to happen as we develop as an organization and branch out into new things.” The Lonely Hearts have a history in the Christian music industry under their former name Holland. Integrat- ing a fresh new sound and adding new members inspired the group to change their name and start anew. This deci- sion led to a critically acclaimed debut album Paper Tapes , released in early April. Their name, homage to the clas- sic Beatles album Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band , signifies the band’s likeness to the Fab Four, as well as their respect for their artistry. While The Lonely Hearts may have a familiar sound, they are far from ge- neric and showcase strong songwriting and an overall tight sound while incor- porating some elements of alt country. The Underground is proud to bring in a band of their stature, as Kerry Hand notes, “We’re starting to think bigger, and I’m glad we could start by book- ing a band with the talent and history of The Lonely Hearts.” While the show will likely be a mu- sically memorable one for the campus, let us not forget its main purpose: to help the people hurting from the devas- tation that Hurricane Katrina left. The show will be on Saturday, April 29 at 7:00 p.m., doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets will be $5 in advance and $6 at the door. · John Durkee · Staff Writer “ Road Trip ’s pieces are a combination of traditional Irish tunes and American folk melodies, and Road Trip stands for the musical journey between the two closely-related styles. A Sit-Down With Eric Paul Shaffer · Mark Swan · Contributing Writer Last Monday, published poet Eric Paul Shaffer visited Beans ’N Cream and shared some ideas about writing, ex- changed friendly conversation, and of course imbibed some java brew. Hailing from Hawaii, the golden-brown Shaffer was adorned in a colorful Hawaiian shirt and possessed the per- sonality of one used to seeing the sun every day. Six students and two professors showed up for the question-and-answer period, which mostly featured Shaffer discussing his phi- losophy on writing. He offered many useful tidbits for any aspiring writer, saying that “writing is a job” that one must commit to. Shaf- fer made sure to clarify that “writing doesn’t come by inspi- ration,” and that anyone who is serious about writing “must put [their] time in every day.” Shaffer also offered some commentary on what it means to be a “poet.” He sagely stated that “culture tells us poets are disconnected from reality…but I think the poet is the ul- timate observer.” He assured young writers who were worried about writ- ers’ block by telling them, “whatever is in you is going to come out, but you have to work at it.” He also advised that young writers should not be afraid of putting anything down on paper. While acknowledging that “you’re risking yourself every time you write,” Shaffer insisted that the only way to write anything good is to persist through all failures. As evidence, Shaffer quoted some of his own failures, stating that “I throw away at least 70 percent of what I actu- ally draft,” and “the trashcan is my best editorial device.” Shaffer continually reiterated his belief that “writing is a grueling process,” but a process that is necessary for literary beauty. When asked who some of his favorite authors were, Shaf- fer immediately admitted that he “tends to be unabashedly a proponent of clarity,” and went on to list David Foster Wal- lace, Michael Mcclure, Annie Dillard, and Kurt Vonnegut as some of his favorite internationally known writers. He also listed Sarah Backer, Lauren Eisley, and Lew Welch as his fa- vorite writers in Hawaii, naming Welch as his “favorite poet of all time.” Overall, Shaffer was very happy and ready to answer any questions by students or professors, and he exuded a friendli- ness and intelligence that would certainly appeal to the av- erage Cedarville student and the common up-and-coming young writer who is looking for practical tips on how to write better. One hopes that the appearance of a published poet on campus will open the doors for other artists to speak and dis- play their art here in Cedarville. JOHN HUDSON | CEDARS