Back Beat

It’s OK to be a little afraid of Die Antwoord. Especially if you’ve gotten a gander at the videos for “Cookie Thumper” or “Pitbull Terrier,” tracks off 2014’s Donker Mag. We’re dealing here with some grade-A weirdos, but visionary weirdos with a global fan base (those videos respectively have 8.1 million and 90,000 views — the latter having been released five hours prior at press time). This South African punk rap-rave crew of brilliant lunatics, headed by vocalists Ninja and Yo-landi Visser, sprung from the gritty, bizarro depths of “zef,” a post-apartheid South African counterculture where mullets and bling ring true. Many have accused them of cultural appropriation, of gratuitous violence, of perverse sexuality, but the truth is, they don’t give a damn. “Music used to be about people not giving a fuck,” Visser tells Rolling Stone. “We’re taking it back there.” See for yourself 7 pm Saturday, May 24, at Cuthbert Amphitheater.

Pitch Perfect: The second annual Women’s A Cappella Festival, SheSings, returns to The Shedd May 23-24 (see Brett Campbell’s “Giving Voice”). Headliners include The Riveters and the Honey Whiskey Trio, as well as the UO’s award-winning collegiate group Divisi (they were the inspiration for the Bellas in the 2012 film Pitch Perfect).

Let the races begin! EW’s Next Big Thing contest is up and running, with entries from Edewaard, Jude The Obscure, Congratulations, The Crescendo Show, Gemini Rising and more. Submit or vote for your favorites at nextbigthingeugene.com. Submissions close July 1.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!