Whats-Happening: Page 515

The Original Birdman

An interview with Sesame Street puppeteer Caroll Spinney, the man behind Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch

Culture

Like so many of us, I grew up on Sesame Street, that magical Manhattan block where fuzzy puppets and real people cooperate and collaborate and teach the ABCs of life. Seated before the television in my pajamas, laughing at Ernie’s antics and wondering what it was like inside Oscar’s garbage can, I was gifted the rudiments of an education that was at once practical and deeply moral. Big Bird still breaks my heart. Oscar still makes me giggle. Continue reading →

Pacific Trimmings

Film

Festival season is upon us. No, nix that. In 2015, festival season is always upon us. Seemingly every cultural niche carves out at least four days to celebrate its existence with exorbitant ticket prices, overpriced beer, flower crowns and Honey Buckets. The ever-looping circuit has led to a new phenomenon: festival fatigue.  Sometimes, it’s just easier and cheaper to stay home.  Continue reading →

Four Dead in Ohio

Film

On May 4, 1970, the Ohio governor called a regiment of the National Guard onto the campus of Kent State University. The troops then opened fire on a crowd of unarmed civilians — mostly students protesters — killing four and injuring nine more, including one man who was paralyzed for life. It bears repeating: U.S. troops fired 67 rounds into a crowd of U.S. citizens exercising their right to peaceably assemble. Continue reading →

Acoustic Electronica

Dan Deacon

Music
Dan Deacon

Baltimore electronic composer Dan Deacon is shaping up to be far more than the avant-garde party-guy flavor of the week he seemed destined to be when he smashed onto college-radio charts with 2007’s Spiderman of the Rings. Fast-forward five years to the critically acclaimed and orchestrally driven America, and Deacon seemed poised to become some kind of indie-electronica Philip Glass. Enter 2015’s Gliss Riffer. Continue reading →

Punk’s Light and Dark

The Ghost Ease The

Music
The Ghost Ease The

Pacific Northwest post-punk trio The Ghost Ease rides a fine line between raw, quiet-loud-quiet indie rock and brooding darkwave.  “I find dark-edged music to be emotionally charged, alive and very real to the human experience,” says Jem Marie, vocalist, guitarist and bandleader.  Marie’s voice is gentle, and her sound hints of the Deal sisters’ crisp and brittle guitar work and percussion that is equal parts restrained and electric. Continue reading →

The Red Tide

Lane United kicks off the 2015 season with new players and a growing fan base

Sports
Lane United’s Rolando Velazquez in May 2014. Photo: John D. Sperry.

When Lane United soccer club returns to Willamalane Center to kick off their sophomore season with an exhibition game on May 8, expect the team to build off the momentum they created in 2014. During the inaugural season for Lane’s local soccer club last year, the team secured a home venue at Willamalane, a title sponsor with Oakshire Brewing, a developing fan base as well as a devoted supporter’s group in the Red Aces.  Continue reading →

Beer Steward Aaron Brussat and Party Downtown pair up with local food and Belgian beers

ChowDrink

We have some great locally grown food here in the Willamette valley. Paired with some top notch innovative chefs and a thriving fermentation culture it an exciting time to be a food lover in Eugene. Here is a look at a fantastic dinner that took place Monday at Party Downtown with wonderful German and Belgian beer chosen by Beer Steward and friendly Bier Stein bottle librarian Aaron Brussat. Continue reading →

The Restless and the Young

Film

If 2013’s Frances Ha seemed a little nicer than writer-director Noah Baumbach’s usual fare — fewer pointed observations, more gentleness toward his characters, no matter how self-deluded — While We’re Young is a trip back to slightly rougher territory (though not quite as rough as Greenberg). Sly and self-aware, Baumbach is a deeply fair storyteller, giving his characters room to hang themselves and room to get their shit together all at once.  Continue reading →