2008 Woodie Awards
It's been a long, windy road to Alaska for Wilco. They've been through multiple line-up changes, record label fiascos, prescription drug bouts, and a show canceling case of the chicken pox but it didn't stop them from making it to Anchorage for Moose's Tooth's 12th Anniversary Party where the only plight to overcome was rain.
Since the Student Union's art gallery has begun it's summer shows the art gallery team members have been working tirelessly to make sure everything runs smoothly with the gallery. They have set up for shows and then diligently watched over the show room every time.
In 1965 Neil Simon wrote and produced perhaps his most successful play: The Odd Couple. It ran for 966 performances, won several Tony Awards including Best Play, and was also adapted into a movie as well as a long-lived television show. It is the perfect comedic set-up: a neat-freak hypochondriac becomes roommates with a slovenly friend after both of their recent divorces.
The event known as freshman convocation always has a guest speaker come in to address UAA's new students. This year, the astrophysicist known as Neil degrasse Tyson will be brought out from his home in New York to greet the freshmen. Tyson is an accomplished scientist who hosts the PBS show "Nova science Now," and oversees the Hayden Planetarium in the American Museum of Natural History.
Bear Paw Festival 23rd annual Chalk-a-palooza The Chugiak-Eagle River campus of UAA participated in the 23rd annual Bear Paw Festival and helped host the Chalk-a-palooza, an annual side-walk chalk artistic event where people of all ages are welcome to pick up a piece of chalk and create their masterpieces on the walkways of Eagle River.
What? A fall movie preview? But "The Dark Knight" is already out and I've seen it seven times. I can die happy now! Stay your utility belts, readers. Sure, Christopher Nolan's masterpiece resulted in both critical acclaim and record-breaking box office numbers - not to mention the collective nerdgasm of every fanboy worldwide - but there are a few more films of note releasing this fall.
Think Band of Horses if they secluded themselves to cabin deep in the woods. Think Grizzly Bear but less obscure, or how about the Beach Boys but instead of surfing or chasing girls they're climbing mountains and growing beards. Somewhere in there are Fleet Foxes.
On paper, Matthew Thomas Dillon's band Windmill does not sound all that special. He's a singer-songwriter from England who plays the piano and writes songs about heartbreak. It sounds like a Coldplay or a Keane album. But in actuality it sounds more like a Flaming Lips or a Why? record ghostwritten by Elliott Smith.
Come December it will be time to sum up the year in music. One thing that will be undeniable about 2008 will be its love of the 80's. If put it to the test the 80's might rank in the polls as the worst decade as far as music goes, but despite all the cheesiness and ridiculousness (think the keytar or Flock of Seagulls) there was so much irrefutable pop genius that is often categorized in "guilty pleasures.