CornellWatch

When I attended the first Kitsch meeting of the Fall 2011 Semester I learned about the Ithaca Freeskool, a nonprofit volunteer community school inspired by similar getups in Santa Cruz, California. The conversation below was with volunteer Lily Gershon.

Shea: When did Ithaca Freeskool start?

Lily: Our earliest calendar is from 2007. Dirk Trachy and another early organizer had visited Santa Cruz California and seen their Freeskool in action. When they returned to Ithaca they started their own version here.

Shea: What is its main mission?

Lily: Freeskool is a grassroots, not for profit, all volunteer community building initiative that creates spaces where people teach and attend classes with one another without cost. Primarily, but not exclusively, geared towards adults, anyone can teach and anyone can attend. Freeskool fosters ties between people and provides access to skills and knowledge in an informal and empowering setting.

Shea: Tell me some logistics: cost of running the program, things the organization does to promote, etc.

Lily: We have three semesters a year. Each semester we need some money for printing, maybe 300 calendars at 10 cents each and the paper, maybe $20. Each semester we put up flyers, write press releases, email our mailing list and update our website and Facebook. We also just spread the word by telling people.

No one gets paid. Sometimes when we have money from grants or donations we make videos, buttons, and purchase snacks for social events.

Shea: Who are the staff members?

Lily: We don’t exactly have a “staff”, more like volunteers. They are me, Mckenzie Jones-Rounds, Dirk Trachy, Greg Rothman, Marina Gershon, Shira Golding and Ari Moore.

Shea: What are some of your favorite classes taught in the past?

Lily: Breakdancing, Capoiera, Mushroom Walk, Origami Night, Queer Erotica Writing Group, Bike Mechanics, Traditional and Experimental Animation, Improv class, DIY Movie Making.

Shea: For anyone just learning what Ithaca Freeskool is, what would you tell them?

Lily: Ithaca Freeskool is a group of people who organize free classes in and for the community. The classes are taught by anyone who has an interest in sharing their knowledge and skills. The classes are informal, held often in people’s homes, or public spaces. Anyone can attend. It’s a great way to discuss issues in a community and explore the kinds of things people are most currently interested in. And it’s an alternative to main stream education which often lacks flexibility and can be very costly. It’s a lot of fun participating in something that changes every semester, and brings in all the diverse interests of a community.

Questions about classes? Visit their website at ithacafreeskool.wordpress.com or e-mail the “staff” at ithaca_freeskool@riseup.net

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That’s right, kids. There’s a new website called ThePartyFund.com, and they will give you 100 free dollars to throw the low-budget party of your dreams. Sort of. There are some strings, of course. Read the rest of this entry »

On May 9th 2011, YouTube announced their next step “to bring more of the videos you love”: Meet YouTube Movies, where you can rent movies online or watch select movies for free on YouTube.

It’s an interesting new way to watch movies, but is currently struggling. Out of all the movies available, most of them are washed up titles that no other service wants. It’s a graveyard of dead flicks; it’s Turd Cinema; But, let’s give YouTube Movies a second chance in a year.

But amongst the garbage of titles such as “Kill The Irishman” and “The Final Cut” with Robbin Williams are some gems. The anime movie “Dead Leaves” is the “Burn: Cycle” to the Sega CD-i of YouTube Movies.

I won’t spoil the plot but this anime features a main character with a TV for a head, a disgruntled society of clones, and a horribly dirty style. It’s like Sin City on crack.

I watched this raunchy anime several years prior to its arrival on YouTube Movies and was surprised to find the full length feature made the cut. “Dead Leaves” is definitely something to check out if you ever find yourself pursuing the dusty shelves of YouTube Movies.

Jamie Stewart rocks The Haunt (photo taken by Shea Lynch)

Xiu Xiu plays The Haunt with Hedgehog and Kindest Lines on September 15, 2011. A delight to the senses and the crouch, this musical line-up makes for an orgasm of the senses.

Opener Hedgehog, from China, smashes their way onstage with simplistic drums and crunchy guitar noise. Member Fun rocks a summer time bass line with punk attitude and the experimental grungy guitarist and vocalist ZO, hiding behind his urban bangs, delivers a unique guitar sound and noise exploration. Cutting in between ear splitting solo expressions and poppy guitar riffs, ZO keeps the audience tuned. Drummer Atom has a simplistic drum set up featuring emotional solo outbursts and she compliments the “beachy” sound of the bass and the teenage angst of the guitar. Together, Hedgehog forms a very unique garage band feel with modern influences and clean beats. Check them out at their website: hedgehogrock.com.

Next to rape the stage is New Orleans native Kindest Lines, led by Brittany Terry, Jack Champagne, and Justin Blaire Vial: a depressive, melodic medley of young confusion, keyboards, and hopes and dreams. Guitarist Champagne dives straight into a loud punch in the face with his guitar, juxtaposing with thick bass and electronic 80s drum machine mix-ups by Blaire Vial. Champagne cools down, playing single notes that highlight the ups and downs of the emotional roller coaster that is Kindest Lines. This all comes together to form a very dark 80s styled, disco infiltrated, and Cyndi Lauper-esque vocalized production. Check their music out on MySpace: myspace.com/kindestlines.

Anticipation boils over and you just want to scream, waiting for the Xiu Xiu frontman Jamie Stewart to come on stage. The two new Xiu Xiu appendages for 2011 are Zac Pennington of Parenthetical Girls and Sam Mickens of The Dead Science, who awkwardly set the stage, slowly and meticulously straightening poles and wires. Finally, at the cusp of insanity, Jamie Stewart approaches with a cup of what can be inferred as water, the other a punchy alcoholic drink that he sips after every song.

Rummaging through plastic bins and tampering with the drum machine, the trio finally begin their onslaught. The drum machine sets the tone for each song and Stewart journeys through the notes on his guitar, producing very unique and modern riffs. Pennington plays various instruments including keyboards, a snare drum, gongs, gourds, and various noise making toys. Mickens alternates with Pennington on playing the “elementary school” instruments, but mainly remains as guitarist alongside Stewart.

Xiu Xiu makes for a very unique concert because the sound is unlike most. There are waves of emotion present in each stanza and the technology used almost feels as though it is punishing Stewart, as it heightens and goes into a frenzy against Stewart’s vocals. This is an experimental band that not only pushes the boundaries of musical rules, but pushes the boundaries of what audiences are subjected to. Xiu Xiu is reminiscent of the No Wave movement in New York City in the 1970s, very unorganized yet structured based on movement and emotion. Sometimes songs completely lose their structure at the end, some remain fluent throughout, but all songs molest your senses into experiencing something new.

Stewart sounds like Morrissey with a bit more pain. The lyrics are a homosexual and political orgasm of pain and youthful innocence: “A cord my leather daddy dancing very near like a sweetheart would, hurting my butt hole like a sweetheart would,” from “Walnut House” on the record A Promise. These lyrics are often hidden underneath layers of technological mayhem perhaps in a way to shield from the painful stings of words or a hard reflection of Stewart on his own life and perhaps a hesitation to fully reveal himself.

Xiu Xiu is a native of San Jose, California and has been together since 2002, with their first LP entitled Knife Play. They have shuffled through various members, originally a collaboration with Cory McCulloch and aided by friends Lauren Andrews and Yvonne Chen. Their latest album entitled Dear God, I Hate Myself is available on iTunes, along with most of their other works. Visit their website and check out what socks Stewart was wearing in Ithaca: xiuxiu.org.

A rare pair of clothed celebrators. Photo by M. Fleury

At 12:15 AM, Collegetown erupted in celebration as a result of President Obama’s 11:35 PM official announcement that Osama bin Laden had been killed. One can assume that the delay was due to the rioters’ dearth of American flags, though a representative from Wal-Mart confirmed that the Ithaca location had not sold “any more than usual.”

Various shirtless young men were still parading around Collegetown as late as 1 AM, undeterred by the closure of Rulloff’s and Johnny O’s. Said Todd French ‘12, who was sporting an American flag tied around his neck, “It’s really important that we’re out here, you know, celebrating America.” His companion, Rob Greenwald ‘10, added, “I was gonna stay inside, but this is like…a historic moment here. So I felt drawn to it.”

Several were arrested on the grounds of drunk and disorderly conduct. As pickup trucks with boxer-clad, flag-waving men drove by, honking madly, bottle rockets exploded and groups urged passers-by to join them in singing the national anthem. One young man, asked how his shouting, “America! Fuck yeah!” would help the troops, screamed, “I AM THE TROOPS!” Then he ran into the night, presumably to join the “rager” in the 300 block of College Ave.

Hitler reacts to the announcement that Nelly is coming to Slope Day instead of Justin Bieber. Don’t worry, Adolf, with the money that Cornell’s charging in the tuition hikes, maybe next year we can afford Rebecca Black.

Points off for the forcible touching dig, but otherwise, this was friggin’ hilarious. Nice work, “BigRedBearz.”

Each April, music lovers, fun lovers and well… love lovers alike flock to the desert of Southern California to bask in the glory of the Coachella music festival.  The stories that festival goers write (or email, or blog or tweet #eraoftheinternet) home are usually along the lines of “WOW- Justin Vernon’s two guest performances!” or  ”rubbing shoulders with Paul McCartney at Afrojak”.  I’m going to argue that those who know how to be real voyeurs of Coachella do not focus on the celebrities (maybe this claim stems from a place of jealousy of those who did actually get to rub shoulders with my aforementioned idol) but rather on the attention-seeking underdogs.

Of course Katy Perry is in the roped off area at Chromeo, that’s a given, I realized that watching the other crazies who don’t have a guaranteed paparazzi is a lot more fun.  Those looking to launch their careers as outrageous personalities, or the few who genuinely are as bizarre as they look, all intermingle and make for the most fantastic people watching.  Allow me to share with you my two favorites.

Exhibit A:

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Photo credit: Nate Treffeisen

One Cornell junior, in a great feat of maximum conspicuousness, has been garnering a lot of attention these days by walking around Ho Plaza and Olin and Uris Libraries in a bright yellow body suit, cheerfully addressing passerby with an unbeatably sexy British accent. Today, Kitsch was able to catch him right outside Olin Library and learn more about this mysterious Cornell persona.

Gold Boy, as this otherwise nameless 21 year old Cornell junior refers to himself, has been on a quest to bring some more cheer to the Cornell student body. To achieve this, he’s been donning his bright yellow body suit on most Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays for the last few weeks and greeting students at some of the most high traffic places on campus.

He thought of the idea when he realized that student morale could use a boost during this time of year. “It came to me on a rainy day sort-of-thing,” said Gold Boy, who chose the bright yellow color because of its association with sunshine and happiness. Read the rest of this entry »

While flyering for Kitsch Burlesque Poetry night (shameless self-promotion), I came across this comedic gem of a poster at Trillium Express amidst all the usual junk for countless acapella groups and speakers that specialize in branches of science that you didn’t even know existed. Apparently this freshman didn’t get enough action over spring break and is desperate enough to tell the world about it. Obviously everyone likes playing mini-golf, but how did he know the best way to get someone’s heart pumping is with a big heaping portion of leafy vegetables that stain everything they touch?

Of course, I had to text the number out of sheer curiosity and boredom, just to see if the person that made this blatantly joking flyer had the balls to put down a real cell number. It was disappointingly a landline. No matter what pleasure I could get out of torturing a freshman for what was probably a pledge gag, I was not willing to call a house number and have to explain to Grandma Suzie why I wanted her to flex her muscles.