Mount Hood

Tips for concert etiquette

How to improve the concert experience

Mikayla Coleman | Managing Editor

Contact the author at howlmanagingeditor@wou.edu

 

Recently I attended two live shows back to back. I enjoyed both artists to the same extent, but each concert experience was distinct based upon the characters I was surrounded by. The crowd can make or break the concert experience. Use these tips to ensure that everyone has a fulfilling time seeing their favorite artists. 

 

Get to know people that are close. People are going to bump into one another. But since pushing and bumping into each other is inevitable, getting to know the people that are near can help ease the tension. Saying something before the concert starts like “I just want you to know that if I run into you, it is not deliberate and I am sorry” can be a good way to make sure that everyone nearby is on the same page. Asking where people are from, what their names are or how they feel about the performance can break the ice and make those interactions less awkward. At the second concert I attended, my friend and I were able to make friends with those who were around us and it was a major improvement. 

 

Take care of one another. The venue of the first concert was very poorly ventilated, which made the crowd an even more dangerous place to be. Attendees were passing out before the opener even played. Eventually the band asked for water bottles to be handed out to the crowd, but that does not always happen. Being aware of the state of people nearby is crucial in these types of settings. Concerts are as mentally and physically exhausting as they are incredible. When someone needs water or medical assistance, the crowd needs to alert the right authorities and make room so that person is able to get help as quickly as possible. A simple “Are you doing okay?” to check in usually does the trick. 

 

Think about the experience of others. Everyone loves to scream their favorite songs when they are being performed live. People also like to get videos of specific songs to be able to watch back later. If one is screaming louder than the performer, perhaps it is time to take a second to adjust the volume of their voice. This doesn’t mean that everyone should be quiet at all times or not enjoy themselves, but it is something to be aware of. The second concert was a better experience for me on almost all levels, except there was a person behind me who was screaming along to every song so loudly that my phone only picked up their voice instead of the actual performer, which was extremely disappointing. At the first concert, a person in front of me decided they were going to record the entirety of every single song on their phone, blocking the view of those behind us. I understand taking strategic videos so that there is something to look back on, but remember, these are live events and the whole point of going is to be able to live the experience, not see the entire thing through a phone. 

Opinion: Cancer is never the patient’s fault

It’s your fault you got cancer”: the blame game that never ends

Mirella Barrera-Betancourt | Staff Writer

Contact the author at howlstaffwriter@wou.edu

I’m sixteen years old, enjoying a fat slice of cake when my dad says, “Stop eating so much junk food. This is why you got cancer in the first place.” 

The topic of cancer brings clear images and ideas about the typical cancer patient; what they look like, how they act and how they feel. This includes the stereotypical image often depicted in the media; of a sad and bald child in a hospital gown. 

While this image may not be far from actual reality, it has widely misrepresented the day-to-day experience behind having cancer. As a result, cancer patients are left in the dust, forced to take the blows caused by this exposure of distorted ideas.

For example, when people hear the word “cancer,” one of the first things they might think of are risk factors, and what they can do to prevent them. They might say, “I can never get cancer. I eat healthy and work out.” Consequently, they begin to act as if they know what’s best for you. After all, if they can dictate their own lifestyles, why shouldn’t they have a say in ours?

When you have cancer, you suddenly become this person who deserves to die because you neglected to apply sunscreen, or because you smoke, or didn’t eat enough vegetables. 

In my case, the constant remarks became so ingrained in my mind that I eventually believed them. I blamed myself for being a picky eater and having a fast metabolism, even when such things were outside of my control. When there wasn’t anything left to blame myself for, I blamed my parents. My dad for working in agriculture and exposing me to all types of harmful chemicals; my mom for not being there for me as a child and making sure I ate. Lastly, I blamed God. 

I guess I just wanted so badly to have a definite answer for my diagnosis that I eventually began to believe everyone and everything they said. We, cancer patients and cancer survivors, want a sense of closure, so we try to find blame within anything and anyone we can think of, whether that be our parents, God or ourselves. In my case, it took years to come to terms with the fact that I may never actually receive an answer because there might not even be one: cancer can happen randomly. You can have every risk factor and never get cancer and you can have zero risk factors and still get cancer. Cancer rarely develops in predictable ways.

Before making a snide remark to a cancer patient or cancer survivor, I suggest you go online and inform yourself through some reliable sources. Know the impact your words have. Cancer patients are also human and your thoughtless comments hurt.

Campus Voices: sharing their feelings on the mask mandate lifting

Western students answer the question: “What is your raw, honest, unfiltered, opinion about the recent lifting of the mask mandate?

Gretchen Sims | Freelancer

Contact the author at gsims20@mail.wou.edu

Name: Ruth Simonsen

Class standing: sophomore

Major: psychology

Pronouns: She/her

“I like seeing people’s faces. I like knowing when I smile at them that they will smile back. I like seeing the faces of people in my clases. Of course there are still fears, but I like being able to put a face to a name and a name to a face. I feel like when you can see people’s faces and can smile at them, it is easier to be friendly. It’s just a better vibe.” 

 

Name: Makaela Calonder

Class standing: first-year

Major: pre-education

Pronouns: She/her

“Personally, I am very excited about not having to wear masks. I work at a pool, so in general — in my daily life ⏤ it is nice because it gets very hot and sweaty in the mask. Here at WOU it is nice not having to worry about not having one on me at all times. Of course I respect everyone who still chooses to wear a mask, but for me it is really nice.”

 

Name: Kamryn Bolan

Class standing: first-year

Major: business

Pronouns: She/her

“So far this year, especially as a freshman, I have felt very distant from the community of students here. Over the past two years, it’s like we have forgotten how to socialize. I think there is so much personality revealed in a person’s face, so when you cover half of it up, you have trouble connecting with the person you just met. Going into spring term with masks off has given me a new sort of motivation for going to class. It’s crazy how much seeing the teacher’s face can amplify your engagement.” 

 

Name: Sienna Painter 

Class standing: junior

Major: American Sign Language studies

Pronouns: She/they

“Throughout the pandemic, I have been very cautious through shutdowns. (I) was not going anywhere other than like the forest during the shutdown. I started wearing a mask in January of 2020 — long before everything. I already had masks because I have been wearing masks since like 2018 whenever I felt sick or whatever, so I was already really comfortable with masks to begin with. For mask mandates being lifted, right now, I am very skeptical–mainly because of Spring Break. We lifted the mask mandate in all of Oregon, California and Washington right before Spring Break — right where all of WOU students would be traveling too. That’s why I am still wearing a mask to all of my classes and will be especially more cautious over the next two weeks. Also, I am like f—–g scared of COVID because of all of the variants and waves and stuff. I have never really minded with masks, but I do think because of our (WOU’s) high vaccination rates, and WOU is a pretty small campus, and people are fairly responsible, I am fairly comfortable with other people not wearing their masks. I also have not felt pressure to take my mask off. I was afraid I would be the only person in my classes not wearing a mask, but people have been pretty chill.”

 

Name: Max Brayton 

Class standing: first-year

Major: psychology

Pronouns: They/Them

“My parents are more conservative and Republican so they have been against the masks since the beginning and it’s nice to not hear s–t from them anymore. But, you know, with them as my parents, I see different perspectives which is interesting. Although I don’t agree with them, it is nice to have that perspective. I am from southern California and even down there, they are not being as safe as we are (in Oregon). I feel more comfortable not having my mask on here because I know, at least at our school, that more than ninety percent of people are vaccinated. Everyone has been really safe and respectful. Like I feel comfortable wearing, or not wearing, my mask here. I feel like this community has been very welcoming and inclusive and I feel like it’s about time (the mask mandate was lifted). I am a little nervous though. I saw a New York Times article this morning that a new COVID wave is hitting, but I feel like as long as everyone is being safe, I like to have my mask off ⏤ you really connect to people more.”

Honoring our graduating track and field Wolves

Western track and field team hit personal bests

Mollie Herron | News Editor

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Western hosted its only home track and field meet on Friday, April 8. John Knight Twilight was the only outdoor home meet that the Wolves held for the 2021–22 season, in which they invited universities from all over Oregon as well as multiple running clubs.

They honored 11 seniors for senior day: Gabe Arce-Torres, Kaylin Cantu, Samuel Cole, Owen Collins, Justin Crosswhite, Moana Gianotti, Austin Goldstein, Aaron Hanible, Devin Hasher, Logan Jackson and Taryn Wilson.

Collins placed second in shot put with a distance of 46-4 and hit a new personal record in the hammer throw. He threw a distance of 165-7 earning him runner up behind Western’s own Samuel Cole who threw 166-8.

Crosswhite won the 800 meter with a time of 1:53.55 and joined runners Emmet Klus, Timothy Rambo and Keeton Sanchez in the 4×400 relay to end the day. The group finished first with a time of 3:27.35 with everyone left on the track cheering them on.

Goldstein placed first in men’s javelin with a distance of 194-10. The crowd cheered Goldstein with a slow clap that increased in speed as he ran with the javelin turning into a full cheer as it soared through the air.

Hanible ran a time of 56.67 in the 400 meter hurdles which put him in first place. He also started the men’s 4×100 with Danny Cossette, Amari Hendrix and James Mazzio where they won with a time of 44.69.

Maya Hopwood, Taryn Wilson, Ana Popchock and Maliyah Thompson ran a time of 48.91 placing them in first for the women’s 4×100 relay. Western also won the women’s 4×400 relay with runners Macy Clemens, Amity Deters, Jenelle Hurley and Jessy Hart completing it in 4:17.44.

The Wolves will compete in the Mt. Sac Relay, Long Beach Invitational and the Bryan Clay Invitational from April 13 – 16 in California.

Vibrant Black identities in art

An exhibition of Black identities through a variety of materials

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

The colors of spring have slowly washed over campus, and in response, the Cannon Gallery of Art has debuted a vibrant exhibition, “thank you, black materials.” The pieces on display — curated by award winning Portland artist Intisar Abioto — feature six Oregon artists expressing the Black experience through their mediums. 

The inspiration behind this exhibition came to Abioto through her ongoing research on Black artist culture in Oregon. This research allowed her to interact with elder Black artists and develop an appreciation for their resilience, ingenuity and the materials they used in their work. 

Though the majority of her work has focused on these elder artists and their impact, “thank you, black materials” features poignant modern creators with connections to Abioto herself. 

“With this (show) I just decided to focus on artists who I admired, and who I felt that — even though they’re not doing the same thing — I felt that there was some kind of kinship in …  their approach,” Abioto said of her decision to include contemporary artists. “I just think they’re doing insightful things. It was also the show that I wanted to see very much.” 

Abioto’s selections for this exhibition include acrylic portraits, ceramics, prints and performance art by artists Jeremy Okai Davis, Nikesha Breeze, Ni Abioto, Rob Lewis, Ebin Lee and sidony o’neal. 

“I just think these are vibrant thinkers,” Abioto said. “I hope (viewers) are able to approach with curiosity and are able to sense something of truthful relevance for them.” 

The “thank you, black materials” exhibition will be open in the Cannon Gallery until May 6. Stop by between building hours 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. to experience these works firsthand.

The sea of sexualities: Western’s 25th drag show

Entertainment Editor reviews the 25th annual drag show

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

April 2022 brought Western’s 25th annual drag show, “Down Where It’s Wetter,” a nonstop celebration of all Queer identities. The Triangle Alliance sponsored show explored sexuality and relationships through the stories of multiple characters finding and accepting themselves under the sea.

Narrated by the aptly named “Rainbow Fish,” the performance was far more story-oriented than the average drag show. It followed our main character, a human named Quinn, who knows she isn’t straight but doesn’t know what her label is. She is approached by lesbian mermaid princess Leah, who offers to help guide Quinn on her journey of self exploration by turning her into a mermaid. 

This transformation was marked with the iconic “H2O” theme song “No Ordinary Girl” by Indiana Evans — which was not only a fitting choice for such an event but also enjoyable for those who grew up with the show, like myself. 

Honestly, all the music choices were fantastic. Songs ranged from “Call Me Mother” by RuPaul to “Supermassive Black Hole” by Muse, covering a wide array of genres and all choreographed to perfection. 

One thing I didn’t expect from this drag show was to be brought to tears by the story of a polyamorous relationship who’s third partner has to be kept a secret. 

Trey, a shark, is in a polyamorous relationship with mermaid Kai and jellyfish Noni, but can’t tell anyone because they’re afraid of judgment. In a dance choreographed to Harry Styles’ “Falling,” Trey pines after the two as they are forced to ignore him in public. I was a mess throughout the whole song. 

The story made a point to acknowledge the many gender expressions, relationships and sexualities out there, with special emphasis on the validity of polyamorous relationships and Queer, aromantic and genderfluid individuals. 

Throughout the show, the energy in the room was immaculate — I’ve never heard an audience scream so loudly. The performers gave it their all, and I left Rice Auditorium with a scratchy voice and ringing ears.

This was my first drag show, so I walked in not knowing what to expect, and I was blown away by the effort that was so clearly put into this performance. Altogether, it’s clear the 25th annual drag show was a resounding success. 9.5/10. 

Spring term athletics event

Check out the spring schedule for Western athletics

Mollie Herron | News Editor

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Come support our athletes by attending some of our home games this term and keep an eye out for our away matches further below!

Home games:

  • April 8 – Track and Field vs John Knight Twilight (mens and womens)
  • April 22 – 1 p.m. baseball vs Northwest Nazarene University
  • April 23 – 12 p.m. baseball vs Northwest Nazarene University
  • April 23 – 12 p.m. softball vs Western Washington University
  • April 24 – 12 p.m. softball vs Western Washington University

Away games:

  • April 8 – 12 p.m. baseball at Montana State University Billings
  • April 9 – 11 a.m. baseball at Montana State University Billings
  • April 13–16 – Track and field at Mt Sac Relays
  • April 14–16 – Track and field at Bryan Clay Invitational
  • April 14–16 – Track and field at Long Beach Invitationals
  • April 15 – 12 p.m. baseball at Central Washington University
  • April 15 – 2 p.m. softball at Northwest Nazarene University
  • April 16 – 12 p.m. baseball at Central Washington University
  • April 16 – 12 p.m. softball at Northwest Nazarene University
  • April 19 – 4 p.m. baseball at Bushnell University
  • April 21–23 – Track and field at Oregon Relays
  • April 29–30 – Track and field at Oregon State High Performance
  • April 30 – 1 p.m. softball at Central Washington University
  • May 1 – 1 p.m. softball at Central Washington University
  • May 5 – 1 p.m. baseball at Saint Martin’s University
  • May 6 – 1 p.m. baseball at Saint Martin’s University

 

Western Wolves baseball team wins against the Saint

Wolves win 3 of their 4 games against Saint Martin’s Saints

Mollie Herron | News Editor

Contact the author at howlsports@wou.edu

Western’s baseball team faced off against the Saint Martin’s Saints on April 1 and 2. 

The Wolves split with the Saints on Friday, winning the first game 9-2 and losing the second 3-2. The next day the Wolves had a clean sweep and beat the Saints 2-1 and 8-0.

Mike Peterson pitched eight of the nine innings of the first game in the sun and allowed only 2 runs from the Saints in the fourth. Top scorers of the game included Justin Herzog, Anthony Zellner and Spencer Weston. Herzog led the team with 3 runs with Weston and Zellner scoring the second most at 2 runs each. Levi Cummings and Jacob Maiben both had 1 run in the bottom of the fourth inning to get the Wolves at an 8-2 lead before Herzog scored the final run of the game in the seventh. 

The second game was a pitchers battle as both teams were low scoring. Our own Wolves only had two hits and 2 runs, one each by Herzog and Derek Maiben. Unfortunately, those 2 runs were not enough and the Saints scored the final run of the game at the top of the fifth.

On Saturday, the Wolves had a slow start as the Saints scored an early lead of 1-0 in the first inning and continued to hold it until the fourth inning. At the bottom of the fourth Derek Maiben and Logan Ho each scored, putting the wolves at a 2-1 lead. The Saints had one hit the next inning with no runs, with the rest of the game in a standoff with no further hits or runs for either team leaving the Wolves with the victory score of 2-1.

The Wolves shut out the Saints in their second game on Saturday when Parker Johnson pitched seven innings with only one hit from the Saints in the first. At the bottom of the third, brothers Jacob and Derek Maiben both scored, earning a comfortable 2-0 lead. In the fifth, the Maiben brothers each scored again along with Cummings creating a larger gap for the Saints to try and come back from. Johnson kept the Saints from scoring and Cummings, Herzog and Zach Valdez scored 1 run each in the seventh, ending the game with a score of 8-0 when the Saints failed to get a run at the top of the eighth.

The next home game for the baseball team is Friday, April 22 at 1 p.m. against Northwest Nazarene University. Support the Wolves while breathing in fresh air and soaking up the sunlight during their game against the Nighthawks. 

WOU scavenger hunt

I traveled to the city for spring break and this is what happened

Cole Boeck | Copy Editor

Contact the author at howlcopyeditor@wou.edu

Western’s Board Game Club has started a scavenger hunt that encourages students to explore around campus and learn about different resources. Co-hosted by the Residence Hall Association, Star Trek Club and ASL Club, this event is composed of two sessions. The sessions are divided into weeks, starting on Mondays and ending Sundays, with new clues and puzzles introduced each week.
The first session runs through weeks one through three of spring term and the second session will run through weeks six through eight.
In addition to the physical scavenger hunts in which participants search for clues on campus, there is a virtual version for those who are remote. The virtual hunt encourages students to learn about which resources are accessible online. Each week has a different set of puzzles which can be found at bapac.club.
Week one included five individual puzzles, covering a wide range of genres including sudoku, jigsaw and nonograms. The event is ongoing and has prizes at the end for student participants, though staff and faculty are also encouraged to take part. This event provides fun trivia and an opportunity to learn more about Western’s campus. Take a breather and solve some puzzles.

Utilizing Kale

These three simple recipes easily incorporate kale into one’s diet

Jude Bokovoy | Lifestyle Editor

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

These three recipes were created to include optimal amounts of kale by Jude Bokovoy and can be found on instagram @judy.the.foody. 

Kale is an easily accessible vegetable with great nutritional value. According to Healthline, kale helps lower cholesterol, risk of heart disease and inflammatory responses. It is also high in fiber, antioxidants and vitamin C.What really stands out is that kale has the ability to reduce the likelihood of developing at least five different types of cancer. The catch is, kale is typically sold in huge quantities and has a short shelf life.

One of the most common ways to consume kale is by packing it into a smoothie. Contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t have to be a green smoothie. One can easily hide the vegetable taste with just the right amount of fruit. Below is a smoothie recipe that incorporates both a fruity taste and a healthy amount of vegetables. One of the biggest benefits of kale smoothies is that one can freeze the kale beforehand, which is a useful way to reduce waste if one has a large bag of fresh kale that can’t be used before it goes bad.

 

KALE SMOOTHIE

Start to finish: Three minutes

Yields: One smoothie

⅓ cup of kale

2 small mandarin oranges

⅛ cup frozen mixed berries

5 tablespoons of Dah! mango probiotic yogurt

6 tablespoons of Organic Life Green & Clean juice

Put ingredients in a blender. Blend to the consistency of one’s liking. For a fruitier taste add a banana or another kind of berry. For a veggie heavy smoothie add chard or any other leafy green.

 

The next recipe is a comforting omelet. The amount of ingredients can sound overwhelming, but  rest assured, it can be made in a short amount of time. This cheesy, vegetable filled omelet will warm one’s heart while fueling the body. 

 

VEGGIE OMELET

Start to finish: Seven minutes

Yields: One omelet

3 Eggs

Handful of kale, chopped

4 grape tomatoes, chopped

2 slices of ham, chopped

Sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese

Sriracha or ketchup, optional

Warm butter or cooking spray in a small frying pan. Then crack and scramble eggs into the pan when ready. Add the rest of the ingredients, then flip half of the mixture over. Cover with lid. Serve with sauces of your choice. Top off your omelet with sriracha and ketchup for a spicy and flavorful taste.

 

Last is a recipe for a decadent mushroom and kale ravioli. Ravioli is a highly underutilized pasta dish because people fail to realize that it is so quick and easy to make. Kale is a great addition to any pasta, especially ravioli. All one has to do is add washed and chopped kale to their sauce as it is cooking.

 

MUSHROOM KALE RAVIOLI

Start to finish: 15 minutes

Yields: One serving

½ Bag of Giovanni Rama mushroom ravioli

¼ Jar of Mezzetta roasted garlic sauce

Handful of kale

Red chili flake

Boil five cups of water. Add ravioli to a pot of boiling water for around four minutes. Simultaneously pour sauce into a large warm frying pan. Add red chili flakes while the sauce is cooking to create some spice. Add kale and cooked ravioli to the sauce. Cover with lid until warmed to one’s liking. Then plate.

A guide to finding your music routine

Having a playlist for each daily task can make the day more enjoyable

Jude Bokovoy | Lifestyle Editor

Contact the author at howllifestyle@wou.edu

As an employed student-athlete, it is important that I am able to stay on task, which resultsing in what many would consider to be a borderline obsession with routine. Recently, I have found that listening to music has helped me tremendously in maintaining focus. When I am doing online school work, I make sure to put on blue light glasses and play a lo-fi playlist catered to the exact homework or study activity I am doing. By doing this continually I am able to stay on task. When I study without my glasses or lo-fi music, I tend to feel off kilter and face more distractions. Spotify has an abundance of lo-fi playlists catered to studying, reading, writing and more. 

I also listen to music to encourage myself to cook by putting on a playlist I made specifically for cooking. Music makes mundane chores — like doing dishes, wiping down counters or laundry — go by much faster.

Specificity is key. I work as a delivery driver and am able to stay concentrated by listening to a very specific artist for the duration of my shift. When I listen to a wide variety of artists and genres while delivering, I tend to get side tracked and forget the addresses and items.

The newest music involvement I have implemented into my routine has impacted my overall mood every day. Every morning when I make coffee, I put on a mellow worship playlist and do simple yoga stretches. This puts me in a positive and relaxed mood. Starting the day off with a routine that allows me to worship and gets my blood flowing has made a huge positive difference in my day-to-day life. 

Finding a good playlist for working out can be tricky. Most people want something that keeps them going while doing various exercises, but I tend to stick with the Spotify featured playlists in the workout genre. When I go on runs, my guilty pleasure is to listen to a 2000’s workout playlist. The nostalgia takes me back to elementary school P.E. classes — except now I am faster and actually have a boyfriend to sing about. 

Figuring out one’s music preferences can be a step in the right direction when it comes to creating a consistent daily routine and is incredibly mentally stimulating.

Chamber music for a new audience

Contemporary string quartet, Thalea, performs at Western

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

The internationally acclaimed music group, Thalea String Quartet, made an appearance on campus on April 2. In a performance made possible by the Smith Fine Arts Series, Thalea wowed the audience with their contemporary take on chamber music. 

The group began by gracing Rice Auditorium with a piece by contemporary composer Akshaya Avril Tucker, called “Radha in the Forest.” Violinist Kumiko Sakamoto introduced the song by reading from the program note written by Tucker, which described the emotions portrayed by the composition as “delirious joy, floating above painful loneliness.”

The piece featured soprano vocals from Sakamoto, a first for the chamber group. Her operatic voice filled the room with a bittersweet song as she painted the scene of the classical Sanskrit heroine Radha pine for her lover, Krishna, in a cold winter forest in 2020. 

Thalea’s concert program included a rendition of the iconic B-side medley, “The Long One,” on the Beatles’ album, Abbey Road. Guitar and drum solos were transposed for violin and cello, and musicians Christopher Whitley and Titilayo Ayangade did not disappoint in their renditions of the iconic Beatles tunes. 

Ayangade then introduced their next piece, Florence B. Price’s “Five Folk Songs in Counterpoint.” An inspirational Black artist, Price’s composition includes five popular American melodies, “Cavalry,” “Clementine,” “Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes,” “Shortnin’ Bread” and “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.” Each song spurred quiet declarations of recognition, and the latter song featured an impressive cello-forward performance from Ayangade.  

Violist Lauren Spaulding introduced the next work, a folk-inspired piece by Czech composer Antonín Dvořák. The piece consisted of four movements that aimed to capture the spirit of America, which Dvořák came to appreciate after his time in the country. The joyful piece was clearly a favorite of Spaulding’s, who more than once rose from her chair, swept up in the music. 

When they had finished their main set, Thalea granted the audience an encore that required their participation. 

“There are only two rules,” Whitley said of the piece, “when we clap, you clap. When we don’t clap, you don’t clap.” 

What followed was a song that featured the talents of all four musicians in bouts of solos, while the audience clapped to the beat as directed by those onstage. 

Upsets destroy the perfect brackets

Unpredictable upsets and pairings leaves the title of national champions to anyone

Mollie Herron | News Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

March is over, which means the infamous NCAA Division I basketball tournament, March Madness is coming to an end. On April 4, 2022 the championship game for men’s basketball will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana at Ceasar’s Superdome. The women’s teams will play their championship game on April 3 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Every year, competitions are held to see who can make the most correct guesses as to who will win each game of the tournament. Large brackets are filled out and entered into different game websites where winners are awarded prizes or money. 

The NCAA tracks the “perfect brackets” that people fill out this year, but unfortunately there are no perfect brackets left. The competition started with 20 million brackets that were filled out online for the men’s tournament, but after just the first day the number dropped to 192. With University of Richmond beating University of Iowa, New Mexico State University beating University of Connecticut and Saint Peter’s University beating University of Kentucky in huge upsets, only those 192 were left in the competition for the perfect bracket. The upsets continued and started taking down brackets, and after the University of Notre Dame took out University of Alabama, there were only four brackets left until Iowa State University beat Louisiana State University and there were officially no more perfect brackets. 

For the women’s tournament there are also no more perfect brackets after starting with over 1 million. After their first day the number of contenders dropped to 28, and after the entire first round only three remained. After the upset of Creighton University beating Iowa there was only a single perfect bracket left until Iowa State beat Louisiana State ending the possibility of a perfect bracket this year.

Based on bracket numbers, more people are interested in the men’s tournament, and this year, due to so many upsets, there were arguments for why every team in the Sweet 16 could end up being in the Final Four. Analysts are saying Texas Tech University has the best defense while University of Miami has all the parts to make for a great offense. Gonzaga University was the betting favorite and most people predicted them to make it to the Final Four, but the fact that Duke University is one of the only three teams to beat them this season made their potential matchup unpredictable.

The Sweet 16 played their games and viewers watched a few incredible upsets and we saw Gonzaga lose to University of Arkansas and not make it to the Elite Eight. All season Gonzaga was revered by fans and analysts as being one of the best teams and had a real shot at winning it all, but they fell short and lost 74-68. 

St Peter’s ranked No. 15 beat No. 3 Purdue University 67-64 so they could play University of North Carolina in their Elite Eight game after their own upset of 73-66 against University of California Los Angeles. After their games, Miami and University of Kansas advanced to the Elite Eight as well. Duke, as expected by many, took out Texas Tech to get them to their match against Arkansas.

In the fight for the Final Four, Duke beat Arkansas 78-69; Villanova University beat University of Houston 50-44; North Carolina beat St Peter’s 69-49; and Kansas beat Miami 76-50. Villanova is set to play Kansas on Saturday April 2 and later the same day Duke plays North Carolina to see who will earn their spot in the championship game.

Wallowing in Wallows

Indie music scene gains “Tell Me That It’s Over” Spring release

Mikayla Coleman | Managing Editor

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

On March 25, the indie pop band Wallows released their sophomore album Tell Me That It’s Over. Wallows is made up of three members, Dylan Minnette (who you might recognize as Clay from the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why”), Braeden Lemasters and Cole Preston. The album consists of ten songs, crossing and combining several different aspects of the indie pop, folk and rock genres in a unique and artistic way. 

 

“Hard to Believe” — I enjoy how the melody kind of climbs up and down. It is a really pleasing scale. The guitar is pretty grunge, but the bridge has a really light hearted whistle break with some interesting synth-type orchestral moments. It’s a good contrast. The lyrics and vocals are very simplistic in nature, but I think that adds to the song overall. 

“I Don’t Want to Talk” — The whistle hook at the beginning of the song reminds me a lot of the band Dayglow. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the harmonica at first but it has grown on me. The lyrics describe the ending of a relationship and wanting to have a clean, quick cut off rather than stretching out the break up process. It does a good job of explaining a specific experience that is often hard to articulate. 

“Especially You” — I think that the modulation of the synth takes the cake in this one. It compliments the rest of the song really well. The lyrics are again, very simple, but very relatable. I mean, who isn’t confused by people all of the time? The guitar is much cleaner on this, making it a great beachy road trip song. 

“At the End of the Day” — I love Braeden’s vocals. No offense to Dylan, but I have always been more into Braeden as a vocalist. These lyrics have a good amount of complexity that makes the song more personal. It does an interesting job of interpreting the “If you love her, let her go” trope.

“Marvelous” — This is much more upbeat and fast than the previous tracks. Not sure if I am down with the repeated use of “hole.” Stadium synth came in clutch. This song sounds like how my brain feels when I have an ADHD episode. 

“Permanent Price” — Definitely feeling more of a folk-indie vibe from the use of strings. Not my favorite. I feel like it’s a bit cookie-cutter in comparison to the other songs that have something special sprinkled in. The harmonies make it feel like something from the early 2000s. 

“Missing Out” — Another slow one. The beginning is a little bit misleading. It starts with a nice classic piano scale, but takes a sharp turn to a more rock-type and autotune-diluted chorus. This variation is interesting, but I don’t think that it is my cup of tea. 

“Hurts Me” — 80’stastic!  I’m getting funky with the synth in the beginning. I could see someone humorously singing this in the context of struggling with a vape addiction. Makes me feel like going to a roller rink after struggling through a week of finals. 

“That’s What I Get” — The percussion makes the difference in this one. Also the staccato strings in the bridge. The lyrics are pretty basic and it’s hard to figure out if it is in an iconic way or if it’s just another stereotypical love song. I am leaning towards the latter. 

“Guitar Romantic Search Adventure” — We got some Dylan vocals! Very fitting for the mood of this song. I am very down with it. I think that it tops all the rest of the slower songs in the album. The piano and synth together give a very ethereal, Beach House kind of feel. 

 

I am a longtime fan of Wallows and I have significantly enjoyed their early work. “Tell Me That It’s Over” was able to simultaneously maintain inclusion of things that made me enjoy them initially and also spread their wings, adventure and experiment with different styles and instruments. 7.5/10. 

Irish culture on campus

The Seamus Egan Project performs at Western

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu 

The Smith Fine Arts Series hosted the Seamus Egan Project on March 12, bringing Irish folk-style music to campus just in time for St. Patrick’s Day. This group of four talented musicians wowed audiences with their lively music.

Egan exhibited his skills on many instruments throughout the performance, such as guitar, banjo and flute. In some songs, like his original “Welcome to Orwell,” Egan demonstrated an impressive mastery of the tin whistle, which is similar to a recorder. 

Among those performing with Egan was Jenna Moynihan, who played the fiddle and provided vocals for certain songs, like in their rendition of “The Blackest Crow.” Her voice was a hauntingly beautiful departure from the jaunty tunes before it. 

Also on stage was Kyle Sanna, an incredibly talented guitarist, who provided back up vocals to Moynihan. 

Owen Marshall played mandolin with the group, and provided added humor to the various introductions that preceded songs. His banter with Egan loosened the performers on stage while also creating a sense of familiarity between the musicians and the audience. 

One song in particular stood out as Egan introduced it. “Mr. and Mrs. Walsh,” Egan explained, was written after his sister eloped with her then-fiance. The eventual reconciliation with their mother inspired the tune.

“It was a situation that called for a banjo,” Egan said of the song — drawing laughs from the audience. 

Each musician played completely in sync with one another, and when the set list had finished, the audience’s applause brought the group back to the stage for an encore. 

 

Springtime romance

Season two of “Bridgerton” brings love and angst to our screens

Camille Lenning | Entertainment Editor

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

This review contains spoilers. 

“Bridgerton” season two premiered on March 25 and has already reached the number one spot on Netflix’s “Top 10 in the U.S. Today” list. 

Overall, “Bridgerton” is a great show to get anyone into a springtime mood. The colorful clothes, garden sets and lavish parties are enough to get even the most critical of people excited about the change of seasons. The marketing team was spot on with their release date. 

The plot this season, while a little over complicated and slow-paced at times, was entertaining enough to keep me enthralled. The angsty romance between Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma alone was a fantastic representation of an enemies-to-lovers storyline — which helped keep things moving at slow points. 

Side plots were in abundance this season, including Eloise Bridgerton’s discovery of the feminist movement, added money troubles for the Featherington’s and even more Lady Whistledown drama. These plots were fairly compelling, but they could’ve cut much of the filler and still come out with a good season. 

My only real issue with season two was the consistent lack of communication between characters. While it certainly stoked the fires of drama, I can’t help but think the plot could’ve been simplified by just having characters talk to one another. The bond between sisters Kate and Edwina Sharma, for example, is often tested throughout the season. Kate refuses to tell Edwina she had feelings for Anthony, who is courting Edwina, which unnecessarily drives them apart during the climax.

Altogether, this season sated my hunger for a springtime period piece, but it was by no means a masterpiece of television. 6/10. 

 

Dance to death at The Coffin Club

The Coffin Club: Portland’s own horror-themed nightclub

Sarah Austin | Lifestyle Editor

Looking for a Halloween themed establishment that brings frights year round? The Coffin Club is a goth-themed nightclub and bar in Portland that is a hit for Halloween lovers. The Coffin Club brings in visitors from around the world for its tributes to the “world of the weird.” With decor such as skeletons, horrific framed photos, iron gates, eerie black light paintings and their infamous coffin used as a photo prop for many, the club is a must see. The ambiance is based on  “Lovecraftian Horror,” a macabre style named for the American author Howard Phillips Lovecraft who wrote science, fantasy and horror stories.

Not only has The Coffin Club been voted multiple times as one of the top 10 themed bars in the world, but Portland has also voted it in its top 10 best dance clubs for its inclusion and variety of groups it caters to, like queer, punk, alternative and “dark electro” to name a few.

Recently renovated, The Coffin Club’s newest editions feature a basement, and outside at the Patio is the Coffin Cart which serves vegan food. Don’t miss out on a delicious themed cocktail updated each night on the specials menu at the bar.

The Coffin Club is open Thursday – Saturday from 8 p.m. – 2:15 a.m. It is located in the Industrial District of Portland at 421 SE Grand Ave. The Coffin Club holds events every weekend, announcing themes and featured DJs on their website, thecoffinclubpdx.com, and social media pages, @coffinclubpdx on Facebook and Instagram. Thursday nights are free but the cover charge for entrance on Fridays and Saturdays varies, so be sure to check their social media for information and plan ahead. Masks, a temperature check at the door and a valid ID showing one is at least 21 years of age are required for entry.

Contact the author at lifestyleeditor@thewesternhowl.com

Restaurants offering delivery and dine-in near Monmouth

Get dinner delivered from these eight local restaurants

Mirella Barrera-Betancourt | Staff Writer

With food delivery apps like GrubHub, DoorDash and Uber Eats becoming popular nationwide, it is no surprise that college students have been amongst the many to hop on the trend of food delivery. Here are some restaurants in and around Monmouth that are offering delivery services.

  • Yeasty Beasty — 167 Main St. W Monmouth, OR. Offering delivery on their website and dine-in services. Open Sunday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Lunitas Mexican Food — 365 E Ellendale Ave. Dallas, OR. Offering delivery on DoorDash and GrubHub. Dine-in and drive-thru services offered. Open Sunday – Saturday, 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Carl’s Jr. — 131 Pacific Highway N Monmouth, OR. Offering delivery on DoorDash, dine-in and drive-thru services. Open Sunday – Thursday from 6 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 6 a.m. – 12 a.m.
  • 7-Eleven — 1696 Monmouth St. Independence, OR. Offering delivery on their website and DoorDash. In-store shopping available. Open 24/7 every day of the week.
  • Burgerville — 615 E Main St. Monmouth, OR. Offering delivery on DoorDash and drive-thru services. No dine-in. Open Sunday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.

  • Momiji Sushi Restaurant — 183 Main St. W Monmouth, OR. Offering delivery on DoorDash, dine-in and takeout services. Open Sunday – Thursday from 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.
  • Subway — 113 E Main St. Monmouth, OR. Offering delivery on DoorDash, dine-in and takeout services. Open Sunday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 10 p.m.
  • Urban Deli Mexican Food — 145 Monmouth Ave. N Monmouth, OR. Offering delivery on DoorDash, dine-in and takeout. Open Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Hours may be subject to change.

Contact the author at staffwriter@thewesternhowl.com

Wicked writing ideas for this October

Eight frightful writing prompts to ignite the imagination

Sarah Austin | Lifestyle Editor

During the stressors of fall term, it can be rewarding to sit down and write something creative. Celebrate this Halloween season by crafting up a chilling short story. Listed below are eight spooky ideas to help ignite the imagination. Take the prompts below and morph them into any horrific desire.

  • Todd Hall — previously a women’s dorm — is rumored to be haunted and feed on the fear of men. Halloween night a group of men walk by the three story brick building. They hear/see…. 
  • After talking to someone on “Tinder,” they say something disturbing and get blocked. The next morning they are reported missing and there are flyers around the city.
  • While sweeping the living room, a dark stain is noticed near the carpet. After lifting to investigate, a hidden door is discovered.
  • It’s the day after Halloween. Nobody shows up to the 8 a.m. lecture besides the professor and one person. Campus is empty….
  • During an all-nighter at the Hamersly Library, a strange sound is heard. It repeats every five minutes….
  • While at a pumpkin patch, three close friends decide to enter a corn maze and ignore the closed sign across its entrance. After twenty minutes of wandering, they realize one friend is missing…. 
  • Using “Bumble BFF” a friend-date is made. After meeting and having dinner together, they offer a ride home. Instead of home, they pull into….
  • The main character is driving to the coast when they pull off onto a dirt trail, in hopes of a short cut. It seems to work until they see a tree fall on the road behind them, trapping them in. Forward is the only way to go on this unknown and unmarked trail, and the sun sets in two hours.

For a chance to be featured in Student Media’s art and literary magazine, “The Northwest Passage,” submit stories via email to northwestpassage@mail.wou.edu.

Happy haunting, writers.

Contact the author at lifestyleeditor@thewesternhowl.com

New beginnings with roomies

Tips to have a positive roommate experience

Sarah Austin | Lifestyle Editor

Having a roommate can be an exciting experience for many, but daunting for those who have never had one or had a negative encounter. Here are some tips to make a positive and easy transition to living with roommates.

Avoid talking about events one plans to attend if the other person is not invited. This is a great way to be respectful while bypassing an awkward encounter.  

Try labeling food in the fridge so you don’t lose your favorite items.

Be mindful of food items. Whether it is in the fridge, a cabinet or on the table make sure to keep track of personal items. Close containers and bags to prevent insects. Watch for expiration dates to avoid both mold and a spoiled scent in the room. Don’t take up too much space either; leave the same amount of area for each roommate in shared spaces.

Establish guest etiquette. Having a guest in one’s place is not against the rules, but make sure to set boundaries with roommates beforehand. This can include things such as notifying roommates when and how long they will be there, acceptable noise levels, appropriate and inappropriate times or days, parking arrangements and so on. If in a dorm on Western’s campus, be sure to also follow all guest rules; see wou.edu/housing-updates for details.

Make a chore list. Having set chores that are assigned to someone or are to be done on a certain day will ensure a clean living space as well as fair delegation. Use a whiteboard, sticky note, Google calendar or other method that everyone will be sure to see. Start by choosing what days chores should be done and how often, and rotate names for said activities. For example, have one roommate vacuum on Sunday, another clean the bathroom Friday, trade off who takes out the trash when full and so on.

Respect common areas. Give the same amount of respect to roommates that is expected of them.

Above all else, be open and communicate with each other so living together is enjoyable for all parties.

Contact the author at lifestyleeditor@thewesternhowl.com

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Western Oregon University in Monmouth, OR is located within the traditional homelands of the Luckiamute Band of Kalapuya. Following the Willamette Valley Treaty of 1855 (Kalapuya etc. Treaty), Kalapuya people were forcibly removed to reservations in Western Oregon. Today, living descendants of these people are a part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians.

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