Arts & Culture

On tour promoting Megafaun's most recent album, Gather, Form and Fly, drummer Joe Westerlund took some time off from doing laundry in Omaha, Nebraska to do an interview with The Aggie. The band is heading to the West coast after a successful tour so far, and they're making a stop in Davis at Sophia's Thai Kitchen next Monday, Apr. 19. Tickets are $5 dollars for ages 21 and up. For more information about the show, visit sophiasthaikitchen.com. Is it hard to recreate the sound of your albums onstage, or do you try to make the live performance a completely different experience?

In between Picnic Day favorites like the Doxie Derby, parade and chemistry magic show, it can be easy to miss the action at the event's six entertainment stages around campus. But Picnic Day wouldn't be complete without taking in a free outdoor concert or two. Here's a handy guide to each stage's lineup, previewing a few of the acts that are definitely worth checking out. East Quad (Main Stage) The largest and most prominent stage on campus, the East Quad's Main Stage, will host 13 acts. Vanessa Ng, Picnic Day entertainment director, said that her intent was to create a cultural and diverse atmosphere at the East Quad stage.

The University Writing Program will offer presentations given by nationally and internationally known writers as part of the Conversations With Writers Series. The series intends to bring together faculty, students and members of the Davis community to encourage and preserve the art of writing. "Students have been inspired by our speakers' stories of how they got into serious writing and have succeeded," said professor of writing and University of Writing Program director Chris Thaiss. "They also learn practical strategies for getting published and persevering in the craft."

MUSIC, THEATER/MONDAVI, ART/GALLERY

After listening to Kitsuné Maison's ninth compilation of music mixes, it's safe to say that nobody has a handle on electro-pop like the French do.

If you want beef then bring the ruckus, Wu-Tang Clan ain't nothin' ta fuck with. Wu-Massacre, a collaborative album by Wu-Tang members Method Man, Ghostface Killah and Raekwon serves as evidence that these emcees have not forgotten how to deliver rhymes as imaginative, visual and violent as they did 17 years ago when the Wu first hit the scene.

Disregarding the somber album title or the strikingly odd band name, San Francisco-based orchestral-indie group The Family Crest offers tracks that aren't at all hard on the ears. With a full string section and pump organ featured on multiple tracks, many of the songs channel a melancholy sound while leaving a beautiful impression on the listener. The female harmony on "I've got nothing to say to you" is especially fitting.

The first time I heard "Something Pretty," I fell in love with Patrick Park's voice - infused as it is with soul, folk and lullaby. His soft vocals and gentle guitar riffs are probably the strongest aspects of his music, although the simplicity of the lyrics also adds to its appeal. Park sings with such calm passion and emotion that it's hard to resist feeling serene and carefree when you're done listening. His music doesn't sound like a reflection of his fumbling attempts at self-discovery, nor does it sound like Park is forcing a message or genre on anyone; he's just Patrick Park with a guitar and beautiful songs.

On Tuesday, a federal appeals court overturned a 2008 FCC ruling that made it illegal for Comcast to block or inhibit certain types of Internet traffic through its network. The ruling was enacted as a response to a 2007 finding that Comcast blocked uploads via file sharing services such as BitTorrent, regardless of whether or not the shared content was legal.

It's a Saturday night in Davis and the Dead 12 Year Olds are in the house. Literally.

After a long season of extensive rehearsals and dance practices, graduate and undergraduate students Karl Frost, Karen Angel, Tasha Cooke, Kristi Kilpatrick, Kelly LeVasseur, Devin Montoya and Christina Noble are ready to debut their original choreographed dance pieces on the main stage.

After months of planning and solidification, the Mondavi Center is finally ready to put on another great season of iconic and talented performances.

The Documentary Cluster at UC Davis, in conjunction with the Technocultural Studies and Film Studies departments, will present a free showing of the documentary Orgasm Inc. in the Technocultural Studies building Friday at noon. An 11:30 a.m. reception with refreshments and will precede the showing.

Calling all musicians: The Fifth Annual Search Party talent contest, sponsored by the ASUCD Entertainment Council, The California Aggie and KDVS 90.3 FM, is officially underway.

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