On the night of May 8, a sold out crowd will be preparing for a night of non-stop dancing to thumpin’, bumpin’ electronic music. That’s right, the student-run spring electronic music dance event called Unity is back, thanks to the efforts of Electronic Music for Change (EMC) and the ASUCD Entertainment Council.

Unity will feature high-energy go-go dancers, free refreshments to keep you hydrated for more dancing, giveaways from various sponsors, professional lighting and professional sound of up to 15,000 watts.

“This event will raise charity for Davis Children’s Hospital and Cal Aggie Camp while helping people appreciate electronic music,” said Thongxy Phansopha, director of the ASUCD Entertainment Council. “We want to make it annual, even have it as a concert.”

Electronic music has been making its way into mainstream airwaves lately, having that computerized, unique sound.

Co-founder and senior economics major Cesar Bucio said he wants people to “feel they got their money’s worth and that the quality of life can be improved for children.”

This event originally began last year, selling out tickets. Junior mechanical engineering major Veronica Coleman was a regular participant at last year’s event. She said she enjoyed it so much that she decided to attend meetings for EMC and eventually became the vice director of the group.

This year’s event will star some skillful DJs such as Nordic DJ Marcus Schossow, C Kay, DJ Forest Green and the local sounds of Oroboros. And all proceeds from the event will go to the UC Davis Children’s Hospital and the Cal Aggie Camp.

“We want to get the name [Unity] out to a bigger range of people,” said Tiffany Wood, the new director of EMC. “It’s an event to help people relax, unwind, forget about the budget cuts and let go of stress for one night of fun and dance.”

“This event will provide people with more electronic music options and help to bring about social change in the community,” Coleman said. “We want to help the children of the future.”

“The atmosphere is something that you can’t describe. You just have to experience it for yourself,” Bucio said, before relishing his own happy memories of last year’s event. “In the future we hope to bring out a child who has personally benefited from this event. We’re trying to save lives.”

Students can purchase tickets through the Freeborn Ticket Office or an EMC staff member. Check out more information about this event at electronicmusicforchange.com or look for it on Facebook.

LEA MURILLO can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Roving Reporter Question: Do you see the iPad having a future in classrooms, and why?

“I think it would be easier for students to take notes and read PDF documents in classrooms.” – Andrew Stern, junior food sciences major
“Yeah, I actually see it being influential in the medical field, especially – like with [medical] school students. It’d also be helpful at the doctor’s office because they can show patients stuff on the iPad.” – Aaron Long, junior sociology major
“Yes, because I read an Aggie article about Andy Jones using it in classrooms, and I think it’s only a matter of time before it becomes more mainstream. I just wish it was cheaper.” -Melissa Border, senior English and Spanish major
“I think it has potential because technology is infiltrating the classroom so much. It will help students and professors to communicate better.” – Cynthia Luis, senior sociology major
“No, because I don’t own any Apple products.” – Travis Goldman, senior wildlife, fish and conservation biology major
“No, e-textbooks are so expensive and you can get netbooks for half the price. In a struggling economy, we just don’t have the wallet for iPads.” – Anthony Gadd, senior computer science and engineering major
“I was going to get an iPad in the beginning of the year, but it just wasn’t worth it. It’s not efficient – there’s no CD drive or USB ports on it. Even though it sounds promising, it’s going to take a lot more on Apple’s part. But I mean, it’s still just a first generation product.” – Justin Torres, junior textiles and clothing major
“Yeah it should because it’s a very convenient way to learn. It would be easier for professors to build up material to make classes more engaging and interactive. Plus, it’s better than carrying a laptop around everywhere.” – Andres Moya, Ph.D. student
“It’d be good for all of the environmentally-friendly professors who want to save paper. But it’s money, honey – so I don’t know what the chances of success are.” – Marykate Jones, senior sociology major

– Text by Vanna Le

– Photos by Jeff Perry

It’s a Thursday night in Davis and there is nothing to do.

Or is there?

According to Simi Sohota, senior molecular and cellular biology major and recording label director for KDVS 90.3 FM, there is live music somewhere in the Davis area just about every day.

“A lot of people claim that Davis is a boring town, and I think they are totally crazy because they just don’t know,” he said. “There’s so much going on all the time, and KDVS is what makes it happen.”

Every week, KDVS takes over Davis homes and equips them with sound systems, musicians and show goers. And contrary to what some may think, KDVS doesn’t only bring in small, local bands – just last week KDVS brought groups hailing from Italy, Canada, New York, Texas and Detroit.

All KDVS house shows are free for the public and bands are compensated with donations.

“Davis has built a reputation,” said Sharmi Basu, senior political science major and publicity director. “Bands that normally wouldn’t come to small towns will come to Davis because they know they will be well received here.”

While KDVS used to browse musicians’ Myspace pages to find gaps in bands’ tour dates in order to set up shows, bands now typically seek out KDVS.

Bands either contact KDVS simply because of the pull of the radio station or through networking with other bands or KDVS staff, Sohota said.

“A lot of bands in Davis and Sacramento have built relationships with bands in other cities and then contact each other when they need a show,” he said.

House shows can draw anywhere from 10 to 100 people, Sohota said. It can vary based on the popularity of the bands, whether there are other music events at the same time and the performance night in relation to the quarter system.

Some students, however, feel that KDVS house shows can be alienating.

“Let’s be honest, [KDVS has] their own community and it’s hard to get into that community without being really awkward,” said Brittany Hirsch, a first-year international relations major.

Sohota admitted that it could be difficult for show goers to get comfortable at first, but maintained that KDVS staff tries to be welcoming.

“It takes some courage going to someone’s house that they don’t know,” he said. “Whenever I host shows I try pretty hard to introduce myself to unfamiliar faces. We try really hard to build friendships through house shows.”

Basu said that people should go to house shows for the music, and the awkwardness felt by some is no different than if they were to go to a random person’s house party.

Even so, Hirsch said the overall environment is still important to whether or not someone will go to a show.

“I’ll go for the music, but for a lot of people the atmosphere of a place is going to determine where they are going and what they are doing,” she said. “In order to expand their audience, they’re going to need to find somewhere that’s easily accessible and more open.”

Hirsch wishes KDVS had a regular music venue or one specific, established house.

KDVS used to utilize two different music venues on a regular basis – Fools Foundation in Sacramento, which used to put on KDVS punk and rock shows, and the Delta of Venus, which put on folk and acoustic shows.

After Fools Foundation closed in 2007, KDVS tried to book all of their shows at the Delta of Venus. Since the Delta of Venus is not conducive to hard rock shows, the café slowly stopped hosting most KDVS events.

“Every time a new venue happens, everyone gets really excited and we book a lot of shows, and then the venue just gets burnt out,” Sohota said.

Sohota prefers the house show rotation. It’s easier to make friends and house owners can have barbeques or potlucks associated with the show.

There is not an established list of houses that have shows every year, but KDVS core staff members will usually use their own houses for shows and dance parties and then try to pass the houses down to younger KDVS staff members.

KDVS cannot have just one house for shows due to the inconvenience it may bring neighbors. Thus, the various houses each usually host shows about once a month, Sohota said.

Bands will not get turned away due to their sound or popularity, Sohota said. But sometimes KDVS will have to reject bands if there are other shows scheduled at the same time or if they cannot find an open house.

In the past, KDVS has also had to turn down bands that were too hardcore for available houses or were expecting too large of a turnout.

“Sometimes we can’t accommodate,” Basu said. “House shows can only take so much.”

Look for upcoming KDVS shows on undietacos.org or on the KDVS events Facebook page.

JANELLE BITKER can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Studio 301 will put on a production Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical from April 28 to May 2, and from May 5 to 9. Tickets are $12 for students, but the preview show on April 28 will be $11. All shows begin at 8 p.m., except for Sunday shows, which begin at 7 p.m.

A student-run group, Studio 301 puts on full-length theater productions on a voluntary basis. Club members vote on each show and are in charge of every element of production, which include directing, stage managing and acting. Their previous shows include Fuddy Meers, put on during winter quarter and Macbeth, put on during fall quarter.

Chronicling the Bohemian life of peaceful protestors in New York City, Hair addresses numerous intersecting issues of the late 1960’s that run the gamut from segregation & racism, to sexuality, to the Vietnam War.

“I think the musical can attract audience members of all ages because it contains subject matter that is mature and whimsical at the same time,” said Ulysses Morazan, treasurer for Studio 301 and junior clinical nutrition major. “You’ve got sex and drugs present in the play alongside cultural references, but then you also have these upbeat songs that just make it all the more light and inclusive to younger generations.”

Studio 301 member and English, African-American studies and film studies triple major Alison Stevenson shared similar sentiments.

“It doesn’t fit that mold of a typical musical,” she said. “It’s got strong political activist themes, which align perfectly with recent protests that have been going on around campus. At the same time, though, it is a lot of fun and full of great music.”

Director and UC Davis alumna Stephanie Hankinson said the cast is comprised of an ethnically diverse group that for good reason, call themselves a tribe instead of a cast.

“There’s a sense of camaraderie built into the show that the term ‘tribe’ just completely encompasses,” Hankinson said.

Having had numerous opportunities to bond with one another via mini trips and camping excursions, the group members grew close and saw each other through many unforeseen acting challenges. Many of them were forced to push themselves and take on subversive acts such as appearing nude in order to make Hair a strong, authentic production.

“A great deal of the 14 cast members that were in the nudity scene had never experienced anything like that onstage before,” Hankinson said. “It was a challenge and an experience in itself.”

Studio 301 put on all of their previous shows in outdoor venues due to the considerable cost of theater space in Davis. Held at the scenic arboretum, Hair will be no exception to this trend.

“We figured nothing could be better than doing Hair at the arboretum,” Hankinson said. “The open air setting isn’t the only thing that makes the play organic though; the development of the show itself is very organic, as so much of the show depends on how people interact and less on mechanics and precision. Much of the material was in fact improvised. My role was to create a space where these individuals from different backgrounds and experience levels could all come together as actors.”

Hankinson said that Hair’s production comes at an opportune time, given that there is a Broadway version of the show currently running. Hair will also be the first rock musical done in Davis in many years, and the story itself holds contemporary relevance given the recent resurgence in modern-day feelings of unrest that the generation is experiencing.

“Not only does Hair have such a history, embodying the discontent of the nation at the time, but it parallels the situation we’re in today, where we’ve returned to a time marked by the discontent of the generation,” Hankinson said. “We’re at war, and there are economic strikes, as demonstrated by the recent protests. The message Hair tries to bring, however, is that at the end of the day we come together in moments of turmoil.”

Rehearsal for Hair took place almost every day of the week for up to five hours at a time, often during poor weather conditions that relegated the tribe to rehearse in parking structures.

“It’s taken a lot of hard work and hours to put this production together but in the end something truly magical has evolved,” Morazan said.

Coincidentally, the play’s opening weekend also marks the 42nd anniversary of its original showing on Broadway.

“It’ll take place at a great picnic setting for people to come and enjoy,” Morazan said. “Be sure to bring blankets and things to sit on!”

ELENI STEPHANIDES can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

There’s a lot of talk about the book industry in the press lately. While some find its future prospects grim, others aren’t so pessimistic.

“It’s the best time in the history of the printed word to be a publisher or a writer,” said Dave Eggers, author and founder of independent publisher McSweeney’s, last weekend at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

Yeah, easy for him to say. But Eggers isn’t alone – eBooks, in particular, are sounding more and more like viable alternatives and industry savers.

An April 26 article in the New Yorker by Ken Auletta titled “Publish or Perish: Can the iPad topple the Kindle, and save the book business?” described the delicate political power struggle between major publishers and retailers in the eBook market. The iPad, Auletta writes, is gaining notoriety as a savior for the book industry since it places a much-needed check on Amazon’s predatory book pricing.

It’s a solid argument. The real problem with the book industry isn’t simply the Internet or the growing threat of eBooks. What’s slowly killing the industry is the overwhelming notion that eBooks are no different than any other industry affected by new forms of Internet media – that as time progresses, the service should be cheap or free.

It’s strange that an additional competitor like the iPad is considered a savior for the market. Though eBooks still make up less than 10 percent of the total book market, Amazon dominates the eBook sales. So when Amazon capped eBook prices at $9.99 – operating at a loss for each sale – it undercut almost every eBook publisher by boldly and cleverly betting on long-term market success.

Publishers want a new “agency” model, which would give them more control over eBook prices and therefore surpass Amazon’s $9.99 price level. Apple is allowing this with the iPad, hence the praise. Other companies like Google, who recently paid the book publishers $125 million to further their goal of scanning and releasing every book in existence, are following suit.

Asking consumers to pay more for an eBook is hardly popular, simply because books are an expensive investment – especially if they’re nothing more than virtual files on a hard drive. Buyers are willing to pay more for a well-printed book on the rare occasion, but there’s no distinction between a paperback and hardbound covers on an iPad. Justifying a torrent download of a textbook, when the UC Davis bookstore offers the same product for $160, wouldn’t be difficult.

But nobody should discount the value of this agency model. Nobody deserves the lower price of $9.99. If this format is going to proliferate like it seems, publishers should have the ability to determine prices. The price cap threatens publishers, authors and independent bookstores, who without a doubt are already on the losing end of this situation.

It’s understandable when pundits and commentators immediately jump to the music industry to provide a metaphor for a free digital trend. In a recent interview with NPR’s Terry Gross, Auletta argued that Apple’s release of iTunes in 2003 combated a culture of free music that had previously controlled the consumer mindset. Paying the set price of 99 cents for a single song infuriated record labels, but transformed the free culture into an enormous consumer base that would, in fact, pay money for a digital file. Prices have since increased, and iTunes is still the top music retailer in the U.S.

But the music parallel isn’t entirely fair. Hard copies of albums are arguably more sentimental and less practical than physical books. A high quality digital file can rival the quality of a vinyl record if it’s a raw WAV file or encoded at a high bit rate, but the content of an eBook is identical to the content of a regular book. And, as Auletta correctly states, few would be willing to buy a single chapter of a book other than college students.

And if college students don’t start supporting the book industry, it’s hard to tell who will.

JUSTIN T. HO would still gladly download a copy of a book when the “new” edition is the only version available at the bookstore. He’d also gladly download a version of the NUT 10 reader if it were possible. E-mail him at arts@theaggie.org.

The Golden Filter

Voluspa

Brille

Rating: 4

Thanks to Urban Outfitters, The Golden Filter is already on just about every hipster’s iPod.

The dreamlike, catchy single “Solid Gold” well represents the electronic duo’s debut album, Voluspa. As a whole, the album is a well-balanced collection of sultry, low-fi disco.

“Dance Around the Fire” starts out the album with a slow and graceful build up to an ominous crescendo of synth and classical string instruments. Similarly dreamlike and enchanting electropop numbers follow, melding into one another to create a remarkably cohesive debut.

Voluspa typically balances infectious, haunting melodies with well-produced beats to produce ambient feelings of fantasy-like mystery. However, a few later tracks rely perhaps a bit too much on the female lead singer’s breathy crooning to sound fresh.

Give these tracks a listen: “Dance Around the Fire,” “Look Me In The Eye”

For fans of: Glass Candy, Goldfrapp

– Janelle Bitker

Ted Leo & the Pharmacists

The Brutalist Bricks

Matador

Rating: 3

If there is any artist that can reliably churn out album after album of frustratingly upbeat pop-punk influenced rock songs like it’s nobody’s business, Ted Leo would certainly fit the bill. With a runtime that clocks under 45 minutes, Ted Leo & the Pharmacists’ latest album, The Brutalist Bricks offers the standard fare: infectiously energetic rock songs that are articulate, if not obtuse, and catchy, if not homogenous.

For an artist that has been producing infectious power-pop albums since the 1990s, it’s a wonder that Leo can muster and maintain the energy he does on The Brutalist Bricks. On “Woke Up Near Chelsea,” Leo sounds confident and invigorated. “Where Was My Brain” follows suit and draws punk riffs and influence from early British punk bands, notably The Damned or The Buzzcocks. It’s rare for any band in rock music to maintain the level of credibility Ted Leo has over the years, and with an album that is vigorous, taut and everything you’d expect from the Pharmacists.

Give these tracks a listen: “Woke Up Near Chelsea”, “The Mighty Sparrow”

For Fans of: Thin Lizzy, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, The Buzzcocks

– Amber Yan

Broken Water

Whet

Radio Is Down

Rating: 4

Upon first listen to Broken Water’s debut LP, Whet, comparisons made to ’90s post-punk pioneers like Sonic Youth are understandable. Closer inspection, however, reveals that the numerous layers of grungy guitars and murky vocals congeal into something deeper.

Each track serves as a tour of the group’s influence with scattered vision. The build-up is nonexistent until that euphoric culmination of muddy lyrics and grungy instrumentation starts again. The opening track, “Say What’s On Your Mind,” is sumptuous and familiar – but it’s not a copy of just any ’90s smoldering grime. It’s a surreal re-working of the era’s signature sounds to create a haunting lo-fi reverb feeling. “Web,” another charmer, is frenetic and chillingly overwhelms you with its fast pace.

That said, post-punk shoegaze junkies would be hard pressed to find fault in this cohesively nostalgic wonder. The album as a whole whets the appetite and situates itself into your head like an earworm. Good stuff.

Give these tracks a listen: “Say What’s On Your Mind” and “Heal”

For fans of: Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine, Beat Happening

– Vanna Le

MUSIC

Musical Charis and Shayna & the Bulldog

Today, 10 p.m., $3

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St.

Catch two local pop groups at Sophia’s tonight: Sacramento’s trio Musical Charis and Davis’ own pop/rock quartet Shayna & the Bulldog. Both groups sound ready to bring a little happiness into your Thursday night.

Mark Matos & Os Beaches and Buxter Hoot’n

Friday, 10 p.m., $3

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen, 129 E St.

Sophia’s switches from tonight’s locally-based pop to Sacramento folk for Friday’s evening entertainment. Both groups have been influenced by everything from the psychedelic ’60s and LSD to the Grateful Dead and classic rock-and-roll. This is hippie rock for the 21st century.

Yolo Mambo

Sunday, 6 p.m., free

KetMoRee, 238 G St.

Yolo Mambo, a Davis-based acoustic band, plays world and jazz music, and this Sunday they’ll perform at delicious Thai restaurant KetMoRee for the first time. Feel like you’re on an exotic vacation without even leaving downtown Davis.

An evening with SOULAJU

Sunday, 7 p.m., free

The Delta of Venus, 122 B Street

This event, sponsored by the Ethnic & Cultural Affairs Commission and Cultural Studies, will present Soulaju, a hip hop and world music duo. Also featured are UC Davis Spoken Word collective SickSpits and other guest DJs.

AT THE MOVIES

Countdown to Zero

Today, 8 p.m., free

194 Chemistry

Catch a free screening of this important documentary about the nuclear arms race. Countdown to Zero follows the nuclear arms race from the invention of the nuclear bomb to today’s global arms crisis, making an argument for worldwide nuclear disarmament. The film was featured at the Sundance Film Festival; however, a theatrical release date has not been set yet, so take advantage of today’s screening.

THEATER/MONDAVI

Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical

Today – Saturday, May 1, 8 p.m., Sunday, May 2, 7 p.m., $12

Arboretum Gazebo

Student-run production company Studio 301 presents the classic hippie musical in probably the most inspiring setting on campus: the arboretum gazebo. There’s no better way to get in the mood for peace, love and rock-and-roll than lounging in the great outdoors.

Radio Stories and Other Stories: An Evening with Ira Glass

Today, 8 p.m., $12.50

Mondavi Center, Jackson Hall

We’ve all heard the voice of NPR’s most iconic broadcaster, Ira Glass, in programs like This American Life. Now, come see the man behind the voice and get a backstage look at how Glass creates each episode of This American Life. You’ll even watch as the show is recreated right on the stage, complete with sound effects, dialogue and music.

UC Davis Baroque Ensemble

Saturday, 3 p.m., $6

Mondavi Center, Rumsey Rancheria Grand Lobby

Take in some great period music with the Baroque Ensemble on Saturday afternoon. In an unusual twist, the ensemble will perform in the Mondavi Center’s dramatic lobby instead of one of the theaters, which sounds like a great way to mix things up.

Some Things Are Private

Wednesday – Saturday, May 8, 8 p.m., Sunday, May 9, 2 p.m., $11

Wright Hall, Main Theater

UC Davis is the first university to be granted the rights to perform this controversial show, based on photographer Sally Mann’s nude pictures of her children from the 1990s. Taking on topics such as privacy, nudity and children in art, the show aims to make each of us question what art is and where we draw the line. Check out our article in MUSE for more information.

ART/GALLERY

Pence Gallery Garden Tour

Sunday, noon, $25

Pence Gallery, 212 D St.

For those gardeners and budding landscape architects out there, the Pence Gallery will hold its 19th annual Garden Tour this Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The tour features nine home gardens in the Willowbank and Oakshade neighborhoods, and guests can also enjoy a silent auction and refreshments. For more information, visit pencegallery.org.

“The Gene in Context: Organic Complex Systems as a Model for Generative Architecture”

Tuesday, 4:10 p.m., free

Art 210D

Design and art history professor Christina Cogdell discusses recent efforts to combine molecular biology and architecture to discover new processes in both fields. As it turns out, architecture and biology have a lot to teach each other, and us, about the complex systems that organize our lives.

ROBIN MIGDOL can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.