Last Sunday, local bluegrass band Whiskey Business’ banjo picking and folk rhythms caused a surge of unabashed dancing at the Davis Flea Market. Made up of four UC Davis students, the band began its ascent from Tercero dorm room jam sessions last year to performing live from the KDVS studio just last week.

Galen Shearn-Nance, a second-year undeclared major, plays the banjo and fiddle as well as provides vocals. Gabe Saron, who plays the Mandolin and provides vocals, is a first-year evolution, ecology and biodiversity major. Stefan Turkowski, who plays guitar and sings, is a second-year electrical engineering major. Corey Reider plays the bass and is a third-year history and psychology double major.

After trudging through a flock of dosey-doe dancers at their live Flea Market performance, MUSE was able to talk to the musicians in an interview about their music, creative process and experience playing bluegrass.

MUSE: How did your band first take shape?

Shearn-Nance: Stefan Turkowski and I jammed in the dorms last year, and we would sometimes play at our chemistry review session during the breaks the professor would give us. Gabe arrived as a freshman this year, and we all started jamming a lot together last quarter. We started looking for a bassist, and we found Cory Reider, our newest member, who just joined us three weeks ago, and he’s the ideal bassist for the position.

Saron: We all enjoy bluegrass and have fun playing all these songs that we’ve heard and performed with our friends.

How would you describe your creative process?

Turkowski: We haven’t written that many songs of our own, but in the few that we have, one of us writes most of it and we bring it to the table and assemble it and provide constructive criticism. The most interesting songs are always inspired, where you play something and you know where it’s going. But we don’t do that much collective songwriting. Half the time we spend as a band is unstructured creative jamming. We sometimes put a bluegrass interpretation into rock songs.

Saron: For example, our song “The Great Horizon” came about through a musical inspiration I had during a bike ride through the wilderness. I was riding with some friends, but on the last part of the journey I got separated and ended up riding all day in the countryside by myself. I began singing to myself and somehow the lyrics were good enough that I had a fully formed song by the end of my journey. I think biking and spending time in the wilderness helps people write the good songs.

What is exciting to you about bluegrass music?

Saron: Bluegrass is an art form unto itself. The genre has a traditional structure — it’s like a scaffold that we fill in with what we have to give musically. The songs are simple, they have like three chords, but the sort of unspoken rules about when to do fills, when to hold back, when to listen — this is something that we’ve acquired by going to bluegrass festivals, learning from seasoned musicians, and we’ve gotten to a point musically where we feel like we can give life to these songs through our own creativity.

Shearn-Nance: Bluegrass is a very enigmatic genre, because a lot of the songs sound very similar to the untrained ear, and even to the trained ear. I’ve been listening to bluegrass for many years and it’s still hard not to get a lot of the songs confused.

Reider: For a newcomer, the basics of all the songs are easy to get down on paper and learn, but it takes a while to develop the bluegrass instinct. It’s interesting to play bluegrass because the songs are about the best and the worst in us, and when you play it, it makes you feel good — it’s like a cleansing. It’s a good release of energy.

What other gigs have you played?

Shearn-Nance: Over winter break we played a gig over at Brainwash Café in San Francisco. We’ve also played at the Davis Dance Marathon and live on KDVS, which was a lot of fun.

Saron: The Davis Dance Marathon was so much fun because everyone was so in the mood to dance. We love when people dance, it creates a really good energy.

Where would you ideally like to perform?

Reider: My family is originally from the South, and my grandfather still owns a farm in North Carolina. I think it would be amazing to play there, or anywhere in the South because bluegrass is their music. But locally, we’d love to play at house shows, Houseboats and rooftops.

Do you have any future gigs lined up for the future?

Turkowski: On April 13, we will be playing at the cancer fundraising event Relay for Life here in Davis. We are hoping to get more dates lined up before that. We love playing for people and we’ll play for free. We’ll enliven any party you bring us to.

To contact Whiskey Business or find out more about them, visit their Facebook page at facebook.com/WhiskeyBuisness.

CRISTINA FRIES can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

Last weekend, Davis alumnus, Michael Taiber assembled a comedy spectacular at his secluded house in North Davis. Though this was most definitely smart comedy, none of the performers held back.

Raucous laughter was exchanged and the backroom aesthetic blended nicely with the show’s unbridled humor. The venue’s personal nature created for a great proving ground for comedic material. Unlike the hierarchy of larger venues, the house show allowed virtual novices to brush shoulders with industry veterans.

Taiber informed the audience that there wasn’t much work to putting together a comedy show. It really took getting an audience and just calling up some friends. He wanted to cover the full variety of the area.

Sure, a few of the acts were Davis locals, but the hubs of San Francisco and Sacramento were also represented.

“[The creative process is] a lot of banging your head against the wall. Think of the saddest truth you’ve thought about yourself this week,” Taiber said.

Taiber emphasized the importance of being real. He noted that comedy that’s real to him turns out to be more relatable when he performs in front of an audience.

Keith Lowell Jensen is an industry veteran who has been performing comedy for over ten years. He became involved with the house show through a mutual venue he shares with many of the acts: a Sacramento comedy club known as Luna’s.

“My process actually uses Twitter and Facebook a lot,” Lowell Jensen said. He explained that the social platforms allow him to create a new joke and quickly receive a variety of feedback.

Lowell Jensen carries a careful dedication to his own personal voice.

“I actually don’t say much on stage that isn’t true,” he said.

Beyond the accuracy of the jokes, he mentioned frequently taking a running joke from his personal life, boiling it down and getting something unique. He noted that so many comedians are looking for the next joke that it’s important to retain your style.

Members of skit comedy troupe Comedy Space, Alec Roberts and Tyler Kinne, took a few hilarious moments to sit down and discuss.

Besides a healthy amount of banter and attempts to assert who the Jimi Hendrix of this comedy show was, the duo commented about what goes into their process. They mentioned that, especially with a skit group, many comedians get together and brainstorm new material.

“When you’re hanging out, you can talk about something that isn’t funny. Like an art movement, clearly not that funny, and just ask questions and see where the conversation progresses,” Roberts said.

They both agreed that once you’re a veteran you have a defined voice, but while you’re starting out your routine could change week to week.

“You have to be open to criticism while retaining who you are,” Kinne said. He mentioned that some of his jokes could be considered lazy comedy but with a certain audience they’re a hit. Alec reinforced his notion, sharing a personal tangent of his experience performing at bars.

“I was telling a lot of fart and poop jokes. The kind of thing that gets a reaction in a bar won’t work somewhere else,” Kinne said, as he ended the interview discussing his charmed beautiful life.

Despite its frustrations, the comedians all loved what they did. These individuals had humor, but they constantly worked to retain their edge. Overall it was an amusing evening full of laughs and new friends. Plus, free beer.

Don’t miss your chance to see another evening of “F$&@ing Funny Comedy Show” at 1604 Pole Line. Lowell Jensen’s new album Elf Orgy is available on iTunes. Roberts and Kinn perform at the Comedy Spot in Sacramento on the corner of 20th and J every third Friday of the month at 10:30 pm.

BEAUGART GERBER can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

The Spokes’ annual a cappella showcase HellaCappella will take place Friday at Jackson Hall in the Mondavi Center for the first time since its creation in 2004. HellaCappella has been a staple of the Davis music scene every Winter Quarter and has traditionally been held in Freeborn Hall. This year, The Spokes aim to fill a larger venue despite the consequential significant rise in ticket prices and relocation of the event to the outskirts of campus.

“The Spokes strive to make each annual HellaCappella bigger and better than the last,” said Camille Martinez, a fourth-year communication and human development double major and publicity director for The Spokes. “We sell out more and more tickets every year, and that was ultimately why we needed to change venues.”

To meet this growing demand, HellaCappella was moved last year from Freeborn Hall to the much larger ARC Pavilion. Ultimately, the switch proved to be more problematic than productive.

“The transition between Freeborn and the ARC Pavilion was honestly a rough one. There were a lot of things come day of the show with acoustics, lighting and general production quality that we didn’t consider,” Martinez said.

Despite the issues, the show managed to fill 2,000 seats, prompting the decision to transfer yet again to an even bigger and more professional venue.

“We wanted to really step up our game this year, so we made the decision to move HellaCappella to the beautiful, state-of-the-art Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts,” said Emily Korwin, a fourth-year human development major and Spokes president. “Not only are the acoustics in the center perfect for a cappella music, but the thrill of performing on the same stage as greats such as Yo-Yo Ma, Florence + The Machine and The Shins pushed us to work extra hard to book the center.”

Plans to move the show out of The Pavilion began early last March and continued throughout the summer. This year’s lineup includes UC Davis’ The Liquid Hotplates, UC Berkeley Men’s Octet, the Golden Overtones, DeCadence and Dil Se, UCSC’s Cloud 9 and University of Oregon’s On the Rocks. The Davis improvisational troupe, Birdstrike Comedy Theater, will emcee the evening. The Hotplates are the only other Davis group invited to perform at HellaCappella.

“Usually, HellaCappella is such a big show in terms of guest performers that UC Davis groups are not invited because of time constraints for the show,” said Jaimie Wu, a third-year exercise biology major and member of the Hotplates. “The last time The Hotplates performed at HellaCappella was 2011, when the show was at Freeborn Hall.”

The Hotplates were selected due to their previous relationship with The Spokes.

“We were invited to perform in the past because our group had a relationship with Spokes — one of our alumni was in both The Spokes and The Liquid Hotplates,” Wu said. “This year, The Spokes were looking for a little more UC Davis representation, and we were beyond excited to accept their invitation.”

The Hotplates share the same optimism as The Spokes when it comes to the change in venue.

“I’m ecstatic to perform at Jackson Hall; it’s a phenomenal venue. I think whatever increase in ticket price is justified in order to support such a large and nice venue,” Wu said.

The Spokes are confident that they will maintain a high level of audience turnout despite the increase in ticket prices at the door to $15 general admission and $12 for students. In 2012, general admission at the door was $10 with student tickets at the door priced at $9.

“We increased ticket prices to cover the additional costs of hosting the show in the Mondavi Center, but still tried to keep them at a low price for students and the general public alike,” Korwin said. “We hope that our fans and the Sacramento community will continue to show their support. We are working hard to provide our audience with a fantastic show at a reasonable price.”

Wu recognizes the work involved in the production of such an event, having played a key role in the planning of The Liquid Hotplates’ annual show AllottaCapella, which sold out Sciences Lecture Hall 123 last December.

“I know hosting a show can be very difficult, and I applaud The Spokes for being able to go to the Mondavi,” Wu said. “After having turned away people from a sold-out AlottaCappella, we are contemplating expanding the show, though renting a larger venue is definitely a risk.”

As with every show, a portion of the proceeds from HellaCappella will go to a nonprofit organization. Last year, the event generated over $3,000 for the American Cancer Society; this year The Spokes aim to see similar success for Teach For America.

According to Korwin, the profit generated from the previous HellaCappella was enough to book the prestigious and expensive Jackson Hall. Corwin hopes the turnout from this year will garner enough revenue to maintain the new venue choice in the future.

“We hope to hold HellaCappella in the Mondavi Center again in the future, but it really depends on the profit we make from this year’s show,” Korwin said.

HellaCappella will take place Friday at 7:30 p.m, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Tickets will be available at the door or on the Mondavi website at mondaviarts.org/events.

ADAM KHAN and ELIZABETH ORPINA can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

“Stagnant. Bitter. Angry.”

Eleven figures standing in three rows, facing the audience, reciting these words.

This is how VAGINA: OurStories 2013 opened. A play created to raise awareness of gendered violence, OurStories took place this past weekend at the Wyatt Pavillion. The cast and crew, from actors to writers to directors, was made up completely of UC Davis students and alumni.

The show included trigger warnings, an in-house counselor, PGPs (preferred gender pronouns, for the uninitiated), gender-neutral bathrooms and a fragrance-free atmosphere, all key components of their introduction to the play.

Over the span of two hours, the cast members acted out their 11 stories, some self-written, others created by the four cast writers. They were funny, they were intense, they were a minute-and-a-half long rendition of an orgasm and they were all peppered by snaps from the audience.

Funds from OurStories went toward the organizations INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence in the Bay Area and Garment Worker Center in Los Angeles.

For any questions or comments, contact the Women’s Resources & Research Center at wrrc@ucdavis.edu.

— Tanya Azari

“The Art of Painting in the 21st Century,” an annual conference, will be returning to Davis on March 8, bringing with it a slew of discussions, panels and lectures by some of the greatest visionaries of the field. Lecturers will include Glen Brill, Kelly Detweiler, F. Scott Hess and — perhaps most excitingly — John Seed, art writer for The Huffington Post.

When asked about Seed’s work, John Natsoulas, curator of the exhibition and director of the conference, shared his opinion.

“More people are reading him [Seed] than The New York Times. He has the pulse of American art,” he said.

According to the official press release, the conference is “geared [toward] nurturing dialog on contemporary painting and the shared ideas define current trends in the field.”

The conference also seeks to encourage outreach in the art world, as many painters work alone in a solitary process.

“[The conference] is an opportunity for the university to become involved in the art world. We’re not seeing this much anymore, as this is the only painting conference in California,” Natsoulas said.

The conference will take place on March 8 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with several receptions at the John Natsoulas Gallery. More educational events will take place on March 9 during the same hours. To learn more about the conference and purchase passes, please visit natsoulas.com. And if you need more incentive to go, Natsoulas has you covered.

“The first twenty UC Davis students that email us will receive free passes to the conference,” Natsoulas said.

– Brett Bunge

ART

Space Jam
Tonight, 7:30 p.m., free
Science Lecture Hall 123
The Entertainment Council presents this classic film in which hall of fame basketball player Michael Jordan attempts to escape the world of basketball only to be drawn into an epic game between cartoon animals. Come for the nostalgia; stay for the Bill Murray cameo.

MUSIC

HellaCappella 2013
Friday, 7:30 p.m., $12 to $15 regular, $9 to $12 student
Mondavi Center
The Spokes present a showcase of a cappella groups from Northern California. Featured groups include The Spokes and The Liquid Hotplates, UC Berkeley’s Men’s Octet, The Golden Overtones, DeCadence and Dil Se, UC Santa Cruz’s Cloud 9 and University of Oregon’s On the Rocks.

Morrissey
Monday, 8 p.m.
Mondavi Center
Indie icon Morrissey’s long delayed tour finally arrives in Davis. Expect the set to consist of solo hits such as “Everyday is like Sunday” as well as his some of his work with The Smiths. The opening act is Kristeen Young, who has previously opened for Morrissey on his 2006 tour.

The Alabama Shakes
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Mondavi Center
The rock group performs in Davis. Their album, Boys and Girls, was ranked as the 34th best album of 2012 by Rolling Stone and their song “Hold On” was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance. The opening act is Michael Kiwanuka, who won the BBC Sound of 2012 poll.

POETRY

Thomas A. Cahill at The Avid Reader
Saturday, 7:30 p.m., free
The Avid Reader, 617 Second St.
Author Thomas Cahill visits The Avid Reader to discuss his book, Ark: Asteroid Impact. The first in a trilogy, Ark tells the story of a band of Californians who work to survive a cataclysmic asteroid impact.

THEATER

Urinetown: The Musical
Friday and Saturday, 8:15 p.m., Sunday, 2:15 p.m. $18 regular, $16 student
DMTC Performing Arts Center, 607 Pena Drive
The Davis Musical Theatre Company presents their rendition of the 2001 Broadway smash that won the Tony Award for Best Score and Best Book. According to last week’s article by Cristina Fries, Urinetown “pokes fun at government bureaucracy, corporate industries and Broadway musicals themselves through parodying them in almost every scene.” Director Steve Isaacson describes this show as, “Terrible title, terrific show.”