Culture

News

Homecoming goes beyond the dance

Aaron Cowan | September 25

Homecoming is not just for students — there are an abundance of activities for alumni as well. In fact, for almost 100 years, UNM’s Alumni Association has been putting on Homecoming events, according to Susan MacEachen, the associate director of Alumni Relations. “This is the 92nd year of Homecoming at UNM,” MacEachen said. “It’s a traditional event. Our goal is to have alumni connect back to the school.” Homecoming festivities start on Monday, Sept. 25 at 11 a.m. with a Kickoff Rally in the newly refurbished Karen A. Abraham Courtyard at Hodgin Hall Alumni Center.

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Culture

Kingsman sequel lacks plot but delivers on action

Hector Valverede | September 24

Nearing its conclusion, Matthew Vaughn’s “Kingsman: The Secret Service” ends with a controversial bit of humor — a joke about anal sex — that nearly ruins the otherwise excellent movie. In the context of the rest of the film, which lovingly lampoons the classic camp of the early Bond spy films, the joke felt too jarring and out of place. Vaughn’s follow up, “Kingsman: The Golden Circle,” veers too far into that element of self-parody and greatly suffers for it. “The Golden Circle” is a lot of things at once — perhaps too many. The main story follows Eggsy, solidly reprised by Taron Egerton, tracking down the group responsible for attacking and eliminating the Kingsman spy organization.

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News

Homecoming candidates share Lobo spirit

Madison Spratto | September 24

As a part of the University of New Mexico’s Homecoming Week, ASUNM Lobo Spirit and the Elections Commission will be holding elections for the Homecoming king and queen Sept. 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the SUB and online. Before the election, all 15 candidates were given the opportunity to share something about themselves through interviews with reporter Madison Spratto. Not all candidates were interviewed, as Samuel Eze did not respond in time for this publication.

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News

Dreamstyle Arena will host Party in the Pit

Makayla Grijalva | September 24

Party in the Pit is the first student event to offer Lobos the chance to party on their stomping grounds, the newly renamed Dreamstyle Arena. ASUNM Student Special Events is teaming up with Lobo Spirit, University Communications and Marketing and the Fractal Foundation to put on the event to cap off Homecoming Week. Party in the Pit will be held on Sept. 29, from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Dreamstyle Arena. The stage near the dance floor will feature DJs Berret and Jay, as well as an opening by Yak Pak. “Party in the Pit is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime, fully immersive experience,” said ASUNM SSE Promotions Director Xavier Vallejo.

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Culture

NM Fair offers exotic culinary concoctions

Christian Marquez | September 20

The New Mexico State Fair has come and gone once again, bringing various delights for the senses and leaving only memories of what you saw, or more importantly, what you ate. The food gains a presence of its own at the fair, and for some, it becomes free license to eat anything you would normally avoid. For Deliah Cottel, a junior at UNM, it was another opportunity to escape campus for a few hours of distraction away from her housemates. “Well, my roommates are vegetarian,” she said, looking at a turkey leg that was roughly the same size of her forearm. “It’s one of the few moments where I can get barbecue. So I’m getting my hands dirty.”

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Culture

Helix intertwines yoga and morning coffee

Nichole Harwood | September 20

Sometimes there is nothing better then waking up and getting a nice hot cup of coffee, and Helix Coffee and Yoga House is the new kid on the block serving up that much-needed beverage. University of New Mexico alumnus Vincent LaVolpa, owner of the now-two-month-old Helix Coffee and Yoga House originally received his Bachelor of Science degree in emergency medicine, dedicating himself as a paramedic for seven years with Albuquerque Ambulance Service, he said. After working as a paramedic, LaVolpa wasn’t sure what was next for him, but knew he always wanted to run a coffee shop, he said.

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Culture

Review: mother! a true work of artistic expression

Hector Valverde | September 20

Having gone into this film with zero knowledge or expectations, I spent the majority of the two-hour run time of “mother!” trying to piece the film’s narrative and thematic values together, for better or worse. The revelations and winding twists of Darren Aronofsky’s latest piece make it a film better experienced fresh, with no prior knowledge of the trip you’re about to take. In the most simple plot summary I can possibly give, “mother!” follows a young woman (played to a T by the ever-delivering Jennifer Lawrence) rebuilding her husband’s burned house. At the same time, her husband, played by Javier Bardem,, broods over the last remaining piece of his house, a shard of fiery glass, while trying to write his next poetic masterpiece. When a stranger meanders into their lovely pastoral home, Lawrence and Bardem’s blissful isolation takes a dark turn.

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Culture

Guest Columnist: The challenges of living in a pueblo

Guest Columnists | September 20

Editor's Note: This story can be attributed to Humans of New Mexico contributors. This is part of our new project to help connect the Daily Lobo audience to more members of our community. Between Cultures & Pueblos My name is Bryce Townsend. I am from San Felipe Pueblo and Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. I’ve lived in San Felipe most of my life, and I participate in Ohkay Owingeh as well. I kind of live in both places, you can say that.

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Culture

Photo Story: The scents, sights and experiences of the State Fair

Kevin Maestas | September 20

When the New Mexico State Fair blows into town each year, I begin to yearn for the smell of smoked turkey legs while waiting to ride roller coasters and ferris wheels in the midway. After the metallic machinery whips and whirls the summer blues away, emerges the no-brainer to bury my face into powdered sugar with a side of funnel cake. The next logical step would be to let off some steam by chucking softballs at beer bottles for a quick thrill that may result in the adoption of a cheap stuffed animal. Since 1938, Expo New Mexico has housed the yearly celebration of community artisanship, agriculture, cultural traditions and churros. Not quite sure if churros have been among the state fair’s oldest traditions, but for this 20-something-year-old mesa dweller, the annual pilgrimage to southeast Albuquerque must be accompanied by aguas frescas, fair rides and fried pastries.

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Culture

Art takes over the streets with 508 Mural Fest

Nichole Harwood | September 17

Albuquerque’s artistic side is up for show with the first 508 Mural Fest is now underway, featuring the work of over 25 muralists at 12 different locations in the city. The event began Sept. 12 and is scheduled to continue through Sept. 23. Mural Fest is produced by Warehouse 508, and its title sponsor is Maddox and Co. Realtors. The festival’s turnout has been a “beautiful” reaction to local art, said JP Eaglin, director of Warehouse 508. “People are walking by everyday, loving it,” Eaglin said. “Driving by honking their horns. There's a new energy Downtown.” 508 Mural Fest is packed with activities for audiences of all ages, including a concert on Sept. 21 featuring talents such as Wild Humans and Timewreckers.

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Culture

UNM hosts Black Cultural Conference

Johnny Vizcaino | September 17

This week, for the first time in seven years, African American Student Services will be sponsoring the Black Cultural Conference at UNM. Thematically, the conference is geared toward “Mobilizing the Black Millennial Legacy.” The 2017 Black Cultural Conference will be taking place from Thursday, Sept. 21 until Saturday, Sept. 23. The conference will kick off with a networking event on Thursday at 5 p.m. in the Ethnic Center foyer. Then, Friday will be filled with workshops and roundtables exploring topics such as leadership, health, positive self-image, social justice and the importance of developing an intergenerational strategy for mobilization. These sessions will take place in the SUB starting at 9 a.m.

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Culture

Student play explores the line between life and death

Ariel Lutnesky | September 17

Rodey Theatre’s doors will open Friday for Students Creating Really Awesome Productions (SCRAP) with “A Bench at the Edge,” written by Luigi Jannuzzi. Play Director Samuel Shoemaker-Trejo said the show revolves around two main characters. “‘A Bench at the Edge’ is about two individuals who meet at the literal representation of the metaphoric edge between life and death,” Shoemaker-Trejo said. “The physical space at the edge is actually an edge suspended over infinite abyss. In the back is life; in front is the abyss or death or eternity. It's kind of up for interpretation what the other side is.” Shoemaker-Trejo said that the first character, Man 1, is struggling between life and death, because he is strapped to a hospital bed and is unable to let himself die and yet, he cannot live. The second character, Man 2, who is a woman in this interpretation of the play, is struggling between life and death, as she is debating on ending her own life.

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Culture

New Mexicans celebrate medieval culture

Christian Marquez | September 17

Every year, for the last 10 years, El Rancho De Las Golondrinas undergoes a physical transformation from a working hacienda into a medieval village for the Santa Fe Renaissance Fair. Over the past weekend, the 200-acre farm was overtaken by hundreds of knights and ladies dressed in their best 16th century attire. The fairgoers were greeted by various forms of period-appropriate entertainment including their most dangerous sports such as jousting, rapier fighting and armored combat. However, for most of these sportsmen, their game lasts longer than just the weekend.

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Culture

Student group helps minorities with college

Johnny Vizcaino | September 14

For the Men of Color Initiative, there’s more to being successful in college than reading a textbook. It takes more than a one-time orientation featuring an overload of information and a goody bag to express the importance of networking and real-world community engagement. That’s what the initiative is aiming to showcase with its first-ever “Males of Color Success Networking Summit.” “When you know who you are, and you know that historical piece of your place in society, and then you have a peer coach who’s been at UNM for years who knows how to navigate the system, it makes a huge difference,” said Rodney Bowe, director of MOCI.

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Culture

Review: Goo Goo Dolls give strong performance

Ariel Lutnesky | September 13

The Goo Goo Dolls performed a concert at the Sandia Resort and Casino on Sunday, Sept. 10, and it was a wonderful time. The show’s opener, Phillip Phillips, also had quite enjoyable music and high energy, and his band was certainly talented. His performance was not particularly notable other than that. Perhaps this is a good attribute for an opener, as it calls attention to Philips’s music but does not steal the show from the main band. Still, the Goo Goo Dolls’ performance lived up to and went beyond all expectations for what a large, well-known rock band concert should be. It attended to almost all of the senses, with blinking, colorful lights, odd-smelling smoke and of course, music.

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Culture

SWFC aims to bring relevant films to students

Florence Sliger | September 10

Some may recall a time when the lower level of the SUB was occupied by a bowling alley. Fifty years ago, this bowling alley was removed and a theater installed, transforming the area into ASUNM’s Southwest Film Center. Holding true to its initial purpose, Executive Director Tori Martinez said the SWFC brings independent, foreign and documentary films to UNM, as these films are not widely shown throughout Albuquerque.

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Culture

TEDxABQ explores diverse experiences

Hannah Eisenberg | September 10

The TEDxABQ event at the Albuquerque Convention Center this weekend discussed the connections humans can draw from their different lives and experiences through mutual understanding, patience and the willingness to listen. More audience members than seats filled the auditorium to listen to 17 speakers and six performers from various backgrounds, cultures, educations, speak about important discoveries in their lives. The event began with a violinist, Phoenix Avalon, performing segments of his favorite classical pieces. He spoke of his journey to understand how he, as a classical violinist, can fit into today’s fast-paced, technology-driven society.

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Culture

Bricklight Nights highlights local artists, businesses

Nichole Harwood | September 10

Bricklight Nights is an ongoing event, running each Wednesday through Sept. 27, that showcases local artists with local food, fun and entertainment in the Bricklight District, just south of Main Campus off Central Ave. “This is a local community support event,” said Kelsey Wilson of Mothership Alumni, an Albuquerque-based artist collective. “We’re all working down here to bring attention to local artists and local businesses, especially (those) being affected by the ART construction.” Local musicians the Gershom Brothers performed alongside a musician and painters during one of the nights.

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Culture

"IT" remake offers worthy retelling of classic horror

Hector Valverde | September 10

You’ve undoubtedly seen or heard of the 1990 ABC adaptation of Steven King’s novel, “IT.” Despite the miniseries’ undeniable cheesiness, Tim Curry singlehandedly drilled the terrifying Pennywise the Dancing Clown, or IT, into the horror hall of fame. Andy Muschietti’s 2017 “IT” delivers on that promise of horror, with a little extra thrown in too. The faithful adaptation follows a group of preteens investigating the disappearance of their town’s children while being terrorized by a diabolical clown. Where the 1990 adaptation stumbled when Curry was off screen, the horror element of Muschietti’s “IT” felt like an additional boon. To be honest, the trailers have spoiled about two-thirds of the film’s scary moments.

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Culture

Josh Kun shines light on Latin influences on America's music

Timber Mabes | September 10

The University of New Mexico’s Musicology Colloquium Series kicked off its program last week with a presentation from award-winning author and USC Professor Josh Kun in Popejoy’s Keller Hall. During his speech, the 2016 MacArthur Fellow introduced his upcoming project to the public for the first time. Kun has researched with the collaborative art group, the Getty Foundation’s Pacific Standard Time: Latin American and Latino Art in LA, for two years to create a concert series and collection of art exhibits which highlight Latin American influence on the music of Los Angeles, California.