Culture

Culture

Engineers Without Borders helps communities solve problems

Nichole Harwood | March 26

For nearly a decade, a student group has been training engineers and helping small communities around the world. Engineers Without Borders UNM is a local chapter of EWB-USA, its parents organization, and aims to build a better world through engineering projects that empower communities to meet their basic human needs and equip leaders to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. “Our mission is two parts and focuses on two groups, one being the communities we work with,” said Santiago Trujillo, chapter president of EWB-UNM, “We build a better world by implementing a professional engineering process to assess a community’s needs, design, implement and assess a sustainable product through engineering practices that provide communities with the aid to meet their basic human needs.”

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Culture

UNM Hobbit Society digs deep into Middle Earth

Ariel Lutnesky | March 22

We may only be able to go to J. R. R. Tolkien’s Shire in our imagination with the help of his books and Peter Jackson’s movies, but at the UNM Honors College Forum, club members meet to do the second best thing: dive as deep as possible into Tolkien’s world. The club is called UNM Hobbit Society and is run by Tessa Snyder, the club’s president, and Sarah Collins, the vice president. “We try to bring in all different kinds of literature and popular culture and talk about how maybe it was influenced by Tolkien and his work,” Collins said. “He was considered by a lot of people to be the first of his kind, and everything kind of stems from that. So not only do we talk about the movies and the books and his life and everything, but we also to bring in a lot of different topics.”

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Culture

Dueling pianists to throw down at Popejoy

Ariel Lutnkesky | March 22

On Friday, virtuoso pianists Paul Cibis and Andreas Kern will tickle the ivories in a “Piano Battle” at Popejoy Hall. According to Cibis, the Piano Battle is a duel between the two pianists that lasts six rounds. At the end, the audience gets to decide who won. Instead of exchanging blows, the pianists strive to outdo each other with their musical skills. Cibis said that Piano Battle all started when the two were called to play together in a place many miles from where they will be on Friday. “We both were invited to a Hong Kong city festival, and then they thought because we are both German and from Berlin, maybe we could play a concert together,” Cibis said.

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Culture

SWFC Preview: Cult horror hit "Green Room" comes to the SUB

Fin Martinez | March 22

On March 24-26 the Southwest Film Center will be screening the cult horror film “Green Room” at the UNM SUB. The film is the third feature film directed by Jeremy Saulnier who has directed the 2013 thriller “Blue Ruin” and the 2007 horror-comedy “Murder Party”. “Green Room” is the story of a punk band consisting of members Pat, Sam, Reese and Tiger, as they tour the Pacific Northwest. After a cancellation of one of their gigs, they are booked at a rural Oregon bar which panders to skinheads.

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TV

Review: Long awaited return of "Samurai Jack" doesn't disappoint

Fin Martinez | March 19

After nearly a 13 year hiatus, the legendary adventure series “Samurai Jack” has made it’s long awaited return. The series was first teased in September of 2015 and since then has been the subject of anticipation, speculation, and adoration as the return of our childhood sci-fi samurai. A critically acclaimed series during its original run, Samurai Jack was widely praised for its art style, camera angles, use of silence, and cinematography highly influenced by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Like most series of its time in the early 2000’s, it faced the chopping block to pave the way for newer — and not necessarily better — series. This left a bitter taste in the mouths of its dedicated fan base. The show’s creator, Russian-born Genndy Tartakovsky of “Dexter’s Laboratory” fame, has returned for the new episodes, making this a reboot not for the sake of rebooting but for closure, as the series never had a proper finale during its original run.

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Culture

Q & A: Local musician Gabriel Fuentes

Troy Amato | March 19

Gabriel Fuentes is a local guitarist and songwriter who fuses acoustic guitar melodies in a unique instrumental genre known as “math-rock.” A genuine musician and inspiring person, Fuentes, performs in and around the Albuquerque area. The Daily Lobo talked to Fuentes about his upcoming projects and musical background. DL: What kind of music do you make? GF: Myself and my bandmates write a kind of rock referred to as “math-rock,” although some bands prefer to be seen as anything but that.

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Culture

Cheap and easy spring break getaways

Jonathan Baca | March 8

Spring break is finally upon us, and with unseasonably warm weather blessing the Land of Enchantment, it’s time to drop the textbooks and get out into the wild and beautiful landscapes that give our state its legendary nickname. Here’s a few ideas for day trips, camping excursions and romantic getaways that are close to home and won't break the bank.

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Culture

Geology Club: More than just rocks

Ariel Lutnesky | March 8

The UNM Geology Club is chock-full of field adventures, information and opportunities for students interested in any kind of earth science. Kaylen Jones, the acting president of the club, has been a part of the UNM Geology Club since she was an undergraduate student. “We do more than just look at rocks,” Jones said. “We plan a lot of great trips to go hiking, we're really outdoorsy and we like to include aspects of science and STEM. It's a way to get involved without necessarily having to take a class and feel pressured to get a good grade.”

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Culture

Fashion Column: DIY outfits for cheering on the Lobos

Courtney Salinger | March 8

Plans to attend the next UNM sports matchup? Finding the cutest and cheapest Lobo spirit wear can be challenging at times. DIY projects can be cheaper and provide more of an artistic approach to finding an outfit. Here are a some DIY suggestions that will help add creative and personal flourishes to any outfit.

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Culture

Artist to give talk on travels, land use

Ariel Lutnesky | March 8

Nina Elder, an artist who specializes in drawing and painting pieces about land use, will be giving a talk this Thursday on “Processing Place” at the Tamarind Institute. Elder will discuss her travels, artwork and how she relates to place. The event will display some of her artwork, as well. “The work that I'm printing at the Tamarind is looking at the historic moments when individual surveyors would go out into the land with a pickaxe and a shovel,” Elder said. ”They'd be isolated and would strike a vein of gold or copper and there would often be this single stone that would prove that element (was there)."

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Culture

Column: Cartoons for adults are having a renaissance

Fin Martinez | March 5

Millennials grew up in an interesting era for cartoons. Many of us remember the “What a Cartoon!” show and “Nicktoons,” which produced the most iconic cartoons of the 90’s and early 2000s. With shows like “Rugrats,” “The Ren and Stimpy Show,” “Spongebob Squarepants,” “Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Courage the Cowardly Dog” and “Ed, Edd n Eddy,” it was considered a golden age for TV animation. But like many good things in life, nothing lasts forever. Around 2008 the quality of cartoons began to deteriorate. They weren’t as funny or original as they once were, and whether it was due to executives cancelling a series in favor of a new series or because cartoons were beginning to be created for a kids-only audience, the quality of cartoons took a nosedive.

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Culture

Review: 'Motown: the Musical' stays true to its roots

Fin Martinez | March 1

Seldom does a record label carry the cultural significance and reputation that the legendary Motown Records does. The Broadway production “Motown: The Musical” tells the story of this legendary record label, it’s origins, it’s struggles, it’s discoveries, and the careers it helped to forge. The musical focuses on the founder of the label, Berry Gordy (played by Chester Gregory) and how his dreams of making people happy helped forge his path to stardom. It follows his beginnings as a Detroit factory worker and part-time songwriter, through his founding of “Hitsville USA,” the predecessor to Motown Records, and his journey to make his and others dreams come true of being musicians and super stars.

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Culture

Exhibit to showcase NM's film history

Manuel Chavez | March 1

While the development of the film industry in New Mexico has only recently turned heads, it turns out that the Land of Enchantment has played a major part in cinema and television history for a very long time,even before the beloved and television series “Breaking Bad.” In recognition of New Mexico’s long and unique cinematic history, the Albuquerque Museum is hosting an exhibit curated by history professor Paul Hutton titled “Hollywood Southwest: New Mexico in Film and Television.” The exhibit runs until August 27.

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Culture

SWFC Preview: Academy Award-winning 'Moonlight' comes to UNM

Fin Martinez | March 1

In a somewhat lucky bit of planning, the ASUNM Southwest Film Center this weekend will be screening “Moonlight,” just a few days after it was named Best Picture of 2016 by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Sunday. The critically acclaimed film — and cheapest Best Picture winner in the 89-year history of the Oscars — is directed by Barry Jenkins, and holds a more-than-reputable 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Culture

David Dixon: Eonomics professor by day, band bassist by night

Troy Amato | February 28

Nestled in his office on the second floor of the Economics building, economics professor Dave Dixon appears to be just another professor, studying up on current health systems and economics training outside of the classroom like any University faculty would. However, after just a few minutes of conversation it’s clear this economist is no ordinary man. When nighttime falls and the lights of Nob Hill come to life, Dixon becomes the bassist for local band Los Unusual Suspects as well as several others including Good Green and jazz band Off Day Trio.

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Culture

Dance program hosts eclectic concert series

Manuel Chavez | February 26

UNM’s dance program is hosting a series of shows that give students the opportunity to express themselves and communicate what cannot be shared through language. The series features various dance works which pairs students, faculty and guest artists with musicians and set and costume designers. The concert, which consists of multiple shows, brings together good old fashion hard work and old world flamenco as it joins amateurs and professionals alike. Artistic director Donna Jewell said the shows are the culmination of the dance students’ years of study.

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Music

Music Column: Growing Up With the Beatles

Jonathan Baca | February 24

When I was a kid, my sister, who is 13 years older than me, made it a mission to expose me to the musical phenomenon known as the Beatles. She was being paid by my mom to “babysit” me over the summer. I was about 12 years old, and I was like a dry sponge ready to soak in anything that I came in contact with. She started by showing me what she was most interested in at the time (she was in her mid 20’s), the psychedelic side of the Beatles. My first favorite Beatles songs were “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “I Am the Walrus.” I know that I was lucky in my early musical exposure, but I can’t stress enough how important the Beatles were to my personal musical and creative development. My favorite movies were “Yellow Submarine” and “Help!” All thanks to my sister, whose tastes cannot be questioned.

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Culture

Fencing club aims to bring swordplay to the people

Ariel Lutnesky | February 22

The UNM Fencing Club is a little known club on campus that practices the medieval art of fencing twice a week. While small, the club is dedicated and is always looking for new members. “We are more than willing to come up and give you gear and teach you how to fence,” said Renee Reeves, a senior Liberal Arts major and member of the club. “It is free and there is no commitment.” Reeves said that the people who show up come from all sorts of backgrounds, from newcomers who have never held a sword to people who have been fencing from a young age, like her.

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Movies

SWFC Preview: Rebel Without a Cause

Fin Martinez | February 22

Once in awhile there comes a film that is remembered for generations and looked upon as a masterpiece that captures what life was like at that point in history. There are films like “Dazed and Confused” and “Boyhood” that capture life in the narrative style of a coming-of-age story in iconic ways, and the ASUNM Southwest Film Center will be showing the granddaddy of these films this weekend: “Rebel Without a Cause.”

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Culture

Comedy, murder mystery combine in new UNM Experimental Theatre play

Ariel Lutnesky | February 22

On Friday evening, the UNM Experimental Theatre opens its doors for “The Murder Room,” a play put on by SCRAP Productions, a student theatre organization. Moy Honojos, the director of the production, says the show is a comedy. “It is a murder mystery farce, so there is a killing and cops who come in and try to solve a murder,” Honojos said. “Then things get complicated when the main character’s daughter comes back from America and brings a brand spanking new fiance, which complicates things.” Honojos said that he decided to do “The Murder Room,” which was written by Jack Sharkey, as a tribute to his first directing mentor, who directed the show about seven years ago. Honojos worked as the assistant director during that production.