You’ve probably heard him turning tables at Sigma Chi, Jericho or Regents, third year Jeff Sloan, also known as Retroactive, has been making quite name a name for himself on campus. To round out the year, Retroactive played at the MODA Blog Birthday party Monday, May 20^th at the Logan Terrace and opened at Summer Breeze. MODA was able to catch up with Retroactive at The Sip to get a better idea of the man between the headphones.  What we’ve found is an artist passionate about music and sharing his passion with others. Equal parts fun loving and intensely driven, Retroactive is earnestly vested in the music he creates. You can read the highlights from our conversation below or listen to the complete audio after the jump.

Q: Do you have a pre-performance routine to get yourself geared up before a performance?

A: Not in particular, I used to crush a couple red-bulls. That was my pre-performance thing. Get totally amped up, out of control.  But now that I’m an old third-year, haha, I don’t need to do that anymore. I think getting amped up is especially easy for something like this where I’ll be playing a big sound system for a lot of people, right before an amazing performance.

Q: Where did that name [Retroactive] come from?

A: It actually came from a combination of two things. I love a lot of old-school vibes, a lot of old school tunes. I grew up listening to the Momma’s and the Pappas and Oldies. That’s what my parents just put in the radio when we were in the car, and I have a lot of respect for some of those grooves. I  hope to pull from that emotional power in the music I perform for people. Active comes from more of a life style decision.  I’d rather be active in everything I do than reactive.

Q: Do you see DJ-ing as a kind of side interest or do you see yourself making a career out of it in the future.

A: I’ve considered making a career out of it. I mean, about a year ago I probably would have said that after I graduate I wanna just DJ for 2-3 years and use it to travel, you know? Live abroad, work abroad, and see where it takes me. And then after that, who knows. Maybe business school maybe jump into finance but I don’t know if I can make as certain a claim now.

Interview Audio

Make sure to check out Retroactive’s Facebook page and take a listen to his Soundcloud!

“She was Lo, plain Lo, in the morning, standing four feet ten in one sock. She was Lola in slacks. She was Dolly at school. She was Dolores on the dotted line. But in my arms she was always Lolita.” 
― Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

As much as registering for classes in Autumn makes everything feel so far away (the summer is in between, okay? A whole summer. Of swimming and ice cream and dancing at midnight and not having to wear shoes), this Fundamentals class on Nabokov’s Lolita – FNDL / 25300 - in the Fall has caught our eye. Have you read it? Lolita is seductive and terrifying and beautiful and the kind of thing that’ll change the way you see the English language. Also, apparently Nabokov wrote all of his novels on note-cards, with pencil, while standing at a lectern. Crazy.

Anyway, keep a look out for these posters all over campus, and if you’re as in love with his writing as we are, register.

Because I am of legal drinking age here, I have discovered my true love: grenadine. Sadly, it is not socially acceptable to drink grenadine on its own. In response to that and my fear of getting diabetes or more cavities than the nine I am the proud owner of, I decided to concoct a drink out of said famous ingredient.

In France or the greater area of Europe, there is a drink called a kir, which is made out of white wine and grenadine. The traditional drink, native to Dijon (a place in France), is actually made of white wine and Crème de Cassis, a dark liqueur made from blackcurrants. While I have sampled this drink quite a few times in different places, I have never been able to find one that satisfied my sweet tooth enough. And voila, to counter this desire of having my alcohol and drinking it (without gagging) too, I created the Kir Me of My Sweet Tooth. (If you come up with a better name let me know).

It is as follows:

1/3 Champagne

1/3 Sprite

1/3 Lychee Syrup

3 Lychees

1 table spoon of Grenadine (no that is not excessive).

It looks kind of like some sort of weird organ or eyeballs in blood or amniotic fluid, but honestly, it is so, so good.

For all y’all who are underage or don’t like the taste of bubbly, skip the champagne and add some more sprite or maybe even white grape juice.

If you are on a diet, please don’t drink this.

Fourth years are beginning to realize that the end is near. Caps and gowns are being picked up at the bookstore, carried home with tears in their eyes (wait, you didn’t cry when you got your cap and gown? Was that just me?). The whole thing can be pretty emotional, and so much STUFF is packed into these last few weeks that it feels like there’s no time to breathe. The whole not breathing thing is not good- it might result in a hot mess breakdown that involves a lot of tears, a bottle of wine, and episodes of your favorite tv show from high school on repeat.

So here are ways to deal with all the emotional build-up of the looming graduation:

• Brunch downtown. It’s like pretending to be in the real world already.
• Yoga classes. Center yourself and get more flexible. Two good things all in one class.
• Go on a walk to the Point. Perfect time to reflect and be alone.
• Sit in Harper and listen to first years complain about HUM and SOSC. Thank goodness we’re done with that.
• Stress out about something else. Like formal dates or Island outfits.
• And, if all else fails, a Med milkshake.

(Photo from here)

Just so you know, and can make sure you’re at Reynold’s at 2pm sharp, the MODA Magazine’s Spring Edition comes out tomorrow and it’s free. There’ll be copies to pick up then with photo-shoots to linger over and editorials to…well…settle down with a good cup of tea to read. See you there.

The 27th generation: Kevin, Harrison, Karlee, Dan, Peter, Jenny, Danny

The group operates in generations. New members are selected after audition in the fall. After the next generation is chosen, its members are trained during the fall and winter quarters, during which time the generation above them performs weekly shows. Shows run 1st-8th week, with each being its own independent improv performance. In case you didn’t know, improv means the jokes aren’t planned. Yeah, pretty impressive.

So, here’s a bit about the members of the 27th generation:

Harrison Kaufman was drawn to the history of Off-Off and the fun of improv. He aspires to be an actor. Louis CK is among his favorite comedians

Dan Ackerman had a teacher who was a member of Off-Off who suggested he look into joining after he got into UChicago.

Kevin Shang has been involved in improv since high school, and has enjoyed it greatly. Naturally, he decided to continue it here.

Jenny Keroack is a first-year majoring in Law, Letters, and Society.

Karlee Esmailli is a fan of comedies such as Blades of Glory and the Mr. Bean films.

Danny  Patton was compelled to join Off-Off because he saw improv as an interesting and unique activity.

Peter Moller decided to audition after attending the O-week sketch show. He periodically reprises his role as ‘Clancy the Dishonest’ in Off-Off shows.

Off-Off is serious about its comedy. They practice 15 hours a week to stay in sync and “keep the comedy muscles in shape,” they say. They’re close friends, and it shows in their comfort level with each other.

See them perform this Friday 8:30pm at the U-Church. This week’s improvised play is called Space Bears: Bears in Space. Tickets are $4 at the door.

In a previous article I commented on these shoes, probably with a little bit of disgust or confusion, but there must be something about them that make the sneaker wedges so popular.

I am currently studying abroad in France, and these shoes, besides the flat ankle boot or just the ankle boot, must be the most prevalent shoes in les rues de Paris.  They are sporty and fun, and apparently easy to dance in and walk in.

And get this: Sneaker wedges can be worked out in. Say what.

I still don’t really know how I feel about them, but they do come in a lot of colors and look really casual, but give your legs and butt that lift that high heels are so famous for.

What do y’all think about them?

Image from here: http://bowsandsequins.com/

“Yeezy season approaching,

Fuck whatever y’all been hearin’,

Fuck what- fuck whatever y’all been wearin’,

I’m about to come alive again.”

It is a special time for many of us. A rare time. A time full of excitement. 2013 is one in a series of sacred and spiritual leap years, the determination of which is extemporaneous. The moon is blue; the comet is in view. Standing at the base of a translucent pyramid of projection screens at an impromptu performance at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City last week, Kanye West let the world know: Yeezy season is approaching.

The era of Kanye has been an amazing period for music. He has gone from a young and ambitious teenage beatmaker from the South Side of Chicago to a god in the Pantheon of Rap, accruing galactic celebrity in the process. He has given us classic rap albums such as The College Dropout, Late Registration, and Graduation. He tried his hand at love songs on 808s & Heartbreak. He returned from self-effected public exile with brilliance in the summer of 2010 with his GOOD Fridays series, which culminated in the release of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. He coauthored Rap Royalty’s official public service announcement with Jay-Z on Watch the Throne. He brought radio glory to his label in presenting Cruel Summer, which featured his handpicked GOOD Music roster. This summer, on June 18, in releasing Yeezus, he will once again shake the earth with his awesome creative energy.

The new stuff is dark. It’s harsh. It’s unapologetic. I even cringed a few times upon first listening. The two songs from Yeezus shared with us thus far are ‘Black Skinhead’ and ‘New Slaves’.

Ben Affleck introduced Kanye West to an unsuspecting Saturday Night Live audience. Ironic that Affleck starred in Argo as a man who heroically freed hostages; he had just unknowingly handed over innocents to a tyrannical captor. This time, though, the madman’s intention was only to share music, and he released his prisoners after 3 and a half minutes. Kanye stands clad in a studded leather jacket, shrouded in darkness. The heavy metal theme is clear right from the beginning. He’s a punk, a rebel. The allusion is also racial. All you see is black leather, black skin. Kanye is a Black man with only black skin to identify him, and only black skin to protect him. The visuals pick up behind him. A sign reads, “Not for Sale”. Three dog heads gnash teeth flecked with the blood of what must have been paparazzi and doubters, a Cerberus to guard the Hades of Hip Hop. Then the sonic affront starts. The deep drums and guitar pulses seem to trap the listener’s mind within the artist’s beating heart. The red muscle imposes itself on the conscience, baptizing it in boiling blood, a bully’s blessing, a forced Eucharist, a most intoxicating wine–The Passion of the West. The vocal chords are the next body part employed–screams, yells, lyrics. Weirdly, as the song evolves, it becomes clear that this is not actually an attack, but an effort to defend. The tone and sound are so assaultive, yet the message so self-protective. Kanye tells us of what the media and the doubters and the haters have made him out to be, appealing to those that might hear him as the misunderstood artist. Once he feels we have joined him, energized, he curses those who curse him. “So follow me up ’cause this shit’s ’bout to go DOWN!”.

Follow link to view performance

If you made it out to 59th and Ellis or one of 65 other locations across the globe this past friday night, you got an early introduction to the other track, “New Slaves”. A black and white image of Kanye’s face is projected, looking like an old photograph of an African slave in a history textbook. He wears a chain–today’s jewelry of choice serving as a parallel to the imposed accessory of Blacks of the past. “My momma was raised in the era when clean water was only served to the fairer skin,” he begins. The song details how the ugly American past is not so different from today. The new Black Elite is robbed of its success by commercialism. The privatization of the prison system has allowed people to profit from incarceration. The song is capped by an outro courtesy of Frank Ocean. The smooth singer lets out a soaring and wistful cry, reminiscent of an old Negro spiritual that a slave might sing in dreaming of better days. “I can’t get too high then, get too high then, So long, so long, so long”. Despite the appearance of success and ascension, this is the tragedy of Blacks in america, that they “can’t get too high” in reality.

Heavy, I know. I understand how this might all turn someone off. Still, I think it’s brilliant, perhaps in part because my father is an African American, perhaps in part because I like rap, and perhaps in part because I like Kanye. However, I’d like to think that if you give it a chance, you will find Kanye’s new narratives to be interesting and compelling. Maybe you can even enjoy them.

Yeezus arrives June 18. He’s about to come alive again.

Photos: here, here, here, here, here, here

Dance.

Take Me Out to the Ballpark.

YOLO.

Too Hip to Handle.

El Stories.

Patio Party.

When Life Gives You Lemons.

Festive Wear.

(Photo from here)

This past August I spent 10 days in Lisbon, the capital city of Portugal that boasts temperate climes, effortlessly easy style, and a fascinatingly rich culture. Not as oft-traveled other cities in the Iberian Peninsula–Barcelona, for example, or even Madrid–Lisbon feels like a lovely secret. Here I’ll share some of what I found to be the city’s most charming and unique elements that, even as I think of them now, instill in me a nostalgic feeling of wanderlust.

1. The 25 de Abril Bridge and the view from Cristo-Rei

In many ways Lisbon reminds me of my favorite stateside city of San Francisco. Hilly streets and temperate weather aside, the 25 de Abril Bridge is probably the city’s most obvious twin feature as it is almost an exact replica of the Golden Gate Bridge. You can admire an incredible view of the bridge and the city by taking a ferry from Lisbon to the monument Cristo-Rei (itself a replica of the giant Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil).

2. Dining on the Calçada Escanidhas do Duque

One of the many great things about Lisbon is that while the food is incredibly cheap, this doesn’t detract from the quality. I spent my days wandering around, finding small family-run restaurants that served amazing cuts of steak (bife) or whole fresh fish, all cooked by adorable Portuguese grandmothers that smiled kindly at me as I ate (for less than 10 euro a meal!). However, for nighttime the best place to go is the Calçada Escanidhas do Doque, which is essentially a series of  stairs with a number of restaurants on each level. At times a bit touristy, you can nonetheless still find some gems, like the Cafe Buenos Aires, at which I had a fresh summer salad and the most delicious strawberry-infused sangria.

3. Museu Colecçao Berardo

As an Art History major, I was thrilled by the number of incredible modern and contemporary works housed in this museum. Located in the popular neighborhood of Belém, the Museu Colecçao Berardo has pieces by all the great early modernists–Picasso and Mondrian and Pollock– as well as Lichtensteins and Yves Kleins. Not to mention there is also a great sculpture by Anthony Caro on which the accompanying wall text has a shout to the art critic Michael Fried and his quote, “presentness is grace.”

4. Fado

Fado is a type of traditional Portuguese music most often sung in the close, intimate environment of a small restaurant. Typically these  Fado restaurants will take only a small number of people (I think there were less than 20 in the place I went to), so it’s probably best to make a reservation. Different courses of traditional Portuguese food are served, culminating in a dish with chouriço (chorizo) that is placed on top of a small dish and then lit on fire. After the food is eaten, the lights are dimmed down in the restaurants, candles are lit, and then two to three Fado singers (either men or women) take turns singing heartbreakingly beautiful songs of love and melancholy while being accompanied by musicians on guitar.

5. Caminhada

Finally, Lisbon is one of the best cities in which to take things in by walking. While I already mentioned that it’s pretty hilly, this makes it all the more rewarding when you finally reach a place with incredible views (of which there are many). Every day I tried to spend time to myself, exploring the Bairro Alto neighborhood (the garden of San Pedro de Alcantara offers a particularly lovely afore-mentioned view), the Principe Real (a great place to grab an afternoon coffee or drink), and the square Praça do Comércio.