Arts and Entertainment

Best and Worst of Austin City Limits 2018

Despite the cancellation of headliner Childish Gambino, eager festival goers streamed in to see performances by Paul McCartney, Metallica, Travis Scott and many more. Continuing from last year’s review, I bring you ACL’s best and worst — to keep in mind if you’re heading to Weekend Two, or to discuss if you were lucky enough to attend Weekend One. 

A Conversation with San Holo at Austin City Limits

Wearing a bright orange shirt and donning a hat, van Dijck fit right in at the ACL press tent. I was able to catch him for 10 minutes and pick his brains on a variety of topics – from “album1” to advice for aspiring DJs.

Kali Uchis’ delivers on “Isolation” tour performance

When the crowd caught its first glimpse of Kali Uchis’s silhouette behind a silken screen at House of Blues on Sept. 28, there was a collective gasp – and then the screaming started. The eclectic, R&B singer-songwriter began dancing almost as soon as the crowd started chanting her name. When she parted the screen and slipped onto the stage, she did so with the confidence of someone who knows she deserves to bask in the limelight.

A Survival Guide for Austin City Limits

Since you’ve probably scored your pass to Austin City Limits via desperate posts on Rice Students Selling Stuff, planning and organization might not be your forte. However, situational awareness and forethought are critical to an enjoyable ACL experience – without them, you’re going to subject yourself to a weekend of misery and stress. Check out some tips and a packing list from a similarly disorganized ACL-goer to make sure all of your boxes are checked.

Jeremy Zucker’s ‘summer,’ is a melancholy take on the season

“Consumption of the product featured above may illuminate one or more of the following: Inability to judge the moral character of yourself or others … fear of ‘never doing enough’ … not knowing your place in this f---ed up world…”

A Symphony of Silhouettes: Discovery Green presents “moonGARDEN”

Hidden in the bustle of downtown Houston now lies a vibrant moonscape that takes shadow storytelling to a whole new level. 

Embracing the Smaller Text: ACL’s Hidden Gems

Beyond listening to KTRU (which you should!), there isn’t much incentive on campus to discover new music, as evidenced by the fact that “Caroline” is still regularly played at publics. Heavily-attended festivals like Austin City Limits offer students the opportunity to get a taste of the oodles of undiscovered talent beyond the hedges.

Matthew Ritchie’s ‘The Demon in the Diagram’ struggles with its chaotic ambition

The Threadsher Exclusive: Top 6 Manscaping Tips

It’s around the time when the excitement of starting a new school year has worn off, you’re sick and swamped with midterms and papers and your room is a pigsty of clothes, trash and unclean servery plates. Lastly and most unfortunately, you look like a goddamn mess. You haven’t shaved in a week and you’ve been wearing the same outfit, a Rice t-shirt and cargo shorts, to class every day. 

‘Maniac’: more than its psychedelic drug scenes

The new Netflix limited series “Maniac” is a grand, markedly weird science fiction tale that examines themes of familial relationships, reflections upon the past and the nature of reality in odd yet touching ways.

The Menil Collection: Reopening displays a reinvigorated space

While it may have seemed like not much happened on campus this weekend, the ordinarily quiet and unassuming residential Menil District was buzzing with excitement and activity. Following a seven-month-long hiatus, the main building of the Menil Collection finally reopened its doors on Saturday. Visitors were able to experience the newly updated building in what might have been one of the most anticipated cultural events of the fall, complete with food from famous Houston food trucks (like the The Waffle Bus and Smoosh). 

Rice Media Center hosts Agustin Estrada’s ‘Shizen: On the Art of Looking at Nature’

Agustín Estrada’s photography exhibit “Shizen: On the Art of Looking at Nature,” which showcases intricate perspectives of nature in the context of Japanese culture, opened at the Rice Media Center Main Gallery Tuesday, Sept. 18. While “Shizen” translates directly to “nature,” this broad term is categorized into three distinct aspects that are individually explored and developed by Estrada. The first is “Niwa,” Japanese ponds and gardens that serve as “pure places” to interact with nature. The second is “Hanami,” the blooming of flowers in early spring, and the third is “Momiji,” the falling and changing colors of leaves in autumn.

“iridescence” is BROCKHAMPTON’s most experimental album yet

Showcasing a characteristically upbeat and scattered style, “iridescence” ups the experimentation with quirkier-than-ever instrumentals, unique choruses and brutally honest lyrics. 

‘A Simple Favor’ entertains but suffers from predictable twists

“A Simple Favor” is a provocative feminine neo-noir that may leave something to be desired, but still indulges a charmingly bittersweet aftertaste. 

‘New Cartographies’ brings a measured perspective to map-making

Maps don’t just show location in the Asia Society of Texas’ newest exhibition. “New Cartographies” showcases four artists and their exploration of the nuances associated with creating a physical representation of an entire region. In these works, the artists find new ways to create maps by incorporating the regions’ personal subjectivity, political struggles and colonial pasts.

Brynn Elliott’s Debut EP Is Your New Girl Power Inspiration

Brynn Elliott is not your ordinary pop star. Fresh out of Harvard University, Elliott combines her philosophy degree and songwriting abilities with the purpose of inspiring listeners to embrace themselves and take action. Since entering Harvard in 2014, Elliott has juggled schoolwork and music, taking time off from Cambridge to open for artists such as Alanis Morissette, Grace Potter and Brandi Carlile. Signed on a joint contract with Atlantic Records and Big Yellow Dog Music, Elliott is on a steady rise to fame. 

Establishing healthy habits at Rice: Don’t “beat” the changes, understand them

Adjusting to college is difficult for everyone, and gaining some weight while coping with such a drastic change in lifestyle is totally normal. Understanding that this weight gain is commonplace is essential. 

On a Tangent: Effective Resume Design

In a world where every employer is judging you by your cover, you better make sure your cover looks damn good. 

A vegan’s guide to surviving Rice’s serveries

There are two rules to eating vegan in Rice’s nationally renowned serveries: 1. Don’t try. 2. Okay, fine, you can try being vegan if you want to, but be warned that you’ll be eating salads five out of seven days of the week. That hasn’t scared you away? Okay. You’re ready. 

Trailblazing: A decade later, Matchbox rebrands

“It’s a space for self-directed exploration, and it really fits the bill in terms of being a very viable exhibition venue [where] our students [can] learn the ropes,” Sperandio said. “Understanding what an exhibition is, is part of being an artist, and it’s part of art training.”