Masters of Tomorrow Art Exhibition & Scholarship Competition

Drawing, painting, and sculpting, are art forms that will be entered into the Masters of Tomorrow Art Exhibition and Scholarship competition. The Masters of Tomorrow competition is being sponsored by Benedictine University, Mesa campus. The submission deadline is midnight, Feb. 10. The winners of the competition can win scholarships to Benedictine University as well as cash prizes. Artists from Red Mountain will be submitting to this competition to be selected for the exhibition. Any artists can submit 3D or 2D art into the art competition.

(Jennifer Feuerstein/Senior)

“Mr. Graves is always saying that we should draw from pictures we took in a personal experience rather than copying something online, so I used a photo from when we went to Korea, and then I just added fish because I like fish,” senior Jennifer Feuerstein said.

These students have used a different medium of art to create each of these pieces.

(Jude Battaglino/Junior)

“The inspiration for the piece was an in-class assignment, but the theme was expressionist, so I did a theme based on a German expressionist film,” junior Jude Battaglino said. “The primary medium was charcoal, but I used a lot of black gesso. For a while I didn’t like it, but once it came together it became a piece that I really do enjoy. I think from 2018 to now, it has been one of my more favorite pieces that I made especially since it’s quite large and it’s something that I did complete.”

The last piece was inspired by what people said was not art.

(Katherine Lobas/Sophomore)

“It’s a mosaic and it’s of a few things I did in the past that I had people tell me that they wouldn’t amount to anything and the weren’t worth while to do because they were digital art pieces and someone told me digital art wasn’t comparable to traditional art or even worth doing,” sophomore Katherine Lobas said. “I decided to make a piece made entirely out of cuttings of digital artwork, a little spiteful. I’ve had it in one other art show and it probably would have won if I was older and could actually get the scholarships.”

The deadline for the submission is Feb. 10. For more information about this contest visit https://www.azed.gov/artseducation/2018/01/31/masters-of-tomorrow-art-exhibition-scholarship-competition/. 

Return of the Renaissance

The 31st annual Renaissance Festival will be returning to Arizona on from Feb. 9, and will stay open until March 31. Every weekend brings a new theme to the fictional land of Fairhaven, ranging from “Pirate Invasion” to “Time Travelers.” Along with weekly themes, the festival brings shops, shows, jousts and 17th century food.

“My family tries to go every year. For us, it’s a fun way to get out and do something together that we all love,” senior Eliza Wilcken said. “The first two years, we ate turkey legs and watched Adam Crack and it’s been a tradition ever since.”
From witches and wizards to fairies and knights, patrons of all ages enjoy dressing up as Renaissance and fantasy figures or popular characters. For some, it’s the main attraction.

“When I was younger, I used to dress up as a princess with a blue dress and this year I hope to get another costume,” senior Ishani Marin said. “Most likely a female knight, or an elaborate prince or princess outfit.”

No matter how old, there’s a show for every patron. There are family-friendly shows like “Gypsy Geoff” and “Barely Balanced” for the kids. The more adult shows, such as “The Washing Well Wenches” and “The Tortuga Twins,” are marked Loose Cannon (LC), which is their way of recommending parental guidance. Of all the shows, the jousts are among the most popular, specifically the ending show–Joust to the Death.

“I can’t wait for the jousts,” senior Kimberly Perez-Martinez said. “My favorite knight is Sir Larison. I saw him last year, and he didn’t win but he did start a fight with the other jousters. He had a lot of attitude and I liked that.”

The festival is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday, including President’s Day. Tickets are available for sale online for $27 for adult tickets and $17 for children 5–12 as well as at Fry’s for a discounted price. More information about festival days, themes and ticket prices can be found at http://arizona.renfestinfo.com/.

(Featured Photo Courtesy of AZCentral.com.)

Marvel Mania

2018 is a big year for Marvel studios, starting in Feb. with “Black Panther” leading up to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.” Other releases such as the record breaking “Avengers: Infinity War,” and “Deadpool 2” overwhelm some of the lesser known masterpieces from Marvel Entertainment.

    Sept. 7 was a big day for Marvel fans as the highly anticipated, PlayStation exclusive “Marvel’s Spider-Man” was released. On the same day, the second season of “Iron Fist,” came out. After brutal backlash from fans and critics alike, season one of “Iron Fist” had to step up their game. Season two’s showrunner, Raven Metzner, replaced Scott Buck, who also produced “Marvel’s Inhumans,” which was received poorly as well. Fortunately for fans, Metzner knew he had to make the next season famous rather than infamous. Despite support from fans after the much improved season two, Netflix proceeded to cancel the show, and cancel “Luke Cage,” a week after.

    “With every end is a new beginning,” Finn Jones (Iron Fist) said on Instagram after news got out. Disney’s streaming service has no plans to transfer the two shows on their new platform however, so the fan’s last hope to see these two featured again is a “Heroes for Hire,” show featuring the Immortal weapon, Iron Fist, and the unbreakable man, Luke Cage.

    Releasing in  2018 are two other spin-offs of Spider-Man. Categorized as a fantasy/thriller, Sony’s “Venom” arrived in theaters on Oct. 5 and featured Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock, the reporter who got more than he signed up for. Later releasing in theaters on Dec. 14 “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” will focus on a young teenager named Miles Morales who will be the first multicultural superhero to have his own movie. Morales is a young thirteen-year-old of black and latino descent, different from our well acknowledged Peter Parker. Morales will have the same basic powers as a Spider-Man that include the ability to stick to walls, spider-sense to alert him to danger, but with the addition of camouflage and electricity surging through his body just like in the comic books. Another universe’s version of Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson) will be a mentor to Morales(voiced by Shameik Moore). After his Peter Parker was killed by the Green Goblin, Morales will have to step up to be the new Spider-Man. Joining the squad of spider-people in the movie is Spider-Gwen (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) who will tag along on the adventures and lend a hand in web-slinging.    

     “Their style is directly influenced by a comic book-looking standpoint,” sophomore Nathan Waldo said. “That is something I am looking forward to a lot.”

    Releasing in March of 2019 will be the very long awaited “Captain Marvel,” set to take place in the 90s. According to the Russo Brothers, Bri Larson’s Captain Marvel will be the strongest character they have ever had. After fans saw the end of the movie and heard about Captain Marvel’s power, the question on everyone’s lips was: “Why didn’t she show up to fight Thanos?” This will likely remain unanswered until the release of the movie. It is important to note that the directors stated she will be the strongest character, not hero, which means she will be more powerful than Thanos himself.

    “My hope is that ‘Captain Marvel’ will be as successful as the other movies,” sophomore Said Bojorquez said. “It will be a good introduction to the first female character lead. And it’s something that everybody will admire.”

    For more Marvel related news and content, visit marvel.com and be the first to know about all the upcoming news releases and more.

(Featured Photo Courtesy of Marvel Studios)

Avengers: Infinity War

“Avengers: Infinity War” is  said to be the largest Marvel movie to date. The movie will tell the tale of the epic battle between the Marvel heroes and their antagonist, Thanos. Not only will this movie connect the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and the Avengers saga, but the well-anticipated Infinity Gauntlet will finally be revealed.“Avengers: Infinity War” is said to be the largest Marvel movie to date. The movie will tell the tale of the epic battle between the Marvel heroes and their antagonist, Thanos. Not only will this movie connect the Guardians of the Galaxy movies and the Avengers saga, but the well-anticipated Infinity Gauntlet will finally be revealed.
     The Infinity Gauntlet was designed by Thanos to hold the six Infinity Stones. Each stone has its own power: the Space Stone can create gateways to anywhere in the universe and other dimensions, the Mind Stone could be used to control minds, the Reality Stone draws strength from other’s life force, the Power Stone creates energy in the form of explosions, the Time Stone controls time and the Soul Stone gives its user complete control over souls, both alive and dead, as well as their mental capacities. When all the stones are in the possession of a singular person, that person is granted god-like powers. If Thanos gets his hands on the gauntlet and the Infinity Stones, he could bring destruction and chaos to the universe.
     Thanos made appearances in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” as well as influenced the Chitauri invasion of Earth in “The Avengers.” In those films, he’s chasing after the Infinity Stones. In the trailer,  Thanos is already in possession of two stones: The Power Stone and the Space Stone. Other than his obsession with owning all the Infinity Stones, not much is known about him, although “Avengers: Infinity War” is said to change that.
     “I’m most excited for the audience to learn about him [Thanos],” Director Joe Russo said in an interview with Sina Weibo. “I think he’s a very interesting and complex villain. That’s why I like him. I think his motivations, albeit psychotic, are compelling. And in a lot of ways this is his movie, so it’s going to be very interesting to see how people respond to Thanos in the film.”
     The character development of Thanos isn’t the only change for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Trailers for “Infinity War” have presented new theories for fans. Vision is seen without the Mind Stone in his forehead, Captain America is shown in a new suit with a new shield, and Hawkeye has yet to make an appearance. Additionally, fans have theorized that Captain Marvel will make an appearance in the film, along with a possible hero death.
     “They did a great job with the trailers,” junior Kimberly Perez-Martinez said. “I’ve heard the rumors a hero might die, so I think it’s going to be Steve and then Bucky will take over and become the new Captain America. I think Hawkeye is missing from the trailers because he got badly injured and wants to spend some time with his family.”
     “Avengers: Infinity War” will be released to theaters on April 27. Other upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe movies to look forward to include: “Ant-Man and the Wasp” on July 6, “Captain Marvel” on March 8, 2019, the fourth unnamed Avengers movie on May 3, 2019, the sequel to “Spider-Man: Homecoming” on July 5, 2019 and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” in 2020.

(Featured Photo by Marvel)

Lovin Lipa

From songs like “New Rules” and “Blow Your Mind,” 22-year-old Dua Lipa’s voice is as cool and unique as her name. Dua Lipa first drew attention when she began to make song covers on YouTube. She used YouTube as a way to express herself and get her music out into the world. Soon enough, she released her debut single, “New Love,” which hit it big on YouTube in August of 2015. She signed with Warner Brothers Records in 2015 at 20 years old and has been producing hit songs since then. After “New Love” came many other songs such as “Last Dance,” “Scared to be Lonely” and “Be the One.”

Now she is starting her world tour and playing in different countries such as the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia. On Feb. 9, she will be playing her self-titled album at The Van Buren in Phoenix.

Lipa’s music means a lot to people and it can be very inspiring for them.

“My friend and I love to listen to her,” freshman and fanatic Katelyn Ian said. “Especially when we are not in the best moods and her music helps us feel better, and it gets us to smile and completely changes our moods.”

As a rising star, she’s gotten a lot of attention not only by the public, but also other artists. She has collaborated with Troye Sivan, Sean Paul, Miguel, Major Lazer and Martin Garrix. The reason for all the commotion and attention can be traced back to Lipa’s unique music genre, which is a mix of Pop, Contemporary R&B, Electropop and Dream Pop and her genre “Dark Pop.”

“Her genre is very inspiring,” sophomore Nina Edwards said. “It makes the music way better because it’s very confident and motivating, which makes me want to listen to it even more.”    

Although she is still new to the music industry, Lipa’s fanbase is growing rapidly, and she is becoming a huge success. To find out more about Dua Lipa’s music and concerts, visit http://www.dualipa.com/home.

                                                                        

Getting ready to perform on the Swedish TV show Sommarkrysset, Dua Lipa poses for pictures in Grona Lund located in Stockholm, Sweden. (Featured Photo by Daniel Ahs Karlsson own work [cc by 3.0], Via Wikimedia Commons.)

 

2017 Fall Movies

Many major box office movies are set to release this fall. From the newest Marvel movie, Thor: Ragnarok, to the long-awaited Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The movie theater will be jam-packed as students and families hurry in to view the new releases.            

Star Wars has high expectations as it’s the continuation in the movie series after the relaunch with Episode VII: The Force Awakens. The Jedi, Luke Skywalker, has the light saber that belonged to his father returned by a girl named Rey. Training begins and the Rebel  Alliance works to fend off the First Order, the latest incarnation of the dark side after the Empire.

“Watching Star Wars has always been a big tradition in my family,” senior Bethany Wilcken said. “I can’t wait to find out how the plot will develop in this upcoming movie.”

Thor: Ragnarok is based around the Norse myth of Ragnarok: the end of the world. In this event, Helya, the queen of Helheim comes and destroys Asgard. Thor is outcast from his home and becomes a slave warrior. The plot unfolds as Thor sets out to reclaim his home world while picking up a few old friends on the way.

“I’ve been awaiting to see Thor: Ragnarok since it was first announced back in 2014,” senior Carter Bujold said. “With the reveal of the last Infinity Stone and the return of the Hulk, I’m beyond excited to see how the movie relates to the original comics.”

Justice League is a long-awaited movie among DC Comics fans. Batman has united various heroes, including Wonder Woman, the Flash, Cyborg and Aquaman along with a possible return of Superman. They are set to protect the world from the evil that plans to destroy the world as we know it.

One of the upcoming movies, Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, has received a lot of backlash because it’s a remake of the original 1995 Jumanji movie, which featured Robin Williams.   This new version is featuring two major actors, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Chris Rock. The movie can go either way in the box office, but it is still looked forward to by most. The movie is different from the original in the first sense that Jumanji isn’t a board game but it is a video game. The main characters, a group of teens, get stuck in the game and work together to find their way out.

“I expect Jumanji to be a great movie despite the fact it isn’t the original,” Bujold said. “With famous actors and a well-known comedian, I believe the movie will be good and worth the money to see.”

This fall will be a great time to see movies as there are many potential blockbusters set to release. To learn more about upcoming movies, visit http://www.rottentomatoes.com.

(Featured Illustration By Elijah McKay [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons)

Shawn Mendes Performs in Arizona

Shawn Mendes filled the Gila River Arena this year with over 18,000 admiring fans on July 15. His career began on Vine, where his page initially held a small following. Mendes said the size of his tour is something he could have never imagined. His world tour is taking place from April 27 to Dec. 18 with 60 shows total, including the U.S. tour that has 30 shows.

A Shawn Mendes fanatic, sophomore Brianna Lemus, attended two different concerts during the Illuminate tour, one in Arizona and the other in New York. Although the Arizona show was great, she loved the New York concert even more due to a special surprise guest.

“As he was starting to sing his single, ‘Mercy,’ Ed Sheeran walked up on stage and the crowd broke into a total uproar,” Lemus said. “If you thought Mendes’ songs sounded good on his album, their duet was like hearing angels.”

Although the surprise appearance from Sheeran left fans in awe, there was one specific moment at the Arizona concert that fans would never forget. About halfway through the concert he asked everyone to quiet down. The room quickly became silent; enough to hear a pin to drop.

“It was almost as if the whole stadium was at a stand still, then he began to sing ‘A Little Too Much’ his voice alone filled the arena. It remained completely silent, until the end of the song,” senior Bailey Baugh said. “I have never heard such sincerity in someone’s voice and such willingness from an entire crowd, it is surely an experience I’ll never forget.”

As the concert was coming to an end, there was excitement in the crowd, like never heard before. It seemed as if something was going to happen, and everyone but Mendes knew. Upon arrival, this reporter was quickly informed of the popular fan pages plan to surprise Mendes. Then, it was time: the song ‘Roses’ began. Red lights began to illuminate the arena and a smile filled his whole face.

With his career exploding faster than ever before, what will be next for Mendes? For more information about any upcoming albums or tours, visit Mendes’ website at http:/www.shawnmendesofficial.com.

 

Green Day Performs at Talking Stick Resort Arena on “Radio Revolution Tour”

On Wednesday March 1, Green Day played an unforgettable show at the Talking Stick Resort Arena. Their tour titled “Revolution Radio Tour” followed the release of their newest and 12th studio album, “Revolution Radio.”

Green Day was formed in 1989, by members Billie Joe Armstrong (lead vocals, guitar) and Mike Dirnt (bass guitar) with current member, Tré Cool (drums) joining in 1990. Their underground punk sound quickly spread throughout their hometown of Rodeo, California, and by their 1994 release of their album “Dookie,” they were quickly becoming one of the most influential punk bands of their time.

“…when he pointed at me and told me to get on the stage, my mind was all over the place. When I finished playing and walked off stage, the entire venue was chanting my last name, ‘Halliday! Halliday! Halliday!’ and I got chills. It was sick.”

–Junior Kenzie Halliday

Since then, releases of “American Idiot” and “21st Century Breakdown” brought them to the top of the charts with iconic singles such as, “American Idiot,” “Wake Me Up When September Ends” and “21 Guns.”

“Green Day has a few different sounds, there’s something for anyone really,” junior Kristopher Wilson said. “Their old stuff from the early/mid 90’s was really punk, but their music from the late 90’s was a lot ‘nicer’ in a way.”

Over the years, the band’s sound has gone from underground pop-punk to full-out rock opera. With their new albums, came brand new sounds. “Revolution Radio” was released on Oct. 7 of this year and included many of their traditional political punk undertones as well as some new rock and roll influences.

“Their early/mid 2000’s music was sort of alternative and more like ballads with a little punk,” Wilson said. “Their last few albums have just been pure rock and roll. It’s all great.”

Green Day kicked off their “Revolution Radio Tour” this winter with their first U.S. show in Phoenix on March 1. The show was both nostalgic and revolutionary. The band played previous songs as well as ones off their newest album. They stopped to speak to the crowd many times throughout the night, with the addition of a few political statements along the way.

The show was very personal, and the band even called three fans on stage, one of which was Red Mountain High School junior Kenzie Halliday. Halliday was hand-picked from the packed crowd to play the second half of the song “Knowledge” on stage with the band, even getting to keep Armstrong’s personal guitar.

“When Billie asked for a guitar player, my mind was thinking ‘there’s absolutely no way he’s going to spot me raising my hand and pick me,’” Halliday said. “But when he pointed at me and told me to get on the stage, my mind was all over the place. When I finished playing and walked off stage, the entire venue was chanting my last name, ‘Halliday! Halliday! Halliday!’ and I got chills. It was sick.”

Throughout the years, Green Day has been a band of political passion, aggression and punk rock music. “The Revolution Radio Tour” perfectly portrayed sounds of the band’s musical histories as well as debuts.

Performing at the Talking Stick Resort Arena, Billie Joe Armstrong ends the show with the song “Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life).”    

Pot of Gold Music Festival

Commemorating St. Patrick’s day on March 17 and 18, music fans gathered at the Pot of Gold Music Festival for acts such as Sublime with Rome, G-Eazy, Death Cab for Cutie and Flogging Molly. This festival was held at Rawhide event center from 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.

“There was so much energy at Pot of Gold. Everyone was buzzing out of excitement about seeing their favorite artists, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.”

–Junior Kazhra Angelique Kelcho

Many different types of bands and music artists performed at this event including many reggae bands and rappers.

“One of my favorite acts was Rae Sremmurd,” Kelcho said. “He put on an amazing act and invited everyone that could fit into the stage, so they had a great story to tell.”

Tickets cost about $70 per day and lockers were available for attendees. While many of the performances were well received by the crowd, there were a few hiccups in the event.

“It was pretty positive for the most part,” sophomore Kaileah Goucher said. “It was really unorganized, and we were sitting in the sun waiting for someone to come on for four hours, but a lot of people were nice, and I got to see a lot of friends. It was my brother’s first music festival, and he got to go on stage, so I am glad he got to experience that.”

Many vendors also attended the festival to sell a variety of products like food, shirts, temporary tattoos and other festival gear. Like other music festivals, many of these venders only accepted cash.

G-Eazy performs one of his hit songs, “I Mean It,” at the Pot of Gold Music Festival on March 17th. (Photo By Heilee Pentz)

“It was hard to find vendors that accepted credit,” Kelcho said. “Luckily, there were ATM’s around.”

Throughout the day on March 17, different types of bands performed. The day started with more reggae based bands and shifted to rappers. The final act of the day was G-Eazy, the reason many individuals went to the event.

“My favorite artist was G-Eazy,” Kelcho said. “He ended the first night of Pot of Gold with a bang and left the audience speechless.”

(Featured Image By Michalea Brown)

Red Mountain’s JazzKats Open for “The Real Group”

Red Mountain’s own jazz choir, the JazzKats, and NAU’s choir, the High Altitudes, opened for a performance of The Real Group, an A Cappella jazz band that originated in Sweden in 1984, on March 28 in the auditorium. The Real Group performed multiple covers of popular songs.

“Performing with The Real Group was a very humbling experience,” junior Anthony Procopio said. “They were not only extremely talented, but their genuine quest to better society through music singles them out from other groups.”

The JazzKats were the first group on the stage, and at the end of the concert, they performed on stage with The Real Group singing “Freedom” by George Michael.

“It was an amazing experience to be able to perform with a professional jazz group, for me and for Red Mountain,” senior Desmond O’Connell said.

Performing a song, the Red Mountain Jazzkats vocalize in front of an audience. (Photo By Danielle Kernaghan)

The JazzKats are one of the many music electives students can sign up for in the performing arts department. However, it does require an audition. The JazzKats only have been around for one year.

“My favorite thing about JazzKats is how it allows me to push myself as a vocalist. Before I joined choir, I knew next to nothing about jazz,” senior Juliana Good said. “It really opened doors for me as far as finding my vocal style and building musical styles like improvisations and sight-reading.”

The JazzKats had been preparing for this performance since the beginning of February. They perform prearranged jazz songs and add their own unique jazzy tones to each cover.

“A lot of the time though we can switch it up by adding some tempos or adding scat solos and changing dynamics to make it our own,” senior Kristen Woods said.

The JazzKats performance with the High Altitudes and The Real Group was a hit in with the audience. To get more information about the JazzKats, contact Mr. Johnston in Room 401.

(Featured Image By Danielle Kernaghan)