Not The Body Shop!

five minutes later, headin' back to the truck

After a lovely Sunday Brunch, we arrived back to Straus to five firetrucks, a police car, and dozens of puzzled onlookers wondering what was all the ruckus. Across the street on Mass Ave, firefighters were descending upon CVS and C’est Bon as if they were making a run for Veritaffles. At one point, my roommate and I did wonder if we should evacuate our Straus perch but figured “no alarm, no problem!” Luckily, our Titanic-esque logic was not fatal; just as soon as the hoses were unwrapped and the ladder assembled, everyone started to return to their trucks and drive off. This false alarm hawt mess (no smoke or fire spotted) lasted for only five minutes but was a solid distraction from work and an alarm clock for anyone who might have still been sleepin’ away.  A definite WTF moment, we were still impressed that Cambridge Fire Department hustled up like nobody’s business. Kudos!

you know you need to see them

With Freshman Parents’ Weekend looming in the near future, some of you might be looking for one final excursion out of Cambridge before Mom and Dad enthusiastically fill the role of the Proud Harvard Parent. As you’re currently scrambling to finish that paper, we understand that you might not have the time to look up awesomely fantastic omgz-that-was-so-amazing concerts. No worries, Harvard, we got your back.

This Thursday at 8pm, Playing for Change, “a multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music” will be performing at Boston’s Orpheum Theater. Playing for Change has gained international fame with their YouTube slam dunk, “Stand by Me” which featured street musicians from across the world. In addition to “Stand by Me,” the group has produced several other videos including “One Love,” “Don’t Worry,” and “War, No More Trouble.” What’s amazing is that these videos were produced without the performers ever physically interacting. Not to be too melodramatic, but seriously man, this music is intense. What’s even more amazing though is the fact that on Thursday night we’ll be able to see international world class musicians only a few T-stops away. When you’re considering that performers, Titi Tsira and Louisa Mhlanga will be coming all the way from Guguutu, South Africa and Harare, Zimbabwe respectively the ride to Park Street just doesn’t seem that bad…

Check the clip to see how incredible Thursday night will be sure to be!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJbTpaq9au8

Photo and Video Courtesy of PlayingforChange.com

Artists Nancy Brooks Brody and Carrie Yamaoko assemble the fierce pussy installation.

With the flu season upon us, dear old UHS has been constantly urging Harvard students to wash wash wash our hands. But the next time you want to de-germify, head over to the bathrooms in the Carpenter Center or the Sackler Museum where you’ll get not only a dollop of soap but the chance to experience powerful activist art works.  fierce pussy, an artist collective focusing “around lesbian identity and visibility”  has transformed sets of Harvard bathrooms into installation pieces. Formed in New York City during the early 1990’s, fierce pussy has used wheat pasting, a type of postering technique, and text as their chosen medium to reclaim derogatory words used towards lesbian women.

We dropped by the exhibit while the some of the group’s founding members, Joy Episalla, Carrie Yamaoko, Zoe Leonard, and Nancy Brooks Brody, were in the process of gluing posters along the bathroom walls. They Harvard students were also involved in the construction through out the day. With our formal art background consisting of only elementary school paint fights, the application processed seemed a little random. However, these awesome women freed us from our ignorance and showed us how the different layers of the paper was representative of the different layers of identity and sexuality within individuals.

Keep reading to find out more about this work.

By including the words “And I Am Proud” at the bottom every poster, fierce pussy aims to “reclaim the derogatory language used towards lesbian women.” Similarly, the posters in the men’s bathroom end with the words “And So are You” seek to “bring them into the conversation.”

the finished product.

The next day we stopped by the bathroom to take a look at the completed work. Posters run across the walls with effortless continuity. Remembering how that guy in section just couldn’t stop sneezing, we decided to quickly give our hands the ole scrub scrub. A quick glance into the mirror became a longer one as our face was juxtaposed against such harsh words. Although the Carpenter Center and the Sackler are bit further out than the soap dispenser in the Science Center, it’s definitely worth the walk to check out this collaboration between Harvard students and professional artists.

Parading through Cambridge!

Like most students here at Harvard, I find myself rationalizing my procrastination. But this morning has allowed me to resort to a novel excuse. “Sorry Professor, there was a parade outside of my window.”

A part of the Honk! and Harvard Square Oktoberfest celebrations, the eclectic Honk! Parade worked its way along Mass Ave to the cheers of enthusiastic crowds. As advertised on its website, the event featured activist street performers as well as other organizations with the intention:

“…to create a spectacular processional theater piece with striking visual images and plenty of brass band music in order to show by example how our streets and public spaces can function as places for community celebration and fun, as well as for their everyday practical purposes…”

The parade kicked off from Davis Square and hit Harvard Square just as I opened up my Expos reading (read: around 1:00 pm). Considering how Straus is a habitable sound barrier for the rest of the Yard, I decided to grab my camera and hit the streets. Keep reading to learn about today’s events along with a video.

Lady Gaga's Next Gimmick?

After passing through Johnston gate to the sounds of drums, trumpets, and instrutments that can only be described as contraptions, I picked out a spot and watched the commotion. The bedazzled groups worked the pavement as they strutted through Harvard Square adorned with glitter, feathers, bells and whistles.  After sitting like good boys and girls for the parade’s duration, the crowd quickly turned to JFK, Church, and Brattle Streets in search for Taiwanese pot stickers and yummy Indian food, leaving this author a little frazzled in the commotion. Nevertheless, I made it through the masses (and the vats filled with fried dough) and found myself in front of Peet’s Coffee where the performers were gathered to continue on the festivities a la dance party.

After wandering around the festival for a few more hours, I eventually decided to head back to my dorm but the music seemed to follow me home. With bands performing on the main stage until 6, HONK! and the Oktoberfest were packed and greatly successful events. Although my work remains unfinished, today was a great way to get out of the Harvard Bubble (albeit it my trip across the street…) and I’ll try to remember it this Monday night while I’m camping out in Lamont. And for those of you who missed out on the music and mayhem, it’s time to cut to the clip!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cgxH2OLEUs

Photos and video by Suzanna Bobadilla ’13.

This lady can SING.

This past Monday at the House of Blues, Regina Spektor reminded us why she continues to be so frickin’ awesome. When she wasn’t rocking out in Russian or using a chair as an instrument, her persona was remarkably child-like as she bobbed her head along to her music. While singing ”Laughing With,” “Human of the Year,” and “Wallet,” (songs from her new album, Far) we were surprised by how the audience was for the most part silent. Except for the two girls behind us who were incredibly tone deaf, everyone else realized that this was Regina and NO one could even try to compare. But when “That Time,” “Fidelity,” and “Folding Chair,” were blasted through the club, we all shrieked like middle schoolers at a Jonas Brothers concert.

Towards the end of the night, the audience felt as though Regina was well on our way to becoming our best friend and as she yelled out, “I love you guys too!” We might have taken it a little too close to heart. But, all of our mad-crazy-out-of-this-world-love multiplied tenfold after she rocked “Samson,” sang impromptu a cappella while the piano was facing “technical difficulties,” and played A SHOFAR (read: big ram horn that is played during the Jewish High Holidays) in honor of being in the middle Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Watch a video of Regina perform, after the jump!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vuemDb-8Dg

But the biggest surprise of the night was Regina Spektor closing with her very song country song, “Love, You’re a Whore.” Absolutely brilliant. Imma let you finish Taylor, but you best watch out cuz Regina’s on your back.

Photo courtesy of Simone Zhang
Video courtesy of the Youtube Channel of rkfinley79.