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(04/16/21 8:30pm)
by Conner Tighe
Perhaps one of the most well-known novel, movie, and gaming series of the past decade, Harry Potter has become something of a milestone in my life. It was one of the first games I played, and over a decade later, it’s still one of the series I enjoy playing. Whether it’s dueling Death Eaters, flying on a broom, or sneaking past guards, the Harry Potter series has had its ups, but it certainly has had its downs in the gaming franchise. Here, I rank the series from best to worst.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
I'm biased when I say this title is the best, as it’s the first one I played in the series. But, after having played all eight titles, I still think it provides the best experience. Potter’s second year provides the most fun and true-to-heart Hogwarts experience. Players will collect Famous Witches and Wizards Cards, unlock new spells, and more. Furthermore, players can zoom around the castle on a broom. By finding lost items for students around the castle, players will earn more house points than other houses. Racing with your broom, throwing gnomes through hoops, and buying up all of Fred and George Weasley’s goodies in their shop make the experience that much better than releases afterward.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
Potter’s first adventure on the PlayStation mirrors Chamber of Secrets almost exactly, with only a few slight differences. Again, players will complete daily tasks, find lost inventory for students, obtain new spells, and more; but this game is glitchier, has different areas to explore, and offers different spells although sharing similar spells with its successor.
While sneaking past prefects, body-binding spells go through walls, making your job that much more difficult. The screen will go black at times, forcing you to restart from wherever you last saved. In that sense, the game is ruthless in making you redo tough challenges if it decides to glitch on you. But the overall experience is still there for Potter fans.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Potter’s final journey ends in mediocre gameplay and a fast-paced storyline. Players can switch combat spells to match enemy attacks and defense positions. Players can experience characters like Professor McGonagall, Seamus Finnigan, Ginny Weasley, and more. The game's mission to include diversity this way is a hopeless trope. No two characters are different as everyone uses the same spells. The only "side missions" include collecting small glowing orbs to unlock character trophies. However, the experience has its sense of replayability. Sometimes the most exciting part of the journey is the end.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Creators took the combat system to a whole new level when this installment came out. Potter begins his journey with Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, searching for Voldemort’s Horcruxes. Players will protect wizards and witches from both Snatchers and Death Eaters. Voldemort’s followers won’t be the only enemies Potter will face. Spiders, dementors, and more await the three. The missions seem repetitive after a while, making the game feel useless. Potter enters the Ministry of Magic after escaping with Voldemort’s locket. This makes no sense in the realm of logic, and I can’t ignore the fact the game took this route with the plot. The experience is worthwhile for one play-through, but beyond that, little takeaways come from the experience.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Potter’s sixth year is a mere copy of his fifth as an errand boy. You can brew potions and duel students and Death Eaters. Nearly Headless Nick guides players around the castle. It was an upgrade from the Marauder's Map idea with its predecessor. The lack of real combat makes the upgrading system futile. The game follows the book and film well and is a mediocre year at Hogwarts.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Prisoner of Azkaban was the first sign that the trio was growing up. The plot balances classwork and side plots. You’ll battle creatures using different tactics and spells. This was the last game in the series to incorporate the Wizard and Witches card hunt, which was disappointing. The classic dueling system was not as good as the previous release, and the game took away the broom flying option. The game was a drab forgotten release, much like Goblet of Fire.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Order of the Phoenix expanded upon the dueling system, allowing players to use more combat spells like stupefy, protego, and petrificus totalus. Unfortunately, much of the game is taken up by having Potter run errands for students involved in Dumbledore’s Army. By using the Marauder’s Map, players will explore Hogwarts’ dungeons, corridors, and exterior to upgrade spells and achieve tasks. It gets boring quickly but is better than its forerunner.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Oh boy, this game was bad. The combat system, the bug issues, the lack of scenery and levels. The famous trio returns to Hogwarts, maneuvering challenges related to the Triwizard Tournament. Players can cast a variety of spells at the click of a button. The AI casts the spell related to the individual situation players are put in. By pressing one button, the correct spell will be cast, depending on the enemy's weakness.
Players will explore the Herbology greenhouses, the infamous Little Hangleton Graveyard, and more. Potter will battle fiery salamanders, poisonous bugs, and all other sorts of craziness. You can collect Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans and challenge shields to upgrade skills. Although the game attempted to make the most of the experience, it failed. The AI gets stuck in corners, and you replay levels repeatedly to make sure you can get to other levels.
Sources: Scout Life
Featured Image: Pinterest
(04/13/21 10:21pm)
by Kellyn HarrisonDespite the alarming number of assignments congregating on my to-do list and the mountains of textbooks piled on the desk in my tiny dorm room, I scrolled through Tik Tok. I did this because it is the only thing that drags me from the pull of schoolwork and gives me a break from the pressures of being a sophomore in college. Most of my feed includes memes and music, so I am used to people on the platform recommending me new music. But it was the dreamy and up-beat sound used as a dramatic parallel to the heavy references including systematic racism and generational trauma that drew me to Rina Sawayama. I immediately searched for her music and have been listening to her self-titled debut album since then. In fact, I am listening to it now as I fiercely type at the very desk I should be finishing homework at. Instead, I need to share with the world how groundbreaking Sawayama is, so her music can be spread and appreciated as the piece of art it is.
(04/09/21 2:00pm)
by Mason KupiainenDuring its seven-season run, Sons of Anarchy became one of, if not the most, successful series on FX, gaining a massive following along the way. With the popularity of the show, it is no surprise that a spin-off series, Mayans M.C., was put into development. Season three recently premiered on FX, however, the original creator of the Sons of Anarchy universe, Kurt Sutter, was fired after Disney took over the brand. Before his departure, Sutter had other projects in the works that now possibly won’t come into fruition. Sutter has mentioned in the past that he envisioned the SOA mythology to revolve around four shows. Two of the shows have happened with Sons of Anarchy and Mayans M.C., but the future of the remaining two is up in the air. Beyond television, there have been books that were in the works as well that would help flesh out the world of SAMCRO.
(04/07/21 4:53pm)
by Mason Kupiainen and Blake ChapmanThe opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.[caption id="" align="alignright" width="290"] Image from CNET[/caption]There have been countless “versus” movies where studios pin two popular characters against one another. Aliens vs. Predator, Freddy vs. Jason, and Batman vs. Superman are some of the most notable ones, with Godzilla vs. Kong being added to that ever-growing list. Between these two titans, who is the reigning champion?
(03/31/21 10:30pm)
by Lia Weisbecker-LotzGrowing up playing a lot of video games, I noticed the lack of female representation to be a regular issue in the gaming community. Even now, a majority of gamers that I watch are men, and I hate that. There are a lot of women who play video games but aren’t often given the opportunity to be seen without judgment— or at all. In fact, there is currently a myth going around the internet that women have it easier on platforms like Twitch. However, studies have shown that it’s actually harder to get consistent views as a female streamer and you’re likely to get paid less. This is clearly shown by the small number of women included in the lists of the most followed Twitch channels, as well as the “fake gamer girl” stereotype that continues to be popular in the gaming community. I want to start trying to change not only the lack of support for female gamers but the idea that it’s so easy for them to be successful. Therefore, here is my list of underrated female streamers in the gaming community.
(03/31/21 2:00pm)
by Kellyn HarrisonThe opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board. The entertainment industry has been under scrutiny for how they include underrepresented communities within their work, specifically for the industry’s lack of inclusion. While this knowledge was never new, talk of this trend became even more apparent since the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement blew up in 2017 after actresses spoke up about sexual harassment cases involving Harvey Weinstein. Both movements brought personal stories of women who face social injustices out of the woodwork and, specifically for the topic of this article regarding the entertainment industry, shaped an activist community whose motive is to demand equal representation and respect from all parties involved in the entertainment industry, i.e. casting, salary, award shows, etc.
(03/29/21 2:00pm)
by Conner TigheActor and comedian Monty Geer was relatively not as well-known when he was trying to make it big in the TV industry. That was until he landed a role on MTV’s drama/comedy Awkward. The show lasted five seasons and won a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Cable TV Comedy. Geer played lanky, tall geek Cole Higgins, a recurring character on the show’s last two seasons. Since the show’s ending in 2016, the actor has been doing small projects here and there along with his own stand-up act in LA. Geer took the time to speak with me about his past career and the hard work and perseverance that got him where he is today.Conner Tighe: Did you want to be an actor when you were little?Monty Geer: Yeah, I’ve loved acting from a young age. I’m from a small town called Snohomish in Washington state. It’s just lots of farms and stuff. Acting wasn’t an option at all. Like everyone I talked to, they would say, “How do you do that? That’s not a real thing.” So, when I was a little kid, I made videos a lot with my friends. They were like sketches, basically. The only industry was this improv team in Seattle an hour away, and I auditioned for them when I was like 14 or 15, but everyone on the team was like 45, and here I am as this 14-year-old auditioning. So, I didn’t get that. When I was 16, I started going to New York to go to the New York Film Academy during my summers when I was in high school. After high school, I moved to New York to pursue it full-time. So, it’s definitely something I’ve always wanted to do, but it was a hard time figuring out how to do it for most of my life.CT: Who has strongly influenced your life?MG: Definitely lots of other actors for sure, like Seth Rogen. I love how he writes and directs his own stuff or Will Ferrell. When I was a kid, at night I would watch the 1975 SNL tapes and stuff with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. I lived off of that. My uncle was always the funniest person in my life. He made me pursue comedy because he was so funny, and he died this year because of COVID-19, so that was pretty rough. He was definitely the biggest influence for me, as a child, to even pursue the enjoyment of comedy.CT: How did you get into stand-up comedy?
(03/28/21 9:30pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
The one-year anniversary of theaters closing has come and gone, and yet things have not gone back to normal. Many theaters have reopened their doors, but studios including Disney, Universal, and Sony have been reluctant to release their major blockbusters in the hopes of being able to have a normal theatrical release after the pandemic subsides.
Two major theater markets, Los Angeles and New York, have been closed since the lockdown began, leading most of the dominant studios to hesitate dropping their major films. When theaters began opening in August of 2020, a few big releases were dropped, to quite disappointing numbers. Warner Brothers released their sizable tent-pole film, Tenet, without LA or New York theaters opening, and the film was still only able to gather $363 million at the worldwide box office. The New Mutants and Unhinged were also released both of which only reaped disappointing box office numbers.
(03/28/21 9:00pm)
by Annie BastianThe opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board. One of the best feelings in the world in finding new music through an artist that you already love. Recently I was listening to songs by the artist eaJ, also known as Jae from the K-pop band Day6, when I came across a collaboration he had done with an artist I had never heard of called Seori, a South Korean R&B artist. Naturally I clicked on the video to listen to it, and it took approximately 30 seconds for me to completely fall in love with her voice. The song “It just is” captured Seori’s dream-like voice that makes you connect to both the song and the emotions that come with realizing you are in love, even if you do not speak Korean. I was hooked and I needed to hear more of her voice.
(03/26/21 2:00pm)
by Conner TigheIt’s been an exciting and anxious time for fans of young artist AJ Mitchell. In 2015, Mitchell was discovered via social media while living in his hometown of Belleville, Illinois. He released his first single, “Used to Be” in 2017, after writing it at the age of 13. He has collaborated with musicians like Meghan Trainor, Cheat Codes, Ava Max, and Ella Henderson. Mitchell is a candid, free musician, taking inspiration from his life and shaping it into worthwhile lyrics. I got the chance to speak with Mitchell about his writing tactics, inspirations, and upcoming album Skyview, set to release soon.Conner Tighe: What was your inspiration behind "Camera's On?"AJ Mitchell: It came to me about three years ago, which is when I originally wrote the song. Basically, I was inspired to write that because I was in this situation where I was surrounded by people where it just seemed like a fake environment. It seemed like people were wearing smiles, people were saying “I love you” when they didn’t mean it, so I felt like a weird dynamic which I’ve never experienced before. That was when I first came out to LA. So, I wrote the song about how as soon as the camera’s on, everyone switches up. The “never with you” part is the music side and my family and friends and the people that make it worth it, and that’s what the songs about.Image from FacebookCT: What do you find most difficult when writing music?AM: The music part is easiest for me. I write songs every day, like I love it. I mean, I could write three songs in a day. But the most difficult part for all of it, I would have to say, is the emotional part. I’m promoting the songs and going on social media, doing all that stuff because honestly, I’m not great at social media. I try to give the fans what they want, but when it comes down to promoting the music, I’m like, “I don’t know what to do. I’m just going to take a video from a song and post it up.”CT: What was your childhood like?AM: I would say my childhood growing up was very free for me to explore, adventure, and live my life the way I wanted to as a kid. I was from a really small town. There wasn’t much to do at all other than write music all day because I was bored, and I just wanted to play on the piano and learn and practice. It was fun for me. Or I’d be outside with my friends, riding our bikes around town, exploring abandoned buildings, sneaking into this college down the street so we could play basketball. We were super adventurous kids, and I just wanted to have fun. I was the type of kid where if I was bored, I wanted to do something. I wanted to go on adventures. I wanted to go in the woods. I wanted to have a thrill with my friends.CT: Who were your musical inspirations growing up?AM: When I was growing up, my first inspiration was my dad. He was writing songs and practicing the piano, and when I saw that, I wanted to do it myself. He was one of my first inspirations. Then after that, I loved The Beatles, Lil Wayne, Eminem, Bruno Mars, Coldplay, Adele, Whitney Houston, Etta James. Honestly, I drew inspiration from everywhere. I wouldn’t say there’s one artist that’s my favorite. I’m that type of person that doesn’t have a favorite anything, because I love so many different things.CT: How did writing songs at such a young age impact your life?AM: I loved it. I was writing songs all the time. I only knew a couple of piano chords, but with those chords, I was writing songs all the time.CT: Where do you get your inspiration from when writing music?AM: I get my inspiration from life, I think, just life experiences. Honestly, the inspiration can come from anywhere. If I’m walking down the street with a friend and we’re just having a real conversation about real life, and something pops up, and I’m like, “Honestly, that’s beautiful. This would be such a beautiful topic to write about.” And I’ll take it to the studio, and I’ll write the song. That happened one day with the song “Growing Pains,” which is going to be on my album Skyview. I had a wild night out, and the next morning I woke up like, “Oh, I’m growing through growing pains,” so I know I’m going to do that again. You know what I mean? And that’s how everything works out. I’m inspired by real-life situations, and it’s either with my relationships or life lessons that I’ve learned that I want to share with other people. I like my music to be motivational or happy.CT: Is there a past performance that comes to mind where you were extremely nervous?
(03/19/21 7:00pm)
by Conner TigheThe opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board. When thinking about female superheroes and villains, there’s a wide span of variety. Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch, and many more; but one stands out. Not only for her unpredictability, but as one of the few females to side with a hero and battle him at times. Selina Kyle, more commonly called Catwoman, is one of the most mysterious female heroes/villains of the DC Universe. She has been portrayed by several actresses over the years, with each portrayal being different from the last. With Zoë Kravitz playing Catwoman in 2022’s The Batman, I thought it was only fitting to look back at the past lineage of women—from worst to best—who have portrayed the infamous whip-wielding burglar.
(03/17/21 10:00pm)
by Mason KupiainenEver since Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, one question swirling around has been how Marvel will implement the Fantastic Four, Deadpool, and the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Information about the Fantastic Four was revealed at the Disney executive meeting in December 2020, revealing that they hired Jon Watts, director of Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Spider-Man: No Way Home, to helm the project. News on the state of Deadpool has also been announced, revealing both the writers and that the third film will still hold an R rating. However, news on the state of the X-Men has remained silent, until now.A recent rumor has suggested that Marvel will be naming the first X-Men film The Mutants. Whether they will still be called the X-Men within the film has yet to be revealed. Although many fans may be hesitant about the name change, there are a few things that suggest this may be an ideal change for the franchise.
(03/13/21 9:30pm)
by Arianna SergioThe opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board. It’s no secret that the film industry lacks diversity and inclusion. In 2015, the Oscars were called out with the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite because every category listed lacked an artist of color. And I mean literally every category. This movement was the beginning of the shift that the film industry is slowly making to be more diverse and inclusive. When April Reign, a media strategist and advocate for diversity and inclusion, created the hashtag and spilled it onto every social media platform known to man, the Academy membership was 92% white and 75% male. Since then, the membership has improved. In 2020, the academy membership was 84% white and 68% male. The UCLA 2020 Hollywood Diversity Report is an analysis of the top-grossing films of 2018 and 2019. It includes a workplace analysis of 11 major and mid-major studios, which found that 91% of corporate-level executive positions were held by white people and 82% were held by men. Among all senior executive positions, 93% percent were held by white people and 80% by men.
(03/13/21 9:07pm)
by Mason KupiainenThe opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board. Over the past decade, we’ve seen an increase in female directors given the opportunity to direct more high-profile projects including Wonder Woman, Charlie's Angels, Captain Marvel, and Mulan. Other films like Booksmart, Little Women, and The Babadook get high praise for their quality, as well as being directed by women. However, there have been many other great films from previous decades that were helmed by women that were exceptional, and maybe even better than ones directed today. However, they have not received the same praise or been even mentioned when discussing films directed by women.
(03/12/21 9:46pm)
by Conner Tighe
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
As a raccoon in thieving wear, scales a wire overhead a museum, a turtle maneuvers the underground sewers searching for tech disaster while a large pink hippo sits patiently in the getaway van. This picture is all too familiar for fans of the Sly Cooper franchise, which has spanned a little over a decade. What made the series so unique was not its concept of a thieving raccoon, but its realistic appeal replaced by a world dominated by animal characters. Locations in the series-like the jungles of India, the city of Venice, Paris, and wastelands of Australia-were all run by animals in place of what would’ve been humans in any other game.
The franchise mainly has players sneaking around bodyguards and maneuvering thin wires overtop dangerous heights. Still, the series expanded beyond that, allowing fantastic boss fights, team-led operations, and the inner workings of a hacking device. You’ll find the police, often led by Cooper’s love interest Carmelita Fox, siding with Cooper’s gang at times, as circumstances force the two to band together for the greater good. No other game franchise before or after has taken such a creative concept and created a world so recognizable. It’s only appropriate to show why the series has lasted so long. From the first title released in 2002 to the latest released in 2013, here are the titles ranked from best to worst.
Sly Cooper 2: Band of Thieves
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="384"] Image from Pinterest[/caption]
Cooper’s second adventure turned out to be the most memorable in more ways than one. Band of Thieves took away the player’s limitations on scene and location by introducing open-world playability. Cooper, Bentley, and Murray return once again, this time allowing players to control all three characters depending on the mission. In addition to, providing the option to explore whichever city/town the gang is holed up in. The humoristic approach is again present in the second title and the familiar animated narration detailing Cooper’s life as a thief, continuing his lineage of master thieves. This bit will be explored in later titles. Interestingly, Band of Thieves is the only title in the series to feature a female character as the main antagonist.
Sly Cooper 4: Thieves in Time
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="388"] Image from Venture Beat[/caption]
The Cooper series' fourth installment was interesting if not inventive in its approach, compared to previous installments. When pages of the Thievius Raccoonus begin to disappear, Bentley gets the trio back together to discover what’s happening. As the title suggests, players will travel back in time and play as some of Cooper’s ancestors, like the inventor of sushi, Rioichi Cooper, and Western outlaw, Tennessee Kid Cooper, to unveil just what’s going on with the notorious Cooper handbook. The adventure again was incredible, like any other installment, but unfortunately, there was no fifth release. There was a small fight to get the familiar raccoon back on platforms again, but game developer Sanzaru Games claimed there would be no more signs of Cooper after Thieves in Time.
Sly Cooper 3: Honor Among Thieves
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="381"] Image from IMDB[/caption]
When Cooper learns of his family’s vault, locked away on Kaine Island, he gathers a team of experts to break into the vault under the control of Dr. M, the main antagonist of the game. Cooper and Bentley seek out Murray, who seeks a life of peace and meditation after having caused Bentley’s wheelchair-bound condition. Players will have a blast controlling the familiar trio and new faces like Penelope, a tech expert, the Guru, a wildman who has taught Murray how to find inner peace, and the Panda King, who was one of the antagonists of the original game. All the fun aspects of stealing coins, jumping, scaling over walls and wires, and escaping from dangerous foes are included in this installment. Although there were new characters and locations, the experience seemed like another copy of Band of Thieves. Sure, new characters were introduced, the classic animated humor returned, and beating up bad guys in ridiculous fashion stayed consistent, but it was something old at this point. The series giving its predecessor that much more credit for being the best in the series.
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="378"] Image from Moby Games[/caption]
The trio’s first mission, players get to experience, involves a break-in of Inspector Fox’s office. The three retrieved a page of the legendary Thievius Raccoonus; a book passed down from generation to generation in the Cooper family. The book details all the tricks of the trade when it comes to being a thief. With this title being the first, it’s understandable the following titles only got better. Players can merely peruse museums, palaces, and temples with Cooper; however, they can collect coins to further upgrade Cooper’s skills, which were also expanded upon in later titles. However, one quality that makes this game stand out is the fact that players can buy the ability to slow down time, making the rest of the game a cinch.
Sources: Fanbyte, Sly Cooper Wiki
Images: IMDB, Moby Games, Pinterest, Venture Beat
Featured Image: Wireframe Magazine
(02/27/21 3:00pm)
by Lia Weisbecker-Lotz
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
February is Black History Month and for a while now, I’ve wanted to write about Black punk bands. Punk has always been a community meant for those angry at the world, for screaming for change, for the chance to be heard, and most importantly, to be able to be themselves without backlash. Even so, after my last article on female punk bands, I realized that punk has not been so perfect at making sure everyone is heard and appreciated. But it’s the groups that aren’t as heard that are the most important to listen to. Black punk bands help spread not only a form of education as to what the Black community is going through, but also offer each other a sense of belonging in a largely white community. While the bands listed are Black punk bands, some are also infused with people of different races. However, this doesn’t change the importance or the impact of their messages and how they help the Black punk community. I do want to leave a disclaimer: I’m a white person who has never dealt with racism or its horrors, and I will never claim to. I can only hope to learn from the Black community about the problems they face and ways that I can support them through it.
Red Arkade
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="403"] Image from Afropunk[/caption]
Red Arkade is a high-energy, aggressive band from New York City. They released their first EP, Livewire, in 2016 which introduces the group’s main message: the desire for and importance of freedom. Red Arkade’s songs largely focus on being who you are and doing what you want with your life. Strangely for a punk band, their music is incredibly positive and invigorating, full of speedy riffs and hard-hitting drums. Red Arkade consistently mixes elements of hip hop and hard rock into their songs, which adds to their uniqueness in the punk community. Their latest EP, We Don’t Sing Pretty, was released in 2018 and seems to be about them claiming their spot as a punk band.
Big Joanie
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="401"] Image from Rolling Stone[/caption]
This London-based trio formed in 2013 to join a DIY festival and quickly started cranking out EPs. Big Joanie has become a haven where the members can “be completely themselves as Black women.” The three of them work to bring attention to the Black punk community in the UK and the fact that POC members of the punk scene exist. Big Joanie’s members even created the Decolonise Fest, an annual London DIY festival specifically for POC punks, and the Stop Rainbow Racism campaign. Their music is strongly reminiscent of post-punk bands, experimenting with heavy, harsh, and slow sounds. Most of Big Joanie’s songs center on the emotion behind the end of a relationship, full of a certain bitterness and longing. Some of their other songs discuss the racism they and others have dealt with from both individuals and society. Sistahs was their 2018 debut album, and they plan on releasing a follow-up album this year.
The TxLips
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="400"] Image from VOX ATL[/caption]
A musical collective, meaning that membership and participation are flexible and rotated, The TxLips currently have 14 members. Established and led by Gabriella Logan, this all-black, and mostly female group has been making music since 2018 and has been working toward its goal: to push “the status quo of what the world says artists of marginalized identities can do.” With a variety of artists, the music The TxLips produce is diverse, influenced by a lot of different backgrounds and genres. Many of their songs do contain consistent emotions regarding angst, anger, and the desire for a different life. In 2020, they released their album Prison of Life, which contains some remakes of songs from their original EP, Queens of the New Age.
FEVER 333
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="399"] Image from The Guardian[/caption]
FEVER 333 is a punk band that was created to be the soundtrack of the rebellion. They formed in 2017, debuting in the most punk way imaginable, an “unpermitted” demonstration at an LA landmark to share their ideas. Shortly after, FEVER 333 worked on releasing their first EP, Made An America, (its title song earned a Grammy nomination) a year later. The group’s songs are vehemently, unapologetically about the rampant amount of racism, xenophobia, misogyny, and general inequality in the U.S. The trio has songs calling out the unjust system capitalism is built on: “BURN IT,” “Walking in My Shoes,” “SUPREMACY,” “Soul’d Me Out,” etc. Often labeled post-hardcore, FEVER 333’s music is rapid and raucous, while experimenting with elements of rap, trap, and metal music. They use their latest EP, Wrong Generation, which came out in 2020, and continue to use their unique sound to spread their message demanding change.
The Muslims
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="404"] Image from Scalawag Magazine[/caption]
Another trio, The Muslims are an all-queer punk band that was prompted by the aftermath of the 2016 election to come together. They released their first album, The Muslims, in 2017 where they specifically call out the Islamophobia that’s pervasive in the U.S. They regularly use satire and humor to make songs that both mock white supremacists, transphobes, fascists, etc. whilst furiously pointing out the impact they have on African-American, queer, and other minority communities. The Muslims’s music is energetic, fun, and full of disgust at the current state of society. The trio’s lyrics switch between clever and blunt and are always complemented by the gritting, potent riffs and drums. Gentrified Chicken was their last album; it was released in 2020 and is focused on the government’s failures in recent years.
The 1865
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="404"] Image from Musical Notes Global[/caption]
Created in 2017, The 1865 was launched by well-known music journalist and producer/director Sacha Jenkins. Jenkins has stated that he created The 1865 to be able to “voice his frustrations and expressions of the current political landscape.” The band is named after the year the Civil War ended and slavery was abolished. While this was a turning point in history, The 1865 uses their music to point out how slavery continued to have an impact on African-Americans. Their songs are based on the perspective of enslaved and previously enslaved African-Americans during that tumultuous time. The 1865’s music matches the intensity of their lyrics, with powerful bass lines and full of violent energy. Their last album came out in 2019 and is titled Don’t Tread On We!
Sources: Afropunk, Big Joanie, BTRToday, Chardine Taylor Stone, Ebert Fest, Facebook, Genius, IMDB, Indy Week, Kerrang!, Kill Rockstars, Kit Monsters, Gal-dem, Play Alone Records, Riot Fest, Spotify, The Fader, The Grammys, The Guardian, The Muzlimz, The Txlips Band, This Magazine
Images: Afropunk, The Guardian, Musical Notes Global, Rolling Stone, Scalawag Magazine, VOX ATL
Featured Image: Scalawag Magazine
(02/26/21 10:00pm)
by Conner Tighe
In 1975, Toni Tennille stepped on stage sporting a sparkly purple dress and a bob haircut. “Okay, let’s get it, honey.” she said, smiling. Husband and wife duo Captain and Tennille dominated much of the 70s with their keyboard and piano instrumentals. Their 1975 cover of Neil Sedaka’s “Love Will Keep Us Together” did more than just rack in popularity. It continued the common tradition of husband-and-wife musician groups, like John Lennon and Yoko Ono and Sonny and Cher. Unfortunately, the duo’s time in the spotlight didn’t last much longer than a decade, leaving the memories of the two that much more reminiscent.
Captain and Tennille were known for their love ballads, never straying from the slow, peaceful story of two in love. The two never fully joined the ranks of “stardom” after forming in 1974, but created eight albums and had an admirable career even with underlying issues. “Love Will Keep Us Together” was the band’s number one hit till 1979 when “Do That To Me One More Time” was released, which again hit number one in early 1980. In comparison, Richard and Karen Carpenter sang similar sounding music for those unfamiliar with the band. The Carpenters captured the essence of love and the perfect life throughout much of their career with hits like “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “Top of the World,” and “Can’t Smile Without You.”
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="409"] Image from Showbiz CheatSheet[/caption]
Daryl Dragon, known by his stage name Captain Keyboard, worked with The Beach Boys for five years until he joined Tennille in 1972. Tennille, at the time, was creating music for the musical Mother Earth which tackled environmental issues caused by large corporations. Tennille was and still is a gifted singer-songwriter. In an interview with Bob Andelman, she claimed that much of her career was for Dragon’s approval, which she never fully received. She blames much of his behavior on his childhood and growing up in a dysfunctional family, and says that he never said “I love you” once in all the years they were married.
Even after their career peak, the two continued working together until their divorce in 2014. The duo’s time together was mainly glued by a contract and a shared business that thrived for decades. Tennille claims she tried to “fix” Dragon, but it never happened. As much as it appeared that Tennille and Dragon were the perfect musical couple, it was a different story behind closed doors. In a 2016 interview with Insider, Tennille said, “People thought we had this fairytale relationship, and I knew that they would be disappointed.” Tennille wanted to marry Dragon initially but says they worked better as professionals, not husband and wife.
Two years later, Tennille published her memoir about her career and marriage to Dragon, writing on some difficult subject matter. To say the least, the two had a rocky relationship. Dragon dealt with tremors for much of his later life until his death in 2019 from kidney failure. Tennille is still sporting her same haircut from three decades ago, a decade where many would say was the happiest time of the duo’s life. But to Tennille, now is her time of freedom from a man she called her best friend for over 30 years.
Sources: CBSNews, Discogs, RateYourMusic, Rolling Stone, The Washington Post, UCR, USA Today, Village-News, YouTube
Images: Showbiz CheatSheet
Featured Image: NPR
(02/26/21 8:30pm)
by Mason Kupiainen
With the Infinity Saga wrapped up, it may feel like Marvel doesn’t have any more tricks up their sleeves. Phase Four recently began with the premiere of Wandavision, giving us a brief glimpse into what the next couple of years will look like for Marvel Studios. Wandavision marks the beginning of a story arc that will carry over into Spider-Man: No Way Home and concludes with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. With the introduction of both the multiverse and characters that have been revealed that will be in Spider-Man: No Way Home, it’s looking like we’ll finally be getting a live-action version of the Spider-Verse, with Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield returning as their incarnations of the web-slinger. However, recent comments from Tom Holland have said otherwise. So, is there any factual evidence for the Spider-Verse?
Jamie Foxx and Alfred Molina
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="372"] Image from CinemaBlend[/caption]
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="373"] Image from The Hollywood Reporter[/caption]
The first clue that Spider-Man: No Way Home introduced the Spider-Verse was the announcement of Foxx returning as Electro. This came as shocking news since he previously played the character in The Amazing Spider-Man 2, with his performance not really liked by audiences. It’s still unclear if he’s playing the exact version from that film or an alternate universe version, but Foxx did let it slip that he wouldn’t “be blue this time.” Sometime after this announcement was made, another familiar face joined the cast. Molina was revealed to be returning as Doctor Octopus, the same character he played in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2. His version, on the other hand, is beloved by audiences and continues to show evidence that Maguire and Garfield could be returning.
Doctor Strange and Wanda
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="370"] Image from DroidJournal[/caption]
Another returning character that will be appearing in this film is Doctor Strange. With the Doctor Strange sequel being titled In the Multiverse of Madness, and being the conclusion of the story arc set up in Wandavision and carrying over into Spider-Man: No Way Home, it feels right that the Spidey film will bring in other iterations of the character. Wanda Maximoff, who will be in Multiverse of Madness, has been rumored to be making an appearance in this film as well. If Wandavision does introduce the multiverse in the series finale, maybe Maguire and Garfield will surprise the world with a cameo.
Casting Rumors
Other than Foxx and Molina, there have been many other casting rumors for the third Spidey film. Willem Dafoe as Green Goblin, Thomas Haden Church as Sandman, and Charlie Cox as Daredevil have all been rumored to be making appearances in the film. If Dafoe and Church actually are in the film, then it would be hard to argue that we won’t be seeing the other Spider-Men. If this is true, there is a possibility of the Sinister Six as the main antagonist since we’ll have Green Goblin, Doc Ock, and Sandman all from Maguire’s universe, Elector from Garfield's, and Vulture and Mysterio from Holland’s. Having all three Spider-Men join together in the finale of the film facing off the Sinister Six would be a great way to end this trilogy, as well as keep audiences excited for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Multiple Titles
Although the title has been officially revealed as Spider-Man: No Way Home, there were multiple titles revealed by the cast the day before. Those titles included Phone Home, Home-Wrecker, and Home Slice. Although none of these titles specifically refer to the multiverse, there have been theories about why three fake titles were revealed. One of those theories is that each of the titles refers to the three Spider-Men. The theory claims that Home-Wrecker is referring to Garfield’s Spider-Man destroying the lives of Gwen Stacy’s family, with Home-Slice referring to Maguire’s Spider-Man being a pizza delivery man. Finally, Phone Home refers to Holland’s Spider-Man calling Happy.
Holland’s Response
The main piece of information holding back the idea that Maguire and Garfield could be showing up in this film was a statement from Holland. During an interview, when he was asked about other Spider-Men showing up, he simply replied, “No, no, they will not be appearing in this film.” This should be taken with a grain of salt since he could simply be trying to cover up the secret that the other two Spider-Men will make an appearance. While there hasn’t been an official statement from the studio or those involved with the film that all three Spider-Men will be in the film, there also hasn’t been a statement that they won’t.
Sources: CBR, CinemaBlend, Geekfeed, Heroic Hollywood, Newsweek, The Hollywood Reporter, The Verge
Images: CinemaBlend, Droid Journal, The Hollywood Reporter
Featured Image: Mashable India
(02/19/21 8:00pm)
by Kellyn HarrisonThe walls of the dimly lit hallway leading to MU 123 are chipped with avocado green paint. The flooring has decades of hope, laughter, love, sweat, tears, and dirt from the bottoms of Ball State alumni's shoes caked into the tiles’ seams. Despite the age, the second you enter the quaint mirrored room in the Hargreaves Music Building, you are instantly transported into an environment full of dedication, goodwill, and support. Sounds of laughter, singing, chanting, and clapping all filter into the hallway. Even while social distancing, the Ball State University Singers bring students of all majors together to fill the charming room with passion and warmth.“You just get this giant family that consists of the current cast, alumni, and the director,” junior assistant company manager Kamryn Yenser said. “We are a very heavily student-run group. I mean our director does a lot of logistical things, but our organization holds its traditions to a high standard and that is what keeps us connected.” Alumna Samantha Ragusin pins freshman vocal music education major Zoe McNulty. Photo by Kellyn HarrisonTraditions include the biannual pinning ceremony. This is where new members receive their name tag and pin from alumni as an official initiation to the group. Tags and pins are to be placed over their hearts at every off-campus function. On Feb. 16, three members—Zoe McNulty, Joe Lowry, and Dana Rodriguez—were pinned by alumna Samantha Ragusin. Ragusin graduated last year after four years of being a University Singer. She led as the group’s dance captain for three years.“Everyone in the group has been overly kind and friendly. That moment [getting pinned] meant the world to me because it showed how much I was truly wanted in the group,” freshman vocal music education major Zoe McNulty said.The pinning ceremony was quickly held before everyone left the room in order to let the air in the room circulate. Despite this, you could still feel and hear the excitement filter in from the hallway.Allowing time for air circulation is just one of the many regulations the singers are required to follow as part of the COVID-19 safety precautions advised by the School of Music. This specific regulation was established following a summer 2020 study meant to test how germs spread while playing instruments and singing. The study suggests performances and rehearsals be held outside, but due to freezing temperatures, the singers are forced to cut rehearsal time by practicing in an enclosed space and following air circulation policies.Rehearsal time isn’t the only aspect cut from the singers’ schedules. According to University Singers' director, Alan Alder, the choir has cut most of their performances within the past year due to COVID-19. The group’s 56th Spectacular was canceled last year, and many out-of-state performances were rescheduled.Ball State University Singers sing "Happy Birthday" to freshman Communications and Spanish major Katy Shaffer and sophomore Digital Video Production major Rudy Ahlersmeyer. Photo by Kellyn HarrisonA large project that has been rescheduled for May 2022 included the singers performing in Carnegie Hall. This was originally scheduled for Memorial Day of this year.“Michael Davis is a former Ball State University Singer and director and is currently the assistant artistic director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. He’s been invited to do a choral performance in Carnegie Hall,” Alder said. “He wanted the University Singers to come and be part of the core of the chorus. Learning the music was going to be one of the projects we were going to work on this semester.”However, this hasn’t stopped the group from forging ahead and entertaining local audiences. The group was able to perform once on Nov. 1, 2020, in Emens Auditorium. The venue was different from Sursa Hall’s modest atmosphere, but the singers needed a larger space in order to abide by COVID regulations and safely hold their large fanbase.“It just keeps us motivated. It provides a sense of normalcy for the group and the community. They can come and see a live performance all while being safe,” senior company manager Justin McMiller said. “The only challenge is taking an extra intermission at shows, so air can be filtered. So taking extra precautions like that is important, that way everyone is safe.”In doing so, the singers’ title as “Indiana’s Official Goodwill Ambassadors” continues to ring loud throughout the community.The Ball State University Singers plan to perform their 57th Spectacular in Emens Auditorium on April 9 and 10. Tickets will sell through the Emens Auditorium box office, and it is advised to purchase tickets in advance due to limited seating as required by Ball State COVID-19 policies and CDC guidelines.
(02/19/21 3:00pm)
by Conner Tighe
The opinions and views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the opinion of Byte or Byte’s editorial board.
Louis Lowry, known for books like Number the Stars, The Anastasia Krupnik Series, and The Silent Boy, reached her peak when she wrote 1993’s The Giver. Lowry wrote about 12-year-old Jonas, who was chosen to receive memories of his society’s past from the giver, Jeff Bridges. Although in today’s film industry we’re plagued by dystopia mania within series' like Divergent, The Maze Runner, and The Hunger Games; Lowry’s four-book series was different from all the others. These dystopian films include violence toward the government, including overthrowing leaders, taking over land, and bombing important buildings. She was able to tell a story of a government keeping humanity bottled up in one man, the giver, and how dangerous and cruel this burden can be. I believe the 2014 film’s lack of violence and blockbuster-esque appeal killed the film before it was even released, although it wasn’t the film’s fault that it didn’t continue.
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Violence is a fantasy many of us crave to live which is why many video games, like The Grand Theft Auto Series, are popular. The Giver Series wasn’t written with violence in mind. I’m sure because the series was made for younger audiences and because of this, it could be one of the reasons why the film suffered at the box office. The Giver barely made back half its budget of $25 million at the box office, with only making a little over $12 million. In other words, this was a major flop with audiences.
At the end of the film, Jonas is seen holding Gabriel in a snowy forest, watching a nearby house decorated with Christmas decorations. For those who haven’t read the series, Jonas comes back into the story with the fourth novel, Son, which focuses on Claire, Gabriel's mother. But much happens in-between books two, Gathering Blue and three, Messenger; the latter I consider to be the best novel of the quartet. Jonas’ town known as “The Community” turns out to be just one of many other communities in the series; with Gathering Blue focusing on Kira, a young girl with an impaired leg and the ability to dye colors into the fabric for her community except for blue.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="306"] Image from The Agony Booth[/caption]
Again, we’re faced with questions the elders and higher-up hierarchy refuse to answer in the series repeatedly. As Kira survives in a community of poverty and is left to die after her mother dies, we realize Lowry is not only talking about conformity by the dangers of independent thought, but also the importance of class hierarchy. In the novels, the character’s worth is measured by where they stand on the class pedestal. It’s possible the quartet can be called “anti-government” propaganda and could be the reason why it’s considered a banned book on many occasions. Lowry portrays the government as controlling and tyrannical. An example is shown in the first novel and film with Jonas’ father injecting “broken” infants with a deadly serum. It’s not uncommon for authors to write with underlying themes and anti-government is one of the oldest tricks in the book. But the author weaves in more than one or two morals. Lowry discusses what it means to be disabled and treated less than, along with being treated as a statistic more than a human being.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="247"] Image from The New York Times[/caption]
After Kira is saved in Messenger by friend Matty, referred to as “Matt” in Gathering Blue, readers can justify the actions of Jonas, Kira, and Matty. We have characters willing to die for their community, even enemies, to learn about life and experiences outside their own. Jonas was the first to attempt this and succeeded after arriving at a mysterious house via sled while carrying Gabriel. Thus, ending the film and leaving the viewers on a cliffhanger. Only this time, we don’t get an ending, not even a sequel. Don’t start something revolutionary if you don’t intend to finish it.
Another reason the series may not have continued was because of a lack of grounding with protagonists. Throughout the novels, readers are introduced to five main protagonists: Jonas, Kira, Matt, Claire, and Gabriel. Unlike the popular series’ that precedes it, like the ones mentioned earlier, Lowry’s quartet wanted readers to learn about the issue of dystopia from all angles: poor, rich, girl, boy, old, and young. The Giver was not about feminism, government exploitation, or even injustice but about what it means to be human. None of the protagonists seek to destroy anyone or challenge foes but to realize who they are under an oppressive environment. Witnessing emotion and learning difficult lessons are the relatable tendencies Lowry uses to empower her readers, and The Giver Series demonstrates this.