The Free Press Maine summer beer showdown: 2012
Posted on April 28, 2012 by Paul Koenig in Arts & Culture
The scattered warm days in Maine have kicked a lot of us into summer mode. Summer fun like barbecuing, beach trips and hiking are, for some people, better with a cold beer in hand. It’s tempting to switch to umbrella’d cocktails and fruity mixed drinks when the temperature creeps upwards, but a good summer beer [...]
A search for identity: Latino and Hispanic Culture in Portland
Posted on April 22, 2012 by Kirsten Sylvain in Arts & Culture
The dancers entangle and turn to the enthralling rhythms of the timbales. A trumpet solo blazes. It’s not too difficult to find a salsa show in Portland with the Cuban Son group, Primo Cubano, playing Latin folk standards at various venues in town. These local dancers and the Latin bands they swivel to are enthusiastic [...]
Spiritualized gets inspirational on ‘Sweet Heart Sweet Light’
Posted on April 22, 2012 by Ryan Cutler in Album Reviews
Jason Pierce, founding member and front-man for alt-rock band Spiritualized, contracted a life-threatening liver disease while recording his newest album, Sweet Heart Sweet Light. Being forced to take experimental medicinal drugs to cure his sickness, Pierce — the only constant member of the group for over 20 years — produced the record under the induced [...]
Local Top 5: Brunch Hotspots
Posted on April 22, 2012 by Anna Flemke in Arts & Culture
1.) Local 188: We dare you to find a breakfast burrito in downtown Portland that can compare to Local 188’s — perfectly cooked eggs, sharp cheddar cheese, black beans and market-fresh spinach make it a true front-runner in the Portland brunch circuit. But it doesn’t stop there. The extensive brunch menu also offers huevos rancheros and [...]
Faced with budget shortfalls, departments get creative — and green at USM
Posted on April 13, 2012 by Kirsten Sylvain in Arts & Culture
In the face of continuing environmental concerns, art and theatre students and faculty at the University Southern have responded by developing a series of creative endeavors aimed at encouraging conservation and efficiency at USM. With the February production of Eurydice, the USM Theatre Department has begun paving the way towards a future of green productions at [...]
A green thumbs up to indoor gardening
Posted on April 13, 2012 by Anna Flemke in Arts & Culture
Abby Lucas used to not like her dorm room. The double-single in Dickey Wood Hall felt strange and plain; there wasn’t much personality or a sense of comfort. A first-year media studies major, Lucas decided to spruce up her room by adding two basil plants. “Now people compliment me on my room a lot. I [...]
Ice cream sundaes and Irish whiskey with the Food Coma TV crew
Posted on April 06, 2012 by Anna Flemke in Arts & Culture
“No one in this car has a DUI, do they?” It’s just after 9:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning, and Alex Steed poses this question to a few unsuspecting passengers. With a full day of drinking ahead and a long ride home, the question is more than appropriate. After a moment of awkward silence, the [...]
A&C Recommends: Spokenword poet Carlos Andrés Gómez
Posted on April 06, 2012 by Kirsten Sylvain in Arts & Culture
Spokenword is not your grandpa’s poetry. This Thursday, as part of its celebration of National Poetry Month, USM will host a performance by nationally-renowned spokenword poet, Carlos Andrés Gómez. Gómez is a celebrated poet, playwright and author from New York with an array of titles and awards, including being named New York’s Slam King in 2006, a two-time International [...]
Steiner Street’s debut ‘Time and Temperature’ breaks a trend
Posted on April 06, 2012 by Nick Capeless in Arts & Culture
The tendency to try and be something you’re not is a constant in pop punk, with many bands blending in metal with disastrous results like A Day To Remember, or others like All Time Low focusing more on the pop side of things and ending up gimmicky and cheesy. The genre is swiftly losing its punk [...]
A new take on the old craft of printmaking
Posted on March 30, 2012 by Anna Flemke in Arts & Culture
The texture of paper, the smell of ink, the crank of the press. For printmakers, these are more than just sensations. The act of printmaking is a multifaceted experience: one that ties the body and the mind. In Portland, a community of printmakers is working to bypass conventions of the art form. Amy McIntire, a [...]
Bangor Daily News