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Show Monday, April 2, 2012 Page 5 AggieLife Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.utahstatesman.com Record store owners plan big for local music BY LINDSAY NEMELKA staff writer Logan's music scene is receiving a new addition with the opening of a vinyl record shop on Main Street. Elefunk Records will make its debut in midApril, according to proprietor Mowefa Eastmond, a USU student and hip-hop deejay. Seven years ago Eastmond was in a funk-rock, hip-hop band in high school called MoJam and then started performing his own shows in Logan. Eastmond said he also started an entertainment company called Street Def in which he and his crew held shows in Salt Lake City, where they had extensive connections to the music scene. The opportunity to create a record store came up during his first few years at USU, so he said he decided to take a break from school and jump on the opportunity. When talking about his success in Salt Lake City, he said, "We're from (Logan), so we need a home base now ... the next move was to have a records shop." Eastmond said there hasn't been a music hub in Logan in recent years, so he wants to work with Why Sound to create one. By collaborating with many DJs and bands in Logan and Salt Lake City, Eastmond said he hopes to put Logan on the music scene's map. Recording engineer Tim Moes, of Why Sound, said he previously did some recording with Eastmond and fully supports a new record store, believing it will bring together Logan music lovers. "The music scene in Logan can be somewhat fragmented," Moes said. "(Elefunk) is something that will change the culture of the city somewhat. It will definitely help unite the area." Eastmond also started the USU HipHop Club last semester and has a lot of supporters who are excited about the new music venue, said Justin Peterson, ELEFUNK RECORDS OWNER MOWEFA EASTMOND said he hopes to create a music hub in Cache Valley. Elefunk said they plan to collaborate with Why Sound in bringing popular musicians to Logan. Both companies, Elefunk and Why Sound, are prepared to cater to different generations. CODY COCHNOUR photo current club president. going on ... but then you'll have the older Peterson, who also performs as a people come in." rapper, said Logan is a college town with Elefunk has a diverse selection an "eclectic group of people." of music from modern hip-hop to "There are a lot of DJs, a lot of rapMadonna to The Doobie Brothers, pers, a lot of different people that would Eastmond said. utilize CDs, and there's no central place "The jazz section and the old-school for that here," Peterson said. rock is where it's at for the older Eastmond said he's not worried generation, because when that stuff was about vinyl records dying out, and he's coming out, it was all on vinyl, so it's not worried about having to cater to dif- more classic for them," Eastmond said. ferent generations, either, because even "They'll come and drop a lot of money younger kids have discovered the allure on records because it's nostalgic for of vinyl. them." "Records maintain their value," he Moes said he's not concerned about said. "It's really diverse because you Why Sound and Elefunk Records have the whole DJ phenomenon that's competing; he said the new shop will be beneficial to the local music scene. "A lot of my business is the recording studio and venue, and (Eastmond) is still planning on doing a lot of hip-hop shows here with us," Moes said. Moes said he hopes to continue to bring great music to Logan, and Eastmond agreed, saying he'd like to create a partnership between the businesses. Artist meet-and-greets will be hosted at Elefunk Records, and shows will take place at Why Sound. Elefunk Records is in the process of building a stage where its own events will also be held. "(The store) will double as a venue, so we'll be able to do comedy shows, have bands play and do some acoustic nights," Eastmond said. The shop will have a small recording studio and is also a licensed dealer for Party Tix. Elefunk also hosts a collective of DJs and sound systems available to rent for parties, Eastmond said. He also said Elefunk will sell clothing and merchandise supporting hip-hop and skateboarding labels. "I think (Eastmond) is trying to market a different area ... trying to go for a lot of the hip-hop crowd," Moes said. Eastmond said he hopes Elefunk will be a place to not only pick up CDs and vinyl records but a great hangout for locals to see DJs perform and meet visiting artists. "(Elefunk) would have artists that are performing in venues that are a little bit bigger, and more able to accommodate a larger crowd, come to the shop before they perform and have in-store signings and meet-and-greets, which would make it a very social environment," Peterson said. Elefunk Records will also support local bands by sponsoring merchandise on a wall dedicated to local musicians. "(Eastmond) managed to incorporate a lot of artists from around this area and Salt Lake to come in and spray paint the walls and make it a fun environment to be inside," Peterson said. Elefunk Records is currently open for business and most recently helped organize a benefit concert Saturday for a local artist who died. For the store's grand opening in April, Eastmond said he'd like to get musicians such as Naughty by Nature, Chali 2na from Jurassic 5, Silver Fox from Fantasy Three, Pepper and other groups to perform. "We plan on bringing out someone famous to Logan every month," Eastmond said. -1.nemelka@aggiemail.usu.edu IN- Q Pe dorms the art o the spoken word BY MACKENZI VAN ENGELENHOVEN features senior writer USU hosted beat poetry Friday night, featuring performances by USU student poets, as well as slam poet and hip-hop artist IN-Q. "When I first heard IN-Q, I was really impressed with how real he was and how well his poems related to the human experience," said Marie Squyres, Arts and Lectures director at USU. "Some poets get their messages lost in flowery and abstract language, but he's not." The annual event has been a tradition at USU since 2007, Squyres said, and was the final event in CHaSS Week, held by the College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. The event was held in the TSC Ballroom, which was set up in cabaret-style seating with tables covered in butcher paper so attendees could write or draw while watching the perfor- mances. Attendees were also given tea and coffee provided by Gaffe Ibis, as well as handmade mugs crafted by the Ceramics Guild. After three student-poet readings, IN-Q took the stage and began by telling students his show was going to be "interactive," and asked them connect with each other by introducing themselves to three people around them who they didn't know. Then he told the audience to massage the shoulders of someone sitting near them. He wanted the audience to feel connected both with each other and with him before he started. "We're going to be family tonight," he said. IN-Q is a Los Angeles-based poet and rapper whose body of work includes slam poetry features on HBO's Def-Jam Poetry and raps for the Disney Channel and the Selena Gomez song, "Love You Like a Love Song." One of his first pieces, which he introduced as being a poem about positivity, featured profanity that sparked a mass exodus from the ballroom. Almost half the audience left in res onse ARTIST IN-Q PERFORMED FOR USU STUDENTS on Friday night. The annual Beat Slam Poetry event has been a USU tradition since 2007, according to Marie Squyers. Handmade mugs, created by the Ceramics Guild, were distributed to those in attendance. Photo courtesy of IN-Q to the strong language. However, the choice to keep beat night uncensored was a deliberate one made by the committee that organized the event. "If an artist has made a deliberate choice to include profanity, it means something in their work," Squyres said. "We didn't want to censor that." "I actually thought the profanity was a nice change from what we usually have at USU," said Harrison Davis, a junior majoring in physics education and one of the chairs for the event. "It felt very purposeful, so I didn't think it was offensive." IN- Q was not fazed by the departure of a large section of his audience. "(Event organizers) told me when I came (I should) be myself and not censor myself," he said. "They brought me to be me. I don't cuss just to cuss. I use that sort of language because it means something to the piece." The performer also did not use the stage or a microphone for his performance; he wandered between tables, putting his hand on students' shoulders and sitting in empty chairs. Between pieces, he encouraged students to interact with him by raising their hands and saying "What?" when they felt the power of his words. When he read a poem about falling in love, called When it's Right," he told students to say "Aww," which created a dialogue between performer and audience. "I really felt connected with him through the whole show," said Cade Robinson, a junior majoring in international business. "All of his pieces felt so real and personal." IN-Q's poetry, which was a rhythmic blend of hip-hop and spoken word, featured a variety of uplifting themes from the power of thinking positive to patriotism and love. He offered messages about not judging peers and learning to take people on a "a case-by-case basis." Between poems, IN-Q shared anecdotes about being recognized as an artist while trying to keep a low profile at a Planned Parenthood clinic and watching his nephews lose respect for him "in real time" as they listened to his Disney Channel raps. "I felt good tonight," IN-Q said, following his performance. "Seventy percent of what I did was new stuff, which made it really fresh, and I was really connected to it." Throughout his show, IN-Q asked audience members if they "felt good," to which the response always seemed enthusiastic. His performance was well received by students who stayed until the end, and they offered him a standing ovation. "I left feeling so positive," said Emily Ozmun, a junior. "I didn't expect to be so affected by it." At the end of the evening, IN-Q remained to talk to students, and encouraged them to find their voices as a writer. "It's important to be part of a community that supports you. Let yourself be around people that inspire you," he told students. Though poorly attended, Davis, Squyres, and IN-Q were all pleased with the event. "It brought out people who really connected with the art," said Davis. "I thought it was a great night of art and expression that everyone who came really connected with." - m.van911@aggiemail.usu.edu |