T H E K E Y T O Y O U R E N T E R T A I N M E N T

MOVEMOVE04.26.13 VOLUME 11 ISSUE 26 +

Q&A WITH RA RA RIOTJUST IN TIME FOR THEIR MAY 5 SHOW

MOLLIE STAYS IN MILANSTUDYING ABROAD IS A LOT LIKE PRINGLES...

THE FORCE RETURNS'STAR WARS' STILL ISN'T DONE CHANGING THE WORLD

HAPPY CAMPERHAPPY CAMPER» Rated and reviewed: CoMo's top outdoorsy spots » The perfect packing list — CLIF bars included» Bonfire Creation 101

Inside:

the anatomy of a

2 MOV E • 04.26.13

Well, this is the end. After a semester of late-night Netflix benders and ill-advised television marathons, my time as MOVE Magazine’s resident couch potato has sadly run out. I can no longer justify watching TV as a journalistic endeavor, nor can I visit Hulu eight times a day without feeling lazy. Sure, my GPA and general health may improve, but I’m still torn up – I feel like there’s so much I didn’t get to say.

I never got to explain why Louis C.K. is the smartest stand-up comic alive today, and I didn’t get to profess how watching ABC’s “Splash” is like repeatedly hitting your head against a desk. But in this last print column, as I tearfully leave my post, I just want to share one final piece of advice. I don’t plan on sharing any profound revelations about the future of television, or even how Lena Dunham may be a television comedy robot.

I just have one message: Watch “Breaking Bad” on Aug. 11.That’s the only thing I have to say. AMC’s twisted, morally depraved

primetime drama is without a doubt the best thing on TV. I don’t care how long it may take some to catch up before August, or how depressing that cancer/meth combo can be – “Breaking Bad” is a program that demands to seen. It’s revolutionized the TV drama narrative, and given us a poignant story of a man losing his humanity with each spellbinding season.

I’ve been thinking back to the first few episodes a lot recently. There’s a moment where high school chemistry teacher Walter White (Bryan Cranston) tells his students that his subject is the study of change. Walter, with his pleated slacks and domesticated-puppy-tolerance, passionately describes the erratic nature of chemistry. It’s growth, then decay, then transformation, he says. He adds that it’s pretty much like all of life.

That scene has come to mean much more as the show’s progressed. Now, four and a half seasons later, Walter is nothing like that spineless teacher. He’s grown, transformed and, for the most part, decayed like a dying plant. With his cancer diagnosis and decision to cook crystal meth under the name “Heisenberg,” he’s made a series of bad decisions that will forever define his life. Walter’s lost his humanity, and he’s bringing his friends and family down with him.

His partner Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) has seen too many terrible things to return to anything that resembles a normal life. His wife Skyler (Anna Gunn) is far too familiar with the dangers of the drug world to rest easy at night. His DEA agent brother-in-law Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) has driven himself crazy looking for the elusive “Heisenberg.” Walter’s on a spiraling downward descent, and he’s dragging his loved ones down with him. “Breaking Bad” is ultimately a powerful, breathtaking, thought-provoking show of consequences.

I know it’s become a bit of a cliché for a college-aged student to rave over Vince Gilligan’s masterpiece. “Family Guy” commented on the general sentiment that dudes love “Breaking Bad,” and my friends make fun of me when I get all affectionate about the show. But the program is more than a frat guy’s go-to recommendation. It’s more than the show with “the one who knocks.” It’s more than the show with the dude who says “you’re Goddamn right” and the other dude who says “bitch.”

“Breaking Bad” is a show about change. It’s a show that says a sane man can stoop to insane means, given the right circumstances. It’s a show that entertains, even as it discusses deep themes of family, power and trust. The program, which has been nearly perfect so far, is setting itself up for one hell of a finish – I advise you watch.

Yes, there’s a lot I didn’t get around to in the past few months. There’s shows I never discussed and barriers I didn’t cross. But in this final printed piece, in this desperate attempt to sway the unswayed, I just ask that you find a way to tune in on Aug. 11. Get over your emotional struggles with the show, or invest in Netflix to catch up. You owe it to yourself.

And that’s all I have left to say.

JACK HOWLANDon his final piece of advice to readers

Couch Potato

/coverPHOTO/David freyermuth

design/Brendan Wray

EDITOR/DELIA CAI

Photo editor/Lauren Kastner

fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights fire s'mores pyromaniac bonfire redhot summer nights

Attention pyros: read these bonfire

instructions

thom dixon | reporter

A riveting step-by-step guide on how to legally have a bonfire in Columbia

1 Refer to your fire as a “recreational fire.” This is the technical term for your

celebratory acoustic guitar and marshmallow-filled fire. “Bonfire” is the colloquial term but technically refers to a much larger inferno that would require a permit.

3 Set up your fire at least 25 feet from any structure or combustible

material (i.e. a tent if you’re camping). This is mandated by the 2009 International Fire Code — which the city of Columbia follows — in an effort to keep you from burning shit down.

6 Put out the fire. “We instruct people to have some kind

of extinguishing agent or garden hose available at all times,” Pasley says. “It has to be put out before you go to bed, and someone always has to be present at the fire.”

4 Light a fire that is no more than 3 feet in diameter and 2 feet high. Anything larger will

move beyond the realm of recreational fire and be considered “open burning,” which requires a (free) permit and an inspection prior to the actual fire. So keep a yardstick handy, or at least have a “capable” person monitor the fire’s size and activity.

2 Gather or purchase logs to burn. “You can’t burn rubbish, and you can’t burn

leaves,” Fire Marshal Jim Pasley says. So don’t burn things in order to get rid of them, no matter how much you want to erase the existence of calculus from your memory.

5 Responsibly enjoy your fire. Roast a

‘mallow. Have s’more. HAHA GET IT.

Please, watch ‘Breaking Bad’ this summer

Nalgene water bottle$9.95

Eagles Nest Outfitters – hammock$84.95

CLIF Bar – cool mint chocolate$1.39

SmartWool hiking socks$17.95

mophie juice pack plus: outdoor edition – iPhone 4/4S case$119.95

Black Diamond head lamp$20.97

Mountain House – lasagna with meat sauce$12.95

GoGirl female urination device$9.95

Light My Fire – spork$2.99

Coghlan’s Fire Sticks$2.95

Aquamira water purifier tablets$14.95 for 24 tablets

Get geared upCamping/bushwhacking/picnicking season begins now. Here are the essentials to help you survive just about anything.

» 12345

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1011

See something you like? All gear shown can be found at either at The Alpine Shop or mophie.com. Happy camping!

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5 67

8 910 11

david freyermuthstaff writer & photographer

Remember to contact the fire department if you have any doubts, questions or apprehensions about your fire. They’re nice people and they want to help keep you safe.

3 04.26.13• MOV E

Italian word of the week: Comportati da adulto! - Grow up!Studying abroad is like the Pringles of school; once you pop

you just can’t stop. During orientation, one of the international office employees told us he’d also studied abroad here. He was from America and came here on exchange about four years ago. He told us that we were never going to want to leave and to make the most of the experience. He said that he planned to stay for a semester, then told himself, “Just one more exchange semester.” Then said, “Just one more year.” And then applied to be a regular student at Universita Cattolica. “Then another.” And now he has a job here and lives here permanently.

Now, I don’t plan on staying here another semester. I love MU, and I really do miss it. But I can see how this principle of “just one more time” can work out for a lot of people. Many people study abroad because they want to travel, but sometimes, people study abroad to escape. They don’t fit in where they are, and they need a solid reason to get away from their situation, whatever it may be. One of my friends is an example of this. She lived at home, went to school and had been dating someone in her friend group. And no matter what she did, she could not escape running into him, hearing about him or being the target of gossip.

They say that home is where the heart is, and it’s so clichéd. So sometimes if your heart is somewhere else, you need to go find it. That was my friend’s case. Her heart wasn’t in her home country anymore, and so she needed to leave her city because she didn’t feel like she belonged there anymore. Once there, it’s easy for some peo-ple to feel like they belong more than they belong at home. So maybe you’ll want to stay for an extra week, month or even a year. And it’s so easy to find ways to justify staying here just a little bit longer.

One of those ways is an internship, a way that was just presented to me last week. Of course, I had already made plans for the sum-mer. I had lined up a job, trips with friends and concerts, some of which were already booked. So it was a really hard choice. Although, getting the option to make this decision did make me feel like a grown-up for the first time in my whole life, which was weird and stressful.

After a weekend of debating and weighing the pros and cons, I finally decided to accept the internship, even if this means I won’t have a good job over the summer and therefore will be completely broke. Isn’t that what being a college student is all about? My mom always tells me that you haven’t lived until you’ve spent a period of your life living off mac ‘n’ cheese and ramen — but not even the brand name kind, the generic brand from ALDI.

I think this might be the last of the Pringles, though. It is a good batch, but I’m ready for my traditional Mizzou flavor. Who could miss Homecoming? And I really think my body will shut down if I don’t get some La Siesta in my system in the near future. Sometimes you have to accept that you aren’t the little kid begging to go down the slide, “just one more time,” and go home to live out your life.

Ciao for now!

Just one more time

MOLLIE BARNESon the Pringles can of studying abroad

ciao for now

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ADVENTURE LEVEL 1:The outdoor-a-phobes ADVENTURE LEVEL 2:

A breath of fresh air

ADVENTURE LEVEL 3:The day-tripper

ADVENTURE LEVEL 4:The weekend getaway

Hiking, biking, camping, oh my!

Eagle Bluffs Conservation AreaFacilities/restrooms: Privies at select parking lots.Proximity to civilization: Closest is Lucy’s Beverages and Burgers. Hours: Sunrise to sunset.Directions: Go south on Providence Road (Route K) past the first Eagle Bluffs sign. Go past Lucy’s Beverages and Burgers, and turn left on Star School Road.Rating: 3 out of 5 ducksEagle Bluffs is for those who want to experience nature without the

sweat and grime. Take a tour of Columbia’s wetlands from the comfort of your car! Be prepared for gravel roads aplenty, but don’t let it deter you: If my little Camry can handle it, your car can, too. There are tons of opportunities to pull off the road and take photos of various bird species that call the conservation area home. If the scenery inspires you to get a bit closer, the area website says a parking lot on Warren School Road offers access to a hike that will give you a bird’s eye view of the wetlands. Another closer trail option is the clearly marked Katy State Trail off of Route K (you passed the parking lot on your way in). Follow the trail across the highway towards the conservation area.

Capen Park Facilities/restrooms: None.Proximity to civilization: Practically in the midst of civilization. Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.Address: 1600 Capen Park Dr.Rating: 4 out of 5 bouldersCapen Park is great for a quick break from campus. Right off of Rock

Quarry, take an afternoon off the books, hike the Hinkson Creek Trail or explore the Grindstone Nature area. Cross the bridge right off the parking lot for scenic views of Hinkson Creek. Continue along the trail to see bluffs and other rock formations. Next time the Rec is crowded, get some fresh air and hit the trail instead.

Rock Bridge Memorial State ParkFacilities/restrooms: Privies at some trailhead parking lots.Proximity to civilization: Just off of Providence down 163, aka fairly close to Walmart. Hours: Sunrise to sunset.Address: 5901 South Highway 163, Columbia, MO 65203Rating: 5 out of 5 PB&Js Rock Bridge Park is famous for its geological features — one of them, of

course, being a rock bridge. Follow the Devil’s Ice Box trail to see the park’s most noted rocks. All of the trailheads are off MO-163 and are well marked. Rock Bridge features trails for all skill and stamina levels. Hikes range from .5 miles on a boardwalk to 8.5 miles on gravel terrain. With eight hiking trails and numerous picnic areas, there’s easily a day’s worth of activity here! Pack a picnic lunch and spend the day exploring the area. Want to adventure a level up? Visit the ranger station and learn about taking a wild cave tour!

Finger Lakes State ParkFacilities/restrooms: Showers and restrooms.Water hookup/amenities: Water hookup at every site and electricity at most sites.Proximity to civilization: The closest convenience store is a Sinclair just down the highway on the left.Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.Address: 1505 East Peabody RoadRating: 5 out of 5 canoesSitting 11 miles north of Columbia, Finger Lakes State Park is the

perfect weekend escape. This secluded natural area is most distinct in its water features. There’s water in same form at every turn on the windy, paved road. And the best part of the area, besides its natural beauty, is the variety of activities it offers. There are areas for off-roading, swimming, canoeing, hiking and biking. Everything is clearly marked. The campsites are really nice and have a communal shower house at the top of the hill. Fear not: Your cell phone will still work. There’s even free Wi-fi! This is the best choice for those interested in an outdoor adventure with a few luxuries.

Facilities/restrooms: Restrooms and showers during camp store hours; otherwise, privies available 24/7.Water hookup/amenities: Water hookup and electricity for sites near the camp store. Laundry is available during camp store hours. Proximity to civilization: Three food options located on the property: Cooper’s Country store, Cooper’s Landing Kitchen (serves a variety of food throughout the week) and Chim’s Thai Kitchen (open some weekends) Hours: Information couldn't be found.Address: 11505 Smith Hatchery RoadRating: 3 out of 5 mud pies

This place definitely has character. With a shack-like shop at its center, Cooper’s Landing offers a quirky camping experience. Picture this: you and your friends, sitting around the campfire, listening to a live banjo performance and chatting with other campers. This could be just the place to chill before a stressful week of finals.

There’s entertainment galore according to the online events calendar, and hiking is also an option as the campground borders the Katy State Trail. Several other conservation areas are within driving distance. Warning: This is not for the high-maintenance camper. Leave the hairspray at home. Showers and restrooms are only open part-time.

5 spots for getting in touch with Columbia’s natural sidelauren rutherford

staff writer & photographer

Cooper’s LandingADVENTURE LEVEL 5:Sort of roughing it

4 MOV E • 04.26.13

JOYCE PENGon the return of the beloved sci-fi franchise

Pop track Letter from the Editor

» “Star Wars” fans, geek out. Disney and Lucasfilm will release “Star

Wars Episode VII,” the start of a series of “Star Wars” movies that will come out every year starting in 2015, according to a MovieFone article. “Star Wars: Episode VII,” set to be directed by J.J. Abrams, will star the original actors Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and most likely Harrison Ford. Then the following movies will spin off to focus on individual characters such as Yoda and Boba Fett.

So why reprise a movie series 10 years after the last episode (“Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” in 2005)? What made the folks behind Lucasfilms decide to launch several more episodes each year? Is it because we all love Yoda?

“Star Wars” has transcended and changed popular culture and society ever since the release of “Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope” on May 25, 1977. The first films became popular quickly, despite the lack of attractiveness associated with science-fiction and fantasy genres at the time. After three more episodes came out between 1999 and 2005, “Star Wars” had already become a international phenomena.

Primarily, the “Star Wars” franchise completely innovated the movie industry. Back then, the science-fiction genre was not huge, but “Star Wars” made it huge. George Lucas used dirty, worn-down clothes and spaceships, a marked departure from the clean, impractical look of old sci-fi movies. Hot films such as “Alien” and “The Terminator” would follow suit.

Plus, with the establishment of the Lucasfilm division Industrial Light & Magic, the franchise transformed and advanced special effects in both “Star Wars” and future blockbusters such as “Jurassic Park,” “Forrest Gump” and “Men in Black.” It also influenced sound effects, as well. In line with Industrial Light & Magic, Lucas established the Skywalker Sound, which created that eerie sound emulating from the lightsabers.

Even if you haven’t seen “Star Wars” (I have seen parts of it, and I was like, ‘Why are aliens, robots and humans all existing together in this weird, dusty planet?’), you’ve heard of it. You know its theme songs. You recognize its characters: Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, R2-D2, Han Solo and the most iconic fictional evil figure of all, Darth Vader. It’s referenced in countless books, movies and TV shows. And even Yoda’s famous quotes are used in everyday conversation.

“Star Wars” was one of the first films that influenced how people lived their lives. People began to dress up in “Star Wars” gear, acted out scenes, owned lightsabers and even proclaimed their religion as Jedi. “Star Wars” was the vernacular term of the day when referring to the Strategic Defense Initiative created by President Ronald Reagan during the Cold War, and Reagan even called the Soviet Union “The Evil Empire,” similar to the evil Galactic Empire in the first film.

CNN had “holograms” of people during the 2008 election night, just as those from Star Wars. Amputees sport bionic hands inspired by the action figures. And the Death Star has inspired a “Death Star” bug-zapper aimed to zap flying mosquitoes, which could prevent malaria and save lives.

“Star Wars” has sparked the franchise trend since it was released (previously, other hit movies didn’t have sequels or prequels) and has encouraged other blockbuster movies to follow suit. (No matter how annoying they can be). It has spawned thousands of toys, video games and book series, and it has appealed to both adults and children. “Star Wars” has impacted how we experience movies, popular culture and everyday life. It’s still popular today, which is a good bet why Lucas will release more episodes. May the Force be with us all.

Read exclusive content

ONLINE@ move.themaneater.com

Music: William Schmitt on The Beatles, synesthesia and youthful expression

Movies: Hannah Bedenkop on the mystery that is Tom Cruise

Fashion: Madison Feller on what to wear on all of your outdoor adventures

The cultural Force of

‘Star Wars’

and so much more!

When you’re in journalism, it’s not often you have the leisure to sit down mid-afternoon and think upbeat thoughts such as: Life is grand, isn’t it? Deadlines are so grand. Fact checks are grand. Tracking interview sources around town like a KGB agent on cocaine is rather grand, too, now that I think about it.

No, what usually happens during those unexpected free moments is a dejecting Google search comparing the salaries of journalists and (Insert any other career here) or staring at the Mizzou Market espresso machine, wondering if you can hook an IV up to it.

But there was one amazing, ordinary day when I was sitting in the newsroom and working on ordinary MOVE stuff when this strangely positive thought entered my head: I really, really hope I love my future jobs in the real world as much as I love this one.

It was sappy. It was weird. And now that my last MOVE issue is here, it was depressing. But a year of MOVE with the most amazing editorial board, staff writers, reporters, columnists, photographers, graphic designers, production wizards and more completely justifies that sentiment.

Special shout-outs to Savannah and Brendan for waving magic

designer wands and having dead sexy covers materialize out of nothing, week after week, and to Lauren for writing the shit out of some really wonderful articles like almost every issue. And of course, thank you to Kelly, Pat, Kelsey and Luke for making everything that ever happened ever possible. And the hugest thanks of all? You readers.

MOVErs, things are going to get a little crazy. You see, MOVE and The Maneater have always had a relationship that should be the stuff of complicated romance novels, but it’s apparent the two are moving in together, at least for now.

I’m thrilled to be staying on The Maneater staff next year as managing editor to work with the overly-impressive Ted to help bring about this change along with a lot of other ones. Things will be new and different and wonderful. I can think of no one better than Heather to see this publication through and make the next MOVE (ha).

With love and even more puns,Delia

Preparing for the next MOVE

Ra Ra Riot is a band full of surprises.When the pack of rollicking Syracuse grads burst onto the scene

under the name Ra Ra Riot, the music world may have expected a lot of shrieking and wigging out. Young, aspiring bands with “riot” in the name have a history of anarchical cries against civilization. But what the music world heard was much different – their debut album The Rhumb Line was orchestral and somber, and they made playing the violin cool again.

Now, five years after that first album, Ra Ra Riot is surprising us all again. Released on Jan. 22, Beta Love is like nothing the band has made before. It’s weird, trippy and has synth hooks that would bring a smile to the face of any MacBook-loving electro band. While past albums seemed like personal reflections, Beta Love is a sprawling look into a futuristic world – like something out of a William Gibson novel.

If Ra Ra Riot has taught us anything, it’s that we may never have the band figured out. We talked with bassist Mathieu Santos about the new sound, violins and playing street hockey at The Blue Note.

MOVE: You guys have been together since you formed at Syracuse way back in 2006. So are you guys still getting along, or are you clawing each other’s eyes out yet?

Mathieu Santos: (Laughs) Well, actually, it’s still great. We still have a lot of fun together, surprisingly. It’s especially surprising to me because we weren’t really friends before the band formed, so we were essentially just a bunch of strangers who got together and improbably all ended up liking each other. But yeah, we’re still having a lot of fun together.

M: There’s a video on YouTube of you guys backstage at “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and (lead vocalist) Wes Miles is pretending to hit you in the face with a shoe. Do you guys still have this much weird, goofy fun on the road?

M.S.: Yeah, there’s a lot of it. We’re so used to – we just have spent so much time with each other over the past number of years in such close quarters. We joke around a lot that we’re like a family, but especially because of the mixed-gender dynamic. And we’re all pretty close in age, but there’s about a three or four year range between us. So that’s a pretty familial dynamic, a lot of like brother and sister kind of love and joking and horseplay.

M: Do you ever have disagreements in the songwriting process?M.S.: Yeah, there’s always little things that come up like that, but over

the years we’ve been trying to get better and better at that process. It’s a process that we take very seriously, and we always are trying to get better at putting the song and the music first before any of our individual desires or egos or anything. But yeah, I think we’re pretty lucky as a band there.

There’s never really been any big blowouts or shouting matches or anything like that. And we’re constantly evolving our writing and arranging process and getting better and better at working with each other.

M: Since you’ve been together, Miles has gone on to work with the band Discovery, and you yourself have come out with a solo album. How does the band deal with these kinds of developments?

M.S.: Everyone’s really supportive, and we’re all in this together knowing that this band, Ra Ra Riot, is everyone’s priority and everything else kind of takes a backseat to that – it has to in order for this to work.

But at the same time, we all know that everyone in the band is a creative person and naturally has to have other outlets to be able to do things that they couldn’t do within the context of the band. It’s weird that we have enough free time to work on other projects, but when the opportunity does come along everyone’s always supportive and interested in what each other’s up to.

M: It seems like when a lot of high-profile bands start losing members to solo ventures; it’s a sign of the end times. That’s not the case here?

M.S.: No, actually – we’ve gone through a lot of lineup changes over the past few years, and I think just within the last year we kind of felt for the first time that things have finally settled and that we’re finally functioning completely as a unit and as a band.

Yeah, I can understand how when other bands – when things like that happen – it’s that the group dynamic sort of lingers off. But I think in our case, it’s been almost like a refinement over the years ... and I feel like the general feeling is that we’ve been getting along and having fun recently more than ever.

M: Can you tell us a little bit about this new album?M.S.: Well when it came time to start working on this record – you

know, we had the first two records, and we kind of had the same process the first two records of writing and arranging, which was beneficial for us. But over the years, that started to feel like it was a bit rejective ... someone

would bring in a song, and then everyone would just pile on top of it.There would be a cello part, a violin part, a bass part, a guitar part

and all of the songs ended up being incredibly dense, and that served us well and we learned a lot from that. But I think this time around, we just wanted to shake things up a bit and be more conscious of what the song needed and what the song required from us, as opposed to everyone just making up their own parts. So we sort of just bought into this attitude of putting the song first.

M: The new album has a lot more electronic influences than earlier albums. Were you guys worried about becoming a gimmick? Like, becoming “the band with the violins” or “the band with the cello”?

M.S.: A little bit, but that didn’t really have anything to do with our decision to change the sound. To us, it was always funny, because when we’d get together it was just like – to us, it’s hard to have a perspective of yourself – so we were just like, “Oh yeah, we’re just a band, we’ll be happy if we can make something out of this.”

And everyone really latched onto the fact that we had strings, which to us wasn’t the central meaning of the band. But yeah, it’s funny because I guess it’s just something that’s a little bit different so it’s easy for people to pick up on and latch onto it. There were also people who criticized us for the first album for having too many strings or relying too much on strings, then when we came out with this record, there were a lot of people criticizing us for not having enough strings.

M: So it sounds like you try to not read too far into what the critics say.M.S.: Yeah, I think for the most part none of us really pay attention

to any of that stuff. But it comes up from time to time – people bring things up to you or you come across something accidentally. But you can’t really take any of it seriously, even the positive reviews. We’ve gotten a lot of positive reviews, just as much as we’ve gotten negative ones. At the end of the day, it’s all the same. If people like it, it’s nice; if they don’t, that’s fine too. As long as you’re just doing what you feel is right, I think that’s the only thing you can hope to do.

M: Obviously, you started out just playing small shows over in Syracuse, New York. Is it still a thrill to tour the country?

M.S.: Yeah, yeah, it’s still fun, and every time it gets a little bit more familiar, but it’s still exciting to see a few more people at each show. And yeah, next week we’re starting another two-month tour. We’re gonna go back out and do it again ... that’s always been our cup of tea: the live performances. We tend to get a little antsy if we’re sitting around for too long, and I think being out on the road feels like where we’re supposed to be.

M: On May 5, you’ll be here at The Blue Note. Have you ever played at that venue before?

M.S.: We have played that place, once before actually. We have a really, really fond memory of that show in particular actually. It was a really cruddy Monday night show – it was raining and cold and snowing. And it’s always the shows like that where you’re like, “Ah, no one’s gonna come, the weather’s really bad, it’s Monday night.”

But those are also the shows that end up surprising you as being the most fun. And I remember we had a really fun show and ended up having this crazy experience after the show where we ended up staying at the venue hours later and hanging out with the promoters and the bartenders. We had this sort of spontaneous party. We ended up bringing all of our street hockey equipment inside, and we were playing street hockey in the bar ... I’m excited to be back there again ... who knows what will happen this time.

jack howland | staff writer

Q&A with Ra Ra RiotRa Ra Riot bassist Mathieu Santos talks about the band’s new sound, strings and playing street hockey at The Blue Note.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RARARIOT.COM