Volume 84 - Issue 5 October 7, 2011 odern Here’s the scoop asterpiece BY JOLEEN WILHELM students enjoy. Overall, it is an investment Watch out Hub—the Cafe is adding a in student happiness.” M milkshake machine to its line of services. Students, such as freshman Alexis Graves, The new machine will make its debut are eager to try the new machine. Monday, Oct. 10 during the evening meal. “I’m really excited to make my own The milkshake machine uses soft-serve blizzards,” Graves said. “It will be interesting ice cream to make custom malts, shakes to see the different ways students combine and blizzards. Students will be able to build the toppings. However, this is not going to their own treat using a variety of toppings help with the freshman 15.” and flavors such as Butterfingers, M&M’s, Sophomore Mackenzie Larin said she will bananas, coconut, chocolate, caramel, probably go to the Cafe more often with the PHOTO SUBMITTED whipped cream, cherries, Snickers and addition of the milkshake machine. Tentatively set to begin construction in May 2012, the Learning Commons will hold new and old brownie bits. There will be at least nine “It will be nice to get a blizzard or shake services for students. Above is a designer’s rendering of the proposed building. topping options out at a time. and not have to spend flex money,” Larin BY ANDREW LOVGREN Chef BJ Whitmore is open to student said. “I’m not big on trying new things, but EDITOR-IN-CHIEF suggestions for toppings and flavors. if there are Oreos, I’ll put them in a blizzard.” Northwestern’s blueprints for a new Learning Commons go beyond making a new library. “If it’s a reasonable request and we can Normally, the milkshake machine will The Learning Commons will have two floors and a basement. The new building will hold order it, we can get it,” Whitmore said. be located next to the soft serve ice cream, the library’s collection, archives, 14 group and individual study rooms, a common area, coffee The inspiration for the new milkshake but on Monday night it will be set up at the shop, academic support and much more. machine came from a trip Whitmore took end of the soup bar. Whitmore will be there The building is planned to be built west of the Christ Chapel on the current site of Granberg to another college. giving instructions and helping students get Hall and De Vries Cottage, the English department and PR offices, respectively. “I went to Morningside for training, and accustomed to the new machine. “This is a complete modernization,” said Library Director Tim Schlak. “It’s a recognition they have a milkshake machine,” Whitmore “The machine is really easy to use,” of the modernization of information. With this building, we can better meet student needs. said. “The chef there said it was widely Whitmore said. “It has its own stainless steel We want to keep as much of this open for student use as possible.” popular among the students, so I thought cups that you place your soft serve ice cream As a part of the recently announced Imagine Campaign, the building will cost around $15 it would be great to have one here. I hope and toppings in. It only takes a few seconds million. The building will house the library with added study rooms and lounges for both it’s going to be popular and something for the machine to mix them up.” groups and individual work. “This one [Ramaker] doesn’t lend itself as well to studying. It’s great for holding books,” Schlak said. “To be honest, the new one doesn’t lend itself as well to holding books. It’s not designed to just hold books. It’s meant to foster intellectual development and help students.” Academic support will be housed in the new building with rooms available for tutoring centers. Audio/Visual will also move offices and will be able to provide private media and viewing rooms. Two recording booths will also be available. “This is thinking about what needs students have,” Schlak said. “How can we meet those needs? The needs aren’t just books and serials.” Sodexo will have a coffee shop in the building that will accept student flex money in the same manner as the Hub. The newly designed building will have windows on the east and west side that allow for a tunnel of light, providing a view of Christ Chapel to the east. “It’s a visual representation of faith and learning,” Schlak said. “It suggests the idea that the college was founded on ‘Deus Est Lux,’ which means ‘God is light.’” The ground-breaking for the building is tentatively set to be in May 2012 and open for the 2013-14 school year. PHOTO BY BOB LATCHAW Junior Bryent Slagter, senior Mark Mineart, senior Bobby James and sophomore Jason Katsma, cheer on the Red Raiders men’s soccer team to a 2-0 victory over Westminster on Sat. October 1. PHOTO BY ANDREW LOVGREN Junior Mike Pettigrew makes a milkshake in the Hub. With the new milkshake machine, students will See more Homecoming weekend photos on Page 12 be able to make their own cold treats with a variety of ingredients. 2 Falling for St. Vincent BY KATI HENG Her guitar sounds as fierce as anything A&C EDITOR I’ve heard, with high-speed riffs that make It was about two minutes into her first me question her humanity, but what really song when I fell for St. Vincent. gets me is her voice. From its bluesy edge After seeing her perform live in in “Dillettante,” to its angel-sweet quality Minneapolis, the first stop on the tour for St. in “Strange Mercy” or its sultriness in Vincent (the stage name of singer/guitarist “Cruel,” the variety that her voice achieves Annie Clark) after releasing her new album, is unbelievable. “Strange Mercy,” you would have to be a “Every guy in this audience wants to cold person not to fall for the girl. marry her,” the boy sitting next to me said. The album itself gets incredibly personal “I should have worn nicer shoes.” with songs about failing relationships and Immediately after the song ended, searching for a way out of pain. another guy in the audience yelled out, In person, Clark is able to project an “Marry me!” honesty towards her audience that makes Maybe not every guy there wanted to her all the more real. marry Clark, but it could have been close. Not Opening the show with the song “Cruel,” only is she an amazing musician, with the Clark quickly realized her guitar wasn’t tall-and-thin proportions of a model and the plugged in correctly. dark style of a ‘70s rock star, she’s absolutely “Dude, dude, stop,” she turned and gorgeous as well. shouted to her keyboardist. Looking back at Clark is that sexy, mysterious girl you just the audience, “You really need to hear the can’t pin down. guitar on this song.” She’s classy while bobbing her head, The band started over, and she was screaming and throwing her whole body into right—the guitar on that song was incredible. playing the guitar. She’ll sing a line like “I It would be enough to win anyone over. spent the summer on my back” from her song Sure, you can hear her guitar on recordings, “Cheerleader,” then shyly whisper a thank but being up close, seeing Clark’s fingers you to the audience’s shoutings about how PHOTO COURTESY OF TINA TYRELL move so effortlessly and yet so swiftly, hot she looked. She’ll sing about her “knack Annie Clark, the voice and guitar player behind St. Vincent, kicked off the tour for her newest album, “Strange Mercy,” in Minneapolis on Oct. 2. Performing back-to-back shows, Clark kept the energy alive. brings a whole new level of appreciation for for danger,” then rush over to check on a the girl’s talent. band member who hurt her finger touching with lights and smoke emphasizing the way her audience that “I make a living telling a melting cord. she rhythmically throws her head around people what they want to hear.” It’s like she “You guys are up late,” Clark said to during guitar sprints. was laughing not behind our back, but right the crowd at the 10 p.m. show, “and it’s a The closest moves to dancing came during at us as we sat there. Of course, the crowd school night.” the song “Surgeon,” as she throbbed and applauded as loud as ever when the song She’s hilarious. If she introduced a song, lurched over her guitar will singing out “Best was done. it was with a sarcastic remark, like when she find a surgeon/ Come cut me open.” Definitely Just like that cool mysterious girl, Clark told her audience that the beginning of 2010 not the typical girly moves. makes it clear, just because you have a crush until 2011 was the “year of the tiger” for her. Yet the meticulously planned nature on her doesn’t mean it’s mutual. “That’s just a random fact, Nothing to of her moves gave a hint of just how self- Although she’s warm and friendly in do with the song I’m going to play now,” conscious Clark must be. concert, she doesn’t need your love or your she said, and her band immediately started She must be aware of the way male fans approval about what she’s doing.