On Saturday, Oct. 24, the Rozsa Center welcomed country music singer Crystal Shawanda. Shawanda, an Ojibwe native of Canada, impressed the crowd with her distinctive style.
During the concert, Shawanda performed several songs from her album, Dawn of a New Day, whose title is the approximate English meaning of her last name. Among the songs she performed were her first Top 20 single, “You Can Let Go,” as well as “Try” and “I Need a Man.” She also performed a few original songs to be released on her next studio album, such as “Love Enough for the Both of Us” and “Someone Who Loves You,” the latter of which she described as a song about “When you love someone who takes you for granted.” Mixed in with Shawanda’s own work were a few covers of artists such as Chris Isaac, Aretha Franklin and Johnny Cash. She told the audience, “We like to mix it up so you don’t know what to expect from us.”
For Shawanda, her music reflects her own experiences. When she was growing up, she had a lot of exposure to country music, as expected. However, as she told the audience, “I had older brothers, and they exposed me to a lot of different styles of music.” Shawanda lists among her influences such diverse people and groups as Johnny Cash and AC/DC, and it shows in her music, which varies from close to straight country to heavily hybrid. “Everyone on this stage has a little bit of influence from everywhere, and we believe if it speaks to your heart, it can’t be that bad.”
The concert was well received by the audience. One member of the audience, Ben Roskoskey, told the Lode, “I really enjoyed how she did some of her old music, some of her new music… I liked the variety.” He added that he liked the fact that the concert was only an hour and a half long, appreciating that it did not drag out. Overall, most of the audience seemed satisfied with the concert.

I opened the main door at the MUB and was taken away by the smell of food, faint sound of drums and women in bright colored dresses, and for a moment I felt as if I was in a different land altogether. In conjunction with Black History Month, the African Student Association put together African Night this past Saturday for the students and community, an evening filled with food, performances, friends and fun.

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The scene on Tuesday was one notable for the amount of pomp and circumstance. In Washington, people lined up as far away as the Washington Monument to be a part of the swearing in of our new Commander in Chief, President Barack H. Obama. After hearing a speech by Senator Dianne Feinstein, the opening invocation by Pastor Rick Warren of the Saddleback Church, and the performance of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” by Motown recording artist Aretha Franklin, the oaths were administered. First, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens gave the oath to Vice President Joseph R. Biden of Delaware.
After a performance organized by composer John Williams and including musicians Itzhak Perlman and Yo-Yo-Ma, Chief Justice John G. Roberts, nervously presiding over his first Presidential oath of office, administered the oath to our new President.
Unfortunately, the day did not go off without a hitch. Two Democratic politicians, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass) and Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) left Barack Obama’s inaugural luncheon at the Capitol with health issues. Kennedy suffered a seizure while eating, requiring the use of a stretcher to remove him from the room. Byrd was cited having been extremely agitated at the falling of his Democratic colleague and adjourned to his office.
I’ve been commenting on politics for a few years. Fortunately, nowadays, I’m paid for my opinion. Needless to say, it’s something I have a mild interest in, seemingly ingrained within myself due to people within my family and life. It must be said that the pomp and circumstance surrounding the inauguration of Obama may not be matched in any other political event in my lifetime. Naturally, reality will eventually set in on our nation, as huge problems face our nation. But on Inauguration Day, this is a day of celebration. This has been repeated ad nauseum throughout the leading up to Tuesday, but it really is a testament to our democracy that we can come together as one people to celebrate the changing of the guard. President Obama, in his speech, certainly did nothing to suggest that things won’t change at least mildly in Washington.
“One this day,” Obama said, addressing the need for bipartisanship in Washington, “we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.” Obama wasn’t necessarily short on detail in instances either. “The state of the economy call for action, swift and bold, and we will act,” said Obama, “The nation asks for action and action now.” Naturally, he’s referring to the huge stimulus package that he’s trying to get from Congress.
Another big point raised by Obama in his speech is the way America conducts its foreign policy. He spoke very strongly about this issue and left a very stern warning for those nations who are hostile towards the cause of freedom, while at the same time, reaching out to ordinary practitioners of Islam worldwide.
“To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect,” said Obama. “To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society’s ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

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