Tyler Headlee
Feature Editor
tyheadlee@comcast.net

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS MY REVIEW. NOT YOURS. THIS IS MY OPINION. NOT YOURS.
        "Open your minds because we are about to drop some deep intellectual insight on your lives!" That's what the caption underneath the title on the program would have said if I would have designed the programs. Elephant's Graveyard was a emotional look into human beings; the need for revenge and the want to prove ourselves to others. Each character was symbolic of a characteristics you would find in people. And each character gave insight into what each felt was the most important thing. For the ringmaster, it was leadership and money. For the preacher, it was grace and civility.
The acting was incredible! Each character fit their role perfectly. 
        For one night, I forgot I knew the actors and they became their characters. You know, that feeling of losing sense of reality and getting lost in the show. The entire play was that feeling. For an amazing show you need a good plot, a great set, and incredible actors. The plot gets your attention. The set keeps you looking. And the actors pull you into the life of the characters.
And the set was fantastic! How they fit that all on that stage is beyond me. But they did. And it looked incredible! I loved the distinction from each place. The circus seemed very happy but had a dark undertone. The railway was cold and methodical. And the town was dirty. Both physically as well as spiritually.
         A good set shows the audience where they are, but a great set tells the audience what they are doing there. Elephant's graveyard had a great set.
I enjoyed the play tremendously. I went into it thinking it was just another Alta play. But I had never seen this type of play in my life! And it kept me interested throughout. But beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Many people that I've talked to though think that it was the best place they have seen. And after enough people start thinking something is true, doesn't that make it true?

Email us your take of the play at mckayb22@gmail.com

Jaren Jolley
Alta Arts Editor 
rykynandfelixinc@hotmail.com
    
        On Thursday January 26, Alta) high held its annual Battle of the Bands, garnering remarkably large audience, consisting primarily of students. The music performed spanned several genres from heavy metal to indie folk. The night gushed talent and diversity, and I was thoroughly thrilled throughout, but one band did come away winner. I was extremely impressed from the amount of passion and skill each of musicians exhibited and it did, in fact, restore some faith I had lost in my generation concerning music. So here are the bands that performed and my perception of each:

Canavar

(Nathan Budge, Justin Carlson, Nicholas Ledbetter, Jordan Matern)

Canavar being the first to perform set the stage for the nature of the evening. Performing a heavy and instrumental original piece and a Metallica piece, the band demonstrated their passion and ability to rely entirely on the music and atmosphere it created, heavy and muddy guitar driven metal songs.

Lo-Fi Riot

(Ivan Gygi, Zach Marquez, Matt Wilson, Sam Stott, Conner James, Robby Debry, Paige Lindquit, Roman Gilbert, Rebecca Valdivia, Brooks Hiatt)

Instantly noted, the large size of the band was one of its major strong suits, especially its unique and talented brass section. When the band began the play, the style, the largeness, and pace of the sounds, immediately reminded me of 80’s and 90’s ska pop, like Sublime or Madness; a unique genre that I was pleasantly surprised to hear from such a young band.

For The Time Being

(Tember Spencer, Dylan Cox, Jacob Roller, Alex Jolley)

A deeply emotional and somber direction was taken when this band began playing. Striking on darker notes and angst-filled ones, For The Time Being succeeded in the way that it intended to and indulged in the musical things that it saw fit.

The Empty Spaces

(Preston Carter, Ray Amarosa, Cole Ottosen)

The Empty Spaces did something that the other bands did not do, and it created new grounds on which to perform. True passion and stage presence was immediate, led by Cole Ottosen, the band was

completely enveloped in the sounds, and the classic 60’s and 70’s rock theme within their music was simply cool, and a good and fresh revisit.

The Pharoes

(Joe Canaan, Steven Johnson, Matt Hunter, Logan Hudson)

An emotional, but approachable pop sound from The Pharoes was an interesting listen. Relying on the light-hearted depth their music created, they certainly connected with the audience on a deep level and personal one. Talented singers and performers was a good segue into emotionality the audience needed.

Sky Way Commute

(Joe Farley, Kyle Hansen, Josh Roberts, Corbin Brown)

The well known Alta classic, nostalgic rock band made their second debut at Alta this year, with some major improvement from last time. Performing more acutely and artistically then last year, Sky Way Commute certainly grabbed the audience’s attention. Especially when they performed a very solid and passionate cover of Modest Mouse’s Float On, it had the audience on its feet. A very bright and promising future lies in store for Sky Way Commute.

Cahoots

(Mason Winter, Zach Johnson, Nate Lant, Natalie Davis, Dallin Orr, Brooke Scott)

Newly-formed Cahoots, brought something new and captivating to the stage.  An indie, moody folk that had solid melodies and clear structures made good impressions upon the listeners.  The talented band performed essentially flawlessly, every bit was memorable, but perhaps most notable were the two leads.  Mason Winter, whose presence and skill was felt on stage, and Natalie Davis, whose sultry and ethereal vocals carried the songs to new heights.  Cahoots achieved praise and consolidation throughout the music scene in Alta.

Somsen

(Alex Coffey, West Huish, Aidan Somsen, Ian McKellar)

With a band like Somsen, the sounds speak for themselves. Talented musicians on a vocal and instrumental level, the sounds hinted at 60’s soft and psych rock, while retaining their own originality. The brilliance of 10-15 minute songs, turned them into emotional and soothing jam sessions, that you didn’t want to end, making Somsen an original and highly listenable band.

SteelJaw

(Dallin Ames, Bridger Millard, Sam Harrison, Chad Tripp)

Bringing the night to a close the highly acclaimed and tensely awaited SteelJaw performed and had the audience going literally ballistic, asking for more and more. In fact, the audience rushed the stage and was asked to return to their seats, in sheer excitement.  When they began playing, I'm not sure if it was the energy of the music, or the atmosphere, but it was clear who owned the stage the night, the crowd was feasting from their hands, bringing immense strength to the small auditorium.  It was a spectacle.

     After a long wait for the results of who won, an envelope was delivered to the stage.  The anxious and boisterous crowd built in anticipation, and when Paxton Johnson announced,"By one point, the winner of Alta's Battle of the Bands is....STEELJAW!"  The audience exploded into chaos and celebration, rushing the stage and congratulating the band.  Overall, the night was sheer fun and an air of artistic youth circulated and inspired all.  It was a lovely evening not to forget.

                 
Jaren Jolley
Alta Arts Editor
rykynandfelixinc@hotmail.com

            As of late, I’ve noticed a lack of musical creativity throughout the halls of Alta high, as well as throughout my generation.  Either people my age aren’t trying that hard to make anything new and interesting or they aren’t making anything at all.  Not to say that musicians from Alta aren’t talented or listenable, I have faith in many, and I completely admire and endorse them, but just maybe they are not as stark as I'd like.  However, I do have some reliability in one young musician from Alta.  
           The enigmatic Mason Winter graciously let me coax several responses out of him for the sake of informing Alta about this new and talent musician.  Being sent to the art rooms to interview him served as an ironic, but highly appropriate setting for the subject matter.   “I’ve been playing music for a long time, and started writing my own stuff about four years ago.”, says Winter of his musical origins.  Starting off creating simple singer-songwriter material was fun, but it was to no avail for Winter.  “I couldn’t really expand (my music), and I just wanted to work with others and see what would happen.” 
         For a small period of time he set aside music due to the lack of progression, but in fall of 2011 he slowly formed a band called Cahoots with fellow band members and Alta students: Natalie Davis, Dallin Orr, Zach Johnson, Brooke Scott, and Nate Lant.  “We’ve written a few songs, but right now we’re just trying to find our identity and tastes; sort of get a feel for everything.”  Newly formed and talented in their own respects, Cahoots holds promise on the landscape of local, new, and young music.  “The song writing process is interesting, Natalie or I will just sort of write something and we’ll all just jam on it.”   
           When asked to describe his music, Winter coolly responded, “I don’t want to put a label on it, I’ll let the listeners decide.  I don’t even like naming our songs; I just think there are too many interpretations for everything to do that.”  Winter’s intelligence and individuality is prominent throughout his music and his enjoyable and humorous personality is more than endearing.  Playing in Alta’s Battle of the Bands, Cahoots is something to listen for and look forward to in the coming year.    

Refer to Mason Winter music page on Facebook, or ask him personally for an information on his music.