we are rotting but instead let's say we are aging like fine wine because the expense of time is what makes us expensive and the cost of suffering can’t ripe faster than insufferable expectations and if we want a delectable cheese it’s desperation to bear the fruits of indefinite rotting that we continue to do so - sappy
if i wasn't lied to some things that i didn’t know that i should’ve known i now do know are if you get infected don’t elevate a leg if you are small you might (not) be a chihuahua if you taste like styrofoam you’re a bone if you swim you’ll get caught if you need to fold a fitted sheet just ask Grandma if you wore a fuzzy onesie it’d be shocking if you breathe your lungs could explode if you have counted sheep or not if you know if sea walking exists - sappy
Happy Friday, everyone!
This week I had the opportunity to chat with Akshay Chacko, Co-President of Michigan Electronic Music Collective (MEMCO). He gave me some insight into what MEMCO does on campus, how they’ve adjusted to COVID, and how students can get involved with the organization. Let’s dive right in!
The first thing to know about MEMCO is that they’re a multifaceted organization focusing on various pillars to get people involved in electronic music on campus. They have two main areas of their mission: 1) break down entry barriers and teach people how to DJ/produce music, and 2) Give students a platform to share their skills.
Electronic music can be a difficult space to break into due to the expensive equipment and limited availability of teachers when compared to learning to play the guitar or another instrument. MEMCO
addresses these areas by providing equipment for their members to learn and practice on – from their full-scale, state-of-the-art setup to more portable DJ controllers that are able to be individually borrowed during COVID (and which they were able to get thanks to an Arts at Michigan grant!). They also host a series of speaker panels and educational events which cover topics like the history of electronic music, insights from talent bookers or graphic designers, and understanding the intersectionality that techno music was built upon – including its connections to Detroit. Many of their educational programs have been able to be moved online fairly seamlessly, allowing their members to grow their passion and knowledge of music even in quarantine.
MEMCO’s performance programming has been a little more challenging to move into the virtual space. Akshay explained to me what the event process in previous years has looked like:
“Our biggest event [pre-COVID] would be, like, every month we would throw these events at Club Above on main street called Impulse Events, and these events were basically hosted, organized, executed, promoted, all by the club. We curate the lineup, 
which it’s usually just members of our club but sometimes we would book, like, bigger artists from Detroit and stuff. We handle the booking, we handle, like, the graphic design, the promotion, and we meet up and then go, you know, poster around campus and downtown and stuff, and then we handle the production of this event from start to finish.”
Obviously, those tasks are all incredible learning opportunities for someone looking to continue in the music industry, or, really, any industry. The process of putting on the event might be as beneficial as actually being able to perform at the event. So, while they can’t perform in clubs and bars as they would normally, they’ve found creative ways to make the best of this year.
“We’ve just had to switch to a live stream format for [Impulse Events]. And that is, I’m sure you’ve seen, like most electronic events or, like, DJ, or anything, that have switched to the live stream format and we have kind of just had to do the same. [It’s a] totally different experience and definitely way harder to, like, get new members or any members at all. You know, instead of beingat the club on a Friday night, you’re, like, sitting in front of a computer… We do like a simultaneous zoom call too but, you know, you have to be realistic that it’s not the same experience… We still promote the event from start to finish. [We] han
dle booking and all these things and, like, for an upcoming event we have booked some DJ and stuff… I’d say we have a professional setup that is, like, up to par with, you know, any big DJ and what they’re doing, so it’s as good as we could be. I’m honestly, like, really proud of the setup that we have to do our live streaming.”
As expected, some things translate better to the Zoom format than others. Speaker series work well, for instance,, while trying to teach someone to DJ for the first time might be a little more challenging. Setting up a DJ Livestream may be straightforward, but how do you get back some of the energy that you’d have in a club or bar setting? These are questions that MEMCO has grappled with this semester, and it seems like they are doing a wonderful job to make the best experience possible for their members.
If you’re interested in getting involved with MEMCO, you can email Akshay at achacko@umich.edu and he will get you set up with the Slack channel and make sure you’re in the loop for future events. One of the nice things about MEMCO is that being a member is super flexible – you can be as involved as much or as little as works best for you. If you’re only interested in one side of their programming, want to be on the backend of event production, only want to attend social events and performances, or want to do all the above, you are welcome no matter what. Also, be sure to follow their Instagram, Facebook, and Soundcloud pages.
If you want to get your feet wet, MEMCO is hosting a music production workshop series tomorrow (March 27) from 1-6 PM. More information can be found on the Facebook event or the event graphic below.
That’s all from me this week!
Stay safe & stay well,
Lucy
Happy Friday, Arts, Ink readers!
After a brief intermission, we will be back in action next week. I’ve spent this week reaching out to many exciting and diverse student organizations to learn more about how they’re handling the semester, and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned so far.
In the meantime, I thought I would spend this week highlighting some events the UMMA is putting on this week that I found especially exciting.
If you’re a fan of spotify collaborative playlists and/or how art and music intersect, check out UMMA’s jukebox. Through that link you can fill out a form to suggest songs that pair with two of the museum’s newest art pieces. As someone who has always enjoyed interdisciplinary work, I found this project very interesting and I’m excited to see the results!
The UMMA is also putting together a virtual event called “The Adjacent Possible” on Feb. 18th at 8PM. They describe it as “[mixing] music performance, storytelling, and technology that converts the audience into an orchestra. The project culminates in the recording of an orchestral piece – the first and last ever to be performed.” If you need to transport yourself for a little while from the stress of schoolwork or job searches, definitely check it out – it seems like a really unique event. Pre-registration is required, so make sure you confirm ahead of time!
That’s all from me today. Check back next week for an interview with the co-presidents of Relevé – they had some really interesting points to make about the creative process and COVID!
Stay safe!
Lucy
Happy holidays and winter break, everyone! Hopefully the past week has been a restful one. Additionally, if you celebrate Christmas, I hope the day has been a safe and joyful one. For many, Christmas celebrations have looked a little different this year. Due to the pandemic, many are unable to see family members in person. Others have recently lost loved ones or their form of income. For some of us, it may seem strange to go through with joyous celebrations. For others, Christmas offers a sense of comfort during unprecedented times. As such, there are still numerous ways people have followed through with traditions and otherwise created a sense of normalcy surrounding the holidays. These traditions, along with other “Christmassy” things, owe a lot to the arts, as the arts are behind many of the ways we celebrate the holidays.
There are the simple, artsy things people participate in at home–decorating gingerbread houses and cookies, making handmade cards or ornaments, singing Christmas carols–but the different kinds of art we create, purchase, and enjoy during the holiday season is extensive. Film is arguably considered an art, and there is no shortage of festive Christmas-themed movies. Elaborate nativity scenes, wintery paintings, and Christmas lights are on full display. Small sculptures, wall art, and more are used to spread holiday cheer throughout homes, while decorative garland adorns small-town shops. The creativity and imagination behind visual arts are enough to evoke warm feelings and other emotions associated with the Christmas season.
The performing arts are also important to the holidays. Even if done virtually this year, watching a ballet such as The Nutcracker or a theatrical performance of A Christmas Carol is a staple tradition for some. Music, religious or otherwise, is undeniably another popular aspect of the holiday season (I dare you to turn on the radio and step into a store without hearing, “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen” or Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas is You”). Our ideas of the Christmas holiday and thoughts about the arts are not mutually exclusive, and our consumption of the arts during the holiday season aligns with deeply entrenched traditions. With the pandemic, many people may heavily rely on these traditions when other aspects of our lives have been disrupted, and Christmas would not be the same without the arts.
With that, I wish you, “A Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” (“A Visit from St. Nicholas”)
Happy Friday, arts, ink!
I hope you’ve been getting through the week alright – we’re practically on break already! Today I wanted to talk to you guys a little bit about MUSIC Matters, a student organization on campus that I am fortunate enough to be co-president for this year.
MUSIC Matters’ mission is to utilize the unifying power of music to drive social impact in the community. This is usually achieved through a variety of events each year, including local talent showcases, battle of the band competitions, and our capstone April event, SpringFest, which features live music, food trucks, student organizations, corporate activations, and more. In addition to these events, MUSIC Matters spearheads three of their own social ventures: the CoMMunity Partnership grant program, the Michigan Overnight Experience for Detroit-area highschoolers and the Big Thinkers Scholarship.
In response to the context of the past few months, MUSIC Matters has adjusted much of its programming. Over the summer, we made donations to the Henry Ford Hospital and to a campaign through another student organization, Heal Move Shift, to help first responders during the COVID Pandemic. In support of the protests against police- and government-sanctioned violence 
against BIPOC, they arranged a benefit concert and donated the proceeds to the Detroit Justice Center. They have also pivoted our local talent events to be virtual, utilizing Instagram Live to stream these performances. As for SpringFest, the MUSIC Matters team is working extremely hard to make it the best it can be while prioritizing the health and safety of everyone involved. Stay tuned for updates by following our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter accounts.
If you want to get involved in MUSIC Matters, you can still join! Go to our website, then under the “About Us” title go to the “Get Involved” tab. Here, you can find the application for 2020-2021, as well as check out more information on each of the committees and initiatives.
That’s all for this week! Hope you all have a lovely Thanksgiving week (even though it may look a little bit different this year) and find some time to reset.
Stay well + stay safe!
Lucy
