Author: Miranda Miller

By Miranda Miller, Staff writer

1. Lollapalooza- Chicago, IL

Chicago’s historic Grant Park provided an appropriate background for Lollapalooza’s nostalgia filled line-up. Artists such as Eminem and OutKast, whose biggest hits are years old, were put to the test by the youthful spark of many newcomers. Out of the 130 artists performing, many of the most revered artists were outshone by the talk of the festival, 17-year-old, New Zealand bred, Lorde. She provided a solid mix of lyrics, music, wisdom, and best of all, hair flips. You could tell this girl was knowledgeable in ways very few people her age are when she sat at the edge of the stage and discussed growing up fast and realizing what she wanted to do at an age when most her age couldnt think beyond that night’s meal plan. Besides the other-worldliness that is Lorde, Lollapalooza proved to be a well-rounded, well-organized, and well-executed festival that, for years to come, will definitely attract some of the greatest artists and crowds.

2. Outside Lands- San Francisco, CA

Being surrounded by some of the most talented artists in the truly beautiful place that is San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park was a surreal experience. OSL continues to be home to one of the most diverse line-ups, with artists ranging from Kanye West and Macklemore to The Flaming Lips and Tom Petty. The weather, although chilly in the morning, balanced out the body heat the large crowds brought. Outside Lands also attracted more than just music lovers with its “A Taste of the Bay Area” food line-up. Another big attraction was the Digital Detox room, where you could go to take a break from the digital suffocation of technology that is ever-present at festivals. Some surprising highlights were Capital Cities, whose set was essentially a huge party, and The Flaming Lips, whose set is one of most unique you’ll ever experience, complete with a toy baby, crowd-surfing bubbles, and many performers dressed up in mushroom and rainbow costumes. Outside Lands never fails to disappoint with its wonderful atmosphere and music.

3. Firefly- Dover, DE

Despite the fact that this is only Firefly’s third year, it was home to one of the most solid line-ups of the summer, hosting bands such as The Foo Fighters, The Arctic Monkeys, and Weezer. The variety of genres attracted a wonderful mix of people. Firefly welcomed 80,000 fans to their new and permanent home, almost three times as many as their inaugural year in 2012. Out of these 80,000, 50,000 of them were campers, creating a very fun, close community for the weekend. To accommodate all these people, Firefly has expanded their venue and has also become rather philanthropic in their partnership with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Firefly has raised $75,000 for the cause and expects to raise more in the years to come.

4. Governor’s Ball- New York, NY

For a festival that’s still under five years old, Governor’s ball has definitely made a name for itself. The good weather, which is definitely not a guarantee at this time of the year in New York, was very much appreciated (This was most definitely not the case at Governor’s Ball 2013). The music did not disappoint with epic performances by The Strokes, Skrillex, Foster the People, and many more elite musicians. However, logistics wise, this festival was slightly sub-par. Ridiculously long lines, lack of paper maps, and sound bleed were a few of the many complaints. However, ya gotta give some slack to whoever’s putting on a festival in one of the largest cities in the world. Although these technical difficulties did disturb the flow of the weekend, the music did a good job of overshadowing these faults. It’s hard to spend too much time thinking about the line to the bathroom when you’ve just experienced the perfection of your favorite artist.

5. Bonnaroo- Manchester, TN

Rumor has it that Bonnaroo translates loosely in creole/Cajun slang to “a real good time”— which is exactly what it was! Life at “The Farm,” the name of the actual farm that is home to Bonnaroo, is definitely an experience. It is hot, it is dusty, its is, at times, smelly, but it is also home to some amazing food, people, and most importantly, music. One of the most scandalous performers of the weekend was Kanye (what a surprise). After his notorious 2008 set, which began at approximately 4:30 A.M., hours after the designated start time, Bonnaroo’s Kanye grudge is alive and well. However, Yeezus paid no attention to this. He provided an inspiring, sermon-like set, filled with wonderful Kanye quotes about being yourself and never caring about what others think. Bonnaroo did not fail to provide an equally unique mix of people, artists, and setting, keeping the weekend endlessly exciting.

By Miranda Miller, Staff writer

An eerie silence permeates the streets of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown, as a team of volunteers go door to door in a campaign to educate people on the dangers of Ebola and identify those who may have the disease. This is the reality of the three-day lockdown that Sierra Leone has imposed.

In recent months, Ebola has has killed more than 560 people in Sierra Leone and more than 2,600 across West Africa in the biggest outbreak of the disease ever recorded, according to the World Health Organization. It has also spread to Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Senegal, sickening an estimated 5,500 people. Sierra Leone’s government hoped that by forbidding anyone to leave their homes for three days, they could finally get the disease under control. Thousands of volunteers have teamed up in order to go door-to-door and educate communities of the disease. Although Doctors Without Borders has said that the lockdown is unlikely to stop the spread, the main goal is to make sure residents understand the causes of Ebola and how the disease is transmitted so they can help to reduce the spread of the disease and help those in need. After three days, a reported 75 percent of the targeted 1.5 million households had been visited by volunteer forces.

The largest problem for most families was the lack of sufficient nourishment during the lockdown. Because many of the poorer residents use the money they make each day to buy food, it was very difficult to prepare for a three-day lockdown. In Bonga Town, a shantytown near Freetown, many residents were angry that handouts of rice were only distributed to certain families. The World Food Program was providing out various foods to homes but reportedly not delivering them to every home, only to those put under medical quarantine. The program distributed two weeks’ worth of rations to 20,000 households in slum communities before the lockdown, but many communities said that the rations were insufficient. Many people also began refusing the food, in fear that what they were being given was poisoned and possibly deadly.

Despite all the difficulties, the lockdown has been generally successful. Most citizens have been more than willing to comply with the restrictions of the lockdown. Although it is obviously inconvenient, people are happy to have volunteers working towards the elimination of the disease that they have watched deeply damage their communities.