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How I Became a Death Cab Fan
by: Jeremy Mauck (’08) / Guest Columnist
I'll admit it; I fell through the cracks of people that have been long-time Death Cab for Cutie fans. But after I bought my ticket for their return to Western, and now after I finally took the time to really listen to their music, I have seen the light and will now follow them into the dark.
Before I begin I must first say I have already had one person question my taste in music because of my lack of Death Cab for Cutie knowledge. With an almost iconic local following, the most common thing I've heard over the years when they've came up in conversation is how everyone "listened to them before they were big." So for those of you like me who were not in the know, Death Cab for Cutie is your local Bellingham born, Grammy-nominated, and multi platinum indie rock band featuring lead singer/guitarist Ben Gibbard ('98), guitarist Chris Walla ('97), bassist Nick Harmer ('98), with Jason McGerr, the one member unrelated to Western, on the drums.
As I think back on it, I can vaguely recall rocking out and singing the "baa bah's" in Sound of Settling with my car radio turned up past the limits prescribed by your local audiologist; but to be honest, at the time I don't think I really realized who was on the other end of my speakers. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise then that when the concert was announced, and only after I turned to my coworker and asked him what they sing, I didn't immediately open up my pocketbook and rush to the lines forming at Mt. Baker Theater. Instead, I ended up there by chance as the unlikeliest of writers for this article.
 If I was a movie critic, I would give their concert on the night of April 22nd four out of five stars; great, but there is always room for something more. They got up there and rocked the stage; and they looked like they were having fun doing it with the crowd bouncing as they sang along; but come on guys, you're back in B'ham...I know you have a tale involving too much fun at the Up & Up or the Beave' with which a new generation of rockers can relate. What they did reflect back on however was sitting on a porch off Ellis Street trying to decide between pressing 500 or 1000 copies of their latest album - when compared to 500,000 copies of their newest album, Narrow Stairs, this seems absurdly small.
It's a weird concept to be at a concert with a band singing songs you don't necessarily know the words to (considering where I spent my last two years of college, I should probably be taken out back and beaten for admitting that - Ben, Chris and Nick, if you are reading this, because you are alumni and I know you got this newsletter, I beg for your forgiveness), but something funny happened about four songs in right about the time I came out of the opening sequence daze; I started to look around, and everyone was smiling, even the 60 year-old couple sitting next to me who caused me to do a double-take when I first took my seat. Then, during the sixth song, and about the time Ben Gibbard leaned into his mic and said..."hello everyone, we're Death Cab for Cutie, and we ARE from Bellingham, Washington." I felt it myself, and I knew my speakers would be occupied for the foreseeable future. The fact of the matter was I simply liked their music...all of it, every single song, more-and-more as the night went by. It's not that I thought the concert was the best I had ever seen...it's that I thought Death Cab for Cutie's music was just that something new I was looking for, and they've continued to be on the short list of my iPod's shuffle ever since.
In the aftermath of the concert I tried to discover what it was about Death Cab that had made me miss them the first time around...perhaps it is because as a band they are so low key (but for a group from Bellingham, a town with an unofficial motto as the City of Subdued Excitement, would you expect anything less?). And to add insult to injury, I even found out that Ben Gibbard is also the singer for a song I've really liked for a long time (come on, we all know Such Great Heights by Ben's side project, The Postal Service; if you think you don't, just listen the next time a UPS commercial comes on).
All I can say now, three weeks after I became a Death Cab fan, is that next time they come home (because after all, they ARE from Bellingham, Washington and why wouldn't they come back), I will be one of the first in line to buy my ticket...and for that show, I will know all the words!
Learn more about Death Cab for Cutie and their Western ties; bassist Nick Harmer recently spoke with the AS Review (read more), and check out the story in Window on Western (read more).
Missed the concert? Well that's ok...all you need to do is go to YouTube and type in three simple words "Death Cab Bellingham" and you will be treated to the concert from multiple different viewpoints thanks to our industrious young Western students and alumni who raised their cameras above the crowd.
[Jeremy Mauck, originally from Kalama, WA, is a 2008 graduate of Western's MBA Program and recent Life Member of the Western Alumni Association.]
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A Sustainable Solution for Earth Day
It was an off-hand comment from a Starbucks customer to her barista that had an impact bigger than she could have ever thought possible.
"We were talking, and she told me she thought it was odd that given the area we live in, and the environmentally conscious reputation of Western, that so many people were still using all these paper cups," said Lyle Dollarhide, Manager of the Sehome Village Haggen Starbucks. "She pointed out that even students from Huxley, and in most cases the professors too, weren't thinking twice about the impact of walking out of the store with these cups in hand. It was just part of their morning routine."
With that conversation the seed was planted; how can the habits of the community be altered to make their actions more environmentally sustainable?
Fast forward a few days and that same barista was talking with another customer, a Western Alumni Association staff member looking for a way for people to get involved. A plan had sprouted.
- On Western Wednesday: Alumni, students and staff could bring a reusable mug to receive a free coffee at their local Whatcom Starbucks through Earth Day.
- The Result: Over 2,000 cups were saved from landfills in just a few short weeks.
 "It's all about doing the right thing, building the right habit," said Deborah DeWees, Executive Director of Western's Alumni Association, "We wanted to find a way for alumni and students alike to get involved, the idea of tying sustainability to 'Western Wednesdays' seemed like a natural thing to do."
Deborah continued, "Getting Your Blue On and wearing your Western gear on Wednesday is about showing our pride for WWU. We are a diverse community full of strong convictions and we believe being kind to the environment is very important. In fact, we had a great turnout for all our Earth Day events last month; nearly a hundred runners competed in the Annual Earth Day 5k & Alumni Run to raise money for environmental restoration, and over 160 volunteers took part in a Bellingham service-learning clean up."
Starbucks noticed the change Get Your Blue On and sustainability brought to Western Wednesdays too. Lyle mentioned, "One of the professors who comes into my store regularly had heard about Western Wednesdays, but he thought of it more as an athletics thing. When we started to bring sustainability into the equation, and with it all the aspects that are fundamentally a part of Western's culture, he now Gets His Blue On every Wednesday too."
Western Washington University is a leader in sustainability; as a result of the student-led Green Power initiative, WWU is powered 100% by alternative energy sources and is the nation's fourth-largest buyer of green energy among academic institutions. Visit Western's Office of Sustainability to find out more about what WWU is doing to help save the planet!
The Western Washington University Alumni Association would like to personally thank Lara Anderson, Lyle Dollarhide, and all the employees of Starbucks for their time and dedication to collaboratively creating environmentally friendly habits throughout Whatcom County. Find out more about what they are doing at http://www.starbucks.com/sharedplanet/
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Alumni Travel: Western-in-Washington Wine Country
It's time to start a new tradition!
Hop aboard our deluxe motor coach as we drive across the mountains to spend the weekend tasting wines, enjoying some great food, and spending time with your fellow Western Alumni and friends. Travel to the warm and sunny Columbia Valley to enjoy the 23rd Annual Catch the Crush Wine Festival in the heart of Washington's wine country. Each winery offers its own take on the celebration … so participate in a grape stomp, harvest and crush activities, special winery tours, or just enjoy the gourmet food, live music, art displays, and of course - wine tasting!
"In the past we've always done day trips and evening excursions to local wineries for tastings, but this is the first time we've made it into a travel program," said Sue Bakse, Program Director for the Western Alumni Association. "In tough economic times like we are experiencing now, you don't have to escape to Europe, or even the Napa Valley, for a good glass of wine...we have it all in our own backyard."
As the largest wine region in the state, the Columbia Valley is home to more than 40 wineries and produces over 90 percent of Washington's wine grapes. Their location, at approximately the same latitude as France's famous Bordeaux and Burgundy regions, partially accounts for the Columbia Valley being so well-suited for producing premium wines.
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Victor Cruz (‘81) |
What also makes this trip a treat is that we will be visiting two wineries owned by Western grads; Mike Wallace ('68) is the proprietor of Hinzerling Vineyard and Winery, and its attached inn, one of the valley's original and oldest family-owned commercial wineries. In addition, as the first of only two Hispanic-owned wineries in Washington, Victor Cruz ('81) founded Canon de Sol Winery in 1999 and has captured the attention of not only the Hispanic community, but wine connoisseurs throughout the state. Meet these Viking alums as they roll out the red carpet for our arrival.
The Western-in-Washington Wine Country Weekend package includes roundtrip transportation to Eastern Washington and all the wineries, a commemorative wine glass, lunches prepared at the wineries on Saturday and Sunday, and Friday night's dinner ("A Taste of Tuscany" themed dinner served in a private courtyard overlooking the Columbia River). While most wineries offer free tastings, some charge a small tasting fee which is then refunded if you make a purchase. The motor coach leaves from Bellingham, and makes a stop in Bellevue to pick up King County residents, before heading on to its destination The Red Lion Hotel - Richland, a 4-Star, full service hotel in the heart of wine country.
"By going with the Alumni Association you are getting such a great deal, not only will you be getting a group discount on your room during one of the best times to be in wine country, you will also be saving on the expense of gas and the wear-and-tear of driving...plus, you can continue to enjoy your wine as you relax on the way back home."
For more information on the Western-in-Washington Wine Country Weekend, or to sign-up online, CLICK HERE.
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With an average GPA of 3.6 and SAT of 1140, Western just admitted its most diverse, most competitive class to date. 
