While I was pleased to see the best band in the world, the Smith Westerns, profiled recently in the Maroon, I couldn’t help but be disappointed in Asher Klein’s article. It contained numerous misleading and outright false statements. For example, Mr. Klein describes Schubas (not “Schubas’s,” as he wrote) as being “not packed” when the Smith Westerns played, but the show was sold out. That’s about as packed as it gets.

Beyond the factual errors contained in the article, only one of which I’ve mentioned above, it’s preposterous to write about the Smith Westerns for a University publication and not make even the slightest mention of their ties to the U of C community. The band has played at numerous campus events, beginning in late 2007. Perhaps most memorable was their performance at WHPK’s Summer Breeze in 2008. Additionally, their first ever print interview was published in the Chicago Weekly in 2008. The band has also played shows with several University of Chicago–based bands at venues both in and outside of Hyde Park. They have many friends in the campus community, and it would have been easy for Mr. Klein to speak with any of them.

Lastly, I do not appreciate Mr. Klein referring to the Smith Westerns as “wastoids” when he doesn’t know them. Max and Cullen attended DePaul and Northwestern, respectively, before leaving in order to pursue success with the Smith Westerns. They’re hardly wastoids.

Miranda Fisher

A.B. ‘09