Brockhampton’s Kevin Abstract may follow Easy Life on Instagram, but the band still isn’t sure if he’s a fan yet. To be fair, he probably heard the horn section in their track “Nightmares” –– along with roughly 10 million other people –– and hit the follow button.
Versatility matters. Zodiaque Dance Company’s artistic director Kerry Ring know this. And she wants her students to know, too. Zodiaque, the long-running and highly praised on-campus dance company made up of 25 dance majors, is hosting its fall performance on the Center for the Arts Drama Stage from Thursday to Sunday. The company is known for its stylistic versatility and Ring wants the phrase “versatility matters” to be the main focus in every Zodiaque performance, every year.
When Jennifer Dudzinski started her freshman year at UB, she had one friend and a casual interest in cosplay –– an artform where people create and wear costumes of characters from movies, books, video games and other forms of media. After her friend persuaded her to join the UB Cosplay Club, Dudzinski, who had no prior experience making costumes, says she fell in love.
As spooky season descends upon us, more people have been getting in the mood for Halloween movies, with one of the most popular franchises being Disney’s “Halloweentown.” “Halloweentown” has defined many of our childhoods. But with several sequels, it is time to answer the age-old question: Which is the best “Halloweentown” movie?
Fall Fest was Verzache’s first time performing for a live crowd. Ever. And although Young the Giant has performed at UB before, Saturday was the first time students bowed at the lead singer’s feet. The night of firsts wasn’t shaky, however, as fans and newcomers alike put on a stellar indie-themed Student Association Fall Fest at the Center for the Arts.
The Fall Fest Concert Series continues Saturday with its “Indie-Rock Showcase,” the second show of the three-part series. Rockers Young the Giant –– who headlined Spring Fest 2015 –– will headline the show as relaxed crooner Verzache opens the show. To get hyped up for fest, here’s a list of seven songs (three by Verzache and four by Young the Giant) to familiarize yourself with before heading to the Center for the Arts Saturday night.
Video games can be a welcome distraction from university life, whether you game alone or with friends. Some people turn to the classics: Mario Kart, Dark Souls, Halo. But for those who are bored of their usual gaming go-tos, some interesting titles are hitting shelves soon.
Buffalo is home to some of the greatest outdoor fall activities. But you’re not really a Buffalonian if you can’t enjoy the great indoors, too. For those of us who enjoy a nice thermostat and even nicer art pieces, Buffalo offers plenty of art galleries to weather through the rainy –– and soon to be snowy –– days.
Women were not allowed into art school until the late 1800s. Almost 200 years later, UB’s Department of Art created an exhibit to help give women in art a voice.
Dom Brown was nervous the week leading up to his Canalside performance. The rapper was preparing to perform in front of 8-10,000 people at his biggest concert yet.
The transition to fall means a lot of things for students in Buffalo. The weather is getting colder, classes are getting harder and students are getting understandably stressed. But the cooler weather doesn’t mean the Buffalo music scene is cooling down any time soon.
Coloring pages and Dr. Seuss books covered tables outside of the Katharine Cornell Theatre Friday, as children and families waited in line to see the first-ever UB-led performance from an iconic cat. UB students performed a theater production of Dr. Seuss’s “The Cat in the Hat” at the theater on Sept. 27-28 as part of the Department of Theatre and Dance’s annual Student Directed Series. The series gives students the opportunity to produce and direct a show on their own and this production was the first-ever children’s theater production at UB, based on the 1957 children’s book of the same name by Dr. Seuss.
SHAED hasn’t quite hit household name recognition yet, but that may not last much longer. The D.C.-based electro-pop group’s new single, “Trampoline,” overtook Billie Eilish’s “Bury a Friend” for the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Alternative Radio chart this summer. With a musical style that BlackBook described as “infectious, magnetic charisma,” the group’s elaborate sound design, whimsical tone and deeply meaningful lyrics leave listeners craving more.
Temara Cross, the vice president of UB Gospel Choir, says she believes gospel music is not exclusive to a specific race. And she doesn’t think it’s exclusive to a set of skills or someone’s faith, either.
At the beginning of the semester, it’s hard to know all of the entertainment opportunities the Buffalo area can offer. And for some students, it can be difficult to make it downtown to enjoy a play or musical performance. But excellent performances may be closer than students think.
Country singer Eric Van Houton didn’t always want to play country music. It wasn’t until he was asked to play country one day –– and went home to listen to Ketih Urban’s 2002 record “Golden Road” for four days straight –– that he realized his passion.
There’s something magical about Haley Reinhart’s aura. It’s in her ‘60s appeal, it’s in her free-spirited live shows and it’s in her band, which once included the now Grammy-winning hip-hop heavyweight Anderson .Paak. Reinhart, quite like her former drummer-turned-performer extraordinaire, has evolved her sound over her career. Her new record, “Lo-Fi Soul,” is a coverless call to the ‘60s, full of organs, lovely backing harmonies and vocal effects that carry the record throughout. Unlike her previous effort, “What’s That Sound,” Reinhart’s originals run her latest and feel straight out of The Monkees’ or The Doors’ organ-heavy catalog. It’s vintage, but it’s her.
The crowd chanted “more w--re” and dropped dollar bills as Keke Valasquez-Lord entertained the audience to “Last Dance” by Donna Summer. Club Marcella held “Curtain Up’s a Drag” in collaboration with Shea’s Performing Arts Center at the Smith Theatre Friday night. The 237-seat Black Box Theater was nearly full –– surprisingly with an older audience. It featured individual performances from Sasha Storm, Cece Vergara, Chyna Dior, Nicky Monroe, Valasquez-Lord, Winter Storm, Bebe Bvlgari and Armani, along with a group act at the end. Reigning Miss Gay Buffalo Icon Valasquez-Lord –– an entertainer in the Buffalo drag community for the past 13 years –– hosted the show.
A backdrop of old VHS tapes and psychedelic visuals set the stage as wild synth patterns clash with violins. NYC band Guerilla Toss has covered everything from ear-splitting punk to ‘80s synthpop. Its gradual evolution has created a satisfying career arc, but one consistent appeal of the group is vocalist Kassie Carlson. Her singing ranges from high-pitched screams to melodic anthem cries, but she always remains the heart and soul of the band’s personality.
Kanye West wasn’t a big fan of presidents in 2005 and he probably never expected to dap one up when he visited Alumni Arena on Oct. 21 of that year. But Dela Yador –– the 2005 Student Association president –– thinks about his encounter with West often.
Solutions by The State News
