Arts

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ARTS

What would the odd say: A conversation with Guerilla Toss’ Kassie Carlson

By ALEX WHETHAM | Sep. 22, 2019

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.

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ARTS

When Mr. West woke up the fest

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Sep. 22, 2019

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.

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ARTS

“Hairspray” brings the ‘60s back to Buffalo

By ANASTASIA WILDS | Sep. 18, 2019

Buffalo’s production of “Hairspray” brings something to the musical that professional performances don’t typically see. A student-filled cast. “Hairspray,” despite the uncharacteristically young team, radiated an exuberant energy between the cast and audience that resonated throughout the house.

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ARTS

Paying for portraits

By JULIANNA TRACEY | Sep. 18, 2019

Marysia Paradis began making art as soon as she could hold a pencil.  Her mother encouraged her to draw and paint and she soon found that she especially had a skill and love for drawing animals. 

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ARTS

Pop Smoke brings hip-hop flair to Afro-Caribbean themed Fall Fest

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA and JULIANNA TRACEY | Sep. 16, 2019

Students started their Saturday morning hoping to catch a glimpse of Afro-Caribbean artists Kranium, Koffee and Burna Boy at Fall Fest.

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ARTS

Koffee talks travel, ‘Rapture’ and Kranium

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Sep. 15, 2019

Koffee didn’t need any coffee to help her pull off her Fall Fest performance Saturday night. Instead, the artist –– who had the flu –– leaned on and harnessed her Buffalonian fans’ positive energy.  Koffee, born Mikayla Simpson, performed at the Center for the Arts during the Student Association’s first of three Fall Fest shows, where she announced her sickness on stage.

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ARTS

Gilbert Gottfried talks residuals, ‘Ren and Stimpy’ and forgetting his roles

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Sep. 11, 2019

Gilbert Gottfried could have played an important role in your childhood. But he probably won’t remember if you ask him. Throughout his 30-plus-year career, the comedian lent his voice to films like “Aladdin,” cartoons like “The Fairly Odd Parents,” video games like “Kingdom Hearts” and over 160 other projects. While he doesn’t always recall each of his gigs, he still rakes in the residual checks for them –– even the ones worth $.01. 

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ARTS

UB’s fall musical leads share their audition experiences

By ANASTASIA WILDS | Sep. 8, 2019

While audiences won’t see the finished product until later this fall, performers in UB’s upcoming musical have been hard at work since the beginning of May.  Even though the actors are students, they receive the same treatment as professionals, and are expected to work just as hard.

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ARTS

Billie Essco says new album is his ‘musical peak’

By JULIAN ROBERTS-GRMELA | Sep. 4, 2019

Billie Essco remembers the day he saw his creative idol live.  The Buffalo rapper decided to drive down to New York City and go see Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 3 show. After the life-changing show, which featured Young Thug and Kid Cudi, Essco left the city to go stay at his friend’s place in Washington, D.C.

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ARTS

Department of Media Studies puts class cap on lab fee charges for semester, looks into changing fee

By ANASTASIA WILDS | Sep. 4, 2019

Students who have taken a media study production class know the department requires an extra $125 lab fee.  Students have had to pay this fee for each production class they take –– regardless of how often the course uses the resources. 

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ARTS

Bankable beats

By JULIANNA TRACEY | Sep. 4, 2019

When asked to describe college students, most people’s first response is “broke.”  Students have to pay for tuition, meals, gas, rent, books and so much more, so it gets hard to hold on to extra cash.But if you listen to this playlist of rich rhythms, you can feel richer, even while eating ramen noodles out of a coffee mug.

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ARTS

Burna Boy, Young The Giant, Gunna and DaBaby headline Fall Fest Concert Series

By JULIANNA TRACEY | Sep. 4, 2019

Burna Boy, Young the Giant, Gunna and DaBaby will headline the Student Association’s 2019 Fall Fest Concert Series.

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ARTS

On 'Lover,' Taylor Swift shows tremendous artistic growth

By MADDY FOWLER | Sep. 1, 2019

Swift has spent her whole career trying to describe true love in her songwriting. In the liner notes for "Red" she muses,“real love shines golden like starlight, and doesn’t fade or spontaneously combust. Maybe I’ll write a whole album about that kind of love if I ever find it.”  And with "Lover," she achieves that. In a call-back to "Red," Swift sings “I once believed love would be burning red/but it’s golden like daylight.”

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ARTS

Jim Norton brings his honesty to the Buffalo comedy scene

By ANASTASIA WILDS | Aug. 28, 2019

Jim Norton became interested in stand-up comedy when he was 12 years old. Now, Norton performs at sold-out shows across the country and runs a radio show on weekday mornings. He has also created several podcasts, appeared in a few comedy shows, published two books and may have a small role in the upcoming Netflix feature film “The Irishman.” 

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ARTS

Buffalo catches the ‘Lovebug’

By JACKLYN WALTERS | Aug. 28, 2019

On Aug. 30, 2009, 12-year-old Sarah Scott’s dreams came true when she saw the Jonas Brothers live in Toronto. Ten years later –– and wearing the same t-shirt from 2009 –– her childhood dreams came true again, this time with a beer in her hand.

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ARTS

Brian Regan wants his audience to laugh at ‘substance, not shock’

By JACKLYN WALTERS | Aug. 7, 2019

Brian Regan doesn’t think he’s a household name. But with multiple Netflix specials, collaborations with Jerry Seinfeld and David Letterman and an appearance on Jimmy Fallon, Regan might be the only one who thinks so.

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ARTS

The Struts boogie-woogie by the harbor

By VINDHYA BURUGUPALLI | July 26, 2019

 The Struts, currently on their “Young and Dangerous Tour” in support of their latest studio album “Young and Dangerous,” took on the rainbow-lit stage at Canalside on Thursday night and opened to the cheering crowd with “Primadonna Like Me.” Spiller dazzled on stage with his signature glittered cheekbones, black tattoo chokers, a gold fringe jacket, and an embellished green blouse.  

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ARTS

The Struts’ Luke Spiller on ‘Off the Wall’ and side hustles

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | July 20, 2019

It was Adriana Lima’s last Victoria’s Secret Fashion show and Luke Spiller still managed to make himself, arguably, the most interesting person on stage. 

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ARTS

The Grapevine

By JULIANNA TRACEY | July 18, 2019

The Jonas Brothers, Nas, Wiz Khalifa: The biggest comeback story in pop this year, a hip-hop legend and a slightly-past-his-prime rapper are just a few of the many acts taking the stage in Buffalo this summer. Just because students can finally take a break doesn’t mean Buffalo’s music scene needs to. The Spectrum compiled a list of some of the hot music events coming up during the warm summer months.

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ARTS

UB-exclusive app to help students with daily tasks

By ANASTASIA WILDS | July 13, 2019

College students have apps for everything.  They have Top Hat for classes, Instagram for their social lives and Google Calendars to balance it all. But with students’ notoriously busy schedules, they often struggle to find time for chores.