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Stratford salutes Justin Bieber
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Mar. 5, 2018Mark Monteith didn’t expect his eighth-grade student to leave town the following summer to pursue a music career.
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Bass in yo’ face!
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Mar. 5, 2018The world knew Casey Abrams was different when he stepped onto the “American Idol” Hollywood stage with an upright bass. Through his journey on “American Idol” in 2011, Abrams came off as different and his journey through jazz and soul continues to separate him from his peers.
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Indian SA takes first place at International Fiesta
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET and HARUKA KOSUGI | Mar. 4, 2018When Bobby Lundy showed off his intense acrobatics by flipping on stage Saturday night, the crowd went wild.
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English department launches global film minor
By EMA MAKAS | Mar. 1, 2018This fall, the English department launched a global film minor for students interested in the arts and cinema, following long-existent strides in the area of film studies. The minor is not exclusive to students in the department and opens doors to anyone interested in the interconnectedness of film and global issues.
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Fowl play: Andrew Bird rocks the CFA
By HANNAH STEIN , DAN MCKEON and DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA | Feb. 26, 2018Andrew Bird did just about everything one can do with a violin on Saturday night. He bowed, strummed and plucked the strings, played it clean and distorted with pedals, and looped his own sound back to build on himself. The genre-bending virtuoso made every note count. Bird took the audience through the evolution of his music career that started when he was just four years old.
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Showcasing and celebrating black excellence
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 26, 2018Saturday night’s Black Explosion was more than a fashion show; it was a celebration of art, culture and black excellence. This year’s show, “Chateau Noir,” or Black Castle, was named in honor of the Black Student Union itself and the work it does, in commemoration of its 50th anniversary on campus.
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Living in “F.E.A.R.”: a discussion with Marillion’s Steve Rothery
By BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 25, 2018After 18 studio albums, Marillion shows no signs of slowing down. The band’s latest full-length offering “F.E.A.R.” is hailed by fans and critics as its best work in years, while also reaching number four on the UK album charts. The Spectrum sat down with lead guitarist Steve Rothery to discuss the new album, its influences and the next steps for Marillion.
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Melodies for days: Q&A with singer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird
By HANNAH STEIN | Feb. 22, 2018A glockenspiel, violin, guitar –– Andrew Bird plays them all. Bird, a multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter will perform at UB’s Center for the Arts on Saturday as part of his “Echolocations: River” national tour. The Spectrum spoke with Bird before the concert about his latest album, “Echolocations: River” and his extensive music career that began when he was four-years-old. Bird has 14 albums and “Echolocations:River” is his second installment in his “Echolocation” series, where he takes inspiration from various landscapes.
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February movie guide
By DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA | Feb. 19, 2018February is traditionally known in the film industry as a dump month, the time in which studios take a steamy, hot, collective crap on the proverbial chest of theatergoers around the world. With Oscar season in full swing and winter weather keeping people indoors, studios put out unmemorable dreck and the movies they secretly hope nobody will see with only a handful of exceptions. Lay down the Seran wrap and avert your eyes, because this month is already prairie dogging.
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Pushing boundaries: An interview with Lights
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 19, 2018In an industry where some regulars don’t write their own songs, Lights can write her own comic book series. The award-winning Canadian pop star is no stranger to venturing outside of the norm. Lights’ pure electronic pop sound has seen all four of her studio albums land on the Billboard 200. She’s won Juno Awards and pushed boundaries for what’s expected in the industry.
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Highlighting what’s important
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 8, 2018Arthur De Araujo has improved on pen and paper with his most recent iOS application, Lecture Buddy. The app translates the lecture into text by using a continuous speech recognition program. Students can enter keywords to look for in the text, such as “important,” “remember” or any word of choice.
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Four comedians to share SA’s Comedy Series
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 6, 2018Ron Funches, Alex Moffat, Anna Drezen and Streeter Seidell will headline the 17th annual Student Association Comedy Series. On Tuesday morning, SA announced the four comedians as this year’s lineup for the Friday, March 30 show at the Center for the Arts.
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Welcome back, Aaron.
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 5, 2018Selling 10 million albums worldwide is an accomplishment not many can celebrate. But at 15 years old, pop star Aaron Carter did just that. He had magazine spreads, concert films, his own doll and of course an unforgettable “Lizzie McGuire” appearance. Carter, now 30, is making his way back into the music industry after a 15-year studio album hiatus. With the release of his upcoming record “Love,” Carter hopes to incorporate his new look and EDM sound into his comeback album.
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Nursing student makes noise
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 5, 2018Kari Quimpo is an accelerated nursing student and for the last year, she’s been tackling 59 class credits, intensive studying and a seemingly never-ending workload. But she still finds time for her music.
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Spring semester album guide
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET and BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 1, 2018Spring semester just started, but spring is certainly not in the air. If anything, we haven’t seen the worst of Buffalo’s winter. So before your fully charged phone dies from barely stepping foot outside this semester, it’s time to explore some new music. Take our advice and keep an eye on some of our recommended upcoming releases this semester.
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Totally not 'Justified'
By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 1, 2018After 14 years, Justin Timberlake is making his return to the Super Bowl Halftime Show. But I don’t think he deserves it yet. He’s proven himself time and time again musically, except for his recent string of lackluster singles. But as a celebrity and public figure, Timberlake doesn’t deserve to grace the halftime show stage.
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Q&A with Beanie Feldstein
By BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 1, 2018The future is Beanie Feldstein’s to own. The actress, who recently appeared in the critical sensation “Lady Bird,” is lending her talents to theatre with the Broadway incarnation of “Hello, Dolly!” Feldstein spoke with The Spectrum on Thursday regarding “Lady Bird,” her work with Netflix as well as her thoughts on working on Broadway.
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UB Art Galleries' 'Restoration Stories' takes visual journeys through mental health
By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Dec. 21, 2017“Restoration Stories,” an exhibit featuring collage works from Buffalo’s Restoration Society, Inc., will be on display starting next Monday at the Medical Campus’ Connect Gallery. The work is an effort between the galleries, local artist Terri Katz Kasimov and Restoration Society, a mental health support and resource center.
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Julia Michaels and Kesha give standout performances at Kissmas Bash
By MADDY FOWLER and BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Dec. 11, 2017Pop music is for all ages. Parents, children and even solo grown men took to KeyBank Center Saturday night to see some of pop’s rising stars. With a lineup including Kesha and other masters of stage presence, the artist who stood out the most is most comfortable with a pen in hand.
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Free flow: Sade Cinco brings no restraints to the rap game
By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Dec. 9, 2017Oren Sadeh took the stage in front of a crowd of 800 people over the summer. It was his first time performing for a crowd. The senior exercise science major and SoundCloud rapper wasn’t nervous. He barely broke a sweat. Sadeh embraces spontaneity. His carefree attitude is reflected in his infectious hooks and carefree persona.
