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It’s never too late to get your ‘Sex Education’
By LIA SITRIN | Feb. 9, 2020Show: “Sex Education” - Season Two Distributor: Netflix Creator: Laurie Nunn Release Date: Jan. 17 Rating: 8.5/10
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Worst movies for ‘Netflix and chill’
By JUSTIN WOODMANCY | Feb. 9, 2020In the age of streaming, finding content to backdrop “Netflix and chill” should be easier than ever. After hitting it off with a love interest, the natural step once the two of you are hanging out at either’s place is to “put on a show to watch.”
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92nd Academy Awards predictions and opinions
By ALEX WHETHAM | Feb. 7, 2020This Sunday, awards season is coming to a close with the 92nd Academy Awards. Despite being one of the latest award shows of the season, the Oscars always tend to generate the most buzz and controversy, thanks to persistent and valid criticism like #OscarsSoWhite.
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2020 PLASMA speaker series begins with a new approach to video games
By ANASTASIA WILDS | Feb. 5, 2020While social attitudes have been changing in recent years, LGBTQ+ representation remains limited in all forms of media, including video games. But the unique qualities in video games may allow for representation even without LGBTQ+ characters, through “queer naratives.”
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What to expect at Slee Hall this semester
By ALEX WHETHAM | Feb. 5, 2020In a musical time where hip-hop and pop dominate arena concerts and punk shows run underground venues, it feels like classical music is underrepresented in the performance scene. But it isn’t hard to find it at UB.
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‘The Naked Magicians’ can charm audiences with or without clothes
By ANASTASIA WILDS | Feb. 2, 2020In most magic shows, magicians will make something seemingly disappear. While that “something” usually doesn’t include their own clothing, two Australian magicians have created a world-renowned show that features magic without pants.
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Destroyer’s ‘Have We Met’ is confident, yet awkward synthpop
By ALEX WHETHAM | Feb. 2, 2020Album: “Have We Met” Artist: Destroyer Label: Merge Release Date: Jan. 31 Rating: 6/10
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The best and worst performances of the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards
By ALEX WHETHAM | Jan. 29, 2020There was a shadow over the Grammy Awards this year. Whether this was due to the very recent passing of basketball legend Kobe Bryant or the various controversies surrounding the show, is not certain. Still, it is indisputable that the performances are one of the most anticipated parts of the Grammys, and that remained the case this year. The actual awards are never indicative of future success, but a particularly memorable performance –– good or bad –– can live on forever.
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Three's company: Jeremiah Fraites talks "III," first time in Buffalo
By LAURYN KING | Jan. 20, 2020The Lumineers are making their first-ever stop in Buffalo for “III, The World Tour” with Mt. Joy and J.S. Ondara, and will take the stage at KeyBank Center on Feb. 26.
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The grapevine
By ALEX WHETHAM | Jan. 20, 2020With the pressure of a new semester on the horizon, sometimes the only way to relieve that added stress is to go to a concert. From metal to underground hip hop and even legends from the ‘80s, here is a list of some of the most anticipated upcoming shows in the Buffalo area.
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Games to warm up with this winter
By ANASTASIA WILDS | Jan. 14, 2020For many students, winter break is an excellent time to recover from the exhausting fall semester. But as the January days grow colder and drag on, a break can become boring. So what to do when you have an entire month to yourself? Play video games of course.
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‘Cats:’ a miserable cinematic experience
By ALEX WHETHAM | Jan. 2, 2020Movie: “Cats” Director: Tom Hooper Starring: Francesca Hayward, Idris Elba, Robbie Fairchild Studio: Universal Pictures Rating: 2/10
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‘Fine Line’ is fine art
By LAURYN KING | Dec. 16, 2019Album: “Fine Line” Artist: Harry Styles Label: Columbia Records Release Date: Dec. 13 Rating: 10/10
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'Les Misérables' moves through pain, redemption and range during Buffalo stop
By BENJAMIN BLANCHET | Dec. 11, 2019“Les Misérables,” the classic French novel turned musical, brought both emotion and precision during its opening night Tuesday at Shea’s Performing Arts Center. The musical, which runs downtown through Sunday, is based around the redemptive tale of prisoner-turned-mayor Jean Valjean, the heartwarming story of young lovers Cosette and Marius and a student uprising that turns deadly.
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‘Christmas Over the Tavern’ brings comedy to Catholicism
By SAMANTHA VARGAS | Dec. 8, 2019Most locals think of the Pearl Street Brewery as Seneca Street’s preferred bar, but celebrated playwright Tom Dudzick prefers the memory of his father’s tavern. Big Joe Dudzick’s Tavern, located at 770 Seneca Street, was the inspiration for Dudzick’s hit musical, “Christmas Over the Tavern.”
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My favorite films of the decade
By JEREMY ELMKIES | Dec. 4, 2019The 2010s saw a reinvigoration of independent cinema, pushing for new voices to be heard across the globe and the rise of streaming gave access to these works like never before. With 2020 just around the corner, there’s no better time to reflect on some of the past decade’s great cinematic achievements. Here are some of my favorite films to have come out this decade.
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Arts Desk 2019 album picks
By ALEX WHETHAM , ISABELLA FORTUNATO and JUSTIN WOODMANCY | Dec. 4, 2019As 2019 comes to an end, it’s time to reflect on the year’s finest musical releases. The past 12 months have provided listeners with quality music. Pop and hip-hop continued their chart domination with notable releases from Lizzo, Ariana Grande and Tyler, the Creator, while rock and metal contributed with strong efforts from Blood Incantation, The Twilight Sad and Opeth.
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Five albums to reduce your stress
By ALEX WHETHAM and JUSTIN WOODMANCY | Nov. 23, 2019It’s the end of the semester, final papers and projects are piling up and you’re ready to pull your hair out. Mental health is just as important as physical health, stress is never good and sometimes the best thing to do is just relax. Finding a way to relax is easier said than done, but music can easily help students destress before finals and is one of the most accessible stress-relieving tools. Thanks to the advent of streaming, music for stress relief is affordable, you can listen to it while you study and it won’t force you to break a sweat like a run would.
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The six best albums of the 2010s you probably haven’t heard of
By ALEX WHETHAM | Nov. 20, 2019There has never been a decade as hard to pin down musically as the 2010s. Genres like trap and EDM took the mainstream world by storm as underground outsider genres like vaporwave (a genre consisting of already-existing ‘80s songs slowed down with reverb) challenged conventions of what music could be in the modern day.
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A conversation with local band Dogs in Stereo frontman Joe Cardina
By JUSTIN WOODMANCY | Nov. 17, 2019Thursday night’s concert at Mohawk Place was an eclectic showing of independent artists. Pittsburgh’s Flower Crown, Brooklyn’s Stairwell H, Ontario’s Mononegatives and Buffalo’s Alpha Hopper came together to support the show’s headlining act –– Buffalo’s indie rock band Dogs in Stereo, which was celebrating the release of its new EP “Idle” by performing it live in its entirety.
