Arts - The Spectrum

ARTS

'This ain’t no Mudd Club or C.B.G.B.': David Byrne plays at the CFA

By DAN MCKEON | Mar. 7, 2018

After taking their bows following a lively performance of the Talking Heads’ “The Great Curve,” David Byrne and his backing musicians headed back on stage for one last number: Janelle Monáe’s 2015 protest song “Hell You Talmbout.” The song lists the names of African-American men and women killed in acts of racial violence and was a powerfully stark and unexpected ending to a night that covered Byrne’s over-40 year career.

Justin Bieber’s hometown is honoring him at the Stratford Perth Museum in Steps to Stardom, an exhibit which highlights Bieber’s journey to fame. Bieber was a regular street performer in Stratford, Ontario, as shown above playing drums in 2002.

ARTS

Stratford salutes Justin Bieber

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Mar. 5, 2018

Mark Monteith didn’t expect his eighth-grade student to leave town the following summer to pursue a music career.

Soulful bassist and singer Casey Abrams is headed to Babeville on March 17. In our recent discussion, Abrams talks about his work with Postmodern Jukebox, his post-American Idol life and what to expect from his Buffalo appearance.

ARTS

Bass in yo’ face!

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Mar. 5, 2018

The 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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ARTS

Indian SA takes first place at International Fiesta

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET and HARUKA KOSUGI | Mar. 4, 2018

When Bobby Lundy showed off his intense acrobatics by flipping on stage Saturday night, the crowd went wild.

Tanya Shilina-Conte teaches a class for the global film minor. The English department launched the new minor this past fall.

ARTS

English department launches global film minor

By EMA MAKAS | Mar. 1, 2018

This 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.

Singer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird took his national tour to the CFA Saturday night. Bird demonstrated his eclectic musical ability through a survey of his discography.

ARTS

Fowl play: Andrew Bird rocks the CFA

By HANNAH STEIN , DAN MCKEON and DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA | Feb. 26, 2018

Andrew 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.

Models pose for Black Student Union’s Black Explosion fashion show. The event celebrated the 50th anniversary of BSU and showcased student and local talent in the fields of music, dance and clothing.

ARTS

Showcasing and celebrating black excellence

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 26, 2018

Saturday 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.

Guitarist Steve Rothery discusses Marillion’s newest album “F.E.A.R” and it’s approach during their US tour.

ARTS

Living in “F.E.A.R.”: a discussion with Marillion’s Steve Rothery

By BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 25, 2018

After 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.

Multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird is taking his “Echolocations: River” national tour to the CFA on Saturday. The Spectrum talked with Bird about his genre diversity, his writing process and giving titles to his orchestral pieces.

ARTS

Melodies for days: Q&A with singer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Bird

By HANNAH STEIN | Feb. 22, 2018

A 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.

February is known as a "dump month" in the film industry. The "Fifty Shades" trilogy reaches its climax with the release of "Fifty Shades Freed" on Feb. 9.

ARTS

February movie guide

By DAVID TUNIS-GARCIA | Feb. 19, 2018

February 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.

Pop singer Lights will be hitting the Town Ballroom stage on March 6 for her We Were Here Tour. The singer talked with The Spectrum about the show, creating her own comic series and separating herself from her comic character.

ARTS

Pushing boundaries: An interview with Lights

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 19, 2018

In 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.

Arthur De Araujo, sophomore computer science major, poses next to the icon for his Lecture Buddy app. The app translates a lecture into text and highlights important keywords.

ARTS

Highlighting what’s important

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 8, 2018

Arthur 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.

Ronald Funches, Alex Moffat, Anna Drezden, Streeter Seidell will be performers at this year's SA Comedy Series on March 30.

ARTS

Four comedians to share SA’s Comedy Series

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 6, 2018

Ron 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.

He’s back. Pop star Aaron Carter is set to release “Love,” his first album in 15 years, on Feb. 16. Carter chatted with The Spectrum about the upcoming record, the satisfaction of greater creative control and his March 8 concert in Niagara Falls.

ARTS

Welcome back, Aaron.

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 5, 2018

Selling 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.

Accelerated nursing student Kari Quimpo makes songwriting lok easy and makes multitasking look even easier. Quimpo manages to play open mics around Buffalo and work through the Accelerated Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing (ABS) Program, all while inspiring her peers.

ARTS

Nursing student makes noise

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 5, 2018

Kari 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.

Brockhampton, music’s current big boyband, is expected to drop it’s fourth studio album “Team Effort” sometime this semester. This project will be the follow-up to their popular “Saturation” trilogy, making it a must-listen this semester.

ARTS

Spring semester album guide

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET and BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 1, 2018

Spring 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.

ARTS

Totally not 'Justified'

By BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Feb. 1, 2018

After 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.

Beanie Feldstein stars in "Lady Bird" which was released in Nov. 2017. The film has grossed over forty million dollars has received five Academy Award nominations.

ARTS

Q&A with Beanie Feldstein

By BRIAN EVANS | Feb. 1, 2018

The 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.

"Restoration Stories," a collage exhibit from Buffalo's Restoration Society, Inc. Community, will be on display starting next Monday at the Medical Campus' Connect Gallery. The exhibit, which began this August, makes use of some members' personal documents like journals and photographs, transforming their life stories into works of arts.

ARTS

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.

Songwriter-turned-superstar Julia Michaels kept the crowd inspired at KeyBank Center Saturday night. Michaels, Kesha, and other pop artists put on an exciting and diverse show during Kiss 98.5's annual Kissmas Bash concert.

ARTS

Julia Michaels and Kesha give standout performances at Kissmas Bash

By MADDY FOWLER and BRENTON J. BLANCHET | Dec. 11, 2017

Pop 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.