Music unites people. You don’t need to go to a psychology conference to see this. From the haunting resonance of a mezzo-soprano in a Wagner opera to the pulsing beats of a DJ at a frat party, music gives us reason to celebrate the feast of life. Here last Thursday, May 9, to teach us…
Snarky Puppy kicks off LU-Aroo with a fantastic show
Snarky Puppy, a progressive jazz-funk fusion collective originally formed by students of the University of North Texas, hit the stage to close-out the first night of LU-Aroo last Friday. The full band counts thirty members, but the band for this tour was seven musicians in total: bass, drums and trap kit, guitar, keyboard, tenor saxophone…
The Artist Spotlight: Dan O’Connor
While the organ is an imperative instrument in musical history and in the musical world in general, it can be a hard sell to the casual listener. The organ is often identified with stereotypes of Catholic churches and Dracula’s castle. But organs are a wonderful and gorgeous piece of musical machinery, and fifth-year Dan O’Connor hopes…
HMELU presents original composition among favorites
Continuing my fascination with the Chapel’s variety of musical inhabitants, on May 2 it was home to the Heavy Metal Ensemble at Lawrence University (HMELU). This unique ensemble of twenty-two musicians presented arrangements of songs by bands like Testament, Blind Guardian, Venom and Equilibrium. As a music lover not well versed in heavy metal, I…
LU improv group opens for professional troupe Octavarius
Last Thursday night, May 2, the Cloak Theater was filled with laughter. Popular Lawrence University improv group, formerly known as “Hi, I’m Prov” and currently known as “Optimistic Feral Children,” warmed up the stage for the professional, Chicago-based improv group “Octavarius.” When Octavarius went on, they did not just hit the stage. They worked the…
Phoenix’s “Bankrupt!” disappoints
It does me great honor to review my favorite band Phoenix’s new album, “Bankrupt!” Unfortunately, not all I have to say is rapturous praise. Phoenix is a French band based out of Versailles. They reached national acclaim with their 2009 album “Wolfgang Amadeus,” and their fans have been waiting impatiently for another one ever since.…
“Grey Gardens” is both heartwrenching and hilarious
SPAMALU successfully presented its Spring Musical, “Grey Gardens,” in Cloak Theatre Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13. The production featured a broad and strong range of performers, from non-Conservatory freshmen to vocal performance-major seniors. While the plot is undeniably depressing, all of the cast members were uniquely brilliant in their respective roles. The first…
M.T. Anderson sends powerful message in “Octavian Nothing”
“The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing,” the latest literary project by award-winning author M.T. Anderson, is nothing if not truly astonishing. It certainly deserves the surrounding hype. Anderson has constructed an imaginative, impeccably researched and written story that courageously and intelligently examines the ugly contradiction at the heart of the American Enlightenment and Revolution: that…
The Artist Spotlight: Sarah Laven
On April 20, celebrate your Saturday by rolling on over to the Pusey Room in the Campus Center at 3 p.m. to see Sarah Laven’s “senior” recital. Laven, class of 2013, a double major in Environmental Policy and Spanish with a minor in Latin American Studies, is on paper about the furthest thing from a…
LUJE hosts Rik’s Cafe
In what has now become a tradition, the Lawrence University Jazz Ensemble (LUJE) spent another swinging evening at Rik’s Café on Wednesday night, premiering four student compositions and featuring six seniors on standard charts. A student-led concert, performers and composers had the chance to rehearse and conduct the band for LUJE’s final performance in the…