music

Matt & Kim came to dance
By Jennifer Moncayo
September 16, 2010 - 6:55am
Review: The iconic indie pop duo inspired singing, dancing and crowd adoration at their second Syracuse show.

Brooklyn-based dance punks Matt & Kim know how to draw a crowd — and make them happy. Before the doors opened at the Westcott Theater on Wednesday night, youngsters sat along the sidewalk waiting to get in.

Success in the making
By Eric Vilas-Boas
September 12, 2010 - 11:07pm
After seven years and several near misses, Juice Jam sells out once again.

At noon, a buzzing mob of 80 students, some sharing headphones, some giddily squealing for Passion Pit and Lupe Fiasco, crowded onto two well-worn yellow school buses at the College Place bus stop. The most aggressive ones pushed and shoved their way into seats – the rest were left behind in the early afternoon drizzle, wondering if the semester’s biggest campus concert was about to start without them.

Otto-Tune Podcast: Juice Jam 2010
By Caitlin Dewey
September 9, 2010 - 7:29pm
Otto-Tune previews the annual back-to-school concert and names 10 tracks you must hear before you go.

Juice Jam 2010 sold out four full days before the annual back-to-campus show -- indisputable evidence, we think, that this year's line-up skews well above past offerings. Between the witty, genre-melding rap of bespectacled legend Lupe Fiasco and the dance-inducing synthpop of blogosphere faves Passion Pit, there's something at Juice Jam for everyone to love.

Ra Ra Riot comes home to 'Cuse
By Nathan Mattise
August 30, 2010 - 11:23am
Close relationship with Syracuse remains a constant in college rock heroes' unpredictable ascent.

Ra Ra Riot’s current producer Andrew Maury once told me the reason you have to see the band live is because its energy alone is a “captivating spectacle.”

Juice Jam 2010: Don't analyze it, just go
By Nathan Mattise
August 26, 2010 - 5:33pm
With Lupe Fiasco and Passion Pit headlining, SU's music festival looks solid, but not overly exciting.

I've been hyping myself about Juice Jam 2010 since June. It's like the off-season in any major professional sports league  - speculation about who's coming might be the most exciting part. Yesterday we finally found out:

Mash-up artists Super Mash Bros, homeschool dance tandem Mouth's Cradle, Passion Pit and advertised headliner Lupe Fiasco.

Hot acts, cool Canadians make Osheaga worth the trip
By Seth Sommerfeld
August 5, 2010 - 9:21am
Review: Spectacular sets from Arcade Fire and Pavement top Montreal music festival.

Montreal’s Osheaga Festival is so quintessentially Canadian. 

The crowds are respectful and polite, the surroundings are calm and peaceful, and the lineup is filled with Canadian musicians.

Staged in Parc Jean-Drapeau on Saint Helen's Island, the festival effectively mixes the urban and natural world. I was only able to attend one day (Saturday) of the two-day weekend festival, but the homeyness and simple charm of Osheaga made the trek up north well worth it

Stumbling out of the gates

The Camp Bisco experience
By Nathan Mattise
July 21, 2010 - 9:48pm
Whether you're a newbie or seasoned concert-goer, The Disco Biscuits host a music festival like no other.

Five words to describe Camp Bisco: Vibrant, serene, wild, bumping and unique.

I've been to a lot of shows — indoor and outdoor — in cities and in the middle of nowhere. Last year I was even able to attend my first festival with ATP New York, a unique experience in its own right where I learned about navigating multiple stages and unique side shows.

An Otto-Tune Mixtape: The Best of 2010 (So Far)
By Nathan Mattise
June 2, 2010 - 7:18pm
Nearly half the year is behind us so Otto-Tune looks back and creates a playlist of the tracks you need to hear going forward.

The calendar is finally reading "June" so we're almost half way through 2010. Between all the labor that goes into spring semester and finals week,  no one should be faulted for being a bit out of the loop when it comes to the year's music releases.

The rap on SU's commencement
By Erica Sanderson
May 11, 2010 - 6:09pm
Student rapper Delirium breaks down the controversy in a new video.

The controversy surrounding graduation speaker Jamie Dimon, the CEO of JPMorgan Chase, is generating so much buzz you could write a song about it. That's what one SU student rapper did.

Busting rhymes along Marshall Street and in front of the Hall of Languages, Delirium puts a lyrical spin on commencement. Check out the video below.

The death of a hip-hop “Guru”
By Winton Brown
April 26, 2010 - 3:23pm
Guru should be remembered for more than his hip-hop contributions.

Throughout his 20-plus year career, Guru gave hip-hop fans music that was not only entertaining but music that challenged them intellectually.

When people discuss hip-hop music and the top artists of all time, Guru should be mentioned. He produced quality music along with many other things that make him a hip-hop icon.

His music didn’t make you snap your fingers; it didn't come with a specific dance. That’s what separated him from many other artists.