January 8, 2010 - 12:42pm
Listen: If you need a beat to dance away the boredom blues, then head over to The Sound Garden where you'll find an extensive selection of CDs, DVDs and even vinyl records.

Who: The Sound Garden is an independent music store that sells a large selection of new and used CDs, DVDs, vinyl, video games and even DJ equipment.  They have a great staff that will always help you find whatever you are looking for.  

What: The Sound Garden sells new and used items at very great prices. They even let you listen to the music in the store before you buy it to make sure you know what you are purchasing. 

January 8, 2010 - 12:30pm
Look at this: 3-2-1. The ball swishes through the hoop as the buzzer hits zero and it’s good!

What: The shot clock was invented to make the game of basketball more fast-paced. The clock counts down 24 seconds, and within this time whichever side has control of the ball must attempt to shoot it and hit the rim or else they forfeit the ball. The shot clock prevented teams from stalling on the court.

Who: Danny Biasone. Biasone was the owner of the NBA Syracuse Nationals. He was the first person to put the 24-second shot clock into use.

When: 1954. The shot clock was first put into use in Syracuse, New York in 1954.

December 3, 2009 - 11:25am
'Overcoming the Spectacle' series part of an effort to show edgy films locally.

You’d be hard-pressed to find an art house film buff who thinks Syracuse is a haven for alternative cinema.

There are the three area Regal Cinemas (all located in malls) that offer the general public the top studio releases of the month in less-than-regal atmospheres. Those seeking an alternative to the generic multiplex have to venture 30 minutes by car from Syracuse University's campus to the Manlius Art Cinema, which screens films of a more independent variety in a decrepit environment resembling a grimy tunnel.

November 23, 2009 - 1:54am
The legendary jam band with Syracuse roots performed Sunday to a sold-out crowd at the War Memorial Arena.

“Are they smoking weed down there?” asked a Syracuse Police Officer on the roof of the OnCenter parking garage. It was probably a rhetorical question.

The Phish fans — or “phans” as they prefer to be called — descended upon downtown Syracuse long before the legendary jam band went on at 8 p.m. Phans sold their tye-dye shirts and homemade jewelry, enjoyed some food and simply hung out before the fourth stop on Phish’s Fall Tour 2009.

November 18, 2009 - 1:58am
Review: Fazeshift, Hot Chelle Rae and The Academy Is... pack the Schine Underground.

The doors opened at 7:30 p.m., and a line of SU and local high students filed in. The small room transformed into an impressive, yet intimate, concert venue.

Nationally known act, The Academy Is…, backed by local band Fazeshift and touring band Hot Chelle Rae, played to a packed Schine Underground on Tuesday night.

November 16, 2009 - 11:33pm
Music ensembles, rockers, famous radio hosts and comedians converge on Syracuse during an event-packed Tuesday.

Before the campus becomes a ghost town for Thanksgiving break, there will be a surge of life in the next week, providing alternatives to final papers and projects.


Tuesday is especially notable with at least six major speakers, concerts and performances in Syracuse. Make plans to attend at least one of these and keep yourself safely distracted from studying for a night.


Ira Glass, 7:30 p.m. at Hendricks Chapel, Free

November 16, 2009 - 10:57am
Review: Medeski, Martin and Wood's concert on Sunday night at the Westcott Theater.

Music was pulsing on Westcott Street until midnight as Medeski, Martin & Wood pushed the boundaries of musical form Sunday at the Westcott Theater. 

Although the band played simple instruments—a keyboard, bass and drums—the essence of the show radiated with intensity. 
    
The doors at the theater opened at 7 p.m., but staff held the show until after 9 to allow more people into the venue. As the crowd trickled in, the old theater’s sticky floors filled with concertgoers from teens to graybeards. 

November 16, 2009 - 1:54am
Former Soul Coughing frontman Mike Doughty discusses his new album and his “Question Jar” tour, which comes to the Westcott Theater Thursday.

“Intimate” is probably the best way to describe former Soul Coughing lead singer Mike Doughty’s most recent artistic endeavors. His latest record, Sad Man Happy Man, is a collection of pared-down acoustic offerings that lean heavily on his scratchy, emotive vocals and syncopated guitar work. Lyrically, Doughty combines the quirky wit of his Soul Coughing days with the sage observations of his three previous solo efforts, touching on everything from breakups to heroin addiction (Doughty himself is a recovered addict).

November 14, 2009 - 1:55pm
Review: Despite a run-in with the police, the New York-based quartet keeps things cheerful during the local stop of their tour.

The Felice Brothers had plenty of cause for low morale on Friday night, yet their spirit and energy hit a climactic high by the end of their show at the Westcott Theater.  

The band of four, who travels by Winnebago, had been pulled over by police within yards of the venue and issued seven tickets (for what exactly, they didn't specify). Consequently, The Felice Brothers kicked off their set about an hour and a half past the original 9 p.m. start time.  

November 14, 2009 - 1:17am
Drummer Erin Tate talks about his band, the tour and his personal life.

Known for catchy, precise instrumentation and often ridiculous song titles (“Thanks for the Killer Game of Crisco® Twister,” and "Hey! Is That a Ninja Up There?"), Minus the Bear is like that fun-loving, indie guy that you’d want to have a drink with.

This week may be your chance to buy them a beverage. The Seattle-based quintet is making a stop at The Westcott as part of its current national tour. But make sure if you get drummer Erin Tate a drink, you go for the high-end tequila.