The Music Men
By bdgellma
April 23, 2009 - 4:09pm
A night spent with SU's premiere all-male a cappella group shows the bond between the gents.

It’s nearly 10 p.m. on a Monday night, but this group of Syracuse University men is just getting started. They greet one another with handshakes, hugs and jokes. The sound of voices isn't dampened by the piles of heavy winter coats scattered around the room. But instead of gathering around a keg like some other students, these young men gather around the grand piano in the corner of the room. As the chatter quiets down, a harmonious melody of nonsense fills the room.


“Busy, busy, busy bee,” they sing.

Sophistafunk
By Melissa Romero
April 23, 2009 - 3:23pm
Syracuse band Sophistafunk is creating a new sound by combining funk and hip-hop.

Adam Gold learned as a Syracuse University student that the city has historically been a test-market for musicians.  If a band could make it in this wintry town, then it could make it in any city. 

“It’s interesting that we happen to be in a specific market that was literally a test market for the past 40 years,” said Gold, 25.

Keyboardist Gold, lyricist Jack Brown, 23, and drummer Emanuel Washington, 25, make up the local Syracuse band Sophistafunk. The local band has grown in popularity throughout the Central New York region the past few years.

Aux for the love of music
By snbrydum
April 22, 2009 - 10:40pm
Aux Records throws a birthday party

Five years ago, Ulf Oesterle took out a $6,000 student loan. But he wasn’t buying a meal plan or textbooks. He was starting a record label.

Today, Aux Records (pronounced like the first letter of Oesterle’s last name) is five years old and still going strong. Aux’s first band, Merit, still holds the label’s best-selling album and has toured the country with its three albums. Aux now boasts nearly a dozen artists.

Uncorked
By A.J. Chavar
April 17, 2009 - 12:12pm
One of Washington, D.C.'s, best sommeliers is a hard-core metal enthusiast

As a sommelier at one of Washington, D.C.'s, top restaurants and a drummer in the instrumental metal band, Tone, Andy Myers is a study in contrasts.

During the day, Andy covers up his copious "metal" tattoos with a suit to serve Riesling and sauvignon blanc to D.C.'s upper echelon at City Zen restaurant.

At night, Andy sheds the suit and picks up the drumsticks when he joins his longstanding metal band. While the band is not a commercial success, Andy brings the same passion to his pastime as he does to his job.