Tag Archives: static stamina

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Photos: Static Stamina Returns for One Last Show

“I had a son from a one-night stand but it turned out that I really liked him.”

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Once upon a time, on a Wesleyan orientation week long ago, an enormous and very silly rap-rock group called Static Stamina was formed, consisting mostly of then-Butts residents, including Will Feinstein ’13, Stefan Skripak ’13, Nicole Lepre ’13, Adrien DeFontaine ’13, Jacob Eichengreen ’13, Nate Jacobs ’13, Danny Sullivan ’13, and Claire Dougherty ’13 (who I mostly remember shouting “STATIC MOTHA-FUCKIN STAMINA!” at shows).  For a couple of practice sessions, our great leader Zach was even present. Like the illustrious Beatles, Static Stamina demonstrated their power by growing in size every month of the year. Their high-octane act and somewhat obnoxious sense of humor created many memorable nights in my underclassman years.

There often comes a time when one must put away childish things, however, and when Static Stamina took the stage at the WestCo Cafe on Thursday, joined by Dink 583 and Tonsil Hockey, they had not played together under that name in probably two years. The present lineup of the band was uncertain, as many of the coeterie had gone on to play with Feinstein in bands like Chants, which won Awesomefest two years ago. Sam Ebb ’13, Jason Katzenstein ’13 (who is standing behind me and adding effusive copy about himself), and Danny Sullivan ’13 were also present. Feinstein told (warned?) the audience that Chants would appear at some indefinite point during the set; Chants is Spencer Burnham ’14, Ethan Young ’13, Defontaine, and Feinstein. They are a bit more punk-oriented, but many of the differences collapse in the face of Feinstein’s charisma, whether he is throwing kleenex and ripped-up pieces of Argus at audience members and shouting “You got an issue/tissue? Here’s a tissue/issue!” or suffering from an intentional short-term memory loss that causes him and the band to play a very short song called “My Son” eight times over the course of a set. Feinstein stood on top of various equipment and appeared to tower over the crowd, leading to gestures of devotion from them. A surprising number of current underclassmen were present; may they be inspired by this show to continue Wesleyan’s musical creative streak.

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MUSIC
Beat of the Street: Static Staminest Returns for WesFest

After fuming over the Battle of the Bands lineup for tomorrow and muttering something under your breath about Eclectic, you’re probably trying to scrounge up as much information as you can on just who these acts are before you check them out live. The CIA is working on throwing darts at a map of the Middle East dossiers for the other performers, but we already have some details on the latest (like, yesterday) release by competitors Static Stamina, thanks tobandleader Will F. ’13. Turns out they were promoting their first single in a year-ish, “Beat of the Street“, themselves, with members even posting links to the track on facebook. More on the shocking developments:

“This is a song about the importance of real hip hop.”
“The bridge is inspired by Schoolboy Q’s “Hands on the Wheel.”
In addition, the song features Dema Paxton Fofang ’13 and Mara Connor ‘TCEX [Ed.: 12-college exchange. Oh snap!] on guest vocals.
Static Stamina’s lineup:
Me, Danny ’13, Stefan ’13, Jason Katzenstein ’13, Adrien ’13, Molly ’14, Kevin Curtin ’13, Jacob ’13, Nicole ’13, Hannah Vogel ’13, Max Bevilacqua ’12, Sam Ebb ’13

Static Stamina, undeniably the only real hip hop band on campus, plays BotB tomorrow night at Eclectic with The Appledaughters, Grand Cousin, Lyons Den, Peace Museum, and Treasure Island for a shot at opening Spring Fling (featuring these guys!).

MUSIC
BATTLE OF THE BANDS UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE


Update in from Dylan Bostick ’13 – Battle of the Bands (THIS FRIDAY OR WHATEVER) has a lineup, y’all – chosen from quite a few EP entries by a careful and time-honored process. Also I heard facebook has an events system and this is on it, does this link work? Apparently it’s like an event or something, IDK.

Anyway, onto the contestants. Don’t be too impressed with these descriptions I’ve amassed from leading music critics:

The Appledaughters – battlers man these guys crazy theyll punch you out the face bro fuck
Grand Cousin – yo used to be grand dad but like its complicated with mom so cousin now
Lyons Den – i mean its just some lyons see
Peace Museum – sounds chill not too much fighting in the museum and stuff
Static Stamina – um i failed physics so not sure what this means but yeah
Treasure Island -haha dude loooove tresure man!!! found some sweet $$$ under my bed yesterday

Got issues with the lineup? If only there were some place where people had already left more than 50 comments about it…oh well.

Also, if someone wants to tell me what (if any?) is the difference between Social and Spring Fling Committees, that would be $w33t. Sorry I have no idea what’s going on, but isn’t that how we all go through life? …oh, so that’s just me? Okay. Fine.

EVENT
Static Stamina Ends; Weekend of Insanity Begins

This post is later than it should be because the internet cras33330tu3tisnsjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj

We don’t really post Weekend Roundups anymore (why would we?–that’s what the event calendar’s for), but holy-god this weekend is nuuuuts:

If you don’t break any bones, you’re probably not paying attention.

But tonight’s Static Stamina show (at Malcolm X House, featuring ska-punkers Aaron Burr & the Hamiltones and Dink-583) is a little more poignant. Because I met some fellow wide-eyed frosh during freshman orientation, and they decided to start a band, and named it Static Stamina one aimless Friday night in the Butt C lounge, and soon I parted ways, but that band has spent the past four semesters injecting some hardcore energy into Wes’s music scene, treading a thin line between rock, hip hop, performance art, and sheer vulgarity, and it’s been a hell of a trip, and now, tonight, it’s all coming to an end (or indefinite hiatus, whatever). And that means farewell shows from Static Stamina and Wordsmith and Mad Wow all in the same week, and then Flora & Fauna mostly graduates after they play Spring Fling, and Bones Complex goes on hiatus, and The Japanese is taking a break (I think?) (that’s assuming they even survive opening for Lightning Bolt), and AARGGH WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO WESLEYAN’S STUDENT MUSIC  SCENE??

Right. More specific info about tonight’s show after the jump.

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EVENT
Get Wild: WILD Wes Party!!

Party hands up, Party hands downFrom a secret environmentalist:

This party is going to be off the hook! We got THREE BANDS (Treasure Island, Static Stamina, and Buru Style) throwin’ their finest jamz at you one after the other.

Dress to impress… as a WILD animal!

Proceeds go to the purchase of plants. Fruit trees, wildflowers and all sorts of awesome flora attracting fauna to make your campus look good, smell great, and be awesome!

$3 in advance (Usdan, every day at lunch), $5 at the door

Facebook event here.

Date:   Friday, March 25
Time:   10:00 PM – 2:00 AM
Place:  Psi U

MUSIC
STATIC FUCKING STAMINA VIDEO EVIDENCE

In my extensive coverage of Static Stamina’s raucous Friday performance at WestCo, I somehow neglected to mention that the band opened its performance with an inspired take on Kanye West’s “Power.” No, seriously. How did I miss that?

You can, and should, view video evidence of this occurrence here, via Neo Sora ’13. Sora taped the entirety of Stamina’s performance, with super-impressive quality given the conditions (read: Static Stamina concert = clusterfuck). I’ve embedded the rest after the jump. There is truly no better way to procrastinate than by watching a bunch of hyped up Wesleyan students scream along to Third Eye Blind.

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FEATURED
Bomb the Static WestCo Industry!

This post features a guest perspective by Will F. ’13 regarding a show organized by Will F. ’13, which also featured Will F  ’13. Also included: lots of photos of everyone else who enjoyed the hell out of this show—including, but certainly not limited to, Will F.  ’13.

You don’t need to serve on the Concert Committee to organize a show at Wesleyan. You just need to approach the Committee for approval, with backing from a WSA-recognized student group.

Will F. ’13 knows how the system works. (Why don’t more students take advantage of this?) That’s how he made this fantastic(al) dream lineup become a reality last Friday night at WestCo Cafe. On the bill: notoriously rowdy rock-rap collective Static Stamina (featuring Nicole Lepre ’13, Danny Sullivan ’13, Adrien DeFontaine ’13, Stefan Skripak ’13, Jacob Eichengreen ’13, Nate Jacobs ’13, and Will F. himself); Skidmore-based “friendcore” rockers The Hand-Me-Downs; and—here’s the kicker—seminal DYI punk group Bomb the Music Industry!, which is basically Static Stamina’s collective favorite band ever. Thanks, Student Budget Committee. You’re the best!

After the jump you’ll find choice images from Static and Bomb! sets (sorry, Hand-Me-Downs—too busy working the door to photograph yours), plus Will’s roundup of favorite moments from said performances. Mad creepy A-Batte face shots at no extra cost.

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EVENT
Bomb the Music Industry w/ Static Stamina + Hand-Me Downs

Remember that scene in PCU where Gutter stumbles into George Clinton’s tour bus and accidentally ends up bringing his favorite band to The Pit at Port Chester University? [No, you don’t. You haven’t seen PCU. WHY HAVEN’T ALL WESLEYAN STUDENTS SEEN PCU?!?!] This is basically what’s happening at WestCo tomorrow night, except Gutter is Will F. ’13, and Parliament is Bomb the Music Industry!, and Port Chester is Wesleyan (no, really, guys—it is), and [one of] Will’s band[s], Static Stamina (who just put up a new song last night), is opening. HOLY SHIT IT’S REALLY HAPPENING YOU SHOULD BE THERE ENTHUSIASM ENTHUSIASM.

Never mind. Just check out the poster. Click it for Facebook linkage:

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MUSIC
Static Stamina: “We Bought The Ocean”

Static Stamina’s latest offering, the epic, Dr. Seuss-quoting “We Bought The Ocean,” is available now for streaming or free download on the band’s Bandcamp page, and it sounds a hell of a lot like Static Stamina. It might even be their “most important and/or greatest victory” to date. [Actual tags: “weight-lifting music,” “punky,” “rap.” Sample lyric: “All I know is that I bought a fucking sick-ass ocean.”]

Primary band members include, as always, Will F. ’13, Nicole Lepre ’13, Danny Sullivan ’13, Adrien DeFontaine ’13, Stefan Skripak ’13, Jacob Eichengreen ’13, and Nate Jacobs ’13. Guest appearances on this track: Anwar Batte ’13, Claire Dougherty ’13, Micharri Charrise ’13, and Neptune Lord of the Sea. Also, a Mad Men sample. Dig it.

[Yes, this band has a show coming up very, very soon; yes, it may even involve Bomb the Music Industry; yes, you should stay un-unplugged for further details soon.]

EVENT
Music House Bi-Annual Cinco De Mayo Celebration

Even I’m not entirely sure what’s going on at Music House tonight, and I’m playing in it, so I’ll just say you should be there:

In the Spring, Music House threw the raucously successful (and batshit crazy) Cinco de Mayo Celebration-o. And now the best Mexican holiday of the fall is finally here: Cinco de Noviembro.

We’re going hard, Mexican style. What’s that mean? Look at the fucking picture. So remember, remember, the fifth of Noviembro. That should be your mantra in case you’re so gone that all you recall from this night is the part where you were confused which band was which.

Bands performing include:

  • The Japanese (You know . . . )
  • The Parents (They’re two of them. And just one of you. So they win.)
  • O Presidente (Won’t be joined by their band of wives, O Primer Mujer.)
  • Ovid American (We’re just as confused as you are.)
  • STEHPORP (Debut of exciting new freshman band.)
  • Static Acoustic Stamina (Not affiliated in any way with Static Stamina.)
  • Fuck Connecticut (Fuck the Hartford Sheraton too.)
  • Vagimond (It’s a mix of the words Vagina and Diamond and features Caitlin Palmer ’13 rapping. So if that’s appealing in any way . . . )
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