Tag Archives: will

MUSIC
Music and Public Life Class Produces Video Supporting “Equal Access To Higher Education”

Remember when Antonin Scalia Ross Gormley ’13 asked you to send in pictures and videos that communicated your perspective of the Wesleyan campus? If you sent any in, you just might see them below.  The following video was produced as a final project for the class Music Movements in a Capitalist Democracy, which you might know as Music and Public Life, or perhaps the class Dar Williams ’89 teaches when she’s not busy tearing up Wesleyan Thinks Big. Edit: Actually it’s for Music and Public Life, which is its own course and was taught by Mark Slobin. Sorry for the error.

Marissa Schnitman ’14 explains the video’s motivations:

For their final project, Wesleyan’s Music and Public Life class has produced a video to express their support of equal access to higher education. In response to the confusion, controversy, and divisiveness surrounding the shift in need blind policy on campus and in the media, the class created this video to remind alumni to preserve a commitment to support the Wesleyan community unconditionally. The video encourages us to set aside politics and perspectives about University decisions. This is about helping the Wesleyan community move forward. This is about our shared dedication to equal access to higher education. Help keep Wesleyan accessible to everyone. Help “Keep Wesleyan Weird.”

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FEATURED
Heems ’07 To Participate in Reddit AMA at 4 Today

It’ll be a while before he shows up for another reunion, so let’s ask him about Wesleyan.

If you told me four years ago that in 2012 the president of the United States would take part in an AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Reddit, I would have said that you’re full of shit. If you have told me four years that in 2012 a member of Das Racist would take part in an AMA on Reddit, I would have said that that seems exactly like something that would probably happen.

Enter Heems (Himanshu Suri ’07) on the day he’s dropping Wild Water Kingdom, the follow-up to last winter’s excellent Nehru Jackets. (Heems is still awaiting approval from fellow Wes alum Le1f, according to this tweet.) In approximately ten minutes, the rapper will be live on Reddit, joining the ranks of celebrities Woody Harrelson (my personal favorite), Trent Reznor, Dave Dederer, and The Onion’s editorial staff to answer your questions:

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FEATURED
Will Feinstein Makes Lioness Perform Athletic Task, Films It

“I think the setup is: ‘Laugh at Lioness While Lioness Frailly Tries to do This Physical Task'”

Trill Feinstein ’13 is bored (well, you can’t be a rap sensation 24/7), so he’s speed-editing outtakes from Wes Pacific (you know, that web series he created?) and popping them out like chickens. Think of it like Wes Pacific’s special features. These are the deleted scenes. And they’re about to make your Wessickness much, much worse.

In the first segment, Feinstein treks into Lionessrise, otherwise known as LoRise A5, and challenges challenges the burly, well-toned fitness freaks of Lioness to a chin-up contest. “We’re basically proving that we are all very unathletic, skinny people,” observes percussive demon John Snyder ’12, who went on to win seven Oscars for his performance. The clip features an introduction by Future Islands shortly before their April performance with Cloud Nothings; according to Feinstein, a full interview is forthcoming, which is pretty awesome news.

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MUSIC
Nitic’s Crotebook: Chants, Kill-F, Men with Bad Manners, Femi the DriFish

Still recovering from the weekend? Wesleying, too. Pictured above: Men With Bad Manners’ spirited funk-inflected resurrection at Buddhist House on Saturday night.  (Remember those guys? Remember that time they played Hewitt 9? No, you’re confused—you’re thinking of ska-bridge.)

At any rate, a brief photographic roundup of funk/hip hop/generally loud weekend happenings lies below. Kill-F (Will F. ’13, still reeling from his recent EP release) brought his latest brew of twisted solo rhymes to the stage for the first time, opening for rapper Cities Aviv in the hallowed Psi U ballroom. Men With Bad Manners set BuHo on the right path, laying some damn firm foundation for Baltimore alt-hip hop crew Femi the DriFish on the mic, who may or may not have been The-Roots-in-1994-time-traveling-in-disguise (not pictured: J-Pope, Funk Friday).

And also, Chants. Those guys from Awesomefest. With the costumes. At Beckham. What?

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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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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.]