I handmade a crossword puzzle for The Spectator! It took forever and made me crazy, but it was worth it. It may not make sense/be possible to finish if you’re not from Hamilton, but try anyways. Maybe I’ll make another at some point.
Click here for full puzzle

Published in The Spectator
Click here for full article 

Published in The Spectator
Click here for full article

Instead of watching Syracuse fall to Michigan in their Final Four game, a passionate crowd of Hamilton jazz fans gathered in Wellin Hall on Saturday night for an impressive display of contemporary jazz from phenom bassist Ben Williams and his group Sound Effect. Williams led the quintet through complex arrangements of his original tunes and some surprising covers, including songs by Stevie Wonder, the rap group N.E.R.D. and R&B songstress Goapele. Speaking candidly to the crowd between songs, Williams explained his philosophy of “new standards,” embracing these contemporary compositions in the same way that earlier Jazz artists like John Coltrane and Louis Armstrong adopted popular songs into their repertoires. Building on these new age attitudes, Williams and his band played an impressive, challenging set that clearly demonstrated the bright future of modern Jazz.

Published in The Spectator
Click here for full article
In a refreshing departure from Wellin Hall’s usual choral, orchestral and jazz programming, last Saturday the community gathered to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a few weeks early with an impressive demonstration of Ireland’s musical traditions from Martin Hayes and his touring company, the Masters of Tradition. Taking the stage in different combinations through the night, the seven-piece collective presented historic and treasured tunes in a respectful but nonetheless lively way, often drawing wild whoops of approval from the enthusiastic audience. Between songs they spoke comfortably to the crowd in their thick Irish brogues, explaining the unfamiliar tunes, styles and instruments with a healthy dose of Gaelic wit and cheer. Continued…

Published in The Spectator
Click here for full article (bottom)
Songwriters like Jeff Mangum often have an interesting relationship with their songs. Especially when they’re as raw and personally reflective as “Two Headed Boy” or “King Of Carrot Flowers,” lyrics can almost feel like little pieces of your soul, bared for the world to misinterpret, ridicule, reject or just maybe relate to. Because they’re so personal, songwriters sometimes develop a sense of protectiveness or ownership over their songs, which can get awkward in a live concert situation. Knowing Mangum’s reclusive nature, I never expected him to be so open and gracious in the way he shared his songs with all of us. Continued…

Published in The Spectator
Click here for full story
Before the doors opened at 7:30 there were already a few dozen students in line to enter the Barn, a sure sign that excitement was running high for this week’s special Tuesday edition of Acoustic Coffeehouse with Josh Ritter. Returning to the stage after a three-month hiatus—during which he became a first-time father and announced a new album—Josh’s excitement matched the audience’s, ensuring a special night of song debuts, intimate performances and the spirit of sublime wintertime joy that FebFest embodies. Continued…

Published in The Spectator
Click here for full article
It feels like a long time ago, but I remember my first time visiting Hamilton pretty clearly. I had an energetic tour guide that gushed over everything on the lush, sprawling campus. She had a particular fondness for Yodapez if I remember correctly, but she really caught my attention with her description the Citrus Bowl, a raucous tradition where students packed into the rink for the first Men’s Ice Hockey game and showered the opposing goaltender with oranges after Hamilton’s first goal. Coming from a sports-obsessed all-boys high school with a similar devotion to hockey and shenanigans, I was encouraged by the idea that Hamilton students shared my appreciation for sporting events as fun shared experiences, able to unite a community in support of the simple common idea that we all want our …

Published in The Spectator
Click for full article!
The Village of Clinton may not be a major media center, but every semester Campus organizations like CAB, IMF, WHCL, and the Music Department work tirelessly to bring exciting, talented and even world-renowned musicians to perform on our snowy campus. This semester’s concert lineup looks particularly promising, with acts like Josh Ritter, The Thermals and indie deity Jeff Mangum having performed national headlining tours within the past year and others like folk princess Anais Mitchell showing the potential to do so soon. The Spectator will be running full previews and reviews of these shows over the course of the semester, but here’s a quick look at what we’re looking forward to this semester. Of course, there could always be more shows announced later, so make sure to keep an eye out for those. Continued…

Published in The Spectator
Click here for full article!
I understand that this seems like the less logical side of this argument in some ways—celebrities are stupid right? Don’t they represent the rampant superficiality and misguided value system of our flawed culture? Some might, but that’s an oversimplification that robs credit from the handful of brilliant celebrity intellectuals that they really do deserve it. It’s easy to deride famous people for their socially-constructed status, but, based merely on the fact that they often have an attentive audience, these people have abilities that the vast majority of us don’t. Every time a famous person performs, records, shoots, tweets or makes an appearance they exert influence over thousands of adoring fans (sometimes known as eligible voters), an undeniably valuable asset that even the candidates themselves can’t always match. You can argue over whether or …

Published in The Spectator
Click here for full article!
For most students (including myself), typical Monday nights at Hamilton involve homework, club meetings, maybe some football and relaxing weekend recovery. This past Monday evening had something else in store for five students: sophomore Brendon Kaufman and seniors Lucas Kang, Brendan Doherty, Pete Adelfio and myself, Jack McManus. Replacing the books in our backpacks with warm coats and passports, the five of us travelled up to Kingston, Ontario to see the dance punk duo Death From Above 1979 on a trip sponsored by Hamilton’s Independent Music Fund. Continued…