
Nine Years and Still Going Strong: A History of Lobsterfest
By Matthew Bemer, Copy Editor The scene is Saturday, June 2, 2003. The afternoon heat swelters and beats against the students out on Ohio University’s South Green Beach. Most universities are already on break, but not the students who attend the Athens university. The school is infamous for 10-week quarters that extend the academic schedule to June. In the midst of the sweaty college-aged crowd is a stage. The bands that will take the stage during the course of the day will i

Commentary: Are Good Looks Replacing Musical Talent?
By Nadia Kurtz, Staff Writer Picture your favorite band or musician. I bet the first thing that came to mind was the way he or she looks, rather than how the artist's music sounds. Although you probably enjoy that musician’s songs, you should consider the possibility that you may listen to some artists for a certain physical appeal they hold rather than the actual instrumental or vocal genius behind the music. In today’s popular culture, appearance carries a heavy focus. That

Record Store Day, 2012
By Amanda Norris, Staff Writer Last year, the crowd started lining up at 6 a.m. It was a chilly mid-April morning. Some brought blankets and thermoses, but most brought lists--titles to look for, scribbled on bits of scrap paper, so that they would be prepared when Lost Weekend Records opened their doors at 10 a.m. for Record Store Day, 2011. By opening time, about 50 people stood outside. Kyle Siegrist, owner of Lost Weekend, an independent record store just north of the Ohi

Those Theme Songs that Stick
By ACRN Staff What is it that initially pulls us into a television show? For most, it isn’t the lusty male/female lead bouncing down the beach in a wet bathing suit, but the theme music that introduces every first scene. In this modern era of television, theme music has become pretty eclectic. From those that are preexisting popular songs, to full instrumental pieces, to songs sung by cast members, theme music has become one of the most diverse parts of television. In the pas

Our Favorite Music Videos
By ACRN Staff Aug. 1, 1981 was an important day in the history of music: the day when MTV officially launched in the United States. From then on, popular music was constantly associated with the artistic imagery that accompanied it. For those who don’t know, the first video to ever air on MTV was The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star.” Since then, music videos have come a long way. In today’s society, MTV is no longer strongly associated with streaming music videos. Inste

In the Land of Arena Rock
By Amanda Norris, Staff Writer Last Sunday, March 4, the Ohio State University’s Basketball arena, the Schottenstein Center, played host to The Black Keys and their opening act, Arctic Monkeys. The show was part of their ongoing U.S. Tour, consistently booked in large-scale venues. I have a four-letter word for arena shows that my editor tells me we are not allowed to print. Let’s just say, I finally get “The Wall” and the rantings of Oasis concert-goers after the infamous Kn

Songs That Make You Wanna Start a Band
By Katie Pinter , Staff Writer There's something about certain songs that spark an extraordinary amount of emotion and camaraderie amongst friends. Sometimes it's listening to a band you liked when you were much younger and realizing you still remember every lyric they wrote. Other tunes instantly make everyone sing along as loud and exuberant as they possibly can. There are also moments when you're alone hearing a song where you feel so inspired that you can only talk about

Frank McDermott: The Man Behind Blue Eagle Music
By Jacob Betzner, Staff Among the numerous “refreshment venues” and restaurants lining either side of Court Street in uptown Athens sits a small shop near the intersection of Court and East State Street. It stands out with its cracked blue exterior and bright antique guitars and drums displayed in the window. Blue Eagle Music opened in Athens in 1971 and quickly turned into a place for local musicians to gather and handle new and vintage musical equipment. Frank McDermott bou

Artist Profile: DC "King of Hearts" Moore
By Alexis Evans, Contributor When one thinks of Athens’ music scene, one’s mind might conjure up images of folk bands galore armed with acoustic guitars, beating drums, jangling tambourines and soulful harmonicas. Some would even picture the street performers that line drunken streets hoping for any spare change or dollars. For a select few, their minds drift to the grungy second floor of The Union Bar & Grill where they will find a raging hip-hop scene that is taking over th

Songs That Make You Wanna: Exceed the Speed Limit
By Kevin Rutherford, Editorial Director Music elicits a variety of passions within its listeners. Some might cause one to do more genial things--directing an Oscar-winning film, for instance--while others might drive folks to violence against his or her arch-nemesis. And then there's the act of driving really, really fast. Imagine this: you're in your car, which quite inconveniently does not possess cruise control. You're driving down a lonesome two-lane highway, not another