Browsing: Music

Newly signed Uproar Records artist Layne Lynch began playing music in front of an audience when she sat down at one of the public pianos at Baylor. The junior theater performance major from Dallas, had a talent that drew crowds around her, and eventually landed her a spot with the student-run record label this semester.

“The Little Rascals” was a film released in 1994 based on a series of early-20th century short films called “Our Gang,” but The Little Rascals are also a gang of musicians at Baylor.

Shawn Line is a country, blues and bluegrass musician who has worked on countless projects, including his band Firewater Sermon. Based out of San Marcos, Line is a fixture of the Austin-San Marcos music scene and can often be seen performing in that area. The Lariat was able to interview him for this edition of our “Q&A” segment.

Freshman year is often called the year of firsts. First welcome week, first day of college. First time to live in a dorm room, first $500+ textbook purchase. First Baylor “sic ‘em” at the first Baylor football game, and the first time to do laundry for some.

Uproar Records recorded their first official radio show in a traditional broadcast format, “The Roar,” and the recording is now available to stream online at the student-run record label’s website.

After an intense audition and selection process, Baylor’s Uproar Records label has signed five artists for the upcoming year. The artists will all have the opportunity to have their music recorded professionally through Uproar Records.

Thousands of people are recovering this week from another successful Austin City Limits three-day music festival. The festival ran from Friday to Sunday and hosted more than 130 bands and 70,000 people.

Thirteen acts were selected for the After Dark performance, set for Sept. 23. About 60 Baylor students auditioned Tuesday and Wednesday in Waco Hall for Baylor University’s After Dark student variety show.

Jay-Z and Kanye West are both known for their powerful solo albums, but perhaps the two have found a second calling as collaborators. “Watch the Throne” – which is a joint effort from the two rappers – is an outright success and is one of the best albums I have had the opportunity to listen to this year.

U2 isn’t a band that does things on the cheap. When frontman Bono and guitarist The Edge went to Broadway, they did so via “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” which has already earned itself the distinction of being the most expensive show in Broadway history.

Do make a schedule. Planning never hurt anyone and it’s always good to prepare yourself for everything that could happen during SXSW. Austin is probably the craziest city in America for this week, a little guidance couldn’t be all that bad.

Just in time for its upcoming Fort Worth conference April 1 to 3, Passion released “Here For You,” recorded in Atlanta in January.

Austin’s 24th annual South by Southwest was nothing short of a roaring success. The atmosphere was complete with excessive foot traffic, eclectic garb and the guarantee that, long after the event is over, your ears will ring for days on end.

Now into its second quarter-century, its rebellious youth largely a memory and its adolescence rapidly receding into the past, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony canonized Neil Diamond, the Alice Cooper band, Tom Waits, Dr. John and Darlene Love as its newest performer honorees on Monday night at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan.

Dr. Lynne Gackle, associate director of choir ensembles, is the first to address a little-known aspect of the music world — female vocal maturation — in her new book, “Finding Ophelia’s Voice, Opening Ophelia’s Heart: Nurturing the Adolescent Female Voice.”

Ever since my first CD and first concert (it was DCTalk, and yeah, I’ll admit it,) I’ve been a self-prescribed music critic. Whether or not my tastes are good at any point in time is completely subjective, but I’ve heard and seen a lot, maybe just enough to at least know what is pleasing to the ears.

Sing 2011 was filled with awesome sets, great themes and much improvement. We’ve made some observations on each of the acts. They aren’t meant to be rude — they’re meant to highlight the good and point out the areas that need improvement. Thanks to all the performers for their hard work. Our top three picks are Kappa Omega Tau, Alpha Tau Omega and Pi Beta Phi.