Otto-Tune

Songs for the semester's end
By NewsHouse Staff
May 7, 2013 - 2:18pm
NewsHouse staffers pick their favorite songs for finals and the end of the semester.

As a final Otto-Tune hurrah, the outgoing NewsHouse staff chose a few tracks as the soundtrack to the semester's end. Some silly and some serious, we hope these songs will get you through the last week of finals.

  1. Melanie Deziel, assistant executive producer: "The Final Countdown," Europe

  2. Meera Jagannathan, lead producer: "Faded," Soul Decision

Preview: Fitz and the Tantrums to play the Westcott April 21
By Alyssa McKinley
April 20, 2013 - 11:30am
Hunter Hunted will open for the indie pop band, which is touring in support of its sophomore album.

After four years on the rise since their debut full length Pickin' Up The Pieces, indie pop band Fitz and the Tantrums have been touring in support of their upcoming sophomore release More Than Just A Dream.

The band has been gracing venues across the nation with their lively blend of indie funk without rest. Their Syracuse show at The Westcott Theater is sure to provide fans with a dose of energy they need to get them pumped for the summer.

Preview: 5 things to look for at Coachella Weekend 2
By Elizabeth Kahn
April 19, 2013 - 12:29pm
Music connoisseur Elizabeth Kahn ventures from her Syracuse college turf to experience once again her favorite California festival.

1. WHAT WILL DAFT PUNK DO NEXT?
The godfathers of electronic dance music are sure to surprise Coachella Weekend 2 attendees with another sneak peak at their highly anticipated album Random Access Memories. In case you missed it, last weekend the duo showed a trailer of “Get Lucky featuring Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers.

Ke$ha to headline Block Party 2013
By Megan Paolone
April 16, 2013 - 12:01pm
UPDATE: Trey Songz and Drop City Yacht Club added to the lineup for the April 26 concert in the Carrier Dome with the auto-tuned pop star.

Is Syracuse University ready to get sleazy? Let's sure hope so.

Glitter-infused popstar Ke$ha will headline Syracuse University's annual year-end concert Block Party, joined by singer Trey Songz, the campus programming board University Union announced Tuesday.

Which area college has the best spring concert?
By Megan Paolone
April 3, 2013 - 8:44am
Central and Western New York colleges will welcome a slew of musicians to the region over the next month. Which college's programming board got it right?

University Union announced Sunday via Twitter that Ke$ha would headline this year's Block Party on April 26. They retweeted a number of SU students who were ecstatic about the news, but there were many who were unhappy with the announcement as the hashtag #ThingsIdRatherDoThanGoToBlockParty resurfaced on Twitter.

Big Sean returns to Syracuse
By Lissette Nunez
March 25, 2013 - 11:19am
The rapper performed Friday March 22 in the Schine Underground as part of the Save The Horn Benefit Concert organized by the Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity and Habitat for Humanity.

Oh God! Rapper Big Sean returned to Syracuse University's Schine Underground Friday in front of a sold-out crowd. 

The brothers of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Theta Xi Chapter along with Habitat for Humanity brought Big Sean to Syracuse as part of the Second Annual Save the Horn Benefit Concert to benefit the Horn of Africa.

Big Sean, a member of Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music group, hit the stage around 8:40 p.m. and performed for over an hour.

Preview: Jukebox the Ghost to play in Schine Underground March 19
By Megan Paolone
March 19, 2013 - 8:06am
Vocalist/pianist Ben Thornewill talked to The NewsHouse in February about Czech bakeries, touring and new music.

Ben Thornewill is standing on the sidewalk outside Czech bakery-gas station hybrid in the middle of Texas in February, on his way to a show in Dallas.

“We always stop here on tour,” Thornewill says. “It’s just so doughy and good.”

'Welcome Oblivion' a fleeting portrait of Reznor's musical transition
By Nick DeSantis
March 5, 2013 - 4:37pm
Review: The debut album by Trent Reznor's collaborative project 'How To Destroy Angels' is a flag planted in his new creative path.

As accomplished and groundbreaking as Trent Reznor has been while presiding over his industrial day-job Nine Inch Nails, there’s a startling irony to the fact that his most riveting work in recent years has been created while working completely outside that box.

Turn of the century throwback playlist
By NewsHouse Staff
February 21, 2013 - 11:37pm
In honor of Aaron Carter's After Party at The Westcott on Sunday, The NewsHouse staff compiled a list of our favorite songs from the late '90s and early 2000s.

Joseph DiDomizio, lead producer: "President of What?" by Death Cab for Cutie (1998)

In 1998, Death Cab for Cutie released their first LP Something About Airplanes on Barksuk Records, the current home of Ra Ra Riot amongst others. I had no idea this album existed until well after their second album was released and I was working at a Kinko's with my then-bandmates. MP3s were still way new, and Facebook was not even real.

The Vanderbuilts release new single, music video
By Megan Paolone
February 14, 2013 - 10:55pm
Review: Syracuse-based band The Vanderbuilts released "I Wish I Was a Saber-Toothed Tiger" Feb. 14 via their website and YouTube.

"I Wish I Was a Saber Tooth-Tiger" starts out slow and melodic, a guitar progression accompanied by a few plucked banjo notes. But much like its accompanying video, it quickly morphs into something imaginative and upbeat, fluid vocals layered over guitar riffs, piano and violin.

If it's any indication of what's to be expected on The Vanderbuilts' second album, we can expect something great.