the revolution will not be televised...

There was a change in me from the moment I stepped into Jonathan England's Intro to African American studies class nearly four years ago. I realized that African American studies was one of my life's passions, following on the heels of my hip-hop addiction and continuing interest in black culture. And yet the cynic in me did not think I would live to see a black president. Last night was, and will continue to be, one of the proudest moments of my life. It is a day that will live in my heart forever. It is a story I will tell my children and grandchildren as I teach them equality, progress, acceptance, and unity. All is not fixed by this great gesture, but with Barack Obama as the President of the United States there is an overwhelming feeling of hope.

As I walked into the jam-packed Bohemian Caverns on election night, there was a sense of positive but nervous energy. I got on the moon bounce, drank some Ciroc, and celebrated every time a state went blue. Then at about 11 PM, CNN projected Obama to be the winner. Everyone went wild, screaming and shrieking, and hugging. I was crying for civil rights, for human rights, for the hope that I didn't allow myself to have until the very moment it all happened. The streets were insanity, and it was a great great moment to be in our nation's capital.

Obama's acceptance speech was a powerful statement of what has and will be achieved. He spoke American spirit, and promise, an entity that pushes us forward and allows us to set aside our differences to become one. Causing sobs to escape my lungs he referenced Martin Luther King Jr. in saying:

And it is that [American] promise that forty five years ago today, brought Americans from every corner of this land to stand together on a Mall in Washington, before Lincoln's Memorial, and hear a young preacher from Georgia speak of his dream. The men and women who gathered there could've heard many things. They could've heard words of anger and discord. They could've been told to succumb to the fear and frustration of so many dreams deferred. But what the people heard instead – people of every creed and color, from every walk of life – is that in America, our destiny is inextricably linked. That together, our dreams can be one. "We cannot walk alone," the preacher cried. "And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."

So bump some old school jams and pour out a little liquor for those who passed before they could witness this. We are living a revolution. "Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

hangin' on to you.

For various reasons, I have recently rediscovered my love of Fleetwood Mac. They aren't what I would normally listen to, but they were a staple at home growing up. I have always had a fascination with Stevie Nicks in particular and so I've decided to detail a couple of my favorite Fleetwood songs. I didn't pick the most popular or well known songs, but I picked those that are most aestetically pleasing to me at this time. Each of these songs have particular meaning in my life right now and happen to be written/performed by Nicks.

"I Don't Want to Know," Rumours (1977)
This song was written shortly after the dissolution of Nicks' relationship with fellow band member Lindsey Buckingham. It is easy to understand her perspective that even though things get crazy after a breakup, there is no real ill will between the parties. Future songs by both Nicks and Buckingham show a bit more animosity, but I love this song because it remains upbeat despite the adversity. Hand claps, jangly guitars, and tight harmonies define the tone. The catchy chorus brings it all together, saying, "I don't want to know the reasons why/ Love keeps right on walking down the line./ I dont want to stand between you and love,/ Honey, I just want you to feel fine."

"Gypsy," Mirage (1982)
With plucky guitars and a minimal but immaculate arrangement, the focus is kept on Nicks' haunting voice and lyrics. Gypsy has a very melancholic vibe to it, touching on loss, being alone, but also starting over. The repeating themes shown with the lyrics "And it all comes down to you,/ Well you know that it does,/ Well, lightning strikes...maybe once...maybe twice..." are clearly lamenting something, but leaving room for renewal. Nicks initially wanted to use this song for her solo debut, but it took on new meaning when her friend Robin Anderson died of Leukemia, and she kept it for Fleetwood Mac. The outro is an incredibly complex Lindsey Buckingham solo, which will probably hinder me in my quest to record a cover of this song.

Recommended Tracks From Stevie's First Solo Record- Bella Donna (1981):
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around"
"Think About it"
"After the Glitter Fades"

sweet girl.

My first weekend back in College Park, and hopefully working in the city for good, I knew I had to find something to do to counteract all of my prior downtime at home and the horrific job search. After two mediocre house parties and an advanced screening of Choke, there was the pièce de résistance: The Flying Eyes, Ringo Deathstarr, and 2 1/2 Teeth at WMUC radio station.

Now I have been curious about Ringo Deathstarr for a while and this is another a reason why being affiliated with WMUC really pays off. I got to see this band that intrigues me all for a $3-5 suggested donation. All I really knew about them going in was that I thoroughly enjoy listening to their EP. They had played DC the night before, but I hadn't been able to make it so I was really happy they put on another show. With near perfect timing, we arrived shortly after they took the stage.



In the small studio that is the liveroom, there was little separation between band and audience. The stylishly clad group banged, clanged, and sang away, the room reverberating with feedback, rhythm, and echo. Everyone was sweating, dancing, gazing, and even moshing. I came out with some new battlescars as well. The set was flawless and the band seemed taken with the crowd's involvement. They even hung around afterwards just chilling and speaking with the kids, all without an ounce of arrogance. I was so envious at how effortlessly they seemed to pull it all off.

Finally, what I found is that all of the Jesus & Mary Chain comparisons don't do either of the groups justice. Yes, I would consider Ringo Deathstarr to be shoegaze, but not in a purely traditional sense. They have taken a modern spin on the genre, and have made it their own. While they could sound like a mixture of Psychocandy and Loveless, that's so cliche and Ringo Deathstarr have their own sound and presence.

on the radio.

Why listen to WMUC-FM College Park?

Tired of hearing the same 10 tracks repeated over and over? Tired of the lack of genres represented on traditional radio? Head over to college radio for a welcome change.

These days, free-form college radio stations are few and far between. Conversely, most commercial radio stations are owned by conglomerates who impose centralized narrow programming. The University of Maryland's station, WMUC-FM, brings something unique to the monotonous world of FM radio. WMUC is an independent, non-commercial, FCC-licensed, student-run radio station. It is also one of the country's oldest college stations, first airing in 1937. Students handle the programming and operations, allowing for a more eclectic selection. Because it is free-form, DJs are allowed to broadcast anything so long as the content adheres to FCC guidelines. This means that in a two-hour timeslot, a listener could hear metal, indie, dance, shoegaze, britpop, hip-hop, oldies, blues, bluegrass...etc etc. The audience can actually discover new music, and with a schedule online, listeners can pick and choose if they want to listen to something specific.

With several ways to listen, there's no reason not to check it out. If you're in or around College Park, tune in by turning to 88.1 on your FM dial. If not, get near a computer and stream online at http://wmucradio.com! So GET LISTENIN' KIDS!

tryin' to strike the right lyrical density...

tell me your favorite line(s),
& i'll tell you mine.

up in the club.

Laura's Top 5 DC Nightspots

5. Rock & Roll Hotel- Besides for the fact that it is extremely difficult to get to, i.e. requires a cab from the Union Station metro, I love the atmosphere at R&R. The upstairs has plenty of little rooms to escape off to and the downstairs has a large space for shows and congregating. My New Years there was crazy, with top shelf alcohol, champagne, DJs, naked sushi, Brightest Young Things, and the music of Georgie James. "Nouveau Riche" will pop off there the last Saturday of this month, so prepare for lots of sweaty bodies and awesome tunes.

4. Asylum- One word. SHORTS. Every second Thursday is Gavin Holland's patented "shorts-mandatory" dance party, where there isn't even a cover to get in. This is my favorite right now because all everyone really cares about is having fun. Featuring a ball pit and absinthe at the bar, and as always, a stellar Holland on the 1's & 2's. Seriously though, just don't try to wear pants.

3. Black Cat- Black Cat is nice because it is an 18+ facility for most events. It is free to get in to the bar, though shows cost [obviously]. This is a low-key venue with pool tables, mood lighting, and just the right amount or grimy to feel at home. From Voxtrot shows to The Smith's v. The Cure dance night, to Britpop dance night, Black Cat seems to have a little something for everyone.

2. Tattoo- This is really the only "non-indie" space on the list, and it is here for good reason. The atmosphere is of cool rock, with photos of tattooed folk scattered all around. It is an excuse to really dress up in heels and a little black dress and to wild out. Tattoo bar's Tuesday night is industry & lady friendly. It features free Chandon and vodka drinks for the females from 12 AM to 2 AM. There is no cover. The resident DJs play an assortment of music from hair metal, to hip-hop, to dance, to classics. Big screens show the music videos as the music is streaming, making it exciting and maybe even evoking nostalgia for the days of "Livin' on a Prayer". It is smaller and get a bit crowded, but their VIP balcony made for one of my best nights out ever.

1. DC9- Known as being the original home to "Nouveau Riche," one of my favorite DC dance parties, DC9 is an awesome location. It is not super huge or grand, but it gets the job done and everything I have attended there has been stellar. I highly recommend "Liberation Dance Party" every Friday night, which features an open bar from 9-10:30. As with Tattoo, music videos accompany the DJ's selections. Finally, DC9 has a unique text screen. If an individual texts to the specific number it will be broadcast to the whole audience. This led to hilarious and sometimes lewd comments, and hell, it even made Jason Ryan famous for a night!

let me ride.

What is it with all of these so-so rock bands thinking it is cool to incorporate elements of hip-hop into their songs and videos. Sure it is wonderful that hip-hop is really being accepted as a culture and that the tenets are recognized as true art, but come on. Back in 1986 when Run-D.M.C. and Aerosmith collaborated on "Walk This Way" this idea was revolutionary. I have yet to see any other rock acts that can pull it off, or they are slipping from my memory. Anyway, when mixing genres, care must be taken in order for it to come off as a real effort.

Rock bands borrowing from hip-hop probably wouldn't bother me that much if I liked the songs or if it was done as a tasteful homage to the art form, but the new videos from the Red Hot Chili Peppers and All Time Low are just plain tacky. Who wants to see Anthony Kiedis with an iced out grill and second rate video-ho's dancing around the band. There is even a scene where Kiedis is getting his hair braided a la Snoop Dogg. If the intent was to make me laugh, it worked, but it makes hip-hop seem hokey and it appears more like a Weird Al parody than a real song. In the case of All Time Low, an underage band singing about popping champagne in a song that sounds very emo, they decide to borrow the cheapest elements of hip-hop for their video. It ends up looking like some kind of a disaster, like hip-hop purged on the set of an emo fantasy. Perhaps these bands should stick to what they know and not denigrate hip-hop. As someone who takes her hip-hop very seriously, man, it's just plain annoying to see.