One of the only physical ads BU Central has is the Chalkwall outside the venue. That, and the posters (aslo in GSU)

As we’ve said before, shows at BU Central are vastly under-attended. It seems to be the kind of place where if you’re in, you’re in and if you’re not… well, you’re missing out.

Saturday’s show was Cults, and they were fantastic. The stark change between the mostly white album cover and sunshine associated with Cults and the darkness of the BU Central show only highlighted how complex the band is, bringing out the underside of a band so inextricably woven into the summer air.

“I’m surprised,” said CAS Senior Becca Antonopolis between acts. “There’s no one here.”

Saturday’s show was Antonopolis’s first concert at BU Central in her four years at the university. Antonopolis explained her absence through the theory that, unless a student is plugged in to the basement’s online presence, the only way to hear about shows is through word of mouth.

Which isn’t to say that the online aspect isn’t useful. Students queuing outside the venue before the doors opened seemed to find the online advertising BU Central does very effective, with most of them finding out about the show through BU Central’s e-mails and tweets.

People queuing outside BU Central before Cults

“There are so many different ways that they can reach you” said COM freshman Lindsey Mann.

Kevin Velasquez has been going to shows at BU Central for a few years, citing Tokyo Police Club and the Smith Westerns as the two most recent. “They’re really good with advertising on campus so I always know what’s going on,” he said. He did, however, agree with the same sentiments expressed by Antonopolis – students need to already be in the know to keep updated on BU Central’s happenings.

“I feel like maybe I’m a little more pro-active about finding events” said Velasquez.

And it seems to be that the pro-active students are the ones having the most fun.

Cults’s self-titled album, Cults, was released at the perfect time – summer months meant summer music and that’s exactly what Cults is: airy, beachy, singularly west-coast dream pop with some fifties throwback mixed in.

Spectral's drummer in a Cults t-shirt, showing both sides of Cults's music - light and dark

Which is why seeing them in a dark basement with only surreal projections and deep red stage lights to illuminate the band was so awesome – it introduced the audience to a whole other side of Cults purely through visual elements. The at times disco trance lighting brought out Madeline Follin’s young alto, whereas on the album it sounds like an airy mezzo-soprano. Brian Oblivion’s shredding guitar parts were hauntingly gorgeous as he played in semi-darkness, lost in the swirling polka-dot lights, particularly on the closing song “Oh My God,” where on the album it only adds to the airy feel.

Madeline Follin's intensity is only multiplied by the disco/techno lighting.

Even though BU Central’s new sound system has a way of pumping the bass and making the lyrics inaudible, the show also brought out the darkness in Cults’s lyrics, which can get lost in its sing-alongable melodies. “You Know What I Mean” was the perfect example, with the disco lights going absolutely crazy at the chorus with Folin just belting/yelling “‘Cause I am afraid of the light / Yeah you know what I mean / And I can’t sleep alone at night/ Yeah you know what I mean!” stomping on the ground and pounding her fist at the air like a kid having a tantrum. This mania played beautifully with the mellow pinpoint lights projecting on the band when she pleads “please come and save me/ tell me what’s wrong with my brain ’cause I seem to’ve lost it” swaying and moving all the while. And they’re just really nice people who seemed genuinely happy to be there, exampled by Folin’s huge smiles between songs and Oblivion’s sweet banter.

“I really hope you guys feel like you made the right decision coming here tonight” said Oblivion with a laugh before launching into “Oh My God.”

All of this passion, and three of the band members had strep. Holy hell.

Belting. Love it.

So in the wake of this revelatory show, why on earth was the 350 person capacity BU Central a little more than half-full?

“I think a lot of it is the stigma that people don’t want to come to school events” said BU Central Manager Jake Cox (SMG ’14)

Even as I asked students how they came to know about the show while we were waiting for the doors to open, Cox announced that they were sending around a clipboard asking students to suggest acts for next year and also write down how they found out about the night’s performance.

“I feel like a lot of people are over-saturated already” said Cox about the basement’s online advertising. Cox also said the solution would be to expand to a more physical ad campaign on campus to nudge the student body into being more pro-active.

“We have a lot to offer” said Cox. “We want to make this more of a community space.”

Cults’ Setlist:

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Radiohead's Thom Yorke at Coachella. | Photo courtesy of AP.

But Mother Nature threw a bit of a curveball on Friday, the festival’s opening day. “Cold” and “Coachella” are not exactly words that are uttered in the same sentence; this is the high desert, after all. Still, Friday saw the festival’s grounds drenched with rain, prompting some to flee to their camping ground for warmer clothes and others to simply abandon the day entirely. Fortunately, I missed the horrible weather due to my long travel day on Friday.

Saturday saw the temperature jump to the 80s – things were getting back to normal. For me, Saturday was all about Radiohead, a band I have long adored but had never seen before. They were firmly occupying the top spot on my “Bands to See Before I Die” list. With their headlining set at 11pm, I had significant time to check out some other bands before migrating to the main stage and holding my place for approximately 5 hours.

One of the first acts I saw was Merrill Garbus’s band tUnE-yArDs, who have emerged as one of the most truly unique and creative bands in recent memory. With all four band members sporting yellow tribal face paint and Garbus wearing massive hooped shoulder bands, the group made quite an appearance. Over the next 50 minutes, Garbus created her own one-woman rhythm section with a very clever looping technique. Fantastic versions of “Powa,” “Gangsta,” and the band’s biggest hit, “Bizness,” made it hard to see the group exit. Definitely one of the better and more unique performances I’ve seen a while.

With the time approaching 5:30pm, it was time to move toward the main stage, get as far forward as possible, and hold on for the next five and a half hours for Radiohead. No big deal. I had this. My time waiting allowed me to enjoy decent sets from Noel Gallagher’s HighFlying Birds and The Shins. Bon Iver followed with a truly stunning performance. On a stage that wouldn’t have been out of place on MTV Unplugged - individual turquoise lanterns dotted the stage and two weathered beige curtains hung from the rafters – Justin Vernon and his nine-piece backing band created a sound many did not likely anticipate from Vernon’s two albums. In short, they were heavy. Bon Iver were loud, raucous, and full of energy – and it was absolutely brilliant.

Ah, finally! At about 11:1opm, Thom Yorke, the Greenwoods, Ed O’Brien, Phil Selway, and second touring drummer Clive Dreamer (borrowed from Portishead) bounded onstage – Radiohead were here. The entire festival seemed to be watching at the main stage; it was clear just how big of a deal this band has become.

Over nearly two hours, the band mesmerized their audience. Mixing the electronic-dance music they’ve favored on recent albums and the more guitar-driven music of their 90s output, Radiohead showed with ease why they deserve consideration as one of the greatest bands ever.

2007 album In Rainbows received lots of play, as brilliant versions of “15 Step,” “Weird Fishes/Arpeggi,” “Bodysnatchers,” “Jigsaw Falling Into Place,” and “Reckoner” thrilled the massive crowd. Impassioned sing-alongs came as the group ran through fan-favorites “Karma Police” and “Lotus Flower.”

Two encores, a few surprisingly good jokes from Thom Yorke, and 20 songs later, they were gone and the lights had come on. Playing songs as varied as “Myxomatosis” and newbie “Staircase,” it was an eclectic set and one not to be forgotten in any hurry.

Watch Radiohead’s entire Coachella set here.

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Beyonce. | Photo by Jen Keys via Wikimedia Commons

Beyonce Launches New Tumblr Site, Joins Twitter

Beyonce is joining the 21st century and entering the world of social networking. The singer joined Twitter last Thursday to announce the launch of a new Tumblr site that features personal vacation photos, silly Halloween snaps, and tons of family shots featuring Blue Ivy. A video on the site also puts to rest the theories behind her baby’s name, showing a pregnant Bey walking past a blue ivy tree.

Adele Calls for Beyonce Collab, Talks Next Single

Meanwhile, Adele has been one of Bey’s biggest fans for years, telling a French radio station that she would love to sing with the “Love on Top” songstress. Adele also promised a new single before the end of the year—a track the BCC speculates could be the theme song to November’s upcoming James Bond film.

Rihanna Wants to Play Whitney Houston

Rihanna recently told the U.K. Press Association that she would “give her entire life” to play the late Whitney Houston in a biopic. It is unconfirmed if such a project is in development. Nevertheless, Rihanna is testing out her acting chops in the upcoming Battleship, due out later this year.

Mary J. Blige. | Photo by Donna Lou Morgan via Wikimedia Commons

Mary J. Blige Faces Backlash After Burger King Ad

Mary J. Blige is facing the wrath of angry fans after starring in a Burger King commercial that is said to play on negative African-American stereotypes. The advertisement (which has since been pulled) features Blige singing about a chicken wrap—one of the new menu items at the focus of their campaign to appeal to a wider set of consumers. Blige told TMZ that she “agreed to be a part of a fun and creative campaign that was supposed to feature a dream sequence. Unfortunately, that’s not what was happening in that clip.”

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Lana Del Rey at the 2012 Brit Awards. | Photo by Joao12batista via Wikimedia Commons

Lana Del Rey Releases New Clip

LDR is at it again with her vintage-tinged, old-Hollywood-inspired mini-movies, this time for her latest single, “Blue Jeans.” Her swoon-worthy “Born To Die“ co-star Bradley Soileau is back for round two in what the songstress says is part of a trio of songs about an ex-relationship. “Blue Jeans” features the pair in black and white, swimming to one another in a pool of alligators (or are they crocodiles?) and floating around in a dreamy haze.

Being on Top Is So Much Fun.

Fun. remains on top of the Billboard Hot 100 for a third week–proving that pop doesn’t have to be wig-clad, whiny and auto-tuned. The band’s debut single, “We Are Young,” is currently beating out Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger,” Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain” and Nicki Minaj’s “Starships.”

Gotye Closing In on Fun.’s Top Spot

Belgian-Australian indie rocker Gotye is also descending upon the Hot 100 with unapologetic force, coming in at number five–only four spots behind Fun. “Somebody That I Used To Know” also peaked at number one on the Australian charts, where it held down the spot for eight weeks last year.

R. Kelly to Resurrect “Trapped in the Closet” Series

In what’s probably the biggest R&B news of 2012 so far, R. Kelly is announcing that he’ll be releasing further installments of his 2005 lyrical soap opera, “Trapped in the Closet.” Twenty-two chapters of the series came out between 2005 and 2007, and now Kelly is gearing up to release a whopping 32 more chapters this year.

The Jonas Brothers in their heyday. | Photo by RusPlot via Wikimedia Commons

The Jonas Brothers Return

…to TV. The JoBros are allegedly in talks with E! to get their own reality show à la the Kardashians. The boys are no strangers to television, after starring in a Disney Channel series that aired in 2009 and 2010 and their various stints in guest roles and made-for-TV movies. Joe, Kevin and Nick have been laying low since their band went on hiatus (Joe pursuing a solo career, Nick taking on Broadway and Kevin taking on marriage), but now it seems they’re aiming to capture older audiences with a look into their now “grown-up” lives. Let’s just hope we won’t have to see any D.U.I. arrests or family interventions. Awkward.

 And in case you missed it…

Justin Bieber’s answer to Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend”

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Stacy DuPree of Eisley. | Photo by Paige Lednar

Tuesday, March 20 brought the city of Boston beautiful weather by day and beautiful music by night. At around 7:15 pm the doors of the Red Room, a cozy little red space on Boylston Street, were opened to a comfortably-sized crowd of around a hundred who had come to see indie group Eisley perform on the Boston leg of their Deep Space Tour.

Comprised of five siblings, three sisters and two brothers from Texas, Eisley is known for its lush melodies and wonderfully fantastical lyrics. This is complemented by the rich vocals of lead singers Sherri and Stacy DuPree, whose voices in harmony give their music an ethereal quality. Their new EP Deep Space, after which their tour is named, follows their third studio album, The Valley, and finds the group fantasizing about love, freedom, and solidarity in a sweet set of five tracks.

Eisley has a dedicated fan following. The crowd may have been small, but it made up for this with its enthusiasm. On hearing the opening notes of their first song of the night, “Smarter,” it was easy to see why: jumping headfirst into a set of three songs, the siblings proved that they could live up to the high expectations set by their albums. Playing with equal parts energy and intensity, the siblings seem to have transformed their family bonds into musical ones as they displayed a level of intimacy and comfort between each other that is usually hard to find onstage. Sherri’s firecracker persona complete with pink-and-blue hair and stenciled guitar contrasted with Stacy’s quiet intensity on the keyboard.

Their set, which lasted an hour and fifteen because of Boston’s 11 pm curfew, included a collection of songs from both old albums and new. The crowd sang along adoringly when they performed “Marvelous Things,” the whimsical track that shot them to fame. The crowd then cheered on in a show of support when the third sister, Chauntelle DuPree, who usually sticks to playing guitar (sensationally), belted out the punch line chorus of “Watch It Die.”

Eisley | Photo by Paige Lednar

They interacted with their attentive audience only around halfway through their set due to the time constraint, but their lively banter added to the growing atmosphere of cozy intimacy in the room. The cherry on top was when Sherri sang her new song, “192 Days” off the new album. The song, written for her husband, is a love drunk ditty set exactly 192 days after she first met him, and was performed only by the sisters, as the boys momentarily left the stage.

The sweet lyrics, so at odds with her pseudo tough-girl appearance, showcase part of what makes Eisley so unique as a band. This musically endowed family proves time and time again that a band can be current and bold but faithful and reverent all at the same time. The perfect end to the concert? Walking out into the fresh spring night. It might as well have been a continuation of their music.

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Rapper and Dorchester native Charmingly Ghetto, who recently released a video shot on BU's campus | Photo by Javier Martinez

“Boston” and “rap” are two words that popular culture doesn’t ordinarily put in the same sentence. Boston may have produced Gang Starr’s Guru, but it still takes a lot of flak for Marky Mark and frat rapper Sam Adams.

But luckily, Dorchester must be trying to redeem itself for Mark Wahlberg’s rap career because it has given us something much better in the form of Charmingly Ghetto, also known as CG. And even though the 24-year-old went to UMass-Amherst (where he studied journalism), the ties to Boston University he made after college have been helping him spread his talent across the city where he got his start.

“I started becoming interested in creating music in high school and haven’t stopped ever since then,” he says. “I have been blessed with the opportunity to share my music and [the fact] that people have taken the time recently to check for it among a lot of music that has fleeting and temporal qualities. I am really and truly focused on making music that is representative of a wide range of people that transcends race, culture, etc., and remains timeless.”

CG first linked up and shared his philosophy with BU students Sean Croegaert-Key (COM ’12), Steve Jones (COM ’12), and Javier Martinez (COM ’12) during the fall of 2010. Croegaert-Key writes for the Chicago-based hip-hop blog Ruby Hornet, Jones produces beats as part of a duo called Introspective Minds, and Martinez makes rap videos under the name ThaReelness along with a few other COM seniors in the film department.

“The rest is history, to say the least,” says CG. “Since then, the student body has been very supportive of my music journey, and it’s been a great experience working with and connecting with the students that have been involved with helping spread the word.”

And spread the word they did. His EP “Overstanding” debuted this past summer and his album “Study A’broad” was just released in November. Since then, CG has gained a lot more attention, and has developed and matured a great deal even between the two records.

“I did not release [Study A’broad] until I felt I had put something timeless together for people. It really shows a broad range of sound and a feel that differs from Overstanding which was more of a genre fusion project,” CG says. “[Study A’broad] means to me the pursuit of universal understanding and seeing that people from all walks of life have similar concerns and appreciations. Too much time is spent on determining our differences and not enough celebrating what we have in common.”

In just hearing his thoughts on his album, there’s no denying that CG is smart. The name Charmingly Ghetto comes from W.E.B. Du Bois’s concept of two meanings in one from The Souls of Black Folk. He’s charming but tough, and can incorporate both book smarts and street smarts in his verses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUI2RHVs1A8

This shows in the song “Glory,” which he just released a video for Wednesday. Martinez and his crew shot the video on BU’s campus, and Jones produced the song’s beat. The video includes concepts of racial disparity and political issues. CG says he chose the song because he believes it exhibits a number of skills he’s improved on since his debut.

“[It] showcases the rhyme scheme that I have come to hone recently, really speaks on the art form from a retrospective standpoint, and helps to reintroduce many listeners to that inspired sound that people really enjoyed hearing in the past,” he says. “With the cuts in the hook to the drum pattern, it’s undeniably a crowd-pleaser. The visuals just came together perfectly for the record as well.”

CG views his music as a work of art. He uses it as a means of expression, but still tries to perfect it. And if CG keeps following in the same direction he’s following now, his art is sure to launch him straight to the top.

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In the manner of fellow Briton James Blake and many other UK artists nowadays, Lapalux incorporates big downtempo drums, modulated vocal samples, wobbly synths, and dark background textures into his sound. And while his peers are filling the halls of underground London clubs, Lapalux forgoes danceability for pure, swirling headphone music. The complexity usually works, but what is gained from sonic bombast is sometimes lost in clarity of mood.

Perhaps this is why When You’re Gone is most resonant when it whispers: first in the crackly opener “102 Hours of Introductions,” then in the ethereal and drumless last track, “Face Down, Eyes Shut.” The record’s strongest tune is “Gutter Glitter,” which bubbles up and down around a repeating, unintelligible vocal refrain, layers of industrial synthesizers, and fantastic tribal drums. “Moments,” a song featuring the velvety and altered voice of singer PY and wild bursts from a retro drum kit, is also very good, but almost gets milled into obscurity by the low end.

In a way, much of When You’re Gone is about “moments,” moments that are cut, transposed, and layered intelligently with just the slightest tinge of Kraftwerk-era techno. The result is a fragmented sound that is dark and arresting, but at times aimless. As with overwrought tracks like “Yellow 90’s” and “Construction Deconstruction,” Lapalux’s effects can feel rather flat without a heart to moor them.

Brainfeeder has bloomed in quite a few different musical directions and geographical locations since its inception in Los Angeles in 2008. Generally speaking, its artists couple futuristic, sample-driven beat-making with an understanding of jazz, ambient, and electronica influences. And while the array of artists may at first sound dissimilar (compare the crunchy 8-bit hip-hop of Samiyam to the transcendent funk of bassist Thundercat), Brainfeeder’s releases are connected by a common mood–one word might be “nocturnal.”

So, in its innovatory spirit, When You’re Gone fits right alongside the Brainfeeder catalog. The UK-influenced style is a promising edge to the scene, but Lapalux’s atmosphere is a little ungrounded. There’s the sense that his unfettered creativity could be aimed deeper toward the record’s more dreamy, late-night moments.

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The Black Keys are an example of a true American success story. Hailing from Akron, Ohio, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney were about as cut-off from a thriving music scene as any musician from a small town can be. However, their passion and love for good old-fashioned rock-and-roll have made the duo into a phenomenon. After five albums, The Black Keys finally got the praise and recognition they deserved with their 2010 album, Brothers. They’ve had a busy two years since and show no signs of slowing down. Fresh off the release of El Camino, the Black Keys brought their arena tour Wednesday night to TD Garden, where they showed that simple can be spectacular.

Playing at TD Garden | Photo by Evan Caughey

Arctic Monkeys opened the show and definitely gave the crowd something to talk about. Already a major success in UK, the Arctic Monkeys played earlier hits like “I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor,” but also songs of their fourth and latest album Suck It And See. Frontman Alex Turner looked straight out of a 1950’s stylebook and added to the cool factor when he swung his leather jacket over his shoulder as he left the stage.

The Black Keys played for 5,000 people last time they were in Boston, but a couple of years can make a huge difference. Playing to a sold-out crowd—the Garden’s capacity is 20,000—the Keys’ old school sensibility wowed. Oldies but goodies by the likes of Otis Redding and Lee Dorsey were played before the show. Musicians who reach the pinnacle of success often go all-out on stage, but The Black Keys’ simple setup perfectly complemented their music.

Taking the stage, they began an almost two hour show with hits from Brothers, and then went straight into newer songs that are more fun and bigger-sounding than their earlier work. However, The Black Keys really shined during a four-song set featuring just the two guys, with Auerbach riffing like sweet poetry and Carney pounding on the drums. They managed to make an arena concert feel like an intimate jam session; the crowd loved it.  The show never slowed down, with Auerbach saying, “Let’s keep it moving along.” After living under the radar for so long it’s not hard to understand why he’d want that.

Finishing up with hits “Tighten Up” and “Lonely Boy,” The Black Keys showcased their stellar musicianship that left the crowd starving for more. As a giant disco ball descended from the ceiling, the audience was treated to mesmerizing slow number, “Everlasting Light,” that would justify any lighter or cell phone waved in the air.

Disco fever at a rock concert? Yes. | Photo by Evan Caughey

Playing the last song of the night, “I Got Mine,” off of their fifth album, The Black Keys proved that their music has always been good. It just took the world a while to take notice.

Songs worth a listen: “Little Black Submarines” “I Got Mine” “Tighten Up” 

Arctic Monkeys “Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair” 

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Jack White performing with The Dead Weather. | Photo by Scott Penner via Wikimedia Commons

Best Coast X Urban Outfitters

Newsic Music usually sticks to the pop and rock realms, but when indie queen and Best Coast frontwoman Bethany Cosentino teams up with hipster Mecca Urban Outfitters, it can’t go uncovered. Flowy tops, cheeky rompers, and crisp collars echo Best Coasts chill vibes. The collection hits store in May, meanwhile lookbook snaps can be found floating around the web…

Jack White Takes SNL

Jack White made his debut as a solo artist on the Lindsay Lohan-hosted Saturday Night Live last weekend. The Nashville rocker performed two songs, highlighting both of his very different styles, all the while keeping it creepy with Robert Smith-inspired locks. Watch his performance on nbc.com.

Cee Lo Goes Vegas

Voice star and soul crooner, Cee Lo Green just announced a Las Vegas residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino starting in August. The show, called Loberace,”will be a mashup of Green’s off-the-wall style and artistic creativity. The  producers are saying the show “will be as inspired and visually alive as Cee Lo Green.”

Wiz Khalifa and Amber Rose are Engaged

Kanye West’s ex-girlfriend is set to walk down the aisle after accepting a marriage proposal from “Black and Yellow” rapper Wiz Khalifa. Last month, before the engagement was announced, Rose told Billboard, “we want to get married, enjoy each other, have babies and be able to take time off.” Meanwhile, Khalifa is showing off Rose’s new rock proudly on Twitter.

Katy Perry. | Photo by nikotransmission via Wikimedia Commons

Katy Perry Clears the Air Around Her New Single

“Part of Me,” which debuted in Perry’s live performance at last month’s Grammy Awards, seemed to drop just in time for her post-break-up woes from her divorce with Russell Brand. Perry now claims, however, that the song isn’t about Brand. Perry says she wrote the song two years ago when she was in the studio for Teenage Dream, but decided the song didn’t feel right for the album. It’s a pretty interesting claim, considering how her Grammy performance included a snippet of “E.T.,” which is about her love for Brand, before a dramatic switch to the self-empowering, “Part of Me.” Sure, Katy…it’s just a coincidental production choice. I guess fans will have to take the blue-haired beauty’s word for it!

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After the incident, Chris Brown was later sentenced to 5 years probation and more than 1,400 hours of labor-oriented service. His career that he had worked so hard for was on the line, and he lost a lot of his endorsements, fans, and respect – with good reason.

Rihanna at the 2010 Grammy Awards. | Photo courtesy of Flickr Commons user wenthwort.

Three years later, after the 54th annual Grammy Awards back in February, it was announced that Rihanna and Chris Brown were collaborating, and a remix of Rihanna’s song “Birthday Cake” featuring Chris Brown was released just days later. Although the song has been tremendously popular, many people are outraged with Rihanna’s decision to work with Chris Brown again. And in a way, I do understand their perspective: how a woman should not let her abuser back into her life in any way, shape, or form. On the other hand, I think it is an interesting move on Rihanna’s part and it is extremely strong of her to make this step not only in her career, but also in her personal life.

I’m not trying to endorse anything about what Chris Brown did. His actions that day back in 2009 towards Rihanna were disgraceful, not only to her, but to his fans, to everything in his career that he had worked for, and most importantly, to women in general. This is just one case out of countless abusive relationships that just so happened to occur in the bright spotlight of Hollywood fame. Most women do not have the blessing to have their attacker so critically exposed in the public eye for his actions.

That being said, Rihanna didn’t choose that path, or what followed the incident. She didn’t choose to become a role model to millions of women around the world for her bravery and courage, nor did she choose to be a victim of abuse. When the public turns around to bash her for her actions three years after the incident, three years after she has come to peace with what happened, and three years after her music fame has continued to skyrocket, it just goes to show that they weren’t really behind her decisions all along. In the end, we really do just live up to our name as fans. We can support her decisions or not, but that does not change the fact that they are Rihanna’s personal decisions. In most other cases, others would not be able to ridicule her actions in such a harsh light as we are able to because of her fame. As long as Rihanna ends up with more Grammys than Chris Brown, I’m a happy camper.

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Pat Stickles screamed and sang in the GSU basement on Friday night. What a dream boy. | Photo by Marry Pivazian

Last Friday night I went to see Titus Andronicus play for free at BU Central. I arrived early, since I knew that previous BU Central shows like The Arctic Monkeys The Antlers and Young the Giant! had attracted pretty large crowds, and I have a mild-to-severe phobia of standing at the ends of lines (what if they don’t lead anywhere!?). To my surprise, when I showed up there was only a small group of highschoolers waiting and feeling very out of place. By the time the doors opened, there was a line only about thirty people long. I bring all this up, dear reader, to reinforce an assumption: you didn’t go see Titus Andronicus play for free at the GSU.

Why wouldn’t you go see Titus Andronicus play at the GSU?! Come on! It was an awesome show! Remember those highschoolers I mentioned? They started a mosh pit—I punched a dude in the face (sorry again, bro)! Plus, it was free. If I ranked all of my life experiences by fun per dollar, this show would be so far up the list it’s crazybeans. You honestly have no excuse not to have gone. I am not only ashamed for yourself, but for everyone at this dumb school. BU Central should have been packed like a can of sardines, but instead it was like all the sardines escaped from the canning factory because they hate having fun.

What does our beautiful student body have against good ol’ rock and roll? Sure, there are plenty of excuses, but let me assure all you chumps who didn’t show up: rock and roll is the best and you are not. Pat Stickles (@titus_ndronicus), the band’s frontman, was chock full of enthusiasm, even though just showing up got him tons of adulation. Anthemic fan favorites spiraled into extended jams as the cool kids who did show up threw themselves around in a fit of fun. The band screamed and so did the audience, giving their set a fantastic, self-perpetuating energy.

I’m done blaming you. I’m moving on. The show was awesome even though you weren’t there. I did have the silent wish that the band’s tour openers, Diarrhea Planet (@DiarrheaPlanet) and Screaming Females (@screamales), had shown up (after all, how awesome a name is Diarrhea Planet?!), but I can let that slide. It’s pretty cool that BU Central could book these guys, and even cooler that they agreed. Even though we were only their tour’s warm-up gig, Titus treated the small group of fans at BU Central to an awesome time. Actually, I was pleasantly surprised that BU didn’t break up the rowdy audience (thanks, guys). We’re actually pretty lucky here on campus: some of the people in charge see our collective stress and encourage us to have a good time, regardless of how loudly our ears are ringing or how coarse our voices are afterwards.

Stickles spent a lot of time mumbling to the audience; he's a really goofy guy. | Photo by Marry Pivazian

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Rihanna performing last summer. | Photo by Marc Schiller via Wikimedia Commons.

Are Rihanna and Chris Brown Back Together?

That’s what skeptics are claiming after the pair seems to have reconciled: Brown was spotted at the Barbadian beauty’s birthday party last Monday, then reappeared later that night on the debut of RiRi’s latest official Talk That Talk remix. Next up: the duo is rumored to be performing a duet together on the new season of American Idol; however, the appearance is not confirmed. The jury’s still out on what this all means as far as a potentially rekindled romance, but Rihanna fans are making their opinions pretty clear.  Twitter user JuhReeV tweeted, “I gotta admit, I lost a lot of respect for @rihanna…Makin a song w/the dude that beat your face off is not a good look,” to which the sassy singer responded, “@JuhReeV neither is your avi #clapback.” With both sides keeping hush about what’s behind the sudden reunion, it seems only time will tell.

André 3000 Crushes Outkast Fans Everywhere

…not literally. However, he did dispel any hope for new Outkast material when he officially announced to GQ that there are there “no plans for another OutKast album.” Lately the rapper’s been working on various collaborations and says he hopes to focus on his solo career.

Foster the People Promises New Album

Maybe all the disappointed Outkast fans will give indie a try? Either way, front man Mark Foster told NME that the band is aiming to record a new LP by the end of 2012. While he can’t promise that it will see release before 2013, fans can hold out hope for its leading single before December’s end. Foster elaborates, “Hopefully we’ll have a song or two out by the end of the year. I’d like to get the album done pretty quickly but we’re not going to put something out until it’s ready. I’d say in 2013 it’ll be out.”

Google Continues to Make Life Easier… Now With a Concert Listings Feature

The search engine giant just launched a new feature which displays upcoming concerts and events when users search their favorite bands. Google Product Manager Kavi Goel said, “To me, music is best heard live, so it’s always exciting to find out that a band I love is coming to town.” And in a town like Boston – a must-hit city for every touring artist – this is a great way to make sure you don’t miss out on must-see shows!

And in case you missed it…

SNL does Beyoncé and Jay-Z…and Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, Bon Iver, and more

The 15 best DMX quotes from his Power 105.1 interview

Tyga’s album gets pulled from stores for ripping off MLK

Celebrities’ faces photoshopped onto Skrillex’s hair (Also: Billboard calling Skrill “The Dubstep King”… please)

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