Play like nobody's watching
His "Politique" might not be as good as "Smelly Cat," but sophomore Neil Padover's one-man coffee house show is almost as eclectic as Phoebe Buffay's.
Though he broadly categorizes his music as "poppy," Padover's sound is actually a unique formula combining the likes of Ben Folds, James Taylor and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, with Baby Face, Boyz II Men and Gavin DeGraw all cited as inspirations.
But no matter how broad a spectrum he might cover in the course of just a single concert, Padover always kicks the night off with his signature, "Politique," a song he has used to open every gig since his professional debut at a high school talent show. Of "Politique's" message, Padover says, "It's about wanting to change the world and having to compromise your integrity [to do so] - and getting called on it."
"It's great to share [your music] with other people," Padover said. "But when you're alone in your room rocking out at the top of your lungs and you tap into that balance between your outward expressions and your inward feelings, that's what's really important."
To see if Neil can strike that balance, stop by Brown and Brew Wednesday night between 9:00 and 11:00 p.m.
The serious side of bathroom humor
Carnivals are places of bright lights and even brighter spirits, where people can get away from all the stress and hassles of daily life and tap into the inner child that makes them really think they might have a shot at winning that frog bopper/lily pad game.
Rarely amid all this gaiety do people give any thought to such "ugly" words as ulcerative colitis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), or Crohn's disease. Yet these are chronic illnesses that plague nearly two million Americans - particularly young adults - and they are often ignored by a society that relegates them to biology textbooks and potty jokes.
This Friday, Hillel aims to break that boundary of negligence with a fun-filled event that carries a serious message. The Bowel Bash is a new initiative aimed at raising awareness and support for IBDs in a non-threatening and lighthearted environment.
For a mere $5, Hillel welcomes you to enjoy all your favorite carnival staples. In between bites of funnel cake and popcorn, be ready to get an eye-opening education on one of the least talked about and most urgent medical problems today.
The Bash will be held at Fletcher Field from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8.
Taking the 'Fifth' ... to Faneuil Hall
Young people often condemn classical music as the product of a bunch of old, dead, prehistoric white guys. But this Saturday, April 9th, Tufts Symphony Orchestra will reverse that stigmatism with a breathtaking rendition of Gustav's Mahler's "Symphony No. 5" in historic Faneuil Hall.
One of Tufts' premiere performing groups, TSO boasts an annual average membership of 70 highly accomplished musicians and an approach that focuses on "integrating a global experience into the Tufts musical experience," notes TSO co-president and Tufts sophomore Hannah Field.
As for the featured piece, TSO will tackle Mahler's Fifth, what Field describes as "a complex work of five movements, depicting a vast range of musical ideas and emotions." Field says that TSO conductor and music director Malka Yaacobi chose the piece to "challenge and stretch" her musicians.
Though it is, indeed, a formidable work, Yaacobi explains, "I find that by playing the piece and by confronting Mahler's demons and dreams, we [the TSO members] have all learned a lot about ourselves, and we have become perhaps more in tune with ourselves."
Yaacobi adds, quoting another conductor, "when you play through Mahler's Fifth, you forget that time has passed."
The concert will begin at 8:00 p.m., and tickets can be purchased at the door for $5 with a Tufts I.D.
-compiled by Kelly Rizzetta
