catherine degennaro

When it’s time to get to work, those fleeing a chatty roommate or fighting the temptation to curl back up in bed might mistakenly seek refuge in Midnight Mug. Yes, that promised land nestled among the stacks where rivers flow with caffeinated beverages and chocolate chip bagels rain down from the sky at 85¢ a piece—and where you will be greeted by the latest and loudest hits from Girl Talk and Kanye.* But last weekend, we have to admit that it was us disrupting your studies with a performance from the Alexandria-based folk band, The Last Monarchs. After parading past the guard desk, stuffing an upright bass and cello through the doorway, and being led down the stairwell to Lau 2, the acoustic sextet serenaded the blessed souls who actually start doing their homework on Saturday afternoons. For a bit, conversations halted and iTunes libraries were paused as the band played a short three-song set over the drone of the milk steamer complete with a mini-string section, tambourines, harmonicas and handclaps before returning you to your reguarly scheduled jams.

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As we gear up for winter, fighting off hordes of empty calories, ironically infinite finals, and ravenous commercialism, and above all dumping tinsel and bulbs on anything that now seems just too dreary, Fluorescent Sense helped spruce up the back stairwell of Healy Hall in a lively performance for your listening pleasure. Read More »

When a musician is tied to a band with a distinct sound and reputation, side projects tend to be the quickest reprieve from expectations. They are chances to experiment and collaborate in low profile, low pressure environments. When long-time Wilco and former Uncle Tupelo bassist John Stirratt approached Pat Sansone with a collection of his own songs in the late 90s, the resulting album, 2001’s The Green Hour, could have been the end of the road—a quick outlet for Stirratt’s own musical vision. However, nearly a decade and four albums later, their project, The Autumn Defense, has grown into its own sound and out of the scope of a standard, short-term side project, pairing a relaxed and intimate approach with the continued growth and focus of a full-time project.

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In our last couple weekend playlists, we brought you soundtracks to accompany the delights of early fall: hot cider, cool weather, scarves and sweaters. But fall isn’t all crisp air and colored leaves. No, with November comes the final pre-Thanksgiving Break crunch, chilly weather and the gradual loss of precious daylight. Sometimes, you just get SAD. No, I’m not yelling “sad” at you from across the internet–we’re talking Seasonal Affective Disorder. So we here at WGTB are launching a preemptive strike against the winter blues, bringing back a bit of summer sunshine to warm you up as the temperature dips down. When you feel the chills coming on, press play and feel the heat of summer slowly seeping back in with every breezy, beachy harmony and lo-fi, surfy guitar riff. Read More »

In the final scene of The Last Waltz, Robbie Robertson is sitting down to an interview with Martin Scorcese. “The road has taken a lot of the great ones. Hank Williams. Buddy Holly. Otis Redding. Janis. Jimi Hendrix. Elvis. It’s a goddamn impossible way of life.” “It is, isn’t it?” Martin Scorcese mumbles. “No question about it,” Robertson replies as the theme begins to play. This was coming from a seasoned veteran who had spent the last sixteen years touring with The Band, so it was surprising to get the same road-weary attitude from the young members of Avi Buffalo—surprising, but understandable.

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After watching the reenactment you may be wondering how to spend your Columbus Day. Click through for our Columbus Day playlist, and please think of it as a narrative to guide your reflection on what you have just seen.

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