[Update] Rumor: Bloc Party and Ben Folds Coming to Shreveport, Centenary

I've spoken to the Fighting Squirrels people on campus and they (as of Tuesday's meeting) haven't reached a contract with the band(s). Essentially, they haven't fully booked an artist. Meanwhile, the actual transcript from the Preview Weekend pamphlets reads as follows:

"Preview Weekend April 4&5: an opportunity for admitted students to explore centenary.
Stay overnight and enjoy a concert featuring Ben Folds, block party, games and more! Be sure to save the date, more information is coming your way soon."

So, looks like Ben Folds is the main performer (still unconfirmed), while a physical block party will take place, on a -umm- block. This is slightly disheartening, but it's all still very unconfirmed. Expect updates soon. And visit centenarytickets.com for other updates.

Thanks for the info KC!

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Rumor: Bloc Party and Ben Folds Coming to Shreveport, Centenary

Just got word last night from a prospective student.

It appears that Centenary has unleashed a series of packets announcing that both Bloc Party and Ben Folds will headline a concert in Centenary's Gold Dome on Thursday, April 3rd. The event will be hosted by Admissions and Fighting Squirrels who have hosted comedians and musicians in the past, including Marc Broussard and Better than Ezra.

The concert is the crescendo of Preview Weekend, which is the last major event to bring in students for the coming year. Right now, the Preview Weekend url is hidden. The usual ticket price is $15 for the public, $10 for Centenary students, and free to prospective students. Tickets will be sold at centenarytickets.com. Alas, no info there either. If you're still in high school, it would be wise to send your info to the the Admissions Office. Maybe you'll get to attend the concert for free.

The Ben Folds website doesn't mention any concerts in Shrevport, but lists a show at Missouri State University on April 2nd and Murray State University on April 7th. Both blocparty.com and blocparty.net mention a show in London on February 28th as the only show for the year. It would be pricey to fly the bands to Shreveport. Alas, I am sure there is money to spend.

If this rumor is confirmed, I'll post as soon as I know. It would be oh-so-nice to get an interview with both bands and record the live concert.

phot credit kk+

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Centenary's Paper Now Online

Anyone wanting an exclusive look at Centenary's student-run newspaper now has a chance at theccconglomerate.com. Versha Sharma, the Conglomerate's editor, is thrilled to put the paper online. The rest of the school will be thrilled once they wake up to the location of the site. The site launched officially today. Beyond offering features, arts & entertainment, sports, and opinion sections, the site also includes handy Digg and Facebook sharing links.

Any visitor can view the website and read articles. Also, anyone can post comments and create an account. There's a "Classifieds" and "Message Board" section for anyone to post relevant Centenary information. This could be a great tool for anyone wishing to reach a large number of Centenary students for free. Post a note in the Classifieds. Comment on the articles. The site encourages interaction between readers.

-a personal note-
I'm thrilled that another Centenary medium has made its way into the digital space known as the internet. It was a lot of work getting KSCL's blog and podcast going in the late summer of '07 and now the paper's online. This is great for the Shreveport community and allows another medium to reach outside of Centenary's -somewhat- closeted campus. Enjoy it!

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KSCL 91.3 FM Exclusive Interview with Dr. Barbara Forrest

We recorded an extensive interview with Dr. Barbara Forrest the day after she came to Centenary to present a lecture detailing the political and religious aims of the intelligent design movement.

In the interview, she explains evolutionary theory, creationism, and how creationism led to intelligent design. She details the intelligent design movement's theories and strategies.

We also got her to comment on the interesting questions she received from the community after the lecture on Thursday.

Here's the interview.

http://www.centenary.edu/life/kscl/podcast/drforrest.mp3

Two Great Shows Tonight!

Wanted to point two shows going on in Shreveport tonight.
The first will be at the Jackrabbit Lounge (163 E Kings). The second will be at The Warehouse (630 Commerce). Both Shows are $5. The show at the Jackrabbit will be the manager's going away show. It'll be Jen's last night to work at Joe's so, it most likely will be a wild send off. The bands are Power Pellut, RaRa, and the Peekers.

The show at The Warehouse is Why The Hell Not?'s multi-CD release party. Dan Garner, Mr. Christopher, the Dark Pop Project, and the Hoodlum Circus are playing. For those in the know, our own DJ Camille is in the Hoodlum Circus. There's more info on the show at Trudeau's blog. Enjoy the night!

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Rivers Cuomo -- "Alone" Music Review

I must start by telling you I cannot consider myself a fan of the band Weezer. In middle school during the early ‘00’s… well, maybe I did sing along to their hits “Buddy Holly” and “Hashpipe”. And I’m not ashamed to say I loved their album Pinkerton. It was fresh and rotten all at the same time, and it had a sense of pop music made in a basement. But I love Pinkerton, not Weezer.

So I have a similar relationship with Rivers Cuomo. As the lead singer of Weezer I dislike him; as a solo artist he surprises and impresses me. He has helped sell Weezer until their music has sounded shrink-wrapped and more studio-packaged than a pile of week-old hamburger meat from a Food Lion grocery store. However, this 2008 release Alone: the Home Recordings of Rivers Cuomo is quite refreshing.

The eighteen tracks on Alone were recorded with equipment that Cuomo bought in his teen years and the content of this music spans a couple of decades with influences from genres of rap, metal, and underground rock. Some of the songs were written while in high school, others while Rivers was attending Harvard University, and still others of these recordings were prototypes of songs that Weezer would distort into produced pop music.

Included on the album is a slowed-down, buzzy version of “Buddy Holly” which actually contains remnants of emotional response and even some organ backing. Also there is a series of tracks that run together to form a sci-fi/romance operetta written by Cuomo.

Overall this solo project of Rivers Cuomo is such a joy because it recalls the spirit of Pinkerton. There is a freedom in the music that even Cuomo addresses in the liner notes of Alone. He basically tells the listener that recording in private without the pressure of a recording studio and a producer allowed for more free-flowing creativity to assemble. It pleases me as a music lover to hear an artist admit that sometimes creativity is more important that making money.

"Inside Creationism's Trojan Horse: A Closer Look at Intelligent Design"

....

is the lecture that will be presented by Dr. Barbara Forrest Thursday, February 7th in Kilpatrick auditorium on Centenary campus.

Dr. Forrest is a philosophy professor in the Department of History and Political Science at Southeastern Louisiana University and will present a lecture which details the political and religious aims of the intelligent design creationist movement.

She will also be speaking about her role in the landmark 2005 trial, Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover School Area District on Saturday, Feb. 9, in the Louisiana State University-Shreveport Science Lecture Room beginning at 2 p.m. The title of her lecture at LSUS is "Slam Dunk for Science and the Constitution: Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District."

Dr. Forrest has served as an expert witness for the plaintiffs in the first legal case involving intelligent design, Kitzmiller et al. v. Dover Area School District, which originated in Dover, Pa., and was resolved with a judgment in favor of the plaintiffs in December 2005.

She is a member of the board of directors of the National Center for Science Education and the National Advisory Council of Americans United for Separation of Church and State. She has appeared on Larry King Live, ABC's Nightline, the BBC’s Horizon documentary about the Kitzmiller trial, "A War on Science," and PBS’s Nova documentary about the Kitzmiller trial, "Judgment Day."

Dr. Forrest will be available before and after the lecture to sign copies of her book, which will be for sale at the lecture.

We'll be interviewing Dr. Forrest and that interview as well as the program itself should be aired next week. It will be up on the podcast shortly after.

In summary:

Dr. Barbara Forrest lectures on Intelligent Design/Creationism
8 pm on Thursday, February 7th
Kilpatrick Auditorium, Centenary College

The interview is available at this post.
[Update: link to podcast episode added (12:01a 3/21/08)]