Sooner Nation's Light-hearted Heckler

Geoff Roughface is a Broadcast and Electronic Media senior that has grown up loving the University of Oklahoma. Roughface exhibits his passion for the Sooners by supporting most of the athletic teams through a zealous and identifiable manner. 

         After all of his heckling at regular-season games, playoffs and championships, he has managed to not only accumulate several threats, but prizes and ESPNU Campus Connection gigs.

         Fans and players either love him or hate him, but they have to at least acknowledge his dedication to consistently painting his face half red and half white. The self-proclaimed “light-hearted heckler” has become a familiar face among the Sooner Nation.    

Video by: Courtney Goforth

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Josh Sallee is Probably 'Cooler than You'

            The 21^st century has propelled society into an innovative world of technology, which conjures accessibility and convenience in almost all aspects of daily life. Nonetheless, even music fans have experienced many ways of listening to their favorite artists and once again the industry is no exception to modernization. Music digitization exudes the ridiculous availability to produce or access new music and Josh Sallee has mastered it.

Sallee performing for the Honor Roll
Accolades release party in Okla. City.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Baleout Photos

            According to “The Dawn of Commercial Digital Recording,” by Thomas Fine, digital audio uses pulse-code modulation and digital signals for sound reproduction. Additionally, this is not a recent development; by the beginning of the 1980s, all major record companies had embraced digital recording in one form or another, which ushered in a new consumer mass medium. However, modern technology has evolved the development into a silky process of recording, manipulation, mass-production and distribution of sound by storing, retrieving and transmitting signals without any loss of quality.

            Edmond native Josh Sallee is not only a student at the University of Central Oklahoma, but a twenty-two year old recording artist who has already conquered and benefitted from the music digitization process. According to his personal Web site, Sallee has already shared the stage with Paul Wall, Bizzy Bone, The Cool Kids, Cypress Hill, Kidz in the Hall, XV, Ke$ha, Mickey Avalon, 88-Keyz, Donnis, Mr. Dibbs, Cubic Zirconia and Mac Miller.

            “Music digitization has made it possible for anyone to pursue a career,” said Sallee. “There are now avenues for anyone to post a song up to or find music to use. Without it, I would still be doing music, but it wouldn’t have reached a national scale as quickly.”

Cover for Sallee's mixtape "Honor Roll Accolades."
PHOTO: Courtesy of Josh Sallee

            Sallee’s remix of Mike Posner’s “Cooler Than Me,” appropriately titled, “Cooler Than Me (Now Remix),” propelled him to his YouTube stardom, which accumulated over 350,000 hits. A 15-song mixtape is ready for download on his Web site, where you can also watch his two music videos and look for upcoming events.

            “Music digitization has positive and negative effects dependent upon how you look at it,” said Sallee. “For labels, it is a huge negative. They no longer have the music industry monopolized. Hardcopy CD sales are lower than they have ever been, but it is positive for people trying to get recognized. People are lazy now; they don’t want to go to the store. They want to click a button and have the music on the iPod. Convenience over innovation.”

            Check out Josh’s Web site for his free mixtape, music videos and update on upcoming events. Also, become his fan on Facebook!

Sallee performing in front of a crowd at The Hidden Castle in Norman in late July.
PHOTO: Courtesy of Josh Sallee

The Concert Series for Students

             The Concert Series provides free live music for students at the University of Oklahoma at least once per semester. It is a yearlong event that is part of the Campus Activities Council (CAC), which leads 12 other events throughout the year.

            The University of Oklahoma Student Association founded CAC in 1971, in order to create a board that plans and initiates campus-wide events for all students. According to the CAC Web site, it is made up of 23 council members and more than 300 committee members headed by a chairperson elected annually by the student body. Therefore, anyone can join the meetings to help out where volunteers are needed, but there is a small process to become an official member.

            “It takes a bit of work,” said Concert Series Chair Staley Stidham. “You have to fill out an application and go through an interview. Students are chosen based on combined scores of the two. It allows CAC to acquire students who are truly passionate about their branch of the organization.”

            Stidham has helped bring in many bands in the last couple of years including: Modest Mouse, Band of Horses, Jonezetta, Manchester Orchestra, Rocket Summer, Amos Lee, Copeland, Lovedrug, Matt and Kim, Camera Obscura, Owl City, Octopus Project and Yellow Fever.  The shows have been conducted mainly in Meacham Auditorium in the Student Union, but have also been outdoors in front of the Union.  Each show is unique in presentation, derived from the differentiation in performance by the bands.

            “I think my favorite concert was Matt and Kim,” said Stidham. “The energy of the band seemed to permeate the atmosphere of the concert. The crowd was really involved in the show and made it an actual experience rather than a ‘stand and watch’ kind of concert. It didn’t hurt that they were incredibly nice people on top of the great show.”

            The Concert Series gives students an exciting opportunity to see a live show several times throughout the semester, but the students are not the only ones who benefit.

            “I love seeing the end result come together and the happiness it brings the audience,” said Stidham. “Watching a show that you organized and seeing the crowd loving it as much as you do, it kind of unites you with other people. You form a weird, inexplicable connection with everyone there.”

            Stidham also commented about the music scene in Norman outside of the Concert Series.

            “I am really proud of the way Norman has progressed since I was a freshman,” said Stidham. “We now have the Norman Music Festival and great venues like The Opolis. Norman is really lucky to have a few people who are really passionate about music and making things happen.”

Matt and Kim perform in Meacham Auditorium in Fall of 2009. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

The Early Beat opens up for Matt and Kim in Meacham Auditorium. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

Local Students Listen for Non-Local Talent

            Whether someone grew up here, came here to attend college, or came because he or she always yearned to be a part of the Sooner nation- if they stuck around long enough, they would discover many places to get their fix of live music in Norman. Campus Corner is drenched with cafes, bars and restaurants that host live music weekly, along with venues such as the Opolis in downtown. Nevertheless, many of the students at the University of Oklahoma remain unimpressed.

            Several places around the OU campus have racks of local publications such as Boyd St and the school paper, The Oklahoma Daily, which serve as great sources for upcoming events around the area. As well as, posters sloppily stapled up to the event posts, music events chalked onto the campus sidewalks, and Web sites such as Oklahomarock.com lists 20 venues in Norman that host live music. However, to some students these advertising methods are forgetful and ineffective.

Journalism senior and contributing writer
 for Sooners Illustrated Jono Greco. PHOTO: Sarah Davies

            “Honestly, I only pick up [Boyd St.] to look at the little bar pictures to see if I know anyone in them,” said journalism senior Jono Greco. “I don’t really look at those flyers, posters, or whatever either. But I remember in the past when Modest Mouse was on campus seeing a bunch of flyers for that and I thought it was pretty cool.” 

            Greco has never attended a concert or live show in Norman, along with many other students who claim to be “uninterested.” Students like Greco mentioned ticket prices, location, venue and popularity of the band as essential elements in deciding whether or not they should attend a show.

            “There hasn’t been many shows that interest me in Norman,” said communication sophomore Matt Hebert. “If a ‘big name’ artist like the Rolling Stones, Muse, Coldplay or Bruce Springsteen came I would definitely be enticed to go. But, I prefer bigger venues that would cost under $100 per ticket. The only way I would take a chance on an unknown band that was playing would be if I had heard their music before or if it was a free show.”

            The problem does not seem to be minimal advertising or venue deficiency, but a lack of interest in local talent and modest venues. Norman retains at least 20 venues, normanmusicscene.com provides information on upcoming shows- along with 18 other Web sites that supply similar information, Guestroom Records’ store windows are covered with flyers for local shows, and magazines such as Boyd St. provide readers with monthly calendars of entertainment in the area. If students want to entice “bigger bands” to come to their slightly picky college town, they first need to prove there is enough people that support and care about the local music scene and are willing to take a chance on artists that may not be touring with Lady Gaga or repetitively playing on popular radio stations.

            If you would like to experience the local Norman music scene for yourself or perhaps take a chance on an unknown aspiring artist, you can visit any of the links in this post for more information on upcoming events.

Facebook event invitation for CAC Concert Series and
the Opolis' next music event. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

Advertisement chalked on a campus sidewalk for an international music
concert being held at Catlett Music Center. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

One of several posts around campus for organizations
to advertise their event. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

Newsstands in Gaylord Hall that are always filled with new editions of
The Oklahoma Daily, So6ix Magazine, and Boyd St. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

Ray Bribiesca, the "Crazy" Camerman

            Whenever people watch an interesting news segment or some sort of gripping documentary, they usually remember the people who were on the screen- the reporters, anchors, interviewers or interviewees. But it is the man or woman behind the camera that is telling the story through the images and videos and is responsible for bringing the story to life for the viewers. Ray Bribiesca, 60 Minutes cameraman, who has worked at CBS for more than three decades, has dedicated his life to visually telling a story through the lens of a camera and asking himself, “What does a face look like?”

            Bribiesca, an ex-Marines combat cameraman in the Vietnam War and military photographer, claims to always execute his work manually and “turn off the zoom.” However, Bribiesca has developed a reputation for what he calls his “crazy shots.”  Bribiesca admitted that the name of his footage derived from how he predicted the people close to him would respond to his scary ways of capturing the subject's emotions. “Once my friends, my family sees it, they’ll say ‘crazy shots’, they really will,” said Bribiesca. One look at the footage the daring cameraman documented of the firefight he and CBS correspondent Lara Logan witnessed while in Afghanistan, would almost immediately evoke the same response, or what his friends back home have actually said to him, “You are really f’ed up.”

            Nevertheless, in all aspects of media, the person telling the story has to concede their boundaries and determine where they would cross the line. Unsurprisingly, Bribiesca does not adhere to such a thing.

            “You’ve got to forget the lines,” said Bribiesca. “[The American soldiers] told us if we ask you to hand us ammunition, you hand us ammunition… You don’t think, you don’t. You just react. If anything tragic happens to you, that’s part of the deal.”

            Although the footage Bribiesca has captured is daring and perhaps a little “crazy”, he purports that being a good photographer is through “practice and just being lucky.” CBS correspondent Lara Logan accompanied Bribiesca on the trip to Afghanistan, and although she did not follow suit with exposing herself to open fire, she asserted in a 60 Minutes segment that “He wasn’t reckless, he wasn’t stupid, he just wasn’t afraid.” In fact, before heading to Afghanistan, Bribiesca and his crew were required to take a three-week intensive first-aid course. He found the course essential because he believes that “We can’t do our jobs and call ourselves journalists if you can’t protect your source.”

            Bribiesca mentioned in his lecture that hardly anything could happen anymore without someone recording it. The 60 Minutes cameraman has directed his footage around the emotion of people’s faces instead of point-of-view shots, and removed any boundaries that would stifle his storytelling. Despite Bribiesca’s courageous efforts in documenting the American soldiers, he is already on the move again, this time to Yemen. “You’re only as good as your last story,” said Bribiesca. “As a journalist, I listen, I watch, because everyone has a story to tell.”

           To watch Ray Bribiesca and CBS correspondent Lara Logan's full report, A Relentless Enemy, go to http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6902810n&tag=contentMain;contentBody.

Bribiesca explaining his background before students watched his 60 Minutes segment. PHOTO: Ana Lastra

           

            

Boyd Street Gives You Wings

            Welcome to Boyd St. Magazine, where as soon as you walk in the door, your eyes will pan to stacks of papers and boxes, and you will probably be offered your choice of Red Bull. This is where John Montgomery, the 28-year-old publisher and editor-in-chief of Boyd St. makes sure everything, including your four-beers-in picture from Campus Corner, is complete and ready to print. 

            Montgomery first entered into print journalism as an assistant editor of the Purcell Register, the oldest newspaper in Oklahoma, that his family has published for the last 21 years.  In 2006, Montgomery bought Boyd St. after the two Norman men who created the magazine three years prior, wanted out and the publication had already cycled through another publisher.  Montgomery took on the magazine, but had to make a few changes, while maintaining its distinct appeal.

            “The main step that we took right when we got it was to try to, on the backend, up the professionalism a little bit,” said Montgomery. “There were some loose ends in accounting and things such as that… We just kind of needed to strengthen that. We generally try to keep the content straightforward and about the same as it has been, it has its identity and we don’t want to stray too far from that.”

            So who are the popular features such as On the Scene, Norman Nightlife, and College Cribs created for? Montgomery undoubtedly replied that their target audience was the University of Oklahoma campus and the sales pitch was for an 18 to 24 year old demographic. Surprisingly, the staff consists of only about 15 members, depending on the time of year, that are mostly freelance writers; only three are full-time employees. 

            The magazine has a knack for creating articles and blurbs that are straightforward with effortless sarcastic flair. The witty jargon is prevalent throughout the magazine, as well as their social networking Web sites. You can experience their unique style simply by reading their “About me” section on Myspace: “I am a magazine that conveys important collegiate lifestyle information. Every two weeks you can expect hard-hitting journalism with a conservative slant. Just kidding, we do none of those things. Mostly because we are pieces of paper and some staples.”

        The laid-back and sarcastic team at Boyd St. Magazine is fueled by Red Bull, but motivated by students. Montgomery believes that even though some sectors of print journalism have suffered, niche magazines are doing better than ever. Journalism students should not be frightened by the status of print journalism; Montgomery thinks that if your publication is intended for a certain audience and they are interested in what you are saying, then you will have a winning combination. 

       To keep up with the witty contributors of Boyd St., check out their blog at boydstreet.blogspot.com or http://www.myspace.com/boydstreetmagazine or www.facebook.com/BoydStreetMagazine. 

ACM@UCO Presents...Tara Dillard

            Students at the Academy of Contemporary Music at The University of Central Oklahoma are taking their education outside of the classroom and bestowing their talents in the new ACM@UCO Performance Lab in downtown Oklahoma City. The two-month-old venue hosted the California-based band Local Natives as their first non-student headliner on October 5^th.  But the Performance Lab host weekly shows by students at no cost and ACM student Tara Dillard and her band were eager to show off their talent.

            Dillard is a musical theatre turned vocal performance major that is trying to find her place in the music world that she knows she belongs in.

            “I’ve been singing my whole life,” said Dillard. “I don’t think I can really tell you when I started. I think it has just always been there. I’ve never known myself not being able to sing or not singing period.”

Dillard playing the keyboard to a Sara Bareilles cover. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

            As a kid, Dillard let her imagination run wild with future career options, including a ballerina, firefighter and CIA agent, but Dillard knew “there wasn’t really another option. [She] never really wanted anything else.” Dillard has played several shows at the Picasso Café in Oklahoma City and has been asked to return to perform with her band at the Performance Lab. But for every artist, there is always a night that seems to stick out.

            “We played at Nona’s bar last semester and they have a patio on the top floor of it and I really loved being out there,” said Dillard. “It was outside, it was at night, we had the cityscape behind us, and I had my band up there in the corner of it. It had a really cool mood to it and that was actually the first time we played outside of school together so for me that was just a really cool experience to share with them.”

            The band behind the talented Oklahoma-native beauty includes Gabe Nightengale, Dane Alexander, Brett Alexander and Earl Moreno. All of the guys, except for Moreno, were originally paired with Dillard at ACM and eventually they began playing shows as a band outside of the school. Dillard claims that the group’s diversity is what makes them stand out among the other student groups.

            “I would say that we are just all so different and I think we all have been such hard workers,” said Dillard. “These boys have busted their tails for me with practicing with me, collaborating with me, and I think we are all just really driven. I asked them to play and they were just like “Yeah, sure we’ll do it, that’d be great!” and we all have really different personalities but its funny how well we work together.”

Dillard opening the show with a Rilo Kiley song. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

            Despite the group’s effortless cohesion, Dillard and her band struggle to put a label on their style of music.

            “People ask how we would describe our style of music all of the time and it is still hard for me to answer,” said Dillard. “When you write music, it is hard to explain what it sounds like. But our music is obviously really piano-based, singer-songwriter driven, and I guess it’s fairly mainstream. I am still finding my niche and that will come with more songwriting when I find what I am good at and the traits that a lot of my songs have. Maybe Ill know better myself after that because I don’t really know right now, I am still figuring it out. You guys tell me!”

            On October 29, Dillard will be back at the Picasso Café in Oklahoma City performing alone with her keyboard. For upcoming shows and her latest posts, check out www.taradillardmusic.com.

Dillard getting into an original song inspired by her brother. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

Listen to some of my interview with Tara answering questions about singing and why she decided to stick with it.


Check out a clip of Tara singing her rendition of "Bluebird" by Sara Bareilles. 

Audio Test

My audio test is right here!

Welcome Guests to Guestroom Records

        Eight years ago, two music-obsessed University of Oklahoma students were busy delivering cheap pizza to hungry college students for Pizza Shuttle when they decided to take their careers elsewhere. In 2002, Travis Searle and Justin Sowers decided they would collaborate and open up a shop in Norman that would satisfy the city of Norman’s musical cravings instead of their taste buds.

        Guestroom Records became Searle and Sowers’ dream come to life in July of 2003. The store opened in downtown Norman, but for a year and half before the opening, they operated a small distribution and door-to-door record shop. The new owners donated their entire personal music collection to provide the first batch of used CDs and records collection, ready to be purchased. The purpose of the store is confirmed on their Web site under the ‘About Us’ section that “Guestroom Records is about getting good music to people who want it.”

         Guestroom puts out a monthly newsletter that provides a timeline of shows that are happening around Norman. Their own record label, Guestroom Records has hosted many in-store performances as well. It also provides the latest releases of albums and CDs that are new in the store, as well as coupons and discounts the store is offering. The Web site posts the same information with the addition of “Employee Picks” where six of the nine employees post their top ten current favorite albums, along with their all-time favorites. The Guestroom team in Norman consists of nine men, who are all confident with what their store has to offer the music lovers of Norman.

        “There is no radio outlet that’s number one- playing music, and number two- one that is advertising shows,” said Guestroom Records manager Will Muir. “Right now the only shows advertised are ones that are happening at the Ford Center, the Diamond Ballroom, or The Conservatory, all of which are in Oklahoma City. So if you’re a Norman resident, or you’re a college student in Norman, you’re more than likely not going to go all the way up there to see a show, especially for some band you don’t really know because you’ve never heard of them because they don’t have a radio outlet here...All you have to do any day of the week is walk by this store and there are flyers for shows.”

        Guestroom provides a relaxed atmosphere for college students or residents of Norman that need to escape through their favorite artist’s lyrics or upbeat tempos. They have created a spot in downtown that is a musical haven from reality, all created from the dream that two Pizza Shuttle employees shared as students. Guestroom has a second location in Oklahoma City and for upcoming shows visit www.guestroom-records.com. 

Guestroom Record's album collection. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

The area where bands play for in-store performances. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

Artwork by local artists displayed and sold in the store. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

Norman's Intimate Community for Your Ears; The Opolis

            The Merriam-Webster Web site defines ‘polis’ as “a state or society especially when characterized by a sense of community” and that definition resonates in the name of Norman’s intimate music venue, the Opolis. Located in downtown Norman, the showground has provided indie tunes for music lovers almost nine years.

            The Opolis is subtitled as a ‘micro venue’ on the Web site and provides the lineup of artists that will be performing among the 13 shows being hosted in the month of October. The Opolis host shows several nights a week and keeps the music community in tune with new and local artists. But, most students who have moved to Norman from out-of-state do not realize the wealth of music that is provided throughout each week and some believe there is no music scene at all.

            “I would argue that there is not a lack of music in Norman,” said Guestroom Records manager Travis Searles. “You can go see live music in Norman, especially if you are 21, every night; every single night. Multiple times a week you have two to five places hosting live music and it’s really just about finding out about it.”

            The Starlight Mints are one of Norman’s own local bands whom some of the members are the brains behind the Opolis.  The band’s Web site describes them as “a group of beautiful pop mutants: four singular musical minds whose love for archetypal pop music and AM radio has provided, over the course of three previous acclaimed albums, a rock-solid foundation for a whole bunch of inspired uniqueness, all baked to perfection under the hot Oklahoma sun. “ Drummer Andy Nunez owns and operates the Opolis, bringing in local and national acts. 

            Yelp.com provides forums for members to post reviews for a variety of businesses; in one review posted by ‘Jake A.’ from Oklahoma City, Okla. gave his opinion of the Opolis.

            “[The Opolis is] the pearl of the Norman music scene,” said the Yelp.com member. “They have great shows from local, regional and national acts, with prices averaging about $10. Depending on the band, there’s always a different crowd; expect lots of hipsters and college kids. They have cheap 3.2 beers and it’s a really intimate little joint. I’ve been to a half a dozen shows there, and will keep going back!”

            The Opolis has become a local community of people who appreciate an affordable live show from talented bands hoping to get their name out. After attending a show, some have regretted not finding out about the Opolis sooner.

            “I first went to the Opolis on a whim to see a band called Red Cortez,” said Oklahoma City resident Kyle Burnett.  “I was really surprised by how intimate the Opolis felt, the smaller venue really lets everyone inside see a great view of the stage and the artists that are performing. To say the least, I was happy I went out to see that concert that night, not only because I was able to experience a unique slice of Norman’s indie and local music scene, but also because I caught a pick thrown by the lead singer. I would recommend everyone to check out, or at least glance at this venue’s lineup to see if a big name band will play in an intimate setting such as the Opolis, it is well worth it.”

            The Opolis is an obvious choice for some unique live music during the week or as a weekend plan. To join their musical family, visit their Web site at http://www.starlightmints.com/opolis.html.

The Opolis on Main St. PHOTO: Courtney Goforth

Hey Mona Eltahawy, let’s talk

             She was introduced as “unapologetic and firm in her beliefs,” and the New York based journalist Mona Eltahawy lived up to those expectations. Eltahawy’s latest blog post entitled “Hey America; I’m a Muslim, let’s talk” was the topic at the “Blogging for Social Change” workshop hosted by the Center for Social Justice in Women’s and Gender Study Program at the University of Oklahoma for students last Wednesday and Eltahawy did not hold back.

            The award-winning columnist and international public speaker on Arab and Muslim issues’ strong beliefs are built on a strong cultural foundation; Eltahawy was born in Egypt and since resided in the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the United States. In the early 90s, Eltahawy decided to become a journalist to report on human rights. Later, in 2005, she began blogging, despite her depiction of bloggers being “nerds in their underwear in their mother’s basements.” But it was on September 11^th 2001 that marked the day Eltahawy became “sick of objectivity” and developed into an opinion writer.

            After making the decision to shift into opinion writing, Eltahawy developed a social media addiction. Twitter, Facebook, news media Web sites such as Yahoo, NY Times and the Washington Post and liberal blogs became a few of her daily doses to satisfy her craving. However, Eltahawy does admit to following more liberal-based journalism as opposed to the contrary because of her own personal views.

            “There is enough things in the world that make me angry,” said Eltahawy. “I don’t have enough anger to waste on things I can avoid.”

            Blogging has its critics, such as any other style of media. But, Eltahawy was asked how she approaches the common issue of credibility that is often addressed in blogging.

            “You have to place it in context. I am never the person to say ‘do not report it’ and ‘sensor it’, said Eltahawy. “Follow as many sources as possible, do not rely on one source. You begin to trust both your instincts and what is out there. Don’t believe everything you read online, but don’t disbelieve it or discount it, look around.”

            Eltahawy is currently teaching a three-weekend course at the university, “Women and New Media in the Middle East.”  The Oklahoma School of International and Area Studies Web site indicates that the course will explore modern history of women’s movements, media dynamics, women’s roles in mainstream and independent media and how women are using new media to challenge authority in the Middle East.

            “Mona’s take on blogging opened my eyes to the power of web 2.0,” said junior Alex Eschbach. “My own blog showcasing my rampant narcissism now seems significantly less important.”

            Eltahawy has faced the adversity that goes along with being a woman in addition to being a Muslim-American. But Eltahawy does not let the critics pull her down from her soapbox.

            “Sometimes I give the middle finger to people when I protest,” said Eltahawy.

            Eltahawy’s stands firm in her beliefs and for that, she is unapologetic.