Arts & Culture

Olivia Rodrigo’s Guts Tour Comes to New York

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It’s hard to find big-time concerts in Upstate New York, so when I noticed that pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo’s arrival to New York City was perfectly timed to line up with Cornell’s spring break, I jumped at the chance to get tickets. I have been a fan of Rodrigo since her Disney Channel days, and attended her first tour in 2022, so I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to see her again.  

Rodrigo’s Guts World Tour celebrates the release of her second studio album, Guts. The album, which was released in September 2023, contains 12 eclectic tracks.  Some are slow heartbreak tunes like much of her first album, Sour, while others are more upbeat with a punk-rock like sound to them.  Rodrigo’s fan base has definitely expanded since her first tour, with most audience members dressing in her signature look of a short skirt, leather jacket and knee-high boots. Before Rodrigo came on, the show was opened by The Breeders, a 1990s alternative rock group fronted by Kim Deal. To me, the band seemed like an interesting choice, as most of the concert attendees were teenagers or young adults born long after the band’s peak.

Arts & Culture

The 2024 Grammy Awards: A Night of Ups and Downs

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The 2024 Grammy Awards was a night of celebrations and record breaking, as well as some snubs and surprises. The ceremony took place Sunday night at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Comedian Trevor Noah hosted the show for the fourth consecutive year, providing light-hearted commentary throughout the night. The big winners included Miley Cyrus and Billie Eilish. Cyrus won her first two Grammys, after only receiving two nominations in years prior.

Arts & Culture

Dancing with the Stars Premieres 32nd Season

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For the next few months, our television screens are going to be filled with reality shows, as the Writers Guild of America has just announced that they will authorize members to return to work. The premiere of Dancing with the Stars’ 32nd season is just the start of the sea of reality television that will be coming to cable and streaming services this fall.  

The show has a long history, and the many changes that have occurred since the last season make this premiere highly anticipated. Tyra Banks, who has hosted the last three seasons of the show, did not return this season. Audiences were very critical of Banks’ hosting abilities and many were happy to see her gone. She was replaced by Julianne Hough, a long time member of the Dancing with the Stars family.

Arts & Culture

Cornellians Flock to Syracuse for the Stick Season Tour

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It isn’t often that big names in music make their way to upstate New York, so when folk-pop artist Noah Kahan announced that he was playing in Syracuse, just one hour north of Ithaca, Cornellians jumped at the chance to get tickets. The concert venue, St. Joseph’s Health Amphitheater, held a crowd of 18,000 people, which Kahan noted was one of his largest crowds to date, and his show did not disappoint.  

Arts & Culture

The 2023 Academy Awards Return to the Mellow Ceremony We Know Them As

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The 2023 Academy Awards marked the 95th anniversary of the annual award ceremony, and unlike last year, the night was calm and drama-free. The previous year’s ceremony gained attention for the “slap heard around the world” when Will Smith, who won “Best Actor” later that night, slapped actor and comedian Chris Rock on stage while he was presenting an award. This year’s Oscars were much more mellow, with celebrities on their best behavior and no real surprises as far as who took home awards and who left empty-handed. Of course, host Jimmy Kimmel made a few references to last year’s drama in his opening monologue, but luckily, nothing like that incident was seen this year. Instead of being overshadowed by scandal, this year’s ceremony celebrated some deserving and historic wins across all categories.