Every day local musicians such as myself gather in garages and studios around the Inland Empire to create, practice and record original music. Bands spend thousands on gear and travel to play gigs with hopes of gaining fans and some extra cash. There are ample amounts of bands that dedicate themselves to genres ranging from Metal to Folk and anywhere in between. With tribute bands taking over the bars and venues that actually pay talent, it makes an artist such as myself question what the future holds for unknown musicians that want to play original songs rather than covers. But rather than get bogged down with the popularity of regurgitated tunes, I sought optimism from other … [Read more...] about Is copycat culture killing original music in the Inland Empire?
Arts and Entertainment
Twenty 2 Salute Hits Down N’ Dirty
Twenty 2 Salute is a Hard Rock band from the Inland Empire who started off as "The League" but later changed it to be more unique. The lead singer and guitarist Michael Schoon, bass player Mark Schoon, and drummer Raul Padilla known as J, performed at the Down N' Dirty Festival on the weekend of January 18th at the Adelanto Stadium in California. The two brothers have been surrounded by music their whole lives so it was given that one day this would be something they do together. "Our father was in a band growing up, he was in a rock band and he was a singer so it became our normal life to be in a band and we love music," said Mike Schoon. There were about 1,000 music … [Read more...] about Twenty 2 Salute Hits Down N’ Dirty
Return of Taylor Swift
On May 18 and 19, Taylor Swift performed two sold out shows at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, signifying her return back into the limelight. For the past decade, Swift has been one of the most influential artists in the music industry. With over 10 Grammy awards won, 30 million albums sold, and millions of fans worldwide, her impact on popular music is evident. After multiple misguided headlines and personal attacks of character from the media in the last few years, Swift made the conscious decision to step away from the spotlight. During this time away, Swift spent her time writing and recording her sixth studio album, "Reputation", shining light on her personal experiences … [Read more...] about Return of Taylor Swift
Khalid came to the grounds of CSUSB
The pouring rain didn’t stop singer Khalid from performing outdoors at CSUSB on Saturday, Mar. 10 Khalid is an American singer and songwriter from Fort Stewart, Georgia who is a rising star in the music industry. The event took place at the coyote soccer field located by the Recreation and Fitness Center. Originally, the show was to take place in early January but to ensure safety, it was rescheduled to March. Students, staff, and friends waited for hours in the rain to be first in line to see the famous idol. Diana Santos was one of the people that waited for a long time with her friend, both of who are students at CSUSB. “I was in line for hours since they let us in after … [Read more...] about Khalid came to the grounds of CSUSB
Spook month, spooky movies, spooky books
With Halloween just around the corner, some students like to keep themselves on edge by either watching spooky films or reading horror novels. Horror movies have been around since the days of silent film, and have made their way through every decade. From the classics to modern times, each decade has brought out a different side of dreadfulness. Fourth year student, Estefania Pantoja, prefers to watch modern films that keep her on her toes. “I prefer modern ones. The special effects are more up-to-date and seem more realistic than they were back then,” shared Pantoja. There is a diverse collection of different types of horror flicks that anyone can choose to watch. Some … [Read more...] about Spook month, spooky movies, spooky books
Moses Sumney Album Review: Aromanticism is one of the best albums of 2017
Establishing his position as the next up and coming artist to watch for, singer-songwriter Moses Sumney's debut is a stunner and one of the year's best. Thanks to world renown singer and songwriter Solange, Moses has gained mass attention with his latest release from Jagjaguwar Records. The record is packed with calm and cool tracks that showcase his unique falsetto vocals and cool acoustic riffs that can be heard on popular tracks like "Plastic." Sumney was born in San Bernardino, California but he moved with his family to Ghana when he was 10 years old. And it was only when Sumney moved back to California to attend UCLA that he taught himself to play guitar. I first heard his … [Read more...] about Moses Sumney Album Review: Aromanticism is one of the best albums of 2017
Riverside’s Open Mic: Coffee & Creativity
Open Mic night brought people together at downtown Riverside's coffee shop, Back to the Grind, on September 25. That night, in the basement of the shop, people were in their seats ready to get another taste of the community's talent. In the crowd sat four friends, Dylan Mayer, Michael DeSantos, J.J. Garcia and Lori Knight, who came out to support their community. "I love everything about Open Mic nights--the talent, the people, the ambiance, the support--it's what people need to get away from the real world for a while," shared Knight. Open Mic nights are known for hosting a diverse array of talent ranging from poetry to live music. "Even though I don't come all the time, … [Read more...] about Riverside’s Open Mic: Coffee & Creativity
Wine and canvas paint
By Arthur Medrano |Staff Writer| An entertaining alternative has arrived that no longer pits the social drinker to drink and drive, but rather to drink and paint. San Bernardino's Generation Now was tactical in its way of having the community break away from the typical hangout to enjoy festivities at the Garcia Center for the Arts in San Bernardino on May 26. The Spirit and Arts event occurs every fourth Friday of the month and relies on receiving donations from local city patrons to provide resources so individuals don't have to worry about purchasing their own art supplies. The Garcia Center, which is run by SB's Valley Concert Association, is also home to artwork and … [Read more...] about Wine and canvas paint
Celebrating the art of Pianos
By Yesica Gonzalez I Staff Writer I Students from different college campuses gathered together to bring the wonderful world of Piano Day to life. On the evening of Sunday, May 22, students from Cal State Long Beach, Pasadena City College and Cal State San Bernardino came to show their talent on classical music from different countries. This year's theme was focused on the works by German, Italian, Czech and Russian composers. Students showed in various ways how that the piano is incorporated in many aspects of music. The assembly of Piano Day at Long Beach started under Dr. Sam Shun-Lin Chou who was followed by Dr. Jocelyn Chang in 2014 and brought it to Pasadena City … [Read more...] about Celebrating the art of Pianos
Boys wear makeup too
By Brittanie Gutierrez |Staff Writer| Famous makeup brands are incorporating men as their brand ambassadors to promote inclusivity. CoverGirl announced 17 year old James Charles, a YouTube beauty guru, as the new face for their campaign titled 'Lash Equality' on Oct. 11, 2016. The campaign also included women of different ethnicities. People were happy to see diversity taking center stage in an industry considered to be predominately women-oriented. "I think it is cool because now they're representing everyone, not just one particular race or gender. It's good for them to meet the needs of everyone," said student Jasmine Turner. Maybelline New York announced that Manny … [Read more...] about Boys wear makeup too