The Spectator - A&E - Hamilton College

Preview: Hamilton College Theatre Department presents Spring Awakening

April 14, 2016

Set in 19th century Germany, Spring Awakening tells the story of a group of teenagers struggling through the turmoil of their burgeoning sexuality. The original play is known for touching on topics that are still relevant and controversial over 100 years after it was written, such as teenage pregnancy, the power struggle between teenagers and adults and the suppression of sexuality. The musical takes this subject matter and 19th century timeframe and sets it to a soundtrack that mixes folk and alternative rock with surprisingly effective results. The musical opens at Hamilton College this weekend, the first musical to be performed by the Hamilton College Theatre Department in a very long time More ...

Screening of Salam Neighbor portrays Syrian refugee population crisis

April 14, 2016

On Wednesday, April 6, Muslim Student Association (MSA), COOP and the Chaplaincy organized the screening of Salam Neighbor, a documentary film that examines the Syrian refugee crises under a humanitarian lens. More ...

Pop duo Timeflies to headline Class & Charter concert

April 7, 2016

The Campus Activities Board (CAB) is excited to announce this year’s Class & Charter concert headliner: Timeflies. The band, a pop music duo consisting of producer Rob Resnick and vocalist Cal Shapiro, was formed in 2010, after the members performed for several years in a funk band called The Ride at Tufts University. The duo is popular for fusing pop, hip-hop and electronic dance music, and best known for their 2014 song, “All the Way” which has reached over 45 million listens on Spotify. More ...

A$AP Ferg delivers memorable performance after long wait

April 7, 2016

Certain things are inevitable at a concert like last Friday’s, performers do not go on stage when they are supposed to, crowds of college students get rowdy, pushing/toe-stepping is a given and the actual performance is disappointingly brief. Taking these truths into account, the very fate of such a concert depends almost entirely on the energy of the performer and the reciprocal energy of the crowd which continues, cyclically, to produce a “lit” concert. More ...

Under trying conditions, Marosek delivers engaging performance

April 7, 2016

Last Sunday afternoon, those music enthusiasts who remained undeterred by the sudden snow and cold weather outdoors managed to make the trek to Wellin Hall to witness a rare thing indeed: a free concert. Each year, the Barrian Ranjin Shute Memorial fund sponsors a free piano concert and master class with piano students. This year, pianist Dr. Scott Marosek, a New York state native who once studied with our own Sar-Shalom Strong, returned to the Hill to perform a selection from composers such as Haydn, Liszt, Debussy and—surprise!— boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons. More ...

Low-key Netflix originals worth checking out

April 7, 2016

At most colleges, one expects to leave winter behind upon returning from spring break. Unfortunately, Hamilton had to quickly temper those expectations this year. The cold weather of winter is here to stay for the time being, and with that comes the increased desire to not leave one’s room. One of the only benefits of the long, cold winters at Hamilton is the chance to watch or catch up on a multitude of shows on Netflix. In addition a collection of shows from different networks, Netflix also possesses a variety of original programming. While many are aware of the more acclaimed shows, such as House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, one can also find lesser-known shows that are equally high in quality. Here are three of my recommendations: More ...

Oil and Water: Great literature and the big screen

March 31, 2016

The late author Gabriel Garcia Marquez was both a Houdini and a Hendrix of the writing world: a technical virtuoso whose creations lit his name—and the hearts & heads of his readers—on fire. His patent version of the magical-realist aesthetic came at a time when the only competitors in the field were L. Ron Hubbard and Hugh Hefner. More ...

Hispanic film series closes with powerful inside look at the treatment of women with recycled cinema

March 31, 2016

This past Tuesday, March 29, the Hispanic Studies department concluded its film series with Con la Pata Quebrada (2014). More ...

Themes of trauma, harmony and liberation in dance concert

March 10, 2016

Dance and Movement Studies launched its Spring Dance Concert last Friday. The concert featured a variety of performances, from ballet to martial to arts to dance therapy, that appealed to all crowds. More ...

The Gospel of Kanye: a review of West’s album The Life of Pablo

March 10, 2016

The circumstances surrounding the release of Kanye West’s seventh studio album, The Life of Pablo, were unusual to say the least. The musician Kanye West has been overshadowed by the pop-culture icon: with Twitter rants and extravagant fashion productions filling the “Kanye” news cycle, there’s been no room for The Life of Pablo to “pop a wheelie on a zeitgeist,” as West himself once eloquently stated. Thus, West’s first release in almost three years—and the first album since his debut that failed to crack the charts—has gone largely unexamined by society’s main stage. More ...