 By Glen MacDonald - Station Manager
This summer, the Pinocchio legend is retold, borrowing elements from theater and film. The creative team behind this endeavor are Wagner students, Dan Smith and Riley Bartolomeo, WCBG’s co-news director. Smith and Bartolomeo began their artistic partnership when Smith appeared on a broadcast of WCBG’s News Hour, hosted by Bartolomeo. With a shared love of the all things cinema and theater, the two set out to create entertainment for new audiences. “I’m a storyteller by trade,” said Smith, “I’ve always enjoyed fairy tales, folklore, mythology- any kind of story that came from a place of urgency. I’m really drawn to classical stories, for the the fact that they’re part of that oral tradition of sharing information and communicating. Fairy tales are cautionary tales and Pinocchio is no exception.” Smith identifies the larger thematic struggles of piece, including starvation, justice, and growing up. However, these elements also lend well to Smith’s other interest- theater. “It is a series of parables of that are only strung together by a narrative of this one kid trying to become real,” said Smith. “I have always thought it would be fun to go to a room with these 35 chapters and explore them with an ensemble of college-aged artists. We are at this point in our life right now we’re trying to figure out who we are and what it means to be real.” Smith and Bartolomeo hope to convey these experiences through theatrical techniques, as well as cinematic ones. Bartolomeo, a film major, hopes to add his skillset to their off-broadway production. “I’m a big fan of the avant-garde genre,” said Bartolomeo. He cites artist Lori Anderson as the main inspiration for his mixed media approach. Fascinated by the idea of tapping into a new world, Bartolomeo hopes to engage with the audience on multiple levels. “From day one, we wanted to fully integrate the media into the storytelling,” said Smith. “When we can no longer speak with the flesh and blood actors we then transcend into film and vice versa.” It’s Pinocchio! is the first collaboration between Smith and Bartolomeo. Conscious of the nation’s heated political climate, the creative duo understands how to use art is a tool for social progress. “I love artists that take risks,” said Bartolomeo. “Playing it safe is not great. During our time of Black Lives Matter, Times Up, and all of wonderful social movements going on, historians will look back at this time and ask, ‘what were you doing?’’ “Art is inherently political,” agreed Smith. “The violent thing about art is that you’re making a statement, which is violence in nature.” Despite the heavy themes, Smith stresses their musical is a family piece. “This play is for all of the dads who have dragged to a high production that their child was in,” laughs Smith. “At every juncture, at every turn, we are asking ourselves, how do we make this diet theater? How do we make this experience, with all of its theatrical and cinematic elements, accessible for a general audience? We are training non-theater goers to deal with a piece like this,” said Smith. “It’s also going to be familiar enough, American enough, for the audience to recognize what their watching. It’s going to be fun!” The duo also enjoys the opportunity to direct. Smith, who aspires to continue directing theater in his post-grad life, is trying to have as much fun with the piece as he can. “I don’t want this production to be full of itself,” said Smith. “I gave my company full permission to hit me if I every sound like I’m Jack O’Brien or another great stage director. I want to create something fun, hysterical, and just a little raunchy.” For Bartolomeo, stepping into the theater realm is daunting task. Fortunately, he enjoys a challenge and benefits from their cast. “Having many friends who are actors makes you a better director in any medium,” said Bartolomeo. “With every actor we have worked with, from the workshop phase to our current cast, just phenomenal people.” Smith echoes Bartolomeo’s appreciation for their actors, particularly their diverse talents. “This is my first time working with these actors and creating something from the ground up,” said Smith. “They’re so creative and so vocal and not afraid of bringing everything they go into the room. We got puppeteers, we got acrobats... they got skills I didn’t even know human could have!” It’s Pinocchio! runs July 12-15 at Theater 54 (NYC 244 W54 St). Tickets go on sale May 10th. For more information, go on the It’s Pinocchio! Facebook page.
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 By Glen MacDonald - Station Manager
Hailing from Binghampton, NY, The Mudlarks consists of Eddie Compagnone (bass/guitar), James Baldassano (keyboard/trombone), Jeff Bagg (electric guitar), Jordan Finkelstein (drums) and Julie Quinn (guitar). The group performed at Wag-A-Roo 4: Tokyo Drift and became a definite crowd favorite. Afterwards, the band spoke out their music and other passions. How did you come up with the name Mudlarks? A Mudlark is someone who searches for treasures at low tide. We look for Treasures in the world- people, positive acts of kindness, dumpsters, and in the beauty of nature. As the Grateful Dead said, "one man gathers what another man spills." What inspires you to create your music? We just can't help but make music, it is a catharsis for us. We are lucky to work well together and enjoy each other's company genuinely. Many of our songs are focused on alerting our audience on serious issues that we face in our current day society. We sing about climate change, resource shortages, complicated love, adventures, and nature. Everybody has a unique song writing style within the group, and our collective efforts work in tandem to create songs that share elements across multiple genres. What message do you hope to get across in your music? We hope that we get people to dance to our music! The Mudlarks aim to get whoever is listening to be their best and help make positive change in the world in whatever way that means for them! What other musicians/bands do you enjoy? Hiatus Coyote, Gorrillaz, Frank Ocean, Thelonious Monk, Parliament Funkadelic, Pearl Jam, rage Against the Machine, Jimi Hendrix, No Doubt, and more things under the sun than we can possibly mention here. You know we live a good sea shanty though. Do you have any upcoming tours/albums you want to promote? Yes! We will be playing at the still grateful Fest at Mountain Sky in Jermyn Pennsylvania on May 12th from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. More shows in the works for the summertime! You can find us on Facebook, SoundCloud, and Bandcamp as the Binghamton Mudlarks. We will also be releasing an album shortly, so follow us on social media if you are interested! We had a blast playing at Wagner and we wish you all a successful close to your school year! By Glen MacDonald - Station Manager DJ Adam D is a hip-hop DJ/guru on WCBG where he hosts the show Only Built 4 Wagner College. He is also a senior marketing major here at Wagner and has had a love for hip-hop music since he was in middle school. His show is Thursdays at 8:00 PM and he brings the freshest beats and the hottest bars. I sat down with him to ask him 5 quick questions. You’re one of our most energetic DJs. What do you do to get yourself in the proper headspace prior to your broadcast? I have a certain routine. I go to my internship on Thursdays during the day - so that’s a little inside look into my life- and I get back from that at around 4:30. I’m really busy so after that I go back to my room and start thinking about what new music I’ve heard during the week, and what’s been going on in the hip-hop world. Next I prepare myself mentally and get ready for my fans to hear me loud and clear. Do you play mostly underground artists on your show? I do play music by underground artists but I wouldn’t say mostly. I play a good mix of underground stuff, what’s popular now, and some old school classics. So who should we keep our ears out for right now? Bones! He’s someone who I’ve really been fucking with lately. Not only him but all of Team Sesh which is his group. Bones, Eddy Baker, Chris Travis, and Xavier Wulf are the rappers and they have top notch producers like Cat Soup, Drew the Architect, 50 Grand, Greafer and others. You definitely won’t hear them on the mainstream radio but you will hear them on my show. Awesome. So I understand that you like to freestyle… Oh yeah! (proceeds to freestyle) Yo yo I gotta say one thing yo yo you are listening to WCBG – Radio and this is my show and I gots the flow to bring it and y’all could just sing it take and go home yea and bring it back 1, 2 … 3, 4 I say that shit and they bring it to the floor, right now everybody storms the crowd and I jump up and down and they get real loud and you could see how I’m goin you could see me flex! Everybody askin me yo whats next? Yah!!! Have you heard of any interesting news in the hip-hop world lately? Yes, of course! There was something with Lil Uzi Vert that happened recently. His Instagram got hacked and a couple of his songs were leaked, I’m honestly not sure if it was a publicity stunt or not. Check out his Instagram if you haven’t seen it yet, really weird stuff. And as always check out my show Only Built 4 Wagner College on WCBG-Radio.com Thursdays at 8:00 PM Eastern Time baby! I have been DJ Adam D and I bring it live and direct kickin’ it real smooth. Peace!   By Glen MacDonald- Station Manager
On March 6th, Wagner alum Josh Limage released his debut single “Windows,” apart of his upcoming EP entitled “Urban Mindset.” The song is available on Apple Music and Spotify. A year since graduating Wagner, Limage has big plans to keep producing and performing his music. Limage spoke to the WCBG about his music, his career and offers advice to get started in the music industry. What inspires you to create your music? My music is usually inspired by personal experiences or a certain vibe that I’m in. I’m always constantly listening to new music, and I feel like most of my inspiration comes from a blend of genres that I love. Has the Wagner community influenced your work at all? Yes of course! There is plenty of talented people that go to our school. Many of my closest friends helping me with this project are either current students or alums. Keep your connections after you graduate. What artists do you look up to? I look up to legendary artists like Michael Jackson, Prince, or Stevie Wonder. Now artists like Frank Ocean, The Weekend, SZA, and Drake really inspire me. What does your song “Windows” mean to you? My song “Windows” is about the idea of a relationship that falls apart over fixable issues. With the idea of looking through a window, I would compare that to walking past a store front that has something you want but can’t have it. Basically, it’s about desire and correcting your wrongs. Any advice to other upcoming musicians? My advice for upcoming musicians would be to practice your craft, perform regularly, strategize what makes you unique, and collaborate and network for constant content. Lastly, never give up. If you are determined enough, people will listen.  By Glen MacDonald- Station Manager
A typical college student has a lot to manage between homework, extracurriculars and their social life. For junior Morgan Brown, lead singer in his band “The Amy Incident” is also responsible for booking, planning, promoting and travelling throughout the country. The life of a touring musician is often romanticized but for Brown the reality is far more difficult. Struggling to balance his arts administration major, his role as WCBG's Concert Series Manager, and his music, Brown is determined to follow his creative passions despite all the headaches. What type of venues do you perform when on tour? Being a college student, I’ve been utilized other colleges. The tour I’m currently doing is called the Lucid Dream Dorm Room Tour. It’s basically going to other colleges and playing in their dorm rooms. We go to colleges campuses, throw a party, and do an acoustic show in a living room space. It’s really small and intimate which is great. It’s really good for college kids and it’s done by college kids. Where is farthest you’ve traveled when on tour? With my band (The Amy Incident) I’ve past Indiana from New England. That’s been fun and going to that stuff has been fun for everyone. Playing Chicago on tour was pretty fun. I’m sure you have a bunch of travel horror stories when on tour. We were on our way to Chicago and our car broke down in Indiana. I was sleeping in the car - not at the wheel! It was my mom’s car and we actually had to sell the car in Indiana. In general, the way they do car rentals is f---ed. For Enterprise, it was three grand and we all were just 21 so they could only give us a sedan for us and all our equipment. But in Indiana, U-Haul’s go for 12 bucks every 30 miles or something, no questions asked. We got a U-Haul. It was too easy.They didn’t have a 10 foot truck so we had to get the 15 foot truck. We had to tape everything down so it wasn’t sliding all over the place. The three people in my band sat upfront on a three person bench. That night we drove all the way from Indiana to New Jersey in 18 hours. Is it stressful balancing schoolwork with touring? Oh it’s the worst. I was on tour last weekend and I had the realization that I’m an idiot for doing all this… It’s stressful doing it but at the same time it is so rewarding. My roommate last year talked to me about this, cause he is in a touring band and he’s done everything else, and he said “It’s addicting. It’s 100% addicting.” What’s addicting about it? Just the travelling, the loading in, the playing for people you don’t know, meeting people and then getting back on the road and doing the same thing again. It’s a weird addiction that I’m obsessed with. It’s sucks cause I’m never here but the feeling you get is absolutely addicting. So whenever I’m stressed-out I go book shows so it’s a bit of a “chicken and the egg” situation. Do you see yourself touring after you graduate? Definitely, I’m hopefully going to do this for a long time. |
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