I'
Spanish
Harlem
Orchestra
Grooving
instrumentals
at Kenan
Auditorium
Courtesy of hatlemspantshorches^a.com
Elizabeth Hughes
Correspondent
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra,
considered by many the signature
sound of 21st century Latin music,
will perform Thursday, April 6 at
8 p.m. in Kenan Auditorium as part
of UNCW Presents Arts in Action
Performance Series.
The 13-member Spanish Harlem
Orchestra, founded in 2000 by
Aaron Luis Levinson and directed
by “salsa-giant” Oscar Hernandez,
has been recognized as one of
the mainstays of modem Latin
music. Pianist and arranger Oscar
Hernandez uses only the most
accomplished players in the New
York Latino community, including
distinguished artists such as Willie
Torres, Marco Bermudez and Ray
De La Paz.
Their debut album was released
in October 2002 and quickly gained
worldwide recognition. They were
nominated for a Grammy in 2002
for best Salsa Album Of The Year,
and won the Best New Artist at
the 2003 Billboard Latin Music
Awards.
Committed to preserving the
history of classic Latin dance
orchestras, while at the same time
creating new music for the mod
ern-day audience, the SHO has put
together a performance that appeals
to people of all ages. Many listeners
from all over have fallen in love with
the music that the group has made.
“Salsa is experiencing a new
resurgence and leading the charge
is the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.
SHO incorporates the history
of classic Latin dance orchestras
while at the same time writing and
arranging new music for the audi
ence of today,” said UNCW Presents
assistant director Shannon Hooker
“With three lead singers in the front
and 10 musicians backing them up,
they produce an unequaled sound
and groove.”
As a preview to the show, there
will be an open rehearsal lead by
Hernandez from 4:30-5:30 p.m. in
Kenan Auditorium, followed by a
question and answer session. The
rehearsal is free and open to the
public.
“We are thrilled to host this group
at LTNCW because of the energy
and contemporary sound they bring
to Latin dance music. I think this
will have appeal to a diverse and
broad range of audiences because of
the cross-cultural connections they
make through their music. Bottom
line, it’s got groove and it’s got soul,”
Hooker said.
Tickets to the show are $18 for
the public, $14 for UNCW faculty/
staff and senior citizens, and $6 for
students. Call Kenan Box Office at
800-7323643 or 910-962-3500 for
additional information.
See the reigning
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at the Azalea Festival!
WHO Carrie Underwood
WHEN 8 P.M. Wed April 5
WHERE Trask CoLiSEiuM
PRICE $45
For more, check out www.ncazaleafcstival.org ^
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Kanye West: A lackluster response?
Amy Tarrillion
Correspondent
For the biggest hip-hop act in the
nation, Kanye West’s ticket sales at
UNCW sure did not seem to reflect
this popularity. The large campout
for tickets that many anticipated did
not happen, as well as the long lines
or sellouts. A month after tickets
first went on sale, just over half of
the available seats have been sold.
Many students anticipated an
instant sellout when tickets first
went on sale. “I figured they’d have
been sold out after a few hours and
that there wouldn’t even be any
available to the general public, but
that didn’t happen at all,” junior
Margaret Evins said. Senior Dianne
Boos agreed. “I was one of the few
who camped out, but it seemed to
be a total waste. And there weren’t
many people who camped out at all,
not what 1 expected.”
This less-than-enthusiastic
response is quite the contrast to the
Dave Chappelle show two years ago
in which many students camped out
and tickets sold out in record time.
What then, is causing such a lack of
response, especially from an artist
who is touted as the most popular
act in the nation?
Joseph McGibboney, president
of the Association for Campus
Entertainment, had a few expla-
nations for the less
than enthusiastic
response, which
began when tickets
first went on sale
online. “We have
run into a number
of flukes, especially
with the Internet
selling of tickets,
and it put a bad taste
in a lot of students’
mouths.”
McGibboney
also said the vastly
different response
from the Dave
Chappelle is due
to the fact the uni- coupes, o(imdb«.m
versity changed the jhe large campout for Kanye West tickets
method in which that many anticipated did not happen, as well
ACE was allowed to as the long lines or sell outs. A month after
sell tickets. Tickets tickets first went on sale, just over half of the
for Chappelle were available seats have been sold,
sold solely through
the box office, whereas the sys
tem the university uses now only
allowed a certain number of tick
ets to be sold in person at the box
office; when tickets first go on sale
at 7 a.m., and the rest must be sold
through the online site.
ACE offers an explanation for
the lack of response once the tickets
went on sale to the general public
being due to this new method of
selling the tickets solely online. “A
lot of the community members are
wary of buying tickets online.”
ACE is making up for this by
offering two new additional in-per
son dates to buy tickets, on March
31 and April 8, at the University
Union. Those still interested in
seeing the show will have an oppor
tunity to buy tickets in person on
these dates. Tickets can still be pur
chased online at www.uncwtickets.
Alligator egg hunts and more at Fort Fisher Aquarium
Ashley Norris
Staff Writer
There is still a slight chill in
the air, but with spring’s imminent
arrival it is not too early to get out
side and start enjoying the coast.
The North Carolina Aquarium at
Fort Fisher is one way to start
experiencing the salt air and learn
ing about UNCW’s own backyard,
the ocean, firsthand. The aquarium
is offering several engaging pro
grams in April.
Ever wonder what a horseshoe
crab eats for lunch? The aquarium
is offering the public the opportu
nity to gain insight into the daily
lives of its staff members by allow
ing a few participants the shance to
accompany the staff while they pre
pare diets for the animals and per
form maintenance tasks. The aquar
ium is offering a similar “Behind
the Scenes” tour as well, which
allows participants to understand
the intense amount of time it takes
to maintain such enormous animal
exhibits.
For those aquatic life enthusiasts
who would like to meet an alliga
tor and live to tell the story, the
“Alligator Egg Hunt” is the per
fect idea. Participants meet a real
life baby alligator as well as tap
into their own childlike instincts
by going on an “alligator egg hunt”
throughout the aquarium.
If alligators seem like too much,
adventure can always be rummaged
up through the surf fishing work
shop. The three-hour workshop
includes a discussion and then
actual surf fishing on the beach.
The activity will engage the mind
and offers a hands-on experience
with the ocean and the animals that
reside in it.
The North Carolina Aquarium
at Fort Fisher is located on US 421
15 miles south of Wilmington. For
a schedule of events with dates
and times, call 458-7468 Monday
through Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
or check out their Web site at www.
ncaquariums.com. Some programs
require a registration and small
fee, but all the programs will have
participants diving into fun and
educational interaction.