Feature Guide by The Daily Orange

SYRACUSE AFTER DARK Syracuse comes alive at night with fascinating faces, exciting places

Student and bouncers discuss logistics of underage drinking trick | Page 4

Local bartender shares tricks of trade, wisdom from behind bar | Page 7

Students talk strategies and dish advice for pulling the perfect all-nighter | Page 8

Playlists to get you pumped for going out to a party or a quiet study night | Page 11

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ziniu chen | staff photographer

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 6 8 10

STAMP IT OUT Student and bouncers discuss logistics of underage drinking trick

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH Department of public safety works overtime to keep SU camous and surrounding areas safe on weekend

Students talk strategies when pulling all-nighters

5 7 9

LATE BLOOMERS Student front desk assistants dish on late-night experiences

RAISING THE BAR Local bartender shares tricks of trade, wisdom from behind bar

Aspiring DJs take over air at studentrun radio station

Dear Readers,

’Cuse offers variety of venues for concert fans

The band Fun. said it best when they sang, “Tonight we are young, so let’s set the world on fire. We can burn brighter than the sun.” Once the sun sets, the campus lights up with endless entertainment, whether seen at various concert venues or bustling bars. Besides highlighting those spots — and maybe a few you haven’t heard of — this guide showcases those who thrive once the clock hits nighttime. Take a glimpse into the lives of bartenders, disc jockeys, Department of Public Safety officers — all components of Syracuse after dark.

Colleen Bidwill

FEATURE EDITOR

t h e i n de pe n de n t s t u de n t n e w spa pe r of syr acuse, new york

Mark Cooper

Laurence Leveille

EDITOR IN CHIEF

MANAGING EDITOR

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MUST BE 21 OR OVER TO PARTY 路 DRESS TO IMPRESS THELAVACLUB.COM

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photo illustration by chase gaewski | photo editor STEP 1: Patrons get stamped after they are carded and pay the bar’s cover charge.

STEP 2: Patrons finds their underage friend and transfer the stamp onto his or her hand.

STAMP IT OUT Student and bouncers discuss logistics of underage drinking trick By Chelsea DeBaise

ASST. FEATURE EDITOR

he allure of bar life is a great one, and it’s greatest to those for whom it is legally unattainable: underage drinkers. The loud, nostalgic music, the cheap pitchers, the comingling of groups of people you would never see together anywhere else. Fake identification is expensive and illegal. Bars retain the right to take fake IDs away if they suspect foul play. Some bars require multiple forms of ID, and almost every bar cards. Sneaking into a bar is a practice with a risk of legal ramifications and abysmal embarrassment. But there is one attempted trick that is not expensive and does not require illegal impersonation: the stamp-back trick. The stamp-back is a covert transfer of the ink stamp given by the bouncer after one person is successfully carded to an underage comrade. For it to work, the two people would flash their stamps on the way back into the bar. The bouncers would never charge people two covers if they were just stepping out for a smoke break or a phone call outside the bar, so in theory, this utilizes this loophole to gain illegal entry. For Faegan’s Cafe and Pub, underage drinking and the threat of students sneaking in is never more prominent than on Wednesday nights for Flip Night. There is a high level of attraction held in the premise of the night: If you correctly call a coin flip with the bartender, you get a free drink. Dave Myers, a bouncer for Faegan’s, said he catches 10-12 underage patrons attempting to get in each Wednesday night and has to deny them.

Myers was familiar with the stamp-back trick and knew that there are patrons who would use this method, frantically trying to rub the stamp on one another’s hand before rushing back. While there are certain methods he uses to gauge reactions to people with fake forms of identification, he said it is difficult to decipher when people are getting in using forged stamps. But in Myers’ experience, the stamp-back trick does not pose as much of a threat as fake ID holders. “We get a lot of hand-me-down IDs too, from older brothers or sisters,” Myers said. “Anything where they look even remotely similar, they’ll give it a shot.” Down the street from Faegan’s, at Chuck’s Cafe, the threat of stamping holds a bit more volume. Dan Galloway, a bouncer at Chuck’s, said he would come across people trying to sneak in using the stamp-back trick. Galloway, along with the other bouncers at Chuck’s, has a solution for the stamp-back trick. Instead of placing the stamp anywhere on the entrant’s hand as they came into the bar, the Chuck’s bouncers very deliberately place stamps in a place on the hand where if it is to be pressed up against another, it would appear backward, making the stamp-back trick useless. Galloway knew that Chuck’s had a reputation for being difficult to sneak into, and seemed to take pride in that notion as a bouncer of the establishment. “If you blog it online, it’s the hardest one,” he said with a laugh. “Everybody blogs about how they can’t get in here.”

STEP 3: Underage drinker enters the bar by flashing the stamp to the awaiting bouncer. One senior, who declined to give her name for publication, said she used the stamp-back trip with a “100-percent success rate” in her freshman year. The senior, along with five other students, would go to the bar each weekend, three of them having forms of ID, three without. While the stamp-back trick has multiple different variations between people attempting to draw the stamp with eyeliner or licking the stamp before pressing it onto someone else’s

hand, this particular group ran over to their friends waiting in the car, shielding their newly inked hand as they ran, and pressed the stamp on for a few seconds. She notes, though, that an underage friend of hers had been trying the trick this semester to no avail. Said Myers: “I think it’s more interesting and intriguing to them because they can’t get in.” cedebais@syr.edu @CDeBaise124

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LATE BLOOMERS By Gabriela Riccardi

or most students living in dorms on campus, the front lobby is usually just a place to pass through on the way up to their room. Maybe they pause to check their mailbox or flash their ID at a Residential Security Aide as they stumble by at 2 a.m. Sometimes they stop to pull money from an ATM or a drink from the soda machine. And on rare occasions, they stop at the front counter to grab a vacuum or check out a game. But while the flow of students through the lobby may seem routine, some very odd moments trickle in through the front door. Students working behind the front lobby desks across campus share some of their most head-scratching stories from over the years.

Annually, initiation festivities for greek life often result in an eruptive spike in binge drinking and drop in clothing coverage during the early hours of the morning. For RSA Ashley Marshall, the effects of sorority initiation walked through the door of Watson Hall on her second night on the job during the 1-7 a.m. shift three years ago. “A girl walks in, completely barefoot, in nothing but a white bikini — and she’s covered in brown stuff,” she said. “It’s just like, head-to-toe, everything but her eyes.” The girl pulled her ID from her bikini top and disappeared to the stairs. Later, another girl entered Watson wearing the same fashion: barefoot, white bikini, covered in something brown. Marshall found out later that apparently, the newly inducted members were wrestling in chocolate pudding during their sorority initiation party that night. Marshall also remembers working in Lawrinson last year when two guys in Morphsuits — the orange spandex leotards that wrap your body from head to toe, most often seen on ultra-fans in the student section at ’Cuse games — entered the lobby. Then, they simply posed and froze. When others walked by, the pair would suddenly jump and scare the students. They amused themselves with this game in the lobby for a while, and then took it to the elevator.

ggriccar@syr.edu

LOST AND AROUND

THE MAIL NEVER FAILS In Shaw last year, a girl asked Estefany Frias if she knew when mail was delivered to off-campus housing. When Frias, now a senior public health major, didn’t know, she became insistent and continued to repeat her question until walking away offended. Because that should really fall within the realm of knowledge that front desk assistants need to know offhand.

Student front desk assistants dish on late-night experiences LATE-NIGHT SNACK

STAFF WRITER

At about 8 a.m. on a Saturday in Flint last year, a boy walked up to Ali Saiff as she was working behind the front desk, asking if his cellphone had been turned in. When the now-sophomore music education major replied that there wasn’t a cellphone there, his response was that of someone clearly not entirely sober. “He pulls up a chair and just sits down with me for like, a good hour, just trying to figure out where his cellphone is,” she said. Maybe it was in his room? His friend’s room? But he didn’t want to wake his friend. Eventually, he left Saiff behind in search of his phone. And bonus perks for working at the desk: He ended up bringing her a bagel after finding it.

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NO MONEY, MORE PROBLEMS While Marissa Levy was working behind the front desk in Lawrinson Hall as a sophomore, a student walked up to the counter and asked to make a bank deposit. “I looked at him and said, ‘Do I look like a bank teller?’” Levy said. Levy, now a senior communication sciences and disorders major, has had plenty of interesting moments since then. Two weeks ago, while working in the Booth Hall lobby, a student entered and asked to take out a vacuum. When he handed over his SUID, there was no sticker identifying that he lived in Booth. Levy asked if he had gotten a new ID and didn’t have the Booth sticker yet. No, he said. He lived on South Campus and wanted to take a vacuum to clean his friend’s house. Levy also overheard someone asking for change for a $20 bill. “That’s 500 quarters,” he said at the desk. The actual sum would be 80 quarters.

illustrations by micah benson | art dirctor

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chase gaewski | photo editor JOHN SARDINO, associate chief of DPS, rides past a safety checkpoint on Waverly Avenue. Sardino has been working extra hours to crack down on recent crime.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH Department of Public Safety works overtime to keep SU campus and surrounding areas safe on weekend By Avery Hartmans ASST. COPY EDITOR

Flashing red and blue lights danced across the officer’s face as the Department of Public Safety car passed a Syracuse Police Department checkpoint on South Crouse Avenue. The turn signal clicked as the car made yet another loop around campus; this was another Saturday night for DPS. But this night was different. Unlike Saturdays before, this night’s radio silence was rarely broken, except for the fight north of the city. None of the officers on duty had called in requesting back-up and the sound of sirens in the distance, typically a constant refrain on a weekend evening, was conspicu-

“I try to be as visible as I can to become an ally for the students. And what I mean by an ally is become a recognizable part of our community so that if there’s a situation that needs attention, they will trust me to do whatever I can to help them.” Joe Shanley

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFET Y CORPORAL

ously absent. Cpl. Kwamena Morris had one word for it: quiet. “Right now what I hear on the radio is just lock-outs. They’re taking a lot of unsecured door calls right now,” she said. Morris, who has worked for DPS since 2000 and became a corporal in 2007, acts as a supervisor and rarely responds to calls herself, instead delegating to other officers. She only responds to a call if she is specifically asked to or if back-up is requested. This night, she didn’t respond to a single call. As Morris drove around campus, she kept an eye on the students who were already walking around at 10:45 p.m. As the night goes

on, she said, there will be “droves and droves” of students wandering around popular areas like Comstock Avenue, Euclid Avenue and Walnut Park. “We actually, a lot of times, will put a community service officer out there, just to keep people moving, because a lot of time, there’s literally crowds and crowds of people on the sidewalks and stuff on this block,” she said of Comstock Avenue. “Sometimes they get rowdy and things get a little crazy.” There is also a detail of SPD officers set up in the East Neighborhood, which Associate Chief John Sardino pointed out while turning right at the corner of Westcott Street and Euclid Avenue. Two officers had parked there with their lights flashing, making themselves visible from all the way down Euclid Avenue. But officers in the East Neighborhood detail aren’t the only ones working overtime. Sardino, who has long since graduated from doing weekend overnights, has nonetheless been putting in extra hours. For about the past six weeks, Sardino has been coming in at least one weekend evening for upward of seven hours, managing what goes in the DPS office and, as he said, “seeing things through my own eyes.” Sardino said he wanted to be able to personally report back to the University what exactly is going on around campus. Sardino also noted the ramped-up police presence around campus in general, at one point saying that in one square mile, there were upward of 50 police officers working, including members of SPD, DPS, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office and the Onondaga County Probation Department. “That’s the magnitude and the seriousness with which we’ve taken recent events,” he said. These recent events include a stabbing at the Carrier Dome after the Orange Madness event, a stabbing on Marshall Street at Acropolis Pizza, a possible firearm discharge on Marshall Street and rumors of gang activity in the East Neighborhood. But since the police presence has increased around campus, there has been a noticeable decrease in the amount of crime. “We know that when we increase our visibility and we’re active and we’re able to drive up and down streets on a smaller timetable — that we’re up and down a street every five minutes — that there’s going to be less crime,” Sardino said.

SEE DPS PAGE 11

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RAISING THE BAR

allen chiu | design editor KYLE SCHIRTZ, a bartender at Empire Brewing Co., has been bartending for two years. In that time, he has learned to love the job while trying to improve and perfect the craft.

Local bartender shares tricks of trade, wisdom from behind bar By Erik van Rheenen

ASST. FEATURE EDITOR

he bartender is the one with the secrets. The stories. The advice. He’s the one sliding drinks to patrons from behind the counter, slinging customers his specialties and cracking his favorite jokes. Every respectable barfly has a bartender like that. Kyle Schirtz is not this bartender. “I’m still working on my stories,” he said. It’s a quiet Friday afternoon at Empire Brewing Co. in Armory Square. A few diners walk in and out, bringing the chilly fall air with them. Mick Jagger yowls on the radio, and five middle-aged men perch on barstools, idly making small talk. Schirtz pours a few beers from the tap and laughs with them. But away from the bar, wearing all black and with the ghost of 5 o’clock shadow, he’s more mild-mannered. He says he’s more comfortable behind the bar, half joking. And when he’s mixing drinks, it looks like he is. Laughing at a passing comment as he grabs a handle of vodka, he wields the bottle in one hand and a shaker in the other. He pours beer fluidly from the tap, cutting off the stream when there’s just the right amount of foam. Bartending runs in the family for the Schirtz clan. His family, who often gave

him pointers when he started, has two other bartenders: his mother and brother. Schirtz guesses he mixed his first drink as a teenager. He can’t remember if he was 15 or 16. What he remembers is that he probably didn’t drink it afterward. “It was probably something really gross,” he said with a laugh. “I think it was Mountain Dew with something else that didn’t taste good with it.” The 22-year-old Syracuse native has been bartending for two years. His first gig at Empire Brewing Co. was bussing tables. But after waiting tables and waiting on a list for about a year and a half, he got his shot slinging drinks behind the bar. Schirtz is quick to give credit to the restaurant’s other bartenders for teaching him the tricks of the trade. “They taught me everything I know,” he said. “I love them to death.” But he hasn’t really mastered the art of bartending, at least not yet. In fact, Schirtz isn’t even positive it’s a craft that can be perfected — only practiced. He learns as he goes, both from his own experiences and those of his co-workers. The radio switches, and Bob Dylan’s sneer barrels through the speakers. Schirtz counts the less glamorous facets of his job. He usually works eight-hour shifts

and it takes a lot out of him. Most nights, the hours rack up quickly: It’s eight hours thinking quickly on your feet. There’s a feeling Schirtz gets when a flood of customers walk in. A split-second of panic washes over him before a wave of calm smoothes it over. He’s done this for two years; he’ll be fine. “It’s quicker than you’d think, and it’s overwhelming when you get started,” he said. The biggest rookie mistake a novice bartender can make, Schirtz said, is being underprepared. He said learning ingredients to drinks was an important part of the learning curve. Though confident in his almost-encyclopedic knowledge of all things alcoholic, he confesses patrons have stumped him with their own concoctions. “I’ve gotten a few ridiculous orders of drinks I’ve never heard of before,” he said with a laugh. “Some sound terrible, but if it’s what you want, that works, too.” It’s these interactions with patrons that Schirtz prides himself in. He likes talking sports with the Orange faithful who roll in on game days and building rapport with customers on other nights. Engaging with them, he said, is one of his favorite parts of the job. Even more than he enjoys socializing with regulars, though, he looks forward to

working shifts with his fellow Empire bartenders. The bartenders crack inside jokes regularly, and Schirtz admits that they’ve goofed off on their share of slow nights. “A couple weeks ago, we did the ‘Jump On It’ dance to keep our energy up,” he said. Schirtz pauses for a second. The radio jumps to a song by the B-52s in all of their ’80s glory. Diners chatter, the folks at the bar laugh, but Schirtz stays quiet for a second, thinking. He’s technically a senior at Onondaga Community College, even though he’s only taking classes on and off right now. He doesn’t know how long he’ll keep bartending, but for now, Kyle Schirtz EMPIRE BREWING COMPANY BARTENDER it pays the bills. “Honestly, I’ll probably do it for as long as I have to,” he said. And the stories? He’s still making them, one shift at a time.

“I’ve gotten a few ridiculous orders of drinks I’ve never heard of before. Some sound terrible, but if it’s what you want, that works, too.”

ervanrhe@syr.edu

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Students talk strategies when pulling all-nighters

By Boomer Dangel ASST. COPY EDITOR

It’s 2:15 a.m. the night before an exam. You feel semi-prepared for the exam — good, right? Good until your chemistry homework looks you in the face. So now you have a choice to make. A) “I studied enough. Screw the homework, it’s bed time.” B) “Bird Library, here I come.” C) “I’ll just keep working here in my room until I fall asleep on my laptop.” D) “Where’s my alcohol?” Being the good student you are, you undoubtedly choose to pull an all-nighter. After all, this is what college students are supposed to do. So you get to E.S. Bird Library and plop down in a chair. If that chair is on the lowest level of Bird, you’re likely sitting near Alejandro Mercado. “I usually pull all-nighters twice a week,” said Mercado, a junior neuroscience and psychology dual major. His “countless” all-nighters have always landed him in Bird, mostly to avoid distractions. “There’s a bed where I can sleep in my room and loud roommates,” he said. “Here I have people studying, so I kind of get in the mood.” At 4:07 a.m. on Oct. 23, Mercado was one of 11 students on the lowest floor. The seasoned earlymorning studier notes that Bird usually starts thinning out around 3 a.m. during weekdays. The only thing that could make pulling biweekly all-nighters more cliche for college students is eating at an absurd hour to stay awake. Mercado typically eats at Kimmel Food Court before it closes at 1 a.m. during the week. Amanda Canavatchel, a junior psychology and biology dual major, also stressed the importance of food. “You waste money on food if you’re not at home,” she said. “But I can’t do any work at home, I’ll go right to bed.” During her 10-hour-plus run working on a paper in Bird on Oct. 22 and 23, Canavatchel

drank lots of water to keep her awake. The strategy is twofold: First, if the water is cold, it will make you less likely to fall asleep. Second, your frequent trips to the bathroom will keep you physically active, if mildly annoyed. While Bird is great, maybe you’re looking for something a little more close to home. Something with an escape clause in case you want to pass out at 5 a.m. or something with a little bit of distraction so you can procrastinate. If so, the dorm all-nighter is for you. Now, there are two ways this can happen. You can stay in your room or you can use your floor’s lounge as your study place. Meg Stahl, a freshman photography major, pulled her first all-nighter on Oct. 9 following the One World Concert. She decided to follow the lounge route. “I pulled my all-nighter in the Sadler 2 lounge,” Stahl said. “I usually have more inspiration when I’m not cooped up in my dorm.” At first, she said, her friends kept her awake and mentally stimulated — even if they were a bit distracting. But as they started going to bed, Stahl relied more on her pretzels and cold water to keep her awake. “If I were to do it again, I would definitely eat a larger dinner so that I would have the energy to continue my work,” she said. By the time she finished her work, Stahl only had an hour and a half until class. While she knew her bed was right down the hallway, she decided going to bed would only make her more tired for an 8 a.m. For obvious reasons and those mentioned, the dorm room all-nighter is tricky to pull off. A combination of mental toughness, good diet and just enough sporadic Facebook is the only conceivable way not to jump in bed and fall asleep. An uncomfortable bed would keep you awake, too. But then you would have nothing to look forward to after your all-nighter. egdangel@syr.edu

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Aspiring DJs take over air at student-run radio station

luke rafferty | design editor CHELSEA MEMET a junior information management and technology major, sits in the studio at WERW, located in Schine Underground. Memet hosts her own show called “Lately With Chelsea,” and is one of multiple hosts at the student-run radio station.

By Allie Caren

Recently, PJ Alampi, who is running for Student Association President, helped to host. Confidence emanated from Chelsea Memet’s “I like to find stuff that people can connect body as she sat down for her first broadcast of to,” she said. the semester. When Memet first came to campus, she didn’t Sitting in a new, state-of-the-art studio, quite know what she wanted to study. Though which includes new microphones, head- she quickly parted ways with her pre-dental phones and music boards to work with, she path, there was one thing of which she was welcomed both her new and routine listeners certain: She wanted her own radio show. for the night. “I was just like, ‘You know what? Let me do Memet, a junior information management this,’” Memet said. and technology student, has hosted her own Now, Memet has experience in the radio radio show called “Lately With Chelsea” on world. This past summer, she interned with WERW since her first semester as a freshman. Elvis Duran and the Morning Show in New As any Chelsea Handler fan can tell, Memet York City. Her role was to help prep for the named her show after the celebrity’s weeknight show each morning — printing articles, getshow, “Chelsea ting coffee — Lately.” Memet is a and to screen fan of Handler and callers to comjoked, “She’s my ment on air. She fan, too.” would wake up WERW, What every morning Everyone Really at around 3:30 Wants, is one of a.m. to be in the many student-run studio by 5 a.m. radio stations Chelsea Memet Logging each JUNIOR INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY STUDENT on campus. It is a song in WERW’s free-format station, new system, which means it Memet is an eviis uncut and uncensored, said Kyle Kuchta, dent free spirit, and has a passion for getting to WERW’s general manager. The senior visual know others through the radio waves. and performing arts major has been active with WERW usually has about 1,000 unique listenthe station since his first semester on campus. ers a month, Kuchta said. Listeners can stream WERW has between 80 and 90 disc jockeys. the radio shows through their computers. There is a station for almost every genre of It’s weird to Memet that she can’t see people’s music, including indie, rock and rap. Late night reactions to what she says or plays on the air. shows are those streaming from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Yet her philosophy is: “If you don’t like it, then Memet is one of them. Her show airs every you don’t have to listen.” Thursday from 8-10 p.m. She likes to play a wide She connects with her listeners through callrange of popular music and talk about topics she ins and social media outlets like Twitter and feels people can relate to. Facebook. Listeners often Tweet at Memet to Occasionally, Memet has guest hosts on the request a song, ask for a shout out or just to tell show, which include local artists and person- her she’s doing a great job. Her goal of the show alities. She likes to feature fun people who is to give people a good time. have some sort of talent or good personality Memet said that sometimes being alone for to share with listeners. Past guests include her two-hour weekly slot does get lonely, but she singer Janine McElhone and the rap group, said it serves as a therapy session for her. The Trip. She plays anything from PSY’s recent “I’m in a studio, just focusing on music and fad “Gangnam Style” to the glory days of 3LW. having a good time. I get to just share what I STAFF WRITER

“I’m in a studio, just focusing on music and having a good time. I get to just share what I want.”

want,” Memet said. Memet moves and sings along to much of her music; she laughs and has a good time. Said Kuchta: “The best part of WERW is having that hour to curate your show. You have two

hours out of the week to do whatever you want, play whatever you want and just have that time to hang out.” ajcaren@syr.edu

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’Cuse offers variety of venues for concert fans

zixi wu | staff photographer (FROM TOP) Audience members screamed and cheered when Say Anything performed at The Westcott Theater on Tuesday, Oct. 16. Dagan Thogerson, the lead singer and guitarist of Murder By Death, performed at The Westcott. Murder By Death was one of three openers for Say Anything.

By Ibet Inyang STAFF WRITER

Syracuse is known for its nationally renowned university along with the school’s record-winning basketball team. However, deep within all the Orange pride is a music scene that students should not miss out on. If you take a walk around the city, you’ll find venues frequented by the likes of Green Day, Arrested Development and everyone in-between. If you enjoy the sound of speakers booming and the intimate feel of a live performance, the Westcott Theater is the place. The small venue features local bands like Sophistafunk and Animal Pants, as well as well-known artists like Asher Roth and Best Coast. You probably won’t even mind having your feet stuck to the beer-soaked floor from standing so long because the music will be too captivating, thanks to the theatre’s cozy yet exciting atmosphere. Tatiana Sanchez, a senior civil engineering major, said the intimate feel that the venue offers made her feel connected to rock band Switchfoot’s members at their recent Sept. 28 concert. “There was a certain intimacy between the performers and the audience, which made the experience so much better,” Sanchez said. “That’s what really made it a great experience because as we gathered and sang the lyrics out loud, you are able to sing of those things which made us who you are.” But if you want to bring the show to your place, The Sound Garden is the spot. As soon as you walk into the store and see posters plastered throughout the walls and hear rock, rap and everything in-between booming, the store’s eclectic feel is set. The record, CD and movie store is a great place to get old-school vinyl, cool posters or mustache fridge

magnets for cheap, and has become a hot spot for those visiting Armory Square. Sophomore early education and early child development major Alyssa Agosto is a frequent Sound Gardener and said the store’s cool vibes and affordability brought her back for Family Weekend. “The atmosphere is really chill and laid back. There are always people discussing the latest songs or movies,” Agosto said. “But between the racks of posters, CDs and DVDs, and tons of pictures of celebrities who visited the store, there are almost too many cool things to look at. And it’s all so cheap — one time I bought two DVDs for $1 each.” In the end, Syracuse University students actually don’t even have to leave campus to see the hottest artists. In the past year, SU has welcomed everyone from the Counting Crows to Ludacris to rock its legendary Carrier Dome, and The Game, Frankie Negron, Sammie and Kid Ink to perform in Schine Underground and Goldstein Auditorium. Brittany Plummer, a sophomore linguistics major, said that her last concert at Goldstein featuring rapper Tyga on Sept. 22 was not only exciting, but also some-

thing she’ll never forget. Plummer ref lected on how great her view was from the top row of the balcony during the show, and how much she loved the diversity in music, between the hip-hop and reggae she attributed to

Tyga’s half-Jamaican ethnicity. Said Plummer: “Overall, the concert was very entertaining and fun, and hopefully there is another one like it.” ieinyang@syr.edu

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DPS

ALL IN THE MUSIC

FROM PAGE 6

DPS has also increased its CCTV presence, closed-circuit security cameras that monitor both South Campus and Main Campus — a security system that, Sardino said, is growing almost by the day. CCTV has been a good resource for investigations in crimes, as much of the University is now being monitored 24 hours a day. But what really cuts down on crime and aids in investigations is building trust between DPS and the students at Syracuse University, something that Cpl. Joe Shanley has made the focal point of his work as a DPS officer. “I try to be as visible as I can to become an ally for the students,” Shanley said while working a dance party at the SkyBarn. “And what I mean by an ally is become a recognizable part of our community so that if there’s a situation that needs attention, they will trust me to do whatever I can to help them.” The importance of building a relationship between campus police and SU students is stressed throughout the ranks of DPS. The department doesn’t try to discourage students from partying on the weekends; it just encourages students to do so safely and legally. “It’s been my experience that every young lady or gentleman has really worked hard to get here,” Shanley said. “They’re here to do the right thing, just at times I might need to remind them and keep them in the boundaries and not disrespect what the University is trying to do too.” Things remained quiet that Saturday night. Mostly quiet, anyway. Around 12:45 a.m., Sardino pulled over on the 300 block of Euclid Avenue to break up an argument between students in front of Lyons Hall. He asked the students to move along and continue on their way, likely preventing a potential fist fight. But Sardino said that type of situation is exactly what campus police is here to deal with; he doesn’t really mind it or let students’ behavior bother him. Partying is what goes on at college and, having lived in Syracuse and attended the university, he knows precisely what happens on the weekends. Said Sardino: “I spent a lot of time at Syracuse University growing up. I was one of these people walking around in the middle of the night.” avhartmans@syr.edu

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Music is a powerful tool. It can alter the mood of a room in a matter of seconds, serving as a catalyst for anything from a good long cry to an out-of-control dance party. Every well-informed college student should have a series of playlists always handy. Whether you’re getting ready to go out or getting serious before a big exam, use music to set the scene. —Compiled by The Daily Orange Feature Staff, pulp@dailyorange.com —Photo by Joshua Romero, Contributing photographer

PREGAME “Kiss Kiss” — Chris Brown feat. T-Pain

Chris Brown has swerved in and out of controversy over the last few years, but one constant has remained: The boy can dance. And when you listen to this song, it’s as if something washes over you and your feet begin to tap as if you, too, can kick those crazy grooves. The thing is, you probably can’t. But you can go out and rage right after to release that adrenaline.

“Africa” — Karl Wolf feat. Culture

Two sure-fire musical cues to get people pumped up: sing-a-longs and reggae. This remix of a classic gives “Africa” potent reggae flair, and the beat that drops after the melodic intro packs a serious punch. You won’t be able to stay in after blaring this.

“Clique” — Kanye West feat. Jay-Z and Big Sean

A hit off Kanye West’s latest collaborative album, “Cruel Summer,” this song features a trifecta of hip-hop collaboration with Kanye, Jay-Z and Big Sean. It’s hard not to be drawn in, especially after hearing Big Sean’s now-legendary opening line: “Oh God.”

“Goldie” — A$AP Rocky

A$AP Rocky’s first single, “Purple Swag,” made him an artist to watch, but “Goldie” establishes him as a certified hip-hop genius. Listen to this song and pretend you’re swilling champagne and rocking Margiela’s with no laces, just like Rocky.

“I Knew You Were Trouble” — Taylor Swift One of T-Swift’s newest singles from “Red” delves into dubstep with a drop that will surprise even the most loyal of Swift fans. And despite her typical somber lyrics, one can’t help but dance and sing along.

“Live While We’re Young” — One Direction

Although not everyone may admit it, few can resist this sultry British boy band. Jump around to the peppy tune, and remind yourself to take that message to the party.

“Swimming Pools (Drank)” — Kendrick Lamar Kendrick wants to fill a swimming pool of liquor and dive in it, and after grooving to the Compton rapper’s pensive flows, you’ll want to jump in the pool, too.

“The Nights of Wine and Roses” — Japandroids Nothing says booze like four-chord garage rock, vocals you can shout along with and lyrics like, “So we yell like hell to the heavens.” Party on.

STUDY “Clair de Lune” — Debussy

Countless studies have linked classical music with increased cognitive ability, so any classical music is highly recommended. But Debussy’s masterpiece is hard to beat. Its beautiful, tranquil melody will keep you relaxed while maintaining your focus.

“Knowledge of Self” — Blackstar

This song is laid back but driven forward by intelligent, inspiring rhetoric. Yasiin Bey, formerly known as Mos Def, and Talib Kweli are two of the smartest emcees in rap music, and grooving to them while you work can only lead to good things.

“Stars” — The Xx

This quiet duet by The Xx is perfect background music for a study session. The simple melody and love-struck lyrics will keep you in good spirits during a long night at your desk.

“Born To Die” — Lana Del Rey

Whether you love her or you hate her, Lana Del Rey’s “Born to Die” is hands-down one of the best songs of 2012. Lana’s smooth, almost monotone voice will keep you relaxed and calm without distracting you from your work.

“Me vs. Maradona vs. Elvis” — Brand New

There’s just something soothing about having Jesse Lacey crooning in your headphones while you type out an essay. It’s probably the guitar solo that thunders into the song halfway through that’ll keep your spirits up.

“We Drift Like Worried Fire” — Godspeed You! Black Emperor

When it comes to studying, nothing beats good-old instrumental post rock. This 20-minute opus spans from low-key electronic fuzz to sweeping, orchestral highs.

“Leave The Lights On” — Meiko

This soft crooning paired with a light beat and strumming of an acoustic guitar will both simultaneously make you tap your feet and mellow you out. While the lyrics weren’t initially meant for this, it’ll remind you to leave the lights on so that you won’t fall asleep.