4-2-18 USF Week

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What you said Multimedia Editor Chaveli Guzman asked students what event they’re looking forward to most during USF Week.

“The thing that I’m looking forward to most is the talent show, because I think it’s a cool opportunity to allow different students from different backgrounds and experiences to showcase their talents for the entire school to see.”

— Morghan Gray, a freshman majoring in biomedical science.

“I’m most excited about the Hamilton actor coming in and speaking and performing.”

— Sheila Parsi, a junior majoring in environmental microbiology.

“I’m looking forward to the Hamilton speaker. It seems like a good opportunity to see what the show is about.”

— Zahabya Kapadia, a junior majoring in biomedical science.

“I’m excited for the concert.”

— Shaathaj Shaah, a senior majoring in biomedical science.

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Rocky’s Birthday Bash: A time for celebrating and giving back

By Jesse Stokes M A N A G I N G

E D I T O R

Birthdays for most are a time for receiving, however on Thursday Rocky D. Bull will be celebrating his birthday as a way to give back to students.

Though it is unclear just how old Rocky is turning, according to Kristine Herrington the Communications & Marketing Officer for the Annual Giving office, this birthday celebration will be special, as Rocky’s Birthday Bash will include a large fundraising push for USF Annual Giving Day. “Giving Day is a systemwide effort, so all campuses are benefiting from it,” Herrington

said. “Basically, what we have is what we call our Heard Funder Platform, which is USF’s homegrown crowd funding platform. There is one fund set up in it, which is the USF Foundation Endowed Scholarship.”

In a message to The Oracle, Nevena Pehar the Assistant Director of Development for Young Alumni, said Giving Day is a way to promote togetherness and academic success.

“Giving Day is a day for all of USF to come together promoting student success by supporting the USF Foundation Endowed Scholarship, which is awarded to full and part-

time students, all majors, all academic levels, all campuses,” Pehar said.

Herrington echoed the points of Pehar and said the funds raised during this time will ultimately offer support to a wide-array of students, as there are few limits on who is eligible.

According to Herrington, the idea behind using Rocky’s Birthday Bash as a platform for fundraising for student scholarships was in part, an effort to engage alumni during USF Week.

“I know that Rocky’s Birthday Bash has been happening for a while, but we decided that since alumni maybe are not on

campus and may not be able to celebrate USF Week and Rocky’s birthday, that it would be a good way to launch our Giving Day on Rocky’s birthday and tying in the theme: all gifts make a difference,” Herrington said.

According to Herrington, however what is most important for potential donors to consider is that donations large and small go a long way to assisting in the overall academic success of students.

When it comes to the specifications of Rocky’s party, Herrington said though she has not asked the birthday boy directly, she thinks his favorite type of cake must be vanilla

with green sprinkles and that Rocky hopes any and all students are able to make it to the celebration.

As far as what helps Rocky maintain his youthful appearance after all these years, Herrington said student success goes a long way into maintaining Rocky’s image.

“I think it is just having a good attitude and having so many successful students around him to keep him young,” Herrington said. “USF’s sports teams are doing well, so that keeps him energetic and young.

He is kind of timeless, so you know, there is not that many wrinkles.”

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USF band Coastals to perform as part of Bullstock

By Samantha Moffett O P I N I O N

E D I T O R

The annual Battle of the Bands held at USF gives student musicians the opportunity to showcase their talent and passion in hopes of performing at Bullstock, one of the most popular events during USF Week.

Students and a panel of judges vote on their favorite music group, and for one of the bands competing at this year’s Battle of the Bands, the competition provided an opportunity to show their growth.

After facing defeat in their very first Battle of the Bands competition in 2017, the five members of the band Coastals had a year of experience and confidence under their belt when they competed once again in March.

With the people’s choice vote on their side, Coastals finally reigned as the official Bullstock 2018 opener.

“We played Battle of the Bands last year when we were getting our start playing shows,” Tyler Freeman, Coastals lead singer, said.

“We really feel that having that year made a difference in our confidence, outreach and ability to perform.”

Through performances and music releases, Coastals demonstrates their mix of indie, rock and alternative sound, and it helps that the band members have always shared a similar love for music.

“Tyler (Freeman) and I started getting into writing songs in 2014,” guitarist James Chouinard said. “Then we both moved to Tampa to go to USF about a year apart and started mixing music in our rooms.”

Coastals competed during last year’s battle of the bands and didn’t win. However, after taking the year to regroup and continue practicing, the band will be playing Bullstock along with We The Kings, COIN and xAmbassadors. ORACLE PHOTO/SAMANTHA MOFFETT From mixing songs in a bedroom to getting the opportunity to perform at Bullstock alongside big-name artists like We The Kings, COIN and xAmbassadors, it is clear that the members of Coastals have made a name for themselves through hard work and devotion to the unique sounds they create.

Gaining a significant following of loyal listeners, Coastals has had the chance

to play the 97X Next Big Thing local band search, has been featured on Indie Rock Café’s list of 5 DIY Bands to Watch and has made two appearances on popular YouTuber Alex Rainbird’s Indie/Rock/ Alternative music compilation.

But for Coastals, it is a special opportunity to be performing at this year’s Bullstock.

“It is a privilege to be playing alongside some acts that we grew up listening to,” Freeman

said. “I believe We The Kings are also from Bradenton, which is where James (Chouinard) and I grew up.”

Freeman also explained how while it feels good to have an outlet to express themselves, it is rewarding to see listeners get to connect through the band’s outlet too.

After persevering following the band’s first Battle of the Bands experience and having a year of growth, Coastals will

once again get the chance to connect others through music at this year’s Bull Stock.

For Chouinard, this is perhaps the most important part; connecting the ones who listen.

“If people aren’t smiling and dancing and connecting, then what’s the point?” he said.

Coastals will perform live at Bull Stock on April 6 at 6 p.m. in the Sundome parking lot.

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‘I’d love to see you try before you quit’ Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. to share stories of success and struggles as the next ULS speaker

By Miki Shine E D I T O R

I N

C H I E F

This year, the USF Week University Lecture Series (ULS) speaker will be Leslie Odom Jr., Hamilton star and author. The lecture, held in the Marshall Student Center Ballroom on Tuesday, will likely take on the view of his latest book, Failing Up, which was released last week.

Odom has been acting on the stage and on the screen since he was in his late teens, getting a role in Rent when he was 17.

However, his most recognizable role was as Aaron Burr in the original cast of Hamilton.

He was first drawn to the role of Burr when a video of an early version of the incomplete script started making the rounds. One song for Burr’s character, Wait For It, stuck out to Odom in that early version because of its tempo and gospel style.

“When he finished that song,” Odom said in an interview with USAToday. “I said, ‘Wow — I’ve never heard a song quite like that on Broadway.’ I just knew that whoever was going to get to sing ‘Wait For It’ eight shows a week was going to be a lucky actor. I knew that.”

Odom went on to audition and land the role of Burr for the first full run of Hamilton, which he

later won a Tony award for. Before his Hamilton success, however, Odom considered leaving acting for a more steady profession.

“I was just really tired of that rollercoaster,” Odom said in an interview with Stephen Colbert.

“I wanted to get a check on Thursdays, I wanted to know what that check was going to say, I wanted to pay my rent and be an adult.”

During that time, Odom turned to a personal friend and life coach, Stewart K. Robertson.

The challenge Robertson gave him was ‘I’d love to see you try before you quit.’

“He said, ‘Well, I think what you’re doing is that you’re sitting at home and waiting for the phone to ring. When the phone rings, you’re there and ... sometimes that can get you a gig.

But what did you do today in the absence of a ringing phone?’”

Odom said.

This question of ‘What work did you put in today that will help you improve tomorrow?’ became a central question in Odom’s book, Failing Up. The ULS lecture will be in the Ballroom, which can hold up to 1,000 people. As of 4:30 on Thursday, 423 students had reserved seats. It will start at 8 p.m. and Odom will sing three songs along with his speech.

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Bradenton natives return to perform for Bullstock

We The Kings released their first major hit Check Yes, Juliet in 2007. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

By Andrea Martin C O P Y

E D I T O R

Natives of Bradenton, the band We the Kings have been together since 2005. For any lifelong pop punk fan, it is almost impossible to separate distinct middle school and high schools memories from the band’s most famous songs, such as ‘Check Yes, Juliet’ and ‘Say You Like Me.’ With their performance at this year’s Bullstock on Friday at 6 p.m., We the Kings will give USF a taste of a classic genre

from the early 2000s.

Band members, Travis Clark, Hunter Thomsen, Danny Duncan, Charles Trippy and Coley O’Toole have traveled across the U.S., as well as having shows in Europe and performing once in Brazil.

They have toured alongside other pop punk favorites like Boys Like Girls, Cute is What We Aim For, All Time Low and Cobra Starship.

In 2008, We the Kings was awarded the “Best Pop Punk Band” at Rock on Request Awards, and in 2012, they won

“Most Innovative Music Video” for ‘Say You Like Me’ at the O Music Awards.

In 2017, lead singer Travis Clark interviewed with Alternative Press about the 10 year anniversary of We the Kings’ debut, self-titled album.

“What I can say is, after we finished the first album there was 10 songs — and the record that’s self-titled is 11 songs — I, at the very last minute, was like there’s this song that I wrote in the hotel room and I really want to put it on the album,” Clark said in the interview.

“They were like, ‘No, no, no, no,’ and I said, ‘Please, please, it’s really good.’

“And they were like, ‘No, no, no, there’s not enough time …

I was like, ‘OK, fine,’ and then I got stubborn. I was like, ‘No, it’s got to go on this record. It’s got to go.’ And they were like, ‘Do you have a title for it?’ And I was like, ‘No, but we’ll just record it and I’ll change the title later.’ And, (the song) was Check Yes, Juliet.”

As of March 26, almost 11 years after We the Kings’ selftitled album was released,

‘Check Yes, Juliet’ has 49,499,468 streams on Spotify music.

Their latest single, ‘Festival Music,’ was released on Dec. 1, 2017 and a new album is expected to be released at some point this year.

The band has 208,000 Youtube subscribers at We the Kings, 121,000 Instagram followers @wethekings and 301,000 Twitter followers @wethekings.

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