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(04/08/05 4:10am)
While their last visit to Bloomington was as a headliner at the Bluebird Nightclub, this time around, the Graham Colton Band will have a change of scenery.\nThe five-person pop/rock band out of Dallas is headed to Indianapolis for their show at 8 p.m. today at the Murat Theater, 502 N. New Jersey St. in Indianapolis, and are opening for "American Idol's" Kelly Clarkson.\nThe band has come to Bloomington multiple times since its first visit as the opening act for Counting Crows at the IU Auditorium in 2002. It has developed quite a fan base with its new album, "Drive." \n"Drive," released in May 2004, is Graham Colton's first full album with his band, but his second major LP. One of the band's representatives, Marty Nolan, said the key phrase when describing this album has become, "rock 'n' roll for a new generation." \n"We take a little piece of every band we've toured with and it has turned into our own sound," Colton said in a December interview with the Indiana Daily Student. \nThis sound, a product of touring with such acts as John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band and The Wallflowers, has contributed to the success the band has seen in the last few months. GCB began touring with Clarkson March 30, and has seen increased airtime in major radio markets, particularly Chicago.\nColton said this tour is different than most, but still a great experience. \n"It's amazing how we're a band that can tour with Dave Matthews Band and then go tour with Kelly Clarkson, the difference being that Kelly is a superstar and we've normally focused on bands like the Crows where they've been around for a while." he said. "Since we're not on MTV, we're continually finding out that our live show is what is taking us to all different types of shows. Kelly heard that and she wanted us to open and we're thrilled."\nIn the December interview Colton said he hopes to continue to make new fans and more importantly, new friends as they continue to tour through Indiana.\nAn avid fan, senior David Rifkin said he is looking forward to the Friday show in Indianapolis.\n"It should be a great time," Rifkin said. "Whenever they get a chance to play its fun to go see them because they are an incredible live act. It seems like every time they play they get better and better."\nAt this Friday's show, audiences can expect to experience the same atmosphere in addition to hearing the first single off "Drive," "Don't Give up on Me," as well as tracks, "Cigarette," "Morning Light" and "First Week." Audience members at tonight's show will also have a chance to meet the band after the set, as well as after Clarkson's, according to the band's Web site, www.grahamcoltonband.com, in a ritual the band has made a staple of its performances. \nColton, bassist Ryan Tallent, drummer Jordan Elder, supporting guitarist Aben Eubanks and pianist John Lancaster try to meet as many of their fans (or as they call them, "friends") after their shows.\nTickets for the concert are available at www.ticketmaster.com for either $35 or $39.50 depending on seating. The doors of the Murat Theater will open at 6:30 p.m.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Lindsay DeWitte at ldewitte@indiana.edu.
(12/10/04 5:32am)
Rarely do bands from out of town make an impact on the local Bloomington music scene, but recently one Dallas band has been making waves.\nThe Graham Colton Band, a group of four young musicians from Texas, is returning to Bloomington Saturday to open for Sister Hazel at the Bluebird nightclub after performing there only one week ago, Dec. 2, with Edwin McCain. This stop in Bloomington will be its fifth since first playing with Counting Crows at the IU Auditorium in October of 2002, and the members said they couldn't be more thrilled.\n"We are growing pretty fond of Bloomington and all that it has to offer," said lead singer, and band's founder, Graham Colton. "We are starting to see the same faces, which make it fun, and it makes us feel like we are among friends."\nThe band's sound combines alternative rock with strong vocals. It's led by Colton on vocals and guitar, Jordan Elder on drums, Ryan Tallent on bass and Brian "Turtle" Turton on lead guitar. \n"I was never really a fan of the Graham Colton Band before," said junior Bridget Fallen. "But the set was tight and the band was on the mark. IU's bar scene is lucky they're coming back next weekend."\nColton began his first tour outside of the Dallas area after two years at Southern Methodist University when Counting Crows asked him and his band to be part of their university tour. Although he said his early departure from college is a downside to touring, Colton jumped at the chance.\n"Touring is kind of like my college experience, and although it sounds cheesy, my band is like my fraternity," Colton said. \nHe said IU students have made visiting Bloomington lots of fun by being very friendly and taking the tight-knit band to Kilroy's on Kirkwood after their shows.\nThroughout their many visits, Bloomington has quickly become a favorite of the members of the Graham Colton Band. Colton said they enjoy meeting as many of their fans as they can after their shows. \nThe band's popularity has been growing larger on IU's campus since the highly attended Guster concert at the Phi Delta Theta house during Little 500 of last year. Senior David Rifkin coordinated the performance, and worked with the Creative Artist Agency to add the Graham Colton Band as the opening act.\n"One of the major reasons why (the band) did so well here is because their music covers a wide variety of people and they really fit the criteria of what blows up here," Rifkin said. "If someone is into hard rock they will like it and if someone is into pop they will like it too. Anybody who hears them immediately goes, 'wow they're amazing.'"\nColton said the band's sound can be compared to many other popular college rock bands such as the Wallflowers, John Mayer and Maroon 5 -- all former touring partners Colton's band.\n"We take a little piece of every band we've toured with and it has turned into our own sound," Colton said. The band members said they hope to concentrate on building up a large fan base with its new album, titled "Drive," and their Saturday performance at the Bluebird is the next step. \n"We're in for the long haul with this album," Colton said. "We hope it takes us a lot of places and to Bloomington a whole lot more." \n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay Dewitte at ldewitte@indiana.edu.
(11/05/04 6:07am)
Chairs slide across the tiled floor, and papers shuffle. Students clad in sweatpants, T-shirts and gym shoes shuffle into the brightly lit basement of Kappa Delta sorority, laughing and making wisecracks. The mood is light and the students greet each other with warm smiles and hugs. They are here to learn a line dance. \nNo, this is not a country line-dancing club, it is one of IU's Dance Marathon committees, and these students are the heart and soul of the marathon. They are Moralers.\nIUDM's Morale Committee is a little-known group of students that help to organize the marathon benefiting Riley Children's Hospital every year. Responsible for creating the dance that gives the marathon its name, these individuals have a very special task. \nThey are in charge of keeping up the spirit of more than 600 students for 36 hours straight.\n"We create the line dance, but we also organize games for the dancers to play during the marathon," said junior Lizzie Oldberg, a member of Delta Gamma, three-time marathoner and two-time member of Morale. "Our goal is to make sure that everyone stays up, and that everyone has fun."\nGames such as Twister, Survivor, Singled Out and Spin the Bottle are just some of the activities the Moralers have planned for this year's marathon this Friday through Sunday. But what does it take to be a Moraler?\n"It takes a very special type of person to take on this task," said junior Kyle Witham, a member of Alpha Phi sorority and a first-time Moraler. "The Moralers were what got me through the marathon last year."\nCommittee director and non-greek Kyle Dietz, a former member of the IU varsity cheerleading, describes himself as the epitome of a Moraler.\n"The personality of a Moraler is exactly like my personality," he said. \nThis is Dietz's third year with IUDM and, as the director, he is in charge of collecting donations, creating the line dance and organizing the activities of Morale. He delegates responsibilities to his committee members, but most of all, he works to inspire them to raise as much money as they can to go to Riley. \n"I love kids, and that's what it's really about," he said.\nOther Moralers take a less-organizational role, but they are inspired by the same forces Dietz described. \n"It's for the kids, and that's why I do it," said junior Andrew Meyers, a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. \nMeyers has been involved with the marathon for three years and decided to be a part of Morale because he said it looked really fun and the people have lots of energy.\nIn order to become a member of the Morale committee, the members have to go through a relatively intensive interview process. They begin by attending a chair-person call-out where they fill out an application in which they answer about six essay questions. The questions concern prior involvement at IU and what type of qualities the applicant has that exemplifies a Moraler. \nAfter the application process, the Moralers are interviewed in front of the Dance Marathon Executive Board and they are expected to dress up in a zany outfit for the interview. \nThe selection process for Morale is the most competitive of the committees.\nAs they gear up for this year's marathon, the excitement grows stronger, as does their love for IUDM and its cause. \n"Dance Marathon is my passion," Oldberg said. "I wouldn't want to be on any other committee than Morale."\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay DeWitte at ldewitte@indiana.edu.
(11/05/04 5:15am)
After a year of planning and months of construction, the Weil Journalism Library located inside Ernie Pyle Hall will reopen today. \nThe newly renovated facility offers 11 Macintosh and PC units. Many of the computers are set up in a group-station arrangement to aid students and faculty members when working with each other. Wireless Internet and laptop ports are also available at similar computer stations.\n"It was obvious that we needed more group study space," Library Coordinator Linda Butler said. \nButler said, before the renovation, only one table was available for students to gather around and it was not sufficient. \nThe need for an upgrade was first introduced approximately two years ago when renovation of EP 220, the building's lecture hall, overtook three faculty offices. The new library set up has made room for several more offices on the first floor of the building, but has limited capacity for written resources.\nToday, the library houses only 10 percent of the books and journals it held before the renovation.\nPlanning for the new library began around December of last year and has now reached its completion, pending a few minor technical difficulties. Telephone lines as well as printer troubles delayed the opening until today.\nButler said students used to refer to the Journalism Library as "tired-looking" and "retro," but it is now a much more comfortable and modern atmosphere. The library is outfitted with plush couch-like chairs and plenty of work-space. \nStudents and faculty members that have seen the new library are happy with its appearance, but disappointed that it has taken so long to open.\n"It's nice-looking," Academic Advisor Lauren Kinzer said. "It is a little late though."\nButler said the comfortable appearance of the library will ensure it will be a popular spot for studying on campus, even though the amounts of books that are available suffered when the space was confined. Books will be available by request delivery, a service that swaps books between various libraries on the Bloomington campus. \nVideo tapes and journals needed for classroom activities are also available at the Journalism Library, a fact that pleases many students in need of these materials. \n"I'm glad that the library is opening because I have needed journal articles for my classes and now I will be able to get them right by all my classes," sophomore Jaclyn Kalb said.\nLibrarian Grace Jackson-Brown was unavailable for comment, but Butler said they are both very excited about the new opening and they think it will be a big hit with the students and faculty of Ernie Pyle Hall.\n-- Contact staff writer Lindsay DeWitte at ldewitte@indiana.edu.