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(10/12/09 9:55pm)
The mass of Streetlight Manifesto enthusiasts at the Starland Ballroom on Oct. 4 released a blissful roar when their beloved band’s front man, Tomas Kalnoky, led the other six members of the ska punk septet off the stage.
The band’s departure signaled the first half of its final performance of a long tour, and its last concert for at least the next year and a half. It was time for a hard earned break after churning out countless numbers from both of its studio albums, “Everything Goes Numb” (2003) and “Somewhere In the Between” (2007), of which the band played both in full by the end of the night.
Why did the various pits suddenly fill up with curious onlookers? Why the hell would we dare applaud Streetlight Manifesto’s exit stage right? Because after the better part of a decade it was finally time for “99 Songs of Revolution.”
“99 Songs of Revolution” is an eight-album project that, due to equipment robberies and money troubles, has been on the back burner since the band’s inception in 2002. The collection of covers is literally 99 songs that have influenced the various artists taking part in the venture.
The four groups that will record two albums apiece include Streetlight Manifesto, Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution and two other associated collectives.
As the dimmed lighting was raised, a gravelly articulated and even faster paced version of the Simon and Garfunkel hit “Me and Julio Down By the School Yard” induced a venue wide sing along.
The band turned the Squirrel Nut Zippers’ “Hell,” a poppy damnation and hell fire themed tune, into a harder ska punk classic. Kalnoky also transformed “Linoleum,” a blistering punk rock anthem by NOFX, by slowing it down and stripping the usually electrically charged song via acoustic guitar.
The final song played off the new album was “Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service. Streetlight played it rather genuinely without any large structural changes.
Look for covers of Nirvana and The Drifters, two of Kalnoky’s biggest musical influences, to show up on this album, more precisely The Drifters’ 1964 hit “Under the Boardwalk.”
(10/06/09 4:07pm)
The College’s cross country teams brushed elbows in a fight for coveted real estate with nationally acclaimed Division I, II, and III programs at the Goodman Campus course of Lehigh University on Friday for the 36th annual Brooks Paul Short Run.
“Your mindset doesn’t really change in a race like this,” said junior T.J. Bocchino. “The only difference is, when racing against NJAC (New Jersey Athletic Conference) teams we’re usually out ahead of the competition. Here, we have to realize that these racers are some of the best in the country, and sometimes the best in the world. But you still have to run your race and trust yourself.”
T.J. Bocchino took the top spot for the 33rd Nationally Ranked Lions men when he broke the tape with an 8K time of 25:43. The junior turned in an impressive individual performance, finishing 26th of 332 racers.
“I did alright,” Bocchino said. “I ran a little slower than last year, but, I’m putting in more mileage and training time, because I’m really focusing on the Conference Championship and I want to be ready for that.”
Junior Dennie Waite and sophomore Andy Herschman both finished in the Top 100 helping cement The College’s 16th place showing. Waite punched his time card at 26:13 in 61st and Herschman followed in 96th position at 26:31.
Bocchino admitted his team did not run a perfect race but emphasized inexperience as a prominent factor in the Lions’ middle of the pack result.
“You have to remember we’re a young team. For many of our guys this is the first time they’ve ever run an 8K and the results weren’t bad,” said Bocchino. “We didn’t run the most stellar race but it’s definitely a good starting point to improve upon.”
Wayne State University took top honors overall. Rider University and Monmouth University took 9th and 12th place respectively. However, the Lions did best the only other NJAC teams in the race, Ramapo College and Rowan University, which finished in 30th and 32nd place respectively
Michelle Wallace led the way for the 17th Nationally Ranked Women’s Cross Country Program as the only Lion to finish in the Top 100 in the Women’s College Gold 6k race. Wallace who finished in 63rd place, an impressive feat considering the competition, was quite pleased with her outing and saw a distinct improvement from last year.
“I’m very happy with my performance,” said Wallace. “Coming into the race I hoped to break 22 minutes and I finished at 21:39. Also, it was very pleasing to see such a big improvement from last year when I finished at 22:15.”
The winning women’s team was the Mountaineers of West Virginia University who currently hold the 4th spot in the NCAA Division I National Rankings. Johns Hopkins University presently shares the number one national ranking for Division III schools, and the Blue Jays could only muster up a 15th place finish at the Brooks Paul Short Run.
With the help of senior Nicole Ullmeyer, who clocked in 22:53, and sophomore Katie Nestor, who crossed the finish line at 23:02, the Lions were able to edge out the last place Adelphi University, who is also a Nationally Ranked program in NCAA Division II Women’s Cross Country.
“One of our team’s big problems this year is not being able to relax before our races. I was very happy to see our team able to relax and shake the nerves off on Friday…We put in the work beforehand, we were prepared to race, and we put out one of our best performances at the Brooks Paul Short Run in a while.”
(09/01/09 4:38pm)
When T.J. Bocchino came to the College in 2007, it did not take long for the runner to make his presence known. A brilliant inaugural season cemented his status as one of New Jersey Athletic Conference’s (NJAC) top runners, and Bocchino was justly dubbed the NJAC Rookie of the Year.
In 2008, Bocchino impressed again with his aptitude for the sport, executing All-Conference and All-Regional performances. Bocchino also received an individual invitation to the NCAA National Championships in which he finished 137th out of 278 competitors, and Bocchino aided the Men’s Cross Country program in earning its 15th consecutive NJAC Championship. The then sophomore clocked in with a very respectable third place finish in the 8k race at the NJAC Championship.
Although Bocchino has achieved numerous athletic accolades in only half of a college career, he was on path for a much different sports career in high school.
“I had been playing basketball,” Bocchino said. “And in my freshman year of high school I didn’t make the team. So I figured I’d run track to stay in shape for next season … Then I found out I was pretty good, and I haven’t looked back.”
Bocchino has only gotten better since his high school days at Toms River East. So good in fact, that he has been named captain for the upcoming 2009 campaign.
“His teammates voted him captain,” said head coach Phil Jennings. “We’re a young team so his leadership is detrimental to our success.”
Knowing that he has his teammate’s backing and respect, Bocchino is confident that he will be able to take the squad’s reins and steer it in a winning direction.
“Our team is very young and in order for us to function the way we want to we’ll need leadership … We really lacked that [leadership] last year, but I think I can help provide it.”
In the short term, Bocchino feels his youthful band of runners needs to work on “gaining experience,” and, he believes some of the younger racers need to use the first few meets as a valuable learning experience.
As for the captain’s personal goals, “I want to be an All-American, and to do that you have to finish in the top 35 at Nationals. I didn’t have a great individual performance at Nationals last year, so I really want to improve upon that.”
Bocchino has progressed steadily each year he has competed in a Lions uniform. The determination the captain possesses to improve on a daily basis will undoubtedly cause his younger counterparts to strive toward excellence day in and day out.
(09/01/09 4:33pm)
With a new season ahead of them, the members of the women’s Cross Country team have been preparing themselves. According to returning senior Michelle Wallace, camraderie is just as important as physical preparation.
“I want us to be closer and I think we’re becoming a much closer pack … We are working on being able to work together … team work plays a huge role in the program’s success. If we’re not able to work together then we have nothing,” she said.
Wallace, one of two team captains, will be depended upon to carry the load and perform at a high level, according to head coach Phil Jennings.
“Michelle is someone who has improved a great deal over four years and it’s important to have someone to look toward as the front runner,” he said.
In last year’s New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championships, in the individual 6K race that saw six Lions’ runners finish in the top 10, Wallace took home an impressive fourth place finish with an official time of 23:01.75. Her performance helped push the Lions into the Division III Atlantic Regional tournament and eventually earn an at-large birth in the NCAA Championship tournament.
The captain also specializes in the 3,000 meter steeple chase, a race that involves Wallace circling a standard running track seven times while clearing four, 30 inch tall barriers, one of which has a pit of water strategically placed on the other side. Each runner must clear 28 barriers and make seven water landings in a single race. The NJAC holds this race at its championship event every year, and Wallace has taken home the gold the past two seasons.
“Our captains lead by example. That’s why they’re in the position they are,” Jennings said.
Wallace’s team-first attitude, talent for the sport, and ability to help mold a strong team-oriented atmosphere around the Women’s Cross Country team will serve her teammates well when the season begins.
(04/30/08 12:00pm)
After an extensive and expensive school year, summer is finally in sight and students are looking for inexpensive ways to have fun over the break. Fear not, for there are plenty of things to do when you are short on funds.
If you find yourself short on cash, but in the mood for a ball game, there is no need to waste your coveted time and money by driving into the city for an expensive Yankees game. You can just as easily take the Garden State Parkway to Lakewood, at exit 89, and enjoy a night at First Energy Park, home to the Lakewood Blue Claws. A front-row ticket on the third-base line will only run you $9, and if you want more relaxing surroundings you can purchase a lawn seat for $6.
The Blue Claws, a Class-A rookie league affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies, have been very competitive over the past few seasons, finishing over .500 last season and winning the South Atlantic League Championship in 2006.
Current Phillies' all-stars that have passed through Lakewood en route to the big leagues include Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Cole Hamels. Fans of the Phillies should take this economic voyage to witness the future of their favorite franchise.
If you are not a fan of America's favorite pastime but are still looking for some cheap thrills, take a few roads less traveled and go on a Weird New Jersey tour. If you have ever read the magazine Weird New Jersey, or its two hardcover book spin-offs, you know our great state is filled with its fair share of peculiar, creepy and just plain weird landmarks. Do some research, pick out a handful of your favorite sights, and investigate this outlandish state.
If you would like to see a giant evil clown, then Middletown, N.J., is where you need to be. Maybe haunted houses tickle your fancy? Then check out the Thomas P. Hunt House in Sussex County. Does the name Devil's Tower intrigue you? Then take a trip to Alpine, N.J., and get a close look. Get out there and bask in the weirdness this state has to offer.
"If I didn't have much money, I'd probably go to the beach . I'd drive out to Sandy Hook," Sarah Lynch, freshman early childhood education and women's and gender studies major, said.
Taking a trip to any one of the Jersey Shore's many beaches is a perfect solution for a fun time when you are short on funds. Besides the sand and surf, Seaside Heights offers a long stretch boardwalk and includes great games, food and music.
Another New Jersey vacation spot whose fame has grown over the years is Long Beach Island. The beaches and cool refreshing ocean associated with this prominent vacation sight draw summer travelers by the droves. It is an extraordinary place to enjoy your break.
The aforementioned Sandy Hook is yet another area on the shore that offers a number of great beaches and is rich in history. After a fun day in the sun, one can enjoy a meal at the beachside restaurants in the nearby coastal town of Sea Bright.
For a better look at the Hook, you can travel to the Twin Lights Lighthouse and museum located just up the road in Atlantic Highlands. The historical landmark, no longer operational, allows those in search of a sight to climb up into the lighthouse and look over the entire peninsula.