The 1975 Will Make You Believe: Concert Review

Dressed in black, from head to toe, and rocking combat boots, fans oozed into the center of the Carrier Dome to bear witness to a new kind of British Invasion for Syracuse University’s annual Rock The Dome concert. The 1975 materialized out of a fog on stage after a teasing introduction that seemed to last fifteen…

Nostalgia Causes Surge in Vinyl Sales

The shrieks of some obscure indie rock band ooze from The Sound Garden’s open door as people flow in and out of Armory Square’s not-so-hidden gem. Inside customers quietly stroll through ceiling high aisles of DVDs and CDs, but nowhere is as congested as the record section, where fingers comb through vinyls surrounded by the…

To all the boys I’ve ever loved

I lied about love. I’ve always loved the idea. I pretended to be a cynic because I thought it would be easier, put less pressure on everything. But if I’m being honest, there were moments when I let myself believe you were it. In many ways, you made love less of an idea and more…

Leon Bridges takes us back with ‘Coming Home’

It definitely feels as though Texan-newcomer Leon Bridges was plucked from a smoky blues bar in 1962 and redistributed into the 21st century. In a world where catchy techno-pop beats and shallow lyrics continue to reign, there seems to be just enough room for the revival of retro soul with this new artist. The 25-year-old…

15 Things You Can Only Understand When You Grow Up Jamerican

By Amari D. Pollard We may have never lived in Jamaica, but we claim the country as if it’s one of our limbs. Since we were raised by Jamaicans, it was only natural for us to connect more with that culture. And because of that growing up in America—in a completely different society—was always interesting….

Never Can Say Goodbye

By Amari D. Pollard I’ve never been one for goodbyes; to places, to people—especially people. It’s always been easier for me to just leave, to not really realize the last time I saw someone was a goodbye until some time passed without me seeing them. Maybe that way it’s better, because the more detached I…

Why the College Hookup Isn’t Good Enough

By Amari D. Pollard The issue isn’t getting people to notice you. On the nights you go out with friends you dance with guys, they call you hot, they ask for your number, some even try to make out with you and if you’re drunk enough sometimes you let them. But those are meaningless nights:…

After It’s Done

By Amari D. Pollard “I’ve learned people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”                         ~Maya Angelou The silence—that’s probably the hardest part, I think: the stillness of the cellphone, the unspoken hellos, the missed comforts. You tell yourself it doesn’t…

Changing How We See Ourselves

By Amari D. Pollard When nostalgia hits I have this habit of looking through old family photos. So the other day when I found myself drowning in it, I started looking through a pile of pictures I keep on my desk and came across one where I was wearing this awful blue terry top hat…

Ready Or Not

By Amari D. Pollard Let’s just get one thing straight first: I’m not afraid of getting old; in fact, I actually relish the inevitability of it all. I think I’ll look good with short grey hair, with the subtle wrinkles that materialize when I smile. I want the experiences, the marriage, the family, the house,…

Let’s Be Honest

By Amari D. Pollard I think there are many situations and stages in people’s lives that force them to take a step back and ask themselves: What is it that I really want? The only problem with asking that question is that the answer is not always so easy to come by; because a lot…

Dating in the 21st Century

By Amari D. Pollard Dating. What does it even mean to date in 2015? Are we dating if I’m “talking” to you? Are we dating if I’m “seeing” you on a regular basis? Are we dating if we’ve gone on a couple of dates? More importantly, is dating even a thing anymore? As a side…