14 Arts

[email protected] UMBC Greeks come together for philanthropy

Zak Bratcher with Phi Mu,” said Steve Gilmore, a RETRIEVER STAFF Pi Kappa Phi member, on Thursday night. “It’s an event in teamwork, “Are you guys ready for some live and we’re really excited.” music?” Gilmore, a senior and former Alex Applebaum, a former UMBC Student Government Association student and member of Pi Kappa Phi president, said that Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, kicked the night off in has held Rock for Push benefit con- fine style, warming up the crowd up certs below Flat Tuesdays in the in the University Center ballroom Commons the past two semesters. during Thursday evening’s Phi Is for Because of the partnership with Phi Philanthropy concert. Applebaum Mu, the event was shifted to the was one of five musical acts that larger venue in the UC. performed as part of the night-long Each of the five musical acts fundraising festivities. played for approximately half an The fundraiser was part of a hour. As mentioned, Applebaum partnership between UMBC Greek opened the event playing his brand organizations Pi Kappi Phi and Phi of acoustic pop-rock, including Mu Fraternity for Women to raise a cover of Dave Matthews Band’s money for charitable donation. “Tripping Billies.” “Last semester, we did Rock for T3, a harmonizing, folksy, acous- Push,” said Corey Jennings, a Pi tic pairing of UMBC junior Matthew Kappi Phi member. “We wanted to Polonchak and his twin brother Mi- make it bigger and better.” chael, performed next. They were Jennings, a junior, co-chaired the followed by last minute addition Phi Is for Philanthropy concert along The Town Criers, the rock-n-roll with Phi Mu’s Chantelle Walsh. He band that has won the past two explained that part of the money UMBC Battle of the Bands competi- raised would go to Phi Mu’s char- tions. ity of choice, the Children’s Miracle Next was the heavily anticipated Network, a non-profit organization performance by Team Metal: Mas- that raises funds for children’s hos- ters of Metallica, a Metallica cover pitals, medical research and commu- band making only their second nity awareness of children’s health public appearance, their first with a issues. The other portion would be full band. donated to Pi Kappa Phi’s own char- “We’ve all been waiting for Team ity, Push America, which focuses Metal for a semester,” said Gilmore. primarily on disability awareness The band – Ed Schaefer, Bill and leadership development, and to Compton, Anh P.A. Ho, and Ap- Maiden Choice School in Baltimore, plebaum – sounded, understand- Md., which serves students who ably, a little raw, since they weren’t have severe to profound educational quite used to playing with one an- disabilities. > see GREEK [16] MATT HENDERSON — TRW “This is the first time we’ve worked > The stage lights silhouette Ed Schaefer’s performance during Thursday’s philanthropic concert. Intimate interview with Quadmania 2009 performer

Jesse Vaughan Talk, his most recent tour and what’s I went to high school and then gradu- and I had a booking agent for the fi rst a more accessible direction. My gen- CONTRIBUTING WRITER currently on his playlist. ated and then eventually went to col- time in my life. So I did that for a year eral focus of what I want to do has The Retriever Weekly: I know you lege and decided to study engineering where I was playing steady shows and changed. When I started the project of Gregg Gillis, better known as the held a job as an engineer for a while, all while doing Girl Talk. I was making working a day job as well and it just Girl Talk, I was 18 years old and I’m one-man mash-up sensation Girl Talk, what initially got you interested in cre- albums when I could fi t in the time got to a point where I had used up all 27 now. I’m still into what I was into never thought he could turn his pas- ating music? and touring over breaks and things 10 of my vacation days and had dates back then, but my general focus, what sion for music into a full-time career, Gregg Gillis: For me I was always like that, so I’ve always viewed music planned in the future for Australia and I really listen to the most, has changed but through the success of his albums obsessed with music when I was young. and work as two separate worlds that Europe. And the shows were making a bit. Back then, the idea was to make and extensive tours, he has managed I was never formally trained in any in- weren’t really competing. It wasn’t like me enough money that I could live off experimental music out of pop and to do just that. The engineer-turned- strument, so the way I understood my music would be a potential career in of them. It wasn’t like I went out on over the years it has faded into want- musician has sold out venues all over role in music as a kid was just purely my mind at any point. a limb to quit; I had to do one or the ing to make pop out of pop. I’ve al- the U.S. and Europe and his most re- hobby and interest. I got involved in TRW: So when did you realize it other. The schedule of both was a bit ways wanted the show to be fun and cent studio albums Night Ripper and the Pittsburgh music scene in high was time to quit your day job? too much. something you could dance to and I Feed the Animals have received ac- school, played in a band and went to a GG: It reached a point around the TRW: Your fi rst albums weren’t think all of the early Girl Talk parties claim from fans and critics alike (both lot of shows. Most people I knew who summer of 2006 when things started as easy to dance to, given all of the went on to infl uence me. There is an albums receiving an 8.4 and 8.0 re- made music in bands all had jobs and to pick up with the whole world of quick clips and cuts. How would you interaction between the live show and spectively from Pitchfork.com). I had didn’t really live off of it, they just did Girl Talk. I just started playing a lot describe your style progression from the albums and the albums and the the opportunity to sit down and talk music for fun. So that’s how I grew up of shows and the shows started get- Secret Diary to Feed the Animals? with Gregg about the growth of Girl understanding just being a musician. ting bigger and they started selling out GG: I think it’s defi nitely grown in > see GIRL TALK [18]