PAGE 14 THE RETRIEVER WEEKLY FOCUS April 25, 2000 How Quadmania Gets Pulled Off Without a Hitch from QUADMANIA, page 1 makes many attempts to get student input chosen from the Clash of Styles to open This year, Me' Shell Ndegeocello, a and actively recruits students to be a part of Quadmania. female R&B artist, will be headlining students are allowed to vote on-line to nar­ the committee, often the limited budget for The booking agent for Quadmania, Paul Quadmania. Though not all students are row down the list of top-choice bands. Quadmania restricts the choice of possible Manna from 24-7 Entertainment, also plays pleased with this choice, committee mem­ This year the results of the on-line vote bands. "A lot of the bands that people want, a large role in helping the committee find bers feel that Ndegeocello will give this were rather skewed, according to Phillip they don't realize how expensive they are," bands in their price range and going year's festival a unique flair. "She was one Yip, a member of the Quadmania commit­ said Jessica Eng, another member of the through the bidding and contracting of the first people whose names came up," tee. Quadmania committee. process. Once the committee has narrowed said Goheer. "We haven't had an R&B Yip said that since the method of voting Many of the smaller acts which play at the list down to two or three acts that are headliner and a woman headliner in a long that SEB used was insecure and limited Quadmania are chosen at the annual con­ within the price range, the committee puts time. We're trying to mix things up." only to UMBC students, like the voting for ference of the National Association for out bids to see who is available and will According to Goheer and Yip, in the the colors of the new S~dent Union on Campus Activities, which members of the take the price. The band that accepts the bid past SEB has put a lot of money into larger myUMBC was, people who were not affil­ Quadmania committee attend every year. and is the committee's first choice is cho­ acts, sacrificing the rest of the festival. This iated with UMBC were allowed to vote. At the conference, the committee is able to sen to be the headliner. The contracting year, they wanted to even things out by put­ Links from certain band Web-sites to the see a wide variety of acts and book them. process takes about a month. ting more money into the other acts to site for voting for Quadmania caused some This year the committee booked three of According to Stacey Dyce, the vice­ make sure all gemes are represented. "The obscure bands to get more votes than main­ the Quadmania bands- Amelia's Dream, president of SEB and co-chair of the fo_cus of Quadmania is more of an ail-day stream bands. Yip suggested that next year Surreal and Dark Theory -at the confer­ Quadmania committee, the headliner of festival than a one-act concert," said Yip. the committee could use a more secure on­ ence. Quadrnania is traditionally disclosed two Dyce is equally excited about this line voting method to ensure that the vote The committee also sponsors the Clash weeks prior to the event, while the minor year's festival. "It's a completely different accurately represents the will of the UMBC of Styles every spring as a way to choose a acts are announced as soon as they are Quadmania than has ever been here. community. local band to open the festival. This year booked. "That's just how we choose to do before," she said. - "There is definitely Although the Quadmania committee Jepetto, a local band from Annapolis, was it," she said. going to be something for everyone." Me'shell No Bitter Talent from ME' SHELL, page 12 demanding vocals. Her latest album, Bitter, released in her son Askia was born in 1988, Me'shell August 1999, embraces string sections and auditioned for ~ number of bands, includ­ a soulful, moody tone. It departs somewhat ing Living Colour, to provide for him. from her previous funky sound and sets While playing at a New York City rock aside her heavy bass for a more unplugged, benefit, she caught the eye of a would-be folksy yet dark tone. The album was Maverick scout when she took control of named Album of the Year by Vibe and the performance with improvised material Newsweek, among others. created with a bass guitar, drum mac·hine In addition to her own albums, Me'shell and keyboard. has collaborated with some of the best In 1993, after becoming the first woman musicians from a variety of musical types. signed to Madonna's label Maverick, In 1994 she teamed up with John Cougar NdegeOcello released her premier album Mellencamp to record "Wild Night," fill­ Plantation Lullabies soon after being ing the song with her rocking bass and'sexy signed. The album, which draws parallels vocals. "Never Miss the Water" was a col­ between her personal narrative and the laboration with queen of funk Chaka Khan early-American slave trade, was well in 1995. Other artists she has lent back­ received by critics. Plantation Lullabies ground vocals and guest appearances to also received three Grammy nominations. include the Indigo Girls, Madonna, courtesy Amelia's Dream Her debut single, "If He's Your Boyfriend Vanessa Williams, Queen Pen, Lilith Fair Girl Meets Boy: Amelia and Harold make up the folk-pop duo Amelia's Dream. (He Wasn't Last Night)," earned her the Volume III and The Hurricane soundtrack. honor of being the first female Bassist of NdegeOcello is Swahili for "free like a the Year to appear on the cover qf Bass bird" and through Me'shell's lyrics and Amelia's Dream Weaves Guitar Magazine. musical stylings, we can tell why she chose Released in 1996, Peace Beyond that name to represent her. Prepare your Passion is structured loosely around the ears for pleasure because this will be the Sumptuous Folk Sounds Bible, exploring homosexuality, religious long-awaited performance of the evening mythology and desire. It still carries her at Quadmania where everyone can rock out BROOKE SUMMERS After piecing together the - band, funky beats, pounding bass and sensual, and get funky. Retriever Weekly Staff Writer Amelia's Dream produced their first demo _ with producer Paul Umbach. This demo NOW ENROLLING The. New York-baed Amelia's Dream is was used to book Amelia's Dream at vari­ joining the Quadmania lineup this year. ous New York City clubs and get the band The Folk Duo Blending folk with a recognized in the area. The initial band Qualified patticipants to eval­ little bit of pop, the included Amelia, Harold, Frank Mortillaro uate the effectiveness of pain band is going to bring a mellower, softer on drums, Jimmy Cyran on guitar, Mike medications following the side to our yearly bash. Hey, if anything, it Dunn on bass and Amelia's sister Gabrielle removal of at least one gives you a break from dancing around like on backup vocals. a drunken freak - as well as quality time Harold and Amelia decided to make a impacted wisdom too~h. Earn to get sentimental with your friends. full-length CD in the fall of 1993, but were up to $250 for your Amelia's Dream was formed in 1992 not happy with the ·sound their band was participation. when Amelia, singer/songwriter, and band­ producing. The two solved this by letting mate Harold met while taking a songwrit­ the rest of the band go and working as a ing class in the Upper West Side of duo, while hiring outside musicians to Manhattan. The first song written by the record on the album as needed. It took the Surgery performed by board duo was "Know the One You Love," which band two years to pull together just the certified oral surgeons, debates the stereotypical nuclear family. right mixture of songs with the added Dr. Michael K. Schwartz or After writing this song together, _the two artists they desired. The result was their Dr. Julius Hyatt at the decided to form Amelia's Dream, after first CD, Here in the Rage. Expect to hear Amelia's devotion to her dream of becom­ songs from Rage during their Quadmania Marlyand Center for Oral and ing a recording artist. set. Maxillofacial Surgery. next week's focus ••• CALL TODAY 410-683-1552 G R -A D S C H 0 0 L Good Science_ Good Chemistry_