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Volume 63 No. 17
Satriani shreds Famed guitarist commands the CFA stage JOE KONZE JR News Editor
You may only get one chance to witness greatness and a multiGrammy Award-winning guitarist. For some music lovers, that chance came Tuesday night when Joe Satriani performed at UB. Satriani has become one of the most well respected instrumental-rock guitarists in the world. On Tuesday night, the legendary artist illuminated the Center For the Arts (CFA) stage with his melodic and pentatonic scales and pig squeals bouncing off the walls, creating an arena-rock type of atmosphere. His clean, smooth-sounding four-piece band played a solid show on the “Unstoppable Momentum” tour, taking the audience through a euphoric dream of metal, rock, jazz and funk with a sprinkle of country. At 7:30 p.m., The Steve Morse Band provided a strong opening. They performed from a plethora of genres – including country, jazz and rock – and captured the audience’s attention with a driving bass line, which contained the right amount of percussion to accompany the mixture of high-pitched notes. But the deepest feeling of Morse’s set came when he switched to acoustic guitar and fingerpicked his way through the minds of the audience, reeling them into his performance. By the time Morse had completed his set, he left the crowd wanting more.
Jeff Scott, The Spectrum
Joe Satriani brought the crowd to their feet at the Center For the Arts on Tuesday. The concert was part of his “Unstoppable Momentum” tour promoting his new album.
Around 8:30 p.m., the lights went out. The stage was pitch black. The crowd rumbled with applause. They knew a guitar god was in their presence. A man in all black, wearing sunglasses, emerged from the darkness with his signature orange Ibanez JS 1200. As soon as he played his first note, the crowd erupted with chants of “Let’s go, Joe” that reverberated throughout the CFA. Satriani, who is known for his heavy rock and well thought-out guitar solos, sported all-black attire – jeans, boots and shirt – to match his black sunglasses. His “Joe Cool” swagger, along with his harmonic ensemble, was impeccable. For William T. Grady III of East Aurora, this was his first Sa-
triani performance. His dad took him as a birthday present. “I love Joe Satriani,” Grady said. “I love his style, and he’s a great musician. One of the best of all-time.” Mike Kenneally, a former member of the Frank Zappa band, who played keyboard and guitar, complemented Satriani as the two exchanged guitar solos on stage. But through the exchanged riffs were two men jamming out and enjoying the presence of one another’s musicianship. An ongoing light show engulfed the background of the stage, surrounded the band and hypnotized the crowd as they bobbed their heads up and down in approval. SEE SATRIANI, PAGE 2
Success through defeat
Ciggia uses drive, willingness to stand out to overcome obstacles
SA presidential debate draws small crowd
Two of seven candidates participate SAM FERNANDO
Senior News Editor
Juan D. Pinzon, The Spectrum
After losing last spring’s Student Association’s presidential election, Carson Ciggia has enjoyed working in project implementation at Ellicott Development in Buffalo.
JOE KONZE JR
News Editor
As the final minutes ticked away in the March Student Association election, Carson Ciggia stood motionless; his mind wandered off. Earlier that day, Ciggia and his campaign partner and runningmate, Christian Andzel, were eating pizza at La Rosa in The Commons, talking about what would happen if they won. Or what would happen if they lost. Ciggia wanted to stay positive, but he had seen the large number of students supporting the Spirit Party all week. Ciggia lost to Spirit candidate Nick Johns by 380 votes. Johns would go on to resign just a month into the academic year, fending off a slew of allegations and an impeachment. So, who is the man that could have been – but never will be – student body president?
He considered running in next week’s reelection, but opted out. He’s happy where he is. When the final results were announced in March and he wasn’t on the winning side, he was disappointed – not only for himself but for his team and the candidates running with him. “When I walked into the [SA office] and I saw [Treasurer Justin Neuwirt] and T.C. Scott sitting there, and I saw the look on their face, I knew before they even announced the numbers that we were done,” Ciggia said. “They were both pasty white; they looked like sheets.” Ciggia, a senior business administration major, is just over six months removed from the last election and is now working as an intern at Ellicott Development in downtown Buffalo. Though he failed to win the election, those who know him say he is a natural leader with qualities that are difficult to define.
Recovering from the election has not been difficult for Ciggia – he has learned throughout his life how to persist through tumult. Soon after his parents’ divorce in 2002, Ciggia started attending school in the Williamsville Central School District, instead of Clarence, where he had attended before. “I had to be mother and father to him because his father isn’t around for him for anything,” said Cindy Marvak, Ciggia’s mother. “[The absence of his father] made him stronger. He never felt sorry for [himself]. While attending Heim Middle School in Williamsville, Ciggia experienced occasional bullying for wearing a shirt and tie to school almost every day. His thought process was to dress as if he was going to work every day. SEE Ciggia, PAGE 2
On Thursday night, the seven Student Association presidential candidates were scheduled to participate in a debate in the Student Union Theatre. Sam McMahon and Jessica Honan, however, were the only two who took part. In a debate that lasted just over 30 minutes, Honan and McMahon answered a series of questions from SA Chief of Staff Jennifer Merckel, Spectrum Editor in Chief Aaron Mansfield and Elections and Credentials Chair Stephen Rupp in front of an audience of approximately 20 people, most of whom were SA officials. Rupp said one candidate, Mohammad Alwahaidy, had a class that he couldn’t miss to attend the debate. Another candidate, Michael Simons, was home in Rochester because he thought the debate was on Friday. Rupp hadn’t heard back from the other candidates. The highlight of the event occurred near the end of the debate. Merckel asked Honan a question from the audience. “There is no doubt SA is a complex organization,” Merckel said. “With your lack of SA experience and after hearing ideas form the other candidates, do you still fell you are the best person for the job?” Honan said she believes her inexperience shouldn’t deter voters. “I am super hardworking,” Honan said. “I am super flexible. I am really good at change.
Daniele Gershon, The Spectrum
Jessica Honan and Sam McMahon were the only two of the seven total Student Association presidential candidates to participate in the debate Thursday night. The event had about 20 attendees and lasted just over 30 minutes.
I will work as hard and as much as it takes. I don’t like sleep, but I really like coffee … I know I don’t have that much SA experience … There are people who don’t always have that much experience and do really amazing things when they are put in that position.” McMahon chose to respond to Honan’s answer. “Any other time, I would say this would be a great thing to have someone who just wants to get involved, and somebody who doesn’t know that much but is willing to learn, join the Student Association and even come in at that level,” said McMahon, the current SA senior office manag SEE DEBATE, PAGE 2