Rites of Spring music festival lineup announced

While most are trying to keep warm during one of the coldest winters the Southeast has seen in years, The Music Group at Vanderbilt University is gearing up for its Rites of Spring Music Festival Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24. This year’s line up includes Drake, Ben Harper and Relentless7, Phoenix and Passion Pit.

Tickets are available to the general public and will go on sale Monday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. central time at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. Vanderbilt’s Sarratt Box Office is the only location where tickets can be purchased with cash or check and with no service fees included. For more information, visit ritesofspring.com or on Twitter at twitter.com/ritesatvandy.

The Music Group is a student-run organization that also plans and produces Vanderbilt’s homecoming concert – Commodore Quake.

“The concerts The Music Group organizes are on par with other major festivals in Nashville and nationwide,” said Dwayne V. Elliott, Vanderbilt director of student campus events. "I’m incredibly proud of the caliber and diversity of the acts that our students bring to campus for their peers and the community.”

A Jay-Z concert organized by The Music Group this past fall was recently chosen as “Best Concert” in Metromix’s “Best of Nashville 2009 Awards” and last year’s Rites of Spring broke attendance records.

Canadian hip-hop star Drake has quickly risen up the charts since his first mixtape release in 2006 titled Room for Improvement. His third and highly acclaimed 2009 mixtape, So Far Gone, was named “The Hottest Mixtape of 2009” by MTV. His single from that mixtape, “Best I Ever Had,” landed at No. 1 on the Billboard Rap Chart and No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100 in July 2009 – making Drake only the second artist to have his/her first two top ten hits in the same week. Drake’s quick rise to fame has led to collaborations with artists such as Jay-Z, Timbaland, Mary J. Blige, and Kanye West. Drake’s debut album, Thank Me Later, will be released this spring.

Grammy award-winner Ben Harper rock band Ben Harper and Relentless7 has become a staple at music festivals. After lead guitarist Jason Mozersky played a demo for him in the late ‘90s, Harper invited Mozersky and friends, who would later become Relentless7 members, to play on his 2006 album Both Sides of the Gun. Ben Harper and Relentless 7 released their first album, White Lies for Dark Times, in May 2009.

The rock-synth sound of French alternative rock band Phoenix reflects both an eclectic ‘80s upbringing and the same culture that produced late ‘90s bands like Daft Punk. Originally based out of vocalist Thomas Mars’ garage, Phoenix got their touring start performing Hank Williams and Prince covers at French bars. Paris-based Source Records signed the group and produced their debut album United in 2000. Nine years and four albums later, the group’s 2009 global smash album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix won them a 2010 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album.

Indie pop, electronica band Passion Pit formed in late 2007 when frontman Michael Angelakos sat down to write a few songs for his girlfriend for Valentine’s Day. The band’s debut was an EP titled Chunk of Change. They released their first full-length studio album, Manners, in 2008. The album’s single “The Reeling” peaked at No. 29 in fall 2009 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.

Rites of Spring features a range of music from established acts to music festival favorites to promising musicians from the underground music scene. Additional confirmed acts for this year’s show include Cold War Kids, Doug E. Fresh, Melanie Fiona, JJ Grey & Mofro, The New Mastersounds, Salvador Santana, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue and Two Door Cinema Club with more to be announced soon.

WhistlePig + Alfa Romeo F1

SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.

The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.

Keep readingShow less
by Spectrum Medical Care Center

Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz

When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.

I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.

Keep readingShow less

Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area

Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!

Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.

Keep readingShow less