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The Oracle is pleased to announce "Bulls Eye"!


"Bulls Eye" is an official photo page of the USF Oracle to capture your Bulls experience outside of class! Look for our photographers on campus and around town! You can also find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/bullseyeusf. Find our photographers and start tagging today!

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Fun in the Tampa sun

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During the fall and spring semesters, it can be easy for students to get trapped in a routine of classes, projects, homework and studying. However, during the summer the mood on campus tends to be more relaxed, and students get an opportunity to step away from the normal routine and explore what Tampa has to offer off campus.

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Misc.

Movies

Nightlife

Music

  • Tyler, the Creator, is growing up with his third album

    A couple of years ago an angry kid from L.A got together with a bunch of other angry kids from L.A. and recorded an album called “Goblin.” The kid made a lot of money and then proceeded to release “Bastard,” and the rest is history. 

  • Mysterious R&B duo pump out tepid debut

    Quiet and predominantly-Caucasian, Denmark might be the most unlikely place anyone would suspect to find a super-funktastic R&B group. But lo-and behold, with the help of the Internet, a two-person outfit made up of electronic producers Mike Milosh and Robin Hannibal has been brought to the world’s attention upon the release of its debut album, “Woman.”

  • Artist in the Office: Marissa Smith

     

    There are those who are unflappably jovial almost all of the time. 

  • Folk band doesn’t disappoint with new EP

    Folk music is an oddly undefinable genre. But a new album from The Act of Estimating as Worthless released Tuesday may just fit the word perfectly.

  • Artist in the Office: Ken Apperson

    For the past few years, Ken Apperson and drummer Reno “Groovemaster” Flournoy have been working their way through the local Tampa restaurant and bar scene as the band Fifty Five South.  

  • Artists in the office: Everything is all right with Joshua Paul

     

    Wearing a faded, threadbare shirt rolled up at the elbow and a tentative smile, a wide-eyed young man meandered onto campus Tuesday morning. 

  • Vampire Weekend announces new album

     

    New York City natives Vampire Weekend has finally released the name and cover to their third full length album, “Modern Vampires of the City.” Fans who follow the band on Twitter received this message at 5 a.m. last week, “NYT Classifieds…” 

  • G. Love talks albums, guilty pleasures, hot sauce

     

    G. Love & Special Sauce, known for being the inventors of “hip-hop blues,” have created a loyal fan following with their raw and ever-changing sound that has lasted 20 years.

  • New Foxygen album blends psychedelic with cheekiness

    Jonathan Rado and Sam France, better known as the bedroom-glam/classic-rock/pop duo, Foxygen, have done it again with their second album fittingly titled, “We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic.”

  • taylor

    The trouble with country music

    For country musicians, a CMA Award is the equivalent of an Academy Award— it represents a certain level of iconographic importance.

  • Album reviews of the week

    This week’s album releases showcase classic names with new sounds.

  • Luke Bryan serenades crowds on the farm

    Packed like sardines and dealing with elbow shoving and intermittent shrieks may not be an ideal atmosphere for listening to music, but for an intimate evening with one of country music’s brightest stars, anything goes.

  • ‘Babel’ release deserves Billboard spot

    London-based band Mumford & Sons saw its newest album, Babel, open at No. 1 on the Billboard charts this week.

  • Ensemble members bring style to Baroque classics

    A symphony of unique sounds and performance styles filled the USF Barness Recital Hall on Sunday night during a performance by the Bay Baroque Ensemble, which brought in historical instruments and classic Baroque pieces.

  • Faculty quartet ‘tubacellolicious’

    “Experimental” is what the USF faculty ensemble told the audience that filled almost two-thirds of the seats of the USF Concert Hall to expect from Saturday evening’s performance.

  • Soca soothes the soul

    Ever heard of soca music? Here are some of The Oracle's favorites. 

  • Top Tuesday Album Releases

    While Kanye West and Carly Rae Jepsen will likely steal the attention of tomorrow’s CD releases, The Oracle considers a few others that shouldn’t be overlooked.

  • Elton John’s Top Ten Tunes

    When Sir Elton John takes the stage at the Sun Dome on Friday, he will perform some of the most well-known songs of this generation. The Oracle looks at some of the best songs of John’s 50-year career. 

  • Sun

    Cat Power gets a new purr with ‘Sun’

    Fans familiar with Cat Power, the musical act created and maintained by the temperamental Chan Marshall, are used to moody and bluesy  songs with stripped-down instrumentals and soothing vocals that sound like they exist solely within the listener’s head.

  • Top 5 songs of the week

     

    With pop culture at its finest, The Oracle takes a look at Billboard’s Top 5 songs of the week. 

  • Former lead ska vocalist to perform again

    For the first time since the ska band “Paranoia Dance Party!” dissolved in November 2011, former lead singer Madison Turner will once again take stage. 

  • Ocean's 'channel ORANGE' marks stunning debut

    Frank Ocean’s first major-label release, “channel ORANGE,” is in a word, breathtaking.

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

    Fiona Apple blends bold sound with lyrical wit

    There’s no debating the fact that Fiona Apple is a difficult artist both in context and in life. Over the course of her career she has angered record labels and fans alike with her antics, including the eight-year production of her third album,“Extraordinary Machine,” onstage meltdowns and public tantrums — not to mention various personal traumas.

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

    R. Kelly’s ‘Write Me Back’ is a return to sender

    R. Kelly is best known for three things: scandals involving underage girls, the 1996 single “I Believe I Can Fly” and the epic hip-hop era “Trapped in the Closet” — a 22-chapter song eventually parodied by South Park.

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

    Artist in the office: Jacob Jeffries Band

    A piano pop-rock trio from Fort Lauderdale, the band has had a whirlwind year of writing,recording, touring around the eastern U.S. and producing a pair of music videos for their new album, “Tell Me Secrets.”

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

    The Dirty Names bring ‘old-style rock’ to Tampa

    Hailing from Annapolis, Md., The Dirty Names have been touring all summer, spreading their energetic rock ‘n’ roll to cities across the country.

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

    No lyrics necessary

    Following the release of their latest album “Take Care, Take Care,” instrumental post-rock group, Explosions in the Sky set out on a tour that will land them in The Ritz Ybor on June 19.

  • ‘A Wasteland Companion’ continues M.Ward’s fulfilling solo career 

    Prior to the success of She and Him, Ward already had several critically acclaimed solo albums under his belt. There was the intriguing 2009 release “Hold Time,” as well as the earlier albums “Post-War” and “Transfiguration of Vincent,” which succeeded at putting Ward on the map of talented singer/songwriters from Portland.

  • Bon Iver brings intimacy to the Straz center

    Rare is the artist who can perform in an arena filled to the brim with more than 2,000 people and still create an atmosphere of intimacy with his audience.

  • SPECIAL TO ORACLE

    Album review: The Grateful Dead- “Dave’s Picks Vol. 2”

    The Grateful Dead uniquely blends Americana, jazz, acid rock, and folk coupled with their long, kaleidoscopic improvisational jams.

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

    Album Reviews: Dr. John-“Locked Down”

    It’s been a long time since 1968, but fans of Dr. John’s first album, “Gris-Gris,”will relish in the fact that his new sound is reminiscent of the psychedelic blues that Dr. John was first famous for.

  • Tampa shows you May have missed

    The lull between end-of-semester exams and the start of summer classes provided USF students an opportunity to catch a few great musical performances in the Tampa Bay area.

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/MILES KERR

    Artists in the Office: Franz Nicolay

    Franz Nicolay leads a double life as a musician — performing both as a solo folk troubadour and a member of some of the world’s biggest independent bands.

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

    Record Store Day releases to spin and spend on

    This Saturday marks the fifth annual Record Store Day (RSD), an event that has become an international music celebration highlighting the importance of independent record stores.

  • ORACLE PHOTO/EDUARDA CASTRO

    Artists in the office: Famous Kid Brick

    One St. Petersburg rapper is so intent on becoming famous that he has made the word a part of his name. 

  • Quick Picks: April brings many major shows to Tampa

    With the spring semester winding down and finals starting in only a few weeks, there is no better time to blow off a little residual steam. Fortunately, the Tampa Bay area will host quite a few promising rock shows in the next month to help those in need of a musical escape.

  • Falling through the cracks: Music you may have missed

    There are so many new ways to acquire music and follow artists these days, it can sometimes become overwhelming. While some artists don’t even register as a blip on the radar of music retailers like iTunes, they may just be your favorite band.

  • SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/NICOLE C. KILBERT

    Bomb the Music Industry! take a ‘Vacation’ to Transitions Art Gallery

    New York-based recording act Bomb the Music Industry!, which is commonly abbreviated as BTMI!, performed at Transitions Art Gallery in Tampa on March 26

  • Fun. is had by all at State Theatre

    Fun. is an understatement for the name of this New York Cityindie-pop band, who played St. Petersburg’s State Theatre on Wednesday.

  • Japanther

    Japanther talks crazy concert spots, collaborators and ‘Grand Theft Auto’

    Brooklyn duo Japanther have played everywhere from the Williamsburg Bridge and Grand Street, to the back of a moving car, to New Orleans — two weeks after Hurricane Katrina.

  • ORACLE PHOTO/DAMON LORD

    Artists in the office: Geri X

    Bulgarian-born singer-songwriter and current St. Petersburg resident Geri X has been able to gain popularity both locally and internationally with her music.

  • Kid Cudi successfully crosses genre boundaries with ‘WZRD’

    Formed as a project between Cudi and record producer Dot da Genius in 2010, WZRD's self-titled debut album has drawn comparisons to artists such as Electric Light Orchestra, Nirvana and The Pixies, proving Cudi didn't plan this as another album based solely on hip-hop conceits.

  • Remembering Whitney Houston’s best tracks

    Much like her fellow musician and friend Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston was a popular culture icon who was able to balance both critical and commercial success in her music, all while battling her own personal problems.

  • Kaleigh Baker

    Artists in the office: Kaleigh Baker

    For a fresh-faced 25-year old hailing from a small New York town, musician Kaleigh Baker has experienced a lot of heartbreak — or at least that's what her debut, "Weight of it All," would have listeners believe.

  • ORACLE PHOTO/BENJAMIN WRIGHT

    Zola Jesus casts a beautifully dark spell on Ybor

    Zola Jesus, the stage name of singer songwriter Nika Roza Danilova, took to the Crowbar stage in Ybor City on Feb. 6, proving why she's been one of the most buzzed about acts of the past year.

USF siblings row to raise funds for horse therapy farm

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Siblings Shannon and Matt Casey began rowing as a form of exercise when they were in high school.

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Photo of the Day

Opinion

  • Kaitlyn Hunt case not an issue of sexuality

    The plight of the parents of 18-year-old Kaitlyn Hunt is heart-wrenching.

  • Disgraced political comebacks an age-old trend

    With the announcement of shamed former Rep. Anthony Weiner’s intent to run for mayor of New York City in the November election, the American political arena continues to run amok with morally disgraced has-beens attempting to revitalize their once-distinguished careers in public service.

  • Pro: Plight of Palestinians should not be overlooked

    One cannot comprehend the meaning of a genocide until they are aware of what happened during Germany’s Holocaust. I specify the country to avoid confusion that seems to surround the term’s meaning.

  • Con: Palestinian ‘Nakba’ event misconstrues history

    The Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) event on May 15 commemorated a day that Palestinians refer to as the “Nakba,” an Arabic word meaning “catastrophe.” The day prior marked the 65th anniversary of Israel’s declaration of independence.

Montage

  • Daft Punk releases electronic disco fever in funk-tastic album

    Anyone born before the turn of the century may recall
    memories of rummaging through their parent’s closets to find old disco cassettes or 3-inch platform shoes and having a good laugh. Daft Punk’s latest album, “Random Access Memories,” is sort of like that.

  • Vampire Weekend shuns religion, embraces pop in third album

    The entirety of Vampire Weekend’s third studio album seems to reflect a newly acquired self-awareness that, though evident on its previous records, stands strong and up front on “Modern Vampires of the City,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts this week.

  • ‘Into Darkness’ attracts more than Trekkies

    “Trekkies” and “Trekkers” of all generations are in for a stellar experience in the sequel to director J.J. Abrams 2009 “Star Trek” with “Star Trek Into Darkness.”

  • Other Star Trek Must-Sees

    Star Trek (2009) Star Trek is a highly entertaining movie with great visual effects and a compelling story for fans of the Star Trek franchise and people who are unfamiliar with the previous movies and series. Star Trek 2: Wrath of Khan (1982) This is a great movie to see for understanding of “Into Darkness.

  • Summer fashion trends that hit or miss

    With summer here, the best way to enjoy the sunny weather is to take advantage of the latest summer fashion trends. Though the Florida heat can be exhausting, that doesn’t mean it should limit a wardrobe. These summer trends are easy to replicate, and anyone can flaunt these styles.

Latest News

  • (Not really) Our Shirt

    ‘Our Shirt’ redesign draws mixed feedback

    The 2013-14 Our Shirt went on sale Monday morning, and some students have noticed the shirt’s design differs from what was voted on as the winning design in February’s Student Government (SG) elections.

  • Scott signs ‘one of best’ budgets

    Gov. Rick Scott signed into law the 2013-14 state appropriations bill Monday, restoring more than $45 million in previous cuts to the USF System and bringing to end a legislative session that USF Provost Ralph Wilcox called “one of the best in the past six years.”

  • University Police joins ‘Click It or Ticket’ campaign

    Drivers on campus who consistently leave their seatbelts unbuckled while driving will be under closer surveillance starting this week as part of University Police’s (UP) “Click It or Ticket” campaign, concentrating enforcement on seatbelt violations.

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