by Cory Woodroof | Mar 8, 2012 | News Slider
To honor those who both attend Lipscomb and have served our country in the past ten years, Charlie Daniels returned to Lipscomb Tuesday night to headline the third annual concert benefitting the campus’ Yellow Ribbon program. Founded in 2009, the Yellow Ribbon program helps post 9/11 GI Bill veterans to obtain an education for little-to-no charge on their behalf at Lipscomb University. The current program currently offers more than 150 veterans the chance to attend the university. Daniels expressed enthusiasm in getting another opportunity work with the program. “I can’t think of a bigger honor or a more necessary thing to do than to try to take care of people who have literally gone out and stood between us and the enemy,” Daniels said. “I think that a lot of our servicemen and women have changed their dreams in midstream. Maybe they had something planned to do when they came back from the service that injuries may have precluded them to do, and this program helps prepare them for the rest of their lives. So, I don’t think we can ever do enough for our service people.” The musician has a long history of holding servicemen and women in a very high regard.Daniels said that “you cannot beat the people in our military.” Daniels was very excited to play in front of a large crowd in Allen Arena Tuesday night and was not hesitant in saying so. “It’s like when I hit stage, a crowd is a crowd and a show is a show, and I’m there to give everything all I’ve got,” Daniels said. Daniels also offered...
by Cory Woodroof | Mar 7, 2012 | News Slider
This past Friday, Lipscomb students were given a rare treat. Mat Kearney, best known for hit songs “Nothing Left to Lose”, “Undeniable” and more recently, “Ships in the Night” and “Hey Mama”, headlined the free SGA-sponsored spring concert alongside Kiernan McMullan in Alumni Auditorium. Kearney, a resident of Nashville, offered insight into his past, his music, his faith and his love of everything Lipscomb. A native of Eugene, Ore., Kearney’s found his musical influence from A Tribe Called Quest, Bob Dylan and Weezer. Growing up, any sort of hip-hop music caught Kearney’s attention. In college, Kearney started to write his own music. “I would steal my roommate’s guitar and go sit on the front porch, and I was so bad at covering other people’s music that I would just start writing my own songs.” Everything changed when Kearney helped a friend move to Nashville. As a junior soccer player at the University of California State, Chico, Kearney agreed to help a friend drive to Tennessee. “We drove across country in the summer in our un-air-conditioned Chevy S-10 and got to Nashville. And by the end of the summer, I was hanging out at Fido; that was it,” Kearney said. “I was like ‘I’m not going back. I’m not going home’.” Kearney, who had just started to record music here in town, saw that Nashville was the place to be. “I just called home and said ‘I’m moving to Nashville’.” Kearney, a Christian, wants his faith to play a major part his music. “I think my faith is a huge part of what I do,” Kearney said. “Being a Christian,...
by Cory Woodroof | Feb 20, 2012 | News Slider, Opinion
I, assistant managing/entertainment editor Cory Woodroof, welcome you to the “Top the Critic” challenge! The Academy Awards will hold their ceremony Sunday evening, and in honor of the season, I have offered my “professional” opinion on who will win in the major categories. You will have a chance to offer your own picks in the comments section below this article. If you can manage to prove me wrong and top my predictions, you will have a chance to win two free movie tickets to the Regal Theater! Please remember to include your name and email in your predictions post. See below for contest rules. BEST PICTURE The Artist Moneyball War Horse The Help Midnight in Paris Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close The Descendants The Tree of Life Hugo The Lumination Critic picks The Artist. BEST ACTOR George Clooney–The Descendants Brad Pitt– Moneyball Jean Dujardin– The Artist Demián Bichir– A Better Life Gary Oldman– Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy The Lumination Critic picks Jean Dujardin. BEST ACTRESS Meryl Streep– The Iron Lady Viola Davis– The Help Michelle Williams– My Week with Marilyn Rooney Mara– The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo Glenn Close– Albert Nobbs The Lumination Critic picks Viola Davis. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Christopher Plummer– Beginners Jonah Hill– Moneyball Nick Nolte– Warrior Max von Sydow– Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close Kenneth Branagh- My Week with Marilyn The Lumination Critic picks Max von Sydow. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Octavia Spencer– The Help Bérénice Bejo– The Artist Melissa McCarthy– Bridesmaids Janet McTeer– Albert Nobbs Jessica Chastain– The Help The Lumination Critic picks Octavia Spencer. BEST DIRECTOR Martin Scorsese– Hugo Michel Hazanavicius– The Artist Alexander...
by Cory Woodroof | Feb 6, 2012 | Opinion, Sports
Last night, yet another football team who beat my precious Atlanta Falcons went on to win the Super Bowl, yet another half time show kept me trying to improve my score at Temple Run, and yet another bunch of commercials aired that require my cold, critical opinion. So, join me in breaking down this year’s best and worst Super Bowl commercials! THE BEST: DORITOS, VW, SKETCHERS, SUZUKI, and CHRYSLER This year, the dogs led the pack of commercials in quality, ranging from a dog with a secret, a dog with a goal, a group of dogs with a new ride and a dog with a nice pair of Sketchers. Doritos has provided viewers with solid commercials over the past few years, and thankfully, they decided to provide yet another gem. The ad, simply entitled “Man’s Best Friend”, featured a sneaky canine who through a package of Doritos, gets away with a crime that would send shivers down any cat lover’s spine. The carmakers VW, whose 2011 ad featured the beloved Vader Kid, gave us the heartwarming plight of a large dog with the goal of slimming down to fit through the doggie-door (to chase a VW, mind you). Through his training, he managed to win the hearts of every viewer in the process. After the ad, viewers re-enter the Star Wars universe to see the loungers at the Mos Eisley cantina debating on whether this year’s lovable commercial matched up with the heartwarming tale of Vader Kid. I loved it. Suzuki offered us an Eskimo who decides to trade in his sled for, you guessed it, a new Suzuki....
by Cory Woodroof | Jan 30, 2012 | News Slider
If you talk to any longtime Nashvillian, the word “Opryland” holds a feeling of earnest admiration. In May 1972, Opryland USA opened its doors to the public, two years ahead of the legendary Grand Ole Opry House. For about twenty five years, the “Home for American Music” entertained guests with its carnival-like attractions, live music shows, and thrilling roller-coasters until 1997. That year, the park closed a variety of different factors. Now, those who have longed for an amusement park to take the place of the revered Opryland might just get their wish. Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Company, in collaboration with Gaylord Entertainment Company, is bringing a water/snow themed park to Nashville. The new theme park will host a variety of water-oriented attractions in the summertime and feature authentic snow for recreational enjoyment in the winter. Parton, via press release, expressed enthusiasm towards the announcement. “I’m so excited about this opportunity,” Dolly Parton said. “I am confident that partnering my Dollywood Company with a great company like Gaylord will create something truly special. We’re all working on new types of entertainment to do in the daytime and nighttime for the whole family so we bring new folks to the area year round.” The 50 million dollar project will break ground sometime between the end of this year and the beginning of 2013 with a planned opening of summer 2014. The new park is expected to employ 450 workers. The first-of-its-kind attraction, soon to be located closely to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, is the first anchor in an overall plan that could involve future development. Tennessee governor Bill Haslam gave insight...
