Jacob Witz

COLUMNS

When stars go solo after success in a group ensemble

By Jacob Witz | Feb. 3, 2015

The story of the pop-flop is all too common. A former member of a popular group ventures out into the world of solo careers, only to find that their talent and muse was entirely dependent on the group and image they used to associate themselves with. Soon after, we see desperate attempts at singles and maybe a full album, until the only potential money-gainer in their career is an email begging for a supergroup reunion.

News

RiFF RAFF overshadowed by openers at Majestic Theatre

By by Noah Phillips and Jacob Witz | Dec. 8, 2014

The afternoon of Dec. 7, I was posing with Santa at the Hilldale Shopping Center. I didn’t know it at the time, but the mall Santa was a grim foreshadowing of what would be one of the most disingenuous shows I’ve ever attended. The Christmas icon was stripped of his magic the moment I sat on his lap, and all that was left was an old man in a red costume. Children all around me began to cry as they realized the truth about Santa, just like the countless Majestic Theatre audience members that night did about RiFF RAFF, albeit a little less teary.

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Record Routine: DJ Rashad receives fitting tribute from footwork colleages, admirers and friends on new compilation

By Jacob Witz | Nov. 11, 2014

The world hasn’t quite been the same since the death of Chicago footwork pioneer DJ Rashad. Rashad Harden was on the verge of bringing a very localized music scene worldwide. His fast-paced high-energy beats were revolutionary enough to break out of Chicago’s West Side to London, where Harden and his Teklife crew signed to Hyperdub Records.

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Alex G outshines Gardens & Villa at Der Rathskeller

By Jacob Witz | Oct. 20, 2014

Oct. 17 at 9:00 p.m., it was hard to tell the casual food munchers apart from the eager concertgoers at Der Rathskeller. Both groups were ordering food that looked way tastier on the menu than in reality, but regardless they went with their empty gut and took the plunge to order. After the inevitable culinary disappointment settled, the rustic tables and stools were parted to make way for around twenty-five ragtag flannel-wearers eagerly anticipating the performance of Alex G.

News

Panda Bear electrifies The Majestic with trance-filled and vision laden performance

By Jacob Witz | Sep. 29, 2014

It was Sept. 26 and thousands of UW students and Madison citizens were trying to catch the slow-wave that stretched across Camp Randall during the South Florida Bulls football game. Later that night though, only a couple hundred people headed to the Majestic Theatre to catch the psychedelic waves of Panda Bear, aka Noah Lennox, the noisy-yet-harmonizing percussionist and singer for Animal Collective. Lennox put on a show filled with wild visuals and blaring strobe lights for the Majestic patrons while performing loads of new material.

Campus remembers students killed in crash

Kyle Bursaw, Kyle Bursaw

NEWS

Campus remembers students killed in crash

By Erin Banco and Jacob Witz | Sep. 9, 2008

UW-Madison students, faculty and staff gathered to remember the three students who died in an auto accident Aug. 27.

When stars go solo after success in a group ensemble

RiFF RAFF overshadowed by openers at Majestic Theatre

Record Routine: DJ Rashad receives fitting tribute from footwork colleages, admirers and friends on new compilation

Alex G outshines Gardens & Villa at Der Rathskeller

Panda Bear electrifies The Majestic with trance-filled and vision laden performance

Campus remembers students killed in crash

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