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Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

Serving The University of Alabama since 1894.

The Crimson White

All content by Francie Johnson

Cure post-breakup blues with series of standout television shows

Hannah Widener January 28, 2014

“But they … I should have … this sucks … why don’t they like me?” This can only be the train of thought every person has when they have just been dumped. If this has just recently happened...

Oscars, Super Bowl a chance to welcome winners

Hannah Widener January 23, 2014

Comedian Whitney Cummings does a bit where she says, “I don’t ask you why you’re wearing a football jersey to watch the game. Last time I checked, you’re not on the bench, and ‘we’ didn’t...

Rockin' the Haus: Local artists create underground music scene

Rockin’ the Haus: Local artists create underground music scene

Francie Johnson January 22, 2014

By day, it’s just another house. But one night a month, Baby Haus transforms from a typical residence to a music venue, where anything goes and nothing is outside the realm of possibility. Baby Haus,...

Local radio stations provide platform for area musicians

Francie Johnson January 21, 2014

Set your radio to WVUA-FM, also known as 90.7 The Capstone, and you’ll probably hear a few familiar voices gracing the airwaves. Some local radio stations make an effort to showcase music by Tuscaloosa...

Record revival: Students contribute to increase in vinyl sales

Record revival: Students contribute to increase in vinyl sales

Francie Johnson January 16, 2014

Once upon a time, music meant something completely different than the sounds coursing through iPhone-clad students’ earbuds or car stereos. It meant gathering around a turntable and playing a vinyl record....

Unrealistic finale ruins appeal of ‘Girls’

Hannah Widener January 16, 2014

Everything about the show “Girls” rang true for me until the last scene of the season two finale episode, which made me sick to my stomach. Hannah Horvath (Lena Dunham) is going through a spell of...

Music selections for all occasions

Francie Johnson January 15, 2014

You’re studying: It’s only our first full week back, but, of course, most of us already have some studying to do. Next time you hit the books, try listening to the “The House We Grew Up In” by...

Chelsea Handler redefines role of women in comedy on and off screen

Hannah Widener January 9, 2014

I have a girl crush. No, it’s not Katy Perry, Lena Dunham or any one of the Kardashians, although this particular lady is on the same network as them. My girl crush is a bit crass. She doesn’t care...

UA equestrian club canters through cold

UA equestrian club canters through cold

Hannah Widener January 8, 2014

Keeping the water buckets from freezing has been no easy feat for Equestrian Club Coach Heather McCall, but the cold weather hasn’t kept her team from practicing all winter break. While the track the...

Students celebrate last day of Hanukkah holiday

Students celebrate last day of Hanukkah holiday

Hannah Widener December 4, 2013

This year, the first night of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving collided to form the mega holiday “Thanksgivukkah,” an occasion that will not happen again for another 75,000 years. Hanukkah follows the lunar...

Adron brings birdsong to Green Bar

Francie Johnson November 21, 2013

If you pull up Adron’s music on your computer and hit “shuffle,” there’s a good chance you’ll hear birds chirping. What you might not realize, though, is that those aren’t real birds. “[Making...

‘Almost Human’ fills void in end of the year of TV

Hannah Widener November 21, 2013

As the holidays approach and Christmas television specials are jingling their way into our living rooms, the winter vacation TV slump has finally arrived. Every year after the Christmas episodes have aired,...

Take pride in your musical tastes, ignore music snobs

Francie Johnson November 20, 2013

The other day, as I was driving home, something pretty rare happened: A catchy acoustic song, one worthy of looking up later, played on the Top 40 radio station I was listening to. Throughout this mystery...

Campus to host avant-garde performer

Francie Johnson November 19, 2013

When many of us look at a balloon, we see a simple party decoration, a bubble of air encased by a thin layer of latex. When experimental music composer and performer Judy Dunaway looks at a balloon, she...

Television traditions keep families strong

Hannah Widener November 19, 2013

There is a Friday night ritual in my house that has been carried out as long as I can remember. Before we got cable, we would go to the local video store, back when there still were video stores, and...

Alumni jumpstart program with online fundraising

Hannah Widener November 13, 2013

When University of Alabama alumni Dustin Vann, Cody Foster and Michael Rosato first launched their Finn Apparel clothing line on Kickstarter, an online crowd funding website, they didn’t expect to surpass...

Renaissance student

Francie Johnson November 12, 2013

Armed with a cup of coffee or three, a textbook and a laptop, students at The University of Alabama are facing increasingly frenetic schedules, fighting the temptation of sleep and tackling essays and...

Tuscaloosa Academy presents 'Alice in Wonderland' at Bama Theatre

Tuscaloosa Academy presents ‘Alice in Wonderland’ at Bama Theatre

Hannah Widener November 11, 2013

The Tuscaloosa Academy players are dealing with less-than-ideal conditions as they rehearse Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.” The students must rehearse on a small stage in a classroom and...

‘The Real Housewives’ relevant in ‘trashy’ TV

Hannah Widener November 7, 2013

Watching the train wreck that is “The Real Housewives of Orange County/Atlanta/Beverly Hills/Miami/New York/New Jersey” is the sustenance that gets me through each week. I don’t look up to these...

Cajun cuisine, Tuscaloosa tailgating favorites face off

Hannah Widener November 7, 2013

From the back of the Louisiana bayou to the base of Denny Chimes, Louisiana State University will be bringing its traditional Cajun and creole food to The University of Alabama Saturday. While creole...

Rock stars such as Syd Barrett, Keith Moon known for wild pasts

Francie Johnson November 6, 2013

Rock stars in the 1960s through the 1980s are known for their rowdy antics, but most of the stories I’ve heard seem too insane to actually be true. I decided to do some research, and it turns out, some...

A musical road: Muscle Shoals' rich heritage in music makes its way to Tuscaloosa

A musical road: Muscle Shoals’ rich heritage in music makes its way to Tuscaloosa

Francie Johnson November 4, 2013

We’ve played it in our cars driving through campus. We’ve sung it with crowds of 100,000-plus Alabama fans in Bryant-Denny Stadium. We’ve adopted it as our unofficial anthem, chanting “Roll Tide...

Belle Adair band to return, play at Green Bar Friday

Francie Johnson October 29, 2013

Based in Muscle Shoals, Ala., the band Belle Adair is no stranger to Tuscaloosa – it’s played in town several times before. For fans who missed the band’s past shows, Belle Adair will be back once...

Fairytale shows bring imagination back to TV

Hannah Widener October 28, 2013

And they lived happily ever after … but what happens after “happily ever after?” When you’re a kid you never wonder about where the seven dwarfs went to live after Snow White ditched them. Did...

‘Pretty Little Liars’ offers more than just eye candy

Hannah Widener October 23, 2013

If you are a male between the ages of 18 and 25 and watch “Pretty Little Liars,” there is a secret shame you bear every Tuesday in your room hoping your roommate doesn’t walk in and catch you; however,...

Shelton showcases iconic musical

Shelton showcases iconic musical

Hannah Widener October 23, 2013

Theatre Tuscaloosa is bringing skid row to Shelton State Community College, presenting the musical “Little Shop of Horrors.” In a grimy neighborhood just beyond somewhere green lies a small flower...

Nashville-based band uses popular influences for indie sound

Francie Johnson October 23, 2013

The first time indie-rock band The Young International was supposed to perform in Tuscaloosa, the group was forced to cancel last minute due to rain. The kicker? It was an indoor show. “We showed up...

Residents, students find shared ground

Francie Johnson October 21, 2013

For many students, Tuscaloosa is home away from home. In fact, it is a $1.6 billion home, or at least that is what the Center for Business and Economic Research estimates The University of Alabama community...

Tinder app may encourage ‘catfishing’ but offers opportunities too

Hannah Widener October 21, 2013

“Please don’t be a creepy balding 40-year old. Please don’t have a pedo-mustache. Please, please, please don’t be a girl!” These are the words I found myself muttering on a Wednesday afternoon...

Women speak out about domestic violence

Women speak out about domestic violence

Hannah Widener October 20, 2013

A broken ankle, a broken wrist and some bruised ribs. Those were just some of the injuries sustained over the two years Fernanda Dixon was in an abusive relationship with her children’s father. Dixon...

‘Walking Dead’ fan base ever-growing heading into new season

Hannah Widener October 9, 2013

When your parents send you a Michonne bobble head and heart-shaped cookies for Valentine’s Day, that’s when you know you have become the ultimate “The Walking Dead” fan. Blood, gore and the struggle...

Jupiter to host rapper Yelawolf

Francie Johnson October 9, 2013

He’s been rapping about the Crimson Tide for years, but Alabama native Yelawolf has never played an official concert in Tuscaloosa until now. Michael Wayne Atha, better known by his stage name Yelawolf,...

Widespread Panic to return to amphitheater

Francie Johnson October 2, 2013

Two musically inclined University of Georgia students met in their dorm nearly 30 years ago and started writing songs together. Eventually joined by two other musicians, they thought up a band name and...

Golightly brings heart to songwriting

Golightly brings heart to songwriting

Francie Johnson September 29, 2013

American poet John Godfrey Saxe wrote “The Head and the Heart” in the mid-1800s, describing the constant internal battle of logic versus passion. Almost two centuries later, Wright Gatewood and Lena...

Dancing through school

Hannah Widener September 25, 2013

Are we human, or are we dancer? That is the question Aubrey Heathcott, a junior majoring in dance with a minor in public relations, asks herself before every performance. The popular Killers song “Human”...

Band Cody Canada & The Departed to play Jupiter

Francie Johnson September 22, 2013

Cody Canada, lead singer of Oklahoma-based red dirt band Cody Canada & The Departed, said the best approach to songwriting is to just sit back and let it happen. “It’s kind of the same with everything...

Band Cody Canada & The Departed to play Jupiter

Francie Johnson September 22, 2013

Cody Canada, lead singer of Oklahoma-based red dirt band Cody Canada & The Departed, said the best approach to songwriting is to just sit back and let it happen. “It’s kind of the same with everything...

Female comedians on the rise

Hannah Widener September 18, 2013

Female-dominated comedies are taking over primetime. The recent premiere returns of both “New Girl” and “The Mindy Project” on Fox meant the return of my former Tuesday nights’ glory. While the...

Be polite and put your phones away

Francie Johnson September 18, 2013

It’s 8 o’clock at night. You’re surrounded by what seems like a million people, a million pairs of eyes all staring at one thing: the stage. You’ve been waiting months for this concert, but these...

Female comedians on the rise

Hannah Widener September 18, 2013

Female-dominated comedies are taking over primetime. The recent premiere returns of both “New Girl” and “The Mindy Project” on Fox meant the return of my former Tuesday nights’ glory. While the...

Be polite and put your phones away

Francie Johnson September 18, 2013

It’s 8 o’clock at night. You’re surrounded by what seems like a million people, a million pairs of eyes all staring at one thing: the stage. You’ve been waiting months for this concert, but these...

Local band to perform at Egan's

Local band to perform at Egan’s

Hannah Widener September 17, 2013

Local favorite Looksy will perform back home in Tuscaloosa for the first time since July on Friday, Sept. 20, at Egan’s. The band has recently released its EP, “Deeper Into the Woods.” “First...

‘Orange is the new black’ gains popularity with Netflix

Hannah Widener September 11, 2013

I don’t have a Netflix account… Blasphemy! I watch all the shows I miss during the week on Friday; it’s my Hulu day. Only now, because of Hulu Plus and my low college funds, the episodes I do want...

City Cafe passes test of time

City Cafe passes test of time

Hannah Widener September 9, 2013

It’s 5 a.m., and while most businesses are sound asleep with the lights turned down low in Northport, there remains one with its light on, shining like a welcoming beacon to all who come in. City Cafe...

Embrace your nerdom in a society that now deems it ‘cool’

Hannah Widener September 4, 2013

The day I moved into my freshman dorm, my dad took one look at my giant Marvel Universe poster, another at my brand-new roommate and told me, “Maybe you should wait a while before you put that up.”...

Vintage makes a comeback on 5th Street

Vintage makes a comeback on 5th Street

Hannah Widener September 3, 2013

The 5th Street Vintage Market will soon kick off its second year of taking over the farmers market pavilion in Northport, Ala. Vendors will be selling items ranging from vintage clothing to vinyl records...

Judy Collins to play Bama Theatre

Judy Collins to play Bama Theatre

Francie Johnson September 2, 2013

From the coffeehouses of the age-defining 1960s folk revival to sold-out arenas, and everything in between, folk icon Judy Collins has seen it all – almost. This Saturday, she’ll see the Bama Theatre...

Wiz rolls up on Greekfest

Francie Johnson August 21, 2013

For the past four years, University of Alabama students have been “partying with a purpose” at Costa Greekfest, an annual benefit concert organized by Greek Affairs and the Interfraternity Council....

Video games inspire 3rd installment of KadeshFlow’s ‘NerdCrunk’

Francie Johnson April 23, 2013

Some of today’s popular rap music centers around controversial topics including sex and drugs, but Ryan Davis writes about a different subject: video games. “That’s actually hilarious, because people...

Big Al tryouts held at A-Day

Hannah Widener April 23, 2013

Big Al’s shoes are hard to fill: they are hot, sweaty and weigh twice as much as regular sneakers. But on April 18, 21 hopefuls entered the basement of Coleman Coliseum in an attempt to fill those shoes...

Renowned musician David Lindley to play show in Tuscaloosa Monday

Hannah Widener April 21, 2013

The multi-instrumental musician David Lindley will be performing at the Bama Theatre Monday night as part of the Acoustic Night series. Lindley is known for the guitar strings behind Forrest Gump as he...

The Bear and Callooh! Callay! to perform at Bama Theatre

Francie Johnson April 16, 2013

Muscle Shoals-based band The Bear strives to blend elements of country, folk and indie-pop to create a sound that transcends these typical genre descriptions and fits into all of them, and yet none of...

Show choir to perform one-night-only show Tuesday

Hannah Widener April 15, 2013

The University of Alabama Resonance Show Choir, a performance-based music ensemble, will perform its spring show at the Bama Theatre Tuesday night at 7:30 p.m. “Resonance Hell Week,” as referred to...

Book Arts student displays work in Ferg

Francie Johnson April 14, 2013

Artists find inspiration from a variety of sources. For Suzanne Sawyer, a soon-to-be graduate of The University of Alabama’s Book Arts Program, inspiration can strike simply from walking through campus....

UA opera theatre to perform annual ‘One Night Only’

Hannah Widener April 1, 2013

“One Night Only,” a performance presented by the department of opera theatre, will feature a different blend of music than usual Tuesday night at the Moody Music Building. “It’s an annual evening...

Alabama fields multiple adaptive sports teams

Hannah Widener March 20, 2013

While most students are sleeping, or maybe even pulling all-nighters, there are a select few who choose to start their mornings at 5:45 a.m. Each week you can find the men of the wheelchair basketball...

Local Catch prides itself on fresh seafood

Francie Johnson March 19, 2013

Local Catch, a new restaurant in downtown Tuscaloosa, is aiming to bring the taste and quality of fine seafood restaurants to Tuscaloosa but with a casual environment and lighter price tag. “I’ve...

Explore more options in the mobile music marketplace than Spotify, iTunes

Francie Johnson March 13, 2013

Technology is a wonderful thing, especially for music lovers. If you’re as attached to your smartphone and your music as I am, here are some great apps you definitely don’t want to miss out on. SongKick...

Concert to feature unconventional musicians

Francie Johnson March 7, 2013

From Wagner with the tuba to Beethoven with the piano to Jimi Hendrix with the electric guitar, musicians have been using technology to push boundaries and redefine music for as long as it has existed....

Japanese artist brings work to Ferguson

Hannah Widener March 6, 2013

The Ferguson Center Art Gallery will be presenting works of Toko Shinoda this month on The University of Alabama campus. Shinoda was born in Dairen, Manchuria, in 1913 and moved to Tokyo in 1914. She...

Tuscaloosa natives band together to form southern rock duo

Francie Johnson February 26, 2013

Tuscaloosa band Shod Shirby has a typical five-part lineup, comprised of a vocalist, guitarist, bassist, drummer and pianist. What’s not so typical is that all five of these positions are fulfilled...

Percussion trio to perform at Sonic Frontiers

Hannah Widener February 25, 2013

In the age of new wave sound and electronic beats, the percussion trio Meridian is taking things back to basics, with a twist. Meridian will perform in UA’s Sonic Frontiers Concert Series, Monday...

Soul band strives for authenticity

Francie Johnson February 14, 2013

There are many things Paul Janeway, vocalist of St. Paul and the Broken Bones, is not. He’s not an accountant, although his in-progress accounting degree and suit-and-bow tie stage outfit might lead...

Red Bull hosts collegiate DJ contest at Rounders

Francie Johnson February 7, 2013

On one night, five local disc jockeys will have 15 minutes each to show Tuscaloosa what they’ve got. Red Bull Thre3style University is the collegiate division of Red Bull Thre3style, an international...

Fashion Inc. provides students opportunities to intern, design

Hannah Widener February 5, 2013

For the members of the club Fashion Inc., fashion is not just a job but a way of life. These future fashionistas are not hitting the streets to find their next look but instead surfing the net on the hunt...

Downright to play at Green Bar Friday

Downright to play at Green Bar Friday

Francie Johnson January 31, 2013

If Matthew DeVine of funk rock band Downright has learned anything about the music industry, it’s that the true measure of success is not preceded by a dollar sign. “The reward is in the work itself,”...

Green Bar hosts Athens-based band Dank Sintra

Francie Johnson January 24, 2013

They may be University of Georgia graduates, but the members of Athens, Ga. based jam band Dank Sinatra will be saying, “Roll Dank Roll” when they perform at the Green Bar this Friday. Dank Sinatra...

Christian singing group to perform at Bama Theatre

Hannah Widener January 24, 2013

Ask singer Chrishon Smith of the Anointed Brown Sisters how they got their name and she will tell you, “Well we are brown, and we are sisters, but more importantly we were all filled with the Holy Ghost...

Atlanta-based punk rock band to play at Egan’s

Francie Johnson January 17, 2013

Dom DiCecco, guitarist and vocalist of Atlanta-based punk rock band Seagulls, has been playing through the pain of a fractured finger ever since a week before the band’s first show. But in the words...

Locals, legends among top album releases of 2012

Francie Johnson January 10, 2013

Without a doubt, 2012 has been an amazing year in music. Although we’re over a week into 2013 and there are enough “Best Albums of 2012” countdowns floating around to make your head spin, and I figured...

Swamp Cabbage to perform at local Acoustic Night

Francie Johnson November 29, 2012

Both culturally and geographically, Tuscaloosa is far from the wetlands of southeast Florida. But Walter Parks, vocalist and guitarist of Swamp Cabbage, plans on musically transporting his audience straight...

'No-Shave November' benefits charities worldwide

‘No-Shave November’ benefits charities worldwide

Francie Johnson November 27, 2012

Some men may participate in "No-Shave November," but some make the choice to grow facial hair for a cause. They are the men of Movember. During the month of November, a popular tradition mandates all...

Author defends cooking in college as possible, affordable

Hannah Widener November 26, 2012

Mother and author of “College Cooking Crash Course” Eva Gold is out to prove college cooking is possible if you just have a plan. Her cookbook contains 20 ingredients that will prepare a student for...

Simple recipes for students end badly

Simple recipes for students end badly

Hannah Widener November 13, 2012

My “kitchenability” skills involve making grilled cheese, baking brownies from the box and, if I do say so myself, making an excellent bowl of cereal. College life has made me appreciate all the foods...

Tidal Flow: students prove Hip-Hop is not dead

Hannah Widener November 8, 2012

Wednesday night, a group of roughly 110 students gathered together to take in Tidal Flow in the Allen Bales Theatre at 7:30 p.m. The show was a collaboration of artists, poets and dancers tasked by Creative...

Walk Off The Earth blazing a trail through music industry

Francie Johnson November 8, 2012

These days, I’ve heard the term “indie” being tossed around in the music industry as professionals and fans alike nonchalantly slap the label onto any band or artist without a major record deal....

Gary Clark Jr.’s 1st major label release mixes genres into cohesive album

Francie Johnson November 7, 2012

In 2012, he played more major North American music festivals than any other artist in existence. He’s performed on stage with legends such as Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Mick Jagger. He’s...

Sports grill to open on Main Avenue in Northport

Hannah Widener November 6, 2012

Main Avenue in Northport has seen restaurants come and go, but the addition of a Birmingham, Ala., favorite, Billy’s Sports Grill, may offer a permanent draw to business. Originally set to open in mid-September...

Exotic food trip looks to expose students to new tastes

Francie Johnson October 23, 2012

Chinese spring rolls, Israeli salad, Persian ghorme sabzi and Swahili pilau will be some of the many foods served at the Critical Languages Center’s Exotic Food Tasting Trip this Thursday, Oct. 25. The...

Digitalized music weakens bond between sounds, listeners

Francie Johnson October 9, 2012

As technology advances and music becomes increasingly digitalized, the bond between music and listener grows weaker and weaker. Once upon a time, people used to listen to music. By listen, I mean really...

HCA organizes movie club

Francie Johnson September 23, 2012

For students wishing to dig a little deeper into the world of cinema, a new student organization, The Movie Appreciation Club, might be the place to go. MAC is organized by the Honors College Assembly...

Colorado bands brings folk music to Birmingham

Francie Johnson September 12, 2012

The Lumineers, a Denver-based folk rock band, will be performing at the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham on Thursday while on tour with Old Crow Medicine show. Band members Wesley Schultz and Jeremiah Fraites,...

Avett Brothers’ new album explores concept of death, tragedy

Francie Johnson September 11, 2012

As a Dallas native, maybe I’m a little biased, but from the moment I heard the opening line, “I ain’t from Texas, but I made my way from Dallas” off of the Avett Brothers’ newest album, “The...

Student band work to produce their own music style

Francie Johnson September 10, 2012

It’s 9 p.m. on a Wednesday night, and while campus has become quiet the sound of Steppenwolf’s “Magic Carpet Ride” blares from the basement of the Sigma Nu fraternity house. The Doctors and the...

Jack White’s new album unusually truthful

Francie Johnson June 6, 2012

Jack White is no stranger to lying. In early interviews with The White Stripes, the eccentric blues-rock band made up of White and ex-wife Meg White, he repeatedly insisted that the two bandmates were...