The Spectrum

Issue date: 4/21/05 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Media Credit: The Spectrum/MARK STANCZAK The Extra Credit Project, joined by senior Alex Kantarelis, plays their annual show at The Outpost Pub

Students needed to look no further for extra credit than the Outpost Pub on Tuesday night, April 12. Sacred Heart's own professors Taylor, Michaels and Ventimiglia packed the pub for their third annual concert with their band, The Extra Credit Project.

"I saw them last year and I thought they were really good," said Jennifer Webb, a senior from Norwalk. "I definitely wanted to come back."

"I love them!" said junior Michael Smith from Canton, MA. "They're really original with their interpretations of the plethora of songs that they do. I'm very excited to see them tonight."

But before The Extra Credit Project hit the stage, the opening band, La Mafia, filled the air with Spanish rock. Lead singer/guitarist of La Mafia, Alberto Cavaliero, from Western Connecticut State University said, "We come from all different backgrounds and we have a Latino-American kind of sound. We're going to be playing some good tunes tonight. Some rock in Espanol, cumbia, some funky good stuff."

And indeed they did. La Mafia got the crowd pumped and on their feet dancing to their cover of Santana's "Black Magic Woman." The band, though, also remained modest.

"We're a growing band," said bass player Federico Arias, a senior from Buenos Aries, Argentina, "It was our first real gig so we'll do a much better job next time."

Just twenty minutes later, The Extra Credit Project took the stage to applause, hoots and hollers. The band entertained the crowd with covers of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" and Lynard Skynard's "Sweet Home Alabama," and then welcomed senior Alex Kantarelis on stage to play guitar and mix it up with two punk songs-Green Day's "American Idiot" and Bowling for Soup's "1985." The crowd comprised of mostly Sacred Heart seniors danced, cheered, and begged for an encore. The Extra Credit Project obliged with a rousing version of Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" and the crowd went wild.

"They were pretty rowdy this year," said Professor Ventimiglia about the crowd.

Ventimiglia plays keyboard for the band and teaches in the philosophy department.

"I thought the show took off after '1985' and I liked the last song, 'Superstition', a lot," said Smith as the band packed up and the crowd began to disperse.

"I think we did alright. From the response I think people really liked this year's show," added Ventimiglia.

Didn't get to see The Extra Credit Project? The professors are in agreement to make it an annual event.

Ventimiglia said, "I think we'll play once a year. No more, no less."

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