‘Ted Leo’ has heart

Matt Siblo

When I heard that Ted Leo and the Pharmacists were coming to Villanova, I nearly had a conniption. Unadulterated excitement came over my body as if I had been struck by a highly volatile mix of pure adrenaline and the Holy Spirit. WXVU, Villanova’s own radio station in conjunction with CAT/Late Nite, are running the event for Halloween night in the Belle Aire Terrace.

On Halloween, there will be a rock and roll extravaganza in the Connelly Center so great that it will permanently effect the lives of all who come.

How could this be? Allow me to spell it out for you. Opening the show will be the debut of a rock band whose roots have sprouted from our very own Villanova University soil. Its name is Daylight Savings, and it is more amusing than a barrel of monkeys. Musically Daylight Savings sound like a perfect mix of Foreigner and Black Flag with elements of calypso that you’d have to see to believe.

The next band is a group whom I’m very excited to finally see. Its name is Weird War and it features Mr. Ian Svenonius of the Make-Up and Nation of Ulysses. Presumably you’ve never heard of these bands, but I assure you that you should have.

The headlining act is a band that I can’t praise enough. Ted Leo and his Pharmacists have been lunging their way into the hearts of educated rock fans everywhere since their inception in 1999. With the release of this year’s “Hearts of Oak,” the band has received tons of national attention.

This has come mostly on the strength of their video for “Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?” that has gone into modest rotation on M2. Mr. Leo also used to sing in a seminal punk/mod band called Chisel.

The show is today beginning around 9 – 9:30 p.m. and is free for all Villanova students (and $5 for others). Free candy will be provided for the purpose of festivity and all students are encouraged to dress up in creative costumes, come down to the Connelly Center and live out their wildest disco fantasies.