All Access Arts & Living

Bonnaroo Day 4: Sunday

2009-06-15T23:36:00.003-04:00

Rumors
With Sunday came the anticipation for a large finale. With Phish closing out the weekend, as well as an appearance by The Dead's Warren Haynes with Gov't Mule speculation ran wild that with the slew of guest appearances, a Grateful Dead and Phish union would be in order.

Dillinger Escape Plan
The New Jersey hardcore band, which had joined Nine Inch Nails on stage the previous night opened up a slew of metal performances for the day, which would later include Shadows Fall and Coheed & Cambria gracing the same stage. Despite playing earlier the band riled the crowd to mosh pit levels, standing aloft on boxes while hammering the crowd with rapid time shifts and belligerent screaming. While the group provided the crowd with a spastic energy, the lead singer even diving into the crowd, most of the group's songs over time proved indistinguishable though they imparted some useful knowledge including the universal truism "it's never too early to rock for roll."

Citizen Cope
While Todd Snider was entertaining the tent crowd with stories of his own psychedelic transformation and missed football practices, Citizen Cope kept a large audience rapt with his simple R&B influenced brand of rock. His soulful voice seldom missed a note as he went from soothing wailing to middle-eastern chanting. Citizen Cope proved the right fit for the slow Sunday atmosphere, with many lounging on the lawn, tired from the weekend's whirlwind of events.

Okkervil River
Opening up with "Plus Ones" off 2007's "The Stage Names" Okkervil River showcased a set constituting mostly older material. The Austin, Texas indie act's frontman, Will Shef strained his vocal chords to the max belting out his intricate lyrics over danceable trumpets, while frequently acting apologetic for the band's soft songs. Though the crowd did not seem to mind as it only grew with time, no doubt incited by the group's tight live reproductions and witty song introductions like "this song is about jumping off a bridge."

Andrew Bird
Elsewhere Andrew Bird whistled his way through a tight set complete with a showcasing of his clear singing, and violin virtuoso-ship. Backed by swirling gramophones Bird was determined to provide an old-time feeling to his set, which was capable of both breathtaking quiet and mounting soundscapes.

Snoop Dogg
Free from the burden of being the only hip-hop emcee whose legend has been marred by his recent reality show status, Snoop Dogg seemed at ease, if a few minutes late to his main stage evening set. Opening with strong song selections including "The Next Episode," "Gin 'N Juice," and Akon hit "I Wanna F*ck You," Snoop made many shout-outs to the ladies and proved adept at working the crowd. At times using anything to get a reaction including shout outs to fellow rapper Tupac Shukur and even turning the crowd on itself with a mini east coast, west coast chant battle. Eventually Snoop was joined on stage by Erykah Badu, fresh from her set on the stage earlier, the two collaborating on a few tunes however it was not the last collaboration of the day.

Phish
It seems few attendees left Sunday night, as most were intent on seeing the reunited Phish for a second time in three days. Armed with their signature light show and wild crowd which brought everything from beach balls to inflatable octopuses, Phish jammed out for an extended time on songs like "Tweezer" and "Gotta Jibboo." Phish proved a satisfying live act, with all four members showcasing their jamming abilities, evening welcoming Bruce Springsteen onstage to showcase his own. The Boss fronted Phish through a series of classics including "Mustang Sally" and "Glory Days." And while this might not have been the super collaboration many Phish fans and deadheads had been hoping for, there's always next year.

Bonnaroo Day 3: Saturday

2009-06-15T22:16:00.011-04:00

Caption
Wilco rock Bonnaroo's main stage with a rousing rendition of A Ghost Is Born era staple, "Handshake Drugs"

BON IVER
By Saturday afternoon the sun had begun to spill its unforgiving heat upon the masses, the extreme temperatures causing set difficulties and delays, as even those seeking shelter underneath the shaded tents found little relief. Opening with fan favorite "Skinny Love," Bon Iver provided a strong show from an unlikely cast. Lead singer Justin Vernon hulked over his guitar bellowing out notes with pinpoint accuracy with his backing group providing a steady dose of rippling accents. The group rattled off songs from their debut album "For Emma, Forever Ago," as well as tracks from their new Blood Bank EP. This included some set highlights like a blistering full band version of "Blood Bank" and a stark solo performance of "Beach Baby" following by an unaccompanied Vernon who dedicated the track to "dreams of making out on the beach."

Gov't Mule
Formed in the wake of the Allman Bros. early 90's reunion, Government Mule has quickly become a festival staple due in part to prominent lead guitarist Warren Haynes. Haynes who plays guitar with the Allmans as well as the The Dead took his six-string prowess to the evening crowd with heavy, shrieking guitar solos to rival among the best of the weekend. Gov't Mule tried early to integrate the crowd with a chorus of "hell yeahs," a move that was successful at drawing wanderers into their circle of blues heavy grooves and guitar showmanship defined by their stomping version of "Don't Step on the Grass, Sam."

Of Montreal
Anticipation was high outside the tent for Of Montreal with the young indie group drawing many away from the main stage attraction Wilco. However Kevin Barnes and company were plagued by set problems in the sweltering tent, prompting the show to begin later than expected.

Jenny Lewis
Flanked by a modest collection of towel layers and chair sitters, Lewis with her bell clear voice sounding over the speakers, charmed the small audience with tales of run-ins with the law, barroom fist-fights and those troubled boys up to no good. The Rilo Kiley lead singer excelled in the small setting with her backing band providing impressively layered acoustics which integrating cowbells and back-up vocals into the mix. The set even Included a surprise back-up performance from Elvis Costello in what was yet another in the seeming never-ending string of unannounced collaboration this week on her song "Carpetbaggers."

Wilco
Playing under a bright blue afternoon sky, Wilco lead off with new single "Wilco, The Song" off the groups latest effort "Wilco, The Album." Jeff Tweedy spanned the range of his career, integrating newer material "Bull Black Nova," "Side with the Seeds" with a renewed emphasis on "A Ghost is Born" era tracks like "Company in the Back," and "Handshake Drugs" coming early and leading the band to their highest levels. Guitarist Nels Cline provided the guitar hero spark on the later songs rippling off tearing solos from his heavily chipped black guitar. Hardly stopping to banter with the crowd lead singer and principal songwriter Jeff Tweedy, clad in all black, offered up "it's good to be back" as the group's only sentiments to those gathered, many of whom were awaiting Bruce Springsteen's headlining set.

Mars Volta
Coming out to a what could only be described as a distorted Sergio Leonne soundtrack, the Mars Volta descended onto the stage with the outright intentions of baffling the crowd. After stumbling through "Goliath," lead singer Cedric Bixler-Zaxlava quipped "I just wrote it, I don't have to remember it, do I?" Powering through the minor guff, the Mars Volta settled down into a heavily psychedelic set marked prominently by Omar Rodriquez Lopez's unique guitar showmanship which dominated the band's mammoth soundscapes. Despite a new release on the way, Mars Volta integrated old favorites like "Drunkship of Lanterns" into a largely free form set that featured jams as well as three new songs off the group's forthcoming album, Octahedron. The band faltered a bit in the middle, with their meandering jams quickly running out of tricks, though even at their weakest, singer Bixler-Zaxlava proved an entertaining frontman with his wild mane of black hair and penchant for odd song introductions like "this song owes me $40." However in all likelihood the Mars Volta's sonic assault proved enough to cement Volta as a premium live act, ensuring that if his songs are still defaulting on their loans he will still be able to make the bills.

The Decemberists
The Decemberists played their new album, "The Hazards of Love" to a sizeable crowd at one of the side tents, providing a soothing melodic distraction to those not enamored by the spiraling insanity of the Mars Volta. However while most of the band's material is down tempo they proved capable of stadium sized riffs on new album tracks like "The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid," which found lead singer Colin Meloy and guitarist Chris Funk trading shrieking guitar lines. The Decemberists were dressed for the occasion despite the heat, as all were well-dressed enough for a formal evening dinner. After airing out the new album The Decemberists came out firing with stronger singles "The Crane Wife 3" and "O Valencia!" off of their major label debut, The Crane Wife.

Bruce Springsteen
Headliners Bruce Springsteen & the E Street band played unopposed to a capacity crowd breaking out new songs, "Radio Nowhere," classics "Born to Run" and odd requests from fans, "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" over a three and a half hour set. Bruce addressed the crowd often, thanking Bonnaroo for the invite to what he dubbed their "second ever festival appearance." On stage the infamous band performed without new Tonight Show drummer Max Weinburg but came complete with numerous guitar players, and back-up singers (10 in all) thickening the sound for the football sized area (not that this is new for the band). The Boss was loose and loud playing sounds with an impressive stamina that would but most bands to shame. Grooving his way through "10th Avenue Freeze Out," the Boss performed some impressively phallic microphone tricks as well as stop on a dime song transitions. Overall, the Boss that kept audience involved, even inviting one lucky fan to dance on stage in an homage to his former video vixen Courtney Cox during the finale "Dancing in the Dark." All in all, the Boss left the screaming for more even after the marathon set and the group's final bows.

Nine Inch Nails
In what lead singer Trent Reznor dubbed the band's "last U.S. show ever," the twenty plus year old industrial act performed to a sizeable crowd at the Which Stage, the venue's second largest stage. Over cascading white smoke, lasers and raining glow sticks Nine Inch Nails' showcased their knack for off-kilter rhythms and shrieking guitars in songs like recent single "Discipline." Though the set was far from a greatest hits occasion, featuring cuts from their recent all instrumental release Ghosts (I-IV) as a sharp and startling cover of David Bowie's "I'm Afraid of Americans." As a live act, the band's darker material lightened proving less dense and more upbeat in the live setting.

MGMT
Across the way at a smaller tent, MGMT drew an equally large crowd at one of the venue's smaller tents with some standing on shoulders and rafters to get a closer look. The band's second appearance in two such years was a significant departure for the growing band as they showed a willingness to breakaway from their traditional keyboard heavy pop sound. MGMT showcased new material from their latest recording sessions which was met with largely mixed results. The new material was not the only thing that sounded out of place as even old songs were reworked to be more guitar and band oriented. Back tracks like "Pieces of What" and "Weekend Wars" benefitted from the re-tooling process, however the groups big singles "Time to Pretend" and "Kids" proved harder to replicate under the new format. The set lasted over an hour and proved that the group, which had until this point created their music in studio with two principal members, has made the decision to be taken seriously as a traditional band. Still, while their live act improved over last years uneven set, MGMT showed they have chosen a path with a difficult road ahead.

Bonnaroo Day 2: Friday

2009-06-13T13:46:00.008-04:00

Caption
The Decemberists' Colin Meloy and Jenny Conlee talk backstage by Steven Smith of Fuse's "Steven's Untitled Rock Show"

RUMORS
Friday brought much needed relief in the form of bright skies and high temperatures as a slew of big stars descended on the fields of Manchester, Tennessee. With the new day a new set of rumors emerged, The Superjam, a Bonnaroo staple that brings together diverse artists for a free form jam had yet to be scheduled and as of Saturday morning was revealed to be canceled for the 2009 year. However Jimmy Buffet has been confirmed via Facebook to be joining a group of musicians the star discovered in Africa, ILO & The Coral Reefer AllStars, for an early Saturday session, sure to be getting campers up bright and early. As for the biggest rumor, Big Hassle Media would neither confirm nor deny that the living remnants of the Grateful Dead are here amongst the never-ending sea of tents. In response to the query from the press, Ken Weinstein a Big Hassle Media spokesman would only offer the statement that “the Dead are with us always.”

Dirty Projectors
Following Katzenjammer, Dirty Projectors took the stage at That Tent early Friday afternoon, the band was a part of a David Byrne curated lineup that included folk songstress Ani DiFranco and the pop savvy Santigold. The Dirty Projectors rocked the small tent quickly warping from drum-heavy freak-outs to funky pop mixes that found both of the bands female vocalists trading impressive notes. The band kept tent-goers on their toes and saved the best surprise for last, an impromptu performance with Mr. Talking Head himself. David Byrne modestly joined the band for their last track, choosing instead to accent the track with backing vocals rather than over shadow the talented young band.

Animal Collective
Leading off with “My Girls” and “Summertime Clothes” off the group’s latest album Merriweather Post Pavillion, Animal Collective were the first highly anticipated set of the day drawing a sizeable crowd with their unique blend of mixing the art of the turntable into the traditional band format. Draped by fluorescent lights that were all but impotent in the daytime, the group’s music suffered from the brightness and scale of the outdoor setting. Though it was something that the band were able to eventually overcome as they pulled out an assortment of musical tricks including mixing live drums and guitar into songs like “Lion in a Coma” and “Brother Sport.”

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Despite the mixed reception to the New York band’s latest album, “It’s Blitz!” the Yeah Yeah Yeahs came out to a tumultuous applause, particularly for lead singer Karen O who dominated the stage with her wild woman persona. With an even mix of old favorites “Cheated Hearts” and new material, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs kept things tight and fast, the new material benefitting from the atmosphere and energy of the set. The trio was joined on stage by a keyboard player who added accents to old and new songs while Karen O pranced around the stage garbed in a leopard skin tights and a vivid blue parka. Karen O. proved adept at able to turn violent screams into soothing “la la las” with the force of a whirlwind, eventually breaking down on stage, pulling her hair erratically and demonstrating her ability to hold a microphone without hands. “Zero” and “Gold Lion” brought the set its highest levels as guitarist Nick Zinner proved an equally enamoring stage presence as the charismatic front woman. Indeed the real strength of the band was the maximization of the details, with simple chord changes producing song-altering shockwaves. The group stumbled toward the end with Zinner’s guitar succumbing to the heat, forcing the group to play their smash first single “Maps” acoustic for the crowd. Overall, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs proved an odd fit for the mid-afternoon heat, cracking smiles, working the crowd and proving despite their black attire and trashcan tunes, that they can be a surprisingly fun and engaging attraction even to casual fans.

Al Green
Around evening time, soul legend Al Green brought his groove to the main stage playing songs from his latest Grammy-nominated album “Lay it Down” amongst old classics. Green proved an adept showman, letting his signature yelp leap through the speakers backed by a gospel quire and steady back-up band that brought more than just old fans to the main stage.

TV on the Radio
Festivalgoers flocked to the late evening set by Brooklyn’s TV on the Radio. Fresh off their latest album, the commercial success “Dear Science,” the group led off with slow jam “Love Dog.” Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe’s high energy yelp was in full force as he pogoed around stage often trading vocals with bassist Gerard Smith, a prominent fixture on the set due to his dense thicket of hair and bright yellow overalls. However despite running through stellar versions of new album tracks like “Crying,” “Halfway Home,” most of the new songs proved too slow for the eager crowd. Thus the band was forced to integrate old stand bys like “Dirtywhirl,” and “Wolf Like Me” early into the set. Overall, the quintet played impressively but failed at integrating the crowd at the same level as the stage’s previous residents, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Beastie Boys
Hip-hop legends the Beastie Boys came out swinging with renditions of classics tracks “No Sleep til Brooklyn,” “Sabotage” and “Remote Control.” On the later tracks the emcees brought out fellow NY rapper Nas for a brief collaboration. However both acts were left proving their live prowess for a crowd that was largely there anticipating the first of Phish’s two shows. Despite working against the current, the Beastie Boys played a diverse set that featured the trio grabbing instruments and jamming through tunes from their recent album “The Mix-Up,” even dipping into punk rock tunes that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on a Black Flag album. Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock backed by the speedy hands of DJ Mix Master Mike kept things loose and up-tempo extending songs and dipping into freestyles with the group declaring “this is not a tape or an I-Pod, this is real, live music.”

David Byrne
Elsewhere the alternative to the Beastie Boys was former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne. Byrne placated the festival crowd with the entire second half of his set dedicated to material from his former band including a stirring rendition of “Burning Down the House.” Byrne, clad in an all white wardrobe was flanked by a group of similarly dressed back-up dancers providing visuals to go along with the music, the bodies even forming human waves during “Once in a Lifetime.” Byrne also dipped into more recent material from his latest Brian Eno produced album “Everything that Happens will Happen Today” before leaving the stage with enough time for the eager throngs of people to depart for the day’s main attraction, Phish.

Phish
See Sunday Review.

Public Enemy
Playing their entire album “It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back,” Public Enemy provided a full force show for all the “real hip-hop heads” looking to find an alternative to Phish. Flava Flav and Chuck D traded verses on stage flanked by their classic logo and a few others clad in military camouflage. Flava Flav was hard to miss on stage draped in an orange t-shirt with yellow shades and his signature clock and Viking helmet. In a humorous back stage moment, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog traded barbs with the VH1 star, quipping that Flava Flav wears a clock so he can “keep track of how far he’s set back the civil rights movement. On stage Flava Flav brought the humor if unintentionally, as he was unable to recall the album’s release date needing a reminder that it was released in 1988, not 1987. On stage though Public Enemy proved they are a powerful live act, with backing guitarists and bassists that were equal in talent to those of their rock counterparts. Public Enemy powered through the classic album with DJ Lord mixing behind them, and if they were unable to recall the album’s date or had difficulty communicating just exactly what they wanted to change about the “prison industrial complex,” none of which affected their music that seldom missed a beat.

Bonnaroo 2009: Thursday Day 1

2009-06-12T09:57:00.005-04:00

Caption
Cloudy skies and rain cast a shadow over the festival's first day

If the first night was highlighted mostly by sporadic weather, Thursday night's attractions were met with similarly uneven results. The forecast ranging from bands that generated the high voltage of Tennessee lightning to ones that barely generated the excitement of a passing shower. Despite Kanye West's infamous set problems last year, hip-hop regenerated in full force Thursday night with high-energy shows from festival newcomers, MURS and People Under the Stairs.

Both emcees were successful at integrating the crowd early and succeeded at keeping the drenched festival-goers dancing through the storm, each with their own individual styles. While MURS played mostly with hip-hop's commercially successful bass thud and soul-beat model, he was able to breath fresh life into the medium with his spitfire verses and solid beats succeeding on his promise that he would offer a, "fun approach to hip-hop." Despite that, the rapper born under the ironic name Nick Carter and who's alter-ego is slang for "Making Underground Raw Sh*t," offered surprising versatility with songs that discussed everything from his full-mane of dreadlocks to the nation's economic crisis.

Conversely People Under the Stairs provided a style that would be fitting coming out of a boom box, with DJ scratching provided live by the group. The One and Double K, the principal members of the group, traded verses often conversationally dipping into freestyles often and drawing in the crowd with tunes dedicated to their troubled home city. While People Under the Stairs were largely unknown to the crowd, they quickly won fans with their wit and showmanship, even asking coyly when the crowd stumbled through a sing-a-long, "what you guys didn't buy that record?"

The night's rock acts provided most of the uneven moments, with the biggest pressure of the night falling squarely on the shoulders of Cambridge, Massachusetts natives Passion Pit. The group generated a heavy buzz throughout the scatted campground and drew what was surely the largest crowd of the night. The five-piece band talked a big game with lead singer Michael Angelakos stirring up the crowd like the ring leader of the circus. Draped by their lighting personnel in the soothing tones of pink and purple, the group's sound was similarly limited by an equally bland musical palette. The song's off their debut album "Manners" sounded full live however they failed to incite the large crowd in the same ways as last year's This Tent headliners, Vampire Weekend and MGMT, a point of note as Passion Pit's sound seems a likely adaptation of Vampire Weekend's drum-heavy beats and MGMT's catchy keyboard flourishes. Varying from slow soulful keyboard infused pop tunes, to more uptempo synth-driven pop tunes, Passion Pit often sounded like they were going through the motions, robotically trodding over musical group that has recently been mostly colonized.

White Rabbits, who graced the same stage before the torrential rain fell also saw a sizable crowd and similar mixed results. The Brooklyn, New York natives have received high praise from England's premier music magazine NME, no doubt for their sound's heavy drawing from UK bands like The Specials and Arctic Monkeys. In spite of lofty comparisons the band fought against the sizable evening crowd drawing applause and maintaining interest at what was still one of the day's earlier shows.

Elsewhere The Low Anthem slowed things down at That Tent with a more mellow evening set. The Providence area band's members formed a virtual musical carousel, switching instruments and tones often. The group's members pulled duties on instruments as diverse as upright basses and violins while handing off vocal duties on song's like "This God Damn House" which they dedicated lovingly to a former band member. The Low Anthem kept things simple, sticking to lyrics that used simple imagery to craft songs about drinking, debauchery and wild and simple rhythms to craft tunes that ranged from keyboard laced acoustic downers to uptempo blues ditties like "Cigarettes and Whiskey."

Overall Thursday night's bands did little but whet the appetite and expectations for Friday's main event which offers up a lineup with acts as diverse as David Byrne, The Beastie Boys, and the main attraction Phish.

Camera Obscura announces North American tour

2009-04-15T23:56:00.003-04:00

Scottish gems of Camera Obscura are back in business with the release of their new album, ‘My Maudlin Career’ and an intense American tour underway. After the band finishes its rounds promoting the new material in Europe, the band will kick of their spring tour in Nashville and continue to play all over the country until late June. Check out the list of tour dates below to see if Camera Obscura is coming to razzle dazzle a town near you!

Get in on NPR’s ‘Exclusive First Listen’ of the band’s new album before it hits shelves on the 21st of this month.

Camera Obscura 2009 Spring Tour Dates:
5/27 Nashville, TN Mercy Lounge 
5/28 Newport, KY Southgate House
 5/29 Chicago, IL Metro  
5/30 Minneapolis, MN Cedar Cultural Center
 6/01 Denver, CO Bluebird 
6/02 Salt Lake City, UTUrban Lounge 
6/04 Portland, OR Wonder Ballroom 
6/05 Vancouver, BC Commodore 
6/06 Seattle, WA Showbox
 6/08 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
 6/09 Pomona, CA Glasshouse
 6/11 Los Angeles, CA Henry Fonda Theatre  
6/13 Mexico City Lunario  
6/15 Austin, TX Antones
 6/16 Dallas, TX The Loft  
6/18 Birmingham, AL Bottletree  
6/19 Atlanta, GAVariety Playhouse  
6/20 Carrboro, NC Cat's Cradle  
6/21 Washington, DC 930 Club 
6/22Philadelphia, PA T L A
 6/24New York, NY Webster Hall
 6/25 Boston, MA Somerville Theatre 
6/26Montreal, QUE La Tulipe 
6/27 Toronto, ON Lee's Palace
 6/29Columbus, OH Wexner Center Ohio State University
 6/30 Pittsburgh, PA Mr. Smalls

Cannabis Reform Coalition Hosts Battle of the Bands

2009-03-30T16:31:00.003-04:00

This Saturday the Cannabis reform coalition hosted its annual Battle of the Bands with the grand prize of an opening slot at one Amherst's biggest area events, Extravaganja. The event was held in the auditorium at the Mercy House at began at 6PM when opening act and event MCs Solo Sexx took the main stage to stir up the growing crowd. The group, comprised of two UMass students Julia Sherratt and Heather McCormick who described their act as "a big middle finger to a consumerist, male-driven circle jerk of a hip hop game." The ostentatious duo sported some outrageous outfits including lime green pants and silver jackets while running through songs like "Balle Funk" and "Nursery Grime." Mixing their spit-fire flow with hilarious choruses like the repeated "white people dancing"over thumbing techno beat, served to get people dancing before the start of the show.

Next up was another eclectic local act, Grex. The elaborate collective included acoustic guitarists, bongo players and violinists in a sound mash-up that sounded reminiscent to a less cohesive and more downbeat version to Gogol Bordello's outrageous gypsy punk. Even if the group's sound strayed far from this characterization they certainly looked the part, with most of the band perched indian style on-stage sporting dreadlocks and thrift store tights. The group meandered in and out of control for a bit often spiraling into chanting and drumming that felt meandering and lacked a specific focus. However when the group found its way it proved itself capable of dredging up a head-turning groove.

By now a more than sizable crowd had gathered at the event with many dropping 5 dollars for the "suggested donations" which were then denoted with an accompanying sign bearing the slogan, "strictly enforced." The event was well paced allowing enough time for the crowd to catch some of the lovely summer air between sets, which were filled periodically by local guitarist Damon Reeves who played some impromptu covers.

Next up was one of the highlights of the evening, the eventual winners of the competition Hampshire College's jazz-funk outift, The Bubonic Souls. Easily the largest band of the evening the Souls had not only the standard band combination of guitar, drums and bass but also came equipped with a horn section comprised of a flute player and saxophonist. If the band's sound wasn't enough to turn heads, then the bands sultry lead singer was. However she was not merely eye candy for the band but split time playing lead guitar and taking lead vocal duties on some of the groups songs. Tight, energetic and highly danceable, the band were an easy pick for as one of the leaders out of the gate even despite some of their more lounge act leanings.

The Handsome Truants followed suit, either disproving their name or perhaps proving it by avoiding other obligations. Despite having a tough opening act to follow the group quickly took the stage and whipped the crowd up to its previous frenzy. Consisting of 6 members the collective also includes three UMass grad students who comprised the guitar and drum sections of the band. However by far the most interesting aspect of the band was its enigmatic lead singer who crooned like old-time soul artists over the group's contemporary take on old school rock 'n roll. The songs road hard on their well composed drum beats which gave the crowd a chance to jump up and down and enjoy themselves.

Later acts included the events other winners, local funk outfit Shokazoba and heavy metal rockers Outer Stylie.

Girlyman play like girly men

2009-03-29T15:38:00.001-04:00

The trio of Girlyman put on a show for a packed Iron Horse Friday evening, but it was a real snoozer. If you don't know anything about the band, they are less talented version of Nickel Creek. Girlyman had all the tools in the box to create some commendable harmonies they have recorded on previous albums, but Nate's flat notes were a hinderance to the performance.

Girlyman didn't have any opening acts - this was most likely due to the fact that they enjoyed their stage time far too much. The band told lame jokes about their lives as recording artists. Ty, the percussionist in Girlyman asked the crowd, "Has anybody here ever recorded an album?...I suggest you try it." It was just annoying to listen to them ramble about their lives as musicians.

The band tested out some new material - one of the new songs they played was "Easy Bake Oven." It sounded like everything else they played. They brought a good collection of strings with them, but I didn't stay long enough to hear them play them.

This Week's DVDs To See

2009-03-06T04:32:00.003-05:00

It’s the wee hours of the morning and I just got home from seeing the midnight, or should I say all-night, release of “Watchmen.” If you get chance, definitely go check it out. Just try to ignore the fact that Snyder's interpretation of Nixon has a striking resemblance to Rocky Dennis, and that the movie is nearly three hours long. The movie was made for the big screen, so go see it at some point while it's in theaters.

But, I digress. The only substantial DVD release this week is “Australia,” the extremely long epic staring Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman. Turns out that the only thing epic about it is how badly it bombed in the box office. I’d stay away from this one if you want your money’s worth. You’ll end up dozing off just like you would watching the Game Show Network all day for free.

One respectable action movie that is worth checking out is “Body of Lies” with Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe. It was actually the #1 rental of the week. I reviewed it, and essentially said that it's not too bad. It’s without question only for those who have a strong stomach, and like a lot of action. It has a pretty involved plot line, so you’ll have to be in the mood to sit down and actually pay attention to it.

If you’re looking for something funny, you have a few solid options in “Zach and Miri Make a Porno” and “Sex Drive.” “Zach and Miri,” if you couldn’t tell by the title, has quite a few umm… visuals that might be a bit much to watch with a new boyfriend or girlfriend or parent. Otherwise, it’s another funny Seth Rogan movie that’s a must see if you’re a fan. “Sex Drive” did pretty poorly in the box office and hasn’t gotten a lot of publicity, but wasn’t received terribly by critics. The consensus of critics on Rottentomatoes.com said that the movie had “some hilarious moments and is well made for a raunchy teen film…” Sounds funny, looks funny, and could prove to be a surprising good rental.

If you’re looking for an older movie to see, how about “Mystic River.” With Sean Penn just recently receiving his second Best Actor Oscar for his work in “Milk,” you should remind yourself of his last award winning performance in a completely polar opposite role. “Mystic River” with it’s all star cast (Kevin Bacon, Tim Robbins, Laurence Fishburne, Laura Linney) is one of the best films of our generation. It touches on so many emotions that it’s nearly impossible to sit still for a moment.

See: “Body of Lies,” “Zach and Miri,” “Sex Drive,” “Mystic River”

Avoid: “Australia"

Dad on a Rampage: "Taken"

2009-02-12T07:54:00.010-05:00

Ladies, when vacationing in Paris this summer, there are a few basic things one ought to know in order to prevent any mishaps from occurring.

Tip one: After exiting the plane, proceed directly to the next available cab at your disposal. Try not to stop, or take pictures, or flirt with charming strangers that you meet along the way.

Tip two: If you must flirt, try not to let said charming strangers know that you’re travelling the countryside by your lonesome.

And tip three: Under no circumstances, whatsoever, should you allow said charming strangers to follow you to your fancy new digs in the city and get your apartment number. I know it’s tempting, but trust me. It could potentially lead to something dangerous.

Of course, if your dad happens to be a former CIA operative cooling his heels back in Los Angeles, none of these rules really apply to you. In the event that you break them, get abducted, and get sold into an international sex ring that specializes in addicting its girls to heroin before sending them out to work the streets, you’re still okay. Your dad will be around to save you.

Or so one hopes, anyway.

Liam Neeson, he of the flinty glares and stoic disposition, proves hell hath no fury like a father scorned in the new action thriller, “Taken.”

Neeson stars as Bryan Mills, a retired CIA man whose life has simmered down considerably since his days as a self-described “preventer.” By the time we catch up with Mr. Mills, he’s already deeply entrenched in the daily grind of normal life. He gets up, pulls the occasional concert security detail, and paces his apartment, waiting anxiously for his 17-year-old daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) to return his phone calls.

The downside of being a jet-setting secret service man for so many years is that he missed out on her childhood. Now hoping to make up for lost time, he’s moved to Los Angeles, where she currently resides with her mother (a frosty Famke Janssen) and rich stepfather (Xander Berkeley).

But alas, for all his good intentions, nothing seems to give. He buys her a spanking new karaoke set (the kind she probably wanted back when she was 10), and her new dad buys her a pony. He gets her lessons with an exclusive vocal coach, and she announces that she’s about to go on all-expenses paid trip around Europe, starting in grand ole Paris.

Talk about tough breaks. But unbeknownst to Mills, his luck is about to change.

When Kim and a friend (Katie Cassidy) are taken captive in Paris by a group of Albanian sex ring wranglers, it falls on Mills to track down their whereabouts. He may not be able to buy his little girl a pony, but he sure can kick the snot out of any eastern European punks who get in his way.

Because it’s February, it may be easy to mistake “Taken” for another of those freezer-burned throwaways typical of Hollywood around this time. Big mistake. While it isn’t exactly high art, “Taken” is a far better film than the company it keeps.

Foremost, “Taken” seems to master the basic recipe for action movie success, engaging with just the right amount of pulp to offset its other, more brutal tones. And after all, what’s a good action movie without a side of pulp?

Director Pierre Morel (“District B13”) wields a swift hand over the film’s action sequences. The scenes are smartly staged and cleaned edited - enviable attributes in today’s action world.

“Taken” was filmed largely on French soil, and this has a trickle-down effect on the film at large. Producer Luc Besson helps endow “Taken” with the elements of cinema du look – a school of cinema thought to emerge in France in the 1980s that placed emphasis on glossy spectacles over storytelling. In America, we’d call that the Michael Bay school of thought.

Besson is an avowed follower of cinema du look. His past credits include “Subway” (that’s the high end part) and the “Transporter” series (the decidedly low end). Somewhere, actor Jason Statham is shaking his fists in the air, angry at being left out of this most recent endeavor.

Along with Robert Mark Kamen, Besson helped write the script for “Taken.” While occasionally guilty of a few missteps, such as moralizing – for instance, Kim, virtuous and true, is dealt a kind fate in the sex ring while her skanky pal winds up in the worst of circumstances – the script is largely by-the-numbers. A few taut scenes, such as the abduction of the girls, excel based on the merits of the film’s cast.

However, once you get a look at Kim’s intended, ah, beau – a rotund, bulbous-headed sheik with a taste for virginal young beauties – you get the sense that the script is not without a sense of humor.

Above and away, Neeson is the star of the show. Whether posing as a corrupt cop haggling with gangsters over his price cut, or as a John haggling with a hooker over the services included in her fee, his steely intensity never wavers. He fights, he snarls, he shoots up innocent civilians to get his point across in the middle of heated confrontations; he’s Dirty Harry Callahan with a larger mission to see through.

As he anticipates the moves of his enemies and coolly tortures those he gets in his clutches, one thing seems clear. If this is what retired CIA operatives are capable of, one shudders to think what Mr. Mills was like in the prime of his career.

-Shayna M.

Lil Wayne Rocks Out

2009-02-11T11:40:00.005-05:00

Well we all knew Lil Wayne loved his guitar. Turns out he loves rock music, too. Enough to make his follow-up to the Grammy winning Tha Carter III, "The Rebirth" (out April 7th) a full-on rock disc. Reportedly the disc was produced with such heavyweights and Dr. Dre and Timbaland and for those who can't wait until April to hear this bizarre musical turn from one of music's biggest acts, the prospective first single, "Prom Queen" is still on Youtube.

The song has earned mixed reviews from hip-hop sites like Urban review who say, "Prom Queen is very hard rock material. There is almost no aspect of hip-hop on it except for Lil' Wayne, and he ruins that with a little vo-co use."

to hear it for yourself,

Lil Wayne- "Prom Queen" The Rebirth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL6Jssl1cno

2009 Grammy Showdown

2009-02-08T17:48:00.006-05:00

The Arts & Living Section Presents
Pete Rizzo & Ian Nelson
GRAMMY SHOWDOWN

After attempting to levy predictions by himself, Pete Rizzo sought out noted music expert and his fellow podcasting colleague Arts & Living Asst. Editor Ian Nelson.

The following are their predictions for the 2009 Grammy's derived after the two arts aficionados long hours of tough debating, for the much coveted arts bragging rights.

Among the wide field of nominees include Coldplay, Lil Wayne, Robert Plant & Allison Krauss competing for the gold statues.

Stay tuned for the follow-up podcast to the Grammy's where the chips shall be counted and the true winner shall be discerned.

Record of the Year
Pete M.I.A: PAPER PLANES
Ian Coldplay: VIVA LA VIDA

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Pete Colplay: VIVA LA VIDA
Ian Lil Wayne: The Carter III

SONG OF THE YEAR
Pete Sara Barielles: Love Song
Ian Coldplay: Viva La Vida

BEST NEW ARTIST
Pete Jonas Brothers
Ian Jonas Brothers

BEST FEMAL POP VOCAL PERFORMANCE
Pete Adele: "Chasing Pavements"
Ian Kay Perry "I Kissed a Girl"

MALE POP VOCAL
Pete John Mayer “Say”
Ian Paul McCartney "That was Me"

Best Pop Duo or GROUP
Pete Gnarls Barkley "Going On"
Ian Colplay "Viva La Vida

Best Pop Collaboration
Pete Robert Plant "Raising Sand"
Ian Madonna "4 Minutes"

Best Pop Vocal Performance
Pete The Eagles "Long Road from Eden"
Ian Duffy "Rockferry"

Best Dance Recording
Pete Rihanna "Disturbia"
Ian Hot Chip "Ready for the Floor"

Best Dance Album
Pete Daft Punk Alive 2007
Ian Robyn Robyn

Best Solo Rock Performance
Pete Bruce Springsteen "Girls in their Summer Clothes"
Ian Eddie Vedder "Rise"

Best Rock DUO or GROUP Performance

Pete Radiohead "House of Cards"
Ian Radiohead "House of Cards"

BEST HARD ROCK ALBUM

Pete Motley Crue Saints of Los Angeles
Ian Disturbed Inside the Fire

Best Metal Performance

Pete Metallica "My Apocalypse"
Ian Metallica "My Apocalypse"

Best Rock Instrumental
Pete NIN "Ghosts 1-34"
Ian ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA "Peaches en Regalia"

Best Rock Song
Pete Death Cab for Cutie "I Will Possess Your Heart"
Ian Coldplay "Violet Hill"

Best Rock Album
Pete Kings of Leon "Only By the Night"
Ian Coldplay "Viva La Vida"

Best Alternative Album

Pete Radiohead In Rainbows
Ian Radiohead In Rainbows

Best R&B Album

Pete Boys II Men
Ian Al Green

Best Rap Solo Performance
Pete Snoop Dogg "Sexual Eruption"
Ian Lil Wayne "A Mili"

Best Performance by Rap Duo
Pete Jay Z (Swagga Like Us)
Ian Big Boi (Royal Flush)

Best Rap Sung
Pete- Green Light (John Legend & Andre 3000)
Ian- American Boy (Estelle w. Kanye)

Best Rap Song
Pete Lil Wayne "Lollipop"
Ian Lil Wayne "Lollipop"

Best Rap Album
Pete Jay-Z "American Gangster"
IAN LIL WAYNE "Tha Carter III"

TIEBREAKER
Best Tropical Latin Album
Pete- Jose Feliciano Senor Bachata
IAN- Cuba: Un viage musical

GRAMMYS PREDICTIONS

2009-02-05T13:21:00.004-05:00

With no more football left to turn to after the big game, one can always find solace in this weekend's replacement, The Grammys. This Sunday, February 8th the biggest names in music will all compete for miniature golden statues handed out by an anonymous panel of secretive old men with poor music taste.

Grammy bashing aside, this years event at least promises some big name live acts. Among them highly similar rock acts (U2, Radiohead, Coldplay), living legends (BB King, Buddy Guy, Paul McCartney) as well as a host of country stars (Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney) tween acts The Jonas Brothers and Grammy lapdogs Dave Grohl and John Mayer.

To make things more interesting, MIA recently announced that she will be playing live at the Grammys on the due date of her baby, as reported by NME. Which presumably then sent advertisers salivating over the prospect of the event spiraling into a televised live birth to shake up ratings.

So as for the Grammy Predictions, each day this week I will be levying picks for the winners for four categories, so here goes.

BEST NEW ARTIST
Adele
Duffy
The Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

Prediction: How could this not go to the Jonas Brothers? It follows the old rule of he who performs for the grammys gets showered by awards.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, Raising Sand
Coldplay, Viva La Vida
Ne-Yo, Year Of The Gentleman
Lil Wayne, Tha Carter III
Radiohead, In Rainbows

Prediction: This should go to Radiohead, but my guess is you'll see their terrible second rate imitators Coldplay walk home with the gold for their bland, all-encompassing everyman-ness. What you think they're gonna let Lil Wayne walk out with a trophy? Not on your life.

BEST ALTERNATIVE ALBUM
Beck, Modern Guilt
Death Cab For Cutie, Narrow Stairs
Gnarls Barkley, The Odd Couple
My Morning Jacket, Evil Urges
Radiohead, In Rainbows

If Radiohead doesnt get best album, they get this one. I personally love all these records (even DCFC's wasn't bad). Fingers crossed for MMJ and Gnarls Barkley.

BEST COUNTRY COLLABORATION WITH VOCALS
Kenny Chesney & George Strait, "Shiftwork"
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, "Killing The Blues"
George Strait & Patty Loveless, "House Of Cash"
Sugarland, Jake Owen, & Little Big Town, "Life In A Northern Town"
Trisha Yearwood & Keith Urban, "Let The Wind Chase You"

I'm not going to pretend I know anything about country. So I'll use my gut feeling, served GWB well right?
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, the titan of hard rock doing folk songs with a bluegrass goddess? That's what wins Grammys.

tune in tomorrow for more first rate predictions. I love to say I told you so.

The Wrestler at Amherst Cinema

2009-01-24T15:49:00.004-05:00

If anyone has seen any awards show or heard any movie buzz it has had to include the buzz about "The Wrestler" and Mickey Rourke's performance.

The movie is shot mostly on a hand-held camera, following behind Rourke who gives a marvelous performance that involves using his whole body and emotional spectrum being beaten and pummeled to a pulp. It isn't just the staples that break Rourke's ribs, it is also the heartbreak and loneliness that he must endure. His daughter hates him. He is locked out of his trailer on many nights and is played for his money by another actor, a stripper.

The performances in the film are what makes actors and actresses so rich. Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood shine in this downbeat film. Both are looking for different things from their father and must both realize that his career has determined just who he is. they have to see that to understand him, no matter how much it hurts.

The Oscar nods here are worthy. Except Aronofsky probably deserves one for his direction.

Keep your eyes out for this one. Check it out (if you can take a good amount of blood and violence. Remember most wrestling is fake) at Amherst Cinema.

Awards Wrap-Up from the Boston Globe

2009-01-23T14:53:00.003-05:00

Ty Burr and Wesley Morris are two beloved critics by us here at the Collegian (Shayna and Myself especially). They had done an Oscar video a few weeks ago about who will get snubbed and forgotten when the time comes for the predictions. It is interesting to look back on it. They just did a peice (Burr juust got back from Sundance in time to shoot a video for their Take 2 series) about the picks. It is intersting to look back on what they said and what happened with the predictions.

Snubs, maybe:

Here is their recap:

Oscar Nominations Have Been Announced!

2009-01-22T16:05:00.005-05:00

Today was the big day for the Motion Picture world. Some huge nominations for "Benjamin Button" (13) and "Slumdog Millionaire" (10). The most enjoyable news is the nomination for Richard Jenkins (Best Acotr) for "The Visitor" (a little seen film that deserves to be seen by just about everyone).

Here's a link to the New York Times very own Oscar watch guy The Carpetbagger. he is pretty funny and has some great stuff online.

Video Announcement from Boston.com:

Full List Here of the Nominations:

81st Oscar Nominations

Best motion picture of the year
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), A Kennedy/Marshall Production, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Ceán Chaffin, Producers* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), A Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment and Working Title Production,Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Eric Fellner, Producers*
“Milk” (Focus Features), A Groundswell and Jinks/Cohen Company Production, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen, Producers*
“The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), A Mirage Enterprises and Neunte Babelsberg Film GmbH Production, Nominees to be determined*
“Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), A Celador Films Production,Christian Colson, Producer

Achievement in directing*
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), David Fincher* “Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Ron Howard*
“Milk” (Focus Features), Gus Van Sant*
“The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Stephen Daldry*
“Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Danny Boyle

Performance by an actor in a leading role
Richard Jenkins in “The Visitor” (Overture Films)*
Frank Langella in “Frost/Nixon” (Universal)*
Sean Penn in “Milk” (Focus Features)*
Brad Pitt in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)*
Mickey Rourke in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Performance by an actor in a supporting role
Josh Brolin in “Milk” (Focus Features)*
Robert Downey Jr. in “Tropic Thunder” (DreamWorks, Distributed by DreamWorks/Paramount)*
Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Doubt” (Miramax)*
Heath Ledger in “The Dark Knight” (Warner Bros.)*
Michael Shannon in “Revolutionary Road” (DreamWorks, Distributed by Paramount Vantage)

Performance by an actress in a leading role
Anne Hathaway in “Rachel Getting Married” (Sony Pictures Classics)*
Angelina Jolie in “Changeling” (Universal)*
Melissa Leo in “Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics)*
Meryl Streep in “Doubt” (Miramax)*
Kate Winslet in “The Reader” (The Weinstein Company)

Performance by an actress in a supporting role
Amy Adams in “Doubt” (Miramax)*
Penélope Cruz in “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (The Weinstein Company)*
Viola Davis in “Doubt” (Miramax)*
Taraji P. Henson in “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.)* Marisa Tomei in “The Wrestler” (Fox Searchlight)

Original screenplay
*“Frozen River” (Sony Pictures Classics), Written by Courtney Hunt*
“Happy-Go-Lucky” (Miramax), Written by Mike Leigh*
“In Bruges” (Focus Features), Written by Martin McDonagh*
“Milk” (Focus Features), Written by Dustin Lance Black*
“WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Screenplay by Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Original story by Andrew Stanton, Pete Docter

Adapted screenplay
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” (Paramount and Warner Bros.), Screenplay by Eric Roth, Screen story by Eric Roth and Robin Swicord
“Doubt” (Miramax), Written by John Patrick Shanley
“Frost/Nixon” (Universal), Screenplay by Peter Morgan
“The Reader” (The Weinstein Company), Screenplay by David Hare
“Slumdog Millionaire” (Fox Searchlight), Screenplay by Simon Beaufoy

Best animated feature film of the year
“Bolt” (Walt Disney), Chris Williams and Byron Howard*
“Kung Fu Panda” (DreamWorks Animation, Distributed by Paramount), John Stevenson and Mark Osborne
“WALL-E” (Walt Disney), Andrew Stanton

Best documentary feature
“The Betrayal (Nerakhoon)” (Cinema Guild), A Pandinlao Films Production, Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath*
“Encounters at the End of the World” (THINKFilm and Image Entertainment), A Creative Differences Production, Werner Herzog and Henry Kaiser*
“The Garden” A Black Valley Films Production, Scott Hamilton Kennedy*
“Man on Wire” (Magnolia Pictures), A Wall to Wall Production, James Marsh and Simon Chinn* “Trouble the Water” (Zeitgeist Films), An Elsewhere Films Production, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal

Best foreign language film of the year*
“The Baader Meinhof Complex” A Constantin Film Production, Germany*
“The Class” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Haut et Court Production, France*
“Departures” (Regent Releasing), A Departures Film Partners Production, Japan* “Revanche” (Janus Films), A Prisma Film/Fernseh Production, Austria*
“Waltz with Bashir” (Sony Pictures Classics), A Bridgit Folman Film Gang Production, Israel

Those would be the basic awards. Check out awardsdaily.com for a full list.

A Revolution in Acting

2009-01-13T18:40:00.003-05:00

After Kate Winslets recent victories at the Golden globes (best supporting actress for "The Reader" and best actress for "Revolutionary Road") I thought I should write up a short review of "Revolutionary Road."

Let me start off by saying this: the movie is all about the acting. The acting is pitch-perfect (I love that term). DiCaprio and Winslet show what they're made of. Winslet uses her internal struggles, her eyes and her body language like no other actress has in a film so deeply routed in an era when that was how a woman spoke. While DiCaprio is more forward, direct and brutally honest with his words. It is how the relationship is meant to be. Winslet is stuck in her mind and body wondering how to escape, while DiCaprio shows us, brings us into the world of the fledgling husband.

Then there is Michael Shannon. He is the conscious in the film. he speaks his mind. He speaks the truth, and tells the audience that what they are feeling is okay, we should feel that way too. He is also a troubled man, but is this trouble what makes him so trustworthy and understanding. his lack of compassion is refreshing here. Shannon even out shines Winslet on the screen and overshadows the film with uncomfortable and unnerving laughs from the older generations in the theatre. They know, the audience, that what he is saying is true but is it necessary? Could these two make it through life with the unhappy 50's marriage because society dictates that, if it weren't for his presence?

I should get the to story. It is simple: two lovers get involved and have great aspirations. they never fulfill these aspirations but rather get stuck in the times. they have two children, buy a house in the 'burbs, and don't live happily ever after. Wife challenges husband, husband challenges wife, and all falls apart. You know it won't work from the get-go. So don't tell me I'm giving anything away.

The film moves seamlessly. Mendes uses theatrical direction and feel for the film. shooting it in close to sequential order, allowing the characters and actors to develop alongside one another. This gives the film an authentic feeling. It also gives the actors a chance to build their characters and work up for the big fights. Mendes, most widely known for "American Beauty" has suburban America in his pocket at this point. He knows the colors that resonate to the eye of suburbia. He has the lawns down, the trimmed hedges, bushes and flowers. The reds and whites stand out. The cars shine, and the kids play in sprinklers and have doll houses. He knows just what a living room situation is and the boring dialogue that goes with it. He is a master of this place, and he knows it and shows it.

The film is superb. The only warning I have is this: it is not a great "date movie" unless you really want to test. It shows the uncomfortable side to a relationship, the places none of us want to go. But the movie is not one to see alone either. It needs to be discussed after.

I can't wait to pick up Yates's novel (the movie is based on his so-called masterpiece) either.

The Curious Case

2008-12-26T19:33:00.004-05:00

To say "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is the year's best film is too high of a compliment (it is getting a few of those), but the film is surely one of the best of the year. With David Fincher's direction the film moves through one man's story with ease, grace and a much needed omnipresent feel.

The audience is allowed a once in a lifetime opportunity to read from Mr. Button's very own journal and life-story through the voice of a dying woman's daughter's voice. Katrina thumps outside the window, always on the edge of land and the destruction that the audience knows will follow.

It is Eric Roth's best idea in the script, outside of moving the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald from Baltimore to New Orleans. The introduction to the characters through a journal, and to see the dying lover of Benjamin at a ripe old age gives the audience a mistaken hope that youth will rule the film as it is a flashback. But the audience is left to see for themselves how this unbelievable story of a man who ages in reverse for their own eyes, having to wait for the youthful eyes of Brad Pitt, and the energetic movements of a younger man.

What Mr. Pitt brings to the role is a great smile, look, energy and emotional eyes (his eyes are placed on each body that Benjamin must suffer through). The problem with t he film is that Mr. Pitt is so well-known that waiting for the years to pass, Benjamin to age into a more youthful self, and to get to Mr. Pitt's own sculpture to grace the curious man feels like ages. It is hard for an audience to anticipate his arrival, and to understand the way the human mind progresses because the body is moving in a reverse direction, wouldn't the mind move this way as well? Not if is it a blank slate, so to see the mind evolve is very unique here. It is in fact the whole story.

The story of how we love, why we love, and how we all meet our death is the central message here, no matter how we get there.

I'll leave it to you, the audience to discover how Cate Blanchett and Mr. Pitt work on-screen, and how their love is established. But I will say this: it works, no matter how odd it really is.

The reason it all works is because of David Fincher's direction. His fly on the wall approach works here. Keeping the camera from showing the emotions of the actors Fincher allows the actors to create the mood. His CGI proles is something to marvel at as well (he was an effects man back in the past before getting his shot to direct). The movie is dark, it seems to take place at night more often than not (night-life is more interesting isn't it?) but this movie is one of Mr. Fincher's easier movies on the eyes. He stays in the shadows but lights them, and avoids frenetic cuts, or too gruesome of images.

One grievance against Mr. Roth and Mr. Fincher I do have is the Hummingbird. Forced symbolism is one of the things that movies should avoid. Let the audience discover things for themselves, don't feed it to them. The American public and moviegoers of the world should be treated as intellects, otherwise they get lazy.

So get out there this Holiday season and see "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and "Slumdog Millionaire."

I am on my way to see "Slumdog" again and I hope my impressions can only be strengthened.

But for now I hope to still see "Doubt," "The Wrestler," and a few others that are opening.

Here is a trailer for "Ben Button"

The kids of Journalism 393F have taken over...

2008-12-12T15:25:00.009-05:00

Some films must be seen – they’re almost too unbelievable to disregard or to ignore. Some, like those of the “Showgirls” variety, are mere flashes in the poor taste pan. Poor, yes, but they’re the stuff of laughs, not of legend. Such films may air in perpetuity on cable, softened up for public consumption by network executives leery of their content, but tempted to show them, nonetheless. Other poor taste films cannot be softened. They straddle the line between camp and smut, and sometimes, these films don’t just shock. They push the barrier of what is acceptable on screen. They raise questions about censorship, and they represent a shift in the way an audience reacts to cinema.

“Female Trouble” is one such film. If Baltimore-based director John Waters had an opus, it’d probably be the 1972 film, “Pink Flamingos,” not this 1974 follow-up. In the realm of offensive, unwatchable films, you really can’t sink any lower than “Pink Flamingos.” The film stars drag actor Divine as the filthiest person in the world. The film picks up as two contenders (Mink Stole and David Lochary) vie for her throne. Waters assaults the screen with non-stop, gross-out shocks. “Pink Flamingos” features a mother (Edith Massey) with an unusual taste for eggs, a son (Danny Mills) with an unusual fetish for chickens, and concludes with one infamous scene with a dog.

The intent in “Female Trouble” is to repulse – not totally dissimilar to Waters’ intentions with “Pink Flamingos.” What seperates the two by more than years is that “Female Trouble” actually yields to a narrative. The film centers on the tale of Baltimore teen Dawn Davenport (Divine). All Dawn wants for Christmas is a pair of bright red cha-cha heels. She begs and pleads, nagging after her meek-natured parents incessantly. Finally, the fateful morning arrives. Dawn tears through the myriad Christmas presents meant for her, but alas, no cha-cha shoes are to be found. Livid, Dawn stomps all over the idyllic Christmas setting, tearing down the tree and decrying the terrible injustice done to her by her own parents.

“Female Trouble” then traces Dawn’s descent into madness. She runs away and catches a ride with a man, played by Divine out of drag. They have sex and soon after she gets pregnant. To make ends meet, she starts waitressing and stripping, before becoming a crook. A rivalry with a neighbor – an older woman (also Edith Massey) who struts around outside clad in a black leather bondage jumpsuit - brings tension. Dawn pushes it all aside during her frequent trips to the hair salon. There she meets her future husband (Michael Potter), who can’t help but encourage her rapidly aging daughter to join in a threesome with them. After a tragic attack leaves Dawn’s face mottled and deformed, she becomes convinced that crime is beauty, and embarks on a mad killing spree, during which no one in her life is safe.

“Female Trouble” feels a bit like an explanation. It explains, in loose terms, the mantra of Waters during the early 1970s. Divine was a muse for Waters during this period. Some critics, as well as some die-hard fans of Waters prior to his mainstream success with 1988’s “Hairspray,” have claimed that the director lost his edge after Divine passed away during the same year. In the final scene Divine, now fully adorned in the ghoulish make-up of “Pink Flamingos,” cries out to the audience and makes a speech about crime and art. In the end, she unleashes a hail of gunfire on the rapt audience, which has watched as she murdered her own daughter.

Waters’ early films seem to lack the goofy sense of humor that characterizes some of the better “schlock” films to come out of the same period. They seem more acid-laced and vitriolic than a camp film would usually warrant. Waters and his cast do seem angry – irrevocably, unconditionally enraged about something, but the focus of that contempt goes unnamed. “Female Trouble” was reportedly inspired by Charles “Tex” Watson, a member of the Manson Family, and complicit in the slayings of Sharon Tate and several others.

Ultimately, I can’t say that I enjoy “Female Trouble” much, or that I enjoy any John Waters film for that matter. Even with his more conventional films, like “Hairspray” or “Serial Mom,” Waters never comes across as an especially gifted filmmaker. His fame has persisted over the years not by his talent, but by his infamy. As a shock-smut director, he has yet to square off against any legitimate rivals, and perhaps there’s something to be said for that. In the confines of a normal narrative, Waters seems to drown, no matter how shallow that narrative may be. Waters’ early films are inexplicably offensive, and some would be content to banish him to obscurity. But his films represent a shift in the way violence was depicted on screen.

In “Female Trouble,” that shift is paraded, but less gruesomely than in “Pink Flamingos.” Nearly 35 years later, the film still hasn’t lost its edge. For that reason, I hesitantly recommend “Female Trouble.”

-SM.

Clint Eastwood: As good as they get

2008-12-12T13:36:00.003-05:00

With "Gran Torino" opening to some great reviews, Eastwood winning a major acting award for the film already, I thought it was fair to post an interview that the New York Times did with him. He is a true American actor and hero of cinema. Look at his body of work, there is a lot, and ther eare some of the greatest gems in American Cinema to date.

Here's the Article

Here is the Film's trailer in case you were wondering what the movie is about:

Golden Globe Nominations Announced

2008-12-11T23:37:00.002-05:00

Today was the day that the grand ol' Golden Globe nominations get announced.
Another one of those glitz and glamour showcases for the rich to shine. But in all fairness we watch the rich, pay for them to be rich, to entertain and then be rewarded for entertaining us. It is something for actors, writers, directors and everyone else involved in a moie to strive for: an awrd for their hard work.

With that let's toss out the nominations.

Best Motion Picture - Drama:
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Frost/Nixon"
"The Reader"
"Revolutionary Road"
"Slumdog Millionaire"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama:
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Revolutionary Road"
Frank Langella, "Frost/Nixon"
Sean Penn, "Milk"
Brad Pitt, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Mickey Rourke, "The Wrestler"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama:
Anne Hathaway, "Rachel Getting Married"
Angelina Jolie, "Changeling"
Meryl Streep, "Doubt"
Kristen Scott Thomas, "I've Loved You So Long"
Kate Winslet, "Revolutionary Road"

Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:
"Burn After Reading"
"Happy-Go-Lucky"
"In Bruges"
"Mamma Mia!"
"Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:
Javier Bardem "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Colin Farrell, "In Bruges"
James Franco, "Pineapple Express"
Brendan Gleeson, "In Bruges"
Dustin Hoffman, "Last Chance Harvey"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:
Rebecca Hall, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Sally Hawkins, "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Frances McDormand, "Burn After Reading"
Meryl Streep, "Mamma Mia!"
Emma Thompson, "Last Chance Harvey"

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:
Tom Cruise, "Tropic Thunder"
Robert Downey Jr., "Tropic Thunder"
Ralph Fiennes, "The Duchess"
Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Doubt"
Heath Ledger, "The Dark Knight"

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture:
Amy Adams, "Doubt"
Penelope Cruz, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"
Viola Davis, "Doubt"
Marisa Tomei, "The Wrestler"
Kate Winslet, "The Reader"

Best Animated Feature:
"Bolt"
"Kung Fu Panda"
"WALL-E"

Best Foreign Language Film:
"The Baader Meinhof Complex" (Germany)
"Everlasting Moments" (Sweden/Denmark)
"Gomorrah" (Italy)
"I've Loved You So Long" (France)
"Waltz with Bashir" (Israel)

Best Director - Motion Picture:
Danny Boyle, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Stephen Daldry, "The Reader"
David Fincher, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Ron Howard, "Frost/Nixon"
Sam Mendes, "Revolutionary Road"

Best Screenplay - Motion Picture:
Simon Beaufoy, "Slumdog Millionaire"
David Hare, "The Reader"
Peter Morgan, "Frost/Nixon"
Eric Roth, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
John Patrick Shanley, "Doubt"

Best Original Score - Motion Picture:
Alexandre Desplat, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Clint Eastwood, "Changeling"
James Newton Howard, "Defiance"
A.R. Rahman, "Slumdog Millionaire"
Hans Zimmer, "Frost/Nixon"

Best Original Song - Motion Picture:
"Down to Earth" from "WALL-E"
"Gran Torino" from "Gran Torino"
"I Thought I Lost You" from "Bolt"
"Once in a Lifetime" from "Cadillac Records"
"The Wrestler" from "The Wrestler"

I must disagree with Shayna, it happens

2008-12-07T15:21:00.006-05:00

Shayna Murphy reviewed Danny Boyle's new film "Slumdog Millionaire" earlier this week. And I must disagree with her "B" rating. Now I know our rating system is flawed (which one isn't?) and it is completely subjective. But I must give Boyle's new film an "A" on our rector scale.

The film breaks so many conventions of the common love story. Yes, all the cliches are there. But what Boyle does with them is what separates this film apart from others in recent years. He uses the conventions as a back-drop for the slums of India and the story of a man in search of love, while trying to survive the dangers of being a homeless boy walking the streets of the city of Mumbai.

He must survive gangsters, his own brother, tourists, police and rioters. Jamal Malik makes it out alive. He makes it out with only minor scars, until his love Latika is introduced.

When Latika comes into the story, being introduced as the unknown "Third Musketeer," the movie moves from survival to love and what humans will go through to live life with another person.

The movie moves its narrative through the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." Jamal grinds his way through the questions to the grand prize of 20 million Rupees. The scummy host cannot believe that a "slumdog" is answering the questions, and not cheating.

He in turn has Jamal tortured after a taping of the show to find his own answers.

Jamal has a simple answer for his torturers: he lived all the questions and answers. That is the narrative. Simple. We jump back and forth from game show to life.

But what Boyle does with the narrative is genuine. He uses the camera as another story-teller, never using it as another fly on the way. The chase sequences are marvelous. Like in "28 Days Later" and other Boyle films, he uses shadows, close-ups, light and pitch-perfect music to score the chases making them more alive than a real chase.

What Boyle does to convey the heat and the cramped spaces of Mumbia and the slums of India i highlighting yellow and white through filters. Making the colors more permanent, giving the eyes something to focus on and feel.

The use of subtitles is one special thing that Boyle does in the film. He gives a new look into how we see a foreign film, and how we read subtitles. The few subtitles used are never placed off the screen, but rather they are in the picture, placed gently inside open space in each shot. This stylization doesn't allow the viewer to ever look away from the action. It is a small thing to rave about, but it does enhance the film's experience.

Go see "Slumdog Millionaire." December 12 at Amherst Cinema. And check out Ty Burr's Review. Here is a Q & A with the star Dev Patel. And another with Mr. Boyle himself.

Weekend DVD Rental

2008-12-05T13:17:00.001-05:00

The underbelly of cities has been told many times before. Whether it is in Polanski’s masterpiece “Chinatown,” or Danny Boyle’s adaptation of “Trainspotting,” the underworlds of society have been explored, opened to the public eye and seen in almost perfect lights. So what could “City of God” bring new to the table?

The movie is based on the novel by Paulo Lins. It is not a direct account of his life, but a fictionalization of his life in the slums of Rio de Janeiro.

The movie takes on the life decisions that must be made by a young boy in the impoverished area of the city. Join a gang, become a free-spirit, drug addict or run free and follow your dreams. Rocket’s (played by Alexandre Rodrigues) dream is to become a photographer. He wants to expose the world to his beautiful images, but also to what he ahs grown up seeing. He wants to tell stories with pictures. To do this he must play by the rules of where he lives.

As if growing up poor is not enough of a hampering for a young boy, then add on that his best friends, brother, and acquaintances all become involved in the gang life of the city to his trials and tribulations. He must fight off gang leaders who once were friends. He must survive the battles in the streets at night and during the day time. He must succeed in keeping his distance from the war that fights around him.

The film moves through time with great pace, remarkable characters—vile and beautiful. The editing by Daniel Rezende (“The Motorcycle Diaries”) is superb. Using modern technology to jump cut without it feeling forced but still needed. The movie’s frames have a sense of fulfillment, and purpose as each one seamlessly slides into the next.

To go with the editing is the cinematography by Cesar Charlone (“The Constant Gardner”) who uses the camera in remarkable ways. Framing each shot inside the city making it feel vast and expansive, as if it is the whole word, nothing is outside. But at the same time he creates a feeling like this world is closing in, breaking down the walls, and that soon it will crush the characters unless they break free. The cinematographer is one of those underappreciated positions on a film crew, but here Charlone’s contribution is felt. He along with Rezende create the fast paced world the movie moves in.

Direction for the film is nothing but superb. Fernando Meirelles (“The Constant Gardner,” “Blindness”) creates an image, and indistinguishable characters. He moves the film in directions that seem impossible to pull off. Much f the film rings with gunshots, but they don’t feel out of place. He helps frame the characters in their places, and gives each character a heart, not matter how black it may have become. He doesn’t shy away from the violence, he grabs hold of it and lets it tell the true story. There is no aggrandizing here. No lies.

This is filmmaking at its best. The tracking shots, long takes, and emotional camera bring to mind P.T. Anderson and Kubrick, with some Scorsese thrown in there too. Meirelles keeps the pace of the film and by the end your body is emotionally drained, your heart is weeping, and your eyes are blinking, but still seeing flashes of gun shots across eyelids.

The language barrier is broken in the film. Portuguese with English subtitles, always a throw-off for many crowds. Who wants to read subtitles when the action is going on? Well that barrier is broken here. A true sign that “City of God” is a great foreign film. Whenever language feels natural, as if it were rolling from your native tongue rather than that of the characters is the goal for a successful film across borders.

Many Americans see the struggle that goes into reading subtitles, instead of seeking out the feeling that the native words have over the meaning of the written ones at the bottom of the screen. Lying is what dubbing does. It breaks the feel of a film, but if a films subtitles only wash away and become a part of the dialogue then you have something special. Meirelles, Braulio Mantovani (writer of the screenplay) and the actors create this feeling. It is an authentic feeling in an authentic movie.

“City of God” is not one to miss.

memoir details past affair

2008-12-01T08:48:00.006-05:00

J.D. Salinger had poor judgment with women, or such was my belief after reading Joyce Maynard’s 1999 memoir, “At Home in the World.”

A professor in one of my Journalism classes ranted about the memoir last week, which is what prompted me to check it out. He could barely conceal his dislike for Ms. Maynard, whom he described as the kind of woman likely to pause in mid-sentence and ask, “Enough about me. What do you think about me?” After reading “At Home in the World,” that seemed like a fairly generous way of describing her.

“At Home” chronicles Maynard’s affair and subsequent break up with Salinger. She was 18 at the time, and he was 53. The relationship endured for ten months. Much of their time together was spent holed up in Salinger’s home in Cornish, New Hampshire.

Salinger’s living habits factor heavily into the memoir. Maynard details quirky things, like how he adhered to a strict diet of frozen lamb burgers and sunflower seeds. Smoked salmon was a treasured splurge for the duo. Ms. Maynard recounts one instance where she and Salinger, frustrated with having to take trips into the city to buy said prized salmon, resolved to smoke it themselves. She watched on as he struggled to dip salmon into their fireplace. It came out coated in a thick blanket of soot. Although gross, they ate it anyway.

These asides were the most interesting thing about the memoir, which I admittedly thumbed through. “At Home in the World” also tells of Ms. Maynard’s life post-Salinger - of her marriage, divorce, children, and eventual success with “To Die For,” a novel inspired by the real-life case of Pamela Smart.

But her memoir is really anchored on one big mystery. Why did she get dumped by J.D. Salinger? Was it because J.D - or Jerry, as she intimately refers to him as throughout her memoir - simply tired of her as she aged? Was it because she needled him too much for a baby, even though they never once had sex?

Ms. Maynard doesn’t have a clue. But it seems pretty obvious why he tossed her out. Her world-weary account of growing up in the 60s caught Salinger’s attention from afar. He professed to have found in her a kindred spirit, or landsman, as he says in a letter. But as he spent time with her, he seemed to notice a few things.

Namely, how eager she was for fame and accolades. She described the world in a frustrated (Caulfield-esque?) fashion, but it wasn’t genuine. Far from being weary, she seemed to hunger for all the things she had disparaged of in her article.

She also grew intrusive, actually giving out his private phone number to publishers. When her parents broke up, they started calling the house frequently, asking for his relationship advice. It got to be too much for the guy. He broke it off while they were vacationing together in Florida. And according to her memoir, Ms. Maynard spent much of the 70s moping around because of it.

She ultimately comes across as a woman scorned, but hardly avenged, in her memoir’s token climax. She confronts him a quarter century later, demanding explanations. Of course, this seems like something her publisher put her up to (your memoir needs a juicy ending!), and Salinger sees right through it.

“Are you writing a book?” he asks when she arrives at his doorstep. She skirts the question and demands he answer her own. Instead, he gives her a sound verbal lashing, the kind he probably should have given her years ago. He accuses her of squandering her career, of writing trash and gossip. He claims she always had an inflated sense her own abilities and that he knew she would never amount to much, anyway.

And then he calls her out for trying to exploit their relationship.

To her credit, “At Home in the World” could have been worse. Her accounts of Salinger having lots of movie nights and attending all his son’s sports games seem tame by tell-all standards. But was it in poor taste to break her silence after all these years? Certainly. Having a relationship with someone of such magnitude mandates a code of silence which Ms. Maynard breeched in writing her memoir.

But Salinger was asking for it. Revered literary figure has affair with teenager? It’s no surprise she wrote about it. The only surprise is that it took her 25 years to do it.

-SM.

Boston Theatres This Weekend...Coming to Amherst

2008-11-25T22:39:00.000-05:00

Ty Burr and Wesley Morris rarely disagree like they do here about the new Danny Boyle Film "Slumdog Millionaire." It is getting rave reviews across the country and talk of Oscars is heavy.

Here is there weekly "Take 2" on the film:

This Thanksgiving "Milk" is opening and that is being called a "masterpiece" across the board. Here is what Morris has to say about it.

A.O Scott of the New York Times says this about Milk.

This is Ebert's take.

And finally good ol' Mick LaSalle of San Francisco who has a unique take on films, and an honest approach to writing.

And the Trailer:

Some other releases, not getting such great reviews: Australia, Transport 3, and Four Christmases.

Have a Great Turkey Day...

The Wrestler Trailer Finally Online

2008-11-21T01:22:00.000-05:00

Variety has posted the trailer for the new Darren Aronofsky film "The Wrestler."
Mickey Rourke is getting praise from almost every critic and won over a lot of hearts at some major festivals.

Check it out:

Black Student Union Comedy

2008-11-20T20:00:00.000-05:00

By Andrea DiScipio
Collegian Correspondent

Deon Cole and Cocoa Brown are coming to the University of Massachusetts tonight to present their comedic styles.
“BSU has been organizing a comedy show every year, and it has been a success every year so we want to continue the tradition.” said Casimir Maziarz, event coordinator for the Black Student Union.
Tonight at the Campus Center auditorium, the two talented comedians from the Black Comedy Tour will perform, hoping to bring big laughs from the student body. The comedians will share their wit and talent with the UMass community. A couple of local acts will also be performing at the show.
Deon Cole is one of the most requested comedians in the nationwide club and college circuit. Not only is he a successful comedian, but also a successful actor who has appeared on MTV’s “Short Circuitz” and “Wild N’ Out.” He can also be found in the 2002 film “Barbershop,” as well as the sequel “Barbershop 2: Back in Business” (2004).
As for his comedic career, he has done stand-up on Comedy Central’s “Laffapalooza,” HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam,” BET’s “Comic View,” NBC’s “Showtime at the Apollo,” “BBC’s “The World Stands Up” and STARZ’s “First Amendment.”
Deon also attended the HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen and the CanWest Comedy Fest in Vancouver. He was a featured comic at both events.
In addition to being a finalist in NBC’s “Stand-Up for Diversity Showcase,” Deon won BET’s Robin Harris Award for “most original comic” as well. He has participated in several tours such as the “Cole-Cola World European Tour for the Troops,” the BET “Comedy Tour,” “The Def Jam Tour,” “The Budweiser Superfest R. Kelly Tour” and the “Mary J. Blige Tour.”
Deon Cole can be recognized for the charisma he brings with him every time he steps onto the stage.
Along with Deon Cole, Cocoa Brown is another immensely talented individual who has developed a fulfilling career as a stand-up comedian.
Her energetic facial expressions that accompany her enthusiasm are just some of her trademark qualities. She has the ability to relate well with her audience, because whether she’s telling a story about herself, a family member or if she’s talking about real life experiences in general, Cocoa will produce a humorous moment.
Brown has performed at the “Kennedy Center Honors Richard Pryor,” as well as the “Def Comedy Jam Tour.” She’s a member of the Washington, D.C. sketch comedy group, “Comedy Sportz,” and after just seven months in the comedy business, she won the “Washington Comedian of the Year” award.
Cocoa Brown was a fan favorite on the “Who’s Got Jokes” competition on TVOne, in addition to establishing nine consecutive seasons on BET’s “Comic View.” On BET’s “Comic View” she was voted “funniest female” twice. She appeared as a featured comedian on the STARZ in Black comedy series “The First Amendment,” produced by Martin Lawrence, and Comedy Central’s “Comic Groove” with Tracy Morgan.
She recently filmed a new BET comedy show, “One Mic Stand,” hosted by Kevin Hart and will also be appearing on the 2008 season of HBO’s “Def Comedy Jam.”
Cocoa Brown has acquired a group of loyal and adoring fans who not only respect her comedic talent, but also love her vivacious spirit.
The Black Student Union Comedy Show Presents Deon Cole and Cocoa Brown. They will be showcasing their comedic talents tonight in the Campus Center Auditorium at 8 p.m.Tickets are $5 for college students, and $8 for the general public.
Andrea DiScipio can be reached at adiscipi@student.umass.edu.

One of our students on CNN

2008-11-11T14:00:00.000-05:00

Zac Bissonnette '11 was on CNN this morning. He was on around 7 am this morning to talk finance. Did anyone catch him?

Arts Perspective Number 2

2008-11-05T01:13:00.000-05:00

I worked in the newsroom tonight. It was hectic. It was ultimately one of the craziest nights I have ever had. It was a joy to work with and alongside so many great reporters. Will McGuiness is one hell of a man. Joe Meloni works hard, and after him saying how much he hated politics for the past month, that he doesn't follow it, it was all a lie. He knew a lot and kept us up to date (sadly watching CNN and not Brian Williams on NBC). But walking through the Campus Center

( up to the Student Union and seeing all those student groups watching along side one another a historic election-no matter the result.Earthfoods pizza is great.) Tim never got back to me about Ben and Jerry's, must have been one hell of a line.

Interviewing a few people in the Student Union was interesting as well. People were excited, and having a great time. Student groups sitting side by side, working with one another. I took a photo of Will reporting. It is exactly what the news department did tonight to give the people at UMass a local angle for this historic event. I am happy to have been apart of it. Even if my contribution was listening to a lead, making commentary, taking a few photos that won't be used, and thinking of ways to update this damn blog with an arts perspective....but I can't so I am not trying.

Obama's speech was moving, but until the end felt bland. McCain for the first time really impressed me with his speaking abilities. He stuck to his guns, and worked so hard at his attempt to the presidency. His speech tonight was the best of the race, sadly to late.

Obama's use of the Lincoln quote was the highlight of the night though. Check out the end of "American History X" (oh yeah arts angle) to hear some more of it. Or look it up online. The Internet gives you those types of options.

Have a great night, and a great day.

-Kevin Koczwara (Assistant Arts Editor)

Election Day Coverage From an Arts Perspective

2008-11-04T17:30:00.000-05:00

I went to Starbucks for my free coffee did. Never made it to the front of the line. I left and went to Rao's. The line at one o'clock in the afternoon at Starbucks for free coffee was too long. I needed my first coffee of the day (second if you count the coffee I had when I woke up).

Rao's was a great idea. I got a lot done, and got to hear peoples opinions on this election day first hand.

The girl sitting next to me had a homemade shirt on supporting Obama. Some old people were talking about income tax near the line, it was short, and discussing how much they hate liberals and conservatives. I don't know who they like, but they liked one another enough to agree with whatever the other person said. Then there was the people outside singing about how much they love marijuana. I think I know which way they are voting on question 2.

Then I started reading "Writer's on Writing" and ignored everyone.

But I just walked by Starbucks again, and the line is out the door and down the ramp into Amherst Center. Good thing I went to Bueno and have a coffee maker down here at the Collegian.

Ben And Jerry's

Free ice cream from 5 to 8. I can only imagine what that line will look like. it was a gorgeous day out, no jacket required. A perfect night for a waffle cone, or any cone that they give you, for free. But what will the line look like around 7? We will find out when Tim, the beer dude, reports back on the situation (he is on his way there for his cream that has been iced).

American Photographer visits University Gallery

2008-10-30T20:19:00.000-04:00

Last night at the University Gallery, American photographer, Joel Sternfeld came from the Big Apple to talk about his various collections of photographs and more specifically, his "Oxbow Archive" collection that is currently on display until December 14th.

For a New Yorker, Sternfeld knows a great deal about the Pioneer Valley. During his speech, Sternfeld's knowledge of the area was impressive and when he wanted the involvement of the natives, most didn't have much to chime in with. In "Oxbow Archive," he captures landscapes in East Meadows, Northampton, which is a very pastoral area despite it being near the power plant.

He fell in love with the Valley on a drive from New York to Vermont in September of 1962. He picked a good month to see the Valley, don't you think? Witnessing the Valley , Sternfeld became interested in looking at contemporary landscape. He takes a lot of influences from Thomas Cole, the man who created the photo in this post.

As a part of his achievement of the Guggenheim Fellowship, Sternfeld is notorious for breaking the trend of black and white photographs as art. He said many people were concerned and were questioning him when he began to release photographs in color.

He would get asked, "Why would you work in color?" "Black and white is so natural." But Sternfeld defied his critics and made color photography his thing.

"Working in color was a subversive fate," said Sternfeld.

If you were at the speech, which you probably weren't, you would know how distinguished each of his collections are. His long spanned career has given him the time to travel across the nation to capture near-utopian societies, L.A. culture, New York city scenes, and even the technological advances in Dubai. His "iDubai" collection done less than a year ago, was done through the camera of his iPhone.

Take some time to get to know some of Sternfeld's stuff. He offers many types of photos along the spectrum and there is bound to be one or two things that interests you.

Come on by the gallery underneath the Fine Arts Center to see his work in relation to the other six artists' photos that are on display. Support the arts... you know you should.

Classic Halloween Thrillers

2008-10-30T13:21:00.000-04:00

Halloween

This 1978 John Carpenter classic is the granddaddy to the modern horror film. Michael Myers remains one of the scariest and most recognizable movie killers. This film features a young Jamie Lee Curtis as the virginal babysitter Laurie Strode. On Halloween night, Michael Myers escapes from the mental ward and comes after his little sister Laurie while brutally attacking and murdering those in his way. Hot on his trail is Dr. Loomis, who has studied Michael since he was a child. This movie is the first to use the horror movie “rules” that have become commonplace in almost all slasher films today. “Halloween” also contains some of the scariest movie music in history. Many sequels were made, but the only ones that follow the original story line and therefore are worth watching are “Halloween II” and possibly “Halloween: H20”. Interesting trivia fact: Michael Myers’ mask is actually a William Shatner/Captain Kirk mask painted white.

Scream

This brilliantly executed Wes Craven film of 1996 re-introduced the slasher film to popular culture. A mysterious killer in a mask stalks young Sidney Prescott, played by Neve Campbell. Lots of blood and guts involved, but plenty of story to back it up. Two sequels followed “Scream”, both of which hold their own against the original. This movie does a great job mixing comedy and horror, and the comic relief is most evident in the character of Randy, played by Jamie Kennedy. “Scream” gave us the list of cliché rules of the scary movie genre. These rules include such things as: You will not survive is you have sex, do drugs, or drink. Only the virgins make it out alive. Don’t ever say you will be right back, you won’t. Do not go investigate a strange noise. Don’t ask, “who’s there?”. And most importantly, anyone could be the killer. Everyone is a suspect. Interesting trivia fact: The character of Billy Loomis is named after “Halloween” character Dr. Sam Loomis and “Psycho” character Sam Loomis.

Psycho

Alfred Hitchcock is the master of suspense, and that fact is more than evident in this 1960 thriller, which remains his most famous film. Janet Leigh (mother of Jamie Lee Curtis) steals money from her boss and flees the city. Tired from her drive, she stops at the isolated and empty Bates Motel, run by eccentric Norman Bates, played by Anthony Perkins in his most chilling role. The famous shower scene is iconic, but more details cannot be given away without ruining the ending. Just know this, beware of Mother. Interesting trivia fact: The “blood” used in the shower scene is actually chocolate syrup. It gave it a more realistic look in black and white.

The New Face of Led Zeppelin?

2008-10-28T12:31:00.002-04:00

Global warming might not be the only thing forcing us to go Plant-less, currently the rock veterans are plotting the unthinkable. Doing a full blown world tour without their signature voice.

NME and Rollingstone have both recently put out reports that confirm- at least tentatively- these rumors. Apparently the band have been testing out several singers, including Myles Kennedy (seen above). The singer while relatively unknown was the former lead singer of ALTER BRIDGE and has a four octave vocal range.

While hopes were high for a world tour, my guess is this will do little to satisfy fans, and leave a lot feeling left out. Especially with rumors that ZEPPELIN is also planning to write a new album.

Jeremy Milligan Interview

2008-10-26T15:28:00.000-04:00

Jeremy Milligan Interview Transcript
PETER RIZZO: When did you first begin to take an interest in music?
JEREMY MILLIGAN: I guess I spend a really short amount of time playing piano when I was eleven or twelve, a passing thing that didn’t stick. I didn’t start playing guitar until I was 13.

PR: What did you listen to when you started playing guitar?
JM: I listened to a lot of what…Queen was really big at the time, right when Wayne’s World came out. A lot of Queen…Motley Crue, Van Halen.

PR: When did you first start listening to jazz music?
JM: Jazz was um…right towards the end of high school. I was 17 or 18. My first jazz record…or cd I don’t know why I call them records, was Medeski, Martin and Wood. “It’s a jungle in here” which I still have and still listen to. When I first got it, it was way over my head. It’s pretty far out sometimes and I wasn’t prepared at all. So it was confusing and I didn’t listen to it much for a while and I rediscovered it a few years later.

PR: You play both guitar and drums, which one do you like better?
JM: Guitar definitely. Played drums for a couple of years in Bathtub Mary, played all of Northampton quite a lot. I played drums because I already knew all the songs and we needed a drummer. I got pretty good at it, but I never took it as seriously as I did guitar. I’m just a lot more comfortable doing that.

PR: So you were in a band call the “Sofa Kings” where’d that name come from?
JM: It’s not a skit it was like a joke. We just kinda decided to get with that. Band names are the worst. I didn’t even bother with this one; I just called it my name. Yeah band names are difficult then you end up with things that don’t really make much sense and aren’t all that flattering.

PR: After college you played on a cruise ship, what was that experience like?
JM: Pretty interesting, some of it was really good. For everything that was good there was something else that was really bad. Really good beach time, got a good tan. But um…it was honestly just incredibly boring. I was on the boat for six months. I had two people in the cabin and the cabin was probably about the size of my bathroom right now. SO it was really small. I’m kind of a tall guy, and when I laid on my bunk my head and feet touched the wall. Pretty small living situation. And there are so many people living there that it’s just not big enough. You definitely don’t have any privacy. I lived in a dorm too and it was much bigger. If you get sick of your dorm, you go for a walk. If you get sick of your cabin, there’s nowhere to go. Eight different bars so you end up doing that all the time.

PR: What a hard life you had
JM: Not good for you, catches up to you.

PR: It says on your website that you play weddings, do you play a lot of weddings
JM: yup did a couple last weekend. I play ceremonies on classical guitar.

PR: What do you prefer a wedding or a concert?
JM: Oh definitely a concert, I’ve been lucky enough to work with cool people for their weddings. If they are hiring me they’re usually not the hyperactive bridezilla that people talk about sometimes. So you in that way I’ve kind of lucked out and got to work with some nice people. It also pays really well. Its pretty good work.

PR: You’ve been in a lot of different bands, is the new project something you can stick with?
JM: As far as I have been in quite a few different bands. First time it’s been exactly what I want to be doing. I wrote the music and wrote exactly what I wanted to hear. It’s much more fulfilling for me, kind of my little project. I’ll definitely be sticking with it for a little while longer, I think it will change, people come and go are available or not available and all these things.

PR: Why did you decide to have no lyrics on this album?
JM: Well you know. I’m sort of an instrumental guy. I do sing a little bit but I don’t think it’s my strong suit. This album came from my history with playing jazz and classical music. So no lyrics were kinda coming from that place. I’ve thought about doing albums with lyrics but it would be such a different thing for me to do. My playing doesn’t really suit my singing all that well so it would be a challenge.

PR: You pull from a lot of different influences, what’s the hardest part of trying to put it all together in the music?
JM: well parts of it were easy. Some of it wasn’t really all that conscious. I wasn’t really trying to take this part of jazz really consciously. Even there is no singing, trying to work a pop sensibility into the music. Not just crazy improvisations. But catchy and listenable. One thing I feel that I could’ve done a little better in a couple songs. What I was going for with this recording. That’s the hardest part.

PR: What’s your favorite track from the new album?
JM: “settle” one of the first tracks that was finished. Three done right off the bat and settle was kind of interesting because as I was creating it, I hated it. It just wasn’t what I expected or though it was going to go and when it was all done, it was exactly what I wanted. So that’s the happiest one, I’ve been getting a lot of good feedback about that track.

PR: Far out question, if either candidate decided to use your song in for a campaign song what would you say?
JM: I’d be psyched, thrilled. Either one is fine with me. If you can get in touch with them in any way that'd be great too.

Weekend Movie Rental

2008-10-18T14:43:00.000-04:00

Another weekend, another movie rental suggestion (just a day late).

"The Visitor" played at Amherst cinema last spring. I got to go to a press screening, but never got to run the review in the paper because we ran out of time. So this is as good of a time as any to recommend this beautiful film.

Let's start it off by saying the movie is a roller-coaster of high and low emotional peaks. It tackles subject matter that is very relevant (illegal immigration) and touches on the connection that human beings can make when they get to know one another. That is what I will say about what the film does...now to explain how it does it.

The movie has a simple plot: depressed professor, Walter Vale, of economics struggles with the death of his wife. He tries to compensate for it in so many ways. But can't. Then he is sent to a conference to speak about a book he co-authored, but in actuality he just put his name on it.

He is sent to New York to talk about the book, and decides to stay in his old apartment that he keeps there. he hasn't been there in months and some people have moved into the place in his absence. Confusion ensues and the movie turns into a tale of friendship, what music can do, and the human spirit.

Walter Vale, is played by long-time character actor Richard Jenkins. his performance is superb. His moves from detached to curious bystander to sympathetic friend. His performance is the core of the film and other characters and actors seem to feed off of him and balance.

Lets hope that Thomas McCarthy, the writer/director, can keep progressing with his next film.

Altman Festival Continues

2008-10-15T08:49:00.000-04:00

Sunday at the Altman film festival brought highs, but mostly lows, as visitors to the Academy of Music were forced to endure blunders of an unusual nature: the film quality of many of the Sunday films was poor, resulting in frequent snags and audio issues.

“Thieves Like Us” (1974) began without a hitch. The film is a fairly straight-forward drama about three convicted felons who escape from a Mississippi prison and continue to indulge in a life of crime. Set in the 1930s, the film stars Keith Carradine as the youthful felon, Bowie. Shelley Duvall (this festival could also be called the Shelley Duvall film festival) co-stars as Keechie – his sweet, country bumpkin love interest. “Thieves” seems heavily inspired by “Bonnie and Clyde” (1967), particularly with its ending. The final reel had a few issues. Coke product placement abounds.

After “Thieves,” we strolled over to Pinocchio’s for a slice of pizza. We hurried back for “McCabe and Mrs. Miller,” immediately noting the yellow tinge attached to the picture. A friend of mine griped about this, mostly because “McCabe” is one of his all-time favorite films and the shoot-em-up finale takes place in the snow. “It’s going to be all yellow,” he grumbled. I was more concerned with sound. For three-quarters of the film, all the dialogue between Beatty and Christie was a fuzzy mumble. I strained my ears to hear but to little avail. In short, “McCabe and Mrs. Miller” sucked, if only because I couldn’t understand a word of what was being said between the characters.

From what I did gauge, McCabe (Beatty) comes to the hoedunk town of Presbyterian Church looking to start a whorehouse. He passes through the town on a rainy night, drawing the local yokels to the town saloon for a card game. In addition to being a man of questionable morals, he’s also a heavy gambler. And, as the saloon owner gossips once McCabe is out of earshot – he may be the quickdraw McCabe of legend, who shot down the infamous Bill Roundtree with a derringer. This is neither confirmed nor denied by McCabe, who simply scowls and continues to play the card game.

What’s great about this opening scene is that it completely disregards all western film archetypes. The saloon isn’t ornate; girls in red, green, and blue striped corsets with fishnets or pantaloons aren’t dancing the can-can on a stage nearby. The saloon is a bunch of wood planks, and there are no girls, just dirty pioneer men with dirt all over their faces and missing teeth, swigging back hard liquor. They look like hard-living men. When they find out McCabe is bringing ladies to town, they smack their lips together in hungry expectation.

Leonard Cohen provided an amazing three-song soundtrack for the film (that I could hear). After I finish this, I’ll see about downloading them. Anyway, McCabe buys three ladies and brings them to town early, before the construction of his magnificent brothel has been finished. He sets them up in squalid little tents, under such charming advertisements as “2 for 1 Lil.” The men don’t seem to mind, but Mrs. Miller (Christie) does. She approaches McCabe with a business proposition (first she insists on dinner, scarfs down the food on her plate, and speaks a lot with her hands), that he hires her to run the brothel. “But I know how to run this!” he basically insists, to which Mrs. Miller retorts with a bunch of squirm-inducing questions – “what are you gonna do when they get their period? What about when they get old and they get religious, what then?” McCabe just shrinks in his seat. And so their business union is set.

I don’t want to rehash the whole movie, although I probably could. Beatty as McCabe reminded me of Beatty as Clyde Barrow, and I love that at the height of his heartthrob popularity in the late 60s-70s, he dared to take on roles which challenged that. In “Bonnie and Clyde,” his Barrow has a big impotence problem (I guess it was better than being gay, as Clyde reportedly was). Here he’s funding whorehouses. Although he seems assertive, McCabe is actually sort of bumbling. He’s easily dominated by Mrs. Miller, and stumbles into a confrontation with a national railroad company looking to buy out his holdings in town. He holds fast to his pride, insisting they give him more than what they’ve offered. And later he’s got a few choice lines. “I got poetry. I’m not an educated man by any means, but I got poetry in me,” he says. And he tells this recurring joke about an ass that elicited lots of laughter from the audience. I never heard it right and had to have it retold to me later on as I exited the theater (completely ruined it). McCabe also falls hard for Mrs. Miller. Her services can be bought, as he discovers one evening. Henceforth, he shares her bed nightly.

Crossing the railroad company ends up being a fatal mistake. Although the mighty McCabe beats his enemies - even producing the fabled derringer for the final kill – he doesn’t escape the showdown unscathed. He slumps over in the snow, bleeding and dying. Meanwhile, the town church is on fire, and all the residents have flocked to it. Mrs. Miller is not with McCabe, nor is she at the fire. Instead she’s getting wasted in an opium den. She looks out at the distance, a glazed look in her eyes as he lies dying. That’s how it ends - an inglorious ending for two inglorious characters.

-SM

The Mastery of Altman, Take 2

2008-10-12T14:38:00.000-04:00

“3 Women” (1977) played after “Brewster.” The film starred Shelley Duvall and Sissy Spacek. We encountered a few technical difficulties with the projection, making the narrative dicey and difficult to engage in. Even without the snag, “3 Women” was a weak entry. The film lagged in pacing and spent too much time in the dull goings-on of its leads.

Millie (Duvall) and Pinky (Spacek) are co-workers at the same geriatric rehab facility (read: nursing home in denial). Their job is to walk the seniors around a pool and to babysit them while they're in the tub, just to make sure they don't prune too much in the water or die. The opening shot juxtaposes these conflicting images of age. The young ladies in their skimpy suits stand beside the old women, who are all cellulite and flab. Pinky is new and immediately takes a shine to chatty, self-absorbed Millie. She leaps at the opportunity to become her roommate, but there's something off about Pinky. Under real world analysis, she may be autistic or something. "3 Women" never delves that far, only going so close as to establish Pinky's decidedly unhappy childhood in Texas. Her folks show up in the middle of the film seeming very out of touch with the modern world. As a get well present they give her one of those godawful adage plaques I'm sure you've seen hanging in someone's kitchen before, this one extolling the virtues of hard-work and keeping up with one's chores. Her parents seem ripped from American Gothic until we see them having sex in Pinky's bed (then they just seem creepy). The third woman is a pregnant muralist (Janice Rule) who serves no function whatsoever to the narrative until the very end.

The film has a dream-like lethargy about it, which seems to be the point. “Women” dances around a dramatic showdown but never delivers a big pay-off. Liken it to a watered-down version of Bergman’s “Persona.” The ending is competent but doesn’t satisfy, nor is it explained well. I left the Academy of Music after “3 Women” – ostensibly to go home and get some work done. Instead I went to Faces and got a pair of sunglasses. Ms. Meagher and co. stayed until midnight, watching “Nashville” at 7 and “The Player” at 10 p.m.

Today I will return to Northampton, boyfriend en tote, to experience day 2 of the festival. “Thieves Like Us” (1974) begins at 4:30, followed at 7 p.m. by “McCabe & Mrs. Miller” (1971) and “The Long Goodbye” (1973) at 9:30 p.m. “McCabe” is the one I’m really excited for. The film stars Warren Beatty and Julie Christie. It’s set in the old west. Beatty plays a profiteer looking to launch a cheapo brothel in town. Christie’s the town newcomer who becomes madam. I’ve heard great things about it over the years, but never got around to seeing it. I recommend you all check it out!

-SM

The Mastery of Altman, Take 1

2008-10-12T14:34:00.000-04:00

The Altman film festival commenced Friday at the Academy of Music in Northampton. While this intrepid Collegian critic was forced to miss Friday night’s opening due to work conflicts, news from those who did attend was very positive. MASH (1970) was shown, followed by a live performance from The Feelies.

Bright and early Saturday, Mogie Meagher and I (along with two Fitchburg College stowaways) braved the morning wilderness to catch a matinee showing of “Brewster McCloud.” The film did not disappoint. The credits roll (and then roll again – it’s a delightful touch) over the Houston Astrodome. There, in a fallout shelter, lives young Brewster. He wants to fly and is trying to build a pair of wings. He has some kind of mother-nestling relationship with Sally Kellerman, who trails him throughout the movie in a form-fitting trench coat, helping and protecting him along on his quest. She strips down later in the film (don’t ask me why) and exposes these wing-scars on her back, leading Mogie to speculate, “Maybe she’s a fallen angel?” This is never explained, but her ascent at the end of the film toward a bright light helps shore up the theory. Other notable things about “Brewster” – the film marks the big debut of Shelley Duvall. She looks like Twiggy and she plays Brewster’s love interest. Mike Murphy, whom you may recognize from Woody Allen’s “Manhattan” (I did, at least), co-stars as detective Mike Shaft. He’s called in because, although Brewster seems sweet and harmless, people who mess with him seem to end up… well, dead. Shaft comes in, and, so the radio playing off the mise-en-scene declares, he’s got the loveliest blue eyes anyone has ever seen. Later on one eye goes brown, as if to symbolize his fall from prestige. He’s the first to notice that all the victims have bird poo on them. On that note, he sets off trying to track down our oddball protagonist.

I’m not totally familiar with Altman’s body of work, but from what I gather “Brewster” comes at a high point in his career, and is recognized as one of his greatest films. I hesitate to use the term “masterful,” but “Brewster” does seem like the exercise of a highly skilled director. The film is comical at some points (note the madcap Lecturer who narrates the film) and scathing at others (a bird shits on a paper with a Spiro Agnew headline). One issue I take with Altman is his tendency to use about a dozen or so characters in a film. Everyone’s got something going on and nothing seems to cater overtly to any overarching theme or narrative. Generally it's not until the end of the film that all this milieu ties together, if it does at all. It's what he's famous for, but his films can suffer continuity issues as a result. In “Brewster" there are plenty of fringe characters. They all happen to be headed in the same direction.

DVD Pick of the Week

2008-10-10T11:47:00.000-04:00

This weekend in Northampton there is a festival dedicated to Robert Altman. So this weekend for my DVD I figured I'd pick a movie that feels like an Altman film, but was a first for one of the new-era of American directors.

P.T. Anderson's first film "Boogie Night's" was a breathe of fresh air in Hollywood when it came out. It was also a major role for Mark Wahlberg.

The movie is about the porn industry to say the least. Burt Reynolds is classy as the head honcho, and has the porn star look down pat. Along with the rest of the ensemble cast (Phillip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Heather Graham, Julianne Moore, John C. Reilly, and Don Cheadle).

The movie moves well, and the camera-work is strong with some of the best tracking shots in film history. the movie moves more as a character study than a simple narrative. Intertwining characters bring the ensemble together.

A strong first film from a director who has now brought all that talent to the forefront of American film with "There Will be Blood." And "Boogie Nights" was where it all started.

Interview: Matt Senreich Co-Creator of "Robot Chicken"

2008-10-05T13:55:00.000-04:00

Peter Rizzo: So let me start this off, you did a lot of work with comic books, how has that affected the show?
Matt Senreich: Speaks for the “geek culture” that we like to tap into. I grew up a geek and worked at marvel comics, influenced me to the point where now I’m playing with toys for a living.

PR: In Season 3, there is an actual figure of you depicted in one of the episodes, I was wondering what you did with that figure?
MS: Actually its popping up in season 4 and is currently being animated, so other people are touching me inappropriately right now.

PR: That’s a good living.
MS: Its one of the benefits of having a show.

PR: In the first episode of season 3, you joke about the possibility of being canceled, is there any real life inspiration behind this?
MS: Its sort of become a running joke that at the beginning of every season that we’re going to be canceled but then we get renewed. So we’ll probably keep doing that until we do get canceled.

PR: When do you think that will be?
MS: Well I’m just hoping not for now so they can pay my bills for longer.

PR: I had a lot of questions about the actual animation process. It must take a really long time to animate these scenes how do you decide which ideas are funny enough to be on the show
MS: Um…for us its one of those things were it’ll be a few of us in a writer’s room, and we’ll think of as many ideas as we can for a day. We’ll sit around a table myself, Seth and our two head writers Tom and Chuck. It has to be a 3-1 vote to get into the show. Four very differing viewpoints of what’s funny. And when we try to justify why we don’t like a skit, but at the end of the day it’s people with a different sense of humor. And we hope that our sense of humor is the same as everyone else’s out there. We’re sketch comedy so we can go from a very dark comedic sketch to something that is just slapstick. We like the idea of just jumping around a lot because then if you didn’t like this one skit, maybe you’ll like the next.

PR: So at the end of this process once you’ve assembled all your clips, how do these then get processed into episodes, do you try to go for any themes or…
MS: Little complicated, its one of those things where we think about it in our minds how it will play out, we put every sketch idea onto an index card and it’ll probably be for four or five episodes at a time. About 15 cards an episode when it starts, okay how many original hand sculpts will have to get made, how many toys will have to get made cuz we cant have too many in one episode. We have to have just around roughly the same amount which are very complicated sketches, Based on all that we’ll try to match things up and try to get it where we feel we need it to be.

PR: Favorite guest to have on the show?
MS: It varies, a lot of them and they’ve all given me such great stories. The first one that always comes to mind is Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLouise, I grew up loving Cannonball Run it was one of my favorite movies and to watch the two of them interact with each other, to watch Burt Reynolds actually slap Dom DeLouise when he screwed up his lines, and to learn that was real and see it person. It was great you could tell that these guys have been friends for a really long time. That was surreal. George Lucas, especially because I didn’t realize he had such a wicked sense of humor, hes a very sarcastic person that you just don’t expect because he comes across as shy in interviews. So when he comes out with that quick wit it catches you and I really enjoyed that.

PR: How did you come up with a title for the show?
MS: We didn’t actually have a title for the show it was just a bunch of animated shorts for the web called, Sweet J presents in 2000. We did it for so many months we used it as our pitch but when we pitched it we needed a new title, they didn’t like that. So we submitted like 60 titles and they all got rejected. Then we submitted Robot Chicken, which is a local Chinese restaurant over here, just a funny title they loved. Then we realized we screwed ourselves because now we’d have to come up with a reason for the show name.

PR: Is that where the title sequence comes from?
MS: Yeah we needed a way to explain why the show was called “Robot Chicken” so we did that skit and it was kind of a “clockwork orange” parody.

PR: Where do you see Robot Chicken in 10 years? Do you see it having the longevity of the Simpsons and these other shows?
MS: You know its one of those things as I said that we’re just gonna keep working on it as long as we can, and we’re not bored, right now we’re just having a lot of fun doing. In a perfect world, maybe it turns into like an SNL that is around for a really long time, with different people coming in, but for right now we gotta enjoy it.

Weekend at Home With Movies!

2008-10-03T12:02:00.000-04:00

This is going to be the second piece to the weekly column I will be writing for Friday's paper about the upcoming movies. This blog post will however be a DVD recommendation for the weekend, maybe 2 if it's a rainy one, that people should check out.

This week I will begin with a Norwegian film that I rented a few weeks ago, "Reprise." The movie is about two friends whoa re aspiring writers. One with all the talent, and one with the ambition. They both attempt to get published, one does, and the other doesn't. Then the talented writer (published one as well) has a nervous breakdown sue to the pressure. The other friend struggles with improving his skill and creating an original novel.

The movie moves along at a great pace. Just slow enough that when the ending comes it feels as though the movie moved in real-life time, not movie time. The characters develop and their friends develop. The movie certainly has a French feel to it with the editing, narration, and cinematography.

A great rental for anyone that will bring out the aspiring writer in all of us.

Interview Gareth Liddiard- Lead Singer/ Guitarist for The Drones

2008-09-22T15:14:00.000-04:00

While largely unknown stateside, the Aussie garage band The Drones opened up for Built to Spill and the Meat Puppets last Thursday. After playing a fast and furious set, lead singer Gareth Liddiard took some time to talk to the Daily Collegian about his band and the show.

PETER RIZZO: Being from Austrailia how do you like the US so far?
GARETH LIDDIARD: It's great, this is the fifth time we've been and its an amazing place. We've been all over both coasts, but we've never been to the middle but its a lot different than Austrailia.

PR: You lost a couple of big music prizes to fellow Aussies Wolfmother, how do you feel about their demise?
GL: Um...we knew this guy who was cousins with the drummer and they hate the singer, apparently hes the biggest (rhymes with bunt) ever, so we knew it was coming for some time.

PR: Really I was a fan of Wolfmother...
GL: Yeah yeah they were a good band

PR: Is there any small vindication?
GL: Nah I don't really care about that sort of stuff, I mean we knew it was comin', he (the lead singer) was the only guy who didn't actually know.

PR: Are you touring a new album?
GL: No, we're sort of between recording one and when we get back to Austrailia we'll be wrapping it up.

PR: Is it difficult going from playing larger shows in Austrailia to smaller shows in America?
GL: Yeah it is, but it keeps you honest.

PR: They seemed to really like you out there though?
GL: They seemed to be digging it. It was a good reaction, certainly not the worst.

PR:How do you feel about sharing a bill with the Meat Puppets, and Built to Spill, how did that happen?
GL: Yeah it's great. Yeah we've gotten to hang out with them. This is our third show with them, we've got seven more. Built to Spill talked to our booking agents and we knew the band, Band of Horses, who are getting pretty big, they're cool guys. So we ended up talking through them and got all the dates worked out.

PR: How old are you guys?
GL: We're old, I'm 32.

PR: You use a lot of effects up there...
GL: Yeah that's the cool thing. No that's all effects and whammy, I'm a whammy bar man. And there is like a knob when you turn it, it goes (whhhhhrrrrrrr). That's my thing. I started making weird noises then graduated to Led Zeppelin songs.

PR: When did you start playing guitar?
GL: When I was about seventeen.

PR: How long have you been together as a band?
GL: We've had a few different line ups, people in and out, but this lineups been together for eight years.

PR: You're bassist didnt seem to like the crowd tonight, why did she have her back turned the whole time?
GL: Yeaht that's what she does, she does that all the time, shes just shy. Its not that she doesnt like you.

PR: How does a girl end up in such a loud rock band?
GL: She's my girlfriend. Yeah you have to be married into it. Its great we go on tour share a room together, we've been together for like ten years. She goes to all the gigs and it makes it a lot nicer.

New Exhibition at University Gallery

2008-09-21T11:11:00.000-04:00

"Of People and Places" is the new exhibition's name that will be in the University Gallery (underneath the lobby of the Fine Arts Center). This exhibition brings together for the first time the work of seven internationally renowned artists working in the field of photography - combining work by young, emerging artists with work by those who are more internationally renowned.

The exhibition's opening is Wednesday, September 24, 2008 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. The opening reception Of People and Places includes a panel discussion among artists Yto Barrada, Cuny Janssen, and John Riddy, who discuss their work in the context of the exhibition.

There will also be a reception with food and drink. Yum...

Free and open to the public. Free parking after 5pm.

Come be artsy and meet new people; it will be fun.

To get to know the artists, here is an

interview with Yto Barrada

Photo credit: Clare Richardson, "The Reaper [Beyond the Forest VI]", 2007. C-print. 83 x 71 cm. Cortesy of the artist and Ffotogallery, Cardiff, Wales

A Night at Pearl Street: Stars

2008-09-21T01:10:00.000-04:00

Stars with Bell X1 made Pearl Street its first stop on its long North American tour to promote new material and please the crowd with older favorites.

Dressed all in black, the boys of Bell X1 kicked off the Wednesday night show around 8:30 p.m. From the turned backs, loud talking and shifty eyes, Bell X1 lacked attention from the collegiate crowd. The band was short on enthusiasm and didn't make a strong effort to engage with its crowd. At times, the electric guitarist would be caught with his eyes closed. He probably just didn't want to face the blank stares of the audience.

For a radio pop band like Bell X1, the boys need to work on stage presence. Otherwise, this emotionless band will continue to be a drag.

The sound of Bell X1 is versatile, which served as the band's lifeline. The thumping bass and roaring guitar that brought Pearl Street to a darker place is when Bell X1 shined the brightest. On this number, the five of them proved to Pearl Street that they did, in fact, have functioning legs; specifically Noonan. He stammered to-and-fro center stage to work up a sweat that was often seen dripping from his forehead. Noonan's outburst of weird dreariness and robotic movements with little fits of rage was a refreshment from the lackluster performance Bell X1 had been putting on the entire night.

With his eyes shut tightly and him making inaudible statements, his performance was borderline funny to watch. He looked as if he was having some religious experience.

Just beginning the tour, Bell X1 did attempt to throw out an excuse for itself for the lame show: "It is 4 a.m. in Ireland right now," said Noonan.

When it became time for the main act to perform, the lights dimmed to a complete darkness. Then, the crowd was faced with the brightest beaming light panels that pulsated at the rate of a steady heartbeat. As the lights blindingly pulsated, above was a black light design that danced over the audience.

To set off the cosmic and electric set, Stars intertwined lovely and blossomed white and red roses.

Set far apart from Bell X1's black attire, the members of Stars went their own ways when choosing their clothes. The different clothing styles made the stage a more colorful spectacle than it already was. From Amy Millan's gray conservative blazer to the drummer's decadent sunglasses and pink mohawk, Star's mismatched look wasn't a reflection of its cohesiveness as a band.

The introduction of the show featured a small bit of music from the new EP, but Stars made the decision to hold off and begin with older work from the band's previous albums.

Throughout the show, Stars occasionally stripped the flowers from the stage to throw them into the audience. While Stars was gracious with the flowers, Torquil Campbell (co-lead vocalist) gave praise to Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth who happened to be downstairs in the clubroom of Pearl Street playing in his other band.

On the horn heavy song, "Soft Revolution," Campbell was the premier player when he picked up his trumpet and sang in a lecturing and authoritative manner. With a lot of finger points, Campbell glared at his crowd with fiery eyes to get the song's message across.

With any band that promotes unheard material, audiences usually are apprehensive and take more time to warm up to it. About midway through the show, Stars knew it was time to release the unknown. The band started with a reinterpretation of band's older song, "Going, Going, Gone." The band's loose nature quickly tightened up when Campbell's voice went awry to crack mid-note.

Stars played a repertoire of two or three new songs with nervousness, but the overall turnout was commendable on account of it being the band's first time performing these songs in front of a live audience.

In past shows, Stars has been known for taking opportunities to voice American political standpoints (even as Canadians!), which swing pretty far left. Stars didn't only speak out loud on stage, but went to the expense of making buttons for purchase that say, "If they win, we'll leave." and "If they steal it one more time..."

Aside from bashing politics, Millan was at her sweetest when she crooned and pretended to be boxing with her microphone on the harmonious pop tune,"WIndow Bird." Millan is a mystery to watch because of her collectiveness and natural calmness under hot bright lights. She is always looking forward but staring blankly into the unknown. As a blatant dreamer, Millan captures the interest of the ponderous.

It is paradoxical to watch Campbell and Millan as a team because there is little physical interaction between the two. Campbell usually tries to show Millan affection throughout the show, but most of the time that affection was deferred until the last song that ended in an embrace, "The Woods."

Stars one and a half hour performance was filled with gratitude, dedications to the people of Massachusetts, and most of all - love and joy - the whole reason Stars does what it does.

"We're Stars from Montreal. Thanks for coming out. We appreciate it very deeply," Campbell said.

www.myspace.com/stars

Rest In Peace, Total Request Live Wherever You Are

2008-09-17T09:51:00.000-04:00

RIP

Here Lies TRL

1998-2008

Ah...remember the days? Running home from school to catch the debut of a fresh TRL? 10 songs that mostly stayed the same for weeks at a time, but nonetheless must be seen in order to stay up to date with those long lunchtable discussions. I myself have some nostalgic memmories of the show. I remember seeing Kid Rock's debut of "Bawitdaba," Eminem's mooning of times square and of course Tom Green's video which glorified all the things his "bum" has been on.

The first video I ever saw was Blink 182's "What's My Age Again," I had a friend who wore a red New York Yanakees hat a la Fred Durst and I remember being forbidden from watching The Bloodhound Gang's "The Bad Touch" as lame as that might be in retrospect. I will even cop to owning Sisqo's "Year of the Dragon" and the Eiffel 65 album that featured "Blue," both no doubt influenced by MTV and its best three letter show TRL.

After 10 years though MTV has decided to scrap the once venerable franchise. MTV is planning a final send off for the show slated for November and it is reported that many of the show's original stars such Eminem, 'N Sync, will attend. Also there will be Carson Daly himself, the loveable everyman who was just bland enough not to offend anyone and who might just have been the glue that held the entire show together. With his happy to be there appearance he never seemed to take his job too seriously, something that other hosts struggled with. And most importantly with all those stars, it is likely that the hordes of young girls with homemade signs that once crowded Times Square will return as if returning from a migration south.

So just what happened to the staple of our MTV viewing youth? It seems in the Youtube era, no one wants to watch 30 seconds of the same video for 60 some odd days. But while this may seem as an advantage, think about what is lost in the process.

What kind of healthy male bonding can take place without the shared experience of being exposed to sensual videos like "Baby One More Time" and my personal favorite "Genie in a Bottle." Some of my first comments to girls were over my anger that the Backstreet Boys and 'N Syncs dominance of the charts. Certaintly any sense of a mass cultural consciousness will be lost in the process. The aility to all be able to look back and collectively ask "why the hell did we all think any of it was cool?"

Britney's Back?

2008-09-12T19:04:00.001-04:00

I sat in my apartment last Sunday cursing the fact that I only have $7 cable. With no MTV, I couldn't catch Britney Spears' appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards. A video surfaced on the internet a few weeks ago showing her and dancers in a studio kicking some dance floor ass to a new song.

After last year's disaster, I was renewed with a hope that Britney would be back, (bitch?). Later Sunday evening when MTV started posting clips from the VMAs I learned that Brit didn't even perform as rumored.

She did however win three moon men. She won the night's biggest honor, Video of the Year, Best Female Video, and Best Pop Video. She also kicked off the VMAs, introducing the 25th show.

So I was happy for her, but these awards were all for her video "Piece of Me." The video is OK, but I think she's done better work. She was nominated for 16 moon men in the past and never once won. Surprising considering her career was much better years ago. I feel like it was almost like they gave her pity awards this year, or it was payback for burning her all the other years.

Also after 2 kids, she was in amazing shape, especially in comparison to last year. This year she looked confident, healthy and happy. I know that last year I told everyone I was sure she was making a comeback, but I really think it's gonna happen this year.

Pedovan in Boston

2008-09-11T09:39:00.000-04:00

Newest Judd Apatow Joint Secretly Filmed in Boston

The newest Judd Apatow movie, producer of such wildly popular films as The 40 Year Old Virgin, Pineapple Express, Knocked Up and Superbad, just wrapped up filming last month in Boston reported Boston's Weekly Dig. It's so new, that it's still for the most part un-known.

What is most surprising is that this project, Pedovan, has already finished filming, yet it's not even know about on the world's favorite internet movie resource, IMDB.com . IMDB.com usually lists even rumored movies, but when a film is in production it's usually listed on there. Also surprising is the fact that I interned in Boston all summer, but didn't even get the chance to meet the man of my dreams, Apatow actor and writing genius, Seth Rogen. OK, it's not surprising, it's just downright disappointing and sad.

The movie stars Jonah Hill of Superbad fame and other Apatow films. Martin Starr, of Freaks and Geeks also has a role in the film. Saturday Night Live star, Bill Hader, and Seth Rogen reprise their Superbad like roles as dim-witted cops. There are supposedly more cameos than you can shake a stick at, including R. Kelly and Celtics star Glen Davis.

Jonah Hill's character in short in a mis-guided hipster who loves children... mistaken for a pervert. I think you get the idea.

The Dig reported that in 2006, only four films were shot in Boston. But ever since Massachusett's July 2007 credit cap on the filming industry, 88 films have been shot in or around Boston.

Right next to my home town, a Kevin James film about mall cops entitled, Paul Blart: Mall Cop, was filmed this past spring in the mall that I hung around in during high school. Movies are everywhere in the Commonwealth lately. Next time, someone just tell me when Seth Rogen is around.

Blue Eyed Soul Lady has "Acid Tongue"

2008-09-10T00:58:00.000-04:00

The indie songstress of Rilo Kiley gone country is back with her sophomore solo album, Acid Tongue. Recorded in about a month earlier this year, the phantom that is Jenny Lewis is scheduled to release AT on September 23rd on major record label Warner Brothers.

While her counterparts The Watson Twins are out making a name for themselves, Ms. Lewis beckoned close friends like Johnathon Rice and M. Ward. Both pals were also major contributors to the 2006 release, "Rabbit Fur Coat", Lewis' debut. Ms. Lewis also called on some other indie stars like Zooey Deschanel, Chris Robinson (The Black Crows) and even the famous Elvis Costello and Eddie Gordon.

Who else?

Ms. Lewis even calls on her family for assistance in all different departments. Isn't one Lewis enough? It was with her last album, which happened to score critical acclaim by magazines like Rolling Stone that crowned it as one of 50 Greatest Albums of 2006.

For some fun and some previews of her new tracks, visit www.youtube.com/user/jennylewis

Watch Lewis relive her past days as a child actress!

A Little Late Because Everyone Has Seen It But Oh Well Here Goes

2008-07-26T11:26:00.000-04:00

After seeing The Dark Knight for a second time I came to the realization that the movie deserves/needs two viewings. It is great the first time, but even better the second. Ledger's Performance is twice as good and the odds and ends to his Joker really come alive.

What I was most struck with during both viewings was Michael Caine's performance. Yes he is playing himself, once again, but he has some of the best lines in any of the summer blockbusters. The story of the jewel thief is amazing. The dry humor he brings to the table is unmatchable. While one laughs uncomfortably at Ledger, Caine brings in warming laughs of "told you so's" and one liners.

The movie is great, everyone has read that, or witnessed it. But the movie definitely deserves a few viewings. I can't wait to catch it in IMAX (hopefully the air conditioning will be on there, the second time I went my pit stains were as large as the Atlantic).

But I will have to wait to see it in IMAX (so many sold out showings) with this beautiful weather.

A Sweltering Siren Fest Saturday

2008-07-24T10:44:00.000-04:00

The Village Voice-sponsored Siren Music Festival took place on New York's storied Coney Island Saturday July 19th, a free music event open to the public, or at least to those who dared to venture out into the afternoon's 95-degree scorch. This did not stop many from stubbornly donning pants, surely to the utter dismay of their legs, though most concert-goers were tank top and cutoffs-clad to battle the extreme heat.

Due to subway mishaps and poor planning, my party arrived a tad late (shot for 1:30, arrived at 3:00) for a couple anticipated acts, though caught some favorites all the same. Among the bands missed were These Are Powers, sporting an ex-Liars member, who are beginning to gain some recognition as a force in dissonant, spastic art rock, as well as Parts & Labor, a noisy Brooklyn outfit whose Dan Friel has released one of this year's more interesting as well as intimidating electronic releases, "Ghost Town."

The first band I managed to catch was the Dodos on the Main Stage around 3:00, playing their African drumming-informed, fingerpicked psych-folk. In addition to their base as a guitar/drums duo, a vibraphonist joined them on stage for certain numbers. Adding to the clatter was the presence of a miked metallic trashcan in between the rest of the band's equipment, aiding in the Dodo's most raucous songs as yet another driving, percussive element.

I then moseyed on over to the second stage to catch the end of Jaguar Love, an arty group of ex-Blood Brothers and Pretty Girls Make Graves members attempting fervently, with little success, to capture the bombast of prog behemoths the Mars Volta in their angular songs complete with high-pitched, Cedric Bixler-Zavala rip-off vocal.

After that yelping annoyance came Beach House, nearly Jaguar Love's opposite, churning out dreamy, down-tempo guitar/keys/drums psychedelic pop. Vocalist Victoria Legrand's gorgeous vocal swirled with her keyboard lines and the atmospheric guitar, backed by simple, drum-machine-ready drum parts. The highlight of the set was "Master of None," from their self-titled 2006 full-length, a perfect biopsy of their sound.

Another stage trek brought me back to the Main Stage for Montreal's epic pop sextet Islands, whose Nick Thorburn took the stage under the previously-mentioned trashcan used by the Dodos during their set. Islands ran through some hits including "The Arm" from their new record "Arm's Way" and selections from their first record "Return to the Sea," including "Swans," a lackluster version of "Don't Call Me Whitney, Bobby," and "Where There's a Will There's a Whalebone," during which the band welcomed out a local MC to bust a few lines in place of the verse on the album recording.

The last decision of the night was between Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks and Broken Social Scene, dim-wittedly scheduled against each other. In the end I decided on Toronto's Broken Social Scene collective on the second stage, and it proved a good choice even though the Jicks unveiled a new track "Astral Facial." Broken Social Scene came out roaring, boasting 10 musicians on stage at a time, including a 4-piece horn section. During their set any sort of security seemed to evaporate, with audience members climbing higher and higher to catch a better glimpse. Atop fences, vendors, and Pepsi machines certain members of the crowd climbed, heck, I even noticed people climbing on the ambulance which made its way into the middle of the back of the crowd. Highlights from their set included one number with accompaniment by a fan whom the band met that afternoon singing a female vocal part in the absence of the real deal, as well as "KC Accidental" and "Ibi Dreams of Pavement (A Better Day)."

The end of their set found Kevin Drew preaching a vote for Obama/change, as well as prodding the audience to scream to save Coney Island, which has apparently been the target of some well-fought-against condominium projects. The Siren Festival has been running eight years now, and doing away with Coney Island as a place for entertainment would surely make for a less kooky spectacle for the event, if it would even continue to go on at all.

Ian, Collegian Staff

Hellboy II Excedes This Movie Snobs Expectations

2008-07-17T19:14:00.000-04:00

I must admit:Hellboy II was near the bottom of my Summer Blockbuster List. But I was moved to go see it, with the temptation of Chinese food being snuck into the theater (General Goa's Chicken, Low Mein and White Rice, yum). I was mistaken when I wrote the preview for the movie in our Summer Guide . It was the only preview I would have the time to write (the other writers spent 4 or so hours, probably more, in the Daily Collegian office, in a basement with no windows, it's a basement, on a beautiful spring afternoon at Umass). I though this sequel would be a bust, and was I sorely mistaken.

Hellboy II has been the best summer movie I have seen so far (Zohan was god awful, Get Smart got me to laugh, Iron Man rocked, The Chronicles of Narnia was like watching the Spanish and Portuguese invade South America, Indiana Jones 4 had the worst ending ever in cinema. Lucas and Spielberg love UFO's more than I love John Harvards' Rail Trail Ale, that's a lot. And whatever ones I'm forgetting.) But Hellboy II was so much fun. I ate Chinese, spit some on the floor in front of me because I was laughing so hard. The monsters rocked, and the B Movie flower/nature God was unforgettable.

Del Toro has a flair that a lot of directors need to find. He knows how to balance mediums. Collecting genuine laughs, creating unforgettable characters and executing a plot.

Hellboy II gets this snobs recommendation.

Also, Tonight is the midnight showing of "The Dark Knight" and I'm about to burst into flames because I have to wait until tomorrow night at 8:30 to see it, and not in IMAX (14 something for tickets, forget it. I am a poor camp counselor/lifeguard/swim instructor).

Have fun everyone who gets to go to the midnight showing. And everyone who will enjoy Christopher Nolan's direction like myself. He rocks. His brother rocks at writing. Go see "Following" and "Insomnia" and "Memento" and you'll understand.

Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company Brings "Capel/Chapter" to Jacob's Pillow

2008-07-08T11:11:00.000-04:00

Saturday night saw the eighth of nine performances of the Bill T. Jones and (the late) Arnie Zane Dance Company's "Chapel/Chapter" at Jacob's Pillow's Doris Duke Studio Theatre in Becket, MA. The tense marriage of dance, live musical accompaniment, and light projection from the rafters made for a complete performance, drawing on the multiple media to affect the audience from all three sides.

Preceding the performance was a "Pillow Talk" on the piece and on Bill T. Jones' life of choreography (accomplishments include a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship and a 2007 Tony Award), framing the work in the societal context of the prison system.

The prison system was indeed represented rather drastically, with the introduction to the performance, while the audience was filing in, consisting of dancers in full-body, inmate-orange jumpsuits meandering around the white, oval-shaped dancefloor with eyes closed, only changing direction when swiveled around by dancers in blue populating the perimeter, acting as the prison guards, all against the blood-red backdrop of the small theater. This may have been commentary on the judicial system's total control over criminals, disallowing any leeway after but one mistake or even accident. Even the ushers made the audience to feel as if they were trapped within a strict institution, commanding performance-goers to fill up pews and cramp in close to strangers (this may not have been in the script).

The piece itself was a whirlwind of acrobatic, natural movement, oftentimes finding the dancers very close to or on the ground itself. This worked wonders for the premise, which followed fragments of three stories of death from beginning to culmination, each involving a murder of some degree. The murderer was always at a greater height advantage than the victim, who was consistently cowering or suffering at the instigator's feet.

The three stories involved a man's completely unattached murder of a whole family, the Sotos, as part of a sexual fantasy, a father accidentally murdering his trouble-making daughter, and a fragmented killing of one summer camper, Cameron, by another. Each story was broken up into pieces over the course of the performance, not one story being fed to the audience as a whole but serially, the viewer learning more about each individual crime every time its story came back. This made for much repetition, overlapping, and distortion of initial notions about the crimes.

Not one element was of more importance than the next, the cellist (Christopher Antonio William Lancaster) and guitarist/mouth horn extraordinaire (Lawrence "Lipbone" Redding) dictating the pace of the dancers' movements as well as providing welcoming intro/outro sound. The projection onto the dancefloor from the ceiling was also of great importance to the piece, providing appropriate visuals such as a hopscotch outline for the Little Girl and a pool of water in which Cameron's lifeless body floated.

This intriguing, relevant dance superbly captured the essence of its themes, all the while doing so through extremely athletic and expressive dance. The intimate setting was nearly perfect for such a piece, drawing the audience in close enough to watch the beads of sweat take form, multiply, and soak the dancers, leaving streaks of wet on the floor after their final bows.

Ian Nelson, Collegian Staff

Times New Viking and Titus Andronicus Rock Sets at Allston's Great Scott

2008-07-01T14:36:00.000-04:00

Noisy Columbus, Ohio trio Times New Viking brought their lo-fi, punk-inflected mess to the Great Scott Sunday night, supported by New Jersey's Titus Andronicus.

Titus took the stage first, diving into their set with what seemed to be a Boston shout-out full of Fenway references. The six-piece took off into selections from their new record "The Airing of Grievances," hitting most of them spot-on with 4 guitars' worth of noise (at times) to back them up. Nearly each member took their turn on vocal duties, singing/shouting backups on many numbers. The scruffily bearded, energetic frontman (apparently named Liam Betson) put down the guitar for songs at a time to shake out a tambourine rhythm and jump around a bit, culminating in a final assault upon his guitar which left it on the floor hissing feedback.

Times New Viking's set was not as visually appealing, though was a strange yet pleasant diversion from the filthily recorded tinny quality of any of their three records. The guitar/drums/keys three-piece blasted out a hoard of short songs, with vocal duties shared by drummer Adam Elliott and Beth Murphy on keys. Elliott's drum parts were quick and tight, bashing out as many cymbal crashes as possible while Murphy's organesque keyboard tones sunk deep within the mix. These parts of the act were expected, the anomaly being guitarist Jared Phillips, constantly staring with anger into the crowd, whose tones were not as grating as they appear on the band's records. The tones were instead very crisp and clean, like those of newer Sonic Youth's guitar work. This variation from the recorded work was the personal focus of the set, neither disappointing nor expected but a blissful, unanticipated gem of a performance, backed into the bowels of the bar where sounds like that thrive.

Ian Nelson, Collegian Staff

SUNDAY SUNDAY SUNDAY

2008-06-24T11:10:00.000-04:00

...okay so one 18 hour drive, a totaled car and a few calls to the Amherst Comcast Internet guy and finally it is time to reveal the exciting Sunday Bonnaroo recap. Cue the enthusiasm.

Okay so Sunday was a slower day, the schedule was toned down an octave or too and the set list featured mostly bands with the required relaxing melodies to soothe the hordes of guests all sore from three days of camping on the hard ground. The day's sets were varied featuring such elder statesmans of rock as Robert Plan, there his new muse Allison Krauss as well as a host of younger favorites like O.A.R. and Death Cab for Cutie.

BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE

Hanging out in the SPIN tent, I was fortunate to come across the Canadian indie act BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE who were there to play exclusive acoustic tracks for the SPIN website. The two members of the band were decked out in vintage guitar troubadour style with scruffy beards and even one in a perfectly tacky fisherman's cap. The band then booked it over to the SONIC STAGE, on of the more intimate stages at Bonnaroo for a shorty half hour set. The SONIC STAGE gives festival goers the opportunity to catch thirty minutes of a band that they migt not have time to go see later. It also gives die-hards a chance to see the band twice within the same day, and once at a smaller stage. There they went for their first set of the day, and following about ten minutes of unscripted guitar noodlings they got help from fellow songstress AIMEE MANN. The duo had trouble filling the extra half hour of set time as the band's full hour and a half set was still half a day away. Despite his however, the two tried to get the crowd going with a somewhat misguided chant of "put down the bong/ and vote for Obama." The message seemed a little taboo and even still was not entirely stadium caliber singalong material. Needless to say it probably won't be adopted as the official campaign theme song.

ROBERT RANDOLPH'S REVIVAL

Not sure what exactly Mr. Randolph is trying to revive but from his high energy set I'd be guessing its the gospel tinged blues rock of his youth. The elder Randolph armed with an array of musicians on stage had fun in the summer heat rocking out to rollicking tunes often devoid of even the most simple lyrics. However the light sound was perfect for the summer afternoon drawing more people than the shady tent could hold.

ORCHESTRA BAOBAB

With world influenced rockers VAMPIRE WEEKEND and MIA having already performed it was time for Bonnaroo to add a dose of cred in the form of one band that hail's directly from Africa's own Senegal. The group began touring in their homeland twenty years ago before going the way of many of today's bands like The Police and Van Halen with a bitter breakup followed by a revival years later. In the band's traditional African styling one could hear the influences on these new artists, from the bongo drums to the high pitched guitar rhythms which worked themselves into feverish patterns perfectly befitting the day's themes of rest and relaxation.

YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING

Yonder Mountain String can be best described as an experimental bluegrass jamband whose style seems to call upon but remain unrestricted by these definitions. The band hardly broke from their playing to banter with the audience only stopping to thank the faithful for arriving. The band's bluegrass style featuring a chorus of mandolins and banjos set the stage perfectly for the following act whose music attempts to find inspiration in similar genres.

ROBERT PLANT W/ ALLISON KRAUSS

The act may carry the moniker Robert Plant with Allison Krauss however the best description of the band's sound would have been to reverse those two around. Many came out to see the much talked about collaboration between the 70's rock God Plant and bluegrass songstress Krauss. However the songs live seemed to have a limited collaborative feel. Plant often was relegated to a backup role while Krauss took the reins on a host of songs which were hard to differentiate. Even a slowed down version of "Black Dog" seemed unable to jolt the way that classic song should.

DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE

Passing by the late afternoon O.A.R set I could hear the last bars of their reggae acoustic rock mish mash floating over the crowd on my way to await the set from Indie mainstays DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE. Though the band seems like an unlikely choice for a festival concert their late almost sundown set time seemed like the right fit for their delicate songs. The rockers were surprisingly mobile on stage as they worked their way through cuts like "The New Year" with enthusiasm recreating the soundscape of the song in all its studio glory. Elsewhere the band played a hit heavy set leaving hardly a hit unplayed as they went through "Title and Registration," "Soul Meets Body," "The Sound of Settling" and atmospheric new single "I Will Possess Your Heart" in all of its nine minute glory.

SOUL STEW REVIVAL ft/ DEREK TRUCKS

With the ALLMAN BROS set canceled due to illness, the only chance at the festival to see the young guitar hero TRUCKS was this intimate tent performance. The second generation rock and roller, though only 27, already has a band with his new bride SUSAN TEDESCHI and the two make quite a pair onstage. TRUCKS showed a guitar prowess befitting of someone twice his age, never up showing any of the other musicians on stage. Like an expert ball handler the guitarist knew when to pass for the assist which he did often letting the percussionist and pianist have their fun before finally resting his slide against his red guitar. TRUCKS' solos mixed slide guitar rhythms that blended the intensity of post-punk guitar playing with all the wailing of his father's pioneering American blues sound.

WIDESPREAD PANIC

With the sounds of this southern blues rock band spiraling out from the main stage, I walked through the days wreckage of water bottles and other debris out to my car and tent which were unfortunately still blocked by the car's of others still out enjoying the festival. However given the chance for a much needed rest and an early exit for the nearest shower I was happy to skip the band as they were clearly audible from the campgrounds which unlike the main stage, are equipped with chairs and food.

SATURDAY: THE MAIN EVENT

2008-06-15T13:05:00.001-04:00

If the rest of the festival felt long, Saturday was truly a musical marathon. The day began with a number of smaller acts taking the stages followed by a cluster or stars so tight one would have had to do laps around the site just to keep up with the volume of shows. The biggest conundrum for the Bonnaroo crowd came during the hours of 4-8 p.m. During these four hours, a total of seven hours of music was being played at various tents featuring the likes of CAT POWER, BB KING, ZAPPA PLAYS ZAPPA, IRON AND WINE and BEN FOLDS mostly playing simultaneously.

The big story however was the nights line-up featuring PEARL JAM, JACK JOHNSON and of course KANYE WEST. The rapper whose announcement to the lineup was seen as controversial, wasn't content to let the other actual headliners take the spotlight, even in absence KANYE WEST stole the show.

SATURDAY BANDS

KANYE WEST

WEST's late night set which had been previously been backed up to 2:45 a.m. and put on the main stage. By 2:45 a host of tired and weary campers began pouring into the area to catch a glimpse of the spotlight stealing star and his "Glow in the Dark Tour" which promised a once in a life time laser show.

By 3:30 KANYE WEST had not appeared on stage leaving the crowd embittered to the star, whom many had bought tickets explicitly to see. Many, falling asleep on the ground waiting began to leave before any official announcements were made on behalf of the festival. The wait, was due to mostly technical difficulties however this didn't stop the tired crowd from losing faith in the star famous for his temper tantrums. The problem seemed to be with the main TV screen for WEST's light show, which dangled in the air for forty minutes while road crews threw up their hands in disbelief below. Being in that crowd, it was not hard to picture an angry KANYE WEST all but having a nervous breakdown onstage.

However it was a testament to WEST that despite the difficulties much of the crowd stayed at the site until 4:30 when the lights went down and the rapper took the stage to a particularly energetic version of "Good Morning." Tearing through most of his new album, the rapper barely mentioned the difficulties to the crowd and reportedly his set lasted until sunrise, most likely putting a damper on the "Glow in the Dark" aspect of the event.

TWO GALLANTS

Having heard a healthy buzz about this garage rock duo, I chose to take a leap of faith and check out the show. The two musicians, whose name refers to a James Joyce short story about robbers, took the stage and gave the early afternoon a much needed boost of energy. Sounding like the punky little brother of Rob Thomas, the lead singer spat lyrics about partying and everyday teenage life into a blues-like delivery. The style despite at times sounding inspired by nineties alt-rock, was more reminiscent of an old blues style of story telling which was also captured in their tight playing. The band made enough noise for two and them some, mixing styles and generating cheers for their energetic set.

ABIGAIL WASHBURN + BELA FLECK

Famed banjo player Bela Fleck agreed to play his second show of the weekend Saturday afternoon this time with singer songwriter ABIGAIL WASHBURN. The female singer, who switches from English to Chinese during her songs, was also backed a by the SPARROW QUARTET who mostly played string instruments behind her. The group was dressed more appropriately for a formal ball than a concert, however this did not stop many from checking out the unique collaboration out of curiosity. Bela Fleck did his job well, living up to his much touted technical prowess while being respectful enough to not overshadow Abigail Washburn and her personal songs.

GOGOL BORDELLO

When you enter onto a stage backed by a three story blue and yellow high banner of your band's name featuring the emboldened words "Gypsy Punk Revolution" you better be ready to make some noise. Gogol Bordello however did not disappoint the afternoon crowd, stirring those close to the stage into a fist pumping riot. Despite the punk declaration, the band featured a wide array of instruments including strings and one accordion player. The bands peculiar sonic attack drew from roots as diverse as Eastern European wedding music and traditional American punk music blending them into a unique sound that is highly listenable despite its diverse roots.

CAT POWER

By 4:30 the floor of the stage dubbed "That Tent" had turned from a nice grassy nook into a muddy mess. Despite this however, many came early for CAT POWER who took the stage on time while sporting her trademark army navy long sleeve shirt. Power opened the set with a heavy dose of cuts from her latest "Jukebox," however the set of cover tunes provided the perfect sound for the atmosphere which would have been ill suited to the depressing manner of her earlier material. After a warm up version of "Ramblin' (Wo)Man" from her new album, Power looked disappointed a smiled timidly at the crowd. Despite the singer's good looks and amazing smoky voice it was interesting to see that contrast with her charmingly awkward demeanor onstage where she often looked like she was doing the "Elaine dance" from Seinfeld and with equal seriousness. After an interesting take on Creedence Clearwater's "Fortunate Son" many kept moving as there was much to see.

BB KING

"I'd like you to remember that I'm now eighty-two years old. When I was young I thought I was handsome like you guys, girls used to come to me and say 'Hi BB,' then I'd get ready to tell them my story and they'd say 'Bye B.'"

Such was the language of BB KING Saturday afternoon as he succeeded in turning the wide expanse of the festival's main stage into the equivalent of a front porch jam. King who never left his seat sweet talked the crowd and played many old favorites backed by an all star blues band, dubbed by BB himself "the best blues band on the road." Many of the King's jokes were self deprecating and were able to get the crowd laughing. At one point during the set a helicopter flew over prompting the elder statesman of the blues to say "We're not in Vietnam now are we?" BB went wild on the guitar, wearing an equally wild blue and gold checkered shirt. BB was always the gentlemen providing just the right thunder for a show that attracted all ages prompting even some of the younger festival goers to spout lines like "how cool would it be if he was my Grandpa."

PEARL JAM

Alone on the main stage at 10 p.m. Pearl Jam drew the largest crowd the event had seen by far. The stage, which was set up with a backdrop with a wave like design sat quietly and awaited to see what the festival headliners would have in store. Soon the band came out blasting into classic riff rock staples like "Animal" and fan favorites "Elderly Woman Behind a Counter in a Small Town" aside some of their bigger hits like "Daughter" and "Better Man" which found a new life live. Pearl Jam continued to prove why they are one of America's premier bands after all these years. Eddie Vedder stumbled about howling like a wild man during songs while Mike McCreedy proved why his guitar playing is so drastically underrated with speedy solos buoyed by the tight bass and drum backing. The band only stopped the music a few times, pausing to remind people to try and change the world. Vedder's speech however jumbled, seemed honest and from the heart especially when he led a sing-a-long version of his new charity single "No War."

Elsewhere in the set the rocker's blasted through extended jams on "Even Flow" and "Rearviewmirror" and chose to close the set with the tag team of their first album closer, "Release" and crowd favorite "Alive." The band played well over their scheduled time taking two encores and whipping the crowd into sing-a-longs, none more well suited to the event than the echoes of a thousands of people yelling "I'm still alive" in Eddie's classic indistinguishable howl.

SIGUR ROS

The Icelandic indie band's ethereal music drew a sizable crowd to their late night show, which gave those fans in America a unique chance to see the band, which does not tour stateside often. Pronounced (See-gar Ross) the band's music can only be described as an epic soundtrack to an unmade movie which you are then free to visualize in your head. The band, which featured upwards of eight people onstage at anytime played a host of prime cuts for the crowd which featured a surprising number of devout followers. The crowd clapped along to "Hippopola" as the lead singer, looking like a younger blonder version of Thom Yorke sang in a crisp falsetto that hovered over the music perfectly showing that the band is quite capable of recreating the entirety of its epic studio sound live.

BONNAROO BLOG DAY 2

2008-06-14T11:53:00.000-04:00

As much fun as Day 1 was, Friday brought the promise of a full lineup with the main stage at Bonnaroo finally opening to the fans. The Main Stage is set off in a field by itself, empty except for the massive stage at the end with Bonnaroo in florescent green letters. The stage was set to be graced by Jack White and his Raconteurs as well as comedy man Chris Rock and heavy metal gods Metallica.

The night also brought a fresh batch of rumors including the supposed identities of the fabled Superjam. The Superjam is an annual event which features an all-star lineup of musicians in a once in lifetime only event. Speculation ranged from whether Robert Plant and Jack White might take the stage together while guitar connoisseurs salivated at the possibility of guitar legend BB King and Metallica's main shredder Kirk Hammet.

DAY 2 THE BANDS

DRIVE BY TRUCKERS

The southern rockers out of Athens, Georgia had little trouble drawing fans to their set. The first to go on that day, the band found themselves playing to a surprising number of fans, lying in the grass on the sunny day. Sounding like a vintage version of the Stone's infused with a down home love for country. Many of their songs seemed influenced by that band's guitar twang and rollicking licks reminiscent of such classics as "Factory Girl" and "Dead Flowers."

JOSE GONZALEZ

After seven albums, it finally seems like Jose Gonzalez is making some headway. The classically trained guitar player, perfectly compliments his subtle tunes with a crisp voice that seems to compliment the music just right. The set featured at one of the festivals smaller tents, drew crowd members anxious to get out of the hot sun and relax. Gonzalez provided a soft soundtrack to the weather sprinkling his set with fan favorites like "Crosses."

MINUS THE BEAR

Armed with their intriguing name and the fresh cover of clouds, Seattle's Minus the Bear's set started around 2:30 prompting many younger fans to head over to the concert which seemed to grow by word of mouth. The young rock band showcased their musicianship playing their songs which combined the weird time signatures of Mars Volta with the outright pop sensibilities of the Strokes. The sound which was diverse in influence went over well on stage as the drummer pounded the band's delicately clean guitar licks into pummeling riffs. While the group played their songs with maximum enthusiasm the band seemed unwilling to take the songs to the next level busting out into a surprisingly small amount of jams as the band chose to coast on its songwriting ability rather than its musical expertise.

LES CLAYPOOL

Well known for being quite the strange guy, Les Claypool is also a master of stage presence. Entering decked out in a dapper black Victorian suit with an equally bizarre long-nosed mask, the former bassist of Primus proved why he is one of the most talked about bassists of all time. Claypool showed that not only is he capable of playing bass but practically coaxing any sound he wants out of the instrument. The band which backed Claypool provided the right backdrop for the musician's odd sound providing the right support for the musician while simultaneously letting him take over the stage. The music bounced over the crowd seemingly equally inspired both the structure of classical music and cartoon theme songs, but nonetheless effective in getting the crowd moving.

THE RACONTEURS

Leading off with the first cut on their new album "Consoler of the Lonely" Jack White and his band of rockers took the stage as if they were grabbing it by force. The new songs proved quite capable of getting the crowd going as Jack White bounced around like the manic commander of his army of amazing musicians. True to form, the other Raconteurs never left their posts, seldom breaking from their three corner triangle stance around White who whipped around with wild abandon. White proved to anyone that doubted his guitar prowess wrong with blistering solos, even one that sent him crashing headfirst into a speaking and getting up with his chord wrapped around his guitar. The band graced the main stage which also featured a live video feed on two huge monitors. The live footage directed like a movie provided the perfect counter for the rocker's mix of storytelling and music. The intensity of the performance was sometimes staggering with the band ripping through new songs "You Don't Understand Me," "California Drama" as well as old classics like "Level" and "Store Bought Bones." Before leaving for their first encore, White seemed bent on the band's musical perfection. Sometimes even a palpable anger seemed to pass between White and Benson, the bands other guitarist and singer, as the two harmonized solos and shot each other hard glances. The music was unceasing as not one second of dead air was allowed to pass out of the band's speaker system. Finally after an hour and a half of this epic assault the band left the stage, trotted out front and center for a bow and promptly left only with smiles and shrugs.

METALLICA

Many have been speculating for weeks as to what Metallica's reception at the festival would be given that the rocker's "Kill 'em All" style doesn't seem to meld with the festival's relaxing hippie vibes. However by the time Metallica was about to take the stage a light drizzle was falling from the sky as a perfect prelude to the rocker's set. The main stage was packed as far as the eye could see as anywhere upwards of 60,000 people were trying to get closer to the stage. Right on cue the rocker's burst onto the stage, looking older but no less inspired by the same angry muses of their youth. Opening with "Master of Puppets" the band offered up a greatest hits set featuring cuts like "Unforgiven," "Nothing Else Matters" and a host of flying riffs from the early "Kill 'em All" and "Master of Puppets" albums. Surprisingly however the band seemed too timid to dip into any new material only debuting four new songs. The crowd however, many whom were seeing Metallica for the first time seemed receptive if not totally engrossed. Despite the rocker's playing their best, the crowd was unable to sing along with some of Jame's Hetfeild's song requests. However if nothing else the band proved that they are still a solid live act, if somewhere a decade behind their creative prime. Their set ended on high notes as they shot fire works into the sky and played a few cuts including a sharp version of the recently guitar hero certified "One."

MY MORNING JACKET

Fresh off the debut of their new album "Evil Urges," the band which recently has graced the cover of SPIN and was named Rolling Stone's "Breakthrough Artist of the Year" took the stage around midnight reportedly playing until 5 a.m. well past their 3 a.m. deadline. The band came out of the gate with the title cut from their new album which was a five minute funk jam. The band weaved in and out through material from all their albums. The particular highlights were an epic version of Z's "Lay Low" and the band's new price inspired jam "Highly Suspicious." The latter which sounds like the best funk song about the dangers of a 1984-like society you've ever heard. The big story however was the last song before the band's first break. About halfway into the set, in began to rain hard on the crowd which seemed to only be more enthused by it. In contrast the band had a few technical difficulties. However when Kirk Hammett came out with his flame embossed black guitar emanating the riff from "One Big Holiday" it was more than enough to make the rain soaked concert well worth it.

SUPERJAM

Sometime after 2 a.m. after walking by DJ TIESTO's thumping techno blasts, I made my way over to the "Other Tent" to see the much hyped "Superjam." For all the hubbub and speculation their were few big names for the act. Much of Gogol Bordello was onstage with Les Claypool and surprisingly given the talent at Bonnaroo, not much else. Reportedly the set featured all Tom Waits covers and Kirk Hammet on the last four songs.

HOT RUMOR

MIA's set that was reportedly canceled, was in fact played. Rumor has it around the media tent that the show went on only because the Olsen Twins decided to come to Bonnaroo for the show.

DAY 1: The Shows

2008-06-13T10:31:00.000-04:00

The first day at the festival offered up an array of newer bands vying for exposure. The night's set included the much hyped sets from MGMT hot off their stellar debut Oracular spectacular and from indie faves VAMPIRE WEEKEND.

However it wasn't just a night for big names as many of the smaller relatively unknown bands generated respectable audiences at the their respective stages. The other bands that were playing that night included two cover bands. One DARK STAR ORCHESTRA, a Grateful Dead cover band formed in 1997 out of Chicago, the other LEZ ZEPPELIN a gospel tinged Led Zeppelin cover band which drew many out of pure curiosity.

WHAT MADE MILWAUKEE FAMOUS

The first band to take any stage at the festival this year, the band came out to the crowd which was eager to start seeing live music and announced that they were "What Made Milwaukee Famous, from Austin, Texas." This odd juxtaposition of locations served to define the groups sound which while tight and well produced seemed unimaginative. The singer tried admirably to stir the crowd into some cheers however his statements such as "I didn't know it was this hot in Tennessee" like the bands sound were enjoyable if a little too familiar. The power pop group, whose pop sheen was reminiscent of the Killers with a Britpop influenced singer received mixed reactions from the Bonnaroo crowd.

MGMT

Formerly known as Management, the Brooklyn, New York electropop duo were the first band to draw any pre-set anticipation drawing applause for their road crew several times when they simply came out to test a connection. The sporadic pre-set clapping gave way to screams however when MGMT took the stage this time as a five piece band. Though there were some questions as to whether the band could recreate their sound live, the band answered the question, if not decisively.

Kicking off with "Weekend Wars" the band, like their pre-set applause was off and on hitting high highs and shaky spots where the group seemed a little shaken by the large enthusiastic crowd. Despite the shaky start the group began to settle down into tight jams with psychedelic guitar spasms before launching into the crowd favorites "Electric Feel" and "Time to Pretend," the latter which had a more natural feel live and prompted a sing a long from the crowd.

THE SWORD

Another Austin, Texas band, The Sword were much different then their other local counterparts WMMF. The metal band whose song "Freya" was featured on the hugely successful "Guitar Hero II" drew a decent sized crowd mostly of the metal faithful variety. The bands double guitar attack hit the audience like a buzzsaw, while the drummer pounded away sparking mosh pits in front of the stage as well as crowd surfing. The metal band was not just content to blast out super fast riffs, on slower tracks the band showed a melodic sensibility that showed they have the chops to take their metal attack down a few notches and still draw cheers.

VAMPIRE WEEKEND

The main event of the night, Vampire Weekend drew one of the bigger crowds of the night. A mix of devout fans, mostly young kids, and others there to check out the hype were left waiting for about five minutes as the band meandered their way to the stage. However, once the group arrived they quickly took off playing their entire self-titled album including cuts like "Blake's Got a New Face," "Campus," and their MTV single "A-Punk."

The band showed that they have the chops to play their unique blend of indie rock and African tribal music into a seamless live set. The crowd quickly got into the band's island grooves if not their cheeky ivy-league sensibilities. Lead singer Ezra Koenig dedicated a handful of songs to "Boston" and also one peculiarly to "those tropical Irish girls." The band had the daunting challenge to stretch their 30 minute album into a 90 minute set however the band did respond by showcasing some new material.

One standout track may be one of the best the band's produced to date, a raucous chorus of "heys" cascades over the upbeat track, elsewhere in the song the band's singer finds a way to incorporate making monkey noises not only into an interesting song but also a kind of vocal riff that changes throughout the song. Finally ending with "Walcott" the band left the stage to a chorus of cheers as they had won the crowd over, even with most of the older folks in the audience bopping along to its irresistible beat.

BONNAROO BLOG DAY 1

2008-06-13T09:48:00.000-04:00

From the streets in the city of Manchester, Tennessee, one could see cars backed all the way out to the highways as the throngs of music fanatics descended on the city's seventh annual Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.

Despite the heavy traffic flow with some waiting more than four hours to get in, the process was orderly conducted with a staff of mostly local volunteers steering traffic and conducting the necessary searches of the camper's overstuffed automobiles.

The townspeople were also out in full force to take advantage of the stranded and hot travelers. Vendors were selling everything from fresh fruit to ice, with prices all marked up well above the average convenience store price. Some even charging four to five dollars for ice. However most were just out to make some spare change or to campaign for a good cause, with many local activist groups and girls softball teams going from car to car for donations.

FIRST DAY SHAKE-UPS & SET CHANGES

According to the blog the Nashville scene, MIA has canceled her entire European tour citing exhaustion something that apparently also includes her much hyped Friday night performance at the festival. There hasn't been an official announcement yet, and speculation continues. Perhaps the festival could fill the spot with the KINGS of LEON who are reportedly here camping at the festival and are currently not booked for any stage time (just a suggestion or a bout of wishful thinking)

http://blogs.nashvillescene.com/nashvillecream/2008/06/mia_cancels_bonnaroo_performan.php

To the delight or ire of the fans, the much maligned aligning of KANYE WEST and JACK JOHNSON for similar stage times on Saturday night has been readjusted more favorably. Instead of going head to head, West's show will be starting at 2:45 in the morning on Saturday, following shows by rappers TALIB KWALI and LUPE FIASCO. This puts KANYE and his Glow in the Dark tour at time slot more favorable to the stage setups supposed grandeur. On the downside however, the realignment also puts the beginning of WEST's into the time of SIGUR RUS's set which runs from 1-3.

The Breeders Rock Through a Set and Two Encores at Pearl Street

2008-06-05T17:32:00.000-04:00

The heavily celebrated Pixies got their start in the Pioneer Valley at UMass Amherst decades ago. Bassist Kim Deal eventually broke off into a project of her own, The Breeders, with Throwing Muses' Tanya Donelly, eventually employing her twin sister guitarist Kelley, who has remained through many lineup changes.

Deal and the Breeders have been touring in support of their fourth studio album, "Mountain Battles," and made a stop at Pearl Street's ballroom on Wednesday. This show marked the first of a few Iron Horse Entertainment Group summer shows featuring respected 1990s alternative rock acts, also including grunge champs Mudhoney (6/5) and the metal sludge of the Melvins (8/10).

The Breeders rolled through a large body of songs, from highlights from their new record to old favorites like their most recognizable track "Cannonball" from 1993's "Last Splash," pausing in between numbers to laugh and swig beer.

Their set also included a surprising and pleasing rendition of the Beatles' "Happiness Is A Warm Gun," with the audience chiming in for the "bang bang shoot shoot" backing harmonies."

Deal returned to the stage for not one encore, but two, ensuring that the audience got their $23 worth.

Ian Nelson, Collegian Staff

Weezer's Red Album Drops (Most of It Anyway)

2008-05-22T18:18:00.000-04:00

Fans eagerly awaiting the arrvail of Weezer's latest album need not wait any longer as earlier in the week, leaked songs for the forthcoming album, Weezer's 6th, were leaked online through websites like BitTorrent and even inflitrated Youtube with fan made uploads.

Though the official album isn't officially available until the 6th of June (moved up a week from its original date) and only eight of the ten songs were ultimately leaked, it should give fans and critics a good indication of what the band has been up to since its much debated last effort "Make Believe."

About two weeks ago, Weezer dropped their first single "Pork 'n Beans " which is currently burning up the rock radio charts. The single, inspired by blights with the record company is clearly the most radio friendly song on an album full of suprises and those good old fashioned Weezer moments.

The album begins with a misstep, in what is perhaps ultimately the album's worst song to date, "Troublemaker." Where Rivers Cuomo boasts that he's a "trouble maker not a double taker" and that he's "doing things his own way," prompting thoughts that maybe the promise of another color-coded album might not be enough to save the day.

Weezer fans rejoice however as the next song provides the album's clear standout track. The tune "The Greatest Man Who Ever Lived" is filled with the same un-weezerlike statements of pop bravado that filled the first song. Here we find Rivers boasting that he is indeed what is mentioned in the title. The song starts off at a similar pace to "Troublemaker" before spiraling into a Queen-like whirlwind of mini-song vinettes that include chanting and Rivers hitting the high notes. The last part provides some much needed relief to Weezer fans who have waited a long time since Rivers last delivered a line with the sheer force that he croons "ooooooh baby/ i think that I'm goin' crazy." A line that dares you to try and not sing it out loud.

Elsewhere on the album there is much to be excited about. The album marks the first time since before the Green Album (and this decade) that a Weezer album feels more like the work of a band than simply the singer, guitarist and principal songwriter Rivers Cuomo. He even goes so far as to reliquish the vocal lead on "Thought I Knew" and elsewhere harmonies are abound as the other Weezer band members step up to the plate and give Rivers the "all" that he demands in "The Greatest Man who Ever Lived."

Elsewhere on the ablum, "Heart Songs" features lyrics about the songs and artists that influenced Rivers, which include the likes of Michael Jackson and Nirvana. "Everbody Get Dangerous" is another instance of single material and proves to be a better crafted pop song with each subsequent listen. However when on familiar turf, Weezer are never able to sound off. In "Cold Dark World" Rivers sings about his "angel girl" and the bleak world which they inhabit, a combination that makes for a winning track.

So where does the Red Album stand in the line of Weezer albums? It's too early to tell and already I've found myself in numerous debates with friends of varying opinions. But that's the good part. For the first time in a while Weezer has released an album with songs worth giving a damn about if your friend didn't like it. An album that will spark different opinions and different reactions. It features songs that indulge River's weird side, and make you realize that that was always Weezer's strength, keeping it weird.

However more importantly it features a slew of better than average and better with every listen pop songs. And if nothing else, the Red Album proves that even if Rivers isn't "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived," he's still a songwriter worth caring about, at the helm of one of rock's heavyweight bands.

Neil Young's Legacy Grows More Legs

2008-05-12T13:51:00.000-04:00

In probably the weirdest bit of news I've stumbled upon lately, Neil Young, veteran rocker best known for his distinguished solo career and tenure in the band CSNY, has extended his legacy out of music and into the animal kingdom.

Nme.com reported today that the veteran rocker has recently had a species of spider named after him. Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi was the 'scientific name' given to the new arachnid when it was discovered by a fan and scientist, Jason Bond. Bond made the discovery in Alabama and has recently confirmed that it is a new species through "DNA testing."

What's most hilarious is that the spider, named after Young is distinguished from other spiders by its different genitalia, which may or may not come as a compliment to the star depending on how you look at it.

So far the star has not commented on how this adds to his legacy and is currently touring under his new album, Chrome Dreams II.

link to story:
http://www.nme.com/news/neil-young/36546

Iron Man!

2008-05-05T13:03:00.000-04:00

Skip your classes and make haste to Cinemark: "Iron Man" is the most fun of any superhero movie released in the past year.

Robert Downey, Jr. stars as Tony Stark, a hotshot weapons dealer. Taken captive by a local terrorist group during a visit to the Middle East, they demand Stark reconstruct for them his latest design, the Jericho. Instead, he builds an impenetrable iron suit, and proceeds to lay the smack down.

Most superhero types seem like creeps outside their personas. Downey, Jr.'s Stark is the rare exception to the rule, a character who continues to be more interesting outside of his gadgets and gear than he is with them. Wesley Morris of the Boston Globe tapped the pulse of the performance in his recent review of "Iron Man," claiming "Downey appears to like all this make-believe. Even the clunky dialogue sounds witty out of his mouth."

Maybe that doesn't sound so praise-worthy. But it speaks to some of what makes Downey's performance in the film so fun. After his escape from captivity, Stark returns to the States a changed man. Swearing off his company's commitment to weapons manufacturing, Stark becomes consumed by a new task, the construction of a stronger Iron Man suit.

With this, he becomes the latest in a designer line of eccentric billionaires cum superheroes. He holes up in his basement, building the suit out of eye-dazzling gadgetry. Crime fighting is clearly what billionaires do for past time (Howard Hughes was, in fact, also a superhero). So why couldn't Paris Hilton funnel some of her time and resources into a similar venture? She could be the Bionic Socialite or something. It'd be cool, and it'd give her something to do now that the Simple Life has been canceled.

I won't go into any more "Iron Man" details. Someone else is probably slated to do a full review of it in the section soon. But I did want to gush, and recommend it to all who may have been on the fence about the Marvel Comic figure's incarnation on the big screen.

In general, I also wonder what Hollywood looks like now that so many A-List actors and actresses have begun taking part in the superhero genre. A Justice League of Hollywood complete with Oscar statuettes, action figures, and fat paychecks - I like to imagine they all meet up in a mansion somewhere in secrecy. There, they talk shop and swap bragging points. Christian Bale is probably always off scowling in a corner, full brood mode, while the once twiggy Tobey Maguire would likely be too busy working on his abs and pecs to talk much to the rest of the group. Hands down, though, George Clooney would be the life of the party, chuckling about his rubber nipple fittings for "Batman & Robin." In my head, it's a riot. And now that Robert Downey, Jr. has joined the party with the "Iron Man" franchise, the group has a resident bad-ass.

-SM

My Morning Jacket offer up New Single for 'Evil Urges'

2008-05-04T15:19:00.001-04:00

My Morning Jacket are a big time festival band that are starting to make some headway in the mainstream music industry. The band is a Bonnaroo favorite, having played at the festival for 5 out of the 7 years of its existance.

Coupled with that, the band has also had the honors of opening up for Pearl Jam and will soon grace the May edition of Spin Magazine all in preparation for their new album Evil Urges which is set for release on June, 10th.

The new single for the album, bears the odd moniker "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 2." The band seems to pick up right where they left off after the ambitious 2005 release Z, which found them straying from their trademark southern rock roots for a more experimental tone.

Despite the fact that lead singer Jim James reported the album was likely to harken back to the more classic rock sounding LP "It Still Moves," the single has a stronger sonic resemblence to songs like "Wordless Chorus" and "It Beats 4 U"

While it is indicitive that the band has not lost its creative prowess, it does seem that this album is going to steer in a funkier more dancable direction. MMJ continues to set themselves apart by trying to defy genres and it is likely like with a typical MMJ album it is most likely that they better cuts will be buried deeper in the album.

Drummer, Patrick Hallahan, talked about his plans for the new album at a Bonnaroo press conference last week.

Boston College Reporter Jeff Wallace asked, "With such a limited live scheduled this summer, I mean, how does it feel to return to the Bonnaroo, you know, immediately after that album drops?"

Pat Hallahan: It just so happens that, you know, we had planned that album dropping time before Bonnaroo have actually asked us to join on and we thought as the perfect opportunity to, you know, play right after the album drops. So that’s actually going to be – I guess, our official national listening party between that and Radio City Music Hall.

The drummer goes on to say that their set list for the Tennesee concert will likely "mix the new material in with the old material" saying the album basically added "13 new songs to extend our set list time." Adding ultimately that he has a particular place in his heart for Bonnaroo as it "the only festival that will let us play for three hours straight."

Single: "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream Pt. 2"

Rating: 3/5

Single Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bpdwwa7lsUI

Unfarmilar with the band? Start Here
"One Big Holiday" Live on Conan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Q9iAcPjzc

Neil Patrick Harris & The Second Life of Celebrities

2008-05-03T16:56:00.000-04:00

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, the second in the film franchise, contains ten minutes of epic cinema gold. While stranded in the wilderness the perpetually daft duo attempt to hitchhike only to be picked up by none other than Neil Patrick Harris (Doogie Howser MD).

What follows is Neil Patrick Harris acting as Neil Patrick Harris. As in the characters in the movie are aware that he is a person from real life with acting experience, when in fact he is playing an exaggerated version of himself on film. One that quite hilariously is prone to boozing, tripping, whorehouses and branding prostitutes.

This new type of film role has come up often in film lately as it has become more common for comedies to use the cult status of an actor as a form of humor. The humor at its crudest exists with this simple premise. Wouldn't it be funny if ____ (insert cult movie actor) did ____ (insert whatever seems least likely for said celebrity to actually do).

The most notable forms of this new type of casting have been in some of the most recent blockbuster comedies. Ryan Seacrests famous breakdown on the E! set in the movie Knocked Up was a written part, and Seacrest was playing on the preconcieved notions of the audience. Elsewhere in the final scenes of Dogdeball, not only does David Hasslehoff provide the inspiration for the German team, but the final decision about the match is left to none other than Chuck Norris.

There times in history where this level of celebrity could not be achieved. Adam West struggled for years in Hollywood to break away from his Batman image only to end up years later as the deranged mayor of Quahog in Family Guy. And for further examples of what it was like for typecast actors you need to only watch Ben Affleck's movie "Hollywoodland" about the mysterious death of Superman actor George Reeves.

With the advent of reality TV though, all this has changed. New types of roles exist for these celebrities to do quite well for themselves. Some like Flavor Flav, Adam West and William Shatner eventually parlay this exposure and likability into latter success finding homes on Television, commercials or what have you.

Some Top Actor Playing Themselves Moments:

1) Neil Patrick Harris in the new "Harold & Kumar"
2) Pam Anderson acting better than ever fighting of the marraige bag in "Borat"

3) Lance Armstrongs Speech about quitting in "Dodgeball"

4) Alice Cooper "we're not worthy" in "Wayne's World"

5) David Bowie MCs the walk-off in Zoolander

feel free to add to the list with some other celeb cameo moments...

Interview

2008-05-01T12:34:00.000-04:00

With the Upcoming WMUA Spring Kick-Off Concert this Sunday at 1, I got a great chance to interview an up-and-coming singer/songwriter. The full story about Jesse Elliott, the brain behind These United States, is in today's Collegian. It was an exciting interview and one of the more unique ones I have had. So because a lot of what was said was chopped and cut for the article to create a story, I figured it to be a good idea to post it on our blog for everyone to read.

In my Humble opinion, These United States debut release "A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden" is one of the best albums so far this year. So I was excited to correspond with Elliott. And after reading up on him, my curiosity really grew and I tried ot branch out for some more unique, or i felt they were unique, questions.

So here is the e-mail Correspondence between Elliott and myself in an uncut/unedited format.

Kevin: Let me preface this question sheet. this is pretty extensive. SO I understand that time may not lend you to answer all of these on a timely manner or at all. It would be great if you could have it done ASAP, and all of the questions. It will allow me time to paint the picture in the paper for the profile that will probably be done (instead of the boring old preview).

My first question has to be about your Band's name: Where did it come from? And how often do you get confused with that mid-90's Presidents of The United States of America? (I have gotten that reaction when I tell people to pick up your album.)

Elliot: Geography. Philosophy. A brand-new same-old pan-American Dream.
Often. Occasionally with the country, too. Or the soccer team that calls the District of Columbia home. Which is weird.

Kevin:Next would have to be the Borges quote at the end of your e-mail. I am one to notice literary and obscure references. What type of things influence your song writing? Do authors writers and great thinkers influence your songs? (Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem from the Muppet Show can't be your one and only influence.)

Elliot:Writers and great thinkers influence everyone. It's the trickle-down effect of culture - Reagan would be proud! Except the hippies won! Or are winning. Subtly. Every day. Look around at culture, at what's considered the norm now. Bastards. I am influenced by everything I ever see or hear. I'm very easily influenced, which is good and bad. I don't have much within me, but I am an amazing sponge and thief!

Kevin:You just had a tour with a new band every night, outside of your three good friends. How was that?

Elliot:Inspiring. See above. We stole their hearts. And they stole ours. It was orgiastic. Is that a word? There were 3 of us - me, Tom, and Robby - and every night, all of a sudden, somehow, there were 6 of us, 7 of us, 9 of us! We were all around us - we hardly knew how we had surrounded ourselves so quickly - fungus in a petri dish! It worked!

Kevin:Did the crowd pick up the authenticity each and every night? And mentally how much did it wear on you having to teach a new group of musicians our songs each night?

Elliot:I hope so. Some of them certainly seemed to. Some wanted what was "us." Some wanted what was not us. People always want different things. We split the difference. The teaching was exhausting, but it was the only things that kept us going. Drive straight from Denver to Minneapolis, though a blizzard the last 4 hours, from 3 am to 7 am, and you better have some beautiful new creative souls waiting for you with a cup-o-joe in one hand a Budweiser in the other.

Kevin:You also have toured a lot, and I mean a lot, over the past few years. What type of people have you met along the way? Are there any that stand-out for any reason at all?

Elliot:Everyone in Boise. And everyone in Salt Lake City. They are mad, all of them. They are the craziest mountain people I have ever met, and I have met a lot of people in a lot of mountains.

Kevin:I see you are slated to record in May, but you have a bunch of new tour dates announced, are you still going to try and record a new album or has it been pushed back?

Elliot: Sure, why not!

Kevin:This one is coming out of left field...What is the Federal Reserve Collective exactly? I have seen it mentioned in many articles about you, but no real explanation. If you could elaborate on this project it'd be great.

Elliot:Not at all. That's coming from within us, actually. That's a large part of who we are. That's why we love playing with new people, why we did this tour, why we gather the first Monday of every month at Iota and play new songs and jump up on each others' songs without invitation and get drunk and surly with each other. We are such an unsightly lot. Vandaveer, Kitty Hawk, Revival, Rose, a million more, we never know who exactly. We all ended up in DC somehow, so why not spend our lonely hours at the waning of the empire together? In other words: a collective.

Kevin: What was your favorite band so far to play with on the road? (Don't give me the generic "They were all great" answer. Everyone has a favorite.)

Elliot: They were all great! AND our favorite was The Scourge of the Sea - Lexington, KY, boys extraordinaire! We've known them the longest of anyone, that must have a lot to do with it. The night was magical. The Dame, the main venue in town there, is shutting down soon - gonna be ripped to shreds, I think. So it was a bittersweet, angry, exultant night, that one. We high-fived Stephen Trask! Chris Sullivan voila-ed a clarinet out of thin air, and blew into it with a Righteous Fury! Scourge! of! the Sea! Scourge! of! the Sea! Scourge! of! the Sea!

Kevin:Is this you first time in Northhampton/Amherst? If so, what do you expect? If not then: how was your experience before?

Elliot:Yes! We expect everything! Please have everything waiting for us!

Kevin:Living in the Nations Capital you must be around politics all the time. What is your stance on a lot of key issues (i.e. the war in Iraq, the floundering economy, oil and food prices.)?

Elliot:My stance: None of us have any idea what to do with the world we woke up on. Isn't that a shame? What a marvelous place.

Kevin:Five favorite Albums right now, or five that are on your tour bus right now that you can't stop listening to?

Elliot:Bus? Ha! Nonetheless...

Two Sheds - Strange Ammunition
David Dondero - South of the South
Why? - Alopecia
These United States - demos for our new album
Buck 65 - Stituation

Kevin:At each stop on your tours what is something you try to do when you go to a new place? (i.e eat some local food, drink some brews with the locals, that type of stuff.)

Elliot:Walk, get ground under our feet. Local brewery or brew on tap, hopefully a new pale ale or IPA. Ask people where they're from originally and how they ended up where they are now.

Kevin:What books do you read while on tour? (Or newspapers ,whatever you read.)

Elliot:Walt Whitman. Over and over. Put myself in a trance. Tom went fr the Camus again last tour - The Myth of Sisyphus. The local alternative weekly, anywhere we go. As many trashy music magazines as we can find, for news on Beyonce and other people who we admire and envy and covet.

Kevin:Finally: Your lyrics are well crafted, and your music is layered well. How long does it take you to write a song and it's lyrics?

Elliot:Thank you! The song is usually written in one burst - maybe pored back over and edited several thousand times after that (I used to work at a newspaper), maybe just left as is. These days, the music is left as skeleton as possible until we can all get together to discuss it. Usually I just have a riff in my head. That's really all I care about is riffs. And where the kick drum is placed.

-Kevin Koczwara

P.S. How did you get such an awesome beard? (I am serious, I love my beard and all but, yours is pretty bad-ass.)

Elliot:Aw, shucks, Kevin! ha! :) I got it from my dad. He inspired me starting at a very young age to be the beardiest I could be. Didn't tell me as much, just led by example.

These United States Daytrotter Session Click Here! Or the Picture!

Viva La Vida: Coldplay Get Dark

2008-04-30T20:16:00.000-04:00

Coldplay have been talking in recent months about releasing a harder more musically advanced album in the wake of their mega-hit X&Y, but until now it seemed like a lot of hot air.

Their new single "Violet Hill" is now available for free download on their website (http://www.coldplay.com/) and since it was posted has been downloaded over 600,000 times. The song is quite the departure for the band that has recently been trying to shake off the taunts that they are just a commercial pop band.

Chris Martin does his best Thom Yorke imitation singing over a simple drum beat. Jagged distorted guitars puncture his piano line occasionally and the song maintains a dark psychadelic side despite, being a simple pop song at heart.

"It was a long and dark december/From the rooftops I remember/there was snow/ white snow." Okay, so the lyrics are still pretty lame, but you've got to give the boys points for trying. Instead of catering to major rock radio, they got edgier as it is unlikely the song will find a home on the adult contemparary radio stations that made the band a household name.

However, if this is an indication of things to come, it is certaintly a bearer of good news. Their new album "Viva La Vida or Death and His Friends" comes out later this year.

Rating: 3.5/5

For full video with scrolling lyrics click below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v48Curum9no

RIP Albert Hoffman

2008-04-30T13:27:00.000-04:00

Potential Epitaph?

Here Lies Albert Hoffman
1906-2008
It Was Quite the Trip

The Swiss chemist who discovered/invented LSD died today at the ripe old age of 102. Albert Hoffman, who died of a heart-attack in his native Switzerland, accidentally stumbled on the drug and in 1943 was its first known user. Hoffman, absorbed a tiny bit of the chemical through his finger and would go on to report in his findings that it made everything distorted like that of a "fun-house mirror."

Hoffman, did not know that this drug would one day be used and abused, entwining itself into the mythology of the hippie generation. Rather he wished that the drug would have some "psychiatric uses" however, this proved not to be the case upon further study.

Hoffman, may have created what he considered a useless drug but it would go on to alter history. Would the Beatles have made Sgt. Peppers and become the world's greatest band without its influence? Would anyone have initially wanted to fill into the rooms of San Fransisco bars to hear the rambling music of the Grateful Dead? And surely the 60's classic novel, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is derived almost specifically from the drug.

So while, Hoffman may have not discovered what he originally intended, he is far from a failure. Almost everything that stems from the 60's and today's current culture wars stems in part from the drugs influence. Hoffman, like Frankenstein of the classic novel, may have lost control of his creation, and many people may claim that is indeed a heartless monster. But it is hard to picture the world, especially an arts section, without its immense influence on popular culture.

Deathcab on Daytrotter? Oh my!

2008-04-29T23:38:00.000-04:00

Daytrotter.com is moving up in the world these days. Death Cab for Cutie sat down and recorded some tracks, some old and some old. This is a big step for the indie music site. It is also a humbling of the and that struck gold on their last album, "Plans."

The Session has some new tracks from the upcoming album. They sound great. And the old tracks have an amazing feel to them live in the studio with minimal recording or production. It is a great listen. Something for old fans of The Photo Album and their newer stuff.

have fun!

Five Experimental Acts Light Up RPI

2008-04-29T18:37:00.000-04:00

RPI in Troy, NY hosted a slew of bands last Friday night, a free, mini-festival named "Between a Rock and a Tiny Bell." The event was hosted by RPI's new Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, which will open on the RPI campus in October. The event, which did not draw that large of a crowd even though it was of no charge, took place in a sort of gymnasium called The Armory. This was also clearly the most heavily postered show I've ever attended at a college, and even so attendance was not that great.

The first band to perform was the tight-pantsed HEALTH, from Los Angeles. They are a young, noisy, feedback-happy quartet who really went wild. There was much prancing around the stage, chanting into microphones and violently coaxing harsh sounds from guitars. The percussion was fantastic, the drummer pounding out ritualistic rhythms, at times accompanied by another band member beating on a single floor tom. Some electronic elements were woven in, in the form of fractured squeals and a single electronic drum pad used to grind out a steady house back-beat. This was quite the introduction the the show, with start/stop techniques jolting into the audiences' ears.

Next up was free jazz duo Han Bennink and Peter Brotzmann. Brotzmann's metal clarinet and saxophone noodled their way in between Bennink's unreal drumming pace, though took the backseat to the percussive aspects of the duo. Han Bennink made every single sound a drum set could possibly make, and the set wasn't even his - it was a stock set used by all the bands that night. He performed some tricks as well as playing as fast as humanly possible, including hoisting his foot up and pressing the heel into the snare, creating a higher pitched sound when rapped against. Later, he came out in front of his set and drummed on the floor, a strange sight with an amazing outcome (pictured above). He eventually laid down and continued drumming on the floor, to the delight and amazement of the crowd.

It was tough to follow up the free jazz duo, the most impressive act of the night, however Blarvuster took the stage next and tried their best. The six-piece included drums, bass, guitar, viola, flute/piccolo, and bagpipes/saxophone. They performed one extremely long piece, creating a jazzy, progressive collage of the sounds, making them work together and play off each other. The bagpipe player acted as conductor, pointing out when shifts should be made and switching up from bagpipes to saxophone from time to time throughout the composition. Though the piece was interesting, it lasted way too long. The drummer was once again most likely the most affecting portion of the sextet, he being current Xiu Xiu percussionist Ches Smith.

Next up was ZS, an experimental trio of guitar, drums, and saxophone. This act also performed a single, extended piece, however they were far less melodic than Blarvuster. ZS created some of the most searing, jagged, discordant sounds on the guitar possible, backed by simple, primitive war-drum percussion and the low skronk of a saxophone. The piece was not necessarily pleasing, but it was impressive in that the guitarist could sustain such extreme sounds for so long.

Finally the last band, Black Moth Super Rainbow, took the stage after a slow motion projection of Tyra Banks making disgusting, demonic faces shone on a projection screen. Where their music is not necessarily experimental itself, the visual aspect of their live show sure was interesting, dipping into B-movie horror movie clips, cut up children's television shows, and highly edited 80s pornography, not necessarily sexy though definitely provocative. The band itself didn't have much to offer on stage, standing/sitting behind their instruments and being functional, creating the sounds of their records and doing not much else. The focus was clearly the videos flashing on the projection screen, hypnotic colors swirling and flashing and oddly creepy, fractured video clips meandering to the beat of the synthesizer-heavy, vocoder vocal songs.

The night was a definite success, and hopefully the EMPAC of RPI will offer shows of this calibur once it actually opens in the fall. Experimental music surely has its place in the industry at this point, for who wants to hear the same sounds over and over again? We are creatures of habit, but why not try to break that generalization and hear something different and unexpected from time to time?

Party Like It's 1998

2008-04-28T14:05:00.001-04:00

Over ten years ago, Third Eye Blind burst out of the FM radio, into the backseat of my dad's 1997 Mazda 626, and became the voice of rock and roll rebellion for me and a generation elementary school kids.

And on Saturday night, the band played a show that all but sold out three-weeks ago, at Amherst College for their spring concert. A gymnasium full of these former backseat drivers, now all drivers themselves poured into the venue to hear the hits that somehow still find themselves on our ipods over a decade later.

Third Eye Blind is our generation's Motley Crue, and i mean this in no disrespect for either band. Motley Crue are still touring, representing the bombast of the eighties in epic form, and likewise Third Eye Blind embody the Nineties in a similar way. Their sentimental, teen girl hits were just macho enough to win the favor of the boys and thus were able to win over fans from just about every musical camp.

Who else can pack a gymnasium full of every type of person imaginable, jocks, bros, former cheerleaders, current cheerleaders, my RA, with even pretentious college journalists like me eager to get in?

Starting off with "Losing a Whole Year" off their debut LP, to a chorus of shouting college girls Third Eye Blind showcased a mastery over their pop songs only losing tempo when they tried to deviate and experiment with lesser material.

The band slugged through their major hits "Jumper," "Never Let You Go," even touching all those forgotten gems like "Motorcylce Drive By," "God of Wine" and the spectacularly underrated "Graduate" which spawned crowd-surfing and thunderous applause.

Amid the set, the lead singer announced that soon the band will be releasing its long awaited fourth album. Even previewing new single "Non Dairy Creamer" a faux punk rave up about politics, sexual favors that wishes it was half as smart as it was trying to be.

Their new material lacked the luster of their older material and will most likely not spawn another radio hit for a band that has long been passed over despite the lasting success of their peers, Matchbox 20 and The Goo Goo Dolls.

Third Eye Blind may be musicians but after years being on the road their finest art is now their showmanship. True to their art the gym was equipped with not only one but two stages (front/middle). The switch they pulled on the crowd caused downright rioting near the front and ecstatic applause for the late-arrivers who had stumbled on a front-row seat. With the temperature in the gym reaching over 100 degrees, and bodies flying over head, the concert had a frat party vibe albeit to much cooler house band.

For now though, the boys aren't doing so bad for themselves. While they may never again reach the same level of success, because they are such an essential band for those of us who grew up in the time, they will never be forgotten. And what's left after that? Well they could take a page from the Crue and simply tour sold out stadiums for another two decades. Right now they're living the American dream of playing rock tunes every night to stadiums full of college women and really what more could a rock band ask for?

The Daily Collegian sits down with Hanson

2008-04-27T20:30:00.000-04:00

On a hot Friday afternoon, Hanson led over 50 barefooted fans through the streets and neighborhoods of Northampton. The brothers, whose hit single “MmmBop” left them as ’90s pop icons, were proving to the people of Western Massachusetts that walking barefoot hurts and children in Africa do it on a daily basis. They were walking with TOMS Shoes, a company that gives a child in Africa a pair of shoes for every pair sold. The walk was Hanson’s 60th since they began touring last fall.
Before the band played to a nearly sold-out crowd in the Calvin Theater, Taylor and Zac Hanson were kind enough to sit down and answer a few questions about the walks, bullet scares and midget ninja pastry chefs.
Daily Collegian: Do you have any stand out memories from the tour so far?
Taylor Hanson: There have been a couple really intense things that have happened. We had a scare when we were in Royal Oak, outside of Detroit, where we thought we had somebody with a gun. There was a bullet that was discovered in the front row.
Zac Hanson: We had to find them and shoot them. [Laughing]
TH: That was pretty intense. Unfortunately, it’s really sad to say; but on the last tour, the Walk Tour, in the fall and many other times we’ve had people call us with death threats and like when we were in Chicago last year we had somebody say “If you do the walk today you won’t…”
ZH: “You won’t survive.”
TH: Yea, “you won’t leave this town alive.”
DC: You got phone calls or e-mails?
ZH: A little bit of everything.
TH: So we had to take that seriously in Detroit. But, that’s not very positive. But when we found a .40 bullet in the front row, and somebody felt it drop on their foot, they immediately started searching to see if somebody had a gun. We had to rally and call extra police and also make it safe. We were worried about everybody, not just whether we’re going to get shot. So, that was a little bit of scare, and everybody was cooperative, and we had cops there. It turned out that an off-duty cop’s girlfriend was carrying bullets in her purse, and they had fallen out of her purse.
ZH: Did she explain?
TH: Don’t ask. [Laughing] But then, like an idiot, some guy rushed the stage before we found out who had dropped the bullet, and he tried to get onstage.
DC: While you were performing?
TH: Right after we had walked offstage.
ZH: In between sets.
TH: These guys [the cops] were ready to stomp somebody, and so he got his butt tazed. He was thrown around, and he was taken to jail. Five cops just right on his ass.
ZH: Tackled, dragged outside, three knees in his back. [Cops yelling] “Stop resisting!” But that’s what you get for rushing the stage after they announce that there is a security concern at the venue tonight, and there’s two cops standing at the top of each side of the stage. There’s double the security there was 12 minutes ago, and “I’m going to rush the stage because I’m drunk.”
TH: Just really, really stupid. But actually, what I was going to say was that with all of that going on, it was a really great show.
ZH: Yeah, you got to leave your legacy if you’re going out. “We’re going out tonight guys, this is it. Best show of my life!”
TH: It turned out to be a great show; and also I’ve been really blown away by all the walks we’ve been doing and how many people have come out to support us. We’ve had some of the best walks we’ve had on the whole tour since last year. It’s been really interesting. Some walks have been small, some walks have been huge, but it’s great. You get to see each tour stop very differently based on doing the walks and doing the shows, and it adds a whole new dimension to your memory of each place. You get a sense of the crowd in each city.
DC: What’s the most surprising item on your tour rider?
ZH: Um, ninja midget pastry chef. That’s the most shocking one.
DC: What is that?
ZH: A ninja, midget, pastry chef.
TH: We’ve been trying to get one on the rider.
ZH: No, that’s on the rider.
TH: It’s just really rare to get those delivered to every town. For instance, there are a lot of small people but not necessarily ones who are also ninjas and pastry chefs as well.
ZH: That is actually on our rider, and it has yet to be fulfilled.
TH: You need somebody who has both the power to kill and has a sensitive side and can also provide a service for the tour. But of course, you’d never see him, because he’s very small and all of a sudden you just see a pastry coming.
ZH: You don’t want to eat any of the pastries because he might have poisoned one or two of them, just for fun. That’s what ninjas do.
DC: You’re biggest guilty pleasure song?
ZH: Don’t have them. The songs I like, I like.
DC: Really, none?
ZH: I like a song and will tell you it, or I don’t like it. I’m not a pansy.
DC: There’s part B to this question.
TH: In other words, if we like a song we’re proud to say we like the song. For instance, I’m not a Celine Dion fan particularly, but she has an incredible voice and has sung a lot of great songs.
ZH: Although, I wouldn’t say she has the best voice out of anyone in the world though, like she has claimed.
DC: Did she say that?
ZH: She said it in some interview at some point, “I am the greatest singer in the world.”
TH: I think that’s probably true for all of us; although Ike probably has guilty pleasures.
ZH: But he’s not here right now.
TH: What’s part B?
DC: Part B is, can you crank that Soulja Boy?
TH: Can we what?
ZH: Negative.
DC: Have you ever heard that song, “Crank That” by Soulja Boy?
ZH: I know exactly what you’re talking about and no, that is not one of my guilty pleasures. Now, I might have missed something about it, because every time I hear it, it’s like, “Oh, it’s that song, click.” So, I’ve never put any effort into trying to crank that. Someday maybe. We’ll cover it. We’ll make it different.
DC: You guys have been doing a lot with the walk, trying to help, is there anything besides the walk that fans can do?
TH: That’s a really good question. One of the things we’re trying to do is one, find a way for you guys to link to each other to help make events more successful and so people can organize better if they do want to set up a walk event. One of the things we encourage people to do is to look at – if you’re not comfortable with direct connection with an organization based in Africa then you can start by looking at local organizations and say 'why don’t we start by raising funds for this particular AIDS research here in town or a clinic.' The other thing is that we’re about to set up a very simple page with a few other ideas, a few other things people can do. There’s a group called Blood Water Mission, which raises money to drill clean water wells. They have a couple really simple ways to donate, all the way down to a simple dollar donation. That was one of the things we were going to recommend people could do. There are also a couple of other simple examples like that.
ZH: When you look at AIDS, there are so many things that sort of coincide with it, like shoes. For instance, a mother, she has a baby, but she can’t feed her baby breast milk because breast milk contains the virus so she’s using formula which needs clean water.
TH: You have to hit from both sides. To be honest, we’re so overwhelmed by all that we’ve been trying to do, we haven’t gotten to where we wish we were but there are a couple of things that we’re going to be launching and integrating the walk into, which would really be helpful for that. One of them is going to start with a really simple page that will give a few more ideas of simple things we can do, starting with donating just a dollar and then moving to ‘now that you’ve donated a dollar, this is an awesome organization and if you’re one of those people who wants more, wants to help them raise more money or do more stuff and all the way up to trying to give fans and other people wanting to be involved more tools to set up their own events if they want to try and organize and we’re trying to support that with banners and use our own street team to try and make events bigger, connecting with other bands. I think it goes back, to like we said, if you’re stuck and you really want to do more, it’s ok to start local. It’s ok to start looking at these issues in our town because it is also going to teach you something about what you’re learning yourself about the cause and the issues with AIDS, with pediatric AIDS, kids that are born with the disease. It will help you become more involved with something like the hospitals in Africa. Also, HIVSA, the organization we’ve raised money for with “Great Divide," you can never go wrong if you just want to say, ‘ok, I’m going to come up with a sell tin cans idea and raise money for a check for HIVSA.' They are just rock solid. They are a fantastic group and they are leading the charge in making a difference and finding a cure if there is ever going to be one, to create a vaccine and preventing children from getting this disease.

By Teresa Reilly & Skye McIntyre, Collegian Staff

Feist Illuminates Smith College

2008-04-27T10:35:00.001-04:00

This past Friday, I had the extreme pleasure of being one of the members of a sold-out crowd at Smith College. Gracing us with her presence was Feist and special guest Ingrid Michaelson.

Ingrid Michaelson, who came out specifically for this show, brought along an acoustic guitar player and a bass player to accompany her sassy persona to keep the crowd alive amidst her mellow set list. Her voice soared above the rafters as she sang about lost love, newfound romance, and maintaining a healthy relationship a la Rogaine.

She was absolutely hysterical. Joe Stahl and I managed to score a picture with her too!

Feist. The woman can do no wrong as far as I am concerned. She opened her set behind a white tarp-like screen, using a looping pedal to create blissful harmonies and haunting melodies.

It was a sit-down-stand-up deal, as people went crazy during more upbeat tunes including the popularized Apple commerical anthem "1234" and the beloved "Sealion," and swayed side-to-side in their seats for "The Water" and "Let it Die."

She even had a shadow mistress. What is this you ask? It is a rather increidble art form, actually. Picture a giant overhead with various images gradually being projected onto the wall, creating a masterpiece by a song's culmination. No explanation can do it justice.

You will have to check it out for yourself when Feist returns with an extra dose of crazy antics and a near-perfect performance this summer at Boston's Bank of America Pavillion.

Oh it's the Cops. Nope Just the Tokyo Police Club

2008-04-26T23:47:00.000-04:00

Another night, another concert. This time it was Tokyo Police Club at the Pearl Street.
They played one hell of set with crazy lights going on. Coming out to sirens and a background of blue flashing lights they kicked off their set with a bang. They must have played their entire discography during the night.

I didn't go see the openers because they were not of any interest to me. The two openers brought a lot of young-ins to the crowd and I felt out of place with a beard.

Brain Wood will write a full review for the paper next week. Read it. It'll be great.

Phil Collins Quits Music; Truth or Cruel Joke

2008-04-25T12:40:00.001-04:00

After all the years and insults, Phil Collins has finally dropped out of music completely or so nme.com is reporting today. Or so he says, time will tell if he will guest star on club anthems and then immediately drop a new album a la Jay-Z.

So whats the big deal? Well there isn't really one. Asides from the fact that for sheer comic glee, the gods of this cosmos decided to make hating on Phil Collins funny. However, as fun as it is to hate on Collins, the former lead singer of prog-rockers Genesis and the writer of the Tarzan theme song, he is still responsible for "Coming in the Air Tonight" and you really can't not like that song.

Time will tell if next week South Park will pick up this as they have always been on of the leaders of the charge against Collins. He appeared in the episode where Timmy & The Lords of the Underwold made their first appearance. The episode also featured the kids all getting perscribed Ritalin and thus duped into thinking that Phil Collins is cool. I for one hope they do Collins some epic justice as he has long been one of their favorite whipping boys.

For a link to the story click here:
http://www.nme.com/news/genesis/36215

In the Air Tonight Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz7gajAb2ww

Iron Horse welcomes American Music Club

2008-04-24T19:34:00.000-04:00

Northampton - Grab a beer and step into the world of American Music Club. The Bay Area boys came to the Iron Horse this Wednesday to perform a live show with opening act The Figments. AMC has been on its U.S. tour since the beginning of the month and won't stop until mid May.

The show started around seven 'o clock with The Figments. This jam band quartet did a commendable job for opening. The 90s grunge dudes were a good compliment to the headliners of the evening. The Figments didn't play the stereotypical role of stage-stealing, greedy openers. The band knew who the crowd came to see. The Figments politely strummed guitars and banged on drums until its time was up.

What seemed to be a motionless crowd in the small setting, fans fixated all attention on AMC as it preceded on the humble stage. With minimal equipment, the band was as casual as the Iron Horse. The venue is an older part of Northampton that has kept its dusty and antique appeal in tact with little lighting and worn down wooden furnish.

With the first few words of welcoming from the lead singer, there was something strangely familiar about him. Mark Eitzel is his name. The band didn't spend too much time preparing before it went into it's setlist, which was mostly new material from the new album, "The Golden Age."

Eitzel spoke for the band throughout the majority of the show, telling the open-eared crowd about the meanings of its songs. One song in particular that was discussed was "Decibels and Little Pills" which is about a girl he saw in a club who was too wild for her own good. She ended up getting thrown out because she was dancing topless.

Throughout the show, the gang performed naturally, taking breaks in between songs to do some short storytelling. The jam band enriched the insouciant setting with smiling faces and warm attitudes.

Eitzel used his soulful baritone voice with great control. AMC has had long-time experience with playing in venues similar to Iron Horse where it has learned to discern limitations and affordances . Since the early 80s, AMC has had its time to perfect live shows. With a crowd filled with 30 and 40 somethings, the audience members seemed to be more into the older material. Cheers and rants were crisply heard from across the hall when older jams were played.

Just because AMC is bar band doesn't mean that it has to succumb to belligerence. AMC kept things low key at the Iron Horse. Was it for the three kids sitting in the bar? Nah. It is just the AMC way. AMC makes slowcore hip through thoughtful songwriting and expressive arrangements. Even though the band's stop in Northampton was to promote the new album, AMC put on a show like it was a reunion.

Cannes Film Festival list has been Announced

2008-04-23T18:41:00.000-04:00

The Guardian's film blog has posted the list of film playing at this years Cannes Film Festival. The list includes the 4 hour (2 movies running together) Che movie by Steven Soderbergh (starring Benicio Del Toro). The two films are set to be released in 2008 . This is an epic project from a director who has been holding off on some serious films for a while (making the "Ocean" films the last few years and some small budget, unheard of films). (Soderbergh won the Best Director Oscar for "Traffic," which is an unappreciated film)

Other notable filmmakers are Clint Eastwood and Charlie Kaufman (I am pumped for his film starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman).

Out of Competition will be the new Indiana Jones film, "Kung Fu Panda" (not so exciting), and Woody Allen's new project "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" Woody starring Scarlett Johansson, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem.

The president of the committee will be Sean Penn, so political stuff will probably win a lot of awards.

Contestants belt out Webber tunes on Idol

2008-04-22T23:53:00.000-04:00

This week on Idol was Andrew Lloyd Webber week, so the Idols chose songs from his extensive repertoire, though the judges predicted they would have trouble with the difficulty level of many of them. Webber coached the contestants on their arrangements, and he was so excited after seeing their finished performances that he could barely speak at the end of the show.

Syesha Mercado started off the night with “One Rock ‘n’ Roll Too Many.” She had fun with it, but her vocals weren’t great. Randy and Simon both said she seemed much more comfortable in Broadway-type performances.

Jason Castro sang “Memory,” and Randy called the vocals a train wreck, with a trademark “it’s just not your thing, dude.” Jason’s breathy, almost-whiny quality is getting boring, but those puppy-dog eyes seem to have won him plenty of fans.

Brooke White sang “You Must Love Me” and lost track of the lyrics a couple words in, then started over. Strangely enough, it was Paula who came down on her for it, not Simon. He actually said he would have done the same thing if he had forgotten the lyrics, and told her she did a very brave thing by starting over to make sure she got it right. Her voice did tense up as soon as she realized the slip-up, though, and the rest of the song seemed more forced.

David Archuleta restored his image as the boy wonder with “Think of Me.” Before his performance, a few schoolgirls actually came up on stage to hug him. Even though he’s getting more and more repetitive every week, he’s got the adoration of pretty much every 13-year-old girl in the country right now, so he should be fine for a while to come.

David Cooke and Carly Smithson gave their typical brilliant performances with “The Music of the Night” and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” respectively.

Predictions: As sweet as Brooke is and as hard as she tries, she’s been hovering in the bottom three for a few weeks now and a nervous performance today could end it for her. Jason Castro was the other low performer tonight, but he hasn’t been in danger recently, so he’ll probably be safe for another week.

Slacklining: A Tutorial

2008-04-22T23:12:00.000-04:00

Walking around campus these days, you may have come across a particularly odd sight that features ordinary college students trying to balance themselves on a thin rope that resembles an elastic band, resting between two trees.

No, these people are not crazy. This odd sort of balancing act is in fact a new sport that has begun to catch on in the area known as Slacklining. These "slackers" as they like to be called spend time "slacking" in an effort to improve their rock climbing skills, which is not unusual as this is from where the sport was originally derived.

Slacklining is defined as a balance sport which utilizes nylon webbing stretched tight between two points, often trees. Slacklining is distinct from tightrope walking, or other forms of rope walking in that the line is not held rigid; it is instead loose like large rubber band, giving walkers the ability to bounce, walk or for the more adventurous enough slack to do tricks.

The sport is rumoured to have originated in its current form in California in the early 1980's. From there the sport has blossomed and as far as one can tell when looking at the hills and trees of Central and Orchard Hill, the sport is gaining a sizable cult following.

Now you know, and will no longer be troubled with such questions as "why are those people wasting their time walking between trees?" or other such confusing questions when gazing in the direction of these dedicated "slackers."

Shark In a Pink Suit Jacket

2008-04-22T19:50:00.001-04:00

I would like to share with you, pictures from a particularly interesting day on campus. The Sketch 22 group was promoting their "Promedy" show, meanwhile Tibet and China were duking it out. The day was April 8th, I believe, right outside of the Student Union.

The Promedy squad before they began their dance party.
This made my week, and most likely everyone else who witnessed the shark, in a pink suit jacket, dancing to Rick Astley.
Real drama.
Nobody wanted any of her baby mama drama.

I felt sorry for all of the campus tours while this was going down. I bet we lost a lot of prospective students that day.

And lastly, Tommy Devine captured some of the chaos that day.

New Deathcab

2008-04-21T16:04:00.000-04:00

If you aren't excited for the new Deathcab album then I don't think you are human. "Plans" was only mediocre compared to "Transatlantacism" and "The Photo Album," and that was one good album. I have been listening to the single off the album on loop on my iPod and CD player. It is simple, gorgeous, and long. First listen it feels ot long but with each listener there after it gets better and a little more haunting.

Check out the Video. It is 8 Minutes and 30 seconds. Not a short video, but well worth it.

Kevin Devine Rocked

2008-04-19T00:54:00.000-04:00

Another concert. Another night. What a great time. Kevin Devine played for what seemed like forever, and it was fantastic. His stage banter was top-notch.

He played after Baker and a band form Brooklyn (they are Kevin's friends and play in the Goddamn Band). Baker kicked some major behind. They will be great in a few weeks at Umass for free and I am excited.

Back to Kevin Devine. He really is someone everyone on this planet should check out live, especially acoustic. He works hard on stage. It is always a humbling experience to hear a musician (no matter how big or small) thank his crowd of 40 people (long weekends are never good for concerts in NoHo). He thanked the crowd many times before finally exiting of stage.

So if you didn't get to see him tonight he is playing in Cambridge tomorrow (Ithink) and back home in Brooklyn for a Album release party (a re-release of sorts).

Here is a video of Kevin

I am exhausted and need some sleep so sorry for the brief review.

GRAND BUFFET IS A ONCE AND A LIFETIME SHOW

2008-04-18T01:25:00.000-04:00

Just got back from Northhampton's Iron Horse. Saw Grand Buffet there tonight and was blown way. I mean I was expecting one hell of a time, and I got it plus some. I mean this was something unheard of. The two rappers had an unprecedented amount of energy. I would have had a heart if i danced around and had as much fun as they did.

If only i knew the other guy who opened for them. He recited poetry and rapped with a fervor. He was also very politically charged, had an awesome beard, and mocked right wing conservatives to the bone.

Here's a grand video. Enjoy.

Grand Buffet - Cool as Hell

Placido Domingo at the WANG!

2008-04-17T15:08:00.000-04:00

The ceiling came down, literally and figuratively, at the Wang Theater on Monday during the Placido Domingo concert.

Upon arrival I realized I was in the middle of what seemed to be a velvet convention for the women, and a mobster’s paradise among the men. Men wearing pinstripes and carrying their ladies in the arms as the dresses, black velvet, swayed in the breeze. Where I was located in the theater was among many Mob members and one stood out. He had a huge bottom lip, like it had been hooked by a fishing line before, and his face looked like that of a rhino. But he had two lovely ladies with him.

The Mobsters loved their opera star. I could hear the “Bravos” coming from the big Italian man a few rows away. The woman sitting next to me clapping with a soft pitter-pattering of clapping, it showed how classy she was.

The cheers came after Domingo sang with what seemed to be a hot air balloon’s worth of air came from his lungs. the cheers came for his movement’s across the stage were as smooth as all the velvet in the crowd. His smile glistened like the diamond of the woman sitting next to me ( that thing was huge). And he even took a beautiful lady home with him from the orchestra that was baking his performance. The cello player looked shocked but fell under Domingo’s love-spell. He is a ladies’ man.

The crowd of mobster’s ate up Domingo’s performance like the spaghetti and meatballs from dinner in North End earlier that night. The reveled outside after the performance as if they were reliving the canolas from Mike’s Pastries they ate earlier that night. The Mob is apparently a huge fan of Mr. Domingo and they came out in swarms to see him sing.

I on the other hand am left wondering if that was really ceiling that fell near me. Or if it was hit attempt against someone in my section. I hope it was the first one.

Weezer Drops New Single 'Pork and Beans'

2008-04-17T10:38:00.000-04:00

After all it's no joke. Weezers new self-titled album, already being reffered to as the red album is coming out June 17th. The first single has already leaked online after Weezer posted it on their official site and is named "Pork and Beans."

Good news for the die hard Weezer fans "Pork and Beans" is Weezer back on the horse. The song is likeable almost immeadiately after the first listen and is the heaviest thing that Weezer has put out in a while. Sounds like green album all distorted up, but it doesn't sound much like anything on Make Believe which is sure to please the Weezer faithful. The song appartenly is a middle finger to the record company which was harrassing lead singer Rivers Cuomo at the time for more "radio friendly" material.

The song starts out bass heavy with a (mmm mmm) backing track before breaking into the heavily distorted chorus that you can't help but want to memorize. But as Rivers says in the chorus of the song "I'm a do the things that I wanna do/ I ain't got a thing to prove to you," if only there weren't so much riding on this album, but even if there is for Weezer fans waiting for their triumphant return, Rivers at least doesn't seem to mind.

Single: "Pork And Beans"
Review: 4/5

Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH27b0s5m5w

Kristy Lee Cook leaves American Idol

2008-04-16T21:59:00.000-04:00

Kristy Lee Cook was voted off American Idol tonight during an hour-long results show featuring a performance by Mariah Carey.

Kristy has hovered in the bottom three recently, and was joined there tonight by Brooke White and Syesha Mercado. Ryan brought each contestant out onto the stage and separated the first six into two groups, one by one. David C., Kristy and Brooke were grouped together with Syesha, Jason Castro and Carly Smithson on the other side. At the last minute, Ryan made a pun about having "too many cooks in the kitchen" and switched David C. and Syesha, leaving Brooke, Kristy and Syesha on one side. Then, Ryan used David Archuleta as the tiebreaker.

This week's theme was Mariah Carey songs, and she helped to mentor the contestants to prepare them for their performances.

Hands-down, the best performance of the week went to David C., who sang his own arrangement of "Always Be My Baby." Randy bestowed his first standing ovation of the season on David after the performance, and the judges' praises left him teary-eyed.

Divorce, YouTube Style

2008-04-16T17:00:00.001-04:00

Finally, for all those looking for proof that Youtube has become a viable cultural phenomenon, we now have divorce via the web.

B-list actress Tricia Walsh Smith, hosts a little video where she openly unveils the couple's dirty laundry. She reveals that the couple "never had sex" and is upset about the fact that now he wants to divorce her without reason. To add insult to injury he also wants to kick her out of the couple's apartment.

The video features her calling into her husbands office, during a conference call to ask him about some of the more illicit items she has discovered in the house.

Clearly this video is reason enough and has now given him the proper cause to divorce her and not pay her a cent for the embarrassment it will cause. Its the equivalent of watching someone burn all the money they might have ever received but nonetheless is amusing mostly do to her funny British pronunciation of the word "condoms" and you can see her unraveling mentally at the end. Good stuff.

This just shows you what people will do and what people want to watch in the youtube age. It seems voyeurism and entertainment are now permanently linked and this is just another huge step in the amount of personal information people are willing to post on the web.

Rating: 2.5/5

Video Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx_WKxqQF2o&feature=related

The Dodos Cut Short at Bard

2008-04-13T20:01:00.000-04:00

Thursday night marked my first ever trip to Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY for a show at their Smog venue. The only band I knew who was playing was The Dodos from San Francisco, but it turned out a couple others went on before them, making for a full, interesting, yet eventually disappointing night.

First off, the venue was ridiculous, literally a garage towards the end of a dirt road whose inside was covered in graffiti. The walls, the ceiling, the doors, the wall-sized garage doors, the bathroom... literally everything was covered in a layer of spray paint or sharpie marker.

The first band, presumably comprised of Bard students, was called The Amazements. They were a three-piece noise abomination performing almost entirely in the dark, cranking out blisteringly loud guitar tones after taunting the audience to come forward and get closer. The bassist chugged along with some heavy chords while the drummer slapped at his rickety set, breaking drumsticks and knocking cymbal stands over. The highlight was clearly when they decided to knock over all their drums in the middle of the set, the bassist stood up on the toppled bass drum, and proceeded to fall off backwards, knocking a light fixture off the wall.

The next band was the Tall Firs, another three-piece from NYC. I learned that their two guitarists attended Hampshire college, so that was a nice little conversation piece. They played a pleasant brand of quirky rock with much more structure than the all-over-the-place Amazements, seemingly due to much more experience. Their heavily bearded drummer was amazing, rolling out rhythms and providing all the low-end, for there was no bass.

Finally it was The Dodos turn, though once they actually started their set (after dealing with the technical issues of performing in such a remote venue such as microphones failing) it was nearly midnight. The extremely dusty garage was then full of beer-drinking, cigarette-smoking hipsters, and I was pressed inches from the stage. The band is composed of their seated singer/guitarist, using hollow-bodies and straight acoustics, an accompanying vibraphonist, and their bass-drum-less drummer.

They played their first song, "Jodi," positively wowing the crowd, and went into "Paint The Rust," my personal favorite, both from their new record "Visiter." Towards the end of the second song, a beefy security guard entered the garage. By this time it was only about 12:20AM, though the guard alerted the singer/guitarist that this was their last song. They proceeded to do a 15 minute number, looping various vocal effects, guitar phrases, drum beats, and even a bit of a trombone blow.

The intensity was kept up for their 35 or so minutes they played, though was cut short by the lame security guard. The band's last interaction with the audience was to plead for someone to give them a floor to sleep on, for they were apparently desperate. It's always special to see such an energetic band play such a small venue (for free), even if they only played not even half a set. All in all, it was worth the trip for the oddness of the venue and the three interesting bands even if it could have gone longer.

Ian Nelson, Collegian Staff

Kooks Come back Strong with 'Konk'

2008-04-13T14:56:00.000-04:00

The Kooks rode to the top of the alternative rock airwaves with their uber-catchy hit "Naive" last year, and their sophomore release "Konk" proves that these guitar-pop loving brits are anything but.

The album starts off strong with "See the Sun" a likely canidate for first single, and while there isn't a song as catchy as "Naive" the album rocks along with an admirable pop sensibility. The songs blend into each other with catchy rythms often suppimented by the solid guitar work of the band's guitarist.

Songs like "Mr. Maker" and "Do You Wanna" would be easy to dismiss as typical cut and paste pop rock songs if they weren't so well played and immediately likable and that likability proves to be the Kooks biggest asset.

Their sound is essentially nothing new. Equal parts new bands The Libertines, The Strokes and older Brit bands, The Kinks, the Kooks prove to have the formula for their sound down.

The highlights of the album come with the back to back songs "Stormy Weather" & "Sway" which represent the half way point of the album and are my personal favorites. However, any of the songs on this album could be your favorite, as they are all of equal quality.

Solid album. Look forward to hearing more about this band in the years that come as they are young and will have plenty of time to grow.

Rating: 3.5/5

Tracks:

Stormy Weather

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyAB8QUs8Rk

See the Sun (Live Acoustic)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JcVjGZKIlQ&feature=related

HOT OFF THE PRESS

2008-04-09T22:24:00.000-04:00

2008 Spring Concert Lineup:

UPC's Battle of the Bands is over with hip-hop act Static & Messiah beating heavy metallers Exit Reason for the slot to open up this years spring concert.
The band will open for:

FAT JOE
TREY SONGZ
PARAMORE
JIMMY EAT WORLD

Idols sing for inspiration

2008-04-08T22:39:00.000-04:00

Tonight's theme of inspirational songs on American Idol made for a wide variety of choices from the remaining eight contestants.

Carly Smithson sang Queen's "The Show Must Go On," but it didn't work for the judges as well as it had in past weeks. David Cooke ran into similar criticism after his rendition of Our Lady Peace's "Innocent."

Kristy Lee Cook made a great song choice and gave a chill-inducing performance of Martina McBride's "Anyway." She let a lot of her passion come through, and the judges agreed that it was one of her best.

David Archuleta sang "Angels" by Robbie Williams, accompanying himself on the piano. It wasn't his best, but he has a large enough fan base that he can't do too much wrong at this point.

Brooke White closed the evening with "You've Got a Friend."

Tomorrow FOX will be airing "Idol Gives Back," beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Explosions In The Sky: Doom Inducers, Encore Refusers

2008-04-08T13:35:00.000-04:00

Explosions In The Sky, a killer four-piece instrumental band from Texas, hit up Lupo's in Providence, RI last Saturday and nearly brought the house down.

I ended up arriving late and missed the opener, Lichens, but managed to find a friend there who squeezed me through the sold out crowd to about eight or ten rows back from the stage, nearly in the center.

The Texans were not at all ashamed to be sporting a large version of their state flag draped over one of their amps, even in the mostly liberal Northeast. The band consists of primarily three guitars and drums, with one of the guitars occasionally subbed for a bass.

Their set included many slow, building pieces from their newest record "All of a Sudden I Miss Everyone," including the epic "The Birth and Death of Day," which I was highly anticipating. They create some really beautiful tones that rise above the doom-laden structures of the songs, allowing for slow, beautiful rises and brutal, cascading climaxes.

One problem with the Lupo's venue, though beautiful, is the security guys monitoring flash use on cameras. Due to this, I was unable to get any real clear photos of the band, but I think the picture above does the best to capture their intensity. The morphing lights were another aspect that added to the show, constantly bathing the drummer in a different color (usually white or red) than the rest of the band placed in front of him.

The final song found the band in a drawn out climax towards its end, essentially punching their guitars in throttling unison to create the loudest sounds they made all night. The band left the stage and the crowd roared for what seemed like literally ten minutes straight, demanding an encore. The house lights came on, as did the house music (nearly inaudible due to the cheers, stomps, and applause), and some security members motioned that it was the end, though the audience didn't give up.

Finally the crowd caught a glimpse of the apparent lead man returning to the stage, and erupted in yet another fit of hysteria, though to their dismay he revealed that an encore would be half-hearted compared to the energy they put into their hour or hour and twenty minute set, so he thanked the Lupo's crowd again and left the stage for good. This was probably the loudest non-festival, non-stadium crowd I've ever experienced, which is to speak wonders of the quality of their performance.

Ian Nelson, Collegian Staff

The Rise of the Celeb-Baby

2008-04-08T01:18:00.000-04:00

It was novel when they did it with Sean Preston. It was sort of imperative that they do it with the beauteous Shiloh Jolie-Pitt. And okay, I was even willing to let Suri slide because she’d been AWOL for months, and too many people were starting to buy into the ‘L. Ron Hubbard’s frozen sperm alien love child’ rumor.

But I think it’s time we put the kibosh on this celeb baby fever thing, pronto.

I mean c’mon. Really. The day Nicole Ritchie gets paid a cool mil just for squeezing out a wee one is the day you know mania’s gone too far.

It’s not just the fact that pseudo-celebs are starting to cash in on the hype. Frankly, it’s just starting to feel a little too stalkerish for my liking. It also feels borderline exploitive, from all parties involved.

These kids didn’t ask for this.

If I were SP Federline, or lil Suri Cruise, I’d have some choice words waiting for my folks about the way this whole biz went down, once I grew some teeth in.

And it’d go a little something like this:

“Gee, Mom. Thanks for, you know, selling me out to the ruthless, bloodsucking vultures you claim to detest so much. I know you married up for the fame, but is it really too much to ask that you start me off in life with a fighting chance? It’s bad enough I gotta drink barley & corn syrup baby formula. That shit sucks.”

“And what’s the deal, Dad? I thought you put a premium on privacy, or is that just where your sexual orientation is concerned? You really blew the big one, man. While you’re at it, stop pushing me up so godamned high on the swing set, turkey.”

If Suri and co. grow up to become Paris Hilton knock-offs, or worse, to have their own reality shows on VH1, these celeb-parents will have no one to blame but themselves. In the meantime, they have some gall calling out photogs who prey on their kids when they’re the ones pimping them out in the first place.

For shame!

(By Shayna Murphy)

Let Kids Eat Candy

2008-04-07T16:30:00.000-04:00

I was recently reading an article on MSN.com that dealt with an issue near and dear to my heart, candy. Apparently a Philadelphia school banned candy and soft drinks from their cafeteria and are praising the results of the two-year program.

Over the two years "the number of kids who got fat during the two-year experiment was half the number of kids who got fat in schools that didn’t make those efforts."

The report also alleges that the school "found when you give children healthy choices, they pick them,” said a school nurse at Francis Hopkinson School, one of the test schools."

Now I don't know about you but giving a child the choice between chewing on a celery stick and not eating, isn't really a choice. This "test" raises an astounding number of ethical questions. Don't kids have the right to be fat? or at least well fed? Does a child not have the right to purchase a candy bar from a vending machine?

It seems that the powers that be have decided that the best way to churn out society approved non-fat kids is to brainwash them into eating healthy food. I'm not sure, but in my opinion this is far from constitutional or ethical and disturbs me on many levels.

I'm all for healthy eating, and exercise. I had to learn the hard way as a kid that eating fatty foods makes you fat. But shouldn't everyone be able to live and learn that way? It seems to me that trading in the right to free choice for a healthy lifestyle is not going to be something that is "healthy" for our rights and liberty.

STORY LINK:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23982567

The Northamptonist

2008-04-07T00:31:00.000-04:00

Local blogger, The Northamptonist, officially announced on March 30 that he will soon be moving to New York City where he hopes to pursue new journalistic ventures. As a result The Northamptonist blog will be updated less frequently and then not at all. This brings me great sadness. Like a big old pit of despair sadness.

If you never got the chance to check out his blog before, do it. A great feature of his blog is that he covered local street art. My personal favorite was The Brick Of Gold as pictured above which, last time I checked, is still on the Pleasant Street side of Sweetie's candy shop.

Other great things he covered include; "Do you have a quarter?" Al street art, and Bennie "Bucket Man" Johnson. You know, the guy who drums on a bucket in front of Delano's.

Paolo Mastrangelo, the local 31 year-old, who runs the blog has done other great things like his Northamptonist TV channel on blip.com which has all of his past videos there to browse through. Perhaps the most disturbing yet completely brave video that he made was a photo slide show documenting a heroin user in Northampton going to the pharmacy for needles and then shooting up.

And one of his most recent ventures is the Community Audio Recording Project. He essentially created a phone number that anyone can call and leave a message to. You can leave your name and location and talk about anything that you want to share with the community and the links will appear on the map at your location with the message.

I love this blog and he's done some great community focused blogging. I am sad to see it go.

On a personal note, I've gotten coffee with Paolo recently and he's incredibly supportive of other journalists and blogs and I'm sure if you ever had a question for him he'd only be more than happy to help. I wish him all the best in his new endeavors.

Posted by Andrea Murray

So Long Charlton Heston

2008-04-06T21:03:00.000-04:00

It’s a sad, sad day in H-town. Screen legend Charlton Heston passed away last night, at the age of 84. The actor, who in 2002 revealed an ongoing struggle with Alzheimer’s disease, leaves behind his wife of sixty-four years, Lydia.

Best known for roles in “Planet of The Apes”, “The 10 Commandments”, and “Ben-Hur”, Heston also became well known in the public sphere for his political activism. In 1963, the actor campaigned alongside Martin Luther King Jr. to bring an end to racial segregation in the South. Later, in the 1970s and 1980s, he advocated increased gun control and anti-abortion legislation.

In later years, Heston served as the elected president of the National Rifle Association. His sojourn as NRA president, which lasted from 1998 until his resignation in 2003, was marked by increased controversy. Opposed to the Clinton administration’s push to limit the accessibility of firearms, the actor declared that the administration could pry his Second Amendment rights from his “cold, dead hands”.

He then proceeded to call George Clooney “classless”.

Oh Charlton. We all loved you even though you were a conservative rabble rouser. We’ll always remember you as one of Hollywood’s greats.

For more info, visit: http://news.aol.com/entertainment/movies/movie-news-story/ar/_a/charlton-heston-dies-at-84/200804060117099900

By Shayna Murphy

Lollapolooza 2008 Lineup Supposedly Leaked

2008-04-04T13:47:00.000-04:00

While the official version of the lineup won't appear on the website until April 7th, England's equivalent of Rollingstone, NME has reported that the lineup has been leaked.

As previously reported most of the bands that were speculated to be on the bill are in fact actually going to be playing the festival, with a few suprises thrown in:

HEADLINERS INCLUDE

Radiohead
Nine Inch Nails

Rage Against the Machine

The Raconteurs

Kanye West

Wilco

Rage Against the Machine will be playing there at one of their only scheduled U.S. dates this summer. As originally reported, Radiohead and NIN are on the bill as well with festival favorites this year Kanye West and the Raconteurs.

Leak Story:

http://www.nme.com/news/lollapalooza/35691

Official Website:

http://www.lollapalooza.com/default.asp?fd=1

By: Peter Rizzo
Collegian Staff

Daily Collegian on perezhilton.com!

2008-04-03T21:04:00.000-04:00

The Daily Collegian website is now linked on infamous gossip website perezhilton.com

Why you ask? Check out the story for yourself here:
http://perezhilton.com/2008-04-03-the-public-masturbation-crisis#respond

As first reported by the Daily Collegian on April 2, http://media.www.dailycollegian.com/media/storage/paper874/news/2008/04/03/News/Umass.Student.Arrested.For.Lewd.Behavior-3296320.shtml UMass junior and football player Spencer Sinclair Ridenhour is accused of "open and gross lewdness" following an incident near Smith college that occured last week in which a female jogger reported to police that she saw a man masturbating in his vehicle. He is also accused in a similar occurence happening earlier the same day.

According to a representative of the UMass athletic department, Ridenhour has been suspended from the team.

Velvet Revolver Split

2008-04-02T11:06:00.000-04:00

Hot off the press, supergroup Velvet Revolver has decided to call it quits after months of bickerng and only two albums.

Its a pity the goups last album "Libertad" showed some suprising growth & some evidence that they could've grown into a more unique band. I saw them last summer at the Tweeter Center w/ Alice in Chains, and even though the later band outplayed them they still brought the show.

Heres the link to the breaking news story

http://www.nme.com/news/velvet-revolver/35592

Also Stone Temple Pilots, Weilands old band are hitting the road this summer, stopping in Massachusetts to play WBCN's River Rave at the Tweeter Center on June 1st.

http://www.livenation.com/venue/getVenue/venueId/479/

click here to buy tickets

By: Peter Rizzo
Collegian Staff