TheBuzz
Aug. 22. 2005
Music, Movies and More
MUSIC: The Reggaeton scene brings the beat to Southern California MOVIE: “Red Eye� falls short while Four Brother pleases viewers MORE: Restaurant reviews, book reviews, plus the latest entertainment news
2 THE BUZZ Contents
02 Entertainment News 03 Restaurant aurant Rev Review Flashback Favorite Book Review 04 Movie Reviews 05 Movie Reviews Cont. 06 Concert Venues 07 Teen Choice Awards 08 Concert Reviews ON THE COVER: Lennox, part of the group Zion y Lennox at the Gibson Amphitheatre (photo by Mahsa Khalilifar)
THE BUZZ ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR AMANDA PENNINGTON A ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR MAHSA KHALILIFAR EXECUTIVE EDITOR NICOLE M. SMITH DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING CAN SENGEZER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING EMILY ALFORD PRODUCTION AMANDA PENNINGTON MAHSA KHALILIFAR
THE INSIDE BUZZ By MAHSA KHALILIFAR Daily Titan Asst. Entertainment Editor
Hey guys, it is time for our first issue of the semester and it is time for the first Inside Buzz of the new section for Fall 2005… this is where you will get the latest scoop on the celebrities and music makers making headlines in the news and let you know what Hollywood has been up to … Eminem a.k.a. Marshall Mathers has cancelled the European leg of his Anger Management Tour which also featured rapper and protégé 50 Cent. Looking more fatigued than usual, the 32-year-old notorious rapper is blaming it on exhaustion. His publicist has confirmed that he has been admitted to a center to get treated for his addiction to sleeping medication. The dates for the tour will not be rescheduled … another drug addiction story, singer
of the group Courtney Love has admitted to being under the influence while under probation for a past incident. Shocked? Didn’t think so but nevertheless she was ordered by a judge to complete a 28-day drug treatment facility according to People. The rocker has been in and out of court the past few years and going against her probation terms can be possible jail time in the future … on to marriages and divorces … Jennie McCarthy and her husband, John Asher, of about six years are getting a divorce. The 32year-old McCarthy and 34-year-old Asher have a 3-year old boy, but have cited irreconcilable difference according to reps … on wedding news, “Desperate Housewives” star and Emmy-nominated Marcia Cross (plays compulsive housewife Bree Van De Kamp) is engaged at 43 to a stockbroker. It will be the first wedding for both … Another first was Julia Robert making her first music video appearance. The actress and mom of twins is featured on the new Dave Matthews Band’s video appropriately titled “Dreamgirl” … Mom Madonna is recovering now after her severe fall on her 47th birthday. The famed
A new Ent. Guide Welcome to The Buzz Titans! The formally named Full Effect section has now been revamped and renamed. We still have your old favorites such as Flashback Favorite, movie reviews, music reviews, and DVD reviews, but we are adding more things into the mix. Each issue, we are going to try to bring you the most updated music, movie, and media news we can find. This semester we are going to have MORE of an in-depth look at music performers, concerts, and other events taking place in the entertainment world. In this issue, we have gotten in-
terviews and backstage information that we want you as a reader to enjoy. In the upcoming issues we will have more interviews up-closeand-personal with local and also big artists … we are just excited to bring you an entertainment guide you can check out every Thursday and hope you will like! If there is anything you would like to request or want to see more of in The Buzz, send us an e-mail and we will make it happen! Thanks! Your Buzz Entertainment, Amanda & Mahsa
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES LESLEY WU, DERRICK SALATNAY, VANESSA RUMBLES, RICH BOYD, KIMBERLY LEUNG, JACKIE KIMMEL The Daily Titan 714.278.3373 T The Buzz Editorial 714.278.5426 thebuzz@dailytitan.com Editorial Fax 714.278.4473 The Buzz Advertising 714.278.3373 ads@dailytitan.com Advertising Fax 714.278.2702 The Buzz , a student publication, is a supplemental insert for the Cal State Fullerton Daily Titan. It The is printed every Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU system. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. Copyright ©2004 Daily Titan
CHANTEL CANIPE/ For the Daily Titan
Reggaeton perfomers Angel (right) and Khriz with Asst. Entertainment Editor Mahsa Khalilifar in L.os Angeles before their show at Gibson Amphitheatre. Look at pg. 8 for more on the story and concert review.
singer was rushed to a hospital on Tuesday where she was found to have a broken hand, a broken collarbone and three cracked ribs according to MTV News. The incident happened while she was riding a horse but her reps say she is recovering and it will not affect her November 15 ‘Confessions on a Dance Floor,” album release date … new notable CD releases coming out this Tuesday include rapper Kanye West’s “Late Registration” … singer Rihanna’s “Music of The Sun,” which features her popular summer single “Pon De Replay” … band 30 Seconds to Mar’s “A beautiful Lie,” and singer Anastacia’s self-titled album “Anastacia” … new DVD releases this week include … Penelope Cruz’s “Sahara (widescreen edition)” … Hit series “Curb Your Eminem Enthusiasm – The Complete Fourth Season,” … and Jennifer Lopez’s comedy “Monsterin-Law” … Celebrity sighting of the week: The Gotti Brothers and comedian Andy Dick talking with fans at the Teen Choice Awards post FOX VIP Party at Jillian’s in Universal City Walk … Celebrity gossip of the week: Mase signing up to be part of the G-Unit crew? …. Stay tuned for that and more on the next Inside Buzz ...
MEDIA
REVIEWS
3
Newport Beach Sushi bar is on a roll By JULIE KIM Daily Titan Opinion Editor
When I hear the word sushi, I usually think of a lot of dislikable adjectives. “Slimy” is one; “squishy” is another and “raw” always comes to mind. But the food at California Beach Restaurant & Sushi Bar, located in Newport Beach is acutally delicious. Even better for a broke college student, it was moderately priced. What did conjure up those same adjectives: slimy, squishy and raw was the strange debauchery that went on inside, with some sushi chefs drinking what looked like shots of Sake and female customers voluntarily going up to be groped and oogled. But putting aside the possible legal and definite ethical issues for a moment, for anyone who could handle the heat – and I’m not just talking about the wasabi – the menu
at California Beach Restaurant offered enough tasty appetizers, sushi, hand rolls and dinner entrees to satisfy most palates. Guests recommended the spicy tuna roll ($6.50 for a cut or about eight pieces) and the popular California roll ($6 for a cut with the same amount of pieces). The restaurant also carried salmon skin, vegetable and shrimp asparagus rolls – to name but a few – and cucumber rolls ($3.50 for a cut or about four to five pieces), which, to the dismay of my younger sister, ended up being just cucumber slices wrapped in seaweed and rice. In addition, the shrimp and vegetable tempura dinner entrée ($11.50) was surprisingly filling and induced some lip smacking; it comes with miso soup, fresh salad with a light dressing, a side dish of cooked rice and shrimp pieces and various vegetables all fried in flour batter. At the risk of sounding like a food critic on “Iron Chef,” the crispiness
of the seafood and vegetables was a nice contrast to the smooth miso and rice. Those on a diet can keep it light with a simple mixed baby greens salad ($4.50) or the calamari salad ($10). Others with heartier appetites can enjoy Sake bombs ($6 per Sapporo beer and $6.25 per Sake bottle) and take advantage of the 50 percent-off “All-You-Can-Eat Specials,” which offer choices like beef tataki sashimi ($5) or Cajun ahi steak ($4.50). In addition to the cuisine, the setting for the 20-year-old California Beach Restaurant & Sushi Bar was agreeable. The small building, nestled smack dab in the center of Newport Beach’s business district, has a welcoming feel, with unassuming American pop music blaring from the sound system and a 105-inch TV next to the bar. But despite the good food and seemingly homely atmosphere, the rampant hedonism I witnessed my first time at the restaurant – friends
Flashback Favorite
‘Smurfs’ brings smiles By VIRGINIA TERZIAN Daily Titan Asst.Production Editor
It was your typical Tuesday night and I had decided to try out my new facial mask. Applying an even coverage of the blue goop onto my face and waiting patiently for it to dry, I suddenly heard the doorbell ring. I frowned, hoping that someone else would open the door. But as the bell rang for the third time, I got up and headed for the front door. Placing my hands in front of my face and making a silent prayer that it was just a Jehovah’s Witness, I opened the door to find my uncle. He took one look at me in my blue state, and said, “You look like a Smurf.” “The Smurfs” was one of my favorite cartoons as a child. Where else in the world do over a hundred blue creatures that stand three apples tall, live in a village filled with kindness, happiness and joy exist? Episodes consisted of the Smurf’s outsmarting Gargamel, the evil wizard and lone villain. by working as a team. The show taught children
that size didn’t matter in the big scheme of things if the smurfs were willing to work together they could defeat anyone. The Smurfs each had a skill and each had a responsibility to
keep the village safe and running like a well-oiled machine. Some cooked, some cleaned, but they were all good creatures living near the woods, making the world a better Smurf place one Smurf-day at a Smurf time.
The characters were named based on what they could do: Brainy Smurf, the smart one; 543-year-old Papa Smurf, the leader and father of the 100member bunch and a very powerful wizard who was always blowing things up by mistake; Smurfette, one of two girls in the land of blue boys and originally created by Gargamel as a ploy to destroy the happy Smurf village; Handy Smurf, who was good with tools; and Lazy Smurf, who wasn’t good at anything but sleeping. What I remember most fondly about “The Smurfs” was the fact that practically every other word out of the characters’ mouths was “Smurf” or “Smurf-esque,” making for a very interesting dialogue and years of inside jokes between my fellow Smurf fans and myself. As we sit during long car rides, it’s common for at least one of us to ask, “Are we there yet, Papa Smurf?” Despite some of the controversy that always follows the show like the fact that Smurfette was originally the only female Smurf in the show, it was popular for most of the 1980s and will always hold a special place in this Smurf’s heart.
JULIE KIM/Daily Titan Opinion Editor
California Beach Restaurant & Sushi Bar is located at 3355 Via Lido Suite H at Newport Beach. For hours and information call (949) 675-0575 have observed similar behavior on temporary tattoos onto apparently other occasions – left me unsettled drunk customers, the establishment and somewhat disturbed. should re-organize itself so that If the sushi chefs would like children aren’t allowed in. to continue to drink at work and For those who are not faint at continue to rub, what looked like, heart: Enjoy.
Stale Yale lets loose with Chloe By VIRGINIA TERZIAN Daily Titan Asst.Production Editor
I’ve always felt that there are three kinds of books in the world: ones that you read and think “I’m a better person for reading this,” ones you read and think “I want my money back for this piece of junk,” and then there are the best kinds of book out there like “Chloe Does Yale” By Natalie Krinsley, which will put you in a great mood. This funny, fantastically sarcastic, and well-written book was not at all the kind of girlie book I was envisioning when a friend recommended it to me this summer. When I finally sat down and read the novel I couldn’t stop smiling, let alone put it down. The story is a fictional firsthand account of the life of Chloe, a junior literature major at Yale University and Writer of “Sex in the (Elm) City,” a column in the Yale Daily News. Based on Krinsley’s true life story, the book shows life through the eyes of the young 20-something as she searches for Mr. Right, or at least Mr. Right-Now, while being a Blist celebrity at Yale as the author of the school’s sex column. Chloe is a “half Israel Jew, half Wasp, New Yorker” as she describes herself searching for love and a good time. The story follows Chloe as she goes through a year
of crazy ups and downs that any woman can relate to while searching for love and a good time. The book is a combination of life through Chloe’s eyes as she deals with her family, heartbreak and her crazy friends. The book follows her parenting in such important events as the annual Exotic Erotic party - where students dress in next to nothing- to the ever popular Harvard versus Yale football game, a time-honored tradition of getting drunk in a parking lot to poker night. The book also includes Chloe’s editorials, which talk about everything from sex to shaving to falling in love. But, it isn’t all about Chloe. Some of the best parts of this book occur when Chloe is talking with or about the secondary characters such as Bonnie, her goodhearted but at times close-minded roommate, friends like hot Rob, activist Adam and her friend Lisa, who is sleeping with not one, but two of her professors. What makes this book so amusing is that it isn’t what you would expect. While the book is not something I’d recommend to the Alpha-males out there, this is a book I can recommend to any woman with a little time to kill. As a friend of mine put it after I lent her the book “You may not be intellectually better for it, but you’ll be in a better mood.”
4 MOVIE
REVIEWS
‘Deuce’ sequel a dud By COURTNEY PUGATCH For the Daily Titan
Dreamworks Pictures
‘Red Eye’ makes viewers drowsy By NICK COOPER Daily Titan Asst. News Editor
I walked into Wes Craven’s new thriller, “Red Eye” with very mixed feelings. On one hand, he is the genius behind “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Scream,” which were both awesome movies that kept me on the edge of my seat. On the other, movies such as “Vampire in Brooklyn,” which is only good for a quick laugh, and “They” left me wondering if I would ever pay money to see another horror movie again. I was right to be apprehensive. From its predicable thrills to its slow dialogue, the movie “Red Eye” left me with mixed feelings. It has its high points, such as the climatic ending sequence that, while it had an “oh my god, he’s standing behind the door” feeling to it, was still fast-paced enough to entertain the audience and cause at least one good jump. Sadly, one has to sit through the first hour and-some-oddminutes of the movie while the characters are aboard the plain. The audience is left
wondering if the movie will ever take flight or if the thrills were delayed do to inclement weather. I was somewhat impressed with the on-screen chemistry between main characters Jackson (Cillian Murphy) and Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams). Their witty banter helps to add some slight humor and speed up the slower parts of the film, namely the whole airplane scene. The film revolves around Lisa, who is faced with a choice: to help in the assassination of a major government figurehead or stand by helplessly as her father dies. As their lives hang in the balance, Lisa must use any resource at her disposal to save their lives and stop the charming bad guy. A formulaic plot with few genuine thrills, “Red Eye” tries to keep the audience at the edge of their seat but falls short. At only 85 minutes, this film is good for a quick if not subtle rush of thrills that marks Craven’s best attempt at horror and might help people forget “Cursed,” his cheesy attempt at the werewolf genre.
As the summer of sequels and remakes comes to a close, one more sneaks just under the radar. Reprising his role from the 1999 comedy by the same name, Rob Schneider stars once again as Deuce Bigalow—a gigolo with all the wrong moves and the biggest of hearts. Produced by Happy Madison Productions and directed by Mike Bigelow, “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo” takes place several years after the original. This go around, Deuce has to rejoin the working class of gigolos when Deuce’s former pimp T.J. Hicks (Eddie Griffin) is accused of murdering the greatest gigolo in Europe. Working undercover, Deuce wines and dines the former clients of the elite, deceased prosti-dudes in order to figure out just who is the murderer and clear his friend’s name. Hidden beneath a semi-sappy love story that mirrors the relationship with former girlfriend Kate in the original “Bigalow,” the viewer will immediately notice that it’s the same storyline as before-- but instead of Hollywood, Deuce finds
Columbia Pictures
himself in Holland. When he’s not trying to find love with the quirky Eva (Hanna Verboom), a girl with over 100 different obsessive compulsive disorder habits, he’s instead working his quirky style of man-whoring with the clients. For 80 minutes the movie drags on to what can only be described as a series of unfunny events, each more grotesque than the previous one. Schneider’s inability to act is only second to the fact that the movie utilizes toilet humor to produce scenes that make the audience wince instead of laugh. “Bigalow” goes for the cheap laugh, whether it’s a client’s feline
playing with more than one set of balls or even awkward appendage humor. Instead of laughing at the antics on screen, the viewer tends to feel queasy—such as learning that it isn’t just snot coming from a woman’s nose during the ballroom dance. It is clear that “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo” is targeted to pre-pubescent males, which is very odd considering that the movie garnered an R rating from the MPAA. The admission fee to the movie would be better spent watching a film that allows the viewer to retain a few brain cells during the movie.
Suspense is ‘key’ in Hudson film By JENNIFER BELLENDIR For the Daily Titan
Universal Pictures’ “The Skeleton Key” keeps the audience thinking and on the edge of their seats with continuous revelations and an abstract plot. If you are looking for an easy scare, look elsewhere. Although there are a few teeth clenching, hold onto your seat thrills, the majority of the film is spent in constant suspense as the pieces of the puzzle are put together, until all questions are answered in the end. Kate Hudson moves out of the comedy/drama realm into this horror/thriller to play Caroline, a young nurse who is hired as the caregiver for an elderly woman’s dying husband. Caroline must move into the couple’s aging mansion, located in the swampy outskirts of New Orleans, where the magic of hoodoo still peers its evil eye time and again.
When creaks and bangs in the attic spark Caroline’s interest, her detective senses prevail and she embarks on a mystery that has lasted 90 years. As she unravels the secret of what really caused her patient’s stroke, not only does she learn that people are not who they seem to
be, but she also begins to believe in the magic of the south herself. Hudson’s performance is phenomenal, proving she is a versatile actress. The audience gets sucked into her detective demeanor as they follow along with the trail of clues
right beside her. Gena Rowlands, who plays the elderly woman Violet, is the villain we love to hate; think Kathy Bates in “Misery.” Although John Hurt, the dying husband Ben, only says three words in the film, his facial expressions are enough to give chills. Lastly, Peter Sarsgaard plays the handsome, young man developing into Caroline’s love interest until he pulls a 180, answering so many lingering questions. Made by the creators of “The Ring,” the movie has the same ghostly feeling with a mystery that Universal Pictures needs solving, although not as many scares. The trailer does not give justice to this film, nor do the harsh reviews, but “The Skeleton Key” will not disappoint. It is a suspenseful film that will leave you in awe, with many revelations still to be discovered on the drive home.
MOVIE
REVIEWS
5
Sweet revenge proves successful By LISAJOYCE VERGARA For the Daily Titan
From director John Singleton, who directed “Boyz N the Hood” and “Baby Boy,” comes a story about four brothers, Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), Jerry (Andre Benjamin, from the music group OutKast), Angel (Tyrese Gibson), and Jack (Garrett Hedlund, “Troy”), who come from different walks of life and were raised by their loving mother who adopted them and saved them from the mean streets of Detroit. One tragic night, their mother, Evelyn (Fionnula Flanagan), isgunned down in a liquor store robbery. Police are on the scene investigating her killers, but the Mercer brothers unravel the death to be a set-up, execution style. Despite their different races, they are bound by ties thicker than blood. They all come together to bury their mother and to bury her killers. The brothers are determined to find her killers and will stop at nothing to find answers.
While the movie revolves around a murder, it also focuses on how the brothers grew up together and lean on each other in their time of tragedy. The boys were the worst of all delinquents. No one wanted to adopt these four troubled boys until one woman saw the goodness inside each of them. Bobby, the hot-headed big brother is an exthug, Jerry is the ex-hustler, Angel is the pretty boy and ex-thug of the family, while Jack is the baby boy rocker. Together for the first time in years the four catch up on their lives while dealing with their mother’s death. The four set out a mission to find these thugs. Aside from police investigation, they decide to take the murder into their own hands. Their investigation intensifies and they start to use methods outside the law. Violence and bloodshed is showcased throughout this actionpacked film, with gun battles, car chases and good old-fashioned fist fighting. Singleton once again brings out
Paramount Pictures
the best in filmmaking with his signature action and drama filled sequences. The ethnically mixed
cast gives great chemistry of different personalities. It was strange to me to see Andre from OutKast
in this because I didn’t know he could act and he’s actually good! Watch this movie, it’s a must-see!
40-year-old Hustle keeps it movin’ virgin star still not getting any By DAVID BARRY
Daily Titan News Editor
By SUZANNE SULLIVAN Daily Titan Photo Editor
The film 40-Year-Old Virgin is about Andy Stitzer, a man who works in an electronic store, lives in an apartment filled with action figures and video games, and who is, big shock…a virgin! 40-Year-Old Virgin looked like a promising film initially, with Steve Carrell from “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and the american version of The Office playing the main character and Judd Apatow, director and cowriter with Carrell who has been a part of many entertaining tv shows and movies (Freaks and Geeks and Anchorman), it seemed like it was destined for comic gold. The fatal flaw is that all of these jokes have been done before: the over-sexed females that scare Andy, the co-workers who give horrible advice, and the stunted man who still plays with action figures. Catherine Keener, plays Carrell’s love interest, Trish, who works across the street from him in her “We Sell Things on Ebay” store. Andy meets Trish when she
comes into the electronic store to buy a VHS player. After a week or so, Andy finally gets the nerve to go over to her shop and ask her for a date. The relationship between the characters is fairly dull and as the story progresses you don’t really care if they stay together. The supporting characters are not developed enough to make them interesting. They try to assist Andy on a quest to get laid, but while they are experienced, they too have no success with women. Paul Rudd’s character, David, is obsessed with his cheating exgirlfriend, Jay (Romany Malco) cheats on his girlfriend, and Cal (Seth Rogen) doesn’t have a girlfriend either. The minute a character comes into view, you know exactly what he is going to say. It’s not to say that predictability is what kills everything, but a film needs to have a little imagination. What is sad is that the funniest scene of the movie is the last scene, once you have already given up on the movie. No chemistry between characters, a plot that is annoyingly predictable, and jokes that are just not that funny.
Once the excitement of buying textbooks dies down and the endof-summer blues settle in, one may find oneself browsing the comedy section of Blockbuster or Netflix, searching for that perfect distraction. Fresh out on DVD, “Kung Fu Hustle” delivers the kick-ass martial arts spoof that its trailers promise. Surprisingly, it contains a bit more substance than most farces, action flicks or combinations thereof. Stephen Chow, who also wrote, directed and produced the film, plays Kung Fu Hustle’s main character, Sing, a wannabe Kung Fu
gangster. He desperately wants to join the violently successful Axe Gang, but his incompetence seems to doom him to the life of a petty criminal or a homeless person. Sing’s wretchedness is somehow endearing – so much so that the audience is magically hustled into rooting for him to transform into a hero either a hero or anti-hero. This transformation, hinted at in the opening title sequence which shows a butterfly fluttering along a Grand Canyon-like landscape, materializes in the strangest of ways. More fumbling than fluttering, Sing and his loser sidekick enter an impoverished district – Pig Sty Alley – and try to extort money from a barber who has just given the sidekick a reasonably good hair cut.
Sony Pictures
Sing complains that the haircut doesn’t make his friend look tough enough, and demands ‘protection’ money from the barber. This logic doesn’t work with the bumpkin of a barber, who’s genius is not noticing that his sagging pants reveal a bit too much cheek. Sing’s sidekick also tries to intimidate the barber, but suddenly falls into a narcoleptic nap. When Sing continues to harass the barber, the other residents step up to defend him. Sing singles out people from the crowd who appear to be weak, but when they approach they are considerably taller or more muscular than they first appeared to be. An older woman approaches Sing and gut punches him so hard he spits blood. She turns out to be quite sturdier than she appeared. Several other Pig Sty Alley residents reveal unlikely strength and fighting skills. A cowering tailor, a reserved noodle cook, and a humble coolie deliver unexpected help to defend their Pig Sty from the Axe Gang that Sing desperately wants to join. These unlikely heroes, and others, emerge from their masks of weakness and idiocy with strengths sometimes even unknown to them. Like the bumbling, mumbling fool in “Office Space,” Sing steps out of the rubble of his senseless life and into one neither he nor the audience imagined. In other words: this DVD is a perfect distraction from the start-of-the-semester stress.
6 MAINSTREAM Small venues bring big fun for students By NICK COOPER Daily Titan Asst. News Editor
It’s the start of a new semester; a time for homework, books and the debt left behind from tuition and fees. School though is still simple enough to enjoy a night out or two without the worry of tests or papers. Luckily there are some cool places to spend those hard earned and little dollars close to campus. Listen up music lovers, three cool concert venues are no less then 20 minutes away from campus. “I go to concerts because they’re fun, the crowd is full of energy and it wears off on me,” said Christina Tichenor a frequent concert goer. The Glass House in Pomona
and is about 17 miles away from campus. Located at 200 W. Second St. the Glass House is an all age venue that plays a variety of music but sticks mainly to rock and independent music. “Being an all age venue helps to draw people in,” said Mike Ojeda a promotor for the Glass House, “Also we like to mix it up. A lot of other venues play the same types of music. We have a large variety of shows.” The Glass House has had many small acts play that have since blown up with success, he said. Bands like the White Stripes and Bright Eyes played at the Glass House. “Many bands that are well known played here,” Ojeda said, “now that they’re famous they’re
NICK COOPER/Daily Titan Asst. News Editor
The stage is set for a night of rock and punk at the Glass House, an all age concert venue in Pomona, Calif. a little harder to get though.” Hundreds of band T-shirts clutter the walls of The Chain Reaction another all age venue located in Anaheim. This small venue packs a great price and has a great line up of bands to choose from. Though lacking in decent ventilation, Chain Reaction is the closest to campus. It is located near the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Euclid street.
“A lot of great bands play at the Chain Reaction,” Tichenor said. “I’ve recently seen Dashboard Confessional and am looking forward to seeing Rufio there soon.” If it’s VIP rooms, dining and good music your looking for try The Galaxy Concert Theater in Santa Ana, a mere 15 miles from campus off Harbor Boulevard. “We get a pretty good amount of local bands,” said Marjy Taylor,
a director of marketing and publicity for the Galaxy Concert Theater. “We try not to restrict ourselves to a typical style of music. We have club nights, DJs, local nights, even Reggae, although we don’t do a lot of Hip Hop.” At each venue tickets are moderately priced at $10 and up which makes seeing live bands a great alternative to the mundane trip to the movie theater.
MAINSTREAM
7
FOX awards show still tops teen’s list By MAHSA KHALILFAR Daily Titan Asst. Entertainment Editor
2005 was another big year in the young Hollywood scene. Fans were introduced to the new young Hollywood newlyweds- One Tree Hill’s pretty Sophia Bush and cutie Chad Michael Murray; Britney Spears got pregnant; Lindsay Lohan went blonde; and lastly of course, the Olsen Twins’s latest conquests. The important issues of today might not be the above tokens of Hollywood fact vs. fiction but for a night, the Teen Choice Awards last week embraced such gossip and just had what teens want: fun! I went to the show hoping to glimpse some of my favorite acts from my teen years and just when the show seemed mundane and rather boring, surprise superstars made the show worth it all. A skinnier version of actress and singer Hillary Duff hosted the soiree alongside funny man Rob Schneider, who’s in the new movie “Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolow.”
Gwen Stefani put on quite a show, opening the awards in marching band uniform and all. The crowd was pleasantly surprised as Stefani came in with her borrowed marching band and was feet away from adoring fans in the audience. The singer’s fashion sense was less then stellar at the awardsshowing off what seemed to be boxers under her white shortsbut she was a crowd favorite. The singer showed up alongside her husband, Bush singer Gavin Rossdale and she took home the Visionary Award for her influence on the teen generation. Other performers included Black Eyed Peas, who opted for a Halloween colored orange and black stage and outfit set-up and a heartfelt performance by Simple Plan, who sang their newest single “Untitled,” which discusses the scary consequences of drinking and driving to the target teen crowd. Big Hollywood names also joined in last Sunday’s award festivities. Singer, Mariah Carey, came out surprising the mostly young audience and famed ac-
MAHSA KHALILIFAR/Daily Titan
Hulk Hogan, pictured here at the Teen Choice Awards which was taped last Sunday in L.os Angeles.
tresses Halle Berry and Demi Morre (who was with Ashton) were among the guests. Teen Choice Award pleaser and annual visitor Jim Carey, who won best movie bad guy for “Lemony Snicket’s: A series of Unfortunate Events,” and funny man Adam Sandler. Other winners of the night included choice hotties Rachel Bilson from “The OC,” and Murray; Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, who won many awards for their movie “The Notebook;” Sandra Bullock for Ms. Congeniality Two; and Gilmore Girl’s Alexis Bledel for choice “it” girl and choice TV actress for a comedy. Paris Hilton also showed up to the event with a new shorter do and the Hogan family came to watch the show, while the head of the household: Terry a.k.a. “Hulk” Hogan was a presenter. The show was short, simple, and had quite a few surprises. A few bleeps from Sandler and the Wayan Brothers made the audience anticipating what would come next. Although those were not the only highlights of the
show, they made the awards interesting. One highlight was when Ashton Kutcher accepted choice male TV personality and had an audience member read his speech. The audience was laughing away and the Punk’d star was charismatic as usual. The official FOX networksponsored after-party, which also broadcasted the awards show, was held at a location nearby in the City Walk, and some celebrities hung out to take pictures with fans. Guests were given free gift bags full of goodies such as bags and shirts at the party. Food and drinks were also complimentary. people also played games, courtesy of FOX. Overall, the awards served as a place for singers, actors, and other Hollywood elite get together and have a fun time. The audience was able to purchase tickets to see their favorite young celebrities, so overall the FOX show was a teen hit. The show was no Oscar extravaganza, but still entertaining to the young generation.
8 MUSIC
REVIEWS
Reggaeton brings the noise to SoCal By MAHSA KHALILFAR Daily Titan Asst. Entertainment Editor
Gibson Amphitheatre was once again filled with the screams of fans, mostly of Hispanic decent, on Friday night as Reggaeton once again invaded the L.A. area to the delight of concert goers. The concert started at around 8 p.m. and ended a little past midnight, ending a little earlier than the first Reggaeton Invasion in the same theatre months earlier, but it still left many people content with the show. Reggaeton stars Zion y Lennox, Wisin y Yandel, Angel y Khriz, Ivy Queen and others performed for their Latin fans in the audience and let the music speak for itself. The four-hour show was filled with energy despite some empty seats and notable big acts such as Don Omar and Daddy Yankee missing from the second Reggaeton invasion, the performances were still good and the amphitheatre was filled to close capacity. In the orchestra section of the seating, audiences were given towels that advertised Wisin y Yandel’s album and gave sweaty concert-goers something to wipe off with after their dance moves got them worked up. The show featured many radio hosts in the show as well, such as 96.3’s Miko, who seemed to be the MC for the event. The new Latin radio station 96.3 has been hitting airwaves for a few months now and has been a hit among Reggaeton fans. Also radio personality, Kool-Aid, from Power 106 got the crowd pumped up. The undisputed queen of Reggaeton, Ivy Queen, definetly had
the best show of the night and mixed Westside urban sounds with latin beats to make the show a rythmic showcase. Wisin y Yandel, a Reggaeton duo that has gotten a huge fan base, especially with their recent hit “Rakkata,” made younger fans scream and dance to their heart’s desire. We caught up with Reggaeton performers Angel y Khriz a day before the show. The Puerto Rican duo still resides in the home country but flew in for the show. Both of the singers/rappers were dressed casually but also full of bling bling that you would think they were your average famed hip hop singers. Although Angel’s English is limited, Khriz’s English is fairly decent and we sat and talked about their excitement for the show. “We are very happy to be in the same boat with the other singers,”
Khriz said about the next day’s show. “Sharing this experience together is more important then money.” Angel y Khriz formed their
group a couple of years ago in Puerto Rico in their early adult years, and now Angel, 25, and Khriz, 24, are really glad that the Reggaeton scene has exploded onto mainstream markets. Their song “Ven Bailalo” is burning up the Latin Billboard Charts, and their first self-entitled album on Los MVP Records is making a name itself among diverse fans. They both said their songs are about real life situations. If it is about a break-up, about life on the streets, or just about dancing in a club each song individually speaks to someone they said. Coming to perform in the West Coast, Khriz admits they were nervous since the demographic is so diverse, yet the pressure with doing a good job weighs heavily on them. He said though that Reggaeton is a universal beat. “It’s a contagious rhythm,” he said. “It’s like Dancehall, it’s all about the music. Reggaeton and Hip Hop both come from the ghetto, it’s from the same culture.” The guys expressed their love for hip hop and how in the future they would love to work with famed rappers 50 Cent and Eminem. Angel also said they want to go far with their goals. Khriz agreed, adding that he wants the skeptics of Reggaeton to just give it a try. “Keep on supporting the music,” he said as a message to the fans. “We are doing [our music] with a lot of passion.” The guys also said that people can expect only one main thing in their shows: Adreneline. Although the guys were set to perform the next day, Khriz unfortunately got sick moments before the show. Unofficial sources said he got
Mon. 08/22 John Legend House of Blues Sunset Strip food poisoning and was rushed to the hospital. His publicist was unavailable at the time of press for official confirmation. Although Khriz missed on performing, Angel and a stand-in for Khriz performed to the best of their ability. Angel apologized in Spanish to the audience for Khriz’s absence but the crowd seemed to embrace the group’s music even without a part of the duo missing. The show seemed to be another success for the Reggaeton scene. Angel y Khriz said they are planning great things for the future and their sophomore album is set to come out sometime in Spring 2006. “2006 is the big explosion this is only the beginning,” Angel said the day before the show. Khriz smiled and they both laughed in agreement. “We’re going to rule the [music] world,” Khriz grinned, confirming. Above: Wisin y Yandel at the Reggaeton show Left: Ivy Queen on the Gibson Amphitheatre stage. Photos by MAHSA KHALILIFAR/Daily Titan
Johnson strums strong rong in Ir Irvine By AMANDA PENNINGTON Daily Titan Entertainment Editor
On a lovely Southern California Sunday evening, people flocked in droves to the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater to mellow out with the sounds of Jack Johnson – and to pay $10 for a 24-ounce beer. As I made my way up the hill to my seat Aug. 7, trying not to spill my money—I mean beer—I pondered how Jack Johnson’s serene Hawaiian style would play to a crowd this large in a venue this massive. As Johnson riffed on, however, my nerves were eased, and I don’t think it was from the
constant marijuana smoke wafting in all directions that did it. No, to my delight Johnson was incredibly in tune with the 15,500 people that attended his concert, and from the top of the terrace seats, I felt like he was playing right to me. The only pin to pop this dream was the explosion of screaming fans at the start and finish of every perfectly strummed note. Johnson started his set with “Never Know,” from his newest release, “In Between Dreams.” As the piano notes projected flawlessly from the state, the fans were getting into Jack Johnson mode, swaying back and forth and closing their eyes while they
sang along. He played a mix of tunes from past and present, thus sparking audience participation from every single person in the crowd. The participation of the crowd was especially fervent when Johnson played his hit, “Banana Pancakes.” As everyone sang about staying in and not worrying about the hustle and bustle of their daily lives, it became apparent that, that is what Jack Johnson stands for and that is what he aided all of the fans—from the front row to the back of the lawn—to do. Jack and his buddies could do no wrong at this concert for Orange County. He rocked us, lulled us and made us smile.
Concert Calendar
The Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, however, did. The atrocious price of drinks and food, coupled with the outrageous parking situation, put this venue on my “I would rather NOT go” list. After parking in one of the last spots available, the attendant started pointing others cars towards the exit. The venue also now prohibits tailgating, which guarantees the venue the monopoly on beer and food distribution. Complaints aside, however, Jack really put on a great show and all his fans should go experience the music they love in their car LIVE.
Tues. 08/23 Mike Peters House of Blues Anaheim Wed. 08/24 Marc Anthony Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine Thur. 08/25 Backstreet Boys Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre Irvine Fri. 08/25 Snoop Dogg Dogg/Red Hot Chili Peppers Greek Theatre Los Angeles Sat. 08/27 Dave Matthews Band The Home Depot Center Carson Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com
