z buz
02 | 09 | 06 . 02 | 15 | 06 s o u n d s f r o m t h e s c e n e
w e e k l y
champaign . urbana
4
SO WHO IS THIS ST. VALENTINE ANYWAY?
10
FIND SOMETHING TO DO: CU CALENDAR
13
HIGH FASHION IN CU
2 •
buzz weekly
IN HOLLYWOOD A MARRIAGE IS A SUCCESS IF IT OUTLASTS MILK.
4
no.06
Cover Design • Claire Napier, Austin Happel Editor in chief • Erin Scottberg Art Director • Claire Napier Copy Chief • Sara Sandock Listen, Hear • Anna Statham Stage, Screen & in Between • Elyse Russo Around Town • Lianne Zhang CU Calendar • Todd Swiss Photography Editor • Austin Happel Designers • Brittany Bindrim, Nikita Sorokin, Allie Armstrong Calendar Coordinator • Brian McGovern Photography • Austin Happel Copy Editors • Sarah Goebel, Ruth McCormack, Meghan Whalen, Dan Petrella Staff Writers • Paul Prikazsky, Tatyana Safronova, Syd Slobodnik, Todd J. Hunter Contributing Writers • Michael Coulter, Seth Fein Production Manager • Paula Newcomb Sales Manager • Mark Nattier Marketing/Distribution • Brandi Wills Publisher • Mary Cory
|2-3| 3 3 3 |4-6| 4 6 | 7-9| 7 8 8 8 9 9
e-mail: buzz@readbuzz.com write: 57 E. Green St. Champaign, IL 61820 call: 217.337.3801 We reserve the right to edit submissions. Buzz will not publish a letter without the verbal consent of the writer prior to publication date. Buzz magazine is a student-run publication of Illini Media Company and does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students. First copy of Buzz is FREE, each additional copy is $.50 © Illini Media Company 2006
erin scottberg EDITOR’S NOTE
U ntil the Bears are in
the Super Bowl agin (I was two that last time that happened), the game is more about the experience to me — the food, the beer and the commercials. Although I do like watching a good football game, especially now that NFL Blitz has taught me some of the f iner points of the game, it’s even more entertaining watching what gimmick advertisers think is a better use of their $2.5 million 30-second spot — talking animals, hot girls, dumb guys or dry wit. Personally, the talking animals, or vegetables, are what did it for me. When Kermit pointed to the word “Hybrid” on a new Ford Escape as he realized it’s not so bad being green, I smiled. When Burger King made a Vegas show of one of their oldest jingles, I laughed. I guess I liked the dumb guy approach too — when one country clubber used his cell phone as a crime deterrent, I almost spit beer out of my nose. What can I say? I’m a sucker for slap-stick. The New York Times ran an article earlier this week that claiming that the day after the game, 23 million Super Bowl commercials had been downloaded. I know I was one of them. As I Googled for the commerical I wanted most to watch again, the 60-second LOST ad cut to Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love,” I found much more than I could have ever hoped for. Those smart-as-awhistle ad execs over at ABC put a full, threeminute version of the ad online. You know what B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
INTRO First Things First • Michael Coulter This Modern World • Tom Tomorrow Life in Hell • Matt Groening
AROUND TOWN From Roman Feasts to Diamond Treats • Lianne Zhang The Local Sniff • Seth Fein
LISTEN, HEAR Something Always Comes from the Music • Anna Statham The Strokes album review • Brian McGovern Billy Joel album review • Carlye Wisel Parasol Top Ten Senses Working Overtime • Kyle Gorman Sound Ground #112 • Todd J. Hunter
CU CALENDAR
| 13 - 17 |
STAGE, SCREEN & IN BETWEEN
13
Pattern Language • Rosalee Inendino Annapolis review • Paul Prikazsky Big Momma’s House 2 review • Andrew Crewell Artist Corner Jacob Foran • Elyse Russo Underworld: Evolution review • Jennifer McCarthy Hidden Gem/Guilty Pleasure • Brent Simerson Movie Times
14 15 16 16 16 26 | 18 |
CLASSIFIEDS
| 19 - 20 |
THE STINGER
19 19 20
IN
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
| 10 - 12 |
14
TALK TO BUZZ
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
•
UNDER THE COVER
BUZZ STAFF volume
Feb. 9
20 20
Doin’ it Well • Kim Rice & Kate Ruin Jonesin’ Crosswords • Matt Gaffney Free Will Astrology Slowpoke • Jen Sorensen (Th)ink • Keef Knight
I did for the next 10 minutes. But enough praise for the blood-sucking advertising industry. On to local events … … Sunday night, O.A.R. will be playing at Assembly Hall. Three years ago, the band played a show at Canopy Club. I was a freshman enamored with the college life — no parents on your ass about going to class, house parties with live bands and two-story beer bongs, and a so many people, everywhere — even dorm living seemed great at the time. Back then, there was a little music shop on Green Street. They sold new and used music, tickets for local shows, subway posters and promo art. They even had some vintage clothes upstairs. Sometimes, the store owner cleared a space for live shows. When O.A.R. came through, they stopped at Record Service to play a free afternoon show. Even though O.A.R. isn’t my favorite band of all time, I knew a few songs and I thought “What the hell?” My friend Jenny and I cutting class to see a show at the record store down the street — damn, college was so cool. Unfortunately, Record Service closed for good on March 5, 2004. The owner blamed illegal downloading, others said it was big-name retailers that ran them under. Granted, CU still has a few independent music retailers, but you won’t find any in Campustown. Save the occasional jam on the Quad, new students aren’t going to have the opportunity to experience an impromptu afternoon of live music. That’s too bad.
sounds from the scene
Feb. 9
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
buzz weekly •
THERE ARE ONLY THREE AGES FOR WOMEN IN HOLLYWOOD — BABE, DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND DRIVING MISS DAISY.
3
michael coulter FIRST THINGS FIRST
Study finds nine percent of workers nurse hangovers on the job Same study finds seven percent nurse the bottle on the job
W hen I was younger,
I used to go to work still a little drunky from the night before. I wouldn’t be “falling down, pissing my pants, can’t remember my name” drunk, but there was often a great deal of alcohol still sloshing through my veins when I would head off to my job. This doesn’t happen so much anymore since I’m older and it takes me several days, sometimes even weeks, to get over a spirited evening of drinking. Now, I sort of plan ahead and take a day off if it even looks like there might be the slightest bit of trouble. I mean, a person keeps mixing up chemicals night after night, eventually it’s gonna get away from you a little bit. Back then though, I didn’t really have the luxury of taking days off on a regular basis, so I would suck it up and report to work. It always made for a strange day. Initially, it was sort of pleasant. I’d get up, brush my teeth for twelve minutes, take a shower with an SOS pad, and head out the door. It was all involuntary for the most part. Often times, I would even feel pretty good (by pretty good, I mean still intoxicated). As much as it happened, it’s odd I never once realized the hell to come. In fact, I’m such an idiot it never even occurred to me just how hung over I would eventually be. For one beautiful hour, I was under the mistaken impression that I’d accidentally stumbled on a perfect combination of alcohol that rendered me immune to retribution. “Wow, I feel awesome. Let’s see, seven beers, three margaritas, two shots of Jameson, one shot of Jaegermeister, and a bourbon and Coke. That is what I have to drink every night if I don’t want to feel bad the next day. I can’t believe I’ve broke the code.” Well, of course, I have broken no code at all. I was simply still about half-popped and the hangover was still a few minutes away from beginning. By nine in the morning, I would feel as though I was going to vomit. By ten, I would swear off drinking for the rest of my life. By eleven, I actually would vomit. By noon, I was so disoriented that Taco Bell actually sounded like a good idea for a meal. The afternoon was nothing but a blur of uncomfortable trips to the bathroom, bottles of soda pop, and silent prayers. I couldn’t begin to tell you how I managed to do that shit on a semi-regular basis back then. Maybe I should ask somebody else. Recent findings by
The University at Buffalo’s Research Institute on Addictions have concluded that just over seven percent of American workers drink during the workday. Man, I wasn’t even that bad. Compared to their findings, still being drunk from the night before almost seems courageous. I wasn’t alone in my heroism. According to the study, nine percent of working folks have nursed a hangover in the workplace. Nine percent? Um, either somebody out there is lying or I have worked with every person in that nine percent. Anyway, young, single men are considered the main culprits, especially managers, sales people, restaurant workers, and media types. Well, that could be worse. Who really gives a crap if those people aren’t functioning at a hundred percent? If you say it’s mostly surgeons, truck drivers, air traffic controllers, then I might be concerned, but most of those people can really only hurt themselves if they’re tanked up at work. The pur pose of the sur vey was to help workplace managers develop policies on alcohol abuse. I assume they aren’t speaking of the particular managers who are part of the seven percent drinking during workday. “Oh yeah, I got a great policy. It’s called everybody gets pissed at lunch and goes home early.” They hope the survey will give some insight to the causes and effects of workplace alcohol use. I’m just guessing, but I bet the cause of the drinking is often because of a sucky job and the result of the dr inking is the employee doing an even suckier job. The primary time of alcohol abuse for many of these workers is during lunch. So, in all fairness, they’re really only drunk for about half of the day. Still not admirable, but it’s not like most of them are putting down a 12-pack on the way to work. It sort of makes me think. I couldn’t tell you the number of times I’ve had a crapass morning and a couple of beer bongs at lunch might have really made the afternoon seem better, but I never went down that path. I suppose I’m afraid I would like it too much. There’s an old saying that I think applies. “Never drink at work and never talk about work when you’re drinking.” It’s a nice thought and a sensible idea. The two things really don’t go together and if you can always keep them separated, you’ll probably be a lot better off. At the very least, if you don’t drink at work, it gives you something to look forward to after work. Otherwise, it’s just a long day of the same thing.
Oasis
Adult Superstore
XXX
Open 24/7
7
$ 99 DVD
499 VHS
$
Novelties, Magazines, 28 Booth Arcade, Rentals, Sales
$5 off $10 minimum purchase or free rental Limit 1 per customer. Offer expires 12-31-06 Exit 206 Oakwood (East of McDonald’s) 1-800-805-4692 217-354-4820
sounds from the scene
I NTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
4 There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved. - George Sand
FROM ROMAN FEASTS TO DIAMOND TREATS The untold story of St. Valentine’s Day LIANNE ZHANG • AROUND TOWN EDITOR
By the end of the fifth century, Pope Gelasius I officially termed the annual February 14 feast “St. Valentine’s Day.” Koslofsky said that the Roman traditions of love and romance from way back then have stuck around for all this time and are not incredibly different from the ideas and customs of today. According to a project conducted by the History Channel, Valentine’s Day migrated to the United States in the 19th century via British settlers. By the mid-17th century, paper Valentine cards were printed and sold. By the mid- to late- 20th century, the gift-giving pool expanded to include chocolates, flowers, and even expensive jewelry. In a 1929 Chicago brawl between Al Capone’s South Side Italian gang and George “Bugs” Moran’s North Side gang, six members of Moran’s gang were shot and killed in a Lincoln Park garage. This Prohibition-era event happened to fall on our nationallydeclared holiday of love and quickly became dubbed the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.” This holiday, which evolved from European roots, has been practiced throughout the United States. Many other cultures have also put their own spin on the holiday. On Japan’s White Day, men reciprocate and give gifts to the women that gave them chocolates. On Black Day in Korea, men who did not receive gifts on Valentine’s Day gather to eat a Chinese-style noodles called Ja-Jiang-Mien. The Chinese version of Valentine’s Day is something called “The Seven Sisters Festival,” in which stargazers look to a star named Vega. The act of stargazing on Vega is to remember the legendary tale of two lovers — heaven’s youngest daughter, Zhi Nu, and her husband Niu Lang. Zhi Nu, the seventh daughter, was sent back to heaven after her mother, the Queen of heaven, noticed her disappearance. On this holiday, the couple is reunited for a day. Even America’s own version of Valentine’s Day has been tweaked a bit since its birth. “The way I see it, when I was a kid, Valentine’s Day was purely about romantic-love, you usually give a card to someone you want to be with. Now it’s mushroomed to be for anyone and everyone,” Koslofsky said. New Town Flowers located on Green Street — tucked inconspicuously between a cigar shop and an apartment parking lot — has been open for almost three decades. “Over the years, this holiday has become more and more commercialized,” said Roger Karr, the shop’s owner.
F
ebruar y 14 — Ever y year, as soon as the Christmas decorations are taken down and all the New Year kisses have been shared, the world goes into a romance autopilot, draping itself in an overabundance of cotton-candy pink and other disgustingly girly colors, suffocating lace and those god-awful white paper doilies. Some call it the most romantic day of the year, while others have dubbed it “Singles’ Awareness Day,” but, regardless of your title choice, the history of Valentine’s Day is one that surprisingly few people are aware of. Growing up in the suburbs of the East Coast, come February 14, I could always be counted on to receive and hand out dozens of those cheap little cardboard, tear-off Valentine cards — you know, the ones you get at your local drug store that always come in an eclectic array of cutesy cartoon characters. And depending on how many people I felt the need to love, I bought accordingly. Through the years, this “love day” has evolved and with corporate America now having gained a tight grasp on this moneymaking holiday, Valentine’s Day is becoming so commercialized that the holiday’s true origins are forgotten. Why do we celebrate such a holiday? And who the heck is St. Valentine? Aside from all the romantic dinners, mounds of chocolate, dozens of roses and assorted cuddly stuffed animals vying for consumer attention in the storefronts, in reality, Valentine’s Day contains relics from ancient Christian and Roman pasts. Valentine’s Day was started as a remembrance of two Christians in Roman times — a priest and a bishop who were both martyred at separate times in the third century. The Christians deemed them saints and as a way of remembering them, a feast was thrown every year. According to Professor Craig Koslofsky, who teaches western civilization history at the University of Illinois, Valentine’s Day is an absorption of a pagan holiday called Lupercalia. Lupercalia was celebrated for the Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter. At the festival, single men and women gathered together and entertain thoughts on who they might marry. Men picked names of single women out of jars. “It was all for fun, you didn’t necessarily get married, it’s sort of like spin the bottle,” Koslofsky said. INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
Karr remembers the old days when people would come in and personally pick out flowers for their significant others from the store’s paper catalogs or floral displays. The flower shop would then have to order their arrangements through the Florist Transworld Delivery (FTD) system. In the ever-booming towns of Urbana and Champaign, as monster multipurpose stores such as Wal-Mart, Schnucks and Meijer have set up camp on major off-the-highway exits, many small shops around town have been feeling the negative effects. In turn, online conglomerates like 1-800-Flowers and various chain superstores have turned local
What made Valentine’s Day the incredibly commercializuh, wonderful, holiday it is today: The Men • There were actually two saints. Both living in the 3rd century with the name Valentine. As time passed, people tended to merge them together. • St. Valentine #1 — a Roman Priest martyred in 269. • St. Valentine #2 — Bishop of Terni, who was martyred in Rome. Timeline • Roman festival of Lupercalia, celebrated in honor of the goddess Juno Februata. • End of 5th Century — Europe converts to Christianity as a whole. • 496 — Pope Gelasius I fuses the Pagan holiday Lupercalia with the Christian saints’ feast celebration, giving it a modern name — St. Valentine’s Day. • 1847 — Esther Howland becomes the first to mass produce and sell paper Valentines out of her father’s stationary shop. • 1900s — Valentine celebrants move past just cards, and the gift-giving fever sweeps the nation. • 1980 to present — The diamond and jewelry industries latch onto this romantic holiday and now not only is it romantic, but V-Day is pricey as well. (Thanks a lot, jewelers.)
sounds from the scene
Feb. 9
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
buzz weekly •
I’VE HAD A PERFECTLY WONDERFUL EVENING...BUT THIS WASN’T IT.
5
Romance-o-meter INTERVIEWS • LIANNE ZHANG PHOTOS • AUSTIN HAPPEL
•
•
Note from Editor: There has been much controversy and speculation around the St. Valentines, so please keep in mind that these are legends collected from various sources and are to be taken lightly and for entertainment purposes only.
“We used to own a Hallmark store, so now we don’t celebrate any Hallmark card holidays. We have to actually pay for the cards now, so we don’t celebrate them,� –Sally Baltz “Last year, with the help of my girlfriend’s four close friends, I planted a gift at each of their houses, and then I sent my girlfriend on a scavenger hunt, picking up a present at each house and then getting directions to go to the next location. At the fourth house, I let her know where I would be. Once she arrived, she followed a trail of rose petals to where I stood, in the center of a circle of rose petals, and we danced.� – Chad Russell
Valentine was a priest ser ving in third century Rome, and when Emperor Claudius II decided that all single men were much better off fi ghting as soldiers, he made marriage illegal for young men. However, Valentine continued to perform secret marriages for young lovers. He was discovered and sentenced to death. While in prison, Valentine supposedly fell in love with a girl (some say she was the jailer’s daughter) right before his death. It was believed that he wrote her a letter, on which he signed, “From your Valentine,� a phrase he coined before the Middle Ages but has survived to modern times.
“I was in Barcelona with this guy in a gated-in park at four in the morning, we made out, then afterwards, we both realized we sat in dog shit. You can’t escape the dog shit in Europe.� -Ana Eisenman (Aside from the dog poop, romancing in a foreign country is ALWAYS a plus.)
fl ower shops into the fast-food venues of the florist industry. “Superstores and [online flower services] have really taken a big effect on small businesses,� Karr said, “People can just go online to their own computers now and pull up a list of shops or [flower services] and call directly or order online.� In the pre-Prospect Avenue and Neil Street era, Green Street was the central meeting place on every college student’s social agenda. “It used to be that every Saturday, this place would be packed from 11:30 to about 4:30 in the afternoon,� Karr said. “Nowadays, people will occasionally come in and look around, but our flowers are more of an impulse item for them, they’ll grab say, one or three flowers — it is all about the pre-made now.� A lot of local mom and pop shops have even stopped trying to compete with major corporations all together. Some even choose to close the week of Valentine’s Day due to insanely high volume and demands and not gaining enough revenue. “Have I ever thought about it? Sure I have, but I’ve never once done it,� Karr said, laughing. Regardless of whether you try to embrace, alter, or loathe this holiday, according to the Greeting Card Association, about one billion cards are sold every Valentine’s Day, making it the second largest card-selling holiday. Despite if you are on the side of the romantically involved, or if you hold residency in the realm of singleness, we are all linked in some way or another to this remarkable holiday by the only thing that makes this world go ‘round: Love. buzz
sounds from the scene
“First of all, I am not an extralarge or a size large. Anyways, one year, my ex-boyfriend bought me this large ugly royal-purple two toned turtle-neck sweater with shoulder pads from Christopher & Banks (an elderly women’s clothing store). It was like something you would give your mom or grandma! Needless to say, I returned it.� – Sarah Kowalis (Well, at least the poor fella tried.)
“My girlfriend (now ex) of three years and I went out mid-day to Mattis Street, where we danced in the rain, kissing and hugging (and who knows what else), and playing in the water falling from the rooftops.� ---Steve Turnberry
“You know those Valentine boxes that your teachers used to make you make when you were a kid? You know? Out of the tissue boxes? Well, I got one when I was like, 19. My boyfriend at the time gave me one wrapped in red tissue, decorated with all these stickers of cartoons and stars, and he filled it with those little heartshaped candies and chocolates, and basically everything you can find in a grocery candy aisle. It was cute, I guess.� -Sonia Paul (At least he was creative ... in a third-grade kind of way.)
8PPEmFME
Valentine’s Sale Feb. 10 - 14th
0BL #SPPL .
BMM
(0 0/-*/&
JMMJOJFYQSFTT DPN 'SJEBZ 4VOEBZ
/0 )*%%&/ $)"3(&4 XXX JMMJOJFYQSFTT DPN "DSPTT GSPN 4VCVSCBO &YQSFTT
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
6 •
buzz weekly
LOVE IS GRAND; DIVORCE IS A HUNDRED GRAND.
Feb. 9
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
seth fein THE LOCAL SNIFF
Knit a Scarf; Starve a Child Not sure what does it for you, but Bush seems to enjoy hurting people…
FIRST SNIFF If it was ever in doubt that Laurel Lunt Prussing isn’t t he coolest m ayor t hat ever graced the city hall in Urbana, let me be the first to state that the answer is: most definitely. To wit: When asked who would win the Super Bowl by The News-Gazette on Sunday she replied: “Pittsburgh.” Okay – good prediction. But her comment is what did it. “I don’t think anyone can stop The Bus ( Jerome Bettis). Except maybe Savoy.” KNIT AWAY, BUT DON’T FORGET TO WATCH THE SHOW … The lady and I got to take in a hell of a show on Friday Night at the Canopy Club with good friends and good drinks. We sat at a table that gave us a clear view of the stage and of a (rarely) seated crowd. We were there to see Andrew Bird perform for a sold-out audience, but right as he was about the get on stage, my girlfriend noticed something a wee bit peculiar. “Check it out,” she said, pointing into the crowd. “This girl right here is knitting.” We all kind of sat up on our knees to take a gander and sure enough, there was a girl sitting in the back row, knitting a scarf without a care in the world. It was kind of a moment for me. I watched her for a bit and wondered about a few things. Was she even there for the show? Is this par for the course for this girl? Or is it some sort of sociological experiment to see if a certain columnist will notice her and write a paragraph about it? In any event, it made me consider something. We all have things in our life that do it for us. For one person,something simple and cliché might do it for them, like watching a sunset or eating an ice cream cone. Others find peace in doing things that are risky, like skydiving or motor cross racing. Still others find joy in their jobs by being a good employee and doing the things that they have been hired to do. For me, I’m easy. I like seeing my friends succeed and I like helping them get there. I also like to spend 15 hours watching LOST with my girlfriend and throwing my shoe at the screen when Charlie kills the person they need pertinent information from. Everyone. So unique. So different than each other. I think I am starting to understand the Wiccan philosophy of “Do what you will but harm none.” I like that. Like a Raymond Carver story — it works.
As the show went on, I kind of forgot about it, naturally, because the show was so amazing that I couldn’t really do much except watch the genius taking place on stage. But evidently, my girlfriend watched her on and off throughout the night. When the show was through and the lights came up, the girl got out of her chair and wrapped a brand new green scarf around her neck. Don’t you just wish that everything was that simple? COME ON BUSH – PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS … In the wake of the death of Coretta Scott King, one had to assume that the leaders of our nation would go to great lengths to make a publicity appearance; Dubya’s presence at her funeral was a hardly a surprise. But it is interesting to note, as Jesse Jackson did, that his attendance is coming on the heels of the introduction of his new budget — which includes a $600 billion allotment for defense spending – that will invariably destroy many social services that are already under funded and abused by our political systems. Come on, George. Do you really think that Martin Luther King Jr. or his loyal and intelligent wife would ever, in a million years, get behind a bullshit budget like this? Do you really honestly believe that these are the types of programs that a person like Coretta Scott King would stand up for? Of course not. The reason is simple: they had integrity and are interested in finding ways to help people that didn’t involve guns or tanks. They did it by listening and working together. Someone needs to give Bush and his cronies a refresher course. It should be us. BAND OF THE WEEK So, I have decided to incorporate this into my column. The fine buzz music staff already packs a good punch for the scene, but I thought that, given my other job, I’d chime in as well. Up this week: The Dolphin. Avant-garde madness with a little LCD Soundsystem consistency made their debut performance at The Iron Post a real treat for the packed crowd that night. They play next on February 17th at The Red Herring. Don’t miss it.
!
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
Sa
ke
Tic
Saturday, March 11th Virginia Theatre Star of Fox’s hit sitcom “Titus” and Comedy Central’s “Norman Rockwell is Bleeding”
“Brutal, audacious and hilarious!” Time Magazine
FINAL WHIFF Here’s a thought: Aren’t we al l healing from something all the time? I think so, too. Best policy? Help those who are committed to getting better by encouraging them. It can only do us well.
Seth Fein is from Urbana. He thinks that Bush is doing this because he is smart enough to know that the GOP is goin’ down come November. Word. He can be reached at sethfein@hotmail.com.
n ts o
. 14 b e le F
“TV’s most original comic voice since ‘Seinfeld’!”
TICKET LINE z buz 217.356.9063
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
Newsweek
sounds from the scene
7 What’s your favorite song to play live?
“[That was a Crazy Game of ] Poker” is a really good song to play because everyone gets really excited and goes crazy. That’s a song that I don’t think really ever gets old. It’s nice because we tend to play it at the end of the night and it’s always a pick-me-up at the end. When you start to play the opening guitar riff, everyone gets up and you feel the excitement rush through everyone. What’s your favorite band that you’ve ever played a show with?
Steven Kellogg and the Sixers is a band we’re playing with now. They’re just a really, really great, salt-of-the-earth, Americana kind of band. They’re really great guys and we’ve played with them in the past and it’s been a ton of fun.
ANNA STATHAM • LISTEN HEAR EDITOR
O.A.R., the abbreviated name of the Ohio-born band Of a Revolution, released their seventh album, Stories of a Stranger, in fall 2005. From their humble beginnings in the dorms of Ohio State University in 1998, O.A.R. established their popularity with the college hit, “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker”, and went on to spread their fan base through friends and file distribution over the Internet. O.A.R. consists of lead singer Marc Roberge, lead guitarist Richard On, bass player Benj Gershman, drummer Chris Culos, and saxophonist Jerry Depizzo. I recently spoke with Jerry over the phone to discuss the band as a whole and his life as a member of O.A.R. So, what’s the “revolution” referenced in your band name?
Well, I think it’s one of many simple ideals promoting positivity and togetherness and just unity between yourself and your fellow man. Do we want to overthrow the government? No. Do we want to start some sort of religious movement? No. I think embracing those simple ideals and principles will go a long way and I think if everybody did that, the world would be a much better place.
Ever get stage fright?
Your latest album, Stories of a Stranger, has been proclaimed as THE album for O.A.R., how do you feel it ranks among your other albums?
I think it’s our best effort to date. I think it’s the most all-encompassing record the band has done. It took about a year for us ... to get it done and get what we wanted out of it. We knew we wanted songs on this record that we thought would work at radio. We also wanted to show the other side of what we were able to do. We wanted to make the reggae more reggae. Have the tabloids ever run anything on you?
We kind of live under the radar. I think the band has enjoyed a certain level of fame and I would say when people ask something like that, I would say that the band is famous, but we’re not.
No. I probably feel more comfortable on stage than I do walking down the street, to be honest with you. I just always really dug it and felt home up there. Especially with this band, it was always just very natural and I always felt like it was the thing I was supposed to be doing. Any plans for Valentine’s Day?
Well, we usually don’t get off for it because it’s more of a holiday for the ladies, but this year we get to go home which is nice. I get to spend it with my wife and my baby. Any plans in the near future to record an O.A.R. Live at Assembly Hall album?
It’s cutting it a little close to get that done. But, we multi-track every show every night, so we’re going to do that. And, you know, kids are able to come to the show every night and tape it if they want to. So, there will be no “official live record O.A.R. at Assembly Hall.” But, it’s a good thing to think about. buzz
Have you ever lost it all in a crazy game of poker?
Did you graduate from OSU?
I realized kind of early on that there was no chance in hell I was going to be able to finish. I just really focused on packing T-shirts into Tupperware and loading the van. Maybe when my kid goes to school in 18 years, maybe I’ll go with her.
Do you encounter a lot of strange people on the road?
To be honest with you, most people are very respectful and very down-to-earth and just want to shake your hand and say they like the band and that they really enjoy your music. That’s just so cool to have that happen to you. But, every once in a while, yeah, you come across some people that kind of blur the line and who don’t really know when enough is enough, but that’s part of what we do. A friend of mine tattooed “reality” onto his shoulder in honor of your song “I Feel Home” ... creepy?
I think that’s kind of cool– shoulder’s cool. I wouldn’t be so sure if someone did it on their forehead or something like that. Some guy tattooed the Any Time Now logo on his forearm yesterday. I think that’s really, really cool and very flattering just because that’s going to be with you for quite a long time and I hope he’s as thrilled about putting it on his arm later on in life as he was yesterday. What other music do you listen to aside from your own?
O.A.R. will be playing at Assembly Hall Sunday February 12th at 7:30 p.m.
PHOTO COURTESY OF PALACENET.COM
I think Marc wrote the lyrics for that song ... [when he was] about 16 years old. The first half was written out in structure and the second half was– literally, the band went into the studio and the one take that they had to improvise the second reggae portion of the song is the stuff that Marc made up off the top of his head, and now it’s stuck with us ten years later. I think it just deals with searching for ideas and searching for answers and the wanderlust of being a 16-year-old and realizing there’s a larger world out there.
OAR band members left to right: Richard On, Chris Culos, Marc Roberge, Benj Gershman, and Jerry DePizzo.
I listen to a lot of jazz things and I love rock music. I listen to Block Party. You know who I’m really into is Ryan Adams. I think he’s really, really just amazing. What do you do when you’re not playing music?
Well, I just had a kid five months ago, so I’m trying to be the family man. I’m pretty much at home playing music– either practicing or trying to write songs for the band. That’s basically all I do ... and then some bowling every once in a while.
sounds from the scene
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
8 •
buzz weekly
THE JAILER JUMPS ON HIS HEAD THE PRISONER HANGS DEAD.
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
[ PARASOL TOP TEN ]
THE STROKES First Impressions of Earth
1. LOVE IS ALL 9 Times That Same Song
RCA BRIAN MCGOVERN • STAFF WRITER
In 2001, the Strokes’ debut single “Last Nite” hit the airwaves. Hearing it for the first time on my bedside clock radio immediately changed me. The attitude, the beat, the guitar all surged through me and affected me in ways music never had. The album became a soundtrack for many good memories and encouraged me to buy the first band poster to grace my wall. Nostalgia and sentiment connected them to my life and I waited anxiously for their third and newest album, First Impressions of Earth. Unfortunately, it fell far short of expectations. “You Only Live Once” opens the album fantastically. The infectious beat and opening riff draw indisputable similarities to the Rolling Stones. Julian Casablancas even sounds strikingly Jaggerlike. This gem is followed by the controversial single, “Juicebox”. From the start, a manic bass line smacks the listener like a comically placed rake. Schizophrenic and initially horrifying, it seems like the Strokes have lost their brains beneath all that perfectly messy hair. Listen again closer and it becomes a product of rock genius. “All right,” you think. “The Strokes have it going on with this album.” Well ... the thing is ... The thing is they really don’t have ‘it’ going on. The album is bearable, but barely. Their past releases had ten tracks; here they went for a dangerous fourteen. Fifty-three minutes of
Feb. 9
Whats Yr Rupture
2. JOSE GONZALEZ Veneer
monotony later, the boys lacked the engaging approachability of their prior albums. They may have sensed this when writing the ballad “Ask Me Anything”. Deliciously ironic, Casablancas croons, “We could drag it out/ but that’s for other bands to do.” The Strokes have always presented the image that they don’t care. Now it has t ra nscended shagg y ha i r and dirty jeans; it infiltrates their music. On the mediocre “Electricityscape,” “I’ll borrow all the chords ... and all the words from that song” appear. “I’ve got nothing to say” and “I don’t give a fuck” a re shouted t h roug hout t he album. At times, it seems that the band has taken this attitude to heart and made songs without the effort or charm apparent in previous material. Standouts like “Red Light” and “Razorblade” are effective merely because they are reminiscent of Room on Fire. With Impressions the Strokes have managed to diversify their sound, but it is an awkward transition for which they may have not been ready. Overall, it’s a decent album. It contains some solid songs that are great for dancing and singing. With a stale and forgettable middle, however, the skip button gets heavy usage. Much more is expected from a band that normally proves its worth. Although the poster still proudly hangs, these rockers need to redeem themselves.
Hidden Agenda
3. CAT POWER The Greatest Matador
4. DAMIEN JURADO/DOLOREAN “Traded for Fire” b/w “Ghost of David” Secretly Canadian
5. JOSE GONZALEZ Stay In The Shade EP Hidden Agenda 9 TIMES THAT SAME SONG
6. BELLE AND SEBASTIAN The Life Pursuit Matador
7. ROBERT POLLARD From A Compound Eye Merge
8. GREG MURRAY Tymes Ten Bus Stop
9. LEWIS, JENNY & THE WATSON TWINS Rabbit Fur Coat Team Love VENEER
10. GO-BETWEENS That Sriped Sunlight Sound Yep Roc
THE GREATEST
BILLY JOEL My Lives SONY CARLYE WISEL • STAFF WRITER
I’ll admit it. I never really listened to a lot of Billy Joel throughout my life. Sure, there was that one time at overnight camp when we defied an early bedtime by chanting “We Didn’t Start The Fire”. But, besides the basics, I wasn’t much of a fan. However, after spending winter break (or as I like to call it, “Billy Joel Break”) away from my schoolwork, getting a feel for all the music I had somehow happened to bypass, I finally have gained the necessary knowledge and appreciation for this piano legend. After listening to the newly released fourdisc plus DVD set My Lives, I can unmistakably say that this collection will turn the average Piano Man-loving Billy Joel fan into a bona fide expert. This anthology proves to have a fitting title, taking you through the different eras and styles of his music. The f irst disc begins with rough copies of some of his earliest works, but also includes a few classics. With crisper-sounding vocals and a lower piano accompaniment than the original, “She’s Got A Way” is the first in a handful of ear-catching tunes on this collection, in addition
to “The Siegfried Line” and “New Mexico”. Sadly though, I was regrettably displeased with the provided demo of “Piano Man” and alternate version of “Only The Good Die Young”. The former, with its horrifying echo effect that tainted the entire song and the latter with a Caribbeanesque synthesizer/drums combination ruined my hopes of hearing a new, better version of these musical gems. The second portion of the set is stronger, thanks to “Christie Lee”, a live version of “Captain Jack” and the heartfelt Ray Charles duet “Baby Grand”, drawing the listener in once again. Also on this disc is “The Prime of Your Life”, a demo of what would eventually turn into “The Longest Time”. This version of the upbeat sing-along classic starts out as expected, except for one thing – there’s almost no words. By the second verse, lyrics are replaced with gentle, yet reluctant, ba-da-da’s, making Billy Joel sound like a karaoke singer who pounded a few too many shots before hitting the stage and can’t seem to remember the words. The rock ballads “The Downeaster ‘Alexa’”
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
and “I Go To Extremes” featured on the third disc prove exactly why a stage musical of Joel’s songs has gained such success. A handful of covers, including The Isley Brothers’ “Shout” and The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” also appear on this disc. The phenomenally performed “When You Wish Upon A Star”, complete with its milky, soulful vocals that seem to melt into the music are featured in this part of the collection, rounding out the three discs of mostly pre-recorded music. Opening with an energizing version of “Moving Out”, the fourth disc in this set immediately stands out as the reason why My Lives was a necessary production. A compilation of various live and classical recordings is a perfect nightcap to this extensive collection. From an Elton John duet on “You May Be Right” to an enticing version of my personal favorite “New York State of Mind”, this remarkable disc could stand on its own two feet, even without the rest of the box set. This last section seals the set as an indispensable collector’s item of Billy Joel’s career, a compilation absolutely worthy of purchasing and listening to for hours on end.
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
sounds from the scene
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
buzz weekly •
LEFT-HANDED LOBSTERS CHASE BALD CATS.
SENSES WORKING
OVeRTiME KYLE GORMAN • STAFF WRITER
} Track Review Cat Power – Willie Genre: Soul Available: The Greatest “I’ve Been Thinkin’,” Chan Marshall’s guest spot on Handsome Boy Modeling School’s White People, demonstrated that Cat Power was loaded for surprise potential (and, along with her handsome press glossy, probably prompted half the occurrences of the words “sex,” “sexier,” and “sexiest” in recent reviews of her work). But The Greatest (not actually a Greatest Hits record) is everything one could hope for: it’s a little dangerous, but at least as entrancing as her previous work, and is one of the better albums by a piano-pounder in recent memory, barring Fiona Apple’s impressive comeback. On this track, and a few others, Marshall channels Ireland’s most soulful– Van Morrison.
Using house-band members from Memphis’ amazing Stax Studio, The Greatest comes out ahead in the obvious comparison with Frank Black’s well-played, but shockless, Honeycomb full-length from last year, which also used Memphis ringers to get the job done. Vocally, Marshall covers all types of cloying. While she plays beautiful in-the-pocket piano, and treats us to sweet “Caravan” horns, the real treat comes from the ultra-tasty bass work and tantalizing story.
9
18+!
708 S. Goodwin Urbana, IL 344-BAND
www.canopyclub.com
Verdict: HOT
(World Beat, Funky Jams) w.
Alan Vasquez
PHOTO COURTESY LAST.FM
Feb. 9
(One Man Music Machine!)
Friday, Feb 10 Pyramid Productions presents:
Tb uvse b z-! G f c! 2 2
Chan Marshall with Emery, Anberlin, June, Bleed The Dream
soundground #112 THIS WEEK IN MUSIC
Every Monday in February!
rehearsal space
TODD J. HUNTER • STAFF WRITER
Featuring:
C ong ratu lations
to P rob ab l y Va m p i r e s , C h a m p a i g n w i n ne r of Battler usa Battle of the Bands last Thursday at The Highdive. Eric Noble of Loyal Family, the St. Louis organization that oversaw the contest, wrote: “You guys have made this entire tour worth it for me. Your entertainment factor was through the roof— until last night, I had never seen a crowd cheer because the lead singer spit his beer out on them— bonus points for that one.” This show was recorded and may become available online. Noble explained of Loyal Family: “We’re about promoting the underground. We’re grass-roots promoters. We don’t care ... who’s radio-friendly.” Loyal Family seeks to develop local scenes. Noble, an alum of the Nashville scene, said he had “tried to get away from the battle concept ... faced with the challenge of how would I get myself to go to it.” Probably Vampires will play Feb. 9-10 and June 8-10 in Lawrence, Kan. in connection with Wakarusa Music & Camping Festival. A block away at Cowboy Monkey, Anomic and Machines That Think drew well for their dual record release and quite possibly played their best yet. Collaboration between them on the encore “Five Lamps” was the icing on the cake, and, yes, there was cake. Robert Martz of Relenter and Rachel Braunstadter of Cameo Turret announce their side project together, “kind of Sneaker Pimps meets Massive Attack”. Martz lays beats, and Braunstadter writes words and guitar parts. Three songs are complete, with a target of eight to ten for an album. One of the songs, “Camouflage,” lends its name temporarily to the project.
sounds from the scene
The Tractor Kings
Cameo Turret meanwhile will release both an EP and an album. The EP will feature material that was previously only available promotionally, such as the songs “Lumberjack” and “Drowning in You”, whereas the album will feature all new material with bass by Clem Abercrombie, who moved to Oregon in December before he could perform publicly with the band. Cameo Turret plays Feb. 16 at Cowboy Monkey with i:scintilla and Sounddrifter; this show is rescheduled from Dec. 17. Show time is 10 p.m., and cover is $4. Abercrombie is not the only one off to Oregon: The News-Gazette confirmed Joni Laurence will follow suit this spring. Consequently, her recording concert Feb. 18 at Unitarian Universalist Church in Urbana will not just be a big show, but also a big send-off. In addition, Laurence will teach a two-night beginner guitar course, Feb. 13 and 20 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. For more information, call Parkland College at (217) 351-2546. Saturday, Shipwreck plays at The Iron Post with Sanawon and Bound Stems. Sanawon is former Champaign denizen Jenny Choi with Philip Stone; the two have performed together since 1998. Bound Stems includes longtime Harvey Danger drummer Evan Sult and was Spin Band of the Day, Dec. 29. Show time is 9 p.m., and cover is $5. Todd J. Hunter hosts WEFT Sessions and Champaign Local 901, two hours of local music every Monday at 10 p.m. on WEFT 90.1 FM. Also, The Prayers & Tears of Arthur Digby Sellers appeared out of nowhere and is terrific despite its name. Support your scene to preserve your scene.
! lls! No cover $1 pbr, $1 we
Tuesday, Feb 14 1st Annual U of Idol Competition!
visit www.canopyclub.com for more info!
Wednesday, Feb. 15
“Burbridge rips it up... A+ ” - Bass Player Magazine
Thursday, Feb 16
World's Greatest Led Zeppelin Tribute!
Friday, Feb 17
EP Release Party! w. Dropped Once, absTRACT giANTS & Krukid Advance Tickets for Concerts on sale now at: Exile on Main Street,
The Canopy Club, Family Pride Convenience Store, Bacca Cigar, or call 1-800-514-ETIX. OR print your tickets at home on JayTV.com! NOW ACCEPTING VISA/MC!!!
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
Live Music Aye Aye Booking presents Up in Arms, Hell in the Pacific, Wednesday Adams, TBA Independent Media Center 7pm, $4 UI Wind Symphony Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $6 Sudden Sound Concert: See Hear Now Krannert Art Museum, 7:30pm, free Andru Bemis Aroma Cafe 8pm, free Park, Holy Roman Empire, Midnight Fall, Flying Just Below Radar Courtyard Cafe 8:30pm, $4 UIUC, $5 public Fotomana, Alan Vasquez Canopy Club, 9pm, $5 Jeff Hegleson’s Jazz Mayhem Zorba’s Restaurant 9:30pm, $3 Nightcap Krannert Center 10pm, free
Shovelwrack White Horse Inn, 10pm, free Eclectic Theory Joe’s Brewery 10:30pm, cover Caleb Rose Bowl Tavern 9pm, free Will Rogers Band [country, southern rock covers] Neil St. Pub 10pm-2am, free
DJ Generic DJ Jackson’s RibsN-Tips, 8pm, TBA Ladies Night: DJ Caos Nargile 9pm, Ladies free before 11pm, $5 after DJ Limbs Boltini, 10pm, free DJ Bozak Barfly, 10pm, free Fast Forward: DJ Mertz, DJ J Phlip, DJ Bozak Soma 10pm, free
Dancing UIUC Swing Society McKinley Foundation 9:30pm12am free
Karaoke “G” Force Karaoke Pia’s of Rantoul, 9pm-1am, free
Liquid Courage Karaoke The Office, 10pm-2am, free Karaoke Fat City Saloon 9pm, free
Mind, Body, Spirit Krannert Uncorked Krannert Art Center Lobby 5pm, free Group Meditation Ananda Liina, 2308 N. High Cross Rd. Urbana 5:30pm, free
Lectures / Discussions The Evolving Role of Earth Science in Making Public Policy [The Illinois State Geological Survey invites you to celebrate its centennial and learn more about “The Evolving role of Earth Science in Making Public Policy.” Dr. P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director, USGS and Dr. Scott Tinker, State Geologist of Texas will speak] Beckman Institute 4:30pm, free
Pattern Language: Clothing as Communicator [This exhibition highlights the ways in which artists go beyond the everyday utility of clothing and instead use garments as a format to critique standard notions about clothing, fashion, and society, and to invent new forms of communication between wearers, their clothes, and the fashion system. The exhibition includes historical work, contemporary projects and new proposals, and interactive and wearable editions, some commissioned specifically for this project] Krannert Art Museum through April 9 Project 66: An Exploration of Utopia Inspired by the Works of Ilya and Emilia Kabakov [Project 66 is both an installation and a website created by a group of students from the School of Art and Design, the Department of Computer Science, and other campus units. To learn more about the project visit the following website: http://orchid.cs.uiuc. edu/people/adamczyk/final] Krannert Art Museum through July 30 Uninterrupted Flux: Hedda Sterne, A Retrospective [Hedda Sterne’s impressive art career began in the late 1930s when she exhibited with the Surrealists in Paris and her career continues into the present. Despite her dynamic body of work, Sterne has been almost completely ignored in art historical narratives of the post-war American art scene. Uninterrupted Flux: Hedda Sterne, A Retrospective brings together almost 100 works from museums across the country and Sterne’s own collection] Krannert Art Museum through March 26
Volunteer with the Champaign Park District at Douglas Park Afterschool Program Five volunteers are needed to assist with the Afterschool Program at the Douglas Park Community Center which is located at 512 E. Grove Street in Champaign. Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday from 4-5:30 pm and will assist staff in helping organize games and sport like activities with the school-age youth. “Volunteers will gain valuable experience, especially those who plan on working with children in their profession,” Kari Hester, the program’s volunteer coordinator said. On-site training will be provided and parking near the building is available. Please contact Kari Hester at (217) 398-2571 for more information.
Ed Martin Art Glass [Meet glass artist Ed Martin from Springfield with his newest work – dichroic glass sinks, tables, architectural pieces, and jewelry.] Wind Water & Light Gallery, 11am Personal Artifacts: memories, dreams, and reflections [Artists Lisa Nelson Raabe, Jana Mason, C. Tucker, Craig Newsom, Linda Randall Powles, Rhonda Cearlock, Lynda Cole, David Nolan, Jess Beyler, Anne Hughes, Richard Benoit, Diane Huneke, Siti Mariah Jackson, Billy Morrow Jackson, Toni Putnam, Kelly White, Maged Botros, Aldin Lee, Sooan Sohn, Molly Scott, Beverly A. Zawitkoski, and Herbert Marder explore their pasts.] Verde Gallery through February 18 Mermaids, Serpents and Action Heroes: Ghanaian Hand-painted Movie Posters from the Collection of Ernie Wolfe, III [The posters in this exhibition are a result of mobile cinemas that brought mainstream movies to rural populations of Ghana. Local artists often painted the posters before viewing the features themselves. Explorations into the influence of contemporary culture, these works of art combine global impressions with local ideology to visibly celebrate and acknowledge cinema as a cultural driving force.] Parkland Art Gallery through February 9 Recent paintings and drawings by Brian Allen Smith Cinema Gallery through March 4
Sharon Zimmerman, painting; Lisa Billman, photography; Amber Ginsburg, 3D Springer Cultural Center through February 21 New showing of fibre art by Mary McDonald The art quilt, the form in which Mary works, was developed in the 1970s, when quilts were first hung as paintings. It often takes Ms. McDonald years to create a piece, and the results are intricate and lovely. Working with a wide variety of subject matter and themes, Mary has developed an extensive collection of work that is often haunting and thoughtful, but always evocative and beautiful. Pages For All Ages through February 14th Two Years in the Midwest, Art Works by Kim Curtis Kim Curtis moved to Illinois two years ago with a career in costume design, a second degree in painting, and a landscape of oceans and mountains. The work from her studio in rural Urbana reflects the effect of this very different place on a painter exploring the switch from figure to landscape, vertical to horizontal, and urban to agricultural. IPRH through February 24 Life Drawing Sessions [drop in sessions to practice and improve your life drawing skills] Sundays from 1-4pm at the Independent Media Center, $8. Contact Kindra Crick at 3524668; kindredspark@gmail. com for details. As You Like It Shakespeare’s hilarious musings on the meaning of love will get a contemporary look in this production exploring
male and female stereotypes, gender, and power. Is love devotion, sexual passion, a kind of madness, or simply a cultural construct? In this spirited new production, director Robert Anderson considers all these possibilities, believing that there is only one thing sillier than being in love, and that is thinking it silly to be in love. Krannert Center’s Studio Theatre February 9-11, 15 at 7:30pm; $13, $12 [sic] In adjacent apartments that resemble nothing so much as broom closets with windows, the three young, ambitious neighbors of Melissa James Gibson’s [SIC] reside. They come together to discuss, flirt, argue, share their dreams, and plan their futures with unequal degrees of deep hopefulness and abject despair. All the while the four are pushing the limits of their friendship to the max and demonstrating that language can be both an instrument of intimacy and a weapon of defense Station Theater February 16-19, 22-26, March 1-4 8pm, $12, $10 CUTC presents “Love Letters” A funny, perceptive and moving dramatized reading which traces a 50 year love-affair through letters between two friends whose relationship and lives are observed. Virginia Theatre, February 14, 15 7:30pm, $17 adults, $15 studets, and $8 for children 12 and under.
—Todd Swiss
VISIT WWW.CUCALENDAR.COM TO ADD YOUR EVENTS.
217-355-5510
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
No charge for initial consultation. Call to discuss your case today.
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
DJ DJ Elise Boltini, 6pm, free DJ LNO Nargile, 8pm, cover DJ Dance Party Canopy Club 9pm, cover DJ Delayney Barfly 10pm, free DJ Lil Big Bass Boltini 10pm, free DJ Resonate, DJ Boardwalk Mike & Molly’s, 10pm, cover DJ Bozak Soma, 10pm, cover DJ Tim Williams The Highdive 10pm, $5
Karaoke Liquid Courage Karaoke The Brickhouse, 10pm2am, TBA Karaoke American Legion Post 71 8pm-1am, free
Lectures/discussions Chris Benson speaks on Emmett Till [Benson coauthored “Death of Innocence: The Hate Crime That Changed America” with Emmett Till’s mother] Parkland College 12pm, free Renewal of the Voting Rights Act and Its Implications for Minority Voters [Discussion of the importance of the Voting Rights Act of 1965] University YMCA, 12pm, free
Hawthorne Heights, Emery, Anberlin, June, Bleed the Dream Canopy Club, 6pm, $16 in advance/ $18 at the door Tommy James and the Shondells Virginia Theatre 7:30pm, $20, $35, $45 Reach For the Stars: C-U Symphony Classic Concert Krannert Center 7:30pm, $29 Dave Dreyer Band Hubers 8pm, free Shipwreck, Sanawon, Bound Stems Iron Post, 9pm, $5 Full Throttle Club 45 9pm, $3 Alma Afrobeat Ensemble Cowboy Monkey, 9:30pm, $4
Concentrating In: Injury Cases Vehicle Accidents Death Cases Altercations Traffic/Criminal Defense Ordinance Violations Wills/Trusts/TAX Real Estate Transactions
“A team of lawyers working for you.”
Billy Galt Blues Barbecue 11:30am, free Nine Inch Nails, Moving Units Assembly Hall, 8pm, $35 The Infinity Room, Larry Gates and Jesse Greenlee, Below Eden, Ryan Groff, Theory of Everything Cowboy Monkey 8pm, $5 Quadremedy, Heavy Handed, Disdaind, Jab Tommy G’s 9pm, $4 Delta Kings The Phoenix 9pm, free Country Connection Rose Bowl Tavern, 9pm, $1 Will Rogers Band [country, southern rock covers] Neil St. Pub, 10pm-2am, $3
Live Music
Attorneys at Law
Email: ktorrice@tllawfirm.com 2504 Galen Drive Suite 101 Champaign, IL
Live Music
SATURDAY FEB 11
Torricelli & Limentato Call
FRIDAY FEB 10
sounds from the scene
DJ / Dancing Salsa Night: DJ Dice, DJ Smooth V, DJ Giez Lava 7pm, $5 DJ Babyface Nargile 9pm, cover DJ Naughty Boy [Q96 Live Club Cast] Joe’s Brewery 11pm, cover DJ Metra Gnome Mike & Molly’s, 10pm, $1 DJ Bozak Soma, 10pm, cover DJ Tim Williams The Highdive 10pm, $5 DJ Elise Boltini 10:30pm, free DJ Dance Party Canopy Club 10:30pm, cover
Karaoke Liquid Courage Karaoke Geo’s, 9pm-1am, free
Lectures/discussions Dave Adams, Iraq War Veteran [Adams, recent Iraq war veteran will speak on his reasons for joining the antiwar movement. Followed by a question & answer session] Illinois Disciple Foundation, 2pm, free
Mind, Body, Spirit Uncork It For WEFT 90.1FM Winetasting Fundraiser Corkscrew Wine Emporium 2pm, $5
Karaoke
Tractor Kings
Karaoke: DJ Lewis The Phoenix, 8pm, cover
Feb. 13, 9 pm. Canopy Club, free
Sigh, it’s the week of Valentine’s Day and you’re all alone. You’ve caught a case of the major blues and the only cure there seems to be is to have your secret love come running to you with admiration and longing bursting out of his/her heart. Let’s face it, that isn’t going to happen; not this week or probably ever. I know this isn’t the horoscope page, but you don’t need to study the stars to see that. You haven’t showered in at least 10 days, man, get it together. Now that your heart is broken, how can you ever go on? Think of the positives of not having a significant other. For one thing, you don’t need to pay for them at all, and this Monday night you don’t need to pay for yourself either to see the excellent, the electrifying Tractor Kings. Following in the footsteps of their country rock brethren like Wilco, Uncle Tupelo, and The Band, this four piece attack the audience with their musical talent, their daring instrumentation, and thought provoking lyrics. Complete with harmonica, bubbling bass lines, and visions of Americana, the Kings put on a great show. With an often changing lineup, they see themselves as a group of musicians instead of a band. Jake Fleschi fronts the group, who are beginning to work on their newest album for Parasol records. The 13th is the second of three consecutive Monday night free shows at the Canopy Club. Come check them out; your agonizingly wounded and bleeding heart has nothing to lose, particularly any cash. — Brian McGovern
Live Music Bluegrass Jam Verde Gallery 7-9:30pm, free The Crystal River Band Rose Bowl Tavern, 9pm, free Open Stage Espresso Royale Goodwin & Oregon, 8pm, free Larry Gates & Jesse Greenlee White Horse Inn, 9:30pm free
DJ 2nd Annual Stop Light Party: DJ LNO Nargile, 9pm, cover Subversion [Industrial, Darkwave] Highdive, 10pm, cover DJ Hoff, DJ Bambino [hard rock, punk] Mike N Molly’s 10pm, cover DJ Tremblin BG [lounge] Barfly, 10pm, cover DJ J Phlip Boltini, 10:30pm free
Dancing Latin Dance Night McKinley Foundation, 9:30pm, $1
Karaoke Liquid Courage Karaoke Geo’s, 9pm, free
Chambana Jackson’s Ribs-nTips, 8-10pm, TBA Zach Lukes & Ryan Sullivan Silvercreek, 7pm, free
DJ DJ Stifler The Highdive, 8pm cover Open Tables Soma, 8pm, free DJ LNO Nargile, 8pm, Ladies free before 11pm, $5 after Chef Ra [roots, reggae] Barfly, 10pm, cover DJ Mertz Boltini, 10:30pm free
Dancing
Live Music
Tango Dancing Cowboy Monkey, 7:30pm, free Salsa Dancing Cowboy Monkey, 10:30pm, $3
Karaoke Liquid Courage Karaoke Geovanti’s, 10pm-2am, free “G” Force Karaoke TNT Corner Tavern, 8:30pm12:30am, free
Family Fun Around the World Wednesdays [Children and their parents are welcome to learn, create, and play together with crafts and activities from around the world] Spurlock Museum 9:30-11:30am, $1
Comedy Improv Verde Gallery 8pm, $5
Irish Traditional Music Session Bentley’s Pub, 7pm, cover
dakl]f
SUNDAY FEB 12 Live Music Star Struck Strings: Bow-Dacious String Band William M. Staerkel Planetarium 2pm, $4 WILL-FM Second Sunday Concert: Trio Du Soleil, Danwen Jiang Krannert Art Museum 2pm, free O.A.R Assembly Hall 7:30pm, $25
MONDAY FEB 13 Live Music
DJ Delayney Barfly 10pm, cover Jazz Mondays Nargile 8pm, cover
TUESDAY FEB 14
WEDNESDAY FEB 15
Kids @ Krannert [Join Kate Kuper, teaching artist, for action “painting” through movement] Krannert Art Museum 10am, TBA
DJ
11
Spicy Clamato [improv] Illini Union, 8pm, free De Bono [improv] Courtyard Cafe, 9pm, free
Family Fun
Feudin’ Hillbillys Rose Bowl Tavern, 6pm, free Michael Davis Bentley’s Pub 7pm, free Jazz Jam with MRS Trio Iron Post, 8-11pm, cover Tractor Kings Canopy Club 9pm, free Open Mic Night hosted by Brandon T. Washington Cowboy Monkey, 10pm, free Lorenzo Goetz Weft 90.1 FM 10pm, free Metal Mondays: Roberta Sparrow, The Insolents Highdive 10pm, cover Finga Lickin The Office 10:30pm, free
PUZZLE pg. 19
Comedy
Nightcap Krannert Center 10pm, free The Crue Tommy G’s 10pm, cover Disappear House, Vessel Mike & Molly’s, 10:30pm, $3
WWW.PARASOL.COM
10 THURSDAY FEB 9
art & theater
International coffee hour featuring Turkey [Cosmopolitan Club’s weekly international coffee hour series featuring Turkey this week. The Turkish Association will share their culture at this week’s event. Informal with an international crowd.] Cosmopolitan Club 7:30pm, free
mh
dg[Yd ZYf\ hg\[Yklk Yf\ egj] Yl
dggcdakl]fdan]&[ge hedchdgZY Wn
V XVbeV^\c [dg XVbejh hV[Zin
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | THE SILVER S CREEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
12 •
buzz weekly
UNTIL I WAS 13, I THOUGHT MY NAME WAS ‘SHUT UP.’
Feb. 9
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
FEATURED Salzburg Chamber Soloists Thursday, February 23 at 7:30pm “There is no place to hide, because Mozart’s transparency challenges the pianist and inspires the artist in us all.” (Andreas Klein) In the city of Mozart’s birth and childhood, acclaimed violinist Lavard Skou-Larsen founded an ensemble to perform orchestral chamber music with the freedom of soloists. These 16 Salzburg musicians and their guest soloist, pianist Andreas Klein, bring passion and style to Mozart’s “Salzburg Symphony,” Piano Concerto No. 13, K. 415, and String Quartet in G Minor, K. 516.
THIS WEEK AT
K R A N N E RT C E N T E R F O R T H E P E R F O R M I N G A RT S
Enjoy Krannert Center to the fullest!
Prelude: 6:30pm, Choral Rehearsal Room, free Flex: $32 / SC & Stu 31 / UI & Yth 18 Single: $34 / SC & Stu 33 / UI & Yth 20 Endowed Artist Sponsors: Lois and Louis Kent Patron Sponsor: Anonymous Patron Co-sponsor: Anonymous
Th Feb 9
Su Feb 12
Krannert Uncorked 5pm, free
Midwest Young Artists Recital 3pm, $2-$6
UI Wind Symphony 7:30pm, $2-$6 As You Like It 7:30pm, $6-$13 Nightcap 10pm, free
L’Heure Espagnole/La Vida Breve Thursday-Saturday, February 23-25 at 7:30pm Sunday, February 26 at 3pm The vibrancy of Spain comes alive on stage in a double bill of short operas that have never before been staged by the U of I School of Music. Conductor Eduardo Diazmuñoz and director Stephen Fiol team up for an evening that resonates with the sounds of Spain. Laugh heartily with Maurice Ravel’s L’Heure Espagnole (The Spanish Hour), a comedy set in a clock shop. While the proprietor is out, his wife takes time to enjoy her lovers, who must be concealed from each other (as well as her husband) when a customer arrives unexpectedly. The mood grows darker with Manuel de Falla’s La Vida Breve (The Short Life). Set in southern Spain, this story of love and betrayal, passion and deception, reflects the fierce pride of Gypsies amidst a world of aristocrats.
Fr Feb 10 As You Like It 7:30pm, $6-$13
Sa Feb 11 Dessert and Conversation: As You Like It 6:30pm, $6
We Feb 15 As You Like It 7:30pm, $6-$13
Th Feb 16 Krannert Uncorked 5pm, free Dave Dickey Big Band 7:30pm, $4-$7 As You Like It 7:30pm, $6-$13
Th Feb 9 Student Composers Recital 7:30pm, Smith Memorial Recital Hall, free Smith Memorial Hall 805 S Mathews, Urbana
Intermezzo Breakfast, lunch, supper, dessert 7:30am-3:30pm non-performance weekdays 7:30am through performances on weekdays 90 minutes before through performances on weekends Interlude Cocktails and conversation 90 minutes before through performances The Promenade Gifts, cards, candy, and more 10am-6pm Monday-Saturday One hour before to 30 minutes after performances
Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra 7:30pm, $10-$29 As You Like It 7:30pm, $6-$13
Flex: $18 / SC & Stu 16 / UI & Yth 8 Single: $20 / SC & Stu 18 / UI & Yth 8
More School of Music Events
Nightcap 10pm, free
Libretto: Saturday, February 25 at 6:30pm and Sunday, February 26 at 2pm, Krannert Room, $6 Sponsor: Illinois Opera Theatre Enthusiasts (IOTE)
333.6280 8 0 0 . K C PAT I X
Patron Season Sponsors Rosann and Richard Noel
Marquee performances are supported in part by the Illinois Arts Council— a state agency which recognizes Krannert Center in its Partners in Excellence Program.
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
Corporate Power Train Team Engine Members
40˚ North and Krannert Center, working together to put Champaign County’s culture on the map.
sounds from the scene
13 PATTERN LANGUAGE: CLOTHING THAT YOU WON’T SEE IN A MALL The Krannert Art Museum presents the exhibit Pattern Language: Clothing as Communicator PHOTO • AUSTIN HAPPEL
ROSALEE INENDINO • STAFF WRITER
A
sounds from the scene
Alicia Framis’ “Anti_Dog Copywriting Unwanted Sentences” is displayed at the Krannert Art Museum from Jan 21 to April 9. This particular piece has sentences that female victims of abuse would never want to hear written on them. Made of Twaron(R), a fabric stronger yet lighter than steel, this dress acts as emotional and physical armor.
PHOTO • AUSTIN HAPPEL
rt is often expressed through sculpture or painting in an effort to make a statement. Fashion is often associated with clothing to make a statement of a different sort. When art and fashion are combined, however, it calls for quite the unique exhibit. Pattern Language: Clothing as Communicator, a new exhibit at the Krannert Art Museum, explores the uses of clothing other than the traditional ones. The guest curator for this exhibit, Judith Hoos Fox, says “Pattern Language investigates clothing as expression and fulfillment of human needs and desires, here and now — needs and desires of the mind, body and soul. The exhibition highlights works in which artists go beyond the everyday utility and instead use clothing, fabric and the body to invent new forms of communication and interaction between wearers, and their clothes, and between the makers of the clothing and the fashion system. The international roster of participating artists have used the format of the garment to critique standard notions about clothing, fashion and society.” Fox’s statement perfectly describes what the exhibit is about and what it entails. The Pattern Language exhibit displays different artists’ interpretations of the use of clothing, broken up into five categories. One room of the exhibit shows clothes with many different and unusual uses; another room shows clothing that expresses the identities of the artists and their subjects. The other rooms show the universality and “everyman” approach of clothing, the idea of clothing as containment for the body, and clothing that actually does more ‘undressing’ than it should. Some of the clothing in the exhibit, most of which is completely wearable, has actually been worn in public. Furthermore, the reactions of people who see the clothing being worn in public have been videotaped. The video of reactions is also displayed in the exhibit for patrons to watch. To introduce the exhibit, there is another video of the famous performance by Yoko Ono sitting on-stage while the audience walks up, one by one, and cuts off a piece of her clothing. Many of the pieces in the exhibit reflect a social group, idea, or moment in history. One piece that stands out in particular is a set of business suits with different brand names sewn on them. The artists wore the suits to public functions for a year to express the interest and importance of brands and labels in American society. Another interesting piece is a 1950s-style housewife dress made of measuring tape. This piece strikingly suggests the stereotyped constraints of women living during this time period. Each piece in this exhibit says something different and most every piece is effective in provoking some emotion or idea, but the most moving piece is a long yellow skirt with patented
“Firefly Dress”, by Maggie Orth, Emily Cooper and Derek Lockwood is on display at the Krannert Art Museum from Jan 21 to April 9. This dress includes layers of smart fibers that, as they brush against one another make the dress twinkle, allow the wearer to be perpetually in the limelight. sayings on it. These sayings are those of abused women, each of which the artist had patented for the project. To further the complexity of the piece, it was worn in Victoria’s Square, England for everyone to see. The reactions to this public wearing are part of the previously mentioned video. The large skirt is so very moving that it truly can take your breath away. It is pieces such as this one that make the exhibit stand out. Everyone can enjoy this exhibit: the fashion-conscious, the artfriendly, or those who don’t know anything about either. Pattern Language takes the average use of clothing and expands upon it by making societal statements, giving unconventional uses to everyday outfits, and causing patrons to take notice of what their clothing actually says about them. buzz The exhibit was organized by Tufts University and is on display at Krannert Art Museum until April 9th, 2006. Admission is free, but $3 donations are suggested.
EDITOR’S NOTE ELYSE RUSSO • STAGE, SCREEN, & IN BETWEEN EDITOR
Pablo Picasso once said, “Give me a museum, and I’ll fill it.” As the new section editor for Stage, Screen, & in between, I plan on ‘filling’ my section to the brim with the latest theatre reviews, movie reviews, museum exhibits, art shows, television crazes, and everything in between. This section of the buzz is a grouping together of the Arts & Entertainment section and the Silver Screen section into one larger section celebrating ALL of the arts in a really big way. I am thrilled to start my editorship and I hope that you enjoy what I have to share with you. The one thing that I want to stress as I am taking on this new position is that I want to make this section the best it can be for you. I am more than willing to receive compliments, criticism, or anything else you might like to share with me. Feel free to contact me at my personal e-mail account, erusso@uiuc.edu, with any comments. In addition, I am always looking for new writers, so feel free to contact me if you are interested in writing for this section of the buzz. As my last order of business before I sign-off, I have to congratulate Constance Beitzel, the former Arts & Entertainment Editor, and Andrew Vecelas, the former Silver Screen Editor, on a job well done. You both have taught me everything I know, and I can only hope to fill your shoes – this shouldn’t be too big of a problem though since I have a size 10 foot. Anyway, happy reading and I look forward to providing you with the latest buzzin’ in the arts.
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
14 •
buzz weekly
Feb. 9
MODESTY IS UNDERRATED
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
ANNAPOLIS It’s cold. The weather is dreary, and you begin to feel like you’re stuck in the rut of a James Joyce novel. Movies like Annapolis are released in the abyss of the movie season so the studios can hopefully turn a small profit on DVD. The plot is a classic underdog story. Jake Huard ( James Franco) dreams of being accepted to the prest ig ious Nava l Academy. No one believes he can do it except for Lt. Commander Burton (Donnie “Don’t say Mark’s brother� Wahlberg) who has seen Huard excel in the boxing ring and knows he has what it takes to become an officer. As Huard struggles to survive his intense work load he must deal with a tough-as-nails drill sergeant (Tyrese) and a burgeoning romance with an attractive upperclassman ( Jordana Brewster).
Annapolis feels like a movie we’ve seen a hundred times before. There’s nothing original or innovative to be found. It’s so predictable that it’s laughable when it shouldn’t be. It’s all been done before, but before it was done better. Director Justin Lin couldn’t decide if he wanted to make an actual film or an elaborate music video for the Village People. The plot is ripped straight from An Officer and a Gentleman and Top Gun; however, these films had charismatic leading men that could carry the film’s weight. James Franco lacks the charm of Richard Gere and Tom Cruise. Instead, Franco comes off as a brooding yet arrogant brat. Its heart may be in the right place, but the story seems trite and used. Annapolis is entertaining at times, but the content provides just enough material for a short trailer.
WALT DISNEY PICTURES
PAUL PRIKAZSKY • LEAD REVIEWER
ANNAPOLIS • JORDANA BREWSTER & JAMES FRANCO
BIG MOMMA’S HOUSE 2 ANDREW CREWELL • STAFF WRITER
of Big Momma’s House 2 are the wholesome family lessons that Big Momma teaches. For example, did you know that all you have to do to make an eight-year-old girl popular is to teach her and her prepubescent friends how to pole dance? And that’s only the beginning. Martin Lawrence reprises his crime-fighting FBI agent Malcolm Turner in BMH2 to solve the murder of an ex-partner. Upset and bored with his desk job, Malcolm goes undercover and under cellulite to track down the bad guys. Just one problem: he has to go to work as a nanny this time, and he never could have expected that caring for the average on-screen family could be so hard. Lawrence’s morbidly obese octogenarian role in Big Momma’s House 2 makes his first crack at the fat suit look like Casablanca. The story has no direction and a script that the actors stick to no matter how bad it gets. The jokes try to walk the line between witty adult humor and endear-
Kennedy’s Mullen " # $ "( "" %)) $" ( Run Dates: ing family fun, but it just " ! ( falls apart; it isn’t dirty signature 217.337.8382 2/2, 2/9 "
enough to be funny on shock value and it isn’t signature is Compared a for any changes 217.337.8337 clean enough to bring There the kids. to ' madeof that were not on original layout 217.337.8303 signature sitting through all 99 minutes BMH2, a colonoscopy, dental surgery and Iraqi prison camps all seem like great alternatives. Between the Big Momma movies, the Bad Boys series, Blue Streak and so on, Lawrence always seems to play a cop. This is amusing because in real life, he can’t seem to stay away from the po-po either. It’s just that he’s usually in the back of the car, and the real acting job is trying to pass the roadside DUI test. It’s hard to say that Lawrence should give it up because everyone deserves a right to work if they can sucker someone into paying them. But, if you really want to know what it’s like to watch Big Momma’s House 2, all you have to do is go out to the garage, get a shovel, and have your friend hit you right in the face with it. Paying for a ticket just adds insult to injury.
20TH CENTURY FOX
Sure, this movie is crude. But lost in the mix
BIG MOMMA’S HOUSE 2 • MARTIN LAWRENCE
• Pinot Gris
–Atlantic Scallops Saute
• Pinot Blanc
–Oyster Mushroom Napoleon
• Pinot Noir
–Grilled Duck Breast
• Blancs De Noirs
Feb 9 10 11 16 17 18
–Angelfood Cake with Strawberries
!
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &
Wine Tasting Dinner
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
45.00 PER PERSON
$
2560 S. Stone Creek Blvd. Urbana, Illinois
(217) 384-8111
www.kennedysatstonecreek.com sounds from the scene
Feb. 9
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
buzz weekly •
I’D GIVE MY LEFT ARM TO BE AMBIDEXTROUS
ARTIST’S CORNER
$8
jacob foran
.9
o 9H
ok
ah
Happy Hour Hookah Between 6-8
ELYSE RUSSO • EDITOR STAGE, SCREEN, & IN BETWEEN
Jacob was born here in Champaign-Urbana in 1983. He grew up in the area and graduated from Monticello High School. After high school, Jacob studied at Parkland College for two years and received his Associates Degree in Fine Arts before transferring to the University of Illinois. He will graduate this May with a BFA in sculpture. After graduation, Jacob plans to continue creating artwork for a year or two while seeking out a graduate program. His accomplishments include published photos of his work in the Chicago Reader and the Images magazine at Parkland College. In addition, Jacob’s artwork has been showcased in several exhibits, especially in the last year, at locations such as the Schmidt Art Center in Belleville, Ill. and the Cinema Gallery in Urbana, Ill. Currently, Jacob’s work is showcased as a resident artist at the Aesthetic Eye Gallery in Chicago, Ill.
15
Locust & Green, next to Jimmy John’s
What is your favorite medium to work in?
Tough question, I’m all over the place. I guess lately I seem to f ind clay in my hands most of the time. But, I use a lot of different materials. I really try to utilize found objects and natural materials. What is your favorite bar or place to hang out in C-U?
You know, thinking back, I guess I’m no social butterfly. I don’t know what my favorite bar is in CU. I like to drink my beer where I have room enough to raise the bottle to my mouth. Do you have a role model or someone who has inspired you as an artist?
ASSEMBLY_HALL
I’ve been fortunate enough to study with several highly influential people in the art world. I give special thanks to Chris Berti, Steven Hudson, Tom Bartel, and Ron Kovatch. Also, my older brother Jason.
THIS FRIDAY_02_10_06
What has been your favorite art show to be a part of?
Last spring I was selected as a finalist in the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s annual collegiate artist exhibition. It was a goal of mine for quite some time, and I felt very honored to be a part of that. If you were stranded on a desert island with one book to read for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
I think it would be good to bring a cookbook. I’m not sure which one...depends on the island, I guess. It seems like it would be too easy to mess up a plate of lizard or something like that. Natural Instinct
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE! TICKETS AVAILABLE AT ASSEMBLY HALL BOX OFFICE, TICKET CENTRAL AT ILLINI UNION AND ALL TICKETMASTER OUTLETS CHARGE BY PHONE AT 217-333-5000 OR ONLINE AT TICKETMASTER.COM
A
PRODUCTION
sounds from the scene
®
www.jamusa.com
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
16 •
Feb. 9
buzz weekly
•
1 5 , 2 oo 6
UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION A s the sequel to 2003’s Underworld, Underworld:
Evolution serves as an epilogue to its predecessor. Unlike the first movie, however, Evolution fails to capture its audience in a well-functioning plot. This leaves most viewers dependent on following the muddled story line through the film’s many intense, violent action scenes. Just like the f irst movie, Kate Beckinsale reprises her role as Selene, a vampire “Death Dealer,� and Scott Speedman returns at her side as Michael, a human turned Lycan (werewolf ), turned vampire/werewolf super-hybrid. A decent change from the first film, however, was the opening. For the first time, viewers are granted the tale of how the vampire and werewolf battle started. At the very least, this scene presents a bit of a backstory for fans of the original Underworld. However, if you weren’t that impressed with the first film or haven’t seen it to begin with, this
3!6/9 WWW SAVOY COM
2OUTE "URWASH !VE
!,, $)')4!, 3/5.$
./ 0!33%3
&),-
&REE DRINK REFILLS ` CORN REFILLS
S 3 4! $ ) 5 - 3 % !4 ) . '
3(/74)-%3 3(/74)-%3
4)4,%3 !.$ 4)-%3 35"*%#4 4/ #(!.'%
&)2%7!,, 0'
&2) 3!4 ,3 S &).!, $%34).!4)/. 2 &2) 3!4 ,3 S 4(% 0).+ 0!.4(%2 0' &2) 3!4 ,3 S #52)/53 '%/2'% ' &2) 3!4 ,3 7(%. ! 342!.'%2 #!,,3 0' &2) 3!4 ,3 S #!0/4% 2 &2) 3!4 ,3 3/-%4().' .%7 0' &2) 3!4 ,3 ")' -/--! 3 (/53% 0' &2) 3!4 ,3 -!4!$/2 2 &2) 3!4 ,3 !..!0/,)3 0' &2) 3!4 ,3 .!..9 -#0(%% 0' S "2/+%"!#+ -/5.4!). 2 &2) 3!4 ,3 5.$%27/2,$ 2 %.$ /& 4(% 30%!2 0' ',/29 2/!$ 0' (//$7).+%$ 0' 4(% ,!34 (/,)$!9 0' &5. 7)4( $)#+ !.$ *!.% 0' &2) 3!4 ,3 7!,+ 4(% ,).% 0' &2) 3!4 ,3 #/50/.
/: $2).+
WITH PURCHASE OF OZ BAG OF BUTTERY POPCORN
ONE PER AD 3AVOY %XP -!2#( 33
"%34 $%!, IN e.EWSLETTER AT WWW SAVOY COM
scene is almost as meaningless as the rest of the brutal, gory action scenes that follow. The thing I found most annoying about the sequel was probably the fact that it fell into so many sequel-type cliches. Director Len Wiseman should have stuck to some of the great film techniques he used in the first film such as Selene’s graceful free-falls and slow motion action shots. Instead, he took the cliche route and loaded the sequel with unnecessarily gory scenes and overplayed eroticism. Kate Beckinsale is too beautiful and talented to be wasted in another Underworld film playing a dreary, dark vampire. Unfortunately, the ending leaves the possibility of a third film. The only business Evolution will be doing at the box office is with fans of the first film; if you are not one of these people, take my advice and wait to rent it.
"5:: 4(523$!9 &%"
CORP NOTE KEEP THIS SAME SIZE ALWAYS
AUTO INJURIES? Chiropractic Honors the Body’s Ability to Heal Itself, Naturally FREE EXAM & X-RAY
(IF NEEDED) NEW PATIENTS ONLY
Dr. Joseph Snell
24 Hour Answering Service Covered by Student Insurance
Your First Choice in Health Care
SNELL CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC 1802 Woodfield Dr.
217-352-9899
SONY PICTURES
JENNIFER MCCARTHY • STAFF WRITER
KATE BECKINSALE • UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION
HIDDEN GEM
GUILTY PLEASURE
WA K I N G L I F E ( 2 0 0 1 )
C A P TA I N R O N ( 1 9 9 2 )
One of the more interesting projects in modern film, Waking Life ventures into the psyche of the dreaming mind. Initially, it is easy to get caught up in the surreal animation that this film boasts, but the true magic comes from the interactions between the main character Wiley Wiggins and the cast of “lecturers� he encounters. The movie is based upon a man’s quest to uncover the realities and perceptions of life while trapped in a seemingly endless stream of dreaming. He deeply converses with people about everything from evolution to death in a visually enticing medium. Much of the film was recorded with a standard handheld camera and then rotoscope-animated to appear dazzlingly dreamlike. Waking Life certainly escapes the boundaries of mainstream Hollywood and delves instead into the realm of the cerebrally abstract, consistently absent from tinsel town.
Captain Ron, in all its glory, might
possibly be the most underrated movie of all time. This film details the adventure of Martin Harvey (Martin Short) and his family as they sail their inherited yacht from the Island of Saint Pomme de Terre to Miami with the help of ocean-savvy Captain Ron (Kurt Russell). It seems simple enough until the seafarers discover themselves confronting pirates, storms, and most of all their own scandalous one-eyed captain. Captain Ron may seem like a deadbeat sailor with nothing on his mind but Martin Harvey’s wife and cheap booze, but Captain Ron may also be the only compassionate bond keeping the Harvey family together. On the surface this movie may seem like a family comedy with questionably no redeeming value, but until you experience this voyage for yourself, you will never understand the enchanting world of Captain Ron. — Brent Simerson
2 blocks north of Savoy 16
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
sounds from the scene
Feb. 9
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
buzz weekly •
AWW... LOOK IT’S A BABY MONSTER (GAG).
17
TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE
THIS SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 12 • 7:30 PM U OF I ASSEMBLY HALL Tickets at the Assembly Hall Box Office (Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. & Sat. Noon to 4 p.m.), Illini Union, Ticketmaster (including Ticketmaster.com) or Charge By Phone: (217) 333-5000.
STUDENT AFFAIRS/University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Please add $3 per ticket convenience charge on all phone and fax orders. When ordering tickets, please inform the ticket agent of any seating requests which may require special accommodations.
www.uofiassemblyhall.com sounds from the scene
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | C LASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
18 •
buzz weekly
PHONE: 217 - 337 - 8337 DEADLINE: 2 p.m. Tuesday for the next Thursday’s edition.
"1"35.&/54 'VSOJTIFE 6OGVSOJTIFE
Employment 000
*/%&9
• PLEASE CHECK YOUR AD! Report errors immediately by calling 337-8337. We cannot be responsible for more than one day’s incorrect insertion if you do not notify us of the error by 2 pm on the day of the first insertion. • All advertising is subject to the approval of the publisher. The Daily Illini shall have the right to revise, reject or cancel, in whole or in part, any advertisement, at any time. • All employment advertising in this newspaper is subject to the City of Champaign Human Rights Ordinance and similar state and local laws, making it illegal for any person to cause to be published any advertisement which expresses limitation, specification or discrimination as to race, color, mental handicap, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibilities, political affiliation, prior arrest or conviction record, source of income, or the fact that such person is a student. • Specification in employment classifications are made only where such factors are bonafide occupational qualifications necessary for employment. • All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, and similar state and local laws which make it illegal for any person to cause to be published any advertisement relating to the transfer, sale, rental, or lease of any housing which expresses limitation, specifications or discrimination as to race, color, creed, class, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental handicap, personal appearance, sexual oientation, family responsibilities, political affiliation, or the fact that such person is a student. • This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate that is in violation of the law. Our readers are informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal oppportunity basis.
DEADLINE:
2 p.m. Tuesday for the next Thursday’s edition.
RATES: Billed rate: 38¢/word Paid-in-Advance: 32¢/word Photo Sellers 30 words or less + photo: $5 per issue Garage Sales 30 words in both Thursday’s buzz and Friday’s Daily Illini!! $10. If it rains, your next date is free. Action Ads • 20 words, run any 5 days (in buzz or The Daily Illini), $14 • 10 words, run any 5 days (in buzz or The Daily Illini), $7 • add a photo to an action ad, $10
)&-1 8"/5&% 'VMM 1BSU 5JNF
Earn $5000 as an egg donor. Must be 20-29 and a non-smoker. Please call Alternative Reproductive Resources at 773-327-7315 to learn how you can help a family fulfill its dreams.
Services
100
'VSOJTIFE
Available Fall 2006. 1 bedroom furnished, great location. Includes parking. Phone 352-3182. Office at 309 S. First, Champaign. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup95.com Available Now 1 bedroom $385 Campus. 367-6626 Available Now. 2 bedroom on campus. $550 per month. 367-6626.
'VSOJTIFE
#64*/&44 4&37*$&4
110
We Care in Home Care Provider. 24hrs./ day. We provide 4 hrs. minimum. We do light housekeeping, laundry, bath, meal, and errands. We are very dependable at reasonable rates. 25 yrs. experience. Mary 217-384-7146, 217-778-0071.
Apartments
400
"1"35.&/54 'VSOJTIFE 6OGVSOJTIFE
604 E. White, C. Security Entrance For Fall 2006, Large 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom, loft (HUGE), furnished, balconies, patios, laundry, off-street parking, ethernet available. Office at 309 S. First, C. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182 Available Now- Studios 307 & 309 Clark and 307 & 310 White. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
602 E. Stoughton
1 bedroom lofts $535 2 bedrooms $575 3 bedrooms $650 4 bedrooms $925 Campus, parking. Spring ‘06, 367-6626
Fall 2006. Unique 1 & 2 bedroom apartments. All furnished, laundry, internet, and parking available. Must see!! THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
"1"35.&/54
'VSOJTIFE
JOHN STREET APARTMENTS 58 E. John August 2006. Two and three bedrooms, fully furnished. Dishwashers, center courtyard, on-site laundry, central air, ethernet available. Call Andy at 369-2621. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
509 E. White, C. August 2006. Large 1 bedrooms. Security entry, balconies, patios, furnished. Laundry, off-street parking, ethernet available. Office at 309 S. First, C. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
BEST VALUE 1 BR. loft from $480. 1 Br. $395 2 BR. $495 3 BR. $750 4 BR $855 Campus. 367-6626.
"1"35.&/54
"1"35.&/54
105 E. JOHN
&NQMPZNFOU 4FSWJDFT .FSDIBOEJTF 5SBOTQPSUBUJPO "QBSUNFOUT 0UIFS )PVTJOH 3FOU 3FBM &TUBUF GPS 4BMF 5IJOHT 5P %P "OOPVODFNFOUT 1FSTPOBMT
Fe b. 9
THERE’S TWO WORDS A SURGEON NEVER WANTS TO HEAR: CODE BLACK.
Old Town Champaign
510 S. Elm Available Fall 2006. 2 BR close to campus, hardwood floors, furnished, W/D, central air/heat, off street parking, 24 hr. maintenance. $595/mo. 841-1996. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
509 Stoughton Near Grainger, Spacious studios and 2 bedrooms, ethernet, parking. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
307 & 310 E. WHITE 307 & 309 CLARK Fall 2006 Large studio, double closet, well furnished. Office at 309 S. First, C. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup.com 352-3182
1006 S. 3RD, C. August 2006. 1 bedrooms. Location, location. Covered parking & laundry, furnished & patios, ethernet available. Office at 309 S. First, Champaign. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
106 DANIEL, C. For August 2006. 1 bedroom apartments. Ethernet available. Some townhouses. Office at 309 S. First, Ch. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
207- 211 JOHN Fall 2006. Prime Campus Location. 4 Bedrooms. Office at 309 S. First, Champaign. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182 LEASING NOW AND FOR AUGUST 2006 712 S. State, C- 2 br, $770-$1,100 714 S. State, C- 2-3 br, $750-$1,050 716 S. State, C- Studio/2 br, $450-$685
1111 E. Main, U- 3 br, $650 1207 E. Green, U- 3 br, $1200 805 S. Urbana, U- 3 br, $850 407 E. Elm, U- 1 br, $450 810 S. Oak, C- 2-4 br, $675-$1,600 840-8300 or www.robesonrealestate.com
#* ' ' ,#( ) % ' ! #) % '# #) % ' " " ) %, &'#%, " #) " , #% ) %, $ '(% "
'VSOJTIFE
1005 S. SECOND, C Fall 2006. Efficiencies. Secured building. Private parking. Laundry on site, ethernet available. Office at 309 S. First, Ch. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
GREAT VALUE
306-308-309 White August 2006. 1 & 3 Bedroom furnished apts. Balconies, patios, laundry, dishwashers, off-street parking, ethernet available. 841-1996. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
503- 505- 508 E. White Fall 2006. 2 and 3 bedrooms. Furnished with internet. Parking and laundry available. On-site resident manager. Call Kyle, 202-7240. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
506 E. Stoughton, C. For August 2006. Extra large efficiency apartments. Security building entry, complete furniture, laundry, off-street parking, ethernet available. Office at 309 S. First, C. THE UNIVERSITY GROUP www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
46#-&54
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
300.4
530
1 BR in 4 BR apartment. $350/mo, includes all utilities. 367-6626.
300.."5& 8"/5&% 550 1 bedroom, near campus $300 per month 367-6626
RealEstateforSale 600 $0/%04 %61-&9&4
620
Now Leasing for Fall 2006! 1901 N. Lincoln Ave., Urbana 2, 3, & 4 bedroom units We offer a bathroom for each bedroom & incredible amenities that include a resort-style pool, movie theater, high-tech fitness center, computer lab & more! Capstone Quarters redefines apartment living. For Leasing information, call 217/840-8300 www.robesonrealestate.com
440
Available immediately! 1 or 2 roommates needed. 903 S. Locust. $300/mo. Call 773-294-6777. Available immediately! 1 or 2 roommates needed. 903 S. Locust. $300/mo. Call 773-294-6777.
Other Rentals 500 )064&4
510
2 bedroom and 7 bedroom house on campus for Fall 2004. 367-6626.
Available Now- Studios 1 bedroom • 2 bedroom• 3 bedroom www.ugroup96.com 352-3182
"1"35.&/54
•
Left off the dial
We Delive r! 352-9120
* ' "#*
$ $ % % $ " $ $ % ' " $% ' " ,#( % & " ' & ) " & & $ $ % % " #$ ( , ,#(%& '(%"& #(' '' %
( #%" " &' %' $ % #% +'% ## " && * % ,#(% ' %#! #) " #" ,#( % #" " ' #& $ " & ) " #*" ) & $ % " & #%! " $ % & $ %
#' , " (-- " " ", &( & %, ' % # # "#' ! ", ( % "' ' ' ,#(% % # ## " && * " % &
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | C LASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
Dozen Roses
includes: Baby Breath, Vase, Delivery
Only Calls Will Be Accepted February 11th, 13th, and 14th.
Doors Will Be Closed!
sounds from the scene
19
kim rice & kate ruin DOIN’ IT WELL
Dedicated to the proposition that all partners are created equal Dear Kim & Kate, I have been reading your column in buzz with interest all semester and I would like to suggest a possible topic: polyamory. Sincerely, Polly
jonesin CROSSWORD PUZZLE
vertising Proof
Dear Polly, 4 Served some soup 5 Big house Thank you for your topic suggestion! We have 6 “___ perpetua” (Idaho’s been doing some research and find your topic motto) very interesting. We think our readers will too. 7 South Asian, casually So, what is polyamory? Broken down, it simply 8 Huge success 9 Become something means “many loves.” In today’s society, you may 10 In ___ (troubled) have noticed the very strong emphasis on monog11 “Three Dollar Bill, Y’all” amy, marriage, a life time commitment to that band 12 It leads to delivery one and only one, special someone. Polyamory 14 Place for childhood suggests a different approach. aches Here are a few other terms commonly confused 16 ___ speak with Polyamory: 20 Fit for a king? 24 4 or 5, frequently • Polygamy — when a man is married 25 “Excuse me” noise to more than one woman at the same 26 Deliverer of low blows time. 27 Shape with one more side than a stop sign • Polyandry — when a woman is mar28 Fireplace, in England ried to more than one man at the same 30 Person on the better Christine Daily Illini Buzz Classifieds time. side of a velvet rope • Serial 32 “Until the End of the OK Monogamy — engaging in a World” directorsignature Wenders series of monogamous relationships. OK w/changes 33 Sign of infection signature The end result of serial monogamy is 34 “Nosferatu, ___ Symneed 2nd proof usually having many partners by the phonie des Grauens” signature (1922 movie) end of the year, but never dating more 36 Inflation subject? than one person at a time. 37 Kristin Kreuk, on • Swinging — recreational sex openly “Smallville” endorsed, with partners outside the 38 Leftorium owner, on “The Simpsons” main relationship. The focus in swing43 Word before Mongolia ing is on the sexual aspect, and not on 44 Little mud lover the development of “love.” 45 Diamond stats 46 Like tropical summers Each of these terms deserves a column of it’s 48 Breads for hummus own. But space is limited, so back to the subject 49 Big name in Chi-town at hand… 51 Nota ___ 52 Gang’s guns According to the Polyamory Society, poly53 Dismal attempt amory is defined as the non-possessive, honest, 54 Coffee dispensers responsible and ethical philosophy and practice 55 Bharadvaja’s Twist of loving multiple people simultaneously. activity 58 Money source for the perHow does polyamory work? The possibilities manently disabled: abbr.
Client Name: Timothy Johns Ad Rep: Advertising: Run Dates: Mark Any Corrections In Red Display 217.337.8382 2/9 Classified Advertising $25 charge for any changes 217.337.8337 Fax: were not on original layout 217.337.8303
Theme: “They’re Playing My Song” — stock characters, canned music.
Now Celebrating 25 years in C-U
Across 1 Like deserters 5 Clampett patriarch 8 Restroom zone 13 More than out 15 Gangster groups 17 Plumbing pipes 18 With hands on hips 19 Character introduced with a slow saxophone 21 On-call paramedic 22 1989 movie with “Weird Al” Yankovic
23 Snowboarder, to another snowboarder 24 Rice space 27 Zip 29 Eggy prefix 31 Yellowfin tuna 32 Had success at the carnival 35 Character introduced with fiddles and a banjo 39 Sprawling sales sites 40 Ending for salt or opal 41 Late AC/DC member Scott 42 “___, ya think?” 43 Chose 45 Sorority letter
47 Part of mil. addresses 49 License-losing letters, maybe 50 Character introduced with a tuba 56 Worn-out phrase? 57 Brisk tempos 59 Crayon shade 60 Some footwear 61 Winery leftovers 62 Do some surveillance 63 Morales of “NYPD Blue” Down 1 Wake, Duke, et al. 2 Kennel sound 3 Potent start?
Answers pg. 11
Timothy John SALON 404 west green street, urbana, IL 61801 • 344-4720
Look Great for your Valentines! Body Massages • Nails • And More! Surprise her with a Gift Certificate
sounds from the scene
are limitless, so it depends on who you ask. At the foundation of polyamory is honesty with yourself and your partners, respect for each other and recognition of each other’s emotions within the context of being open to multiple relationships at the same time. There are various arrangements that allow for a lot of diversity within a polyamorous lifestyle. A shout out goes to alt.polyamory’s Frequently Asked Questions for insight into the arrangements below. Some take a non-hierarchica l approach to polyamorous relationships and describe their involvement with many partners as a kind of “circle of equals”. Others identify one partner as a “primary partner”. A primary partner could mean the partner you are more emotionally and sexually invested in, or it could refer to the partner you have been with for the longest amount of time. It follows that some use terms such as secondary and tertiary partners, evoking images of a more hierarchical approach to polyamory.
Another approach is polyfidelity. This term refers to a group of people who are all committed to each other and only have sex and emotionally intimate bonds within the group. This group could be a triad — made up of three people all equally committed to each other, or a “vee”— a group of three where one person is the “central” or pivotal partner and the other two in the group are not as involved with each other as they are with the “pivot”. Polyfidelity could also be a group of more than three people with other “geometric” configurations. There are also some couples who are legally married to each other who then take ceremonial (and non– legal) vows to other couples and as such have “group marriages”. While there are endless possibilities to polyamory there are some things polyamory is not. It is NOT about a sexual double standard where one person is allowed to have many partners, while the other person isn’t. Polyamory is NOT about feeling pressured into “tolerating” their lovers’ multiple partners when they genuinely don’t feel comfortable with that. Healthy relationships, whether monogamous or polyamorous, are balanced, and all partners are valued for who they are, and what they believe. If your expectations for a relationship do not match those of your partner, you have the right to end the relationship, and find one in which your values and expectations will be honored and respected. SEX 411 When considering if a relationship is right for you, keep the following in mind: • •
• •
•
What are your values and is the relationship honoring them? What are your expectations for the relationship? Have they been communicated clearly to your partner? Are they being met? Are you comfortable with the expectations of your partner? Have you talked with your partner(s) about monogamy or polyamory? Or have you simply assumed you will follow one model? For more info on polyamory, check out the oft quoted “Ethical Slut: A Guide To Infinite Sexual Possibilities” by Dossie Easton and Catherine Liszt.
We wanted to give you a real-life example of a polyamorous relationship so we asked our good friend Max how his polyamorous relationship works. Look for his answers next week. Questions? Get answers! Email the professional sexperts at riceandruin@yahoo.com
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
20 •
buzz weekly
ANYONE WHO LIVES WITHIN THEIR MEANS SUFFERS FROM A LACK OF IMAGINATION.
Feb. 9
•
F e b . 1 5 , 2 oo 6
free will astrology FEB. 9 — FEB. 15 ARIES
March 21 – April 19
Happy Valentine Daze, Aries! As I meditated on what advice would be most likely to energize your love life, I thought of what Clarissa Pinkola Estes said in her book Women Who Run With the Wolves. “The desire to force love to live only in its most positive form,” she wrote, “is what causes love ultimately to fall over dead.” She obviously doesn’t mean you should seek negativity on purpose. Rather, you should freely acknowledge that even the most sublime intimacy has a dark side. As long as you welcome love’s difficulties, it will remain vital.
T A U RU S
April 20 – May 20
Happy Valentine Daze, Taurus! After extensive meditation about what advice would be most useful for your love life in 2006, I rejected this observation by The Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening: “Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come.” Do not, under any circumstances, make those your words to live by. Instead, consider the following counsel from Norman Mailer: “Love asks us that we be a little braver than is comfortable, a little more generous, a little more flexible. It means living on the edge more than we care to.”
GEMINI
May 21 – June 20
Happy Valentine Daze, Gemini! After strenuous meditation about what advice would be most likely to energize your love life, I decided on some wisdom from journalist Mignon McLaughlin. “The hardest-learned lesson,” she wrote, “is that people have only their kind of love to give, not our kind.” I hope her perspective liberates you to enjoy what love actually is, rather than to always be pining for what it could or should be.
CANCER
June 21 – July 22
“Love at first sight may be a matter of instinctively recognizing someone who will allow you to continue in comfortingly familiar--and often destructive--patterns learned in childhood.” So said Salon.com’s Lisa Zeidner in her review of Maggie Scarf’s book Intimate Partners. Make that idea your watchword in the coming weeks. Let it be the beacon that guides you away from the sentimental illusions about romance that you may still be drawn to. After all, there are few things that undermine authentic love more than infantile wishes and naive fantasies. Happy Valentine Daze, Cancerian!
LEO
July 23 – Aug. 22
Welcome to Free Will Astrology’s annual “Swimsuit Issue.” We do it differently than other publications. Sports Illustrated, for instance, fills its pages with photos of barely-clothed female models, whereas we provide verbal stimuli to help you get your fantasy life tuned up for the season of naked fun, which begins any minute for you Leos. The first image we’d like to evoke in your mind’s eye is of you lounging in a swimsuit on an otherwise deserted tropical beach with an attractive member of your favorite gender (or three of them if you’re in an expansive mood). Visualize him or her or them engaging in some behavior that simultaneously rouses your lust, your tenderness, and your compassion. See them carrying out a series of acts that not only thrills you sensually but also moves you to happy tears and causes you to overflow with spiritual contentment. Keep fantasizing for at least 15 minutes. Happy Valentine’s Day, Leo!
VIRGO
Auug. 23 – Sept. 22
Happy Valentine Daze, Virgo! To begin our meditation on romance, let’s consider psychologist Carl Jung’s words: “People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own soul.” Do you fit that description? Have you ever employed tortured logic to explain to yourself why you’re not following your heart’s promptings? In the past year, did you take a detour that has led you further and further away from your true home? Are you engaging in evasive measures in order to keep yourself from seeing the open secret about love that’s right in front of you? I’m just asking, Virgo, not accusing. Only you know the correct answers.
LIBRA
Sept. 23 – Oct.22
Happy Valentine Daze, Libra! After an extensive search for the wisdom that would be most likely to energize your love life, I found the perfect advice. It comes to you courtesy of psychologist James Hillman: “For a relationship to stay alive, love
alone is not enough. Without imagination, love stales into sentiment, duty, boredom. Relationships fail not because we have stopped loving but because we first stopped imagining.” How will you act on this excellent counsel? Maybe you could take you and your closest ally to a sanctuary you’ve never dreamed you’d go to in a thousand years. Or do an exercise in which you ask each other questions you’ve never broached before. Or devise an experiment in which the two of you get to face an unfamiliar challenge together.
SCORPIO
Oct. 23 – Nov. 21
S AG I T TA R I U S
Nov. 22 – Dec. 21
CAPRICORN
Dec. 22 – Jan. 19
AQUA R I U S
Jan. 20 – Feb. 18
Happy Valentine Daze, Scorpio! To begin our meditation on love, let’s turn our attention to Abhishek Parikh, an Indian man who claims to be the reincarnation of a very special woman. In his present life as well as in his last one, he believes he has served as the wife of the snake god Naagraaj. To perform his wifely duties, he sometimes transforms into a female snake himself, though he always returns to his male human form. I bring this up, Scorpio, because I think that you yourself have the potential of getting intimate with a snake god or snake goddess in the coming weeks. My gut instinct tells me so, and so does my analysis of the astrological omens. You don’t have to become the deity’s full-time wife or husband; being a part-time companion or apprentice will be just fine.
Happy Valentine Daze, Sagittarius! The more animal noises you make during the season of love, the better you’re going to feel and the more successful you’re likely to be. The astrological omens indicate that cosmic rhythms will tend to align in your favor if you express a whole range of primal feelings with moans, growls, cackling, and other non-verbal sounds. P.S. If you *don’t* pursue this agenda with conscious intent, beastly behavior might possess you at inappropriate times, such as lion-like super-yawns in the middle of a meeting or uncontrollable yapping when you’re suddenly overcome by territorial instincts.
Happy Valentine Daze, Capricorn! To begin our meditation on love, let’s turn our attention to your appearance. I think you owe a huge debt of gratitude to the fact that you don’t have the face and body of a dazzling supermodel or gorgeous hunk. The temptation to rely on your physical attractiveness at the expense of developing your character would be virtually irresistible. In the coming days, this fact will bring you a fresh batch of benefits, including a subtle breakthrough in your romantic life. Here’s your quote of the week, from Katherine Hepburn: “It is the plain women who know about love. The beautiful women are too busy being fascinating.”
Happy Valentine Daze, Aquarius! The English novelist Julia Pardoe expressed an idea that would be useful for you to integrate into your thoughts about love in 2006. “In each human heart are a tiger, a pig, a donkey, and a nightingale,” she wrote. “Diversity of character is due to their unequal activity.” Why is this important for you to contemplate? In the coming weeks, I believe, you will have an unprecedented chance to bring the tiger and nightingale aspects to the forefront of both your own heart and the hearts of those whose affections mean most to you.
PISCES
Feb. 19 – March 20
Happy Valentine Daze, Pisces! Borrowing the words of poet Pablo Neruda, I’ve prepared a love note for you to use as your own. Feel free to give these words to the person whose destiny needs to be woven more closely together with yours. I love you between shadow and soul. I love you as the plant that hasn’t bloomed yet, and carries hidden within itself the light of flowers. I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. Because of you, the dense fragrance that rises from the earth lives in my body, rioting with hunger for the eternity of our victorious kisses. Homework: Name the one thing you could change about yourself that would improve your love life. Testify at www.freewillastrology.com
INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &
IN
B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER
sounds from the scene