Buzz Magazine: Feb. 15, 2007

02 | 15 | 07 . 02 | 21 | 07 s o u n d s f r o m t h e s c e n e FREE

w e e k l y

champaign . urbana

4

THE BURNHAM310 PROJECT BEGINS

10

GUSTER RETURNS TO CU

16

EVENTS WORTH BRAVING THE SNOW

2 •

buzz weekly

WELCOME TO THE JOB.

BUZZ STAFF volume

5

no.7

Cover Design • Maria Surawska Cover Photo • Amelia Moore Editor in Chief • Tatyana Safronova Art Director • Nikita Sorokin Copy Chief • Meghan Whalen Listen, Hear • Carlye Wisel Stage, Screen & in Between • Keri Carpenter Around Town • Evangeline Politis CU Calendar • Annette Gonzalez Photography Editor • Amelia Moore Designers • Renee Okumura, Agatha Budys, Maria Surawska Calendar Coordinator • Caitlin Cremer, Katie Heika, Bonnie Steinberg Photography • Amelia Moore Copy Editors • Lisa Fisherkeller, Emily Ciaglia, Ilana Katz, Whitney Harris Staff Writers • Brian McGovern, Carlye Wisel, Amy Meyer Contributing Writers • Michael Coulter, Seth Fein, Mike Ingram, Kim Rice, Kate Ruin Sales Manager • Mark Nattier Marketing/Distribution • Brandi Wills Publisher • Mary Cory

Help us help others Talecris Plasma Resources is proud to open in Champaign.

Earn up to $200 a month with regular donations.

TALK TO BUZZ

Call for more information or to make an appointment.

Trackside, off of Green St. Center

24 E. Green St. #16 Champaign 217-355-9703 talecrisplasma.com

e-mail: buzz@readbuzz.com write: 512 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

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

UNDER THE COVER |1-3| 3 3 3 |4-9| 4 6 9 | 10 - 15 | 10 11, 13 12 14 15

INTRO This Modern World • Tom Tomorrow Life in Hell • Matt Groening First Things First • Michael Coulter

AROUND TOWN The Burnham310 Development • Erin Renzas Community Snapshot with the Humane Society • Danielle Perlin The Local Sniff • Seth Fein

LISTEN, HEAR Guster Returns to CU • Ashley Kolpak Album reviews Havin’ a Ball with Tally Hall • Phil Collins CU Sound Revue • Mike Ingram Spin it/Flip it/Reverse it • Carlye & Brian

| 16 - 19 |

CU CALENDAR

| 20 - 25 |

STAGE, SCREEN & IN BETWEEN

20

Bee-Luther-Hatchee review • Constance Beitzel Artist’s Corner with Jon Hill • Keri Carpenter Hidden Gem/Guilty Pleasure • Brett Simerson Movie reviews Hungarian State Folk Ensemble • Jeff Nelson West Side Story • Meghan Whalen

21 22 23 24 25 | 26 - 27 |

CLASSIFIEDS

| 28 - 32 |

THE STINGER

28 28 29 30 31

Doin it Well • Kim Rice & Kate Ruin Jonesin’ Crosswords • Matt Gaffney Free Will Astrology Likes and Gripes Letter to the Editor

tatyana safronova EDITOR’S NOTE “What’s in a name,” wrote Shakespeare in his infamous play Romeo and Juliet. “That which we call a rose/By any other word would smell as sweet.” Yet names speak volumes. Names let us easily convey meanings.

If I suddenly changed my name, all those close to me — and even many of those who aren’t — would wonder why; they would reevaluate my personality. Yes, soon, the dust would settle and you’d call me Sophie or Sasha or perhaps even Georgette. But I wouldn’t be the same person. A name, like a laugh, like a personality, like the eyes, is important to our memory and for our understanding of each other.

Part of the reason why names are so important is because they themselves hold meanings. I find etymologies of words fascinating, because through these little snippets, we discover what our ancestors considered impor tant, what they thought of each other, and — especially interesting — how lang uage has changed as it traveled to different lands and as years passed. What inspired my recent plunge into research of name etymology was that it f inally hit me where the name Bogdan — a name of INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

a Romanian student I know — originates. It is a Slavic name, composed of the elements Bog (which means “god”) and dan (which means “given”). I’m sometimes slow at coming to these realizations about words, and I was amazed how simple the def inition was, always there, right in front of me; the words “bog” and “dan” are frequently used in the Russian language. I went looking for more names, and I’ve since spent countless hours on the Web site www.behindthename.com.

For example, it is no accident that the name Fido is often associated with dogs (Abraham Lincoln’s dog was named Fido); the word translates to “I am faithful” from Latin. Even many of our current common names have other meanings. The name Thomas, for example, is the Greek form of an Aramaic name for “twin.” Thomas was also an apostle in the New Testament. The name Courtney, on the other hand, is derived from a last name that possibly originated from a French nickname for “short nose” (or court nez).

And then there’s “Tatyana,” Not only is the spelling with a “y” not original, but the feminine version of the Roman name Tatianus (which was itself derived from the name Tatius) has an unknown meaning. I guess my satisfaction for my own name’s history comes from a great-greatgrandmother who passed it down to me. sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

buzz weekly •

JAMES HAMILTON – SAVIOR OF THE HUMAN RACE.

3

michael coulter FIRST THINGS FIRST

Does smoke-free make bars people-free?

How much money are bars willing to lose?

Lenny Bruce was a groundbreaking comedian.

Granted, in a genera l respect, he has nothing to do with this column, but I can use him to draw a parallel.

Initially, he was just funny — well, funny and controversial, but mostly just funny. After the government kept charging him with indecency, his comedy act slowly turned into him crusading for his freedom of speech, no more jokes and well, he became a whole lot less funny. I bring this up not to compare myself to Lenny Bruce but just to point out that I’m aware this is two weeks in a row of me ranting about the smoking ban and it’s not particularly funny. It will probably be the last for a while but I wasn’t especially done last week, so cut me some slack.

Actually, I would have kept my mouth shut for a bit longer but the president of the CU Smokefree Alliance replied to Seth’s and my columns last week and it sort of pissed me off enough to write about it again. You can read the letter in its entirety, but I wanted to talk about one thing he wrote at the end. When writing about bars that don’t adapt to the new standards he said, “any business owner knows that those who adapt to the new regulatory environment stay in business. Those who do not file for Chapter 11 and I shed no tears for any of them.”

Wow, I gotta say, spoken like a guy who totally knows how to party. I don’t know, maybe he’s got a good point. You can listen to him if you’d like. Last time I heard, he didn’t really live in Champaign, but that shouldn’t keep him from carpetbagging into our town and telling us how to live the way he would see fit. But that doesn’t matter, it’s a public health issue.

It seems like it’s more of a public health issue now that it isn’t working. I’ve seen their ads on television telling us how fantastic the new smokefree places are and I have to wonder where they’re getting all the money to air those. It’s almost like they’re highly funded in some way.

Whatever, to be honest, the few times I’ve been out since the ban started, it was hard to say it was fantastic. It was kind of hard to say anything about it because there weren’t many people actually enjoying this smoke-free paradise. I’ve heard numbers from bar owners saying their business was down anywhere from 20 to 40 percent from this time last year. I guess something like that shouldn’t matter.

I know it’s about health and not money, because that guy told me and I should believe him because he has self-serving statistics, but this law has to be affecting someone in a negative way. In all fairness, it’s been really cold the last month and probably fewer people are going out. Well, that sucks, but you can’t tell me the smoke-free law isn’t making things worse. It’s just piling on at this juncture. If I were a bar owner and someone took 20 percent of my profits every week I would be a little angry.

If I was a bartender and someone took 20 percent of my tips away every week I would be getting really pissed. If I were a bartender and the owner suddenly realized they didn’t need as many folks working because it wasn’t busy all year around and they let me go, I’d be getting super pissed.

They can at least take comfort knowing that the smoke-free president isn’t shedding any tears for them. I’d be very anxious to know how many of the smokefree crusaders are out enjoying the bars since the ban went into effect. I bet they go out for a half hour, bask in their glow of selfimportance and then leave after spending 10 dollars and leaving a buck for the barkeep. Well, you know what, that’s not gonna keep a bar in business and it’s not gonna do much in the way of keeping bartenders f lush either. Whether anyone wants to acknowledge it or not, bars don’t really make a living on people coming in for a sandwich and a soda. They make money off of people drinking. Some bars don’t even sell food, so the smoke-free faction definitely isn’t helping them out.

So, no tears are being shed for the bar owners and consequently bartenders and maybe even the businesses that rely on the foot traffic bars create.

So places go out of business eventually and people lose jobs. Tell you what, I’ll shed tears for those folks if he doesn’t want to.

Quite honestly, I’m getting a little tired of talking about it, but as a community we probably should. The thing is, first you can’t smoke in bars, then it will be your car, then your home, then anywhere. That’s how these people are and how they operate. That’s all fine and dandy if you like a well-funded group of pain in the asses dictating how you should live your life. Then, before you know it they or people like them, will tell you what movies you can see, what you can eat, what words you can say in public. It’s about as slippery a slope as you can find and frankly, I’d just as soon not have people like that pushing me farther down it.

OOPS! WE MADE A MISTAKE • Although buzz strives for accuracy, we sometimes make mistakes. If you catch something we didn’t,

please let use know at buzz@readbuzz.com. When a correction is needed, it will be listed here.

sounds from the scene

I NTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

4

around town

FROM CRUMBLING BACK TO GRANDEUR The Burnham310 Development ERIN RENZAS • CONTRIBUTING WRITER

F

or 108 years the Juila F. Burnham Hospital, later renamed the Burnham City Hospital, stood proudly at the corner of Springfield Avenue and Fourth Street in Champaign.

Today its grandeur is remembered only in old postcards, artist renderings and newspaper clippings.

Even in below zero temperatures last week, workers labored in the crater that now occupies the place where the Burnham Hospital once was. They’re preparing the site for its new occupant, Burnham310 — an 18-story, 259-unit apartment building — and a 28,000-square-foot County Market grocery store, slated to open in August 2008. Following the development of this main block, the three adjoining parking lots that comprised the Burnham properties will become home to 69 stacked flat condominiums and other development.

The $40-million-plus development is one that will serve as a catalyst for the redevelopment and revitalization of the surrounding areas, said Joel Pickus, vice president of the Pickus Companies. The Highland Park, Ill.-based construction and development company purchased the city-owned Burnham properties for $1.3 million to be paid as the properties are ready for occupancy.

“Burnham acts as a point of entry for the campus area — it creates a visual marker and a bridge between campus and the downtown area,” Pickus said. “Suddenly you have a destination point — it’s filling that space in with people and retail.”

Built in 1895, the Burnham Hospital long served as a landmark

in the community. The building, and its adjoining parking lots, grew to occupy nearly 5.2 acres in north Champaign. Burnham was a community-wide effort started by the Social Science Club of Champaign. Albert C. Burnham, a principal contributor to the hospital, named the hospital for his wife, Julia F. Burnham.

In 1989 the hospital merged with Mercy Hospital to form the Covenant Medical Center.

“It was a very key hospital. It was very key to the community, but it fell on hard times and was bought and then competitors came in,” said Champaign City Council Member Marci Dodds.

“I think it just wasn’t sustainable anymore. It had a long fall over a long time.”

The Burnham Hospital closed its doors in 1992. For a decade the unoccupied building quietly fell apart and with it came the gradual disinvestment in the surrounding area.

“That was the big building in the neighborhood. All the doctors moved away to other areas to be closer to hospitals that weren’t boarded up and crumbling,” Dodds said. “You had the 900-pound gorilla in the room — it came and cast a fall and ruined the area.”

The crumbling building was a tough sell to developers who, while willing to purchase the adjoining parking lots, did not want to invest the time and funding to finance the redevelopment of the property where the facility sat, said Bruce Knight, Champaign planning director.

The area was declining.

The Julia F. Burnham City Hospital was located on the spot of the current development until it closed in 1992. It first opened in 1895 and doubled as a school for nursing students like these, posing under the tree in front of the hospital. Photos courtesy of Urbana Public Library Archives.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

“The [Burnham Hospital] building was becoming a blighting influence in and of itself,” Knight said. “It was a big empty building that was constantly having break-ins by homeless and people hanging out there, so it was becoming more and more of a problem overtime.”

The surrounding residential buildings also added to the downfall of the area, Knight said. Built in the ’60s and ’70s, the buildings had seen little reinvestment overtime. Residents moved to newer parts of the community.

“We know from police reports that as people moved out of the area to newer buildings that crime became more of a problem,” Knight said. “There was just generally disinvestment and declining property values in the area.”

In 2002 the city purchased the Burnham properties from Central Management Services for a little more than $2.5 million.

“It was falling apart. It was full of asbestos,” Dodds said.

“Nobody would touch it and that is when the city finally said, ‘We’re going to have to deal with this.’”

The city poured time and resources into the demolition, clean-up and preparation of the site.

In 2003, the city created the North Campustown Tax Increment Financing [TIF] District. The TIF district will help facilitate redevelopment of the area, according to the 2004 Burnham Redevelopment Master Plan. In 1981, the city adopted a similar Tax Incentive Financing district centered on downtown.

TIF districts provide financial incentives to building owners in blighted areas to renovate and upgrade their structures.

They capture money by devoting all property taxes above one-third of the fair market price of a piece of property to promote redevelopment.

The increment generated by future development of the area will repay the $7.815 million in bonds that were sold to fund the preparation of the site, reconstruct the surrounding infrastructure and promote reinvestment in the surrounding areas, according to the plan.

“That area has recently been kind of a no man’s land between campus and downtown,” Dodds said. “It’s underdeveloped and underutilized and the potential has always been there to create a very solid core of the community and a corridor between campus and Downtown.”

The city provided additional incentives for the developers, including $1.2 million for upgrading streets around the development, streetscaping and street lights, and storm and sanitary sewer work. It also extended enterprise zone benefits to the site, which allows the project to receive up to $1 million in state and local tax abatements on construction materials purchased in Illinois.

Such incentives are typical for a project of this size, Knight said.

Burnham310 is just one example of recent infill redevelopment efforts made by the city, and local developers, to reinvigorate its central areas.

According to the International Economic Development Council Web site, infill is the process of developing open areas within an established area before developing outside of the established metropolitan area. Inf ill also refers to replacing underutilized or dilapidated facilities with new structures and business.

Cities often run the risk of expanding on the periphery of city limits, without having significant reinvestment in the center of the city, said Dodds. Greenfield development and new properties built sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

buzz weekly •

I MADE YOU A COOKIE BUT I EATED IT.

5

Groundbreaking for 310 Burnham Project. Photo courtesy of 310 Public Relations

on farmland provide less challenges and financial investment by developers.

“People go to the edges and they build brand new shiny things and what happens is the core — the center ring of the city — starts to decay,” Dodds said. “Nobody will go there and if you’re not careful the city starts crumbling from the center out. And that is exactly what we don’t want to happen.”

Champaign has made a conscious effort to balance peripheral growth with a strong central core, she said, adding that infill development is one of her top concerns.

“It’s always a balancing act and you never get it perfect,” Dodds said of city-wide development and redevelopment efforts. “Maybe you get it perfect for five seconds; you blink and you miss it. You just keep working at it and working at it and doing the best you can.”

Downtown Champaign has been an area in the city that has seen increases in infill development in the past decade.

The One Main building opened in 2004. The Class A, infill development project now hosts 23 luxury condominiums and several businesses.

More recently, the One Main Development group has been working on the “M2 on Neil” project.

Tentatively, the nine-story building will include retail, office space and 50 condominiums.

“I think the city is using every tool at their disposal [to encourage inf ill development],” sounds from the scene

said Jon “Cody” Sokolski, CEO of One Main Development.

High quality, infill development can often present challenges to developers, but the end result is well worth the effort, Sokolski said.

“We believe that we are improving the community — so in five years, in 10 years, in 20 years we’re going to own some of the better built properties on the market,” he said. “When other buildings start showing signs of major wear and tear, ours is going to look great still.”

The Burnham development, also Class A construction, will have a positive impact on the community, Sokolski said. The quality and design of Burnham310 will help continue to improve the Champaign market.

“I think the more we do better things, the better. The more people that raise the bar, the better,” Sokolski said. “I think that’s great for town; it’s great for the market here. I have much hope for the Burnham project.”

Both Knight and Dodds said that Burnham310 will provide a more urban neighborhood, targeted for young professionals.

“It’s not oriented for students,” Dodds said.

“Will students live there? Probably, but more likely graduate students, older students, young professionals that work at the Research Park, employees of the University.”

Brian Afshar, a sophomore in political science at the University, said that he is excited about the

new development and has even placed a call about leasing an apartment in the building.

“It’s new, it’s a high rise and it has a grocery store basically in it, which is awesome,” Afshar said.

Afshar, who lives near Fourth and Healey Streets in Champaign, does not have a car and said that the proximity of the grocery store to campus would be a welcomed amenity.

“A lot of us don’t have cars and the bus is a hassle because it takes so long,” said Christos Xenophontos, junior in computer engineering at the University. “So yeah, a grocery store would be nice to have in the area.”

But Xenophontos, who lives in Urbana, said that even if there were more retail stores along the First Street corridor and the surrounding areas of the Burnham310 development, he would still shop primarily at the places he frequents already.

“I’d probably still go to the places I go to now, just out of habit,” he said.

The Burnham310 development is in line with the suggestions made in the Vision and Action Plan created by Champaign County’s Big.Small.

All initiative last year, said Frank DiNovo, Champaign County planning and community development director.

The Burnham redevelopment will have a positive effect on the North Campustown area, said DiNovo, but he added that he was dubious about its ability to spur on significant reinvestment in the surrounding area.

“The fact that people live in the denser environment doesn’t remove the fact that the places people will go they’ll probably go in an automobile,” he said. “People aren’t going to walk to the grocery store — Americans just don’t shop like that. We have big refrigerators. We take big shopping trips. People aren’t going to buy their toilet paper at some mom-and-pop shop.”

“The Burnham project is a great project,” DiNovo added. “I think it is a good use of public efforts and funds and I am very supportive of the efforts that the City of Champaign put into that project, but we have to be realistic about how much change it will have in this economic environment.”

Knight said he had high hopes for the project.

Future development around the surrounding Burnham properties could include more stacked flat condominiums, row houses and a commercial corridor along First Street with shops and restaurants.

“It changes so much when you have that strong central core. It gives an energy, it gives a vitality, it gives a vigor. It gives you a nice balance,” said Dodds.

“It gives people who want to have a more urban life a chance to have that; for people who want the more suburban experience, they can have that too.”

“It’s not a sure thing,” she added. “But boy, if it works, what a difference it will make.”

SEE PAGE 31 FOR MORE PHOTOS

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

6 •

buzz weekly

CLOWN SHOES.

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

community snapshot

DANIELLE PERLIN • STAFF WRITER

W

hen popping open the door of the Champaign

MAKING A difference

County Humane Society,

you see 30 cats roaming around in a communal living room, playing with an assortment of colorful toys.

Walking further into the shelter, you notice rabbits, guinea pigs and basically any small animal you can imagine scurrying around in cages. Upon reaching the back of the building, you step into a room full of dogs in large kennels filled with food, water and more toys.

Though you are absorbed in the world full of striped, orange cats and black labs, out of the corner of your eye you notice a person running around from room to room.

This is Kate Meghji, the shelter manager. She has only had her job for a couple of months, yet she has big plans for the shelter.

“I want to do more things in the shelter for the animals ... as far as better living environments, more socialization, more programs

ONE ANIMAL AT A TIME The Champaign County Humane Society

PHOTOS BY AMELIA MOORE . TAKEN AT THE CHAMPAIGN COUNTY HUMAN SOCIETY

The Spring Dining Guide: COMING SOON… INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

7

YOU KNOW YOU WANT

“Sometimes when I’m stressed, I come see the dogs and it reminds me why I’m here,” she adds.

Being in Meghji’s position allows her to make decisions that affect the community around her.

“We hired a humane investigator in the fall [of last year] and his main focus is to investigate cruelty complaints, becoming more involved in the community and not focus on just this building, but more focused on the community as a whole,” says Meghji.

Another idea which Meghji already acted upon is “[starting] bi-monthly low-cost clinics for cats and they’re going to be really, really low price, because I think that’s one of the ways we can affect animal and especially cat overpopulation; we’re going to be doing lowcost spay/neuter for dogs on a case-by-case basis,” says Meghji.

According to her, in 2006, the shelter obtained 560 cats, 294 kittens, 555 dogs, 337 puppies and 157 rodents.

1of 2 $

MEAL f S $ DOUB off LE/TR IPLE t b PLATE r ing

in this ad!

j us

with different community groups ... there are a lot of groups in the community that I want to do more work with,” says Meghji.

Although she is a molecular biology major from Washington State University, she began working at the shelter a year ago because she could not get a job in her field.

“I started working in the lab and just kind of fortuitously moved up over the last year,” says Meghji. “I kind of fell in love with the whole animal welfare thing ... I get frustrated and angry a lot, but all in all, I really like what I do.”

Meghji has a lot on her plate: she is in charge of overseeing all shelter operations, including adoption, behavior and health. She also talks with and helps the workers, volunteers and people who are relinquishing their pets.

“I do a lot of work at home, because I can kind of zone off and be in my own world,” she says. “Or, I come in really early or stay really late at night because usually when people are here, I’ve always got 400 things happening.”

buzz weekly •

IT’S ALL ABOUT EL NINO, HUH?

3

CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:

301 E Green, Champaign 2001 W. Springfield, Champaign 1007 W. University, Urbana

Busy? Need to nish your degree?

The Greenville College adult degree completion program can help you obtain a B.S. in Organizational Leadership!

ATTEND AN INFORMATION MEETING AT PARKLAND COLLEGE, ROOM X150 (2400 West Bradley Ave., Champaign, IL 61821)

Thursday, February 15

|

7pm & Tuesday, February 20

|

7pm

• Accelerated — Accredited — Affordable • Convenient local classes • Tailored to working adults GOALinfo@greenville.edu

| www.greenville.edu/adultstudies

For additional information call (888) 818-4625 Greenville College is a Christian college authorized to operate by the Illinois Board of Higher Education and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 30 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602-2504. (800) 621-7440; (312) 263-0456; Fax: (312) 263-7462.

sounds from the scene

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

8 •

buzz weekly

LOOK AT THE TEETH ON THOSE COMB!

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

50% off SALE! SALE!

Everything in store 50% off.

Stop in & Shop around

Vintage Clothes for guys & gals!

Dandelion

9 E. Taylor, Downtown Champaign Across from Cowboy Monkey 355.WEED Open Mon-Sat: 11am-6pm Sun: 12pm-5pm

Kate Meghji, shelter manager, for the Champaign County Humane Society sits in ‘cuddle town’ a free-range room for cats up for adoption at the humane society in Urbana, IL.

SATURDAY, MARCH 3, 2007 ASSEMBLY HALL TICKETS ON SALE NOW! Tickets at the Assembly Hall Box Office, Ticket Central at Illini Union, & all Ticketmaster Outlets.

Charge-by-phone: 217-333-5000 or order online at www.ticketmaster.com.

For more information visit uofiassemblyhall.com.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

A

PRODUCTION

®

The shelter is an open admissions shelter, which means it provides shelter to any animal that needs it. However, the shelter does not take in stray animals; the majority of their animals come from owner relinquishment.

“As far as the people who come in to relinquish, that can be one of the most frustrating aspects of this job,” says Meghji.

“People have circumstances that they can’t control and that’s why they have to give their animals up. Most of the time, people bring animals in because of the landlords or because they don’t have time or the animals cost too much money.”

When Meghji directed her attention to this prolonged problem, she realized education is the key factor to help raise awareness in the community.

She is trying to make people think about the responsibility a pet comes with and their living situations before they get a pet, so the animals don’t end up at the shelter.

“We’re trying to fix a problem by pro-

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

viding them with shelter ... but it’s about education and teaching people that animals are wonderful companions,” passionately explains Meghji.

There might be a day, she hopes, when shelters will no longer be needed because their original owners will keep animals.

“There’s a lot we can do and there’s a lot I want to do while I’m here,” she says.

Although she will keep her three cats and one dog, she is not planning on being in this job for a long period of time. “[I might stay] a couple [more] years,” she says. “It’s a good place to go in and use my creative energy.”

However, since she has “fallen in love” with taking care of animals, she might continue in the field. “I could definitely see myself as staying in animal welfare for my career,” she says. “Maybe not here at the shelter, but maybe at another organization ... it’s a really interesting area and I feel like it’s one of the few areas that’s kind of fallen behind.” sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

buzz weekly •

OH, I SEE WHAT YOU DID THERE.

9

seth fein THE LOCAL SNIFF

Sniffer Finds Love in Obama’s Choices Pours heart, soul and Champaign’s famous sauces into speech to the nation...

FIRST SNIFF There is something different about this.

Something ver y ver y different.

When I think “president ia l ca mpa ig n s,” I think about bullshit for the most part, I think about slush funds, lobbyists, speechwriters and the like. And when I think about the kind of music that accompanies those things, I think of musicians like Bruce Springsteen, U2, Kenny Chesney and big time ticket sellers with #1 hits who are being played by Casey Kasem on Sundays.

Never ever have I thought about hipster bands that bloggers go crazy for; bands whose resumes include being signed to Touch and Go and being booked by Inland Empire (who also books Modest Mouse, The Shins, Band of Horses, etc.) — bands who play on small stages at festivals like Coachella or Bonnaroo.

Bands like !!!.

For those of you who are not in the know, !!! (pronounced chk chk chk) is a Brooklynbased Sacramento transplant who have inspired an entire generation of hipsters to get back on their feet and start shakin’ that ass again. They are one of the bands spear-heading the “dance/ punk” movement.

And yet, on a very, very cold winter day in Springfield, Ill., my fiancée and I stood for an hour and listened to their entire 2004 long player, Louden Up Now as we waited for the best hope this country has in turning it around: Barack Obama.

GENERATION Y IS THE NEW RELIGIOUS RIGHT If we’re going to put this nation back on track, it’s going to have to come from people like me and you — no, not you, you old dumbass! (I’m talking to you John Foreman!) I’m talking to you! — yhe young kid with the iPod hanging off your ears and your finger on the text message SEND button — yeah, you. It’s you and I who have to rise to the occasion come March of 2008, and by that I mean we should all be voting for Barack Obama.

Granted, he’s no Dennis Kucinich, but, for my vote, he’s got the goods to lead this country back to what we once were and what we can be again: A nation rooted in the ideology that, with freedom, all things are possible.

That someone on the staff for Obama’s campaign had enough sense to put on !!! to warm the hearts and move the asses of those of us waiting to cheer on our guy just proves that we are going to see a very different type of campaign this next year.

SMOKE-FREE UPDATE I have had the chance to correspond with some folks at the CU Smokefree Alliance and I can tell you something that I know — at least one of them is totally and completely unconcerned with any kind of adverse effect this ban might have on local businesses. And that one person is someone who is pretty high up on the chain within their organization.

Now, I know that these people are interested in saving the lungs and breathing rights of everyone in Champaign-Urbana, but you’d think that with all of that concern about everybody’s

internal organs, they’d have some heart left to consider some people’s souls, you know?

Despite the fact that I still agree with the ban for the most part, let it be noted that being sympathetic goes a long way when looking to change the opinion of people’s hearts and minds, and in this case lungs.

I am proud to say that I am not a member of their organization — and if you are a member, you ought to suggest rearranging the focus of your rhetoric, Sniff it, creeps.

BAND THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW! PART III Ok, so there is definitely a huge void in this town when it comes to the “ jam band” scene.

And there is a good reason for that. Jam bands, almost unequivocally, suck more ass than a $2 gigolo. Yeah, String Cheese, Moe., Umphrey’s, all of them — terrible.

Fortunately, the newest jam band in town isn’t much of a “jam band” at all. And we can only thank God for that.

Zmick, which is the quartet formed by Dan McLean on guitar, Dan Wonsover on bass, Kris Ahrens on drums and Jack Scheff on keys, has bucked convention and can be best described as Prog Jazz meets Death Blues.

They are young and hungry — and that’s what I like best about ’em. Go to www.openingbands. com to see when and where they are playing next.

leader Tatyana just might publish them for you, in a Letters to the Editor section of the paper. At least, that’s what I am hoping for.

FINAL WHIFF By this time, Valentines Day will have come and gone — and this year, let it be known that Valentine’s Day simply wasn’t Valentine’s Day because Caffe Paradiso didn’t do their famous pasta night for reasons unbeknownst to myself.

No offense to Paradiso, of course, it takes a lot of work and not much pay off to run a pasta night like that. I don’t blame them for a second. But perhaps with a little push and a petition, we can convince the wonderful Melissa Fanella to start making and bottling her famous pasta sauce.

Between her “Famous Fanella’s Pasta Sauce,” Paul Wirth’s “Iron Post Bloody Mary Mix” and Tristan Wraight’s “British BBQ Sauce” we might just have a brand name on our hands.

Seth Fein is from Urbana. There is nothing quite like actually feeling inspired and proud when listening to “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Last Saturday in Spring field, Seth Fein put his hand on his heart and almost shed a tear. He can be reached at sethfein1@gmail.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Let in be known that you can write letters to the editor and, assuming that you can spell your words well enough, our venerable and fearless

ROOM TO LIVE

Huge, luxurious apartments at an amazing price.

Off-street parking. Walk-in closets. 2 bed, 2 bath.

APARTMENTS

Rates starting at $775.00 Crowwood Dr., Champaign

217.356.3470

www.crowwoodrentals.com

sounds from the scene

BREATHE BE Free highspeed internet. Gas fireplace.

29 E. Marketview Dr. Champaign, Il 61820 (217) 366-8200

We Buy and Sell Trendy Clothes for CA$H!!!

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

10

listen, hear

GUSTER:

BRINGIN’ IT BACK TO

CU

PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.MYSPACE.COM/GUSTER

Ever wondered what it looks like to wake up next to Guster? Here ya go...

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

ASHLEY KOLPAK • STAFF WRITER

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

2

006 was a monumental ye a r fo r t he g a n g l y, groovy collective known as Guster. Last year saw the release of their new, extremely innovative record Ganging Up on the Sun, the debut of their online “sitcom,” Joe’s Place (hop on to guster.com to check it out) and an impressive touring schedule. Just recently, the group returned from a cruise to the Turks and Caicos joined by the Barenaked Ladies, where both played shows for legions of waterlogged fans. A little sun, a lot of drunken fun and Guster — people, it doesn’t get much better than that.

But, ladies and gentlemen of CU, get ready to be the lucky ones.

On Feb. 21, Guster is set to play at Foellinger Auditorium, which serves as a bit of a homecoming for the band’s percussionist, Urbana-born Brian Rosenworcel. He moved away when he was six months old, but hey, that still counts. The band, who originally met in the dorms of Tufts University (with the exception of Joe, who joined the group in 2003), is no stranger to the CU concer t scene. Through extensive touring in support of their distinguished catalog of work, they have garnered a large Midwestern fan base, as well as multitudes of fans across the country. Besides Rosenworcel, the multi-talented band is comprised of Ryan Miller (lead vocal/guitar), Adam Gardner (background vocals/guitar/ bass) and Joe Pisapia (background vocals/percussion/banjo). They are a definitive musical presence, complete with a frenetic, passionate live show that is not to be missed.

When asked to explain the Guster live show experience (in three words or less), Rosenworcel replied half-jokingly, “[It] looks really painful. Every song I’m going between two kits.”

The brea k neck pace of the performance and the versatility of the band members together create an effervescent, expressive atmosphere.

Over the years since their formation in 1991, the group has constantly evolved.

“For a while, I didn’t even expect to become a musician; it sort of fell into

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

my lap. I was jamming, and I just kept expanding my percussion kit,” Rosenworcel said.

During the beginning stage of Guster, he said, “We were writing different kinds of songs, playing our instruments as fast as we could. Now we’re a quartet. We’re addicted to changing it up. We’re more i n f luenced now by ’60s and ’70s music, more classic rock.”

The Guster sound — quirk y, s we e t l y me lo d ic and insid iously catchy — is their trademark (that, and their out-there sense of humor). When asked to describe the group’s sound, Rosenworcel said, “We’re wimpy, in the same way the Beatles are wimpy. But, then again, they had ‘Helter Skelter’.”

The “wimpy” act has produced some decidedly not wimpy music over the course of their career that fans closely identify with. “Lost and Gone Forever is a lot of people’s favorite [album].

It captured a moment,” Rosenworcel said.

His favorite? “Ganging Up on the Sun. It’s our most ambitious. It’s opened a lot of new doors. It’s one step closer to what we’re working for.”

Through all their triumphs, Guster prides itself on the fact that, “success doesn’t effect the way we operate. It’s been a slow progression. The crowds have shown up — it’s different from when we were in our 20s, playing in empty rooms, touring in a van, staying up all night. It was exciting.” He sarcastically added, “Now we’re spoiled. We’ve

developed a routine.” A routine that includes touring with diverse and eclectic artists such as Mason Jennings, Ray LaMontagne and Ben Folds, a Guster personal favorite.

Their touring schedule has allowed fans to mingle with Guster and share their appreciation.

“We’re always fl attered when people k now our music. It’s strange that people stil l ident i f y w ith songs we wrote i n c o l l e g e ,” Rosenworcel said.

So, the big question: what’s next? They’ve lined up a lot of tour dates and summer shows so far this year. As for where he sees the band in five years, Rosenworcel replied, “Approaching 40! We want to keep making albums, keep getting better, keep getting closer to what we’re working towards.”

With their intr icate, almost hauntingly beautiful lyrics, blissful melodies and frantically entertaining live show, the talent of Guster is impossible to deny. Oh yeah, and they’re pretty damn funny, too.

“We’re wimpy, in the same way

the Beatles are wimpy. But, then again, they had ‘Helter Skelter’.”

sounds from the scene

buzz weekly •

ANYONE CAN CATCH YOUR EYE, BUT IT TAKES SOMEONE SPECIAL TO CATCH YOUR HEART.

Come join the fun and see Guster play with Mason Jennings at Foellinger Auditorium next Wednesday, Feb. 21. The show starts at 8 p.m., and tickets are $20 for UIUC students, $22 for the public.

album REVIEW LOUCHIANO CHILDS Louchiano: Audio Crack [Self]

A R G

A : DE

KERI CARPENTER • STAFF WRITER

When you listen to rap and hip-hop, are you listening to the beats and rhythms or the actual words? In addition to hip-hop being dead (as Nas informed us recently), I was beginning to think that rap might be buried next to today’s hip-hop in the cemetery of embarrassment. However, after listening to a CD entitled Louchiano: Audio Crack, I am pleased to inform you that rap is still alive. However, the most intriguing thing about this CD is that it was produced by a student on the U of I campus.

11

The artist is Louchiano Childs. Childs, a junior in advertising, delivers unique beats in this CD that will defi nitely keep you moving in the car, on the way to class or in your room while you’re cleaning up. However, I must warn you that a lot of the lyrics have double meanings and if you’re not careful you could get lost in translation.

I found myself (and I should mention that I’m not a terribly devoted listener of rap) rewinding the CD numerous times in order to really catch the meaning of the tracks. However, when my older brother — the ultimate translator of all things rap — listened to the CD, he instantly decoded all the hidden messages, witty metaphors and twofold phrases and explained some things to me that I’m still amazed by.

Covering everything from “haters” and pride to struggles, life lessons and accomplishments, Ch i ld ’s t a lent sh i ne s t h rou g h h i s clea r understanding of how to twist and use metaphors, similes, oxymorons and other tools of language in his favor. While there was some vulgarity present in the CD, each word seemed to have a specific purpose.

After listening to this CD, I have a better appreciation for the art of rap. Whether you’re a fan of rap or not, you’ll appreciate Child’s work of art and have a lot of “a-ha” moments.

You’ll be proud of yourself when you decipher some of the Louchi-codes, and even if you don’t catch them all, you’ll be too busy jamming to his mesmerizing beats to care too much. Remember this guy’s name because you’ll be hearing it a lot more throughout his mission to keep rap alive.

SEE ALBUM REVIEWS PG. 13

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

12 •

buzz weekly

GRAVITATION IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE FALLING IN LOVE.

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

PHIL COLLINS • STAFF WRITER

T PHOTO COURTESY OF WWW.HORNBLOWGROUP.COM/TALLYPRESS

HAVIN’ A BALL WITH

TALLY HALL

F e b r ua r y 15

his Saturday, Ann Arbor’s rock quintet Tally Hall will bring their always eclectic, never static sound to the Courtyard Café. With an arsenal of genres at their disposal, Tally Hall packs more variety into one song than a lesser band could manage in a full album.

Drummer Ross Federman, who dons a silver tie, described the band’s style as “a mixed bag of all sorts of things. The main kind of rock/ pop-rock is there, but we tr y not to limit ourselves by that.”

Tally Hall’s debut album, Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum, strings together 14 songs that manage to substantially differ from each other, as well as from the pop/rock scene.

Just look at “The Bidding” versus “Two Wuv,” for example. The former is a pop/rap song about a date auction, given a strong backbone by a dark choral loop and a poppy refrain. The latter is an unabashed ode to Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen reminiscent of “Stacy’s Mom.” “We tend to think of each song as an independent composition,” said guitarist and vocalist Rob Cantor, who sports a yellow tie.

“Rather than giving our band a sound, we tend to give our songs a sound.”

Whether it is the catchy chorus of “Greener,”

or the lyrical antics of “Banana Man,” the album is sure to satisfy the appetites of many musical connoisseurs.

The f ive members themselves play fairly standard instruments for a rock band — two guitars, drums, a bass and keyboards — but they rarely limit themselves to that scope.

Guest artists have recorded on several of the album’s tracks. “Be Born” features a banjo, violin and an upright bass, and “Taken for a Ride” has a plethora of support which includes a cello, french horns, a saxophone, a viola and a choir.

The group drew inspiration for their album from the actual place in Farmington Hills, Mich., called Marvin’s Marvelous Mechanical Museum. The museum houses a collection of v i nt age coi n-operated g a mes, such a s love testers and fortune tellers.

T he mu s eu m i s t he on l y p a r t of t he m in i-ma l l ca l led Ta l ly Ha l l that rema ins open for business. In addition to the games are airplanes, carousels, antiques and robots, among an assortment of oddities.

“You could walk in there and see 10 things that you’ve never seen before, even if you’ve been there 100 times,” said Cantor.

He added that he feels that way about Tally Hall’s music.

Even bad weather can’t hold the Tally Hall boys down.

MIKE N MOLLY’S ADVISES YOU:

T U O T GEAND

Historic Lincoln Hotel Hotel and Conference Center

TE

209 S. Broadway, Urbana

VO

rea A g kin o Sm d e at He

February 21, 5:00 pm Alumni Tap features

3M Night

$20 per Person

Martini Massage Manicure

February 28th, 6:30 pm

Seance Dinner Theatre

An elegant meal and a personal encounter with the psychic, the spooky and the bizarre.

$39.95 per Person

FREE WI-FI!

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/MIKENMOLLYS

105 N. Market St. Downtown Champaign 355-1236 INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

historiclincolnhotel.com

for more information, details, or reservations, call 217.384.8800 sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

buzz weekly •

TRIP OVER LOVE, YOU CAN GET UP. FALL IN LOVE AND YOU FALL FOREVER.

13

ALBUM REVIEWS CONTINUED FROM PG. 11 “If you go into a museum and look around, you get a certain sense of what’s in there,” said Federman. “Listening through the album, you kind of get the same feelings.”

When Tally Hall takes the stage on Saturday, be prepared for anything.

“We l ike to make each show a unique experience and so we enjoy spontaneity and interacting with the people there,” said Cantor.

The band connects with their fans at live shows across the country.

“The live show is really fun,” said Jon Pope, a University senior. “You almost feel like a part of the show, and not so much like a member of the audience.”

This Saturday will be Pope’s fourth time seeing Tally Hall live. He enjoys the interactive environment of their shows.

“You can yell stuff out at them and they’ll acknowledge you or yell back,” he said.

Pope said he bought their album after the fi rst time he saw them.

“Their music is really catchy,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve introduced the music to anyone that hasn’t liked it.”

Federman and Cantor agreed that their favorite songs to play change from night to night.

“You feel each song differently every night based on the environment you play it in,” Federman said.

Tally Hall will take their live show to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, next month for the second consecutive year.

Over 1,300 acts will play, including Against Me!, Chicago-based Catfi sh Haven and local group Headlights.

Federman said the experience last year opened his eyes to many bands and artists that he did not know were out there.

Ta l ly Ha l l has had plent y of ex posure, drawing the attention of publications across t he cou nt r y, i nclud i n g T h e L os Angele s Times and The Boston Herald. The group also recorded a cover of The Killers’ “Smile Like You Mean It” for T he OC ’s sixth volume of t hei r sou ndt r ack ser ie s. T he cover i s a thorough reinvention of the original. Tally Hall took the song, particularly the chorus, in an entirely new direction.

Looking ahead, a new album is not yet on the horizon, but the band is still managing a full schedule.

“We’re working everyday, all day on a couple projects that we are really excited about,” Cantor said.

Cantor and Federman mentioned a video project and some additions to the live show, but said they want to keep some things secret for a while.

At the end of the day, the band is receiving good feedback.

“What it comes down to ultimately is are you seeing any type of response,” said Cantor. “We’ve seen our crowds growing in cities ... it becomes obvious that all the work that was put into it is actually making a difference.”

Come check out Tally Hall at the Courtyard Cafe this Saturday night at 9 p.m. The show is all ages, and tickets are $5 for UIUC students, $7 for the general public. sounds from the scene

OF MONTREAL Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?

[Polyvinyl]

A : DE ANDY GLAYSHER • STAFF WRITER

Of Montreal have been known to liken themselves to The Beach Boys, and after listening to Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?,it’s easy to see why: Kevin Barnes is the second coming of Brian Wilson. His enviable ability to write catchy pop songs that retain distinctiveness through their gloomy subtext is something seen in very few songwriters today. Furthermore, he has an ear for composing complex vocal arrangements that rival even some of Queen’s most epic masterpieces such as “Bohemian Rhapsody” or “March of the Black Queen.” What really makes Barnes a genius is his aptness to manipulate every fiber of a recording studio so that the resulting sound is something dense, beautiful, unusual, bewitching and, above all, sonically unique. Fluttering from the speakers, his spirited voice sounds like a songbird at one moment, and a swelling gospel choir two seconds later. The music itself is just as dynamic, sending my iTunes visualizer into overdrive with its frequent and unexpected shifts in tempos, rhythms and textures.

Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, although not as catchy as 2005’s The Sunlandic Twins, is just as, if not more satisfying than its predecessor. It’s a much more personal album, lending itself to listener empathy and narrowed interpretations.

Barnes admits that it was written and recorded throughout one of the darkest periods of his life — a time characterized by extreme depression and anxiety. This is portrayed musically within the fi rst half of the album on songs like “Cato as a Pun,” “Gronlandic Edit,” and “A Sentence of Sorts in Kongsvinger” in which Barnes laments, “I spent the winter on the verge of total breakdown while living in Norway/I felt the darkness of the black metal bands.” Concluding with “The Past is a Grotesque Animal,” the fi rst half of the album dissolves into a soulful five-song set that marks a turning point in the album. It is here, in the second half, that both the music and the lyrics elevate from a state of melancholy to a state of defi ance and resilience.

Within the 12-song pop jungle that is Hissing Fauna, every human emotion is exposed in one way or another, and that’s ultimately what makes of Montreal so accessible. Even the album artwork, conceived by Barnes’ brother, David, is supposed to represent the six moods that he experienced while listening to it.

Although the music can be too pretentious for its own good at times, Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? is an album that will undoubtedly drop jaws for many years to come.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

14 •

buzz weekly

MANY ARE THE STARRS I SEE, BUT IN MY EYE NO STARR LIKE THEE.

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

Topless Female Dancers mike ingram CU SOUND REVUE 18 to enter • Mon-Thur 8pm-1am • Fri-Sat 8pm-2am • $5 Cover (Always Hiring, We’ll Train)

get

buzzed ::

every thursday :: readbuzz.com

Silver Bullet Bar

T

1401 E. Washington Urbana 217.344.0937

www.silverbulletbar.net

Suzanne Trupin, MD, FACOG ABORTION SERVICES THRU 24 WEEKS AAAHC ACCREDITED SURGICENTER Counceling & Sonogram General or Local Anesthesia RU-486 Medical Abortion

Morning After Pill Contraception Tubal Ligation H E A LT H P R A C T I C E

Parental Consent Not Required and Completely Confidential

2125 South Neil Street Champaign, IL 61820

Physicians are on call 24 hours U of I Insurance Accepted Call or find out more on our website

0 0 . $5 OFF

HRU GOOD T AY ESD WEDN 007 ,2 FEB 28

UNION STATION From your friends at:

GO TO: www.IlliniExpress.com 352-6682 We honor any competitor’s coupons Must present coupon at campus office

ONLY 10 MIN FROM CAMPUS! YOUR NEW PLACE TO PARTY! .

Why have a barn dance

When you can have the

Bar?

• Big dance floor and stage • DJ Booth & club lighting • Pool Tables & Arcade Games • V.I.P. Room & Banquet Room • Private Bar • Full Kitchen • Parking • Friendly Staff • Bus Service available Food From Foudini’s

For rental & general info, call 217.485.3531 myspace.com/radmakers

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

Sarcastic “(sic)” still cute to some; leaves most yawning his Sunday, there will be a benef it for V-Day International at Cowboy Monkey. The group raises money for local charities which help women and children who are victims of rape, abuse and domestic violence. This year, several great acts have donated their time to be a part of the cause. Announced for Sunday’s show: Pulsar47, Casados, Mad Science Fair, Watery Domestic, HypnoMusicCorp, Coco Coca and The Pat Mustain Band. This is a great lineup that spans several genres, so on top of supporting an excellent cause, you also get to see a great show. Three of the bands were part of this year’s Great Cover Up, so you might even see some encore performances. Check out www.vdayuiuc.com for more info.

Speaking of benef its, the tribute to Paul Martin last week was a great event. Sadly, the date had to be moved to the Monday after my column had already been turned in (saying that it was Tuesday), but the word got around. Thanks to everyone who attended.

Tonight (Thursday) there are plenty of shows worth checking out should you decide to brave the cold. At 7 p.m. at the Iron Post, $2 will get you two U of I jazz combos. At 8 p.m. you can catch a Courtyard Café show with Triple Whip, Coco Coca, Sam Vicari and Watery Domestic for only $3. Zorba’s will be offering its weekly jazz showcase starting at 9:30 p.m., this week featuring Ear Doctor. A block away at 10 p.m., Larry Gates will fire up three sets of covers and originals at Bar Louie (no cover). Downtown Champaign’s Cowboy Monkey hosts funk-rock band Brother Embassy (a veritable cornucopia of culture), with the Duke of Uke and a late set from rapper Krukid. Showtime is 10 p.m., with a $5 cover.

Friday features the war of the jazz happy hours, as the Iron Post hosts the Jeff Helgesen Quintet, while Cowboy Monkey hosts the New Orleans Jazz Machine. Both places are great for happy hour, and the music is tasty. Oh, but wait, the Iron Post set starts at 5 p.m., while Cowboy Monkey doesn’t start until 5:30 p.m. Take that, Cowboy Monkey! Earliness right at ya!

For those wanting to see a little less jazz and a little more of a guy in black singing low like it’s his job (hey, wait, it is!), you can check out Man In Black, a Johnny Cash tribute group, at the Canopy Club. And it’s only $10 for a whole night of Cash covers. The show starts at 7 p.m.

Radio listeners can tune into 90.1 WEFT at 6 p.m. for Dave Witzany’s weekly show about upcoming shows in the CU area. This week he’ll have a guest in Dennis Stroughmatt, who will talk about Cajun, Zydeco and Creole music, and also about his show at the Iron Post later in the

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

evening. If you’re in the downtown area and want to stop into the station to catch a possible live performance, Dave surely won’t mind. The station is on Market Street, just north of the Mike ’n Molly’s beer garden.

At the Highdive, The Bottle Rockets (Bloodshot Records) will play with The Tractor Kings and the Delta Kings. The Bottle Rockets may have to have a name change to fit in. Cover is $12, and the show begins at 9 p.m.

The best band in the country with a Biz Markie cover in its back pocket, Tally Hall, will return to Champaign yet again on Saturday. This time the band will hit the Courtyard Café stage, carrying only a $7 cover. I’ve mentioned the Biz Markie cover before, and the last time the band was here they even opened with a full-length cover of “Freebird” (take that, “Freebird” request guy!), but the band’s originals really are quite good. They also tend to be much better in a live setting than on record, I think. The harmonies are great, and the humorous bits are done well. If you haven’t seen this band yet, do so soon. This might be your last chance to do so at such a low price, as placement in shows like The OC and performances on late-night shows are quickly rocketing the guys to the next level.

Also on Saturday, DJ Dan the Automator (Gorillaz) will do a set at the Highdive. The show is sponsored by Bacardi, which means tons of free ticket giveaways, so keep an eye out. A late set by DJ Tim Williams will follow.

I already mentioned Sunday’s V-Day Benefit, but there will also be a new installment of Jane Boxall’s 7-9 Sundays series at the Iron Post. This week’s show features Jane’s band (Triple Whip), plus Ryan Groff (of elsinore) and Nonagon.

Three very different acts in two hours, and for only $3.50, it’s a pretty cool idea.

Sundays also have another new series, this time at the Canopy Club, where New Sound Sundays will offer three new bands for only $1. This week’s show features Brilliance In A Bun, Dirty Nick and the Bandits and Turning Down Today.

Look for drink specials as well. Check out www. canopyclub.com for more info.

As I’m sure someone else will cover Guster/ Mason Jennings, I’ll just say that if you’re as tired as I am of shows like that, you can leave your Abercrombie visor and COLLEGE shirt at home and head to the Iron Post to catch some excellent jazz. Jazz, though, isn’t a broad enough word to cover all that Jazz Sandwich does. Take some of the area’s very best musicians and sit them on a stage together to play jazz songs, along with TV themes and anything else that they can think of, and you’ve got Jazz Sandwich. The band goes on at 9 p.m. and the cover is $3, which is ridiculously cheap.

And don’t just drink water, huh? At least buy a Coke or some fries.

Mike Ingram (sic) can be reached at forgottenwords@gmail.com. sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

ACTION

ADS! 20 Words, 5 Days

SPIN IT ROUND FLIP IT AND REVERSE IT

$10

#

"

!

XXX DBOPQZDMVC DPN

CARLYE WISEL AND BRIAN MCGOVERN

UIVSTEBZ GFC featuring Playing all your favorite New Orleans style tunes!

GSJEBZ GFC Tribute to

Johnny Cash Doors at: 6:30 p.m.

Show at: 7:00 p.m.

TVOEBZ GFC WPGU presents

BRILLIANCE IN A BUN, DIRTY NICK & THE BANDITS and TURNING DOWN TODAY

FWFSZ UVFT JO GFCSVBSZ

F9<95 FG5@ GD579 G9F=9 G DF9 G9BHG

WITH

BC 7CJ9F

.

'2%' 30%2/ 42)/ & F95@ AND :-)#+ @CB; =G@5B8G XFEOFTEBZ GFC

*Cash-in-advance only. No refunds, but you may cancel your ad.

WITH STATE & MADISON, SNOWSERA and MIDNITE VENDETTA

sounds from the scene

:

CBOE T HPPEXJO BWFOVF

$20

10 Words, 5 Days

buzz weekly â&#x20AC;˘

WHEN LOVE IS NOT MADNESS, IT IS NOT LOVE.

UIVSTEBZ GFC

Corn Desert

RAMBLERS (bluegrass) GSJEBZ GFC at 7:00 North Doors Show at 8:00 Mississippi Allstars TBUVSEBZ GFC with: Last Fast Action, Rebel Angels & more!

DPNJOH FWFOUT

2/26 NEIL HAMBURGER 2/27 AUTUMN DEFENSE 2/28 STORY OF THE SEA 3/1 TREOLOGIC 3/2 SANTA 3/5 SAY HI TO YOUR MOM 3/7 THE FORECAST 3/14 UMPHREYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MCGEE 3/15 SHOOTER JENNINGS

UJDLFUT PO TBMF BU

UIF DBOPQZ DMVC GBNJMZ QSJEF DPOWFOJFODF TUPSF CBDDB DJHBS FYJMF PO NBJO TUSFFU

FUJY XXX KBZUW DPN

15

Band reunionsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; for love or money?

â&#x20AC;˘ STAFF WRITERS

Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re back! Over the past few months, a handful of band reunion rumors have been deemed true, causing dedicated fans to either jump for joy, or fearfully hide under their desks while clutching onto their favorite vinyl, rocking back and forth and hysterically crying. Rage Against the Machine, No Doubt, The Police, Van Halen and the Smashing Pumpkins all have reunion tours, performances or CD releases discussed and planned for the near future. But, whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the motivation behind these breakup makeups? Is it nostalgia for the good olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; days of alcohol, drugs and boobs, or the need to redecorate their house?

In this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Spin It, Brian and Carlye discuss â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are band reunions for the love of music, or just for another fistful of money?

Carlye: For Love!

Just when you t houg ht t he music i n d u s t r y c o u l d nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t dream up anything else ... they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how it should be. Our society loves reconstruction, and only in a nation full of Botox-ed foreheads and how-to-redesign-yourhome television shows can we truly appreciate the art form that is the musical comeback.

Ever y t h i n gâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wor t h a second ch a nce.

A bad sandwich usually gets a bit better after you take another bite, rewriting a paper always gets you a better grade, and rekindling an old fl ame may not result in a beautiful, fancy-pants wedding, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll probably get some decent to good sex out of it.

There are some issues though. Two members of the Smashing Pumpkins â&#x20AC;&#x201D; guitarist James Iha and bassist Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arcy Wretzky â&#x20AC;&#x201D; have not made statements regarding their participation in the reun ion and are specu lated to not be joining in on the fun. A lso, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the unavoidable problem of band members still hating each other, which may plague RATMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reunion show at Coachella and will most likely end Van Halenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 40 -show tour early with a bloody fi ght to the death onstage. But, maybe the new members of Smashing Pumpkins will be just as good as the old ones, and if not, you all know a David Lee Roth fi ght would make for a great YouTube video.

These are just small problems, and if bands want to reunite, we should support them with our eyes, ears and checkbooks. If we love the artist, and the artist loves playing music, we should therefore love their new music. (Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like the Pythagorean Theorem, but a lot less boring.)

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not just saying this because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a Phish-head who is crossing her fi ngers for a reunion tour (please Trey, please!), but we should defi nitely embrace these comeback shows, tours and CDs. After all, respectable artists playing decent music always trump shitty artists making shitty music.

And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that.

Brian: For Money!

M aybe t hey a renâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t doing it for money exactly, but they are d e f i n it el y com i n g back for a l l t ho se wonder f u l th i ng s that would appear on word association lists based on â&#x20AC;&#x153;money.â&#x20AC;? For instance, when I think of money, I think of fame, attention, dead presidents and status. When looking at that list, each word boils down to the same thing â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the same reason why bands are so driven to reform ... sex.

John Quincy Adams got it whenever he wanted, and he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even a good president.

The same goes for musicians â&#x20AC;&#x201D; even bad ones get the pinnacle of human desire satiated in a ridiculous quantity. (Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve all seen the Kid Rock/Scott Stapp sex tape). Well, OK, I really doubt Sting has problems getting some, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the sexiness, the fame and the glamour the rock band represents that is bringing back all of these staples of popular music, and with the exception of Sting and The Police, it disgusts me.

Particularly vomit-worthy is Billy Corgan reforming the Pumpkins with only his ego returning from the or iginal roster. Jimmy Chamberl in, the band â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dr um mer, is a lso con f i r med to tou r a nd record u nder the Pumpkinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; name later this year, but that still is not enough to overshadow that Corgan is a mone y- g r ubbi n g , f a me -whor i n g h a s been. Corgan and Chamberlin are in no way reuniting; they both per for med in Zwan, the upbeat project following the Pumpkinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; breakup, and have worked together since.

The Smashing Pumpkins are not reuniting; Corgan has simply decided to release his songs under the Pumpkins name to sell more records.

Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Arcy and Iha are not coming back to support the Corgan charade, and I applaud them.

In general, bands are like TV shows, book series or any other ongoing creative media-based endeavor. You have to know when the project is over and move on from it. Those who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, (except for The Police, which this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t apply to), are just clinging to something that is no longer pertinent or important.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, H EAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

16

cu calendar

THU. FEB 15 Live Bands U of I Jazz Combo Iron Post 7pm, $2 Michael Kemmin, Kate Hathaway and James Hathaway [Acoustic show.] Aroma Cafe, 8pm, free Sam Vicari, Coco Coca, Triple Whip, Watery Domestic Courtyard Cafe, 8pm, $3 Caleb Rose Bowl Tavern 9pm, no cover Mardi Gras Kick-Off Party featuring Hurricane Gumbo [Playing all your favorite New Orleans-style tunes!]

Canopy Club, 9pm, $5 Ear Doctor Zorba’s Restaurant, 9:30pm, $3 Krukid, Brother Embassy, The Duke of Uke Cowboy Monkey 10pm, $5 Larry Goetz Bar Louie, 10pm no cover Concerts Thursdays at Twelve Twenty Beckman Institute 12:20pm, free DJ Wesjile [Hip-hop, party jams.] Boltini Lounge 10:30pm, no cover

Dancing Free Swing Dance McKinley Church and Foundation 9:30pm Karaoke Karaoke with Randy from RM Entertainment Fat City Saloon, 9pm Lectures/Discussions Free English Speaking, Listening Class [These classes work well for those whose native language is not English and emphasize beginning and intermediate listening and speaking skills.] Parkland College 9am “The Pa’s Fiddle Project: ‘These Happy Golden Years’ of a Musicological Journey” [Lecture

by Dale Cockrell, musicologist.] Smith Recital Hall 3:30pm, free Color on Branding: The Work of Louis Cameron [A talk with “Branded and On Display” artist Louis Cameron.]

Krannert Art Museum, 6pm “A Pre-Columbian Map of the Mississippi?!: The Meaning of a New Rock Art Discovery from Commerce, Missouri” [A lecture by Dr. Timothy R. Pauketat of the Department of Anthropology, UIUC.] Urbana Free Library, 7pm

CHECK OUT THE BUZZ PICKS MARKED

BY OUR LOGO:

Film Korean Movie Night [“The Host” and “Eraser in My Head.”] Huff Hall, 7pm “The Pursuit of Happyness” [Chris Gardner is bright and talented but is struggling to make ends meet. When he and his five-year-old son are evicted from their apartment, Gardner takes a chance with a prestigious stock brokerage firm. They endure many hardships but he follows his dream to make a better life for the two of them.] Virginia Theatre, 7pm At Risk Youth: A Documentary and Discussion [This documentary shows youth in their daily environment, how they interact and socialize with their peers, as well their perspectives on education, local government, jobs and how they see themselves in society.]

Illini Union, 12pm, free Sporting Events Women’s Hockey Club Ice Arena, 10pm Recreation Robert Allerton Park [Open until dusk, the “Allerton Legacy” exhibit at the Visitors Center is open daily. Garden tours can be arranged.] Allerton Park 9am Miscellaneous Krannert Uncorked [Weekly wine tasting with music in the lobby at Krannert Center. Performance by William Kubaitis. Free tasting and wine for sale by the glass.]

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 5pm Altgeld Chime-Tower Tours [To arrange a concert or Bell Tower visit, e-mail chimes@ uiuc.edu or call 333-6068.

Enter through 323 Altgeld Hall.] Altgeld Hall, 12:30pm Meetings French Department: Pause Cafe Espresso Royale Oregon St. (Urbana), 5pm International Coffee Hour [At these events, coffee, tea and homemade ethnic desserts are served.] Cosmopolitan Club, 7:30pm Family Fun Around the World Wednesdays [Parents and kids can create, play and learn together through crafts and activities from around the world.]

Spurlock Museum, 9:30am $2 donation suggested Group Funfare [Preschool groups are invited to come to this program that will feature stories, songs, puppets and films.] Urbana Free Library, 9:45am Mind/Body/Spirit Meditation and Yoga Classes [Free meditation and yoga

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

did we forget to mention free cultural food?] Illini Union, 7pm

Tally Hall

Feb. 17, 9 p.m.

Courtyard Cafe, $5 students/$7 public

Workshops Imprint [Learn the skills to help you manage professional and personal transitions as well as ways to coach and mentor others.]

Illinois Leadership Center 1am, free Empowerment Strategies for Young Women [Young women students will benefit from strategies to overcome obstacles and challenges of school, home and social life.] Parkland College 9am

classes that include meditation exercises, yoga postures, deep relaxation and yoga philosophy.] Ananda Liina Yoga & Meditation Center, 6pm Poetry/Readings Book Signing with Robert Dale Parker [Book signing for “The Sound the Stars Make Rushing Through the Sky: The Writings of Jane Johnson Schoolcraft” by Robert Dale Parker.] Illini Union Bookstore, 4pm VOICE [Poetry and fiction readings.] Bread Company 7:45pm

Recreation Robert Allerton Park Allerton Park, 9am Dodgeball Tournament [Crisis Nursery and the U of I American Medical Student Association will host a dodgeball tournament.

Teams will consist of six players with up to 10 players on a roster. It will be $125 per team, $100 per student team or $15 per individual. Registration required.] Campus Recreation (CRCE) 10:30am

FRI. FEB 16 Live Bands Billy Galt Sings the Blues Blues restaurant, 11:30am Jeff Helgesen Quintet Iron Post, 5pm, no cover New Orleans Jazz Machine Cowboy Monkey, 5:30pm $3 Man in Black: A Tribute To Johnny Cash Canopy Club 7pm, $10 in advance Greg Baker & The Ramblers Hubers, 8pm Country Connection Rose Bowl Tavern, 9pm, $1 Delta Kings with the Bottle Rockets [Rock and blues.]

Highdive, 9pm, cover The Bottle Rockets, Tractor Kings, The Delta Kings Highdive, 9pm, $12 Dennis Stroughmatt and Friends [Creole and Cajun music in celebration of Mardi Gras.] Iron Post 9pm, $5 Big Mo and The Phat Groove [Blues, funk, R&B and soul music.] Phoenix, 9:30pm DJ Elise [Soul, deep house.]

Boltini Lounge, 6pm, no cover DJ Dance Party Canopy Club 9pm, cover Mertz [House, funk, electro.]

Boltini Lounge, 10pm, no cover Deeplicio.us [DJ Mambo Italiano. House music.]

KoFusion, 11pm, no cover Dancing Contra Dance [All dances are taught prior to dancing.

Wear comfortable clothing and bring a pair of clean, soft-soled shoes to protect the wood floor.] Phillips Recreation Center, 8pm Lectures/Discussions “The Political Lessons of the Ishmael and Hagar Story: Reading the Bible with Hannah Arendt” [With Bruce Rosenstock, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, Program in the Study of Religion, UIUC.] University YMCA, 12pm “Spatial Ecology: Investigating Human-Environment Interactions in a Few Urban Places”

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

Comedy Clements Comedy Club Virginia Theatre, 7:30pm Miscellaneous Cotton Club Talent Show Foellinger Auditorium, 7pm Altgeld Chime-Tower Tours Altgeld Hall, 12:30pm Meetings Illini Folk Dance Society Illini Union, 8pm

Tally Hall, named after a defunct mini-mall in Farmington, Michigan, is a band which has explored all styles of music and has successfully administered all genres into each of their songs. The first song played may be pop-rock, which is what the type of music they generally play, but the second may have a rap twist to it resulting in an unsuspecting audience, eager for their next treat and unable to resist the contagious jumble of vibes streaming from the band’s music.

Tally Hall will jump up and down, produce danceable music and will surprise you each and every time.

Because of their wide range of influences from the Beatles to the Beastie Boys, you will never be able to pin point their sound.

A few days ago, when I found out that Tally Hall would be blessing our campus, I immediately said “I’m going!” I didn’t care where, when or how much — I was going. Thankfully, this show is blessed in many aspects, because not only is Tally Hall visiting our Union, but it’s also only $5.

Film Black History Video Views [Excerpts from selected documentaries capture the African-American experience as revealed through the lens.

Brief discussion will follow.]

Parkland College, 12pm Workshops Korea Workshop: Space, Culture and Communication in the Long 1990s International Studies Building, 12:30pm Miscellaneous Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon [A musical light show paying tribute to Pink Floyd.] Parkland College 9:30pm, $5

Altgeld Chime-Tower Tours Altgeld Hall, 12:30pm Meetings Association of Academic Professionals [Happy hour.]

Bread Company, 5pm Family Fun Babies’ Lap Time [Babies and their parents or caregivers are invited for a program of songs, stories and rhymes for young patrons, ages birth to 24 months with an adult.]

Urbana Free Library 9:45am Daddy Daughter Princess Ball [Girls, transform yourself into a princess and spend a magical evening with the man you can always count on — your dad. Enjoy a buffet dinner, raffle prizes and lively entertainment during this special night.] Round Barn Banquet Center, 6pm

Poetry/Readings American Association of University Women, Writer’s Group Pages for All Ages, 1:30pm

SAT. FEB 17 Live Bands The Blue Addictions, The Daze [CD release show.] Iron Post, 6pm, $5 Prairie Dogs Hubers, 8pm The Greytones, Staci Anderson, Matt Wagemann, Carl Hauck Iron Post, 9pm, $5/$7 Country Connection Rose Bowl Tavern, 9pm, $1 Tally Hall Courtyard Cafe 9pm, $5 students/$7 public Concerts Winter Tales: Little Wolf and the Wolf Pack [Spend the afternoon experiencing American Indian dance,

Mind/Body/Spirit Free Mercury Hair Testing [Many residents of Illinois have unsafe levels of mercury in their bodies due to eating locally caught fish, tuna and/or sushi. The free and confidential testing will determine your mercury levels after a stylist clips a carefully selected portion of hair at the back of your head. It will be sent off to the lab and the lab will report the results to you.

Call the salon to schedule an appointment.] Timothy John Salon, 8:30am

SUN. FEB 18 Live Bands HypnoMusicCorp, Pulsar47, Coco Coca, Mad Science Fair, Watery Domestic, The Pat Mustian Band, Casados [V-Day Benefit show presented

by V-Day international with performances of The Vagina Monologues. Proceeds go to local charities to help women and child rape and abuse victims.] Cowboy

Monkey, 7pm, $5 7-to-9 Sundays featuring Nonagon, Ryan Groff of Elsinore, Triple Whip Iron Post, 7pm $3.50 Crystal River Rose Bowl Tavern, 9pm, no cover WPGU Presents New Sound Sundays with Brilliance in A Bun, Dirty Nick and The Bandits and Turning Down Today Canopy Club, 9pm, $1 Concerts Black Sacred Music Symposium Concert [A concert culminating the three-day Black Sacred Music Symposium in celebration of Dr. Ollie Watts-Davis’ 25th anniversary as conductor of the U of I Black Chorus.]

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 7:30pm DJ Chris O [Downtempo, deep house.] Boltini Lounge 10:30pm, no cover Sporting Events Ilinois Wrestling vs. Ohio State Huff Gym, 1pm Illinois Men’s Basketball vs.

Northwestern Assembly Hall 2pm Recreation Robert Allerton Park Allerton Park, 9am Women Only Swim [A time to exercise and learn how to swim.] Kenney Gym 5:30pm Miscellaneous Allerton Retreat Center Open House [Volunteers will lead guided tours through the house.] Allerton Park 10am, $5 adult/$3 child

Altgeld Chime-Tower Tours Altgeld Hall, 12:30pm Meetings University Falun Dafa Practice Group Illini Union, 4:10pm Mind /Body / Spirit Dada Madhuvidyananda [Dada Madhuvidyananda, yogic monk and teacher, will sing and will lead a mantra chant. He will lead a meditation as a means for finding self-devotion.]

Channing-Murray Foundation, 1pm

MON. FEB 19 Live Bands Open Mic Night [With hosts Brandon T. Washington and Mike Ingram.] Cowboy Monkey, 10pm, no cover DJ Bozak [Hip-hop, funk, turntablism.] Boltini Lounge 10:30pm, no cover Lectures/discussions Free English Speaking, Listening Class Parkland College 9am Sporting Events Women’s Hockey Club Ice Arena, 8:05pm Workshops Resume Critique La Casa Cultural Latina, 3pm, free Veretski Pass “Ask Dr. Klez” Music Workshop [Ask any questions of Veretski Pass, klezmer trio, including musical technique, ethnomusicology, Jewish culture and more.] Spurlock Museum 4pm

Advertising Sales at Illini Media Get the Best Experience on Campus!

Nowadays too many bands try to blend in with the popular choices of indie-rock or pop-rock. These guys both literally and musically jump out at you. Their music is fun, colorful and catchy.

[With Jay D. Gatrell, Department of Geography, Geology and Anthropology at Indiana State University.] Davenport Hall, 3pm

Family Fun Icky, Sticky, Oooey, Gooey [Children ages 5 through 7 will enjoy activities that revolve around gooey and sticky materials.] Springer Cultural Center, 9am Recipes for the Birds [Cook up some homemade recipes to feed the birds and attract them to your yard by bringing home a birdfeeder you make yourself.]

Anita Purves Nature Center 2:30pm

song, drum and storytelling for all ages.] Spurlock Museum, 2pm, $5 DJ DJ Bris Mueller Cowboy Monkey, 9pm, cover DJ Dan the Automater [From Gorillaz.] Highdive, 9pm cover DJ Dance Party Canopy Club 9pm, cover Mertz [House, funk, electro.]

Boltini Lounge, 10pm, no cover DJ Tim Williams Highdive 11pm, $5 Festivals Culture Shock [The Illini Union Board’s annual multicultural event will allow you to take a trip around the world in day. Performances and dance lessons by your favorite RSOs all night, and

sounds from the scene

Illini Media is looking for students to be part of our ad sales team.

Gain experience in print and broadcast media by consulting with clients about advertising in the Daily Illini, Buzz, and on WPGU 107.1-FM.

TODAY! Our Spring Semester recruiting classes will meet on:

Recreation Robert Allerton Park Allerton Park, 9am Comedy Monday Comedy Night [Improv comedy every week featuring Spicy Clamato and DeBono.] Courtyard Cafe 8pm, free Miscellaneous Book Sale [The titles represent the full spectrum of children’s publishing in fiction and nonfiction, board books, picture books, easy and transitional readers, chapter books, novels, activity books and kits, massmarket paperbacks and more.] Center for Children’s Books, 10am Black History Scramble Game/ Trivia Drawing [Students will test their knowledge of historical African-American figures in a “Soul Train Scramble” format, with music and prizes. Winners will be drawn from those students who answered the “Heritage Trivia Questionnaire” handed out in January.] Parkland College 12pm Altgeld Chime-Tower Tours Altgeld Hall, 12:30pm Meetings Urbana-Champaign Senate Meeting Levis Faculty Center, 3pm, free Italian Table [Italian conversation.] Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, 12pm Family Fun Babies’ Lap Time Moonlight Edition [Before going to bed,

Art & Theater Love Letters [This show follows the relationship of its two main characters through the letters they write to one another. It stars Judy Fraser and Jim Turpin.] On Stage at Grace, Feb. 17, 7 p.m.

Art Exhibition Series [Springer Cultural Center’s new exhibit, “PIECED A(part)” features the work of Jamie Kotewa, Miriam Slager and Kim Purkiss.] Springer Cultural Center Main Hallway and Historic Lobby through Feb. 18 Bee-luther-hatchee [Written by Thomas Gibbons and directed by Ron OJ Parson, this play raises many questions regarding the representation of certain cultures. It tells the story of a young editor who is shepherding the memoir of Libby Price, a 72-year-old African-American woman.] Krannert Center Studio Theatre, Feb 15-17, 7:30 p.m., Feb. 18 at 3 p.m.

The Illinois Hillbillies [An interactive murder mystery performed by the Champaign Urbana Theatre Company.] Round Barn Banquet Centre, Feb. 18, 6 p.m.

Wall Paper Weights [A show of recent sculpture by Todd Frahm and paintings by Lara Nguyen.] Cinema Gallery through Feb. 24 Where Animals Dance [This exhibit examines the masquerading traditions of West Africa and features masks and other related ceremonial artifacts. It also features discussions on the impact of masquerade in belief, social structure and daily life.] Spurlock Museum through March 4 Journeys [Umeeta Sadaranganiwill’s exhibit features a collection of watercolors, mixed media paintings and photographs.] Asian American Cultural Center through March 16 Branded and On Display [“Branded and On Display” features the work of artists exploring the theme of branding and the significance of marketing in our culture. Representing a range of media — sculpture, video, installation, sound, painting and photography — the works are compelling and provocative, nudging us to “re-view” our culture with an appraising eye.] Krannert Art Museum and Kinkead Pavilion through April 1

Tues. February 20 Featuring Papa Doc’s Dixieland Jazz Band Tarot readings Hurricanes (the drink)

Special Mardi Gras Menu Gator gumbo Fried crawfish Fried gator bites

Laizes le bon temps rouler!

s!

Bead urs! , s d o a s, Be earn Bead r own or you Bring

Feb. 15,16,18 & 19 @ 6pm

Please contact Mark Nattier at ssm@illinimedia.com with any questions.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | THE SILVER S CREEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

18 •

buzz weekly

Guster with Mason Jennings

GUSHERS!

Feb. 21, 8 p.m.

babies and their parents or caregivers are invited to a program of songs, stories and rhymes for young patrons, ages birth to 24 months with an adult.] Urbana Free Library, 6:30pm

TUE. FEB 20 Live Bands Billy Galt Sings the Blues Blues restaurant, 11:30am Jordan Kaye Trio Hubers, 8pm Crystal River Rose Bowl Tavern, 9pm, no cover Rehearsal Space in the Void Room [With Greg Spero Trio and Zmick.] Canopy Club 9pm, no cover Concerts Veretski Pass Klezmer Music Concert [Evening of Klezmer music from Eastern Europe, played in the traditional style by internationally known musicians.] Smith Recital Hall, 7:30pm, free DJ Fat Tuesday Party with DJ Delayney, DJ Bris Cowboy Monkey, 9pm, $5 Chris O Boltini Lounge 10:30pm

Feb. 21, 8 p.m.

Foellinger Auditorium, $20 students/$22 public There are many perks to being a University of Illinois student. There’s Unofficial, Green Street and the three Jimmy Johns we have on our campus alone, to name a few. However, one incredible benefit that many students don’t take advantage of that the University has to offer is the endless number of concerts and shows on campus, especially at Foellinger.

Over the past few years, Star Course has gathered countless artists to perform at the big lecture hall, namely Death Cab for Cutie, Ben Folds and Motion City Soundtrack.

This coming Wednesday, Guster will grace our campus with their presence by taking over Foellinger with their hazy, melodic voices and acoustic-pop sound. Songs like “Satellite” and the infamous “Amsterdam” will have you jumping from your seat and moving your body in ways you couldn’t possibly understand.

It’s time to take advantage of this perk, especially when such a unique band plays at Foellinger. Their music will empower you and take over your mind, your body and your soul. But don’t let that scare you. That’s what music is supposed to do.

— Katie Heika

Karaoke Karaoke with Randy Miller Bentley’s Pub, 9:30pm, free Lectures/Discussions Free English Speaking, Listening Class Parkland College 9am “Readings from Mohandas, a New Biography of Ghandi” [Rajmohan Ghandi, Global Crossroads and PSAMES will be speaking.] Illini Union Bookstore, 4pm “Invisible: Understanding Child Soldiers & The Conflict in Northern Uganda” [A panel of professors and scholars will speak about different aspects of northern Uganda’s (and specifically former child

soldiers) recovery from the 20-year long civil war there.] Gregory Hall, 7pm “The Arts of Illinois: Sculpture at UIUC and Allerton Park” [Melvin Skvarla, the University’s Historic Preservation Officer, will give a visual slide lecture of the various significant pieces of sculpture on the UIUC campus and at Allerton Park.] University YMCA, 12pm

ing or setting new career goals or reentering the job market.] Parkland College, 6pm From “putting it off” to “getting it done!” Procrastination [Interactive workshop focusing on procrastination.] Illini Union, 7pm Recreation Robert Allerton Park Allerton Park, 9am Red Pin Tuesday [When the head pin is red, get

The Illinois Hillbillies Feb. 18, 6 p.m.

Round Barn Banquet Centre, $37.50

Imagine if instead of striking oil, the Beverly Hillbillies discovered silica sand used for making computer chips. They pack everything up and they move to — Chicago?

That’s right, these are the Illinois Hillbillies, part of an interactive murder mystery performed by the Champaign Urbana Theatre Company at the Round Barn Banquet Centre.

The play follows the Clumpetts as they make a wrong turn of I-80 and stop to cash their $3 million check. They encounter Mr. Clydesdale and Miss Jane Harriday, who discover the Clumpetts’ wealth and want them to stay in central Illinois.

Tickets are $37.50 and include dinner, which will be served at 6:45 p.m. Reservations are required.

Workshops Career Planning Seminar [This seminar is for you if you are selecting a college major, making a career change, consider-

a strike and win a free game!] Illini Union, 6pm Miscellaneous Book sale Center for Children’s Books, 10am Altgeld Chime-Tower Tours Altgeld Hall, 12:30p Meetings Illini Folk Dance Society Illini Union, 8pm Family Fun Babies’ Lap Time [Babies and their parents or care-

Experience Kennedy's special menus for couples.

Bringing the spirit of Valentine's Day to every day in February.

Call for Details!

Kennedy's at Stone Creek 2560 South Stone Creek Blvd.

Urbana 217.384.8111 752978

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

Urban League Youth Empowerment Program Tutors and Mentors Does anyone inspire you? Help you grow? Why not pass it on? Donate your time and skills to Urban League’s Youth Empowerment Program serving out-of-school youth from 18 to 21 years old. Tutors and mentors are needed for GED oneon-one sessions, teaching basic computer skills or serving as a “life coach” to help weekly with life and job goals. Help make a difference and make our community’s youth stronger. If you are interested contact Pat Henry at 363-3333, ext. 30.

givers are invited to this program of songs, stories and rhymes. For ages birth to 24 months, with an adult.] Urbana Free Library 9:45am

WED. FEB 21 Live Bands Feudin’ Hillbilly’s Rose Bowl Tavern, 9pm, no cover Broken Day, State and Madison, Snowsera and Midnite Vendetta Canopy Club, 9pm, $5 Concerts Guster with Mason Jennings Foellinger Auditorium, 8pm $20 students/$22 public

— Bonnie Stiernberg

Film “Back to Africa” Video and Discussion [Parkland instructor Ibrahima Ndoye will show the video and lead the discussion.] Parkland College, 12pm

F e b r ua r y 15

DJ DJ Stifler [Country until 11pm, then hip-hop and dance music.] Highdive 8pm, $3/$5 DJ Bozak [Mix of hip-hop, classics and broken beat.]

Boltini Lounge, 10:30pm no cover Lectures/Discussions Free English Speaking, Listening Class Parkland College 9am “Jim Crow’s Last Stand: The Struggle for Racial Equality in the Suburban North” [Thomas Sugrue will reflect on the broader battle for open housing in the postwar years in the United States by focusing on one famous American suburb, Levittown, Pennsylvania.] Levis Faculty Center, 4pm, free Study Session [The monthly study session of the Champaign County Mental Health Board and the Champaign County Board for Care and Treatment of Person with a Developmental Disability. Illinois Terminal, 6pm

unparalleled importance and exposing the archival collection to the widest audience possible. Join us for a video screening of “The HistoryMakers” and a discussion about those deemed to be history makers, their voices, faces and lessons.]

Douglass Branch Library 6pm, free Sporting Events Illinois Men’s Basketball vs.

Michigan Assembly Hall 8pm Workshops What’s New in Cardiology [Free seminar on valuable heart-related information.

Nutritious snacks and complimentary blood pressure screenings.] Christie Clinic, 4pm Recreation Robert Allerton Park Allerton Park, 9am Comedy Zoo Improv Troupe [Zoo Troupe performs an entertaining combo of short and long form including members who have trained at Second City and Improv Olympic in Chicago.] Iron Post, 6pm Miscellaneous Book sale Center for Children’s Books, 10am Sweet Taste of Soul [Sample an excellent array of African-American dishes.]

Parkland College, 11am $6 in advance/$6.50 Altgeld Chime-Tower Tours Altgeld Hall, 12:30pm Meetings Secretariat Illini Union 11:45am Scandinavian Coffee Hour Bread Company, 4pm Illinites Meetings Illini Union, 6pm

Film “The HistoryMakers” [The goal of The HistoryMakers is to complete 5,000 interviews of both wellknown and unsung AfricanAmerican HistoryMakers, creating an archive of

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

buzz weekly •

THIS IS SUCH A PAIN IN THE ADS.

19

FEATURED EVENTS A Chorus Line Originally Conceived, Choreographed, and Directed by Michael Bennett Book by James Kirkwood & Nicholas Dante Music by Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics by Edward Kleban Henson Keys, director; James Zager, musical staging; Angela Fleddermann Miller, choreographer

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

Department of Theatre One of the biggest hits in Broadway history, A Chorus Line ran for 15 years in New York, received nine Tony Awards including Best Musical, and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. While the storyline focuses on the lives of Broadway dancers, it speaks directly to the dreams and experiences of audience members all over the world. Contains adult themes.

Thursday-Saturday, March 1-3 at 7:30pm; Thursday-Saturday, March 8-10 at 7:30pm; Sunday, March 11 at 3pm Colwell Playhouse Flex: $14 / SC & Stu 13 / UI & Yth 8 Single: $15 / SC & Stu 14 / UI & Yth 9 Alfred Brendel, piano Poet, painter, and self-taught performer, Alfred Brendel is one of the foremost masters of his craft in this or any other century. He doesn’t simply play the music of the world’s great composers; he channels their very thoughts. Le Monde de la Musique writes that Brendel is “almost the sole embodiment of Beethoven’s piano writing,” while The New York Times says that Brendel plays “as though he were following the composer’s own train of thought.” It’s been 30 years since this legendary performer first visited Krannert Center. Don’t miss your chance to celebrate his glorious return as he presents Haydn’s Sonata in C Minor, Hob. XVI:20, Beethoven’s Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110, Schubert’s Impromptu’s Nos. 1 and 3, and Mozart’s Sonata in C Minor, K. 457.

Friday, March 2 at 7:30pm Foellinger Great Hall Flex: $43 / SC & Stu 38 / UI & Yth 26 Single: $45 / SC & Stu 40 / UI & Yth 28 Choral Balcony: $15 / UI & Yth 10

Th Feb 15

Th Feb 22

Krannert Uncorked 5pm, free

Krannert Uncorked 5pm, free

Bee-luther-hatchee 7:30pm, $6-$13

Hungarian State Folk Ensemble 7pm, $14-$32

Fr Feb 16

Patron Sponsor Ruth Smith Miller

Traffic Jam: USO Swing Night 5pm, free Bee-luther-hatchee 7:30pm, $6-$13

Sa Feb 17 Sinfonia da Camera 7:30pm, $7-$33

Enjoy Krannert Center to the fullest!

Joey DeFrancesco Trio 7:30pm, $12-$24 Patron Co-Sponsor Anonymous

Intermezzo Breakfast, lunch, supper, dessert

Corporate Gold Sponsor

Corporate Silver Sponsors

Patron Co-Sponsors Jane Bishop Hobgood Anonymous

7:30am through performances on weekdays 90 minutes before and through performances on weekends

Corporate Silver Sponsor

Madama Butterfly 7:30pm, $8-$22

Bee-luther-hatchee 7:30pm, $6-$13

Other School of Music Events

Interlude Cocktails and conversation 90 minutes before and through performances

Tu Feb 20 An Evening of Klezmer Music by Veretski Pass Trio 7:30pm, free

Su Feb 18

Now open at 4pm Thursday and Friday!

Smith Memorial Hall, Recital Hall 805 S. Mathews, Urbana

Bee-luther-hatchee 3pm, $6-$13

The Promenade Gifts, cards, candy, and more 10am-6pm Monday-Saturday One hour before to 30 minutes after performances

Black Sacred Music Symposium 7:30pm, $5-$9

Patron Underwriters Judith and Jon Liebman Patron Co-sponsors Judith Rowan and Richard Schacht James Russell Vaky Anonymous

333.6280 8 0 0 . K C PAT I X

Patron Season Sponsors Dolores and Roger Yarbrough

Marquee performances are supported in part by the Illinois Arts Council— a state agency which recognizes Krannert Center in its Partners in Excellence Program.

sounds from the scene

7:30am-3:30pm on non-performance weekdays

Corporate Power Train Team Engine Members

40˚ North and Krannert Center, working together to put Champaign County’s culture on the map.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

20 s t a g e , s c r e e n & i n BEE-LUTHER-HATCHEE

b e t w e e n

CONSTANCE BEITZEL • STAFF WRITER | PHOTOGRAPHED BY ERIC STONE

“I had a different sort of soul, a smoke soul,” Joslyn Jones enunciates from the side of the stage as the lights come on in Krannert’s Studio Theatre’s latest production, Bee-Luther-Hatchee. Like the title, Bee-Luther-Hatchee, by Thomas Gibbons, is about some very cloudy issues.

Shelita Burns, a publisher for a small house, has been editing a series of re-discovered works by African-American writers. The only new book in the collection, Bee-Luther-Hatchee — sold as a memoir — creates quite a stir. It wins numerous awards and sells 100,000 copies in its first run.

Shelita, played by a very aggressive Jennifer Bradford, feels a connection with the author, Libby Price, played by Jones, even though they have only corresponded through mail. Tired of electronic communication, Shelita sets out to meet the author in person.

After first going to the nursing home where Libby is supposed to live, then having no luck finding her, she attempts to arrange a meeting with Libby again. This time, she has some luck, but not the type of luck you may be thinking of. Instead of a frail, old AfricanAmerican woman, (and I’m going to ruin it for you here, so if you are planning on seeing it wait to read this!) Shelita finds a middle-aged southern man, of Irish descent.

The plot and developed conflicts throughout the play have a strong connection to a debate that I continue to read about and discuss in countless English classes: How important is the author in relation to the text they write? I mean, we all learn in high school not to

write “author” in our papers, but rather “narrator,” but there is always that lingering presence. Sean Leonard, played by Drew Shirley, tries to explain his “usurpation,” and finally “colonization,” of Libby’s voice by denying the fact that it does matter who the author is, especially if the book is real.

If it did nothing else, Bee-Luther-Hatchee stirred a lot of recent media buzz. The play brings out some important issues concerning race, relationships, cultures and diversity.

It will make you think twice about who the author of a story is and how knowing their race, gender and other things about them affect you.

Not only was this play thought-provoking, but it also contained some moments of comic relief, compliments of Shelita’s best friend, Anna, played by Stephanie Sexauer.

Overall, the acting was phenomenal. The two leads, Bradford and Shirley, played their extensive scene together with a lot of fire and fury, different from some other productions of Bee, but not without good effect. They clearly communicate to the audience their struggle to understand the relationship between the author and the reader and how their individual desires and ambitions play a role in that relationship. This play inspires debate and alerts its viewers to racism and prejudices in our society. Though there is nothing new under the sun, you will look at your self, your culture and everything you stand for in a new light after watching this play.

Bee-Luther-Hatchee is playing at the Studio Theatre at the Krannert Center tonight through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a final performance on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. For tickets, call the Krannert ticket office at (217) 333-6280.

A scene from Bee-Luther-Hatchee performed at the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

â&#x20AC;˘

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

buzz weekly â&#x20AC;˘

TIME FOR THE BARACUDA HULA-HOOP CONTEST.

ARTISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CORNER

JON HILL

What are some things you do for fun?

I like to wr ite. I wr ite KERI CARPENTER â&#x20AC;˘ ARTS EDITOR poetry, spoken word. I play the guitar and write songs.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in the process of writing a screenplay that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing as an independent study with one of the professors here â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Lisa Dixon. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m interested in for the future.

What age did you begin acting?

Well, the first thing I did in theater was write a play in first grade and the school actually produced it, so I got to see it.

The next year I started auditioning because I saw the actors and I was like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wow, I want to do what he does.â&#x20AC;?

What was the play about?

It was about my brother getting lost in the zoo. I think it was called My Day at the Zoo or something.

Tell me about some of the shows youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been in here at PHOTO BY GREGORY HINCHMAN the University.

At 21 years old, Jon Hill has already made history. The first show I did at Krannert was King Lear. I Last month, he became the youngest member of the famous learned so much from that. I was also in Six Degrees Steppenwolf Chicago Theatre company, an ensemble to of Separation â&#x20AC;&#x201D; loved that. Then there was A Flea in which belong actors and actresses such as John Malkovich, Her Ear and we did Gint most recently. Actually, one Laurie Metcalf and Jeff Perry. Hill is a senior with a of the most interesting projects Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done here was a concentration on acting at the University of Illinois. staged reading of a hip-hop play by Chad Belsmen.

Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very into the hip-hop theater movement that happens in New York. It explores theater based on the beginnings of hip-hop.

Now whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all this buzz around town about the Steppenwolf Theatre Company?

Oh! Yeah â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Jan. 8 I was scheduled to have a reading at Steppenwolf, but the artistic director, Martha Lavey, asked me to have a meeting with her before that took place and she didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell me what that was about so I was already nervous. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what was going to happen.

I get in there and they ended up telling me that they wanted me to be a part of their ensemble, which doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen very often to anyone. I just remember being completely stunned.

Jan. 29, they had a press conference at the theater and they announced to the world that they were making me and five other actors that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve worked with ensemble members â&#x20AC;&#x201D; permanent ensemble members. This was coming out of an issue of lack of diversity in the ensemble and the age â&#x20AC;&#x201D; there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a lot of age diversity and I was just very lucky to come along at a time where they were looking for diversity and youth.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing! You know, there are a lot of people that look up to you; what advice would you give an aspiring actor or actress?

Work hard, work close to yourself. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget who you are in the process of playing these other characters and auditioning for things. Most importantly, probably, have fun in what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing because you will go crazy if you forget that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supposed to be fun.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the weirdest role youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever played?

We were doing these one-act plays in high school

and I was a part of this show called The League of Extraordinary Superheroes, and my character was the human puddle and his ability was that he could cry at any time. That was a bizarre show.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to go with a selfish one. It would probably be to fly â&#x20AC;&#x201D; yeah, flight. The power of flight.

And why is that?

Everyone has the dreams where theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re flying and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the best,â&#x20AC;? and then you wake up and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wow, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fly; that was just a dream.â&#x20AC;? It would be the most enjoyable thing ever to be able to fly.

How has your experience been in the theater department here?

So positive from the moment I got here. From the moment I got auditioned Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just felt so supported.

What plans do you have for the future as an actor?

My overall goal is to become connected internationally with other cultures through acting and through my art and eventually, reach a plateau where I can go into less fortunate communities and give them another outlet for their art and have that actually be recognized as a real voice. And I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know; open up some doors for people that just need a way out or something to do.

15th Annual * % *3 ! " Contest the

Yo u r 2 0 0 7 Oscar Pics

Best Actor

! ! & % " & " # ! ' & $" # & $!"$ # % "" ! "# # ! &

"# #

Best Supporting Actor * *! & ## . "" $ " - + ! % & ## !

1 $ " $ & + .$! % & ! ! " . ! 0 ! & !#

Best Actress 6 !$5 & 2 !

-$ & # " . !! & /$ . !% #! & 2 !" ! # " # & ## !

Best Supporting Actress * ! !! 5 & 0 # ## & # " *0 ! " & ## . "" $ " - ! $ " & ! ! " $ & 0

Best Picture 0

!#

## !" ! ,3 -

## . "" $ "

/$

Best Foreign Language Film * # ! # ( ! ) %" !% (, 6 ") (* ! )

2 " # !" ( ! %) '" 0%! # (. 4 ) # ! ( )

Deadline:

Wednesday, February 21st, 2007 at 5pm

NAME: ADDRESS: PHONE: EMAIL:

the

15th Annual * % *3 ! " Contest

Send Entries to: DI Marketing, 512 E. Green St., Champaign, IL 61820 Drop Off Entries At: Illini Media, 512 E. Green St. Savoy 16 Theaters, 232 W. Burwash, Savoy

sounds from the scene

21

First Place:

52

Admit Two Passes to Savoy 16 Second Place:

52

Admit One Passes to Savoy 16 Third Place:

26

Admit One Passes to Savoy 16

Only one entry per person. IMC employees are not eligible. Must be 18 to win.

All prizes won through a random drawing of ballots containing the most correct answers. Prizes non-transferable. The Daily Illlini reserves the right to print winners names. Other restrictions may apply.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &

What Do You Win?

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

22 •

buzz weekly

F e b r ua r y 15

YOUNG, FLY, WE GONNA STAY FLASHY TILL THE DAY WE DIE.

Run for Illinois Student Senate Three Easy steps to get on the ballot.

1. Get 50 student signatures minimum (70 to be safe.)

2. Sign your Qualifying statement & Have the Dean Certify you aren’t on Probation.

3. Turn in your Petition Forms to the Illini Union Main Desk, Room 129, by Friday February 16th, before 5pm.

Links to Election Packets can be downloaded at: http://www.iss.uiuc.edu

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

HIDDEN GEM:

THE DEVIL AND DANIEL JOHNSTON (2005) BRENT SIMERSON • STAFF WRITER

A lthough most people do not know the na me Da n iel Joh nston, h is i mpact i n the mu sic world i s qu ite sig n i f ica nt a nd h a s been covered by bands like Pearl Jam, David Bowie, and The Flaming Lips. Johnston, a folk singer/songwriter, came to fame during the 1980s by promoting an album called Hi, How Are You. As Johnston entered the limelight, it became apparent that Johnston was deeply disillusioned by acute manic depression. His

incredible stor y — which includes a journey t h roug h t he ment a l i n st it ut ion s, cl a she s with the law, and an obsessive devotion to music — is a dichotomous battle bet ween the music savant and the mental patient. I believe that you would be hard pressed to f ind a biographical documentar y that more comprehen sibly por t r ays it s subject t ha n T he Devil and Daniel Johnston. Of course, director Jeff Feuerzeig had many resources at his disposal: Daniel Johnson h a d recorded seem i n g l y h i s entire life on f ilm and audio, includ ing h is con fessions, ob se s s ion s a nd m a ny of t he i n ner u n-w i nd i ng s of a sick man. The inter view w ith his parents is heartbreaking; their recognition of Daniel’s genius, c o m p a r a b l e t o t h e l i ke s o f Brian Wilson and Syd Barrett, is ev ident ly sh rouded by h is troubled past.

GUILTY PLEASURE: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (1990)

get

buzzed ::

every thursday :: readbuzz.com

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &

IN

If you haven’t seen this movie in a few years, put away your Sega Genesis, bring out your VCR, fill your glass to the brim with Ecto-Cooler, and watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Just a refresher (so you don’t conwfuse it with The Secret of the Ooze (1991)): the plot introduces the characters, which include Splinter (Kevin Clash), the wise Jinjitzu sewer rat; April O’Neil ( Judith Hoag), the Channel 3 reporter and foxy redhead; and Shredder (David McCharen), the leader of the underworld gang “The Foot Clan.” The movie also provides a complete background to the turtles’ story, filling in some of the gaps created by the cartoon. This is all done while the four turtles — Leonardo, Michaelangelo, Donatello, and Raphael — try to save their kidnapped mentor, Splinter, from the evil grasp of Shredder.

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

HANNIBAL RISING

NOTES ON A SCANDAL

PAUL PRIKAZSKY • STAFF WRITER

Where did Dr. Hannibal Lecter develop his unusual cravings for liver, fava beans and a nice Chianti? In Hannibal Rising, based on the Thomas Harris novel of the same name, the man who introduced the world to the infamous cannibal and his nefarious deeds shows us that even Lecter went through a pretty dreadful puberty.

Apparently sadistic serial killers aren’t born that way; they’re molded through the most screwedup childhood since Norman Bates.

In the closing days of WWII, Hannibal’s parents are killed in the crossfire and his little sister is eaten by starving looters. Flash-forward to many years later when Hannibal (Gaspard Ulliel) flees his cruel orphanage and voyages to France in search of his uncle. There he encounters Lady Murasaki (Gong Li), his uncle’s mistress who acts as his samuraisword sensei and motivator in seeking vengeance.

Needless to say, Hannibal complies.

Heavily stylized and grotesquely warped in its pristine cinematography and direction by Peter

buzz weekly •

WOOP! WOOP! THAT’S THE SOUND OF THE POLICE.

Webber, Hannibal Rising falls into the pantheon of excessive prequels without heart or head. Before, Lecter’s methodical insanity of killing both guilty and innocent alike made him even more terrifying. Now, acting solely out of revenge and yearning for retribution is so passé.

The menacing and calculating Lecter from Silence of the Lambs has been relegated to a f limsy boogeyman on par with clichéd super vi l lains like Freddy K r ueger and Michael Myers. Unlike the classic portrayal by Anthony Hopk ins, U l l iel does Lecter sans dev i lish charm and with more eurotrash. Sure, it’s the more tortured, pubescent evil genius, but remember: once we had f ilet mignon; now it’s chop-suey. Hannibal Rising proves that some cinematic prequels bite off more than they can chew. Though the story’s progression is logical, the tale seems redundant and generic.

But don’t tell Dr. Lecter. He’ll probably eat your brains with some merlot, perhaps.

SYD SLOBODNIK • STAFF WRITER

The centra l nar rative focus of d irector Richard Eyre’s Notes on a Scandal concerns an affair between a British school teacher and her 15-year-old student. However, the film is more effectively a marvelous character study of the person who witnesses the affair. Eyre begins the film with the voiceover comments of Barbara Covett, a frumpy, spinster school teacher who reveals to her diary, “People have always trusted me with their secrets; but who do I trust with mine?” From there, Notes on a Scandal evolves into a rather tawdry, and at times creepy, psychological melodrama that features an incredible performance by Oscarnominated actress Judi Dench.

Cate Blanchett, also nominated for an Oscar, plays the willowy young blonde, Sheba Hart, the new art teacher at St. George’s School, a secondary school mostly staffed by mundane, burnt-out teachers who try their best to offer practical skills to their ethnical ly diverse, working-class pupils. At first, veteran history teacher Covett and Hart barely notice each other, but when Covett helps settle a brawl between two boys in Hart’s class they instantly become tight friends. Maybe Covett has found a true someone to share her secrets with, besides the pages of her diary?

Screenwriter Patrick Marber, adapting a novel by Zoe Heller, cranks up the tension when Covett discovers Hart and a young male art student embraced in near carnal passion while the rest of the school is attending a Christmas assembly. Instead of turning her colleague in for abuse of her position, Covett schemes to make Hart her closer companion.

Marber’s script needed to spend more time providing a more credible motivation for the otherwise happily married Hart’s decision to pursue her affair and de-romanticize a criminal abuse of an underage minor by an adult. Phillip Glass’s pulsing, Oscar-nominated musical score heightens many of the most chilling moments, while cinematographer Chris Menges skillfully over lights key moments to make the engaging Dench into one very intriguing, spiteful and psychologically troubled character.

23

NORBIT DAVID VALDES • STAFF WRITER

There is a certain type of person who goes to see a movie like Norbit, and I am almost positive that person is surely not reading these words right now. Eddie Murphy stumbled upon this criticproof formula 11 years ago with the release of The Nutty Professor, a surprisingly heartfelt work of comedy with a likeable protagonist. With Norbit, the fat suits and raunchy comedy are back, but gone is the innocent sweetness audiences loved in The Nutty Professor movies.

Eddie Murphy plays the title character as a softspoken, awkward and insecure wreck. Norbit is married to Rasputia (Murphy in a fat suit), one of the most vile characters in recent movie history — and yes, I’m aware the new Hannibal Lecter movie opened this weekend. She is mean beyond redemption and so highly offensive that, naturally, the movie relies heavily (ha!) on her for its laughout-loud moments. Consider the montage of sex scenes, which consist of Rasputia taking a running leap onto Norbit and obliterating their bed.

The comedy in Norbit is lowbrow, but Murphy has become such a safe onscreen presence that it

WWW.MEETNORBIT.COM

all seems less crude and racist than it actually is.

Consider a scene in which Norbit’s Asian father figure, Mr. Wong (also played by Murphy), tells Norbit, “I don’t like black. I don’t like Jew either.

But black and Jew love Chinese food.” These are indeed hateful words but Mr. Wong, one of Norbit’s more fully realized characters, manages to turn it into a sort of compliment.

Three months after Borat, however, this all seems as lighthearted and inoffensive as can be – and a lot less funny. If one gets a kick out of fat suits, fart jokes and sight gags that feature a pug in a doggy wheelchair, Norbit is the movie to see.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HANNIBALRISING.COM

sounds from the scene

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

24 â&#x20AC;˘

buzz weekly

F e b r ua r y 15

GOT A WHOLE TOP DIAMOND AND THE BOTTOM ROWâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GOLD

â&#x20AC;˘

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

HUNGARIAN STATE FOLK ENSEMBLE COMES TO KRANNERT JEFF NELSON â&#x20AC;˘ STAFF WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF BERKSHIRE.NET

SAVOY 16 www.GQTI.com

&) , 2OUTE AND "URWASH !VE

!LL 2OCKING 3EATS !LL $IGITAL 3OUND

" ! 2 ' ! ) . 0 2 ) # %

$ ! ) ,9 0 -

3TUDENTS FOR 4ICKET 4UESDAY .O PASSES S 3TADIUM SEATING &REE DRINK REFILLS ` CORN REFILLS

If you have considered missing the performance of the Hungarian State Fol k Ensemble at Urbanaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Krannert Center on February 22, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

OK, â&#x20AC;&#x153;folk dancingâ&#x20AC;? i s st r a n g e people whirling around a stage in showy dance sets that no one wants to reproduce. It is also great insight into those other, strange cultures -for which we have clubs at the University-but is it entertainment?

Did anyone out there at tend the per for m a nce s of the Georg ia n or Ukrainian National Dance Companies? If you did, your doubts shou ld be on the shelf. These national d a nce com p a n ie s a re rea l ly spec i a l

ensembles that preserve national traditions in costume, music and dance, and do it in a spectacular way. Sure, they are living and performing historians, but they understand show business. Their first priority is to put on a great show, and this ensemble with fifty years of experience has wow-ed the world more than once in the last half century. The demands for bookings of the Hungarian State Folk ensemble have been so strong that the Hungarian government cannot advertise them a Budapest attraction. How can they, when this stellar group is constantly on tour? In the last two decades, they have performed in 44 countries and on four different continents. So, what is in the mix of this magic?

There are 30 dancers, a 14 member Gipsy Orchestra and a 5 member Folk Orchestrathose are the basic numbers. The magic is the base of the music, Hungaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rich Gipsy tradition. Much of this ensembleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s richest melodies and dances routines are collected from the largest Gipsy population in Europe.

It was these extraordinarily musical nomads who inspired Hungaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two great 20th century composers, Bartok and Kodaly.

It was they who also gave Brahms the inspiration for his Hungarian Dances and Liszt for his richer orchestral moments. Here, you can hear the real music on authentic

instruments. Here, you can see the authentic dances, some of them collected from Hungaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hinterlands, and served with a touch of show business panache. Their website advertises no merchandise, however a search of the web displays a dozen or so books written about them and one compact disc.

Yes, one cd, with the title of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Wedding at Escerâ&#x20AC;?, which may be a best seller in central Europe, but here is a group you cannot enjoy without a live experience.

No shelves ful l of â&#x20AC;&#x153;R iverdanceâ&#x20AC;? st yle dvdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s here unless they sell them as they travel. Certainly their merchandising is very un-traditional, but, perhaps, this is a group that prefers only a live experience to demonstrate its special qualities.

Beginning and ending with a musical tribute to Bela Bartok, Hungaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great 20th century musical genius, the Hungarian State Folk Ensemble will give you that live experience from music to dancing as Hungary comes to Champaign-Urbana.

Please note as with most dance programs, this one begins at 7 PM. The late, great playwright George S. Kaufman once said â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll try anything once except incest and folk dancing.â&#x20AC;? Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let such a curmudgeon deter you, even if he and his quote are famous. Here, folk dancing is high art and living history.

Relax, Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got your weekend "5:: 4(523$!9 covered. &%"25!29 CU Calender 8 Pages 16-18 CORP NOTE KEEP THIS SAME SIZE ALWAYS

3(/74)-%3 6!,)$ 3!4 35.

'(/34 2)$%2 0'

&2) 3!4 ,3 S

&2) 3!4 ,3 S "2)$'% 4/ 4%2!")4()!

0'

&2) 3!4 ,3 S &!#4/29 ')2, 2

&2) 3!4 ,3 S "2%!#( 0'

&2) 3!4 ,3 -53)# !.$ ,92)#3 0'

&2) 3!4 ,3 49,%2 0%229 3 $!$$9 3 ,)44,% ')2,3 0'

&2) 3!4 ,3 ./2")4 0'

S

&2) 3!4 ,3 (!..)"!, 2)3).' 2

&2) 3!4 ,3 "%#!53% ) 3!)$ 3/ 0'

&2) 3!4 ,3 0!. 3 ,!"92).4( 2

&2) 3!4 ,3 3-/+). !#%3 2

&2) 3!4 ,3 4(% 15%%. 0'

$2%!-')2,3 0'

.)'(4 !4 4(% -53%5- 0'

&2) 3!4 ,3

Put Your College Degree to Work!

Pearson Educational Measurement is a global provider of applications, services and technologies for education, testing, asessments and complex data management. We are looking for hundreds of college graduates to score student tests on a temporary basis at our Champaign Performance Scoring Center. Paid training will begin in late March. Pearson Educational Measurement is committed to hiring a diverse work force.

#/50/.

/: $2).+

3AVOY %XP !02), "5::

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &

â&#x20AC;˘ $13.48 hourly for evening shifts â&#x20AC;˘ Bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Degree Required â&#x20AC;˘ Shifts Available: Âť Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm Âť Mon-Fri 6pm-10pm Ability to Use On-site Computer â&#x20AC;˘ Available March 29-May 3 â&#x20AC;˘

www.careermapping.com/pemjobs Or call Sarah // Courtney at 217.403.8220

WITH PURCHASE OF OZ BAG OF BUTTERY POPCORN

ONE PER AD

$12.25 hourly

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

buzz weekly •

DRUNKEN SNOWDAY SLUMBER PARTY TIME!

25

VIRGINIA THEATRE REVIEW: A WEST SIDE STORY

MEGHAN WHALEN •STAFF WRITER

The 1961 f ilm West Side Story — the classic Romeo and Juliet adaptation centering on rival gangs in New York City — was screened at the Virginia Theatre this weekend. It was a fun, old-fashioned movie-going experience, aside from the several interruptions that occurred due to some technical diff iculties.

Starring Natalie Wood as Maria, sister of the leader of the Sharks, and Richard Beymer as Tony, a member of the Jets, the f ilm focuses not only the forbidden love b e t we e n t he s e t wo ch a r a c t e r s , but a l so the themes of r acia l ten sion between Americans and Puerto Ricans during the 1960s.

Despite being a Broadway nut and a fan of the stage version, I had never actually seen the f ilm West Side Story. I’d seen bits and pieces here or there, along with the Michael Jackson videos and Gap commercials that have been inspired by the dancing in the f ilm. While watching the f ilm in an old, crowded theater, I found that I enjoyed it, but that the story, music and choreography work best as a live stage production.

Even though I l ike the play better, watch i n g t he mov ie at a venue such as the Virg in ia Theatre made me feel like I was viewing the f ilm the way it was intended to be seen. The theater absolutely beaut i f u l — t he mov ie screen i s huge. It’s a t h rowback to a time when going to a movie was a full experience, and there was an excitement su r rou nd i n g seei n g s omet h i n g new.

That excitement is not seen ver y much in today’s movie industr y, where ticket pr ices are r id icu lously ex pensive, the movie screens are small and the theaters are owned by corporations that design all of them to look the same.

T he t e ch n ic a l d i f f ic u l t ie s w h ich

occurred throughout the screening made me grateful for the upgrade in technology today.

The f ilm was interrupted once by what looked like an old advertisement, and skipped and stopped altogether during two of the most pivotal points in the f ilm. I had to wonder, however, if this was a normal occurrence in old movie theaters. If so, I suppose it made the f ilm screening that much more authentic.

Despite these problems, I ver y much enjoyed the West Side Story screening. The f ilm is still extremely popular and relevant today, not only because of its timeless love story, but also because of the social themes it calls to attention. Old movies like this one are meant to be seen in theaters, and watching them on DV D just doesn’t do them justice.

Illini EYECARE EXPRESS $

99

Plastic Single Vision Lenses and Frames from a select group, bifocals available at additional cost.*

SAME DAY SERVICE IN MOST CASES

$139 Contacts

Includes 3 month supply of disposable contacts and complete eye exam. Toric, color and other packages available at additioinal cost.* 518 E. Green St.

(next to Legends)

Champaign, IL 61820 (217)351-6110

Hours: Mon. 9-6 Tues. 9-8 Wed. 9-5:30 Thurs. 9-6 Fri. 9-5:30 Sat. 9-1

*See store for details sounds from the scene

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE , S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

26 â&#x20AC;˘

buzz weekly

F e b r ua r y 15

HELP YOURSELF TO SOME MONKEY STEW.

â&#x20AC;˘

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

PHONE: 217 - 337 - 8337 DEADLINE: 2 p.m. Tuesday for the next Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition.

classifieds */%&9 &NQMPZNFOU 4FSWJDFT .FSDIBOEJTF 5SBOTQPSUBUJPO "QBSUNFOUT 0UIFS )PVTJOH 3FOU 3FBM &TUBUF GPS 4BMF 5IJOHT 5P %P "OOPVODFNFOUT 1FSTPOBMT

â&#x20AC;˘ PLEASE CHECK YOUR AD! Report errors immediately by calling 337-8337. We cannot be responsible for more than one dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s incorrect insertion if you do not notify us of the error by 2 pm on the day of the first insertion. â&#x20AC;˘ 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. â&#x20AC;˘ 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. â&#x20AC;˘ Specification in employment classifications are made only where such factors are bonafide occupational qualifications necessary for employment. â&#x20AC;˘ 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. â&#x20AC;˘ 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 Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edition.

Employment 000 )&-1 8"/5&%

1BSU 5JNF Earn great money as an exotic dancer at the Silver Bullet. You pick your hours. Call 344-0937 after 8pm.

)&-1 8"/5&%

'VMM 1BSU 5JNF

"1"35.&/54

$".164 &7&/54

710

Learn Argentine Tango Starts Thursday, March 1, 7pm. $45/ 4 weeks. Regent Ball Room, 217359-5333

Announcements800 .*4$&--"/&064

Summer income opportunity in Chicago Earn $7000 as an anonymous egg donor this summer. Must be 21-29 and non-smoking. Travel to Chicago this spring necessary to donate this summer. Call Alternative Reproductive Resources at 773-327-7315 ASAP or email info@aar1.com for a prequalification form.

Apartments

Things to Do 700

830

Tango Dance Every Wednesday @ Cowboy Monkey, 7:30pm lesson. 8- 10:30pm dancing. No Cover.

400

"1"35.&/54 'VSOJTIFE

'VSOJTIFE 6OGVSOJTIFE

"1"35.&/54 'VSOJTIFE

Courtyard on Randolph 713 S. Randolph, C. Now leasing for August. Furnished/ Unfurnished. Spacious 2 and 3 bedrooms starting at $630. Close to campus and downtown. Water, Direct TV and parking included. Balcony, laundry and seasonal pool.

(217)352-8540 www.faronproperties.com

"1"35.&/54

"1"35.&/54 'VSOJTIFE

'VSOJTIFE 5 bedroom apartment available now will rent as a 3,4, or 5 bedroom. No reasonable offer wlil be refused.

344-0700 Gabeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place Apartments A Place and price for everyone.

Low Rent Large Units Look Before you Lease

"1"35.&/54 'VSOJTIFE

Not every student can afford $400.00 a month as rent. Gabeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place Apartments where we take your budget seriously.

"1"35.&/54

'VSOJTIFE

344-0700 Gabeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Place Apartments A place and price for everyone.

RATES: Billed rate: 39¢/word Paid-in-Advance: 33¢/word Photo Sellers 30 words or less + photo: $5 per issue Garage Sales 30 words in both Thursdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s buzz and Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Daily Illini!! $10. If it rains, your next date is free.

Action Ads â&#x20AC;˘ 20 words, run any 5 days (in buzz or The Daily Illini), $20 â&#x20AC;˘ 10 words, run any 5 days (in buzz or The Daily Illini), $10 â&#x20AC;˘ add a photo to an action ad, $10

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | C LASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

• Serving Lunch and Dinner • Carry-out & Catering Available - Call 217.390.6061 715 S. NEIL CHAMPAIGN 217.351.9898

RES TAU RANT

Dinner hours: Mon-Thurs 5:00- 9:30 Fri: 5:00 -10:00 Sat 12-10:00pm Sun. 12- 9:00pm

JAPANES E

Lunch hours: Mon-Fri 11:30- 2:00

buzz weekly •

FEED DOGS TO CATS.

27

Spring Dining Guide

Pub & Eatery 308 NORTH RANDOLPH DOWNTOWN CHAMPAIGN (217)359 359-6977 (217) - 6977

AU TH E N TIC

•

KAMAKURA

F e b r ua r y 15

COMING 2/27

!!" N# Neil St# Champaign$ IL "!%&' • &!(#)*+#,*''

to your health.

Fresh breads$ pastries and crepes made from scratch & baked fresh daily!

New !'- Pizzas Espresso & More!

Large Orders Welcome

Only 5 minutes from campus

* Fresh Fish * Dark Chocolate * Red Wine

402 N. Race St. Urbana, IL

328-3402

Fine Italian Cuisine 114 W. Church Downtown Champaign (217) 359-7377

Make your reservations today! sounds from the scene

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

28

the stinger

kim rice & kate ruin DOINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; IT WELL

Sexual Abuse Prevention Sexuality education can help!

jonesin CROSSWORD PUZZLE 60 It gets caught between the sheets 61 Craving

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Listen to Themâ&#x20AC;?

--laugh now, look stupid later.

Across 1 Company behind â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mega Manâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Street Fighterâ&#x20AC;?

7 Florida fullback, for short 10 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kinda funny!â&#x20AC;?

14 Get there 15 Biology class initials 16 Borstein of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Family Guyâ&#x20AC;?

17 Drew Barrymoreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandfatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother 18 A French military strategist described it in 1918 as â&#x20AC;&#x153;an interesting toyâ&#x20AC;? but â&#x20AC;&#x153;with no military valueâ&#x20AC;?

20 Company whose founder first proposed the business concept in a college paper, earning a C

22 Sound from a tire with a hole in it 23 Celine Dion song â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ Colombeâ&#x20AC;?

24 Indefinitely long time 25 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cluelessâ&#x20AC;? catchphrase 26 Abbr. in some town names 27 Basenji or borzoi 30 Band originally snubbed by a label that said â&#x20AC;&#x153;Guitar music is on the way outâ&#x20AC;?

34 Give a damn 35 Naturalistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response to pharmaceuticals 36 Indicator on a dashboard 37 1998 Disney movie 38 Opera buffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subject 39 Invention a British parliamentarian claimed in 1903 would not lead

to a decline in riding horses 41 Earned a trophy 42 Ready to be changed 43 Little bit 44 Folk singer Williams 45 Designer Anna 46 Suffer through the stench, maybe 49 Author whose masterpiece only started selling well after he died 54 Item deemed by a hitech company president in 1977 to be unreasonable for home use 55 ___ control 56 Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northwest from Napoli 57 Pasture palindrome 58 Piano practice pieces 59 Gem from the Latin for â&#x20AC;&#x153;precious stoneâ&#x20AC;?

Down 1 ___ liver (delicacy in a butcher shop) 2 First sign 3 Urges 4 Motion pictures, overseas 5 Runs into the ground 6 Donaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current wife 7 Hillside, in Scotland 8 Operating system designed by AT&T employees 9 They go to the wall 10 Van ___ 11 Rueful word 12 Layers on the farm 13 Paul Bunyanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tool 19 Paid players 21 Omitted 25 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Voulez-Vousâ&#x20AC;? group 26 Big name in household hints 27 Painter of trippy clocks 28 Word before sex or fixation 29 KISS frontman Simmons 30 Spring warmth 31 Object of worship, maybe 32 McKeown of folk-rock 33 Wasted 34 Island where the daiquiri was invented 37 Inspire to act 39 Fills with bubbles 40 Shaped, in Britain 42 National bank, for short 44 Way too friendly child psychologist in a â&#x20AC;&#x153;South Parkâ&#x20AC;? episode 46 â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ asked!â&#x20AC;?

47 Rags-to-riches author Horatio 48 V flyers 49 Procedure to â&#x20AC;&#x153;jump throughâ&#x20AC;?

50 Baby Spiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s real first name 51 One of Nancyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s predecessors 52 Talking TV horse 53 Radio host Don 54 ___-Magnon man Solutions pg. 29

Most of us donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to think about the fact that the children in our lives are at risk of sexual abuse. Further, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost intolerable to consider the fact that most perpetrators of sexual abuse are people the child knows, people whom we know and trust.

Un for t unately, the more we deny th is phenomenon, the less safe our children continue to be. While the only person responsible for sexual abuse is the perpetrator, we do know that we can teach our children protective behaviors that will decrease their likelihood of becoming victims of this type of abuse.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to be very clear that sexual abuse is never the fault of the child (survivor). Because one in three women and one in five men are survivors of childhood sex abuse, we know that many of you who are reading our column are affected by this issue. We are not suggesting those who are survivors of abuse could have or should have done anything differently to prevent the abuse from happening. We are glad you did what you did, or didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do, because it allowed you to survive.

But as adults, we all need to start talking openly about the sexual abuse of our children and the violence that continues in silence. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our responsibility to do everything in our power to protect our children and not hide behind the denial of â&#x20AC;&#x153;my child is safe.â&#x20AC;?

Below are some tips that will help reduce the likelihood that your child will experience sexual abuse, and if they do, increase the chances that the child will disclose the abuse and get assistance to end it.

COMMUNICATE WITH CHILDREN ABOUT SEX AND SEXUAL ABUSE Part of the silence surrounding sexual abuse is the lack of terminology that children have to describe what has happened to them. Start early and teach your child about their body, using the appropriate terms like penis and vulva to describe their genitals. Talk to them about sex and the difference between good touch and bad touch.

This will make it more likely that your child will tell you if they experience something that makes them uncomfortable. If abusive behavior does occur, you will be able to get your child help to recover from the trauma of abuse.

ALLOW CHILDREN TO SAY â&#x20AC;&#x153;NOâ&#x20AC;?

Children who are more assertive and realize they have choices, are less likely to feel they have to go along with a perpetrator. Perpetrators do not pick random victims and children who are more inclined to seek attention from adults are at greater risk. Keep in mind that all children want to be accepted and cared about by adults in their lives. At times they do assert their personal power. Recognize and celebrate childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healthy assertiveness!

DONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;T PRESSURE CHILDREN TO HUG AND KISS PEOPLE! Children need to know that their body is theirs and they can say â&#x20AC;&#x153;noâ&#x20AC;? to other peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requests for intimate contact. Support your child by making comments like â&#x20AC;&#x153;You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to hug Grandma if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to.â&#x20AC;? Many children are raised to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;niceâ&#x20AC;? and touch people when they really donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to. You can still teach your child manners and in fact, teach them how to sensitively tell Grandma they would rather not hug her at this time. Simple, direct statements should be respected and valued, such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like kissing Grandma.â&#x20AC;?

DEAL WITH YOUR OWN CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE Sexual abuse continues through generations, often with no one ever talking about it. If you have experienced sexual abuse, the best protective factor you can do for your child(ren) is to deal with your history of abuse. This may mean contacting a counselor or support group. A trained professional can help you deal with the emotional legacy of abuse.

SEX 411: UNDERSTAND CHILDREN AND HOW THEY COMMUNICATE â&#x20AC;˘ Children may talk about sex abuse in a roundabout way by saying something like, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to be alone with Mr. Smith.â&#x20AC;?

They may tell parts of what happened or pretend it happened to someone else to test an adultâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reaction. Or, they may, when confronted with the abuse, say it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen when it actually did because of fear or intimidation. â&#x20AC;˘ If adults respond negatively when a child discloses abuse, children may stop talking.

It is estimated that children disclose abuse to an average of seven adults before someone helps. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to us to change that! â&#x20AC;˘ Rape Crisis Services offers crisis intervention, education, advocacy, activism and counseling. (310 W. Church St., Suite 103 Champaign, IL 61820, Phone: (217) 355-5214; 24-Hour Hotline: (217) 3555203;rcsprogram@awomansfund.org)

A special thank you to P. Morey and A. Hund for their assistance with this column. Kim Rice and Kate Ruin are professional sex educators.

Email them at riceandruin@yahoo.com.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

buzz weekly •

THEY’LL STONE YOU WHEN YOU’RE TRYIN TO BE SO GOOD.

29

free will astrology FEB. 15 — FEB. 21 ARIES

March 21 – April 19

“Dear Rob: Could you please tell me how I can get the men I like to remove me from the pedestals they put me on? If something doesn’t change soon, I’ll have to call down the lightning and obliterate their delusions. Sorry if that sounds violent. It’s just that storms start building whenever I feel cramped by demands disguised as love. -Over-Idolized Aries.”

Dear Over-Idolized: Good news! You’ve entered a phase that will be favorable for shattering naive projections and unrealistic expectations. You’ll also be skilled at escaping neediness that feels like a straitjacket.

T A U RU S

April 20 – May 20

When 46 English scholars completed their translation of the King James Bible in 1610, Taurus writer William Shakespeare was 46 years old. In their version of Psalm 46, the 46th word from the beginning is “shake” and the 46th word from the end is “spear.” Coincidence? I think not. Just as it’s no accident that a minute ago I finished reading Psalm 46, and am now composing your horoscope for the period that begins February 15, which is the 46th day of the year. As I write, I’m sitting in a cafe located at 46 Cabrillo Highway in Half Moon Bay, CA. The people at the table next to me are celebrating their friend’s 46th birthday, and out the window I can see a runway where there’s a small plane with a 46 painted on its side. My conclusion? 46 is your lucky number, Taurus, and you’re about to harvest about 46 tons of eerily delightful synchronicities.

GEMINI

May 21 – June 20

CANCER

June 21 – July 22

You seem to be suffering, although in an interesting way, from a metaphysical version of jet lag. Maybe it’s because you’ve been stretching your boundaries with such experimental vigor.

Or maybe it’s because you’ve been engaging in a form of time-travel, exploring the past and future in your dreams and fantasies. In any case, you can take comfort in the knowledge that the warps and tweaks you’re dealing with are the results of your brave choices. Congratulations as well for having churned up the most useful riddles you’ve had to ponder since you jumped out of your skin last year.

I expect you’ll soon be communing with sore spots and delicate feelings, Cancerian. Allergies may be featured prominently as well--if not the literal kind, then maybe the metaphorical version. People might be extra ticklish, sometimes to the point of irritability. And yet all the squirming will actually be a good sign. It’ll mean that one of your most confounding contradictions is close to being resolved. For best results, act decisively at the moment when your vulnerability is most intense.

LEO

July 23 – Aug. 22

Imagine this scene. You’re really thirsty--so dehydrated that you’re feeling faint. Yet here’s the weird thing: You’re walking along the bank of a wide river that’s so clear you could see the bottom if you looked. But you’re not looking. In fact, you seem oblivious to the surging force of nature just a few yards away. Is it invisible to you? Are you so preoccupied with your suffering that you’re blind to the very source that would end your suffering? Up ahead you see a man. As you approach, you see he’s holding a glass of water. You run to him and beg him to let you drink. He readily agrees. Gratefully, you guzzle the precious liquid, then thank him profusely. As you walk away, he calls after you, “By the way, there’s a lot more water over there,” and he points to the river. Do you hear him? If you hear him, do you believe him? Or do you keep walking, hoping to find another man with another glass somewhere up ahead?

VIRGO

Aug. 23 – Sept. 22

LIBRA

Sept. 23 – Oct.22

SCORPIO

Oct. 23 – Nov. 21

“My God, these folks don’t know how to love,” wrote novelist D. H. Lawrence, “that’s why they love so easily.” He certainly wasn’t referring to people from your tribe. You Scorpios may find it easy to entertain gusts of lust, but you’re too smart about real love to dive casually into its mysteries. You want to be a perpetual student who’s in humble awe of the primal power of deep attraction. You know intimately that no matter how sweet and light love may sometimes feel, it always has the potential to sweep you into the unpredictable depths and change everything forever. Meditate further on these matters; it’ll prepare you for the coming weeks.

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

You want hot gold secrets to ripen in your dark candy soul?

Then here’s what you do: Study the ocean’s memory for its teachings about moon victories. Extract a fresh green why from the book of storms you dreamed about. When the flowers’ clouds soar over your shadow, and when night’s funny sky has turned into warm moist roars, you’ll know exactly how to look through the sun to the other side of your best fear. (The preceding horoscope may sound crazily lyrical, even poetically feral, but it’s a perfect embodiment of the attitude you should cultivate in order to have a successful week.)

I was watching Oprah’s TV show at 2 a.m. “Take off your shirt and look down,” she told me. I don’t automatically do everything the World’s Wealthiest Woman tells me, but I trust her a lot. So I did what she suggested. What she said next, however, revealed that she wasn’t actually talking to me.

“Eight out of ten women are wearing the wrong bra!” she exclaimed. “Are you?” She then gave tips on how to select an undergarment that’s just right for a woman’s shape, size, and posture. I watched in perplexed awe. How could so many people be ignorant about such a fundamental thing? Later, while meditating on your astrological omens, I realized there’s a comparable phenomenon going on in your world. You’re missing something important about one of the basic facts of your life. Please find out what it is.

In solidarity with eternal flux and in the name of all that’s both rowdy and holy, I hereby declare change to be a good thing.

Furthermore, in accordance with the astrological omens, I announce that change is especially healthy for you right now.

I mean it, Aquarius. Change is not only not a bad thing. It’s downright wonderful. So let’s rise up bravely, you and I, and proclaim that change is the essential nature of the universe-that it’s one of the most prominent and resplendent qualities of God Herself. From now until forevermore, let’s agree to celebrate change, to welcome it, to revere it--starting this week. Amen, namasté, blessed be, shalom, and hallelujah!

PISCES

Feb. 19 – March 20

I believe you’re climbing up out of the primordial ooze for the last time. You’re done! Never again will you be fully immersed in the stinky depths of hell on earth! Never again will moody despair comprise more than 49 percent of your worldview. From now on, you will be smarter about how to avoid unnecessary pain and misery. You will also be a better escape artist. Now go buy yourself a graduation present.

Homework: Do a homemade ritual in which you vow to attract more blessings into your life. Report results by going to http://RealAstrology and clicking on “Email Rob.”

It’s time to take down the “Under Construction” signs and clean up the messes from your works in progress. At least for now, your heart has lost its drive for further renovation and rehabilitation. Whether you think you’re ready or not, then, it’s time for a grand re-opening. I suggest you offer free toasters or other incentives to pull in new clients, as well as to coax disaffected old ones into returning. It may also help to put up an “Under New Management” sign.

“What have you learned so far this year?” I asked my newsletter’s readers recently. “I’ve learned that asking for what I want is the first step toward actually getting it,” wrote Sarah Pearson. “And I’ve learned that the journey you take to try and escape your fate can be as interesting as the fate itself.” Of all the lessons I’d love you to learn in the first half of 2007, Libra, those two are my favorites.

Puzzle pg. 28

sounds from the scene

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

30 â&#x20AC;˘

buzz weekly

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;M BETTA THAN MY COMPETA! YOU MEAN COMPETITOR? WHATEVA.

L IK ES G RI PE S

AND

))

LET IT OUT

F e b r ua r y 15

â&#x20AC;˘

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

$$& "

'&

'# ' '($ %%$ $ ! # $

WHITNEY HARRIS Copy Editor

KERI CARPENTER Arts and Entertainment Editor

LIKES

GRIPES

1) My Roommates: I love all of my roommates!

Our apartment is usually full and is always a fun place to be thanks to my very humorous and adventurous roomies. I will miss them all very much next year. I love Meagan Maldonado, Vanessa Torres and Christine Shea!

2) Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day: I had to put it in here.

I have recently become a big fan of Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day thanks to someone very important in my life. The last time I really looked forward to this holiday must have been fifth grade when I knew I was guaranteed to get at least 40 or 50 pieces of candy. Life certainly has gotten sweeter.

3) Snow Days: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m very happy the University of Illinois realized how absurd it would be to conduct classes during a blizzard warning.

Lounging around all cozied-up in my apartment is a much better alternative to trudging through inches upon inches of snow to a class or two. Bring on the snow!

1) Professors who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to class on time: Come on, you went to bed at 7:30 last night. If I can get up and make it to class on time after doing all that homework you assigned me, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure you can get to class before the bell rings â&#x20AC;&#x201D; just in time to set up that overhead projector. Of course, this does not apply to any of my professors.

2) Cashiers who close their lane as soon as you put your groceries on the belt: I mean, clearly they saw you waiting in line for the past 10 minutes. How convenient that they turn out their light bulb and put up their â&#x20AC;&#x153;closedâ&#x20AC;? sign as soon as you start digging in your buggy.

3) People who think they are car proof: OK, Sherlock, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably not the best idea to cross the street when there are two lanes of traffic coming at you from your right and from your left. You are special, but you are not car proof. In the battle of man vs. steel, steel always prevails.

Love is in the air...

Balloon Arrangements â&#x20AC;˘ Stuffed Animals Adult Novelties & Toys â&#x20AC;˘ Cupid Costumes

CARLYE WISEL

Music Editor GRIPES EVANGELINE POLITIS

Community Editor LIKES

1) Obamaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s speech in Springfield: Though I almost lost a few digits to frostbite, it was definitely amazing to be at the Obama presidential announcement last Saturday.

It reassured me that America may not fall apart just yet.

2) Cider: I fell in love with this stuff while I was studying abroad this summer in London and was bemoaning how much I would miss it back home. But then I get back to the States and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s everywhere. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s like beerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sweeter, apple-y-er brother. And now I am not made fun of for not drinking beer anymore.

3) Urbana: We recycle and are quiet, what more can I say?

1) Sea Monkeys: After (accidentally) killing my two goldfish, Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert, last semester, I decided to get a pet that I could actually keep alive. I suppose feeding an invertebrate every other day was too much for me, since my â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sea Monkeys in the Cityâ&#x20AC;? tank is slowly turning into an aquatic grave. Sigh.

2) The Grammys Red Carpet: I understand that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the Oscars, but what the hell were those women wearing? It looked like an aluminum foil-themed Ă&#x2020;80s prom, with the shiny, sparkly frocks and frizzed-out, electrical socket hair.

3) Guinness Beer: Ew. Ew! I am not man enough for this drink â&#x20AC;&#x201D; I had a sip, and it tasted like rotten green olives. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be sticking with good olâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Captain and Coke from now on.

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

sounds from the scene

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

mfuufs!up ! uif!fejups!

buzz weekly •

I’VE WRESTLED THEM BEFORE.

31

BURNHAM CONTINUED FROM PG.5

HA! HA! Your sacarstic humorists Seth and Michael are a lot of laughs. However, they fundamentally misunderstand the smokefree issue by assuming that public health regulation should be conditioned upon a bar owner’s right to make profits and stay in business, even at the expense of the public’s health. It’s not. No government is under any obligation to maintain the profitability of anyone’s business ventures at the expense of the public good. If a regulation to protect health, the environment or any other aspect of business operation changes, businesses bear the cost. It has always been so. And any business owner knows that those who adapt to the new regulatory environment stay in business. Those who do not file for Chapter 11, and I shed no tears for any of them. I wish our new smokefree bars much luck in adapting to our new, healthier regulatory environment.

Scott P. Hays President CU Smokefree Alliance

Julia F. Burnham school of nursing.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF URBANA FREE LIBRARY ARCHIVES

Write to us! buzz@readbuzz.com

please include your name and phone number.

We reserve the right to edit submissions.

Members of the Burnham Center Nursing School reside in a lounge in the Center.

sounds from the scene

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

32 •

buzz weekly

INTRO | A ROUND TOWN | L ISTEN, HEAR | CU CALENDAR | STAGE, S CREEN &

THEY’LL STONE YOU WHEN YOU’RE WALKIN TO THE DOOR.

IN

B ETWEEN | CLASSIFIEDS | THE STINGER

F e b r ua r y 15

•

F e b r ua r y 21 , 2 oo7

sounds from the scene