Campus Circle Newspaper Vol. 21 Issue 42 by Campus Circle

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inside campus circle

Vol. 21 Issue 42

Editor-in-Chief Yuri Shimoda editor.chief@campuscircle.net

Film Editor film.editor@campuscircle.net Music Editor

04 BLOGS TROJAN SIDELINES

music.editor@campuscircle.net

04 BLOGS SPIRITED BRUIN

Calendar Editor

14 BLOGS TREND BLENDER

Frederick Mintchell calendar@campuscircle.net

20 BLOGS DOOR SERVICE

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21 BLOGS URBAN DRIVER

Teach English in Japan Live and work in Japan teaching English at one of AEON’s 300+ branch schools throughout Japan

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Contributing Writers Tamea Agle, Zach Bourque, Mary Broadbent, Jason Burnley, Erica Carter, Richard Castañeda, Nataly Chavez, Natasha Desianto, Sola Fasehun, Gillian Ferguson, Jacob Gaitan, Tien Thuy Ho, Denise Guerra, Kelly Hargraves, Elisa Hernandez, Ximena Herschberg, Josh Herwitt, Dana Jeong, Arit John, Alexandre Johnson, Pamela Kerpius,, Cindy KyungAh Lee, Patrick Meissner, Hiko Mitsuzuka, Sean Oliver, Brien Overly, Ariel Paredes, Sasha Perl-Raver, Rex Pham, Polites, Eva Recinos, Mike Sebastian,

FILM JOHN CHO, KAL PENN & NEIL PATRICK HARRIS Light It Up in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

07 FILM DVD DISH 08 FILM MOVIE REVIEWS

15 MUSIC MIDDLE CLASS RUT Hit the Music Box 15 MUSIC GET UP, GET OUT 16 MUSIC NOTES

Contributing Artists & Photographers DaRon Jackson, Polites, David Tobin ADVERTISING

16 MUSIC REPORT 17 MUSIC THE JEZABELS Set Their Sights on the World

Sean Bello sean.bello@campuscircle.net

17 MUSIC FREQUENCY

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18 MUSIC CD REVIEWS

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Cover: John Cho and Kal Penn in A VERY HAROLD & KUMAR 3D CHRISTMAS Photo Credit: Darren Michaels

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EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS Colors of Culture D-Day Seduction Community Spirited Bruin Trend Blender Trojan SideLines

TROJANSIDELINES

TROJAN DANce marathon Dancing for a Cause

by elisa hernandez When music comes on people just can’t help but dance. It’s a fun thing to do with their friends, it’s a way to relax and blow off some steam from midterms and finals. But what if you could do all that and help a good cause in the process? Well, fellow USC Trojans put their dance moves to work for the kids at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles and the Children’s Miracle Network. Dance Marathon is a yearlong effort where a group of students plan a multi-hour event to raise money for the local Children’s Miracle Network hospital. This is the fifth year that USC has hosted this event, run by an executive board and a planning committee. They organize the yearlong effort involving various fundraisers, special events, marketing and dancer registration pushes, corporate sponsorships, community outreach and more. “Being a part of Dance Marathon will change your life. I first attended my freshman year and was blown away by the unity of USC students for such a great cause,” says Jenny Chen, current online media coordinator. “The minute I heard

Campus Circle > Blogs > Trojan SideLines one of one of Miracle Children, Eileen, start to sing, I started to cry. These kids exhibit so much courage and bravery, they have gone through more than most of us could ever imagine.” The fundraising lasts all year long leading up to the Trojan Dance Marathon in February. TDM is a 12-hour event to be held on Feb. 25, 2012 from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. in the USC Campus Center Ballroom. The event is completely student-run and benefits Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. This year’s the E-board chose “Hearts Unite, Dance to Fight” as the 2012 theme to encourage all participants to join in and dance for the entire 12 hours. USC isn’t the only one making a difference, this event takes place at 120 campuses across the country; they are a culmination of dance, music, games, live entertainment and food. This event is open to everyone, not just college students. “Anybody in the community can take part, either as a donator or a registered dancer. We ask that everyone try to stay on their feet for the entire 12 hours because we stand and dance for those who can’t,” says Chen. “One of the most inspirational parts of the night is hearing all of the individual stories from a few Miracle Children, or patients from CHLA.” People can also get involved as a Dancer, Spirit Moraler or Performer. Dancers will be paired with a Patient Ambassador who will inspire them to dance for miracles; they stand and dance for those who can’t. Spirit Moralers are extremely enthusiastic and have the role of energizing and supporting the dancers. Performers range from bands, DJs, and other performance groups, which are there to keep the energy high and enthusiasm going for our dancers and patients. Past performers include DJ Kick-Mix, DJs from DANCEiSM and platinum singer-songwriters the Jackie Boyz. “Dance Marathon is a great way to see the Trojan Family in action, without having to be intoxicated or at a sporting

SPIRITEDBRUIN

westwood live Brightens Up the Village by tien thuy ho Here’s something to be excited about: Westwood LIVE! The fun gathering of musicians, performers, artists, eateries, shops, families and students takes place every third Thursday of each month on Broxton Avenue, between Kinross and Weyburn. Westwood LIVE aims to “celebrate culture, cuisine and community.” For decades, Westwood has made a name for itself. Not only is it the central shopping location amongst BelAir, Century City, Brentwood, Beverly Hills and UCLA, it also hosts numerous movie premieres, theaters, museums, boutiques and restaurants. The problem is that many people no longer see Westwood as a fun scene anymore, and they would rather drive 10 or 20 minutes farther to go to Santa Monica or Culver City to spend their nights out. Westwood LIVE is an attempt to bring people back. Westwood LIVE is inspired by familiar activities around other parts of Los Angeles such as the Venice Art Crawl or First Fridays and the Downtown Art Walk. The block party atmosphere is definitely what it aims for. In April, Westwood LIVE debuted, and the event was geared more towards working individuals and their families rather than students. However, with each month’s event, more and more businesses

Campus Circle 11.2.11 - 11.8.11

event. It shows outsiders that we are more than the stereotype,” says Quin Adney, Performances Coordinator. Dance Marathon is a continuous, multi-hour event on college campuses that blends dancing, music, games, food and a variety of entertainment into one experience. Some may say they have two left feet, but that’s OK. TDM teaches you the hottest moves so you can have fun. “We will teach all kinds of dance moves, and we want to learn some new ones too. You simply need a big heart for the kids and the desire to have tons of fun,” says the TDM committee. Everyone can register on the event’s Web site, trojandm. org, and even if you can’t make it to the event next year you can still get involved by donating for the event online. It doesn’t matter how much you give, just the fact that you give; plus, these gifts are tax-deductable. Trojans are all about Fighting On, and it’s the message they want to continue to give to the children at the hospitals. Have a student group or idea for a future Trojan SideLines? E-mail editor.chief@campuscircle.net.

Campus Circle > Blogs > Spirited Bruin have decided to participate and donate. Each month, more people are attending and this fall has been dedicated towards increasing student attendance. On Westwood LIVE’s official Facebook page, there are already over 700 “likes.” Many students are learning more about this event through Facebook, and once more people are aware of the deals and discounts, attendance will likely soar. Westwood LIVE is a celebration of diversity and creativity, and all you need for access is a passport that you can buy online or at the event. As you walk along the festive street of lighted trees, you will experience live music as well as song and dance from many performers. Just flip through your passport of coupons to decide on what you want to do and where you want to eat. Specifically, some coupons include: 15-percent off at American Apparel, 10-percent off at American Vintage, discounts for meals at Enzo’s Pizzeria, Bella Pita, Thai House and Fat Sals, discounts at restaurants and bars such as Palamino, the Glendon and Napa Valley Grille, and even deals at the Geffen Playhouse and Regency Theaters. Westwood LIVE appeals to not only older patrons and their families but also UCLA students. The coupons make a lot of the Westwood businesses more affordable for students. Businesses that tend to cater to more affluent patrons will appeal to students thanks to the efforts of the Westwood Community Council and Undergraduate Student Association Council. During each Westwood LIVE event, there will be special activities suited for everyone of all ages. At the Oct. 20 event, there was pumpkin carving, face painting and free apple caramels. The schedule of events will commence with the Farmer’s Market from noon to 6 p.m. Students might enjoy the photo

booths, dance performances and a show put on by UCLA LIVE at Royce Hall. Several student groups will perform on the stage on Broxton. Later in the night, there are special samplings and happy hours and screenings. Additionally, many restaurants and bars will not close until 2 a.m. while street events will end at around 10 p.m. Once you have visited six venues and earn six stamps on your passport, you can enter to win prizes, which include a Kindle Fire among many gift cards. Westwood LIVE is a very interactive and social event that encourages a diverse population to come together. You can learn so much more about the history of Westwood and all its businesses. The goal is to look around and visit places you would usually not go to simply because you just did not have the incentive before now. Mark your calendars for Nov. 17! For more information, visit: westwoodlive.org. Have a student group or idea for a future Spirited Bruin? E-mail editor.chief@campuscircle.net.

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Campus Circle > Culture > Theater

diavolo dance theater residency Nov. 5-14 @ Music Center Plaza

Randall Bass

Diavolo rehearsal director Shauna Martinez

Randall Bass

There is a moment before every Diavolo dance performance, where the dancers huddle together and look into each other’s eyes and say, “I would die for you.” It’s an important moment to refocus and tune in, because the work they do is often literally death defying. This dance company, known for leaping tall buildings and flying on stage, is not made of superheroes but super-trained dancers, gymnasts and actors who create work collaboratively under the guidance of choreographer Jacques Heim. One of those dancers is Shauna Martinez, a Kansas native, who is now the company’s rehearsal director assisting Heim. Campus Circle recently talked with Martinez about their new piece called “Transit Space,” which the company is creating in residency at Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance at the Music Center. “Transit Space,” is inspired by skateboard culture, a sport and an art form ‘invented’ in SoCal in the 1950s, so this show is part of the epic Pacific Standard Time: Art in LA 1945-1980, an event happening at more than 60 cultural institutions in and around Los Angeles. This piece has grown the way many Diavolo pieces do, where Heim has a sculptural structure that he wants the dancers to move within, so the set designs become an intrinsic part of each work. The company was given large skate ramps and wanted to investigate what it would be like to “ride” them. The dancers first worked with the structures and with skateboards then they invited young high school skaters to collaborate as advisers to help build the piece, as well as perform in a section of it. Martinez says, “All [the] dancers did [their] own research then invited the students in to work. They showed us the tricks that they always used, and we talked about the freedoms of skating and the sense of rebellion.” But it turned out that with boarding, most of the dynamic tricks that actually happen are with the boards not the bodies. Although the dancers wear helmets and padding, they don’t ride any boards but instead the dancers become the boards and translate those feelings into their bodies. Their bodies also worked with the relaxed and free feelings riders get when on a skateboard. Whereas skaters take turns on ramps, each focusing on their own tricks or talents that work (almost) all the time, the dancers have to remain a tight unit. “Skaters definitely have a different mentality. It’s more free-flowing. If they make mistakes they just get up and try again. Like breakdancers, each is still an individual performer that feeds off the other. Dance on stage is so much more structured so that everything can match, and we can move as one unit,” says Martinez. Skaters are a pretty relaxed bunch. Sure, it looks terrifying to watch, but they hold a certain faith within themselves and trust that they will be fine. Diavolo works consistently with the same kind of faith in themselves, but also with each other. The young high school students invited to be part of the creative process are excited to find it a little more work than a weekend ride. “They are being charged to use their craft in a different way,” says Martinez. Maybe the experiment will create a new kind of synchronized skateboarding for the next X Games. As in other Diavolo pieces like “Foreign Bodies” or “Tragic Flaws,” Heim and company members begin with pushing themselves physically, working on the structures and challenges and eventually finding stories, characters and inspirations through the process that are metaphors for the challenges of relationships, the absurdities of life and the struggle to maintain humanity in our world. “There are parts with fun connections: chance meetings, getting lost, finding your way, being jumbled. The mood is dynamic,” shares Martinez. Diavolo is hoping that they can bring the dynamic risk and free feeling of such an urban-inspired piece to the audience. The Diavolo residency at Music Center Plaza includes a film screening of Dogtown and Z-Boys, the epic skateboarding doc that includes footage from the 1970s and is narrated by Sean Penn, on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 6:30 p.m. The FREE open rehearsals are Saturday, Nov. 12 through Monday, Nov. 14, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Randall Bass

by kelly hargraves

Music Center Plaza is located at 135 N. Grand Ave., Downtown. For more information, visit musiccenter.org.

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Campus Circle > Film > Interviews

Neil Patrick Harris as NPH in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

A very harold & kumar 3D christmas

Neil Patrick Harris: What new tricks does he have up his sleeve? by frederick mintchell There’s a saying that you never know where your next opportunity will come from. Neil Patrick Harris found success early on as the titular star of “Doogie Howser, M.D.” Then, as is normal with many child actors – or actors in general really – he went through a fallow period in his career. Sure there were guest appearances on “Murder, She Wrote” and “Will & Grace” and smaller roles in films like Starship Troopers, but there wasn’t a role that was as substantial as the “Doogie” role that catapulted him into the zeitgeist. Almost every week you hear another sad story about another child star-gone-bad. Harris has his theory about how he escaped the child actor “curse.” “I’m just trying to have longevity [in the entertainment industry], and I like to work. Success is great, fame is tricky. People love to ‘find’ someone they don’t know and become really intrigued by them. They find out everything about them, and then a saturation point is reached and they go find

Campus Circle 11.2.11 - 11.8.11

someone else. The more famous you get, the more vilified you can become,” he says. “That’s a very tricky thing when you’re a teenager and you’re being recognized for stuff and then it goes away. I think that’s where the tailspin usually happens. I was always kind of weirded out by the teen magazine world. I like to work a lot. If anything, I was happy to keep plugging away.” Then along came a crazy little screenplay called Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. In the script, there was a part written for Neil Patrick Harris, the actor, albeit a highly stylized, cartoonish version of NPH. While he does agree that the NPH character in Harold & Kumar is larger-than-life, he doesn’t agree that it’s necessarily NPH: Neil Patrick Harris – the big star. “I don’t know if I agree with that. In the [Harold & Kumar] movies, my character’s sort of in his own little world. He acts like he’s famous, but he doesn’t act like he’s ‘the shit.’ I tried to play him in this movie as more like Dean Martin. Like after the musical number, I had them bring me a martini and I’m toweling off my neck and all my inflections were very specific.” Harris goes on to explain about the first script, “I was so confused. I met with them [writers Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg] after the script was being submitted for actors to read, and I was in the movie and had no knowledge of any of it. I had no idea I was mentioned in the movie. I didn’t want to be portrayed as the ass of the joke, so I was initially concerned. I met with them, and they were such nice guys with a plan for the whole film. They wanted to be more reverential than “schticky.” I trusted them-ish. “I had it put in my contract that any other additional dialogue that had to do with me or my scenes would have to be approved by me once I signed on. Sometimes in movies, they’ll hire new writers to take a pass at a script and then suddenly there might be all these disparaging ‘Doogie Howser’ comments that I would have no control over.” The Harold & Kumar movies are very subversive, quite worthy of their R ratings. Where would Harris draw the line? “That’s a hard question. I never would have thought

that I’d be smoking crack or forcing myself upon strippers or saying some bad, bad things. I don’t know where the line gets drawn anymore. That is what’s so entertaining about the writers. Jon [Hurwitz] and Hayden [Schlossberg] are so super blue and low-brow yet nice people who can figure out how to make it hardcore but with a heart.” A good example of the Harold & Kumar subversiveness is the explanation of him being alive after seemingly being shot to death at the brothel in the second movie. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas explains that he’s kicked out of heaven by Jesus for being a bigger player than Jesus. “That was fun. The guy that played Jesus was really funny too. And I thought it was smart too that NPH’s version of the pearly gates is a nightclub – an early ’90s nightclub with German techno music,” he says. The rest, as another saying goes, is history. His Harold & Kumar role led to his role as Barney Stinson on “How I Met Your Mother” which has garnered him four Emmy nominations and counting. He has also showed off his musical chops on “Glee,” which also earned him an Emmy, and he’s one of the most in-demand awards show hosts around evidenced by his recent Tony and Emmy hosting gigs. Not so coincidentally, one of his big scenes in the new Harold & Kumar film is a huge Broadway-type number. “It was pitched to me as a sort of Bing Crosby Christmas TV special with Kelly Ripa. The two of us were going to be in our living room with our eight kids in our sweaters singing ‘Little Drummer Boy.’ Then Kelly was filming in Prince Edward Island the very week that I was available to film, so she couldn’t do it. Rather than find someone else to fill her shoes, it was turned into a solo performance. Then it became a bigger Rockette-style performance.” Though he certainly has the chops, he’s still a little surprised at how much singing is part of his on-stage persona now. “I’m game for that stuff. I like weird variety show stuff like singing and magic but it’s sort of a talk show curse. ‘Will you sing a song for us?’ ‘Will you do a magic trick for us?’ Because once you do it once … I didn’t go to a music conservatory or anything, but I grew up in a musical family and I took voice lessons. I’m very lucky where I can do a ‘Glee’ episode and sing a song that people remember, but I actually recorded it in a recording studio for an hour and a half and I never had to sing it again. “That’s a far cry from the people who are on Broadway and have to sing every night for two hours a night. You can’t talk during the day. You’re constantly humidified. You’re hydrated like crazy. You’re going to the throat doctor all the time.” As of yet, he “hasn’t been approached to do another ‘Glee’ episode. Plus everything I do has to be approved by CBS and Fox since I’m under contract with both, so that limits my options. The ‘Glee’ thing was great since it’s a Fox show, so there was that tie-in.” Especially in Hollywood, but in life in general, it always helps to have some luck to go along with talent. “I’m a very lucky actor. A lot of actors who are on TV work 16 hour days everyday to say things like ‘Boss, I found a piece of evidence I think you ought to see.’ To be [my character] Barney on ‘How I Met Your Mother’ of all shows with the great, hilarious, random flashbacks is my bread and butter.” If you do happen to see him on the street and recognize him, there’s a world of difference between the real-life NPH and the NPH portrayed in the Harold & Kumar movies. The real life NPH is married with 1-year-old twins while the Harold & Kumar version of NPH will steal your car and snort crack off your backside. While plugging away at his busy schedule, he probably has the right magic tricks up his sleeve to ensure that he continues to be recognized for his talent and not his fame. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas releases in theaters Nov. 4.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle DVDDISH

special features by mike sebastian

Stranger Than Fiction: Using the infamous McDonald’s coffee lawsuit as a jumping off point, Hot Coffee is a devastating look at corporate spin’s role in the perennial call for tort reform. See this now. Master documentarian Errol Morris’ latest, Tabloid, profiles a former beauty queen who became a tabloid sensation after kidnapping the object of her obsession, a Mormon missionary whom she tried to “deprogram” with sex. Robert Kennedy, Jr. leads a grassroots fight to stop controversial Mountain Top Removal practices by coal corporations in The Last Mountain. The Art of Filmmaking contains five fantastic documentaries: Tales From the Script, Directors: Life Behind the Camera, Capturing Reality: The Art of Documentary, Light Keeps Me Company and Lavender Limelight: Lesbians in Film featuring such luminaries as William Goldman, Robert Altman, Ingmar Bergman and dozens of others offering up wisdom on their craft. The Majors: A young veterinary student joins the circus and begins a love affair with the boss’s wife in the adaptation of the mega-best-seller Water For Elephants. Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon and Christoph Waltz star. From the Vault: Currently enjoying a late-career renaissance, Irish actor Liam Neeson has built an impressive body of work over the years. Nine of his films are now available in The Liam Neeson Collection, including Kingdom of Heaven, Taken, Rob Roy and Kinsey. Three little-seen comic gems are now available online through the Warner Archives: Kim Novak stars as a young actress being molded into the identity of a dead screen icon by her obsessed director (Peter Finch) in The Legend of Lylah Clare, a bizarre, scathing look at Hollywood from Robert Aldrich. Stacey Keach stars as a man with a portable electric chair in The Traveling Executioner, co-starring Bud Cort. One of director George Cukor’s final films, Travels With My Aunt stars Maggie Smith as an eccentric who enlists her stuffy nephew in a madcap adventure. Graham Greene wrote the source novel.

Blu Notes: Lon Chaney, “The Man of a Thousand Faces,” stars in the landmark silent film The Phantom of the Opera, now available remastered for a definitive Blu-ray release containing three versions of the film. Foreign Fare:

Destined to join the ranks of favorite antidotes to holiday cheer, Finland’s Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale revisits the Santa Claus legend with blackly comic action. When an excavation digs up the evil Santa Claus, it incites the wrath of his elves. The Blu-ray also contains the 1964 cult classic Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

Four Senegalese teenagers have come to the US to reach for their dreams... and a shot at the NBA.

“Exciting!” –Hollywood Reporter

“Heartwarming!” – Austin Chronicle

“Enthralling!” – Variety

PARENTAL GUIDANCE SUGGESTED

STARTS FRIDAY NOVEMBER 4th

LaemmLe’s sUNseT 5

8000 Sunset Blvd.• West Hollywood • (310) 478-3836 FOR TICKETS & SHOWTIMES: WWW.LAEMMLE.COM

elevate the movie.com

Since 1987, the Japanese government has hired over 50,000 individuals from 39 different countries to live and work throughout Japan while on the JET Program. Our question is…

Will you be next?

Experience Japan on the

The Idiotbox:

Seth Green and company’s demented stop-motion pop culture parody “Robot Chicken” returns with Season Five, featuring nine episodes that haven’t even aired yet. With titles like “Saving Private Gigli” and “Schindler’s Bucket List,” you can’t go wrong. An ’80s cartoon favorite gets a reboot with Thundercats: Season1, Book 1. Young prince Lion-O must lead his band of surviving feline heroes on a quest for the Book of Omens to defeat the evil Mumm-Ra. Britain’s expletive-spewing chef Gordon Ramsay sets out to crown England’s best local restaurant, pitting the best of the best against one another in The F Word: Series 5. “Doctor Who” is better than ever with Series 6. Fresh off his BAFTA nomination, Matt Smith returns as the Doctor, a time traveling alien out to save the universe with his companions. Neil Gaiman scripts an episode. The great Idris Elba (“The Wire”) returns in “Luther 2,” the follow-up to the Emmynominated miniseries. The brilliant but tortured detective takes on a prostitution ring and a serial killer while battling his own demons.

Also available: An Invisible Sign starring Jessica Alba

Applications for the 2012-2013 JET Program will be available mid-October. For more information and to download an application, visit:

www.la.us.emb-japan.go.jp

Visit us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/jetprogram.usa Do you tweet? twitter.com/lajetprogram

jet program / tel: 213-617-6700 x332 / jet@la-cgjapan.org / www.la.us.emb-japan.go.jp/JET/index.html

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Campus Circle > Film > Movie Reviews

Aziz and Assane reflect in Elevate.

The Catechism Cataclysm (IFC Midnight) The film’s story starts off with a story. An old woman leaves a grocery store to find a group of young men rummaging through her car. She pulls a gun on them, and they leave without a struggle. As she gets into the car she realizes it isn’t hers. And suddenly the narrator, a dopey priest (Steve Little) leading a Bible study, forgets all of the elements of good storytelling. He laughs in the middle of it and rambles on past the natural ending of the story. It’s supposed to be funny because it’s not funny, but somehow the blandness never makes that jump to humor. Basically, The Catechism Cataclysm lays down its narrative style early on. Catechism stars Little as Father Billy, a man-child who somehow managed to become a man of the cloth. After being forced to take a sabbatical for all-around ineptitude, he decides to reconnect with his high school idol, his older sister’s rocker ex-boyfriend Robbie (Robert Longstreet). Robbie doesn’t remember Billy, but he hasn’t got anything better to do so the pair goes for a canoe ride. That’s when things get weird – as in absurdly, randomly and supernaturally weird. And again, it seems like the random incidences that happen on their trip should be funny, maybe even laugh-out-loud funny. At best, some of the scenes warrant a chuckle. For instance, when Billy thinks it’s a good idea to order fried food for breakfast, Robbie comments that they’ll probably have to use the restroom later. In the stall, they play a “real or fake” fart game. If you don’t like poop humor, you’ll be bored. If you do, you’ll wonder why they ruin the scene with Billy’s confession that he’s never been happy. Thankfully. it’s the film’s only attempt at being heartfelt or emotionally serious. It might be that the film is suffering from a sort of identity crisis. On the one hand, it wants to be an arrested development buddy comedy in the vein of Judd Apatow films or The Hangover – as if sticking a guy in a priest outfit

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and telling him to yell a lot puts him on par with Zach Galifianakis’ Alan. At the same time, it’s meant to be an absurdist indie film concerned with the art of storytelling. Here, there’s hope. There are some amusing, well placed literary references and some playful – and yes, funny – dialogue on the subject of how people evaluate endings. I was just glad it was over. Grade: D —Arit John The Catechism Cataclysm releases in select theaters Nov. 4.

Elevate (Variance) This is a very emotional documentary – one for the ages. Elevate, a film by Anne Buford and produced by Mark Becker, Chiemi Karasawa and Victoria Yoffie, details the lives of teen boys whose lives only seem to have goal: to play professional basketball. Buford shows her humility in making the film. “As a first time filmmaker, I had to learn how to express what I wanted to see on film,” she says in a prepared statement. “I realized, for example, that movement was very important to us – movement and intimacy that reflect the dynamic nature of our subject. It also became clear to me that in documentaries you can’t insist on perfection.” Elevate further shows a basketball academy in West Africa and some high-pressure scenes of American prep schools. But why is this important? Well, the flick tells the personal stories of four tall West African teenagers with big hearts, open minds and one shared goal of playing in the NBA. From beginning to end, Elevate touches on various issues, including adjustment. A lot of players head to Dakar, Senegal for potential future success with the SEEDS Academy taking place in small-sized land leased from the government. “We were lucky to be granted an unusually intimate view of this process because of my brother’s standing in the basketball community. From our first arrival in Senegal, we were treated like members of the NBA family, which made

filming over these years a great deal easier,” Buford says. “One of the challenges for a film with this kind of longevity is that people come in and out of the production.” Eventually, four young men pass the crucial test of the training camp atmosphere; they receive scholarship offers and come to the United States, while their lives are positively changed forever. Under 90 minutes, Elevate has drama, provides profound insight into West African basketball culture and shows the intense challenges that these athletes have to overcome. These challenges include learning the English language, adapting to American lifestyles, drivers education, girls and African stereotypes. “In showing our film, we realized that it’s hard to evade categorization. People wanted to brand us as a sports film or a do-gooder film,” Buford explains. “The narrative was never so simple. My intention from the start has been to tell the true story of these kids’ lives and by doing so expose American audiences to something they would not otherwise have seen or know about.” In brief, this movie is a must-see for its heartwarming scenes; Elevate is an epic documentary. Grade: A —Marvin Vasquez Elevate releases in select theaters Nov. 4.

Janie Jones (Tribeca) There must be confusion about what the world really looks like around us. Do people now, after having accessible ownership of digital motion picture cameras and a democratized means to exhibit their two-penny features, only see the exchange of intimate human interaction within the frame of arbitrary but pretty scenery that hasn’t much intrinsically to do with the direction of a film’s story? Has the filmic world devolved into a precious montage, an easy CONTINUED ON PAGE 10 >>>

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Campus Circle > Film > Movie Reviews “Fuck Authority,” to embracing fatherhood. Through the storyline gets a little sappy, you wonder what is the reason for punk rock’s anger. It seems that a lot of these guys had misunderstood anger and that fatherhood turns them to the person they really are: good, kind men playing bad, or maybe the other way around. You don’t really get an answer. Then you also see that being a parent doesn’t mean that you have to stop having fun, it’s not really a shift but it’s humanity’s natural progression and no one is immune to that progression. No matter how hard you try to fight, growing older is going to happen. The documentary shows that the parent/child relationships are still the same, but now tattoos and chaos are a part of everyday parenting lifestyle. The documentary gives you an understanding that punk rockers are pretty much a reflection of the modern-day generation. The Other F Word is a entertaining rock doc. Though it gets a little boring at times, overall it’s a good flick to check out if punk rock is your music of choice. Grade: B— Sean W. Oliver The Other F Word releases in select theaters Nov. 4.

Dean Williams

Pianomania

Alessandro Nivola and Abigail Breslin in Janie Jones <<<CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 expression of something cute enough to garner followers on YouTube, but that is essentially a collection of images that have no meaningful relationship to one another? If the new feature from indie director David M. Rosenthal, Janie Jones, is any measure of this phenomenon, the answer is yes. Ethan (Alessandro Nivola), the frontman of an indie rock band meets abruptly with a woman from his past, Mary Ann (Elisabeth Shue), who has shown up at his gig with more than smiling praise for his growing stardom. Janie Jones (Abigail Breslin) is his child, he finds out, conceived with Mary Ann, Janie’s meth addled mother, 13 years ago. Mary Ann’s addiction has pushed her into rehab and selfimposed exile from her daughter, and so, Ethan – on the road, up into the night with alcohol and a crew of partying band members – is forced to look after Janie, an ostensible stranger, albeit a precious one. Precious is the name of the game in Janie Jones, a capably made picture with some nice looking shots, but ones that are disjointed from their own narrative. In one of the film’s most important scenes, Janie and Ethan sit on the lawn strumming their guitars (Janie is a burgeoning musician in her own right.), bonding intimately with their words and their music. The scene is revealed in a long shot with a building behind them, “MOTEL” it screams, a piece of American road-trip kitsch. And this is the takeaway of the scene, not a revelation of how Ethan and Janie appear to each other in the moment; it is not a textured description of their personalities and physical selves discovered in a shared gaze, but instead something simply, reductively, cute. Breslin is the film’s saving grace, should there be one. Hers is an impeccable, natural performance that shows off her genuinely sweet disposition and apt ability in front of the camera. I look forward to more from her, next time in a

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feature where the technique doesn’t compete with her and wouldn’t think to overcompensate with its own ambitions to boast what’s precious. Grade: B—Pamela Kerpius Janie Jones releases in select theaters Nov. 4.

The Other F Word (Oscilloscope) What happens when you grow up? It’s a question that has plagued mankind for millenniums. Although, when people think of being the closest to immortality, maintaining a youthful, childlike spirit and never getting older they think of rock stars, especially punk rock stars. People have been trying to stop the aging process but to no avail; it is inevitable, everyone becomes an adult, and rock stars are no exception. The Other F Word documentary seeks to explore aging rock stars and the fact that no one is immune to his/her own mortality. The film takes an intimate look at the punk rock life as it’s never been seen before: exploring the world of fatherhood. The Other F Word shows how some of your favorite punk rock legends have adjusted as they have entered the world of fatherhood. Most people think that being a great parent is an “oxymoron” for a rock star, especially punk rock stars who are stereotyped as tattooed, drug addicted, alcoholic partiers who could never possibly imagine being responsible and normal adults. The Other F Word seeks to dispel those myths and offers a new and fresh spin to rock-star parenting not seen by prior generations. Director Andrea Blaugrund Nevins puts together an allstar group of subjects, including Blink-182’s Mark Hoppus, Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Flea, and Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath. But The Other F Word mainly follows Pennywise frontman Jim Lindberg on his journey from belting his band’s anthem,

(First Run Features) An overall favorite at many international film festivals, Pianomania is finally coming to the United States. Directed by Lillian Franck and Robert Cibis, it pulls you in from the very first note played by brilliant musician Lang Lang who is featured in the film and introduces you to the world of the piano. The film details the beautiful and amazing collaborative work by Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Stefan Knüpfer, the master tuner of Vienna, who are tasked with pairing the world’s classical instruments and finding the perfect sound – an incredible task that requires much patience. Knüpfer is the leader of the project, helping Aimard prepare for a recording of Bach’s “The Art of Fugue” and making sure Lang Lang has a bench to his liking that can withstand his intense and emotional playing style. Knüpfer experiments with many things, such as unique sound absorbers made from felt to provide a more authentic sound – these experiments at times provide the most detail and fun in the film. The most appreciable humor is when you see the tension and subtext drama of Knüpfer and Aimard when they regularly meet. The tension is so strong that you can’t help wondering what is going to happen next. Knüpfer keeps everything together, thanks to his great charisma and love for the project. He is truly a great facilitator, keeping everything going and helping all of those around him achieve perfection. In Pianomania, the best parts seem to be watching Knüpfer at work. Though the endless talks and obsession about the sound and its interpretation are interesting for the first part of the film, it becomes tiresome once you hear it for the second or third time. All lovers of music will have a strong appreciation of the preparation needed to bring these amazing pianos and the pianist into perfect harmony, with each instrument tuned to the different style of the virtuoso who will play it. This is fun to not only see but to hear, and you gain an artistic appreciation in seeing Knüpfer at work. It’s truly amazing how delicate his ears are to the music and how he provides utter perfection for these brilliant artists. Knüpfer’s gift is that he is able to hear such small changes in tone and when adjustments in tuning need to be made to complement the artist’s performance. Pianomania is a film that those who are interested in music can truly appreciate. Grade: B —Sean Oliver Pianomania releases in select theaters Nov. 4.

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Admit it: most of you had no clue what to make of those billboards, posters and commercials for “American Horror Story” back in September. The half-naked pregnant chick, the dude in the rubber bodysuit … it was a provocative, WTFinducing ad campaign that not only worked, it promised that some weird-ass stuff was about to happen to TV. For me, it also promised that “Nip/Tuck” and “Glee” creator Ryan Murphy was back to his effed-up storytelling ways. It also concerned me that he might not be able to give his full attention to his other baby, the latter show, which, in its third season on Fox, is trying to hold on to its audience and reinvigorate its relevance in pop culture – and the iTunes chart. You see, when showrunners and producers give birth to a hot new show while continuing to nurture their other show(s) there can be a tricky tightrope to walk. Which successful show deserves all the attention? Can there be a balance? It’s a juggling act that, when handled successfully, is an admirable feat to accomplish. Sure, he or she could entrust their power in a No. 2 officer, usually a co-executive producer, while they go off to help their newborn find its footing, but sometimes that results in the older child being neglected – creatively speaking. When one television drama flourishes, the other flounders. The TV history books are full of examples. Back in the mid-’90s when Darren Star tried to concentrate on “Central Park West,” the fourth season of “Melrose Place” went off its rails (luckily he made up for that a few years later by adapting “Sex and the City”). Then there’s that time when J.J. Abrams left “Felicity” to go do “Alias” … and then left “Alias” to go direct big-time feature films (OK, not too shabby for him). But back to “American Horror Story” … Flying under the radar and stealthily debuting after all of that network TV premiere fanfare, “AHS” introduced us to the troubled Harmon family who moves to Los Angeles to start a new life. Psychiatrist and husband Ben (a looking-good-for-50 Dylan McDermott) is running from the memory of his affair with a college student. Mom Vivien (“Friday Night Lights”’ Connie Britton) is recovering from a miscarriage. Daughter Violet (Taissa Farmiga, sister of Vera) is caught in the middle of all the dysfunction. So I’m sure moving into a gorgeous house with a haunted history is going to make things all better. There’s the redheaded maid, Moira, who was shot in the head back in the early ’80s and reappears in the 2010s to wreak havoc on Ben’s libido – in between polishing the furniture. There’s next-door neighbor Constance (a scene-chewing Jessica Lange), who has a shitload of secrets up her sleeve – and a daughter who’s obsessed with the “Murder House.” And then there’s Ben’s patient, Tate (Evan Peters), an unstable young man who has a thing for Violet and a connection to the house’s ghostly denizens. Each episode opens with a glimpse into the house’s history at certain points in time (1978, 1968, 1983, 2010, etc). The most recent Halloween-set episode introduced us to previous owners Chad and Patrick (Zachary Quinto and Teddy Sears), who had an untimely encounter with the Man in the Rubber Suit. The prologue was a tense entry, filled with viciously delivered dialogue and a wicked twist on the game Bobbing for Apples. [Sidenote: Isn’t it curious how Quinto officially came out of the closet the week before his guest starring role on “AHS” and the release of his film, Margin Call? Just saying. If that wasn’t a coincidence, then kudos to his publicist.] That all said, “American Horror Story” is clearly my pick for the best new drama of the fall season (yes, go ahead and quote me on that). I eagerly await more revelations (Who the hell is in that rubber suit?) and more history lessons (What’s up with that Frankenbaby?). Hooray for the Murder House. “American Horror Story” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX. For more pop cultural ramblings, visit thefirstecho.com and hotterinhollywood.com

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new outerwear by dana jeong

Baby, it’s cold outside! Well, 68 degrees is barely anywhere near cold compared to what our friends on the other side of the country are going through, but it’s good enough for us Angelenos to bust out our winter coats and finally get up the courage to purchase those leather boots we’ve been eyeing forever. The best way to spice up our winter wardrobe is to add some signature outerwear pieces that will make a statement and keep us warm at the same time. Luckily, the runways of fall 2011 have been dominated by cute outerwear trends that are just too good to pass up. Now that the temperature has reasonably dropped and with our shopping urges itching, why not invest in one of the following styles?

Cute Capes

say it Loud

Capes have been my favorite winter pieces since kindergarten, and it absolutely delights me to see them taking up quite a space on the fall runways. While most capes have a tendency to be strictly tailored and British-inspired, designers such as Rag & Bone have added a hippie effect with fringes and tribal prints. With one of these adorable capes and a new pair of wax coated jeans, you’ve got the preppy east coast fashion under control.

Monica Feudi; style.com

the genius ofjames brown

Fur Gradation Everyone knows bright colors are “It,” but honestly, where’s the fun in such an obvious piece as an all-pink fur coat? Give your colored fur a taste of elegance and character by adding a gradation effect. With a proper ratio between a primary color and a neutral, the gradation fur coat is sure to turn heads wherever you go. Pair it with a flowy maxi skirt like Prabal Gurung’s for a more bohemian look. Courtesy of Carola Guaineri; style.com

  —  

a fifth anniversary showcase 1960s-Inspired Coats

a fifth anniversary showcase

Marcus Tondo; style.com

The key points in a ’60s-inspired coat are its balloon sleeves and mid-thigh length that falls perfectly in an A-line. Think Audrey Hepburn circa Breakfast at Tiffany’s when she sports that sweet orange balloon coat while on an adventure with her skinny-tied prince charming. Always remember to keep your bottom silhouettes visible in order to avoid looking like a bloated balloon all over. (Loewe)

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active CHILD Nov. 9 @ The Music Box

middle class rut New Highs and Lows by david tobin How do new sounds come about? What does it take to shape the sound of something that is only in you and your buddy’s head? Do you go to the studio and work tirelessly trying to come up with something, or do you just let it happen? Take the band Middle Class Rut as a prime example on how to change the sound of music and do it organically. Two former members of the band Leisure make up this group; Sean Stockham and Zack Lopez were the guitarist and drummer in their previous band and went their separate ways after that project ended. Stockham went up north after his first son was born to focus on his family, and Lopez found his way into construction in Pasadena. The two stayed close and made time to still play music together. “Then, finally, after we had all these songs we thought we should just try and throw some lyrics over them,” says Stockham, “We took our respective parts and went home and worked on it, then got together and recorded. When we heard it, we thought, ‘Wow, that’s kind of cool.’ I mean, it was just as good, if not better than anything we had with any of our other singers. So we decided to go with it.” Only a couple contemporary bands with two members have successfully pulled this off: the Black Keys and White Stripes. But those two have a similar sound, while the grind and power behind Middle Class Rut speaks to something very different. Part of that comes from the guitar setup. “Zack has a pretty crazy setup. The guitar splits off in three different directions. He has a bass amp running and then two separate guitar amps. He has a Marshall rack that was big in the ’90s that no one uses anymore, and we found a way to make it sound like it’s not supposed to. Then with the other and the bass amp running all the time, it gives you a sound and layers that you can’t get with

just a normal rig,” Stockham explains about the band’s very unique sound. But what about making sure that this sound comes off the same live? Lots of bands get stuck and have to supplement their stage show with additional musicians or gear to perform the same song that you hear on the record. “We went with recording a lot simpler to make sure we could recreate the same sound live,” shares Stockham. “With a song like ‘New Low,’ the most popular song out right now, it’s a tough one to get live. Because we don’t play to a track and I don’t play to a click track or that shit so, we have to just adapt when we do it live and be comfortable with that sound.” So when playing live, the dynamic also shifts because the focus has changed. As Stockham puts it, “You can no longer hide behind a stupid singer that’s doing gymnastics and shit while you’re playing. It’s twice as much pressure with two people than it would be on four. It took time to get used to, but after doing this for three or four years now, it’s gone and we can do it.” Working with less people has been better. Not only have they streamlined the band but their team as well. Working with a small label allows them to handle the focus of the band with more ease. They are doing most everything themselves, and it shows. When a band can have control over its sound and direction, it comes through tenfold in the performance and path. The music videos for these guys look amazing, and the feel of the album is honest and untouched by someone trying to change their raw sound. Middle Class Rut performs Nov. 3 at the Music Box. For more information, visit mcrut.com.

by Zach bourque With angelic vocals and ethereal beats, Active Child is very much the music of the fods. Led by Jersey native Pat Grossi, Active Child is a relative newcomer to the crowded electronic scene but with a sound as unique as the heavens itself, he will have no problem making a splash. If M83 and James Blake had a sexy, illegitimate love child that offspring would be Active Child. His debut full length, You Are All I See, was released in August and has garnered rave reviews across the board – and with good reason. The album’s first single, “Playing House,” is a John Hughes-era pop ballad with a catchy hook and guest vocals by R&B act How To Dress Well. The album’s second track, “Hanging On,” may be the album’s prized song with its harp backed rhythm and seriously laid back demeanor. Fans of M83 will instantly fall in love with the dream pop synths and soothing vocals, and anyone unfamiliar will be in for quite an uplifting experience. Several tracks on the album go even further back in inspiration, with a decidedly Joy Division vibe that is at once refreshing and unique. Grossi’s history as a choirboy has a significant impact on what our ears are treated to when listening to the record. His voice sounds extremely layered and rich and comparisons to Justin Vernon of Bon Iver are not a bad place to start. But unlike that massive ensemble, Active Child is more or less a one-man show with Grossi extending his talents far beyond simple vocals to include songwriting, producing and performing. With an opening spot on a nationwide M83 tour, I have no reservations that Active Child is on the cusp of exploding into the bedrooms, dreams and minds of the mainstream American public. Do yourself a favor and hop on the train before your friends start tossing this album in your face. You won’t be disappointed. For more information, visit activechildmusic.com.

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MUSICREPORT by kevin wierzbicki R.E.M. Greatest Hits Due Leave it to R.E.M. to give their upcoming hits collection a tongue-in-cheek title. The 40-song retrospective is called R.E.M., Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage, 1982-2011. The release comes barely 60 days after the band announced their dissolution and is supposed to be the final R.E.M. album. Says the band’s Mike Mills, “Working through our music and memories from over three decades was a hell of a journey but we realized that these songs seemed to draw a natural line under the last 31 years of our working together.” The compilation collects material from all 15 R.E.M. studio albums and appends one new song, “We All Go Back to Where We Belong.” The set drops on Nov. 15.

Skinny Puppy Loves peta2, Not Much Else Industrial music veterans Skinny Puppy have teamed-up with peta2, the youth division of PETA, to promote both animal rights and the band’s new album, Handover. Skinny Puppy fans can learn about how to get active for animals and grab a free download of new song “Wavy” with a visit to peta2.com. The mistreatment of animals is not the only thing Skinny Puppy is rallying against at the moment, witness a statement from band singer Nivek Ogre. “It’s definitely the overarching feel of ‘bend over and take it’,” offers Ogre. “I recently listened to the record, and it’s making even more sense to me. We’re certainly experiencing the rape of mankind as the world’s economies slide even further and the inability of people to look around them and see what’s going on. You’re starting to see a neo-feudalistic empire on the rise. People are getting so pissed off they’re

Campus Circle > Music > Music Report turning on each other.” Maybe there’ll be some peace at least while people spin Handover, just released on the SPV/Synthetic Symphony label.

The Bridge School Benefit Concerts For years Neil Young has been organizing concerts to benefit the Bridge School, a California organization that uses creative methods to educate children with severe speech and physical impairments. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the event, and to celebrate, Reprise Records is releasing a threeDVD set and a two-CD set that compile performances spanning the event’s entire history. The DVD set includes takes on “At the Hop” by Devendra Banhart, “Blue Ridge Mountains” by Fleet Foxes and “Disposable Heroes” by Metallica along with contributions from big names like Paul McCartney, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie and many others. Thom Yorke, Norah Jones, No Doubt, Sonic Youth, Dave Matthews and Band of Horses are some of the acts contributing to the CD set. A special iTunes collection of previously unreleased songs features Adam Sandler, Chris Martin, Lucinda Williams, Gavin Rossdale, Elvis Costello and Neil Young; all configurations are available now.

X Announces Xmas Shows Seminal L.A. band X has released the schedule for its Xmas Rock N Roll Revival Tour. The band members will be touring with Pearl Jam in South and Central America for all of November, but then they’re back in the States to begin their own headlining tour that includes a Dec. 16 stop at the Music Box.

MUSICNOTES

christmas albums by eva recinos

It’s the time when leftover Halloween decorations, costumes and candy are on discount at stores everywhere and Christmas sales are popping up left and right. Halloween has come and gone which, in the world of business and commercialism, means that the focus is now on the next major holiday: Christmas. It might seem extraordinarily soon, but there are already a few Christmas albums out there from major music stars. Ranging from intriguing to surprising, these releases are sure to make some unique background music for your next Christmas party – if you choose to have it anytime between now and December. Just because it’s Christmas, doesn’t mean you can’t have music from some great artists. You can move past those old Christmas CDs and check out these modern takes. Justin Bieber – Under the Mistletoe Of course, the reigning king of tween and teen hearts virtually everywhere isn’t going to miss out on the Christmas music fun. Biebs has his own version of Christmas tunes with his album and even manages to craft a duet with the evertalented Mariah Carey and, of course, his mentor, Usher. The Band Perry and Boyz II Men also make appearances, as if this were a little cozy Christmas Top 40 party.

Campus Circle 11.2.11 - 11.8.11

R.E.M. release what will be their final album Nov. 15. Earlier this year, X embarked on a brief tour where they played their legendary Los Angeles album in its entirety; you can expect to hear music from that album on the Xmas tour, but the album will not be played all the way through. The Black Tibetans and Sean Wheeler and Zander Schloss will also appear at the Music Box show.

Jimmy Cliff: The Sacred Fire Reggae stalwart Jimmy Cliff is about to release a new EP called The Sacred Fire. The work represents Cliff ’s first studio effort in seven years and is meant as a tide-me-over until his fulllength hits next year. The only living musician ever to receive Jamaica’s Order of Merit, Cliff has sold more than 20 million albums over the course of a 50-year career. The Sacred Fire drops next week, and Cliff will be part of the line-up for KCRW’s Are Friends Eclectic? Holiday Benefit Concert at the Orpheum Theatre on Dec. 2. Proceeds from that show will help to offset the station’s operating costs.

Campus Circle > Music > Music Notes If that doesn’t convince you to buy the album, Bieber obviously has more tricks up his sleeve, though in this case they end up being for a good cause. Proceeds from album sales will go to a variety of charities, including the Make-AWish Foundation – nothing like music with a cause. Michael Buble – Christmas OK, it’s hard to think of anyone else whom you would want crooning into your ear about Christmas. Buble’s first fulllength Christmas album (Fans will remember that he released an EP called Let It Snow in 2007.) is aptly titled Christmas. Swoon over his smooth voice as he covers classics like “Jingle Bells” and “Silent Night,” and teams up with Shania Twain for a rendition of “White Christmas.” You can even check out a trailer online if you want to get a taste of the album before you buy it. At any rate, it’s sure to capture the hearts of many a teenager, mom and perhaps everyone in between. Too bad the album doesn’t come with a Christmas bow-wearing Buble. Have yourself a Very She & Him Christmas. She & Him – A Very She & Him Christmas For the guys hoping for something a little less hunk-centric, cutesy indie duo Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward are teaming up for their own, unique take on a Christmas album. Covers include “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” and Deschanel’s voice is sure to keep you warm and cozy no matter the temperature. The album also includes some tracks that are only vocals and acoustic guitar, giving the classics a stripped-down, raw feeling. If your boo or BFF is a fan, you can buy them She & Him mittens or a beanie online, too. This Christmas just got a little more She & Him.

Scott Weiland – The Most Wonderful Time of the Year Yes, you read correctly. This is a Christmas album from the lead singer of Stone Temple Pilots and Velvet Revolver. The same voice behind the sexually forward “Sex Type Thing” and the emotionally raw “Fall to Pieces.” The cover even features a smiling Weiland next to a Christmas ornament. Though he won’t be backed up by Slash or any of the STP outfit, he will have the help of an orchestra to cover Christmas classics “with a little twist,” as he puts it. The 10 tracks of the album are delivered in a variety of genres from Latin to reggae. It might not be his usual sound, but the album has already gotten a few favorable reviews online.

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FREQUENCY

by brien overly

Kane Hibberd

I’m breaking from my usual habit of picking a do-not-miss show of the week to give you not one, but three of them this week. I would also argue that these are the three do-not-miss shows of the whole year. So, y’know, make sure you’ve got some sick days saved up to use over the next seven days. Now, if I could just get all of these guys to do a tour together…

the jezabels Poised to Take You Prisoner by tamea agle Gearing up for a tour in support of their debut album, Prisoner, the Jezabels are venturing back to Los Angeles to play for their growing population of fans. I briefly met the Jezabels earlier in the year at one of their L.A. shows, and they were a pleasure to see live. I jumped at the chance to interview keyboardist Heather Shannon before their upcoming show at the Echo. Their stop in Los Angeles is the first of their North American shows to come over the next couple months. Currently home on a slight break from touring their home country of Australia, Shannon and I skyped with an 18-hour time difference to discuss the band’s upcoming tour and new album. After playing in Los Angeles earlier this year, Shannon is happy to be headed back. “I like L.A., people either love the music or hate it. There is no in between,” she says. Los Angeles is known as a tough-to-impress music crowd, but the Jezabels seem to be able to take it by storm. Shannon continues, “Either way, there’s the weather. It reminds me of what it’s like here in Australia. It’s like home.” Their 13-city North American tour will be taking them up the West Coast and ending in Montreal later this year. Hitting the road with Hey Rosetta! is one of many things about the tour that Shannon seems thrilled about. With Hey Rosetta! hailing from Canada and the Jezabels coming from Australia, it will be a fantastic international lineup and one not to be missed. While the Jezabels have been making their way around for quite some time, their schedule has recently picked up even more. I asked about the tour experience and while she seems to like life on the road, Shannon admits to one challenge. “I love the traveling on tour,” she says, then seeming to almost correct herself, she adds, “Learning to fall asleep while on the road has been the hardest part.” Deciding to stick with their producer and friend Lachlan Mitchell from their previously released EPs, Shannon and the band decided it was a good match. “He pushes us to be our best and also reins in the little disagreements,” she says. The band, having worked together for years, has been able to make improvisation an important part of the writing and recording process. Shannon and lead vocalist Hayley Mary met in college and began playing together. It was simply the duo until they met and decided to work with fellow bandmates Sam Lockwood on guitar and Nik Kaloper on drums. Once the band was together, the writing and recording process became what it is today with improvisation in the studio and each member throwing their own input into the mix. During the writing process, it seems to be very organic for the band members, who are friends as much as bandmates. Recently, the band has been consistently playing sold-out shows all over Australia, and I anticipate and hope for the same for their upcoming North American Tour. The performances, filled with drama and emotion, take over the audience and new fans are always made. Recently signed to Mom & Pop Records, the band’s debut, Prisoner, will be released digitally on Nov. 8, and early in the new year the physical album will be available. Be sure to make it out to their upcoming shows. They never disappoint. Shannon, while not overly excited about the world of Twitter, has grown to appreciate the instant feedback and fan relationships grown through Facebook. The band has been using their page to reach out and get feedback, so always feel free to check their Facebook page out for news and updates on the tour and album. The Jezabels perform Nov. 8 at the Echo. For more information, visit thejezabels.com.

City and Colour Nov. 3 @ the Orpheum Nov. 4 @ Fox Theatre Get your Kleenex handy, y’all, because this show packs an emotional punch, and you’re going to want something to stop the massive sob hemorrhaging You have three chances to see Thrice in you’ll be pouring out. Stew on that SoCal this week. metaphor for a few. Point being, If there’s one thing singer-songwriter Dallas Green knows how to do, it’s cut a listener to the core with honest and raw lyricism pulled from the proverbial diary pages. Or … from whatever his preferred masculine form of innermost thought cataloging might be. Despite his style of seemingly personal narrative storytelling, Green writes songs that remain universally relatable and doesn’t shy away from topics that can hit uncomfortably close to home, both for himself and an audience. But that’s what makes Green unique, that he’s unapologetic and unhesitating when it comes to investing in his music. And whether he’s delicately crooning with only his acoustic guitar in hand or howling with a full band backing, he’ll sing every song like it’s full of his last living notes.

Mayday Parade/There For Tomorrow Nov. 5 @ House of Blues Anaheim Indulging the secret pop leanings all of us like to pretend we don’t have when around company of more esteemed musical tastes, both Mayday Parade and There For Tomorrow are bands that can satisfy your need for sing-along choruses without compromising your musical credibility. Despite the fact both groups run in a scene of bands not particularly known for writing intelligent or memorable music, both having been doing good work to turn the stereotypes of their scene on their head. Underneath the glossy finish of their hook-driven melodic rock is music that is relatable to audiences of all ages, not just those of the adolescent variety. Florida-bred Mayday Parade has taken great steps over the last many years to up its game and write melodic rock songs that are infectiously catchy without being trite or contrived. Likewise, the fellow Florida natives of There For Tomorrow have practically grown up on Warped Tour stages, having managed to transcend the monotony plaguing some of their fellow classmen to be one of the bright shining hopes for their genre. Possibly even for rock music as a whole. Every member of this band could show some of the elder statesmen in its genre how to play their instruments and how to write a song properly. With their signature brand of epic and emotive grown up rock, these guys are poised to be doing much bigger things in the very near future.

Thrice Nov. 8 @ The Mayan Nov 9 & 10 @ House of Blues Anaheim Assuming you haven’t used the entirety of your tissue supplies already after the City and Colour show, Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue will see to it that all leftovers get put to good use at his shows. One of precious few lyricists and vocalists who is on par with Green’s musicianship and writing ability, Kensrue can do the in-song emotional catharsis with expert precision for maximum effect. When backed by his fellow Thrice band mates, however, Kensrue is just as capable of taking a more pointed look at culture and society, bringing both the intimate and the big picture together effortlessly. Guitarist Teppei Teranishi, bassist Eddie Breckenridge and drummer Riley Breckenridge are unparalleled when it comes to breathing life and emotion into their instruments, all three of which make up equally integral parts of the Thrice secret formula. What’s even better is that on top of their skill, the dudes also have killer taste in opening acts, having opted to take out Moving Mountains and O’Brother for this run. The New York natives of the former will fill your quota of gritty post-punk tinged art-rock and are masters of creating a visceral sonic atmosphere. The Atlanta natives of the latter will bring a little more folk-y ambience to the stage, painting an aural landscape of the south like Ansel Adams fronting his own indie band. So, suffice to say, all senses are going to be on overload at this show, not just your ears.

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CDREVIEWS Coldplay Mylo Xyloto (Capitol) Coldplay is the Steve Jobs of modern rock. Like the late Apple co-founder, Chris Martin and friends aren’t about invention, they’re about repackaging and need-creation and needfulfillment. Also, like Jobs, they are incredibly successful at what they do. Mylo Xyloto finds Coldplay soaking in current influences and folding them, more or less, into the sound the band has established over its previous four albums. They have an interesting preoccupation with Rihanna-styled R&B, even bringing in RiRi herself on “Princess of China.” It’s a stunningly beautiful pop song that’s radio-ready, though Rihanna sounds far more at home here than Martin does. On the current single “Paradise” – which bears more than a passing resemblance to “Umbrella” and “Love the Way You Lie,” right down to the “para-para-paradise” chorus – Martin sounds even more ill at ease. Coldplay fares far better with “Hurts Like Heaven,” which seems to draw from Arcade Fire’s exuberance, as well as its lush vision of indie rock. Equally energetic is the youthful “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall,” which seems to square the sprightliness of “Viva La Vida,” while guitarist Jonny Buckland adds layers of chiming U2 guitars. Mylo Xyloto dances around ideas of revolution and governmental overreaching – quite timely stuff – before love eventually conquers all, offering comfort to a world in upheaval. Coldplay knows, after all, that people love a happy ending. Grade: B+ —Glenn Gamboa, Newsday (MCT) © 2011 Newsday. Distributed by MCT Information Services. Mylo Xyloto is currently available.

Campus Circle > Music > CD Reviews of his quasi horror film soundtracks. The middle of the album focuses on the death of three famous personalities with “Hank Williams to the Angel of Death,” “Spalding Gray Can’t Swim” and “Eulogy for Jeff Buckley,” but the dreariness is relieved with the poppy “Dress Sexy at My Funeral.” You would think that this album would make the listener want to jump off a bridge; to the contrary there’s good reason to celebrate this intelligent look at finality. Leave it to David J to make dying fun. Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki Not Long for This World is currently available.

Feersum Ennjin Self-titled (Dissociated Press) Paul D’Amour has spent the last decade or so composing music for television and film, but he was a founding member of Tool and the release of this full-length Feersum Ennjin album represents his return to commercially available music. Opening track “Fishing Grounds” is a mash-up of the bass-heavy Tool sound with the soaring melodic prog rock favored by bands like Yes. D’Amour played such a big part in the formulation of the Tool sound that it’s only natural to expect similar here, and songs like “Dragon” will not disappoint the Tool faithful. On the other hand, tunes like “Solid Gold,” the pianohighlighting “U-Boats” and the Alan Parsons Projectrecalling “Magus” are far more sublime and understated than anything Tool has done; the songs disprove the notion that Feersum Ennjin finds D’Amour cannibalizing his own work. The album doesn’t rely on synthesizer noodling either; album closer “Thin Air” is a mesmerizing three-minute synth voyage, but mostly it’s guitar, bass and voice that makes Feersum Ennjin such a pleasure to listen to and a strong contender for prog rock album of the year. Grade: A —Kevin Wierzbicki Feersum Ennjin is currently available.

Girl in a Coma

David J Not Long for This World (Starry) David J is the former bassist and vocalist for Love & Rockets and the highly influential Bauhaus, and he has also recently put together a stage production based on the famous Black Dahlia murder case. J’s off-kilter wit is on full display during Not Long for This World, a death-obsessed set that’s not as scary or depressing as it could be thanks to the fact that it’s performed primarily as cabaret. “Gloomy Sunday” is a woozy boozy contemplation of suicide set to a stark piano melody and over-dramatic flourishes, while “Dead and Lovely” is macabre high camp not unlike something that Danny Elfman might pen for one

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Exits & All the Rest (Blackheart) Fans of this trio know that the girls have benefited from their friendship and professional affiliation with Joan Jett and her Blackheart Records label, but it is another of punk rock’s legendary leading ladies that seems to influence much of Exits & All the Rest. And I’m not talking about Siouxsie Sioux, who singer Nina Diaz channels quite nicely on “Cemetery Baby.” No, it’s clear from the moment opening number “Adjust” starts spinning that Diaz, her drummer sister Phanie and bassist Jennifer Alva have been listening to the early recordings of seminal L.A. band X. Diaz sings the song like X vocalist Exene Cervenka would: with plenty of street cred-fueled confidence and a hint of latent mania, as if surefootedness could give way at any second to full-blown chaos. The song also features, as many songs throughout the album do, the X hallmark of sparingly arranged twanging guitars that occasionally cut loose with concise psychedelic solos. The girls’ Adventures in Coverland release from last year acknowledged band influences ranging from Bowie to Selena to Ritchie Valens, and if you want to dissect each song then you’ll hear things like Diaz paying homage to Grace Slick on “Knocking at Your Door.” But in all fairness Girl in a Coma has their own sound and with this being their fourth album they’re now showing longevity too – a big clue for the uninitiated that it’s time to take a listen. Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki Exits & All the Rest is currently available.

Kelly Clarkson

Stronger (RCA) Kelly Clarkson is stretching again on Stronger. After consolidating all her pop prowess on her irresistible 2009 album, All You Ever Wanted, she is trying her hand at a variety of genres – from the acoustic country ache of “Breaking Your Own Heart” to the four-on-the-floor dancefloor stomper “What Doesn’t Kill You.” She handles it all very well, infusing her tales of empowerment after a breakup with her unique combo of vulnerability and sass. Clarkson is best at the pop put-down, though, and she has a doozy in “Einstein,” where she declares, “I may not be Einstein, but I know dumb + dumb = you.” Grade: A—Glenn Gamboa, Newsday (MCT) © 2011 Newsday. Distributed by MCT Information Services. Stronger is currently available.

U2 Achtung Baby – 20th Anniversary Edition (Island/Interscope/Ume) You’re probably familiar with the first two discs of this sixCD collection; they hold the original recordings of Achtung Baby and its slightly less-successful 1993 companion release, Zooropa. If you’re just a fan of U2’s hit singles like the included “One,” “Even Better Than the Real Thing” and “Mysterious Ways” you don’t need to go much further. Fanatics will have a real field day exploring the other 50 tracks from the era that are appended here including such goodies as a six-minute dance mix of “Lady With the Spinning Head” and a batch of unexpected cover tunes like versions of Lou Reed’s “Satellite of Love” and the Stones’ “Paint it Black” and even an interpretation of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.” Other B-sides found here include the spooky, Latin-mass derived “Alex Descends Into Hell For a Bottle of Milk/Korova 1” and a surprisingly soulful take on William Bell’s classic “Everybody Loves a Winner.” The set does get a bit indulgent with some titles; versions of “Mysterious Ways” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing” for example account for nearly a quarter of the included material. But there’s enough variety to the mixes that each version warrants inclusion, and all the other rarities compiled here make this anniversary edition well worth popping for. Grade: A —Kevin Wierzbicki Achtung Baby – 20th Anniversary Edition is currently available.

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GAMEON

1Q84: Haruki Murakami’s latest creation goes beyond his previous works.

by david l. ulin

los angeles times (MCT) Here’s an unorthodox suggestion: Try to read Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 in as close to a single sitting as you can. It won’t be easy – the novel clocks in at 926 pages and is often densely allusive, if readable throughout. Still, there’s something about the book that requires the deep immersion, the otherworldly sense of connection/disconnection that only an extended plunge allows. You want to get up from these pages feeling groggy, as if you’ve been wrenched out of everyday experience, drawn into a landscape where the boundary between reality and imagination has been rendered moot. Indeed, that’s the point of 1Q84, which takes place in a world much like this one but tweaked slightly: less an entirely alternate universe than a variant. “What the real world is: that is a very difficult problem,” a character known as Leader explains in the exact center of the novel. “What it is, is a metaphysical proposition. But this is the real world, there is no doubt about that. The pain one feels in this world is real pain. Deaths caused in this world are real deaths. Blood shed in this world is real blood. This is no imitation world, no imaginary world, no metaphysical world. I guarantee you that.” For Murakami, such a statement establishes the stakes of 1Q84, framing it as no mere fantasy but rather a multilayered narrative of loyalty and loss. Such issues have often marked Murakami’s fiction, most vividly perhaps in the densely beautiful Kafka on the Shore (2005) or the understated stories of 2002’s After the Quake. Yet in both heft and scope, in its sense of metaphysics and of metafiction, 1Q84 takes things several levels deeper, aspiring to more density, more depth of emotion, and for the most part pulling it off. Make no mistake – this is a major development in Murakami’s writing; while I’ve generally enjoyed his books, only a few transcend a trademark mix of contemporary rootlessness, pop culture riffing and what I’ve come to think of as magical realism lite. Novels such as A Wild Sheep Chase (1989) or The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1997) come off as if they don’t quite have a fully nuanced sense of life. With 1Q84, however, Murakami evokes a fully articulated vision of a not-quite-nightmare world, in which reality goes its own way and we have no choice but to adapt. “Principles and logic didn’t give birth to reality,” reflects a man named Ushikawa, a disreputable figure who nonetheless observes his surroundings with a certain tarnished clarity. “Reality came first, and the principles and logic followed.” At the center of this reality, at least in 1Q84, is the question of love, of how we find it and how we hold it, and the small fragile connections that sustain us, even (or especially) despite the odds. To highlight this, Murakami constructs the novel as a pair of interwoven narratives, the first about Aomame, a health club trainer with a dark sideline, and the second involving Tengo, a math teacher and aspiring novelist who has secretly rewritten Air Chrysalis, a speculative work by a high school girl named Fuka-Eri that has become a surprise bestseller. Aomame and Tengo knew each other in grade school and once shared a brief moment of connection; the memory has sustained them each for 20 years. It is Aomame who sets the story here in motion when, on an April afternoon in 1984, she leaves a cab on a congested Tokyo elevated highway and descends an emergency staircase to the street. By the time she reaches the ground, reality has subtly shifted, a change she notices because the police are wearing different uniforms and carrying different guns. That’s a small but significant distinction, and in pursuing its meaning, Aomame slips through a set of wormholes in which the universe turns back upon itself. To say much more about the plot seems counterproductive, since among 1Q84’s charms is its sense of the unexpected, but here are a few key points: Air Chrysalis, it turns out, is not fiction but a record of its author’s experience as an adept of a secret religious cult; Leader, who founded the cult, is Fuka-Eri’s father; and both have unleashed forces, physical and metaphysical, that fuel the tension of the book. Against that background, Aomame and Tengo function equally as characters and as embodiments of the novel’s larger themes, its essences – although it is to Murakami’s credit that, whatever else they are, we never lose sight of these characters as flesh-and-blood beings. For all that, the truest pleasures of the book may be the most writerly, primarily its epic sense of structure (which functions as a fun-house mirror, endlessly reflective) and its references to history and literature. Throughout these pages, Murakami offers real-world touchstones – the Russo-Manchurian War, the early Japanese epic The Tale of the Heike, the work of novelists such as Dickens and Orwell – which echo the action he describes. Most interesting is his homage to Chekhov, whom he invokes first in an account of the author’s 1890 visit to Sakhalin Island, and then again when Aomame is reminded, after taking possession of an automatic pistol, that “(a)ccording to Chekhov ... once a gun appears in a story, it has to be fired.” Murakami is clearly having fun here, using his narrative to comment on the art of narrative while also suggesting that his characters may not be so tightly bound. Five hundred and fifty pages later, he refutes his own argument: “I might end up never firing the pistol. Contrary to Chekhov’s principle,” Aomame declares, only to be told, “That’s fine. ... Nothing could be better than not firing it. We’re drawing to the end of the twentieth century. Things are different from back in Chekhov’s time. ... Somehow the world has survived the Nazis, the atomic bomb, and modern music. Even the way novels are composed has changed drastically.” It’s a telling moment, for this is and isn’t true of 1Q84, which deploys its strategies in the service of what becomes the most traditional sort of story: the one in which love wins out over all. None of this is to suggest that 1Q84 is perfect; in places, the coincidences line up too neatly, and a plot line involving the “Little People” peters out like a neglected thread. But in the end, that’s minor stuff in the face of a vision, and an act of the imagination, this profound. 1Q84 is a big, sprawling novel, a shaggy dog story to be sure, but it achieves what is perhaps the primary function of literature: to reimagine, to reframe, the world. “There was a lot that remained unknown and mysterious,” Murakami writes at the end of the book, as if referring to his own process, “and the lines that constructed this story were complicated. Which lines connected to which others, and what sort of cause-and-effect relationship existed, was beyond him. ... But he had a faint sense that this chaos was, ever so slowly, heading toward a denouement.” © 2011 the Los Angeles Times. Distributed by MCT Information Services.

‘battlefield 3’ Makes a Strong Showing

by alexandre johnson It’s hard for a first-person shooter in the current market to stand out. Most FPS have similar formulas and storylines, which can easily feel repetitive. With a plot set in the near future and that encompasses a lot of what you would expect from an old action movie, “Battlefield 3” almost falls into this trap. The game’s somewhat disappointing, and the disconnected plot leaves it with what is certainly not the best storyline, although it is packed with action. As well, the AI of the single-person mode has shown to be a bit disappointing. Campaigns are not bad but not as epic as some of “Battlefield”’s top completion, such as “Call of Duty.” Though heartbreaking, the lacking single-player is OK because, truly, this game wasn’t made to be played alone; it’s made for multiple players. The six missions of co-op player mode are the first evidence of improvement from the single player. Be warned, however, these missions are a do-or-die environment as there are no checkpoint saves, which means dying forces one to start over from the beginning. The Battlelog that connects to web browsers helps facilitate this movement for multiplayer. In fact, Battlelog is the only option if one wants to play in co-op or multiplayer for the PC version. Since it has a great format, this forced use is not a bad thing. Battlelog is basically a social network that allows one to track their progress and even has its own VOIP client so a party can communicate while playing together. Multiplayer is where the game really kills. This is a true online multi-player title with multiplayer as the best parts of the game. “Battlefield 3” has a large variety of detailed maps with five ways to play each, making these environments a challenge for yourself as well as places to explore how best to play. Through this nicely put-together mode, the game makes playing against and/or with other people an entirely enjoyable experience. Given its immense scale and options, players will likely enjoy every minute of action, from gameplay to visual cut-scenes. Simply put, “Battlefield”’s multiplayer mode pretty much puts all other FPS to shame. “Battlefield 3” continues the series’ great feature of combining military fields with players battling in tanks, as infantry and in aerial dogfights. Driving six types of vehicles allows for all-out warfare. The only downside to the variety of vehicles is when controls get difficult, such as for aircraft in the PC version (if using the mouse and keyboard controls), which leaves you almost sure to fail. Each form features spectacular graphics that are not only clear but detailed. Not to be ignored, coupled with the amazing graphics, is a great audio system. You truly believe that you’ve been transported into a living world while playing this game as the environment moves around your character. “Battlefield 3” is currently available.

Campus Circle 11.2.11 - 11.8.11

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PALETA

Little Black Bag of Convenience by gillian ferguson Yesterday morning a little black bag showed up on my doorstep. This was no ordinary bag. It was a cooler with a handy shoulder strap and a bright yellow flower tucked in the outside pocket. Inside the cooler were breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks. The company behind this little black bag of convenience is Paleta, a gourmet meal delivery service that caters to all of Los Angeles. Paleta’s tag line, Nutritious – Delicious – Delivered, pretty much sums up what they do. At $50 per day the price tag is steep, but between the quality of ingredients and the at-your-door service it’s hard to complain. Paleta offers a variety of programs from a mind and body cleanse to daily and weekly meal programs. I chose to follow Paleta Lifestyle for five days. Providing only 1,600 calories a day I was nervous that I might be hungry, but when the first little black bag appeared I was astonished by the amount and quality of the food. Day 1 consisted of scrambled eggs, roasted mushrooms with thyme, turkey sausage links and a side of organic melon. I was a bit unnerved by the directions to reheat the scrambled eggs in the microwave, (I cringed as I followed the directions.), but to my surprise the re-heated eggs were quite tasty. When 11 o’clock rolled around I was ready for my first snack, a blueberry plum crumble with quinoa flakes. A little

Campus Circle > Culture > Food like dessert for breakfast, I was happy to indulge. Lunch came shortly after – maple and ginger glazed salmon with black sticky rice and sautéed spinach with sesame. This dish alone made Paleta worth every penny. The salmon was perfectly cooked and flaked apart effortlessly under the weight of my fork. This was no ordinary take out – it was thoughtful and purposeful; it felt too good for a lunchtime meal. So satisfied by my lunch I opted to skip my second snack, dolmas with balsamic vinegar and baby heirloom tomatoes, but my boyfriend happily enjoyed it. Dinnertime came and I opened my last meal of the day – Tuscan turkey meatballs, brown rice pasta, fresh marinara and broccolini. The salmon may have stolen my heart, but the turkey meatballs landed a close second both in flavor and presentation. Despite having the words “brown rice” in front of it, the pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and loaded with flavor of its own. The turkey meatballs were a bit dense, but carefully seasoned with herbs and spices that allowed me to overlook any textural mishaps. The marinara, a classic red sauce, was familiar and comforting and the broccolini, similar to rapini or long-stemmed sprouting broccoli, was steamed to perfection. The remaining four days proved to be equally appealing. Not one dish was repeated, and new items such as lemon risotto with asparagus and shrimp, and tenderloin steak with red onion marmalade, green beans and cumin scented sweet potato coins appeared. I was shocked when a loaded baked potato piled high with veggies and cheddar cheese landed in my lunchbox. How could something so delicious be healthy? Perhaps even more important than the delicious food, Paleta’s service fits my lifestyle. I wake up at 7 a.m. and am often not home before 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. It’s rare that I find time to shop at the farmers market or cook, but Paleta did

DOORSERVICE

hey, mr. fantasy Continued

by polites It’s 1:10 a.m. in Hollywood. It’s the Bitching Hour in this club, the last hour that the club is open, the hour in which most patrons are full of alcohol, drugs, testosterone and/or themselves. The Bitching Hour can either be an eternity or an instant to these clubgoers. For some, the home away from home visit has been successful, dancing and drinking the night away with friends they came with or maybe even making a few new friends under the strobe lights. For others, the mini vacation with a beat is ending too soon, as they check their cell phones in a panic to see that in less than an hour it will be time to vacate without a beat – and without a partner if they don’t start talking to possible hopeful prospects now. For most, one universal conclusion is clear, even if their thinking is not as it was upon entering the club: It’s the Bitching Hour, and long before the last rounds are bought, the final thoughts have already been thought. The final fantasy for most inside: to get laid. I’m beginning to wonder if Silver Medal Girl was one of the few whose priority was not getting laid but simply going out to have a good time, because after initially bitching about paying a cover at this late in the night a few minutes ago, she

Campus Circle 11.2.11 - 11.8.11

both for me; plus, they counted calories so I didn’t have to. And if that weren’t enough, Paleta is uniquely green in a way most restaurants and kitchens are not. They are the first foodservice company in Los Angeles to build a 100 percent green kitchen, and all of their packaging is either biodegradable or recyclable. So next time you get a plate of greasy take-out in a Styrofoam container, just remember there is another way. For more information, visit paleta.com.

Campus Circle > Blogs > Door Service didn’t even seem concerned with actually going in the club. Instead, she’s remained at the door after first contact with me reminding me of things I already know, such as, “People don’t go to clubs in L.A. for the real, they come for the fantasy – and to get laid.” Tell me something I didn’t know. “I have to go in now and meet my friend Stevie,” she says. This I didn’t know. “Now?” I ask. “Yeah, I’ve been standing here at the door for an eternity,” she jokes. It had only been a few minutes, but I suppose a few minutes of actual conversation in a club do seem like hours and hours of talking. Talking, that is, in a real conversation not the normal small talk, the prerequisite questions (aka Pree-Rees), such as: “Do you come here a lot?” “Where are you from?” “What do you do?” If he or she looks young enough: “Where do you go to school?” followed by “What’s your major?” These are called the Pre-Rees. There are a few more, but these are the basics. These are the Pre-Rees that will get most through the ice breaking moments, the awkward silence moments, the just the facts please moments, as well as the if worst comes to worst (or if best comes to worst as the night goes on) moments. For a select few, those asking the Pre-Ree questions really do want to know the answers because in a time and galaxy far away, this is how one actually got to introduce and further got to know others; actually speaking to them and asking these basic questions. This old-school way of genuinely wanting to know the answers to these questions by simply asking the person face to face may seem strange without texting or typing the questions and without looking at a photo of them on a screen; but again, this is a select few who prefer this. For most, however, the Pre-Rees are asked to filter out the Wannabees from the Real. The Wannabees know how to play the game and as the game goes, what their Pree-Ree

Polites

NEWS

questions really mean is essentially asking. “Do you come here a lot?” Meaning: “What can you do for me, besides buy me a drink?” “Where are you from?” Meaning: “What can you do for me, besides buy me a drink?” “What do you do?” Meaning: “Alright, I’ve pretended like I care through the first few questions, so really, what can you do for me, besides buy me a drink?” It usually works like a charm, at least the part where the guy buys the drink. A little honey does go a long way, but unfortunately for the Wannabees they normally have to go a long way away from this club to meet any guy who could make them a star. That would be a few miles away. This is the new Hollywood part of the city, or I should say the old part of the city that has become new to the Wannabees, the Put Ons and various other hipster types with good looks but no fame just yet.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle LIVESHOWREVIEWS

DaRon Jackson

URBANDRIVER

The Game had the entire House of Blues Sunset Strip jumping.

The Game Oct. 22 @ House of Blues Sunset Strip The Game gave a unique and sophisticated performance of his repertoire at the House of Blues in West Hollywood. After several opening acts, including newcomer Don Trip, the Game hit the stage with no hesitation. He was ready to rap his lungs out. Perhaps it was the venue. Perhaps it was the Saturday night, the crowd or the lively venue, but this was an awesome show of hip hop and rap. It is by far one of the best I have ever attended. With jeans, a white sleeveless shirt, a white Louis Vuitton belt and a black jacket, the Game walked into the scene in a humble manner and with no elements of shyness. The Game, who is a resident of Glendale but a native of Compton, performed a lot of tracks, which resulted in a near 45-minute show. From beginning to end, he displayed new material and classic hits from The Documentary, Doctor’s Advocate, LAX and The R.E.D. Album. Near the end, he closed off with “How We Do.” The track features acclaimed rapper 50-Cent, but the Game performed it to perfection on his own with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. At the age of 31, the Game has been active in the industry for nine years. He has also made appearances in movies, such as Waist Deep and Street Kings. Born Jayceon Terrell Taylor of African-American and Mexican-American descent, the Game has been controversial at times, but his talents behind the mic have kept him focused on the task at hand. His biggest musical influence will forever be Eazy-E. As a tribute to Notorious B.I.G., Eazy-E and Tupac, the Game sporadically asked his DJ to play certain tracks from those dead rappers. It was so much fun, for the crowd identified with all those tunes as much as the performer. —Marvin Vasquez

DJ Shadow Oct. 23 @ The Music Box As electronic music takes on new shapes and forms year after year, it’s hard to believe it’s been more than two decades since DJ Shadow first started constructing beats on a four-track recorder while in high school. Shadow, more formally known as Joshua Paul Davis, has come a long way since then, though. He’s produced five studio albums – not one more well-known than his 1996 debut, Endtroducing….., a musical masterpiece that introduced elements of instrumental hip hop to listeners worldwide and broke ground as the first LP to use strictly samples on every track. But Shadow’s affinity for incorporating a multitude of genres in his work much like he demonstrated throughout Endtroducing….. follows suit on his latest release, The Less You Know, The Better. And those who were able to make it to the Music Box in late October to see Davis close his Shadowsphere U.S. tour were certainly not disappointed by what they witnessed. Fans of the Northern California product, after all, were treated to not only one of the most unique stage setups I’ve ever seen, but also some of the world’s best turntablism. When you see Shadow perform in a live setting, it doesn’t take long to realize that he’s truly a master of his craft. In a time where electronic music continues to grow at a furious rate, there’s few who have mastered the art of DJing better than Davis. Even on a Sunday night, Shadow showed he still has the chops to enliven a Hollywood crowd, wowing it with exotic visual presentations and seamless sonic transitions that moved from alternative hip hop to drum ‘n’ bass to moments of trip hop and dubstep. What manifested, in fact, was more of a 90-minute clinic in DJing than anything else. Whether Davis was spinning his turntables or playing digital drums, keyboards and Akai MPC 3000s, his versatility and creativity remains unparalleled to none. Shadow may never make an album quite as noteworthy as Endtroducing….., but he’s still proving to be one of the most talented producers in the game today. —Josh Herwitt

2012 volkswagen passat tdi by sean oliver

This is not your grandfather’s diesel car. The new Volkswagen Passat TDI SEL is sure to take the mid-range diesel car to the next step in the alternative fuel race. While most are searching for new forms of powering vehicles – such as Honda and Nissan trying to take over the electric vehicle market, and Chevy, Ford and Toyota competing heavily over the hybrid market – Volkswagen and Mercedes have decided to take a step back in time with the exploration of diesel fuel. Volkswagen makes a strong case that more cars should check out a diesel-powered vehicle. Like many fuel-efficient cars, the Passat does not sacrifice speed or performance to keep money in your pocket. Exterior: Continuing the tradition of the Passat’s sporty and unique design of the past, Volkswagen decided to add a more futuristic and sleeker look with the slight lights and the sterling silver lining. The wheels are available in array of styles. The basic TDI comes well equipped with 17-inch sporty alloy wheels as options, or you can upgrade to the 18-inch alloy wheels, which really stand out on the road. Interior: Surprisingly, once in the driver’s seat, you’ll notice how spacious and roomy the interior is. Even with the lower price point, Volkswagen made it more elegant and upscale from the earlier models. For rear-seat passengers, the area isn’t enormous, but it’s definitely roomy enough for three adults. The Passat utilizes an array of plush amenities such as both automatic and manual transmissions, heated front seats, a touch-screen radio and a six-speed manual transmission, all for $25,995. You can let the wind blow in your hair and add a sunroof and a DSG (Direct-Shift Gearbox) as options (separately or as a package), navigation, Volkswagen’s Mobile Device Interface (MDI), fog lights and exterior chrome accents all in one package. The navigation system, not as advanced as many systems, is comprehensive and worked well. Its turn-byturn directions are provided in a separate display in the center of the dashboard between the tachometer and speedometer. The top-of-the-line Passat 2.0L TDI SEL, which can contend with any mid-range vehicle on the market, retails for $32,195. The 2.0 adds leather sports seats, keyless access and start, an upgraded navigation system, driver seat memory, a wood grain interior, eight-way power passenger seat, interior chrome accents and a Fender audio system that can produce concert-like sounds from your iPod’s and mp3 players. Performance: Before one even settles in the driver’s seat, the bragging and selling point with the new Passat is its achievement of an EPA highway fuel economy rating of 43 mpg. It gets 31 mpg in town, and the combined EPA rating is 35 mpg. These figures are entirely realistic and put it well ahead of the Toyota Camry Hybrid (31 mpg fuel economy/35 mpg town/33 mpg highway), the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (35 mpg fuel economy/40 mpg town/37 mpg highway) and the Ford Fusion (41 mpg fuel economy/36 mpg town/39 mpg highway). The Passat can still keep up with the gas-guzzlers on the road, and you don’t notice the slow drag many fuel-efficient cars suffer from. While the Passat TDI starts at a higher price point than the base SE, it’s far better equipped and is basically on par price-wise with the SEL gasoline variant, translating into no price penalty for choosing diesel given its incredible 800-mile range and 43 mpg fuel economy plus the elegant interior. The only problem you may notice with the diesel gas tank is that every gas station won’t be an option. So pay close attention to the diesel stations. Safety and Security: Similar to other Volkswagen TDI models including the Golf TDI and the Jetta TDI, the Passat provides excellent support in cornering and is superb for driving longer distances without inducing any back pain. The navigation system is easy enough to use, and the Passat gives a sense of safety once inside with the controlled and sturdy steering, coupled with front and power solid, vented disc brakes, a four-link independent rear suspension with telescopic shock absorbers and weight optimized, anti roll bar. You truly feel a strong sense of security, and this is a great car for parents to consider for their college-aged drivers.

Campus Circle 11.2.11 - 11.8.11

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PIGSKINBLITZ

USC BLOWS OPPORTUNITY, UCLA TaKES CAL by marvin vasquez

USC: The No. 20 ranked University of Southern California Trojans had it all up until the last moment, but a fumble ruined their chances to overtake the visiting No. 4 ranked Stanford Cardinal at the L.A. Coliseum on Saturday. USC’s 56-48 triple-overtime loss came in a thrilling fashion, but Stanford (8-0 overall, 6-0 Pac-12) was simply too much for the Trojans (6-2 overall, 3-2 Pac-12). At 8:56 in the first quarter, Stanford produced its first score. Heisman Trophy candidate Andrew Luck connected with Tyler Gaffney for a 10-yard touchdown that gave the Cardinal a 7-0 lead. Luck finished with 330 yards on 29-of-40 completed passes and three touchdowns. He was sacked twice and threw one interception. “I might need a couple minutes to digest it, but it’s definitely up there,” Luck tells the media after being asked where the game ranked for him amongst others. “More than anything, I’m just happy to get a win.” Kicker Andre Heidari, who finished the game two-for-

Campus Circle > Sports > Football two in field goals (including a 50-yard bomb before halftime), kicked the Trojans onto the scoreboard for three points with 14 seconds left in the first quarter. Stanford led 7-3. After several scoring drives from both squads, the game finally landed in overtime. After the first two periods, it was bound to be determined in the third OT since both teams were mandated into going for the two-point conversion if scoring a TD. Stanford capitalized first with their touchdown, which followed with the two-point conversion. USC tried to equalize the score, but failed to do so when running back Curtis McNeal fumbled the ball on a carry. “No excuse, I just fumbled,” McNeal says. “I feel like beating myself up, but I’ve just got to keep pushing. I’m going to face worse things in life. I just have to keep my head up.” Barkley finished with 284 passing yards on 28-of-45 completions. He had three passing TDs and an interception. McNeal, arguably the player of the game for USC despite the fumble, rushed for 145 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns that included a 61-yard ecstatic scoring run. The USC receivers saw solid productivity, especially in the hands of Marqise Lee, Robert Woods and Randall Telfer. Lee finished with seven catches for 94 yards and a touchdown, while Woods grabbed nine receptions for 89 yards and a TD. Telfer had five grabs for 45 yards and one score. Trojan head coach Lane Kiffin was not very pleased with the officials of the game but went on to show that USC/ Stanford games are now a rivalry. “It’s a great rivalry,” he says. “We’ve had two great games with them that we haven’t been able to finish off.” USC travels to Colorado for a game on Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. UCLA: The Bruins (4-4 overall, 3-2 Pac-12) captured an important win over the visiting California Bears by a score

GALAXYKICK

L.A. TOPS NY in leg one by marvin vasquez

The L.A. Galaxy began their postseason quest on the right track, with a 1-0 victory over the New York Red Bulls on the road on Sunday afternoon. It was the Galaxy’s first-ever road win over New York in the playoffs. “It was a great performance, one of our absolutely better games by far, for a couple of months,” New York head coach Hans Backe states during the press conference afterward. “We totally controlled the game, dictated the game. We had four huge chances to tie the game. To me, this is totally wide open. If we can perform like this on Thursday, we have won before in L.A. and we can do it again.” With the win that came with over 22,000 fans in attendance, the Galaxy are just a tie away from clinching a semifinal berth, which would be played at home. Meanwhile, the Red Bulls face a must win situation later this week to advance. “It was great to get three points, but I don’t think we were too happy with the way we played,” forward Mike Magee says. “I don’t think we played the way we’ve been playing all year. We took our foot off the gas, and we stopped passing. We didn’t put away that second one, which would have been huge. Even though we won, it’s a weird feeling because we didn’t play the way we’re used to.” Magee was actually the player who scored and eventually

Campus Circle 11.2.11 - 11.8.11

Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/MCT

FILM

Southern Cal running back Curtis McNeal of 31-14 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena on Saturday. Isi Sofele gave Cal a 7-0 lead with a rushing touchdown in the first quarter, but the Bruins never looked back after that. Johnathan Franklin tied the game with an 11-yard TD at 6:37 in the second quarter. After that, Derrick Coleman took over; he scored three touchdowns. “I trust my linemen. They know what they were up against, but they had no concern,” Coleman depicts. “They knew they had to come out and be physical. They knew that their defensive line was going to come out and attack them, but that’s why we tried to come out and have a bigger heart.” Coleman had 16 rushes for 80 yards, while quarterback Kevin Prince rushed the ball 19 times for 163 yards, but no scores. Prince was not afraid to run the ball. His coach gave him the freedom to do so. “If it’s one-on-one, I’ll lower the shoulder,” Prince says. “If it’s a couple more guys, I try to get down and slide. But coach Neuheisel talked to me about that on Tuesday; running against Arizona last week, I was a little more cautious. [He] told me not to worry about that and just to run as hard as I can.” UCLA hosts Arizona State on Nov. 5, at 4:30 p.m.

Campus Circle > Sports > Soccer gave the Galaxy a heads up. In the 15th minute, English midfielder David Beckham found himself doing what he did best throughout the regular season: serving balls for his teammates to score. “He is intelligent, technically good and just has a real good feel for the game. He is a real good player. I would have to say the majority of his career has been as a forward,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena tells the media of Magee. “He has always been a player that I felt was very good in the penalty area. As he has matured as a person physically and tactically with the game, he has been able to accept a variety of roles. He has played now, first a goalkeeper this year, a defender, midfielder and forward. He is a very versatile and smart player.” Magee fired and penetrated the back of the net on a leftfooted shot past New York goalkeeper Frank Rost to make the score 1-0. “I know the ball got laid to David, and he played a brilliant ball through that. Robbie did well not to continue his run because I think he was off,” Magee says. “The ball was a perfect weight, and I just had to put it on goal.” That was Magee’s third playoff career goal, and the assist was Beckham’s fourth during the postseason. Prior to the score, Irish forward Robbie Keane, who made his MLS playoff debut, almost scored in the 11th minute. Los Angeles goalkeeper Josh Saunders made his first-ever start in goal during a playoff game, making five saves for the squad. As a team, the Red Bulls outshot the Galaxy 17-9 and also led in shots on goal with a 5-3 edge. Near the end of the game, both Brazilian Juninho and Mexican Rafael Márquez were ejected for misconduct. They will not see action in the next match, as they will serve a one game suspension.

lagalaxy.com

NEWS

The Galaxy’s Josh Saunders made his first playoff start in goal. Both the Galaxy and Red Bulls square off in leg two of the two-match series on Thursday, Nov. 3, at the Home Depot Center in Carson. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m. and will be shown live on ESPN2. “It’s another tough game,” Beckham says of Thursday’s affair. “This fight is far from over. They’re a good team, they’ve got good players and they’re going to create a lot of chances. It’s up to us to defend well and obviously attack well. It’s far from over.” Arena knows it will be a difficult game. “Well, the game on Thursday is going to be a hard game. When you go on the road, you want to be in this position; to go home with three points,” he says. “It’s a good position to be in, but this series is far from over. I would rather be the team going home with the three points. It’s a great position to be in, but I still think the game will be difficult on Thursday.”

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CALENDAR20-SOMETHINGS

Campus Circle > Calendar

BY FREDERICK MINTCHELL FRIDAYNOV. 4

West Coast Franchise Expo

SATURDAYNOV. 5

L.A. Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa, Downtown; wcfexpo.com This largest franchise event in the west brings together hundreds of leading companies along with thousands of candidates. It’s your chance to meet with representatives at every investment level, full time or part time – from names you know to the new concepts you’ll love. The expo floor features hundreds of exhibitors. There are also 40 information-packed seminars and symposia available; and most of the sessions are free. Runs through Sunday.

WEDNESDAYNOV. 2 Día de los Muertos Music & Art Festival El Gallo Plaza, 4545 Cesar Chavez Ave. Downtown; alborde.com A night of music, art exhibits, beautiful altars, pan dulce, hot chocolate, café and tamales. Includes a special performance by El Conjunto Nueva Ola. 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. FREE.

WEDNESDAYNOV. 2 Jerry West ESPN Zone at L.A. Live, 1011 S. Figueroa; lalive.com/eat/espn-zone The NBA and L.A. Laker Hall of Famer will sign his book, West By West: My Charmed, Tormented Life, accompanied by fellow all-pros Fred Dryer, Rich Saul and Dennis Harrah. 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAYNOV. 2 Spotlight on Contemporary Korean Cinema kccla.org The CGV Cinema and the Linwood Dunn Theater will be hosting some of the finest films in contemporary Korean cinema. All screenings are free, but you must RSVP to kfilmweek1@kccla.org with the film title, date and location. Runs through Nov. 5.

THURSDAYNOV. 3 AFI Fest afi.com/afifest Los Angeles’ longest running international film festival celebrates international cinema from modern masters and emerging filmmakers that features nightly red-carpet galas, special screenings, conversations and tributes. The AFI Fest is still the only film festival in the United States to hold the prestigious FIAPF accreditation, assuring a high standard of quality and reliability for the international film community. Runs through Nov. 10.

FRIDAYNOV. 4 C.W Moss: Unicorn Being a Jerk Meltdown Comics, 7522 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; meltcomics.com The author/illustrator signs his book – and shows a video – based on the popular comic, which reveals that unicorns are not the majestic creatures we think they are, but jerks whose petty, selfish antics include stomping on children’s sandcastles, bringing a guitar to

parties and parking in handicap spots at the mall. 7 p.m.-9 p.m.

FRIDAYNOV. 4 The Fall 5000 Super Adoption laanimalalliance.org/fall5000.php The Los Angeles Animal Alliance presents an unprecedented adoption campaign with a goal of finding homes for 5,000 shelter animals in the month of November. The campaign kicks off with a weekend Super Adoption at participating shelters featuring discounted adoption fees and giveaways, personal matchmakers and behavior trainers. 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Runs through Sunday.

FRIDAYNOV. 4 TimesTalks LACMA, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles; nytimes.whsites.net/timestalks Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Naomi Watts will be on hand following a screening of J. Edgar at 6 p.m. Saturday, Academy Award nominee and two-time Tony Award winner Viola Davis talks about her roles in The Help and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. Then Oscar nominee John C. Reilly and Oscar winner Christoph Waltz discuss their roles in Roman Polanski’s Carnage and Reilly’s work in Lynne Ramsay’s We Need to Talk about Kevin. $25 per session.

SATURDAYNOV. 5 Amoeba’s Monthly Charity Auction Amoeba Music, 6400 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood; amoeba .com This month’s guest-host is stand-up comedian, actor and host of the popular comedy podcast “Never Not Funny,” Jimmy Pardo. 4 p.m. FREE.

Glamourcon Hilton Long Beach, 701 W. Ocean Blvd.; glamourcon.com The celebrity-driven event features dozens of Playboy Playmates from the past five decades, as well as many other glamour and pin-up models. The vendors sell autographs, trading cards, catalogs, magazines, books, photos, original pin up art, videos and much more. There are vendors demonstrating their Internet sites, offering glamour photography workshops and providing helpful seminars in a number of glamour related topics. Also Sunday.

and more. Fans will also be treated to a special sneak preview of an upcoming episode. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. FREE.

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SATURDAYNOV. 5 Downtown Burbank Arts Festival

downtown-burbank.org Browse thousands of works of art for sale, participate in interactive art projects and enjoy nonstop live entertainment at this fourblock event held on San Fernando Boulevard between Magnolia Boulevard and Olive Avenue. The show features more than 100 outstanding artists and the next generation of talent from Burbank schools, as well as numerous opportunities to support quality arts education with Burbank Arts for All. Also Sunday. FREE.

SATURDAYNOV. 5 Molly Shannon

Barnes & Noble, 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles; barnesandnoble.com The comedienne reads and signs her new book, Tilly the Trickster, the story of a mischievous girl who loves nothing more than causing some trouble. 1 p.m.

SATURDAYNOV. 5 Synapse Dance Theater Contemporary Dance Ensemble

The Broad Stage, 1310 11th St., Santa Monica; smc.edu/ACG/Marketing/Events/ Paqges/Dance.aspx Santa Monica College’s contemporary dance ensemble showcases new repertoire by guest and faculty artists and student choreographers. Styles include contemporary ballet, contemporary modern, jazz, hip hop/ jazz, punking/wacking and more. 4 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. Also Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

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SATURDAYNOV. 5 Bill Maher

Gibson Amphitheatre, 100 Universal City Plaza; billmaher.com The host of HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” has never been afraid to be Politically Incorrect. 8:15 p.m.

SATURDAYNOV. 5 “Days of Our Lives” Fan Event

Universal CityWalk, 100 Universal City Plaza; daysofourlives.com Meet your favorites from Salem during autograph signings, a Q&A session, raffles

includes the Phil Spector trial and a 1950s El Segundo cold case police shooting. Proceeds benefit the CSULA Criminalistics department. 11:30 a.m. $36.50.

SUNDAYNOV. 6 Deep Identifications: Using National Evidence Databases to Solve Local Crimes

Hertz-Davis Forensic Science Center, 1800 Paseo Ranco Castilla, Cal State Los Angeles; esotouric.com/crimelab-11-6-11 Forensics and true crime junkies, rejoice. The regional crime lab at Cal State L.A. will present an afternoon of lectures and tours of their state-of-the-art facility. This exploration of the scientific investigation of violent death, revealed through methods of database-driven evidence analysis and select case histories,

SUNDAYNOV. 6 Terry Gilliam Double Feature

Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; americancinematheque.com First up is his feature film debut, the comedy classic, Monty Python and the Holy Grail followed by his five-time Oscar nominated, The Fisher King. 7:30 p.m. $11, $9 w/student ID.

MONDAYNOV. 7 Back to School with Ben Cohen

USC; usc.edu After years of playing pro rugby in Europe, Cohen retired to focus attention on his foundation, which supports equality for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community and help at-risk youth by standing up against bullying. 7:30 p.m. FREE.

MONDAYNOV. 7 Documentary Film Festival

ArcLight Hollywood, 6360 Sunset Blvd.; arclightcinemas.com Out of the submitted trailers, the top 10 with the most votes will be entered into the festival and then judged by a panel of industry professionals. Two films will be screened each night and the judges’ decision for the Grand Prize winner will be announced at the closing gala Nov. 12 with the winner earning $10,000. Runs through Nov. 12.

TUESDAYNOV. 8 Bill Burr

Comedy & Magic Club, 1018 Hermosa Ave., Hermosa Beach; comedyandmagicclub.com The one-time regular on “Chappelle’s Show,” “Late Show with David Letterman” and “Conan O’Brien” recently had his second special on Comedy Central to go along with his guest arc on this past season of “Breaking Bad.” 8 p.m. $20.p.m.

For more events, visit campuscircle.com/calendar. To submit an event for consideration, e-mail calendar@campuscircle.net.

Campus Circle 11.2.11 - 11.8.11

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