Campus Circle Newspaper Vol. 21 Issue 14

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ERIC

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IGHT DIRECTED BY JOE WR BROTHERS E CHEMICAL ORIGINAL SCORE BY TH

R DIE O T P A D A Y A D I R F THIS

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04 NEWS COLLEGE CENTRAL 05 BLOGS THE GREENER SIDE 19 BLOGS COLORS OF CULTURE 20 BLOGS BARFLY 23 BLOGS TREND BLENDER 23 BLOGS THE WING GIRLS 06 FILM RUSSELL BRAND Puts a New Twist on the Beloved Billionaire Playboy, Arthur 06 FILM CEREMONY Writer-Director Max Winkler’s Debut, Starring Uma Thurman 07 FILM PROJECTIONS 08 FILM SAOIRSE RONAN Assassin in Training as Hanna

www.summer.ucr.edu

08 FILM ROSS THOMAS Gets Brotherly in Soul Surfer 10 FILM MOVIE REVIEWS 12 FILM TV TIME 13 FILM DVD DISH 14 MUSIC PETE YORN Celebrates 10 Years of musicforthemorningafter 15 MUSIC ALL TIME LOW Get Down and Dirty at Club Nokia 15 MUSIC FREQUENCY 16 MUSIC THE BELLE BRIGADE Unveil Their Self-Titled Debut 16 MUSIC NOTES 17 MUSIC REPORT

campus circle April 6 - April 12, 2011 Vol. 21 Issue 14

Editor-in-Chief Jessica Koslow editor.chief@campuscircle.net Managing Editor/Art Director Yuri Shimoda managing.editor@campuscircle.net Film Editor Jessica Koslow film.editor@campuscircle.net Music Editor Yuri Shimoda music.editor@campuscircle.net Editorial Interns Dana Jeong, Cindy KyungAh Lee

Contributing Writers Tamea Agle, Priscilla Andrade, Laura Bertocci, Mary Broadbent, Erica Carter, Richard Castañeda, Deepthi Cauligi, Nick Day, Amanda D’Egidio, Natasha Desianto, Sean Fitz-Gerald, Stephanie Forshee, Jacob Gaitan, Christian Goss, Denise Guerra, Ximena Herschberg, Josh Herwitt, Zach Hines, Da Ron Jackson, Alexandre Johnson, Mike Matusiewicz, Hiko Mitsuzuka, Brendan Michael Newton, Stephanie Nolasco, Samantha Ofole, Kristen Orola, Brien Overly, Ariel Paredes, Sasha Perl-Raver, Eva Recinos, Dov Rudnick, Brianne Schaer, Mike Sebastian, Doug Simpson, John Stapleton IV, David Tobin, Drew Vaeth, James Violette, Kevin Wierzbicki, The Wing Girls, Candice Winters

Contributing Artists & Photographers Tamea Agle, Jacob Gaitan, Josh Herwitt ADVERTISING Sean Bello sean.bello@campuscircle.net Joy Calisoff joy.calisoff@campuscircle.net Jon Bookatz Music Sales Manager jon.bookatz@campuscircle.net Ronit Guedalia ronit.guedalia@campuscircle.net

18 MUSIC CD REVIEWS 18 MUSIC LIVE SHOW REVIEWS

Calendar Editor Frederick Mintchell

13 CULTURE L.A. MOVES 17 CULTURE PAGES 20 CULTURE ON THE MENU 22 CULTURE GET UP, GET OUT 22 CULTURE CURTAIN CALL 12 SPORTS THE COLLEGE PITCH 12 SPORTS DODGERS 411 21 EVENTS THE 10 SPOT Cover: The International Quidditch Association Western Cup Photo Credit: Laura Bertocci

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Campus Circle newspaper is published 49 times a year and is available free at 35 schools and over 500 retail locations throughout Los Angeles.

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QUIDDITCH

For more information, visit internationalquidditch.org.

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Laura Bertocci

Teams prepare for a match at the Western Cup.

The Arizona State University Sun Devils celebrate their victory.

Laura Bertocci

The real-life Quidditch Western Cup tournament took place in Cheviot Hills Park this past weekend in the biggest ever quidditch-related event to occur west of the Mississippi. Eleven teams from all over the western half of the nation competed for the tinfoil-wrapped trophy and the championship title, eventually won by Arizona State University. Participating teams included Arizona State University, Emerson College, Moorpark College, Occidental College, San Diego Devil Snares, San Jose State University, Silicon Valley Skrewts, University of California at Berkeley, University of California at Los Angeles, University of Southern California and the University of Utah.

Quidditch is a sport adapted from the Harry Potter series, fictionally played in the air on flying brooms. The real-life version is earthbound, and players must hold their Nimbus 2000s between their legs as they sprint, presenting the challenge of throwing and catching balls with only one hand. The four Chasers pass the quaffle (a volleyball) between them, trying to score it through one of the three mounted hoops that serve as goals at the opposite end of the field. They are pursued by the opposite team’s Bludgers, who hurl dodgeballs at the players while they pass. If a player is hit, they must drop the quaffle (if they have it) and run a lap around their own goal posts before they can continue playing. Each team has a seeker (the position played by Harry Potter), who must try to catch the 15-point value snitch.

Unlike the original version, the snitch is not a small winged ball, but rather an evasive cross-country runner with a sock containing a tennis ball tucked into the waistband. Capture of the sock ends the game.

“Some people think that we’re wussies,” says Willie O’Reilly of the Arizona State University Sun Devils. “But they don’t realize how hard the sport really is.”

Quidditch demands a certain level of endurance and coordination in order to sprint the length of the pitch and catch the balls while dodging Bludgers and players. Being a full contact sport, most players have sustained considerable injuries in addition to the constant inner thigh broom-burn, but to them it’s worth it.

“I’m willing to break some bones for this,” says ASU player Ryann Padilla.

In Cheviot Hills Park, the teams lined up during the opening ceremonies to take their turns running a lap around the pitch, captains holding a wand aloft like a bandleader. The teams surrounded Commissioner of the International Quidditch Association Alex Benepe and Western Regional Director Harrison Homel, who stood next to a cardboard box with the tinfoil cup sculpture on top.

“If you guys cheer loud enough, Harrison might be able to do some magic,” Benepe tells the crowd. After screams of “QUIDDITCH!” reach a climax, the cup is “magically” lowered into the box by the people crouched inside, and a dove is launched into the air.

The ceremonies marked the beginning of the two-day event, which included breaks for meals and entertainment in addition to quidditch play. Wizard rock band the Remus Lupins performed on the first night, during a bonfire on the beach. Alongside the pitch, vendors sold pumpkin pastries out of tents, and Harry Potter novelty store Whimsic Alley displayed their elaborate inventory, which ranges from quills to books entitled Harry Potter Should Have Died.

The teams squared off on the pitch, taking off after referees declared, “The snitches are loose!” Dashing across the field, players weaved and jumped, finding ever-more creative ways to evade their opponents. Commentator Jacob Berry embodied Lee Jordan, his fictional counterpart, known for his hilarious jokes and biased narration of the game.

“I’m not saying that UCLA is worse, I’m just saying they’re ugly,” he jokes in good fun. Despite players’ dogged determination, there are rarely hard feelings at the end of a game, according to players. A disputed score led to a three-minute overtime round between UCLA and Moorpark, and although UCLA remained victorious, there were still smiles, hugs and handshakes at the end of the game.

“Everyone in quidditch has such a positive attitude,” says Chief Operations Officer Alicia Radford. “Something like [the overtime round] never would have happened in football. The most important thing is always that you’re playing quidditch.”

Alex Benepe is one of the original founders of quidditch, helping his friend Xander Manshel adapt the rules during their days at Middlebury College. Now that the sport has gained notoriety, it has become his full-time job. He arranges tournaments across the country, attending in a Willy Wonka-esque pinstriped three-piece suit, a top hat and red sunglasses.

“A little kid once asked me if I was the Mayor of Quidditch,” he says of the outfit. “I told him ‘Absolutely.’”

Benepe hopes to see the sport continue to expand.

Laura Bertocci

by laura bertocci

Commissioner of the IQA Alex Benepe and Western Regional Director Harrison Homel

Become a CAMPUS CIRCLE Fan on Facebook http://bit.ly/dhFhEE THEGREENERSIDE

by deepthi cauligi

Apple undoubtedly rules the electronic era. Just when you think you have the latest Apple gadget, they come out with another one of those must-have electronic gizmos. After the much-awaited Verizon iPhone comes the iPad 2. This revised version exploded the market and sold 400,000 to 500,000 in the first weekend of its release.

However, competition is inevitable, and iPad 2 is pitted against some major competition. But Apple’s product still remains on the top. The top rivals include Motorola Xoom and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab. Though iPad 2 sticks out, these tablets are not far behind. iPad 2: Keeping the price the same as the older generation, the features of iPad 2 are slightly tweaked to make it more sleek, if that is possible. The older model of iPad was berated for its name and also called a larger format of iPhone. It took a while for Apple to establish its new tablet. Soon, after basking in praise for its sheer sleekness, this gadget became a style statement like other Apple products.

The hype surrounding iPad 2 helped in boosting the sales and breaking the record set by the previous model. This sleek gizmo has front and back cameras. However, the best part of this electronic piece is its size. The new iPad is 33 percent thinner with an 8.4 mm frame (even sleeker than the iPhone 4) and weighs 1.3 pounds, which is around 15 percent lighter than the first version. This is the lightest it can get.

Steve Jobs, during the launch of his prized product, said,

“With all this new technology onboard, surely something’s gotta give. But we have managed to maintain our legendary iPad battery life, giving 10 hours of battery.”

So it’s true; not only is the price the same as before, but the battery life is also maintained. Kudos to Mr. Jobs!

Of course iPad 2 is not perfect. Shocking, isn’t it? Yes, the photo quality is still the same (very low) and there is still no Adobe Flash support. Also, ports for HDMI, USB and SD all require adapters. But considering the stylish and userfriendly look, these drawbacks can be overlooked.

Fun Fact: The iPad 2 is about the same weight as a juicy red apple.

Deepthi Cauligi

TABLET WARS

Campus Circle > Blogs > The Greener Side

Motorola Xoom: Xoom is zooming its way up. For all those geeks out there, this tablet has 3-D games and images in addition to a HDMI output, a dual-core processor and Google’s tablet-optimized version of Android. Yes, all these on a 10.1-inch screen with back and rear cameras. Weighing 730 grams, this tablet feels like a tank in comparison to the ultra-thin iPad 2.

Priced at $800 off-contract and $600 with a two-year contract with Verizon, Xoom falls on the expensive side.

Xoom is definitely in the lead, closing in on iPad because it has two things that are missing in the new version of iPad 2 – Adobe Flash and a 5MP camera. This heavyweight tablet definitely is a strong contender to Apple’s new gem.

Fun Fact: Xoom has a barometer, so you can stick your dandy tablet out of your window when you think it might rain and check the barometric pressure.

more convenient size. The price is reasonable at $400 with a two-year contract and $600-$650 without a contract.

Galaxy Tab is in between iPad 2 and Motorola Xoom.

Both Xoom and Galaxy Tab run on Android OS; however, the latter is smaller and more comfortable to handle. The Android apps are still not designed for larger screens. This device behaves more like a supersized Android phone than a Netbook alternative. This cute little tablet may be good, but definitely nowhere near Apple’s iPad. Fun Fact: Galaxy Tab comes with Swype, like the Android phones. It allows a user to enter a word by sliding a finger from letter to letter, lifting only between words. It’s fun and cool!

Samsung Galaxy Tab: Good things come in small packages.

This saying holds true for Samsung’s tablet. This seven-inch Android tablet boasts two cameras, flash compatibility and a

When all is said and done, iPad 2 still remains the king of tablets, and Apple continues to dominate the electronic market. What’s your pick?

Apple’s iPad2 has competition but remains on top.

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FILMINTERVIEWS

ARTHUR

Russell Brand gives the bubbly billionaire a reboot. by sasha perl-raver When unemployment numbers still hover in the double digits and many people face the choice between having health insurance or paying their rent, it can be difficult to relate to a character who squanders money on total frivolity, has no skills or responsibilities but lives in the lap of luxury.

That is, unless you’re talking about the loveably lascivious whirling dervish also known as Russell Brand.

In his new film, Arthur, a remake of the 1981 Dudley Moore-Liza Minnelli original, Brand stars as Arthur Bach, a billionaire man-child overseen by his nanny, Hobson (Helen Mirren), who faces losing his inheritance if he chooses love with a spunky tour guide (Greenberg star Greta Gerwig) over an arranged marriage.

Directed by Jason Winer, the co-executive producer and director of “Modern Family,” and written by Peter Baynham, the man responsible for Sacha Baron Cohen’s outstanding mockumentaries, Borat and Brüno, the film’s cast and crew are well aware that their film depicts a side of life few can relate to, but that’s what makes it such fun to watch.

“Arthur’s world is escapism,” Winer explains during a press conference for the film.

Mirren adds, “This movie is for anyone who has ever bought a lotto ticket.”

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews She’s also willing to admit that being a famous actor has financial perks not unlike Arthur’s. When the cast is asked what their greatest splurge has been, Mirren admits with slight hesitation, “A castle in Puglia. It’s in the bottom of the heel of the boot of Italy. It’s been like turning the taps on full and money just pouring out.”

On the other end of the spectrum is Gerwig, a heavy hitter in the world of mumblecore independent cinema inching her way into the waters of Hollywood with recent turns in films like No Strings Attached.

“Umm, I still live with roommates,” she giggles. “My biggest indulgence is flying home to Sacramento more.”

“What?! At this time of economic suffering? You fat cat,” Brand chides, before sidestepping the question by saying, “We all know the greatest poverty one can have is to be lonely.”

Remaking Arthur, with or without our current recession, has been a sticky subject from the beginning as loyal fans of the original decried a reboot.

“At first, I was skeptical,” Winer admits. “Arthur was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, and it was in heavy rotation when my family first got cable. It was this awesome naughty glimpse into adulthood.”

Calling it “a mix of comedy, drama and a love story,” Winer says “it’s the kind of movie studios might not make anymore were it not for the comfort of the title.”

However, everyone felt, with the right combination of elements, starting with Brand signing on to star and produce, it could be remade well. Once Brand, who adds, “I love the original! Dudley Moore is a great inspiration of mine,” was onboard, they set out finding the right female leads.

Mirren, who recalls that on the second day of shooting she had to punch Brand in the arm and tell him, “Stop respecting me,” says the film was “an education for me. I’ve

FILMINTERVIEWS

CEREMONY

A Wink(ler) and a Nod to Classic Literature by sasha perl-raver Woven with elements of The Catcher in the Rye and The Great Gatsby and infused with a Wes Anderson sensibility, first-time writer-director Max Winkler charges out of the gate with his debut feature, Ceremony. Written in just two weeks spent holed up in his friend Jason Reitman’s office, who would become the film’s producer, Ceremony is about a young man (Michael Angarano doing something of a Sam Rockwell impression), who crashes the pre-wedding festivities of his crush, Uma Thurman, and her pompous, posturing fiancé, Lee Pace.

Winkler, the son of Henry Winkler, aka the Fonz, was just 25 years old when the film went into production. Two years later, at the Four Seasons Hotel, looking like a hybrid of Anderson and Spike Jonze, dressed in a tan suit that could have been stolen from Fantastic Mr. Fox, the talented young hyphenate, who admits he finds every aspect of writing torturous but all the elements of directing transcendent, sat down with his stars to discuss making his first feature.

Asked about the Gatsby and Anderson tones of his film, Winkler admits he was influenced by “everything from the Marx Brothers to Hal Ashby to Mike Nichols. Woody Allen calls it ‘The Anxiety of Influence.’ You grow up loving movies, and those movies that make you want to make movies get

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Barry Wetcher

FILM

Russell Brand and Greta Gerwig in Arthur never done a film that was called a comedy before. That was one of the reasons I wanted to do it.”

Gerwig reveals she was “a huge fan of Russell,” before going into audition to be his love interest.

“Like most Americans I discovered him in Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” she says, “and then I watched all the deleted scenes on the DVD and his YouTube videos. I had such a crush on [him]! But in a schoolgirl way.”

“Actually, I really hope [people see] your audition tape eventually,” Winer interjects.

“Yeah!” Brand grins. “We had seen tons of actresses and [after Greta left], it was the end of the day and I was all quiet and Jason said, ‘What’s wrong?’ and I said, ‘I’m sad now that she’s gone,’ because I’d so enjoyed playing with her.”

“I made you laugh!” Gerwig beams. “One beautiful time.”

“She made Russell break. And it was the first time I’d seen that happen,” Winer says. “I saw this sweetness that she brought out in him that I really wanted to be in the character.”

Arthur releases in theaters April 8.

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews inside of you and hopefully never leave. I hope to make movies that are love letters to what came before me.”

Thurman, wearing a grey suit over a beautiful flowing white lace blouse that was a Christmas present from Givenchy, adds, “You could say there’s Robert Altman, there’s Woody Allen, there’s Great Gatsby, there’s a touch of Holden Caulfield, a very strong touch,” she smiles. “It’s all the things that influenced Max. That’s why I think the film is so special, and the characters are so real and vivid; it’s written in a very honest fashion. It’s someone sharing with you their vision of life. I read Max’s script, and I knew right away he had to have a lot of emotional intelligence and be very bright and sophisticated.

He had me by page two.”

Winkler reveals that the story, though not autobiographical, was “really personal for both [me and Michael]. It’s a portrait of a reckless, heartbroken man that was written by one and played by one.”

Heartbreak isn’t the only thing Angarano and Winkler share. Seated next to each other, they frequently erupt with playful banter as if no one else is in the room.

“They’re really in love with each other,” Thurman offers warmly, knocking the guys back to reality so they can drench their co-star in compliments, all of which she bats away as if she were shooing flies.

“Uma walks into a room, and there’s a glow around her,” Angarano begins.

“Yeah,” Winkler jumps in. “We’re used to seeing her kill 200 ninjas with a samurai sword, but in actuality she has that glow about her that she has in the movie. She has that extra thing.”

“It’s like she floats when she walks into a room,” Angarano continues. “She’s truly one of the underrated actresses of our generation. To see her play a character that’s so similar to her own personality and being as sensitive and smart and

Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

NEWS

Writer-director Max Winkler on the set of Ceremony neurotic—” “And funny,” both men offer in unison.

“She was a breath of fresh air,” Angarano says.

For Winkler, having a star of Thurman’s caliber or a crew looking to him at every moment was all part of the fun on set. Asked if his father prepared him for what being a director would mean, Winkler laughs and reveals his father’s main concern was that he “was wearing comfortable shoes on set.

He was very concerned about my back because I don’t like to sit down very much, and you don’t sit down at all when you’re directing—” “‘Max, I’m very concerned about your back,’” Angarano imitates.

“So he took me to the New Balance store and got me shoes that I never wore because they were so ugly,” Winkler grins. “We edited the movie in my childhood bedroom, so you’d want to be as much of an adult as possible because studio people would be in there and my dad would walk in, in flannel pants and his fishing hat with, like, a chocolate cake for everyone. It was hard to continue my myth of being an adult when that happens.”

Ceremony releases in select theaters April 8.

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PROJECTIONS

“

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cult classic.

- Troy Patterson, Spin

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THIS FILM IS PURE

AhotGladICies!

M IE V O M Comedy violence

Dress up like your favorite Wizard of Oz character and sing-a-long!

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April 9 @ Alex Theatre by candice winters

I love me a good musical. If the choreography is right and the songs are catchy, I give my support to the film genre its opening night, as well as several more showings during its theatrical run. There is something particularly comforting about the musical, a warm and fuzzy feeling that comedy alone can’t stimulate.

Historically, the movie musical was a natural development from the stage musical, and the film musical maintains some remnants of the theater. Actors perform the song and dance as if there was an audience behind the camera’s barrier, watching along with the camera lens. The first musical films were shorts made by Lee de Forest between 1923 and 1924, although these and others from this time featured a musical soundtrack without synchronized sound.

The Jazz Singer (1927) was not only the first film to feature synchronized dialogue, but it was also the first feature film that was a musical. By 1930, Hollywood released over 100 musicals in that year alone, causing the American public to become so oversaturated with the genre that studios cut back. Only 14 musicals were released in 1931.

Director Busby Berkeley revived the genre in 1933 with films such as 42nd Street and Gold Diggers of 1933. Berkeley was known for infusing the musical numbers with brilliant routines that arranged human bodies in formations that could not possibly fit on a stage and that formed a kaleidoscope pattern meant to be viewed from straight above. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers became popular personalities in this era for their films, Top Hat (1935) and Shall We Dance (1937).

In the 1940s and 1950s, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer hit it big when Arthur Freed headed a smaller production unit of the studio that focused solely on updating the old musical form. With his team, Freed produced such memorable films as Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), On the Town (1949), An American in Paris (1951) and Singin’ in the Rain (1952).

The 1960s reaffirmed the popularity of the traditional musical with West Side Story (1961), My Fair Lady (1964) and The Sound of Music (1965). Though she can’t professionally sing any longer, Julie Andrews will still forever be our queen of the movie musical. Then came the postmodern era of filmmaking that influenced the musical in an interesting way. Children in the 1990s were raised on Disney musicals like The Little Mermaid (1989) and Aladdin (1992), to name a few. Film auteurs took hold of the genre and shook it up at the turn of the millennia. Baz Luhrmann directed both the highly popular Moulin Rouge! (2001) and lesser-liked Nine (2009).

The musical will never go out of the theater completely, as long as we still support the efforts of filmmakers and encourage exhibitors to show them. In January of 1995 for their second event ever, Alex Film Society presented The Wizard of Oz (1939) on the big screen at the Alex Theater in Glendale. They have had over 100 events and only repeated one until now. They are rescreening The Wizard of Oz, but adding an exciting twist. They’re letting the audience sing along. For the Sing-A-Long Wizard of Oz, the movie experience is turned interactive. The Alex Film Society is encouraging attendees to dress up as their favorite characters on Saturday, April 9, for two showings at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. It’s an event for fans of all ages to relive the moments we were raised on. (Remember the first time you saw the Munchkin Land in all its colorful glory? Magical.)

I have been to a Sing-A-Long showing for The Sound of Music, and it was possibly the most fun I’ve had in quite some time. The organizers of the event go all out on keeping the fun going throughout the film. A little advice: If you haven’t seen The Wizard of Oz before, I don’t recommend you see it in this setting for your first time. People tend to get rowdy, singing along and yelling out the dialogue. Almost comparable to the infamous midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), these Sing-A-Longs are taken seriously, so only those serious about participating should attend.

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FILMINTERVIEWS

hanna

Saoirse Ronan kicks ass. by hiko mitsuzuka Most girls usually spend their sweet 16 obsessing over the right dress, partying all night with friends, and if Mommy and Daddy are financially stable enough, enjoying a pimped-out new ride they can show off at school the next morning.

Not Saoirse Ronan. The star of the upcoming actionthriller Hanna spent her 16th birthday beating up Eric Bana, jumping out of windows in Berlin, Germany, and then squeezing in a Lady Gaga concert at the end of her hectic day.

Saoirse (that’s pronounced Sur-sha) plays the titular character, a young girl raised in Finland and trained as an assassin by her rogue CIA agent father, Erik (Bana). Soon after her separation from him, Hanna’s purpose comes into focus. Enter Academy Award winner Cate Blanchett as Marissa Wiegler, a figure from Hanna and Erik’s past and the ruthless operative behind the mission to capture them.

The role was clearly a physical challenge for the petite Ronan. She had to go through a regimen typically suited for adult male action heroes: “I trained for a couple of months before I started [shooting]. I would do two hours a day in the gym. I’d do weight lifting and treadmills and bench pressing. I did martial arts as well for two hours in the evening.”

Bana backs her up while describing what it was like fighting a teenage girl nearly half his size.

“She was really well prepared and trained really hard,” he

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews says, “so I was actually concerned for my own safety!”

As for the Aussie star, the training he had to endure for a pivotal fight sequence in a subway station came with added pressure – the elaborately choreographed combat had to be captured in one take. There was little room for mistakes.

“It becomes more like a sport,” Bana explains. “The cameraman, the focus puller, the guy dragging the cables – everyone has to be absolutely perfect on one take. So it becomes more like a live performance.”

When asked if she always wanted to play an ass-kicking heroine, Ronan takes a moment to think and answers, “It wasn’t really something I thought about, to be honest. I’ve always been quite an active person, especially when I was younger. I used to play lots of sports. I always thought it would be fun to incorporate that physical work in a dramatic piece.”

For the young actress, working on Hanna was also a reunion with director Joe Wright (the pair had previously collaborated on 2007’s Atonement).

“It was fantastic,” she says. “The relationship we had on Atonement kind of followed through into Hanna and just developed even more so.”

Music junkies will be happy to hear that another character in the film is the hard-hitting score, courtesy of the worldrenowned Chemical Brothers. Being a fan of the electronic duo, Wright jumped at the chance of working with them.

“I went to their first concert in London in 1992, and I’ve been a groupie ever since,” he says.

Having the Brothers compose a few tracks before any scenes were shot was a method the director deliberately implemented. The result is an exciting blend of organic sounds with a high-energy pulse that heightens the action.

During a few scenes one can’t help but flashback to 1998’s Run Lola Run.

FILMINTERVIEWS

SOUL SURFER

Ross Thomas goes back to the beach. by cindy kyungah lee Soul Surfer is the inspiring story of Bethany Hamilton (played by AnnaSophia Robb), a surfer who endured an unfortunate shark attack and lost her arm.

Despite the tragedy, Hamilton stands up to surprise the world with her comeback to surfing.

Ross Thomas, a USC graduate and film and TV star, portrays Noah, Bethany’s older brother. Having become close to some of the Hamilton family members, Thomas is passionate about this truly amazing story of a girl who turned her sick twist of fate into an emblem of her strength as a person.

What would you say is the most attractive part of this film?

Bethany Hamilton’s story is extremely inspirational and will touch many lives.

Also, the surfing component of the film: I am a surfer, a sport that I love, being in Hawaii [for the shoot] was a blessing.

Coming together with an exceptional cast [Helen Hunt, Carrie Underwood in her film debut, Dennis Quaid], a very large ensemble of talented people that poured their heart and soul [into the film]. It’s incredible, there is so much.

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Campus Circle 4.6.11 - 4.12.11

Focus Features

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Saoirse Ronan stars in Hanna.

If Hanna appears to be a different kind of film compared to his previous films, which were highly regarded literary adaptations, the observation isn’t lost on Wright.

“It was a lot freer making this movie,” he says. “There was a lot more improvisation. One could go anywhere and do anything, and that was really liberating.”

The film proves itself as a socially conscious action flick with inspirations taken from old French thrillers, the atmospheric David Lynch and the kinetic camerawork of Paul Greengrass – all mixed in with Wright’s poetic visuals and original touches.

But back to that Lady Gaga concert. When I tell Saoirse that I’m planning to do the same for my own birthday, she can’t help but shriek with delight and relive her own memorable night at the Monster Ball: “I took Joe Wright with me. He actually invited himself, and we were in the pit of the 02 Arena. Everyone was going crazy!”

“I felt rather old and rather straight,” Wright deadpans.

“But I did enjoy it.”

Hanna releases in theaters April 8.

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews Talk about your role in the film.

I am Bethany’s older brother, Noah. My character is the quintessential [brotherly] figure.

Noah has always been very much a major component of [Bethany’s] surfing career. Bethany’s cue meter is Noah, who was a positive role model to her in surfing. After the shark incident, he definitely actively helped [Bethany].

Could you relate to him?

He definitely was a relatable character because we are similar in age and share a lot of the same interests. I got to know him [on the set] and found we are both photographers and love surfing and creative endeavors.

How would you say that Noah is different from any other role you have played so far?

[Noah] is definitely unique for me in the sense that it is my first time playing a real person who is alive today, having the chance to be a part of a true story. In that sense, it is pretty unique and a great opportunity to do justice to the Hamilton’s story.

How was it working with the director?

[Sean McNamara] is someone whom I have worked with over the years.

This is my second film with him. I also did the TV series “Beyond the Breaks” [with him].

Sean and I work very well together; he enjoys collaborating and the creative process, which he shares with the actors and the crew.

He is very easy to work with, and he loves surfing. And his knowledge of shooting in Hawaii and surf culture definitely resonates [in Soul Surfer].

USC alum Ross Thomas plays Noah Hamilton in Soul Surfer.

What can the audience expect from this film?

Soul Surfer is a film about Bethany Hamilton. It’s really about her overcoming all of the odds of the incidents and coming back to do what she loves, and becoming a professional [surfer].

I hope that what [the audience] will take away from this film is to have courage and faith, determination that you can rise above and beyond and be able to want to again do what you love. [Bethany] turns tragedy and uses her story to touch others. It has a very positive and inspirational message, and I hope that people will ultimately walk out of this film with hope and faith.

Soul Surfer releases in theaters April 8.

‘‘‘ARTHUR’ IS BRILLIANT!

IT’S HIGHLY ENTERTAINING FROM START TO FINISH.” Ben Lyons, E!

“RUSSELL BRAND AND HELEN MIRREN ARE THE PERFECT COMBINATION.” Chris Parente, THE CW

‘‘‘ARTHUR’ IS THE FEEL-GOOD MOVIE OF THE SPRING.” Kevin Steincross, FOX-TV

WESTWOOD Regency Village 310/208-5576 $3.00 parking after 6:00 PM in “Privilege Parking Lots”. $1.00 refunded with paid admission after 6:00 PM.

HOLLYWOOD ArcLight Cinemas at Sunset & Vine 323/464-4226 4 ho urs validated parking -$2

CENTURY CITY AMC Century 15 888/AMC-4FUN 3 hrs free parking.

Additional 2 hr parking $3.00 with AMC validation.

STARTS FRIDAY, APRIL 8

WEST LOS ANGELES The Landmark at W. Pico & Westwood 310/281-8233 www.landmarktheatres.com FREE PARKING

BEVERLY HILLS Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14 323/692-0829 #209 4 hours on-site validated parking only $2.00.

SANTA MONICA AMC Criterion 6 888/AMC-4FUN UNIVERSAL CITY CityWalk Stadium 19 with IMAX 888/AMC-4FUN Half Price General Movie Parking With Rebate

AND AT THEATERS EVERYWHERE

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES Regal Cinemas L.A. Live Stadium 14 800/FANDANGO 4046# Validated Parking $5 for 4 Hours, Parking Lot at Olympic & Francisco NO PASSES, COUPONS, GROUP ACTIVITY TICKETS OR VIP TICKETS ACCEPTED.

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First Run Features

Campus Circle > Film > Movie Reviews

Reyna Ponce in Circo

Circo (First Run) The idea of documenting a circus family might sound outdated, but somehow Aaron Schock finds a way to craft a film that makes you care about this unique family while simultaneously getting you to think about whether the circus life should still exist. The film starts off with a shot of light bulbs dangling from a string, immediately throwing the viewer into the spotlight-happy yet despondent world of the Ponce family, the hard-working members of Circo Mexico, a traveling circus act in Mexico.

As one of the ringmasters Tino Ponce aptly states, the audience thinks living and working in a circus is beautiful.

But Schock makes it clear that it’s quite the opposite. Though at times his partiality towards certain persons is obvious, at other times Schock lets the shots speak for themselves. The cries of a little girl who just wants to stop practicing her contortionist tricks reverberates inside the viewer’s head, no matter how many circus documentaries they’ve seen. With visually engaging shots, Schock shows the viewer the huge disparity between the ever-traveling world of this family and the tranquil, more average lives of the regular townspeople.

It is Schock’s attention to detail that lets this story be touching without beating the viewer over the head with obvious emotion. The tired looks and gestures of the children, the juxtaposition of Tino’s niece going to school and Tino’s daughter putting large amounts of makeup on her face before a performance serve to get the message across that this life is not necessarily what is best for the children.

The film not only comments on this particular family’s life, but also uses their individual stories to comment on a lifestyle that to most Americans is virtually extinct. Yet the issues that Circo highlights – fragile marriage, stunted childhood, financial instability – manage to transcend any time period or location. Though the circus lifestyle is something that many people might find hard to picture, Schock creates a film that doesn’t look at these circus people like freaks, but as real people struggling to make a living.

His cinematography perfectly feeds off the emotions and struggles of the film’s personages, and Schock creates a work both visually intriguing and emotionally engaging. Once the viewer sees the hanging light bulbs again at the end of the film, these shining lights have taken on new, more complex image Grade: A —Eva Recinos Circo releases in select theaters April 8.

Exodus Fall (Oakhurst) Movies, in practice, should come one of two ways. There is the hyper-realized way, where everything counts for two. A

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Campus Circle 4.6.11 - 4.12.11

gunfighter scrunches up his face and spits a plug of chaw to the ground and then goes completely stone before all hell breaks loose in an eruption of cowboy gunfire. Think of anything by Sam Peckinpah or Sergio Leone. Then there is the realized version where all style is played straight and restraint is the key word. Think passive emotion and suppressed action in the vein of Harmony Korine or Wes Anderson. You can go either way with success, but you find yourself in trouble when you try to take that middle road.

That’s where Exodus Fall finds itself, stuck in the middle road and unable to make up its mind.

When Kenneth (Jesse James) finds himself and his two siblings (Devon Graye and Adrein Finkel) at the helm of a flat tire in the opening scene of Exodus Fall with a stranger (Alexander Carroll) quickly approaching, the table is suitably set for the type of direction this movie is going to tack. In this case, that isn’t a good thing.

Exodus Fall is a movie about ordinary kids with nothing special about them, bound by experience that isn’t all that dramatic. They’re running from a mother (Rosanna Arquette) who isn’t particularly wicked or cruel. They team up with a stranger that isn’t all that strange or engaging to embark on an odyssey across the western half of the United States to reach their respective destinations before life or the law catches up to them.

They laugh, they cry, they tell stories; they sit around campfires and share experiences through a camera. They learn about each other in unexpected ways, and this is all what you would expect from a good road picture, a physical journey as well as an emotional journey. But in Exodus Fall, you never really care.

You want the hyper-realized version of this movie, or the realized version. Instead, directors Ankush Kholi and Chad Waterhouse frustratingly split the difference and give you something in between. It feels like a movie with a noose around its neck struggling to get free. It feels like a movie trying to slow down into a thoughtful piece with restraint and relish. Exodus Fall seems like an argument between two directors trying to make their way through an able premise with neither one ultimately getting the upper hand.

Grade: C —Christian Goss Exodus Fall releases in select theaters April 8.

Putty Hill (Cinema Guild) Putty Hill is a remarkable independent film from secondtime director Matt Porterfield, and it is loosely based on his own experiences growing up in the outskirts of Baltimore.

Understated, but never boring. Beautifully shot, and bereft of gimmicky camera tricks. Putty Hill is a simple story, well told, mixing traditional narrative and cinema vérité, which

has certainly been done before, but never so effortlessly as it is here.

The film has all ready been showered with glowing reviews. Everyone seems to agree, as do I, that Mr. Porterfield is a serious talent, and one that will hopefully continue to make films as accomplished and as mature as this one.

Putty Hill takes place in Baltimore, but not the flashy, gritty Baltimore of, say, “The Wire,” but the outskirts, the suburbs. The events of the film take place shortly after the death of Cory, whom the audience never sees, and only learns about through the interactions of several friends in the neighborhood. Strangely, the audience begins to realize that they may know just as much about Cory as his supposed friends do. We witness these young adults try to cope with death through everything from karaoke to a trip to the local swimming hole, though it never seems that Cory’s death is what really troubles the teens. Instead, they seem nullified by their own listless existence.

Putty Hill is a slice-of-life type of film. There are no gunshots or explosions, no anarchic editing, just intimate moments caught on film, genuine emotion on celluloid. The cast is made of mostly unknowns, which only helps cement the feeling of authenticity that Porterfield is shooting for.

While you watch this group of young people come to terms with Cory, and just where Cory’s life derailed, you are really watching the group of friends coming to terms with their own mortality.

If Porterfield continues making films as good as this, he could very well end up crafting the next American classic.

Grade: A —Nick Day Putty Hill releases in select theaters April 8.

Wrecked (IFC) Wrecked is the feature film debut of director Michael Greenspan, and it stars Oscar-winning actor Adrien Brody.

The film is about one man’s isolated journey through the wilderness, having survived what must have been a harrowing car crash. Besides cuts and bruises and a busted leg, he also has a pretty serious case of amnesia. He can’t even remember his own name, a fact that is nicely illustrated in one of the film’s more understated moments.

Wrecked joins the ranks of Rodrigo Cortés’s Buried and Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours, in that the powers that be have wisely married the concept of minimal locations and talented thespians. You can squeeze an awful lot out of an actor that isn’t afraid to work hard in order to sell a completely believable performance. Lucky for Michael Greenspan that Brody is just that kind of actor, because he is eminently watchable and easily carries what is otherwise a very low-key outing.

The film concerns an injured man that is desperately trying to make it back to anything resembling civilization, and the underlying question that plagues his amnesia-riddled mind, as well as the audience’s, is just what kind of man was he? He doesn’t know, and since the film opens post-accident, the audience doesn’t know, either. Luckily, there are a couple of folks that were in the same accident, though they haven’t survived, but they all have bits of information on them that help Brody’s character piece together the puzzle … and that’s before he starts having hallucinations of a mysterious female hiker (played by Caroline Dhavernas) that he may or may not have killed. To go into more detail would be detrimental to your enjoyment of the film, as the mystery is the story.

This is Brody’s show, and he sells the action through the entire running time. The big misfire is the direction.

There are touches of style in a couple of shots while Brody’s character is trapped in the wrecked automobile, but once he starts roaming the woods, compositions feel a little flat, a little long and a little uninspired.

Grade: C —Nick Day Wrecked releases in select theaters April 8.

RAVES:

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Campus Circle > Film > TV Time

HOPE DWORACZYK

Smokin’ “Celebrity Apprentice” by christian goss It would be easy to mistake Hope Dwor– aczyk (pronounced Der-Ah-Cik) for just another Hollywood pretty face with a bubbly personality. The halls of entertainment are filled with them. They host shows you watch every week and star in reality fodder that you talk about at the water cooler on Monday. The emphasis has never been on your mental acumen; it’s ultimately been how many advertising dollars your smile can deliver or how many seats you can fill with a flex of the bicep. It’s an accepted fact, and you’ll enjoy your movie and the popcorn that goes with it if you don’t concern yourself with Lindsay Lohan’s I.Q. Dworaczyck would appear to be a welcome exception with the career course to prove it.

“I’m just a normal girl from Texas who loves to work and loves my job,” she offers.

She has been a busy girl and her accomplishments prove it, even if you only recognize her for her face and her 34-23-35 stats. Starting out as a runway model while still in her teens, she did work for the likes of Robert Rodriguez, XOXO, Rosa Cha and Miss Sixty.

It was while doing runway work that Dworaczyck considered testing for the 55th Anniversary Playmate search.

“I didn’t know if it would be a good thing or a bad thing.

The first person I went to was my grandmother. She was excited and said if I had the opportunity I should go for it,” she says.

Grandma’s advice paid off and Dworaczyck secured the April 2009 cover with Seth Rogen, and the centerfold. She was later crowned 2010 Playmate of the Year and included in the June 2010 issue, which was notable for being the first Playboy centerfold with a 3-D foldout.

Dworaczyck leveraged her Playmate gig into a run on this season’s “The Celebrity Apprentice.” If you’ve been watching the show you might have missed her in spite of her feminine charms. She resides outside the petty wars and constant squabbles that make up the show, and her strategy has seen her through the first few episodes.

“I don’t get into a lot of the catfights that you see these women get into. I’m really not that person,” she assures.

The person that she isn’t has become patently obvious.

She’s not a screamer or a bully. She conducts herself like a lady at all times and continually dispels the stereotype of a highmaintenance diva.

“I went into the show wanting to win money for my charity,” she explains.

The charity that she is playing for is Best Buddies, an organization that creates opportunities for one-on-one friendships for people with developmental disabilities.

Looking for some insight into how the season evolves, I asked Dworczyck if her goal was accomplished, and her reply was simply practiced and suitably coy, “I can’t tell you if I did that or not.”

If she’s going to win for her charity, she’s going to have her hands full. Dworaczyck is competing with a cast of characters that would drive Mother Teresa to commit infanticide: Gary Busey, Lil Jon, José Canseco, NeNe Leakes and the recently

“The Celebrity Apprentice” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on NBC.

GALAXYKICK

UCLA SWEEPS WASH., CAL FELLS USC

KEMP IGNITES DODGERS

Jeff Golden/usctrojans.com

THECOLLEGEPITCH

by marvin vasquez

USC’s Ricky Oropesa

After playing one another, both USC and UCLA kept competing in Pac-10 conference action.

The No. 24 ranked UCLA Bruins saw action at home, entertaining the Washington Huskies for a set of three in Westwood. UCLA gained a sweep, winning by tight scores of 2-1, 5-3 and 3-2. During the opening game of the series, junior right-hander Gerrit Cole pitched the Bruins (14-9, 5-1) to victory. Cole pitched a complete game, fanning 10 batters (for the third time this season), allowing one run and five hits. Cole is now 3-2 for the year with a 2.06 ERA. On top of that, he improved to 3-0 against the Huskies while striking out 32 in 25 innings of work. Despite a lack of offensive production, the Bruins saw sophomore outfielder Cody Keefer go three-for-four. Additionally, sophomore infielder Cody Regis went one-for-four with an RBI. UCLA’s next two games featured more pitching brilliance in the likes of junior Trevor Bauer’s eight innings and 10 strikeouts and freshman Adam Plutko’s seven innings and six strikeouts.

Meanwhile, USC traveled north to battle the No. 13 ranked California Golden Bears.

The Trojans (10-18, 2-4) won the series opener, but lost the following two.

Junior All-America first baseman Ricky Oropesa connected for two home runs, which propelled him to plate five runners in the 10-5 shocking victory April 1. Oropesa, who went three-for-five, homered in the first inning for two RBI, followed by his tworun homer in the fifth inning. Sophomore infielder Adam Landecker collected three RBI, going one-for-three in a game where six different Trojan pitchers used the mound.

The Bruins travel to Washington State this weekend, while the Trojans host Stanford.

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fired Dionne Warwick.

But Dworaczyck isn’t under any illusions about what makes “The Celebrity Apprentice” tick: “When you get a cast like that, you know that something is going to happen,” she states.

It’s this not-sosubtle mix of per– sonalities that makes for compelling TV, and it’s what makes “The Celebrity Apprentice” so watchable years after its first incarnation. It’s the firebrands and the intellects. The ones who are just a little bit crazy mixing with the ones who are terminally pragmatic and type A. You throw them all together and you hope for some fireworks, and you’re rarely disappointed. This stuff writes itself.

And in the middle of it all you have Dworaczyck playing her own subtle form of gamesmanship. Played slow and thoughtful, she would seem to have a strong run on “The Celebrity Apprentice.” And when it’s all over, with her possibly holding Donald Trump’s crown, maybe my fantasy will be realized. Dworaczyck refereeing a celebrity deathmatch between Hugh Hefner and Donald Trump.

“Hef would win. You have to think of Hef in the ’60s. He’d definitely have more people rooting for him,” she says.

Campus Circle 4.6.11 - 4.12.11

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by marvin vasquez

Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/MCT

NEWS

CF Matt Kemp is looking better than ever.

He lost 15 pounds in the off-season. He regained discipline on the field. And he is no longer dating popular singer Rihanna. He is Matt Kemp, the 26-year-old starting center fielder and cleanup batter for the L.A. Dodgers. Kemp has elevated his game in four games thus far this season.

After playing in four contests against the visiting and defending World Series Champions San Francisco Giants, Kemp is looking better than ever. He carries a batting average of .417, one home run, three RBI, four runs scored and one stolen base.

Kemp has been in the mix of every prominent offensive moment, and now the Dodgers are 3-1 sitting atop of the NL West after taking three of four games from their archrival Giants.

“That’s the plan, try to win every series,” Kemp points out. “I know we can’t win every game, but we can try to win every series.”

In the series finale Sunday evening, Kemp blasted a two-run homer to left field off former Cy Young winner Barry Zito in the first inning. Already with a 1-0 edge and infielder Jamey Carroll on third fresh after an RBI triple, Kemp swung on Zito’s first pitch – an 84 mph fastball down the middle of the plate.

“I missed a couple of pitches into [Rafael] Furcal and Kemp, and that’s where I got hurt,” Zito says. Furcal had singled before scoring on Carroll’s triple to right field.

New manager Don Mattingly was pleased with the 7-5 victory after his team had lost 10-0 Saturday afternoon. “I like the way we bounced back,” he says.

Now, the Dodgers leave Los Angeles to begin an eight-game road trip that includes games in Colorado, San Diego and San Francisco.

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A TOUCHING CHRONICLE

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RIVETING...fILLEd wITH bEAUTIfUL ImAGES ANd HAUNTING mOmENTS” – THE VILLAGE VOICE

The Majors: All Good Things stars Ryan Gosling and Kirsten Dunst in a murder mystery so bizarre it has to be true. Andrew Jarecki (Capturing the Friedmans) is the perfect director to bring to the screen the beguiling true story of real estate heir Robert Durst and his wife who disappeared in 1982 never to be found again.

Durst also provides a commentary track.

Who better than Kevin Spacey to play disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff? Casino Jack is a comedic take on the corrupt powerbroker as he buys Congress and swindles Indian gaming tribes.

The third installment of C.S. Lewis’ fantasy classic comes to life in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (available April 8). The Pevensies reunite with Prince Caspian in Narnia for a sea journey to the edge of the world. Michael Apted directs.

The Idiotbox: One of TV’s best dramas, “Friday Night Lights” hits DVD for its fifth and

Stranger Than Fiction: Jonathan Rhys-Davies takes you behind the creation of the best-selling book the world has ever known, the King James Bible, in KJB: The Book That Changed the World. Davies is your guide to historical landmarks and artifacts while the events surrounding the book’s birth come to life through dramatizations. It’s a fascinating journey for believers and history buffs alike.

Also available: 3-D IMAX films on Blu-ray – Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs, Ultimate G’s: Zac’s Flying Dream

Under the Radar: teen satire Devolved Funny Business:

Jim Carrey is a small-town family man turned charismatic homosexual con man in I Love You Philip Morris.

After a car accident changes his perspective, Carrey decides to live it up, landing in prison where he falls for a naïve inmate (Ewan McGregor) and decides to break him out so they can start a life together.

Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro are back in Little Fockers, the third installment in the comedy franchise. Now with two little ones relying on him, Greg has to prove to his ex-CIA father-in-law that he can take over the reins as family patriarch.

Joining the returning cast are Laura Dern, Jessica Alba and Harvey Keitel.

From the Vault:

Collect the films of two of cinema’s greatest stars with the TCM Greatest Classic Film Collection: Legend – Bette Davis and Marlon Brando. Davis’ set includes Now, Voyager, Dark Victory with Humphrey Bogart, Old Acquaintance and Jezebel. Brando’s contains his star-making turn in A Streetcar Named Desire, Julius Caesar, The Teahouse of the August Moon and John Huston’s Reflections in a Golden Eye with Elizabeth Taylor.

Previously found only in the Gregory Peck Film Collection, Mirage, Arabesque, Captain Newman, M.D. and The World in His Arms are now available individually. Mirage is a topnotch identity thriller, a kind of precursor to Philip K. Dick. Arabesque is Stanley Donen’s very ’60s espionage romance co-starring Sophia Loren.

Action Packed Collection features a Roger Corman triple feature of Georgia Peaches, The Great Texas Dynamite Chase and Smokey Bites the Dust.

Blu Notes: It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years since Wes Craven took irony to a new level, deconstructing the slasher film in Scream. Before checking out Craven’s return with the fourth installment, bone up on Sidney Prescott’s twisted family history with the original trilogy on Blu-ray.

STARTS FRIDAY APRIL 8th ONE WEEK ONLY

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Watch the trailer and learn more: firstrunfeatures.com/circo

L.A.MOVES

ALVIN AILEY

April 8-17 @ Dorothy Chandler Pavilion

Andrew Eccles

final season. Centering on a small Texas town where high school football is everything, the ensemble series follows the coaches and players’ dramas on and off the field. It will be missed.

Also available: Anime series Hero Tales: Parts 1 and 2, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood: Part 4

Constance Stamatiou

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater dancer Constance Sta– matiou shares what it has been like to perform Ailey’s most famous piece, “Revelations,” on its 50th anniversary.

What do you hope people take away from your performances? I want them to feel good and be impressed. I want them to want to dance. At a very young age I saw a documentary of Ailey doing “Revelations,” and I thought I want to do that. Even as a student, watching “Revelations” made my spirit feel good and truly joyous. To be a part of performing this great work never gets old no matter how much you do it.

This is Judith Jamison’s last year as artistic director. What are some of the things you’ve learned from her? Judith has a way of bringing out emotions or a feel that is needed for a dance, even things you didn’t think you could do. Her knowledge and artistry is so profound that when she directs you a light bulb clicks on. It’s like – Yes! That’s it!

What has dance taught you that you apply to situations outside the rehearsal room? It teaches me to be persistent, to be open-minded and to accept things that are different. It gives me the hunger to learn. Dance is everywhere. Your surroundings and the people you encounter can all be used to inspire you, to supply choreography or to provide that image or thing that brings life to that person you are on the stage.

Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is located at 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles. For more information, visit musiccenter.org.

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OMAR AND THE STRINGPOPPERS

April 7 » El Rey Theatre

April 12 » El Rey Theatre Visitors will learn about the history of Hip-Hop through interactive mixing and listening stations, video footage, rare photographs and original artifacts, including: • Original, handwritten song lyrics by Tupac Shakur • LL Cool J TROOP suit and Kangol hat • Run DMC leather jacket and pants worn during “Walk This Way” performance with Aerosmith • DJ Jazzy Jeff Homebase Tour jacket • Grandmaster Flash turntables • Hip-Hop sneaker gallery from the private collection of Everlast • and much, much more from Hip-Hop legends

on exhibit now thru may 4, 2011 April 27 » The Music Box

April 30 » The Music Box

CHARGE: 800-745-3000 • TICKETMASTER LOCATIONS THE MUSIC BOX BOX OFFICE MON–FRI 10AM–6PM

campus circle • 3-30-11 • pdf on server

MUSICSPECIALFEATURES exhibit includes:

pete yorn

Original guitars from John Lennon, Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly Lennon’s signature round, wire-framed glasses

April 6 @ The Wiltern

Lennon’s typewriter

by david Tobin

Original handwritten song lyrics including “Instant Karma” and the Beatles’ hit “We Can Work It Out”

Original drawings

Rare video footage “In The Studio with John Lennon” interactive Jim Wright

It’s not every day you get to hear a good live CD, and what about hearing one of your favorite albums performed live?

Well, the 10-year anniversary of Pete Yorn’s musicforthemorningafter brings this popular acoustic singer-songwriter to a select few cities to take audiences through the album from start to finish.

In addition to the live performance of this critically acclaimed piece of work, Yorn is also re-releasing the CD, which will not only have a remastered version of the debut, but an additional disc as well. The second CD will contain the “Morning Becomes Eclectic” acoustic session that was recorded on KCRW. The CD also has a cover of the Smiths’ “Panic” and an interview.

This recorded performance on KCRW was leaked, but never officially offered to the public. So, to add a little bit more for the die-hard fan, Yorn is also including a previously unreleased version of “Closet,” a previously unreleased song called “The Barber,” “Knew Enough to Know at All” and a special track for this album, “Life on a Chain (Hooky’s Mix).”

The show in Los Angeles will be at the historic Wiltern Theatre and offers audiences a set that hasn’t been done in years, if at all. Yorn always pulls from a variety of albums when playing live, but this time he will be following in the footsteps of so many other legendary bands that have made a mark: He’ll be playing his debut album from start to finish.

Early Beatles photographs and original posters Original Quarry Men business card Album of the Year GRAMMY® Award for Double Fantasy Sgt. Pepper costume (replica) Early albums Exclusive interview with Yoko Ono

PROFESSIONAL

For more information, visit peteyorn.com.

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Growing Up, Cleaning Up by brien overly

Ask All Time Low guitarist Jack Barakat for life wisdom and, after a contemplative pause, he’ll tell you, “Don’t trust condoms.”

Though he jokingly states that such wisdom indeed comes from personal experience, therein lies the perfect introduction to what All Time Low is about: The youthful indiscretion that you laugh about in retrospect.

“Don’t tell me if I have any children, I’d rather not know,” he laughs.

Hopefully he’s actually joking about that one.

With the upcoming release of Dirty Work marking the band’s fourth full-length album, Barakat and his band mates – drummer Rian Dawson, vocalist Alex Gaskarth and bassist Zack Merrick – have grown up in a lot of ways managing to stay the same in quite a few others.

“Dirty Work is our most eclectic album that we’ve done so far. It’s got the rock songs, and it’s got the pop songs,” says Barakat. “All Time Low fans are going to be really pleased, but I think it’s going to open us up to a whole new audience too.”

Given the constant demand for touring on their part, the Baltimore natives had to take a very different approach to writing and recording Dirty Work from the process they were accustomed to.

“Writing this album was a much longer experience, we started it over a year ago,” says Barakat. “Since we’re the kind

of band that doesn’t stop touring, it was a lot of going into the studio for a couple weeks with whatever producer was doing a certain song, then going out and touring Australia or Japan or England, then going back into the studio, then going back out on tour, which is why it took so long,” he adds, with the knowledge that there has been some to-do among fans over the numerous release date shifts the album has endured.

“If we actually would have sat down and did the record all at once, I think we probably could’ve knocked it out in three or four months. But especially now in the music industry, you don’t want to disappear for too long, you have to stay as relevant as possible to make sure that you’re still on people’s radar.”

In order to solve the issue of locking down a release date, however, the band would first have to settle on actual songs to complete the album, which proved to be a daunting challenge in and of itself at times.

“There are a lot of songs that we recorded in the beginning process of the record, and then realized a year in that we don’t really like the songs anymore and they don’t really sound like us,” says Barakat. “Everyone’s creativity and musical tastes change over the course of a year. It was a cool way to do it though, because it was a nice test to see if the songs were still good after a year.”

Seemingly, the test proved successful for Barakat in the end, as he admits to have a personal affection for the album’s lead single. “I think ‘I Feel Like Dancin’ is one of my favorite songs I’ve ever done because it’s a great party song and we cowrote it with Rivers Cuomo from Weezer. Weezer has always been one of my favorite bands, and it definitely has that kind of vibe to it.”

Along with their stylistic growth and seemingly meteoric rise to mainstream recognition, Barakat has noticed a distinct

FREQUENCY by brien overly Rise Against April 7 @ Long Beach Arena Not to point any fingers or anything, but I think there might be some among us who have forgotten what punk rock was meant to be. Just a few, not a whole lot; and, y’know, not me, obviously. So I’ll leave it to all of you to decide who falls into that category. And to then take them to this show as a quick and easy reminder of what punk rock is all about.

For those of you who haven’t lost sight of the great pillars of punk, you might be thinking that my suggestion of going to an arena show would be an ironic statement showing my clear unworthiness to the title of “punk rock columnist.” But this is the perfect introduction to punk for that person in your life, which all of us have at least one of, who thinks the genre is some kind of alternative lifestyle choice that involves riding dirt bikes, wearing oversized skate shoes and having nautical star tattoos. If you’re not sure if any of your friends have this visualization of what punk is, they’re more easily identifiable by being that one friend who thinks it’s OK to wear Abercrombie tees.

Point being, Rise Against is the best example of a band who is very much mainstream without sacrificing any of their politicized edginess. Longtime Rise fans may debate that the band’s early, pre-rock radio days yielded their best and grittiest work, but the point remains that these guys still put on one of the most intense live shows of any band around. Even in a giant arena venue, frontman Tim McIlrath can make an audience feel like they’re in the darkest, seediest, most intimate of small-town basement shows. The dude just knows how to work an audience with his trademark sandpaper growling and how to work a stage with his signature in-your-face attitude.

Mike Lim

ALL TIME LOW

Campus Circle > Music > Interviews

shift in the typical All Time Low audience at shows lately.

“The age range has definitely expanded. It used to be mostly 14- to 16-year-olds, now it’s expanded to 12 to 25 with all the exposure we’ve gotten,” he says. “There’ll be a picture of us in J-14 and an article about us in Spin, two very different demographics there. We’re not a band that’s biased toward anyone. We make music for anyone that wants to listen to it.”

This non-exclusivity with who is welcome in the ATL fandom, while easily joked about from the outside, has not only earned the band a broad demographic of fans, it’s earned them a broad demographic of fiercely loyal fans.

“Luckily we have our heads on straight and we’re in tune with our fan base, where kids can expect to meet us after shows and can expect us to be the same people. That’s why our fan base has grown so significantly over the years,” says Barakat, adding with a laugh, “It’s almost like a cult. Without the Kool-Aid.” Dirty Work will be available June 7. All Time Low perform April 12 at Club Nokia. For more information, visit alltimelow.com.

Campus Circle > Music > Frequency Mainstream or not, the Chicago-bred foursome remain true to their musical roots, and what’s more punk rock than that?

Though really, in retrospect, calling myself a “punk rock columnist” is embarrassingly not punk rock. Real punk bloggers don’t need to tell anyone they’re punk rock, duh.

All Time Low April 12 @ Club Nokia I won’t lie to anybody, I can’t make any promises you won’t feel really old at this show, assuming you’re anywhere above legal drinking age. That said, I can promise that if you’re willing to look past the median age of the ATL fan demographic, you will have more fun at this show than, well, any of the other shows in this week’s picks. Not that there’s anything wrong with those bands, but an All Time Low show is intentionally, and lovably, lowbrow in all aspects of being.

Charmingly immature and comically crass, the pop-punk foursome somehow manages to always put on a really good live show. Underneath the stage antics, the Baltimore natives are expert showmen who bring an infectious charisma to the stage along with their expertly catchy music. So while the industry haters will happily to continue to hate on this band, you can do something really unexpected and actually have a good time at this show.

Queens of the Stone Age April 12 & 13 @ The Wiltern If Rise Against is what mainstream punk should be, Queens of the Stone Age is what mainstream rock ’n’ roll should be. If frontman Josh Homme has written or performed a bad song ever in his long and storied career as a musician, I’ve certainly yet to hear it. Including his take on a certain classic Internet meme.

School your punk rock-ignorant friends by taking them to see Rise Against April 7 at Long Beach Arena.

Maylene & the Sons of Disaster April 10 @ The Troubadour April 11 @ Chain Reaction Now if you like your rock a little more flannel-clad, a little less clean-shaven and a little more whiskey-soaked, prepare to meet your new favorite band. Even if you don’t necessarily have all of those prerequisites, prepare to meet the band who will set them as your new standard of awesomeness, against which all future bands will be measured. Dirty and gritty, while still sounding big and anthemic, these guys make the kind of music that begs to be sung (and drank) along to.

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MUSICINTERVIEWS

THE BELLE BRIGADE Creating Cool Comfort by jacob gaitan Los Angeles-based sibling duo, the Belle Brigade is currently on tour promoting their forthcoming self-titled debut album. Members Barbara and Ethan Gruska transport listeners to the peace and love era of the late ’60s and early ’70s while adding a modern twist to each sound. While doing a limited residency at Spaceland (now the Satellite) in January, the talented pair won over fans each night with emotional folk melodies and vibrant classic rock renditions.

Production on the upcoming record lasted an extensive 90-day period. Their versatility is strongly felt in each song since they alternate on every instrument while composing.

“The writing process has been very collaborative,” explains Barbara as Ethan sits beside her. “From the lyrics to the melodies, to the changes and production. It happens every which way between us.”

Music has been a part of their lives since birth. Growing up in a family of talented musicians, like their grandfather John Williams whose resumé includes countless composing credits, really influenced their careers.

“I’ve always been interested in multiple types of art,” shares Ethan. “When I was young I loved acting and musical theater. I always felt most comfortable and natural to be doing

Campus Circle > Music > Interviews something with singing or something musical. Nothing ever feels more natural than doing this.”

Barbara’s passion since being a child has always leaned toward the drums.

“I always thought I was going to be a drummer, that was always my dream,” she says. “I honestly never thought I was going to be a singer and a songwriter until a few years ago.

Both of us have been singing for as long as we can remember.”

Experiencing the Belle Brigade live comes with an overwhelming urge to participate in every song. Their choruses and smooth melodies stir a sing-along reaction at every show. While alternating singing duties on stage, Barbara often sits behind the drum kit as she transforms into an insanely maniacal creature while beating her equipment.

“In the past year and a half, I’ve focused a lot more on singing and songwriting,” says Barbara. “But I always play drums, and I will always play drums. I need to do it just to feel sane.”

Barbara’s transition to the microphone has been a gradual experience. Since focusing mainly on twirling drumsticks between her fingers, moving to the front of the stage has exposed her to the entire audience.

“The transition was scary at first because the drums are so safe for me,” she shares. “I’ve been doing it since I was a kid, and it’s kind of like having a fortress around you. The move was daunting at first, but I’ve become really comfortable up front. I’m not alone up there. Ethan’s on stage singing with me creating a cool comfort zone.”

Every song Ethan and Barbara create includes a thick layer of classic folk rock from past generations. The innovative songwriting and techniques used decades ago can be detected in their live performances and studio recordings.

“Watching our friends’ bands play around town has

MUSICNOTES

WARPED TOUR 2011 by eva recinos

The onslaught of music festivals is not over. In no other couple of months will you catch so many opportunities to stand next to hundreds of other people and scream out your adoration for any chosen musician.

Though the abundance of music festival choices might leave any music fan reeling, there is yet another major music fest that has made its mark and is back for more. Here comes the one most likely to leave you with bruises, unbelievable stories and a newfound resistance to incredulously large mosh pits.

Here comes the Vans Warped Tour.

Running from June to August and making stops everywhere from California to New York, this is the music festival that gathers alternative bands and makes crowdsurfing a must and that is organized by a brand known for donning the feet of skaters and punks alike. Past festivals have featured the likes of NOFX and Rise Against along with smaller but also prominent names like Motion City Soundtrack and Hellogoodbye.

In its 17th year, the festival still seems to be going strong.

This year, event planners seem to be focusing not only on enlisting as many alternative bands who are getting back together or getting over a breakup, from Paramore to Gym Class Heroes to Dance Gavin Dance, but on taking the risk of

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definitely influenced our music,” says Ethan. “Listening to the classics acts like Fleetwood Mac, the Beatles, Paul Simon and Stevie Wonder have greatly influenced our music.”

During live performances, they use their classic roots while blending their own musical flavor.

“Live shows become a family affair experience for us,” says Barbara. “Everyone in the band adds their little stamps as they open up to the people.”

Their hit single “Losers” has been heard thousands of times across multiple social media platforms. The lyrics battle self-esteem issues and insecurities. During their residency shows in Silver Lake, fans quickly memorized the words as they sang along.

“We try to have messages and concepts in most of our songs,” explains Ethan. “Our challenge is to create something without being preachy or sounding like we’re trying to teach a lesson. ‘Losers’ has become a pep talk to ourselves. We hope other people can relate.”

The Belle Brigade will be available April 19. The Belle Brigade perform April 9 at the House of Blues Sunset Strip. For more information, visit thebellebrigade.com.

Campus Circle > Music > Music Notes putting a seemingly left-field band on the stage.

A la Coachella, this year the Vans Warped Tour features the likes of Top 40 hip-hop/electronic duo 3OH!3 in an otherwise alternative climate. Yes, the duo responsible for some of the most obnoxiously party-oriented and catchy, overly produced songs will share the stage with bands that prefer to play their own instruments.

Though the appearance of Kanye West with big-time revivalist garage rockers the Strokes might not be too random of a matchup, how will a duo that sings about seductive women and the likes hold up at an event that hosts bands like I Set My Friends on Fire?

Surrounded by an amalgam of bands who are not only alternative, but also boast of strange genre names like screamo, 3OH!3 will more than likely feel out of place.

Even other hip-hop acts like MC Lars with Weerd Science and Yelawolf don’t carry the same Top 40 brand, something that will stand out glaringly in an arena packed with mostly hardcore and alternative punk fans.

Yet, this isn’t their first appearance at the music festival. Fortunately for the hip-hop duo, their appearance at the Warped Tour is possible due to the fact that current alternative music fans are making some wiggle room to include radio hits with their more obscure favorites.

Loyal Paramore and Gym Class Hero fans will mostly bob their heads just as happily, seeing as GCH hits have graced radios frequently and Paramore went more markedly commercial with the inclusion of their track “Decode” in the wildly popular Twilight film. But the name of 3OH3! might not ring a bell to fans of bands like Attack Attack!

Yet lovers of more standard punk bands like Less than Jake and Simple Plan might also be able to apply their fervent skanking and dancing to the noise of “Starstrucck,” which

Pamela Littky

NEWS FILM MUSIC

3OH!3 add variety to this year’s Warped Tour lineup. features Warped Tour veteran Katy Perry. About a minute into the track proves that it’s almost indiscernible from emoinclining bands like Panic! at the Disco and even the trendcausing Fall Out Boy. But for those cringing in their seats, the fact of the matter is that Warped Tour, as it did with 3OH!3’s appearance in 2009, is still holding up to its reputation of having all the alternative bands that any mainstream music hater can possibly dream of.

With presale tickets already gone, the choice among music fans is clear. Despite the influx of music festivals on the current music scene, no other tour will supply the right amount of alternative or screamo bands with the right amount of opportunities for epic injuries as the Warped Tour does.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle MUSICREPORT by kevin wierzbicki All proceeds from Benefit for the Recovery in Japan, a two-CD compilation featuring an eclectic lineup of 64 acts like School of Seven Bells, Bear in Heaven and Warm Ghost, will be donated to Civic Force, a Japanese not-for-profit that’s working to provide emergency aid in the wake of the country’s recent earthquake and tsunami.

Just a few of the other artists donating tracks to the project are Grouper, Ben Frost, Zeena Parkins, Totem Test, Sylvain Chauveau, Lau Nau, Giant Sand and Water Fai; there are nearly five hours of music altogether. More information can be found on the Benefit for the Recovery in Japan page on Facebook.

Vote Gwar, Have Sex

Abbey Drucker

More Help for Japan

Benefit for the Recovery in Japan features artists like School of Seven Bells.

Gwar has been nominated for a Revolver Golden God Award and frontman Oderus Urungus has pledged to have sex with anyone who votes for the band during online balloting.

“It will all be arranged through the interweb and on the next tour I will personally meet our supporters out behind the trash dumpsters and do whatever they want,” enthuses Urungus.

Guitarist Balsac the Jaws of Death isn’t shocked by his lead singer’s desperate bid for publicity, even saying that the behavior is normal for Urungus.

“Oderus having sex with the fans behind the dumpsters is nothing to brag about – it happens all the time. But please, please, don’t let Sevendust beat us.”

You can cast your vote at revolvermag.com/beta/goldengods/voting; collecting your “reward” is up to you.

The Kickdrums Coachella Mixtape The Kickdrums have released Coachella 2011 Mixtape, a compilation featuring Black Keys, Wiz Khalifa, Lil B, Arcade Fire and nearly three dozen other acts.

“Coachella is approaching quickly and we couldn’t let the festival pass without dropping our annual Coachella mixtape,” says Alex Fitts, one half of the Kickdrums.

“This edition features some of this year’s top acts and most exciting new artists blended from beginning to end. We hope this mix prepares you for the three-day event and accompanies you throughout the trip and after.”

In the mix are Kanye West, Cold War Kids, the New Pornographers, Tinie Tempah, Lauryn Hill, Kings of Leon, Black Kids featuring Lil Wayne, Cut Copy and, of course, the Kickdrums. The mix is free and available at thekickdrums.com.

Warped Tour Headliners Announced 3OH!3, A Day to Remember, Travie McCoy, the Devil Wears Prada and Asking Alexandria are the main stage headliners on this year’s Vans Warped Tour. The caravan gets rolling in Dallas on June 24 and as usual, there are two area stops along the way: the Fairplex in Pomona July 3 and Cal State Dominguez Hills in Carson towards the end of the tour on Aug. 10. Unwritten Law, D.R.U.G.S., Yelawolf, Less Than Jake, Pepper, Eyes Set to Kill, Foxy Shazam and Big Chocolate are just a few of the dozens of other acts also scheduled to appear. Ticket information and the full list of confirmed bands are at warpedtour.com.

Half Notes The LA Spring Fair takes place April 8-17 at the Toyota Speedway & Event Center in Irwindale; scheduled to appear are Bow Wow Wow, the Romantics, A Flock of Seagulls, Loverboy, Rick Springfield, “American Idol” alums Bo Bice and Kris Allen, Latin singer Reyli, Christian rock bands Fireflight and Stellar Kart and Orange County-based ska heroes OC Supertones.

Rock band Revis has reunited after an eight-year hiatus, and they’ll be previewing their May 20 release Do We Have to Beg? with a free show at Club 1616 on April 14.

Los Angeles-based folkie Mariana Bell has a new release called Push dropping on May 10, and she’ll be celebrating the album with a show at Room 5 on April 8.

Quite a buzz is building around Los Angeles bilingual singer Gaby Moreno, especially now that her new one Illustrated Songs has dropped. Latina Magazine has named Moreno as one of the best Latin music performers in the world; hear for yourself when she plays the Bootleg Theater on April 29.

SoCal “indietronic” band White Apple Tree has an international hit single on their hands; “Snowflake” is on the soundtrack to the German indie blockbuster film Kokowaah that sold a million tickets on its opening weekend. White Apple Tree’s next area appearance is at the Echoplex on May 6.

PAGES I Love Ken: My Life as the Ultimate Boyfriend (Running Press) Imagine this: two guys on their knees in front of you. One of them is a typical football player, with a little mustard stain on his jersey, tussled hair and a sheepish smile. The other looks like he came straight out of a Ralph Lauren catalog, fashioning shiny shoes, frizz-free hair and flawless skin.

Whom would you pick?

Now, what if there was an option No. 3: a combination of both? Impossible? Meet Ken, our very own fairy tale prince and author of I Love Ken: My Life as the Ultimate Boyfriend. Yes, Ken as in Barbie and Ken. In this pretty little book, he shares all of his secrets to becoming the epitome of every girl’s fantasy. From tips on dating to his recent breakup heartache, Ken is ready to spill his plastic heart out. With his genuine honesty and gentle humor, he once again raises the bar for all of you boys out there.

So boys, if you are sitting in your dark room wondering why girls reject such a goodlooking, funny and nice guy like yourself, grab yourself a copy (Ordering online works if you would rather not stand in line with this shiny neon-colored book.). By the time you’re done, you’ll be ready to meet a real-life Malibu Barbie in your brand new surf shorts.

Grade: B+ —Dana Jeong My Life as the Ultimate Boyfriend is currently available.

Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney (Da Capo) Fab describes itself as the most detailed biography of Paul McCartney ever written, and the 564 pages of text are certainly exhaustive. Although the book does frequently go into minute details, author Howard Sounes maintains a compelling narrative throughout.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 21 >>>

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CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS CD Reviews Frequency Interviews Live Show Reviews Music Notes Music Report Special Features

CDREVIEWS 3:33 EP 1 (Parallel Thought) Instrumental act 3:33 have created seven chilling tracks on their debut EP. Associated with acclaimed hip-hop group Parallel Thought and rapper Tame One, these anonymous musicians embark on a dark and twisted journey filled with haunting rhythms and nail-biting beats. The EP flows much like a soundtrack. Every track conjures the image of an abandoned warehouse. Suspense is smeared from beginning to end, wrapped with an eerie sensation of being followed.

Although extremely limited, distant voices can be heard whispering indescribable words that force a musical panic.

Each instrument is viciously manipulated to enhance a post-apocalyptic musical experience. Aside from causing Freddy Krueger to check his closet for monsters, 3:33 include beats and heavy bass melodies that demand nodding heads to listen closely.

Grade: A —Jacob Gaitan EP 1 is currently available.

Alela Diane & Wild Divine Self-titled (Rough Trade) Fans of Shelby Lynne will find a kindred soul in Alela Diane, who opens this album with the appropriately titled “To Begin,” a ’60s-flavored nod to Memphis soul. The song, and others here, may surprise owners of Diane’s earlier releases; the singer has purposely pushed herself out of her comfort zone in the name of artistic pursuit. The results are good on numbers like “Long Way Down,” where the lyrics and arrangement recall the work of Townes Van Zandt, on the high-lonesome bluegrass of “The Wind” and on “White Horse.” This album

Campus Circle > Music > CD Reviews shows Diane to be an excellent writer and a good singer, and if it gets the exposure it deserves, it will move her quickly from the underground to the hip mainstream.

Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki Alela Diane & Wild Divine is currently available.

Cold Cave Cherish the Light Years (Matador) Cold Cave’s 2009 release Love Comes Close was an adventure in British synth-pop with singer Wesley Eisold channeling both the perky sounds of bands like the Human League and the darker oeuvre of any number of shoegaze outfits. That’s all fine and good, but Eisold is a Yank. And with the release of Cherish the Light Years, he has the stated goal of trying to make Cold Cave sound more American despite his affection for Brit musicians.

He comes up with a sparkler with “Confetti,” where synth riffs and beats come swirling down, causing spontaneous joy just like a burst of the party favor the song is named after.

“Alchemy and You” sounds like something the Killers might do, but really that is the only hint of anything American sounding here; even “Underworld USA” smacks of Depeche Mode. But does the listener really care what country this music leans toward? The bulk of Cherish the Light Years is fun for listening and excellent for dancing.

Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki Cherish the Light Years is currently available.

Robbie Robertson How to Become Clairvoyant (429)

LIVESHOWREVIEWS The Ready Set March 24 @ The Roxy The Ready Set is the stage name for singer Jordan Mark Witzigreuter, and he and his accompanying band caused a shouting frenzy at the Roxy as hundreds of fans screamed with excitement. Once the curtain raised and the thick layers of fog disappeared, a series of flashes triggered across the floor while everyone followed Witzigreuter with their cameras.

The night instantly became a sing-along as the audience added a high-pitched choir sound to each song. Band members travelled across stage as they stood on LED flash boxes while posing before the crowd. The audience grew louder after every song, causing Witzigreuter to extend the microphone over their heads as they provided lyrics at every opportunity. Songs “Love Like Woe,” “More Than Alive” and “Young Forever” provoked ear-piercing screams from the teenager-filled venue.

Witzigreuter showcased his musical talents by having short solo performances at a piano and then switching over to drums as the band participated. Before concluding their hourlong set, band members tossed assorted colored neon glow sticks into the crowd as they illuminated the place by waving them in the air. —Jacob Gaitan

Dumpstaphunk March 25 @ The Roxy At the sight of the Los Angeles County Fire Department parked outside the Roxy on a Friday night, someone could have thought – on a whim – that Talking Heads were back together and on the road again. Yet, on this night, it wasn’t David Byrne’s now-extinct, dance-punk outfit that caused the damage to one of Los Angeles’ historic clubs or the main

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It doesn’t take much of a glance at the crystal ball to be able to predict good things from Robertson’s first solo album in over a decade, How to Become Clairvoyant. Robertson is a former member of the Band, the group who 40 years ago through their work with Bob Dylan and on their own set the baseline for the sound that would become known as Americana.

This album though, featuring the playing of Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood throughout, is mostly done in Robertson’s favored style, a laid-back mashup of rock and blue-eyed soul that sounds alternately like Memphis with “When the Night Was Young” or a funkier New Orleans on “Straight Down the Line,” with guest Robert Randolph.

Other guests include Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello on d“Axman,” Taylor Goldsmith of Dawes and Trent Reznor on “Madame X.” How to Become Clairvoyant is very much Robertson’s baby though, and fans should enjoy what’s on offer here.

Grade: B+ —Kevin Wierzbicki How to Become Clairvoyant is currently available.

Tiny Animals Our Own Time (North Street) From the little town of New York, New York, comes the Tiny Animals with their latest effort, Our Own Time. A follow-up to their 2009 full-length album, Sweet Sweetness, the NYC trio produces a very kitschy and upbeat sound. A sure fit for the here and now, Our Own Time delivers a standard pop sound, with exciting guitar licks and punchy drumbeats perfect for the tweensters and teenyboppers to shake their hips to.

Grade: B —Mary Broadbent Our Own Time is currently available.

Campus Circle > Music > Live Show Reviews act of the evening in New Orleans funk band Dumpstaphunk.

Instead, Beastie Boys collaborator Money Mark had just put the finishing touches on his opening set for the night, and as we waited patiently for Ivan Neville (son of R&B singer Aaron Neville) and his boys to burn down the house – so to speak – with a batch of their own spicy gumbo, the club’s electricity almost did it for them.

As it turned out, a small electrical fire near the venue’s marquee kept us waiting 30 minutes more for those bayou grooves to come to life, but it didn’t result in an early end to the night like many of us had thought while we waited outside for the flames to be put out. So, after we got the “allclear” signal to head back inside and had another round of drinks, it was time for the night to get a little bit funkier. With Dumpstaphunk stepping on stage a few minutes later, that didn’t seem to be a problem.

Busting out fan favorite “Gas Man” to kick things off, you could quickly identify from the first few measures played the influences lying on Dumpsta’s plate – an order of the Meter’s deep-fried funk, a side of Sly and the Family Stone and Parliament-Funkadelic and a taste of rock ’n’ roll from Ivan’s days of playing with Keith Richards. Though as the show progressed I could see his family’s legacy living on through Dumpstaphunk in some ways, the quintet appeared more interested in carving out its own sound among today’s funk collections. It has done that already by headlining shows at the world famous Tipitina’s, booking sets on the main stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and winning awards for New Orleans’ best funk group.

On a night unexpectedly cut short by a malfunctioning transformer box, Dumpstaphunk did their best to give a gracious crowd its funk fix while still leaving it anxious for a return to SoCal some day soon. —Josh Herwitt

Tamea Agle

NEWS FILM MUSIC

Maja Ivarsson of the Sounds

The Sounds March 29 @ The Avalon Walking into the Avalon, you could feel the energy and excitement in the air. The Sounds came to the stage to greet an already roaring crowd of many die-hard fans. The biggest reaction came when the band started their well-known “Living in America.” It seemed the audience knew every word and sang along with Maja Ivarsson, who moments prior to starting the song unapologetically announced her drunkenness. As she said though, you can be drunk in a rock band.

The band is currently promoting their newest album Something to Die For, which was released the day of the concert. The release of the album and the new feel spurred on the enthusiasm of the crowd. By the end of the set, the Sounds were not the only ones on stage. People from the audience began to join in the fun up on stage and the Sounds, in true rocker form, kept the show going strong with their fans on stage. —Tamea Agle

Become a CAMPUS CIRCLE Fan on Facebook http://bit.ly/dhFhEE COLORSOFCULTURE Introducing our new

Student Annual Membership Pass* at the Aquarium of the Pacific!

Flock, 2005, mixed media, dimensions variable, by Michael Arata

ARATALAND!

Now-May 22 @ Beacon Arts Building by cindy kyungah lee ‘How would you describe this exhibition?’ I ask artist Michael Arata.

“It’s my life!” he replies.

Sure enough, as Arata describes, his exhibition at the Beacon Arts Building truly shows his life as an artist … and perhaps even more. Until May 22, Arata will be holding his largest solo exhibition for the public to enjoy.

Arata, born in 1955, is a playful, creative contemporary artist who challenges ordinary perceptions of various aspects of our lives through his imaginative work. A versatile artist who works with just about anything from newspaper, acrylic paint and soccer balls to tampon applicators (yes, weird), to name only a few, Arata deserves praise for his unconventional work that often confuses the viewer with its web of meanings.

In the 32,400 feet square art space that used to be used for storage is a massive collection of Arata’s works, some that have been previously seen and excitingly, those that have never been displayed in public. Expanding over the space of three floors in the fourstory building, the exhibition has many installations that guests can ponder over as well as play with. Composed of small to large-scale installations, the show ignites a youthful energy in the viewer with its bright pop colors and whimsical forms.

Each floor of the exhibition has a specific theme. Within each theme space are several rooms (no rooms on the fourth floor, just a large space with different sections) incorporating installations with different concepts; concepts that are a bit hard to understand. Thankfully, Doug Harvey, the curator of the show and an acclaimed writer who has covered art extensively for LA Weekly, deciphers the complicated nature of Arata’s works in short paragraphs in each room. A definite must-read if you want to catch the artist’s motive behind all of that color.

Most of his pieces have audience participation elements. Pieces such as Venus as a Fertility Figure, Activity on the second floor will stand out. The work shows a pair of pantyhose attached to a hoop weighed down by heels and below it is a pile of “eggs” made out of potatoes. The key is to throw the “eggs” into the pantyhose hoop; this, of course, enhances the vulgarity of the depiction of the female figure as sort of a baby-producing machine, perhaps even a game (Do I have that right? I don’t know.).

On the top floor, you will see a broad range of pieces that also will call for your participation, such as the rollable disk art and beard disguises created from papier-mache.

As exciting as all this sounds, Arata’s work is not all cute and humorous. Behind all of the color and forms is a certain creepiness and absurdity that calls for more than simple enjoyment. One constant recurring image in his works is the human body, which will be pretty obvious to even the most ignorant person. Even if you cannot see the message behind the works immediately, take some time to mull over them, because what seems like a flock of sheep (one of his installations) may surprise you with its intentions.

This exhibit demonstrates the artist’s appealing and psychotropic nature of his productive career. Arataland! is a continuation of the Critics-as-Curators series of Beacon Arts, a series where art critics and writers are encouraged to step out and curate their own large scale shows.

Join today and get these great benefits: • Individual membership for 1 year, no blackout dates!

• 1 complimentary guest ticket • Discounts throughout the Aquarium • 20% discount on gift memberships • Invitations to special member only events • Subscription to Pacific Currents, our members only magazine You get all of this for just $45! Become a member today by going to www.aquariumofpacific.org/astudentmembership or call 562-437-FISH(3474).

*Must have valid student ID

Luminario Ballet ballet, modern, aerial dance

April 8-9-10 CSU Long Beach Martha B Knoebel Dance Theater tix: $30 general $15 students

April 15-16-17 El Portal North Hollywood tix: $40/30 general $15 students

www.luminarioballet.org

Beacon Arts Building is located at 808 N. La Brea Ave., Inglewood. For more information, visit beaconartsbuilding.com.

Campus Circle 4.6.11 - 4.12.11

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ONTHEMENU

THE MAC ’N’ ROLL TRUCK by eva recinos

With the food truck craze in full swing, sometimes it’s difficult to choose the right truck. Korean barbecue tacos? Ice cream sandwiches? Nachos? Then, you see the yellow of the Mac ’n’ Roll Truck, and your mind is instantly made up.

If you’re a college student, mac and cheese is a definitive staple in your diet. But this isn’t just regular mac ’n’ cheese from the box. Taking inspiration from family recipes and other recipes, the Mac ’n’ Roll Truck carries flavors like spinach and artichoke, sweet potato and even buffalo chicken, offering affordable varieties that take this childhood dish to gourmet heights.

Picking up on the food truck frenzy and finding the idea of being her own boss intriguing, Constance Ford decided to start Mac ’n’ Roll in July 2010. For Ford, the truck is not only about the food, but also the experience eaters take away.

“I want them to just have food that tastes really good and they really like, and I like the idea of having a sense of nostalgia to it because lots of people think of mac ’n’ cheese as the fun childhood sort of food,” Ford says. “I like the feeling that it’s a comfort food but with the additions that we’ve made, it has become an adult sort of thing but still with that nostalgic feeling.”

On a Friday afternoon in sunny Culver City, Ford

Campus Circle > Culture > Food is splitting her time between taking the orders from the long line of customers outside the Mac ’n’ Roll Truck and packaging the food into brown paper bags reminiscent of elementary school days. Sitting at a table nearby, eaters happily take out their shiny boxes, the simple plastic forks completely contradicting what is inside – an explosion of ingredients that leaves the flavor lingering in your mouth and adds a satisfying heaviness to your rumbling stomach.

Each recipe has its own standout flavor combination, but each one proves to be a creamy delight to your taste buds.

Perhaps one of the strangest sounding combinations, the Sweet Potato Mac takes what is generally considered a side dish and creates a flavorful, addictive offering that could very well be an entrée. Sprinkled with breadcrumbs and blended generously with small morsels of the saccharine potato, this item is incredible. The first bite automatically overwhelms you with a unique fusion of otherwise innocent ingredients that when put together create a plate everyone loves. The small noodles may come from typical market-bought plastic bags, but they transform into so much more inside their aluminum packaging.

To keep up the veggie-friendly trend, the Mac ’n’ Roll Truck also offers a luscious version of a Spinach and Artichoke Mac, one of Ford’s personal favorites. This concoction instantly envelopes the tongue in a salty medley of creamy spinach and juicy chunks of artichoke, meaty pieces that are sure to bring happiness to artichoke lovers. The flavor can be a bit much to handle at times, but rest assured it remains intact if you want to save half and microwave it later.

The Caprese Mac might be less adventurous but is equally creamy. With its simple combination of bright cherry tomatoes and small strips of basil, it allows the sauce to speak up even louder. Though this particular recipe does not zap

BARFLY

THE VILLAGE IDIOT

7383 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles by john stapleton iv The Village Idiot is not a bar. The Village Idiot is the waiting room of an overbooked, understaffed VA hospital where all the crotchety old-age pensioners have been substituted with pretentious new-age hipsters. The smell isn’t quite as nauseating, but the crowds of people standing idly around with bored or confused looks on their faces is every bit as prosaic. After a full decade of sitting in VA hospitals while serving in the US Navy, you can imagine my disappointment with a bar that offers a similar experience (but without the worthwhile benefit of receiving a month’s worth of prescription narcotics at the end).

The tables are nice. The booths are comfortable. And the wallpaper … well, it has wallpaper. It also has VIP lounges that I assume are very luxurious, and, according to Dictionary. com’s definition of “luxurious” (“extremely comfortable … especially in a way that involves great expense”), I can say that the drinks fit the description equally well. Not that the cost of drinks necessarily makes or breaks a bar – in fact, I’ve had some insanely priced beverages in some insanely enjoyable bars – but therein lies the rub: The Village Idiot isn’t insanely enjoyable. It isn’t even sanely enjoyable. It’s just … crowded.

And not in a fun, nightclub way or in a rowdy sports bar way,

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Campus Circle 4.6.11 - 4.12.11

Constance Ford’s Mac ’n’ Roll Truck takes the comfort food to another level. the taste buds with a pleasant shock like the other dishes do, it does present the strength of all of the dishes – a creaminess that keeps you guessing at the ingredient of Mac ’n’ Roll’s creamy sauces.

Mostly what you take away from the truck is a perfect blend of the adult love of flavor and the kid’s affinity for adventure. The love of mac ’n’ cheese abounds, blended in with a talent for showcasing dishes that keep you yearning for another bite. At around only $7 each, the six Macs mix the best of both worlds – the truck craze for cheap, quick food and Los Angeles’ longing for exciting, enticing flavors.

For more information, visit macnrolltruck.com.

Campus Circle > Blogs > Barfly but in a I-10-during-construction way that just makes you want to run towards the nearest living thing and kill it.

The upsides? Well, first of all, it’s fancy. If maximum occupancy was kept closer to “campfire” and father from “fire hazard,” it might even seem like a remotely sophisticated place to share a couple rounds with friends. And it has a whole menu of giant beers you can usually only find at BevMo!, and having a full list of man-sized microbrews is helpful in any desperate situation. Finally, with an 18-and-up door policy, you could even bring your high school girlfriend along and try to convince all of your friends that you don’t have serious relationship issues.

But no amount of thinning the heard or biggie-sized bottles or barely legal bar-larvae will make up for the fact that the Village Idiot is just too big for its britches. It thinks it’s a fancy restaurant with a nightlife, but it’s just a place to order juleps and cabernets like you know what the hell you’re talking about in an environment that’s priced with equal naivety. Plus, I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it yet, but the place is too damn crowded.

Look, I appreciate the folksy English flair this bar is trying to accomplish as much as the next guy. But it fails at being ironically funny and no one likes British humor anyway (That’s “humor” not “humour” for all you kids from across the pond, and just so we’re clear, our version of “The Office” puts the BBC version to shame.) and I don’t have the patience or the pocketbook to spend the night waiting in line to purchase cocktails that are customarily consumed from a saucer.

I’m not trying to catch a buzz with my pinkies up; I’m here for the party. I’m a student. I’m usually broke. And I worked my ass off to get these student loans, so I’m not about to blow that money on drinks made for patrons with low tolerances and high incomes. I’m at the bar to double-fist

double-vodkas until closing time, not to stand around in a crowd of people who are all wondering why the hell they are standing around in a crowd instead of doing more enjoyable things like filing taxes or cleaning the shower drain or eating day-old McDonald’s fries.

The bottom line is this: The village idiot is a title reserved for the guy that no one else in town can stand; the one that stands out in the most notorious way; the one that tries in every way to be hip, but always ends up making a fool of himself while everyone points and laughs. In which case, the Village Idiot isn’t doing this designation any favors (or favours, for that matter).

For more information, visit villageidiotla.com.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle

CALENDARTHE10SPOT

BY FREDERICK MINTCHELL

VH1

SATURDAYAPRIL 9

Reality Rocks Expo L.A. Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Downtown; realityrocks.net Loyal fans will be able to see and meet their favorite reality show personalities, judges and hosts and immerse themselves in the “world of reality” with everything from personal makeovers, fashion shows, home improvements and cars to cooking and competition programs. You may even get a shot at being cast in one of your favorite shows. Runs through Sunday.

WEDNESDAYAPRIL 6 Beverly Hills Film Festival

SATURDAYAPRIL 9 Renaissance Pleasure Faire

beverlyhillsfilmfestival.com This international competition is dedicated to showcasing the art and talent of emerging and independent filmmakers with screenings, celebrity panels, special events, seminars, parties and more. Runs through Sunday.

Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, 15501 Arrow Hwy, Irwindale; renfair.com/socal Swashbuckling heroes, merry minstrels, dazzling daredevils, dancers, jugglers and hundreds of colorful characters fill their 12 stages and bustling streets bringing you nonstop entertainment throughout the day. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Join in on the fun by dressing up in Renaissance costumes for the day! Saturdays and Sundays through May 22. $25.

WEDNESDAYAPRIL 6 L.A. Kings Student Night Staples Center, 1111 S. Figueroa St., Downtown; kings.nhl.com Tickets start at just $15 with a valid student ID when the Phoenix Coyotes come to town to square off against the Kings. 7:30 p.m.

THURSDAYAPRIL 7 L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival lacomedyshorts.com This celebration of comedic short films is the largest comedy film festival in the United States dedicated to introducing the newest and hottest comedic talent to the audience and industry in a fun-packed weekend of screenings, parties, industry panels and more. Most events are at the Downtown Independent. Runs through Sunday.

FRIDAYAPRIL 8 Between The Bars: Elliott Smith Tribute M Bar, 1253 N.Vine St., Hollywood; myspace.com/mbarhollywood A collaboration of L.A. artists offers an innovative theatrical experience to American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith’s repertoire of music. This creative tribute merges live music with contemporary dance and incorporates striking visuals via multi-media. 8:30 p.m. Also Saturday. $10.

FRIDAYAPRIL 8 Shrine Circus Shrine Auditorium, 700 W. 32nd St., Los Angeles; almalaikah.com/circus This year features acrobats, wacky clowns, Liberty horses, aerial artistry, the famous “wheel of destiny,” comedy, juggling, a motorcycle spectacular and an amazing grand finale. Seven performances.

Runs through Sunday. $10.

SUNDAYAPRIL 10 Los Angeles Avocado Takedown Bootleg Theater, 2220 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles; bootlegtheater.org Twenty local cooks, 20 monumental avocado recipes – try each one and vote the winner to fame and fortune. Fact: Avocados are a proven aphrodisiac. Holy guacamole.

2 p.m. $10.

MONDAYAPRIL 11 Spa Week spaweek.com Select spas in the area are offering select spa treatments for just $50. Indulge in anything from massages and facials to manicures and pedicures that normally range from $100 all the way up to $450.

Runs through April 17.

TUESDAYAPRIL 12 “Rain” The Pantages, 6233 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles; broadwayla.org They look like them, and they sound just like them. “The next best thing to seeing the Beatles,” raves The Denver Post.

Experience the full range of the Beatles’ discography, from “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to “Let It Be” and “Come Together,” live onstage. Runs through April 17. Tix start at $25.

For more events, visit campuscircle.com/calendar.

To submit an event for consideration, e-mail calendar@campuscircle.net.

PAGES <<< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 The book is divided into two sections: McCartney’s life during his career with the Beatles, and after the Beatles’ breakup. Naturally, there is plenty of information about Paul’s relationships with the other Beatles, especially John, as well as his wife Linda. All kinds of interesting trivia is scattered throughout the text like gems. For example, the book mentions a proposed Apple Films production of The Lord of the Rings that was never produced.

You might expect a chronicle of McCartney’s life to be told from a relatively neutral point of view. This is not the case; Sounes is not afraid to let his opinions on McCartney’s albums, songs and career choices in general be known. This may alienate some fans who may find some of his opinions harsh. All in all, Sounes has created a work that successfully chronicles the events of the talented singer’s life from birth to the present day.

Grade: B+ —Brendan Michael Newton Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney is currently available.

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Agoura Hills (818) 707-2121 • Culver City (323) 296-1543 • Encino (818) 990-8820 Glendale (818) 247-1946 • Granada Hills (818) 831-1245 • Huntington Beach (714) 964-5926 Koreatown (213) 386-6884 • Lawndale (310) 214-8704 • North Hollywood (818) 766-7184 • Pacoima (818) 890-5515 Palmdale (661) 947-4545 • Pasadena (626) 577-1723 • Saugus (661) 259-3895 • Simi Valley (805) 522-2586 Van Nuys (818) 786-3204 • Wilshire/Highland (323) 939-7661 • Winnetka (818) 700-0509

Expires 6/30/11

Campus Circle 4.6.11 - 4.12.11

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GETUPGETOUT

LUMINARIO BALLET SEASON 3

April 8-10 @ CSU Long Beach April 15-17 @ El Portal Theatre by cindy kyungah lee It’s ballet like you have never seen before.

This month, Luminario Ballet returns with its third repertory season. Exciting and energetic, Luminario Ballet of Los Angeles provides us with the valuable experience of indulging in the artistic nature of the human body. This season’s repertory includes choreography from Josie Walsh, Jamal Story, modern dance legend Bella Lewitzky and Judith FLEX-Helle.

Luminario Ballet is a company that incorporates contemporary and classical ballet en pointe, modern dance repertories and aerial ballet. In addition to revival pieces, the company presents new choreography as well. A collection of dancers from everywhere, Luminario represents the truly diverse population of Southern California.

Consisting of a total of 10 pieces, this season of Luminario Ballet brings repertories that are very different from each other. Focusing on a wide variety of themes and concepts, the individual choreographers extend a fierce staged battle of the

Campus Circle > Culture > Get Up Get Out aesthetics and art of dance. “[Josie] Walsh built upon a previous piece from ‘Luminate’ and brought a new piece. Walsh [expresses] grief [with the] death of her mother. Jamal [Story]’s piece is about the tumultuous relationship between people. I focus on urban life from my perspective. ‘Lift Ticket’ is a dance about life, anything to just about everything we experience from life,” Luminario’s managing director FLEX-Helle says, briefly illustrating themes on which the vibrant choreographies are built.

Feeding my curiosity about the inspirations that helped assemble such alluring and emotional repertories, FLEX-Helle provides me with an in-depth reply. “[Inspiration] comes from all different places. Sometimes it’s a piece of music, and sometimes it’s a person that you meet or emotion that you experience. [Or from pieces like] Shubert’s ‘Winterreise.’ Eighteen twenty-seven, the year in which it was composed, was the coldest winter in Germany. It is about a man who gets dumped by a woman. I had a really bad breakup in Germany so I understand. [Inspiration] comes from imagination and past experiences,” she offers.

Perhaps it is because of her ability to depict her experiences in an alternate form that FLEX-Helle has mastered creating an emotional voyage for the audience. In the three pieces that she choreographed, FLEX-Helle exposes us to her versatile nature as a dancer. An aerialist herself, not only does she choreograph a ballet piece, but a big aerial showcase, too, which she calls the “LedZAerial.” “[The aerial piece] is a real pleasure center,” she starts. “It’s the audience’s G-spot. Everything is wonderful about it, and it will make people scream with pleasure.”

Anybody who doesn’t go out and see Luminario after hearing such a description is, in my opinion, missing out.

Other than “Lift Ticket,” FLEX-Helle also choreographed a

CURTAINCALL

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For more information, visit luminarioballet.org.

Campus Circle > Culture > Theater

“Just Imagine”

“Othello”

Now-April 17 @ Hayworth Theatre Just imagine walking down the street where Wilshire Boulevard meets MacArthur Park and you stumble across the Hayworth Theatre where the marquee isn’t even lit on a Friday night. Just when things could go terribly wrong, they pleasantly go terribly right. Hidden away in this intimate theater is a treasure named Tim Piper who leads his audience on an unforgettable look at John Lennon’s life in “Just Imagine.” Lennon’s music is entertaining enough, but Piper monologues a historic background of the once-Beatle. He shares stories of Lennon’s life that, for those who’ve heard them, provides a chuckle or even tears. And for those who haven’t heard the behind-the-scenes happenings of Lennon’s times, you will be educated on his harsh personal life.

Piper’s memorable performance is pitch perfect and while at first the monologue seems forced, it grows on you. To back Piper up is a groovy and impressive band that puts this generation’s musicians to shame. Piper has been touring and performing as Lennon for years now, so for this show to “look back on his life” works for Piper to be on the older side. And even though Piper is an outstanding entertainer, it does make you wish you’d caught him in the role about 15 years ago.

Lennon’s authentic clone will wow you with his renditions of “Strawberry Fields,” “Can’t Buy Me Love” and more. He even steps back to become intimate with the audience in an acoustic set without his backup band as he plays hits by request like “Across the Universe,” which is priceless and touching. You won’t want to miss Piper portray Lennon in this unforgettable performance.

—Stephanie Forshee Hayworth Theatre is located at 2509 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information, visit plays411.net/justimagine.

Now-April 16 @ Powerhouse Theatre “Othello” is one of my favorite Shakespeare plays. Iago’s wife Emelia is Desdemona’s lady at hand. Anything Desdemona needs, Emelia is there to help. Desdemona is married to Othello, Moor of Venice. Iago works for Othello, but has some serious insecurity issues. He’s one jealous son of a gun. He fabricates stories about almost everyone involved in the play just to be an ass.

One day Emelia finds this handkerchief on the ground that belongs to Desdemona. It was a gift the Moor had given to her as a token of his affection. She dropped it by accident.

Turns out, Iago has been nagging Emelia for some time about getting hold of that handkerchief for his own selfish motives.

So when Emelia surprises him with it, he goes straight to Othello and tells him that his wife is having an extramarital affair and that he has proof. Othello looses it, Iago gets caught and everyone dies. This is why I love Shakespearen tragedy.

The drama is beautiful!

In this adaptation, Melissa Collins’ Emelia is one of the better performances of the night, as is Jonathan Redding’s Iago.

Both are clear with their delivery and have great physicality, not to mention their chemistry is the most entertaining of the night. Redding’s energetic and sinister Iago leads the entire production.

—Ximena Herschberg Powerhouse Theatre is located at 3116 2nd St., Santa Monica.

For more information, visit powerhousetheatre.com.

Campus Circle 4.6.11 - 4.12.11

ballet piece in relation to Schubert’s “Winterreise,” an old and universal story of suffering after a breakup, as well as an urban piece that depicts her life.

“I live in a fantasy,” she says. “[This piece] shows what it is like to live in my world. It’s a kaleidoscopic vision of it.”

Other than providing wonderful details about her choreography, FLEX-Helle further hints that the finale piece unfolds as a very big picture that will make the audience feel as though they are experiencing something powerful.

With their passion for dance, FLEX-Helle, the other choreographers and dancers come together to gratify us with a treasured acquaintance with one of culture’s greatest art forms.

“All dance is a language,” she states. “You don’t need words, it’s only through movement.”

Dance is powerful, and it takes a certain skill to move the audience emotionally, solely through the movement of the body.

“Wish I Had A Sylvia Plath” Now-April 17 @ Lounge Theatre “Wish I Had a Sylvia Plath,” written by Edward Anthony, is a play that is full of psychotic energy. The play depicts the

Tom Burmester

NEWS

Melissa Collins as Emelia in “Othello” thought process of a poet named Ester who suffers from loneliness and career dissatisfaction. Riled up in her own thoughts, Ester ultimately calls it quits to her existence.

Amy Davidson (Ester) astonishes with her schizophrenic acting techniques, helping not only the audience but also herself to relive the moments before a poet’s dramatic exit from life. Extremely funny at first, the play adds constant twists of dark humor to resonate a feeling of creepiness and provide grotesque laughter.

Acting out at least six different characters on her own, she manages not to confuse the audience while constantly changing her voice. Davidson takes us through the hysterical and complicated nature of a person’s stream of thoughts, letting us flow through the fast-paced zigzags inside a person’s head. Even though the stage space is no bigger than the size of a bedroom, it is creatively laid out to transform smoothly into different scenes.

This disturbing story will leave you in shivers.

—Cindy KyungAh Lee Lounge Theatre is located at 6201 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information, visit roguemachinetheatre.com.

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TRENCH COATS by dana jeong

Anyone confused by this unusual L.A. weather these days? I know I am, especially every morning when I’m standing in the closet without the slightest clue about what to throw on for the day. But fear not fashionistas, because here comes the perfect outerwear that works for any weather from sunshine to rainstorms: trench coats!

This signature piece was embraced by everyone from old-school British gentlemen to Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. And now, it will surely be your fashion staple, too, after you learn how to style it up with your own taste! (Model: Jiyoon Hong)

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Cindy Lee

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Your Pleasure is Our Passion 19 CA Locations — 1.800.34.adult Call for locations or visit www.RomantixOnline.com to find a store near you!

“Maxi”-mized Remember last week’s maxi-skirts column? How they can instantly turn an average 5-foot-3 girl into a supermodel?

If you are still in love with them and their magic, combine them with trench coats for a French chic look. The key to sophisticated styling is to stick with one neutral color, like black, for your entire inner outfit. Bon, c’est très élégant!

THEWINGGIRLS

Cindy Lee

sophomore blues

Cropped Shirts and Skinny Jeans

Cindy Lee

Not a dress-and-skirt person, or are you simply looking for a way to show off those super-slim legs? Try pairing a trench coat with skinny jeans. If you happen to be blessed with amazing abs, too, then throw a cropped top in the mix to flaunt everything you’ve got. The lengths of a short, cropped top and slightly longer coat will perfectly complement each other.

HIM: Hi. I watched your video on how to get out of the friend zone. There is a girl that I am madly in love with, and she said we are just friends. But she told me she used to like me, but now she likes my best friend.

So, we talked and she told me if she dated him she knew it would be short-term but she knew if she dated me it would be long-term and she cant decide, but I know she is leaning more to him. I need your help, please help me!?

WG: You know that saying that goes: If you love someone enough, set them free, if they come back to you, it’s meant to be? Well, usually we don’t like that saying, but it applies here.

She knows that you are the real deal and that if she chooses to date you, it’s serious business. For whatever reason, probably because she’s [young], she isn’t ready for a really serious thing right now. Maybe she has to have a few flings and get her heart broken and feel shitty before she realizes you’re the right person for her.

As hard as it is, you gotta look at the big picture and realize you can’t force her to be with you. It will only end badly for you guys. Be easy-breezy and let her know you want her to be happy and you want her to follow her heart and do what she needs to do right now.

Also, know that if she doesn’t choose you now, then there’s a chance for you guys down the road when she’s ready for something real!

For more information, visit thewinggirls.com.

Campus Circle 4.6.11 - 4.12.11

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Present coupon at Faire Box Office to receive one of the following:

OPENING WEEKEND SAVINGS 2 FOR 1 - SAVE 50%!

Purchase ONE Full Priced Adult Ticket and Receive ONE Complimentary Admission!

Offer and ticket valid Saturday or Sunday, April 9 or 10, 2011 only.

Weekends • April 23 - May 22

2nd Weekend • April 16 or 17

KIDS FREE

Offer and ticket valid Saturday or Sunday, April 16 or 17, 2011 only.

No coupon necessary.

Ages 5-12 CC 4/6

CC 4/6

full priced $250 OFF One Adult Ticket

Offer and ticket valid Saturdays or Sundays, April 23 - May 22, 2011 only.

CC 4/6

Regular Adult Ticket Price is $25.00. Kids 5 & under always free. No pets or smoking, please. Limit one coupon per person. Not valid with any other offer.

The Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area is a United States Army Corps of Engineers Facility and a unit of the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation System

Photo by Gar Travis | Cover art by Chris Jones