Campus Circle Newspaper Vol. 21 Issue 26

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EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS Colors of Culture D-Day The Last Laugh Spirited Bruin Trend Blender Trojan SideLines

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03 BLOGS TROJAN SIDELINES 03 BLOGS D-DAY 04 BLOGS SPIRITED BRUIN 23 BLOGS TREND BLENDER 05 FILM SPECIAL FEATURES: The Smurfs 06 FILM TERRI Jacob Wysocki gets advice from John C. Reilly.

07 FILM DVD DISH

campus circle June 29 - July 12, 2011 Vol. 21 Issue 26

Editor-in-Chief Yuri Shimoda editor.chief@campuscircle.net Managing Editor/Art Director managing.editor@campuscircle.net Film Editor film.editor@campuscircle.net Music Editor music.editor@campuscircle.net Web Editor Eva Recinos Calendar Editor Frederick Mintchell calendar@campuscircle.net Editorial Interns Kristina Bravo, Dana Jeong, Cindy KyungAh Lee

08 FILM THE CHANNEL SURFER 08 FILM PROJECTIONS 10 FILM MOVIE REVIEWS 14 MUSIC LIVE SHOW REVIEWS 15 MUSIC FOSTER THE PEOPLE Off and Running with “Pumped Up Kicks” 15 MUSIC GO RADIO Feeling Lucky 16 MUSIC WARPED TOUR GUIDE

Contributing Writers Priscilla Andrade, Scott Bedno, Zach Bourque, Mary Broadbent, Jonathan Bue, Erica Carter, Richard Castañeda, Nataly Chavez, Naomi Coronel, Lynda Correa, Jewel Delegall, Natasha Desianto, Jacob Gaitan, A.J. Grier, Denise Guerra, Elisa Hernandez, Josh Herwitt, Tien Thuy Ho, Alexandre Johnson, Pamela Kerpius, Matthew Kitchen, Angela Matano, Patrick Meissner, Hiko Mitsuzuka, Samantha Ofole, Sean Oliver, Brien Overly, Ariel Paredes, Sasha Perl-Raver, Rex Pham, Ricardo Quinones, Eva Recinos, Dov Rudnick, Mike Sebastian, Doug Simpson, John Stapleton IV, David Tobin, Emmanuelle Troy, Drew Vaeth, Kevin Wierzbicki, Candice Winters

17 MUSIC GODSMACK Prepare for Mayhem 17 MUSIC FREQUENCY 18 MUSIC NOTES 18 MUSIC REPORT 19 MUSIC CD REVIEWS 19 MUSIC L.A. UNDERGROUND 04 CULTURE JULY 4TH EVENTS 05 CULTURE GET UP, GET OUT: Anime Expo

Contributing Artists & Photographers Tamea Agle, A.J. Grier, Emmanuelle Troy ADVERTISING Sean Bello sean.bello@campuscircle.net Joy Calisoff joy.calisoff@campuscircle.net Jon Bookatz Music Sales Manager jon.bookatz@campuscircle.net

20 CULTURE CURTAIN CALL 20 CULTURE L.A. PLACES 21 CULTURE GAME ON 22 SPORTS SOCCER BRIEF 22 SPORTS DODGERS 411 22 SPORTS GALAXY KICK 23 EVENTS THE 10 SPOT Cover: Anime Expo 2011 Credit: Miku image courtesy of Sega/Crypton Future Media, Inc.

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by elisa hernandez ‘@ the doctor waiting on my surgery date … minor setback for a major comeback,” USC cornerback Patrick Hall, posted on his Facebook June 16, after tearing his ACL in his left knee at a players only practice.

Hall had just caught an interception when he landed in an awkward position, thus tearing his ACL. Although he was able to walk off the field, he knew the severity of what had just happened.

“I knew it was the ACL because of the swelling,” Hall told ESPN Los Angeles. “I was hopeful it was just a tweak, but I knew it was the ACL.” Hall was part of former head coach Pete Carroll’s final recruiting class of 2009. The Ventura, Calif. native was the No. 2 athlete and No. 19 player overall in the country, according to Rivals.com.

This highly proclaimed player out of St. Bonaventure High has been faced with an uphill battle since coming to USC. Aside from injuries, Hall was also suspended indefinitely last season by head coach Lane Kiffin, due to academic reasons.

D-DAY

WHAT ABOUT MONEY NOT TO GO TO COLLEGE? by denise guerra

A couple of weeks ago, PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel set up a foundation to give 24 people under the age of 20 a fellowship of $100,000 to drop out of school for two years and start their own companies. Though a controversial investment for proponents of higher education, business professionals and generally everyone who has graduated from college, Thiel’s experiment isn’t that far off base.

Besides, if Mark Zuckerberg can drop out of Harvard and start Facebook, why not the rest of us? Though I find the odds of this fellowship spawning a new type of Facebook to be not-so-great, I do find that Thiel is bringing to light the ageold questions of: Is school really worth it? Is getting a college degree worth more in the long run when you factor out school loans and job prospects in this current economy?

For me, I’m in the current position of wondering the exact same thing. Should I take out $100,000 worth of loans for a master’s degree in Journalism? Journalism is my passion, it’s what I love and I would totally be swimming in bliss if I could

uscfootball.com

A Temporary Setback, for a Major Comeback

Since Hall is a fighter, he returned to the practice field three weeks after, on what Kiffin had said was improved behavior. It seemed Hall had found the reasons why he continued to fight on.

“I had my head in the wrong place,” Hall says. “I got a lot of people looking forward to seeing me on the field, a lot to prove looking back at ranks, and I had to do it for my family.”

In the past two years, this is the second serious injury Hall has had since becoming part of the Trojan Family. He previously tore his ACL in his right knee, during his only practice of the Trojans 2009 Fall Camp. Once Hall recovered he redshirted during the 2010 season, and still continued to rehabilitate his knee.

As for his current injury, Hall is scheduled for surgery on June 30 and is looking at a nine-month recovery period where he will miss the 2011 season. Looking to stay positive, doctors have told him he should be able to practice in full pads by next March and be ready for the 2012 season.

“I have to stay positive about it, there’s no point in beating myself up, I get an extra year [where] I can learn playbook more and come back stronger for that starting spot,” Hall says. “My teammates, they look forward to me being on the field … also my family, they keep me spiritually wise and make sure my head is on straight so I won’t let this bring me down.”

Having missed two complete seasons due to injury, Hall will petition for a sixth year of eligibility. If allowed, he would have three years of playing time remaining as of 2012.

Although a great cornerback on the field, Hall wouldn’t mind changing positions.

“I would love to play running back,” Hall says, laughing.

“But [regardless] once I get out there all I got to do is play ball and continue to work hard as I’m doing now … it’s just

what I know; it’s what I love to do.”

Even though he won’t be practicing anytime soon, that’s not keeping this player off the field. He continues to work out as well as coach the younger players coming in. He says, “I’m playing that role” of a student and a teacher; a coach and a player.

Hall will be turning 20 next month and says he has already begun to look forward to his future outside of football. After speaking with graduate assistant Sammy Knight, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in Communications.

It’s all or nothing in the game of football. It’s a sport built on perseverance, heart, stamina, durability and effort, characteristics that Hall lives and breathes; he’s just waiting on his chance to shine.

“I feel this is all a sign that it’s not my time yet, I just got to wait my turn and make the most out of it once I get my shot,” Hall says. “I haven’t gotten a chance to prove myself on the field, but once given that chance I’m going to show out.”

Campus Circle > Blogs > D-Day go, but debt is not fun.

While an undergrad, I wasn’t thinking at all about what my current financial situation would be once I graduated. So, I drank a tequila shot and just put it out of my head. Now I know the value of such decisions, because the stakes are much higher, I mean $100,000 higher.

I have to be smart about this, and in order to think about it, I have to look back at my undergrad education. I am now paying back $30,000 in loans and have a nifty day job that pays $35,000 (apparently that’s really low, but I was just happy to make more than $10 per hour). The job required a bachelor’s degree.

Now there are employers who hire folks without a high school diploma or college degree. However, without a doubt, you can agree with me that a degree opens more doors and more opportunities than those who are without. Nowadays, it seems to be a pre-requisite for any entry-level position and a way to stay competitive in this tough job market.

But what about those who made it without having to go to school like Zuckerberg? He did it, right?

Frankly, he’s the only one that did it. There’s only one Facebook. There are probably hundreds of others who dropped out of school and found themselves unsuccessful.

For one Zuckerberg, you’re looking at 100-plus people who thought their web venture would take off. Zuckerberg was a special case. He still went to Harvard, and he created Facebook while at Harvard. You could probably say that Harvard had some factor in Facebook’s birth.

For the lucky 20 people who will receive the infamous $100,000, I bet it’s not going to be just anyone who decides not to go to college; the reward is meant to foster great ideas, innovation and business ventures. For the most part, I learned all this from going to college.

Doug Griswold/San Jose Mercury News/MCT

USC No. 25 patrick hall

Campus Circle > Blogs > Trojan SideLines

Mark Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard yet found success.

At the heart of this whole debate is Thiel’s questioning of the value of higher education, which comes at a very appropriate time when a lot of people are struggling through tuition hikes, gas prices and dire job conditions.

So, is higher education worth it?

From my experience, it is a definite yes. I’m not saying you have to go to a top-notch university, but even a community college education has the great ability to teach ideas and skills that broaden one’s perspective of the world. It’s about the discovery of people and ideas that sort of forced me (in a good way) to look beyond what I learned growing up. Was it worth it? Personally, mentally, emotionally, socially – I would say yes.

Financially, I’m still waiting to find out.

For me, I’m considering maybe choosing a less expensive college for a master’s degree. Who knows? Too bad I can’t use that $100,000 Thiel Fellowship for it.

Campus Circle 6.29.11 - 7.12.11

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SPIRITEDBRUIN

Campus Circle > Blogs > Spirited Bruin

JULY 4 EVENTS by frederick mintchell 4th of July BBQ

facebook.com/faceaids

Aquarium of the Pacific, 100 Aquarium Way, Long Beach; aquariumofpacific.org Enjoy the Aquarium at night and get a “fish-eye” view of the Queen Mary fireworks. You can also opt for a combo ticket which includes a buffet. Aquarium open from 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Barbecue from 6p.m.-8 p.m.

Hansen Dam Celebration Hansen Dam Park, 11798 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace; hansen4th.com This year’s fireworks show will be orchestrated to patriotic music; includes food trucks, music, games, raffles, prizes, award presentations and other entertainment, which culminates with one of the most dramatic fireworks displays in the area. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. FREE.

4th of July AmericaFest Rose Bowl, 1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena; rosebowlstadium.com The biggest fireworks show in SoCal is accompanied by performances from five of the nation’s best drum corps units, live music, a food court and more. The festival begins outside the stadium at 2 p.m. The stadium opens at 6 p.m. with the fireworks at 9 p.m. $13.

Grand Ole Fourth of July Fireworks Festival CBS Studio Center, 4024 Radford Ave., Studio City; studiocitychamber.com Enjoy the live music, food, fireworks or get a VIP ticket to enjoy a sake/scotch tasting and get a rooftop wristband. These special tickets are limited and are sold on a firstcome, first-served basis. 4:30 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

July 4th Brunch Cruise hornblower.com The two-hour cruise features a brunch buffet with breakfast and lunch favorites plus a chocolate fountain and bottomless champagne. There are three cruises (departing from Marina del Rey, Long Beach or Newport Beach) to choose from at different times and prices.

July 4th Fireworks Spectacular Hollywood Bowl, 2301 N. Highland Ave., Hollywood; hollywoodbowl.com Hall & Oates join the orchestra for classic hits, plus spectacular fireworks to celebrate our country’s 235th birthday. 7:30 p.m., July 2-4. Tix start at $12.

Mr. & Mrs. Muscle Beach Venice Recreation Center, 1800 Ocean Front Walk, Venice; musclebeachvenice.com See who’s the most sculpted of them all in this bodybuilding, figure and bikini competition. 10 a.m. FREE.

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Campus Circle 6.29.11 - 7.12.11

FACE AIDS AT UCLA To Conquer AIDS

by TIEN THUY HO Perhaps it is unfair to say, but it seems that in today’s competitive and stressful society, we are running through life like machines. We become so individualistic and self-centered; it’s hard to stop and think about how countries of people suffer every day, not only from hunger and poverty but also the terrible, pandemic AIDS. Since joining the organization FACE AIDS at UCLA, Dhithya Ramaswamy, who is now a senior and will be FACE AIDS’ president for another consecutive year, discovered her future career path and passion for a global cause that has rocked today’s youth. Most of all, her involvement in FACE AIDS has brought out a valuable quality that has helped her endure the challenges she faces each day: humility.

FACE AIDS began with three Stanford students who traveled and worked at a refugee camp in Zambia, where most of the 200,000 inhabitants were inflicted with AIDS. These three students met a grandmother named Mama Katele whose stories of living with AIDS and struggles to find a way to help her community inspired them to create a movement that spreads awareness of the terror of AIDS to our generation. First, they created beaded pins to show awareness of AIDS and also as a source of income for AIDS victims. In 2007, Partners in Health contacted FACE AIDS to join their efforts in Rwanda, and since then, FACE AIDS has reached out to many sub-Saharan African countries.

FACE AIDS stands to fight for global health equity and social justice. It expands through community conventions, centers for counseling and testing, and HIV education. In over 205 chapters, FACE AIDS members create an amazing network of passionate health and development activists who transform into leaders of their communities, empowering each other and uniting under the mission for justice.

At UCLA’s Fowler Museum, on April 2, FACE AIDS hosted a conference that addressed the issues of how we can achieve global action and awareness of AIDS, believing that each youth has a potential artistic and special contribution to the cause.

What can we do to help our generation understand the urgency and desperation that a victim of AIDS feels each day? Dr. David Gere, professor of World Arts and Culture at UCLA and director of Art/Global Health Center, emphasizes the significance of art in capturing human interest and sympathy for FACE AIDS’ mission.

Currently, FACE AIDS is working with Dr. Gere for his “amp it up” program to spread awareness. Furthermore, he stressed the necessity of motivating each new freshman entering UCLA’s dorms this year to read Mountains Beyond Mountains, which discusses Dr. Paul Farmer’s work towards AIDS awareness, because the dorms’ resident assistants will hold discussions about this book with the students who live in the halls.

Ramaswamy says taking part in the conference humbled her as she realized how much an individual can actually care about others and fight all of his or her life for others. Whether we personally know and lost someone to AIDS or not, the realization that AIDS exists in countries of less industrialization and education and more poverty and crimes opens our eyes to the injustice. This humility and realization pushes her to work harder to achieve health care for every human being.

This year, Ramaswamy led FACE AIDS to raise $1000. For three years in a row, FACE AIDS hosted a Black Light party at Covel’s Grand Horizon Room that many students who lived in the dorms enjoyed and donated money for the cause. In addition, FACE AIDS participated in the Back-to-School campaign, LOVE campaign and World AIDS Day. On Bruin Walk during these campaigns, FACE AIDS set up a booth to greet students and educate them about AIDS and HIV prevention. Pin sales not only contribute to FACE AIDS funds but also act as the symbol of unity under a common cause of the students who wear the pins.

Ramaswamy’s goals for FACE AIDS this upcoming year are to increase membership and organize a quarterly event that is definitive of FACE AIDS at UCLA. The vision of FACE AIDS is a world in which everyone has access to health care despite their backgrounds, but this vision can only come true if our generation is equipped with the essential skills, knowledge and drive.

Ramaswamy claims that FACE AIDS does indeed empower her with these crucial skills and knowledge, and the experiences and interactions with others who have made AIDS awareness their goal ignite her drive to help people in any way she can.

Furthermore, Ramaswamy says, “FACE AIDS inspires me to pursue a career in public health in hopes of creating a world where we can declare that health care is a human right not privilege. In fact, AIDS awareness has become an outlet for other gateway issues and social injustices that tarnish our generation’s behaviors. Honestly, FACE AIDS changed my life because being a part of it has enabled me to proudly say that I am living for others not just myself because I cannot imagine a world where I am just running around for myself with few people to share my stories, successes, and frustrations. Knowing I am helping others makes every obstacle that I face worth it. All those whom I’ve helped and reached out to have increased my network of friends who I can share my joy and all this world has to offer.”

For more information, visit faceaids.org

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ANIME EXPO 2011 July 1-4 @ Los Angeles Convention Center

by A.J. GRIER The first weekend of July brings another visit from the arts of the Far East. The Los Angeles Convention Center welcomes Anime Expo over the Fourth of July weekend to showcase all that is hot in the anime. With this being the 20th anniversary of the expo, there are really special guests making appearances this year.

One of the most highly anticipated guest events is a performance by Hatsune Miku. Miku isn’t actually real, but that hasn’t stopped her from being a huge hit in Japan. She’s a holographic performer with a synthesized voice. Think Britney Spears, if Spears were always CGI on stage instead of just in her videos. I’m thinking Miku’s show will be much like a Gorillaz show but without any live players performing in silhouette behind the projected cartoon band. I’m honestly not sure how they’re going to pull it off, but it will be something very special indeed.

Danny Choo will also be making a return appearance this year, and I’m pretty excited about that as well. Though his popularity as the dancing “Tokyo Stormtrooper” in the streets of Japan has gotten him a lot of media attention, his Web

site Culture Japan (dannychoo.com) which chronicles his experiences in and around Japan is quite fun and interesting to visit.

Those may be a couple of specific highlights of AX2011, but by no means are they the only reasons for going. The industry takes this expo very seriously as an outlet to communicate directly with the fans, and as a result, every major distributor, production company and oftentimes talent (yes, the voice-acting stars) make an appearance to not only tell you of upcoming projects but also answer any questions you may have concerning your favorite anime and manga.

I could list all of the companies that will be there and how you may know them ... well, actually I couldn’t, there isn’t enough room to fit them all. Let’s just say if you’re thinking of any cartoon from Japan, the company that made it will be at AX to speak to the public. Yes, even some Power Rangers will be there (for real!).

The festivities aren’t just about the industry. The expo is also about the fans, and there will be several opportunities to showcase any talents you have and possibly win some prizes for being so good. There is a singing competition called AX Idol, a battle of the bands competition, an anime music video contest and the ever-popular Masquerade. The Masquerade is a competition the allows cosplayers to fully explore their creativity with their costumes, and many take the opportunity to put on skits and dress in the most elaborate costumes with some really amazing results.

There are also smaller events such as Anime Singled Out (like the old MTV dating show but with anime), an Anime Trivia Show, anime Last Comic Standing, a console gaming room, a table top gaming room, a dance, a model contest, a scavenger hunt and, of course, karaoke. So yes, there is plenty to do. Basically, if it’s fun, you can do it here with anime.

A.J. Grier

Campus Circle > Culture > Get Up, Get Out

The cosplayers are some of the best parts of Anime Expo.

This will be my third year attending AX, and it’s always a lot of fun to walk around and see cosplayers or attend the many panels and focus groups to find out what’s going on with some of my favorite series and heading down to the Nokia Theatre to check out a concert or two. Being at the Convention Center is great because it’s just a short walk to L.A. Live and many places to eat. Around lunchtime, several food trucks also show up with a variety of options. AX2011 makes for a great experience for one day or all four, especially if you’re curious about anime.

Los Angeles Convention Center is located at 1201 S. Figueroa St., Downtown. For more information, visit anime-expo.org.

FILMSPECIALFEATURES

THE SMURFS Special Sneak Preview

by ricardo quinones The Smurfs were created in 1958 by Pierre “Peyo” Culliford who was a Belgian artist. He created them for a comic book; they were originally called the Schtroumpfs and became wildly popular. The name was later translated in Dutch, and the Smurfs were introduced to Americans in 1981 as 256 episodes aired as part of ABC’s Saturday morning lineup.

The movie came about when producer Jordan Kerner began writing letters to the Smurfs licensing agent, Lafig. The involvement of Peyo’s daughter, Véronique Culliford, in the movie was extraordinarily important since her father had passed away in 1989.

“We’re based on Peyo’s material and not on the [television] series. Years ago I was at ABC, and I’m always in awe of people who can tell 22 episodes a year and make it work, so there’s no criticism to the series. But Peyo’s books, if you look at them, were very thematic … different than the series,” says Kerner during a press event for the film.

One of Kerner’s requirements before making the movie was to read all of Peyo’s books, which gave him a sense of the Smurfs universe.

The movie stars Jayma Mays as Grace Winslow and Neil Patrick Harris as Patrick Winslow, as well as Hank Azaria as Gargamel.

“I’ve never really played a motherly role before. For me, Grace Winslow was all about that,” says Mays.

The Winslows are a couple whose lives are turned upside down after discovering the Smurfs in their home.

“She’s ready to become a mother, and it just so happens that these little blue creatures come into her life about the same time that she’s about to have a baby. She’s kind of learning how to give good advice and be loving, and I don’t even know that I’ve played CONTINUED ON PAGE 9 >>>

CAMPUS CIRCLE/Shrek 4.875” X 5.9” • BW DATE: 6/8/2011

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“SUBLIME. ONE OF THE MOST SHEERLY ENJOYABLE FILMS OF THE YEAR.

FILMINTERVIEWS

Whatever your spiritual beliefs, you will come out of it completely uplifted and revivified.”

– David Noh, FILM JOURNAL

Jacob Wysocki and John C. Reilly star in Terri.

Terri

John C. Reilly gives Jacob Wysocki honest advice. by kristina bravo

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‘Why am I fixing my coat?’ Creed Bratton asks himself as he sits in a roundtable interview with no cameras around. Playing the ailing but endearingly out-of-it uncle in Terri, “The Office” star’s presence was warm and familiar, yet also a little strange. When asked how it was like to film Terri, he says in his worldly almost trance-like voice, “I had an epiphany. I thought to myself, ‘This where I want to be.’ My next thought was, ‘Well, this is where I am.’ And this is probably where I’ll stay.”

It could be that his stint in the wildly successful television show affords him an instant, relaxed relationship with strangers that allows him to be delightfully offbeat, but the same feeling of familiarity can also be observed in the presence of highly-acclaimed actor John C. Reilly and fresh-faced newcomer Jacob Wysocki.

Perhaps it’s because their latest venture together, Terri, is partly responsible. A coming-of-age movie based on the actual experience of coming of age, Terri makes its audience feel warm and familiar, yet also a little strange, just like its cast.

The movie begins with Terri, the protagonist played by Wysocki, as he sits unclothed in the bath while his clearly drugged uncle rambles about cleaning the tub, killing mice in the attic and making steak for breakfast instead of the usual beans over sliced bread. He then goes to school in his pajamas, as he does throughout the rest of the movie.

Wysocki says, “It’s about this person that is, ‘well, it can’t be much worse, so I might as well be comfortable.’”

“Maybe looking the same everyday is a way to protect yourself,” Reilly adds.

The veteran actor explains that although he was an extroverted kid, he was still “this weird guy that did plays” in an athletic high school.

“I’ve gone through similar troubles that Terri has,” Wysocki remarks. “I’ve had similar thoughts like, ‘Why am I being picked on for my size? Why does that make me different?’ I don’t really understand.

Why is it a big deal?”

He continues, “At the same time I was not an outcast in school. I had my own niche. I definitely wasn’t in the same shoes as him, but I can totally relate. There were some moments when it gets a little too familiar. You’re kind of reliving the same emotions. When you come out of it, that’s when it’s weird.

You remember all the stuff that you had repressed. You get a little shaky, like ‘whoa that was heavy.’”

The soft-spoken actor does reassure, however, that he “didn’t go nuts or anything.”

Wearing a lived-in band shirt, a nose ring and scruffy hair, young director Azazel Jacobs is reminiscent of Chad, the slight rebellious troublemaker in the movie who becomes Terri’s friend.

He comments, “I like that there is a place for Terri that’s being offered in this story and in this world.

That world is as closed and as judgmental as any other, but at least in the story there’s a possibility that he has a whole other place to go to.”

But of course, no adolescence is complete without the burning issue of sexuality. Playing the beautiful and precocious Heather who befriends Terri is 15-year-old actress Olivia Crocicchia. The most experienced of the young actors in the film, Crocicchia has the talent and poise of someone wise beyond her years, but her youthful glow is affecting.

“Filming the movie was like magic!” she jokes with a girlish giggle.

Heather has to deal with serious consequences in the film, and it all culminates in a poignant and powerful scene in the shed, where she, Terri and Chad explore the early stages of experiencing the effects of sex, drugs and alcohol.

“I think kids are going to get into whatever kids want to get into,” Wysocki says.

Reilly chimes in, “[Just pick] whiskey or pill. Not both, because that could have disastrous consequences.” The room fills with laughs.

As a last piece of advice to youth, the actor says, “Just don’t die, [and] don’t get caught.”

He may be half-joking, but just like the bittersweet story of Terri, that’s as honest as advice can get.

Terri releases in select theaters July 1.

Follow CAMPUS CIRCLE on Twitter @CampusCircle DVDDISH

SPECIAL FEATURES by mike sebastian The Majors: An Asian assassin (DongGun Jang ) travels to the American West to start a new life but can’t escape his past in The Warrior’s Way. Geoffrey Rush and Kate Bosworth co-star.

Paul Giamatti nabbed a Golden Globe for his portrayal of an irascible TV producer recounting the ups and downs of his three marriages in Barney’s Version. Dustin Hoffman and Minnie Driver co-star.

After leaving his wife and kids 40 years ago, a burnt out musician (Kris Kristofferson) returns home to try to make peace and bond with his grandson in Bloodworth. Val Kilmer, Hilary Duff and Dwight Yoakam co-star.

Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman are a pair of Crusade knights escorting a woman accused of being a witch responsible for the Black Plague in Season of the Witch.

Under the Radar: Immigration Tango follows two immigrants living in Miami who meet and fall in love only to discover that both of their visas are about to expire. That’s when they come up with the plan to switch partners with their best friends.

Also available: Cyrus: Mind of a Serial Killer, Beastly, Wild Cherry, cult horror films: Bloody Birthday, The Baby and Nightmares

The Idiotbox: Patricia Arquette stars as a mother of three who doubles as a psychic consultant for the police in Medium: The Seventh and Final Season.

Emmy-winner Kyra Sedgwick is a tough-as-nails former Atlanta detective brought in to head the LAPD’s Major Crimes Division in The Closer: The Complete Sixth Season.

Sedgwick digs deep to get confessions out of high-profile suspects while navigating interdepartmental politics.

Ancient Aliens: Season Two builds a totally entertaining case that higher life forms visited the Earth in antiquity and helped shape early civilizations.

Two former Secret Service agents are tasked with tracking down strange and otherworldly artifacts for the government in Syfy’s Warehouse 13: Season 2.

“Mystery Science Theater 3000” occasionally branched out from their typical scifi territory to lampoon other schlock. First Mike and his robot pals take on a German television production of Hamlet starring Maximilian Schell, then join Joel and company for the Roger Corman western Gunslinger.

Also available: Billy the Exterminator: Season 3, Lifetime movies: Bringing Ashley Home, William & Kate and Taken From Me

in theaters NOW! W W W. T R O L L H U N T E R F I L M . C O M

TROLL HUNTER 2x5.25 CampA 2 col. = 3.75”

From Criterion With Love: Like all great surrealist works, Louis Malle’s Black Moon is impossible to encapsulate. A fantastic, post-apocalyptic Freudian allegory with talking animals and gorgeous cinematography, it is by far Malle’s most enigmatic film.

Stranger Than Fiction: Erasing David is a fascinating first-person documentary about an average man who goes on the lam to see if it is possible to disappear in the modern age.

Two brothers travel the world to launch a revolutionary new telescope in a highaltitude balloon in order to reveal the origins of the universe in Blast!.

Michael Flatley returns with a new show in Lord of the Dance

Foreign Fare: Shinya Tsukamoto rounds out his techno-horror trilogy with Tetsuo: The Bullet Man. A father’s grief has his body melding with metal, transforming him into something more than human in a quest for revenge.

Max Manus: Man of War is an epic depiction of Norway’s resistance movement in WWII. Also available: Deliver Us From Evil

Blu Notes: The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Extended Edition comes to hi-def in a stunning 15-disc set that includes 26 hours of bonus features, including the fly-on-thewall Costa Botes documentaries that put you on set for probably the biggest undertaking in cinematic history. Regrettably, the set doesn’t also contain the theatrical cuts.

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie raises the stakes of the terrific anime series about a crew of space-traveling bounty hunters as Spike and the gang try to head off a biochemical attack and claim the astronomical reward.

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THECHANNELSURFER

GETTING CARRIED AWAY “True Blood”’s Carrie Preston does it all. by hiko mitsuzuka Hollywood: the smallest of worlds. After living here for most of the 2000s, I have repeatedly learned that inevitable lesson: The more people you know, the more they know other people you know. That casting director you always flirted with? He’s taking a cooking class with your old boss. The assistant who accidently hung up on you during a conference call? Her script is now being produced by the ex of your BFF, who just joined a writers group with that flaky vegan you met at Coachella last year…

While chatting with “True Blood’”s Carrie Preston (Arlene, Merlotte’s pregnant and baby-daddyless waitress), the it’s-a-small-worldness became apparent after we established several distinct degrees of separation between us.

First, there’s our mutual actor-director friend whom we both love. Then, there’s the producer who worked on Preston’s latest indie (A Bag of Hammers) and worked with me during my stint at a commercial production company. And finally, there’s my friend of a friend who’s on the writing staff of HBO’s bloodsucker saga. This round of friendly connectthe-dots made me wonder: What other acquaintances would

Campus Circle > Film > The Channel Surfer Facebook tell us we have in common?

Connections aside, I couldn’t help but admire the actress for maintaining her sense of calm during what’s lining up to be a busy summer for her. There’s the comedy on which she’s putting the finishing touches, That’s What She Said, a Bridesmaids-esque romp that marks her second time as a feature film director (“It’s a womance. It’s a chick flick that’s not for pussies. It takes the genre and mashes it with the balls-to-the-wall outrageousness of a bromance with the girls coming out on top.”). Then there’s the aforementioned Hammers, a film starring Jason Ritter about two slacker conartists who unexpectedly find themselves to be the guardians of an infant.

“What appears as a bromance turns into something much more complicated and serious,” she says. “It’s a movie about alternative parenting.”

And of course there’s that small supernatural show about vampires and the women who love them. Naturally, when I ask what fans can expect in the just-premiered fourth season of “True Blood,” Preston can’t reveal much – most likely due to some heavy non-disclosure agreements she and the rest of the cast signed for HBO and series creator Alan Ball. The last time we saw her character, Arlene, her pregnancy ran into some Wiccan interference, thanks to the scheming Holly.

“She’s definitely continuing to deal with that issue,” Preston hints. “It’s an exciting place we’re going to go to.”

Also exciting is where the rest of the show is headed.

“We just had a table read of the final episode [of the fourth season],” she says, teasing me with the promise that the hit drama is diving into a couple of storylines never done before on the series.

Perhaps it’s the show’s attempt to stand out from the monster mash that’s dominating television. With “The

PROJECTIONS by kristina bravo summer is full-blown, and a fun agenda would be nothing without flesh-eating sea creatures, uninhibited celebration and old Hollywood glam. Luckily, living in Los Angeles allows us to do all of the above.

Killer Waters Double Feature July 2 @ Egyptian Theatre No genre during the summer, when the Southern California water is nice and warm, is more fitting than one about deadly sea creatures out for human flesh. The folks at American Cinematheque figured so, hence they are screening a double feature of Jaws and Piranha.

The 1975 thriller Jaws tops many lists of scariest movies of all time and rightfully so. The film is set on a July 4th weekend in a New England beach town, where unsuspecting sunbathers get the surprise of their lives when a hungry great white shark goes on a chomping spree like, well, a shark in a buffet.

“There is something strange in the water in the Lost River Lake,” an eery voice narrates in the trailer of 1978 film Piranhas, “something you can’t see, something you can’t feel, until it’s too late.” That something strange happens to be a school of deadly fish that will strip you to the bone. Three years after the release of Jaws, screenwriter John Sayles and director Joe Dante created another movie to stir up your innermost irrational fear of water you didn’t know you had.

For more information, visit americancinematheque.com.

Outfest July 7-July 17 @ Various Venues Last year’s Outfest opened with Howl, the wonderful little film that starred an exceptionally charming James Franco as

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Vampire Diaries” steaming up the CW, “Teen Wolf ” tearing the MTV audience to shreds and “Being Human” gaining cult status over at Syfy, “True Blood” appears to be pulling out all the stops to keep viewers hooked on its supernatural sex appeal.

“We live in a youthobsessed culture, and here are these creatures that get to live forever … they’re young and hot and sexy, and they get to stay that way forever,” Preston muses. “That taps into something that’s going on in the psyche of the American audience … and it’s fun to see what it would feel like to be devoured by the object of your affection, or to devour the object of your affection. It’s sexy – and naughty.”

Now that the show is seen all over the world, Preston’s got Twitter followers from across the globe and is enjoying the ride while focusing on smaller scaled projects that make her just as happy. Hence, A Bag of Hammers, a perfect little independent film she knew she wanted to be a part of when she read its irresistible script.

“As an actor, it’s always more interesting to play a character who’s struggling against something … I will go and do a film at whatever budget if I connect with the character,” she shares. “Doing the smaller films is more akin to doing plays. You have fewer resources than you would on a big film, so there’s more sense of camaraderie. The scale is smaller, so there’s an intimacy there … I’ve always been drawn to that.”

“True Blood” airs Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.

Campus Circle > Film > Projections Beat poet Allen Ginsberg. Openly homosexual and a major proponent of gay rights, the revolutionary lit icon (I’m referring to Ginsberg here.) boldly proclaimed in a poem, “America, I’m putting my queer shoulder to the wheel.”

The same empowered spirit is behind the film festival, which, in its 29th year still leads in “spotlighting emerging talent, creating community between filmmakers and audiences and offering a world-class forum for stories that reflect and often transform LGBT lives.”

Outfest 2011 kicks off with the premiere of Gun Hill Road, a film about an ex-con who returns home to an estranged wife and a teenage son named Michael, now known as Vanessa.

The fest promises a fabulous afterparty post-screening in the California Market Center. Other highlights include showings of Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same, a comedy catered to men, women and extraterrestrials alike, and Dolly, a movie about the escapades of twin brothers in their pursuit to meet Dolly Parton.

Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato will be presented the 15th Annual Outfest Achievement Award for their propelling works as part of the LGBT community. The pair, with a background in ’80s punk as a disco pop rock duo, has worked in various projects such as “The Real Ellen Story,” Party Monster, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” and the upcoming documentary Becoming Chaz.

For more information, visit outfest.org.

Egyptian Theatre Historic Tour and Forever Hollywood July 9 @ Egyptian Theatre Grauman’s Chinese Theatre may get all the star-studded sparkle and glitz, but its more low key sister, the Egyptian Theatre, may just prove to be the Pippa of historic Hollywood playhouses. Opened in 1922, the Egyptian Theatre screened

“There is something strange in the water...” See Jaws July 2. the very first Hollywood premiere in history.

The American Cinematheque invites you to momentarily leave the world where Netflix reigns supreme and be transported back in time to experience “Old Hollywood.”

The historic tour leads you through vintage dressing rooms, singer’s boxes and the projection booth, all of which will surely inspire wistful nostalgia for the cinema-going joys of the olden days.

Conclude your journey by seeing the movie Forever Hollywood, which includes a narration by Sharon Stone and exclusive interviews with iconic greats such as Clint Eastwood, Quentin Tarantino, Shirley MacLaine and Steven Spielberg.

The 35mm movie also features clips from American films throughout the history of the industry and footages and home movies of the stars.

For more information, visit americancinemathe.com.

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Sony Pictures Animation

INVITE YOU AND A GUEST TO SEE

Neil Patrick Harris as Patrick with Gutsy, Brainy and Grouchy Smurf <<< CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 somebody so grounded before. I just feel like most characters I played [were] a bit kooky.”

Mays also plays the role of the “kooky” Emma Pillsbury on “Glee,” but the challenges were set for acting in The Smurfs from the beginning. The film was animated by Sony Pictures Animation, and technology had to be created for the movie since the color blue is hard to resonate with light. A special camera was used to sequence scenes, and it wasn’t until several drafts of the script were done when it was determined that only six Smurfs would have prevalent roles in the film.

“It was a big decision. Initially, in the earlier scripts ... there was 45 to 100 Smurfs ... and honestly, the second or third week of shooting I was like, ‘thank God we don’t have 100 Smurfs here,’ because I was busy trying staging six on the table top or on the sofa,” says director Raja Gosnell.

The cast for the hybrid live-action and CGI movie was primarily picked after the technical aspects were ironed out. Azaria is mostly known for voicing characters on “The Simpsons,” along with being featured in numerous plays and movies. The character of Gargamel came naturally to him.

“I always start with a voice. They kind of start as an old, failed Shakespearean actor,” he says. “ I found in playing – and I’m going to get in trouble for this – there is a fair amount of my mother in there. I just remember her ... upset and running and yelling at kids a lot. There is some of that in Gargamel. I related to my mother when she was upset with the kids.”

Stickers, along with maquettes, puppets and dots, were used to direct the actor towards the would-be Smurf or Smurfs in any one particular scene.

Mays recalls, “It was getting the technical part right and making sure that you were looking where they think the Smurf was going to be and where it’s moving around, and this can get tricky when there’s about six Smurfs running all around the room and spinning and turning and you don’t know where they are and what sticker is who and all that. It was tricky, but fun.”

Three new Smurfs were created for the movie to make it contemporary and relevant to the current times. One of the characters is Gutsy Smurf (voiced by Alan Cumming), who is loosely based on the original character of Hefty Smurf.

“There’s a movie history of a sort of brashness – dare and do – of the Scottish, so I think that we wanted that. We also wanted to have the character defined by his actions but also by how he looked,” says Kerner.

There is also Jokey Smurf and Panicky Smurf. One of the greatest draws for the movie will be the fact that Katy Perry voices Smurfette, who was actually a Smurf created by Gargamel to dissuade and capture the Smurfs before Papa Smurf turned Smurfette into a good Smurf with a magic potion.

“We needed Smurfette, she’s the only girl. She’s the most popular Smurf that there is,” says Gosnell.

The decision on which Smurfs would be woven into the story depended on how the voices of the characters themselves would play into the picture.

The music for the film is inspired by medieval times and Celtic music, and contains instruments from the 14th century. The audience can be sure to hear the Smurfs singing the “La-la-la-la-la” chorus, and there is one scene in which Patrick Winslow is playing the song “Walk This Way” by Aerosmith on “Guitar Hero” while the Smurfs sing along. A tuba and a horn were used to signify Gargamel and his sidekick cat.

The audience will be sure to enjoy the sweeping, 3-D camera views. The movie opens up with a scene in which the audience gets a breathtaking view from a stork flying through the village.

The Smurfs releases in theaters July 29.

To enter for a chance to attend an advance screening of register at

www.campuscircle.com/ screening/FriendsWithBenefits Screening will take place Thursday, July 14 7:30 p.m. in Los Angeles No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Each pass admits two. All winners will be drawn at random from all eligible entries for all prizes. Screen Gems, Campus Circle and their affiliates accept no responsibility or liability in connection with any loss or injury incurred in connection with use of a prize. Not responsible for lost, delayed or misdirected entries. All federal and local taxes are the responsibility of the winner. Void where prohibited by law. No phone calls, please. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis and is not guaranteed.

www.FWB-movie.com

GET SOmE JULY 22 BW CAMPUS CIRCLE PROMO AD – HALF PAGE 4.875” X 12” (Run Date: 06/29) REV (1): 06 / 22 / 11

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Campus Circle > Film > Movie Reviews

Michael Rapaport, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Project Nim

Q-Tip, Phife Dawg and Ali Shaheed Muhammad in Beats, Rhymes & Life

Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest (Sony Pictures Classics) Nostalgia for the ’90s is big these days. With a bastardized version of “90210” festering on the CW and half-shirts being sold at Forever 21, the age of Cross Colors, pegged jeans and bang waves is seeping back into popular culture, not always in the most welcome ways. But get ready to bust an Arsenio Hallstyle fist pump because the new documentary Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest is a fantastic voyage back to the one of the golden eras of hip-hop.

Helmed by Michael Rapaport – best known for his acting work in films such as Higher Learning, Beautiful Girls and Deep Blue Sea who makes his debut as both director and documentarian – Beats, Rhymes & Life begins with shaky, almost too close, handheld footage from inside a shabby wood-paneled trailer in 2008 after what might be the final performance by a recently reunited Tribe. Having just walked off-stage, picking a plate of fruit salad, Q-Tip, one of the group’s four founding members and perhaps the best known, asks Rapaport if his bandmates agree that they had just played their last show together.

“What did Phife say?” he prods, still needing the approval of his life-long friend-turned-estranged collaborator Phife Dawg, before bristling and adding that the only other time the group might return to the stage together again is “if we get into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame.”

Leaving behind their venomous and alienated reunion for the ’08 Rock the Bells Tour, Rapaport transports audiences to Queens in the early 1980s, when two young boys, Q-Tip (born Kamaal Ibn John Fareed) and Phife (Malik Taylor), inspired by rappers like Run DMC, started beatboxing and rapping. Soon, they linked up with like-minded musicians Jarobi White – who would leave the group just as they started to gain popularity in 1990 – and DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad to form A Tribe Called Quest.

Using interviews, bits of salvaged live performance footage, some outstanding early MTV clips and moments of animated photography, Rapaport walks audiences through the group’s founding and liaisons with other pillars of ’90s hiphop, including De La Soul, Black Sheep, Jungle Brothers, Busta Rhymes, Mobb Deep, Mos Def and Queen Latifah.

While some of the film’s highlights are moments of musical insight – for example, when Q-Tip plays bits of records he sampled to create some of Tribe’s best known beats – or interviews with fellow rap luminaries like the Beastie Boys and Pharrell Williams about Tribe’s incontestable legacy, the narrative largely focuses on the interpersonal strife that eventually destroyed the group and the love that still bonds them together.

As much a portrait of a musical group as it is a dysfunctional family, it’s also an enthralling time capsule and a love letter to a

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golden age of great music that might never be duplicated. So to answer the age-old question: Can I kick it? Yes, you can.

Grade: B+ —Sasha Perl-Raver Beats, Rhymes & Life releases in select theaters July 8.

The Perfect Host (Magnet) M. Night Shyamalan didn’t invent the plot twist, though he’s received both credit and blame for its ubiquity over the last decade. No, it’s a device as old as time. Before Haley Joel Osment saw dead people and Kevin Spacey’s limp miraculously healed, we were treated to Luke and Anakin’s awkward reunion and Charlton Heston yelling at the Statue of Liberty. The rules for a good twist are as follows: There’s one, it’s big and you don’t see it coming. The Perfect Host, an intriguing dark comedy, falls short of all three.

In Host, John Taylor (Clayne Crawford) is a criminal looking to lay low after a recent bank robbery. He stumbles through suburban Los Angeles to find the house of Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce), a Niles Crane doppelgänger preparing to host a dinner party for a few close friends.

Claiming to share a mutual acquaintance, John invites himself in and proceeds to take Warwick hostage, an act less unpleasant than bleeding on Warwick’s floor or making him cancel on his guests. But, as per usual, Warwick isn’t what he seems to be, nor is his party.

Writer-director Nick Tomnay does an excellent job creating the world according to Warwick and showing his distance from reality, while Pierce drives those moments home, hilariously, as the mild-mannered sadist just looking for a good time. His tension-filled exchanges with Crawford make most of the film worthwhile. But, eventually, Tomnay jerks the wheel too often to have any forward momentum, and everything feels like a red herring waiting to be revealed. By the time the end credits roll, you’re just too exhausted by the journey. Had Tomnay taken a few cues from Michael Haneke, who directed the similar, though much darker and subtler Funny Games, Host may have been one of the surprisingly satisfying films of the year. But with a girlfriend and a few cops shoehorned in for context, the film loses its way. As it stands, it’s a fun film that ultimately tries too hard.

One rule most people forget about plot twists: When you screw with an audience’s reality, you need to leave them wanting more and wondering what happens next. By the end of the film, Host’s bows, much like Pierce’s Windsor knots, are perfectly tied. A lasting question and a little imperfection goes a long way, while too much of both is a disaster. Just ask Shyamalan.

Grade: B —Matthew Kitchen The Perfect Host releases in select theaters July 1.

(Roadside Attractions) Chimpanzees are used for research all the time, primarily for vaccines. But a professor by the name of Herbert Terrace was interested in whether or not chimpanzees could communicate in a way that would be similar to humans, so he plucked a male from its mother and named it Nim Chimpsky – hence, the project name. He figured that if the chimp was placed within a family and taught sign language then perhaps it would effectively communicate its needs.

Project Nim, directed by James Marsh (Oscar-winning Man on Wire) tells a story of that chimp’s particular journey, how he was handed from person to person for the sake of research.

Nim was first placed with a couple who embraced treated him as a child, but that is when the tragedy starts. The beauty of the film is that the audience does not realize the damage until they see what ends up happening to Nim after he has grown. There are terrifying scenes during the peak of the documentary that warn the audience of the dangers of making an attempt to civilize a wild animal.

The film displays a well-rounded debate as to whether or not it is appropriate to use such an animal for the sake of humanity. One researcher is filmed as saying that there is no such thing as humane research on animals, and he makes a point by saying that a vaccine or cure cannot be tested on humans first. The film strives to show the audience the fragility between animals and humans, as well as nature.

Grade: A —Ricardo Quinones Project Nim releases in select theaters July 8.

Vincent Wants to Sea (Corinth) Lola Award-winning, German adventure comedy Vincent Wants to Sea is an unusually quirky movie that by the end of the final credits has you falling in love. From the opening scene, you know you are going to watch a surprisingly, interesting movie. At times, you can’t help laughing, but at the same time, feel a sense of regret and remorse thanks to the amazing acting

by Florian David Fitz, who is truly incredible as the reserved but likeable Tourrette’s sufferer Vincent. Fitz also served as the original screenwriter of this offbeat comedy and has crafted quite a unique story.

Director Ralf Huettner pulls no punches after Vincent’s first Tourrette’s-filled outburst at his mother’s funeral. The death of Vincent’s mother sends him into a whirlwind. He no longer has his mother who understood his sickness and cared for him. He can no longer depend on anyone but his ego driven politician father, Robert Gellner, played wonderfully by Heino Ferch. His father who has no time or desire to care for his son and decides to send him to an institution. That is where Vincent’s life starts to get clarity as he meets his overzealous therapist Dr. Rose (Katharina Müller-Elmau) who thinks Vincent – due to his tumultuous situation growing up – should have a roommate and hide his illness.

Vincent befriends a hilarious ensemble of people. Most notable is his roommate, Alexander (Johannes Allmayer), who at times steals the film. Allmayer does an incredible job portraying a person with a severe case of OCD. Marie (Karoline Herfurth) is Vincent’s love interest who suffers from anorexia. As Vincent and Marie feel the walls of the institution closing in, they decide to escape with Alexander on joyride. The group road-trip angers Vincent’s father. Robert along with the help of Dr. Rose, embark on a hilarious game of cat and mouse with the trio that sends you on a heartfelt rollercoaster.

Though Vincent Wants to Sea follows a somewhat formulaic story of a young man who suffers from a debilitating sickness going on a journey of self-enlightenment, it takes you on a fresh ride with some of the most enjoyable characters I have seen on the screen in quite some time.

Grade: B+ —Sean Oliver Vincent Wants to Sea releases in select theaters July 1.

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A SONY PICTURES CLASSICS RELEASE A RIVAL PICTURES/STATE STREET PICTURES PRODUCTION A FILM BY MICHAEL RAPAPORT “BEATS, RHYMES & LIFE: THE TRAVELS OF A TRIBE CALLED QUEST” MUSIC BY MADLIB EDITED BY LENNY MESINA DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY ROBERT BENAVIDES CO-PRODUCERS JUSTIN ALVARADO BROWN ERIKA WILLIAMS EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS NIRAJ BHATIA DAN BURKS ZACK FREE RÉMY MARTIN PRODUCED BY EDWARD PARKS FRANK MELE MICHAEL RAPAPORT ERIC MATTHIES ROBERT BENAVIDES DEBRA KOFFLER & ATCQ WWW.SONYCLASSICS.COM DIRECTED BY MICHAEL RAPAPORT

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LIVESHOWREVIEWS June 23 @ The Music Box It was a balmy night in Hollywood for Flying Lotus’ sold-out return to his hometown. The newly renovated Music Box remains one of Los Angeles’ finest venues, and the ecstatic crowd couldn’t be happier with the venue choice.

Openers were picked from Lotus’ Brainfeeder Records, and included Thundercat and the The crowd got its money’s worth from Flying Lotus. much-hyped Gaslamp Killer. The DJ, whose resemblance to Animal from the Muppets is rather uncanny, packed quite a punch and prepped the audience for the night to come. Loud, intense and more than slightly obnoxious, Killer worked the crowd with his mix of bizarre remixes, dubstep and a wide variety of enduring party tunes.

Flying Lotus took to the stage by himself at first, warming up the audience with some tunes that, in contrast to Gaslamp Killer, appeared way downtempo. About 15 minutes in, Lotus was joined by a full band including bassist, keyboardist and drummer. The band complimented the artist’s sound with uncanny precision, adding an immeasurable amount of depth to his tracks.

Hearing Flying Lotus on a record is one thing, but seeing the man mix it live is truly a sight to behold. The highly intricate, sonically textured beats were coupled with wild, psychedelic visuals that were in perfect harmony with the music.

Flying Lotus was introduced to me as electronic jazz and that description is not far off. As trite as it sounds, his music really seems a step or two above what most electronic acts are achieving today.

Having said that, the show wasn’t a giant dance party or didn’t possess any typical traits of a wild rave like DJ show. But one would be hard pressed to find anyone in the sold-out crowd who didn’t walk out with a smile and sense of awe. They certainly got their money’s worth.

—Zach Bourque

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Justice League

Flying Lotus

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FOSTER THE PEOPLE

Returns to L.A. Under Bigger, Brighter Lights by josh herwitt Mark Foster knew his teenage dream couldn’t come true after just a few shows on the road. So while he and four of his friends drove their van through the desert on the way home from South By Southwest, Foster reminded himself to remain patient.

At the time, their hit single, “Pumped Up Kicks,” had just started to gain traction across the blogosphere after being released online in early 2010 to advertise a magazine’s fashion show. But with no representation or record deal in place, Foster was still left trying to convince his band mates that the dream they were chasing would be worth the wait.

“I had to sit down with them,” Foster recalls. “I said, ‘Look, I don’t want to worry about getting a manager or a record label. I don’t want to think about the industry. I know if we just focus on the music and what we love and don’t worry about any of that other stuff, all of it will follow.’”

Less than a year later, it did.

Thanks to that inspiring 2010 performance at SXSW, Foster had those at the Austin festival suddenly buzzing about his little-known indie pop band that was being tabbed under

Campus Circle > Music > Interviews the name, “Foster the People.” A record deal with Isaac Green’s StarTime International would soon follow, starting with a three-song EP in January that included “Pumped Up Kicks” – the breezy, yet gloomy track on Billboard’s Hot 100 that delves inside the mind of a young killer to address America’s present-day youth violence problem. With the May 23 release of their debut album, Torches, and its rise to No. 8 on the U.S. pop charts, being on the road feels a little bit easier for Foster the People thanks to the comfort of a brand new tour bus.

“We’re all able to sleep,” Foster says after recounting how the band had to take turns driving the van during a hectic first U.S. tour.

Although, with the way things have progressed so quickly, it’s almost surprising Foster has had any time to sleep at all.

“It’s just crazy,” says the 27-year-old Cleveland native, who moved to Los Angeles at 18 after his father urged him to pursue his passion for music when he graduated high school.

“But … I would be crazy to tell you that I didn’t believe in what I was doing.”

Foster, no doubt, had to work his fair share of odd jobs, from waiting tables around town to composing jingles for television commercials, before his dream could finally be realized. In the meantime, he worked on a collection of songs before eventually recruiting Malbec drummer Mark Pontius and bassist Cubbie Fink to join him in 2009. Since then, he’s added guitarist/keyboardist Sean Cimino and keyboardist/ percussionist Isom Innis to the band as live musicians.

“I had all these songs that would have been impossible to play by myself,” Foster says. “We really wanted to build the band around a connection to have fun.”

The multi-instrumentalist Foster hasn’t had trouble keeping with that mantra while exploring his electronic and hip-hop influences in the process, but it’s still hard for him to

MUSICINTERVIEWS

GO RADIO Lucked In

by brien overly ‘The older you get, the more cynical you become,” says Go Radio frontman Jason Lancaster.

One look at the scruffy, grizzled and sleeve tattooed vocalist and you might assume he’s talking about himself.

Contrary to stereotyping, however, Lancaster couldn’t be more stoked on life right now. He and his band mates, drummer Steven Kopacz, bassist Matt Poulos and guitarist Alex Reed, just released their first full length album this year and are gearing up for a much-hyped stint on this year’s Warped Tour.

Despite the band’s grittier musical leanings however, what Lancaster means is that he’s more than OK with having a younger audience demographic.

“A 21-year-old hardcore kid is there to see hardcore music, and if it’s not exactly what he came to see, he’s going to be upset about it,” he says. “But these 15- and 16-year-old girls come out to shows like, ‘I just love music, and I just want to have a good time.’”

“We’ve done really heavy tours and really pop tours, we’ve done it all. If anything, younger crowds tend to be slightly less judgmental,” says Poulos.

While Lancaster may have an uncommon respect for that section of his fan base, rest assured that the band’s brand of infectious pop-punk is anything but children’s music. Infusing the classic piss and vinegar style punk with a little bit of singalong pop modernization, the foursome have found success

wrap his head around just how fast things have come together.

In fact, just six months ago, Foster the People didn’t even sell out its show at the 400-person Echo. Since then, people have caught on. With the EP release calming the band’s nerves, a return to SXSW and an appearance at Coachella in April helped build some more momentum before the unveiling of Torches and a second U.S. tour, which features a string of soldout shows this summer. Two of those sold-out nights for the band will be back home in Los Angeles on July 7-8 at the El Rey Theatre, while a date at the Wiltern in October has also been added. It’s quite the step forward for Foster, who used to attend shows at both landmark venues but never imagined what it would be like to one day headline a concert there.

“I’m probably going to get emotional, man,” he admits about the upcoming performances. “I’m going to have to hold back. “Those are places that I have put on a pedestal for so long.”

Though at this rate, it may not be long before Foster’s burgeoning fan base is soon putting him on his own lofty pedestal.

Foster the People performs July 7 & 8 at the El Rey. For more information, visit fosterthepeople.com.

Campus Circle > Music > Interviews in creating a broad and varied fan base in their time together.

Neither gender nor genre-specific, the band has become one the faces of a new, improved and all-inclusive punk, with the release of this year’s Lucky Street.

“This record is a lot more grown up for us. It says a lot more about the band, the lives that we lead and how we want to be portrayed,” Lancaster says of the album.

And for Lancaster, the only way to make that happen was with complete honesty in his lyrics.

“I go by the idea that lyrics have to be firsthand. They have to be something you’ve been through. Everything we talk about is something that happened to us, that we lived through, and maybe we wished we didn’t, but we’re here singing about it, telling people and maybe we can help them with it too,” he says.

“The quote I like to live by is ‘Without blood on the sword, the sword is just a toy.’ So many bands out there get songs from other people, or have someone in the band who writes the lyrics but doesn’t sing them, and it just doesn’t come across the same, because they’re telling someone else’s story,” Lancaster adds. “It’s so much more real and involved when someone is standing there, looking you in the eye and telling you the truth about something, rather than just relaying a message.”

Just as with his commitment to having integrity with his songwriting, Lancaster has logged more than his share of hours to show he’s just as committed to the road for his band.

“We did years in a van with this band. My bench in the back was longer than all the other benches and was also the rockiest ride, but I got used to sleeping that way,” he says. “To the point I put my bed at home against the wall that faced the street, so I could lean my back against the wall like a van seat and hear the noise of the road outside, because it was the only

way I could go to sleep.”

That’s what separates Go Radio from the majority of other bands in their genre, however. While those bands count down the days until they’re out of their fan and off the road, Lancaster and his band mates don’t function unless they’re in it. And therein lies the key to their longevity.

“Quitting is the easiest thing to do. You just stop,” says Poulos. “What’s hard is to not quit. That’s what sets us apart.

It’s been hard for us before, and we’re just now starting to see the other side of that where it’s getting easier.”

Echoing this, Lancaster adds, “I’ve been touring in bands since I was 16 years old, and not all of it was pretty and fun, but I’m still here.”

“Still here” is where Lancaster should be able to say his band is well into the future, but for Go Radio, luck definitely had nothing to do with it.

Go Radio performs at Warped Tour July 1 in Pomona, July 3 in Ventura and Aug. 10 in Dominguez Hills. For more information, visit wearegoradio.com.

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SPECIALFEATURES

Campus Circle > Music > Special Features humor in order to make their point, though they’re also criminally underrated for that ability.

Gage Young

4) Moving Mountains: If you were looking for something a little more artsy in your Warped day, the post-hardcore bands might not be the best place to start. The bands on the tour that do self-identify as a part of that scene don’t really have the best gauge of good musical taste, and may or may not actually know anything about the genre. Luckily, Westchester-bred Moving Mountains bring a little artistry and emotionality with their brand of hard-edged rock. Whether delicately crooning out his words or cutting loose with gritty howling, vocalist Gregory Dunn is emotive above all else. On par with the likes of Thrice’s Dustin Kensrue or Brand New’s Jesse Lacey in his ability to do so, Dunn is backed by band mates who are similarly pros at setting an emotional atmosphere with their instrumentation.

From slow and spacey to furiously aggressive, together the foursome can intensify whatever mood they’ve taken on for a song without even needing a single lyrical word, a testament to their cohesive musicianship.

There for Tomorrow promise the most infectiously in-your-face set of Warped Tour 2011.

vans warped tour 2011 by brien overly

It happens every summer. Warped Tour rolls around and you’re caught in an age-old dilemma suffered by all annual festival shows. Do you decide you want to be that guy and spend your time reminiscing about how things used to be or do you accept that sometimes change really is for the best? While this year’s Warped lineup is admittedly light on both old-schoolers and arena-level headliners, the fresh blood being added this year is without question the best the tour has seen in years. Given that the tour is now in its 17th year, it’s quite a testament to Kevin Lyman’s continued ability to still know good young bands when he sees them. So, as is our annual tradition, we present the top 11 bands not to miss on the 2011 Vans Warped Tour.

11) Hellogoodbye (Pomona and Ventura only): There was a time when Hellogoodbye wore a lot of neon and were a little difficult to take seriously sometimes, despite their highly skilled musicianship. In more recent times, however, the homegrown SoCal band matured from run of the mill power pop to take a very legit-sounding indie direction. They haven’t lost the signature fun atmosphere that has defined their music, but now you don’t have to feel like you raided your kid sister’s iPod for music.

10) Go Radio: This is what pop-punk should be. Fun, catchy rock with big guitars and anthemic vocals – that still feels like it’s being performed by grown-ups, who actually have the life experience to mean what they say lyrically. The Florida foursome’s brand of rock was meant to be both sung and yelled along to, managing to effortlessly walk that fine line between catchy and hard rocking.

9) Every Avenue: Every Avenue has always been a good band, though slightly underrated and easily lost amid the countless other similar sounding bands, even if those other bands were less skilled. If the band’s newest material is any indication, however, all that’s about to change.

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8) Grieves: Given that Warped is inexplicably void of Doomtree representatives this year, young up-and-comer Grieves is doing the very honorable duty of holding down the indie hip-hop fort in their absence. Just like his fellow Rhymesayers labelmates Atmosphere and POS, both Warped vets as well, Seattle-based Grieves is a master wordsmith and beatsmith. Whether taking the dark and moody path to introspection, being poignantly critical of his surrounding culture, or lightheartedly nostalgic, Grieves rhymes are relatable above all else. Infectiously catchy while at times being heartbreakingly real with his emotional honesty, Grieves is both raw and unfiltered when it comes to saying what he thinks and how he feels. With none of the egotism that plagues so much of hip-hop, watch a Grieves set and you’ll swear you just had a one-on-one bonding session with him by the time he’s done.

7) Lucero: For as much as the faces and dominant genres of Warped have evolved over the years since the tour started, from ska to pop-punk to metal and hardcore, one thing Warped has yet to really tap into was the folk and southern rock corners of the scene. Who better for the tour to get in order to diversify its lineup than Lucero though? Feel free to rail against the tour’s pop leanings as much as you like, this palate expansion is real change we can believe in.

6) D.R.U.G.S. (Carson only): Though each of the bands on this list brings something unique to the Warped table and are arguably the top of their game at their respective genres and styles, D.R.U.G.S. is without question the most intense live show Warped has to offer this year. If there’s one thing frontman Craig Owens knows how to do and never fails at, it’s singing like he really effin’ means it. Now that he’s got a full band that can actually match his level of stage intensity and musicianship, you can bet he’s going to do some damage.

5) The Dangerous Summer: For everyone who wants to say that Warped is all about bands who just posture and try too hard to look like rock stars, the Dangerous Summer is the light at the end of the tunnel. Straightforward and pretensionfree, the guitar-driven melodic rock band doesn’t need to fit into a scene, or have a specific wardrobe, or carry any kind of attitude in order to have worthwhile music. Though front man AJ Perdomo’s Max Bemis-esque vocal style is very singalong-able, the band is most definitely not your standard adult contemporary pop-rock fare. Emotional honesty with intelligent lyricism and anthemic instrumentation, the Maryland band doesn’t need to resort to snarky adolescent

3) Against Me! On a lineup where talking about how punk rock “used to be” evokes images of the not so distant nasalvoiced and adolescence-themed past, Against Me! continues to do the altruistic work of reminding kids punk did indeed exist before 1999. Despite consistently taking a very grownup, traditionalist approach to their brand of punk, the Florida native elder statesman of the tour are still one of the most infectiously catchy bands on the lineup. Just … slightly less sing-along, a little more yell-along. Front man Tom Gabel’s signature whisky-soaked howling never fails to bring out the inner anti-establishment-ist in everyone, and is proof that the concept of punk isn’t just for kids these days.

2) There For Tomorrow: Every year Warped introduces a lot of up-and-coming bands, the vast majority of which aren’t worth their hype and will most likely have been forgotten by the next year’s tour. But this time, Warped has got it right. And while there are some well-seasoned and highly skilled veteran bands on this year’s lineup, the Florida natives are the definitive band not to miss on Warped ’11.

Having graduated from their position as pop-punk pack leaders into full-fledged rock ‘n’ roll heavyweights, the foursome could teach even some of their more senior tour mates the right way to do melodic rock. Powerhouse vocalist Maika Maile can easily be counted among the best singers to have ever graced a Warped stage, and guitarist Christian Climer could teach the master class in emotive shredding, with the entirety of the band possessing a skill level that is far beyond their years. Bringing both artistry and intellectualism to a genre that has largely been lacking both, these dudes just get what it means to really be a musician. Their new album is assuredly the most epically big-sounding record you’ll listen to this year, meaning their live show promises to likewise be the most infectiously in-your-face set Warped has to offer.

1) Gym Class Heroes (Dominguez Hills only): Even despite the fact that they’re not a prototypical Warped band, nor have they ever been, Gym Class Heroes have always embodied the most basic tenants of what it means to be a part of this scene.

Though they’re unquestionably masters of seamlessly mixing rock, pop and hip-hop, the foursome’s strength has always lied in their ability to bring the real-talk of the former genre with the fun, feel-good atmosphere if the latter two. Frontman Travis McCoy is a skillful lyricist, but an even greater performer when it comes to bringing a party atmosphere while still having something real to say on stage. What that means is that a Gym Class performance makes for one of the most fun sets of any show while still giving audiences something to think about afterward.

Warped Tour is July 1 in Pomona, July 3 in Ventura and Aug. 10 in Dominguez Hills. For more information, visit vanswarpedtour.com.

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MUSICINTERVIEWS

by brien overly

Hootenanny Festival July 2 @ Oak Canyon Ranch Really, everyone should experience this rockabilly festival at least once in his/her life.

The culture surrounding this music scene is a fascinating microcosm in and of itself, and I say that without any irony or sarcasm whatsoever. For once. Custom cars, everyone dresses classy, you’re not going to be surrounded by un-housebroken teenagers and a full day’s worth of old school punk band’s singing about drinking, brotherhood and fond reminiscing about youth, please tell me what isn’t awesome about all of those things.

If you’re still not swayed, the fact alone that Dropkick Murphys are one of the headliners on the bill should be ample reason. The iconic Massachusetts punk band has been around for 15 years, doing the rock gods’ work in making the definitive soundtrack for your Guinness-fueled nights of belligerence and havoc wreaking. The band have been staples of old-school punk since their formation and put on one of the best live shows around, given the decade and a half of experience under their collective belts.

Saint Motel July 6 @ Detroit Bar When attempting to verbalize the emotionality of indie music, the first things that come to mind might reasonably be “serious,” “moody,” “bleak,” “butt-hurting,” “sob-story” … you get the idea. It’s an unfortunate rarity that “fun” will come up as an option on the allowed list of adjectives. Because indie music can’t be fun, right? Otherwise it’s decisively pop, right? Whatever.

The Los Angeles-bred foursome just might be the proverbial bright spot in the modern indie scene that proves you can be fun and catchy indie without being falling into the VH1 trap of being “adult contemporary” indie.

Foster the People July 7 & 8 @ El Rey Was I the only person who didn’t get the memo that Foster the People was like, a thing right now? I’m pretty sure I was. Maybe I need to start watching music TV stations again.

Actually … scratch that. Things are never that bad.

Point being, when a band gets a lot of hype in a relatively small amount of time, it’s usually because they’re banking on the single worthwhile song the band has in their repertoire to carry them for the summer jam season. Luckily, Foster the People has a number of very worthwhile songs. In fact, they have a whole album’s worth.

The homegrown indie pop threesome manages to straddle that very delicate fence between club-banger dance jams and hipster-credible musicianship and attention to artistry. All while being infectiously catchy. Fine. Fine. In my lifelong battle against “Next Big Thing”-ness, I’m willing to concede a victory to the other side on this one.

Dave Bazan/Rocky Votolato July 10 @ The Troubadour I know it’s going to be blasphemous to a number of people to say, but I think I might be into this show more for Rocky Votolato than Dave Bazan. Nothing against Bazan, I have great respect for his work as a solo artist and that in Pedro the Lion, and I enjoy his music from across those eras.

But Rocky Votolato is really good. The Seattle-raised singer-songwriter knows just the right way to pull at the heartstrings. Mixing elements of both acoustic folk and full band-backed southern rock, Votolato writes albums that are the definitive soundtrack for those long drives through the desert and the Midwest. Heartbreakingly raw and emotive, while always being calm and controlled with his vocals, Votolato’s signature haunting atmosphere never fails to leave a lasting impression.

Paul Brown

June 30 @ Hotel Café I know that beach-influenced singersongwriters are a dime a dozen, and that a lot of writers pull out the “but this is the one you need to know about!” line pretty frivolously at times. But really, I mean it. I promise. Seriously guys, have I ever led you astray before? Exactly.

The Australian-born Cuming is anything but the typical acoustic Everyone should experience Hootenanny guitar slinger. Unlike the others, all set and the Dropkick Murphys at least once. on writing the breakthrough hit for soundtrack placement over a poignant moment in the teen drama series of your choice, Cuming actually breathes a little honest emotion into his music. Give the dude six strings and a mic, and he’ll make sonic magic happen with. And the more intimate the venue, the even bigger the impact his soft folksy crooning will have.

Tim Tronckoe

Ry Cuming

GODSMACK Still Causing Mayhem by jacob gaitan Boston heavy hitters Godsmack are gearing up to launch their co-headlining tour with Disturbed and Megadeth for the fourth annual Rockstar Mayhem Festival. Their last three albums have consecutively debuted atop the Billboard 200 making them one of the most successful metal bands today. Their latest, The Oracle, is their first album in four years during which they recharged from touring extensively over the past decade. Now, they return with brute force and power across North America.

Drummer Shannon Larkin relaxed in the studio as he expressed his excitement for the tour. His voice overflowed with exhilaration as he revealed details about the festival.

“Disturbed sent us what their stage show would look like, and they have video screens and pyros throughout the show,” shares Larkin. “So we said, ‘Shit, we’d be silly trying to go after them with just a backdrop and lights.’ But it doesn’t matter. This isn’t a competition.

Disturbed are definitely as big as us if not bigger, so we have no problem going before Disturbed. We’ve learned that the 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. slot is the shit, with 15 bands playing all day and 110 degrees in the deserts, people get burnt out by the time the headliner comes out.”

Mayhem Fest features over a dozen acts on multiple stages, including Machine Head and Trivium. Since hearing about the lineup, Larkin has been keeping a close eye on a few bands.

“Trivium and In Flames are two killer metal bands. I’ve been telling people how impressed I am with these up-and-coming bands. Of course Dave from Machine Head and Shawn from Megadeth are top-notch thrash players that I get to watch shred every night. Mike from Disturbed is amazing. It’ll be a drummer fest. It’s great for me, I’ll never be bored.”

Godsmack’s Web site currently lists one show after Mayhem this year. Since frontman Sully Erna is promoting his solo act, they’ve been planning a few dates after.

“We plan on doing two weeks across Canada, which we haven’t done in years. Sully will continue promoting his album, Avalon, on the West Coast, and I’ll do Another Animal with Robbie,” shares Larkin. “When Godsmack isn’t working, we’re all working on something else, it’s just what we do. We’ve got instruments in our hands and we play them constantly, so we are always making music. Whether people like it or not, we’ll see. We just finished a three-song demo with Another Animal. Our claws are out and we’re scratching everything in sight.”

During Ozzfest back in 1997, Larkin achieved his dream by filling in for Mike Bordin as he drummed along Black Sabbath for a one-time event.

“I was on stage with Ozzy, Geezer and Tony playing Sabbath songs I had listened to growing up. The band I always wanted to share a stage with had finally happened,” says Larkin with excitement. “Since I’ve done that, the only thing I could imagine now would be playing with Zeppelin. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones – if I could play with them I would be honored. But, If Oasis ever got back together and I could fill in on the drums for them – wow, that’s my favorite band, that would be a dream come true.”

Larkin’s side project, Ugly Kid Joe, reformed last year. The band has reunited and has been creating music when members are available.

“We made six or seven songs in Los Angeles a couple months ago. But we’re controlling our investment, we have no labels or management, we are self-financing everything. That gives us the opportunity to make sure whatever we release, whether it’s an EP or an album, we don’t care. We just want to make great music, and we plan to finish up recording a few more songs towards the end of June in a studio out in New Orleans. It’s one of those rare things where we don’t give a fuck. We are playing for the music. If people don’t like it, choke on it. It’s not like we need the money. We just want to make some snotty punk, epic Ugly Kid Joe shit.”

Rockstar Mayhem Festival is July 9 at San Manuel Amphitheater. For more information, visit rockstarmayhemfest.com.

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MUSICNOTES

Now-Sept 4 @ MacArthur Park and Memorial Park by eva recinos Nothing beats free. And the people at the Mortimer Levitt Foundation understand that – that’s why they’re giving Angelenos, Pasadena residents and anyone else who wants to drive out the opportunity to see a long list of bands for free. Starting June 18 until Sept. 4, a whopping 100 concerts will take place in MacArthur Park in Los Angeles and Memorial Park in Pasadena.

But this isn’t just any free series of concerts. Despite the fact that the concerts are completely free, a lot of work goes behind making the shows happen.

For Eddie Cota, Artistic Director of the program, the process behind choosing bands is one of utmost importance.

Cota attends many music conferences, watching showcases and getting a feel for all the bands out there. Attendees, therefore, can rest assured that the musicians at these concerts aren’t just a random conglomeration of bands who had nothing else to do in their free time and no other venues to grace with their presence.

“I choose artists I believe in for the community,” says Cota.

And as he points out, the Levitt Foundation must compete to get the artists to perform for them, just like any other venue.

“We are a credible concert venue. We compete with other venues for the same talent. It’s cool that we got all these artists,” adds Cota.

Not only acting as a venue for performers to expand or kickstart their careers, the Mortimer Levitt Foundation is also extremely focused on the community. The foundation was created by Mortimer and Mimi Levitt back in 1966 and focuses on raising funds to provide surrounding communities more exposure to music. This is the ninth season for the Pasadena concerts and the fifth season for the Los Angeles concerts, making the events something huge for surrounding communities and music lovers everywhere. The foundation is non-profit and raises money year-round, which means that the artists get paid what they deserve for their performances, along with exposure to hundreds of music lovers.

What’s more, Cota is personally invested in each band he chooses and is not afraid to take risks.

“I have the opportunity to be creative, I don’t have the pressure to sell tickets. I can book new and exciting things and shock our audience and introduce it to something new,” says Cota.

Something new can come in many forms and styles, one of which is powerful trio Girl in a Coma. Playing a show at Memorial Park on Thursday, June 30 at 8 p.m., Girl in a Coma was first discovered by Joan Jett and signed to her label, Blackheart Records. Lead singer and guitarist Nina Diaz says the band loves booking as many shows as possible, and a free show sounded even better.

“We wanted to help out as much as we can,” says Diaz.

Describing the band’s sound as “alternative but punk”

MUSICREPORT by kevin wierzbicki All Shall Perish Autographed Headphones Northern California extreme metal act All Shall Perish has put together several special pre-order bundles for their forthcoming release This is Where it Ends. Go to bit.ly/ aspnbusa to pre-order the new music as a digital download, CD or LP, each bundled with a t-shirt while they last. If you help spread the word about the July 26 release on Twitter and Facebook, you might win a copy of the album and an autographed pair of Skullcandy headphones; find details on the All Shall Perish Facebook page.

Gardens & Villa Bring up Gardens & Villa in a group conversation, and it’s inevitable that someone will think you’re talking about a magazine that features things like hip new patio furniture.

Gardens & Villa isn’t a monthly glossy though; it’s a Santa Barbara-based quintet that plays sublime pop with elements of electro, funk, Brit-pop and even a little bubblegum mixed in. The band’s self-titled debut drops via the Secretly Canadian label on July 5, and you’ll have two chances to hear music from the new album played live when Gardens & Villa hit the El Rey July 7 and the Echo July 14.

Red Hot + Rio 2 There’s nothing quite like a little exotic, tropical music to get you in the mood for summer, and that makes this week’s release of the Red Hot + Rio 2 compilation perfectly timed.

The two-CD set of Tropicalia music features 33 original collaborations between legendary Brazilian acts like Tom Ze, Bebel Gilberto, Seu Jorge and Caetano Veloso and indie artists like Madlib, Beck, David Byrne, Beirut and John

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Adam Stockstill

100 FREE CONCERTS

Campus Circle > Music > Music Notes

Girl in a Coma rock Memorial Park June 30. with a “Texas style,” Diaz wants attendees to enjoy the show, for whatever reason they might attend.

“We definitely want [the audience] to have a great experience ... people go to shows to get away from their jobs and their problems, to see people and have a good time, turn it off. Have a beer and chill out,” she says.

But don’t be fooled by the relaxed vibe that might come across from the concerts. The artists are veritable, some of them even having been nominated for Grammys. Cota strongly feels that these free concerts takes the top spot on the music programs in Los Angeles and hopes that they will continue for as long as possible.

“It’s gonna go on forever. We want to grow and grow and have our artists get better and better. The summer isn’t enough. People love free shows and great music.”

The concerts are sure to liven up any lazy summer, or as Diaz aptly puts it: “Instead of taking a nap, why not go see a free show?”

For more information, visit levittpavilionpasadena.org.

Campus Circle > Music > Music Report Legend. Highlights include a match-up of Os Mutantes and Of Montreal for “Bat Macumba,” “Nu Com A Minha Musica” from Marisa Monte, Devendra Banhart and Rodrigo Amarante and not surprisingly, NYC’s Brazilian Girls performing “Aquele Abraco” with Angelique Kidjo and NYCbased Brazilian expatriate group Forro in the Dark. Proceeds from the compilation go to charities that are involved in HIV/ AIDS awareness and prevention.

The End Records Free Summer Sampler The dozen tracks on The End Records’ Summer 2011 Sampler feature Guano Apes, Anathema, Brendan Perry, Audio Bullys, Badly Drawn Boy, Spirits of the Dead, James Maddock, the Charlatans, Tarja, Sweethead, Too Late the Hero and “Unprofessional Wrestling,” a cut from Art Brut that is not on their recently released Brilliant! Tragic! album. Best of all, the sampler is completely free. Download your copy at amazon. com.

Vomitorium Paul Allender, world-renowned guitarist for the British extreme metal act Cradle of Filth, has updated his online store with the first t-shirt design from his delightfully named graphic design company Vomitorium. You might want to order up on Allender’s “Cthulhu” design if you plan on going to the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and CthulhuCon in San Pedro this September since Allender will be one of the event’s featured artists. Allender is also busy musically collaborating with DJ Unwind, and they’ve just released a tune called “Indigo.” facebook.com/vomitoriumltd.

Half Notes DJ duo Thievery Corporation has just released their sixth

You could win autographed headphones from All Shall Perish. album, Culture of Fear. The guys will be playing a few U.S. dates this fall, but no L.A. show has been announced yet.

A rare chance to hear North African Touareg band Tinariwen perform live comes with the Malian group’s July 13 appearance at the Troubadour. Their new album Tassili drops on Aug. 30 on Anti-Records.

Singer-songwriter Graham Colton has a new album out called Pacific Coast Eyes, and you can hear music from the album when Colton appears at the Hotel Café July 9.

The Bangles are attempting a comeback after an eightyear hiatus. Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson and Debbi Peterson have signed with Model Music Group and will release Sweetheart of the Sun on Sept. 13.

Singer-songwriter Peter Bradley Adams is drawing high praise for his fourth and latest album Between Us, and you can hear the new music live when he plays the Hotel Café July 21.

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CDREVIEWS

Tas Limur

The Atomic Bitchwax

KOLM

The Confluence of Music and Art by richard castaÑeda As the music world transitions from the physical nature of CDs and vinyl into the digital age of mp3s, art is most often the casualty in its wake. Gone are the days of staring at album art and reading lyrics and liner notes on release day. It has been replaced by iTunes, torrent sites and JPEG searches on Google. It’s rare to find a band in Los Angeles that puts art at the forefront of its music, but such is the nature of progressive rockers KOLM. Born out of a necessity to create psychedelic, progressive and ambient music in the vein of King Crimson, Tool and the Melvins and a desire to express art through different mediums, KOLM exists as a band that merges ethereal concepts of time, space and humanity with thought-provoking complex rhythms and sonic landscapes.

“We wanted to put art before anything else. Obviously with the length of our songs, we’re not trying to do anything mainstream. We’re just trying to be creative, and we’ve also always had the idea of integrating the music with visuals or any kind of art. We’ve performed with painters before. I guess we think of it almost as score or soundtrack music, in a way,” frontman, guitarist and keyboardist Giorg Yela states.

Comprised of Yela, Mikal Baker (drums, electronics) and David Gonzalez (bass), KOLM incorporates elements from Sacred Geometry (used in many ancient structures) in its symbology and identity. “[Sacred Geometry is] a really subjective thing; it can get kind of weird when people are explaining it. Pretty much, it’s recognition of the reoccurring patterns that make up our reality. You can look at anything from the human body, to plants, to animal migratory patterns, to the topography of our planet and realize that they all have these same geometric, mathematical patterns that keep popping up,” Baker says.

Their EP album art is based off the Flower of Life. It’s a symbol that is constantly used in Sacred Geometry. It can be found in isolated pyramids in Siberia, Egyptian temples and South American temples. Their take on the metaphysical adds to the profound nature of their music and lyrics.

KOLM’s unique identity stems from the various influences each band member brings to the table. Yela is a professed fan of King Crimson and the Melvins, while Gonzalez is more of an old school Metallica and Iron Maiden fan. Their music immediately elicits comparisons to Tool.

“We just live in that time where you have bands that have that same kind of sound that Muse and Tool have, with the technology that we have now,” Yela continues. “We listen to a lot of electronic music as well, and we want to incorporate that more and more to explore music in a way that neither one of us has really had the opportunity to.”

Although Yela and Baker have been in KOLM for over three years, Gonzalez has only been in the fold half as long. You wouldn’t really guess it from their chemistry.

“Music is such a language that I’m still learning, that I’m finding new ways to pull from all these different things and speak it through the music that I write,” Gonzalez continues. “I don’t put too much emphasis on the metaphysical per say, not that it’s not there to a certain degree when I write, but [I write] more strictly on feel and more about telling a story through the music.”

They’ve been a live act for over a year, headlining a Japan earthquake victims benefit art show/concert (Unnatural Disaster) in June with their friend, former band mate and artist Jacob “that really tall guy” Roanhaus. Another show, already dubbed Unnatural Alliance, with similar art exhibits in the vein of Los Angeles artists Chet Zar, Meats Meier and Lustmord. A date for Unnatural Alliance is still pending, but the hope is to create more “unnatural” events featuring local artists and musicians.

“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback in Los Angeles, and now it’s time to go beyond that,” Baker says.

KOLM performs July 6 at the Good Hurt. For more information, visit listn.to/kolm.

The Local Fuzz (Tee Pee) Long before the cops were referred to as Five-O or the Po Po, a favorite slang term for them was “the fuzz.” If it weren’t for the simulated sirens in the first segment of The Local Fuzz and the fact that that portion of the album speeds along like a felon you could be forgiven for thinking that maybe the reference is to fuzzed-out guitar. Actually, The Local Fuzz gives you free rein to think whatever you want; since the 42-minute work is completely instrumental, there are no words to try and interpret.

The album is all one big long song too, also called “The Local Fuzz,” so you’ll have to make up your own nicknames for each segment (“The Chase” would be good for the first segment.). For lack of a better definition, the Atomic Bitchwax plays “stoner rock” with an emphasis on guitars-gone-hyper, and they’ve struck a good balance here that keeps the work from dragging; the one-long-song thing could easily have backfired, but “The Local Fuzz” keeps the listener rapt.

Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki The Local Fuzz is currently available.

Big D and the Kids Table For the Damned, the Dumb & the Delirious (SideOneDummy) Busting through the walls of your stereo and bee-lining for your ears comes Big D and the Kids Table’s newest release, For the Damned, the Dumb & the Delirious. The album has 17 tasty tracks filled with spunk, flavor and grit.

The record ranges from the swaggering old-school, steel-toe boot, in-your-face punk to the upbeat skanking ska of the ’90s. Big D and the Kids Table bring their usual madness and flair on this record while adding a few extra punches to up the ante. Incorporating choirs of shouting vocals, accordions and the usual lineup of horns, drums, guitars and bass, songs like “Best of Them All,” “Stringers,” “Good Looking” and “Rotten” keep the adrenaline flowing and the party going all night long.

Grade: B+ —Mary Broadbent For the Damed, the Dumb & the Delirious will be available July 5.

Jackie-O Motherfucker Earth Sound System (Fire) Portland, Ore.’s Jackie-O Motherfucker is not an easy band to like. Their moniker is confrontational, and the ever-revolving membership has continually fashioned a reckless mélange of scribbly sound effects, weirdo improv, spooky minimalism and much more.

On the group’s newest long-player, Earth Sound System, main Jackie-O man Tom Greenwood and his latest cast of creators escalate the ensemble’s psych-folk elements on the droning “Dedication” and the Richard Buckner-ish, country-rippled dirges “In the Willows” and “Bring It to Me.” But Greenwood and his cohorts also hit the experimentation button with the India-meets-glitch, genre-busting “Raga Joining,” where sitar and disconcerting beats clash. Then there is the follow-up featurette, “Raga Separating,” akin to a drug-engendered dreamscape or a Popol Vuh soundtrack.

Longtime Jackie-O fans should skip to the final track, the precariously dissonant, indie-noise feast “Where We Go,” where My Bloody Valentine-styled fuzz guitar, perturbed vocals and extroverted riffs ride a sonic wave.

Grade: B —Doug Simpson Earth Sound System will be available July 5.

SBTRKT Self-titled (Young Turks/XL) Known mostly as a DJ and a producer who has remixed for acts like Gorillaz, M.I.A. and Basement Jaxx, SBTRKT (pronounced “subtract”) steps out here after two previous EPs with his first full-length album. “Heatwave” finds SBTRKT in a trippy mood, starting the song with a short, repetitive keyboard melody that sounds forlorn until a synth beat happens along, followed by a heavenly-sounding choir of wordless “ahhs” that brings the Beach Boys to mind. The song ends with the faux sound of a wave breaking along shore, making the thought of a Beach Boys reference more than supposition.

Everything else here has an experimental feel to it as well, but thanks to a bevy of guest vocalists nothing gets too far out into the stratosphere. SBTRKT’s fellow Londoner Sampha gets the most time behind the microphone, and his phrasing on songs like “Hold On” and “Trials of the Past” recalls the work of artists like Tricky. “Wildfire” on the other hand is performed in a completely different style where Little Dragon singer Yukimi Nagano coos and squeals counterpoint to the mid-tempo song’s funkily gurgled synth melody. Roses Gabor and Jesse Ware also guest on this impressive set.

Grade: A CONTINUED ON PAGE 21 >>>

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Campus Circle > Culture > Theater

“Blackbird”

part of the fascination of the play.

Now-July 25 @ Rogue Machine Having made its Los Angeles debut on June 10 at Rogue Machine Theatre, “Blackbird” follows the turn of events after Una (Corryn Cummins) unexpectedly shows up at Ray’s (Sam Anderson) work, demanding him to discuss the meaning of their relationship. The first 15 minutes are practically spent with the duo arguing why Una is there in the first place. It was obvious that the relationship ended very strained, and there’s unsettled resentment between the two. On top of which, it’s a complete mystery the type of relationship they had, due to the actors’ significant age difference.

Even though it takes a while to get to the core of the play, Una’s revelation is so shocking that it grips you to your seat. “Blackbird” approaches a taboo issue like no other. It’s a contradiction to say that “Blackbird” is about the paradox of human emotion, because plays are meant to take us out of our reality and step into another’s mindset. Yet, “Blackbird” is just that.

Years after Una and Ray’s illicit love affair when she was a minor, she returns as a courageous, yet cynical and childlike woman who releases all pent-up anger and confusion for Ray’s actions. “Blackbird” twists this subject on its ear, in the sense that Una isn’t angry with Ray for the usual reasons.

Anderson and Cummins give compelling performances as they reminiscence the past and tell each other their side of the story. Despite much restraint from Ray, they finally tell the absolute truth about what they felt for each other. The play wasn’t written to hold back or make Una the victim.

The balance between the two characters’ innermost feelings were key to make the audience see both realities. It was rather daring to go as far as to call it love, but that was

—Nataly Chavez Rogue Machine in Theatre/Theater is located at 5041 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information, visit roguemachinetheatre.com.

“Departures” Now-July 23 @ The NoHo Arts Center Darcy Martin perhaps does not have the most prominent role in “Departures,” but she sure made a grand impression during the play’s opening night at the NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood. Filled with true wit and sporadic drama, “Departures” features 15 travelers with 15 destinations at the airport. Fifteen life stories shake and bake the theatrical touch in this often hilarious and flamboyant, yet emotionally enriching piece of fine art.

Directed by James J. Mellon, “Departures” carries a long list of writers who rewrote the piece to grant the public a newly revised version within the multi-award winning NoHo Arts Center Ensemble (NoHo Ace). And they deliver!

Several stories connect with each other, while multiple individuals momentarily settle in the waiting areas by boarding gates. This is where the beautiful, sexy, talented UCLA graduate Martin comes in. She plays Molly, the younger sister of Brooke (Karesa McElheny), and both are on their way to a family funeral.

Martin, who attended the Bruins’ department of Theater, Film and Television, served her role exponentially well. Her work was magnificent.

But there is more to “Departures” than Martin. For example, the story of a homosexual couple portrayed by Norman P. Dixon (Scott) and Jonathan Zenz (Randy) is moving and essential to the overall brilliance of the play.

L.A.PLACES

INFUSION LOUNGE

1000 Universal Studios Blvd., No. 208, Universal City by marvin vasquez Universal CityWalk is the home of a new, upscale venue for sophisticated Angelenos and the international public. Infusion Lounge is preparing to ignite their nightclub during this summer, with an opening of Friday, June 24, and an official Grand Opening party in August that will include a red carpet scene for the 9,800 square-foot space.

Upon visiting the brand new location of Infusion Lounge, we could see the remodeling progress from what used to be the Rumba Room. Its upscale elements get two thumbs, way up, and are sure to attract a lot of traffic. The redefined venue promises to carry a positively dramatic Asian-inspired interior on both levels.

Additionally, Infusion Lounge is projected to have state-ofthe-art lighting and sound systems, world-class DJs spinning Top-40 mash-ups and house tracks and delicious premium signature drinks, including deluxe bottle service.

With such an experience already offered in a San Francisco location, founder Chris Rosas explains the idea of bringing Infusion Lounge to Universal City.

“Los Angeles is very cosmopolitan. People here travel, they

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Campus Circle 6.29.11 - 7.12.11

John Flynn

NEWS

Corryn Cummins and Sam Anderson star in “Blackbird.”

The couple is on their way to China to adopt a baby, but their lawyer tells them not to leave after all, due to complications in the adoption process. After a careful and a profound discussion, Scott and Randy make the decision to continue their trip with hopes of bringing home their future baby.

Another outstandingly funny character is that of Annabeth Rickley, who plays a flight attendant who randomly appears at the center of the stage on the phone calling and leaving a message to a Spaniard. This character truly spices “Departures” for its creativity and hysterical voicemail messages.

Since this production successfully utilizes both vehicles of comedy and drama to tell the various anecdotes, “Departures” is brilliant.

—Marvin Vasquez The NoHo Arts Center is located at 11136 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood. For more information, visit thenohoartscenter.com.

Campus Circle > Culture > L.A. Places know fashion and they know what defines a five-star nightlife experience,” Rosas says through a press release. “Our Universal CityWalk location is ideal to serve a clientele that will come from all over the city, and from all over the world.”

Infusion Lounge will feature two bars, two spacious dancing floors, two VIP areas and custom furnishings, among other things. However, one prominent aspect of the lounge to look forward to is the soon-to-be installed giant dragon just outside the entrance. This giant dragon is a colossal way to get attention in an already entertainment-filled CityWalk.

“We intend to deliver a consistent, upscale experience, and our guests will know they’ll have an amazing evening every time they come to Infusion Lounge,” Rosas adds.

One intriguing part will most likely be the upstairs VIP area, which is sure to elevate the fun. What else will Infusion Lounge have to offer? Well, it is slated to open Mondays and Tuesdays from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m., while opening Wednesdays through Sundays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Moreover, this venue will be the only Universal CityWalk site to offer a seven-daysa-week Happy Hour, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. A daily Happy Hour sounds epic!

Universal CityWalk is a world famous entertainment attraction for both locals and the tourist crowds. With its fine dining, unique shopping and thrilling attractions, CityWalk is an ideal location for Infusion Lounge even in the current recession.

“Even in a challenging economy, people are still looking to be entertained, and they want to feel pampered,” Rosas goes on. “There’s always an interest in new entertainment.”

The coolest thing about Infusion Lounge is its proximity to some of the most populated areas of Los Angeles; it is just minutes away from Downtown, Hollywood, Santa Monica and other West L.A. cities, Pasadena and both the San Fernando

and San Gabriel Valleys.

Private events, business meetings, seminars, banquets or receptions can be arranged at Infusion Lounge, which can accommodate groups of up to 300 while having custom menus and onsite catering.

We cannot ignore the drinks. Champagne, red and white wines are an obvious offer, but the cocktail list is simply exquisite. Some of the signature cocktails will include Fresh Citrus Caipirinhas, Strawberry-Balsamic Mojitos, Lychee Martinis and Rainbow Sherberts.

“It’s a multicultural concept, which is very much in line with our clientele,” Universal CityWalk Vice President of Public Relations Eliot Sekuler states in the press release. “It’s exciting and fresh, the designs are beautiful, and Chris Rosas is a great manager. We think the concept they have, to be so successful in San Francisco, would work perfectly at the location at CityWalk.”

For more information, visit la.infusionlounge.com.

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SOUGHTAFTER SEQUELS

by alexandre johnson “The Darkness 2” Comic book fans were definitely interested when it was first announced that there would be a Darkness video game. The Darkness series features had become a hit with a sinful protagonist in mafia assassin Jackie Estacado, the wielder of the Darkness. The first Darkness game delivered a solid first-person shooter with a well put-together story.

This next game in the series will in some ways get closer to the title’s roots. Game texture designs will use a cel-shading technique and darker noir inspired style to be more aligned to the Darkness comic book art. The game, as well, shows a better control of Darkness powers with the new Quad-Wielding combat, which allows for the use of Darkness abilities at the same time players use guns.

The game will feature an increased sensitivity to light. In the first game Darkness powers could not be used when Estacado was in a well-lit area, however, to show the new connection, players will feel more uncomfortable in light, with exposure to light resulting in blurring of vision occupied with a high pitched ringing, making light a physical threat with a ‘light vs. darkness’ feel.

There is a positive side to this increase in interacting with the environment as now Jackie can use the environment for help and combat actions such as using objects as shields and pole objects to impale things. Unlike in the first game, players are able to use their weapons and Darkness abilities in public places. That will be even more fun as well as a new feature, a point system (‘Dark Essence’) that can be used to make purchases from a tree of abilities.

CDREVIEWS <<<continued from page 19 —Kevin Wierzbicki SBTRKT is currently available.

Small Sur Tones (Self-released) The latest effort from Small Sur, Tones, is a somber album, perfect for a long car ride or boat-cruise. A follow-up to their July 2010 EP, Bare Black, Small Sur – comprised of Baltimore natives Bob Keal, Austin Stahl and Andy Abelow – create a relaxing and magical album that carries smooth echoing vocals and guitar riffs. Songs such as “The Sand,” “Three Haiku” and “South Dakota” add just the right touch of ambience and serenity to open one’s mind and let it drift away into a peaceful state of solitude and comfort.

Grade: B —Mary Broadbent Tones is currently available.

“Darkness 2” will be available Oct. 4 for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

“Star Wars: The Old Republic” Another franchise with a history outside of games is Star Wars. “Star Wars: The Old Republic” is an upcoming multiplayer online role-playing game based in the Star Wars universe. As part of the “Knights of the Old Republic” series, this story takes place over 3,500 years before the events in the Star Wars films and centers around a galaxy divided between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire.

There have been eight classes revealed, from Bounty Hunter to Imperial Agent to Jedi Consular. As characters become more seasoned, they can choose from two advanced classes or specialized careers which further define the role characters have, defining which skills are available to characters and access to various special abilities. Classes have completely different storylines which are separate yet all connected in the game’s overall story.

Choice is at the heart of “The Old Republic,” allowing players to explore many places they can take their characters – from taking the dark side to choosing unique combinations of fighting styles. Moral choices by players create branching storylines for them to take.

A major part of a player’s story will include companions. Companions are AI characters who complement a player’s strengths or weaknesses and will fight by his/her side, provide commentary, information and points of interest. Each class has a completely unique set of companions they will encounter throughout the game.

An interesting attribute of companions is they may try to influence your decisions and you, in turn, will influence them and change how they develop as the story progresses.

Based on players’ choices, companions can become their closest friends, lovers or even betray them.

Ships also gain importance, as players will have missions that involve traveling in space as well as space battles. Starships also serve as players’ home bases where they can relay orders back to as they explore. The player can assign up to five companions to perform various skills from three main Crew Skills for your team to train in from among three main categories: gathering, crafting and mission skills. The mission skills allow the player’s companions to perform acts on the player’s behalf, gaining the player light or dark side influence as well as other rewards.

Players are not restricted to AI, however, as they can also join friends in guilds with various bonuses. Major challenges can also be taken on together with other players at flashpoints.

A release date has not been set for “Star Wars: The Old Republic,” but it will be available for Microsoft Windows.

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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

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U.S. STUMBLES IN GOLD CUP FINAL by marvin vasquez

The U.S. men’s soccer team held a 2-0 lead in the first half of the Gold Cup Final at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena before 93,420 fans, but the Mexico side fired four unanswered goals to capture the crown, 4-2.

“They’re as dynamic as any Mexican team that I’ve ever played against,” U.S. striker Landon Donovan says of Mexico’s national soccer team. “They’ve got a few guys who can change the game in a heartbeat.”

After the game, U.S. head coach Bob Bradley acknowledged Mexico’s dynamic play as well. With this defeat, Bradley is rumored to be on the seat, according to multiple media outlets. U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati declined media interviews after the match, and the players showed mixed feelings about Bradley’s future.

“A game like today has nothing to do with Bob,” starting goalkeeper Tim Howard remarks. “It is about us. The game plan was right, and we didn’t get it done.”

Perhaps the most surprising response came from Donovan, who is the L.A. Galaxy team captain and arguably the best player of the United States. “That is not my concern,” he says. Evidently, Donovan refuses to back up Bradley’s

Campus Circle > Sports > Soccer future with the organization.

Midfielder Michael Bradley, the son of Bob, gave the U.S. team a 1-0 edge in the eight-minute mark. Off a corner from the left flank, striker Freddy Adu delivered a well-placed ball into the box where it connected with Bradley’s head. Bradley re-directed the leather into the back of the goal net, where Mexican goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera suffered the surprise.

“We’re disappointed,” Coach Bradley says. “A game like this, when you’re together for a month, you feel like you’ve grown and put yourself in the final and let it get away.”

The U.S. netted another goal at the 23-minute mark, when Donovan scored his 13th Gold Cup tournament goal; this is a new Gold Cup record. After a pass from Adu, midfielder Clint Dempsey released the ball for a running Donovan. After a pair of jukes, Donovan fired a low left-footed shot into the back of the net. Obviously, this was not enough for the Americans who saw Mexico score four unanswered goals throughout the rest of the affair.

“We have to learn to keep composure,” Bob Bradley says of losing the advantage. “These are learning experiences when you’re playing against a skillful good team. You have to find a way to deal with it, and tonight we didn’t do a good job.”

Six minutes later, Mexico responded with their first score via midfielder Pablo Barrera. Striker Javier Hernandez, who currently plays for English Premier League powerhouse Manchester United, received the assist after passing the ball to Barrera, who fired a right-footed shot past Howard.

“We’re in a good place,” Howard says to numerous journalists outside the locker rooms and next to the team bus.

“This will hopefully motivate us. We’re not running away just because of this game. Right now it all hurts … That’s what happened tonight.”

The score became even at two all when left-flank

DODGERS411

A GRAND TIE

KERSHAW SHOWS HE’S ACE

Chuck Myers/MCT

GALAXYKICK

by marvin vasquez

The starting goalkeeper suffered an injury. Their backup was Forward Mike Magee stepped in as keeper. ejected. But the one after that kept the game scoreless.

Yes, it was that kind of day for the Los Angeles Galaxy, who collected a scoreless draw on the road against the San Jose Earthquakes Saturday afternoon before a sold-out crowd of 10,872 at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

With the tie, the Galaxy moved their overall record to 9-2-8 with 35 points on the season. Both are a Major League Soccer best, as they are also in first place of the Western Conference.

In the 24th minute of play, Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts came off the field of play with a left forearm injury after a collision with San Jose’s Khari Stephenson.

“We don’t know,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena says of Ricketts’ injury during the post-game press conference. “He needs to get an x-ray, but it doesn’t look good.”

Josh Saunders replaced Ricketts, but Saunders saw a red card in the 43rd minute.

This left the Galaxy without a goalkeeper, forcing Los Angeles to equip midfielder Mike Magee into the goal. With four saves under his belt, Magee helped L.A. to a shutout.

“I looked around after Josh Saunders got the red card, and I nominated myself. I did all right I guess,” Magee states of his unexpected goalkeeping performance. “Looking back I have no idea why I nominated myself. I had no idea that after halftime I would be back out on the field. Then it hit me that I was going back in goal, and that was pretty nerve-wracking.”

Los Angeles returns home on the Fourth of July, as they host the Seattle Sounders at the Home Depot Center in Carson for a 7:30 p.m. start. Fireworks are expected once the match ends.

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midfielder Andrés Guardado scored from inside the box off a rebounded ball during the 36th minute. As soon as this occurred, the U.S. seemed to go through a mental lapse, one that they could not recover from.

“It’s an empty feeling,” Bob Brad– ley states of the Team USA’s Landon Donovan surprising loss after being up 2-0 early in the game.

Five minutes into the second half, Barrera scored on a beauty. Off a Guardado connection, Barrera drilled a rightfooted shot from three-laces out that somehow got through Howard. The shot curled inside out to the left side of the goal, which does not occur often on such scores. In the 76th minute, Giovani Dos Santos sealed the victory for Mexico, who won their second straight Gold Cup tournament for a record sixth time. Dos Santos managed to avoid multiple U.S. defenders, including a series of shuffles against Howard. Dos Santos then did the unexpected; he chipped the ball over the defense and into the back of the net at the left side, where defender Clarence Goodson could not head the ball away.

“Tonight I thought Gio was excellent,” Donovan confesses.

“I can say Barrera was excellent. Actually of all things, we did a good job with Chicharito, preventing his chances. They just had too much for us.”

Campus Circle 6.29.11 - 7.12.11

by marvin vasquez

Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times/MCT

FILM

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NEWS

Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw is truly developing into the much-needed ace the Dodgers have desired for quite a long time. At 23 years of age, Kershaw is hitting the record books early. Just this Sunday, he threw his third complete game of the year in the Dodgers 3-2 win over the visiting Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Kershaw collected his second straight complete game after posting a line of nine innings, six hits, two runs, no walks and 11 strikeouts. Kershaw’s humble ways are noticeable.

“I got a lot of leadoff guys on base, which makes it easy to score runs,” he says. “I’ve got to work on that” The Ks statistic is a season-high for Kershaw, who has reached that number thrice now and twice in a consecutive manner. Also, it is the fourth time he surpasses the double-digit mark in batters fanned.

“We needed a win,” he confesses. “It’s awesome any time you walk off. Tony came up huge.” He is referring to outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr., who hit a walk-off RBI single to seal the comeback win for the Dodgers (35-44) to end their three-game losing streak.

Earlier in the week, Kershaw blanked the visiting Detroit Tigers when throwing a scoreless nine innings while allowing two hits, walking one and fanning 11.

“I felt good tonight. I was mixing speeds and getting some quick outs,” Kershaw says after his outing against Detroit. “I kept my pitch count down and stayed through nine.

Strikeouts just happen. Some days you’re going to get them and some days you’re not.”

Thus far in 2011, Kershaw sports an 8-3 mark with a solid 2.93 ERA, three complete games, two shutouts and 116.2 tossed innings. He leads the NL and even, yes, Roy Halladay (123) in strikeouts with 128. No need to wait any longer … Kershaw the ace is here!

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CALENDARTHE10SPOT

BY FREDERICK MINTCHELL Transformers: Dark of the Moon Scavenger Hunt accomplicetheshow.com/details-hollywood.php Feeling adventurous? Accomplice Hollywood presents a special Transformers: Dark of the Moon-themed scavenger hunt. Giveaways include Transformers advance screening passes, sound– tracks, posters and more. Purchase Accomplice Hollywood tickets and receive a $20 discount, courtesy of Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Paramount Pictures. Use discount code “TRANSFORMERS” when purchasing.

Redondo Beach Pier, Torrance Boulevard & PCH; redondopier.com This year features a wide variety of bands – something for everyone to enjoy.

Bring your beach chair, sit over the water and listen to some great music while you watch the sun set. Thursdays they showcase local South Bay bands and Pier Specials starting at 5 p.m. Every Thursday and Saturday at 6 p.m. through Sept. 3. FREE.

TUESDAYJULY 5 Thomas Lennon & Robert Ben Garant Book Soup, 8818 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; booksoup.com The “Reno 911!” stars and Night at the Museum writers sign their book, Writing Movies for Fun and Profit: How We Made a Billion Dollars at the Box Office and You Can, Too! 7 p.m.

FRIDAYJULY 8 Amy Heckerling Double Feature Aero Theatre, 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica; americancinematheque.com The writer-director will be onhand for a discussion between two of the best high school movies of all time, Clueless and Fast Times at Ridgemont High. 7:30 p.m. $11, $9 w/student ID.

FRIDAYJULY 8 Party of the Century downtwon-burbank.org The city of Burbank celebrates its 100th year with awesome food from downtown Burbank restaurants, an air parade, multiple stages, top local bands and DJs, a mascot parade, stilt walkers, Centennial memorabilia and community booths. Encompassing six city blocks including San Fernando Boulevard, Palm

The Bikini

Sheer Maxi Dress A maxi dress is a perfect cover-up for a chic, effortless look. Instead of sporting crazy colors and patterns, choose a neutralcolored sheer material and glam it up with accessories instead.

Avenue, AMC Walkway, Orange Grove and Olive Avenue. 5 p.m.-10 p.m. FREE.

FRIDAYJULY 8 William & Kate lat.ms/jxeFZl Royal watchers are salivating as the newest royal couple will be in SoCal attending events for the British ConsularGeneral, the Santa Barbara Polo Club, the British Academy of Film & Television, the Inner-City Arts School and Sony Studios.

Through Sunday.

SATURDAYJULY 9 The Real Black Dahlia Bus Tour esotouric.com The Black Dahlia murder in 1947 is the most compelling unsolved crime Los Angeles has ever known. What was it about Elizabeth Short (the Black Dahlia) that keeps her the object of obsessive fascination by writers, musicians, artists, filmmakers, cops and readers? The Real Black Dahlia Crime Bus Tour seeks to answer this question by exploring the last weeks of her life. Tour starts at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown. Noon-4 p.m.

SATURDAYJULY 9 Weekend at Bernie’s Summer Drink-Along & Beer Pong Downtown Independent, 251 S. Main St.; downtownindependent.com The only way to watch a double feature of Weekend at Bernie’s and Weekend at Bernie’s II is with lots of alcohol, so there will be drinks and beer pong all day. 3 p.m.9 p.m. $10 advance, $15 at the door.

Stephanie Choi

SATURDAYJULY 2 2011 Summer of Music

In this beautifully sunny land called California where bikinis are actually considered everyday outfits, it seems like every girl’s closet contains a section dedicated to bright, beautiful swimsuits waiting to be shown off at the next pool party. Having recently traded in my Bostonian label for a Californian one, I am yet to become a true California girl with my sad collection composed of two bikinis. If this is your case, don’t you worry – there are still tons of ways to be a poolside fashionista without rows of swimsuits hanging in your closet. In today’s column, I would like to share my secrets to mixing up basics with your favorite bikinis to create different looks for every poolside occasions.

Cropped T-Shirt

Denim Shorts

Unless you’re planning on entering a wet T-shirt contest, stray far from see-through white T-shirts and opt for a nice cropped T-shirt. Midriffs are the new cleavage, and a cropped top’s silhouette is far sexier than an uncomfortably tight tank top.

Denim shorts have always been a fashion staple on California beaches, but take a step further and step into a high-waisted pair.

With a bright-colored bikini top like this one, your outfit will have that vintage, relaxed vibe that you wouldn’t find in dangerously low-rise shorts.

TUESDAYJULY 12 “Shrek The Musical” The Pantages, 6233 Hollywood Blvd.; broadwayla.org Based on the Oscar-winning Dream– Works film that started it all, it features a terrific score of 19 all-new songs, big laughs, great dancing and breathtaking scenery.

Runs through Aug. 7. Tix start @ $25.50.

For more events, visit campuscircle.com/calendar.

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

Stephanie Choi

Westfield Century City, 10250 Santa Monica Blvd.; westfield.com/centurycity/ special-offers/movies-on-the-terrace-2011 Every Wednesday through Aug. 17, they will be showing a free movie on the Level 2 Dining Terrace at dusk. Films include Star Trek, Zoolander, Happy Gilmore and Footloose.

by dana jeong

Stephanie Choi

WEDNESDAYJUNE 29 Movies on the Terrace

POOLSIDE FASHION

Stephanie Choi

Paramount Pictures

SATURDAYJULY 2

TRENDBLENDER

Campus Circle 6.29.11 - 7.12.11

23

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES AT THE PACIFIC AMPHITHEATRE

July 15 August 14 Open WednesdaySunday

Tickets Start At $15.00 A Special Pre-Fair Event

Tickets Start At $29.50 $12.50

Tickets Start At $12.50

Tickets Start At $19.50

Tickets Start At $38.50

JULY 16

JULY 17

JULY 20

JULY 21

Tickets Start At $12.50

Tickets Start At $12.50

Tickets Start At $27.50

Tickets Start At $19.50

Tickets Start At $29.50

JULY 22

JULY 23

JULY 24

JULY 27

JULY 28

Tickets Start At $26.50

Tickets Start At $19.50

Tickets Start At $17.50

Tickets Start At $19.50

Tickets Start At $29.50

JULY 29

JULY 30

JULY 31

Tickets Start At $15.00

Tickets Start At $19.50

Tickets Start At $19.50

Tickets Start At $18.50

Tickets Start At $15.00

AUGUST 5

AUGUST 6

AUGUST 7

AUGUST 10

AUGUST 11

JULY 9

AUGUST 3

AUGUST 4

Sign Up For the Entertainment Guide at OCFAIR.com or PACAMP.com Find Us on Facebook or follow Us on Twitter Concert Ticket Includes Free OC Fair admission and One Free Ride on La Grande Wheel Tickets Start At $19.50

Tickets Start At $19.50

Tickets Start At $19.50

AUGUST 12

AUGUST 13

AUGUST 14

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