Campus Circle Newspaper Vol. 21 Issue 7 by Campus Circle

February 16-22, 2011 \ Volume 21 \ Issue 7 \ Always Free

Film | Music | Culture

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campus circle Feb. 16 - Feb. 22, 2011 Vol. 21 Issue 7

Editor-in-Chief Jessica Koslow editor.chief@campuscircle.net

03 NEWS WORLD NEWS 04 FILM JANUARY JONES “Mad Men” ice queen heats up the big screen in Unknown. 04 FILM TV TIME

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FILM BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON Brandon T. Jackson goes undercover with Martin Lawrence.

06 FILM DIANNA AGRON The “Glee” Cheerio falls for Number Four. 08 FILM OSCAR PICKS 09 FILM SCREEN SHOTS 09 FILM PROJECTIONS

10 FILM DVD DISH 10 FILM MOVIE REVIEWS 13 MUSIC FREQUENCY 14 MUSIC EVEREST Host February Residencies in SoCal 14 MUSIC REPORT 15 MUSIC LIVE SHOW REVIEWS 16 MUSIC CD REVIEWS

Managing Editor Yuri Shimoda managing.editor@campuscircle.net Film Editor Jessica Koslow film.editor@campuscircle.net Cover Designer Sean Michael Editorial Interns Dana Jeong, Cindy KyungAh Lee

Contributing Writers Tamea Agle, Mary Broadbent, Lauren Brodsky, Kate Bryan, Erica Carter, Richard Castañeda, Deepthi Cauligi, Amanda D’Egidio, Natasha Desianto, Gillian Ferguson, Stephanie Forshee, Jacob Gaitan, Denise Guerra, Elisa Hernandez, Zach Hines, Danielle Lee, Mike Matusiewicz, Samantha Ofole, Brien Overly, Ariel Paredes, Sasha Perl-Raver, Mike Sebastian, Doug Simpson, David Tobin, Drew Vaeth, Kevin Wierzbicki, The Wing Girls, Candice Winters

Contributing Artists & Photographers Tamea Agle, Jacob Gaitan, Castulo Hernandez ADVERTISING Sean Bello sean.bello@campuscircle.net Joy Calisoff joy.calisoff@campuscircle.net

16 MUSIC NOTES 17 MUSIC FAR EAST MOVEMENT Celebrate NBA All-Star Weekend 10 CULTURE GAME ON 12 CULTURE PAGES 18 CULTURE COMEDY 22 CULTURE CURTAIN CALL 23 CULTURE GAMES & GADGETS 12 BLOGS TREND BLENDER 21 BLOGS D-DAY 22 BLOGS COLORS OF CULTURE 20 SPORTS NCAA BASEBALL PREVIEW

Jon Bookatz Music Sales Manager jon.bookatz@campuscircle.net Ronit Guedalia ronit.guedalia@campuscircle.net

Calendar Editor Frederick Mintchell

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Cover: (clockwise from top) Christian Daly, Charles O’Connor, Lila Scott and Christopher Johnson, of USC’s Second Nature Improv Photo Credit: Castulo Hernandez

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tweet: @Tunisia, #egypt, #Yemen Who’s next?

by lauren brodsky Tunisia’s president of 23 years, Mr. Ben Ali, has fled the country. President Hosni Mubarak has finally been ousted from Egypt. Protestors and opposition groups have called for “Days of Rage” in Syria. King Abdullah II of Jordan has fired his government, and Yemen’s longtime leader Ali Abdullah has announced he will not seek reelection. But it isn’t enough. The large population of disgruntled and disaffected youth is not satisfied, and I’m not surprised. So Ali Abdullah has announced he won’t run for reelection in 2013, but with a history of fraudulent elections and multitudes of broken promises, why should Yemeni citizens believe him? The military has claimed power in Egypt, but will there actually be a democratic transition after

Campus Circle > News > World News three decades of President Mubarak’s authoritarian rule? Imagine this: You’re a college graduate with a bachelor’s degree in a major of your choice. You spent over $200,000 on your four years of higher education (if you attended the University of Southern California, that is), and seven years after graduation you are still unemployed. One can only image that you would be furious with the corrupt government that created the declining economic environment that has kept you from getting a job. On top of that, your government refuses to leave, shuts out all opposition and the trail of corruption can be traced all the way down to the local police. Welcome to Tunisia. A history of oppressive, authoritarian regimes combined with corruption, large and growing youth populations and high socioeconomic inequality has fueled a frustrated shared experience in this Middle East North Africa (MENA) region that is exploding right before our eyes. A tide of unemployed and educated youth proved they could topple a Westernbacked repressive regime in Tunisia, so why shouldn’t the Egyptians, or Yemenis or Syrians try? Over the years, the West has backed authoritarian regimes in the MENA region for one very important reason: They ruled with an iron fist to keep out extremists. In a region where Muslim extremism is rampant, opposition groups were disbanded and banned so their extremist views could be silenced. Egypt, for example, has been under a state of emergency since the 1967 Arab-Israeli War. There was an 18-month break in 1980, but it was again imposed in 1981 following the assassination of President Anwar El-Sadat, the first political leader of the Middle East to make peace with Israel. Thanks to new social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, one man’s desperation was able to ignite a

burning fire in the hearts and minds of the youth in Tunisia. That fire is now spreading and sparking fears of instability in a region where instability could be catastrophic for Israel’s safety, U.S. interests and the future of the Arab world. Israel is sitting on a very slippery slope as they watch their closest ally in the region undergoing the most dramatic regime change in history. Former President Mubarak was the glue holding the fragile Arab-Israeli peace together, and with him out of power, no one knows if the military will keep friendly relations with Israel or if the Muslim Brotherhood will gain unprecedented power. One must unfortunately anticipate the possibilty of a new regime in Egypt that will break diplomatic ties with Israel and withdraw their recognition of the Jewish state’s right to exist. The only other country that has made peace with Israel is Jordan, and the fate of that state is currently up in the air as well. The security of the state of Israel and the landscape of much of the Middle East has rested on the peace between Israel and Egypt. Israel depends on its relationship with Egypt for 40 percent of its natural gas reserves, to secure its southern border and to help contain Hamas. Today, we are seeing technological advances breaching communication barriers and social media unifying a country against their government. What, or rather where, is next? Without social media, the protests would not have been able to spark what I call the “social unrest domino effect” that we are seeing in the Middle East and North Africa. Free Internet platforms such as Facebook and Twitter have allowed people to organize on massive scales, making their voice more profound and heard all around the world. As for what’s next, I guess we will all have to sit back, not relax and bookmark our Twitter and Facebook pages, because only the Internet can tell where the revolution will spread next.

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FILMINTERVIEWS

UNKNOWN

January Jones wears the ice queen crown. by sasha perl-raver Catching sight of January Jones at the gilded Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, her patrician beauty perfectly complimented by the surrounding marble and gold, wall displays of diamonds and a Neiman Marcus boutique where one might normally find a newspaper stand, you can’t help but sit up and take notice. Her slight frame is tightly encased in a crisp teal green dress and the front of her roughly swept up blonde hair tickles alabaster cheeks and a swan-like neck. Seeing her in person, it’s obvious why Jones’ best-known character, Betty Francis (formerly Draper) on “Mad Men,” is so often compared to Grace Kelly. Following in the footsteps of Princess Grace, in Jones’ new film, Unknown, she plays a character that is very much an homage to Alfred Hitchcock’s heroines of the ’50s and ’60s. The thriller stars Liam Neeson as a doctor who awakens from a coma, only to discover that someone has taken on his identity and no one, including his icily aristocratic wife (Jones), believes him. So he has to team up with another super hot blonde bombshell (Diane Kruger) to uncover who he really is. Unknown marks Jones’ first turn in a major film role since “Mad Men” debuted in 2007 and quickly became the most

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews obsessed-about show to land on television since Oceanic 815 crashed on a deserted island. Later this year, Jones will also be seen as Emma Frost in X-Men: First Class, the origin story prequel to the X-Men series. Both films are big, showy action pieces that are a far cry from the stylized drama that made Jones a household name, which was part of their appeal. “What I liked about this role was that it was something I hadn’t done before, and it was interesting and indefinable in the way that I think the audience gets to decide whether she’s a good guy or a bad guy,” Jones begins. “It had a little touch of [film] noir; an homage to the old Hitchcock films. It was fun for me.” So fun that it might inspire her to leave Don and the madness of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce behind to pursue big screen dreams instead? “‘Mad Men’ is my first stint in TV, and it doesn’t really feel like TV to me,” she says, adding, “It depends on the project; [I want to do] whatever keeps me interested and challenged.” From small to big screen, there is, however, a certain similarity in Jones’ roles. When describing both Betty Francis and Unknown’s Elizabeth Harris, the simplest and best term to classify the characters would be as “ice queens.” The mention of that term makes Jones cock an arched eyebrow and curl her pillowy pink lips into a polite sneer. “What’s so fun about being sweet?” she retorts. “Am I typecast as being horrible? Maybe. It’s kind of great, isn’t it? I try to always do something different [every time]. I don’t think that this character has anything to do with anything I’ve ever done before. I think that sweet can be boring, so I will try to stay away from that for everyone’s sake,” she laughs. Whether or not “ice queen” is the proper term for Jones’ acting niche, she could also be classified as a smart, ambitious actress whose drive to succeed was well rewarded.

TVTIME

CAMERON GOODMAN

A Friend With Benefits by drew vaeth For Cameron Goodman, becoming an ac– tress has been a somewhat strange and totally successful journey. From her humble beginnings in the political environment of Washington, D.C., she has worked persistently to build her acting career to what it is today. Now, the Economics major-turned-Hollywood starlet is on the rise with several exciting, new projects, including a leading role in the upcoming Disney movie High School Musical 4: Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure. Goodman began her acting career doing comedy on the East Coast, but decided to hit the road for Los Angeles soon after being invited to the set and taken in by the cast of a major production. “I asked the lead actor how [he] got into this, and he said after high school he got in his car and drove out here and started acting, and I thought, ‘Wow, that sounds easy!’” After hearing the same story from the lead actress, Goodman got in her car and drove to Los Angeles. Soon, she was brushing up on the politics of the L.A. film industry and enduring a half-year of hardships as she made a name for herself. It turned out it wasn’t as easy as it sounded. “I just remember there [were] a lot of tears, a lot of stress

Campus Circle 2.16.11 - 2.22.11

Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

NEWS

Elizabeth Harris (January Jones) in Unknown Asked if she’s followed any sort of career road map, she takes a moment to consider the question: “I don’t know if I have a plan or if I ever had a plan, but I’m very happy with the way [my career] has gone. I’m still very motivated and inspired and challenged. I’m not ambitious anymore.” Jones insists a better word to describe her would be “jaded” with a dash of very lucky. “I’ve been able to work with a lot of great people and have been lucky in my choices,” she says demurely. “I’m very strong willed, so that’s helped a lot. But really I just feel very lucky to have been able to do the things I’ve gotten to do and haven’t made too many mistakes … yet.” Unknown releases in theaters Feb. 18.

Campus Circle > Film > TV Time and a lot of frustration,” she shares. Although she admits acting is a very difficult career choice, she’s happy to have made it. “The decision came down to if I was 50 and I’d never given this a shot, I’d be really upset with myself,” she reasons. Her decision paid off with her first booking on ABC’s “Sons & Daughters.” “It was the first time I ever cried from happiness,” she says. After that her career took off. Goodman has been busy building her resume with films such as Shuttle, The Phantom and The Informers. She attributes her success to an unfaltering attitude and fearlessness. “You’ve got to have that attitude of, ‘OK, I don’t want to do this, but I’m going to do it anyway! I’m just going to commit to it and jump in.’ I feel that way with a lot of opportunities in Los Angeles.” Goodman has also benefited from the guidance of established actors along the way. “Mark Harmon was such an inspiration and Christian Slater, and James Woods really put me on the way. One of my favorites is Billy Bob Thornton. We just got along so well, and he was wonderful. And Katt Williams was absolutely, without a question, a mentor to me.” Even before co-starring with her in High School Musical 4, Goodman learned a great deal about comedy from Ashley Tisdale while working on “The Suite Life of Zach & Cody.” “She had such great timing, such great instincts, such great reaction and afterward, I really felt like I was a much, much better comedian,” Goodman says. Now, teaming up with Tisdale in Disney’s next installment of the High School Musical adventures, Goodman

is poised for her breakout role, and she couldn’t be happier. “I’m a huge High School Musical fan. People kept asking me if I had seen the originals, and I [said], ‘Have I? I’m an expert. What do you want to know?’” Goodman re– gards meeting the production’s writers as a blessing, and fully supports the film’s message. “I just love what they created. It was so fun and happy and upbeat and spiritual and just wonderful.” She relates the lesson in the upcoming feature to Grease, adding, “The lesson wasn’t to go be a badass but the exact opposite. This lesson is like, ‘Hey, go be yourself,’ and that’s really cool.” High School Musical fans can expect to see the same charm and quirky humor from the previous films in this new chapter, plus the transformation of the antagonist (Sharpay) into the hero. “It’s a really cool, fun story,” Goodman says. “This was the coolest thing I could have booked.” Fans of Cameron Goodman can also see her in the upcoming TV sitcom “Friends with Benefits” as well as a personal YouTube production she’s working on titled “Breakfast Burrito,” a comedic approach to the news geared toward a young audience.

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BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON

“ THE

PERFECT FILM

TO IGNITE 2011!” - RICK FLORINO ARTISTDIRECT.COM

Brandon T. Jackson dresses up for his role. by SAMANTHA OFOLE

There’s a big reason to watch thE third installment of the Big Momma films, according to director John Whitesell. “It has dance and music and puts some juice back into the franchise,” says Whitesell, who also helmed the predecessor Big Momma’s House 2. Reuniting Martin Lawrence, producer David T. Friendly and Whitesell, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son sees the return of the plus-size, floral dress-wearing grandma (Lawrence). This time, he is joined by his stepson Trent (Brandon T. Jackson), as they go undercover at an all-girls performing arts school after Trent witnesses a murder. The two, posing as Big Momma and hefty coed Charmaine, must find the killer before he/she finds them. The success of the first two Big Momma films led to this third offering, but Lawrence, Friendly, Whitesell and screenwriter Matthew Fogel wanted the new film to reinvent the franchise. In doing so, they opened the film up to an audience largely untapped by Big Momma’s House and Big Momma’s House 2 : teens. “Our movies are very strong with African-American audiences, but you don’t do the numbers we have done without also crossing over to other segments,” says Friendly. “One thing we were not hitting was teenagers. That wasn’t necessarily our core audience, and so by bringing in Brandon and this wonderful young cast, we were hoping to expand the audience, but at the same time, be relevant to the culture today, because there are a lot of musicdriven things whether it’s ‘Glee’ or ‘American Idol.’” With a talented ensemble of bright young stars, including Jessica Lucas and Portia Doubleday, Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son features several music and dance sequences. “It’s a movie with heart and soul,” says Jackson. For Jackson, who had standout roles in Tropic Thunder and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, playing a woman proved quite challenging, as he had to endure the makeup chair to transform into Charmaine. “I watched Tootsie and Mrs. Doubtfire,” says Jackson, who adds that his biggest challenge was making sure Trent could shine through the formidable prosthetics that transform the character into Charmaine. “It’s like creating a character. The dopiest thing about being an actor is creating characters,” he continues. “Martin gave me some good advice [when it came to wearing the weighty prosthetics as Charmaine]. ‘Sit down whenever you can, chill out and have a good time.’ It’s my nature to run around the set and talk to everybody, because I come from a big family, and I like to talk to people so the suit made me focus on my performance.” Also freshening up the franchise are new and improved makeup and prosthetics that halved the time it took Lawrence to become Big Momma. “One of the secrets of the Big Momma movies is the tremendous amount of prep involved building the prosthetics, having the makeup tested and doing the camera tests,” says Friendly. “On the first one, the makeup took us three hours and the second two hours, and now it’s down to an hour and 40 minutes. We had an amazing makeup team lead by Wesley Wofford, who is so patient and really knows what he is doing. We now have a balance in the movie. There is comedy and there is heart, and now there is music and performance, so there is a lot more than people think.” Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son releases in theaters Feb. 18.

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John Bramley

Campus Circle > Film > Interviews

In I Am Number Four, Dianna Agron plays Sarah, an amateur photographer who uses her camera to capture what others can’t – or don’t want to – see.

I AM NUMBER FOUR Dianna Agron “Glee”-fully accepts the challenge.

by frederick mintchell Every actor and actress dreams of being cast in a show that becomes a part of the cultural zeitgeist. Save for a few already-famous cast members, “Glee” became a game-changer for most of the members of New Directions, turning them into household names seemingly overnight and thrusting them all into the mainstream spotlight with a potent combination of high ratings, sold-out tours and near weekly assaults on the Billboard charts. Even more rare is the chance for a small-screen star to parlay their acting chops onto the big screen. It wasn’t too long ago that stars were either “movie” stars or “TV” stars. It was the rare actor who was able to (and wanted to) navigate both mediums. Lately, though, the industry has finally learned that a TV star can bring in a built-in audience to a film role. Conversely, movie stars (especially women) can find the kind of nuanced, fully developed characters on television that are often in short supply for a film industry that mainly caters to teenage fanboys. Not long ago too, television studios were reluctant (if they didn’t outright refuse) to let their stars work on films that might interfere with a TV shoot. Likewise, movie studios weren’t too keen on the idea of having to work their shooting schedule around a TV shooting schedule. Tom Selleck

Campus Circle 2.16.11 - 2.22.11

(“Magnum P.I.”) and Pierce Brosnan (“Remington Steele”) are two famous instances of an unwillingness of the two to work together when they had to turn down the roles of Indiana Jones and James Bond, respectively. We, too, have all heard the stories of actors who leave a big television hit to pursue a movie career, supposedly because the two can’t coexist. In the past couple decades, though, both the suits and the talent have wised up. “Friends” was one of the first TV series to work its shooting schedule around cast members’ movie shooting schedules. In return for scoring a member of one of TV’s highest rated shows, films worked their shoot around the TV schedule. Courteney Cox, for example, was able to shoot “Friends” and Scream at the same time because everyone worked together to make the schedule work. She worked on “Friends” on Monday through Thursday and then moonlighted on the Scream set on the weekends. With this newfound synergy seemingly being a win/win situation for everyone involved, these types of overlapping shoots are becoming increasingly common. The sophomore hit “Glee” seems to be the latest show to accommodate its in-demand stars’ busy calendars. One of the “Glee” stars who seems to have taken the most advantage of this synergy is Dianna Agron. Seemingly overnight – though it never is – Agron has managed to not only portray the on-again, off-again head cheerleader on “Glee” but also make her mark on the big screen as well. Last year she co-starred in the ensemble movie The Romantics with Josh Duhamel, Katie Holmes and Anna Paquin, and she also appeared in Burlesque with Cher and Christina Aguilera. Now, she’s about to have her biggest role in her biggest movie yet, I Am Number Four. This role wouldn’t have happened for her if people weren’t willing to work together. I Am Number Four is an action-thriller about a teen,

John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), who is a fugitive on the run from ruthless enemies. Changing his identity, moving from town to town with his guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant), John is always the new kid with no ties to his past. In the small Ohio town he now calls home, John encounters unexpected, life-changing events – his first love (Agron), powerful new abilities and a connection to the others who share his incredible destiny. If you are a fan of teenagers with extraordinary powers trying to live ordinary lives while fighting forces of evil, then you’re in for a treat. Just scan the resumes of I Am Number Four’s writers. Alfred Gough and Miles Millar were writers on “Smallville,” while Marti Noxon wrote for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” With both shows enjoying long, critically acclaimed runs, this bodes well for I Am Number Four’s chances to connect with audiences. To up the action quotient to balance the teen angst, the action maestro himself, Michael Bay, is producing, while director D.J. Caruso aims for a hat trick of hits after Disturbia and Eagle Eye. Like Courteney Cox before her, Agron had to balance her “Glee” commitments while filming I Am Number Four. The movie shoot coincided with the “Glee” summer tour of 2010. It almost didn’t happen though. At one of the awards shows last January, Agron was at a party with her friend who works for casting at DreamWorks. “My friend says to me, ‘I want you to meet with Steven,’” Agron begins. “I had no idea she was talking about Steven Spielberg. So he comes up and says we have this movie and you’d be perfect for the character of Sarah, but I think we’re filming in the fall, and I know you’ll be back at ‘Glee’ so it wouldn’t work out, but you’re great. I was like, what just happened.” As it turns out, they moved the shoot to the summer of 2010, but the powers that be knew that she would be on the “Glee” tour. Her manager’s persistence helped land her the role, and both sides were really willing to work with each other. Agron assures that it helps to have teams of people working together. Agron herself had doubts as to whether this grueling schedule would work, but “there was a lot of shifting around,” she admits. She had no down days, but was able to balance both jobs, and she is grateful for that. As with any actor, Agron was happy to branch out. “I like to play something different. It doesn’t have to be worlds apart, but there has to be something new, some challenge.” Though she was able to keep the characters of Quinn and Sarah separate, there was a funny instance where one take was Quinn’s voice, which is a little higher than Sarah’s. “What set is this? OK, I know where we’re at,” she jokes. It was also her first time acting in front of a green screen, and she was “excited to get into the action sequences. You felt like a kid and just used your imagination. I loved it.” Though secondary, the love story in I Am Number Four is an integral part of the story. Usually, before actors are cast in a movie, they screen test together to see if they have chemistry. We’ve all seen movies where the romantic leads don’t have that chemistry, and that can spell disaster at the box office. Agron was concerned before the first table read about the chemistry between her and Pettyfer’s characters. “It’s common that people can be fired at a table read if their characters don’t gel.” It was her first time meeting a co-star away from the set or audition, but she feels that their meeting helped at the next day’s table read, as they were able to alleviate any feelings of nervousness. Since she was obviously not fired, everyone felt they had that elusive chemistry. Agron enjoyed working with Pettyfer because “he was a hard worker. He came to the set on time. It wasn’t like he wouldn’t come out of his trailer. He wasn’t a diva.” He was professional, and Agron feels that comes across on the screen. Soon, audiences will be able to judge for themselves. I Am Number Four releases in theaters Feb. 18.

“THE

BEST ACTION ” THRILLER IN YEARS! Stuart Lee, WNYX-TV

“

EXHILARATING.

UNKNOWN IS THE FIRST GREAT MOVIE OF THE YEAR!” Shawn Edwards, FOX-TV

“LIAM NEESON

IS INTENSE!” Bill Bregoli, CBS RADIO NEWS

“IT ’S

TAKEN

MEETS THE

BOURNE IDENTITY.”

Rick Warner, BLOOMBERG NEWS

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Campus Circle > Film > Special Features by the Academy and has been winning awards left and right.

Best Supporting Actress Amy Adams (The Fighter) Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech) Melissa Leo (The Fighter) Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit) Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) Though Leo has won many of the pre-Oscar awards, including the all-important Screen Actors Guild award, I don’t think this is as sure a bet as some think. Bonham Carter could win due to the increasing momentum for The King’s Speech. The Academy also has a history of awarding young ingénues in this category, so Steinfeld can’t be counted out either.

Niko Tavernise

Best Supporting Actor

Natalie Portman should dance away with the Best Actress Oscar for Black Swan.

2011 OSCAR PREDICTIONS by frederick mintchell

This is only the third time in the history of the Academy Awards that a man and woman have been co-hosts, with James Franco and Anne Hathaway doing the honors this year. The last time this happened was in 1957 when Celeste Holm and Jerry Lewis hosted. Does this mean that there will be some shocking winners this year? Or will the usual Oscar prognosticators prove correct as they historically do? We won’t find out until Feb. 27, but until then, here’s my annual look into Oscar’s crystal ball.

Best Picture Black Swan The Fighter Inception The Kids Are All Right The King’s Speech 127 Hours The Social Network Toy Story 3 True Grit Winter’s Bone Early on, The Social Network was the heavy favorite after winning Best Picture from most of the critics’ groups, but when The King’s Speech won the Producers Guild Award, the race was on. The Producers Guild Award isn’t as an accurate predictor of Oscar success as some of the other Guild awards, but the past three years have produced the same winners. Since then, though, The King’s Speech has won the top awards from the Directors Guild and the Screen Actors Guild, so it appears that The King’s Speech will be hauling in a king’s ransom on Oscar night.

Best Director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) David O. Russell (The Fighter)

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Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) David Fincher (The Social Network) Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (True Grit) Only six times in the 63-year history of the Directors Guild Awards has the DGA winner not gone on to claim the Oscar. However, two of those six times have happened since 2000. In 2000, Ang Lee won the DGA Award for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon but Steven Soderbergh won the Oscar for Traffic. Then in 2002, Rob Marshall was honored by the DGA for Chicago, but Roman Polanski ended up being honored by Oscar for The Pianist. As with the Best Picture race, the frontrunners are Hooper (The King’s Speech) and Fincher (The Social Network). Hooper won the DGA Award and, since history usually repeats itself, will walk away with the Oscar.

Best Actress Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right) Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole) Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone) Natalie Portman (Black Swan) Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine) Bening has been here before. The last two times she was nominated, the Best Actress race basically boiled down to her and another actress. Both times, Hilary Swank walked away with the gold man. This time, she shares frontrunner status with Portman, who has won most of the critics’ awards and earned top honors from the Screen Actors Guild. Bening, however, has been lobbying hard and has lots of friends in high places. A few months ago, Javier Bardem was an extreme long shot for a Best Actor nomination until his friends in high places started lobbying on his behalf. Hollywood truly is a who-you-know town, and you can never underestimate the politics involved. But Portman does have the showier, more “actier” role, and Academy voters do seem to vote more for the showier, Black Swan-like roles than the more understated, The Kids Are Alright-like roles.

Best Actor Javier Bardem (Biutiful) Jeff Bridges (True Grit) Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) James Franco (127 Hours) This is one of the few sure bets this year. Firth is respected

Christian Bale (The Fighter) John Hawkes (Winter’s Bone) Jeremy Renner (The Town) Mark Ruffalo (The Kids Are All Right) Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech) Bale was, for a long time, the new Johnny Depp in that he was respected in the industry but never quite connected with audiences on a big commercial level. That has since changed, just like it did for Depp, in the last few years. Though he might not get too many votes from the cinematography branch of the Academy (see his incident during filming of Terminator: Salvation), actors love him, proven by his SAG win.

Best Original Screenplay Mike Leigh (Another Year) Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, Eric Johnson, Keith Dorrington (The Fighter) Christopher Nolan (Inception) Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg (The Kids Are All Right) David Seidler (The King’s Speech) In a box office landscape where big budget movies are either sequels or remakes, Inception stood out as the rare “original” thinking man’s blockbuster that wasn’t based on a comic book, novel or video game. The Nolan Conspiracy is why we have 10 Best Picture nominees now. What is the Nolan Conspiracy? I’m glad you asked. After The Dark Knight failed to score a Best Picture nod a few years ago, there was a huge outcry from both the industry and the public. The very next year, we suddenly have 10 Best Picture nominees. If that had happened the year before, The Dark Knight surely would have made the shortlist. To add a further layer to the conspiracy, Nolan was up for a third Directors Guild Award for Inception, but for the third time, was shut out of the Best Director at the Oscars. He’s rightfully seen as one of the few filmmakers who’s able to mix commerce and art – thus, the thinking man’s blockbuster maker – and the Academy members want to reward him for that. His Writers Guild Award reinforces that notion.

Best Adapted Screenplay Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy (127 Hours) Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) Michael Arndt, John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (True Grit) Debra Granik and Anne Rossellini (Winter’s Bone) This is another one of the few sure bets, as Sorkin has been sweeping the pre-Oscar prizes. He’s a respected industry veteran and his Writers Guild win solidifies his position as the heavy, heavy favorite.

Best Animated Feature How to Train Your Dragon The Illusionist Toy Story 3 When in doubt, as if there was any, go with Pixar. Plus, it’s the only animated film up for Best Picture.

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“ENTERTAINING...ENDEARING... AND EXCEPTIONAL.” –THE HUFFINGTON POST

a documentary by peter byck

AT THE AERO by zach hines

a climate change solutions movie

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Feb. 20): My favorite western of all time from the legendary Sergio Leone. I would definitely go a step further and say that this film is one of the greatest and most iconic films of all time. Anyone who argues against the sheer perfection of this great masterwork is only making a case for how big of a pile of human garbage they are. Everyone working in the film business today, whether they know it or not, has been influenced by this film.

[that doesn’t even care if you believe in climate change]

“The film gives good reasons for hope.”

Reservoir Dogs screens Feb. 23 at the Aero.

– Onearth.org

“A joy to experience.” – Trustmovies.com

his own brand of cool. Reservoir Dogs (Feb 23): This is the feature-directing debut from Quentin Tarantino, a writer-director who could possibly be considered the most influenced by the works of Leone. Say what you want about Tarantino, but he created his own genre of films. The day your name comes to represent a whole style of filmmaking and storytelling is the day you can try to talk smack about Tarantino (at the risk of me speeding through a puddle and spraying you with dirty water before you can do it, of course). With this film, Tarantino introduced his signature fractured narrative storytelling technique and his ability to create memorable characters and amazing dialogue. Once Upon a Time in the West (Feb. 24): More Leone. You’re probably going to be noticing a pattern here. Once Upon a Time in the West is my second favorite western behind The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and features more incredibly brilliant work from master composer Ennio Morricone, who scored all of Leone’s pictures. Replacing Clint Eastwood as the quiet, brooding, ridiculously baadasss gunslinging protagonist is Charles Bronson, who brings

Once Upon a Time in America (Feb. 25): Yes, another Leone film. His last, actually. For someone who is considered one of the greatest and most influential filmmakers of all time, he actually didn’t make that many films. His first film Colossus of Rhodes and this one were the only movies out of his filmography that aren’t westerns. Robert De Niro (you know the guy, right?) stars as a Jewish gangster who rises up the ranks of organized crime in Prohibition-era New York City. The film is so epic and so beautifully made that to reduce it to being a regular movie and trying to critique it like you would, say, I don’t know, any other friggin’ film is a crime on par with treason. Not to mention it’s like four hours long and still keeps you engaged the whole way through. Unless, of course, you’re a short attention span loser who can’t appreciate real films. I’ve never had the opportunity to see this film in a theater before, and I’m very thankful that I’ll finally get that opportunity. The Aero Theatre is located at 1328 Montana Ave., Santa Monica. For more information, visit americancinematheque.com.

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EXCLUSIVE ENGAGEMENT STARTS FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18 WEST HOLLYWOOD Laemmle’s Sunset 5 (310) 478-3836 Tickets available @ laemmle.com

Q&A with the DIRECTOR

following the 7:30pm show Friday 2/18 & Saturday 2/19

1/8 PG VERT (2.3215 X 5.965)

PROJECTIONS

SURGIKILL

Feb. 17 @ Art Theatre of Long Beach by candice winters I’ve spent much time lately dispensing my love for and knowledge of the horror film genre. Sure, the majority of films being released year after year do not fall under this category, and it seems like romantic comedies and period pieces are creating a near anarchy over the box office. I like romance and history as much as the next college student, but there is something about a good scary movie that just gets under my skin, in a good way. Despite its lack of consistent success with the average moviegoer, the horror genre has a distinct and relatively large following of international filmmakers, fans and patrons. We cannot attribute definite conventions, techniques and typical themes to ‘horror.’ The genre has undergone some major renovations over the years, which directly correspond with the loosening of censorship laws as well as the heightening of the audience’s response to the explicit subject matter. The emergence of ‘scary movies’ dates back to the early years of film history. For as long as literature has employed supernatural characters and horrific events, so have films sought to instill this fear in audiences. German filmmaker F.W. Murnau brought the world Nosferatu (1922) based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and it is often considered the first original work of horror. Since then, however, Germany

CampusCAMPUS Circle > Film > Projections CIRCLE WED 2/16 as a film-producing country has been hesitant to re-enter the genre, sticking mainly to dramas, comedies and the occasional thriller. Instead, France and Italy took to revolutionizing the genre and changing our conceptions of it. French filmmakers like Henri-Georges Clouzot and Roman Polanski, whom I mentioned a few weeks ago, led the forefront of the psychological horror film. Classic French horror uses the psychology of the woman to portray a mental state of disintegration. The 1960s and ’70s brought Italian filmmakers like Dario Argento and Mario Bava to the public platform as masters of ‘giallo’ horror. They played with the gothic conventions of old houses, secrets and discovery, but made these images more demented, ornate, cartoonish and highly stylized. Precursors to the American slasher film, these films spent less time smoothly integrating the narrative and violence, and more time focusing on making the murders feel like elaborately staged musical numbers. Most importantly, these directors took a pornographic approach to violence, one that made the audience not only conscious of the physicality of the actors but an approach that sought to bring excitement during bloody, inventive murder scenes. What then followed was a torrent of film production aimed at sex and violence to keep the audience hooked. Those made in the 1980s tended to be bordering on hardcore porn. A few more decades introduced ‘torture porn’ to our vernacular. It’s a term that was coined by film critic David Edelstein in 2006 about Eli Roth’s film Hostel and that has since been used to classify other such films as far back as 2000 when Baise-Moi really introduced the genre. Translating to a less graphic English title, Rape Me, the film is often considered a part of “New French Extremity” movement as well. Torture

porn differs from normal slasher films because its depiction of nudity, torture, mutilation and sadism are given a wide release, have relatively high production values and are often mainstream Hollywood films, like the Saw franchise. It’s more than a full stomach to digest, I know. However, if you find yourself intrigued by these types of films, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Surgikill is a comically gruesome film by sexploitation icon Andy Milligan. Set in a Los Angeles hospital that is about to close, a masked killer goes on a rampage, murdering anyone that crosses his path. It was Milligan’s last film before he died of AIDS in 1991. Though critic and Milligan’s fans have ripped the film apart, Surgikill is a campy, over-the-top ride that, if you take it with a grain of salt, is enjoyable enough. The DVD release party will be held on Friday, Feb. 17, at the Art Theatre of Long Beach. Actress Bouvier and writer Sherman Hirsh will be in attendance for a Q&A after the screening. Come only if you are prepared to tap into your wild side. Art Theatre of Long Beach is located at 2025 E. 4th St., Long Beach. For more information, visit arttheatrelongbeach.com.

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Vidal Sassoon The Movie

by mike sebastian

The Majors: Denzel Washington re-teams with director Tony Scott (Man On Fire) for Unstoppable, a high-octane, ticking-clock thriller. An unmanned train full of deadly chemicals is on a collision course with a town. It’s up to an engineer (Washington) and a young conductor (Chris Pine) to stop it. Rosario Dawson co-stars. Woody Allen’s latest, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, is a breezy comedy about the romantic imbroglios of two married couples. The stellar cast includes: Anthony Hopkins, Naomi Watts, Josh Brolin, Antonio Banderas and Freida Pinto. Bill Nighy and Julie Christie lead a great cast in the WWII thriller Glorious 39.

The Idiotbox: Remastered and loaded with bonus features, The Twilight Zone: Season 3 comes to Blu-ray. This season includes classic episodes like “The Dummy,” “Five Characters in Search of an Exit” and “To Serve Man,” featuring guest stars like Buster Keaton, Charles Bronson and Robert Redford. Plus, there are 19 new audio commentaries with the likes of Neil Gaiman, William F. Nolan and others. James Nesbitt is magnetic as a maverick Irish cop who goes deep undercover in Murphy’s Law: Series 3. After the IRA killed his family, Murphy must battle his own demons while earning the trust of London’s most deadly criminals. In this season, Murphy poses as hit man in his most complex mission yet. Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen) finally clears his name in the The Fugitive: The Fourth Season, Volume 2, the final volume of the series. The two-part finale was one of TV’s most watched events.

(Phase 4) Every girl knows, bad hair can ruin your day, and a ghastly cut can put you in a funk for as many weeks as it takes that sucker to grow out. For anyone who has ever hacked bangs to get over a breakup, dyed their locks to handle being laid off or watched the Victoria Secret’s Fashion Show mesmerized by bouncing golden manes rather than the tanned, toned bodies, Vidal Sassoon The Movie is the film for you. From an orphanage in war-torn London to his David Hockney-esque Beverly Hills pool, the film explores the life of Sassoon, a man who revolutionized hairdressing, giving Mia Farrow her Rosemary’s Baby pixie, sliced away beehives in favor of asymmetrical, angular styles in the early ’60s and built a hair empire by innovating product lines (Say it with me: “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good.”), opening teaching academies and turning salons into galleries where the modern art medium was follicles. Originally intended to be a coffee table book/shrine of worship built by Bumble & bumble founder Michael Gordon (who produced the film), the majesty of Sassoon’s life and work plays out through Mondrian-style montages, black and white interviews with models, muses and co-workers and intimate conversations with the dashing and wellkept legend, who looks decades younger than his 82 years. While the film briefly delves into the darker sides of Sassoon’s past, including his father’s abandonment and the death of a child, and brushes past allusions to any Shampoo similarities – though former model and current Vogue creative director Grace Coddington, who many will remember from The September Issue, does use it as a reference point – the focus of this documentary is as a portrait of the trailblazer that’s as sleek, shiny and modern as one of his Bauhaus-inspired hairstyles and, as such, it’s a delight. Grade: B+ —Sasha Perl-Raver Vidal Sassoon The Movie releases in select theaters Feb. 18.

Stranger Than Fiction: Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) takes on another crisis facing the country, its education system, in Waiting For “Superman.” As America falls behind the rest of the world in teaching our kids, Guggenheim turns his lens on a failing system and the inspiring individuals attempting to change it. It is a vital document of our times. Bill Moyers: World of Ideas – Writers is a monumental four-disc set of interviews conducted by the respected journalist with some of the biggest names in literature. Isaac Asimov, Tom Wolfe, Toni Morrison, Joseph Heller and Barbara Kingsolver are just a few of the lofty subjects.

The Vault: Two staples of

’70s cinema, a pair of the greatest films of all time, Network and All the President’s Men come to Blu-ray. Both films are more relevant than ever. In Network, the great Paddy Chayefsky wrote a searing and prophetic indictment of the news as entertainment. All the President’s Men attests to the importance of a free press as Woodward and Bernstein break the Watergate scandal. Two noir classics come to hi-def: Orson Welles’ The Stranger and Kansas City Confidential. Edward G. Robinson is on the trail of a Nazi war criminal (Welles) living under an assumed identity in the U.S. As the noose tightens, Welles plans his wife’s demise to save himself. Kansas City Confidential has an ex-con (John Payne) framed for a robbery. When he sets out to get justice, he becomes entangled with a femme fatale and a crooked ex-cop. Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil) made his directorial debut with Shopping (1994), about a gang of adrenaline-junky joy riders set in the near future. Jude Law stars. Michael Palin and Maggie Smith star in the British comedy of manners A Private Function. Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins and John Turturro star in the Bronx drama Five Corners.

Also available: Romances – Everyday Black Man, I Do (But I Don’t), How I Married My High School Crush, Beauty & the Briefcase; Thrillers – Love at First Kill, A Kiss of Chaos, High Lane; Comedy – National Lampoon’s Dirty Movie

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GAMEON

‘MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 3: FATE OF TWO WORLDS’ by elisa hernandez

Club 740 was the center of attention for all gamers Feb. 3, when Capcom brought its legendary “Fight Club” to Los Angeles. Gamers were able to play the upcoming “Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds” before its release this week. One of the most anticipated games of the year had fans waiting in line for hours to get into the event to be one of the first to experience the game. “Wesker! Wesker! I loved it. It’s so fast, but it reacts quickly,” says Jordan Brown, 20, a dedicated lover for all Marvel and Capcom games. “I love everything [about it]. It’s a welcome change.” The game features Marvel and Capcom fans’ favorites such as Captain America, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Chun-Li, Wesker and Tron Bonne. The graphics are crystal clear, and the speed of attacks allows players to produce multiple fighting combos. The event had various stations set up on three different levels. On the first and second floors players tested out the new “Marvel vs. Capcom 3,” while gamers were treated to arcade versions of past “Marvel vs. Capcom” on the underground floor. Images of different characters where shown throughout the club, live music played and a professional artist painted faces. Live characters, like Phoenix, Ryu and Hsien-Ko, also appeared so fans could take pictures and get up close with their favorite characters. “Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds” is currently available.

& Invite you to to enter to win tickets to an advance screening of

in Los Angeles and Orange County, register at: Los Angeles

Wednesday, February 23, 8:00 p.m. Campuscircle.com/screening/HallPassLA NEW LINE CINEMA PRESENTS A CONUNDRUM ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTION A FARRELLY BROTHERS MOVIE OWEN WILSON “HALL PASS” JASON SUDEIKIS JENNA FISCHER RICHARD JENKINS MUSIC AND CHRISTINA APPLEGATE SUPERVISORS TOM WOLFE AND MANISH RAVAL COEDITED PRODUCERS MARK CHARPENTIER JOHN RICKARD BY SAM SEIG PRODUCTION DIRECTOR OF DESIGNER ARLAN JAY VETTER PHOTOGRAPHY MATTHEW F. LEONETTI, ASC EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS TOBY EMMERICH RICHARD BRENER MERIDETH FINN MARC S. FISCHER STORY SCREENPLAY BY PETE JONES BY PETE JONES & PETER FARRELLY & KEVIN BARNETT & BOBBY FARRELLY PRODUCED BY PETER FARRELLY & BOBBY FARRELLY BRADLEY THOMAS CHARLES B. WESSLER DIRECTED BY PETER FARRELLY & BOBBY FARRELLY www.hall-pass-movie.com

Orange County

Thursday, February 24, 7:30 p.m. Campuscircle.com/screening/HallPassOC No purchase necessary. While supplies last. No phone calls, please. Late, misdirected or incomplete entries will be invalid. Screening is overbooked to ensure capacity. Please arrive early. Ticket does not guarantee admission. All seating is first-come, first-served. Employees of Warner Bros. Pictures, Campus Circle and their affiliated agencies are not eligible.

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FASHION ILLUSION

FALLIN’ UP: MY STORY

What’s new, what’s in and what’s hot on young L.A’s fashion scene. by daNA jeong Every season, watching runway shows on YouTube or skim– ming through red carpet photos produce two different kinds of emotion: one, an ecstatic happiness from looking at beautiful things, and two, a resentful sadness from realizing that those beautiful things can only be worn by tall and impossibly skinny models and celebrities. Yes, not all of us were born with such blessed genes. Luckily, my 19-year experience of living with a short, curvy body has taught me some ways to appear a couple inches taller and a couple pounds lighter.

Fallin’ Up, My Story is currently available. Taboo signs books Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. at Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. For more information, visit taboofallinup.com.

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Although pencil skirts are the default items of “business attire,” they are also the most haunting nightmare for full-sized thighs. Substitute these dreadful, figure-revealing pencil skirts with A-line or flared skirts that hit right above or below your knees. Not only will your curves be well hidden underneath the flair, but your legs will also appear slimmer. Go own that job interview with confidence and style. Model: Christine Lee

Stephanie Choi

The Black Eyed Peas’ performance at the Super Bowl put another notch in the belt of a band who shot to the tops of music charts and created one of the most anthemic tracks for quite some years with their single “I Gotta Feeling.” But as is mostly the case, music fans don’t always know the story behind the scenes. For Taboo, the best way to tell his story was in memoir form. The Black Eyed Peas member recently released Fallin’ Up: My Story, a memoir written with Steve Dennis about Taboo’s life before and during his fame with the Black Eyed Peas. “I wanted people to get to know who I am as an individual. People know the Black Eyed Peas, but they don’t really know me as a person,” Taboo offers. The memoir’s first lines suck the reader in immediately and make it clear that this is not a memoir that will be tinged with rose-colored idealization. The very first scene in the preface places the reader in a jail cell with Taboo. Every emotion is craftily spelled out for the reader, and Taboo seems to be asking not necessarily for sympathy, but for a platform to honestly share his experiences. The Black Eyed Peas part of his identity is still there, but what the reader sees is an average person struggling with the more negative parts of his life. “I think it’s more of an intimate and vulnerable side to me as an individual when it comes to my writing as an author,” Taboo says. In looking back at the rougher parts of his life, including jail time and alcoholism, Taboo felt the making of the memoir became more than just writing a book. “I approached it on more of a having to remember a lot of things and living those moments again, and I started getting choked up when I started thinking about my grandma and thinking about all the struggles I went through and all the things me, Will and Apple had to go through .... and all the accomplishments, the great things that happened and also dealing with a lot of demons that I had to deal with in my past,” he says. Instead of shying away from his mistakes and hiding them behind the glare of stage lights, Taboo takes the opportunity to write a book that he feels will reach out to readers, and that held much personal importance for him. “I needed to get things I went through off my chest,” he reveals. Though the memoir includes many difficult themes to deal with, Taboo does not want his readers to take the entire work with too much seriousness. “I want people to take away a little sense of inspiration, hope, motivation, laughter. I want people to laugh at some of the things that I went through. If I can’t poke fun at myself, I’m taking myself too seriously, and I don’t want this book to be a serious book. Yes I fell hard, I fell down and now it’s time to wipe off my knees and fall up,” he says. Taboo stresses that just like the Black Eyed Peas’ music, there is no specific group this memoir aims to target. Instead, he wants Fallin’ Up: My Story to stand as a narrative that any reader of any background can read and take to heart. As for writing in the future, Taboo feels the emotional involvement with this memoir will make it the only one he writes. For Taboo, the memoir made him not only share his experiences but also strongly relive things he hadn’t thought of in quite some time. However, he is considering delving into the realm of fantasy and maybe crafting a story about a Mexican hero from East Los Angeles as a tribute to his community. For now, the Black Eyed Peas’ records keep coming, and Taboo also boasts of an upcoming women’s shoe line called Taboo Deltah, which premieres Feb. 22 (taboodeltah. com).

Flared Skirts for Curvy Thighs

Nude Heels for Short Legs Not all five-inch heels are going to make you a supermodel – it all depends on the shape, the color and how you wear them. Choosing heels in the same shade as your skin will instantly add those five inches as if they were part of your legs. Opt for high-waisted shorts with a vintage vibe for the ideal 3:7 Barbie proportion. Model: Christine Lee

Stephanie Choi

BY eva recinos

Dzapa Media

The Black Eyed Peas’ Taboo lets his hair down in his memoir.

Sleeveless Tops for Wide Shoulders Ironically, wide shoulders will only look narrower the more you show them off. For dresses, blouses and tops, pick out sleeveless ones with turtle or wrap-around necks. Deep side cuts will also give you a petite-figure illusion. Not comfortable enough to leave your shoulders in full display? Throw on a dark-colored cardigan for an instant narrowing effect. Model: Christine Lee

Stephanie Choi

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311 shows are always one serious party.

by brien overly Anarbor Feb. 16 @ UC Riverside Despite the fact they have at times shared stages with some pretty terrible bands in the past, and are often associated with a genre that gets a pretty bad rap because of those same bands, the four dudes of Anarbor just might restore your faith in pop punk. Though, to be fair, branding them as “pop punk” would be doing the Phoenix-bred foursome a serious disservice. For as many other influences as they pull in, from both classic rock to old school punk camps, these guys evoke a level of maturity that their contemporaries could only hope to capture so effortlessly. Despite being infectiously catchy and the epitome of a sing-along band, their music is far from the kid stuff you might expect for a band of their age and of their musical background. Which is probably the reason that when the band heads more into emotive and introspective territories, they manage to not fall head-first into that death pit of whine. Mixing in just enough grittiness with their hooky melodies to keep things sounding real, the band manages to legitimately straddle that proverbial fence dividing pop and punk. And, believe it or not, frontman Slade Echeverria can actually write some intelligent, if not bitingly pointed, lyrics and deliver them vocally with spot-on timing. Never mind their same-age peers, half the seasoned vets of this scene can’t even do that these days.

Lucero Feb. 17 @ Echoplex And now for a band that actually is a bunch of seasoned vets, but these ones deliver on the quality of music you would expect from a band that has been around for well over a decade. The Memphis-based band mixes all the awesome parts of rock, country and folk, without any of the bad parts usually attached to the genres. Gritty and infectious, dark and atmospheric, never pretentious or overindulgent, Lucero’s brand of Southern-fried rock is perfect for all occasions. The lazy night at home? Yeah. The road trip (you know how I love those)? You bet. The dudes’ night out spent dive bar-hopping? Uh, duh. Flip to the Lucero album of your choice on your iPod and you can practically hear yourself cowboying your way through the south, without being that toolbag who thinks it’s cool to blast Lynyrd Skynyrd in your car. All parties involved win here.

Chromeo Feb. 19 @ Fox Theatre Moving in a decidedly different direction, away from Old West revival, Chromeo is the poppiest, most infectiously danceable music you’ll ever listen to that will never fall under the “guilty pleasure” category. You know the music. You know the lyrics. You probably know a couple of the videos by now, too. You just need to see them live. I can practically guarantee that, despite how impractically the Fox Theatre is set up for it, Chromeo will turn the entire venue into a giant dance party. And God help me, I will learn the choreography from the “Night by Night” video by the time this show happens.

311 Feb. 21 @ Grove of Anaheim Now, moving decidedly away from non-guilty pleasures … I still have a soft place in my heart for 311 that my inner early teenager will likely forever cling to. Back in the days when MTV played music videos and, even more, those from legitimately innovative rock bands (for the time period), 311 was the jam. It was a much simpler time for rock music. A less contentious time. And a less pretentious one as well. Rock music still had a grander sense of epicness and importance to it. It was adults playing radical music, not children pretending to be adults by dressing up like radicals. So even though I’ve admittedly fallen by the wayside in recent years in terms of keeping up with their later releases, the nostalgia of the era 311 represents makes them iconic as a rock band. Also, for those who’ve never been to one of their shows, it’s a serious party. Like, just a few red plastic cups short of a college keg party, kind of party.

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EVEREST Get Intimate

by jacob gaitan Four years ago, Everest formed in Los An– geles with dreams and hopes of success. After recording their debut album, Ghost Notes, Russell Pollard (lead singer and guitarist), Jason Soda (guitars, keyboards), Joel Graves (guitars), Elijah Thomson (bass) and Davey Latter (drums) headed for the road and gained fans in each city. The reaction was overwhelming, and they quickly gained popularity after each performance. As their success gained momentum, they released their sophomore effort, On Approach, last spring, which was well received amongst fans. Since then, they have toured the country with My Morning Jacket and played in countless venues across Canada and Europe. Their exposure has launched them onto everyone’s radar since appearing on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.” Playing in front of millions on television didn’t intimidate the group at all. “We were strangely comfortable doing that,” says Graves. “We had been playing these songs live, and it was in the middle of the tour, so we were in the mode of playing every night. Because of that, getting up and playing live is something we do naturally. We’re really confident on playing live.” During last autumn’s tour, Everest recorded each performance and released it to the public free of charge. This was their way of expressing their gratitude to the fans in each

Campus Circle > Music > Interviews city. Treats much like this are quickly becoming a staple for the band. “It’s exciting to have fans that care enough to download that, so we feel lucky that people want to hear the shows,” offers Graves. “The response has been really great. It feels good being able to share music with people. These are all rewards for people who come out and support us during live shows. We stand by what we do every night, mistakes and all. Every show is different, so it’s fun for people to check out the evolution of things even throughout a tour.” Life on the road has been a learning experience for the band since releasing Ghost Notes. Everest has evolved into a strong collective while discovering themselves in the process. “Being on tour put us in front of a lot of people and in big arenas that we weren’t use to,” says Graves. “I think in a lot of ways, it made us become different performers and a different band playing in spaces that large. We each found our own individual voices and figured out how they worked together. We grew closer to something that we’re trying to be, but we’re still working on it. As a band, we developed how we worked together. Our sound is five unique individuals. ” Everest shows no signs of slowing despite last year’s busy schedule promoting On Approach. They are currently in the studio rehearsing new material and composing songs. Still in the early stages, they continue to stay active individually while also collaborating. “We’ve been working together in a room,” laughs Graves. “Different members have sampled some song ideas individually, and we get our hammers and nails and start working on them together. I think we’ve got five or six songs we might start playing live during some upcoming shows. The idea is to get them while they’re hot after we’ve played them live for a month.”

MUSICREPORT by kevin wierzbicki Pepper Goes Acoustic for California Have you seen the new Pepper 3-D music video for the song “Drunk Girl” yet? You can experience the video in 3-D right on your computer; all you need is to pull it up at pepperlive. com and be wearing a pair of “old school”-style blue and red 3-D glasses. In person though, the band is taking a much lower-tech stance as they head out on a brief acoustic tour. The Family & Friends California Acoustic Tour begins in San Luis Obispo on Feb. 22 and finds Pepper playing unplugged in intimate settings for the first time in a decade. The tour also stops in Petaluma, Santa Cruz, Ventura, San Juan Capistrano and wraps up on Feb. 27 with an appearance at Saint Rocke in Hermosa Beach.

Never Shout Never Live EP Fans of Never Shout Never can get a free, three-song digital EP with the purchase of any item at the band’s Web store. The EP contains live versions of “Love is Our Weapon” and “I Love You 5” from the What is Love? album and “I Love You More Than You Will Ever Know” from Harmony, the current NSN release. The offer for the free download expires at the end of February. Never Shout Never will be spending most of the spring out of the country on tour in Australia, Europe and the Philippines. nevershoutnever.com/store

YouBloom Song Contest If you’re a budding singer/songwriter, or you’re in a band and all you want is to be heard by someone who knows music, can provide some constructive criticism and maybe help you

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Still, no release dates have been announced for the yet-tobe titled album, but recently Everest announced a Residencies in February tour covering San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. The California tour makes three stops at each city capitalizing on small venues for intimate performances. Fans have an opportunity to experience Everest in a small capacity venue as they rehearse new material. Although audiences appreciate smaller locations for live performances, Everest enjoys every concert regardless of the attendance. “We’ve had really intimate experiences with crowds that were 20,000 people, and we’ve had intimate experiences with crowds with 20 people,” says Graves. “When people come right up to the stage and get involved with us and really get in the music with us, the shows are great. You can smell the crowd and feel their presence, and vice versa.” Everest perform Feb. 21 at the Echo and Feb. 28 at The Satellite. For more information, visit everestband.com.

Campus Circle > Music > Music Report to catch a break, then the YouBloom Song Contest, now in its second year, is for you. One of the principals involved in the contest is famed musician, activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Bob Geldof. “Song contests have been done before a million times, but this isn’t ‘American Idol,’” says Geldof. “We would like to find the songwriters and let their peers decide their value and thus their audience. It’s not quite a reinvention of the wheel; just a little push of the same wheel for those who should be heard.” Besides the potential for stardom and unlimited wealth, the YouBloom contest offers a cash prize to the winner. Details on how to submit a song are at youbloom.com.

Oui, Oui, Kitsune Gildas Loaec (who was for 15 years the right-hand man of Daft Punk) and his business partner at Kitsune Records, international party hopper/artist André Saraiva, are pleased to announce the release of Kitsune Parisien, a 12-cut compilation featuring the crème de la crème of the Paris music scene. Some of the French scenesters included on the sampler are Birkii, a classically trained violinist who prefers to record with the accompaniment of a Casio SK1, electro-poppers Destin, one-time New Yorker Yan Wagner, the aptly named Housse de Racket and the French/English Parisian duo Jupiter. The new wave of Parisian talent hits American shores on March 8.

Calle 13 “Baile” with Diego Luna Mexican actor, director and producer Diego Luna has collaborated with 10-time Latin Grammy Award winner Calle 13, a critically praised and influential Puerto Rican urban music duo, in their latest music video for the track “Baile De Los Pobres (The Dance of the Poor).” Luna directs the upbeat tune for Calle 13. —Marvin Vasquez

Calle 13’s Residente (René Pérez Joglar) with Diego Luna, who directs the duo’s video for “Baile De Los Pobres”

Half Notes If you’re planning on taking in The Big Four (thebig4festival. com) concert in Indio on April 23, you should know that you don’t have to get behind the wheel to get there. The show features the first and only U.S. appearance of Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth and Anthrax on the same stage, and concert promoter Goldenvoice has arranged for a shuttle service option for those who don’t want to make the drive. Rides cost $40 and depart from numerous locations, including downtown Los Angeles, Anaheim, Pasadena, Irvine and Ontario. Eenie Meenie recording artists Goldenboy play a homecoming and CD release show in support of Sleepwalker at the Hotel Café on Feb. 25.

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Jacob Gaitan

LIVESHOWREVIEWS

Ghastly demonic Danny Filth impressed the crowd with his signature screeching pipes.

The Church Feb. 2 @ The El Rey Australian rock band the Church celebrated their 30th anniversary by performing three albums in their entirety. Having recently been inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame, the band stopped in select North American markets to commemorate their achievement. Los Angeles kicked off the tour, as many songs were played live for the first time. Lead singer Steve Kilbey introduced the band as they received an overwhelming reaction. Kilbey expressed his honor and gratitude to the fans while thanking them for an amazing career spanning three decades. The band began the night performing their latest album release, Untitled 23. “Cobalt Blue” officially marked the first of a 34-song setlist that included two intermissions between albums. “Pangaea” stirred early crowd participation and many sang in unison. Guitarists Marty Wilson-Piper and Peter Koppes provided soothing rhythms that transported everyone to the ’80s. The crowd enjoyed studio quality performances with each album. After brief intermissions and wardrobe changes, the Church continued the night with their experimental album Priest=Aura. The tempos quickly picked up as drummer Tim Powles excelled. Wilson-Piper embraced the spotlight as he delivered amazing guitar solos while alternating with Koppes. The stage lights grew brighter as they transitioned into tracks from Starfish, their most successful album to date. The audience erupted with excitement as Wilson-Piper walked the stage with an acoustic guitar, and Kilbey sang the famous lyrics of “Under the Milky Way Tonight.” The dreamy aura in the air covered everyone with nostalgia as they shouted the chorus. After three hours of marvelous music, the Church received a standing ovation as they bowed before walking off stage. The band delivered a once-in-a-lifetime performance. They truly provided each fan with an unforgettable night. —Jacob Gaitan

Bobby Long Feb. 3 @ The Troubadour With the recently released and long-awaited debut album A Winter Tale from Bobby Long, I was looking forward to seeing him perform. I was surprised to see Paparazzi milling out front, and even more surprised when I walked inside to the most packed house I’d ever seen! You could feel the energy in the crowd. When Long and his bandmates came on stage, the women went gaga. Long donned a sleek, black suit with hair flopping to one side, and the band mates were all smartly dressed. When they began to play, it was a nice departure from a lot of music we hear today. With his singer-songwriter style, he has a nice, full, raspy voice that can belt out lyrics. Most of his songs have a bit of blues, and also hints of country as well. The band stepped off stage for two songs while he sang solo and played either his acoustic guitar or his Gibson. “Sick Man Blues” was one of my solo favorites

with real emotion behind every lyric. When the band rejoined they had a jam session, especially “The Bounty of Mary Jane” and a good-old sing-along “Dead and Done.” With Rich Hinman on pedal steel and guitar, Chris Morrisey on bass and Mark Stepro on drums, this was an exciting and fresh concert to see. —Ariel Paredes

Kid Infinity Feb. 5 @ The Alexandria Hotel The challenge with electronic music today is this: How do you take one guy and his computer and translate that sound to stage? A couple of solutions were exhibited the night Kid Infinity played at the Alexandria Hotel. You could pump the bass so loud people can’t breathe let alone become bored. You could program slides in time with the music. You could let your songs play and dance violently for the rest of the set. You could hire a really hot girl and have her dance on stage while you and your boys rap and try to engage the audience by singing along to songs they’ve never heard before. Or, you could blow their minds with an incredibly innovative 3-D show. There were lights, there were stars, there were boxes that popped out at you and changed shape. They hovered over the crowd, they shot out lighting and neon colors, they even shot out glow sticks. Watching Kid Infinity stage dive into an audience engulfed in darkness, only to be pushed back to the stage, not by hands but by glow stick fingers, was an extraordinary sight to behold. I only wish the opening acts had been as interesting to watch. —Priscilla Andrade

Cradle of Filth Feb. 8 @ Club Nokia English black metal band Cradle of Filth have embarked on their Creatures From the Black Abyss tour, terrifying fans across each city. In support of their latest concept album, Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa, which centers on the demon Lilith, the first wife of the biblical Adam, they demolished each song with punishing beats and metal opera symphonies. Lead singer Danny Filth took the stage resembling a ghastly demon pacing back and forth. The audience instantly broke into mosh pits covering the entire floor as guitar riffs burst into the crowd. Adrenaline dripped down the walls while bodies collided against each other like an out-of-control stampede. Keyboardist Caroline Campbell added chilling layers that would suit perfectly in a Tim Burton score. Theatrics played a pivotal role with the performance as background visuals completed the eerie night. Danny Filth continues to impress crowds with his signature screeching pipes in every song. His vocal chords endure punishment every night as he screams at the top of his lungs. Their 12-song setlist included “Heaven Torn Asunder,” “From the Cradle to Enslave” and a few songs off their latest album. With nine studio albums under their belts, these heavy hitters show no signs of stopping. They are currently writing new material in hopes of a winter release. —Jacob Gaitan

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NEWS

FILM MUSIC CULTURE EVENTS DVD GAMING SPORTS MEDIA BLOGS CD Reviews Frequency Interviews Live Show Reviews Music Notes Music ReportSpecial Features

CDREVIEWS Buffalo Tom Skins (Scrawny) Buffalo Tom earned their stripes back in the mid-’90s as a band who could touch the heart of listeners with relationship songs that were neither hopelessly sappy nor filled with the anger that sometimes comes along with a love life in turmoil. Songs like “Taillights Fade” simply put the scenario out there with earnestly sung lyrics set to a not-too-rough rock beat, allowing the listener to do what the best of popular songs do – take the lyrics and make them fit their own life situation and experience the appropriate emotions. Eight albums into their career, Buffalo Tom still has that songwriting knack that lets the listener personalize the songs, a talent fully on display here on tunes like “The Kids Just Sleep” where a bit of Rolling Stones Exile on Main Street swagger belies the sad story of a single parent at their wit’s end, and on the plaintive folk/pop of “Don’t Forget Me” where guest Tanya Donnelly (Belly, Throwing Muses) adds a feminine touch. Sure, you can just sing along if you want, and the John Mellencamp-ish “Here I Come” and the Elvis Costello-tinged “Guilty Girls” are among the album’s buoyant numbers meant to give the thinking cap a bit of a rest. Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki Skins is currently available.

Lullwater Silhouette (Spectra) Named after the street where they originated in southern Georgia, these heavy hitters have created 10 tracks on Silhouette that demand attention. This album covers multiple

Campus Circle > Music > CD Reviews grounds as each song includes traces from 1970s classic rock to mid-’90s rock. Guitarist Brett Strickland instantly sets the tone with “Worse By Better,” as his guitar solos travel swiftly. His style is influenced by southern rock while adding his own taste. Lead singer John Strickland’s screams dominate his vocals yet reveal his versatility by on tracks like “Whatever Happened” and “Faithful Sinners.” The album carries strong percussion, which blends flawlessly with thick bass layers. Silhouette includes intense energy and compelling hooks that create a wonderful listening experience. Grade: B —Jacob Gaitan Silhouette is currently available.

Bob Marley and the Wailers Live Forever (Island) Bob Marley’s final concert with the Wailers was supposed to be just another gig in support of Uprising (1980), but instead became his final performance ever. Marley died of melanoma the following year. The Pittsburgh concert captures the intensity of the group as they explored the majority of Uprising along with other iconic tracks like “Is This Love” and “No Woman No Cry.” Marley’s ongoing cancer treatment cut this tour short. Despite coming to terms with his mortality (as evident on “Redemption Song”), Marley’s enthusiasm and banter with the audience give no hint that this is a man with numbered days. Whatever your position may be with regards to posthumous releases, good or bad, this live album does justice to the Godfather of Reggae’s legacy in a way that doesn’t exploit his image for the sake of a few bucks, but rather

MUSICNOTES

THE WHITE STRIPES

Why Their Breakup Is So Polemical by eva recinos The first time I heard a guitar scream was on Elephant during my high school years. And from then on, I was hooked. In a world where CD stores were still doing alright and the music scene was undergoing a sort of garage rock revival à la the Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the White Stripes stood out to me. And maybe that’s how it was for everyone else. They restricted themselves to a specific color palette, kept the third man/woman out and maintained a marriage under wraps for quite some years. But what captivated people and alternately bothered them was what they didn’t keep under wraps – a rambunctiously bluesy style mixed with spontaneity and some vibe that was just White Stripes-y. You didn’t see the imprint of the rock world on their faces. Instead, the rock world got filled with white and red stripes. It didn’t matter that Meg didn’t have any formal training and just started playing around on the drums. It didn’t matter that they took the risk of not being taken seriously. And it didn’t matter that they were lacking a bass line. For many people, the development of the White Stripes is

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preserves the memory of his fun-loving demeanor with that smile that lets you know everything’s going to be alright. Grade: A+ —Richard Castañeda Live Forever is currently available.

Neuraxis Asylon (Prosthetic) This Canadian death metal band has a new rhythm section since the last time they put out a record, 2008’s The Thin Line Between. You can just imagine what that want ad looked like: “Bass player and drummer needed, must be able to pummel your instruments into dust while demons howl nearby.” Nonstop pounding is a significant part of the Neuraxis sound, and while the rhythm doesn’t change significantly from song to song, there’s something appealing about the way Olivier Beaudoin (skins) and Olivier Pinard (bass) whip up the racket. Along with plenty of guitar riffing sharp enough to open gaping wounds and growling devil vocals from Alex Leblanc, it’s just what the death metal doctor ordered. Numbers like “Sinister” and “Trauma” play up the guitar parts a little more but make no mistake; Asylon is made for serious headbanging. Grade: B —Kevin Wierzbicki Asylon is currently available.

North Mississippi Allstars Keys to the Kingdom (Songs of the South) CONTINUED ON PAGE 17 >>>

Campus Circle > Music > Music Notes equally important due to personal ties and the development of rock. Packing venues such as the Greek Theatre with anyone and everyone, the band always emitted the same energy with different notes. There was no wondering if something would be different that night in your particular city in your particular state, because the same color blends would surround you and the same faces would reach out from the dark. I was told to get down from a chair at the Greek Theatre as I tried to get a better view of them onstage. I was told their music was weird. I was asked why the album name was Get Behind Me Satan, and if this had something to do with Satanism. But I stayed firmly behind them. There was something about dipping into every CD. The actual CDs were all the same colors. And besides that, they were truly a whole. There wasn’t one song you could just take out of the album without knowing or feeling it belonged to a greater whole. With each new name and title, there was a new yet constant version of the White Stripes persona handed to you in plastic for you to listen to your heart’s content. There was something strangely sexy about Jack’s bushy, untamed hair and something meek yet beautiful about Meg’s quietude. The years made things change. The band stayed strong through shifting music production and shifting musical tastes and through Jack’s finger surgery and stint with Renée Zellweger. We were told Meg was dating a guy from Los Lobos and during the filming of the trippy, artsy and quite strange “Blue Orchid” music video, rumor had it that Jack fell for a red-headed dame. Years later, the guy has two kids with model/political figure/singer Karen Elson, the redhead he always sang about. And Meg’s got her own home life as well. But moving beyond the character types and stereotypes and personas, together they created a band that simultaneously

The White Stripes bid adieu to the music world. let anything happen and let it all hang out while staying true to their roots and the reason why they made music – because they wanted to. There was no producer hanging over their shoulder, and there was no studio magic that made the live version exactly the same, and that’s something commendable no matter the music fan’s genre inclinations or problems with the duo’s persona. You always got the sense the White Stripes took themselves seriously. And it was all just take it or leave it. Musicians find it hard to stand out nowadays with so many brightly haired girls and go-getter guys. But for the White Stripes, one small vision, a bit of genuineness, a love for the music and a simple color palette was enough to get everyone from your nephew to Alicia Keys joining in on the fun. Here are tracks to reminisce and see the development of the White Stripes from their debut to their final album: “Jimmy the Exploder” (The White Stripes); “Apple Blossom” (De Stijl); “I Think I Smell a Rat” (White Blood Cells); “There’s No Home for You Here” (Elephant); “Little Ghost” (Get Behind Me Satan); “Little Cream Soda” (Icky Thump).

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FAR EAST MOVEMENT Electro-fying the World by marvin vasquez Sure, they have been active in the music industry for nearly eight years. And yes, odds could have been against them. But Far East Movement’s time to shine with their unique orchestrations has arrived, as they prepare to showcase one of their hit songs during the NBA All-Star Weekend and embark on a world tour. “We will be singing ‘Rocketeer’ after the three-point contest during the NBA All-Star Weekend,” member Kev Nish states. “This is a song that almost did not make it in our album because our label did not approve at first.” Far East Movement’s latest album, Free Wired, is their first major release via Cherrytree/ Interscope Records. Free Wired includes the track “Rocketeer” featuring Ryan Tedder, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, record producer and lead vocalist of the pop rock band OneRepublic. “We really wanted to show a wide range of music with this song as musicians,” Kev Nish elaborates. There is this mellow, romantic beat to “Rocketeer.” Simultaneously, it displays an upbeat outlook. Different songs represent different things for different people. Perhaps this could be about love. Maybe it relates to motivation. But that is the beauty of this tune, because it can bring unique meaning to each listener. Even though “Rocketeer” depicts Far East Movement’s diversity in evolving music, “Like a G6” is the ultimate party, club and dancing melody. “‘Like a G6’ is definitely a party song,” Kev Nish says. “It is kind of like ‘Girls On The Dance Floor.’ It is a song that is linked up with high levels of energy and girls dancing. There is this connection involved.” From Far East Movement’s 2009 album Animal, “Girls on the Dance Floor” features the Stereotypes. A true hit, “Like a G6” reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and iTunes soon after its release. “Like a G6” features the participation of the Cataracs, an indie-pop duo from Berkeley, and Dev, a 21 year old from NorCal as well. Born in Tracy, Dev grew up in the city of Manteca; she is half Mexican and Portuguese, and her diversity is prominent in the chorus of the track. Approximately a month after its debut, “Like a G6” accumulated double platinum status for amassing two million in sales – and counting. Composed of Kev Nish, Prohgress, J-Splif and DJ Virman, this electro hop quartet features a rather young core. All the members are Asian American and represent Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Filipino backgrounds. “We all grew up in Los Angeles,” Kev Nish remarks. “We would go to many clubs at night and see how the music scene was.” And that has benefited them substantially, which is solidly portrayed on Free Wired. This album has mixes of electro hop, hip-hop and pop; it really is diverse when comparing it to other CDs in the market. Mix together talent, excitement, hunger, hard work and passion, and you can see why Far East Movement continues to build both professionally in the industry and personally as a collective unit. Kev Nish lists Kanye West as one of the artists they would not mind working with in the near future, claiming that what others do to push boundaries is relevant not only to them, but to society as a whole. Not too long ago via Twitter, West tweeted about Far East Movement, expressing that he felt the vibes of “Like A G6.” Kev Nish offers his input on social media. “For us, social media is like ‘a do-it-yourself operation’ because no one can do it the way you want it,” he says. “We are online all the time. We blog every day, and we use Twitter daily because we want to say active.” As a segment of Rihanna’s Last Girl on Earth Tour, Far East Movement is scheduled to tour Australia with the pop star and Calvin Harris during late February and early March. This is just another way for Far East Movement to showcase Free Wired’s hot tracks with appearances by Tedder, the Cataracs, Dev and also Snoop Dogg, Lil Jon, Keri Hilson, plus a song co-written by Bruno Mars. Not bad for a group that attained their name from one of their own songs (“FM”).

CDREVIEWS <<<CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 If music can transport you anywhere in the world, then this CD takes you straight to the countryside at the start of summer. This collection of tunes evokes the feeling of staying out all night and doing whatever feels good during the day. Keeping with their rock and blues-based tempo, traditional country is vacant from this album and replaced with a classic rock feel. Quality is king on this CD; each track sounds excellent, and the range of instruments is mixed perfectly to be blasted at parties or in your car as you drive out into the middle of nowhere. The highlights come when you get halfway through the record. The four middle songs really beef up the emotional content of the record and allow you to experience something a bit deeper than your usual rock album. Definitely a must-have for anyone that has been missing true rock ’n’ roll. Grade: A —David Tobin Keys to the Kingdom is currently available.

Far East Movement perform Feb. 19 at NBA All-Star Weekend on TNT. For more information, visit fareastmovement.com.

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COMEDY

Campus Circle > Culture > Comedy A is $255 for six weeks.

Second City L.A.

bang. Comedy Studio

Upright Citizens Brigade

457 N Fairfax Ave., Los Angeles (323) 653-6886; bangstudio. com Founded in 1995, this improv school features a conservatorylevel program aimed to expose people of all walks of life to the form. You’ll learn a wide variety of philosophies on improv, including character work, teamwork-fueled organic scenes and “the game” of the scene. One of the overarching attitudes at bang is that of support: Every class is built around the idea that the theater is a safe place where your fellow students, as well as the teachers, share the learning process with you. The people you start out with will eventually become your performance group. There are no auditions for the eight-month program that comprises four levels, which are eight weeks each. At the end of the eight months, a six-month Masterclass commences with weekly performances of “The Harold” long form in the Friday student show. Every student in the class who remains in the program to the end of the fourth level is part of your group. This means that you have been learning with the people you perform with for eight months before you first set foot on the stage in front of an audience. (Plus, tuition decreases as you move through the program, a unique feature among L.A. improv schools!) Level 1 classes are $350 for eight weeks.

5919 Franklin Ave., Hollywood (323) 908-8702; ucbtheatre. com Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB), a comedy theater that originated in New York City, has an improv training center that requires no audition. The driving philosophy at UCB is that of “the game” of the scene. In this way of thinking, improvisers find the funny idea of the scene and dig into it, exploring every facet of it. This philosophy has become the trademark of the theater, making it the unique feature of this school. Like other schools, UCB focuses on a different topic in each of the four levels of its program and at the end of each level, there is a graduation performance for the students to show off their skills to an audience, and they progress in the program. Beyond this, there is opportunity for performance if you are recommended by a teacher or if there are auditions held for Harold teams that perform regularly at UCB. The program here is mostly spent in the classroom, with a few performances throughout the learning process. Each level consists of a weekly class in an eight-week period. Level One is $350 for 8 weeks.

Samrod Shenassa

seven levels, students can perform in a grad group with teacher recommendation. Level 1 classes are $350 for seven weeks.

6560 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles (323) 464-8542; secondcity.com Second City, one of the oldest schools in the country, started in Chicago over 50 years ago. As far as improv troupes go, this is the one with the longest legacy. Del Close (who pioneered the “Harold” long form) was a director at the Chicago theater, and as a result, the focus at this school is the long form. Second City L.A. offers a three-level basic improv program, for those who want to try out improv as a way to boost confidence and improve public speaking and quickthinking skills. Each level has a focus on one particular area, starting with agreement (saying “yes” to your partner), moving to characters and ending with scene work. The school also offers a five-level conservatory program, which requires an audition. This program is designed to train students in improv and comedy sketch writing so they might develop a Second City-style scripted revue. Performance opportunities are available in this program; performances start in level two and become more frequent in level five. One of the unique qualities of the conservatory program at Second City is that they spend one class level training students on political and social satire. The Basic Improv Level One is $355 for 7 weeks.

You’ll learn a wide variety of philosophies on improv at bang. Comedy Studio.

WHERE’S THE FUNNY?

A Roundup of Improv Spots to Up Your Laugh Factor by kate bryan If you spent any time in front of the TV in the late 1990s, the era of ABC’s Friday night family comedy block, then you’re probably familiar with the comedy game show “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” where, as host Drew Carey reminded the audience each week, “Everything is made up, and the points don’t matter.” If you were like me, you were unwittingly watching short-form improvisation. Improvisation (improv for short) will help you in every aspect of your life, by giving you the confidence to roll with whatever life hands you. Improv is also where most famous comedians get their start – practically every cast member of “Saturday Night Live” auditions from one improv company or another. The foundation of this performance art form is play; you’ll notice in reruns of “Who’s Line” that all the performers are having a blast. How do you get in on all the fun? Here’s a rundown of the most established schools in the L.A. area as well as opportunities at local college campuses.

iO West 6366 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles (323) 962-7560; westioimprov.com iO West (formerly Improv Olympic) welcomes students of any field. The focus at this school is the long form the “Harold,” which is introduced in the very first level. iO started in Chicago, where the “Harold” was created, and their philosophy stems from the long-form style of improv of which the “Harold” is a type. In the “Harold,” improvisers create a series of scenes within three distinct “worlds,” all based on a single suggestion from the audience. It is a great learning tool for improv because it is highly structured like the rules in short-form improv games, only with a long-form free-for-all attitude. iO West teaches agreement, the game of the scene, working well with improv partners, all the while teaching the “Harold” form. Students progress through each level with teacher approval, no audition necessary. In level 5, students get the opportunity to perform the “Harold” twice a month in the Sunday student show. On completion of the program’s

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Groundlings School 7307 Melrose Blvd., Los Angeles (323) 934-4747; groundlings.com If you are a fan of “SNL,” you may have heard of the Groundlings, a troupe and school that was founded in 1974. Many of the cast members on the show throughout the years have come out of the Groundlings. Where this school excels is in character work, and graduates often leave the program with an arsenal of quirky characters, like in the case of “SNL” cast member Kristen Wiig. The core program here is meant for professional actors; it starts with improvisation and leads to “SNL”-like sketch comedy writing. Performance opportunities are available if you are invited into the company after completing the core program. If this is your ambition, then this is a prestigious place to go. Auditions are required to get into the program and progress through it. There is also a beginner’s class for people who just want to try out improv and see what the Groundlings is all about, no audition required. This course teaches improv as a way to relax and have fun. Also, as mentioned before, the beginner’s class helps strengthen confidence and quick thinking. Beginners Improv Workshop

College Groups College is a great place to learn improv with your peers! Many schools offer improvisation courses through the theater/ drama department. This is greatly recommended if you want to get credit for having fun. Also, there are many established improv performance troupes at university campuses in the Southern California area. UCLA plays host to Rapid Fire Improv, who claim to be “more awesome than a shark giving a high five to a silverback gorilla.” Unfortunately, during the research of this article, the reporter could not discern if this statement is true. USC boasts at least two performing troupes, Second Nature Improv (2nimprov.com) and Commedus Interruptus (commedus.com). The former performs longform improv and the latter, a variety of forms. They argue regularly over who is the official group of the school. The one thing common in all these groups is that they require an audition to play. If you think you have what it takes, go for it! If nothing else, you can always round up a group of friends, grab an old “Who’s Line” tape and a Del Close book and start your own improv group! The great thing about improvisation is that actually the best improvisers are children, because really all it comes down to is the simple notion of play. Anyone can do it, you just have to find that inner child that we all have in us.

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Castulao Hernandez

COMEDY

Lila Scott, Christian Daly, Christopher Johnson and Charles O’Connor of Second Nature

SECOND NATURE

A Silly Slice of USC’s Improv Community Being a college troupe, you’re always changing personnel due to people graduating, new freshmen coming in, etc. What’s the current makeup of the troupe? Second Nature: Right now we have nine members with a wide range of backgrounds. We have a variety of majors represented … some that make sense with improv like theater or film, but we also have people majoring in history or economics. We range from freshmen to seniors and have some folks who have been doing stand-up since age 13 and some who never had any prior improv or comedy experience before getting in the troupe. So what is Second Nature all about? Poop jokes. But seriously, we’re all about pushing the ‘improv envelope’ by trying new forms, new styles, etc. We’ve evolved over the years to be a purely long-form troupe. The goal is to always be experimenting, always striving to get our improv to a better place. A key to that is connecting and interacting with other troupes, both here on USC’s campus as well as troupes from other colleges. You mention other troupes on campus, is there a sense of rivalry between troupes? Possibly surprising, but the answer is no! The three main troupes on campus have different focuses, and it ends up working well together. Second Nature does only long form, Commedus Interruptus does predominantly short-form improv and sketch while the Merry Men do British-themed improv. They come out with tights and poofy shirts and speak in British accents, it’s an absolute blast! The three troupes complement each other beautifully and create a solid improv community at USC. We’ll do joint shows with the other troupes each year, and they are always a highlight. Even more importantly, over the last few years, popularity of improv on campus has increased, and we have had a tremendous amount of support from our audience. In addition to your weekly shows, do you do any sort of special events? Yes! Our main event of the year is the Fracas! Improv Festival. Second Nature has hosted the festival each year at USC and the Eighth Annual Fracas! Improv Festival will be held this April 7-9. We bring in about 20 other college troupes from across the country to perform and connect as improvisers. There are workshops conducted by professional improvisers from the L.A. improv scene as well as celebrity panels. In the past, we’ve brought in cast members from “The Office,” “MADtv” as well as folks from iO, Second City and the Upright Citizens Brigade. Each year the festival gets bigger and better, and this year’s Fracas! looks to be the best of all time. We also do a Spring Break Tour up through central and northern California. While other folks are partying, we’re doing what we love: improv! Each spring break we perform with improv troupes at UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley and UC Davis. It’s a tremendous experience, and we’ll be heading north again this spring break! Do all of you be plan to continue on with improv or comedy after graduation? It’s a good old-fashioned mixed bag with us … some of us will be working the stand-up circuit, some will be doing comedy writing, others plan to work their way up to performing on “SNL.” But hell, we also have a guy who’s going to work at a bank, so we’re all over the place. However, all of us plan to keep improv in our lives to some degree. Whether that’s taking some classes or hopping in an improv jam every once in a while, we all love improv and will keep it a part of our lives.

Mark your calendars – Make plans with friends!

Thursday, Feb. 24 –

Simply Go Eat LA! Our 17th year of community support!

Benefit Aid For AIDS & The Serra Project by going out to eat. Participating restaurants donate a percentage of their day’s revenue. See updated restaurants and prize drawing details at:

www.GoEatLA.org Grand Prize Sponsor

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Second Nature perform every Friday night at the Ground Zero Performance Cafe. Fracas! Improv Festival takes place April 7-9. For more information, visit 2nimprov.com.

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BASEBALL

uclabruins.com

Campus Circle > Sports > Baseball

Junior pitcher Trevor Bauer led the Bruins with 165 strikeouts and 41 walks last season.

UCLA AND USC PREPARE FOR BASEBALL SEASON BY marvin vasquez

Crosstown rivals UCLA and USC are pre– paring for the 2011 college baseball season. Their respective campaigns hit the diamond later this week, and both begin play at home. Here is an in-depth look at both programs.

UCLA The UCLA Bruins finished 2010 with an impressive 51-17 overall record and an appearance in the College World Series. South Carolina won over UCLA in a best-of-three series to secure their championship crown. UCLA advanced to the finals for the first time in program history. “I’m so proud of our players and our program and the strides we’ve made,” now seventh-year Bruins head coach John Savage stated in a press release back on June 29 of last year. “I told the players that they’ve reached the pinnacle in college baseball. They’ve experienced the rigors of the regionals and super regionals and the bracket in playing for the national championship.” Although the Bruins lost the CWS in Omaha, Neb., to the Gamecocks, Savage knew what he had implanted within the squad. “Every player in our locker room now knows what it feels like. We can sit there and be very proud of our entire program. The bar has been raised, and we look to be back as soon as possible,” he adds. “This team can say they’re the best team in UCLA history, which has a long and rich tradition. I’m proud of every single person who has been a part of this program.” That experience and most of the talent from last season are back. And this has propelled them to be ranked No. 1 this preseason by the USA Today/ESPN Coaches’ Poll, No. 2 in Baseball America’s Preseason Poll and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association, while being leveled No. 3 by Collegiate Baseball. Additionally, the Bruins have been selected to place first in the Pac-10. UCLA received 79 total points, eight coming via first place, in the 2011 Pac-10 Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. They finished with a conference record of 18-9 last year, good enough for second place, behind Arizona State.

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A key for the Bruins: 20 letter winners are returning. And their one-two punch of pitchers in the starting rotation is well known. Both juniors Trevor Bauer and Gerrit Cole are simply studs. These right-handed throwers earned preseason All-America Honors from Baseball America, as Cole attained a first-team selection and Bauer placed second-team honors. Bauer, a Valencia native at 6-feet, 2-inches tall, comes off a rather solid showing on the mound. He posted a record of 12-3 with a 3.02 earned run average, a nation-best 165 strikeouts and 41 walks. He led the unit in innings pitched with 131.1 while earning second-team All-America Honors from Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball and first-team accolades from Ping! Baseball. Even though Bauer served as the second starting pitcher in the rotation, he registered all the high-powered statistics of a true ace. If healthy, the Bruins can expect more of the same from the 185-pound machine who became the program’s first pitcher to ever lead the country in strikeouts while establishing UCLA’s single-season strikeout record. Cole, on the other hand, is an Orange County native (Santa Ana) who was the No. 1 starter last season. After recording 11 wins and four losses, Cole had an ERA of 3.37 with 153 strikeouts (third in the country) and surrendering 52 walks in 123 innings tossed. He received second-team All-America Honors from Collegiate Baseball and Ping!Baseball and thirdteam accolades from Baseball America and the NCBWA. A championship team needs solid pitching in order to compete and advance in the playoffs, but offensive sparks are also a must-have. Position players ought to be integral in the Bruins’ success, obviously pending health. Sophomore outfielders Beau Amaral and Cody Keefer return, as well as junior infielders Dean Espy and Tyler Rahmatulla. Sophomore infielder Cody Regis and junior catcher Steve Rodriguez, as well as senior outfielder Chris Giovinazzo and sophomore outfielder Jeff Gelalich, will have significant playing time. Both Amaral and Espy are the power bats of UCLA. Amaral led the Bruins with a .354 batting average, four home runs and 31 runs batted in, while scoring 45 runs, collecting a team-high 79 hits and 12 doubles. Espy hit .345, led the team with nine homers, three triples and 52 RBI, while only starting in 40 games and slugging .575. Keefer (.318), Regis (.312), Rahmatulla (.328) and Gelalich (.321) all held batting averages of over .300. Moreover, Rahmatulla had seven homers, 45 RBI and was tied for second on the team in hits with 76. Regis has power, proven by his nine homers, 17 doubles and 47 RBI in the 2010 campaign. One odd note to be aware of is Richard Brehaut joining the baseball squad. Brehaut is a quarterback for the football team, and he debuted on the diamond in the Bruins’ 8-1 victory during the Alumni Game. “He’s a very natural-looking left-handed hitter with power,” Savage tells The Daily Bruin. “Who wouldn’t like that?” Savage believes that Brehaut could benefit from the

experience of the current athletes in progressing as a baseball player. “We like our lineup, and we have guys that have been in our program for several years,” Savage points out. “It’s going to take time for him to get into the lineup to see where he fits.” The Bruins had one roster spot open, and it was filled by Brehaut. He first got permission from Bruins head football coach Rick Neuheisel. “I wasn’t even going to give it a shot if coach Neuheisel didn’t give me the OK,” Brehaut says to The Daily Bruin. “Once he said he wouldn’t have a problem with it, that’s when I really said, ‘All right, let’s do this.’” In six innings of work, Bauer struck out 11 batters, and he supports Brehaut’s decision to join the squad. “We’re excited to have him,” Bauer admits to The Daily Bruin. “We had an open roster spot, and I think he can help our team out. He’s fitting in well, and we’re overjoyed to have him out here.” Brehaut could primarily be used as a designated hitter or in pinch-hitting scenarios. “I’m a ways away from being anywhere near these guys,” he adds. “So it’s going to take some time, and I’m going to take it one step at a time, and I’m excited to be out here working every day.” UCLA’s talent is evident, and their formidable schedule will be a test for them before postseason play. Five other Pac10 programs are currently ranked in the top 25, which adds difficulty to the Bruins schedule. They face ASU (No. 11), Stanford (No. 13), Oregon (No. 14), California (No. 17), and Arizona (No. 19). Nevertheless, games against the Cal State Fullerton Titans (No. 9), Long Beach State, Nebraska, Pepperdine, UC Irvine and UC Riverside will not be easy. There is one fun affair scheduled, the Dodgertown Classic at Dodger Stadium between the Bruins and Trojans March 13 at 2:30 p.m. UCLA opens the season with a three-game series against the University of San Francisco Dons on Friday, Feb. 18, at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Westwood. Game time is 6 p.m.

USC The Trojans are coming off a below par 2010, where they went 28-32 overall and 7-20 in Pac-10 play. They finished 13 games out of first place and positioned themselves last in the conference standings. Junior first baseman Ricky Oropesa, a Rancho Cucamonga native, was the pride and joy of the Trojans last season. Oropesa is looking to build his collegiate baseball resume even stronger. His 2010 display in statistics have already placed him in the 2011 Baseball America Preseason All-America first team honors. Additionally, Oropesa received a 2011 Louisville Slugger Preseason All-America second team honor by Collegiate Baseball. Oropesa is easily a college comparison to the St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols. Oropesa pounded 20 home runs and 67 RBI with a .353 batting average. His 83 hits, 22 doubles and 53 runs scored were team highs. To go along with a slugging percentage of .711, he started in all 60 games played. He had seven stolen bases as he gained Baseball America AllAmerica second team honors. Eight freshmen, seven sophomores, 15 juniors and six seniors comprise the Trojan lineup, so experience is not an issue. Led by Oropesa’s power and leadership, the Trojans can easily finish in the middle of the Pac-10 standings. However, they were selected to finish ninth in the conference by the 2011 Pac-10 Baseball Preseason Coaches’ Poll. They received 16 total points, placing them above the Washington Huskies. The Trojans most prominent games of the year will come against Cal State Fullerton, UCLA, Louisville, Rice and the remaining ranked Pac-10 opponents. Interim head coach Frank Cruz has a complex job ahead, but it is not impossible. USC opens the season entertaining a tournament at Dedeaux Field, facing Missouri Feb. 18 at 6 p.m., North Carolina Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Feb. 20 at 3 p.m.

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NBA ALL-STAR FESTIVITIES HIT L.A. Tom Gralish/Philadelphia Inquirer/MCT

by marvin vasquez

Intern while you’re still in school to prepare for the post-grad job market.

WHAT I WISH I KNEW AS A FRESHMAN by denise guerra

When I first entered college, I was as wide eyed and excited as the rest of the incoming class of 2009. Now that I’ve graduated, I look back at the best years of my life with a type of sweet nostalgia. I miss it. But you can’t change time, and sooner or later everyone grows up, and that’s the hard part to face. Everyone’s college experience is different. For me, it was like one big study abroad program. Everything was laid out for you to do with your class schedule and homework, and during downtime there was time to mingle with other students and explore your campus/city surroundings. It felt like a big vacation from life, a type of bubble surrounding you from the real world. When that bubble burst and I graduated, I did not feel as prepared as I could have been. Even though college is four years, time goes by fast, and a lot can happen in the world once you leave the safety of school life. When I graduated high school, the economy was in great shape. Everyone was buying houses and making a lot of money, and jobs were secure. Fast forward four years later and you have a recession with one of the worst unemployment rates for graduating students in history. I wasn’t prepared for that. If I could go back and tell my freshman self what I know now, I would tell that sweet, innocent girl to start planning for her career at day one. This means networking and making the right connections with professors and alumni, utilizing the career center and, most important, getting internships. Honestly, as a freshman, I was interested in, of course, getting good grades, but other than that, I wanted to have fun, meet people and party. Not to say that focusing on these things was a mistake; it’s what made my college experience so memorable. What I neglected to do was balance the fun with the necessary. The real world is waiting for you, and it can be beautiful and ugly in so many ways. Preparation for the ugly depends on how you use the tools that college offers you. These tools sadly, are not all found in the classroom, especially if what you’re learning is theoretically based. You have to apply, apply, apply. Take what you learned and apply it to everyday life. How? For example, as a Communications major, I learned about diagramming and dissecting a conversation between two people and what makes for effective communication. I read about it, wrote papers and listened to my professor talk about it for an hour. I had a final, and that was the end of it. During that time, I could have contacted and communicated with alumni or joined a club where networking was necessary, so I could practice what I learned in order to seek these contacts for advice or even a job once I graduated. For those in the sciences, join a lab and find research opportunities with professors. It will pay off in the end. Another important thing to note, and something I wish I could have done sooner, was interning. The biggest thing to remember is that a majority of internships are only offered to students, so once you graduate, you’ve basically missed a whole window of opportunity. There are still internships out there after you graduate, but they’re harder to find. One thing I learned is that the most legitimate internships offer you school credit, and if you’re not learning anything from your internship, then stop wasting your time. Lastly, I would tell my freshman self that you never, ever stop learning once you get out of school – that every day will be a challenge, and that mistakes are bound to happen. I would tell myself to truly foster the relationships I have with friends and family, because I will need their support during my transition into adult working life. And not to forget to be open to new things and adventures. Fear is a part of the experience, but you can always alleviate the fear with the right preparation and support.

There is no better place than Los Angeles to host the NBA All-Star festivities, and it happens this weekend at the Convention Center and Staples Center in downtown. With the best players present, this year’s All-Star game will be dandy. The East’s starters include LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Amar’e Stoudemire, Derrick Rose and Dwight Howard. The reserves include Ray Allen, Chris Bosh, Kevin Garnett, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo; Doc Rivers will be coaching. On the other side, the West starters are led by Kobe Bryant, who was the top player with votes. The other four include Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul and Yao Ming (who is out due to injury). Two other players from Los Angeles made the reserves in Lakers’ Pau Gasol and Clippers’ Blake Griffin, along with Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Kevin Love, Dirk Nowitzki, Russell Westbrook and Deron Williams. Look for the West to win because of home court advantage. Yes, the main event that every fan awaits every year is the actual All-Star game (Feb. 20, 5 p.m.), but the NBA All-Star Jam Session brings more to town. On Friday, three spectacular events are scheduled to take place, starting with the NBA All-Star Celebrity game at 4 p.m. Thus far, celebrities like Justin Bieber, Common and Jimmy Kimmel are scheduled to appear. Of course, there are NBA legends like Magic Johnson, Bill Walton, Scottie Pippen and Chris Mullin appearing as well. This affair is followed by the NBA D-League Dream Factory and Slam Dunk Competition, with Griffin participating. Throughout the entire Jam Session proceedings, fans will have the opportunity to meet some NBA players. “Although the schedules are subject to change, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Dwyane Wade are some of the players that people can meet,” NBA’s Director of Events and Attractions Lisa Quinn states. For additional details and discounts, college students can find more information at nba. com/jamsession/2011/.

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LAKERS INVADE BOSTON by marvin vasquez

For the first time this season, the Los Angeles Lakers played like a championship team from beginning to end. Their efforts resulted in a 92-86 road victory that truly left Boston fans silent on Thursday night. Five different Lakers produced double figures in points, led by Kobe Bryant’s 23. Bryant added five rebounds and four assists. “This is one of the best atmospheres, if not the best atmosphere playing in the league today,” Bryant confesses. Pau Gasol registered one of two double-doubles for the purple and gold after collecting 20 points and 10 rebounds, but Lamar Odom’s 10 points, 12 rebounds and three integral blocked shots could not go unnoticed. Andrew Bynum posted 16 points and nine rebounds, while Shannon Brown had 12 points. “It’s always fun to beat Boston,” Bynum states. By halftime, the Celtics held a 53-45 edge. However, the Lakers put on an impressive run that boosted them to the victory. “In the first half, they got a lot of easy opportunities in transition, a lot of easy catchand-shoots,” Bryant tells the media. “We had to put a stop to it.” Other than out-rebounding the home squad 47-36, one important factor of determining the game’s outcome came by shutting down Paul Pierce. “The third quarter we decided to play some defense, and Kobe got hot. It’s that simple,” Bynum offers. “We stopped being so late on the rotations. Pierce wasn’t quite as effective.” Pierce finished with a total of 15 points on just six field goals made from 15 attempts in nearly 40 minutes. All Celtic starters scored in double figures. The Lakers, who are currently 4-1 away from home during this East Coast visit with wins over New Orleans, Memphis and New York, play the Cavaliers in Cleveland Wednesday.

Campus Circle 2.16.11 - 2.22.11

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COLORSOFCULTURE

FASHIONING FASHION: EUROPEAN DRESS IN DETAIL

Now-March 27 @ LACMA by cindy KYUNGAH lee Silhouettes, silhouettes, silhouettes. That is the focus of the historical fashion exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Continuing through March 27, the museum’s exhibition is dedicated solely to the history of fashion in Europe from 1700 to 1915. The viewer can observe an extremely legitimate version of what were the appropriate “It” styles of Europe, in 3-D. Step into this exhibition and you will probably, for a second, feel like you time traveled into the past. Don’t be afraid, because the white, same-looking people with slightly freaky expressions are only mannequins. Weird, because these mannequins are not those ordinary mannequins you see at a department store; they have some serious attitudes

Campus Circle > Blogs > Colors of Culture and personalities. With their individual body shapes and silhouettes, the mannequins are even displayed in different postures. The museum proudly states that it spent an incredibly long time meticulously considering the details of the women’s, men’s and children’s garments they were going to display. Paintings from the time, which the garments came from, were continuously referenced in order to display the garment in the most accurate way possible. It is quite funny how the museum went to the extremity of personalizing a mannequin for each garment. Instead of matching a garment to a mannequin, installation assistants padded each mannequin to form specific body shapes that would accurately display the garment’s intended silhouette. It does not seem like much, but the effort they put into each garment display could take up a few days to be perfect enough for display. From gowns of royals to wedding dresses, waistcoats and breeches and even the Victorian suits, the museum spent about a year gathering and dressing over 100 or so garments on these mannequins. With their crazy and somewhat obsessive effort, the exhibition manages to get its mission across: to make apparent the ever-changing silhouettes of the dressing styles in Europe. Not only is the collection amazing, but it is also very dynamic as the personalized mannequins bring the garments to life. Visitors are able to see what people loved to emphasize the most about their bodies in different years. What’s even more interesting, if you are knowledgeable of the historical events, you are able to sense how past ideologies were reflected in the way people dressed. After viewing the exhibition, you will be more appreciative of modern clothing. The romantic element of vintage European clothing is only an infatuation. Looking at abnormally manipulated silhouettes is quite disturbing

CURTAINCALL “Crack Whore Galore – Live!” Now-March 12 @ Atwater Village Theatre “Crack Whore Galore – Live!” is a spunky rock show featuring two edgy ex-rehabbers ready to blast through the doors showing no mercy for their audience. Danny and Abbey Galore have come to the States all the way from the U.K. to give viewers a variety of dirty love and rock ’n’ roll on stage. With snarky British accents and attitudes like Sid and Nancy, the music duo performs catchy numbers with graphic lyrics. Rock ’n’ roll, however, isn’t all about the talent on stage but the raw love you have for it. With not a single lesson taken between the pair, Danny on guitar and Abbey on drums provide much hilarity in their performance, looks and songs, demonstrating a rock ’n’ roll show that would make Johnny Rotten jealous. From the lovely imaginations of Danny Roew, Tonya Cornelisse, Ryan Oliver, Gates McFadden and Graham Sibley, this play brings tons of late-night, adult humor and pure love of rock music. Clever and witty, the show is outrageous, refreshing and not to be missed by anyone who loves music. —Mary Broadbent Ensemble Studio Theatre/LA @ Atwater Village Theatre is located at 3269 Casitas Ave., Atwater Village. For more information, visit ensemblestudiotheatrela.org.

“The Black Version: Black in 2011” Mondays through Feb. 21 @ Groundlings Theatre In honor of Black History Month, the Groundlings present “The Black Version: Black in 2011.” Group member Jordan Black shares what’s so funny. How did the concept for “The Black Version” come about?

Campus Circle 2.16.11 - 2.22.11

FILM

Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915 at LACMA if you ask me. Your fat is restricted and pushed around, heightening a person’s femininity and masculinity. Seeing the garments only just reminds you of how much old European style is overrated. I admit, the garments are glamorous and in some point in my life, like every other girl in this world, I had dreamed of wearing gowns like those on display. But then again, it is only the allure of the aesthetics of the garment that makes me say this. I would rather wear a boxy shirt than fainting from shortness of breath. If you absolutely love everything about fashion, you will get your money’s worth. Better yet, the museum accepts free entrance after 5 p.m. for people who live in Los Angeles. LACMA is located at 5905 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. For more information, visit lacma.org.

Campus Circle > Culture > Theater I shot several shorts based on this concept a couple of years ago. We did three to four-minute shorts of titles like When Harry Met Sally… [and] Jerry Maguire. I think the best two were The Silence of the Lambs and Grease, which was particularly fun because it was a musical. Why is black cinema so funny to make fun of? It’s not so much that we are making fun of black cinema as much as it is making fun of the idea of doing black versions of anything, because the concept in the real world is fairly ridiculous (in my opinion), and it’s more about having fun with the idea of what stereotypes of black culture come to mind when you hear that they’re making a black version of one of your favorite films. What are some of your favorite black comedies? I don’t really break my comedies up by black and white, but one of my all-time favorite comedies about an aspect of black culture is certainly the movie Friday with Ice Cube and an amazing performance by Chris Tucker. Who are some of your favorite black comedians? I do break my comedians up by black and white, although my favorite by far (regardless of race) is Richard Pryor, because all of his comedy came from such a real and honest place, and he made it funny by making it relatable to everyone in his audience. Next would be Eddie Murphy, because there’s never been a comedian with better acting ability, which is the secret to why he makes us laugh so hard. There are many more I could add to this list, but they’re white, so I won’t. Have people compared you to anybody? I’ve never really been compared to any other comedians,

Danny Roew

NEWS

Abbey (Tonya Cornelisse) and Danny (Graham Sibley) of “Crack Whore Galore – Live!” which I choose to take as a compliment. Hopefully, it means I have my own style and not that I suck. Although, I used to get told a lot that I look like the singer Tevin Campbell. What do you love about improv? I love the freedom of improv. It leaves room for so many moments where I am genuinely surprised. Groundlings Theatre is located at 7307 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles. For more information, visit groundlings.com.

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CALENDARTHE10SPOT BY FREDERICK MINTCHELL SATURDAYFEB. 19

ucla.edu

10th Annual Bruin Dance Marathon Ackerman Grand Ballroom, 308 Westwood Plaza, Los Angeles; dancemarathon.ucla.edu Thousands of UCLA students will dance for 26 hours straight to fight Pediatric AIDS. Dance Marathon at UCLA presents another monumental weekend of campus unity, performance, entertainment, energy, education and an increasing and ongoing commitment to the cause.

WEDNESDAYFEB. 16 Young Variety Fifth Annual Pool Tournament

SATURDAYFEB. 19 Advance Auto Parts Monster Jam

Yankee Doodles, 1410 3rd St., Santa Monica; facebook.com/youngvarietysocal Pool sharks are invited to play some games for a good cause – the Young Variety Children’s Charity, which helps abused, addicted, physically challenged, neglected and/or underprivileged children. Special guests include actors James Hong and Doug Jones and radio personalities Joe Grande, David Vassegh, “The White James Kelly,” Sheron Bellio, Petros Papadakis and Steve Gregory. Doors open at 5 p.m. $20 to chill, $50 to play.

Dodger Stadium, 1000 Elysian Park Ave., Los Angeles Starring the biggest performers on four wheels – Monster Jam monster trucks – these 12-foot-tall, 10,000 pound machines will bring you to your feet, racing and ripping up a custom-designed track full of obstacles to soar over or smash through. 7 p.m.

WEDNESDAYFEB. 16 Loyola Marymount Men’s Basketball vs. Pepperdine Gersten Pavilion, 1 LMU Drive, LMU; wccsports.com This is a big game for these SoCal teams as they are both near the bottom of the West Coast Conference standings. 8 p.m.

THURSDAYFEB. 17 Dirty Glam Viper Room, 8852 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood; 221events.com/viperroom The Viper Room partners with a dif– ferent name in fashion each go-round for this monthly event blending music, art and fashion. Tonight is the inaugural event and will run the third Thursday of every month.

THURSDAYFEB. 17 Dog Day Afternoon with Frank Pierson Ray Stark Theatre, 900 W. 34th St., USC; usc.edu Pierson, who won the 1975 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, discusses and screens the classic that stars Al Pacino. 7 p.m. FREE.

FRIDAYFEB. 18 NBA All-Star Jam Session L.A. Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St., Downtown; nba.com/jamsession Gain access to the NBA like never before as you experience NBA-themed events, meet your favorite NBA and WNBA stars and legends, get free autographs and purchase the hottest NBA all-star merchandise. Runs through Monday.

SUNDAYFEB. 20 UCLA Women’s Basketball vs. Stanford Pauley Pavilion, 301 Westwood Plaza, UCLA; uclabruins.com The biggest game for UCLA in eons features the top two teams in the Pac-10 standings and two Top 10 teams in the polls. UCLA coach Nikki Caldwell knows a little something about big games, having won national championships as both a player and assistant coach for perennial power Tennessee. Noon.

MONDAYFEB. 21 Annual President’s Day Celebration Ronald Reagan Library, 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley; reaganlibrary.com The newly renovated museum has been open for a year now, and if you haven’t seen it yet, today is the perfect day. The celebration includes musical entertainment and presidential and first lady look-alikes. Plus, hot dogs, pie and other all-American food. 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

TUESDAYFEB. 22 Shorts! The 2010 Animated and Live Action Short Film Nominees Samuel Goldwyn Theatre, 8949 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills; oscars.org Catch all of the Oscar-nominated shorts, plus an onstage discussion with the filmmakers (schedules permitting). 7:30 p.m. $5.

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

GAMES&GADGETS by mike sebastian Sleeptracker Pro Elite: How long you sleep isn’t the only factor in how you feel when you wake up. That’s what is so ingenious about the Sleeptracker. It monitors your sleep cycles and wakes you when you are at your lightest sleep. The Sleeptracker is a watch that you wear to bed. You set your wake-up time and how big a window before or after that time you want to allow. The watch then detects signals from your body to determine what point is best to wake you. The Sleeptracker also features a Data Review mode, in which you can download a chart of your night’s rest to your computer to learn how you sleep. You can see how a late-night snack, too much to drink or a new mattress affected your sleep cycles and adjust your habits accordingly. iKit AutoCon FM Transmitter: IKit (ikit.com) has designed a new kind of FM transmitter with touch screen controls, perfect for navigating an iPod touch without having to deal with those pesky lock screens while driving. You can play, pause and go to the next or previous tracks. It also features a one-touch switch with a built-in microphone for hands-free calling. A push of the button interrupts the music to take an incoming call on your iPhone; another push returns to your tunes. The AutoCon has a removable car charger component (A USB to Dock Connector Cable is required.). Unfortunately, it can’t charge your device while it’s playing. iSkin Duo/Pebble: iSkin (iskin.com) offers two great new cases for the iPod touch 4G. The Duo is the sportier model. It features a cleverly designed belt clip to give you peace of mind while staying active. The clip rotates 90 degrees in either direction to meet your needs. It also doubles as a stand for watching movies. The Pebble is more stylish, with slightly raised high-gloss ovals adorning the back. Each case comes in a variety of colors and allows full functionality with ports and cameras. SportDog NoBark 10R: From yapping Chihuahuas to overzealous guard dogs, a vocal canine can get you into hot water with the neighbors and drive you crazy. The NoBark 10R from SportDog (sportdog.com) is a versatile bark control collar to help nip out-of-control barking in the bud. The NoBark features three correction modes: Temperament Learning, Progressive Control and User-Selected Correction. With 10 levels of correction, you can tailor the collar to your dog’s size and personality. Some pet owners might have misgivings about this kind of discipline, but the NoBark’s design is geared toward allaying these concerns. The collar uses a two-part detection system to avoid false corrections. It senses both vibration in the vocal chords and the sound of the bark. Progressive Control mode starts at the lowest possible setting and increases with each subsequent bark within a given time. The collar also has an automatic shutoff to avoid overcorrection. It has a simple one-button control with a screen, which displays the correction mode and battery life. The collar is waterproof up to 25 feet. It also includes a battery charger.

Campus Circle 2.16.11 - 2.22.11