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Entertainment

FEATURES

Freedom festival to prove activism can be fun

Juliana Keeping
April 27, 2001

The MSU Freedom Festival 2001 will commence at the rock on Farm Lane at noon Saturday, meshing student activism, music and offerings for an all-around good time. Aaron Allen, MSU American Civil Liberties Union chapter president, said the event, which will run from noon to 5 p.m., is meant to present the idea that activism can be fun, while offering opportunities for student activist groups to collaborate and hand out literature. “Throughout the years, we’ve stood up against many things,” said Allen, whose ACLU chapter focuses primarily on students’ rights.

FEATURES

Seniors spend thier final days of college enjoying time with friends

Aaron M. Miller
April 27, 2001

For graduating seniors, the clock is winding down on another phase of life. Up until this point, life’s milestones have been measured mostly in connection with education.There’s the first day of kindergarten when scared 5-year-olds hop on the yellow bus for the first time, middle school graduation when hormonal 14-year-olds prepare to move on to ninth grade and high school graduation, when excited 18-year-olds grip their diploma and prepare to move on to college or full-time work.And now, for many of MSU’s seniors, next week’s commencement will be the last time they walk across the stage in cap and gown, some crying, some smiling, some just plain shocked to have made it there - four, five or six years and thousands of dollars after that first night in the MSU dorms when it still felt a little surreal.After this, notches in life’s bedpost will be made not by diplomas and proms, but by marriages and babies and grandbabies and job promotions and everything else that goes along with “grown-up” life.But before heading off to face the world with its internships and full-time jobs, graduating seniors will take a break and spend time doing what they do best - partying.It is, after all, a time to celebrate.“This huge goal has been accomplished - it’s a big weight off my shoulders,” parks and recreation senior Sarah Bradley said.

FEATURES

Weekend Guide

Friday: The Ten Pound Fiddle Coffeehouse presents “Residents’ Night” at 8 p.m.

FEATURES

Accafellas bring music to U

Leslie Escobar
April 27, 2001

Tonight, MSU students will have their chance to experience an a cappella group that prides itself on musical diversity. “We’re always trying not to be like the typical college a cappella group,” said psychology junior Caleb Sandoval, financial officer of the Accafellas, an MSU men’s a cappella group.

FEATURES

Wharton previews fall, spring lineup

Juliana Keeping
April 26, 2001

The list of East Lansing’s theatrical mix for the 2001-02 season is out. “We goosed the list up, and now everyone is saying ‘Wow,’” said Marcus Olson, head of acting at MSU. This fall, “Suburbia,” an edgy comedy/drama about suburban kids on the brink, and Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” will grace Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre stage, while the spring will offer the MSU Repertory Dance Company Concert and the musical “Hair.” The variety is pleasing to theater junior Mike McKeogh, who looks forward to trying out for any of the text-rich parts in “Hamlet.” “There’s a total difference and variety in the shows this year,” he said.

FEATURES

Smith directs famous duos last hurrah

Vince Estes
April 26, 2001

Kevin Smith has always been a fanboy.In the writer/director’s 1994 “Clerks,” he wore it like a badge while Dante and Randal argued over which “Star Wars” sequel is better.Now, the man known as Silent Bob on the other side of the camera, will end the debate.

FEATURES

Former Doors guitarist comes to Michigan

Dan Julian
April 26, 2001

Robby Krieger remembered wanting to write something for the Doors in 1967 that, as Jim Morrison put it, was “universal in nature.” “I figured it should be something heavy duty and something that would have the same meaning 30 years from then,” Krieger said. “So I figured I’d write about one of the four elements - I picked fire.” Thirty years later, “Light My Fire” is one of the best-known songs the Doors ever did, thanks to the mind of Krieger. The former Doors guitarist will be performing with his current band, the Robby Krieger Organization, on Saturday at The Magic Bag in Ferndale, Mich.

FEATURES

Ancient practice of Kama Sutra offers more than meets the eye

Aaron M. Miller
April 26, 2001

Two thousand or so years ago, Mallanaga Vatsyayana, an Indian scholar, penned one of the world’s first self-help sex manuals, advising couples on how, with whom and under what circumstances sex should be performed.Today, “The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana” rests on bookshelves and tabletops all over America, serving as an instruction manual for modern-day couples that learn from and experiment with its frank descriptions of dozens of sexual positions, breathing techniques and erotic sounds.“‘The Kama Sutra’ kind of celebrates and helps people reflect on the joy and the beauty - and I guess the limberness and the flexibility - of sex,” said Howard Ruppel, chancellor and academic dean of The Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco.

FEATURES

Group proves to be all for the people

Manic Street Preachers Know Your Enemy (Virgin Records) The latest collection from the most legendary of the UK’s contemporary rock acts have proven themselves to still be a reckoning force in music gurus’ heads. “Found That Soul” is a droning craftwork of fuzz guitars and vocals straight from the heart.

FEATURES

Run DMC returns with help from music world

Run DMC Crown Royal (Arista) Carlos Santana’s 1999 album, “Supernatural,” was so full of cameos by more than a dozen artists you had to keep reminding yourself it was actually Santana playing guitar in there somewhere. Collaborations with artists such as Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean and Rob Thomas gave the album a new, unique sound that won Santana eight Grammy Awards. In this way, Run DMC has a lot to look forward to. The group’s new release, “Crown Royal,” is filled with big names such as Everlast, Kid Rock and Method Man. The first - and one of the best - songs from the album, “It’s Over,” featuring Jermaine Dupri, also highlights Run DMC and Jam Master Jay reminiscing together about the journey the group has made from its first album in 1984 to this, its seventh, more than 15 years later. And the group let everyone know how much progress it’s made: “Let me let you all know something/The first rap group to get on MTV/and then they gonna turn around and resurrect Aerosmith/If it weren’t for these cats, you all wouldn’t know nothing about no LL Cool J or Beastie Boys.” In fact, Run DMC is so secure in the fact that it has influenced dozens of rock/rap groups of today, that they continue bragging about it in the following songs, such as the title track “Crown Royal.” But the album starts to go in a different direction with Fred Durst’s appearance on “Them Girls” and “The School of Old,” featuring Kid Rock.

FEATURES

Band to play for theater funds

Dan Julian
April 25, 2001

Theater sophomore Mike Ransbottom had a little trouble April 14 when his band recorded in a studio at Central Michigan University. “At first it was rough because it’s a completely different vibe in a studio,” the bass player of Mason’s Case said.

FEATURES

Hall-of-famer comes to U

Aaron M. Miller
April 20, 2001

Jerry “The Iceman” Butler was anything but cold Thursday afternoon as he mingled with MSU faculty and staff outside 191 Communication Arts and Sciences Building.The 61-year-old rhythm and blues icon, best known for the song “Moon River,” spoke of his accomplishments with warmth, wearing a dark suit and a wide smile.In 1958, Butler formed a group called the Impressions with R&B legend Curtis Mayfield.“In 1959, I went solo,” he said.

FEATURES

Pasttimes offer enjoyment, relief from stress of school

Aaron M. Miller
April 20, 2001

It’s no secret that Americans are obsessed with playing games.The frenzy caused by gaming consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 2, the widespread use of online games and even the enduring popularity of classic board games such as Monopoly are all evidence of blind gaming passion.And the numbers back it up:In 2000, about 60 percent of Americans - 145 million people - played interactive games, accounting for more than $6 billion worth of sales.In contrast, only about 70 million people attended Major League Baseball games in 1999.Video games for consoles such as Nintendo 64 or Sony Playstation are bigger sellers than computer games, for several reasons.“It’s easier to hook a game machine up to a television than it is to own a PC,” said Russ Howard, vice president of Babbage’s, a game retailer.

FEATURES

Weekend Guide

Friday: “Ladies First,” MSU’s all-women a cappella group, will perform its annual spring show.

FEATURES

Ridiculous reality show goes bad

Juliana Keeping
April 20, 2001

Welcome to the bizarre world of animal reality TV. The plot goes a little like this: This is the true story of too many animals picked to be in a segment, and have their human mishaps taped to find out what happens when they stop being polite and start being real - “When Good Pets Go Bad 2.” Some may call “When Good Pets Go Bad” low-quality television - and it is.