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Features

FEATURES

The bartender

Ryan Mccormick
July 14, 2006

In Lansing, the Oatmeal Cookie shot at Stober's Bar, 812 E. Michigan Ave., goes down like a special treat for a child — except it's made for adults. Owner and bartender Linda Stober masterfully poured the intricate shot — equal parts Hot Damn cinnamon schnapps, Arrow Mackdale's butterscotch schnapps and a cap of Carolans Irish Cream Liquer — in front of a stained-glass Merlin mural and three griffins carved from mahogany. Stober has worked as a bartender at the Lansing bar since she was 18 years old, and now, 33-1/2 years later, she's still pouring drinks with a smile. She proudly boasted about the history of Stober's, which was the first establishment to serve alcohol on Michigan Avenue after the end of Prohibition in 1933.

FEATURES

Spectators enjoy free music

Ryan Mccormick
July 14, 2006

Wednesday evening, residents of Lansing's Riverfront towers, 601 North Cedar St., and nonresidents alike watched and listened to hard-rock band Cinderella at Common Ground Music Festival — without shelling out the $29 for a single-day ticket. Through some trees and a metal fence littered with advertisement banners, spectators were able to peek over the Grand River to spy the West Main Stage.

FEATURES

Debut adds depth to familiar sound

Erik Adams
July 14, 2006

I would like to take a moment and talk about pretentiousness, a pop music identifier overused as a stand-in for "so serious, it sucks." Certainly, pop music is supposed to be fun; "pop" itself denotes light, fluffy, easily digestible tunes.

FEATURES

Fans find common ground

Erik Adams
July 11, 2006

In the classic rock radio staple "The Joker," Steve Miller lays the claim that, in addition to being a joker, a smoker and a midnight toker, he plays his music in the sun. The Steve Miller Band wouldn't take the stage at the Common Ground Music Festival until 9:15 p.m.

FEATURES

Guster album shows maturity

Erik Adams
July 11, 2006

Aside from "Freebird," there's one in-concert request no band ever wants to hear from its audience: "Play some old songs." It is not time to shout these kinds of things at Guster.

FEATURES

Happenings

FRIDAY Picasso: Original Graphics and Ceramics. Saper Galleries. 433 Albert Ave.

FEATURES

Local act teams up for East Coast tour

Erik Adams
July 6, 2006

How did Lansing's LaSalle score a tour with indie rock heavyweights Cursive? "Well, they asked us," said guitarist/vocalist Mike Reed. The two bands and their members go way back, even though LaSalle has only been in existence for a few years.

FEATURES

Style sans substance

Ryan Mccormick
July 6, 2006

A malicious comedy set off by highbrow snootiness dressed up nicely in a sauntering plot line, "The Devil Wears Prada" fails to evoke any sort of deep conversation after the credits roll.

FEATURES

'Superman' falls short

Erik Adams
June 29, 2006

I've come to a sad realization as I've grown up: Superman just isn't that cool. Sure, the character is responsible for jump-starting the superhero genre, but he's kid's stuff — the ultimate goody-goody.

FEATURES

Nelly Furtado's latest CD full of dance beats

Amy Oprean
June 29, 2006

Nelly Furtado is not the most predictable lady. The Canadian-born songwriter has crammed every genre and style that she could into her music catalog, from pop to folk to dance, all with a worldly vibe and experimental, unpredictable spirit. So it was hard to see her third album, "Loose," coming because it's a shift to things much more familiar.

FEATURES

Album offers mediocre emotion, reggae beat

Ryan Mccormick
June 28, 2006

The reggae beat is alive, but kind of over-produced. Los Angeles-born and raised vocalist Elan kicks out some perfect tunes for sitting around the pool on his first major label release "Together As One," with solid bass lines and tight drum fills.

FEATURES

'Waist Deep' fails to convey realistic story

Justin Kroll
June 28, 2006

"Boyz N the Hood," "Menace II Society" and "Baby Boy" are all films that give a realistic and accurate portrayal of their environment, and can be considered some of the more powerful urban tales. Director Vondie Curtis-Hall's new movie, "Waist Deep," will not go down as one of those.

FEATURES

Lansing isn't listening

Erik Adams
June 27, 2006

Lansing — While covering the June 6 show at Mac's Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave., I took a break from having my mind bent by Man Man to jot a query in the margin of my notebook. The question: What has Lansing done to deserve Mac's? Following a weekend when the Indie Mitten Tour — featuring Those Transatlantics, Hawks and Snakes and Go Josephine — made a poorly attended Thursday-night stop at The Temple Club, 500 E.

FEATURES

'Click' unoriginal flop; Sandler fails to entice laughter, amusement

Ryan Mccormick
June 26, 2006

Rewind, stop, eject. Adam Sandler has always come across as a nincompoop, but he used to be a funny idiot, like in "Billy Madison" and "Happy Gilmore." But with his new half-baked, unemotional, remote control fantasy, "Click," he's hit an all-time low of lazy, imbecile comedy. Where to begin? First category of stupidity: Sandler's facial expressions. Maybe it wasn't as noticeable in his other films because they were entertaining, but why doesn't Sandler ever open his mouth more than halfway?