Tuesday, December 24, 2024

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Features

FEATURES

Russian singer proves depth, emotion on 'Begin to Hope'

I come to my best realizations and creative breakthroughs in the shower. Leads, story ideas, new directions for scholastic papers — all are better revealed when the air is thick with steam and the scent of shampoo. It was in the shower that I first heard singer/songwriter Regina Spektor's "Fidelity" on the radio.

FEATURES

WEB EXTRA: 'Cars' dazzles with visual effects

I strongly believe Pixar Animation Studios is one of the greatest gifts cinema has ever given us. Since 1995 when the studio, along with Disney, released its first feature film "Toy Story," it has revolutionized the animated movie and made the animation genre no longer just for little children. Disney-Pixar's new feature, "Cars," has reached the same level of greatness when it comes to storytelling and multi-dimensional characters that wowed audiences in "The Incredibles" and "Monsters, Inc." The company has even surpassed their past capabilities when it comes to the visuals in this film. As far as visuals go, this film does the same thing for the open road along Route 66 as "Finding Nemo" did for the ocean. The story is as entertaining and appealing as past Disney-Pixar films.

FEATURES

Musical acts lined up for (SCENE) Metrospace exhibit

On June 17, (SCENE) Metrospace, 303 Abbott Road, is welcoming a wide variety of musical talents to perform in conjunction with the current exhibit, "The Urban Show." The three bands scheduled to perform are post-hardcore band Mouth Sounds, Detroit-based indie band Kissy Face Fashion Faux-Pas and Lake Orion-based indie rock band Rescue Squad.

FEATURES

Happenings

FRIDAY Picasso: Original Graphics and Ceramics Saper Galleries. 433 Albert Ave.; (517) 351-0815.

FEATURES

'Omen' remake fails to terrify

All hype and no horror. During the late show at Lansing's Celebration Cinema, 200 E. Edgewood Blvd., on 6-6-06 — ah, scary — audience members openly laughed at the spooky and serious bits during "The Omen." Hollywood's interest in remakes boggles the mind.

FEATURES

DVD captures feel of Detroit rock scene

"Rock 'n' roll ain't noise pollution/Rock 'n' roll it will survive/ Yes it will, ha ha ha ha." Or least that's how AC/DC feels about rock 'n' roll, and after watching The Muggs' new live DVD, it's obvious the trio from Detroit agrees. The rock team moves through nine electric bluesy tracks like an ambulance driver.

FEATURES

Buffali to play at Magdalena's

If you think The Buffali is a ridiculous band name, just be glad members Clare Fehsenfeld and Andrew Yonda did not go with Fehsenfeld's original name. "Originally, I thought it would be funny to name the band 'Standy Handby and the Boring Buffali,' and then Andrew said that that was really stupid," Fehsenfeld said in a phone interview Tuesday. Fehsenfeld and Yonda will be bringing their self-described "bombastic acoustic indie pop" to town on Friday at Magdalena's Tea House, 2006 E.

FEATURES

Graduate makes musical debut

As a child, Sharriese Hamilton played a lost boy in her seventh-grade production of "Peter Pan." She didn't stop there, instead, having made her way through MSU's theater program playing lead roles.

FEATURES

'Dewdrops' fails to meet potential

Corny. Sappy. Brainless. Unoriginal. Garbage. Just some of the words that first come to mind when listening to Ashton Allen's debut solo album, "Dewdrops." It's either the singer/songwriter doesn't know how to express his "deep" secrets about love lost in an articulate manner, or he's trying to gobble up what remains of the Dashboard Confessional fan base. Basically, the cliché ditties obsess about obscure women who don't love Allen in an unconditional manner.

FEATURES

Rocking for the love of hip-hop

When you look at Lansing, you probably aren't thinking "hip-hop." Let's be honest, not only does it look like a city where hip-hop would have a hard time existing, but it doesn't really even feel like the town has the capacity to incubate such an art form.

FEATURES

Date offers ample advertising options

The signs began coming to me yesterday. I had a dream detailing an unnerving encounter with an ex-girlfriend. I walked out of my apartment to find my bike had been stolen. I had really bad blisters on my feet. It was June 5, 2006.

FEATURES

The Coup talks hip-hop, race

Lansing — Sweaty, tired, throat raw and still vibing from a worn out crowd after an intense performance, The Coup's frontman Boots Riley throws up the peace sign to a couple of starstruck fans and slowly strides over to a dimly lit converted church pew to have a little sit down with The State News. The duo is rigorously romping through the nation on its "Pick a Bigger Weapon" tour to promote the album wielding the same name that dropped April 25.