Ah, local film. The hometown representation of the American Hollywood dream. Film and theater students pour their hearts and souls into low-budget productions in an effort to garner experience and push toward the elusive fame that comes with distribution and attention given to their work. For a locally made film, "Money, Guns and Coffee" isn't half bad.
Mention of MSU's Rodeo Club could have those not in the know envisioning members as bull riders performing death-defying stunts to rowdy crowds. And that scene might be a reality to some club members. But interdisciplinary studies in social science junior Jennifer Hill says seasoned riders aren't the only participants of the group. "We have people from all levels - people who have competed and know a lot about horses and rodeos to people who don't know that much but are interested in learning and finding out about it," she said. The 50-member club is hosting this weekend's Spartan Stampede at the Pavilion for Agriculture and Livestock Education. The event will feature seven categories, including calf roping, bull riding and barrel racing competitions.
On any given day, the second floor of Abbot Hall could be turned into a bluegrass showdown when animal science junior Amy Dault breaks out her fiddle."My roommate loves it when I play for her," she said.
Building a personal computer is neither a dork's pastime nor too complicated. "I've been doing it for about six years now," computer engineering junior Royce Cole said.
Collaborations are an interesting topic in music. Sometimes they can be a dimensional can opener which takes music to places never thought possible - other times it sounds just like the new soundtrack for the crotch-rocket blockbuster "Biker Boyz." With tracks by big names such as Ja Rule, Metallica and Redman, one might expect a more solid effort on some commercial pop level. Instead, a combination of R&B, metal, electronic, hip-hop and rap creates an album which often sounds misguided and noisy. Metallica rears its other face with an interesting collaboration with Ja Rule and Swizz Beatz.
Remember summer camp? Arts and crafts were the norm, as was swimming in a dirty lake and roasting s'mores.
Disappointment is the word when referring to the first live release by Detroit blues rockers the Soledad Brothers.
Matthew McConaughey knows after working with fellow celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck and Kate Hudson, that he's reached superstar status. But he's still just a boy from Texas at heart. "Texas is my home - that's where I have the ranch," he said.
People often dismiss "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" as kiddy fodder. To do so is simply presumptuous.
Lansing - "If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?" performer Debra Hart asked.
R&B artist Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child will join rapper Ja Rule for his Feb. 11 show at Breslin Center. Rowland was invited to perform after Ja Rule's original cohort, Eve, dropped four scheduled dates from her U.S.
Someone must have given Billy Corgan a lobotomy. All the doom, gloom, creative mongering and overproduction of his previous musical releases is gone. His saving grace has arrived in the form of "Mary Star of the Sea," the first release from his new band, Zwan. "All I wanted/was you here next to me/a little sunshine sympathy," Corgan belts on "El Sol." Sporting some honest-to-goodness, faith-loving sentiment on the record, "Mary Star," Corgan might credit his changeover to God. Writing about God in a positive nature is a subject Corgan began to tinker with on the Smashing Pumpkins' last record, the Internet-released "Machina 2." Corgan even lists himself as evangelist Billy Burke on the album's credits.
Community members have the opportunity this weekend to experience a wide range of entertainment possibilities at East Lansing's Hannah Community Center. The center, located at 819 Abbott Road, is featuring "The Mid-Winter Singing Festival" as well as a mid-Michigan premier of Russian director Alexander Sokurov's masterpiece film "Russian Ark." The singing festival begins tonight at 8.
Most people are familiar with the Temptations, Marvin Gaye and other classic Motown artists, but did you ever wonder who played backup to these predominately vocal performers?
The Beatles are on the cover of "Rolling Stone" again this month. I'm happy to see some of rock's greatest heroes still honored decades after the band's breakup. It was the same feeling I got when I saw Keith Richards on the cover (although the image of him shirtless and with saggy skin still haunts my nightmares). Or Hendrix.
Two years ago, Lansing DJ Scotty V said he really enjoyed playing at underground parties. Spinning for an energetic crowd, he learned to expect the unexpected. "You never knew who you were gonna see or what you were gonna run into," he said.
Getting the ball rolling on a new record is a daunting and dubious task for a local band. Recording studios are expensive, and finding the right professionals to help put the music to disc is never simple. But East Lansing's The Flow took matters into its own hands and built a home studio to record its new album "Aurelius," which will be available at the band's CD release party tonight at Rick's American Café, 224 Abbott Road.
Thursday Aaron Holland: Originals and covers. 8:30 p.m., Jimmy's Pub, 3139 E.
The show has been just waiting to break loose from both the local and national hip-hop underground. After two years of phone calls, contacts and conversations, Dominic Cochran of Urban Renewal Sound System is now just hours away from hearing, smelling and seeing his dream line-up play on the main stage of The Temple Club, 500 E.