Lansing - As the crowd lingered after “Breaking the Code,” in the Hill Center Auditorium, the audience sizzled with various small conversations. The buzz was this: The play wasn’t as offensive as recent hype may have suggested, and many were glad they came to see it for themselves.
Caleb Dillon wanted to make a statement.Valentin Narvaez wanted to put his art to rest.Mike Melonakos wanted to take advantage of a creative streak.And though they had different motives, each wanted to do the same - write, record and play every instrument on a solo album.This process is nothing new in the music industry.
This weekend, rather than fight through the crowds to see “Black Hawk Down,” there are some great opportunities to see a pair of really good, smaller movies.
Boarshead Theater presents “Wit,” a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play by Margaret Edson.
Meghan Elliott knows her slang vocabulary is “rad.” Even if the word is considered “whack” by many slang standards. “Oh, I use ‘rad’ all the time,” the women’s studies and psychology junior said.
“You know,” “information superhighway” and “e-trade” are sooo passé.At least according to an online dictionary known as “Banished Words,” created by Lake Superior State University.The dictionary blacklists words it deems too obnoxious to be uttered.The university began accepting nominations for banned words in 1976 as a way to gain name recognition.And since then, people from around the world have sent their submissions to Lake Superior State in hopes the words will make the list, which is launched annually on Jan.
When Harry K. Hairy plays a set with his band, the Monokulators , he’s not himself - literally. “I’ve got costume changes that I like to fool around with,” he said.
Claudia Schmidt is sick of categories she’s been placed under, which is why she coined the term “creative noisemaker.” Schmidt will perform at 8 tonight at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 855 Grove St., as part of the Ten Pound Fiddle Coffeehouse Concert Series. Schmidt includes many tastes in her sound, using her 12-string guitar and including hymns, poetry, bawdy verse, torch song, satire and the gamut of emotions. “I try to stay open and receptive and keep my radar out and my ears open,” she said.
The Lansing Civic Players present the controversial play “Breaking the Code,” directed by Todd Heywood.
It only took John Rudd two days to rebuild the set for a Lansing Civic Players show forced out of its leased auditorium by the Catholic Church.But it took him nearly a decade to realize he needed a better relationship with his brother. The Lansing Community College architecture student’s brother, David Rudd, is cast as the lead in “Breaking the Code,” set to open Friday at the Hill Center Auditorium in Lansing.
New music faculty performs tonight The MSU School of Music presents a faculty recital featuring oboe Professor Jan Eberle on the oboe, along with veteran Professor of piano Ralph Votapek, both assisted by Robert Dan, on viola.
It’s perhaps one of the most sacred edicts to my business. “Congress shall make no law...” - the First Amendment. From behind these few words, reporters and editors cry foul over any effort to silence our efforts to report or speak about pretty much whatever we want - especially the actions of government. But censorship is much more dangerous than it sounds.
A prime example of why modern cinema is not dead has finally arrived in our sleepy little town.
From the introduction of “Bug (Electric Last Minute)” to the solemn goodbye of “Nowhere,” Cornelius manages to place the right note with each mood of the song and matches themes accordingly on this album. Using the sounds of nature isn’t uncommon, as the flowing of water, the chirping of birds and beetles, the sound of pouring rain and blowing wind are used effectively.
Synthesizers are great. And when they are applied to relaxing groove-based music, only good things can result. The new record by Himawari is electronica that is impossible to dislike. Mixing computer-generated effects with easy going Depeche Mode-influenced rhythms, this album flows like a calm river with the occasional rapid to toss and turn its direction. “The word” is a mesmerizing song that features the passionate and sexy voice of Lena repeating a phrase that, after a couple of listens, becomes perfect. “Chu chu” is a bit hesitant, tossing and turning from mellow confidence to obscure paranoia, all while building toward a powerful conclusion that never comes. Lena’s vocals are strikingly similar to Bj?rk, while the background noise hints at solid dance music at times.
Sometimes pressure and indecision can devour the most passive and relaxed individuals.In D. Graham Burnett’s book “A Trial by Jury,” he examines in detail the excruciating process of jury duty in a reputable New York City court.Burnett follows the lives of 12 citizens called in to decide the fate of a man accused of murder.It reads like a memoir as Burnett describes the events that take place in the courtroom and in the jury room, and attempts to understand the thoughts and feelings of his fellow jurors.There isn’t much he holds back, describing in detail how being cooped up and under constant supervision can make even the sanest person break.“We ran the gamut of group dynamics: a clutch of strangers yelled, cursed, rolled on the floor, vomited, whispered, embraced, sobbed and invoked both God and necromancy,” he writes.
Sex is a beautiful thing. Whether or not we all admit it, we love it. And as we all come into our own adulthood, it also happens to be one of the most intriguing and difficult things to contend with.
Many years ago in a galaxy far, far away, I traveled to Japan as an exchange student. While there, I got a nice look at a different culture and gained a whole new respect for people all over the world. There, while hanging out at my host family’s home, we flipped on the television and started watching game shows.
Drummer Bill Shaltis admits that it’s more difficult to play acoustic than electric with his band, everything’s fine. “There are a lot of things missing in an acoustic set that you can add in an electric set,” said Shaltis, a music education junior said. “An acoustic set is more intimate and there’s a lot more crowd interaction - it’s more like putting your heart on the line.” Everything’s fine performed Friday night at Caffé Latte, 110 Charles St., for a sizeable crowd. Journalism sophomore Andy Kryza books bands for the venue. “This is probably the second most I’ve ever seen in here for a band,” Kryza said.
On this soundtrack, it rains when it pours. The good songs are amazing and perfect for a mix tape, whereas the weaker songs are terrible. With great numbers by the Foo Fighters, 12 Rods, Pete Yorn and Creeper Lagoon,this record is one of the early forerunners of “best soundtrack of 2002.” The only downfall is that it is more directed toward the pop-ridden theme of the MTV generation than connoisseurs of quality music. It features “Butterfly” by Crazy Town, the most annoying song of 2001, along with a weak tune by Bad Ronald and an Offspring song, “Defy You,”which sounds more like Limp Bizkit than decent alternative rock. “Everything’s Cool” by Lit is nothing out of the ordinary for the band, while Cake’s piece of the pie tastes very good. Perhaps the best part of the disc are the two great songs by Brian Wilson, “Lay Down Burden” and “Love and Mercy,” which both hum with the easy going sweetness of Wilson’s intrigue. Phantom Planet also contributes “California,” a great song accompanied by a tickling of the ivories. Despite some of the songs shooting it in the foot, this record shines more than it dulls and is saved by contributions from some of the best names in rock.