campus circle newspaper vol. 19 issue 27
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Your source for college entertainment.TRANSCRIPT
Tickets start at $30 and can be purchased at ,
213-365-3500 or the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion box office.
For more information, visit musiccenter.org or call 213-972-0711.
American Ballet TheatreAmerica’s National Ballet Company® KEVIN McKENZIE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
ROMEO AND JULIET
July 16 — 19, 2009
DOROTHY CHANDLER PAVILION
Xiomara Reyes and Herman Cornejo in Romeo and Juliet. Photo by Gene Schiavone. Programs and artists subject to change.
WITH LIVE ORCHESTRA
[ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ] Campus Circle | 3
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INSIDE
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July 15- July 28, 2009 • Vol. 19 Issue 27
Editor-in-ChiefJessica Koslow
Managing EditorYuri Shimoda
Film EditorJessica Koslow
Art DirectorAlance Ward
Editorial InternsAthalia Nakula, Melissa Russell,
Constance Smith, Sable Stevens,Marvin G. Vasquez
Contributing WritersGeoffrey Altrocchi, Lauren Barbato,
Jonathan Bautts, Sarah Bennett, China
Bialos, Nicole Boisvert, Erica Carter,
Richard Castaneda, Kehinde “Doxx”
Cunningham, Nick Day, Natasha Desianto,
James Famera, A.J. Grier, Josh Herman,
Zach Hines, Joe Horton, Jonathan Knell,
Lucia, Ebony March, Angela Matano, Ryan
McWhorter, Stephanie Nolasco, Samantha
Ofole, Brien Overly, Samantha Plotkin,
Bonnie Priever, Sasha Perl-Raver, Parimal
M. Rohit, Dov Rudnick, Tana Rusitanonta,
Mike Sebastian, Nate Slevin, Doug
Simpson, David Tobin, John Tron, Mike
Venezia, Kevin Wierzbicki, Candice Winters
Contributing Artists &Photographers
Shaunt & Levon Gharibian, BrienOverly, Mila Reynaud, Nate Slevin
ADVERTISINGSean Bello
Jon BookatzMusic Sales Manager
Ronit [email protected]
Calendar EditorFrederick Mintchell
Campus Circle newspaper is published49 times a year and is available free at40 schools and over 800 retail locations
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nten
tsFILM6 (500) DAYS OF SUMMERJoseph Gordon-Levitt falls for Zooey Deschanel.
6 IN THE LOOPArmando Iannucci’s Parody of International Relations
8 VALERIE CRUZFights Personal Demons in The Line
8 DVD DISH8 REVIEWS
SPECIAL FEATURES4 MICHAEL JACKSON MEMORIAL5 KEEPING COOL THIS SUMMER
MUSIC16 OUR LADY PEACECanadian rockers make the scene Burn.
14 LIVE SHOW REVIEWS15 THE BASS LINE16 CD REVIEWS17 ON THE ROAD17 L.A. UNDERGROUND: Miss Derringer17 FREQUENCY19 MUSIC REPORT
SPORTS22 L.A HOOPLA22 THE SPORTS WANDERER22 GALAXY KICK22 U.S. OPEN OF SURFING23 AVP MANHATTAN BEACH
INNER CIRCLE4 CAMPUS NEWS20 EXHIBITIONS21 CURTAIN CALL21 MUSICAL21 L.A. MOVES22 FASHION FOCUS23 THE 10 SPOT23 GET UP, GET OUT
On the Cover: Tiffany Kelterer; photo by Mila Reynaud, milareynaud.comInset Photo: Mariah Carey, photo by Kevork Diansezian/GettyImages/MCT
AS I WAS GETTING READY FOR THE DAY’Sfestivities, I had a lump in my throat. On onehand I was excited to be able to take part in ahistorical event the likes of which we’ll probablynever see again, but on the other hand I wished itwasn’t at the expense of Michael Jackson’s life.
A true entertainer in every sense of the word,a humanitarian and a musical genius, Jackson’sheartfelt reach extended around the world. It’sdifficult to capture in words the effect that MJ hashad on me. Off the Wall and Thriller were thesoundtracks of my childhood.
Today was meant to be a celebration of thisextraordinary talent’s time here on Earth. Whilethe memorial was indeed that, it was also astunning reminder that Jackson was also a friend,a father, a brother and a son. The memorial wasfilled with condolences from the likes of DianaRoss, and performers like Mariah Carey and JohnMayer paying their tributes through Jackson’ssongs. But what made the celebration intimatewere the stories. For a few brief moments, we wereable to catch a glimpse of who Michael Jacksontruly was – a loving, positive individual.
Listening to Berry Gordy recall his initialthoughts when meeting Jackson, Magic Johnson’sfunny story of eating fried chicken with MJ andBrooke Shields opening up about one of her bestfriends – it was almost like a family gathering.
One of the most touching moments of the two-hour ceremony was Reverend Sharpton’s eulogy,the musical walk down memory lane with StevieWonder and seeing a very pregnant, radiantJennifer Hudson sing the apropos “Will You Be
4 | Campus Circle [ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ]
Intro to Belly Dancing at USC
Open to USC students, faculty and staff,come out to Intro to Belly Dancing onThursday, July 16 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. atthe University Park Campus in the LyonCenter group exercise room.Appropriate clothing includesyoga pants and runningshorts. Hip scarves withoutcoins are optional. Bare feet,socks, ballet slippers and dancesandals are fine.
This is a free class. Registeronline at usc.edu/recsports.
UCLA’s Revolutionary BallThe sixth annual Revolutionary Ball at
UCLA’s Powell Library is Saturday, July 25.This is an opportunity to learn the minuetand other 18th century social dances in thelibrary’s rotunda. No dance experience isnecessary, and there will be instructionthroughout the evening. Space is limited, soRSVP by Thursday, July 23, with the nameand number of people in the party toCatherine Brown at (310) 206-4608.
Digital College Network LiveWhat are a few things that most students
want? More freedom, more space to expressthemselves and, of course, more ideas aboutthe coolest things to do in town! That’s whatMySpace and Facebook are for, but now
there’s a new kid in town – theDigital College Network(DCN).
DCN brings studentseverything from political newsto sports, from musicalperformances of college bandsto interesting lifestyle articles.It’s everything in one place that
brings college students all over the UnitedStates together, for something bigger andbetter than they ever imagined in a socialnetwork.
As co-president Chris Esposito says, “It’sa network for the students by the students.”
DCN is already reaching millions ofcollege students nationwide, through iPodapplications dedicated to your specific schooland city, through the Internet and TVsaround campus. For more information, visitdcnlive.com. —Jessica Goodman
inner circle special feature | B Y E R I C A C A R T E R
MICHAEL JACKSONPUBLIC MEMORIALSERVICEJuly 7 @ Staples Center
Use CashPurchasing with cash helps to save money.
You’ll be aware of how much you’ve spent, and itkeeps you on budget. Bundling up predeterminedamounts of cash for various budget expenses inseparate containers acts as a reminder of howmuch money remains, turning you into a moremindful spender. —Athalia Nakula
budget tipwackyuses.com
Cheerios, lemon juice and honey sounds like aperfect morning meal, or a moisturizing facialsolution. Find wacky alternative uses to your everydayhousehold items by visiting wackyuses.com. With thissite, you can kill several birds with one stone. In thecurrent economic situation, this is indeed a godsend.
—Athalia Nakula
site pick
campus news | BY SABLE STEVENS
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Learn to belly dance this summer.
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[ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ] Campus Circle | 5
Build a Sand CastleWhen you were a kid, you probably thought
you were a mastermind at creating sand castles,so why not rekindle that old spirit and hit thesand? There are several sand castle-buildingcontests held throughout the summer at localL.A. beaches, so why not grab your shovels andbuckets and enter one?
You will be at the beach with friends andplaying in the sand; what better way to keep cooland have a good time? For sculpture tips, visitsandcastlecentral.com.
Hermosa Beach Sunset Concert Series
This well kept secret is one of the best waysAngelenos can keep cool this summer! Grab abeach chair, a cooler, a few friends and a picnicbasket and head down to the south side of theHermosa Beach Pier for three amazing concerts(July 19, 26, Aug. 2) followed by a beautifulCalifornia sunset.
Each concert starts at 6 p.m. and continuesuntil sunset. This year is going to be the best yet,featuring California reggae stars Rebelution andthe head of Brushfire records, Zach Gill, and hisband ALO. hermosabch.org.
Ice SkatingAfter a long day at the beach or at the family
barbecue, what can you do at night to keep cool?How about ice skating?
Not only will you have a good time trying tokeep your balance, but most likely you will endup on your rear end, feeling the coolest surfacethe summer has to offer – ice. The L.A. areafeatures a couple year-round rinks located in ElSegundo and Palos Verdes that are great for adate or just to have a good time reminiscingabout your childhood.
Ice Chalet (550 Deep Valley Drive, # 130,Palos Verdes Estates; palosverdesicechalet.com)is open from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and
Saturday, with a live DJ on Friday nights.Admission is $7 and $3 for skate rental. TheToyota Sports Center (555 N. Nash St.,?ElSegundo; toyotasportscenter.com) offers publicskating for $8 and skate rentals for $3.50. CulverIce Arena (4545 Sepulveda Blvd., Culver City;culvericearena.com) presents MoonLightSkating for the 18 and older set every Saturdayfrom 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.; $9 includes free skaterental.
Jet Skiing/BoatingIf you have a need for speed, there is
nothing more exhilarating than riding aWaveRunner or jet ski! With plenty of rentalshops located in Southern California, pick yourspot and check out the jet skis for rent.
Although this pastime can be quiteexpensive, ranging from $75 to $150 an hour,one hour is all you need and you will behooked! With speeds up to 50 mph andwhipping turns, you’ll have a blast.
One great place to rent is Toy Box (161 N.Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach; 4toybox.com),which offers jet skis, jet boats and motorcycles.Yes, it is pricey, but if you can afford it, it’s athrill a minute.
Learn How to Surf/BodyboardWhile many Californians already love and
enjoy this great sport, if you’re not one of them,get out and give it a try! Besides being achallenging and a great work out, you will have ablast and keep cool.
Whether you go and rent a board and try it with
a couple friends,or take a formal lesson,you will notbe disappointed.And who knows, maybe you’ll luckout and get an attractive instructor? For more info,visit learntosurfla.com, aquasurfschool.com or yourlocal surf shop.
Shakespeare by the SeaGet out and enjoy your local parks with
Shakespeare by the Sea. This will be the 11thseason for the group, and they have five weeks(through Aug. 8) scheduled in San Pedro’sPoint Fermin Park (an excellent location) andseveral other places throughout Los Angelesand Orange counties, including Beverly Hills,El Segundo, Hermosa and Manhattan Beach,Newport and South Pasadena. This year thegroup is performing “As You Like It,” “Love’sLabour’s Lost” and “Hamlet II.”shakespearebythesea.org.
Water parksIf you’re looking for a great day of fun in the
water, hit the park. The water park, that is! With thelikes of Raging Waters (ragingwaters.com), SoakCity (knotts.com/SOAKCITY), Six Flags HurricaneHarbor (sixflags.com/hurricaneharborLA) andWild Rivers (wildrivers.com) all within anhour commute from Los Angeles, your day ofwild, winding rides and lazy rivers is not faraway.
With rates ranging from $30 to $34 per adultand hours of operation from 10 a.m to 8 p.m,these parks are a great change of pace from yourregular summer activities and will prove to betons of fun no matter how old you are.
COOL ITWise Ways to Beat the Heat
You’re out of school and it’s hot … now what?While most summers are filled with backyardbarbecues and beach days, there are many otherday and nighttime activities that you can explorein order to keep the sun’s rays at bay.
Instead of pulling out the sunscreen and toweland heading to the beach or the pool, try acouple new ways to stay cool this summer. Fromgoing to that water park you loved when you werea kid to having a good old-fashioned water fight,you’d be surprised at all the ways you can have agreat time while chilling.
special feature | B Y N I C O L E B O I S V E R T inner circle
Grab your fins and learn how to surf this summer.
Mila
Rey
naud
IT’S SO RARE FOR A FILM TOhonestly evoke or replicate theexperience of falling in love and evenmore unusual for it to chronicle,heartbreakingly, what happens if thatrelationship goes awry. Delightfully,(500) Days of Summer is one of thoseextraordinarily uncommon gems.
From the beginning, the filmexplains that it is not a love story, “it’sa story about love,” one that promisesto enrapture audiences. And I’mwilling to bet it’s going to pick up oneof those spiffy new Top 10 Best PictureOscar nods during award season.
Zooey Deschanel and JosephGordon-Levitt star as Summer andTom, co-workers at a greeting cardcompany who embark on a rela-
tionship despite Summer’s aversion tocommitment. The film carries theaudience back and forth in a non-linear zigzag across the transom oftheir relationship.
Using cinematic styles varyingfrom 1950s educational films to theFrench new wave, and including aglorious full-out dance number,Patrick Swayze’s “She’s Like the Wind,”and the most ingenious split screen inrecent memory (sorry, “24”), (500)Days unravels as it leaps back andforth through time.
Writer Michael Weber explainsthat he and writing partner ScottNeustadter wanted the script tounfold with a disjointed trajectorybecause “that’s how we remember
relationships. No one remembersthem in a linear way. You walk downthe street, you see something and itreminds you of an ex-girlfriend andyou remember the good times and thebad times.”
Neustadter bravely admits thatthe script is based entirely on hisincredibly painful, past experienceswith an ex-girlfriend. While he saysthe script began as “an extended diaryentry,” it soon became a remedy for hislove sickness.
He was looking for a cinematicsalve, something to anoint hiswounds, and all he could turn to wereclassics like Annie Hall. So he andWeber decided to make the film theycouldn’t find among their con-temporaries, one about “the fog of arelationship,” Weber says. “It’s twopeople together who are not neces-sarily remembering or experiencingthings the same way.”
First-time director Marc Webb,whose previous works were primarilymusic videos, jumped at the chance tobe involved in a “new garde”ofromantic comedies.
“I felt like there hadn’t been amovie about love that was accessibleand truthful in a while,” Webbcontends. “We tried to create
something timeless andstory book-y.”
Webb understood a largepart of the film’s successrelies on his stars and that hecouldn’t cast actors based ontheir individual perfor-mance; he had to “cast adynamic.”
“When I met with Joe,”Webb recalls, “I asked whohe thought could playSummer. He said, ‘There’sthis person and that person’and then he [said],‘But reallythe only person who shouldplay her is Zooey,’ and he had this lookin his eyes and I was like, ‘Rollcamera!’ It was perfect. Beguiling!”
Gordon-Levitt and Deschanelhave been friends for almost a decadeand previously starred together in2001’s Manic. They agree theirpersonal history made for tangiblescreen chemistry, and both say they’rethrilled to be part of a film that is botheffervescently romantic but stillbrutally realistic.
“When Mark and I spoke,”Gordon-Levitt begins, “it becamereally clear that he was interested intelling an honest and genuine storyabout human beings.”
He says everyone involved washoping to do more than crank outanother formulaic genre flick; theywanted to make a movie, whichacknowledges that “love is comp-licated and hilarious and sad andbeautiful.”
“It was one of those movies,”Deschanel says, her massive blue eyessparkling, “[that’s] really rare, whereyou’re having such a good timemaking it. From the beginning, it hadthis special glow about it. It feltmagical.”
(500) Days of Summer releases in selecttheaters July 17.
B Y S A S H A P E R L - R A V E R
FILM IN LOS ANGELESJ U LY 1 5 - J U LY 2 8 , 2 0 0 9 • V O L . 1 9 I S S U E 2 7 • c a m p u s c i r c l e . c o m
(500) DAYS OF SUMMERJoseph Gordon-Levitt heartsZooey Deschanel.
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IN THE LOOP, THE LATEST COMICALimport from across the pond, is a provocative,smart-talking political satire helmed by writer-director Armando Iannucci. An acclaimedfilmmaker in the UK,Iannucci is responsible forthe BAFTA-winningtelevision series “The Thickof It,” a comedy centeredaround the inner-workings ofthe British government thatnot-so-surprisingly inspiredits feature film counterpart.
“In the Loop exists in theuniverse of ‘The Thick of It,’but it’s outside the world ofthe television series,” says thefilm’s producer andIannucci’s longtimecollaborator Adam Tandy.
Iannucci and his team ofwriters take the Brit’s seemingly innate talent toshamelessly poke fun at their monarchs one stepfurther in In the Loop, setting the film in bothLondon and Washington, D.C. for a hilariousclash of culture and egos where oftentimes theactors’ volatile, tongue-twisting quips anddelightfully awkward expressions overpower the
intricately plotted script –a testament to Iannucci’sskill at improvisation.
“For me and theactors I work with, we’reall in [acting] because welike to play. So we just playaround – that’s what is waslike with Armando,” saysAnna Chlumsky, who
plays Liza, the doe-eyed and dovish intern.Though the film’s stance on war and
mortality is virtually nonexistent, what makes Inthe Loop refreshing – aside from its British
novelty – is Iannucci’sabsolute disregard for heavy-handed political agendas. Butthat’s not to say Iannucci doesnot know his politics –despite its absurdity, In theLoop is hardly adramatization of the world’spolitical bigwigs.
“Since filming, manyevents have allegedlytranspired in the UK veryclose to what’s in the film,”Mimi Kennedy, who playsU.S. assistant secretary ofdiplomacy Karen Clarke, says.“Armando felt a bit
clairvoyant, but he was really just trying to makesense of the result that he knew was in front ofhim. The beauty of genius is that the insightdoes lead you to human behavior that hasactually occurred.”
In the Loop releases in select theaters July 24.
Provocative Political Satirefrom Across the PondB Y L A U R E N B A R B A T O
IN THE LOOP
Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel
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Anna Chlumsky as Liza in In the Loop
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A UNIVERSAA UNIVERSAL PICTUREPICTURE© 2009 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS2009 UNIVERSAL STUDIOS
UNIUNIVERSAL PICTUREERSAL PICTURES ANDAND COLUMCOLUMBIA A PICTURECTURES PRESENTPRESENT IN ASSOCIATION WITHIN ASSOCIATION WITH RELATIVITY MEDIARELATIVITY MEDIA ANAN APAPATOWTOW/MADISON 23 /MADISON 23 PRODUCTIONPRODUCTION A A JUDD APJUDD APATOWTOW FILMFILMADAM SANDLERADAM SANDLER SETH ROGENSETH ROGEN “FUNNY PEOPLE”“FUNNY PEOPLE”LESLIE MANNLESLIE MANN ERIC BANAERIC BANA JONAH HILLJONAH HILL JASON SCHWARTZMANJASON SCHWARTZMAN MICHAEL ANDREWSMICHAEL ANDREWSJASON SCHWARTZMANJASON SCHWARTZMANMUSIC
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I NN T H E A T E R SS J U L YY 3 1
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invite you to enter to win tickets for 2 to an advancescreening of FUNNY PEOPLE on Thursday, July 30 at
7:30 p.m. in Los Angeles and Buena Park.
Enter to win atLos Angeles: campuscircle.com/screening/FunnyPeopleLABuena Park: campuscircle.com/screening/FunnyPeopleOC
Afghan Star(Zeitgeist Films)
What greater social equality canyou imagine than the power to textmessage a vote for your favorite singer?In Afghanistan, a trivial rightAmericans take entirely for grantedbecomes the basis of their new worldorder and a wealth of opportunity.
Journalist and filmmaker HavanaMarking’s new documentary AfghanStar, named after the monumentallypopular “American Idol”-esque showthe film delves into, is a shocking andmoving piece about the tested limits ofdemocracy, newfound freedom,nationalism and the tipping point ofegalitarianism.
For almost three decades, Afghan-istan has been in a constant onslaughtof civil war and Taliban rule. In 1996,they declared music sacrilegious andsoon it was illegal to listen to music,watch TV, own a computer or evendance. Those brazen enough to disobeywere murdered for their insu-bordination.
The Taliban’s rule fell in 2001, andin 2004 those limits were lifted after ademocratic election installed a newgovernment. After years of repression,Afghanistan soon saw its first televisedtalent competition, “Afghan Star,” ashow viewed, adored and voted on byover one third of the country.
Beyond entertainment, the showoffered its audience the power to vote,giving them their first real taste ofimplemented democracy, and show-cased an unprecedented mix of threewomen and all of the country’s ethnicgroups. A national phenomenon wasinstantly born.
While the documentary followsfour of the show’s contestants, it’s lessabout the singer’s journey and moreabout the implications of a nation’suntested advances on liberty. While oneminute you find yourself cheeringAfghanistan’s new national unity, the
next you’re hit with the jarring realitythat these contestants are actuallyrisking their lives for the chance to sing.Grade: B
—Sasha Perl-RaverAfghan Star releases in select theaters July24.
The Answer Man(Magnolia)
What would you do if you hadinadvertently created an internationalspiritual movement from which youcould not escape? That’s the problemfacing Arlen Faber in The Answer Man.
Arlen (Jeff Daniels) is the author ofthe fictitious literary juggernaut, Meand God. The book is about his
personal convos with God in which hereceives answers to every importantquestion plaguing mankind.
Although Me and God (and itsmany hilarious spin-off publications)was written nearly 20 years ago, it’smade a superstar of its author. You’dthink in this world of Deepak Chopraand Dr. Phil that this would make theauthor happy, right? Think again.
Arlen is a surly recluse who, onmost days, refuses to leave his house.His relationship with his book editor(Nora Dunn) is on shaky ground. He’sso over the success and the attentionthat he’s turned on his adoring public;Arlen would sooner dropkick an oldlady than engage a fan in a Q&A aboutthe big guy upstairs.
All his anger and frustration hastaken its toll on him physically, as well.He’s developed a bad back.
Arlen winds up in the office of alovely chiropractor (Lauren Graham,“Gilmore Girls”). Not only does she fixhis spine, but she ignites his romanticpassions as well. The two help eachother with their respective issues.
There have been a lot of moviesreleased so far this year, but none havebeen as pleasantly surprising as TheAnswer Man. It’s pitch-perfect formoviegoers of any age.
So is the cast. Young and seasonedHollywood collide within the well-rounded cast (Juno’s Olivia Thirlby aswell as Kat Dennings from Nick &Norah’s Infinite Playlist co-star.).Grade: A
—Ebony MarchThe Answer Man releases in selecttheaters July 24.
8 | Campus Circle [ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ]
SHE HAS WORKED WITH SOMEof television’s hottest hunks, but there’sa reason Valerie Cruz is swooning forRay Liotta.
“I grew up watchinghis movies,” the actressdivulges. “He is part ofthe fabric of cinema. Tobe able to work withsomeone you grew up,not just watching butadmiring, is exciting.”
Her newest indiefeature, La Linea (TheLine), will be released at
the Maya InauguralIndie Film Series inLos Angeles begin-ning July 17. In thefilm, Cruz is Olivia, aprostitute fightingpersonal demons forthe sake of her dau-ghter. Mark Shields
(Liotta) is a veteran assassin trying totrack down the elusive leader ofMexico’s Salazar Cartel, ‘Pelon’ (Esai
Morales), the successorof an ailing Javier Salazar(Andy Garcia).
Similar to 2000’sTraffic, the film depicts aviciously dark, yet ac-curate, look at the battlefor control of drugsmuggling routes fromMexico to the UnitedStates known as La Linea(the Line). Shot on
location in Tijuana, Mexico, the actorswere forced to immerse themselves in aculture and population devastated bypoverty and corruption.
“It’s a third-world country,”explains the Cuban actress. “There arehomeless children in the streets,homeless animals. I had armedbodyguards outside my trailer. It wasan experience that I’ll never forget.”
But in the end, Cruz’s naturalstory-telling ability and actinginstinct have drawn her to this filmfor one reason: “It’s one of thosemovies that tells the story withoutfeeling the need to tell it only inwords. To me the most interestingthings are what happen in betweenthe lines rather than the actual linesthemselves.”
The Line opens at the Maya Indie FilmSeries July 17. For more information,visit mayaindieseries.com.
VALERIE CRUZUncovers the Story Between the LinesB Y C A N D I C E W I N T E R S
The Horror! The Horror!The Dark Knight co-screenwriter David S. Goyer gave birth to The
Unborn, an only partially developed ghost story. Odette Yustman stars as awoman haunted by a demonic ghost boy. GaryOldman appears as a priest to perform an exorcism,but he can’t save this formulaic mess.
The VaultTo look at her you wouldn’t think Drew Barrymore
was Hollywood royalty, but she comes from a long lineof iconic screen actors dating back to the silent era.
The John Barrymore Collection highlights a few ofgrandpa’s films from the ’20s. The diverse set includes: Tempest, a Russianrevolution-era romance, The Beloved Rogue, a swashbuckler, SherlockHolmes and one of the best versions of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The latterdisc also contains a short parody starring Stan Laurel.
In ToonSure we’ve all seen the Halloween and Christmas specials a hundred times,
but now we can see all six of the Peanuts shorts produced during the ’60s forthe first time on DVD in the Peanuts: 1960’s Collection. These include: CharlieBrown’s All-Stars, He’s Your Dog, Charlie Brown, It was a Short Summer, CharlieBrown and You’re In Love, Charlie Brown. Also included is a featurette on VinceGuaraldi, genius composer behind the infectious “Linus and Lucy.”
The IdiotboxJody Hill and Danny McBride, the team behind The Foot Fist Way,
created HBO’s “Eastbound & Down.” (The Complete First Season isavailable now). McBride – the redneck Will Ferrell – stars as a washed upmajor league pitcher who returns to his small Southern town to teach gymclass. Fans of McBride’s one-note egomaniac persona should enjoy it.Ferrell also guest stars in a couple episodes.
“Mystery Science Theater 3000” returns with the latest batch of schlock inVol. XV. The masters of sarcasm take on the cinematic masterpieces: The Robot
vs. The Aztec Mummy, The Girl in Lovers Lane, RacketGirls and the pièce de résistance, Zombie Nightmare,starring Adam West and Tia Carrere. The episodes arenicely divided between the Joel and Mike eras.
Former “SNL” cast member Molly Shannon starsalongside Selma Blair in “Kath & Kim.” Theadaptation of the Australian hit follows a self-absorbed, fashion-challenged mother and daughter asthey set out to conquer suburbia. Shannon is pitch
perfect, but the casting of non-comedian Blair is baffling. John MichaelHiggins of the Christopher Guest troop co-stars, and plenty of “SNL” alumscrop up along the way. But the show is too one-note, with no straight manto play off of. (Season One is available now.)
It’s a real life “X-Files”as “MonsterQuest”trains a sober (yet hopeful) eye onlegendary creatures. Utilizing new technology, historical evidence and eye witnessinterviews, the show investigates the death of the Loch Ness Monster, New JerseyDevils, gators in the sewers and more. Season Three, Set One is now available.
Made in Japan“Samurai Champloo”is one of the most entertaining, vibrant anime series
in some time. The story follows two ronin, one a disciplined masterswordsman, the other a young, flashy upstart – both are deadly with a blade.When the local restaurant is destroyed, the waitress hires the two wanderingsamurai to help her on a mission. The show manages to be stylish withoutbeing annoying, imitating handheld camera zooms in action scenes, using hip-hop music and visceral editing. The Complete Collection box set is now available.
Two full-length films come to DVD: The Conqueror of Shamballa,the feature-length spin off of “Fullmetal Alchemist” and Blade of thePhantom Master, about the last warrior of a secret army protecting afallen empire from zombies.
Oh, the DramaKiss and Tail: The Hollywood Jump Off interviews the very people written
about in Karrine “Superhead” Steffans’ best-selling books (includingConfessions of a Video Vixen) as well as those who apparently know her well. JaRule, Darius McCrary and others share their opinions of her, while variousindustry people weigh in on the video girl phenomenon in general. Steffanseven jumps in to defend her actions. Narrated by shock jock Wendy Williams,Kiss and Tail highlights a depressing, but real, part of the hip-hop scene.
–Jessica Koslow
SPECIAL FEATURESdvd dish | BY MIKE SEBASTIANfilm film notes | reviews Gangster Films:
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—Angela Matano
Indiana JonesTrilogyJuly 25 @ Aero Theatre
If last year’s IndianaJones movie left you wantingmore, check out the firstthree in the series on the bigscreen. 5 p.m. $10, $8w/student ID.
—Frederick Mintchell
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14 | Campus Circle [ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ]
Electric Daisy CarnivalJune 26 & 27 @ Exposition Park/LA Coliseum
Over 100,000 music lovers united underthe sun and stars for 2009’s Electric DaisyCarnival, a party that continues to one-up itselfevery year. The nation’s largest dance festivaldoubled in size, spanning two full days for thefirst time. Once again the gala took over thegrounds of Expo Park and the Coliseum withfive stages, over 70 artists, fireworks and tons ofcarnival rides.
Friday’s main stage included Fedde LaGrand, Eddie Halliwell and Paul Oakenfold,with the surprise addition of ThieveryCorporation, who performed a set with a fullband. Shiny Toy Guns, Fake Blood, Sound TribeSector 9, Shinichi Osawa and Boys Noize alsotook no prisoners with high-energy sets.
The momentum shifted into high gearSaturday with an onslaught of talent fromaround the globe. Legendary Groove Armadasent the thousands of bodies within theColiseum into utter bliss with their mind-numbing DJ set. In addition, Simian MobileDisco, the Crystal Method, Roger Sanchez,PVD, Infected Mushroom, Diplo and Kaskade
all left their mark on the crowd with top-notchperformances.
—Ryan McWhorter
The ZombiesJune 27 @ The Wiltern
Were it not for Colin Blunstone, theZombies would possibly be lacking for charmthese days – it is his voice, like Ray Davies’ at itshighest, still reasonably breathy and fully assweet at its most subtle, that keeps the Zombiesfrom sounding stale, what with the addition ofstronger guitar and Rod Argent’s constant needto point out the legend in their 40-year-oldsongs (as declared by the likes of Mojo, says he).
Yes, the large size of the Wiltern meant thevolume of Steve Rodford’s drums was tooprominent for the sweeter songs. Argent’sHammond was a bit indulgent at times, as werethe guitar embellishments added to, forinstance, set conclusion “She’s Not There,”which would have benefited from a touch lesselectricity. And perhaps the bluesy “Mystified”was their county fair moment.
But then, a few songs into the set, whichhad begun with “I Love You,” the band tookcare to play a cluster of songs from Odessey &Oracle (“A Rose for Emily,” “Care of Cell 44,”“This Will Be Our Year” and “Time of theSeason”), and Blunstone’s uncomfortable stepsand timid snaps briefly came to a halt when heshowed perhaps some accidental passion,bending his knees in and throwing his arms outexcitedly, as though he truly felt theanticipation in “Care of Cell 44.” It was clearthen that Blunstone is what makes the band sounbelievably lovely, even 45 years from itsinception.
—China Bialos
Adele/Chaka Khan/Janelle MonáeJune 28 @ Hollywood Bowl
After a spirited performance by JanelleMonáe and a string of nostalgic No. 1 hits byChaka Khan (“I’m Every Woman,” “I Feel ForYou”), the headliner who attracted the sold-outcrowd sauntered onstage. Nervous as ever,singing in front of her largest crowd yet, Adelehid her eyes, giggled and even forgot some of
music
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CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
Electric Daisy Carnival expanded to a two-day party this year.
Electric Daisy Carnival-goers enjoy the atmosphere.
live show reviews
Shau
nt &
Lev
on G
harib
ian
Shau
nt &
Lev
on G
harib
ian.
[ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ] Campus Circle | 15
the bass line | l.a. hip-hop culture music
IN MY QUEST TO FIND HIP-HOP IN THISvast city, a friend told me of a weekly Fridayevent dubbed Urban Underground. Held at thefamous Airliner in Chinatown, this event focuseson the true progressive spirit of hip-hop music.
With two stages in full effectand some of the most innovativeminds on the turntables and onthe mic, this event will resonatelike an 808 drum kick. Serving upsonic delights, the resident selektas(DJs) play the new soon-to-beclassics, funk, breaks, dancehall andjungle music.
With this myriad of sound, itis a guaranteed that you willexperience the full gambit ofemotions when on the dance floor. An addedbonus is the early open mic. With a chance ofluck one can witness the next star in his or herbudding stages (i.e., Lyricist Lounge, Black Lily).
Tonight, two female MCs from the groupDobaDoza, PekLat and Poetic S., will be taking
the stage for two sets (one upstairs and onedown). They have performed at women’sbenefits, anti-war protests and rallies,immigration rights movements and BrownBerets events from the Bay to Los Angeles. These
seasoned veterans of theunderground bring a dynamicenergy to the stage and capture theear with their powerful wordsabout our world and the issues thatwomen have to deal with on a day-to-day basis.
Every other month UrbanUnderground holds the Beatdown,a battle for MCs, producers and b-boys hosted by POW Shadows witha panel of guest judges. I was told
that if you have any interest in hip-hop, whetheryou’re trying to get on stage or you just want tohear cutting edge music, this is the place to be.
To submit an event for consideration, [email protected].
FRIDAY, JULY 17
URBAN UNDERGROUND: PEKLATAND POETIC S. OF DOBADOZAThe Airliner, 2419 N. Broadway, Los Angeles;myspace.com/urbanundergroundweekly 18+/8 p.m./$15, $10 at groovetickets.com
B Y K E H I N D E “ D O X X ” C U N N I N G H A M
PekLat of DobaDoza rocks da mic.
16 | Campus Circle [ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ]
country-crossover “The RightOne.”
Somewhere, somebody at CBSis grinning while selling the words“soulful” and “heartfelt.”Grade: D+
—China BialosTorrent: Volumes 1 & 2 arecurrently available.
The HigherIt’s Only Natural(Epitaph)
The Higher bill themselves as acombination of pop, rock, R&B andhormones, but this Las Vegas bandsounds more like a combination ofthe Jonas Brothers and Story of theYear, with a touch of New Found
Glory. The songs are pretty catchyand polished, but this is somethingthat could have been produced bythose who worked with any given’90s-era boy band.
Actually, it’s kind of a nice blast
Big D and the Kids TableFluent in Stroll(SideOneDummy)
It’s hard not to instantlylike Big D and the Kids Table.The big band primarily playsfun ska, but they have adifferent vibe than most otherAmerican groups in the genre.
The difference in style isdistinguished by the band’shorn section being usedtastefully and the liberal useof female back-up vocals. Thegirls grab attention on thetitle cut and “Stop, Look &Listen (Shake Life Up)” andcome close to stealing theentire show. But singer DavidMcWane holds his own,especially on the B-52’s-likeromp “Doped Up Dollies on aOne-Way Ticket to Blood.”Grade: B
—Kevin WierzbickiFluent in Stroll is currentlyavailable.
Will DaileyTorrent: Volumes 1 & 2(CBS)
Given Torrent, a projectwhich involves a new EPreleased every three monthsin 2009, the first half of theyear sees Boston singer-songwriter Will Dailey stuckwith a good concept and littlemuch else.
You’ve heard the timbre ofhis voice via the adultcontemporary world; Dailey isJames Blunt, and he is DanielPowter. If his list ofcontemporaries wasn’t aturnoff in itself, it should benoted that this is the stuff ofmagic moments on the CW –the liberating “Never Be YourBaby,” the emotionally irked“How Can I Make YouHappy,” the token near-
music
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THE BEAUTY OF THE MICHIGANlandscape was a perfect fit for thesophomore outing of Rothbury.Beyond the greening initiatives andwonderful hospitality, some of itsother charms include a local farmersmarket, a campground-adjacentswimming hole and a towering forest,which at night transforms into aglowing neon playground whereburlesque and street performers seemto pour out of the shadows.
From bluegrass to hip-hop, indierock to jam bands, the roster was alsoheavy on the legends. Willie Nelsonand Bob Dylan gave back-to-back setsto close out the weekend and exceededeven the highest expectations. But thereal treasure was the IndependenceDay rager (with fireworks!) the Deadgave. For over four hours, all the
smiling heads were blasted with theirbiggest and best tunes that washedover the field and sparkled like puremagic.
The Dead’s Phil Lesh bowed outthe night with sincere thanks and asimple wish for the energy that musiclovers and artists came together with tocreate the weekend: “Take this feelinghome and do some good with it!”
July 2-5 in Rothbury, Mich.ROTHBURY FESTIVAL
cd reviewsM A K I N G TH E G R A D E :A EXC E PTI O N A L
B WO RTH W H I L E
C MEDIOCRE
D SAVE YOUR MONEY
F WILL BE ON HELL’S JUKEBOX
AFTER MORE THAN FIVE MILLIONalbums sold worldwide and yearspunctuated by four Juno awards and10 MuchMusic Video Awards, there isno doubt that Our Lady Peace is one ofCanada’s most celebrated exports.
“Our uniqueness lies in the factthat throughout our career, we havenever fit into a specific genre. We arecomfortable with this distinction,”vocalist and co-founder Raine Maidasays.
Emerging in the alternative rockmusic industry more than a decadeago, their career started with therelease of a breakthrough debutalbum, Naveed, which catapulted themto fame. With hard driving rock songsand an original sound and style, thealbum surpassed platinum sales in ashort amount of time.
The band attempts to recapturetheir first album’s raw live energy with
their seventh studio album, Burn Burn.By maintaining spontaneity andrefraining from needless investigatingand overanalyzing of the songs, thealbum boasts “some of the mostspecial and rewarding pieces of musicthe band has ever put to tape,” saysMaida. Set to release July 21, he callsthe album “a proper rock record.”
These creative and professionalluxuries were afforded because of theband’s decision to produce the albumindependent of outside collaborationfor the first time. Maida, with morethan five years of experience as a musicengineer and producer, took charge.
“What was different this time forOLP was having the opportunity totrust our instincts 100 percent bychoosing not to collaborate with aproducer. It was time we challengedourselves this way, and it paid off interms of Burn Burn being the most
concise and uncompromisedOLP record to date,” saysMaida.
The band, which consistsof Maida, guitarist SteveMazur, drummer JeremyTaggart and drummer Dun-can Coutts, recorded the 10-song album in Maida’s LosAngeles home studio. Takinginspirations from life ex-periences, songwriter Maidasays the band’s music reflectshuman response to challenges andcelebrations.
“A poet experiences the samething through their words on paper, apainter through the canvas and amusician through song. It is a tangiblepart of my life that someone will beable to experience when I’m gone,” heshares.
Their first single “All You Did WasSave My Life,” featuring ShenaeGrimes of “90210” fame, peaked at No.12 on the Canadian Hot 100. The songis currently circulating on U.S. radionationwide.
Although this album marks thelongest gap between OLP studioalbums to date, it actually took theshortest amount of time to record.
“The misconception that it took solong was because we did it in seven-day sessions scattered over 18 months.
We had got together six or seven timesfor a week or so, and a record wasmiraculously done,” Maida says.
In support of their upcomingalbum release, the band recently kickedoff a two-month summer U.S. tour.
“We have taken a whole newapproach to our live show,”says Maida.
Besides adding light panels tocreate dimension to the show, the bandis going to include several older songsthat had been neglected over the years.Most importantly, the music will bestripped down, raw and dynamic.
“The band has never felt moreconfident and energized as we do atthis moment,” says Maida.
Burn Burn will be available July 21.Our Lady Peace will perform July 28 atthe Troubadour. For more information,visit ourladypeace.net.
Feel the BurnB Y A T H A L I A N A K U L A
OUR LADY PEACE(l to r) Duncan Coutts, Jeremy Taggart, Raine Maida and SteveMazur of Our Lady Peace
Dust
in R
abin
music 101 | artist feature
on the road | P H O T O S & T E X T B Y N A T E S L E V I N
Nathan Willet and Jonnie Russell of Cold War Kids Honus Honus (Ryan Kattner) of Man Man
Nas gets the crowd jumpin’.
Bob Weir of the Dead
[ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ] Campus Circle | 17
A GROUP OF CORSET-CLADbombshells stand together inside asunlit ivory room, sneering whileshowing off their pearls and garterbelts. A petite blonde adorned withrhinestones and a single blackteardrop near her made-up eye warnspotential suitors to run away or riskhaving a broken heart.
The glamorous bad girl sings acautionary tale of falling for the wrongbroad with feminine-yet-raspy vocals,channeling classic ’50s girl groupswith a Prohibition attitude. Whilesome may fear her gang of outlaws,known as her male-dominated band,we can’t get enough …… and that’sjust what listeners find in MissDerringer’s video for “Better RunAway From Me,” the single from their2006 sophomore album, Lullabies.
However, leave it up to vocalist LizMcGrath and her army of rebels tocontinue serving audiences dreamy,yet broody lyrics of razorblades andheartbreak, retro surf pop fusing withteenage tragedy melodies and somemean rock ’n’ roll. Miss Derringer isback with their latest album, Winter
Hill, and we couldn’t be morethankful.
“I was reading Wikipedia, and Icame across this Winter Hill gang warthat happened in the early ’60s,”explains guitarist Morgan Slade. “Onemob leader made a pass at anothergang member’s girlfriend and then awhole battle started in Boston.”
This discovery led to MissDerringer’s inspiration behind theirlatest creation. The Los Angeles-basedband, which formed in 2004,reinvented their often somber, South-ern songs for something moredangerous. The result is, according toSlade,“the soundtrack of a 1960s Irishmob war.”
With tracks like “Click Click(Bang, Bang),” “Bulletproof Heart,”(with drums by Blondie’s ClemBurke) and “Black Tears,” listeners willtravel to a world of smooth-talkingmobsters, sassy beauty queens andirresistible pop songs that easilymanage to keep anyone swiveling theirhips, while reminiscing of the one whodid them wrong.
Winter Hill is a throwback
melodrama, a soundrarely found in today’sLil Wayne/Lady Gagaera. With artists likeChristina Aguileraand Amy Winehousecapturing a wideraudience with retrobeats, it’s no wonderthat Miss Derringer isgaining popularity.
“I think there willalways be somepeople nostalgic forthings from the past,”states Slade. “There’s so many recordsof things from the ’20s, ’30s andbeyond that people are now beginningto discover a lot of cool stuff fromthese eras and applying them today.”
As all things vintage continue torule pop culture, Miss Derringer isshamelessly stirring things up in theL.A. music scene. Despite OrangeCounty’s reputation for being theepicenter for rockabilly, Miss Der-ringer received a rude awakening forbeing different. While touring along-side legendary punk band BadReligion, hardcore fans heckled thegroup. Fortunately, the experiencehasn’t fazed them.
“We like Bad Religion, and it’salways a great experience to performwith a band you’ve admired for areally long time,” states Slade. “Thesewere super die-hard fans who justwanted to see Bad Religion, and theywere ready to boo almost anyone. Sowhen they saw a group of guys with
eyeliner, you could only imagine howthey reacted. It was a good experiencefor us because after being booed by200 skinheads, we’re really notworrying about anything.”
As the band continues to tour thecountry with Girl In A Coma,McGrath, the band’s leading lady andSlade’s wife, encourages listeners todiscover their own summer sound-track in Winter Hill.
“I know there are certain recordsthat take me back in time,” she says. “Ihope we can achieve something likethat.”
Whether dramatic tales of woe getyou hot and bothered, or you’relooking for a musical collection tosatisfy your own angst, Miss Derringerand their latest album are a blast fromthe past that won’t go out of style.
Winter Hill is currently available.Miss Derringer will perform July 18 at theKnitting Factory. For more information,visit myspace.com/missderringer.
from the past, except that all thetracks on It’s Only Natural (with theexception of their cover of Ne-Yo’s“Closer”) are the Higher originals.Their music is not bad, it’s just pre-packaged power pop.
There are a few moments ofawesome guitar riffs (“Story of aMan Obsessed”) and lots of
undeniably dance-y moments (“TheBlack Dress”) backed by good vocals,and all of this makes a very likeable,listenable album, but it’s notparticularly deep.Grade: B-
—Melissa RussellIt’s Only Natural is currentlyavailable.
Cass McCombsCatacombs(Domino)
McCombs opens with “Dreams-Come-True-Girl,” a song abouthaving found his perfect soul mate.Set to a subtle ’60s beat that recallsthe work of Roy Orbison, the songdoesn’t bubble over with the
exuberance you’d expect from such asituation.
McCombs is adept at usingnuance to convey his emotions, andthe technique stands as appealingthroughout all of Catacombs. A slowdrum beat and a bit of weepy steel
guitar accent McCombs’understated singing and guitarplaying on “You Saved My Life;”only a brief and purposelyexaggerated cracking of hisvoice indicates that the singer isactually awestruck by what he’ssaying.
McCombs is clearly notgoing for radio airplay here; thisvery gifted wordsmith intendsfor this music to be experiencedon a more intimate level.Grade: A
—Kevin WierzbickiCatacombs is currentlyavailable.
Various Artists(500) Days of SummerSoundtrack(Sire)
This romantic comedy’ssoundtrack boasts a youthfulsummer feel, greater than thatof Garden State.
The first track is theopening narration in the film; aJames Earl Jones-esque narratoremphasizes that this is NOT alove story. The other tracksmirror the ups and downs oflove, yet that opening tracksticks in your mind remindingyou what not to presume.
Regina Spektor’s “Us” is theperfect song to start with. Itsupbeat, piano-driven melody isflighty, like a summer breezethat makes you smile. “Hero” isSpektor’s grandest contributionto the soundtrack.
The Smiths, of course,deliver, by keeping the beat alivefor two songs. Then, “Please,Please, Please Let Me Get WhatI Want” is that prayer for achance; that first inkling ofhope before wanting turns tohaving.
What makes the soundtrackstand out is its connection tothe story, and how the songsstring the characters’ daystogether. If the movie doesn’thave your heart fluttering, thesoundtrack will surely haveyour feet tapping frombeginning to end.Grade: A
—Sable Stevens (500) Days of SummerSoundtrack is currentlyavailable.
music
CONTINUED
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American Idols Live!July 16 @ Staples Center
I don’t care, judge all you want. Iloved this season of “American Idol.”
Lo and behold, everyone else
jumped on the Kris Allen band-wagon by the end of it. Who called it,kids?
Luckily, I’m not a sore winnerabout it, mainly because I’m totally a“Kradam” ’shipper. Google that up ifyou’re not familiar with the term.
Actually … don’t. If you’re notalready in on that joke, you’dprobably rather remain as such.
Brand NewJuly 18 @ Troubadour
There are precious few musiciansor songwriters who could turn meinto a sobbing mess, much as itmight seem like they are abundantand plentiful by how frequently Ibeat you readers over the head with
the few who can.Even though lately he hasn’t
come around as frequently as Chuck,Dallas, Dustin or Geoff – points toany who can identify all four of thosemen – Brand New frontman JesseLacey is still very highly ranked onthat list.
At the very least, Lacey should bemaking up for the whole no sight orsound of his band thing bypremiering some new music. Sohopefully in a few days time, I’ll beTwittering some emoticon teardropsfrom the floor of the Troub.
Miss DerringerJuly 18 @ Knitting Factory
“Gothic-country-punk,” you say?
And girl-fronted? And it’s actuallygood? It’s … everything I (secretly)love in life, all at once. Where do Isign up?
Fake ProblemsJuly 24 @ Knitting Factory
If any of you readers have evenheard of this band before readingthis, please, let me be the first to buyyou a beer at this show.
Easily the indie-est band thatWarped Tour’s stages will see thisyear without going into the weirdwhat-the-eff-ery of Shooter Jen-nings also being on Warped, theFlorida-based foursome of FakeProblems are luckily only playingthe tour’s Cleveland date so they canbring their gritty brand of garage-indie out on a headline tour.
Much better than a mid-Augustday in Pomona, right?
frequency | essential concerts | B Y B R I E N O V E R LY
Miss Derringer delivers throwback tunes with Winter Hill.
MURDER BALLADSWITH A BANG
l.a. underground | B Y S T E P H A N I E N O L A S C O
(l to r) Cody James, Sylvain de Muizon, Liz McGrath and Morgan Slade of Miss Derringer
Brand New make audiences sob!
18 | Campus Circle [ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ]
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the words to her own songs. Continuingdown a lane first traveled by Amy Winehouse,Adele charmed the crowd with her cell phonecall to her mum back home in Wales andwowed them with her phenomenally soulfulvoice as she belted out crowd favorites“Hometown Glory,” “Cold Shoulder” and“Chasing Pavements.”
—Jessica Koslow
PhoenixJune 28 @ The Wiltern
Independent music-lovers from all overLos Angeles had been waiting months for thisshow. Fans packed into the historic Wilternanxious to hear the sweet sounds of Phoenix.
The French quartet rocked the show withan intensity that matched the crowd’s energy.People weren’t merely listening; they weresinging, dancing and showing theirappreciation for the auditory artistry.
The band started with “Lisztomania,” thepopular song from their new album, WolfgangAmadeus Phoenix. Throughout the show,favorites like “Too Young” and “FunkySquaredance” were mixed in with new trackslike “Rome.”
The sound of Phoenix performing live isHUGE, taking the slick album versions oftheir tracks to a different level. The synthplayer doubled as a percussionist, allowingthe drummer freedom to wail, injecting crazyenergy into each song. The luscious amalgamof the hypnotic beats, nostalgic synth soundsand vocal stylings of lead singer Thomas Marstransformed the Wiltern into a crazy,
infectious dance party.Phoenix ended their set with “1901.” The
crowd went wild, enjoying every last drop.“Rock With You” by Michael Jackson came onas the show ended, and everyone stayed anddanced as a tribute – a great ending to a greatshow.
—Tana Rusitanonta
Warped Tour – VenturaJune 28 @ Seaside Park
Another year, another Warped andanother round of awesome win balanced byequal parts of “WTF,” so goes the age oldcycle. This year’s Ventura date of Warpedrolled out big hitters early on, with O.C.natives Thrice playing early but still bringingthe epic as they always do, with a set ofgreatest hits and two promising new tracksfrom their forthcoming album. P.O.S. also
brought more rock than half the bands onbigger stages despite only having amicrophone and turntables in his setup.Conversely, Bayside and After MidnightProject got their full band rock on for evenmore legit side stage ear-melting, and itwasn’t even 1 p.m. yet.
Warped vets Saosin and Meg & Diabrought their signature energy in full forcelater in the day, while newcomers There forTomorrow and VersaEmerge provedthemselves worthy additions to the Warpedfamily. Slightly more on the concussive side,Gallows showed no fear of getting rough anddirty with their fans, while Alexisonfire servedas the most fitting epic bookend to Thrice,closing the cold and windy night with thebiggest sounding rock of the day.
On that note, it’s a bit perplexing howbands like Bayside, Saosin, Senses Fail andAlexisonfire received side-stage placementwhile a band like the Devil Wears Pradasnagged a main stage spot, but maybe that’sfor the best. It makes things much easierwhen there’s a clear distinction between theside of the venue with good bands playing,and the side where Brokencyde, Jeffree Starand Millionaires are playing.
—Brien Overly
CastledoorJune 29@ Spaceland
It all began on a Monday. That’s when sixof indie rock’s most talented sons anddaughters set foot onstage at Spaceland for amonth-long residency. Castledoor had one
mission: to beguile every person in its wake. Ithink it’s safe to say, mission: accomplished.
Led by vocalist Nate Cole, the bandplayed a fine mix of its past and present hits.The rest of Castledoor, consisting of Cole’swife and keyboard/synth-player Liska, co-founder and guitarist Gabe Combs and hiswife keyboard/synth-player Coury Combs,bassist Brandon “Brando” Schwartzel and(hot) drummer Joel Plotnik NEVERdisappointed providing a vibrant musicalcanvas for their charismatic frontman.
Perhaps one of the biggest fan momentsof their month of Mondays was when thegroup performed its cover of James Brown’s“It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World.” Call ithyperbole, but Cole tore up that stage withhis rousing mix of strut and soulful angst.
The final show was not without itsamusements, either. Castledoor allowed –shall we say – a zealous fan named Craig totake the stage and join in during the song“Fifth Tambourine.” Also contributing addedspice was guest vocalist Robert Schwartzmanof Rooney (who produced Castledoor’s latestrelease, Shouting at Mountains).
Unlike most residencies that I’ve seenover the years, Castledoor’s will always stickout in my mind because of the vibe itmanaged to capture. Strangers forgedfriendships and began to meet up at thevenue to support the band. We yelled andclapped and cheered on these performances.My week became predicated around Mondaynights.
—Ebony March
Never Shout NeverJune 30 @ Knitting Factory
You know when you’re in a venue full of13-year-old girls screaming because the guitartech is sound checking before the first bandhas even gone on that you should likely braceyourself for a long night. If you’re over thelegal drinking age yourself, that is.
Luckily, despite having a fan basereminiscent of an *NSYNC audience in thelate ’90s, opening bands the Ready Set andNever Shout Never showed likeable andcharming stage presence that was, of course,still entirely wholesome. Between the former’selectro-synth stylings and the latter’s indie-acoustic leanings, it’s reassuring that at least afew of the current tween sensations havesome substance behind their music. And thenthere are bands like Boys Like Girls.
—Brien Overly
live show reviews music
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 14«
Christian Climer of There for Tomorrow
Dustin Kensrue of Thrice
Brie
n Ov
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Brie
n Ov
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AMOEBABESTSELLERS6400 SUNSET BLVD. (323) 245-6400
1) Elvis Costello — Secret, Profane & Sugarcane2) The Mars Volta — Octahedron3) Michael Jackson — Essential Michael Jackson4) Phoenix — Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix5) Michael Jackson — Thriller6) Grizzly Bear — Veckatimest7) Mos Def — The Ecstatic8) Dinosaur Jr. — Farm9) Dirty Projectors — Bitte Orca10) Regina Spektor — Far11) God Help the Girl — Self-titled12) J Dilla — Jay Stay Paid13) Spinnerette — Self-titled14) Sonic Youth — The Eternal15) Tortoise — Beacons of Ancestors16) Michael Jackson — Number Ones17) Pete Yorn — Back & Fourth18) Sunset Rubdown — Dragonslayer19) George Harrison — Let It Roll: Songs
by George Harrison20) Green Day — 21st Century Breakdown
[ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ] Campus Circle | 19
music
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AMOEBA SUPPORTS THE LOCAL MUSIC COMMUNITY!Our “Home Grown” featured
independent local artist is chosenby the Amoeba Music Staff!
From Filmmakers Andrew R. Powell and Kurt Voss - a provocative portrait of the late Jeffrey Lee Pierce and
his legendary band “The Gun Club,” one of the most notorious and incendiary groups in the history
of American popular music.
The film features interviews with ex-Gun Club members Kid Congo Powers, Ward Dotson, Terry Graham, Jim Duckworth,
and Dee Pop as well as interviews with Dave Alvin (Blasters), John Doe (X), Henry Rollins (Black Flag, Rollins Band) Mike Martt (Tex and the Horseheads), Peter Case (Plimsouls), and
a special appearance by Lemmy Kilmister (Motörhead).
NTSC, region free DVD with a running time of 96 minutes.
NOTICE: this DVD contains NO GUN CLUB MUSIC and NO EXTRA FEATURES. Just the 96 minute documentary
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GHOST ON THE HIGHWAY: A PORTRAIT OF JEFFREY LEE PIERCE
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Sid and Susie Under the Covers
Matthew Sweet and former Bangles singerSusanna Hoffs, a.k.a. Sid and Susie, are about torelease Under the Covers Vol. 2, a compilationfeaturing their take on 16 big pop hits by artistslike Fleetwood Mac (“Second Hand News”), theRaspberries (“Go All The Way”), Rod Stewart(“Maggie May”) and Todd Rundgren (“Hello It’sMe”). The album drops on July 21, and you canhear the songs performed live that same nightwhen the duo appears at the Grammy Museum.
Are You the King of BluesGuitar?
The Guitar Center has launched their latesttalent search. This time out, the folks behind theDrum-Off and On-Stage competitions arelooking for the country’s greatest undiscoveredblues guitarist. Interested parties can enter theKing of the Blues contest by being one of the first30 registrants at any of Guitar Center’s 214locations nationwide.
In the preliminary round contestants canperform with their six, seven or 12-string acousticor electric guitar, lap steel or pedal steel and canuse any audio pedal effects that can be set up infive minutes. Guitar Center will provide the ampsand a selection of backing tracks that can bedownloaded in advance.
Prize packages include $25,000 cash, a featurespot in a Guitar Center ad campaign, a Gibson ’59Les Paul reissue guitar, a $2,500 Levi’s shoppingspree, a Marshall Vintage Modern 50-watt half-stack and lots of other goodies, includingworldwide distribution of music through iTunesand endorsement deals with Ernie Ball, Vox,Gibson and Marshall. Prelims begin Aug.20;details: guitarcenter.com/kingoftheblues.
The Best Music You’ve Never Heard
Some exciting new music is being featuredwhere you would least expect to hear it: on talkradio. Eighteen up-and-coming artists are gettingairtime on the Your Mental Health Talk Radioshow that airs at blogtalkradio.com.
The program is hosted by JacquelineForeman, who explains why a mental health showwould be featuring musicians.
“After the death of my son in January 2000only three things helped to pull me out of thedeepest, darkest depression I have ever known:prayer, meditation and music. Music has theability to heal so many things includingdepression, bereavement, anxiety and a host ofother disorders.”
The list of artists appearing had not beenreleased at press time, but among them will beTyka Nelson, the sister of none other than Prince.The show airs daily at 10:30 p.m. and is alsoarchived should you miss an episode.
Free Digital Sampler from Fearless
Fearless Records is offering their 2009Summer Sampler for free download throughtheir MySpace page. The seven-song set includesnew music from Sparks the Rescue, Artist Vs.Poet, Eye Alaska and A Skylit Drive along withotherwise unreleased tunes from BreatheCarolina, the Word Alive and Lets Get It. Fearlessis also planning on giving away exclusive prizes inconjunction with Warped Tour, but you’ll have tobecome a MySpace friend to be eligible for them.
The Indie Rock Coloring BookGrab your crayons and get ready for the Indie
Rock Coloring Book, an Andy J. Miller-designedready-for-coloring homage to groups like theShins, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Rilo Kiley, Andrew Bird,the New Pornographers, MGMT and manyothers. The coloring book is being releasedthrough Chronicle Books, and all royalties will goto the Yellow Bird Project, an organization thatputs artists and musicians to work to help outcharities.
The coloring book comes out in September,and some of the bands involved will also bedesigning special T-shirts to benefit charity.Details at yellowbirdproject.com.
music report | B Y K E V I N W I E R Z B I C K I
AMOEBA TOP 10Independent Local Artist Releases
6400 SUNSET BLVD. (323) 245-64001) Healamonster & Tarsier — Cupcake Cave2) Gun Club — Ghost on the Highway DVD3) Warpaint — Exquisite Corpse4) Jon Brion — Meaningless5) Psycho Realm — War Story Book 26) The Binges — Self-titled7) The Ghastly Ones — Target Draculon8) Ray Ricky Rivera — Neighborhood Fame9) Viernes 13 — Just Move!10) Monte Carlo 76 — Marisela
Jarvis Cocker July 27 @ The Wiltern
Jarvis Cocker, the former frontmanof legendary British band Pulp, returnswith his second solo effort in a stylereminiscent of his early days. Hisbookish good looks, savagely wittyhumor and sexual lyrics might just bethe ideal remedy for a warm summernight. —Elsy Benitez
staff pick
Get Under the Covers with Susanna Hoffs and Matthew Sweet, a.k.a. Susie and Sid.
20 | Campus Circle [ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ]
There?” What a pillar of strength she isafter all she’s been through.
I hope that Jackson’s children areable to find comfort in the fact thattheir dad was well-loved and that hislove will continue with them for therest of their lives. After the memorial,the legions of attendees poured out ofthe Staples Center and Nokia Theatrewith gold program books in hand. Iwish that I was able to grab one, butjust being there to show support andpay my respects was enough.
What will always remain is themusic.Rest in peace,Michael Jackson.
IN CELEBRATION OFMICHAEL JACKSONA Semi-Permanent Exhibit at the Grammy MuseumB Y S A S H A P E R L - R A V E R
exhibitions | museums • art galleries
special feature
A LONE GLITTERING GLOVE.Like a snake charmer, all that
was necessary was a single wavefrom the jeweled hand of MichaelJackson, and we were at his mercy.
While his face morphed into adozen different permeations, almostas it did so mind-blowingly in thevideo for “Black Or White,” wefollowed him, loyal subjects of theKing of Pop. Our first introductionwas to the beaming smile and theclear, ringing falsetto bursting out ofthe little boy with a pillowy Afro.
Soon, we fell in love with theJheri-curled young man in azippered red leather jacket whosefeet walked like he was on themoon. Eventually, we watched theunraveling of an almost un-recognizable, ghostly white recluse.Like a criminal (a “Smooth Crim-inal,” if you’ll pardon the in-dulgence) on the run, perhaps fromhimself or his past, he asked
surgeons to remake him intosomeone unfamiliar. But Mi-chael Jackson, in any of his manyforms, will always be a touch-stone.
His sudden passing on June25 left a wake of shock and griefthat hung palpably in the air andthe world scrambling for ways toconnect to the memory we alltreasured. To honor that legacy,the Grammy Museum at LA Livehas created what will be one of theirfirst semi-permanent instillations,an ode to MJ.
Entering the mini-Michaelwing, visitors are greeted by a videocurving across the wall on two giantscreens featuring Jackson’s pastGrammy performances. Spanningalmost two decades, the videosbegin in 1974 with Michael and hisbrothers announcing nomineesthrough song and ending with hisseven-minute solo spectacular from
the 1988 Grammys.Enshrined next to the videos
are four jewel encrusted jackets, twosequined gloves and the piece deresistance, the white Hugo Boss suitJackson wore on the cover of theThriller album. It’s a small tribute toa towering talent who will never beforgotten.
The Grammy Museum is located at800 W. Olympic Blvd., Ste. A245,Downtown. For more information,visit grammymuseum.org.
inner circle
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4«
One of Michael Jackson’s white gloves, on display atthe Grammy Museum
Cour
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he G
ram
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10:00 a.m.The mood is somber as we awaitthe arrival of the motorcade. Atleast 500 people are here waitingto catch a glimpse.
10:15 a.m.The fans are proceeding into theStaples Center and Nokia Theatre– some with smiles, and otherswith tears in their eyes.
10:20 a.m.This event is truly about the fans.Most of the media is not allowedinside.
10:25 a.m.Katie Couric is right in front ofme with her game face on.
10:30 a.m.Quiet as night in Club Nokia(press viewing).
10:35 a.m.Still observing moment ofsilence.
10:45 a.m.Walking outside – just taking inthe sights and sounds. I’ve heardat least 15 different languages,from Farsi to Czech to Tagalog.
11:05 a.m.Sitting in the Grammy MuseumTheater packed with musicians,dancers and fans.
11:15 a.m.I remember when Mariah[Carey] first sang “I’ll Be There,” Iwas so mad!! But thinking back, Ican’t imagine anyone else to dosuch a stirring cover … beautiful.
11:25 a.m.Some members of the audienceare singing so loud with LionelRichie, clapping with theirsequined gloves on.
11:40 a.m.I remember watching MJ do themoonwalk on the Grammys. Iscreamed at the TV andimmediately tried to imitate him.
11:50 a.m.What a beautiful speech fromBerry Gordy ... standing ovationin the museum.
12:05 p.m.
Everyone is crying. StevieWonder just played my favoriteMJ song that Stevie wrote: “ICan’t Help It.”
12:10 p.m.“They Won’t Go When I Go.”
12:20 p.m.I was hoping Michael Jordan wasgoing to be here.
12:40 p.m.Jennifer Hudson (pregnant?) isamazing. I’m glad they have herhere, what a pillar of strength.
1:00 p.m.YES!! Jennifer’s performance justbrought me to tears.
1:40 p.m.Everyone is screaming, evenoutside: “THANK YOU,MICHAEL!”
2:00 p.m.My heart is so heavy, but I’m sohappy I could be here to SMILEand celebrate MJ’s life. I hope youall continue to smile today.
2:10 p.m.I can’t take pictures right now,but everyone please come downto the Grammy Museum andview MJ’s gloves and outfits wornthroughout the years.
2:15 p.m.I wrote about the GrammyMuseum months ago and got tosee this memorabilia, but now itreally hits home.
2:30 p.m.Just walked outside ... police areon tactical alert. Those crazyhelmets! I asked one if they werejust doing it in honor of theMoonwalker video. He laughed.
2:55 p.m.They gave out gold programbooks to attendees ... pics tocome.
3:00 p.m.Thanks for joining me on thishistoric event. Stay tuned toCampus Circle’s Twitter for moreupdates!
Follow Campus Circle attwitter.com/CampusCircle.
TWITTER ACCOUNTOF THE DAYErica Carter’s Tweets From the Service
Brooke Shields Jennifer Hudson
Michael Jackson’s children: Paris, Prince Michael Iand Prince Michael II
John Mayer Stevie Wonder
Kobe Bryant and Earvin “Magic” Johnson (l to r) Janet, Paris, LaToya, Jermaine and Prince Michael Jackson
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[ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ] Campus Circle | 21
MISTY COPELAND IS POINTING TOWARDsuccess – metaphorically and literally. The 26-year-old SoCal native was theMusic Center Spotlight awardwinner at the age of 15(hailing her the best dancer inSouthern California), and thefirst African-American femaleto be promoted to soloist inAmerican Ballet Theatrehistory. The Big Appleresident takes a bite out of LosAngeles this week.
When did you start dancing?When I was 13.
When did you join ABT, anddescribe that moment?
I joined ABT in 2001. Iwas 19 and thrilled. It was what I had alwaysdreamed of.
What has been one of your greatestjoys/achievements?
One of my greatest achievements was beingpromoted to the rank of soloist. I am the firstAfrican-American female to be promoted to
this rank in over two decades. It was a veryproud moment.
What are some of yourfavorite things about LosAngeles?
The weather and the beachare my favorite things aboutL.A. I must say, the food is notbad either. It has the bestMexican food outside ofMexico, of course.
Talk a little bit about yourfuture.
I have had an amazingcareer at ABT. I have been ableto do so many incrediblethings. That said, I still havemore goals for myself. I would
love to become the first African-Americanfemale principal dancer with ABT. I want tocontinue to open doors for other African-American ballet dancers.
The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is located at 135N. Grand Ave., Downtown. For moreinformation, visit musiccenter.org.
“STOP KISS” WAS ORIGINALLY PENNEDin 1998, but more than 10years later it is still apoignant commentary oflife’s horror, love andbeauty. When Callie andSara meet, they hit it offright away, but when theirfriendship turns intosomething more, Sara isassaulted and Callie must
decide just how much theymean to each other.
Told with completesincerity, “Stop Kiss” is abrilliant exploration ofhumanity. Rogue Machine’sproduction is presented in an
intimate space and stars an outstanding cast ofactresses, who manage to realistically switchfrom jubilant to crushed in five seconds flat.
Watch out for the variousrock covers played betweenscenes – there’s one gem inparticular, but I’m notgiving it away.
Theatre Theater is located at5041 Pico Blvd., Los Angeles.For more information, visitroguemachinetheatre.com.
“SPAMALOT” IS A BRILLIANT,hilariously British comedy. The writers,cast, choreographer and orchestrainfuse parts of “Monty Python” withinthe show for die-hard fans, but thereferences aren’t so obscure that peoplewho have never seen the British showwon’t enjoy themselves just as much.
“Spamalot” should be applauded fortaking a musical that was featured in LasVegas – with the same lead – and formaking audiences roll with laughterduring the entire duration of the play.
The lead, John O’Hurley, is absolutelybrilliant, and the Lady of the Lake, played
by Merle Dandridge, is fabulous. The entirecast gives its all, and “Spamalot” isdefinitely worth watching for“Monty Python” fans and newbiesalike.
Ahmanson Theatre is located at 135 N.Grand Ave., Downtown For moreinformation, visitcentertheatregroup.org.
musical | live on stage
ROMEO AND JULIET’SMISTY COPELANDJuly 16-19 @ Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
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l.a. moves | dance inner circle
curtain call | live on stage
‘STOP KISS’Now-Aug. 23 @ Theatre Theater
B Y M E L I S S A R U S S E L L
Callie (Deborah Puette) and Sara (Kristina Harrison)
John
Fly
nn
Sir Galahad (Ben Davis)and the Lady of the Lake(Merle Dandridge)
Joan
Mar
cus
‘SPAMALOT’Now-Sept. 6 @ Ahmanson Theatre
B Y S A M A N T H A P L O T K I N
Misty Copeland in “Swan Lake”
Gene
Sch
iavo
ne
22 | Campus Circle [ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ]
HUNTINGTON BEACH IS NOTcalled Surf City by accident; laterthis week more than 500,000beachgoers and surfing fans willexperience what makes the O.C. citymaster of the wave as the U.S. Openof Surf celebrates its 50th year.
Huntington Beach’s “SouthSide” hosts the championship event
between July 18 and 26, as about250 talented surfers compete forthe title of world’s greatest waverider. With a purse of $145,000,the last man standing will walkaway with $16,000 in prizemoney and bragging rights.Oxnard’s Nathaniel Curran willbe back to defend his 2008 title.
The open is a premierequalifier, with 2,500 points upfor grabs and a chance toparticipate at coveted breakssuch as Pipeline and Teahupo’oon the line. In addition tocompetitions, the event alsofeatures concerts and an All-Starshow.
For more information, visitusopenofsurfing.com.
surfing | special feature
WITH DAVID BECKHAMwatching from a suite, the LosAngeles Galaxy defeated ChivasUSA as the visiting squad at theHome Depot Center July 11with nearly 24,000 inattendance.
In the 30th minute, forwardEdson Buddle netted a score as
the eventual game-winner. Thegoal was the only offensivepush the Galaxy would need tocollect the crucial three roadpoints.
With the victory, theGalaxy improve to 5-3-9 with atotal of 24 points, currently
good for fifth place in the Western Conferencestandings. Chivas USA (8-5-3, 27 points) drop
to third place with the loss.Soccer icon Beckham is set
to begin practicing with thegroup this week. He will play inthe friendly match between theGalaxy and visiting AC Milan onSunday.
The Galaxy’s next affair isagainst the Red Bulls in NewYork on Thursday at 5 p.m.
galaxy kick
GALAXY WIN BATTLE OF LOS ANGELESTeam Beats Chivas USA 1-0
B Y M A R V I N G . V A S Q U E Z
WELCOME TO THE DULLEST WEEK INsports. With just about every professionalsporting venue empty between Sunday nightand Thursday afternoon, the quietest timein our sports calendar is a perfect time forreminiscences. Here in Los Angeles thatmeans remembering Randy Newman.
He said it best: “I Love L.A.”Oh sure, there are plenty of sports fans
who do NOT love Los Angeles. Just ask thefolks in Orlando. Heck, take a short drivedown to “the O.C.” and ask the sports fansdown there what they think of Los Angeles.
Yet, that is the point. Right now, theaverage L.A. sports fan has so much to love.How can anyone not be envious about whatwe have?
Excuse me for gloating, but here is aquick glance at what the city currentlypossesses: an NBA championship; new hometo Blake Griffin; the best record in MajorLeague Baseball; two great soccer players inDavid Beckham and Landon Donovan whoare at each other’s throats; and, arguably, thegreatest female professional basketball
players in theworld in LisaLeslie andCandace Parker.
And that list does not include UCLAbasketball or USC football, two of thegreatest (and still very relevant) collegiateprograms in their respective sports.
OK, so the closest NFL franchise isabout 200 miles away. Who needs one,especially when we have all the lovely thingslisted above?
How many cities can claim all the aboveaccolades, as well as provide residentialaddresses to some of the biggestpersonalities in sports who also double ascurrent or potential Hall of Famers such asPhil Jackson, Kobe Bryant, Joe Torre, MannyRamirez, Pete Carroll, Ben Howland, Leslie,Parker, Beckham and Donovan, amongothers.
I can go on and on, but you get thepoint. When it comes to the complete sportspackage, sports fans in Los Angeles have itall.
WHO DOESN’T LOVE L.A. SPORTS?We’ve Got So Much to Gloat About
BRITISH COMEDY TROUPEMonty Python is to comedy whatMel Brooks is to Judaism, whatthe Lonely Island is for frat boysand what “Tim and Eric” is toabsurdity combined. Their initialventure, “Monty Python’s FlyingCircus” (which ran on BBC from1969 to 1974), won over audienceswith its nonsensical sketch premises,elongated cold opens and “South Park”-inspiring, stop-motion collage animations.
Their career path from sketch comedyinto mainstream success was unheard of atthe time, but everyone from Adam Sandler toBroken Lizard (Super Troopers) has sincefollowed in their footsteps, signing recorddeals for funny tunes and releasing full-length films to an international audience.The original splendor of turn-of-the-’70sBritish humor lives on through their fivereleased movies and, since 2004, a Broadwaymusical based off their most famous flick,Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
To kick off the first week of the “lovinglyripped off”“Spamalot”’s two-month stop atthe Ahmanson Theatre, the AmericanCinematheque is hosting a Thursday night
double feature of MontyPython’s best work. Filled withmore silly jokes and surrealcomedy than modern stonerhumor can offer, 1983’s MontyPython’s The Meaning of Lifeand 1975’s Holy Grailshowcase the troupe’s two best
sides.Holy Grail is a parody on the
story of King Arthur, filmed inScotland and filled with one-liners.With its breakings of the fourthwall and absurd plot twists, it tookfrom parodies before it (CasinoRoyale came out in ’67) and alsolaid the groundwork for every
parody made after it (Technically, the Britishinvented Scary Movie.).
The Meaning of Life, however, their lastfilm, is the darkest of all five. A smattering ofskits filled with more violence, black humorand mentions of death than before, theMonty Python-ites return to their originalsketch comedy format and in not so manywords, tell us we’re all screwed (also see coverart).
So, if the meaning of life is nothing, thenwhy not fill it with silliness? The movies areplaying in reverse chronological order, whichmakes so little sense that it almost makesperfect sense (and then catch “Spamalot”before it heads to Tucson).
The Egyptian Theatre is located at 6712Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood. For moreinformation, visit americancinematheque.com.
projections | B Y S A R A H B E N N E T T
MONTY PYTHON DOUBLE FEATUREJuly 23 @ Egyptian Theatre
MUSIC AND FASHION HAVEalways gone hand in hand. Musicianshave always been on the forefront oftrendsetting, be it the silver sequinedglove, lace skirts and tops or skinnyjeans. Now the ante has been uppedby adding technology to the mix, with
the release of the Music Tee by Invisible DJ.Teaming up with fashion designer LnA,
the Music Tee features a graphic of thealbum cover on its front and the track listing
on its back. The shirt’s hang tag hasa unique URL for you to exclusivelydownload the music featured onthe tee.
Currently available is the MosDef Music Tee containing TheEcstatic. The Music Tee is currentlyavailable at Ron Herman andlnaclothing.com.
fashion focus | B Y E R I C A C A R T E R
THE MUSIC TEEInvisible DJ brings tunesto your wardrobe.
2008 winner Nathaniel Curran
Galaxy forward Edson Buddle
Chuc
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/MCT
the sports wanderer |B Y PA R I M A L M . R O H I T
U.S. OPEN OFSURFING TURNS 50July 18-26 @ Huntington Beach
B Y PA R I M A L M . R O H I T
Parimal M. Rohit
IT SEEMS AS IF THE SPARKScannot win for anything on the road. Theydefinitely will not win very many games ifCandace Parker struggles to find the scoringcolumn each game.
Parker was limited to just two points onSaturday, and none of her teammates scoredmore than 10 points, as the Washington Mysticsdefeated the Sparks, 75-63, at the Verizon Center.
Trailing by as many as 24 points in thefirst half, the Sparks (4-7, 1-6 on road) battled
back in the second half, tying the game at 63-63. However, the Mystics finished the gamewith a 12-0 run to round out the final score.
Alana Beard paced the Mystics (6-5)with 26 points, including scoring theteam’s first 13 points.
The Sparks, who were without Lisa Leslie,struggled from the field, missing 11 of theirfirst 12 shots and shooting 37 percent for thegame. Shannon Bobbitt and Betty Lennox ledthe Sparks with 10 points each.
The Sparks continue their road seriesagainst the Storm in Seattle July 22 andagainst the Lynx in Minneapolis July 28.
All stats as of July 13.
l.a. hoopla | B Y P A R I M A L M . R O H I T
SPARKS DROP SIXTH ROAD GAME
[ JULY 15 - JULY 28 ’09 ] Campus Circle | 23
HOLY $#!+, BATMAN! IT’S ALMOST THATtime of year again, thatfinal weekend of July whennerds of every faith(anime, comic book, sci-fi,video game, movies, TV,etc.) descend on San Diegoto commune with fans andcreators alike. From itsmeager beginnings withattendance of 145 in 1970,
Comic-Con hasgrown towelcome upwardsof 126,000 andthis year will bean all-time high.
Although it isnamed Comic-Con, sequential art is certainlynot the only subject. Panels featuring the castand crews from many of the most popular TV
shows and films will be onhand to answer questionsand reveal what to expect inupcoming seasons.
Preview screenings ofupcoming films are alsocommon.
For more information, visitcomic-con.org.
get up, get out! | events guide
COMIC-CON 2009July 23-26 @ San Diego Convention Center
B Y A . J . G R I E R
WHILE PROFESSIONAL TENNIS PLAYERSbattled it out in suburban London for racketsupremacy, the world’s best volleyball playerswill be hitting the sand hard this weekend tobe immortalized several feetabove the calm waters of thePacific Ocean.
July 16 through 19, theAVP makes its annual stop inManhattan Beach, wheresome of the greatest legendsof beach volleyball havestaked their claim. Known asthe “Wimbledon of BeachVolleyball,” the four-dayManhattan Beach Open will feature two 64-team brackets, including single eliminationqualifier bracket (one for each gender) and amain draw double elimination bracket.
Also known as the “granddaddy” event,this year’s event will feature some of theusual big names of beach volleyball,including Phil Dalhausser, Todd Rogers,Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh-Jennings.
In the men’s bracket, Ty Loomis and
Casey Peterson will try to win consecutivetournaments. The duo is fresh off an upsetvictory over top seeds John Hyden and SeanScott at last week’s Coney Island Open in
New York. Hyden-Scott andDalhausser-Rogers will begunning for the top spot atAVP’s flagship event thisweek.
On the women’s side,Carrie Dodd and DianneDeNecochea won their firsttitle of 2009 at the ConeyIsland Open and hope torepeat their success in
Manhattan Beach.The third of four stops in metro Los
Angeles, the Manhattan Beach Tour will startits qualifier competition on July 16 on thesouth side of the pier, followed by the maindraw competition on July 17. The main eventwill be on July 19, with the firstchampionship match starting at 2:30 p.m.
Doors open as early as 7:00 a.m. For moreinformation, visit avp.com.
AVP SPIKES INTOMANHATTAN BEACHVolleyball tour returns to flagship city.B Y P A R I M A L M . R O H I T
sports | beach volleyball
Carrie Dodd and team mate Dianne DeNecochea(not pictured) hope to repeat their Coney Islandvictory in Manhattan Beach.
avp.
com
inner circle
FRIDAY, JULY 17
HollywoodCollectors &Celebrities ShowBurbank Airport Marriott,2500 North Hollywood Way;hollywoodshow.com
Costumes and props willbe auctioned, plus “HappyDays” and Bond Girl reunionsand Jasonpalooza (with all ofthe Jasons from Friday the13th). 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Sat, 10a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun, 10 a.m.-4p.m. $15-$35.
SATURDAY, JULY 18
HollywoodConfidentialScavenger Huntoutoftheboxevents.net
Clues reveal movielocations, unsolved mysteriesand trivia of famouslandmarks. If you think youknow Hollywood, take a closerlook and see what youuncover. $25 per person. 5p.m. Also Sunday.
North Hollywood Artand Crafts FairAvery Schreiber TheatreCourtyard, 11050 MagnoliaBlvd., North Hollywood
Here’s your chance tomeet top artists, designers andvendors. 9 a.m.-4 p.m.Saturdays and Sundaysthrough Nov. 1. FREE.
Rat Press BookSigningsArcLight Hollywood, 6360W. Sunset Blvd., Hollywood;ratpress.com
Brett Ratner, Scott Caan,James Toback and LawrenceGrobel discuss and sign theircelebrity-centric books. 7:30p.m. FREE.
FRIDAY, JULY 24
Classic Rock Nightat the L.A. Zoolazoo.org
Seven bands covereverything from the Beatles toLed Zeppelin to the Eaglesand even some reggae thrownin for good measure. 6 p.m.-9p.m. $16.50.
SATURDAY, JULY 25
25th AnniversaryCelebration of LifeMi Alma Gallery & Garden,4016 Santa Monica Blvd.,Silver Lake (562) 754-6763
A fundraiser for ReneAlexZander, who has livedwith AIDS for 25 years, toattempt the AIDS Project LosAngeles marathon. Noon-10p.m. FREE.
Nightlights, AParty! to Benefit826LAe2 Building, 941 E. 2nd St.,Downtown; 826la.org
This is What We Imagine(TIWWI) presents live musicfrom Princeton, the Botticellisand Voxhaul, comedy fromJonah Ray and Tig Notaro,performance art andinstallations. 8 p.m. $12advance, $15 door.
SUNDAY, JULY 26
Dessert DecadenceRenaissance Hotel,Hollywood & Highland;drinkeatplay.com/dessertdecadence
If you have a sweet tooth,don’t miss this sugaryextravaganza with LosAngeles’ best pastry chefs,bakeries and chocolatiers. 5p.m.-8 p.m. $40.
MONDAY, JULY 27
Countrywide ClassicL.A. Tennis Center, 555
Westwood Plaza, UCLA;countrywideclassic.com
Professional men’s tennismakes its 83rd straight visit toLos Angeles. Scheduled toappear are the BryanBrothers, Marat Safin,Tommy Haas, Mardy Fish andSam Querrey. ThroughSunday.
SATURDAY, JULY 18 Family Book Signing and PartySpace 15 Twenty, 1520 N. Cahuenga Blvd.,Hollywood; space15twenty.com
The collection of images from Lauren Dukoff’s photography bookFamily includes Devendra Banhart, Bat for Lashes and many others.Also, artwork by Banhart and Adam Tullie, an intimate performancefrom Banhart, Tullie and Greg Rogove and a DJ set by TurquoiseWisdom. 7 p.m. RSVP at [email protected].
the 10 spot | B Y F R E D E R I C K M I N T C H E L L
For more events, visitcampuscircle.com/calendar.
To submit an event for consideration, e-mail [email protected].{ }
