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(07/25/02 8:23pm)
AOI:Bionix\nDe La Soul\nTommyboy\nSelf-styled and trend defiant, De La Soul continues to maintain diversity in the hip-hop landscape. It's latest album, AOI: Bionix, is the second of three Art Official Intelligence discs. Triple disc sets are ambitious attempts for any group, but by releasing each CD separately, De La Soul lets them have souls of their own. \nBionix paints its picture with dark pastels. It is mellow, rich and thoughtful but with enough comic relief to keep it entertaining. It starts with a classic east coast intro laced with soulful voices and a "Jingle Bells"-like sample. From that point you can tell that De La wants you to stay sharp and pay attention to their own brand of quirkiness.\nNext, Baby Phat, Bionix's first single, shows De La's continued push for self-awareness, which has been prevalent in every De La disc since Me, Myself and I. "Your shape is not what I date" and "Every woman ain't a video chick/ Or run way model anorexic" exemplify the song. They rap, "Let me compliment your size/because it's nothing but a little baby fat." This is the antithesis of body image in popular culture. Supporting a woman's right to be her natural size is not new, but De La definitely makes the comments seem genuine. The music video for this song is also a must see because it shows their vision of a big girl without exploiting them.\n"Trying People" is the message song on the disc. Voiceovers throughout the disc claim that the song is amazing, but it's just a positive message. It wants people to try to help themselves and those around them. It also talks about the difficulties of success, mainly that successful people are role models whether they like it or not. \nA common element that taints the success is from the people left behind. "When I came back around the way/old friends gave me dead eyes and fake smiles/we were supposed to rid the world of danger." They seem to wonder whether they abandoned their friends or whether their friends did not try hard enough. The song can make you think if you are willing to listen. The rest of the disc contains some locker room sex humor helped by Slick Rick, and the dope humor or "Ghost Weed" continued from the first disc. It even parodies our overdose of patriotism by promoting American grown weed.\nOverall, this disc is solid. It balances the weight of the self-awareness and resistance to being overly influenced by pop culture with marijuana and sex jokes. It has just enough guest appearances liven things up. Most importantly, it continues the first disc well enough to maintain its position as part of a three-disc set.\n
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Most bands are not made for a primetime television show and have nothing to do with Orlando. Often, they are composed of your friends, siblings or neighbors. You have always wanted to hear them play, but question whether they are making music or just sitting in a garage, guitar in hand. \nBut one day a local club gives them a break, lets them perform in public and even pays them. Then your friends are a legitimate band, and their music is better than you could have imagined. \nOne place in Bloomington gives local musicians and fledgling national acts that chance. It is called Second Story.\n"We do original music -- we don't really do cover bands," bartender John Vitello says. "We're more concerned with getting the music out."\nMusicians from all genres play. Rock is a mainstay with recent shows by local groups The Post and the Ventilators exemplifying this. Blues, punk, alternative country and bluegrass bands have also graced the stage in addition to occasional electronic and hip-hop acts. \n"There are a lot of really good bands that have started out here," Deke Hagan of the Ventilators says. "There is a great audience for roots rock and a great art rock scene." \nAlthough the music varies, the crowds are engaged by the shows. They want to see real people play real music and then they tell their friends about it. \n"I came here because people recommended it," says Zach Jenkins, a graduate student. "This is more a club. I like the mixture of people also; not too many are from one social group."\nThe musicians also appreciate the audience.\n"The audiences are really responsive," Hagan adds. "You're not just background music."\nSecond Story booking agent Scott Logsdon believes that the music scene in Bloomington has tapered slightly, but "the pendulum is swinging back up," he says. Trends in music, such as a general revival in rock and roll, have also helped. Alternative country has been big because of the "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack, says Logsdon. \nEmployees and customers emphasize the fact that the bands don't play other people's music. Some bands will play covers of others' work, but they will do it in an original way. \nNational acts are also important business for Second Story. They play there before many people have ever heard of them. Second Story's acts stir under popular culture and influence mainstream music. Groups like White Stripes, Nashville Pussy and Tortoise have played as recently as October. Percussionist Hamid Drake and bluegrass artist Gillian Welch remind the community of the diversity that abounds at the nightclub, Logsdon says.\nDJs also spin tunes now and then. Staff member Jeff Phagan says the most popular regular event is the Latin Dance Party, which happens twice each month. The dance floor is classic parquet and the walls wood paneled. And if you come early enough, you can even learn how to do some dances before the actual dancing starts. It also provides a venue for a genre of music that is often overlooked.\n"Customers from the Latin dance nights are excellent," Logsdon says. "Even though it's not original music, it has come to mean a lot to us."\nPhysically, Second Story is an actual dance hall and can be used for just about any function because of its openess. Usually, it is a listening room and ideal for small intimate shows. The stage is low and deep. It can host a one-man show without the cold empty space of an auditorium or a seven person set without being cramped. It has lights in parts of the floor and red and green globes on ceiling lamps. \nBloomington had another place singularly devoted to original music -- the Cellar Lounge, which closed its doors this winter. It featured many bluegrass and country singers with guitars, among other genres. It provided more choices to the community and a chance for multiple styles and groups to play at the same time. With its closing, Second Story plans to pick up the country/bluegrass slack from the Cellar, a niche it actually held before that facility opened. \n"It's sad to see it go," Hager says. "In its three years we put in more shows than anywhere else, because it was open six days a week as compared to two like Second Story. I put a lot of effort into (the Cellar) and it leaves a void. But Second Story can fill it."\nSecond Story's largest remaining competition for live music are the Bluebird Nightclub and Uncle Fester's. They have different audiences, but occasionally go after the same talent. Some regional and national groups break into the local market at Second Story and then move to larger venues when they return to Bloomington. Logsdon supports live music throughout the city because he believes, "What's good for the scene is good for everyone."\nThe 21-and-over venue is still a business and like all bars, makes its money from liquor sales. Door money goes to the band and staff to support sound and lights. This makes the goal of providing untested bands difficult. Second Story continues to stay true to its diverse customer base by offering what other venues don't, a place for musicians to express themselves as they would like.\n"We have to take risks," Logsdon says.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
The victim of a car accident caused by driving while talking on a cell phone, New York Assemblyman Felix Ortiz decided to take matters into his own hands when he drafted the first bill to regulate cell phone use on American roadways through the New York State Legislature in 1996. \n"I was driving from my district office to visit the borough president," Ortiz said. "The person in front of me was wavering. I thought he was drunk, and then he hit a (telephone) pole." \nThe accident Ortiz described was caused by a man who was talking on his cell phone. \nThree years later, Brooklyn, Ohio, became one of the first cities to actually pass legislation restricting cell phone use. Mary-Jo Banish, assistant clerk to council in Brooklyn, recalls one of the many cell phone-related accidents.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Educated beer drinkers are everywhere in Bloomington, but a much smaller number are actually educated about beer. Beer is a complex drink that comes in many styles and flavors. It is more than a quick way to get drunk. Big Red Liquors will help the community experience beer at its Ninth Annual Big Red Liquors Beer Festival today and tomorrow.\nNine years ago, Big Red was a small business. Creating the Beer Fest was a simple way for people to sample what the store had to offer.\n"Big Red has always had a big selection of imports and micro brews," says Philisha Nobis, director of Big Red Liquors public relations. "We needed a way to showcase all of the things we carry."\nBig Red's festival lasts two days. For an entrance fee customers can sample all of the beers exhibited for a three-hour period. Each customer gets a small glass for tasting. \nSince it began, this has become one of the premiere beer festivals in the region. Big Red expects to have more than 200 brews this year that range from popular to obscure. Nobis sees the event as a way to reach beyond customer's regular choices of beer.\n"We get those who only like Coors Light. Then they find something new and leave liking three beers instead of one," Nobis says.\nYogi's Grill and Bar manager Andrew Stamper says that many young (inexperienced) student drinkers want to get drunk, but drinking beer doesn't have to mean over-indulging.\n"It's good to get beer that is more than what gets you drunk," Stamper says. "A fair amount (of attendees) get a better appreciation and a knowledge of flavors and styles. It has all the beers you've heard of and seen and you can find a new favorite."\nStamper also intends to educate himself while at the festival. Stamper, who likes hoppy beers with lots of flavor, has been to the festival twice. He says he asks many questions to find out how the beer is brewed. Big Red's Web site (www.bigredliquors.com) provides a glossary of more than 100 beer terms. They are a small indication as to the complexity of brewing and judging beer. The terms are OK to read but only tasting will help you know about beer.\nBrewers and distributors come from around the country as well as from here in Bloomington. Experts such as Ed Herrmann, head brewer of the Upland Brewing Company, will help educate consumers. He says that although the basic categories of beer are ale and lager, the blend of ingredients gives distinctive flavors. He calls Upland's Porter a bitter chocolate flavor with a honey-like finish; the Wiezen, fruity with the spiciness of cloves; while the Whit is sour yet thirst-quenching. None of the beers contain chocolate or cloves but the science behind the yeast and hops make that flavor possible.\n"We maintain our yeast in-house. It is very much like a microbiology lab," Herrmann, who studied biology at IU, says. "We are very scientific about our yeast cultures."\nUpland is also using the event to introduce a new beer. They will unveil its Maibock, a German spring beer, on a horse-drawn cart. Upland will also host Maifest, an all-day beer event on Saturday at its restaurant. They will drive the horse cart around town to selected bars that will offer Maibock. German food and a polka band will cap off the celebration of Upland's new beverage. \nOther countries' beer styles will also be available to sample, including Belgian and English styles.\nFirst-time festival attendee and senior Anya Guest says she was introduced to different types of beer while studying in Prague. She says she likes beers that are stronger than American beers and that her favorite, Velvet, is as smooth as ice cream. \n"I had the opportunity to try East European beer and just liked the taste," Guest says.\nGuest says her brother told her about the festival and she's eager to go this year.\nMandy Smith, a senior, expects to have as many as 30 people her go with her this year, an increase from 10 last year. She goes to the festival because she likes the variety. Nobis says people have called as much as three months in advance to find exact information about the event. \nThe festival is held at the Monroe County Convention Center. Stamper believes that this gives the event an enhanced since of credibility.\n"It's a festival, an organized event," Stamper says. "I think it is perceived as professional."\nSome have complained that the event is too short at three hours or that the glass each attendee uses is too small. The goal of the event is to allow people to taste a wide variety of beer and to pick up a few new favorites. All of the brewery representatives are allowed to come without paying an entry fee, which makes it accessible to many.\nBig groups and vast quantities of beer bring out the entire Bloomington community. Nobis estimates that the crowd's age ranges from 21 to 75 and that 1,200 people will attend. She adds that because many students are not 21, they will scrutinize all identification.\n"We want people who enjoy to be responsible," Nobis says.\nThe Ninth Annual Big Red Beer Festival will take place today and tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Monroe County Convention Center. Today's event is $25 dollars. Advance Friday tickets are $25 dollars or $30 the day of the event. All proceeds will be donated to Wonderlab, The Museum of Science and Technology.
(04/10/02 4:00am)
Educated beer drinkers are everywhere in Bloomington, but a much smaller number are actually educated about beer. Beer is a complex drink that comes in many styles and flavors. It is more than a quick way to get drunk. Big Red Liquors will help the community experience beer at its Ninth Annual Big Red Liquors Beer Festival today and tomorrow.\nNine years ago, Big Red was a small business. Creating the Beer Fest was a simple way for people to sample what the store had to offer.\n"Big Red has always had a big selection of imports and micro brews," says Philisha Nobis, director of Big Red Liquors public relations. "We needed a way to showcase all of the things we carry."\nBig Red's festival lasts two days. For an entrance fee customers can sample all of the beers exhibited for a three-hour period. Each customer gets a small glass for tasting. \nSince it began, this has become one of the premiere beer festivals in the region. Big Red expects to have more than 200 brews this year that range from popular to obscure. Nobis sees the event as a way to reach beyond customer's regular choices of beer.\n"We get those who only like Coors Light. Then they find something new and leave liking three beers instead of one," Nobis says.\nYogi's Grill and Bar manager Andrew Stamper says that many young (inexperienced) student drinkers want to get drunk, but drinking beer doesn't have to mean over-indulging.\n"It's good to get beer that is more than what gets you drunk," Stamper says. "A fair amount (of attendees) get a better appreciation and a knowledge of flavors and styles. It has all the beers you've heard of and seen and you can find a new favorite."\nStamper also intends to educate himself while at the festival. Stamper, who likes hoppy beers with lots of flavor, has been to the festival twice. He says he asks many questions to find out how the beer is brewed. Big Red's Web site (www.bigredliquors.com) provides a glossary of more than 100 beer terms. They are a small indication as to the complexity of brewing and judging beer. The terms are OK to read but only tasting will help you know about beer.\nBrewers and distributors come from around the country as well as from here in Bloomington. Experts such as Ed Herrmann, head brewer of the Upland Brewing Company, will help educate consumers. He says that although the basic categories of beer are ale and lager, the blend of ingredients gives distinctive flavors. He calls Upland's Porter a bitter chocolate flavor with a honey-like finish; the Wiezen, fruity with the spiciness of cloves; while the Whit is sour yet thirst-quenching. None of the beers contain chocolate or cloves but the science behind the yeast and hops make that flavor possible.\n"We maintain our yeast in-house. It is very much like a microbiology lab," Herrmann, who studied biology at IU, says. "We are very scientific about our yeast cultures."\nUpland is also using the event to introduce a new beer. They will unveil its Maibock, a German spring beer, on a horse-drawn cart. Upland will also host Maifest, an all-day beer event on Saturday at its restaurant. They will drive the horse cart around town to selected bars that will offer Maibock. German food and a polka band will cap off the celebration of Upland's new beverage. \nOther countries' beer styles will also be available to sample, including Belgian and English styles.\nFirst-time festival attendee and senior Anya Guest says she was introduced to different types of beer while studying in Prague. She says she likes beers that are stronger than American beers and that her favorite, Velvet, is as smooth as ice cream. \n"I had the opportunity to try East European beer and just liked the taste," Guest says.\nGuest says her brother told her about the festival and she's eager to go this year.\nMandy Smith, a senior, expects to have as many as 30 people her go with her this year, an increase from 10 last year. She goes to the festival because she likes the variety. Nobis says people have called as much as three months in advance to find exact information about the event. \nThe festival is held at the Monroe County Convention Center. Stamper believes that this gives the event an enhanced since of credibility.\n"It's a festival, an organized event," Stamper says. "I think it is perceived as professional."\nSome have complained that the event is too short at three hours or that the glass each attendee uses is too small. The goal of the event is to allow people to taste a wide variety of beer and to pick up a few new favorites. All of the brewery representatives are allowed to come without paying an entry fee, which makes it accessible to many.\nBig groups and vast quantities of beer bring out the entire Bloomington community. Nobis estimates that the crowd's age ranges from 21 to 75 and that 1,200 people will attend. She adds that because many students are not 21, they will scrutinize all identification.\n"We want people who enjoy to be responsible," Nobis says.\nThe Ninth Annual Big Red Beer Festival will take place today and tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Monroe County Convention Center. Today's event is $25 dollars. Advance Friday tickets are $25 dollars or $30 the day of the event. All proceeds will be donated to Wonderlab, The Museum of Science and Technology.
(02/20/02 4:15pm)
Bartenders and deejays control the night. The doorman might allow you into the bar, but he doesn't mix your favorite drink. He can't play your favorite music. The bartender and deejay determine the mood, heart and soul of a bar. At Bullwinkle's, DJ Devin "Triptonite" Gray and bartender Jennifer Gray are also the heart and soul of each other as husband and wife.\nMarriage, or any sort of monogamy, is not generally associated with bars, even less with spirited dance or gay clubs like Bullwinkle's. But environments full of young singles have spawned many relationships, including this one. \nThe Grays, both IU graduates, met at Bullwinkle's in 1997. Their passion for dance music led them to them this outpost of electronica. It was the only place in town that played the music he likes, Devin says. Jenn even says that Devin and his taste in music has made her a musical "snob."\nBull's not only provides, but also allows Devin to play the music he likes. He began as a volunteer substitute DJ, and he's spun house and trance for nearly five years. His playlist ranges from dance remixes of crowd favorites Britney Spears and Madonna to his favorites Modjo and Daft Punk.\n"I love deejaying. I just love making people happy and getting people to dance. It makes me feel really good," Devin says. \nJenn has been going to Bull's since she was first old enough to get in. She first went for an HIV/AIDS benefit when she says she "fell in love" with the people and the place, and has been there ever since. \n"I tend to find that most gay people have already gone through so much crap that with their sexuality that the kind of people that they are, they are much more open and honest," Jenn says.\n"They have already come to a lot of self-realization."\nJenn has been a bartender for four years. For her, working at Bullwinkle's is like getting money to hang out, she says. She enjoys making "really elaborate, tall drinks." She just created a drink called a "mindnumb-er," a combination of fruit-flavored liquors. Her personal drink is the "Jenn #1," which includes Malibu and pineapple juice in the mix, which she describes as "pretty deadly." \nFrom meeting to marriage\nDevin did not expect to meet his future spose at a bar. Although they met at the bar, the story that began their relationship was anything but a bar pick-up. \n"I would sit here at the table every night and watch her dance," Devin says. "I was waiting for her to fix me up with someone, and who would have guessed that it was gonna be her."\nJenn invited Devin on their first date. Jenn was treasurer of the IU Student Association, so they attended an IUSA function. Devin believed that they were going simply as friends. Jenn had other plans.\n"(It was) not a 'date' date, but she wanted me to go be with her," Devin says. "I was like, 'Sure, I will go with you.' It was a 'date' date."\nThey dated for nine months before getting engaged. Both say it was something they just knew -- that they had found a soul mate. All of Jenn's friends were very excited for them, but some of the female impersonators at the bar had small misgivings.\n"(They thought) that Devin didn't give me a big enough diamond," Jenn says. "Because they all wear costume jewelry, you know, the great big diamonds. I think seeing an actual diamond to them was a shocker."\nThe wedding was pretty traditional Jenn says, but that would not describe their wedding in full. The Grays knew that they would have conservative family members among the 350 guests, who were not accepting some of their friends, but they still had a good time. They even went to Bullwinkle's after the reception.\n"It was everybody from super-conservative folks to drag queens," Jenn says. "I think they (conservative family members) knew better than to really say anything about the others. All the drag queens came as boys. They all had on suits and they were late too, so they snuck in with suits and ties on. It was so funny 'cause they had never seen them as boys," Jenn says. \n"Who cares? I told them they could come however they want," she adds.\nDevin and Jenn only work part time at Bull's. Each has a full-time job in addition to their night jobs. Devin is a cost analyst at Teletron, a telecommunications company, while Jenn manages Urban Outfitters. Each job is a major responsibility, but they remain committed to Bull's as well.\nEach Gray works at Bull's Thursday and Saturday nights. Thursdays, Jenn works from 8:30 p.m. until close at 3 a.m. or later. Devin starts at midnight and spins until 3 a.m. for a segment called Danceparty. \nBoth bartending and deejaying require full attention, and the Grays have little time to interact while working. The DJ booth and the bar are also about 40 feet, and large crowds, away from each other.\n"I don't really see her during the night," Devin says. "She is really busy with customers. Occasionally, she will be really sweet, and she'll send me up a drink if I have not been down to ask for one. I don't really have time between songs to order my own drink."\nBar-goers flirt and flirt heavily. Devin and Jenn have both had their share of propositions, even with the other only a few yards away. The invitations have decreased in frequency, but they are still a part of the job.\n"Some people know that we are married and some people don't," Devin says. "Some people still come up to the booth. The men make passes at me. They don't know that I am married or that my wife is the manager standing behind the bar watching them try to hit on me. And the same thing with women, they'll come up to the booth and request a song and flirt with me."\nJenn doesn't put up with anyone hitting on her. It usually occurs while she is dancing, not bartending. Devin has intervened before, but it is not generally necessary. The couple is very trusting of one another.\n"He knows I can take care of myself," Jenn says. "If I ever need him, I know he will be right there. For the most part people are just stupid and drunk. I usually don't do too much but I have had a couple of people thrown out for trying to grind on me."\nJenn says she thinks that most recent flirting is a result of patrons wanting small favors. They think being on the bartender's good side has its benefits.\n"There's, like, the whole bartender idolatry, DJ idolatry," she says. "We're both in those positions that, for one reason or another, it's advantageous to know us. Either to get a good drink, a fast drink or to get their song played. So I think that's why we get hit on a lot now. \nMany firms don't allow relatives or married couples to work together. The Grays experienced this when they tried to work a day job together, but were not allowed. Policies prohibiting family co-workers are not contentious issues like they once were, but they still cause conflicts. It has not been not a problem at Bullwinkle's, even though Jenn has been Devin's superior at times.\n"I totally believe that in a professional job and a professional setting that we could work and do our jobs and be very good about working and doing our jobs together," Devin says. "When you got to work at 8 o'clock in the morning you do your job and you separate that from your personal life and at 5 o'clock in the afternoon you go back to being husband and wife. While you are at work you are doing a job."\nThe Gray's are also proponents of gay rights, HIV/AIDS awareness and feminism. Jenn claims that her "soap box" is bigger than Devin's because he is not vocal. Jenn was the auctioneer for the Positive Link annual AIDS awareness benefit that was held at Bullwinkle's last week which raised more than $1,400. Longtime friend and co-worker Greg Bell says that Jenn is committed to the gay community. He has worked with her on benefits for several years including the auction.\n"People know that they can trust in her," Bell says. "She's a real resource in the community. People know they can go to her."\nThe couple has many ties to the community. They plan on leaving Bloomington for someplace warm eventually, but say they think it will be difficult. They say they are content with their marriage and will be happy as long as they are together.\n"I think the best thing I like about married life is the fact that I've got someone who I know I am going to spend the rest of my life with, as opposed to going out every night of the week looking for somebody to spend the rest of my life with," Devin says. "I've found her and I just love her. And now I can spend the rest of my life with her and make the most of it"
(02/20/02 5:00am)
Bartenders and deejays control the night. The doorman might allow you into the bar, but he doesn't mix your favorite drink. He can't play your favorite music. The bartender and deejay determine the mood, heart and soul of a bar. At Bullwinkle's, DJ Devin "Triptonite" Gray and bartender Jennifer Gray are also the heart and soul of each other as husband and wife.\nMarriage, or any sort of monogamy, is not generally associated with bars, even less with spirited dance or gay clubs like Bullwinkle's. But environments full of young singles have spawned many relationships, including this one. \nThe Grays, both IU graduates, met at Bullwinkle's in 1997. Their passion for dance music led them to them this outpost of electronica. It was the only place in town that played the music he likes, Devin says. Jenn even says that Devin and his taste in music has made her a musical "snob."\nBull's not only provides, but also allows Devin to play the music he likes. He began as a volunteer substitute DJ, and he's spun house and trance for nearly five years. His playlist ranges from dance remixes of crowd favorites Britney Spears and Madonna to his favorites Modjo and Daft Punk.\n"I love deejaying. I just love making people happy and getting people to dance. It makes me feel really good," Devin says. \nJenn has been going to Bull's since she was first old enough to get in. She first went for an HIV/AIDS benefit when she says she "fell in love" with the people and the place, and has been there ever since. \n"I tend to find that most gay people have already gone through so much crap that with their sexuality that the kind of people that they are, they are much more open and honest," Jenn says.\n"They have already come to a lot of self-realization."\nJenn has been a bartender for four years. For her, working at Bullwinkle's is like getting money to hang out, she says. She enjoys making "really elaborate, tall drinks." She just created a drink called a "mindnumb-er," a combination of fruit-flavored liquors. Her personal drink is the "Jenn #1," which includes Malibu and pineapple juice in the mix, which she describes as "pretty deadly." \nFrom meeting to marriage\nDevin did not expect to meet his future spose at a bar. Although they met at the bar, the story that began their relationship was anything but a bar pick-up. \n"I would sit here at the table every night and watch her dance," Devin says. "I was waiting for her to fix me up with someone, and who would have guessed that it was gonna be her."\nJenn invited Devin on their first date. Jenn was treasurer of the IU Student Association, so they attended an IUSA function. Devin believed that they were going simply as friends. Jenn had other plans.\n"(It was) not a 'date' date, but she wanted me to go be with her," Devin says. "I was like, 'Sure, I will go with you.' It was a 'date' date."\nThey dated for nine months before getting engaged. Both say it was something they just knew -- that they had found a soul mate. All of Jenn's friends were very excited for them, but some of the female impersonators at the bar had small misgivings.\n"(They thought) that Devin didn't give me a big enough diamond," Jenn says. "Because they all wear costume jewelry, you know, the great big diamonds. I think seeing an actual diamond to them was a shocker."\nThe wedding was pretty traditional Jenn says, but that would not describe their wedding in full. The Grays knew that they would have conservative family members among the 350 guests, who were not accepting some of their friends, but they still had a good time. They even went to Bullwinkle's after the reception.\n"It was everybody from super-conservative folks to drag queens," Jenn says. "I think they (conservative family members) knew better than to really say anything about the others. All the drag queens came as boys. They all had on suits and they were late too, so they snuck in with suits and ties on. It was so funny 'cause they had never seen them as boys," Jenn says. \n"Who cares? I told them they could come however they want," she adds.\nDevin and Jenn only work part time at Bull's. Each has a full-time job in addition to their night jobs. Devin is a cost analyst at Teletron, a telecommunications company, while Jenn manages Urban Outfitters. Each job is a major responsibility, but they remain committed to Bull's as well.\nEach Gray works at Bull's Thursday and Saturday nights. Thursdays, Jenn works from 8:30 p.m. until close at 3 a.m. or later. Devin starts at midnight and spins until 3 a.m. for a segment called Danceparty. \nBoth bartending and deejaying require full attention, and the Grays have little time to interact while working. The DJ booth and the bar are also about 40 feet, and large crowds, away from each other.\n"I don't really see her during the night," Devin says. "She is really busy with customers. Occasionally, she will be really sweet, and she'll send me up a drink if I have not been down to ask for one. I don't really have time between songs to order my own drink."\nBar-goers flirt and flirt heavily. Devin and Jenn have both had their share of propositions, even with the other only a few yards away. The invitations have decreased in frequency, but they are still a part of the job.\n"Some people know that we are married and some people don't," Devin says. "Some people still come up to the booth. The men make passes at me. They don't know that I am married or that my wife is the manager standing behind the bar watching them try to hit on me. And the same thing with women, they'll come up to the booth and request a song and flirt with me."\nJenn doesn't put up with anyone hitting on her. It usually occurs while she is dancing, not bartending. Devin has intervened before, but it is not generally necessary. The couple is very trusting of one another.\n"He knows I can take care of myself," Jenn says. "If I ever need him, I know he will be right there. For the most part people are just stupid and drunk. I usually don't do too much but I have had a couple of people thrown out for trying to grind on me."\nJenn says she thinks that most recent flirting is a result of patrons wanting small favors. They think being on the bartender's good side has its benefits.\n"There's, like, the whole bartender idolatry, DJ idolatry," she says. "We're both in those positions that, for one reason or another, it's advantageous to know us. Either to get a good drink, a fast drink or to get their song played. So I think that's why we get hit on a lot now. \nMany firms don't allow relatives or married couples to work together. The Grays experienced this when they tried to work a day job together, but were not allowed. Policies prohibiting family co-workers are not contentious issues like they once were, but they still cause conflicts. It has not been not a problem at Bullwinkle's, even though Jenn has been Devin's superior at times.\n"I totally believe that in a professional job and a professional setting that we could work and do our jobs and be very good about working and doing our jobs together," Devin says. "When you got to work at 8 o'clock in the morning you do your job and you separate that from your personal life and at 5 o'clock in the afternoon you go back to being husband and wife. While you are at work you are doing a job."\nThe Gray's are also proponents of gay rights, HIV/AIDS awareness and feminism. Jenn claims that her "soap box" is bigger than Devin's because he is not vocal. Jenn was the auctioneer for the Positive Link annual AIDS awareness benefit that was held at Bullwinkle's last week which raised more than $1,400. Longtime friend and co-worker Greg Bell says that Jenn is committed to the gay community. He has worked with her on benefits for several years including the auction.\n"People know that they can trust in her," Bell says. "She's a real resource in the community. People know they can go to her."\nThe couple has many ties to the community. They plan on leaving Bloomington for someplace warm eventually, but say they think it will be difficult. They say they are content with their marriage and will be happy as long as they are together.\n"I think the best thing I like about married life is the fact that I've got someone who I know I am going to spend the rest of my life with, as opposed to going out every night of the week looking for somebody to spend the rest of my life with," Devin says. "I've found her and I just love her. And now I can spend the rest of my life with her and make the most of it"
(01/16/02 5:00am)
Most bands are not made for a primetime television show and have nothing to do with Orlando. Often, they are composed of your friends, siblings or neighbors. You have always wanted to hear them play, but question whether they are making music or just sitting in a garage, guitar in hand. \nBut one day a local club gives them a break, lets them perform in public and even pays them. Then your friends are a legitimate band, and their music is better than you could have imagined. \nOne place in Bloomington gives local musicians and fledgling national acts that chance. It is called Second Story.\n"We do original music -- we don't really do cover bands," bartender John Vitello says. "We're more concerned with getting the music out."\nMusicians from all genres play. Rock is a mainstay with recent shows by local groups The Post and the Ventilators exemplifying this. Blues, punk, alternative country and bluegrass bands have also graced the stage in addition to occasional electronic and hip-hop acts. \n"There are a lot of really good bands that have started out here," Deke Hagan of the Ventilators says. "There is a great audience for roots rock and a great art rock scene." \nAlthough the music varies, the crowds are engaged by the shows. They want to see real people play real music and then they tell their friends about it. \n"I came here because people recommended it," says Zach Jenkins, a graduate student. "This is more a club. I like the mixture of people also; not too many are from one social group."\nThe musicians also appreciate the audience.\n"The audiences are really responsive," Hagan adds. "You're not just background music."\nSecond Story booking agent Scott Logsdon believes that the music scene in Bloomington has tapered slightly, but "the pendulum is swinging back up," he says. Trends in music, such as a general revival in rock and roll, have also helped. Alternative country has been big because of the "Oh, Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack, says Logsdon. \nEmployees and customers emphasize the fact that the bands don't play other people's music. Some bands will play covers of others' work, but they will do it in an original way. \nNational acts are also important business for Second Story. They play there before many people have ever heard of them. Second Story's acts stir under popular culture and influence mainstream music. Groups like White Stripes, Nashville Pussy and Tortoise have played as recently as October. Percussionist Hamid Drake and bluegrass artist Gillian Welch remind the community of the diversity that abounds at the nightclub, Logsdon says.\nDJs also spin tunes now and then. Staff member Jeff Phagan says the most popular regular event is the Latin Dance Party, which happens twice each month. The dance floor is classic parquet and the walls wood paneled. And if you come early enough, you can even learn how to do some dances before the actual dancing starts. It also provides a venue for a genre of music that is often overlooked.\n"Customers from the Latin dance nights are excellent," Logsdon says. "Even though it's not original music, it has come to mean a lot to us."\nPhysically, Second Story is an actual dance hall and can be used for just about any function because of its openess. Usually, it is a listening room and ideal for small intimate shows. The stage is low and deep. It can host a one-man show without the cold empty space of an auditorium or a seven person set without being cramped. It has lights in parts of the floor and red and green globes on ceiling lamps. \nBloomington had another place singularly devoted to original music -- the Cellar Lounge, which closed its doors this winter. It featured many bluegrass and country singers with guitars, among other genres. It provided more choices to the community and a chance for multiple styles and groups to play at the same time. With its closing, Second Story plans to pick up the country/bluegrass slack from the Cellar, a niche it actually held before that facility opened. \n"It's sad to see it go," Hager says. "In its three years we put in more shows than anywhere else, because it was open six days a week as compared to two like Second Story. I put a lot of effort into (the Cellar) and it leaves a void. But Second Story can fill it."\nSecond Story's largest remaining competition for live music are the Bluebird Nightclub and Uncle Fester's. They have different audiences, but occasionally go after the same talent. Some regional and national groups break into the local market at Second Story and then move to larger venues when they return to Bloomington. Logsdon supports live music throughout the city because he believes, "What's good for the scene is good for everyone."\nThe 21-and-over venue is still a business and like all bars, makes its money from liquor sales. Door money goes to the band and staff to support sound and lights. This makes the goal of providing untested bands difficult. Second Story continues to stay true to its diverse customer base by offering what other venues don't, a place for musicians to express themselves as they would like.\n"We have to take risks," Logsdon says.
(01/09/02 5:00am)
AOI:Bionix\nDe La Soul\nTommyboy\nSelf-styled and trend defiant, De La Soul continues to maintain diversity in the hip-hop landscape. It's latest album, AOI: Bionix, is the second of three Art Official Intelligence discs. Triple disc sets are ambitious attempts for any group, but by releasing each CD separately, De La Soul lets them have souls of their own. \nBionix paints its picture with dark pastels. It is mellow, rich and thoughtful but with enough comic relief to keep it entertaining. It starts with a classic east coast intro laced with soulful voices and a "Jingle Bells"-like sample. From that point you can tell that De La wants you to stay sharp and pay attention to their own brand of quirkiness.\nNext, Baby Phat, Bionix's first single, shows De La's continued push for self-awareness, which has been prevalent in every De La disc since Me, Myself and I. "Your shape is not what I date" and "Every woman ain't a video chick/ Or run way model anorexic" exemplify the song. They rap, "Let me compliment your size/because it's nothing but a little baby fat." This is the antithesis of body image in popular culture. Supporting a woman's right to be her natural size is not new, but De La definitely makes the comments seem genuine. The music video for this song is also a must see because it shows their vision of a big girl without exploiting them.\n"Trying People" is the message song on the disc. Voiceovers throughout the disc claim that the song is amazing, but it's just a positive message. It wants people to try to help themselves and those around them. It also talks about the difficulties of success, mainly that successful people are role models whether they like it or not. \nA common element that taints the success is from the people left behind. "When I came back around the way/old friends gave me dead eyes and fake smiles/we were supposed to rid the world of danger." They seem to wonder whether they abandoned their friends or whether their friends did not try hard enough. The song can make you think if you are willing to listen. The rest of the disc contains some locker room sex humor helped by Slick Rick, and the dope humor or "Ghost Weed" continued from the first disc. It even parodies our overdose of patriotism by promoting American grown weed.\nOverall, this disc is solid. It balances the weight of the self-awareness and resistance to being overly influenced by pop culture with marijuana and sex jokes. It has just enough guest appearances liven things up. Most importantly, it continues the first disc well enough to maintain its position as part of a three-disc set.\n
(11/29/01 5:00am)
After the dinner crowd fades at Nick's English Hut, patrons begin to play a game that has become an IU tradition, Sink the Bismark. The game was originally played by members of the Bucket Brigade -- a group of mostly greek houses that owned buckets from which they drank beer. There were only 140 private buckets and the owners passed them down. Several years ago, Nick's purchased house buckets allowing greater participation for the once exclusive activity. \nIt is now almost a rite of passage and is particular to IU. \n"It isn't found in other regions," 1996 alumna Mary Hardy says. "I live in Southern California and they've never heard of a Bismark."\nUndergraduates as well as graduate students and parents play Sink the Bis, as it is affectionately known. \n"It picks up during Parents Weekend and Graduation," long time bartender Tom McGlasson says. "It's a little different watching a 50-year-old man chug beer."\nIt is among the simplest drinking games. The rules vary by group but each game requires at least a bucket, floatable glass, at least three players (though preferably more), and beer. The bucket is filled with a pitcher of beer and a glass is placed in that beer. Players each have a glass of beer, which they pour into the floating glass until it sinks. A proper pour requires a steady hand, which dissipates through the night as participants become progressively intoxicated. The person who sinks the glass must remove the glass from the bucket and drink the beer in it. Nick's uses a 6-ounce highball glass for floating and a 48-ounce plastic-lined pail. At the end of each game, the loser must drink the bucket of now warm beer.\nA group of students spent more than an hour intently concentrating on Sink the Bis on a Thursday night. Participant Josh Stickler eagerly explains the attraction to the popular game.\n"You don't even need your buddies, you can just ask anyone in the bar and they'll play," Stickler says of the camaraderie that accompanies Sink the Bis. "Usually I come with a big group of people, but you can join a group and meet new people." \nStickler and his friends finished their game after a single pitcher and single bucket, but some groups have two or three buckets at a time. On any given Friday there may be around 20 buckets out in various stages of the game.
(11/29/01 5:00am)
ooks always seem to lose something in their translation to film, but "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" compensates for any loss with film's best elements -- motion and detailed pictures. Director Chris Columbus presents J.K. Rowling's novel in a visual arrays of sets, costumes and cast that readers can't imagine with as much detail.\nThe movie starts as the book does; a young orphan with cruel guardians learns of his secret origin. While reading the book, I never gave great thought to the layout of Harry's home, the car in his drive (a Jetta wagon) or a realistic picture of his family. The movie reset my preconceptions by steadying my place in the story and pacing my progress.\nEarly in the movie, I was reminded that this is a children's film. The witches looked too much like fairy tale witches, which conflicted with my image of them as able to blend with modern society. The fairy tale characters are for the children, the core audience. Children want them to look different from average people because witches are not average people.\nHogwart's School for Witches and Wizards is nearly over-stimulating. Everything has intricate details that increases the importance of the setting. The wood grain on the table and walls look freshly waxed. Stones walls and staircases are cold and fitting for a castle.\nThe best use of detail comes in the Quidditch scene. It rivals action sequences from "Star Wars" in excitement. Uniforms are saturated with red, orange and green. Players streak across the screen and make hairpin turns. It is another place where Columbus gives more detail than readers could hope to imagine. It reinforces the novel and turns great into stunning. It is heavy with use of computer graphics, but the final scenes remain true to the book to complete a visual picnic.\nCharacter development is not as strong in the movie as in the book. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is the average kid. The movie relates this as well as the book. In the movie Harry doesn't look as needy as I imagined from the novel. His hair is not as scruffy and his face is too clean, but I was able to adjust and accept the director's visualization of the main character. Harry's personality did not develop as well as in the book -- it was lost in the translation and something motion can't describe alone. Harry's best friends fit their parts better than Radcliffe does his. They display unforced style and warmth and are as humorous and likeable as in the book. They develop enough to make them familiar without distracting from the main plot. Harry's friends have more moments of simple expression than Harry does. Harry has complex moments of pain that Radcliff's expressions do not reflect with adequate emotion. The audience must remember that Harry is a British boy with modest British sensibility as opposed to a brash American, something that's easy to overlook while reading. \nThere were a few changes in the story, but they were more like corrections of things that could have been left from the novel. Several changes detracted from character development, but you can't expect clear definitions of each character in a movie, children's or otherwise.\nOverall, the book should not stand alone. The movie provided so much additional information that it needs to be seen while the book must be read because the characters are more alive in it. The book also provides a better division of good and evil. Finally, reading the book allows you to compare any differences in the movie and why they might be. In either form, this is a great story.
(11/29/01 4:43am)
ooks always seem to lose something in their translation to film, but "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" compensates for any loss with film's best elements -- motion and detailed pictures. Director Chris Columbus presents J.K. Rowling's novel in a visual arrays of sets, costumes and cast that readers can't imagine with as much detail.\nThe movie starts as the book does; a young orphan with cruel guardians learns of his secret origin. While reading the book, I never gave great thought to the layout of Harry's home, the car in his drive (a Jetta wagon) or a realistic picture of his family. The movie reset my preconceptions by steadying my place in the story and pacing my progress.\nEarly in the movie, I was reminded that this is a children's film. The witches looked too much like fairy tale witches, which conflicted with my image of them as able to blend with modern society. The fairy tale characters are for the children, the core audience. Children want them to look different from average people because witches are not average people.\nHogwart's School for Witches and Wizards is nearly over-stimulating. Everything has intricate details that increases the importance of the setting. The wood grain on the table and walls look freshly waxed. Stones walls and staircases are cold and fitting for a castle.\nThe best use of detail comes in the Quidditch scene. It rivals action sequences from "Star Wars" in excitement. Uniforms are saturated with red, orange and green. Players streak across the screen and make hairpin turns. It is another place where Columbus gives more detail than readers could hope to imagine. It reinforces the novel and turns great into stunning. It is heavy with use of computer graphics, but the final scenes remain true to the book to complete a visual picnic.\nCharacter development is not as strong in the movie as in the book. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) is the average kid. The movie relates this as well as the book. In the movie Harry doesn't look as needy as I imagined from the novel. His hair is not as scruffy and his face is too clean, but I was able to adjust and accept the director's visualization of the main character. Harry's personality did not develop as well as in the book -- it was lost in the translation and something motion can't describe alone. Harry's best friends fit their parts better than Radcliffe does his. They display unforced style and warmth and are as humorous and likeable as in the book. They develop enough to make them familiar without distracting from the main plot. Harry's friends have more moments of simple expression than Harry does. Harry has complex moments of pain that Radcliff's expressions do not reflect with adequate emotion. The audience must remember that Harry is a British boy with modest British sensibility as opposed to a brash American, something that's easy to overlook while reading. \nThere were a few changes in the story, but they were more like corrections of things that could have been left from the novel. Several changes detracted from character development, but you can't expect clear definitions of each character in a movie, children's or otherwise.\nOverall, the book should not stand alone. The movie provided so much additional information that it needs to be seen while the book must be read because the characters are more alive in it. The book also provides a better division of good and evil. Finally, reading the book allows you to compare any differences in the movie and why they might be. In either form, this is a great story.
(11/29/01 4:30am)
After the dinner crowd fades at Nick's English Hut, patrons begin to play a game that has become an IU tradition, Sink the Bismark. The game was originally played by members of the Bucket Brigade -- a group of mostly greek houses that owned buckets from which they drank beer. There were only 140 private buckets and the owners passed them down. Several years ago, Nick's purchased house buckets allowing greater participation for the once exclusive activity. \nIt is now almost a rite of passage and is particular to IU. \n"It isn't found in other regions," 1996 alumna Mary Hardy says. "I live in Southern California and they've never heard of a Bismark."\nUndergraduates as well as graduate students and parents play Sink the Bis, as it is affectionately known. \n"It picks up during Parents Weekend and Graduation," long time bartender Tom McGlasson says. "It's a little different watching a 50-year-old man chug beer."\nIt is among the simplest drinking games. The rules vary by group but each game requires at least a bucket, floatable glass, at least three players (though preferably more), and beer. The bucket is filled with a pitcher of beer and a glass is placed in that beer. Players each have a glass of beer, which they pour into the floating glass until it sinks. A proper pour requires a steady hand, which dissipates through the night as participants become progressively intoxicated. The person who sinks the glass must remove the glass from the bucket and drink the beer in it. Nick's uses a 6-ounce highball glass for floating and a 48-ounce plastic-lined pail. At the end of each game, the loser must drink the bucket of now warm beer.\nA group of students spent more than an hour intently concentrating on Sink the Bis on a Thursday night. Participant Josh Stickler eagerly explains the attraction to the popular game.\n"You don't even need your buddies, you can just ask anyone in the bar and they'll play," Stickler says of the camaraderie that accompanies Sink the Bis. "Usually I come with a big group of people, but you can join a group and meet new people." \nStickler and his friends finished their game after a single pitcher and single bucket, but some groups have two or three buckets at a time. On any given Friday there may be around 20 buckets out in various stages of the game.
(10/04/01 5:23am)
\"Less is more" is not a phrase that many associate with electronic music, but Richie Hawtin's DE9: Closer to the Edit does subtly excite. It is minimalist techno with a basic beat and little adornment. These accessories complete an aural texture that trickles through 31 tracks in 53 minutes. All tracks seep into one another to form what is really a single song.\nHawtin is among the techno elite, but unknown to the mainstream, like many other respected artists in his field. This obscurity is reflected in the music. The Windsor, Ontario, native makes a sound that has a winter-like chill. Its minimalism rightfully counters the cycle of dense and hardcore styles that are popular now.\nDE9 starts with a track of six loops and is mostly a drumbeat. Hawtin sprinkles in other sounds about 30 seconds into the disc and after that everything blends together. There is no use in trying to identify the loops because there are too many elements to discern. You have to relax and let the beat take hold. It grips you because it is mellow and almost repressed, revealing little. He tells a story with reluctance, but while his unusual pace intrigues fans, it has little depth. \nTracks 15, 23 and 26 awaken a somber disc, but most won't realize that until a second or third listening session. Track 15 pushes the pace to dance speed and is fresh after being overwhelmed by trance for the last few years. Even Hawtin's dripping water sounds don't seem cliche, they just fold into his mix.\nDE9 is dance music, but requires accompaniment. It is the slowdown at the end of the rave, the "get out of my club" music. Hawtin achieves the goal of doing a lot with a little, but the disc is hard to finish. It might be quietly exciting for individuals, but probably works best in a DJ's set.\nRating: 8
(10/04/01 4:00am)
\"Less is more" is not a phrase that many associate with electronic music, but Richie Hawtin's DE9: Closer to the Edit does subtly excite. It is minimalist techno with a basic beat and little adornment. These accessories complete an aural texture that trickles through 31 tracks in 53 minutes. All tracks seep into one another to form what is really a single song.\nHawtin is among the techno elite, but unknown to the mainstream, like many other respected artists in his field. This obscurity is reflected in the music. The Windsor, Ontario, native makes a sound that has a winter-like chill. Its minimalism rightfully counters the cycle of dense and hardcore styles that are popular now.\nDE9 starts with a track of six loops and is mostly a drumbeat. Hawtin sprinkles in other sounds about 30 seconds into the disc and after that everything blends together. There is no use in trying to identify the loops because there are too many elements to discern. You have to relax and let the beat take hold. It grips you because it is mellow and almost repressed, revealing little. He tells a story with reluctance, but while his unusual pace intrigues fans, it has little depth. \nTracks 15, 23 and 26 awaken a somber disc, but most won't realize that until a second or third listening session. Track 15 pushes the pace to dance speed and is fresh after being overwhelmed by trance for the last few years. Even Hawtin's dripping water sounds don't seem cliche, they just fold into his mix.\nDE9 is dance music, but requires accompaniment. It is the slowdown at the end of the rave, the "get out of my club" music. Hawtin achieves the goal of doing a lot with a little, but the disc is hard to finish. It might be quietly exciting for individuals, but probably works best in a DJ's set.\nRating: 8
(10/26/00 8:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>\"Rude boy thing with a Latino style" makes a champion sound, according to Latin ska band King Changó. Its self-description pinpoints the strength of ska super-fusion on The Return of El Santo. The mostly Spanish language album uses elements from ska, banda, drum 'n' bass and electronica, along with other Caribbean and Spanish influences.
(10/26/00 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>\"Rude boy thing with a Latino style" makes a champion sound, according to Latin ska band King Changó. Its self-description pinpoints the strength of ska super-fusion on The Return of El Santo. The mostly Spanish language album uses elements from ska, banda, drum 'n' bass and electronica, along with other Caribbean and Spanish influences.
(10/12/00 11:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The snap of the newest, brightly colored bubble gum is in every drumbeat of So Together by Innosense. This quintet is the female counterpart to the lesser boy bands, and like the boy bands, its music cannot offend anyone because of its harmless content. Some songs were even recorded in Orlando, Fla., the heart of today's popular music. This probably enhances its appeal to 11-year-old girls and secret droves of college students.
(10/12/00 7:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Black Eyed Peas fall into a sophomore rut with Bridging The Gap. They write about being new to the music industry, neglecting the listeners by writing about what is familiar to them.
(10/12/00 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The snap of the newest, brightly colored bubble gum is in every drumbeat of So Together by Innosense. This quintet is the female counterpart to the lesser boy bands, and like the boy bands, its music cannot offend anyone because of its harmless content. Some songs were even recorded in Orlando, Fla., the heart of today's popular music. This probably enhances its appeal to 11-year-old girls and secret droves of college students.