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(11/21/08 4:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With its month-long home stretch drawing to an end, the IU club hockey team is looking to add two more wins at the Frank Southern Ice Arena.It will have to do so against a team it knocked out of the national semi-finals last year.The Grand Valley State Lakers will take on the Hoosiers in a pair of games this weekend. The 9-5 Hoosiers are 1-5 in the Great Midwest Hockey League conference.“(Grand Valley State is) going to be coming out hard and ready to play,” said senior Mike Vaughan. “We just have to match their intensity and work hard in practice.”Vaughan said he thinks last year’s match will be on the Lakers’ minds this weekend.“They’re a really good team, and they’re probably looking for revenge after we beat them in the semi-finals at nationals last year,” he said. “But we beat them before, and we can beat them again.”He also said Grand Valley State is consistently one of the top teams in the nation.Senior Adam Fishbein said he thinks his team will have an edge at home against the Lakers.“They’re generally a smaller, faster team, which matches well up against us,” he said. “We like to bang the bodies a little bit, so I think playing them in the Frank is a big advantage for us, and it’s definitely going to compromise what they want to do.”He said he hopes the team will offset the Lakers’ offensive talent by utilizing the aggressiveness the Hoosiers bring to the ice.“They’re very offensive, with great passing and good skaters,” he said. “But when you get them in the corners, we’re a bigger, stronger team. We’re going to go out there and try and bang and get those loose pucks and put those rebounds in front of the net.”While he knows all league games are tough, his team is confident.“It’s the GMHL. Any team can win on any given day,” he said. “But we want to win every game in the Frank.”IU coach Tom Orr said he knows most teams from Michigan are hard to beat in hockey.“They’re going to be as good of a team that we’ve played since Davenport,” he said. “They have a lot of depth, and they’re another one of these Michigan teams that have a lot of players on scholarships and have a lot of support from the university, so it’s going to be a tough weekend.”The arena IU plays in is smaller than other rinks, something Orr said could hinder Grand Valley’s speed.“I think we’ll match their speed nicely,” he said. “They’re a quick team, but here at the Frank they’ll be trapped in a little bit. Last year our system had some pretty good success against them at the tournament.”
(11/20/08 4:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even though Stone Belt client Shirley Freeman cannot speak, she doesn’t feel held back.“Often people treat me as though I have a mental disability because I am non-verbal, and they automatically believe I have a low IQ,” said Freeman, one of the playwrights of the play “I Am You,” using gestures and expressions interpreted by IU senior Michelle Davenport. “This does not limit me, and I believe this is a disability of our society. I have the intelligence to accomplish whatever tasks I set my mind to.”Stone Belt clients will bring songs, letters and biographical stories to life while performing “I Am You” at the Bloomington Playwrights Project.Stone Belt is a not-for-profit organization that provides services to people with developmental disabilities in southern Indiana.The organization partnered with BPP to present the monologues written and performed by individuals with disabilities. The play will take place at 7 p.m. Monday at BPP, featuring monologues written during the past year by nine of Stone Belt’s clients under Davenport’s supervision.Breshaun Joyner, education director of BPP, said she feels the stories told on Monday will be compelling.“These are voices that are not often heard,” she said. “Or when they are heard, they are not often understood or dismissed.”Davenport, who has been interested in helping people with disabilities since high school, approached Stone Belt with the idea to do this play. “I’ve never been more excited about anything in my whole life,” Davenport said. “It’s really a way for individuals to speak out in the community and tell us who they are.” About 20 clients from Stone Belt are involved with the production, with some of them working offstage. In addition to the monologue performance, Stone Belt client Mark Summitt will play piano for opening music while other clients serve as ushers to help seat attendees. The Stone Belt cooking class is catering the post-show reception. The night will also feature a display of mosaics created by clients.While some clients have never performed onstage before, client Steven Rock said he’s not nervous at all about the performance, in part because he did a Christmas play for Stone Belt last year. He said his prior onstage performance has helped him prepare, and he is excited to perform on Monday.Stone Belt client and performer Sandy Gaskins said she’s a little nervous about the upcoming play but hopes the community will like it. She has been working on her monologue for more than a year, and it is expected to be one of the longer performances, ranging from 10 to 15 minutes in length. Davenport said she hopes the play will raise awareness of people with disabilities in the community and showcase that they can accomplish anything. “We hope it will make people think, and that it can cause something bigger,” she said. “Individuals with disabilities can go anywhere and live fully and not be segregated.”Joyner said she is excited to be partnered with the Stone Belt organization. Joyner said one of BPP’s goals is to form artistic partnerships with groups such as Stone Belt that are not related to the arts and help give them an outlet. “We want to celebrate and promote and present plays and new voices,” she said.Davenport said she is excited about the project in part because she thinks it will be an eye-opener for community members who attend.“All people are the same, and we want to show this to our community,” she said. “We want the focus on the play not to be about disabilities, but their abilities. It’s not about their disabilities, but it’s about the things they are doing in the community and the things they love. None of the monologues are for sympathy or for people to pity them.”She said she also thinks the play will be evocative.“We hope it’s an event that will touch people’s lives and help the clients in a powerful way. and people will feel empowered,” she said.
(11/20/08 4:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The enthusiastic crowd got what it came to see Tuesday night: Texas-size country-rock with James McMurtry and his three-piece band. He is touring in support of his new record “Just Us Kids.”When he started to play the new album’s title track early in the set, he drew a good reaction from the crowd. After playing a few songs on electric guitar, he switched to acoustic and then back again.“Now we’re going to play the hits,” he said as he put his electric guitar back on.After a roar from audience members, McMurtry joked with them. “All of you know what you want to hear. None of you know what you’re going to hear,” he said, drawing laughter from the mostly adult audience. “You pay to get in and you take your chances.”One of the songs the crowed seemed to want to hear was “We Can’t Make It Here.”The song is a lengthy diatribe lashing out against the Bush administration and corporate greed. The crowd danced to nearly every song, but was most enthusiastic about this protest song.Later in the set, McMurtry briefly stopped to talk to the crowd.“Now we’re going to play a little country,” he said. “By that, I mean songs about people who actually grew up in the country.”One song, “Saint Mary of the Woods,” was closer to a hard rock song than country, as it was one of the fastest songs of the night with driving guitar riffs. “No More Buffalo” was a slower song that seemed to reel in the crowd’s interest.Bloomington native Rob Davis has seen McMurtry perform at least 15 times.“He’s good every time,” Davis said. “He’s real. It’s nuts and bolts – the way it should be.”Davis’ favorite song of the performance was “Levelland.” He said his favorite McMurtry song is “Paint By Numbers,” which he said McMurtry never plays live.He has seen McMurtry at Farm Aid and places from Indiana to North Carolina. He said while McMurtry isn’t a huge act, he has received more attention from the college crowd because of his protest songs.“He doesn’t get a lot of mainstream play,” he said. “But if you like him, you’ll find him.”Indianapolis native Kevin Eckert, 45, has seen McMurtry close to 10 times all over the country, including in Texas, Arizona and Florida.“He’s one of my favorite songwriters,” he said. “I keep his schedule handy ’cause I travel a lot.”Eckert has been a fan of McMurtry since 1991, shortly after the singer-songwriter got his start in the late ’80s.He said his original favorite song from the Texan was “I’m Not From Here,” but now he likes “We Can’t Make It Here.”“James is from Texas. He lived with Bush as a governor,” Eckert said. “And he finally got fed up with him, and he’s such a brilliant songwriter, he put it into words probably better than anybody’s speech could.”
(11/19/08 5:25pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fun. That’s probably the best word to describe Bloomington artist Totally Michael’s self-titled debut album. Though labeled under the electronic genre, he blends a mix of surf rock, pop-punk and the electronic indie-pop sounds of The Postal Service and takes them to full fruition. One of the finer works is “Casual Satisfaction.” This sexually charged dance number will spread like wildfire with its infectious melody and mobile club beats. This jam has everything: a fast dance rhythm, an electronic discant and great vocals. In the beginning, Michael and his female guest trade off vocals in a conversational style looped like a sharp hook over the rest of the arrangement.The refrain is another notable highlight, as the two blend voices in a tight, processed unison slowly soaring and descending in melodic euphony. “Casual Satisfaction” stands a good chance of blowing up once the local bars and clubs get their hands on it.Another great tune, the delicate “Slow Jam” is probably the closest thing this disc has to a ballad. The easy-going beat on this work is relaxing, and synthesizers provide a melodious hook for a tender, recurring theme. Michael’s falsetto nicely carries this song’s chorus. This dance ballad could also prove to be a popular club hit. The album sounds like The Postal Service, Blink 182 and Andrew W.K. all put into a blender and served with ice. The end result is a successful, radiant collection. Though sometimes repetitive, Totally Michael clearly has his own sound. Part of that sound stems from the vibrant feel of being a kid in the summertime. Numbers like “Death Hill (Over and Over),” and “Winona” clearly give off this vibe. With catchy hooks at every corner, this sugary success will likely make a big splash in Bloomington and perhaps across the nation. There’s something for everyone here, because Totally Michael manages to merge an array of sounds that can please everyone from a club dancer to a bona fide rocker. That’s a major feat by itself.
(11/19/08 5:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Hoosiers completed one of their two goals this weekend. The first was to get their first conference win of the season. They did that Friday. Their second was to keep their home winning streak alive. That objective died Saturday afternoon.The Hoosiers dominated the Ferris State Bulldogs in Friday’s match at Frank Southern Ice Arena.The teams scored five goals in the first six minutes, four of them by IU. Ferris State battled back, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Hoosiers from getting their first Great Midwest Hockey League victory, winning 8-6.“We came out flying,” senior Dan Keeney said. “We had three lines in a row that just played awesome.”The team had seven power plays, which helped the team’s scoring, Keeney said.“Whenever you get odd-man opportunities, a lot of goals are going to get scored,” he said.Sophomore KC Madock said he was pleased with the rapid scoring and believed it was due in part to IU basketball coach Tom Crean’s pep talk to the team Friday night before he dropped the ceremonial first puck of the game.“I’d rather play that kind of hockey than wait till the third period for our first goal,” he said. “We came out with a lot of emotion. Coach Crean talked to us before the game. I think that helped a lot; he’s a great speaker.”Before Friday’s win, IU had an 0-4 conference record. Keeney said he knew the team needed the win.“It’s nice to have that behind us,” he said. “It was kind of hanging over our head being 0-4. It’s nice to just have it out of our way.”Sophomore Chris Benz said he was excited about Friday’s offensive effort.“We came off with a lot of energy,” he said. “Putting four goals up in four minutes on a good team is really good for us. It shows we have offensive firepower we haven’t showed in the past week.”IU coach Tom Orr said he didn’t want to mess with his team’s rhythm.“As a coach, we were scoring so many goals we just sat back and thought, ‘I don’t want to do anything to mess this up,’” he said. “We were a little excited on offense, and a consequence of that was we neglected our defense a little bit.”In Saturday’s game, the Bulldogs took an early lead, scoring on IU with their first shot just seconds into the game, and while it kept the game close for most of the game, IU could never recover. Ferris State won 4-2 – IU’s first home loss since January.“I thought we fought really hard,” senior Mike Vaughan said. “We had a couple of breaks that didn’t really go our way. We just didn’t get the breaks that we needed.”Vaughan said he believes the team struggled mentally as well.“We had a couple of mental breakdowns,” he said. “They scored a late goal on us, and it kind of took the wind out of our sails.”Benz said the officiating was an issue.“I know personally I had two clean hits, and I wound up sitting in the box with two penalties,” he said. “It’s frustrating to have a ref like that. That kind of takes away part of the game.”Orr said he believed his team outplayed Ferris State, but it didn’t show up statistically for the now 9-5, 1-5 Hoosiers.“We just had some of that bad luck again,” he said. “It was the type of effort we needed to get the win. It just didn’t work out on the scoreboard.”
(11/18/08 4:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When the lights dimmed at the IU Auditorium, a near-packed crowd of mostly older audience members enjoyed the sounds of Grammy Award-winning folk rocker John Prine.The Maywood, Ill., native released his debut album in 1971 after working as a postman for five years and serving in the Army. He won the Grammy Award for his 1991 album “The Missing Years,” and in 2006, he won another Grammy, this time for his album “Fair & Square,” which won the award for Best Contemporary Folk Album. He was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003.The opening act of the night was Tennessean Pat McLaughlin. His music was a blend of rock and soul with a touch of country, and he had no problem playing aggressive licks on his acoustic guitar.A short time later, the legendary Prine took to the stage wearing all black. He was joined on stage by two other musicians, one of them Bloomington native Jason Wilber. He handled electric, mandolin, harmonica and backup vocal duties for the musician. Wilber is a touring musician who has been playing with Prine on his tour.The 62-year-old Prine had a smoky voice, sounding somewhere between Steve Earle and Johnny Cash. Before playing the somber “Six o’clock news,” he told the audience, “I’ve got two kinds of songs: fast ones and sad ones.”The singer spoke to the crowd after many songs, telling a funny story about “Fish and Whistle.”“This song almost didn’t get written,” Prine said, explaining that a stubborn record producer wanted him to write one more song for a record, something Prine didn’t want to do. “I sat in the hotel room and thought, ‘I’ll show him, I’ll write the worst song ever written.’ But after playing it a couple of hundred times, I’ve come to like it.”Prine was diagnosed with throat cancer in 1998 and had to undergo surgery to remove a tumor. This has caused his voice to sound more gravely, but at times Saturday night, he had a nuance of blues in his voice.The rambunctious crowd shouted out requests for songs throughout the show. Parts of the show were just Prine on stage, while other parts of the show had two, and sometimes as many as four, other musicians on stage with him, including opening act McLaughlin.John Johnson, 50, of Elmhurst, Ill, came 300 miles to hear Prine at the IU Auditorium. Johnson said he has been a fan of Prine’s for more than 30 years.“This was great,” Johnson said. “You can’t ask for anything better than that.” Johnson’s favorite song at the show was the somber ballad “Hello In There.” He said he had been playing harmonica since he was 13 years old, and Prine encouraged the younger Johnson to keep playing back when Prine was Johnson’s postman in Illinois.Though he had seen Prine perform before, Johnson said it was the first time he’d heard Prine at a real venue. “He’s there with his audience, he’s right there,” Johnson said. “He’s feeling his audience, and that’s part of performing.”Bloomington native Jerry Boswell-Vipe, 41, didn’t have to travel as far as Johnson, but said he grew up with Prine’s music. Like Johnson, he likes Prine’s performing style.“He’s always full of energy and seems like he’s having fun all the time,” Boswell-Vipe said. “It seems like he’s speaking to each and every individual at the show.”
(11/18/08 4:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Anyone who hasn’t experienced the talent of James McMurtry’s style of Texas rock will have a chance Tuesday night at The Bluebird.The singer-songwriter from Fort Worth, Texas, is the son of novelist Larry McMurtry, who won the Pulitzer Prize for his western novel “Lonesome Dove.” Larry McMurtry gave his son his first guitar at age 7. His mother, an English professor, taught McMurtry how to play.McMurtry got his first big break in the late ’80s. John Mellencamp was starring in a film based on a script by McMurtry’s father, giving him the opportunity to get a demo tape to him. Mellencamp subsequently served as co-producer on James McMurtry’s 1989 debut album, “Too Long in the Wasteland.”His biggest claim to fame is the song “We Can’t Make It Here,” according to his Web site. The working-class anthem was released in 2005 on his album “Childish Things” and serves as a long diatribe that lashes out at everything from the Bush administration and corporations to getting by on a low income.“Minimum wage won’t pay for a roof, won’t pay for a drink, if you gotta have proof / just try it yourself, Mr. CEO / see how far $5.15 an hour will go / Take a part time job at one of your stores, I bet you can’t make it here anymore,” he says in the song.Graduate student Nick Hillman first heard McMurtry’s protest hit a few years ago. It was his first introduction to the Texan.“It really stuck in my head,” Hillman said. “Not because of the catchy melody, but because of the thoughtful lyrics.”He also said the song’s sharp social and political commentary is telling of the direction the country has headed in the past eight years. Between his musical and lyrical prowess, Hillman said he thinks McMurtry is a rare breed.“We need more folks like him out there mixing good music with thoughtful political messages,” he said. “His music is entreating, but it also serves a great purpose. His lyrics have meaning to the socially conscious listener.”Durham, N.C., native Noah Skube is a former IU student who first heard McMurtry while in high school. He quickly took a liking to the Texan’s style.“It appealed to me because it had a nice mid-tempo American rock sound, with a somewhat southern sound and some grittiness to it,” Skube said. “Once I got home from the show, I downloaded some of his stuff and got more into it.”The 21-year-old regrets he cannot see McMurtry perform at The Bluebird, but he recommends that anyone wanting to experience a great songwriter should see him play.“His songs are tuneful enough to hook you in, but once he does that, his tremendous flair for writing really gives the songs some staying power,” Skube said. “Another thing that makes him a great writer is how perceptive of an observer he is. He just picks on little things and can turn them into really great lines.”
(11/14/08 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For nearly 40 years, legendary folk/rock artist John Prine has been touring and releasing music. On Saturday, he will take the stage at the IU Auditorium.The Maywood, Ill., musician released his first album in 1971 after gaining a big following on the Chicago Folk Revival scene in the late ’60s. In 1991, Prine won a Grammy Award for his album, “The Missing Years.”Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said he looks forward to Prine’s appearance.“He’s one of the most quintessential American folk singers,” he said.Booher said he thinks the legendary artist will draw a crowd diverse in age.“He’s got a great, strong following here in Bloomington, both among students and faculty, staff and the community,” he said.IU alumna Sarah Roberts has seen Prine perform multiple times, the first of which was when she was in high school. “His concerts always have great energy and a great crowd,” she said. “Everyone is there to have a good time and enjoy the music.”The Bloomfield, Ind., native said she grew up listening to Prine’s music with her parents, who have been fans for a long time. She has seen him perform everywhere from Nashville, Tenn., to Colorado, but never in Bloomington.“I’m very excited to see him play in Bloomington,” she said. “I’ll be there with some of my closest friends and family, and it will be in our own backyard. What more could I ask for?”Senior Thomas Baker has seen Prine play in Indianapolis and Cincinnati. He has been a fan since 2000 and said he enjoys the friendly aura that goes into his shows.“His concerts I would describe as an intimate gathering of perfect strangers with whom he converses quite readily,” Baker said. “A larger version of hanging out with your friends who can pick guitar like nobody’s business while drinking beer and having a meaningful exchange.”One of the things Baker said he likes most about Prine’s music is that he can listen to it in virtually any situation.“I like the fact that I can enjoy his music drunk by myself at 4 a.m. just as easily as I can while driving through the mountains to ski, at a campfire or a friend’s house,” he said. “He touches upon the core elements of the human condition without being emotionally needy or preachy.” While Baker said he will not be able to attend the concert, he said he enjoys Prine’s songs “Paradise,” “Illegal Smile,” “Sam Stone” and “Souvenirs” the most.“‘Souvenirs’ is one of the best songs folk music has to offer,” he said. “To be honest, I think he makes very complete albums.” Booher said he thinks Prine’s show will be perfect for the setting.“It will be a very strong success artistically and also an opportunity for fans to interact with him in what is a fantastic, intimate setting here at the Auditorium,” he said.
(11/14/08 4:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Imagine what it would be like if a professor assigned a 10-page paper and said it was due by the end of the day. Imagine being unable to procrastinate.Now imagine the Bloomington Playwrights Project’s “PlayOffs”: Playwrights are given just one day to write an entire play. What’s more, the actors must memorize the lines in an even shorter time. The directors must work feverishly to get everything before the just-born play takes the stage – that night.In keeping with the baseball motif, this fundraiser for Bloomington Playwrights Project includes nine teams. Each team has a playwright, a director and several actors. Teams are randomly chosen the night before the play is to be presented.“We literally draw a name out of a hat,” said Breshaun Joyner, education director of Bloomington Playwrights Project. “There is a central theme every play must have, and a certain line of dialogue, but nobody knows what that is until it’s time to write.”The audience votes for its favorite playwright and favorite actor, or most valuable player.In the past, Joyner was involved with “PlayOffs” as an actor and producer. This year, she plans on watching as a member of the audience.Nick Moore is one of the playwrights involved in this year’s series of plays. The 28-year-old is in his second year at Bloomington Playwrights Project. He said he remembers last year’s play as being a beneficial experience.“As a writer, it’s interesting to me,” he said. “It’s a challenge to only have 12 hours to develop a play. The funny thing to me is it wasn’t any worse than my other plays, so I guess I could write a play every 12 hours if I really put my mind to it. It’s really a lesson in motivation.”Nothing compares to seeing his hours of hard work come to fruition, Moore said.“As a playwright, it’s fascinating to see things in your mind come to life,” he said. “The experience of writing it is so intense, you feel a little strange.”He also said the experience is everything about a play intensified. Part of that intensity is the initial feelings he has after the play topic is announced.“I go home and I panic for two hours, and my panic is resolved when I have the basic skeleton of the play,” Moore said.Rachael Himsel, 32, began experimenting with playwright material while writing comedy as an undergraduate at DePauw University.The Jasper, Ind., native will be another one of the many playwrights participating in “PlayOffs.”Himsel, who is currently working on her master’s degree in art education, said she enjoys the intensity of the stress-filled day.“For me, the deadline creates a great adrenaline rush,” she said. “So many of us get great ideas, but we get busy. We say, ‘We’ll get to it later,’ and we never do. By committing to the ‘PlayOffs,’ you’re committing to completing at least one play.”Himsel also said she enjoys all of the ups and downs of the eventful process.“I love just about everything about the ‘PlayOffs,’” she said. “From pulling names out of hats, to getting to know your actors, to drinking the eight cups of coffee and then scrapping the last two pages you wrote because it sucked.”Though she wants to win the competition, she admits the competition makes it fun. Above all, she wants to look back on her work and feel good about it.“I want to write something that I can be proud of, and that will, ideally, move people in some way,” Himsel said.‘PlayOffs’When: 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 21 and Nov. 22Where: Bloomington Playwrights Project, 107 W. Ninth St.More info: Tickets are $10 and are available at the Sunrise Box Office or online at www.bloomingtonarts.info.
(11/13/08 3:48pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Although they only play covers, that didn’t stop 40% Steve from being named Bloomington’s best band. Senior and communications major Mallory Cameron said she first heard the band her freshman year at IU. She said she liked the band the first time she heard them, and her appreciation of what they do has only grown over the years. “There is a kind of warm nostalgia that washes over me when I hear they are playing,” she said. “It’s like the feeling you get when you see an old friend, but musically.” As a Bluebird employee, Cameron has had the opportunity to see 40% Steve more than most people – at least 15 times.She said that although it is nearly impossible to choose a “best of” in a town with so much local talent, she agrees with voters’ decision. “I respect that they can play song I love,” she said, “and for a while, I can imagine I am at a Bush concert before they stopped touring.”While she said she is not surprised by the praise the band has garnered, Cameron said she feels there should be a new category added for next year. She said some people might not think 40% Steve is Bloomington’s best because they don’t write their own music, so she thinks there needs to be differentiation between “best local band” and “best cover band.”Music business major Brian Binkley first heard the band play three years ago. Since then, he has seen 40% Steve over 30 times. He said he loves their music and they deserve the honor of Bloomington’s best. Binkley is currently in Iraq with the Indiana Army National Guard, but he will be returning to IU next year to continue his studies. The Jasper, Ind. native said he looks forward to seeing 40% Steve play again.“They are not only an amazing band, but they show respect to old fans and new just like they were friends for years,” he said. ‘That’s a great trait of any band.”Dietetics major Molly Clark has seen the band play everywhere from fraternity functions and local bars to philanthropy functions, such as IU’s Dance Marathon and Big Man On Campus. She said she likes them for their willingness to play at charities, but also because their play list covers all kinds of music from different time periods. 40% Steve also does a great job interacting with the crowd and making sure everyone is having a good time.While Clark has seen the band a lot already, she expects to continue seeing them for a long time.“In my three years at IU, I’ve seen 40% Steve perform over 20 times and I expect that number to double by the end of my senior year.”
(11/13/08 4:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the tumult of last Friday’s brawl at the Frank Southern Ice Arena behind them, the IU club hockey team will get back three of their four players who were suspended last week.Tyler Bohman, Sal Calace and Travis Montembeault will be back after sitting out last Saturday’s game against Wright State. Junior Adam Logue was suspended three games for excessive roughness and still has to sit out both of the team’s home games this weekend. Defenseman Casey Christensen is confident as his team hosts Ferris State, despite the fact the Hoosiers are still looking for their first Great Midwest Hockey League win this season.“We’re going to be pretty confident playing here at home,” he said. “We’ve got a good win streak carrying over to last year, and I think we’ll have some revenge. They beat us pretty bad last year.”The team is working this week at practice to dent the twine more against opponents.“Scoring goals is definitely a big thing we’re working on this week,” Christensen said. “We’ve got some new lines, and it’s only our second week playing with new lines, so we’re trying to build some chemistry.”Bohman, a defenseman, is glad to be back after his suspension for fighting last Friday.“The brawl last week, that doesn’t happen very often,” Bohman said. “We all kind of boiled over because of their cheap play, but we look to put that behind us.”Bohman, like Christensen, said he feels the team will be out for revenge against the Bulldogs, who beat and tied them last year.“We felt like we had bus legs coming off the road trip last year, and just never got awake,” he said. “If we come out and play 100 percent both nights, we can definitely sweep them.”Sophomore forward Chris Gordon is also ready to take on the Bulldogs.“I’m really excited to get out there and play against them again,” he said. “It’s going to be big for our morale to get out there and get a couple of wins this weekend.”Gordon knows how important home games are, considering the Hoosiers are undefeated at home this season and don’t often lose home games.“It’s been a while,” he said. “We don’t lose much here at the Frank.”He said he feels that part of the reason for the Hoosiers’ home success is the luxury they have by not traveling.“We have a lot of time to get pumped,” he said. “We don’t have a long bus trip, and we come in with warm legs ready to play.”While he wants his team to put the brawl behind them, that doesn’t mean Gordon regrets it.“I’m not going to lie, it was fun,” he said. “We’re definitely glad to put that behind us. We need all our players back, so it’s going to be good to get our players back and move forward.”IU coach Tom Orr said he will make sure his team has their sights set on Ferris State.“The big thing is they’re a GMHL team,” Orr said. “We are so locked in to get that first GMHL win. We’re really keying in on them.”He said he’s happy with the way his team battled back on Saturday, just a little more than 12 hours removed from Friday’s brawl that resulted in eight suspensions between the two teams.“The team responded well,” he said. “Any time that happens, there’s a great deal of adversity. The guys really got tested last week and fought through it. I was really happy with that.”IU men’s basketball coach Tom Crean will drop the ceremonial first puck Friday night.Orr said he thinks Crean’s presence will draw a big crowd.“If you’re going to go to one hockey game a year,” Orr said, “this would be the one to go to.”
(11/12/08 10:25pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For those looking for a fun rock ’n’ roll album, this record won’t hinder the search.Oklahoma rock band Hinder brings listeners Take It to the Limit after the great success of their debut Extreme Behavior. With the help of hits like “Get Stoned” and “Lips of an Angel,” they are currently one of the top bands in modern rock, right up there with acts like Nickelback and Three Days Grace. Yet, despite their popular alternative-rock vibe, Hinder’s new record has nuances of classic and ’80s-alternative rock, at times sounding redolent of legends such as Aerosmith or Def Leppard. “Use Me” starts out with guitar riffs that sound like they’re right out of 1987. The anthemic question-and-answer vocals keep the tune locked in to the sound of that decade. There’s no denying it, “Use Me” is just a good rock song, no matter what decade it comes from. This rocking jam will likely be as popular as “Get Stoned,” though it is more of a happy party anthem, and less of a hard rock drama piece.Fans of the sentimental hit on their debut, the aforementioned “Lips of an Angel,” might be disappointed that there is no sequel or similar ballad-like smash comparable to it here. With that being said, that doesn’t mean the album doesn’t have any slow songs – they just aren’t nearly as good. The first four tracks on this release are power songs. The first ballad “Without You” comes right on time, as if by queue. The melody’s not bad, but it’s lacking the emotive power “Angel” had. It is definitely their attempt to follow “Angel” and at writing a hit “power ballad,” but it the feeling just isn’t there, and it shouldn’t be as popular.Take It to the Limit is not a bad disc, but it’s still miles away from great. This release will not get the critical, or commercial acclaim their first debut had, but big fans of the genre will get a lot of mileage out of it.
(11/12/08 8:56pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A simple formula won the Bluebird Nightclub the "Bloomington’s Best Place for Live Entertainment" award: hosting a variety of bands and having great drink specials. Twenty-two-year-old journalism major Cal Condon wasn’t surprised the Bluebird won. “The Bluebird is one of the only places around Bloomington that has the live-entertainment bar atmosphere,” he said.Patrons can see a wide variety of artists, he said, even while the Bluebird looks and feels like a bar. The Chicago native said he enjoys the Bluebird more than other venues in town or on campus because when he’s there he doesn’t feel the need to fit in with the cliques a place caters to. “Both townies and college students – all types of people are welcome,” he said. “Grunge, greek life, gay, straight, white, black, country, bluegrass, metal, acoustic ... anything goes.”Condon has been going to the Bluebird for more than a year, especially when his favorite bands like Shaggy Wonda, AutoVaughn or the Funky Monks are playing. He said it has an “underground feel” and draws the best local and touring bands. But that’s not all the Bluebird has to offer. “I’ve spent 85 percent of my Wednesdays at the Bird for the cheap drink specials,” he said. “And 98 percent of the time I go out for a good time, the Bluebird is where you will find me.”Junior Sammi Floyd also spends a lot of time at the Bluebird. The Washington, Ind., native said it is her favorite place in town to listen to live music.“If I’m looking for a very low-key night where I can sit and talk to my friends I’ll go to the Vid, but even then I usually end up at the Bird for a little while.”Floyd said the floor plan of the Bluebird also makes it a great live-entertainment venue. It has a spacious interior to accommodate large crowds and rambunctious dancers, and having a sunken stage makes it easy for everyone to watch shows. “The acoustics always sound amazing, the staff is friendly and they have numerous bars, so it’s never long to get a drink.”Like Condon, Floyd also enjoys the Bluebird’s laid back, inclusive atmosphere. She said they Bluebird patrons are always having a good time, and even when the place is packed – which is often – the crowd never gets to be too much to handle.Dave Kubiak, owner of the Bluebird, said he thinks people like his bar because of its aura. He said the ambiance in the Bluebird is hard to duplicate. “The building is very historic and has a lot of character.”Kubiak said he seeks out some of the bands that play there, but most bands’ agents contact him to set up dates. He said the Bluebird consistently brings in some of the biggest national acts. The variety of acts the venue hosts makes it hard for Kubiak to pick a favorite. “I enjoy all the acts that come.”
(11/12/08 5:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Between the renowned basketball team and the football team’s popularity exists a virtually unknown club hockey team. While most in the school and community might not be aware IU has a hockey team, the Hoosiers are Division II stars. Last year they fought their way to the national championship game, losing to Davenport University. Senior forward Dan Karlander won the Great Midwest Hockey League (GMHL) Player of the Year award. Both Karlander and his father, head coach Al, are gone. But new coach Tom Orr is no stranger to the program, having served as assistant coach and a player for six years. An adjunct professor, he is working on a doctorate in leisure behavior.While the trip to the title game was impressive, the level of work the team does to stay afloat is equally impressive. They need $100,000 a year to operate. The players raise $60,000, with each shelling out $2,000 a year to be on the team. Alumni donations, program sponsors and overall fundraising make up the rest.While the fan base is relatively small, Orr said there isn’t a lack of loyalty.“Our fans understand we are a good team,” he said. “They understand that hockey is in an interesting sport, where sometimes even people who go on to play pro hockey never even lettered in it in high school.”Orr said the team’s crowds compare to some varsity teams. Still, the lack of recognition can be discouraging.“We don’t have the facilities and budgets that other organizations have,” captain Adam Fishbein said, “but we are playing college hockey at Indiana University, which anyone on the team would say is pretty special.”Junior Adam Logue said he feels frustrated.“I feel that we are just as serious as any program,” Logue said. “We just do not have the funding to be noticed.”Many of the players also run the team’s business side. Junior forward Matt Grainda is team president, and Fishbein is team secretary in addition to captain.While those responsibilities normally go to those not on the team, everyone is expected to do more.“The only thing I feel bad about is that the guys on the team don’t get scholarships, and they also have to help with the logistics of running the team,” Orr said. “It’s a harder experience, but I think it’s a good experience for them in a lot of ways.”The team kicked off the season with last year’s momentum, winning its first six games. Since then, the Hoosiers (8-4-0, 0-4-0) have struggled, losing two games each to Davenport and Michigan. They beat Wright State twice last weekend. Because last year’s team made it to the finals with a 4-6-4 conference record, Logue said the club has no reason to panic.“I feel that even though we are 0-4 right now, we are going to catch fire here before Christmas,” Logue said. “The GMHL is the best league in the country, and the crowned national champion usually comes from this league.” Fishbein said this year’s team is comparable to last season’s group.“I feel we are just as talented, but we need to find that drive that last year’s team had in the national tournament,” he said. “We are probably the second-best team in the GMHL and are working hard to become the best.”Citing their camaraderie and work ethic, Orr believes the success of last year has stuck with the Hoosiers.“Nothing against last year’s team, because we had all the success, but there’s definitely nothing to be disappointed in with this year’s team,” he said. “I think they came in with a great attitude and have done a lot of work to make the team better.”
(11/11/08 5:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The fans who packed Friday’s game picked a good night to experience IU hockey.The biggest crowd of the season witnessed the most intense fighting of the fall, including a near bench-clearing brawl at the end of regulation.Tension between the two teams escalated the entire night, finally coming to a head late in the third period. With the Hoosiers leading 3-2 a few minutes before the end of regulation, an interference penalty was called on IU, putting them at a disadvantage. Wright State managed a game-tying goal on a power play, sending the contest into overtime.As the buzzer blared at Frank Southern Ice Arena to summon the end of regulation, a nasty fight broke out between the two teams. The officials were unable to break it up for several minutes.Then the goalies came in.IU goalie Sal Calace flew down the ice to take on the opposing goalie in defense of his teammates. Even more time passed before the smoke cleared.Overtime didn’t last long, as Keith Koorsen scored the game-winning goal for the Hoosiers in the sudden-death period.Though they took the win 4-3, four players from each team were suspended for fighting. Junior Adam Logue was suspended for three games for his role in the skirmish, while the other seven players involved were suspended for Saturday’s game.“I blacked out. I saw the other goalie throw punches at one of our guys, so I immediately ran down there to stick up for my teammates,” said Calace, the goalkeeper in Friday’s game until his ejection before overtime. “I would’ve never thought in my wildest dreams that would have happened. I’m just happy we got the win.”Calace said the fight started when forward Adam Fishbein was hit near the Wright State corner as time expired. Logue came to his defense, and Calace into the fold when the Raiders goalie hit defenseman Brandon Dornish. Sophomore goalie Dan Ivory took over the net during the overtime win.These two teams played for the first time ever last month, with IU winning both games. This could have been one reason why the rematch was much more aggressive.“They had a little bit more emotion in it,” said senior Nick White. “They have a grudge, and they came out and showed it, but we showed our heart and grinded it till the end.”While Koorsen was happy his game-winning goal gave his team the victory, he knew the brawl was on everybody’s mind.“Whenever a goalie fights, it’s definitely going to be one of the best fights you’re ever going to see,” he said. “I’m just glad we got out with a ‘W.’ We almost blew it by getting those penalties with a couple of minutes left.”Koorsen said he felt the referees in the game were inconsistent with calls.“They let a lot of stuff go, and then all of a sudden they’d call a lot of crazy calls,” he said. “It’s inconsistent is all that you can say.”Despite the battle, IU coach Tom Orr is trying to keep his team focused on the big picture.“We need to get the wins. I need to keep them focused on that,” he said. “Everybody’s excited about all the stuff that happened after the whistle, and all the fighting and stuff, but we need to stay focused on winning. It’s obviously the thing the rating committee looks at. We need to go to nationals, we’re not the taekwondo club or anything, we need to win hockey games. So as a coach, I’m trying to keep them focused on taking care of the scoreboard.”The four suspended players for the Hoosiers, Tyler Bohman, Adam Logue, Calace and Travis Montembeault, all sat out Saturday’s game. All but Logue will be eligible for next week’s games against Ferris State University. Logue’s three-game suspension was for excessive roughness.In Saturday’s game, the Hoosiers won 3-2 to pull off the weekend sweep. The game lacked the hostility of the night before, but Nick White was in the one and only fight of the game. Dan Ivory was the starting goalie. The team is now 8-4 after snapping a four-game losing streak.
(11/06/08 4:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The IU club ice hockey team looks to snap its four-game losing streak this weekend with two home games against Wright State. After starting out 6-0, the Hoosiers have been swept by Davenport and Michigan in the past two weekends, respectively. Fortunately for the team, two of its six wins this year came when it swept Wright State last month.Despite their two victories against the Raiders, they know not to come into any game unprepared.“You can’t take anyone lightly. We’re going to be working hard in practice this week,” said junior Joe Fornari. “We’re going to give them our best look. We’re not underestimating anyone.”Part of the team’s preparation for Wright State will be playing the physically aggressive style the Raiders bring to the table.“In practice, we run aggressive forechecks,” freshman Travis Montembeault said. “You practice getting hit and making quick decisions with the puck if you got a lot of pressure on you.”Fornari knows play could be even more physical on IU’s ice.“Basically, since our rink is very small, it increased the chances (of physical play), but I feel that we’re just as physical as them,” he said. “They like to try and get under your skin, but as long as we don’t give in to that and play our game, I’m pretty confident we’ll be able to get the job done. We’re a tough team.”IU coach Tom Orr is going to tweak the lineup to prepare for the Raiders.“We’re going to switch our lines up a little this week,” he said. “We’re going to add at least one guy to every line that’s kind of a physical player.”Orr said the line changes are to counterbalance what his team expects from Wright State. He’s hoping that keeps his team out of trouble.“We’ll have some more physical players, but we’re hoping their physical style doesn’t put them in the box,” he said. “We anticipate having a lot of power plays if they play like they did last time.”After five straight road games, the Hoosiers will be welcomed home with the first of seven straight home games this Friday. They say they are happy to be home.“It’s a welcomed change. I haven’t even dressed for a home game, so I’m ready to do that,” Montembeault said. “(Away games) really start to take a toll on you.”Fornari was starting to get sick of being on the road, and said he looks forward to returning to the Frank Southern Ice Arena.“It’s tough every weekend going away and driving five hours on a bus,” he said. “It makes it a lot more of a comfortable situation playing on home ice.”Orr said he feels the home stretch will be a great way to turn around their recent misfortune.“That’s exactly what we’re excited about, because we were going up to Michigan every week, and it really wears on the team,” he said. “Now we’re looking for the right push off into semester break. We’re trying to keep our win streak at home going.”
(11/06/08 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Politics took the stage in “Partisan Theatrics [or] will our apple fall far from the bush?” The performance Monday night consisted of 15 short plays all relating to politics in some way. The topics ranged from presidential candidates to the way the media handles politics.“This Just In ...” featured two mock news reporters and a feminist voter who thought aloud about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. The female reporter constantly gives “This just in” reports, saying things such as “Hillary Clinton is talking about you behind your back,” while the male reporter makes reports glorifying Obama before saying “details at 11.” Meanwhile, the confused voter surmises that, even though she’s a feminist, she prefers Obama over Clinton. “O Captain My Captain” also featured three actors, including a young man and two older characters. The three are on a boat lost at sea and soon begin to argue about how to best get to safety. One suggests continuing on and looking for land, while the other argues they should stay where they are and wait for help. The man in the middle suggests they take a vote. They both agree and vote for their own theories, leaving him to be the deciding factor. After showing his indecision, he gives them each two minutes to argue their views. They eventually get so caught up with winning the debate, they lose sight of their situation and fail to see the impending danger that awaits them.A few of the spoofs were of Obama, John McCain and Sarah Palin. The final play of the night, “A More Perfect Union,” begins with a debate between McCain and Obama. The debate takes a heated turn, and McCain falls over dead. Moments later, Palin comes out to take his spot, and the two candidates return to the debate. The course of the debate turns to sexual innuendo, which apparently arouses Palin’s character, and she suggests they team up and run the country together.Lora Conrad, who played Palin, studied her for more than a month to get ready for the role.“I watched footage of the real Palin and footage of the Tina Fey Palin,” Conrad said. “I tried to find a happy medium and make her my own.”While it was Conrad’s goal to be funny, she wasn’t out to make Palin look bad.“It’s a challenge not to blatantly make fun of her,” she said. “I want to be respectful no matter what my opinion of her is. I want to be funny at the same time.”I. James Torry spent a lot of time in front of the mirror to practice accurately portraying Obama. In addition, he obtained any piece of media related to Obama he could find.“Every time I saw a picture, I’d try to mimic that picture,” Torry said. “I downloaded a lot of his speeches so I could get his tone and voice and his way of talking down.”While portraying a political candidate is no easy task, Torry said he was up to the challenge.“I’ve been getting people saying that I look like him,” he said. “Now I had to become him.”Greg Ellis played McCain. He said he was able to nail down McCain’s mannerisms by watching him on the news.“He’s got a lot of hand motions,” Ellis said. “I would look at the lines and try to get some sort of body movement in with the individual lines. Of course, in the (final) scene I didn’t have any lines, I just died.”Judging by the audience’s reaction, Ellis said he saw Monday’s show as a success.“I was very pleased,” he said. “You hope that they’ll laugh at about 80 to 90 percent of the things you think are funny. I think they definitely hit the 90 percent level. You could tell they enjoyed themselves.”
(11/05/08 8:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bring on the filth. English metal band Cradle of Filth returns with their eighth album Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder. The extreme metal band is perhaps best known for the distinct scream of lead singer Dani Filth. Aside from towing the line between black metal, death metal and extreme metal, they also have many symphonic elements to their sound. Although there is nearly constant screaming and grinding, hellish-sounding guitars, they also make good use of keyboards and female background vocals. This is the band’s first studio release since Thornography from 2006.“The Death of Love” is a fine example of how the band’s music has progressed. This piece begins with great guitar riffs and melodic but ominous keyboards. Filth’s vocals are somewhat lower than normal as he rips through the first verse. Backing vocalist Sarah Jezebel Deva provides vocals for the next verse as the two trade off on this duet. Filth’s voice soars like a bat out of hell on certain parts of the song. Deva’s soft, melodic voice is the perfect contrast to Filth’s brutal roar.In contrast to “The Death of Love,” “Tragic Kingdom “is probably the heaviest track on the album. Filth’s insanely high-pitched voice spills out all over the place. The driving guitar and thundering double-bass pedal drumming make it extremely powerful. This song is sure to please fans of the Filth.If you’re not a fan of screaming metal, or screaming in general, or metal in general, you will hate Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder. On the contrary, this album should please many Cradle of Filth fans. The guitar work is great, and the band manages to do a good job contrasting sounds that are intense and melodic. While it’s far from an ethereal experience, Godspeed on the Devil’s Thunder should be fun for most metal fans.
(11/05/08 8:36pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When senior Nick Kieper home-recorded the first demo for his band The Founders, he did it mostly to save money. This sometimes required using unconventional equipment and methods, like singing into a microphone that was taped to a lamp-stand. Do-it-yourself home recording has been around for years, but technological advancements in recording software allow independent musicians to record their own material while spending little or no money. In an age of Garage Band and cheap microphones, “DIY” recording has made it cheaper and easier than ever to get high-quality results. Informatics major and local musician Brian Hulse, who once saw an improvising, home-recording musician put a microphone in a coffee can, said the grainy, distorted DIY sound started out confined to the punk scene in the 1970s and ’80s, but now musicians from all branches of rock are buying their own soundboards and software and recording albums at home. “Starting in the’70s with punk, you get the DIY aesthetic as a tangible style,” he said. “This gives anything looking or sounding vaguely ratty all sorts of connotations regarding legitimacy and integrity,” Kieper said. Kieper, who sings and plays drums, guitar and bass in local bands The Founders and Naughty Monarch, said that even more mainstream musicians such as Beck and Elliot Smith recorded their debut albums themselves. The Founders’ debut album Exile in Charon was recorded last summer in the living room of his friend’s house, which the band converted into a studio for about two months.After the recording was finished, Kieper sent the mixed songs to a private printing company in New Jersey, where the tracks were burned onto the discs and the covers were printed. “Suddenly, we have a tangible album in our hands,” he said.Kieper uses a $10 microphone he purchased from Musician’s Friend, an online music store that ships equipment across the country. His band also uses recording software Audacity because it’s the only free recording software available to PC users. Hulse has been playing music for eight years and currently drums for two bands, Spyclops and a Dead Kennedys cover band named Ted Kennedys. With his bands he has done several recordings, some of them in basements.“You basically use what equipment you have around,” he said, adding that most bands do DIY recording because of the high cost of paying for hours at a professional studio. Hulse uses Cubasis, Ableton and Pro Tools computer software, and some musicians use mixing or recording stations as well. Hulse said the Shure SM57 microphone is a musician’s “best friend” if they are planning on doing DIY recording. They only cost around $100, he said, and even professional musicians use them. According to www.shure.co.uk, the SM57 is the microphone that sits atop the presidential lectern. “Most musicians who are on a low budget and have some experience in audio engineering and mixing sound try to do their own recordings,” said junior Sam Cone, a communications major. He said average studio rates for a top-quality recording start at $500.Cone is the lead singer and guitarist for Seymour, Ind., band Brella. He said home studio equipment is cheaper than ever, and most unsigned bands can produce a decent-sounding demo using bundled software from companies like Digidesign.Cone records music frequently with his Macbook. Last year, he recorded a demo for his band Brella, and he is currently working on an acoustic solo project.Hulse said home recording has many advantages over the process of recording in a studio, one of which is time flexibility, which can lead to better sounding records since musicians have the time to experiment with different sounds.“I have paid for studio time before, and it is like a rush to get as much done as possible, which sometimes means you compromise on the quality of the music,” he said.The biggest asset in home recording to Kieper is that it does not cost as much. The Founders’ recording engineer did not expect hourly pay but rather wanted a cut of the total sales. “This freed us up to record whenever we were available and for however long we wanted.” Hulse said home recording can also allow musicians to play with different ideas to generate different sounds. In a studio when everyone is strapped for time, the sound engineer does most of that for the band. Even counting the benefits of home recording – decreased cost, flexibility, sound experimentation – Hulse knows DIY recording has a few drawbacks. He said there are a lot of times when musicians don’t have a professional in the room to show them how to record, or how to place mics or even how to use many of the features that come with professional-grade software. He added that in a recording studio, you also have access to a wider variety of equipment.Cone said that while home recording is inexpensive in the long run, getting off the ground with it can be expensive. It requires a lot of initial investment in equipment, and learning mixing techniques takes a long time.But after putting down money for the start-up costs, subsequent recordings are virtually free. Kieper said the biggest problem with home recording is how time-consuming it is. It requires a lot of setup, as well as a lot of adaptation to nonideal situations and improvisation of materials. While a crisp, professional sound may be important to some, Hulse knows some musicians prefer the opposite.“A lot of people just like to get their ideas down, sort of like writing a rough draft or making a rough sketch.” Home recording provides a cheap and easy outlet for this kind of off-the-cuff expression.Kieper said having a “professional sound” is overrated. He said “professional” is a good sound that results from hard work and experience, but when it’s the only quality level available it “blinds one to the artistry inherent in low-grade recordings.”Hulse said DIY recording is more rewarding than doing it in a studio.“I think you really feel like you have accomplished a lot more when you do it yourself.”
(11/05/08 8:17pm)
Three WEEKEND reviewers tackle music's latest tracks.
