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(07/25/02 8:23pm)
A dark-haired man in a worn-in Grateful Dead T-shirt sits on a blanket, bobbing his dreadlocked head up and down to the beat provided by Blue Moon Revue. To his right, an older, slightly balding man stands, gently tapping his foot to the music. To his left, two golden retrievers chase each other around in circles, eventually running after a young barefoot girl, her long brown hair windblown over her smiling face. Below her, the green grass blew in the wind while the blue but cloudy sky illuminates all of Dunn Meadow Saturday for this year's Calmfest.\n"It's definitely a huge plus to get all sorts of people from different backgrounds and age groups to come together and strongly support a cause," said Jeff Shiffman, drummer for Indiana Trip Factory.\nIn its fifth year, Calmfest was the biggest and most fun festival the organization has put together, said Michael Truelove, event coordinator and Citizens Alliance for the Legalization of Marijuana founder. \nThe festival included music from seven bands, including Blue Moon Revue, Indiana Trip Factory and Alma Azul and numerous speakers including Truelove himself. The combination of speeches and music provided attendants with entertainment and information to encourage legalization of marijuana and better drug laws.\nSophomore Matt Frick, percussionist and banjo player for Blue Moon Revue, said he was overwhelmed by the crowd, which Truelove estimated to be more than 500 people.\n"I believe in supporting local music, and it's even better to have music supporting a great cause," Frick said.\nJunior Jesse McQuarters, bassist for Indiana Trip Factory, said as a student and musician, he was invigorated by the carefree community formed by the diverse crowd.\n"For me, personally, I draw so much inspiration from (the crowd)," he said. "It's so for-the-moment and inspirational … it just helps to give us energy and give that energy back to the audience."\nShiffman said another motivation for him to participate in Calmfest was the potential for social action.\n"People need to understand that a big part of the CALM movement is the hemp movement as well," Shiffman said. "People need to realize what a strength hemp would be to our industry and environment, which I think is the most important message."\nMcQuarters agreed with Shiffman, and said when he wasn't performing, he danced to the other performers and interacted with the crowd, trying to meet as many different people as possible to gain a fresh perspective.\n"It's very important to be educated about all the issues," McQuarters said. "Legalization is very controversial … you've got to be informed about it, know both sides of the story, and try to learn as much as you can so that when you go out you can make an informed statement."\nFreshman Stephanie Solomon said the diversity and progressive attitudes that permeated the audience impressed her.\n"I think it was wonderful because it didn't just attract the people that would stereotypically associate with an event like Calmfest," she said. "Rather, it's about more people who realize the cause is more than just crazy hippies who want to smoke pot, but actually a really serious issue."\nSolomon said although she enjoyed the informative and commercial booths that were set up, she liked the music the most.\n"It was a good representation of a lot of the things that are happening in Bloomington right now," she said. "The community that was at Calmfest is the part of IU that I like best -- really open and free spirited"
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
If you don't listen closely, you might think the first track of David Mead's Mine and Yours is a Radiohead album in disguise, with undertones of Britain's pop artist Jason Falkner. But if you listen more carefully, Mead's sweet, high-pitched voice is laced with insight and optimism, proving he is his own musician.\nOverall, Mine and Yours combines an impressive variety of sounds -- ranging from slow and somber to rhythmic and hopeful -- but the album fails to completely avoid the common manufactured sound of today's mainstream pop music. Nonetheless, Mead's lyrics provide a depth that most pop music lacks, thus giving his music a compelling sound worthy of listening to at least once. \nSeveral tracks are beautiful, containing lyrics you can identify with and beats that require listening to over and over again. But Mine and Yours also contains several tracks where the poignant lyrics are lost in the annoying melody and too-shrill lead vocals of Mead. Songs like "Girl On The Roof" and "Flamin' Angel" are painfully monotonous.\nThe fourth track, "Echoes Of The Heart," sounds dark and ominous, but as the chorus repeats, "Not a sound, then it starts/Something speaks from the dark/Not a voice/Only echoes of a heart," the song is immediately colored with a more uplifting sound.\nMead also showcases his ability to reach a crazy amount of high notes as his voice constructs the beautiful rhythms of "No One Left To Blame." "Comfort" has a meditating instrumental sound, as Mead's voice truly conveys the human need for comfort. "We're talking trash again like long sedated lovers/Baby what's become of us/A latent memory of Southern spring and summer/Maybe Winter in New York," suggests the universal issue of relationships in trouble.\nIn contrast to these slower, introspective songs, Mead also shows a more upbeat side with "Mine And Yours" and "Venus Again," both of which sound like they belong on the aforementioned Falkner's first album, Author Unknown. The most unique sounding song "Elodie" is reminiscent of the United States' Peter Salett and Scotland's Belle and Sebastian, with a syrupy-sweet rhythm and soft drum beats that keep the song moving.\nMead's Mine and Yours is certainly worth listening to, but will most likely not stay in my stereo for long.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
Eight freshmen from the East Coast sat entranced by the 13-inch television in McNutt Quad Crone 200, completely unaware that a ninth had wandered in with an armful of food in an attempt to lighten the somber mood. \nThe large pile of snacks sat untouched in the center of the floor, as their appetites seemed unimportant compared to watching the coverage of Tuesday's terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington.\nLeaning closer to the television, which was filled with scenes of the wreckage and chaos in the cities, Jillian Kahn, a freshman, tersely asked her friends to "please not talk right now." Her eyes did not drift away from the television screen as she voiced this request. \nThe dull ring of a cell phone disrupted the silence in the room and they all reached for their phones to ensure they remained in constant contact with their family and friends. It turned out to be a reporter's cell phone on TV. \nShaking her head and rubbing her temples to ease her swelling headache, Kahn said, "It's a relief to hear my family is OK, but the city you live in is in destruction. I just wish I was home right now."\nLainie Goldstein, a freshman, said she is worried about what's going on at home, but she's relieved to be in Indiana during such an emergency.\n"To be honest," Goldstein said, "I feel safer here than anywhere else."\nThe tension in the room and the dried tears on the faces of these freshmen is evidence that IU's student population that originates from New York has been left in shambles because of this tragedy.\nDownstairs in McNutt Bordner Ground, sounds of news anchors filled the hallways, as almost every room had their television tuned to remain up-to-date with the situation on the east coast. \nCharlie Geier, a freshman from Richmond, Ind., sat alone in his dorm room, strumming his guitar while watching the World Trade Center emit billows of thick smoke.\n"(Playing guitar) is a way to ease my mind because this is just so crazy," Geier said, the pleasant guitar chords a sharp contrast to the grave sounds coming from the news broadcast. "It's obviously devastating. It makes me angry, makes you want to just enlist and help out. I think most guys feel like that."\nHis neighbors sat quietly in their room, the glow of the television the only visible sign of electricity. Joel Riethmiller, a freshman from Fort Wayne, said he was in complete shock upon learning of the World Trade Center situation but didn't quite understand the magnitude of what happened.\n"Walking out of here and seeing people in tears with their cell phones -- that's when it started to hit me," he said.\nIt was lunch time several blocks away in Wright Food Court. Though many students appeared to be talking casually -- eating pizza and drinking coffee -- at least 30 people were crowded around the big-screen TV, mindlessly chewing their food while digesting the latest news update of the terrorist attacks in New York.\nSophomore Greg Stamm sat alone against the wall, seemingly unaware of anything around him except the television broadcast.\n"My mind automatically assumed it wasn't as bad as it initially appeared to be," Stamm said. "But after watching for a couple hours, it dwarfs anything else I've ever seen on TV." \nEarlier in the day, the Greek community was just waking up to the news that America was under attack. It was unusually quiet in Alpha Epsilon Pi and news broadcasts echoed through the hallways. Pajama-clad fraternity members and their girlfriends crowded on the couches of a room on the second floor, their eyes squinted from a mixture of sadness and sleep. \n"I'm pretty disturbed," sophomore Justin Gurney said. "The way I see it, this is by far the craziest thing that's ever happened. Here I am, worried about a test, and these people just died…I can't put it into words."\nDown the hall, New Jersey native Mike Levy was curled up in a blanket while shifting his attention from his cell phone to the television. The sophomore said he was immediately terrified because both his parents work in the City -- he confirmed they're both OK. \n"One of my brothers came to wake me up, and I've never been more scared in my life," Levy admitted. "I've been trying to call everyone, and my friend in D.C. said everything there is out of control. Their classes have been cancelled and they're just sitting around trying to figure out what to do."\nSeven-hundred miles from the tragedy, IU students are also experiencing uncertainty.\nDown the street in Alpha Epsilon Phi, girls had come home from their first morning class to watch the news surrounded by the support of their friends. Five girls are sitting on the bed in such bewilderment they all begin speaking at once when asked what they're feeling.\n"My God, how could anything like this happen in our lifetime," junior Lindsey Deitchman exclaimed. "You can't express it in words, you can only feel it -- the aching, the disgust."\nCassie Feldman nodded her head in agreement, her red hair pulled back from her tear-stained face. \n"My best friend lives in the City, but it's not really a question of her safety as much as how horrifying it must be to be there," Feldman said. "It's on American soil and it's terrifying."\nThey are interrupted by sophomores Stephanie Isaacs and Alissa Feldman who wander into the room in mid-conversation. Isaacs had a cell phone up to her ear as she said, "My legs are numb right now."\nAlissa Feldman added, "The world will never be the same again."\nEven on campus, students found ways to access a television. On the mezzanine floor of the Indiana Memorial Union, students were silent. The usual lunchtime chatter was muted as students gathered around TVs in the Commons and stood on chairs straining to see above the crowd. The e-mail stations were also crowded, long lines forming as students craved e-mail updates from home.\nJunior Kelly Gwin was waiting to e-mail friends working in downtown NY, and has not heard from them yet.\n"I've been on campus all day so I haven't heard much, but it's awful," she said. "I just want to talk to my friends."\nSenior Dave Fingerhut woke up in his off-campus apartment this morning to news of the assault on the World Trade Centers, incapable of pushing a growing fear out of his mind.\nFingerhut is from New York City, and his parents still live and work there. He tried to get in contact with his parents, and at first was unsuccessful, but eventually reached his mother, who had made it back home safely and also learned that his father was safe in his office building downtown. While Fingerhut plans on staying here in Bloomington instead of going home, he doubts that this is the end of this event.\n"I think this is going to result in more deaths and swift political retribution," he said. "This is a major wake up call for the U.S., and will have huge political repercussions. Things are never going to be the same."\nStaff reporters Holly Johnson and Brian Longly contributed to this story.
(07/25/02 8:23pm)
In the past, Lucinda Williams would spend years perfecting the lyrics, rhythms and melodies of her songs before she stepped into the studio to record them, as the uncompromising singer-songwriter would settle for nothing less than perfection. But her latest album, Essence, was written at Williams' kitchen table during a short, intense six-week burst of creativity and has been praised just as highly as her earlier works that took three times as long to complete.\nAt 8 p.m. today, Williams brings her essence to Axis Nightclub, 419 N. Walnut St. Tickets are $23.\nProfessor Glenn Gass, who teaches two courses in the history of rock and roll, admitted he's a big fan of the Grammy award-winning musician. He said as an avid listener of Williams' music, he hears a strong world view in her lyrics that she colors with layers of Americana, but cannot be classified in any one genre. \n"Lucinda was roots rock before roots rock was cool, or Americana or whatever tag -- she's not country, she's not folk, she's not rock -- but she mixes them easily," Gass said. "She's got such a great voice, and puts it out in this off-hand conversational way. There's an intimacy to her … There's a humanity to her music. It's a great antidote to Britney Spears and 'NSync. She's the essence of rock and roll -- you count on one hand the number of people who are as vital as she is. And now is the perfect time to see her. Right now is her moment."\nThat may be true, but Williams has been having "moments" for more than 20 years. Born in 1953 in Louisiana to artistic parents (her father was poet Miller Williams and her mother was a pianist), she grew up listening to Bob Dylan and Loretta Lynn. At 17, she dropped out of school to pursue her music and in 1979 released her first album. She has since been awarded two Grammys, the most recent for her fifth album, 1998's Car Wheels on a Gravel Road. Essence is her first release since that success. To top it all off, in the summer Time Magazine named Williams "America's Best Songwriter."\nJim Ziegler, program director of WTTS 92.3 and an afternoon DJ, said the station has been trying to give Essence more radio play than Williams has received in the past. Not only is Ziegler a fan, but he also thinks like Gass -- he revels in Williams' unique sound that is rare in today's mainstream music world.\n"She certainly sings from the heart, and her music has a very passionate side to it, and it's very alluring," Ziegler said. "From a lyrical standpoint, her songs have a lot of meaning, and I think when you listen to Lucinda Williams, you get a real window into what she's all about, which is something that you don't necessarily see with every artist on the radio these days."\nTo help promote the show, Ziegler said WTTS will raffle an autographed guitar -- everyone who goes to the show will get a free raffle ticket and there will be a drawing at end of the show.\n"I went to her concert Sunday night in Indianapolis and I had a chance to spend some time with her after the show," Ziegler said. "She's really down to earth. We obviously talked about her and her new album, but we also spent some time talking about how the terrorist attacks have affected the concert scene … She's just like everyone else. And even though she's won two Grammys and has some phenomenal music, she's still a real person. I think that it was enlightening to talk to her about everything else that's going on outside of music."\nDave Kubiak, owner of Axis and Bluebird, said he's thrilled about what's going on inside Williams' music, as he said he thinks there are very few people who can write and sing music as well as she does.\n"Lucinda is considered one of the best songwriters in America," Kubiak said. "Anytime you can get a person on that level, you seize that opportunity."\nProfessor Gass hopes to be able to seize the opportunity, as he has not seen Williams recently, but he may have a class conflict.\n"Currently, from what I've heard now, she's a real dynamic performer," Gass said. "She's found her confidence, and I think that's the whole point of Essence. I think she's really got a swagger right now, instead of that crippling self-doubt that used to color her songs, and I can't think of a more perfect time to be seeing her. It's nice that a show like this is coming to town. We need more of this"
(11/29/01 5:00am)
The weather in Bloomington may fluctuate, but the warmth that emanates from Malibu Grill is undeniably consistent and year-round. \nA staple on the square, Malibu Grill has been serving Bloomington for seven years (and with two locations in Indianapolis for nine years). Manager John Bailey has been proudly involved with the restaurant since its inception and is giddy with excitement at being named Bloomington's Best Restaurant.\n"We give our clientele what they ask for -- that's what makes us a favorite," Bailey says. "Every week we read the comment cards, and we go out of our way to take them into consideration."\nMalibu Grill is not only involved with its customers, but also with the University. They do all the pregame meals for women's basketball and also provide recruiting dinners for numerous IU sports teams. Bailey points to a plaque the soccer team presented the restaurant last year to thank them for their support and involvement.\nBailey then motions to the Wall of Fame, which consists of three walls decorated with framed photographs of regulars and locally famous people who have dined at Malibu. \n"We're always spending time with guests," Bailey says. "We have a large and devoted cast of regulars. They feel like it's home."\nJunior Rachael Rugh identifies with Bailey's comfortable description of the restaurant. Born in Bloomington, Rugh began enjoying Malibu's cuisine with her parents many years ago.\n"It's this cute little restaurant with a great atmosphere and great food that I really enjoy coming to," Rugh says. "It's a great experience and a very inviting place to eat."\nRugh admits though she attempts to vary her order, she typically opts for her favorite, the spicy shrimp scallops. Bailey, on the other hand, cites his favorite item on the menu as the more mild caramelized salmon. \n"When eight people come to the restaurant, everyone can find something on the menu to eat," he says.\nBailey gestures casually to Jason Shoulders, the new kitchen manager who will be responsible for Malibu's new additions soon-to-decorate the menu in the form of "Chef's Specials." Shoulders has been working at Malibu Grill for three years but only recently has stepped up and taken charge. He says he's most excited to introduce the horseradish crusted red snapper.\n"My favorite thing is to talk to people, see what they like, and then throw that together," Shoulders says smiling. \nShoulders admits his favorite item on the menu is the lime chicken fettuccini ("It's always wonderful -- I don't understand how I never get tired of eating it.") and says he's not surprised Malibu Grill is a student favorite.\n"First of all, we serve great food, fresh food," Shoulders says. "No one should ever walk out of here feeling unsatisfied. It's priced affordably so you won't blow out your wallet. And the staff knows what they're doing and cares about what they're doing"
(11/29/01 4:20am)
The weather in Bloomington may fluctuate, but the warmth that emanates from Malibu Grill is undeniably consistent and year-round. \nA staple on the square, Malibu Grill has been serving Bloomington for seven years (and with two locations in Indianapolis for nine years). Manager John Bailey has been proudly involved with the restaurant since its inception and is giddy with excitement at being named Bloomington's Best Restaurant.\n"We give our clientele what they ask for -- that's what makes us a favorite," Bailey says. "Every week we read the comment cards, and we go out of our way to take them into consideration."\nMalibu Grill is not only involved with its customers, but also with the University. They do all the pregame meals for women's basketball and also provide recruiting dinners for numerous IU sports teams. Bailey points to a plaque the soccer team presented the restaurant last year to thank them for their support and involvement.\nBailey then motions to the Wall of Fame, which consists of three walls decorated with framed photographs of regulars and locally famous people who have dined at Malibu. \n"We're always spending time with guests," Bailey says. "We have a large and devoted cast of regulars. They feel like it's home."\nJunior Rachael Rugh identifies with Bailey's comfortable description of the restaurant. Born in Bloomington, Rugh began enjoying Malibu's cuisine with her parents many years ago.\n"It's this cute little restaurant with a great atmosphere and great food that I really enjoy coming to," Rugh says. "It's a great experience and a very inviting place to eat."\nRugh admits though she attempts to vary her order, she typically opts for her favorite, the spicy shrimp scallops. Bailey, on the other hand, cites his favorite item on the menu as the more mild caramelized salmon. \n"When eight people come to the restaurant, everyone can find something on the menu to eat," he says.\nBailey gestures casually to Jason Shoulders, the new kitchen manager who will be responsible for Malibu's new additions soon-to-decorate the menu in the form of "Chef's Specials." Shoulders has been working at Malibu Grill for three years but only recently has stepped up and taken charge. He says he's most excited to introduce the horseradish crusted red snapper.\n"My favorite thing is to talk to people, see what they like, and then throw that together," Shoulders says smiling. \nShoulders admits his favorite item on the menu is the lime chicken fettuccini ("It's always wonderful -- I don't understand how I never get tired of eating it.") and says he's not surprised Malibu Grill is a student favorite.\n"First of all, we serve great food, fresh food," Shoulders says. "No one should ever walk out of here feeling unsatisfied. It's priced affordably so you won't blow out your wallet. And the staff knows what they're doing and cares about what they're doing"
(09/20/01 4:46am)
Four years ago, at the foot of yonder mountain, four guys influenced by Colorado bluegrass found the inspiration to come together and make music. At 10 p.m. today, they'll bring their unique sound to Bluebird Nightclub. \n"We picked up The Best of Sing Out, a folk publication of the 1960s, and started flipping through it and found a song that said 'at the foot of yonder mountain,' and that was it," Jeff Austin says emphatically of how they chose their name, Yonder Mountain String Band. "We're not your grandpa's bluegrass band."\nAustin, who studied musical theater and voice at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, picked up the mandolin just five years ago. In addition to Austin's mandolin, Yonder Mountain is comprised of upright bassist Ben Kaufman, guitarist Adam Aijala and banjoist David Johnston. They have no drummer. \n"I like the fact that they don't have a drummer, that they're all string instruments," junior Seth Cook says. After seeing the band last summer at the 28th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Cook was compelled to drive to Champaign, Ill., last week for their show that he describes as, "a lot of fun." \n"You'll do a lot of dancing. (Austin), the mandolin player, tears it up -- his solos are so fast," Cook continues. "They mix in traditional bluegrass songs with original songs, so even if you don't know them, you'd recognize some of their songs. They put on a really good show, really into the music and they talk to the crowd. Their shows are a lot of fun with a good atmosphere."\nIn search of that good atmosphere and mandolin solos, Cook says he'll no doubt be at tonight's show. Austin says it's fans like Cook that make his job worthwhile.\n"Being on stage is emotionally charging -- to have two, three thousand people jumping around, screaming, singing along with you," Austin says. "It's very fueling. Making music allows you to truly put your heart out there and let people see it."\nThe band just released its third CD, Town by Town, Sept. 7, and Austin says the styles of Bill Monroe, David Grisman, Pink Floyd, the Misfits, Frank Zappa, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra "and Kermit the Frog" are evident on the album. He gives no indication of whether or not he is joking about Kermit, saying, "We have a wide range of musical influences."\nThough excited to showcase their new music to crowds across the country, Austin says most people have a misconception of the highs and lows of touring with a band.\n"What's fun about being on stage in a band is, in reality, what you deal with everyday -- it's not all backstage rooms and buses and parties -- it's a lot of hard work and busting your ass," he admits. "A lot of heart goes into it and you go through a lot of crap -- not sleeping for days, driving all over the place. Imagine the nice little rode trip you take with friends that lasts 275 days during the year. Usually we're in a small van ... around each other all the time and you can imagine that sometimes it's large wolves chewing at each other."\nTo rekindle their creative spark, Austin says the band will introduce new music or take a complete break and see a movie or feed their roller coaster addictions.\n"You've got to try to find some way to relax, look inside yourself and see what you need to do to recharge -- whether that means you sit down and write a tune and practice or step away from instrument for a few days and go out on a hike," Austin says. "We're human beings like anybody else who go through ups and downs, but everybody has a great time. We're people trying to make other people dance."\nDave Kubiak, owner of the Bluebird, says he hopes Yonder Mountain String Band can succeed at making Bloomington dance tonight. He says after bringing Yonder Mountain to the Bird last April, he was hooked -- he wanted them to come back during their current tour.\n"I think Yonder Mountain is one of the most promising young jam bands in the country," Kubiak says. "Therefore that makes us very excited to come play here. They're very young and energetic and known for live shows." \nBut Yonder Mountain didn't always have the reputation Cook and Kubiak boast of; there was a time when they were just four guys with string instruments.\n"In 1999, we were all in attendance (at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival) enjoying the festival and watching it as observers, drooling (because) we wanted to play so bad," Austin says of the esteemed festival that they were able to play at last summer. "Life is just setting continual goals for yourself. You can either sit in easy chair and let years go by, or just go out there and bust your ass as extreme as you can. It's just setting the goals for ourselves, making an outline of those goals and trying to achieve them. We've been lucky, and it's good feeling."\nAustin says he hopes people will come out to their show with an open mind and a willingness to hear something different.\n"College is all about experimenting. There's a lot of different things you can experiment with and we're one of the cheapest," Austin says with a laugh. "We're not another noodle jam band that sounds exactly like Phish, and it's a break from average terrible pop band. We're trying to give something different and something real"
(09/20/01 4:00am)
Four years ago, at the foot of yonder mountain, four guys influenced by Colorado bluegrass found the inspiration to come together and make music. At 10 p.m. today, they'll bring their unique sound to Bluebird Nightclub. \n"We picked up The Best of Sing Out, a folk publication of the 1960s, and started flipping through it and found a song that said 'at the foot of yonder mountain,' and that was it," Jeff Austin says emphatically of how they chose their name, Yonder Mountain String Band. "We're not your grandpa's bluegrass band."\nAustin, who studied musical theater and voice at the University of Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, picked up the mandolin just five years ago. In addition to Austin's mandolin, Yonder Mountain is comprised of upright bassist Ben Kaufman, guitarist Adam Aijala and banjoist David Johnston. They have no drummer. \n"I like the fact that they don't have a drummer, that they're all string instruments," junior Seth Cook says. After seeing the band last summer at the 28th annual Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Cook was compelled to drive to Champaign, Ill., last week for their show that he describes as, "a lot of fun." \n"You'll do a lot of dancing. (Austin), the mandolin player, tears it up -- his solos are so fast," Cook continues. "They mix in traditional bluegrass songs with original songs, so even if you don't know them, you'd recognize some of their songs. They put on a really good show, really into the music and they talk to the crowd. Their shows are a lot of fun with a good atmosphere."\nIn search of that good atmosphere and mandolin solos, Cook says he'll no doubt be at tonight's show. Austin says it's fans like Cook that make his job worthwhile.\n"Being on stage is emotionally charging -- to have two, three thousand people jumping around, screaming, singing along with you," Austin says. "It's very fueling. Making music allows you to truly put your heart out there and let people see it."\nThe band just released its third CD, Town by Town, Sept. 7, and Austin says the styles of Bill Monroe, David Grisman, Pink Floyd, the Misfits, Frank Zappa, the Beatles, Frank Sinatra "and Kermit the Frog" are evident on the album. He gives no indication of whether or not he is joking about Kermit, saying, "We have a wide range of musical influences."\nThough excited to showcase their new music to crowds across the country, Austin says most people have a misconception of the highs and lows of touring with a band.\n"What's fun about being on stage in a band is, in reality, what you deal with everyday -- it's not all backstage rooms and buses and parties -- it's a lot of hard work and busting your ass," he admits. "A lot of heart goes into it and you go through a lot of crap -- not sleeping for days, driving all over the place. Imagine the nice little rode trip you take with friends that lasts 275 days during the year. Usually we're in a small van ... around each other all the time and you can imagine that sometimes it's large wolves chewing at each other."\nTo rekindle their creative spark, Austin says the band will introduce new music or take a complete break and see a movie or feed their roller coaster addictions.\n"You've got to try to find some way to relax, look inside yourself and see what you need to do to recharge -- whether that means you sit down and write a tune and practice or step away from instrument for a few days and go out on a hike," Austin says. "We're human beings like anybody else who go through ups and downs, but everybody has a great time. We're people trying to make other people dance."\nDave Kubiak, owner of the Bluebird, says he hopes Yonder Mountain String Band can succeed at making Bloomington dance tonight. He says after bringing Yonder Mountain to the Bird last April, he was hooked -- he wanted them to come back during their current tour.\n"I think Yonder Mountain is one of the most promising young jam bands in the country," Kubiak says. "Therefore that makes us very excited to come play here. They're very young and energetic and known for live shows." \nBut Yonder Mountain didn't always have the reputation Cook and Kubiak boast of; there was a time when they were just four guys with string instruments.\n"In 1999, we were all in attendance (at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival) enjoying the festival and watching it as observers, drooling (because) we wanted to play so bad," Austin says of the esteemed festival that they were able to play at last summer. "Life is just setting continual goals for yourself. You can either sit in easy chair and let years go by, or just go out there and bust your ass as extreme as you can. It's just setting the goals for ourselves, making an outline of those goals and trying to achieve them. We've been lucky, and it's good feeling."\nAustin says he hopes people will come out to their show with an open mind and a willingness to hear something different.\n"College is all about experimenting. There's a lot of different things you can experiment with and we're one of the cheapest," Austin says with a laugh. "We're not another noodle jam band that sounds exactly like Phish, and it's a break from average terrible pop band. We're trying to give something different and something real"
(09/06/01 5:08am)
Target or Walmart shopping is a staple in Bloomington. You go in for cotton balls and come out with two bags of pretzels, pajama pants, a stapler and soap. Grand total: much more money than you originally anticipated.\nBut I've found the cure for this needless spending. Check out the toy section. In these isles you will be able to busy yourself with things you know you don't need to buy. While your friends cruise the store for practical, but unnecessary, expenses, you can play with a Furbie, a See n' Say or the talking Malibu schoolteacher Barbie.\nIf this sounds juvenile to you, you've been in college for too long. Not only do adventures in Toyland prevent you from spending lots of money, but more importantly playing with toys can be a cathartic experience. As your fingers graze over the miniature keyboard that lights up with each note, or as you listen carefully to the instructions of Simon, you are temporarily a child again, untouched by the complications of everyday college life. \nMy favorite toys were the ones I could interact with. I found a large plastic frog with a British accent who taught me how to spell "table." A cartoon-like telephone played the classic "Twinkle twinkle little star" every time I pushed the three button. But the highlight of these talking toys was a soft, plush dog that indicated I should squeeze his right paw, which resulted in a beautiful rendition of "Who Let the Dogs Out," complete with choreography from the puppy. I found it so entertaining I then pressed two paws at the same time so I could see an entire doggy chorus.\nBut even the silent toys held my attention. Not to sound like my 80-year-old grandmother, but it truly is amazing the toys that decorate the shelves today. I grew up with simple games like UNO and Sorry!, so for me to see a Palm Pilot and a laptop for children, walkie talkies in the shape of watches, all 20 characters in Harry Potter and a battery-operated miniature Volkswagen Beetle is truly incredible. Though I can't go back in time and trade in my Garbage Pail Kids cards for a singing dog, I can pretend the world still revolves around toys by simply perusing the isles and discovering that Mattel now makes Ken dolls with hair. Astounding, isn't it?\nBefore you think I'm off my rocker, let me just clarify that I don't go to Target everyday for hours and hours. In fact, I hadn't been anywhere near the toy aisles until just a few short weeks ago when I accidentally discovered this life-altering pastime.\nBefore leaving Cleveland to return to Bloomington, I went with my younger sister and a friend to Target with the sole intention of buying a new bulletin board and shampoo and conditioner. But before leaving the store, my friend convinced me that there are hidden treasures in the toy isles that we should definitely take advantage of. For the next 45 minutes, I felt young and full of wonderment, looking at things I hadn't touched in years. Laughing together at the wonderful things we had just experimented with, my sister, friend and myself all left the store feeling a little bit lighter.\nAnd as for that saving money thing … well, I came really close to contradicting myself when I almost bought the watch walkie talkies. Have no fear, I put them back on the shelf. Maybe I'll get them next time I explore the toy aisle.
(09/06/01 4:23am)
Alex Matson, keyboardist of The Samples for the past four years, said he sometimes feels he has to pinch himself.\n"(Being in a band) is what I've wanted to do since I was 16," Matson said. "When you share the stage with somebody huge and get to meet the guys, and look over their gear and get the overall vibe.\n"We've been in the company of several heavy hitters in the business and when you see they're ordinary people and that they take tomatoes off their sandwich, too, you just feel a part of the whole thing."\nThe Samples, with guitarists/vocalists Sean Kelly and Rob Somers, bassist Andy Sheldon and percussionist Sam Young, have produced 11 albums since 1989 and will bring their tour to Bloomington Sept. 10 at Axis to promote their latest album, Return to Earth.\n"The vibe was great in the studio. We recorded in a century old church where the pews used to be and converted the church office into a studio control room and the recording system was entirely computer-based," Matson says, stopping himself from getting into the technical details of the album's sound. \n"It's a neat dichotomy in terms of old and new. I'm pretty proud of the it."\nSheldon, a founding member of the group, shares Matson's dedication to playing music. Though he says he understands that 11 years of touring and recording is strenuous and at times a sacrifice, he says making an eclectic and diverse album like Return to Earth reminds him of his deep appreciation for music.\n"It's one of the best recordings we've ever made," Sheldon says. "It's a little bit of everything from harder edge guitars right down to acoustic. I'd say it's a blend of folk, pop, world beat and rock. Some songs are very much like songs that you'd expect to hear from us, but there's always that area of our album that ventures a little farther."\nAs with most musicians, developing their live show is also an area The Samples try to venture further into. Though formed in Colorado, many of The Samples have Burlington, Vermont roots --home of a large hippie culture and the celebrated Phish -- whose influences found their way into The Samples early work, which was heavily instrumental. \nMatson says that since the departure of the band's former keyboardist and drummer, The Samples have progressed. They improvise less and play more songs per concert, but still maintain a sound that he classifies as "soulful and yet danceable and that's what this band's trump card is."\n"For the most part, we still try and play things a little differently every night. There's a sense of mystery there because we're not playing it just like on the album," Sheldon adds. "We've also just naturally gotten tighter and we're able to listen more to each other. We've definitely evolved and as we try different styles, we improve without even knowing it -- just by playing live so many times we gain the ability to hear one another and work off that groove."\nThough Matson is still a new addition compared to other band members, he also senses the natural "groove" between the Samples and relies on it to keep him motivated.\n"When you have a really cool musical moment on stage -- usually at least once a night and sometimes for the whole show -- you just feel so in sync," Matson says. "It really makes you believe in what you're doing and it all comes together. It's during these inspired moments when I consider myself a lucky person. We believe in the music and enjoy each other's company and until someone makes us stop we probably won't."\nSenior Joe Choma says he hopes Matson is right. Struggling to remember how many Samples shows he's attended, he classifies their sound as Bob Marley meets the Police meets Neil Young, influences he says are evident during their concerts. \n"I've probably been to over 20 shows," Choma says proudly. "The first time I ever saw them live was here at Hoosierfest my freshman year and we all went and somehow got on stage during the show and got to meet them. It was a pretty exciting night."\nChoma not only enjoys their music but also respects their message. He says that in an industry where popular music can emphasize image and conformity, The Samples should be commended for maintaining their individual sound and down-to-earth stage presence.\n"Instead of worrying about commercializing or following trends of the music industry, they have decided to take things in own hands and do their own stuff," Choma says. "They don't want to be a band of the moment but stick with what they believe in. It's very commendable. So many are willing to sacrifice integrity just to get big and (The Samples) are in it for the real reasons."\nSerious fans like Choma do not go unnoticed -- Sheldon says fans act as a motivating force for the band, which solidifies why he has dedicated his life and career to making music.\n"I think every night I play, when I actually see the people who come, that verifies right there that I'm doing something good and positive and it makes me feel great-that a bunch of other people can enjoy it," Sheldon says with enthusiasm. "The fact that I'm doing what I want for this long and make a living out of it -- I could never take that for granted"
(09/06/01 4:00am)
Alex Matson, keyboardist of The Samples for the past four years, said he sometimes feels he has to pinch himself.\n"(Being in a band) is what I've wanted to do since I was 16," Matson said. "When you share the stage with somebody huge and get to meet the guys, and look over their gear and get the overall vibe.\n"We've been in the company of several heavy hitters in the business and when you see they're ordinary people and that they take tomatoes off their sandwich, too, you just feel a part of the whole thing."\nThe Samples, with guitarists/vocalists Sean Kelly and Rob Somers, bassist Andy Sheldon and percussionist Sam Young, have produced 11 albums since 1989 and will bring their tour to Bloomington Sept. 10 at Axis to promote their latest album, Return to Earth.\n"The vibe was great in the studio. We recorded in a century old church where the pews used to be and converted the church office into a studio control room and the recording system was entirely computer-based," Matson says, stopping himself from getting into the technical details of the album's sound. \n"It's a neat dichotomy in terms of old and new. I'm pretty proud of the it."\nSheldon, a founding member of the group, shares Matson's dedication to playing music. Though he says he understands that 11 years of touring and recording is strenuous and at times a sacrifice, he says making an eclectic and diverse album like Return to Earth reminds him of his deep appreciation for music.\n"It's one of the best recordings we've ever made," Sheldon says. "It's a little bit of everything from harder edge guitars right down to acoustic. I'd say it's a blend of folk, pop, world beat and rock. Some songs are very much like songs that you'd expect to hear from us, but there's always that area of our album that ventures a little farther."\nAs with most musicians, developing their live show is also an area The Samples try to venture further into. Though formed in Colorado, many of The Samples have Burlington, Vermont roots --home of a large hippie culture and the celebrated Phish -- whose influences found their way into The Samples early work, which was heavily instrumental. \nMatson says that since the departure of the band's former keyboardist and drummer, The Samples have progressed. They improvise less and play more songs per concert, but still maintain a sound that he classifies as "soulful and yet danceable and that's what this band's trump card is."\n"For the most part, we still try and play things a little differently every night. There's a sense of mystery there because we're not playing it just like on the album," Sheldon adds. "We've also just naturally gotten tighter and we're able to listen more to each other. We've definitely evolved and as we try different styles, we improve without even knowing it -- just by playing live so many times we gain the ability to hear one another and work off that groove."\nThough Matson is still a new addition compared to other band members, he also senses the natural "groove" between the Samples and relies on it to keep him motivated.\n"When you have a really cool musical moment on stage -- usually at least once a night and sometimes for the whole show -- you just feel so in sync," Matson says. "It really makes you believe in what you're doing and it all comes together. It's during these inspired moments when I consider myself a lucky person. We believe in the music and enjoy each other's company and until someone makes us stop we probably won't."\nSenior Joe Choma says he hopes Matson is right. Struggling to remember how many Samples shows he's attended, he classifies their sound as Bob Marley meets the Police meets Neil Young, influences he says are evident during their concerts. \n"I've probably been to over 20 shows," Choma says proudly. "The first time I ever saw them live was here at Hoosierfest my freshman year and we all went and somehow got on stage during the show and got to meet them. It was a pretty exciting night."\nChoma not only enjoys their music but also respects their message. He says that in an industry where popular music can emphasize image and conformity, The Samples should be commended for maintaining their individual sound and down-to-earth stage presence.\n"Instead of worrying about commercializing or following trends of the music industry, they have decided to take things in own hands and do their own stuff," Choma says. "They don't want to be a band of the moment but stick with what they believe in. It's very commendable. So many are willing to sacrifice integrity just to get big and (The Samples) are in it for the real reasons."\nSerious fans like Choma do not go unnoticed -- Sheldon says fans act as a motivating force for the band, which solidifies why he has dedicated his life and career to making music.\n"I think every night I play, when I actually see the people who come, that verifies right there that I'm doing something good and positive and it makes me feel great-that a bunch of other people can enjoy it," Sheldon says with enthusiasm. "The fact that I'm doing what I want for this long and make a living out of it -- I could never take that for granted"
(09/06/01 4:00am)
If you don't listen closely, you might think the first track of David Mead's Mine and Yours is a Radiohead album in disguise, with undertones of Britain's pop artist Jason Falkner. But if you listen more carefully, Mead's sweet, high-pitched voice is laced with insight and optimism, proving he is his own musician.\nOverall, Mine and Yours combines an impressive variety of sounds -- ranging from slow and somber to rhythmic and hopeful -- but the album fails to completely avoid the common manufactured sound of today's mainstream pop music. Nonetheless, Mead's lyrics provide a depth that most pop music lacks, thus giving his music a compelling sound worthy of listening to at least once. \nSeveral tracks are beautiful, containing lyrics you can identify with and beats that require listening to over and over again. But Mine and Yours also contains several tracks where the poignant lyrics are lost in the annoying melody and too-shrill lead vocals of Mead. Songs like "Girl On The Roof" and "Flamin' Angel" are painfully monotonous.\nThe fourth track, "Echoes Of The Heart," sounds dark and ominous, but as the chorus repeats, "Not a sound, then it starts/Something speaks from the dark/Not a voice/Only echoes of a heart," the song is immediately colored with a more uplifting sound.\nMead also showcases his ability to reach a crazy amount of high notes as his voice constructs the beautiful rhythms of "No One Left To Blame." "Comfort" has a meditating instrumental sound, as Mead's voice truly conveys the human need for comfort. "We're talking trash again like long sedated lovers/Baby what's become of us/A latent memory of Southern spring and summer/Maybe Winter in New York," suggests the universal issue of relationships in trouble.\nIn contrast to these slower, introspective songs, Mead also shows a more upbeat side with "Mine And Yours" and "Venus Again," both of which sound like they belong on the aforementioned Falkner's first album, Author Unknown. The most unique sounding song "Elodie" is reminiscent of the United States' Peter Salett and Scotland's Belle and Sebastian, with a syrupy-sweet rhythm and soft drum beats that keep the song moving.\nMead's Mine and Yours is certainly worth listening to, but will most likely not stay in my stereo for long.
(09/06/01 4:00am)
Target or Walmart shopping is a staple in Bloomington. You go in for cotton balls and come out with two bags of pretzels, pajama pants, a stapler and soap. Grand total: much more money than you originally anticipated.\nBut I've found the cure for this needless spending. Check out the toy section. In these isles you will be able to busy yourself with things you know you don't need to buy. While your friends cruise the store for practical, but unnecessary, expenses, you can play with a Furbie, a See n' Say or the talking Malibu schoolteacher Barbie.\nIf this sounds juvenile to you, you've been in college for too long. Not only do adventures in Toyland prevent you from spending lots of money, but more importantly playing with toys can be a cathartic experience. As your fingers graze over the miniature keyboard that lights up with each note, or as you listen carefully to the instructions of Simon, you are temporarily a child again, untouched by the complications of everyday college life. \nMy favorite toys were the ones I could interact with. I found a large plastic frog with a British accent who taught me how to spell "table." A cartoon-like telephone played the classic "Twinkle twinkle little star" every time I pushed the three button. But the highlight of these talking toys was a soft, plush dog that indicated I should squeeze his right paw, which resulted in a beautiful rendition of "Who Let the Dogs Out," complete with choreography from the puppy. I found it so entertaining I then pressed two paws at the same time so I could see an entire doggy chorus.\nBut even the silent toys held my attention. Not to sound like my 80-year-old grandmother, but it truly is amazing the toys that decorate the shelves today. I grew up with simple games like UNO and Sorry!, so for me to see a Palm Pilot and a laptop for children, walkie talkies in the shape of watches, all 20 characters in Harry Potter and a battery-operated miniature Volkswagen Beetle is truly incredible. Though I can't go back in time and trade in my Garbage Pail Kids cards for a singing dog, I can pretend the world still revolves around toys by simply perusing the isles and discovering that Mattel now makes Ken dolls with hair. Astounding, isn't it?\nBefore you think I'm off my rocker, let me just clarify that I don't go to Target everyday for hours and hours. In fact, I hadn't been anywhere near the toy aisles until just a few short weeks ago when I accidentally discovered this life-altering pastime.\nBefore leaving Cleveland to return to Bloomington, I went with my younger sister and a friend to Target with the sole intention of buying a new bulletin board and shampoo and conditioner. But before leaving the store, my friend convinced me that there are hidden treasures in the toy isles that we should definitely take advantage of. For the next 45 minutes, I felt young and full of wonderment, looking at things I hadn't touched in years. Laughing together at the wonderful things we had just experimented with, my sister, friend and myself all left the store feeling a little bit lighter.\nAnd as for that saving money thing … well, I came really close to contradicting myself when I almost bought the watch walkie talkies. Have no fear, I put them back on the shelf. Maybe I'll get them next time I explore the toy aisle.
(08/22/01 4:07am)
I'm the kind of person that relies on the company of others. Though I'm capable of going to the bathroom on my own, I rarely do anything else by myself. My philosophy is it's always more fun with two.\nBut this summer, I learned the true meaning of independence when I decided to accept a newspaper internship in Angola, Ind. for 10 weeks, knowing I'd have to move three hours away from home (Cleveland, Ohio) to a town a fifth the size of IU's student body with not a single soul to call a friend, let alone an acquaintance.\nI was 100 percent on my own for the first time in my entire life.\nAnd I was terrified.\nI realize establishing a group of friends takes time, but I couldn't help wanting that to happen instantaneously -- expectations that I quickly realized were unfair to the community and to myself. But after four days void of human contact outside of the office, I was convinced moving to Angola had been a terrible mistake. With trembling hands, I dialed home and in between sobs admitted to my mom my defeat: I wanted to come home. \nShe calmly told me to give myself more time and reassured me things would fall into place soon enough. After promising she'd call me everyday, we hung up.\nNot only had I never moved to a new place without knowing anyone before, I also had very little exposure to small town life. I was surprised to see how early in the evening stores and restaurants closed; I was shocked to see only six stoplights on their main street; I was astonished at the lack of diversity. \nAnd now, after completing my internship, I'm truly amazed at how wrong my first assumptions were.\nAs a reporter, I was immediately forced to get out into the community to dig for stories and sources, which gradually resulted in several new friendships. Everyone I encountered was so genuinely nice, wanting to do anything they could to help me feel comfortable in the town. I can honestly say I've never met so many nice people in such a small place and in such a short time in my entire life. \nAnd when it was time to leave, I was sad to say goodbye to what had become a familiar and comfortable place -- a drastic contrast to my initial feelings.\nAlthough the goal of this internship was, of course, to teach me about journalism, I learned so many other lessons as a result of taking a risk and moving to a new place.\nI learned about myself. I learned about love and life and how to be daring and spontaneous. I attended my first 4H Fair and my first car race. I pierced my nose. And the beauty of it all: I did it all on my own. \nAlthough I don't have any desire to move back to Angola any time soon, I have absolutely no regrets; rather, I have gained an entirely new sense of independence and a fresh outlook on life. And I'm now confident that I can establish a new world for myself anywhere and anytime I'm struck with the urge to explore.\nThe world really is my oyster.
(04/17/01 5:41am)
Creative writing isn't just a class at IU; it's a way of life for some local authors. \nBreaking into the business of writing for a living is a difficult task, but two Indiana writers have made it as far as getting their books published. David Schanker is on his third novel, and A'lelia Bundles said she plans to continue her research of her great-great-grandmother and write a biography of her. \nBoth writers said they do preparation work before starting the writing process. Schanker writes every first draft in longhand, which he said helps him to see the complete progression of his thoughts. Bundles spent countless hours researching not only the subject of her biography, but also the time period. Both writers advised aspiring authors to practice writing every day if they want to succeed.
(04/04/01 5:39am)
April 16, the Department of Theater and Drama will welcome a person to the stage who has absolutely nothing to say.\nThe silence on stage results from the performer -- Marcel Marceau, a world-famous mime, whose stage shows incorporate only motion.\nTheater and drama assistant professor Murray McGibbon saw Marceau perform in London in 1979. He said the performance was so extraordinary he still remembers it vividly.\n"His genius is that he is able to fill space with perhaps more eloquence of language without speaking," McGibbon said. "It's elevated poetry and motion. If Marcel is 'walking' along a glass window, you can see it because he creates it. To be able to create that sense of illusion is an extraordinary gift and ability."\nMarceau, born in France in 1923, was inspired at a young age by silent film artists such as Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy. He toured the United States for the first time in 1955 after years of study, which was followed years later by television appearances with Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin, according to the Marcel Marceau Foundation Web site. Marceau also had his own one-man show, "Meet Marcel Marceau."\nMcGibbon said seeing Marceau perform proved to him that Marceau was a true artist.\n"He has an absolute economy of movement," he said. "When you watch Marcel, you can absolutely visualize where he is. You can see a broadway musical -- a huge spectacle, whereas he can create a spectacle with nothing on the stage. It's a mark of genius."\nJunior Arian Moayed, a theater and drama major, said even people who are unfamiliar with Marceau's work will be entertained and intrigued by his performance.\n"He has a very imaginative mind, a virtuosity," Moayed said. "What he does better than anybody else, he demands everything of his body and controls it better than anybody else. He makes any object come to life out of nothing. He's brilliant in about 275 different ways."\nJesus Dapena, a kinesiology professor, said he is enthralled by how Marceau can fool the audience into thinking there is something there when there is actually nothing.\n"From a biomechanic specialist's perspective, the most interesting thing is how (mimes) can make it seem like they hit something when they really don't."\nSenior Tom Ridgely said he knows what it feels like to act and invent objects, as a member of Full Frontal Comedy.\n"Improv uses a lot of pantomime," Ridgely said. "It works in improv just like it works for Marceau. The audience is engaged when they are asked to fill in the blank and use their imagination."\nMcGibbon said he considers Marceau to be one of the major wonders of the stage.\n"To have such a world luminary here really brings home to you that Bloomington is a really extraordinary place to be," he said. "This all goes back to (the) brilliance of Herman B Wells, who said he wanted to bring the world to Indiana. To be able to expose students to the great stages of Paris and London is remarkable of any university."\nMarceau will perform at 4:30 p.m. April 16 and 17 in the University Theatre. The performance, part of the Ralph L. Collins Memorial Lecture series, is free and open to the public.
(04/03/01 5:28am)
With more than 20 novels, 30 honorary degrees from universities across the country, and Emmy and Pulitzer Prize nominations, Maya Angelou's next project will be here in Bloomington. The novelist, poet, dancer and teacher will speak at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 11 at the IU Auditorium. Tickets are free to all IU students, faculty, and staff and will be available at 10 a.m. Thursday.\nAngelou's accomplishments do not exist only in awards -- she became the first black woman to speak at an inauguration ceremony at President Bill Clinton's celebration in 1993, which several professors said is indicative of her prominence. \nProfessor Tony Ardizzone, who teaches creative writing and ethnic American Literature, said Angelou is an expert at knowing how to reach an audience successfully.\n"She is one of the most eloquent readers," he said. "She's extremely articulate, extraordinarily gracious and has a charismatic presence. People will go and be utterly captivated."\nProfessor Emeritus Phyllis Klotman, who knows Angelou personally, said students can expect Angelou to speak about her life, read and perform her poetry and also allow students to ask questions.\n"She's spellbinding," Klotman said. "She moves around the stage, and she's great to watch because she knows the stage as well as she knows the words. When she combines the two things she brings everybody in -- it's as though she spreads her arms out and everybody comes in."\nJunior Vaughn Allen, Union Board president, said the board wanted to bring her to campus because she is categorized in subject area that has not been targeted lately.\n"A lot of what she speaks about focuses on triumph in the face of overwhelming adversity," Allen said. "Her life story is so compelling -- where she came from, the time she spent in Africa and her involvement with women's rights."\nBecause she deals with many social issues, her books have been banned across the country. Ardizzone said the controversy surrounding her work is a testimony to her strength as a writer.\n"It's not so much schools, but school boards. They sometimes can be full of timid people and want the books their students read in classes to be about as bland as the food served in cafeteria," he said. "They want to avoid controversy."\nBut he said because of the depth of her writing, students who read her work or listen to her presentation can learn numerous lessons.\n"I wouldn't want to reduce it to any single lesson," he said. "At the least, you learn how gorgeous and graceful the English language can be used. She'll have people lining up with copies of her books to sign … she'll engage them with always careful and articulate use of language."\nKlotman said although Angelou's unique use of language usually classifies her as a writer, she is better defined as an artist who offers many valuable lessons.\n"It's hard to say what students might learn," she said. "What do you learn when you read a book or recite poetry? You'll learn something about humanism, a culture that's not your own, learn something from someone who is insightful and perceptive about life. It's not as tangible as you might want it to be, but it's an experience you won't forget"
(03/08/01 5:04am)
Halfway through the first set of Pearl Jam's Aug. 29 Boston show, Eddie Vedder took a short break between songs to examine the audience and concluded it was the "liveliest crowd since Europe." But he added the audience would have to "check the bootlegs to be sure." \n Pearl Jam certainly seems to match the crowd's energy with its own dynamic performance, though the energy seems to peak during the first set and isn't met again until the end of the show. A minute of thunderous applause ensues before Pearl Jam launches into "Of the Girl," with another minute of thick electric guitar riffs until Vedder's deep voice takes over. The song has a lot of electric energy with even more elongated guitar jams interwoven in the opening song.\nThe explosive combination of intense rhythm and conviction of Vedder's lyrics produced a jammed-out, fun "Corduroy." Also standing out was an in-your-face "Evenflow," the craziness of Pearl Jam's stage presence is felt through the show. \nAn emotionally undulating "Given to Fly" best represented Vedder's observation of the crowd size, as the high-intensity song resulted in huge applause, a definite approval of the audience. The show slowed for an untitled track, the short melodic song containing high emotion certainly worthy of a title. "Betterman" began with a sluggish sound, but the band picked up vigor as the audience's sing-along erupted with the increased volume of the song.\nThe second set, all-round more rough and prickly, began with a dark ominous "Insignificance" that just didn't carry as much "oomph" as the first 16 songs. Vedder took a break to use his microphone to inform his fans of his support for Ralph Nader. His speech led into a tender, velvety version of "Patriot," which complemented his speech by involving the subject of nationalism.\nFinally, Pearl Jam concluded its Boston show with a seven-minute, intensely jammed-out "Rearviewmirror." The band continuously gained momentum throughout the song and didn't seem to want to end.\nBut the crowd expected the usual ending of "Yellow Ledbetter," and after four minutes of applause, the expectations were met with a supercharged encore of the classic song. Pearl Jam wasn't ready to end the show just there and played a second encore of "Fuckin' Up," the harmonizing lyrics and abrasive guitar riffs ending the show on an exciting, brisk note. And although the song asked Why do I keep fuckin' up?, in relation to its concert, Pearl Jam couldn't have been more off target with that question.
(03/08/01 5:00am)
Halfway through the first set of Pearl Jam's Aug. 29 Boston show, Eddie Vedder took a short break between songs to examine the audience and concluded it was the "liveliest crowd since Europe." But he added the audience would have to "check the bootlegs to be sure." \n Pearl Jam certainly seems to match the crowd's energy with its own dynamic performance, though the energy seems to peak during the first set and isn't met again until the end of the show. A minute of thunderous applause ensues before Pearl Jam launches into "Of the Girl," with another minute of thick electric guitar riffs until Vedder's deep voice takes over. The song has a lot of electric energy with even more elongated guitar jams interwoven in the opening song.\nThe explosive combination of intense rhythm and conviction of Vedder's lyrics produced a jammed-out, fun "Corduroy." Also standing out was an in-your-face "Evenflow," the craziness of Pearl Jam's stage presence is felt through the show. \nAn emotionally undulating "Given to Fly" best represented Vedder's observation of the crowd size, as the high-intensity song resulted in huge applause, a definite approval of the audience. The show slowed for an untitled track, the short melodic song containing high emotion certainly worthy of a title. "Betterman" began with a sluggish sound, but the band picked up vigor as the audience's sing-along erupted with the increased volume of the song.\nThe second set, all-round more rough and prickly, began with a dark ominous "Insignificance" that just didn't carry as much "oomph" as the first 16 songs. Vedder took a break to use his microphone to inform his fans of his support for Ralph Nader. His speech led into a tender, velvety version of "Patriot," which complemented his speech by involving the subject of nationalism.\nFinally, Pearl Jam concluded its Boston show with a seven-minute, intensely jammed-out "Rearviewmirror." The band continuously gained momentum throughout the song and didn't seem to want to end.\nBut the crowd expected the usual ending of "Yellow Ledbetter," and after four minutes of applause, the expectations were met with a supercharged encore of the classic song. Pearl Jam wasn't ready to end the show just there and played a second encore of "Fuckin' Up," the harmonizing lyrics and abrasive guitar riffs ending the show on an exciting, brisk note. And although the song asked Why do I keep fuckin' up?, in relation to its concert, Pearl Jam couldn't have been more off target with that question.
(03/06/01 5:45am)
Union Board said Monday that rap artist Nelly, who made a name for himself with "Country Grammar," will headline Union Board's annual Little 500 concert April 18 at the IU Auditorium. \nProminent jazz musician Wynton Marsalis will also perform April 26 at the Auditorium.\nNelly, a rapper from St. Louis, recently won the 2001 Soul Train Award for "Best New Rap Artsit." His album Country Grammar has spent 35 weeks on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Chart.\nUnion Board concert director Andy Proctor, a senior, said the show has been in the works for several weeks and has come together smoothly.\n"We had an opening that happened to coincide with Nelly's tour," he said.\nFreshman Adam Blake, assistant director of concerts, said although the process to bring Nelly to IU seemed natural, he had additional reasons for booking the act.\n"I'm from St. Louis," Blake said. "Personally, I'm a big fan and wanted to see that show happen. But I also know that being a freshman and going to parties in dorms or off-campus, that you hear Nelly, so I thought it would be a show the whole student body would have a good time going to."\nProcter said Nelly will appear with a special guest, although no one is confirmed as of yet. Tickets will be $24 for students and $29 for adults and will go on sale after spring break.\n"We're definitely in the midst of a hip hop genre, and it's important to meet that demand from the campus community," Proctor said.\nBlake said after the numerous jam bands who have performed at the Auditorium, Union Board wanted someone different. To further diversify Bloomington's concert events, prominent jazz musician Wynton Marsalis will perform at 7:30 p.m. April 26 at the Auditorium, co-sponsored by Union Board and SFX Entertainment.\nMarsalis will perform with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. The musician, who Proctor said is the biggest name is jazz music today, became the first jazz musician to win the Pulitzer Prize in music, in 1997.\n"We wanted to bring a whole different flavor to the live music scene that we bring to Bloomington," Blake said.\nDoug Booher, facility and events manager of the Auditorium, said that although Union Board has total control over the selection of the shows they bring to campus, the Auditorium is in support of the efforts to add variety to IU's concert schedule.\n"I think it's a great choice, both appealing to students, the University faculty and the Bloomington community," Booher said. "Wynton has long been known as one of the young, upcoming jazz musicians and it'll be great to have him come to our campus."\nTicket prices for the general public will be $50, $35 and $22. IU Bloomington students with current, valid, student ID cards can receive a $2 discount. All tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday. Tickets will be available at the IU Auditorium Box Office and through TicketMaster.