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"I'M WITH THE BAND"

By Joanna Borns · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Freshman Evanne Kelley is a devoted fan of the Lafayette-based ska band The Malcontents. She tries to attend every show, especially when the band hits Bloomington. And if the 19-year-old is too young to actually get inside the bar to hear them play, she faithfully waits outside in support.

BUILDING A BAND

By Katie Schoenbaechler and Katie Shoenbaechler · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. It sounds easy enough -- grab some equipment and a few friends and you have yourself a band. Before you know it you'll have girls lined up outside your room and money and drugs at your finger tips. Not so fast.

England's finest export since Keira Knightly

By Phil Kijak · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

It's almost impossible to describe the absolute genius of the BBC's "The Office." A television comedy which strives to be real and subtle, relying on characters rather than punch lines, the show is truly groundbreaking.

20 flicks for summer 2004

By -Alec Toombs · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Summer is almost here, and with it comes the prototypical onslaught of big-budgeted studio tripe. Below are flicks which both embrace and debunk the characteristics of summer moviegoing, which may well turn out to be worth your hard-earned green. They're arranged chronologically and categorically for your viewing pleasure.

LAYIN' DOWN THE BEAT

By Mike Ley · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

The past few years have seen the producer rise to the forefront of hip-hop. They're becoming as famous as the MCs they're backing up, putting a whole new face on the genre.

Pop-punkers 'Make a Sound'

By Benjames Derrick and Benjamin Derrick · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Coming from New York, the hub of hardcore and emo-fueled punk, Autopilot Off installs the latest in the pop-punk genre which is taking over these days.

Hanson: new label, new look, new sound

By Maura Halpern · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Hanson, one of the most down-to-earth, underrated bands out there, is back on the music scene and ready to rock. While Isaac, Taylor and Zac's first hit, "MMMbop" (1997) was both a curse and a blessing, there's no doubt that their music has matured -- along with their age -- since their first album, Middle of Nowhere.

MOST EXTREME HILARITY

By Stephanie Susman · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

A scrappily-clad Japanese man prepares to advance bases. He waits at a base for the batter with the large plastic head to hit the ball. The batter misses, but the runner on second doesn't care.

Ghostface Killah a winnah

By -Brandon Tucker · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Three years after Bulletproof Wallets, Wu-Tang's Ghostface Killah is back with his fourth solo joint, The Pretty Toney Album (Ghostface's real name is Toney Starks).

'Connie and Carla' go 'To Wong Fu'

By Doug Evans · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

From the creators of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" comes "Connie and Carla," a drag queen caper about two women on the run who pretend to be gay men in drag. This movie will no doubt be compared to the classic "Some Like it Hot," which starred Jack Lemon and Tony Curtis as men in drag hiding out from a killer mob boss.

The sounds of summer

By John Barnett · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Unlike in the film world, where summertime is a breeding ground for blockbusters and epics, most musicians wait until off-peak times to release their much-awaited material.

Fiery flick redundant but entertaining

By Tony Sams · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Tony Scott's "Man on Fire" is the kind of movie you've probably already seen somewhere along the line. It's about a man who, because of some personal and emotional attachment, turns into a vigilante when that attachment is harshly severed. He goes after the bad guys, it's predictable but we cheer him on so when credits roll, we've met our revenge quota for the month.

Dirty Dozen Brass: Manna from jazz heaven

By Ryan Whirty and Ryan Wirty · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

For some poor schlep who, say, stayed up all night revising an article which was due two months ago, Funeral for a Friend is a relief.

A DVD 'Date' worth making

By Jennifer Whalen · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Boy #1 is friends with girl. Boy #2 meets girl. Boy #1 is in love with girl. Boy #2 falls for girl. Sound familiar? Well, the only thing that separates this romantic-comedy from others is the fact that boy #2 is a famous movie star named Tad Hamilton.

Wasn't this better when it was called 'Big?'

By -Jenny Kobiela · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

After discovering that her classmates don't like her quite as much as she would like, young Jenna Rink gets the bright idea that being "thirty, flirty and thriving" would be a much better alternative to the pains which come with the age of 13.

Nas' hip-hop classic still 'Illmatic'

By -Brandon Tucker · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Illmatic, released in 1994, is widely regarded as one of, if not the best hip-hop record of the '90s. It was a tough act to follow.

Trio + One = V

By Mike Ley · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Split records have always given buyers one thing -- two bands on one album. Never really giving Alkaline Trio a chance and having never heard One Man Army, I thought this was all this record had to offer.

His name is Prince, again

By Greg O'Neill · Thursday, April 29,2004 12 a.m.

Conservatives taking reign? Economic turmoil? Music business scandals? Blam! Prince is relevant again. Like freaking clockwork, the Purple One has descended from his velvet clouds of soft jazz and internet-only releases 2 put together his first industry-released studio album since 1999's Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic.

Adamant Opposition

By Andrea Opperman · Wednesday, April 28,2004 2:06 a.m.

Liberal: Student voices support for gay rights I am adamantly against (the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages). Constitutional amendments have traditionally been to expand rights. The proposed amendment would not only limit rights, it would blatantly take them away.

U.S. aircraft strike Fallujah

By Alyson Brodsy · Wednesday, April 28,2004 2:05 a.m.

FALLUJAH, Iraq -- Multiple explosions shook Fallujah after dark Tuesday, and large plumes of smoke billowed into the sky as fighting erupted for the second straight night. An American AC-130 gunship hammered targets in the city. Blasts and gunfire went on steadily for more than half an hour in sustained fighting, apparently in the northern Jolan district, a poor neighborhood where Sunni insurgents are concentrated. Flames could be seen rising from buildings, and mosque loudspeakers in other parts of the city called for firefighters to mobilize. The fighting erupted as a two-day extension to a cease-fire ended earlier in the day. U.S. aircraft dropped leaflets in the city of 200,000 people, calling on insurgents to surrender.