A&E

Springsteen lights up Jersey shore on 'Today'

ASBURY PARK, N.J. -- The sun was shining. The surfers were riding the waves. The beach and boardwalk were packed. Matt and Katie were in bare feet. The Boss was in his element. And his fans -- some 10,000 of them -- were in hog heaven. Glory days, indeed: Bruce Springsteen headlined a "Today" show broadcast Tuesday from the hard-luck Jersey shore city where he made his name, performing live on a program that showcased some of his home state's greatest hits. Springsteen, 52, played an acoustic set in Convention Hall to warm up, then returned with his nine-member band for a miniconcert that was carried live on "Today." The appearance coincided with the release of "The Rising," the new CD from Springsteen and his E Street Band.

Male neosoul singers struggling

NEW YORK -- This year's Grammy Awards celebrated a new generation of women singing sweet soul music that hearkens back to the heydey of the '60s and '70s. Alicia Keys and India.Arie snagged 13 nominations between them, and Keys walked away with five trophies.

AIDS explained to kids in new book

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- A green pock-faced monster with red eyes and fangs is depicted as the HIV virus in a new children's book that seeks to explain the science of AIDS to South African children.

Three Minute Mile on the rise

In the few short years since its formation, Three Minute Mile has risen to prominence as a well-known Bloomington band. How does a college band that relies on original music not only survive in Bloomington, but often draw an even bigger crowd than the cover bands? It has to do with they way it treats its fans, said Dan Duncan, one of the owners of Vertigo, 107 W. Ninth St. "Three Minute Mile are very approachable," Duncan said. "Most bands don't want to be bothered before and after the shows. They're willing to talk to the fans."

Super Bowl ads don't disappoint

NEW YORK -- It was a rare Super Bowl where the game may have been more entertaining than the commercials. Super Bowl advertisers appealed to a range of emotions -- from grief, gratitude and nostalgia to humor and a lust for mayhem -- in pitches Sunday that Fox said were sold at an average of just under $2 million per 30-second ad.

Lotus fest carries on despite troubles

Lee Williams is exhausted. After months of planning the Eighth Annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival, booking bands, arranging venues and transportation and ticket sales, his efforts were jeopardized when four terrorist hijackings grounded flights nationwide last week.

'Breaking Away' composer visits campus

The Academy Award-winning movie "Breaking Away" is one of the few things that has put the small, quiet town of Bloomington on the map. The film focuses on the annual Little 500 bike race, and while most IU students remember it for its location, the film's score was perhaps its greatest aspect.

Exhibit explores silliness of sex

Friday evening, the School of Fine Arts Gallery opened its doors to a new exhibit. The crowd that had gathered outside moved past the wine and fruit tables and into the gallery. A low rumble began and soon grew into audible laughter.

This Weekend's Calendar events

Count 'em out

The Counting Crows have canceled their previously scheduled Oct. 30 performance at the IU Auditorium. Ticket holders can obtain a refund at the point of purchase starting this morning.

Arts Fair heats up the square

Artists and art lovers crowded the courthouse lawn Saturday for the 22nd annual Art Fair on the Square. This year, the event was bursting with artistic talent from near and far.

Art students display work

A woman makes her way around a room, observing artwork that's mounted on walls, illuminated by little spotlights. She pauses at a large, framed black and white photograph and peers over her glasses to inspect it more closely. "That's a compelling little girl," she murmurs to herself. The child she's referring to has short brown hair that frames her face, a cowlick of baby hairs hanging down the middle of her forehead, a smudge of dirt on the right corner of her mouth and is thrusting out her lower lip in a slight pout.

World-famous Hagegård visits IU

World-renowned Swedish baritone Håkon Hagegård is teaching masterclasses at IU, and will be performing Schubert's song cycle Die Winterreise this Friday at the IU School of Music.

Recorders hurting TV

PASADENA, Calif. -- Television viewers could face paying for channels they now receive free if digital video recorders kill commercials, said Jamie Kellner, chairman of Turner Broadcasting System.

Early Music Festival takes the stage

In its ninth year, the Bloomington Early Music Festival explodes with more talent, diversity and precision than ever before, attempting to strengthen and enlighten the Bloomington community. The festival lasts ten days and includes 15 concerts. The festivities combine local, national and international artists, as well as 4th and 5th grade Bloomington children. Workshops, discussions and films also help the festival in completing its mission.

Attacks force industry-wide entertainment shutdowns

LOS ANGELES -- The Emmys and Latin Grammys canceled their awards ceremonies, amusement parks closed and Hollywood studios locked their gates as Tuesday's terrorist attacks darkened a stunned entertainment industry. All Broadway shows were canceled in New York and box offices at the theaters were closed indefinitely, said Jed Bernstein, president of the League of American Theaters and Producers. Walt Disney World in Florida and Disneyland and Universal Studios in Southern California were shut down, while most resort hotels -- many sheltering those stranded by the nationwide airline shutdown -- remained open.

Kundabuffer conundrum

No one at Yogi's Grill and Bar seems to know what a kundabuffer is. Customers ask the employees every day, especially when the fluorescent green signs facing 10th Street near Indiana Avenue are lit up at night.

'Ragtime' actress sounds off

Imagine going from playing a Munchkin in a community theater production of "The Wizard of Oz" to playing Mother, one of the leads in the national touring company of "Ragtime". Emily Herring did it. "(Touring with a show) is a lot like living out of a suitcase," Herring said with a laugh. Herring grew up in Alabama and studied classical music and opera at a college in Southern Mississippi and at the University of Tennessee. "Two good southern schools," she said about them. She now lives in New York when not on the road.

Expectations mixed about new theatre

As the curtains went down on "Waiting for Godot," Dale McFadden knew it was time to say goodbye. McFadden, associate professor of theatre and drama, directed "Godot," the last play performed at the University Theatre. Although he said he is "grateful" to be moving to the facilities at the new Theatre/Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center, McFadden will miss the historic and aesthetic details of the old space.

Capturing the world through Ink

Many lessons students learn at IU will take place outside the walls of the classroom. In a population that brings together students and faculty from all over the world to share ideas, a hidden curriculum presents itself throughout the community. It is evident in the many opportunities at IU for learning about the cultures of others. One such opportunity is a new exhibit titled "Rudy Pozzatti: A Printmaker's Odyssey," which will open to the public at the IU Art Museum Saturday and ends May 5. The exhibit is funded by the Richard Florsheim Art Fund, the IU Foundation, the Bloomington Area Arts Council Inc., the Indiana Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts. It will feature more than 70 pieces -- mostly prints -- organized with a basis on Pozzatti's many themes.