Community Arts

'Snobbed Out' in a black dress

Letter Spotlight

I was distressed by the Indiana Daily Student's editorial about the governor's race that appeared Wednesday. The piece completely missed the point of the story.

Creating A Musician

When Jonathan Biss left the auditorium after playing with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, his father remembers him looking back and saying, "This is where I want to be." After playing in venues all over the world, concert pianist Jonathan Biss returns to his childhood home of Bloomington to play a concert at 8 p.m. Friday in Auer Hall with his mother, Miriam Fried, a violinist and IU music professor.

Publicize our suicide hotline prevention

Pop Quiz: What is the IU suicide prevention hotline? Answer: There isn't one. Not exactly. For a suicidal emergency, the Counseling and Psychological Services department of the IU Health Center is open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. After 4:45 p.m., when the CaPS staff leaves, there is no University-affiliated service in operation on campus for suicidal students. If someone calls 5-IUIU with a suicide emergency after hours, he or she will be directed to the Bloomington Hospital Emergency Center or the Center for Human Growth in the School of Education, which is open until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 5 p.m. Friday. Neither CaPS nor CHG is open on weekends.

Slam poet shows his hip-hop style

Fresh. That's the first word that comes to mind after listening to Saul Williams' new self-titled album. The slam poet gives us the same intriguing lyrical sets he is famous for, but throw in some smooth jazz riffs and a few edgier hip-hop and rock-inspired beats, and the final product is a professional-sounding album that gets better each time you listen to it.

Anatomy of a mosh pit

Nowadays, guttural vocals, double bass drumming and mosh pits are not only common but expected elements in the world of heavy metal and punk rock. Moshing is a form of dance interpreting angry, loud, rebellious and masculine music.

(Literally) Underground Rock

Four up-and-coming rock bands played to a packed venue last Friday night. Holy Bible, Verktum, Lords and Raiders of the Lost Sparks came, saw and rocked the house. Literally.

Buckley left quite a legacy

I downloaded the song "Grace" when I was a junior in high school, but for some reason it never really clicked. I had always heard how great this guy was, but it wasn't until the summer after my freshman year that I finally got the album.

'80s band still 'Shout'ing

They've been out of the game for a while, but '80s synth-pop group Tears for Fears have broken out of their hiatus with an album that's as "sweet as homemade apple pie," as they call one song in their liner notes.

The future for Kevin Smith fans

Kevin Smith fans, I hope you're reading. It was just three years ago this fall that Kevin came to the IU Auditorium and talked for hours. In fact, the people running the Auditorium had to stop him and kick everybody out.

For the Love of The Gamble

For freshman Gregg Arenson, the world of no-limit Texas hold 'em poker began in 2002 when an amateur poker player named Robert Varkonyi went head-to-head with the best poker players in the world and took home the coveted World Series of Poker bracelet.

Zombie flick a mindless affair

What's one to think of a horror movie if the idea of seeing the God-forsaken mess a second time is scarier than whatever took place onscreen? Obviously, very little.

What Jackson shouldn't have done

It's generally a pretty bad sign when you skip the first track on a new album. The first track should draw you in, get you excited, turn you on, not push you away. But Alan Jackson seems to have missed out on this principle when putting together his new album, What I Do.

Game pumps up the crowd

As technology and resources increase in the video game field, there comes a point when games reach the apex of entertainment.

10 years later, 'Clerks' still rocks

Kevin Smith's "Clerks" was one of the first films to represent Generation X so astutely dead-on. In honor of its 10th anniversary, "Clerks" has been given the royal DVD treatment, including two versions of the film, both unmuddied and clarified for the best picture and sound ever to spring from a couple cheap microphones and a 16mm black and white camera.

Hang up on reality to like this thriller

Rule number one when watching any Hollywood movie: Suspend reality. In fact, don't just suspend reality, throw it out the window and run it over as you drive off. "Cellular" is a thriller for which this rule fits perfectly.

Punishment is well-deserved

With the help of comic legend executive producer Stan Lee, Marvel Comics produces a fine production better than "Daredevil." Though this movie is about as good as "Spiderman," "The Punisher" veers from the blockbuster route as it portrays a gritty tale of this disturbed character.

Smith grows up, audience doesn't

Kevin Smith's "Jersey Girl" never had a chance in wake of "Gigli" and the whole Bennifer media fiasco. This is unfortunate, as the film, Smith's first departure from the View Askewniverse, is not only good; it's his most mature work since "Chasing Amy."

Fall TV preview: Born to suck

It's that time again: lots of new crap on television. But with all your classes, required sleep, occasional homework, flagrant drunkenness and finding time for your significant other, you just don't have time to watch all the new shows. Never fear -- this is what they pay me for.

Martha Stewart says she is prepared for prison

NEW YORK -- Millionaire executive Martha Stewart announced Wednesday that she had decided to begin her prison sentence for lying about a stock trade as soon as possible. "I must reclaim my good life," she said, adding she hoped to be home in time to plant a spring garden.