by Abel Horwitz Daily Lobo These days, Paul Provenza's a busy man. For the last few years, Provenza and his friend Penn Jillette - the vocal half of Penn and Teller - had been filming a documentary about the fabled "filthiest joke in the world." The film, titled "The Aristocrats," was released last summer to rave reviews and delighted audiences with its vulgarity and its originality.
by Joe Buffaloe Daily Lobo James Frey's memoir A Million Little Pieces sold 3.5 million copies since its publication, mostly after Oprah selected it for her book club on Oct. 26, 2005. It has been on the top of the New York Times nonfiction paperback best-seller list the past 15 weeks, selling more copies in the United States this year than any book besides the latest installment in the Harry Potter series.
by Debra Au Daily Lobo I admit it - I'm not into hardcore metal. I mostly listen to the likes of whoever is in the Top 40 and Broadway musicals. Green Day and "Avenue Q" are probably as hardcore as I get. The sheer fact that I hate metal bands more than likely means that fans of Sworn Enemy and similar groups will love the band's new album, The Beginning of the End.
by Daniel V. Garcia Daily Lobo At art galleries, it isn't uncommon to hear couples hinge the purchase of a painting on whether it will match the drapes in their summer home. These discussions highlight the subtle distinction between art and decoration.
by Abel Horwitz Daily Lobo For the last six years in the month of January, Albuquerque has been graced with experimental theater that breaks all boundaries and delights audiences with original performances.
by Abel Horwitz Daily Lobo Not to prop up Billy Corgan's inflated ego more than it already is, but the Smashing Pumpkins is a damn good band.
by Ali Patterson Daily Lobo I tried. I really tried. As much as I hate Queen Latifah in her Wal-Mart commercials, I just couldn't hate her in "Last Holiday," her latest movie in theaters Jan.
by Debra Au Daily Lobo Every once in a while, there comes along a jazz artist who whisks us away with the calming sounds of sousaphones and pianos to a musical oasis.
by John Bear Daily Lobo Hip-hop has the potential to talk politics. But it usually doesn't. Instead, MCs usually brag and boast about their lyrical prowess, false street credentials - really, rappers don't get good at flowing while shooting people and selling crack, but by sitting in a room with a pen and paper - or the ubiquitous cataloging of personal possessions.
by Eva Dameron Daily Lobo Alain Whyte, who has co-written music with singer Morrissey since 1991, said it's different to go from playing sold-out tours to small venues. "When you play with Morrissey, it's a given that it's going to be a sold-out show," he said.
by John Bear Daily Lobo I love hip-hop music. But I hate hip-hop kids. This is because 99 percent of the fans of this music think they are somehow set-tripping gang bangers as soon as they set foot inside a show.
by Scott Albright Daily Lobo The holiday season can be a real drag. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. Ken Ansloan and Matthew Bubb have written a revamped version of "The Joan Crawford and Marilyn Monroe Christmas Show" for the Dolls drag troupe.
by Joe Buffaloe Daily Lobo The Internet never ceases to amaze. Nan Morningstar decided to start Duke City Derby, Albuquerque's first and only Roller Derby league, after seeing Web sites for teams in Austin, Texas, and Tucson, Ariz. "I saw the Web sites and said, 'Hey, we should start a league here,'" she said. Roller Derby is an all-female sport that gained fame in the late '50s, and was popular until the '70s before disappearing from the public eye.
by John Bear Daily Lobo The genre of rock 'n' roll known collectively as indie rock prides itself on its inherent nerdiness.
by Maria Staiano-Daniels Daily Lobo Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" is the story most commonly rehashed as a TV holiday special.
by Katy Knapp Daily Lobo A decade after the deaths of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, a 30-year-old Canadian crooner is helping keep the classics alive - and reaching a whole new audience. Michael BublÇ, who released his first live album and DVD Caught in the Act on Nov.
by Scott Albright Daily Lobo There is more to this play than its name implies. "The Day They Shot John Lennon," written by James McLure and directed by Joann Danella, is not just a play in remembrance of Lennon's death, but a theatrical time capsule of the past to remind us of the political controversies entertainers like Lennon addressed.
by Rhian Hibner Daily Lobo There is nothing quite like a well-made children's movie. If a movie can manage to make its viewers feel like they're 10-year-olds again, someone has done something right.
by Abel Horwitz Daily Lobo Standing on a large platform in the middle of a 40,000-seat sold-out Tokyo arena, professional snowboarder Travis Rice clearly looks overwhelmed. Below him lies a ramp leading to a quarter pipe. He's supposed to launch off the ramp and perform a trick as the mass of young Japanese people in attendance scream in anticipation.
by Debra Au Daily Lobo Juelz Santana is more than just a flashy rapper who churns out formulized club mixes - he has substance. With his sophomore album, What the Game's Been Missing, Santana provides a respectable mix of dance beats, ghetto insight and thugged-out bragging tracks in a structured - albeit lengthy - 90-minute session.
Solutions by The State News
