by Joe Buffaloe Daily Lobo Idris Goodwin compares his upcoming one-man show, "I Have an Agenda," to something Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack might have done. "Like when they'd have a relaxed evening of songs and anecdotes," he said. Of course, his performance will be more cutting-edge than tired renditions of "Come Fly with Me.
by Daniel V. Garcia Daily Lobo Degrees in music performance are among those most challenging to obtain. Countless hours are spent in practice for minimal credit hours, and lucrative jobs are not often within reach upon completion of the program. Saxophone player John-Michael Vasquez has, therefore, chosen to work in Liquid Cheese, a regularly touring band from El Paso.
by John Bear Daily Lobo P.O.S., also known as Stefon Alexander, is feeling stressed. He is about to go on his first tour as the headliner. His second solo album, Audition, is soon to drop. He is helping his friends with their respective projects. He has a lot going on.
by Debra Au Daily Lobo My ears, how they bleed. After listening to a half hour of screaming vocals amid pounding guitar chords, I'm pretty sure I have irreversible hearing loss, fewer brain cells, and as for the 33.5 minutes of my life it took to listen to Spitfire's Self-Help, yeah, I'm never getting that back.
by Maria Staiano-Daniels Daily Lobo I hate it when people use the phrase "coming-of-age tale." Often they use it to describe stories of self-absorbed, adolescent whining. With this in mind, Andy Bilger's novel, For the Angels are Dead, is a wonderful example of the genre.
by Joe Buffaloe Daily Lobo Suspense novels, more than any genre, have been overdone. Why are they still so popular, then? Because the suspense formula is a proven winner. Put one or two compelling characters in a life-or-death situation involving criminals, mobsters, etc.
by Abel Horwitz Daily Lobo The world of soul music is in peril these days. Blame MTV for the pretty boy singers who dominate the pop charts, singing about nothing more than how good they look and how every girl wants them. Gone are the days of the young Al Green and Marvin Gaye, where the songs are about the sincerity of love as well as the sting of heartbreak.
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.
Solutions by The State News
