by John Bear Daily Lobo The country is teeming with throwbacks. What is a throwback, exactly? It's one of those cute 15-year-olds rocking a 3-foot-tall blue Mohawk and wearing a studded leather jacket with an Exploited patch safety pinned to the back, all courtesy of Hot Topic.
There are three categories of people who eat at McDonald's. The first has no problem with it. The second wouldn't touch a quarter pounder with Gortex gloves. The third group understands the food is unhealthy but will occasionally break down and eat at McDonald's and then feel guilty about it.
Take the Cure after shock treatment and the Pixies with a minor electro-fetish, add a spoonful of sugar and a dash of salt and you have the Prids. On a two-month tour, the Prids stopped at the Launchpad on Saturday night during the band's westward return to Portland.
The '80s metal band era has returned. The Launchpad welcomed southern California band Havoc for an all-ages show on Saturday as an opener for the Prids. Band members took the stage for a soundcheck with feathered '80s metal hair and tight leather pants. They warmed up by teasing the audience with catchy rhythms until the lights faded and the show began.
Lauren Weedman is not a comic. Well, she's not the kind of comic television producers think she is. "In Hollywood, they stick me right up with standup comedians, but it's not my deal," Weedman said. Weedman's had roles on such television shows such as "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," VH1's A-to-Z series and Comedy Central's "Reno 9-11," although she feels her roots remain in theater.
Six years ago, Joe Pesce got it in his head to develop a festival that would showcase theatrical works that don't normally find their way to New Mexico. Pesce, the Tricklock Company's artistic director, helped create the Revolutions International Theatre Festival, which brings theater from around the world to Albuquerque.
Julian Wright wants people to know his new Downtown bar isn't Hooters or Coyote Ugly. The Library, a bar and grill replacing Brewster's Pub, has an all-female wait staff like Hooters. And like Coyote Ugly, servers dance on the bar. But that is where the similarities end, Wright said.
Nathan Gale used to psych himself up for football games by blasting Pantera through his headphones. People around him were freaked out by how much the guy loved the band. On Wednesday, Gale ran onto the Ohio stage where Damageplan was playing and killed former Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darryl Abbott.
Line of Fire: Armageddon is an album for any hip-hop fan, regardless of religion. Local rap group The Alumni offer a throwback to rap music's early roots with its latest album. The religious trio creates music free of the guns, drugs and stereotypes that have become a staple in popular rap music.
Some rock stars shouldn't make solo music. Gwen Stefani is one of them. The first 20 seconds of her solo attempt Love Music Angel Baby sound promising. Stefani's first track, "What You Waiting For" begins with fading applause followed by a piano and vocals intro.
by Aaron Hendren Daily Lobo Marc Page is more of a radical than a filmmaker, though he says it is difficult for him to choose between the two. Page is an independent filmmaker from Gallup whose movie, "A Peace of the Anarchy," will be screened at the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice.
A retired UNM president is coming back to the University - to sign books. Richard Peck, president of UNM from 1990 to 1998, is an author who retired from UNM in 2000. Peck and Judith Van Gieson, fiction writers who focus on crime and mystery, will attend UNM Press's annual Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day to sign copies of their books.
Being a double agent isn't all it's cracked up to be - especially when the good guys don't know you're on their side. "Sleeper" is the tale of Holden Carver, a secret agent with no one to report to. His mentor and contact, John Lynch, lies in a coma while Holden dirties it up with a global secret organization.
As usual, it started with a doll and a dream. But this version of the "Nutcracker" rocked much harder than your average Christmas production. Keshet Dance Company presents Shira Greenberg's "Nutcracker on the Rocks," a flashy production that takes the classic version and puts a modern spin on it - Harley Davidson and all.
by Emily Myer Daily Lobo After six years and two albums, members of All That Remains have finally hit a high point. All That Remains is known as a metalcore band, although lead singer Philip Labonte doesn't care what people see it as. "I really don't sweat what people are going to call us," he said.
It's the people's music. That's percussionist Jiro Yamaguchi's answer to what Ozomatli is. "Categories are always a little tough," he said. "It's music to dance to." Writers across the globe have tried unsuccessfully to classify the 10-piece cacophony that is Ozomatli.
by Emily Myer Daily Lobo Pop music has hit an all-time low. With marginally talented pop princesses ruling the charts, Simple Plan fits right in. Considering the band writes its own lyrics, it may be a bit of an improvement. Yet its new album, Still Not Getting Any... is remarkably similar to its last album, No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls.
by John Bear Daily Lobo It's going to be a long winter - nuclear winter, that is. Two films, "The Atomic Filmmakers" and "Half-Life: A Parable for the Nuclear Age," present cold glimpses into the dark realm of early nuclear-weapons testing by the United States.
by Aaron Salas Daily Lobo The rapper Nas has grown up. On his eighth solo release, gone is the young and wild thug with street stories about gun battles and partying all night. He's become a man, husband and father. Nas has blessed the world with street poetry for more than a decade.
Fair warning: This is one of those reviews that makes people hate movie reviews. Many - maybe most - of those who see "Closer" will find it shocking, boring, vulgar, confusing or blasphemous, and will never understand why anybody would enjoy the experience.
Solutions by The State News
