For those who like their laughs unscripted, there is a new place in town. The Gorilla Tango Comedy Theatre is a performance space on Central Avenue that uses no sets, costumes, props and - most importantly - no scripts. Each night is different because the three improvisation teams make up all of the sketches and plays on the spot with suggestions from the audience.
From garden variety to "Garden State," sitcom star Zach Braff wrote, directed and starred in his own film, and the result is right on. "Garden State" offers a fresh twist on finding love in the wrong place and life where you didn't think you left it. "Scrubs" star Braff stars as Andrew Largeman, "Large" to his found-again friends in New Jersey.
When Crazy Town brought us the song "Butterfly," it became an instant hit. Whether people hated or loved it, whether it could truly be defined as a quality song, the pulsating beats made it a club favorite, allowing the ladies to shake and go crazy. Now the band's frontman, Shifty, has ventured off on his own, and the result is pretty sketchy.
by Nancy Chang Daily Lobo Soulfly is famous for being a pioneer of experimentation, and its lineup is no exception. Members create a fresh fusion of native Brazilian sounds and heavy rock music on each of their four albums. Soulfly formed in 1997, but its latest CD Prophecy proves the band has developed a rich product with more universal appeal.
By Katy Knapp Daily Lobo When most people think of campaign fund-raisers they don't imagine a karaoke night at a popular bar and grill. Brisa Urquieta said she and a couple of friends decided something as important as politics didn't have to be boring and came up with having a "Kerry-oke" night to raise money for John Kerry's presidential campaign.
by Noah Armstrong Daily Lobo Homer Simpson said, "I like my beer cold, my TV loud and my homosexuals flaming" on an episode of "The Simpsons" a few years ago, and in the upcoming season, one of his peers just may come out of the closet on fire. As usual, Matt Groening and the rest of the Simpsons' creators have taken a highly debated subject in politics and will surely put forth a hilarious episode.
When author Rudolfo Anaya was a young man, he had an encounter with La Llorona, the ditch witch. Anaya grew up in the barrios of Albuquerque where there were no public pools. One summer, he and some friends went swimming in an arroyo and he severely injured himself.
by Monica Demarco Daily Lobo Jason Darensburg met his wife Valerie in high school 20 years ago. He taught her to play bass, bought her one for Valentine's Day, and made her the bassist for their band, Dead City. "I think bass is a natural instrument for women, because you have to keep steady," Valerie said.
Shari Watson wants women to be proud of who they are and speak up when necessary - even if the truth hurts. That is one reason why Watson, an R&B singer who released her second album Ready Now, took on the stage name Truth Hurts, given to her by hip-hop producer and artist Dr.
The sparks of social revolution, the spreading of ideas, and the simple documentation of history can all be partly attributed to the music of a culture. Corridos, or Spanish ballads, are no exception. "Corridos sin Fronteras: A New World Ballad Tradition," the latest exhibition at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, will explore the history and influence of the ballad tradition throughout the United States and Mexico over the past 200 years.
Her show business debut was at a school talent show in the second grade. Now Jessica Bachicha is releasing a CD with compositions from famous artists as well as one of her own compositions. She started work on her CD, Illumination, last summer and worked on it throughout the school year.
by Nancy Chang Daily Lobo If punk rock could be stylish garage music, the Hives' latest album, Tyrannosaurus Hives, would fall into that category. The CD is the first of the band's albums to be launched off major record label Interscope Records.
by Noah Armstrong Daily Lobo It didn't take Paul Mazurkiewicz of Cannibal Corpse long to realize he was playing the wrong instrument. Mazurkiewicz, the drummer for the death-metal band, started out playing guitar in seventh grade. At shows, he soon realized he spent most of his time focusing on rhythm and what the drummer was doing.
In a city where art is everywhere but exhibits aren't as frequent, local artists say they are happy to have a show dedicated to contemporary art at the Albuquerque Museum. Blake Gibson, a UNM art teaching assistant, has a piece in Albuquerque Contemporary, a regional art exhibition at the Albuquerque Museum.
by Nancy Chang Daily Lobo Minnesota foursome the Vestals is celebrating the release of a self-titled debut CD with a tour of the Southwest. The Group's sound is a mixture of bands like Radiohead and the Beatles with a little added funkadelic flavor.
During these trying times, Adam Kidd and his cast and crew have turned toward two powerful sources of inspiration - theater and the Bible. "Children of Eden" was written by Grammy-winner Stephen Schwartz who is known for the Broadway pieces "Wicked," "Godspell" and "Pippin.
Picture this: it's Germany, 1941, shortly before the United States enters World War II. Two nuclear physicists, one German, one Jewish, have a meeting that goes sour, but no one knows what was really said. From this true-life encounter, playwright Michael Frayn made "Copenhagen," a Tony Award-winning drama.
by Jessica Del Curto and Kathryn Knapp Daily Lobo Ursula Le Guin has traveled through many worlds, but she made a stop in Albuquerque on Tuesday. The Voices of the Southwest lecture series concluded this week with an appearance by Le Guin, the only female author invited to speak this year.
by Rosemary Leahy Daily Lobo The number one comedy club in the nation, Catch A Rising Star, will be bringing laughter to the stages of Puccini's Golden West Saloon and El Rey Theatre on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. Catch A Rising Star was born in New York City in 1972.
Veteran indie-rockers Emily Saliers and Amy Ray have been touring for two decades and released eight studio records. Saliers and Ray are the Indigo Girls, a group with a huge fan base that refuses to conform to music industry rules and norms and is heavily involved in environmental activism.
Solutions by The State News
