buzThe Films of New Hollywood

28 I’LL BE THERE MAN | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzodds&end

zbuzz Film Festival1stannual

The Graduate (1967)105 minutesDirected by Mike Nichols StarringAnne BancroftDustin HoffmanKatharine rossWilliam Daniels

Easy Rider (1969)94 minutesDirected by Dennis HopperStarringDennis HopperPeter FondaJack NicholsonPhil Spector

Raging Bull (1980)129 minutesDirected by Martin ScorseseStarringRobert De NiroCathy MoriartyJoe Pesci Frank Vincent

The Last Picture Show (1971)118 minutesDirected by Peter BogdanovichStarringTimothy BottomsJeff BridgesCybill ShepherdEllen Burstyn

Nov. 176:30 p.m. The Graduate (1967)9 p.m. The Last Picture Show (1971)11:15 p.m. BONUS FILM

Nov. 187 p.m. Raging Bull (1980)9:30 p.m. Easy Rider (1969)

at The Virginia TheatreNov. 17 and 18

Bonus FilmAt 11:15 p.m. we will play a bonus movie,choose among these five films

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)Chinatown (1974)A Clockwork Orange (1971)The French Connection (1971)Midnight Cowboy (1969)e-mail your vote to filmfestival@readbuzz.comor visit our Web site at www.readbuzz.com

TICKETSOn sale today at The Virginia

Theatre 203 W. Park Avenue inChampaign 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday or callThe Virginia Theatre at 356-9063.

$5 per movie$20 for all five movies

Free Festival Pass for thefirst 20 people to vote

Oct. 16-22, 2003 Arts | Entertainment | Community

buzzbuzzFREE!

C O M M U N I T Y

Undertakertakes on life(page 4)

A R T S

Actor returns from gun shot(page 9)

M U S I C

Pete Yorn lays back(page 11)

C A L E N D A R

Esther Drangjoins goodcompany(page 14)

F I L M & T V

Kill Billbloodies upthe screen(page 21)

Amasong:Bridging boundaries

through music

Amasong:Bridging boundaries

through music

1016buzz0128 10/15/03 4:03 PM Page 1

2 | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzz

Art Crafts Produce Art Crafts Produce Art Crafts Produce Art Crafts Produce

Flowers Plants Food Flowers Plants Food Flowers Plants Food Flowers Plants Food

Coffee Music Coffee Music Coffee Music Coffee Music

Every Sat. Morning thru Nov. 8

7 a.m. until Noon

SE Lot of Lincoln Square

Downtown Urbana

(217) 384-2319

Friday October 24 at 5:00 p.m.Questions: call Teri McCarthy at 352-5151

This event is being held to assist human service agencies in Champaign County, with the support of several groups includingCentral High School Student Council, the Religious Workers Association, and the Religious Leaders for Community Care.

Make a DifferenceDriveDrive

October 13-24, 2003

• Parkland College’s Child Development Center • Phillips Recreation Center• Schnucks Stores• United Way of Champaign County• University YMCA

• Bresnan Meeting Center• Daily Illini Office• Family Service Center• Illini Radio Group Office• Illini Union Bookstore• Office of Volunteer Programs (277 Illini Union)

DROP-OFF SITES:

ITEMS NEEDED: • Travel-size Shampoo, Soap, and Toothpaste• Toothbrushes• Razors• Lotions• Diapers (Infant to Adult), Baby Wipes• Tissue• Crayons, Colored Markers• Pencils, Pens• Coloring Books, Construction Paper• Spiral Notebooks• Glue• Folders• New Socks and Underwear (For All Ages)

We encourage agencies, offices, and companies to help us collect thesemuch-needed items and deliver them to any drop off sites no later than:

V o t e d B e s t M e x i c a n R e s t a u r a n t i n C - U a r e a

Enjoy our popular menu:

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Etc.

Parrilla SuizaPescado Estilo

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1 4 0 7 N . P r o s p e c t A v e • 3 5 1 - 6 8 7 9

27buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | I HATE COLD WEATHER

AND ANOTHER THING. . . DirtyTalkBY MICHAEL COULTER | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The air in Illinois is beginning to develop achill to it, baseball season is coming to an

end, and families begin thinking about the hol-idays and how they will spend them. This canonly mean one thing:My parents are headingsouth faster than theAtlanta Falcons withoutMichael Vick. So, thisweekend, in mid-October, my family willcelebrate Thanksgiving.

Six or seven yearsago my mom and daddecided to sell thehouse and everything contained within andhit the road. They bought a camper, or “startercoffin,” and headed for the warmth of Texas.They stay down there until the temperaturesof April bring them back to the Midwest forthe summer. Apparently, there was somethingin their wedding vows that promised never toexperience any temperature below 40 degreesafter the age of 60.

They stay in a park near Corpus Christi,Texas with some other folks who are doing thesame thing as them, the geriatric equivalent ofEasy Rider. It’s a nice place really, a nice life.They rise every morning around 5 a.m. or so,eat breakfast, and then have pretty much therest of their morning to complain about thesnippy check out clerk at the Super Wal-Mart.

It’s Texas, so you can start drinking beer alittle before noon if you’d like. I’ve visitedthem and tried it. Believe me, it’s a prettysweet deal. I kicked back in a lawn chair witha can of Lone Star, havingno cares in the world solong as the ever-presentambulance was drivingpast our campsite.

In the evening, theyoften build a campfire andhave Happy Hour. This iswhere large groups ofolder people get togetherand complain about thesnippy check-out clerk at the Super Wal-Mart.

It’s amazing to me how many people theyhave met since they began doing this. Theyhave friends from all over the United Statesnow. They see them here and there, maybemeet up with them for a few days and thenwave goodbye and get back on the road.

There are a few people that they hangaround with a majority of the time. It’s a goodthing and makes me feel better about themleaving home. My theory is that if you put fourolder folks in a car headed to Mexico for cheapprescription medicine, it’s basically like hav-ing one younger person behind the wheel. Theperson driving can see but that’s about it. They

rely on the person in the passenger seat whocan hear. The two in the back seat constantlyyell directions and identify any of the myriadstrange smells coming from the vehicle.

They basically become one person.It may not seem like a big deal, but try doing

it with the heater on full blast and the sun froma 90 degree day piercing through the window.It’s not a cake walk.

It’s really what retirement should be most ofthe time. My mom goes for long walks dailyand my dad reorganizes the storage spacebelow the camper pretty much every day.They play cards; they watch movies; they talkwith their friends. Maybe they will have a fewcocktails here and there. Strangely, and sadly,it’s not that different from my life.

There are a few things to look out for. Myfirst trip there, Dad warned me to stay awayfrom the swimming pool. I believe the exactquote was “Jesus Christ, son, stay away fromthat pool. You don’t wanna see the old ladiesout there in their bathing suits. It’s not a pret-ty picture.”

You also have to watch the weather. Eventhough they don’t like it anymore, my parentsare familiar with and ready to handle coldweather. That’s not necessarily true in Texas,though. One year it dropped below 35 degreeswith snow flurries. They closed the schools,roads and most stores.

The natives were restless and my dad juststood back and smiled. He knew they wereoverreacting but he didn’t tell them. He wasn’tsupposed to. He’s retired.

So, they’re headed back home next week,but before that, it’s Thanksgiving at my housethis weekend. We’ll get oysters for the dress-

ing and then complainabout how they aren’t asgood as in Texas. We’llhave turkey and noodlesand any other starch wecan find in the cabinetand fall asleep just likeany other family doesafter a big Thanksgivingmeal.

Sure, we’ll be fallingasleep to the World Series instead of a footballgame, but it doesn’t matter. It’s come to beThanksgiving to us now, and we like it justfine. By the time the regular Thanksgivingrolls around in November, I can act all sad sosomeone else will cook for me again.Thanksgiving in October is really sort of just abonus. I give thanks all year long anyway. Ihave the best parents you could ever imagine.

Michael Coulter is a videographer at ParklandCollege. He writes a weekly email column,“This Sporting Life” and has hosted severallocal comedy shows.

What retirement should be

By the time the regularThanksgiving rolls

around in November Ican act all sad so

someone else will cookfor me again.

[ [

To My Past Lovely Ladies, You have tried totie down this beauty, but my view is thatevery woman should at least have a smalltaste of what I have to offer, sorry for thebroken hearts and tattered memories!

To the guy wearing the Ottawa Senators(#4) jersey on the quad on Weds. morning,you're amazing! Wear it more often. Thanksfor making my day.

Angelique-- How did I ever end up with agirl as hot as you? Awesome.

To My Peeps- You all can drop it like itshot.My times with you are off the hook.love-MC

shizniz boys-you all are shizawesome!wowshizass.-MC

Cathy-Your red hot, ow,ow-MC

There was at least one good sight at Sat'sIllini/MSU game... that gorgeous blondeMSU (and Illini?) fan who took time out tohug the MI twirler on the field.

Jess-you are so jessified.6ft ya baby.-MC

Craig-- You are the sexiest tattoo artist inChampaign. I"ll be seeing you soon.--Christina

Michelle- I love being hyper with you.Can Iget a hell yea!-MC

Skaterboy--show me your bling bling andI'll show you mine!

Chad- You’re on top of your game when itcomes to flash.

Carol- I want to eat you like chicken friedrice.

SWEET “DIRTY” TALKS ARE FREE. To submityour message go to www.readbuzz.com andclick on the Sweet Talk link. Please make yourmessage personal, fun, flirty and entertaining.Leave out last names and phone numbersbecause we (and probably you!) could get in bigfat trouble for printing them. We reserve the rightto edit your messages. Sorry, no announcementsabout events or organizations. (Enter those atcucalendar.com)

Ambler continued from page 9

He shot Gary on the left side of his left legjust above the knee.

“I remember having one minute of lucidthought, and I just started making noises. Thenext thing I remember, the paramedics wereshouting at me,” Ambler said.

The most emotional he gets was when hetells this story is when he says one of the kidsthat mugged him was 13 years old. To him,that was the saddest thing about the wholeincident.

“He’s very quiet,” Ibsen says. “In his reallife, he’s a very quiet person, you’re astound-ed by these characters that come out of him.”

His modesty came out before rehearsalwhen two company members Jan and JohnChandler stopped by the theater. Jan paintsthe marquees that hangs in front of the smallparking lot at the Station Theatre.

The sign read, “Gary Ambler in FullyCommitted.”

Ambler looked at it, laughed, and won-dered why his name was up there.

“In Chesapeake (another one-man show hedid), we didn’t even tell people it was a one-man show,” he told the Chandlers.

“I think that bothers him,” Jan said later.“That his name is up there.”

John has done several shows with himincluding American Buffalo.

“He’s so soft-spoken and he’ll take roleswhere he’s a lion or a maniac,” John said.

In Fully Committed, he’ll run the gambit ofcharacters, a huge not wholly welcome chal-lenge.

“It’s lovely work,” Ambler said. “It’s somuch more fun with other people.”

In a one-man show, Ambler has to play somany characters that he is not able to digparticularly deep on one character.

“I think that’s one of the hurdles for it,” hesaid. “Because you have to be broad with thecharacters.

“The one man format forces you to makethe audience a second character as a reactor,”he continued. “This is more difficult becausethere are no direct lines to the audience.”

Ambler prefers playing one characterbecause it allows him to become more inti-mate with that character. Karma said thatone of Gary’s strengths is his ability to ana-lyze the text. Gary doesn’t mind doing out-side research for the character if it makessense, but he prefers to use the text as muchas possible.

He’s happy with how Committed is comingalong, but he knows it needs a little morework.

After his run through, Karma talks aboutthe difference between the characters.

“There needs to be more of a distinction,”she says.

Gary does an excellent job of creating thecharacters and he keeps them very distinct atfirst, but as the show goes on, some of thecharacters sort of blend together. All of hisfemale characters end each sentence on an upnote, and sometimes this bleeds to the malecharacters as well.

A few days later, Gary shows much moreof a handle on each character. The distinc-tiveness of each voice at the beginning car-ries much longer into the play, and he stillhas a little under a week to hammer out somemore details, which is fine with him becausehe loves rehearsals.

But for now, he has to worry about his one-man that opens tonight. He’s excited aboutit, he loves working on comedy, and there’sstill a little more for him to find out about hisrole.

“It’s not poetry, but it’s entertainment,” hesaid. “I have a feeling there’s something sub-versive about it, so hopefully I can findmore.” buzz

1016buzz0227 10/15/03 4:04 PM Page 1

CROSSWORD PUZZLE (ANSWERS ON 20)

ACROSS1 One going through a

tunnel, perhaps5 Brick ingredient

10 Beach site14 “My ___!”15 Cell alternative16 Place to swim or play

b-ball17 Vent, in a way18 Receive a late honor?20 Hotel reception feature22 It may be due … but

never overdue23 Main line24 Unsatisfactorily26 Want ad inits.27 Start28 Certain computer

screen30 Miss31 Boxing, so it’s said34 Useless project35 Boxing legend41 Sound42 “Legally Blonde”

blonde43 ___ Bowl44 Kind of shot45 Running total?: Abbr.

46 Passed on the trail47 Send49 Stalked, e.g.50 Immediately54 Still-life piece55 “Hollywood Homicide”

actress, 200356 Put out57 Devotional carving:

Var.58 Got out59 Exhausted, with “out”60 Boxer and others:

Abbr.

DOWN1 Movie credits caption2 Continue a military

parade3 Grain appendages4 Present time5 Extend6 Musical with the song

“Frank Mills”7 It may be understated8 Pacific ring9 Suffix with

22-Across10 Stick ___11 Get part of12 Circular opening?

13 Circularopening

19 Crystalwork,once: Abbr.

21 Stout per-son?

24 Step on it25 Dough28 General’s

pride29 ___ alco-

hol30 Best

SupportingActresswinner for“TheAccidentalTourist”

32 Dog-___33 Geometric

figure withall equalangles

35 By fairmeans orfoul

36 It may accompany hip-shaking

37 Vostok 1 commander38 Took Marie

Antoinette’s advice?

39 Singer/actor who wrote“Here I Stand,” 1958

40 ___ “Annus Mirabilis”45 Congressional support46 Like Larry King48 Dress without a waist-

line

49 Dermatologist’s con-cern

51 Unexplored52 Sixth-century date53 Pilfer

26odds & endodds & endFATE IS CONSPIRING TO SUCK YOU INTO AN INTENSIVE BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION PROGRAM | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzz

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Thursdays - Pool Tourney, Cash Prizes, 7 PM

Reasonable Doubt - 10 pm

FREE FOOD FRIDAYS!

A local classic rock band with an ear for great tunes!

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24 - Renegade, 25 - maurice & The Mindset

Kilborn AlleyComing in Rocktober

ARIES (March 21-April 19): This may sound crazy, but the bestway to attract good luck in the coming week is to experimentwith doing the opposite of what you usually do. For instance, youcould act as if limitations are fantastic opportunities. Instead ofindulging your impulses, you can question them -- lighthearted-ly, of course. Rather than leading everyone into interesting temp-tation with your fiery enthusiasm, you could be a meditative fol-lower who listens well and tries out other people's daring plans.Any other ideas?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The next couple of weeks will be anexcellent time to purge any nagging karma that has been haunt-ing your love life. You'll be ready to move on to new romanticfrontiers once you clear away the residue that has been subtlyburdening you.To achieve the proper spirit of rowdy fierceness, Isuggest you learn the following country music songs and beltthem out now and then: "You Done Tore Out My Heart AndStomped That Sucker Flat," "Get Your Tongue out of My Mouth,I'm Kissing You Goodbye," "How Can I Miss You If You Won't GoAway?," "I Wouldn't Take You To A Dawg Fight, Cause I'm AfraidYou'd Win," "I Liked You Better Before I Knew You So Well," and "IFlushed You From The Toilets Of My Heart."

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): This is your official too-much-of-a-good-thing warning. To protect and preserve the sweet progressyou've enjoyed in recent weeks, make sure that abundance does-n't tip over into gross excess. How? Refuse to become a slave toyour good ideas. Don't let your triumphs lead to exhaustion.Avoid expressions of generosity that are wasted on the recipi-ents or motivated mostly by the urge to impress people.You cankeep all your well-earned rewards, dear Gemini, if you'll start set-ting graceful new limits now.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Most practitioners of the healingarts believe in taking a gradual approach. Psychotherapists andacupuncturists, for example, typically see their clients once aweek, theorizing that even deep-seated problems have to beundone slowly and gently. Some mavericks take a more radicalapproach, however. One acupuncturist I know has her clientscome and stay at her clinic for six consecutive days, during whichtime she administers a fresh treatment every two hours. This isthe kind of approach I recommend for you right now, Cancerian.You're on the verge of curing a certain longstanding imbalance,and intense, concentrated attention is the best way to do it.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I shopped at a local supermarket formonths before striking up a conversation with Wendy, one of thecheck-out clerks. "How was your weekend?" I asked her oneMonday. "I worked at my two other jobs," she said. I was sur-prised, having assumed her career consisted entirely of tallying

grocery purchases. "I'm a psychotherapist at a group home fordisturbed teens," she continued, "and I'm trying to finish my PhDdissertation." I blushed in embarrassment for having misread herso thoroughly. As she processed my order, we had an interestingexchange about adolescent angst and the politics of psy-chotherapy. I suggest you make Wendy your inspirational symbolthis week, Leo. May she remind you to dig beneath the surfaceand uncover the deeper truth about everything you think youhave figured out.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "The fox knows many things," said theancient Greek poet Archilochus, "but the hedgehog knows onebig thing." Twentieth-century philosopher Isaiah Berlin used thisthought as an organizing principle in discussing types of writers.Hedgehogs like Dante and Plato yearned to explain life's appar-ent chaos with a single, all-embracing theory, Berlin believed,whereas foxes like Shakespeare preferred to revel in the world'smessy multiplicity without feeling a need to unify it all in one sys-tem. My long experience with astrological types has convincedme that most Virgos tend to be foxes. In the coming days, how-ever, I advise you to try out the hedgehog perspective. It'll ensureyou don't miss the forest for the trees.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Where exactly does happiness comefrom, ask David Meyers and Ed Diener in their article, "TheScience of Happiness," published in "The Futurist" magazine. Doyou experience happiness primarily through being a good per-son or contemplating the meaning of life? From indulging inpleasure or knowing the truth? From preserving comfy illusionsor purging yourself of pent-up rage and sadness? All the above?Let these questions be the starting point for your own medita-tions on the subject, Libra. It's a perfect moment to get very seri-ous about defining what brings you joy and making concreteplans to harvest more of it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The science newsletter, "Mini-Annalsof Improbable Research," did a poll of its readers on the question,"Does reality exist?" Forty-two percent answered yes, while 31percent asserted that it most certainly does not. The remaining27 percent were undecided. A few of the latter believed that theirreality exists but no one else's does.Two people said, "Yes, realityexists, but you can't get to it." According to one respondent,"Reality exists only when it is really necessary." Remember thatline, Scorpio, because it will be quite necessary for your reality toexist in the coming weeks. Here's another response to thepoll that you should make your own: "Reality especially existsright after a thunderstorm." I predict that your reality willbecome vivid and deep once your metaphorical tempest ends ina few days.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Fate is conspiring to suck youinto an intensive behavioral modification program. The goal: toweed out the wishy-washy wishes and leech out the lukewarmlongings that are keeping you distracted from your burningdesires. Here's the paradoxical formula that will be at the heart ofthis process: If you try to maintain the illusion that you're not los-ing yourself, you will in fact lose yourself. But if you surrender andagree to lose yourself, you will break through to a new level ofcommunion with the deepest, most eternal part of yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Nice guys finish last. So pro-claimed the crusty old baseball player, Leo Durocher, who wasfamous last century for his rough play and dirty tricks. His once-wicked insinuation has, 50 years later, devolved into a decadentplatitude. It needs an update. As you enter a phase when it willmake sense to become more strategic, Capricorn, try on the fol-lowing formulas for size: Nice guys finish last because they followall the rules by rote. Nasty guys often don't even finish becausethey break the rules by rote. Smart guys and riot grrrls winbecause they get away with inventing new rules that update themeaning of the ever-evolving game.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Would you consider acquiring athree-foot-long double-edged sword like the one Beowulf wield-ed in his famous battle with the monster many centuries ago?You won't need this weapon to defend yourself from physicalattack in the coming days, Aquarius; that's not why I recommendit. Rather, I suggest you use it as a magical prop in a ritualdesigned to rouse your warrior spirit.Hold it in front of you as youvisualize yourself scaring off your inner demons and cuttingaway the inessential concerns that are bogging you down.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): This may be the time your descen-dants will tell stories about: the turning point when you outwitan old nemesis and undo an ancient knot, freeing you to finallybegin fulfilling your life purpose in earnest. On the other hand,this may be the moment when you shrink back from a challengesimilar to one that many generations of your family membershave faced. If that's what happens, your descendants will be lack-ing an important clue when they encounter their own version ofthe ancestral puzzle many years from now. Which will it be,Pisces? Answering the call to adventure or refusing it?

HOMEWORK:What Halloween cos-

tume could you choose tohelp you activate asecret or dormant part ofyour potential? Testify atwww.freewillastrology.com

Rob Brezsny's Free WillAstrology beautyandtruth@ f r e e w i l l a s t r o l o g y. c o m415.459.7209(v)• 415.457.3769 http://www.freewillastrology.com P.O. Box 798San Anselmo, CA 94979

! "

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

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insidebuzz4 C O M M U N I T Y

Les gives everyone a lounge

8 A R T S

Krannert displays African tribal masks

11 M U S I C

EELS talk back

14 C A L E N D A R

Ester Drang

23 F I L M & T V

Action hits Wednesday night

BUZZ STAFFEditor-in-chief Tom Rybarczyk Art Director Meaghan DeeCopy Chief Erin GreenArts Katie RichardsonMusic Brian MertzEntertainment Jason CantoneCalendar Marissa MonsonAssistant Music Editor Jacob DittmerCalendar Coordinators Lauren Smith,Cassie Conner, Erin ScottbergPhotography Adam Young, Elliot KolkovichCopy Editors Elizabeth Zeman, Suzanne SitrickDesigners Adam Obendorf, Carol Mudra, JasonCantoneProduction Manager Theon SmithEditorial Adviser Elliot KolkovichSales Manager Lindsey BentonMarketing/Distribution Melissa Schleicher,MariaErickson Publisher Mary Cory

All editorial questions or letters to the editor shouldbe sent to buzz@readbuzz.com or 244-9898 or buzz,1001 S.Wright St., Champaign, Ill., 61820.

Buzz magazine is a student-run publication of IlliniMedia Company and does not necessarily represent,in whole or in part, the views of the University ofIllinois administration, faculty or students.

Copyright Illini Media Company 2003

editor’snote

Volume 1, Number 33COVER DESIGN | Carol Mudra

3buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’VE LOST IT? | OCTOBER 9-15, 2003 buzz

Central Illinois

The Right HelpRight at your Fingertips

Making it easy to find the right therapist

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While initiallyresearching the

story behindAmasong, I was cer-tain the documentarywould containprotests from conser-vative religiousgroups, lesbians dis-cussing family members that had turned theirbacks on them and political activists totingtheir own personal views on the lack of lesbianand gay rights in America. How could anydocumentarian address what I perceived to bean overtly political move by Kristina Boergeron behalf of lesbians without finding anddepicting heated reactions from centralIllinois’ more conservative members?

However, what Jay Rosenstein pointed out,and what I agree with, is the fascinating wayin which Amasong’s lesbian/feminist choirhas not met with any major obstacles whileperforming in Champaign-Urbana. As a stu-dent at the University of Illinois, what rightdid I have to make broad generalizationsabout how a community that I did not growup in would react to what I had labeled a “lib-eral” maneuver? This assumption was short-sighted and naive for two reasons: one, imme-diately assuming that the people of CentralIllinois are vehemently anti-gay and anti-les-bian stereotypes the former in the same man-ner by which I was ready to accuse them ofdoing; and two, implying that it is natural forpeople to react negatively to such a divisiondisplays little aptitude on my part for under-standing the way in which people see and

view group activity.Whenever any group of people identify

themselves as being different and sectionthemselves off from others it is in reaction tonot finding the appropriate resources within alarger community. Even in an activity as polit-ically benign as Little League, one can detectthe need for a specialized environment: littlekids learn to play baseball better with peoplewho are of relatively the same size and abilityas them. No one started the Little League pro-gram in order to directly attack the grown-updominated system in Major League Baseball.Mothers do not bring signs to Cubs gamesreading, “Down with adult ideology. Come toCubbies games instead.” The differencebetween Little League players and MajorLeague ballers is not needlessly discussed.That difference is obvious but accepted as nat-ural due to the conventions of our time.

Another feature apparent in such divisionsis that the participants are able to nurture theirtalents in an environment that is most con-ducive to their development. It is necessity, notanger, which compels them to section off.

An encouraging environment was whatKristina Boerger was looking for when sheestablished Amasong in 1991. Boerger was notlooking for a fight. Nor was she disappointedwhen she didn’t find one. As much as I want-ed to find the sensationalism in the story, nei-ther Kristina nor Champaign-Urbana wasgoing to give it to me. In retrospect, my preju-dice toward the community was a need withinmyself to witness dramatic situations. Call itan adventuresome nature, a fighting sprit, orjust plain boredom, whatever the source was;I wanted to see lesbians throwing biblesat Baptist preachers. Not because I dislikelesbians, or Baptist preachers for that matter,

but because I’ve created a somewhat false ideaof eternal conflict between the two, based onmy minimal experience, and look for traces ofthat concept on the big screen.

The scenario that was really on JayRosenstein’s screen, though, was that of adeeply touching and peaceful group ofwomen who were able to cultivate their talentsbecause they were sharing a safe space withwomen that they had found a kinship with.

The question, then, was why had theyfound such a kinship? Where do people drawthe line between “us” and “them,” and whydo they do so? Let’s backtrack a little and dis-cuss my “false idea.” It was false because I amnot a lesbian. And even though I have friendswho are, and have been to many gay and les-bian designated events and benefits, and readabout what it’s like to be labeled according toone’s sexuality, I really have no empiricalexperience wherein I have had to define my“self” in terms of whom I am sleeping with.Due to my personal tendency to imagineworst-case scenarios, I have always thoughtthat every day for such a person must be aconstant battle against the status quo.

When Kristina Boerger said to me, “I’m overbeing a lesbian,” I realized that “the statusquo” was not the narrow-minded individualsthat I had imagined lurking in the bushes out-side of Amasong’s concerts. It was me. In spiteof holding no intolerance towards lesbians, Ihad still managed to marginalize them. I haddone so because I had identified them as dif-ferent and needed to defend that difference inorder to confirm a sense of self in the commu-nity, when in fact their sexuality is no indicatorof who they truly are. I firmly believe one rea-son Amasong was such a secure environmentfor its participants was because in that spherethere was little discussion as to what the mem-bers perceived to be a secondary characteristicabout themselves. After writing this story, Iconsidered the fact that it might be as boringfor a lesbian to talk about her sexuality as it isfor me to talk about my hair color. I realized Ihad made a bigger deal about the politicsbehind Amasong than I had the quality ofwork that it was producing.

Admittedly, even this forum obstructs thenature of the message I am trying to relay.Being a lesbian shouldn’t be in discussion.Kristina’s over it, the community’s over it andI should be too.

Katie Richardson Arts Editor

Correction- A community story on page 3in the Oct. 9 issue misattributed a pull quote.The quote should have been attributed toLynda Gritten.

1016buzz0326 10/15/03 4:51 PM Page 1

buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 20034communitycommunity

BY YVONNE ZUSEL | STAFF WRITER

Don Wolfe sits next to his casket and greetsthe people who pass by.

“How are ya?” he asks one couple.“How you doin’, Henry?” he says to a wrin-

kled, white-haired man.“Good to see ya, Jeff,” he tells a man walking

with his family.Don knows nearly every person who walks

by. And they know him. They know that mostof the time when an old-timer passes away or ateenager dies unexpectedly, Don will be calledto organize a funeral. Recognition and warmthfill their eyes, and they stop to chat and shakehis hand. A polite “Hello, Mr. Wolfe,” will notdo, because this man is their friend, a local fix-ture, and so only, “Hey Don, how’s it going?”will suffice.

Although Don genuinely wants to talk tothem, he is also here at the Hoopeston HomeExpo to sell his services. Heknows friendliness is the bestpublic relations. Nestledbetween booths hawking tan-ning and cell phone services,the Wolfe Funeral Home boothseems an oddity. Don knowshis is a hard sell, and so, withall his 45 years of business-man’s experience, he smiles,schmoozes, kills them withkindness. He cannot afford to let a person passwithout asking how his wife is doing, or howthe business is going, or if he’s enjoying thegood weather. It’s the Catch-22 of Don’s life.

These people are his friends, but they’re alsopotential customers.

Don can pick a person from the crowd andautomatically retrieve their vitals. They are hisfriends, and he will be sad when they die. Yettheir deaths won’t shake him. He has a built-indefense mechanism that allows him to show thefamily of the deceased compassion and under-standing, but which also allows him to viewdeath as just another part of life. It is this attitudethat gets him through; everybody dies, and whyshouldn’t he be the one there when they do?

In 1943, Don was 6 years old. It was late andhe was in bed. He heard screaming. It was hismother, Lucy. He got out of bed and sawstrange people walking around his house.Clarence Henry Wolfe, Don’s father, was dead.A car accident. There was a long drive from theWolfe home in Kankakee to Rankin, his father’shometown, where the funeral was held. Hismother leaned over the casket, crying: “Wakeup Clarence. Wake up, you can’t do this to me!”That’s all Don remembers about his father’sdeath. He doesn’t remember how he felt. Hedoesn’t remember if he cried or if hewas scared. He doesn’t remem-ber much about his father atall, but he keeps a pic-ture of him

hanging in his house to remind himself that hehad a father.

Don, his mother and his two younger broth-ers moved to Rankin after Clarence’s funeralto be near his mother’s parents. Four yearslater, Don sat in class. His mother had breastcancer. His aunt opened the door to the class-room. “Donnie,” she said, “You’d better comewith me. Your mother’s dead.” In thatmoment, Don hated his aunt. He was embar-rassed, sad, ashamed.

In a town of 600, everyone knew. They feltsorry for him. They meant well, but he hated it.He didn’t want their pity. He remembers theway it made him feel, and he uses it as a rule toconduct his own business. No pity, just comfortand understanding. But although he hated thepity, he appreciated the support the communityprovided for him and his family. Food and flow-ers were brought to the Wolfe house almostdaily after his mother’s death. Almost the whole

town came to the funeral. It’sthis kind of love that Dondoesn’t think he’d find in abig city.

“In the city, if your neigh-bor dies, who the hell cares?”he says. “Here, everybodyknows everybody, every-body helps everybody.”

He thinks this desire tohelp others might be why he

wanted to be a funeral director. But it’s anotherone of those things he can’t remember. Heguesses it also had something to do with hisparents’ deaths.

Don’s mother’s parents raised him after hismother died. His grandfather passed awaywhen he was 23. He remembers feeling sad, butwhat he remembers is the way the funeraldirector came into the hospital room, set up hiscot next to the bed where his grandfather layand yanked his body onto the cot right in frontof Don, his grandmother and his brothers. Bythat time, Don knew he wanted to own afuneral home. He vowed to himselfthen that he would never do aremoval in front of a family. Andhe never has.

Don knows he built awall around himselfafter the deaths.Because he wasforced to dealwith deathat such

a young age, he believes he has had practice atbeing compassionate but not emotional at thefunerals.

On a warm, bright Wednesday morning,people start arriving at the Hoopeston WolfeFuneral Home for the service that’s scheduledto begin in an hour. With 6,000 people,Hoopeston is the largest community Donserves. A 68-year-old man lies in the polishedwood casket, hands neatly folded across hismiddle, paper-thin eyelids closed and glacier-white hair neatly combed. Earlier, Don’s sonRoger, who has helped his father run thefuneral homes with his brother Royce since hefinished college, had dressed the man in agray suit and arranged him in the casket forthe visitation. A folded American flag and aBilly Bass singing fish sit in the hollow of thecasket cover, an homage to the Korean Warveteran and fisherman.

Don sits behind his desk in a small office atthe back of the funeral home. Don is only twoyears younger than the man, which untilrecently wouldn’t have made him think twice.But two years ago, he had a stroke and a heartattack. Don gets up from behind the desk. He’sdressed in a black suit and a black and whitetie. He shifts his weight to his left side, onto awooden cane with a shiny marble top. Hewalks as if with three feet—left leg and canedown for a beat, then his right leg. He is not asactive as he used to be since the stroke, doesn’tdo body removals as swiftly as he used to or doas many embalmings as in the past, but he triesto attend all the funerals. He ambles slowlytoward the family—cane-left foot, right foot.

“I want to extend my sympathy to you onyour loss,” Don says in his deep drawl. He istalking to thedead man’ssister, a

small woman with a tear-stained face.“Thank you, Don,” she whispers.“I hope everything is to your satisfaction,” he

says, putting his free hand on her shoulderwhile she nods.

“Everything is excellent,” she answers.Don wants her to know he feels sorry. But

comforting the family of the deceased is part ofhis job as funeral director. He likens the job of afuneral director to that of a film director: He isin charge of everything from start to finish. Heknows that when somebody dies, family mem-bers don’t want to have to worry about howthey’re going to move the flowers from thefuneral home to their house (Don or Rogerdrives them over after the funeral) or who isgoing to eulogize the deceased if they didn’tbelong to a church (Don knows clergy of alldenominations, and, sometimes, if he knowsthe deceased very well, he will do the eulogyhimself). He knows people don’t want toworry, and so he makes sure he takes care ofeverything down to the last detail. He doesn’twant the family to worry.

After he talks to the man’s sister, he walksback to his office. A short, compact womanwith square glasses comes in and stops in frontof his desk.

“Well, hey Joyce,” he says, as he eases him-self into his chair.

“Hey Don. Did Bonnie tell you I have a jokefor you?” Joyce Buckwaller is an old familyfriend. Don has buried both her parents. Herdaughter is also married to the deceasedman’s son.

Death and a Salesman

ILLUSTRATIONS | DAVID CHEN

Here, everybodyknows everybody,everybody helps

everybody.Don Wolfe

[ [

25buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | WELL SHE TRIED TO THINK OF SOMETHING TO SELL AND ONLY SOLD HER DIRTY SOCKS.

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1016buzz0425 10/15/03 5:55 PM Page 1

24 TEXAS IS FILLED WITH CHAIN SAWS. | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzfilm & tv

BUFFALO SOLDIERS!!!ED HARRIS AND ANNA PAQUINThis story tells a less than flattering tale of American soldiersin Germany. These soldiers aren’t the heroes idolized afterSept. 11, which made this film delay its release.These soldiersare thieves and criminals and the film is a smart, biting satirethat isn’t anti-American at all. (Jason Cantone)Now showing at Beverly

FREAKY FRIDAY!!!JAMIE LEE CURTIS AND LINDSAY LOHANFreaky Friday’s family-friendly plot still includes a mother anddaughter unsympathetic to one another’s problems becauseeach is convinced her own life is more difficult than theother’s. One of Jamie Lee Curtis’ most successful films in 20years. (Janelle Greenwood)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

GOOD BOY!!!!MATTHEW BRODERICK AND BRITTANY MURPHYAn alien dog talks to kids. Simply amazing. Watch MatthewBroderick’s career sink even further. (Arthur Mitchell)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

HOUSE OF THE DEADno starsJONATHAN CHERRY AND CLINT HOWARDA group of ecstacy-loving kids sail out to an island and findzombies. This film opens with the line “It was a nightmare”and that describes the film perfectly. (Paul Wagner)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

INTOLERABLE CRUELTY!!!!GEORGE CLOONEY AND CATHERINE ZETA-JONESMiles Massey (Clooney), the nimblest divorce attorney in L.A.,is out to trap the gold-digging wife (Zeta-Jones) of a client.But beautiful people can't help falling in love, no matterwhich side of the table they’re on. It’s the Coen Brothers, so it’sprobably not the crap it sounds like. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Beverly and Savoy

KILL BILL: VOLUME ONE!!!!UMA THURMAN AND DAVID CARRADINEKill Bill is raw entertainment that packs brains with its brawn.That is because Tarantino is an expert at drawing feeling fromhis killers, robbers and sociopaths. In Kill Bill, Tarantino revisitshis penchant for characters who have experienced past—andspecifically, childhood—trauma, again hitting the mark withbrave situational dichotomy.(Matt Pais)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

LOST IN TRANSLATION!!!!BILL MURRAY AND SCARLETT JOHANSSONBill Murray finds a relationship with a younger woman in thisintelligent film set in Japan and directed by Sofia Coppola.The enigmatic serenity of Lost in Translation confounds andastonishes while it simultaneously embraces and rejects con-vention. The link between Bob and Charlotte feels a touchfamiliar but, more importantly, perfectly natural. (Matt Pais)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

THE MAGDALENE SISTERS!!!NORA-JANE NOONEThis is the true story of women who were sent to a con-vent/laundry facility to be cleaned of their sins. However,they were also beaten and brutalized along the way. Thisstory powerfully shows women who rose against theCatholic Church in the name of decency.(Janelle Greenwood)Showing at Boardman’s Art Theatre through tonight.

MATCHSTICK MEN!!!NICOLAS CAGE AND SAM ROCKWELLNo, this isn’t a film about pyromaniacs or arsonists invadinga town. Instead, matchstick men are con artists, and here thecons go between friends and family members. When Cage’scharacter finds out he has a daughter, they meet and shewants to join in on the con.The story is fun and entertaining,but the book is much better and doesn’t have the slow, con-fusing moments that the movie does. (Jason Cantone)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

OPEN RANGE!!KEVIN COSTNER AND ROBERT DUVALLOpen Range mixes slow-paced historical nostalgia with slow-er-paced Little House on the Prairie references, pitting freerange herders against static, prejudiced ranchers. At times,the film plays a little like Gangs of the Old West and anyonewho’s even heard of classic Westerns like Shane or TheSearchers can pretty much stay two steps ahead of OpenRange at all times. (Matt Pais)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

OUT OF TIME!!!DENZEL WASHINGTON AND SANAA LATHANDenzel Washington, fresh from his Oscar-winning perform-ance in Training Day and his lead role in the crappy John Q.,portrays a cop framed for a heinous crime in this film, whichuses a little-used genre effectively to provide an interestingand suspenseful thriller. (Andrew Crewell)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

THE RUNDOWN!!!THE ROCK AND SEANN WILLIAM SCOTTThe Rundown is pure entertainment,plain and simple. It’s hardto lump it into one genre as it reaches into action, adventureand comedy in order to come up with an exhilarating and funcombination that will leave audiences more than satisfied.(Aaron Leach)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

SEABISCUIT!!!!TOBEY MAGUIRE, JEFF BRIDGES AND CHRIS COOPERThe Seabiscuit phenomenon was one of the most captivat-ing in United States history and this film does it justice.(Andrew Crewell)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy.

THE SCHOOL OF ROCK!!!!JACK BLACK AND JOAN CUSACKJack Black plays a rock star who bottoms out and becomes ateacher at a prep school in this smart film from directorRichard Linklater, who also made Waking Life. (Matt Mitchell)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

SECONDHAND LIONS!!!!ROBERT DUVALL AND MICHAEL CAINETwo old men, who might have been successful bank robbersin the 1920s, take custody of their nephew. Melodramaticstory, tears and laughter ensure and manipulate your emo-tions, but make you love every second. (Jason Cantone)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

UNDERWORLD!!KATE BECKINSALE AND SCOTT SPEEDMANWerewolves, vampires and humans, oh my! This Romeo andJuliet tale pits love against an eternal war between vampiresand werewolves. Look for great action sequences and a darktone similar to The Matrix. And then there’s also KateBeckinsale in all leather to watch for. (Jason Cantone)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy.

AMADEUS: THE DIRECTOR’S CUTF. MURRAY ABRAHAM AND JEFFREY JONESConsidered by the American Film Institute as one of the Top100 films of all time, this story of Mozart’s rise to fame wonBest Picture in 1985. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Boardman’s Art Theatre

MYSTIC RIVERKEVIN BACON AND SEAN PENNThree childhood friends are united after one loses his daugh-ter. Expect brilliant performances. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Beverly and Savoy

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACREJESSICA BIEL AND MIKE VOGELWhile on a drug run to Mexico, a bunch of people pick up abloodied hitchhiker who has been attacked by someone or

something. When their van runs out of gas in front of aslaughterhouse, the group decide to investigate and see ifthere's a phone. What they encounter is a bizarre family ofcannibals and a strange man who's weapon of choice is achainsaw.Opening at Beverly and Savoy

RUNAWAY JURYDUSTIN HOFFMAN AND GENE HACKMANBased upon the best selling John Grisham novel, this storywas originally about tobacco farms, but because a tale ofguns, possibly because of who supports major film compa-nies. Juries are treated as pawns in this tale of jury tamperingand courtroom hijinks. It also features two of the greatestactors of their generation. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Beverly and Savoy

VERONICA GUERINCATE BLANCHETT AND BRENDA FRICKERCate Blanchett plays real life journalism Veronica Guerin inthis independent film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer anddirected by Joel Schumacher. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Beverly

DEAD ALIVETIMOTHY BALME AND ELIZABETH MOODYA young man's mother is bitten by a "rat monkey." She getssick and dies, at which time she comes back to life, killing andeating dogs, nurses, friends, and neighbors.Special showings at Boardman’s this weekend

RADIOCUBA GOODING JR. AND ED HARRISCuba Gooding Jr. does his best to give a decent performancethat will make his critics less likely to demand that he givesback his Oscar after horrendous films such as Snow Dogs.Watch him play up mental retardation here. (Jason Cantone)Sneak preview at Beverly this weekend

SCARFACEAL PACINO AND ROBERT LOGGIAA Cuban refugee builds a crime empire in Florida in this spec-tacular Brian DePalma/Oliver Stone film. Considered one ofthe most violent films of all-time. (Jason Cantone)Special showings at Beverly this weekend

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OPENING THIS WEEKEND

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BOARDMAN’S THEATRES www.BoardmansTheatres.com1-800-BEST PLACE (800-237-8752) 217/355-0068

eTickets/reserved seats: www.BoardmansArtTheatre.com

The First of Three Midnight Weekend Horror Films! Only $5!From LOTR’s Director, Peter JacksonNR, runs 97 minutes, presented in HPS-4000/DD Midnight Fri & Sat, Oct. 17 & 18

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Art TheatreOpens Friday October 17th! ONE WEEK ONLY! Winner of 8 Academy Awards, Including Best Picture & Best Sound!R, runs 180 minutes, scope, presented in HPS-4000/DDDaily at 7:00pmMatinees on Sat/Sun at 3:00pm

Coming Next: Capturing The FriedmansComing next in the Midnight Horror Film Series: Suspiria and The Exorcist!

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RUNAWAY JURY (PG-13) DIGITAL 2 PRINTS / 2 SCREENS11:55, 1:45, 2:25, 4:15, 4:55, 6:45, 7:20, 9:15, 9:45FRI/SAT LS 11:45, 12:05 THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (R) 2 PRINTS / 2 SCREENSDIGITAL 1:20, 3:20, 5:20, 7:20, 9:20FRI/SAT LS 11:20DIGITAL/STADIUM SEATING 12:10, 2:05, 4:00, 5:55, 7:50, 9:50 FRI/SAT LS 11:50 MYSTIC RIVER (R) DIGITAL 1:20, 4:00, 6:40, 9:20 FRI/SAT LS 12:00 INTOLERABLE CRUELTY (PG-13) DIGITAL 12:45, 2:50, 4:55, 7:00, 9:05 FRI/SAT LS 11:10 KILL BILL, VOLUME 1 (R) DIGITAL2 PRINTS/ 2 SCREENS 12:20, 1:05, 2:35, 3:20, 4:50, 5:35, 7:05, 7:50, 9:20, 10:00 FRI/SAT LS 11:35, 12:10 GOOD DOG! (PG) 2 PRINTS/ 2 SCREENSDIGITAL 12:40, 12:50, 2:40, 2:45, 4:40, 5:05, 6:40, 9:00 FRI/SAT LS 11:00 THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD (R) 1:30, 3:25, 5:20, 7:15, 9:25 FRI/SAT LS 11:25SCHOOL OF ROCK (PG-13)2 PRINTS/ 2 SCREENS4:40, 9:05 FRI/SAT LS 11:20DIGITAL/STADIUM SEATING 12:55, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40 FRI/SAT LS 11:45OUT OF TIME (PG-13) 1:00, 3:10, 5:25, 7:30, 9:40 FRI/SAT LS 11:50THE RUNDOWN (PG-13) DIGITAL 7:05, 9:10 FRI/SAT LS 11:15UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN (PG-13)11:50, 2:10, 4:30, 6:50, 9:10 FRI/SAT LS 11:25LOST IN TRANSLATION (R) DIGITAL/STADIUM SEATING 12:55, 3:05, 5:15, 7:25, 9:35 FRI/SAT LS 12:00SECONDHAND LIONS (PG) 12:10, 2:20, 6:55

SPECIAL SHOWINGS

9 Taylor, Downtown Champaign

355•WEED

Yep. It’s thattime of year again!!!

5buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 community“Yeah, she said you had something to tell

me,” he says, smiling.Joyce tells a slightly off-color joke about a

cemetery, a woman’s anatomy and a stiff. Donlaughs, throws back his head and blushes. Donhas a pretty bawdy sense of humor, but the jokeat a funeral catches him off guard. He figuresit’s Joyce’s way of coping with the death.

“Some people treat me as a minister, somepeople treat me as part of the family,” he says.He tries to play the role of minister the best hecan. He is not deeply religious. Don stoppedgoing to church for a time because his ministerwouldn’t marry him to Bonnie, who was of adifferent religious denomination. But he doesbelieve in God and he does believe in heaven.When he is arranging the funeral for a family heknows is religious, he tries to assure them thatGod is with them and that their loved one isgoing to a better place. He says it because hebelieves it, and he says it because he wants it tobe true, both for them and for himself. Heknows he’s going to see his mother and fatherwhen his time comes.

After Don stops laughing, Bonnie turns seri-ous. She wants to talk about funeral arrange-ments for her husband and her.

“We’re gonna sit down and see if we haveenough to bury us,” she says.

Don says it’s going to cost her $10,000.“$10,000?” she asks, raising her eyebrows.“Well, I could use the money,” he says, giving

Joyce a quick wink. “Well, you don’t have to get it all from me!”

she says, laughing.Don feels comfortable joking about death.

He can also joke about money. It’s just money,after all.

When a family comes to Don to pre-arrange afuneral, he gives them a casket price list, alongwith the prices of flowers and embalming. He

takes the family into the casket display room atthe rear of the funeral home and leaves themalone while they make their decision. He does-n’t want people to think he is pushing them topurchase a more expensive casket. Still, the factremains that he is running a business. He wantsto make money, and he only makes moneywhen people die. And many of the people arehis friends. So he simultaneously wants to getrich and stay poor.

Don has done funerals for families that haveno money and no insurance, asking them onlyto pay him when they can. He grew up poor,and he feels everybody is entitled to a nice bur-ial. But while Don is generous, he’s also nopushover. When he lends someone money, heexpects the loan to be repaid.

After the service, Don and Roger direct thepallbearers on how to put the casket in thehearse. They lead the funeral procession in agray Suburban with WOLFE 2 on the licenseplate, one of nine similar Suburbans they own.The chain of cars travels 20 miles south to thePotomac Memorial Cemetery for the gravesideservice. Later, Don and Roger willgo to a ham lunch given by thelocal church inmemory of

the deceased man. Don will walk from table totable, shaking hands, saying his hellos, adver-tising Wolfe Funeral Homes. He wants to makesure everybody knows who took care of thearrangements today.

While Don knows nearly everybody he doesfunerals for, it’s rare that he has to bury a closefriend or family member. When a close frienddies, the joking stops. Fifteen years ago, Donburied his best friend. He cries when he thinksabout it, his body shaking, and his hand instinc-tively moves up to his face to cover his eyes.Preparing Frank Carlock’s funeral was thehardest thing Don has ever had to do.

Before Don was able to save up enoughmoney to start his business, he held other jobs tosupport his family. He was Rankin’s chief ofpolice when Frank was the mayor. Don went tothe bank to take out a loan to buy his first funer-al home. They asked what he had for collateral.“You’re lookin’ at it, baby,” he said. They turnedhim down, so Frank went to the bank himself.

“Whatever Don wants, give it to him,” hetold the teller. “I’ll sign for it.”

Frank didn’t want anything in return.Don made him a silent partner in

the funeral business.Frank took careof the books;Don took care

of the people. They would squabble about littlethings—Don would buy caskets in bulk to get agood price; Frank would tell him he was spend-ing too much money at one time. They eventu-ally agreed it would be better—they would beable to stay friends—if Frank left the business.

Five years later, Frank died of cancer and hiswife, Jean, asked Don to do the removal.Normally, when a person dies in the hospital,the body has to be taken out by the loadingdock where the garbage is dumped, because thehospital doesn’t want patients and their fami-lies to see the removal. When Don got to thehospital and saw Frank, his eyes filled withtears. He never felt so sad.

Jean asked him to do something even moredifficult. She wanted him to eulogize Frank. Hedidn’t know what to say. There was too much.He sat for hours, thinking. Finally, he wrote. Atthe funeral, he looked into the casket as he gavehis eulogy. He couldn’t help it—he started to cry.

“Frank and I met, and he asked me to be hischief of police,” Don said, his voice wavering.“He gave me a gun and a badge and said, ‘Goget `em, Wolfe.’” He heard a soft laugh inresponse to the story. He didn’t dare look atJean or Frank’s children. He could barely go onas it was. He felt a pain he had never felt before,not at any funeral, not at the deaths of his fatherand mother.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,”Don says. But when Frank died, somethinghappened that made the death a little easier. Hesaw the way the whole town came out for thefuneral. He saw the homemade food coveringyards of Formica tabletops. He saw flowers andhugs and tears. And he saw what he saw afterhis parents’ funerals: that in times of need, peo-ple in small towns band together. It made himhappy, if only for a moment. He saw—and getsto see daily—people at their best when thingsare at their worst.

LesJohnson Lifelong Champaign-Urbana resident LesJohnson has been in the bar business for 26

years. Currently, Johnson, 65, owns and oper-ates his namesake, Les’s Lounge inChampaign. Since 1978, Les’s, located at 403N. Coler Ave., has offered visitors a sports barenvironment and a friendly atmosphere.

Why did you decide to start Les’s Lounge?I have always enjoyed the nightlife andwanted to be a part of that.

How did you get started in the barbusiness?I started tending bar when I was 14 at DeluxeInn; it used to be where Legends is now oncampus.

Have you had any other jobs besides thosein the bar business?I used to run heavy equipment in theconstruction industry. I also owned my owntravel agency, Adventure Travel.

If you weren’t the owner of Les’s whatwould you be doing?I’d be retired.

Do you have any plans to retire?No, not quite yet, but I am preparing one ofmy employees, Troy Seten, to take over.

What is your idea of the ideal bar?Les’s is the ideal bar. It has great overallfriendliness and we also help our customers.

Do you visit other bars?Oh sure, all the time. I enjoy the Jolly Roger,Esquire, Pink House, lots of places.

If you could travel anywhere in the world,where would it be?Because I owned my own travel agency, I wasable to travel a lot. I have been around theworld and back four times. I have seen thepyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall of China,Australia and the Eiffel Tower.

What makes your job special?As a young man, this was exactly what Iwanted to do. I like the lifestyle of the barbusiness.

Would you change anything about Les’s?No. It’s exactly right the way it is and it’sgonna be that way for years.

What is your favorite pastime?Riding my Harley and stopping in at otherbars.

What would you be doing if you didn’t ownLes’s?Traveling. I own a motor home and I woulddo all my traveling in the United States. I justreturned from a Nascar race in NorthCarolina.

What would you do if you won the lottery?I know that everyone says they would stay attheir jobs, and I would continue to be a partof Les’s, but to be honest, you wouldprobably see a lot less of Les at Les’s.

What has been the biggest influence onyour career?The lifelong desire to do what I am doing.This is just something I have always wantedto do.

Do you have any regrets?No regrets, I still feel like I’m in my late 30s. Ican’t believe I am 65. I have been blessedwith health and good friends.

buzz

Q & A

1016buzz0524 10/15/03 4:11 PM Page 1

6 OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzcommunity

BY EMILY WAHLHEIM | STAFF WRITER

With the ominous presence of the hospitalacross the street and a variety of patient

care buildings surrounding it, the blaringneon sign outside Les’s Lounge looks out ofplace. Inside though, it is easy to forget theoutside surroundings and unwind in thecomfortable, relaxed atmosphere which per-vades from every corner of Les’s.

Les’s Lounge is not like most bars. There areno crushing crowds or blaring music. Rather,Les’s offers inviting red vinyl booths, stoolsand a jukebox with everything from countryto Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville.”

“It’s a different atmosphere at Les’s,” saysChampaign resident and frequent Les’s visitorMark Joslyn. “It’s quiet, not all ‘citified’ likethe downtown bars. You can actually sit downand have a conversation with friends.”

On this Thursday, like many other nights,regulars like Joslyn sit around the oval-shapedbar, joking with each other and orderingrounds of shots. Friendly banter occursbetween this group and longtime bartenderTroy Seten.

“I like the fact you can talk to everyonearound the bar,” says Champaign residentTrent Johnson. “But, I really come herebecause of Troy.”

Seten runs the gamut at Les’s, filling glasses,

dishing out sarcasm and ensuring a goodtime. He can recognize the faces of most visi-tors and knows the regulars by name and bydrink. Though he originally took this job ofout “desperation,” he has really come to enjoyhis job and his customers.

“Nowhere else would hire me at first,” hesaid. “I really like the people who come inhere. They are from all walks of life.”

Those different walks of life are apparentThursday night. Besides the regulars at thebar, graduate students crowd the high-toptables in the back, straggling over to occasion-ally play a game of darts. On the far side of thebar, members of the Master in Fine Arts clubgather for a post-meeting drink and a fewgames of 50-cent pool.

The groups mingle periodically, but mostvisitors seem content to sit, chat and unwind.Though Les’s has been open since 1978, notmuch has changed. The interior, with its fire-place, brick walls and red Christmas lightssurrounding the ceiling, still makes visitorsfeel at home. Music occasionally muffles con-versations, but it is still quiet enough to hearthe clink of the cash register or the clank of thepool balls being broken.

Rantoul resident Lori Blaser, who has beencoming to Les’s for three years, appreciateshow relaxed the lounge makes her feel. Sheremembers having many birthday parties

here, including one where the bartender sur-prised her friend with a cake.

“Les’s really stands out in my mind,” shesays. “Where else do most people and the bar-tender know who you are?”

Les’s owner, Les Johnson, feels the same.Even though he has been in the bar business

for 26 years, he recognizes there is somethingspecial about the Lounge that can’t quite beput into words.

“I tried to make a place where you would beable to take your mother and not be embar-rassed,” he said. “I’m proud to say I broughtmy 89-year-old mother in last week.”

Les’s Lounge appeals to all walks

Cookie Cook (left), Rosa Andrade (center), and Sal Marquez (right), all of Urbana, joke around atthe bar.

buzz

BY JOHN PIATEK AND JENNIFER KEAST | STAFF WRITERS

Wednesdays can be boring. It’s thehalfway point of the week. Too early to startcelebrating the weekend and too late to still bemiserable about the start of the work week.With this fall 2003 TV season, channels ABC(Karen Sisco), UPN (Star Trek: Enterprise and Jake2.0) and WB (Smallville and Angel) all offeraction shows to make life a little more interest-ing. Even The West Wing has become moreaction than politics lately, as terrorists and kid-napping have clouded up the political land-scape. What follows are reviews of two newshows where viewers can get a little action on aWednesday night.

JAKE 2.0

How many technology guys does it take tofix a weak fall lineup? UPN thinks it takes justone, the star of its new show Jake 2.0.

Christopher Gorham (Felicity) is Jake Foley, alow-level computer technician who is acciden-tally exposed to a serum that grants him superpowers. These powers include the standardincreased strength and speed, but his body isalso infused with “nanomites,” allowing him totelepathically control computers and othertechnologies. With his new skills, the youngJake is made into a super spy to hunt down ter-rorist computer hackers.

Capitalizing on the success of superhero-themed shows like WB’s Smallville, UPNlaunched Jake 2.0 to garner more of the TV sci-fiand fantasy fan base. Unfortunately, Jake 2.0 isjust a second-rate show that comes too manyyears after the dot-com boom and tries muchtoo hard to show that being a nerd can be cool.

Jake 2.0 attempts to succeed by glamorizingthe life of its nerdy star. As he works throughhis missions, Jake showcases enough high-techspy gadgets to make James Bond jealous. Hetravels to an exciting criminal underworld fullof style and chic clothes. He chases hackers into

nightclubs that could easily be stops on theGirls Gone Wild tour.

The twist is that instead of a cool, collectedand typical superhero, Jake is really a nerd atheart. He’s nervous with girls, tells someabsolutely terrible jokes and uses his knowl-edge of online role-playing games to help trackdown the crooks. However, these efforts atoriginality are mercilessly undercut by theunbounded artificiality of the show. Jake 2.0tries so hard to make itself cool that it eventual-ly collapses under its own weight.

Gorham’s performance is very uneventhroughout the show. His overly dramaticfacial and body expressions are more suited fora soap opera. He speaks with a whiny, annoy-ing voice and his Prada-like clothes and hair-style don’t fit his character. It’s not that all nerdsneed thick black glasses and pocket protectorsto distinguish themselves as nerds, but Gorhamlooks, walks and acts like a guy who goes todance clubs, not Star Trek conventions.

The writing on the show is simply terrible. Itsquip-filled dialogues are lined with such dudsas, “Ladies and gentlemen, start your soft-ware.” The special effects and computer graph-ics aren’t much better either. Jake 2.0 displaysunnecessary close-ups on the insides of cellphones and computers with an annoying fre-quency. The camera work is subpar, using ahigh number of abrupt zooms and dizzyingscene cuts that may remind some viewers ofMTV Cribs.

All in all, Jake 2.0 is likely not to please thenerd fan base sought by UPN because of theshow’s superficiality. It will need some majorreformatting if it hopes to last a full seasonbefore viewers hit the escape key. (John Piatek)

KAREN SISCO

ABC’s new action-drama Karen Sisco is basedon the critically acclaimed film Out of Sight star-ring Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney. KarenSisco stars award-winning actor/director BillDuke and Academy Award-nominee RobertForster. Karen Sisco even co-stars and is co-exec-

utive-produced by the highly acclaimed DannyDeVito. With this long list of credentials, KarenSisco should be a joy to watch. Unfortunately,it’s anything but.

One can tell it is going to be a long hour ofprime-time television just by watching thecheesy opening credits. The 1970s detectiveshow-style animation, with “It’s Your Thing”chiming in the background, is enough tomake viewers groan.

As the actual show opens up, weget a glimpse of Carla Gugino,who plays Karen Sisco, a beauti-ful and outgoing U.S. marshalon the coast of Miami. Shespends her time chasing dan-gerous fugitives and tryingto win the respect of hermale fellow officers.

Gugino, known bymany as the mom in theSpy Kids trilogy, does agood job of mixingseductive sexinessand kick-butt pro-fessionalism. Sheis one of the fewbreaths of fresh airin the show. Inepisode two, we geta second: guest starDanny DeVito. Heperfectly portrays amob boss namedCharlie Lucre who hireshit men to go after the twobrothers who stole his BabeRuth signed baseball. DeVitois wonderful in his role: seem-ingly tough, yet having acomedic, soft (and large) under-belly that is so characteristic oftelevision mob bosses nowadays.Although he is good at what hedoes, his acting alone cannot savethe show.

Besides these two actors, theshow does not accomplish much. Ittries to be funny with its crimi-nals, which are comparable tothe robbers in Home Alone—goofy and not too bright. Butthe robbers in Home Alone arewhat make the movie sohilarious. The fugitives inKaren Sisco are so unintelli-gent they are hard to watch.The show’s writers tried tomake the brothers thecomedic relief of theepisode, having them bick-er and fight.

At one point the “more”intelligent brother com-plains to the other, “Howare we related?” to which

the other replies, “We’re brothers!” This slap-stick humor is worthy of nothing more than aneye roll.

For a show set in Miami, viewers certainly donot get to see any of it. The only thing Miami-like in episode two are a boat and the fugitives’flowered shirts. Other than that, the show couldhave been shot anywhere—Chicago, Dallas or

Anytown, USA.The show claims to be an

action-drama, but thereisn’t much action ordrama. The chase scenesare weak, with no special

effects or anything special.There are numerousshootouts in a singleepisode, none of whichhave any excitement in

them. They don’t even lookrealistic. The gunfire seems

almost animated. And noth-ing is less suspenseful than

watching sweet Gugino shoot agun. As she holds it, she looks

almost scared of it, as if she mightaccidentally shoot herself instead

of her enemy.Viewers looking for anexciting, suspense-filled

“cops and robbers”type of show might

be tempted tocheck out Karen

Sisco, but afterone episodewill probablynot be backfor a second

dose. (Jennifer

Keast)

23buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | TIME FOR A LITTLE ACTION. film & tv

Get some action on Wednesday nights

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1016buzz0623 10/15/03 4:10 PM Page 1

22 BAD BOY! BAD MOVIE! BAD BAD BAD! | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzfilm & tv

BY ARTHUR MITCHELL | STAFF WRITER

Good Boy! can be described as a mix betweenCats & Dogs and the beloved classic E.T., but

it shouldn’t be taken as any more than escapistfamily entertainment.

Good Boy! is a story about a lonely boynamed Owen (Liam Aiken) who can’t seem tomake a great connection with humans, but hasa fantastic connection with dogs. His parents(Molly Shannon and Kevin Nealon) make theirliving by renovating homes all over the coun-try. His parents’ occupation does not give littleOwen the time to make friends, only time toalienate his peers with his quirky ways.

In comes a space-traveling dog from a dogplanet to see if canines are effectively dominat-ing the human race. This dog (voiced byMatthew Broderick), crash lands in Owen’stown and soon after Owen and the dog beginthe relationship of owner and pet. Glowinglights and humming sounds give Owen theability to understand dogs. Talking dogs notonly bring celebrity voices that only parentswill recognize, but also give the animals per-sonalities. Big, slow dogs become old, poodlesbecome prissy and small dogs are somewhattimid. For the experienced moviegoer, thesesize stereotypes of animals might seem over-used and predictable. However, for childrenaged 4-10, these portrayals seem perfect.

There are some humorous moments for par-ents, but they are few and far between. A drugjoke toward the end will make audienceswonder why the writer finds it appropriate toshow dogs as “high” in an amusing light whenthe movie’s main demographic is children.

Nealon’s character seems distant fromAiken, but Shannon seems to be much closerhim emotionally. This could be due to a social-ly constructed bias instilled on how closemothers and fathers can be with their sons, butin any case children won’t really care or worryabout this interaction.

In a kid’s movie, one is able to get away withstructural defects in character interaction anddevelopment. Good Boy! is able to skip arounda few of these things, knowing that childrenreally don’t care and neither do the parentswho take them to see the movie.

BY AARON LEACH | STAFF WRITER

Ever since their 1987 sleeper-hit RaisingArizona, the fraternal filmmaking duo of Joel

and Ethan Coen have made a name for them-selves as a team who can do no wrong. Theirlist of impressive credits include The BigLebowski, Fargo and The Man Who Wasn’t There.And while writing, directing, producing andediting a string of critical successes, along withdeveloping a cult following of fans, is no easytask, the two have yet to garner a true commer-cial hit. Intolerable Cruelty, the pair’s newestendeavor, just might be the film to change allthat and put them in the mainstream spotlight.

Intolerable Cruelty is a throwback and partlyan homage to the older genre of screwballromantic comedy. Upon watching this movie,influences can clearly be seen from the HowardHawks days. A movie like Bringing Up Baby is aclear inspiration for Intolerable Cruelty. GeorgeClooney reunites with the Coens, after OBrother, Where Art Thou?, to star as MilesMassey. Massey is a great lawyer who special-izes in divorce cases. Even though his record isflawless, Massey begins to become tired of his

perfect life. In walks Marylin Rexroth, broughtto steamy realization by Catherine Zeta-Jones.Marylin is nothing but a gold-digger who islooking to find a rich husband so she can sim-ply divorce him for his money and as she putsit, “Nail his ass.” As the two begin their rela-tionship they also begin their lesson in love.Masked beneath all the heartwarming good-ness of a couple finding true love is also a com-mentary on the current state of power-couplerelationships, with more divorcing and spouse-swapping than one can shake a stick at.

This is a perfect vehicle for Clooney, whoseimpeccable comedic timing and over-the-topperformance would make Cary Grant jealous.This role shows the depth Clooney can bring toan already well-written character. While therole of Marylin doesn’t do much to show offZeta-Jones’ acting, she plays off Clooney well.The scenes they share are a delight to watch asthey try to keep their hands off each others’assets. And who else but Zeta-Jones couldmake a lawyer’s cold heart melt with love?

It is true that Intolerable Cruelty is a moremainstream work than the Coens other films.This would also imply that perhaps the Coenbrothers have sold out, but Coen fans, fear not,for this implication is simply not true. All the“normal” ingredients are still present in thisfilm. The story is riddled with bizarre charac-ters to make viewers both laugh out loud andgroan as they squirm in their seats. Many of thefilms biggest laughs come from the darkest ofmoments, such as when a hitman namedWheezy Joe accidentally kills himself when hemistakes his gun for his inhaler. Many Coen

alumni also make appearances in the film. BillyBob Thornton and Richard Jenkins turn up inthis movie, as well as indie-favorite BruceCampbell (Fargo and The Hudsucker Proxy).Campbell has had the habit of turning up in theCoens’ films ever since Joel Coen helped to editCampbell’s first film, the low-budget horrorclassic, The Evil Dead.

The only thing missing here is the Coens’trademark visual signature. While the film isbrilliantly photographed with every shot beau-tifully composed, it lacks that quirky flair thatusually engrosses all of the Coens’ works.

Intolerable Cruelty comes to theaters as a sav-ior for all men who are tired of the usual cornychick-flick fair. This is a date movie sure toplease both guys and girls. Filled with plenty ofoffbeat moments and a great Clooney perform-ance, Intolerable Cruelty raises the bar forromantic comedy.

BY PAUL WAGNER | STAFF WRITER

H ouse of the Dead, a film based on a Sega videogame of same name, opens with a very fit-

ting line: “It was a nightmare.” Nightmare isdefinitely a great way to describe this horrify-ingly bad horror movie.

House of the Dead lives up to its video gamecounterpart. The video game portrays an evilscientist who discovered a way to turn the deadinto zombies and wants to use them to act outhis evil plot. The plot of the movie is just asdeep … deep as a puddle, that is. A group ofrich, yuppie teenagers, who are convenientlywell-trained in the martial arts and the use ofdeadly weapons, buy tickets to “the rave of thecentury” that is to take place on Isle de laMorte. Unfortunately for the ravers, this partic-ular jungle island is filled with flesh-cravingzombies and their evil scientist leader.

The movie’s most ridiculous scene occurswhen the group of surviving teenagers—com-plete with every cliched character one couldhope for: the token black girl, the dumb model,

the Asian girl (clad in red, white and blue andcleverly named Liberty), the intelligent andstrong female character, the butch female policeofficer, Captain Kirk and the sensible, sole-sur-viving male character—arm themselves with anever-ending supply of weapons and ammo tofight their way to the creepy old house thatthey feel is their only hope of survival. Duringthe 20-minute blood bath that follows, thedirector uses Matrix-style, bullet-time cameratricks to show the ragtag group kicking asswith guns, explosives and hand-to-hand com-bat. Why a bunch of rave-attending teenagersknow how to shoot assault weapons and usemartial arts is beyond this reviewer.

Breasts dominate this film, and althoughnudity is often the saving grace of bad movies,nothing could save House of the Dead. Ten min-utes into the film, the audience is led to thebeach by a young woman who, for some rea-son, feels the need to strip down to a thong andgo for a swim in the dark water. Through thiswet, white thong-wearing girl we meet thezombies that destroy anything that moves.

Beyond the obvious plot flaws, the film as awhole is bad. A poorly written (and acted)script, choppy cinematography, spliced scenesfrom the video game and borrowed scenesopen this movie up to criticism. In one “scene”the audience is bombarded with a slide showon speed, showing scenes apparently from boththe movie and the video game in rapid succes-sion, lasting long enough to reduce the audi-ence to tears and seizures.

For the sake of redundancy, Boll randomlysplices scenes from the video game into themovie, just to show the curious audience mem-bers where, in fact, the moviemakers came upwith the gory scenes for this movie.

Some of these scenes were painfully obviousreproductions borrowed from other films.Camera shots of a skinny-dipper from under-water, complete with dramatic music, bringthoughts of Jaws, momentarily causing theaudience to forget they wasted money on Houseof the Dead and were instead seeing an epic film.Unfortunately they are ripped back to realityby bad editing to a bloody zombie hand grip-ping a tree.

The ending of this film, unfortunately, lendsitself to a sequel after a plot twist that only avidvideo game players would understand. Thismovie is definitely not worth seeing.

HOUSE OF THE DEAD

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HOUSE OF THE DEAD | ONA GRAUER

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GOOD BOY!

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INTOLERABLE CRUELTY | GEORGE CLOONEY

INTOLERABLECRUELTY!!!!

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GOOD BOY! | LIAM AIKEN AND DOG

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moviereview

7artsartsbuzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | FUNNIES...TYPE THEM IN HERE

BY KATIE RICHARDSON | ARTS EDITOR

When Kristina Boerger started Amasongin 1991, the requirements for any prospectivemember were, to be able to hold a tune in abucket and to be either a lesbian or a feminist.Once those common links were established,something at least resembling singing couldbegin. Six years later, Champaign-Urbana’spremier lesbian/feminist choir won aGay/Lesbian American Music Award for theirfirst album, The Water is Sweet Over Here.University of Illinois journalism professor JayRosenstein called Amasong’s accomplishmentan “amazing rags to riches story,” and hisambitious documen-tary, Singing Out,attempts to capture thatincredible tale.

The documentary,which will air on localPBS on Nov. 4 and 7 at 9p.m., was made over afour-year span andfocuses mainly on themusical contribution ofBoerger, not only toAmasong, but to thecommunity. Rosensteinconsiders Boerger a“musical genius” andsays that the first timehe heard the choir shestarted and directed fornine years, he wasextremely impressedand touched byAmasong’s strong com-mitment to singing. Hewas also fascinated bythe idea that a choir filled predominately withself-identified lesbians could survive andflourish in central Illinois.

“While Champaign-Urbana is for the mostpart fairly liberal, there are some surroundingareas that are less so. I was inspired by the factthat music has this ability to bridge boundariesregardless of how one feels about sexuality.(The musical talent of this choir) had the abili-ty to knock down those walls,” Rosensteinsaid.

What is perhaps most amazing aboutAmasong’s journey is that the choir did notface any major opposition from the communi-ty or University staff. Boerger rallied for gayand lesbian rights and protested againstapartheid in South Africa as an undergrad atthe University, and she is no stranger to con-troversy. The film examines the particularlyevocative event that helped shaped Boerger’sfighting spirit: she was fired at the age of 20

from a position as a camp counselor for men-tioning she was a lesbian. Consequently, one ofthe major reasons she began Amasong was inresponse to feeling segregated from society asa whole. Despite her willingness to fight thestatus quo, she spent more time directingAmasong than defending its lesbian affiliation.

“There were only two major incidents dur-ing the whole period I was with Amasong.One involving a choir that didn’t want to singwith us and another involving the organizer ofan event we were to sing at. She sent me a listof weird stipulations that we were supposed tofollow in order to sing at that event. I refusedand told her that her list was ridiculous, and Ipulled us from the show. And as a result ofthat, she had to step down,” Boerger said.

Boerger appreciatesthe unique experiencethat Rosenstein capturedwhile following thegroup around. Shebelieves the film is bril-liant and beautifullycrafted, and she isdeeply touched byRosenstein’s creation.She also understands thefilm’s inability to conveyeverything in her life inthe same manner as sherecalls it unraveling. Shehas one problem withthe film. Her parents aredepicted as explainingtheir initial negativereactions upon discover-ing their daughter wasgay, but they never dis-cuss in the documentarythe acceptance they nowhave of her lifestyle.

“It was just a personal objection. Ultimately,though, Jay is the artist and we have to trusthim,” Boerger said.

What Rosenstein’s documentary reveals isthe story of a group of unseasoned womenwho would become an extremely skillful choirensemble.

“Maybe (the documentary) would havebeen more interesting if there had been somesort of major protest. But what I think makes itinteresting is the fact that I didn’t find one,”said Rosenstein.

This group eventually sang at every venueimaginable, from churches to bookstores to adying man’s bedroom. Since there was littleopposition, the choir had the opportunity tomusically contribute to local religious institu-tions, to provide entertainment for events thathelped the economic growth of the area’s smallbusinesses and to participate in creating anoverall feeling of good will for the community.

“I’m over being a lesbian. It had a big impactfor a few years but now, you know, it’s oldnews. What I experienced for the most partduring my time with Amasong was a commu-nity that displayed no major objections to usand was very financially generous. I thinkwhat they really grew to appreciate was thequality of musicthat we wereproducing,” saidBoerger.

The organiza-tion now has aboard of direc-tors that handlethe increasingresponsib i l i tyand tasks due tothe group’s suc-cess. InitiallyAmasong wasrun solely by Boerger, as she was not only thecreative force behind the group but also theorganizer and developer. The characteristicthat is most fascinating and closely examinedin the film is not Boerger’s sexuality, but herenergetic dedication to music.

“Kristina did everything when she was here,from setting up chairs to laying out the pro-gram. It was her chorus as she stated; it wasnot a democracy,” said Kathie Spegal, memberof Amasong’s board of directors.

The film explores the immense impactBoerger initially had on Amasong, completelycontrolling all aspects of the choir. However,no Amasong member shown in the documen-tary seemed particularly upset with Boerger’sbrand of leadership, rather they appear toappreciate her strong leadership. One memberqualified Boerger’s tendency to run the choir

as a dictatorship by stating, “Well, the thing is,she is always right.”

As a testament to the impression Boergermade on the community during her 17 years inChampaign-Urbana, she was the star of theinvitation-only Oct. 8 premier of the documen-tary. As she entered the theater, several people

started calling her name.She then proceeded to tryto hug and thank everyfriend and musician, aswell as Amasong mem-bers (both former andpresent) who wanted tospeak with her.

“It was one of my topfive nights,” she said.

Since Boerger leftAmasong in 1999, she hasbeen missed, but thegroup is still performing

as well as braking down barriers and rebuild-ing walls.

“I think that there are assumptions made bysome people seeing our title—a lesbian/femi-nist chorus—such as that we are all lesbianswho hate men, that men are not welcome atour performances, that we try to force our pol-itics onto our listeners, or that we simply don’tsing well. In fact, many of us are straight, wesing woman-centered music rather than politi-cal jingles, and we have won several awardsfor our recordings. The chorus itself welcomeswomen of all orientations and backgrounds,and our concerts are enjoyed by a large cross-section of the community, men and womenalike,” said current Amasong director MargotRejskind.

Amazing Songbirds

I was inspired by the fact that music has the

ability to bridge boundariesregardless of how

one feels about sexuality. Jay Rosenstein, director of Singing Out

[ [

Kristina Boerger, former Amasong director.

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Jay Rosenstein spent nearly four years on his documentary, Amasong.

continued on page 10

1016buzz0722 10/15/03 4:24 PM Page 1

8 THIS IS THE FUNNY LINE | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzarts

BY TERESA SEWELL | STAFF WRITER

Larry Kanfer, is the owner of his self-titled pho-tography gallery. He’s originally from

Portland, Oregon, but moved to Urbana duringhis high school years. He opened up The LarryKanfer Gallery in the city. Not onlydoes he have works in Urbana, butalso Kanfer’s work is exhibitedacross the United States. Accordingto the gallery’s Web site,Kanfer.com, he has also publishedfive critically acclaimed books andhas had award-winning art calen-dars for the past 12 years. Some ofwhich includes his extensive collec-tion of University of Illinoisimages, books, and postcards.

What inspired you to open aphotography gallery?

I was looking for a venue for showing mywork, but at the time there were not too manyplaces in Champaign-Urbana where I coulddisplay personal work. So, I just decided toopen my own place. I started off doing por-traits for weddings and other landscape proj-

ects and when I found a location, I justopened it up.

What type of themes do you try to mainlydeal with in terms of your photography?

I just really want toshow how people con-nect to their landscapes.People have a way intowhich they connect withphotographs. It may be acorner store, or a tree on ahill. I just try to under-stand how they connectwith it. It doesn’t evenmatter where I am, aslong as I can see howpeople connect with theirlandscapes, and physicallocations, I can work fine.

What is the most recent project that you’veworked on?

I was at an art conference in Bloomington-Normal, where I discussed the topic,“Ephemeral Moments in Enduring

Landscape: Cycles of thePrairie and it’s People. Idescribed how people’sspirituality connects tothe landscapes. It’s like anintersection of people’scycles and their moments.

What piece are youproudest of?

It would have to be mynewer works. “FullCircle” embodies the con-nection of farmers.Farmers work hard allyear and I basically give adescription of how theywork. The sun comes upand the whole agricultural process becomesaligned. I made that into one image. I’m justlucky to do something I love doing. It justfeels good to have an emotional effect thatdraws people into a memory about their ownpast. It’s rewarding to be an outsider lookingin on both worlds, and becoming part of boththose worlds. It’s exciting.

Full Circle, as well as Larry’s current show,Through Larry Kanfer’s Lens: FromPrairiescapes to Cityscapes can be seenthrough Oct. 24, as apart of Illinois ArtsWeek. The Larry Kanfer Gallery is located2503 S. Neil St, and free to the public, M-Sat:10-5 and Sun 11-3.

ARTIST’S CORNER

BY BRIAN WARMOTH | STAFF WRITER

Apiece of art exists at any given point in timeas a product of the process or processes that

have created it. Exploring and celebrating thisfact is the core of the Krannert Art Museum’scurrent exhibit, “Remnants of Ritual:Selections from the Gelbard Collection ofAfrican Art.” The display consists of 117 his-torical artifacts from all over the African conti-nent on loan from the private collection ofDavid and Clifford Gelbard. The pieces rangefrom carved statues to masks and chairs; all ofthe pieces, however, have one underlying com-monality: roles in ceremony and ritual fromthe people who created them.

As Michael Conner, a curator of collectionsat the museum, points out, visitors to the dis-play are given an “unusual experience” to seeall of these pieces simultaneously. Together,they are a set of windows into life as far as 100years into the past and separated from us byoceans. He points out that these remnants arenot necessarily representative of Africa today,but of their respective rituals and ways of lifewhen they were produced.

At first glance, one will see that faces andfigures are pervasive subjects throughout theexhibit. Conner says that most of the depic-tions are of revered family members and

important spirits, as is the case with most ofthe hanging masks.

There is a great deal of aesthetic diversityamong the works, evident in the case of themasks that hang around the room. Some areadorned with elaborate bead patterns orincredibly realistic facialexpressions, while oth-ers—such as a dance crestfrom Nigeria—haveprominent and elaborateprotrusions with juttingteeth. In anotherNigerian mask on dis-play, the entire lower jawis extended and tendrilsextend from the head—meant to capturestrength, violence andbravery.

One of the most promi-nent pieces is a carvedstatue of a young femalebeing prepared for abirthing ritual. Accordingto Conner, the girl wasprobably a didactic toolfor teaching the ritualprocess. The initiate isdepicted as protected bythe buffalo spirit, who isrepresented by a whitemask with bovine teeth.The statue serves as aremnant of an aspect ofher people’s culture inYao, Malawi, where it

was created. It is particularly rarebecause most figures of its kindwere disposed of shortly after use.

Framed as an exposition of arti-facts having value for the rolesthey were created for, “Remnants

of Ritual” opensup two dimen-sions for appre-ciating itsw o r k s — b o t haesthetically aswell as for thecultural factorsthat producedthem. InConnor’s words,“Contemporaryartists now areconcerned withprocesses andperformance.”

The converseis true of theseworks, giventheir representa-tion of theworlds they onceexisted in. Thelayout of theexhibit strives torepresent this through ashort video, which presentsseveral of them in their per-formance contexts.Unfortunately, many of theircontexts have been forever

lost; therein lies their value as artifacts and asworks of art.

Remnants of Ritual will be shown atKrannert Art Museum until November 2.

Remnants ofRitual

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Shrine object from Undeterminedgroup, Eastern Tanzaniamade of wood, beads, calabash, cloth,and sacrificial material.

Mask from Igbo, Nigeria made from wood, iron, pigments.

buzz

BY JASON CANTONE | ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

American soldiers can be murderers, liars,cheats and robbers. They can have the

morality of pond scum. To say that isn’t to beanti-American. Instead, it only verifies that sol-diers, in fact, are people too, and are just as like-ly to have faults as the average Joe Schmo whowatches war through televised reports.

With Buffalo Soldiers, Miramax Films contin-ues its controversial season, showcasing intelli-gent films loathed by the parties in them. Firstcame The Magdalene Sisters, which religiousleaders labeled as anti-Catholic because itdepicted a true story of how the CatholicChurch used thousands of women as laundryslaves at a particular convent. Now comesBuffalo Soldiers, which pushed its release backtwo years because these soldiers aren’t heroes.

Buffalo Soldiers isn’t meant to be a politicalfilm about Germany in the early 1990s, whenthe film is set. Nor is it intended to be aShakespearean morality play about the trialsand tribulations of the U.S. military. Instead, it’sa biting satire filled with black comedy thathighlights the absurdity of everything going

on. Specialist Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix)becomes the base’s black-market king, whichshould not surprise the military because theonly reason he joined was to avoid six monthsin jail following an arrest, though he states thatthis might not have been the right choice.Throughout the film, he deals with producingillegal drugs, stealing weapons and having sexwith both his colonel’s wife and his topsergeant’s daughter. With no war going on, thisjust a game to Elwood.

Buffalo Soldiers might lack some of the satiri-cal edge of Three Kings, but it still commandsattention. Watching drugged-up soldiers drivea tank over a Volkswagen bug and into a gasstation is humorous, but the humor turns darkwhen the gas station explodes, killing two offi-cers looking to see what the tank is doing in theneighboring town. And then there’s a soldieron drugs who wants to play football and catch-es a touchdown pass before slamming headfirstinto the corner of a table, instantly killing him.These soldiers have no battles to fight, but stilldie quickly, as if the action took place on thebattlefield and not the base camp.

Although none of the performances are par-ticularly Oscar-worthy, Scott Glenn does a com-mendable job as the top sergeant who will notlet drugs destroy the soldiers or allow Elwoodto destroy his daughter. Channeling ChrisCooper in American Beauty, Glenn gives thisblack comedy its serious tone. Ed Harris playsagainst his type as a needy, desperate coloneltrying to win praise, and when he gets shotdown at a party to bolster his reputation, the

audience has to feel for him. He is the one trulyinnocent character and deserves much betterthan the world around him.

What Buffalo Soldiers really deserves is awider release not accompanied by critics acrossthe nation labeling it as anti-American andusing the flag-waving times of post-Sept. 11 tosend this satire into obscurity. Though it lackssome of the emotional depth and politicalpower it attempts to achieve, Buffalo Soldiers isan absorbing crime story that quite expertlyteeters between serious military drama andanti-military satire.

BY MATT PAIS | LEAD REVIEWER

Sure, those opening scenesof Reservoir Dogs were

money, but QuentinTarantino’s learned a fewthings in the 11 years since hiship, violent debut. Pulp Fictionand Jackie Brown further devel-

oped the director’s taste for the anarchic brava-do of nonchronological structure, but with KillBill: Volume One, the gonzo filmmaker rein-forces that he must have sleeves a mile long tohold all of his tricks.

Kill Bill: Volume One reveals its cards distinct-ly more than the off-kilter, where-the-hell-is-this-going intoxication of Pulp Fiction, but to nolesser effect. After all, the title explains thefilm’s plot: the Bride (Uma Thurman), a formerassassin, seeks revenge on her mentor, Bill, andthe rest of the Deadly Viper AssassinationSquad (DiVAS), which killed her entire wed-ding party except for her. Tarantino providesexposition for all of his villains but nothing

about the bride a.k.a. Black Mamba; all theaudience knows of her life is who she wants tokill and why. He again divides the story intointerlocking, jumbled chapters, but this time hetakes his episodic, atypical structure to newheights, opting to release Volume Two inFebruary.

Kill Bill: Volume One’s furious, stylistic energyis fueled by old-fashioned Japanese fight scenesand Tarantino’s special blend of twisted darkcomedy, especially in a gloriously gruesomeanime sequence. This is an extraordinarilyabsorbing tale of blood-soaked retribution, andwhile the film is cut in an appropriate place, itwill make viewers want to stay seated anddemand to see Volume Two now.

As a writer and director, Tarantino cares solittle for Hollywood custom that, if he weren’tso damn inventive, it might seem his filmsdeliberately and self-consciously turn theirbacks on audience expectations. But his relent-less creativity and selfish commitment to artis-tic impudence redeem his equally strong pre-tension. He scatters his films’ chronology like adeck of cards emptied on the floor, and onceagain, Kill Bill adds up to much more than itwould were it tightly linear.

With his own confident restlessness and apunchy, varying soundtrack featuring originalmusic, Tarantino delivers a balls-to-the-wallgenre picture with more than just good ass-kicking. This is filmmaking that acknowledgesthe best sources of its inspiration and still push-es to be better, questioning why a snide, cocky

director from Knoxville, Tenn., cannot make anauthentic martial arts film without relying sole-ly on Far Eastern actors.

Vivica A. Fox and Thurman engage in agreat, hysterical knife fight minutes into themovie, but it’s nothing compared to the chaot-ic, grisly concluding battle at the House of BlueLeaves. As limbs fly and blood splatters likespray paint, Thurman takes a licking and keepson ticking as a fearless, one-woman army, bat-tling dozens of samurai warriors. She is asbeautiful and lively as ever, and her flips andfalls—punctuated by excellent stunt work—aresmooth, graceful proof that Americans can beninjas too.

Tarantino uses elements such as rock musicand baseball to repeatedly depict theAmericanization of Japan and effectively illus-trate the possibility of infusing American cine-ma with Japanese influences. At first, there’s aninherent degree of cultural disunity asThurman and Fox are introduced as BlackMamba and Copperhead. Fox even commentsin the film that she should have been BlackMamba. But Tarantino maintains a controlled,static tone of tongue-in-cheek action that light-ens the effect of the gore.

Kill Bill is raw entertainment that packs brainswith its brawn. That is because Tarantino is anexpert at drawing feeling from his killers, rob-bers and sociopaths. In Kill Bill, Tarantino revisitshis penchant for characters who have experi-enced past—and specifically, childhood—trau-ma, again hitting the mark with brave situation-

al dichotomy. It takes a bold filmmaker toinclude themes of childhood innocence in anadrenaline-pumping action movie, but thesescenes work to an effect of exaggeratedmajesty—particularly when Copperhead’sdaughter comes home from school in the middleof her knife fight with Black Mamba.

This leads to a troubling, recognizable scenethat, as he has done so often by putting his ownspin on familiar characterizations and situa-tions, Tarantino truly makes his own. He findssweetness in reciprocity, whether it comes frompayback or redemption. Kill Bill: Volume Oneunfurls with a cannonball’s momentum, andunlike The Matrix series, it stands on its ownwhile gearing everyone up for the next round.

KILL BILL:VOLUME ONE

moviereview

KILL BILL: VOLUME ONE | UMA THURMAN, LUCY LIU

moviereview

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FILM

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BUFFALO SOLDIERS | JOAQUIN PHOENIX

BUFFALOSOLDIERS!!!

!!!!

SCREEN REVIEW GUIDE!!!! Flawless!!! Good!! Mediocre! Badno stars Unwatchable

LOST IN TRANSLATION

"It was very unpredictable. A smart comedy."

!!!!

Luke Mattison

Champaign

C-UViews

!!!

Rachel McArthur

Champaign

!

Matthew Habib

Chicago

"Bill Murray was excellent."

"Nothing but Quentin Tarantino gibberish."

KILL BILL: VOLUME ONE

buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003| WANT TO SEE BLOOD SPURT LIKE OUT OF A FIRE HYDRANT? 21film & tvfilm & tv

1016buzz0821 10/15/03 4:09 PM Page 1

Furniture Lounge – Local artist Dean Schwenk along withmany other local and fine artwork/pottery. Also specializ-ing in mid-century modern furniture from the 1920s-1980s, retro, Danish modern, lighting, vintage stereoequipment and vinyl records. 9 E University, Champaign.(217) 352-5150. Sun-Mon 12-4:30pm, Wed-Sat 11am-5:30pm.

Gallery Virtu Cooperative – Original fine art and crafts frommember artists including jewelry, pottery, paintings, col-lages, hats, handbags and other textiles, sculptures andjournals. The Gallery also offers workshops; a new sched-ule of classes is on the website. 220 W Washington St,Monticello. (217) 762-7790. Thu 12-4pm, Fri 12-8pm, Sat10am-6pm. www.galleryvirtu.org

Glass FX – New and Antique Stained Glass Windows, Lamps,and unique glass gifts. Gallery is free and open to the pub-lic. Interested in learning the art of Stained Glass?Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Stained GlassClasses offered. 202 S First St, Champaign. Mon-Thu 10am-5:30pm, Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm. (217) 359-0048.www.glassfx.com.

Griggs Street Potters – Handmade functional and decora-tive pottery. 305 W Grigg St, Urbana. (217) 344-8546. Mon-Fri 11am-4pm, or call for appointment.

The High Cross Studio Gallery – Works by Sandra Ahtenson display. Artist studio space available. 1101 N High CrossRd, Urbana. Tue 7-9pm, Thu 3-5pm, Fri 3-5pm and bychance or appointment. spiritofsandra@hotmail.com

Hill Street Gallery Inc. – Oil and watercolor paintings, handpainted T-shirts, handmade jewelry. 703 W Hill,Champaign. (217) 359-0675. Sat 12-5pm or by appoint-ment during the week.

International Galleries – Works from local artists. LincolnSquare Mall. (217) 328-2254. Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12-5pm.

Larry Kanfer Gallery – University of Illinois images by pho-tographic artist Larry Kanfer. Unique diploma frames andother UI gifts. Sepia Champaign-Urbana Collection also ondisplay. Available now: 2004 Prairiescapes and Universityof Illinois calendars. 2503 S Neil, Champaign. (217) 398-2000. Free and Open to the Public. Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm.www.kanfer.com

LaPayne Photography – Specializes in panoramic photog-raphy up to 6 feet long of different subjects includingsporting events, city skylines, national parks and Universityof Illinois scenes. Las Vegas Strip photo show comingsoon. 816 Dennison Dr, Champaign. (217) 356-8994. Mon-Fri 9am-4pm and by appointment.

Old Vic Art Gallery – Fine and Original Art. 11 E University,Champaign. (217) 355-8338. Mon-Thu 11am-5:30pm, Sat11am-4:30pm.

Springer Cultural Center – Cultural, recreational and educa-tional programs for all ages as well as workshops, lectures,exhibits and performances. Offers classes in dance, music,theater, visual arts, health/wellness and for preschool chil-dren. 301 N Randolph St, Champaign. 398-2376. Mon-Thu8am-9pm, Fri 8am-5:30pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 12pm-5pm.www.champaignparkdistrict.com

Steeple Gallery – Works from Gary Ingersoll, includingmany Allerton Park photos on display. Also showing vin-tage botanical and bird prints, antiques, framed limitededition prints. 102 E Lafayette St., Monticello. 762-2924.

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm.www.steeplegallery.com

Verdant News and Coffee & Verde Gallery – Magazines,newspapers, coffee, beverages and fine pastries along withthe Verde Fine Art Gallery. 17 E Taylor St, Champaign. 366-3204. Cafe hours: Mon-Sat 7am-10 pm; Gallery Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-10pm. www.verdant-systems.com/Verde.htm

UIUC Japan House – Public Tours: Every Thursday, 1-4pm,Third Sat of each month, 1-5pm or by appointment. 2000 SLincoln Ave, Urbana. (217) 244-9934. emailjapanhouse@uiuc.edu.

Ziemer Gallery – Original paintings and limited editionprints by Larry Ziemer. Pottery, weavings, wood turningand glass works by other artists. Gallery visitors are wel-come to sit, relax, listen to the music and just enjoy beingsurrounded by art. 210 W Washington, Monticello. Tue10am-8pm, Wed-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm.www.ziemergallery.com

“Trio” – Paintings by Dylan DeWitt and Milena Tiner andceramics by Tyler Bergfield on display at the SpringerCultural Center from Oct 22-Nov 16. Opening receptionfeaturing live music from Jordan Kaye Oct 24, 6-8pm.Artists’ talk, 7pm. This is a free event. Springer CulturalCenter. 301 N Randolph, Champaign. Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm. 398-2376.

“Affixed” – Sixteen local artists display their work in a juriedart show at High-Cross Studio Oct 17-31. Entries rangefrom 3D work such as Goddess alters and original dolls tophotomontage and torn paper collage art. Opening recep-tion on Oct 17 from 7-9pm at High-Cross Studio. 1001High Cross Road, Urbana. Gallery hours: Tue-Sun 10-4pm.367-6345. spiritofsandra@hotmail.com

“Bulbs” – Pastel and collage series from Deeana Love ondisplay at High Cross Studio Oct 17-31. Opening receptionon Oct 17 from 7-9pm at High-Cross Studio. 1001 HighCross Road, Urbana. Gallery hours: Tue-Sun 10-4pm. 367-6345. spiritofsandra@hotmail.com

“Colors of Islam” – In conjunction with Islam AwarenessWeek, the Muslim Students Association is cosponsoring anart show at the Illini Union Art Gallery until Nov 3. 1401 WGreen, Urbana. Open every day 7am-10pm.

“First Annual Midwest Sequential Art Exhibition” – TheMiddle Room Gallery hosts an exhibition of comic andsequential art talent from the Midwest. Ranging in visualand narrative style from political to fantasy, from JapaneseManga to the familiar super-heroic conventions, this showwill help shine a light on one of the most misunderstoodand overlooked art forms today. Artists include Pam Bliss,Tim Broderick, Jacen Burrows, Darrin Drda, Brion Foulke,Hope Larson, Layla Lawler, Dirk Tiede, Dann Tincher, Charlie"Spike" Trotman. On View at the Middle Room Gallerythrough Oct 31. 218 W Main St, Urbana.http://www.gallery.ucimc.org/

“Whistler and Japonisme: Selections from thePermanent Collection” – Marking the 100th anniversaryof James McNeill Whistler’s death, this exhibition high-lights his works on paper and examines the influence thatJapanese woodcuts had on his artistic technique. On dis-play at the Krannert Art Museum through March 28, 2004.500 E Peabody, Urbana. Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm. (217) 333-1860. Suggested Donation: $3

"Remnants of Ritual: Selections from the GelbardCollection of African Art" – The magnificent African artcollection of David and Clifford Gelbard focuses on thecultural significance and aesthetic beauty of masks andsculptures - many of which were created for ceremonialand ritual purposes. This exhibition includes a wide arrayof objects and celebrates the durable, expressive essenceof festivals, rites and coming-of-age ceremonies. On dis-play at the Krannert Art Museum through Oct 26. 500 EPeabody, Urbana. Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm,Sun 2-5pm. (217) 333-1860. Suggested Donation: $3

"Visualizing the Blues: Images of the American South,1862-1999" – Every picture tells a story and this exhibi-tion of more than 100 photographs of the MississippiDelta region portrays a profoundly vivid narrative of life inthe American South. These photographs, taken from theCivil War era through 1999, show the rhythms of life fromthis almost mythic region and powerfully document thesources of inspiration for the lyrics and melodies of bluesmusicians. Among the photographers represented are

Margaret Bourke-White, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Walker Evans,Dorothea Lange, Gordon Parks, Andres Serrano and manyothers. On display at Krannert Art Museum through Nov 2.500 E Peabody, Urbana. Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm. (217) 333-1860. Suggested Donation: $3

Featured Works XIII: "The Spirit of Mediterranean Pathos:The Early Work of Pierre Daura" – Pierre Daura (1896-1976) was a member of significant modern art movementsin the early 20th century. This exhibition highlights arecent gift of works by Daura and explores the forms andcolors of his paintings and drawings from about 1910 tothe late 1930s. On display at Krannert Art Museumthrough Nov 2. 500 E Peabody, Urbana. Tue, Thu-Sat. 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm. (217) 333-1860.Suggested Donation: $3

“Separate and Unequal: Segregation and Three Generationsof Black Response, 1870-1950.” – This exhibit highlightsthe Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision of 1896,which legally sanctioned racial segregation in the UnitedStates until 1954 when the Supreme Court overturnedPlessy in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case.Materials from the Library's collections and archives high-light the historical period between these two landmarkcivil rights cases. Sponsored by the Office of theChancellor, the Brown v. Board of EducationCommemorative Committee and the University of IllinoisLibrary. On view at the University of Illinois Main Library,first floor hallway, during library hours. 1408 W GregoryDrive, Urbana. Hours vary. 333-2290.www.oc.uiuc.edu/brown

“Through Larry Kanfer’s Lens: From Prariescapes toCityscapes” – The latest exhibit of photographic artworkby critically acclaimed fine-art photographic artist, LarryKanfer, features "visually stunning Prairiescapes up to 8feet wide. Contemplate the vast grandeur of America'sheartland, with its rich traditions and seasonal cycles ofthe prairie, juxtaposed against images of Midwestcityscapes, highlighting intimate architectural details.On display at the Lark Kanfer Gallery through Oct 24. 2503S Neil, Champaign. (217) 398-2000. Free and Open to thePublic. Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm. www.kanfer.com

Elysium on the Prairie, Live Action Roleplaying – Vampiresstalk the city streets and struggle for dominance in a worldof gothic horror. Create your own character and minglewith dozens of players who portray their own undead alteregos. Each session is another chapter in an ongoing storyof triumph, tragedy and betrayal. Friday, “Vampire: TheMasquerade” For more information visit:http://ww2.uiuc.edu/ro/elysium/intro.html. Check site forlocation, 7pm.

Sunday Zen Meditation Meeting – Prairie Zen Center,515 S Prospect, Champaign, NW corner Prospect &Green, enter thru door from parking area. Introductionto Zen Sitting, 10 AM; Full Schedule: Service at 9followed by sitting, Dharma Talk at 11 followed by teauntil about 12 noon. Can arrive at any of above times,open to all, no experience needed, no cost. For infocall 355-8835 or www.prairiezen.org

Prairie Sangha for Mindfullness Meditation – Mondayevenings from 7:30-9pm and monthly retreats on Sunday.Theravadan (Vipassana) and Tibetan (Vjrayana &Dzogchen) meditation practice. Meets in Urbana. Moreinformation call or email Tom at 356-7413 orshayir@soltec.net. www.prairiesangha.org

Clear Sky Zen Group – Meets on Thursday evenings in theGeneva Room of the McKinley Foundation. Newcomers tomeditation and people of all traditions and faiths are wel-come – McKinley Foundation, 809 S Fifth St, 6:25-9pm

Formerly-Fat Persons’ Support Group – Free social meet-ing every Saturday at 2pm at Aroma Cafe, 118 N Neil St, C.For more information contact Jessica Watson at 353-4934.

Artist’s Way Group – A 12-week adventure in recoveringand celebrating our creative spirit. Wednesdays, Sept 17-Dec 17 (no session Nov 26) from 5:45-7:15pm at McKinleyFoundation (free parking). To register or for more informa-tion, contact Jo Pauly, MSW, Whole Life Coach at (217) 337-7823 or jopauly@prairienet.org.

WORKSHOPS

MIND BODY SPIRIT

20 WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzcalendar

THEATER LISTINGS

ART-OPENING

ART-ON VIEW NOW

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ON PAGE 26

T R A M S H A L E I S L EH E R O P A G E R T H E YE M I T L I E I N S T A T EC A S H B A R N O R T HA R T E R Y I L L E E OS C A R E M E N U G I R LT H E S W E E T S C I E N C E

D E A D H O R S ES U G A R R A Y L E O N A R DO K A Y E L L E G A T O RM U G Y D S R O D E B YE L A T E M E N A C E DH E R E A N D N O W V A S EO L I N E X I L E I K O NW E N T W I P E D S E N S

BY ELLIOT KOLKOVICH | EDITORIAL ADVISOR

Sam comes into the room, a rather dingybasement in an upscale restaurant in NewYork. He’s tired. He looks at the ringingphones on the desk. He slides his worn brownleather satchel off his right shoulder, acrossthe black nylon sleeve of his jacket. He sets itdown on the chair against the back wall. Then,moving his cup of coffee from one hand to theother, he takes his jacket off and sets it on topof his satchel.

He slowly walks up to the desk. He sighs,grabs the headset off the desk, puts it on hishead and tucks the end of the cord into thefront left pocket of his jeans.

“Good morning, reservations, could youhold, please?” he says to Mrs. Vandevere, arich Park Avenue woman who sounds like asoft-spoken Katherine Hepburn.

In the next couple of minutes, Sam repeatshis greeting six times to the Sheik’s right handman; Mrs. Winslow, a middle-aged Southernbelle; Bryce, an overly flamboyant assistant tomodel Naomi Campbell; a plain-voicedMidwestern secretary; and the nasally NewYork regular Carolann Rosenstein-Fishburn.

He takes care of the various needs eventu-ally—one wants special lighting, one wants toknow the menu, one wants a particular table,etc.

Over the next 50 minutes, Sam balances theringing phone that sits at the top left of hisdesk, the buzzer that goes straight toStephanie, a hostess upstairs, and the “batphone” on the wall to his right that connectsdirectly to the chef.

He has 47 separate phone calls to answer,including Stephanie and the chef buzzing in,and he has talked to 23 different people in thetime since he first walked into the room.

About 50 minutes after he walked in, a verydepressed secretary waits on a line, Samswitches on and says, “Ma’am? The chef’s in ameeting but I’ll have him call you as soon ashe’s—”

The line goes dead, and a new voice breaksthe silence.

“Okay, that’s about halfway,” says KarmaIbsen, the director of Fully Committed, the playthat Sam is the main character in.

Gary Ambler, the man who plays Sam,slumps his shoulders and sighs heavily.

“Now kill me,” he says. Ambler also plays the 23 other characters

Sam has been talking to over the phone. Fully Committed is a one-man show that will

open tonight at the Station Theatre in Urbana.It’s a little under an hour and a half, but GaryAmbler will be on stage nearly all of the time,playing every character in the play. The onlylines Ambler doesn’t have is when a voicemailrecording plays. This is Ambler’s first play atthe Station Theatre in almost two years, a long

time for someone who normally does three tosix shows a year and who has been actingthere for almost 30 years.

Ambler grew up in Broadlands a smalltown about 30 miles south of Champaign. Justbefore high school, hegot interested in the-atre. His parents usedto take him and hissister and two broth-ers to The LittleTheatre on the Squarein Sullivan, Ill. In highschool, he did whatev-er plays were offered,but since the highschool was small,there was only one production a year.

In 1975 he graduated from Eastern IllinoisUniversity, moved to Champaign and took ajob in civil services at the University ofIllinois. He didn’t plan on staying inChampaign that long, but started auditioningfor plays at the then relatively new StationTheatre.

He married Barbara, also an actress in 1980,after Karma Ibsen proposed to them. Barbaraand Gary were at Grunt’s a bar that Karmaworked at when Karma came up and pro-posed marriage to them. Karma took care of

everything, and had the wedding at her houseon a very hot July 14.

In 1983, Gary and Barbara they moved toMassachusetts and Gary took a job in publicradio with the University of Massachusetts.

Part of the reason to goout there was to giveacting a shot. Theyloved Amherst, whichwas close to where theylived and had a lot ofacting opportunities,but he and Barbarafound the area wastight knit and he could-n’t find a way to breakin. Amherst was also

home to five colleges, which meant most of theacting opportunities were for students only, andthere was no real town outside of the colleges.

After four years, he, his wife and their newson Sam started to get lonely. They decided theywanted Sam to live closer to the rest of his fam-ily, so they moved back to Champaign-Urbana.

He has been here since and has worked asan admissions officer in the ArchitectureGraduate program at the University of Illinoisfor about 10 years.

In January 2002 he was in American Buffaloat the Station Theatre, his last show there.

That summer he was in The Caretaker withFaces Like Swords, a new Chicago Theatrecompany, at the Chopin Theatre.

On Saturday July 27 of last year during TheCaretaker’s run, he went out with some friendsafter the show. He had a couple beers and thenwent to take the L home by himself at about2:30 a.m. He got off the train and started walk-ing to where he was staying. He didn’t knowit at the time, but he was being followed byfour young men.

There was a man in front of him who noticedand shouted, “Run,” before ducking down.Ambler was walking north down AustinBoulevard, then he turned left down JacksonBoulevard.

“I went up to the first house I saw, andwalked up to it like it was mine,” he said.

The four men followed him to the house. Twowalked up the steps to the door Ambler wasstanding in front of. They asked him if this washis house.

“Yeah,” he said. Then they asked for his wal-let and his cell phone. The taller of the two tookthe phone and the shorter one took the wallet.They started down the steps, but before theyleft, one turned and pulled out a gun Garythought looked like a toy.

buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | HAHA THIS SENTENCE IS GREAT! arts 9

Station Theatre welcomes back old pro

Gary Ambler is now performing his one man show at Station Theater in Urbana

continued on page 27

I remember having oneminute of lucid thought, and I

just started making noises.The next thing I remember,

the paramedics wereshouting at me

Gary Ambler, actor

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1016buzz0920 10/15/03 4:09 PM Page 1

10 OOPS I CRAPPED MY PANTS | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzarts

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bring in this ad and receive 10% off your next purchase of any non-sale items

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Owned and operated by local artists since 1971mon-wed 9-9 fri & sat 10-6 sun 12-5410 e. green st. champaign 352-4562

The Sandman:Endless Nights!!!! Neil Gaiman

BY BRIAN WARMOTH | STAFF WRITER

What Neil Gaiman brought to comic booksin December 1988 was nothing short of a revo-lution for the entire industry, setting a new barfor what a monthly series could be. TheSandman, Gaiman’s creation and the flagshiptitle for DC Comics’ alternative Vertigo line,led the way for graphic literature to take its fairclaim as the literary medium that it hasbecome. The stories he told back during his 75-issue run on the book were centered around agroup of seven godlike figures referred to as“the Endless”—siblings bearing the namesDream, Death, Destruction, Delirium, Desire,Destiny and Despair. His stories, some as epicin scope as the Narnia Chronicles and othersreminiscent of quainter Grimms’ fairy tales,included themes and references from ancientmythology, as well as Shakespeare and LewisCarroll.

The Sandman: Endless Nights, Gaiman’s newgraphic novel, marks his return to writing themythological universe that he created in that

series and left seven years ago in order to ded-icate more time to his books, including hisHugo award-winning work American Gods andhis internationally best-selling children’s novelCoraline. Endless Nights is set up as sevengraphic novellettes, each focused around oneof the Endless (named accordingly as Death,Desire, etc.). As Gaimanstates in his introduction,the Endless should not beread as gods; they will onlyexist as long as there arepeople to live, dream anddestroy. They are personifi-cations of various aspects oflife, and this is the attitudethat one must take whenreading The Sandman.Otherwise the stories comeacross as far too abstract.

The stories in EndlessNights are each drawn andinked by one of Gaiman’sseven hand-picked interna-tionally renowned artists.The diversity in artistic stylefrom story to story, though itmakes for a very episodicreading experience, allows each chapter tostand on its own. Gaiman utilizes their varyingtechniques to the fullest, creating a movingseries of vignettes in his “Fifteen Portraits ofDespair,” designed and illustrated by the teamof Dave McKean and Barron Storey. Here, theauthor switches gears into his award-winning

prose to relate 15 slices of life in scenes rangingfrom a secretary’s office to a bishop beingaccused of child molestation to a strugglingwriter at a loss for inspiration.

In “Going Inside”—Gaiman’s “Delirium”story for the book—the reader is as fullyimmersed in the artwork of Bill Sienkiewicz as

in the text. Almost everypanel of the story switch-es artistic styles and insome cases mediums aswell. The discomfortevoked by this mecha-nism is masterfully pairedwith haunting words todraw the reader inside themind of a girl driven toinsanity after having beenraped.

While most of the sto-ries in Endless Nights readmore as works of fanta-sy—and in at least onecase science fiction—eachof them appears close toreal life, exploring the nat-ural reactions of its partic-ular subject. Gaiman’s

themes depict thoughts that keep a person upat night, unable to fall asleep. He has provedwith this graphic novel that his hiatus from TheSandman has not left him cold as a storytellerwithin the medium. In fact, if anything, he hascome back with the full heat and passion thatthe book once carried.

bookreviewThe choir, which was once created as a safe

place for lesbians and feminists, wants to beknown more for music than politics. They alsowould like the community to know thatthough Boerger was a hugely positive influ-ence, there is still a general spirit of good willwithin the choir.

“The part (of Amasong) that has changed isthat charisma that belonged to Kristina and isno longer a part of the day to day. (But) thosewho have stayed in the chorus still feel the“vibes” and I have been told by new membersthat they get the sense of belonging that does-n’t exist in other groups,” Spegal said.

Boerger is currently living in New York andteaching music history at Barnard College. Shealso directs a choir that does not have anydirect lesbian or feminist affiliations.

“What I miss about Amasong is that it was agroup that I created in my own image. I didnot have to retrain anyone or “unteach” some-thing someone else had taught them,” saidBoerger.

Though that image still resonates with theshades of her influence, Boerger realizes thatAmasong has become an entity of its own.

“I’ve released my expectations for it. It isn’tmine anymore. It’s in the hands of another,”she said.

Amasongcontinued from page 7

buzz

19buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com calendarRed Herring/Channing-Murray Foundation1209 W Oregon, Urbana, 344.1176Rose Bowl Tavern106 N Race, Urbana, 367.7031Springer Cultural Center301 N Randolph, Champaign, 355.1406Spurlock Museum600 S Gregory, Urbana, 333.2360Strawberry Fields Cafe306 W Springfield, Urbana, 328.1655Ten Thousand Villages105 N Walnut, Champaign, 352.8938TK Wendl’s1901 S Highcross Rd, Urbana, 255.5328Tommy G’s123 S. Mattis Ave., Country Fair Shopping Center, 359.2177Tonic619 S Wright, Champaign, 356.6768Two Main2 Main, Champaign, 359.3148University YMCA1001 S Wright, Champaign, 344.0721Verde/Verdant17 E Taylor St, Champaign, 366.3204Virginia Theatre203 W Park Ave, Champaign, 356.9053White Horse Inn112 1/2 E Green, Champaign, 352.5945Zorba’s

627 E Green, Champaign

CHICAGOVENUESHouse of Blues 329 N Dearborn, Chicago, 312.923.2000The Bottom Lounge 3206 N Wilton, ChicagoCongress Theatre2135 N Milwaukee, 312.923.2000Vic Theatre

3145 N Sheffield, Chicago, 773.472.0449Metro 3730 N Clark St, Chicago, 773.549.0203Elbo Room 2871 N Lincoln Ave, ChicagoPark West 322 W Armitage, Chicago, 773.929.1322Riviera Theatre 4746 N Racine at Lawerence, ChicagoAllstate Arena 6920 N Mannheim Rd, Rosemont, 847.635.6601Arie Crown Theatre 2300 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, 312.791.6000UIC Pavilion1150 W Harrison, Chicago, 312.413.5700Schubas 3159 N Southport, Chicago, 773.525.2508Martyrs 3855 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, 773.288.4545Aragon 1106 W Lawerence, Chicago, 773.561.9500Abbey Pub 3420 W Grace, Chicago, 773.478.4408Fireside Bowl 2646 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, 773.486.2700Schubert Theatre 22 W Monroe, Chicago, 312.977.1700

Workshop – Register now to join artist-instructor SandraAhten for "Drawing More" a one day workshop held onOct 25 to inspire you to dust off your sketch pad. Call (217)367-6345 or email spiritofsandra@hotmail.com to register.High Cross Studio. 1101 N High Cross Road.

Portraits – Award winning portrait artist Sandra Ahten iscurrently accepting commissions for portraits for holidaygiving. Portraits are priced at an affordable range and pro-fessional exchange or barter may be accepted. For exam-ples of work and a quote, contact Sandra Ahten at (217)367-6345 or spiritofsandra@hotmail.com

Creation Art Studio Art Classes for Children and Adults –All classes offer technical instruction and the explorationof materials through expressive, spontaneous art andexperimentation. Independent studies of personal inter-ests and ideas, dreams, etc. are expressed and developedthrough collage and assemblage art and through drawing,painting, sculpture and ceramics. Children meet Mon-Thufrom 3:30-5pm, and Sat 11am-12:30pm. Adolescents meetFri 4-5:30pm. Adults meet Thu at 10am and Sat between1:30-5:30pm for two or more hours. Create designs, a stilllife, portraits, landscapes and more. Open to beginners andadvanced students. Adult Open Studio meets Tue 7-9pm.Drop-ins welcome. Come with a friend. Call to make spe-

cial arrangements for a group. CPDU's offered. For informa-tion, contact Jeannine Bestoso at 344-6955. Creation ArtStudio is located at 1102 E Washington, Urbana. www.cre-ationartstudios.com

Join Artists and Workshops at Gallery Virtu – GalleryVirtu, an artist-owned cooperative, now invites applica-tions from area artists. The Gallery also offers workshopsfor adults, teens and children in knitting, embroidery, pho-tography, jewelry making, printmaking, papermaking,bookbinding and ribbon flowers. Gallery Virtu offers origi-nal works by the members including: jewelry, pottery, col-lages, sculptures, journals, hats, handbags and other tex-tiles. For more information please call 762-7790, visit ourwebsite at www.galleryvirtu.org, e-mailworkshops@galleryvirtu.org or visit the gallery. Regularhours: Thu 12-4pm, Fri 12-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm. 220 WWashington Street in Monticello.

Art Classes at High Cross Studio – All classes are held atHigh Cross Studio in Urbana. 1101 N High Cross Road. E-mail or call for reservations and details. (217) 367-6345 orspiritofsandra@hotmail.com.

“Portrait Paintings with Oils” – This course will provideinstruction in painting portraits from photographs. Paint aportrait of your loved one or yourself. Mon-Fri daytimeclass and weekend workshop offered.

"Collage for the Soul" – Students will learn a variety of col-lage techniques, including photo and photocopy transfer,papermaking and manipulation, and frontage, whileexploring a particular subject, such as a place, a memory,an experience or a relationship. No art-making experiencenecessary.

"Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" – For adults whohave always wanted to learn to draw, but felt as if theylacked talent or confidence.

Other Classes: “Making Monoprints,”“Art With Intention”(Open Studio). For information on these visit www.spiritof-sandra.com and click on "classes," then e-mail or call forreservations.

Boneyard Pottery – Ceramic Art by Michael Schwegmannand more. 403 Water St, Champaign. (217) 355-5610. Tue-Sat 11am-5pm.

Broken Oak Gallery – Local and national artists. Original artincluding photography, watercolors, pottery, oil paintings,colored pencil, woodturning and more. Refreshmentsserved by the garden all day Saturday. 1865 N 1225 E Rd.,White Heath. (217) 762-4907. Thu-Sat 10am-4pm.

Cinema Galley – Local and regional artists including manyUniversity of Illinois and Parkland College faculty mem-bers. 120 W Main, Urbana. (217) 367-3711. Tue-Sat 10am-4pm. Sun 1-5pm.

Cafe Kopi – Oil paintings and various works from local artistPaula McCarty on display through Oct. 109 N Walnut,Champaign. (217) 359-4266. Mon-Thu 7am-11pm, Fri-Sat7am-12pm, Sun 11am-8pm.

Creation Art Studios – Hosts a continuous and evolvingdisplay of works by students and associates of the studio.Landscapes, florals, animal life and expressive art in variousmediums by Jeannine Bestoso are also currently on dis-play. For information, contact Jeannine Bestoso. 1102 EWashington St., Urbana. (217) 344-6955. Tue-Sat 1-5:30pm;and scheduled studio sessions.www.creationartstudios.com

Country in the City – Antiques, Architectural, Gardening,Home Accessories. Custom designing available. 1104 EWashington St., Urbana. (217) 367-2367. Thu-Sat 10am-5pm.

Framer's Market – Frame Designers since 1981. Current fea-tured artists: Charlotte Brady - Botanical Watercolors, BarryBrehm - Landscape Photography, Larry Hamlin - AquatintEtchings, Patrick Harness - Vibrant Oils and Pastels, HuaNian - Abstract Watercolors & Pastels, David Smith -Original Acrylic Landscapes, Cindy Smith - Stone & WoodSculpture, Bill Stevens - Humorous Recycled MetalSculptures, Steve Stoerger - Steel & Glass Sculpture, BonnieSwitzer - Abstract Acrylic Paintings. 807 W Springfield Ave,Champaign. (217) 351-7020. Tue-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat10am-4pm.

ART LISTINGS

ART GALLERIES & EXHIBITS

1016buzz1019 10/15/03 4:08 PM Page 1

CHICAGOSHOWSOCTOBER10/16 Electric Six, Junior Senior @ Double Door10/16 Rufio @ Metro, all ages10/16 Enon @ Abbey Pub10/16 Randy Newman @ Park West10/17 Soulive, Me’Shell Ndegeocello @ House of Blues10/17 Young People @ Schubas10/17 Luncida Williams, Jayhawks @ Riviera10/18 DJ Justin Long @ Metro Smart Bar10/18 The Strokes @ UIC Pavilion10/19 Longwave/Calla @ Double Door10/21 The Eagles @ Allstate Arena10/21 Shelby Lynne @ Abbey Pub10/22 DADA @ Park West10/22 Thin Lizzy @ Double Door10/23 Thin Lizzy @ Double Door10/23 Broadcast, Iron and WIne @ Abbey Club10/23 Puddle of Mudd @ House of Blues10/23 India Arie @ The Vic10/24 Guster @ Aragon10/24 Cowboy Mouth, Cracker @ House of Blues10/24 Aesop Rock @ Metro

10/24 Gov’t Mule, Chris Robinson @ The Vic10/25 The Walkmen @ Double Door10/25 Cameron McGill @ Schubas10/25 Clem Snide @ Logan Square Auditorium10/25 Particle @ Metro10/25 Reo Speedwagon @ Star Plaza10/26 Echo and the Bunnymen @ Metro10/28 Spiritualized @ The Vic10/28 Travis @ Riviera10/29 Fuel @ House of Blues10/29 American Analog Set @ Abbey Club, 18 & over10/29 Lyle Lovett @ Chicago Theatre10/29 Echo & The Bunnymen @ Metro10/30 Alkaline Trio @ Aragon Ballroom10/30 Belle & Sebastian @ Congress Theatre10/30 Mojave 3 @ Abbey Pub10/31 Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe @ House of Blues10/31 North Mississippi Allstars, Grandaddy @ Congress

Theater

NOVEMBER11/1 Black Keys @ Abbey Club11/1 Mya @ House of Blues11/1 Emmylou Harris @ Symphony Center11/1 Dirtbombs @ Double Door

11/2 Rza, Ghostface Killah @ House of Blues11/2 Verbena @ Metro11/5 Stars @ Schubas11/6 Less Than Jake @ Riviera Theater11/6 Maroon5 @ House of Blues11/6 The Rapture @ Metro11/6 Xiu Xiu @ Fireside Bowl11/7 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ House of Blues11/7 Ween @ The Vic11/7 David Mead @ Schubas11/7 Flickerstick @ Metro11/7 Ferry Corsten & DJ Rap @ House of Blues11/8 King Crimson @ Park West11/8 Ween @ The Vic11/8 Twilight Singers @ Double Door11/8 Godsmack @ Aragon11/7 Dropkick Murphys @ Congress Theater11/9 King Crimson @ Park West11/10 Billy Bragg, Nightwatchman, Lester Chambers @ Park

West, all ages11/12 Badly Drawn Boy @ Park West11/13 Mike Doughty’s Band @ Double Door11/13 Rickie Lee Jones @ Chicago Theatre11/15 The Shins @ House of Blues11/15 Qbert @ Metro11/16 Fixx @ Abbey Pub11/19 Fountains of Wayne @ The Vic11/21 Anti-Flag, Rise Against @ Metro11/22 Guided By Voices @ Abbey Pub11/22 Cash Brothers @ Schubas11/22 Tom Jones @ House of Blues11/22 Alabama @ Allstate Arena11/23 Guided By Voices @ Abbey Pub11/23 Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs! @ Metro11/23 Tom Jones @ House of Blues11/24 Symphony X @ Metro11/25 Jaguars @ House of Blues11/25 Mindless Self Indulgence @ Metro11/26 Mindless Self Indulgence @ Metro11/16 OK Go @ Abbey Pub,11/28 Bollweevils @ Metro, all ages11/29 Rocket from the Tombs @ Abbey Pub11/29 Asylum Street Pranksters @ Schubas

C-UVENUESAssembly HallFirst & Florida, Champaign, 333.5000American Legion Post 24705 W Bloomington Rd, Champaign, 356.5144American Legion Post 71107 N Broadway, Urbana, 367.3121Barfly120 N Neil, Champaign,352.9756Barnes and Noble51 E Marketview, Champaign, 355.2045Boltini Lounge211 N Neil, Champaign, 378.8001Borders Books & Music 802 W Town Ctr, Champaign, 351.9011The Brass Rail15 E University, Champaign, 352.7512Canopy Club (The Garden Grill)708 S Goodwin, Urbana, 367.3140C.O. Daniels608 E Daniel, Champaign, 337.7411Cosmopolitan Club307 E John, Champaign, 367.3079Courtyard CafeIllini Union, 1401 W Green, Urbana, 333.4666Cowboy Monkey6 Taylor St, Champaign, 398.2688Clybourne706 S Sixth, Champaign, 383.1008Curtis Orchard3902 S Duncan Rd, Champaign, 359.5565D.R. Diggers604 S Country Fair Dr, Champaign, 356.0888Embassy Tavern & Grill114 S Race, Urbana, 384.9526Esquire Lounge106 N Walnut, Champaign, 398.5858Fallon’s Ice House703 N Prospect, Champaign, 398.5760Fat City Saloon505 S Chestnut, Champaign, 356.7100The Great Impasta114 W Church, Champaign, 359.7377G.T.’s Western BowlFrancis Dr, Champaign, 359.1678The Highdive51 Main, Champaign, 359.4444Huber’s1312 W Church, Champaign, 352.0606Illinois Disciples Foundation610 E Springfield, Champaign, 352.8721Independent Media Center218 W Main St, Urbana, 344.8820 The Iron Post120 S Race, Urbana, 337.7678Joe’s Brewery706 S Fifth, Champaign, 384.1790Kam’s618 E Daniel, Champaign, 328.1605Krannert Art Museum500 E Peabody, Champaign, 333.1861Krannert Center for Performing Arts500 S Goodwin, Urbana,Tickets: 333.6280, 800/KCPATIXLa Casa Cultural Latina1203 W Nevada, Urbana, 333.4950Lava 1906 W Bradley, Champaign, 352.8714Legends Bar & Grill522 E Green, Champaign, 355.7674Les’s Lounge403 N Coler, Urbana, 328.4000Lincoln Castle209 S Broadway, Urbana, 344.7720Malibu Bay LoungeNorth Route 45, Urbana, 328.7415Mike & Molly’s105 N Market, Champaign, 355.1236Mulligan’s604 N Cunningham, Urbana, 367.5888Murphy’s604 E Green, Champaign, 352.7275Neil Street Pub1505 N Neil, Champaign, 359.1601Boardman’s Art Theater 126 W Church, Champaign, 351.0068The Office214 W Main, Urbana, 344.7608Parkland College2400 W Bradley, Champaign, 351.2528Phoenix215 S Neil, Champaign, 355.7866Pia’s of RantoulRoute 136 E, Rantoul, 893.8244Pink HouseRoutes 49 & 150, Ogden, 582.9997The Rainbow Coffeehouse1203 W Green, Urbana, 766.9500

18 WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzcalendar

Thurs., Oct. 16Live Boxing

and Wet T-Shirt Contest$250 cash and prizes

1906 W. Bradley Ave. Champaign, IL 19 & up to Enter

Fri., Oct. 17Hip Hop and R&B $2 well drinks$1 bottlesno cover before 11pm

BY LIZ MOZZOCCO | STAFF WRITER

Pete Yorn does not like to sit still very long.Since the 2001 release of his first album, music-forthemorningafter, Yorn has been on the roadquite a bit. In between his travels he foundtime to record a second album, Day I Forgot,

score some tour dates with R.E.M. and workon tracks for a third album, due out sometimenext spring or summer.

But Yorn seems relatively unphased by all ofthis. He is soft-spoken and mellow, and hetalks in a way that makes you believe that hetakes everything in stride.

“It’s great, but it’s weird,” Yorn says of lifeon the road. “It’s not a normal existence by any

means, but it’s a fun way to live. You’ve justgot to keep it in perspective.”

Yorn has apparently found some sort of bal-ance, because he’s out playing a lot, includingan appearance atFoellinger Auditoriumon Sunday night.

“I like to play ashow every night if Ican. You get to see somuch of the countryand the world. Touringis how you bring themusic to the people. Idon’t like music to livein a vacuum or just on a record,” he says.

Yorn has shared the stage with a variety ofgroups, at one point even doing an in-storeappearance with the likes of Bob Dylan andPatti Smith.

He’s also opened up for Weezer, making amusical combination that seems like an oddmatch. Weezer fans are notoriously pickyabout who is associated with their favoriteband; they’ve gone so far as to boo an openingact they didn’t like off the stage as well as thetour. Yorn doesn’t remember any problems,though.

“I think people are always polite. I’ve nevergotten anything thrown at me,” he chuckles.

In fact, he goes so far as to say that he’snever had troubles with any of the other musi-cians he’s toured with.

“It’s never been a bad experience. The FooFighters tour was really fun, hanging out andplaying with those guys.” Yorn adds that hisfavorite tourmates are the ones that put on ashow that you can go out and watch everynight without being bored.

His relaxed attitude is anything but surpris-ing when you listen to his songs. They’ve gotan acoustic, alt-country sort of feel. Andalthough Yorn knows how to write a catchymelody, his songs often have an element ofroughness, perhaps because he’s done all hisrecording in his friend’s garage.

He made musicforthemorningafter in thatgarage, although he probably didn’t have to.So what is the appeal of at-home production?Yorn says that it was more fun to make musicat a friend’s house, outside of the stuffiness ofa professional recording studio.

“It suited my mentality at the time,” he says.“I didn’t want the pressure of knowing that I’dbe paying $2,000 a day for a studio.”

Yorn also played many of the instrumentson his albums himself. “It’s fun for me, but wedid it mostly out of convenience.” On the road,however, he’s more than just a one-man band.Yorn’s backing band, Dirty Bird, is a “revolv-ing door of old friends”—musicians whose

styles and strengths Yorn knows well.He mentions that he played drums during a

jam session a few nights ago, resulting in a lotof cuts and blisters but a good time.

“I think thedrummer leads theparade as far aswhere the music isgoing,” he says,showing whatmight be consideredan unexpected pref-erence for a front-man.

Yorn admits thatrecording, like being on the road, has itscharms, perhaps the greatest of which isunpredictability.

“I love the prospect of going into the studioand creating the greatest song in the world.I’m not saying it will be that, but when youstart recording the first track, you never knowhow important the song will become.”

Maybe he hasn’t written the greatest song inthe world yet, but he has had quite a bit ofluck. Both of his albums have had their shareof hits. “For Nancy” and “Life on a Chain” gothim noticed early on, and more recently,“Come Back Home” has been making its wayacross the airwaves.

You won’t see Yorn pondering it too much,though. He admits that getting recognized isstrange, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

“It’s weird that people know who you are,”he says. “I’ll be walking down the street andsomeone will say hello, and I’m like, oh shit,how do I know this person? Then I realize thatI don’t. It’s not a bad thing, I just get caught offguard by it sometimes.”

It’s the sort of nonchalant attitude thatcomes with having no regrets over choosing alife as a musician. Although Yorn had beeninvolved in music for a long time, he says hedidn’t start thinking seriously about a profes-sional career in music until his early 20s.

“I thought, there’s no way I could be thatlucky that I could just do music for the rest ofmy life.” He pauses. “But I didn’t want to be 30thinking ‘I should have tried that music thing.’I’m really happy that I did.”

Pete Yorn will perform at Foellinger Auditorium onSunday at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for students and $24for the public.

11musicmusicbuzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | WHATEVA. WHATEVA. I DO WHAT I WANT.

Pete Yorn’s laid-back, busy scheduleStarcourse’s fall lineup brings the singer-songwriter to Foellinger Auditorium

Touring is how you bring the music to the people. I don’t

like music to live in a vacuum or just on a record

– Pete Yorn[ [

Seth Fein’s column, The Mendoza Music Line, willreturn next week. In the meantime, you cancontact Seth by e-mail at sethfein@readbuzz.com

buzz

Pete Yorn comes to Urbana this Sunday.

1016buzz1118 10/15/03 4:06 PM Page 1

THURSDAYWar All the TimeIsland Records

!!!

BY ANDY SIMNICK

Emo-core has becomestandard fare in mainstreamrock these days. With bands

such as Story of the Year and Thrice making waves, it onlyseems natural that one of the best bands in the genrerelease a new LP. Thursday’s War All The Time unfortunatelydoes not quite live up to the impact made by their firstrelease, Full Collapse, but it does stand on its own as a fantas-tic release.

Probably best known for the song “Understanding in aCar Crash,” the band garnered their first widespread atten-tion during their breakthrough stage show while on tourwith Boy Sets Fire, a fellow emo-core band, several yearsback. The melodic vocals combined with violent guitars andpronounced screaming created something never quiteheard before. With Full Collapse bringing Thursday to theforefront of the movement, War All The Time brings more ofthe same style to the musical table.

Any seasoned Thursday fan will immediately gravitatetowards “Signals Over the Air,”a song gaining moderate localairplay that should be exploding any second now. All the tra-ditional Thursday elements are intact, with the yelling pres-ent but strategically lowered in the background.

Once of the main differences between this album and theprevious is the heaviness of the tracks. Full Collapse was avery raw CD. It was not superbly mixed and nearly all of thesongs were built on emotion and little else.The songs sounddisjointed yet fit Thursday’s style and persona incrediblywell. The latest disc switches these aspects. War All the Timecontains significant upgrades in sound quality and balancebetween different sections of the group, something missingfrom Full Collapse.

Although the album undoubtedly sounds better, there isan intangible quality missing from this album. Perhaps I havenot listened to it enough as it took a good two monthsbefore enjoying some of the subtler nuances of Full Collapse.However, a band such as Thursday needs to push theurgency in the vocals and the emotions involved from a base

level. Being able to picture Geoff’s facial contortions behindthe mic as he kicks into a song such as “For the Workforce,Drowning” is part of this band’s allure, and this CD does notpass the aesthetic value of Thursday’s music to the listener aswell as Full Collapse.

This does not take anything away from War All the Time, asthe album is a fine sophomore effort that clearly showsgrowth within the band. It may even be more accessible tocasual listeners as well, and anything that gets this veryunderappreciated group further into the spotlight is a greatand necessary benefit to the band.

DEATH CAB FORCUTIETransatlanticismBarsuk Records

!!!!

BY BRIAN MERTZ

It might be going a littleoverboard to say that Death Cab for Cutie has reinventedtheir sound, but it would be terribly shortsighted not topraise the successfully crafted wide variety of songs on theirfourth full-length album, Transatlanticism.

Instead of creating a straight-ahead emo-rock album liketheir previous release, The Photo Album, or a stripped-downheartfelt classic like their seminal We Have the Facts and We’reVoting Yes, these four talented musicians from Seattle havemade an album that has a little bit of everything. And it allseems to work.

“The Sound of Settling” is a 2 minute, 12 second pop-rocknumber that sits squarely in the middle of Transatlanticism.The subject matter of holding back from saying what is inone’s heart is certainly a heavy topic, but the jubilant choruswith its “bah-bah’s!” masks that. It is one of the most upbeatand fun tunes in the entire Death Cab catalog.

But fans of Death Cab for Cutie’s mellow emo introspec-tion should have no fears. Those songs are represented hereas well. “Title and Registration” and “A Lack of Color” bothhave that very fragile quality to them as Ben Gibbard’s dis-tinct lilting voice sings about the damage distance can causeto relationships.

Perhaps most musically impressive on this album are theepic tracks. “The New Year’s” bombastic guitar crashes serveas a magnificent start to the album. And the slow build of thetitle track into what sounds like a chorus of Gibbards behindthe band’s full instrumentation makes it at once beautifuland powerful.

Throughout, what unites this wide-range of tracks isGibbard’s gift for turning a phrase. Whether he is writing inprior Death Cab releases or for the Postal Service, Gibbard’slyrics have always been a marvel to behold. Transatlanticismhas many of those same gems. On “The New Year” Gibbardsings in a barely frustrated tone,“I wish the world was flat likethe old days / So I could travel just by folding the map / Nomore airplanes or speed-trains or freeways / There’d be nodistance that could hold us back.” If only more bands aroundthe world had this talent for lyrics, the music industry mightcreep out of its present quality slump.

This is certainly one of the best Death Cab albums evermade and probably one of the strongest albums of 2003, butthere is something still missing. There is an indefinable qual-

ity that keeps Transatlanticism from being a complete mas-terpiece. Perhaps it is something that Death Cab for Cutiewill discover on their next album.

For now, this band has every reason to celebrate thegrowth through successful experimentation onTransatlanticism. And fans of heartfelt rock have 11 very dif-ferent and high quality reasons to go pick up this album.

DECIBULLYCity of FestivalsPolyvinyl

!!!

BY JACOB DITTMER

Ahh, Milwaukee. Thatpesky neighbor to the north

that is responsible for such atrocities as Miller Lite andMilwaukee’s Best (aka the Beast). But it does have its benefits;you may recall the discussion Wayne Campbell shares withAlice Cooper in Wayne’s World as to Milwaukee’s name mean-ing, “the good land.”So it’s not all bad and it is also the homeof Decibully.

Decibully’s second album, City of Festivals, is the group’sfirst release with Champaign label Polyvinyl. This septet’smembers have a variety of backgrounds; the most notablebeing former membership in the popular emo group ThePromise Ring.

So the popular indie label Polyvinyl is involved andDecibully’s roots lay in The Promise Ring and Camden, butthis is not an emo release. These indie rockers have takentheir roots in emo and expanded into a new genre that holdsgood company. Their sound is that of country-influencedlyrics and melodies with a tinge of electronic sounds, whilenot straying from an indie rock base.The band that has madethe biggest splash with this style of music is Chicago’s Wilco.So it’s a Midwest thing.

The first track, “On the Way to Your Hotel,” sets up thebeautiful arrangement of heartfelt lyrics, guitar and banjotwangs, peaceful melodies and subtle electronic blips. Theuse of electronic sounds is virtually unnoticed and nothinglike the deconstructed sound that Wilco achieved on YankeeHotel Foxtrot. Whereas Wilco tried to make crazy sounds toaccompany their melodies, Decibully adds to their peacefulmelodies with subtly.

The lyrics are worth mentioning on this record for they donot sound contrived in the slightest, unlike some contempo-rary artists that try to be something they are not. On “TablesTurn,” lead singer William Seidel sings,“I’m not wasting loosechange cause I’m changing.” The lyrics are simple yet sup-ported by the band’s unique sound, which makes themreach the meaningful levels they aspire to.

With so many musicians in the group, the songs have apleasant layered feeling without any one instrument takingcenter stage, although Siedel’s vocals do stand out. Guitars,bass, keyboards, banjo and lapsteel are utilized to give thealbum that hollow, lonesome country feel that meshes per-fectly with Seidel’s lyrics of lost love.

Decibully has taken a concept of music composition thathas gained much momentum in recent years and given ittheir own unique sound. With roots in emo its easy to disre-gard the lyrics as juvenile, but this group truly achieves amature sound that is worthy of praise.

CDRe

views

12 I DO WHAT I WANT. I SKIP SCHOOL. I KILL BABY SEALS. | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzmusic

MUSIC REVIEW GUIDE

!!!! Flawless!!! Good!! Mediocre! Badno stars Un-listenable

PARASOL RECORDS TOP 10 SELLERS

1. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism(Barsuk Records)2. Belle And Sebastian - Dear CatastropheWaitress (Rough Trade Records)3. Brighter - Singles: 1989-1992 (MatinéeRecordings)4. Isobel Campbell - Amorino (Instinct Records)5. The Ladybug Transistor - The LadybugTransistor (Merge Records)6. Kingsbury Manx - Aztec Discipline (OvercoatRecords)7. Stereolab - Instant 0 In The Universe (ElektraRecords)8. The Rachel’s - Systems/Layers (QuarterstickRecords)9. The High Llamas - Beet, Maize, and Corn (DragCity Records)10. Handsome Family - Singing Bones (CarrotTop Records)

NEW RELEASES

Anti-Flag - The Terror StateBarenaked Ladies - Everything to EveryoneBasement Jaxx - Kish KashDream Theater - Train of ThoughtCharles Feelgood - House Music Firewater - Songs We Should Have WrittenHer Space Holiday - The Young MachinesMontell Jordan - Life After DefBobby Bare, Jr. - OK, I’m Sorry (EP)Lucky Boys Confusion - CommitmentMandy Moore - CoverageVan Morrison - What’s Wrong with This Picture?Plastikman - CloserRoc Raida - Champion SoundsRaphael Saadiq - All Hits at the House of BluesRyuichi Sakamoto - MototronicThe Shins - Chutes Too NarrowThe Strokes - Room on FireJosh Wink - 20 to 20 (EP)Dose Hermanos - Bright ShadowsYo La Tengo - Today Is the Day (EP)Turk - Raw and UncutSwitchhitter - Fer-de-LanceZebrahead - MFZHKristine W. - Fly AgainThe Stills - Logic Will Break Your HeartJoe Strummer & the Mescaleros - StreetcorePinhead Gunpowder - Compulsive DisclosureD. Alex Paterson - Journey Into ParadiseSlipstream - TranscendentalPaul Burch - Fool for LoveNick Cannon - Nick CannonMoot Davis - Moot DavisDead Prez - Get Free or Die Trying Death Machine - Death Machine Fred Anderson - Back at theVelvet LoungeRush - In Rio Loon - Loon

CHARTS

1. MoondanceVan MorrisonThis marvelous album is

good for any autumn night.Moondance’s deeply evocativelyrics have a pastoral qualitywith emphasis on natural won-ders. The title track is the per-fect anthem for a cool fallnight. The jazzy soulfulness ofthis album makes it perfect for

the reflective nature of autumn.

2. Time OutDave Brubeck The cool jazz piano of Dave

Brubeck along with his talent-ed quartet makes Time Out arelaxing and peaceful albumperfect for the leaf-coveredground. “Take Five’s” jazzy beatand mellow instrumentionmakes it the quentessentialjazz song. This album has sold

the most copies of any jazz album to date.

3. ThrillerMichael JacksonAutumn is full of unique

seasonal activities like hayrides, raking leaves and drink-ing apple cider. But for thepeople with slightly twistedminds, autumn is all about onething: Halloween. And whilethere are scary movie sound-tracks or horror sound effect

CDs to have on in the background, Michael Jackson can bepretty scary in his own right. The tune “Thriller” and itsaccompanying music video is a Halloween pop staple.

4. AnodyneUncle TupeloAlt-Country is the perfect

genre for autumn weather as itincorporates rock sounds withcountry sensibilities and theepitome of alt-country is UncleTupelo. The dichotmy struckbetween gifted singers/song-writers Jay Farrar and Jeff

Tweedy comes together on Anodyne to form a perfectvision for their alt-country sound. Themes of the warmth ofhome, love of one’s roots and tributes to classic countrysounds pervade this album.Tweedy’s Dylan-esque voice is inits prime for this album and Farrar’s country croon soundsjust as good, giving the album a unique sound throughout.

5. ParachutesColdplayChris Martin wasn’t a

Hollywood darling when hepenned the songs forColdplay’s debut full-length.And that willingness to takechances on making a fragileheartfelt album paid off. Likeleaves slowly falling from atree, Martin’s voice glides

across the sparse brit-rock sounds. Parachutes has its upbeatmoments like “Shiver.” But for the most part, this remains analbum to listen to on a cool autumn night.

TopFive Autumn AlbumsNext week: Top Five Breakup Songse-mail us at music@readbuzz.com

17buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com calendar

SundayOct19LIVE MUSICIrish Traditional Music Session hosted by Lisa Boucher –

Mike 'n Molly's, 5pm, free Pete Yorn – Foellinger Auditorium, 6:30pm, $24 Drums and Tuba, Public Display of Funk – The Canopy

Club, 9pm, $5 The Blues Jam hosted by Kilborn Alley – The Canopy Club

(Garden Grill), 10pm, TBA

DJFresh Face Guest DJ – Barfly, 9pm, free Blends by Otter – Cowboy Monkey, 10pm, free Reel to Reel and the Wheels of Steel: Spicerack Movies

with soundtrack provided by DJ Spinnerty and DJBozak - Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm, $1

Live DJ – C-Street, 9pm-1am, cover

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke and DJ – TK Wendl’s, 9pm-1am

MUSIC PERFORMANCESHonoring William Warfield: A Celebration of Excellence –

School of Music performers and ensembles, and guestartists, join together to pay tribute to the legacy of WilliamWarfield, a former faculty member of the U of I School ofMusic and an internationally beloved opera singer, concertartist, actor, and educator – Foellinger Great Hall, 7:30pm,$2-5

WORDSOpen Mic: Poetry/Spoken Work hosted by Illusion – The

Canopy Club, 7pm, free

MondayOct20LIVE MUSICGuster – Foellinger Auditorium, 6:30pm, $23 Openingbands.com Showcase: King Solomon's Grave,

Gnome Attic, Kissing Tigers – The Canopy Club, 10pm, $3 Decibully (ex-Promise Ring), Angie Heaton, LP – Cowboy

Monkey, 10pm, $5

DJMehan McCann, Amy Couch – Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm, free 2ON2OUT – Barfly, 9pm, free

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke & DJ – Kam’s, 10pm-1am

MUSIC PERFORMANCESCommunity Drum Circle – Ten Thousand Villages, 7-9pm

TuesdayOct21LIVE MUSICJiggsaw, Nadafinga – Iron Post, 10pm, $3 Verde Hootenanny – bluegrass jam – Verdant News &

Coffee, 7pm, free Billy Galt – Senators Pub, 8pm, TBA EELS, MC Honky - The Canopy Club, 10pm, $12

DJ Rock ‘N' Roll DJing with Drew Patterson of 107.1 –

Cowboy Monkey, 10pm, free Preston Wright and Jim Creason – Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm,

$1 NOX: DJ ZoZo – goth/industrial – The Highdive, 10pm, $2 Seduction DJ Resonate – Barfly, 10pm, free

KARAOKEG” Force Karaoke and DJ – TK Wendl’s, 9pm-1am

MUSIC PERFORMANCESConcert Prep: Opera Verdi Europa – Creative Intersections

Fred Stoltzfus, presenter – Tryon Festival Theatre Foyer,Krannert Center, 6:45pm,free

Opera Verdi Europa – Ivan Kyurkchiev, artistic directorNayden Todorov, principal conductor – Foellinger Great Hall,

Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $13-32

LECTURESOscar Martinez, artist and U of I alumni – presentation to

the campus community on the politics of art, focusing onthe mural he created in La Casa Cultural Latina. He was themain creator of the mural, created in 1975, which depictsthe struggles of Latino students. –Latzer Hall, UniversityYMCA, 4pm

WednesdayOct22LIVE MUSICOpen Mic Night – Espresso Royale Caffe, 7:30pm, free Shelby Lynne, Anna Montgomery, Kate Hathaway – The

Highdive, 7:30pm, $20 Irish Traditional Music Session hosted by Lisa Boucher –

Bentley's Pub, 8pm, free Professor and MaryAnn – Iron Post, 9pm, TBA Sevendust, Jaded Kayne, Dropsixx – The Canopy Club,

10pm, $20 Open Mic Night hosted by Mike Ingram – Cowboy

Monkey, 10pm, $2 Michelle Branch – Braden Auditorium, Normal, IL, 7:30pm

DJ DJ Chef Ra Reggae – Barfly, 10pm, free Joel Spencer – Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm, $1D-lo & Spinnerty – The Highdive, 10pm

LECTURESCenter for Nanoscale Science and Technology SeminarSeries – Chih-Ming Ho, Ben Rich-Lockheed MartinProfessor of Engineering, Associate Vice Chancellor forResearch, and Director of the Institute for Cell MimeticSpace Exploration (CMISE) University of California, LosAngeles "Bio-Nano System Technologies" – BeckmanInstitute, 4pm

Lorenzo Goetz @ Mike N’ Molly’s, Thursday 10pm

Cold Cut Trio @ The Iron Post, Friday, 5:30pm

1016buzz1217 10/15/03 4:06 PM Page 1

16 WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzcalendar

ThursdayOct16LIVE MUSIC Chulrua – Iron Post, 8pm, TBA Lamonte Parsons Jazz Trio – Senators Pub, 8pm, TBA Briggs/Houchin Group – jazz – Zorba's, 9:30pm, $3 The Red Hot Valentines, Sunday Driver, Feable Weiner,

Just Add Water – The Canopy Club, 10pm, $5 Orphans, Ester Drang, Life at Sea – Cowboy Monkey,

10pm, $5 Lorenzo Goetz, Smoke Off Vinyl, Freewheelin '56 – Mike

'n Molly's, 10pm, $3 South Austin Jug Band – Iron Post, 11pm, TBA

DJ DJ Resonate – Barfly, 9pm, free DJ J-Phlip – Barfly, 9pm, freeLive DJ – C-Street, 9pm, freeLive DJ – Ruby’s, 9pm-1am, freeDJ Orby – Joe’s Brewery, 9pm-1am, free

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke – Pia’s in Rantoul, 9pm-1amKaraoke – Jillian’s, 9pm, no cover

MUSIC PERFORMANCESGlenn Miller Orchestra – Virginia Theatre, 7:30pm, $23.50,

$19, $15Denyce Graves, mezzo-soprano – Bradley Moore, piano –

Foellinger Great Hall, Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $25-42

FridayOct17 LIVE MUSICTailgreat 2003: Made – Urbana High School, 4pm, free The Prairie Dogs – Cowboy Monkey, 5pm, free Cold Cut Quartet – Iron Post, 5:30pm, free Amira Nuha and Friends – Borders, 8pm, free Dropsixx CD Release show: Dropsixx, Nonetaken,

Maxlider, Pariah – The Canopy Club, 9pm, $5 Sick Day, Tracks, The Georges – Iron Post, 9pm, TBA Tons O' Fun Band – Cowboy Monkey, 10pm, $3 Jiggsaw, Deminer, Animate Objects – Mike 'n Molly's,

10pm, $3 Bach Lunch: Grass Roots Revival with Michael Jones and

Jamie Lou Carras – Springer Cultural Center, TBA, free Happy Hour with Al Ierardi – Tommy G’s, 5-7pm, freeReasonable Doubt – Tommy G’s, 10pm-2am, cover

DJ DJ Tim Williams – The Highdive, 10pm, $5 DJ Bozak – Barfly, 9pm, free“G” Force DJ Chad – TK Wendl’s, 9pm-1amDJ Mertz – Joe’s Brewery, 9pm-1am

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke and DJ – Lincoln Castle Lodge, 9pm-

1am

DANCINGBallroom Dancing – Non-smoking, cash bar –

Regent Ballroom, 7:30-10:30pm, $7Salsa Dancing – Non-smoking, cash bar; dress code: no

blue jeans, tennis shoes or hats – Regent Ballroom,11pm-1am, $4

MUSIC PERFORMANCESUI Wind Symphony and UI Symphonic Band I – James F.

Keene and Thomas E. Caneva, conductors – FoellingerGreat Hall, Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $2-5

WORDSSong, Rhythm & Spoken Word – Cindy Schmidt, guitar,

bass, vocals; Cora Holland, drums, percussions & vocals;Amira, Afrikan drums & percussions, vocals, flute & spokenword; Amira, Cindy and Cora will perform an eclectic mixof Afrikan chants, drums & percussion, blues, spiritual &popular music and thought-provoking words – BordersBooks, Music & Cafe, 8-10pm

LECTURESCIMIC Weekly Seminar: Is Kashmir Really Strategic to

India and Pakistan? – Nasrullah Mirza Fullbright Scholar,ACDIS, UIUC; and Quaid-a-Azam University, Islamabad –Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center, 8-9:30pm

SaturdayOct18 LIVE MUSICPlain White T's, Missing the Point, Saraphine, Jamison

Parker, Things About Nothing – Illinois DisciplesFoundation, 6pm, $5

Static X, Soil Skrape, Twisted Method – The Canopy Club,6:30pm, $15

Rocky Maffit – Borders, 8pm, free The Noisy Gators – Hubers, 8pm, donations LIX Fashion Show: Miss Saturn – The Highdive, 8pm, $5 Middletown – Iron Post, 9pm, TBA Finite Element – Embassy Tavern, 9:30pm, free Candy Foster and Shades of Blue – Cowboy Monkey,

10pm, $3 Hairbanger's Ball – hair metal tribute band – The Canopy

Club, 11pm, TBA Kathy Harden and the King Bees – Tommy G’s, 10pm-

2am, cover

DJ DJ Hipster Sophisto – Barfly, 9pm, free DJ Resonate – Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm, $1 DJ Tim Williams – The Highdive, 10:30pm, $5 Saturday Night at Wendl’s with DJ Brad – TK Wendl’s,

9pm-1am“G” Force DJ Chris – White Horse Inn, 9pm-1am

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke & DJ – Lincoln Castle, 9pm-1am

MUSIC PERFORMANCESChampaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra – Steven

Larsen, music director and conductor Gustavo Romero,piano – Foellinger Great Hall, Krannert Center, 7:30pm,$10-28

Maya Beiser: World to Come – cellist – Tryon FestivalTheatre, Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $12-20

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13buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | I’M GOING TO TERMINATE THE DEFICIT music

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UIUC STUDENTS : $22 PUBLIC : $24

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

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Does not apply to previous orders.

The E in The EELS sounds off on awards, adverts and criticsBY MARISSA MONSON | STAFF WRITER

Don’t bet on catching The EELS’ sound on acar commercial, or a computer commercial,

or any commercial for that matter. There havebeen offers, but E, the notorious frontman ofThe EELS, sticks to his musical morals, anddespite having his record company on his back,he won’t be selling his soul to advertisers anytime soon. With a rule of thumb, “What WouldTom Waits Do?” E firmly plants his feet andconsents to let the music do the talking.

“The record company has just about had itwith me,” E said. “We’ve had about every largecompany ask, and its really ironic because thelabel considers us so uncommercial, but then allthese commercials want to use my songs.”

They don’t have widespread appeal in theUnited States, but England cannot seem to getenough of The EELS’ bluesy-pop sensibility.Tour of Duty, their present tour, brings them toThe Canopy Club this Tuesday. The trip to col-lege towns like Urbana is an effort to boost TheEELS popularity in the States.

“We realized that there has been support allalong from the college folks, and we thought weshould come around these parts more often,” Esaid. “So, we’ve already done a lot of touring inthe U.S. this year, but we decided it wasn’tenough. We wanted to come to places we’venever been before, and specifically where a lotof college kids are.”

E has seen some time in the spotlight withhits like “Novocaine for the Soul” and nomina-tions for MTV Awards. But, awards aren’t thatimportant to The EELS. Their drummer Butchused their Brit Award as a cymbal stand to putit to good use.

“It’s flattering in a really superficial way, andI totally appreciate that anyone would think ofme, but ultimately it doesn’t mean much tome,” E said.

The EELS’ journey, littered with overseassuccess and award nominations, has not alwaysbeen easy for E. After his major label debut,Beautiful Freak, tragedy struck as he was con-fronted with death on a large scale. After thedeath of his mother, father and sister he reactedwith an emotional expedition through recovery,Electro-Shock Blues. Some of his best material todate was labeled sad and depressing, but to E, itwas exactly the opposite.

“I think Electro-Shock Blues is the most upbeatthing I’ll ever do, but it is often called the mostdepressing thing that anyone’s ever done,” Esaid. “I think that’s a mistake, I don’t think thereis anything more positive than trying to riseabove instrumental block.”

But what do the critics know. Without sellingsongs to advertisers and receiving less than ade-quate help from his record label, Dreamworks,E continues to make albums and tour aroundthe globe, taking the long route to success. Asgood and bad reviews come in, E just keeps

making music that wasn’t there the day before.“Your skin thickens some, but some people

are good at dealing with that sort of thing,” Esaid. “Often, artists aren’t good with it, and theybecame artists for certain reasons, the way theirchildhood was or something, and they don’thave that type of defense mechanism.”

The EELS’ latest release Shootenanny!received mixed reviews from the hordes of crit-ics waiting for The EELS to throw them anotherbone. But, E doesn’t seem to mind. E has growntough skin over the years and continues tomake music that makes him happy, a difficultfeat for the world’s loneliest frontman.

“I’m going to take my time with my nextrecord, since the only time I’m happy is whenI’m making a record,” E said. “It only took 10days to record Shootenanny!, and 10 days ofhappiness, I realize, is not enough.”

In a culture of one-hit wonders and gim-micks, E stands out in the crowd as a true fan ofthe craft. For his next album, he plans on takinghis time and trying to live a little. But, E’s musi-cal ventures are anything but predictable.

“My other plan is to just not put records out.Why not just keep making them, and maybe,just let them sort the records out when I amdead and gone.”

Outlets, Assembly Hall Box Office & Illini Union

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1016buzz1316 10/15/03 4:05 PM Page 1

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Its Miller Time at Highdive!

Ester DrangEmbarking on infinite success

BY MARISSA MONSON | CALENDAR EDITOR

Breaking out in a small town like Broken Arrow,Okla., seems difficult, but Ester Drang and a hand-

ful of other bands from the Sooner State prove thatmusical innovation can be cultivated in the most

unlikely of places.“Oklahoma is good and bad—there is some-

what of a void to fill as far as attempting anoriginal type of music,” Jeff Shoop, guitarist

and keyboardist for Ester Drang said. “Onone hand, we would like to have more of

a community of musicians, but on theother hand, it’s nice to come out of

nowhere because people don’t reallyexpect anything cool from Oklahoma.”

Bands like the Flaming Lips and theStarlight Mints are a couple of the handful of bands

to emerge from Oklahoma. Ester Drang’s music, self-described as cinematic, sounds like a daydreamy wall

of sound. The fine musicianship shines throughin the innovative sound Ester Drang captures,which is unique to any type of shoegazer indierock. Their latest release, Infinite Keys, shows matu-rity, and better quality than the previous freshmaneffort Goldenwest.

“We tried to make Infinite Keys achieve the samefeeling as Goldenwest, but get to the point quicker.We just wanted to trim off the excess junk and makethe overall record more focused,” Shoop said.

Since the success of Infinite Keys, Ester Drangembarks on a series of tours with big names likeAmerican Analog Set, Pedro the Lion, Stratford 4and Starflyer 59. On their trek through the Midwest,Ester Drang stops by Cowboy Monkey to open forOrphans tonight.

Ester Drang has seen some lineup changes since theirformation in 1995.

“A couple of guys have come and gone, and I came in acouple of years ago,” Shoop said. “Everyone else juststarted playing together when they learned instruments.”

Since the band’s formation nearly 10 years ago, not onlyhas their sound has matured, but they’ve wised up on theindustry.

As trends fade, Ester Drang has cultivated a sound thattranscends the latest fads in the fickle music world.

“The further you get into it the more you learn it’s lessand less about the music, unfortunately,” Shoop said.“Which is basically how you succeed in the entertainment;

it gets a lot more messy.”A little older, a little wiser and with two albums under

their belt, Ester Drang continues to climb the indie rockladder to success.

“As a band, we are not terribly concerned with all theother factors of appearing as cool as possible and accentu-ating our key selling points,” Shoop said. “Eventually,people can see through the fluff and hype to the actualmusic.”

Ester Drang’s music looks good from here.

Orphans, Ester Drang, Life at Sea @ Cowboy Monkeyon Thursday at 10pm

1016buzz1415 10/15/03 4:05 PM Page 1

15calendarcalendar14calendar

buzzpicks

For extra photos, check out readbuzz.com

Its Miller Time at Highdive!

Ester DrangEmbarking on infinite success

BY MARISSA MONSON | CALENDAR EDITOR

Breaking out in a small town like Broken Arrow,Okla., seems difficult, but Ester Drang and a hand-

ful of other bands from the Sooner State prove thatmusical innovation can be cultivated in the most

unlikely of places.“Oklahoma is good and bad—there is some-

what of a void to fill as far as attempting anoriginal type of music,” Jeff Shoop, guitarist

and keyboardist for Ester Drang said. “Onone hand, we would like to have more of

a community of musicians, but on theother hand, it’s nice to come out of

nowhere because people don’t reallyexpect anything cool from Oklahoma.”

Bands like the Flaming Lips and theStarlight Mints are a couple of the handful of bands

to emerge from Oklahoma. Ester Drang’s music, self-described as cinematic, sounds like a daydreamy wall

of sound. The fine musicianship shines throughin the innovative sound Ester Drang captures,which is unique to any type of shoegazer indierock. Their latest release, Infinite Keys, shows matu-rity, and better quality than the previous freshmaneffort Goldenwest.

“We tried to make Infinite Keys achieve the samefeeling as Goldenwest, but get to the point quicker.We just wanted to trim off the excess junk and makethe overall record more focused,” Shoop said.

Since the success of Infinite Keys, Ester Drangembarks on a series of tours with big names likeAmerican Analog Set, Pedro the Lion, Stratford 4and Starflyer 59. On their trek through the Midwest,Ester Drang stops by Cowboy Monkey to open forOrphans tonight.

Ester Drang has seen some lineup changes since theirformation in 1995.

“A couple of guys have come and gone, and I came in acouple of years ago,” Shoop said. “Everyone else juststarted playing together when they learned instruments.”

Since the band’s formation nearly 10 years ago, not onlyhas their sound has matured, but they’ve wised up on theindustry.

As trends fade, Ester Drang has cultivated a sound thattranscends the latest fads in the fickle music world.

“The further you get into it the more you learn it’s lessand less about the music, unfortunately,” Shoop said.“Which is basically how you succeed in the entertainment;

it gets a lot more messy.”A little older, a little wiser and with two albums under

their belt, Ester Drang continues to climb the indie rockladder to success.

“As a band, we are not terribly concerned with all theother factors of appearing as cool as possible and accentu-ating our key selling points,” Shoop said. “Eventually,people can see through the fluff and hype to the actualmusic.”

Ester Drang’s music looks good from here.

Orphans, Ester Drang, Life at Sea @ Cowboy Monkeyon Thursday at 10pm

1016buzz1415 10/15/03 4:05 PM Page 1

16 WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzcalendar

ThursdayOct16LIVE MUSIC Chulrua – Iron Post, 8pm, TBA Lamonte Parsons Jazz Trio – Senators Pub, 8pm, TBA Briggs/Houchin Group – jazz – Zorba's, 9:30pm, $3 The Red Hot Valentines, Sunday Driver, Feable Weiner,

Just Add Water – The Canopy Club, 10pm, $5 Orphans, Ester Drang, Life at Sea – Cowboy Monkey,

10pm, $5 Lorenzo Goetz, Smoke Off Vinyl, Freewheelin '56 – Mike

'n Molly's, 10pm, $3 South Austin Jug Band – Iron Post, 11pm, TBA

DJ DJ Resonate – Barfly, 9pm, free DJ J-Phlip – Barfly, 9pm, freeLive DJ – C-Street, 9pm, freeLive DJ – Ruby’s, 9pm-1am, freeDJ Orby – Joe’s Brewery, 9pm-1am, free

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke – Pia’s in Rantoul, 9pm-1amKaraoke – Jillian’s, 9pm, no cover

MUSIC PERFORMANCESGlenn Miller Orchestra – Virginia Theatre, 7:30pm, $23.50,

$19, $15Denyce Graves, mezzo-soprano – Bradley Moore, piano –

Foellinger Great Hall, Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $25-42

FridayOct17 LIVE MUSICTailgreat 2003: Made – Urbana High School, 4pm, free The Prairie Dogs – Cowboy Monkey, 5pm, free Cold Cut Quartet – Iron Post, 5:30pm, free Amira Nuha and Friends – Borders, 8pm, free Dropsixx CD Release show: Dropsixx, Nonetaken,

Maxlider, Pariah – The Canopy Club, 9pm, $5 Sick Day, Tracks, The Georges – Iron Post, 9pm, TBA Tons O' Fun Band – Cowboy Monkey, 10pm, $3 Jiggsaw, Deminer, Animate Objects – Mike 'n Molly's,

10pm, $3 Bach Lunch: Grass Roots Revival with Michael Jones and

Jamie Lou Carras – Springer Cultural Center, TBA, free Happy Hour with Al Ierardi – Tommy G’s, 5-7pm, freeReasonable Doubt – Tommy G’s, 10pm-2am, cover

DJ DJ Tim Williams – The Highdive, 10pm, $5 DJ Bozak – Barfly, 9pm, free“G” Force DJ Chad – TK Wendl’s, 9pm-1amDJ Mertz – Joe’s Brewery, 9pm-1am

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke and DJ – Lincoln Castle Lodge, 9pm-

1am

DANCINGBallroom Dancing – Non-smoking, cash bar –

Regent Ballroom, 7:30-10:30pm, $7Salsa Dancing – Non-smoking, cash bar; dress code: no

blue jeans, tennis shoes or hats – Regent Ballroom,11pm-1am, $4

MUSIC PERFORMANCESUI Wind Symphony and UI Symphonic Band I – James F.

Keene and Thomas E. Caneva, conductors – FoellingerGreat Hall, Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $2-5

WORDSSong, Rhythm & Spoken Word – Cindy Schmidt, guitar,

bass, vocals; Cora Holland, drums, percussions & vocals;Amira, Afrikan drums & percussions, vocals, flute & spokenword; Amira, Cindy and Cora will perform an eclectic mixof Afrikan chants, drums & percussion, blues, spiritual &popular music and thought-provoking words – BordersBooks, Music & Cafe, 8-10pm

LECTURESCIMIC Weekly Seminar: Is Kashmir Really Strategic to

India and Pakistan? – Nasrullah Mirza Fullbright Scholar,ACDIS, UIUC; and Quaid-a-Azam University, Islamabad –Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center, 8-9:30pm

SaturdayOct18 LIVE MUSICPlain White T's, Missing the Point, Saraphine, Jamison

Parker, Things About Nothing – Illinois DisciplesFoundation, 6pm, $5

Static X, Soil Skrape, Twisted Method – The Canopy Club,6:30pm, $15

Rocky Maffit – Borders, 8pm, free The Noisy Gators – Hubers, 8pm, donations LIX Fashion Show: Miss Saturn – The Highdive, 8pm, $5 Middletown – Iron Post, 9pm, TBA Finite Element – Embassy Tavern, 9:30pm, free Candy Foster and Shades of Blue – Cowboy Monkey,

10pm, $3 Hairbanger's Ball – hair metal tribute band – The Canopy

Club, 11pm, TBA Kathy Harden and the King Bees – Tommy G’s, 10pm-

2am, cover

DJ DJ Hipster Sophisto – Barfly, 9pm, free DJ Resonate – Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm, $1 DJ Tim Williams – The Highdive, 10:30pm, $5 Saturday Night at Wendl’s with DJ Brad – TK Wendl’s,

9pm-1am“G” Force DJ Chris – White Horse Inn, 9pm-1am

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke & DJ – Lincoln Castle, 9pm-1am

MUSIC PERFORMANCESChampaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra – Steven

Larsen, music director and conductor Gustavo Romero,piano – Foellinger Great Hall, Krannert Center, 7:30pm,$10-28

Maya Beiser: World to Come – cellist – Tryon FestivalTheatre, Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $12-20

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The E in The EELS sounds off on awards, adverts and criticsBY MARISSA MONSON | STAFF WRITER

Don’t bet on catching The EELS’ sound on acar commercial, or a computer commercial,

or any commercial for that matter. There havebeen offers, but E, the notorious frontman ofThe EELS, sticks to his musical morals, anddespite having his record company on his back,he won’t be selling his soul to advertisers anytime soon. With a rule of thumb, “What WouldTom Waits Do?” E firmly plants his feet andconsents to let the music do the talking.

“The record company has just about had itwith me,” E said. “We’ve had about every largecompany ask, and its really ironic because thelabel considers us so uncommercial, but then allthese commercials want to use my songs.”

They don’t have widespread appeal in theUnited States, but England cannot seem to getenough of The EELS’ bluesy-pop sensibility.Tour of Duty, their present tour, brings them toThe Canopy Club this Tuesday. The trip to col-lege towns like Urbana is an effort to boost TheEELS popularity in the States.

“We realized that there has been support allalong from the college folks, and we thought weshould come around these parts more often,” Esaid. “So, we’ve already done a lot of touring inthe U.S. this year, but we decided it wasn’tenough. We wanted to come to places we’venever been before, and specifically where a lotof college kids are.”

E has seen some time in the spotlight withhits like “Novocaine for the Soul” and nomina-tions for MTV Awards. But, awards aren’t thatimportant to The EELS. Their drummer Butchused their Brit Award as a cymbal stand to putit to good use.

“It’s flattering in a really superficial way, andI totally appreciate that anyone would think ofme, but ultimately it doesn’t mean much tome,” E said.

The EELS’ journey, littered with overseassuccess and award nominations, has not alwaysbeen easy for E. After his major label debut,Beautiful Freak, tragedy struck as he was con-fronted with death on a large scale. After thedeath of his mother, father and sister he reactedwith an emotional expedition through recovery,Electro-Shock Blues. Some of his best material todate was labeled sad and depressing, but to E, itwas exactly the opposite.

“I think Electro-Shock Blues is the most upbeatthing I’ll ever do, but it is often called the mostdepressing thing that anyone’s ever done,” Esaid. “I think that’s a mistake, I don’t think thereis anything more positive than trying to riseabove instrumental block.”

But what do the critics know. Without sellingsongs to advertisers and receiving less than ade-quate help from his record label, Dreamworks,E continues to make albums and tour aroundthe globe, taking the long route to success. Asgood and bad reviews come in, E just keeps

making music that wasn’t there the day before.“Your skin thickens some, but some people

are good at dealing with that sort of thing,” Esaid. “Often, artists aren’t good with it, and theybecame artists for certain reasons, the way theirchildhood was or something, and they don’thave that type of defense mechanism.”

The EELS’ latest release Shootenanny!received mixed reviews from the hordes of crit-ics waiting for The EELS to throw them anotherbone. But, E doesn’t seem to mind. E has growntough skin over the years and continues tomake music that makes him happy, a difficultfeat for the world’s loneliest frontman.

“I’m going to take my time with my nextrecord, since the only time I’m happy is whenI’m making a record,” E said. “It only took 10days to record Shootenanny!, and 10 days ofhappiness, I realize, is not enough.”

In a culture of one-hit wonders and gim-micks, E stands out in the crowd as a true fan ofthe craft. For his next album, he plans on takinghis time and trying to live a little. But, E’s musi-cal ventures are anything but predictable.

“My other plan is to just not put records out.Why not just keep making them, and maybe,just let them sort the records out when I amdead and gone.”

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1016buzz1316 10/15/03 4:05 PM Page 1

THURSDAYWar All the TimeIsland Records

!!!

BY ANDY SIMNICK

Emo-core has becomestandard fare in mainstreamrock these days. With bands

such as Story of the Year and Thrice making waves, it onlyseems natural that one of the best bands in the genrerelease a new LP. Thursday’s War All The Time unfortunatelydoes not quite live up to the impact made by their firstrelease, Full Collapse, but it does stand on its own as a fantas-tic release.

Probably best known for the song “Understanding in aCar Crash,” the band garnered their first widespread atten-tion during their breakthrough stage show while on tourwith Boy Sets Fire, a fellow emo-core band, several yearsback. The melodic vocals combined with violent guitars andpronounced screaming created something never quiteheard before. With Full Collapse bringing Thursday to theforefront of the movement, War All The Time brings more ofthe same style to the musical table.

Any seasoned Thursday fan will immediately gravitatetowards “Signals Over the Air,”a song gaining moderate localairplay that should be exploding any second now. All the tra-ditional Thursday elements are intact, with the yelling pres-ent but strategically lowered in the background.

Once of the main differences between this album and theprevious is the heaviness of the tracks. Full Collapse was avery raw CD. It was not superbly mixed and nearly all of thesongs were built on emotion and little else.The songs sounddisjointed yet fit Thursday’s style and persona incrediblywell. The latest disc switches these aspects. War All the Timecontains significant upgrades in sound quality and balancebetween different sections of the group, something missingfrom Full Collapse.

Although the album undoubtedly sounds better, there isan intangible quality missing from this album. Perhaps I havenot listened to it enough as it took a good two monthsbefore enjoying some of the subtler nuances of Full Collapse.However, a band such as Thursday needs to push theurgency in the vocals and the emotions involved from a base

level. Being able to picture Geoff’s facial contortions behindthe mic as he kicks into a song such as “For the Workforce,Drowning” is part of this band’s allure, and this CD does notpass the aesthetic value of Thursday’s music to the listener aswell as Full Collapse.

This does not take anything away from War All the Time, asthe album is a fine sophomore effort that clearly showsgrowth within the band. It may even be more accessible tocasual listeners as well, and anything that gets this veryunderappreciated group further into the spotlight is a greatand necessary benefit to the band.

DEATH CAB FORCUTIETransatlanticismBarsuk Records

!!!!

BY BRIAN MERTZ

It might be going a littleoverboard to say that Death Cab for Cutie has reinventedtheir sound, but it would be terribly shortsighted not topraise the successfully crafted wide variety of songs on theirfourth full-length album, Transatlanticism.

Instead of creating a straight-ahead emo-rock album liketheir previous release, The Photo Album, or a stripped-downheartfelt classic like their seminal We Have the Facts and We’reVoting Yes, these four talented musicians from Seattle havemade an album that has a little bit of everything. And it allseems to work.

“The Sound of Settling” is a 2 minute, 12 second pop-rocknumber that sits squarely in the middle of Transatlanticism.The subject matter of holding back from saying what is inone’s heart is certainly a heavy topic, but the jubilant choruswith its “bah-bah’s!” masks that. It is one of the most upbeatand fun tunes in the entire Death Cab catalog.

But fans of Death Cab for Cutie’s mellow emo introspec-tion should have no fears. Those songs are represented hereas well. “Title and Registration” and “A Lack of Color” bothhave that very fragile quality to them as Ben Gibbard’s dis-tinct lilting voice sings about the damage distance can causeto relationships.

Perhaps most musically impressive on this album are theepic tracks. “The New Year’s” bombastic guitar crashes serveas a magnificent start to the album. And the slow build of thetitle track into what sounds like a chorus of Gibbards behindthe band’s full instrumentation makes it at once beautifuland powerful.

Throughout, what unites this wide-range of tracks isGibbard’s gift for turning a phrase. Whether he is writing inprior Death Cab releases or for the Postal Service, Gibbard’slyrics have always been a marvel to behold. Transatlanticismhas many of those same gems. On “The New Year” Gibbardsings in a barely frustrated tone,“I wish the world was flat likethe old days / So I could travel just by folding the map / Nomore airplanes or speed-trains or freeways / There’d be nodistance that could hold us back.” If only more bands aroundthe world had this talent for lyrics, the music industry mightcreep out of its present quality slump.

This is certainly one of the best Death Cab albums evermade and probably one of the strongest albums of 2003, butthere is something still missing. There is an indefinable qual-

ity that keeps Transatlanticism from being a complete mas-terpiece. Perhaps it is something that Death Cab for Cutiewill discover on their next album.

For now, this band has every reason to celebrate thegrowth through successful experimentation onTransatlanticism. And fans of heartfelt rock have 11 very dif-ferent and high quality reasons to go pick up this album.

DECIBULLYCity of FestivalsPolyvinyl

!!!

BY JACOB DITTMER

Ahh, Milwaukee. Thatpesky neighbor to the north

that is responsible for such atrocities as Miller Lite andMilwaukee’s Best (aka the Beast). But it does have its benefits;you may recall the discussion Wayne Campbell shares withAlice Cooper in Wayne’s World as to Milwaukee’s name mean-ing, “the good land.”So it’s not all bad and it is also the homeof Decibully.

Decibully’s second album, City of Festivals, is the group’sfirst release with Champaign label Polyvinyl. This septet’smembers have a variety of backgrounds; the most notablebeing former membership in the popular emo group ThePromise Ring.

So the popular indie label Polyvinyl is involved andDecibully’s roots lay in The Promise Ring and Camden, butthis is not an emo release. These indie rockers have takentheir roots in emo and expanded into a new genre that holdsgood company. Their sound is that of country-influencedlyrics and melodies with a tinge of electronic sounds, whilenot straying from an indie rock base.The band that has madethe biggest splash with this style of music is Chicago’s Wilco.So it’s a Midwest thing.

The first track, “On the Way to Your Hotel,” sets up thebeautiful arrangement of heartfelt lyrics, guitar and banjotwangs, peaceful melodies and subtle electronic blips. Theuse of electronic sounds is virtually unnoticed and nothinglike the deconstructed sound that Wilco achieved on YankeeHotel Foxtrot. Whereas Wilco tried to make crazy sounds toaccompany their melodies, Decibully adds to their peacefulmelodies with subtly.

The lyrics are worth mentioning on this record for they donot sound contrived in the slightest, unlike some contempo-rary artists that try to be something they are not. On “TablesTurn,” lead singer William Seidel sings,“I’m not wasting loosechange cause I’m changing.” The lyrics are simple yet sup-ported by the band’s unique sound, which makes themreach the meaningful levels they aspire to.

With so many musicians in the group, the songs have apleasant layered feeling without any one instrument takingcenter stage, although Siedel’s vocals do stand out. Guitars,bass, keyboards, banjo and lapsteel are utilized to give thealbum that hollow, lonesome country feel that meshes per-fectly with Seidel’s lyrics of lost love.

Decibully has taken a concept of music composition thathas gained much momentum in recent years and given ittheir own unique sound. With roots in emo its easy to disre-gard the lyrics as juvenile, but this group truly achieves amature sound that is worthy of praise.

CDRe

views

12 I DO WHAT I WANT. I SKIP SCHOOL. I KILL BABY SEALS. | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzmusic

MUSIC REVIEW GUIDE

!!!! Flawless!!! Good!! Mediocre! Badno stars Un-listenable

PARASOL RECORDS TOP 10 SELLERS

1. Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism(Barsuk Records)2. Belle And Sebastian - Dear CatastropheWaitress (Rough Trade Records)3. Brighter - Singles: 1989-1992 (MatinéeRecordings)4. Isobel Campbell - Amorino (Instinct Records)5. The Ladybug Transistor - The LadybugTransistor (Merge Records)6. Kingsbury Manx - Aztec Discipline (OvercoatRecords)7. Stereolab - Instant 0 In The Universe (ElektraRecords)8. The Rachel’s - Systems/Layers (QuarterstickRecords)9. The High Llamas - Beet, Maize, and Corn (DragCity Records)10. Handsome Family - Singing Bones (CarrotTop Records)

NEW RELEASES

Anti-Flag - The Terror StateBarenaked Ladies - Everything to EveryoneBasement Jaxx - Kish KashDream Theater - Train of ThoughtCharles Feelgood - House Music Firewater - Songs We Should Have WrittenHer Space Holiday - The Young MachinesMontell Jordan - Life After DefBobby Bare, Jr. - OK, I’m Sorry (EP)Lucky Boys Confusion - CommitmentMandy Moore - CoverageVan Morrison - What’s Wrong with This Picture?Plastikman - CloserRoc Raida - Champion SoundsRaphael Saadiq - All Hits at the House of BluesRyuichi Sakamoto - MototronicThe Shins - Chutes Too NarrowThe Strokes - Room on FireJosh Wink - 20 to 20 (EP)Dose Hermanos - Bright ShadowsYo La Tengo - Today Is the Day (EP)Turk - Raw and UncutSwitchhitter - Fer-de-LanceZebrahead - MFZHKristine W. - Fly AgainThe Stills - Logic Will Break Your HeartJoe Strummer & the Mescaleros - StreetcorePinhead Gunpowder - Compulsive DisclosureD. Alex Paterson - Journey Into ParadiseSlipstream - TranscendentalPaul Burch - Fool for LoveNick Cannon - Nick CannonMoot Davis - Moot DavisDead Prez - Get Free or Die Trying Death Machine - Death Machine Fred Anderson - Back at theVelvet LoungeRush - In Rio Loon - Loon

CHARTS

1. MoondanceVan MorrisonThis marvelous album is

good for any autumn night.Moondance’s deeply evocativelyrics have a pastoral qualitywith emphasis on natural won-ders. The title track is the per-fect anthem for a cool fallnight. The jazzy soulfulness ofthis album makes it perfect for

the reflective nature of autumn.

2. Time OutDave Brubeck The cool jazz piano of Dave

Brubeck along with his talent-ed quartet makes Time Out arelaxing and peaceful albumperfect for the leaf-coveredground. “Take Five’s” jazzy beatand mellow instrumentionmakes it the quentessentialjazz song. This album has sold

the most copies of any jazz album to date.

3. ThrillerMichael JacksonAutumn is full of unique

seasonal activities like hayrides, raking leaves and drink-ing apple cider. But for thepeople with slightly twistedminds, autumn is all about onething: Halloween. And whilethere are scary movie sound-tracks or horror sound effect

CDs to have on in the background, Michael Jackson can bepretty scary in his own right. The tune “Thriller” and itsaccompanying music video is a Halloween pop staple.

4. AnodyneUncle TupeloAlt-Country is the perfect

genre for autumn weather as itincorporates rock sounds withcountry sensibilities and theepitome of alt-country is UncleTupelo. The dichotmy struckbetween gifted singers/song-writers Jay Farrar and Jeff

Tweedy comes together on Anodyne to form a perfectvision for their alt-country sound. Themes of the warmth ofhome, love of one’s roots and tributes to classic countrysounds pervade this album.Tweedy’s Dylan-esque voice is inits prime for this album and Farrar’s country croon soundsjust as good, giving the album a unique sound throughout.

5. ParachutesColdplayChris Martin wasn’t a

Hollywood darling when hepenned the songs forColdplay’s debut full-length.And that willingness to takechances on making a fragileheartfelt album paid off. Likeleaves slowly falling from atree, Martin’s voice glides

across the sparse brit-rock sounds. Parachutes has its upbeatmoments like “Shiver.” But for the most part, this remains analbum to listen to on a cool autumn night.

TopFive Autumn AlbumsNext week: Top Five Breakup Songse-mail us at music@readbuzz.com

17buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com calendar

SundayOct19LIVE MUSICIrish Traditional Music Session hosted by Lisa Boucher –

Mike 'n Molly's, 5pm, free Pete Yorn – Foellinger Auditorium, 6:30pm, $24 Drums and Tuba, Public Display of Funk – The Canopy

Club, 9pm, $5 The Blues Jam hosted by Kilborn Alley – The Canopy Club

(Garden Grill), 10pm, TBA

DJFresh Face Guest DJ – Barfly, 9pm, free Blends by Otter – Cowboy Monkey, 10pm, free Reel to Reel and the Wheels of Steel: Spicerack Movies

with soundtrack provided by DJ Spinnerty and DJBozak - Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm, $1

Live DJ – C-Street, 9pm-1am, cover

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke and DJ – TK Wendl’s, 9pm-1am

MUSIC PERFORMANCESHonoring William Warfield: A Celebration of Excellence –

School of Music performers and ensembles, and guestartists, join together to pay tribute to the legacy of WilliamWarfield, a former faculty member of the U of I School ofMusic and an internationally beloved opera singer, concertartist, actor, and educator – Foellinger Great Hall, 7:30pm,$2-5

WORDSOpen Mic: Poetry/Spoken Work hosted by Illusion – The

Canopy Club, 7pm, free

MondayOct20LIVE MUSICGuster – Foellinger Auditorium, 6:30pm, $23 Openingbands.com Showcase: King Solomon's Grave,

Gnome Attic, Kissing Tigers – The Canopy Club, 10pm, $3 Decibully (ex-Promise Ring), Angie Heaton, LP – Cowboy

Monkey, 10pm, $5

DJMehan McCann, Amy Couch – Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm, free 2ON2OUT – Barfly, 9pm, free

KARAOKE“G” Force Karaoke & DJ – Kam’s, 10pm-1am

MUSIC PERFORMANCESCommunity Drum Circle – Ten Thousand Villages, 7-9pm

TuesdayOct21LIVE MUSICJiggsaw, Nadafinga – Iron Post, 10pm, $3 Verde Hootenanny – bluegrass jam – Verdant News &

Coffee, 7pm, free Billy Galt – Senators Pub, 8pm, TBA EELS, MC Honky - The Canopy Club, 10pm, $12

DJ Rock ‘N' Roll DJing with Drew Patterson of 107.1 –

Cowboy Monkey, 10pm, free Preston Wright and Jim Creason – Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm,

$1 NOX: DJ ZoZo – goth/industrial – The Highdive, 10pm, $2 Seduction DJ Resonate – Barfly, 10pm, free

KARAOKEG” Force Karaoke and DJ – TK Wendl’s, 9pm-1am

MUSIC PERFORMANCESConcert Prep: Opera Verdi Europa – Creative Intersections

Fred Stoltzfus, presenter – Tryon Festival Theatre Foyer,Krannert Center, 6:45pm,free

Opera Verdi Europa – Ivan Kyurkchiev, artistic directorNayden Todorov, principal conductor – Foellinger Great Hall,

Krannert Center, 7:30pm, $13-32

LECTURESOscar Martinez, artist and U of I alumni – presentation to

the campus community on the politics of art, focusing onthe mural he created in La Casa Cultural Latina. He was themain creator of the mural, created in 1975, which depictsthe struggles of Latino students. –Latzer Hall, UniversityYMCA, 4pm

WednesdayOct22LIVE MUSICOpen Mic Night – Espresso Royale Caffe, 7:30pm, free Shelby Lynne, Anna Montgomery, Kate Hathaway – The

Highdive, 7:30pm, $20 Irish Traditional Music Session hosted by Lisa Boucher –

Bentley's Pub, 8pm, free Professor and MaryAnn – Iron Post, 9pm, TBA Sevendust, Jaded Kayne, Dropsixx – The Canopy Club,

10pm, $20 Open Mic Night hosted by Mike Ingram – Cowboy

Monkey, 10pm, $2 Michelle Branch – Braden Auditorium, Normal, IL, 7:30pm

DJ DJ Chef Ra Reggae – Barfly, 10pm, free Joel Spencer – Mike 'n Molly's, 10pm, $1D-lo & Spinnerty – The Highdive, 10pm

LECTURESCenter for Nanoscale Science and Technology SeminarSeries – Chih-Ming Ho, Ben Rich-Lockheed MartinProfessor of Engineering, Associate Vice Chancellor forResearch, and Director of the Institute for Cell MimeticSpace Exploration (CMISE) University of California, LosAngeles "Bio-Nano System Technologies" – BeckmanInstitute, 4pm

Lorenzo Goetz @ Mike N’ Molly’s, Thursday 10pm

Cold Cut Trio @ The Iron Post, Friday, 5:30pm

1016buzz1217 10/15/03 4:06 PM Page 1

CHICAGOSHOWSOCTOBER10/16 Electric Six, Junior Senior @ Double Door10/16 Rufio @ Metro, all ages10/16 Enon @ Abbey Pub10/16 Randy Newman @ Park West10/17 Soulive, Me’Shell Ndegeocello @ House of Blues10/17 Young People @ Schubas10/17 Luncida Williams, Jayhawks @ Riviera10/18 DJ Justin Long @ Metro Smart Bar10/18 The Strokes @ UIC Pavilion10/19 Longwave/Calla @ Double Door10/21 The Eagles @ Allstate Arena10/21 Shelby Lynne @ Abbey Pub10/22 DADA @ Park West10/22 Thin Lizzy @ Double Door10/23 Thin Lizzy @ Double Door10/23 Broadcast, Iron and WIne @ Abbey Club10/23 Puddle of Mudd @ House of Blues10/23 India Arie @ The Vic10/24 Guster @ Aragon10/24 Cowboy Mouth, Cracker @ House of Blues10/24 Aesop Rock @ Metro

10/24 Gov’t Mule, Chris Robinson @ The Vic10/25 The Walkmen @ Double Door10/25 Cameron McGill @ Schubas10/25 Clem Snide @ Logan Square Auditorium10/25 Particle @ Metro10/25 Reo Speedwagon @ Star Plaza10/26 Echo and the Bunnymen @ Metro10/28 Spiritualized @ The Vic10/28 Travis @ Riviera10/29 Fuel @ House of Blues10/29 American Analog Set @ Abbey Club, 18 & over10/29 Lyle Lovett @ Chicago Theatre10/29 Echo & The Bunnymen @ Metro10/30 Alkaline Trio @ Aragon Ballroom10/30 Belle & Sebastian @ Congress Theatre10/30 Mojave 3 @ Abbey Pub10/31 Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe @ House of Blues10/31 North Mississippi Allstars, Grandaddy @ Congress

Theater

NOVEMBER11/1 Black Keys @ Abbey Club11/1 Mya @ House of Blues11/1 Emmylou Harris @ Symphony Center11/1 Dirtbombs @ Double Door

11/2 Rza, Ghostface Killah @ House of Blues11/2 Verbena @ Metro11/5 Stars @ Schubas11/6 Less Than Jake @ Riviera Theater11/6 Maroon5 @ House of Blues11/6 The Rapture @ Metro11/6 Xiu Xiu @ Fireside Bowl11/7 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy @ House of Blues11/7 Ween @ The Vic11/7 David Mead @ Schubas11/7 Flickerstick @ Metro11/7 Ferry Corsten & DJ Rap @ House of Blues11/8 King Crimson @ Park West11/8 Ween @ The Vic11/8 Twilight Singers @ Double Door11/8 Godsmack @ Aragon11/7 Dropkick Murphys @ Congress Theater11/9 King Crimson @ Park West11/10 Billy Bragg, Nightwatchman, Lester Chambers @ Park

West, all ages11/12 Badly Drawn Boy @ Park West11/13 Mike Doughty’s Band @ Double Door11/13 Rickie Lee Jones @ Chicago Theatre11/15 The Shins @ House of Blues11/15 Qbert @ Metro11/16 Fixx @ Abbey Pub11/19 Fountains of Wayne @ The Vic11/21 Anti-Flag, Rise Against @ Metro11/22 Guided By Voices @ Abbey Pub11/22 Cash Brothers @ Schubas11/22 Tom Jones @ House of Blues11/22 Alabama @ Allstate Arena11/23 Guided By Voices @ Abbey Pub11/23 Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs! @ Metro11/23 Tom Jones @ House of Blues11/24 Symphony X @ Metro11/25 Jaguars @ House of Blues11/25 Mindless Self Indulgence @ Metro11/26 Mindless Self Indulgence @ Metro11/16 OK Go @ Abbey Pub,11/28 Bollweevils @ Metro, all ages11/29 Rocket from the Tombs @ Abbey Pub11/29 Asylum Street Pranksters @ Schubas

C-UVENUESAssembly HallFirst & Florida, Champaign, 333.5000American Legion Post 24705 W Bloomington Rd, Champaign, 356.5144American Legion Post 71107 N Broadway, Urbana, 367.3121Barfly120 N Neil, Champaign,352.9756Barnes and Noble51 E Marketview, Champaign, 355.2045Boltini Lounge211 N Neil, Champaign, 378.8001Borders Books & Music 802 W Town Ctr, Champaign, 351.9011The Brass Rail15 E University, Champaign, 352.7512Canopy Club (The Garden Grill)708 S Goodwin, Urbana, 367.3140C.O. Daniels608 E Daniel, Champaign, 337.7411Cosmopolitan Club307 E John, Champaign, 367.3079Courtyard CafeIllini Union, 1401 W Green, Urbana, 333.4666Cowboy Monkey6 Taylor St, Champaign, 398.2688Clybourne706 S Sixth, Champaign, 383.1008Curtis Orchard3902 S Duncan Rd, Champaign, 359.5565D.R. Diggers604 S Country Fair Dr, Champaign, 356.0888Embassy Tavern & Grill114 S Race, Urbana, 384.9526Esquire Lounge106 N Walnut, Champaign, 398.5858Fallon’s Ice House703 N Prospect, Champaign, 398.5760Fat City Saloon505 S Chestnut, Champaign, 356.7100The Great Impasta114 W Church, Champaign, 359.7377G.T.’s Western BowlFrancis Dr, Champaign, 359.1678The Highdive51 Main, Champaign, 359.4444Huber’s1312 W Church, Champaign, 352.0606Illinois Disciples Foundation610 E Springfield, Champaign, 352.8721Independent Media Center218 W Main St, Urbana, 344.8820 The Iron Post120 S Race, Urbana, 337.7678Joe’s Brewery706 S Fifth, Champaign, 384.1790Kam’s618 E Daniel, Champaign, 328.1605Krannert Art Museum500 E Peabody, Champaign, 333.1861Krannert Center for Performing Arts500 S Goodwin, Urbana,Tickets: 333.6280, 800/KCPATIXLa Casa Cultural Latina1203 W Nevada, Urbana, 333.4950Lava 1906 W Bradley, Champaign, 352.8714Legends Bar & Grill522 E Green, Champaign, 355.7674Les’s Lounge403 N Coler, Urbana, 328.4000Lincoln Castle209 S Broadway, Urbana, 344.7720Malibu Bay LoungeNorth Route 45, Urbana, 328.7415Mike & Molly’s105 N Market, Champaign, 355.1236Mulligan’s604 N Cunningham, Urbana, 367.5888Murphy’s604 E Green, Champaign, 352.7275Neil Street Pub1505 N Neil, Champaign, 359.1601Boardman’s Art Theater 126 W Church, Champaign, 351.0068The Office214 W Main, Urbana, 344.7608Parkland College2400 W Bradley, Champaign, 351.2528Phoenix215 S Neil, Champaign, 355.7866Pia’s of RantoulRoute 136 E, Rantoul, 893.8244Pink HouseRoutes 49 & 150, Ogden, 582.9997The Rainbow Coffeehouse1203 W Green, Urbana, 766.9500

18 WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzcalendar

Thurs., Oct. 16Live Boxing

and Wet T-Shirt Contest$250 cash and prizes

1906 W. Bradley Ave. Champaign, IL 19 & up to Enter

Fri., Oct. 17Hip Hop and R&B $2 well drinks$1 bottlesno cover before 11pm

BY LIZ MOZZOCCO | STAFF WRITER

Pete Yorn does not like to sit still very long.Since the 2001 release of his first album, music-forthemorningafter, Yorn has been on the roadquite a bit. In between his travels he foundtime to record a second album, Day I Forgot,

score some tour dates with R.E.M. and workon tracks for a third album, due out sometimenext spring or summer.

But Yorn seems relatively unphased by all ofthis. He is soft-spoken and mellow, and hetalks in a way that makes you believe that hetakes everything in stride.

“It’s great, but it’s weird,” Yorn says of lifeon the road. “It’s not a normal existence by any

means, but it’s a fun way to live. You’ve justgot to keep it in perspective.”

Yorn has apparently found some sort of bal-ance, because he’s out playing a lot, includingan appearance atFoellinger Auditoriumon Sunday night.

“I like to play ashow every night if Ican. You get to see somuch of the countryand the world. Touringis how you bring themusic to the people. Idon’t like music to livein a vacuum or just on a record,” he says.

Yorn has shared the stage with a variety ofgroups, at one point even doing an in-storeappearance with the likes of Bob Dylan andPatti Smith.

He’s also opened up for Weezer, making amusical combination that seems like an oddmatch. Weezer fans are notoriously pickyabout who is associated with their favoriteband; they’ve gone so far as to boo an openingact they didn’t like off the stage as well as thetour. Yorn doesn’t remember any problems,though.

“I think people are always polite. I’ve nevergotten anything thrown at me,” he chuckles.

In fact, he goes so far as to say that he’snever had troubles with any of the other musi-cians he’s toured with.

“It’s never been a bad experience. The FooFighters tour was really fun, hanging out andplaying with those guys.” Yorn adds that hisfavorite tourmates are the ones that put on ashow that you can go out and watch everynight without being bored.

His relaxed attitude is anything but surpris-ing when you listen to his songs. They’ve gotan acoustic, alt-country sort of feel. Andalthough Yorn knows how to write a catchymelody, his songs often have an element ofroughness, perhaps because he’s done all hisrecording in his friend’s garage.

He made musicforthemorningafter in thatgarage, although he probably didn’t have to.So what is the appeal of at-home production?Yorn says that it was more fun to make musicat a friend’s house, outside of the stuffiness ofa professional recording studio.

“It suited my mentality at the time,” he says.“I didn’t want the pressure of knowing that I’dbe paying $2,000 a day for a studio.”

Yorn also played many of the instrumentson his albums himself. “It’s fun for me, but wedid it mostly out of convenience.” On the road,however, he’s more than just a one-man band.Yorn’s backing band, Dirty Bird, is a “revolv-ing door of old friends”—musicians whose

styles and strengths Yorn knows well.He mentions that he played drums during a

jam session a few nights ago, resulting in a lotof cuts and blisters but a good time.

“I think thedrummer leads theparade as far aswhere the music isgoing,” he says,showing whatmight be consideredan unexpected pref-erence for a front-man.

Yorn admits thatrecording, like being on the road, has itscharms, perhaps the greatest of which isunpredictability.

“I love the prospect of going into the studioand creating the greatest song in the world.I’m not saying it will be that, but when youstart recording the first track, you never knowhow important the song will become.”

Maybe he hasn’t written the greatest song inthe world yet, but he has had quite a bit ofluck. Both of his albums have had their shareof hits. “For Nancy” and “Life on a Chain” gothim noticed early on, and more recently,“Come Back Home” has been making its wayacross the airwaves.

You won’t see Yorn pondering it too much,though. He admits that getting recognized isstrange, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

“It’s weird that people know who you are,”he says. “I’ll be walking down the street andsomeone will say hello, and I’m like, oh shit,how do I know this person? Then I realize thatI don’t. It’s not a bad thing, I just get caught offguard by it sometimes.”

It’s the sort of nonchalant attitude thatcomes with having no regrets over choosing alife as a musician. Although Yorn had beeninvolved in music for a long time, he says hedidn’t start thinking seriously about a profes-sional career in music until his early 20s.

“I thought, there’s no way I could be thatlucky that I could just do music for the rest ofmy life.” He pauses. “But I didn’t want to be 30thinking ‘I should have tried that music thing.’I’m really happy that I did.”

Pete Yorn will perform at Foellinger Auditorium onSunday at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $22 for students and $24for the public.

11musicmusicbuzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | WHATEVA. WHATEVA. I DO WHAT I WANT.

Pete Yorn’s laid-back, busy scheduleStarcourse’s fall lineup brings the singer-songwriter to Foellinger Auditorium

Touring is how you bring the music to the people. I don’t

like music to live in a vacuum or just on a record

– Pete Yorn[ [

Seth Fein’s column, The Mendoza Music Line, willreturn next week. In the meantime, you cancontact Seth by e-mail at sethfein@readbuzz.com

buzz

Pete Yorn comes to Urbana this Sunday.

1016buzz1118 10/15/03 4:06 PM Page 1

10 OOPS I CRAPPED MY PANTS | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzarts

Experience the joy of shopping in a real art supply store!

free parking beneath the building, enter from 5th street

bring in this ad and receive 10% off your next purchase of any non-sale items

No baskets, beads, dried-flowers, or over-priced textbooks sold here.Just central illinois’ best selection of fine art supplies at everyday discount prices.

Brought to you by people who really know how to use them

Owned and operated by local artists since 1971mon-wed 9-9 fri & sat 10-6 sun 12-5410 e. green st. champaign 352-4562

The Sandman:Endless Nights!!!! Neil Gaiman

BY BRIAN WARMOTH | STAFF WRITER

What Neil Gaiman brought to comic booksin December 1988 was nothing short of a revo-lution for the entire industry, setting a new barfor what a monthly series could be. TheSandman, Gaiman’s creation and the flagshiptitle for DC Comics’ alternative Vertigo line,led the way for graphic literature to take its fairclaim as the literary medium that it hasbecome. The stories he told back during his 75-issue run on the book were centered around agroup of seven godlike figures referred to as“the Endless”—siblings bearing the namesDream, Death, Destruction, Delirium, Desire,Destiny and Despair. His stories, some as epicin scope as the Narnia Chronicles and othersreminiscent of quainter Grimms’ fairy tales,included themes and references from ancientmythology, as well as Shakespeare and LewisCarroll.

The Sandman: Endless Nights, Gaiman’s newgraphic novel, marks his return to writing themythological universe that he created in that

series and left seven years ago in order to ded-icate more time to his books, including hisHugo award-winning work American Gods andhis internationally best-selling children’s novelCoraline. Endless Nights is set up as sevengraphic novellettes, each focused around oneof the Endless (named accordingly as Death,Desire, etc.). As Gaimanstates in his introduction,the Endless should not beread as gods; they will onlyexist as long as there arepeople to live, dream anddestroy. They are personifi-cations of various aspects oflife, and this is the attitudethat one must take whenreading The Sandman.Otherwise the stories comeacross as far too abstract.

The stories in EndlessNights are each drawn andinked by one of Gaiman’sseven hand-picked interna-tionally renowned artists.The diversity in artistic stylefrom story to story, though itmakes for a very episodicreading experience, allows each chapter tostand on its own. Gaiman utilizes their varyingtechniques to the fullest, creating a movingseries of vignettes in his “Fifteen Portraits ofDespair,” designed and illustrated by the teamof Dave McKean and Barron Storey. Here, theauthor switches gears into his award-winning

prose to relate 15 slices of life in scenes rangingfrom a secretary’s office to a bishop beingaccused of child molestation to a strugglingwriter at a loss for inspiration.

In “Going Inside”—Gaiman’s “Delirium”story for the book—the reader is as fullyimmersed in the artwork of Bill Sienkiewicz as

in the text. Almost everypanel of the story switch-es artistic styles and insome cases mediums aswell. The discomfortevoked by this mecha-nism is masterfully pairedwith haunting words todraw the reader inside themind of a girl driven toinsanity after having beenraped.

While most of the sto-ries in Endless Nights readmore as works of fanta-sy—and in at least onecase science fiction—eachof them appears close toreal life, exploring the nat-ural reactions of its partic-ular subject. Gaiman’s

themes depict thoughts that keep a person upat night, unable to fall asleep. He has provedwith this graphic novel that his hiatus from TheSandman has not left him cold as a storytellerwithin the medium. In fact, if anything, he hascome back with the full heat and passion thatthe book once carried.

bookreviewThe choir, which was once created as a safe

place for lesbians and feminists, wants to beknown more for music than politics. They alsowould like the community to know thatthough Boerger was a hugely positive influ-ence, there is still a general spirit of good willwithin the choir.

“The part (of Amasong) that has changed isthat charisma that belonged to Kristina and isno longer a part of the day to day. (But) thosewho have stayed in the chorus still feel the“vibes” and I have been told by new membersthat they get the sense of belonging that does-n’t exist in other groups,” Spegal said.

Boerger is currently living in New York andteaching music history at Barnard College. Shealso directs a choir that does not have anydirect lesbian or feminist affiliations.

“What I miss about Amasong is that it was agroup that I created in my own image. I didnot have to retrain anyone or “unteach” some-thing someone else had taught them,” saidBoerger.

Though that image still resonates with theshades of her influence, Boerger realizes thatAmasong has become an entity of its own.

“I’ve released my expectations for it. It isn’tmine anymore. It’s in the hands of another,”she said.

Amasongcontinued from page 7

buzz

19buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com calendarRed Herring/Channing-Murray Foundation1209 W Oregon, Urbana, 344.1176Rose Bowl Tavern106 N Race, Urbana, 367.7031Springer Cultural Center301 N Randolph, Champaign, 355.1406Spurlock Museum600 S Gregory, Urbana, 333.2360Strawberry Fields Cafe306 W Springfield, Urbana, 328.1655Ten Thousand Villages105 N Walnut, Champaign, 352.8938TK Wendl’s1901 S Highcross Rd, Urbana, 255.5328Tommy G’s123 S. Mattis Ave., Country Fair Shopping Center, 359.2177Tonic619 S Wright, Champaign, 356.6768Two Main2 Main, Champaign, 359.3148University YMCA1001 S Wright, Champaign, 344.0721Verde/Verdant17 E Taylor St, Champaign, 366.3204Virginia Theatre203 W Park Ave, Champaign, 356.9053White Horse Inn112 1/2 E Green, Champaign, 352.5945Zorba’s

627 E Green, Champaign

CHICAGOVENUESHouse of Blues 329 N Dearborn, Chicago, 312.923.2000The Bottom Lounge 3206 N Wilton, ChicagoCongress Theatre2135 N Milwaukee, 312.923.2000Vic Theatre

3145 N Sheffield, Chicago, 773.472.0449Metro 3730 N Clark St, Chicago, 773.549.0203Elbo Room 2871 N Lincoln Ave, ChicagoPark West 322 W Armitage, Chicago, 773.929.1322Riviera Theatre 4746 N Racine at Lawerence, ChicagoAllstate Arena 6920 N Mannheim Rd, Rosemont, 847.635.6601Arie Crown Theatre 2300 S Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, 312.791.6000UIC Pavilion1150 W Harrison, Chicago, 312.413.5700Schubas 3159 N Southport, Chicago, 773.525.2508Martyrs 3855 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, 773.288.4545Aragon 1106 W Lawerence, Chicago, 773.561.9500Abbey Pub 3420 W Grace, Chicago, 773.478.4408Fireside Bowl 2646 W Fullerton Ave, Chicago, 773.486.2700Schubert Theatre 22 W Monroe, Chicago, 312.977.1700

Workshop – Register now to join artist-instructor SandraAhten for "Drawing More" a one day workshop held onOct 25 to inspire you to dust off your sketch pad. Call (217)367-6345 or email spiritofsandra@hotmail.com to register.High Cross Studio. 1101 N High Cross Road.

Portraits – Award winning portrait artist Sandra Ahten iscurrently accepting commissions for portraits for holidaygiving. Portraits are priced at an affordable range and pro-fessional exchange or barter may be accepted. For exam-ples of work and a quote, contact Sandra Ahten at (217)367-6345 or spiritofsandra@hotmail.com

Creation Art Studio Art Classes for Children and Adults –All classes offer technical instruction and the explorationof materials through expressive, spontaneous art andexperimentation. Independent studies of personal inter-ests and ideas, dreams, etc. are expressed and developedthrough collage and assemblage art and through drawing,painting, sculpture and ceramics. Children meet Mon-Thufrom 3:30-5pm, and Sat 11am-12:30pm. Adolescents meetFri 4-5:30pm. Adults meet Thu at 10am and Sat between1:30-5:30pm for two or more hours. Create designs, a stilllife, portraits, landscapes and more. Open to beginners andadvanced students. Adult Open Studio meets Tue 7-9pm.Drop-ins welcome. Come with a friend. Call to make spe-

cial arrangements for a group. CPDU's offered. For informa-tion, contact Jeannine Bestoso at 344-6955. Creation ArtStudio is located at 1102 E Washington, Urbana. www.cre-ationartstudios.com

Join Artists and Workshops at Gallery Virtu – GalleryVirtu, an artist-owned cooperative, now invites applica-tions from area artists. The Gallery also offers workshopsfor adults, teens and children in knitting, embroidery, pho-tography, jewelry making, printmaking, papermaking,bookbinding and ribbon flowers. Gallery Virtu offers origi-nal works by the members including: jewelry, pottery, col-lages, sculptures, journals, hats, handbags and other tex-tiles. For more information please call 762-7790, visit ourwebsite at www.galleryvirtu.org, e-mailworkshops@galleryvirtu.org or visit the gallery. Regularhours: Thu 12-4pm, Fri 12-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm. 220 WWashington Street in Monticello.

Art Classes at High Cross Studio – All classes are held atHigh Cross Studio in Urbana. 1101 N High Cross Road. E-mail or call for reservations and details. (217) 367-6345 orspiritofsandra@hotmail.com.

“Portrait Paintings with Oils” – This course will provideinstruction in painting portraits from photographs. Paint aportrait of your loved one or yourself. Mon-Fri daytimeclass and weekend workshop offered.

"Collage for the Soul" – Students will learn a variety of col-lage techniques, including photo and photocopy transfer,papermaking and manipulation, and frontage, whileexploring a particular subject, such as a place, a memory,an experience or a relationship. No art-making experiencenecessary.

"Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" – For adults whohave always wanted to learn to draw, but felt as if theylacked talent or confidence.

Other Classes: “Making Monoprints,”“Art With Intention”(Open Studio). For information on these visit www.spiritof-sandra.com and click on "classes," then e-mail or call forreservations.

Boneyard Pottery – Ceramic Art by Michael Schwegmannand more. 403 Water St, Champaign. (217) 355-5610. Tue-Sat 11am-5pm.

Broken Oak Gallery – Local and national artists. Original artincluding photography, watercolors, pottery, oil paintings,colored pencil, woodturning and more. Refreshmentsserved by the garden all day Saturday. 1865 N 1225 E Rd.,White Heath. (217) 762-4907. Thu-Sat 10am-4pm.

Cinema Galley – Local and regional artists including manyUniversity of Illinois and Parkland College faculty mem-bers. 120 W Main, Urbana. (217) 367-3711. Tue-Sat 10am-4pm. Sun 1-5pm.

Cafe Kopi – Oil paintings and various works from local artistPaula McCarty on display through Oct. 109 N Walnut,Champaign. (217) 359-4266. Mon-Thu 7am-11pm, Fri-Sat7am-12pm, Sun 11am-8pm.

Creation Art Studios – Hosts a continuous and evolvingdisplay of works by students and associates of the studio.Landscapes, florals, animal life and expressive art in variousmediums by Jeannine Bestoso are also currently on dis-play. For information, contact Jeannine Bestoso. 1102 EWashington St., Urbana. (217) 344-6955. Tue-Sat 1-5:30pm;and scheduled studio sessions.www.creationartstudios.com

Country in the City – Antiques, Architectural, Gardening,Home Accessories. Custom designing available. 1104 EWashington St., Urbana. (217) 367-2367. Thu-Sat 10am-5pm.

Framer's Market – Frame Designers since 1981. Current fea-tured artists: Charlotte Brady - Botanical Watercolors, BarryBrehm - Landscape Photography, Larry Hamlin - AquatintEtchings, Patrick Harness - Vibrant Oils and Pastels, HuaNian - Abstract Watercolors & Pastels, David Smith -Original Acrylic Landscapes, Cindy Smith - Stone & WoodSculpture, Bill Stevens - Humorous Recycled MetalSculptures, Steve Stoerger - Steel & Glass Sculpture, BonnieSwitzer - Abstract Acrylic Paintings. 807 W Springfield Ave,Champaign. (217) 351-7020. Tue-Fri 9:30am-5:30pm, Sat10am-4pm.

ART LISTINGS

ART GALLERIES & EXHIBITS

1016buzz1019 10/15/03 4:08 PM Page 1

Furniture Lounge – Local artist Dean Schwenk along withmany other local and fine artwork/pottery. Also specializ-ing in mid-century modern furniture from the 1920s-1980s, retro, Danish modern, lighting, vintage stereoequipment and vinyl records. 9 E University, Champaign.(217) 352-5150. Sun-Mon 12-4:30pm, Wed-Sat 11am-5:30pm.

Gallery Virtu Cooperative – Original fine art and crafts frommember artists including jewelry, pottery, paintings, col-lages, hats, handbags and other textiles, sculptures andjournals. The Gallery also offers workshops; a new sched-ule of classes is on the website. 220 W Washington St,Monticello. (217) 762-7790. Thu 12-4pm, Fri 12-8pm, Sat10am-6pm. www.galleryvirtu.org

Glass FX – New and Antique Stained Glass Windows, Lamps,and unique glass gifts. Gallery is free and open to the pub-lic. Interested in learning the art of Stained Glass?Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced Stained GlassClasses offered. 202 S First St, Champaign. Mon-Thu 10am-5:30pm, Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm. (217) 359-0048.www.glassfx.com.

Griggs Street Potters – Handmade functional and decora-tive pottery. 305 W Grigg St, Urbana. (217) 344-8546. Mon-Fri 11am-4pm, or call for appointment.

The High Cross Studio Gallery – Works by Sandra Ahtenson display. Artist studio space available. 1101 N High CrossRd, Urbana. Tue 7-9pm, Thu 3-5pm, Fri 3-5pm and bychance or appointment. spiritofsandra@hotmail.com

Hill Street Gallery Inc. – Oil and watercolor paintings, handpainted T-shirts, handmade jewelry. 703 W Hill,Champaign. (217) 359-0675. Sat 12-5pm or by appoint-ment during the week.

International Galleries – Works from local artists. LincolnSquare Mall. (217) 328-2254. Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 12-5pm.

Larry Kanfer Gallery – University of Illinois images by pho-tographic artist Larry Kanfer. Unique diploma frames andother UI gifts. Sepia Champaign-Urbana Collection also ondisplay. Available now: 2004 Prairiescapes and Universityof Illinois calendars. 2503 S Neil, Champaign. (217) 398-2000. Free and Open to the Public. Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm.www.kanfer.com

LaPayne Photography – Specializes in panoramic photog-raphy up to 6 feet long of different subjects includingsporting events, city skylines, national parks and Universityof Illinois scenes. Las Vegas Strip photo show comingsoon. 816 Dennison Dr, Champaign. (217) 356-8994. Mon-Fri 9am-4pm and by appointment.

Old Vic Art Gallery – Fine and Original Art. 11 E University,Champaign. (217) 355-8338. Mon-Thu 11am-5:30pm, Sat11am-4:30pm.

Springer Cultural Center – Cultural, recreational and educa-tional programs for all ages as well as workshops, lectures,exhibits and performances. Offers classes in dance, music,theater, visual arts, health/wellness and for preschool chil-dren. 301 N Randolph St, Champaign. 398-2376. Mon-Thu8am-9pm, Fri 8am-5:30pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 12pm-5pm.www.champaignparkdistrict.com

Steeple Gallery – Works from Gary Ingersoll, includingmany Allerton Park photos on display. Also showing vin-tage botanical and bird prints, antiques, framed limitededition prints. 102 E Lafayette St., Monticello. 762-2924.

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm.www.steeplegallery.com

Verdant News and Coffee & Verde Gallery – Magazines,newspapers, coffee, beverages and fine pastries along withthe Verde Fine Art Gallery. 17 E Taylor St, Champaign. 366-3204. Cafe hours: Mon-Sat 7am-10 pm; Gallery Hours: Tue-Sat 10am-10pm. www.verdant-systems.com/Verde.htm

UIUC Japan House – Public Tours: Every Thursday, 1-4pm,Third Sat of each month, 1-5pm or by appointment. 2000 SLincoln Ave, Urbana. (217) 244-9934. emailjapanhouse@uiuc.edu.

Ziemer Gallery – Original paintings and limited editionprints by Larry Ziemer. Pottery, weavings, wood turningand glass works by other artists. Gallery visitors are wel-come to sit, relax, listen to the music and just enjoy beingsurrounded by art. 210 W Washington, Monticello. Tue10am-8pm, Wed-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10am-4pm.www.ziemergallery.com

“Trio” – Paintings by Dylan DeWitt and Milena Tiner andceramics by Tyler Bergfield on display at the SpringerCultural Center from Oct 22-Nov 16. Opening receptionfeaturing live music from Jordan Kaye Oct 24, 6-8pm.Artists’ talk, 7pm. This is a free event. Springer CulturalCenter. 301 N Randolph, Champaign. Gallery Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-9pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 12-5pm. 398-2376.

“Affixed” – Sixteen local artists display their work in a juriedart show at High-Cross Studio Oct 17-31. Entries rangefrom 3D work such as Goddess alters and original dolls tophotomontage and torn paper collage art. Opening recep-tion on Oct 17 from 7-9pm at High-Cross Studio. 1001High Cross Road, Urbana. Gallery hours: Tue-Sun 10-4pm.367-6345. spiritofsandra@hotmail.com

“Bulbs” – Pastel and collage series from Deeana Love ondisplay at High Cross Studio Oct 17-31. Opening receptionon Oct 17 from 7-9pm at High-Cross Studio. 1001 HighCross Road, Urbana. Gallery hours: Tue-Sun 10-4pm. 367-6345. spiritofsandra@hotmail.com

“Colors of Islam” – In conjunction with Islam AwarenessWeek, the Muslim Students Association is cosponsoring anart show at the Illini Union Art Gallery until Nov 3. 1401 WGreen, Urbana. Open every day 7am-10pm.

“First Annual Midwest Sequential Art Exhibition” – TheMiddle Room Gallery hosts an exhibition of comic andsequential art talent from the Midwest. Ranging in visualand narrative style from political to fantasy, from JapaneseManga to the familiar super-heroic conventions, this showwill help shine a light on one of the most misunderstoodand overlooked art forms today. Artists include Pam Bliss,Tim Broderick, Jacen Burrows, Darrin Drda, Brion Foulke,Hope Larson, Layla Lawler, Dirk Tiede, Dann Tincher, Charlie"Spike" Trotman. On View at the Middle Room Gallerythrough Oct 31. 218 W Main St, Urbana.http://www.gallery.ucimc.org/

“Whistler and Japonisme: Selections from thePermanent Collection” – Marking the 100th anniversaryof James McNeill Whistler’s death, this exhibition high-lights his works on paper and examines the influence thatJapanese woodcuts had on his artistic technique. On dis-play at the Krannert Art Museum through March 28, 2004.500 E Peabody, Urbana. Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm. (217) 333-1860. Suggested Donation: $3

"Remnants of Ritual: Selections from the GelbardCollection of African Art" – The magnificent African artcollection of David and Clifford Gelbard focuses on thecultural significance and aesthetic beauty of masks andsculptures - many of which were created for ceremonialand ritual purposes. This exhibition includes a wide arrayof objects and celebrates the durable, expressive essenceof festivals, rites and coming-of-age ceremonies. On dis-play at the Krannert Art Museum through Oct 26. 500 EPeabody, Urbana. Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm,Sun 2-5pm. (217) 333-1860. Suggested Donation: $3

"Visualizing the Blues: Images of the American South,1862-1999" – Every picture tells a story and this exhibi-tion of more than 100 photographs of the MississippiDelta region portrays a profoundly vivid narrative of life inthe American South. These photographs, taken from theCivil War era through 1999, show the rhythms of life fromthis almost mythic region and powerfully document thesources of inspiration for the lyrics and melodies of bluesmusicians. Among the photographers represented are

Margaret Bourke-White, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Walker Evans,Dorothea Lange, Gordon Parks, Andres Serrano and manyothers. On display at Krannert Art Museum through Nov 2.500 E Peabody, Urbana. Tue, Thu-Sat 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm. (217) 333-1860. Suggested Donation: $3

Featured Works XIII: "The Spirit of Mediterranean Pathos:The Early Work of Pierre Daura" – Pierre Daura (1896-1976) was a member of significant modern art movementsin the early 20th century. This exhibition highlights arecent gift of works by Daura and explores the forms andcolors of his paintings and drawings from about 1910 tothe late 1930s. On display at Krannert Art Museumthrough Nov 2. 500 E Peabody, Urbana. Tue, Thu-Sat. 9am-5pm, Wed 9am-8pm, Sun 2-5pm. (217) 333-1860.Suggested Donation: $3

“Separate and Unequal: Segregation and Three Generationsof Black Response, 1870-1950.” – This exhibit highlightsthe Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court decision of 1896,which legally sanctioned racial segregation in the UnitedStates until 1954 when the Supreme Court overturnedPlessy in the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case.Materials from the Library's collections and archives high-light the historical period between these two landmarkcivil rights cases. Sponsored by the Office of theChancellor, the Brown v. Board of EducationCommemorative Committee and the University of IllinoisLibrary. On view at the University of Illinois Main Library,first floor hallway, during library hours. 1408 W GregoryDrive, Urbana. Hours vary. 333-2290.www.oc.uiuc.edu/brown

“Through Larry Kanfer’s Lens: From Prariescapes toCityscapes” – The latest exhibit of photographic artworkby critically acclaimed fine-art photographic artist, LarryKanfer, features "visually stunning Prairiescapes up to 8feet wide. Contemplate the vast grandeur of America'sheartland, with its rich traditions and seasonal cycles ofthe prairie, juxtaposed against images of Midwestcityscapes, highlighting intimate architectural details.On display at the Lark Kanfer Gallery through Oct 24. 2503S Neil, Champaign. (217) 398-2000. Free and Open to thePublic. Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm. www.kanfer.com

Elysium on the Prairie, Live Action Roleplaying – Vampiresstalk the city streets and struggle for dominance in a worldof gothic horror. Create your own character and minglewith dozens of players who portray their own undead alteregos. Each session is another chapter in an ongoing storyof triumph, tragedy and betrayal. Friday, “Vampire: TheMasquerade” For more information visit:http://ww2.uiuc.edu/ro/elysium/intro.html. Check site forlocation, 7pm.

Sunday Zen Meditation Meeting – Prairie Zen Center,515 S Prospect, Champaign, NW corner Prospect &Green, enter thru door from parking area. Introductionto Zen Sitting, 10 AM; Full Schedule: Service at 9followed by sitting, Dharma Talk at 11 followed by teauntil about 12 noon. Can arrive at any of above times,open to all, no experience needed, no cost. For infocall 355-8835 or www.prairiezen.org

Prairie Sangha for Mindfullness Meditation – Mondayevenings from 7:30-9pm and monthly retreats on Sunday.Theravadan (Vipassana) and Tibetan (Vjrayana &Dzogchen) meditation practice. Meets in Urbana. Moreinformation call or email Tom at 356-7413 orshayir@soltec.net. www.prairiesangha.org

Clear Sky Zen Group – Meets on Thursday evenings in theGeneva Room of the McKinley Foundation. Newcomers tomeditation and people of all traditions and faiths are wel-come – McKinley Foundation, 809 S Fifth St, 6:25-9pm

Formerly-Fat Persons’ Support Group – Free social meet-ing every Saturday at 2pm at Aroma Cafe, 118 N Neil St, C.For more information contact Jessica Watson at 353-4934.

Artist’s Way Group – A 12-week adventure in recoveringand celebrating our creative spirit. Wednesdays, Sept 17-Dec 17 (no session Nov 26) from 5:45-7:15pm at McKinleyFoundation (free parking). To register or for more informa-tion, contact Jo Pauly, MSW, Whole Life Coach at (217) 337-7823 or jopauly@prairienet.org.

WORKSHOPS

MIND BODY SPIRIT

20 WANT TO GET YOUR EVENT LISTED ON OUR CALENDAR? Send your listings to calendar@readbuzz.com | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzcalendar

THEATER LISTINGS

ART-OPENING

ART-ON VIEW NOW

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ON PAGE 26

T R A M S H A L E I S L EH E R O P A G E R T H E YE M I T L I E I N S T A T EC A S H B A R N O R T HA R T E R Y I L L E E OS C A R E M E N U G I R LT H E S W E E T S C I E N C E

D E A D H O R S ES U G A R R A Y L E O N A R DO K A Y E L L E G A T O RM U G Y D S R O D E B YE L A T E M E N A C E DH E R E A N D N O W V A S EO L I N E X I L E I K O NW E N T W I P E D S E N S

BY ELLIOT KOLKOVICH | EDITORIAL ADVISOR

Sam comes into the room, a rather dingybasement in an upscale restaurant in NewYork. He’s tired. He looks at the ringingphones on the desk. He slides his worn brownleather satchel off his right shoulder, acrossthe black nylon sleeve of his jacket. He sets itdown on the chair against the back wall. Then,moving his cup of coffee from one hand to theother, he takes his jacket off and sets it on topof his satchel.

He slowly walks up to the desk. He sighs,grabs the headset off the desk, puts it on hishead and tucks the end of the cord into thefront left pocket of his jeans.

“Good morning, reservations, could youhold, please?” he says to Mrs. Vandevere, arich Park Avenue woman who sounds like asoft-spoken Katherine Hepburn.

In the next couple of minutes, Sam repeatshis greeting six times to the Sheik’s right handman; Mrs. Winslow, a middle-aged Southernbelle; Bryce, an overly flamboyant assistant tomodel Naomi Campbell; a plain-voicedMidwestern secretary; and the nasally NewYork regular Carolann Rosenstein-Fishburn.

He takes care of the various needs eventu-ally—one wants special lighting, one wants toknow the menu, one wants a particular table,etc.

Over the next 50 minutes, Sam balances theringing phone that sits at the top left of hisdesk, the buzzer that goes straight toStephanie, a hostess upstairs, and the “batphone” on the wall to his right that connectsdirectly to the chef.

He has 47 separate phone calls to answer,including Stephanie and the chef buzzing in,and he has talked to 23 different people in thetime since he first walked into the room.

About 50 minutes after he walked in, a verydepressed secretary waits on a line, Samswitches on and says, “Ma’am? The chef’s in ameeting but I’ll have him call you as soon ashe’s—”

The line goes dead, and a new voice breaksthe silence.

“Okay, that’s about halfway,” says KarmaIbsen, the director of Fully Committed, the playthat Sam is the main character in.

Gary Ambler, the man who plays Sam,slumps his shoulders and sighs heavily.

“Now kill me,” he says. Ambler also plays the 23 other characters

Sam has been talking to over the phone. Fully Committed is a one-man show that will

open tonight at the Station Theatre in Urbana.It’s a little under an hour and a half, but GaryAmbler will be on stage nearly all of the time,playing every character in the play. The onlylines Ambler doesn’t have is when a voicemailrecording plays. This is Ambler’s first play atthe Station Theatre in almost two years, a long

time for someone who normally does three tosix shows a year and who has been actingthere for almost 30 years.

Ambler grew up in Broadlands a smalltown about 30 miles south of Champaign. Justbefore high school, hegot interested in the-atre. His parents usedto take him and hissister and two broth-ers to The LittleTheatre on the Squarein Sullivan, Ill. In highschool, he did whatev-er plays were offered,but since the highschool was small,there was only one production a year.

In 1975 he graduated from Eastern IllinoisUniversity, moved to Champaign and took ajob in civil services at the University ofIllinois. He didn’t plan on staying inChampaign that long, but started auditioningfor plays at the then relatively new StationTheatre.

He married Barbara, also an actress in 1980,after Karma Ibsen proposed to them. Barbaraand Gary were at Grunt’s a bar that Karmaworked at when Karma came up and pro-posed marriage to them. Karma took care of

everything, and had the wedding at her houseon a very hot July 14.

In 1983, Gary and Barbara they moved toMassachusetts and Gary took a job in publicradio with the University of Massachusetts.

Part of the reason to goout there was to giveacting a shot. Theyloved Amherst, whichwas close to where theylived and had a lot ofacting opportunities,but he and Barbarafound the area wastight knit and he could-n’t find a way to breakin. Amherst was also

home to five colleges, which meant most of theacting opportunities were for students only, andthere was no real town outside of the colleges.

After four years, he, his wife and their newson Sam started to get lonely. They decided theywanted Sam to live closer to the rest of his fam-ily, so they moved back to Champaign-Urbana.

He has been here since and has worked asan admissions officer in the ArchitectureGraduate program at the University of Illinoisfor about 10 years.

In January 2002 he was in American Buffaloat the Station Theatre, his last show there.

That summer he was in The Caretaker withFaces Like Swords, a new Chicago Theatrecompany, at the Chopin Theatre.

On Saturday July 27 of last year during TheCaretaker’s run, he went out with some friendsafter the show. He had a couple beers and thenwent to take the L home by himself at about2:30 a.m. He got off the train and started walk-ing to where he was staying. He didn’t knowit at the time, but he was being followed byfour young men.

There was a man in front of him who noticedand shouted, “Run,” before ducking down.Ambler was walking north down AustinBoulevard, then he turned left down JacksonBoulevard.

“I went up to the first house I saw, andwalked up to it like it was mine,” he said.

The four men followed him to the house. Twowalked up the steps to the door Ambler wasstanding in front of. They asked him if this washis house.

“Yeah,” he said. Then they asked for his wal-let and his cell phone. The taller of the two tookthe phone and the shorter one took the wallet.They started down the steps, but before theyleft, one turned and pulled out a gun Garythought looked like a toy.

buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | HAHA THIS SENTENCE IS GREAT! arts 9

Station Theatre welcomes back old pro

Gary Ambler is now performing his one man show at Station Theater in Urbana

continued on page 27

I remember having oneminute of lucid thought, and I

just started making noises.The next thing I remember,

the paramedics wereshouting at me

Gary Ambler, actor

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8 THIS IS THE FUNNY LINE | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzarts

BY TERESA SEWELL | STAFF WRITER

Larry Kanfer, is the owner of his self-titled pho-tography gallery. He’s originally from

Portland, Oregon, but moved to Urbana duringhis high school years. He opened up The LarryKanfer Gallery in the city. Not onlydoes he have works in Urbana, butalso Kanfer’s work is exhibitedacross the United States. Accordingto the gallery’s Web site,Kanfer.com, he has also publishedfive critically acclaimed books andhas had award-winning art calen-dars for the past 12 years. Some ofwhich includes his extensive collec-tion of University of Illinoisimages, books, and postcards.

What inspired you to open aphotography gallery?

I was looking for a venue for showing mywork, but at the time there were not too manyplaces in Champaign-Urbana where I coulddisplay personal work. So, I just decided toopen my own place. I started off doing por-traits for weddings and other landscape proj-

ects and when I found a location, I justopened it up.

What type of themes do you try to mainlydeal with in terms of your photography?

I just really want toshow how people con-nect to their landscapes.People have a way intowhich they connect withphotographs. It may be acorner store, or a tree on ahill. I just try to under-stand how they connectwith it. It doesn’t evenmatter where I am, aslong as I can see howpeople connect with theirlandscapes, and physicallocations, I can work fine.

What is the most recent project that you’veworked on?

I was at an art conference in Bloomington-Normal, where I discussed the topic,“Ephemeral Moments in Enduring

Landscape: Cycles of thePrairie and it’s People. Idescribed how people’sspirituality connects tothe landscapes. It’s like anintersection of people’scycles and their moments.

What piece are youproudest of?

It would have to be mynewer works. “FullCircle” embodies the con-nection of farmers.Farmers work hard allyear and I basically give adescription of how theywork. The sun comes upand the whole agricultural process becomesaligned. I made that into one image. I’m justlucky to do something I love doing. It justfeels good to have an emotional effect thatdraws people into a memory about their ownpast. It’s rewarding to be an outsider lookingin on both worlds, and becoming part of boththose worlds. It’s exciting.

Full Circle, as well as Larry’s current show,Through Larry Kanfer’s Lens: FromPrairiescapes to Cityscapes can be seenthrough Oct. 24, as apart of Illinois ArtsWeek. The Larry Kanfer Gallery is located2503 S. Neil St, and free to the public, M-Sat:10-5 and Sun 11-3.

ARTIST’S CORNER

BY BRIAN WARMOTH | STAFF WRITER

Apiece of art exists at any given point in timeas a product of the process or processes that

have created it. Exploring and celebrating thisfact is the core of the Krannert Art Museum’scurrent exhibit, “Remnants of Ritual:Selections from the Gelbard Collection ofAfrican Art.” The display consists of 117 his-torical artifacts from all over the African conti-nent on loan from the private collection ofDavid and Clifford Gelbard. The pieces rangefrom carved statues to masks and chairs; all ofthe pieces, however, have one underlying com-monality: roles in ceremony and ritual fromthe people who created them.

As Michael Conner, a curator of collectionsat the museum, points out, visitors to the dis-play are given an “unusual experience” to seeall of these pieces simultaneously. Together,they are a set of windows into life as far as 100years into the past and separated from us byoceans. He points out that these remnants arenot necessarily representative of Africa today,but of their respective rituals and ways of lifewhen they were produced.

At first glance, one will see that faces andfigures are pervasive subjects throughout theexhibit. Conner says that most of the depic-tions are of revered family members and

important spirits, as is the case with most ofthe hanging masks.

There is a great deal of aesthetic diversityamong the works, evident in the case of themasks that hang around the room. Some areadorned with elaborate bead patterns orincredibly realistic facialexpressions, while oth-ers—such as a dance crestfrom Nigeria—haveprominent and elaborateprotrusions with juttingteeth. In anotherNigerian mask on dis-play, the entire lower jawis extended and tendrilsextend from the head—meant to capturestrength, violence andbravery.

One of the most promi-nent pieces is a carvedstatue of a young femalebeing prepared for abirthing ritual. Accordingto Conner, the girl wasprobably a didactic toolfor teaching the ritualprocess. The initiate isdepicted as protected bythe buffalo spirit, who isrepresented by a whitemask with bovine teeth.The statue serves as aremnant of an aspect ofher people’s culture inYao, Malawi, where it

was created. It is particularly rarebecause most figures of its kindwere disposed of shortly after use.

Framed as an exposition of arti-facts having value for the rolesthey were created for, “Remnants

of Ritual” opensup two dimen-sions for appre-ciating itsw o r k s — b o t haesthetically aswell as for thecultural factorsthat producedthem. InConnor’s words,“Contemporaryartists now areconcerned withprocesses andperformance.”

The converseis true of theseworks, giventheir representa-tion of theworlds they onceexisted in. Thelayout of theexhibit strives torepresent this through ashort video, which presentsseveral of them in their per-formance contexts.Unfortunately, many of theircontexts have been forever

lost; therein lies their value as artifacts and asworks of art.

Remnants of Ritual will be shown atKrannert Art Museum until November 2.

Remnants ofRitual

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Shrine object from Undeterminedgroup, Eastern Tanzaniamade of wood, beads, calabash, cloth,and sacrificial material.

Mask from Igbo, Nigeria made from wood, iron, pigments.

buzz

BY JASON CANTONE | ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

American soldiers can be murderers, liars,cheats and robbers. They can have the

morality of pond scum. To say that isn’t to beanti-American. Instead, it only verifies that sol-diers, in fact, are people too, and are just as like-ly to have faults as the average Joe Schmo whowatches war through televised reports.

With Buffalo Soldiers, Miramax Films contin-ues its controversial season, showcasing intelli-gent films loathed by the parties in them. Firstcame The Magdalene Sisters, which religiousleaders labeled as anti-Catholic because itdepicted a true story of how the CatholicChurch used thousands of women as laundryslaves at a particular convent. Now comesBuffalo Soldiers, which pushed its release backtwo years because these soldiers aren’t heroes.

Buffalo Soldiers isn’t meant to be a politicalfilm about Germany in the early 1990s, whenthe film is set. Nor is it intended to be aShakespearean morality play about the trialsand tribulations of the U.S. military. Instead, it’sa biting satire filled with black comedy thathighlights the absurdity of everything going

on. Specialist Elwood (Joaquin Phoenix)becomes the base’s black-market king, whichshould not surprise the military because theonly reason he joined was to avoid six monthsin jail following an arrest, though he states thatthis might not have been the right choice.Throughout the film, he deals with producingillegal drugs, stealing weapons and having sexwith both his colonel’s wife and his topsergeant’s daughter. With no war going on, thisjust a game to Elwood.

Buffalo Soldiers might lack some of the satiri-cal edge of Three Kings, but it still commandsattention. Watching drugged-up soldiers drivea tank over a Volkswagen bug and into a gasstation is humorous, but the humor turns darkwhen the gas station explodes, killing two offi-cers looking to see what the tank is doing in theneighboring town. And then there’s a soldieron drugs who wants to play football and catch-es a touchdown pass before slamming headfirstinto the corner of a table, instantly killing him.These soldiers have no battles to fight, but stilldie quickly, as if the action took place on thebattlefield and not the base camp.

Although none of the performances are par-ticularly Oscar-worthy, Scott Glenn does a com-mendable job as the top sergeant who will notlet drugs destroy the soldiers or allow Elwoodto destroy his daughter. Channeling ChrisCooper in American Beauty, Glenn gives thisblack comedy its serious tone. Ed Harris playsagainst his type as a needy, desperate coloneltrying to win praise, and when he gets shotdown at a party to bolster his reputation, the

audience has to feel for him. He is the one trulyinnocent character and deserves much betterthan the world around him.

What Buffalo Soldiers really deserves is awider release not accompanied by critics acrossthe nation labeling it as anti-American andusing the flag-waving times of post-Sept. 11 tosend this satire into obscurity. Though it lackssome of the emotional depth and politicalpower it attempts to achieve, Buffalo Soldiers isan absorbing crime story that quite expertlyteeters between serious military drama andanti-military satire.

BY MATT PAIS | LEAD REVIEWER

Sure, those opening scenesof Reservoir Dogs were

money, but QuentinTarantino’s learned a fewthings in the 11 years since hiship, violent debut. Pulp Fictionand Jackie Brown further devel-

oped the director’s taste for the anarchic brava-do of nonchronological structure, but with KillBill: Volume One, the gonzo filmmaker rein-forces that he must have sleeves a mile long tohold all of his tricks.

Kill Bill: Volume One reveals its cards distinct-ly more than the off-kilter, where-the-hell-is-this-going intoxication of Pulp Fiction, but to nolesser effect. After all, the title explains thefilm’s plot: the Bride (Uma Thurman), a formerassassin, seeks revenge on her mentor, Bill, andthe rest of the Deadly Viper AssassinationSquad (DiVAS), which killed her entire wed-ding party except for her. Tarantino providesexposition for all of his villains but nothing

about the bride a.k.a. Black Mamba; all theaudience knows of her life is who she wants tokill and why. He again divides the story intointerlocking, jumbled chapters, but this time hetakes his episodic, atypical structure to newheights, opting to release Volume Two inFebruary.

Kill Bill: Volume One’s furious, stylistic energyis fueled by old-fashioned Japanese fight scenesand Tarantino’s special blend of twisted darkcomedy, especially in a gloriously gruesomeanime sequence. This is an extraordinarilyabsorbing tale of blood-soaked retribution, andwhile the film is cut in an appropriate place, itwill make viewers want to stay seated anddemand to see Volume Two now.

As a writer and director, Tarantino cares solittle for Hollywood custom that, if he weren’tso damn inventive, it might seem his filmsdeliberately and self-consciously turn theirbacks on audience expectations. But his relent-less creativity and selfish commitment to artis-tic impudence redeem his equally strong pre-tension. He scatters his films’ chronology like adeck of cards emptied on the floor, and onceagain, Kill Bill adds up to much more than itwould were it tightly linear.

With his own confident restlessness and apunchy, varying soundtrack featuring originalmusic, Tarantino delivers a balls-to-the-wallgenre picture with more than just good ass-kicking. This is filmmaking that acknowledgesthe best sources of its inspiration and still push-es to be better, questioning why a snide, cocky

director from Knoxville, Tenn., cannot make anauthentic martial arts film without relying sole-ly on Far Eastern actors.

Vivica A. Fox and Thurman engage in agreat, hysterical knife fight minutes into themovie, but it’s nothing compared to the chaot-ic, grisly concluding battle at the House of BlueLeaves. As limbs fly and blood splatters likespray paint, Thurman takes a licking and keepson ticking as a fearless, one-woman army, bat-tling dozens of samurai warriors. She is asbeautiful and lively as ever, and her flips andfalls—punctuated by excellent stunt work—aresmooth, graceful proof that Americans can beninjas too.

Tarantino uses elements such as rock musicand baseball to repeatedly depict theAmericanization of Japan and effectively illus-trate the possibility of infusing American cine-ma with Japanese influences. At first, there’s aninherent degree of cultural disunity asThurman and Fox are introduced as BlackMamba and Copperhead. Fox even commentsin the film that she should have been BlackMamba. But Tarantino maintains a controlled,static tone of tongue-in-cheek action that light-ens the effect of the gore.

Kill Bill is raw entertainment that packs brainswith its brawn. That is because Tarantino is anexpert at drawing feeling from his killers, rob-bers and sociopaths. In Kill Bill, Tarantino revisitshis penchant for characters who have experi-enced past—and specifically, childhood—trau-ma, again hitting the mark with brave situation-

al dichotomy. It takes a bold filmmaker toinclude themes of childhood innocence in anadrenaline-pumping action movie, but thesescenes work to an effect of exaggeratedmajesty—particularly when Copperhead’sdaughter comes home from school in the middleof her knife fight with Black Mamba.

This leads to a troubling, recognizable scenethat, as he has done so often by putting his ownspin on familiar characterizations and situa-tions, Tarantino truly makes his own. He findssweetness in reciprocity, whether it comes frompayback or redemption. Kill Bill: Volume Oneunfurls with a cannonball’s momentum, andunlike The Matrix series, it stands on its ownwhile gearing everyone up for the next round.

KILL BILL:VOLUME ONE

moviereview

KILL BILL: VOLUME ONE | UMA THURMAN, LUCY LIU

moviereview

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BUFFALO SOLDIERS | JOAQUIN PHOENIX

BUFFALOSOLDIERS!!!

!!!!

SCREEN REVIEW GUIDE!!!! Flawless!!! Good!! Mediocre! Badno stars Unwatchable

LOST IN TRANSLATION

"It was very unpredictable. A smart comedy."

!!!!

Luke Mattison

Champaign

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Chicago

"Bill Murray was excellent."

"Nothing but Quentin Tarantino gibberish."

KILL BILL: VOLUME ONE

buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003| WANT TO SEE BLOOD SPURT LIKE OUT OF A FIRE HYDRANT? 21film & tvfilm & tv

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22 BAD BOY! BAD MOVIE! BAD BAD BAD! | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzfilm & tv

BY ARTHUR MITCHELL | STAFF WRITER

Good Boy! can be described as a mix betweenCats & Dogs and the beloved classic E.T., but

it shouldn’t be taken as any more than escapistfamily entertainment.

Good Boy! is a story about a lonely boynamed Owen (Liam Aiken) who can’t seem tomake a great connection with humans, but hasa fantastic connection with dogs. His parents(Molly Shannon and Kevin Nealon) make theirliving by renovating homes all over the coun-try. His parents’ occupation does not give littleOwen the time to make friends, only time toalienate his peers with his quirky ways.

In comes a space-traveling dog from a dogplanet to see if canines are effectively dominat-ing the human race. This dog (voiced byMatthew Broderick), crash lands in Owen’stown and soon after Owen and the dog beginthe relationship of owner and pet. Glowinglights and humming sounds give Owen theability to understand dogs. Talking dogs notonly bring celebrity voices that only parentswill recognize, but also give the animals per-sonalities. Big, slow dogs become old, poodlesbecome prissy and small dogs are somewhattimid. For the experienced moviegoer, thesesize stereotypes of animals might seem over-used and predictable. However, for childrenaged 4-10, these portrayals seem perfect.

There are some humorous moments for par-ents, but they are few and far between. A drugjoke toward the end will make audienceswonder why the writer finds it appropriate toshow dogs as “high” in an amusing light whenthe movie’s main demographic is children.

Nealon’s character seems distant fromAiken, but Shannon seems to be much closerhim emotionally. This could be due to a social-ly constructed bias instilled on how closemothers and fathers can be with their sons, butin any case children won’t really care or worryabout this interaction.

In a kid’s movie, one is able to get away withstructural defects in character interaction anddevelopment. Good Boy! is able to skip arounda few of these things, knowing that childrenreally don’t care and neither do the parentswho take them to see the movie.

BY AARON LEACH | STAFF WRITER

Ever since their 1987 sleeper-hit RaisingArizona, the fraternal filmmaking duo of Joel

and Ethan Coen have made a name for them-selves as a team who can do no wrong. Theirlist of impressive credits include The BigLebowski, Fargo and The Man Who Wasn’t There.And while writing, directing, producing andediting a string of critical successes, along withdeveloping a cult following of fans, is no easytask, the two have yet to garner a true commer-cial hit. Intolerable Cruelty, the pair’s newestendeavor, just might be the film to change allthat and put them in the mainstream spotlight.

Intolerable Cruelty is a throwback and partlyan homage to the older genre of screwballromantic comedy. Upon watching this movie,influences can clearly be seen from the HowardHawks days. A movie like Bringing Up Baby is aclear inspiration for Intolerable Cruelty. GeorgeClooney reunites with the Coens, after OBrother, Where Art Thou?, to star as MilesMassey. Massey is a great lawyer who special-izes in divorce cases. Even though his record isflawless, Massey begins to become tired of his

perfect life. In walks Marylin Rexroth, broughtto steamy realization by Catherine Zeta-Jones.Marylin is nothing but a gold-digger who islooking to find a rich husband so she can sim-ply divorce him for his money and as she putsit, “Nail his ass.” As the two begin their rela-tionship they also begin their lesson in love.Masked beneath all the heartwarming good-ness of a couple finding true love is also a com-mentary on the current state of power-couplerelationships, with more divorcing and spouse-swapping than one can shake a stick at.

This is a perfect vehicle for Clooney, whoseimpeccable comedic timing and over-the-topperformance would make Cary Grant jealous.This role shows the depth Clooney can bring toan already well-written character. While therole of Marylin doesn’t do much to show offZeta-Jones’ acting, she plays off Clooney well.The scenes they share are a delight to watch asthey try to keep their hands off each others’assets. And who else but Zeta-Jones couldmake a lawyer’s cold heart melt with love?

It is true that Intolerable Cruelty is a moremainstream work than the Coens other films.This would also imply that perhaps the Coenbrothers have sold out, but Coen fans, fear not,for this implication is simply not true. All the“normal” ingredients are still present in thisfilm. The story is riddled with bizarre charac-ters to make viewers both laugh out loud andgroan as they squirm in their seats. Many of thefilms biggest laughs come from the darkest ofmoments, such as when a hitman namedWheezy Joe accidentally kills himself when hemistakes his gun for his inhaler. Many Coen

alumni also make appearances in the film. BillyBob Thornton and Richard Jenkins turn up inthis movie, as well as indie-favorite BruceCampbell (Fargo and The Hudsucker Proxy).Campbell has had the habit of turning up in theCoens’ films ever since Joel Coen helped to editCampbell’s first film, the low-budget horrorclassic, The Evil Dead.

The only thing missing here is the Coens’trademark visual signature. While the film isbrilliantly photographed with every shot beau-tifully composed, it lacks that quirky flair thatusually engrosses all of the Coens’ works.

Intolerable Cruelty comes to theaters as a sav-ior for all men who are tired of the usual cornychick-flick fair. This is a date movie sure toplease both guys and girls. Filled with plenty ofoffbeat moments and a great Clooney perform-ance, Intolerable Cruelty raises the bar forromantic comedy.

BY PAUL WAGNER | STAFF WRITER

H ouse of the Dead, a film based on a Sega videogame of same name, opens with a very fit-

ting line: “It was a nightmare.” Nightmare isdefinitely a great way to describe this horrify-ingly bad horror movie.

House of the Dead lives up to its video gamecounterpart. The video game portrays an evilscientist who discovered a way to turn the deadinto zombies and wants to use them to act outhis evil plot. The plot of the movie is just asdeep … deep as a puddle, that is. A group ofrich, yuppie teenagers, who are convenientlywell-trained in the martial arts and the use ofdeadly weapons, buy tickets to “the rave of thecentury” that is to take place on Isle de laMorte. Unfortunately for the ravers, this partic-ular jungle island is filled with flesh-cravingzombies and their evil scientist leader.

The movie’s most ridiculous scene occurswhen the group of surviving teenagers—com-plete with every cliched character one couldhope for: the token black girl, the dumb model,

the Asian girl (clad in red, white and blue andcleverly named Liberty), the intelligent andstrong female character, the butch female policeofficer, Captain Kirk and the sensible, sole-sur-viving male character—arm themselves with anever-ending supply of weapons and ammo tofight their way to the creepy old house thatthey feel is their only hope of survival. Duringthe 20-minute blood bath that follows, thedirector uses Matrix-style, bullet-time cameratricks to show the ragtag group kicking asswith guns, explosives and hand-to-hand com-bat. Why a bunch of rave-attending teenagersknow how to shoot assault weapons and usemartial arts is beyond this reviewer.

Breasts dominate this film, and althoughnudity is often the saving grace of bad movies,nothing could save House of the Dead. Ten min-utes into the film, the audience is led to thebeach by a young woman who, for some rea-son, feels the need to strip down to a thong andgo for a swim in the dark water. Through thiswet, white thong-wearing girl we meet thezombies that destroy anything that moves.

Beyond the obvious plot flaws, the film as awhole is bad. A poorly written (and acted)script, choppy cinematography, spliced scenesfrom the video game and borrowed scenesopen this movie up to criticism. In one “scene”the audience is bombarded with a slide showon speed, showing scenes apparently from boththe movie and the video game in rapid succes-sion, lasting long enough to reduce the audi-ence to tears and seizures.

For the sake of redundancy, Boll randomlysplices scenes from the video game into themovie, just to show the curious audience mem-bers where, in fact, the moviemakers came upwith the gory scenes for this movie.

Some of these scenes were painfully obviousreproductions borrowed from other films.Camera shots of a skinny-dipper from under-water, complete with dramatic music, bringthoughts of Jaws, momentarily causing theaudience to forget they wasted money on Houseof the Dead and were instead seeing an epic film.Unfortunately they are ripped back to realityby bad editing to a bloody zombie hand grip-ping a tree.

The ending of this film, unfortunately, lendsitself to a sequel after a plot twist that only avidvideo game players would understand. Thismovie is definitely not worth seeing.

HOUSE OF THE DEAD

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GOOD BOY!

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INTOLERABLE CRUELTY | GEORGE CLOONEY

INTOLERABLECRUELTY!!!!

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GOOD BOY! | LIAM AIKEN AND DOG

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moviereview

7artsartsbuzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | FUNNIES...TYPE THEM IN HERE

BY KATIE RICHARDSON | ARTS EDITOR

When Kristina Boerger started Amasongin 1991, the requirements for any prospectivemember were, to be able to hold a tune in abucket and to be either a lesbian or a feminist.Once those common links were established,something at least resembling singing couldbegin. Six years later, Champaign-Urbana’spremier lesbian/feminist choir won aGay/Lesbian American Music Award for theirfirst album, The Water is Sweet Over Here.University of Illinois journalism professor JayRosenstein called Amasong’s accomplishmentan “amazing rags to riches story,” and hisambitious documen-tary, Singing Out,attempts to capture thatincredible tale.

The documentary,which will air on localPBS on Nov. 4 and 7 at 9p.m., was made over afour-year span andfocuses mainly on themusical contribution ofBoerger, not only toAmasong, but to thecommunity. Rosensteinconsiders Boerger a“musical genius” andsays that the first timehe heard the choir shestarted and directed fornine years, he wasextremely impressedand touched byAmasong’s strong com-mitment to singing. Hewas also fascinated bythe idea that a choir filled predominately withself-identified lesbians could survive andflourish in central Illinois.

“While Champaign-Urbana is for the mostpart fairly liberal, there are some surroundingareas that are less so. I was inspired by the factthat music has this ability to bridge boundariesregardless of how one feels about sexuality.(The musical talent of this choir) had the abili-ty to knock down those walls,” Rosensteinsaid.

What is perhaps most amazing aboutAmasong’s journey is that the choir did notface any major opposition from the communi-ty or University staff. Boerger rallied for gayand lesbian rights and protested againstapartheid in South Africa as an undergrad atthe University, and she is no stranger to con-troversy. The film examines the particularlyevocative event that helped shaped Boerger’sfighting spirit: she was fired at the age of 20

from a position as a camp counselor for men-tioning she was a lesbian. Consequently, one ofthe major reasons she began Amasong was inresponse to feeling segregated from society asa whole. Despite her willingness to fight thestatus quo, she spent more time directingAmasong than defending its lesbian affiliation.

“There were only two major incidents dur-ing the whole period I was with Amasong.One involving a choir that didn’t want to singwith us and another involving the organizer ofan event we were to sing at. She sent me a listof weird stipulations that we were supposed tofollow in order to sing at that event. I refusedand told her that her list was ridiculous, and Ipulled us from the show. And as a result ofthat, she had to step down,” Boerger said.

Boerger appreciatesthe unique experiencethat Rosenstein capturedwhile following thegroup around. Shebelieves the film is bril-liant and beautifullycrafted, and she isdeeply touched byRosenstein’s creation.She also understands thefilm’s inability to conveyeverything in her life inthe same manner as sherecalls it unraveling. Shehas one problem withthe film. Her parents aredepicted as explainingtheir initial negativereactions upon discover-ing their daughter wasgay, but they never dis-cuss in the documentarythe acceptance they nowhave of her lifestyle.

“It was just a personal objection. Ultimately,though, Jay is the artist and we have to trusthim,” Boerger said.

What Rosenstein’s documentary reveals isthe story of a group of unseasoned womenwho would become an extremely skillful choirensemble.

“Maybe (the documentary) would havebeen more interesting if there had been somesort of major protest. But what I think makes itinteresting is the fact that I didn’t find one,”said Rosenstein.

This group eventually sang at every venueimaginable, from churches to bookstores to adying man’s bedroom. Since there was littleopposition, the choir had the opportunity tomusically contribute to local religious institu-tions, to provide entertainment for events thathelped the economic growth of the area’s smallbusinesses and to participate in creating anoverall feeling of good will for the community.

“I’m over being a lesbian. It had a big impactfor a few years but now, you know, it’s oldnews. What I experienced for the most partduring my time with Amasong was a commu-nity that displayed no major objections to usand was very financially generous. I thinkwhat they really grew to appreciate was thequality of musicthat we wereproducing,” saidBoerger.

The organiza-tion now has aboard of direc-tors that handlethe increasingresponsib i l i tyand tasks due tothe group’s suc-cess. InitiallyAmasong wasrun solely by Boerger, as she was not only thecreative force behind the group but also theorganizer and developer. The characteristicthat is most fascinating and closely examinedin the film is not Boerger’s sexuality, but herenergetic dedication to music.

“Kristina did everything when she was here,from setting up chairs to laying out the pro-gram. It was her chorus as she stated; it wasnot a democracy,” said Kathie Spegal, memberof Amasong’s board of directors.

The film explores the immense impactBoerger initially had on Amasong, completelycontrolling all aspects of the choir. However,no Amasong member shown in the documen-tary seemed particularly upset with Boerger’sbrand of leadership, rather they appear toappreciate her strong leadership. One memberqualified Boerger’s tendency to run the choir

as a dictatorship by stating, “Well, the thing is,she is always right.”

As a testament to the impression Boergermade on the community during her 17 years inChampaign-Urbana, she was the star of theinvitation-only Oct. 8 premier of the documen-tary. As she entered the theater, several people

started calling her name.She then proceeded to tryto hug and thank everyfriend and musician, aswell as Amasong mem-bers (both former andpresent) who wanted tospeak with her.

“It was one of my topfive nights,” she said.

Since Boerger leftAmasong in 1999, she hasbeen missed, but thegroup is still performing

as well as braking down barriers and rebuild-ing walls.

“I think that there are assumptions made bysome people seeing our title—a lesbian/femi-nist chorus—such as that we are all lesbianswho hate men, that men are not welcome atour performances, that we try to force our pol-itics onto our listeners, or that we simply don’tsing well. In fact, many of us are straight, wesing woman-centered music rather than politi-cal jingles, and we have won several awardsfor our recordings. The chorus itself welcomeswomen of all orientations and backgrounds,and our concerts are enjoyed by a large cross-section of the community, men and womenalike,” said current Amasong director MargotRejskind.

Amazing Songbirds

I was inspired by the fact that music has the

ability to bridge boundariesregardless of how

one feels about sexuality. Jay Rosenstein, director of Singing Out

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Kristina Boerger, former Amasong director.

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Jay Rosenstein spent nearly four years on his documentary, Amasong.

continued on page 10

1016buzz0722 10/15/03 4:24 PM Page 1

6 OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzcommunity

BY EMILY WAHLHEIM | STAFF WRITER

With the ominous presence of the hospitalacross the street and a variety of patient

care buildings surrounding it, the blaringneon sign outside Les’s Lounge looks out ofplace. Inside though, it is easy to forget theoutside surroundings and unwind in thecomfortable, relaxed atmosphere which per-vades from every corner of Les’s.

Les’s Lounge is not like most bars. There areno crushing crowds or blaring music. Rather,Les’s offers inviting red vinyl booths, stoolsand a jukebox with everything from countryto Jimmy Buffet’s “Margaritaville.”

“It’s a different atmosphere at Les’s,” saysChampaign resident and frequent Les’s visitorMark Joslyn. “It’s quiet, not all ‘citified’ likethe downtown bars. You can actually sit downand have a conversation with friends.”

On this Thursday, like many other nights,regulars like Joslyn sit around the oval-shapedbar, joking with each other and orderingrounds of shots. Friendly banter occursbetween this group and longtime bartenderTroy Seten.

“I like the fact you can talk to everyonearound the bar,” says Champaign residentTrent Johnson. “But, I really come herebecause of Troy.”

Seten runs the gamut at Les’s, filling glasses,

dishing out sarcasm and ensuring a goodtime. He can recognize the faces of most visi-tors and knows the regulars by name and bydrink. Though he originally took this job ofout “desperation,” he has really come to enjoyhis job and his customers.

“Nowhere else would hire me at first,” hesaid. “I really like the people who come inhere. They are from all walks of life.”

Those different walks of life are apparentThursday night. Besides the regulars at thebar, graduate students crowd the high-toptables in the back, straggling over to occasion-ally play a game of darts. On the far side of thebar, members of the Master in Fine Arts clubgather for a post-meeting drink and a fewgames of 50-cent pool.

The groups mingle periodically, but mostvisitors seem content to sit, chat and unwind.Though Les’s has been open since 1978, notmuch has changed. The interior, with its fire-place, brick walls and red Christmas lightssurrounding the ceiling, still makes visitorsfeel at home. Music occasionally muffles con-versations, but it is still quiet enough to hearthe clink of the cash register or the clank of thepool balls being broken.

Rantoul resident Lori Blaser, who has beencoming to Les’s for three years, appreciateshow relaxed the lounge makes her feel. Sheremembers having many birthday parties

here, including one where the bartender sur-prised her friend with a cake.

“Les’s really stands out in my mind,” shesays. “Where else do most people and the bar-tender know who you are?”

Les’s owner, Les Johnson, feels the same.Even though he has been in the bar business

for 26 years, he recognizes there is somethingspecial about the Lounge that can’t quite beput into words.

“I tried to make a place where you would beable to take your mother and not be embar-rassed,” he said. “I’m proud to say I broughtmy 89-year-old mother in last week.”

Les’s Lounge appeals to all walks

Cookie Cook (left), Rosa Andrade (center), and Sal Marquez (right), all of Urbana, joke around atthe bar.

buzz

BY JOHN PIATEK AND JENNIFER KEAST | STAFF WRITERS

Wednesdays can be boring. It’s thehalfway point of the week. Too early to startcelebrating the weekend and too late to still bemiserable about the start of the work week.With this fall 2003 TV season, channels ABC(Karen Sisco), UPN (Star Trek: Enterprise and Jake2.0) and WB (Smallville and Angel) all offeraction shows to make life a little more interest-ing. Even The West Wing has become moreaction than politics lately, as terrorists and kid-napping have clouded up the political land-scape. What follows are reviews of two newshows where viewers can get a little action on aWednesday night.

JAKE 2.0

How many technology guys does it take tofix a weak fall lineup? UPN thinks it takes justone, the star of its new show Jake 2.0.

Christopher Gorham (Felicity) is Jake Foley, alow-level computer technician who is acciden-tally exposed to a serum that grants him superpowers. These powers include the standardincreased strength and speed, but his body isalso infused with “nanomites,” allowing him totelepathically control computers and othertechnologies. With his new skills, the youngJake is made into a super spy to hunt down ter-rorist computer hackers.

Capitalizing on the success of superhero-themed shows like WB’s Smallville, UPNlaunched Jake 2.0 to garner more of the TV sci-fiand fantasy fan base. Unfortunately, Jake 2.0 isjust a second-rate show that comes too manyyears after the dot-com boom and tries muchtoo hard to show that being a nerd can be cool.

Jake 2.0 attempts to succeed by glamorizingthe life of its nerdy star. As he works throughhis missions, Jake showcases enough high-techspy gadgets to make James Bond jealous. Hetravels to an exciting criminal underworld fullof style and chic clothes. He chases hackers into

nightclubs that could easily be stops on theGirls Gone Wild tour.

The twist is that instead of a cool, collectedand typical superhero, Jake is really a nerd atheart. He’s nervous with girls, tells someabsolutely terrible jokes and uses his knowl-edge of online role-playing games to help trackdown the crooks. However, these efforts atoriginality are mercilessly undercut by theunbounded artificiality of the show. Jake 2.0tries so hard to make itself cool that it eventual-ly collapses under its own weight.

Gorham’s performance is very uneventhroughout the show. His overly dramaticfacial and body expressions are more suited fora soap opera. He speaks with a whiny, annoy-ing voice and his Prada-like clothes and hair-style don’t fit his character. It’s not that all nerdsneed thick black glasses and pocket protectorsto distinguish themselves as nerds, but Gorhamlooks, walks and acts like a guy who goes todance clubs, not Star Trek conventions.

The writing on the show is simply terrible. Itsquip-filled dialogues are lined with such dudsas, “Ladies and gentlemen, start your soft-ware.” The special effects and computer graph-ics aren’t much better either. Jake 2.0 displaysunnecessary close-ups on the insides of cellphones and computers with an annoying fre-quency. The camera work is subpar, using ahigh number of abrupt zooms and dizzyingscene cuts that may remind some viewers ofMTV Cribs.

All in all, Jake 2.0 is likely not to please thenerd fan base sought by UPN because of theshow’s superficiality. It will need some majorreformatting if it hopes to last a full seasonbefore viewers hit the escape key. (John Piatek)

KAREN SISCO

ABC’s new action-drama Karen Sisco is basedon the critically acclaimed film Out of Sight star-ring Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney. KarenSisco stars award-winning actor/director BillDuke and Academy Award-nominee RobertForster. Karen Sisco even co-stars and is co-exec-

utive-produced by the highly acclaimed DannyDeVito. With this long list of credentials, KarenSisco should be a joy to watch. Unfortunately,it’s anything but.

One can tell it is going to be a long hour ofprime-time television just by watching thecheesy opening credits. The 1970s detectiveshow-style animation, with “It’s Your Thing”chiming in the background, is enough tomake viewers groan.

As the actual show opens up, weget a glimpse of Carla Gugino,who plays Karen Sisco, a beauti-ful and outgoing U.S. marshalon the coast of Miami. Shespends her time chasing dan-gerous fugitives and tryingto win the respect of hermale fellow officers.

Gugino, known bymany as the mom in theSpy Kids trilogy, does agood job of mixingseductive sexinessand kick-butt pro-fessionalism. Sheis one of the fewbreaths of fresh airin the show. Inepisode two, we geta second: guest starDanny DeVito. Heperfectly portrays amob boss namedCharlie Lucre who hireshit men to go after the twobrothers who stole his BabeRuth signed baseball. DeVitois wonderful in his role: seem-ingly tough, yet having acomedic, soft (and large) under-belly that is so characteristic oftelevision mob bosses nowadays.Although he is good at what hedoes, his acting alone cannot savethe show.

Besides these two actors, theshow does not accomplish much. Ittries to be funny with its crimi-nals, which are comparable tothe robbers in Home Alone—goofy and not too bright. Butthe robbers in Home Alone arewhat make the movie sohilarious. The fugitives inKaren Sisco are so unintelli-gent they are hard to watch.The show’s writers tried tomake the brothers thecomedic relief of theepisode, having them bick-er and fight.

At one point the “more”intelligent brother com-plains to the other, “Howare we related?” to which

the other replies, “We’re brothers!” This slap-stick humor is worthy of nothing more than aneye roll.

For a show set in Miami, viewers certainly donot get to see any of it. The only thing Miami-like in episode two are a boat and the fugitives’flowered shirts. Other than that, the show couldhave been shot anywhere—Chicago, Dallas or

Anytown, USA.The show claims to be an

action-drama, but thereisn’t much action ordrama. The chase scenesare weak, with no special

effects or anything special.There are numerousshootouts in a singleepisode, none of whichhave any excitement in

them. They don’t even lookrealistic. The gunfire seems

almost animated. And noth-ing is less suspenseful than

watching sweet Gugino shoot agun. As she holds it, she looks

almost scared of it, as if she mightaccidentally shoot herself instead

of her enemy.Viewers looking for anexciting, suspense-filled

“cops and robbers”type of show might

be tempted tocheck out Karen

Sisco, but afterone episodewill probablynot be backfor a second

dose. (Jennifer

Keast)

23buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | TIME FOR A LITTLE ACTION. film & tv

Get some action on Wednesday nights

!

!!

1016buzz0623 10/15/03 4:10 PM Page 1

24 TEXAS IS FILLED WITH CHAIN SAWS. | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzfilm & tv

BUFFALO SOLDIERS!!!ED HARRIS AND ANNA PAQUINThis story tells a less than flattering tale of American soldiersin Germany. These soldiers aren’t the heroes idolized afterSept. 11, which made this film delay its release.These soldiersare thieves and criminals and the film is a smart, biting satirethat isn’t anti-American at all. (Jason Cantone)Now showing at Beverly

FREAKY FRIDAY!!!JAMIE LEE CURTIS AND LINDSAY LOHANFreaky Friday’s family-friendly plot still includes a mother anddaughter unsympathetic to one another’s problems becauseeach is convinced her own life is more difficult than theother’s. One of Jamie Lee Curtis’ most successful films in 20years. (Janelle Greenwood)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

GOOD BOY!!!!MATTHEW BRODERICK AND BRITTANY MURPHYAn alien dog talks to kids. Simply amazing. Watch MatthewBroderick’s career sink even further. (Arthur Mitchell)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

HOUSE OF THE DEADno starsJONATHAN CHERRY AND CLINT HOWARDA group of ecstacy-loving kids sail out to an island and findzombies. This film opens with the line “It was a nightmare”and that describes the film perfectly. (Paul Wagner)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

INTOLERABLE CRUELTY!!!!GEORGE CLOONEY AND CATHERINE ZETA-JONESMiles Massey (Clooney), the nimblest divorce attorney in L.A.,is out to trap the gold-digging wife (Zeta-Jones) of a client.But beautiful people can't help falling in love, no matterwhich side of the table they’re on. It’s the Coen Brothers, so it’sprobably not the crap it sounds like. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Beverly and Savoy

KILL BILL: VOLUME ONE!!!!UMA THURMAN AND DAVID CARRADINEKill Bill is raw entertainment that packs brains with its brawn.That is because Tarantino is an expert at drawing feeling fromhis killers, robbers and sociopaths. In Kill Bill, Tarantino revisitshis penchant for characters who have experienced past—andspecifically, childhood—trauma, again hitting the mark withbrave situational dichotomy.(Matt Pais)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

LOST IN TRANSLATION!!!!BILL MURRAY AND SCARLETT JOHANSSONBill Murray finds a relationship with a younger woman in thisintelligent film set in Japan and directed by Sofia Coppola.The enigmatic serenity of Lost in Translation confounds andastonishes while it simultaneously embraces and rejects con-vention. The link between Bob and Charlotte feels a touchfamiliar but, more importantly, perfectly natural. (Matt Pais)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

THE MAGDALENE SISTERS!!!NORA-JANE NOONEThis is the true story of women who were sent to a con-vent/laundry facility to be cleaned of their sins. However,they were also beaten and brutalized along the way. Thisstory powerfully shows women who rose against theCatholic Church in the name of decency.(Janelle Greenwood)Showing at Boardman’s Art Theatre through tonight.

MATCHSTICK MEN!!!NICOLAS CAGE AND SAM ROCKWELLNo, this isn’t a film about pyromaniacs or arsonists invadinga town. Instead, matchstick men are con artists, and here thecons go between friends and family members. When Cage’scharacter finds out he has a daughter, they meet and shewants to join in on the con.The story is fun and entertaining,but the book is much better and doesn’t have the slow, con-fusing moments that the movie does. (Jason Cantone)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

OPEN RANGE!!KEVIN COSTNER AND ROBERT DUVALLOpen Range mixes slow-paced historical nostalgia with slow-er-paced Little House on the Prairie references, pitting freerange herders against static, prejudiced ranchers. At times,the film plays a little like Gangs of the Old West and anyonewho’s even heard of classic Westerns like Shane or TheSearchers can pretty much stay two steps ahead of OpenRange at all times. (Matt Pais)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

OUT OF TIME!!!DENZEL WASHINGTON AND SANAA LATHANDenzel Washington, fresh from his Oscar-winning perform-ance in Training Day and his lead role in the crappy John Q.,portrays a cop framed for a heinous crime in this film, whichuses a little-used genre effectively to provide an interestingand suspenseful thriller. (Andrew Crewell)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

THE RUNDOWN!!!THE ROCK AND SEANN WILLIAM SCOTTThe Rundown is pure entertainment,plain and simple. It’s hardto lump it into one genre as it reaches into action, adventureand comedy in order to come up with an exhilarating and funcombination that will leave audiences more than satisfied.(Aaron Leach)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

SEABISCUIT!!!!TOBEY MAGUIRE, JEFF BRIDGES AND CHRIS COOPERThe Seabiscuit phenomenon was one of the most captivat-ing in United States history and this film does it justice.(Andrew Crewell)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy.

THE SCHOOL OF ROCK!!!!JACK BLACK AND JOAN CUSACKJack Black plays a rock star who bottoms out and becomes ateacher at a prep school in this smart film from directorRichard Linklater, who also made Waking Life. (Matt Mitchell)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

SECONDHAND LIONS!!!!ROBERT DUVALL AND MICHAEL CAINETwo old men, who might have been successful bank robbersin the 1920s, take custody of their nephew. Melodramaticstory, tears and laughter ensure and manipulate your emo-tions, but make you love every second. (Jason Cantone)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy

UNDERWORLD!!KATE BECKINSALE AND SCOTT SPEEDMANWerewolves, vampires and humans, oh my! This Romeo andJuliet tale pits love against an eternal war between vampiresand werewolves. Look for great action sequences and a darktone similar to The Matrix. And then there’s also KateBeckinsale in all leather to watch for. (Jason Cantone)Now showing at Beverly and Savoy.

AMADEUS: THE DIRECTOR’S CUTF. MURRAY ABRAHAM AND JEFFREY JONESConsidered by the American Film Institute as one of the Top100 films of all time, this story of Mozart’s rise to fame wonBest Picture in 1985. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Boardman’s Art Theatre

MYSTIC RIVERKEVIN BACON AND SEAN PENNThree childhood friends are united after one loses his daugh-ter. Expect brilliant performances. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Beverly and Savoy

THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACREJESSICA BIEL AND MIKE VOGELWhile on a drug run to Mexico, a bunch of people pick up abloodied hitchhiker who has been attacked by someone or

something. When their van runs out of gas in front of aslaughterhouse, the group decide to investigate and see ifthere's a phone. What they encounter is a bizarre family ofcannibals and a strange man who's weapon of choice is achainsaw.Opening at Beverly and Savoy

RUNAWAY JURYDUSTIN HOFFMAN AND GENE HACKMANBased upon the best selling John Grisham novel, this storywas originally about tobacco farms, but because a tale ofguns, possibly because of who supports major film compa-nies. Juries are treated as pawns in this tale of jury tamperingand courtroom hijinks. It also features two of the greatestactors of their generation. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Beverly and Savoy

VERONICA GUERINCATE BLANCHETT AND BRENDA FRICKERCate Blanchett plays real life journalism Veronica Guerin inthis independent film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer anddirected by Joel Schumacher. (Jason Cantone)Opening at Beverly

DEAD ALIVETIMOTHY BALME AND ELIZABETH MOODYA young man's mother is bitten by a "rat monkey." She getssick and dies, at which time she comes back to life, killing andeating dogs, nurses, friends, and neighbors.Special showings at Boardman’s this weekend

RADIOCUBA GOODING JR. AND ED HARRISCuba Gooding Jr. does his best to give a decent performancethat will make his critics less likely to demand that he givesback his Oscar after horrendous films such as Snow Dogs.Watch him play up mental retardation here. (Jason Cantone)Sneak preview at Beverly this weekend

SCARFACEAL PACINO AND ROBERT LOGGIAA Cuban refugee builds a crime empire in Florida in this spec-tacular Brian DePalma/Oliver Stone film. Considered one ofthe most violent films of all-time. (Jason Cantone)Special showings at Beverly this weekend

Drive

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OPENING THIS WEEKEND

126 W. Church St. Champaign, IL

BOARDMAN’S THEATRES www.BoardmansTheatres.com1-800-BEST PLACE (800-237-8752) 217/355-0068

eTickets/reserved seats: www.BoardmansArtTheatre.com

The First of Three Midnight Weekend Horror Films! Only $5!From LOTR’s Director, Peter JacksonNR, runs 97 minutes, presented in HPS-4000/DD Midnight Fri & Sat, Oct. 17 & 18

B o a r d m a n ’ s

Art TheatreOpens Friday October 17th! ONE WEEK ONLY! Winner of 8 Academy Awards, Including Best Picture & Best Sound!R, runs 180 minutes, scope, presented in HPS-4000/DDDaily at 7:00pmMatinees on Sat/Sun at 3:00pm

Coming Next: Capturing The FriedmansComing next in the Midnight Horror Film Series: Suspiria and The Exorcist!

Route 45 & Burwash Ave.

Unlimited Free Drink Refills & .25¢ Corn RefillsNo passes

$6.25 Late Shows Fri & Sat

Stadium Seating Gives YOUAn Unobstructed ViewAll Rocking Chairs

SAVOY 16

$6.25 Students $7.25 Evenings Mon - Thurs

DIGITAL STEREO

$5.75 DAILY Matinees til 6pm & Seniors $5.50 Kids all shows

(217) 355-FILM

www.savoy16.com

SHOWTIMES 10/17 - 10/23

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BEST DEAL in eNewsletter at www.savoy16.com

RUNAWAY JURY (PG-13) DIGITAL 2 PRINTS / 2 SCREENS11:55, 1:45, 2:25, 4:15, 4:55, 6:45, 7:20, 9:15, 9:45FRI/SAT LS 11:45, 12:05 THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (R) 2 PRINTS / 2 SCREENSDIGITAL 1:20, 3:20, 5:20, 7:20, 9:20FRI/SAT LS 11:20DIGITAL/STADIUM SEATING 12:10, 2:05, 4:00, 5:55, 7:50, 9:50 FRI/SAT LS 11:50 MYSTIC RIVER (R) DIGITAL 1:20, 4:00, 6:40, 9:20 FRI/SAT LS 12:00 INTOLERABLE CRUELTY (PG-13) DIGITAL 12:45, 2:50, 4:55, 7:00, 9:05 FRI/SAT LS 11:10 KILL BILL, VOLUME 1 (R) DIGITAL2 PRINTS/ 2 SCREENS 12:20, 1:05, 2:35, 3:20, 4:50, 5:35, 7:05, 7:50, 9:20, 10:00 FRI/SAT LS 11:35, 12:10 GOOD DOG! (PG) 2 PRINTS/ 2 SCREENSDIGITAL 12:40, 12:50, 2:40, 2:45, 4:40, 5:05, 6:40, 9:00 FRI/SAT LS 11:00 THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD (R) 1:30, 3:25, 5:20, 7:15, 9:25 FRI/SAT LS 11:25SCHOOL OF ROCK (PG-13)2 PRINTS/ 2 SCREENS4:40, 9:05 FRI/SAT LS 11:20DIGITAL/STADIUM SEATING 12:55, 3:00, 5:10, 7:30, 9:40 FRI/SAT LS 11:45OUT OF TIME (PG-13) 1:00, 3:10, 5:25, 7:30, 9:40 FRI/SAT LS 11:50THE RUNDOWN (PG-13) DIGITAL 7:05, 9:10 FRI/SAT LS 11:15UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN (PG-13)11:50, 2:10, 4:30, 6:50, 9:10 FRI/SAT LS 11:25LOST IN TRANSLATION (R) DIGITAL/STADIUM SEATING 12:55, 3:05, 5:15, 7:25, 9:35 FRI/SAT LS 12:00SECONDHAND LIONS (PG) 12:10, 2:20, 6:55

SPECIAL SHOWINGS

9 Taylor, Downtown Champaign

355•WEED

Yep. It’s thattime of year again!!!

5buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 community“Yeah, she said you had something to tell

me,” he says, smiling.Joyce tells a slightly off-color joke about a

cemetery, a woman’s anatomy and a stiff. Donlaughs, throws back his head and blushes. Donhas a pretty bawdy sense of humor, but the jokeat a funeral catches him off guard. He figuresit’s Joyce’s way of coping with the death.

“Some people treat me as a minister, somepeople treat me as part of the family,” he says.He tries to play the role of minister the best hecan. He is not deeply religious. Don stoppedgoing to church for a time because his ministerwouldn’t marry him to Bonnie, who was of adifferent religious denomination. But he doesbelieve in God and he does believe in heaven.When he is arranging the funeral for a family heknows is religious, he tries to assure them thatGod is with them and that their loved one isgoing to a better place. He says it because hebelieves it, and he says it because he wants it tobe true, both for them and for himself. Heknows he’s going to see his mother and fatherwhen his time comes.

After Don stops laughing, Bonnie turns seri-ous. She wants to talk about funeral arrange-ments for her husband and her.

“We’re gonna sit down and see if we haveenough to bury us,” she says.

Don says it’s going to cost her $10,000.“$10,000?” she asks, raising her eyebrows.“Well, I could use the money,” he says, giving

Joyce a quick wink. “Well, you don’t have to get it all from me!”

she says, laughing.Don feels comfortable joking about death.

He can also joke about money. It’s just money,after all.

When a family comes to Don to pre-arrange afuneral, he gives them a casket price list, alongwith the prices of flowers and embalming. He

takes the family into the casket display room atthe rear of the funeral home and leaves themalone while they make their decision. He does-n’t want people to think he is pushing them topurchase a more expensive casket. Still, the factremains that he is running a business. He wantsto make money, and he only makes moneywhen people die. And many of the people arehis friends. So he simultaneously wants to getrich and stay poor.

Don has done funerals for families that haveno money and no insurance, asking them onlyto pay him when they can. He grew up poor,and he feels everybody is entitled to a nice bur-ial. But while Don is generous, he’s also nopushover. When he lends someone money, heexpects the loan to be repaid.

After the service, Don and Roger direct thepallbearers on how to put the casket in thehearse. They lead the funeral procession in agray Suburban with WOLFE 2 on the licenseplate, one of nine similar Suburbans they own.The chain of cars travels 20 miles south to thePotomac Memorial Cemetery for the gravesideservice. Later, Don and Roger willgo to a ham lunch given by thelocal church inmemory of

the deceased man. Don will walk from table totable, shaking hands, saying his hellos, adver-tising Wolfe Funeral Homes. He wants to makesure everybody knows who took care of thearrangements today.

While Don knows nearly everybody he doesfunerals for, it’s rare that he has to bury a closefriend or family member. When a close frienddies, the joking stops. Fifteen years ago, Donburied his best friend. He cries when he thinksabout it, his body shaking, and his hand instinc-tively moves up to his face to cover his eyes.Preparing Frank Carlock’s funeral was thehardest thing Don has ever had to do.

Before Don was able to save up enoughmoney to start his business, he held other jobs tosupport his family. He was Rankin’s chief ofpolice when Frank was the mayor. Don went tothe bank to take out a loan to buy his first funer-al home. They asked what he had for collateral.“You’re lookin’ at it, baby,” he said. They turnedhim down, so Frank went to the bank himself.

“Whatever Don wants, give it to him,” hetold the teller. “I’ll sign for it.”

Frank didn’t want anything in return.Don made him a silent partner in

the funeral business.Frank took careof the books;Don took care

of the people. They would squabble about littlethings—Don would buy caskets in bulk to get agood price; Frank would tell him he was spend-ing too much money at one time. They eventu-ally agreed it would be better—they would beable to stay friends—if Frank left the business.

Five years later, Frank died of cancer and hiswife, Jean, asked Don to do the removal.Normally, when a person dies in the hospital,the body has to be taken out by the loadingdock where the garbage is dumped, because thehospital doesn’t want patients and their fami-lies to see the removal. When Don got to thehospital and saw Frank, his eyes filled withtears. He never felt so sad.

Jean asked him to do something even moredifficult. She wanted him to eulogize Frank. Hedidn’t know what to say. There was too much.He sat for hours, thinking. Finally, he wrote. Atthe funeral, he looked into the casket as he gavehis eulogy. He couldn’t help it—he started to cry.

“Frank and I met, and he asked me to be hischief of police,” Don said, his voice wavering.“He gave me a gun and a badge and said, ‘Goget `em, Wolfe.’” He heard a soft laugh inresponse to the story. He didn’t dare look atJean or Frank’s children. He could barely go onas it was. He felt a pain he had never felt before,not at any funeral, not at the deaths of his fatherand mother.

“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,”Don says. But when Frank died, somethinghappened that made the death a little easier. Hesaw the way the whole town came out for thefuneral. He saw the homemade food coveringyards of Formica tabletops. He saw flowers andhugs and tears. And he saw what he saw afterhis parents’ funerals: that in times of need, peo-ple in small towns band together. It made himhappy, if only for a moment. He saw—and getsto see daily—people at their best when thingsare at their worst.

LesJohnson Lifelong Champaign-Urbana resident LesJohnson has been in the bar business for 26

years. Currently, Johnson, 65, owns and oper-ates his namesake, Les’s Lounge inChampaign. Since 1978, Les’s, located at 403N. Coler Ave., has offered visitors a sports barenvironment and a friendly atmosphere.

Why did you decide to start Les’s Lounge?I have always enjoyed the nightlife andwanted to be a part of that.

How did you get started in the barbusiness?I started tending bar when I was 14 at DeluxeInn; it used to be where Legends is now oncampus.

Have you had any other jobs besides thosein the bar business?I used to run heavy equipment in theconstruction industry. I also owned my owntravel agency, Adventure Travel.

If you weren’t the owner of Les’s whatwould you be doing?I’d be retired.

Do you have any plans to retire?No, not quite yet, but I am preparing one ofmy employees, Troy Seten, to take over.

What is your idea of the ideal bar?Les’s is the ideal bar. It has great overallfriendliness and we also help our customers.

Do you visit other bars?Oh sure, all the time. I enjoy the Jolly Roger,Esquire, Pink House, lots of places.

If you could travel anywhere in the world,where would it be?Because I owned my own travel agency, I wasable to travel a lot. I have been around theworld and back four times. I have seen thepyramids in Egypt, the Great Wall of China,Australia and the Eiffel Tower.

What makes your job special?As a young man, this was exactly what Iwanted to do. I like the lifestyle of the barbusiness.

Would you change anything about Les’s?No. It’s exactly right the way it is and it’sgonna be that way for years.

What is your favorite pastime?Riding my Harley and stopping in at otherbars.

What would you be doing if you didn’t ownLes’s?Traveling. I own a motor home and I woulddo all my traveling in the United States. I justreturned from a Nascar race in NorthCarolina.

What would you do if you won the lottery?I know that everyone says they would stay attheir jobs, and I would continue to be a partof Les’s, but to be honest, you wouldprobably see a lot less of Les at Les’s.

What has been the biggest influence onyour career?The lifelong desire to do what I am doing.This is just something I have always wantedto do.

Do you have any regrets?No regrets, I still feel like I’m in my late 30s. Ican’t believe I am 65. I have been blessedwith health and good friends.

buzz

Q & A

1016buzz0524 10/15/03 4:11 PM Page 1

buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 20034communitycommunity

BY YVONNE ZUSEL | STAFF WRITER

Don Wolfe sits next to his casket and greetsthe people who pass by.

“How are ya?” he asks one couple.“How you doin’, Henry?” he says to a wrin-

kled, white-haired man.“Good to see ya, Jeff,” he tells a man walking

with his family.Don knows nearly every person who walks

by. And they know him. They know that mostof the time when an old-timer passes away or ateenager dies unexpectedly, Don will be calledto organize a funeral. Recognition and warmthfill their eyes, and they stop to chat and shakehis hand. A polite “Hello, Mr. Wolfe,” will notdo, because this man is their friend, a local fix-ture, and so only, “Hey Don, how’s it going?”will suffice.

Although Don genuinely wants to talk tothem, he is also here at the Hoopeston HomeExpo to sell his services. Heknows friendliness is the bestpublic relations. Nestledbetween booths hawking tan-ning and cell phone services,the Wolfe Funeral Home boothseems an oddity. Don knowshis is a hard sell, and so, withall his 45 years of business-man’s experience, he smiles,schmoozes, kills them withkindness. He cannot afford to let a person passwithout asking how his wife is doing, or howthe business is going, or if he’s enjoying thegood weather. It’s the Catch-22 of Don’s life.

These people are his friends, but they’re alsopotential customers.

Don can pick a person from the crowd andautomatically retrieve their vitals. They are hisfriends, and he will be sad when they die. Yettheir deaths won’t shake him. He has a built-indefense mechanism that allows him to show thefamily of the deceased compassion and under-standing, but which also allows him to viewdeath as just another part of life. It is this attitudethat gets him through; everybody dies, and whyshouldn’t he be the one there when they do?

In 1943, Don was 6 years old. It was late andhe was in bed. He heard screaming. It was hismother, Lucy. He got out of bed and sawstrange people walking around his house.Clarence Henry Wolfe, Don’s father, was dead.A car accident. There was a long drive from theWolfe home in Kankakee to Rankin, his father’shometown, where the funeral was held. Hismother leaned over the casket, crying: “Wakeup Clarence. Wake up, you can’t do this to me!”That’s all Don remembers about his father’sdeath. He doesn’t remember how he felt. Hedoesn’t remember if he cried or if hewas scared. He doesn’t remem-ber much about his father atall, but he keeps a pic-ture of him

hanging in his house to remind himself that hehad a father.

Don, his mother and his two younger broth-ers moved to Rankin after Clarence’s funeralto be near his mother’s parents. Four yearslater, Don sat in class. His mother had breastcancer. His aunt opened the door to the class-room. “Donnie,” she said, “You’d better comewith me. Your mother’s dead.” In thatmoment, Don hated his aunt. He was embar-rassed, sad, ashamed.

In a town of 600, everyone knew. They feltsorry for him. They meant well, but he hated it.He didn’t want their pity. He remembers theway it made him feel, and he uses it as a rule toconduct his own business. No pity, just comfortand understanding. But although he hated thepity, he appreciated the support the communityprovided for him and his family. Food and flow-ers were brought to the Wolfe house almostdaily after his mother’s death. Almost the whole

town came to the funeral. It’sthis kind of love that Dondoesn’t think he’d find in abig city.

“In the city, if your neigh-bor dies, who the hell cares?”he says. “Here, everybodyknows everybody, every-body helps everybody.”

He thinks this desire tohelp others might be why he

wanted to be a funeral director. But it’s anotherone of those things he can’t remember. Heguesses it also had something to do with hisparents’ deaths.

Don’s mother’s parents raised him after hismother died. His grandfather passed awaywhen he was 23. He remembers feeling sad, butwhat he remembers is the way the funeraldirector came into the hospital room, set up hiscot next to the bed where his grandfather layand yanked his body onto the cot right in frontof Don, his grandmother and his brothers. Bythat time, Don knew he wanted to own afuneral home. He vowed to himselfthen that he would never do aremoval in front of a family. Andhe never has.

Don knows he built awall around himselfafter the deaths.Because he wasforced to dealwith deathat such

a young age, he believes he has had practice atbeing compassionate but not emotional at thefunerals.

On a warm, bright Wednesday morning,people start arriving at the Hoopeston WolfeFuneral Home for the service that’s scheduledto begin in an hour. With 6,000 people,Hoopeston is the largest community Donserves. A 68-year-old man lies in the polishedwood casket, hands neatly folded across hismiddle, paper-thin eyelids closed and glacier-white hair neatly combed. Earlier, Don’s sonRoger, who has helped his father run thefuneral homes with his brother Royce since hefinished college, had dressed the man in agray suit and arranged him in the casket forthe visitation. A folded American flag and aBilly Bass singing fish sit in the hollow of thecasket cover, an homage to the Korean Warveteran and fisherman.

Don sits behind his desk in a small office atthe back of the funeral home. Don is only twoyears younger than the man, which untilrecently wouldn’t have made him think twice.But two years ago, he had a stroke and a heartattack. Don gets up from behind the desk. He’sdressed in a black suit and a black and whitetie. He shifts his weight to his left side, onto awooden cane with a shiny marble top. Hewalks as if with three feet—left leg and canedown for a beat, then his right leg. He is not asactive as he used to be since the stroke, doesn’tdo body removals as swiftly as he used to or doas many embalmings as in the past, but he triesto attend all the funerals. He ambles slowlytoward the family—cane-left foot, right foot.

“I want to extend my sympathy to you onyour loss,” Don says in his deep drawl. He istalking to thedead man’ssister, a

small woman with a tear-stained face.“Thank you, Don,” she whispers.“I hope everything is to your satisfaction,” he

says, putting his free hand on her shoulderwhile she nods.

“Everything is excellent,” she answers.Don wants her to know he feels sorry. But

comforting the family of the deceased is part ofhis job as funeral director. He likens the job of afuneral director to that of a film director: He isin charge of everything from start to finish. Heknows that when somebody dies, family mem-bers don’t want to have to worry about howthey’re going to move the flowers from thefuneral home to their house (Don or Rogerdrives them over after the funeral) or who isgoing to eulogize the deceased if they didn’tbelong to a church (Don knows clergy of alldenominations, and, sometimes, if he knowsthe deceased very well, he will do the eulogyhimself). He knows people don’t want toworry, and so he makes sure he takes care ofeverything down to the last detail. He doesn’twant the family to worry.

After he talks to the man’s sister, he walksback to his office. A short, compact womanwith square glasses comes in and stops in frontof his desk.

“Well, hey Joyce,” he says, as he eases him-self into his chair.

“Hey Don. Did Bonnie tell you I have a jokefor you?” Joyce Buckwaller is an old familyfriend. Don has buried both her parents. Herdaughter is also married to the deceasedman’s son.

Death and a Salesman

ILLUSTRATIONS | DAVID CHEN

Here, everybodyknows everybody,everybody helps

everybody.Don Wolfe

[ [

25buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | WELL SHE TRIED TO THINK OF SOMETHING TO SELL AND ONLY SOLD HER DIRTY SOCKS.

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Computer tech. needed to work on graphics for local business. Access to Macintosh neccessary. Please call 840-2539 for details.

Make money taking online sur-veys. Great opportunities for stu-dents. Earn $10-125 for taking sur-veys. Earn $25-$250 for focus groups. Visit www.ezmoney4stu-dents.com.

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Exact Extraction. Carpet & uphols-tery cleaning. Free estimates. 688-3101.

Do better writing. Hire a writing tutor.351-9840.

FREE ESTIMATES: Tree trimming, Topping, Removal, Stump Grinding.384-5010.

Furnished one bedrooms and effi-ciencies from $325 near John and Second or Healey and Third. 356-1407

JOHN SMITH PROPERTY MANAGEMENTwww.johnsmithproperties.com

(217)384-6930“believe the hype”

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800 W. Church, C2 BR’s centrally located near trans-portation. Apartments now available.No pets. $450/mo. 352-8540 days, 355-4608 pm/wknd.

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1016buzz0425 10/15/03 5:55 PM Page 1

CROSSWORD PUZZLE (ANSWERS ON 20)

ACROSS1 One going through a

tunnel, perhaps5 Brick ingredient

10 Beach site14 “My ___!”15 Cell alternative16 Place to swim or play

b-ball17 Vent, in a way18 Receive a late honor?20 Hotel reception feature22 It may be due … but

never overdue23 Main line24 Unsatisfactorily26 Want ad inits.27 Start28 Certain computer

screen30 Miss31 Boxing, so it’s said34 Useless project35 Boxing legend41 Sound42 “Legally Blonde”

blonde43 ___ Bowl44 Kind of shot45 Running total?: Abbr.

46 Passed on the trail47 Send49 Stalked, e.g.50 Immediately54 Still-life piece55 “Hollywood Homicide”

actress, 200356 Put out57 Devotional carving:

Var.58 Got out59 Exhausted, with “out”60 Boxer and others:

Abbr.

DOWN1 Movie credits caption2 Continue a military

parade3 Grain appendages4 Present time5 Extend6 Musical with the song

“Frank Mills”7 It may be understated8 Pacific ring9 Suffix with

22-Across10 Stick ___11 Get part of12 Circular opening?

13 Circularopening

19 Crystalwork,once: Abbr.

21 Stout per-son?

24 Step on it25 Dough28 General’s

pride29 ___ alco-

hol30 Best

SupportingActresswinner for“TheAccidentalTourist”

32 Dog-___33 Geometric

figure withall equalangles

35 By fairmeans orfoul

36 It may accompany hip-shaking

37 Vostok 1 commander38 Took Marie

Antoinette’s advice?

39 Singer/actor who wrote“Here I Stand,” 1958

40 ___ “Annus Mirabilis”45 Congressional support46 Like Larry King48 Dress without a waist-

line

49 Dermatologist’s con-cern

51 Unexplored52 Sixth-century date53 Pilfer

26odds & endodds & endFATE IS CONSPIRING TO SUCK YOU INTO AN INTENSIVE BEHAVIORAL MODIFICATION PROGRAM | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzz

Tommy G’sBar and Grill

www.tommygs.com

featuring food by Foudini’s

Every Tuesday

Fri., Rocktober 17

Sat., Rocktober 18

Every Wednesday

FREE MUSICno cover weekdays!

123 S. Mattis, Champaign - Counrty Fair Mall, 359-2177

Will Roger’sAcoustic Night

Plus $2 Tuesdays - two dollar drafts,cans,dom. Bottles, well drinks, order of wings,

basket-o-spuds, chips-n-salsa.

Thursdays - Pool Tourney, Cash Prizes, 7 PM

Reasonable Doubt - 10 pm

FREE FOOD FRIDAYS!

A local classic rock band with an ear for great tunes!

5-7 PM featuring Al Ierardi - no cover!

Kathy harden& the king bees 10-2 AM

The only blues diva you’ll ever need...

24 - Renegade, 25 - maurice & The Mindset

Kilborn AlleyComing in Rocktober

ARIES (March 21-April 19): This may sound crazy, but the bestway to attract good luck in the coming week is to experimentwith doing the opposite of what you usually do. For instance, youcould act as if limitations are fantastic opportunities. Instead ofindulging your impulses, you can question them -- lighthearted-ly, of course. Rather than leading everyone into interesting temp-tation with your fiery enthusiasm, you could be a meditative fol-lower who listens well and tries out other people's daring plans.Any other ideas?

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The next couple of weeks will be anexcellent time to purge any nagging karma that has been haunt-ing your love life. You'll be ready to move on to new romanticfrontiers once you clear away the residue that has been subtlyburdening you.To achieve the proper spirit of rowdy fierceness, Isuggest you learn the following country music songs and beltthem out now and then: "You Done Tore Out My Heart AndStomped That Sucker Flat," "Get Your Tongue out of My Mouth,I'm Kissing You Goodbye," "How Can I Miss You If You Won't GoAway?," "I Wouldn't Take You To A Dawg Fight, Cause I'm AfraidYou'd Win," "I Liked You Better Before I Knew You So Well," and "IFlushed You From The Toilets Of My Heart."

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): This is your official too-much-of-a-good-thing warning. To protect and preserve the sweet progressyou've enjoyed in recent weeks, make sure that abundance does-n't tip over into gross excess. How? Refuse to become a slave toyour good ideas. Don't let your triumphs lead to exhaustion.Avoid expressions of generosity that are wasted on the recipi-ents or motivated mostly by the urge to impress people.You cankeep all your well-earned rewards, dear Gemini, if you'll start set-ting graceful new limits now.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Most practitioners of the healingarts believe in taking a gradual approach. Psychotherapists andacupuncturists, for example, typically see their clients once aweek, theorizing that even deep-seated problems have to beundone slowly and gently. Some mavericks take a more radicalapproach, however. One acupuncturist I know has her clientscome and stay at her clinic for six consecutive days, during whichtime she administers a fresh treatment every two hours. This isthe kind of approach I recommend for you right now, Cancerian.You're on the verge of curing a certain longstanding imbalance,and intense, concentrated attention is the best way to do it.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I shopped at a local supermarket formonths before striking up a conversation with Wendy, one of thecheck-out clerks. "How was your weekend?" I asked her oneMonday. "I worked at my two other jobs," she said. I was sur-prised, having assumed her career consisted entirely of tallying

grocery purchases. "I'm a psychotherapist at a group home fordisturbed teens," she continued, "and I'm trying to finish my PhDdissertation." I blushed in embarrassment for having misread herso thoroughly. As she processed my order, we had an interestingexchange about adolescent angst and the politics of psy-chotherapy. I suggest you make Wendy your inspirational symbolthis week, Leo. May she remind you to dig beneath the surfaceand uncover the deeper truth about everything you think youhave figured out.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): "The fox knows many things," said theancient Greek poet Archilochus, "but the hedgehog knows onebig thing." Twentieth-century philosopher Isaiah Berlin used thisthought as an organizing principle in discussing types of writers.Hedgehogs like Dante and Plato yearned to explain life's appar-ent chaos with a single, all-embracing theory, Berlin believed,whereas foxes like Shakespeare preferred to revel in the world'smessy multiplicity without feeling a need to unify it all in one sys-tem. My long experience with astrological types has convincedme that most Virgos tend to be foxes. In the coming days, how-ever, I advise you to try out the hedgehog perspective. It'll ensureyou don't miss the forest for the trees.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Where exactly does happiness comefrom, ask David Meyers and Ed Diener in their article, "TheScience of Happiness," published in "The Futurist" magazine. Doyou experience happiness primarily through being a good per-son or contemplating the meaning of life? From indulging inpleasure or knowing the truth? From preserving comfy illusionsor purging yourself of pent-up rage and sadness? All the above?Let these questions be the starting point for your own medita-tions on the subject, Libra. It's a perfect moment to get very seri-ous about defining what brings you joy and making concreteplans to harvest more of it.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The science newsletter, "Mini-Annalsof Improbable Research," did a poll of its readers on the question,"Does reality exist?" Forty-two percent answered yes, while 31percent asserted that it most certainly does not. The remaining27 percent were undecided. A few of the latter believed that theirreality exists but no one else's does.Two people said, "Yes, realityexists, but you can't get to it." According to one respondent,"Reality exists only when it is really necessary." Remember thatline, Scorpio, because it will be quite necessary for your reality toexist in the coming weeks. Here's another response to thepoll that you should make your own: "Reality especially existsright after a thunderstorm." I predict that your reality willbecome vivid and deep once your metaphorical tempest ends ina few days.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Fate is conspiring to suck youinto an intensive behavioral modification program. The goal: toweed out the wishy-washy wishes and leech out the lukewarmlongings that are keeping you distracted from your burningdesires. Here's the paradoxical formula that will be at the heart ofthis process: If you try to maintain the illusion that you're not los-ing yourself, you will in fact lose yourself. But if you surrender andagree to lose yourself, you will break through to a new level ofcommunion with the deepest, most eternal part of yourself.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Nice guys finish last. So pro-claimed the crusty old baseball player, Leo Durocher, who wasfamous last century for his rough play and dirty tricks. His once-wicked insinuation has, 50 years later, devolved into a decadentplatitude. It needs an update. As you enter a phase when it willmake sense to become more strategic, Capricorn, try on the fol-lowing formulas for size: Nice guys finish last because they followall the rules by rote. Nasty guys often don't even finish becausethey break the rules by rote. Smart guys and riot grrrls winbecause they get away with inventing new rules that update themeaning of the ever-evolving game.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Would you consider acquiring athree-foot-long double-edged sword like the one Beowulf wield-ed in his famous battle with the monster many centuries ago?You won't need this weapon to defend yourself from physicalattack in the coming days, Aquarius; that's not why I recommendit. Rather, I suggest you use it as a magical prop in a ritualdesigned to rouse your warrior spirit.Hold it in front of you as youvisualize yourself scaring off your inner demons and cuttingaway the inessential concerns that are bogging you down.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): This may be the time your descen-dants will tell stories about: the turning point when you outwitan old nemesis and undo an ancient knot, freeing you to finallybegin fulfilling your life purpose in earnest. On the other hand,this may be the moment when you shrink back from a challengesimilar to one that many generations of your family membershave faced. If that's what happens, your descendants will be lack-ing an important clue when they encounter their own version ofthe ancestral puzzle many years from now. Which will it be,Pisces? Answering the call to adventure or refusing it?

HOMEWORK:What Halloween cos-

tume could you choose tohelp you activate asecret or dormant part ofyour potential? Testify atwww.freewillastrology.com

Rob Brezsny's Free WillAstrology beautyandtruth@ f r e e w i l l a s t r o l o g y. c o m415.459.7209(v)• 415.457.3769 http://www.freewillastrology.com P.O. Box 798San Anselmo, CA 94979

! "

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

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insidebuzz4 C O M M U N I T Y

Les gives everyone a lounge

8 A R T S

Krannert displays African tribal masks

11 M U S I C

EELS talk back

14 C A L E N D A R

Ester Drang

23 F I L M & T V

Action hits Wednesday night

BUZZ STAFFEditor-in-chief Tom Rybarczyk Art Director Meaghan DeeCopy Chief Erin GreenArts Katie RichardsonMusic Brian MertzEntertainment Jason CantoneCalendar Marissa MonsonAssistant Music Editor Jacob DittmerCalendar Coordinators Lauren Smith,Cassie Conner, Erin ScottbergPhotography Adam Young, Elliot KolkovichCopy Editors Elizabeth Zeman, Suzanne SitrickDesigners Adam Obendorf, Carol Mudra, JasonCantoneProduction Manager Theon SmithEditorial Adviser Elliot KolkovichSales Manager Lindsey BentonMarketing/Distribution Melissa Schleicher,MariaErickson Publisher Mary Cory

All editorial questions or letters to the editor shouldbe sent to buzz@readbuzz.com or 244-9898 or buzz,1001 S.Wright St., Champaign, Ill., 61820.

Buzz magazine is a student-run publication of IlliniMedia Company and does not necessarily represent,in whole or in part, the views of the University ofIllinois administration, faculty or students.

Copyright Illini Media Company 2003

editor’snote

Volume 1, Number 33COVER DESIGN | Carol Mudra

3buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU’VE LOST IT? | OCTOBER 9-15, 2003 buzz

Central Illinois

The Right HelpRight at your Fingertips

Making it easy to find the right therapist

A free referral serviceAffiliate of the 1-800-Therapist Network

Call

While initiallyresearching the

story behindAmasong, I was cer-tain the documentarywould containprotests from conser-vative religiousgroups, lesbians dis-cussing family members that had turned theirbacks on them and political activists totingtheir own personal views on the lack of lesbianand gay rights in America. How could anydocumentarian address what I perceived to bean overtly political move by Kristina Boergeron behalf of lesbians without finding anddepicting heated reactions from centralIllinois’ more conservative members?

However, what Jay Rosenstein pointed out,and what I agree with, is the fascinating wayin which Amasong’s lesbian/feminist choirhas not met with any major obstacles whileperforming in Champaign-Urbana. As a stu-dent at the University of Illinois, what rightdid I have to make broad generalizationsabout how a community that I did not growup in would react to what I had labeled a “lib-eral” maneuver? This assumption was short-sighted and naive for two reasons: one, imme-diately assuming that the people of CentralIllinois are vehemently anti-gay and anti-les-bian stereotypes the former in the same man-ner by which I was ready to accuse them ofdoing; and two, implying that it is natural forpeople to react negatively to such a divisiondisplays little aptitude on my part for under-standing the way in which people see and

view group activity.Whenever any group of people identify

themselves as being different and sectionthemselves off from others it is in reaction tonot finding the appropriate resources within alarger community. Even in an activity as polit-ically benign as Little League, one can detectthe need for a specialized environment: littlekids learn to play baseball better with peoplewho are of relatively the same size and abilityas them. No one started the Little League pro-gram in order to directly attack the grown-updominated system in Major League Baseball.Mothers do not bring signs to Cubs gamesreading, “Down with adult ideology. Come toCubbies games instead.” The differencebetween Little League players and MajorLeague ballers is not needlessly discussed.That difference is obvious but accepted as nat-ural due to the conventions of our time.

Another feature apparent in such divisionsis that the participants are able to nurture theirtalents in an environment that is most con-ducive to their development. It is necessity, notanger, which compels them to section off.

An encouraging environment was whatKristina Boerger was looking for when sheestablished Amasong in 1991. Boerger was notlooking for a fight. Nor was she disappointedwhen she didn’t find one. As much as I want-ed to find the sensationalism in the story, nei-ther Kristina nor Champaign-Urbana wasgoing to give it to me. In retrospect, my preju-dice toward the community was a need withinmyself to witness dramatic situations. Call itan adventuresome nature, a fighting sprit, orjust plain boredom, whatever the source was;I wanted to see lesbians throwing biblesat Baptist preachers. Not because I dislikelesbians, or Baptist preachers for that matter,

but because I’ve created a somewhat false ideaof eternal conflict between the two, based onmy minimal experience, and look for traces ofthat concept on the big screen.

The scenario that was really on JayRosenstein’s screen, though, was that of adeeply touching and peaceful group ofwomen who were able to cultivate their talentsbecause they were sharing a safe space withwomen that they had found a kinship with.

The question, then, was why had theyfound such a kinship? Where do people drawthe line between “us” and “them,” and whydo they do so? Let’s backtrack a little and dis-cuss my “false idea.” It was false because I amnot a lesbian. And even though I have friendswho are, and have been to many gay and les-bian designated events and benefits, and readabout what it’s like to be labeled according toone’s sexuality, I really have no empiricalexperience wherein I have had to define my“self” in terms of whom I am sleeping with.Due to my personal tendency to imagineworst-case scenarios, I have always thoughtthat every day for such a person must be aconstant battle against the status quo.

When Kristina Boerger said to me, “I’m overbeing a lesbian,” I realized that “the statusquo” was not the narrow-minded individualsthat I had imagined lurking in the bushes out-side of Amasong’s concerts. It was me. In spiteof holding no intolerance towards lesbians, Ihad still managed to marginalize them. I haddone so because I had identified them as dif-ferent and needed to defend that difference inorder to confirm a sense of self in the commu-nity, when in fact their sexuality is no indicatorof who they truly are. I firmly believe one rea-son Amasong was such a secure environmentfor its participants was because in that spherethere was little discussion as to what the mem-bers perceived to be a secondary characteristicabout themselves. After writing this story, Iconsidered the fact that it might be as boringfor a lesbian to talk about her sexuality as it isfor me to talk about my hair color. I realized Ihad made a bigger deal about the politicsbehind Amasong than I had the quality ofwork that it was producing.

Admittedly, even this forum obstructs thenature of the message I am trying to relay.Being a lesbian shouldn’t be in discussion.Kristina’s over it, the community’s over it andI should be too.

Katie Richardson Arts Editor

Correction- A community story on page 3in the Oct. 9 issue misattributed a pull quote.The quote should have been attributed toLynda Gritten.

1016buzz0326 10/15/03 4:51 PM Page 1

2 | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzz

Art Crafts Produce Art Crafts Produce Art Crafts Produce Art Crafts Produce

Flowers Plants Food Flowers Plants Food Flowers Plants Food Flowers Plants Food

Coffee Music Coffee Music Coffee Music Coffee Music

Every Sat. Morning thru Nov. 8

7 a.m. until Noon

SE Lot of Lincoln Square

Downtown Urbana

(217) 384-2319

Friday October 24 at 5:00 p.m.Questions: call Teri McCarthy at 352-5151

This event is being held to assist human service agencies in Champaign County, with the support of several groups includingCentral High School Student Council, the Religious Workers Association, and the Religious Leaders for Community Care.

Make a DifferenceDriveDrive

October 13-24, 2003

• Parkland College’s Child Development Center • Phillips Recreation Center• Schnucks Stores• United Way of Champaign County• University YMCA

• Bresnan Meeting Center• Daily Illini Office• Family Service Center• Illini Radio Group Office• Illini Union Bookstore• Office of Volunteer Programs (277 Illini Union)

DROP-OFF SITES:

ITEMS NEEDED: • Travel-size Shampoo, Soap, and Toothpaste• Toothbrushes• Razors• Lotions• Diapers (Infant to Adult), Baby Wipes• Tissue• Crayons, Colored Markers• Pencils, Pens• Coloring Books, Construction Paper• Spiral Notebooks• Glue• Folders• New Socks and Underwear (For All Ages)

We encourage agencies, offices, and companies to help us collect thesemuch-needed items and deliver them to any drop off sites no later than:

V o t e d B e s t M e x i c a n R e s t a u r a n t i n C - U a r e a

Enjoy our popular menu:

Try our NEW items:

Fajitas JaliscoCarnitas DinnerChimichanga

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Etc.

Parrilla SuizaPescado Estilo

CancunSteak Chinaco

Pollo CampiranoAnd more...

1 4 0 7 N . P r o s p e c t A v e • 3 5 1 - 6 8 7 9

27buzz OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 | I HATE COLD WEATHER

AND ANOTHER THING. . . DirtyTalkBY MICHAEL COULTER | CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The air in Illinois is beginning to develop achill to it, baseball season is coming to an

end, and families begin thinking about the hol-idays and how they will spend them. This canonly mean one thing:My parents are headingsouth faster than theAtlanta Falcons withoutMichael Vick. So, thisweekend, in mid-October, my family willcelebrate Thanksgiving.

Six or seven yearsago my mom and daddecided to sell thehouse and everything contained within andhit the road. They bought a camper, or “startercoffin,” and headed for the warmth of Texas.They stay down there until the temperaturesof April bring them back to the Midwest forthe summer. Apparently, there was somethingin their wedding vows that promised never toexperience any temperature below 40 degreesafter the age of 60.

They stay in a park near Corpus Christi,Texas with some other folks who are doing thesame thing as them, the geriatric equivalent ofEasy Rider. It’s a nice place really, a nice life.They rise every morning around 5 a.m. or so,eat breakfast, and then have pretty much therest of their morning to complain about thesnippy check out clerk at the Super Wal-Mart.

It’s Texas, so you can start drinking beer alittle before noon if you’d like. I’ve visitedthem and tried it. Believe me, it’s a prettysweet deal. I kicked back in a lawn chair witha can of Lone Star, havingno cares in the world solong as the ever-presentambulance was drivingpast our campsite.

In the evening, theyoften build a campfire andhave Happy Hour. This iswhere large groups ofolder people get togetherand complain about thesnippy check-out clerk at the Super Wal-Mart.

It’s amazing to me how many people theyhave met since they began doing this. Theyhave friends from all over the United Statesnow. They see them here and there, maybemeet up with them for a few days and thenwave goodbye and get back on the road.

There are a few people that they hangaround with a majority of the time. It’s a goodthing and makes me feel better about themleaving home. My theory is that if you put fourolder folks in a car headed to Mexico for cheapprescription medicine, it’s basically like hav-ing one younger person behind the wheel. Theperson driving can see but that’s about it. They

rely on the person in the passenger seat whocan hear. The two in the back seat constantlyyell directions and identify any of the myriadstrange smells coming from the vehicle.

They basically become one person.It may not seem like a big deal, but try doing

it with the heater on full blast and the sun froma 90 degree day piercing through the window.It’s not a cake walk.

It’s really what retirement should be most ofthe time. My mom goes for long walks dailyand my dad reorganizes the storage spacebelow the camper pretty much every day.They play cards; they watch movies; they talkwith their friends. Maybe they will have a fewcocktails here and there. Strangely, and sadly,it’s not that different from my life.

There are a few things to look out for. Myfirst trip there, Dad warned me to stay awayfrom the swimming pool. I believe the exactquote was “Jesus Christ, son, stay away fromthat pool. You don’t wanna see the old ladiesout there in their bathing suits. It’s not a pret-ty picture.”

You also have to watch the weather. Eventhough they don’t like it anymore, my parentsare familiar with and ready to handle coldweather. That’s not necessarily true in Texas,though. One year it dropped below 35 degreeswith snow flurries. They closed the schools,roads and most stores.

The natives were restless and my dad juststood back and smiled. He knew they wereoverreacting but he didn’t tell them. He wasn’tsupposed to. He’s retired.

So, they’re headed back home next week,but before that, it’s Thanksgiving at my housethis weekend. We’ll get oysters for the dress-

ing and then complainabout how they aren’t asgood as in Texas. We’llhave turkey and noodlesand any other starch wecan find in the cabinetand fall asleep just likeany other family doesafter a big Thanksgivingmeal.

Sure, we’ll be fallingasleep to the World Series instead of a footballgame, but it doesn’t matter. It’s come to beThanksgiving to us now, and we like it justfine. By the time the regular Thanksgivingrolls around in November, I can act all sad sosomeone else will cook for me again.Thanksgiving in October is really sort of just abonus. I give thanks all year long anyway. Ihave the best parents you could ever imagine.

Michael Coulter is a videographer at ParklandCollege. He writes a weekly email column,“This Sporting Life” and has hosted severallocal comedy shows.

What retirement should be

By the time the regularThanksgiving rolls

around in November Ican act all sad so

someone else will cookfor me again.

[ [

To My Past Lovely Ladies, You have tried totie down this beauty, but my view is thatevery woman should at least have a smalltaste of what I have to offer, sorry for thebroken hearts and tattered memories!

To the guy wearing the Ottawa Senators(#4) jersey on the quad on Weds. morning,you're amazing! Wear it more often. Thanksfor making my day.

Angelique-- How did I ever end up with agirl as hot as you? Awesome.

To My Peeps- You all can drop it like itshot.My times with you are off the hook.love-MC

shizniz boys-you all are shizawesome!wowshizass.-MC

Cathy-Your red hot, ow,ow-MC

There was at least one good sight at Sat'sIllini/MSU game... that gorgeous blondeMSU (and Illini?) fan who took time out tohug the MI twirler on the field.

Jess-you are so jessified.6ft ya baby.-MC

Craig-- You are the sexiest tattoo artist inChampaign. I"ll be seeing you soon.--Christina

Michelle- I love being hyper with you.Can Iget a hell yea!-MC

Skaterboy--show me your bling bling andI'll show you mine!

Chad- You’re on top of your game when itcomes to flash.

Carol- I want to eat you like chicken friedrice.

SWEET “DIRTY” TALKS ARE FREE. To submityour message go to www.readbuzz.com andclick on the Sweet Talk link. Please make yourmessage personal, fun, flirty and entertaining.Leave out last names and phone numbersbecause we (and probably you!) could get in bigfat trouble for printing them. We reserve the rightto edit your messages. Sorry, no announcementsabout events or organizations. (Enter those atcucalendar.com)

Ambler continued from page 9

He shot Gary on the left side of his left legjust above the knee.

“I remember having one minute of lucidthought, and I just started making noises. Thenext thing I remember, the paramedics wereshouting at me,” Ambler said.

The most emotional he gets was when hetells this story is when he says one of the kidsthat mugged him was 13 years old. To him,that was the saddest thing about the wholeincident.

“He’s very quiet,” Ibsen says. “In his reallife, he’s a very quiet person, you’re astound-ed by these characters that come out of him.”

His modesty came out before rehearsalwhen two company members Jan and JohnChandler stopped by the theater. Jan paintsthe marquees that hangs in front of the smallparking lot at the Station Theatre.

The sign read, “Gary Ambler in FullyCommitted.”

Ambler looked at it, laughed, and won-dered why his name was up there.

“In Chesapeake (another one-man show hedid), we didn’t even tell people it was a one-man show,” he told the Chandlers.

“I think that bothers him,” Jan said later.“That his name is up there.”

John has done several shows with himincluding American Buffalo.

“He’s so soft-spoken and he’ll take roleswhere he’s a lion or a maniac,” John said.

In Fully Committed, he’ll run the gambit ofcharacters, a huge not wholly welcome chal-lenge.

“It’s lovely work,” Ambler said. “It’s somuch more fun with other people.”

In a one-man show, Ambler has to play somany characters that he is not able to digparticularly deep on one character.

“I think that’s one of the hurdles for it,” hesaid. “Because you have to be broad with thecharacters.

“The one man format forces you to makethe audience a second character as a reactor,”he continued. “This is more difficult becausethere are no direct lines to the audience.”

Ambler prefers playing one characterbecause it allows him to become more inti-mate with that character. Karma said thatone of Gary’s strengths is his ability to ana-lyze the text. Gary doesn’t mind doing out-side research for the character if it makessense, but he prefers to use the text as muchas possible.

He’s happy with how Committed is comingalong, but he knows it needs a little morework.

After his run through, Karma talks aboutthe difference between the characters.

“There needs to be more of a distinction,”she says.

Gary does an excellent job of creating thecharacters and he keeps them very distinct atfirst, but as the show goes on, some of thecharacters sort of blend together. All of hisfemale characters end each sentence on an upnote, and sometimes this bleeds to the malecharacters as well.

A few days later, Gary shows much moreof a handle on each character. The distinc-tiveness of each voice at the beginning car-ries much longer into the play, and he stillhas a little under a week to hammer out somemore details, which is fine with him becausehe loves rehearsals.

But for now, he has to worry about his one-man that opens tonight. He’s excited aboutit, he loves working on comedy, and there’sstill a little more for him to find out about hisrole.

“It’s not poetry, but it’s entertainment,” hesaid. “I have a feeling there’s something sub-versive about it, so hopefully I can findmore.” buzz

1016buzz0227 10/15/03 4:04 PM Page 1

buzThe Films of New Hollywood

28 I’LL BE THERE MAN | OCTOBER 16-22, 2003 buzzodds&end

zbuzz Film Festival1stannual

The Graduate (1967)105 minutesDirected by Mike Nichols StarringAnne BancroftDustin HoffmanKatharine rossWilliam Daniels

Easy Rider (1969)94 minutesDirected by Dennis HopperStarringDennis HopperPeter FondaJack NicholsonPhil Spector

Raging Bull (1980)129 minutesDirected by Martin ScorseseStarringRobert De NiroCathy MoriartyJoe Pesci Frank Vincent

The Last Picture Show (1971)118 minutesDirected by Peter BogdanovichStarringTimothy BottomsJeff BridgesCybill ShepherdEllen Burstyn

Nov. 176:30 p.m. The Graduate (1967)9 p.m. The Last Picture Show (1971)11:15 p.m. BONUS FILM

Nov. 187 p.m. Raging Bull (1980)9:30 p.m. Easy Rider (1969)

at The Virginia TheatreNov. 17 and 18

Bonus FilmAt 11:15 p.m. we will play a bonus movie,choose among these five films

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)Chinatown (1974)A Clockwork Orange (1971)The French Connection (1971)Midnight Cowboy (1969)e-mail your vote to filmfestival@readbuzz.comor visit our Web site at www.readbuzz.com

TICKETSOn sale today at The Virginia

Theatre 203 W. Park Avenue inChampaign 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday or callThe Virginia Theatre at 356-9063.

$5 per movie$20 for all five movies

Free Festival Pass for thefirst 20 people to vote

Oct. 16-22, 2003 Arts | Entertainment | Community

buzzbuzzFREE!

C O M M U N I T Y

Undertakertakes on life(page 4)

A R T S

Actor returns from gun shot(page 9)

M U S I C

Pete Yorn lays back(page 11)

C A L E N D A R

Esther Drangjoins goodcompany(page 14)

F I L M & T V

Kill Billbloodies upthe screen(page 21)

Amasong:Bridging boundaries

through music

Amasong:Bridging boundaries

through music

1016buzz0128 10/15/03 4:03 PM Page 1