M usic , M oviesand M ore

Oct. 13, 2005
Music, Movies and More
MUSIC
USIC:: Franz Ferdinand and Green Day rock sold-out crow
crowds
ds in L.A.
L.A.
MOVIE: ‘Wallace and Gromit’ and ‘Gospel’ delight audiences
MORE
ORE:: Guide to partying in Fullerton, plus the latest entertainment news
2 THE BUZZ
Contents
02 The Inside Buzz
03 Flashback Favorite
Bar-hopping in Fullerton
04 Fra
Franz Ferdinand Concert
05 Green Day Concert
06 New Music Reviews
Concert Calendar
07 New Movie Reviews
08 Thri
Th ce Concert and
Interview
ON THE COVER: Alex Kapranos, lead singer of Scottish quartet Franz Ferdinand, graced fans
at the Greek Theater in Hollywood with renditions of tunes
from their latest release on Friday.
(Photo by Nicole M. Smith/Daily
Titan Executive Editor)
THE BUZZ
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
AMANDA PENNINGTON
A
ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
MAHSA KHALILIFAR
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
NICOLE M. SMITH
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
CAN SENGEZER
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
EMILY ALFORD
PRODUCTION
AMANDA PENNINGTON, MAHSA KHALILIFAR
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
LESLEY WU, DERRICK SALATNAY,
VANESSA RUMBLES, RICH BOYD,
KIMBERLY LEUNG, JACKIE KIMMEL
The Daily Titan 714.278.3373
T
The Buzz Editorial 714.278.5426 [email protected]
Editorial Fax 714.278.4473
The Buzz Advertising 714.278.3373 [email protected]
Advertising Fax 714.278.2702
The Buzz , a student publication, is a supplemental insert for the Cal State Fullerton Daily Titan. It
The
is printed every Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College
of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU system. The Daily Titan has functioned
as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated,
advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written
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Copyright ©2004 Daily Titan
THE
INSIDE
BUZZ
By MAHSA KHALILIFAR
Daily Titan Asst. Entertainment Editor
The celebrity world continues
to bring on the news we love to
gossip about … Mo’Nique, 37year-old star of “The Parkers,”
gave birth to twins on Oct. 3, according to People. The boys were
born in Los Angeles and were
named Jonathan and David …
Mr. Slim Shady is back, this time
he is busting out his greatest hits.
According to MTV news, Eminem is releasing his first greatest
hits album on Dec. 6, deeming
the album his Curtain Call …
Wyclef Jean has inked a deal
with HBO. The deal includes him
producing his own comedy series
based on his life, according to
BET ... Sean Paul’s The Trinity
broke record-sales, making him
the first to have the highest firstweek sales for a reggae artist, according to BET …
Another break-up in the celebrity world: Babyface a.k.a. Kenneth Edmonds and wife, Tracy
Edmunds have decided to officially go their separate ways after
13 years and two children
The host of the “Daily Show,”
42-year-old John Stewart and
wife Tracy are going to welcome their second child – a girl
- sometime in February, People
reports…
Want more Buzz? Check
us out on the Web for
the latest on hot new
On The Web music and movies.
www.dailytitan.com
Word
New notable CD releases that
came out Tuesday were Ricky
Martin’s Life … Former American Idol contestant George
Huff’s Miracles … rapper Warren G’s In the Mid-Nite Hour …
controversial female twosome
t.A.T.u.’s Dangerous and Moving ... DVD releases this week
include … Orlando Bloom’s
“Kingdom of Heaven” in widescreen and full screen editions
… Jason Bateman’s “Arrested
Development – Season Two” …
“Veronica Mars – The Complete
First Season” … “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” in
widescreen and full screen editions … Will Ferrell’s comedy “Kicking & Screaming” …
Celebrity sighting of the week:
Bobby Crosby from the Oakland
Athletics checking out the Green
Day show Saturday night at The
Home Depot Center in Carson
… Stay tuned for more news and
gossip in the next Inside Buzz .
Quote of the Week
“It’s nice to see you, though.”
– Boy George, to London
reporters who he wouldn’t talk
after he was arrested in New York
City for drug possession
MAINSTREAM
Flashback Favorite
Nicolette Reibold
and Allison Lee
sing along with
Jeff Vance as he
plays their song at
the Rockin’ Taco
Cantina in Downtown Fullerton
Tuesday night.
‘Mallrats’ cult phenomenon
By EDUARDO VASCONCELLOS
Daily Titan Staff
“One time, my cousin Walter got this cat stuck in his ass.
True story.” Ah, “Mallrats.”
What’s not to like? Especially
after Jason Lee’s fantastic opening monologue about his cousin
Walter and the menagerie stuck
where the sun doesn’t shine?
Nothing!
Universal hired Kevin Smith,
the indie phenomenon, to make
a critical and cultural success
like his first movie “Clerks.”
Rather than having a film with
social commentary mixed with
brilliant comedy, in 1995 Smith
gave us his dick-and-fart joke
opus “Mallrats.” Nobody saw it
in the theaters, but it lived on in
video, finding a cult following.
It was also the film debut of a
skating pioneer turned actor, Jason Lee. Each of his monologues
is priceless. His portrayal of perpetual loser Brodie Bruce is sublime. The movie is an acquired
taste that addresses the mating
habits of superheroes and shenanigans to win back girlfriends,
Jay and Silent Bob, Bob’s endeavor to become a Jedi knight,
and Stan “The Man” Lee.
The forgettable plot has Brodie and his pal T.S. trying to win
back their ladies, sabotaging a
dating game and Jay and Silent
Bob’s schemes to take out the
feared mall security guard. The
meat of this lowbrow movie is
the memorable quotes and absurd dialogue.
“You know what? There is no
Easter bunny! Over there, that’s
just a guy in a suit!”
”My cousin Walter jerked off
in public once. True story.”
Lee’s comedic timing is
something many actors only
dream about. This movie’s spiritual successor, 2001’s “Jay and
Silent Bob Strike Back,” is in
the same vein, but doesn’t retain
the witty banter found in “Mallrats.”
Ten years after its original
release, the film still holds up,
lucky for fans everywhere.
3
JAMIE FLANAGAN/
Daily Titan
Downtown Fullerton
knows how to party
By MAHSA KHALILIFAR
Daily Titan Asst. Entertainment Editor
It’s time for the weekend again,
which for college students starts
Thursday night and continues on
until Saturday night. It’s a time to let
loose and have some fun. If you’re
in the mood for a good crowd,
drinks and music, look no further
than a few of blocks away.
With Cal State Fullerton and Fullerton College in the same area, the
city is a mecca for students – not
only for studying, but for having
fun. Downtown Fullerton offers
many festivities for the willing.
Zings, Rockin’ Taco Cantina and
Revolucion give bar-hoppers the
chance to shake their stuff while enjoying music for the hip and mostly
21-and-over college crowd.
For a mid-week interlude, check
out Rockin’ Taco Cantina on Tuesday nights for 50-cent tacos and
dueling piano players who always
take requests.
Zings is the best place to hit on
Thursdays. The crowd is fun and
trendy at Zings and those who go
will enjoy hip-hop, new and old
school, and reggaeton. The dance
floor is small, but dancers can still
move around and there’s a plethora
of seating if you want to sip on a
drink while enjoying the music.
Revolucion is the place to be on
Fridays. The good vibe, decentsized dance floor and eclectic music
create a fun place to mingle, drink
and dance with friends.
Most of the bars have outdoor patios, so if you need a break for fresh
air or a smoke it’s readily available.
The hot night spots usually don’t
start bumping until after 11 p.m., so
arrive late, but be prepared to wait
in lines. A secret for ladies: Don’t always worry about the lines because
you may not have to wait in it.
Admission for each bar is $5,
which is reasonable considering
many clubs in the area start at $15.
Saturday nights are generally the
least eventful, but with the right
combination of people and places,
can still be fun. Usually Revolucion
will have a crowded floor, but check
it out before jumping in.
The dress code is casual, but not
sloppy, so go out looking great.
Many bar-goers are CSUF students,
so meeting people is easy.
The bars are all located on Harbor Blvd. and parking is plentiful,
Bring on the confidence and have
some fun … after mid-terms, we all
deserve it!
4 MUSIC REVIEWS
Franz Ferdinand enters rock stardom
By AMANDA PENNINGTON
Daily Titan Entertainment Editor
Scottish quartet Franz Ferdinand
plays concerts with the energy of 1,000
men.
Well, it would seem so anyway. On
a warm and inviting Friday night, as
the band showed their camaraderie and
danced around in tight black pants, they
absolutely drove the sold-out crowd at
the Greek Theatre in Hollywood to the
brink of insanity.
The band, all dressed in suits, were
a force to be reckoned with as vocalist and lead guitarist Alex Kapranos
belted out songs in tune with guitarist
Nick McCarthy, Bob Hardy on bass
and drummer Paul Thomson.
Fans danced around uncontrollably
only to sometimes be calmed down by
a buff security guard.
Even the most mod and stonefaced
fans were forced to crack a smile every
now and then.
The crowd went wild with Kapranos’
every gyration and leg kick, especially
when the band played “Do You Want
To” off its latest release, You Could
Have It So Much Better.
The set was crisp and amazing, allowing every note played to resonate to
the farthest reaches of the venue.
The absolute best performance of the
evening – a performance that showed
the band in true rock ‘n’ roll fashion –
was during the encore when Kapranos
cruised back onstage with a bottle of
good old Johnny Walker Black Label
in one hand and a Red Stripe beer in
the other. He has all the makings of a
true rock god.
Fans also watched in amazement as
two musicians joined Thomson at his
drumset and played in unison while
Thomson played with one drumstick
and his tambourine.
The band said its final goodbye as
Kapranos heaved his Fender Telecaster
into his amp and the band bowed in
unison and swaggered off the stage.
Top left: Lead singer
Alex Kapranos strums
a few chords while
bass player Bob Hardy plucks along. Top
right: (from left) Guitarist Nick McCarthy,
Kapranos and Hardy
rock in unison. Bottom left: Kapranos
sings with drummer
Paul Thomson. Bottom
right: Kapranos points
toward the sold-out
audience at the Greek
Theater in Hollywood
on Friday night. (Photos by Nicole M. Smith/
Daily Titan Executive
Editor)
MUSIC
REVIEWS
5
Fans connect with Green Day
By AMANDA PENNINGTON
Daily Titan Entertainment Editor
“This isn’t war, this is fucking
rock ‘n’ roll!”
So said Green Day front man,
Billie Joe Armstrong, at the
band’s Saturday night concert at
The Home Depot Center in Carson.
The sold-out show pulled people in from all different walks
of life – from parents with kids
in tow, to die hard 20-something
fans like the ones I shared the
good time with, to middle-aged
rockers looking to listen to some
good tunes.
This wide spectrum of people
in attendance serves as a testament to the band’s ever-growing
popularity and its ability to retain
old-school fans as the band and
its music evolve.
Green Day’s studio releases
only give a slight glimpse into
the trio’s heart and soul.
No one can truly understand
the band’s relationship with its
fans until the make they trip to
see a live concert.
It was easy to question whether
Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt
and drummer Tré Cool, could
rock a venue as big as The Home
Depot (or SBC Park in San Francisco with 42,000 fans in attendance).
But they proved that no matter
how big or small the venue, they
possessed the power to explode
onstage and to rile up, and calm
down, a crowd of any size with a
single word or the flailing gesture
of Armstrong’s arm.
Back onstage, Armstrong did
just that.
“Now shake hands,” he said,
continuing his point, stopping a
song just in time to break up a
fight erupting in the pit early on.
With the roar of agreement
coming from the monstrous
crowd, Armstrong continued to
mesmerize audience members,
near and far.
It would also be easy to say
that this tour of sold-out stadiums
is a slap in the face to what Green
Day is supposed to stand for – the
punk rock ideology of staying
away from the mainstream and
spitting on (metaphorically and
literally) authority. But Green
Day’s critics should realize that
the band’s new music is more
in the same vein as punk rock
and contrary to those in seats of
power.
And although there were many
pre-teens and pubescent girls and
boys in attendance, the fury and
heart of the band were able to
shine through to the more mature
members of the audience.
The band’s earlier music and
image walked a fine line between
pop and punk, but was countered
by the venues where the band
played – the places where punk
rock thrived – in seedy clubs
throughout Los Angeles and the
Bay Area. But now, more than
ever the music, not just the image, is more true to the punk rock
cause.
For any non-believers, or those
straddling the fence, seeing a live
show will rock their world and
give the extra nudge needed
to transform them into a fullblown fan.
How can I say this? Because
prior to two weeks ago, I was
that person.
Five or 10 years ago, I never would’ve thought I’d be
watching two shows during a single tour, but there
I was Saturday night, on
the floor, screaming fans
all around, seeing the band
for the second time in as many
weeks.
Armstrong and his cohorts
have the innate ability to
stir up a crowd.
I don’t know how they
do it, but they do – with
the same authority as huge
rock stars like Bono and
U2 or Mick Jagger and
the Rolling Stones.
It’s absolutely amazing to think that these three guys
from the Bay Area, who started
playing the Los Angeles scene in
small clubs with NOFX 15-plus
years ago, can channel their music effectively to so many thousands of people.
These guys played with ease
– with utter perfection – as they
combined songs old and new from
as far back as the 1991 release,
Kerplunk to the latest mega-hit,
American Idiot.
The band began its set with
selections from the politically
charged American Idiot, soliciting from the crowd a barrage of
middle fingers and shouts of support for the fervently anti-George
Bush group.
“This song is a big ‘fuck you’
to George W. Bush. This song’s
called ‘Holiday,’” Armstrong
screamed.
In between the immensely
overused throaty screams of “Los
Angeles,” – which towards the
middle and end of the show became tired as the fans answered
back less and less – Armstrong
continuously ran back and forth
on the massive stage like a track
star – infecting the audience with
his never-ending enthusiasm and
energy.
At one point in the show, Tré
Cool sang his silly song – a hidden track on 2004’s Dookie – in
which he describes a moment
where he was all by himself
– complete with his signature
funny faces (that he’s known for
making every time the camera
passes him and his drum set).
Shrieks and screams poured
from the audience as Cool
strutted
REPRISE RECORDS
around
the
stage while singing the song
that, no matter how silly, is a rare
treasure among Green Day’s live
shows.
A highlight of the band’s recent tours comes when the
band invites three lucky fans
who can play the drums, bass
and guitar up to the stage to
play an Operation Ivy cover,
“Knowledge.”
It’s a rush for those
watching and must be
almost an orgasmic experience for those who
venture onstage to take
over the band’s instruments.
During this particular
show in Carson, Armstrong had a hard time
coming up with someone
worthy enough to play the
guitar onstage in front of
thousands of screaming
fans, and finally found and
brought up who he called
“the smallest punk rocker in
the world” – a kid who could
not have been more than 5
years old.
Unforunately, the shoulder
strap on the guitar was too
long, but as a consolation
prize, Armstrong gave the
guitar to the kid to take
home.
As with most concerts, Green
Day’s encore was the most memorable and emotional performance
of the evening.
The trio gave another rare per-
formance when they played “Maria,” an amazing lesser-known
track from the b-side of 2001’s
EP International Superhits.
What did it for me, though, at
both the San Francisco and Los
Angeles event was the final performance of the night.
The band sealed the evening
with the beautiful, heart-wrenching and popular “Good Riddance
(Time of Your Life),” from the
band’s 2001 release, Nimrod.
As if the band wasn’t already
written down in my band hall
of fame at this point, the performance of this song at the two
shows I attended just inked it in
permanently.
Every person in the audience
undoubtedly had a different and
personal attachment to the song
– it’s absolutely inevitable for
anyone not to – and it was no different for me and my pals, who
had emotionally anticipated hearing this song for weeks after the
unforeseen death of someone
near to our hearts.
So, like many others did, I’m
sure, our eyes welled with tears
and we embraced, as the entire
crowd swayed almost in unison,
as if we all shared the same story,
while the glimmer of lighters and
cell phones twinkled in the night.
With that, the stage went dark,
the band walked off a final time
and the crowd dispersed.
Thanks for the good time Green
Day and rest in peace Brian.
6 MUSIC
REVIEWS
Fiona worth the wait Franz Ferdinand can
By SUZANNE SULLIVAN
Daily Titan Photo Editor
Inventive and more emotionally
eclectic, the new Fiona Apple album
is well worth the six-year wait.
Amid rumors that her new album
was shelved because of the lack of
“radio friendly” songs, Apple was
actually pursuing a new producer to
re-record tracks that Sony considered finished.
Although Extraordinary Machine could be considered just
another Apple album about break
ups, she has matured in her song
writing, evolving as a more diverse
composer. She is now more focused
on creating storylines, while still
acknowledging weaknesses, which
leads her album to feel more volatile.
Songs like the title track and
“Tymps (The Sick in the Head
Song)” show Apple’s willingness
to experiment with new sounds and
styles. “Extraordinary Machine”
creeps along theatrically with clever
staccato notes while Apple changes
her vocal style from a soulful alto
to a whimsical soprano. “Tymps”
sounds funky and new, driven by
a unique rhythm with a pseudo-rap
vocal style.
A few songs on the album resemble her older works. “O’ Sailor”
focuses on her signature piano style
accompanied by stark drumbeats
and repetitive and driving lyrics.
Most of the album’s tracks deal
with familiar Apple themes: Weakness, desire, loss of love and selfawareness. These themes are what
keep her music interesting; she is
able to tap into strong emotions and
instead of wallowing in them, she is
able to create power behind them.
Despite the wait, Apple created another wonderful album that
will endure the test of time while
the Kelly Clarksons and Michelle
Branches of the world will quickly
fade into the background of pop
culture oblivion.
By EDUARDO
VASCONCELLOS
Daily Titan Staff
Today’s society is diseased
with bad music imposed on the
public by the likes of MTV and
KIIS FM. But fortunately, we do
have a handful of bands doing
their best to keep the populace
entertained, despite not being
quite as renowned as others.
Once again, Franz Ferdinand
released an excellent record.
Following 2004’s self-titled debut, the band’s new album, You
Could Have It So Much Better
aims to prove just that.
Following the trend set in the
Scottish band’s first album, So
Much Better is a myriad of simple sounds combined to create
an exquisite audial experience.
The enjoyable lyrics enveloped
by the band’s great use of guitars
and percussion are a welcomed
addition to any music lover’s
collection. The album sticks
with the same formula, starting
off with “The Fallen,” a catchy
number about a young lad who
goes against society’s norms.
With its upbeat tempo, the intro
will suck all who listen into the
record with ease.
“Do You Want To” is easily this year’s equivalent of last
year’s mega-hit, “Take Me Out.”
The song is the stand out track
of the album, infusing a complexity in simplicity as only this
band can. The lyrics are fun, but
vague and it’s anyone’s guess as
to what they mean, but its crafted
into a supremely pleasing song.
From there, the songs slow
down and give listeners a rest.
The title track, “You Could Have
It So Much Better” is a resonating track resembling the Queens
of the Stone Age. “Outsiders”
closes the album and tells fans
that their time wasn’t wasted
listening. It’s different than the
band’s norm, with a groovy
baseline and a cool “wah-wah”
guitar on top of a funky beat.
Consistent with the band’s
signature sound, all instruments
use simple structure, using few
notes in a song. However, much
like the Ramones, when the entire package is put together, it
produces some stellar music.
While it’s not quite on par with
their debut, Franz Ferdinand’s
sophomore effort is still two
steps beyond most and they tell
us exactly what listeners are with
this album – so lucky.
Concert
Calendar
Fri. Oct. 14, 5:30 p.m.
Santana
The Home Depot Center
Carson
Sat. Oct. 15, 2 p.m.
POWER 106 Presents Live
at the O.P. with Twista and
Mack 10
Orange Pavilion
San Bernardino
Sat. Oct. 15, 7 p.m.
The Vibrators
Showcase Theatre
Corona
Sun. Oct. 16, 7 p.m.
Turbonegro
House of Blues
Anaheim
Sun. Oct. 16, 7 p.m.
The Misfits
Galaxy Theatre
Santa Ana
Sun. Oct. 16, 9 p.m.
The Bravery
Avalon Hollywood
Hollywood
Mon. Oct. 17, 7 p.m.
Coheed and Cambria
The Grove of Anaheim
Anaheim
Mon. Oct. 17, 8 p.m.
Busta Rhymes
House of Blues
Hollywood
Tues. Oct. 18, 6:30 p.m.
The Exploited
House of Blues
Hollywood
Tues. Oct. 18, 8 p.m.
Matt Costa
Troubadour
West Hollywood
Tues. Oct. 18, 9 p.m.
Wed. Oct. 19, 9 p.m.
The Black Crowes
Henry Fonda Theatre
Los Angeles
Wed. Oct. 19, 9 p.m.
G. Love & Special Sauce
and Blackalicious
House of Blues
Anaheim
Thurs. Oct. 20, 6 p.m.
Bad Religion
Canyon Dinner Theater
Agoura Hills
Thurs. Oct. 20, 9 p.m.
The Go! Team
El Rey Theatre
Los Angeles
7
Movie shapes into hit, traps No. 1 spot
MOVIE
By CHRISTINA SCHROETER
Daily Titan Staff
Today everything seems to be
mechanical and automated; computers are outdated as soon as they
hit the market. The Internet is accessible through handheld, wireless
gadgets. Movies are created with
the latest technology and graphic
effects.
In a time when technology seems
to be taking over the world, it’s astonishing to see some good-old
physical manpower.
In “Wallace and Gromit: The
Curse of the Were-Rabbit,” Claymation master Nick Park brings
his Oscar-winning, bug-eyed clay
characters to the big-screen with his
own two hands.
Instead of picture-perfect images, fingerprints are embedded into
Wallace’s skin. And on his shirt.
And on Gromit’s paws. In fact, fin-
gerprints are almost everywhere.
a machine that will make him love
In “The Curse of the Were-Rabvegetables and make rabbits love
bit,” cheese-loving invenhis weakness, cheese. There is
tor Wallace (voiced by
a n unforeseen glitch in
Peter Sallis), runs an
the process,
animal-friendly rabhowever,
bit-control company
that creates
along with his quiet dog
a werewolfand
companion,
like
rabbit
Gromit. With
that runs around
the annual Gitown in a vegetableant Vegetable
devouring frenzy, destroyCompetition
ing anything in its path.
approachWhen Wallace is unable
ing,
rabbits
to trap the beast, his animal
run amok in
rights love interest, Lady
growers’ garTottington (voiced by
dens, feasting
Helena Bonham Carter),
on carrots and
reluctantly appoints moneycabbage. It is
hungry hunter Victor Quarup to Wallace’s
termaine (voiced by Ralph Ficompany, Antiennes) to trap and kill the vegetable
Pesto, to save
pillager and save the vegetable
the contestants’ DREAMWORK ANIMATION competition. Gromit discovvegetable patches. Wallace invents ers that Wallace is the were-rabbit
and that he must help Wallace avoid
Quartermaine’s bullets and continue with the competition.
“The Curse of the Were-Rabbit”
is a fascinating film for children,
but an even better flick for adults.
The story structure is more complex than the typical rising actionclimax-falling-action, but not too
detailed that children will get lost.
The movie embodies the dry humor and witty puns of Nick Park’s
“Wallace and Gromit” series, which
will charm and amuse adults.
The creation of the film is truly
extraordinary. Animators completed around five seconds of film per
week and used over 44 pounds of
glue each month. When viewing
the film, it may seem that only the
clay figures were created by hand,
but almost everything was handmade – even the wallpaper used in
the film was hand-painted. Wallace
and Gromit’s Anti-Pesto van was
REVIEWS
modeled after an A35 Austin Van,
and each of the models were made
for more than the actual van costs.
The models have functioning lights,
suspension, doors and hood.
Despite the uniqueness of this
hand created film, 772 computer graphic effects were applied
throughout the film. The wererabbit’s fur was created completely
with computer effects. Other CG
elements in the film include floating bunny rabbits, flying mud and
the were-rabbit’s imprint in dense
fog, all of which integrate seamlessly with Park’s Claymation. This
mostly hand-animated film will
knock audiences of their feet with
its marvelous raw clay figurines
and action-packed storyline.
Wallace and Gromit, who came in
first at the box office with their new
movie, also star in their short films,
“A Grand Day Out,” “The Wrong
Trousers” and “A Close Shave.”
Choir welcomes viewers home
By DIANIKA ABBOTT
Daily Titan Staff
Exalted praise, fervent handclapping and soul-stirring music
fills the big screen in “The Gospel,” a contemporary adaptation
of the parable, “The Prodigal
Son.”
Set in Atlanta and written and
directed by Rob Hardy, it tells a
tale of love and forgiveness, while
painting a picture of the workings
of a black church.
After the death of his mother,
David Taylor (Boris Kodjoe)
turns his back on the church and
his father (Clifton Powell), a bishop, who is so preoccupied with
church business that he doesn’t
make it in time to see his wife be-
fore she dies.
An infuriated Taylor storms out
of the hospital and renounces his
calling as a minister in his father’s
church.
Fifteen years later, a more matured and sexy David, a thriving
R&B singer, is basking in his
newly found celebrity and falling
deeper into a life contrary to what
he was taught as a child.
Upon hearing his estranged father is deathly ill, David cuts his
successful tour short and goes
home to tend to his father.
While trying to re-discover
his role in his father’s church,
David falls for self-assured Rain
(“American Idol” contestant Tamyra Grey).
When it seems as if all is well,
David learns his church is no
longer thriving and is in dire
need of money. He proposes
that the church have a benefit
concert to raise funds.
While many welcome David’s
suggestion with admiration and
appreciation, his childhood best
friend turned arch-rival (and
his father’s successor), Frank
Charles (Idris Elba), has other
plans for the ministry.
“The Gospel,” invokes a feeling of authenticity with the help
of some of gospel’s real-life
SCREEN GEM
artists, Yolanda Adams, Donnie The Gospel choir performs and inspires the congregation in ‘The Gospel’
McClurklin, Martha Munizzi,
Fred Hammond and Hezekiah
Knight-Pulliam, and Omar Good- how the conflicts endured by the
Walker.
ing to convey messages of hope congregation relate to the lesHardy uses more notable cast and determination.
sons of the church, some of the
members
including,
Keisha
Although Hardy tries to show characters are underdeveloped,
which causes the story to become
muffled.
While the movie may seem like
its preaching to the choir with its
overt message of salvation, “The
Gospel” will welcome believers,
as well as non-believers home.
8 MUSIC
REVIEWS
Twice the energy, Thrice the fun
By BRYAN BARNETT
Daily Titan Staff
Few words give justice to a concert as intense as a barbed-wire
wrapped baseball bat to the unsuspecting cranium. OK, more than
a few. The band is Thrice, whose
sold-out Friday night show at the
UCI Bren Center tore down the barriers between pop and metal with a
wrecking ball of riffs and vocals,
creating a new genre where only
Thrice reigns supreme.
Thrice has done something different here – they’ve added melody.
Heavy rock doesn’t have to be defined by violent throat noises anymore; with a slower, catchier element, Thrice is straying from the
traditional barrage of shouts.
Awaiting the Oct. 18 release of
their fourth album, Vheissu, the
band successfully blended leisurely,
heartfelt melodies together with
shredding guitar solos for a more
mature record. The band previewed
some of the new music onstage,
provoking screams of approval
from the sea of arms and heads.
Some bands can’t change their
pace without losing their core au-
dience, but while Thrice has made
changes, they haven’t strayed so far
as to upset the fans who have made
sold-out shows standard. Bodies
tossed over the audience like little
ships in a dark storm-tossed sea become a testament to the fan’s satisfaction. In fact, by incorporating the
new tunes, Thrice’s fan base might
grow to encompass those who enjoy rock but not the metal screaming component.
The band’s new producer, Steve
Osborne, who has worked with U2
and Peter Gabriel, steered Thrice in
the right direction with Vheissu.
“One of the things we tried to
consciously do was give the record
a bigger feel,” singer Dustin Kensrue said to AcclaimedPunk.com.
Preceding Thrice on the night
of their Irvine show was Veda, a
Foo Fighter-esque band led by the
powerful vocal talent of Kristen
May; The Bled, a very loud unintelligible metal band; and Underoath,
a more talented unintelligible metal
band (because they have a singing
drummer). The second two bands
pumped an intense energy into the
already dangerously eager crowd
with relentless vocal assaults, guitar
The drummer speaks ...
By BRYAN BARNETT
Daily Titan Staff
NIYAZ PIRANI/Special to the Daily Titan
Dustin Kensrue and Teppei Teranishi play at the UCI Bren Center.
work and numerous Thrice references. Fans exploded at the mere
mention of the word. After the onslaught wreaked by these hardcore
fans, the lights dimmed and the
roar of the audience filled the arena.
Anyone there couldn’t help but feel
as if they were a part of some new
glorious improvement to the whole
spectrum of modern music. Like an
addition to a house, or a caterpillar’s
metamorphosis, a mature Thrice is
provoking the world with its new
album.
Riley Breckenridge, drummer for Thrice, talked to the
Daily Titan from Boise, Idaho
on Tuesday. Though the background noise had party written
all over it, Breckenridge came
through loud and clear.
DT: So what was the biggest
difference you experienced in
recording this album compared
to the last ones?
Riley: The biggest thing was
we had a lot more time to write
and experiment, which enabled
us to incorporate more instruments. In previous records we
were always under the gun. We
would write a song right before
we recorded it. We didn’t have
time to write or record, but we
were very prepared for this one,
and I think it shows.
DT: How was it working
with the new producer, Steve
Osborne?
Riley: It was awesome. It
wasn’t the most conventional
choice because he hadn’t done
a hard rock record before. But
what he was lacking in the aggressive area, we thought we
could make up for.
DT: This record sounds a lot
different from the last few. How
has the feedback been?
Riley: The feedback has
been very positive. People have
had very nice things to say. It’s
always a compliment in person
though, because people save all
the bad stuff they’re going to
say about you for [the Internet].
DT: So which song is your
favorite?
Riley: My favorite song at
the moment … well it changes
all the time, but right now it’s
[Thrice’s] “The Earth Will
Shake” because I like the heaviness of it and it gets a little
bluesy at times.