A name foreign to most, Mudvayne has been rocking the modern world for over 10 years, a surprisingly long life span for any group in today's fickle music scene. The group's latest release, entitled "The New Game," is another move toward the more melodic, classically rock 'n' roll styles that the band grew up listening to.
Sensory overload is a routine fact of life; sometimes there is just too much to look at in too little time, or the message of a piece is overpowered by theatrics. But Paul Chan manages to frame complex philosophical metaphors and political activism in the guise of animation, film and projections. In the Carpenter Center's display of Chan's "Three Easy Pieces," the artist explores both the philosophical and historical worlds in just three works. It is a mind-bending journey, mixing subtle and obvious cues that force the viewers to examine their personal perceptions of the contemporary world.
The fast approach of finals combined with Brown and Brew's limited hours have left many students searching for an alternate cozy, caffeinated study spot. Though Tisch gives students a nearby locale to conquer heaps of work, there comes a time in almost every Jumbo's study schedule when fluorescent lights start to strain the eyes, insta-chai packets at Tower Café no longer satisfy, and that pesky voice before closing makes everyone too grumpy for the late-night reading-room crowd. Cafés provide a welcome change of atmosphere with low lights and drinks with actual steamed milk. Though nothing will replace the convenience and comfort of our dearly departed weekend Brown and Brew (R.I.P.), there are several attractive options in the Medford/Somerville area.
Unlike other dance shows on campus that tend to draw large crowds at the Cohen Auditorium, the Tufts Dance Program's 25th Anniversary Concert features more intimate, relaxed modern dance pieces by the Tufts Dance Ensemble in the Jackson Dance Lab. "Our program produces more intimate performances of artistic and cultural dance for smaller audiences," said Alice Trexler, associate professor and director of the Tufts dance program. "It's what we like to do and it's how we like to relate to audiences."
One part Tufts acting rehearsal and one part 20th-century theatricality at its best, "Six Characters in Search of an Author," written by Luigi Pirandello, is the perfect blend of Jumbo humor and dramatic intensity. Directed by senior Josh Altman, the 3Ps major fall performance is accessible to both thespians and non-theater-goers alike.
Since the long-awaited vampire romance-thriller "Twilight" comes out this Friday, we thought it proper to search pop culture for other seemingly normal people who were hiding a thirst for human blood. After throwing away all the all-too-obvious ones (Gary Busey, Martha Stewart, Lindsay Lohan) we found some startling results.
Some bands, like The Egg (whom I wrote about last month), succeed despite their boring, off-putting or generally lame names. The band's music transcends its failure at this most basic of marketing/branding ploys, enabling the listener to see that, behind this image lies a band that is worth supporting, dumb name notwithstanding.
In many ways, Packard Hall is a reflection of the university itself. As the second- oldest building on campus, it began rather modestly, but over the last century-and-a-half it has experienced numerous renovations and additions. Today, it is a diverse mix of architectural styles and will house the political science department when current renovations are completed.
This column may have led you to guess that there are quite a few things in pop culture that bother me. Unfortunately, not all of those topics can support a whole column, nor would I wish to attempt to have them do so. So, before the semester comes to a close, let me take this time to just go on a few small rants on things that deserve a moratorium.
The on-campus dance group Spirit of Color (SoC) certainly has a reputation for pleasing audiences with its unique, high-energy performances. With contemporary music and hip-hop dance style, the group maintains a level of professionalism without sacrificing the interactive element that draws many Tufts students to their shows.
In Connor McPherson's captivating play, "The Seafarer," audience members are pleasantly caught in a dual world of uncontrollable laughter and shudder-inspiring fear.
Charcoal is one of the most expressive materials that an artist can use. If applied directly to paper, its lines are harsh, but if blended and layered, it can create a smooth, rich texture that gives great depth to a work of art. In "Poets/Portraits," Zvi Lachman skillfully uses this versatile medium to create extraordinarily demonstrative portraits.
Taylor Swift is rapidly becoming one of the best-known names in the music industry, and that's no big surprise to anyone at this point. Aside from the country genre's increasing popularity, Swift's self-titled 2006 debut release blended country perfectly with pop, making it superbly accessible.
It is quite surprising that Jacques Offenbach's most recognizable opera is the serious "Tales of Hoffmann," since the composer is usually associated with operas of the comedic variety. The grand opera is famous for its many challenges to singers (not the least of which is performing in a three-and-a-half-hour-long production), but the cast of the Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) has met them triumphantly in their enchanting season opener.
Since the release of "Casino Royale" (2006), fans of the James Bond series have been anxiously awaiting the release of Daniel Craig's second outing as the British superspy. Due to the raging success of the previous film, it is no surprise that "Quantum of Solace" is somewhat of a disappointment.
Playwright Tom Stoppard's latest work, "Rock 'n' Roll," rests on the gaping framework of the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia from 1968 to 1990. Into this loose formation, he stuffs a play that is alternately about communism, consciousness, pop music, Czech dissidence and ex-Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett -- depending on the moment. The new co-production by Boston's Huntington Theatre Company and San Francisco's American Conservatory Theater, directed by Carey Perloff, captures the fragmentary spirit of Stoppard's world even if it misses some of the urgency.
Birthdays are funny things. By design, they're celebrations of the passing of one more year of your life, which is actually an unhappy occasion if you think about it. But the intent is to make merry because ... well, you're another year older and you're not dead yet, so that's pretty sweet.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, (MFA) recently completed a capital campaign of unprecedented size, raising $504 million in contributions from over 25,000 donors.
Amidst all of the student theater that accompanies the end of a semester, dance shows can sometimes pass by under the radar. Sarabande's newest show, "Your Hand in Mine," shouldn't have any problem attracting visitors with its combination of performances from dance groups across campus mixed with professional pieces from the Sarabande dancers themselves.
