Ask an old school Nintendo gamer what the best video game characters ever created are, and he or she would include Mario, Donkey Kong and Link from “The Legend of Zelda” series in their list. Each character’s timeless story line is full of adventure and zest, so gamers are always guaranteed a few days of nonstop eager gaming to complete the designated quest. Link doesn’t fail in keeping users’ excitement for his latest adventure for the Nintendo DS, “The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks.”
The Belly Up Tavern was packed last Saturday night in an evening rooted in sounds of classic rock, mixed with a touch of indie. The crowd yearned to see The Mother Hips sing its soulful tunes, and the band did not disappoint. Music genres fused and crossed with each band that played that night. Opening acts Billy Midnight and Or, the Whale were delightful; however, they paled in comparison to The Mother Hips, whose powerful sound dominated the night.
Last weekend House of Blues brought some old time rock ’n’ roll to downtown San Diego, where George Thorogood & The Destroyers returned for the second time with opening act Surf Asylum. The crowd filed in around 8 p.m., when the show was scheduled to start, but patience wore thin as Surf Asylum did not take the stage until 8:30.
Every family has a history, but for some it’s a mystery. In the upcoming series on NBC titled “Who Do You Think You Are?,” seven celebrities get the opportunity to journey through their family history and discover events and people that they never thought could be related to them.
Hopefully, the day will come when producers stop throwing money at mediocre crime dramas. That day has not yet come. Instead, audiences will be subject to yet another feature film intent on showcasing the gritty reality of those policing life on the streets.
Scottish band Biffy Clyro is soon to hop across the pond to grace San Diego with its presence at the House of Blues alongside Manchester Orchestra, The Features and O’Brother this Sunday. But before it does, The Daily Aztec had the chance to speak with bassist and vocalist from Biffy, James Johnston. Johnston dissects the life of a rock artist living in the U.K., gives advice for aspiring artists and conveys his excitement about coming to sunny San Diego.
How far would a person go to retrieve a rare baseball card? In the new movie “Cop Out,” directed by Kevin Smith, two cops show they would do almost anything.
Famous his roles as John McClane in the “Die Hard” series, Bruce Willis moves away from all the action-packed adventure to portray a less intense and dangerous role. In this film he plays Jimmy Monroe, an NYPD officer who is trying to find money to pay for his daughter’s upcoming wedding. After being suspended from his job for 30 days, Jimmy is forced to sell a valuable baseball card as it is the only way he can afford the wedding.
It’s easy to come to the dark side with The Damned. In one ghoulish and thrilling evening, The Damned and The Creepy Creeps played a sold-out performance last Wednesday night at The Casbah. The downtown venue was chock-full of classic punk-rock fans around 40 years old. Many audience members were dressed in black; women pouted shockingly red lipstick.
The Theatre of the Absurd was a moniker given to European plays of the 1940s through 1960s, and fittingly so because of themes of confusion, hopelessness and dialogues full of clichés, oppositions and overall nonsense. This whimsical theater and its predecessor, Vaudeville, live in the work of Charlie Chaplin’s offspring: daughter Victoria Chaplin and granddaughter Aurélia Thiérrée.
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Famed rocker hits House of Blues soon with his band The Destroyers
George Thorogood and The Destroyers will be performing at 9:30 p.m. this Sunday at House of Blues with opening act Surf Asylum. Through the years, Thorogood has earned his status as a blues-rock legend best known for his hit song “Bad to the Bone,” as well as his covers of “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer,” Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love?” and Hank Williams’ “Move It On Over.”
Fish Tank's awkward moments prove it’s not an average dance-flick
From the way Hollywood has depicted teens’ angst and attitude of spitefulness, complaining about being misunderstood seems like the typical teen experience. In the new film “Fish Tank,” newcomer Katie Jarvis plays 15-year-old Mia, a girl who fights nonstop with her single mother and is ostracized by her peers. Mia lives in a harsh, low-income part of London and is constantly kicked out of various schools. She also has an outlet for her anger: her secret passion for hip-hop dancing.
Disclaimer: To all my past and present professors, please stop reading here, as to not tarnish our (assumed) mutual respect for one another. I love “Jersey Shore.” I’m not ashamed. Everyone I know, myself included, scoffed at the commercials. I thought to myself, “That show represents everything that is wrong with America. I will never watch it.” As I am perpetually contradicting myself, I was addicted before Angelina was disgracefully ejected from the shore home.
It started with one woman and now it has been transformed into a global movement. In the past 12 years the V-Day movement has grown rapidly among communities all around the world and it continues to inspire many more to be a part of it every year. It is a crusade dedicated to end violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery.
Five bands, hundreds of screaming fans, countless mosh pits and a plethora of head-banging reggae-rock music comprise the perfect formula for the Ladera Winter Blackout 2010 tour featuring The Expendables last Saturday night. The evening started with the opening band, Pour Habit. A punk band out of Compton, Pour Habit is a high energy, hard rock experience. The group started the tone of the night right because the next few bands to play exuded the same intensity.
Paramount Pictures’ newest film “Shutter Island” is set for release Friday, Feb. 19. Recently The Daily Aztec was able to attend the movie’s press junket in New York City to get all the behind-the-scenes information from producers Mike Medavoy and Brad Fischer, screenwriter Laeta Kalogridis and original author Dennis Lehane.
A child’s imagination is often one of the most secretive, inventive places on earth. We wonder what happens when that child grows up. Do they lose that creative spirit or try to channel it into a productive lifestyle?
Concert promotion company Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. has been sparking controversy practically since its creation. Now the nation’s number one concert promoter has turned heads once again. Last Friday, the company announced it would be striking a deal with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. to begin selling tickets in the chain’s retail outlets.
The San Diego Natural History Museum has been featuring a journey along the life path of Charles Darwin in its latest exhibit “Darwin: Evolution, Revolution.” Installed Nov. 7 of last year, this exhibit educates its visitors about the history of the theory of evolution but more importantly, the history about the theory’s creator: Charles Darwin.
Warning: Spoiler alert / Love them or hate them, musicals are one of the best ways to see fresh and talented actors at their finest, minus the Hollywood glamour mumbo jumbo. However, in San Diego State’s latest musical “Birds of Paradise,” quality acting, witty banter and silly musical numbers are what holds this production together.
Once again, the legacy of one of William Shakespeare’s classics was brought to life on stage. To end the celebration of its 20th anniversary, the San Diego Ballet decided to return with last year’s performance of “Romeo and Juliet.” Lead by the direction and choreography of artistic director Javier Velasco, San Diego Ballet dancers attempted to take audiences back to the 16th century to relive one of history’s most famous tragic love stories.
Music at Belly Up Tavern instills audience with wonder and awe
Last Wednesday was a night to be remembered by the intimate crowd who paid $14 to see genre-bending indie rock temptress St. Vincent perform with Wildbirds & Peacedrums at Belly Up Tavern.
Even the toned and the tan are prone to heartache in this pleasing seasonal flick
Despite curiously smog-free Los Angeles skylines, Director Garry Marshall’s star-spangled film does more than dazzle audiences and even evokes quite a few “oohs” and “ahhs” along the way. In an effort to discern the true meaning of one of Hallmark’s most profitable days of the year, Marshall shows the holiday through the eyes of several interconnected L.A. residents.
Northwestern band gets close to perfection with its stellar performance
Who says punk music is dead? Last Sunday at the Belly Up Tavern, the band The Thermals proved that punk is still alive.
With a touch of indie and vocals reminiscent of Blink-182’s Tom DeLonge, The Thermals brought back nostalgic memories of middle school, scream-along lyrics and nonstop jumping to the beat.
With the lights dimmed blue and only a handful of patrons evenly dispersed on the venue floor, the evening began with opening acts Boomsnake and Thao with The Get Down Stay Down.
Tina Fey shows American audiences a different type of lead character
Those not watching NBC’s hit television show “30 Rock” must lead a sad and unfulfilling life. Arguably one of the funniest shows on Thursday nights, “30 Rock” deserves nothing but high praise. This show hasn’t won 14 Emmy Awards without a good reason. Compared to other prime-time comedies, “30 Rock” is down-to-earth, yet maintains a crucial comical perspective.
Penguins stand only about one foot tall, but in San Diego State’s latest musical, “Birds of Paradise,” they stand more than five feet tall — and they also dance. This musical comedy revolves around a small-town theater group that a stranger encourages to create a musical based on Anton Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” With undertones of teamwork, the play ironically parallels Chekhov’s story by generating mishap and hilarity.
Fans of cinema will revel in this motion picture electronic encyclopedia
The freedom to enjoy favorite films anytime, anywhere just became easier. With the recent launch of its official Web site and mobile channel, FilmBuff will help bring video on demand to a whole new level. FilmBuff, found online at www.cineticfilmbuff.com, was formed in 2007 by Robert Nathan and John Sloss of Cinetic Rights Management. It is a distribution service offering audiences easy access to trailers, clips, episodic shows and feature films through Internet portal partners and VOD - TV venues.
Everyone knows that when a film by Martin Scorsese comes along, cinematic fulfillment is not too far away. His latest, “Shutter Island,” is no exception. The film combines Scorsese’s brilliance along with the raw, thundering talent of actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Sir Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams. Together, they create a mental labyrinth in which the human psyche begins to lose focus on reality.
Paramount Pictures’ newest film “Shutter Island” is set for release Friday, Feb. 19. Recently, The Daily Aztec was able to attend the movie’s press junket in New York City to get all the behind-the-scenes information from director Martin Scorsese and actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Sir Ben Kingsley. To read the entire interview, visit www.thedailyaztec.com.
French film invigorates the crime genre with sensational talent
A criminal’s rise to power is a common theme in films, but rarely is such a story told with more poetic passion and brilliant direction than in the French prison epic, “A Prophet,” directed by Jacques Audiard. While the film runs for two and a half hours without a word of English, it is a thoroughly captivating and intriguing crime drama.
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