Archive for the ‘Arts and Entertainment’ Articles
St. Patrick’s Day Bar Guide
Monday, March 15th, 2010Garret Schuelke (Western Herald)In the 36-second Flogging Molly song, “The Wrong Company”, vocalist Dave King sings about a bad drinking experience with Satan while stuck in a prison cell – “I only drink to be merry but unfortunately/I’m in the wrong prison cell and the wrong company.”
Make sure you do not end up like King [...]
A cappella group WMU Broncords sings out
Sunday, March 14th, 2010Ken Slocum (Western Herald)“Eight men, one goal – to rock your socks off.” That’s how member Ben Dennis describes the mission of the WMU Broncords.
The Broncords, WMU’s student a cappella group, have been serenading WMU since 2007, when friends Kenny Weber and Chad Schon decided to put their singing talents together.
The group started its first [...]
“All in the Timing” premieres at Farmers Alley
Thursday, March 11th, 2010Heather Ewer (Western Herald)Comedy lovers seeking entertainment this weekend should look no further than downtown Kalamazoo. Beginning March 12, Farmers Alley Theatre is presenting “All in the Timing,” a collection of six one-act comedies.
“It’s like a smart Saturday Night Live,” said Adam Weiner, executive director of Farmers Alley Theatre.
According to Weiner, the six sketches deal [...]
The Oscars are more than movies
Thursday, March 11th, 2010Katie White (Western Herald)The Academy Awards are definitely about the movies, but a bigger part of the presentation is the fashion. The day of the Oscars, television is inundated with Red Carpet preshows. It’s all about who is wearing what and how they look in it.
The Oscars tend to come after the major fashion weeks. [...]
On the Scene: Oldies today, oldies tomorrow?
Thursday, March 11th, 2010Sebastian Fryer (Arts Editor)Every once in awhile (especially on a sunny day), while I’m driving my car, I’ll become bored of the CD I’m listening to or the radio station I’m tuned to. Without hesitation, I’ll turn to old reliable – the oldies station.
Be it The Beatles, Donovan, or Simon & Garfunkel, the oldies station [...]
WIDR Week rocks WMU this month
Thursday, March 11th, 2010Kelsey Joachim (Western Herald)Every year, WIDR, the Western Michigan University student-run non-commercial radio station, holds a series of events to raise funds and awareness of the station.
This year’s WIDR Week just started, and many events will be taking place throughout March, all benefitting WIDR (89.1 FM).
“WIDR is a non-profit, student-run station on Western [Michigan Univeristy]’s [...]
Former local comedian to open at State Theatre
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010Garret Schuelke (Western Herald)Western Michigan University alum and Hollywood comedian Skyler Stone will be performing at the State Theatre tonight.
Along with attending school, developing his performing skills, and DJing for local radio stations WRKR and WIDR, Kalamazoo native Stone, known for his stand-up and his short-lived Comedy Central show “Con,” worked at the Kalamazoo State [...]
Taste of the Town: Pasta Pasta
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010Jonathan Chong (Western Herald)Another week begins, and I hope everyone had a great spring break (hopefully at warmer places).
This week, a group of friends and I visited a little casual Italian eatery on West Main Street.
Many might miss this little locally owned restaurant that sits at the corner of Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo College.
The [...]
Spring break gives students a chance to relax
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010Analiese Grohalski (Western Herald)For many students, spring break is a time for relaxing, going on trips with friends, visiting parents, or just enjoying the absence of class. Western Michigan University students found many different ways to have fun over the break.
One student who didn’t travel too far, junior Junki Ogawa, said he had a good [...]
Game Brain | Wait and see on new DLC
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010Brian Diefenbach (Western Herald)I’m a fan of the old axiom “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
It seems the video game industry prefers “If it ain’t broke, make more of it.”
In previous columns, I’ve discussed the pros and cons of downloadable content (DLC) for games post-release.
At best, you get an excuse to go back to [...]
‘Broken Embraces’ to play at WMU’s Little Theater
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010Katie White (Western Herald)The Kalamazoo Film Society’s March movie is a noir-style foreign film about a tragic love story.
“Broken Embraces” is directed by Pedro Almodovar and was on critics’ top 10 lists for 2009. At the Cannes Film Festival it received critical acclaim and top honors.
At this past Golden Globes award ceremony it was nominated [...]
Second Sunday Series concerts wrap up this spring season
Wednesday, March 10th, 2010Garret Schuelke (Western Herald)The Second Sunday Series, a series of concerts that began in October and take place at Kalamazoo’s 411 Club, will be holding its final three concerts over the next three months.
The concerts, which are being held to raise funds for the 2010 Kalamazoo Blues Festival, will take place on March 14, April [...]
John Hughes, A Retrospective
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010Katie White (Western Herald)I am proudly a child of the ‘80s, albeit late ‘80s. I grew up on Duran Duran, shoulder pads, teased bangs, and the Brat Pack. The ’80s culture followed me throughout my grade school days and my awkward teen years and continues even now. However, there was one man [...]
Student painters’ work on display at RCVA
Sunday, March 7th, 2010Katie White (Western Herald)Three Western Michigan University painters have found inspiration in the littlest details of life.
Seniors Inja Cho, Sarah Knapp and Julia Van Orman, all WMU fine arts majors, are finally prepared to present campus with their senior show at the DeVries Gallery in the Richmond Center for Visual Arts.
The show consists of [...]
Kalamazoo Institute of Arts to host foreign film
Sunday, March 7th, 2010Nathan Norton (Western Herald)The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts will hold a free showing of the Chinese film “King of Masks” in two parts on March 9 and 16.
The film centers on Sichuan Change Art, an Eastern art form based on the rapid changing of silken masks to shift the performer’s visage in a fraction of [...]
Kalamazoo: The Tastiest Chamber of Commerce Around
Monday, March 1st, 2010Ken Slocum (Western Herald)On a blustery Thursday night in February, I ventured out to the Kalamazoo Country Club for their annual event, “Taste of the Chamber.” The event is comprised of many local businesses with samples of food for the public’s tasting pleasure.
As I entered the Kalamazoo Country Club parking lot, I was taken aback [...]
“Voice of Good Hope” inspires at Civic Theatre
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Western Herald (The Kalamazoo Civic Theatre)By Emilie E. Tole
’s production of “Voice of Good Hope” is inspiring and thought-provoking.
The play, which is fairly new — it premiered in Chicago only ten years ago – was written by Michigan native Kristine Thatcher.
“Voice of Good Hope” is a biographical account of the late congresswoman Barbara Jordan. Barbara Jordan [...]
Theatre for Community Health performs for a cause
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Kesley Joachim (Western Herald)On Western Michigan University’s campus last week, between classes, the Theatre for Community Health put on productions about sexual awareness and safety.
“I took a scene, ‘In Our Blood,’ from the play ‘Great Sexpectations,’ which explains how not wearing a condom when sleeping with someone means you are sleeping with everyone that that [...]
You don’t need to break the bank to have fun on Spring Break
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Katie White (Western Herald)The end of February brings on a sense of agitation, restlessness, and fatigue. Roommates are getting irritated from being together all the time. Professors pile on the homework, projects and exams. This can only mean one thing for college students – spring break is finally here.
Spring break, the week that makes the [...]
An interview with Norwegian rocker Sondre Lerche
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Alyssa Herter (Western Herald)
Monday night, Norwegian indie-pop-rocker Sondre Lerche made a stop by Mac’s Bar in East Lansing.
Lerche began studying guitar at age eight, and wrote his first song at 14.
In 2000, he released his first album titled “Faces Down,” and has recorded five more in the 10 years since, including scoring the soundtrack for [...]
Corner Record Shop serves up local tunes
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Western Herald (Every Sunday night at 7 p)
By Emilie E. Tole
.m., The Corner Record Shop of Kalamazoo hosts a concert. This week, the Shop will say farewell to February with an eclectic showcase.
“This is a pretty funny show, actually,” Corner Record Shop employee Sean Hartman said.
With performances ranging from ukulele to metal, the Sunday night show [...]
Kinetic Affect wants Kalamazoo to “Get Affected”
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Garret Schuelke (Western Herald)For slam duo Kirk Latimer and Gabriel Giron of Kinetic Affect, 2009 was a busy year, and there is no change in sight.
In April, Kinetic Affect, a local spoken-word duo, appeared on the reality television show “America’s Got Talent.”
Then, in June, they founded Speak It Forward Inc., a nonprofit educational organization [...]
Game Brain | Multiplayer: just tack it on!
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Brian Diefenbach (Western Herald)Some games are best enjoyed alone. Others give you the thrill of teamwork and the public humiliation of defeat in front of strangers.
Single player and multiplayer game modes have co-existed for decades. There’s no reason why a game can’t have an excellent single player experience AND include competitive multiplayer.
Plenty of titles have [...]
WMU alum to Jazz up the Union this Sunday
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Kelsey Joachim (Western Herald)This Sunday, the Union will present Alycia Duprey-Vince, a jazz singer, vocal artist, and Western alum, for the special CD release of her first jazz album, “If It Wasn’t For You.”
Originally from Sheridan, Wyo., Duprey-Vince attended the Western Michigan University’s School of Music on a jazz scholarship.
“I did get full rides to [...]
‘Pirate Radio’ screening benefits WIDR-FM
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Katie White (Western Herald)The Kalamazoo Film Society will host “Pirate Radio” at the Little Theatre next weekend, with proceeds of the screening benefiting WIDR.
“We always try to do a fundraiser for the station during WIDR Week for the past seven years where the station gets all the profits,” Kalamazoo Film Society President Mike Marchak said. [...]
Taste of the Town: Great Lakes Shipping Co.
Thursday, February 25th, 2010Jonathan Chong (Western Herald)Great Lakes Shipping Co. is a restaurant located just down the road from Western Michigan University’s main campus. Just across the road from Oasis Hot Tubs, Great Lakes Shipping Co. provides a warm dining environment for those in search of a simple and quite evening.
The dining room is a huge [...]
A word from the new Herald Arts editor
Thursday, February 25th, 2010My name is ( Sebastian)Hello!
, and I’m the new Arts and Entertainment editor for the Western Herald.
Nice to meet you, too!
A little about me – I’m a sophomore majoring in practical writing (yes, I’m an English major!). I’m from a small town about a half-an-hour north of Kalamazoo called Plainwell.
I also happen to love music, film, [...]
2010 OUTspoken Drag Show
Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010About 500 seats were filled wi (th laughing viewers last Thurs)day at the 2010 OUTspoken Drag Show.
OUTspoken pulled out all the stops to present the event, complete with DJ, runway, and two hilarious emcees.
The entire Bernhard Center ballroom, where the event took place, continually erupted with laughter as performers in drag strutted their stuff.
While some performers [...]
University production of Shakespearean classic ‘As You Like It’ does not disappoint
Monday, February 22nd, 2010Western Herald (The University Theatre Departm)By Emilie E. Tole
ent does not disappoint with its rendition of the Shakespeare classic, “As You Like It.”
The play is set in young Revolutionary America during 1775, and mostly takes place in a forest called the Forest of Arden, which actually exists in England.
The set design consists of winding ramps to [...]
RCVA hosts senior exhibit
Sunday, February 21st, 2010Sebastian Fryer (Arts Editor)Beginning today, the Richmond Center for Visual Arts will host senior art student Ryan Crawley’s Bachelor of Fine Arts thesis show, “I Am This City.”
The exhibit, which Crawley described as a combination of painting and sculpture, will be on display in the Eleanor R. and Robert A. DeVries Student Art Gallery until [...]
