2008 Woodie Awards
Austin, Texas, is quickly becoming a hotbed for upcoming musical talent and a launching pad for a plethora of indie rock acts. At the forefront of this artistic movement is Jonathan Meiburg. Widely known for his contributions in the critically acclaimed Okkervil River, it's Meiburg's other band, Shearwater, that is currently generating quite a bit of attention.
Next week will mark the 27th anniversary of the death of the legendary Bob Marley; however, it seems his spirit and style have more influence than ever before. Marley's own reggae band, the Wailers, continue to carry the torch in his honor, and will perform this Wednesday at Pearl Street in Northampton.
On Friday night Northampton became a little more cynical as stand-up legend George Carlin performed two shows at the Calvin Theater. Opening for Carlin was Brad Zimmerman. The New York-based stand-up came on stage to a mixed reaction as the crowd was expecting Carlin.
Thursday night the Pearl Street Clubroom became a sweaty mass of bouncing bodies as Dan Deacon brought his high-pitched brand of nearly danceable oddball electronics to the Pioneer Valley. Before Deacon began his set full of audience participation games, openers Eric Hnatow and Future Islands each provided a set.
Critics have been quick to pack on the praise for the summer's inaugural blockbuster, "Iron Man." Though it is likely to gross hundreds of millions at the box office with a sequel already in the works, many critics seem to be praising the movie for merely exceeding expectations.
My name is Adam Szajgin. I am the Comics Editor for The Massachusetts Daily Collegian, and a full-time student at the University of Massachusetts. I am afraid of heights and I get cold very easily. Also, I'm not a huge fan of spiders. I have never trained with the British Special Forces, but I was a cub scout for a little while.
With a rough voice, tousled grey hair and hands waving animatedly, University of Massachusetts Distinguished Professor in Geosciences Lynn Margulis stands in front of a Biology 280 class, guest lecturing on the importance of microbes and the role symbiogenesis plays in evolution.
The lobby is overflowing with awaiting spectators. The line swerves around an imaginary rope. People stand patiently. There is not enough room to hold the growing crowd. The concession stand line has been swallowed up by the line waiting to see a movie. People are trying to get a cup of tea or some popcorn, while others wait for the theatre showing "Juno" to open up.
Remember the good old days when you could turn on the radio and hear the upbeat chords of power pop on almost every station? The days when Third Eye Blind and Counting Crows were pervading the air waves? The 1990s had its own style of music, but it seems to be fading - giving way to emo or screamo or hardcore-heavy-death-metal.
He has a Ph.D in Communications, his bachelor's and master's degrees in sociology and history, and is a renowned professor of over 23 years at the University of Massachusetts. Chances are, if you've taken a sociology class at UMass (or anywhere in the country, for that matter), you have studied his concepts and arguments, read one of his books or articles, been to one of his lectures or are at least familiar with his work.
Have you ever wanted to learn the steps of the salsa, or the sway of the waltz? Can you see yourself swinging away in the arms of your partner, floating along the dance floor? If so, you should consider joining the ballroom dance club at the University of Massachusetts.
The seemingly mysterious art around campus - elaborate paintings of University scenery, the dice in the Bartlett Hall garden, a red … thing by the Haigis Mall bus stop - is always the topic of discussion. Who made these works and how did they get there? Perhaps the most noticed yet unfamiliar piece of art on campus is Robert Murray's "Quinnipiac" that stands 18-feet tall and alone outside of the Fine Arts Center at the University of Massachusetts.
Acclaimed screenwriter Nancy Oliver has become a breakthrough success with her crafty writing for one the most-talked about movies of the year, "Lars and the Real Girl." The movie received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay, and critics have even been dubbed it this year's "Little Miss Sunshine.
Our University is known for a lot of things. Booze. Riots. An encroaching police force and rising tuition fees. One thing it isn't known for is its student organizations. But the Outing Club is looking to change that. Established in 1922, the Outing Club gains distinction as one of the oldest - and most revered - student organizations on campus.
You've all seen him. I mean, how could you not? Whether it's a YouTube video, a sporting event, a Relay For Life race or a cheerleading competition, he's been there, big head and all. That's right, we're talking about the University of Massachusetts mascot Sam the Minuteman, and just like Visa, he is everywhere you want to be.
The University of Massachusetts Studio Arts Building stands as a gateway into campus. Right across the street from the Fine Arts Center, its fellow art department building, the new building stands on one of the University's most prime pieces of real estate.