Perusing The Weeklies And Other Observations

- The Hub continues to change its stripes, and now has an attractive streamlined approach. It seems a bit more compartmentalized than its recent issues, and for the average reader, that's probably a good thing.

- And it appears The Hub's website is going to be a week off of the current issue, which I can only guess they are doing in order to maintain circulation and advertising efforts. However, a website with a "yesterday's news" approach for an entertainment zine is hardly a good idea, IMO. Sell ads on the website and offer exclusive content that will drive people to both. Just an idea... Eventually you guys should just hire me so I don't beg for money in front of your office. ;-)

- The Buzz has added a sex column, entitled Doin' It Well, and while this week's topics tend toward qualifying the authors as to their expertise for writing the column, they manage to make an effort of saying that 3% of men 20-44 who haven't had sex is a big deal. "That's thousands and thousands of men." Come on. In the grand-scheme, how many of those have chosen willingly to be abstinent until marriage/"true love" or are too shy to make the first move? And thousands is hardly high considering that there are evidently 97% of young men getting action in America. I'm still interested in seeing how this one develops over the next few weeks.

- One Buzz column that made a welcome return is Sarah Michelson's Plain Sense. In her second column, she nails the differences of the Midwest in contrast to the hipper-than-thou communities of the coastal states. She ties these broader concepts to the local development of downtown Champaign and her distrust of establishments that employ an image of exclusivity, when the majority of local patrons are an "all for one" sort of crowd. She thinks that these places will find themselves becoming permeated by the "big-hearted" locals eventually. I am not as enthusiastic in that regard. I feel that there are crowds that can run parallel to each other and pursue the same goals in different ways and never meet. The Esquire crowd and the Soma crowd both want to meet friends, drink, and have fun. Just different drinks and different music. The end of her article speaks volumes for why many come and stay here in CU. Check it out.

- The Living Blue get a double dose of exposure from The Buzz, with an album review for their soon to be released Fire, Blood, Water LP on Minty Fresh and an interview with lead singer/guitarist/all-around nice guy Steve Ucherek. The Minty Fresh website offers an album track that I enjoy, Tell Me Leza, for download. Right Click, Save As, then go buy their record on October 11th at Exile On Main Street.




















- So you had other plans on the first give-away for tickets to the Rock Fest out behind The Highdive on Oct. 15th... it's all good. On Sunday, October 2nd, The Rock 93.5/95.3 will be broadcasting live from The Highdive between 9PM and 11PM. The Fullgirls Vaudeville Roadshow will be going on that night, too, so get a bag of peanuts, a bottle of Bud, and watch the parade of delusion. ;-)

- There's a bit of a dilemma for your's truly tonight... do I go see The Beauty Shop, Winter Blanket, and Darling Disarm for $5 at Cowboy Monkey or do I go see Daniel Lanois for free in the lobby of Krannert? Hmm... I think this is a good dilemma to have.

- 311 is coming to town on November 5th to the Assembly Hall. Tickets are on sale at the Illini Union or call (217) 333-5000. The only thing 311 reminds me of is two guys who lived in my dorm hall freshman year who referred to every thing as "tiiiiiiight." Yeah... rap rock is so over. Carpenter jeans and cargo pants were big that year, too.

- I saw Broken Flowers at The Art the other night. Definitely enjoyed it, but I disagree with the woman in the lobby who was trying to convince me that it was Murray's best performance. It was, however, better than his appearance in Space Jam. While it's nearly finished its run here in CU, it's just started at The Castle Theatre in Bloomington, IL.

- No responses so far on the second CU Blogger Get-Together. Any interest?