Arts & Culture

Theatre has always been an evolving and dynamic form of self expression. It is meant to push boundaries and raise questions. It no longer includes just acting and singing; it now can encompass a wide variety of other performance acts. The MFA (Master of Fine Arts) thesis shows put on by Davis grad students in […]

In April, James Mercer and The Shins will lure an audience to cheer at the Mondavi Center. But before evoking nostalgia for the Garden State soundtrack, a band of a much different nature will take the stage. Gardens and Villa, a five-member, synth-heavy ensemble hailing from Santa Barbara, will open for The Shins. At its […]

Yesterday, while finishing up some torturous video projects, my friend came to my rescue with a hypnotizing track released by Usher just a few hours before. The track is titled “Climax” — a collaboration with up-and-coming Philadelphia-based American DJ and producer Diplo. And as they say, “There is a whole world living in that song.” […]

MUSIC Fierce Creatures and The Dirt Feelin’ Today, 7:30 p.m., $5 (all ages) Luigi’s, 213 E St. Since its grand opening a few weeks back, Luigi’s intends to fill its space with entertainment to fit people of all ages. Today, Fierce Creatures and local band The Dirt Feelin’ will be hosting the performances. Visit fiercecreatures.bandcamp.com […]

Editor’s Note: Back in November 2011, I received an e-mail from Julie Praetzel in response to my column “The Artist’s Place.” Praetzel, who is an aspiring actress and filmmaker living in New York, revealed her struggling endeavor to tell a story about Juanita Guccione, an artist whose work has been buried in her son’s basement […]

MUSIC Night of Blues Saturday, 7:30 p.m., $8 (advance) | $10 (at the door) Veterans Memorial Theater, 203 East 14th St. The City of Davis, Community Services Department celebrates a night of blues with the sounds of Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters and Bessie Smith (to name a few). Blue Blazes and The Hucklebucks will lead […]

On Feb. 17, your phone will become an art expert. Or rather, through the innovative method of embedded chips within sculptures, your phone will simply project the aura of a knowledgeable art expert by providing you with information about various pieces of art stationed in Davis by the simple touch of a finger. The city […]

Somewhere in the depths of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, a soul-wrenching howl can be heard calling out to the folk and indie gallery of fans nearby. As the harmonic and sweet sound continues to reverberate so gracefully, the world begins to catch on. This has been the story of Bon Iver, a small music project that […]

Director and writer Oliver Stone spoke at UC Davis’ at the Mondavi Center last Friday as one among a series of distinguished speakers to come through Davis in the last year. As a filmmaker, Stone is perhaps best known and revered for Platoon (1986), a semi-autobiographical account of a platoon’s foray into the metaphorical heart […]

Editor’s Note: For the rest of this quarter, Aggie arts reporter Sasha Sharma will investigate the process of designing a runway collection from beginning to end. Check MUSE weekly to see Funmilayo Alabi’s progress as she continues to work on her collection for the Picnic Day Fashion Show taking place in Spring 2012. With New […]

MUSIC Shinkoskey Noon Concert: The Oracle Trio Today, Noon, free Room 115, Music Building April Johnson (violin), Peter Seidenberger (cello) and Kate Boyd (piano) present the Shinkoskey Noon Concert: The Oracle Trio. They are scheduled to perform Saint-Saëns: “Allegro vivace from Trio No. 1 in F Major, op. 18,” Dvořák’s “Trio in E Minor, op. […]

The Belle Brigade Reprise Rating: 4 The Belle Brigade keeps it in the family for good reason. The band is comprised of siblings Barbara Gruska and Ethan Gruska. The pair seem to share a musical harmony reminiscent of Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel and 70s pop-rock. Their first single “Losers,” with its anthemic lyrics and […]