Arts & Culture

Few modern works have successfully tackled the complexities of an urban American life bent on survival in a morally gray culture. T.I.'s sixth major release, Paper Trails, is an investigation of the emcee's neurosis as a rags-to-riches success story, as he is subject to the violence and fear upon which he built his kingdom.

The air is becoming cooler. For many, nostalgia emerges from its slumber. Before disinterring the albums you listen to every winter, try out Horse Feather's House With No Home. Released Sept. 9 by Kill Rock Stars (Deerhoof, Elliott Smith, The Decemberists), House With No Home can best be described as a somber folk record that draws from roots, Southern and mountain influences. Its strength is its undeniable cohesiveness and the satisfaction of a start-to-finish listen.

When I first went to see Beverly Hills Chihuahua, I was expecting a children's Snakes on a Plane. This is to say, a movie that was so self-aware of its ridiculousness that it became a parody of the genre - a feat still possible in a PG-rated movie (see: Young Frankenstein). Sadly, this was not the case.

On Oct. 2, the Palin-Biden vice presidential debate drew in 69.9 million viewers - the most viewed debate since 1992, when Bill Clinton, Ross Perot and George Bush went head to head (to head).

Two days later, NBC's "Saturday Night Live" ran their own version of the VP debate with comedian Tina Fey as Sarah Palin and SNL cast member Jason Sudeikis as Joe Biden. It helped earn NBC its highest overnight rating in seven years, according to a press release from the network. As of Tuesday night, the video of the skit posted on NBC's website received over 3.6 million hits.

Davisites thirsty for live music should be well satiated when KDVS's 8-hour outdoor music festival Operation: Restore Maximum Freedom returns this Saturday.

The festival - which includes performances by 10 bands and an afternoon DJ set - takes place in the grassy backyard of Plainfield Station, a bar and restaurant nestled in the fields between Davis and Woodland. Scheduled bands include Davis locals San Francisco Water Cooler - who will get the live music started at 2 p.m. - and Sacramento acts Hexlove and Beware of the Knight. Headliners LSD And The Search For God will finish their closing set by 10 p.m.

The UC Davis graduate department of performance studies will host the "Performance: Reading, Writing and Technology" symposium today at noon in the Technocultural Studies Building.

Part of a year-long series on electronic media and writing, the all-day event features talks by several multidisciplinary artists and multimedia installations by UCD students. The event is free.

UC Davis students will be able to purchase tickets to in-demand concerts at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts starting Oct. 8.

If tattoos tell a story, then I guess you could say that mine started this past Saturday.

It was my first tattoo. Getting ink done was something I've always considered, but chronic indecision and a seemingly permanent deficit to my funds stood in my way. After almost two years of this passive (if not lazy) quest for a tattoo, I decided to take action.

MUSIC

Tim Williams

Today, 12 p.m.

The Quad

Tim Williams has helped give a little bit of indie street cred to teen drama "One Tree Hill." I can't say much in favor for the show, but Williams' music - solid indie acoustic - could be something to write home about. For any of you with class or any other prior engagements, fear not: he'll also play at Sophia's Thai Kitchen tonight.

Imagine lifting all that emotional weight off your shoulders in one simple movement - according to Professor Emeritus Bobbie Bolden, this is an achievable goal.

Bolden will be teaching a course starting Oct. 8 at the Davis Art Center about InterPlay, an international movement which aims to "to unlock the wisdom of the body," according to the InterPlay Worldwide website.

While most of the attention in the Nelson Gallery is currently attributed to the main show taking place in the Art building, a small collection of photo collages by Jimmy Jalapeeno are on display at the entryway gallery.

Unlike the other three artists on exhibit at the main gallery, Jalapeeno is a graduate of the UC Davis department of art during the "legendary '70s." He learned under the tutelage of the famous faculty that included Wayne Thiebaud, William T. Wiley and Robert Arneson, professors he said he holds in esteem.

The UC Davis music department will begin the year with its annual Noon Concert performance series, continuing with its long-time tradition of free weekly noontime concerts.

The concerts are typically held in room 115 of the music building, a small performance-friendly room familiar to regular attendees of the midday showings.

Editor's Note: MUSE recently had the opportunity to talk to Michael Cera and Kat Dennings, the stars of the film "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," in a roundtable interview with other college publications. The Q&A below contains excerpts from that interview.

With a new school year under way and campus filled with fresh faces, there's change in the air. But sometimes it's comforting to run into an old friend - or an old tradition like concerts in the Coffee House on campus.