It’s been a busy week for the concert-goers as Freeborn Hall hosted two shows in two days: First the Canadian identicals Tegan andSara with the Aussies,An Horse; then Death Cab for Cutie and The Cave Singers came.

Attending two back-to-back concerts, similar in taste and most likely drawing an overlapping crowd, might make some double-nighters feel like experts. I went to the front of the line at Death Cab for Cutie and was advised to sign up my friends to take shifts waiting in line. When I askedsophomore communication major Alexandra Garabedian if she was a really dedicated fan since she had been camping out since10:30a.m., she threw me a curveball.

Garabedian said she had attended Tegan and SaraonMonday night and could barely see anything from where she was standing in the crowd and wasn’t about to take any chances tonight.Not the answer I expected for the amount of effort she exerted,but valuable nonetheless.

It’s good to build on past experiences and previous mistakes in order to improve your concert experience,and it’s also good to live without regrets.So before I die,I opt to check off allitems of this list of “Things to Do (at Concerts) Before I Die:“

Get the shit beat out of me.Crowd surfing isn’t as extreme as a full-blown ass beat,right? I want to be stared at not because I am showing off my boobs,orfor yelling, “Ben [Gibbard],I want your body!” or for getting pulled up to the microphone by flailing arms.I’d rather be mid-crowd with a circle of spectators witnessing my physical downfall leading to an upward earning of street cred.After thatwhen you see me at the next concert,you’ll know I’m too legit to quit.

Consistently wear earplugs.All those years of basement punk shows and piercing drone metal are getting to me.To this day I leave a concert,go home and for a solid24hours hear a high-pitched beep.On my list of expensive but health-required things to buy,like an electric toothbrush,is a good pair of earplugs so I can hear and enjoy music until I’m in retirement.

Successfully request a song.Often people yell dumb shit from the crowd,yes.And more often people yell songs to the band that are either too predictable and will obviously get played,or are just ridiculous,like “Free Bird.”

But being the hardcore fan I am,knowing discographies upon discographies,b-sides and every cover that band has ever played,I hope to someday shout out the right song.And that band will hear my voice,reach an epiphany and say, “Alright,this one’s for you!”

Bring my momto a concert.There were points in life where you were lucky if your parent decided to only drop you off at the front of the venue (or around the corner for the even luckier).

But typically for the ages of10-17mom or dad will accompany you to the show,then stand in the back or close by,doing his or her own little dance moves.I no longer want to poke fun at that kid,I want tobe that kid.Once I watched a mother and her grown daughter dance like crazy to the Killers side by side,having the time of their lives,and I realized I can share the experience with my momma,too.

Wear a T-shirt I bought at the show.I always hate that person – the clueless fan that buys merchandise and puts it on immediately,for one reason or another.There are certain rules about this practice,such as you can put it on if you’re cold or without a bag.You may also wear an item if it’s vintage merch at a Creedence show or something.Again,street cred is important.

Thankfully,I have some things already accomplished:crying during a show,cutting everyone in line,getting broken up with at a show,getting a shout out from the band.

One thing I’ll never do,however,is be that obnoxious kid with the digital camera shooting at a million flashes per minute.You know,the one taking pictures of myself with my friends as we wait for the band to come on,then blind them as I bounce up and down screaming.Like Tegan mentioned on Monday night,this behavior is truly a new-school thing.

NICOLE L.BROWNER,an avid concert-goer,fanatic and cynic,can be reached at nlbrowner@ucdavis.edu.XXX

With a sagging economy, the dollar cannot buy much. But cobble together $100 worth of change from your La-Z-Boy, and you can multiply your 15 minutes of fame by four while supporting freeform community radio.

The annual KDVS 90.3 FM fundraiser kicked off Monday and will last until Sunday at midnight. The weeklong fundraiser is the only time of the year that KDVS actively seeks contributions from their listeners. The 24-hour, volunteer-run radio station derives two-thirds of its annual budget from this weeklong fundraiser, said general manager and junior technocultural studies major Ben Johnson.

David D. Young and Johnson anchored the mics at the stroke of midnight Monday and egged their listeners to support KDVS.

“We hope to raise money to support no-commercial, freeform, student-run station,” Johnson said. “We will be doing gimmicks, and I’m making art prints [as gifts to donators].”

Students and community members can also donate $25 and $40, respectively, and will receive a thank you gift courtesy of KDVS, such as T-shirts and packs of CDs. For supporters who want to splurge, $100 can redeem one hour of on-air time to live dreams of being a DJ.

DJs at KDVS have been known to sacrifice their palate for pledges, as past DJs have eaten night crawlers and snails. This year, DJ Riot will have a “Peep-off” to entertain his listeners.

“We are going to get together [as DJs] and eat Peeps like a contest,” said DJ Riot, who broadcasts from midnight to 2 a.m. Saturdays. “We are going to eat two Peeps for every $50. We are expecting to eat a lot of Peeps, and we are going to dip them in Mountain Dew.”

Last year’s goal was $70,000, and KDVS matched it with more than an hour to spare on the last day of the week – a record for the radio station. This year, KDVS upped the ante, asking community supporters to help meet its increased goal of $75,000.

KDVS will use the money to continue to expand with a burgeoning record label, KDVS Recordings. With the funding, KDVS has been able to repair and replace equipment and experiment with new ways to deliver music to the general public.

Money from recent fundraisers afforded KDVS to experiment with different projects. Drake Martinet, last year’s general manager, recently tuned in to KDVS in Southern California over the Internet and was able to hear a live streaming audio feed of a performance from the Mondavi Center.

“Streaming over the Internet was successive because the fundraiser allowed for KDVS to buy new technical [equipment,]” Martinet said.

AJ Ramirez, a.k.a. DJ Wesley Dodds, hopes to see the community support the radio stations’ money-raising effort.

“It is collaboration,” Ramirez said. “Our supporters know this is the time to pledge.”

Ramirez manned the airwaves Tuesday from midnight to 2 a.m., and sang karaoke for each pledge.

The fundraiser will end Sunday at midnight. To pledge via phone, call 754-KDVS or toll-free 888-654-6294, or you can also visit the website at fundraiser.kdvs.org. All donations are tax-deductible.

JACKSON YAN can be reached at arts@californiaaggie.com.

Students with a deep interest in filmmaking as well as those who just like fooling around with their camera for class projects may have found a rewarding avenue for their efforts.

The UC Davis department of theatre and dance Annual Film Festival, in association with the department of technocultural studies, is announcing a call for submissions due this month for the 8th annual screening in June.

For first time, the film festival will give students the opportunity to project their movies on a big screen at Varsity Theatre in downtown Davis, said festival founder, judge and UC Davis theatre and dance professor John Iacovelli.

Like the other judges, Iacovelli has worked extensively in the film and television industry. He created the festival eight years ago when he came to teach at Davis and saw the need to support students who were genuinely interested in filmmaking but lacked any real opportunity to hone their skills.

“We don’t have a real film school here at Davis, so I thought, ‘What can I do for these kids?'” he said. “I started working in film 20 years ago, and when one of my films, Ruby in Paradise, went to Sundance, I kind of realized how important these festivals are for students.”

For the past eight years, the festival has received a great portion of submissions from students of diverse backgrounds – not just film studies or theatre majors, said the festival’s student coordinator Paris Perrault.

“We have seen lots of really great films from students who did a really interesting documentary for a class, or a funny commercial, all unrelated to film studies or theatre,” Perrault said. “We’ve been surprised by the high quality.”

Furthermore, she said, students who submitted films to private company Campus MovieFest earlier this year or any other film festival in Davis are welcome to resubmit them.

Any film is eligible that is no longer than 10 minutes, including credits, as well as made by a UC Davis student within the past 24 months or by an alumni whose film was made while at UC Davis.

Also for the first time, the festival is accepting pre-submissions that can be up to 15 minutes in length for filmmakers interested in getting feedback from the judges on how to improve their films. This option is helpful, for example, with editing techniques or film length.

“I think that the most rewarding thing about the festival for aspiring filmmakers is the pre-submission,” Perrault said, “because they get an opportunity to get feedback from highly experienced judges who have been in the television and film industry for years and can really offer them a lot of help.”

Pre-submissions are due May 2. The judges will privately review May 3, before the feedback session with filmmakers May 4.

Final submissions are due May 30 for judges’ private review.

Prizes and awards will be given for a number of categories including “Best Dramatic Short Film,” “Best Comic Short Film,” “Most Promising Filmmaker,” “Best Commercial” and “Best Editing.”

Official submission forms are available at theatredance.ucdavis.edu by clicking “Current Season” then “Film Festival.” The format for submissions is either Mini DV (HD or Standard) or Data DV – containing high quality AVI computer file without compression.

The screening for the festival will take place June 4 and 5 from 7 to 8:40 p.m. at Varsity Theatre on Second Street.

A collection box for submissions is located in the theatre and dance department main office, located at 222 Wright Hall. For more information, contact Paris Perrault at pdperrault@ucdavis.edu

SONIA PARECADAN can be reached at arts@californiaaggie.com

LAYOUT: Shadow box

Dates to Remember:

UC Davis Film Festival

May 2

Pre-submissions due

May 3 to 4

Private review and feedback session

May 30

Final submissions due

June 4 to 5

Film Festival at the Varsity Theatre

For more information, visit “Current Season, Film Festival” at theatredance.ucdavis.edu.

Yes,they are identical twins fromCanada.And yes,they are also lesbians.But audience members got to see another side of musical duo Tegan and Sara when they took the stage Monday night at Freeborn Hall.

Despite the darkly melodic tones of their latest albumThe Con,Monday’s show took a positively lighter-hearted approach as sisters Tegan and Sara Quin took breaks to talk to the audience in between songs.Exchanges of sibling banter,hockey debates,talks of “Jacuzzi bum sex” and an unexpected wardrobe change accompanied the set.It was a personal touch from the two in an attempt to connectwith everyone in the audience and evoke a more intimate and casual living room-vibe,regardless of the venue’s actual size.

Tegan and Sara set the mood off on a strong note with “Dark Come Soon.” The show consisted primarily of songs fromThe Con,their fifth full-length album released in July2007: “Back In Your Head,” “Nineteen,” “The Con” and “I Was Married” were among the set list.

The two also performed songs that can now be considered Tegan and Sara classics – “Walking with a Ghost” and “Speak Slow,” both from the2004releaseSo Jealous.However,a request from someone in the audience for “Monday Monday Monday” off of their2002albumIf It Was Youwas sadly unobserved,and “Where Does the Good Go?,” a song that was featured on the ABC show“Grey’s Anatomy,“ was also absent from the set list.

As they dabbled in expanding theirinstrumentation onThe Con,the two were supported in full force with their backing band,consisting ofEdward “Ted” Gowans on guitar and keyboard,bassist Shaun Huberts and drummer Johnny Andrews.However,the ensemble didn’t work to overpower the vocals of Tegan and Sara.For those who wonder which one adopts the role as the lead singer of the two,the answer isneither:The stage was equally divided,as each sang the lead of her own song – both use their signature piercing vocals to mesh with and support the other rather than to compete for the limelight.

Serving as the opening act for the show was Australian indie pop pair An Horse.Featuring Damon Cox on the drums and vocals from lead guitarist Kate Cooper,the two-piece band evoked a dynamic reminiscent of duo Mates of State and influences from headlining act Tegan and Sara with songs like “Company” and “CampOut.” The duo also took the opportunity to sharepersonalanecdotes of culture shocksuch as Cooper’s first trip to Wal-Mart.

Prior to Monday’s show,the ASUCD Entertainment Councilawarded five student ticket holdersa chance to hang out with Tegan and Sara.An impromptu hockey game in Freeborn Hall took place before the show instead of the scheduled session of bowling – avid hockey fans,Tegan and Sara have a goal to play a game of hockey in every stop on their show.The down-to-earth personalities of the Quins helped to relieve the stresses of anystar-struckfan.

“I was expecting it to be all awkward,” said Jennifer Giang,a first-year Asian American studies major who won the contest. “But it was fun.“

“They automatically introduced themselves to us,” saidfirst-yeartechnocultural studies major Aaron Skilken. “And they’re fromCalgary,who actually just lost a hockey game to the San Jose Sharks,so there was some banter back and forth between us.“

-Rachel Filipinas

If you’ve ever been to a UC Davis football or basketball game, at some point you’ve most likely heard the following cry over the PA system: “Make some noise for the UC Davis Da-a-ance Team!!”

While these ladies may only be the main attraction during halftime and timeouts during the games, they will take center stage this Friday and Saturday night at the fifth annual UC Davis Dance Team Showcase.

“We’re on campus at various events throughout the entire year,” said senior co-captain and exercise biology major Shannon Thompson. “But that’s us supporting another team. This is our show.”

The showcase will be held at Veterans Memorial Theatre at 23 Russell Blvd., starting at 7 p.m. both nights. A silent auction will also take place, with items up for bid ranging in everything from wine bottles to Kaplan prep courses to signed High School Musical memorabilia. But the main feature of the show will be the dance team’s performance.

“It’s different types of dancing than what we do at games,” said Thompson. “It’s not strictly hip-hop or jazz; there’s also contemporary and ballet. It really shows the diversity of the dancers on this team.”

The showcase is the largest fundraiser of the year for the dance team, with the main purpose being to raise money toward sending the team to the National Dance Team Championship in Orlando, Florida. While the total amount raised each year varies, it typically falls in the range of $4,000 to $6,000. The cost of attending the national competition approximates $16,000, with the rest of the funds coming from the athletics department and out of the team members’ pockets.

But while dancing and going to Orlando may seem like fun and games, being a dance team member is hard work. At the minimum, the squad practices three times a week for two hours during the football and basketball seasons, but generally ramps up practices when other events are on the schedule.

“They’re pretty much like an intercollegiate athletics team,” said Aggie Pack emcee and senior political science major Chris Perry, who will also be emceeing the showcase. “They spend a lot of time [practicing] and the entire spirit squad really goes the extra mile in supporting our teams.”

While their schedules might resemble that of a UC Davis athlete, it comes with far fewer perks. Unlike athletes, dance team members do not get priority registration when signing up for classes, making it more difficult to schedule practice around classes. Also, unlike football or basketball, there is no real “season” for the team. The dance team begins practicing in August and is active all the way through the end of May.

“We had to stay in Davis during winter break to learn our choreography for nationals,” said captain Alison DeGuzman, senior psychology and communication double major. “We had all day practices from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. with breaks in between.”

And just like the athletics teams they cheer for, this year the dance team also made the transition to Division I. Nationals this past January was the first time the UC Davis Dance Team competed against other Division I schools.

“In Open Division (before the transition), we definitely dominated,” DeGuzman said. “We always got at least third place for jazz and hip-hop. We were the national champions for Open Division in 2004.”

But the squad rose to the challenge. Out of 25 teams, UC Davis was one of three schools to compete in both the jazz and hip-hop divisions and finished in sixth and ninth places, respectively.

Further success is undoubtedly on the horizon for this group of Aggies. But DeGuzman and Thompson, who have seven years of dance team experience between them, agree that the companionship and camaraderie within the team is what makes the experience so special.

“Most of my best friends throughout my college life have been on the dance team,” said DeGuzman. “A lot of us become life long friends. [The friendships] are why girls love to be on the team.”

To donate to the UC Davis Dance Team or to purchase tickets for the showcase, call 757-3134.

EDDIE LEE can be reached at arts@californiaaggie.com.

Interesting fact:Davis-based band Buildings Breeding was never meant to be a real band.According to the band’s biography,guitarist and vocalist Christapher Larsen began with song lyrics that were originally sent as love letters to girlfriend andfuture fellow band member Melanie Glover while she was overseas.

When the band finally did materialize as more than just a façade with its own MySpace profile,it wasgreeted with a warm reception,first locally and eventually nationally.After signing withDavis-grown record label Mushpot Records,the band performed at last year’s South by Southwest Festival and had a song featured on the MTV show “Human Giant.“

Offering an endearing mix of surf pop and indie rock isColors Bent to Seasons,a five track E.P.that was released in January2008as a precursor to the upcoming full-length albumA Great Divorce.

Starting offColorswith an easy and mellow spirit is “Lowest Light” followed by “Rushing Red,” two tracks that bring to mindthe wistfully airy mood of twee-pop group Camera Obscura.Influences from Belle & Sebastian are also present.Similar to the Scottish band, “Rushing Red” features a charmingly playful exchangebetweenGlover’s light vocalsand Larsen’s slightly more sinister lyrics with lines such as “Cut up the senses and peel back a layer of my skin/I’m rushing red.“

If the first two tracks (which will appear in the upcomingA Great Divorce) are more appropriate for easygoing summer nights, “Storyline” and “The Ones We Love” take a turn away from the carefree to the darker and more aggressive.Here is where the melodies match the lines.Featuring lyrics like “I watched the body move while part of me was sawn in half/You left me bleeding on my back,” the former is worthy of any angst-riddenbreak-upscene as it plays to an equally emotive guitar. “The Ones We Love” ends the EP on a dramatic note as Larsen belts out hislastlines before the song fades into just drums and guitars.

Buildings Breeding was formed in2006,andthe band consists of vocalist and guitarist Larsen,Glover on drums and vocals,guitarist and UCDavis student Evan Hart and Chris Vogel on bass.They will performFridayat the Turtle House at8p.m.with Body or Brain and Week Long Project.For more information on the band,visit buildingsbreeding.com.

–Rachel Filipinas

For fans of:Belle& Sebastian,Camera Obscura,Rogue Wave

Give these tracks a listen:

“Rushing Red“

“Lowest Light“

Lyrics to “Lowest Light“

Adding the blade to the pieces

Feelings come with each dissection

I am the pieces that never had aligned

Taking the rhyme with the reason

Syllables that mask the structures

I am the speech that never could decide

And which way will it lie in the lowest light?

To cast a shadow

I feel it might survive in the lowest light

There’s colors that bend in the seasons

Many will see it come in black and white

They’re not seeing what’s in between the lines

There’s beauty that comes in the seasons

Beauty that bares the softest colors

I cannot see the beauty in your fight

Blue Cranes

Homing Patterns

Rating:4

Out ofPortland‘s jazz scene comes Blue Cranes‘ sophomoreall-instrumentalalbum.Composed of almost entirely live recordings,Homing Patterns successfully offers a downbeat eclectic set of thoughtful compositionsfor any jazz listener.

Made up of Reed Wallsmith on alto sax,Sly Pig (Joe Cunningham) on tenor sax,Rebecca Sanborn on keyboards,Keith Brush on acoustic bass and Ji Tanzer on drums,Blue Cranes puts forth a powerful and whole jazz feeling.This robust sound can be heard throughout much of the album,giving it a slightly similar feel to John Coltrane or evenOregon.

The fullness of the album can be most attributed to Blue Cranes‘ saxophone-oriented style of instrumentation.Wallsmith‘s alto and Cunningham‘s tenor work well together,whether they are presenting a solid melody or an abstract idea.The two continually play off each other,forming the core of their style.

The first track“S.T.I.L.L.“ introduces the patterns and styles of the group,which are usedfor the duration of the album.Beginning with a stately sax intro,the piece transitions into a flurried spiral of notes,followed by a simple minor chord progressionbacked by a slightly progressive and straightforward rock beat.

Homing Patterns is very experimental,introducing innovative and progressive styles with flare and bravado.Syncopated rhythms and odd time signatures are common of the group.Many of the songs border on the abstract,reminiscent of Ornette Coleman‘s fast and sporadic saxophone riffs.“Beware The Pneumatic Nailer“ is one such example,beginning with an incredibly abstract piano and saxophone introduction and later transitioning into melody over a minute into the song.

“WashingtonPark– Eastbound“ similarly delves into the sporadic and abstract,showing off Blue Cranes‘ creative ability.Recorded in aPortland tunnel,Wallsmith and Cunningham‘s playing styles intertwine in an ambientyetspeech-like manner,mimicking an animated subway conversation.

Like their first releaseLift Music! Flown Music!,Blue Cranes stick to a slow-to-moderate range of speeds throughout thealbum.Although the group excels in technicality and precision,Homing Patternsstrays away from rapid drum rhythms and standing bass lines,usually characteristic of fast-paced improvisational jazz.Furthermore,the virtuosic abilities of each member are portrayed together as a whole rather than individually,as the album has few pronounced solos.

This approach,however,shines through their music as a prominent strength in“Crane“ anditsconcludingreprise,two amazingly stunning and haunting pieces that showcase the group‘s diversity and inventive drive.Both songs combine slow and thoughtful sax melodies and distant,muffled drumming to create a lush atmospheric sound,proving to be two of the most powerful tracks on the album.

Blue Cranes‘ unique and unified style is undeniable,andHoming Patterns progressive and experimental edge exhibits an impressive display of talent and innovation.

-Justin Ho

Give These Tracks a Listen: “Crane”

“WashingtonPark–Eastbound“

“Crane– Reprise“

For fans of:Ornette Coleman,John Coltrane,Oregon

LIVE MUSIC

Scotland Barr & The Slow Drags,Kris Anaya

Today,9p.m.,$3,21

Old Ironsides inSacramento

The six-pieceAmericana rock band brings greetings fromPortland,using the catchiness factor to draw in country and rock fans alike.Look to anything from Jimmy Buffet to the Jayhawks for parallels.

Body or Brain,Week Long Project

Friday,7p.m.

Turtle House

B’s are pretty popular these days – think about bears,beets or“Battlestar Galactica.“ Well I’ll be bouncing my behind to the beats of both “b” bands,and you best be also! Techy pop punkers Body or Brain give the impression thatNapa is a pretty happenin‘ place.In actuality,they probably sit in their rooms listening to Blink182and writing upbeat jams all day for lack of more fun things to do.

The Angel Devil,Automatic Rival

Friday,10p.m.,$3-5,21

The GSt.Pub

Good and evil unite under one name,possessing more edge than softness.Think a little toward the style ofAC/DCand you might realize Angel is probably more ironic than accurate for featured band on the Dane CookTourgasm soundtrack.

El Olio Wolof,Nick Jaina,Silver Darling

Friday,10p.m.,$3-5,21

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen

What Davis-ite doesn’t thirst for lyrical honesty about drugs and love,or dark flawless instrumentation? Look no further than Nick Jaina and company.Maybe “Cocaine” is your jam,but expect fresh tracks fromWool,an album written in an equally sedated state.

Dame Satan,The Chapin Sisters,Two Sheds

Friday,8p.m.$6

Delta of Venus

What is white,ruffly and comes in threes? Los Angeles‘ The Chapin Sisters – a trio of harmonizing folk musicians who will have you hypnotized within seconds.They’ll be joined by the equally soothing couple Two Sheds out ofSacramento.Last to put you under a spell are the deep,dark folk ballads ofSan Francisco’s Dame Satan.

CrashNormal!; Mayyors; SicAlps!; New Thrill Parade,Vampire Hands

Saturday,6:30p.m.

DAM House

It’s a clusterf*** of loud,fast bands for you in the greater genre of noise/experimental.CrashNormal! is fromFrance,and the two-piece has a local connection – withSacramento’s S-S Records.

The Pine Box Boys

Saturday,10p.m.,$3-5,21

Sophia’s Thai Kitchen

To those at Sophia’s on Saturday,The Pine Box Boys will say, “We’re glad you came,it’s good to see you here.” The banjo-ridden,belly-scowling Boys tell horror stories,send out death threats and will provide a relentless evening of so-called “bar songs.“

Blue Cranes,Ebu Gogo,Afternoon Brother,The Standard Tribesman

Saturday,8p.m.,$6

Delta of Venus

Blue Cranes are part of a larger effort to sustain the jazz community of their home inPortland.Be wary,though,that their approach to jazz music is slightly skewed in an ambient,experimental direction.For more on Blue Cranes‘ most recent release,the full-lengthHoming Patterns,see page __.

Boca DoRio

Sunday,9p.m.,$8,21

Old Ironsides inSacramento

It’s time for Brazilian music fanatics to crawl out of their urban caves for their monthly dose of high-energy live entertainment.This month’s featured Brazilian Music Showcase will be the Bay Area’s highly accomplished Boca Do Rio,who blends Brazilian and Portugese influence with that of California living.

Magik Daggers,Mental Stagnation

Sunday,7p.m.,$3-6

Davis Media Access

Is anyone old-school or obscure enough to remember Get Hustle,Antioch Arrow or Holy Molar? Portland’s Magik Daggers taste tested all these bands‘ members and cookedup a new experimental ensemble.

Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks,The Joggers

Monday,9p.m.,$15in advance and$18at the door,21

Harlow‘s inSacramento

You might not know,but youhaveStephen Malkmus to thank for the inspiration on your modern indie rock heroes with his largely influential stature during the ‘90s as Pavement’s frontman.Malkmus‘ solo career started in2001and has been backed by the Jicks ever since.The historical headliners will be joined by an equally jovial and mathy classicindie Portlanders,The Joggers.

GALLERY

Judith Gefter:Merce Cunningham and Dancers

Today,7p.m.

Pence Gallery

Gefter’s exhibit consists of candid,behind the scenes and performance photographs of the1985Merce Cunningham Dance company originally printed in Vuemagazine.Goto the reception and witness the interesting story behind the photographs,whichwill be on display until May1.

PostSecretDavis:Awareness Edition

Now through Friday

Griffin Lounge,MemorialUnion

Celebrate Sexual Assault Awareness Month with a little more creativity by reading the artistic confessions of anonymous post cards sent in,aiming to promote using your voice.The submissions will be on display and can be seen duringGriffin hours until Friday.

READING/SPOKEN WORD

Curtain Call at City Hall Comedy Show

Tuesday,8:30p.m.

Bistro33

The headliner for this weekly comedy bit is Andrew Norelli,who has charmed watchers of“The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.“Also featuring laughs from Reggie Steele of BayArea descent and the evening will be hosted by Mikhail Chernyavsky.

MONDAVI/THEATRE

Back Roads

Thursday through Sunday at7p.m.

Main Theatre,Wright Hall

This is a multifaceted performance concocted by MFA Candidates Sara Zimmerman and Victor Toman.Be taken on a path of no return at this free theatre and dance department event!

Merce Cunningham Dance Company

Friday and Saturday at8p.m.,$37for non-students and$14for students

Jackson Hall,MondaviCenter for the Performing Arts

Saturday evening will include a pre-performance lecture and a Q&A session will take place after both evenings.The choreography will be soundtracked by Kronos Quartet for thepiece “eyeSpace,” and “Split Slides” will also take the stage,backed with music by Radiohead and Sigur Rós.

Lishi and Traditional Chinese Movement

Friday through Sunday

University Club

This free workshop will challenge attendees to live a more balanced,relaxed and exercise-full lifestyle.Put on by the Chinese something and led by the instruction of the InternationalDaoist.

AT THE MOVIES

Sweeny Todd

Friday at7p.m.only at the Quad.

Itching for the movies in central park? Well,this is just as good – goto theQuad for a free outdoor screening of Tim Burton’s newest film,thanks to the Campus Cinema.

The Counterfeiters

Opens Friday at the Varsity Theatre onSecond Street

It’s an Academy Award Winner for best foreign language film,about a Nazi POW known to be the greatest counterfeiter of all time,based on a true story.

Access Nation

Friday at7p.m.only at600FourthSt.inSacramento.

An interesting documentary about public access shows around the nation,brought to you bySacramento’s Movies on a Big Screen for just$5.

Robot Media XX

Saturday7p.m.,Chemistry194

Come view the movies motivated by the themes of either David Bowie orCanada,heck maybe even both! Then voting for a new theme goes down,yada yadayada,you know the deal.

Editor’spicks

El Olio Wolof,Nick Jaina,Silver Darling

Friday at Sophia’s

Dame Satan,The Chapin Sisters,Two Sheds

Saturday at Delta of Venus

88Minutes

Directed by Jon Avnet

Millennium Films

Rating:3

“Tick tock,Doc,tick tock.” This Seattle-based murder mystery stirs the blood and startles the senses with its time sensitivity,but lacks the intellectual analysis that seems appropriate for a movie with a forensic psychiatrist as the lead character (Al Pacino).

Jon Forster (Neal McDonough)known as the“Seattle Slayer,” is sentenced to death row by Dr.Jack Gramm’s (Pacino) testimony to a jury based solely on circumstantial evidence.Nine years later and12hours before Forster’s execution,Gramm receives a phone call from adigitallyaltered voice telling him he has88minutes to live.

The audience does not find out the significance of88minutes until much later in the film.Upon this revelation,the viewer isin for a much-needed mental exercise toreview the events thus far and piece together how murders identical to the “Seattle Slayer’s” keep occurring.

The action in88Minutes generates a high level of thrill,which assures satisfaction to those lookingfor a jump in their blood pressure.However,the film lacks the criminal analysis that seems imperative,given Gramm’s expertise as a professor and scientist.

Pacino’s character portrays contradicting personality traits that do not coincide.On one hand,his womanizing and tough-guy traits make him a threat.But once his life starts to spiral out of control,his tough exterior melts away,leaving onlya vulnerable,frazzled old man.

It can be assumed that a forensic psychiatrist employed with the FBI would have more macho man power than the troubled,mentally unstable character Pacino plays.

The unique plot of88Minutes makes this thriller worth watching.The twisted,surprise ending may also cause you to reflect on your own capabilities to resist mental manipulation.But for those who want to shut off their brains while watching a movie,this film does involve a fair amount of thinking,as Pacino does not do much of it.

–June Quan