Well "distressed and horny" you have to ask yourself do you really like this guy for his personality and other characteristics we're supposed to like people for, or do you just like the animalistic back clawing sweat dripping making up? (In the assumed position...[hah!]...that the sex is like that...it's always like that in movies) Sometimes we want the sex just for the momentary connection to someone and not because we actually want them back. You have to remember, you can get sex from anyone! Granted it will not be as special as with the one you care for but the connection won't be as fleeting. So, are you in it for the sex, or for him? If it's just sex I'd say break it off and find a new flame to light your fire. Happy Humping!</p>

Do you think you know sex? Do you think you bring sexy back?

Then you should enter our contest to be one of our new Hump Day columnists!

As Mary Kouba and Alex Garens, two of our beloved columnists, will be moving on in the fall, they're leaving a large hole to fill (take that however you want). And who better to fill it than you?

So here's how it works: Just pick one of the following questions, write us a column, and e-mail it to [email protected] by May 30:

Hump Day: I love my ex. We can't ever seem to really break up. The sex is so great! We fight, but then makeup.... I can't seem to leave him. What should I do? -Distressed and Horny.

Hump Day: I want to give great head. For every type of person. What are the best tips for eating out and blowing someone? -Mr. Cock and Pussy.

Hump Day: I have to ask...does size truly matter? -Worried in Wis.

The entries will be judged by Hump Day columnists and the ArtsEtc. editors, who will be picking two winners who lucky enough to put Sex Columnist on their resume. And entries may find their way on this blog, so be prepared to be published upon submission!

Also be sure to check out this link for a video about the contest:

http://badgerherald.com/artsetc/2009/05/13/do_you_think_you_can.php

You know you’re at a concert not necesarily geared to your age group when a 65 year-old woman is dancing so much, she’s about to need a hip replacement. This was only one scene during Billy Joel and Elton Johns’s Face-to-Face concert last night at the Kohl Center.

John and Joel began the concert together with their pianos dramaticall rising out of the floor. It was a stunning opening, with each singing pieces of each other’s songs, Joel in a black suit and Elton in a tux with a sequined rocket ship on the back.

After a few pieces together, Billy’s piano sunk back into the floor and John was left onstage alone, soon to be joined by his backup band. One of the guitar players was amusingly stuck in the ’70s, with long hair flowing and skin sparkling from excess glitter. He also have away guitar picks to the college girls in the audience, which he seemed to get quite the kick out of.

Of course, John did some of his well-known pieces, including “Tiny Dancer,” as well as some less famous songs from earlier albums. The sound quality throughout Elton’s set was excellent, with the exception of rare moments where his voice competed against the band, the result of which sounded like he was screaming into the microphone.

Throughout the majority of John’s set, the younger people in the audience looked lost, until “Rocket Man.” In particular, when Elton got to the “high as a kite” lyric, the younger crowds erupted in applause.

After Elton finished his set, Billy appeared onstage. He began with the piece “Angry Young Man,” which his often his piece for opening a concert. And it’s no wonder, since it features a fast-tempo piano and it easily gets the audience riled up. Throughout his set he stuck with pieces that were famous, such as “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” and “It’s Still Rock n’ Roll to Me.”

Throughout the set, he also cracked jokes with the audience, mostly about his age. For example, he began by introducing himself as Billy Joel’s father, adding the fact that Billy was not able to make it due to the fact that he was washing his hair (ironic, for those of you who don’t know, because Joel is completely bald). He also got the audience involved by referring to the audience on the opposite end of the arena as the “people in Eau Claire.”

Although John’s set had great sound, something was off with the sound for Joel. Terrible feedback occasionally plagued the performance, especially in “Movin’ Out.” However, those moments were few and far between.

Joel took a different musical approach in this concert by singing some pieces sans piano and also playing guitar. Maybe this has to do with influence from his new 28-year-old wife to get him into the spirit of trying new things. Whatever the motivation, he pulled it off.

Some of the better highlights of the show occurred when Joel and John took the time to relate to the audience. John dedicated “Crocodile Rock” to a family in the audience. Both of them also signed autographs and shook hand with the people in the front row, making them seem much more down to earth.

The duo ended the concert by singing few pieces together, as well as “Happy Birthday” for Joel whose birthday is tomorrow. Finally, they ended off with “Piano Man” Joel’s signature finally piece.

Though this concert may have not been intended for someone in my age bracket, I found myself shaking my creaky hips with the best of them. And maybe the age divide enhanced the show, as it not only allowed those who lived through these artists’ hay-day to remember their prime, but it also gave those of us who did not have the opportunity to be there to get a tiny taste into the past. Billy Joel and Elton John may be getting older, but let me tell you, they ain’t dead yet.

Jason “Mr. A-Z” Mraz was in town last night singing, dancing and stealing his way into Madison’s heart. Part reggae, part pop, part rock star, Mraz pulled off a concert in the Alliant Energy Center Sunday that had fans bopping their heads to the beat and attempting to sing along with his be-bops and doo-dahs.

At first sight, the Center hardly seemed the perfect venue for a rock concert. The huge ring was curtained off halfway at center court, creating an awkward arrangement between the stage and the huge black curtain siphoning off half the arena. Hundreds of fans sat in seats facing the floor, where hundred of other fans stood crowded and on tip-toes to catch a glimpse of the bands. However, any problems in location quickly disappeared by the talent and amazing live performances of the acts.

The concert opened with Anya Marina, who performed her acoustic, almost Feist-like songs to please the excited crowd. She also inserted a witty anecdote of her attempts to explain the complexity of drunk dialing to her philosopher-Russian mother. Insert a half-hour wait, classic ’80s hits included.

After a short introduction from a popcorn-munching Mraz, the Plain White T’s entered. This rock group definitely got the crowd rocking as the anticipation built towards Mraz’s act. The group performed all of their most well-known hits, including “Hey There Delilah,” “Our Time Now,” and “Hate (I Really Don’t Like You).” They even encouraged some group participation, motivating the crowd to number off to their latest (and unnaturally sweetest) hit “1, 2, 3, 4.”

Jason Mraz, however, completely transformed the Alliant Energy Center into a rocking good time. Along with a microphone and his guitar, Mraz brought a backup line of drums, trumpet and trombone worthy of “American Bandstand.” Then, in classic acoustic guitar-centered and vocal range style, Mraz proved to make his one and a half hour performance worthwhile, decked out in hat, nerdy glasses, scruff and all.

Mraz began with a reggae song to show off his vocal range and scatting ability. He continued to show his vocal talent throughout the show, creating a great live performance show that all members of his diverse audience could enjoy. Even playing his most popular hits such as “The Remedy (I Won’t Worry)” and “I’m Yours,” Mraz managed to insert some impromptu jamming, making the concert his own and charming the crowd.

Also, his collaborative song “Lucky” featuring Colbie Caillait brought Anya Marina back on stage again, as well as jokes. “I have a gift for you,” he joked as he presented her with another microphone. “It’s what you’ve always wanted. Long, slender, lots people have created some trouble with that.” The simply sweet song lost none of its charm with a different collaborative artist though, to Marina’s credit.

Like the Plain White T’s before him, Mraz encouraged crowd participation. Singing along with the crowd, the performance invited pure fun and enjoyment from everyone. The various band members got the crowd clapping to the beat, thus renovating “The Remedy.” He even taught the crowd a lesson in scatting by inviting audience members to imitate his doo-bops in low and high tones.

After allowing the band a chance to rock the crowd with their remarkable instrumentals, Mraz returned to sing solo with his acoustic guitar, wowing the crowd with his vocals. He then finished the show with a rocking version of “Butterfly,” which sent the audience dancing and humming for the rest of the night.

Overall, for a seemingly chill, acoustic, solo artist, Mraz inspired an amazing live performance that surpassed the enjoyable opening acts and truly rocked the diverse crowd. Anyone interested in seeing his concerts (or Scatting 101?) would definitely be delighted.

You’ve undoubtedly heard him. His catchy melodies, sweet sounding tenor vocals and music that can make a person just get up and dance while singing along. He’s Jason Mraz, and he’ll be playing tonight at the Alliant Energy Center at 7:30 p.m. with special guests the Plain White T’s.

The Badger Herald recently had the pleasure of interviewing Jason’s saxophonist Carlos Sosa. Sosa knows Jason very well after playing with him off and on for four years, and he told us a little bit about him.

“Jason is one of the best people I’ve ever worked with. We had a meeting one day, I don’t remember where we were, maybe Paris, but, you know, I told him that he was such an inspiration. If I walked (into) rehearsal and I was having a bad day, or I was tired or grumpy and I didn’t really want to talk to anybody…Well, [Jason’s] never that way. When he shows up to sound check he’s so happy, and he’s always a pleasure to be around, and goes out of his way to make people comfortable and, you know, just to be nice and giving and loving other people. And his schedule is ten times worse than ours.” Sosa said.

“We work like three hours a day and this guy works eight or nine hours a day. He’s an inspiration because I don’t know how he keeps it together. He’s always willing to try anything new. I’ve been with artists that are huge divas and there’s a huge separation between the band and the artist and it’s not like that with Jason. He’s like family.”

Sosa also discussed how he started playing and got involved in music.

“I think I started playing in middle school. Yeah, I was about ten years old. When I was in high school I started playing in a funk band playing saxophone. When I was a freshman, I started playing clubs with that band, and I loved it. So, I started performing when I was about 15, and then I kind of decided that I wanted to do that, so that’s my life (laughs). Then I went to college for saxophone performance, and it was about a year until I decided that I didn’t need a piece of paper to tell me that I could play the saxophone. So I went to school for audio engineering. Then I kept playing in bands until college, and then I moved to Austin, where, at the time, there were tons of bands there.”

Sosa said that he can also play guitar, but saxophone is what really took him to where he is now. He told the Herald about how he got there as well as who else he has played with.

“Yeah, I started playing in college with a guy named Bob Schneider, from Austin, and then just being around Austin and playing with a bunch of different people. The trumpet player that I’m still playing with (from) college and we started playing together and with a lot of cover bands around Austin.” Sosa said. “Then one thing lead to another and we played with Don Henley and we played with a huge list of people. Suicidal Tendencies, which is a punk band from Los Angeles, and actually the bass player from Metallica was in that band at the time. We played with Kelly Clarkson for a while. We started a horn section and decided that we were going to be the horn section that, if anyone needed horns on their record, they would come to us, and if they needed horns to tour with them, which a lot of the bigger acts do, then we would be the horn section to do it, and it worked out.”

When asked what he enjoys about being a musicain, Sosa said that it comes down to making people happy.

“Changing people’s emotions. It’s making people happy. Just spreading joy, you know, it might sound cheesy but when you’re on stage and the reactions you get from people is pretty overwhelming. Writing in the studio too, making recordings. When you start it’s like a blank slate, but when you finish it’s a wonderful, artful piece of music that lives on forever.”

Being a musician, a person is likely to run into a few crazy fans. Sosa shared about one experience that came to mind.

“One that sticks out in my mind was in London and we played a show last year at some point last summer, and we were having an after party. The horn section came outside, to go out, sign autographs and talk with fans and stuff. There were these two girls that were very unassuming and really nice and sweet and whatever, and I was talking to them for a little bit, and singing autographs. (Then) this guy apparently that was with them and was standing about five feet away from them came up and he said ‘So, what do we need to do to get these girls into the after party?’ And I said ‘I can’t help you, there’s nothing I can do.’ Really, the after party was for, you know, label people and maybe friends of the band and stuff like that. You really don’t want to bring just anybody in there because they may be fanatical fans or whatever, you know, and freak out (laughs), or whatever, you know be real star struck. You don’t know [how] they’re going to be, you don’t know these people” Sosa said. “It was no big deal, just a bunch of people hanging out, and talking and stuff. It was really not that fancy. People have this idea of what it’s like, and it’s really no big deal. Just a bunch of dorks having coffee, we could be drinking wine, you know, so it’s pretty funny. So, [the guy] said ‘Well, I’ll give you a thousand dollars to go to the party’ and I was like ‘That’s fine (laughs), but there’s really nothing I can do’ and he’s like ‘We’ll give you more, just tell us how much it’s gonna be and we’ll pay for it, even if it’s ten thousand.” I was shocked that they were actually serious (laughs). So it was pretty funny.”

Crazy fans aside, Sosa also shared what it’s like being on the road on tour.

“There’s a lot of good points about it. You know, meeting different people, getting to see the world, you know, traveling, and you develop friendships with people all over the world and it’s really cool. Seeing the way different people live, other cultures and stuff. It’s funny, because the United States gets really small when you start touring the world. You know, making people happy, that’s the big part.” Sosa said. “The bad part, I guess, the schedule can get kind of rough sometimes. When we were in Australia and we did like four shows in a row, and one day we were in Sydney and we played a show the next morning we woke up at about five o’clock in the morning, went to the airport at six, flew to the other side of Australia which is like an four and a half hour flight and played a TV show, and then got back on a plane and flew back to the other side of Australia, another four and a half hour flight. So, it was pretty brutal (laughs), and then we went to sleep exhausted, woke up, played a show the next day, and we had, four shows right after that and they were all getting on an airplane and flying to the next place. It’s pretty brutal sometimes, so you have to try to give yourself some sort of normalcy or some sort of schedule, you know. We try to do what we can to keep ourselves sane. But then you also develop really great relationships with people, it’s like you’re family. So it’s really cool.”

A lot of things obviously go on for a musician on tour, may they be good or bad, but Sosa still enjoys going to new places, and Madison is one of those.

“Am I excited about coming to Madison? I’ve never been to Madison, I don’t think, and, I’m looking forward to playing another place and checking it out. And listening to the Wisconsin accent (laughs). But yeah, we’re definitely looking forward to it,” Sosa said.

So what should people expect from Jason Mraz, Carlos Sosa and company at the concert?

“It’s hard to say, they should just expect to have a really good time, and I think [Jason] is one of the most talented vocalists I’ve ever worked with, and all of his songs have a lot of emotion, and he’s really good at portraying, you know, if it’s a ballad he’s really good at getting that emotion across. If it’s a high energy song everybody has a good time, they start dancing, and he’s very interactive with the audience. It’s a very musical show. So, I guess it should be a good concert (laughs).”

**Jason Mraz is performing tonight at the Alliant Energy Center.