Stand-up comedian Mike Birbiglia is coming to the Barrymore Theater here in Madison this Wednesday, Sept. 30^th as part of his Comedy Central "I'm In The Future Also" tour. This will be one of this tour's last stops in the Midwest, so anyone who has got some free time on Wednesday night should definitely check him out. Birbiglia is a regular contributor on Public Radio International and has released three CDs. He's made a number of national television appearances on late night talk shows, and has had his own Comedy Central Special, "What I Should Have Said Was Nothing." So come to the Barrymore for a hilarious taste of a true American slacker.

Tickets and more tour info are available on Mike Birbiglia's official website

Note from the ArtsEtc. editors: We want to make each week as fun and sex-filled as possible, so we thought it'd be great to begin the Hump Day sex tip of the week. Each Wednesday, check back here for a quick and dirty tip from our sexperts, Nicolette, Nikki and Rachel. Without further ado...

We know a bunch of you are already big fans of morning sex, but how about sex with a side of breakfast? All it takes is clearing off the kitchen table (or moving the microwave aside, if you're a dorm-dweller) and voila! Table-top fun at your fingertips.

Imagine you are going about your day as usual, and suddenly you - and everyone else in the entire world - black out for two minutes and seventeen seconds. Furthermore, each and every one of you experiences vivid premonitions of the future. This is the basis for the new television series "Flash Forward," starring Joseph Fiennes, Jack Davenport, and John Cho, among others. While the premise is absolutely riveting, the pilot episode lacks the sophistication that could have made it great. Heavy reliance on special effects paired with the overly dramatic slow-motion scenes make for a cheesy beginning. However, as the episode continues, it slowly begins to redeem itself. The introduction of potential conspirators, as well as the inter-personal drama between main characters helps to create an episode that truly speaks to its viewers and draws them in.

Mark Benford, played by Joseph Fiennes ("Running With Scissors"), is an FBI agent who is happily married to Dr. Olivia Benford ("LOST"), but is struggling to come to terms with his past alcoholism. In his vision, he ends up investigating the blackout and its effects, which sets up the focus of the next episode.

His partner Demetri Noh (John Cho "Star Trek"), is about to tie the knot with his long-time girlfriend, but has issues with some of the wedding plans. After the blackout, he has to reconcile his former concerns with his new desire to maintain some semblance of normalcy - and, as the audience finds out, his concerns run deeper than simply remaining in the relationship.

Lending a different perspective to the incident, Bryce Varley (Zachary Knighton, "Bones") is Dr. Benford's assistant who shows up late to work the day of the blackout. The reason for this, and for his previous absences, was because he was planning on killing himself - he had been feeling depressed and suicidal for a long time. For him, the vision was a gift; he saw a future for himself, and in that instant, realized his own worth as a human being.

The overall idea behind this series is original and interesting, but the execution of the first episode leaves much to be desired. Fiennes, for one, gives a stilted and overly serious performance, detracting from the other actors' contributions. In contrast, the acting of Cho in the very last scene steals the show with his sincerity and earnestness. Despite the melodramatic effects and occasional poor acting, "Flash Forward" manages to keep its viewers entertained - at least enough to tune in again for the second episode.

"Flash Forward" airs on Thursdays at 9/8 C on ABC

When the name Andy Warhol comes up in conversation, it usually accompanies talk of his famous Campbells soup cans, numerous Marilyn Monroe reproductions and his penchant for commercializing fine art. The Milwaukee Art Museum, with its new exhibit of his work (entitled "Andy Warhol: The Last Decade"), is attempting to change this narrow view of Warhol. Not only does the exhibit succeed in this goal, but it also goes further by looking at his life through a lens of religion and isolation, it reveals a side to Warhol that was heretofore unknown.

Approaching the Milwaukee Art Museum from the highway, drivers witness a spectacle of color - the fountains in front of the entrance are dyed a bright pink hue in honor of the exhibit. The exhibition itself also boasts the innovative design and eye for detail that are reminiscent of Warhol's work. On every wall is artwork that shows so much of his inner thoughts and feelings, one wonders how much he kept bottled inside throughout his life.

The piece entitled "The Shadow" (1981) brings to mind the old radio series of the same name, signifying Warhol's own feelings of isolation. The idea that "no one ever truly knows the Shadow" was the message the artist was trying to convey. Indeed, this self-portrait was complete with stark colors, unlike his usual whimsical, colorful style. According to the exhibit, Warhol stated "I'll paint something, but I'll paint nothing," commenting on the focus he put on shadows towards the end of his life.

Testing out both the public's tolerance for bad taste as well as the limits to which art could be stretched, Warhol decided to try a new technique with his series entitled "Oxidation Paintings" (1978). In these twelve pieces, Warhol would paint an entire canvas with metallic gold or silver paint, and let it dry. He then urinated on it, creating an oxidation/reduction reaction with the shiny acrylic paint. As ridiculous as the idea was, the result was a surprisingly stunning array of greenish areas amongst the sheen of the metallic background. This idea was a testament to Warhol's innovation as an artist. He wanted to have a laugh, but was also genuinely sincere about the random nature of artistic processes.

Another striking piece was "The Last Supper" (1986), a hand-painted panorama of the usual suspects, but emblazoned with brand names, logos and other materialistic symbols. The figures themselves, usually the most prominent aspect in such a painting, were in black on a white background. In contrast, the logos and brand names were done in painstaking detail, in colors ranging from fuchsia to turquoise. The message here, despite (or perhaps due to) Warhol's own devout Catholic upbringing, was that religion was being overtaken by power-hungry corporations, who were using it for their own materialistic means. Another take on this artistic statement was a reflection on the apparent commercialism of his earlier career - or on his own potential shortcomings as a god-fearing Catholic.

Leaving the exhibit was difficult because there was so much more to see and to understand. Warhol and his artwork are still a mystery to most, and perhaps will never be fully grasped. However, this exhibit has shed new light on his life and hopefully opened more people's eyes to his diverse range of talents. For all those Warhol fans out there, this is one exhibit that should not be missed.

The exhibition will be at the Milwaukee Art Museum until January 3

"Family Guy" - the television show seemingly every adolescent American lives to watch - now has a fellow comedy on its Fox lineup. "The Cleveland Show," a series based on (and revolving around) the character of Cleveland of "Family Guy" fame, was supposed to add a breath of fresh air to the network. However, this new addition - while reaching out to a broader audience by including more diverse characters - leaves its viewers with a strong feeling of d�j� vu.

"The Cleveland Show" appears to be simply "Family Guy" with more African Americans in the lineup. Now don't get me wrong, I love "Family Guy," and "The Cleveland Show" is absolutely hilarious. However, it seems like quite a cop out to simply use the same formula that worked for "FG" and paste it onto "TCS" with few changes. It feels cheap, and that is exactly how the pilot episode for "TCS" comes across.

The problem facing "The Cleveland Show," or any other spinoff is the question of validity, quality, and legitimacy. The repetitive nature of spin-offs bores viewers, as well as annoys them; they want new, innovative material, but they end up getting the same old crap.

Even die-hard fans of the originals are disappointed by spin-offs. A friend of mine is a "Family Guy" fanatic - he can literally bring any subject back to the show with a quote here, a gesture there and he manages to still function in real life. Unfortunately for him and other fans, he found "The Cleveland Show" to be (in Peter Griffin's own words) "shallow and pedantic." He had expected greatness, another addition to his comedic repertoire and a new series' material to utilize, but instead he received the usual schlock.

The premise of the show is superficial at best - Cleveland decides that he has had enough of Quahog, and takes his son with him to Virginia to visit his old hometown. From there, the audience begins to realize the obvious parallels between the two shows. His oldest son, Cleveland Jr., is large and rather slow on the uptake (just like Chris Griffin) and his youngest son, Rallo, is a slightly less murder-inclined version of Stewie. Cleveland's new wife, Donna, is the spitting image of an African-American Lois - she is all sex appeal, she is independent, and she could do a lot better than her husband. The only real difference between the slew of characters is "TCS's" version of Meg Griffin. Cleveland's daughter, Roberta, is always dolled up and obviously has her pick of boyfriends, which is the exact opposite of Meg, who is supposed to be homely and unpopular.

The blatant unoriginality of Seth MacFarlane's new series "The Cleveland Show" is vastly disappointing. Who knows, maybe it will get better, and will redeem itself after a few more episodes. The supporting characters seem interesting enough, but are they sufficiently funny to keep the audience laughing (and tuning in) after an episode or two? Give it a watch, but don't expect much in the way of new material.

"The Cleveland Show" airs Sundays at 8:30/7:30 C on FOX

The fourth season of "Dexter" kicked off Sunday night with "Living The Dream," presenting the titular psychopath struggling with his new role as suburban father. New to the cast is Arthur Mitchell (John Lithgow, "Confessions of a Shopaholic"), a prolific murderer known as the Trinity Killer, who has escaped capture for nearly thirty years. Special Agent Frank Lundy returns, now retired, from season two to enlist Dexter's help in tracking down Mitchell. This season we'll see Dexter struggling with keeping his murderous compulsions satisfied while still managing to balance his family and professional lives.

With a new baby in the house, Dexter is in a constant state of sleep deprivation. After a restless night, Dexter finds that he's brought the wrong notes to a court hearing for murderer Benny Gomez, leading to the killer's release. After being chewed out for this mixup by Detective Quinn, Dexter chooses Gomez as his next target.

Meanwhile, the Trinity Killer, so named for his trend of killing in threes, has begun his new set of murders in Miami. Dexter and the Miami Homicide department are called in to investigate the scene of Mitchell's most recent murder, where they find a woman dead in a bathtub of bloody water, her femoral artery slashed. While investigating the scene, Dexter notices how Mitchell has cleaned up after himself, and begins to wonder if there is anything he could learn from this successful killer.

Dexter begins to stalk Gomez, but in his sleep deprived state, he falls asleep while staking Gomez out at a bar. A police officer accuses him of being drunk, and he misses his opportunity.

We return to the police station where Dexter learns that a woman was murdered in 1979 in the same style as the recent murder in Miami. Lundy tells Dexter that the Trinity Killer was the "one that got away," and now that he's retired, he'll need Dexter's help.

On his second attempt, Dexter is successful at tracking down and capturing Gomez, who he brings to an abandoned boxing ring to kill. Midway through Dexter's ritual, his wife Rita calls asking that he drive to the pharmacy to get medicine for his son, who has developed an ear infection. Dexter rushes his murderous ritual, and after falling asleep at the wheel, crashes his car with Gomez' dismembered corpse in the trunk. This closes the episode, and leaves us wondering what will happen when police arrive on the scene.

The fourth season of "Dexter" has already left us with a cliffhanger like those that made the third season so engaging. With Dexter curious about what he can learn from the very serial killer he is hunting, and his new family life making it harder and harder to hide his secrets, we should be in for a suspenseful season.

Dexter Airs at 8PM on Showtime

If your Monday evening is open, it shouldn't be. Why? Because Sufjan Stevens is playing at the Majestic Theatre at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 and will-call only.

Stevens is currently on tour promoting his new project, The BQE, as well as a re-vamped version of an older album, Run Rabbit Run. The BQE is a combination 3-D documentary, musical soundtrack and comic book musical masterpiece inspired by the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway in New York City.

Stevens is famous for drawing reference from history, the bible, and simply, the world around him. If Monday's show is anything like his previous work, it will be phenomenally put together, and a sensory experience unlike any other.

Extend your weekend fun, and go on a musical adventure with Sufjan Stevens as your director.

The Man of Steel is ready to embrace his destiny. Clark Kent (Tom Welling, "The Fog") has decided to leave his friends and emotions behind and fight for what is right in the suspenseful and action packed season nine premiere of "Smallville."

Clark's fellow superhero team members have scattered, Lois is missing, and a sky-train suddenly derails into the busy streets of Metropolis. In the opening minutes of the season premiere, the Red-Blue Blur arrives just in time to save the first of many endangered civilians. Tom Welling's character has lost faith in humanity, and it can be understood why he is so expressionless and unenthusiastic; He is the main character though, and his lifeless performance drains energy from the show. As she has been for the last five seasons, Lois Lane (Erica Durance, "Final Verdict") is still the most exciting character. The scrappy reporter is as beautiful and energetic as always, and shines some light on the dim path Clark is now pursuing. Overall, the show has a great cast to portray the comic classics, but as the seasons progress, their relationships and interactions become more like a soap opera. So if you prefer drama over action, but still enjoy both, check it out.

Developed by acclaimed writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar ("Spiderman 2"), "Smallville" has progressed through many storylines, and continues to offer great potential for future episodes. Originally airing in 2001, the show started off with Clark fighting the "freak of the week." Since then, he has discovered his Kryptonian origin, established his Fortress of Solitude, and has become more than just an acquaintance with the famous Lois Lane. In later seasons, he occasionally joins forces with other superheroes like Green Arrow (Justin Hartley, "Megafault") and Supergirl (Laura Vandervoort, "The Lookout") to capture escaped convicts from the Phantom Zone, and fight the super-computer Brainiac. The season eight finale ends with a mysterious, yet powerful bang. Clark battles a gruesome monster named Doomsday, LexCorp president Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman) unlocks an alien device, and the resulting combination unleashes an ancient army from the lost city of Kandor, Krypton.

So what does the future hold for Smallville? Surprisingly, after eight full seasons, the show still has great potential for intriguing new episodes. A "watchtower beacon" has just been established to locate, reassemble, and lead the Justice League. A new character, named John Corben, is also introduced. All you comic geeks out there can soon expect the powerful super villain Metallo - a cyborg with Kryptonite in his chest - to make an appearance. A Kryptonian army led by General Zod now threatens Earth as well, so it seems as if Clark will have plenty of thugs to pound in upcoming episodes.

Check out the Season 9 Trailer!

Call it the "Friends" curse. For the ten years the sitcom graced the airwaves, and the show's cast were some of the most popular stars on television. But since the series ended in 2004, each cast member has had their share of trouble getting their career back on track.

The struggles continue for Courteney Cox in her latest attempt, "Cougar Town". Cox stars as Jules, a recently divorced 40-year-old real estate agent and the mother of a 17-year old boy. She claims that she doesn't want to turn into one of those older women who preys on younger men, but quickly sees herself heading in that direction.

In the pilot, Jules is reluctant to start dating once again, but her ditzy and over-the-top sidekicks Laurie(Busy Phillipps, "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles") and Ellie (Christa Miller, "Scrubs") are eager for her to find some excitement upon her newly single status. After an awkward meeting in a bar Jules proceeds to bring a much younger man back to her house only to have her son Travis (Dan Byrd, "Heroes") walk in and interrupt them. However, at the end of the episode, Jules finds delight in the fact that she hasn't lost her sex appeal.

The idea of creating a show based on the cougar concept might have had potential, but that potential has been all but shattered in this pilot. Like many other new sitcoms, "Town" is just trying too damn hard. The jokes are immature and desperate, and the characters are nowhere near realistic (No 40-year-old mother should tell a man in a bar that he is "hot as balls").

It is really a shame because Cox (along with certain members of the supporting cast) is just better than the material. Their talent is wasted on a poor and awkward script, which is seriously lacking in continuity.

Another problem with the show is that it really isn't clear where the plot will go. It seems so underdeveloped that there may just be no hope to become a full-fledged series. An older woman can only seduce a young man so many times before it gets really old.

If the show is lucky enough to continue, the lines need to be made more natural and the plot needs to be toned down. Yes, the whole concept of cougars is a bit over the top, but in order to make the show anywhere close to reality, it needs to be at least slightly rational. The outrageous characters of this show just as unbelievable as they are forgettable. The women of "Cougar Town" are desperate housewives who are only desperate to get a laugh.

"Cougar Town" airs Wednesdays at 9:30/8:30c on ABC.

When you take the slapstick hilarity of writer Steven Levitan (Just Shoot Me) and combine it with the excessive formality of producer Christopher Lloyd (Frasier), you get a show like "Modern Family," which premiered last night on ABC. Shot in the increasingly popular "mockumentary" style of "Arrested Development," the show is a fake documentary about the lives of three uniquely dysfunctional modern American families, and a pleasant hybrid of comedic tastes.

The pilot follows the day-to-day activities of three families; a suburban nuclear family plagued by their social schedule, a gay couple with their newly-adopted child, and a mismatched couple trying to make a marriage work across age and cultural divides comprise the main cast. The wit of "Modern Family" emerges out of the ridiculous situations in which these characters find themselves. Some of these are normal (such as a mother fearing that her fifteen-year-old daughter is going to have sex with the first boy she invites over) and some are completely original (like a gay man taking offense at a stranger's comment on his food because he thought she called him a "cream puff"). The show repeatedly turns every situation on its head, and we laugh as the people onscreen scramble to pick up the pieces.

The execution of the mockumentary style, which allows actors baleful glances at the camera during awkward situations and brief cuts to face-to-face interviews with the characters, is very well done. The glances are well timed and not overused, as they sometimes are in "The Office." The interviews provide endless comedic opportunity as characters vent about other characters, comment on what's going on, and defend themselves to the interviewers. For example, the homosexual Cameron (Eric Stonestreet) justifies his recent weight gain as a hormonal imbalance similar to that of pregnant women: "Yes, I've gained a few extra pounds while we were expecting the baby... but that's science. You can't fight it."

The big name in the show, Ed O'Neill (Married with Children, "Wayne's World") plays a surprisingly understated role as the middle-aged, staunchly conservative husband of his young, fun Latina wife Gloria (Sofia Vergera). Rather, it is Ty Burrell ("Law & Order") who really shines through as the leading male clown. His role as the hopelessly clueless nuclear family husband Paul McVee is summed up in his description of himself to an interviewer: "I'm cool dad, that's my thang. I'm hip, I surf the web, I text. LOL: laugh out loud, OMG: oh my god, WTF: why the face." (www.tvfanatic.com)

The show wraps up with a disarmingly tender scene. Through all the awkward moments, biting realities, and ridiculous characters that it presents, Modern Family emerges as an honest portrayal of contemporary American family life, with all of its unity and diversity, its trials and joys. And, you know, texting and stuff.

"Modern Family" airs Wednesdays at 9/8 C on ABC

Why?'s 2008 album, Alopecia, was a masterpiece of alternative hip hop. Based on singer Yoni Wolf's monotone voice and gymnastical wordplay, it showed the band taking a step forward with music that matched the ingenuity of the lyrics. Its follow-up, Eskimo Snow, misses the immediacy and progressiveness of its predecessor. Recorded at the same time as Alopecia, Eskimo Snow sounds like a collection of rightfully deleted B-sides.

As a move to a more conventional pop sound, Eskimo Snow surprisingly forgets the catchy hooks that make pop music popular. The music is tuneless and inconsequential, leaving Wolf and his catawampus lyrics as the sole focus. The lyrics don't match past efforts, a problem exacerbated by his delivery. Wolf's rapid-fire flow and elastic rhymes are restrained on Eskimo Snow by slower songs and more singing. Rarely do affecting lines stand out, but words like "There should be new words hidden / In the shadow of his face / And like a wine glass / In a perfect pitch, he breaks." The songs on Eskimo Snow suffer from a common problem in rap music--not enough verses and too many annoying choruses. In a genre centered on vocals and lyrics, repetition might make sales, but it doesn't make great art and Why? misses on both accounts here.

The biggest problem with Eskimo Snow is the lack of rapping. Too many of the songs feature Wolf's sing-song voice which has limited range and sounds ludicrous when considering he's singing about goofy things like "I wanna speak at an intimate decibel / With the precision of an infinite decimal / To listen up and send back a true echo" in "This Blackest Purse."

Yoni Wolf remains a distinct voice in alt-rap. Why? plays as a live band on record and in concert, which gives them a unique sound in hip hop. While Eskimo Snow disappoints, hopefully Why? will continue to expand their sound like they did on Alopecia.

Two Stars Out of Five

The Grammy award-winning duo Basement Jaxx is back and offering up a plethora of heavy beats and solid mashup. Nearly impossible to describe, the band's sound combines elements from almost every genre, something which no other artist can deliver. Scars, Basement Jaxx's latest album, proves refreshing in today's monotonous music scene. Basement Jaxx, a house duo originally from the United Kingdom, consists of DJs Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, and has a reputation for their cutting edge work. The duo has several international hits including "Where's Your Head At?" featured in the film "Tomb Raider." The music video for "Where's Your Head At?" also helped put the band on the map as it features monkeys with human faces superimposed on them. In 2005, Basement Jaxx also received a Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance Album for their record Kish Kash.

Collaborating with several artists such as Kelis, Sam Sparro, Yo! Majesty and Yoko Ono, the majority of Basement Jaxx's tracks are fortunately able to find strong vocals to float over their heavy beats and rhythms. The song "Twerk," featuring hip hop group Yo! Majesty, puts a new twist to Michael Sembello's hit "Maniac," as the lyrics, "Maniac, maniac on that floor/ She's dancing like she's never danced before" are interspersed between rap styling and techno pulsation.

Each track on Scars holds its own, and if released separately they could all become hits. In a world where musicians are known for how far they climb on the music charts, this proves a great accomplishment. "Raindrops," the first single released from Scars is no exception. The single starts out with the duo themselves singing along to a simple synthetic beat before breaking into a mind-blowing chorus pounding with bass. With sensual lyrics such as "You taste so good, on my lips/ Your moisture drips upon my lips/ Just like a waterfall/ Straight through the heart of me" and a slightly erotic, trippy music video, Basement Jaxx certainly built up hype for Scars.

The song "Scars" (featuring Kelis among other artists) is a nice preview of what the rest of the album sounds like. The beat is amazing, full of texture and sonic echoes with gliding vocals singing, "Kiss me then I'll wake up." Holding the power to sway masses to their beat, it will be nearly impossible to find anyone who can resist this first track.

"Feelings Gone," the second single released from Scars features Sam Sparro, a Grammy nominated artist best known for "Black and Gold." Sparro's vocals start out as the focal point of the song, showcasing his strong voice over the top of opening orchestral sounds, before building up into a crushing chorus. Sure to be a hit, "Feelings Gone," is yet another outstanding promotion.

Scars is, however, not as innovative as past albums, and instead seems to steal from them. It is also missing the interludes common in previous albums, not really giving listeners a break in between songs to absorb what they have just listened to and prepare for what's next. The music on Scars is almost overwhelming on a first listen and it is only through several listens that everything begins to mesh correctly, instead of sounding like a cacophony of thrashing beats, relentless rhythms, and reverberating echoes.

Besides leaving the listener wanting a bit more, Basement Jaxx's new album would be an excellent addition to anyone's music library.

4 � stars out of 5.

All the cool kids aren't doing it. Which is exactly why you should check out With Blasphemy So Heartfelt, the debut album of Jessica Lea Mayfield. The newly released album hasn't received a lot of hype, a hard thing to imagine, because after you take one listen to the album it's hard to forget her stark, haunting, ambient voice.

Mayfield started touring at the age of eight with her family bluegrass band and recorded her first album, White Lies, at 15. Her new album has dubbed her, "the Queen of Darkness," as her songs document love relationships from a skewed and melancholic vantage point. The 19-year-old singer/songwriter sounds undeniably distinctive with her downcast voice and monotonic harmonies. She's a female Ray LaMontagne: soulful, heartfelt and incroyable.

"Kiss Me Again," the opening track on her new album, was featured in the CW's hit show, "Gossip Girl," during the second season. So, maybe the cool kids are doing it... but who knows what's cool these days, anyway?

4 out of 5 stars

You know, I'm really having a hard time starting this post. I don't know why I'm stuck here, staring at this Word document, watching as my fingers move and the words appear on the screen.

That's actually a lie. I know why.

Let me tell you a story. Not a lot of people know this, and why should they, as it rarely comes up in conversation, but I have a sister with Down Syndrome. Her name is Sarah, she's 26 years old, she's about...5 feet tall and she loves the color pink.

Monday through Friday, my mom wakes up at about 5 a.m. to get Sarah ready for work, and takes her to the bus stop which goes to the local training center. Sarah works there until about 3:30, and comes home on the same bus which arrives at about 4:15, but a little earlier on Fridays.

We pick her up at the bus stop with a bagel - a bagel with cream cheese and green olives, because that's her favorite - and take her home. Sarah loves to listen to the radio on the drive home. Actually, she loves music in general. But on the ride home, my mom will ask her how work was, and she'll usually say "Fine," or "just great." When they get home, Sarah excitedly greets our two cocker spaniels, Ruby and Lilly, and gets out the Cheerios, which Sarah likes to snack on. First, she pours a little for Ruby and Lilly, and then Sarah climbs the stairs to her room to watch a little TV before dinner.

I don't think any differently when I'm out with Sarah, but I know others do. She was born different, and people have been treating her differently all of her life.

For example, I remember in first grade hearing someone make fun of my sister on the bus. Some kid, I don't remember who he was or what he looked like, was calling her stupid right to her face. I was enraged, as I was protective of my sister. Needless to say, I made sure it didn't happen again.

When it comes to my parents, their priority with Sarah is to give her the best life they can, just like any parent would do for their child. But there's a reason why Sarah owns every "Now That's What I Call Music" CD ever made, and there's a reason why her room is literally covered in pink from floor to ceiling (and, true story, because of her pink curtains, her room glows in a vibrant shade of fuchsia visible from the street at night). My family wants to give her everything we can, all the while knowing there's things we can't possibly give: the experiences she would have on her own.

Experiences are priceless; experiences are things you're included in. But it's incredibly difficult to get people to include your disabled child or, in my case, sister. We do everything we can: Sarah has a job, she participates in Special Olympics and we always sign her up for the latest YMCA trip for special needs. But that certainly doesn't make up for everything she won't be able to participate in, or the milestones in life she won't be able to reach.

Sarah has been on my mind a lot today, and it's all because of an e-mail I received. Tomorrow at Memorial Union, the documentary "Including Samuel" will be screened. It tells the story about a father, Dan Habib, who attempts to include his son, Samuel, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, in everything possible. In addition to Samuel's story, the film tells the story of four other families who also hope to include their disabled child.

Although I hate the phrase, inclusion really is something people "take for granted." We all get to live our lives without much regard for how special that really is. When it comes down to it, it's up to us to make sure everyone can be included. I know I do with my sister.

"Including Samuel" will be playing at Memorial Union tomorrow at 5 p.m. A discussion with Dan Habib will follow the screening.To learn more about the film, click here.

Welcome back, Dunder Mifflinites. Yes there are rumors, but don't worry, it is most definitely true that the show is still awesome.

"This is parkour, the internet sensation of 2004" says Jim as he shows the camera a clip from youtube. Michael, Dwight and Andy are running about the Dunder Mifflin office, on desks and running into things and people. They think they're doing hardcore parkour. Not really. They run outside, videotaping the next attempt. Andy jumps on the refrigerator box. Whoops, no refrigerator. Michael and Dwight don't know what to do. Thus begins season 6 of The Office.

So, Pam and Jim are having a baby. That was the exciting news of the end of last season. We find out now that they haven't told anyone yet. I think we understand why. In other news, the summer internship at Dunder Mifflin is nearly at an end. What? Two of the interns are dating, and no one told Michael?! That's outrageous! Ok, not really, but he definitely thinks so.

His constant need for attention gets the best of him and he confronts the interns, determined to know why no one kept him in the loop. He then finds out that the interns saw Stanley and his wife at the dance club they were at. Michael has discovered that Stanley is having a midlife crisis! He tells the rest of the office. They tell him that Stanley's wife is out of town. Michael has discovered, even better, that Stanley is having an affair! He gets his usual twinkle in his eye and tells everyone in the office. Jim tells him that he shouldn't be saying things without knowing the truth of it, so Michael confronts Stanley. At first Stanley denies it, but opens up and admits that it's been going on for a while since his wife has been traveling a lot. He tells Michael he trusts him with this information and no one can know. Michael looks guilty and we as the audience find great humor in this, as well as awkwardness.

So how can Michael fix the newest mess he's created? Well, why not start a bunch of untrue rumors and then no one will know what to believe. He thinks this is a brilliant plan. He says Kelly has an eating disorder, Creed has asthma (which apparently means he can't scuba dive, and he is very distraught by this. We don't understand that man, but damn we find him hilarious), Andy's gay, Oscar does the voice of the Taco Bell dog, Kevin has a person inside of him controlling him with levers, Pam is pregnant (wait a minute...) and probably many other things.

Everyone discovers the rumors and they discuss them. Andy talks to Oscar about his confusion with his sexuality, Angela tells Pam that babies out of wedlock are still bastards, and Andy tells Jim that he's excited that there's going to be a "little tuna." After the many hilarious discussions, everyone realizes that Michael is the cause of the rumors. They confront him and he tells them his reason for spreading the rumors. Everyone demands to know which rumor is true and just as he is about to say, Pam and Jim reveal that they are indeed having a little tuna. Michael tries to explain the Stanley situation, but Jim reassures everyone that it is the pregnancy. They even bring proof with the ultrasound picture.

Michael talks to Pam and Jim alone, saying that he's unhappy that they hadn't told him. They said they just told their parents and no one else knew. Pam assures him (for his benefit) that he is just as much a part of the pregnancy as they are. Just then, Erin calls into Michael's office, telling him that Stanley's wife is on the phone. Apparently Michael had called to make sure she was out of town. He discovers that she knew about the affair and that Stanley said he would break it off. Stanley didn't take it so well that Michael told everyone, because at the end it looked like he was wailing on what looked like Michael's car.

At the end, the interns discussed their summer at Dunder Mifflin. What did they learn? That if you look like Jet Li, Michael will definitely call you Jet Li. Or Julia Stiles. Or Alan Thick.

So how did Season 6 fair so far? It was it's usual blend of hilarity and awkwardness. The rumors that were started by Michael were hilarious, and the reveal about the pregnancy was fantastic. Especially when Michael asked Jim "did you pee on a stick?" and Jim's reply was "I did, it was inconclusive." The situation with Andy being confused about his sexuality was pretty great, and one can't help but wonder if that's going to play a part later on. It was also interesting, and funny, that he asked Michael if he was actually gay, as if he wouldn't know himself. This was a pretty great episode, and it seems that it set up some exciting story lines for the upcoming season. Looks like we have a lot to look forward to, and yes, that does include a little tuna.

"The Office" airs Thursday at 8pm on NBC

Remember that existential comedy-mystery about self-aware, self-absorbed hipsters you requested? HBO heeded your call by bringing an equally incompetent, yet far more unqualified version of "Fletch" to your Sunday night lineup. Jonathan Ames created his own "Being John Malkovich" with "Bored to Death," a dramedy about self-titled character, Jonathan Ames (Jason Schwartzman, "Funny People"), a thirty-something writer who moonlights as an amateur detective via Craigslist. Jonathan Ames (the fictional one) is bored. He just split up with his girlfriend because he can't shake his drinking and marijuana habits, and he can't finish his second novel. Instead of facing reality, he feigns a career in private investigation. The series follows the misadventures of Ames, his brash, artist friend, Ray (Zack Galifianakis, "The Hangover"), and George (Ted Danson, "Cheers"), Ame's needy yet charismatic magazine editor. The show also follows the deadpan banality of the men's relationships with the women of the show, Leah (Heather Burns, "Miss Congeniality"), and Suzanne (Olivia Thirlby, "Juno").

Ames drew inspiration for the story from his daydreaming days of little work and writer's block. While the story is fiction, it draws themes from many internal truths of the creator, Jonathan Ames. Like the real-life Ames, Jason Schwartzman's character longs to be a hero: a Don Quixote of sorts. He read too many detective novels and came to think of himself as a private eye, just as Don Quixote read too many books of chivalry and came to think of himself as a knight. The Raymond Chandler inspired antics gives the show just enough nostalgia to draw in a good majority of viewers.

If not nostalgia that draws in the viewers, it will be Jason Schwartzman's brilliant portrayal of Jonathan Ames. He's pathetic and sincere, with the naivety of a pre-teen and it works perfectly. With film noir undertones and an intelligent script, "boring" is not on the list of adjectives for this show.

"Bored to Death" airs Sundays at 10 PM on HBO

Starting off with a bang, season three of "The Big Bang Theory" begins with the return of the boys (Sheldon, Leonard, Rajesh and Howard) from Antarctica, looking like cavemen emerging into the 21st century. Penny, the girl living across the floor, is overjoyed for the guys to return and especially excited to see Leonard.

Sheldon is as awkward as ever as he soon discovers that the boys lied to him about data collected in Antarctica which could have potentially awarded him that long sought after Nobel Prize. "In the world of smileys," says Sheldon, "I was colon, capital D." Quickly, it is revealed that the boys lied about this data, and Sheldon runs away. This poses yet another interruption to the fiery romance between Leonard and Penny, as the guys are given no choice but to follow Sheldon to his mother's house in Texas and convince him to come home.

Played by Jim Parsons, Sheldon is the same uptight yet quirky perfectionist. Nominated for an Emmy as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, Parsons' performance is spot on as is Johnny Galecki's, better known for his role as David in "Roseanne." Penny (Kaley Cuoco, "Charmed") is relatively the same; this season she is much more interested in Leonard, as the awkward romance between the two kindles the entire episode. Rajesh (Kunal Nayyar) is relatively quiet, as usual, while Howard, played by Simon Helberg, chooses to change his appearance, keeping a small part of the hair grown over the past three months.

The episode is full of laughter, with several references to the ominous "night that the heat went out," as well as being packed with the geeky humor the series is known for. Unfortunately, not all of this comedy will be understood to new viewers of the show as there are several allusions to events that occurred in prior seasons. These references, however, do give returning members of the audience the feeling of being part of an inside joke. Nevertheless, the episode is entertaining and certainly a great preview to the new season.

"The Big Bang Theory" airs Mondays at 9:30/8:30 C on NBC.

Kepa Junkera performed at the Union Terrace last Thursday, Sept. 19 as part of the World Music Festival. From the Basque region of Spain, the musician played a mix of distonic accordian and was accompanied only by an acoustic guitar or minor percussion. The music was meant for dancing, and it conveyed an energetic feel with a spirit that can only be created with the slightly haunting sound of the accordion. Riveting dance pieces got the crowd moving, and the lively polka feel of the accordion was a perfect complement to the other acts included in the World Music Festival. Kepa Junkera provided an element that contributed to an unforgettable show.

If you missed Friday's Amble Down Showcase, my sympathies are with you. Not going to lie, you missed some of the best Midwestern indie/rock. The headliner, The Daredevil Christopher Wright, is an eclectic indie/folk trio from Eau Claire, Wisconsin that has been gathering much attention for the recent debut album, In deference to a broken back. And rightly so, because they are nothing short of amazing. They are unlike anything you have ever heard, guaranteed.

Daredevil, like their namesake, lives without rules and pushes traditional musical boundaries. They use complex rhythm sequences and intricately layered harmonies to create some of the most beautiful music imaginable.

All the band members play more than one instrument and more than one role. All three are classically trained vocalists and thus use their voices quite often to create varying musical textures. They even began their set with an a cappella piece. The trio also uses their instruments in unique ways, taking advantage of the entire instrument to create rare and exceptional sounds.

Not only is Daredevil's music phenomenal, but their stage presence is remarkable. They truly engage their audience, encouraging audience participation throughout the evening, from clapping, to singing along, to shouting "blood!" - you had to be there - repeatedly throughout a song. The band is quirky and unique, and most importantly, down to earth, with their feet firmly on the ground, right beside their Amble Down Records family.

The Daredevil Christopher Wright was the highlight of Friday night's show and is looking to be a highlight of 2009 artists. While they may have already "arrived" via Wisconsin, they are quickly moving up the food chain on a national level. Look for The Daredevil Christopher Wright to be acting in honor of their namesake and taking bigger risks and bigger jumps, experimenting all along the way.

Natives of Madison, Pale Young Gentlemen definitely have a local following. The band returned to their hometown Saturday night to participate in the city's Second Annual Forward Music Festival.

They are an up-and-coming, energetic indie/folk band with a solid sound. The band is composed of five members. Among the members, there is an assortment of traditional and nontraditional instruments, including the keyboard, guitar, electric bass, drums, xylophone, tambourine, cello and violin. Huge shout out to the cello player, her playing was spectacular, giving depth to the band's overall sound and perfectly complementing the electric bass and guitar.

One weak spot in the performance was the endings of a few of their songs. A few of the songs ended on a weird sound that was inconsistent with the rest of their full-bodied music and rounded sounds.

Overall, the band has a pleasant balance between voices, with the women's voices providing a soft background to front man Michael Reisenauer's stellar vocals. Michael is a shining and remarkable lead not only because he is an excellent performer, but also because he has a real, local connection with the audience. There is a real dialogue between the band and the audience.

The band's energy is undeniable. The music is lively and the band members are passionate. You can't help but want to join in on the excitement.

Pale Young Gentlemen are a force to be reckoned with. The band knows what they're doing, they love what they're doing and everyone can tell. They have a definite enthusiasm for their music and it shows in their performance. Let's hope that we see more of them again soon. If you have a chance to see them perform make sure you take advantage of it.

While the band's website shows eight people who are proud to call themselves Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, only two were present at the Forward Music Festival. Despite their drastic lack of band members, Margot and the Nuclear So and So's definitely added to their fan base Friday night with creative lyrics, fun beats and a foot-tapping, head-nodding, sing-along sound.

From Indianapolis, Margot and the Nuclear So and So's unique style and mellow tones are enough to convert anyone into a diehard fan. Their music is not a club banging kind of a sound, but are instead soft ballads with quiet and mellow tones.

It is apparent why the band's catchy tone of instruments and beautiful clear voice of the singer inspired many to jive along and jump around on the dance floor. The audience was stuffed into the High Noon Saloon like an overflowing closet, but that didn't stop anyone from enjoying themselves.

One of the songs performed was "Skeleton Key." With only two band members, the violinist and lead singer, this song was by far the most memorable. The violin solos in between totally differentiated themselves from some of the other bands. The violin combined with the lead singer's fun shouts as well as soft and serene voice made the lyrics in "Skeleton Key" stand out. "I did a horrible thing to that girl/ I bread my misery and drowned it in her/ And she got me high/?And I hardly noticed there were tears in her eyes."

Just the name Margot and the Nuclear So and So's is unforgettable. The beautiful and unique violin solos combined with a perfectly smooth voice, the band's name won't be the only thing audience members won't be able to get out of their heads.

Although one would assume that an opening band would play before the featured band, Sleeping the Aviary likes to mix it up a little bit. They began playing around 1:30 a.m., after Ra Ra Riot had finished. While Sleeping in the Aviary rocked along with a dancing, head banging crowd, their performance would have been much better with a few changes.

The foursome started in 2004 with a different line up, but are currently Elliott Kozel (guitar/vocals), Michael Sienkowski (drums), Phil Mahlstadt (bass) and Celeste Heule (accordion). Together, they make up a mix of indie-rock-pop along with sad but creative lyrics, giving Sleeping in the Aviary an original and authentic feel.

The band played many songs off of their sophomore album Expensive Vomit in a Cheap Hotel. The words "Everybody's different, everybody dies" overflowed with more yelling than singing but proved to be a song hard to stop singing to because of the captivating lyrics.

"Write On" also had the same effect with it's fast paced sound, resulting in a mild mosh-pit.

Despite their awesome songs, the actual performance was slightly disappointing. The great songs were pushed to the background while the obnoxious crowd took the spotlight. Audience members were unbearable, throwing beer and alcohol up in the air and pushing everyone. Various people continuously joined the band on stage, and while it is very nice to know they are liked, no one came to see random people on stage, they came to see Sleeping in the Aviary on stage.

The band members were also at fault. Sleeping in the Aviary is of the destructive band variety, as they were throwing things and being generally reckless. Band members fell all over themselves and their equipment, looking like a drunken mess. The guitarist in particular found himself on top of the speakers, intentionally or unintentionally falling off and then tried to play upside down. The accordion was only present for a few songs, which was also disappointing due to the rarity of any band including an accordion.

Even though playing to a bunch of tired audience members during the wee hours of the morning may sound daunting, Sleeping in the Aviary was like a shot of caffeine. Despite a disappointing performance, Sleeping in the Aviary is sure to sell more albums due to a creative mix of accordion and guitars as well as original lyrics.

Oh dear god, where to begin.

After getting turned down by a sassy bartender at The Frequency (who says a press pass doesn't make you 21?), Madison based African punk band This Bright Apocalypse seemed like a pretty good second option. After an hour and a half delay, the trio took the stage in front of a meager crowd of listeners.

Noise filled the room after the band introduced themselves and started their set--and by noise, there was literally just noise filling up the Orpheum Stage Door. Lead singer Luke Bassuener began his stint on the bass, simultaneously beating a bongo drum he had lodged under his arm, while desperately singing and screaming into his microphone. Looking overwhelmed and out of control, he would turn away from the audience every chance he could, wrapped up in his own world, whobbling his legs like a cracked out Elvis Prestley.

The other members of the band were equally disorganized. On guitar, Johnny Maloney was in the zone, looking a bit like a not-so-funny Andy Samberg from the "Jizz in my Pants" SNL skit. At one point, both Maloney and Bassuener turned away from each other and away from the audience, completely wrapped up in their haphazard musical eruptions, as Chris Sasman smiled and beat his drums merrily in the center of the two. Total chaos.

In the middle of the set, it was obvious that nobody was ready to dance and rage on the dance floor like the band had hoped they might, and when asking the audience to come on down, Bassuener simply stated, "well...we'll just have to try and earn it." The band did have a few shining moments--a catchy guitar riff or two, a creative rhythm on the bongo drum--however, overall, This Bright Apocalypse failed to earn it.

Set in the intimate Overture Center Rotunda, the three members of The Cloud Hymn sat in a row, mellow and comfortable with one another. As lead singer John Nielson introduced the band with an awkward and earnest hello, he looked out towards the audience, tousling his hair with a nervous chuckle--almost apologetically.

However, despite their meditative and soothing sound, in the midst of Forward Music Festival's bustling headquarters, The Cloud Hymn commanded the attention of the entire room. As Nielson's fianc� harmonized by his side, and his college buddy plucked away at the banjo and keyboard, the trio was in sync and sounded lovely the entire set.

Playing favorites off their record, A Seed Buried in the Ground, Nielson crooned their most popular track "Wide" into the microphone right off the bat, shutting his eyes as his high school sweetheart Tani entered in a perfectly charming harmony. As the song ended, Nielson looked at the crowd timidly, introduced himself, and began talking about how he could smell his stanky feet--sort of killing the mood, but adorable and genuine all the same.

Originally from Eau Claire, Nielson began writing his own songs during a reflective period in his life as a means of coping with life in college. Now attending law school at St. Thomas in Minneapolis, playing his songs with The Cloud Hymn has never been his main focus and ambition--but after listening to their set, it will be our loss. Looking into the crowd, the members of the audience looked on in a thoughtful state of melancholy, completely engulfed in the sounds of Nielson's voice and his talents on the guitar. The Cloud Hymn's music settled over the crowd with a warm kind of comfort, and after a short half hour set, they cleared the stage to make way for the other members of their showcase.

If only they would stop being so realistic, drop out of school, and take the risk of going big, the Midwest music scene would have a bright new talent on their hands.

Well, the Emmys are over. I have to say, they're really giving the Grammys a run for their money in the "Awards chosen by nursing home residents" department. Now, while I know a lot are probably a bit miffed that Tina Fey was upset by Toni Collett or that Kristen Chenowith kept Amy Poehler at bay. Of course, there is the constant bafflement that is the "Lead Actor - drama" category: I understand the choice of Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad, but so did I last year. How can you say no to Don Draper? Or, for that matter, Hugh Laurie? When is that instant classic of a character going to get a nod from the Emmys? And when are you going to stop handing out three emmys (depending on if Cranston's series is around long enough) to the same actor? I mean, at least as�penance�for James Spader.

Oh well. All of it, the whole ceremony pales in comparison to one of the most criminal Emmy choices I've seen.

Let's set the stage: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy.

Your nominees: The lovely host, Neil Patrick Harris, for his role in How I Met Your Mother. I'm not a fan, but I can understand the appeal and Harris' Barney is the one character that makes me laugh. Then you have Tracy Morgan, �for his essentially non-fiction role on 30 Rock. Excellent. Playing second banana at NBC is Jack McBrayer as NBC Page Kenneth Parcell. Not as insanely amusing as Morgan's Jordan, but admirable in his own right. Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute? You need a certain kind of calm psychosis within your being to be able to manifest such a uniquely demented character. You deserve your weight in gold for such feats of mental illness. While Johnny Drama (Kevin Dillon) from Entourage doesn't exactly match up to these others, at least he's got some depth.

Then there's Jon Cryer. For Two and a Half Men -- a show that represents some of the last vestiges of sitcom mediocrity. This is a show that scoots along a modern day "Odd Couple" premise with some cute fat kid inserted into the mix. Sheen's the womanizer and Cryer is the neurotic that Sheen has to coax into living like a real man. Woo.�

It's infamous for it's poor quality. My roommate junior year used to sit down in the living room and watch it, laughing out loud. Not because it was funny, but because it's attempts at humor were so utterly pathetic that he tuned in to see how incompetent comedy writers could be and still earn a paycheck. It's like if you brought an invasive species from the Sahara into the Yukon Territories and then found it building makeshift igloos three years later rather than finding it's dead carcass caught half frozen in a ravine somewhere. It should have perished long ago, but somehow, against all odds, it survives. And since it's not exactly destroying anything in this godforsaken wasteland (CBS, home of franchised, acronymed, crime dramas for nerds), why put it down if it can still thrive?

Well, here's why: Because Jon Cryer won the fucking Emmy. And when he accepted the award, he did it wearing a sweater vest more apt for a 45-year old high school history teacher than a man attending a nationally televised awards gala.�

And there he went, twitching and acting self-deprecating on stage while the rest of the crowd just stared at him, holding back their complaints.

Forget getting an award, how the fuck is your show still on? Charlie Sheen is a 9/11 for Truther for god's sake! If it worked for Van Jones, what sort of kyrptonite do you require?

Comedy, apparently. See, Monday is Two and a Half Men's day. It's a full comedy lineup for CBS too. Not for any other network. ABC is busy Dancing With the Stars, Fox keeps pushing the Tim Roth drama "Lie to Me" and NBC has the EMT-based ER replacement (in spirit) "Trauma."�

But even if CBS's straight-laced sitcoms hold up pretty well for the most part, how does that pathetic retread stay in the lineup? Charlie Sheen killed Spin City -- how does he succeed in this venture?

I don't know, but I do know this: Cryer's win is a travesty and should raise some eyebrows among any who consider the Emmys even slightly legitimate.

Friday night, the Dragon Knights stilt show company plunged the Union Terrace into a mythical, interactive world, as part of the annual Madison World Music Festival. Dressed as a giant bird (named Gryphon), a flamingo (Corto), a dragon (Baraka), and a dragonfly, the performers danced, ran, and wandered all while balancing on trick pole stilts. Perhaps the most entertaining aspect of the show was the costumes themselves. The creatures looked like something out of a Peter Jackson film, veritable wild beasts that could take off into the air any second if their riders were not poised firmly upon their backs. The riders controlled their mounts with poise and grace; simply watching them stride around the terrace regally was enough to cause awe and wonder.

I was lucky enough to have the dragon's manipulated head pass right by where I was standing like some strange machinimal out of some fictitious steampunk era. The effect that this had on me was amazing. My heart started beating faster, my stomach dropped, and I got that feeling you get when you witness a deer by the side of the road or some other wildlife rarity. This was a special sighting of some new creature that no one had ever discovered before.

The whole crowd, but namely the children, loved every minute of the show. These entertainers (who also put on stilt shows throughout Europe and Asia) really brought a valuable element to the Madison World Music Festival. Their show, combined with sailboats traversing rough Mendota in the background, hundreds of people cramming the terrace on distinctive, colorful chairs, and the stately Memorial Union behind them, made quite the scene. Only in Madison, folks, only in Madison.

On Friday night at 6:15, the Union Terrace came alive with the crazy antics and distinctive music of Mucca Pazza, a 30 piece marching band like none other. Their uniforms, inspired by both marching band and civil war uniforms, were colorful, saucy, and utterly mismatched. The band moved and interacted in a similar manner of organized chaos--though all of it was one with the utmost enthusiasm (especially their one cheerleader--a peppy little fireball dressed in red, white, and blue). The instrumentation included mostly concert band instruments like the trombone, trumpet, sousaphone, and clarinet, as well as a comprehensive percussion section with marching snare drums, a bass drum, concert toms, crash cymbals, a glockenspiel, an accordion, a violin, a mandolin, an electric guitar...and the list goes on. The unique part about Mucca Pazza, though, is not the instruments they play, but the way in which they play them.

Their show started out with most of the members dispersed through the crowd. When they started playing, this created a surround-sound effect with emphasis on different instruments. Those with a trombone next to their ear got to hear more of the trombone part, those with a soprano saxophone at their side got to hear more of the treble part, and so on. This way, the musical experience that this self-described "circus punk marching band" brought to the stage was slightly different for each audience member.

The music itself was an aggregation of several different genres performed in the band's distinctive style, which is a John Phillip Sousa take on Led Zeppelin, with interspersed Indian and Arabic sounds, all shadowed with a backtrack of a Japanese arcade, or maybe the soundtrack to a Scooby Doo movie. The low sounds of the trombones, sousaphone, and baritone saxophone blare out like so many buzzing bees while the soprano saxophone, with its reedy sound, tops out the pitch spectrum. The rest of the instruments file in somewhere in between and somehow out of it all comes a coherent melody.

While your average marching band will be trained not to show the slightest emotion and keep a visage of stone throughout the show, these guys do the exact opposite. Each member has a distinct personality, and they do their very best to let every intoxicating inch of it shine through. Their energy was infectious, and before long there was a growing clutch of brave audience members up and on their feet, busting out the moves near the front of the terrace stage. You find yourself musing about the quandary of how they manage to stay so in sync while still appearing to be in complete shambles (also about how their trombone players managed to play while jumping up and down). The audience Friday night had their ears blasted, delighted, scrubbed out, and made fresh, because the music of Mucca Pazza is like nothing they had ever heard before, or probably will since. It's the sound that earned them a spot at the Madison World Music Festival 2009, and will hopefully continue to build respect and fame for years to come.

Every once in a great while, you stumble upon something that makes your heart smile. Very rarely is that reason because of a documentary. "Creating Buddhas: The Making and Meaning of Fabric Thangkas" is an unexpected film that will leave you with a sense of peace and happiness.

"Creating Buddhas" is a documentary following Leslie Rinchen-Wongmo, a Western woman who brings spirituality to Tibetan Buddhists in the form of hand-made appliqu� thangkas. It was shown as part of the World Music Festival, which has performances scheduled in the Union Theater and on the Terrace until Saturday.

Fabric thangkas are physical manifestations of enlightenment. They are hand embroidered, are usually quite large, and take a long time to complete. The art of appliqu� thangka may only be learned through an apprenticeship with an experienced Tibetan artist. The art form is rare, and there are only a handful of people who know how to correctly create a thangka. This documentary tells the unusual story of how Rinchen-Wongmo stumbled across this unique art form.

Rinchen-Wongmo only planned to stay in India for a few months. She ended up staying for over a year, and the experience changed her life. She discovered the art of thangka making, and decided she wanted to learn how to create them. Leslie is now one the world's few thangka makers, and one of the most talented. She embraces the art form, religion and all, and shares her enlightenment with others through her art.

Isadora Gabrielle Leidenfrost, the film's director and producer, has a similar ambition. She is a UW-Madison graduate student specializing in textile history, with an emphasis on spiritual and religious textiles. She shares her passion for textiles through the art of storytelling. Isadora owns the production company, Soulful Media, which has produced 10 films with similar overlying themes of spirituality and textiles.

"Creating Buddhas" does a wonderful job of telling Rinchen-Wongmo's story. The film interviews another Thangka artist as well as Buddhist monks and historians who specialize in Tibetan Buddhism. By including a range of interviews, the viewer is able to grasp a real sense of the importance of Rinchen-Wongmo 's art, and helps to convey an understanding of the significance of the thangka in the Buddhist religion.

"Creating Buddhas" follows Rinchen-Wongmo's progress on a thangka which features the female Buddha, Tara. Showcasing the female Buddha helps strengthen the films theme of feminine empowerment. In the traditional, male-dominated culture of the Eastern World, Rinchen-Wongmo breaks through the barriers and exemplifies strength and enlightenment, regardless of gender.

This film is definitely worth a look. It is a cultural experience that will open your mind to other parts of the world, and other lifestyle choices within our own country. Take a moment, sit down, and enjoy something different.

Being wrapped its own case of flannel is far from the only interesting thing about Mike Behrends' new EP. While the flannel, taken from the independent folk singer's own shirts, certainly provides a personal touch, it does not even begin to speak for the music held within. Originally from Duluth, Minnesota, Behrends was captivated with the city's music scene. Behrends absorbed as much as he could and quickly learned the classics by attending concerts and talking with local bands. All the while he wrote his own music, which he was then able to perform weekly at a venue in Superior, Minnesota.

Behrends moved to Madison in the fall of 2008 and has since added to the isthmus's vibrant music scene. Meeting Lance Owens by chance, Behrends was able to produce his five-track EP with his neighbor, Mike Grunder, on drums. The EP was then sent to Minneapolis where it was edited by Eric Drommerhausen, a friend of Behrens. Currently, Behrens is booking local shows, which he plays solo, and working on a weeklong tour of the Midwest planned for January 2010.

Behrends' music has its own unique sound. Heavily influenced by the strong folk and bluegrass scene found in Duluth, Behrends brings a new twist to the more indie-focused scene here in Madison. Occasionally accompanied by the banjo, guitar and harmonica, all in the key of G, Behrends's vocals are the main focus of his music. With such a small amount of instruments, the music is profound, as audiences are able to hone in on the intriguing narratives of each song.

The EP starts out strong with the poignant "Woodsman and the Seafarer," depicting a tragic love story. Behrend's voice croon over the bridge, "oh my/ oh my/ oh my, my," in between lyrics detailing a woman first abandoning her love, returning and finding him married. A blast of cool air in contrast to many other folk acts, Behrends easily evades the trap of sounding like every other independent artist out there, delivering a solid start to his album.

With such melancholy lines as "she put one bullet in my chest/ then a second through her head/ after screaming we'll be together again above/ our bodies laid there on the floor/ as on the roof the water poured/ it's too late to say I never cared too much for love," Behrends chilling anecdote gives his folk sound a creepy twist as well as bringing to mind the phrase, "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

The album picks up pace after this somber ballad with the next track, "Don't You Worry About Me." Detailing a seemingly horrible life of loneliness, unemployment and alcoholism, Behrends sings about searching for the love of his life to a quick beat and a catchy chorus. The track provides a nice transition from the more serious "Woodsman and the Seafarer" to the rest of the album.

"If I Grew Out My Beard," jokingly referred to by Behrens as his "3 minute pop song," and recounts the innocence and joy of first love in a whimsical tale. The song is surprisingly sweet and slightly comical, especially when it comes to the line, "Would you think it's weird/ if I grew out my beard/ and I called myself your man?"

When it comes to Behrend's new EP, the only disappointment is that it is not longer. Each of his five songs has its own distinct character and story to tell, making this latest creation highly commendable.

Joel McHale, known as the host of E!'s "The Soup," stars in the pilot for NBC's new series, "Community." He puts his quick wit and acidic tongue to good use as ex-lawyer Jeff. Tonight's premiere episode centers on the premise of Jeff (McHale) lying about being a Spanish tutor with a study group in order to get to know pretty girl Britta (Gillian Jacobs) and getting test answers from Duncan (John Oliver, "The Daily Show"). His plan quickly and obviously doesn't work, as trivia machine Abed (Danny Pudi) tells their entire Spanish class about the study group. What follows is Jeff's attempt to manipulate the group and get to know Britta.

While the previous paragraph might read as a cookie-cutter plotline for a sitcom, "Community"'s fast paced dialogue and surprising bite--one of the first jokes is about how Jeff got Duncan out of a DUI by connecting it to the September 11^th terrorist attacks and, later, an angry Jeff's comeback to Abed is, "Yeah, well you have Asperger's"--pushes the show into pretty risky territory past the safe archetype of "smarty pants lawyer suffers through hi-jinks while manipulating others."

Like all pilots, "Community" rushes into introducing the various characters. After one episode, none of them stand out past their obvious descriptions--the love interest, the trivia machine, the middle-aged mom, the high school dropout, the high school jock, and the clueless old man. This episode was dedicated to recently deceased John Hughes (director, "The Breakfast Club") who made a highly successful movie based on having the characters stereotyped and then trying to disprove those stereotypes, so hopefully "Community" will be able to develop its side characters.

It is notable that Chevy Chase lingers as the token old guy, Pierce, and doesn't have many lines in the pilot, which is strange since he was such a big part of the advertising. Also, while Abed's manic pop culture references are the easiest jokes in the show, they have great potential for meta-commentary on television and movies and parody of college life.

At a time when sitcoms rely on familiarity, "Community"'s snark and irreverence proves it to be worth your time (especially following "The Office"). McHale has more charisma than anyone this side of Steve Carell's Michael Scott and even better pick-up lines to use on intelligent, self-serious college women--"What's your deal, and is God dead?"

Community airs Thursdays at 9:30/8:30 C on NBC

Head of Glee Club, Will (Matthew Morrison), revisits his childhood dream of performing. Sitting in the staff lounge, he and fellow male teachers are inspired to sing away their sorrows and form a male acapella group, cleverly named, "The Acafella's."They are an instant hit, but begin to take away from Will's commitment to his beloved Glee Club.

Will's sub-par attendance falls in line with Sue Sylvester's (Jamie Lynch) plan to squash the Glee Club. She gets the inside scoop when three of her Cheerio's join the club so that they may keep an eye on Finn (Cory Monteith). Quinn (Diana Arrgone), head cheerleader and Finn's girlfriend, buddies up to her new "Gleeks" to create conflict and break up the group from within. In addition, Quinn and her cheerleader cronies bring in a high-maintenance professional choreographer to crack the group's team spirit.

Rachel (Lea Michele) works with Finn after school to "expand his vocal range." However, with the Cheerio infiltration and Will's lack of attendance, Flinn begins to question his commitment to the club.

Guest star Josh Groban makes an appearance, attending "Acafella's" big community showcase. Groban plays himself, and comes with a "gift" for Sandy (Stephen Tobolowsky), a teacher desperate to be part of the group.

Episode three explores relationships between characters and tests commitment to the club. It also gives increased camera time to the supporting characters, developing them as individuals, with issues separate from Rachel, Finn, or Will.

"Glee" continues to perform the perfect amount of musical sequences in its unique, "gleeky" and spirited way. The musical sequences are based on a show-tune style, but the show consistently infuses it with new genres. Episode three also experiments with more new stage sets, exploring the "music video" format. The musical sequences continue to compliment the plotline, and sets "Glee" apart from any other show on television.

New York City. Beautiful people. Fashion. Glamour. Drama. Gossip. Sounds like an all-too-familiar concoction from the CW factory, right? And while the premier of "The Beautiful Life: TBL" on the CW last night did come with a cast chock full of young, hot Hollywood star power, it left much to be desired in regards to originality.

Produced by Ashton Kutcher ("Punk'd", "Beauty and the Geek", "True Beauty"), the show centers on a group of models living in New York City in what could be nearly everyone's dream house, with male models living on the bottom floor and females living on the top. The drama begins with a mock New York City fashion week and a Zac Posen show, which had the designer himself making a guest appearance along with his own Victorian-inspired line. The Zac Posen show is the runway debut for newcomer Raina, played by Sara Paxton ("Summerland", Aquamarine), and when notorious catwalker/pill-popper Sonja, played by Mischa Barton, shows up for her comeback after a mysterious six-month disappearance (Rio de Janeiro? Rehab? Who knows?), the acrylic claws come out. As art often imitates life, Barton's character mimics her own comeback into the limelight in her most buzzed about role since "The O.C." Backstage, Posen snubs model Sonja (She gained two pounds, a modeling world travesty) in favor of Raina to model his finale dress, and in a click of a heel the new It girl is crowned.

The rest of the cast provides a conglomeration of every modeling world stereotype, including the bitchy "frenemy" Marissa (Ashley Medekwe, "Secret Diary of a Call Girl"), the freshly discovered farmboy from Iowa Chris (Ben Hollingsworth, "The Line"), and the model-wanting-to-turn-DJ Isaac (Corbin Bleu, "High School Musical"). Let's face it, "TBL" is not going down in the history books of high art, but it is definitely following the CW soap-opera guilty pleasure recipe with a great looking cast, greater looking clothes, tons of back-stabbing and drama and an amazing line-up of future guest stars rumored to include Nina Garcia of "Project Runway" fame and even the wife of the producer, Demi Moore. The show packs a ton of plotlines into its hour premier leaving much drama to unfold. Viewers should be excited to see Sonja's whereabouts and reasons for slipping from the spotlight, whether or not Iowa-boy Chris can conquer the big city, if Raina's past can keep up with her accelerating future, and what pretty face and perfect bod will come out on top in the cut throat world of "TBL."

Ryan Seacrest is king, perched atop his golden throne overlooking his burgeoning reality T.V. empire, funded by his egregious American Idol salary. Closer to the bottom of the entertainment hierarchy sits Joel McHale, the underestimated Seacrest look-alike subsisting as E! Network's court jester (or body double).

Even McHale's own son can't discern their handsome faces. "He (McHale's son) would see Ryan Seacrest on the air, my wife would go, hey Eddie, who's on the TV right now? And he would go, daddy! And I'm like ah..."

McHale isn't Ryan Seacrest. He doesn't own a share in eight restaurants, doesn't own a clothing line and doesn't host KIIS-FM, "American Top 40," American Idol and E! News Daily. Even up to his September 17 premiere of "Community," a highly anticipated new comedy series on NBC's Thursday laugh-out-loud lineup, McHale relishes the smallest publicity garnered from infrequent movie cameos, the "Community" hype and his cult-like following of the week's pop culture and television mishaps that become fuel for his sarcastic commentary on "The Soup."

But, he sits comfortably in his highchair as host of "The Soup" - an accomplishment in itself - indicative of his maturation since the heydays at the University of Washington, where the self-proclaimed college slacker received his Masters in Fine Arts. As McHale's dreams are to become reality with "Community," it transpires in ironic fashion. But as for his frequent jabs at Ryan Seacrest ("The Soup" fans know what I'm talking about), hate is far from what McHale feels. It's more along the lines of admiration.

Joel McHale appeared to delight in the comedic coincidence of his first starring role as remedial community college student, Jeff. It's a return for McHale to the humdrum that was college - without the stress of exams. "This guy (is) similar to me in that I did everything I could not to, you know, work hard in school because I was much more interested in acting and trying to do that. And I always felt like I was kind of putting in - you know, just kind of clocking time at school until I could get out and do something, you know, perform," McHale confided. "But that's not the greatest parallel. I mean this guy starts off very selfish. I hopefully am not that way. And he cheats and he lies to get what he wants. And I have not done a lot of that. But, I have cheated in a math class or two."

Personalities aside, the actor and his fictional muse, Jeff, bear little resemblance.

Jeff is an attractive lawyer who falls from his high horse and returns to college after the State Bar revoked his license for an illegitimate bachelors degree acquired from Colombia - the country. "He approached life in that he just kind of did what he wanted to do. And people kind of let him get by with it. And this is the first time that he actually has to do work. And it's a change in his world completely," McHale divulged.

Joel McHale is an actor who, despite his lackadaisical efforts in college, happens to be standing on an uncharted oil field spewing comedic powerhouses, Chevy Chase ("Caddyshack"), Ken Jeong ("The Hangover") and writer Dan Harmon ("Funny People").

"It's a dream come true. It's something I never imagined... I can really phone in my performances because everyone else is amazing. And no, but, you know, it's really is ideal because Dan Harmon is such an incredible writer. The Russo brothers who did Arrested Development and they're directing most of the episodes. And then you've got this cast of, you know, from Chevy Chase to John Oliver to Ken Jeong to Jim Rash to everyone in, you know, everybody. I mean it's really ideal. And I can't, you know, it's one of those things where it's like yeah, it's awesome and I'm so excited. That's kind of like I can't believe it."

Revolving around Hollywood clich�s, refreshing puns and the incessant community college stereotypes prodding, NBC saw it fit to release the pilot exclusively on Facebook. The verdict? Giddy critics hold high expectations for its first full season, like the hype that Fox riled with its four-month hiatus between the pilot and second episode of "Glee."

"All this hype and reviews... the good, the positive reviews and the positive feedback that we get is all great - I much appreciate it obviously," McHale said. "There's nothing I can do to control whether it's good or bad hype. And all we can do is deliver on the scripts and then it's up to the editor," the comedian continued in a withdrawn, modest tone that sedated the pressure of satiating the audience's anticipation. "So in that sense I don't feel much pressure at all. So I just really hope - all that really matters what it comes down to is that people watch it and they like it and then it will stay on the air,"

Interviewing Joel, he was more demure than expected. His frequent jabs at Ryan Seacrest and comedic quips during interviews with more prominent syndicates litter Youtube searches under his name, so one would expect the comedian to bite my questions, chew and spit out sidesplitting rhetoric. Surprisingly, that Joel McHale was unavailable. On the other hand, it was a reprieve listening to Joel McHale, modest career man.

"When I got to LA in 2000, my goal was to act in television and movies. And getting on the Soup was kind of a lark... but when that opportunity came up, I thought well if this can do it for me, you know, 1/20 of what it does for Greg Kinnear, I'll be really happy. And so that is kind of how it's going, meaning that I was able to get noticed through doing the Soup and get into all those audition rooms that I was not allowed into before that. I'm saying I'm going to continue to do the Soup while doing Community and while doing movies hopefully... it's one of those things where my first love is acting and that's what my goal is to be doing."

Fans and critics of McHale will recognize that Ryan Seacrest often is the butt of McHale's jokes - so much so that the first "ryan seacrest+joel mcHale" Google result lists the question, "Do Joel McHale & Ryan Seacrest really hate each other?" To dehumidify the sweltering cloud of suspicion revolving around the Ryan Seacrest, Joel McHale relationship, think of a prepubescent boy poking a female classmate. Why does the boy pester the girl? He likes her.

In the New York Times piece, "From 'Idol' to Empire: The Success of Ryan Seacrest," Lola Ogunnaike dishes on Seacrest's daily routine, beginning at 4 a.m. She reveals that the workaholic Seacrest is fearful of the, "thought of being out of work." And according to McHale, the American Idol host sleeps a mere two hours a day (McHale is keen on exaggerations).

After divulging his current schedule that rivals Ryan Seacrest's, and appearing to do so with an air of accomplishment, Joel McHale can no longer be seen as a mere court jester. "Let's see. I - boy, am I - I'm in New York right now promoting both the Informant, the Matt Damon movie and Community. And so I am doing like Today Show, the View, Rachel Ray, a number of local news shows here, Time Magazine. I can't even - I literally have a long list of stuff and there's almost not one hour in the day where I'm not doing something."

He modestly discredits his self as a proletarian within Seacrest's empire. "I am not the king of E!. The kind of E! would be one man named Ryan Seacrest... He is the king. He is the emperor and ruler of E!. And I am yet a court jester to his domination," McHale gushed.

But, his aspirations are not too far from those that propel workaholic Ryan Seacrest every day. Joel McHale, the actor, just happens to have an innate talent to tickle our limbic system.

Primetime welcomed Jay Leno back to television Monday, Sept. 14 with a new hour of television. "The Jay Leno Show" kicked off with a new, deskless set and flurry of ultra-popular celebrities. After a three-month absence, Leno's new show promises to renew the late-night comedy scene of which NBC seems to be dominating. Though the talk show veteran has somewhat of a fresh approach, how long can the new-show magic last?

Leno began the show by walking out onto his brand new set and delivering a typical monologue filled with topical humor and video clips ready to enhance the otherwise dry image of a man standing and talking. Next, Dan Finnerty (the sexually suggestive wedding singer from "The Hangover") presented an awkward and forgettable sketch delving into car wash entertainment that will with all likelihood return at some point to fill a portion of the five hours of material supplied each week.

Guests Jerry Seinfeld, Oprah Winfrey (via satellite), Jay-Z, Rihanna, and Kanye West all stopped by Leno's Burbank studio to pay the host a visit. The sit-down formula was slightly altered form a desk-and-seat setup to a seat-to-seat setup. Sure, the tweaked format provides a more intimate feel, but it looked as if Leno was not used to this. He and Seinfeld ended the interview with a bizarre hug that seemed to only arise after the two men stood up and realized they were facing each other. In all fairness, they are good friends, and so all future hugs will be gauged by this first strange one.

A sheepish looking Kanye West also popped a squat in the hot seat, and addressed his recent faux pas with Taylor Swift at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. The new set did allow Leno to pat West's leg and transmit some solace; this was just after bringing up the shame the rapper's actions would have caused his deceased mother and almost making him cry, and right before asking him to perform. Who said showbusiness was tactful?

"The Jay Leno Show" doesn't do much to change up the way "The Tonight Show" did things. In fact, the rearrangement (or rather, mild shifting) of NBC's nightly lineup may just be an effort to comfort the thirty and fourtysomethings that are becoming more socially marginalized by the day (they can't be staying up so late anymore). Leno's new hour isn't so new, and viewers should ask themselves if more of the same is enough to sustain their need to laugh between primetime and late night.

"The Jay Leno Show" airs on NBC at 10/9 C Monday through Friday

Actor Patrick Swayze died today in his Los Angeles home at the age of 57. The star of such films as "Ghost," "Dirty Dancing," and "Red Dawn" succumbed to a battle with pancreatic cancer that he had been fighting for over a year and a half.

Swayze was diagnosed in January 2008, and had undergone chemotherapy and surgery. His most recent work was for an A&E series called "The Beast," but due to Swayze's health concerns the show was not promoted and subsequently cancelled. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Lisa Niemi.

As far as off-the-w all stage tricks go, Buckethead (or Brian Patrick Carroll, as his parents probably called him) ranks up there with the Blue Man Group and Marilyn Manson. This show is sure to be entertaining, because for this guy it's all about the presentation. For one thing, he literally wears a bucket on his head while performing. In past years it was a KFC chicken bucket with a bright orange FUNERAL sticker plastered on it, but recently he has taken to wearing a plain white bucket.

His long, unruly black hair frames an emotionless white drama mask, giving him a ridiculous yet haunting appearance. His main devotion, though, is to his music. The fact that over 40 famous rock and metal artists have chosen to incorporate him into their albums pays homage to his incredible guitar playing talent. Despite his off-the-wall look (or perhaps because of it) he has earned himself many devoted fans. Guitar Player Magazine raves, "His psychotronic, demonic edge is very, very far removed from the clich�s of classical metal and rock. A real talent to watch." Come experience the groundbreaking, marvelous, and quick-fingered styles of this seasoned guitarist. You may get shivers, but you won't be disappointed.

Buckethead performs at The Rave in Milwaukee on Wednesday, Sept. 16. at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 by phone at (414) 342-728 or online at www.shoptherave.com.

The 2009 MTV Video Music Awards were hosted by Russel Brand and boasted the same qualities as every other year: strange costumes, fantastic performances and of course, the always-sought-after drama.

It will come as no surprise that the crazy costumes from this year's VMAs were worn by Lady Gaga, who started the night wearing a red dress with a turtleneck like device, which she pulled up over her face to create a mask like effect; later a growth of fuzzy white lion's mane protruded from her face and assured the artist a bit of attention.

A few unforgettable performances were contributions from both Beyonce and Pink. Beyonce's performance of "Single Ladies" began with the diva alone onstage slightly moving to a slower paced version of the song. The lights came down for a moment, and then came up to a reveal a giant, multi-tiered stage holding a good hundred girls or more. They were all dressed in their famous leotards and doing an over the top and totally awesome performance with the corresponding dance everyone was sure to be imitating in their living rooms. This extraordinary performance prompted Katy Perry to point questionably towards her ring finger, and then to the man standing beside her.

The second out-of-this-world performance came from Pink, who was blindly transported from the stage to sickening heights for her song "Sober." She moved upwards and upon reaching the top removed her blindfold and joined her extraordinarily strong male partner in performing unbelievable trapeze tricks WHILE singing. Pink's performance was one of the coolest and most unique by far.

Oh, and of course there was drama - Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Pink, Lady Gaga and a few others were up for best female music video, and Taylor Swift won the award for her song "You Belong with Me." Looking totally and completely shocked, she glided up to the stage with an unbelieving smile on her face and began her speech. Not even two sentences in, Kanye West jumped out from behind, rudely and forcefully steals the microphone from Swift and proceeded to say - during Swift's acceptance speech- "Taylor, I'm really happy for you. I'll let you finish, but Beyonce had one of the best videos of all time! One of the best videos of all time!"

The camera panned between a horrified Beyonce and a bewildered Swift, while the crowd booed as Kanye exited the stage. Later, Beyonce won the best video of the year award for "Single Ladies," but did not give her own acceptance speech. Instead Beyonce invited Swift back on stage to have her moment, because she hadn't had the chance the first time.

Being a singing sensation isn't just about selling out concerts and wearing the prettiest dresses. It's also about image and how the fans or the public view you. While Beyonce proved that she is a humble and gracious human being who is definitely NOT a sore loser, in just a few seconds Kanye West confirmed, once again, that while he may be one of the best, he is also the worlds biggest asshole.

Bowling through Chicago over the next three days in its entire dudely splendor is the Lebowski Fest, a three day homage to a cult classic of the late 90's: The Big Lebowski.

The first night of the festival, which kicks off Sept. 13 at the Portage Theater, will have an obligatory theatre quality screening of the best Jeff Bridges movie ever made. The next two nights are bowling parties, and will feature costume parties and unlimited free bowling at Diversey-River Bowl.

White Russians will flow like rain and good times should be had by all, even nihilists. Anyone in the Chicago area (even those speaking out of their element) should check out this event and celebrate one of the funniest and most irreverent movies ever to feature Steve Buscemi having a heart attack.

A complete schedule of events can be found at http://lebowskifest.com

Last Weekend's Taste of Madison event, produced by Madison Festivals, Incorporated and sponsored by a host of local organizations, was a veritable smorgasbord. That isn't a word that should be thrown around lightly, either. Certainly an eating event could be a feast or buffet, but those words fail to capture truly what the Taste of Madison is like.

Many notable restaurants participated in the event, including The Old Fashioned, Bluephies, Lombardino's and Caf� Costa Rica. Anything from a delicious jambalaya offered by the Bourbon Street Grille or a chocolate covered cheesecake on a stick were available at an event that appealed to a diverse and large number of Madisonians.

The event indeed accomplished a level of unity that Madisonians rarely experience. It gave students a chance to experience the plethora of delicious cuisine that is normally unavailable in the downtown area, while providing families and mature residents of the Madison area with an excuse to head to the capital and frolic in the square.

Entertainment was provided by a smattering of Madison radio stations including Q103 and 93.1 Jamz, with stages placed at the four corners of the capitol loop. The diversity of acts appealed to a large number of people, and showcased a cross section of residents that a sociologist could only dream to recreate. Cowboy hats bobbed near the country stage, while tweens and high schoolers gathered to the hip-hop stage. While all this went down, tattooed twenty-somethings and middle-school aged boys in dark shirts formed an enclave in close proximity to hard rock stage.

The festivities ran all day Saturday and Sunday, with headlining acts performing on their respective stages at the end of each night. On Saturday bands Candelbox and Too White Crew performed, and on Sunday the 106.7 Jamz stage hosted Asher Roth. The collegiate rapper performed to a crowd packed into the intersection of East Washington and Pinckney.

The event also raised thousands of dollars for United Cerebal Palsy, which means that eating a lot (which many did) was a good thing (and it usually is). Though a variety of entertainment was offered, the music did not detract from the main focus of food. Tasty offerings at reasonable prices with a festive spirit is what this event is all about, and one can't help but get excited as the next year's Taste of Madison draws closer.

The documentary film Westbound, which screened at the Memorial Union Theater Wednesday night, follows the life and art of Grand Duke of the Hobos Adolph Vandertie to illuminate the simple beauty of the hobo lifestyle and aesthetic.

Westbound's director Jim Rivett most succeeds in presenting a hobo--albeit a prolific one--as a veritable, masterly, and unique artist. Vandertie collected, carved and whittled over 4,000 pieces of incredibly complex work, all of which are relatable and pure forms of expression despite his until now unheralded past. In his raspy Wisconsin accent, Vandertie has something humbly profound to say on a variety of subjects important to the twentieth century American experience. He lamentingly ruminates on the Catholic education of his youth as genuinely as Joyce; his oeuvre is extensive enough for him to be considered the hobo Proust; and his personal nonfiction of life in the Great Depression calls to mind the work of Steinbeck. Yet despite the similarities, there can be no mistaking the absolute uniqueness of Vandertie, nor that of the film itself.

In an age where so many films are produced with the intention of becoming mainstream blockbusters, Westbound takes a decidedly different approach at exploring the aesthetic potency of an individual inseparable from his time and place in the American narrative. It beautifully appropriates Vandertie's humble whittlings out of the boxcars and into the museums to suggest that one can discover true art in where it is least expected. In this way, it reminds us of the real power of documentary filmmaking: the ability to make the ordinary extraordinary and to demonstrate how meaning can be conferred on all things.

"I don't know if you guys know this, but you are kind of known as a party school...at least that's what they say in Chicago, so thank you for coming out tonight." Peggy Wang( vocals/keyboard) exclaims. Along with their big assumptions, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart like it big; they play in big cities, they have a big name, and last but definitely not least, they boast a big sound. For such a small theater, the Pains of Being Pure at Heart rocked it to the walls, to the ceiling and out to the street at the Orpheum last Wednesday. With original beats, stellar instruments and a novel sound this New York quartet is likely to sell out much larger spaces in the future.

The two openers and the headliner's light show were notably obnoxious. The boys of the Depreciation Guild asked numerous times for the blaring lights to be shut off. They were quite bright and had a strange way of dancing across the band members and backdrop of the stage. Depending on where an audience member was to sit would depend on the level of headache the lights created - the front equals a minimal headache, the back or balcony region however, creates the effect a strobe light has. While these lights were in fact not strobe lights, the way they were set up could have fooled anyone.

"Come Saturday" and "Higher than the Stars" were a few of the more catchy and distinctive songs. While the lyrics were a bit hard to hear during the entire concert, these two songs being no exception, the rush and overflow of instrumentals made up for it. The sound of the band was fresh, creative and unique, giving an all around surprising and welcoming breath of fresh air to listeners of mainstream music.

"This is our first time playing in Madison!", Kip Berman (vocals/guitar) shouts after the first song. After their attention grabbing performance, Madison will gladly welcome The Pains of Being Pure at Heart for a second time somewhere in the future, with a much bigger stage and (hopefully) a much better light show.

If you listen closely, you'll hear the sound of uproarious chaos in the distance.

Yes, the blogosphere is jumping and Twitter is likely to overwhelm itself into overcapacity with the news that Ellen DeGeneres will replace Paula Abdul on "American Idol."

So what does this mean for the show? Well, if the audience on "Ellen" is any indication (i.e: eager applause and a standing ovation), this was probably the perfect choice.

This news comes after the long thread of mind-numbing drama between Abdul and the producers of "American Idol." After what was rumored to be a salary issue, Abdul left the judge panel, and perhaps what was left of her career.

Abdul's exit was also rumored to be a publicity stunt, and to those of you who still think that's the case, well, you might still be right. Maybe the only way people can really care about Paula Abdul is if her position as the wimpering, adorably doped-up, incoherent foil to Simon Cowell is threatened and then magically restored after a bloodly/legal/he-said-she-said battle. (To which, Americans would contentedly sigh to themselves as they settle into their sofas, "All is right with the world.") Maybe with Abdul, it's an example of missing someone, but only when they're gone.

But, you know, we probably won't be missing her at all when Ellen takes the chair.

Coming to our own Union Theater tonight is a new documentary film called Westbound, which recounts the turbulent and treasure-ridden life of hobo art collector Adolph Vandertie. From his humble beginnings as a child of the Great Depression to his travels in boxcars with the homeless, Vandertie's life is defined by his many associations with hobos and tramps on the streets. It was here that he learned the widely-used hobo pastime of whittling and, at age 21, began collecting pieces of this extraordinary trade to fill his home. Viewers will see how the very craft that wrought his beloved works of folk art ultimately saves Vandertie as he struggles with alcohol and drug addiction.

By the end of his life, Vandertie had collected over 4,000 creations from tramps and hobos throughout the country. Westbound presents a striking and comprehensive cross-section of this vast collection. Each piece is a symbol of the American ideal of finding hope through hardship and struggle, and stands as a testimony to the largely undiscovered brilliance and talent of America's hidden homeless community. Most of all, though, each piece is as unique and fascinating as the man himself.

Westbound is showing at the Union Theater today (Wednesday, Sept. 9) @ 7 p.m. Admission is free.

Welcome back fellow Mad-Maniacs! Last Sunday's episode, titled "The Arrangements," had the crew of Sterling Cooper going through some major changes. Rather than making any sort of "arrangements," it seemed as though the fourth episode of Season three focused on the sacrifices the characters need to make in order to change, improve, or face their biggest demons.

Betty Draper was forced to face the upsetting realization that her kermudgeon of a father was closer to death's door than she would like to admit. Peggy Olson made some ballsy choices tonight, in which she faced the disgust and heartache of her suburban mother and took the plunge to move to the big city. After all, she is now "one of those girls." Salvatore continued to hide and deny the truth regarding his sexuality. In a gut-wrenchingly pathetic scene, his na�ve wife Kitty looks upon her "man" prancing around the bedroom in his silk pajamas to the estrogen-charged "Bye Bye Birdie" advertisement--meaning it's pretty obvious Salvatore's secret is not so secret anymore. Does anyone hear a closet door opening?

One of the more intriguing parts of tonight's episode, besides Sterling Coopers gang of merry ad-men's prank call antics, was the emphasis and focus on the eldest Draper daughter, Sally. Season three has offered audiences a chance to see the younger, more innocent side of life through Sally Draper's doughy blue eyes, giving this season a jolt of fresh energy. In tonight's dismal episode, Sally puts down her stuffed rag doll and slides into adolescence, as she begins to see how flawed her hardly perfect family really is. The symbolism in Mad Men came to a head as the episode closed and the television set glistened over Sally's tear stained sheets. Newscasters announced the suicide protest of a peaceful Buddhist monk who went to the extreme, lighting himself on fire and shocking the nation.

The world is crumbling around the Mad Men crew, and as each character faces the complicated monsters in their well-stocked closets. The anticipation builds as every viewer can tell that something wholly gripping is on the way.

Trying out a new restaurant or a new haircut can be fun. Other times, it can be disastrous. Unfortunately for Andrew W. K., who jumped from a rocker to a pianist for his fourth album Cadillac 55, trying something new resulted in the latter.

His newest album sports eight songs with titles all revolving around cars and driving and, while he has some beautiful portions jumbled into a few songs, he mutilates his pieces with a grotesque, childlike style of hitting the keys and an excessive repetition of chords and outside noise which turns his fourth album into a massive and terribly annoying car crash.

Andrew W. K, (Andrew Wilkes-Krier) began playing the piano at age four and was studying at the University of Michigan School of Music Pedagogy Program by age five. He played the drums and keyboard in various bands all through out high school before moving to New York and performing solo. In 2001 he was joined by eight others; Donald Tardy (drums), Gregg Roberts (bass guitar, vocals), Sgt. Frank (guitar), Jimmy Coup (guitar, vocals), Kendall A. (guitar, vocals), E. Payne (guitar, vocals), John Sutton (guitar) and Richie Russo (drums). Together, the band went on tour, spreading their rock music around the world, landing spots as guests on late night talk shows as well as MTV.

Andrew W. K. broke off temporarily from his rocking roots to produce a mellower album entirely of his self-composed piano music. The songs on Cadillac 55 are either terrible from the start or begin with a hint of something promising only to be ruined 30 seconds later by repetition and ugly chords. There is nothing to drag a listener into the songs, and not a single thing to compel a person to keep listening. As soon as nice chords and beautiful music emerge they are immediately ruined and interrupted by junk.

Almost all of W. K.'s songs break off into parts where they sound like a child aimlessly playing with the piano. W. K. continuously stays within the same few octaves and repeats the same chords over and over again in "Begin the Engine" as well as most of "Night Driver". The listener can't connect to the lyrical narrative of the music because of the randomness of the keys and chords, and because too much is going on at once. This, combined with the repetition in the songs, will leave anyone with a headache.

Some thought process actually went into "Seeing the Car" with lots of changes in octaves as well as beautiful chords. Some work went into this piece because there is a story and it is an all around happier, almost enjoyable piece to listen to. This is the only song that is better than the rest on the album, and by far more interesting than the other songs. The song's only downfall is the sound of crickets, which the artist decided to include on every track.

Another problem with Cadillac 55 is that the song titles do not match the feel of the song. With "Night driver" W. K. has upped his game a bit by adding a few octave changes making it actually sound like someone is playing the piano and not just messing around. There is a distinct difference between the tone of the music and the title. The song could have been in a lower octave with a deeper and darker sound because as of now the song sounds more like a happy stroll. Imagine walking in the park, sun shining, squirrels chasing each other and children playing and boom - the feel of "Night Driver".

According to Andrew W.K.'s Website, his goal is to "create feelings of pure joy, true fun, total love, endless freedom, and infinite possibility". Andrew W. K. is going to have to start his engines and try again.

1/5 Stars

In The Beginning, a new musical comedy from the Mercury Players Theatre, is now showing at the Bartell Theater. The show pokes fun at the notion of creationism and all the realistically absurd stories and symbols that go along with it. Local writers Andrew Rohn and Catherine Capellaro, also credited with such works as Temp Slave and Walmartopia, present us with another satirical script that departs only slightly from their previous subject matter. While their other productions mostly deal with the corporate world and all its ridiculous greed and hilarious injustices, In The Beginning takes a step towards the spiritual. Many religious beliefs appear preposterous when viewed through the musical's harshly logical lens, and theatergoers throughout Madison will be able to enjoy the hilarious absurdism likely to ensue.

The show features zany narrative twists to the traditional story of evolution; among these alterations include a talking, singing fish in the place of what would be a serpent, and Eve is turned on her head as she is portrayed as a kidnapped, amnesiac ape. Crucial to the odd, creationist story is a frustrated and fundamentalist Adam, who laments against the seductive fish and his scientific take on the world as he tries to lead Eve to see his way and fulfill a biblical prophecy. The entertainment starts Sept. 4 and runs through Sept. 26. Show times are at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets are $12 for Thursday and Sunday performances and $18 for Friday and Saturday performances.

O.A.R. returns to the Madison area for the first time since Freakfest 2008 with a show at the Overture Center this Thursday, Sept. 3.

Short for "Of A Revolution," the quintet has made a name for themselves on college campuses nationwide for their riveting, high-energy live performances. Much like their contemporaries in Dispatch, O.A.R. rose to popularity through untraditional means. Instead of the usual record company practices of high-cost marketing and payola, the internet and word of mouth are major reasons for the band's success.

The Overture Center presents itself as an interesting venue for a band whose popular act is often seen in larger arenas, including two sellouts at Madison Square Garden in New York City and a pair shows at last summer's Summerfest in Milwaukee. They released their sixth studio album last July, All Sides, featuring such hits as "This Town" and "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)." The album isn't as jam-centric as some of their earlier work, but despite its apparent maturity (and the fact that all band members are years removed from their days at Ohio State University) it remains extraordinarily accessible to college students.

No O.A.R. show is complete, however, without the obligatory performances of jams "Crazy Game of Poker" and "Hey Girl," both of which often feature long solos from saxophonist Jerry DePizzo when performed live. Expect all 2,225 packed into the Overture Center to be highly involved throughout the show, and don't be surprised if you run into some friends you haven't seen in a while. Tickets are $32, but remember that your requisite dirty 30 rack of Fratty Light isn't included in the price of admission.

Prepare to be transported back in time to the 1940s and 50s, when fedoras were all the rage and blues music (not retail giants) ruled Chicago. Blues frontman and harmonica player Oscar "43rd Street" Wilson is performing at Mother Fool's Coffeehouse on Williamson Street this Friday. With a height of 6'3", a hefty build, and a booming voice, Wilson has an unsurpassed stage presence, and those who have seen him perform know that he is equal parts entertainer and musician. Inspired by blues legends such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Jimmy Rogers, he has devoted his entire life to studying, practicing, and performing blues music. He is backed by A.J. Love, Madison's own talented blues guitarist, vocalist Queenie McCarter, upright bassist Chris Boeger, and drummer Billy McDuffee. So come out to Willy street to hear rock and country in their mutual original form and as it is meant to be heard: in the styles of the greats.

Oscar Wilson sings the blues at Mother Fool's Coffeehouse this Friday at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $6 at the door.

Christian artisit David Bazan's career has been plagued with controversy ever since he broke up with his band Pedro the Lion in 2005 to pursue a solo career. His music, marked by curse words and harsh content, has often been known to appall and drive away his devout fans. A thoughtful listen to his most recent and first full-length album, Curse Your Branches, reveals that his relationship with the big guy in the sky is still changing and developing.

Whispering drums, bright guitars, and vamping keyboards provide a sweet and airy frame to his lyrically driven style. This time around, the story Bazan tells illustrates his paradoxical relationship with God, whom he approaches with an odd mix of skepticism and devotion. It is an inquisitive journey into the critical operations of his religion. He croons with his calming, razor-sharp voice, "Am I a Christian? / Are you a Jew? / Did you kill my Lord? / Must I forgive you?" He is asking God to clear up the ambiguity, straighten out the inconsistencies, and eradicate the unfair demands. But as unsettled as he may sound, Bazan is no doubting Thomas. He may have a curious soul, but ultimately he comes away from Curse Your Branches a firm believer, and listeners who have remained loyal to him to date will not be disappointed.