Entertainment within walking distance: review and preview

First off, a review. I went to the BB King concert Wednesday, and the King of the Blues was...the King. Occasionally rambling between songs, amazing during them, but definitely showing his age -- he shared the wisdom that's come with his 83 years freely. The warm-up band from Chicago was pretty good too (although between them, intermission, and the intro numbers by BB King's own band, he didn't get on stage until 9, so there was only an hour out of a two and half hour show with the headliner. Still a good show overall.) They did a standard 5 song warm up set. BB King did a number of songs, only one of which I recognized from an older album. He made a Willie Nelson reference at one point, who's coming to Stephens in December (I'm guessing BB King didn't even know). Isn't it great how we can walk and see not just the academic and student events, but some of the most amazing artists of the 20th century?

The other review I'd hoped to do was the movie I'd wanted to see, Nick and Norah -- surprisingly, it hasn't stayed a second week so I'm going to have to hope it returns or goes to the North Grand theaters. The two movies at the Varsity now just don't appeal to me (Eagle Eye and Sex Drive), although the new big-budget western directed by Ed Harris, Appaloosa, and the new plot-twist-riddled police corruption story starring Colin Ferrell and Ed Norton, Pride and Glory, look like they have potential. I'm hoping they stay for a little while since I'll be out of town from Friday through Tuesday, so if they're out after only a week I won't get much of a chance.

In other upcoming walking distance events, the Greek community is a bit busier with the fundraisers this week, with brats at Adelante Wednesday night, spaghetti at Sigma Alpha Epsilon late Thursday night/friday morning, and walking tacos hosted by Phi Beta Chi at the Memorial Lutheran Church (they're one of the few Greek organizations that doesn't own a house.)

This weekend is big for student productions, with the Symphony Orchestra on Friday, Band Extravaganza Saturday evening, and the ISU Theatre production of Tartuffe all weekend (showtimes and ticket prices at their websites).

Other performing arts include the Billy Joel based musical, Moving Out, on Thursday, and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra on Sunday.

Lots of concerts and comedy at the M-Shop, and lectures (mostly at the Union) in the next week -- none of them from a genre or academic discipline respectively that I'm especially interested in, but in a couple of weeks is Carly Fiorina, and later that week is a forum with Dr. Politics and Arnie Arneson. I am a WOI addict so I will probably be there for that.

Finally, athletics -- Football is away (there's only 1 home game left, it's the 15th.) Basketball exhibitions have started, with a couple this weekend, as well as a volleyball game. Wrestling starts next week, so we are definitely shifting gears away from fall and into winter.

As always, if you made it to anything, please post your comments below!

EWWD for October 23

Another week goes by, another week where I don't want to talk about Cyclone football. But I will, because it's homecoming. The Huskers behaved themselves pretty well, I think -- ran into a lot when I was at the concert at Papa's Corner. A lot of them seemed to be older, not students. I was surprised at their attendance at this event since one thing about the band I was going to see, is it's loud. As in, a friend who goes to their concerts regularly actually brought hearing protection so he could be up near the stage.

As for homecoming itself, prepare for another weekend with a large number of visitors -- but these are mostly alumni who should have a fair amount of respect for their alma mater and its surrounding neighborhoods. I'm really sorry to be missing it, as I'm in Minnesota for a cousin's wedding. There are also a lot of extra events going around surrounding homecoming, especailly at the new alumni center, as well as lots of reunions of various groups, like the Alumni Band. It's an evening game, which means extended tailgating.

Reimann is doing that Halloween event for kids again on Sunday. At the Varisty, Tonight is your last night for The Duchess (mentioned last week) and "An American Carol" -- the old Dickens tale done as a thinly veiled send-up of Micheal Moore. Tomorrow starts Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (which I am planning to see) and Quarantine (horror, no thanks for me)

Only thing in Greekland for the next week is Greek Trick or Treat on Wednesday. (the city's trick or treat night will be next Friday, on Halloween itself.) If you'd like for your child to participate, I'm guessing Jenn Plegman-Galvin will have more info. She'd probably be able to give information on the Rake-a-thon too, which is a fundraiser happening through November. Proceeds for that go to the MS foundation and Habitat for Humanity.

The event of the week, besides homecoming, is the BB King concert at Stephens on Wednesday. I bought tickets as a birthday present to my husband, and I am really looking forward to it. Concerts at the M-shop include a member of the Indigo Girls doing a solo show Saturday, and a folk singer/songwriter on Tuesday. Not much of interest from the Music Department this week, but Band Extravaganza is coming up in a couple of weeks.

If you want to make a really big day of Cyclone sports, there's a volleyball match at 2:00 Saturday (before the homecoming game). It's free and the first 300 fans get free Coldstone ice cream.

In lectures, there's one on the financial crisis in the Great Hall and one on climate change in the Sun Room tonight, and Monday and Tuesday an author will be talking about the environmental effects of meat eating in the Pioneer and Oak rooms, respectively. Monday features a talk on biofuels in the Sun Room, and Tuesday's lecture in the Sun Room is on the Middle East.

Upcoming EWWD

Kind of a light week: only 4 smaller lectures, 2 M-shop shows, 1 Greek philanthropy, 1 Reiman Gardens event, and a handful of athletics. 2 new Varsity II movies though (did anyone make it to that French movie? doesn't seem like anything is staying very long there, other than Wall-E, which was there forever.)

Athletics is the big one this week, with the return of Cyclone Football and the Big 12 opener. Since we lost our road games, there won't be a lot of casual interest, but they were both very close losses, so I'm not writing the Cyclones off for this one. Then again, Kansas is ranked #16 in the country. Game time is 11:30, so tailgating will be starting at 5:30AM. The swim team also starts what I assume is their pre-season with an intrasquad meet on Friday; there's also volleyball after the football game.

Lectures are tonight at 8 on Amazonian languages (titled "Challenging Chomsky"); Wednesday at 8 on the Supreme Court; and Thursday there are 2, one at 7 on energy and politics, and one at 8 on "the definition of manhood". All are in the Sun Room except the Energy and Politics, which is in Howe.

The Thursday show at the m-shop is "hip-hop/psychedelic" and probably not that appealing to most of my readers, but the Friday show is jazz/roots, and after a listen on their Myspace page I'd say the Will Bernard band guys have the funk. More info on tickets at m-shop.com.

The Greek fundraiser is at Alpha Gamma Rho (201 Gray Ave) on Saturday morning - the food is waffles, the cause is the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the cost is $5.

There's an artist reception Saturday at Reiman -- info including RSVP details at http://www.reimangardens.iastate.edu/index.cfm?nodeID=5693&action=detail&eventid=18393

The two movies are the new Woody Allen flick, and a road movie about returning Iraq veterans.

And this isn't entertainment, and it's not walking distance, but it sure as heck is having me doing a happy dance: S. 4th reopens Wednesday. The loss of this major artery has been an inconvenience to everyone in Ames, but especially those of us on the south side of Lincoln Way. I am especially looking forward to having one of my favorite bike trails back (a rails-to-trails that runs from Research Park all the way to 4th, connecting up with the one that runs along 4th and then along Elwood and on to Brookside)

Entertainment Within Walking Distance: 8/29-9/6

Once again, I'd like to create a post that will give my readers an opportunity to give feedback on events I can't make it to, and to let you know what I'll be going to (in case you'd like to join me). The only lecture which I am planning on attending features a couple of writers from The Onion which should be pretty hilarious. It's on Thursday at 8 in the MU. I probably won't make it to the one on primate aggression which is Friday the 5th at 9AM. The only home athletics event is the football game next Saturday; I will of course be there. The Varsity isn't getting anything new this week -- I reiterate my recommendation that you see Wall-E on the big screen, and The Longshots still doesn't appeal that much to me (I'm not hearing the buzz that I did for Bend It Like Beckham) but I'd love to hear about it if you go.

The M-shop is having a whole lot of bands for only $5 tonight and $7 tomorrow, all local. Tonight's are described as "indie pop rock" and I would say that they sound a little like early Smashing Pumpkins or Green Day (but I'm dating myself by saying that). Tomorrow's are described as "Indie Shoegazer Folk Rock" which puts me in mind of Simon & Garfunkel, but I'd say they're more like what would have happened if Nirvana had been on antidepressants instead of illegal drugs. There's shows Wednesday and Thursday as well, with acts from further away. Wednesday is also described as indie pop rock. I'd say they sound more like current pop music. Thursday is electronica and I'm not even going to risk my eardrums listening to a sample. How do I know what any of these bands sound like? the M-shop links to Myspace pages. There's also other music around campustown at the usual venues. Let me know if you catch any.

Reimann Gardens is having a "weed warrior days" Thursday morning. If there are any other events in walking distance of the neighborhood, this is the post to comment on them.

I've added some tags to this and my previous entertainment posts describing the costs associated: free, $($1-10), $$ ($10-25), and $$$(more). Football gets both $$ and $$$ since you can get a hillside ticket or spend pretty much as you want (in the thousands, no I am not kidding) in order to get better seats out of your season tickets, which are $300 by themselves. A regular seat will still get you into $$$ range, though.