Nancy and Ann Wilson are two of Seattle’s most famous names. Continue Reading

Movies based on comic books are big business. 2008’s The Dark Knight(fifth on the list of highest grossing movies of all time) grossed $1,001,921,825 worldwide, and in 2009 Iron Man grossed  $318,412,101 in the United States alone. Continue Reading

What newcomers need to know about enjoying the crisp Alabama fall season Continue Reading

Motel Ice Machine, Too Far From Amsterdam, Bearpark, the Shakes, Dragonflies, and Thrine come to Birmingham …  Salsabor Latin Dance Night at Workplay … Taco Truck on West Valley …

go to this show…

If you are looking for an awesome show to pass the time on a Wednesday night for minimal cash, kick off the first day of September with Radio Free Birmingham. In fact, there is no cash involved whatsoever, because the admission is free.
The night will showcase six local bands: Motel Ice Machine, Too Far From Amsterdam, Bearpark, the Shakes, Dragonflies, and Thrine. The show starts at 8:30 p.m., and it’s 18+ so don’t forget your ID.

check out this dance night…
What’s better than a night full of sultry Latin dancing at one of the city’s coolest venues? Nothing. The answer is nothing.
So head to Workplay on Saturday night, September 4, for Salsabor Latin Dance Night. It starts at 10 p.m., and it’s $10 to get in. That’s pretty easy to remember - $10 at 10.
Even if you don’t know how to dance, show up an hour early for the event for free dance lessons starting at 9 p.m. DJ Carlos Otalora will be providing the tunage for the night, with tons of hot Latin rhythms that will have you shuffling your feet all night long.

eat at this taco truck…

Well, the official name is Taqueria Guzman, but technicalities aside, this taco truck provides some of the best, most authentic Mexican food in the Magic City.
You can get tacos filled with your choice of meat, from standards like steak or pork to unusual options like cow cheek and tongue, nestled in soft corn tortillas and topped with cilantro, for not even $2 a pop.
Along with tacos, you can also get other treats like burritos and quesadillas, and wash them down with cold bottles of soda. It’s located on West Valley Avenue and is open every day except Monday. Check it out.

The second annual Mad Splatter Dance Party, inspired by the popular “Day Glow Party,” the event, which was free to students, featured popular local DJs Nastique and CoCo, who remix music monthly at “Kids Got the Disco” and “Solid Gold.” Continue Reading

Jimmy Fallon has the perfect perspective for his role as the host of “The 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.” Continue Reading

Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
For: Playstation 3 and Xbox 360
Also available for: Windows PC, OnLive
From: IO Interactive/Eidos/Square Enix
ESRB Rating: Mature (blood, drug reference, intense violence, partial nudity, strong language) Continue Reading

Unless you are a diehard “Mad Men” or “True Blood” fan, you probably realize that television’s current lineup is somewhat lackluster. Many new programs debuting in September aspire to end this temporary lull, and some of them seem genuinely promising.

HBO
The show with the most promise has to be HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire.” Based on Nelson Johnson’s true story about Atlantic City during Prohibition, “Empire” aims to supplant “The Sopranos” as television’s crown jewel of gangster dramas. It has the pedigree to do just that. “Sopranos” scribe, producer, and director Terrence Winter created the series, and Martin Scorsese directs the opening episode.
The show’s storyline features many of the real-life gangsters (Capone, Lansky, Luciano, Rothstein) who still make organized crime an interesting topic. These men have been portrayed in countless films and television shows, but this time it is the creative team of Winter and Scorsese telling the story. For this reason alone, the anticipation surrounding “Boardwalk Empire” is understandable.

CBS
If men wearing pinstripe suits and wielding tommy guns is not your thing, then maybe you should try CBS’ “$h!* My Dad Says.” Based on Justin Halpern’s humorous Twitter feed of a slightly more profane name, this new sitcom is intended to capitalize on the 1.6 million people who enjoy the profundity of the senior Halpern’s bawdy observations.
William Shatner will play the show’s fictionalized version of Halpern’s father. Just the idea of Shatner playing a curmudgeon in a weekly sitcom is almost hilarious enough. Hopefully the show will be able to recreate the nuances of the Halperns’ father/ son relationship without each episode ending on a sappy note. It the show does fail, though, we will always have the original Tweets.

NBC
While “Boardwalk Empire” and “$h!* My Dad Says” merit attention because they will appeal to diverse audiences, there are some returning shows that are definitely worth mentioning. Perhaps the best option for those who do not view fall’s new lineup with sanguine expectations is NBC’s returning comedies “The Office” and “Community.”
Given that Steve Carell will be making his final bow as Michael Scott, the writing staff of “The Office” will undoubtedly see the loveable nitwit off in a blaze of glory. Do not expect the end of the Steve Carell epoch to be a maudlin culmination, either. Expect something more along the lines of Jim and Pam’s wedding. Perhaps there will even be a dance number.
The “Glee” and “Modern Family” juggernauts overshadowed many of last year’s new shows, and these two runaway hits precluded the uproarious first season of “Community” from receiving its fair share of praise. But this show about a community college big shot who uses everyone around him, even when they treat him obsequiously, is a riot. Joel McHale is perfect in the lead role, and week after week Donald Glover proves why he is the next big thing in comedy. “Community” constitutes a major reason why the best comedy on television is on NBC, and the second season should be comic gold.
Dozens of new and returning shows will premiere on all the networks over the next few months. It is too early to tell which ones will possess true quality and which ones will be inexorably soporific. Each new television season has a few standout shows, and it is the gratification of discovering these shows that always keeps us coming back for more.

Jared Peoples
Staff Writer
jrodppls@uab.edu

Many will tell you that you can’t take on UAB alone. These six listed items are a necessity for all students planning for a successful school year at UAB.   Continue Reading

“Dirty Dancing.” “Step Up.” “Grease.” Brooks Macbeth and Alexa Duchock.
What do all these things have in common? Love and dancing, that’s what.
Continue Reading