Color studies times ‘five’ at Star Store

By Allison Reitz

The University Art Gallery currently houses the work of Joseph Marioni in an exhibition titled “Five Paintings.” The exhibition, located on the first floor of the Star Store in New Bedford, runs through October 25.

Joseph Marioni does not paint “pictures.” His subjects are not tangible and the ideas behind his work are not concrete. He does not do portraiture, still life or sweeping landscapes. He does color — and he does it well.

The audience should keep this in mind when walking into the University Art Gallery for Marioni’s aptly named exhibition, curated by David B. Boyce. The five paintings that comprise “Five Paintings” are rich representations of color: maroon, white and three yellows. To create each work, Marioni used watered-down acrylic paints and applied them to linen in ghost-like layers with a paint roller.

Of course, you could easily look at the canvases awash with color and say, “Oh, yes, that’s yellow. Very nice,” and move on. However, by doing so, you might not fully appreciate the work. The best way to approach Marioni’s work is to view each color as a sensory experience.

As Boyce notes in his curator’s statement, “These paintings are consciously intended to be contemplative, which requires a viewer to be open-minded, attentive and patient. It is an acquired pleasure to allow these paintings to reveal their gifts — an indulgence that rewards the eye and mind like luscious desserts that overwhelm, and then satisfy, the tongue.”

Take, for instance, the delightful “Yellow Painting, 2003.” From a distance, the canvas appears to be a uniform shade of yellow, but on closer examination, the nuances begin to pop. A faint shade of green veils the top edge of the canvas, eventually fading into the yellow, almost like an unripe banana in the produce aisle at the grocery store.

If you allow yourself to be carried away, each canvas can conjure a taste, smell or texture. The deep vibrancy of “Maroon Painting, 2002,” brings to mind the bittersweet taste of cocoa-rich chocolate, for example. Simultaneously, the way the paint dried into eternal drip marks along the bottom edge of the canvas mimics the slow ooze of molasses.

Boyce explains, “As viewers, we respond to color with both acculturated and personal associations and feelings. But relaxing into the presence of Marioni’s paintings... can open venues of thought and perception that generously award the soul.”

These colors are not simply yellow, maroon and white: They are memories, thoughts and feelings.

Have your own colorful experience during AHA! Night on Thursday, October 11. The University Art Gallery will host a reception for Marioni beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed with a lecture by the artist at 7:30 p.m.

The University Art Gallery is located on the first floor of the Star Store, 715 Purchase St., New Bedford. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and 5 to 9 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month for AHA! Night.

“Five Paintings” will be on display through October 25.

Besides his “Five Paintings,” the artist also has five books of his work available for viewing. Also, Marioni will be at the Star Store on Thursday, October 11, to give a lecture about his work.

“White Painting, 1998” (left) and “Maroon Painting, 2002” (right) are two the works currently displayed in the University Art Gallery. Marioni’s paintings are meant to alter the viewer’s preconceptions about colors.

AHA! Night celebrates the big ‘100’ on October 11

By Allison Reitz

Since its modest beginning in July 1999, New Bedford’s Art, History and Architecture Night has blossomed into a culture movement. Now, this Thursday, October 11, AHA! celebrates its 100th night.

Held on the second Thursday of every month, from 5 to 9 p.m., AHA! Night puts the spotlight on the city’s thriving art scene. At first, just a few area businesses signed on for the celebration of local culture, but now, over 40 venues offer free admission to events. Galleries and museums open their doors, cafés open their stage mics, artists open their studios and residents open their arms to the visitors who come from all over the Southcoast — and beyond — to experience all New Bedford has to offer.

Each of the past 99 nights has offered special talks, new exhibitions, live music and themed activities. The 100th night of AHA! promises to be no different.

If you’ve never experienced AHA! before, start out your evening at the National Park Visitor Center on 33 William Street. They will have free program flyers and maps to guide you through the streets and the night. If you’re an AHA! veteran, check out some of the special events planned for the 100th Night celebration:

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

AHA! Remembering Forward: A community forum looking at the beginnings of AHA!, hearing from project directors of other cities who have successfully used cultural economic development as a tool, as well as recognizing the future prospects of New Bedford. From 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Whaling Museum Theatre.

100 Testimonials: Participate in the writing of 100 AHA! testimonials. Share your favorite AHA! memory at various locations throughout the night.

100 Pumpkins: Add to the collection and practice for Halloween. 100 pumpkins will be available for carving at the Whaling Museum from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

AHA! Highlights: View the AHA! 100 slide show, featuring highlights from the past 99 AHA! Nights. The show will be running continuously throughout the night at the National Park Visitor Center on 33 William Street.

Special Exhibit: “Moving Forward,” on display at mediumstudio, features seven kinetic art pieces by New Bedford Public Schools, ArtWorks!, Gallery X and mediumstudio. Open from 5 to 9 p.m.

AHA! 100 Song: Lend an ear and listen to the original commemorative AHA! 100 song written by Mark Turan, as performed by Team AHA! and other local musicians. They will perform at various locations throughout the night.

100 Lights: “100 Lights to Celebrate 100 Nights” is a children’s craft activity to make small paper sculptures and lanterns. Art educator extraordinaire Karen Synder leads the hands-on event at ArtWorks!, 384 Acushnet Avenue, from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

NEW EXHIBITS

New Bedford Art Museum (608 Pleasant Street) presents four new exhibits: “Reclaimed & Rejuvenated: Discards Into Art” is curated by Tom Puryear & Richard Kellaway and features the work of 11 artists. “New Work by Stephen Whittlesey: Tables & Shelves” is curated by David B. Boyce and features a selection of sculptural work. “Vault Series: Alan Johnston (Scotland)” is curated by Joan Backes. (This is an installation created in the Upper Vault and the Lower Vault.) The Annual artMOBILE and Youth Education Exhibition will also be available for viewing, with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. The New Bedford Art Museum is open from 5 to 7 p.m.

The University Art Gallery (715 Purchase Street) presents the new exhibit “Joseph Marioni: Five Paintings,” curated by David Boyce. A reception will be held at 6:30 p.m., followed by a lecture by the artist at 7:30 p.m. The gallery is open from 5 to 9 p.m.

John Magnan Studio (23 Centre Street) presents a mini-retrospective of selected work created during the AHA! period. This one-time display will include selections from his nationally-touring “body image | body essence” show, an exhibit which views ovarian cancer through the art of sculpture. On view from 5 to 9 p.m.

up / stair / fine / art (528 Pleasant Street, 2nd floor) presents the new exhibit “Unidentified Phases of Time Travel,” new work by Emily Walter and Jesse Stead. The opening reception will last from 6 to 9 p.m.

The Green Bean (141 Union Street at intersection with Purchase) presents the photography of Katherine Mello from 5 to 8 p.m.

Gallery X (169 William Street) presents the “NB Open Studios Member Exhibit,” an exhibit by Gallery X members in conjunction with New Bedford Open Studios. Doors open from 5 to 9 p.m.

ArtWorks! (384 Acushnet Ave.) continues the exhibit “Sample: Artists of New Bedford Open Studios Exhibition 2007,” an exhibit in conjunction with New Bedford Open Studios. And in the Community Gallery upstairs, check out “Recent Work by Susan Gilmore.” Open 5 to 9 p.m.

New Bedford City Hall (133 William Street) where Rachel L. Stern presents “In your face: New Bedford’s Identity Shines Through” a collection of faces from the City of New Bedford. Located on the third floor of City Hall.

LIVE MUSIC

First Unitarian Church (corner of County and Union Streets) presents “Classical Music Series: Song Recital” with Karyl Ryczek, soprano, and Wayman Chin, piano. Ms. Ryczek’s singing has been described as intelligent, dramatically informed, and in possession of opulent tone. Begins promptly at 7:30 p.m.

The Cafe Arpeggio (800 Purchase Street) features “The Best of Open Mic” for the 100th AHA! Night. Longtime regular Dave Conlon, who is a veritable treasure trove of great songs, will perform. The weekly open mic follows, hosted by Art Tebbetts, from 7 to 10 p.m.

Joe Piper, Celtic & World Musical Goods (106 William Street) presents “The Live Music Session,” which is spen to all musicians of every age and skill level. The event goes from 6 to 9 p.m.

Pilgrim United Church of Christ (635 Purchase Street) presents the Tree of 100 Lights from 6 to 8 p.m. In the sanctuary, the Nazarene Christian Academy High School Chapel Band performs from 6 to 7 p.m.

TALKS & DEMONSTRATIONS

Rotch-Jones-Duff House (396 County St.) and the New Bedford Preservation Society presents the talk “The Art and Symbolism of Gravestones” by Bruce Barnes at 7 p.m. This is a fascinating presentation for anyone seeking a unique historical perspective and an excellent prelude for the Preservation Society’s tour of Rural Cemetery on October 14.

New Bedford Whaling Museum (19 Johnny Cake Hill) presents “Storytelling for Families” with Jeanette Vanderhoop in the Whaling Museum Theatre at 6:30 p.m. The Whaling Museum is open to the public from 5 to 9 p.m.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum Research Library (791 Purchase St) presents the talk “Collecting New Bedford” with Llewellyn Howland III from 6 to 7 p.m.

Friends Meeting House (83 Spring Street) presents the workshop “Vietnam to Iraq: Learning what Martin Luther King Jr. Would Teach Us” by Greg Williams from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

MOSAIC Gallery (752 Purchase Street) is a women-run artist’s retail cooperative that features works of fine art and craft from throughout southeastern New England. Gabrielle Giblin will be demonstrating her 3D mixed media work. Open from 5 to 9 p.m.

Dyer Maker Studio (96 Williams Street) presents a natural dye demonstration at 7 p.m.

The Wilson Gallery (25 Centre Street) continues the exhibit “Western Isles and the Highlands.” View images of Scotland through the color photography of Ronald Wilson and the black and white photography of Richard Lewis from 5 to 9 p.m.

The Tatlock Gallery (36 North Water Street) presents its second Vintage Motorcycle Show. Twelve rare vintage motorcycles will be on display in the gallery, along with the 2008 Vintage Bike Calendar, t-shirts, motorcycle books and memorabilia from 5 to 9 p.m. A must for motorcycle aficionados!

Calico (528 Pleasant Street 2nd Floor) has new inventory! Tops and dresses from “Safe” by Rebecca Turbow. New hand-printed vintage and jewelry from “Porkchop.” Check out our fabulous selection of vintage coats, jackets, ‘70s denim and boots for fall!

Tryworks Collection (5 Dover Street, Dover street alley entrance) presents a Tryworks Collection sale. Museum-quality masks, textiles, puppets, huipiles and other international folk art will be available for purchase from 5 to 9 p.m.

Star Store (715 Purchase Street) presents a papermaking demo by Wayne Fuerst from 5 to 7 p.m. Also on display: “Advanced Graduate Drawing Exhibit” in Room 254 and “Senior Painting: Recent Work” on the fourth floor, from 5 to 9 p.m.

Team AHA! Improv Troupe will be on the streets of Downtown New Bedford with tall tales, guaranteed to be spooky fun for guests of all ages. Don’t miss it! Wandering through various locations from 5 to 9 p.m.

Matchbox Twenty returns from ‘exile’

By Shara Sarnelli

In 1996, Matchbox Twenty released their first album, which would soon earn them the title of Best New Band from Rolling Stone magazine. “Yourself or Someone Like You” hit the shelves during the fall of ’96, went gold by June and platinum by July. Tracks like “Long Day” and “3 AM” brought the band into the mainstream world.

Four years later, “Mad Season” was released, quickly followed by “More Than You Think You Are” in 2002. Matchbox Twenty sold approximately 28 million records total for all three multi-platinum albums including a long string of hits; however, lead singer Rob Thomas broke apart from the band and reentered the musical world as a successful solo artist.

During the long years that Matchbox Twenty was separated and Rob Thomas was making his way alone, the fan base for the band demanded for Matchbox’s return. Regardless of the popular request, a reunion for Matchbox Twenty was questionable.

Five years since after their latest studio album, the plan was to release a long awaited greatest hits album with one newly recorded track. Once the four members of Matchbox Twenty came together to create the new track for their greatest hits album, “Exile on Mainstream,” the chemistry began to flow yet again.

Rob Thomas (lead vocals), Paul Doucette (acoustic guitar, piano, drums, background vocals), Kyle Cook (electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, background vocal), Ryan MacMillan (drums) and Brian Yale (bass, background vocals) enjoyed writing the new song for the album and reuniting so much that they created 13 songs in just four days. Taking those 13 songs, working with one another and building off one another’s thoughts and musical growth, Matchbox Twenty wrote six well developed tracks.

These six tracks could not go unheard and became the first of two discs making up their recently released album, “Exile on Mainstream,” along with 11 of their greatest hits. The album was supervised by Steve Lillywhite, who works in a free-form style, marking the Grammy-winning producer’s first work with the band

On October 2, 2007, Matchbox Twenty’s new album could hardly be found on the shelves of stores by nightfall. It sold so quickly that the band will be working on another full-length album while on tour.

Because the band has been separated for so long, each member brought something new to the table when writing the fresh music. A big inspiration for the band came from watching the twentieth anniversary DVD of Live Aid.

But has the band lost the style that fans fell in love with back in 1996? One Matchbox Twenty trait remains: lyrics conveying a moderately pessimistic view of life balanced by uplifting, enriching melodies. The lyrics are, as usual, simple and easy to understand, which is one of the main reasons why Matchbox Twenty’s songs flow so well.

“How Far We’ve Come” is the first track that appears on “Exile on Mainstream,” and the album’s first single. The opening beats are as elevating and energetic as ever. The dark lyrics, however, address the end of the world. The first verse, sung by none other than Rob Thomas, begins with “Waking up at the start of the end of the world, but it’s feeling just like every other morning before. Now I wonder what my life is gonna mean if it’s gone.”

The second track, “I’ll Believe You When,” illustrates a cynical yet humorous, lyric style dedicated to hopeless relationships. The song is well-paced with a strong guitar solo leading up to Rob Thomas’s emotional yelling, which resembles a cry or plead for understanding. This song is guaranteed to intrigue all Matchbox Twenty fans.

Other tracks with gloomy lyrics sung so beautifully are “If I Fall” and “Can’t Let You Go.”

“Can’t Let You Go”

THE BEER BARON

Dancing with the ‘devil’

Devil Dancer is dangerously drinkable

By Gary Albert

Whoooooo!!! That’s how I feel after drinking just one Founder’s Devil Dancer. I walked into the beer store and the owner told me that I had to try this. I can see why.

The brew masters at Founders Brewing from Grand Rapids Michigan have created a truly devious beer. Devil Dancer is called by its brewery a Triple IPA, which can also be referred to as an American Barleywine.

Barleywines are usually very strong, after-dinner beers that have similar alcohol content to wines, hence the name. Right on the bottle, this demon lets you know it is an extremely strong beer and is 13% alcohol.

As I have explained in the past, hops give beer that bitter taste. According to Founders Brewing, Devil’s Dancer is dry hopped for 26 days, with ten varieties of hops, in the tradition of the IPA, which has high hop content already. Because of the extreme IPA style brewing, Founders calls this a Triple IPA. This style, of course, makes for a very bitter, very hoppy beer.

They also claim the highest documented International Bittering Units (IBUs) of any beer is 112 (even though Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA claims 120). Most IPAs have about 50-70 while your typical macrobrews (Bud, Coors, Miller) fall at about 12. Poured into the goblet I’ve been using lately for strong beers, this brew pours with virtually no head and smells rich of hops with hints of sweet caramel and molasses. This smells of a good beer that’s just been concentrated like orange juice.

It comes into the glass a thick, reddish brown color, very evil looking. The malty sweet taste hits the roof of the mouth and the hoppy bitterness hits the tongue. The high alcohol percentage is noticeable, but this beer is very easy to drink compared to most other high-alcohol brews.

The malts taste toasty and roasted; the hops taste woodsy, almost like the flavors you’d find in a whiskey. However, unlike a whiskey, this beer gives the feeling of strong liquor without the burning kick.

The mouthfeel is slightly dry, with medium carbonation, which makes for a very thick tasting drink. The one big negative to Devil Dancer, though, is that the hoppy bitterness and aftertaste sticks to you like glue, making this bitter beer a hop lover’s dream.

The fact that this beer is almost three times the norm at 13% alcohol by volume, yet in reality it tastes closer to half that, makes it very dangerous when you are stacking them on top of each other. Other than that, this Barleywine/Triple IPA is very good and I will definitely have it again.

Appearance: 4.25/5

Smell: 4.25/5

Mouthfeel: 4.25/5

Drinkability: 3.75/5 (scarily drinkable)

Taste: 4.5/5

Overall: 4.25/5

Recommended to hopheads, those looking for an over-the-top brew, though the strong ABV and high price makes it hard to drink a whole four-pack.

If you have a recommendation for a beer for me to review (anything goes), want to comment on or criticize my review, or just have questions regarding beer, send me an email at UMDBeerBaron@gmail.com.

MATT'S UNKNOWN MUSIC CORNER

Travel time with famous movie quotes

By Matt Meylikhov

I’d like to think that as I write this column, I do a fair job of getting something out there for everyone. I want everyone to get something out of this, so I try to mix it up often.

And now it’s time to get ridiculously heavy. Now it’s time to bring out the grindcore music. But not just any grindcore. Oh no, ladies and gentleman, it’s time to bring out the cinema grindcore. I bring you: Graf Orlock.

Even for those that love heavy music, most people tend to shy away from grindcore. Why? Well, I’ll let Wikipedia sum it up easily for me: “Grindcore is characterized by heavily distorted, down-tuned guitars often showing crust punk-influenced riffs, blast beats by drummers, short songs and a vocal style consisting of growls and higher-pitched vocals, often similar to those found in black metal.”

When you dig deeper into it, you find out about the subgenres: cybergrind, deathgrind, goregrind, noisegrind, pornogrind/rapecore… it is easy to say that grindcore is possibly some of the least friendly music out there.

So what’s so good about Graf Orlock? Why, in a genre that has such a small population of fans, am I picking out a band to present?

Because Graf Orlock is frickin’ awesome, that’s why.

I’m not a huge grindcore fan myself, I’ll admit to it. I like a couple bands, but in all honesty, it’s not really for me. But from the second I heard Graf Orlock, I loved it. And that’s because, as I mentioned subgenres earlier, Graf Orlock have created their own genre: cinema grind.

You see, not only does Graf Orlock play intense music that can literally melt your face off if played too loud, each song is integrated with a movie quote. These quotes from everything you can think of, some of my favorites being from “Aliens,” “Predator,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Jurassic Park,” “Bad Boys,” “From Dusk Till Dawn,” “Demolition Man” and “Terminator.”

And of course, like all music I love, there is a story. It has to do with time travel that’s really about all I know. All the movie quotes used by Graf Orlock are supposed to link to the story. So from what I can gather, it has something to do with time travel, aliens, zombies, robots, clones, violence and a post-apocalyptic world.

I’d also normally post lyrics right about now to share with you the writing talent. But, to be honest, when you hear it, if you can actually understand what they’re saying and “sing along,” I’ll applaud you. It’s absolutely impossible to understand unless you are sitting down with a lyric sheet and trying to read it. The lyrics are a very small part of the band to me.

I’ve given you very little information about this band. So why am I recommending them? Well, again, because they’re just absolutely awesome. I play this band’s music simply because it is fun to have something fast and heavy going, or I want to annoy my roommate. I play it for my friends and, sometimes they tell me to turn it off.

I only know of two other people besides myself who enjoy it, but that doesn’t mean none of you will enjoy it. If you want a band to just rock out to unapologetically, Graf Orlock is your band.

With their mix of movie quotes and brutal non-stop form of rock, they truly are quite a band to just put on and tear your room apart.

They have one album, one EP, and one split EP available now from direct purchase from the band. You can check them out at http://myspace.com/graforlock.

If I were you, I’d listen just for the fun of it. It can’t hurt you… or can it?

As always, feel free to send me an e-mail (mmeylikhov@umassd.edu) with any band you feel is not talked about enough and a place for me to listen and I’ll consider them for this column

RECOMMENDING RHONDA

Score some strikes in your ‘spare’ time

Don’t miss out on Cosmic Night

By Rhonda

As we depart from the 80 degree weather of last week and move into sweater season, you are probably looking for some indoor activities to keep you occupied. If you are sorely missing golf season and want some recreation and fun, I recommend that you head on over to Wonderbowl in New Bedford.

Wonderbowl is located approximately seven minutes from campus, and it is certainly worth the short trip. Aside from the obvious activity of throwing a ball at some pins, the site offers video games, pool tables, a snack bar, a regular bar (for those of you who are 21+) and an assortment of Massachusetts State Lottery scratch tickets and games.

It may look like a funeral home on the outside and the inside may not be much sleeker, but I guarantee that you will not leave Wonderbowl disappointed.

At a reasonable rate of $14 per hour per lane (unless it’s a Friday or Saturday night, when the cost is $20 per lane), which can host up to six players at a time and also includes the cost of shoes, I’d venture to say it’s a pretty good deal!

The lanes are slick and certainly up to par in terms of quality. Each lane has its own television, which, aside from displaying your scores, also plays music videos in sync with the music blasting from the sound-system.

Wonderbowl can get a little crowded on weekend nights, but the alley opens as early as 9 a.m. from Monday to Friday, with a discounted bowling rate of $10 a lane before noon. If you bowl from noon to 3 p.m. you also get a discounted bowling rate of $12 and manage to avoid many of the families who come flooding in on Friday nights around 7 p.m.

Wonderbowl is home to a junior league, adult league and senior league for competitive bowling. Each league lasts approximately 35 weeks. If you think you’ve got skills to be reckoned with, you can sign up for a league at the front desk in Wonderbowl or contact the manager through e-mail at manager@wonderbowl.comest.

Another cool element of Wonderbowl is “Cosmic Night.” Cosmic Nights are designed to simulate a nightclub atmosphere, which they do through the use of runway lights, strobe lights, black lights, loud music and four large music video screens. It may sound kind of hokey, but it can actually be a lot of fun and is a cool twist to your average, everyday bowling experience.

Cosmic Nights are held every Friday night from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday night from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Sunday night from 9 p.m. to midnight, costing $20 per lane per hour. Cosmic Nights may be a little extra, but the $6 is well worth it.

As I mentioned earlier, there is also a 21+ area in Wonderbowl, which is known as Striker’s Sports Pub. The Pub has over 15 different varieties of beer (including Smirnoff Ice), with prices ranging from $1.75 to $3.25 (pitchers cost $9.25).

The Pub is also home to the three billiards table and all Lottery games. It is open Sunday through Thursday from 6 p.m. to midnight and Friday and Saturdays from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Striker’s is a great place to hang out after a few rounds of bowling, to watch any sports game on their 60 inch television, to relax and enjoy a few beers.

Wonderbowl’s hours are: Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Nights Monday through Thursday from 9:30 p.m. to 12 a.m.; Friday night from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Saturday from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.; Sunday all day and all night (9 a.m. to close, which isn’t specified.)

To get to Wonderbowl from campus: take a left out of campus and get onto Rt. 6 East (towards New Bedford). Take a left (across Rt. 6) onto Hathaway Blvd. Follow Hathaway Blvd. for a few miles and Wonderbowl will be on your right. Pretty easy, right?

Well, now that you have all of the information, what are you waiting for? Gather up your friends and head to Wonderbowl for a night of spares, strikes and good times!

For more information, visit Wonderbowl’s website: http://www.wonderbowl.com/index.htm.

INDEPENDENT GAMER

‘Guitar Hero’ clone better than the original?

‘Frets on Fire’ is the hottest way to play guitar

By Brett McCabe

Besides my daily routine of hiding my eyes in class, sitting on the toilet after eating at Res Caf and other counterproductive activities, I spend a good hour on my workout. Here’s my everyday routine: 300 jumping jacks to warm-up, 400 push-ups, 400 sit-ups.

My work out is executed while listening to the Black Eyed Peas’ “My Humps” on repeat.

For my cool-down, I will plug in my Gibson SG guitar controller and pretend that I am Mark Morton of Lamb of God while playing “Laid to Rest.” But I don’t plug it into my PlayStation. I am actually not even playing “Guitar Hero.”

I recently purchased a PlayStation 2 adapter for my PC online for a couple bucks. It turns a USB port into two PS2 controller ports. Why did I buy this? Well, first of all, you can’t beat the Dual Shock controller many have tried, but PC game pads generally suck. But most importantly, I got it for my black and white guitar controller that came with the original “Guitar Hero.” I needed it to help play the “Guitar Hero” clone known as “Frets on Fire.”

I had grown bored of all the classic rock tunes of the PlayStation games and needed a larger dosage of heavy metal. With “Frets on Fire,” you can download user-created songs off the internet to shred to.

Those without the adaptor or controller are invited to pry their keyboards off their desks and use the function keys as frets. The enter key and right shift key replace the strum bar as the button prompts fly at you on a familiar screen.

Not a fan of Killswitch Engage and In Flames? Roaming around message boards (my favorite being www.fretsonfire.net), I’ve seen posts for Gunther, Fall Out Boy, the Killers, Pink Floyd, Coheed and Cambria and Scatman John, who is probably more familiar to Beavis and Butthead fans than anyone else.

The unfortunate thing about downloading songs to play in this game is that a lot of people simply do not have any rhythm AT ALL. I’ve frequently had to delete a song I just got because it was so out of sync and did not follow the guitar very well. If you are better off playing a song with the audio muted, then chances are the person did a horrendous job fretting it.

One downfall about the current version of this program is that, unless you manually replace an image file in the program folder, it can periodically crash. Also, there is no reason why it does not come with the RF-mod already included. The RF-mod can help with loading, has dozens of options and includes a “Guitar Hero” skin to make things look more recognizable.

With its limited selection, I recommend you turn off the PS2 or Xbox 360 and plug into your computer.

"Frets on Fire” is free to download for Windows, Mac & Linux at http://fretsonfire.sourceforge.net/.

BOOK REVIEW

Recipes, romances and remedies

By Kelly Denham

Even the most well read sometimes crave a deviance from the standard classic novel that requires great presence of mind to absorb the formal vocabulary and plot and to garner a deep understanding of the characters and purpose of the work.

Laura Esquivel’s “Like Water for Chocolate” provides just such a diversion. Widely studied in both high schools and colleges, it is bursting with literary merit and is simply a pleasure to read.

“Like Water for Chocolate” was published in Spanish in 1989, which was then translated to the English language in 1992. Esquivel’s book met with unusual success. It was turned into a Spanish movie relating to the work itself, shortly after its release.

Once published in English, “Like Water for Chocolate” was critically acclaimed, becoming a bestseller for its multiculturalism. It also produced an English-subtitle film, which is one of the most popular foreign-language films in American film history.

The work chronicles the life of Tita, a young Mexican woman at the turn of the century.

Her place in life has been predetermined as the youngest of three daughters of a stern widow.

It is her preordained duty to uphold family tradition by remaining unmarried, so that she might care for her mother until her death. Because of this tragic and archaic law, the love existing between Tita and a young man named Pedro is disregarded by the members of her household.

Tita’s only consolation comes from the elderly Nacha, who is the family’s cook. Tita considers Nacha to be the maternal figure and confidant in her life.

From Nacha, Tita has developed a great passion for the culinary art of traditional Mexican cooking. Tita’s life and emotions are wrapped up in her cooking. Cooking follows her throughout the novel as she keeps track of her recipes. These recipes are woven into each chapter and they themselves help to shape the events in Tita’s life as she explores the duties she has to herself and to her emotions.

The work is unique in the magical connection between emotion and reality especially in regards to cooking. This element of magical realism, coupled with the vibrant chronicle of Tita’s experiences in life and in love, make for a truly delightful novel.

The simple language and vivid descriptions will draw in most readers and not release its hold until the very end.

“Like Water for Chocolate” provides an unusual literary experience that will heighten one’s appreciation for life’s simplicity, create awareness of the female situations of the time and generally question the human ability to love and live with passion. It is a highly worthwhile read, enticing to both the mind and emotions.

Kelley’s unique dance moves flatter Boston

By Melanie Correia

Is Josh Kelley the next big thing to come out of Georgia? Similar to our other favorite Georgian guitarist, John Mayer, Josh Kelley is within the same line of music. He mixes blues, funk, rock and pop for a beautiful piece of musical fusion.

Josh Kelley is currently on tour with the Pat McGee Band. Only recently in Boston at the Paradise Rock Club, he was promoting his newest CD “Just Say The Word” and other hits off of his upcoming album.

Joshkelley.com quotes that Kelley’s new album “demonstrates an eclectic range of the artist’s recent musical and personal evolution: ‘I often heard people say that sometimes you just wake up in life and realize that you want to be better well, that’s what happened to me about one year ago. I became a better guitar player, drummer, piano player, bass player, singer and songwriter. I found a new love in my life and an extra spark to my passion for music. “Just Say the Word” is a direct reflection of my growth. I had a vision for this record and finally there was only one cook in the kitchen.’”

This new love is none other than his fiancée, the lovely Katherine Heigl, or better known as Dr. Grey of “Grey’s Anatomy.”

High off of his alleged next hit single, and by far the crowd’s favorite, “Scrumptious,” Autumn Froias, a sophmore psychology/sociology major of Boston University said after the recent Boston show, “I loved his ‘scrumptious’ dance moves.”

Another B.U. student, Ali Cioper said, “He’s a very good performer, puts on a good show and gets the audience to interact with him. He’s really funny, and I love the way he’s not afraid to break away and improvise on the stage. He came out after the show and I’m really excited I got to meet him!”

He’s able to give something to everyone, whether it be a love song, such as “Amazing” (his first hit single off of “For The Ride Home”) with lyrics like, “I say baby you are amazing. I want to let you see that you are everything and more to me,” to a cultural reference to society’s obsession with popular culture in “Pop Game” off of “Just Say The Word” with lyrics like, “I could flip backwards, sing a little faster, bring them all to their feet. Living like a rock star, climbing up the pop charts, be the flavor of the week. How would you still remember my name? Could you still remember my name? In the pop game.”

Jake Mendonca, at the show for his girlfriend’s birthday said, “Well I came to the show knowing hardly any of his songs. I mean, the ones I knew I liked. His music isn’t exactly my type, but it is definitely something that I’d listen to if I hear it again. Overall, I’d give it a 7 or 8 out of 10.”

So if you have some downtime and are looking for something to listen to, besides Fun 107 (not that there’s anything wrong with Fun 107) check out Josh Kelley’s new and old music. You can find information, merchandise, downloads and clips from his online journal on joshkelley.com or listen to his music and view some videos on myspace.com/joshkelley.

ASK MISS CHERRY

Is bigger really better?

By Miss Cherry

Dear Miss Cherry,

I recently got into a sexually active relationship, and I’m afraid my penis size doesn’t satisfy my girlfriend. I heard the average length is 8 inches, and I’m not reaching that statistic. Do girls really take the size below the belt into consideration? — Ruler in Hand

Dear Ruler,

I have to say that you are misinformed about the average penis length being 8 inches. According to a recent sexual study by the Kinsey Institute, the average man’s penis size while erect is between 5-6 inches. So you could quite possibly be average or above average.

Ever hear that saying, “It’s not the size of the boat, but the motion of the ocean”? Well, most women still attest to this. It’s not the size of the equipment, but how well you use it.

Penis size is all a matter of personal preference; it’s different for every woman. Research by the Kinsey Institute shows that there is no evidence women prefer larger penis sizes, although there is substantial evidence to support that women do not particularly care how big a penis is.

So have confidence in what you were given and show your girlfriend that you know how to use it.

Dear Miss Cherry,

I just got the results back from my yearly pap smear and my doctor says the tests show I have HPV. I had no clue, there were no symptoms. All my male partners are clean and none of them told me they had HPV. How could I have gotten it? — Pap Problems

Dear Problems,

HPV, human papillomavirus, is actually quite common. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately 20-40 million men and woman in the United States are infected with HPV. Plus, 50% of people who are sexually active will acquire HPV at some point in their lives.

It’s very well that you had no symptoms, most women and men don’t know they have the virus and easily transmit it to a partner. Also as of now, there are no HPV tests available for men.

According to the American College Health Association, HPV is from, “a family of over 100 viruses, about one-third of which cause genital problems that affect both males and females. These problems include genital warts and cell changes, especially in the cervix of women, that can, in a relatively small percentage of cases, be precancerous.”

While there is no cure for HPV, there are treatments for symptoms such as genital warts. Though you may have HPV, it is possible to acquire other strains of the infection. Be sure to always protect yourself by using a condom every time you have sex and take care not to transfer bodily fluids. Also speak to your doctor for more detailed information about your diagnosis and to see if the new HPV vaccine, Gardasil, is right for you.

If you have any questions that you are seeking advice for, send Miss Cherry an e-mail at AskMissCherry@gmail.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: While Miss Cherry’s advice is well-researched and supplemented with matierals provided by on-campus Health Services, she is not a trained health professional.

All serious medical questions should be discussed with a trusted family healthcare provider or member of the university’s dedicated Health Services or Women’s Resource Center staff.

Health Services can be contacted at 508-999-8982 or visited online at www.umassd.edu/studentaffairs/health/.

The Women’s Resource Center is located in Pine Dale can be contacted at 508-910-4584 or visted online at http://www.umassd.edu/wrc/.