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Director Steve McQueen’s new film is leaps and bounds above his last. The artfully tiresome, cramped and cold Shame gave little clue that McQueen would follow it with a film as grand and intimate as 12 Years a Slave, which tells the ugly, astonishing true story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free man who was kidnapped and sold as a slave in 1841. Continue reading
“It’s only a model,” Terry Gilliam’s Patsy says, sotte voce, with a shrug of Camelot in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Continue reading
If you are wondering whether Sir Mix-A-Lot will be playing some of his hits when he comes to town — like “Posse on Broadway” or “Baby Got Back” — the answer is a resounding “Hell yes.” Continue reading
It’s been over 15 years since alt-folk star Shawn Colvin’s (multiple) Grammy-winning song “Sunny Came Home” blasted across airwaves, and she’s been busy ever since. With eight studio albums under her belt, including 2012’s Nashville-produced and critically acclaimed All Fall Down, Colvin brings her seasoned Americana act to McDonald Theatre Dec. 6. Continue reading
Eugene Contemporary Art’s 5th Public Process artist residency is coming to a close: The painter and ceramicist from Georgia, William Ruller, will be giving a free lecture 7 to 8 pm Dec. 5 at the Wave Gallery. The following night, 7 to 9 pm Dec. 6, ECA will host Animula at the Wave, featuring art produced while Ruller was in residency (free). Continue reading
Partially propelled by the hot success of the single “Same Love,” Macklemore and Ryan Lewis are touring the world — supported by legendary Brooklyn rapper Talib Kweli, which is puzzling considering Kweli is one of the pioneers of socially conscious hip hop, without which “Same Love” (a song condemning homophobia in all strata of society — particularly hip hop) might never have found mainstream acceptance. Continue reading
I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't realize Oregon had 185 state parks. Not only do we have that many parks, The Weather Machine has filmed its new music video for "Back O'er Oregon" in all of them. Here's the list of parks from The Weather Machine's website, in order of appearance (*indicate not a state park): Portland, OR 0:01* Continue reading
Turkey may be November’s big flavor, but the slow food movement hopes Eugeneans find another flavor to relish: the Lower Salmon River squash. On Terra Madre Day Dec. 10, Slow Food Eugene and Open Oak Farm will celebrate the Northwest cultivar and learn about the Ark of Taste, a global project dedicated to saving some of the thousands of heritage foods that globalization and monoculture crops are endangering. The 6:30 pm potluck will be held at the Eugene Garden Club, 1645 High St. Continue reading
On Nov. 20, The Redoux Parlour and Grrrlz Rock joined forces at Territorial Vineyards to host a sold-out fundraising event to kickstart Eugene’s up-and-coming garment production house, Silver Lining. Territorial’s back room dazzled with lights (which looked especially cool against a backdrop of wine barrels), music, chatter and the latest in local fashions from Sweet Skins, Revivall, Sew Fresh, Stitches by V, Kendra Grace, Sparkle Glitter Glow and Taylor Made (who ended the show with one hell of a maternity dress — see no. 11). Continue reading
If Gary Ross’s Hunger Games was a solid piece of entertainment with a sort of finger-wagging moral streak (Look how bad this is! This society is sooooo corrupt!), Francis Lawrence’s Catching Fire is its older sibling, an honest-to-goodness movie (as opposed to just an adaptation) with a nasty dark side and a sullen but fierce heart. Continue reading