The theater is dark with black ceilings, floors and walls situated in the corner of a room. As the quaint audience files in, there are nine wooden chairs situated at the front of the stage with three chairs on a platform above. The only backdrop is a...

Funeral for a Friend's second release in just over a year, "Memory and Humanity," feels like an attempt to bring back fans that were turned off by the band's 2007 release, "Tales Don't Tell Themselves." Fans were split over "Tales." Many felt the album...

Red Hook Blonde Ale is a light tasting American Blonde Ale with a taste that is reminiscent of American style lagers. However, the taste has significantly more character than American-style lagers from the major macro-breweries. The Good: Blonde Ale's...

New music this fall has far surpassed summer selections. Bands like Kings of Leon and Oasis and individual artists, like Ingrid Michaelson, have proven that this summer was indeed a dry spell in the music industry. The only summer album worth anticipating...

The Northern Star asked communications teacher Marjorie Askins her top five items in each of the categories below. Top 5 Books 1. "A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers 2. "Me Talk Pretty One Day" By David Sedaris 3. "The Bean Trees"...

It's official: Ringo Starr is the grumpiest man on the planet. In a video to his fans - not that they'll call themselves ‘fans' for much longer - the ex-Beatle announced that after Oct. 20, he'll no longer sign anything sent to him. In essence,...

The TV goes off the air, and a faint voice on the radio says "The bodies of the recently deceased are coming back to life and attacking the living." And as if things could get worse, you are stuck in DeKalb. Could you make it out, or would you eventually...

As I mentioned in a previous blog, this fall is a slow season for the entertainment industry. However, I was able to create a list of 5 albums that you should look for in these coming months. 1) Snow Patrol - "A Hundred Million Sun" (10/28) The first...

10. "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" Cyndi Lauper What can I say? Sometimes a girl just wants to let her hair down and dance. As soon as I hear that first synthesizer screech, I picture myself wearing a silk scarf, drinking a martini and dancing with all...

Two of NIU's jazz bands came together on Tuesday night for a great number of head-bobbing and foot-tapping tunes. The All-University Jazz Band and the Jazz Lab Band produced some interesting and rhythm-inspired pieces for their first concert of the year....

As a fan of both movies and Michael Cera, I sometimes wonder how my favorite films would end if Cera were the lead role. Surprisingly, I don't think it'd turn out so well. Have a look for yourself. 1. "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" (1971) How...

Recycling isn't just for cans anymore. More contemporary shows, like "Entourage" and "The Office" seem to be reaching their shelf lives. With "The Office," it was a mere problem of not having enough episodes due to the WGA strike last season. Renting...