The fiery bird gracing the cover of "Meltdown" like a phoenix rising from the Ash-es is fitting for the band's current state. After failing to break into mainstream America with their previous releases, the Irish band is pushing once again to make its...

Some band lineups should never be touched, tampered with or changed in any way, shape or form. Take U2 for example. If The Edge suddenly left the Irish quartet, the power, prestige and musical brilliance would be gone forever. Without the effects laden...

Mando Diao sure were happy. At least, the Swedish garage rock/mod revivalists were on their 2003 debut. The band’s brilliant debut toed the line between smarmy arrogance and refreshing optimism. Dual vocalists Gustaf Noren (arrogance) and Bjorn Dixgard...

Most college students cannot afford to spend money on their cars, but there are a handful of enthusiasts who put caution to the wind and will stop at nothing to have the best of the best for their ride. By modifying the exterior to turn heads at every...

Chicago has a rich tradition of theater companies started by young college graduates looking to make a name in the theater circuit, such as the Steppenwolf. NIU is now a part of that tradition thanks to alumni who started the Bruised Orange Theater Production...

It’s no secret girls love going to bar bathrooms in teams. Men ask women all the time why they can’t take a trip to the toilet alone, and it’s doubtful they have ever received a clear answer. The truth is, women can go to the bathroom alone. They...

Green Day would take responsibility for branding the new punk wave that is still present today. Spitalfield is one of the bands which has pursued what Green Day made popular while making it into something of its own on the way. "Stop Doing Bad Things,"...

From a critic’s perspective, "Guess Who" is a nightmare - a supposedly "modernized" update of a brilliant film that is somehow more reverent now with its trendy cast and hip soundtrack than it was 30 years ago. Fortunately, "Guess Who" doesn’t make...

I think it was Aristotle who said humans are political animals. Perhaps he was right, but not in the context in which he originally thought. In a certain manner, all animals are political animals. We have herds of cattle, packs of wolves, bands of gorillas...

Do we need another rock band emphasizing dance beats in its music these days? With Franz Ferdinand and The Killers enjoying success by exposing the nation’s inner desire to bust a groove, the gimmick seems to be approaching exhaustion. Bloc Party arrives...

Growing up in my neighborhood, the greatest day was when someone purchased a new refrigerator. When that Maytag truck pulled up at a home, kids could be seen gazing out their living room windows in excitement. We knew once the unpacking had finished,...

Even though sweatpants and a hoodie may not be the most attractive outfit you can wear to your 2 p.m. Wednesday class, you’ll blend right in at the Huskies Den’s Pajama Party tonight in the Holmes Student Center. The night kicks off at 11 p.m. and...