G-D-E-C are the chords to nearly every punk rock song ever made. The band The Ataris even wrote a song about it called "Four Chord Wonder." So there needs to be something more that separates one punk band from the other. Local punk hero Amazing Transparent...

"Group Therapy," Concrete Blonde's first original album since 1994, is reminiscent of the band's earlier works in a way that brings any fan right back to the place he or she was mentally upon first discovering what a great band this is. The first track...

An alternative, grunge rock band meets a blind, bluesy, soul street singer. The result? Detroit-based Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise. Together since 1992, "New Ground" is its third release. It may prove hard to meld the sounds of a 30-something...

"He's the exact opposite of everything I really hate." Rarely do quotes encapsulate a movie, a plot or a philosophy. But with this off-the-cuff remark from Enid (Thora Birch), a girl who is the epitome of all that's sarcastic, witty and aimless about...

Attention future Oliver Stones and Cameron Crowes: Now's your opportunity to get your foot in the door with the fourth annual Scriptapalooza screenwriting competition. The deadline for the competition is April 15, but entries postmarked by March 1 get...

Want to travel around the world in three hours and have a blast doing it? The the Miles 4 Monty Orchestra may be your best ticket. M4MO performed Feb. 8 at The House, 263 E. Lincoln Highway, for an enthusiastic, abundant audience. Before the golden curtains...

This Valentine's Day marks one year for my girlfriend and me. This year we will be at Medieval Times and staying at two hotels, which is a far, far cry from last year's Valentine's Day massacre here in DeKalb. It is my intention to share this story in...

One student group has created a way to bring together a variety of people to promote understanding and good times. PRISM is a student organization that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. The group holds a variety of cultural, educational,...

Strap on your Velcro shoes, grab your lunchbox and hop on the bus to "Vacation Bible School." Don't panic, this is a different kind of school - it's the school of hard rock. More commonly referred to as VBS, the quartet hails from the future epicenter...

With names like Zodac, Whiplash, Jitsu and, of course, Skeletor and He-Man, it is no wonder why The Masters of the Universe toys have reached mythical levels of toy folklore. Over the past two years, Mattel has re-released the toys for nostalgic toy collectors....

At no point during this movie does one ever really feel like the movie knows what's going on, let alone the audience watching it. "Rollerball" (Metro-Goldwyn Mayer) suffers from so many poor qualities that it can't find any way to exist as an action movie,...

When most people think of the word "retro," they might envision shag carpeting, plastic furniture and platform boots. At the NIU Art Museum Gallery in Chicago, the current show by the same title contains more subtle imagery. "Retro" will remain in the...