Druthers and Exit Strategy

Druthers

"War/Dance"

Ken Cinema
/ Opens Friday

Nowadays, documentaries set in war-torn regions of Africa
are a dime a dozen. With the increasing attention on the continent (albeit
very, very slowly), you might look at “War/Dance” with a “here’s another one”
mentality. What you’ll be missing — and what sets this story of musical hope
apart from its counterparts — is the brilliant choice by directors Sean Fine
and Andrea Nix to focus not solely on the violence in Northern
Uganda
. Rather, they close in on the hope its displaced and
orphaned kids find in music and dance as a vehicle for personal and, by proxy,
national peace, as they journey to their nation’s capital to compete in its
annual festival. The film, an Oscar nominee and winner of Best Documentary at
Sundance, will open at the Ken Cinema
for one week. (CM)

Yeasayer/MGMT/Calico Horse

The Casbah / Jan. 25 / $12

Two highlights from Brooklyn’s glut
of buzz-rockers bring their own kind of party to the Casbah this Friday.
Yeasayer celebrates a post-apocalyptic rave fueled by tribal jam sessions, and
MGMT makes an arena-sized tribute to pop history that transcends the group’s
ultra-modern sheen. The former’s single “2080” details the awful truths of the
present day through a soaring chorus and sidestepping guitar arpeggios; it
reaches its peak when the vocal hollers and rumbling drums beg for people’s
attention. MGMT just wants to take pop craft to its next logical step, not
reinvent the song, and “Weekend Wars” polishes classic glam-rock themes ‘til
they glow. Local up-and-comers Calico Horse introduce the night with a
confessional indie ambience, an organic and reverberating take on traditional
guitar-bass-drum instrumentation. (CK)

Exit Strategy

Battle of the
Bands

Price Center
Plaza

Jan. 24, 12 p.m.

FREE

“Dan In Real life”

Price Center Theater

Jan. 24, 6 & 9 p.m.

$3

Spirit Night Dance

Geisel Library

Jan. 25, 9:30 p.m.

FREE

Scarlet Symphony

Che Cafe

Jan. 26, 8:30 p.m.

$5

Jed Sheldon

Espresso Roma

Jan. 28, 8 p.m.

FREE

“Gracie”

Price Center Theater

Jan. 29, 6 & 9 p.m.

FREE

Matt Jenkins

Mandeville Recital Hall

Jan. 29, 8 p.m.

FREE

Ross Karre

Mandeville Recital Hall

Jan. 30, 8 p.m.

FREE