Arts & Entertainment

The anticipation is finally over — Sun God 2001 has finally arrived. The event has continued to increase in size, attendance and festivities with more food, games and entertainment for everyone. It is a day to spend with friends as the school year comes to a close. We hope all of our efforts up to and including the day of Sun God will make everything fun and safe for you and the rest of UCSD. Everyone is encouraged to enjoy the festival, but also please keep this in mind: * The entire UCSD community wants everyone to have a great time, but we are also concerned about the safety of each individual student. * Any visibly intoxicated person will be denied entrance to the event and may be detained by the police. *Due to the increase of underage and excessive drinking, all campus police officers, RAs, RSOs, resident deans and the staff are strictly enforcing policies and laws. Your cooperation in following all UCSD policies and remaining in control of your personal use of alcohol will limit many of the anticipated problems during the event. We want everyone to have fun, but please watch over your friends as well as yourself. Sun God 2001 is here … have a great time, UCSD! Priya Mohan Co-Festival Coordinator Scott Mantell Co-Festival Coordinator ...

The Sun God is disappointed. If this majestic creature could shake its immobile head in frustration, it would. In order to please the Sun God, UCSD students must pull together and make the 2001 Sun God Festival one to measure the success of all other festivals to come. Otherwise, the Sun God will smite the entire campus of UCSD. The Sun God was fairly happy with the turnout at FallFest, especially since the weather forced the concert to move into the Price Center Ballroom. The Long Beach Dub Allstars, Mix Master Mike and Dial-7 put on a high-energy show that impressed the students. The Sun God was pleased for the moment. Then Winterfest fell short of expectations. The concert’s headliner, Juvenile, was stricken with an alleged ear infection. Lucy Pearl’s strong set was hampered by technical difficulties that cut out some of their speakers, F.o.N. stepped in to fill the shoes as the opening act, and Sprung Monkey rounded out the show. The Sun God watched on, disappointed. Now, the Sun God looks ahead to Sun God Festival 2001. It still remembers last year, when F.o.N., Rahzel from The Roots, The Aquabats and Dishwalla came to UCSD to perform. Local favorite F.o.N. came through with a solid set, and those goofy Aquabats were mildly entertaining. Although we only got one Root out of five, Rahzel stepped up quite nicely — but the one-hit wonder Dishwalla failed to carry the festival. And the low turnout showed it. The Sun God also remembers when Los Lobos entertained the masses in 1985. English chart-topper Blur was here in 1992. Although that was long before the “”woooo-hoo!”” era, Blur was on the wave of the Brit-pop invasion and was backed by its classics such as “”She’s So High”” and “”There’s No Other Way.”” No Doubt was at UCSD in 1994 and 311 rocked UCSD in 1995. Rocket From the Crypt performed Sun God 1996. The Sun God hopes these glory days can return. With the 2001 Sun God Festival looming ahead, let’s hope the students and the bands do not disappoint. Local band Ping Pong Mafia hopes to get things warmed up. Naughty by Nature will be down with O.P.P. and just the thought of hearing that song alone should be enough to keep the crowds down for it. So-Cal punk band Face to Face should give us rockin’ covers from their most recent albums, which feature their renditions of “”What Difference Does It Make”” by The Smiths, “”Don’t Change”” by INXS and “”That’s Entertainment”” by The Jam. Old favorites played a new way should set up the show for hip-hop act Xzibit, whose work is respected by underground rappers. Xzibit has gained more popularity through performances on the Up in Smoke Tour and collaborations with Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Eminem. In the tradition of more European-style festivals, a DJ tent will have DVC DJs spinning from 6:30 p.m. through the end of the event. The Sun God wants to get that sour taste out of its mouth. The Sun God wants to erase memories of Dishwalla trying to headline a festival. With a nod to dance music (DJ tent), a familiar name for casual fans (Naughty by Nature), a hard rocking punk group (Face to Face) and a well-respected and talented headliner (Xzibit), the Sun God finally sees some potential for an amazing time. Now it is up to us to sacrifice our livers for the almighty Sun God and all will be good. ...

Daytime: 11 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Pep Band 11:15 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Sigma Gamme Rho 11:45 a.m.-12 p.m. Triton Cheer Squad 12 p.m.-12:25 p.m. Capoiera 12:25 p.m.-12:35 p.m. Konfusion 12:30 p.m.-12:50 p.m. Hawai’i Club 12:50 p.m.-1 p.m. Alpha Phi Alpha 1 p.m.-1:15 p.m. Ascension 1:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m. Triton Twirl Flags 1:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m. UCSD DOT Womens Choir 1:45 p.m.-2 p.m. Tritones 2 p.m.-2:15 p.m. UCSD Ballroom Dance Team 2:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Triton Co-ed Spirit Squad 2:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m. 220 2:45 p.m.-3 p.m. Dance Team 3 p.m.-4 p.m. Voice of Reason Nighttime: 7 p.m. Ping Pong Mafia 7:50 p.m. Naughty by Nature 9:10 p.m. Face to Face 10:30 p.m. Xzibit Plus: A new area has been added to this year’s Sun God with DVC DJ’s spinning throughout the night. 6:30 p.m. Sauron 7:15 p.m. DJ XL 8 p.m. Degenerate 8:45 p.m. Tommyboy 9:30 p.m. Ladykilla 10:15 p.m. Crime Lab 11:30 p.m. Devastator ...

Rap fans throughout the country are unfortunately overwhelmed by an abundance of artists who either go “”Hollywood,”” or worse, are too afraid to be unique. Many rappers today are faced with a dilemma: maintain their integrity and stay underground or sell out and compromise their style in exchange for fame and fortune. Very few rappers can keep it real while at the same time enjoying commercial success. Xzibit, the Sun God headliner, is that rare artist who has accomplished this difficult task. Born in Detroit, Xzibit lived there until his mother passed away when he was 9 years old. When his father remarried, he moved to Arizona with him. He remained in the Southwest until age 17, when he moved to Los Angeles. In L.A., Xzibit hooked up with producer Broadway, who introduced him to Tha Alkaholiks. His impressive appearances on the Liks album “”Coast II Coast”” grabbed the attention of Loud Records executive Steve Rifkin, who in turn offered “”X”” a record deal. Xzibit burst onto the scene with his 1996 album “”At The Speed Of Life,”” and the single “”Paparazzi.”” His harsh, raspy voice is unlike any other in the industry, and is his most valuable asset. With an orchestra and a catchy drum beat mixed together, “”Paparazzi,”” is one of the most creative rap songs ever released. He calls out the fakers in the chorus: “”It’s a shame, niggas in the game only for the money and the fame.”” “”The Foundation,”” is a song written to his son, warning him of the hardships of growing up. Produced by Muggs, who has produced for Cypress Hill, it features a mesmerizing loop of ghostly wails and a rhythmic piano beat, making it a classic. He also works with Mobb Deep in “”Eyes May Shine,”” and shows off his versatility by blending in seamlessly with the dominant East Coast group. Everybody wanted a piece of X on his 1998 sophomore album “”40 Dayz & 40 Nightz.”” Method Man, Ras Kass and Jayo Felony make guest appearances. “”Chamber Music”” is a bangin’ hardcore track that samples its background from Ice Cube’s 1992 song “”When Will They Shoot?”” “”Recycled Assassins”” and “”Handle Your Business”” are two other standouts from the album. While known by some underground rap fans, Xzibit didn’t really blow up until 1998, when he teamed up with Snoop Dogg in “”Bitch Please.”” Produced by Dr. Dre, it has to be one of the smoothest songs ever made. Snoop and X complement each other perfectly, and Nate Dogg finishes off the song in his usual amazing form. With newly found fame from “”Bitch Please”” and the Up In Smoke Tour, Xzibit’s third album “”Restless”” received plenty of hype. Released in 2000, his first single, titled “”X,”” got instant air play across the country. “”Front 2 Back”” is my personal favorite, and I know a lot of people bought this album because I hear people quoting “”Alkaholik”” here at UCSD. Students chant: “”Call it what you wanna call it, I’m a fuckin’ alcoholic.”” In a 5-year span Xzibit has emerged as one of the most prominent West Coast rappers around. He has stayed true to his fans who supported him from the word go, and at the same time attracted a new audience that has just discovered him. The future looks very bright for the “”X to the Z.”” ...

Hailing from Victorville, Calif. (the armpit of the world), these So-Cal punk rockers are veterans of the road. For the last 10 years they have consistently put out some of the best power-pop punk, and are respected by fans and critics alike. David Pilz Guardian Along with many other bands coming out of the early ’90s, Face to Face brings an edgy, but pop sound to punk that is all their own amid so many bands that sound seem to just imitate one another. Face to Face’s seven full-length albums the past decade has seen have reflected some change to their sound, but they remain true to their roots. Still mainly a punk band, they turned away from the path of more mainstream, success-minded groups. Forming in 1991, Face to Face began as a three-piece of guitar, bass and drums. The coming years saw a series of line-up changes, with the addition of a second guitarist. Along with a number of label switches, they now reside with their own label, Lucky Lady. This offers them the freedom to record the way they want to. Their most recent release, “”Standards and Practices,”” is a disc of covers. The album is a tribute to both their punk influences and to other “”great bands.”” It features the standout cover of Social Distortion’s “”The KKK Took My Baby Away.”” Face to Face relies more on the D.I.Y. attitude of the hardcore. The previous album of new material, “”Reactionary,”” had its track listing chosen by fans’ votes on MP3.com. Notably less recognizable than similar sounding bands like Blink-182 or NOFX, Face to Face has kept a closer tie with the underground. With no memorable MTV play and short nationwide radio play for the 1996 self-titled album, the main support has been their touring. The past five years have found the quintet selling out shows in the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia. San Diego has been no stranger to Face to Face’s touring — they were just here March 3 at ‘Canes. Face to Face also kicked off one of their national tours here. It really is unsurprising that they are willing to play Sun God — they put fans and music before money. Could these punks be signaling a change in the recent trend of hip-hop dominated Sun God concerts? Is this a sign of a future of rock at Sun God? Arguably the first real punk band since … well, just about ever, this year’s line-up is far more likely to please a very wide range of people. ...

Every spring, the major question on everybody’s mind is “”Who’s headlining Sun God?”” In recent years, there have been many complaints about the quality and popularity of the bands that have played at Sun God and UCSD. Scott Mantell, A.S. co-festivals coordinator with Priya Mohan, emphasized the increasing difficulties in booking bands these days. Artists are no longer willing to do one-night events such as Sun God; rather, they prefer to be booked on long tours. Many performers consider it a hassle to fly out, bring their crew and perform for one night. Their fees have also increased; a good artist used to cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 per performance, they now go for between $50,000 to $75,000. Safety is also another issue taken into account when determining bands. Mantell stressed the necessity for safety as a key issue. Since RIMAC Field does not have walls, fencing has to be brought in, adding to the cost of the festival. “”The goal is to have fun, but it also needs to be a safe event,”” Mantell said. Compounded by the fact that RIMAC Arena is a smaller venue compared to San Diego’s Cox Arena, Coors Amphitheater and the Sports Arena, bands typically do not find colleges the best place to perform. Unlike UCSD, these other venues also serve alcohol, which brings in a good percentage of the profits. These factors place A.S. programming in an uphill battle to hire famous bands. This year’s Sun God Festival budget, the largest in Sun God history, is approximately $140,000, with $85,000 coming from A.S. The remaining portion comes from corporate sponsorship, ticket sales and miscellaneous revenues. Not all of the $140,000 allocated to the festival goes toward the performances. Approximately $15,000 goes to daytime programming, $20,000 for the lights and stage, $5,000 for the inflatable games, and $10,000 is used to cover security, leaving about one-third of the entire budget for the nighttime bands. In terms of cash, A.S. programming has little to work with in order to get extremely famous and popular bands. One complaint about the band-hiring process attacks the timing of Sun God Festival planning. Historically, it takes three-and-a-half months to plan the festival. The planning cannot begin too early since bands cannot plan far ahead. “”Bands don’t know what they’re doing early, most are booked within three months,”” Mantell explained, “”For example, summer tours were booked in April.”” With the budget in mind, the programming and festival committee brainstorms and plans for potentials bands. Surveys and questionnaires are given to the student body for greater input and to get a better knowledge of what students want to hear. Also taken into account are the band’s previous performances, ticket sales and references. Potential headline performances are flagged and offers are given to the management agencies. The waiting game then begins, as programming cannot know how much can be given to the secondary performances until the lead has been chosen. Once the offer is accepted, a contract is made and the band in then part of the UCSD Sun God Festival. For a brief description of the A.S. programming process, check the A.S. Web site at http://as.ucsd.edu/ editorial/ed12701.shtml ...

A Decade Later… Can you believe that it’s been 10 years since Naughty By Nature released “”O.P.P.?”” Back in 1991, the virtually unknown New Jersey trio, composed of Treach, Vinnie and Kaygee, exploded onto the rap scene, capturing the Grammy for best rap performance with “”O.P.P.”” That song and “”Ghetto Bastard,”” the top two singles off their self-titled album, vaulted them into instant stardom. Their follow-up album “”19 Naughty III,”” featured the anthem “”Hip-Hop Hooray,”” which enhanced their popularity to immeasurable proportions. The song was played on MTV eight to 10 times a day and is still considered tight today. Naughty By Nature’s third release, “”Poverty’s Paradise,”” again topped the charts, and also won another Grammy, this time for best rap album in 1995. “”Craziest”” and “”Feel Me Flow”” headlined the album, while “”Hang Out And Hustle”” and “”It’s Workin'”” are prime examples of the album’s depth and quality. After pumping out three albums in five years, Naughty decided to take a break. This time off allowed each member of the group to branch off into his own ventures. Along with doing some modeling, Treach has become more and more involved with acting. His film career began in 1990, when his friend Tupac Shakur helped land him a role in the movie “”Juice.”” Treach has had roles in “”Jason’s Lyric,”” television’s “”New York Undercover”” and most recently, HBO’s prison drama “”Oz.”” He also found a bride — Pepa of the famous female rap group “”Salt-N-Pepa.”” Vinnie is the brains behind Naughty Gear, which is the group’s official line of apparel. He is also working with the East Orange School District in New Jersey to implement a comprehensive, district-wide multimedia and communications facility and training ground. Kaygee, Naughty by Nature’s DJ, has branched out as well. He founded and runs Divine Mill Records and signed artists Zhane and Next. He also collaborated with Queen Latifah, Run DMC and Shabba Ranks on this label. After their four-year hiatus, NBN released “”19Naughty9: Nature’s Fury,”” on their new label, Arista. This album is different from any of their previous releases because it features many guests, including appearances by Master P, Big Pun and Mystikal. With a couple of exceptions, the group’s three previous albums have concentrated on Treach and Vinnie. The new album changes that formula. With all their experience in the rap game, Naughty by Nature are not afraid to adjust that formula, and their 1999 release reflects that attitude. Naughty By Nature is probably the most well-known of all the Sun God performers. They’ve put in 10 years of work, and there seems to be no reason why they can’t be successful for another 10 years. ...

Courtesy of Universal Pictures The sequel to 1999’s “”The Mummy”” finds an adventurous archeologist family in 1935 Egypt that uncovers the bracelet of the legendary Scorpion King. Rick O’Connell (Brendan Fraser), the brawny American hero, and his British wife Evelyn (Rachel Weisz), along with their 9-year-old son, discover this trinket and start off a chain of exciting though sometimes unrealistic and silly events. With action from beginning to end, this movie makes a good attempt to entertain viewers but is bereft of any real content. The actors play their roles to perfection but the plot and the special effects take away from the movie. At some points there was so much action that the film became stale and predictable. Throughout the entire movie there was beautifully realistic animation and depictions of ancient Egypt. These, however, were negated by the corny appearances of killer pygmy mummies and over-animation of evil enemies. The manner in which the original story was woven into the new one was very well done, yet the movie failed to follow the same ambitious path established in the beginning. The few redeeming aspects of the film must be respected, though, and these include the subtle comedic performance of John Hannah as the humorous troublemaker Jonathon, and the strength and seriousness of Oded Fehr as the leader of the Mejhi. Both actors added character and realism to an otherwise cheesy action movie. If you are in the mood to see an entertaining and exciting movie, “”The Mummy Returns”” would be it. — Anne Cong-Huyen ...

All tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (619) 220-8497 or by going to http://www.ticketmaster.com, unless noted. 10 Thursday With the spirit of early British punk bands like The Clash, The Living End will rock `Canes Bar & Grill. With hits such as “”Prisoner of Society”” and “”Roll On,”” these Australian lads are sure to put on a great show. Tickets cost $10, and the show starts at 8 p.m. Latin jazz innovator Pancho Sanchez will perform at the Belly Up Tavern at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $12. The Paladins have toured with Stevie Ray Vaughn, Los Lobos, and the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Their appeal captures people ranging from `50s blues fans to hard rock fans. The Paladins will perform at The Casbah. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Call (619) 232-4355 for ticket prices and information. 11 Friday Blues guitar veteran Tommy Castro will perform at 4th & B. The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are listed at $10.21. DJ Andy Smith of the popular group Portishead will be on the decks at The Casbah. But don’t expect the dreamy sounds of Portishead, because Smith wants you to dance to his ecliptic selection of records. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. Go to Ticketmaster for tickets and prices. Ocean Beach natives Convoy blend Rolling Stones-style guitar riffs, country music and a bit of a hippie flavor. They will be at the Belly Up Tavern as a part of their Southern California tour. Tickets are $7 and the performance starts at 9:15 p.m. 12 Saturday San Diego has suddenly become the center of electronic music with the Electric Music Festival coming to the San Diego Sports Arena. Paul Oakenfold, Dave Ralph, Donald Glaude, Jon Bishop and many others will round out a sound that includes trance, breaks, house and drum ‘n’ bass. The block-rocking beats start at 8 p.m. and they won’t stop until 4 a.m. Tickets are $40. Look to future hiatus issues for special coverage from the Electric Music Festival. 13 Sunday Country music favorite Brooks and Dunn will be at Coors Amphitheatre. They bring with them their Neon Circus & Wild West show. The show starts at 6:30 p.m. and tickets start at $32. The Geriatric Punk Rockers, along with One Foot in the Grave and Left for Dead, will be at The Casbah. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Call (619) 232-4355 for prices and ticket information. 15 Tuesday Jazz legend Chick Corea brings the Chick Corea New Trio to the Neurosciences Insitute Auditorium on John Jay Hopkins Drive. Corea has made his own unique mark on the Latin jazz scene and has also worked with Miles Davis’ band. Tickets are $23 and show times are at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Call (858) 454-5872 for more information. 17 Thursday The B-52s are back and they have continued to perform after losing guitarist Ricky Wilson to AIDS in 1985 and the retirement of sister Cindy Wilson in 1990. But Cindy rejoined the band in 1998, and it will perform at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay. But with tickets at $55, you have to really love their new wave sound. Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Join The Voodoo Glow Skulls, Chencha Berrinches, Las 15 Letras, Earthquake Institute and more at the Aztlan Fest 2001 in Imperial Beach at Fiesta Hall on Palm Avenue. Purchase tickets by May 13, 2001 for $16 and $20 after. Call (619) 575-0937 or (619) 233-1129 for show times and ticket information. ...

For some spirited Sun God imbibery, visit Porter’s Pub in the Student Center for its laid-back atmosphere and extensive beer selection. Here are some of the lesser known beers that can be drafted at the pub: Shark Bite Red Brewed by Pizza Port, a Solana Beach brewery, Shark Bite Red is a is a typical red ale, bitter and strong. Arrogant Bastard Ale A San Marcos-based Stone Brewery creation, Arrogant Bastard Ale is a dark and very strong ale with a high alcohol content. Widmer Bros. Heffeweisen This is a light and wheaty domestic brew. It is unfiltered, therefore a little cloudy, and is served with a floating lemon slice. Ayinger Celebrator Brewed in Germany’s Bavaria region, this “”doppelbock,”” German for “”double bock,”” is dark and intense, but with a smooth finish characteristic of Bavarian brews. Lindeman’s Framboise This flavored beer is from Belgium, and is known as a raspberry lambic. It has a light, crisp and clean taste. Fresh raspberry juice is added just after fermentation to boost the flavor. Caffrey’s Irish Ale Well known in Irish pubs, Caffrey’s is a creamy brew. Its texture is virtually identical to that of Guinness, but it is bright yellow in color, lighter in taste and even creamier. Diebel’s Alt This ale is very popular in Germany, where it is brewed. It is a darker brew — brown in color — with a malty finish and a slight hint of creaminess. ...