The Beatles

Of all the international influences on 1960s American counterculture, none created pandemonium like the four lads from Liverpool.

John, Paul, George and Ringo embodied youth, a rejection of social norms, ingenuity, and in short, the social revolution of the 1960s. The Beatles exuded a contagious energy. Their relationship with their fans, their devotion to their music, and their humility projected a sense of approachability. These were young men whom you wanted to invite into your home. Their stylistic transitions, their musical and spiritual influences and social attitudes fully reflected the sentiments of the 1960s. The creation and breakup of The Beatles spanned the entire decade.

Lennon's response to an interviewer's inquiry to what Lennon expected of find while in Australia: ""Australians, I should suppose."" This ability to interject humor into their superstar careers helped The Beatles prove that there existed a way out of tough masculinity, a feeling associated with male musical acts of previous decades.

By 1965, the phrase ""rock 'n roll"" connected directly to The Beatles. By the end of the 1960s, the group had 29 top-ten hits. In less than a decade, they sold over 125 million singles and 85 million LPs. Their hit songs like, ""Can't Buy Me Love,"" ""Eight Days a Week"" and ""Penny Lane,"" can still be heard on the radio today. Just recently a CD was released of The Beatles' top singles. The fact that the album spent multiple weeks at the top of the charts is a testament to how The Beatles have come to represent the youthful joy of the 1960s.

Television

By the 1960s, televisions was more prevalent in homes than indoor plumbing. While television was significant in the 1950s, a decade later it became a symbol of the growing economic trends of the decade. Networks also began broadcasting in color.

Youth, independence and wealth all became important aspects of the American culture. As people turned increasingly to their televisions, the world got smaller. The television brought them President John F. Kennedy's speeches and his assassination. It brought the first human steps on the moon into the homes of millions. The television also became a way to justify what occurred in the social context of peoples' lives. A plethora of shows helped to indirectly educate parents on the rebellious nature of their children and also helped individuals understand their new lifestyles.

With shows like ""I Dream of Jeannie,"" where a scantily clad single woman lived with a single man who acted as her master, subtle sexual references emerged in the previously ""Andy Griffith""-only living rooms. Subtler still were the ideas of ""Gilligan's Island."" How did three single men survive on an island for all those years without good-girl Mary Anne and glamorous Ginger winding up pregnant? It was the original ""Temptation Island.""

While many critics were embarrassed by the crude jokes and mannerisms of the characters in ""The Beverly Hillbillies,"" audiences could relate to the on-screen antics. Confronted by newfound wealth and different social conditions, Americans found Jethro's front-yard cornfield endearing. After all: Dirt is dirt.

Just as we can say that today's producers prefer police dramas, the 1960s also had television trends. Common were alien adventures such as ""Star Trek"" and ""The Twilight Zone"", which garnered many viewers. However, independent crime fighters (holding true to the Bond formula) such as ""Batman and Robin,"" with its ""wam, bam"" special effects, and ""Mission: Impossible,"" also heralded great viewer attention.

With color television, an opportunity to entertain younger generations also emerged. Fred Flintstone's ""yaba-daba-doo"" rattled the set right behind Astro's moans in ""The Jetsons."" And who can forget the fuzzy crime fighters ""Rocky and Bullwinkle?""

These and many other shows helped turn the television into an acceptable way for Americans to withdraw from the complex social context of their lives and enjoy another little invention of the 1960s: Swanson's ""TV Dinner.""

The social revolution

The fundamental question regarding the social revolution of the 1960s and the creation of an American counter culture is: Why did such drastic social upheaval occur in the first place?

Improvements in material life lead to a youthful power, especially in consumerism. The Beatles became a symbol of the 1960s mostly because of their talent, but primarily because an economically powerful fan base elevated them to super stardom. The pop culture of the 1960s did not come about entirely because of the artists but because ordinary people chose their cultural products.

Today we associate the Vietnam War, space walks, rock 'n' roll and tie-dyed T-shirts with the 1960s. It was a time when people were compelled to protest racism, hypocrisy and inequality. But ultimately these social tendencies did not disappear. The 1960s reflected the power of the individual more than any other time in American history. The symbols that today's generations associate with the 1960s were part of a bigger picture that helped bring about a tumultuous time in American history.

Sum 41 are a bunch of loud, brash, unbridled youths who burst out of Canada last year with their album, ""All Killer No Filler."" Although singer Deryck Whibley, guitarist Dave Baksh, bassist Jason McCaslin and drummer Steve Jocz may hail from the great white north, they have captured the sound and attitude of pure Southern California punk. They have a reputation for liking hard liquor, beautiful women and acts of mass destruction.

Photos courtesy of Island Records

This Friday, along with Unwritten Law, they will bring the party to San Diego.

If the band's antics seem a tad bit juvenile, perhaps it is because Sum 41 are just barely out of their adolescence; Whibley and Jocz formed the band while they were just high schoolers growing up in the suburban neighborhood of Ajax near Toronto.

Whibley, disillusioned with his mother's new boyfriend, would often spend many nights writing songs in the back of his car. When he was 16, Whibley convinced Greig Nori (of the Canadian band Treble Charger) to take the band under his wing and into the recording studio. Although Sum 41 had their share of guitarists and bassists, Whibley and Jocz managed to score with Baksh and McCaslin, completing the Sum 41 lineup.

On the strength of their home video, a major-label bidding war ensued. The band settled on Island Records and released an EP, ""Half Hour of Power,"" in 2000, but their breakthrough success came with 2001's ""All Killer No Filler"" and its first single, ""Fat Lip.""

After a year opening for blink-182 and appearing on MTV's star-studded 20th anniversary special, ""Loud and Almost Legal,"" Sum 41 have progressed to their very own headlining tour with Poway's own Unwritten Law along for the ride. The San Diego-based punk band has been absent from the airways since the 1999 commercial success of its song ""Caitlin."" However, Unwritten Law will release a new album titled ""Elva"" Jan. 29.

Look in next week's Hiatus section for an interview with the boys of Sum 41.

Look at the Hiatus calendar on page 12 for ticket information.

On Jan. 17 at 7:30 p.m., Aerosmith will be throwing another block party at the San Diego Sports Arena. With a 15,000-person capacity packed into the fifth-largest venue of its kind in the country, Aerosmith's ""Just Push Play"" tour promises to be big.

It all started when drummer Steven Tyler met guitarist Joe Perry in a New Hampshire ice cream parlor. That was the origin of the most popular hard-rock band to emerge from the 1970s and one of the most enduring rock icons in pop culture history. It was the band's hard and crunchy guitar riffs, the jaunty yet discordant vocals and the bluesy, swaying lyrics of each rock song or soulful ballad that would influence the face of rock 'n' roll for decades to come.

The band would survive alcohol and drug abuse, the trials and tribulations of the road and each other, and the daunting test of a 30-year time span of rock god glory. They would fall to the very brink and just when all appeared lost, resurface better than ever in one of the most astonishing comebacks ever seen in the history of rock 'n' roll.

Tyler often quotes Hunter Thompson: ""'The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench.' Right? 'A long, plastic highway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.'""

Aerosmith travels that ""long, plastic highway"" as if it were a journey that would never end. By now, many of its members are well into their 40s and 50s. One wonders how long they will manage to keep this up -- how they have come this far. To the band, apparently this is no secret.

""The secret is moving and sweating and purging in your skin,"" Tyler says. ""The largest organ in your body is your skin. You've gotta sweat, you gotta let it know you're alive.""

Whether it be the skin or the music, when considering Aerosmith, the audience has gotta wonder, ""What Kind of Love are You On?""

""Rock Steady""

Trauma/Interscope

****

After a month of hearing the nauseating, yet radio-friendly ""Hey Baby"" in the check-out aisles of supermarkets and waiting rooms of dentist offices, I couldn't wait to tear the shrink wrap off of No Doubt's fifth studio album, ""Rock Steady.""

Unfortunately, I'll have to reserve my unkind words for another day because ""Rock Steady"" isn't half-bad.

While No Doubt may have lived like nomads while making this album, recording everywhere from London to Jamaica, ""Rock Steady"" is closer to the original Orange County sound that sounded so fresh back when the band first burst onto MTV.

And the tried-and-tested formulas of songwriting that have proven successful in the past work yet again on this album. If anyone is wondering what it's like to date Gavin Rossdale, there are plenty of songs on ""Rock Steady,"" such as ""Detective,"" ""Don't Let Me Down"" and the beautiful ""Running,"" to engage your inquiring mind.

The only problem with ""Rock Steady"" is that, at times, it tries too hard to recapture what No Doubt was when they were kids. Part of the appeal of No Doubt was their youth and immaturity, but they're not kids anymore (Gwen Stefani is 32).

When is she going to stop writing songs about making out with boys? On ""The Return of Saturn,"" Gwen had shown so much promise in her songwriting, not as ""Just a Girl,"" but a woman. I think it's time Rossdale met that girl at the alter -- for the sake of her next album.

-- Lindsay Boyd

Senior Staff Writer

Whether you are in the mood for a good laugh, a good story, good music, good dancing or just a good time, Broadway San Diego has something for you. The 2002-2003 season has a variety of shows that encompass the serious, the silly and everything in between.

Among the shows offered this season are two of special interest to those at UCSD. The first, ""Seussical -- The Musical,"" plays Oct. 29 through Nov. 3 this year. This show features many favorites created by Dr. Seuss, such as ""The Cat in the Hat"" and ""The Whos.""

The other show is ""Rent,"" which plays from Aug. 7-12. This Tony Award-winning musical by Jonathan Larson was cultivated at the La Jolla Playhouse just a few years ago. The show deals with the lives of young adults as they try to make their dreams come true in New York and deals with a variety of intense topics while weaving in a wonderful musical score that lifts up a potentially overwhelming story.

With so many shows offered this season, there is something for everyone. If you want something lighthearted, check out ""Guys and Dolls,"" ""The Music Man,"" ""South Pacific"" or ""Beauty and the Beast."" For something more serious, ""Copenhagen,"" ""The Full Monty,"" and ""Jesus Christ Superstar"" are wonderful. The theater will also give the West Coast premiere of Mel Brooks' new musical, ""The Producers.""

For a more musical experience, ""Blast!"" has 54 brass, percussion and visual performers for a special visual and musical show. Finally, ""Stomp"" combines spirited, rhythmically inclined performers with everyday objects to create a unique theater experience.

For those who do not like musicals, ""Moiseyev"" combines classical ballet with folk dancing direct from Moscow.

No matter what your taste in theater is, Broadway San Diego's 2002-2003 season has something for you. For more information call (619) 615-4178 or visit www.broadwaysd.com

The entire cast of 1999's surprise hit comedy ""American Pie"" is back for another slice in ""American Pie 2,"" out Jan. 15 on DVD.

The DVD features over 10 hours of extras that include the making of ""American Pie 2,"" out takes and deleted scenes, a public service announcement from star Jason Biggs, screen tests from the original ""American Pie,"" behind-the-scenes footage, some of the top scenes as voted on by fans, classic lines from the two movies, commentary from the director, writer and cast, as well as a 3 Doors Down music video.

Additional features include production notes and links to Universal's Web site.

""American Pie 2"" is in the same vein as the original, picking up a year later with the gang just finishing their first year of college. The boys decide to rent a beach house on Lake Michigan hoping to keep their friendships strong after a year apart. Between parties, work, lubricants and lesbians, it turns into a summer that nobody will soon forget.

Universal also released the unrated version of the film on DVD, much like it did with the original.

Unlike the original's unrated version, which only had one different scene that was obviously changed for ratings purposes, the new film's unrated version is more like a director's cut, which features several new scenes that aren't necessarily as shocking. The unrated version includes more footage of Stiffler's party, the lesbians and the lube.

The extra scenes in the unrated version definitely add to the overall movie. Some of the jokes that were merely implied in the final version of the film were explained in the unrated version.

The extras on this DVD are amazing and will keep any fan occupied for hours, as well as rolling on the ground laughing.

This is a DVD that any fan of the movie -- or fan of a good comedy -- should own. The unrated version is probably more appealing to own simply because it has the extra scenes not found on the original.

American Pie 2

***

Starring Jason Biggs, Tara Reid and Shannon Elizabeth

In stores Jan. 15

in unrated & R ratings

Thursday 1/17/02

They're old school but they can still rock. Aerosmith will perform at the San Diego Sports Arena and they are sure to play the classics, such as ""Walk this Way"" and "" Crazy,"" as well as new hits like ""Jaded"" and ""Play."" Tickets start at $27 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Check out the Guardian Web site for more detailes.

Local rock groups Skydiver, Jack's Broken Heart, Iyla and Vertibird will be at The Casbah. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. For more information call The Casbah at (619) 232-4355.

Friday 1/18/02

The always hard-rocking group Social Distortion will be at Canes Bar & Grill. They are set to release a new studio album in the middle of this year. Tickets are $25 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Look at page 8 in Hiatus for more information.

The Dragons hit the stage at The Casbah. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. and the band will be supported by fellow punk rockers The Hangmen, Furious IV and The Classified. Call (619) 232-4355 for more information.

Saturday 1/19/02

It's country with a hard-nose. Cowboy Mouth has country music influences, but with a pounding rhythm section and a rousing stage show, you won't be hearing sappy ballads. Cowboy Mouth will be at the Belly Up Tavern. The show starts at 9:15 p.m. and tickets are $15.

Indie-rockers Tristeza put on one of the best live shows in the area. Their most recent album, ""Dream Signals in Full Circles,"" captures that magic. See Tristeza live at The Casbah at 8:30 p.m.

Watch some hot moves at Mandeville Auditorium. Urban Tap is a fusion of hip-hop, funk, soul, swing and traditional jazz music. All of this is brought together by Herbin ""Tamango"" Van Cayseele's talented dancers, musicians and singers. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $15 for students, $20 for staff and $22 for general admission. Call the UCSD Box Office at (858) 534-TIXS to purchase your tickets.

Sunday 1/20/02

Catch DJ Ikah Love as he spins some hip-hop, funk and soul. He will be supported by other DJs, so you'll have plenty of time to dance the night away. The event starts at 8:30 p.m. at The Casbah. For ticket information call (619) 232-4355.

Tuesday 1/15/02

The UCSD Box Office will have sneak-preview passes to Richard Gere's upcoming movie ""The Mothman Prophecies."" Passes will be distributed beginning at 12 noon. The preview will be Thursday, Jan. 24 at the Mandeville Auditorium at 7 p.m.

Thursday 1/17/02

Loudon Wainwright III emerged in the 1970s as the singer-songwriter who had a direct style that was humorously disturbing. He is older and wiser, but he hasn't gone far from his roots. He is the father of his talented son, Rufus. Loudon Wainwright III will perform at the Belly Up Tavern at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $14.

Up until now, it seemed impossible to make a ""beautiful"" war movie. How can blood, guts, desperation, fear, adrenaline and sheer intensity be made aesthetically pleasing? Enter Ridley Scott's latest work, ""Black Hawk Down.""

In 1993, the East African country of Somalia suffered from one of the worst famines in global history. Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid held a death grip on the nation, which would only begin to loosen under the combined forces of the American elite Delta Force and Rangers in addition to United Nation peacekeeping troops.

""Black Hawk Down"" is the vivid retelling of a seemingly simple mission to capture two of Aidid's top lieutenants. The mission appeared straightforward -- estimated time: one hour, tops.

Once on the ground, however, miscalculations became horrendous life-and-death situations, and men who thought they'd be back to base for dinner found themselves taking heavy fire from hostile Somali militia.

As the mission begins to formulate, we realize that Staff Sgt. Matt Eversmann (Josh Hartnett) is our go-to man. While the other soldiers are goofing around, Eversmann plays it cool, taking his responsibility as ""chalk"" leader seriously. Yet at the same time, he embodies what every man is feeling, fear, but is also eager to fulfill his duties.

Sam Shepard as Major General William F. Garrison seems like he never left his role as a fighter pilot from ""The Right Stuff."" As he sits in the command office watching his men suffer, we can't help but sympathize with his helplessness.

As the helicopters lift off and the all-American phrase ""Let's roll!"" is shouted over the radio, the visual beauty of the movie kicks in. War assaults the senses -- touch, sight and sound -- yet somehow Scott manages to distort all three.

Each frame of ""Black Hawk Down"" is so colorfully sharp that there is little room for gray area. Scott also plays with the sound, giving us a poignant scene when the helicopters zoom toward their targets. The sound is turned off and we are left with the quiet serenity of the Indian Ocean, a sharp juxtaposition to the chaos that awaits the soldiers.

The scenery of the movie is clipped and the strictly militaristic dialogue is brusque as well. Because a majority of the dialogue is delivered over the radio waves, it's no wonder the messages are garbled and mistakes are made.

The desolate aerial views mask the chaos of the citys streets and the perils that the soldiers face around each turn. The use of extras in ""Black Hawk Down"" is especially powerful because they simultaneously demonstrate the sheer power of mob violence and mass weapon distribution.

It's hard to pinpoint where the power of ""Black Hawk Down"" really lies. While a tremendous job is done capturing each individual's spirit on film as he pulls a trigger or helps a wounded buddy, the strength of the film is found in watching a 21st century war live. ""Black Hawk Down"" is real -- it happened. And it's happening again. Let's roll.

Black Hawk Down

****

Starring Josh Hartnett and Sam Shepard

In theaters Jan. 18

Rated R

Social Distortion, the pre-eminent forefathers of punk rock, will grace the stage of Canes Friday night to cap off a short tour of small California venues. Social Distortion has visited San Diego in each of its three tours of the new millennium.

Few bands have changed the face of their musical genre as greatly as Social Distortion. Formed in 1978, the band has been in a constant state of self reinventation, having gone through numerous member changes that have given birth to four other punk bands. Amid the tragically wicked lifestyle of Mike Ness, the unfortunate brain aneurysm of bass guitarist Dennis Dannell and the coming and going of countless other musicians, one thing remains the same: Social Distortion sells out shows in California.

This is due in large part to the undying passion of Ness, the only remaining original member of the initial Social Distortion lineup, to play music live.

With eight full-length albums that do not include two solo albums released by Ness in 1999, and countless other releases (EPs and singles), Social Distortion is one of the most covered bands in the world today. Any new band coming on to the punk rock scene realizes the necessity of covering Social Distortion on an album. This rite of passage pays homage to the living legends that helped shape the face of punk rock before punk rock ever had a face to shape.

Their most commonly covered songs are ""Ring of Fire,"" ""Story of My Life"" and ""Sick Boy,"" each famous for their hard-rocking sing-a-long quality.

When will Social Distortion stop touring? Although only Ness can answer that question, one thing is certain: They show no sign of slowing. It seems possible that, like his bass guitarist, Ness will not stop until he has to stop. As Ness was reminded in 2000 by his bandmate's death: That day could come at any moment.

Ness seems content to be on the road near home, playing shows exclusively in California where his genre, his movement and his way of life saw their genesis. Friday at Canes will be perhaps one of the last opportunities San Diego has to experience the revolution before Social Distortion and Ness go the way of the Buffalo.

Social Distortion will be at Cane's Bar & Grill. The show is limited to those who are 21 and up. Look to the Hiatus calendar on page 13 for ticket information.

(Editor note: This is the second in a six-part series chronicling pop culture in America. Look to February for the next installment which covers the 1970s.)

The onset of the 1960s began with the kinky swivel of Elvis' hips. Who would have thought that a pelvic thrust would so drastically change the landscape of American pop culture?

It's no wonder that soon ""sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll"" became a catchphrase as a ""youthquake"" shook the country, giving young people a new-found sense of freedom. If the 1950s were a time of rigidity when sexuality and individualism were restrained and a mantra of family and national separatism pervaded the social horizon of America, then the 1960s were a time of revolution.

The 1960s have been heralded as a time of ""counter culture"" in the United States, but were also a time of subcultures and multiculturalism. The civil rights, environmentalist, feminist and gay rights movements emerged in the 1960s as critical opposition to 1950s society. With the Alabama bus boycott, the African-American voice emerged and the opinions of many other groups quickly percolated to the forefront. These social movements added texture to the previously homogenous American culture.

As Italian espresso machines, French discos and British pop music and fashion became commonplace to Americans, a multiculturalism emerged. An interest in the world beyond the neighborhood swimming pool emerged.

Most importantly, the role of the individual emerged. Public and private morals changed, giving way to frankness and honesty. A sexual liberation gripped the nation's youth. With the invention of the birth conrol pill, women began to experience more freedom as changing social standards revamped the belief that ""a woman's place is in the kitchen.""

As the American makeup changed with the new era, so did the popular culture. American youth became increasingly influential, dictating the fashion and musical tastes of the time. It seems best to explore how the transitions of the country created several key symbols of the 1960s.

The martini

The glass alone brings to mind the phrase ""shaken, not stirred."" A martini, with the dapper floating olive, the elegant glass and the sharp taste of vodka, evokes a sense of independence, class and the possibility of a concealed weapon. We also associate it with a key figure of 1960s pop culture: Bond, James Bond.

Crafted by the British mind of Ian Flemming, Secret Agent 007 first appeared on the silver screen in the 1962 hit film ""Dr. No."" Originally, Hollywood rejected the proposed movie saying it was ""too British and too blatantly sexual."" Ironically enough, Bond's suave nature and overt sexuality would become his trademarks.

While many actors were considered for the original Bond role, including Roger Moore (who played Bond years later) and Cary Grant, the film's producers settled on Sean Connery. With his Scottish brogue, his masculine good looks and penetrating gaze, Connery helped launch ""Bondmania"" in the United States.

And just as the martini serves as a symbol of Bond's good taste, so do Bond Girls. As Honey Rider emerged from the salty sea, hair dripping and bikini glistening in ""Dr. No,"" the skimpy two-piece was not only a memento of the ""blatant sexuality"" of the Bond franchise, but also to the visual power of how Honey Rider's body throttled America. With names like Pussy Galore and Kissy Suzuki, Bond Girls would both help and hinder the progress of Bond's future missions, and yet always reap the benefits of the job. As Kissy once said to Bond, ""It's been a pleasure serving under you.""

With the 1967 release of Connery's final film as Bond, ""You Only Live Twice,"" a formula had been created for the Bond films. To accompany the intricate plot of heroism, Bond also displayed a vast knowledge of technology. In ""Goldfinger,"" it was a laser that almost cut Bond in half, and in ""You Only Live Twice,"" Bond flew a helicopter equipped with heat-seeking missiles, flame guns, smoke screens and aerial mines. Fast cars, extravagant locations and sexual innuendo were also all essential to the formula. Bond became the idol of 1960s masculinity, but not every man could have ""a gorgeous dame on each arm and one in every bedroom.""

The mini skirt

Today we take showing a little skin for granted, but as hemlines rose in the 1960s, so did eyebrows. Created by British designer Mary Quant, the mini skirt would become a symbol not only of youth and increased freedom for women, but would also give rise to a change in society's attitude toward the body. In the 1950s, clothing put the emphasis on a woman's bust and hips. But as one designer put it, with the mini-skirt, ""the legs have never had it so good.""

When asked what the mini-skirt was all about, Quant's eloquent answer was ""sex."" Her response, however, neglected to include the idea of choice. Confronted with the advent of the pill, women became aware that they no longer had to ""contain their sexual and ambitious desires within marriage,"" said Cosmopolitan magazine editor Helen Gurley Brown, in her book, ""Sex and the Single Girl.""

In the late 1960s, ""hippie"" clothing began to stimulate freedom. Stemming from the mini-skirt came the stylistic daisies and the ""ethnic look."" Jeans, T-shirts and long hair became the unisex look, which developed from various social trends that stimulated America's youth to seek independence as a unified group within the American population.

While the mini skirt redefined American fashion, the music industry also played a key role. As more people attended concerts, musicians' wardrobes affected popular trends. It's no surprise that musically influenced drug use also sparked a more psychedelic approach to life.

timeline

1960: Aretha Franklin records her first album with Columbia Records

1961: Bob Dylan begins to perform in New York City,

""West Side Story"" released

1962: Rolling Stones' first gig

1963: The Beatles' first recording session at Abbey Road,

John F. Kennedy assassinated,

Sylvia Plath dies

1964: The Beatles appear on ""The Ed Sullivan Show,""

Martin Luther King Jr. awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, Civil Rights Act of 1964 signed into law

1965: Dylan booed at Newport Folk Festival for using an electric guitar

1966: John Lennon meets Yoko Ono, Mia Farrow marries Frank Sinatra, Beach Boys' ""Pet Sounds"" released

1967: The year of ""Summer of Love,"" The Beatles' ""Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band"" released, ""Hair"" premiers on Broadway

1968: ""2001: A Space Odyssey"" is released,

Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated

1969: Neil Armstrong walks on the moon, Harper Lee's ""To Kill a Mockingbird"" is published, Woodstock takes

place

1/10/02 Thursday

Everything Bryan Adams does, he does it for you. And if this particular Canadian does it for you, catch him at 4th & B. Adams brings 10 albums and a bunch of hit singles ranging from soundtrack songs such as ""(Everything I Do) I Do it For You"" to solid hits such as ""Summer of '69."" The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $30.

Ides of Space kick off their first U.S. tour with a free show at Scolari's Office at 8 p.m. This Australian band has received much praise from the music world with their distorted guitar sounds and vocals that some compare to My Bloody Valentine. Ides of Space do not forget the catchy hooks and strong melodies. The band will also be at The Casbah on Friday with Weezer's Pat Wilson and his band Special Goodness and the Mira Mesa Epicentre on Saturday with Jack's Broken Heart, Her Space Holiday and The Gloria Record. Call (619) 296-3546 for more information.

1/12/02 Saturday

UCSD's very own nightclub, Club Ritmo, opens Saturday night in the Price Center Ballroom with DJ Skribble. The event starts at 8:30 p.m. and runs to midnight. The show is open to UCSD and the general public. For UCSD students, tickets are $10 presale and $12 at the door. For the public, tickets are $14 presale and $16 at the door. Call the UCSD Box Office at (858) 534-TIXS to purchase tickets. Look to the article in Hiatus on page 8 for more on the event.

The world-famous Tokyo String Quartet will be at the Mandeville Center Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for UCSD students and $25 for the general public. Call the UCSD Box Office at (858) 534-TIXS for ticket information. Tickets are also available through Ticketmaster.

1/13/02 Sunday

Squeeze in an extra bit of dance before the week starts. The Casbah presents ""Congregation,"" which features drum 'n' bass DJs, Tom B and Confuscia. Call The Casbah at (619) 232-4355 for more information.

1/14/02 Monday

Dan and Eddie of local band, Supersuckers, will be at The Casbah to stage an acoustic performance with other local musicians. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Call The Casbah for more information at (619) 232-4355.

1/15/02 Tuesday

One of the greatest Frank Sinatra tribute groups will perform at UCSD's Mandeville Auditorium. The event starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets for students are $15. General admission is $22. Look at page eight in Hiatus to read more about the event.

1/16/02 Wednesday

The Cherry Valence gives you ear-crushing guitar sounds remeniscent of hard-rocking groups like KISS or Led Zeppelin and their dual drummers will pound out a thundering beat. All this is enough for an awesome show. The Cherry Valence will be at The Casbah at 8:30 p.m. For more information contact The Casbah at (619) 232-4355.

1/17/02 Thursday

They are old school but they can still rock. Aerosmith will perform at the San Diego Sports Arena, and they are sure to play the classics, such as ""Walk this Way"" and ""Crazy"" as well as their new hits ""Jaded"" and ""Play."" Tickets start at $27 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.

Local rock groups Skydiver, Jack's Broken Heart, Iyla and Vertibird will be at The Casbah. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. For more info call The Casbah at (619) 232-4355.

The case on the DVD of the Ivan Reichman ( ""Ghostbusters,"" ""Animal House"") action/comedy flick ""Evolution"" boasts a quote by an adept New York Post critic calling the movie simply, ""Fun!""

Courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures

Fun is the perfect word to describe ""Evolution."" What else could a movie featuring gross-out aliens, Agent Mulder, Oscar-wannabe Julianne Moore, the guy from the ""Make 7-UP Yours"" commercials and Stifler of ""American Pie"" fame hope to be?

Unfortunately, while the movie itself stays true to pure entertainment, some of the special features on the DVD generally attempt to push the movie beyond its openly imbecilic nature into the realm of artsy movie-making.

This half-hearted push, mainly evident in a mini ""making-of"" documentary and a visual effects featurette, turns what was pure comedy into comedy science, which works in some movies but not in one that features as much recto-humor and bodily excretions as this one does. On the positive side, the visual effects featurette is at least mildly interesting and gives the viewer an appreciation for the work behind the extraterrestrial grossness in the film.

A full-length audio commentary by Reichman and the lead actors (minus Moore) also drifts into over-analysis but is partially saved by the surprisingly wry humor of David ""Mulder"" Duchovny, slapstick of Orlando ""7-Up"" Jones and Seann William ""Stifler"" Scott.

Fortunately, the remaining special feature, the deleted scenes, somewhat makes up for the others by being almost more fun-oriented than the movie itself. Particularly entertaining is an alternate, deleted ending that cannot be described in words (at least not in a major campus newspaper).

Another plus for the DVD is its excellent color fidelity; all the disgusting aliens and their excretions and protrusions can be scene in luminescent detail.

Finally, to its credit, the DVD offers an ample variety of subtitles and dub-overs in English, French and Spanish.