Leisure

Reviews and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater.

Leisure

Ivri Lider: Israeli hero

“I’m what you call a pop star in Israel, and I’m gay and I’m out, so that by definition makes me an activist.”

By November 2, 2006

Leisure

Chatting with Blake Sennett of The Elected

Blake Sennett was basking under the sunny blue skies near Lake Arrowhead, CA, when The Voice caught up with him earlier this month to talk about music, DVDs and cuisine.

By November 2, 2006

Leisure

Borat urges you to touch his “khram”

There are very few movies I would unreservedly recommend before seeing them. Even fewer are so well publicized and eagerly anticipated that they aren’t in need of such recommendations. Borat accomplishes the impressive feat of fitting into both of those categories.

By November 2, 2006

Leisure

Tapes ‘n Tapes Interview

It’s hard to take Tapes ‘n Tapes seriously. They may seem like the latest ‘bloggers’-choice,’ over-hyped band of the moment, but where’s the drama, the attitude, the extraneous noise pollution? It doesn’t make sense—can this really be an indie band?

By October 26, 2006

Leisure

Sordid Lives gets naked

Three half naked cowboys in boxers take the stage in a small black room with a low ceiling with two pissed off, outrageously dressed southern women holding a shot gun and a revolver. A loud BANG follows and one of the lights goes out. “I said DANCE!” Sound like the next Quentin Tarantino film?

By October 26, 2006

Leisure

A Presidential assassination of the future

On October 19, 2007, President George Walker Bush was assassinated on his way out of a conference in downtown Chicago.

By October 26, 2006

Leisure

Decemberists: a major label band with an indie mindset

When The Decemberists announced that they would release their fourth full-length album with mega-label Capitol Records, indie music-loving eyebrows around the world shot up in surprise. Visions of peeling back the cellophane packaging on The Crane Wife only to find a pepped-up, TRL version of the band mingled with self-righteous cries of “sell-out” from high school cafeterias around the nation. Yet a month after the release of The Crane Wife, it would seem that those people can safely shut up.

By October 26, 2006

Leisure

Circular revolutions with line-breaks

Mark Z. Danielewski’s highly anticipated “Only Revolutions” shocked his loyal readership when it hit shelves. Three hundred and sixty pages of bright text with jagged linebreaks and sentence fragments make for dazzling if intimidating read.

By October 26, 2006

Leisure

Wrens land at Bulldog

The only thing better than an afternoon concert is a free afternoon concert. Indie rock aviators the Wrens are set to play at Georgetown’s Bulldog Alley this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. before heading down to the Black Cat to play a show at a more conventional time—9:30 p.m.

By October 26, 2006

Leisure

The Voice goes on a date with the dietitian

A new face in Leo’s is living behind the fro-yo machine. In an unassuming office ironically close to the tempting dessert section, you can now find Georgianne Belknap, R.D., L.D., Georgetown University’s Dietitian.

By October 26, 2006

Leisure

Brilliant acting saves Gospel

Though the program beckons with the promise of smoke machine haze and strobe lights, don’t get too excited for The Gospel at Colonus, a production that is, in a word, fine.

By October 19, 2006

Leisure

Overthrowing the gov’t, one page at a time

In their long and arduous search for a career path, students seem to be forgetting one option—radical activism. Sure, it’s not exactly the job your parents envisioned you working, but being an activist has its perks. Luckily for D.C., the Provisions Library provides a perfect opportunity to learn about this intriguing calling.

By the October 19, 2006

Leisure

History lessons in hardcore punk

If you’re feeling burnt out by midterms and looking for a bit of distraction, we here at the Voice urge you to get outside on what may be the last nice weekend of ‘06. Load up your iPod with some Fugazi, Bad Brains and Black Flag, and head out for a walking tour of D.C. punk rock.

By October 19, 2006

Leisure

Critical Voices: Beach House and Califone

Displaying a strong use of texture and restraint, Beach House is one of the most impressive debuts of the year.

By October 19, 2006

Leisure

The ashes of CBGB

On Monday morning fans of punk rock said goodbye to a landmark. Rock poet Patti Smith played the final concert at CBGB, the hallowed rock venue located in Manhattan’s East Village.

By October 19, 2006

Leisure

Disco World/Inferno

New York’s World/Inferno Friendship Society is touring the world, bringing their cultish circus entertaining to cities all over North America and Europe.

By October 12, 2006

Leisure

A musician’s secret weapon

How do bands without much money get the word out to people? Dave Stein, a senior at SUNY Binghamton, has the answer: CDarmy.com.

By October 12, 2006

Leisure

Parents’ Weekend: there is such thing as a free dinner

The smell of fall is in the air and Leo’s is serving decent food for a change—it can only mean that Parents’ Weekend is right around the corner.

By October 12, 2006

Leisure

C’est chic

Grab a pack of Gauloises and dust off your beret for “C’est Chic,” the District’s first-ever French film festival.

By October 12, 2006

Leisure

Last King is a regal power in film

The Last King of Scotland follows Nicholas Garrigan, a young Scot fresh out of med school. Stifled by his stuffy home, Garrigan decides to go to Uganda and soon becomes one of the men closest to Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) at the beginning of his tyrannical reign.

By October 12, 2006