Times New Viking: \”No Time No Hope\” (Times New Viking: “No Time No Hope”)
As decent-functioning recording equipment becomes cheaper by the year, you have to wonder about the future of lo-fi. When every Mac laptop comes with GarageBand pre-installed, what role can tape hiss possibly have in indie rock circa 2009?
Unusual driving gigs add piquancy to the usual roster of airport transfers and bachelor hoedowns, or “ho-go-downs” as a recent customer named them.
Classy.
Out-of-the-ordinary jobs include those which take us to an unlikely destination, or involve interesting or famous people, or leave one asking plenty of questions. I had an example of the latter last week, one that left puh-lenty of room for speculation.
My dispatch docket showed the time at which a privately owned jet was scheduled to arrive at our wonderful “International” airport, together with the number of people traveling (two) and the address to which I was to drive them. This stank of the unusual, from when I searched online for the owners of this particular jet (a corporation in Las Vegas) to the fruitless quest to find just where the customers’ residence was (somewhere in Manatee County). The street name, or the possible typo-induced variations of it, just didn’t make sense. Curiouser and curiouser. Oh well, the customers should know where they live, and they will speak English despite their obviously Asian name, right?
Let’s Tap
Developer:Prope
Publisher: Sega
Released: June 16, 2009
MSRP: $29.99
We thought we had it all. We could use the Wii remote as a sword, fishing rod, tennis racket, baseball bat, lightsaber and an assortment of other weapons and sports paraphernalia. But alas, we didn’t have it all. At least not until Let’s Tap. Now, gamers can set their Wiimotes down for a change and tap their way to single or multiplayer victory. Or just have fun with fish in a pond or fireworks in the sky.
The GammaTesting.com guys dive deep into this ’90’s-era, comic-inspired, morally-devoid, open-world, super-dude action game and revel in the freedom of movement and wide range of epic combat options. Of course, no amount of car-throwing, copter-jacking or disease-tendrilizing can overcome brutal and blatantly manipulative boss fights, like the final one in Prototype.
Still, epic is good. Listen up! (Then check out all the other Gamma Testing episodes.)
A sci-fi adventure with few special effects?
Moon, a UK entry in three film festivals, does not need an expensive Hollywood budget. Its dramatic strength lies in Duncan Jones’ skillful direction of the main character, Sam Bell, an astronaut/miner we bond with from the minute we watch the first frame of the film.
Cliff Roles interviews Brad Wages
From our boy Cliff Roles:
One of my all-time favorite musicals, West Side Story, is going to be performed at Venice Theatre from Thursday, July 30 onwards as its third annual Summer Stock production.
Here’s Brad Wages, director & choreographer, in conversation with me about Bernstein & Sondheim’s modern day retelling of Romeo & Juliet – click to listen!
Here’s how it works: Tell us why you deserve free tickets for a night of craziness with your favorite ’80s rock gods in the comments section below, then email us your contact information. We’ll announce our winner on Tues., Aug. 11!
— A tape recording of Sgt. Ken Castro interviewing Juan G. Perez suggests Castro was more interested in getting Perez to agree that he was treated fairly than in collecting evidence about whether or not criminal charges should be filed against the officer who abused him. (You can listen to the full audio to boot.)
— While the local construction industry continues to languish, Charlotte County makes changes so that when growth does pick back up, it will be the environmentally friendly kind.
— Five Points Park: arts destination? “‘We want to change the park’s image from a homeless hangout to a place where arts are enjoyed,’ said Brenda Terris, executive director of Season of Sculpture.”
Sarasota’s longest, most insular island is home to the area’s best waterfront dining options. Here’s a selection:
CAFÉ DON GIOVANNI 5610 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, 383-0013
Casual but elegant Italian cuisine featuring gherbs grown by the chef and some homemade pastas.
CAFÉ ON THE BAY 5350 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, 383-0440 or cafeonthebay.com
Part of the Cafe L’Europe and Celebrations Catering group, Café on the Bay serves island fare that ranges from cheeseburgers to veal forestiere, with the occasional Asian influence thrown into the mix.
CHART HOUSE 201 Gulf of Mexico Drive, Longboat Key, 383-5593 or chart-house.com
Although a national chain, this upscale seafood and steak restaurant has been a fixture on Longboat for decades, with expansive and gorgeous views of the Gulf on the south end of the island. (more…)
