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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2005)
Oregon Daily Emerald Thursday, April 21, 2005 “Think of me as Chomsky with dick jokes. ” Bill Hicks | Comedian Get your Transcending the top-40 dance scene and getting ‘ ^people to dance are at the heart \J *-8^ of two Eugene DJs'visions BY JOSH LINTEREUR PULSE REPORTER Last summer, two local D Js set outto establish an unburdened alternative to the stuffy top-40 dance club scene. So far, their unstifling consortium of audio-visual sorcerers, robots and big blue bunnies has been a step in the right direction. Dubbed "Freaks in the House," the performances by D Js Shawn Mediaclast (aka the Audio Schizophrenic) and Steve Sawada have grown from a monthly event to a weekly sta iafo ^|f rn, pie at John Henry's. The downtown bar, at 77 West Broadway, hosts the free show every Saturday at 10 p.m. for audiences 21 and a older. The brainchild of Mediaclast and Sawada, "Freaks" also features an array of guest DJs, visual projection ^ artists and an imaginatively dressed audience. The scene they've puttogether is quite different from anything you'll find in Eugene, said Keith Martin, book agent for John Henry's. "It has a big city feel to it. It's not a top-40 dance night.” i&L According to Mediaclast, tran * ilHr scending the predictable dance club circuitwasattheheartof their vision when creat ing "Freaks." jj "We just wanted to '' wl till a gap with what we b a saw in the dance floor Photos by Danielle Hickey Compilation by _ Jonah Schrogin FREAKS, page 9 ■ In my opinion RYAN NYBURG BUDGET RACK Unmentioned music a Zoloft alternative The great thing aboutthis job is that I get a chance to experience everything our culture has to offer. But if you apply the old adage that 90 percent of everything is crap, that doesn't re ally bode well for my long term sanity. Imagine I did this full time and had to listen to every album that came across my desk. They would more than likely be scraping my gray matter off the office ceiling with a rake by the end of the week, provided I didn't OD on a Zoloft/caffeine bender first, my eyes bulging out and my ears leaving dark puddles of blood on the carpet from trying to comprehend the soul-deadening mediocrity of it all. Still, I do wish I could do more. I wish I could, NYBURG, page 11 PULSEMUSIC PULSEMUSIC The Visible Men, "Love:30": A Eugene super-group of sorts, The Visible Men have been making a name forthemselves on the local scene with their mix of jazzy instrumental interplay, pop song craft and moody ballads, Including some of the hardest-working musicians in town, trio Dustin Lanker, Dan Schmid and Jordan Glenn has puttogether another collection of key board-driven pop with their sophomore effort, "love:30." The album further reveals the group's considerable promise but doesn't quite fulfill it. The songs are well-crafted and engaging, though the lyrics are often stilted—when they register at all — and the occasional dynamic rhythm and stylistic shifts make the album sound more confused than eclectic. That aside, "Love;30” holds much value forthe patient listener. The musicians all work at the top of their abilities and the occasional appearance by other members of the Eugene music scene (including Zoot Horn Rollo, who adds some nice Jerry Garcia-style groovesto "Paper Cup") helps loosen up the piano/bass/drum arrangements on a fewtracks. Despite its faults,the album still works as a pleasant and occasionally groovy collection of jazz influenced pop bal lads. I would hate to be any other band in town if The Visible Men ever hittheir stride. — Ryan Nyburg INSIDE PULSE Peabody's Pub offers a good neighborhood bar atmosphere and warm ambience. "Jade Empire" creates a unique digital world for game players to explore. You Be Prettie "WeThoughtYou Would Be Prettier" is full of witty obser vations about the author's life. Today Mark Hummel and Johnny Dyer Cozmic Pizza 8p.m.,$5 Blues harp and vocals Friday Jake the Cat Luna 9 p.m., $5 Funk Saturday Hawaii Club Luau McArthur Court 5 p.m., $18 Hawaiian dinner, music and dance Sunday Alter Ego Cafe Paradiso 7 p.m.,$3 Rock TOP 5 MOVIES 1: "The Amityville Horror" 2: "Sahara" 3: "Fever Pitch" 4: "Sin City" 5: "Guess Who" a, NEWYORKTIMES BESTSELLERS 1: Mary Higgins Clark, "No Place Like Home" 2: Sue Monk Kidd, "The Mermaid Chair" 3: Matthew Stover, "Revenge of the Sith" 4: Dan Brown, "The Da Vinci Code" 5: Ian McKwan, "Saturday" BILLBOARDTOP 5 1:50 Cent, "The Massacre" 2: Faith Evans, "The First Lady" 3: Beck, "Guero" 4: Various Artists, "Now 18" 5:112, "Pleasure & Pain"
