12D - The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition 2006 ABOVE: Hip-hop pioneer Kool DJ Herc made a rare appearance on deck at The Blind Pig this past January. nn ntruth, Betty Wells-Goffett, owner of the legendary First Street dive bar, recalls that the Pig was one of first places Nirvana actually had an audience. As hosts for traveling rock bands and University acting troupes alike, the city's arts venues are nearly as legendary as their storied guests. Photos by Forest Casey, Angela Cesere, Alex Dziadosz, Tomrmaso Gomez, Mike Hulsebus and Emma Nolan-Abrahamian Pig stuffed with hits, history By Kimberly Chou Daily Arts Writer The bartenders claim they sell the cheapest drafts in Ann Arbor, but no one goes to The Blind Pig for beer. While upperclassmen and younger University students in the fake-ID set like to frequent Central Campus hangouts like Scorekeep- er's and The Brown Jug, the initi- ated know to travel a few blocks west to find a bar of a better breed. The Blind Pig is not a place where everyone knows your name, but rather the quintessential college bar and venue - boasting a colorful history and music above and beyond Clear Channel radio remixes. Rated No. 7 on Rolling Stone magazine's "Campus Scenes That Rock" list, The Blind Pig is the spot to catch Ghostface Killah on his way through town, or chill with hip-hop originator Kool Herc before a Saturday-night show. Indie rock favorites like Clap Your Hands Say Yeah also book shows here. When The Blind Pig started out as a tiny basement blues bar in 1971, Koko Taylor and Robert Cray both played shows there. Looking through the assortment of signed portraits and press-kit photos that line the walls leading up to the stage, you might come across the yellowed, black- and-white photograph of Buddy Guy performing at booker John Randall's wedding reception. "I don't know if there's any other place in Michigan like it," general manager Faith Wood said. "The sound is amazing here - there's just something about the sound. People like the inti- mate (setting); everyone doesn't necessarily want to play arenas." - This article, in different form, originally ran Jan. 26, 2006. , East Quadrangle Music Co-Op: Full blast at 'The Halfass' By Kat Bawden Daily Arts Writer Don't be fooled by the persis- tent smell of fries, the humming of kitchen equipment, the clicking of balls on a pool table or the loudchat- ter of residents in East Quadrangle Residence Hall - the Halfass is an increasingly popular Ann Arbor music venue. It may be a reliable alternative to cafeteria food dur- ing the day, but thanks to the East Quadrangle Music Co-op, the Hal- fass transforms into a haven for local music every other Friday night. Located in the underbelly of East Quad, the walls of the Hal- fass (officially named the Half- way Inn) are covered in paintings, black and white photographs and obscure vinyl record sleeves, pro- jectingunconventionality.Students lounge on weathered couches and dine on burgers, falafel sandwich- es and pints of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. And, yes, music is usually blaring. "We talk to bands who would draw a crowd, who already have a great audience and who deserve to have one,' said Bran- don Zwagerman, the booking coordinator for the EQMC and a graduate student in urban planning. Kathryn Chalmers, president of EQMC and a Residential Col- lege senior, explained that the EQMC treasures variety: "We try to have the most quality. Folk, rock - we're not genre-specific." Though some may find it intimidat- ing to book shows and interact with bands they admire, members of the EQMC have felt greatly encouraged. "It's amazing how many agree if we ask,"Zwagerman. For only $5 a show, students this past winter semester caught Detroit trio The Hard Lessons, Canada and Half-Handed Cloud. - This article,.in differentform, originally ran Jan.26, 2006. MUSIC EruUES Hill Auditorium Serves as the home of University Music Society events; artists from Elvis Costello to jazz great Sonny Rollins have played here. The Ark Nearly every night you can find lines of eager fans outside this folk music institution. The Firefly Club Reliable for jazz and blues; they also feature Hip-Hop Sundays. Canterbury House Another staple of the local jazz scene, Canterbury houses plenty of homegrown talent. MOVIE THEATERS The Michigan and State Theaters Among the most appealing of Ann Arbor's cultural diversions, the Michigan and State Theaters - run by anot-for-profit organiza- tion catering directly to the com- munity - bring art-house and foreign films to a convenient cam- pus location. The Michigan The- ater, with its grandiose lobby more reminiscent of an opera house than a movie theater, has two beautiful screening rooms that also host con- cert series (such as The Raconteurs and Ben Folds this year) and com- munity events. The State Theater's decor may be considerably less impressive, but the films are just as hip. Besides the everyday offerings, be sure to catch at least one mid- night show here - cult classics like "Rocky Horror Picture Show" are always worth a look. Other theaters Though you'll have to trek off campus to get to them, Ann Arbor boasts two stadium-seated multi- plexes, Goodrich Quality 16 on Jackson Road and Showcase Ann Arbor on Carpenter Road. And Briarwood Mall's recently reopened Briarwood Dollar Mov- ies 4's hole-in-the-wall aesthetic isn't going to win any awards, but with $1.50 general admission and 50-cent movies every Tuesday, it's hard to complain. - Compiled by Daily Arts writers Amanda Andrade, Jeffrey Bloomer and Kimberly Chou The lion, the witch and the Ann Arbor student theater By Andrew Klein Daily Fine Arts Editor If Res Rep wasn't your thing, don't worry: The University's theater scene extends far beyond the realms of self-reference, the the- ater program and cheesy puns, with a troupe and a venue to meet your thespian needs. You're already familiar with the Residential College Auditorium, home of the student-gov- erned RC Players, perhaps the student group most devoted to producing student-written work, which is generally clever and riotous. Non-student productions include Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" and Frederico Garcia Lorca's "Blood Wed- ding" RC Theater ticket prices range from hands down, produce the University's best free to $5. sets) and Musket. The Rude Mechanicals, RC and non-RC actors alike are known to a conduit for theater enthusiasts neither in escape their secluded theater every summer to music or theater concentrations, consis- produce the consistently magnificent "Shake- tently put on top performances, such as speare in the Arb,' where a Shakespearean play Shakespeare's "Macbeth" - which set a is adapted to the rustic backdrop of Nichols precedent by twice nearly selling out the Arboretum. The cost of admissions is $10 but place - and T. S. Eliot's "Murder in the don't be put off: This annual tradition-is one Cathedral." Tickets at the Mendelssohn Ann Arbor's gems. usually go for around $6. In the Michigan League lies the Men- The aforementioned Power Center is where delssohn Theater, second only to the you go for the big guns such as spoken-word- Power Center in its luster. Theater and Per- performance legend Marc Bemuthi and nation- formance majors regularly put on stunning al theater groups. Tickets can get pricey if you musicals and operas through groups such want a good spot, but there are always afford- as the Gilbert and Sullivan Society (who, able student prices as well as rush tickets. For experimental types, a trek to North Campus's Duderstadt Theater might be worth your time, where collaborative efforts through the arts is the norm. Dance, theater, video, audio, visual - the Duder- stadt is constantly putting on performances that blur the boundaries between the arts. Prices vary at the 'Stadt, but if you want the envelope pushed, it's the place to be. You'll see thousands of obnoxious flyers all over campus for each of these groups. They'd tape them to your face if they could. It's all a bit overwhelming,no matter how familiar you are. But don't worry. Take a breath, peep their web- sites and know that Ann Arbor's student theater is a volatile and prolific scene.