weekend essentials Feb. 19 to Feb. 22 S D - Z m r c s4 k G7 q Y {' 3 F 5'3.; '. l j F h S . scene TV This Friday an era ends on NBC at 12:35 a.m. (OK, so it's actually Sat- urday). Conan O'Brien does his last "Late Night" before his big move to L.A. to take Jay Leno's place as host of the "Tonight Show." Loved for his semi-erotic dance moves and Irish pale- ness, it's possible Conan will have to tone down his antics for an older crowd once he moves to an earlier time slot - so catch him at his best while you still can. FILM Admit it: You've never heard of some of this year's Oscar nominees. So before the golden guy gets handed out on Sun- day night, visit your local video store and have yourself an award-movie marathon. Start with the poignant immigration drama "Frozen River" (up for Actress and Original Screenplay), move on to "The Visitor" (Actor) and finish with the one- two documentary punch of "Man on Wire" and "Encounters at the End of the World." Then spend the ceremony complain- ing about how "The Dark Knight" was robbed. CONCERT This Saturday at the Blind Pig, defibrillate your spring break with all the unrefined pleasures of the Von Bondies and their raucous brand of ripped- jeans garage rock. One of the bigger acts to come out of Detroit this side of The White Stripes, the Bondies have plenty of fresh setlist fodder with the recently released Love Hate And Then There's You. Opening for them will be like-minded trio Nico Vega and local indie-pop outfit Light- ning Love. Tickets are $10 ($5 in advance) and doors are at 9:30 p.m. Ann Arbor's vibrant literary scene helps aspiring authors find both an outlet for their creative talents and a willing audience BY MAUREEN SULLIVAN Daily Arts Writer n the freezingtemperatures ofa January evening, about 50 Ann Arborites crowded in a small nook in State Street's Shaman Drum to listen to Michael Shil- ling read the first chapter of his novel. His book, titled "Rock Bottom," is a sharp and biting mock-autobiography about a touring rock band. Sipping a bottle of beer as he read and performed the voices of his grungy jaded rocker protagonist, Shilling - a recent Master of Fine Arts graduate and now Sweetland lecturer - performed with the gusto of a seasoned frontman. Events like this are not uncommon in Ann Arbor. While the city is known for sports venues like Michigan Stadium and music venues like Hill Auditorium, there is still another very overlooked culture that pervades the town - a writing cul- ture. The literary scene that exists in Ann Arbor is vibrant. More than just a scene, individual writers living and working in Ann Arbor have formed a commu- nity. While the modern concept of social networking conjures the image of Face- book's home page, concerts, plays and book readings exist as a form of social networking where people can physically come together over common interests. These communities encourage individu- als to collaborate and share their art and their ideas. "By definition, community is a collec- tive," said English Prof. Nicholas Del- banco, director of the Hopwood Awards. "It's true in this community of individu- als. Readings, workshops and bookstores like Shaman Drum are places where peo- ple congregate. However, community is a multi-pronged instrument that doesn't exist in only one place." Fueled by the abundance of talent attracted to the university's writing pro- gram, Ann Arbor is a haven for writers. As a result, they have formed a network that is visible and accessible. This net- work is made up of writers and readers, students and professors. From social chatter at Hopwood tea gatherings on Thursday afternoons in Angell Hall to experimental readings at Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room on Main Street, it's evident that this community is thriv- ing. Delbanco compared teaching at the University of Michigan to his experience working as a professor in New York City at Columbia University. He stressed the role that physical distance plays in com- munity - rather than commuting via public transit in New York City, writers in Ann Arbor live within close proxim- ity of the campus. This factors into the fact that writers in Ann Arbor simply see each other more often. Book readings in particular are one way that new and seasoned writers con- nect not only with one another but also with their audience. While reading and writing are often individual practices, these events spur thoughts about them being living physical processes and invite the students and Ann Arbor citizens to be a part of an active community. The Zell Visiting Writers Series, spon- sored by the University's EnglishDepart- ment and the Office of the Provost, brings writers from the national literary scene to the small stage at campus ven- ues including Rackham Amphitheatre and the Residential College Auditorium. This pastyearbrought celebrated writers including British poet Simon Armitage, short-story writer Deborah Eisenberg and short-story writer Amy Hempel. . The readings are plentiful and ongo- ing: Today Israeli poet Hamutal Bar Yosef will read at the Thayer Building. This past week two writers were sched- uled to read at 'Shaman Drum. This past Tuesday, Josie Kearns read from a recently published volume of poetry titled "The Theory of Everything." Four separate book readings are scheduled at the independent shop for the first week of March alone. These events are ever- present and provide an opportunity for readers and listeners to experience writ- ing in another dimension through oral storytelling. Outside the world of published writ- ing, the University's MFA program sponsors three separate series: the Zell Visiting Writers Series, the Mark See BOOKS, Page 4B For me, the invitation to come and teach at Ann Arbor had less to do with the dosh than it did with the community of writers there ... - THOMAS LYNCH AUTHOR AND GUEST LECTURER READING This Thursday, Jewish poet Hamutal Bar-Yosef will enact what may be the most exotic and artistically full poetry reading of the year. Yosef is the award-winning poet of nine collections and several academic books and one of the most visible and cel- ebrated Israeli poets of- our age. The reading will be held at 202 S. Thayer, across from the MLB, at 5 p.m. on Thursday. ANNA BAKEMAN/Da