FRESH AIR Shepard Fairey‘s illustration of Barack Obama was one of the most iconic images of the campaign — Obama’s face and the word “hope” rendered in red, white, and blue. Fairey says he made the image to spur voters’ belief in Obama as a leader. The image was never officially adopted by the campaign, however, because of legal issues related to the original photograph he used. The iconic poster differed from Fairey’s previous work. The image was unusual, Fairey says, because his political art is usually negative. “I felt that Barack Obama was an unusual candidate, a special candidate, […]
SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS: Whatever Happens In Room 315 Stays in Room 315, Part 8
BY JEFF DEENEY By the time the group returns to room 315 from the computer lab the day is nearly over. It’s well into the afternoon by now and both the staff and students are visibly worn down from the day’s grind. The students move at a slow, shuffling pace and keep their voices at a low mumble as they return to their seats. Miss Patterson slumps into her chair at the desk in the back of the room that she refers to as her “office” with an audible sigh. Hakeem, the hardened young corner hustler who comes to class […]
Future Historians Already Weighing In On Bush
Turns out, unlike wine, his presidency does not get better with age. Who knew? Everybody but him.
BE HERE NOW: Hail To The Chief!
» 8:25 a.m.: Obamas leave Blair House for prayer service at St. John’s Episcopal Church » 8:35 a.m. Prayer service » 9:45 a.m. Church service ends; Obamas depart for the White House » 10:05 a.m. Obamas arrive at White House for coffee with the Bushes » 11 a.m. Motorcade departs for the Capitol » 11:30 a.m. Bushes and Obamas proceed to platform on the West Front; California Senator Dianne Feinstein will issue the call to order and deliver brief welcoming remarks, followed by an invocation from Dr. Rick Warren and a performance from Aretha Franklin (who also sang at Bill […]
HEAR YE: U2 No Line On The Horizon
CLICK HERE to hear the lead-off single “Get On Your Boots” WORTH REPEATING: Why U2 Still Matters BY JONATHAN VALANIA Because some bands have greatness thrust upon them and other bands thrust greatness upon themselves. Because U2 knew that if they had it both ways, they could be bigger than Jesus. Because in the early ’80s, if you listened closely, you could actually hear Bono’s mullet. Because the Edge figured out early on that with the right ratios of pinging echo to pealing delay, the electric guitar could build cathedrals of sound that are holier than thou. Because Bozo-haired bassist […]
MARTIN LUTHER KING: I Have A Dream
ERIC SUNQUIST: After King finished, reported Lerone Bennett, Jr., grown men and women “wept unashamedly.” No doubt Time magazine could have chosen a more appropriate metaphor in reporting that King “enslaved his audience,” but this was true even of those who feared his message. Because of its power to influence the masses, concluded the head of the FBI’s Domestic Intelligence Division, King’s “demagogic speech” made him the nation’s “most dangerous Negro.” MORE FRESH AIR Historian Howard Zinn wrote: “At the great Washington March of 1963, the chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), John Lewis, speaking to the same […]
IN THE NAME OF LOVE: MLK (1929-1968)
NOBELPRIZE.ORG: Martin Luther King, Jr., (January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968) was born Michael Luther King, Jr., but later had his name changed to Martin. His grandfather began the family’s long tenure as pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, serving from 1914 to 1931; his father has served from then until the present, and from 1960 until his death Martin Luther acted as co-pastor. Martin Luther attended segregated public schools in Georgia, graduating from high school at the age of fifteen; he received the B. A. degree in 1948 from Morehouse College, a distinguished Negro institution of Atlanta from […]
We Know It’s Only Rock N’ Roll But We Like It
BY JONATHAN VALANIA FOR THE INQUIRER Saturday night at the sold out Wachovia Center, Metallica gave no indication they plan to give up the ghost any time soon, despite the four large metal caskets hanging precariously over their heads, a visual riff on the funereal cover art of the new Death Magnetic. Scurrying out onto the darkened stage like black-clad ninjas, illuminated by a two-story high mesh of lasers, Metallica launched into the new “That Was Just Your Life” with the conviction of men who have learned the hard way that no one here gets out alive. Sounding at times […]
BIRD STRIKE: Cards Make It Safe To Shave Again
PHILADELPHIA 25 PHOENIX 32 USA TODAY: GLENDALE, Ariz. — For 30 minutes after the 32-25 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackles Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson sat side-by-side at their lockers, staring into space and saying nothing. What was there to say after Philadelphia advanced to the NFC Championship Game for the fifth time in eight years and turned all of that opportunity into one Super Bowl appearance, a painful 24-21 setback to the New England Patriots to close the 2004 season? MORE RELATED: Eff Da Refs!
THE NEW FRONTIER: Mine Eyes Have Seen The Glory
THE RISING: The Boss with Choir, Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C. 2:40 PM “Lincoln was a quiet man, but when he spoke of democracy this is what he said — ‘As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.’ ” — TOM HANKS * U2: Pride (In The Name Of Love)/City Of Blinding Lights HEAR YE: First single from new U2
THEATER: Top 5 Reasons To See Mauckingbird Theather Company’s Production Of Hedda Gabler
1. Hedda Gabler, Femme Fatale and Conflicted Mistress Hedda Gabler is the portrait of a woman suffocating from boredom and dissatisfaction, not to mention struggling with feelings for other women. Her marriage, even in its post honeymoon stages, is a nattily dressed drag going quickly lackluster. Her husband, George Tesman, is clueless and insufferably gay (in the antiquated sense of the word) such that Hedda seeks out ways to avoid his company—since, well, she prefers the company of women. In fact, Hedda’s attraction to women—Eilert Lovborg in particular, a women who dresses in men’s clothes and lives life with abandon—seems […]
LOVE TRAIN: The Man Comes Around
YES WE DID: 30th Street Station, 11 AM, Saturday [Photo by VIC SUEDE] jonathan — I have some exciting news to share about the future of this grassroots movement. I recorded a personal message for you. Please take a minute to watch the video: http://my.barackobama.com/thefuture What you built can’t stop now. Together with our partners at the Democratic National Committee and its new chairman, Governor Tim Kaine, this movement will continue organizing and bringing new people into the political process. The challenges facing our country are too great, and our journey to change America is just beginning. I look forward […]
We Know It’s Only Rock N’ Roll But We Like It
RABBIT REDUX: Frightened Rabbit, JB’s, Last Night [Photo by CHRIS Z.] BY CHRIS ZAKORCHEMNY As Scott Hutchinson struck the first chords of “The Modern Leper,” adrenaline shot through my spine. It’s that moment of a quiet verve that feels like hope in your lungs. Judging by the smiles, ‘woos’ and out of tune singing of the sold out crowd around me, it was as if each one of us had “a disease I can’t shake.” Not that we wanted to. The song blistered through its four minutes, and had me wondering what this band was doing at Johnny Brenda’s last […]