A few weeks ago I got an e-mail from Ian Glinka of the Washington, D.C.-based indie band Middle Distance Runner. After finding me through some of my online writings, Ian was asking, rather earnestly, for me to help promote his band’s concert at the Meridian Coffeehouse this weekend. My immediate reaction? These guys must be desperate to contact a nobody like me. Almost insulted, I decided I might as well check out their website just for a laugh, figuring I’d hear the same stuff every Battle of the Bands loser across the country peddles. What I heard instead were the sounds of a band on the verge of breaking. It was like looking 200 yards out into the ocean and seeing a wave starting to form — the kind you can tell is gonna be huge. Now, flattered, I sit at my computer trying to do them the justice that a local band vying for a record contract (which, by all accounts, must be right around the corner) deserves.

p. These guys played in Williamsburg back in early September to a crowd of seven. Now, only two-and-a-half months later, the band has been scheduled for its first mainstage show at the Black Cat next week, a highly touted club venue in D.C. Middle Distance Runner is a name quickly climbing into regional stardom, appearing with blurbs in newspapers and magazines like Spin. It’s only a matter of time before their brand of indie pop-rock breaks onto airwaves across the country.

p. The band’s self-produced debut album, “Plane in Flames,” released this year, has drawn comparisons to “The Bends”-era Radiohead and The Strokes (when they were still good). The opening track, “Naturally,” is catchy and wry, featuring strong drumming, organ-fused keyboards, energetic clapping and sweet vocal melodies. Where have we heard this kind of stuff before? They’re the same elements that have made indie rock tracks of the last few years like Modest Mouse’s “Float On,” Clap Your Hands Say Yeah!’s “The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth” and The Shins’ “Kissing the Lipless” so catchy and irresistible. The cowbell on “Shoot the Shit” may seem a little silly, but your ear can’t help but be caught by the guitar hooks and harmonized vocals, while the clean banjo bridge proves the singer endearing.

p. What is most interesting about these guys is their personalities. Music bloggers from all over credit the band for their sly and whimsical marketing techniques: when sending out its album to writers, the band always seem to include one extra item as a gift. For one blogger, the album was packaged with a hilarious personalized note and a half-consumed pack of Dentyne Ice. Another received the album with a one dollar scratch-and-win Virginia Lottery ticket. Hey, couldn’t hurt, right? But for a budding band that desperately needs publicity to stay alive, these guys keep the mood light while working hard to promote themselves. Hell, they sent me a CD with a nice e-mail and look what it got them: a glowing review, a Facebook.com event posted by myself (even if only 17 people have RSVP-ed), and at least one more fan.

p. If you haven’t heard Middle Distance Runner yet, check out the band’s webpage, middledistancerunner.com, and go to the audio section. The band is playing Friday at the Meridian Coffee House on South Boundary Street at 8 p.m. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll be there, and when the band hits the bigtime six months from now, you’ll be able to say you saw them before anybody had even heard of them. It’s an exciting feeling. I know where I’ll be Friday.

Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet” is taking on a new dimension this weekend with the student production group, Shakespeare in the Dark. The show will open Dec.1 at 8 p.m. in the University Center Commonwealth Auditorium.

p. The play is the fall show for Shakespeare in the Dark, and is being directed by senior Callie Morris, the club’s vice president. “I knew I wanted to direct,” Morris said. “I wanted to bring out emotions that are not usually seen in ‘Romeo & Juliet.’”

p. This version of Shakespeare’s play is set in Verona, Italy in 1944, playing off the tensions of World War II. Romeo, played by junior Peter O’Shanick, comes from the Montague family, which backs the Italian Resistance Movement. Juliet, played by sophomore Abigail Fine, comes from the Capulet family, who are Nazi sympathizers. True to the original Shakespeare, these two characters fall in love without regard for their feuding families or their disagreements.

p. The show contains other large plot twists. For example, Tybalt has been taken on as a female role. “I’ve made Tybalt female, creating a sexual tension between her and Mercutio, which has been very effective,” Morris said. “It creates a counter point to Romeo and Juliet.”

p. Tybalt is a Capulet who loathes even the thought of the Montagues, while Mercutio is a close friend of Romeo’s. The two cross paths numerous times throughout the show.

p. Most of the play’s action occurs during the multiple combat scenes — all choreographed by sophomore Mike Johnson, who is also the assistant director.

p. “All the fight scenes I ever see now are bad — even Broadway shows,” Johnson said. “I volunteered to choreograph the combat scenes [after learning how in high school]. I am trying to so something that looks cool.”

p. The show includes multiple fighting scenes in which many characters are involved, adding to the play’s ever-building tension.

p. “This is a really timeless story,” O’Shanick said. “But we tried to make it even more accessible. We wanted to bring it into a time period even more people could relate to.”

p. Morris said she wanted to concentrate on the importance of emotion in her show. “Ultimately … this play is about all emotions,” Morris said. “Not just the good ones. I didn’t want to focus on just the love between Romeo and Juliet; there are so many other passions just as powerful in the script.”

p. The show’s actors said that the emotions were sometimes difficult to grasp.

p. “There would be the occasional time when it was hard to get a hold of a certain emotion, but then a personal experience would come to mind,” O’Shanick said. “There is a lot to get a hold of. I am only 20. I don’t have the same experience as some people.”

p. The play will be performed Dec. 2 and 3 at 1 p.m. and Dec. 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. in the UC Commonwealth. Admission is $4 and tickets can be purchased at the door.

Ten years after his debut album, “Reasonable Doubt,” signified his arrival to the heyday of hip-hop music and three years after the culmination of his career, “The Black Album” announced his departure from the declining rap world, Jay-Z returned this November with his eighth full-length album, “Kingdom Come.” If anyone has grown after years of hustling, composing and achieving stardom in the music industry, it would certainly be Jay-Z. And if any work should reflect this voyage, it would undoubtedly be “Kingdom Come.”

p. The Brooklyn-born emcee’s maturation shines through on his newest album. It opens with “The Prelude,” where Jay explains his mind-state and tumultuous relationship with the lifestyle that may have both led him to his three-year hiatus from the charts and now brings him back to the studio. His lyrics flow smoothly, methodically and passionately, at one point directly addressing rap as if it were the subject of a love song: “Forget this rap shit I need a new hustle / A little bit of everything, a new improved Russell / I say that reluctantly cause I do struggle / As you see I can’t leave so I do love you.”

p. The first three tracks, produced by Just Blaze, sound like the Jay-Z of old, although his lyrics lack the desire and grit that catapulted him to the top over the last decade (“Big Pimpin’ ” excluded). On the title track, Jay labels himself hip-hop royalty, with the chorus proclaiming his return as messiah-like: “King of New York / Not only NYC I’m hip-hop’s savior / So after this flow you might owe me a favor.”

p. I’m not sure how much of a favor we really owe him. The album as a whole is difficult to approach. In terms of what the self-proclaimed “King of New York” is capable of, it falls short — in fact, it’s borderline miserable — compared to his other works. With little left to prove, the album is nowhere near as brilliant as “Reasonable Doubt,” “The Black Album” or “The Blueprint,” but few would expect that it would be.

p. That being said, his lyrics are still ten times better than those of any other hip-hop artist on the radio or on MTV. Regardless of how catchy or lap dance-conducive recent radio hits have been, Jay-Z still finds a way to make the majority of today’s mainstream rappers look like they’re still fighting to finish kindergarten English.
This observation is not to imply that the club-bangers are not present — they are, most notably on the album’s first single “Show Me What Ya Got” — but these are few in number, and overall the album features a nearly respectable variety of beats and topics of varying complexity and sincerity.

p. After starting off strong, the subsequent tracks on “Kingdom Come,” with a few exceptions, are relatively disappointing. John Legend’s harmonious vocals do little to save “Do U Wanna Ride?” and the hopelessly tacky and sugar-coated “Anything,” featuring Usher and Pharrell, is one of Jay-Z’s career lows, and not just because of Usher.

p. The soulful “Lost One” features some of Jay’s best lyrics on the album and a smooth, memorable chorus sung by Chrisette Michele. He addresses the government’s disastrous response to Hurricane Katrina in “Minority Report,” but also raps about the underlying social conditions in America which seem only to have been exposed by the catastrophe.

p. Like most of Jay’s recent work, Beyonce is featured in one song, “Hollywood,” and the result is not as glaringly tawdry as their recent collaborations. This pleasant surprise features Beyonce close to her best and reflects the difficulties of a paparazzi-filled life of fame, which Jay refers to as “the most addictive drug in the world.”

p. The album ends with one of the most interesting and unexpected musical collaborations conceivable, as the slow yet intense “Beach Chair” features production and background vocals by Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Unfortunately, this peculiar mélange falters and brings the album to a disappointing conclusion.

p. It is hard to guess whether this album falls short because of Jay’s own issues of disillusionment with the rap world, because of an attempt to make the album eclectic and more appealing to a wider crowd or simply due to a lack of motivation, rap, but it clearly is a disappointment for fans of Jay-Z’s earlier work. He exhausts a great deal of energy reflecting on his experiences in rap and life, at times almost arrogantly articulating what separates him from some of the new faces of hip-hop. Rather than using his masterful poetic skill, which really is what separates him from the rest, Jay instead focuses on his maturation and affluence while simultaneously trying to appear humble. Despite a few notable bright spots, the result is largely a disappointment. Still, it is impossible to say that Jay-Z is not capable of another masterful album. It just seems to be a question of his own desire to do so.

“I am ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas.” This comment by Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, created a stir of controversy, for many, it thrust the band into the role of the face of the campaign against the war in Iraq. Masses of country fans destroyed the band’s records, radio stations boycotted its music and the Chicks’ record sales plummeted. With a single statement, the best-selling female band of all time became one of the most hated bands in country music.
“Shut Up and Sing,” a documentary, portrays the progression of the Dixie Chicks’ career since the incident. The film flashes back and forth through the three-year period from when the comment was made to the present. The band’s newest album, “Not Ready to Make Nice,” serves as the soundtrack, giving the audience a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of each song. As the controversy progresses, so does the band’s emotional state, from shock and fear to anger and resentment, visually directed toward the fans and radio stations that deserted them. At first they consider apologizing but as the fallout continues they become rigidly unwilling to compromise their beliefs.

p. In the Dixie Chick’s latest single, “Not Ready to Make Nice,” the lyrics state it plainly: “How in the world can the words that I said / Send somebody so over the edge / That they’d write me a letter / Saying that I better shut up and sing / Or my life will be over?” The line provides the title and sentiment for the film, showing that after three years, the band has not yet forgiven the fans and industry that abandoned them.

p. Through the film, Maines is thrown front and center as the leader of the band and the source of the controversy. She perseveres with a fierce attitude and an unwillingness to apologize for her statements. She says what she wants to say regardless of the consequences, never losing her strong spirit and sense of humor in the face of the backlash.

p. The audience sees her sense of humor at its best after country singer Toby Keith criticizes her for being “unpatriotic” during one of his concerts. In response, Maines wore a shirt bearing the initials “FUTK.” When asked about the meaning, Maines turns to the camera with a look of mischief in her eyes and
says, “Fans United Through Kindness.” Later, when fans arrive at a Dixie Chicks concert wearing shirts with the initials “FUDC,” Maines cleverly states, “I almost said ‘I love your guys’ shirts’ but what do you have against Dick Cheney?’”

p. Country music is often associated with more politically conservative beliefs, at times to the point that the politics supercede the music. In the case of the Dixie Chicks, their music was no longer accepted once their beliefs opposed those of their fans. After years of propelling country music into the mainstream, the Dixie Chicks were abandoned by many otherwise loyal fans based on a single statement. This forever changed the direction of its members’ careers. In the midst of the controversy they faced harsh criticism, threats and the constant fear that their careers would never recover.

p. The filmmakers succeed brilliantly in highlighting this hypocrisy. One protestor actually said, “Freedom of speech is fine, but by God don’t do it in mass publicly.” After three years of controversy, if the Dixie Chicks learned anything, it is to stick together and keep talking.

This Sunday 30,000 tourists, townspeople and students are expected to descend upon Duke of Gloucester Street to celebrate the 71st annual Grand Illumination. The event, which marks the opening of the holiday season, will feature fireworks, music and holiday decorations. It will also usher in a month of holiday programming in the Historic District.

p. Music will begin at 4:45 p.m. on four different stages in Colonial Williamsburg. The stages will be located in front of the Playbooth Theatre on the Palace Green, in Market Square, in front of the Gaol and on the south side of the Capitol. Performances will include the College’s choir and the Botetourt Chamber Singers, as well as the Fife and Drum Corps and balladeers from the historic taverns.

p. At 6:15 p.m., residents of the historic homes will light candles in their windows and the fireworks will begin, launched simultaneously from the Governor’s Palace, the Magazine and the Capitol.

p. After the 20-minute show, musical entertainment by the Fife and Drum Corps will continue until 7:30 p.m. Hot cider and cookies will be sold on the streets.

p. Tim Sutphin, manager of historic area events for Colonial Williamsburg, is in charge of Grand Illumination. According to Sutphin, Williamsburg’s Grand Illumination has a long history.

p. In the 18th century, residents of the American colonies lit candles in their windows in honor of special events such as holidays, royal birthdays and military victories. Williamsburg kept the tradition and formalized it into a ceremony in 1935.

p. In the 1960s and ’70s, a ceremonial cannon fire and parade were added.

p. “The parade moved down Duke of Gloucester Street, stopping at each individual house and commanding it to light the Christmas candles in its windows. The Fife and Drum Corps led the parade with the militia, and the audience followed behind,” Sutphin said.

p. As tourism increased, the parade and cannon fire became impractical, and Grand Illumination evolved to its current format. The spirit of the parade is carried on in the town’s Christmas parade held at 9 a.m. on the day before Grand Illumination.

p. Sutphin called Grand Illumination “our holiday gift to the community. It’s unique and a great opportunity for students to have a good time — and it’s free.”

p. Michael Fox of Pyrotecnico in New Castle, Penn. is in charge of the historically accurate fireworks for the event. He explained that their main purpose is “to illuminate and complement the historical buildings.” Fox also explained that, “In keeping with the constraints of the 18th century, the fireworks are smaller than what we’re used to today and they’re also kept at a lower level.”

p. “Cakes” and “Roman candles” are two of the fireworks types used. Cakes consist of small tubes that quickly fire low aerial effects in succession. Roman candles shoot successions of individual fireworks from long paper tubes.

p. Smaller fireworks are easier to control and therefore safer to use around the historical buildings. They also allow crowds to get closer to the show. Keeping this in mind, Pyrotecnico designs set pieces and pictures in fire for the shows, including the Williamsburg crest, Christmas trees and wheels.

p. Because there are hundreds of fireworks in each cake and candle, the exact number of the hundreds of thousands of fireworks used in the 20-minute show is inestimable.

p. Computers will synchronize and electronically shoot off the fireworks. The shows are made identical for a purely practical reason: to evenly dispense the crowd. The only difference between them is that the Capitol’s fireworks will include a “Niagara Falls” pyrotechnic effect that looks like the famous waterfalls. This will be visible from all three sides of the Capitol building.

p. The shows are different each year because of changing availability and technology of the products used to build the fireworks.

p. Tiffany Bryant, a senior at the College, has attended Grand Illumination every year. “It’s really pretty and nice to be around people who aren’t studying,” Bryant said. “Also, it’s cool to watch fireworks in December.” Bryant said that the optimal place to stand is the Magazine, where all three shows can be seen simultaneously.

p. Setup for Grand Illumination is already underway. Speakers for the musical entertainment are put up three to four weeks in advance. A week before the event, residents of the colonial homes put up historically accurate holiday decorations that will remain until after Christmas. A crew of 20 rapidly sets up the fireworks around 8 a.m. Sunday and takes them down the same night. The fireworks at the Governor’s Palace are the last to be set up and the first to come down because the display blocks the doors to tourists.

p. Pyrotecnico says they will begin planning the displays and fireworks for next year immediately after Sunday’s show.