Author: Admin

When you think about the 1960s, underwater metropolises and drill-armed creatures in anachronistic diving suits probably aren’t what typically come to mind. Then again, Bioshock isn’t your typical first-person shooter.

It’s Halloween. You’re bored. Your hands are shaking from a candy-induced diabetic seizure. Now is the ideal time to shake your ass to some live music, preferably while dressed like Chewbacca and/or a slutty nurse/angel/stripper/cat/fire hydrant/etc. Regardless of your preference, we’re pretty sure you have something worth showing off, and here’s a list of the best places at which to do just that.

Black Elk know a thing or two about delivering a pummeling. The Portland band’s 2006 self-titled debut was a lesson in the finer points of aural bloodletting, mixing equal parts Melvins’ guitar sludge, Unsane’s groovy thud and their own angular, math-rock buzz.

Fuck! Shit! Bitch! Are you offended yet? If so, turn away. Still here? OK. How about this… Cocks! Cunts! Cum! For those of you that are left after that barrage of expletives, you may just be the target audience for Kevin Smith’s new film, Zach and Miri Make a Porno.

Things were looking grim for Portland State through two quarters Saturday. The Vikings owned only a narrow 13-16 lead over winless Idaho State, were plagued by a flurry of missed tackles and starting quarterback Dew Hubel had already thrown two interceptions and lost a fumble.

As the words “Portland State” rolled off former Vice President Al Gore’s tongue Wednesday evening, the whoops, cheers and claps that came from over 300 people gathered in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom was deafening. The occasion was “Blood, Guts and (Al) Gore,” an event that brought Gore to the South Park Blocks via a 30-minute webcast that stressed the importance of college students voting to hold elected officials accountable for moving towards clean and renewable energy.

Six days away from my cozy family farm, knee-deep in monster guts, a little icon pops up on my screen. My husband, Ted the Pie Trader, has sent me, his wayward hero-of-all-Albion wife, a message. Putting away my long sword, I pause to read it. Was something wrong with the farm? Was the town being pillaged by bandits? No. The message read: Husband wants sex.

About midway through the new documentary I.O.U.S.A., one of the main protagonists, a geeky-looking policy analyst who drinks Tab, makes this complaint: “The budget deficit just isn’t a sexy issue.” This is true. That’s probably because abstract economic issues don’t really touch the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.

In these dire times of too little money and too few great bands we have, thankfully, been given The Five. Ticket prices can be high. You have to know how to look for the shows that pass the cost/benefit analysis. Luckily we have our saviors, right on campus, a group of people connected to the local music scene that can coordinate brilliant low-dough shows for up and coming bands.

Portland State students may be interested to know that Al Gore is coming to campus today. Well, kind of. Gore will be “present” for a live webcast tomorrow in the Ballroom of Smith Memorial Student Union, where the former Vice President and Nobel Peace Laureate will be addressing college students around the country about climate change, sustainability and the importance of voting.