"Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" 4 Stars Less than a year after releasing "Grand Theft Auto 3," arguably the best game of the year, Rockstar Games has done it again. "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City," is everything that "Grand Theft Auto 3" was -- and more. Unlike "GTA3," which is set in the present, "Vice City" takes gamers back to the '80s and the fictional Vice City (basically Miami).
Travis Johnson isn't nervous anymore. Six weeks ago he was one of 260 who auditioned to perform at the Apollo Theater Amateur Night, and tonight he will take the Carmichael Auditorium stage alongside 12 other performers. Only one will be victorious. The winner of this competition gets $1,000, round-trip tickets to New York and a performing spot at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Since 1934, the theater has been a haven for new talent. What makes Amateur Night unique is audience participation -- the crowd is free to cheer on performers or to boo them off the stage.
Thomas Otten Hill Hall Auditorium Sunday, Oct. 6
What started as a dream became a reality for Zach Ward last weekend. From 10 p.m. Friday until 10 p.m. Saturday the Chapel Hill Players hosted the first annual 24 Live! -- a 24-hour marathon event of sketch comedy. The show was an opportunity for improv actors to get together and do what they do best -- make people laugh.
Victor Wooten Cat's Cradle Tuesday, Sept. 3
The Flatlanders Cat's Cradle Tuesday, Aug. 27 4 Stars Years ago, the Flatlanders were young, hip and at the top of their musical game. Tuesday night at Cats Cradle, they proved that they still have what it takes. From the first soulful twang of the acoustic guitar to the last hit on the drums, the band put on a show to remember.
Now that the residence halls are again filled with students, the spotlight has once again been placed on Internet file-sharing. More accurately, the focus now rests on the limitations the University has placed upon downloading. While the University has written these new rules due to moral and legal issues, a representative from the popular program LimeWire insist that the enterprise is completely legal. Greg Bildson, chief operating officer and chief technology officer for LimeWire, was quick to lay down what he sees as a misunderstanding.
Members of the local arts community will be reassured to know that as state officials work to combat a projected $1.2 billion budget deficit for the next fiscal year, arts programs across the board are standing stoically against the monetary woes. Rebuking rumors that area school systems are thinking of cutting funding for the arts programs, Orange County Board of Education member Delores Simpson said the board had not discussed making cuts specific to the arts. "As of now the arts programs are still safe," she said. "As of now the cuts are not in that direction."
The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center Hill Hall Friday, April 12 5 Stars Although The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center sent only six of its members to Chapel Hill, the well-reputed group's performance outplayed even the biggest orchestra. The orchestra performed Friday evening at Hill Hall, and its performance was as engaging as it was technically flawless.
Chapel Hill-based author Catherine Dowd learned at an early age that writing pays off. In the seventh grade, Dowd entered a writing contest with her class and won. The grand total of her earnings was $5. It wouldn't exactly pay for her college education, but Dowd had had her first big break as a writer. "Fiction writing is the road to easy money," Dowd told her school friends. Dowd chuckled at the memory of her first win while she was celebrating her most recent.
