*** out of ***** Some movies, such as Baby’s Day Out or Killer Klowns From Outer Space, are doomed from the beginning. A terrible soundtrack, bad casting choices, or a poorly written script can turn...

Before Iowa City’s witches, ghouls, risqué cops, and naughty nurses put away their costumes and candy pails this past Oct. 31, the Coralville Wal-Mart was preparing to inject shoppers with a hefty dose...

Trans-identity is not defined by any clear walls or limitations. stef shuster [sic], a Trans-identified UI graduate student, said the guidelines aren’t easily definable. “Everyone’s idea of what...

Dominating the contemporary world of music, the JACK Quartet is a four-man super squad armed with bows and strings. Whether it is decoding 700-year-old musical scripts for a modern-day audience or distorting...

Comedian Paula Poundstone was “born” to Tweet. Twitter allows her to make jokes about things she sees in her life that don’t always make it into her performance, she said. “I do the same goddamn...

Chris Ford is writhing on the floor. It’s his last song, and with his band still jamming on stage, he belts out improvised lyrics while curled up in the fetal position. An entranced audience circles...

For Brenda Hillman, falling in love with an art form is quite like falling in love with a person. Finding the excitement of new love and exploring its depths are exactly how she approaches her poetry,...

On the surface, Rubblebucket is a nine-piece, Northeastern U.S. band. But digging a little deeper reveals the Afro-beat, high-energy dance-rock experience, which lead vocalist and tenor sax player Kalmia...

Sonny and Cher, Johnny Cash and June Carter, Jay-Z and Beyoncé. Each couple bridged work and their relationships and ended up with hit songs. Herp Alpert and Lani Hall are two musicians also crossing...

The festival is as epic as the stories and events that preceded it centuries ago. According to the Hindu fable Ramayana, Diwali — the festival of lights — commemorates the return of Lord Raama, his...

Singer Ezra Furman’s pink and white shirt is named “The Pigeon Brigade.” Titling his band’s many songs could be a bother — but Furman titles just about everything in life. With more than 100...

As musical genres become increasingly more specific — especially in metal, which can range from thrash and speed to grindcore and even rap metal — it can be difficult for a band to find its own niche. Des...