Dots. Raised or flat, they have a multitude of uses. They keep us driving in the correct lane; they end sentences. On old printers, they formed characters. They represent letters and numbers to the blind by way of Braille. In that form, they also inspire artist Christopher French to create…

I don’t get it. When I’m out of the loop, I try to hide it as best I can. But those freaks over at WaterTower Theatre want to shout it from the rooftops…or from the stage, at least. They’re all about it. They even have a festival: the Out of…

To (possibly) be famous, or to be blue-collar? That is the question. For Larry the Cable Guy, it’s a non-issue. Then again, he’s a total sham in a sleeveless flannel so perhaps I shouldn’t even grant him the honor of that mention. For Troy Maxson, Negro Baseball League star-cum-garbage man…

After hearing the tale of Gram Parsons being “laid to rest” in Joshua Tree National Monument (it’s one of the best rock ‘n’ roll stories ever), I had to wonder if I had any friends loyal enough to steal my corpse. It also made me think of how people recuperating…

Well, it wouldn’t be the Oscars without a nomination for Judi Dench, but really, all I have to say is Alan Arkin. C’mon, people. Have you seen Little Miss Sunshine? ‘Cause you’re gonna need to. STAT. Don’t give me your Dreamgirls shtick, because frankly, the whole musician biopic thing is…

Nothing beats a big-money, widow-making scheme…especially when it also involves the most far-fetched character names (Grubby Shurtz, Golda Miner, Forrest Green, Big Harry Deal and others), numerous costume changes and a mine shaft. Right. A mine shaft. A lumberjack, a guy named Lucky Betts, a “hilarious climax” and a mine…

OK, everybody already knows that Cirque du Soleil is not your average circus experience. Sure, there’s a big top, but instead of questionably treated animals doing spirit-destroying stunts beneath it, there’re incredibly talented acrobats, dancers, gymnasts, contortionists and every other sort of body artist doing death-defying feats that more than…

DJ Aaron Bisman is the CEO of JDub Records—the label responsible for the success of Matisyahu…but we’ll forgive him that. The goal of the 26-year-old and his company to spread Jewish culture through contemporary music genres such as punk, hip-hop, jazz and others while providing positive role models to young…

Lots of artists take the occasional hiatus after pouring themselves into and releasing solid projects. There’s Jeff Magnum, Lindsay Buckingham, Warren Beatty and freakin’ Joe Pesci. It’s a motley crew of sorts but it proves the point that when the work is important to creator, time lapse doesn’t make it…

Sudden death is neither easily understood nor reconciled. Oftentimes, survivors cling to the tangible, material memories those that pass leave behind. When possible, the most amazing mourning for and celebration of a life can take place thanks to the dead’s creations. We can feel the artist’s energy. We can fawn…

King of the Road, a musical about a vaudeville family nearing the end of the line if they don’t step up and find a new act, reminds us of two things: Roger Miller (for obvious reasons) and The Aristocrats (because we’re really hoping this is not the sort of act…

I gotta say, I love me some socks…almost as much as I love pants. So at last Saturday’s opening of Eric Trosko’s Synepet exhibition at Road Agent, 2909-A Canton St., as I gazed upon a pair of glazed canvases and a fine pair of furry socks, I got real stoked…

Yes, it’s true. I thought Hall and Oates’ “Private Eyes” was a warning that my parents (and everyone else’s) had hired, well, Magnum-like employees to follow my actions so they could ground me at any moment. In my case, I was totally boring and only hoping for activities that required…

How do you tell your real friends from the fakers? You know, which are the ones that would take a bullet—or at least, tell you they would—and which are the ones that smile, nod, agree with you to your face and then remove that smiling mask like a villain in…

He could make you quit smoking. He could make you conquer your stage fright and sing that rousing rendition of “Sweet Caroline” you’ve always wanted to sing…Or comic hypnotist Flip Orley could make you piss yourself in front of a live audience (from laughing too hard, mind you). Take a…

A group of friends and a truck crash. That story can’t end well, can it? Perhaps “well” isn’t exactly the right term, but “interesting” could sure fit the bill. And “illogical.” When it comes to Schrödinger’s Ball, a novel by Adam Felber, “entertaining” might work as well—especially since the friends…

Back when I was in my big ’50s phase at about 12 years old, I was appalled to learn that my mother once traded an Elvis autograph (my granddad rode on a plane with him once) for Pat Boone’s. Seriously. See, she grew up on oil bases and all the…

Shooting a portrait is all about capturing subjects as they truly are. Well, fine, OK, not exactly capturing the subject, literally, but capturing the spirit of the subject. Their mood, expression, split-second emotion can all be captured in a well-shot photograph. That’s part of the artistic aspect, though—the stuff for…

Is it weird to anyone else that comedian Jeff Burghart includes a “Testimonials” section on his Web site? Something about that “Proof that people think I’m funny” page screams not only, “Look at my giant ego!” but also, “I might possibly be desperate for gigs…corporate functions are no problem!” But…