US – Tuesday, February 9
The Grid
The week's releases
Metro staff reviews the latest CDs, DVDs and books for your reading pleasure.
 
The Word
Stern: I’d do ‘Idol’ for $100M
Howard Stern took to his radio show yesterday to address the rumors that he’s a possible replacement for Simon Cowell for the next season of “American Idol.” To sum it up? He’s not going for it.
 
New York Arts
Dancing while the skinny lady sings
You’ve heard of the jukebox musical? David Parsons and singers AnnMarie Milazzo and Tyley Ross of the East Village Opera Co. offer a jukebox opera, playing nightly at the Joyce. Eleven Parsons dancers share the stage with Milazzo and Ross, who clutch microphones cranked to 11 and stroll through the action. On the recorded soundtrack, three drummers create a wall of sound so loud you — well, I — want to hide under the seat. Digital video of abstract patterns, natural landscapes and stunning architecture change for each song.
 
My Books
The facets of Anne Frank and her diary
Generations of schoolchildren have read and recognized their own experiences in the words of Anne Frank, finding surprising commonalities with this young girl despite the passage of generations and the unique horror of  her situation. But according to Francine Prose’s fascinating new account of the writing of Frank’s diary, our veneration of her outpourings has eclipsed a proper assessment of Anne Frank — conscientious author.

 
Movies
Channing Tatum on love and war
Channing Tatum has worked in his fair share of genres, from indie films (“A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints”) to dance flicks (“Step Up”) to blockbusters (“G.I. Joe”). In his latest, “Dear John,” the Alabama native takes on a heavy Nicholas Sparks love story about a soldier in love while at war. He talks with us about true love and blowing stuff up.
 
Published 17:08, September the 24th, 2009
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The Lights Out, with, um, the lights out.   The Lights Out, with, um, the lights out.  
Photo: Creative Outlaw
 

Dreaming in ‘Color’ with the Lights out

The Lights Out Vs Martin Luther King
“I  had a dream,” Green declares. “I  dreamt this band. It literally started with me being unhappy with the band I was in before. I had a dream that I’ve never had before or since. I actually dreamed a song, a melody, and this imagery. I didn’t dream Adam, Jesse, and Matt…”

“For a second you had me wondering if I existed,” interrupts guitarist Adam Ritchie.  “I’m pinching myself over here.”

“When I woke up,” Green continues, “I knew I had to leave  the band I was in. This is a dream band for me; I love the process of working with these guys.”

 

 
With every artist and his aunt Twittering and Facebooking and claiming to no longer MySpace, bands are back to a level playing field when it comes to promotion. After all, what other tool can a rock ‘n’ roll band use on their journey to the top?

“Your  craft is your best tool,” advises Lights Out frontman Rishava Green. 

“It comes back to the quality of what you’re putting out. Twitter is a tool; Facebook is a tool; MySpace… is a tool that still has some utility for us,” he admits.

Craft is what this Boston-based crunchy power rock quartet has taken to heart, gradually honing their songwriting and waiting more than two years before releasing their full-length record,  “Color Machine,”  which officially launches tonight.

“We’re starting to send out little shoots of our sound as three-dimension al,” he says, in discussing the physical release of a CD, but possibly also citing his bandmates for the fuller sound.

“We get on with each other so well and we’ve been able to fall into a creative process that helps everybody feel that it’s their band. It’s not my band, I’m not telling you what to play. Everyone has ideas. There’s no better feeling than having complete trust in the guys with you.”

 


Township

With The Lights Out, Reverse, and Roman Traffic
Friday, 9 p.m.
T.T. the Bear’s Place
10 Brookline St., Cambridge
MBTA: Red Line to Central
$20, 18+, 617-492-BEAR
www.ttthebears.com

Linda Laban