A 9L Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day, beloved readers! To celebrate, we offer you a Valentine in the form of the brand new, music video for "Old Skin" by The Size Queens along with an extra special treat, "Affirmations for a Blow Up Doll." We hope you love it. And most importantly, be sure to leave your own affirmations here in the comments section!

Rock Geek Chic

Philip Graham, former 9L fiction editor and current CNF editor, will appear on WEFT's Rock Geek Chic hosted by William Gillespie (current issue, vol. 7, no. 2 and vol. 1, no. 2) and Christy Scoggins tonight at 8pm. The broadcast can be streamed live! On the playlist tonight is "Typewriter Torment," a song about writer's block.

Jazz concerts, film, open mic: oh my!

What's upcoming at Krannert Art Museum...


Thursday, October 2
Tea ceremonies conducted by Kimiko Gunji, director of Japan House, in conjunction with the Kyoko Ibe exhibit
Krannert Art Museum, 5:30-6:30 pm

A Taste of Art Lecture Series
Collecting Art, Locally and Internationally, Ian Wang, associate curator, Spurlock Museum
KAM Auditorium, 6:00 pm

Sudden Sound Concert
MIYUMI Trio, featuring Tatsu Aoki and Hide Yoshihasi: Chicago-based musicians performing unique blends of traditional Japanese music/taiko (drumming), jazz, and improvisation
Contemporary Gallery, 7:30 pm

VOICE MFA student reading
featuring Lillian Bertram, Arley McNeney, Micah Riecker
Link Gallery, 7:30 pm


Saturday, October 4
Kids@Krannert family festival
Krannert Art Museum, 10:00 am-12:00 pm


Thursday, October 9
Dance performance by contact improvisation dancer and assistant professor of Dance Kirstie Simson
Krannert Art Museum, 5:30-6:30 pm

IPRH Film Series
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991), Fax Bahr and George Hickenlooper, directors
KAM Auditorium, 5:30 pm

SPEAK Cafe
Open-mic for hip-hop and Black Power expression
Palette Cafe, 7:00-9:00 pm


All events @ Krannert Art Museum, 500 E. Peabody Drive, Champaign, IL. FREE and open to the public.

Find out more by visiting KAM's website, signing up for e-news (email kam@illinois.edu), or by joining the museum's facebook group.

Pygmalion Music Festival and more at Krannert Art Museum

Tuesday, September 16
A Call to Arts: Open Critique with exhibiting artist Kyoko Ibe and assistant professor of Dance Kirstie Simson
Krannert Art Museum, 7:00 pm

Thursday, September 18
Pygmalion Music Festival featuring Oceans, Catfish Haven, Oxford Collapse, Evangelicals, and Murder By Death
KAM Link Gallery, 6:00 pm
(Admission is still free, but you may need a wristband to get in due to capacity limitations. Purchase one here.)

Friday, September 19
Pygmalion Music Festival featuring Casados, Caleb Engstrom, Owen, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, and Santa
KAM Link Gallery, 6:00 pm
(Admission is still free, but you may need a wristband to get in due to capacity limitations. Purchase one here.)

Thursday, September 25
Dance performance by contact improvisation dancer and assistant professor of Dance Kirstie Simson
Krannert Art Museum, 5:30-6:30 pm

Woodbox Gang Goes to Washington

Illinois is well represented tonight in our nation's capital. The Woodbox Gang, Southern Illinois' very own "caustic acoustic trashcan americana" band will perform at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts at 6pm on the Millenium Stage, admission is free and no ticket required. If you are in the area try and get a seat. This group never disappoints with their eclectic instrumentation, vocal depth and lyrical genius - plainly said these boys bring down the house.

For more information on upcoming Woodbox Gang shows, mp3's and cds check out http://www.woodboxgang.homestead.com/index.html

Pygmalion Music Festival has Arrived!

Beginning today and runnng through Saturday(September 19-22), the 2007 Pygmalion Music Festival enlivens the Urbana-Champaign music scene with an impressive selection of independent bands. Diverse influences and sounds converge in this gathering which features a range of artists from the internationally known Andrew Bird, the unmatched originality of Dianogah, gospel phenomenon Yeasayer and the amazing local talent of Ryan Groff. And many, many more! Check out the full schedule and ticket info at http://www.pygmalionmusicfestival.com/ .

2007 Pulitzer Prize winners

The news was nearly lost yesterday amid the coverage of the tragic shootings in Virginia, but the 2007 winners of the Pulitzer Prize were announced. Notable among these were novelist Cormac McCarthy for The Road (he must be over the moon, winning this on top of being selected for Oprah's book club), and Emory University professor Natasha Trethewey for her poetry collection Native Guard. Jazz musician Ornette Coleman won for Sound Grammar, making him only the second jazz artist to win in the prize's history. Special citations were also given to two American legends, author Ray Bradbury and saxophonist John Coltrane.

On a day of sadness, it's good, if bittersweet, to honor those who bring beauty to the world.


(P.S. I just have to note here also that UI's own Richard Powers, beloved teacher and friend, was a Pulitzer finalist this year for his National Book Award-winning novel The Echomaker.)