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the incredible sandwich

The Incredible Sandwich: more than ham and cheese

Jam Bands produce a style of music that is simple and relaxing, music that anyone can just chill out to when they listen. Full story



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StumbleUpon offers people a new way to surf the Web

As midterms have come and gone, the average UNC Charlotte student has gotten used to spending vast amounts of time behind a computer screen, sucking in knowledge from professors over the past few months.

“Fringe” brings back “The X-Files” with flare

In the series David Duchovny (Agent Fox Mulder) brings his paranoia to work as an FBI agent investigating unsolved cases that were some how related to paranormal activity.

Battle of the Bands let students show off their musical talents

Radio Free Charlotte’s contest gave student bands chance to perform and compete for cash prizes

On Thursday, October 8 2009, local bands showcased their talent at the UNC Charlotte annual battle of the bands completion.

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Recent students play "[Sic]"

fter being at UNC Charlotte long enough to experience a few Robinson Hall theatre productions, I can confidently say that “[Sic]” has been the most enjoyable one yet.

Cautiously go “Where the Wild Things Are”

Writer/Director Spike Jonze has made possibly the strangest adaptation in several years, extrapolating the award-winning, beloved, and only 10-sentence-long “Where the Wild Things Are” children’s book into a feature-length film.

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The Office delivers episode fans have been waiting for

NBC's hit show The Office finally gave us the episode we have all been waiting for.

Toy Story 3D may not be worth admission price

The new re-release of the classic Disney/Pixar film lacks the original charm

In anticipation of the third installment of the “Toy Story” series to be released on June 18th of next year, Pixar Animation re-released “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2” as a double feature in Disney Digital 3D.

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Curb Your Enthusiasm reunites Seinfeld cast

For the thousands of “Seinfeld” fans out there who have been craving a comeback since the show's final episode on May 14, 1998, your wait is finally over.

Jay Leno's new show is a huge dissappointment

After Jay Leno’s departure in May from “The Tonight Show,” people were optimistic for “The Jay Leno Show” in hopes that his new primetime show would be different.

Epitaph Tour fails to please metal fans

Show makes fans realize that everytime they hear 'Every Time I Die' they die a little inside

It was a bad sign, when arriving at Amos’ in Southend for the much-anticipated Every Time I Die show as part of the “Epitaph Tour”, that the only people who were visibly over the age of sixteen were the parents chaperoning their children.

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Moore's new film takes on U.S. capitalism

In “Capitalism: A Love Story,” Moore takes a jab at the relationship between the U.S. economic system and the U.S. federal government.

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Surrogates illustrates the addiction to technology

New Bruce Willis film shows humans living through surrogate robots to get away from life

Technology is always advancing our society and changing our lives for the better, right?

FlashForward may not be worth it

“FlashForward” is a new show on ABC that premiered recently and has a “Lost”-like appeal to it.

The Cleveland Show off to a great start after series premiere

“The Cleveland Show” is now the third show created and developed by Seth MacFarlane to go on Fox, along with “Family Guy” and “American Dad.”

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Matt Hires shines at Double Door

Matt Hires, a 22-year-old FL native, performed at The Double Door Inn last Wednesday.

How DLC has changed gaming

Downloadable Content (DLC) is a new rage in the gaming community. With the dawn of mammoth-like games such as “Grand Theft Auto IV” and “Fable” when you beat the game, what to do after?

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ABC's The Modern Family

“The Modern Family”, ABC’s new primetime T.V. series airing Wednesday’s a 9, chronicles an American family, who, in all aspects of the word, are modern.

The Beginning of the Fall TV Shows

In case most of you were busy studying last week and missed all of the season premieres of your favorite shows or new shows which you have being dying to see, I am going to review my choice of the best premiere of each night, some honorable mentions, and a few surprises which have made up the Fall 2009 TV season so far.

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The Business of Being Born

On Monday, September 21 at 6 p.m. in the After Hours section of the Cone Center, the Feminist Union screened Ricki Lake’s documentary, “The Business of Being Born,” to around 100 spectators.

Belmont-based band creates own blend of bluegrass and folk rock

Take one part progressive bluegrass, one part American folk and add in a pinch of Doug Williams production and you have yourself “1988,” the debut album from Michael Ford Jr. and The Apache Relay.

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Moses Cherry plays the blues their way

Cherryville-based style of blues is something to behold after seeing them perform live

From the look of them, Moses Cherry & The Topless Gospel Choir might appear to be the strangest group of people you’ve ever seen. With long flowing hair from the lead guitar player, a clean-cut and aged appeal from the upright basses and a scuffled yet haggard look from the harmonica and percussion player, this acoustic trio are about as visually interesting as they are musically interesting.

Damon shines, but his new film stumbles

Matt Damon is one of the top leading men for the Hollywood circuit, no questions asked. He is well known for the thriving "Bourne" and "Ocean" franchises, though his latest release is a demonstration of his more curious role choices.

Annual Emmy awards wrap up

On September 20, 2009, the Emmy Awards celebrated their 61st anniversary mark. This year’s host, Neil Patrick Harris (star of CBS’s “How I Met Your Mother”), was said to “breathe new life” into this year’s award show.

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Joel McHale excels as star of new NBC comedy series

NBC is known for having some of the funniest shows on television. It is not a coincidence that they always group their flagship comedies on Thursday nights. This is “Must See Comedy” for a reason.

NoDa offers local artists their chance

Two miles north of uptown, a few blocks over from North Tryon Street, you’ll find a mixed and growing community based on a sprawling scene of artistic venues and small mom-and-pop shops.

Hex Dispensers debut album does not disappoint

Austin-based band finds its sound rooted with the 1970s style of punkrock and synth

After having their first practice on 06.06.06 and recording an album, along with a few singles and a split release, Austin-based Hex Dispensers have established themselves along the lines of bands like The Marked Men and now-defunct Observers.

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Sister Hazel "Releases" new hit album

Hazelnuts everywhere long awaited the Aug. 18 release of Sister Hazel’s newest album entitled “Release."

VMAs full of awards and surprise

Anticipated for weeks, the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) aired on Sunday, September 13.

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Improv leads to laughs

The Upright Citizens Brigade graced McKnight Hall on September 14, 2009 for a night of subtle innuendos and crazy laughs.

Jay-Z sets the auto tuner ablaze in new album

Over the course of the past thirteen years Shawn Carter (better known by his stage name Jay-Z), who is a hip-hop artist and former C.E.O. of Def Jam Records, has evolved both professionally and musically in the public eye.

CAB presents Jared Campbell in Norm's

Singer-songwriter Jared Campbell managed to fill Norm’s, the new game room and performance area located beside Outtakes in the Student Union.

The Beginning of the Fall TV Shows

In case most of you were busy studying last week and missed all of the season premieres of your favorite shows or new shows which you have being dying to see, I am going to review my choice of the best premiere of each night, some honorable mentions, and a few surprises which have made up the Fall 2009 TV season so far.

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Small turnout for YouTube clip contest doesn't damper evening

Friday night the Campus Activity Board put on their second annual YouTube clip contest where students could submit their favorite videos from the Web.

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Bullock shines in unique romantic comedy

“All About Steve” is not just a chick flick. It’s an adventurous comedy on a quest in search of one’s identity.

New V.I.C. Single

Michael Crooms of Collipark Records, who is well known for helping with the start of artists such as Soulja Boy, is taking on a new project with rapper V.I.C. and collaborating on V.I.C.'s latest single, "Say Bow" featuring J. Futuristic.

'9,' an imaginative experience

Creators with unconventional imaginations seem to thrive in the animation realm. Director Shane Acker used his inventiveness to command a post-apocalyptic world into life.

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"Gamer" action-packed, but confusing at times

“Gamer” is a film that earns its ‘R’ rating easily. The ride taken through Mr. Neveldine’s and Mr. Taylor's world is jarring and fast-paced.

CAB presents Jared Campbell in Norm's

Singer-songwriter Jared Campbell managed to fill Norm’s, the new game room and performance area located beside Outtakes in the Student Union.

No-Da based band a hit

Formed in late April by four North Davidson based artists, The Walrus and The Carpenter offers as interesting a sound as the name might suggest.

Post Grad captures reality

A recent college graduate, struggling to find a job despite her endless effort, sounds bleak, but it also is the world faced by many graduates after college. This is not only reality for the majority of young adults, but also the synopsis of the recently released movie, "Post Grad."

These Basterds were worth the wait

In what is without question the best movie of the summer so far, Brad Pitt stars as Lieutenant Aldo Raine, an officer leading a band of American Jews, as well as German and French dissenters, on a mission of terror against the Nazi regime.
 

Winters offers take on Austen's classic tale

Ben H. Winters never expected to end up writing collaboration with Jane Austen.
In "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters," Winters take Jane Austen's 1811 classic novel and infuses it with horror-movie seasoning

'New Norm'

New campus radio station hits the web

Over the past few decades the notion of a UNC Charlotte radio station has been considered and some even came close to fruition. This year the Student Media Board has recognized Radio Free Charlotte (RFC) as UNC Charlotte’s new official campus radio.

Freddy Jones Band's new album, surprisingly good

Throughout the 1990s, The Freddy Jones Band built a loyal following with their cross-country touring and never-ending stage performances. Touring with bands such as Widespread Panic, Phish, and the Dave Matthews Band, The Freddy Jones Band released five major records for Capricorn Records since 1994.

Cat Stevens releases new album

It’s not often that a musician from the era of classic rock puts out an album that is honestly nothing less than a “Best Of” or “Greatest Hits.” These compilation albums are nothing more than the artists squeezing out tired versions of the songs that they have been living off of for forty years now.

This Black Dragon spits fire

Wearing dark shaded sunglasses, in a dimly lit room, Brian Kan shows a goofy side before removing the shades to talk about his ambitions in the music industry. Kan, 21 and UNC Charlotte International Studies major, hopes to graduate in May of 2010.

Climb aboard the Cobra Starship

Good Girls Gone Bad; the latest hit by Cobra Starship, has been racing up the charts and is currently holding the number nine slot on Billboard’s top 100.

The Proposal: this summer's romantic comedy

The story is centered on Margaret Tate, a high powered book publishing executive, and her continuously put-upon assistant Andrew Paxton, Ryan Reynolds. Tate, who never has time to get her own coffee let alone speak with her immigration lawyers, is soon to be deported unless she can find a way to stay State-side. And so, at that very moment her grudging savior walks in the door.

 

What defines metal music?

North Carolina seems to be a prolific generator for what is loosely termed ‘hardcore’ music, as well as a haven for many of its fans. I say ‘loosely’ in order to encompass all at once the truly heavier forms of metal, punk, and even those scene-ish screamo-bands that incorporate some of the style into their songs.

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Depp robs $46M in 'Public Enemies' opening sesh

Lost amongst “Transformers 2” and “Ice Age 3” this weekend was Michael Mann’s new film “Public Enemies” about John Dillinger and his many bank robberies set in 1930s Chicago. 

Ctrl Z-Prototype is redefining the open-world genre

Open-world games are becoming more and more popular as gamers seem to cannot get enough of how you don’t have to play them straight through to get the desired results. Some popular examples are the “Grand Theft Auto” series, “Metroid,” and “Assassin’s Creed.”

'Transformers' sequel, full of special effects

The best way to sum up Michael Bay’s new action packed film “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” is that it’s fast, everything explodes, and you’ll leave the theater wanting to enlist in the military.

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The Hangover sets the bar for comedy this summer

“Anchorman,” “Superbad,” “The 40 Year Old Virgin,” and “Knocked Up.” These are some of the best comedies that have come out in recent years. I got a chance to see the new smash-hit comedy “The Hangover,” and let me just say that it was the funniest film I’ve seen in theaters since “Anchorman.”

Terminator Salvation, great addition to summer line-up

Overall if you are a fan of the great saga that is the Terminator series, then you will enjoy the newest installment. It is a great summer film that should make a ton at the box office.

Star Trek, boldy going to the top of the box office

It’s a veritable American classic, the space adventure movie. Cowboys were awesome, but why not put them in space and thus achieve that excessively ultimate pinnacle that we Americans are known so well to adore and cater to?

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Members of the Sea testing new waters in music

At a laid-back Wednesday night practice session with the band, Members of the Sea, a rich harmonizing sound of acoustic and bass guitars, drums, violin, trumpet, ukulele and xylophone resonated.

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X-Men Origins: Wolverine revives franchinse, but needs work

 

Sometimes a re-boot is necessary with movie franchises and history has shown us that it has worked very well. Some glaring examples are Christopher Nolan’s recent string of hits that have revived the Batman franchise from the campy era of the post-Joel Schumaker world.

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UNCC Short Film Festival

Over 100 people submitted their work to the UNC Charlotte Short Film Festival, adding up to roughly seven hours of material. Will Davis with the department of language and cultural studies and the judges have narrowed their selection down to two and a half hours.

Gliss uses ‘pure vibe’ to attract fans to new album

You have to love experimentation. From your first time … listening to a different genre of music, to sticking your tongue into … the taste buds of musical exploration. Gliss' album, “Devotion Implosion,” explores the experimenting nature we humans love so much; the side of the brain we stimulate by exploring. Gliss takes that thought, and does it through music.

“The Winter’s Tale” is best for Spring

Along with the end of main stage production in the Theatre department this year, Sunday also marked the last night of presentation of William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale,” directed by Department Chair James Vesce.

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Dancesport and J’Adore host Razzle Dazzle Dance Event

On April 18, the UNCC Dancesport club and the J’Adore Ballroom organization hosted a Swing and Rumba dance lesson and ballroom dancing showcase. This showcase included members of both organizations, consisting of groups ranging from two to 10.

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Ctrl Z: Cave Story game revamped for the PC and Wii

It’s not very often that a video game comes along that completely floors me in how perfect every aspect works together. Especially in today’s economic conditions, game publishers like Electronic Arts just don’t have the patience or money to work on a project until it is completely polished. But in the indie gaming scene, lone programmers are free to take as long as needed to make sure that the game is “just right.”

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“Nick D” is on your radio dial

The crowd was anxious for the headlining band, screaming and yelling inside Amos’ Southend, a popular Charlotte venue for local and national performers. Some of the concertgoers gathered around a table beside one of the several bars. A banner posted behind the table read “99.7 The FOX.” A tall, young man wearing a Boston Red Sox baseball cap was talking to people and giving away radio station paraphernalia. Enter Nick Diakun, a familiar voice and face in the Charlotte radio scene.

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Pat McGee is all country at heart

An appreciation for the acoustic sound that is country music jumps out from Pat McGee’s latest album, “These Days (The Virginia Sessions).” For the past 14 years, McGee and his band have toured across America, and now he’s gone solo.

BSU, NPHC step to the beat

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity take home the prize

Friday evening, the Black Student Union (BSU) and the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) held their annual step show. A step show is a performance that is put on by various teams, groups, or organizations that includes clapping and stomping hands and feet to produce rhythmic beats. Usually a theme is incorporated as well.

“Fast & Furious”

Franchise returns, sans-articles, with the same promising action

Paul Walker and Vin Diesel are back in “Fast & Furious,” and set up yet another thriller with more cars and more action. The fourth installment of the series features the same actors as the first movie, and ties into the others.

Review on Killzone 2

Finally, years after the original Killzone was released on the PS2 system, fans of the game have a true sequel to play. This long awaited game rivals all other first-person shooters in terms of game play, sound, controls, graphics, and overall concept.

Which browser is actually the best?

Have you ever wondered which Internet browser is actually the best? The University Times has put five of the most commonly used browsers to the test and the results are shocking. We decided to look at how many tests the browsers were able to complete from the Acid3 test series and how well they handled JavaScript.

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Frank Warren’s 300,000 dirty little secrets

PostSecret has taken the United States and other countries around the world by storm. The idea behind PostSecret is that one would write a secret that they have not told to anyone, and mail it to Mr. Frank Warren.

The Benjy Davis Project: rocking folks with folk rock

The name of the five-man Louisiana-based group says it all: this is a band surrounding Benjy Davis. From the first track to the last, the music centers around accompanying Davis’ vocals.

Fox Broadcasting animation domination politicization

In case you didn’t know, on Oct. 31, 2008, the Fox Network decided to cancel its second-longest running show in network history after the “The Simpsons.” That show, of course, is “King of the Hill.”

“Knowing” is smart sci-fi

The sci-fi thriller “Knowing,” starring Nicolas Cage (“8mm,” “Lord of War,” a bunch of crappy movies recently) and Rose Byrne (“Sunshine,” “Damages”), premiered Friday to a mixed critical reception.

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