When dreaming of Virginia cuisine, images of fried chicken, grits, pies and cobblers pop into most of our heads. Yet Charlottesville is home to a surprisingly eclectic range of international restaurants: from Spanish tapas at Mas to sosatie at Shebeen to dumplings at Marco and Luca’s, you can travel a world of cuisine in an evening.

In this spirit, we had been itching to try the Brazilian fare at Copacabana. For a night we could be transported to Brazil and sample delicious foods, tropical drink in hand, with the beat of samba dancing in our ears.

Maybe those expectations were slightly unrealistic. Upon stepping into Copacabana’s dining room it was clear no effort was being made to transport us to the southern hemisphere. Tacky travel posters, random plants and floral seat cushions do not an exotic atmosphere make. The atmosphere was much more Middle America than South America.

Such geographical confusion reigned on the menu as well. Although it may have been unrealistic to expect truly authentic Brazilian food in the Shopper’s World Court on 29 North, this “Brazilian International” menu seemed to take the “international” much more seriously than the “Brazilian.” There were heavy doses of France (Brie, escargots), Spain (paella) and standard American (Caesar salad, NY strip steak) fare. Many of the entrees seemed to be the same food, such as chicken breast, doused in different types of sauces.

Though we were confused, we went on intrepidly, bravely ordering the baked Brie appetizer to share. We were pleasantly surprised: the Brie, in a super-crisp breadcrumb coating with strawberry sauce, was pretty good. One problem: we had come to eat Brazilian food, not a French cheese you can find at a dozen other Charlottesville restaurants.

In an attempt to try some slightly more Brazilian fare, we branched out with our entrees. Ann ordered the highly recommended house paella, while James tried the vaguely titled “chicken and shrimp in spicy Brazilian sauce.” Although the sauce was, indeed, spicy and quite tasty, the lackluster chicken breast, two — count ‘em, two — shrimp and boring pasta and vegetables were poor accompaniments. After a few bites, the initially interesting sauce became monotonous and didn’t quite manage to mask the bland meats and veggies.

The “paella Copacabana” fared even worse in our books. This (supposedly) hearty dish of pork, chicken, shrimp and shellfish cooked in rice can be delicious but was less than mediocre here. Although the scallops were sweet, tender and cooked perfectly, the chicken and sausage were dry and the entire dish lacked a flavor that no amount of added salt could remedy. It was clear that saffron — necessary in paella — was completely absent. The turmeric-stained rice was watery and flavorless and the accompanying collard greens tasted and looked more like Easter grass than the savory side (we had come for South America, not the American South).

The highlight of the meal was the passionfruit mousse, which packed a surprisingly tangy punch. Although the presentation was nothing special, the dessert was cool and refreshing after our schizophrenic entrees. It was decadent without being too rich — downright delicious.

The mousse, however, was too little too late, especially when we got the bill. Although $15-$20 is not necessarily exorbitant for an entrée, it is far too much for the quality of food we were served. Copacabana capitalizes on its exotic sounding ingredients but definitely cuts corners.

In fact, Copacabana makes very little effort to be either authentic or original. It seems to cater to a more middle-aged clientele, who may want to feel exotic without venturing out of their meat-and potatoes-comfort zone. We, on the other hand, were not comfortable at all.

For beginners in fine art appreciation, there is no better place to start than the Newcomb Art Gallery. That’s right, Newcomb has an art gallery. The gallery, located on the third floor of Newcomb, is currently holding a juried exhibition of student art.

Great, but what the hell is a juried exhibition? Students submit their artwork for display, and a jury of other student artists, art historians and faculty recognize top pieces. For artists, these shows have a bit more credibility than non-competitive displays — winning one of these bad boys looks great on a resume. Dozens of University students submitted their artwork to the Eighth Annual Juried Art Show, on display in Newcomb Art Gallery through April 8.

Okay, now we know there is an art gallery with a juried exhibition, so what do you do once you get there?

As a fledgling art connoisseur, one of the first things you’ll want to notice is the medium of an artwork, be it oil paintings or pencil sketches. At this year’s juried exhibition, students flex their artistic muscle and display a range of working talent from charcoal city scenes to acrylic abstractions to watercolor landscapes.

Next you will want to be aware of the artworks’ genre. Is it green with trees and grass? Probably a landscape. Is it totally unrecognizable? Abstraction. The 2005 juried exhibition features these genres, as well as portraiture and photographs of Spain, little children and haunting, vacuous spaces around Grounds.

Most important to you as an art aficionado is how the piece makes you feel. If the scene of a marshy dock at sunset reminds you of something hanging in your grandfather’s house, you can say it’s nostalgic. If the painting of a clear stripper heel and mannequin head circumscribed by a string of bright orange lights makes you think “Vegas, baby,” you can call it edgy. If the photograph of black and white children staring at each other from opposite sides of a street makes you aware of racial gaps, the piece is socially conscious.

If the last few paragraphs have whet your appetite for art, swing by the Newcomb Art gallery before April 8 and test drive your new critical skills. The exhibition has a People’s Choice Award — you can cast your vote for that little firecracker photograph of a flamenco dancer — you know, the one that used the photographic medium to capture a fleeting moment and make the viewer feel the charge and kinesis of the dancer… blah, blah, blah.

You get the point.

Hi. My name is Molly. In the immortal words of Kriss Kross, “I’m the Mac and I’m bad. I’ll give you something that you never had.”

Brace yourself, because in this week’s music column I’m going to send you on a little treasure hunt. Grab your Bics and checklists, and keep your eyes peeled for action, mystery, surprise, blood, sweat and tears (plus a random reference to two 13-year-old rappers from the early ’90s).

I was lucky enough to schedule an interview with Richmond-based rock band Engine Down before the Suicide Prevention Concert at Starr Hill last Friday.

It was going to be a great night, an awesome experience. Boy, was I psyched to interview Engine Down. Boy, was I excited to see them live. Boy, was I startled when a lady fell down the steps in front of me and broke her leg (surprise — check).

Luckily, the band was understanding. In fact, that sort of thing happens all the time to vocalist Keeley Davis.

“It never fails that when I’m waiting in line somewhere, the old lady in front of me will fall down and spill all her stuff,” Davis said.

With these sympathetic words, the interview began. The boys of Engine Down are what I would call super-hardcore road warriors. That is, if I can say “super-hardcore road warriors” without immediately categorizing myself as lame. (Humor — check. No? Oh, alright.)

“We keep touring because we just have to,” guitarist Jonathan Fuller said.

Going on the road seems tame enough, but long nights, monotonous hotels and endless shows demand a level of energy that is difficult to sustain for weeks on end. Engine Down has played in a slaughterhouse, a zoo and on a boat in Paris. They’ve been to Europe twice before and are crossing the ocean again this April.

In August of their 2004 tour, $53,000 worth of equipment and personal items was stolen, along with the band’s van (blood, sweat and tears — check).

“Our whole lives were in the van,” remembered Fuller.

Davis agreed, saying, “It was definitely the hardest thing we’ve ever been through. Luckily, our fans really helped us out.”

After finishing the tour, the band returned to Richmond and headed into the studio.

“We enjoy both recording and touring, but it’s like comparing apples and oranges,” Fuller explained.

Their self-titled album came out in 2004, featuring “Rogue,” a catchy song with chunky guitar work and a chorus that you can’t get out of your head. It’s a crowd favorite and will fill your prescription for rock like nothing else.

The band members practice daily when they’re writing, a feat made easier because only one of them has a “real” job; bassist Jason Wood works at a Richmond diner.

“It’s the sketchiest place you’ve ever seen. If I didn’t work there, I’d be scared to go inside,” Wood said, declining to tell me the establishment’s name (mystery — check).

Engine Down released its first album, Under the Pretense of Present Tense in 1998. The guys have been “doing the full-time band thing” ever since.

“It doesn’t seem like anything has changed to us. It’s like, ‘Wait, we didn’t always do it that way?’” drummer Cornbread Compton said of the band’s changes.

Davis, the group’s lyricist, mentioned the difference between their earlier songs and their recent work: “There’s innocence to our earlier records. They’re blissfully naïve.”

“But it’s all been learning and growing. We’re a different band than we were on our first album,” Wood added.

Fuller finished the conversation by saying, “We know how to be a band now, and that’s the biggest difference.”

Engine Down’s performance at Starr Hill was polished –the band has been performing for so long they seem almost bored. Still, the faster songs sparked the audience into a surging mass of dancing bodies, crowned by several failed attempts at crowd surfing (action — check).

Though classified as post-hardcore, Engine Down cites influences ranging from Motley Crüe to Fiona Apple to Dinosaur Jr. If you’re lucky, these awesome guys (super- hard-core road warriors!) will be coming to a city near you.

Before I go, I’d like to thank the bands that have contacted me to be featured here. Your interest means I get to do cool stuff on a continual basis. Rad readership — check.

There’s something in the air on the Corner. At a certain time in late evening, when darkness has enveloped the shops and restaurants, walk the uneven brick sidewalk past the cobbled drive next to Michael’s Bistro. You can almost hear the faint rhythm of swing eighths, the whisper of a crooning singer, the piquant whine of a spirited trumpet. If you haven’t heard it yet, spend a night at Michael’s on one of their jazz Mondays — you’ll never walk the Corner the same way again.

Whether jazz at Michael’s reflects a new phenomenon or simply something that’s been happening in different forms for a long time, the student jazz scene is budding at U.Va. And whether you’re a jazz lover or a newbie, there’s not a better way to spend a Monday night close to Grounds.

Yet, all jazz evenings at Michael’s are not equivalent. In fact, what is so interesting about the student jazz “movement” is that it’s emerging from two groups of performers simultaneously.

The first Mondays of the month were claimed by The Sharp Five, a group of polished and slick-improvising students from the U.Va. music department who has honed its skills together for several years playing in curricular jazz ensembles. The tight-knit group of mostly fourth years now rehearses once a week and includes trumpet player Andrew Robertson, guitarist Evan Wolf, bassist Taylor Clark, pianist Kait Dunton and drummer Todd Wellons.

Most of the musicians in The Sharp Five got their start in jazz in the same place: U.Va. music professor John D’earth’s improvisation workshop. Clark said the class has “a lot of different types of people. Some not-so-serious players and wanna-be serious players start off in that class.”

The second group of Michael’s performers is comprised of professional jazz singer Stephanie Nakasian, pianist Hod O’Brien and her vocal students. Nakasian teaches non-classical voice lessons to students at U.Va.

Though Nakasian has a busy touring schedule for her own singing, she said making time to sing at Michael’s with her students is important for their musical development.

“A lot of these students haven’t heard live vocal jazz performances,” she said. “I can talk about jazz as much as I want, but until they actually listen to a lot of it and hear it, they’re just not going to get it.”

Nakasian noted, “there’s a certain style that is jazz” that she hopes to instill in her students by performing with them at Michael’s.

Nakasian described the vocal jazz performances as a relatively new event in the U.Va. scene, and said she hopes performing at Michael’s will expose the community to vocal jazz as well.

On the other hand, performances in the community are nothing new for the students of The Sharp Five. Gigs around town are a common occurrence, as these proficient musicians can pick up and improvise with almost any group that is familiar with jazz. Clark said of various ad-hoc gigs around town, “You just show up and do it.”

The group used to gig regularly at Espresso Royale (now Qdoba) on the Corner. The musicians often play for drinks or meals at the venues they play. Trumpet player Andrew Robertson said of local gigs, “It’s not a money thing, it’s just for fun.”

The Sharp Five’s performances are also about showcasing themselves as a group that has performed together for a long time.

“We spend all this time playing together and practicing, to not actually get to apply it and put it to good use would be a waste,” Clark said.

The impact of student jazz on Corner audiences has been significant. Dunton said of the first instrumental jazz night at Michael’s: “It was packed. It was amazing. …It’s really not well-advertised, so I was surprised when we came out there were all these people.”

Likewise, the impact of a student audience on the jazz musicians has been positive. Nakasian said, “When the audience is really with you it affects and enhances your music.”

The Sharp Five musicians had conflicting views on whether audiences have been totally in tune to the intricacies of the jazz being played. While Clark acknowledged that classes such as the History of Jazz improve audience understanding, Dunton said most people “probably don’t know the tunes.”

The musicians play from large books of chords, called “fake” books, which contain songs mostly from the 1930s and 1940s or pieces from the jazz “canon.” The musicians improvise on these tunes with their own harmonies, filling in the notes as they go along.

This allows lots of room for a group to put their own “spin” on a piece of music. Robertson noted his favorite part of improvising with The Sharp Five: “I like when we take just any old song and kind of put our own twist on it — maybe put a different rhythmic feel over it, or stretch the improv sections a little longer, and just meld it into something of our own.”

The U.Va. Jazz Curriculum and Beyond

The jazz nights at Michael’s are supplementary to a thriving jazz program at U.Va.

“It’s a misconception a lot of people have that jazz is a new thing, but it’s been going on here for a long time,” Dunton said.

Guided by faculty members, jazz students can participate in a number of ensembles that perform anywhere from Old Cabell Hall to local bars and restaurants.

Dunton noted, though, that compared to classical music at U.Va., the jazz program can seem more underground.

“The structure of the small groups is confusing,” she said. “It’s not very clear in the COD or on the music Web site.”

Michael’s student-oriented jazz nights are an important addition to the curricular jazz program at the University. While it remains an iconic American tradition, Dunton said it is important for jazz to be performed in more relaxed settings such as bars and clubs because it recently has been showcased in concert halls.

“It’s supposed to be a shared art and take inspiration from whatever,” she said. “When it’s so formalized it’s too bad.”

Nakasian said, “Real jazz is in clubs,” and added that she plans to continue jazz nights about once a month into next semester if Michael’s Bistro is willing. She has an increasing number of students who are interested and ready to sing for Corner audiences.

The Sharp Five will “probably disband,” according to Robertson, after this year most of its members are graduating. But, don’t expect jazz on the Corner to disappear. Though the faces may be different, Robertson noted, “That’s the great thing about this kind of genre. …If you find people who have done this kind of playing before, you can make a pick-up group.”

While the group has different people every year, small combos will continue to enrich the student jazz scene as a part of U.Va.’s jazz programs.

With venues such as Michael’s Bistro offering space for student jazz, along with the seeming readiness of U.Va. audiences to take in quality jazz performances, musicians would do well to continue the trend of performing on the Corner.

Nakasian and The Sharp Five have really got something here – and it’s more than just rhythm. They may have struck a chord on just what the Corner, and the U.Va. jazz scene needed.

The Music: Two Evenings of Jazz

Now that you’ve got the dish on what’s behind the Michael’s Bistro jazz nights, what is it like coming out to one of these gigs? More importantly, is it worth sacrificing a Monday night’s worth of homework just to see some student jazz? For a resounding “yes,” read on.

Monday, March 14, The Sharp Five:

I was first struck by the atmosphere inside Michael’s — deep red walls and high, arched windows give the bar an earthy feel with a hint of intellectual chic. It seemed like the perfect place to experience some much-needed culture.

At around 10 p.m., Chat Hull, a third-year College student who sings with both The Sharp Five and the student vocalists, was helping the group set up their myriad instruments: a keyboard, drum set, several music stands, amplifiers, etc. Glasses of beer abounded on small café tables that had been pushed aside to accommodate the quintet. The musicians looked like average students; I was waiting to see when these casual, denim-clad kids would transform into smooth, improvising jazz geniuses. I wasn’t disappointed.

From the moment Andrew Robertson lifted his trumpet when the first tune began, The Sharp Five engaged the audience superbly. They are clearly well-practiced as an ensemble, and each member contributed excellent and often fascinating solos to the evening’s music.

Pianist Kait Dunton is especially interesting to watch. As her fingers plunk and twinkle across the keys, she appears to be scat singing, her mouth forming vowels with the same rapidity as her musical ideas. I was able to find out more about this style.

“I don’t know where I got that from. …But if you were playing an instrument, you’d need breath support, so the way you’d form your lines is kind of like you’d play an idea — you take a breath,” she said. “A lot of times piano players will get stuck in this rut where you just play and play and play, because you don’t think about breathing. …I guess with the singing thing I learned how to better shape an idea. … It’s more melodic, and breath is like a biorhythm for all of us.”

I came away from this evening of jazz feeling truly inspired by these young artists. I regret not staying until the end –- “jazz time” dictates gigs can last until around 1:30 a.m. If you do visit Michael’s, stay as long as you can. While the homework and sleep you might miss will probably prove insignificant, performances like this are what you’ll really remember from college.

Monday, March 21, Stephanie Nakasian, Hod O’Brien, and student vocalists:

Nakasian said of her husband in an interview: “Hod’s been my mentor, and I just think he’s the greatest piano player. He really brings out the swing in me that others don’t.” This was certainly visible from the famous jazz couple’s performance together.

Revisiting Michael’s same great atmosphere for another jazz performance, I immediately noticed a smaller setup, with only a keyboard, a microphone, and bongos buffering the makeshift stage.

This performance had a more informal feel than the jazz combo’s. It felt more like an open mic event when the students performed, although several vocalists distinguished themselves with a good feel for jazz rhythm and soulful interpretation on ballads.

In this setting, though, it seems practice makes polished: Chat Hull clearly had experience singing solo jazz and ventured well into scat singing.

Nakasian served as a beacon for what truly professional, sophisticated jazz singing can sound like. She is a perfect imitator of jazz instruments, and at times fascinatingly sounded like a trumpet or saxophone while enhancing a tune with her improvisations. O’Brien’s own improvisations were nothing short of professionally brilliant. The Corner is certainly being classed-up by this duo.

Despite the stunning talent of these pros, the students’ vocals were showcased well. Their development in jazz also will be an interesting and valuable addition to the Corner’s music scene.

See the calendar (page 11) for details on The Sharp Five at Michael’s April 4. For more on Stephanie Nakasian’s performances check out www.stephanienakasian.com.

It would be nearly impossible for Queens of the Stone Age to better or even match its 2002 breakout hit, Songs for the Deaf. But the task is more daunting when frontman/guitarist Joshua Homme tries to recreate the magic of Songs without input from three of its chief architects. Lullabies to Paralyze is Homme’s abortive attempt to prove that he can create an album on par with Songs.

This isn’t the same Queens of the Stone Age that created the stoner-rock epic Songs for the Deaf. Homme booted original band member, bassist Nick Olivieri, claiming that Olivieri was too out of control for the notoriously rowdy Queens. Vocalist Mark Lannegan, whose baritone was ever-present on Songs, contributed sparingly to Lullabies because he is pursuing solo work, and Foo Fighters’ Dave Grohl isn’t behind the drums to contribute his precise, pounding work.

To compensate for these absences, Homme brings in everyone from the Distillers’ Brody Dalle to ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons to back him up. Unfortunately, their input doesn’t have much of an impact.

This leaves the album on the shoulders of Homme and, to a lesser extent, the replacement musicians around him. For the most part, Lullabies sounds like self-indulgent songwriting from an artist usually surrounded by other talented musicians. The album shows signs of genius, but suffers from a permeating sameness and a sense of aimlessness.

Homme’s commitment to taking over the writing process provides this darker, less metal-influenced album with its highs and lows.

Out of the gate, Homme delivers with the fuzzy guitar-laden “Medication,” the grungy yet psychedelic “Everybody Knows That You Are Insane” and the creepy “Burn the Witch.” The album comes to a head on “Little Sister,” a perfect radio single featuring a simple guitar riff set to the rhythm of a steady, cowbell-laden beat.

Unfortunately, Lullabies’ creativity falls off mid-way through the 14-track disc. The second half sounds like a barrage of directionless riffs and ideas recycled from previous albums. Even Mark Lanegan’s vocals can’t save the penultimate “You Got a Killer Scene There, Man…” from sounding like a lighter retread of Songs’ superb “God is in the Radio.” Every Lullabies track has Homme’s fingerprints on it; many seem long and plodding.

The absences of Olivieri, Lannegan and Grohl greatly affect Lullabies. On previous records, the voices of Lannegan and Olivieri provided a welcome respite from Homme’s falsetto; the first delivered an ominous baritone, while the latter brought a frantic scream. Longtime Queens fans will be surprised by Lullabies’ weaker drum work in Grohl’s absence — drummer Joey Castillo is unable to reproduce Grohl’s raw power and tightness.

Where Homme managed to co-opt the mainstream while maintaining his signature sound in previous albums, Lullabies has fallen prey to his self-indulgent arty trappings. That said, Lullabies is a decent record, just not up to the standards of the previous work. Longtime fans of the band will no doubt enjoy Homme’s forays into darker, more introspective material, but Lullabies to Paralyze disappoints because of its inability to carry over the raw energy of Queens’ previous efforts.

Since 1997, the arrival of spring has meant more than short skirts and halter tops — it is also the harbinger of the annual Mid-Atlantic College Radio Conference (MACRoCk for short) at James Madison University. Harrisonburg’s answer to Austin’s South by Southwest Festival, MACRoCk celebrates college radio by showcasing independent musicians, according to the festival Web site MACRoCk strives to recognize lesser-known bands that are overshadowed within an industry dominated by corporate record labels and commercial bands.” Over the past seven years, this goal has been realized through compelling line-ups — past festivals featured Fugazi, The Faint, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, and The Mountain Goats.

As always, this year’s schedule is impressive, with more than 80 bands playing indie rock, hip-hop, americana and hardcore. Notable acts include An Albatross, Circle Takes the Square, Magnolia Electric Co. and Harrisonburg’s own Aidan Coughlan. Festival-goers will also hear a number of stellar cover bands at the MACRoCk after-parties Saturday night.

This year’s MACRoCk is expanding its role as a venue for new independent film. The Lost Film Festival, a short indie film program, returns after last year’s successful MACRoCk debut, and accompanies politically stimulating feature films The Fourth World War and The Weather Underground.

In addition to music and movies, MACRoCk offers invigorating panel discussions and workshops. This Saturday, panels topics range from “Problematizing Hip-Hop and Exploring the Subculture” to “The Empirical Truth About Clear Channel Communications Inc.” Exciting workshops include “DJ Skill-share,” a how-to lesson in spinning, scratching and mixing, and “Sweat Shop Free Advertising,” an hour of guided screen-printing and button-making. “Making Comics and Zines” is the highlight of the weekend’s panels with Paul Hornschemeier, a rising graphic novelist recently profiled in Rolling Stone magazine, leading discussion.

MACRoCk wristbands run $15-$25 and are available at JMU’s Warren Hall Box Office this Friday and Saturday. For complete band and event listings, visit www.macrock.org.

For 10 years now, the Tekken franchise has been among the best 3-D fighting games. The fifth installment of Tekken, often referred to as the King of Iron Fists Tournament 5, in many ways returns to its roots. Tekken 5 corrects many flaws that were in the ill-received Tekken 4 — Eight-way side-stepping, elevated stages are all gone. In its place, Tekken 5 refines the formula from the first three games.

The gameplay in Tekken 5 can be described in one word: deep. Several modes of play already are unlocked from the start of the game. Tekken 5 includes two new modes: the Devil Within, starring one of the games protagonists, Jin, and the Customization mode, which as the name suggests allows you to customize your favorite character.

In the Story, Arcade and Devil Within modes, you can collect money from your fights, which in turn can be used to buy outfits and different items to customize your characters. The game boasts over 30 selectable characters, some of which have to be unlocked. Three new characters, Asuka, Raven and Feng, now compete against returning Tekken veterans such as King and Law. The battles are hard-hitting, fierce and nerve-wracking to say the least.

Unfortunately the character AI has not improved all that much. The computer still naturally falls for certain sets of moves.

But, Tekken 5 isn’t a clone of its predecessors. This time around the difficulty is determined by the skill level of your opponent. There are 13 classes of opponents that range from Beginners, Masters, even Tekken Lords! After the end of each fight you are given the option of choosing one of three different level opponents for the next round.

I will say one thing about the final boss, and that is he is going to cause a lot of stress to newcomers and experienced players. Fortunately, this unnecessarily difficult boss is not a playable character — if he were, I know many people who would quit playing Tekken.

To show the extensive overhaul of Tekken 5, Namco revamped the entire gaming engine. The game moves much faster than previous installments; the graphics engine is impressive beyond words. Some notable stages include the temple stage, which has heat effect pulsing as you battle. There is even an ice stage where penguins and seals move in the background.

Character details are more real than before. Long gone are the square joints and bodies — in their place are extensively detailed character models which represent a human counterpart effortlessly, such as King’s individual muscles or Panda and Kuma’s fur.

You’ll either love or hate the Tekken 5 soundtrack. Its style of music is inconsistent, and not many tracks are conducive to getting you pumped up to fight in the game. However, the music is not completely flawed: It is diverse to say the least. Some tracks are excellent, like the urban jungle stage with its deep bass. With good and bad tracks mixed together, Tekken 5 music really becomes hit or miss.

Tekken overall is a great game that any 3-D fighter fan should have in his or her library. Unfortunately, the last boss, predictable computer AI, and the music detract from the experience. Overall though, Tekken 5′s deep game play and enhanced graphics engine allow for a promis-ing and fun time for any gamer.

You heard it here, Marc Broussard is the next big thing in music. While this 22-year-old Louisiana native modestly maintains that he’s not famous (see below), circumstances tell us otherwise. Broussard has two albums under his belt, including his critically acclaimed August 2004 major label debut, Carencro. He has appeared on the Late Show with Conan O’Brien and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and his two singles, “Home” and “Where You Are,” are receiving airplay that increases with each passing day. Tableau recently had the chance to speak with Marc about his career, his inspirations and his budding fame. While many of Carencro’s songs are upbeat and energetic, Marc himself is chill. There was one aspect of his personality evident in our conversation, however, which was completely in tune (pardon the pun) with the album. From his throaty voice that’s even deeper in real life than on his albums to his wisdom beyond his years to his love of Stevie Wonder, the man’s got soul.

tableau: You come from a musical family. Did you always know that you were going to be a musician, or did you ever think that you might do something else?

Marc Broussard: I was always a musician.

Aside from your family, who have been your biggest musical influences?

Probably singers like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway.

This has been quite a year for you. What’s been the biggest adjustment to your growing fame?

(laughter) I don’t feel like I’ve really adjusted anything in my lifestyle because of fame. I’m not even close to being famous.

You named your CD after your hometown. Now that you’re traveling all over the country, do you miss Carencro?

Yeah. No lie. I wish I was there right now.

I read somewhere that you have a young son. What’s it like being a father and being on tour? Is that a tough balance for you?

It’s like being away from a part of your body for several weeks. He’s my flesh and blood, my everything that I live for. But at the same time, I know the only reason that he can be healthy and have a full stomach and a roof over his head is because I stay on the road.

A lot of the songs on Carencro are love songs. Are those songs directed at your son’s mother, or a combination of people, or do you just have a great imagination?

It’s just inspired from everyday things. You find ways to be inspired from all aspects of life… and you just take it and run with it. But, a lot of the stuff is about a young lady.

What do you do when you get songwriters’ block, or does that even ever happen?

I think when you get inspired to write a song you usually sit down and write a song. I don’t ever really get writers block, but it’s not like I’m trying to write every day. I just write whenever the inspiration comes.

What is your favorite song on Carencro?

“Let Me Leave.” It’s the most direct look into my life.

What’s your favorite song to play live?

“Home.”

You’ve played with a ton of awesome artists — who’s your favorite?

I love the tour I’m on right now. Will Hoge is incredible. And Griffin House just left the tour but Griffin is [amazing]. Blue Merle is another really, really great band to play with.

If you could play with any band, living or dead, who you haven’t already played with, who would it be?

Stevie Wonder.

You once called yourself just another 22-year-old dude with an acoustic guitar. What do you think distinguishes your music from everything else out there?

Well, I’m pretty sure that most of the people who listen to my music don’t just have one CD in their collection. So, I’m not really worried about getting distinguished between all the others. I just hope people dig it. If they dig it, then they can listen to it.

What’s the worst comparison to another musician you’ve received?

I don’t ever take any comparison to anyone else badly unless, obviously, if somebody’s trying to be mean. I don’t care what you call me, as long as you call me.

If you could tell your fans one thing, what would you tell them?

That I love you and I hope we can be friends for a long time.

Finally, what are your plans for the future?

Just to continue to do this, raising the bar and reaching another level and just doing it, and doing it well. Like LL Cool J.

Marc Broussard plays Starr Hill 8 p.m. this Sunday.

Learn more about Marc at www.marcbroussard.com.

If we think of movies as part of our collective memory, some of the sites along our walk toward the future, then every so often we get the pleasant opportunity to look back and wonder. For it’s nice to remember where we’ve been and see if it’s any different from where we are right now.

1967 certainly wasn’t the year that 2005 will be. Of course, 1967 was the first time a film like Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner could’ve been made. American society was playing brinkmanship with itself, trying to come to terms with 200 years of history. Maybe we’re still at it, but there was urgency to the dialogue back then that I find missing in the ones today. That said, a film about interracial marriage couldn’t have been marketed at a better time.

But that’s the trouble with Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner — it’s a film that is considered a classic for reasons that have little to do with the actual movie. Guess Who’s deals with a sensitive topic and features the last great performance by Spencer Tracy before his death in the same year. What’s more, Tracy caps his career with Katherine Hepburn, his perennial screen partner, playing his wife.

Still, it’s worth mentioning that Guess Who’s Coming wasn’t the first film to deal with the tension of interracial sex — Giant and Island in the Sun were visiting this issue a decade earlier.

Guess Who’s Coming didn’t introduce the topic, rather the film signaled its legitimacy. It had the gall to applaud its characters for the decisions they made.

Still, the film is not without compromises. Sidney Poitier was too perfect, too understanding and too yielding to the opinions of his future in-laws. Also, Tracy and Hepburn’s gravitas on screen was more important than the roles they actually were playing.

Stanley Kramer was never more than an ineffectual director, but somehow he brought out sensitive performances from his cast. It’s also a nice touch that the film is a comedy and not a strict social drama. But the best thing the film does is add an unexpected comedic depth to Tracy’s character. For Guess Who’s Coming isn’t really about a father’s concern that his daughter is going to marry a black man. He’s worried that she’s marrying at all.

This is an observation I feel is often neglected. While it may be subtle, this detail quietly strengthens the message of the film. It doesn’t take a force as mysterious as love to show the pettiness of racial distinctions. It can be something much simpler and more amusing: elderly male pride.

In Hollywood, all fathers view their daughter’s wedding as an assault on their masculinity. If the boy’s too good, it means the father’s no longer worthy of his daughter’s attention. If the boy isn’t good enough, the father asks himself where he went wrong in raising his little girl.

This is what 1967′s Guess Who’s Coming and 2005′s Guess Who both realize. Bernie Mac is not Spencer Tracey, and Ashton Kutcher isn’t Sydney Poitier. That much is trivial. What’s not trivial is the shift of emphasis. Whereas the original is a human comedy, the latter is a slapstick sitcom. They’re two takes on the same thorny issue.

Kutcher and Mac have an agreeable chemistry on screen and play off each other well. Most of the comedy comes from Kutcher’s need to be accepted by Mac and the rites of idiocy he will endure to get there. In one scene, Mac cajoles Kutcher into telling black jokes at a family dinner. Kutcher starts off well, but soon becomes a persona non grata when his good material runs out and he becomes offensive.

Plot points are introduced to add artificial tension and reasons for the characters to bond. For example, Kutcher was a successful stockbroker but quit his job, without telling his fiancé. Mac finds out, which leads to a dispute. Of course, everything’s okay by the end of the film, when Kutcher’s reasons for quitting are revealed.

Still, without the historical resonance of the original, and with merely competent performances from its cast, Guess Who never rises above its pleasant mediocrity. There are no deft touches of direction and nothing happens that hasn’t been dictated by formula. Everything progresses with all the surprise of a musical scale.

I’m not sure what it says about the times when a film like Guess Who is wholly unremarkable. Maybe it’s a good thing we can feel this way about race politics, or is that just apathy talking? Who knows? Let’s wait four decades for another remake, Guess, and then pick up where we left off.

No one would confuse Wednesday’s softball doubleheader against James Madison with last weekend’s Elite Eight in terms of excitement. But for Virginia, that didn’t matter.

True — the Cavaliers and the Dukes were able to muster only two runs between them in the two games yesterday afternoon, but each team came out on top. Virginia (13-18, 2-1 ACC) split a pair of 1-0 games with James Madison (14-17), with the Dukes taking the first and the Cavaliers pulling out the second and final game of the series. Both games were dominated by survival pitching and flat hitting.

Virginia junior pitcher Erin Horn earned the win in the second game of the doubleheader and epitomized the gutsy pitching performance needed to pull out a close victory. In the second, third, fifth and seventh innings, Horn was able to pitch herself out of the inning with runners in scoring position.

“I thought Erin was excellent,” Virginia coach Cheryl Sprangel said. “She had control most of the game, but when she got behind, she managed to work it back. She never gave it up.”

Horn only got stronger in the last two innings. In the sixth, after retiring the first batter easily, Horn battled hard against sophomore Katie George and, on the eighth pitch, got her to line out to freshman shortstop Kierstie Cameron. For the third out, Horn used a beautiful array of fastballs and changeups to strike out the batter.

Horn was able to survive a scare in the seventh. With a runner on third, Horn retired junior Briana Carrera, who went 3-6 on the day for the Dukes, on a foul ball and striking out senior Natalie Burd to end the game.

“With runners in scoring position, that’s where the pitchers are picking it up and making a difference,” Sprangel said.

Virginia’s lone run came in the sixth, when junior Jessica Taylor led off by pulling a high and away pitch over the right fielder’s head for a double. A batter later, junior Sara Larquier dropped a double into right center field, scoring Taylor. Larquier, however, was thrown out trying to advance to third, and senior Jenn Wynn struck out to end the inning. But that was enough for the Cavaliers, as they kept their one-run lead for the rest of the game.

“Jess led off with a great double,” Larquier said. “It’s just the job of the three hitter to step up and hit that ball in play. It was obviously real important because we hadn’t been pushing that runner up. It’s just in the job description for a 3-4-5 hitter.”

In the first game, the Cavaliers were not able to catch up after the Dukes took a one-run lead in the first inning. Virginia only managed two hits in that game and left freshman pinch runner Kathryn Mirras stranded on third base to end the game.

Coty Tolar recorded the loss for the Cavaliers, putting her record at 2-5 on the year.

The Cavaliers are beginning to come together just as the beginning of ACC play starts. Virginia is 8-4 over its last 12 games. They continue their conference play this weekend, with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets coming to Charlottesville. The three-game series will be the first of April, which means the intensity will start to pick up as Virginia heads deeper into conference play.

“I think we are putting things together, especially this past weekend when we played NC State [winning two of three],” Horn said. “ACC games are definitely the most exciting games. That’s where all the pride is at.”