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Stories in Arts

Ludacris defies stereotypes in D.C.

When my editor called me Thursday night with the opportunity to see Ludacris in concert and visit his tour bus I said what any other college student vaguely familiar with his singles would - "Hell yes!" I spent the rest of that evening telling anyone within earshot that at this time tomorrow, I would be asking "Luda" himself exactly how many hoes he had in the "202" area code.

Architecture in Helsinki's Cameron Bird discusses the genealogy of a pop song

"We're actually doing a whole new set," says Architecture in Helsinki singer Cameron Bird from San Francisco, a week before his band begins its fall tour. "We're doing twelve new songs. We're playing three old songs, I think. We haven't actually played any of them yet, so I'm totally freaking out.

"Cabaret" production at Arena Stage is an intimate affair

"Willkommen, bienvenue, welcome!" to Arena Stage's rendition of "Cabaret" (director Molly Smith) - the highly praised and Tony Award-winning 1966 Broadway musical. With a magnificent blend of talented actors who tell a tale embodied with scandalous and wildly entertaining elements, this is definitely one performance that audiences cannot afford to miss.

$5 - $10 - $20: An entertainment guide for the cash-strapped college student

If you have $5 Donate it to 5-10-20 as a token of your appreciation for all the money we save you every week, because you won't need it to enjoy The Music of José Luis Greco at GW's own Lisner Auditorium. Straddling the lines separating the music, theater and dance worlds, Greco's compositions are sure to pique the interest of those with more eclectic tastes.

Pink Martini brings eclectic sounds to Lisner

A band with a name like "Pink Martini" might initially conjure up images of smoky, dimly lit piano bars where customers gather for dreamy lounge music and colorful cocktails. While some sounds from this 12-piece, Portland, Ore.-based ensemble may lend themselves to these associations, many fans would insist that the lounge element is only one component of an otherwise unexpected landscape of sounds to come from a band named after a cocktail.

Soft Complex consolidate local musical flavors

When five seasoned veterans of the D.C. music scene get together to collaborate, it could easily turn into a creative nightmare. However, the nightmare never came to fruition as Chris Connelly got together with Shane German (formerly of Trixie Delicious), Rich Dejong (formerly of Phaser), Mike Harbin (formerly of Burning Airlines) and Alexia Kauffman (of Engine Down).

The Bar Belle: The Magic Gourd

Perhaps, while on your way to purchase a few wine coolers for your fraternity-house shindig, or while idly following the scent of that vile temptress that is SizzEx, you have spied the Magic Gourd Restaurant. Perhaps, on a whim, you have wandered in beneath its neon sign to view its dim, serene interior and surrender yourself to its host of Chinese delicacies.

"Confetti" mockuments excesses of wedding culture

The best way to describe "Confetti" (Fox Searchlight) would be to say that it's a romantic comedy directed by Christopher Guest ("This Is Spinal Tap," "Best in Show," etc.) - except that Guest isn't directing it at all. Filling in is a Brit by the name of Debbie Isitt, a writer and director new to American audiences.

WEB EXTRA: Working Class Hero: GW Alum talks about "The U.S. vs John Lennon"

"Today's generation really only knows three things about John Lennon," said GW alum David Leaf in an interview Tuesday. "That he was a Beatle, that he wrote 'Imagine', and that he was shot." Therein lies the appeal of his new documentary "The US vs. John Lennon," which Leaf co-directed and produced with John Scheinfeld.

WEB EXTRA: No Safe Haven: Film explores disconnect between beautiful scenery and dastardly deeds in the Cayman Islands

"Whatever your haven is, it's your responsibility to protect it," says director Frankie Flowers. With the release of "Haven" in theaters this week, Flowers hits a jackpot in his first major full-length film. Shot entirely in the West Indies' Cayman Islands, the movie's gorgeous, tranquil setting proves to be anything but a haven for corrupt businessman Carl Ridley (Bill Paxton).

WEB EXTRA: "All the King's Men," or All of Sean Penn's Crazy Hair

"All the King's Men" is a new film based on the old Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Robert Penn Warren. The film is the melodramatic, archetypal tale about the nature of men and the world colored with shades of gray that they inhabit. Whenever a movie comes out based on a classic novel, there is the natural controversy about whether or not film can do novels justice, whether or not ideas can be successfully translated across mediums.