A&E

Sandra Tsing Loh, author and National Public Radio (NPR) show host, spoke at the UC Irvine Bookstore this past week to promote her new book, "Mother on Fire." Aside from reading the book's first chapter, she also squeezed in references about her literary inspirations, their connections to her personal life and her broadcasting career.

Passion. Anger. Lust. Love. In these times of change, some things always stay constant. These are the emotions that will always define youth, and the reasons why a production of "West Side Story" can still be as popular and relevant today as it was 50 years ago.

It is Sunday, Nov. 9 in downtown Los Angeles at the entertainment playground known as L.A. Live. The Lakers are playing across the street at the Staples Center, The Who is performing at the Nokia Theatre next door and in just a few hours, Beck will be performing at the grand opening for the brand new Club Nokia.

The New University sat down and spoke with Saosin bassist Chris Sorenson, whose band is currently on tour with Underoath, and will hit the Bren Events Center on Saturday, Nov. 15. The Newport Beach native talks about life on tour, UC Irvine and the band's new album.

Using the word "heavy" would be putting it mildly when it comes to describing the Floridian metalcore quintet Underoath, who will be taking UC Irvine by storm at the Bren Events Center this Saturday. With its recently released sixth album, "Lost in the Sound of Separation," Underoath continues to show its hard-hitting aggression and penchant for crafting blistering soundscapes, with an onslaught of apocalyptic guitars and drums set to vocalist Spencer Chamberlain's hair-raising screams and Christian-themed lyrics.

Chino is a best friend, singer, dancer, comedian and loyal member of Puerto Rican gang the Sharks in UC Irvine's production of "West Side Story." He is also a fourth-year undergraduate student double- majoring in multicultural studies and drama.

Acrobatics Everyday sponsored an election day concert on Nov. 4 at the Phoenix Food Court, featuring performances by Parts and Labor, Gowns, White Fang and Thanksgiving.

Reviews of The Cure's "4:13 Dream" and Deerhunter's "Microcastle".

On Halloween, the UC Irvine Drama Department showed how it celebrates the holiday. There was no candy or "monster mash" to be found, but blood was definitely present in the department's Oct. 31 production of "Titus Andronicus."

You wouldn't think a film with a title as blunt as "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" would be this season's mushiest movie, but there is an undeniable charm sprinkled throughout Kevin Smith's latest post-Jersey flick, somewhere between the anal sex and bubbles blown from below the belt.

After countless beta teases and an aggravating world-wide delay, Media Molecule's "LittleBigPlanet" is finally accessible for all gamers who own a Playstation 3, and it has been well worth the wait. This game is beyond phenomenal; it has so greatly exceeded expectations since its release last week that a sequel is already in the works.

Reviews: Snow Patrol's "A Hundred Million Suns"; Bloc Party's "Intimacy."