A&E

Without supporting instruments or digital synthesizing enhancement, a cappella groups are as bare bones as music can get – and yet, the sheer talent and range these singers exert in collaboration can upstage the most cutting-edge technology on the market.

UC Irvine's Songfest 2008 kicked off its 30th anniversary last Thursday night with a dazzling showcase of Irvine Greeks on Broadway. On May 22, the Bren Events Center transformed into the Tony awards as each fraternity and sorority on campus performed individual renditions of hit musical shows such as "Wicked" or "Damn Yankees." Parents, students and alumni gathered together for a three-hour non-stop sequence of song and dance.

Indiana Jones is back. It has been 19 years since the last film and the only real marks of change are some CGI-heavy scenes and cinematography that is ever so slightly slicker. It is just as fun and fast-paced as any of the older films. In fact, the story and action move so briskly that the two hours whiz by. The banter is still so playfully bitchy and the action sequences so exciting that it makes it impossible not to feel the same way you did when you first saw the original movies.

Nintendo twisted itself into a pretzel to make the "tired exercise" genre fun and innovative again with "Wii Fit." After some heavy lifting, the new "balance board" accessory takes the gold.

When describing Mates of State, the first word that comes to mind is "adorable." This is a tricky adjective to describe music—what does "adorable music" sound like exactly? — but there is no denying how adorable this indie-pop duo is.

"Bande à Part"; "Breathless".

"Narrow Stairs" is the sound of a band stretching out; the band does not necessarily depart from its classic sound, but rather furthers it by expanding its sonic palette.

Contemporary art tends to make headlines in one of two ways: either via "shock" art, or shockingly expensive art. "Shock" art was widely...

For those who would rather be more frugal with fashion, here are some tips.

Why would thousands of people pay four dollars for bottled water, seven dollars for a slice of pizza and stand in 90-degree heat for six hours swatting away bugs? For this year's KROQ Weenie Roast's mind-blowing 14-band lineup at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Duh.

Atmosphere has been a touchy subject for hip-hop fans. The average listener jumps on a beat, rides it the entire song and smirks at the witty quips that are made occasionally. A lot of the poetry in rap has been watered down to an obnoxious bass line, along with a rapper that rhymes the word "grill" repeatedly. Enter the duo of Atmosphere...

A talented group of 15 dancers and choreographers from the UC Irvine Department of Dance showcased this year's production of "Physical Graffiti."