venangago-go

Justin Parson rocks Seneca's Brother Bean this Saturday at 7 pm. No cover.

This weekend also kicks off Venango Campus' 2007 Fall Film Series. This week it's On a Clear Day . No Charge. 7:30 pm in the Rhoades Center:
An independent film from Britain, On a Clear Day tells the story of a man trying to come to terms with his past by setting a goal for the future: to swim across the English Channel. Frank (Peter Mullan) is a stoic man who tells his young grandson, "Things aren't meant to be fixed nowadays." After working all his life, the Glasgow shipbuilder finds himself middle-aged and jobless. His loving wife Joan (two-time Academy Award nominee Brenda Blethyn) tries to lessen the financial burden by learning to become a bus driver. Frank's relationship with his househusband son Rob (Jamie Sives) is distant at best. And though he doesn't speak of his other son, who drowned decades ago, Frank thinks of him often. Director Gaby Dellal reveals a gentle touch in the film's quieter moments. But she's just at home balancing the melodramatic moments (Rob confronting his father in a swimming pool) with comic relief (Frank's friendship with a woebegone group of men, including optimistic Danny, played by Billy Boyd from The Lord of the Rings). In the end, it's less important whether Frank's goals are met than mending his broken relationships. The finale is touching in the way it all plays out, because some things are meant to be fixed.

One of my all time least favorite bands, Gym Class Heroes, will be the featured band at Clarion University’s Fall CampusFest. They will perform Wednesday, Oct. 10 in Tippin Gymnasium. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with the show starting at 7 p.m.

Opening acts for the show include The Pack and DJ Abilities.

Tickets are on sale at the Gemmell Student Complex Information Deck. Tickets for Clarion University students are $15 and tickets for the public are $25.

Gannon University's English Department is now accepting submissions to its 31st annual High School Poetry Contest. The contest winners will be announced and awards will be given during Gannon's annual English Awards Night, to be held Wednesday, April 16, 2008. Ted Kooser will be the featured speaker for the event and will read a selection of his poetry. For more information, contact Berwyn Moore, associate professor, Gannon English department, at (814) 871-7504.

I'm so chagrined. I missed banned book week. Again.

Urinetown: The Musical opens tomorrow at 8:15 at the Meadville Community Theatre (400 North Main Street, Meadville, PA 16335) Other shows are Friday, October 12 & 19, 8:15pm; Saturday, October 6 & 13, 8:15pm; and, Sunday, October 7 & 14, 2:15pm To reserve tickets, go to mctbackstage.com. $12 for adults, $10 for students and senior citizens.

Matt Croyle's Wine, Cheese, & Poe tickets are now available at the National Transit Building in Oil City.

American Idol Opera? Terrible marketing campaign, great series. Check out the brilliant young artists of The Academy of Vocal Arts compete in the Sold Out Bel Canto Competition this Sunday, October 7th at 3:00 p.m. (eastern) from the comfort of your own computer.

Not into Applefest? The region's first Alternative Transportation Festival is this weekend. Assuming you can get out of the area what with the Applefest SUVs being so thick.

I Made It! Accepting Vendors for Oct 27 Market in Braddock
To apply,e-mail your name, business name, e-mail, phone number, URL and short description of your craft to imadeitpgh@gmail.com starting at 7 pm. Vendors are currently accepted in a first-come-first-served manner. The fee to vend at IMI 4 is $25 and includes the use of a 6 foot table and two folding chairs. Make I Made It! yours by applying today. Vendors who are accepted will be notified within 3 days of application.

Can't make it to the Steel City, but want to represent at the Handmade Arcade this year? No problem! They're accepting contributions to our swag bags. 250 bags will be assembled in all, to be distributed to the first 100 customers through the door each day, and our volunteers. Here's an opportunity to spread the word about your products to a very receptive audience (they line up at the door!). This will be Pittsburgh's fourth annual Handmade Arcade, and we've got a devoted crowd coming every year to the area's biggest offering of indie crafts!Appropriate items include product samples, promotional items like buttons, stickers, coupons, postcards, etc. You can send up to 250 items, or any smaller quantity.Submissions are being accepted until October 28.The mailing address is:Jessica ManackP. O. Box 10203Pittsburgh, PA 15232Or, email Jessica at jmanack at gmail.com with any questions.

Funniest lede?
If you're into throat singing, you are certainly going to enjoy Chirgilchin, a voice harmonizing quartet from Tuva, a small Russian province north of western Mongolia.

The only place I enjoyed eating in Erie, papermoon, is closing in two weeks.