I was saddened to learn that a member of one of the most well-known and well-loved bands of my generation passed away Tuesday. LeRoi Moore, saxophonist for the Dave Matthews Band, died of complications from a June ATV accident. He was 46.
In thinking about Moore's death, I couldn't help but reflect on the fact that he was such an important part of a band that opened ears and minds to an expansive musical landscape for myself and many others.

Teresa Fankhauser, executive director for the Allied Arts Council, is suffering from her usual exhaustion after her organization staged the Trails West! Music and Arts Festival Aug. 15 through 17.

You can hear plenty of both in the songs of Springfield, Mo., metal group The Filthy Thirds when they perform with Cognitive Overload at 10 p.m. Aug. 16 at Cagney’s. Cover is $3.

They may have formed in a modest-sized college town in Indiana, but the Bloomington-quartet Murder By Death doesn’t do anything small.

Even though the year isn’t over, there are already plenty of reasons for people to remem­ber 2008 — more than enough for VH1 to devote an hour to its inevitable special “I Love The ‘00s.” I managed to witness a unique moment in our culture in regards to race, and no, it has nothing to do with Barack Obama.

The last time Ben Stiller took on the roles of writer, producer, director and star in a film was 2001’s “Zoolander,” where Stiller satirically skewered the absurdity and pointlessness of the fashion industry. He uses a similar technique to examine movie-making and his own profession and outdoes himself with the action-comedy “Tropic Thunder,” which is easily one of the funniest movies you’ll see this year.

In the opening seconds of Sharon Bryant’s song “A Mother’s Heart,” over subdued keyboards and the explosive sounds of battle, a narration tells her struggle.
“This is the story of a boy, serving his country and fighting for his life. And I worry. And I wait.”
Ms. Bryant’s song, one of several the St. Joseph songwriter has recorded as a Christian artist, reflects her concern for the safety of her son, Spc. Joel C. Bryant, as he fights in Iraq for the U.S. Army.
She had even more reason to worry after hearing the panic in her son’s voice when he described his first IED (Improvised Explosive Device) attack. His convoy was hit, and a soldier in his platoon was killed. Another member of his platoon attempted to cover up the soldier’s body and took a great deal of shrapnel in the process.

There is a band in St. Joe that regularly plays to hundreds of people and breaks attendance records at local bars. And they’ve done it by playing... the Bangles and Paula Abdul? Seriously? Yeah, that’s Blue Oyster Culture Club for ya. The ‘80s tribute band has become one of St. Joe’s most popular bands by satisfying a craving for the music of the “Me” decade with the cheesy wardrobe to match. You’ll get a chance to see them when they perform at 9 p.m. Aug. 9 at the First Ward House for $5.

This is: “Chemo” by Joe Straub

Sometimes, I feel like I have been a fan of movies for so long that it wouldn’t surprise me to hear I was born with a ticket stub in my hand. And growing up, my parents made sure to introduce me to a few classics.