Scene

Rock twins show ‘sentiment’

Eleven years after their first release — an acoustic folk-pop journey through their heads — Tegan and Sara are releasing “Sainthood,” a genre-blending work seamlessly blending rock, pop, punk, electronica and experimental with their signature harmonies and deceptively simple lyrics ­­— and pulling it off.

‘Ben 10’ fails to make grade

Never has a game been quite so lousy with so few redeeming qualities. It would be difficult for even a younger child to have fun with "Ben 10: Alien Force Vilgax Attacks.”

Audiences ‘flip’ for Orley

Halloween may be over, but for those who aren’t quite ready to lay off the paranormal activity, there’s an interesting act coming to the D.C. Improv this weekend. His name is Flip Orley, and he’s not just any comedian: he’s also a hypnotist.

Risotto makes a tricky dish

If you’ve ever had a good risotto, you’ll know that it can be one of the greatest dishes on the face of the earth. If you’ve ever tried to make risotto, you’ll know it’s one of the toughest things to make well. If you’re still a little shaky in the kitchen, you might want to skip this one and go back to reading the sex column.

Politics shouldn’t make or break relationships

Q: “I had a question for the sex column ... I have this crush on another guy. My problem is that I’m pro-life and he’s pro-choice. While he and I can’t have children, it’s more the idea that if we had children he would be OK with killing them. Is this enough to kill a relationship?”

‘Adding’ formula makes perfect ten

“Adding Machine: A Musical,” playing at Studio Theatre, is a prime example of a thought-provoking and entertaining work of theater. The performance is both delightful and disturbing, subverting musical conventions and ultimately making for a must-see theatrical endeavor.

‘Michaels’ bring ‘wet hot’ comedy to D.C.

Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter have established themselves as comedy gods among fans of cult hit “Wet Hot American Summer” and TV shows such as “Stella” and “The State.” The duo now stars in their own show, “Michael and Michael Have Issues,” on Comedy Central.

AU students take trip back in time

Earlier this month, International Student and Scholar Services hosted a trip to Lancaster, Pa., where AU students experienced the Amish culture and discovered a different way of life. Sponsored by Road Trip USA, the day trip gave students the opportunity to interact with Amish people and learn about a culture not far from Washington, D.C. Visiting Amish markets, enjoying a scenic bus ride and eating a multi-course meal in the home of an Amish family made the journey both exciting and eye-opening for those who attended.

Halloween costume ideas make a statement

Did anyone else not realize that Halloween is in two days? Perhaps I haven’t been paying enough attention to the candy corn sales at CVS; maybe I haven’t noticed the rush of girls frantically searching for various costume animal ears; maybe I just haven’t looked at a calendar — who knows? The point is that Halloween is, in fact, coming up this weekend, and no one wants to see you dressed up as that guy from “Scream.” Again.

Hornby films about a girl

“An Education” is a coming-of-age story set in 1960s London. The screenplay, written by Nick Hornby of “High Fidelity” and “About A Boy” fame, features his trademark clever dialogue and unconventional characters, aiming to inject levity into what could otherwise be the age-old school versus fun movie dilemma.

‘Brütal’ battles, guitar improves inconsistency

When “Halo Wars” tried to tweak the real-time strategy game formula to make it more playable with a controller earlier this year, it ran into a contradiction. Simplification made the game better by making it easier to control, but it also hurt the game due to the sacrifice of strategic depth and variety.

Horror films resurrected by ‘Paranormal’

With Halloween just around the corner, my annual craving for cinematic horror has been off the charts. The past few years I have found that I am forced to quench my appetite at home with old reliable flicks like “Rosemary’s Baby” or “The Exorcist” — certainly not at the theater.

D.C. club gets partisan

Last Tuesday night, Black Cat held the indie extravaganza also known as the Partisan Tour. The tour showcased four bands under the independent record label Partisan Records — Deer Tick; Dolorean; Chris Denny and the Natives; and Holy Sons.

Sinfonia revives Baroque

To say that Daniel Abraham’s symphony is just another group performing Baroque music is not only a bold understatement, it is also an insult to Bach Sinfonia’s merits.

Racial comedy not funny

Most cultures around the world have been given certain stereotypes about their native attitudes, accents, occupations, habits and the like. The “Exotic Imports: Max Amini and Friends” comedy show that played this past Friday and Saturday at the Bethesda Theater flaunted the stereotypes and inside jokes of native Middle Easterners.

Othello Feature Pic

Spinto decorate city with ‘paisley’

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hotel takes its title quite seriously. Upon entering, one is swamped in darkness and deep colored lighting. All around are pictures of rock legends such as Jimi Hendrix and the Ramones, while screamo-rock music blasts from a jukebox in the corner. There are no chairs — just a ...