When interviewing Demetri Martin, I expected the conversation to be punctuated by a series of humorous one-liners. Like some gifted word genius, he would magically sum up questions with clever single sentences, I would be gloriously entertained listening to my favorite comedian and it would be awesome.

After reality set in, I quickly realized that Martin’s answers were elaborate and eloquently explained, fitting for a comedian whose observational comedy includes word play like palindromes and paraprosdokians.

As my journey to discover the local music scene began, I found myself at JAXX night club off of Rolling Road in Springfield. It was here that I discovered the first band I would interview, I Am the Kaleidoscope.

I planted myself at a little table towards the back of the club, illuminated by a dull yellow light. As I waited for the performance to begin, I watched the 100 or so audience members drift around the bar and dance floor, anxiously waiting for the music to begin. After a few moments, the band appeared and began prepping for the show.

The Daily Show has been employing their alumni for years. So has Saturday Night Live. No, it’s not a university – it’s the improv comedy troupe known as The Upright Citizens Brigade.

The troupe will be performing four shows over two days at the Harman Center for the Arts this Friday and Saturday.

The “Brigade” formed in 1990 by a group of comedians from Chicago including SNL’s Matt Besser and Horatio Sanz. After nearly ten years in Chicago, the group moved to New York City where they performed and gave lessons on improvisational comedy.

By Evan Benton, Staff Writer

Last weekend, I was arguing with a friend from my high school who was in town for the night. I had just come out of a University Mall Theatres screening of Inglourious Basterds, and was particularly surprised and enthralled by the film.

The strength of Basterds was its writing, as it is in every film Quentin Tarantino has ever made. He possesses a narrative style all his own, and writes dialogue so realistic that it makes even the most outlandish and fantastical themes seem plausible.