Rachel Hommel

February 15, 2007

Leap Of Faith

By Rachel Hommel

Opposing forces have come together in the new release by Thrice's lead singer Dustin Kensrue, whose style has risen from the dark side of heavy bass and fast drums to embrace his softer side and his roots as a singer-son...

February 8, 2007

Indie Rock Night Hits the Hub

By Rachel Hommel

Welcome to the hot spot. Last Friday, we witnessed the birth of Indie Rock night at the Hub. It was an evening of new lights, new sounds and lots of beer. The premiere event, sponsored by After Hours @ the Hub, was a pac...

January 25, 2007

Take Two

By Rachel Hommel

At the heart of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival lies the work of some undiscovered local talent. Amid the glitz and glamour of the festival, a timeless work of art is waiting to be discovered. "Video Portra...

January 18, 2007

Dance If You Want To

By Rachel Hommel

Local hipsters hit Santa Barbara's newest hot spot last Thursday, as a line out the door marked the opening of the new Club Factory at Zelo's

November 9, 2006

“Another Gay Movie” Features Porn Stars, Penis Pumps & Plenty of Political Incorrectness

By Rachel Hommel

"Another Gay Movie" was the belle of the OUTrageous! ball, as audiences lined the streets of Santa Barbara to engage in what could possibly be the most un-PC sex comedy to date.

October 19, 2006

Let’s Get Physical

By Rachel Hommel

According to Bulgarian National Theatre Director Lilia Abadjieva, "Love defeats death; it is stronger than death, yet at the same time it leads to it."

October 5, 2006

Picture Perfect

By Rachel Hommel

Hippies. Yuppies. Tree-huggers. This was your night. Last Saturday, a private Santa Barbara residence laid out the welcome mat for the "Unearthed" photo exhibit.

September 28, 2006

Getting Off

By Rachel Hommel

Welcome. You are about to embark on a journey from the traditional confines of dorm life, beer pong and midnight romps. Amid the beautiful Santa Barbara coastline, an art scene is being recreated, reborn and reinvented. ...

August 30, 2006

More Fun Than King Friday

By Rachel Hommel

Welcome to the neighborhood. For tourists, downtown Santa Barbara (a.k.a. "The American Riviera") is a yuppie's paradise. Expensive, exotic, etc.

May 25, 2006

It’s Just the Blues Baby

By Rachel Hommel

While blues is known to be synonymous with low spirits and sadness, the audience at B.B. King's concert at the Arlington Theatre downtown was anything but blue.

May 18, 2006

East Meets West

By Rachel Hommel

Beads, boobies and beer are not the first things that come to mind when one thinks of human rights. Nevertheless, this year the Human Rights Watch Traveling Film Festival will showcase "Mardi Gras: Made in China," an exp...

May 11, 2006

Artist in Profile: Lansing-Dreiden

By Rachel Hommel

Pretentious, philosophic and peculiar are only a few words to describe the musical experience that is Lansing-Dreiden. With two full-length albums behind it and an array of national accolades, this pseudo-band truly defi...

May 4, 2006

Neighborhood Shenanigans

By Rachel Hommel

In Taoism, "wu wei" means a stage of complete spontaneity. Local band Silent Wei took this concept - and its namesake - to mean unconstrained impulses. While the music created a few rhythmic ebbs and flows, the band's im...

April 27, 2006

Open You EARs

By Rachel Hommel

The modern chamber ensemble California EAR Unit graced the halls of Lotte Lehmann last Saturday with a trippy blend of hallucinogenic images, chaotic sound and unadulterated emotion. Cited as "wizards of new music" by t...