Charleston Gazette

The Idiot Box: ; Fox Fails with 'Justice'; 'Standoff' Shows Promise

After watching Fox's new series "Justice" last week, I can only hope it receives the verdict it deserves: condemnation and swift death. It stars Victor Garber ("Alias") as Ron Trott, a defense lawyer who makes Richard Gere's character in "Primal Fear" look like Mr. Rogers. He says things like "I don't care if he's innocent - that's your weakness." In short, he's the kind of stereotypical slimeball lawyer that makes people hate lawyers.

Best Bet: ; Down to Your Last Nickel

Nickel Creek fans might have their last chance to see the progressive bluegrass/acoustic band at 7:30 p.m. Friday when the trio comes to the Creative Arts Center at West Virginia University in Morgantown. That's because Chris Thile and siblings Sean and Sara Watkins have announced an indefinite hiatus to work on other projects. (That, in turn, usually means good ticket sales for the inevitable reunion.) Tickets are $38 and $32 and are available online, by phone and at two local Ticketmaster l...

The Gazz Calendar: ; Sept. 7 - Sept. 13

MUSIC * JOSH BUSKIRK: 5:30 p.m. No cover. The Vandalia Lounge, 212 Hale St. Call 343-4110.

Best Bet: ; Thanks for Chering

Best Bet: ; Doggy Paddling

Best Bet: ; Got Milk?

Looking for a photo op or just something weird to amuse the kids? Head on down to the Charleston Town Center at 4 p.m. Friday when Maggie, the official mascot for Maggie Moo's, meets the Chick-fil-A cow to commemorate the grand opening of Maggie Moo's new location inside the downtown mall. The two anthropomorphic bovines will meet each udder (sorry - couldn't resist) in front of the new Maggie Moo's gourmet ice cream shop near J.C. Penney. "They're going to take their hooves and do a high-fiv...

Film Clips

* "CRANK": H Marquee Cinemas, Park Place Stadium Cinemas. Hit man Chev Chelios (Jason Statham) wakes to discover that he has been drugged with a synthetic poison that will kill him in "about an hour," a fate he soon learns can only temporarily be held at bay by keeping his adrenaline pumping. But this movie, like Chelios, is pulled downward by its nihilistic rush for a rush. Rated R. * "CROSSOVER": H MC, PPSC. Basketball, women in tight clothes, some trash talk, some more basketball - th...

Cover Story: ; Is Boyd Bonkers?; Trying to Get the Scoop On Danny Boyd's Wrestling Alter Ego, Professor Danger

IF YOU GO WHAT: AWA-APEX September To Dismember WHEN: Bell time, 7:30 p.m. Friday. WHERE: Davis Fine Arts Building, West Virginia State University. Tickets: $7. INFO: Call 766-3288. I have to be honest. I've known Danny Boyd for nearly 25 years. I was one of his first students back when he began teaching at what was then West Virginia State College. He was not only a teacher. He's a friend. And I'm worried.

Gameplayer: ; 'Flatout 2' Rewards Recklessness

REVIEW Flatout 2 HHH Publisher: Vivendi Universal System: Microsoft XBox Cost: $40 ESRB Rating: T Get ready to slam the pedal to the metal as you participate in the high-octane races and crazy rag-doll events found in "Flatout 2."

Arctic Monkeys Win Mercury Prize

LONDON - Infectious rockers the Arctic Monkeys - who released Britain's fastest-selling debut album after building a cult Internet following - have won the prestigious Mercury music prize, beating a diverse field of musicians. The group claimed a $38,000 prize at a London ceremony Tuesday. Judges of the prize, which has honored the best album of the year by a British or Irish band since 1992, had previously been renowned for overlooking populist choices in favor of obscure artists.

Local Music: ; a Weekend of Rock, Reggae and Free Beer

So you partied hard at the Regatta, and are now looking to keep it rolling into fall? We can help make that happen with a few easy tips on where to go and spend yer' ducats this weekend. Here are some "Live & Local" tips for the weekend:

Wilco to Perform at Wvu

Critically acclaimed indie rockers Wilco are coming to West Virginia University on Oct. 18. Much like the band itself, the show is a little quirky - it's a Wednesday night performance that doesn't start until 10 p.m. Nonetheless, fans of the "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" band can expect a fairly intimate show, because it's in the school's Mountainlair Ballroom, which only holds about 1,200 people. (Comparatively, the Coliseum, where other rock shows are often held, seats up to 14,000.)

Del Mccoury Still Gaining Fans at 67

IF YOU GO The Del McCoury Band performs along with Hot Buttered Rum and Larry Keel at Huntingtons MonkeyBar at 8 p.m. Sept. 14. Tickets are $15 in advance. Call 522-6570 or visit monkeybarlive.com. At 67, bluegrass picker and singer Del McCoury doesn't precisely know what to make of his latter-day success or how exactly he's managed to draw the young crowd.

Gazzopolis

'Fairs & Fests' If you saw Quiet Riot, Warrant or Randy Travis on stage along Kanawha Boulevard at last week's Charleston Sternwheel Regatta, see them again. Local photographer Stephen Ross serves up shots of the performers at the new "Fairs&Fests" blog at thegazz.com.

'Hollywoodland' Strong but Not Quite Super

REVIEW Hollywoodland HHH Rated R (language, some violence and sexual content) Directed by Allen Coulter Starring Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane and Bob Hoskins "Hollywoodland" is an intriguing place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there. In fact, people who live there often wind up dead or wishing they were.

'Rocky' Statue to Be Near Steps

PHILADELPHIA - Rocky Balboa is headed back to his old stomping grounds. The city's Art Commission approved a plan Wednesday to return a statue of the big-screen boxer to a site near the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where Sylvester Stallone ran the stairs in the movie as the boxer in training. By a 6-2 vote, the commission voted to move the statue, currently stored in a warehouse, to a street-level pedestal near the site of one of the 1976 movie's iconic scenes.

City Artists Create Huntington Series' First Buffalo

bobschwarz@wvgazette.com A herd of buffalo is coming to Huntington, but the animals will come single file, one each year.

Prankster Switches Hilton Cds

LONDON - "Why Am I Famous?" "What Have I Done?" and "What Am I For?" Those are the "hits" on Paris Hilton's new album - if you happened to buy one of 500 doctored copies by the British graffiti artist Banksy.

Fights Make 'Protector' Worth a Look

REVIEW "The Protector" is probably the only movie youll see this year in which a character runs around yelling, Where are my elephants? in subtitled English before annihilating anyone who provides the wrong answer. "The Protector" is probably the only movie you'll see this year in which a character runs around yelling, "Where are my elephants?" in subtitled English before annihilating anyone who provides the wrong answer.

Omarion Concert Canceled