By Louis Sullivan ‘It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights. It’s time to meet the Muppets…” So begins the theme song of the classic 1970’s-era “Muppet Show” and so too begins the real action of 2011’s “The Muppets.” A staple of 70’s and 80’s entertainment, Jim Henson’s Muppets have [...]

    By Anthony J. Machcinski In the middle of what was the pop revolution of the late 1990s, Russell Murray created a band that went against that trend. While no bands at the time were playing progressive rock, Murray had his vision of one that would be able to cover progressive rock groups such [...]

    By Anthony J. Machcinski As the leaves change colors and the warm summer becomes the crisp cool of fall, millions of men, women and children get ready to celebrate Halloween. As a child, I did what children all across America do: get dressed up and go door-to-door, saying, “trickor- treat” and hoping for [...]

      By Anthony J. Machcinski It’s no secret that violence in America has risen in the past few years, and because of it, police officers across the nation have been thrown into the line of fire. One woman is determined to give a true look into the tragedy behind the deaths of the [...]

  By Anthony J. Machcinski Kevin Wallace, owner of Donegal Saloon, expressed it best when he said, “The music of the Beatles just spans generations.” This was no more evident when Beatles cover band Hey Bulldog played the Donegal on Friday night. Hey Bulldog first came together on Oct. 9, 2004, John Lennon’s birthday, when [...]

  By Anthony J. Machcinski While many musicians today have chased the money by creating music under the rap and pop genres, it’s always refreshing when a young band goes against the trend. Taking the history of rock into account, Madison 22 is a fresh new sound that has taken the local scene by storm. [...]

    By Anthony J. Machcinski Heavy guitar riffs and smooth solos normally relate to the style of rock bands from the 1970s such as AC/DC, Black Sabbath and The Doors; however, New Jersey rock band Ripped hopes to bring that style back to the modern era. Created nearly 25 years ago by guitarist Steve [...]

  By Anthony J. Machcinski Ever since the events of Columbine High School 12 years ago, the efforts against bullying have been continually increased. These efforts have mostly been led by parents, concerned about their children in school. However, one young North Arlington resident is looking to change that. Karlee Roberts, a 12-year-old performer, has [...]

      By Anthony J. Machcinski Youthful, happy and charismatic are words that describe performer Robert Taylor Jr., who taught classes at Visions Dance Studio on Midland Ave. in Kearny on Sept. 7. Taylor Jr. became well known after his appearance on “So You Think You Can Dance” in the show’s eighth season. He [...]

By Anthony J. Machcinski As Labor Day weekend comes and goes on the calendar and the leaves on trees begin to turn, the 2011 summer movie season comes to a close. This year, moviegoers have seen everything from romantic comedies like “Friends With Benefits” to science-fiction thrillers like “Super 8.” With quality films coming out [...]