Open mike night

Open mike night
WARREN -- A youth dance and open mike night will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday at Crest Lanes bowling alley on U.S. Route 422 in Warren with DJ Dr. G.
Tickets are $3 at the door. All student dancers, singers and rappers are welcome.
Call (330) 369-6218 for more information.
Battle of the bands
Cleveland's most popular battle of the bands, the Mountain Dew MDX High School Rock-Off, will return in January to the Odeon Concert Club for its 10th year.
Last year's competition earned straight A's as musical talent, fan attendance and community support graduated to new levels. The Rock-Off is produced by Belkin Productions
"The High School Rock-Off has proven to be a tremendous grass-roots activity for young, enthusiastic musicians living in Northeast Ohio," said Barry Gabel at Belkin Productions. "After 10 years, this event continues to provide an opportunity for young artists to perform on a professional stage with a professional light and sound staff, in front of enthusiastic crowds, friends and family. I love the level of energy these kids bring to the stage. These high school kids lay it on the line at the very same club they see their heroes crank it up night after night."
The schedule:
URounds 1, 2:Jan. 6, 7.
URounds 3, 4:Jan. 13,14.
URounds 5, 6:Jan. 20, 21.
Doors open at 4 p.m. and music begins at 5 p.m. for Fridays; times are 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. for Saturdays.
The Final Exam will be Jan. 28, with doors opening at 2 p.m. and the show starting at 3.
Quote/Unquote
"I've always done my hair like that. Some people are like, `You definitely need a haircut.' I don't care, I like it. I just let it do its own thing." -- Ryan Cabrera, on his famously spiky 'do, in People magazine.
"'Point Break.' I've seen it 30 times, I swear!" -- Actor Jake Gyllenhaal, on his favorite film, in InStyle magazine.
"I wet the bed until I was 9 years old. One day someone said to me, 'What's that smell of pee around here? You?!' It's bad to pee your pants on a cold day, but on a hot day, pee has a [really bad] smell." -- Chris Rock, in Teen People magazine.
Video game review
SOCOM 3: US NAVY SEALS
ssss (out of four)
Sony for PlayStation 2; $49.99. Rating: M (Mature)
Lock and load, PS2 gamers. It's time for battle ... again. And the best and most popular online shooter for PlayStation 2 just got better -- and bigger. "SOCOM 3" expands on its 2-year-old predecessor in just about every way.
The biggest change is in scope. Now SEALs and terrorists can square off in teams of 16 combatants per side, doubling the previous maximum of eight per side. To accommodate the increased number of gunmen, the environments are huge, offering multiple spawn points and a great deal of diversity in terrain.
Thankfully, the gameplay has also adapted to the larger battlefields. Walking for seemingly virtual miles is no longer a requirement, as vehicles can now be used to move around the combat theater. Gunboats, humvees, tanks and trucks now play a critical part.
In addition, players can now also swim through deeper water. Although SEALs and terrorists can't fire when submerged (where you can stay only for a little while before running out of air), a watery assault can provide added stealth, especially under the cover of a dark night sky.
The controls are tight, the action tense and the graphics crisp. And, most importantly, lag was rarely an issue, even in 32-player firefights. The single-player mode is also more engaging, thanks in part to the addition of the vehicles and improved enemy intelligence.
"SOCOM 3" is loaded with so much new stuff, it takes some time just to try out everything. Of the new versus modes, convoy is the best. Here teams must guide trucks into a battle zone, load up the goods and drive out intact. Great fun usually ensues. HOOAH!