Local

Varieties Central Committee is inviting Iowa State students to share their talents at this year’s performance, Varieties 2000, “Student Stars Unmasked.”

Check out the Varieties 2000 Web page at www.iastate.edu/~varieties for information or attend the informational meeting Thursday at 6:30 p.m. at the Pine Room in the Memorial Union.

Folk band Eddie From Ohio hits the M-Shop tonight at 8 p.m. The band is touring in support of its third studio release on Virginia Soul Records “Looking Out the Fishbowl.”

EFO, which is actually from Virginia and has no members named Ed, is known for its massive grassroots campaign, which has sold over 70,000 records from the side of the stage.

Entertainment Weekly, however, got ahold of “Fishbowl” and gave the “folkternative” record a B+ rating, praising the group for its “irresistible quirky songs that goose the imagination.”

Regional

Contrary to initial reports, The Urge is playing this Friday at Uncle Frogs (located next to Super Toad, 1424 Euclid Ave. in Des Moines). Tickets cost $12.50 in advance and are available through Ticketmaster. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with P.O.D. going on at 8 p.m.

The Aware Showcase, which was set to occur Thursday in Iowa City, has been cancelled due to scheduling conflicts.

Although the Aware label goofed this time around, their track record shows they’re something to keep an eye on.

The “progressive record label” has discovered such bands as The Verve Pipe, Hootie & the Blowfish, Better than Ezra and Matchbox 20.

National

Filter will be incorporating an old school game into its upcoming tour. The hardcore band picked Simon Says and System of a Down as opening acts for its escapade throughout the east coast this November.

Simon Says has been saying quite a lot lately. If you haven’t heard of the band already from their stints with Limp Bizkit, its high school tour (more about that in the June 1999 issue of Rolling Stone), the ESPN X-Games Xperience Tour or Woodstock ’99, don’t worry, you’ll be hearing of the group shortly.

The band’s second single, “Life Jacket,” will be released to rock and modern rock radio on Nov. 2, according to a Hollywood Records press release. Simon Says’ debut album, “Jump Start,” was released in April and is currently available at most music stores.

November might prove to be a DVD showcase month. Many big name bands are selling DVDs in addition to home videos this fall.

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers will release “High Grass Dogs * Live From The Fillmore” on Nov. 9. The concert was filmed at the renowned San Fransisco venue in March of 1999, where the band sold out seven shows, according to Warner Reprise.

Expect to hear 90 minutes of the band’s classic tunes intermingled with newer material. If you’re down with DVD, plan on shelling out $25. Or, save yourself about five clams and do it the old fashioned way — via home video.

Van Halen’s upcoming release will reward DVD purchasers by featuring the bonus track, “Without You,” which won’t be found on the home video version. The added song could be seen as just a gimmick to get the masses to buy a more updated version of the home video, which was originally released in 1996.

“Van Halen Video Hits, Volume 1” features the classic MTV videos “Jump,” “Panama,” “Right Now” and “Hot For Teacher.” The collection will hit stores on Nov. 2, according to Warner Reprise.