The game takes you through the Beatles career from the Ed Sullivan Show, through their early career, into trippy transcendence. You can play the guitar, drum, and sing. Actually, many can (and should) sing as there are multiple vocal parts where you need to harmonize. I never tried that as I can sing only one note but I’d love to hear a group actually do this.

To “That” Guy

To you people who have to be “that guy” and say, “real instruments are more fun” or “why don’t you play in a real band”, your argument is tired and short-sighted. We understand that real music is more difficult and more rewarding, but there is no way I could pick up a real guitar and play all these Beatles classics in the couple hours I have. My goal is to have fun, not struggle. By this logic I could say, “you know, I don’t need to play real tennis when I could just be playing on the Wii”. Or better yet, say, “Gee, I feel like invading Normandy. I’ll book a trip to England, rent a boat, and scale the French coast with a rifle.” If you’re anti-video games, fine. But don’t just be anti-music video games. But even then I’d STILL argue that playing Beatles Rock Band is a GREAT way to explore their music. While playing, I was impressed realizing the different chord changes, off beat notes, difficult harmonies, and more. I would never notice these things just listening to their music. Anyway, enough, just stop.

Overall

Overall, it’s an amazing game that sets the standard for how band-specific games should be made. Not only that, but the people at Harmonix have something special compared to the folks at Activision. Beatles Rock Band just feels better than Guitar Hero 5. I don’t know if it’s just smoother, the notes make more sense, or what. But it’s painfully obvious when you play the two side-by-side just how much better engineered Rock Band is compared to the Guitar Hero series.

The one requirement for this game is that you actually like, on some level, the Beatles music. Because it’s ALL BEATLES. Though there are some more obscure tracks, most songs are instantly reliable. But most people do. So give The Beatles Rock Band a whirl the next time you have the chance.

TennisCrowd Rating

Video Preview

Yoga practionioners entering the plow pose

Just Starting
Last November, I signed up for the Intro Series at Shakti Vinyasa in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood…mainly because it was nearby. I thought I would try it and see how it goes. Before starting yoga I imagined a room full of people sitting for hours with their hands together going “Ooooooooommmmmmm” while listening to music featuring sitars. Thankfully this is not the case. Well, part of the case but my initial concerns proved wildly inaccurate.

Choosing Shakti
It turned out to be serendipitous that I selected Shakti Vinyasa as I didn’t know about the widely differing styles of yoga. Vinyasa, ashtanga, bikram, svaroopa, kripalu. Those words were all Sanskrit to me. At the first class I envisioned a lecture-like environment where we were instructed on the different poses. I guess I expected a how-to class. Instead, it’s a DO class. Shakti turned out to be EXACTLY what I wanted. Right away they have you going through the motions of the basic poses. I also quickly learned that this particular style, power vinyasa, means tying your motion to breathing. And there’s a LOT of motion. I’d call it an atheletic workout rather than a class. Because it totally kicked my asana. The poses were uncomfortable, it was painful, I sweat buckets, I was sore for days, I was HOOKED!

Next level
For the past 5 months I’ve been going once or twice a week. The Intro Series prepared me well for the next level, 1.5. I learned all the poses and got a good feel for what I’m capable of. The 1.5 series is a gret next step. It amps up the intensity appropriately. I’m still having problems with the crow pose and the wheel but there has been incremental progress (though I won’t be doing a headstand anytime soon). What’s really been great is feeling the improvement while still finding it challenging. There are so many variations that no matter what shape or level you are in there’s a workout to be had.

Criticisms
In an effort to be balanced, I will offer some criticisms. Occasionally they stuff a few too many people into the classes. I think they should limit the class to 7 students to a row. I’ve been there when it’s 8 and that’s a bit too tight. However, there’s something to be said for group energy. When everyone is going through what you’re going through it can keep you motivated. The instructors do a great job at this as well. I’ve had many: Lisa, Stephanie, Dora, Anna, Melissa. All are unique and all are excellent. (In fact, the instructors are probably why Shakti is so good and should have been mentioned earlier in the review.) The only other complaint I have is the class schedule. Specifically, it’d be great if it fit mine better. The 5:30 pm 1.5 class is tough for me to get to in time. But with the classes as popular as they are, I doubt my schedule makes a difference.

Overall
Regardless, it’s doing the trick. Overall, I feel much stronger, more flexible, and balanced. I hope to be able to go more frequently than just once a week. Who knows, maybe one of these days I’ll try a crow pose mid-point and win this time?

Yoga tips for first-timers:

- If you’re just starting, go ready to work out and feel a little bit silly.
- Don’t eat too soon before. You’re in all sorts of twists, angles, and elevations.
- Get a good mat.
- If you’re hands sweat (they will), get a yoga mat towel to go over the mat. I would slip all over the place without this.
- Wear something you’d be comfortable sweating (a lot!) in.
- Have fun!

About Shakti:

Shakti Vinyasa (shaktivinyasa.com)
Shakti West: 2238 NW Market St, Seattle, WA 98107
Shakti East: 10245 Main St. Main Place Bldg S 104, Bellevue, WA 98004

Named “Best Power Yoga Studio in Seattle” voted by Seattle Magazine, March 2009

SHAKTI is a Sanskrit word meaning the creative, transformational energy in all of us. SHAKTI Vinyasa Yoga studio was created to inspire students to discover this unique power within them. It is our mission to provide consistent, quality, and excellent yoga instruction so students are empowered to tap their full potential. We provide a safe structure and supportive learning environment where you challenge your physical limits, shift your mental perspective, and awaken your true spirit.

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Vitamin Water (http://www.vitaminwater.com)
This stuff isn’t really a sports beverage but it “seems” healthier than the other options. It comes in different forms like “energy”, “defense”, “endurance”, “focus”, etc. It’s good and sounds like it’s healthy but it uses crystalline fructose as a sweetener. Also, it’s not really a “sports beverage” in the same line as the others.

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Powerade (http://www.us.powerade.com)
I don’t like Powerade at all. It’s way too sweet and syrupy; it’s like soda without the carbonation. Powerade is the loser among sports beverages.

Rating:


Propel Fitness Water (http://www.propelwater.com)
I go back and forth on this one. Sometimes I like it and sometimes I don’t. It uses an artificial sweetener, and while I’m anti-chemical, it is “lightly flavored”. I like the subtleness and sometimes this drink seems to do the trick on the court. I don’t know if it’s all in my head but I sometimes feel better after drinking this. Sometimes.

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Overall
I’d really like to find the perfect hydrating beverage without chemicals added for sweetness and/or color. This sports beverage would have the following traits:

- No sugar
- No artificial sweeteners
- No artificial colors
- Replaces electrolytes
- Hydrates
- Not syrupy
- Tastes good

It doesn’t even have to taste that good. So long as it has no other negatives and is actually better for you than water. Vitamin Water is close but the crystalline fructose sweetener is the deal-breaker. Come on beverage companies…give us athletes something 100% healthy!

Your tolerance to this line is a good litmus test to your tolerance for the whole film. If you can get past that line or find some enjoyment from it, then you might like the movie. If not avoid, avoid, avoid! If you’re an avid tennis player hoping for good tennis scenes, avoid, avoid, avoid! I’m thinking, that you’d think, that those 2 hours would be much better spent on the court, cleaning your house, at the dentist, or pulling fuzz strands off tennis balls one at a time. That being said, the movie does prominently feature tennis. One could watch a worse movie about a worse subject after all.

Wimbledon: The Movie on DVD. Review: 2/5