Breaking Away
Dunn Meadow
Wednesday April 18, 8:30 p.m.

Breaking Away, the 1979 triumph that won an Oscar and won IU some serious recognition, makes an appearance in Dunn Meadow this year. The Little 500-centric sleeper hit about breaking away from the crowd and following your dreams is a downright classic movie, and perfect to watch right around this time of the year.

While many people wouldn’t think to sit down for a movie when there are thousands of events planned before the big weekend, trust me, this is one you can’t miss. Consider it your get-out-of-jail-free card if you can’t make to the actual race (hey, things happen.) Not only is “Breaking Away” a feel-good movie, but it’s a real trip to see IU and the rest of Bloomington way back before Noodles & Co. came to Kirkwood. And the length of the men’s shorts is an event in itself.

So if you have a couple hours between case races and foam parties, take a seat in the Meadow, set yourself up with some free food and drinks and flash back to the good old days of our favorite IU tradition. If you don’t do it for the film itself, or for a young and attractive Dennus Quaid, at least do it for the shorts!

Afroman
Jake’s Nightclub
Wed. April 18, 9 p.m.

Yellowcard, Three Six Mafia, O.A.R. – we’ve got some pretty big names rolling into B-town this Little 500 season. While I love a good “It’s Hard out Here for a Pimp,” a piece of my heart still belongs to Afroman’s 2001 stoner parody anthem “Because I Got High.” While I don’t really hang with the High Times-reading crowd, this little ditty (and the artist performing it) is too much fun to pass up.

The lyrics of “Because I Got High” detail the trials of a young man who basically ruined his life from smoking a little too much Mary Jane, and instead of making the listener depressed, the tune actually makes you feel a little better about your life (given you’re not a paraplegic). Plus, the riffing and ad-libbing by Afroman’s crew in the background of the recording makes me laugh every time.

But don’t just go for that one killer track. Afroman still has a few other good songs in his repertoire, like the infamous (and infamously obscene) “Colt 45.” But for whatever reason you attend, it’ll be a good time, and at the very least it’ll hold you over until the big-time weekend acts hit their stages.

Caitlin Brase can be reached at cbrase@indiana.edu.