Have you ever tried to play a Jimi Hendrix solo that was so difficult that you weren't able go a few strums before failing miserably? Well, a new club at Uni is there for you to live out your rock 'n' roller dreams without all the practice. Will Fernandez had to get the scoop on Air Guitar Club and ask, "Are you ready to rock?"

The Illineks will be among 20 teams competing in the Class 1A girls sectional meet Saturday in Decatur. At stake is a trip to the Nov. 7 state finals in Peoria. But to qualify for sectionals, the Uni girls had to place in the top five of last weekend's regional meet at Kickapoo State Park. As this photo essay by Will Fernandez shows, the weather wasn't ideal, but the Illineks pushed forward and grabbed fourth place, good enough to advance to the penultimate stage of the postseason.

Did you miss this year's Pygmalion Music Festival last month? Don't worry, you can still catch highlights from the festival's fifth time around and hear an interview with the creator of Pygmalion, local music guru Seth Fein, put together in this video/slideshow by Sindha Agha and Will Fernandez.

The 2009 Illineks are a step closer to returning to the IHSA Class 1A state finals thanks to their weekend victory at the St. Joseph regional meet. The boys' next challenge will come Saturday, when they take on 19 other teams at the Decatur St. Teresa sectional. The meet will be held at the Hickory Point Golf Course.

Can't get enough eco-news? Get a load of our bike-hugging footage of Uni's first-ever Bike-to-School Day. On Sept. 29, throngs of eager, helmeted Uni students flocked to the bike rack from all over the C-U area, rolling in just in time for the first bell. Event planners Maria Gao and Brittany Scheid tell us all about it.

Here are some more scenes from this year's subbie retreat, which took place Aug. 28. Whether they were building candy houses, participating in the subbie version of the Olympics, or pulling their hardest during tug-of-war, the school's newest students got to know each other better thanks to the retreat's games and activities.

Got a colossal craving? Then get thee to Fat Sandwich, the Campustown hot spot where fine cuisine means bacon cheeseburgers on glazed donut buns. Gargoyle editors Danny Ge, Hadley Hauser, and Katherine Allen wanted to get a firsthand look at these mighty sandwiches and the clientele who partake of them. So video camera in hand, they ventured out one recent Saturday night. Check inside for what they found.

Last year the Uni girls cross country team had to deal with a lack of numbers. But this year is a different story. The team has doubled in size, and the depth has resulted in excellent team performances. Led by senior Elizabeth Russell, the Illineks will be a tough opponent when the IHSA postseason begins in late October.

So far, the 2009 boys soccer campaign has had its share of ups and downs, but the high points have definitely been memorable. The Illineks have put together a 6-4-2 varsity record on the eve of Thursday's matchup against Champaign Central. Check inside for a glimpse of the soccer season so far.

When some of the best guitarists in the world descended on Champaign-Urbana last week, Uni grad Jake Hertzog ('03) was among their number. Hertzog performed Saturday afternoon at the Krannert Center along with legendary jazz bassist Harvie S. and drummer Victor Jones. Check out the sights and sounds in our audio slideshow.

Before the subbie retreat or even the opening-day assembly, there was the new student orientation for Uni High subfreshmen and transfers. On Aug. 14, newcomers got to know Uni a little better before the school year began five days later. Members of the subbie buddy program organized the day's events, and Kahlilah Cooke was there to document the activities.

The annual subbie retreat took place today, giving the school's newest students a chance to get to know each other better. Rain prevented the Class of 2014 from going to Meadowbrook Park for the day, so they had to make do with Uni Gym and assorted classrooms. Still, with the help of their subbie buddies, they had a great time!

This summer, a group of Uni students led by history teacher Chris Butler headed off to the beautiful mainland and islands of Greece for a two-week trip. They explored archaeological sites and the gorgeous islands, getting a full immersion of Greek history and culture. Check out their pictures, Animoto style!

Uni High's first dance of the year took place Friday in the North Attic, and the free event was a great way to have fun with friends after the first week of school. Kahlilah Cooke & Co. were there snapping away on the camera when they weren't dancing. Take a look at what they came up with!

The popular TV show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" arrived last week in the small town of Philo, about nine miles south of Urbana, to give a local family a new home. Gargoyle editor Will Fernandez was there on Saturday, along with hundreds of others, and he brought back this report, including an Animoto video.