16 Blocks Magazine - Issue #19 by 16 Blocks Arts & Culture Magazine

d own town recycl i n g 2 4

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a r t s

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b l a c k s b u r g

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c u l t u r e issueno.19

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blacksburg elections

musicians on music

TRASH THE DUMPSTER

16 Blocks interviews the Candidates for Town Council

88 K eys

4 Hands - Matt LaBarge and Shawn Brenneman

Local artist Kat Mills interviews Michael Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies before their October show at the Lyric

Sustainable Blacksburg, the Town and Downtown Merchants collaborate on a downtown recycling plan

12 Cooking With Trent 16 More Zombie Portraits 18 Halloween Fun! 20 Artist: Jessey Schaudt 21 A Night with the Keys

24 Expatriates: Gregory Bros. 25 Logos: Big Red 26 To Do list 30 Idle Minds 31 Support Our Advertisers

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Arts and Culture Magazine October 2009 Issue #19 A division of 16 Blocks Media LLC. Contact us for subscription rates, general questions, corrections, if you’re interested in submitting short stories for our Logos Section, letters to the Editor, or if you just want to say hey. 16blocksmagazine@gmail.com www.16blocksmagazine.com myspace.com/16blocksmagazine Check us out on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter @16blocks P.O. Box 279 Blacksburg, VA 24063 No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

C ove r Jesse Sigman: Zombie Waitress Photo by David Franusich Pg 16 & 17 Photos by David Franusich Pg 18 & 19 Illustrations by Danny Phillips

staf f

Hart Fowler

Publisher’s note: *Check out our article on Matt Labarge and Shawn Brenneman on Page 14 and Tuan Pham’s photos of the show on Page 21

by Hart Fowler A NIGHT WITH THE KEYS Matt Labarge is taking a 15 minute nap in my basement. At least that’s what he's attempting to do. It's midOctober and just before the piano exhibition "A Night With the Keys" and I think he must have too much nervous energy to be comfortable. I left him to cool out down there on the couch with quiet funk music and dimmed lights. Upstairs in the main room, the classical meditations from his solo piano on his newest CD "October", softly trickle from the house speakers, above the wine pours and chatter as more and more arrive for the show. Recording microphones are adjusted, chairs are placed. His wife Shawn Brenneman is also performing, and she is enjoying the front porch with a handful of folks now including Labarge, who could take no rest. Inside, the strings and hammers and keys and pedals of the 100-year old upright piano at the far end of the room are idle. The lights are turned down and the living room audience of thirty or so take their seats as the show is about to begin. A house show feels different, and this kind feels old fashioned in a way I like. A few friends entertaining a few friends.

THREE PIANOS, A BRIDGE GAME, AND A HOTEL The first time Matt LaBarge and I spoke at length was at Attitude's Bar where I play the piano in the early evenings. He had sent me some information about his newest recording and I invited him by for a meeting after my gig was over. I was pleased he showed up early and played a set of his own pieces. Better still, each one was practiced, and full of depth and emotion. That same evening I met LaBarge's wife, Shawn Brenneman. She is a contra-dance caller and a piano player as well. Keyboardist and owner of the aforementioned antique piano, Aaron Noe (Hope Hop), showed up and played a set at

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C O N T R I B U TORS Danny Phillips - Illustrator Aerin Toler - Illustrator Tuan Pham - Photographer Al Fayez - Photographer Trent Crabtree - Features Writer Jeffrey Pillow - Guest Writer Kat Mills - Guest Writer Chuck Ronco - Chess Guru

THE TAVERNACLE My performance I can't comment on so much, but I think the audience and I had a nice time getting into some pieces I am composing. The one I like the most was inspired by long walks on sunny days I used to take with my little sister, Conner. The next player was Aaron Noe, who tuned the Royal himself and is a finely trained player who played some original instrumentals and a Phish cover as well as the Charlie Brown theme. The finale was played by LaBarge. Before he began to play, a rich quiet settled into the crowded room gathered to listen. He looked down at his hands, pushing down keys to hammer the strings to resonate and decay through the wood of the piano and into the open air. He played songs from "October", the album he released this month. The room of 30 people seemed to drift into a daydream, rapt. Thirty minutes later and he stood up to a rousing applause and it felt like the afterglow of watching a great film. More wine was poured, the chairs were put against the wall, and the second half of the show began. Brenneman played the waltzes, ragtime and blues on the piano and Labarge harnessed himself to the Hohner accordion and the dancing began. We took turns sharing duets on the piano and someone played the spoons and the night drove on. Lightning could've cut the power and we wouldn't have missed a beat. Old-fashioned, I like it.

pinwheels for peace at the new school

Editor in Chief, Publisher

16blocksmagazine@gmail.com

Attitude's that night as well. Brenneman had to leave for a Bridge game and from there we decided to go Labarge's to play his big old Steinway and Sons grand and his Young Chang upright. After that session, naturally, we went on back to what we call the Tavernacle, a fine two story rental house on Main to play the old Royal.

A playful spin on a global issue

On September 21, schools around the world celebrated the International Day of Peace by constructing vast quantities of paper pinwheels and displaying them outside their buildings. This year, 16 Blocks followed a tip from New School mom and VT faculty Lakshmi Jayaram and found a gloomy Bleaksburg day lit up by the students’ colorful pinwheels. A pinwheel is easy to make. Take an 8 1/2 by 11-inch piece of paper in your favorite color and pattern, and fold and cut to leave a square (or just start with a square piece of paper). Draw a very small circle in the center. This will be the anchor point. Draw straight lines from each corner to the circle, then cut along those lines, stopping at the edge of the circle. Fold each corner gently towards the center without creasing the paper. Then use a thumbtack to attach the center of the pinwheel to the eraser of a pencil. A pinless method is to make holes in the corners the same size as the center circle, which should be the diameter of a bendable drinking straw: put the short part of the bent straw through the center, then thread the turnedin corners onto the end, then trim the straw end so that it’s not too long, but leaves enough room for the pinwheel to twirl. Keep the pinwheel in place with a bead of hard-drying clay pushed onto the trimmed end of the straw. Stabilize the stem by putting a pencil or dowel up into the straw. Then, plant your pinwheel and visualize whirled peace!

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Get to know the folks running for Blacksburg Town Council

Election Day is November 3 rd,

and vying with the changing foliage for Blacksburg's attention are scads of campaign signs. But what's in a name, anyway? Let's vote with our brains. To give (and acquire!) some perspective on the array of candidates, 16 Blocks asked each of them the following questions.*

* For brevity’s sake we chose what we thought were the best answers from each candidate. View the candidates’ complete responses online at www.16blocksmagazine.com. Also, we never received a response from Frank Lau but encourage you to research his positions yourself, we’re sure his answers would have been good.

1 What are your thoughts on the potential of a downtown mural project? 2 Last three music or arts events attended, and favorite local artist/musician? 3 When was the last time you went to an art gallery or museum? What was the show? 4

Lots of people have dogs in Blacksburg, yet there is no official place for people to let them run. Would you support building a dog park somewhere in town? How do you feel about the arts in general in Blacksburg? What would you do to improve the atmosphere/ culture of creativity?

5 6 Any thoughts on a downtown wireless initiative, similar to Roanoke? 7 Why run for Town Council? 8 What is your method of transportation (be specific)? 9 Would it be a part of your agenda for this Council to push for the one-laning of College Ave?

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candidates presented in alphabetical order Question 3: On October 9, I went to the Perspective Gallery at Virginia Tech to view “Primal States and Portals: Sculpture by Kurt Steger.”

Susan Anderson

Question 5: The Downtown Revitalization Committee, of which I am chair, has drafted a tax incentives ordinance through the help of our town attorney and staff for the downtown commercial district as a tourism district. If passed by Town Council, new businesses which may be able to use the ordinance include fine arts studios, arts-related personal improvement services such as theatre, dance, music, or art instruction; and arts-related commercial indoor entertainment including live theater, motion picture theatre, concert hall or music hall. Town Council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance in November. The Downtown Revitalization Committee intends to work on creating an arts district in the coming months. I have proposed that the Downtown Revitalization Committee look into the town allowing by permit street musicians,

Question 1: I believe a downtown mural project would be an exciting adventure and would support it if a good location could be identified. In New Mexico you can see this kind of public art in many places, especially in the plazas in the town squares.

john bush

Question 2: I saw Richard Thompson solo, Buddy Guy and his blues band and the Del McCoury band at the Jefferson Center relatively recently. I also caught Lucinda Williams’ show, and John Hiatt when he toured with the North Mississippi Allstars in the Big Tent at the Charlottesville Pavilion. The most recent show I saw at the Lyric was Alejandro Escovedo and his fine three piece band. What a great show. I wish more people had been there. I also saw numerous acts at the Steppin’ Out festival in August. I go out to the General store in Floyd at least one time every summer. Peetie Hastings of harmonica fame is certainly one of the greats around here and he is also a tremendous individual. I played in a band with him and Gerry Skenderian called Loose Shoes

Question 3: Went a couple weeks ago to the Perspective Gallery in Squires and saw the Primal States and Portals: Sculpture gallery created by Kurt Steger. I loved the blending of nature and balance in each of his pieces.

bryce carter

Question 6: As we continue to develop downtown Blacksburg into a focal point for the community, I believe it is important to seek out opportunities to encourage the free flow of information and enhance the area as a common communal space. I feel there is tremendous opportunity for collaboration between Blacksburg and Virginia Tech in creating a wireless zone downtown where students and residents alike will be able to access the internet for free. Blacksburg was considered the world’s most wired community in 1998; let’s use this initiative to take the lead again. Question 7: With this being my fourth year engaged as an involved organizer and campus leader in Blacksburg, it made sense to me to take the next step forward and work

similar to the “Acoustic Café” program in Greenville, South Carolina. Question 6: I believe the more advanced the information technology infrastructure we have downtown, the more likely businesses are to want to locate here. We want to encourage this development. Question 7: Blacksburg is at a critical point in its history and development. I want to contribute to preserving what is great about this town while helping to guide us into an even better future based on the shared values of our community. I want to continue to encourage and work toward a vibrant, thriving downtown. I want a safe downtown—safe for our students and our year-round residents, a downtown where all residents want to shop, eat, and enjoy the company of friends and colleagues, a downtown where you can pick up a prescription or buy a set of sheets, as well as purchase pizza and Virginia Tech merchandise.

in the 80’s and in a band with him and Nick Romantini and Norman Olmstead called Full House Blues in the ‘90’s. He is a true talent, as are the other individuals I mentioned. Question 7: I think the recent council has been an improvement, but with the retirement of three members, we have a big hole to fill. We will miss the leadership and intelligence of Al Leighton, Tom Sherman and Mike Rozenzweig. This election is important for continuity and for renewing our commitment to open, accountable and responsive local government that values and preserves the high quality of life that we all experience in Blacksburg. Future development in Blacksburg is the key issue facing our town. I pledge to support the 2006-2046 Town Comprehensive Plan as the guiding vision and road map for how to approach sustainable local solutions to mixed use retail, affordable workforce housing and creating community for aspiring retirees that want to return to their alma mater hometown.

to make a positive difference in our community by running for Blacksburg Town Council. As the only undergraduate candidate, I feel I am in a unique position to engage with expanding the student voice and involvement with local politics. Through my studies I have become passionate on the issue of sustainability and smart, community-oriented growth. I believe Blacksburg is on the cusp of deciding on how we will develop into the future and that this is a critical time to engage with our community in working to address the issues we face. I feel with my experience I am well qualified to outreach and promote this engagement and move Blacksburg forward with community-oriented development. Question 8: I bike from my apartment as regularly as I can to and from class and for many chores around town. When the weather is foul I take the Blacksburg Transit bus and if I go shopping I usually carpool with my roommates.

continued on page 8 & 9

Question 2: I saw the Zac Brown Band (Salem), Michael Havens (he performs at Up on the Roof), Darius Rucker (Blacksburg) — I attended a lot more live music events before school! My favorite local musicians are Leslie Brooks and Sol Creech — I’ve been supporting them for years. Question 3: I saw the Burden Boat Project display at the Perspectives Gallery in Squires at Virginia Tech and also Susan Hensley’s watercolors at the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention in Norris Hall’s Art Gallery. I also am an avid supporter of local artists and attend the local exhibits featured at Art Pannonia - in particular I’m a big fan of John Bishop.

krisha chachra

Question 4: Many of my friends are dog owners and they are very happy to take their dogs to the “unofficial” dog park behind the vet school. Until the economy is in a better state, I believe we need to use our finances in areas where there are more pressing needs such as downtown revitalization

Question 2: Perpetual Groove at Attitudes 10/6 - Boogieburg at Cabo Fish Taco 10/2 - Blues Night at the Cellar 9/21. Favorite musician - Blues night band accompanied by Reid Doughten.

greg fansler

Question 5: I believe the arts initiative backed by Virginia Tech and Blacksburg is very exciting for our town. The addition of Theatre 101 and the eventual completion of The Center for the Arts in 2012 at Virginia Tech will only bring additional artists and performers to the area. To improve the atmosphere/culture – I would communicate with the surrounding towns and cities to ensure our festivals are not competing on the same day. Both Stepping Out and the Virginia Tech Wine Festival conflicted with major events in Roanoke this year. It would behoove the region if we had a collaborated effort. Question 7: Blacksburg is a very special place to me and my family. I believe we are at a pivotal point in our Town’s history. Tech alumni ask me the same question, “What’s

Question 1: I don’t have enough information on a specific mural project. I have proposed a children’s drawing wall in the downtown area, perhaps along College Avenue. Questions 2 & 3: No answer. Question 4: I worked with Parks and Recreation Director Dean Crane on trying to create a dog park during my first term in office. I’d like to come back to Council to finish the job.

paul Lancaster

Question 5: I have been serving on the Blacksburg Partnership’s Arts Initiative, chairing the committee on technology and the arts.

and helping to attract more businesses. This will increase the town’s revenue from retail sales that could help build a permanent place for dogs to run in the future. Question 6: This would be an excellent idea and a return to our roots as the most “wired town in America” - it would require a partnership with industry and the town just like Roanoke had with the The New Century Technology Council (NCTC), Downtown Roanoke Inc., the City of Roanoke, the Roanoke Higher Education Center, and Cisco Systems. Question 9: Community events draw people downtown and then people stay and spend money in the local businesses and restaurants. In order to make downtown more event friendly, we need to make it more pedestrian friendly. There is talk about extending College Ave’s sidewalk out and making it one-way so restaurants can have outdoor seating. The other idea that may work is shutting down College Avenue to make it entirely pedestrian on the weekends.

new in Blacksburg?” Recently I have discovered my answer usually is: “You would not believe it! We had a major shopping and entertainment center come in on South Main that was fought every step of the way, Main Street has numerous vacancies, and we have missed opportunities for progress.” Question 9: It would be part of a well thought-out study. On the surface, would it help with pedestrian safety? I am not sure that is fact. Underneath, does it help or hinder downtown merchants? Does it help or hinder the growing traffic and parking problem? Does it prevent businesses from receiving goods? How will it impact Theatre 101 with stage and concert trucks? I would examine towns similar to ours that have one-ways. After the research has been completed I would talk to the businesses and landowners that would be positively or negatively affected. I know the Town has paid for traffic consultants to examine downtown traffic. I would like to read these reports before making a decision.

Question 7: To continue working on issues mentioned above, to bring sustainable economic development to town, to develop a workable redevelopment plan for the old Blacksburg Middle School property, to work with Virginia Tech on enhancing the arts in and around downtown, to implement the 2006 Comprehensive Plan as the only candidate to have worked on the plan. Question 8: Depending on the weather, time and other circumstances, I walk, bike, ride thebus and drive. Question 9: Not until I study that option as compared to others.

Question 6: This is one concept my committee has been pushing.

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concluded on page 9

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Question 1: I have admired quality murals in other locales, and am open to exploring this possibility for downtown Blacksburg. Question 2: The last three music events I have attended are Floydfest, New River Land Trust Landjam, and The Wild Turkeys at Gillies. My husband and I have tickets to see the Cowboy Junkies at the Lyric this month. Picking one favorite local musician is too hard; but here are three favorites: 3-minute Lovin, Kat Mills and The Wild Turkeys.

cecile newcomb

Question 4: There are plans to create a dog park behind the ball field on Tom’s Creek Road, where the shooting range is being vacated by the police. This is a desire that many Blacksburg residents have had for years and I am glad to see it being addressed.

Question 1: Not sure what this is. I looked at your web site and I couldn’t find it. I would need to know more to answer this question. Question 3: Never. Question 4: Yes. Dogs need to run. This should be a fenced in area to keep things under control.

tom rogers

Question 5: I am not against it. I understand Tech is planning to build an arts building on Main Street. I believe that this will help promote the arts in Blacksburg. At this time I cannot give a constructive comment.

Question 8: I choose to commute by my shoes and bicycle whenever possible. My bicycle is a Peugeot “City Express” that my husband retrieved from a landfill without a scratch on it, except a bent rim that it received as it was thrown into the landfill. He put a new wheel on it and I was good to go! (As an environmental consultant he has several landfills as clients) When I need to drive, I drive a 2005 Prius that we bought used. It’s a fantastic car!

hard to find a place to sit for the people sitting around with their wireless surfing the net or doing their home work. I believe there need to be areas like the old smoking and non smoking. Question 7: I believe that the direction of the town needs to change. I want to improve retail in the town so the people of Blacksburg can shop in Blacksburg. Right now, besides the specialty shops in Blacksburg, we do our shopping in C’burg. This to me is not a community. By improving the retail business in Blacksburg, we will also improve our tax base. With an improved tax base, the projects of the town will have a greater chance.

Question 6: Mixed thoughts on this one. I think that it is a great attraction but you could get people who will occupy tables and tie them up for hours. My example would be Starbuck’s downtown. When I would go to Starbuck’s, it was

Question 8: It is mixed between walking and driving. Before I started my running for council, I was walking about 6 miles a day, Monday through Friday.

Question 2: The last three music events I attended were Boogieburg at Rivermill, the Jugbusters at The Cellar, and a showing of Hairspray on Broadway over New Year’s. One of these does not fit with the others. As for a favorite local musician, I pick the Jugbusters because they are the only Blacksburg band I have heard with any regularity. Is Lady Gaga local?

we need to take a holistic approach to our downtown area that creates incentives for entrepreneurs, attracts and retains retail and commercial ventures, and markets our central business district as a welcoming place for locals, students, and visitors. Two, we need smart growth that encourages mixed-use development, protects neighborhoods and their property values, offers a range of housing opportunities, conserves open and green spaces, and creates an accessible community. Three, we need to expand and connect our bikeways and sidewalks and improve bus service to selected areas in Blacksburg, especially our commercial centers. And four, we need to involve all residents and taxpayers in the decision-making process through openness, accountability, and better lines of communication.

Question 3: Last week, I visited the Perspective Gallery in the Squires Student Center. On display were several sculptures by Kurt Steger, a California-based sculptor who uses mixed media.

michael sutphin

Question 6: A wireless initiative in downtown would logically be an attractive communication amenity, and I am all for attracting people to our downtown businesses. However, before making any decisions, I would need more information on how this would be funded and whether there are any FCC stipulations, etc. We would also need to ensure that there would be no negative effects on our emergency response systems.

Question 7: I am running for Blacksburg Town Council to bring new ideas, positive energy, and a fresh perspective to the community I have called home for the past seven years. As a 2006 Virginia Tech graduate and a permanent resident of Blacksburg, I have what one Roanoke Times columnist described as “a real chance to build a bridge between town and campus.” My campaign focuses on four key issues. One,

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Question 8: I drive a 2007 Nissan Versa to work, except on Fridays, when I carpool with my co-worker Liz. I would ride my bike or walk more often if I lived closer to campus and downtown.

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Cooking With Trent by Trent Crabtree photography by David Franusich

othing beats the toothy grin of a carved pumpkin. For most the fun ends after the pumpkin has been carved. You have your Jack-o-lantern and a big pile of stringy, orange goo, which usually makes it to the trash. But believe it or not, this goo is the best part of the pumpkin. At least the best part to cook with. Once prepared correctly the pumpkin guts can be used to make pumpkin bread, cookies, cupcakes, soup, cheesecake, pancakes, or pie. You can eat almost every part of a pumpkin with the exception of the rind. One of the more creative pumpkin guts dishes I’ve made in the past is Pumpkin Ravioli topped with Pumpkin Seed Pesto. This isn’t the easiest dish to prepare for the inexperienced but it is absolutely delicious! Here’s how to make it: After you’ve carved your jack-o-lantern use a spoon to separate the membrane from the inside of the pumpkin. Scoop out plenty of the ‘meat’ from inside the shell, too. When it cooks it will soften. In order to use the gooey pumpkin guts you have to get the seeds out first. This is messy but well worth the effort! Rinse the seeds off and set to the side - you’ll use those later. Take the stringy membrane that’s left, add the pumpkin meat and throw it all into a food processor or blender and puree until it’s the consistency of baby food or applesauce. It may look watered down and gross, but this is 100% pure pumpkin and much better than any canned puree you can buy at the store. Two cups of the pureed pumpkin guts is equivalent to one can of store-bought pumpkin.

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Ingredients: 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, toasted and hulled 1 1/2 cup packed parsley (fresh) 1 small clove garlic 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1/2 cup parmesan (fresh, grated) 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon salt to taste Bring pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread pumpkin seeds on rimmed baking sheet and toast for 5 minutes. Let cool. Remove the husks to get to the inner kernel (note: this takes a while, so you can use store bought husked seeds if you want and toasted seeds with the husks still on make a tasty snack, too, seasoned as you like, so don’t toss ‘em). Combine seeds, parsley, and garlic in food processor and process until finely chopped. With motor running, add oil in a steady stream and process until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Scrape mixture into a bowl and stir in parmesan, cayenne, and cinnamon. Season with salt. Pesto will be thick.

Ingredients: 1 cup ricotta cheese 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup tomato paste 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 eggs 2 tablespoons water Mix the cheese, pumpkin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the nutmeg. Set filling aside. Mix the flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the flour. Beat the tomato paste, oil, and eggs until well blended, and pour into the well in the flour. Stir with a fork, gradually bringing the flour mixture to the center of the bowl until the dough makes a ball. If the dough is too dry, gradually mix in up to 2 tablespoons water. Knead lightly on a floured cloth-covered surface, adding flour if dough is sticky, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover, and let rest for another 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 equal parts. Roll the dough, one part at a time, into a rectangle about 12 x 10 inches. Keep the rest of the dough covered while working. Drop 2 level teaspoons filling onto half of the rectangle, about 1 1/2 inches apart in 2 rows of 4 mounds each. Moisten the edges of the dough and the dough between the rows of pumpkin mixture with water. Fold the other half of the dough up over the pumpkin mixture, pressing the dough down around the pumpkin. Cut between the rows of filling to make ravioli; press the edges together with a fork, or cut with a pastry wheel. Seal edges well. Repeat with the remaining dough and pumpkin filling. Place ravioli on towel. Let stand, turning once, until dry, about 30 minutes. Cook ravioli in 4 quarts of boiling salted water until tender. Set aside one cup of pasta cooking water, drain ravioli, and return to pot. Gently stir in pesto and enough reserved water to moisten ravioli. Serve immediately.

Happy Halloween!

Local musicians share a life of music, composition, and performance by Hart Fowler photography by Al Fayez

hen staging a photo shoot, one of the biggest difficulties is making the subjects look natural. When Matthew Labarge and Shawn Brenneman showed up for the 16 Blocks photo shoot with the 100 year old Royal piano in my living room, it was clear from the beginning that this would not be a problem. They simply sat down and started playing blues, ragtime, and waltz duets, smiling, giggling and foot-stomping, while Al Fayez hovered around and the camera flashed away for two straight hours. "We really don't play the piano together that often," Labarge said at an El Rodeo dinner after the session. Brenneman agreed with a nod. That's hard to believe of the married couple that was celebrating their one year anniversary the weekend of the shoot. They have a home on Broce Drive they share with a Young Chang upright as well as the Steinway and Sons grand piano where Labarge recently recorded his third album of classical compositions for solo piano, "October", just released this month. Brenneman also recently recorded "Uncorked", an album with her band, House Red. The reason the couple is so fluent together on the piano is that they do play regularly together at contra dances. Brenneman is a caller ("Swing your partner round and round") and also plays the piano with her fiddle player. The set has more recently included La-

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great to be able to focus on what we want â&#x20AC;&#x153;toIt'sdo...I'm as busy as I want to be right now. â&#x20AC;? barge on accordion. They also play at the Blacksburg Farmer's Market and other similar events. "Contra dance music is based on traditional fiddle tunes from Ireland, Canada and New England. It's evolving.... People take liberties and add new stuff to it," Brenneman said. "We're not trying to preserve a tradition." With and without Labarge, Brenneman travels the United States playing, calling and dancing contra dances nearly every weekend. The couple met years ago in Blacksburg, but reconnected at the YMCA's monthly contra dance that draws 50-100 dancers. "I like the accordion because of The Pogues and Tom Waits, and stuff like that," Labarge said. "My idea was to add that sort of edge to make it a little more interesting." Labarge's relationship with the piano began at age five. He and his friends gathered by a window to howl while his older brother was in a lesson. This stunt convinced Labarge's parents that he was old enough for lessons. In his 20's he played keyboards in rock bands and was heavily influenced by Tony Banks, Rick Wakeman, and Keith Emerson. He later indulged his love for classical music by quitting his job as an electrical engineer at 28 and entering into James Madison University's music composition program. He stayed to attain his Master's degree in Computer Science because he had found his musical mentor in professor John Hill-

iard, and wanted to continue working with him. "He disavowed me of the notion that classical composers have some special mystical gift and deep understanding of something that no one could possibly understand," he said. Hilliard is a Fulbright Scholar who became best known for fleshing out a fragment of a lost Mozart cello sonata that was unearthed a few years back. "Hilliard taught me that great composers are the people that listen to the music that's inside of them really, really carefully, and manage to tease it out," La-

barge said. He and the professor still keep in touch to this day. Brenneman and Labarge are able to make music whenever they please now. However, before making the envious comment, "Must be nice," the wise will note that before "selling in" to the life of a full time musician, Labarge worked 16 hour days with little or no vacation or pay for two years, until the internet startup he started in 1999 finally paid off and was bought by a large company. Labarge is planning on using this time "off" to write piano and violin compositions with more classical leanings. Brenneman added: "We are in a position where we can afford to do this for now, but maybe one day we'll have to get real jobs again. I don't know. It's great to be able to focus on what we want to do now. I'm as busy as I want to be right now." It's a refreshing story that seems to be occurring more and more here in Blacksburg: the story of creative people who choose to live in this part of the world not as students or faculty but because they are inspired by and involved in the community here. Spend any amount of time around Labarge and Brenneman and it is obvious they are also very much in love with each other. Money and fame offer no guarantees, but falling in love (with a person, a town, a career) is still "nice work if you can get it, and you can get it if you try."* *Lyrics copyright Irving Berlin

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by Jeffrey Pillow

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ith her brush, she paints a different world, one in which the physical boundary is not limitable but bounded and replaced by the firing scintilla of the imagination. From her stained fingers, acrylic paint is flicked onto the canvas, and she watches it run, trailing downward only to sputter out, catching hold to a groove on the woven fabric medium; the trail of paint, blues and greens, yellows and reds mix, then harden; the seed of a new creation hatches, “released from any already existent thing, [the] content lies in [itself],” as neo-plasticist Naum Gabo said some seventy years past. A native of Pulaski County, Virginia, Jessey Schaudt of Christiansburg is one of a fleeting breed: the American painter. Gone are the days it often seems when busy hands till the soils of their mind, watering the seeds of a vast imagination, bringing to life some new idea, some creation expressive of one’s soul. If idle hands are the Devil’s playground, the Devil himself can only smile as new generations fervidly text message their lives away. Thankfully, it is the unwavering attitude and history of the artist to reject much of what the contemporary world offers, and to instead center every spare minute on recreating an intimate sense of Self both clothed and unclad. “I grew up in a family of strong women and consider myself one of them now,” Schaudt says of her upbringing, “and I think my paintings reflect that.” Case in point, “Self Portrait with Parrot,” 24” x 36”, which can be seen at schaudtgallery.mosaicglobe. com. The artist sits erect in the foreground. Her wide eyes attentive, looking directly ahead, her expression almost challenges the viewer to turn his or her eyes from her stare. With her left arm horizontally positioned underneath her chin, a green feathered parrot with a dash of red sits unruffled on her index finger. Like the viewer, the parrot’s attention rests on the artist. Its vivid beauty is secondary to the unblinking, stalwart expression of Schaudt. A strong woman indeed. Asked which artists have influenced her, Schaudt is quick to mention many of the greats: Picasso, Frida Kahlo, and Chagall, but says, “My friends are my favorite artists: Bitsy Pina, Laura Pierce, Allie Kelley, and Jesse Holland”; and it is with this sense of a greater community and purpose that the character of Schaudt is clearly portrayed in her work. “I prefer to do portraits and build the world around them, like a blend of science fiction, romance, and biography,” she continues. “I love bright colors, and especially the juxtaposition of complementary colors to make the subject most memorable.” Schaudt, it can only be said, embodies a spirit and outlook on her craft similar to those of America’s first Impressionist painter, Mary Cassatt. As Cassatt once said, “I have touched with a sense of art some people; they felt the love and the life. Can you offer me anything to compare to that joy for an artist?” For more information on Jessey Schaudt, including queries on a commissioned piece for your home or collection, visit www.schaudtgallery.mosaicglobe. com or contact her by e-mail at JRSchaudt@gmail.com.

photography by Tuan Pham 16 Blocks Presentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; October show featured piano performances by Matt Labarge, Shawn Brenneman, Aaron Noe, and Hart Fowler. The players performed on a 100 year old upright Royal Piano with the hammers and strings exposed. After the piano performances, the chairs were put against the wall and many of thirty or so audience stayed to dance to the blues, ragtime, and waltz jam.

by Kat Mills

he Cowboy Junkies are living the dream. A jaded glance at 21st century music tends to reveal two extremes: the lonely street troubadour playing for tips with a chip on her shoulder, and the big-name, big-bucks, paparazzi prey that graces television and tabloids. But this foursome from Toronto, Canada has managed to find the elusive middle path of independent musicians. Margo Timmins (vocals), her brothers Michael (guitar) and Peter (drums), and Alan Anton (bass) have played together for over 20 years, riding waves of critical and chart attention. Their dreamy sound is at once distinctive and familiar, and they continue to have a vision for the future that includes more than playing old hits. Many a working songwriter (this one included) would love a taste from that well. A key element to their success has been their own label, Latent Recordings. Creative control allows them to work when they want to, release lush original tunes both online and on CD, and play the kind of venues that suit their atmospheric sets. We welcomed them to Blacksburg on Thursday, October 15, at the Lyric Theatre—a band of grace, depth and mood in our midst. It should be a lovely evening. I had the honor of posing a few questions to Michael Timmins, guitarist and chief songwriter. Here are his thoughts…

16B: Tell us a bit about Latent Recordings and how it has changed things for the band. MT: We have had Latent up and running in various forms for close to 30 years. Alan and I formed it to release our first band, Hunger Project, back in 1980. In the late 1990’s, after we left Geffen, we resurrected it to create various Cowboy Junkies album projects which we then licensed to smaller labels or distributors. In the last couple of years we have begun to expand the scope of Latent. We will use it as the primary label for the next Cowboy Junkies album. We are also using it to record and release other bands (such as Lee Harvey Osmond, who are on tour with us). We have developed a new website around Latent (latentrecordings.com) which is a full service download site and the primary site for Cowboy Junkies. 16B: Online tools (web presence, digital distribution, tour diaries) are becoming more and more important for the independent artist. What is working for you in this

arena? What is proving to be a challenge? What's fun and what's a drag? MT: When we left the majors in the late 90’s, we went full steam ahead with developing a website that would become the focal point for our audience. The online store has been very successful and the internet in general has allowed us to survive these past ten years. With the new Latent site we are taking the next step, which is providing downloads directly to our audience. We can now record a song or a show and have it up for sale within a few days. Conceptually this is great, but it isn’t exactly working from a financial point of view just yet. We hope that in time we can build a community around the new site and it will begin to pay off. It’s all fun and it’s all a drag...and it’s all a challenge. This is a very tough business to stay alive in these days. 16B: Please let us know about your latest recording projects. MT: The latest release from Latent is Lee Harvey Osmond…which is a very cool album…check it out: latentrecordings.com/leeharveyosmond. We have also just signed a young band by the name of Huron—sort of a cross between Black Sabbath and Big Star. As far as Junkies material is concerned, we are beginning work on a new album, but we are always adding new material to the site which can be streamed for free or downloaded.

16B: The Lyric in Blacksburg is a great old theater. I know you choose your venues carefully. Can you share with us some details about your preparation process for tours/shows? MT: We are touring all the time so we try and keep the repertoire fresh and changing and we always have forty or so songs that we are comfortable with performing on any night. If we can keep our crew from tour to tour then everything runs pretty smoothly. We have a pretty lean operation in which everyone has responsibilities and if everyone does their job then it all flows. 16B: Do you have any rituals before you go on stage? How/when do you create set lists (if you do)? MT: No real rituals….I usually create the set list after sound check, once I feel out the stage and the room. I also look at old set lists, if we have been through the town in the past couple of years, and try to not repeat any songs. 16B: What kind of vibe can listeners expect? Any special guests? MT: We have a pedal steel player out with us for this run, which adds a nice element to the sound. The vibe falls somewhere between a laid back psychedelia and an acoustic schizophrenia. 16B: Have you spent much time in the southern United States before? MT: Quite a lot, but not enough. It’s probably the one region that we don’t get to as often as we would like. When we were a young band traveling in vans, we were in the south quite a bit. It was an area that we were able to get gigs. I think our first US gig was in Raleigh. 16B: I have found that siblings who play music together have a special magic. There is an ease of communication on stage that shows through. Care to comment? MT: I think that has always been true for us…it also doesn’t hurt to be performing together for 25 years. Kat Mills is an independent singer/songwriter based in Blacksburg VA and touring throughout the east and beyond. She has just released her third solo CD, “Townie”. Info at www.katmills.com

Bringing Recycling to Downtown Blacksburg by Amy Splitt

lass bottles. Steel and aluminum cans. Plastic. Plate scrapings. To this date, downtown Blacksburg restaurants have had no manageable way to keep all of those items from ending up in the same place: the common dumpster. In the spring of 2008, Sustainable Blacksburg, a town and citizens’ initiative, officially took on the task of planning and implementing a comprehensive recycling program with the goal of salvaging the material resources generated by downtown trash disposal instead of sending them to the landfill. The volume of waste generated by downtown businesses is in the process of being estimated by the Town, however at this time figures are not available. Downtown residents are already included in the Town’s existing pickup plan. Why don’t we already have downtown recycling for businesses? According to Rachael Budowle, the former Community Programs Coordinator for the Town of Blacksburg’s Office of Waste Reduction & Recycling, the main obstacle over the years was “a lack of stakeholder involvement.” A comprehensive recycling program requires the input and commitment of citizens and downtown merchants as well as government. Customers must be charged fairly and rewarded for recycling. Says Susan Garrison, the Town’s Sustainability Manager, “People worry, ‘You’re going to make us change the way we do things,’ but our plan directly involves building owners and managers.” She adds, “It’s been a community effort.” As it has never been before, today the downtown constituency is primed and ready for change. “I think the timing is right for this program. Not only are merchants and citizens interested in revitalizing a vibrant downtown, but environmental efforts are becoming more and more important to this community.” Budowle says. Green initiatives are also sweeping campus: Budowle recently took on the position of Sustainability Coordinator for Dining Services at Virginia Tech. Bill Claus, a former microbiology professor at Virginia Tech, became the chair of the recycling ini-

tiative in a way that he claims is not all that unusual: “What some people don’t realize is that a person typically becomes chair of a committee simply by raising their hand at a meeting.” Claus was equipped with 14 years of involvement with the Downtown Planning Commission and a dedication to the ongoing quality of life in Blacksburg. According to Claus, the Town began seriously focusing on environmental concerns around 2002. In the past three years in particular, “sustainability” has become a household word. If saving the planet was sounding too bombastically ‘90’s, in the new century Americans have scaled it down, perhaps to greater effect, with local populations working together on what they can do to improve their towns and neighborhoods. Early in 2007, Sustainable Blacksburg began polling business owners and residents along the corridor between Clay Street and Price’s Fork Road to determine what that constituency would need in order to support a recycling program. A core group of five people formed a committee to build a draft proposal. They initially met in downtown restaurants like Gillie’s and Awful Arthur’s with the encouragement and active input of business owners Ranae Gillie and Mike Soriano. The advisory committee that developed over the following year grew to include, among others, Gillie, Soriano, and Elizabeth Gilboy, the Director of VT’s Community Design and Assistance Center (CDAC). In November 2008, Sustainable Blacksburg made its first formal presentation on recycling to the Town Council, and in April of this year the Town of Blacksburg hired its first Sustainability Manager. Downtown Merchants of Blacksburg officially voted to support the initiative in June. Now that the committee has a general vision of what would be desirable for downtown, the next step will be to send Requests for Information to waste management companies in order to determine what services are currently feasible and available. This process will inform the creation of a strong Request for Proposals that can be put out to bid. The goal is for the Town to contract with a

single vendor for comprehensive services. It is worth noting that if contractors only have to make one trip to pick up a single kind of waste from all local sites instead of all kinds of waste from a scattered group of sites, they will have less incentive to cut corners. As it is, a piecemeal, multi-contractor pickup plan in effect encourages drivers to pack separated items into the same truck for the sake of fuel and labor economy (Downtown denizens still do sometimes see this happening with existing trash and cardboard dumpsters). If the same company collects all trash and recyclables from downtown, fewer trips per truck should be needed. An economy of scale would result, saving dollars and carbon emissions. Once a contract is in place, the owners of downtown buildings that contain businesses will confer with the Town and contract managers on how best to serve their tenants. Participation will be mandatory but oriented to the needs of the customer. The final responsibility for compliance will rest with the building owner. The town will transition away from dumpsters to providing businesses with sets of wheeled carts to allow for easy sorting: one container for bottles and cans, one for mixed paper including corrugated cardboard, one for inedible compostable waste, and another for other kinds of trash. The designated location of each business’ carts would be worked out on a case by case basis. Billing will also be customized. Initially businesses will be charged by cart size and type (recyclables will be cheaper to have removed), and the frequency of pickup, but committee representatives state that their desired goal is a “pay as you throw” system based on the net weight of refuse and recycling from each customer. On high-volume weekends (i.e. VT home games) the Town will provide extra containers to collect the excess. The Blacksburg recycling initiative is truly grassroots, not some master plan brought in from on high. Although other municipal areas including Roanoke, Chapel Hill and Charlottesville, have offered Blacksburg advice based on their own successes and setbacks, it is remarkable that no outside consulting firms have been hired. Sustainable Blacksburg, the Town, and Downtown Merchants are taking a community centered approach to address the specific needs of this area.

An interview with expatriate and comedian Andrew Gregory on the explosion of Auto-Tune the News by Hart Fowler

ouTube phenomenon Auto-Tune the News by the Gregory Brothers has millions of page views and has put these unknown Radford natives on CNN, MTV, and most impressively, one of Jay Leno’s final episodes of The Tonight Show. On that show, Leno interviewed Katie Couric and joked about the “Very Thin Ice” segment from Auto-Tune #2, the group’s breakout piece. Auto Tune the News #9 was released the day after this interview was conducted and reached nearly 300,000 views by the time we went to print a week later. The group includes Andrew’s younger brother Michael, who handles most of the auto-tuning and green-screening, older brother Evan, and wife Sarah. Andrew has lived in Brooklyn, New York for the past two years.

world was trying to get in touch with me. In episode 2, I was in what ended up being maybe so far the most famous moment of the videos, which was that duet between me and Katie Couric about global warming: «Very Thin Ice.» ...Katie Couric was interviewed on the Tonight Show and they played that clip.

16B: Describe the inception of Auto-Tune the News.

16B: Did y'all get to meet T-Pain when you were featured together on Jimmy Kimmel?

AG: It started a year ago during the campaign season when Michael made a video where he green-screened himself into the presidential debate to sing along to it. Then Evan had the idea, 'Why don't you green-screen yourself in, but rather than you singing, why don't you use auto-tune technology like you hear on Cher's voice or T-Pain's voice, take that and make it the candidates themselves singing. Give that a shot.' Those videos got watched a lot but they really didn't go viral, but it was seen tens of thousands of times, mainly by insiders. Then the idea was to do it more regularly with your standard news, and when we put the second one out it just went totally viral: it got picked up by every blog covering what's hot on the Internet, got put on the Rachel Maddow show. 16B: Describe watching that happen. AG: It was wild and crazy, in part because my e-mail address had been posted on the video so all sorts of people started getting in touch with me, everybody from entertainment lawyers... to shady business types to television producers.... It just felt like for a brief moment the whole

16B: How have you evolved as a team? AG: Michael does most of the work, and one of the cool things is that he just keeps pushing the envelope in terms of wacky green-screening. He just keeps making the videos more and more interesting. He's really kept himself on his toes in that sense. Number 9 is going to prove to be as exciting as the others. I don't think it's getting old. [We're] going to feature cameos from a bunch of people from the UN General Assembly as well as the first appearance by Keith Olbermann.

AG: We've worked on two projects with T-Pain now. One was the video we worked up for the Jimmy Kimmel Show that he had us Auto-Tune, and the other one was where he actually appears in Auto-Tune #8. By all accounts he has a great sense of humor and when he saw the videos, he told his manager and the head of his label he really wanted to work with us. We sent him a script, they shot a couple of takes, [and] sent the material back to be in Auto-Tune the News #8. 16B: Describe some of the big interviews. One minute you're doing this weird project and the next thing you know you're in MTV studios and on CNN. What was it like going into some of those rooms? AG: The funny thing about it [is], all those people are such pros that for them it's just another day at the office. We may go in and seem pretty excited, but they're so used to doing this every single day that you get relaxed pretty easily, you get used to it. The PAs, and cameras, and producers and the host, they're good at their job [and] sort of have a real relaxed attitude about it all, which has been really helpful for us. Over the

summer Evan and Michael went on every network from Fox News to CNN to MSNBC, and finally MTV in August. 16B: After a year now, any moments that have stuck out in your memory. AG: What really stuck in my memory in terms of realizing how big Auto-Tune was from the beginning was when we were on the Maddow show. We knew we were going to be on it. We knew they were going to play something from it. We'd gone over from there to my brother's house, because we didn't have TV and the segment was much longer than we expected. It was a five-minute piece where they showed our album cover, they talked about our band, they talked about our name, they'd clearly done all of this internet research. For me that was the first moment that I realized, 'Holy Crap, this is turning into something really big.' 16B: The Gregory Brothers were originally a soul band and you recently completed a three month national tour. How has Auto-Tune the News benefited the band? AG: The band is still playing. We've played a couple of shows in Virginia and North Carolina including Steppin' Out [in Blacksburg] and [Roanoke's] Kirk Avenue Music Hall. This coming month we're playing a wedding and a college show. We're still playing some, but at the same time we're really focused on Auto-Tune The News. Although a lot of people sorta know about us now, we're still reaching out, still getting attention from people in TV and from the entertainment industry, so we want to focus on that because that's what's hot. 16B: How do you see it growing? What's next? AG: I think right now that would be our dream, seeing it as a launching pad. The wild thing about it [is] that a year ago none of us expected this to happen, but now that that door is open with the wild success of Auto-Tune the News, all of us are curious about what it would be like to walk through that door.

by Trent Crabtree

e called it Big Red. It was a run-down old barn, a place where all sorts of activities took place. Fact was you never knew what you were going to get at Big Red. You went there for the party. It could be a bonfire with kegs of beer, BBQ hog on a spit, gambling – anything. You just didn’t know until you got there. After parking my car I walked toward Big Red slowly taking in my surroundings. It was a pleasant October afternoon, sunny with a slight breeze. Great day. I’d been out there dozens of times in my life but I didn’t know most of this crowd. The people were a little bit older, more serious than the usual. I knew I was in for something new, something I wouldn’t ordinarily expect. As I walked in the barn the first thing I noticed was an open pit in the middle of the floor, secured with a wire fence. There was a crowd of men gathered, talking and laughing together while passing around bottles of bourbon. Off to the side of the pit I saw two men carefully attaching leather bracelets with metal spikes to roosters in separate cages. It immediately dawned on me: those spikes were cockspurs - I was about to witness a cockfight. I hadn’t seen a cockfight before but looked forward to this with a rather morbid curiosity. Knowing I did not really belong, I tried to be casual as I approached the pit. “Fresh meat,” a gentleman to my left said a bit too loudly to himself as I walked by. “Care to make a bet, boy?” “Think I’ll sit back and watch the fight first, see what the odds show me.” I replied, posing as if I were a seasoned veteran of this type of thing. “Sure” he replied shortly, already losing interest. I walked on and found a seat on a bucket near the fighting pit. I glanced over to the two gamecocks who were soon to be flaying each other to death. Both had bright, beautiful plumes of feathers, and strutted as if they possessed an ego. They sat in their separate cages with their butts up and chests out, eyeballing each other as if to psych the other out. It seemed these two cocks knew they were about to fight and had accepted the chain of events that would, inevitably, lead to the deaths of one or both of them. Men immediately crowded around the fighting pit, waving money in their hands, trying to make bets with the owners. The owners barked like auction-

eers. “This baby of mine always wins,” one guy bragged. “He’s a sure bet!” “My bird is the meanest thing on two feet!” the other owner roared in retaliation. “If he wins,” he pointed accusingly at the other cock owner, “I’ll buy him a chicken dinner!” Everyone laughed approvingly. Both owners had thousands of dollars riding on their prize cocks by the time the bets were called off. Both men then nodded towards each other, acknowledging the beginning of the fight. An announcer jumped into the fighting pit and announced the owner of each cock (as if the men

themselves would be fighting). Men cheered. “Yeah, I’m getting all three grand back that I lost at the last fight,” one spectator belched out between snorts of Jack Daniels. “Not with your luck, ya bum!” another yelled back, laughing. Both owners lifted their respective fighters out of the cages with a surprising gentleness, rubbing their backs before letting them down. “It’s on!!” someone yelled from behind me. Both cocks streaked towards each other screaming like tires spinning on asphalt. Blood began to literally spurt within mere seconds. The smell of blood mixed with the drunkenness of the spectators. Fists and jaws alike were clenched in anticipation of the result of the fight. The air around the fighting pen was beginning to get thick. Violence was in the air. The fight had been going on for six or seven minutes when one of the cocks began to falter. The losing cock’s owner was screaming desperately, barely heard over the roar of the crowd. One might have thought he was losing his home in a fire by the horror that was in that scream. “No! No! Nooo!!!” One more triumphant peck and his bird lay dead. The winner, stained with the blood of its victim, danced around the ring, celebrating its win. The winning owner jumped into the fighting pit, picked up the victor and held him over his head, laughing. “My baby! YES!!” Some of the men groaned as they walked off. Others cheered as they collected their winnings. Eventually everyone migrated to a separate corner where a game of craps had started. I stayed back, lingering, looking at the dead cock. I nodded my head toward the losing cock’s owner as if to say sorry. He glared back at me accusingly, his eyes daring me to say a word. Not having a death wish, I walked away. After walking a few yards, I turned to get one last look. What I saw bothered me. The owner had the dead bird cradled in his arms and was crying weakly. It was obvious he had lost something he loved dearly. Possibly his love for the animal stemmed from a financial dependence, but who knows for sure. I would have liked to ask him but don’t think he would have obliged.

I S S U E 1 9 25

t Is l o D O t S k c o l b 6 1 find out what’s goin’ on! mUsic Sun. 11/1, 7PM

Captured! By Robots Awful Arthur’s Towers 2229 Colonial Ave. Roanoke, VA Not really a solo act if you judiciously apply the Turing Test -- one man and his mechanical/cybernetic musical companions JBOT, GTRBOT666, DRMBOT 0110, The Ape Which Hath No Name, Son Of Ape Which Hath No Name, AUTOMATOM, and the Headless Hornsmen. What better act to pair with the lightbulb-busting madness of The Bastards of Fate! $FREE

Fri. 11/13, 8PM

Cadillac Sky The Lyric Theater, Blacksburg w/Michael Ford Jr. and the Apache Relay. Ass rockin bluegrass that’s not afraid of the dark. $20/$23

Fri. 11/13, 10PM

TK-421 Awful Arthur’s 213 Draper Rd SW, Bburg Hard rock played loud by 4 bar band veterans who have won a remarkable amount of airplay in the Southeastern US based on a self-produced CD.

Fri. 11/20, 7-11:30PM

Sat. 11/7, 9PM

Larry Keel & Natural Bridge Attitude’s 900 Price’s Fork Rd, Blacksburg “Cowboy hippy hillbilly folk” band whose shows always pack in the crowds for lots of twirling, stamping, hooting and hollering. $12

FIRST ANNIVERSARY bash The Taubman Museum 110 Salem Avenue SE, Roanoke Celebrating the success of Roanoke’s most ambitious fine arts space with a concert by Southern Culture on the Skids. The last time the editor saw this band she ended up dancing on stage with 2 dozen women eating fried chicken. $25 members/$35 general.

Sat. 11/21 10PM

True Sound Awful Arthur’s Blacksburg The return of rock and reggae at its best. This superstar group has existed in one way or another for nearly a decade and they continue to evolve.

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theater 11/1, 4, 5, 6, 7:30 PM 11/7, 8 2PM

Dea d Ma n’s Cel l Pho ne Upstairs Studio Theatre Hollins University Prize The new comedy from Pulitzer Ruhl, h Sara ht wrig play ed inat nom perntly rece author of “Eurydice”, s lore exp also play This formed at VT. rlife afte an of idea the and y rdit absu dern within a darkly funny postmo at ce Offi Box atre The context. Call the $10. . 362-6517

Thurs. 11/19 - 21, 7:30PM

The Fan tas tick s The Olin Theater m Roanoke College, 240 High St, Sale call $10, ical. mus sic clas rd wei A truly 540-375-2333 for tickets.

Sun. 11/1, 7:30-9:30

Ma de in Taiwan Theatre 101, College Ave, Bburg k Box The debut show in the new Blac your it’s g, thin one not it’s If . ater The ater The VT c, scie mother. Michelle Kru proand te wro grad Arts Masters comduced a one-woman show about ure, cult with ing of age and dealing 9 $7-$ e. riag family, and mar