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Grinding it out

Ann Arbor’s first skatepark is in the final stages of planning

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Almost indescribable synth-rock The new sound coming from EMU’s campus

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contents

february 2013 vol. 24 / no.2

fyi 5 16 food: in review

5th annual Artini

green corner 5

National Climate Assessment

Don’t be fooled by appearances

by Lisa Leutheuser & Joe Saul

31 theater:

bizz buzz 6 Propeller

Ann Arbor Skatepark set to open

Reefer Madness 9

The local, state and federal scuffle over pot

by Julian Garcia

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide 12

Find the perfect gift for that special someone

The renowned and hilarious Shakespeare group revisits with two of The Bard’s comedies

by San Slomovits

33 artbeat

Buddhist Thangkas. African art. And The Iron Eagle.

by Louis Meldman

36 everything else 38 crossword music 20 feature Hybrid Americana

by Sandor Slomovits

23 perspective: rock

The NuWeird rock of Night Beast

by Jeff Milo

26 perspective: jazz The world of jazz

by Marc S. Taras

Reach readers in the Ann Arbor area!

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fyi

Collette Jacobs cjacobs@ecurrent.com Publisher / Editor in Chief Mark Jacobs mjacobs@ecurrent.com Co-publisher / Chief Financial Officer EDITORIAL Scott Recker scott@ecurrent.com Arts & Entertainment Coordinator Alia Orra editor@ecurrent.com Assignment Editor Julian Garcia calendar@ecurrent.com Calendar Editor ADVERTISING Aubrey Hornsby ahornsby@adamsstreetpublishing.com Sales Manager Kelly Schwarck kelly@adamsstreetpublishing.com Sales Representative Shannon Reiter sales@adamsstreetpublishing.com Sales Coordinator Emily Gibb classifieds@ecurrent.com Classified and Display Advertising ART & PRODUCTION Leah Foley leah@adamsstreetpublishing.com Art Director Kristi Polus kristi@adamsstreetpublishing.com Senior Designer Megan Anderson manderson@adamsstreetpublishing.com Graphic Designer Sarah Baird production@adamsstreetpublishing.com Graphic Designer Brittney Koehl adsin@ecurrent.com Graphic Designer Jameson Staneluis jameson@adamsstreetpublishing.com Graphic Designer ADMINISTRATION Robin Armstrong rarmstrong@ecurrent.com Accounting

Martini Masterpieces

The artistic side of martini-mixing comes out at the 5th annual Artini, a “bar crawl” style fundraiser for the Ann Arbor Art Center. From 7 to 10 pm on Saturday, February 22, Art Center supporters can sip on specially made 3 oz ‘artinis’ at ten “Artini Artist” locations in downtown Ann Arbor, including Café Habana, The Ravens Club, and Vinology.

Artini tasters vote for the best artini via text message between 7:30pm and 10:30pm. Artini fundraiser tickets have sold out every year since the fundraiser began. This year the fundraiser is organized by Kate Jones, the Center’s Special Events Director. Artinis, made specially for the fundraiser, are not regular menu items, though award winners are usually offered after the competition. In 2012 The Black Pearl won with a blood orange artini, adding to their previous win in 2010 for a candy apple artini. $40, good for 6 artinis at any Artini Artist location. Noon to 7:30pm. Ann Arbor Art Center, 117 W. Liberty. 734-994-8004. www.annarborartcenter.org —EH

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Regional greens

On Tuesday, February 12 Ann Arbor will play host to the NCA Midwest Regional Townhall, bringing in around 100 climate change experts to discuss the latest National Climate Assessment.

Local, state, tribal and federal leaders will come together with nonprofits, academia, industry leaders and small businesses to share information and regional efforts to limit the impacts of climate change.

Attendants are encouraged to collaborate to find solutions for long term climate problems. Throughout the day will be both large panel and small group discussions. Rosina Bierbaum, former Dean, University of Michigan School of Natural Resources and Environment and one of the lead authors of the NCA Report, and Melinda Koslow of the National Wildlife Federation will be the guest speakers. Free.

Registration is required. 8:30am-4pm. UM Palmer Commons, 100 Washtenaw Ave. 734-764-1817. www.graham.umich.edu —JG

ecurrent.com / february 2013 5

Get your ollie on

by Ned Randolph

It will soon be grind time at the largely vacant corner of Veterans Memorial Park at Maple Road, which is being transformed into a state of the art skateboard park complete with quarter pipes, slappy curbs and volcanoes. A unanimous 10-0 vote by the City Council last month cappeed a 4-year citizen-led effort to build the skatepark, which is expected to open in September.

The nonprofit group of volunteers, Friends of Ann Arbor Skatepark, has raised $900,000 through private donations and matching grants to build and maintain the 30,000 square foot park, which will be the only one of its kind between Jackson and Farmington Hills, said the group’s treasurer Diana Kern.

“I have a nephew who is a skater and I had been driving him and his friends all over planet to skate,” she said.

Apparently the pre-fabricated ramps at the Buhr Park ice rink during the summer doesn’t satisfy the skater who needs to vert.

California-based skatepark builder Wally Hollyday has drawn up preliminary designs that feature pipes, a snake run, kidney pool, clover pool, flow bowl and other sick edges.

“We tried to include features that cover as many skate styles as possible,” said Friends President Trevor Staples.

“That’s why we stretched to get as much input from every age skater and style skater as we could to make sure people are comfortable at the skate park.”

Staples said the skatepark concept was floated seriously in 2007 when skateboarder Stephen Kunselman was serving his first term on the city council.

“I know him from back in the day. He hung out with the group that we learned from,” Staples said. “I was like, wow there’s a skater on city council. But that was when the markets crashed and the economy went in the tank. “Raising money for recreational activities is hard to do when people are losing their homes and having trouble eating.”

Kunselman returned to the Council in 2009. Since then, Friends of the Ann Arbor Skatepark has become more

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professional, mixing skaters with experienced fundraisers and grant writers. Over $100,000 has come from bake sales, car washes, skate races, merchandise swag sales and a huge skate jam with professional skateboarders Andy MacDonald and Shuan White.“That’s the way the skate community is; like a big family,” said Staples who still skates at 45.

The group landed a $300,000 grant from the state’s Natural Resources Trust Fund and $400,000 from the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission.

Under the arrangement with the city, the group will be responsible for creating an endowment fund for about $10,000 in annual maintenance costs and repairs. They need to raise another $180,000 to fully endow the fund and to implement Hollyday’s complete design. The group is selling bricks for individuals and businesses as well as merchandise swag such as koozies, hoodies and t-shirts to raise the rest of the money, said Kern.

“Our goal is by the time it opens, we will have raised the balance,” said Kern. “That’s our major push right now.”

Skateboarding is not a crime

Offering skaters a place to get their ollie on also means saving police manpower from enforcing the city’s antiskateboarding ordinance. Between 2000 and 2004 on University of Michigan campus alone, skaters were issued 868 citations, averaging 217 a year, according to the Friends group. Fines are about $50, which is twice the $25 civil fine for smoking pot in public, said the group.

“My nephew has so many friends whose boards have been confiscated,” said Kern. A skatepark probably won’t put an end to street skating, but it will offer unique obstacles not found in street settings. “When people get to start skating on a regular basis, the transitions and bowls and banks and snake-runs and everything else is going to open a new frontier and a lot of opportunities for some people who are strictly street skaters now,” said Staples.

For more information, check out http://a2skatepark.org

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m pg 7 . fro Contd Place For Alt. Health Care

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R E F E RE SS feature

E N D A M

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en l m a e r c e r d fo fe n d e n a a an fusion tate u s j i , r hit y t g Ci ma ore con n bo a m a g e s e i cau han a m Garc n a i ul t

by J

C

annabis, known in criminal statuettes as marihuana, is a weed. And like a weed, Michigan state legislators have had a hard time eradicating the stubborn plant from public debate. Cannabis, throughout history, has alternately been hailed as a gift from the divine, used as a common remedy, demonized as a plague to society, symbolized for a rebellious counterculture and praised for being a life saver.

On November 6, 2012 nearly 60 percent of voters in Grand Rapids, Michigan approved a charter amendment reducing the ramifications for possession of marijuana in quantities up to 2.5 ounces from a misdemeanor conviction to a civil infraction punishable by a $25 fine. The amendment, Proposal 2, is based verbatim on similar legislation which was passed in Ann Arbor in the 1970s. Proposal 2 joins several other local and state initiatives which have been passed across the country to ease the strictness of marijuana laws. Most notably perhaps, Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize pot for recreational use.

However, Colorado’s Governor John Hickenlooper said in a memorable quip, “Don’t break out the

Cheetos or Goldfish too quickly.”

On December 6, 2012, two days before Grand Rapids’ Proposal 2 was to take effect, the Kent County prosecutor filed a lawsuit enjoining the measure. One of the problems is the charter amendment does not comply with state laws. The law includes a provision prohibiting Grand Rapids police or city attorneys from reporting cases to county prosecutors and other state officials. A brief filed by the Kent County Prosecuting Attorney argues that the City of Grand Rapids “has no right to interfere with state law governing criminal penalties for the possession, use, control or gift of marijuana” as well as “no right to interfere with the constitutional prerogatives of the Kent County Prosecuting Attorney,” which is to enforce the state laws.

Adding confusion, state laws are not compatible with federal statuettes. Although these propot victories may be an indicator of a growing push for more states to decriminalize the possession and use of limited quantities of cannabis, the current laws have left the average American who is looking to legally spark a jay, as well as law enforcement and the medical community up in smoke.

State of Mind Michigan has a complicated relationship with marijuana. The

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feature

cont. from pg. 9

GOING GREEN A Timeline of Weed in Ann Arbor 2008 Michigan Medical Marijuana Act passes statewide

1990

Voters raise $5 civic infraction to $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense, and $100 or more for further offenses

1974

Voters overrule city council with Charter amendment Section 16.2 restoring penalties for possession of less than two ounces of marijuana to a civil-infraction punishable by a $5 fine

1983

Voters reject repeal of city charter infraction to $25 for a first offense, $50 for a second offense, and $100 or more for further offenses

1973

1972

September 29- A District Court judge rules the city ordinance unconstitutional

December 10 The John Sinclair Freedom Rally December 13Sinclair is released

Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 labels marijuana a Schedule I controlled substance

Voters pass provision to exclude medical marijuana from civic infractions

City ordinance repealed by council

1971

1970

2004

September - City council approves an ordinance which reduces city penalties for possession of less than two ounces of marijuana to a civil-infraction punishable by a $5 fine April 1- First “Hash Bash”

1969

John Sinclair gets a 10 year sentence for selling two joints to undercover officers

1937

Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 makes possession and transport of marijuana illegal in the United States

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state government has different penalties for possession and use - allowing patients who are prescribed medical marijuana to obtain registered cards, authorizing legal possession, while licensing caregivers to cultivate the plants for these patients.

Police departments and other law enforcement officials are handcuffed, as they take an oath not only to enforce the laws of their jurisdiction, but also the laws of the state.

According to Michigan state law, possession of any amount of marijuana without a valid registry card is a misdemeanor offense punishable by up to a year in jail and a $200 fine, while use of weed without a medical registry card is also a misdemeanor, punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $100 fine.

Also, according to Michigan’s Home Rule City Act, a city cannot pass an ordinance that creates a civil infraction for activity classified as crimes under the Public Health Act or which is punishable by more than 90 days in jail. GR’s Prop 2 complies by being a “charter amendment” not a city “ordinance.” To the Kent County prosecutor there is no difference — “The City cannot circumvent the policy of the state by arguing that they aren’t really adopting a city ordinance, but only a charter amendment that has the precise effect a city ordinance would have. Call it a charter amendment; call it an ordinance; by any other name, it smells the same.

Shakespeare, Romeo & Juliet, Act II, scene 2.”

The matter is even more complicated because, under federal law, marijuana is a Schedule 1 controlled substance, meaning it has no legalized medical application and is considered on par with the dangers of drugs like heroin. The Office of National Drug Control Policy’s website states, “there is no such thing as ‘medical’ marijuana under federal law.” Enforcement of federal law resides with the individual who occupies the

oval office and the nation’s appointed attorney general.

The Obama administration and Attorney General Eric Holder have been clear that enforcing federal laws in states in which marijuana is legal for medical use or has been otherwise decriminalized is a low priority. But despite the shifting public opinion made clear by recent voter initiatives from coast to coast, Obama still perpetuates the ambiguity of the matter. “I head up the executive branch; we’re supposed to be carrying out laws. And so what we’re going to need to have is a conversation about, How do you reconcile a federal law that still says marijuana is a federal offense and state laws that say that it’s legal?” he told ABC News’ Barbara Walters in December 2012.

Dispensing Justice Since the availability of marijuana in Michigan for medical purposes was passed by a state-wide vote in 2008, there have been a number of legal hurdles which have made obtaining and using the prescribed substance difficult.

The main dilemma is the legality of medical marijuana dispensaries and patientto-patient sales. Several establishments across the state are operating while a handful of others have been raided and/or have voluntarily shut down. In 2011 the Michigan Court of Appeals ruled that commercial transfers between patients are illegal and the Michigan Medical Marijuana Act of 2008 (MMMA) did not include language allowing dispensaries. The case has now reached the Michigan Supreme Court, which heard arguments in October 2012 and, as of press time, has yet to release a decision.

Despite the pending ruling, in November voters in Kalamazoo approved licensing three dispensaries in the city.

Legal Limbo The climate concerning decriminalization of marijuana in the Wolverine State lingers in a smokey haze.

Even as major court rulings

feature congress which saw the “Right to Work” laws pass in the interpret the current laws, there is a push to place issues concerning decriminalization and ‘lowest law enforcement middle of the night, the legislature also pushed through six new amendments to the MMMA. “These guys priority initiatives’ on the 2013 ballot in Jackson, Traverse don’t give a shit about democracy, fairness, openness City, Mt. Clemens and Lansing. In the state capital, or transparency.” amidst a heavy political climate where a Republicancontrolled state government is dealing with union issues Abel, along with others who backed and dire budget concerns, the the decriminalization initiatives in the decriminalization movement has puff puff pass...

2012 elections, figures the best way to grown more potent.

Michigan Voters in November Support make the state legislature notice the Easing Marijuana Restrictions growing public tolerance for pot is to “It’s more than just a marijuana get the votes city by city. “There are issue,” says Michael Tuffelmire, LEGISLATION PASSED % OF VOTE 1 people who think they can convince Director of DecriminalizeGR, one Detroit1 & Flint2 pass the House and the Senate to pass of the organizations that helped similar laws allowing possession of up to decriminalization, and I think that’s push Prop 2 in Grand Rapids.

2 1 ounce of marijuana highly unlikely unless we get a bunch Tuffelmire says proponents on private property by of new representatives in there...The respect the state laws, but on the anyone 21 and older legislature is more conservative than heels of an economic recession Ypsilanti makes the people of Michigan, so we have cities are forced to prioritize enforcement of a real problem. Luckily we have the their spending. “People here, marijuana the lowest initiative process, and its going to like all over the midwest, are priority of the police have to be a voter initiative ( placed going through tough times. The department on the statewide ballot), probably city spends too much busting Kalamazoo approves in 2016.” users like college students. Now the licensing of three they’re spending even more medical marijuana The only thing that seems clear is money to fight in court what was dispensaries that weed won’t go away in Michigan passed by the voters of the city.” and, if the growing trend continues, to

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Michael R. Abel, a criminal defense lawyer in Detroit and executive director of the Michigan Branch of NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) is more blunt in his assessment of pot politics in Michigan. “We really don’t have much of a representative democracy anymore,” he says. He points out that at the end of the lame duck session of state

bridge the gap to decriminalize possession and personal use will require an official with legal authority to take the hit instead of passing on grass.

“If legislators are paying attention, it’s pretty clear what the will of the voters is.” says Abel, “As my friend John Sinclair says, ‘marijuana prohibition is over, the government just hasn’t realized it yet.’”

ecurrent.com / february 2013 11

feature

Special Advertising Section

3 1 20

y a D s e n i t n e l Va

hether you’re treating yourself or your “special someone” to a luxurious gift or night on the town this Valentine’s Day, Washtenaw County is full of businesses and restaurants that will make the day both memorable and unique.

Ranging from specialty jewelry and diamond bracelets to a romantic dinner at one of Ypsilanti’s best-kept secrets, to local hot spots that truly exemplify the creative energy and talent of Ann Arbor’s residents, start the day with a long, relaxing “yogassage” session and end with a cup of sweet gelato? Sounds like the perfect Valentine’s Day, if you ask us.

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s r e l e w e J s i w e L

Special Advertising Section

Beadery Gall Me Adorn

311 E. Liberty St. 734-663-6800 www.bga2.com

Need a new outfit for Valentine’s Day dinner? Unique items from Adorn Me Fashion Boutique could be your perfect fit. You can even complement your new clothing with custom jewelry made from handmade beads and accessories you can’t find anywhere else.

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feature

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Rub

Ann A

rbor

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food food

in review

Ypbor Yan

Don’t be fooled by appearances

by Lisa Leutheuser & Joe Saul

Whatever Ypbor Yan may look like — and if you don’t read Chinese, it’s hard to tell from the road — it’s a Sichuan restaurant, and an excellent one. Its name is a mashup of Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, highlighting its location between the cities. Don’t be fooled by the previous restaurant’s neon signage still on the side of the building and the carried-over interior decoration; it’s a new place in the ways that count.

Flavors are balanced, spicy dishes are hot Ypbor Yan without becoming one4905 Washtenaw Ave note onslaughts, and Ann Arbor, MI 48197 there’s even a regional (734) 434-7978 cuisine from within the Mon-Thurs 11am-9:30pm; Chinese Province of Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm; Sichuan represented.

Sun 11:30am-9:30pm We’ve focused on the emeraldcityannarbor.com authentic Chinese section of the menu in our review, because it’s so intriguing and well-executed. Instead of following the very complex menu categories, we’re going to present you with a number of dishes we really liked, and we’re going to give you their assigned numbers so you can find them. The staff are not all fully fluent in English, but they are friendly and enthusiastic and will help non-Chinese diners navigate the menu. If you ask them to be authentic with the spice level, they will.

Appetizers / Small Plates

Starting a fancy meal with a selection of cold (and some hot) appetizers is a Chinese practice, and Ypbor Yan provides a lot of options.

Sweet/Sour Cucumber (CA11) - Cut into long spirals - have a utensil handy! These chilled cucumbers pickled in a sweet slightly sour sauce are refreshing break from the many spicy dishes. If you’re going to order a lot of hot dishes, consider including this one as a foil. One of our group dubbed them the “Burn Neutralizer”.

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Shredded Bamboo (CA10) - Tender cool strips of bamboo in a chili-based sauce that, while spicy, is not one of the hotter dishes on the menu. Even if you’re not fond of the typical canned bamboo strips found in many stir-fries, we recommend giving this a try. It might just change the way you feel about bamboo. (Lisa is certainly a convert.) The Spicy Dried Tofu Salad (CA05) has a similar sauce.

Spiced beef with tangerine (Z02) - From the Zi Gong regional section, this is one of the spiciest dishes we ordered. Not the Americanized orange beef in thick sweet sauce -- instead, it’s a plate of tender slices of beef with bits of tangerine peel, stir-fried with chillies, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns. The chili oil mixes with the peel’s citrus oil to give this dish a quick kick.

Main Dishes

Pork with Greenbeans (M46) - Practically every Chinese restaurant has a version of this dish, but Ypbor Yan’s is superlative and was universally a favorite of our group. (We even know people who request two orders of this offering when they come here in groups.) A big mass of green beans — not too crunchy, not too limp — topped with a sprinkling of salty ground pork, which is stir-fried until crisp. There’s also a vegetarian version.

Squirrel-Tail Fish with 2-flavor (HO3) - Two boneless fillets of fish lightly battered and deep fried, one in a dark sweet-sour sauce and the other in a red-orange spicysalty sauce. The fish is cut with a criss-cross pattern that causes the fillets to curl when fried, thus giving them their “squirrel-tail” name.

Crispy Eggplant with Fragrant Sauce (M42) meaty but creamy-tender slices of eggplant wrapped in a thick, crunchy (but not oily) batter and topped with a decadent sweet sauce and a sprinkling of peas and carrot.

A nice contrast to the spicy dishes. The eggplant lovers devoured this dish, and even non-eggplant fans enjoyed it.

Double Cooked Pork (M05) - a favorite of several of our group, this dish is for the bacon lovers who want their bacon hot and slightly crispy. Strips of smokey, salty, fatty pork served with slightly sweet chunks of cabbage and garlic in a chili-oil based sauce. Perhaps the perfect beer food. If you’ve had “twice-cooked pork” at Americanized restaurants before, this is better. Much better.

Salt Merchants’ Chicken (Z08) - Another one of the Zi Gong special regional dishes. It wasn’t unusually salty, but it was strongly flavored, spicy, and quite good. Perfect little chunks of chicken in a dry chiliSichuan pepper-salt based coating served with a side of beautifully prepared gai lan (Chinese broccoli).

It’s normally made with tiny chunks of bone-in chicken requiring special skill to disarm, but we wimped out and asked for boneless.

Spiced Shrimp in Wok (SW10) - Arriving at the table in an impressive wok, this pile of shellon shrimp and vegetables visually delights and is the spiciest dish we tried. The shrimp don’t require much

Wednesday ongoing Italian Wine Tastings

6-7pm. $25. Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar, 3411 Washtenaw Ave. 734-971-0484. www.paesanosannarbor.com

Indulge in a post-work wine tasting every Wednesday at Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar. Five Italian wines will be on hand for sampling, with a mix of tasty appetizers.

Sunday ongoing

Themed Brunch Buffet

10am-2pm. $19 adults, $9 kids 12 and under. The Quarter Bistro & Tavern, 300 S. Maple Rd. 734-929-9200. www.thequarterbistro.com

The Quarter Bistro’s chef, Ernest Prokos, has more than 45 years of experi-

work to eat: the heads pull off easily, and the back of the shell has been split to make it easier to get the meat out.

The aroma is heavenly.

Salt Miners’ Beef (Z04) - Another Zi Gong regional dish, it comes to the table in a small iron cauldron filled with soft jelly-like noodles, “silky melon”, and tender beef strips in a bubbling hot broth.

Carries some heat, making it perfect for a cold winter day.

Lamb with sweet potatoes (H11) - Steamed meat is not often seen on Chinese restaurant menus, but it’s more common in Chinese home cooking. In this case, thin-sliced lamb is steamed over a bed of thick-cut sweet potatoes with a sprinkle of ground chile over the top bringing a touch of heat.

From experience, we can tell you that we know we’ve hit a great new place when our review team keeps going back there afterwards -- this is one of those. It’s worth it.

Lisa and Joe have been blogging about food in the Ann Arbor area (and points beyond) since 2004. Check them out at www.kitchenchick.com.

ence in the kitchen and brings a unique approach to the stove. (“Cook with your heart, make food with your hands” is his motto.) His Sunday brunches are fun, themed four-hour culinary excursions — concepts range from Tex Mex to Morrocan.

1 friday “Super” Bowl Passing Dishes

6:30-9:30pm. $75. Ann Arbor Cooks! 5060 Jackson Rd. 734-645-1030. www.annarborcooks.com

Whether you are hosting your own Super Bowl bash or just attending one, this class will prepare you with delicious dishes sure to impress. Learn how to cook a variety of meals; dishes include buffalo

chicken tenders, meatless chili that wins in full-on chili cook-offs, Asian-spicy vegetable lettuce wraps, and grilled pressed Cuban pork sandwiches.

4 monday Northern Italian Feast

6-8:30pm. $55. Whole Foods Market. 990 W. Eisenhower Pkwy., 734-997-7507 www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Chef Francesca Giarraffa leads this class on the cuisine of northern Italy that features a feast of roasted duck breasts topped with white wine, red cabbage, and crowned with pears poached in champagne.

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food

Heating up

There’s no better remedy for the winter blues than a bowl of warm, homemade chili (or a few) paired with locally brewed beer—and the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre’s Fourth-Annual Chili Cook-Off promises just that and more. Event organizers are confident that the chili competition will, once again, be quite “heated” as local residents bring their best chili recipes to the table. A new venue, the Wolverine State Brewing Company, will offer samples of their unique specialty beers.

Entertainment will include a live auction and local celebrity judges (including Gratzi’s chef John Fischer and food-blogger Mary Bilyeu). As a fundraiser for the Civic Theatre, all money raised at the event will help provide opportunities for everyone in the community to participate in and experience live theatre. $20 chili/beer; $10 chili; $5 children (ages 5-10). Sunday, February 10. 2-5pm. 2019 W. Stadium Blvd. 734-971-2228. A2ct.org. —MO

cont. from pg. 17

8 tuesday The Acadia County New Orleans Dinner Noon-10pm. $45. Zingerman’s Roadhouse, 2501 Jackson Ave. 734-663-3663. www.zingermansroadhouse.com

Journey back to the early 1800s and celebrate the traditions and culture of New Orleans after the Louisiana Purchase when early German settlers landed in the city.

Many of the first generation German immigrants became rice farmers, spending their time in the fields harvesting what is now a certified staple of New Orleans food. Chef Alex will retrace the history and develop a menu of foods typical for a first generation German rice farmer’s dinner.

Creative Leftovers

6:30-8:30pm. $45. Huron High School Room 6219. 2727 Fuller St., 734-994-2040 www.aareced.com

Discover your creative side and learn how to make speedy and simple dishes, while learning the important guidelines that professionals use to serve safe food. The menu includes chicken hash with apples, risotto cakes and a dairy-free pasta primavera.

6 wednesday Mardi Gras Primer

6:30-9:30pm. $75. Ann Arbor Cooks!

5060 Jackson Rd. 734-645-1030. annarborcooks.com

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Jazz, Cajun and Creole cuisine meld world influences together to create something uniquely American. Admire traditional Louisiana dishes including creole-style shrimp etouffee, a muffaletta sandwich made with Italian cheese and meats, and cajun rusticstyle jambalaya, all while learning how to improvise in the kitchen.

7 thursday Intro to Great Chocolate!

6:30-8:30pm. $25. Zingerman’s Events on Fourth, 415 N. Fifth Ave in Kerrytown. 734-663-3400.

Join Margot, the Deli’s Chocolate Lady, as she teaches about what makes chocolate so delicious! Learn about the basics of cacao and the production of chocolate, then sample an incredible array of dark chocolates from Zingerman’s own shelves that highlight a variety of producer personalities & deep flavor profiles.

Paneer Saag Class

6:30-8:30pm. $45. Huron High School Room 6219. 2727 Fuller St., 734-994-2040. www.aareced.com

Paneer is a delicious semisoft cheese that can easily be made at home. Instructor Jyothi Abrahams pairs it with a curried spinach sauce called Saag that is popular in the Punjabi region of India. Try your hand at rolling out and cooking your own paratha, an

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Indian flatbread, on a traditional tawa and more in this class on traditional Indian meals.

11 monday Cafe Japon Sushi

6:30-9:30pm. $90. Ann Arbor Cooks!

5060 Jackson Rd. 734-645-1030. www.annarborcooks.com

Cafe Japon owner and Japanese native Miyoko Honma will lead this class about the process of making Cafe Japon’s original ‘Sushi Napoleon’ and ‘Sushi en Fleur,’ along with other types of traditional sushi. She will also teach the techniques to making proper sushi rice, which is the base for all of the sushi made in class.

Modern Greek Cuisine

6:30-9:30pm. $45. Whole Foods Market. 990 W. Eisenhower Pkwy., 734-997-7500. www.wholefoodsmarket.com

Learn how to cook traditional Greek dinners that feature the moussaka, gyros and spinach pie of authentic local meals.

Enjoy a spread of herbed lamb meatballs, steamed split peas, an entree of wine-braised squid and a rustic eggplant salad.

12 tuesday Fat Tuesday Carnevale Dinner

6:30pm. $95. Paesano Restaurant & Wine Bar, 3411 Washtenaw Ave. 734-971-0484.

www.paesanoannarbor.com

It’s an Italian Mardi Gras celebration — staff will be in costume, with entertainment and dancing, celebrating the holiday with an elaborate fivecourse wine dinner. The menu includes everything from fried goat cheese topped with tomato jam to shredded pork shoulder and fennel lasagna with smoky tomato concasse.

15 wednesday Mardi Gras Meltdown Pop-In

6:30-8:30pm. $25. Zingerman’s Events on Fourth, 415 N. Fifth Ave in Kerrytown. 734-663-3400.

Join Zingerman’s for a tasty, vibrant and flavorful Fat Tuesday celebration! Enjoy a light-hearted but extremely flavorful POP-IN, showcasing melted cheese in all of its delicious forms. Simple warm cheese dishes served alongside classic New Orleans cocktails and beverages will put the fat back into Tuesday.

13 wednesday Valentine Cookies & Cake Pops Class

6:30-8:30pm. $75. Ann Arbor Cooks!

5060 Jackson Rd. 734-645-1030. www.annarborcooks.com

Chef Sonia Urbaniak will lead you through how to create and decorate delectable cookies and cake pops with your valentine or for your valentine.

Bring home at least a dozen

food Bloodshed and Bootleg Whiskey: Royal Romance and Between the Sheets A Valentine's Day cocktail history

by Robyn Cleveland (Barman at The Ravens Club)

A better ‘barista’

Ann Arborites who adhere to their AM and PM drinking routines religiously will be excited about the debut of “The Barista,” a new brew injected with a dose of coffee. The unique lager is a result of a collaboration between the Wolverine State Brewing Company and RoosRoast Coffee, who’ve created a coffee beer with an unexpected taste by using RoosRoast’s Columbian dark roast as part of a “layered malt base” that doesn’t hide the flavors of either beverage. “The Barista” brew debuted January 31, and is available at the Wolverine State Brewing Company Tap Room, 2019 W. Stadium Blvd. Visit wolverinebeer.com or roosroast.com for more info. —AO treats to share with your loved ones and celebrate Valentine’s Day.

17 sunday 7th Annual Depot Town Chili Challenge

3-5:30pm. $5. Various Depot Town restaurants, Ypsilanti. 734-485-8730. soscs.org

Become a chili judge, sampling the goods at Aubree’s, Corner Brewery, Harvest Kitchen, Sidetrack Bar and Grill, and the Ypsilanti Food Co-op. Then, cast your vote and see the winner claim the prize during an awards ceremony at 6 pm at Corner Brewery. Proceeds benefit SOS Community Services.

18 monday Spring Break

7:30pm. $35. The Last Word, 301 W. Huron St., 734-276-3215. www.tammystastings.com

Travel through several tropical paradises as you enjoy cocktails from Jamaica, Brazil, Cuba and more. The class will feature a walk-around format that will allow time for socializing with friends new and old.

23 saturday Craft Beer Pairing

6:30-8:30pm. $75. Ann Arbor Cooks!

5060 Jackson Rd., 734-645-1030. www.annarborcooks.com

In this beer lovers class, you will learn how to create the perfect food partner for all

different types of beer while trying a variety of Michigan’s best microbrews. The menu includes Irish soda bread, caraway-beer mustard, pork country terrine, sweet pickle chips and spicy tomato chutney all served on a cutting board.

27 wednesday Gluten-Free Pizza

6-9pm. $45. Huron High School Room 6219, 2727 Fuller St. 734-994-2040. www.aareced.com

Chef Wendy guides a class through the tricky process of creating delicious glutenfree dough. Toppings include cheeses, tomatoes, many vegetables and olives. A green salad with a homemade vinaigrette and light dessert of fruit drizzled with chocolate will complete the meal.

28 thursday 60,000 Years of Herbal Wisdom 7-8:30pm. Free. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore, 114 S. Main St., 734-994-4589. www.peoplesfood.coop

Instructor Linda Diane Feldt will discuss the extended history of herbal use, including common misconceptions and the impact of commercialism, big-business and government regulations. This class is part of the People’s Food Co-op “Healthy Living Series.”

When alcohol was outlawed following the 18th amendment, it gave an immediate rise to the underworld of crime and lawless acts of violence. One of the most noteworthy: the 1929 St. Valentine’s Day massacre of seven of Bugs Moran's men by Al Capone's gangsters to gain control of Chicago's illegal liquor trade. During those uneasy times of Prohibition, the vibrant cocktail culture in the U.S. suffered a tremendous blow. This led to a mass exodus of talent "across the pond" to cities like London and Paris where, along with many of America's top barmen, it flourished.

In the spirit of Valentine’s past, I invite you to leave the champagne and strawberries on the shelf this year and opt for a couple of classics from the Prohibition Era that are sure to delight your significant other. The Royal Romance Cocktail (winner of the 1934 British Empire Cocktail competition) was created by John Perosino of the May Fair Bar in London. The drink is named in honor of the engagement between young Prince George of England and Princess Marina of Greece that captivated the country at the time. The more flirtatiously titled Between The Sheets, which popped up on menus all over Europe in the early 1930's, is credited to Harry MacElhone of Harry's New York Bar in Paris. This seductively smooth relative of the Sidecar originally calls for light Rum, but I find aged rum gives the drink a more unique character.

Royal Romance:

1.5 oz English gin (I like Plymouth) but any good London Dry style will suit .75 oz Cointreau or Grand Marnier .75 oz passion fruit Juice Teaspoon of grenadine (the real stuff made with pomegranate) Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

Between The Sheets:

.75 oz VS Cognac .75 El Dorado 5 year rum .75 Cointreau .5 Fresh Lemon Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish with an orange peel.

Got an opinion?

We’ve got a ballot. Vote for Washtenaw County’s best and brightest in our Reader’s Choice Awards, p.7 ecurrent.com / february 2013 19

music music

Hybrid Americana

Western-swinging, hot jazz from the Hot Club of Cowtown

Above: Jake Erwin, Elana James and Whit Smith bring the Hot Club of Cowtown to the Ark Feb. 22

by Sandor Slomovits

The Hot Club of France was the band name of one of the greatest jazz combos of all time; the group he a de d b y g u i t a rist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli enthralled Europe in the 1930s and 1940s. Though the band hasn’t been around for over six decades, and all the members are presumably playing lyres somewhere up above, their music, and equally importantly, their style of playing, continues to thrive.

There are Hot Club ensembles in New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Detroit and elsewhere—and then there is the Hot Club of Cowtown. Where are they based?

Well, since 1988, in Austin, Texas. So why did the trio of Whit Smith (guitar), Elana James, (fiddle) and Jake Erwin (standup bass) choose that moniker for themselves?

(Try calling Austin Cowtown and see how popular it makes you with the locals!) No, Cowtown does not refer to a specific town, but rather is a nod to Western Swing, the other of the band’s main influences, Western Swing was a very popular style of American music from the Thirties till the early Fifties, when it was elbowed out by Rock ‘n Roll. The HC of C crosses this high energy, freewheeling improvisatory variant of country music, with the equally unfettered, joyous hot jazz of Reinhardt and Grappelli. James says, “There’s a swinging, driving rhythm, hot soloing, a lot of improvisation, and a kind of abandon and enthusiasm in the playing and the

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songs themselves. That is what has drawn us like moths to its flame.”

HCof C formed in 1996 and toured heavily for a time, then disbanded for a while and finally regrouped a few years ago. “The unalloyed joy of playing together has deepened after all the ups and downs of years of touring, recording, working together, and moving ourselves back and forth across the globe, “ says James. “We’ve realized what we’re about, and more importantly, what we’re not about.

Whit, Jake and I are all very modern people, but we respect traditional things and have similar tastes. So while we improvise through the majority of our songs over the course of an evening, it’s like having a conversation every night about something different. We don’t always see eye to eye on things as a band, which is totally normal, but on stage, we get along well together, we have a unified point of view, which is very precious and, in my experience, rare.”

Their most recent album, What Makes Bob Holler, is a collection of Bob Wills’ Western swing songs. But when they return to the Ark on Friday, February 22nd, they’ll also showcase their other main influence. “Our next album (out in early 2013) is a collection of hot jazz standards and gypsy tunes (as opposed to the more western side of things),” says, James, “So likely our Ark show this time will be a little heavier on those.”

The Hot Club of Cowtown plays at The Ark, 316 S. Main St., on Friday, February 22. $20. 8pm.

For more info, visit www.theark.org.

music

Tift Merritt

Photo by Jason Frank Rothenberg

The Ark / Wednesday 6

Lately, we've seen this generation's male class of gritty Southern storytellers define themselves — Justin Townes Earle, Hayes Carl, Cory Branan — but the contemporary Lucinda Williams or Emmy Lou has been harder to pinpoint, and Tift Merritt may just be the leading lady that alt-country needs.

With a sweetness in her steady and sure delivery, matched with lyrics that are as unpredictable and free as some of those North Carolina backroads that she grew up on, Merritt is a modernday hybrid of tough and tender. And expect some twists and turns from her backing band, who will let loose with rockin' guitar solos, jazz-infused rhythms, and several other genre-defying arrangements. The Ark, 316 S. Main St. $20.

8pm. 734-761-1800. www.theark.org. —SR

1 friday Jazz, Blues & R&B Angélique Kidjo Hill Auditorium

A2’s own homegrown MC Angélique Kidjo is a UNICEF and Oxfam Goodwill Ambassador, has her own charitable organization in Africa, and passionately campaigns for women’s health in Africa. In 2011 she performed at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and concert and was named by The Guardian as one of the Top 100 most inspiring women in the world. 8pm. $10-$46.

Wine, Women & Song Kerrytown Concert House

This show features the musical talents of local female celebrity artists from the classical, jazz and cabaret genres. Complimentary wine will be served.

8pm. $20-$50.

Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Sandra Bernhard The Ark

Bernhard’s live performances are a thrilling hybrid of standup comedy and rock ‘n’ roll, a raucous mix of political satire, pop culture commentary, and cabaret. 8pm. $35-$50.

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Ruth & Max Bloomquist Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room

Ruth and Max immersed themselves in folk, bluegrass, country, singer/songwriters, and other acoustic music to create a sound and style all their own. 8:30pm. Free.

2 saturday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop October Babies Woodruff’s Bar

The October Babies play upbeat, fun dance music with lyrics that are sung in Japanese by front woman Toko Shiiki.

Their songs mix elements of funk, reggae, r&b and world music to create their eclectic sound. 10pm. $5.

Nine Years Away Blind Pig

This edgy punk band from the Detroit-metro area brings its White Stripes-esque brand of rock to A2. 9:30pm. $7 21+/ $10 18+.

Jazz, Blues & R&B

Blue Jello w/ The Ukelele Kings Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room

Two bands for the price of one!

First up is Blue Jello, playing a unique blend of clever originals and tasty covers on guitar and uptight bass. At some point during the evening they will morph into The Ukulele Kings, an all-ukulele band, and perform a variety of songs from folk, rock, blues, and reggae genres.

4 monday Classical & Spiritual

Sing Out: Soloists At Hill Ann Arbor Downtown Library

Explore some of the great soloists (like Vladimir Horowitz, Leontyne Price, Enrico Caruso, Cecilia Bartoli, and Sergei Rachmaninoff) that have cemented UMS’s identity as a top-notch, world-class performing arts presenter. 7pm.

5 tuesday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Dada - Blind Pig

Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Breathe Owl Breathe The Ark

Michigan’s Breathe Owl Breathe is a trio with roots in indie, classical, and traditional music. They play original songs that combine vocals, guitar, percussion, and classical-style cello from Colombian-born, Ann Arbor-educated Andrea Moreno-Beals. 8pm. $12.50.

Vote p. 7

Los-Angeles based power-trio dada plays psychedelic progressive rock with pop sensibilities and vocal harmonies. Their marathon shows boast a changing setlist every night to create a unique concert experience.

9pm. $20.

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic Laith Al-Saadi The Black Pearl

Soulful acoustic rock and blues covers and originals by this local singer-guitarist. 7pm.

cont. on page 22

Classical & Spiritual

New Century Chamber Orchestra Rackham Auditorium

Their return appearance with artistic director Nadja SalernoSonnenberg offers the area premiere of a new work that NCCO commissioned by U-M Professor Emeritus of Composition William Bolcom, as well as Heitor Villa-Lobos’ hauntingly beautiful Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5.

3 sunday Classical & Spiritual

Derek Worthington w/ The Ann Arbor Composers Collective Kerrytown Concert House

Come celebrate the release of Derek Worthington’s debut CD, Lovely Properties, with the Arbor Composers Collective.

The evening’s performance will include music from the album as well as newer compositions by members of the ACC. 8pm. $5-$25.

ecurrent.com / february 2013 21

music

music

Avett Brothers

Hill Auditorium / February 12

With the ability to pick a soft, heart-wrenching ballad or power through a mischievous, punk-soaked Americana rocker — sometimes even in the same song — Scott and Seth Avett have brought enough Southern charm, rare honesty and experimental courage to the stage to capture an expansive, eclectic group of ears. From foot-stomping, volatile bluegrass to melancholy, hard-hitting tearjerkers, the two brothers, who are usually backed by Bob Crawford on stand-up bass, have an archive that allows them to build unpredictable sets that will keep you on your toes. Think those harmonies blend well on album; just wait until you hear them bounce off the walls of the historic Hill. $35/$45. 8pm. Hill Auditorium, 825 North University Ave. 734-761-1800. www.theavettbrothers.com —SR

cont. from pg. 21

6 wednesday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Chris McFarland Woodruff’s Bar

McFarland performs his acoustic songs which range from angry folk to percussive rock.

10pm. $5.

Tift Merrit - The Ark

The first person she wanted to be like was Eudora Welty, and she’s a Southern storyteller in song with few peers. 8pm. $20.

Jody Raffoul W/ Wes Buckley - Black Pearl

A Canadian pop-rock singersongwriter described as a hybrid of Bono and Bruce Springsteen. Raffoul is joined by masterful back-up vocalist and acoustic guitarist Buckley.

7 thursday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

An Acoustic Evening With Moe. The Ark

After two decades of writing, recording and touring together, veteran jam band moe. took

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stock of where they’d been, released a retrospective, then turned the page. 7:30pm. $36.

Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Ty Segall - Blind Pig

Prolific songwriter and garage rock shapeshifter Ty Segall brings his genre-bending songs to the Blind Pig. His high energy concerts include everything from love ballads to hardcore punk to slow, psychedelic jams. 9pm. $12 advance/$14 doors.

8 friday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Yo La Tengo Michigan Theater

With a sound palette that includes both sweet melodies and electronic experiments, they’ve always been the band that has bridged the gap between critical acclaim and wide indie popularity. 8pm. $27-$45.

BLISS Silvio’s Organic Pizza

Creative arrangements and spirited harmonies that energize and inspire. 7pm. Free.

cont. on page 24

music

perspective: rock “I have no idea…” The NuWeird Rock (of Night Beast, Ferdy Mayne and more)

This is Night Beast, pictured left to right: Steve Bowman (bass), Nick Zomparelli (drums), Mac Davis (lead vocals), and Brad Hale (guitar) Photo by Lavinia Hanachiuc

by Jeff Milo

There is a new, weird kind of synth-rock simmering just off EMU’s campus, seeded in Mac Davis’ basement and blooming in Spur studios. “Not knowing nothing, not knowing me,” sings the Milford-born, Michigan-raised, one-time Pittsburgian pop-appreciating punk-reared experimental singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentatlist on a new song called, tellingly, “I have no idea…”

I have no idea how to sum up Davis’ fledgling full-band project Night Beast, considering its key contributor (Davis) credits a dizzyingly varied blend of genres influencing his recent songwriting. That he captured Night Beast’s preliminary productions via “lo-fi” (8-track cassette) and that his introduction to underground music was through Black Flag’s Everything Went Black could imply his tastes lean towards, well, you know: “punk…”

But beyond “punk,” he counts: “post-punk, no-wave and psychedelia to three-chord pop, garage-rock, electro-funk, be-bop…even big-band, dance, disco-italia…” as influences.

Fatefully, Davis caught the ear of fellow NuWeirdrock-rooter Nick Zomparelli, who expressed interest in helping to flesh out these jams via his skills on drums. One thing leads to another, as these rock-origin-stories often go, and Jim McGree, Davis’ ally from another punk project (Eat Meter), took interest and offered his recording skills/ equipment and keyboard proficiency. Now you’ve got a band.

So what’s it sound like, really? A provocative new-wave groove, with a dissonant punk-vibe dashed with uncanny grace, consistently palatable with surefire pop-hooks. I mean, that’s what it sounds like now, anyway.

Davis is one component of a new sensibility taking shape in local underground rock that includes various other acts some might unfairly tag as “punk”, yet which distinctively

infuse their works with spices ranging from tripped-out psychedelia, to provocative no-wave and charming throwback 50’s pop.

Says Davis, succinctly: “There are a lot of us weirdos around here.” Chief among those would be Ferdy Mayne, a band fronted by folk-fraying songwriter Shane Firek and featuring Davis, Zomparelli and Brad Hale. Bad Indians, Chit-Chat, and Congress are three other key contributors to the NuWeird rock, noted by Davis as “… bands more interested in experimenting and pushing boundaries of what can be done with pop music, rather than with trying to be so precise or writing pretty arrangements.”

Night Beast came down to “making something that I felt good about and could enjoy for myself. There was no intention of performing.”

And yet, they’ve now got four official shows under their belt, fleshed out as a 5-piece with Hale on guitar and Steve Bowman on bass. The shows were, says Davis, “to my surprise, great!”

Stay tuned.

Meanwhile – the Electric Six are going to be launching their first tour of 2013 here in Ann Arbor on February 14th – who else would you spend Valentine’s Day with other than a half-dozen sweaty, dance-punk dissidents?

The Six recently marked ten years since their “break-out” single Danger! High Voltage with a live compilation capturing bits from 2012 springtime shows in Minneapolis and Chicago.

Absolute Pleasure is essentially a ‘best-of’, following-up the synth-centric Heartbeats & Brainwaves LP (2011), which was their most progressive / experimental album to date. Swing by and dig their new (and, yes, old) jams.

The Electric Six – 2/14 – Blind Pig – Ann Arbor. $15. 9pm. www.blindpigmusic.com. ecurrent.com / february 2013 23

music cont. from pg. 22

Detroit native Joe Hertler plays folk-based indie rock with elements of dance music and soul.

9:30pm. $8 advance/$10 doors.

Jazz, Blues & R&B

Cyrille Aimee & Guitar Heroes Kerrytown Concert House

Cyrille has proven herself to be an unstoppable, undeniable talent in the modern age of jazz and pop music. 8pm. $5-$30.

Country & Bluegrass

Newfound Road - The Ark

From the rich bluegrass soils of southwestern Ohio, they are among the most exciting new bands to emerge on the national bluegrass scene in the new millennium. Their powerfully streamlined sound combines honesty and passion, vivid songwriting from several members and spot-on, soaring three-part harmonies. 8pm. $15.

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february 2013

Classical & Spiritual

Factory - Necto

Using nothing except acoustic instruments and wild hearts, they create a concoction of moods in the bellies of their listeners and aim at presenting a comfortable and welcoming ambiance wherever they go.

8:30pm. Free.

An exquisite blend of wind instruments performing a selection of wind quintet pieces, the Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet continues to astonish audiences worldwide with their range of expression, tonal spectrum, and conceptual unity. 8pm. $26-$50.

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

The Happy Maladies Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room

Joe Hertler & The Rainbow Seekers Blind Pig

check us out on

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

9 saturday Jazz, Blues & R&B

Blues At The Crossroads II: Muddy And The Wolf Michigan Theater Blues at the Crossroads got started as a series of concerts celebrating the Robert Johnson Centennial in 2011. Now, Blues at the Crossroads returns to celebrate two legends, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf.

These two musicians shaped the sound of Chicago blues as we know it today. 8pm. $30-$75.

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Judy Collins - The Ark

Judy Collins has thrilled audiences worldwide with her unique blend of folksong interpretations and contemporary themes. 7pm & 9:30pm. $49.50.

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Berlin Philharmonic Wind Quintet Rackham Auditorium

10 sunday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Erin McKeown - The Ark

Songwriter Erin McKeown has been touring nationally for over a decade and has sold well over 100,000 records. 7:30pm. $15.

11 monday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Speck Mountain Woodruff’s Bar

Speck Mountain is a psychedelic rock band based out of Chicago. Their unique brand of space rock is driven by the songwriting of self-described ‘musical soulmates’ MarieClaire Balabanian and Karl Briedrick. 10pm. $5.

Featuring A2’s best goth, industrial, synthpop and alternative dance with DJ Jinx. 9pm. $1-$3.

12 tuesday The Avett Brothers Hill Auditorium

The brothers shift from quiet balladry to power chords, sometimes within the same song. And their mix of styles is not a gimmick or novelty but comes out of a deep-seated drive to encompass all the impulses of Southern and American music—sentiment, tradition, transgression, transcendent intensity. 8pm. $35-$45.

13 wednesday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic Beth Stalker W/ Jim Rawlings Black Pearl

An eclectic mix of styles from blues, R & B, and jazz to rock and country by the Detroit Music award-winning singersongwriter Stalker and songwriter- guitarist Rawlings. 7pm.

Free.

music

RiFF RaFF Blind Pig / Wednesday, February 13

delightful British wit along with their stunning vocal performance. 7:30pm. $40-$50.

From spitting rhymes about Larry Bird, M. Bison (of Street Fighter fame) and Pete Sampras, to doing AC/DC cover sets, to getting MTV tattooed on his neck, you never really know how dramatic — or absurdly sharp — of a curveball is coming next from Houston's Internet rap sensation RiFF RaFF. Between his rhythmic Southern flow, mixture of street-wise and nerdy references and wild stage antics, he's been making some noise in the hip-hop game. And it's worth mentioning that James Franco will be playing a character loosely based on RiFF RaFF in the forthcoming film Spring Breakers, which the Huffington Post describes as "Scarface meets Britney Spears." Take a minute to wrap your brain around that. $15 advance/$20 day of. 8pm. Blind Pig, 208 N. First St. 734-996-8555. wwww.blindpigmusic.com —SR

International Guitar Night The Ark San Francisco “guitar poet” Brian Gore is gaining a reputation as one of the most interesting and influential performers of the next generation in fingerstyle guitar. Look forward to a particularly lyrical version of International Guitar Night, with a nice mix of playing and singing. 8pm. $30.

Vote p. 7

14 thursday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Electric Six - Blind Pig

Genre-blurring Electric Six brings their synthesis of disco, arena rock, glam pop and metal to A2 for a Valentine’s Day rock show. 9pm. $15.

My Folky Valentine W/ Annie & Rod Capps The Ark

What better time than Valentine’s Day to get to know some married couples who make music together? “My Folky

Valentine” is The Ark’s annual celebration of romance! Each year they present a few of the region’s top musical couples, in the round during Valentine’s Day week. 8pm. $15.

Classical & Spiritual

The King’s Singers St. Francis of Assisi

Instantly recognizable from their spot-on intonation, impeccable vocal blend, flawless articulation of text, and incisive timing, The King’s Singers are consummate entertainers, charming the audience with a

15 friday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Ekoostik Hookah Blind Pig

Legendary Ohio jam rockers Ekoostik Hookah plays improvisational roots based rock that blends elements of jazz, bluegrass and psychedelic funk. 9pm. $15.

The Love Hangover Woodruff’s Bar

Writing and tutoring center 826michigan and HuRAI offer the perfect solution to your love woes with The Love Hangover, a mini-music festival featuring unconventional covers of famous love songs. 7pm. $8.

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Jonathan Byrd Green Wood Coffee House

North Carolina born folk singer Jonathan Byrd brings his introspective Americana tunes to Green Wood Coffee Shop.

8pm. $15.

check us out on cont. on pg. 27

ecurrent.com / february 2013 25

music

perspective: jazz The world of jazz comes to Tree Town

by Marc S. Taras

Amir ElSaffar (left) and

The kaleidoscopic range of jazz sounds coming our music traditions.

Hamid Al-Saadi (right) way in February and March include a pair of fascinating The Klezmer bring Iraqi jazz to A2 in programs with a world music tilt.

Guy (a.k.a. Bert Stratton) March The exciting African chanteuse Angelique Kidjo offers up comedic sketches makes her UMS debut at Hill Auditorium Friday, Febru- and beatnik clarinet with pianist-singer-chauffeur Alan ary 1 at 8pm. She is a remarkable singer with influences Douglas as collaborator Friday, February 15 at 8pm. from Miriam Makeba to Jimi Hendrix. She is also a World music guitar virtuoso Pierre Bensusan plays powerful social activist and a UNICEF and Oxfam good- the Ark Tuesday, February 19 at 8pm. Gypsy jazz guitarist will ambassador. Her opening act will be emerging star John Jorgenson returns Thursday, February 21 at 8pm.

Meklit Hadero, blending urban jazz, folk and African He has a remarkable pedigree that includes membership stylings. in the Desert Rose Band and Elton John's band!

The UMS Global Music Series continues in March The Hot Club of Cowtown is slated to appear with an intriguing double billing which Friday, February 22 at 8pm. This Ausfeatures traditional Iraqi music in jazz tin-based outfit is delightfully, bucolic contexts. Hamid Al-Saadi and the big fun! Their most recent recording, Iraqi Maqam Ensemble tag teams "What Makes Bob Holler," pays homwith Amir ElSaffar’s Two Rivers age to Bob Wills. at Hill Auditorium Saturday, March Jazz cats will be pleased to know 23 at 8pm. Maqam is an ancient and that soulful bluesman Keb' Mo' is set complex tradition of Arabic modes of to play the Ark Friday, March 22 at vocal and instrumental music. Al-Saa8pm. The man with the peace sign is di is the only living singer to master all back by popular demand! of the compositions of the maqam repKerrytown ertoire. Trumpeter Amir ElSaffar is There is a dizzying array of talent a real delight with traditional instrulined up to play a living room near you ments like the oud and buzuq alongduring Groundhog month! Trumpeter side the tenor sax of Ole Mathisen and composer Derek Worthington and second-generation jazz drummer is the founder of the experimental Nasheet Waits. The result is mesmerWorld reknowned Arbor Composers Collective. They izing and wildly rhythmic. guitarist Pierre Bensusan appear at Kerrytown Concert House travels to the Ark Feb. 19 Sunday, February 3 at 8pm., celebrating the Aboard The Ark release of Worthington's debut recording.

Ann Arbor's world-renowned folk emporium has always celebrated and embraced world "Lovely Properties" features trumpets and tuba, saxes

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february 2013

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and clarinets, strings and percussion. Progressive vocalist Cyrille Aimee hits with three Guitar Heroes Friday, February 8 at 8pm. Her cultural pool includes powerful rhythms from the Dominican Republic and French Gypsy traditions.

Pianist Kris Davis has drawn a lot of attention in NYC. She brings an adventurous quintet to KCH Friday, February 15 at 8pm. The band includes Mat Maneri on viola and hipster Tom Rainey on drums. Pianist Mark Braun, better known as Mr. B, celebrates with his hardswinging, annual birthday bash Saturday, February 16 at 8pm. Seriously funky fun!

Leading-edge guitarist Michael Musillami brings a trio with bassist Joel Fonda and drummer George Schuller. Their complex telepathy will be on display Tuesday, February 19 at 8pm.

Pianist-composer Ellen Rowe fronts a stellar quintet featuring trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, and including Midastouch sax cat Andrew Bishop, bassist Kurt Krahnke and drummer Pete Siers. They are set to circle the sonic wagons Friday, February 22 at 8pm.

Drummer Jason Marsalis turns to mallets for his KCH gig with the Jason Marsalis Vibe Quartet Sunday, February 24 at 7pm.

The band features pianist Austin Johnson with bass and drums.

Highlights from the KCH calendar for March include the Jazz Master Series, featuring saxophonist Chris Collins Saturday, March 2 at 8pm. A professor and director of jazz studies at Jason Marsalis continues Wayne State Unihis family’s jazz journey with a gig at the KCH versity, Collins has Feb. 24 worked with Mel Torme, Doc Severinsen and Lou Rawls.

He will be joined by a piano trio with Tad Weed, Kurt Krahnke and Sean Dobbins. The deeply emotional singer Naima Shamborguer performs at KCH Friday, March 15 at 8pm. The band features Vincent Bowens on reeds, pianist Sven Anderson, bassist Bob Hurst and drummer Sean Dobbins. Lovely evening glow!

cont. from pg. 25 Kodo - Hill Auditorium

Drums did more than make music in Japanese tradition.

They marked the physical and metaphorical edge of a village.

If you could hear them beat, you were part of the community. Kodo has lived this principle for 30 years, using thundering, soothing sounds that turn audiences into one big village from Asia to South America. 8pm. $10-$56.

Tim Prosser & Steve Rich Silvio’s Organic Pizza

Tim Prosser (the mandolin maniac) and Steve Rich bring listeners a cornucopia of acoustic folk, pop and originals with voice, guitar and mandolin. Plus - a surprise special guest every time. 7pm. Free.

16 saturday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Luther “Badman” Keith Guy Hollerin’s

His vocals have been compared to Jimi Hendrix, his guitar style and energy to Luther Allison with a songwriting gift and sense of humor all his own. All this from a guy who didn’t pick up a guitar until he was past 30 years old and didn’t play his first professional gig until he was well into his 40s. 8pm. $5.

music Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Hill Auditorium

Amjad Ali Khan was only six years old when he gave his first sarod recital. After his debut, the career of this musical legend took off, and the Indian classical music scene was witness to regular and scintillating bursts of Raga supernovas.

8pm. $10-$46.

February Sky Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room

February Sky is traditional singer and Celtic guitarist Phil Cooper with songwriter and singer Susan Urban. Phil sings and plays his own arrangements of traditional songs and tunes on six string guitar and cittern as well as backing Susan up on her songs. 8:30pm. Free.

Jazz, Blues & R&B

Mr. B’s Birthday Bash Kerrytown Concert House

Jazz, boogie woogie and blues pianist Mark Lincoln Braun (a.k.a. Mr. B.) returns to Kerrytown Concert House for his annual Birthday bounce! Don’t wait to make your reservation, this is a signature event! 8pm. $15-$30.

cont. on pg 28

DOWN BY THE CREEKSIDE

Baritone sax cat and bandleader David Swain fronts Ann Arbor's longest-running big band. He puts his big fun II-V-I Orchestra through their paces the last Sunday of every month at the Creekside Grill starting around 6:30pm. Their program for Sunday, February 24 features the music of Dizzy Gillespie! In March they pay tribute to the Tonight Show Band.

GROUNDHOG POSTSCRIPT!

Lastly...did you think I forgot? It would not be a complete column for February if I failed to recall the promise of my favorite secular holiday! Groundhog Day is Feb. 2, and whether the furry fellow is spooked or not, we can be assured that spring will be coming soon! Play ball! ecurrent.com / february 2013 27

music quintet is on the cutting edge of an emerging new genre known as Transcendental Folk.

7:30pm. $20.

cont. from pg. 27

17 sunday Classical & Spiritual

Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop G-Eazy - Blind Pig

Handel’s Radamisto Hill Auditorium

Baroque aficionado Harry Bicket assembles an all-star cast to join the musicians of the English Concert for this rare performance of Handel’s exquisite opera. 4pm. $10-$65.

18 monday

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Elephant Revival - The Ark Young in age and fresh in conception, Colorado’s Elephant Revival brings creativity and inspiration that was easy to feel at the 2012 Ann Arbor Folk Festival. This neo-acoustic

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Oakland, California born Gerald Gillum, aka G-Eazy, started producing his own hip-hop tracks as a sophomore while attending Loyola University of New Orleans. His lyrics are steadily gaining him recognition in the hip-hop scene. 8pm. $15.

Jazz, Blues & R&B

Dean Martin Tribute Show Zal Gaz Grotto Club

Chris Gardner has starred as Dean Martin in award-winning Las Vegas Rat Pack Tribute shows. The Detroit-born actor

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performs for one night only backed by the Paul Keller Orchestra, one of Michigan’s finest and most-respected big bands. 7:30pm.

19 tuesday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Pierre Bensusan - The Ark This French-Algerian guitarist, singer and composer can be called one of the most eloquent and diverse world musicians of our time. 8pm. $17.50.

Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Wild Belle - Blind Pig

Chicago-based indie rock outfit Wild Belle is comprised of siblings Elliot and Natalie Bergman. 9pm. $12 adv. / $14 door.

20 wednesday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop Corporate Sellout Blind Pig

Corporate Sellout brings their sonic assault of hardcore punk rock to the Blind Pig for a raucous concert. 9:30pm. $5 21+/$8 18+.

21 thursday Jazz, Blues & R&B

John Jorgenson - The Ark

Country and rock guitar veteran John Jorgenson brings all his musical creativity and experience to bear in the John Jorgenson Quintet, and the result is an exciting evening of fresh gypsy-style jazz. 8pm. $20.

music 22 thursday Jazz, Blues & R&B

The Hot Club Of Cowtown - The Ark The Austin-based Hot Club of Cowtown explores the space where early jazz met Texas swing. 8pm. $20.

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

The Potter’s Field Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room

Known for their poetic, gritty lyrics, driving instrumental style, close and powerful vocal harmonies and an easy stage presence, they surprise listeners with new songs and ideas that sound familiar yet nostalgic. 8:30pm. Free.

23 saturday Classical & Spiritual

The New York Philharmonic Hill Auditorium

They return to Ann Arbor for the first time since 2009. For this first residency led by music director Alan Gilbert, they perform two different programs.

8pm. $10-$100.

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Suzanne Vega - The Ark

She is a pioneer of smart contemporary folk music, an American singer/songwriter of rare poetic genius. With her sultry voice, she seamlessly joins her poetry and contemporary folk song with a sound that is unique and identifiable to her alone.

Jazz, Blues & R&B Chef Chris & The Rumpshakers Guy Hollerin’s

Join Chef Chris & The Rumpshakers for a night of traditional blues influenced by Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker and RL Burnside. 8pm. $5.

24 sunday Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

BreakFEST 2013 To Benefit Breakfast At St. Andrews The Ark A2’s Breakfast at St. Andrew’s is an all-volunteer charity that has served a free meal to anyone in need, every day for nearly 30 years. Help benefit the cause and hear Liz Carroll, Evan Perri and Bill Bynum & Co. 1:30pm. $25-$40.

Jazz, Blues & R&B

Jason Marsalis Vibe Quintet Kerrytown Concert House

Jason is the son of pianist and music educator Ellis Marsalis and the youngest sibling of Wynton, Branford and Delfeayo. Jason is well known for his prodigal drumming, but listeners are now recognizing Jason for his unique sound on the vibraphones. 8pm. $5-$35.

25 monday

27 wednesday Jazz, Blues & R&B

Beth Stalker W/ Jim Rawlings - Black Pearl

An eclectic mix of styles from blues, R & B, and jazz to rock and country by the Detroit Music award-winning singersongwriter Stalker and songwriter-guitarist Rawlings.7pm.

Free.

28 thursday

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

Acoustic, Folk & Ethnic

With a mixture of originals and covers you may not have heard, the Buddy and Jim show features the same kind of intuitive harmony singing that existed in country music’s classic brother duets. 8pm. $26.

This introspective songwriter from Ypsilanti writes acoustic folk songs with pop sensibilities and country twang. 8pm. $7 21+ / $10 18+.

Buddy & Jim - The Ark

26 tuesday Rock, Pop & Hip-Hop

Lake Street Dive - The Ark

This band makes the most of pop music virtues: solid, evocative song craft; propulsive grooves; and Price’s disarming, forthright vocals. 8pm. Free.

Chris Dupont - Blind Pig

The Steeldrivers - The Ark

Braiding their bluegrass roots with new threads of their own design, they bring together country, soul, and other contemporary influences to create an unapologetic hybrid that is as old as the hills but as fresh as the morning dew. 8pm. $25

ecurrent.com / february 2013 29

film

ninjas and have begun living in the sewers of a large city.

13 wednesday When the Drum is Beating Free. 7pm. Elmo’s Hideaway, 220 S. Main. www.elmoshideaway.com.

The 20-member band Septentrional has been making music for 62 years as Haiti’s most celebrated big band. This inspirational doc charts the history of Haiti from its independence from French colonialism to 2010’s devastating earthquakeall set to the vibrant music of Septentrional and punctuated with personal memories.

Plugging in

Throughout time, guitar gods of each generation have kept the blues alive, putting their own unique spin on the genre that acts as a foundation for many American made forms of music.

Perhaps no blues class is more important than the guys, like Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf — whose friendship and rivalry are the focus of this documentary Blues at the Crossroads 2, which screens at the Michigan Theater on February 9 — who strapped on an electric and invented the Chicago blues, inspiring those who followed, from Eric Clapton to rappers. February 9. $10. 8pm.

Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org —SR

1 friday Sea of Love: A Night of Jean Painlevé’s Films and the Sounds of Yo La Tengo Pay what you want. 6:30pm. Ann Arbor Art Center, 117 W. Liberty.

734-994-8004. www.annarborartcenter.org.

Experimental French filmmaker Jean Painlevé documented the underwater lives of sea creatures in a body of work that spanned over thirty years. A selection of these films, including The Love Life of the Octopus and The Seahorse, inspired the band Yo La Tengo to create a special soundtrack.

Sundance Shorts

$15. 7pm. Michigan Theater, 603 Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org.

To round out the Sundance experience, the Michigan Theater will screen Sundance Shorts, a collection of the best shorts from the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

2 saturday Old School

$7. 11:45 pm. State Theater, 233 South State St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org

Three men relive their carefree college years by killing off as many brain cells as possible in this over-the-top comedy.

I Am Not a Hipster

$10. 4:30pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org.

Things are not looking good for Brook, a young singer/songwriter who has become the clichéd tortured artist. Slow to deal with the death of his mother, Brook

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february 2013

is self-absorbed and the major obstruction to his own success.

Also screening Feb. 3 at 6pm.

4 monday A Nightmare on Elm Street

$10. 7pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org.

A decade of wisecracking sequels have not diminished the power of this striking horror film from the director of Scream.

6 wednesday Solartaxi

Free. 7pm. Elmo’s Hideaway, 220 S. Main St. www.elmoshideaway.com

The story of an epic, 18-month adventure, the first ever ‘around the world’ adventure in a homemade car powered exclusively by the sun. Louis Palmer and Solartaxi meet princes, movie stars, politicians, scientists, and ordinary people. Full of surprises and apparently insurmountable obstacles. Solar energy is functional, efficient, and most importantly, reliable. A car with zero emission is not a dream.

11 monday Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

$10. 7pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie is the live-action, feature film adaptation of the cult comic book and the popular animated television show. After prolonged exposure to radiation, four teenage turtles–Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, and Donatello–have mutated into

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14 thursday An American in Paris

$10. 8pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org.

Gene Kelly does his patented Pal Joey bit as Jerry Mulligan, an opportunistic American painter living in Paris’ “starving artists” colony. He is discovered by wealthy Milo Roberts (Nina Foch), who becomes Jerry’s patroness in more ways than one.

Meanwhile, Jerry plays hookey on this setup by romancing waif-like Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron) — who, unbeknownst to him, is the object of the affections of his close friend Henri (Georges Guetary), a popular nightclub performer.

16 saturday Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

$7. 11:45pm. State Theater, 233 South State St. 734-761-8667. www.michtheater.org/state. The

second feature from director Michel Gondry (Human Nature) finds the filmmaker re-teaming with screenwriter Charlie Kaufman for this offthe-wall romantic comedy. Jim Carrey stars as Joel Barish, a man who is informed that his ex-girlfriend Clementine (Kate Winslet) has had her memories of their relationship erased from her brain via an experimental procedure performed by Dr. Mierzwiak (Tom Wilkinson). Not to be outdone, Joel decides to have the same procedure done to himself. As Mierzwiak’s bumbling underlings Stan (Mark Ruffalo) and Patrick (Elijah Wood) perform the operation on Joel — over the course of an evening, in his apartment — Joel struggles in his own mind to save the memories of Clementine from being deleted.

17 sunday Inside Job

$10. 5pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org.

Winner of the 2010 Oscar Award for Best Documentary!

With special guest Congressman John Dingell, who will participate in a post-screening Q&A session with the audience, together with University Bank

President & CEO Stephen Lange Ranzini, moderated

by County Commissioner Conan Smith.

19 tuesday Southern District/Zona Sur Free. 7pm. North Quad Space 2435 ,105 South State St. www.umich.org.

La Paz’s Zona Sur neighborhood is Bolivia’s most exclusive enclave and has housed the country’s affluent elite for generations. Here, in an adobetile-roofed castle, a statuesque matriarch reigns over her spoiled offspring and indigenous servants. Social change, however unwelcome, is on its way.

20 wednesday Urban Roots

Free. 7pm. Elmo’s Hideaway, 220 S. Main. www.elmoshideaway.com

Tells the story of Detroit’s spontaneous emergence of urban farming. Against all odds, in the empty lots, in the old factory yards, and in-between the sad, sagging blocks of company housing, seeds of change are taking root. With the most vacant lots in the country, citizens are reclaiming their spirits by growing food.

21 thursday The Greenhorns

$5. 7:30pm. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org.

The Greenhorns focuses on the new generation of farmers at the heart of the nation’s local food movement. Following the movie, participants can meet with representatives from the Michigan Young Farmers Coalition and enjoy light refreshments from Whole Foods Market.

27 wednesday The Great Culling: Our Water

Free. 7pm. Elmo’s Hideaway, 220 S. Main. www.elmoshideaway.com

Examines the relationship between the current pandemic of neurological diseases with heavy metal toxicity and takes a close look at the health of today’s society.

From The Land to Your Table/¿Qué Culpa Tiene el Tomate?

Free. 7pm. North Quad Space 2435, 105 South State St.

What do you get when you take seven directors from seven different countries with seven different cultures and points of view? From the Land to Your Table is the first documentary of its kind in that it shows the perspectives of seven majorly talented filmmakers and directors from all over Latin America.

Vote p. 7

theater

Back for laughs Propeller revisits UMS

by Sandor Slomovits Propeller’s debut performances for the University Musical Society were among the highlights of the local theater season last year. I saw their Comedy of Errors and don’t recall ever laughing as hard or as frequently during a Shakespeare production, or for that matter at almost any other theatrical comedy. This year they are back with two comedies, The Taming of the Shrew, one of the Bard’s earliest efforts, and Twelfth Night, which ranks among the finest comedies the master ever wrote. Propeller’s Artistic Director, Edward Hall, says, “As a company we love exploring the comedy. It’s comedy rooted in truth, and the characters are so well-rounded in Twelfth Night that it’s a delight to bring them to life.

Particularly the drunks. Nobody has ever written drunken people better than Shakespeare in Twelfth Night. It’s very rewarding to explore writing like that, because the comedy is never reliant on funny “ha-ha.” It’s always rooted in truth.

There’s a depth to the people. But at the same time, it does give us opportunities where sometimes it feels right to add our own comic decorations – and we do!”

Propeller’s most distinguishing spin on Shakespeare is to perform him unlike the way most modern companies do, and exactly as he was produced these offerings in his lifetime—that is, with an all-male cast. While unique and un-ignorable at first, I found myself barely noticing the device soon after the first scene of last year’s Comedy of Errors. Instead, the production revealed extra layers of meaning in the text, more double entendres, more jokes; meanings that Shakespeare—never one to miss an opportunity to wring every possible nuance out of every word or phrase—surely intended, and the audiences of his time

The all male Shakespeare group Propellor brings the laughs back to the Power Center Photo by Manuel Harlen

certainly picked up on. There will be even more of those opportunities in Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night; two plays whose plots center on gender and love in multiple confusing, hilarious and thought provoking ways. “I think he’s saying that it’s not gender that’s the issue - it‘s love,” says Hall. “Love doesn’t really pay much attention to gender. We pay attention to gender, but it doesn’t make any difference to love. In fact, everybody has the capacity to love anybody.”

Another unique aspect of Propeller is their use of music and musicians—on stage, and even during intermission. Many of their actors also sing and play instruments and last year, to the delight of the audience, some of them came out to the Power Center lobby between acts and sang pop songs while accompanying themselves on guitars, ukuleles and various percussion instruments. As the opening lines of Twelfth Night say, “If music be the food of love, play on.” Hall adds, “We quite often express the emotional current of Twelfth Night through musical moments. It’s very hard to intellectualise or describe – it’s all about atmosphere and feeling, and music goes beyond intellect in that way. The bit of your brain that’s trying to interpret language is freed, and you can experience something different.”

Propeller will be at the Power Center February 20-24. $18-$56. Twelfth Avenue: Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 7:30pm; Saturday at 2pm. The Taming of the Shrew: Thursday and Saturday at 7:30pm; Sunday at 2pm.

For more info, please visit UMS.org. ecurrent.com / february 2013 31

Comedy

7 thursday Jay Larson

$9 - $14. 8pm. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 314 East Liberty. 734-996-9080. www.aacomedy.com

Some people say he’s weird, some people say he’s not weird enough. If you ask him he will say that he’s completely normal!

Jay grew up with a bunch of old people in Stoneham, Mass.

14 thursday Tracy Smith

$10 - $15. 8pm. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 314 East Liberty. 734-996-9080. www.aacomedy.com.

Having made the treacherous climb towards the “sexual peak”, Tracy Smith has honed a hilarious insight, perfect for navigating through the regrets and choices in the mean streets of “Singletown.” With a personality just sweet enough to offset the bitter truth she serves up, Tracy’s sharply written, on target material offers a perspective sure to make men and women laugh out loud.

21 thursday Dan Grueter

$8 - $13. 8:00pm. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 314 East Liberty. 734-996-9080. www.aacomedy.com.

Dan Grueter is one of the fastest rising young stars on the comedy horizon.

28 thursday David Dyer

$8 - $13. 8pm. Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 314 East Liberty. 734-996-9080. www.aacomedy.com.

David Dyer’s energy, writing, and hilarious physicality make him an exciting performer who’s in increasingly high demand.

Theater

1 friday

Anything Goes w/ The Burns Park Players $15/$30. 7:30 pm. Tappan Middle School Auditorium, 2251 E. Stadium Blvd.

BPPPatrontickets@gmail.com.

Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Burns Park Players sails away this season with Anything Goes, featuring the delightful music and lyrics of Cole Porter.

The action takes place aboard the S.S. American, headed from New York to London. We meet Billy Crocker, a stowaway who has fallen in love with the

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february 2013 / ecurrent.com

The Ann Arbor Civic Theater udates old Russian tales

Photo by Sarah Erlewine

Double dose of Russian comedy

Director John Hill translates and updates the original Russian tales from two classic Anton Chekhov comedies in the production, Hilarious Chekhov.

The two one-act shows,The Bear and The Proposal, betray the stereotypical dreary, Chekhov drama, providing light entertainment for winter audiences at the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre. Suggested age of ten and up. Friday, February 15 through February 17. 8pm Friday and Saturday: 2pm Sunday. $12. The Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, 322 W. Ann. 734-971-0605. https://sites.google.com/site/a2ctsite/ —EH

American debutante and heiress this musical. When a 20-year Hope Harcourt. drought has caused an epic water shortage, private toilets and wittily wild karaoke. cost money per use. If anyone refuses to uphold the laws, Mysteries of they are sent to the mysterious Ancient Egypt “Urinetown,” never to return $12/$15. 1:30 pm. Michigan Theater, and frankly enough is enough!

603 E. Liberty St. 734-668-8463.

Through February 24.

3 sunday

www.michtheater.org.

When “Gama” Harriet, a famous Egyptologist, mysteriously disappears, two children search for clues among the ancient Egyptian amulets and scientific journals in the trunks in Gama’s attic. Before they know it, they are magically transported to ancient Egypt, where they unravel the mystery and learn fascinating facts about one of the world’s amazing cultures. Families will love this fun and creative melding of childfriendly mystery and historical exploration.

7thursday Translation

$10 Student/$20/$26. 7:30pm. Power Center for the Performing Arts, 121 Fletcher. 734-647-3327. www.umich.edu.

A modern dance event. Choreography by Bill T. Jones and new works by faculty choreographers Amy Chavasse, Jessica Fogel and Sandra Torijano.

Through February 10.

15 friday Urinetown: The Musical

$7 - $15. 7pm. Quirk Theater at Eastern Michigan University, 124 Quirk Hall. 734-487-1220. www.emutix.com.

“We have the right to pee for Free!” Cry the citizens of

21 thursday The Skin of Our Teeth

$10 Student/$20/$26. 7:30pm. Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre, 911 North University Dr. 734-763-4220. www.umich.edu

Follow the extraordinary Antrobus family through the ages as they survive various cataclysms by the skin of their teeth. A comedy by Thornton Wilder; Directed by Jonathan Berry.

The Laramie Project

$10 Student/$17. 7:30pm. Walgreen Drama Center, Arthur Miller Theater, 1226 Murfin. 734-647-3327. www.umich.edu.

In 1998, Matthew Shepard’s murder shocked a nation. Its effect on the small town of Laramie, Wyoming, was equally as devastating and extraordinary.

art

The pigments on cloth piece, Arhat Badhra —one of the sixteen great arhats, or original disciples of the Buddha — will on display at the University of Michigan Museum of Art

artbeat Thangka! Thangka! Thangka!

by Louis Meldman

In Town

Thangkas are Tibetan and Nepalese religious paintings on silk. They grace the walls of sacred temples and monasteries, recounting scenes and exploits from Buddhist mythology (especially from the Vajrayana branch of the faith). They are colorful, often bright and always pleasing to the eye. Running from February 23 through June 9 is a special exhibition of them at the University of Michigan Museum of Art: “Buddhist Thangkas and Treasures: The Walter Koelz Collection, Museum of Anthropology.” Thangkas are didactic devices – teachers’ aids – steering devotees toward enlightenment. They portray the Buddha and Buddhist deities and they simultaneously serve as yantras (visual mantras) and mandalas (foci of attention as a path to meditation and trance). For rubes like me, they’re just really pretty. I bought a thangka at a garage sale many years ago. It was darkened from years of incense smoke exposure and the borders had been cut off, but every time I look at it on the wall I nearly lapse into a state of karma.

In conjunction with the exhibit is a special talk in the UMMA Stern Auditorium by Gelek Rimpoche, on Sunday, February 24 at 3pm. You should get there early.

Gelek is a genuine lama, nephew of the 13th Dalai Lama and tutor of the current, 14th Dalai Lama. After fleeing Chinese barbarism in Tibet he founded Jewel Heart in

Ann Arbor in 1988 and gained an international following, including Allen Ginsberg and Philip Glass who did fundraising benefits for him. The exhibition is part of the enlightened UM Collections Collaborations Series, which showcases the renowned and diverse collections of the University of Michigan. In this case, the items highlighted are from the Museum of Anthropology, located on Central Campus at 1109 Geddes (734.764.0485). Stop by to see more.

Also at the UMMA, February 2-May 5, is “El Anatsui: When I Last Wrote to You about Africa.” El Anatsui is Africa’s most widely acclaimed contemporary artist, and this is the largest compilation of his works ever assembled: sixty pieces from public and private collections worldwide. The exhibition spans four decades and includes massive metal wall pieces and large-scale, monumental floor installations. His technique includes the assembly of lost objects that we readily use and pitch, thousands of cast-off beer bottle caps, for example, melded into shimmering, moving patterns with stunning visual impact. The show also is comprised of work in wood and ceramics, as well as drawings, prints and paintings, often all “married together.”

On Tuesday the February 5th from 5-7 pm in the Stern Auditorium join a roundtable discussion: “African Workshop: What is African Art?” Tell the truth: when’s the last time you were at a roundtable? Then, at 5pm on Thursday February the 7th at the Michigan Theater is El Anatsui himself. After I get his autograph I’m going to make sure that he’s seen Detroit’s Heidelberg Project, the monu-monu-monumental assemblage that El Anatsui may appreciate more than anyone.

Cross-Town

Just a few miles due east in friendly Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan University’s Art Department is hosting three exhibitions. The first, running through February 8, is the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition at the Ford Gallery. It is juried by none other than Gary Grimshaw, the world famous poster artist from the psychedelic sixties. He grew up in Lincoln Park, south of Detroit, and his best friend in high school was Rob Derminer, aka Rob Tyner of the MC5. It was natural that he was the house artist for the Grande Ballroom, but he was just as popular at the Filmore and the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco. As we go to press, the winners have not been announced, but keep your eyes out for Heather Kubacki and her jet print posters for the Arts, Beats and Eats festival in Royal Oak and the Otaku Anime Club. And look for the prints and screens from Bethany Bruce and Inna Gringauz. I love the necklaces of Julie Willaker, done in bronze with beads, quills and threads.

The Graduate Student Art Exhibition runs from February 18 to March 15, also at the Ford Gallery. Melissa Machnee has produced mind-boggling faux taxidermy of a deer and of a hybrid wolf-and-sheep, using Styrofoam, aluminum, fabric, paint, plastic, bronze, faux fur, rubber and glass. Erik “The Iron Eagle” Simmons has a cool poster that is a throwback to the 60’s. The Annual Faculty Exhibition is at the University Galleries through February 26. I’m a sucker for Professor Margaret Davis’ hyper-real oil paintings. Do note that the Ford and University Galleries are not next to each other. Call for easy directions and parking info: 734.487.0465. www.art-design.umich.edu. ecurrent.com / february 2013 33

art

2 saturday Nancy Flanagan

Free. 5pm. Chelsea Center for the Arts, 400 Congdon, Chelsea.

734-433-2787. www.chelseacenterforthearts.org

Nancy Flanagan is a landscape artist who spent a significant part of her professional life painting and teaching in New England. She relocated to Ypsilanti in Fall 2011, and is introducing herself by painting on site around downtown Ypsilanti.

3D Printing!

$10, members / $15 guests. 11:30am.

All Hands Active, 525 E. Liberty St. www.allhandsactive.com.

Peterbilt by Cindy Baxter, which will be paired with the poetry of David Lynn Jones at Two Twelve Art Center

Paint, Photo, and Word

Mixed-media artists are in high demand, but Cindy Baxter takes it a step further and mixes word along with photos and other visual art. The Two Twelve Art Center presents Baxter's exhibit "Quotations," where her mixed media works are paired with quotations. The media ranges from photographs painted over with oils, to collages Baxter calls "photo art", featuring shots of her hometown, Saline, and natural scenery. Starts Friday, February 1st, with a reception from 7 -9pm, and continues through the rest of the month. 212 West Michigan Avenue, Saline.

734-944-2787. www.twotwelvearts.org. —EH

Bring a lunch and learn how to use Sketch-up, OpenSCAD and Meshlab to create/edit models.

Take your result and learn how you can print it on the printers.

If you can come with this software pre-installed, great! If you have your own 3D Modeling program installed, and know how to use it, bring it along!

5 tuesday Africa Workshop: What is African Art?

4pm. Free. UMMA, 525 South State St. 734-764-0395. www.umma.umich.edu.

This roundtable event brings together an exciting collection of scholars for a lively discussion of the myths and misconceptions that abound regarding the category “African art.” See pg 33 for more info.

9 saturday Flavor & Fire Valentine’s Event

$10. 2pm. METAL, 220 Felch St. 800613-6385. www.metaloffmain.com.

METAL is partnering with Scott MacInnis of Tranche de Vie Catering to bring you an afternoon of Valentine’s inspired appetizers and metal working all from the furious flames of forge and grill. Entry is $10 per person and includes appetizers highlighting a “combination of classic dishes, new approaches and the avant-garde.

Drawing from the Collections

$28 UMMA and AAAC members and UM students/$35 non-members; lab fee $15, material. 1pm. University of Michigan Museum of Art,525 South State St. 734-764-0395. www.umma.umich.edu.

Students will explore a different artist, artifact or art movement from the permanent collection. Guided by an Ann Arbor Art Center Instructor, students will learn proportion, perspective, line quality, value, and composition. All levels welcome.

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14 thursday

New Exhibits

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First Contact

Opening Reception, Feb. 22, 6-9pm.

Gallery Project, 215 South Fourth Ave. 734-997-7012. www.thegalleryproject.com

This art exhibition explores the desire for First Contact, humans’ preparedness for it, the event itself, and its possible consequences. |

23 saturday

Buddhist Thangkas and Treasures: The Walter Koelz Collection, Museum of Anthropology UMMA, 525 South State St. 734-764-0395. www.umma.umich.edu.

Thangkas, portable religious paintings on cloth, are part of a larger array of efficacious religious art that also includes murals, sculpture, and other portable objects. For more info see pg. 33.

ongoing Surf and Turf

Free. 7pm. WSG, 306 S. Main.

734-761-2287. www.wsgartgallery.blogspot.com.

This group of paintings have come from Adrienne Kaplan’s life long love of being outside. Some are direct, plain aire, others are composites from sketches and a variety of reference material. When they come into her studio they often change due to the use of the variety and abundance of acrylic materials available.

Through February 10.

Memory, Time, And Private Spaces

Ann Arbor Art Center, 117 W. Liberty St. 734-994-8004. www.annarborartcenter.org

This group exhibition featuring the current work of Christine Bruxvoort, Cathy Jacobs, and Carolyn Reed Barritt. Twentyfour works of art are presented, including paintings, drawings, and video installations. Drawing on their own observations, memories, and dreams, the collective body of work reflects each artist’s desire to invite viewers into an intimate world.

Through February 24.

Places for the Spirit Traditional African American Gardens

Free. Matthaei Botanical Gardens, 1800 N. Dixboro Rd. 734-647-7600. www.lsa.umich.edu/mbg/default.asp

Experience an exhibit of blackand-white fine-art photographs of African American folk gardens and their creators.

Author Vaughn Sills, an associate professor of photography at Simmons College in Boston, traveled throughout Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina in search of these evocative gardens, and her photographs capture a vanishing element of the American landscape. Through March 10.

ecurrent.com / february 2013 35

everything else 4 monday Social Media Workshop

Victorian Valentine Teas

A2 Residents & local area nonprofits can learn how to connect to the rest of the world using popular online social media platforms. Focus on the use of Facebook and Twitter.

Common lingo, how to promote your programs, events and gain fans will be covered as well as a discussion about privacy settings and sharing of photos, videos and links. Proof of residency is required.

These popular fundraiser teas feature delicious homemade sweets and savories. Enjoy romantic piano selections played on the musical Kempf family’s 1877 Steinway, and see a charming refurbished period doll house.

6pm. Free. Community Television Network, 2805 S. Industrial Hwy. 734-794-6150. www.a2gov.org

The Ark’s 26th Annual Storytelling Festival

The Ark / Saturday & Sunday, February 16-17

Celebrate the age old art of storytelling with some of the best national and regional talespinners. This year’s featured guests are Donald Davis, Carol Birch and local storyteller, Laura Lee Hayes. Davis weaves yarns rooted deep in his Southern Applachian upbringing.

Birch is a National Storytelling Network’s Circle of Excellence Award-winner. And Hayes is an Ann Arbor resident who borrows from fairy tales to modern movies to create a wide variety of imaginative tales. The Sunday show is especially for families, with a selection of fun, kid-friendly stories. Saturday, 7:30pm; Sunday, 1pm. $20 / $10 Sunday family show. The Ark, 316 S. Main St. 734-761-1818. www.theark.org—JG

7 thursday The Penny Stamps Speaker Series: El Anatsui

5pm. Free. Michigan Theater, 603 East Liberty St. 734-764-0395. www.umma.umich.edu

Don’t miss this conversation with internationally renowned artist El Anatsui offered in conjunction with UMMA’s exhibition of When I Last Wrote You about Africa. El Anatsui will be interviewed by longtime colleague and University of Toronto Professor Elizabeth Harney.

11th Annual Ann Arbor/ Ypsilanti Reads Event

7-9pm. Washtenaw Community College, Morris Lawrence Building, 4800 East Huron River Dr. 734-327-4555. www.aadl.org

The 11th annual Ann Arbor/ Ypsilanti Reads Event focuses on the book selection The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness

by Michelle Alexander and will also explore this year’s theme ‘Understanding Race.’ The keynote speaker for the evening will be one of America’s most influential civil rights attorneys Connie Rice, Co-Director for the Advancement Project, Los Angeles and renowned for her unconventional approaches to tackling problems of inequity and exclusion.

8 friday A Conversation with Dr. Yolanda T. Moses and Dr. Lester P. Monts 7pm. Kahn Auditorium, 109 Zina Pitcher Place. www.ummnh.org

Dr. Moses, Professor of Anthropology and Special Assistant to the Chancellor for Excellence and Diversity at the University of California - Riverside, is co-author of the book, Race: Are we so different?.

She will discuss the exhibition, her new book, and related topics with Dr. Monts, who is U-M Senior Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Senior Counselor to the President for the Arts, Diversity and Undergraduate Affairs, and Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Music.

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9 saturday 4pm. $20 members / $25 non-members. Kempf House Museum, 312 S. Division St. 734-994-4898

10 sunday Ann Arbor Winter Reskilling Festival

10:30am-5pm. Free. The Rudolf Steiner High School, 2230 Pontiac Trail. www.a2reskilling.com

This festival aims to help people learn skills for resilient, low-energy living. Workshops this year will include growing mushrooms, winter botany, meditation, homemade nut milks, writing haiku, pressure cooking, native landscaping and rain garden design--for complete list visit the website.

Free child-care will be provided.

16 saturday Spinner’s Flock Annual Winter Fleece Fair

10am-4pm. Beach Middle School, 445 Mayer Dr. 734-475-7922. www.spinnersflock.com

The Spinner’s Flock will be offering supplies and equipment utilized by handspinners, knitters, weavers, felters and other fiber enthusiasts as well as finished handmade items featuring handspun yarns.

22 friday Fifth Annual Homegrown Local Food Summit: (Re)imagining a Fair Food System 8am-4pm. $40 adv. / $50 after Feb.15.

Washtenaw Community College, Morris Lawrence Building, 4800 E. Huron River Dr. 734-905-7369. www.localfoodsummit.org

This one day conferencestyle gathering is for those interested in community food security. The event Keynote Speaker is Malik Yakini, founder and executive director of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, which operates a seven-acre farm in Detroit. Recognizing Michigan’s roots as a deeply agricultural state, the Summit highlights local food as an economic driver, and continues the mission of strengthening connections across the local food landscape. Event will include a locally sourced light breakfast and full lunch.

Unstuck: Reviving the Movement for Social Justice, Human Dignity, and the Environment Michigan Theater / Saturday, February 16

Activists, academics and the leaders of various faithbased communities are gathering to discuss the challenges that face our society, with topics ranging from the growth of social inequality to creating sustainable economic development. The keynote speakers for the event include internationally renowned preacher Reverend James Forbes, who will give the opening speech at 12:15pm, and social activist Dr. Cornel West of Princeton University, who will give the closDr. Cornel West ing address at 4:15pm.

Alongside other speakers Rev. James Forbes including President of the United Auto Workers’ Bob King and Human Rights Lawyer Deborah Labelle, they will discuss how our traditions, practices and institutions can become tools for transformation and how we can build a movement that can overcome our “stuck” society. Brian Buckner and the Incarnation Choir and The Spirit Singing Band will provide musical interludes in-between speakers.Tickets are $15 for students and $25 for adults. 12:15pm.

Michigan Theater, 603 Liberty St. 734-668-8397. www.michtheater.org—GMK

everything else 23 saturday Turf Talk

11am. $3. Leslie Science & Nature Center, 1831 Traver Rd. 734-997-1553. www.lesliesnc.org

The Leslie Park Golf Course is the third in the State of Michigan to become environmentally certified by both The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program and Michigan Environmental Stewardship Program. Course Superintendent Scott Spooner will guide guests by taking questions, giving a lecture, and showing pictures while keeping a low environmental impact focus.

You’ll be turf talking in no time.

27 wednesday Science Café: Race and the Legal System

5:30-7:30pm. Conor O’Neill’s Traditional Irish Pub, 318 South Main St. www.ummnh.org

Discuss current science topics with experts in an informal setting. Find out what research says about the relationships between race and law enforcement, incarceration, sentencing, and prisoner reentry with Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton, Professor Jelani Exum (University of Toledo College of Law) and Professor David Harding (U-M Dept. of

Sociology, U-M Institute for Social Research).

An Evening of Poetry and Written Word

7:45pm. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room, 114 South Main St. 734-665-2757. www.crazywisdom.net

The featured reader is Cody Walker, author of Shuffle and Breakdown and co-editor of Alive at the Center: An Anthology of Poems from the Pacific Northwest, has published in Slate, Parnassus, and The Yale Review. He teaches English at the U. of Michigan. His poems show a keen eye for the preposterous in pop culture and media news. All writers welcome to read their own or other favorite poetry or short fiction afterward at open mic, 8-9pm.

28 thursday 60,000 years of Herbal Wisdom

7-8:30pm. Free. Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room, 114 South Main St. 734-665-2757. www.crazywisdom.net

Join Linda Diane Feldt for a brief look at the long history of herbal use, including misunderstandings and the recent radical effect of marketing, bigbusiness involvement, and the consequences of government regulations.

ecurrent.com / february 2013 37

Ben Tausig © 2013

crossword Track Conversation Across 1. They're outside the main stream 7. Quad bike 10. End of the count at the beginning of Kraftwerk's "Numbers" 14. Bob Fosse Broadway revue 15. Nation with a National Hurling League (NHL) 16. Famous Dave's side 17. With 18-Across, converted version of a 1975 Pink Floyd song 18. See 17-Across 20. Hard dudes, briefly, in '90s rap 21. Bespangled Swedish quartet 22. Drink served at a stand 23. Icon on a pole 26. Sheen's birth name 28. Genre for Peter Gabriel's "Shakti Monkey," say 32. Withered 33. European mountain pasture 34. Dear companion?

35. Grammy winner for "Lady Marmalade" 37. See 59-Across 41. One may be wild or golden 42. "Yeah, brah" 43. Certain slitherer 46. Military gp. that can be called into active duty 49. Converted version of 50 Cent's biggest hit 51. Tabloid's scoop 54. Back a back, say 55. "Stop. Who would cross the Bridge of Death must answer me these questions three, ___ the other side he see."

56. Type of stick with a spring 58. Emulating 59. With 37-Across, converted version of an LL Cool J classic 61. Subject of a certain absolute monarchy 65. Device with the digital slave Siri 66. Org. that I kind of just can't write clues for anymore 67. Person of interest?

68. Man caves, perhaps 69. Foxy?

70. Trembling trees

others 9. Bump and grind, e.g.

10. Cuban's remains 11. Create a rift 12. Getting it on demand 13. Remove an eyebrow hair, say 19. Put away some dishes?

23.

Ludacris's "Disturbing ___ Peace" 24. It may be crude or refined 25. The James W. Shocknessy, e.g., briefly 27. Birthright renouncer 29. Upvotes 30. Acorn producer 31. Aerosmith video in which Alicia Silverstone's middle finger was blurred by MTV 35. Sierra Club founder John 36. Hot studio session, perhaps 38. One who may bust you for a dime 39. Off

Down 1. Roman 405 2. Bollywood megastar Aishwarya 3. Coast Guard rank: Abbr.

4. Bounced off the walls, say 5. Commissioner of a noted labyrinth 6. Pouch tobacco relative 7. '80s hi-fi brand 8. Host for Jennings, Craig, Pahk, and Watson, among

38

february 2013

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40. Cautionary ___ 57. Anita of mid-century jazz 44. Try to make things right, 58. Beach tone in a way 60. Craigslist postings 45. MGD alternative 62. "___ you threatening me?"

46. Easily forgotten information 63. Stimpson J. Cat's partner for a rarely checked account 64. Agcy. with a filing season 47. Mexican shawl 48. Ted Nugent, e.g. for crossword 49. Starlet of note, for now answers, go to 50. Use a line on 52. FedEx rival ecurrent.com 53. Hands out for a bit

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I love scarves. I wear them with everything. They are so charming and elegant. Above all, a good self esteem is what really can’t be missing in any look.

Where do you like to shop?

I’m a huge fan of BCBG Max Azria. Since their main store is a bit far from Ann Arbor, I usually go to Macy’s, where I can find the majority of their collection. I like some other places, such as J. Crew and Urban Outfitters, for more casual outfits, but BCBG just fits my style and my body shape the best.

As a matter of fact, in this look, everything is BCBG Max Azria besides the boots and handbag.

ecurrent.com / february 2013 39