News4U August 2024

AUGUST

TABLE of contents

Established in

Brian Bennett

Operations Manager Joshua Adams

Managing Editor & Writer Thomas Ellis

Account Representative TJ Tanoos tj@evansvillemediagroup.com

Production Manager, Designer & Layout Artist Kelsey Halbig

Contributors

Brian Bennett, Paul Bragin, Brian Buxton, Johnny Fletcher, Paul Hollyfeld, Barold Hume, Jabez Martinez, Laurie Miller, Marisa Patwa, Lindsay Rasure, Lindsey Williams, Amy Word

News 4U is published monthly and is distributed throughout the tri-state. For information about advertising, subscriptions, distribution or guides & lists, call (812) 426-6398 or write us at 125 N Weinbach Ave, Ste 510 Evansville, IN 47711. News 4U is published by EMG Publishing. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Distribution of the magazine does not necessarily constitute endorsement of products, services or opinions within. Advertisers are responsible for content of their ads.

A

QUICK NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Two words for you, tri-state: steam bath. That's been the weather scenario for the last few weeks here in Evansville and beyond with summer refusing to pussyfoot around, instead cutting right to the chase with an extended run of blistering days in the 90s. No doubt many of you are displeased with the oppressive heat - not to mention skyrocketing electric bills - but me, not so much. Considering how I cried like a little baby all winter long over the freezing temps (mild by most standards, mind you) there's little room for bellyaching now. Wouldn't be a good look. Admittedly, something else that's not a good look: sweating profusely for up to an hour after finishing my morning runs. Humidity is a bitch

- but I embrace it. Cleans out the pores. Try it sometime; you might just come around to my way of thinking. (Just don't ask me for financial assistance when CenterPoint comes callingI'm only here for moral support.) But enough about the weather and your unwanted cash requests; let's talk entertainment. Once again, the tri-state is proving to be a major hub for high profile concerts and comedy shows. Examples? Well, since you asked... fan fave comedian Jim Breuer, country star Jason Aldean, award-winning blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa and R&B chart-topper Nelly. All coming to the tri-state this month, along with many other big name performers. Frankly, we're getting the same caliber of entertainment as Chicago, for instance, only

there's way more parking options and a lot less people to contend with. And the winters aren't near as frigid (back to the weather again). By the way - on a totally different topic - I should note that News 4U is entering a new phase soon, a changing of the guard. Yes, after 12-plus years at the helm, owner Brian Bennett's handing the reins over to a fellow Brian. Many of you in the community know Brian Buxton as the operator of the popular Facebook page Fingers, Fork, Knife & Spoon as well as a fervent area animal advocate. Now he's adding News 4U to his résumé. Learn more inside!

- Tommy Ellis

A NEW era

NEWS4U

BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS TO COME:

MAGAZINE OWNER BRIAN

BENNETT PASSES THE TORCH TO BRIAN BUXTON

Just in case you find yourself on the long-running TV show Jeopardy anytime soon and host Ken Jennings poses this question - Number of years News 4U magazine has been in business - here's the correct answer: What is 33? If you regularly pick up a copy every month, you probably don't need us to tell you that; after all, it's printed right there on the cover. Well, the year of inception is, anyway (you gotta put a little effort in and do the math). Three-plus decades seems nuts, but then factor in who all's been running the show over that course of time - just two people. Original owner Bashar Hamami got the ball rolling in 1991, creating a fun, free entertainment magazine that kept everyone informed of events and happenings in the tri-state. Then local entrepreneur Brian Bennett took over in 2012, continuing the tradition of providing a positive community service by highlighting area bands, bars, businesses and much more. Now here we are 12 years later. In the blink of an eye, seemingly, Bennett's tenure at the top has come to an end - mostly because he's too busy to devote the time needed to make News

PHOTO CREDIT: DANIEL KNIGHT STUDIO B PHOTOGRAPHY.

BRIAN BUXTON BRIAN BENNETT

4U all that it can be in 2024. But fear not, dear readers, because the torch is being passed to a very capable individual with enthusiasm, experience and name recognition to spare: Brian Buxton.

A well-known area businessman as well as the creator of the hugely popular Facebook page Fingers, Fork, Knife & Spoon Evansville, Buxton is also a highprofile animal advocate. Most importantly, he's a smart guy with ideas who's excited about developing and expanding the content of News 4U in an effort to better reflect the community's interests. Can't argue with that. Did we mention the magazine will still be free? Rest assured you'll still be able to pick up a copy at your favorite spot, no charge. And we do hope you'll continue to support News 4U as this new era begins - 33 years is a long time, you know? Let's keep it rolling...

Of course, we couldn't say goodbye to the Bennett era without checking in with him for some famous last words and then getting Buxton's perspective on the road ahead.

12-plus years, over 150 magazines published on your watch. Where does the time go?

BENNETT: Honestly, with having to produce a magazine every 30 days, that's what makes it go by so fast, because the second you produce a magazine, you turn around and go, 'Oh man, I gotta do it all over again.' One of my reasons for selling it is because of time. Even though I don't have to be as hands-on as I used to be, having three or four extra days a month and not that pressure of 'Crap, we gotta do this, we gotta do that' - that's what means the most, is getting that time back.

If you can even think back that far, what made you interested in buying a magazine in 2012?

BENNETT: I had experience in publishing; I worked for AT&T advertising for nine years, so I knew publishing. But my social media company was big and the previous owner, Bashar Hamami, called me to ask if I would do their social media. And so I started doing News 4U's social media and then he was like, 'Hey, do you want to buy the magazine?' I thought it would make a good mix, having both a social media company and a print business. I thought it would maybe last a year and then I'd end up going out of business. To think that it turned into a 12-year business is shocking.

Across 12-plus years, can you name a favorite issue or two that you produced?

BENNETT: Absolutely. It's the Tri-State Pets versions because on one of the covers I made my oldest daughter be on it and the other I made my youngest two kids be on it. But no, if I had to pick one issue, it's that first 20 40 & Underthat class [of community members] was amazing.

Weren't you on that cover?

BENNETT: [Laughs] Was I a part of it? But you look back and people like Brad Niemeier of Azzip Pizza and [musician] Monty Skelton... you go back to that first class and that defined News 4U to me. All these people that are young and into art, business and everything and they're coming up.

How are you going to feel on the final day as you pass the torch to Brian Buxton?

BENNETT: Oh, I'm already sad. It's a lot of work, but you think about the time and I started going back to the memories from the last 12 years - especially the staff. It's like a sports team, you know what I mean? I'm going to miss the grind and the people - it was so cool to share the feeling after putting out an issue that

everyone had worked so hard on. We birthed it 20 days ago and then it was on the stands. I'll definitely miss it, but I think Brian [Buxton] is going to make it a better magazine for the community and put the love and the effort and time in that it deserves. News 4U is part of Evansville's history now.

So, Brian, how long had you been thinking about taking over News 4U?

BUXTON: I had never thought about [working in] publishing. But I was doing a Facebook live stream recently at [Bennett's] new Penny Lane Coffeehouse North, trying to help get the word out through my Fingers, Fork, Knife & Spoon page, trying to give him some marketing exposure before the soft opening and we were talking about all kinds of different things - and he mentioned the possibility of me buying News 4U, that I could do whatever I wanted with it. And it started to make perfect sense; it fits right in line with what I'm already doing and what I want to do. What I hope that a lot of people do for Evansville is just champion the city and support local businesses, local business owners and inspire people - I strive to inspire people with what I say or do or post.

You must be excited to start this new chapter of News 4U.

BUXTON: I'm very excited about what's ahead. Of course, anytime you start something new it makes you a little bit nervous, but it also is a challenge to be creative. Because no matter how well someone does at anything they do - and this is not a knock on Brian [Bennett]there's always something that you can improve, no matter what, no matter who you are. I think that I can do some things [for the magazine] that I think are interesting and fun. I'm looking to make News 4U interesting to the widest audience possible.

It's bordering on ridiculous; we just keep getting blessed with the best entertainment money can buy. Month after month, the biggest stars in music and comedy make a stop in Evansville and the surrounding area, gracing the stages of our favorite venues and offering up dynamic performances not soon to be forgotten. What's on the horizon, you ask? Oh, just the likes of country star Jason Aldean at the Ford Center and blues master Joe Bonamassa at the Old National Events Plaza. Then there's R&B icon Nelly at Beaver Dam Amphitheater, celebrated country singer Mark Chestnutt at the Lincoln Amphitheatre and the return of Whose Live Anyway? to the Victory Theatre - the latter show featuring some of the greatest improv comedy artists around. Start saving your pennies, in other words, because you don't want to miss out. Tickets will go fast for many of these shows, so act now and reserve your seats!

JASON ALDEAN

FORD CENTER / AUGUST 8

Evansville once again welcomes one of country music's biggest stars to the Ford Center. Jason Aldean has been at the top of the genre for nearly two decades, reeling off huge hit after huge hit, including 2023's "Try That in a Small Town," a late career smash that followed on the heels of number one singles like "She's Country," "Dirt Road Anthem," "Trouble With a Heartbreak" and "Why."

WALKER COUNTY

LINCOLN AMPHITHEATER / AUGUST 10

Country music duo Walker County comprises sisters Ivy and Sophie from Sulphur Springs, Indiana. These talented siblings have captured the hearts of fans and earned millions of streams with tracks such as “Bits & Pieces” and “Drag It Out.” Walker County has appeared on CMT and The Kelly Clarkson Show and also opened for the likes of Willie Nelson, Martina McBride, Dwight Yoakam, and Old Dominion.

ACE FREHLEY & FOGHAT

BEAVER DAM AMPHITHEATER / AUGUST 10

One show, two legendary acts joining forces for good. Ace Frehley is, of course, the original Spaceman from KISS whose lauded guitar playing helped to form such classic rock songs as "Rock & Roll All Nite," "Detroit Rock City" and "Strutter." Foghat, a staple on classic rock radio, is known for iconic tracks like "Slow Ride" and "I Just Want to Make Love to You.

BRIAN REGAN

VICTORY THEATRE / AUGUST 11

Critics, fans and fellow comedians agree: Brian Regan is one of the most respected comedians in the country with Vanity Fair calling him "The funniest stand-up alive" and Entertainment Weekly dubbing Regan "Your favorite comedian's favorite comedian." Having built up an incredibly loyal following over the last three decades, he's still at the top of his game, bringing his clean brand of comedy to stages everywhere.

JOE BONAMASSA

OLD NATIONAL EVENTS PLAZA / AUGUST 16

Joe Bonamassa is one of today's top live performers and this one-time only "Blues Deluxe" Tour is not to be missed! Hailed internationally as one of the greatest guitar players of his generation and cited by Guitar World Magazine as “the world's biggest blues guitarist,” Bonamassa has almost singlehandedly redefined the blues-rock genre and brought it into the mainstream. He returns to downtown Evansville in August by popular demand.

MITCHELL TENPENNY

OLD NATIONAL EVENTS PLAZA / AUGUST 23

Mitchell Tenpenny is a mounting force in the country music industry, known for his remarkable talents as a singer, songwriter, producer, and performer. He first made waves in Nashville with a co-written Top 10 song, "If the Boot Fits,” recorded by Granger Smith. Tenpenny's breakthrough came when he released his self-titled EP in 2018 which featured the hit single "Drunk Me." It was just the beginning.

NELLY WITH CHINGY

BEAVER DAM AMPHITHEATER / AUGUST 31

GRAMMY Award-winning artist Nelly has been wowing audiences with his many talents for over three decades now. A rapper, singer and actor all rolled into one, he's known for monumental R&B-flavored hits like "Hot in Herre," "Dilemma," "Air Force Ones" and "Ride Wit Me." Rapper Chingy isn't far behind, having scored several top 10 smashes, including "Right Thurr" and "Pullin' Me Back."

MARGARITAS & MEMORIES: MAC MCANALLY & SCOTTY EMERICK

BEAVER DAM AMPHITHEATER / SEPTEMBER 1

10-time CMA Musician of the Year Mac McAnally and special guest Scotty Emerick are bringing a night of "Margaritas & Memories" to the Dam. Performing together, both artists will tell stories and celebrate the music they've performed worldwide, including "Down the Road," "It's a Crazy World," "Minimum Love," "As Good As I Once Was," "Beer for My Horses" and "I Can't Take You Anywhere."

GABBY BARRETT

OLD NATIONAL EVENTS PLAZA / SEPTEMBER 6

Barrett first captured America's heart as the third-place finalist on the 16th season of American Idol. Her debut single "I Hope" was a groundbreaking success, becoming the first top 10 Hot Country Songs debut by an unaccompanied woman since 2017. The single not only became a top three hit on the Billboard Hot 100 but has also been certified seven-times platinum by the RIAA.

MARK CHESTNUTT

LINCOLN AMPHITHEATER / SEPTEMBER 7

Mark Chesnutt is one of country’s true musical treasures. Critics have hailed him as a classic country singer of the first order and some of the genre's most elite entertainers, from George Jones to George Strait, echo the sentiment. All total, he's notched 14 number one hits, including the likes of "Brother Jukebox," "I'll Think of Something," "It Sure is Monday" and "Almost Goodbye."

RESURRECTION: A JOURNEY TRIBUTE

BEAVER DAM AMPHITHEATER / SEPTEMBER 14

Considered the gold standard by which all Journey tributes are measured, Resurrection faithfully recreates the experience of a 1980's Journey concert. This dynamic band has featured some of Nashville's hottest musicians, many of whom have performed, written or recorded with the biggest names in the music industry - including Journey and former Journey vocalist Steve Perry. Every show is a brilliant reproduction of arena rock greatness.

WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY?

VICTORY THEATRE / SEPTEMBER 15

Prepare to laugh until you cry when four of the world's most masterful improv artists take you on the high wire act of comedic acrobatics. The rapid-fire wit and non-stop jokes will have your sides splitting thanks to the genius of comedians Greg Proops and Ryan Stiles - both seen on ABC's Whose Line Is It Anyway? - along with Jeff B. Davis and Joel Murray.

FOR KING + COUNTRY

FORD CENTER / SEPTEMBER 19

Four-time Grammy Award-winning duo for KING + COUNTRY returns to the Ford Center, making a stop in Evansville on The Unsung Hero 2024 Tour. Australian brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone are set to present an innovative new production unlike any other previous show, featuring brand new songs as well as fan favorites like "For God is with Us," "God Only Knows" and "Burn the Ships."

WATER FOR PEOPLE PRESENTS THE SPINNERS

VICTORY THEATRE / SEPTEMBER 19

The annual Water for People benefit concert promotes sustainable clean water, access to sanitation and improved hygiene education internationally. This year's featured act, the legendary Spinners, is famous for such classic pop/R&B hits as "The Rubberband Man," "Working My Way Back to You," "Love Don't Love Nobody" and "Cupid/I've Loved You for a Long Time." Evansville's very own Dekar & The Bodyguards open the show.

TAYLOR SHINES: THE LASER SPECTACULAR

FORD CENTER / SEPTEMBER 21

Hosted by an electrifying group of DJs, Taylor Shines: The Laser Spectacular, is taking America by storm. It's two hours of non-stop Taylor Swift hits seamlessly blended with the world-famous touring Laser Spectacular & Light show. The breathtaking presentation features large-screen video projection, 3-D glasses and plenty of mind-bending effects. So mark your calendars, Swifties, and come sing along to all your favorite songs.

STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN

VICTORY THEATRE / SEPTEMBER 26

In a career that has spanned more than three decades, Steven Curtis Chapman is the most decorated artist in Christian music history with 59 GMA, Dove, Grammy and AMA awards. In addition, he's charted 50 number one singles - including "His Eyes," "My Turn Now" and "More to This Life" - and sold more than 17 million albums, including 10 RIAA-certified gold and platinum releases.

RUMOURS ATL: A FLEETWOOD MAC TRIBUTE

VICTORY THEATRE / SEPTEMBER 27

In just under seven years, Rumours has built a reputation as the best Fleetwood Mac Tribute band, taking the U.S. by storm with their flawless renditions of such Mac classics as "Dreams," "Go Your Own Way," "Rhiannon," "Landslide," "Sara," "Gypsy" and "The Chain." Rumours is fronted by the exquisite Mekenzie Zimmerman whose take on Stevie Nicks is quite stunning, both vocally and in appearance.

PARKER MCCOLLUM

FORD CENTER / SEPTEMBER 27

Few country artists have made a bigger impact over the last decade than Parker McCollum. His 2015 debut, Limestone Kid, won critics over with its unique melding of Americana, Texas country and folkrock, ultimately leading to the success of 2021's Gold Chain Cowboy and 2023's Never Enough - the latter featuring the fiery single "Burn It Down" for which this tour is named.

HAIRBALL

BEAVER DAM AMPHITHEATER / SEPTEMBER 28

A band puts on a concert - Hairball puts on an event! Hairball is a rock & roll experience you won't soon forget, resurrecting the greatest acts of the 70s and 80s, including AC/DC, Guns N' Roses, Journey, KISS, Motley Crue, Queen, Van Halen and many more. Vocalists Kris Vox, Dave Moody and Drew Hart lead the band through a two-plus hour mind-blowing homage.

FLOGGING MOLLY

VICTORY THEATER / SEPTEMBER 28

Founded in Los Angeles in 1997, Flogging Molly has always defied categorization. The infectious originality of their songs is a badge of honor and key to the band's creativity, their urgency. They infuse punk rock with Celtic instruments - violin, mandolin and accordion - and merge blues progressions with grinding guitars and traditional Irish music as heard on the likes of "Devil's Dance Floor."

FOR THE SAKE OF THE SONG

WESSELMAN WOODS / AUGUST 31

2ND

ANNUAL FREE MUSIC FESTIVAL PROMISES ANOTHER GREAT LINEUP OF LOCAL, REGIONAL AND NATIONAL TALENT

Staging a new event is always a challenge, no matter how much preparation is involved. But without question, last year's inaugural For the Sake of the Song music festival was a rousing success; from the stellar performances to the wideranging community involvement, it was all systems go. Organizers Zach Evans and Chris Passage really hit the mark, putting the focus squarely on the art of songwriting via an intimate setting that allowed for a window into the creative process - storytelling was encouraged as local, regional and national musicians spilled the tea on the genesis of their songs. And the variety of material was impressive, indeed: folk, country, indie rock, hip-hop, reggae, hard rock, dream pop, ambient electronic music and more. In

“addition, attendees were treated to delicious eats thanks to a selection of food trucks, along with a beer garden for the adults. When all was said and done, everyone went home with a smile on their face and joy in the heart.

This year's festival headliner is North Carolina's Sarah Shook & The Disarmers whose fourth album, 2024's Revelations, has been praised by the likes of the New York Times for its raw authenticity and melding of country and indie rock. (If you're unfamiliar, think Neko Case, Jenny Lewis or Angel Olsen - you'll be in the ballpark then.) The critically acclaimed band will be supported by some of the area's most notable performers, all primed to prove the greatness of the tri-state music scene.

PERFORMANCES BY:

Sarah Shook & The Disarmers

The Randys

Brick Briscoe & Cory Folz

The Lowland Ramblers

SONGWRITERS CIRCLE PERFORMANCES BY:

Andrew Baum

Cynthia Bourne

David Davis

Loralye

Toby Ellis

Warren Nicholson

Wesselman Woods is located at 551 N. Boeke Rd. in Evansville. For more info, visit sakeofthesong.com or follow For the Sake of the Song on Facebook.

PHOTO CREDIT: LEE CLOWER

WHOSE LIVE ANYWAY?

COMEDIAN GREG PROOPS ON WORKING WITH RYAN STILES, IGNORING REQUESTS FOR HOEDOWNS, THE ONGOING SUCCESS OF WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY? AND MORE

years ago this month, Whose Line Is It Anyway? made its American TV debut on ABC, becoming an instant favorite with fans of improv comedy thanks to the quick wit of cast members Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles - all of whom first appeared on the original British series that premiered in the late 1980s. Over the course of the show's lengthy run (it was recently renewed for a 21st season on The CW to air in late 2024),

recurring guests have been brought on board to flesh out the increasingly wacky skits and songs, including comedians Jeff B. Davis and Greg Proops. Along with Stiles and writer/ director/actor Joel Murray, together they make up the traveling show that is Whose Live Anyway? - a wild and endlessly entertaining stage version of the hit TV series.

Be prepared for full-on audience participation when this wonderfully unpredictable improv

tour hits Evansville. Or as Proops likes to say, "my joke is always that if the show sucks, it's your fault."

Considering the spontaneous nature of the show, do the four of you need to prepare in any certain way prior to hitting the stage? No, we've been on the road so long together and know each other so well. Joel's been in the group for 12 years, and he's the new guy. Jeff's been in the group for 21 years and he

SO YOU'RE LIKELY TO BE PULLED ON STAGE IF YOU COME TO THE SHOW WHICH IS REALLY FUN FOR US.

was the new guy. And Ryan and I have worked together for almost...we're reaching 33, 35 years.

What are the long-term effects of working with Ryan Stiles for over three decades?

Well, he's lovely, isn't he? I'm so lucky to work with someone that funny who's a great improviser. He points at the fences and he hits home runs - the most consistent person that I've ever played with in my life. And he's also a very low-key guy, just a groovy dude. He's kind and stays out of everybody's face. There's no dick-swinging on our tour; it's nice.

Would he say the same about you?

Oh, not at all. I'm loud, you know, and I never shut up. I'm fussy and I'm a primadonna. No, I wouldn't think he'd say the same thing at all. But we get along, you know, and we have running jokes we've been playing on each other for years. I mean the way I always describe it...it's boring but it's true: we can bounce pass backwards without looking at each other.

It must be nice not to have to censor yourself on stage as opposed to performing in front of the cameras and a studio audience. Right, we don't have to censor ourselves, but we're not very curse-y, anyway. It depends on the venue. If we're at a casino it can get a little filthier. But we would never do an Irish drinking song in a live show, because Ryan [bleeping] hates it - so why would we do anything that he doesn't like? And we're a lot more intimate [with the live show] - we bring people up from out of the crowd. It's a way more interactive affair than the TV show. So you're likely to be pulled on stage if you come to the show which is really fun for us. We bring people up and improvise with them. We do "moving bodies" with people from the audience; we do "sound effects"; we sing songs with people from the audience. So there's all sorts of games that we play with the audience. So, my joke is always that if the show sucks, it's your fault. Because everything we do is going to be based on suggestions from the audience. But the truth is, we're always striving to get a standing ovation - that's what we're in business for.

Of all the quick-witted humor on the show, the improvised songs always stand out, especially considering that you only have a few seconds to come up with something. Yeah, you only have a few seconds to figure out what you're going to do. You know, when we had Chip [Esten] in the group for 15 years, and then Chip got on Nashville...so we got Joel. So, I started singing, taking over Chip's part. Then Ryan after awhile was like, 'I'll sing.' So Ryan and I trade off every night - I don't know who you'll be getting on the night, but Jeff sings every night. Ryan is a really funny singer; he's just great. And he's not known for singing, but everything he puts his hand to up there is gold. So, you don't

get cheated with either Ryan or myself - we give a hundred percent. But like I said, we'd never do a hoedown or an Irish drinking song. People yell them out, and Ryan's like, '[bleep] you.'

To what do you attribute the ongoing success of the TV show? 21 seasons is almost unheard of - only a handful of shows have ever managed to last that long. Well, it's pure virtuosity, obviously [laughs]. We're on as long as, like, a sporting show's been on or the Today show or something. I don't think there's anything else that's on television that's run that long. Maybe the Tonight Show. I think part of it is that the danger and the excitement of improv is actually captured and translated on the TV show. There's been a load of improv shows on TV and they don't make it happen. And part of that is a condition of how we shoot it and how it's edited. The games are absolutely played fair and square the way you see them - and when we do a live taping we get up and play 27, 28 games in an hour and a half, two hours. And we play them at a live show pace; we go boom, boom, boom - we don't sit around and goof in between shows. So you're really getting, basically, a live show taped. And I think the other thing is the cast. We're talking about people that have been on the show for 20 years. So there's continuity that you don't have on any other show except Guiding Light or General Hospital or something. They could have changed us all out 15 years ago - or when they brought it back to The CW they could have changed the whole cast out and gone, 'Look, it's the new Whose Line with new cast members!' But I don't think that would have played. Look, now we're into generations, because every high school in the country has started an improv group. We literally get everybody from teenagers to old people at our shows.

For tickets and more info, visit victorytheatre. com. The Victory is located at 600 Main St. in downtown Evansville.

AN INTERVIEW WITH

A.J. CROCE

SON OF THE LATE, GREAT FOLK LEGEND JIM CROCE ON THE DICHOTOMY OF HIS DAD'S SONGWRITING, EARLY MUSICAL INFLUENCES, DEVELOPING A RECOGNIZABLE PIANO PLAYING STYLE AND MORE

In just a few short years - before sadly perishing in a plane crash - singersongwriter Jim Croce made an indelible mark on American music, reaching a wide audience beginning with 1972's You Don't Mess Around with Jim. The lauded album, long considered a classic, featured a hat trick of iconic songs, including the playful title track, "Operator" and "Time in a Bottle" - the latter

reaching number one posthumously. Croce's passing in 1973 was followed by a final release, Life and Times, highlighted by the bluesy, buoyant "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" and more contemplative "One Less Set of Footsteps," a strangely prescient song that seemed to foretell his demise.

But such was the strength and universality

of the material that Croce's songs have lived on for decades, embraced wholeheartedly by successive generations - thanks in large part to his immensely talented son A.J. who's dedicated to keeping his dad's music alive via the current "Croce Plays Croce" tour. The ongoing trek finds the 52-year-old both revisiting all the JC classics and performing a select number of solo compositions. A brilliant

piano player, he's built up an impressive catalog of original work that refuses to be defined - across his 10+ albums you'll find bits of blues, pop, R&B, soul, gospel and more.

We caught up with Croce just before he played the Victory Theatre on July 17.

What's your take on the dichotomy of your dad's songwriting? He could be buoyant and joyful - "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown," for example - but also melancholy and thoughtful in songs like "Time in a Bottle."

I think it really shows the two sides of him as a human being, honestly. I think that you have the storyteller of the character songs. And, you know, the template of that existed with a songwriting duo by the name of Lieber and Stoller - they wrote for Elvis; they wrote for the Drifters and the Coasters and all these great singing groups in the 50s and 60s. And so that was a huge inspiration, but my father took it to a place that was a little more personal in the sense that he made these everyday people everyday heroes. I think that he wasn't able to really talk about the way he felt - it wasn't an era of talking about your feelings. For him, being able to write a song and have it communicate the emotion that he felt was really the only way of doing that; it was the vehicle that he was capable of taking to that place.

Producer Rick Beato, who has a very popular YouTube channel, did a thorough breakdown of "Operator," studying the structure of the song, the lyrics, the vocal phrasing, etc. - really fascinating stuff. When you started playing and performing your dad's songs, did you

find yourself equally entranced by them?

Not really. Not to put it down, but I grew up with it. There wasn't this revelation in that regard. I grew up listening to the records that he collected and we stand on the shoulders of giants, all of us. And he was no exception in that way...you know, growing up listening to Ray Charles and Little Richard and going back further to, like, Fats Waller or James B. Johnson, the blues guys like Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Blake and Willie McTell. And then for me, being a piano player first, the boogie guys like Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson and Johnnie Johnson who played with Chuck Berry, of course. All of this music was my...that was where I came out of - rock & roll and blues, R&B and soul music and gospel. And of course, I loved old country and I loved old folk music of different genres, but it was that soulful music to me that moved me. As a piano player first, coming to the guitar later, those songs were really...as a kid I was trying to prove myself and be as great a pianist as I could be. I was taking on these very challenging piano pieces from the 1920s and 30s, you know. So then going to a song like "Leroy Brown" or "Operator" or "Time in a Bottle" - which, on guitar, are not easy songs to play, there's a lot of chords - but as a piano player it was not a challenge, and I think that's what I was looking for. What it gave me as a challenge was the level of storytelling - that was what really moved me; always, still to this day when I sing my father's music, is the fact that he was so incredibly great at telling a short story.

THAT WAS WHAT REALLY MOVED ME; ALWAYS, STILL TO THIS DAY WHEN I SING MY FATHER'S MUSIC, IS THE FACT THAT HE WAS SO INCREDIBLY GREAT AT TELLING A SHORT STORY.

[laughs]. But I think the thing that he was able to do...Ray Charles was so amazing at being able to play any type of song. He could play a standard like "Georgia" - which wasn't his song - and make it seem like it was his. He could play an anthem like "America" and you'd swear that he wrote the song. He could sing pop music or gospel or country; he could sing R&B, old blues songs; he could play any kind of music and it was Ray Charles. That was the thing for me that was most influential. It wasn't just that he was a great piano player or how he played or how he sang. It was that first and foremost he was himself. And that was my goal always in my playing - you can hear my playing piano and know it's me right away. It's a combination of phrasing and the choice of notes or chords, inversions; it's a personal language. That's the most I think you can hope for as an artist - to have an identifiable sound. It's the same thing with writing. I'm sure you've experimented over the years with writing in the style of Hemingway or Oscar Wilde or whoever and you write with that language, with those choice of words, with that understanding or perspective of the world for a page and it teaches you something, you know?

Well, I'm going to let you in on a little secret, A.J. I'm all about AI these days - it's all done by a computer program.

You spoke earlier of Ray Charlesthat's who I see most when you're playing piano. The mannerisms, not to mention your raspy vocals.

Sure - he was my gateway drug

[Laughs] You know, I'm a little surprised that I'm not actually talking to an AI journalist, but I guess we haven't gotten there quite yet. Or maybe I am?

What I want to know is when will we see A.I. Croce?

[Laughs] Well, that's the thing - I don't know if you'll ever see A.I. Croce on stage, you know? Certainly coming to a screen near you [laughs].

For more info, visit ajcrocemusic.com.

EVANSVILLE of A TASTE

MONTHLY FOOD REVIEW WITH BRIAN BUXTON

Evansville is a unique city for multiple reasons, but in particular because of our burgeoning restaurant scene. For a city our size, we have far more than the average number of restaurants, many of which are chains. For decades, we have also been a prime test market for various companies.

Procter & Gamble tested Crest toothpaste in Evansville over 30 years ago. The SAMI/Burke Co. hoped for a thumbs-up from local consumers for Puffs Plus Tissues, Liquid Tide and Aunt Jemima pancake mix. The area has also been instrumental in recognizing the newest dining trends. Evansville residents were the first to sample the McPizza, and to sit in a McDonald’s McDiner. Our city has also tested Taco John’s Taco Pizza, Arby’s Boneless Wings and Crinkle Fries, Papa John's Pan Pizza, and several dishes for Red Lobster, Pizza Hut, and more.

Unfortunately, with the proliferation of chain restaurants, the unique spots can be easily overlooked. Which brings us to a hidden gem - the only Vietnamese restaurant within a 100-mile radius.

VIETNAMESE CUISINE

The dishes served at Vietnamese Cuisine are amazingly light, fresh and healthy. They represent a brilliant balance of yin and yang - aromatics, heat, sweetness, sourness, and salty fish sauce. Pho (pronounced fuh, like "fun" without the "n") is probably the most recognizable Vietnamese dish, but the cuisine also features various types of noodles, stirfried dishes, grilled proteins and very few, if any, fried foods. You will also find dishes filled with fresh jalapeños, lemons, limes, fresh basil and cilantro, lemongrass, mint and peanuts.

The history of Vietnam has a heavy French influence, which began in the 18th century, and produced the Banh Mi sandwich. Served

on a crusty baguette, loaded with marinated grilled pork, cilantro, chili-spiked pickled carrots and other herbs and vegetables. This is always a great choice - delicious and filling.

In addition to old favorites, we also sampled some new dishes, including Banh Xeo, which is a crepe filled with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts and green mung beans. It‘s a light and refreshing dish with complex flavors, and origins in South Vietnam. A favorite was the Bún Bò Huẽ Pho (Fire Soup), from North Vietnam. This is made with thick rice noodles, pork meatballs, beef shank, bean sprouts, red cabbage, basil, jalapeños and pig knuckles, which lends the rich yet understated flavor

UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THE PROLIFERATION OF CHAIN RESTAURANTS, THE UNIQUE SPOTS CAN BE EASILY OVERLOOKED. WHICH BRINGS US TO A HIDDEN GEM - THE ONLY VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT WITHIN A 100-MILE RADIUS.

profile of a delicious bone stock. A dish I will definitely order again is the Com Suom, a very tender and juicy char-grilled pork chop, served with pickled vegetables and rice.

Three staples are: Sticky Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn), filled with shrimp, pork, vermicelli rice noodles, and vegetables wrapped in a sticky rice paper, and served with peanut sauce; Pork-wrapped Grape Leaves (Thit boc trong nho li), served with peanuts on a bed of lettuce and vegetables; and the Vietnamese Hot Coffee with condensed milk (Cà phé sűa nóng), a heavilycaffeinated dark roast coffee served over a blanket of thick, sweet and luscious condensed milk.

Other recommendations include the Ribeye Noodle Soup (Phô tai), Lemongrass Chicken served over vermicelli (Bún gà núong xǎ), and the Rice with Grilled Fish (Com cá nuong). If you are open-minded when ordering, it’s hard to find anything that you won’t want to come back for.

*Hours of operation: Thurs-Tues from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Closed on Wednesdays.

Now Go, Explore, and Eat, Evansville!

Vietnamese Cuisine is located at 4602 Vogel Rd. on Evansville's east side. Follow Vietnamese Cuisine on Facebook @ facebook.com/ vietnamesecuisine812. Brian's food and dining page can be found @ facebook.com/ FFKSEvansville. SEvansville.

Restaurant

KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE ON THE COMINGS AND GOINGS OF AREA DINING ESTABLISHMENTS WITH BRIAN BUXTON

T411

he restaurant business is a rough road, and success is far from guaranteed in a business with very narrow margins for profit. A study by Ohio State University found that 60% of new restaurants didn’t make it past the first year, and 80% close within five years. It’s not a venture for the weak. Here's a list of local spots we've recently lost, others that have recently opened, and some to look forward to in the coming weeks.

RECENTLY CLOSED:

JAN'S PLACE CAJUN CUISINE (EVANSVILLE)

OLEA FUSION BISTRO (HENDERSON)

NOMOD @ NORTH MAIN FOOD HALL (EVANSVILLE)

WAYLON'S DINER ON MAIN (EVANSVILLE)

OLEA BAR & GRILL (HENDERSON)

FOOL MOON BAR & GRILL (EVANSVILLE)

CORNER BAR (EVANSVILLE)

HEADY'S PIZZA (EVANSVILLE)

OPENING SOON:

CHICK-FIL-A (NEWBURGH)

PROTEINHOUSE (NEWBURGH)

MARIDA TURKISH RESTAURANT (NEWBURGH)

PLAYA AZUL (EVANSVILLE)

BROTHERHOOD RESTAURANT DANSANT (EVANSVILLE)

BIG ASS PIZZA SLICE @ NORTH MAIN FOOD HALL (EVANSVILLE)

S&J CARIBBEAN BAKERY & RESTAURANT (EVANSVILLE)

KUNG FU CHICKEN (EVANSVILLE)

HORNVILLE TAVERN (EVANSVILLE)

PIZZA HUT NORTH GREEN RIVER RD. (EVANSVILLE)

HOKKAIDO SUSHI & RAMEN (EVANSVILLE)

KFIRE KOREAN BBQ & HOT POT (EVANSVILLE)

SWAGAT INDIAN CAFÉ (EVANSVILLE)

RECENTLY OPENED:

BAD RANDY'S HOT CHICKEN & BBQ (EVANSVILLE) / 1418 W. FRANKLIN ST.

ROCKIN' CHICKEN (EVANSVILLE) / 2519 N. FIRST AVE.

PENNY LANE COFFEEHOUSE NORTH (EVANSVILLE) / 601 E. BOONVILLE-NEW HARMONY RD. STE. A

BOWLIFY SUPERFOODS @ NORTH MAIN FOOD HALL (EVANSVILLE) / 900 MAIN ST.

CHEF LO ON THE GO @ NORTH MAIN FOOD HALL (EVANSVILLE) / 900 MAIN ST.

NELLIE'S NORTH (EVANSVILLE) / 6600 N. FIRST AVE.

PATSY HARTIGAN'S IRISH PUB (EVANSVILLE) / 205 MAIN ST.

SHAH'S HALAL FOOD (EVANSVILLE) / 222 S. RED BANK RD. STE. L

TATER TEMPTATIONS @ KITCHEN 812 (EVANSVILLE) / 122 N. WEINBACH AVE.

SUNRISE CAFÉ 2 (EVANSVILLE) / 2121 N. GREEN RIVER RD.

Healthy Cooking with Lindsay Rasure

The other afternoon I was craving something sweet. I love to look through different bloggers to see if they’ve created anything new that I can try out or tweak to my liking. I came across these cookies that only take five ingredients. I didn’t change much from the original recipe, and I had all the ingredients on hand. These are highly addicting and do not take much time at all.

CLEAN BITE life

MAGIC COOKIES WITH ONLY FIVE INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 C. CHOPPED CASHEWS

• 1.5 C. UNSWEETENED SHREDDED COCONUT

• ¾ C. CHOCOLATE CHIPS

• 16 SIMPLE MILLS HONEY CINNAMON SWEET THINS

DIRECTIONS:

• 1 CAN OF SWEETENED COCONUT CONDENSED MILK (11.25 OZ. CAN –BRAND: NATURE’S CHARM)

1. START BY PREHEATING THE OVEN TO 350 F.

2. TAKE THE 12 SWEET THINS AND ADD TO A BLENDER OR FOOD PROCESSER TO CRUSH UP.

3. NEXT, ADD ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS TO A LARGE BOWL: THE CHOPPED CASHEWS, UNSWEETENED SHREDDED COCONUT, CHOCOLATE CHIPS, CRUSHED SWEET THINS, AND COCONUT CONDENSED MILK.

4. MIX UNTIL ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS ARE FULLY COATED IN THE CONDENSED MILK.

5. NEXT, LINE A BAKING SHEET WITH PARCHMENT PAPER.

6. USE A SPOON OR A COOKIE SCOOP TO SCOOP OUT A LARGE SPOONFUL OF THE MIXTURE AND LINE THEM UP ON THE BAKING SHEET. BE SURE TO GIVE EACH SCOOP AMPLE ROOM, AS THE CONDENSED COCONUT MILK WILL CAUSE THE COOKIES TO SPREAD.

7. BAKE THE COOKIES FOR 15-16 MINUTES OR UNTIL THEY'RE GOLDEN BROWN.

8. ONCE THEY'RE DONE, REMOVE THEM FROM THE OVEN AND ALLOW THEM TO FULLY COOL FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT, AS THE CONDENSED MILK NEEDS TIME TO SET! IF ANY OF THE MILK SCATTERED ACROSS THE BAKING SHEET, USE A SPOON TO PUSH THEM BACK INTO THE COOKIES.

9. WHEN THE COOKIES HAVE COOLED AND THE CONDENSED MILK HAS HARDENED, SERVE YOUR COOKIES, AND ENJOY! STORE ANY LEFTOVERS IN AN AIRTIGHT CONTAINER FOR UP TO FIVE DAYS.

*Recipe adapted from kalejunkie.com

FOR MORE RECIPES OR MEAL IDEAS YOU CAN FOLLOW LINDSAY RASURE ON INSTAGRAM: @CLEANBITELIFE OR HER FACEBOOK GROUP: CLEAN BITE LIFE

AUGUST COUPONS!

PRESENTED BY:

IN TOWN & AROUND

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1

6:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Clint Campbell

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Beer Pong

Hornet's Nest -- Trivia

Old National Events Plaza -Travis Tritt

9:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill

-- DJ Jon J After Party

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -Karaoke & DJ

FRIDAY, AUGUST 2

5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Just Us 4 (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- Trey Hughes

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Nick Gregory

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- DJ Dan Gunn

8:30 PM

Hornet's Nest -- Karaoke

Kentucky Legend Pier -- Friday

After 5: Them Dirty Roses w/ Taylor Hunnicutt

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -DJ Dance Party

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ

Jon J

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Karaoke

SATURDAY, AUGUST 3

8:30 AM

Owensboro Sportscenter -- The Pro Cup 2024

10:00 AM

Bokeh Lounge -- Blues, Bacon, Booze Brunch w/ Beyond Blue

5:00 PM

Owensboro Convention Center -- 12th Annual Dancing w/ Our Stars Owensboro Style

5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Casey Williams (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- Trey Hughes

6:30 PM

Victory Theatre -- Jim Breuer: "Survival with Laughter" Tour

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Nick Gregory

Old National Events Plaza -- Craft

Beer Dinner

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- JEB

9:00 PM

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ Jon J

10:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- TBA

SUNDAY, AUGUST 4

2:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- Trey Hughes

2:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Sunday Jazz: Julie & John Pennell

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Karaoke

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -Karaoke & DJ

MONDAY, AUGUST 5

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Karaoke

TUESDAY, AUGUST 6

5:00 PM

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Game Night

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Boscoe France 9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -Karaoke & DJ

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 7

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Nick Hamilton O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Bingo 9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -Karaoke & DJ

THURSDAY, AUGUST 8

6:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Trey Hughes

7:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Lindsey

Williams Singer-Songwriter Night Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Beer Pong

Hornet's Nest -- Trivia 7:30 PM

Ford Center -- Jason Aldean wsg Lauren Alaina 9:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- DJ Jon J After Party

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -Karaoke & DJ

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9

5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Ryan Rigdon (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -Ridge Runners Duo 7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Boscoe & Rusty 8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Drift 8:30 PM

Hornet's Nest -- Karaoke

Kentucky Legend Pier -- Friday After 5: Insulated 9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -DJ Dance Party

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ

Brian Dawe

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Karaoke

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10

5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Casey Williams (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub --

Ridge Runners Duo

7:00 PM

Beaver Dam Amphitheater --

Ace Frehley & Foghat

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill

-- Boscoe & Rusty

7:30 PM

Hornet's Nest -- Scott Mason

Lincoln Amphitheatre (Lincoln City) -- Walker County

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Pieces of the Day

9:00 PM

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ

Brian Dawe

10:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill

-- That's What She Said!

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11

Owensboro Convention Center

-- 2nd Annual Bags on the Ohio

2:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -Nick Gregory

2:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Sunday Jazz: The Sidemen

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Karaoke

8:00 PM

Victory Theatre -- Brian Regan

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill

-- Karaoke & DJ

MONDAY, AUGUST 12

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Karaoke

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13

5:00 PM

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Game Night

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill

-- Boscoe France

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Nick Hamilton

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Bingo

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Blues & Jazz

Open Mic w/ Logan Dyer

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill

-- Brad Lemmons

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Beer Pong

Hornet's Nest -- Trivia

9:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- DJ Jon J After Party

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

FRIDAY, AUGUST 16

Owensboro Sportscenter -Bluegrass Legends Experience II

5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Michelle Shelton (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -Nick Gregory

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill

-- Dan Hall Duo

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Nick Creek & The Golden Hour

Old National Events Plaza -- Joe

Bonamassa "Blues Deluxe" Tour

8:30 PM

Hornet's Nest -- Karaoke

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- DJ Dance Party

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ Cue

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Karaoke

SATURDAY, AUGUST 17

Owensboro Sportscenter -Bluegrass Legends Experience II

3:00 PM

The Dive Barge -- Zion 5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Just Us 4 (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -Nick Gregory

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Trey Hughes

Damsel Brew Pub -- Steelboy, 40 Reps & Small Steps

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Star 69 w/ DJ Zaedo 9:00 PM

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ Cue

10:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill

-- Ridge Runners

SUNDAY, AUGUST 18

Owensboro Sportscenter -Bluegrass Legends Experience II 2:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -Boscoe & Rusty

2:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Sunday Jazz: Miles Davis Tribute Band

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Karaoke

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

MONDAY, AUGUST 19

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Karaoke

TUESDAY, AUGUST 20

5:00 PM

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Game Night

7:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Poetry Night

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Boscoe France

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Nick Hamilton

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Bingo

7:00 PM

Cold Hard Steel & Lethal Method

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22

6:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Nick Gregory

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Beer Pong

Hornet's Nest -- Trivia

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Big Al & The Heavyweights

9:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- DJ Jon J After Party

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23

12:00 PM

Owensboro Convention Center -- Apollo Summer Slam 2024

5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Paul Wiemeier (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -Boscoe & Rusty

7:30 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Trey Hughes

Old National Events Plaza -Mitchell Tenpenny

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Drag Me to the Weekend w/ DJ Dan Gunn

8:30 PM

Hornet's Nest -- Karaoke

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill

-- DJ Dance Party

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ

Jon J

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Karaoke

SATURDAY, AUGUST 24

12:00 PM

Owensboro Convention Center

-- Apollo Summer Slam 2024

5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Clint Campbell (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -Boscoe & Rusty

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Paul Wiemeier

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Gypsy Soul

9:00 PM

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub --

Shady - Eminem Tribute

10:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Flat Stanley

SUNDAY, AUGUST 25

2:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- TBA 2:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Sunday Jazz:

Bokeh Big Band

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Karaoke

7:00 PM

Damsel Brew Pub -- Hosta

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

MONDAY, AUGUST 26

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Karaoke

TUESDAY, AUGUST 27

5:00 PM

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Game Night

Bokeh Lounge -- Dreamstreet

8:30 PM

Hornet's Nest -- Karaoke

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Boscoe France

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Nick Hamilton

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Bingo 9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

THURSDAY, AUGUST 29

6:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Bokeh Funk Night w/ DJ Chidi

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Trey Hughes

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Beer Pong

Hornet's Nest -- Trivia 9:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- DJ Jon J After Party

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Karaoke & DJ

FRIDAY, AUGUST 30

5:30 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Lindsey Williams (back patio)

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- TBA

7:00 PM

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- TBA

8:00 PM

9:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- DJ Dance Party

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ

NYU & Cliffy D

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Karaoke

SATURDAY, AUGUST 31

2:00 PM

Wesselman Woods Nature

Preserve -- For the Sake of the Song Music Festival

6:00 PM

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -Nick Gregory

7:00 PM

Beaver Dam Amphitheater -Nelly w/ Chingy

Bud's Rockin' Country Bar & Grill -- Drew Aud

Damsel Brew Pub -- Spaced

O'Brian's Sports Bar -- Dead Reckoning, Cetragore, The Human Tragedy, BLVCK

LODGE, Corrupt Devastation

8:00 PM

Bokeh Lounge -- Latin Night w/ DJ Chidi

9:00 PM

Leroy's Tavern -- Karaoke w/ Sparky

Marina Pointe & Nightclub -- DJ

NYU & Cliffy D

10:00 PM

KC's Time Out Lounge & Grill -- Blackford Creek

LET THEM SMELL THEIR SUCCESS: POST-HARDCORE TRIO DROPS ONE OF THE TRI-STATE'S BEST ALBUMS OF 2024

Believe it or not, the origin story of A Modest Proposal dates back to a kindergarten classroom at Vogel Elementary School where Brandon Bertinotti and Darin Harger became fast - and ultimately, life-long - friends. The two buddies couldn't play a note on an instrument at the time, of course, but they made do by pretending to rock out together. Fast-forward some years and, inspired by their musically-gifted fathers, Bertinotti and Harger mastered the guitar and drums, respectively, paving the way to forming a real band together in 2017. But what to call it? "Nothing was clicking, but I studied the satire piece A Modest Proposal [by Jonathan Swift] in English class," Bertinotti explains. "It worked and we've just kept it." With a name in place and a developing post-hardcore sound, A Modest Proposal started booking shows in the area and gaining fans - one of which was multi-instrumentalist Mason Bradley who swears he'd never seen a live band before AMP. Soon he'd be performing with them.

As the pandemic hit, A Modest Proposal took time out to record a debut EP that leaned more towards emo and pop-punk - but for obvious reasons, couldn't tour the material

IT'S THE IDEA OF EMBRACING THE LOVE AND JOY OF THINGS BEFORE YOU GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S TOO LATE.

until 2022 at which point there was an opening in the rhythm section; they needed a new bassist to lock-in with Harger. "Mason was the first person who came to our minds to fill in for a show," Bertinotti says, noting that Bradley had played on the same bill as AMP over the years with his own bands. Like clockwork, the trio clicked immediately, prompting Bertinotti to proclaim the latest iteration "the most true form [of A Modest Proposal] that has been." First order of business post-tour? Record "Silly," the inaugural effort of the newfound creative partnership. Edging ever closer to posthardcore, the single - produced by Steve Tyner at Black Cat Recording - laid the foundation for Let Them Smell Their Flowers, the band's long-awaited full-length album released on July 11, 2024.

The overarching theme of the new material, as Harger describes it, "is one's acceptance of death - how you perceive it through life. It's the idea of embracing the love and joy of things before you get to the point where it's too late." The heaviness of the lyrics is matched by the massive sonic assault, with pummeling production courtesy of Nashville's Tate Mercer. "We knew what the album should sound like," Bertinotti says, "but there were moments when Tate was really pushing us to get it right - he really believed in the record." And for good reason. Across 10 near-perfect tracks, the trio achieves post-hardcore bliss, injecting elements

of shoegaze into the mix on standouts like opener "Tangerine Dreams," "Watering Dead Plants" and the brooding, moving closer, "New Aroma."

Fresh off a triumphant record release party at Damsel Brew Pub on July 12, A Modest Proposal is gearing up for a run of shows across Texas and into North Dakota. "That's where we get the most attention - on tour," Bertinotti says. "Ultimately, our goal is to reach out to a bunch of radio stations and get airplay."

Let Them Smell Their Flowers is available on all major streaming platforms. CDs, cassettes and vinyl (coming soon) are also available. For more info, follow A Modest Proposal on Facebook.

TEARFUL WARNING

ATTACK OF THE TEENAGERS: MATURE BEYOND THEIR YEARS, EVANSVILLE-BASED BAND READIES RELEASE OF 90S ROCK-INFLUENCED "SILENT HILLS"

Not only is the tri-state music scene in a fantastic place right now with a litany of talented original bands, many of them are young with a capital "Y" - meaning that its future is bright, indeed. So keep your shades on hand for the latest group of teenagers to make some noise, Tearful Warning. Combined, the members are just 72-years-old, barely eligible for full retirement - yet singer Owen Longest, guitarist Clay Small, bassist Mitchell

"LENS" WAS "AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT - WE HAD NOTHING LIKE IT AT THE TIME AND STILL DON'T.

Bryant and drummer Fenn McCrary display an impressive musical maturity as heard on the previously released "Lens," a melding of 60s and 80s jangle pop, and the upcoming "Silent Hills" which does a 180 by paying homage to the giants of 90s rock. These two tracks, along with the self-produced, Strokesheavy "Just You Wait" represent the multifaceted approach of Tearful Warning - their sound is ever-changing but totally cohesive when you step back and take it all in.

Tearful Warning got its start two years ago up in Petersburg when Longest, McCrary and Small, all attending Pike Central High School at the time, formed a trio born from disparate influences. Between the three of them, there was a love of country, Midwest emo, classic pop/rock and psych-rock, among

other genres. Bryant was eventually brought into the fold to flesh things out; he, in turn, added an interest in jazz, funk, indie rock and jam bands. An eclectic mix, to say the least. Originally dubbed Orange Ocean, the guys discovered the name was already taken, so they went all-in on a random word generator, coaxing Tearful Warning into the world through a computerized process. Still, as Longest notes, "over time it's come to have its own meaning - it's evolved to fit our band."

The mysterious nature of the moniker seems perfect, actually, considering you never quite know what you're going to get when Tearful Warning takes to the stage. To date, they've played about 10 shows, beginning with last summer's debut at Fuchsia Fest on Evansville's east side. Subsequent performances at Your Brother's Bookstore

on Main Street and a rare regional show in Indianapolis followed, with audiences totally digging the various musical avenues exploredespecially the obvious outlier, "Lens."

After relocating the band's home base to Evansville when McCrary moved in full-time with his dad on the city's north side last year, Tearful Warning hooked up with Steve Tyner at Black Cat Recording to lay down tracks for both "Lens" and "Silent Hills," an experience that the guys cherished. As McCrary explains, "Lens" was "an opportunity to do something different - we had nothing like it at the time and still don't. It was the first song we wrote with Mitchell - he got to be part of the process from the beginning and added some great bass lines." The guitar work by Small, it must be said, is sublime, echoing the stylings of Johnny Marr, while McCrary calls on his background in drum rudiments and interest in off-kilter rhythms to take the track to unexpected places. Not to be outdone, Longest puts a bow on the whole thing with a set of truly intriguing lyrics. "My stepdad built a swing in the backyard - I didn't have anything else to do so I was swinging, something I hadn't done in a long time," he says. "It was incredible, all the nature around me - it opened my eyes, which is where the line "Through the lens of my eyes" comes from. Also, the Canada wildfires were raging at the time which inspired the line "Can't breathe the air I enjoy." Once the words were in place, Longest delivered a great vocal in the studio with much encouragement from Tyner who knows how to get the best out of local musicians.

"Lens" hit streaming services mid-June, receiving lots of positive feedback for its unorthodox structure and melodic beauty. Now comes the flipping of the script. "Silent Hills," out August 2, exists in an alternate universe - it's heavy and unrelenting, yet still catchy as heck, recalling the best of Nirvana and Foo Fighters. The whole band shines once againLongest, especially, hovering above the dissonance via an estranged, otherworldly vocal bathed in reverb and echo. Powerful stuff, for sure.

For more info, follow Tearful Warning on Facebook. "Silent Hills" will be available soon on major streaming services.

MISTER JOFISH

JEFFERSONVILLE SINGER-SONGWRITER RELEASES INDIE-INSPIRED DEBUT SINGLE, PLOTS YEAR-END EP

Originally from the Tell City area, singer-songwriter Dylan Schneider eventually made his way to Evansville for a few years before settling in Jeffersonville where he's been quietly toiling away on the creative front, stockpiling riffs and melodies for the release of an indie-inspired EP later this year. The 30 -year-old former drummer professes devotion to Death Cab for Cutie and all things Ben Gibbard - which helps to explain why he switched his allegiance to the six-string awhile back. He needed to learn chords to produce like-minded material like "Talking to Myself," Schneider's debut single under the project name Mister Jofish.

Melancholy and wistful, the sparsely-produced track finds Schneider, who's self-diagnosed with depression, casually strumming a circular chord progression based in E major as he waxes poetic on the relationship between sadness and creativity. "It's that feeling you get that the depression is helping you make the art," he explains. "You don't know what you would do without it." That fear is wonderfully expressed in the line "What would you do if I moved on?/ And you didn't have this crutch to lean upon?" - a totally relatable conundrum for many people, not just songwriters.

"Talking to Myself" gets a major boost from Evansville's Lauri "Loralye" Andrick who lends her inimitable vocals to the track, the singer's highpitched, airy tone providing the perfect counterpoint to Schneider's slightly nasal style. Things really click when the two go off in different melodic directions, their voices intertwining to near-hypnotic effect - something you'll likely hear more of from Regular Fleas, a side project on the horizon. Up next for Mister Jofish: "Lonely," the follow-up single, and a 5-track EP out by year's end.

For more info, follow Mister Jofish on Facebook. "Talking to Myself" is available on major streaming platforms.

J.J. THA WIKID 1

RAPPER WITH EVANSVILLE'S FASTEST FLOW STRINGS TOGETHER SERIES OF BANGERS ON UNIQUELY ME

The supposed death of Slim Shady may be grabbing all the headlines, but let's take a moment to appreciate the hip-hop scene we've got going on right here in Evansville. One of the standout local MCs, J.J. Tha Wikid 1 (aka Jason Johnson), has been killing it over the last few years, coming into his own as he's hit middle age, continuing to amp up the lyrical flow while also dropping priceless pearls of wisdom gained from four decades of life experience. Whether addressing the strain of economic survival ("Chasin' Paper") or celebrating the joy of a committed relationship ("Can't Fade Us"), Johnson tackles the issues that we can all relate to - backed by a sick beat, of course. But the Wikid 1 also understands the importance of letting loose and having fun, of needing a respite from the daily grind. In case you somehow missed it, last summer's epic jam "On a Boat" became the anthem for the Ohio River party brigade; the uplifting track could be heard blasting across the waves as friends and family gathered on the water to share good times together.

Now Johnson's put together a collection of his most recent bangers (including "Can't Fade Us" and "On a Boat," along with a new remix of "Chasin' Paper") onto one release, appropriately titled Uniquely Me . Indeed, there's no one in the tri-state with a faster flow, as heard on menacing opener "Hello," or capable of creating a dancefloor monster like "Elevate." Or seasoned enough to produce such an irresistibly nostalgic track as "Growin' Older." Johnson may have left his youth behind, but he's hit his purple patch, primed for greatness.

Uniquely Me is available on major streaming platforms. For more info, follow Jason Johnson on Facebook.

LINDSEY

on the scene

WITH LINDSEY WILLIAMS

Tri-state recording artist and live performer on the emergence of artificial intelligence in music

Well, I guess that’s it. It’s over!

Songwriting is a thing of the past and I can stop torturing myself with the creative process. Artificial intelligence has come, not only to find and kill Sarah Connor, but also to steal your soul by filling your ears and brain with a banal amalgamation of the last century or so of uploaded music. All hail the approximation of human suffering, joy, and love!!

I have to be honest. I think most pop music has become so formulaic and predictable that the only noticeable difference between where we are now and the scary robot future will be who’s showing up to the computer. However, while the pop producers and “ShatGPT” are lulling our ears with the painfully familiar for undeniable mass appeal, true music creators are more prevalent than ever and are pulling

their audiences on social media platforms by giving us that one thing that the universally appealing, 15-songwriter, computer-enhanced, safe-for-the-investors music can’t give usauthenticity!

Take Ross “Ross Who Sings and Does Art” Gipson, whom I discovered on some clockthemed Chinese short video service. I feel more passion and inspiration from his singing into his iPhone-cord microphone, duetting with a guitar player he’s likely never met, or playing a three-chord song on guitar or dulcimer. Ross tells you about the wins and losses of being a cancer survivor at the age of nine, which left him with some interesting bodily features not typical of your average music video star.

You can find Lindsey James Williams hosting an area songwriter’s night at Bokeh Lounge every second Thursday at 7 p.m. Also look for Dekar Baker on Sundays at Moe’s House (First Sunday: Open Mic / Second Sunday: Loops & Rhythms / Third Sunday: Artist Spotlight). Show love. Show up.

Ross is one of thousands upon thousands of talented creators who have found their voice and shared it with the world outside of the mainstream machine of music production. You don’t have to be someone’s daughter or nephew in the industry, come from wealth, or be devastatingly gorgeous to be heard in this remarkable digital age. Even the most basic device provides the

tools to offer the therapy of self-expression and connection so desperately needed in this screens-up/heads-down world. The biggest challenge is making the time to create rather than consume.

A.I. is coming. Let it. The pendulum always swings hard and fast back toward the loud, messy, impassioned, and flawed human being. Every star burns out, but it explodes into a fresh stellar nursery. Eddie Van Halen built his own guitar, the Frankenstrat, and wrapped its cable firmly around the neck of disco. WuTang, Grandmaster Flash, and many more DJs and rappers brought in infectious samples and powerful messages, reinventing the very essence of music creation, and sending the mighty rock & roll itself limping away. Kurt Cobain put on a dress and screamed, “Entertain us,” heavier than heavy metal but with a fresh sensitivity and edginess to his rock, making way for a new era of grunge and alternative. The hyper-sexual Miley yielded the angelic Taylor. 90s power-pop birthed The White Stripes.

On and on it goes. Push and pull. Back and forth. Reserved to extreme. Clean to dirty and back again. Every time I hear about the new thing poised to destroy good music, I can’t wait to see who will emerge to fight for it!

THE VERMIN SLEEP

BY JAMES M WATJEN

Award-winning Vincennes

filmmaker releases debut novella through Nightmare Press

Safe to say the last few months have been a bit of a whirlwind for James M Watjen. Back in May, the Vincennes filmmaker attended the iconic Chicago Horror Film Festival to see The D Word - his acclaimed new short film - on the big screen and, as it happened, pick up an award for Best First Time Director. But the multi-talented Watjen was just getting warmed up. Having made waves with his cinematic work, he's now getting props from high-profile websites such as Rue Morgue for The Vermin Sleep , a debut

novella recently released through Nightmare Press. The story, sure to send shivers down the spines of those who dare to explore it, centers around a child who deals with a traumatic upbringing at the hands of his father, and the eventual madness that follows him as he evolves into a serial killer in search of predators. "I wrote this story as a cautionary tale of what can happen when untreated trauma is left to stir and progress," Watjen explains. "The book plays to the fragile condition of the human psyche while paying tribute to films and books such as Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer and American Pyscho ."

The official plotline from Nightmare Press: "Haunted by a traumatic childhood with an abusive father and a mother's death, Alex Fulmer struggles to find his footing in life while targeting pedophiles scattered throughout Chicago. Alex eventually lands the job of his dreams as a set builder on a children’s television show. Everything seems to be going great until he discovers a director's sinister intentions towards a child actor and becomes entangled in a

dangerous game of vigilante justice – a game that could lead him into the horrors he knew as a child, and into the pit of the vermin he despises."

As previously noted, Watjen's debut novella has been receiving great feedback so far; in addition to garnering high marks from popular horror-based websites, The Vermin Sleep currently boasts an average rating of 4.5/5 on Good Reads, the internet's most trusted resource for book reviews. He's in full-on promotion mode at the moment, of course, but Watjen's already looking ahead to his next creative venture, The Restless Few , a follow-up short film that will hopefully build on his recent success. Stay tuned.

The Vermin Sleep is available to order via Amazon Kindle. For more info, follow James M Watjen on Instagram: @ authorjameswatjen

SCREEN TIME

WITH MARISA PATWA

August film releases feature a film adaption of a best-selling book, a big screen take on a popular video game and the latest addition to the Alien franchise

IT ENDS WITH US

The hype and controversy surrounding the film adaption of Colleen Hoover’s best-selling novel has been strong since it was first announced. From the casting to the fashion (photos were critiqued after paparazzi shots of the actors on set went viral), people have major opinions about this movie. But like I always say, any press is good press. Hoover’s novel was first published in 2016, blowing up just a few years later on BookTok (TikTok’s bookloving community), and it’s safe to say fans want this story done right on the big screen. It Ends With Us centers around the tumultuous relationship of floral shop owner Lily Bloom (Blake Lively) and neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid (Justin Baldoni). But this is no rom-com - Ryle is abusive, just like Lily’s father was to her mother. Thankfully, Lily’s high school sweetheart Atlas Corrigan, played by 1923’s Brandon Sklenar, is ready to save her. I have a feeling, though, it will be Lily who ends up saving herself.

IN THEATERS 8/9

BORDERLANDS

Turning video games into successful films or TV shows is simple enough. All you have to do is cast big-name stars and pack on the action and CGI - which, ideally, will draw in all of the gamers to the theater. That’s what Lionsgate is counting on with this spicy, colorfully explosive version of the beloved Borderlands . The firstperson shooter game is a fan favorite. Unfortunately, I experienced serious déjà vu after watching the trailer which feels reminiscent of Thor , Guardians of the Galaxy and even Fallout . In this space western, a gang of misfits from all over the universe bands together to try to unleash an incredible ancient power, with some major monster slaying along the way. Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and Cate Blanchett lead the chaotic tribe, while Jack Black shines as Clap Trap (picture R2-D2 with a potty mouth). With horror master Eli Roth directing, I’m curious to see his gruesome spin on a fairly tired concept. IN THEATERS 8/9

ALIEN: ROMULUS

James Cameron’s horror space thriller Alien was a juggernaut of peak 70's cinema. Seven films and 45 years later, the franchise is still getting revamped. As a Millennial, nothing grabbed my attention more than Ridley Scott’s gritty, mindbending Prometheus (2012). The philosophical themes took us back to the origins of humanity and introduced us to Michael Fassbender’s murderous, back-stabbing robot, David. Currently, Noah Hawley is developing an FX series based on the mythos of the deadly alien Xenomorphs, but that didn't stop Fede Álvarez from directing Alien: Romulus. Cue actors Isabela Merced, Cailee Spaney and Archie Renau who play a motley crew of young, intelligent and eager space colonists destined to come face-toface with the universe's scariest creatures. Where Prometheus allowed our space travelers a chance to explore an unknown world, this film takes us back to the heart of the franchise, with our protagonists trapped on an abandoned space vessel. As for the monsters? Well, they’re growing more blood-thirsty by the second.

IN THEATERS 8/16

TRUE CRIME JUNKIE

WITH JOHNNY FLETCHER

KAREN READ: CONTESTED MISTRIAL

Talk about head scratchers. The world of true crime is full of them, but the case of 44-yearold financial analyst Karen Read is particularly vexing. No wonder then that her strange story caught the attention of the media and has been plastered all over the internet for the last two years, prompting endless discussions and debates about her culpability in the death of Boston Police Department officer John O'Keefe in the early morning hours of January 29, 2022. Appropriately, Read's long-awaited trial recently ended in a contested mistrial with questions lingering about what jurors truly decided regarding the charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. It was a puzzling conclusion - though the case is clearly far from over - to a much-hyped courtroom drama.

Now, to expand on the incident that led to such a bizarre "ending"... The night before O'Keefe's passing, he and Read, his then girlfriend, shared drinks with friendsincluding retired Boston police sergeant Brian Albert and his sister-in-law Jennifer McCabe - at two bars in the town of Canton, Massachusetts. The pair were then invited to Albert's place for a nightcap. Reportedly, Read, who'd consumed several alcoholic beverages and wasn't feeling well, dropped O'Keefe off outside the residence, opting to head home and get some rest. That was just after midnight, according to the timeline of events. Court documents show that around 1 a.m., Read allegedly left O'Keefe a voicemail that said "...you are a f***ing loser, f*** yourself" and "John, I f***ing hate you." In fact, investigators discovered that the couple's relationship was strained for weeks leading up to the incident.

A few hours later, things went from bad to worse.

Somewhere around 5 a.m., Read, in a "distraught" state, alerted O'Keefe's niece that her uncle had never come home from the party. In turn, the niece then called McCabe who reportedly heard Read screaming "John didn't come home - we had a fight" in the background. Around 6 a.m., Read, McCabe and a third woman went to search for O'Keefe. He was discovered lying in the snow outside Albert's home, deceased. An emergency responder reportedly stated that Read, in between fits of tears and hysteria, admitted "I hit him [with my car]." Furthermore, police say they found a broken cocktail glass and pieces of tail light at the scene.

Read was ultimately indicted for the aforementioned charges and a trial date was set for April 2024. But what seemed like a fairly open-and-shut case quickly became much more complicated when the evidence was presented and argued. The defense claimed that Read was framed, that O'Keefe's death was actually the result of a beating inside Albert's home, alleging a cover-up by the Massachusetts State Police. After two-plus months of testimony - and endless twists and turns in the courtroom - the jury failed to reach a verdict, hopelessly deadlocked. However, it's since come out that the jury unanimously voted not guilty on two of the three charges facing Read. If true, she legally can't be tried for either of those charges at a re-trial which the prosecution reportedly intends to pursue.

"AFTER TWOPLUS MONTHS OF TESTIMONY - AND ENDLESS TWISTS AND TURNS IN THE COURTROOM - THE JURY FAILED TO REACH A VERDICT, HOPELESSLY DEADLOCKED.

VANDERBURGH HUMANE SOCIETY

EACH MONTH WE’LL BE CHECKING IN WITH THE VHS FOR THE LATEST GOOD NEWS AND TO HELP FIND FUREVER HOMES FOR SOME OF THEIR MORE UNIQUE AND OLDER RESIDENTS

FANTA, COCA-COLA, MOUNTAIN DEW, POP & COLA: You’ve probably heard the expression, “multiply like rabbits.” They’re known for being prolific breedersjust ask Fanta, Coca-Cola, Mountain Dew, Pop and Cola. They are 5 of the 10 bunnies recently surrendered to the VHS! It all started with two and the rest is history. That’s why every bunny adoption from the VHS includes their spay/neuter and microchip…for just $50! To learn more about these buns, or to submit an adoption application, visit vhslifesaver.org.

THINKING ABOUT

HERE'S HOW YOU CAN REACH US!

400 MILLNER INDUSTRIAL DRIVE

STANLEY: This is the only Stanley that should be flying off the shelves, but alas… He has been at the VHS since October 2023. This 4-year-old good boy has lived with kiddos, loves rolling around in the grass, getting belly rubs and going on car rides. We have loved watching his personality blossom at the shelter and we guarantee he will only get sweeter and sillier in a home. Come find out for yourself! His $200 adoption fee includes his neuter, registered microchip and up-to-date vaccines.

CHERRY: Life can be the pits, but cats can make it better! Meet two-year old Cherry, she’s that thing you’ve been missing in your life! She’s currently up for adoption at the River Kitty Cat Cafe in downtown Evansville. You can usually find her soaking up the sun in the cat lounge window, but she's always sure to get up and greet visitors. Cherry has been waiting for a home since February and is ready to come into season already! Her $100 adoption fee includes her spay, microchip and upto-date vaccines.

2 BLOCKS WEST OF GARVIN PARK IN EVANSVILLE ADOPTION HOURS TUES-SAT FROM

OLIVER, DODGER & FAGIN

VHS ADOPTION SPOTLIGHT

Evansville's Alicia Hodgini always wanted to be a performer and wasted no time pursuing her passion for dance, moving to New York the moment she earned her diploma. Just 16-years-old at the time, she quickly made headway, joining in on the action at Radio City Music Hall back when the Rockettes and other dance troupes were all the rage - "back in the Stone Age," Hodgini humorously notes. But not only did she fulfill her dream of performing on the biggest stages out east, through a bit of serendipity Hodgini developed what became a lifelong love of animals. "My best friend [in New York], her boyfriend had a ground floor apartment and a mama cat jumped in his window and had her

kittens," she recalls. "I took two of them and I have never not had cats since then."

Hodgini eventually returned to Evansville, settling in on the city's east side where she's been kept company by a number of feline friends over the years - her children, as she refers to them. "I always knew I didn't want kids - not the two-legged kind, anyway," she says, "but I love my [current] boys." The boys in question - Oliver, Dodger and Fagin - were all adopted together from the VHS as 2024 arrived following a painful period during which Hodgini suffered a terrible loss. "I had to have my cat euthanized right before Christmas and came home to an empty home for the first time in ages," she says. "I

MY CONDO RESEMBLES THE INDY 500 MUCH OF THE TIME. PARTLY BECAUSE FAGIN IS A BIT OF AN INSTIGATOR.

was heartbroken."

Thankfully, those lonely days were brief. Well-acquainted with Hodgini, the VHS staff quickly introduced her to Oliver and Dodger, a pair of bonded cats that had been residing in an office on site. But before taking them back to her condo, there was one more item on the agenda. "I had a black cat a few years ago that had to be euthanized - I wanted another black cat so I adopted Fagin at the same time."

Needless to say, Hodgini's home is empty no more. As she comically notes, "my condo resembles the Indy 500 much of the time." Partly because Fagin is a bit of an instigator - he's muscular and prone to knocking things over as he speeds from room to room. Oliver and Dodger, on the other hand, are more chill, preferring to lounge around and bask in the luxury of being spoiled. And by the way, Hodgini also cares for a fourth cat, a feral female that refuses to come indoors but enjoys the perks of daily meals and a heated bed. No doubt it takes a lot of work to keep all of her children happy, but she wouldn't have it any other way, declaring "I wouldn't take a million bucks for my cats - and I guarantee I could use it."

AS I TYPE THIS...

with Barold Hume

THE (LATEST) SHOT HEARD 'ROUND THE WORLD

Ok, here we go... This is a last-minute edition of my column, coming in just under the wire before the magazine goes to print. See, I wrote an initial commentary which focused on whether President Biden will drop out of the race and then about nine major news developments happened in the span of 48 hours. Sometimes the world just moves too fast, you know? Especially when there's a twoweek delay between the writing of an opinion piece and when it actually gets published. Not wishing to seem completely out of touch, I'm frantically typing away as the minutes tick down to my deadline. Can you feel the tension? No? Well, I can assure you that my blood pressure is off the charts. Wait, that's not my heart beating wildly - simply a passing car with an EDM track blasting at full volume. Whew. Moving on... First off, there's even more to report on Biden's precarious position at the top of the ticket. Not only has our fearless leader, post-debate debacle, lost the support of diehard liberals like George Clooney - a bad omen - but as I type this, he's now getting the (slightly) cold shoulder from none other than former President Obama. Ouch. The pressure is mounting, day by day, from all sides of the Democratic party; in fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Biden, who recently contracted COVID (the guy can't catch a break),

drops out of the race before the August issue of News 4U hits the streets. (Selfishly, I'm hoping he'll hang on just long enough for my column to still be relevant upon publication.)

Yet Biden potentially waving the white flag isn't even close to the biggest development, because, as we all know, his opposition was nearly taken out at a recent campaign rally in Pennsylvania. What the flip? This world just keeps getting crazier. Trump literally dodged a bullet; one more inch to the right and he was toast. Thankfully, this (latest) shot heard 'round the world (Kennedy assassination call-back) didn't fully hit its target, just grazing DJT's ear - a terrible moment for the country, nonetheless. Part of me is convinced, taking into account the extreme divisiveness plaguing America, that civil war might have broken out in some form had the outcome been different. Perhaps we all dodged a bullet, in a sense. But not only did Trump survive, he made an appearance at the RNC in Milwaukee on July 18, sporting a bandage over his damaged ear and speaking much more solemnly than usual. At least for

the first hour. Also in attendance: Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump's newly-appointed running mate. A fascinating choice considering the up-and-coming Republican previously stated - somewhere around 2016 - that his new boss could be "America's Hitler," among other pointed insults. But hey, that's just politics. Nikki Haley continually mocked Trump for weeks during her failed nomination bid; yet there she was on the RNC stage the other night professing her undying support for the man who repeatedly referred to her as "birdbrain." You can't make this stuff up.

*UPDATE: Biden dropped out of the race just as we went to print.

BUT NOT ONLY DID TRUMP SURVIVE, HE MADE AN APPEARANCE AT THE RNC IN MILWAUKEE ON JULY 18, SPORTING A BANDAGE OVER HIS DAMAGED EAR AND SPEAKING MUCH MORE SOLEMNLY THAN USUAL.

HEADLINES THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMM.....

NEWS 4U'S GRUMPIEST CONTRIBUTOR COMMENTS ON REAL STORIES POSTED ONLINE IN RECENT WEEKS with Johnny Fletcher

"PASTOR FACING FEDERAL CHARGE AFTER ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING HIS WIFE OVER FLIGHT UPGRADE"

What would Jesus do? Well, I doubt he'd flip his wife off and slap the top of her head simply because she's a Gold Points member and scored a better seat on the plane. Nothing quite says 'Man of God' like treating your partner like dirt on the way to a ministry event. Classy.

"BLIND MYSTIC BABA VANGA SAYS THE END TIMES WILL COMMENCE IN 2025"

Hooray! At long last, the end is near. Hang on, not so fast. According to Nostradamus wannabe Baba Vanga - who reportedly predicted 9/11 and the war in Ukraine before kicking the bucket in 1996 - our planet's demise will be a slow one... a 3000+ year slog. What's worse, with advances in medicine, many of us may still be around in 5079, long after the world's supply of Botox has been depleted. Things are gonna get ugly.

"INDIA’S RICHEST FAMILY PAID JUSTIN BIEBER $10 MILLION TO PERFORM AT A PRE-WEDDING PARTY FOR ITS BILLIONAIRE HEIR"

Could you imagine forking over that much cash to hear the Biebs sing such moronic songs as "Yummy"? Let's see, how does that one go again? Oh, right: "Yeah, you got that yummy-yum/ That yummy-yum, that yummy-yummy/ Yeah, you got that yummy-yum/ That yummy-yum, that yummy-yummy." By my calculations, that's about 100 grand per "yummy" - money well spent.

"BEARDED ROYAL REBEL HARRY SET TO SHUN THE KING’S NEW AFTERSHAVE"

File under: Desperate For Content. Let me break it down for you. See, King Charles' gift shop at his Highgrove home (a gift store in my home - now there's an idea) just launched Highgrove Splash, a fancy-ass new aftershave. But Prince Harry is all about facial hair these days and has no need to shave - and, therefore, no need to buy an over-priced product from his father's store. Oh, the drama!

"RICKY MEDLOCKE DEFENDS LYNYRD SKYNYRD’S DECISION TO CONTINUE WITH NO ORIGINAL MEMBERS"

First off, Foreigner recently sold-out a ton of shows across the country with no original members on stage, so what's all the fuss? Leave poor Ricky and his incredible mane of hair alone. Second, with the advent of Artificial Intelligence, live shows performed by humans will inevitably go the way of the Edsel (that's a deep cut - look it up), anyway. Trust me, you're gonna long for the days when anyone with a pulse played your favorite songs.

"SERENA WILLIAMS CONFIRMS SHE ONCE TRIED TO CASH A $1 MILLION CHECK AT A BANK’S DRIVE-THRU ATM"

Just Googled "first world problems" and this was the top listing.

anything AmyAsk

LOVE, LIFE, SEX, BUSINESS, KIDS, POLITICS, MONEY, RELATIONSHIPS, MUSIC, GARDENING, BAKING… EVANSVILLE’S MOST INFAMOUS AMY ANSWERS ALL! WITH AMY WORD

LOVE ME, HATE ME, DON'T CARE EITHER WAY... EVERYONE HAS AN OPINION! BUT NOW, I’M GIVING MY OPINION RIGHT BACK!

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR DATING IN YOUR 30’S AND 40’S? OR EVEN JUST GENERALLY?

Oh goodness, I certainly have a shitty track record for choices, but I have certainly learned a lifetime of lessons! I had a huge hang-up about never dating younger, and I’m currently in a very happy and healthy relationship with a big age gap…where I’m the older one in the relationship! Again, the world never blinks when the man is the more mature age in a relationship gap, and I just decided like everything else, I didn’t care what anybody thought. So don’t be afraid to go outside what you would consider your “norm”. Experiment in this, like we do other things in life. Ultimately, we’re all just looking for a place to be safe. That can look a lot of different ways, ones we don’t often expect. Go for it.

CAREER CHANGES ARE ALWAYS SCARY - WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE ON CHANGING A CAREER LATER IN LIFE?

As I am currently going through a major life career change, that has also been privy for the entire tri-state to witness, the best advice I have is, YOU SIMPLY CANNOT GIVE TWO FLYING F#CKS what anyone thinks about you, your life, your choices, and your career

choices. FIND YOUR HAPPY, jump, and hold on for dear life. And then be willing to go into free-fall, find your wings for the next section, then learn to build a plane for the rest of the fall, and baby, you’re ready to soar. Seriously, we only get to do this once. You gotta be all in for yourself; nobody is going to do it for you. Invest in YOURSELF, even when it feels the rest of the world is rooting for you to fail. You HAVE to quiet the naysayers, which often the biggest one is yourself. Embrace it, and I believe in you.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE FOR INVESTING AT ANY AGE?

My first piece of advice is to get you a great person to work with in your investments! I think there is also this thought it takes great mounds of cash sitting around to be able to invest. NOT TRUE! Start small if that is all you can do. The power of interest and time is like nothing else. If you have kids, YOU GOTTA start a 529, and Indiana is awesome in the power of saving for your kids’ posthigh school studies. These can be used for things other than just college, there are great savings and incentives on state taxes, and there is even this cool UGift option now, where you can provide a link to friends and family to sock money away for Christmas

and birthdays, so instead of getting more plastic and crap kids don’t need, take those funds and put it away for their future. It is never too late to start, and there are some really great folks, including mine, who I’m happy to recommend. Shoot me a message on FB or Insta, and I won’t gatekeep the good ones.;-)

THIS MONTH'S RECIPE, BOOK & GADGET SUGGESTIONS

RECIPE: AMY’S FAMOUS FOCACCIA

Mix first (I use a large glass measuring container)

2 cups warm water

2 tablespoons honey

2 tsp yeast

Let rest 10 minutes to bloom

Pour into dry ingredients:

4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

Combine until “shaggy”. It will be sticky, don’t fret!

Cover olive oil and cover with plastic wrap (or pro-tip, use a shower cap!)

Sit 15 minutes, then do stretch and pulls on the dough

Sit 15 minute again, do another stretch and pull on the dough

Sit 90 minutes to do first rise

Transfer to baking pan (9X11), cover in olive oil, do a “burrito” fold and sit 90 minutes covered to do a final rise.

Bake 430 18-21 minutes

*For visual learners, follow me on TikTok.

MUST-READ: VERITY BY COLLEEN HOOVER

This book is absolutely jaw-dropping, and perfect for a late summer read! A writer in near financial ruin takes an odd ghost-writing job on that changes the course of all involved. It takes so many twists and turns, it will keep you guessing until the very end. From a personal level, I found Verity to cast light on the difficulty of irrefutable truths, and how such tiny trivial things can become such significant fundamental importance later. Our perception of what is truth is so vastly altered by the preconceived self-truths that are brought to every interaction we have. Realities vastly differ from the same exact situation amongst those involved, and that is one of the few truest things I think can be found in this book (and life).

GADGET OF THE MONTH: GARLIC TWISTER 4TH GEN

Garlic Twister 4th Gen: $22 Amazon is a profoundly satisfying garlic and ginger grinder, in a weird feral way! I imagine people I’d like to pulverize, and it is highly cathartic. Best therapy and kitchen utensil in one (and this sucker really does work great, even if you only bring happy thoughts when pulverizing).

Find here: https://a.co/d/0c0TT1R

Stay hydrated, eat seasonal fruit, and remember, it’s always a great f*cking day to mind your own business.

Ask Amy Anything Love ,

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AUGUST MUSIC REVIEWS

EMINEM

The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)

Darkroom/Interscope Records

Rumors raged like wildfire during the promotion of the king of rap’s 12th studio album that he was book-shelving his thesaurus - or at least mockingly succumbing to the cancel culture of his controversial and raunchy lyrical history. The truth might be somewhere in the middle. But let's be real, Eminem will never bow down to anyone. The mouth magician’s ability to transcend generations is what keeps him an industry heavyweight. Imagine you’re driving on the Lloyd Expressway when his new single “Houdini” pulsates through the airwaves, and before you can even start appreciating the throwback opening vibes of the song, your 7-year-old girly pop daughter starts SINGING along in the backseat. The radio edit is nothing compared to his truly explicit album, which he's touting as a conceptual one - so be sure to listen to the tracks in order. At 51-years-old, Eminem still has no qualms about grilling some fatty beef either, mocking several rappers here. He also ironically defends them as well, taking a direct hit at music critics on opening track “Renaissance”: “Now let’s travel inside the mind of a hater/ ‘Cause I don’t see no fans, all I see’s a bunch of complainers/ Kendrick’s album was cool, but it didn’t have any bangers/ Wayne’s album or Ye’s, couldn’t tell you which one was lamer/ Joyner’s album was corny, Shady’s new sh*t is way worse/ Everything is either too tame or there’s too much anger/ I didn’t like the beat, so I hated "Might Delete Later”/ You nerdy pricks would find somethin’ wrong with 36 Chambers.” The rap king is daring critics to clap back, while confidently declaring he doesn’t even care what they think. After so much graveyard teasing, it's still not clear if Slim Shady has truly committed suicide. If he did, fingers crossed he’ll be resurrected and we’ll still get a world tour. - Marisa Patwa

CAMILA CABELLO C,XOXO Geffen/Interscope

Camila Cabello’s spicy appearance on Alexandra Cooper’s immensely popular Call Her Daddy podcast recently gave us a deep-dive into her fourth studio album. The best tea from the interview was the Cuban singer sliding into Drake’s DMs, asking if he’d feature with her. Spoiler Alert: he did. And “Hot Uptown” was born. She also managed to pull the help of Playboi Carti on “I Luv It” and Lil Nas on “He Knows." Produced in a mad dash in the Bahamas with her team over 10 days, this album is just as bold as her moves to collaborate with other musicians. She’s over her over-produced girl-pop days and edging past her Latin-

CHECK OUT THESE HONEST REVIEWS OF SOME OF THE HOTTEST NEW ALBUMS IN MUSIC

pop bangers that have earned her billions of Spotify streams. Is “Havana” stuck in your head yet? Her moves paid off, with the album reaching the top 20 in the UK. Camila’s songs may not have blown up globally the way “Senorita” has, but they're still beautiful, poetic, catchy and fun. The best part? They show her true growth as an artist, from a teen in a curated girl group to a woman and music icon that’s both authentic and beautiful. - Marisa Patwa

MEGAN THEE STALLION

Megan Hot Girl Productions

Megan Thee Stallion solidified her status as the queen of rap once and for all by parting ways with music label 1501 Certified to self-fund her own album under her own record company. This isn't just a boss move, it’s bold. It’s also one that allows the Texas rapper to maintain creative control. And it seems she didn’t get enough time lounging around with snakes after her music video shoot with Cardi B on the iconic “WAP” - snakes are the central theme throughout Megan, alluding to her shedding the skin of the corporate music business. It was the right move. This new release is just as raunchy, funny and goofy as always, but there's something even freer and lighter in her verses. There’s no anaconda squeezing the life out of her anymore. I highly doubt any big label would allow her to release three singles whose titles sounded so similar: “Cobra,” “Hiss” and “Boa.” Megan isn't spitting fire, she’s spitting venom. - Marisa Patwa

MOBY

Always

Centered At Night

Always Centered At Night/Mute Records

Arguably the most high-profile electronic artist of the last 20 years or so, Moby, mostly for the better, has increasingly ceded vocal duties to a wide range of collaborators, preferring to concentrate solely on creating his trademark danceable synthetic soundscapes. It can make for a disjointed listening experience at times, though, as heard on Always Centered At Night which features lesser known artists like Serpentwithfeet ("On Air"), Danae Wellington ("Wild Flame") and Aynzli Jones ("Medusa)" at the mic. Across the album's 13 tracks, there's bits of rap, R&B and soul - and plenty of pop, too - underpinned by shifting beats borrowed from various genres. To be fair, Moby has essentially put together a kick-ass compilation for the clubyou just have to be in the dancing mood. - Johnny Fletcher

JOHNNY CASH

Songwriter Mercury Nashville

Such is the legend of the late, great Johnny Cash that even his posthumous albums rise far above the general drivel that passes for country music these days. Songwriter , largely comprised from demos recorded just before the "Man in Black" joined forces with producer Rick Rubin in 1993 and experienced a career renaissance, also includes tracks written years before, such as "Sing It, Pretty Sue," which dates back to 1962 and "Poor Valley Girl" from the late 70's. Yet it all hangs together beautifully thanks to Cash's son John Carter Cash and David "Fergie" Ferguson who stripped the demos down to the basics, then built them back up with the assistance of a crackerjack band featuring the likes of country star Marty Stuart. It's hard to argue with the results; production-wise, Songwriter harkens back to the sound Cash was known for in his heyday, capturing the indelible spirit that made him such a phenomenal artist. Just try listening to "I Love Tonite," a moving tribute to wife June Carter Cash, and not tear up. - Johnny Fletcher

GUIDED BY VOICES

Strut of Kings Rockathon Records

Most bands are lucky to make it to their fourth album - they've either been dropped by their label or broken up by then. Which makes the fact that alternative rock gods Guided By Voices just released LP number 40 seem impossible. Improbable, to say the least. But frontman/sole songwriter Robert Pollard is a whirlwind of activity, never pausing for a moment in his pursuit of creating melodic blasts of power pop, such as Strut of Kings ' sugary lead single "Serene King," or Neil Young-esque acoustic ballads in the form of "This Will Go On" - the latter a perfect metaphor for GBV's prolific output. Only Pollard, it must be said, could come up with a title like "Cavemen Running Naked" and then deliver an appropriately foot-stomping soundtrack for the off-the-wall lyrics. Perhaps the best track here, slow-burn opener "Show Me the Castle," nicely highlights his seemingly endless well of intriguing chord progressions and harmonies as it transitions midway into a mid-tempo psychedelic rocker with Pollard employing his occasional British vocal affectation to great effect

- Johnny Fletcher

BLUES WITH BRAGIN

RICK & JENDA DERRINGER

Rock the Yacht

Self-released

Known for early hits like 1965's "Hang on Sloopy" recorded with the McCoys and the ubiquitous 1970 solo smash "Rock & Roll, Hoochie Koo," Rick Derringer has devoted much of the latter part of his career to churning out blues-based albums featuring masterful guitar work. With Rock the Yacht, he brings wife Jenda on board to broaden the sound, for better or worse. The album opens with "First Time," a song about how the love between a couple stays strong like when it began. “Winter” begins with a keyboard instrumental section before Rick Derringer begins singing about the changing of the seasons and wanting to see sunny days again. Rick’s guitar on “Summertime Delights” seems reminiscent of Carlos Santana as he and Jenda sing about holding on to love. “Florida Siesta” begins with a Latin groove that will start your whole body moving as Jenda sings about relaxing in the afternoon before cutting loose at night.

The Derringers co-wrote “If I Weren’t So Romantic” with legends Alice Cooper and Bernie Taupin. The song features heavy guitar from Rick as Jenda sings about needing a lover to stay and Robert Manuel offers great drumming. “Hot & Cool” features more Latin sounds and a guest appearance from Ron Reinhardt on organ. Reinhardt’s bongos give a relaxed atmosphere on “Good To Go,” a song where Rick and Jenda sing about being in sync with each other. The album closes with “United States,” a song where Rick showcases his guitar playing as he sings about the joys of living in America and Carmine Appice provides excellent drumming. - Paul Bragin

AUGUST BEER REVIEWS

This month’s beers are available depending on supply & demand at all 10 Liquor Locker locations. Visit our website at www.Liquor-Locker.com.

WICKED PAWESOME

PAUL HOLLYFELD - 5

This IPA pours an opaque hazy orange-yellow hue, almost looking like orange juice. It has a nice full head that sticks around for a decent amount of time. This is a very juicy IPA with mango and guava dominating the nose. It’s medium-bodied with a slight hop bitterness and loads of tropical fruit on the palate. The finish is also very tropical, and makes you look forward to the next drink. Wicked Pawesome is wicked awesome.

PAUL BRAGIN - 4.5

A thick white head crowns this hazy IPA and evaporates reluctantly. A burst of hops fills the nose. Likewise, floral and citrus-forward hop flavors coat the tongue with the first sip and stay on the palate during the very long finish. People who enjoy IPAs with a strong hop presence should drink this. Pair it with numerous dishes such as spicy foods, pickled foods, or heartier dishes like a bacon cheeseburger or bratwurst.

JABEZ MARTINEZ - 4.5

This is a cloudy, straw-colored beer with a bumped up ABV of 6.25%. It's pretty juicy as the can states. Like most IPAs, it has a nice balance of tropical fruit and is very easy to drink with a nice rich body and plenty of character. Metazoa always produces interesting beers.

PAUL HOLLYFELD - 3.5

This is a lager brewed with lime and salt. It pours a deep clear yellow with a thin head. On the nose, the lime is prominent, but not overpowering. I found it slightly bitter on the palate, though lighter and less malty than the Summerfest. I didn’t really notice the salt in this beer. It’s an interesting idea, but my preference is a wedge of lime for my Mexican lager, along with some nice salty tortilla chips.

PAUL BRAGIN - 4

A thick white head rests on this lager and remains. Malt scents along with the smell of lime control the scent. The lime flavor continues with the first taste, followed by salt that stays during the long finish. The lime will give this beer a boost during the hot months of summer. Pair it with a variety of dishes like Mexican food, other spicy food like Indian, seafood, burgers or anything off the grill.

JABEZ MARTINEZ - 3.5

This pours a nice golden color. I think the lime is ok but I'm not quite sold on the salt flavor, even though it's on the light side. It does have a light pale ale flavor and the lime isn't overpowering - overall, it's a fairly refreshing drink but maybe not my favorite from this brewery.

PAUL HOLLYFELD - 4

This lager pours an expected bright yellow hue with a nice white head and slightly floral on the nose. Floral notes in the hops are evident on the palate as well. It’s slightly malty, but still has a nice crisp finish. A good choice for a lager lover looking for a little more flavor.

PAUL BRAGIN - 3

A thick white head forms on this golden beer and never totally evaporates. A decent amount of malt fills the nose, with some hops present to balance it. Likewise, malt flavors come first when sipping the beer, followed by hops in the finish. This beer needs a place in your refrigerator during the summer months before it goes away in the fall. Pair it with classic summer foods like hamburgers and hot dogs.

JABEZ MARTINEZ - 4.5

This is a clear amber-colored beer. As the can states, it's a refreshing summer lager - perfect for enjoying outside while doing yard work. It's a little on the sweet side, but I like that. It's refreshing and definitely better than your average domestic beer. I've always been a fan of Sierra Nevada and this is another quality product.

WARPIGS BLINDING LIGHT SHOW IPA

PAUL HOLLYFELD - 4.25

This IPA pours a slightly hazy, light orange hue. It is brewed with lemon and orange peel, and those flavors are evident on the nose. On the palate you also find tropical notes, and a slight pithy bitterness. It is very well-balanced, and very flavorful. Once again, Warpigs has made a great IPA.

PAUL BRAGIN - 4.25

A thick white head tops this hazy IPA and dissipates slowly. Citrus notes from the hops dominate the scent profile. The citrus remains while drinking the beer and stays in the long

finish. People who enjoy hoppy IPAs will want to drink this. Pair it with a wide array of spicy foods like Mexican, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Thai or lighter dishes like seafood or salads with fruits and citrusy vinaigrette dressings.

JABEZ MARTINEZ - 4.5

This pours a hazy amber color with plenty of carbonation. It has nice citrus and tropical flavors. With an ABV of 7.5% I thought it might be a little harsh, but it's actually refreshing and tasty. I'll be sure to keep an eye out for this beer and other offerings from Warpigs.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

Ask an

Attorney WITH LANE SIESKY / SIESKY LAW FIRM, PC

Focusing on personal injury, civil litigation, whistleblower claims and workers' compensation law, Siesky Law Firm strives to provide excellent legal services while remaining client and community centered. The Evansville-based trio of top attorneys - including Lane Siesky, Daniel Gearhart and Douglas Briody - boasts years of invaluable experience inside and outside the courtroom. Highly-respected with an impeccable track record, the firm's aggressive representation of its clients continues to benefit the community in myriad ways.

Q: Attorneys often cite a particular case that inspired them to go into the practice of law. Was there a case that lit the legal fire inside you?

A:My journey to becoming a lawyer is maybe different from the typical path. I majored in Biology at Indiana University. I really had not considered law until my junior year. At that time, I wanted to be an entrepreneur and thought law might be a good idea. My mother agreed because she said I always wanted to argue. So, I applied to law school.

Although there was not any particular legal case that inspired me to attend law school, I do remember a very famous case that

transpired while in law school – the O.J. Simpson criminal trial. I vividly remember watching the trial every day on TV and then comparing that to what we were learning in law school.

As I started to practice law, I really enjoyed the competitive nature of litigation. Over the last twenty-six (26) years of practicing law, there have certainly been cases that motive me (and our law firm) to fight on behalf of clients and pursue the truth in cases. A common denominator in cases that really inspire us seems to be

Disclaimer: The above information provided by Siesky Law Firm, PC, is not legal advice and should not be taken as legal advice. Application of the law is highly fact sensitive and readers should consult with an attorney on legal matters.

representing victims that need help or who cannot advocate for themselves, such as children and elderly victims.

I am a firm believer that in order for a lawyer to advocate at a high level for clients over time, the lawyer needs to be passionate and motivated by more than just money. Indeed, the practice of law is both a business and a profession . When a litigating attorney loses that passion, it is probably best the litigator walks away or retires from the practice of law.

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