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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
ALBUM REVIEWS Turn 4
What You Do About It Patrick Medaugh BandWagon Magazine The first thing that stands out about Greeley-based altrock outfit Turn 4’s new album What You Do About It is the way the cover hearkens back to vinyl records and the painstaking way an album cover was crafted into something inseparable from the music itself. The cover used to be something intricate that would unravel with minute details. This CD case unfolds similarly to a vinyl cover, with two big flaps revealing the liner notes, a stylized track listing and fantastic photography of the band and instruments (complete with a subtle homage to Andrew W.K’s I Get Wet.) It all culminates into a certain timelessness, a connection to something that will always exist in American music: a reverence for those who came before you and a
fierce independence from them in search of your own identity. With feet firmly planted in the heart of country and blues, Turn 4 revive classic folk themes with a raw, rock-and-roll power. An off-key wail of vocals undercuts the dual guitars from the first few seconds of the album. What You Do About It oozes beautiful bluesy guitar work and boasts a litany of steel guitars, banjos, and harmonicas, all capturing that gritty Americana feel. It’s not really a melodic album. The lyrics are groaned and growled over twangy guitar riffs. It’s not a record to sing along as much as to slur along with. Each line is laced with hardship, selfdestruction and self-deprecation; but, at the same time, they are honest and soulful. An inherent charm lies in the songwriting, laden with slow bars and brokendown old cars, yet it is not without a hint of wry humor. Ultimately,
in spite of the desperation, the album feels hopeful. Between the lonely acoustic tracks and the rocking fast-paced anthems there is an optimism overarching the melodies. The bright and spirited tone suggests that though troubles have come they certainly will pass. The words of the song may be sorrowful, but they are sung with sincerity. What You Do About It is about struggle. It’s about that fine line between hope and desperation and within that struggle emerges two distinct voices: a gritty, dissonant, chain-smoking, whiskey-drinking howl for the plight of the common man and a smooth, folksy Bob-Dylan drawl insisting that everything will work out for the best. It’s those dividing lines that encapsulate the album. They are torn between the hopeful and the hopeless, as much as they are torn between the old and the new. Turn 4 brings the sounds of the past and the hopelessness of economic strife akin to folk and country into a modern age with an energy that is gutsy and honest. They remain true to a purer, simpler brand of country from a simpler time. Turn 4’s sophomore output features seventeen tracks of gravely country rock. The guitars really shine throughout this record. From the softly plucked acoustic numbers to the grinding heavy choruses, What You Do About It is alt-country that’s not afraid to get a little dirty.
Skin and Bones Mass of Orphans
Austin Wulf BandWagon Magazine Skin and Bones is the latest endeavor of singer/songwriter Renée Swick, and Mass of Orphans carries her signature sound in every stanza. The band includes Swick on vocals and keyboards, Tim Coons on guitar and backup vocals, Dave Farrell on bass, Luke Leasure on drums, and David Hamaker on euphonium. Mass of Orphans leads with its strongest song. “Introit” is an upbeat and lyrically-driven piece in which Swick channels Florence Welch of Florence and the Machine. Like much of the album, the opening track (and its companion piece, “Coda,”) features fairly simple instrumental parts and solid drum lines, bringing
Swick’s soulful vocals to the forefront. “Introit” stands out thanks to a driving rhythm section that builds throughout the song and the haunting vocal melody of the lyricless refrain. “Kyrie,” the second track, opens with soft piano coupled with a slightly creepy sound of a spinning mobile, carried over from the coda of “Introit.” As “Kyrie” continues, it builds to a passionate bridge where Swick and Coons share a beautiful harmony on the words, “He told me ‘I can love / Every stone in these burning walls’ / He told me ‘I can dance / In the dust in these littered streets.’” The song then settles back into its opening sound with a final repetition of the line “Underneath these old clothes, I am skin and bones,” from which the group gets its name.
Although at times some of the songs are indistinguishable, a closer listening of Mass of Orphans reveals their depth. For the most part, the album has a soft sound and meandering pace, but the occasional powerful breakdown or upbeat rhythm shakes it up and reminds the listener that this is not a record to be taken lightly. Fans of Swick’s and Coons’ previous work will certainly enjoy this album as well.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012 B.o.B
Strange Cloud John Hann BandWagon Magazine Bobby Ray Simmons, better known as B.o.B, is a rapper from the east side of Atlanta, Georgia whose new album Strange Clouds dropped in May. The album, remarkably, shows off a new intellectual style of rap for B.o.B, proving he is back stronger than ever. After being quiet for two years, Strange Clouds is perhaps B.o.B’s best work yet. The 24-year-old rapper has a reputation from his last album, Bobby Ray Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray, of making rap with pop-style hooks and mediocre verses. While B.o.B still upholds this pop-rap style, his verses have lifted to a new level. The improvements allow B.o.B to share more of his unique story and growing lyrical talent in a whole new way. On the first track “Bombs Away (feat. Morgan Freeman)” B.o.B draws in his listeners with a chilling intro from Freeman that leads into a strong metaphorical verse talking about B.o.B‘s success. He says, “I ain’t big on duality but you think you know me? You ain’t seen the half of me.” The young rapper goes on to say in the second verse, “Better watch out when you cross my yard / I am a flame, I am the spark / I am in drive, y’all in park.” The entire album features more of his new upbeat lyrical style. Tracks such as “Play For Keeps,” “So Good,” “Strange Clouds,” and, although it has an intensive pop hook, the track “Circles” each showcase this. Along with B.o.B’s new presentation, this album shows off B.o.B’s connections from making it in the rap business. Strange Clouds features guests such
as Morgan Freeman, Lil Wayne, Chris Brown, T.I., Trey Songz, Ryan Tedder, Playboy Tre, Lauriana Mae, Taylor Swift, and Nicki Minaj. Overall Strange Clouds is a great return for B.o.B, selling nearly 75,000 copies in its first week of release. His hard work and dedication has paid off well with this album about dreams, success, money, fame, and creative talent. There is no doubt B.o.B’s style has improved and continues to impress his wide audience with his clever lines and unique delivery. Strange Clouds is available on iTunes and is absolutely worth checking out.
Tame Impala Lonerism
Jordan Wood BandWagon Magazine Tame Impala, who have been recording since 2007, consists of three Australian musicians who are passionate about the art of sound construction. Kevin Parker (lead vocals, guitar, bass, drums, and keys,) and his two long time friends, Dominic Simper (bass, percussion, guitar, and effects,) and Jay Watson (drums, keys, and guitar,) describe themselves as “psychedelic hypno-groove melodic rock music intended for moving one’s body to, and intended for keeping still and observing other forms of movement.” Kevin Parker uses his knowledge of producing and combines it with superior instrumental skills to spearhead a band that is constantly doing something different. In December of 2011, Kevin Parker announced that he had begun work on the newest Tame Impala album, Lonerism. According to Parker, Lonerism “represents a departure from previous work by incorporating an expanded sonic palette, more emotional song writing, and a more pronounced narrative perspective.” The album was later released on October 9th of this year. Lonerism’s twelve tracks truly deliver what Parker promised. It seems to be the internal thoughts of someone trying to find their way in the world. Rather than being depressing, it is hopeful while still remaining honest. It opens with the song “Be Above it,” which begins with Parker softly chanting, “Gotta be above it.” The song slowly grows with a slightly familiar psychedelic groove and adds layers of perfectly placed synth sounds, teasing and leaving the listener wanting more. It moves into “Endors Toi,” and then to one of the best songs and a single from the album, “Apocalypse Dreams.” This song is driven by a strong bass groove and is paired with crescendos of psychedelic, dreamlike keyboard and synth sounds.
At one point, it completely cuts off sound as if it fell through a black hole, and then suddenly bursts back with full-force. The album only gets more interesting with every track, hitting an especially high point with the more rock-influenced jam, “Elephant.” Every song is its own mini-journey, complete with suppressed melodic vocals, bass lines reminiscent of the 1970s, and swells of electronic sounds that make it seem like the soundtrack to a dream. The last few songs on the album close it on a smoother note, like they are gently pulling listeners out of the dream, or back through whatever rabbit hole they were first pushed into. In the last song on the album, “Sun’s Coming Up,” a simple piano tune that does in fact sound like what a sunrise might, brings the listener back to reality. It ends without vocals, some distorted guitar strumming, and a sample of what sounds like something washing up onshore. Lonerism is a solid second album for Tame Impala. It shows immense growth from the relatively new band, while still delivering what their fans love about their music. It is hard to imagine how Tame Impala could possibly top what they have done musically in Lonerism. It is a journey for the listener, and should be heard start to finish in order to truly appreciate all of the meticulous sound engineering by Kevin Parker and his bandmates.
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
FILM REVIEWS Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein Jay Wallace BandWagon Magazine
1948 - 83 Minutes - Rated PG
Classic films are called such because they’ve stood the test of time, and are still as entertaining – and possibly thought-provoking – as they were when they originally debuted. There’s a problem though: some critics, be they hacks, amateurs, or enthusiastic fans rooting for their film, tend to suck the meaning out of “classic” when they declare something, “a modern classic,” or they declare something an untouchable classic that no one should criticize. Usually though, critics only use the term “classic” to describe an old film that everyone has undoubtedly heard of, if not seen, but the problem of declaring something “classic” still applies. There are a lot of old films, books, records, and TV shows that have been declared “classics,” including some that were/are considered disposable pieces of pop culture. If they are considered “classic” by selfprofessed critics, that usually means they have some redeeming values, but that doesn’t mean they are really as good as everyone thinks. If you do think that any film considered a “classic” is automatically a great film, you will be disappointed occasionally. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein is one such example. I recall watching it when I was younger and thinking that it was a funny, goofy movie. When Halloween approached, I rewatched it at the Kress and my opinion of the film was a little degraded. I can argue that modern horror-comedy films such as Zombieland or Shaun of the Dead owe a debt of respect to Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, given that
Universal Studios crossover series of their famous monsters and best comedy duo started the genre back in the late 1940s. It’s a film any film buff and horror/comedy nut should see, but it’s hard to call it a classic in any sense other than, “It’s an old film.” Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein begins with Chick (Abbott, the angry tall guy) and Wilbur (Costello, the short chubby guy) at their place of work. They’re freight haulers located in Florida, and at the moment they’re dealing with two crates heading to the McDougal House of Horrors, a local wax museum. Inside the crates? The actual bodies of Count Dracula (Played by the original Universal Dracula, Bela Lugosi) and Frankenstein’s Monster. (Glenn Strange.) The bumbling Wilbur gets a call from London from someone claiming to be Mr. McDougal, the caller warning Wilbur of the danger within those crates. The person in question? Larry Talbot, AKA The Wolfman. (Played by Universal Wolfman Lon Chaney, Jr.) Before he could finish, the full moon rises in London, and Talbot turns into the snarling beast that he is, leaving Wilbur befuddled. The real Mr. McDougal arrives, and soon the two crates are off to the wax museum. While unloading the crates in the darkness of the museum, Wilbur suspects that the coffin they just unloaded contains the real Dracula, which Chick dismisses angrily each time he’s called in by Wilbur’s shrieks of “CHIIIIIIICK!”
Tokyo Drifter
1966 - 89 minutes – Not Rated Jay Wallace BandWagon Magazine
I first saw Tokyo Drifter in a film theory class at the University of Northern Colorado. I unfortunately cannot remember the name of the class, but I will not forget the films that I saw, including Drifter. This Japaneselanguage gangster flick is the bomb. Tokyo Drifter follows Tetsu, (Tetsuya Watari) a member of a disbanded Yakuza gang. The uber-competent and stubbornly loyal gangster is following in the footsteps of his former boss, Kurata, (Ryuji Kita) and is going straight, but is routinely harassed by Otsuka (Hideaki Esumi) from Kurata’s rival gang. Otsuka only wishes for Tetsu to join him, but Tetsu is steadfast in his ways. Otsuka needs Tetsu gone to prevent him from interfering with a scam that will let Kurata’s club fall into Otsuka’s hands, so he sends one of his lackey’s to take
him out. They’re unsuccessful. After the death of Kurata’s broker and his secretary (the latter of which was in on the scam) the two gangs hold an unofficial truce and Kurata asks Tetsu to leave to prevent further mishaps. Thus, he becomes the Tokyo Drifter. Tetsu finds himself being pursued by Tatsuzo The Viper, (Tamio Kawaji) a hitman who’s as cockey and determined, as Tetsu is loyal to his boss. He travels across Japan, always seemingly running into trouble. He finds an ally in former Otsuka member Kenji (Hideaki Nitani) and former Kurata friend Umetani. (Isao Tamagawa) Kenji and Umetani help break Tetsu of his stubborn loyalty, which only blinded him to the fact that Kurata and Otsuka had partnered up. He returns to Tokyo to straighten things out with a gun. According to most writeups on Tokyo Drifter, this was intended to be a satire of Yakuza films of the 1960s, particularly mocking the idea of loyalty to the
Dracula eventually escapes after hypnotizing Wilbur, taking the Monster (which is under his control) with him to an island castle. Both Wilbur and Chick get thrown into jail due to the missing exhibits. In due time, Wilbur and Chick find themselves being tailed by insurance investigator Joan Raymond (Jane Randolph) who’s acting like she’s head over heels for Wilbur. Despite the fact that Wilbur is already head over heels for his girl Sandra (Lenore Aubert) he reciprocates and asks her to a costume ball. The two schmucks then run into Talbot at their apartment, Talbot begging them to lock him into his apartment to prevent him from escaping. Soon, it’s revealed what Dracula’s intentions are: He wishes to implant a more pliable brain into the Monster, that brain being Wilbur’s. The person who’s going to make that happen is Sandra, who’s a surgeon that’s been studying Dr. Frankenstein’s work and been acting like Wilbur’s girlfriend to lure him in. It become a race against time as Talbot and Chick team up with Joan to retrieve Wilbur before the operation. In general, it’s still a funny movie, but the bits that make up the film are repetitive, such as Costello’s exasperated squeaks and shrieks as he encounters Dracula and the Monster. Abbott is the straight man, like he always was in the A&C films, and frankly he seems to be underused and perpetually blind to the weirdness going on around him, which is frustrating to watch. Abbott is playing the guy who, in modern horror films, wanders around in a death. While it’s not a complete analog to American gangster flicks from the 1930s and 1940s, you can see where director Seijun Suzuki is picking apart the genre, reinventing it in the same way Wes Craven’s Scream did to the slasher genre. It’s an inventive film. Don’t let a lack of knowledge about gangster films dissuade you from watching, however. On its own merits, it’s engaging. It’s also a visually interesting film. Every shot draws you in, grabs your attention. It’s from 1960s Japan, so it’s really bright and colorful. Imagine Edgar Wright as a Japanese filmmaker, and Tokyo Drifter is a 1960s variant of Hot Fuzz or Shaun of the Dead. It possesses that same energy that drives Wright’s work. Is it perfect? I would say it is, but I don’t really consider myself an average movie-goer. To someone who usually only watches big blockbusters at the theater, Tokyo Drifter would definitely qualify as a weird art film at first glance. The opening scene is in black and white, with only a quick color cutaway of Tetsu firing his gun in a black space and a bright red gun lying
dark house at night saying, “There’s nothing down here,” right before he gets a kitchen knife in the gut, except that never happens. It should also be noted, I’m probably more conditioned to modern comedy so my patience level for punchlines isn’t that high, but the movie does drag in a few places. on the ground within the black and white shots. There’s a recurring song, usually sung by Tetsu, that drop the title of the movie. (It could be the other way around. According to a video interview with Suzuki, some movies in Japan were often based around a popular song. Tokyo Drifter was possibly such a pre-existing song.) The club where Tetsu’s girl
Is Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein a classic? Yes, it is. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s a flawless masterpiece. Revert back to your younger mindset, and the film comes alive, but watch it with elder eyes and you might be a touch bored. 6/10 Chiharu (Chieko Matsubara) sings looks like something the late Steve Jobs would’ve come up with had he been an architect instead of a computer genius. And, of course, it’s all Japanese, and you don’t get an English Dub on the DVD. Get past all that however, you will not be disappointed. Tokyo Drifter is awesome. Rent it, watch it, enjoy it. 10/10
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
Local Band Profile:
CHITLIN DIXON Jed Murphy BandWagon Magazine Chitlin Dixon is a group of musicians who are reproducing the blues and rock and roll songs that founding members Jim White and Steve Kovalcheck grew up with in the South, and in a way that does the original songs justice, while adding their own flare and expertise. Chitlin Dixon is composed of Jim White on drums, Steve Kovalcheck on guitar, Kelsey Shiba on vocals and keys, and Erik Applegate on bass. These four very talented musicians make up the core of the group but they are usually accompanied by a wide variety of horn players who usually rotate in and out depending on availability of the musicians. The Chitlin Dixon that music lovers in northern Colorado have come to know began only in 2009 but the true genesis began in 2004 when Jim White and Steve Kovalcheck were discussing their love for classic rhythm and blues records and began talking about playing their favorite songs together. At the time White and Kovalcheck played professionally together in Nashville, Tennessee but were performing mainly in
jazz and rock and roll outfits. Their love for classic rhythm and blues and its history kept them rooted in those songs and several years later, when both musicians were teaching at the University of Northern Colorado, Chitlin Dixon took form. Their name came from a combination of their love for southern food and the blues musician Willie Dixon who is most notable for his work with the legendary recording studio Chess Records. Technically, Chitlin Dixon could be classified as a cover band because they do not play original tunes. But the term cover band would drastically underscore what they are doing. They write their own arrangements and White often makes a point to discuss the history of the songs they play. The songs they choose are tailored to the musicians they are playing with and their audience, many times selecting deep cuts the average listener might not recognize. My reluctance towards calling them a cover band comes from their nature as musicians. You won’t find any Chitlin Dixon records, and they play only a handful of shows a semester due to
their hectic lives as staff and faculty of the UNC Jazz Studies department, not to mention their rigorous performing schedules individually. Chitlin Dixon is a way for the members to break away from their roles as jazz musicians and embrace the southern rock and roll they all not so secretly love to play. Chitlin Dixon is a group that embodies the true nature of music and what it means to be professional musician. Each member has been heavily involved in the University of Northern Colorado’s music program in one form or another, whether it is as a faculty member or a student. They have completely devoted their lives to their craft and a night of seeing them perform makes that very obvious.
Photo by Jade Ehlers
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra Enters Its 102nd Season Jay Wallace BandWagon Magazine When Greeley was initially founded, due to it being a dry town, founder Nathan Cook Meeker encouraged the citizens of his Union Colony to form clubs and organizations to provide entertainment and education. A few of the clubs dedicated to music eventually morphed into the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra in 1911, which is now entering its 102nd season. GPO Executive Director Tim Fleming said it’s the oldest continuously performing orchestra west of the Mississippi. Over the years, the GPO has featured distinguished composers, soloists, and musicians such as Isaac Stern, John Musto, Jerome Hines, Marvin Hamlisch, and Jose Feliciano. Its first venue was the Sterling Opera House in the 1910s, and have played at Gunter Hall and Foundation Hall. For the past twelve years it’s called the Union Colony Civic Center home, playing in the Monfort Concert Hall. “For the size of the town, I think having classical music is really important to add to the wealth of arts we have in this town,” said GPO board member Stephanie Boulton. “It’s older than the London Philharmonic, which was only founded in the 1940s. It says something about this town that we can support something like that for so long.” The GPO also has a history with the University of Northern Colorado. Fleming said that UNC faculty used to be a big majority of the orchestra when it started in 1911. Currently, there are five members of the University music faculty that are members of the orchestra. “It’s changed somewhat,” Fleming said, “but it was a wonderful start to be able to have an orchestra in this town, and the people who come to our concerts say they’re on par with almost every orchestra throughout the state of Colorado.” Boulton said that the connection between the GPO and UNC could be stronger. “I’d like to see the Philharmonic do more generally appealing music, just to get people in through the door,” Boulton said “The music they play is spectacular and wonderful, and they’re a very accomplished orchestra. You don’t spend 102 years as a group without having a lot of
support or being good at what you do. I would like to see something like movie themes or something that people are more familiar with so that we can draw them in. And then you can sneak in the more high brow stuff and get people on board with it.” The GPO also has an auxiliary organization called the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra Guild, which does education programming. One of the Guild’s regular events involved visiting School District Six and performing before student who have never had any experience with orchestral instruments. The GPO even has an awardwinning book out chronicling the history of the orchestra, titled The Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra: A Century of Musical Magic. “For the past 102 years, we’ve had a variety of programs,” Fleming said. “We’ve only had five conductors. Our current conductor is Glen Cortese, and he is from New York and he flies in on the Tuesday prior to a concert, has rehearsals with the orchestra, and then we put on the performance, which usually is Saturday.” Discussing the upcoming season, Fleming said the GPO will include some Friday night performances later in the year. The GPO will also have a series of concerts that happen about once a month that’s primarily classical music, often featuring soloists, called The Connoisseur Series. This year also introduces their series “Music and the Arts.” The first concert for the “Music and the Arts” series was on September 21th, featuring local artist Armando Silva. Last year, Fleming said, Silva painted composer Beethoven at a GPO fundraiser in 15 minutes with both hands. “[At the concert] He’s going to be painting while the orchestra playing probably Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition,’” Fleming said. “So he’s going to be behind them, painting this large painting while they’re playing this wonderful music about visual art.” Other past events include The Wines of Note at the UCCC on September 14th. twelve to twenty wine vendors provided wine for tasting and Kenny’s Steakhouse catered, while people check out the main entrance, green room, on stage, and behind the stage of the concert hall. The
event also included The Wall of Wine, a tradition where the total number of years the orchestra has been in existence, that many bottles of wine were present, hidden inside packaging. “You pay $20 for a bottle of wine, and you get to chose which one,” Fleming said. “Some of them are going to be $15 bottles of wine, some of them $100 bottles of wine.” Upcoming concerts of 2012 will include a showcase of Benjamin Britten’s Midsummer Night’s Dream on November 9th and 10th at Langworthy Theater, put on in conjunction with the University of Northern Colorado Opera Theater. Into the new year, the GPO will be having a music and poetry concert in February and on May 4th, they’ll be collaborating with UNC to put on Johannes Brahms A German Requiem at the UCCC. The GPO is also holding a familyfriendly concert on March 9th, simply called the Family Concert, held at 2:30 and 7:30 pm. Fleming said children can get into the afternoon show by bringing a canned good to donate to the Weld County Food Bank. The event is being supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Greeley Medical Clinic. There are also a couple Christmas events: Poinsettia Pops, 7:30 pm on December 1st, done in conjunction with the Greeley Chorale and the Children’s Chorale. 500 tickets have already been sold. Then on December 14th, there is The Brass Christmas at Trinity Episcopal Church on 20th St. at 7:30 pm. The GPO Guild also has two events, The Festival of Trees being held two and a half weeks before Christmas, starting around Thanksgiving, and The Kentucky Derby, a gala event held on May 4th at Faulkner’s Barn. For tickets to events, call 356-5000 or buy tickets online at ucstars.com. For those who wish to sponsor a concert or a soloist, call 356-6406. For more information, visit greeleyphilharmonic.com.
Pictured Left: The Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra performs for their October 20 "Music and Literature" show at the Union Colony Civic Center. The GPO has been performing since for over a century, celebrating their 100-year Anniversary in 2011. Photo By Gerry Heise
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BATTLE OF THE BANDS
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
Aid in Action “Fundrages” for Haiti
Zachary Martinez BandWagon Magazine
Philosopher Peter Singer argues that everyone is morally responsible to help people in need up until the point that to give more would physically or financially harm the giver. Proximity, he says, has nothing to do with obligation. If a person in Greeley, Colorado has the means to stop the death of a child on the other side of the world, Singer says that person is morally obligated to do so. Failure to do so is the same as killing said child with his or her own hands. I realize this is unrealistic; however, I refuse to deny, wholesale, the obligatory duty of the haves to the have-nots. So allow me to posit an alternative: when someone is given the opportunity to help someone else to his or her own benefit, he or she is morally obligated to do so. I’ll take it a step further and supply an opportunity of the aforementioned nature. Aid In Action (AIA) is a Greeley based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), and they’re dedicated to “empower[ing] and assist[ing] people trapped in poverty by providing education in communities where there is little or no opportunity.” It’s run by Don and Lisa Buxman, and since 2010, much of their work has been dedicated to helping in the slums of Haiti, slums like Simon Pele.
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Their mission has been to educate and lower the town’s 50 percent infant mortality rate, in part, by handing out sterile birthing kits. They’ve also built a school. The Haitian government has decided to make education more accessible by helping to pay teachers, problem being that they cannot pay teachers a living wage. AIA wants to supplement teacher’s pay by raising $14,500. This money will allow 500 children currently enrolled in a Simon Pele elementary school to have full time teachers. Enter Liz Lembo, Senior Anthropology Major, server at Roma Pizza, and organizer of, what she calls, “The FundRAGER” On November 10th, Roma will be partnering with AIA to put a big dent in that precarious little number mentioned above. That night, at 10:00 pm, Roma will host anyone with five dollars and an ID and supply a free keg. All proceeds from the cover will go to paying teachers. But that’s not all, the kitchen will be open and the bar will continue well after the first keg is gone and all proceeds from these sales will also go to paying teachers. The only question left is what do we, Greeley, Colorado, have to say about educating underprivileged children? What do we have to say about free beer, followed by cheap beer, good food, and good people? Here’s the point: I’m arguing the you, the reader, are morally obligated to: (a) spend less money than you
probably would anywhere else, (b) partake in a free keg, (c) eat good food, and (d) hang out at a place you probably would be hanging out at anyway. This is probably the most appealing moral imperative you will ever come across. As it stands, your roll in aiding the children of Simon Pele is clearing your schedule on Saturday November 10th and supporting the work of people like Liz, Don, and Lisa. If you don’t know Liz by name, you’ve probably seen her at Roma. She and other members of AIA will be doing all of the hard work and we will be enabling by showing up and drinking. She has trips planed for January and March. Singer’s thoughts may sounds crazy at first, and perhaps they are. Moral obligation is always messy, but I hope you feel morally obligated to take a Saturday night – and maybe the following morning – off to have a good time. Remember, if you’re reading this, then you’ve had a primary education, which is more then the children of Simon Pele might have without the people at AIA. Not everyone is built for hard work in the tropics, so grab a beer instead, and remember the beads of sweat may be running down your glass and not your forehead, but you’ve still played a part in making the world a slightly better place.
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Pictured: 1. Greeley resident Liz Lembo in Simon Pele, Haiti with local children. Over 500 kids are enrolled in the Aid in Action school ages 3-13. 2. Lembo with local children in the village of Prospere, a tiny village in rural Haiti. 3. Lisa Buxman co-founder of Aid in Action Aid in Action did a Midwifery clinic. 4. Buxman and translator Jean Dube. 5. Haitians of Simon-Pele — a crowded, slum neighborhood of nearly 30,000 people within the capital city of Portau-Prince .
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
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Keep The Kress
Kress Cinema Hopes to Raise Funds for Digital Projector Austin Wulf BandWagon Magazine A staple of Greeley’s downtown for four years, the Kress Cinema may soon close its doors unless it can raise $80,000 for a digital projection system. Hollywood film studios and distributors will cease production of 35-millimeter film, on which the Kress has screened most of its films since it opened, in the spring of 2013. On October 19th, the Kress management created a Kickstarter campaign hoping to raise funds for the new system, with a one-month
deadline. As of October 30th, the page had raised nearly half of its goal—but if it doesn’t reach $80,000 by November 19th, the Kress will have to consider shutting down. “If we don’t make our goal, our plan is to keep showing films as long as we can get them on 35-millimeter,” said John Jankow, manager of the Kress. “We’re just going to have to close our doors if we can’t show them.” Jankow explained that the Kress, well-known as the place to see independent and classic movies in Greeley, makes most of its
money from its bar and restaurant side. “The main draw is the movies,” he said. “People come in to see a movie and then they’ll order drinks or food. It encourages people to spend money in other areas of the Kress, not just on the movie. If we didn’t have the movies to show, it wouldn’t be worth it to stay open.” With the impending end of the physical film reel, the Kress had to act quickly to stay in business. Jankow said they considered showing only old movies that could still be brought in on 35-millimeter film, but ultimately
they would lose money doing just get rid of their current projector. that. He explained that bringing “[35-millimeter projectors] will be in those movies is more of a risk obsolete soon,” he said. “You can’t because theater operators have to even sell them anymore. The propay more for them up front. While jector takes up almost our entire newer movies can booth. We wouldn’t be screened for a “There are good have room for it and percentage of ticket a digital projector, so sales, older films things about go- there really wouldn’t are brought in at a ing digital, but be any reason for us flat rate—and any to hold onto it. But lost money is on the it’s also kind of it’s a really cool old theater. sad to lose a for- projector.” “If we don’t make However, Jankow the goal,” Jankow mat that’s been and the rest of the said, “our plan is around for a theater remain optito keep showing mistic about reach3 5 - m i l l i m - hundred years.” ing the goal. “Most eter films as of these things cost long as we can get them. If over a hundred grand,” he said. we can’t, we’ll just have to “We’re trying to do what we can to shut our doors.” make it viable. We feel like we’re Thankfully, they’re asking so much money right now ahead of schedule on fund as it is.” $80,000 is the least expenraising. If they do meet their sive projector they could get withgoal, Kress patrons will en- out affected presentation quality. joy a number of benefits, in“We are extremely grateful to cluding a new digital sound everyone who’s contributed so system. “There’s a lot that far and who sees the value of the goes into putting a film to- Kress,” he said. “It’s overwhelming gether each week that won’t and awe-inspiring to see people exist anymore, because you putting money into this and showjust plug in a hard drive,” ing that they believe in it. We want Jankow said. He hopes the to be around for a long time.” theater will be able to get films in more quickly with a digital system. Only so many 35-millimeter prints are released regionally, but digital movies should be readily available. Still, Jankow said, “there are good things about going digital, but it’s also kind of sad to lose a format that’s been around for a hundred years.” If the Kress does meet Scan the QR Code above to see the goal in time, Jankow the Kress Kickstarter page. thinks they’ll likely just
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012 Local Gallery Profile
Doug’s Hang Up
Jed Murphy BandWagon Magazine
ral. In 2009, after several years of changing locations and working in Running an art gallery as a busi- different frame shops, Suggs found ness is an unpredictable and often himself in Maxim’s, an art gallery risky venture. There is rarely any where Doug’s is now. He then met guarantee that the art hung on the Hunter, who was working there alwalls will sell or that the people ready as a framer for eleven years. coming in for the reception will When the operators of Maxim’s dehave any interest in doing anything cided to downsize and change locamore than looking. Art curators tions, Suggs and Hunter chose to often struggle to find a balance be- keep the location and go into busitween charging a rate that is prof- ness for themselves. itable and fair for the artist and Doug’s consistently displays up affordable for patrons. For a place to twenty-five artists at any given like Greeley, which is mainly middle time on their walls, representing class, finding that balance can be many different art mediums and very difficult. styles. They have brought in nationFor Doug Suggs and Mark Hunt- ally-recognized artists and shower of Doug’s Hang Ups, located on cased students of the University of the 9th Street Plaza, placing them- Northern Colorado art school, alselves in that middle ground is lowing for a wide variety of talent something they have become very to show their work. But ultimately, familiar with. Suggs started as a the bottom line for Doug’s Hang carpenter in Carl’s Frame Shop in Ups is what sells. What kind of art 1978, but he eventually became the not only brings people in, but also owner of one of the most prominent causes them to open up their walart galleries in northern Colorado. lets? For Suggs, the answer to that The move from carpenter to art has changed over the years as he curator was not an immediate tran- has witnessed a move from special sition; but, for Suggs, working in a edition prints to Western art to a place that built picture frames, the rise in sports memorabilia during idea of displaying art in the prod- the ‘90s, when the Rockies and the ucts they were selling seemed natu- Avalanche moved to Colorado.
But with the building up and subsequent bursting of the housing market, Suggs said his business changed drastically. He thinks the mortgage crisis changed the priorities of Americans changed and how they viewed the purchasing of art. From conversations with his customers during that time, he found people were spending more money on bigger homes and more expensive cars instead of maintaining what they already had, leaving little additional income for things like art. The art that was sold was, in many cases, for decorative purposes and less for the sake of collection. The framing side of Doug’s that keeps them afloat during these trying times, but they don’t let the dip in the economy diminish their love for art and what it means to be a hub for all the great talent in the area. They are always looking for fresh material to rotate onto their walls, and artists can get in touch with Doug or Mark if they want to see their work hanging in the windows of a prominen 9th Street Plaza business. Doug’s Hang Ups is open six days a week, from 10 am to 6 pm, so stop in to check out some great local art.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012 19
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012 The Flobots, My Body Sings Electric, Astronautalis @ The Gothic Denver Head for the Hills w/ Milkdrive @ The Aggie - Fort Collins Rapidfire Presents: Metal Maidens Calendar Release w/ Mount Cairn, Immortal Dominion, The Deed of Martyrs, Centimanti, Rome Incarnate @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
COLORaDO CONCERT CALENDAR Thursday November 1st Two Cow Garage w/ The Copyrights @ Hi-Dive - Denver Megan T @ Tavola - Greeley Friday November 2nd Chop State to the Box State w/ J.Smith, Player Group, Tha GoodFellaz, Exstacy, Goon Squad, Kruked K @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley
Mark Mallman @ Road 34 - Fort Collins
Ryan Fourt Trio Ft: Braun Khan, Alwyn Robinson @ Ingredient Restaurant - Ft. Collins Matt and Kim w/ Oberhofer @ The Ogden - Denver Tilly and the Wall w/ Icky Blossoms, Princess Music @ Hi-Dive - Denver
Deacon Gray @ The Down Under Greeley
Saturday November 3rd
Mod Sun w/ Pat Brown @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver Glass Delirium, Vices I Admire, Your Own Medicine, Roniit @ The Gothic - Denver
Rudie Clash w/ Broth @ Road 34 Fort Collins
Subterranean Trio @ Ace Gillett’s Head for the Hills @ Aggie Theater Fort Collins Fort Collins
Johnny B @ The Jager - Tavola
Rome Incarnate w/ Head Injuries, After Dark, and Erin Cookman @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Lights @ Summit Music Hall Denver
Ice Scream Electro Party w/ Paul Anthony, DJ Raptor, Selph Made, 2Slikk - Carols 21st / Going Away Party @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley Gii @ The Jager - Greeley Deacon Gray @ The Down Under Greeley
David Bazan Band plays Pedro the Lion @ Hi-Dive - Denver
Sunday November 4th Iwrestledabearonce, Oceano, Vanna, Within The Ruins, The Plot In You, Surrounded By Monsters @ The Marquis Theatre - Denver Smoking Popes w/ Luther @ Hi-Dive - Denver Reel Social Club & Rock The Vote present Rock The Fest - Denver Film Fest After Party and Nathaniel Rateliff with A. Tom Collins @ The Bluebird - Denver
Lights @ Summit Music Hall in Denver on 11/3
Monday November 5th
Thursday November 8th
Sera Cahoone, Parson Redheads, Desert Noises @ The Hi-Dive Denver
J. Luke @ Tavola - Greeley
Foreign Beggars with Nasty Nasty, Dodger, and Subliminal @ The Bluebird - Denver Helmet w/ UME, Endless Monster @ The Aggie - Fort Collins
Mason Reed (Free Show) @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins Polish Ambassador @ Aggie Theater - Fort Collins
Open Comedy / Mugnight Funk Jam @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
The New Trust, Instant Empire w/ We’s Us @ Hi-Dive - Denver Emancipator with Blockhead & Natasha Kmeto @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
Minus The Bear w/ Cursive @ Summit Music Hall Denver
The Faint with The Trust and Robert Delong @ The Ogden - Denver
Sera Cahoone w/ Parson Red Heads @ Hi-Dive - Denver
Andrew Jackson Jihad w/ Future Of The Left, Jeff Rosenstock (of Bomb the Music Industry) Sole @ Marquis Theater - Denver
Tuesday November 6th The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley Generationals, Races, w/ Rossonian @ Hi-Dive - Denver Ultraviolet Hippopotamus w/ A Side of Gravy @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins Rome (from Sublime With Rome) with Anuhea and P-Nuckle @ The Bluebird - Denver
Wednesday November 7th
Friday November 9th Bonnie and the Clydes w/ HWY 287 @ Road 34 - Ft. Collins BandWagon Battle of the Bands w/ Ekzetao, Duchovny, Grits & Gravy, The Squid Kids @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley Ben Pu @ The Jager - Greeley
Epica with Alestorm, Insomnium, System Divide, and Destiny Potato @ The Bluebird - Denver
Infamous Stringdusters @ Aggie Theater - Fort Collins A. Tom Collins, Flashbulb Fires, Bonnie and the Beard @ Hi-Dive Denver
Joe Buck @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Fierce Bad Rabbit @ Road 34 - Ft. Collins
The Polish Ambassador with Unlimited Gravity & Elfkowitz @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012 Monday November 12th
Silent Auction: A Benefit for Sam Nobles @ crvsh room - Greeley
Open Comedy / Mugnight Funk Jam @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Thursday November 15th Papadiso with Octopus Nebula @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
Friday November 16th
Johnny B @ Tavola - Greeley
BandWagon Battle of the Bands w/ Carols, Ashida, Nasty Bunch of Bitches, The Leghounds @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley
Pierce The Veil w/ Sleeping With Sirens, Tonight Alive, Hands Like Houses @ Summit Music Hall - Denver
Tuesday November 13th The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley Hodi’s Customer Appreciation Night: Band TBA @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
The Photo Atlas @ A.F. Ray’s 11/17
Collie Buddz with New Kingston, Los Rakas & Pacific Dub @ The Fox Theatre Boulder
The Wooden Sky Reviving Cecilia, Ocean vs Daughter @ Hi-Dive - Denver Give Er Hell (Farewell Show) @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Milo Greene with Bahamas @ The Bluebird - Denver
2nd to None Presents: K Theory, Seth Abrumz, TYR, Far Far Away, and Freewater @ Hodi’s Half Note Fort Collins
Ryan Fourt Trio Ft: Katie Harris @ Ingredient Restaurant - Ft. Collins
The Green with Natural Vibrations & Billy Vann @ The Fox Theatre Boulder
Sunday November 11th Watsky @ Aggie Theater - Fort Collins
Trichome w/ Technicolor Tone Factory, Green River Vibe, Sol Tribe, Nick Pauly (of Offbeat Revolution) @ The Summit Music Hall - Denver
Saturday November 10th
Chitlin Dixon @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley
Frost Thane @ Rock Room - Greeley
Gii @ The Jager - Greeley
VHS or Beta w/ Flashlights @ The Bluebird - Denver Xavier Rudd w/ Yeshe @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder LAMA Live The Living Wills w/ The Ever @ Hi-Dive - Denver SONAR on Tour and Die Antwoord with Azari & lll, Seth Troxler, Paul Kalkbrenner, Tiga, Gesaffelstein, and NicFanciulli @ The Ogden - Denver Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real w/ Liz Barnez @ Hodi’s Half Note Fort Collins
Emancipator @ Aggie Theater Fort Collins
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Radical Something @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins The Denver Twist with Protohype, Ishe, Raw Russ, and Black Actors @ The Bluebird - Denver
William Topley with Rob Drabkin @ The Bluebird - Denver Asher Roth with Kids These Days, Chuck Inglish & Special Guests @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
Wednesday November 14th William Topley with Danny Shafer @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder Tanlines w/ Lust @ Larimer Lounge - Denver Leogun, Smokestack Relics w/ Wandering Natives @ Hi-Dive Denver Dr Fameus (featuring Aucoin of The Disco Biscuits) with OG Status (featuring members of Two Fresh and Crushendo) @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
By the Numbers Soundpainting Ensemble @ Syntax Spirits - Greeley Dead Floyd @ Aggie Theater - Fort Collins Eyes Lips Eyes w/ The Black Feathers, Black Pistol Fire @ Larimer Lounge - Denver MTHDS CD Release, WillDaBeast, Lord Step w/ Joon Bug @ Hi-Dive Denver
Megan T @ The Jager - Greeley Papadosio @ Aggie Theater - Fort Collins Roniit EP Release, Eldren w/ AdrienneO @ Hi-Dive - Denver 1748 Promotions: Gretchen Hess Featuring Jesse Carter @ Ryan’s Sports Grill - Fort Collins
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
Bad Brad and Fat Cats @ The Pour House - Loveland
Paper Bird @ Aggie Theater - Fort Collins
State Radio with Sarah Jaffe @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
Gramatik @ The Fillmore - Denver The Octopus Project, Ending People, w/ Get Along @ Hi-Dive - Denver
Nas & Ms. Lauryn HIll @ The Fillmore - Denver ALO (Animal Liberation Orchestra) @ The Bluebird - Denver Chino XL @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins The Maine w/ Mayday Parade, The Postelles @ Summit Music Hall - Denver The Burial Plot CD Release & Forty Fathoms w/ Rather Dashing, A Daydream Suicide, Bridges @ Marquis Theater - Denver
The Yawpers w/ Eldren and Funky Tunk Heroes @ Road 34 - Ft. Collins
Monday November 19th Red Fang with Black Tusk and Lord Dying @ The Bluebird - Denver Open Comedy / Mugnight Funk Jam @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Tuesday November 20th
State Radio with Sarah Jaffe @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley
FIJI Icelander: USO Benefit w/ The Squid Kids @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
1748 Promotions: Brent The Great Featuring Kristin Rand, Marcus Fowler @ The Boot Grill - Loveland
The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band with Trapper Schoepp & The Shades @ The Bluebird - Denver
Fight Dragons with MC Lars and Sky Fox @ The Bluebird - Denver
Streetlight Manifesto with Hostage Calm and Lionize @ The Ogden - Denver
Metalocalypse: Dethklok with Metalocalypse, Dethklok, All That Remains, Machine Head, The Black Dahlia Murder @ The Fillmore - Denver
Saturday November 17th
Sunday November 18th
The Photo Atlas w/ futurebabes @ A.F. Ray’s Greeley
Unwritten Law @ Aggie Theater Fort Collins
Hodi’s Customer Appreciation Night: Band TBA @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
RNDM is Jeff Ament of Pearl Jam, Joseph Arthur & Richard Stuverud @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
Wednesday November 21st
Japandroids with Swearin’ @ The Bluebird - Denver
Archnemesis with Ill-Mannered and Dynohunter @ The Bluebird Denver
Ty Bray @ The Jager- Greeley Greeley Poetry Slam @ Syntax Spirits - Greeley
Flobots @ Whiskey River in Greeley on 11/29
Friday November 23rd Glass Delirium w/ Kung Fu Grip @ A.F. Ray’s Greeley Tyler Ward @ The Bluebird - Denver Soul Dance Night @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins The Amputators, SUPERMODIFIED w/ the Media Fires - Hi-Dive Denver
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Downtown Holiday Open House w/ Contraband @ Syntax Spirits Greeley Baywood w/ Esme Patterson @ Bluebird Theater - Denver Twiztid w/ Head Pe @ The Ogden - Denver The Babies, Desert Noises, The Foot w/ Petals Of Spain @ Hi-Dive - Denver
Tyler Ward @ The Bluebird - Denver
Monday November 26th
Death Grips w/ Mykki Blanco @ Larimer Lounge - Denver
Open Comedy / Mugnight Funk Jam @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Saturday November 24th
Tuesday November 27th
Black Pegasus @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley
The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012 Hodi’s Customer Appreciation Night: Band TBA @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins Paul Banks with The Neighbourhood @ The Bluebird - Denver Asking Alexandria & As I Lay Dying w/ Suicide Silence, Memphis May Fire, Attila @ The Ogden - Denver Yellowcard w/ The Wonder Years, We Are The In Crowd @ Summit Music Hall - Denver
Wednesday November 28th Walk The Moon with Pacific Air @ The Bluebird - Denver The Stone Foxes w/ Calder’s Revolvers, West Water Outlaws
Thursday November 29th Flobots w/ The Epilogues, Rhythmic Fuzz, In The Whale @ Whiskey River Greeley The Malah with Tiger Party (featuring members of Signal Path & Octopus Nebula) @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder Brothers Part w/ Astronomix @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins Ben Pu @ Tavola - Greeley Native Daughters, Orphans, Zebroids w/ the Mountain and the Hound - Hi-Dive - Denver
Julian ¼ Century Bash w/ Prism @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins DubSkin with Abstract Rude and DJ Mikey Thunder @ The Bluebird - Denver IAMTHESHOTGUN w/ As The Sky Darkens, Polarization, The Dawn Chose Orion, Dissonance In Design @ The Marquis Theater - Denver Caramel Carmela w/ Be Brave, Aim2Miss, Perfect Like Me @ Summit Music Hall Denver
Sunday December 2nd How the Grouch Stole Christmas 2012 Feat. The Grouch & Eligh @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder Afrolicious @ The Bluebird - Denver
Monday December 3rd Open Comedy / Mugnight Funk Jam @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Tuesday December 4th The Stubby Shillelaghs @ Patrick’s Irish Pub - Greeley The Sword with Gypsyhawk and American Sharks @ The Bluebird Denver Hodi’s Customer Appreciation Night: Band TBA @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Friday November 30th
Wednesday December 5th
Ben Pu & Crew @ A.F. Ray’s Greeley
Kreayshawn with Rye, Rye, Honey Cocaine & Chippy Nonstop @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
Travis Houle @ The Jager- Greeley Tin Horn Prayer with The Gamits, The Photo Atlas, and Anchor Point @ The Bluebird - Denver
Thursday December 6th
RealLifeActual w/ Technicolor Tone Factory @ Hodi’s Half Note - Fort Collins
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis with DEE-1 and Xperience @ The Ogden - Denver
moe. with Yamn @ The Ogden - Denver
No Bragging Rights w/ Altars, Forever Came Calling @ The Marquis Theater - Denver
Mac Lethal @ Marquis Theater Denver Stache Bash Benefit Show *Snowboard Edition*, the Hate, Colfax Speed Queen @ Hi-Dive Denver
Saturday December 1st Griz with Special guests @ The Fox Theatre - Boulder
Ty Bray @ Tavola - Greeley
Friday December 7th BandWagon Battle of the Bands: Final Round @ A.F. Ray’s - Greeley NOFX w/ Teenage Bottlerocket, Elway @ Fillmore - Denver
IAMTHESHOTGUN @ The Marquis Theater - Denver
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BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
Diner Dash A creative story by Kristen Martin It was a typical Sunday morning; Earl’s Diner was empty save for an elderly couple. Cecelia, the waitress Johnny had his eye on, was cleaning menus by the register when he and Frank walked in. The place smelled of bacon, burnt coffee, and cigarette smoke. Dean Martin and Sinatra hits played from a jukebox at the back of the restaurant next to the hallway leading to the restrooms and the kitchen. Black and white portraits of famous jazz musicians decorated the walls with old-timey ads, giving the place its iconic 1930’s feel. “Hiya, doll,” he said, unable to control the enthusiasm of his smile. “How ‘bout a kiss?” He leaned over the counter with his cheek turned toward her. She rolled her eyes and shoved two menus in his face, pushing him away. “Your booth is available over there,” she said with her thick Brooklyn accent. “Hello, Frank. You ever gonna dump this piece o’ shit?” Her long, auburn, curly hair was tied back with a scrunchy. The light blue uniform dress was buttoned tightly over her breasts and Johnny noticed small sweat stains under her arms. The air conditioning unit must have stopped working again. There was nothing worse than facing the Brooklyn summer heat in a pinstripe suit and no air conditioner. Johnny imagined that by now his pit stains rivaled hers. “Darlin,’ all I want is a chicken fried steak, hashbrowns and a cup o’ coffee,” Frank said. “The faster it arrives, the bigger tip I’m willing to leave.” He winked at her as he slid into the booth. Johnny ordered his usual of three scrambled eggs, toast and bacon with iced coffee. “You ever gonna leave that poor gal alone?” he said. “She don’t want you.” Johnny shrugged as the busboy poured their coffee. Cecelia probably forced him to do it so she wouldn’t have to deal with Johnny as much. “I’m surprised out of the six years we been comin’ here that she hasn’t put a restraining order against you yet,” he said. “Here you go, Frank,” she said as she placed his order in front of him. “Can I get you anything else?” she said. “Yeah, mine,” Johnny said. “Or is this your way of getting alone time with me? Darlin,’ all you gotta do is ask.” “Earl’s gotta run to the market for more eggs. Our shipment got delayed,” she said. “Trust me, I enjoy you bein’ here as much as Loretta enjoys scrubbin’ dried egg off the silverware.” Johnny made sure his mother, Loretta, got the job at the diner by giving Earl some insight to just how much power he had. Johnny was the street boss of Brooklyn. He promised Earl that as long as his mother had a job there, he’d make sure the diner was well maintained. If not, then he’d put a hit on him and burn it to the ground. The diner was Earl’s life, but just a pawn in Johnny’s plan to
set up a hub for importing various narcs and weapons. “Word on the street is the boss is dead,” Frank said shoveling food into his mouth. “A fight broke out in prison. They’re sayin’ it was someone from the de Luca family that set it up. You hear from Danny at all?” The boss, Vincent de Luca, had been in prison since the late 90’s. He left the reigns to Daniel Giordano. Johnny met the guy a few times at meetings with him and the other street bosses of New York. From what he could tell, he was a real hard-ass with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Rumor has it that Danny murdered his own father years ago for threatening to get the feds involved for extortion and racketeering through his auto shop. “Yeah, I been sent for,” Johnny said running a hand through his dark brown, greasy hair. “We’re gonna need reinforcement here in Brooklyn. This is the largest pit stop for the narcs in all New York City. If one of those fuckers gets their hands on my goods, forget about it.” “Sorry ‘bout the delay, your breakfast is on the house,” Cecelia said as she placed the plate in front of him. “It’s alright, sweetheart, ain’t your fault you ran out of eggs,” Johnny said. “Listen, why don’t you take a break for a minute? I got a proposition for you.” “Johnny, how many times do I have to tell you?” she said. “Dinner with you is just about the biggest waste of time for a girl of my standards. I’d rather scrub the toilets with my own toothbrush than go to dinner with you.” “Aw, now, darlin’ don’t talk like that,” he said. “You make it sound like scrubbin’ those toilets is your favorite past time. C’mon, Cecelia, it’s just dinner.” “You been sayin’ that for six years,” she said. “The answer is no. Always and forever will be no.” “Why?” he said. “Why is dinner with me such a terrible idea?” “Because my ma told me to never trust a man in a pinstripe suit,” she said. “All you ever wear are pinstripe suits. Pinstripes are just another metaphor for jailbird. You ever been locked up?” Frank pushed his empty plate toward her and sipped his coffee, trying hard to conceal his laughter. “Of course not, doll,” he said. “Honest. Tell me, if I come in tomorrow wearin’ a plain suit, will you go to dinner with me?” he said. “I’ll think about it,” she said, and walked away with Frank’s dishes. Satisfied, Johnny glanced at the clock. They had ten minutes before his crew arrived to take care of the latest shipment of heroin that sat safely in the basement of Earl’s diner. He finished his breakfast quickly. “I’ve gotta check on the shipment before the crew gets here,” he said placing a fifty on the table to cover his breakfast. “Don’t let them in till I come back up.” He went around back to enter through a garage door instead of entering from inside the diner. The basement was significantly cooler. A crate stacked three feet high and
wide of packaged blocks of heroin sat by the single garage door. He tore the plastic wrap around the first row of cubes and set them in a pile behind bailed cardboard boxes. That was the pile he was going to sell to the Costa family. He’d do anything for a profit. However, if he ever got caught dealing under the table to another family, he was a dead man. Not even Frank knew about it. If he was ever caught, Johnny wouldn’t be the first of his family to die at the hands of the de Luca’s. Twenty years ago, his father was the street boss of Queens when the feds turned him into a snitch. His body was found a week after Loretta moved them to Brooklyn. A canary had been stuffed into his mouth to symbolize his treason. The de Luca’s put a hit on Johnny, who had already been initiated as a wise guy, unless he proved his loyalty. He was fifteen when he killed a fed. Ten years later, he managed to keep his mother out of the loop on his involvement with the de Luca’s. When he came back into the diner, he was surprised to see his mother in uniform pouring a cup of coffee for some of his guys. “Ma, when’d you get here?” he said. “Ain’t you off today?” He walked her to the register, hoping she’d turn a blind eye to the twenty men and their not-so-empty gun holsters. “Earl said he was expectin’ a rush and needed extra help,” she said. “I heard from the church ladies that the feds are watchin’ this place. They suspect the mafia is using Earl’s as some sort of drug ring. Johnny, who are those guys and why do they got guns?” She spoke with such softness that also had an edge of authority to it. She was a slight woman with hair that expanded twice the size of her head. She wore glasses twice as big as her eye sockets and, due to her bunions, every time she walked, looked like she was wading in water. “Ma, be serious,” he said. “Your own son, a part of that? You know what happened to pop. Why would I bring that to our family?” “Alright Johnny,” she said rubbing his chest. “You’re all I got left. I don’t want to lose you.” “Ma, listen, you don’t have anything to worry about,” he said lying through his teeth. He nodded to Frank and two by two, the guys left their places. Johnny met them behind the restaurant. “Ok, you know the drill,” he said running his knife through the plastic wrap. “Take your share and scram. Meet back here with fifty percent of the profits by nightfall. We got a lot o’ demand out there, boys; let’s not keep ‘em waiting.” It took the guys two hours to fill smaller bags with the heroin. The high demand on the streets made the drug move quickly into the city. Johnny was also expecting Vinnie the Savage from the Costa family to pick up his share soon after his boys left. He was much older than Johnny and a lot more dangerous. Johnny waited for him in the diner. He wished his mother wasn’t working, but at least the diner was much busier and there was a chance she wouldn’t notice.
“We got a few details to discuss, Johnny,” Vinnie said sliding into the booth fifteen minutes later. Loretta looked at Vinnie and shot Johnny a nervous look from the kitchen. She grabbed the pot of coffee and slowly made her way to their table, topping off a couple of mugs here and there. “Can I get you anything?” she asked him politely. “No, thanks,” he said and she walked away. “Word on the street is your boss is dead and that we had somethin’ to do with it. We don’t control what happens in the pen, but one of ours did kill him. I need your assurance, if we’re gonna continue to be business partners, that I’m not gonna get whacked for dealing with you.” “Forget about it,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, this partnership is done after today. I’m not gettin’ clipped because I’m dealin’ under the table.” In the basement, Vinnie cut open a block and took a hit. “Ain’t that the real thing,” he said rubbing his nose. He pulled open the garage door and a moving truck backed to the opening. Johnny opened the truck’s back door and in another instant Frank emerged from the truck armed with a machine gun. He pumped a few rounds in Vinnie’s back. He collapsed on top of the pile. “I didn’t want to believe it,” Danny Giordano said as he also emerged from the truck. “What’s your game, Johnny?” “Danny, I mean no disrespect,” he said as his nerves hit him all at once. “I was just tryin’ to make a profit.” “You went too far Johnny,” he said. “You know what happens when you go too far. Sit down.” Frank forced him into an old musty armchair as his team came back into the garage. “You boys know what to do,” Danny said. “Frank, he’s all yours.” Frank taped him tightly to the chair. Johnny balled his hands, afraid of what he was capable of doing. Danny just watched. He pulled out his pocket knife and lightly dragged it over Johnny’s shoulders and down to his left hand. In one swift movement, Frank drove the knife through Johnny’s hand, pinning it to the arm rest. Blood and pain erupted from his hand and Johnny screamed. Frank gagged him. “This is a very important lesson for you, Johnny,” Danny said as he got close to his face. His breath smelled of coffee and cigarettes. Danny took Frank’s knife and cut off Johnny’s pointer finger like it was a sausage link. Frank did this with the rest of his fingers, one by one. Danny smiled as blood stained the armchair. Blood was beginning to pool around the fingers at his feet. Johnny was getting dizzy. At that moment, Loretta and Cecelia entered the basement through the door that connected to the diner. “What’s goin’ on here?” Cecelia said. “Frank, what are you doing?” “Ma, what are you doin’ down here?” Johnny said softly. “Don’t ya got customers?”
“They left all at once and next thing we knew they were headin’ here,” Loretta said. “Oh my God, Johnny, why didn’t you tell me you were in trouble?” “Somebody shut her up,” Danny said impatiently. “Or I’ll do it myself.” “Ma, go back upstairs and wait for me there,” he said knowing she’d be waiting a lot longer than she expected. Loretta didn’t move. She looked like she was thinking the same thing. “Are those your fingers?” she said in horror. “Ma! I said go back upstairs,” he said. She jumped at the urgency of his voice and without another word made her way back to the diner. “Now, what about this one?” Danny said aiming a gun at Cecelia. “We can’t just let her go.” “Yes we can,” Frank said. “Let Johnny take care of her.” Danny nodded and cut the tape. Cecelia trembled at the sight of Johnny as he rose from the chair. He shifted the gun in the back of his pants and took her into the alley. The light hit him harshly and he leaned against the garage door frame, afraid he was going to vomit. The alley was vacant except for the guys loading the remaining heroin into the truck. “Go home, call the cops,” he said softly. “You might be able to save yourself. If you don’t, they’ll come for you. Now go.” “What about you?” she said as tears formed in her eyes. “I’ll be fine,” he lied. “Go, call the feds.” She got as far as the dumpster at the opposite end of the building before Johnny pulled his gun from the back of his pants. He didn’t want the feds involved with the family. He was also hoping that killing Cecelia might save him. He took aim and shot her twice in the back. She collapsed before she made it to the street. Two more shots fired behind him. The force of the bullets hitting his spine knocked him to the ground. Fierce pain spread through his back and he couldn’t move. The sunlight blinded him and he couldn’t make out what was happening around him. Someone slammed the truck shut. The engine roared to life. “Frank, take care of his mother,” Danny said. “Put the old woman outta her misery.” “Danny,” Johnny gasped. “Danny, I’m sorry. So sorry.” Danny knelt in front of him, blocking the sun. “None o’ this woulda happened if you hadn’t a’ jumped in the same bed with a Costa,” he said. Johnny felt angry and guilty about killing Cecelia. He should’ve known better than to hope Danny would change his mind. The garage door slammed shut and the truck drove off. Lying on the asphalt in the alley with the gun in his hand, Johnny’s biggest regret was he didn’t shoot Danny in the face. He just let him get away. He closed his eyes hoping death would come quickly. Moments later, sirens pierced the silence somewhere in the distance. Johnny smiled.
BandWagon Magazine northern colorado’s arts & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
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Colorado Voters Could Make History with Amendment 64 Austin Wulf BandWagon Magazine On November 6th, Colorado voters have the opportunity to make history. One question on the state’s ballot stands out: Amendment 64, or the Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol Act of 2012, seeks to create “an entirely separate non-medical system for marijuana production and distribution,” according to Mason Tvert, executive director of Safer Alternative for Enjoyable Recreation, one of the initiative’s filing organizations. The initiative received endorsements this year from the Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Colorado Democratic Party, the Colorado branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar. The amendment proposes to decriminalize cannabis in the state, which proponents argue would raise considerable tax revenue. “We have projected about $50 million in new revenue and savings. The first $40 million generated each year by the excise tax will be directed to the state’s public school construction fund, where it can then be leveraged via bonds into billions of dollars,” Tvert said. This is not the first time Colorado has featured a call for legal pot on the ballot. In 2006, the proposed
Amendment 44 had support from some who also endorsed this year’s initiative. Amendment 44, however, was defeated in the voting booths by a 20 percent margin. Tvert said of the 2006 initiative, “It simply made the possession of marijuana legal for individuals 21 years of age or older, and it would have done nothing to eliminate the criminal market. “Amendment 64 does just that,” Tvert continued. “It allows adults to possess and grow a limited amount of marijuana, and it regulates marijuana in a manner similar to alcohol, through which there will be licensed retail stores, cultivation facilities, product manufacturing facilities, and testing facilities. It also requires the state legislature to enact a limited excise tax on the wholesale sales of marijuana. Finally, Amendment 64 also directs the legislature to regulate the cultivation, processing, and distribution of industrial hemp.” Tvert said that if Amendment 64 passes, the current medical marijuana system, which was set up in 2000, would not be affected. Rosemary Harris Lytle, president of the Colorado Springs branch of the NAACP, told Westword that their endorsement came because “we believe that in ending the prohibition against adult use of marijuana, we
might impact the m a s s incarceration and disproportionate impact of drug policy on communities of color in Colorado.” The NAACP considers this a civil rights issue and does not support the amendment as an effort towards the “quote-unquote right to smoke marijuana.” Indeed, the War on Drugs—a war that’s been going on for over forty years—has had a disproportionate effect on African Americans and Latinos. Statistically, this is a hard point to argue against: Blacks account for, on average, two and a half times more arrests for marijuana possession than do whites. Harris Lytle, in
her interview with Westword, said that “African Americans account for less than 15 percent of the population in Denver, but account for more than 30 percent of marijuana arrests.” According to a 2007 report by Dr. Jon Gettman, former head of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, “blacks account for 12 percent of the population, 14 percent of annual marijuana users, and 31 percent of marijuana arrests” nationally. One fear associated with an initiative like this is that the federal government would put legal pressure on the state if it passes. “We assume there will be some saber rattling,”
Tvert said, “but we really do not know what the federal government will actually do once a state finally declares that it does not want to be part of marijuana prohibition anymore.” Tvert adds that the time of federal marijuana prohibition is coming to an end but, “if the federal government takes a hard line and threatens to shut down the system if Colorado sets it up, the state can choose to delay implementation of regulated cultivation and sales. That said, possession will be legal under state and local law.”
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HUMORnorthern on The Wagon - BANDWAGONarts MAGAZINE - Humor on The Wagon BandWagon Magazine colorado’s & entertainment magazine NOVEMBER 2012
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