Before half his mustache turned white, multi-instrumentalist Ryan Acker was touring roughly 175 days a year with Minnesota-based band e Last Revel. In some ways, he couldn’t imagine a better life.
“I’ve always been Last Revel ’til I die,” Acker said over co ee at Wild Joe’s in Bozeman last week.
In 2018, however, Acker felt alone
in his love for the band as the sheer number of gigs became overwhelming and mental and physical exhaustion set in. Guitar player and main vocalist Lee Henke left to pursue a solo career, leaving Acker and ddle player Vinny Donatelle to pick up what pieces they could.
Acker describes Henke as sort of a brother in music, one who pushed him and drove him crazy at times.
e Last Revel formed in 2011, when they were college students in
Mankato, Minnesota, but Acker and Henke had already been gracing lineups of local rock and indie bands together for a few years. Both wanted to strip back the sound, focusing on more acoustic instruments and digging into a sort-of songwriter mentality.
“But there’s a musical bond there that’s certainly undeniable,” Acker said.
If you have a weak stomach, be warned: The gore count in this 2006 documentary is high. It’s the story of how drug trafficking in the 1970s and ’80s transformed Miami, thanks to Columbia’s Medellin cartel. Director Billy Corben uses the firsthand accounts of three men involved in the trade, as well as lots of bloody crime scene photos and the re-enactment of one particularly grisly 1979 shootout.
Toni Collette and Pierce Brosnan head the cast of this 2014 British comedy about four strangers who meet on New Year’s Eve and form a sort of surrogate family to help one another get through the difficult times in their lives. Directed by Pascal Chaumeil (“A Perfect Plan”), the film’s talented cast also boasts Imogen Poots, Aaron Paul, Rosamund Pike and Sam Neill.
The third and final season of this drama series finds the members of the Wu Tang Clan following their own separate musical paths as money, fame, ego and business threaten to tear the group apart for good. Ashton Sanders, Shameik Moore, Siddiq Saunderson, Julian Elijah Martinez and Marcus Callender head the returning cast. (ORIGINAL)
From Great Britain comes this 2022 thriller that’s based on a true story of Robert Freegard (James Norton, “Happy Valley”), a career con artist who masqueraded as an MI5 agent and fooled people into going into hiding, only to be brought down by the woman who fell for him. Gemma Arterton, Sarah Goldberg, Marisa Abela and Freya Mavor also star.
(ORIGINAL)
1. Series for Alex Tarrant (2)
9. Stadium shout
10. __ 500; annual race
11. 90 degrees from WNW
13. Role on “The Goldbergs”
15. British actor __ Bruce
17. “NCIS: Los Angeles” role (2)
18. “__. Elsewhere”
20. Role on “The Wizard of Oz”
21. Miner’s find
23. Natalie Zea’s “La Brea” role
24. “__ and Stacey”
25. Rachel of “Law & Order: Organized Crime”
26. “Northern Exposure” setting: abbr.
29. Columbo’s title: abbr.
30. Singing critter Alvin or Simon or Theodore
34. Goes before others
36. Ringo or Bart
38. Get it wrong
39. Egg on
42. Rogers or Clark
43. Actress on “The Rookie” (2)
1. VP Rockefeller’s monogram
2. McBride’s namesakes
3. Setting for “The King and I”
4. Initials for Ozzie’s wife
5. Commercial
6. Actor/comedian Ed
7. Swenson of “Benson”
8. Ending for Carol or Clement
9. “__ Doubts” (1991-93)
12. “Abbott __”
14. “The __ in the Hat”; 2003 movie
16. “Devil __ __ Blue Dress”; film for Denzel
19. “Star __”
20. “Resident __: Apocalypse”; Milla Jovovich film
22. “Mister __” (196166)
23. “Bad Times at the __ Royale”; 2018 movie
27. Professor’s degree
28. Colony member
30. Rob Reiner’s dad
31. “This __ __”
32. “__ People”; MacLaine/ Bates/Tandy film
33. Killmer of “Chicago Fire”
35. Historical period
37. Actress Russell, to friends
40. Schroder’s initials
41. Setting for “Designing Women”: abbr.
BY JAY BOBBIN
What has it meant to you to get back to series work with “Not Dead Yet”?
Six years on “Superstore,” that’s a large chunk of life. I love being on a set, I love the community aspect in terms of being with a crew and with your co-stars, all of those things. I love the work so much that getting back in the swing of things was truly such a gift to me. It reminded me that, while I also like writing, I’m an actor first.
You also host the podcast “True Crime & Cocktails” with your cousin, Christy Oxborrow. Do you foresee that continuing well into the future?
People ask, “Do you think you’re going to run out of things?” And unfortunately, due to the truly depraved human condition, no. There’s always going to be subject matter. I’m fact, it sometimes can get overwhelming when trying to curate and choose what we’re going to cover on the show. There’s just such an insane, vast amount of those kinds of stories. It’s odd that it even is a genre.
A career setback sends workaholic TV producer Ally (Alison Brie, “GLOW”) back to the comfort of her hometown, where she reunites with first love Sean (Jay Ellis, “Insecure”) and is reminded of the person she used to be by his fiancee Cassidy (Kiersey Clemons, “Antebellum”) in this film comedy from director/cowriter Dave Franco (“The Afterparty”) and co-writer Brie. (ORIGINAL)
The long-popular children’s book by Ron and Judi Barrett gets a fanciful retelling in this animated 2009 feature. An inventor’s device goes haywire, causing food to fall from the sky like precipitation ... amounting to pancakes and cheeseburgers instead of raindrops and snowflakes. A town’s mayor sees a way to cash in, though the phenomenon could destroy the area before there’s any chance for profit.
In this adaptation of the same-named Cressida Cowell book, Jay Baruchel (“She’s Out of My League”) voices a young Vikingin-training named Hiccup who wants to impress his demanding father (voice of Gerard Butler) by mastering the title task. His mentor has the enjoyable vocals of comic and late-night television host Craig Ferguson. America Ferrera (“Ugly Betty”) and “Superbad” alumni Jonah Hill and Christopher Mintz-Plasse also are heard.
Season 2 of this fantasy series picks up with Philo (Orlando Bloom) investigating a series of gruesome murders that stoke social tension, Vignette (Cara Delevingne) and the Black Raven plotting vengeance for the unjust oppression imposed by The Burgue’s human leaders and Tourmaline (Karla Crome) inheriting supernatural powers that threaten her fate and the future of The Row. (ORIGINAL)
V
E
A
C W I F P Z W N S K
“Star Trek: Picard” on PARAMOUNT+ (Words in parentheses not in puzzle)
Jean-Luc (Picard)
Geordi (La Forge)
Worf
Riker
Beverly (Crusher)
(Patrick) Stewart
(LeVar) Burton
(Michael) Dorn
(Jonathan) Frakes
(Gates) McFadden
Solution on page 12
(Old) Crewmates
Hunted Darkness Villains Final (Season)
Generations of families have placed their trust in Dokken-Nelson. Today, more people are making arrangements in advance to lift the burden from loved ones and provide a sense of calm. We are grateful to the families we ser ve and appreciate your confidence in our ability to create meaningful ser vices that help begin the healing process.
Generations of families have placed their trust in Dokken -Nelson.
Today, more people are making arrangements in advance to lift the burden from loved ones and provide a sense of calm We are grateful to the families we serve and appreciate your confidence in our ability to create meaningful services that help begin the healing process.
Most viewers may know “Next Level Chef” for its three-tiered kitchen set or its high-stakes competition. But chef Nyesha Arrington thinks what really sets the Fox series apart is its emphasis on mentorship.
“It’s truly so freakin’ rewarding,” she says. “I mean, to be able to put these chefs out on a platform to be seen, to be heard, to be celebrated is freakin’ incredible. You know, I get to be this sort of blip in their lifetime. I’m just truly at an intersection in their life and they’re going to go on and they’re going to do great things. But it’s so rewarding to me to be able to share the passion, share the knowledge, to celebrate the craft of cooking and carry on that legacy.”
The series returns for its second season Sunday, Feb. 12, in prime network real estate, the coveted timeslot following Fox’s coverage of Super Bowl LVII. Back, of course, are host Gordon Ramsay, Richard Blais and Arrington to mentor teams of
home cooks, social media chefs and pros through a competition where they must prove how well they can perform in the best and worst conditions, as represented by the set’s three levels of kitchens. The winning chef gets a $250,000 prize and a year’s mentorship from all three mentors.
For Arrington, having the best equipment and ingredients on the top level is what every chef wants, but she says that also comes with its drawbacks.
“I would say it’s mildly overwhelming,” she says, “the amount of equipment that’s in there because some of these things, you really have to spend time to know how to use them to your advantage. And so I think even just that sort of few moments of trying to – for lack of a better way to say this –download a lot of information very quickly under a huge time restraint, but then also think about a creative dish and execute that under pressure, it’s very challenging.”
Single stars from Netflix series such as “Love Is Blind,” “The Ultimatum” and “Too Hot To Handle” come together in a tropical paradise to find love, play matchmaker for others or even break up other couples in this unscripted series. Nick Lachey (“The Sing-Off”) is the host. (ORIGINAL)
This eight episode documentary series follows a diverse group of professional golfers on and off the course as they endure the high-stakes pressure of competing on the sport’s highest level, the PGA Tour, during the 2022 season. Among those appearing are Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas. (ORIGINAL)
This comedy series from creators Wanda Sykes and Regina Hicks returns with 16 episodes for its third season, which continue the adventures of a workingclass African American family in Indiana struggling to make it work and make it right without the blueprints to do it. Sykes, Mike Epps, Kim Fields and Jermelle Simon are among cast returnees. (ORIGINAL)
A young woman’s life is turned upside down when she loses her smartphone, then gets it back with spyware installed that tracks her location, hobbies, tastes, work life, finances and social network in this crime thriller from South Korea. Chun Woohee, Im Si-wan, Kim Hee-won and Kim Tae-joon head the cast. (ORIGINAL)
Emsculpt builds and tones muscles in the abs, buttocks, legs, arms or calves while shedding fat through “radiofrequency”. Emsculpt’s non-invasive muscle activation is deeper than gym reps, giving you natural-looking muscle tone.
1. Blows the budget
9. President Arthur’s monogram
10. Review a manuscript
11. Irritate
13. Firebug’s crime
15. Actor Davis
17. Second extra inning
18. Daddy
20. “Some Like __ Hot”
21. Eden evictee
23. Gehrig or Costello
24. Put the kibosh on 25. And so forth: abbr.
26. Six-pointer, for short
29. U.S. state since 1959: abbr.
30. Red octagon (2)
34. Popular synthetic fiber
36. Actress/comedian Anne
38. Source of heat
39. Actor Robert
42. Part of a royal flush
43. Best Buy purchase
1. Dinghy mover
2. Mantel piece
3. France’s Coty
4. Pierre’s place: abbr.
5. TV’s “Magnum __”
6. All-male college
7. Piece of china
8. __ Lanka
9. The __; Karen and Richard
12. Bowling Green native
14. Aged
16. Animal enclosure
19. Gung ho
20. Greek letter
22. Alimony recipient
23. French article
27. From __ __ Z; the whole gamut
28. Years of life
30. “Auld Lang __”
31. Fairy tale’s first word
32. Mischief-makers
33. International military alliance
35. Oct.’s season
37. Cartoon pooch
40. __ rays; vitamin D source
41. Noah Wyle’s age
(Available now)
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and former Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell were consultants on this six-part miniseries following the first manned mission to the Red Planet in 2033. Half drama, half documentary, “Mars” defies pigeonholing, alternating the scripted story — which stars Ben Cotton (“The 100”), Alberto Ammann (“Narcos”) and musician Jihae in her acting debut — with segments showing current or in-the-works technology.
(Available now)
From Brazil comes this musical drama series in which young adults seeking to rekindle their abandoned dreams of stardom audition for a renowned theater company in Sao Paulo — and cope with the fear of failure, betrayal and ghosts from the past that come with it.
(Available now)
This “30 for 30” documentary from directors Ben Houser (“E:60”) and former ESPN anchor Jeremy Schaap recalls one of the greatest upsets in sports history — when James “Buster” Douglas handed Mike Tyson his first loss by knockout in a heavyweight title fight in Tokyo on Feb. 11, 1990.
(Available now)
Lindsay Lohan and Grant Bowler star as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in this 2012 telepic, penned by “Temple Grandin” scribe Christopher Monger, which chronicles the duo’s illicit international affair and the impact it had on Hollywood and media coverage of celebrity. Theresa Russell, Charles Shaughnessy and Tanya Franks also star.
Valentine’s Day is an ideal occasion for classic television to come out in force, and Antenna TV isn’t letting the opportunity pass by ... slating a full day of romancethemed episodes on Tuesday, Feb. 14, with one-hour blocks of many familiar programs that will stretch into early the following morning. First up is “Bewitched,” in which love always was a big element in the misadventures of witch Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) and her rather ordinary husband Darrin (Dick York originally, then Dick Sargent).
The many other programs on the Antenna TV Valentine’s Day docket range from “Father Knows Best,” “I Dream of Jeannie” and “That Girl” to “Three’s Company,” “One Day at a Time” and “Designing Women.” There’s even room for talk-show king Johnny Carson to pop in for an hour, presumably cracking wise about matters of the heart.
“Casino” (AMC, Tuesday, Feb. 14, and Wednesday, Feb. 15): While it might not fire on all the cylinders “Goodfellas” did, director Martin Scorsese’s 1995 reunion with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci in the crime-drama genre still has much to recommend. Those aspects include Sharon Stone, giving what many deem her finest performance as a hustler who becomes the wife of a Las Vegas casino operator (De Niro). Also doing notable work here is insult-comic icon Don Rickles.
“Some Like It Hot” (MGM+, Thursday, Feb. 16; MGM+ Hits, Friday, Feb. 17; MGM+ Drive-In, Saturday, Feb. 18): The long association of Jack Lemmon and director Billy Wilder began with this legendary Depression-era comedy about two murder-witness musicians (Lemmon, Tony Curtis) who disguise themselves within an all-female band to hide from the killers. Marilyn Monroe is very notable among those women in this 1959 screen milestone, but the uproarious closing line belongs to Joe E. Brown.
“West Side Story” (Turner Classic Movies, Thursday, Feb. 16): A Steven Spielberg-directed remake of the musical was released in 2021, but Robert Wise’s 1961 screen edition – starring Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer as star-crossed lovers Maria and Tony – always will retain its place with film fans. It’s especially appropriate to be shown in this case, since it’s part of TCM’s Star of the Month tribute to Rita Moreno, who earned an Oscar as Anita.
Elizabeth Montgomery2/15/2023, 10AM
3/15/2023, 10AM
When Henke left the band, Acker felt like he was grieving the loss of his friend. The Last Revel attempted to carry on without Henke, adding new musicians to the lineup, but ultimately went on an indefinite hiatus.
“The band was gearing down, and honestly, I thought that was it,” Acker said. “I thought that chapter was closing.”
It was a transitional period for Acker in many respects. The same year, he reconnected with and started dating Lena Schiffer, of Bozeman’s Laney Lou and the Bird Dogs. With more free time away from touring, Acker would visit Bozeman once or twice a month to spend time with her. By the end of 2019, he said he was “ready for a change of scenery” and joined Schiffer in Montana where he set out to tap into the local music scene as a singer-songwriter.
“Before that time, I was not really a solo musician. I’ve always been a band guy,” Acker said, pausing when asked for his reasoning. “I feel like a concerted effort by people who are in the same mindset can be so much more powerful than one singular voice.”
Though he made some inroads, Acker’s attempt to make a name as a solo act in southwest Montana was halted by pandemic lockdowns and the resulting lack of gigs. Acker spent the time exploring his individual voice, experimenting with two solo albums. “Winter Where You’re From,” released in April 2020, was punctuated with a couple rollicking tracks, but leaned heavily on acoustic guitar and contemplative lyrics. In 2021, “Heavy Horns” took a more layered approach. But lately, Acker has felt disconnected from these efforts as well.
“I’ve again come to this kind of crossroads where I feel like I need to put time and effort into figuring out what I want to do and how I want to do it,” Acker
r yan acker will be joined by mandolin player r yan Kelly and bassist Colin Smith to open for big richard at the elm on Friday, Feb. 10, at 8 p.m. Tickets are $22-35 at https://logjampresents.com/event/big-richard-48682/.
said. “It’s always been a moving target for me.”
Still, Acker keeps taking aim. He and Schiffer, who have now been married for a year and a half, perform as a duo under the adorable moniker Canoe Dealers, a name that becomes “canoodlers” if properly slurred. He has formed another trio to open for Big Richard at the Elm
on Friday, Feb. 10, featuring mandolin player Ryan Kelly and bassist Colin Smith. And the band has, quite literally, gotten back together. After years of little to no contact, Henke called Acker in October 2021 under the guise of checking in. Their conversation eventually led to The Last Revel and Henke asked Acker his thoughts on reforming the band. Acker consented, he said, in part in the name of mending a friendship and in part to see if the band could pick up where it left off.
When The Last Revel released an EP in early 2022, there was an outpouring of support from longtime fans. Among the most inspiring were clips or photos from previous shows along with
stories about how much the performances or songs meant to them.
“It was four years since we put out any music, four years since we played as the original trio,” Acker said. “I feel so grateful that our fanbase kept that fire lit for us. That music still meant something to people.”
Venues and festivals followed, giving the business side of The Last Revel new life. This time, though, the trio made a pact to scale back and find a balance between the band and the lives they each built in the years apart. The Last Revel performed a mere 35 times in 2022, about a fifth of their previous workload. Shows were booked in friendly spaces, favorite festivals and old stomping grounds. Acker
calls the return a cathartic experience, for both the band and their fans.
“The enthusiasm from people was visceral,” he said.
Acker now believes The Last Revel is better for the hiatus. In 2018, Acker said it felt like life revolved around the band, now each member has built a more well-rounded life. Families are forming, solo careers blossoming. And they have learned that they don’t have to take every single opportunity in front of them to the detriment of their health and happiness.
“I thought that’s just what bands did to make a career of it,” Acker said. “Now I can say, ‘well, none of that matters if the band doesn’t exist.’ You’ve got to find a point to it all.”
Questions: Answers:
1) In what stadium was the first Super Bowl played in 1967?
2) What city has hosted the most Super Bowls?
3) What Super Bowl venues have since been demolished?
4) What domed stadiums have hosted Super Bowls?
5) How many times has a Super Bowl competitor played the title game in its home stadium?
6) What cities have hosted Super Bowl play in more than one stadium?
7) What state has hosted the most Super Bowls?
Solution on page 12
BY GEORGE DICKIE
7) Florida, with 17
6) Tampa (Tampa and Raymond James Stadiums), Miami (Orange Bowl, Joe Robbie/Pro Player Stadium), New Orleans (Tulane Stadium, Superdome), Los Angeles (Coliseum, SoFi Stadium), Minneapolis (Metrodome, U.S. Bank Stadium) and Atlanta (Georgia Dome, Mercedes Benz Stadium)
5) Twice, in 2021 when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs at Raymond James Stadium in Super Bowl LV, and in 2022, when the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in Super Bowl LVI
4) The Superdome; Atlanta’s Georgia Dome; the Metrodome in Minneapolis; the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich., and SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles
3) Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Pontiac Silverdome near Detroit, the Orange Bowl in Miami, Minneapolis’ Metrodome and Tampa Stadium
2) Miami has hosted 11 title games
1) Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles
BY GEORGE DICKIEA quick look at the NBA standings tells you something special is going on in Memphis, where the Grizzlies are distinguishing themselves as one of the West’s elite and Ja Morant has established himself as a premier point guard.
Indeed, in their four-year floor general out of Murray State, the Grizz have a legitimate MVP candidate who is among the league leaders in several key categories on a team that is leading the Southwest Division and grappling with the Denver Nuggets for the best record in the Western Conference.
As of mid-January, the second overall pick in the 2019 draft had some pretty robust numbers: 27.5 points (10th in the league) on 46.9 percent shooting, 5.7 rebounds, 7.9 assists (fifth), 1.0 steals, and 1.7 three-pointers made per game.
He’s also led the way during the Grizzlies’ January winning streak that saw them register convincing victories over teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans.
His continued excellence has caught the attention of none other than Hall-of-Fame big man and “Inside the NBA” analyst Shaquille O’Neal, who feels Morant should be mentioned in the same breath with Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Luka Doncic, among others, in the 2022-23 MVP conversation.
“(Experts) don’t say Ja Morant’s name enough ...,” he said. “This kid is an exciting player, he can do it all.”
Morant and the Grizzles can be seen in action Sunday, Feb. 12, when they pay a visit to the East-leading Boston Celtics in a game airing on ABC.
FULL NAME: Temetrius Jamel “Ja” Morant
BIRTH DATE: Aug. 10, 1999
BIRTHPLACE: Dalzell, S.C.
HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 6 feet 3 inches/174 pounds
TEAM: Memphis Grizzlies (2019-present)
POSITION: Point guard
NO.: 12
COLLEGE: Murray State
DRAFTED: Selected in the first round (second overall) by the Grizzlies in the 2019 NBA Draft
HONORS AND ACHIEVEMENTS : NBA
All-Star (2022); NBA
Most Improved Player (2022); NBA Rookie of the Year (2020); NBA All-Rookie First Team (2020); consensus First Team All-American (2019); NCAA assists leader (2019); his No. 12 jersey retired by Murray State Racers
Ou r two Bozem an lo catio ns ar e op en an d r e ady to ca r e for :
+ + + +
Cold / Flu
Minor Sprains / Cuts
Ra she s / Blis ter s
Minor Infec tions
> Age s 2+
b 2 M i c r o C a r e . c om
Fou r Co rn er s | 19 th an d Oa k