The Pulse 14.2 » January 12, 2017

JANUARY 12, 2017

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

COVER STORY

Welcome to Fiddlers Anonymous OFT OVERLOOKED MUSIC STORE FINDS THE HEART OF MUSICAL EDUCATION

By Marc T. Michael

ART AS A NATURAL RESOURCE • TIM FEENEY'S SOUNDSCAPES

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VOLUME 14, ISSUE 2 JANUARY 12, 2017

CONTENTS 4

GETTING POETIC IN THE SCENIC CITY

Chattanooga is a stage and on that stage are individuals bravely standing up and speaking.

They speak in soft somber tones or in fiery blasts of rants and raves accompanied with loud melodic beats or in vacuums of dead silence.

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ART AS A NATURAL RESOURCE

One of Chattanooga’s most important natural resources is its artists. A perfect example of this is renowned painter Kevin Bate, who in addition to art has created the McCallie Walls Mural Project.

INSIDE THE CREATIVE MIND OF TIM FEENEY

It’s rare to encounter a musician with such diverse skills as percussionist Tim Feeney—a challenging composer and improviser, and a creator of immersive sound installations.

REMEMBERING OLD HOLLYWOOD IN SONG

The last big Hollywood musical in recent memory was Moulin Rouge, a jukebox style production written and directed by the king of excess Baz Luhrman.

ALSO INSIDE

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Welcome to Fiddlers Anonymous From the street, Fiddlers Anonymous has the look of another music store, but within those doors is something much more special and unique than that. There are indeed instruments for sale, and strings and all the fiddly bits and pieces musicians invariably need.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

5

CONSIDER THIS

19

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

7

SHADES OF GREEN

19

JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

12

ARTS CALENDAR

19

NEW IN THEATERS

16

MUSIC CALENDAR

21

TECH TALK

18

MUSIC REVIEWS

Music editor Marc T. Michael is a long-standing presence in the local music scene . When not playing with local Irish group the Molly Maguires, Marc can be found hosting trivia matches throughout the city.

Sandra Kurtz has long been active in environmental education and activism. She founded Tennessee Environmental Education Association, and has consulted with National Environmental Trust, Clear the Air, and the Sierra Club.

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BEGINNINGS ∙ CITY LIFE

Poetic In The Scenic City Spoken word artists make the city a more vibrant place

By Brandon Watson Pulse contributor

C BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher & President Jim Brewer II FOUNDED 2003 BY ZACHARY COOPER & MICHAEL KULL

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor Gary Poole gary@chattanoogapulse.com Assistant Editor Brooke Brown Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Rich Bailey • Adam Beckett Rob Brezsny • Matt Jones Sandra Kurtz • Tony Mraz Ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-Habib Michael Thomas Editorial Intern Brandon Watson Cartoonists Max Cannon • Rob Rogers Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

ADVERTISING

Director of Sales Mike Baskin mikebaskin@brewermediagroup.com Account Executives Chee Chee Brown • Rick Leavell Cindee McBride • Libby Phillips John Rodriguez • Logan Vandergriff

CONTACT

Offices 1305 Carter St. Chattanooga, TN 37402 Phone 423.265.9494 Website chattanoogapulse.com Email info@chattanoogapulse.com THE FINE PRINT: The Pulse is published weekly by Brewer Media and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on music, the arts, entertainment, culture and local news. The Pulse is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publisher may take more than one copy per weekly issue.

The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

Contents Copyright © 2017 by Brewer Media. All rights reserved.

HATTANOOGA IS A STAGE AND on that stage are individuals bravely standing up and speaking. They speak in soft somber tones or in fiery blasts of rants and raves accompanied with loud melodic beats or in vacuums of dead silence.

These poets pour themselves out for better or worse, at times begrudgingly married to their craft yet passionate about the community they call home.

The heartbeat of poetry in Chattanooga is resilient and strong in the streets and upon the ridgeline. These spoken word artists are alive and well within the city. Some are in plain view or just on the periphery.

One such artist is Erika Blackmon, founder of Velvet Poetry. Erika grew up in Red Bank and praises her mother as the inspiration to start down the path of writing poetry.

Ultimately planting the seeds that would later grow into an expansive family tree of poets and spoken word artists. Erika exemplifies the same motherly support to many young artists on the rise.

“This is our church and when we say “church” we mean that it is “the truth” it is real, the message. Not necessarily a physical place, more of a mental place of great understanding.” Erika said.

At the Hunter Museum the Curator of Education, Adera Causey, has created a space for spoken word artists to channel their muse through many works of art in the galleries.

“We wanted to facilitate a way to have community discussions using art as the vessel to channel issues and topics that may be uncomfortable to approach in public.

Naturally artists make the best facilitators.”

Adera said.

Art+Issues is a five-year program that brings together art, artists, and a public audience into an open discussion of real and current issues facing society. The issues do

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“The spoken word performance scene here carries a sense of belonging and uplifting spirit, a safe haven for the eccentric, energetic and enlightened.” change as well as the performers and the artwork at the center of the discussion each month.

But the end-state is same: an experience that can be transformative and enlightening with a group of people that will change the way you think.

But the Hunter is just one place the poets of Chattanooga can be found. In the city there are small venues and microcosms sprinkled here and there from Barking Legs Theater and The Camp House to the Public Library.

These artists are connecting through workshops and events, and they are growing.

Jody Harris, an “honorary transplant” from Atlanta, is one of the

more distinguished performers in Chattanooga. He attributes his Grandmother’s activity during the Harlem Renaissance as the motivator for his journey as a poet.

“From Georgia, Alabama, and New York I’ve been on the spoken word scene for a long time. Chattanooga has something special here, it’s more open and supportive, like a family. It’s mainly why I moved out here.” Jody said.

The spoken word performance scene here carries a sense of belonging and uplifting spirit, a safe haven for the eccentric, energetic and enlightened. Poets, rappers, dancers, actors and activists are coming together in Chattanooga in empowering and illuminating ways.

Consider This with Dr. Rick

EdiToon

by Rob Rogers

“Sometimes it takes only one clear voice in a sea of loud chatter to rise above the chaos and shift the planet back to center.”

—author unknown

Painting with A Purpose To Benefit Art120 Art120 is a nonprofit organization that exists to teach art to children and bring art education to schools that lack active art programs. On Thanksgiving Day, their facility suffered a fire that destroyed its workspace in the Southside.

They lost everything from the workspace to the artwork.

But Chattanooga never forgets its own, especially the tenaciously stubborn and supportive art community. Painting with a Twist has embraced Art120 by organizing a fun afternoon of painting and fundraising called Painting with a Purpose this Saturday at 1 p.m.

PWAT owners/operators Eric and Cindy Miller moved here from Florida because of their love for the Scenic City.

They bring hopes to serve the community that as given them so much in return.

“When we learned what Art120 had lost in the fire we wanted to do something significant for them to help get them back up and running again.” Cindy Miller said.

Painting with a Purpose is a fundraising event that has Chattanooga written all over it because it blends our three favorite things: art, charity, and fun.

Tickets are $55 with the proceeds going to Art120. Reservations can be made atpaintingwithatwist.com/chattanooga. With your help, we can bring this non-profit back from the ashes.

— Brandon Watson

If you caught the Golden Globes this past Sunday you may remember Meryl Streep’s stirring speech, as the threetime Oscar winner accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award. She gave an eloquent and passionate talk in support of journalists and a free press.

The creative and uber-successful crowd seemed to hang on every word as she spoke of the damage caused by the “impulse to bully, silence and denigrate others,” and the importance of inclusivity. Several of those in attendance—and winning awards—were from other countries and backgrounds of hardship.

La Streep used her evocative voice as a wake-up call. What about you?

Are you courageous enough to speak up…for yourself? For loved ones?

Might a New Year’s intention be to become that one clear voice above the chaos that can change the world?

— Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

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COLUMN ∙ SHADES OF GREEN

Momentum Can’t Be Trumped Can environmentalism (and the environment) be saved under the new regime?

Sandra Kurtz

Pulse columnist

“The Stone Age did not end for lack of stone, and the Oil Age will end long before the world runs out of oil.” — Sheikh Zaki Yamani, former Saudi Arabian oil minister

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016. WHAT A YEAR! FOR THE environmentally minded, the election outcome brought great despair and concern about Earth’s future health. Will it mean runaway global climate change if the U.S. ignores the Paris Agreement? Will it mean ratcheting up nuclear weapons resulting in more plutonium, tritium and radioactive waste in our air, water and soil, not to mention world instability? Will it mean more clearing of carbon sequestering forests and accelerated wildlife loss?

Will water and air get dirtier if environmental regulations are discarded?

Will the Energy and EPA Departments disappear? Will we sacrifice emerging energy efficiency and clean energy solutions that guarantee a healthier quality of life especially for those less fortunate? Will our parks and sacred lands be privatized assuring loss of species, natural beauty and ecosystem preservation that rejuvenates the soul? Will environmental and interfaith justice fall by the wayside as corporations and the 1 percent prevail?

After much hand wringing, what is emerging from environmental, social justice and faith organizations is new resilience and resolve, plus the understanding that transi-

tioning to a new lifestyle is not necessarily Federal dependent. While Congress representatives continue to bicker, much progress is being made elsewhere namely at local levels and in green business and industry globally.

At risk of having predictions come back to haunt one, here are some environmental trends most likely in 2017 and beyond.

First, bad news: Due to climate change we know that average temperatures will bring life-threatening heat. We will see more catastrophic storms and prolonged weather impacts such as drought. That means agricultural disruption, tropical diseases, refugees from the coasts, decreased workday productivity, increased deaths, loss of biodiversity and related ripple effects.

Expect decreases in wildlife. In a World Wildlife Fund study scientists studied trends in more than 10,000 populations of 3,038 mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian and fish species. They measured the health of species in various environments and regions. Jon Hoekstra, chief scientist at WWF reported results, “39 percent of terrestrial wildlife gone, 39 percent of marine wildlife gone, 76 percent of freshwater wildlife gone—all in the past 40 years.” Sadly, that trend will continue. In Tennessee, it most impacts moisture-sensitive frogs, salamanders and aquatic species that exist nowhere else in the world.

What’s the good news? Renewable energy is coming on strong. It

is replacing the outdated fossil fuel and nuclear technology meaning cleaner air and water plus slowing of temperature change that has been exacerbated by carbon emissions. The cost of solar and wind is now cheaper than other sources while efficiency increases. Tennessee will benefit.

Many U.S. cities have set 100 percent renewable goals including Boone, North Carolina that just passed a 100 percent Clean Energy and Green Jobs Resolution.

Boone became the first U.S. municipality to call for their city and state to move to renewables in all energy sectors by 2050 in order to fight climate change. More significantly globally, China has just placed $361 billion into renewable power generation by 2020.

(13 million jobs).

The Paris Agreement put nearly 200 countries to work reducing carbon emissions. That has set off a rash of designs to service transitioning to an economy based on

renewable energy. Investors, place your bets on battery, solar, wind turbine, or electric car companies.

Entrepreneurs abound in these fields and their forward thinking ideas are becoming reality. For instance, France now has a solar road! The experimental Wattway is ½ mile long and paved with solar panels used to provide street lighting for the town Tourouvre au Perche.

Space here prohibits sharing the scads of positive examples now in the works. No matter who is President of the United States, the world sees the need to avoid poisoning our life-support system. Momentum is growing. Let’s work locally to join Boone and other cities in achieving 100% use of renewables as we seek a more harmonious relationship with the Earth.

Sandra Kurtz is an environmental community activist and is presently working through the Urban Century Institute.

You can visit her website to learn more at enviroedu.net

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COVER STORY

Welcome To Fiddlers Anonymous Oft overlooked music store finds the heart of musical education

By Marc T. Michael

F

Pulse Music Editor

ROM THE STREET, FIDDLERS ANONYmous has the look of another music store, but within those doors is something much more special and unique than that. There are indeed instruments for sale, and strings and all the fiddly bits and pieces musicians invariably need, but all of that seems more like an afterthought, a matter of convenience to the folks who come there to play. At the end of the day, it’s playing that is the heart and soul of the place, and the passionate desire to share the gift of playing with anyone looking to learn.

The shop/school and all it represents to the community is the fruit of August and Eric Bruce’s labor, and it all started in a basement. Starting at the tender age of fifteen, August has spent over half her life teaching people to play the fiddle, but in all that time she was again and again dismayed at the number of people who had the desire, but not the means. Lessons cost money. Instruments cost money. Repairs cost money. That meant that for many people, music was simply beyond their grasp. This did not sit well with August, or her husband Eric, a firefighter who also happens to be a pretty fine bass player.

As August puts it, “You look around and see so many things wrong in the world, so many things that need fixing, and there’s so much you just can’t do anything about. One day I realized, this is what I can do.”

She and Eric started hosting “free fiddle lessons” and jam sessions in their basement garage, a tiny one-car affair that at one time managed to hold thirty-five people with pickers and grinners lining the stairs and every other available surface. They also set up at the Lookout Farmers market in Redbank, playing music and bringing along a table of “loaner” fiddles for other people to try, offering on-the-spot basic instruction.

“It was an open invitation, a musical outreach program and Dale and Laurie (of the Farmers Market) were very supportive,” says August, who is always quick to credit the people who helped along the way.

It was clear they were going to need more room to take the project further so they started looking for a storefront, a place with more room for students and teachers, a place with greater accessibility. Limited funds made it a daunting and frustrating task until the grandparents of one of her regular students announced they were retiring and offered their space (the Scooter Shop on Dayton Blvd.) They had a place, now they just needed everything else.

“At first, we didn’t even have enough chairs and little capital, so I spent a lot of time being a magpie, collecting little bits here and there.”

As awareness of August and Eric’s efforts grew, so did the response from the community. Friends, relatives and strangers began donating old, unused instruments.

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Where repairs were necessary, August had the tools and skill to make them, and soon the couple had an impressive collection of instruments which are always available for anyone to come in to the shop and play or practice for no charge.

In fact, most of what goes on at Fiddlers Anonymous is free of charge. There are fees for private lessons, of course, and small fees for repairs as well as the assortment of instruments and accessories that are for sale, but the idea at the heart of the unique business model is that anyone can come in and learn to play with free lessons from a host of instructors, on instruments the shop provides.

The shop is open seven days a week for private lessons. Free instruments and practice space are available throughout the week as well. Sunday is the day for free fiddle classes starting at 2 p.m., with the “newbie” class, when folks who have no experience can learn the basics including how not to make a fiddle sound like

COVER STORY an angry cat.

The beginner’s class starts at 3 p.m., where students get down to the nuts and bolts of playing songs, followed a half hour later by the “Kid’s Music Showcase.”

The rules are simple. Children can line up behind the microphone at the front of the room and play one song (or even a few good notes depending on where that particular child is at in the learning process.)

Every child who does so is entitled to select one item from the “treasure chest,” a huge steamer trunk packed with toys, trinkets and assorted goodies August has collected.

Feeling hungry? The potluck supper starts at 4 p.m. The Bruces generally provide the main course, whether it be soup, chili, pizzas or even tacos from their friend AJ at Amigos Mexican restaurant down the road, but parents often bring sandwiches, cakes, pies, casseroles, etc. The potluck is an important feature to August who, in keeping with the community building nature of the shop, says, “Everything we do here is about bringing people together, but there is something very powerful and old about breaking bread together.”

After dinner, the intermediate class kicks off at 4:30 p.m., and then at 5 p.m. is the Beginner’s Bluegrass Etiquette class, a bit of instruction about the dos and don’ts of a bluegrass jam session. This may seem puzzling to the uninitiated, but any veteran of more than a few jam sessions of any genre will know all too well the perils of the “jam hog,” the guy who insists on playing longer or louder or any number of other faux pas that spoil the jam for everyone. In a room full of picking musicians there is a thin line between order and chaos and the class helps ensure the former rather than the latter.

Then from 6 to 8 p.m. is the open Bluegrass jam.

August observes that, for a newbie, the afternoon “is a fair picture of the lifecycle of the musician. We start out with folks who’ve never played, progress from beginners to more and more advanced players all way to the open jam at the end of the night. It illustrates in one afternoon where you start, where you finish, and how you

“The love the Bruce family has for sharing music is real, palpable and contagious and the proof is in the outpouring of support from the individuals and other business owners in the neighborhood.” get there.”

Monday night is Showcase Night from 7 to 10 p.m. which is essentially an open jam for any and all musicians, but more than that, the music is often accompanied by simultaneous live performances from other artists including potter Loren Howard, water color artist Holly, glass blowers, sketch artists and (once) a welder.

A needle felting artist has participated and people crochet and knit. While music may be the focus

of the shop, the evening is about creating art of all kinds and artists of all stripes (as well as spectators) are welcome.

Many of Chattanooga’s favorite musicians have stepped up to teach both free and private lessons. Matt Downer instructs old time banjo and fiddle. Owen Saunders teaches advanced bluegrass fiddle (and paints.) William Edmonson, who is a master of several genres, teaches guitar, cello and viola. Jimmy Redden

teaches Scruggs style banjo. Joe Kilgore teaches guitar and offers free guitar workshops on Sunday, while Michael Oliver is the resident piano instructor. Jonathan McWilliams of the Chattanooga Symphony and Megan Saunders Band teaches cello and bass and is known during jam sessions to put instruments in the hands of onlookers preoccupied with digital media, bringing them in to the circle.

August shared a quote from Jonathan McWilliams that is actually a spot-on description of what she and her husband have done.

“When you take instrument lessons from an instructor, the instructor needs to be absolutely in love with the instrument and that love becomes contagious.”

The love the Bruce family has for sharing music is real, palpable and contagious and the proof is in the outpouring of support from the individuals and other business owners in the neighborhood. Amigos, the Insyde Outsyde Shop, the Meeting Place, Dub’s Place, White Oak Barbershop and Consistent C have all contributed time, effort, services and support to Fiddlers Anonymous for no other reason than the good it brings to the community.

August and Eric have a policy at the store wherein any local artist or musician can sell their art through the store, whether they attend classes there or not. The walls are adorned with paintings and photos, sculptures and blown glass pieces cover every surface, and there are handmade sweaters and crafts of all kinds so that it looks as much like an art gallery as a music center. The highlight of the small retail section is the broadest selection of CDs by local musicians I’ve ever seen in one place and there’s always room for more.

For all the blood, sweat and tears (and love) invested in the place, it seems the Bruces aren’t terribly concerned about making a huge profit, just so long as the doors stay open. And as long as the doors stay open, there will be a local place where people can go and learn to play music regardless of their economic status, and that makes Fiddlers Anonymous one of Chattanooga’s hidden treasures.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Art As A Natural Resource Painter and Muralist Kevin Bate strives to make Chattanooga ever more beautiful

Go Dark Operatically With The Medium Drunk outbursts, vengeful spirits, and supernatural séances are set to the words and music of the great Gian Carlo Menotti. The Center for Creative Arts (CCA) vocal department invites you to explore the life of a mad medium with unraveling nerves and a penchant for hard drinking.

This Thursday and Friday the CCA will put on the two act opera The Medium in the Sandra Black Theater.

Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium premiered at Columbia University in 1946. The short opera enjoyed critical success and quickly moved to Broadway though it lacked the colorful spectacle and dance numbers that typically drew crowds at the time.

Vocal Director Neshawn Calloway has been teaching at CCA for 15 years, yet it is her first time co-directing with Artist-in-resident Harv Wileman. He assists with the play aspects of the opera while she tackles the vocals.

“I casted these particular students last May because of their talent and dedication to performance art. They studied the material over the summer.” Neshawn said, “These students worked really hard and it’s going to be a great show.”

The Medium is a dark musical drama sure to thrill and amaze any and all opera lovers. Admission is $5 at the door. — Brandon Watson The Medium Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.

CCA Sandra Black Theater 1301 Dallas Rd. (423) 209-5942 centerforcreativearts.net 10 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 12, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Photo courtesy Kevin Bate

By Tony Mraz

Pulse contributor

O

NE OF CHATTANOOGA’S MOST important natural resources is its artists.

A perfect example of this is renowned painter Kevin Bate, who in addition to art has created the McCallie Walls Mural Project. He is the driving force behind this citywide beautification effort, which is also resulting in the world’s first drive-through art gallery.

Kevin is best known for his monumental murals, in which he paints iconic portraits that are simple, elegant, and delightfully accurate. One can hardly drive around town without experiencing one of his pieces, many of which are spot-on images of historical figures. Kevin manages to accomplish a high degree of realism with simple, refined shapes—in one of his murals on McCallie Street, he does this with nothing but grey squares, cleverly portraying the face of Lupe.

“I have always been fascinated with faces,” Kevin explains. “Everybody’s face is made of the same things—two eyes, a nose, a mouth—but within those things are infinite combinations.”

In less than a decade, this fascination has led Kevin to greatness, but he didn’t intend to be the artistic celebrity that he has become. Rather, he kind of stumbled into it.

In high school, he needed an easy A, so he signed up for art class. Kevin had no idea that he had talent when he enrolled in the class. The first week, the instructor set up a still life with a wine bottle and a tea kettle and said “let’s see what you can do,” and it was recognizably good. He became interested, and took as many art courses as he could.

He attended SCAD for a year, then went to UGA to finish his education. After working as a graphic designer for an advertising firm for years, being on call for all of the Art Directors, he needed a break from art—so he moved to

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“I don’t think I’ve ever done anything in life by the steps. I’ve always stumbled and fallen into things. There’s never been a clear path for me.”

Chattanooga and opened a shop called Black Dog Records on Frazier Ave. Then, while visiting them in Atlanta, Kevin’s parents brought up the subject of him not painting anymore. Inspired by their concern, he rummaged through his things, pulled out his paints, and started painting again that week.

He said “This is awesome, why don’t I do this anymore?” and promptly made a bunch of paintings. He put five pieces up in the original Mojo Burrito in St. Elmo, where his work was first discovered. Shaun LaRose was eating there with his wife, saw Kevin’s paintings, and asked him to paint a mural at a new bar/music venue called Discoteca. The resulting Samuel Jackson mural quickly became a Southside landmark, and the rest is history.

“I don’t think I’ve ever done anything in life by the steps,” he says. “I’ve always stumbled

and fallen into things. There’s never been a clear path for me.”

Kevin was commissioned to paint more monumental portraits, including a picture of Bessie Smith at Track 29, and a Martin Luther King on MLK Blvd, when fate interceded again. Paul Cummings, owner of Woople, was trying to figure out who was painting the murals around town. It just so happened that one of Kevin’s friends, who worked for Paul, had his art open at her desk one day. Paul saw the images on her computer screen, exclaiming, “Whose art is that?”

“Oh, that’s my friend Kevin,” she replied.

That was the beginning of the Faces of Technology Mural, which gave him a lot of exposure and helped him to get more jobs. The series of six portraits on the corner of Frazier and Tremont also helped to build momentum towards the McCallie Walls Mural project.

It all began with an idea: “For a minimal amount of money, we can get a lot of artists working, get them exposure, beautify the community, and celebrate our history.”

Kevin went to groups like Makework organization, and basically said “Hey, I want to take ugly walls and put art on them, using all local artists.” They gave him his first grant, which he used to buy his scaffolding and start the project. It has since blossomed into one of Chattanooga’s artistic treasures, transforming the dreary McCallie St. corridor into a series of gorgeous vistas. Last year, the project gained national attention when he added five portraits paying tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in February.

This year, Kevin is up to more big things, and some smaller things as well. His current mural project is developing inside The Edwin Hotel, and he will be continuing the McCallie Walls Mural Project.

He is displaying some paintings at The Chattanooga Workspace’s Gallery, the next exhibition being on Friday, February 3, and he also has some paintings on display at Area 61. Check out his portfolio at goodwithfaces.com

THU1.12 Chatt About Science

This month's discussion is about “How To Use the Environment To Improve Your Memory”.

7 p.m.

Stone Cup Cafe 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 521-3977 stonecupcafe.com

FRI1.13 Ron White

The blue collar legend (who wears a suit, of course) comes to town armed with sarcasm, scotch and a cigar.

7 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com

SAT1.14 Katt Williams

On his national “Great America” comedy tour, Katt takes no comedic prisoners in a must-see performance.

8 p.m.

Memorial Auditorium 399 McCallie Ave (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Sandhill Crane Cruises

THURSDAY1.12 Ooltewah Farmers Market 3 p.m.

Ooltewah Nursery 5829 Main St. (423) 238-9775 ooltewahnursery.com Signal Mountain Farmers Market 4 p.m.

Pruett’s Market 1210 Taft Hwy. (423) 902-8023 signalmountainfarmersmarket.com St. Elmo Farmers Market 4 p.m.

Incline Railway 3917 St. Elmo Ave. (423) 838-9804 lookoutfarmersmarket.com Homebuyer Orientation 5:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise 1500 Chestnut St. #102 (423) 756-6201 cneinc.org Buffalo Trace Whiskey Tasting 6:30 p.m.

Back Inn Cafe 411 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 bluffviewartdistrict.com Chatt About Science: How To Use the Environment To Improve Your Memory 7 p.m.

Stone Cup Cafe 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 521-3977 stonecupcafe.com Corey Ryan Forrester 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St.

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(423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

FRIDAY1.13 River Gorge Explorer Sandhill Crane Cruises 10 a.m., 2 p.m.

Sale Creek Marina 3900 Lee Pike (800) 262-0695 tnaqua.org 3rd Street Farmers Market 10:30 a.m.

Erlanger Hospital Medical Mall 975 E. 3rd St. lookoutfarmersmarket.com An Evening with the Artist: Seth Haverkamp 6 p.m.

Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com Ron White 7 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Corey Ryan Forrester 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

SATURDAY1.14 Freeze Your Half Off 8 a.m.

Tennessee RiverPark

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Freeze Your Half Off 4301 Amnicola Hwy. runchattanooga.org Native Plant Propagation: Seeds 9 a.m.

Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160 reflectionriding.org River Gorge Explorer Sandhill Crane Cruises 10 a.m., 2 p.m.

Sale Creek Marina 3900 Lee Pike (800) 262-0695 tnaqua.org Brainerd Farmers Market 10 a.m.

Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (404) 245-3682 Northside Farmers Market 10 am.

Northside Presbyterian Church 923 Mississippi Ave. (423) 266-7497 St. Alban’s Hixson Market 10 a.m.

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 7514 Hixson Pike (423) 842-6303 Painting With A Purpose Benefit for Art 120 1 p.m.

Painting With A Twist 1309 Panorama Dr. (423) 668-0476 art120.org Historical Tram Tour 1 p.m.

Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160 reflectionriding.org Corey Ryan Forrester

Dirty Dancing 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Katt Williams 8 p.m.

Memorial Auditorium 399 McCallie Ave (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com

SUNDAY1.15 Freeze Your Half Off 8 a.m.

Tennessee RiverPark 4301 Amnicola Hwy. runchattanooga.org River Gorge Explorer Sandhill Crane Cruises 10 a.m., 2 p.m.

Sale Creek Marina

lookoutfarmersmarket.com

3900 Lee Pike (800) 262-0695 tnaqua.org Corey Ryan Forrester 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

TUESDAY1.17

MONDAY1.16 “A Day on, Not a Day Off” 9 a.m.

Chattanooga Office of Multicultural Affairs 101 E. 11th St. (423) 643-6702 chattanooga.gov/multicultural-affairs Red Bank Farmers Market 4 p.m.

Red Bank United Methodist 3800 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 838-9804

PULSE SPOTLIGHT: COREY RYAN FORRESTER CoFo's North Georgia roots have given Corey an affinity for Southern wit and storytelling. He has thoughts on everything from race to religion, politics and gender. He loves women and cheese.

All dairy, actually.

Corey Ryan Forrester The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. thecomedycatch.com

East Brainerd Farmers Market 4 p.m.

Audubon Acres 900 N. Sanctuary Rd. (423) 838-9804 lookoutfarmersmarket.com Foodie Film Series 6:30 p.m The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. thecamphouse.com Dirty Dancing 7:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com

WEDNESDAY1.18 Main Street Market 4 p.m.

325 E. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Wednesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com Dirty Dancing 7:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 12, 2017 • THE PULSE • 13

MUSIC

Inside The Creative Mind Of Tim Feeney Percussionist chats about his influences and his vision

It's Time To Get Out Of The House If you and the family are catching a bit of the cabin fever, then load’em up and bring’em down to the Granfalloon this Saturday at Noon. Out of The House is featuring the quick strumming humanitarian Tyler Martelli.

Tyler can do it all from picking funky jams on strings to making the harmonica serenade like a heartbroken siren. He is not just a fantastic and multi-ranged musician but also has a genuine caring heart for his fellow human. Recently he celebrated his 23rd birthday by organizing an 11-band super show to benefit the homeless.

“That was a first and I plan on doing plenty more this year.” Tyler said.

Out of the House is a free music series that is seeing its second year at the Granfalloon. Just one more reason to get the whole family out to enjoy live local music during the cold months. What is even sweeter is that Adelle’s Creperie have expanded their menu items and will be open during the show.

Tyler Martelli is known for telling amazing stories as well as putting on a great show fit for the whole family.

So check him out for free this Saturday at the Granfalloon. — Brandon Watson Tyler Martelli Saturday, 12 p.m.

The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. (423) 661-3185 www.granfalloonchattanooga.com 14 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 12, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Photo courtesy Greg Randall

By Ernie Paik

Pulse contibutor

I

T’S RARE TO ENCOUNTER A MUSICIAN with such diverse skills as percussionist Tim Feeney—a challenging composer and improviser, a creator of immersive sound installations, and a trained performer of Ewe dancedrumming from Ghana and Balinese gamelan, to name a few.

He can navigate the serious realms of academia (formerly a professor at Cornell University and currently at the University of Alabama) and classical music (in the Tuscaloosa and Alabama Symphony Orchestras) while also making amusing and light-hearted “Miniature Musical Masterworks” videos using toy percussion instruments.

Feeney answered some questions for The Pulse in advance of his January 22 concert at WayneO-Rama, including a solo percussion set and an improvised set with local collaborators.

Before attending college with an aim of being an orchestra musician, as a kid in rural New York state, Feeney played in school bands, and his

first trio “played bad jazz and funk covers.”

“We played one wedding reception and a crash-and-burn set for an after-prom party before we got laughed off stage,” said Feeney.

However, Feeney expressed gratitude for his teachers who exposed him as a teenager to performers such as John Coltrane, Frank Zappa and the Meters.

“The sort of pressure these odder musics put on the sort of formality and conformity and technical rigor of that training stuck, and I got into stranger things,” said Feeney.

Prompted by Feeney’s unconventional cover of John Prine’s “Christmas in Prison,” this interviewer asked him about his tastes or influences that might be surprising.

“Lately I’ve been on a kick for English and Irish and Scots singers—Andy Irvine, Dick Gaughan, Anne Briggs, Nic Jones,” said Feeney.

“The depth and humor and grain-alcohol bite of these 200-year-old songs is wonderful, and often speaks unexpectedly clearly to the current moment.”

“I’ve talked a lot with my bandmate Sarah

MUSIC

“When I play concerts or improvised shows that work with these materials I’m interested in listeners having singular experiences, rather than anyone taking away a specific bullet point or concept.”

Hennies about folk singers...I think there’s a strong connection in spirit between our thread of improvised sound and ‘three-chords-and-thetruth,’” said Feeney. “There’s an honesty, hopefully, in the message any of us try to bring, and an absence of nonsense— like we are making this music for its own sake.”

In his artist statement, Feeney said he “seeks to explore and examine the possibilities inherent in unstable sound and duration,” and he elaborated on the role of the environment and time regarding his own approaches with compositions and performances.

“I’m interested in letting something unfold over time, almost like weather systems: there is an interaction between slow-moving factors that are larger and longer than human scale, but that produce results like rain or heat or hail that be-

come tangible with respect to a given place,” said Feeney. “These are things you can experience when you listen closely to the inside of a sound.”

“In 2007 I moved to Ithaca, New York to take my first teaching job, and I lived in a little farmhouse about twenty minutes outside the city in the middle of nowhere,” said Feeney. “During the last Ice Age, glaciers carved out the Finger Lakes region of the state, resulting in deep gorges and intense topography. Rock and snow and wind were physical facts of existence there—it made the air solid somehow. It felt important and revelatory to slow down in my imagination and in my sounds, in trying to make things that felt real and true to that sort of place.”

One example is Feeney’s ongoing “Resonant Spaces” series of installations that explore the acoustics of locations—indoor or outdoor—using snare drums fitted with transducers, creating irregular droning textures that cause overtones to “collide, reinforce and interfere with one another.”

“I try not to impose a narrative or

a goal with my work,” said Feeney. “When I play concerts or improvised shows that work with these materials I’m interested in listeners having singular experiences, rather than anyone taking away a specific bullet point or concept.”

One prominent collaboration for Feeney has been with the acclaimed composer/saxophonist and MacArthur Fellowship recipient Anthony Braxton, which grew from a residency at the University of Alabama in 2015.

To Feeney, Braxton’s career is extraordinary, demonstrating that “you can slug it out for fifty years, stay true to your ethic and art against any and all possible obstacles, and still retain wonder and joy and positivity and openness to new people and ideas.”

In line with Feeney’s own philosophy to not impose a narrative, he concisely articulates one thing about Braxton that is noteworthy— the ability to make “things that surprise you, that you love while you cannot understand.”

THU1.12 River City Sessions

It's a night of Southside music fun with bluegrass band Connection 27, folk rocker Webb Baringer and poet Corrie White.

7 p.m.

Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com

FRI1.13 Amber Fults

A powerhouse vocalist brings her bigger-thanlife voice and memorable music to one of the most intimate stages in the city.

9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com

SAT1.14 Frazier Band

East Tennessee's Jon Frazier presents a night of original bluegrass rock, taking the stage along with the Restless Leg String Band.

10 p.m.

Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com

You complete us.

Now recruiting Media Sales Professionals to represent Chattanooga’s Alternative Newsweekly

Send your resume and cover letter to: Mike Baskin, Director of Sales mikebaskin@brewermediagroup.com In the subject line, please include: Brewer Sales Position Learn more about us at BrewerMediaGroup.com.

Brewer Media is an equal opportunity employer.

brewer media everywhere. every day.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 12, 2017 • THE PULSE • 15

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Fly By Radio

THURSDAY1.12 James Crumble Trio 6 p.m.

St. John’s Meeting Place 1278 Market St. stjohnsrestaurant.com Rick Rushing Blues Jazz N’ Friends 6 p.m.

Bluewater Grille 224 Broad St. bluewaterchattanooga.com Live Bluegrass 6:30 p.m.

Whole Foods Market 301 Manufacturers Rd. wholefoodsmarket.com Prime Country Band 6:30 p.m.

Motley’s 320 Emberson Dr. Ringgold, GA (706) 260-8404 River City Sessions: Connection 27, Webb Baringer, Corrie White 7 p.m.

Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Bluegrass Thursdays 7:30 p.m.

Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Jesse James & Tim Neal 7:30 p.m.

Mexi-Wing VII 5773 Brainerd Rd. mexi-wingchattanooga.com Keepin’ It Local 8 p.m.

16 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 12, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Open Mic with Hap Henninger 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com

FRIDAY1.13 Eddie Pontiac 6 p.m.

El Meson 2204 Hamilton Place Blvd. elmesonrestaurant.com Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant & Lounge 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 We Are Not Troubled Guests

feat. Scott Erickson 7 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. thecamphouse.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Fly By Radio 8 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Danimal 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St.

PULSE SPOTLIGHT: BIG 9 REVUE Head down to the Bessie Smith Hall for a night of great music featuring Toia Jones from the 2014 season of The Voice, along with special guest D. L. Yancey.

Bessie’s Big 9 Revue Saturday, 7 p.m.

Bessie Smith Cultural Center 200 E. MLK Blvd. bessiesmithcc.org

chattanooganhotel.com Amber Fults 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Jon Mullins 9 p.m.

Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com/chattanooga Gravy 10 p.m.

Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com Rickey Thade Cole 10 p.m.

Raw Bar & Grill 409 Market St. rawbarandgrillchatt.com Bad Tattoo Band 10 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com

SATURDAY1.14 Out of the House: Tyler Martelli Noon Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Eddie Pontiac 6 p.m.

El Meson 2204 Hamilton Place Blvd. elmesonrestaurant.com Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Steep Canyon Rangers Cancun Mexican Restaurant & Lounge 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Bessie’s Big 9 Revue with D.L. Yancey, Toia Jones 7 p.m.

Bessie Smith Cultural Center 200 E. MLK Blvd. bessiesmithcc.org Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Steep Canyon Rangers 8 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Danimal 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Jon Scott 9 p.m.

Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com/chattanooga Frazier Band with Restless Leg String Band 10 p.m.

Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com Live Music 10 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Rickey Thade Cole 10 p.m.

Raw Bar & Grill 409 Market St. rawbarandgrillchatt.com Bad Tattoo Band 10 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com

SUNDAY1.15 Kyle Nachtigal 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Liz Brasher 1 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com CSO Chamber Series: Prokofiev, Bottesini, Mendelssohn 3 p.m.

Read House Hotel 827 Broad St. chattanoogasymphony.org Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775

MONDAY1.16 Monday Nite Big Band

7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Very Open Mic with Shawnessey Cargile 8 p.m.

The Well 1800 Rossville Blvd. #8 wellonthesouthside.com Open Mic Night 6 p.m.

Puckett’s Grocery 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Open Air with Jessica Nunn 7:30 p.m.

The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com

TUESDAY1.17 String Theory: Decoda Cello Quartet 6 p.m.

Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View stringtheorymusic.org Tom Cordell Trumpet Improv Ensemble 6 p.m.

Spring Hill Suites 495 Riverfront Pkwy. springhillsuites.com Bill McCallie and In Cahoots 6:30 p.m.

Southern Belle 201 Riverfront Pkwy. chattanoogariverboat.com Open Mic with Mike McDade

8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com

WEDNESDAY1.18 Charley Yates 5 p.m.

American Legion Post #95 3329 Ringgold Rd. americanlegionpost95.org Eddie Pontiac 5:30 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonrestaurant.com No Big Deal 6 p.m.

SpringHill Suites 495 Riverfront Pkwy. springhillsuites.com Joel Clyde 8 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Priscilla & Little Rickee 8 p.m.

Las Margaritas 1101 Hixson Pike (423) 756-3332 Prime Cut Trio 9 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 12, 2017 • THE PULSE • 17

RECORD REVIEWS ∙ ADAM BECKETT

Lew Card Follow Me Down, Randy Steele Songs From The Suck

Lew Card Follow Me Down (lewcard.com)

C

hattanooga homegrown artist Lew Card is a powerful and rocksteady musician.

His outlaw country music omits a no holds barred, one of a kind sound. Where many artists stay in the confines of genre specific areas of music, Lew does his own thing, and there is nothing cookie cutter, or bland about it. In an inspiring display of essentially genre creation, Follow Me Down, which was his 2016 album release, shows off his relentless talent as a musician.

Follow Me Down holds a sound that is similar to the idiosyncratic music that Quentin Tarantino utilizes in his movies.

Regardless of what movie he created, the particular music implemented into the final copy was always unusual, yet, mindblowing good. Reminiscent to Mr. Tarantino, regardless of what music Lew Card is creating, it is going to be sui generis, and wondrous. For the record this music would fit perfectly in any Tarantino film.

The songs independently hold heavy hitting power, but together, they combine to make a knockout punch. No two songs on the album are alike, and none of the songs on the album sound like anything else.

While all of the songs on the album are notable, “Walkin' Shoes Blues” starts the album off with style. “Southern Railroad Blues” holds true to their outlaw country sound, and it is a musical tour de force. “Paradise” has an island twang and

18 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 12, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

it is a cool breeze of a track.

“Saturday Night Gal” and “Always Funny” have a funky rock and roll blend that are full of soul. “Go Back Home” is seemingly aimed to hit the listener in the heart, and it delivers.

We are fortunate to be able to call Lew Card a Chattanoogan, his diversity, versatility, and musical creation skills bring yet another dynamic to this thriving music scene. Follow Me Down delivers authentic, unadulterated, unchained music from Chattanooga with love.

Randy Steele Songs From The Suck (randysteelemusic.com)

T

here is something captivating about the sound of the local Americana/Bluegrass musician Randy Steele’s debut album. Songs From The Suck is a diverse album that unleashes thought invoking powers, and incites dance parties equally.

The blend of powerful instruments, vocals, and lyrics combine to produce a crisp musical masterpiece that will rock any hootenanny or hoedown.

A spellbinding banjo sound sets the tone on most of the songs, and the album demonstrates a fine display of bluegrass music; something about it feels alive, like it has a heartbeat, perhaps a soul of its own.

The songs have a certain perspective that people can instantly connect with, it is the music of southern roots with a modern day twist.

After songwriting and playing the 5-string banjo for Chattanooga’s buoyant Bluegrass/ Americana music group Slim Pickins over the last few years,

Randy Steele branched off on a solo project, and Songs From The Suck is the end product.

This album derives from an artist unleashing his heart, and pouring every ounce of it into his masterpiece.

While the album is one of the few in existence that is spirituous from start to finish, a few of the songs really stand out. “Eliza Mae” is a love story that has a bitter sweet story behind it. The emotion involved mixed with clever wording and a catchy tune set the track on fire. “Hideaway” is a universally beautiful song that holds significant emotional and poetic weight; it is super groovy. “Angels With Halos” dives right into the art of storytelling, while instrumental “Shove the Pigs Foot a Little Closer to the Fire” lets the instruments do the talking.

Steele does a fantastic job of representing music on his album Songs From The Suck, his musical abilities shine as bright as the sun in this authentic display.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY ∙ ROB BREZSNY CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I recently discovered Tree of Jesse, a painting by renowned 20th-century artist Marc Chagall.

I wanted to get a copy to hang on my wall. But as I scoured the Internet, I couldn’t find a single business that sells prints of it.

Thankfully, I did locate an artist in Vietnam who said he could paint an exact replica. I ordered it, and was pleased with my new objet d’art. It was virtually identical to Chagall’s original. I suggest you meditate on taking a metaphorically similar approach, Capricorn.

Now is a time when substitutes may work as well as what they replace.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “It is often safer to be in chains than to be free,” wrote Franz Kafka.

That fact is worthy of your consideration in the coming weeks, Aquarius. You can avoid all risks by remaining trapped inside the comfort that is protecting you.

Or you can take a gamble on escaping, and hope that the new opportunities you attract will compensate you for the sacrifice it entails. I’m not here to tell you what to do. I simply want you to know what the stakes are.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): “All pleasures are in the last analysis imaginary, and whoever has the best imagination enjoys the most pleasure.” So said 19th-century German novelist Theodor Fontane, and now I’m passing his observation on to you. Why? Because by my astrological estimates, you Pisceans will have exceptional imaginations in 2017—more fertile, fervent, and freedom-loving than ever before.

Therefore, your capacity to drum up pleasure will also be at an alltime high. There is a catch, however. Your imagination, like everyone else’s, is sometimes prone to churning out superstitious fears.

To take maximum advantage of its bliss-inducing potential, you will have to be firm about steering it in positive directions.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is a huge holy tree that links all of the nine worlds to each other.

Perched on its uppermost branch is an eagle with a hawk sitting on its head. Far below, living near the roots, is a dragon. The hawk and eagle stay in touch with the dragon via Ratatoskr, a talkative squirrel that runs back and forth between the heights and the depths. Alas, Ratatoskr traffics solely in insults. That’s the only kind of message the birds and the dragon ever have for each other.

In accordance with the astrological omens, Aries, I suggest you act like a far more benevolent version of Ratatoskr in the coming weeks. Be a feisty communicator who roams far and wide to spread uplifting gossip and energizing news.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You have a divine mandate to love bigger and stronger and truer than ever before. It’s high time to freely give the gifts you sometimes hold back from those you care for. It’s high time to take full ownership of neglected treasures so you can share them with your worthy allies. It’s high time to madly cultivate the generosity of spirit that will enable you to more easily receive the blessings that can and should be yours. Be a brave, softhearted warrior of love!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): I love and respect Tinker Bell, Kermit the Frog, Shrek, Wonder Woman, SpongeBob SquarePants, Snow White, Road Runner, and Calvin and Hobbes. They have provided me with much knowledge and inspiration. Given the current astrological omens, I suspect that you, too, can benefit from cultivating your relationships with characters like them. It’s also a favorable time for you to commune with the spirits of Harriet Tubman, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, or any other historical figures who inspire you.

I suggest you have dreamlike conversations with your most interesting ancestors, as well. Are you still in touch with your imaginary friends from childhood? If not, renew acquaintances.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “I never wish to be easily defined,” wrote Cancerian author Franz Kafka. “I’d rather float over other people’s minds as something fluid and non-perceivable; more like a transparent, paradoxically iridescent creature rather than an actual person.” Do you ever have that experience? I do. I’m a Crab like you, and I think it’s common among members of our tribe. For me, it feels liberating. It’s a way to escape people’s expectations of me and enjoy the independence of living in my fantasies. But I plan to do it a lot less in 2017, and I advise you to do the same. We should work hard at coming all the way down to earth. We will thrive by floating less and being better grounded; by being less fuzzy and more solid; by not being so inscrutable, but rather more knowable.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Here’s my declaration: “I hereby forgive, completely and permanently, all motorists who have ever irked me with their rude and bad driving.

I also forgive, totally and forever, all tech support people who have insulted me, stonewalled me, or given me wrong information as I sought help from them on the phone. I furthermore forgive, utterly and finally, all family members and dear friends who have hurt my feelings.” Now would be a fantastic time for you to do what I just did, Leo: Drop grudges, let go of unimportant outrage, and issue a blanket amnesty. Start with the easier stuff—the complaints

JONESIN' CROSSWORD ∙ MATT JONES

against strangers and acquaintances—and work your way up to the allies you cherish.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): There are some authors who both annoy me and intrigue me. Even though I feel allergic to the uncomfortable ideas they espouse, I’m also fascinated by their unique provocations. As I read their words, I’m half-irritated at their grating declarations, and yet greedy for more.

I disagree with much of what they say, but feel grudgingly grateful for the novel perspectives they prod me to discover. (Nobel Prizewinner Elias Canetti is one such author.) In accordance with the current astrological rhythms, Virgo, I invite you to seek out similar influences—for your own good!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Now would be an excellent time to add new beauty to your home.

Are there works of art or buoyant plants or curious symbols that would lift your mood? Would you consider hiring a feng shui consultant to rearrange the furniture and accessories so as to enhance the energetic flow? Can you entice visits from compelling souls whose wisdom and wit would light up the place? Tweak your imagination so it reveals tricks about how to boost your levels of domestic bliss.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 2017, you will have unprecedented opportunities to re-imagine, revise, and reinvent the story of your life. You’ll be able to forge new understandings about your co-stars and reinterpret the meanings of crucial plot twists that happened once upon a time.

Now check out these insights from author Mark Doty: “The past is not static, or ever truly complete; as we age we see from new positions, shifting angles. A therapist friend of mine likes to use the metaphor of the kind of spiral stair that winds up inside a lighthouse.

As one moves up that stair, the core at the center doesn’t change, but one continually sees it from another vantage point; if the past is a core of who we are, then our movement in time always brings us into a new relation to that core.”

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The Tao Te Ching is a poetically philosophical text written by a Chinese sage more than two millennia ago. Numerous authors have translated it into modern languages. I’ve borrowed from their work to craft a horoscope that is precisely suitable for you in the coming weeks. Here’s your high-class fortune cookie oracle: Smooth your edges, untangle your knots, sweeten your openings, balance your extremes, relax your mysteries, soften your glare, forgive your doubts, love your breathing, harmonize your longings, and marvel at the sunny dust.

“Sweet!”—getting that glazed-over look.

ACROSS 1 Put in stitches 5 Andreas opener 8 Cogitates, with “over” 13 Antioxidant berry in fruit juices 14 Nervous twinge 15 Like a game’s tutorial levels 16 Considered only in terms of money 19 Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America bestowals 20 Bird that runs 35 mph 22 Dating site datum 23 1986-to2001 orbiter 24 Hi-___ graphics 26 Like “The Polar Express” 28 “Ain’t happenin’” 30 “Friends” friend 31 Filet mignon cut 35 Foul, as weather 36 Number sometimes decoded as “Z” 39 Friedlander of “30 Rock” 42 Amish, e.g.

43 “Buy It Now” site 47 ___ of troubles 49 Ashley and Mary-Kate, for two

51 Christmas tree choice 52 Fall back, tidewise 54 Quirky comic Philips 55 Unagi, at sushi bars 56 It’s provided by guild members 60 Advice that the four long entries with circles failed to follow 63 Baby garment with snaps 64 Word heard by Marge a lot, I imagine 65 Extreme aversion 66 ___ Martin (007’s car) 67 Part of MSDOS (abbr.)

68 Fairy tale preposition DOWN 1 Trump tweet ender, often 2 Prefix before friendly or terrorism 3 Brownie ingredients, sometimes 4 Khartoum’s river 5 Uphill battle 6 Supermarket section 7 March Madness gp.

8 Cheese companion 9 Exploitative type 10 Retired hockey great Eric 11 “Dig in, everyone!”

12 High-class group, for short?

15 Hubble after whom a space telescope was named 17 “I’ve got ___ feeling about this!”

18 “Born on the Fourth of July” locale, briefly 20 “To ___ is human” 21 “Little Red Book” chairman 25 James Bond, for example 27 “Como ___?” (“How are you?” in Spanish) 29 Horns that are really winds 32 Iron-___ (T-shirt transfer patterns) 33 London or Brooklyn ending 34 Home of Times Sq. and Columbus Cir. 37 Brings by cart, perhaps 38 Bovine quartet 39 Peanut

butter brand for “choosy moms” 40 Instances of agreement 41 Hackers’ hangout that’s tough to find via search engines 44 Keg attachment 45 “I’d like to buy ___” (request to Pat Sajak) 46 Armani competitor, initially 48 “I’ll have ___ Christmas without you” (Elvis lyric) 50 “Rio ___” (John Wayne flick) 53 Ask for a doggie treat, perhaps 54 Judy Jetson’s brother 57 “Make ___!”

(Captain Picard’s order) 58 Some PTA members 59 Aloha Stadium locale 60 Morgue acronym 61 Judge Lance played by Kenneth Choi on “American Crime Story” 62 First number shouted before a ball drop, often

Copyright © 2017 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per3minute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 814 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 12, 2017 • THE PULSE • 19

FILM & TELEVISION

Remembering Old Hollywood In Song La La Land takes us back to Hollywood’s glory days

Streaming Television Takes Over The Globes Watching the Golden Globes this past Sunday, one things was affirmed: the era of streaming television is upon us, and it's stronger than ever.

Where a decade ago, cable networks firmly supplanted broadcast networks with awards and critical acclaim, those networks have now been themselves supplanted by the streaming services.

To wit: for the first time ever, all three Drama Series awards went to the streaming networks. Billy Bob Thornton won the lead actor trophy for his work on Amazon's Goliath, Claire Foy nabbed the lead actress prize for her work on Netflix's The Crown, which also took home the best series award, the first time a streaming series has ever won the big prize.

The reason the streaming services are making such an impact is simple: they can afford to target specific audiences and take chances with adult-oriented intelligent material. Their runs are often much shorter—a 10-episode season is almost the new default—and without the need to structure around commercial breaks can pace themselves better.

A perfect example is Amazon's superb The Man In The High Castle which takes Philip K. Dick's seminal novel into dimensions and directions both far beyond the source material and in ways that cause the viewer to think about heavy social issues.

Plus, most of the series are released all at once, allowing for a weekend binge-watch-a-thon or paced to your own taste.

And this is just the beginning. Amazon, Netflix and Hulu are working on more original programming. Thankfully we live in a city with excellent high-speed internet.

— Michael Thomas 20 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 12, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

T

HE LAST BIG HOLLYWOOD MUSICAL in recent memory was Moulin Rouge, a jukebox style production written and directed by the king of excess Baz Luhrman. It won two Oscars for costume design and art direction, but failed to get the nomination for Best Song because its only original song was composed for Romeo + Juliet and not Moulin Rouge.

There have been other somewhat smaller recent musicals, of course. Julie Traymor’s Across the Universe comes to mind. But while these musicals have original stories, the music, the emotional highlights of the film, all come from

different sources, like the Beatles or Elton John.

Of course, I love both the Beatles and Elton John, but jukebox musicals have always seemed like cheating. The non-jukebox musical films in the last few years have been film adaptations of stage productions. The original Hollywood musical, films like Singin’ in the Rain and The Wizard of Oz have all but vanished from productions schedules. Sometime after 1970, the audience just wasn’t there.

2016’s La La Land may change that. It’s almost certainly one of the most original films in a decade, with terrific performances and excellent music. The film is a modern return to Hollywood past, and a welcome one at that. As with most musicals, the film tells a simple love story. It’s a boy meets girl romance across a city of stars.

FILM & TELEVISION “It’s the direction, with its long tracking shots and careful edits, that breathes an abundant life in the film. It gives the illusion of live theater, without sacrificing the power and magic of film.”

Opening with a homage to optimism in L.A. traffic, we meet Mia and Sebastian, struggling dreamers in the City of Angels. Mia (Emma Stone) works at a coffee shop on a movie lot and spends her spare time going to auditions where she’s largely ignored and interrupted. Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) is a jazz true believer, a man angered at the rebranding of a jazz club to a samba tapas bar (“L.A. worships everything and values nothing,” he says.), who spends his time playing Christmas tunes for tips.

The two meet cute as Sebastian is getting fired for deviating from his set list. They begin a whirlwind romance through Southern California’s most famous locations. They encourage each other’s dreams and support each other’s aspirations until reality and circumstance force them into opposite corners. It’s a typical romance

for this genre, although this genre is anything but typical in the world of superheroes and sequels (and superhero sequels.)

But the story itself isn’t where the film shines. The beauty of the film also doesn’t quite rest in its music, although the songs are certainly entertaining.

It’s the direction, with its long tracking shots and careful edits, that breathes an abundant life in the film. It gives the illusion of live theater, without sacrificing the power and magic of film.

There is a heart and beauty in the film that would likely be lost in stage production. The nuanced moments of the film would work anyone sitting in the balcony but are communicated exquisitely on the big screen. Still, vocal performances aren’t as strong as they could be. The problem with Hollywood musicals is that they require Hollywood actors, who aren’t well known for their singing prowess. Even classics like Guys and Dolls forced a singing Marlon Brando on the world, shuffling Frank Sinatra to a lesser role. Decisions aren’t always made for musical

reasons.

This isn’t to say that Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling aren’t adequate in their roles. But those that are used to musical performances from Broadway actors will find the voices of the leads somewhat weak.

Stone fares better than Gosling in this regard, but Gosling makes up for this shortcoming by having learned to play jazz piano for the role, a skill that will frustrate any real musician to no end as Gosling is already infuriatingly attractive. That he’s also quite musically talented is a bridge too far.

The film was written and directed by Damien Chazelle, who also directed and the exceptional Whiplash.

With La La Land, he’s created a film experience not to be missed for anyone who loves musicals. I dare anyone to leave this film without a smile on their face. Hollywood is severely lacking in original films.

Hopefully, La La Land will be the success that encourages studios to take more risks.

Even if it isn’t, at least film fans got this one.

✴ ✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴ ✴

Monster Trucks Looking for any way to get away from the life and town he was born into, a high school senior builds a Monster Truck from bits and pieces of scrapped cars. With unexpected results for both the teen and the town.

Director: Chris Wedge Stars: Lucas Till, Jane Levy, Barry Pepper

The Bye Bye Man Three friends stumble upon the horrific origins of the Bye Bye Man, a mysterious figure they discover is the root cause of the evil behind man's most unspeakable acts.

Director: Stacy Title Stars: Douglas Smith, Lucien Laviscount, Cressida Bonas, Michael Trucco

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 12, 2017 • THE PULSE • 21

COLUMN ∙ TECH TALK

A High-Tech Rorschach Test Three books about the past, present and future of technology tools could be redeployed to create a distributive economy, serving human, not corporate needs.

Rich Bailey

Pulse columnist

I

’M ALWAYS ON THE LOOKOUT FOR patterns in the books that appeal to me.

Here are three recent technology books that jumped out and made me read them.

THROWING ROCKS Douglas Rushkoff was one of the first writers to try to understand digital culture, starting with Cyberia in 1994 and followed up by Media Virus in 1995. He is credited with originating ideas that are part of our vocabulary now, like viral media, digital native and social currency.

Throwing Rocks at the Google Bus takes its title from an incident in which protesters shattered windows on one of the buses ferrying employees from downtown San Francisco to Google’s suburban campus.

According to Rushkoff, the conflict that really matters—the one that drives so many other problems—is not between residents and the employees whose presence was inflating housing costs, or the 99 percent vs. the 1 percent or the unemployed against Wall Street.

The core problem, he writes, is that “Growth is the single, uncontested, core command of the digital economy.”

He details how the tech tools and innovative business practices of the new economy support that single command, centralizing economic power in new corporate giants like Google, Apple and Amazon, then outlines an idealistic vision of how the same

DISRUPT THIS! A Chattanooga start-up founder turned me on to Disrupted: My Misadventure in the Start-Up Bubble, the hysterically-but-painfully funny chronicle of an out-of-work print journalist who went from covering Silicon Valley to trying to reinvent himself as a marketer at a trendy startup.

After losing his job at age 50 as Newsweek’s technology editor, Dan Lyons spent a year and a half at Hubspot, surrounded by vast amounts of self-aggrandizing hype and 20-somethings who thought he was really old.

“The happy!! awesome!! rhetoric masks the fact that beneath the covers, there is chaos,” he writes.

Turns out that a journalist’s analytic skills and finely tuned B.S. detector didn’t mesh well with all the Kool-Aid being handed out about how building online marketing tools was a great way to change the world.

No matter how awkward the culture clashes got, though, it was after he left and announced he was writing a funny book about his experiences at Hubspot that things took a really dark turn and the FBI got involved.

TECHNOLOGY OR ART? Magic and Loss: The Internet as Art, by Virginia Heffernan, is a ka-

22 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 12, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

leidoscopic figure-ground exercise, like those pictures that are either a chalice or two faces looking at each other, or a young girl or an old woman, but never both.

When we talk about technology, are we looking at culture or tech? Of course it’s both, but even when you know that, it’s hard to see both at once.

Heffernan is a digital native. Growing up in a college town, she hacked into Dartmouth University’s connection to ARPANET, which predated the Internet. “By the time I turned thirteen, I was confident I knew every single person online,” she deadpans.

In chapters on the building blocks of the Internet—design, text, images, video, music—she alternatively riffs and goes deep, playing over the entire history of the Internet, from its precursor networks and early games to apps and social media. She “reads” the Internet as an aesthetic experience, as a single game that is also one artwork.

She attacks technology head on and cuts right through it to the culture at its heart. But since it’s a magical sword, both tech and art somehow remain intact.

Maybe this is a three-book Rorschach test and everyone sees their

own meaning, but here’s what I see: there was a palpable sense that anything was possible with the early Internet.

Then came the centralized, commercialized web serving the old, unchallenged goal of endless growth and accompanied not just by hype, which was there from the beginning, but also stunning amounts of self-deception.

The transformative possibilities of technology still exist, waiting to be realized.

Rich Bailey is a writer, editor, and PR consultant. He led a project to create Chattanooga’s first civic website in 1995 before even owning a modem. Now he covers Chattanooga technology for The Pulse and blogs about it at CircleChattanooga.com

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 12, 2017 • THE PULSE • 23