The Pulse 14.3 » January 19, 2017 by Brewer Media Group

JANUARY 19, 2017

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

COVER STORY

When Average Is No Longer Good Enough By Robyn Wolfe Fogle

JULIAN SANDS INTERVIEW â&#x20AC;¢ HIP HOP'S KAY B BROWN

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VOLUME 14, ISSUE 3 JANUARY 19, 2017

CONTENTS 4 10 14 20

LAUGHING FOR YOUR LIFE

Known as “hasyayoga”, the Laughter Yoga discipline originated in India and has quickly spread throughout the world. A class feels like a combination of breathing practice and creative movement workshop.

BRINGING THE POETRY OF PINTER TO THE STAGE

In 2005, actor Julian Sands was contacted by playwright and poet Harold Pinter and asked to work on a special presentation of a set of Pinter’s poems in London.

THE HEART AND SOUL OF CHATTANOOGA HIP HOP

Chattanooga may not have the reputation of being a music city (we could certainly use a few more performance venues) but reputation be damned, Chattanooga is a music city.

FESTIVAL SEASON KICKS OFF WITH LOOKOUT WILD

The beginning of a new year is an exciting time for film fans in Chattanooga. Finally, the Scenic City has a film festival season, a time when there is an abundance of film news and press releases all leading to some of the best events in the South.

ALSO INSIDE

Average Is No Longer Good Enough Better health and greater happiness—these two things are generally at the root of our new years’ resolutions. But after January, we usually give up on those new goals and latch back on to the mediocrity we’re comfortable with.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

CONSIDER THIS

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

JUST A THEORY

JONESIN’ CROSSWORD

ARTS CALENDAR

NEW IN THEATERS

MUSIC CALENDAR

SUSHI & BISCUITS

MUSIC REVIEWS

After bidding farewell to the structure of the corporate world over a year ago, Robyn Wolfe Fogle now spends her days pursuing the things she loves. Among her passions are freelance writing, rock climbing and running.

Stephanie Smith is a Renaissance woman who has written stories, educated children, acted characters, sung songs, danced swing, cooked original culinary creations, and made people laugh with her ability to put her foot in her mouth.

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BEGINNINGS ∙ CITY LIFE

Laughing For Your Life Laughter Yoga practice offers a delightful way to relieve stress By Jenn Webster Pulse contributor

K 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 Rob Brezsny • Steven W. Disbrow Robyn Wolfe Fogle • Matt Jones Kelly Lockhart • Mike McJunkin Ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-Habib Stephanie Smith • Jenn Webster Editorial Interns Addie Whitlow • Alexander Plaumann Cartoonists Max Cannon • Rob Rogers Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

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

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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.

NOWN AS “HASYAYOGA”, THE Laughter Yoga discipline originated in India and has quickly spread throughout the world. A class feels like a combination of breathing practice and creative movement workshop, though that doesn’t capture the full exuberance of a session. On Friday evenings, Ganna Herendon, a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader, teaches Laughter Yoga at Toes Yoga on Brainerd Road. On a cold January night, the room— brick walls and a cheerful rust-red floor to match—is chilly, but warming quickly. Ganna explains that Laughter Yoga was started by Indian doctor Madan Kataria. “He noticed that he felt better laughing,” she says. “He and his friends started telling jokes in a park but eventually they ran out of jokes. He said, ‘Come back tomorrow, I’ll come up with something.’ What he came up with were exercises that are contagious in a group of people.’” Different from wit or comedy, Laughter Yoga bypasses the intellect and appeals to imagination and instinct. Ganna has the class stretch, giggling softly as each side of the ribcage opens. Then we rev our “laughter engines”—at the belly, chest, throat and forehead. Placing a fist over each engine, we rotate it as if turning a crank, while making a laughing sound. Genuine laughter “at something funny” isn’t necessary—you just make the characteristic “chugging” sound of a laugh and, soon enough, you’re really laughing. More exercises follow, with lots of physical roleplaying to encourage interaction and what quickly turns into infectious laughter. Vowel Laughter (laughing the sounds “a,” “e,” and so on). Penguin Laughter (walking like a penguin). Airplane Laughter. Afterholiday Bill Laughter. Argument Laughter, in which we harangue each other in nonsense sounds.

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“Different from wit or comedy, Laughter Yoga bypasses the intellect and appeals to imagination and instinct.” We also perform breathing exercises found in other yoga classes. Each exercise is punctuated by applause: “Very good! Very good! Yay!” In fact, we’re interacting a lot like Teletubbies: minimal verbal expression, but plenty of vocalization, imagination, and, of course, laughter. Laughter Yoga can help people through tough emotional times. Ganna encountered the discipline as a newcomer in Nashville, and found it made her more joyful. “The first session was incredible,” she says. “People were so free, goofing off, expressing themselves. I felt inhibited, but they said, ‘Come, do it with us.’ It was a liberating experience to laugh with others for no reason. I was so happy!” By the end of the session, my

heart is pounding. Laughing has health benefits, quite apart from zooming around the room like an airplane. Laughter is a mediumintensity cardiovascular workout, Ganna explains, akin to a brisk walk. It increases circulation, delivers blood to the brain, and improves immune function. Best of all, you’re laughing too hard to notice you’re working out. ···· In Chattanooga, practice Laughter Yoga at: Center for Mindful Living First Sundays, 2 p.m. 400 E. Main St., Suite 150 centerformindfulliving.org Toes Yoga Fridays, 6:15 p.m. 3228 Brainerd Rd. toesyoga.com

Consider This with Dr. Rick

EdiToon by Rob Rogers

“Never be afraid to fall apart because it is an opportunity to rebuild yourself the way you wish you had been all along.” —Rae Smith

42 Years Of Science Fiction & Popular Culture In the classic science fiction series The Hitchikers Guide To The Galaxy, author Douglas Adams revealed that the answer to life, the universe, and everything was “42”. Which just so happens to the be the same number of years that Chattanooga’s oldest science-fiction convention has been around, the venerable Chattacon. Starting this Friday, nearly a thousand fans will descend upon the Chattanooga Choo Choo for three days of fun and entertainment. Legendary award-winning author Mike Resnick headlines the convention,

along with fantasy illustrator Alan Pollack, special guest author Jenifer Mulvihill, and fan-favorite writer Wendy Webb as the “Toastmistress”. Among the many events scheduled for the weekend are Robot Battles, the

Deep Space Lounge Show with Luminous Web, an “ice bound” winterthemed cosplay contest, and music performances from The Molly Maguires. There’s also a full dealers room with all sorts of interesting things to buy, a curated art show with the latest in fantasy and science-fiction art, and a roundthe-clock “consuite” with lots of free refreshments and beverages. Admission is $50 for the entire weekend, which is one of the best bangs for the entertainment buck around town. Get all the details at chattacon.org — Kelly Lockhart

Falling apart isn’t just part of the process. It’s important. Even Einstein said that his success began with a thousand failures. What if, at any time we choose, we could have a clean slate—a brand new beginning? What if today when we looked in the mirror we saw our own innocence and purity? The gift of a fresh start is available to every one of us anytime we choose to receive it. It starts by giving ourselves the gift of compassion. Consider this: Today, let’s practice compassion with ourselves. Let us not carry the weight of our past mistakes in the forefront of our minds, but instead give ourselves the gift of a fresh start to this brand new, never before lived, baby day. — Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

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COLUMN ∙ JUST A THEORY

What Is Science Anyway? Our resident scientist explains what science is—and what it is not

Steven W. Disbrow Pulse columnist

O, THIS IS A COLUMN ABOUT “Science,” but, what exactly is Science? Well, first of all, let’s talk about a few things Science isn’t: It’s not a Religion. Religion is based on Faith: An unshakable belief in things unseen and possibly even unknowable. Many great Scientists have been very Religious, and many renowned Religious figures have contributed greatly to Science. Science, however, is based on facts and evidence; neither of which care a wit about what anyone believes. This, ultimately, makes the two almost impossible to reconcile. It’s not a Philosophy. While the two might seem similar at first glance, Science and Philosophy are very different. Philosophy is, basically, a quest for Wisdom. Why are we here? What is it all about? What is the “Meaning of Life?” Science is more interested in the way Reality actually works, as opposed to what those workings mean. Here again, many great Scientists have been Philosophers, and many Philosophers have contributed greatly to Science. But, a lot of Philosophical thought rests heavily on opinion, environment and personal experience. Here again, Science doesn’t care a bit about those things. It only cares about facts and evidence. Think of it this way, if there are extraterrestrials, and they have Philosophers, the “Meaning of Life” for them is likely to be very different than it is for we humans. The

mass of a Hydrogen atom, however, is going to be exactly the same for them as it is for us. So then, what is Science? Science is a process. Yes. That’s all it is. A process… a method. In fact, this is why it’s called the “Scientific Method”. To be more precise, it’s a series of steps that you go through to work out how the world around us actually works. And, as it turns out, those steps are actually pretty simple. Step 1: Ask a Question Why is the sky blue? Is the Earth flat or round? What is the Sun made of? In Science, all questions are equally valid, and you never know where the answers may lead you. If you are lucky, they lead to more questions! For the purposes of this article, we’ll ask a question that’s very relevant to my life as I sit here writing this: Why do dogs bark? Step 2: Formulate a Hypothesis Once you have your question, it’s time to take a guess as to what the answer is. In this case, I can pretty well guess why my dogs are barking. It’s because I absent-mindedly drum the desk with my fingers when I’m thinking, and they think that ISIS is coming to kill us all. Of course, this is just a guess. But, it’s an educated guess, based on the experiences I’ve had with dogs over the course of my life. An educated guess, based on evidence, is called a hypothesis.

Step 3: Experiment! So, with my hypothesis in hand. It’s time to run an experiment. In this case, I’m going to deliberately tap on the desk, and see what happens. So, 3, 2, 1…and…nothing. Dang it. I really thought I was on to something there. Step 4: Evaluate Results Once you’ve run your experiment, it’s time to look at the results. In this case, the dogs didn’t bark at all. (Even after doing so multiple times earlier in the evening.) So, I have two choices at this point: Admit that my hypothesis was awful and abandon that line of experimentation. Adjust my experiment and try again. (That is, go back to step 2.) In this case, I think I’ll try again. I’ve noticed that the biggest dog, Bea, had left the room when I ran my experiment. Previously, she was in the room and asleep. What if my knocking had startled her, and her

barking got the other dogs to bark as well? So, we call her back in, and wait for her to go to sleep. And then… knock, knock! Success! The dogs are barking and my wife is furious! Step 5: Tell the World! Once you have your results, you owe it to the world to share them. That way, others can take what you’ve done and build on it (and avoid your mistakes). That’s pretty much all there is to Science. These five simple steps have taken Humanity from the heart of the atom to the edge of the observable Universe. And, it’s also landed me on the couch for the night. Science! Steven W. Disbrow is a programmer who specializes in e-commerce and mobile systems development, an entrepreneur, comic-book nerd, writer, improviser, actor, sometime television personality and parent of two human children.

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COVER STORY · HEALTH & FITNESS

When Average Is No Longer Good Enough A personal journey to greater health and happiness By Robyn Wolfe Fogle

Pulse contributor

ETTER HEALTH AND GREATER HAPpiness—these two things are generally at the root of our new years’ resolutions. But after January, we usually give up on those new goals and latch back on to the mediocrity we’re comfortable with. You don’t really have to try hard at anything to be average. I know because that’s how I was. I was relatively healthy and more or less happy. I wasn’t overweight, but I wasn’t thin and ripped. I didn’t love my job, but I didn’t hate it. I did my workouts each morning, checked the box, and got on with my day. I never stuck with anything, I just kept trying new things believing what they promised—ripped in 30! Yeah, that never happened. Then it was off to work at a job I was average at. I knew what I was doing, but there was no passion. It was comfortable. Came home and made what I considered a healthy, modest dinner, and that was life. It’s not that it was a bad life. I thought I had a great life, but I wasn’t pushing harder at anything. I didn’t get excited about much, and if I’m honest, I was just keeping the status quo. If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll never see a change. I guess that’s why I never lost those 10 pounds. And I suppose that’s why I never fell in love with my work or became anything more than average at it. Then there are those people, we all know them, they seem to have it all. They’re lean and ripped, they love their careers, they’re passionate about life. I was content, but somehow

being average was no longer enough. I envied those people, but I didn’t know how, or what to do, to change to become like them. I was 30 before I started to leave mediocrity behind and over the past 2-3 years I’ve achieved what used to seem impossible, or only for the lucky few. Here’s my journey. CHANGE #1 – FIND A FITNESS FOCUS TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT. My first major life change came about in early 2014 when I met someone with a focused approach to fitness. Rob talked about one thing—rock climbing. He loved it! He was a fanatic and always pushing harder to be better at it—and it showed! He was incredibly strong and lean, and he devoted so much of his free time to rock climbing, not because he wanted to look better, but because he was passionate about “sending” harder routes. I had dabbled in so many things, yet never really got-

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ten excited about any one activity enough to stick with it, push harder or spend more than an hour a day doing it. My fitness routines, like many things in my life at the time, were a means to an end. I wanted to lose weight and look better, not necessarily get better at any given activity. Rob was so clearly passionate and genuinely excited about rock climbing that I knew I had to give it a try. I wanted passion like that too! It was an easy activity to take up because we started dating and I suddenly found myself with a psyched (yep, no other word could describe him) personal coach. It was hard, really hard, but I liked it and my aching, sore muscles let me know I was getting something out of it too. We were spending so much time together and rock climbing was practically all he did, so I started climbing more too, letting other activities slowly drop from my rotating workouts. Gym sessions weren’t always fun, but then we’d go outside and climb real rocks and suddenly all the

COVER STORY hard hours of training was worth it. I too wanted to get stronger and climb harder, and suddenly training had a real purpose that wasn’t just losing weight. But the great thing was, I was losing weight, plus I was gaining muscle and my body was starting to change. CHANGE #2 – FIND WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY AND PURSUE IT. Workout DVDs and early morning runs had been my means to an end in the world of fitness, and likewise my career was simply a means to an end. For the past 10 years, I’d been working a desk job in a career field I was far from passionate about. It was hard to go “above and beyond” when I had no drive to be better at what I did. I was content to put in my eight hours, collect my paycheck and get on to the things I really wanted to do. The money was decent, but was it really worth it? I started to reevaluate my priorities. I didn’t exactly know what I wanted to do, but I knew I wanted a more active, non-corporate, less stressful job. If 2014 was the year to find my fitness passion, 2015 became the year to find my career passion. Around August of 2015 I finally left the comfort of my steady income, and went in pursuit of something that excited me. I ended up not just finding a new job, I found three! The first was a part-time gig that allowed me to be on my feet, walking, lifting, carrying, and moving things all day. On top of that, it was in a fun environment and I get to learn more about something I love—alcohol. Second, I started writing. I’ve always loved to write but it had been years since I’d been paid to do it. (Thanks Gary Poole for giving me a chance, and thanks to all you Pulse readers who keep us writing!) And my third job is maybe the most exciting. My husband (yeah, I married that crazy rock climber guy) started his own business in mid-2016 and I’ve been able to use my skills from my time in the corporate world to help him with the accounting and business side of owning a small business. Let me tell you, when you’re doing it for

yourself, that same type of work actually becomes really exciting and rewarding. So yeah, a career change is a scary change to make, but I can honestly say that even though I make less money, I find more happiness in work now than I ever have before. My three jobs allow me to focus on three of the most important and fun things to me—being active and fit, writing and exploring new topics and ideas, and entering a joint venture with my husband and best friend. This is career happiness! CHANGE #3 – FIND OUT MORE ABOUT FOOD. The last thing I had yet to become more passionate about was food. I had always considered myself a healthy eater, but I wouldn’t say I was passionate about food. I didn’t know where it came from, what the difference was between organic and non-organic, or the definition of GMO. If it was marketed as healthy, I pretty much believed the packaging and thought

I was doing pretty good, making smart food choices. But then I started learning, and caring, about food. I watched food documentaries and learned how and from where food is sourced; I read articles about “real food”; and I talked to people who knew more about it and offered new perspectives. I started changing the products I bought, eliminating processed and pre-packaged foods when possible. Trying instead to buy foods that didn’t have an ingredient list because the item itself was the ingredient (think eggs, broccoli, quinoa, chickpeas, bananas and so on). It was astounding to notice how many preservatives, additives and generally unhealthy ingredients were in foods I had previously thought of as “healthy”. No wonder my body could never lose weight – I was feeding it things it was never designed to process. I started cooking from scratch as much as possible, using real foods as ingredients. I bought free-range eggs and hormone-free chicken

even though it cost more. My body was starting to thank me in the form of weight loss and I started caring more about where my food came from and what was in it than I did about saving a few dollars at the grocery store. I’d always wanted to eat healthy, but now I had a new understanding of what that meant. I was passionate about more than losing weight now, I was passionate about eating real food. Slowly, one change at a time, my whole life was being transformed and with it my health, happiness and the image I saw in the mirror. For so long I’d been average at a lot of things, but never mastered anything. I was always trying new workouts or activities but never pushing my limits at anything enough to progress to the point of seeing results. My life had always been about getting in that one workout per day so I could check that box off my to-do list—mediocrity at its finest. Throw in an un-fulfilling job doing something counterproductive to that small amount of daily fitness and it’s no wonder I never moved beyond the plateau. If you’re reading this and nodding your head, you might be stuck in the same rut I was. If I could offer you any advice for the year ahead, it’s to find an activity you love and pursue it—maybe it’s rock climbing, or maybe for you it’s paddling, biking, running, yoga, CrossFit, triathlons or any number of other activities. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as you’re passionate about it. Figure out what makes you happy and pursue. Try not to worry so much about the money, you may find you need less things (and thus less money) to make you happy. Finally, spend some time educating yourself about food, real food, instead of trying the latest and greatest fad diet to lose weight. In the past three years I lost over 15 pounds, dropped at least two dress sizes, and cut my body fat percentage in half. I smile all the time because I love what I do, and I’m a more passionate, happier and healthier person. Make 2017 the year you resolve to do the same!

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Bringing The Poetry of Pinter To The Stage Actor Julian Sands brings life to a legendary poet By Stephanie Smith Pulse contributor

Big Read Event Kicks Off This Week If you’re a fan of the novel “Silver Sparrow” or you’re supportive of local reading initiatives, then you definitely don’t want to miss the Chattanooga State Writers@Work Big Read kick-off event with author Tayari Jones at the Camp House this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The Big Read, which is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), aims to promote diversity and discussion through the act of sharing a book. The NEA Big Read is involved with 75 communities each year, and that involvement includes selecting a Big Read novel, providing grants and organizing a kick-off event that features the author of the chosen novel and encourages conversations among the author and community members. This year’s Big Read kick-off event will feature author Tayari Jones, of the 2011 novel “Silver Sparrow,” which discusses her father’s deception and her family’s complications. The event will begin with Jones’ personal reading of the novel, and then she will sign autographs. Following the reading and book-signing, there will be a dessert reception, a cash bar and a musical performance by Chattanooga-based jazz fusion group Charlie the Head. Be sure to stop by the Camp House on Thursday to meet the author and support the love of reading. — Addie Whitlow Chattanooga’s Big Read Kick-Off Thursday, 6:30 p.m. The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 702-8081 www.thecamphouse.com 10 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 19, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

N 2005, ACTOR JULIAN Sands was contacted by playwright and poet Harold Pinter and asked to work on a special presentation of a set of Pinter’s poems in London. A lengthy and close collaboration with Pinter resulted in an insightful solo show directed by John Malkovich (yes, that John Malkovich) titled, A Celebration of Harold Pinter. Having performed the show OffBroadway and around the world for the past five years, Sands brings this unique evening of theatre to Chattanooga as part of the UTC Patten Performances next Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. For those unaware, Pinter was a Nobel-prize winning playwright, director, actor, poet, and political activist from East London. Before he passed in 2008, he had written nearly fifty stage and screenplays—including The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming, and Betrayal—as well as directing nearly thirty major stage productions. As for Sands, he has appeared in over 100 films including The Killing Fields, A Room With A View, and The Girl With A Dragon Tattoo, though he is best known for playing Vladimir Bierko on the television spy-thriller 24. We sat down with him to find out more about this portrait of the worldrenowned playwright. The Pulse: How did you get involved with Harold Pinter?

Julian Sands: l had studied Harold Pinter at high school, at Drama school (The Central School of Speech and Drama in London), and been in a few of his plays. Later, I was in a film of The Room directed by Robert Altman—I played Mr. Sands and Annie Lennox played Mrs. Sands. I met Harold a few times but it was really af-

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“Working with Pinter was the greatest boot-camp I can imagine; it completely transformed my work. He demolished filters…armor…pretense.” ter playing Tony Blair in David Hare’s play Stuff Happens in LA that we bonded. Harold really wanted to know how that play had been received by Americans. Then he asked me to read for him in a presentation of his prose and poems he had to withdraw from; I accepted and we worked intensely together. TP: What prompted you to create a solo show about Harold Pinter? JS: After his death I repeated the recital as a memorial tribute in LA. John Malkovich, my old pal, was so taken with this body of work of which he had no knowledge that he urged me to collaborate with him and create a legitimate piece of theatre. We took it to Edinburgh Festival, then New York City Off-Broadway, then on tour. We are still on tour and it is more crystalline than ever. TP: How did John Malkovich get involved and what has

that working relationship been like? JS: John heard the material in LA and he is a keen Pinter fan. We worked together on The Killing Fields in 1983 and bonded for among other things our mutual enthusiasm for Pinter. We are still the best of friends. TP: How did you approach the creation of this show? JS: The show was pre-determined by Harold but has evolved to encompass more of his work and the voices of others, especially his wife, the writer Antonia Fraser. TP: How is this show different from most one-person shows? JS: This show is direct to the audience…there is no fourth wall. It’s me and the audience sharing an experience…no pretense…no barriers. TP: Describe your philosophy of acting prior to working with Pinter and how it has changed since. JS: Working with Pinter was the greatest boot-camp I can imagine; it completely transformed my work. He demolished filters…armor…pretense. Everything I have worked on since has been purer because l ask myself,

“What would Harold Say?” TP: How do you keep the work fresh after doing the show for five years? JS: The work is fresh because the audience is fresh. The performance is organic, immediate, and ever evolving. It’s always a discovery…a privilege. TP: Where does Pinter fall in the great theatrical canon of British playwrights and poets? JS: Pinter is part of the international cannon of repertory—Chekhov, Ibsen, Shakespeare, Beckett, Miller, Williams—of this there is no doubt. TP: What do you think is Pinter’s legacy? JS: His legacy is as the Nobel committee describe: he returned theatre to its basic elements—a contained space, unpredictable dialogue, and characters at the mercy of each other. TP: What do you miss the most about him? JS: I miss his monumental and formidable intellect and morality and his unimpeachable instinct for unsentimental conversation and drama.

THU1.19 Bold and Beautiful

A night dedicated to self-care and celebration of womanhood and women’s creations. 6 p.m. Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org

FRI1.20 Lookout Wild Film Festival

Committed to showcasing wild places and the people they inspire. 7 p.m. Robert Kirk Walker Community Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. lookoutfilmfestival.org

SAT1.21 ChattaCon

The 42nd annual gathering of science fiction and pop culture fandom. Come and get your geek on for a weekend of fun. 10 a.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. chattacon.org

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR Double Take: An Exhibit at Exum Gallery

Winter Vistas: Horseshoe Ridge

THURSDAY1.19 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 Bold and Beautiful: Girls’ Night Out 6 p.m. The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Chattanooga’s Big Read Kick-Off 6:30 p.m. The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Lookout Wild Film Festival 7 p.m. Robert Kirk Walker Community Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5580 lookoutfilmfestival.org Mike Gardner 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

FRIDAY1.20 Double Take: An Exhibit at Exum Gallery 9 a.m. St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 305 W. 7th St. (423) 266-8195 stpaulschatt.org River Gorge Explorer Sandhill Crane Cruises 10 a.m., 2 p.m. Sale Creek Marina 3900 Lee Pike (800) 262-0695 tnaqua.org Chattanooga Market at Erlanger 10:30 a.m. Erlanger Hospital Medical Mall 975 E. 3rd St. chattanoogamarket.com ChattaCon

3 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. chattacon.org Austin Center: Art of Abstraction 5:30 p.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com Lookout Wild Film Festival 7 p.m. Robert Kirk Walker Community Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5580 lookoutfilmfestival.org Mike Gardner 7:30, 9:45 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

SATURDAY1.21 St. Alban’s Hixson Market 9:30 a.m. St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 7514 Hixson Pike (423) 842-6303 ChattaCon 10 a.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. chattacon.org River Gorge Explorer Sandhill Crane Cruises 10 a.m., 2 p.m. Sale Creek Marina 3900 Lee Pike (800) 262-0695 tnaqua.org Northside Farmers Market 10 am. Northside Presbyterian Church 923 Mississippi Ave.

PULSE SPOTLIGHT: COMEDIAN MIKE GARDNER Mike Gardner is a rising young star whose edgy autobiographical humor will take you on a roller coaster ride of subjects from his Redneck Mother and growing up with six sisters…to his celebrity run-ins during his previous life as a prestigious country club golf pro. Mike Gardner The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

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(423) 266-7497 Brainerd Farmers Market 11 a.m. Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (404) 245-3682 Winter Vistas: Horseshoe Ridge 2 p.m. National Military Park 3370 Lafayette Rd. Fort Oglethorpe, GA www.nps.gov/chch Symphonic Tales: Pete The Cat 3 p.m. Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattlibrary.org Lookout Wild Film Festival 7 p.m. Robert Kirk Walker Community Theatre 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5580 lookoutfilmfestival.org Mike Gardner 7:30, 9:45 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

SUNDAY1.22 ChattaCon 10 a.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo 1400 Market St. chattacon.org River Gorge Explorer Sandhill Crane Cruises 10 a.m., 2 p.m. Sale Creek Marina

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Tuesday Night Chess Club 3900 Lee Pike (800) 262-0695 tnaqua.org The Art of Breathing 3:30 p.m. The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Mike Gardner 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

MONDAY1.23 Red Bank Farmers Market 3 p.m. Red Bank United Methodist 3800 Dayton Blvd. (423) 838-9804 Art + Issues: Creating a Community of Cultural Entrepreneurs 6 p.m. The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org

TUESDAY1.24 Drawing Essentials 9 a.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 townsendatelier.com East Brainerd Farmers Market 3 p.m. Audubon Acres

900 N. Sanctuary Rd. (423) 838-9804 lookoutfarmersmarket.com Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m. Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com A Celebration Of Harold Pinter 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4269 utc.edu/fine-arts-center

WEDNESDAY1.25 Middle East Dance 10:30 a.m. Jewish Cultural Center 5461 North Terrace (423) 493-0270 jewishchattanooga.com Main Street Market 4 p.m. 325 E. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Make Your Own Lipgloss 5:30 p.m. Elea Blake Cosmetics 831 Chestnut St. (423) 266-6222 thechattery.org Beginning Relief Sculpture Class 6 p.m. Townsend Atelier 301 E. 11th St. (423) 266-2712 Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 19, 2017 • THE PULSE • 13

MUSIC

The Heart And Soul Of Chattanooga Hip Hop Kay B Brown returns with a powerful, flawless new single

Joey Winslett Band Rocks Out Friday The Joey Winslett Band has a unique rock and blues sound that can be frequently heard around Chattanooga. The jam band is led by talented lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist, Joey Winslett, bassist Richard King, lead guitarist Micheal Bonner, electric guitarist David Childs and drummer Arron Raulston. Winslett, a Soddy Daisy native has been playing music throughout the Chattanooga area since the age of 15. The group was formed in 2013, and has released some catchy songs such as, “Hidden Track,” “YOU” and “Halloween.” These uniquely composed songs make defining them in a singular genre quite difficult, but their southern roots are unmistakable. The distinct sound of Joey Winslett Band can be heard this Friday at 9 p.m. Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant downtown, with seating beginning at 8 p.m. The band of southeastern locals has good energy on stage, and continues to intrigue their audiences with their diverse and evolving sound. Combining a group of skilled musicians with very different styles formed the Joey Winslett Band, and helped the band create their unique sound. A sound that is somewhat reminiscent of the brilliant musician, Citizen Cope. This Chattanooga based band can be seen playing in Tennessee and the Southeast in the coming months. — Alex Plaumann Joey Winslett Band Friday, 9 p.m. Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way (423) 708-8505 www.puckettsgro.com/chattanooga 14 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 19, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor

HATTANOOGA MAY NOT HAVE the reputation of being a music city (we could certainly use a few more performance venues) but reputation be damned, Chattanooga is a music city. The quality and quantity of music being created here is simply astounding though I have to admit, doing what I do, I am in a unique position to hear more of it than most. That’s the motivation behind this column in the first place. Every week I sit down to tell you about an artist, band, album or show that you need to know about but, unless you’re already in the particular loop, might never appear on your radar otherwise. This week’s column is about a rising star in the Chattanooga Hip-Hop scene. His name is Kay B Brown and his music represents some of the best the genre has to offer. Fresh off the heels of a very well-received performance at Hip-Hop CHA’s After Holiday

Party at the Revelry Room, Brown went back to the studio to put the finishing touches on a new single scheduled for release later this month. We’ll get to that, but first a little more about the man and his music. In 2016 Brown released Story 2 Tell, a nine track autobiographical album. At least I assume it’s autobiographical given its intensity and realism, and without going a step further, there is the first and most obvious quality that puts Brown a step ahead of the rest. Too often young artists release albums that are little more than imitations of their heroes. This is true in every musical genre, but in rap music is it is especially ironic given that authenticity is the cornerstone of the genre. Some do a better job than others, but at the end of the day they’ve mastered imitation, contributing nothing particularly new or meaningful. Brown is the opposite of that; the first thing that screams out from his music is its authenticity. No doubt, he had his own influences and it’s possible or even likely that his earliest music had some hint of that, but not now. The man’s

MUSIC

“The man’s music is purely his own and the Chattanooga native’s lyrics speak to a life actually lived rather than one gleaned from movies, TV and pop culture.” music is purely his own and the Chattanooga native’s lyrics speak to a life actually lived rather than one gleaned from movies, TV and pop culture. “Travel,” like so many of the tunes on that album, is a beautiful yet harsh reprimand of exactly the sort of pop culture other young rappers seem to emulate. The line, “Be the person you needed when you were growing up,” describes much of the tone of the album, eschewing the all-too-common infatuation with the “thug life” for a positive message while acknowledging the circumstances that wrongfully make “thug life” seem attractive to young men and women who don’t know any better. The pinnacle of this message, from where I stand anyway, is the spoken word track, “Let Me Talk to ‘Em.” This is no half-assed attempt from a disconnected person to “rap with the kids.” It is instead a sincere open message from a person who’s seen firsthand the dead-end path being sold to

young people and had the intelligence and drive to rise above it and now wants to share that truth. It’s powerful stuff. The new track from his upcoming album is “My Life,” and as brilliant as his earlier work has been, it is clear that it was merely the precursor to this, Kay B Brown perfected. The lyrics are flawless and the backing tracks are musically solid and masterfully executed. Here again, Brown expands on the theme from his earlier work, speaking truthfully about despair and brutality without succumbing to it. Instead, Brown speaks to the power of the individual to rise above it. No weapon is so potent as the mind, and the person who wields it effewctively cannot be defeated by people or circumstance. Brown has the heart of a poet and brings its full force to bear on “My Life” (produced by Q-Bosilini whose talent rivals and complements Brown’s.) The track will be premiered at the HipHopCHA Monday Listening Party on Jan. 23rd at the Edney Innovation Building, Floor Five, 1100 Market Street at 6:30 p.m. If you want to see some of the best of what Chattanooga has to offer these days, be there.

Mark “Porkchop” Holder Is No Disappearing Act

At long last the latest album from blues beast Mark “Porkchop” Holder is ready for release. Reviewed in these hallowed pages back in July of 2016, the album has taken a while to see the light of day due largely to plans for a vinyl release and a shortage of facilities capable of producing such a thing. The album will be available February 10th on vinyl, CD, digital and streaming formats courtesy of Alive Naturalsound Records. The single, “Disappearing,” has just premiered and can be heard at bigtakeover.com Known for his blistering guitar and raw power, “Disappearing”

shows another side of Holder, a slinky, slick slide piece that proves the point that Holder can exercise restraint when it suits him. The result is a tune that—if the rest of his music is burning stage lights, hot vacuum tubes and sweat—is a cool breeze blowing over the audience. Nobody could ever deny that Porkchop has a dump truck full of talent, but “Disappearing” makes clear that the man can wield that talent in many ways. Check out the single now, buy the album when it goes on sale and snag yourself a copy of the vinyl if you can. You deserve it. — Marc T. Michael

THU1.19

FRI1.20

SAT1.21

Missy Raines & the New Hip

Soul Mechanic

Tessa Plank, Thatcher, Daze Of Broken Fate

Legendary bassist heads up this quartet with cool grooves that are rich, layered, and lush. 7:30 p.m. Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org

Progressive rock wioth an innovative soul sound, heavy on the bass and light on the heart, performing along with Funk You. 9 p.m. Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co

Get your head banging with a night of pure straight-ahead rock at the Music Box @ Ziggy's. 9 p.m. Ziggy’s Bar & Grill 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 19, 2017 • THE PULSE • 15

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Three Dog Night

THURSDAY1.19 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 Forever Bluegrass 6 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 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 Missy Raines & the New Hip, Nathan Bell 7:30 p.m. Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Keepin’ It Local 8 p.m. The Social

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1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Three Dog Night 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com Open Mic with Hap Henninger 9 p.m. The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com

FRIDAY1.20 Binji Varsossa 6 p.m. Cancun Mexican Restaurant & Lounge 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com The Hopeful Country Band 7 p.m. Motley’s 320 Emberson Dr. Ringgold, GA (706) 260-8404 Ronnie Milsap 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Priscilla and Lil’ Rickee 8:30 p.m. The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Zach Ovington Band 9 p.m. Ziggy’s Bar & Grill 607 Cherokee Blvd.

SPOTLIGHT: CRANFORD HOLLOW It’s a boot stomp on a dusty bar floor. It’s the clang of a whiskey bottle at last call. It's grit. It's the sounds of the South. It's a blended mix of Southern Rock and Appalachian Fiddle. Cranford Hollow Saturday, 10 p.m. Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com

ziggysbarandgrill.net Soul Mechanic, Funk You 9 p.m. Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Live Music 9 p.m. The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Joey Winslett Band 9 p.m. Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com/chattanooga Frazier Band, Restless Leg String Band 10 p.m. Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com Aunt Betty 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com

SATURDAY1.21 Out of the House Live: Amber Fults Noon Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com String Theory: “Four Crayons” with the Decoda Cello Quartet 1 p.m. The Hunter Museum of American Art

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Lera Lynn 10 Bluff View Ave. huntermuseum.org Binji Varsossa 6 p.m. Cancun Mexican Restaurant & Lounge 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Tim Lewis 7 p.m. El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com The Hopeful Country Band 7 p.m. Motley’s 320 Emberson Dr. Ringgold, GA (706) 260-8404 Lera Lynn, Andrew Combs 7:30 p.m. The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. thecamphouse.com Priscilla and Lil’ Rickee 8:30 p.m. The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Tyson Leamon Band, One Shot Down 9 p.m. Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Arlo Gilliam 9 p.m. Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com/chattanooga Tessa Plank, Thatcher, Daze Of Broken Fate 9 p.m.

Ziggy’s Bar & Grill 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Cranford Hollow 10 p.m. Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com Hap Henninger 10 p.m. The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Aunt Betty 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com

SUNDAY1.22 Von Wamps 11 a.m. Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Hannah Thomas 1 p.m. Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Forever Bluegrass presents Monroe Crossing 3 p.m. Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Provocative Percussion: Tim Feeney, Erik Gehrk 6 p.m. Wayne-O-Rama 1800 Rossville Ave. wayneorama.com

Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m. Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775

MONDAY1.23 Hip Hop CHA: New Music Monday 6 p.m. The Edney Innovation Center 1100 Market St. theedney.com Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m. The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Very Open Mic 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

TUESDAY1.24 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

WEDNESDAY1.25 Charley Yates 5 p.m. American Legion Post #95 3329 Ringgold Rd. americanlegionpost95.org 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 Robert Crabtree Trio 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org 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 19, 2017 • THE PULSE • 17

RECORD REVIEWS ∙ ERNIE PAIK

Thollem / Oliveros / Cline Molecular Affinity, New Fries More

Thollem / Oliveros / Cline Molecular Affinity (Roaratorio)

New Fries More (Telephone Explosion)

ciding on action.” These ideas come to mind when absorbing the enthralling album Molecular Affinity, featuring Oliveros on accordion with the breathtakingly nimble improviser and keyboardist Thollem McDonas and electric guitarist Nels Cline, known for his diverse avant-jazz and multigenre work in addition to being a member of the group Wilco. Throughout most of the album, it’s like the trio has a psychic mindmeld, where complex moods are shared with quick, almost instinctual reactions. Group improvisation can be pithily described as a give-and-take situation to different degrees; certain strains of modern

he composer, electronic musician and accordionist Pauline Oliveros, who passed away last November, was perhaps best known for her “Deep Listening” practice and aesthetic—encompassing improvisation, healing, meditation and other aspects—which encouraged performers to focus not only on the qualities of music but also on everything surrounding it, such as the environment itself and ambient noises. Listening is not mere passiveness—it’s what should happen before action, and as Oliveros pointed out, “Listening is directing attention to what is heard, gathering meaning, interpreting and de-

18 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 19, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

improvisation involve the musicians minimally influencing each other to the point where they seem like they are ignoring each other, but the opposite is heard on Molecular Affinity. Is it apparent that there is constant, thoughtful listening here, with the players seemingly asking themselves the question, “How can I complement the mood while shining a light on a different facet?” The album is split into two long pieces, “In Particular” and “Outside Accord,” and the first side erupts with a chaotic vibe and determined scampering pointed in the same general direction; there’s a sense of cooperation and attentive reaction without imitation, although a few moments show a dramatic synthesis, like one stirring passage in “In Particular” where Thollem violently beats out notes with Cline mirroring the rhythm. Later in the piece, Oliveros’ accordion notes resemble deliberate human breaths, while vocal outbursts puncture the air with halfman, half-dog barks. “Outside Accord” offers an eerie amalgam, using a bewildering array of different keyboard instrument sounds and unconventional guitar notes, while Oliveros’ low, measured ac-

cordion tones have timbres that could be mistaken for brass, woodwinds or strings. As demonstrated on the agitated, inspiring and mystifying Molecular Affinity, being a good listener doesn’t mean being quiescent and yielding.

he Toronto quartet New Fries, made up of both musicians and non-musicians (visual and performance artists), is honest about certain members lacking formal musical training. “For us it’s always new and also terrifying and super-vulnerable because we don’t really know what we’re doing,” said vocalist Anni Spadafora in an interview with Noisey. “We feed off that in really big ways. It’s less about the sound and more about the spirit.” However, from the sound of the group’s music, its members obviously know a thing or two about post-punk and no-wave, but it also seems to have an aim to perturb, injecting charged moments and unexpected transitions into its music, to resist duplication of the past. The new mini-album More, released on 10-inch vinyl and as a digital download, at times channels the dance-punk vibe of groups like

Bush Tetras and Public Image Ltd. (on Metal Box), but it has several individualistic features that shape its own personality. One prominent element is the bass, which often uses discordant intervals that are just shy of reaching an octave, to provide some off-center post-punk grooves. The opening track “Jz III,” perhaps continuing where previous tracks “Jazz” and “Jasz” (from the group’s 2015 split 7-inch with Old & Weird) left off, uses damaged electronics, primitive thumps from drummer Jenny Gitman, a funk-inflected bass line and feverish vocals from Spadafora that suggest the spirit of Ari Up or Lydia Lunch. Spadafora mixes things up, going from a bratty monotonic chant on “Gertrude Stein Greeting Card from Pape/Danforth” with random flutters, to squeaky skittishness on “Butter & Spice Breeze-Y.” After an atmospheric intro, “90 Year Old Girl” slams a new-wave momentum with electronic boops and injects gleeful riotous outbursts, and “Mary Poppins Pockets” is another highlight, with disorienting rhythms and dissonant electric guitar interplay. More conveys a messy joy with the satisfaction of assembling some semblance of order from disorder.

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY ∙ ROB BREZSNY CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Some guy I don’t know keeps sending me emails about great job opportunities he thinks I’d like to apply for: a technical writer for a solar energy company, for example, and a social media intern for a business that offers travel programs. His messages are not spam. The gigs are legitimate. And yet I’m not in the least interested. I already have several jobs I enjoy, like writing these horoscopes. I suspect that you, too, may receive worthy but ultimately irrelevant invitations in the coming days, Capricorn. My advice: If you remain faithful to your true needs and desires, more apropos offers will eventually flow your way. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): The word “naysayer” describes a person who’s addicted to expressing negativity. A “yeasayer,” on the other hand, is a person who is prone to expressing optimism. According to my assessment of the astrological omens, you can and should be a creative yeasayer in the coming days—both for the sake of your own well-being and that of everyone whose life you touch. For inspiration, study Upton Sinclair’s passage about Beethoven: He was “the defier of fate, the great yea-sayer.” His music is “like the wind running over a meadow of flowers, superlative happiness infinitely multiplied.” PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): If I’m feeling prosaic, I might refer to a group of flamingos as a flock. But one of the more colorful and equally correct terms is a “flamboyance” of flamingos. Similarly, a bunch of pretty insects with clubbed antennae and big fluttery wings may be called a kaleidoscope of butterflies. The collective noun for zebras can be a dazzle, for pheasants a bouquet, for larks an exaltation, and for finches a charm. In accordance with current astrological omens, I’m borrowing these nouns to describe members of your tribe. A flamboyance or kaleidoscope of Pisceans? Yes! A dazzle or bouquet or exaltation or charm of Pisceans? Yes! All of the above. ARIES (March 21-April 19): Are you more attracted to honing group dynamics or liberating group dynamics? Do you have more aptitude as a director who organizes people or as a sparkplug who inspires people? Would you rather be a Chief Executive officer or a Chief Imagination Officer? Questions like these will be fertile for you to meditate on in the coming weeks. The astrological omens suggest it’s time to explore and activate more of your potential as a leader or catalyst. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): An eccentric Frenchman named Laurent Aigon grew up near an airport, and always daydreamed of becoming a commercial pilot.

Sadly, he didn’t do well enough in school to fulfill his wish. Yet he was smart and ambitious enough to accomplish the next best thing: assembling a realistic version of a Boeing 737 cockpit in his home. With the help of Google, he gathered the information he needed, and ordered most of the necessary parts over the Internet. The resulting masterpiece has enabled him to replicate the experiences of being a pilot. It’s such a convincing copy that he has been sought as a consultant by organizations that specialize in aircraft maintenance. I suggest you attempt a comparable feat, Taurus: creating a simulated version of what you want. I bet it will eventually lead you to the real thing.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Eighteenth-century painter Joshua Reynolds said that a “disposition to abstractions, to generalizing and classification, is the great glory of the human mind.” To that lofty sentiment, his fellow artist William Blake responded, “To generalize is to be an idiot; to particularize is the alone distinction of merit.” So I may be an idiot when I make the following generalization, but I think I’m right: In the coming weeks, it will be in your best interests to rely on crafty generalizations to guide your decisions. Getting bogged down in details at the expense of the big picture— missing the forest for the trees—is a potential pitfall that you can and should avoid.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The weather may be inclement where you live, so you may be resistant to my counsel. But I must tell you the meanings of the planetary omens as I understand them, and not fret about whether you’ll act on them. Here’s my prescription, lifted from Henry David Thoreau’s Walden: “We need the tonic of wildness, to wade sometimes in marshes where the bittern and the meadow-hen lurk, and hear the booming of the snipe; to smell the whispering sedge where only some wilder and more solitary fowl builds her nest, and the mink crawls with its belly close to the ground.” And why does Thoreau say we need such experiences? “We must be refreshed by the sight of inexhaustible vigor, to witness our own limits transgressed.”

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Czech writer Bohumil Hrabal penned the novel Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age. It consists of one sentence. But it’s a long, rambling sentence—117 pages’ worth. It streams from the mouth of the narrator, who is an older man bent on telling all the big stories of his life. If there were ever to come a time when you, too, would have cosmic permission and a poetic license to deliver a one-sentence, 117-page soliloquy, Libra, it would be in the coming weeks. Reveal your truths! Break through your inhibitions! Celebrate your epic tales! (P.S.: Show this horoscope to the people you’d like as your listeners.)

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Welcome to the most deliciously enigmatic, sensually mysterious phase of your astrological cycle. To provide you with the proper non-rational guidance, I have stolen scraps of dusky advice from the poet Dansk Javlarna (danskjavlarna.tumblr.com). Please read between the lines: 1. Navigate the ocean that roars within the seashell. 2. Carry the key, even if the lock has been temporarily lost. 3. Search through the deepest shadows for the bright light that cast them. 4. Delve into the unfathomable in wordless awe of the inexplicable. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): What exactly would a bolt of lightning taste like? I mean, if you could somehow manage to roll it around in your mouth without having to endure the white-hot shock. There’s a booze manufacturer that claims to provide this sensation. The company known as Oddka has created “Electricity Vodka,” hard liquor with an extra fizzy jolt. But if any sign of the zodiac could safely approximate eating a streak of lightning without the help of Electricity Vodka, it would be you Leos. These days you have a special talent for absorbing and enjoying and integrating fiery inspiration.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): When Pluto was discovered in 1930, astronomers called it the ninth planet. But 76 years later, they changed their mind. In accordance with shifting definitions, they demoted Pluto to the status of a mere “dwarf planet.” But in recent years, two renowned astronomers at Caltech have found convincing evidence for a new ninth planet. Konstantin Batygin and Michael E. Brown are tracking an object that is much larger than Earth. Its orbit is so far beyond Neptune’s that it takes 15,000 years to circle the sun. As yet it doesn’t have an official name, but Batygin and Brown informally refer to it as “Phattie.” I bring this to your attention, Scorpio, because I suspect that you, too, are on the verge of locating a monumental new addition to your universe. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The tomato and potato are both nightshades, a family of flowering plants. Taking advantage of this commonality, botanists have used the technique of grafting to produce a pomato plant. Its roots yield potatoes, while its vines grow cherry tomatoes. Now would be a good time for you to experiment with a metaphorically similar creation, Sagittarius. Can you think of how you might generate two useful influences from a single source?

JONESIN' CROSSWORD ∙ MATT JONES

“Arise!”—get up to the challenge. ACROSS 1 Body of beliefs 6 Zipped past 11 Heathcliff, for one 14 2016 Disney title character voiced by Auli’i Cravalho 15 Statement of empathy (or sarcasm, depending on tone) 16 He shared a phone booth with Bill and Ted 17 Sides at the monastery diner? 19 Commingle 20 Rotary phone feature 21 “Forbidden dance” popularized in the late 1980s 23 “Daily Show” correspondent ___ Lydic 26 Kombucha brewing need 28 Pitchblende and hornblende, e.g. 29 Is here 31 “Thank you,” in Honolulu 33 “Just don’t look nervous” 35 Pivotal 38 “Read Across America” gp. 39 Smoking

alternative, once 40 Hogwarts letter carrier 42 Muhammad of the ring 43 The Jetsons’ youngest 45 Creator of “Community” and co-creator of “Rick and Morty” 48 Quenches 50 Most dangerous, as winter roads 51 ___ en place (professional kitchen setup) 53 “King ___” (Jackson moniker) 55 “Ring Around the Rosie” flower 56 Paper crane art 58 Makes a knot 60 B-movie piece 61 Team of nine that doesn’t draw, dance, or play an instrument? 66 Beehive State college athlete 67 “___ Joy” 68 Home of the Burj Khalifa 69 “WKRP” character Nessman

70 Tissue masses 71 Rating system basis, often DOWN 1 “Unbelievable” band of 1991 2 Wrestler-turned-Bmovie-actor Johnson 3 Yes, in Yokohama 4 How files were often stored, before the cloud 5 Bangalore wrap 6 Part of the NRA 7 Crossword puzzler’s dir. 8 Places where one may tip for getting tips 9 It’s visible on cold days 10 “O.K.” from Tom Sawyer 11 Special appearance by a Chevrolet muscle car? 12 Emulate The Dude 13 State with the most counties 18 Gives confirmation 22 New Mexico’s official neckwear 23 American Revolutionary patriot Silas 24 Shine

25 Places to buy Indian string instruments? 27 “I ___ robot, beep boop beep” (unusually common impersonation of a robot) 30 Tucker who sang “Delta Dawn” 32 Company with a duck mascot 34 Vague 36 At ___ (puzzled) 37 Like a clogged dryer vent 41 “Go forward! Move ahead!” song 44 Couturier Cassini 46 Cleopatra’s undoer 47 Removes, as an opponent’s spine in “Mortal Kombat” 49 ___ dragon (world’s largest lizard) 51 Business bigwig 52 Mad as hell 54 Others, in Spanish 57 Author unknown, for short 59 Comes to a close 62 Got into a stew? 63 “___ Action: It’s FANtastic” (old slogan) 64 Musical ability 65 “___ the season ...”

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. 815 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 19, 2017 • THE PULSE • 19

FILM & TELEVISION

Festival Season Kicks Off With Lookout Wild Lookout Wild Film Festival celebrates the outdoors By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

T A New Home For Independent Film In The Scenic City The time has come. After years of setbacks, including broken equipment, sound problems, frustrating criticism, and straight up thievery, the art house theater formally known as the Cine-Rama has found a permanent home. Finally, film fanatics and cinephiles from around the Scenic City will have a place to see the weird, the unusual, the complex, and the straight up fantastic films that have been the legacy of Mise En Scenesters, The Chattanooga Film Festival, and the Cine-Rama. Starting in June, The Palace Picture House will open its doors at 715 Cherry Street, alongside Swine, the pop-up art gallery that was also located in the Cine-Rama location on Main Street. The Palace Picture House is due in part to a partnership with Lamp Post Properties. Dreamer and CFF festival director Chris Dortch says, “The opening of the Palace feels like the next logical step in what has been a 7+ year journey to making Chattanooga a safer place for cinema. Since the very first days of MES film club this has been our dream and now we finally have the team in place to make it a permanent reality. I’d ask someone to pinch me. but if this is all some magical hallucination, I think I’d like to stay in the dream a bit longer.” Let’s hope film fans in Chattanooga never have to wake up. — John DeVore 20 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 19, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

HE BEGINNING OF A NEW YEAR IS an exciting time for film fans in Chattanooga. Finally, the Scenic City has a film festival season, a time when there is an abundance of film news and press releases all leading to some of the best events in the South. Like last year, festival season kicks off with Chattanooga’s first successful festival, the Lookout Wild. While Chattanooga has a reputation for being a technology darling, dubbed Gig City by those who sell us high speed internet, the city has a longer reputation as a haven for people drawn to the outdoors. Where better to see a collection of short and feature length films about the wild places of the world than in a city that celebrates a deep connection with nature. The festival is now in its fifth year, and each year it seems the LWFF grows in popularity. Perhaps the best part of the LWFF is how eclectic the selections are. Starting this Thursday and continuing through Sunday, the festival is doubling its offerings with a total of 61 films, each exploring a different aspect of the outdoor lifestyle. The films will tell a variety of stories, from the first Bangladeshi to climb the highest peak on every continent in a mini-documentary hoping to raise awareness about sustainability, indigenous culture, and women’s rights to up paddle boarding the Rio Marañón, the Amazon river’s main source, a feat that has never been done, to bouldering in Tennessee’s Rock Town. But as always, here are some highlights that are not to be missed: THURSDAY Can We Save the Frog Prince? Honduras/UK, 13 mins

Chasing Niagara

Amphibian chytrid fungus is a pathogen spreading around the world that is causing global amphibian declines and extinctions. Many species now face an uncertain future unless we help them battle this disease. The Honduras Amphibian Rescue and Conservation Center (HARCC) team are working to ensure the survival of three critically endangered species from Cusuco National Park, a global biodiversity hotspot located in northwestern Honduras. In 2007 they discovered chytrid in this forest and are setting to work tackling this challenging problem with a headstart and captive breeding program. Chasing Niagara USA, 77 mins When pro kayaker Rafa Ortiz decides to follow his dream to paddle over Niagara Falls, he sets

FILM & TELEVISION

“Starting this Thursday and continuing through Sunday, the festival is doubling its offerings with a total of 61 films, each exploring a different aspect of the outdoor lifestyle.” in motion an incredible series of events that eventually takes on a life of its own. To prepare for this mission, Rafa enlists the help of world-renowned paddler Rush Sturges and a tight team of their friends. Together they go on a remarkable threeyear journey from the rainforest rivers of Mexico to the towering waterfalls of the U.S. Northwest. FRIDAY The Fledglings Mexico, 26 mins What happens when The North Face climbers Cedar Wright and Matt Segal become absolute bumbling beginners at an obscure and adventurous air sport called paragliding? The Answer: Hilarity ensues. Follow Matt and Cedar

on a perilous, beautiful, light hearted, sometimes intense journey to fly off of the highest peak in Mexico with less than a year of experience. Just because you are a beginner doesn’t mean you can’t dream big. China: A Skier’s Journey China, 17 mins Skiing as sport is in its infancy in China, a phenomenon of the country’s exploding middle class. As a means of survival, however, it is thousands of years old, a stone age hunter-gatherer technology born in the Altai mountains where China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Siberia merge. On a vast trajectory that spans 11,000km of Northern China, Chad Sayers and Forrest Coots touch down into the rich past and dizzying future of these two respective Chinese ski cultures. As one rapidly expands, they find the other is at risk of disappearing.

SATURDAY Expedition Alaska Alaska, 70 mins Twenty teams brave the Alaskan wilderness for the competition of a lifetime. Racers will traverse over 350 miles in a non-stop seven-day race, carrying everything they will need to survive a course that pits themselves against Mother Nature and each other. Racers will mountain bike through the sharp peaks of the Kenai Peninsula, traverse mountain ranges, crevasse filled glaciers, mudflats filled with quicksand and paddle countless life-threatening rivers and rapids. Ace and the Desert Dog Utah, 10 mins Ace Kvale turned 60 last fall, and to celebrate, he planned a 60-day, off-trail backpacking trip around Utah’s Canyon Country, leaving from his front door. He had a dozen friends join him for different sections of the trip, and one friend who joined him for the whole thing: his blue heeler, 10-year-old Genghis Khan aka ‘Desert Dog’.

✴ ✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴ ✴

xXx: Return of Xander Cage Xander Cage is left for dead after an incident, though he secretly returns to action for a new, tough assignment with his handler Augustus Gibbons. Director: D.J. Caruso Stars: Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone, Kris Wu

Split After three girls are kidnapped by a man with 24 distinct personalities, they must find some of the different personalities that can help them while running away and staying alive from the others. Director: M. Night Shyamalan Stars: James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jessica Sula

You complete us.

For more information about LWFF, visit lookoutfilmfestival.org. Buy tickets now and take a walk on the wild side.

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.

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CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 19, 2017 • THE PULSE • 21

FOOD & DRINK ∙ SUSHI & BISCUITS

Heading South Of The Border Mexican soul food soup warms the spirits of our Southern neighbors

Mike McJunkin Pulse columnist

F YOU’RE NOT ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH the soul-warming, hangover-curing, sickness-repelling properties of posole, then you might gaze upon this simple-looking bowl of liquid comfort and wonder what the fuss is all about. I can assure you that the fuss is about flavor and it is all well deserved. Posole is a Mexican soup made from nixtamalized corn, red or green chilies, pork, garlic, and onions. It is served with a variety of toppings such as shredded cabbage, radish, lime, oregano, salsa and sour cream. Every region in Mexico has its own version of posole, but almost all are a variation on this core theme. Ingredients • 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds, plus more if needed • 3 cup fresh corn kernels • 6 tbsp olive oil • 3 cup all-purpose flour • 1 tbsp black pepper, plus more as needed • 3/4 tbsp salt, plus more as needed • 2 tbsp ground cumin • 5 lbs pork rib tips • 6 tbsp lard • 1 1/2 cup diced yellow onion • 1/4 cup minced garlic • 3 tbsp chopped fresh oregano • 3 bay leaves • 5 cup chopped tomatillos

Ancient Aztec recipes for posole called for the chopped up bodies of prisoners who had their hearts torn out in ritual sacrifice. If prisoner bodies aren’t available in your area, then pork is a suitable substitute (#buylocal). These early posole recipes also included sacred cacahuazintle corn that had been nixtamalized with lye—or what Southerners simply refer to as hominy. These kernels of giant, mutant corn floating in rich, porky broth are at the heart of posole’s spectacular flavor. Like French bouillabaisse, Russians borscht and Vietnamese pho, posole is soul food. Like most good soul food, it sounds simple when you look at the ingredients but the whole is exponentially greater than the sum of its parts. The slightly sour tomatillos, for example, bring complex notes of citrus to the stew,

• 4 1/2 cup Mexican canned hominy, rinsed thoroughly • 2 1/2 cup diced pimento • 1/4 cup diced fresh jalapeño • 12 poached eggs (or one per bowl at service time) • Crumbled Cotija cheese, for topping • Roughly chopped cilantro, for topping • Thinly sliced cabbage, for topping • Lime wedges • Warm tortillas Instructions Heat oven to 350ºF. Swirl the cumin seeds in a small sauté pan over medium

22 • THE PULSE • JANUARY 19, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

while the roasted corn, chilis and cumin make the rich pork broth both spicy, soothing and as comforting as a mother’s hug. Thank God there are no walls big enough or hands tiny enough to stop the magical flavors, soulsoothing aromas and healing

heat for about 45 seconds until they begin to brown. Remove the seeds from the pan and set aside. Toss the corn and 2 tbsp of olive oil together, spread the mixture on a nonstick baking sheet and roast in the oven for 12 minutes, or until the corn begins to brown lightly. Set aside. Whisk together the flour, pepper, salt, and ground cumin in a shallow bowl. Pat the rib tips dry and dredge in the seasoned flour—set aside. Warm 3 tbsp of lard and the remaining 4 tbsp oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat for 1 minute.

properties of posole. Provecho! Longtime food writer and professional chef Mike McJunkin is a native Chattanoogan currently living abroad who has trained chefs, owned and operated restaurants. Join him on Facebook at facebook. com/SushiAndBiscuits

Working in batches, cook a few rib tip pieces at a time (no crowding) until lightly browned on both sides, 3–4 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate covered with paper towels. Pro tip: Don’t burn the flour that will form in the bottom of the pan—you’ll need that. Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons lard in the same pot and stir in the onion and garlic until the onion begins to turn transparent. Return the rib tips to the pot and add enough water to cover. Turn the heat to low and add the oregano, toasted cumin seeds, and bay leaves. Cover

and simmer for about 2 hours or until the meat starts to pull away from the bone. Add water as needed to keep the tips covered. Stir in tomatillos, hominy, roasted corn, pimento, and jalapeño and simmer for another 1 1/2 hours or until the meat begins to pull apart easily. Season with salt and pepper (I like to add more toasted cumin seeds at this point). Remove and toss out the bay leaves. At service, top each bowl with a poached egg, Cotija cheese and serve with warm tortillas, sliced cabbage, onion, lime wedges and cilantro.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JANUARY 19, 2017 • THE PULSE • 23