The Pulse 14.8 » February 23, 2017

FEBRUARY 23, 2017

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

COVER STORY

it's all about the bees OUR INDUSTRIOUS LITTLE FLYING FRIENDS ARE KEY TO OUR VERY EXISTENCE

MUSIC

the simple pleasure ARTS artists on the loose

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VOLUME 14, ISSUE 8 FEBRUARY 23, 2017

CONTENTS 4

ANTIQUE LOVERS COME TO TOWN

Most people don’t think about American history when they think about glass, but the featured speaker at the 2017 Houston Museum’s Antiques Show & Sale says otherwise.

12

A VIEW FROM INSIDE THE CIVIL RIGHTS STRUGGLE

I Am Not Your Negro is a film that I have no hope of understanding. I can experience it, in much the same way I can experience any film, by letting the themes and words and images wash over me.

14

ELEVEN DIFFERENT ARTISTS, ONE UNIFYING COLLECTIVE

For almost a year, a remarkable artist collective has been bringing new life to the South Side.

Artists on the Loose is a group of eleven independent artists who share a studio.

20

THE SIMPLE PLEASURES OF THE SIMPLE PLEASURE

Two of the most outrageously fun Chattanooga shows in this writer’s recent memory were house shows featuring The Simple Pleasure, a group that provides escapism of the highest order.

ALSO INSIDE

8

It's All About The Bees Right before leaving office, the Obama administration placed the rusty patch bumblebee on the endangered species list. But on January 20th, the Trump administration placed an “immediate regulatory freeze” on all business so his staff could review all legislation.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

5

CONSIDER THIS

24

RECORD REVIEWS

6

AIR BAG

26

THE LIST

13

NEW IN THEATERS

26

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

16

ARTS CALENDAR

28

DIVERSIONS

19

DINING OUT

29

JONESIN' CROSSWORD

22

MUSIC CALENDAR

30

GAME ON!

Kevin Hale is an experienced internet and TV marketer living in North Chattanooga.

He enjoys chasing flying saucers and saving bees with his 5-year old son. You might also find him people watching at gatherings around the city.

Album reviewer and music writer Ernie Paik has written about music and film for various publications for over 20 years. As a recording artist, he has created original music for film, radio, television and theater.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 3

BEGINNINGS ∙ CITY LIFE

Antique Lovers Come To Town Houston Museum welcomes glass expert Anne Madarasz

By Kathie Fulgham Pulse contributor

M 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 David Traver Adolphus • Adam Beckett Rob Brezsny • Kathie Fulgham Kevin Hale • Matt Jones • Tony Mraz Ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-Habib Michael Thomas • Brandon Watson Editorial Interns Addie Whitlow • Alex 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 • Brittany Dreon 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.

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

OST PEOPLE DON’T THINK about American history when they think about glass, but the featured speaker at the 2017 Houston Museum’s Antiques Show & Sale says that glass production made Pittsburgh the national center of the glass industry, as well as one of the nation’s first gateways to the West.

And those westward travelers transported Pittsburgh glass—both industrial and art forms—as they made their trek across the country.

“In fact, at one time, Pennsylvania produced more than 40 percent of the entire nation’s glass supply, with the first two factories opening in 1797,” says Anne Madarasz, director of the curatorial division and chief historian and director of the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh, Penn. “With more than 200 years of production in the region, it’s very easy to see the interplay between the glass objects and the larger context of history.”

Visitors have an opportunity to meet Madarasz at the Houston Museum’s most popular fundraiser this weekend at Stratton Hall. Both professional and novice antiques collectors from all over the region flock to Chattanooga each February to shop at and hear from glass experts.

“Pennsylvania was the hotspot for first adapting coal and natural gas for fuel, leading to the innovation in manufacturing, design and marketing of glass,” says Amy Autenreith, Houston Museum executive director. “You also see the development of pressing of glass on a mass consumer scale in the 1830s and 40s that really changed the customer for glass in America that lead to its ubiquity.”

She also will conduct limited periods of glass identification for attendees who bring pieces with them to the show and sell.

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“Antiques collectors from all over the region flock to Chattanooga each February to shop at and hear from glass experts.”

Unlike pottery and silver, glass is a challenge to identify because it is rarely marked, says Madarasz.

“Learning about glass is like learning a new language; It takes hard work to be fluent. I look for clues into how each piece is made—its color and design help me research it to find out who made it and when.”

There are several ways to create glass: Handmade blown glass, pressed glass (which is the first machine technology) and automated machine-made glass.

“Some of the extraordinary blown and cut art pieces in the Houston’s collection have inspired pattern glass for a mass market,” Madarasz explains. “The collection is impressive. I’m looking forward to seeing it for myself and learning from it.”

The lecture draws in many visi-

tors, Autenreith said, but most attendees come to the show and sale to shop at the dozens of richly adorned booths from some of the country’s top antiques dealers and specialists. Attendees will find everything from pottery to furniture, books and maps, china and silver, linens, blown glass and many other artistic creations.

Tindell’s Restoration also will be on hand at this year’s show. The Nashville-area team will perform repairs to glass and ceramics onsite and also take items back to their offices to work on them there. Glass and ceramics are only a portion of what they repair; they also repair metal, sculptures and paintings.

For lecture times and more information about the Antiques Show & Sale, please visit thehoustonmuseum.org

Consider This with Dr. Rick

EdiToon

by Rob Rogers

“A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure.” — Henry Kissinger

Spay-ghetti No Meatballs Helps Our Furry Friends Wally’s Friends are imploring others to do their part in helping stop Chattanooga’s pet overpopulation.

This Tuesday at 6 p.m. at The Venue Chattanooga, Wally’s Friends will be hosting their most popular annual fundraiser, Spay-ghetti No Meatballs.

The dinner and silent auction costs $40 per person and will be catered by Lee Towery. Spay-ghetti No Meatballs will also play host to Comedian Karen Mills and the Booker T. Scruggs Ensemble.

Taking place on World Spay Day, Executive Director of Wally’s Friends, Ei-

leen Price spoke about the unacceptable amount of animals being put down each year, “We need to put a spotlight on pet overpopulation.” Wally’s Friends are clearly doing their best to be part of the

solution, and have spayed and neutered over 100,000 animals.

Now they ask for your support. Price stated that, “the funds from our event go to people who can’t afford to spay or neuter their pets.” This is important, because although they are a low price clinic, many people still can’t afford it, which has been a major problem in regards to pet overpopulation.

This social event is both a mix of entertainment and charity, which will hopefully bring increased awareness to an issue Wally’s Friends have taken head on.

— Alex Plaumann

When stress goes on for a lengthy period of time—such as an illness, employment uncertainty, relationship problems—then the stress becomes even harder to cope with as it wears you down. This will affect your moods, especially your sense of humor and outlook on life, in negative ways.

Or, if we have “too many” areas of life that are causing stress, that’s more challenging as well. It’s generally understood that most of us can handle one or two areas of high stress. Once you hit that third area, the cup starts to overflow.

Consider this: Check the coping skills that are in your “Big Bag O’ Tools,” as I refer to it, and see if they’re adequate for your life. Also, remember this: There are always others who would love to have your bad days.

— Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 5

COLUMN ∙ AIR BAG

Low Spark Of High Wheeled Tires Our car guy looks at automotive fads of the past we’ll see coming back

David Traver Adolphus Pulse columnist

E

VEN IF YOU HAVE NO OPINION of or interest in old cars, you’ve probably had some pop culture exposure (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang/Grease/Jay Leno/ Fast and the Furious/Patrick Dempsey/Wiz Khalifa), depending on your tastes and/ or generation. If nothing else, you probably have an American Graffiti-style image of a Fifties car with whitewall tires floating around in your head somewhere.

As we’ve talked about before, the last 130 years of car development has mostly been a story of inventing stuff, then finding out that the technology to make it work doesn’t exist yet--things like hybrids, turbos, disc brakes, fuel injection and automatic transmissions are all well over a century old. All your various accessories and convenience features go equally far back.

Before there was bluetooth integration, there was your driver, who you commanded to do things. You could get a little scrolling map that navigated your trip, automatic lights, record players, in-car coffee makers, wheel-mounted ice-cream churn, vacuum cleaners, charcoal heaters and phones, not to mention the dozens of varieties of cigarette lighters. Not all of them were practical, or survivable, but there are a few whose time has come around again.

Curb feelers You may have seen these little wire whiskers sticking off the underside of a car, es-

pecially if you were alive in the Fifties. They actually go back at least to the early Thirties, when they were invented by the grandfather of Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor (this is actually true).

Merely steel rods that scrape the curb when you get too close, they went out of fashion in the “cars shouldn’t have whiskers” era. Current safety standards have raised doorlines and thickened support pillars hugely since then, which ruined visibility. Insurance companies will surely soon require a porcupine-like muzzle of bristles around your car.

Highwheelers Back when roads weren’t paved and suspensions were primitive, there was a class of wagonwheeled cars called highwheelers. There was no specific criteria, but you generally had wheels of at least 26 inches in diameter, or more. It did make handling a little quirky, especially as your tires were no more than four inches wide, but they did keep you out of the mud.

Now, low, wide tires give you a much greater “contact patch,” the part of the tire that actually touches the road and lets you corner and stop and stuff. But they’re not very fuel efficient, since there’s a lot of friction there.

Cars like a Toyota Prius are already using skinny, hard tires, so anyone running dubs and above has the right idea, as we’ll all be on nice 30s (“trips”) or 40s

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(“quads” or “double deuces”) with molded-on rubber again.

Convertibles For decades, convertibles outsold hard tops by vast margins, to the extent that many models didn’t come with a roof at all. By World War II the balance had shifted, and continued to shift until by the Nineties less than five percent of all cars sold were convertibles.

In an age of climate change, they make perfect sense again— you can’t expect your poor HVAC systems to go from hot to cold every day over and over again without breaking in expensive ways. It’s far simpler just to put on a sweater and leave the roof down.

Beaver-fur Driving Coats Sweaters might be nice for cool

spring mornings, but the miserable drizzles of December will require more rigorous weather protection. Doing double duty as a stadium coat (think Bane in The Dark Knight Rises), a good fur will shrug off any downpour and last for generations.

There are also any number of post-apocalyptic situations in which a fur will be invaluable, like hiding from sentient raccoons or cushioning your fall from an abandoned Ferris wheel.

Plus, you’re not going to roll on those trips without looking machofabulous, are you?

David Traver Adolphus is a freelance automotive researcher who recently quit his full time job writing about old cars to pursue his lifelong dream of writing about old AND new cars. Follow him on Twitter as @proscriptus.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 7

COVER STORY

It's All About The Bees Local beekeepers are striving hard to keep hives alive and productive

By Kevin Hale Pulse contributor

R

IGHT BEFORE LEAVING office, the Obama administration placed the rusty patch bumblebee on the endangered species list. But on January 20th, the Trump administration placed an “immediate regulatory freeze” on all business so his staff could review all legislation before it was enacted as law.

While attorneys for the National Resource Defense Council are already mounting their challenge in court, the bee hangs in the balance between some farmers who are for the postponement and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service which lists the famous black and white pollinator being in peril.

Pollinator decline is a global trend. Last year, the United Nations sponsored a study that suggests about 40 percent of invertebrate pollinator species, like bees and butterflies, are facing extinction. Since some 75 percent of food crops rely at least partially on pollinators, that raises serious concerns about the future of the global food supply.

“Farmers need to be more understanding about the way they spray,” says Derick Forester of Forester Farms and Apiary. “We live in a chemical world, but there’s a national practice, and 8 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

safe ways to spray.”

Forester, a third-generation beekeeper, understands wild pollinators’ role in fruits and vegetables. Founded in 1868 in Rising Fawn, Georgia, the farm started by growing corn, wheat, potatoes and hay, along with raising livestock. Forester’s grandfather and uncle kept bees on the side and he always had an interest in the practice during his career in law enforcement.

In 2010 the farm reorganized and began specializing in building custom bee hive wooden ware, square foot garden frames, custom saw milling, and honey production. Forester still does a little farming, but only uses organic pest control.

Forrest frequents festivals and conventions around Northwest Georgia, including attending Northwest Georgia Beekeeping Association meetings. These clubs and associations are perhaps the best ways for an aspiring hobbyist beekeeper to get involved.

Amanda Turner, president of the Tennessee Valley Beekeeping Association, recommends getting to know bees and other wild pollinators. “People need to understand that insects are far more than pests,” she says.

“Aside from pollination, they help a bunch of other ecosystem services. Plus, they are food for the young of most birds and many adult birds.”

COVER STORY

Turner became interested in saving the bee after studying Ecological and Conversation Biology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. A big part of her motivation is to help propagate the species after the discovery of Colony Collapse Disorder in 2006. In the beginning, scientists struggled to find the trigger for CCD, which has wiped out an estimated 10 million beehives, worth around $2 billion, since 2007.

Scientist have concluded pesticides, disease-bearing parasites and pathogens, poor nutrition, lack of genetic diversity, and habitat loss can weaken or kill honeybee colonies.

So, if honeybees did disappear for good, humans would probably not go extinct from lack of some fruits or vegetables, but our diets would still suffer tremendously. The variety of foods available would diminish, and the cost of certain products would surge.

The California Almond Board, for example, has been campaigning to save bees for years. Without bees, almonds “simply wouldn’t exist,” says the group.

We’d still have coffee without bees, but it would become expensive and rare. The

“The United Nations sponsored a study that suggests about 40 percent of invertebrate pollinator species, like bees and butterflies, are facing extinction.” coffee flower is only open for pollination for three or four days. If no insect happens by in that short window, the plant won’t be pollinated. We would be left with corn, flour, and other self-pollinating crops. Also, say goodbye to livestock and any precious daily items associated with them.

The state of Tennessee is doing its part and has made the honey bee the official state agricultural insect. Many species of plant in our state require honey bees to perform pollination that is essential to their propagation. The TVBA and the NWGA Beekeepers Associations are perfect places for any-

one to get involved.

Just like any subject, reading is probably the best way to start to explore beekeeping, suggests Lori Jackson of Pigeon Mountain Trading Company. Started in 1966 as a feed and seed company in Lafayette, GA, the company’s owner always had a fondness for bees and slowly began to transition the grounds into a fully functioning apiary. Here, in what they call the Honey House, professionals and hobbyist can get the honey in their hives extracted and packaged.

But for the uninitiated, we are getting ahead of ourselves. This may be a good time for a little

Beekeeping 101.

First off, beekeeping is a year-round task.

Beehives require management and good stewardship. General maintenance requires periodic inspections during the warm months to make sure your queen is laying eggs, your workers are building up honey stores, and your colony has enough space to expand.

In the cold months, the colony clusters and eats through their honey stores, only emerging when the temperature is above freezing to eliminate waste. Inspections are discouraged during this time to keep from releasing precious heat from the hive.

All beekeepers get stung at some point.

Only one out of every thousand people is allergic to bee stings. Honeybees are mostly very docile, and stinging is a last resort.

Once they sting, they die.

Honeybees have three social castes: the queen, worker bees and drones.

Each hive will have one queen bee who is the only reproductive individual in the colony. She leaves the hive under two circumstances: as a virgin queen to mate, and in continued on page 11

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COVER STORY

some cases, as an experienced queen with a swarm. On mating flights, the queen locates a “drone congregation area” to mate with up to 80 drones before returning to the hive.

She will store all this sperm for the rest of her life. The queen only reproduces. She does not feed or clean herself. The queen will lay all of the eggs for the colony.

“The queen can also make another queen,” says Jackson. “You can start to see where a lot of these queen bee stereotypes come from.”

Worker bees are sterile females who do all of the foraging, feeding of young, honey production and storage, wax production, cleaning, and defending the hive against intruders.

“Each worker bee will do a variety of jobs in her lifetime, which can last about four to six weeks, “says Jackson. “As they age, their duties will become riskier, and require venturing further from the hive.”

Finally, come the drones. Drones are male and like the queen they only reproduce.

Their sole purpose is to spread the genetics of the colony by mating with virgin queens from other colonies. Once they mate, they

“I think every beekeeper I’ve known has the motivation to help people understand the importance of bees.

It’s amazing to watch them work.” die successful bees. Unsuccessful drones return to the hive to eat honey and pollen. Once swarm season is over, drones become a drain on resources inside the hive, and are evicted by workers.

“A strong hive really is a matter of chance,” adds Jackson. “So what beekeepers have come to do is add vitamins to the hive to insure its success.”

Jackson adds that people’s initial reaction is to be scared of bees. “Honeybees are really more in danger from us than we are from them. They are not naturally aggressive. Unless you threaten their hive or swat at them you are not likely to be stung.”

Turner also wants to empha-

size not to kill bees if you happen upon them. “We get calls all the times about clusters or swarms that can be the size of a grapefruit or basketball,” she adds. “This is definitely where you need a veil, gloves, and heavy clothing and use your bee brush to knock them into a box.” Also be sure to wear white clothing instead of dark. It’s believed bees don’t like dark clothing because they think it’s a bear.

Hobbyist Martin Kotar is relatively new to beekeeping and moved from the upper peninsula of Michigan.

“Up north, there are too many bears,” jokes Kotar. “Plus, there is such a short season so it’s much better to live in the south for lon-

ger, warm harvesting periods.”

Kotar admits he was scared the first time he opened a hive. “Each time you interact with the bees, you learn something new,” he says. “They are agitated by vibration and quick movements. Just keep your motions slow and even, and never flick or swat.”

Kotar saw his first good harvest last year after picking up the hobby three years ago.

He was able to extract 13 gallons of honey from six hives.

“Your first year you shouldn’t take any honey,” he advises. “Bees need about 50 to 60 pounds of food to make it through the winter. My motto is stay ahead of the bees.”

It is also critical to understand honeybees communicate via smell. The smell of bananas is the scent they use to signal danger and attack. Don’t eat one on your way to the hive and avoid perfumes.

“Really, it’s our job to be stewards,” Forrester adds. “They mention bees in the Bible. I think every beekeeper I’ve known has the motivation to help people understand the importance of bees. It’s amazing to watch them work. But we need to do our part because they need all the help they can get.”

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 11

FILM & TELEVISION

A View From Inside The Civil Rights Struggle I Am Not Your Negro is so much more than just the story of author and poet James Baldwin

The Fairy Tale World Of Dvorák’s Rusalka Regular readers of The Pulse may have noticed we are fans of not just music and theater, but the ultimate combination of the two: opera. And when you add in the chance to see one of the best opera companies in the world, The Metropolitan Opera, on the big screen in the comfort of a modern movie theater, it's the best of all possible worlds.

At least to us opera fans, that is.

Which is why we are quite excited for the chance to see one of the best, Dvorák’s Rusalka, presented live this Sunday at Carmike's East Ridge 18 theaters.

Kristine Opolais “gives a vocally lustrous and achingly vulnerable performance” (New York Times) in a new production of the opera that first won her international acclaim, Dvorák’s fairy tale opera about the tragic water nymph Rusalka.

Sir Mark Elder conducts director Mary Zimmerman’s new staging, which brings her wondrous theatrical imagination to Dvorák’s fairytale of love and longing, rejection and redemption, giving the work “an inspired staging” (Huffington Post).

Rusalka also stars Brandon Jovanovich as the human prince who captures Rusalka’s heart; Katarina Dalayman as Rusalka’s rival, the Foreign Princess; Eric Owens as the Water Sprite, Rusalka’s father; and Jamie Barton as the duplicitous witch Ježibaba, all part of what the New York Times calls “a matchless cast”.

— Michael Thomas Dvorák’s Rusalka: Live At The Met Saturday, 12:55 p.m.

Carmike East Ridge 18 5080 South Terrace (423) 855-9652 www.carmike.com 12 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

I

AM NOT YOUR NEGRO IS A FILM THAT I have no hope of understanding. I can experience it, in much the same way I can experience any film, by letting the themes and words and images wash over me.

I can discuss it at length, adding my own ideas.

I can quote it—author and poet James Baldwin is endlessly quotable, full of remarkable wisdom that stems from a life well lived. I can share the film with others and encourage them to think about it as deeply and as intentionally as they can.

But I will never truly understand it.

I can try, and I owe to myself and my countrymen to do so. Still, a white man from a small town in Tennessee who has squandered more op-

portunity than most people of color in this country have been afforded, who was raised after the Civil Rights era, who never had much contact with anyone in black America during his developmental years, is as likely to understand the black experience as an ant is likely to understand an automobile.

I Am Not Your Negro, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, is not a biography of James Baldwin and neither is it a seamless history of a people oppressed. Ostensibly, it is taken from Baldwin’s notes on an unfinished book, to be entitled Remember This House, about his personal experiences with assassinated leaders Medgar Evers, Malcom X, and Martin Luther King Jr. While much of his writing is meant to reflect a specific period in time and relates to specific events that inspired his words, he appears pro-

FILM & TELEVISION

“I Am Not Your Negro is not a biography of James Baldwin and neither is it a seamless history of a people oppressed.” phetic in his warnings, at times seeming nearly clairvoyant.

Director Raoul Peck takes the powerful prose of Baldwin and combines it with film footage and images from Civil Rights protests.

Baldwin describes meetings with Malcom X, with Martin Luther King Jr., highlighting often their wives and children, humanizing these figures by reminding us of their families.

In one particular scene, he remembers a meeting between himself, Bobby Kennedy, and Lorraine Hansbury. He mentions how people forget just how young they all were— Hansberry herself died when she was just 34.

It’s strange to think that the leaders and artists responsible for a fundamental change in the fabric of our society were mostly under the age of 40.

It’s even stranger to realize that many of them are still in charge.

As striking and complex as Baldwin’s words are, more effecting is their combination with images from Birmingham, Alabama in 1963, where police officers beat black protestors, to Ferguson, Missouri in 2014, where police officers responded with riot gear and military vehicles. The only difference appears to be the further militarization of the police.

Yes, of course, we know that there is a difference between beating men and women in the streets for wanting to sit at a lunch counter and quelling a riot after a controversial shooting. But the patterns look the same, the responses never change, and the same people suffer with every occurrence.

But beyond just these signs of the obvious tyranny found in white America, Baldwin also speaks passionately about the sneaky representation of black men in media. He recalls watching Westerns, as many children did, but realizing that he had more in common with the Indians than he ever did with the heroes.

The crux of Baldwin’s argument is that he reserves the right to be an-

gry about the subjugation of his people, of the treatment he endured at the hands of white America, and the idea that this anger is somehow hurting his argument. Peck’s documentary highlights these ideas in sometimes subtle ways, but also with glaring clarity.

He highlights why an entire group of people, brought to America against their will, might not ever feel at home in a society they helped create.

That sense of home should be something everyone can empathize with.

We have all, at one point or another, left home never to return. There’s an existential sadness that accompanies that revelation.

But what if there was never a home to begin with?

What if that aimless feeling is institutionalized from the top down? Baldwin says the story of the Negro is the story of America. If that’s true, the story of America is a somber one.

I Am Not Your Negro premieres in Chattanooga February 24 at Carmike’s East Ridge 18.

✴ ✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴ ✴

Get Out A young African-American man visits his Caucasian girlfriend's mysterious family estate.

Director: Jordan Peele Stars: Allison Williams, Daniel Kaluuya, Lakeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford

Collide An American backpacker gets involved with a ring of drug smugglers as their driver, though he winds up on the run from his employers across Cologne high-speed Autobahn.

Director: Eran Creevy Stars: Nicholas Hoult, Felicity Jones, Anthony Hopkins, Ben Kingsley

ALL NEW. ALL FOR YOU.

ChattanoogaHasCars.com THE TENNESSEE VALLEY’S MOST POWERFUL AUTOMOTIVE SHOPPING TOOL CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Eleven Different Artists, One Unifying Collective Artists On The Loose gather together on the Southside

Luna Gale Focuses On Complex Morality Knowing how to make the right decision when the answer isn’t always as simple as it seems is a big test of morality, and it’s one of the main issues that the UTC Theatre Company’s first spring production is focused on.

Luna Gale, written by playwright Rebecca Gilman and published in 2015, is a play that is centered around Caroline, an Iowa social worker who takes on a custody case that begins when a six-month-old girl, Luna Gale, is hospitalized. Her teenage parents, Karlie and Peter, are meth addicts struggling to make ends meet and raise their daughter.

For Caroline, the question of who should raise Luna Gale initially seems clear: Karlie’s Evangelical Christian mother, Cindy. However, the answer begins to seem muddled when Cindy requests permanent adoption of Luna Gale even though her parents are receiving treatment and wish to take care of their daughter.

Caroline eventually has to decide if an overly-ardent grandmother or the child’s rehabilitated parents are the best fit to raise Luna Gale.

Luna Galeis scheduled to be performed at the UTC Fine Arts Center all week, with a 7:30 p.m. showing each night and 2 p.m. matinee show on Saturday. Be sure to purchase tickets to see a modern play that deals with many of society’s most complex issues. — Addie Whitlow Luna Gale Nightly, 7:30 p.m. – Sunday, 2 p.m.

UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine Street (423) 425-4269 utc.edu/fine-arts-center 14 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Janis Wilkey, Playing in the Creek

By Tony Mraz

Pulse contributor

F

OR ALMOST A YEAR, A REMARKABLE artist collective has been bringing new life to the South Side. Artists on the Loose is a group of eleven independent artists who share a studio and exhibition space, and lots of good times.

It is not a co-op, not a gallery, and not a business, but simply a group of artists who share space; an artist colony. The idea was conceived by Virginia Webb, who was joined by the other three founding members, Ellen Franklin, Maddin Corey, and Janis Wilkey, in April of 2016. Since then, the group has grown as more artists are invited.

Artists on the Loose is delightful for the mem-

bers, as Virginia tells us, “We have a really good time. We support each other, teach each other, and share an authentic passion. We’re just loose about it. We don’t have any rules; we just enjoy sharing the space and having shows.”

Though the artists that comprise the group hail from a variety of backgrounds, they find common ground in their space at 1401 Williams Street (the previous home of Gallery 1401).

Jim Aplin is a famous portrait painter who now also paints landscapes. His portraits have been featured in American Artist and International Artist magazines, and his illustrations have appeared in Smithsonian, Fortune, and on ABC and NBC News.

Maddin Corey paints exquisite portraits, still

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“We have a really good time. We support each other, teach each other, and share an authentic passion. We don’t have any rules; we just enjoy sharing the space and having shows.” lifes, and landscapes. She tells us, “The beauty of being part of The Artists on the Loose is that we are a group that respects the individual, but we are also available to each other for critique and mentoring. There are no secrets in art—the techniques and color formulas are centuries old—the artists in this group are always ready to make suggestions and encourage.”

Ann Currey is a master of plein air landscapes. She is an associate member of Women Painters of the Southeast, Oil Painters of America and American Women Artists. Her work is displayed at the Plum Nelly Shop, and at Stonehenge Gallery in Montgomery, Alabama.

Ellen Franklin works in numerous mediums, including oil, encaustic, water color, acrylic, and pastels. “I enjoy the entire process of each painting, usually beginning with a scene com-

posed through the camera lens. Whether it is the mountains of Tennessee or the rugged coast of Maine, I strive to express in my paintings what it is that attracted my eye to the scene.”

Bill Johnson is a fine heirloom furniture maker. For 60 years, he has relied on time-honored techniques to build unique furniture from unusual woods with striking grain patterns and colors. He continues that tradition today, focusing on a wood’s natural beauty to enhance his tables, chests, boxes and chairs.

Cindy Procious is recognized for her highly detailed still life paintings. “Since joining Artists on the Loose, I’ve really enjoyed painting in company during our Loose Fridays. That weekly camaraderie is swiftly becoming an essential part of my work schedule.”

Terry Rafferty’s chosen subject is the narrative still life. “Artists on the Loose is a great community. We have no rules and no one is in charge, yet it works and is tremendously fun! We share our space not only with each other, but with the public—we love having people come

watch us work!”

David Salerno is a member of several national oil painting organizations, including the Oil Painters of America, the American Impressionist Society, the Portrait Society, and the National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society (NOAPS). He is also an instructor at the Townsend Atelier.

His wife, Leah Salerno, enjoys various approaches to oil painting. Her style is representational, often employing the palette knife to create more texture in her paintings. “Art offers me new vision. It is the fulfillment of a dream I didn’t realize was possible.”

Virginia Webb is a fine art photographer who has worked internationally. Her photographs are held in numerous collections including the the Foreign Ministry of China, The Government of Pakistan, the Lyndhurst Foundation, United Way and Wilson Air Corporation, and Hefferlin & Kronenberg Architects.

Janis Wilkey has been a full time painter since 1999. She has been working mostly in oils, outdoors and in the studio, painting landscapes, still lifes, portraits and figures. She also paints murals, decorative work, and other commissioned pieces.

The group hosts a weekly “Loose Fridays” event at their space on Fridays from 10:30-2:30, and has a show opening at The Exum Gallery in St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Friday, March 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. They are also hosting a book signing with Ron York from Nashville on March 11.

Find out more at artistsontheloose.com

THU2.23

FRI2.24

SAT2.25

Art + Issues

Love/Sick

Bach to the Future Mardi Gras Gala

Creating a community of cultural entrepreneurs with Causeway Executive Director Abby Garrison.

6 p.m.

Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org

A collection of nine slightly twisted and completely hilarious short plays in which couples meet or break up.

8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. theatrecentre.com

Chase the doldrums away with the Chattanooga Bach Choir’s annual gala.

5:30 p.m.

The Walden Club 633 Chestnut St. (423) 624-3603 chattanoogabachchoir.org

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Houston Museum Antiques Show

THURSDAY2.23 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 Art + Issues 6 p.m.

Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org How to Poop in the Woods 6 p.m.

Outdoor Chattanooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com Love/Sick 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.org Luna Gale 7:30 p.m.

UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4371 utctheatreco.com Comedy for Conservation 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St.

16 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

(423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Southern Fried Funeral 7:30 p.m.

Ringgold Playhouse 155 Depot St. (706) 935-3061 cityofringgold.com Greater Tuna 8 p.m.

Signal Mountain Playhouse 301 Rolling Way (423) 886-5243 smph.org

FRIDAY2.24 Houston Museum Antiques Show and Sale 10 a.m.

Stratton Hall 3146 Broad St. (423) 267-7176

thehoustonmuseum.org 3rd Street Farmers Market 10:30 a.m.

Erlanger Hospital Medical Mall 975 E. 3rd St. lookoutfarmersmarket.com Luna Gale 7:30 p.m.

UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4371 utctheatreco.com Fortune Feimster 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Million Dollar Quartet 7:30 p.m.

Ensemble Theatre 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 602-8640 Southern Fried Funeral

SPOTLIGHT: FORTUNE FEIMSTER Seen on TV as Nurse Collette on “The Mindy Project”, Fortune cut her teeth as a performer and writer on “Chelsea Lately” after being a semi-finalist on “Last Comic Standing”.

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

7:30 p.m.

Ringgold Playhouse 155 Depot St. (706) 935-3061 cityofringgold.com Love/Sick 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.org Mr. Pim Passes By 8 p.m.

Covenant College Sanderson Auditorium 14049 Scenic Hwy. (706) 820-1560 covenant.edu

SATURDAY2.25 St. Alban’s Hixson Market 9:30 a.m.

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 7514 Hixson Pike (423) 842-6303 Northside Farmers Market 10 am.

Northside Presbyterian Church 923 Mississippi Ave. (423) 266-7497 Houston Museum Antiques Show and Sale 10 a.m.

Stratton Hall 3146 Broad St. (423) 267-7176 thehoustonmuseum.org Brainerd Farmers Market 11 a.m.

Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (404) 245-3682

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Million Dollar Quartet Wings to Soar 1 p.m.

Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160 reflectionriding.org Artful Yoga: Warming Up with Heart 1:30 p.m.

Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Mr. Pim Passes By 2:30 p.m.

Covenant College Sanderson Auditorium 14049 Scenic Hwy. (706) 820-1560 covenant.edu Bach to the Future Mardi Gras Gala 5:30 p.m.

The Walden Club 633 Chestnut St. (423) 624-3603 chattanoogabachchoir.org Luna Gale 7:30 p.m.

UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4371 utctheatreco.com Million Dollar Quartet 7:30 p.m.

Ensemble Theatre 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 602-8640 Let’s Meet Up for a Fortune Feimster 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St.

(423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Southern Fried Funeral 7:30 p.m.

Ringgold Playhouse 155 Depot St. (706) 935-3061 cityofringgold.com Greater Tuna 8 p.m.

Signal Mountain Playhouse 301 Rolling Way (423) 886-5243 smph.org Love/Sick 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.org

SUNDAY2.26 Houston Museum Antiques Show and Sale 12 p.m.

Stratton Hall 3146 Broad St. (423) 267-7176 thehoustonmuseum.org “Know Your Government: Local (Chattanooga and Hamilton County)” 2 p.m.

Archway on Glass 2523 Glass St. (423) 413-8978 thechattery.org Love/Sick 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538

theatrecentre.org Million Dollar Quartet 2:30 p.m.

Ensemble Theatre 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 602-8640 Fortune Feimster 7:30 p.m.

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

MONDAY2.27 Red Bank Farmers Market 3 p.m.

Red Bank United Methodist 3800 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 838-9804

TUESDAY2.28 East Brainerd Farmers Market 3 p.m.

Audubon Acres 900 N. Sanctuary Rd. (423) 838-9804 lookoutfarmersmarket.com Anna Harrington Book Launch Party & Signing 5 p.m.

Barnes & Noble 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.

(423) 468-3408 annaharringtonbooks.com Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com

Spay-Ghetti No Meatballs Dinner and Silent Auction 6 p.m.

The Venue Chattanooga 4119 Cummings Hwy. (423) 877-9966 wallysfriends.com The Chattery Presents Foodie Film Series Part 4 6:30 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 493-9155 crabtreefarms.org Ladie’s Night Comedy Show JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com

WEDNESDAY3.1 Middle East Dance 10:30 a.m.

Jewish Cultural Center 5461 N. Terrace Rd. (423) 493-0270 jewishchattanooga.com Try Archery 3:30 p.m.

Outdoor Chattanooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com Main Street Market 4 p.m.

325 E. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 17

18 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

FOOD & DRINK ∙ DINING OUT

Enjoying The Tastes Of Greece The Acropolis Grill brings fine Mediterranean cuisine to Chattanooga

By Brooke Brown

Pulse assistant editor

W

HEN IT COMES TO RESTAUrants, Chattanooga has a plethora. Everything from breakfast to dessert can be accounted for with a variety of options, but there’s only one place that serves Mediterranean food so good it’ll have you thinking you’re standing in Mykonos: The Acropolis.

“Our food is decidedly rustic,” says owner Nick Kyriakidis. “Greek, Italian, they’re not so highbrow. It’s more of an old-world, classical style of cooking.”

Anyone visiting the Acropolis can experience a taste of the Mediterranean with dishes incorporating fresh mozzarella, roasted garlic, fresh basil, and classical flavor incorporating vegetables like artichoke hearts. From fresh imports to locally sourced produce, The Acropolis pushes their standards higher still. At a Mediterranean table, connections are made. Not just between those eating the food, but a connection with the food itself.

“Everything is done around the table,” says Kyriakidis. “We celebrate around the table. We mourn around the table. We fight around the table, and we forgive around the table. Food connects us, so we should cherish our connection to it.”

These old world Mediterranean ideas about food and culture are rooted in their connection to food and how it’s made.

They strive for fresh ingredients and that’s something that Kyriakidis has made a point in the Acropolis here in the states.

The Acropolis’ recent renovations in

The Acropolis Grill

Open daily for Lunch and Dinner 2213 Hamilton Place Blvd.

(423) 899-5341 www.acropolisgrill.com

2013 brought with it a stronger feel of Greece, the whitewashed walls reminding guests of the island of Santorini, the crisp, clean lines making for a chic, but simple atmosphere. The simplicity carries over into the food made with only honest ingredients that give the food a truly rustic, old-world flavor.

The remodel brought new menu items that have been a hit, including Eggplant Napoleon which features layers of eggplant, roasted vegetables, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, marinara, finished with feta and mozzarella.

For a contemporary twist that may be a not-so-traditionally “Greek” but dish, yet will make your mouth water with clear Greek influences are the Greek Nachos; house potato chips baked with feta, mozzarella, shaved gyro meat, red onion, Kalamata olives, finished with shredded lettuce, tzatziki, basil pesto, and tomato cucumber relish.

Try a meal from their list of specials that features dishes like Bacon Wrapped Quail Breast, Heritage Pork Chop, or Pecan Crusted North Carolina Trout. Each dish listed has a suggested wine pairing as well as the glass/bottle price, making your dining experience smoother and easier…although now you must face the fact that you have to actually choose between the dishes…or not!

Specialty drinks are available daily as well, ranging from a crisp Peach Bellini to a Greek Goddess, which consists of pomegranate vodka, pomegranate liqueur, and cranberry. Hand-crafted specialty 16-ounce draft beers range from

“These old world Mediterranean ideas about food and culture are rooted in their connection to food and how it’s made.” $4-5 as well as domestics, with a selection of high gravity beers costing $6.

With spring just around the corner, so is patio dining. The Acropolis patio is a relaxed atmosphere that will have the food, drinks, and desserts flowing long into those cool, spring evenings. Known as piazzas, terraces, and verandas in varying European languages, patio dining is an inherently European thing to do, and nowhere is it more common than around the café tables of the Greek isles of the Mediterranean.

“Al fresco dining is very relaxed,” says Kyriakidis. “It’s a time to just enjoy your meal, and enjoy the company you keep.” It’s a breath of fresh air to enjoy a meal as the

sun sets, or under the evening stars and the sparkle of the lights.

Round your meal out with one of the many award winning desserts freshly prepared in The Acropolis bakery. With more options than you could count on one hand, from Baklava cheesecake, to cannolis, and custard eclairs to choose from, you may have a hard time settling with just one. Get a slice of each or order an entire cake or pie of your choosing for any event (or as a late night snack of your own, we don’t judge.)

Take a culinary trip to the Mediterranean with a mouth-watering journey to The Acropolis. Hospitality is the code of the Greeks so expect to see smiling faces and leave with a warm, fully belly.

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

MUSIC

The Simple Pleasures Of The Simple Pleasure Cooking up a delightful new wave electro funk stew

Pamela K Ward & The Last Call Orchestra Pamela K Ward and The Last Call Orchestra will be lighting up the stage at Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant this Friday at 9 p.m. They are an electrifying country rock band that is sure to get the crowd on their feet. With a unique sax-infused sound and fun filled personality, its not surprising that this band has played all around the country.

Along with some impressive vocal skills, Ward will be rocking out on the keyboard, and her infamous saxophone. Ward started performing on stage at the age of two, and will be displaying her brilliantly seasoned saxophone play and vocal prowess, while commanding the stage with an impactful presence.

Ward’s stage presence is quite obvious when you see her perform, and it’s not surprising to learn that she has opened for artists such as Jimmy Buffet and Loretta Lynn.

This pint-sized songwriting powerhouse, and her band of musicians currently is a house band for the NHL’s Nashville Predators, and have performed many events at the Bridgestone Arena.

If you’re into bold sounds, rock star attitude and skilled instrument play, this is an opportunity you will not regret taking advantage of. — Alex Plaumann Pamela K Ward and The Last Call Orchestra Friday, 9 p.m.

Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way (423) 708-8505 www.puckettsgro.com 20 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Ernie Paik

Pulse contributor

T

WO OF THE MOST OUTRAGEOUSLY fun Chattanooga shows in this writer’s recent memory were house shows featuring The Simple Pleasure, a group that provides escapism of the highest order. The duo serves up infectious new-wave-inspired electro-glam with a provocative playfulness that mixes carnality with a sense of humor and stimulates dancing with wild abandon.

The brainchild of front man Chad Raines (a.k.a.

Rad Chaines), The Simple Pleasure has released four riotously entertaining albums including its latest, The Glamour of It All..., and on the heels of its 4-time-zone-spanning tour, it has released its VHS Mixes EP, which revisits six of its “heavier songs mastered with the magic of VHS tape.”

Raines (“I’m a eunuch that yearns for love”) and his partner Admiral Grey (“I pack the heat and drive the getaway car”) answered some questions

for The Pulse in advance of their Feb. 28 show at Artifact (1080 Duncan Ave.), which will also feature Kara’Mel Kittyy, Meinschaft, Tryezz, GMO Sharia Law and the one-and-only perennial political candidate Basil Marceaux (Dot Com).

Currently based in New York City, The Simple Pleasure was formed by Raines in Austin, Texas around a decade ago with a stint in Philadelphia, and both Raines and Grey (also a member of Cellular Chaos and Ecstatics) have diverse careers and are established in the New York theater scene.

“I write music and sound design for theater which is a great way to get paid for writing music,” said Raines, who studied sound design at Yale. “It keeps my compositional chops up and also introduces me to a variety of artists and ideas that keep my head from going too far up my ass.”

“Theater shaped me as a performer—but not the modern theater I do as an adult—the musical theater that I did as a kid,” said Grey, a playwright and composer who sings and plays bass in The

MUSIC

“When I’m performing, I’m entirely being genuine. I invite people to laugh and smile because I think it is much better than crying.”

Simple Pleasure. “Keeping your poise while playing and singing even if the shit hits the fan, being expressive and keeping up your rapport with the audience are all things that become second nature if you start performing at a young age, which we both did.”

“I think we are attempting to be more genuine and engaging with the audiences we encounter as well instead of trying to be aggressive,” said Raines, regarding the band’s evolving live show. “Making a connection rather than an impression.”

The Simple Pleasure’s unpredictable live performances are the stuff of legend, and Raines especially treasures “the ones where we win over a crowd of strangers and get people dancing and making new friends.”

“But the better stories are the ones that don’t go so

brewer media

well,” said Raines. “Recently in Providence, R.I. we were cut off after our second song for breaking a table and aggressing the audience because no one would stand within 20 feet of us. The club owner threatened to slit my throat if I continued. I was worried about Providence mobsters slashing our tires or stuff.”

It can be difficult for musicians to infuse humor into music without being dismissed as a novelty, but The Simple Pleasure pulls off humor with both its lyrics and delivery, on bizarro-world hits such as “Sorry Dad, (I’m Straight)” and the satirical “MilfShake.”

“It’s my belief that humor is an unintended consequence of living,” said Raines. “I think a rule is not trying to be funny. When I’m performing, I’m entirely being genuine. I invite people to laugh and smile because I think it is much better than crying.”

“Before I was in The Simple Pleasure, I liked how the songs were fun, but sincere and passionate—

sometimes even gently heartbreaking,” said Grey. “Then you would realize Chad was singing something really hilarious and almost miss it. I think we both can be big hams on-stage, and some of what Chad was saying about being more genuine is letting the sly humor and bombast in the music play where it lays.”

Regarding being a Do-It-Yourself (D.I.Y.) artist, Raines gained experience playing in Amanda Palmer’s backing band The Grand Theft Orchestra.

“I learned how hard she works to make a living doing what she’s doing,” said Raines. “It’s a full time job, and 85 percent of it has nothing to do with art. It’s part of the new music economy business in which the artist has to do everything.”

“There are awesome things and very frustrating things about being continuously D.I.Y.,” said Grey. “But as time goes on, it feels more like a ‘fight’ in a sense, as good art should feel.”

“It’s important to always ask yourself the ‘Why?’ and ‘What for?’ of your actions as an artist, and make sure you have the honest and true answer for yourself,” said Grey. “That will tell you what your next step should be.”

THU2.23 The Black Jacket Symphony

The multi-talented group presents Queen’s A Night at the Opera live on stage in a two-night experience.

8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com

FRI2.24 Col. Bruce Hampton

The surrealist American musician has been performing for nearly five decades and shows no sign of slowing anytime soon.

8 p.m.

Wayne-O-Rama 1800 Rossville Dr. wayneorama.com

SAT2.25 Double Dick Slick, Plvnet, Rye Baby

A trio of Chattanooga's best and most popular live bands take the stage for a night to remember.

8 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

Chattanooga’s Greatest Hits

everywhere. every day.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 21

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

The Black Jacket Symphony

THURSDAY2.23 Spoonz 6 p.m.

Memo's Grill 430 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 267-7283 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 Prime Country Band 6:30 p.m.

Motley’s 320 Emberson Dr. Ringgold, GA (706) 260-8404 Zowie Boyd 7:30 p.m.

Jazzanooga Arts Space 431 E. MLK Blvd. jazzanooga.org Bluegrass Thursdays 7:30 p.m.

Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com The Black Jacket Symphony: Queen’s A Night at the Opera 8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com Keepin’ It Local 8 p.m.

The Social

22 • THE PULSE • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

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

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

FRIDAY2.24 Spoonz 6 p.m.

Memo's Grill 430 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 267-7283 Eddie Pontiac 6 p.m.

El Meson 2204 Hamilton Place Blvd. elmesonrestaurant.com The Hopeful Country Band 7 p.m.

Motley’s

320 Emberson Dr. Ringgold, GA (706) 260-8404 Black Jacket Symphony: Queen’s A Night at the Opera 7 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com Seaux Chill 7:30 p.m.

Jazzanooga Arts Space 431 E. MLK Blvd. jazzanooga.org The Nude Party 8 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Col. Bruce Hampton 8 p.m.

Wayne-O-Rama 1800 Rossville Dr. wayneorama.com

SPOTLIGHT: ANNABELLE'S CURSE This five-piece "alternative folk" band out of Bristol has been touring extensively since 2010, building a devoted fanbase with their audience friendly sound and performances.

Annabelle’s Curse Saturday, 10 p.m.

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

Instant Replay 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com The Menace From Earth 9 p.m.

Ziggy’s Bar & Grill 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Candlebox 9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Jess Goggans 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Pamela K. Ward and The Last Call Orchestra 9 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Charge the Atlantic 10 p.m.

Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com Voodoo Slim 10 p.m.

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

SATURDAY2.25 Spoonz 6 p.m.

Memo's Grill 430 E. MLK Blvd.

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Candlebox (423) 267-7283 Barefoot Nellie & Co. Noon The Honest Pint 35 Pattern Pkwy. thehonestpint.com 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 Double Dick Slick, Plvnet, Rye Baby 8 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Kathy Webb and Jim Palmour 8 p.m.

Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. (423) 892-4960 Instant Replay 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Hip Hop Cha 9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Black Heart 9 p.m.

Ziggy’s Bar & Grill 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Annabelle’s Curse

10 p.m.

Clyde’s On Main 122 W. Main St. clydesonmain.com Chris Ryan 10 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Voodoo Slim 10 p.m.

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

SUNDAY2.26 The Violin Transfigured 10:30 a.m.

The Church of Nativity Episcopal Church 1201 Cross St. (706) 866-9773 Mountain Creek House Fire 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com CSO Side by Side 3 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Jazzanooga Presents: The Sounds of Freedom 5 p.m.

Jazzanooga Arts Space 431 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 402-0452 jazzanooga.org Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775 Russell Gulley, Endelouz, Tomcat & The Torpedo Band, Silver Tongued Devilz 7 p.m.

Ziggy’s Bar & Grill 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Harbor, Crowns, Formative Years 8 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

MONDAY2.27 Open Air with Jessica Nunn 6 p.m.

The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. Granfalloonchattanooga.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

TUESDAY2.28 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

WEDNESDAY3.1 Eddie Pontiac 5:30 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonrestaurant.com Live Music Wednesday’s 6 p.m.

Waterside Lounge 495 Riverfront Pkwy.

(423) 834-9300 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 Sam Killed the Bear CD Party 8 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com The 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 • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 23

RECORD REVIEWS ∙ ADAM BECKETT

Dream Collective L.U.S.T., Chance McDaniel The Rainy Season

Dream Collective L.U.S.T. (soundcloud.com)

Chance McDaniel The Rainy Season (bandcamp.com)

C

Dream Collective touches hearts and makes heads bob.

They have an extraordinarily unique sound, and styles completely switch as each track progresses. As a collective, they dream together. They work together to be one and do not seek individual recognition. None of the members of the band use their real names as part of the project, instead they utilize names from Greek mythology.

With five standout tracks, it is hard to say that any one track on the album is better than the rest, however, “De-

hattanooga’s own Dream Collective is taking the city by storm with their powerful waves. The music that they create is a passionate and soul filled mix of blues, rock, and rap. Their thought provoking lyrics touch on subjects of love, politics, spirituality, and life. With a versatile and eclectic makeup, the band coagulates to produce a raw and uncut sound that is organically funky; it will get inside of bones and bounce around.

With the recent release of their EP L.U.S.T (Lonely Universe Syndrome Theory),

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mons” is a particularly dominating song. It is a track that is easily relatable to due to the fact that everybody struggles with their own personal demons, whatever they may be.

The passion and understanding of struggling with demons pours from the song, and it can only be portrayed by artistic minded people that have firsthand experience of conquering them.

All of the songs seem to have the intention to open minds, and inspire the listeners to question some real life issues that are often overlooked. “What if”, is another powerful and heartfelt track that is sure to get the wheels turning and heart punch the listener.

Dream Collective is a community minded group that is constantly grinding to make their sound heard, while connecting the communities’ progressive movements in inspiring fashion.

Look for their upcoming free event GrowNooga at the Mercy Junction Justice and Peace Center on March 25th.

C

hance McDaniel is a musical artist from Dunlap, Tennessee. He is a recent Chattanooga State Graduate, and inspirational artist. The powerful play goes on, and McDaniel has contributed an amazing verse with his 2017 release of his electro-acoustic album The Rainy Season.

No matter the genre, any artist that pours their heart and soul into their sound gains instant separation from the rest. It is rare for an instrumental artist to be able to grasp a listener, and make them feel raw emotion from it.

With relatable words, an artist can make people understand where they are coming from with passion and tone.

Emotion is easily expressed through the human vocabulary, but it takes a special being to be able to convey their message through instruments alone.

According to McDaniel, “music is a way cooler way of communicating”, and The Rainy Season was produced, performed, and composed,

by McDaniel during the hardest months of his life. Instead of talking or singing about it, he simply let the music speak for him.

McDaniel does not make cookie cutter music; it is its own unique blend of music.

While it sounds amazing, it is music that bypasses the eardrums and skips straight to heart and soul penetration.

It is easily relatable to by anybody with a functioning pulse. Every song on the album has its own spellbinding and catchy tune, however the tracks that really standout are “I Spent Time With Everyone”, “Parking”, and “Find Home”.

While certain individuals might write off this album before giving it an honest listen due to its electro-acoustic genre tag, they would be making a mistake. This album is very well done, and it deserves to be heard.

Chattanooga has a thriving music scene, and the artists rely on the local eardrums for support. And no one is more deserving of support than this fantastic young artist.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 25

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

The List Pearly Whites

ROB BREZSNY

Everyone likes having bright white teeth, Even the villains in movies and on TV have pearly whites. So it's no surprise that we spend a lot of money trying to get our choppers shiny.

According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, we spend $1.4 billion a year on teeth whitening. No, really.

• Average price of in-office dental tooth whitening: $600 • Average price of home teeth whitening kit: $34.99 • Percent who saw a noticeable difference from in-office teeth whitening procedure: 82.5% • Percent who saw a noticeable difference from a home whitestrip teeth whitening procedure: 63.8% • Percent who say they are "concerned by the look of their teeth": 32% • Percent of adults who believe an attractive smile makes you more appealing to the opposite sex: 96% • Percent of adults who believe an unattractive smile can hurt the career: 74% Obsess much? Yep...but we're Americans. It's what we do.

Source: statisticbrain.com/teethwhitening-statistics/

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): What would your best mother do in a situation like this? Please note that I’m not asking, “What would your mother do?” I’m not suggesting you call on the counsel of your actual mother. When I use the term “your best mother,” I’m referring to the archetype of your perfect mother.

Imagine a wise older woman who understands you telepathically, loves you unconditionally, and wants you to live your life according to your own inner necessity, not hers or anyone else’s. Visualize her.

Call on her. Seek her blessings.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): My astrological radar suggests there’s a space-time anomaly looming just ahead of you. Is it a fun and exotic limbo where the rules are flexible and everything’s an experiment?

That might be cool. Or is it more like an alien labyrinth where nothing is as it seems, you can hear howling in the distance, and you barely recognize yourself? That might be weird.

What do you think? Is it worth the gamble? If so, full speed ahead. If not, I suggest a course correction.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Someone on Reddit.com asked readers to respond to the question, “What is the most liberating thought you’ve ever had?” Among the replies were the following six: 1. “If new evidence presents itself, it’s okay to change my beliefs.” 2. “I get to choose who’s in my life and who isn’t.” 3. “I am not my history.” 4. “You can’t change something that has already happened, so stop worrying about it.” 5. “I am not, nor will I ever be, conventionally beautiful.” 6. “I don’t have to respond to people when they say stupid s--- to me.” I hope these testimonies inspire you to come up with several of your own, Taurus. It’s a perfect time to formulate liberating intentions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): It has

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been a while since I told you that I love you. So I’m doing it now. I LOVE YOU. More than you could ever imagine. And that’s why I continue to offer these horoscopes to you free of charge, with no strings attached. That’s why I work so hard to be a playful therapist and an edgy mentor for you. That’s why I am so tenacious in my efforts to serve you as a feminist father figure and a kindly devil’s advocate and a sacred cheerleader. Again, I don’t expect anything in return from you.

But if you would like to express your appreciation, you could do so by offering a similar type of wellcrafted care to people in your own sphere. Now would be an excellent time to give such gifts.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): “I like the word ‘bewilderment’ because it has both ‘be’ and ‘wild’ in it,” says poet Peter Gizzi. I propose that you go even further, Cancerian: Express a fondness for the actual experience of bewilderment as well as the word. In fact, be willing to not just tolerate, but actually embrace the fuzzy blessings of bewilderment. In the coming weeks, that’s your ticket to being wild in the healthiest (and wealthiest) ways.

As you wander innocently through the perplexing mysteries that make themselves available, you’ll be inspired to escape formalities and needless rules that have kept you overly tame.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Are you familiar with psychologist Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow? It’s the unflattering or uncomfortable part of you that you would prefer to ignore or suppress. It’s the source of behavior about which you later say, “I wasn’t acting like myself.” Jungians say that the shadow hounds you and wounds you to the degree that you refuse to deal with it. But if you negotiate with it, it leads you to beautiful surprises. It prods you to uncover riches you’ve hidden from yourself. I mention this, Leo, because any shadow work you do in the coming weeks could generate rather spectacular breakthroughs.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You could make a vow like this: “Between now and April 15, I will be relentless in getting my needs met. I will harbor a steely resolve to call on every ploy necessary to ensure that my deepest requirements are not just gratified, but satiated to the max.

I will be a dogged and ferocious seeker of absolute fulfillment.” If

Homework: Find a new person or institution you can eagerly and earnestly respect. Report on your triumph at Freewillastrology.com you want to swear an oath like that, Virgo, I understand. But I hope you will try a softer approach—more like the following: “Between now and April 15, I will be imaginative and ingenious in getting my needs met. I will have fun calling on every trick necessary to ensure that my deepest requirements are playfully addressed. I will be a sweedt seeker of unpredictable fulfillment.”

to be among the least home-nurturing people in the zodiac. But I’m confident that by the time I return, raccoons won’t be living in my kitchen, nor will my plants be dead or my snailmail stolen or my TV broken. The current astrological omens suggest that most of you Centaurs, at least for the foreseeable future, will display an uncommon aptitude for the domestic arts.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): How would Buddha ask for a raise or promotion? How would Jesus tinker with his career plans as he took into consideration large-scale shifts in the economy? How would Confucius try to infuse new approaches and ideas into the status quo of his work environment? Ruminate deeply on these matters, dear Libra. Your yearning to be more satisfyingly employed may soon be rewarded—especially if you infuse your ambitions with holy insight. How would Joan of Arc break through the glass ceiling? How would Harriet Tubman deal with the inefficiencies caused by excess testosterone? How would Hildegard of Bingen seek more emotional richness on the job?

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The near future will be mutable, whimsical, and fluky. It’ll be serendipitous, mercurial, and extemporaneous. You should expect happy accidents and lucky breaks. Your ability to improvise will be quite valuable. Do you believe in lucky numbers? Even if you don’t, yours will be 333. Your sacred password will be “quirky plucky.” The cartoon characters with whom you will have most in common are Bugs Bunny and Roadrunner. The place where you’re most likely to encounter a crucial teaching is a threshold or thrift shop. Your colors of destiny will be flecked and dappled. (P.S.: I suspect that an as-yetundiscovered talisman of power is crammed in a drawer full of junk.)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): I suspect you would benefit from acquiring a new bedroom name, my dear. But should I be the one to give it to you? I’m not sure. Maybe you could invite a practical dreamer you adore to provide you with this crazy sweet new moniker. If there is no such person to do the job (although given the current astrological omens, I bet there is), I’ll offer the following array of amorous aliases for you to choose from: Wild Face…Kiss Genius…

Thrill Witch…Freaky Nectar…Boink Master…Lust Moxie…Pearly Thunder…Peach Licker…Painkiller…

Silky Bliss…Slippery Diver…Swoon Craver.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Treat your body like a sublime temple, please. And regard your imagination as a treasured sanctuary. Be very choosy about what you allow to enter in to both of those holy places. This strategy is always a wise idea, of course, but it’s especially so now, when you are extra sensitive to the influences you absorb. It’s crucial that you express maximum discernment as you determine which foods, drinks, drugs, images, sounds, and ideas are likely to foster your maximum well-being—and which aren’t. Be a masterful caretaker of your health and sanity.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Soon I’ll be off on my first vacation in 18 months. At first glance it might seem odd for an astrologer like myself to have selected two Sagittarians to be my housesitters.

Members of your sign are reputed

Rob Brezsny is an aspiring master of curiosity, perpetrator of sacred uproar, and founder of the Beauty and Truth Lab. He brings a literate, myth-savvy perspective to his work.

It’s all in the stars.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 27

OPINIONS & DIVERSIONS

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JONESIN' CROSSWORD ∙ MATT JONES

“When Words Collide”—you can do it.

ACROSS 1 Fast food sandwich option 14 Kids’ game played on a higher level?

15 They’re called for in extreme cases 16 Mention 17 Bankable vacation hrs., in some workplaces 18 Black or red insect 19 It’s slightly higher than B 20 Hairy cousin of Morticia 21 Like muffled sound recordings, slangily 22 Bridge, in Brindisi 23 Labor Day Telethon org.

24 Orange tea that’s really black 25 Parts of joules 26 They get their picks in dark matter 28 Seattle-based craft beer brand 29 Bite matchups, in dental X-rays 33 Mardi ___

37 Battery count 38 React with disgust 39 “Pride ___ before destruction” 40 Cabinet dept. since 1977 41 “Primetime Justice wtih Ashleigh Banfield” network 42 Definitely gonna 43 Elvis Presley’s record label 44 Mockstunned “Me?” 45 Coca-Cola Company founder Asa 46 You’ll want to keep it clean 49 “Ugh, so many responsibilities!”

50 Transfers of people (or profits) to their home countries DOWN 1 Type of dish at brunch 2 Feels hurt by 3 “In the event it’s for real ...”

4 Buttonholes, really 5 A little, to Verdi 6 ___ Kippur 7 Moved way too slowly 8 “Perfectly Good Guitar” singer John 9 “This ___ unfair!”

10 Actor Gulager of “The Virginian” 11 Amateur night activity, maybe 12 “Not ___ a minute ...”

13 Cartoonish villains 14 Quake 15 Heavy curtain 20 Gem State resident 21 “Billion Dollar Brain” novelist Deighton 23 “Reclining Nude” painter 24 Water___ (dental brand) 26 Annual Vegas trade show full of tech debuts 27 “The Italian Job” actor ___ Def

28 Country with a red, white, and blue flag: abbr.

29 Unlikely to win most golf tournaments 30 Admit defeat 31 Explain 32 8 1/2” x 11” size, briefly 33 ___ knot (difficult problem) 34 Two-___ (movie shorts) 35 Be present 36 Sandcastle spot 39 Avid 41 Norse god of indecision that helped create humans (RHINO anag.)

42 Quaint version of “according to me” 44 Abolitionist Lucretia 45 Debt memo 47 1974 Hearst abductors 48 Airport near Forest Hills, N.Y.

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. 820 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 29

COLUMN ∙ GAME ON!

Getting Medieval with UbiSoft Great Odin’s Beard, I launched that knight’s head over a wall!

Brand Watson

Pulse columnist

I

’M NOT AN EASILY EXCITABLE PERson, many who know me find it hard to get a rise out of me. It’s possibly my gruff veteran interior and growing up in a stoic household. So being a bit of a stick-in-themud when it comes to new releases is just in my natur. It’s a matter of hope for the best but expect the worst pretty much every time.

In a strategic exercise to not let my nature rule my choices, I picked up a game that, quite frankly, I didn’t care about in the slightest. I wasn’t excited for a day-one release and I’ve been so disappointed in UbiSoft games as of late that my purchase felt as if I took sixty hard earned dollars and burned it in my front yard.

I stepped outside the comfort zone with this one, folks, but it was the box art, and every time it’s my Achilles heel because, let’s be honest, placing a Viking on the cover of anything and I pretty much want to own it.

But with my predisposition for disappointment with Ubisoft, I begrudgingly gave For Honor a shot and amazingly, for once, I am very surprised.

Because, oh baby, For Honor is a history geek’s wet dream wrapped in a plate mail taco shell!

The premise of For Honor wants you to believe that sometime around the medieval period a great cataclysm rearranged the continents and somehow brought Japan, Norway, and Europe together in fun and

hilariously violent ways. They’ve warred for a millennia and so history doesn’t progress as it should.

It’s a bit ridiculous but it sets an amazingly bloody stage for a world of all my favorite aspects of the feudal era, full frontal combat and catapults.

For Honor is both fun and frustratingly difficult to get your head around. I say this because it plays with a controller scheme that takes some practice to get right. It’s a combination of fast twitch and button smash sort of mixed with quick time context events and, to be honest, it works rather well.

For instance, you can plow right in and start bashing the idiot henchmen with a bulked-up Viking by knocking them around like ragdolls. The raw power of a Nordic Bull in a China shop comes to mind and all this to advance your friendly army to control territory or to push back the enemies’ front lines.

Then there is warrior dual mechanic that stand out as a mix of “whoa!” with a little bit of “oh crap!” You won’t find a lazy method to parry or block every attack and then spam the blue button until you win, like pretty much every Assassin’s Creed game ever!

No, For Honor requires one to read their opponent and make judgments on whether to attack from the side or block or dodge.

Some enemies are slow and can be anticipated or maneuvered around with ease and others are

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dual wielding berserks that will make your head spin swinging at air.

There are unlockables and game customizations for multiplayer because what new triple-A would be complete without them these days?

Ubisoft has an infatuation with filling the game screen with menus and sub-menus and customizations which can be fun if you like your games to interrupt you with PowerPoint slides after every level.

I like my games to pull me in not remind me of an Economics class.

There is also an intriguing story in the single player campaign that I’ve barely scratched but find myself curious enough to roll with to get myself ready for the multiplayer.

(Which I never care about in any aspect of gaming but for once I do want to try bashing people over the head as an Ironclad beast-of-war.)

For Honor is a brutally fun experience and I am hopeful it will have

staying power since I have started tinkering. Graphics are fine but I really appreciate the sound design for making the battles engaging and hearing the muffled voices of men and women in slick plate armor shamefully gets me giddy. I just have a penchant for some realism even if the premise is ludicrous.

So, if you are a person who wants to step away from saving the universe by slaying slimy tentacle monsters, For Honorr is great way to get that pulse going with tense medieval duals that could satisfy the inner blood thirsty berserker in us all.

Plus Vikings vs. Samurais? Shut up and take my money!

Brandon Watson has been on the gaming scene since first dropping coins in an arcade cabinet many moons ago. When not vaporizing zombies or leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, he is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • FEBRUARY 23, 2017 • THE PULSE • 31