The Pulse 14.16 » April 20, 2017 by Brewer Media Group

BRENT SANDERS · STEREOFEET ROCK · MST3K IS BACK!

APRIL 20, 2017

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

CELEBRATING THE EMERGING ARTISTS OF THE REGION'S PREMIER ARTS FESTIVAL

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VOLUME 14, ISSUE 16 APRIL 20, 2017

CONTENTS 4

CELEBRATE SCI-FI & SUPERHEROES

The world class Chattanooga Symphony is a legendary aspect of Chattanooga’s thriving music and arts scene. And for a very good reason.

THE BRIGHT AND BOLD VISIONS OF BRENT SANDERS

Brent Sanders is nearing the four-year mark at his Main Street location, but he’s no newbie to Chattanooga. Sanders grew up here and spent his youth getting acquainted with the city.

STEREOFEET COME TO LIFE WITH NEW ALBUM

A bad day writing is when I sit here listening to an album, thinking, “Well what in the hell am I going to say about this?” A good day writing is when I sit here listening to an album thinking, “How in the hell am I going to say everything?”

MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 IS BACK IN SPACE

My life changed in a variety of ways when I was thirteen or fourteen. My parents had built a house away from the neighborhood where I grew up. I moved away from my friends.

ALSO INSIDE 5 7 21 24 29 32 35

CONSIDER THIS JUST A THEORY BUSINESS BRIEFS ARTS CALENDAR DINING OUT MUSIC CALENDAR RECORD REVIEWS

The 4 Bridges Arts Festival One of the region's premier arts festivals, 4 Bridges, returns to the First Tennessee Pavilion this weekend with even more artists, entertainment, and food trucks. We sat down with this year's emerging artists to learn more about them and their work.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS 37 39 41 42 42 45 46

MIXOLOGY NEW IN THEATERS DIVERSIONS THE LIST FREE WILL ASTROLOGY JONESIN' CROSSWORD ON THE BEAT

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.

Whitni McDonald teaches writing at Southern Adventist University and is deeply appreciative of Chattanooga’s burgeoning cultural scene. You can follow her on Twitter @ whitni_ann and at whitni.tumblr.com

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BEGINNINGS ∙ CITY LIFE

Celebrate Sci-Fi & Superheroes Chattanooga Symphony brings supernatural music down to earth By Adam Beckett Pulse contributor

T 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 Adam Beckett • Rob Brezsny Steven W. Disbrow • Matt Jones Whitni McDonald • Ernie Paik Rick Pimental-Habib Stephanie Smith • Alex Teach Editorial Interns Addie Whitlow • Alex Plaumann Cartoonists Max Cannon • Rob Rogers Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

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Offices 1305 Carter St. Chattanooga, TN 37402 Phone 423.265.9494 Email info@chattanoogapulse.com Website 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.

HE WORLD CLASS CHATTANOOga Symphony is a legendary aspect of Chattanooga’s thriving music and arts scene. While throughout the season, many of their astounding shows like Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5, Dvorak Symphony No. 7, Mozart and Mahler, and Bartok Concerto for Orchestra, potentially get overlooked by some of the younger generations of Chattanoogans, this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Tivoli Theater, the CSO will be presenting its original production of Sci-Fi and Superheroes, as part of their Luken Holdings Pops Series, which will captivate people of all ages. Sci-Fi and Superheroes, will play music from Batman, Dr. Who, James Bond, The Twilight Zone, Lord of the Rings, Pirates of the Caribbean, Superman, Star Trek, Star Wars, and more. According to CSO’s, “This heroic CSO production will feature the best of Sci-Fi television shows and movies, and will involve tributes to superheroes from Marvel and DC comics” and will be a “family fun event that is perfect for gamers, con-attendees, and self-professed geeks.” Hosting such a versatile event is a great way for the CSO to draw in crowds of people that might not have, or be interested in an opportunity to see what the local powerhouse orchestra is capable of. From a musical experience standpoint, once the power of the CSO touches a person, that feeling will never be forgotten, and it more than likely will be something that they continue attending for the rest of their life. It is that kind of thing that people do not necessarily know that they are into until they are standing in the realm covered in chill bumps, completely enraptured. The broad spectrum of the fan base that coagulates to unite under the sci-fi and superhero umbrella is infinite. There is no way to pinpoint the makeup of a fan: they are

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“The broad spectrum of the fan base that coagulates to unite under the sci-fi and superhero umbrella is infinite.” children, adults, teenagers, grandparents, doctors, nurses, lawyers, gardeners, gamers, cooks, scientists, servers, upholsters, customer service specialists, laborers, professionals, and everything in between. They are sporadically sprinkled throughout society, and in tremendously large numbers. The Sci-Fi and Superheroes event is a special event that will give the CSO the power to enchant a wide ranged audience, and pave the way for future generations to pack the theaters and auditoriums that they play in for years to come. It will ensure the continued success of the local music and arts scene, and help to guide the younger generations to take part of its magic. This will be a spectacular event, Chattanooga. With a relatable to

all presentation from one of the finest Symphony Orchestras on Planet Earth, this should be considered a must attend event by music, sci-fi, and superhero fans from the area. This is our chance to relive our childhood memories, and to spark the interest of our own children, while being a superhero for a night for bringing the family to such a stellar event. With composer Bob Bernhardt, and soprano Mela Dailey, music selections include presentations from Arr. Calvin Custer, Danny Elfman, Gaetano Donizetti, John Williams, Michael Giacchino, Klaus Badelt/Ricketts, Giacomo Puccini, and Howard Shore/Whitney. Tickets start at $21, and are available online at chattanoogasymphony.org

Consider This with Dr. Rick

EdiToon by Rob Rogers

“Clutter is not just physical stuff. It’s old ideas, toxic relationships and bad habits. Clutter is anything that does not support your better self.” — Eleanor Brown

A Lucid Tales Vision Comes To The Edney Lucid Tales Productions will host “Lucid Visions, An Art Show” this Friday at The Edney, starting at 7 p.m. Lucid Visions is an art show that will feature local artists, and will also stream the newly released album, Rainy Season by Chance McDaniel. Lucid Visions have confirmed five local artists who will have their work on display, Tori Fyfe, Jessica Cook, Jet Smith, Cheryl Craver, and Robert Schoolfield. Lucid Tales Productions was inspired to put on this event to fulfill their mission of showcasing the local artists and tal-

ents in Chattanooga. They have come to know a great deal about the talented artists in Chattanooga, and they strive to give them a platform to display their art, and a stage to tell their stories.

At “Lucid Visions, An Art Show” you can expect a few different mediums of art on display including, painting, photography, and digital art. This show is all about supporting your local artists, as well as experiencing the unique art within Chattanooga that may cause you to take a look at things from a different perspective. Lucid Visions is an art show that will not only be fun and enjoyable, but also a show that you might leave thinking about things in a new light, and in my opinion, that’s what good art always does. — Alex Plaumann

So where is your clutter? Around the house? Filling your mind and keeping you stuck in your prejudices? In your old ways of doing things that take up too much time and energy? In your relationships that no longer work? If you see the clutter in your life as toxic, then you’ve accomplished the first step: identifying the problem. Now where will you go from here? It takes courage to say, No more toxic clutter…I can’t breathe! And to make the necessary changes. I tell folks that when you get rid of the one unhealthy relationship in your life, you’re then free to turn in another direction and welcome all the healthy relationships that have been waiting to meet you. It’s but one example of how clutter keeps you stuck. How does clutter play out in your life? — Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

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COLUMN ∙ JUST A THEORY

Keep Watching The Skies! So much is going on above our heads, you want to keep your eyes peeled

Steven W. Disbrow Pulse columnist

S LONG-TIME READERS KNOW, space science is a particular interest of mine. One reason is that there’s always something interesting going on. In fact, the next few months are going to be particularly exciting as there are several events to look forward to. Asteroid Flyby of Earth The first big event happens…this week! That’s right, as this issue of The Pulse is being distributed throughout the city, a fairly large asteroid, known by the super-sexy name of “2014 JO25”, will be whizzing past the Earth. As I said, this is a pretty big chunk of rock, about 650 meters across. But there’s no chance it will hit us. It’s closest approach of 1.8 million kilometers is more than five times the distance to the moon. (Which is about 384 thousand kilometers away.) But, once it passes by, you should be able to see it with small telescopes or binoculars for a week or so. The Grand Finale The Cassini mission to Saturn launched back in October of 1997. It took the school bus-sized probe about seven years to get to Saturn, and once it got there it began sending back absolutely amazing images and data. Not only did it dispatch the Huygens probe to land on the surface of Titan, it also

found (and flew through) water geysers emanating from the moon Enceladus! Alas, all good things must end, and the Cassini mission is no exception. The probe is running out of fuel, and so the folks running the mission have decided to go out in grand fashion indeed. Starting on April 26th, Cassini will attempt to make a total of 22 orbits through the space between Saturn and its rings. These will be the closest passes ever made to Saturn and the first made through this gap. Assuming the probe survives, the final orbit will take it into the clouds of Saturn, where it will burn up completely. Why? It’s to protect Enceladus and the other moons from possible contamination by any Earth bacteria that may have hitched a ride on the probe. Total Solar Eclipse! Right Here! Well, not right here, but it’s gonna be close enough that we can all drive there. On Monday, August 21st, beginning at 1:02 p.m. there will be a partial Solar Eclipse visible from the Chattanooga area. (A “Solar Eclipse” is where the moon passes between the Earth and the Sun.) If you want to see the total eclipse (and, believe me, you do), all you really need to do is drive North to Cleveland or Dayton. Both of those locations will be treated to a total eclipse of the Sun for over two hours! (Actually,

according to the various “eclipse maps” on the internet, you can probably just go to the North end of Soddy Daisy and get the full effect.) Staring Into the Void Earlier this month, scientists used a virtual telescope as big as the Earth itself to take a photo of a possible black hole at the center of our galaxy. They created this telescope (called the Event Horizon Telescope) by pointing a bunch of smaller telescopes from all over the world at the same patch of sky. Then they recorded data from these for ten days. That patch of sky just happens to contain the suspected black hole at the center of our galaxy. All of the data from all of these telescopes will be collected and run through special software that will account for time difference between the telescopes, effectively

turning them all into one Earthsized telescope! What should pop out on the other side is not an actual picture of the black hole (because, y’know, light can’t escape a black hole), but rather a picture of the shadow that the black hole casts. Unfortunately, one of the telescopes in the project is in Antarctica, and they can’t actually retrieve the hard disk from there until the end of the Antarctic winter in October. Even then, there’s so much data to process (at least a petabyte), that it will take months of processing time. All told, we won’t see any actual images until mid2018 at the earliest. But when we do see it all, expect it to be very cool. Steven W. Disbrow is a programmer who specializes in e-commerce and mobile systems development, an entrepreneur, comicbook nerd, writer, improviser, actor, sometime television personality and parent of two human children.

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Meet Kyle Baker

Nashville artist sees the entire world as his palette By Stephanie Smith Pulse contributor

This year there are six: Kyle Baker, Elena Burykina, Will Jackson, Georgianna Pollock, Jason Rafferty, and Alicia Williams. The Pulse’s Stephanie Smith sat down with the artists to find out more about what special art they will be bringing to the festival. The Pulse: Where are you from and what is your specialty that will be featured at the festival? Kyle Baker: I am from Nashville, and I specialize in drawing and painting.

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TP: How do you create your work? Where do you find materials? KB: I typically start with small life studies. Next, I take photos, and then move on to a final piece on a large scale. TP: Where do you show your work? KB: I have shown my work in different places throughout the east coast including Nashville, TN, Vero Beach, FL, Asheville, NC, and Philadelphia, PA. TP: How did you get interested in your work? KB: I’ve always enjoyed looking at drawings and paintings, so it naturally made sense for me to make the same type of work I enjoy looking at. TP: Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?

KB: Most of my inspiration is out of habit. I just go to the studio almost every day and stuff starts to happen. TP: Which artists/people have influenced your work? KB: All of my professors in college were great and each helped me in their own way. I personally love the work of Caravaggio, Sargent, Alice Neel, Lucian Freud, and the list is on- going. TP: What direction are you headed in next? KB: I am literally headed East next. I am moving to Vietnam in July to teach English for a year. I will work out of a sketchbook and do a lot of life drawing while I am there. If I can find a space, I will set up a studio and paint large scale.

“I’ve always enjoyed looking at drawings and paintings, so it naturally made sense for me to make the same type of work I enjoy looking at.”

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Elena Burykina From Russia with artistic love

By Stephanie Smith Pulse contributor

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This year there are six: Kyle Baker, Elena Burykina, Will Jackson, Georgianna Pollock, Jason Rafferty, and Alicia Williams. The Pulse’s Stephanie Smith sat down with the artists to find out more about what special art they will be bringing to the festival. The Pulse: Where are you from and what is your specialty that will be featured at the festival? Elena Burykina: I was born in UlanUde, a city in the Russian Far East, in 1977. In 1985, my family left the Russian Far East and moved west over 6000 km and across six time zones to Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. It was here

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“My whole life I have wanted to create art. I have drawn and painted since kindergarten, and I have always wanted to learn and use new techniques.” that I received my first classical art education. For eleven years of primary and secondary schooling and during four years of art school for children, I was taught drawing, painting, sculpture, and art history. After working for more than a decade as an architect, I returned my full attention to art in 2011. I moved to the United States in 2013, and I focused on oils and watercolors until 2016, when I took a linoleum block printmaking class with Melissa Hefferlin at Townsend Atelier. I have worked for a year to produce a portfolio of hand pulled linoleum prints, and this is what I will present at the festival. TP: How do you create your work? Where do you find materials? EB: I create the work by carving my ideas into linoleum blocks. I then ink the block and stamp the block onto different kinds of paper. I prefer Japanese paper because it is translucent and has different textures that become part of the print. I purchase materials from different places. TP: Where do you show your work? EB: I have participated in pop up galleries in Chattanooga and Columbia, SC. I have created one print that will be on display at the Edwin Hotel. TP: How did you get interested in your work? EB: My whole life I have wanted to create art. I have drawn and painted since kindergarten, and I have always wanted to learn and use new techniques. Melissa Hefferlin taught me this print making tech-

nique, and I wanted to take classes with her because I love her linocuts. TP: Where do you find inspiration for your pieces? EB: I get most of my ideas from what I see in nature. Most of my prints are of flowers and of ocean plants and birds. I have also started a collection called “Old Bridges of Small Town America” that includes linocuts of two bridges in Chattanooga and one in Beaufort, SC. This theme is very connected to my previous work as an architect. TP: Which artists/people have influenced your work? EB: I have taken classes with Melissa Hefferlin, Daud Akhriev and Alissa Monks, and all have been direct influences on me. I also love the work of Gerhard Richter and Nicolai Fechin. TP: What does the future look like for art in general and more specifically what direction are you headed

in next? EB: There seems to be growing interest in art in the towns I have visited in America. I think that art is more accessible to many people than even a few years ago, because of the internet and because of art festivals like Four Bridges. I also think that perhaps new forms of art will appear. I will continue to paint and make linoleum prints, and I am very interested in learning more about etching and lithography.

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Meet Will Jackson

Finding art in leftover construction materials By Stephanie Smith Pulse contributor

COVER STORY use wood from fallen trees although I sometimes laminate wood scraps from construction leftovers. These elements form the base of my pieces which are often assembled in combination with reclaimed metal objects, twine, electrical wiring, rope, etc. The process usually includes finding interesting materials that would normally be cast aside. Part of my mission as an artist is to restore value back to materials, particularly objects which have little or no perceived value to start with. TP: Where do you show your work? WJ: I have only recently begun showing my sculpture. I participated in the AVA FRESH show this past Summer and am online at willjacksonart.com. For much of my adult life, I was doing art department work for film, television, museums and attractions and was not focused on producing my personal work. TP: How did you get interested in your work? WJ: I have always been a maker and love to explore new processes. The body of work I am bringing to 4 Bridges is driven by a desire to “redeem” materials. These days, stuff is everywhere but it holds little value. In more primitive times, a rock with a keen edge might have been the only thing you owned, but its value was limitless. I like the idea of rebalancing that equation a bit and restoring some old heroes like wood, stone and iron to a place of higher esteem. TP: Where do you find inspiration for your pieces?

WJ: I am inspired by human-made objects, particularly primitive tools. I love the evidence of effort and purpose old things can hold, even when the purpose is not clear. I also love essential and naturally occurring forms, the kind of forms that tend to be present on all scales from micro to macroscopic. My hope is in combining essential forms with reclaimed materials that speak to human effort, I am able to create a new object that resonates. TP: Which artists/people have influenced your work? WJ: Ancient tools and artifacts and the cultures that made them are influences for me. The countless hours of human labor and focus in ancient objects give them a powerful resonance. In terms of more contemporary sculptural influence, Martin Puryear is a big one. TP: What does the future look like for art in general and more specifically what direction are you headed in next? WJ: I believe that the current maker culture and increased access to information and resources will encourage creative and innovative individuals to foster or explore their artistic interests. Personally, I feel like I am at a place in my work where there are some really interesting new pathways for me to consider—and I am just beginning to explore some processes that could help me create on a bigger scale. Working on a larger scale is something I would like to investigate.

“I have always been a maker and love to explore new processes. The body of work I am bringing to 4 Bridges is driven by a desire to ‘redeem’ materials.”

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Georgianna Pollock Inspired by the great outdoors

By Stephanie Smith Pulse contributor

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This year there are six: Kyle Baker, Elena Burykina, Will Jackson, Georgianna Pollock, Jason Rafferty, and Alicia Williams. The Pulse’s Stephanie Smith sat down with the artists to find out more about what special art they will be bringing to the festival. The Pulse: Where are you from and what is your specialty that will be featured at the festival? Georgianna Pollock: I am from Rising Fawn, Georgia. Rising Fawn is my address but to be more specific I live in the New Salem community on Lookout Mountain. My oil paintings will be featured at the 4 Bridges Fes-

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“For me, having a designated space and time to work is very important as well as having other artists to share ideas and energy with.” tival. TP: How do you create your work? Where do you find materials? GP: For the last 10 years my friend Tosh Hopkins has shared her studio space with me. We work two afternoons a week. In the last year we have been joined by fellow artist Ben Sault. For me, having a designated space and time to work is very important as well as having other artists to share ideas and energy with. I find that it is relatively easy to be creative and come up with ideas for paintings. Actually creating a finished painting takes time and work. I find and buy materials at local art stores and on line. I paint with water based oils on canvas or gesso-primed board. TP: Where do you show your work? GP: This is my first show so I am excited and very honored to be a part of it. TP: How did you get interested in your work? GP: I studied art with a concentration in painting in college. So, I have been interested in painting for a long time. After college I didn’t paint much. Most of my creative energy was used writing songs and playing music. In 2006, I met Tosh. She encouraged me to dust off my paint box and brushes and join her for an afternoon in the woods. She drew and I painted. As much as I loved the feel of the paint on the canvas I needed to work on my drawing skills. So, from 2006 to 2009 I primarily tried to hone my drawing skills with still

life, figure drawing and exercises in perspective. Sometime between 2009 and 2010, I started painting with gouache. I had never used gouache before so it was a whole new experience and learning curve. When the weather did not permit working outside I began painting larger pieces in the studio using photographs I had taken. Skies and roads were often my subjects reflecting my love of space and curiosity for what is around the next corner, what is over the next hill. I started working in oil again in 2011. TP: Where do you find inspiration for your pieces? GP: Mother Nature and the great outdoors provide the inspiration for my paintings. In the last two years I have been painting flowers and skies. Painting allows me to become very focused, to get lost in the work, to find shapes and colors in a piece that are only seen with close and careful observation. The more I practice these observation skills the more I see. Driving home after working on a painting I am amazed

and delighted by all I am aware of in the landscape around me. Inspiration is everywhere at these times. TP: Which artists/ people have influenced your work? GP: Matisse and, of course, Georgia O’Keefe, Dr. Edward Carlos my painting professor at Sewanee, Thomas Paquette and my studio mates. TP: What does the future look like for art in general and what direction are you headed in next? GP: I think the future for art in general is bright especially in a city like Chattanooga that supports and values art and the people who create it. Painting, painting and more painting is what’s next for me.

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Meet Jason Rafferty

Asheville native melds art and nature together By Stephanie Smith Pulse contributor

he 4 Bridges Arts Festival returns for the 17th year to the Tennessee Pavilion this Saturday and Sunday. Each year the Association for Visual Artists (AVA) sponsors several Emerging Artists from the pool of 150 presenting artists. This year there are six: Kyle Baker, Elena Burykina, Will Jackson, Georgianna Pollock, Jason Rafferty, and Alicia Williams. The Pulse’s Stephanie Smith sat down with the artists to find out more about what special art they will be bringing to the festival. The Pulse: Where are you from and what is your specialty that will be featured at the festival? Jason Rafferty: I live in Asheville, North Carolina. I came to Asheville in 2009 from the Boston area of Massachusetts, where I grew up. At the festival I’ll be featuring landscape oil paintings from Western North Carolina and rural central France, where I studied drawing and painting at an atelier for a number of years. I’ll also have some figurative and still life pieces, and original drawings. TP: How do you create your work? Where do you find materials? JR: I come from a classical training background, having apprenticed and studied with a number of artists in North Carolina and France over the last seven years. I have a love of composing paintings from memory and imagination, blending observed scenes from life with stylistic elements from my favorite painters and creating a unique synthesis. I prepare my own paint surfaces in the studio where 16 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

I work, sourcing my materials from local area businesses. Doing so adds an enjoyable element of craftsmanship to the process and allows me to create the most durable paintings possible. TP: Where do you show your work? JR: My work can be seen at Riverview Station Studios in Asheville’s River Arts District, where I share a studio with some colleagues, and on my website, www.jasonrafferty. com. I’m currently finishing up my BFA degree at UNC Asheville, where I’ll have a big solo exhibit in 2018. TP: How did you get interested in your work? Where do you find inspiration for your pieces? Which artists/people have influenced your work? JR: I’ve been an artist as long as I can remember, having started drawing and painting at age two or so. Since 2012 I’ve split time between France and Asheville, working on refining my landscape and figurative works. In the sum-

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JR: Haha, art in general is all over the place—there are so many styles being pursued in the field of painting alone it’s pretty mind-boggling. I think it’s best to follow your passions and interests and come up with a cohesive world of art that you enjoy—and whose rules you can learn and compose with. I’m grateful for people that organize events like the 4 Bridges Arts Festival that support artists and help share our work with a broader community—which is very important for sustaining the arts. My hope is that art in turn helps to sustain society spiritually as we weather the storm in a figurative and literal sense over the coming decades. As for my work, I’m getting more into narrative paintings that combine figure and landscape, referencing lots of art history sources and ideas and combining them into exciting new pieces.

“My artistic interests are inspired by nature and by many artistic heroes— Rubens, Tiepolo, Titian, JMW Turner, and George Inness are current favorites amongst many historical influences.”

mers of 2013-14 I lived in rural France near Angers, studying at Studio Escalier, and painted some of the landscapes I’m exhibiting at the festival. In 2016 I returned to UNC Asheville. My artistic interests are inspired by nature and by many artistic heroes—Rubens, Tiepolo, Titian, JMW Turner, and George Inness are current favorites amongst many historical influences; contemporary visual artists such as Brad Kunkle, Adrienne Stein, Adam Miller, and others; musicians Avishai Cohen and Bela Fleck & The Flecktones have had a big impact on my artwork; and writers such as Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell and Walt Whitman have fed my interest in mythological/transcendental underpinnings of nature and reality. TP: What does the future look like for art in general and more specifically what direction are you headed in next?

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Alicia Williams

No horsing around (well, some)

By Stephanie Smith Pulse contributor

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This year there are six: Kyle Baker, Elena Burykina, Will Jackson, Georgianna Pollock, Jason Rafferty, and Alicia Williams. The Pulse’s Stephanie Smith sat down with the artists to find out more about what special art they will be bringing to the festival. The Pulse: Where are you from and what is your specialty that will be featured at the festival? Alicia Williams: I live in Asheville, NC. My specialty is wood and I carve rocking horses and other horse related art. TP: How do you create your work? Where do you find materials?

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“I look at photos of horses online and try to incorporate expressive features of the face or the stance of the horse that stand out to me.” AW: I use only native wood such as walnut, oak, poplar and cherry. I also use reclaimed lumber when I can find it. Each horse starts as a drawing, then I glue up blocks of wood to create the body, head, and legs. I carve each horse by hand with gouges and mallet, and also use a power carver and power sander. I finish the horses with either yarn or real horse hair manes and tails. I use an all-natural, food safe oil and wax finish. TP: Where do you show your work? AW: I have horses at the Grovewood Gallery in Asheville and the Piedmont Gallery in Winston-Salem. I mostly sell online at heartwoodrockinghorses. com TP: How did you get interested in your work? AW: My grandfather was a woodworker, and I took interest at an early age. I always loved horses as a child, and drew horses all the time, all the way up through high school. After a career in outdoor education, I began working with Habitat for Humanity in Durham as a construction site supervisor. This is where I learned to build things and work with power tools. I took a few woodworking classes in Raleigh at the North Carolina State Craft Center and made my first simple rocking horse. I started making all kinds of wooden toys at first, but most enjoyed making rocking horses. I now focus only on rocking horses and other horse art.

TP: Where do you find inspiration for your pieces? AW: I have a background of riding horses and drawing horses, and that history really influences me. I look at photos of horses online and try to incorporate expressive features of the face or the stance of the horse that stand out to me. I really connect with the horse’s eyes and gaze, and I pay a lot of attention to the eyes and face in my carvings. TP: Which artists/people have influenced your work? AW: I learned everything about building rocking horses from a book by Anthony Dew, a well-renowned rocking horse maker in Europe. I read his book The Rocking-Horse Maker and base my designs from his plans. I also love the horses at Legends Rocking Horses made by Alec Kinane in Europe. I also love the Italian carver Peter Demetz. If you have never seen his

carvings, you must look them up! I wish I could meet and learn from all these carvers in person. TP: What does the future look like for art in general and more specifically what direction are you headed in next? AW: I have seen a rise in hyper-realism and photorealistic painting and carving. I really love the realistic style, and hope to continue creating very detailed rocking horses. I also hope to expand my other horse carvings and look into custom horse portraits as well.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 19

20 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

COLUMN ∙ BUSINESS BRIEFS

Plum Nelly Shop & Gallery A unique place with a mind-boggling amount of intriguing gift ideas By Brooke Brown

Pulse Assistant Editor

N A LITTLE NOOK, TUCKED AWAY on the North Shore, is a shop unlike any other. With deep roots in the Chattanooga community, Plum Nelly is a shop built on selling the wares of local, regional, and the occasional worldwide artists. Everything from blown glass to handmade candlesticks to fresh honey-made products can be found among the shelves, tables, and bookcases turned display cases. “I like to find a balance in the things we carry,” says Plum Nelly owner Catharine Daniels. She’s owned the shop since 2008 and has enjoyed every second of building her artists’ list. “I’ve always loved retail and building the creativity of this shop. It’s a really unique place, but so many people don’t know the variety of items we have.” A unique place with a mind-boggling amount of intriguing gift ideas like jewelry, wall art, houseware, spices, pottery, and so much more that you’ll have to see for yourself, Plum Nelly features a conglomeration of artists who produce some of the most unique wares available in town and it all started in 1947 with Fannie Mennen and an outdoor art show on her property in Lookout Mountain. Ms. Mennen’s property had been dubbed Plum Nelly by her brother-in-law who remarked, “Your place is plum out of Tennessee and nearly out of Georgia!” giving birth to the name. The first Plum Nelly show

Plum Nelly Shop & Gallery Open M-F, 10a-6p, Sat. 10a-5p 330 Frazier Ave. #104 (423) 266-0585 www.plumnellyshop.com

hosted about 300 people, but over the years had become a “bona fide event, attracting as many as 20,000 Southeastern art lovers in a single October weekend.” The last year that the Plum Nelly Clothesline Art Show was held on the back of Lookout Mountain was the year of 1972 and brought forth the opening of the first Plum Nelly Shop. Fannie was the first owner, and now that Catharine has taken the reins, she marks the fourth in a continuous succession of women to own the shop since it was first conceived. She’s taken the staples of the shop and embellished on it all, making the store hers while also sticking true to the culture of the shop. “I bought a store with heritage, and the challenge there is to remain true, but also evolve it,” says Catharine. “I want to put my stamp on it, but it still be the tried and true Plum Nelly.” Plum Nelly, in my own opinion, is like a mini Chattanooga Market, set up daily in their shop on Frazier Avenue. The shop stretches out before you like a hall of mir-

Studio Be · Nashville, TN

“Everything from blown glass to handmade candlesticks to fresh honey-made products can be found among the shelves, tables, and bookcases turned display cases. ” rors, reflecting your every desire. It’s a personal place, with employees looking to help you find that perfect gift for someone, or a little something to treat yourself. And with such variety, it’s likely you’ll find the one thing (or more) that makes your heart sing. With price ranges varying from item to item, there’s something for every budget. And in a world where you can pick any mass-produced gift, it’s nice to know you’re supporting someone who has made their life about creating a piece of art to inspire, enhance, or add

happiness to your life. “I love that when someone comes in, I can tell you about any of these artists,” says Catharine. “And like our artists, our shop is not just one thing.” Plum Nelly has evolved over the last few decades into a shop all its own. They’re an outlet for local artists, and one of the neatest places to shop in town. With a selection of gifts that will have your mind spinning, take some time this weekend to peruse the handmade arts of Plum Nelly’s amazing artists.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 21

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

The Bright And Bold Visions of Brent Sanders Self-taught artist creates vibrant, colorful landscapes

Reminiscing On Old Ties In The Festival Of New Plays Life and love aren’t always easy, but they’re always worth it, and those are some of the concepts Rex Knowles’ play, Old Ties, deals with. Set in New York’s Upper West Side, Old Ties is centered on Hank, who, with the help of a few others, is trying to figure out how to deal with the death of his wife of 62 years and confront these incredibly complex issues. Beginning this Friday, the Chattanooga Theatre Centre will be performing Old Ties, which is this year’s winner of their Biennial Festival of New Plays. Knowles, the Executive Director of the Professional Actor Training Program at Chattanooga State, has also written Rosemary Leaves, The Night Reginald Filbert Called It Quits, winner of the 2006 festival, and The Nutcracker Christmas Carol. In addition to his career as a playwright, Knowles is also a producer, actor, and author, among other professions. “The writing of this play was particularly emotional for me as I dealt with the difficulties that come with getting older—the loss of a spouse after sixty-two years of marriage, the loss of memory, the reality that ‘that time’ is near,” Knowles said. Old Ties is both a comedy and a drama, and it deals with some of the most difficult issues we face in life, making Friday’s premiere a show you don’t want to miss. — Addie Whitlow Festival of New Plays: Old Ties Friday, 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 www.theatrecentre.com 22 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Whitni McDonald Pulse contributor

RENT SANDERS IS NEARing the four-year mark at his Main Street location, but he’s no newbie to Chattanooga. Sanders grew up here and spent his youth getting acquainted with the city streets by skating them with groups of friends in what was a very different cityscape than the view he paints of them these days. “Getting that up-close scope of the pavement of Chattanooga’s streets gave me an intimacy with it, and my subsequent work has been inspired by watching the transformation of the city, its architecture, and the energy behind planning the revitalization of older, run-down spaces,” Sanders says. Sanders attended Chattanooga State, studying graphic design and getting hooked on video game design during the early stages of PC-based digital rendering. The first company Sanders worked for required him to recreate real American baseball parks in accurate detail, in order to best analyze games to predict future team performance. He credits design with training his eye to patiently recognize important details, as each park was hand-drawn pixel by pixel using a 16-24 bit color palette. Aside from his computer graphics background, however, Sanders is a self-taught artist, inspired by bright, exaggerated colors in the style of Phillip Burke’s portraits and the work of Thomas Hart Benton. During trips to New Orleans, Sanders delighted

in the colorful jazz music scene there, and sought out scenes to play with style and capturing a town’s personality. As a result, Sanders’ paintings have taken on a distinctive style that’s easily recognizable as a trademark. You can see for yourself at his display at the Four Bridges Art Festival over the weekend. Part of what’s helped Sanders launch a successful artistic career has been his longevity in Chattanooga, building key relationships that can only come with time. “I always look forward to Four Bridges, and think fondly back to its launch in Coolidge Park eighteen years ago,” Sanders says. “Then Terry Cannon and I worked together

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT “Sanders is a self-taught artist, inspired by bright, exaggerated colors in the style of Phillip Burke’s portraits and the work of Thomas Hart Benton.” to get the festival relocated to the First Tennessee Pavilion after the flood of 2003 as well as to accommodate growth.” Sanders’ first studio space was over on Broad Street, where he was based for ten years, with representation from Bill Hassel and Joy Mullins of Plum Nelly. His first booth at Four Bridges came from designing the festival’s 2003 poster, and he takes pride in the fact that he now enters the juried festival through the official selection process, rather than as a designer “friend of the festival.” Sanders is candid about his learning curve, and continues to enhance his back-door approach to the art world through travel, a passion he shares with his wife, Renae. Recently, the couple enjoyed a trip to Germany, and while exploring quaint European towns, Sanders has

his camera ready to capture prime painting material once he was back in the studio. Galleries and museums are inspiring as well, and Sanders sites German expressionists as influences, along with pop art and Fauvism, naming André Derain as a favorite artist. Other travels have taken the couple to large cities like New York, where architecture and typography tend to catch Sanders’ eye. He is drawn to details that served as source material during his time as a freelance graphic designer, and now enjoys the freedom to put that his sensibilities to work in his own way. Looking around his Southside studio at the bright canvasses lining the walls, it’s easy to sense how much fun Sanders has with color and playful brush strokes, but he also clearly desires to capture and transmit the spirit of the places he paints. “I try to only paint right in the field or from photographs I’ve taken myself because I want to show my imagined view of what I’ve actually seen. Even though I’m not

concerned with including exact architectural details, like the number of windows in each building, I want the street to be instantly recognizable to those who care about it.” True to his roots, Sanders loves to paint his hometown, Chattanooga. Whether it’s iconic views of the Walnut Street walking bridge, or Aquarium, or side streets featuring small restaurants or bars lesser known but beloved to locals, Sanders has a clear pride of place. He says it’s been just amazing to watch how the Southside has bloomed to life, and folks tend to walk the sidewalks between local coffee shops, restaurants and galleries. Local pride has fostered healthy cross-pollination between Chattanooga businesses and artists. A prime example is the new Edwin Hotel near the Hunter Museum, which will feature all local artists for its décor. Mitch Patel recently purchased one of Sanders’ original works for the lobby, and 30 of the hotel’s 90 rooms will showcase Sanders’ prints. Clearly opportunities abound to enjoy Brent Sanders’ artwork, but stop by his Main Street gallery to chat and browse.

THU4.20 Rabbit Hole

A young couple deals with the recent loss of their young son in an automobile tragedy. 7:30 p.m. The Ringgold Playhouse 155 Depot St. (706) 935-3061 cityofringgold.com

FRI4.21 Oklahoma!

Love is in the air in the Indian Territory in 1903. And so is trouble among the waving wheat. 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4371 utctheatreco.com

SAT4.22 4 Bridges Art Festival

Just in case you haven't heard about this little arts shindig on the Southside... well, it's a pretty big deal. 10 a.m. First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. (423) 265-4282 avarts.org

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 23

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Riverdance 20th Anniversary

THURSDAY4.20 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 Grapes on the Green 5:30 p.m. Signal Centers 109 N. Germantown Rd. (423) 698-8528 signalcenters.org Tails at Twilight 6 p.m. The Venue Chattanooga 4119 Cummings Hwy. (423) 877-0738 petplacementcenter.com Dreams of Our America 6 p.m. Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Photographic Society of America Presents Steve Anderson 7 p.m. St. John’s United Methodist 3921 Murray Hills Dr. (423) 344-5643 chattanoogaphoto.org Bye Bye Birdie: A Musical Comedy

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7 p.m. Signal Mountain High School 2650 Sam Powell Tr. (423) 886-0880 smmhs.hcde.org Shaun Jones 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Oklahoma! 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4371 utctheatreco.com Riverdance: The 20th Anniversary Tour 7:30 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com

Rabbit Hole 7:30 p.m. The Ringgold Playhouse 155 Depot St. (706) 935-3061 cityofringgold.com

FRIDAY4.21 Spring Native Plant Sale 9 a.m. Reflecting Riding Arboretum and Nature Center 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160 reflectionriding.org Earthdayz 10 a.m. Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. (706) 820-2531 seerockcity.com 3rd Street Farmers Market

ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT Shaun Jones is a true comedian, one of the hottest comics on the comedy scene. He's been seen on B.E.T’S “Comic View” and Starz “1st Amendment Standup”. Shaun Jones The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

10:30 a.m. Erlanger Hospital Medical Mall 975 E. 3rd St. lookoutfarmersmarket.com St. Elmo Farmers Market 4 p.m. Incline Railway 3917 St. Elmo Ave. (423) 838-9804 Earth Day Celebration 6 p.m. Coolidge Park 150 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com Cambridge Square Night Market 6 p.m. Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln. (423) 531-7754 chattanoogamarket.com 4 Bridges Preview Party 6:30 p.m. First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. (423) 265-4282 avarts.org Lucid Tales Productions Presents “Lucid Visions” 7 p.m. The Edney Innovation Center 1100 Market St. (423) 458-2537 lucidtalespro.com Bye Bye Birdie: A Musical Comedy 7 p.m. Signal Mountain High School 2650 Sam Powell Tr. (423) 886-0880 smmhs.hcde.org Rabbit Hole 7:30 p.m.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Bye Bye Birdie: A Music Comedy The Ringgold Playhouse 155 Depot St. (706) 935-3061 cityofringgold.com East Chatt Highlight Festival 7:30 p.m. Glass House Collective 2523 Glass St. (423) 402-0565 glasshousecollective.org Oklahoma! 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4371 utctheatreco.com Shaun Jones 7:30, 9:45 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Festival of New Plays: Old Ties 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com

SATURDAY4.22 Chickamauga Chase 7 a.m. Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park 3370 Lafayette Rd. (423) 842-6265 chattanoogatrackclub.org Spring Native Plant Sale 9 a.m. Reflecting Riding Arboretum and Nature Center 400 Garden Rd.

(423) 821-1160 reflectionriding.org Color the House 5k & 1 Mile 9 a.m. UTC Chamberlin Pavilion 600 Douglas St. facebook.com/adpiutc 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 Chattanooga River Market 10 a.m. Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogarivermarket.com Earth Day Weekend Celebration 10 a.m. Chattanooga Zoo 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. (423) 697-1319 chattzoo.org 4 Bridges Art Festival 10 a.m. First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. (423) 265-4282 avarts.org Earthdayz 10 a.m. Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. (706) 820-2531 seerockcity.com Brainerd Farmers Market 11 a.m.

Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (404) 245-3682 Oklahoma! 2, 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4371 utctheatreco.com East Chatt Highlight Festival 3 p.m. Glass House Collective 2523 Glass St. (423) 402-0565 glasshousecollective.org Chattanooga Earth Day Rally: For the Love of Science 3 p.m. Ross’s Landing 100 Riverfront Pkwy. (423) 838-0113 Bye Bye Birdie: A Musical Comedy 7 p.m. Signal Mountain High School 2650 Sam Powell Tr. (423) 886-0880 smmhs.hcde.org Rabbit Hole 7:30 p.m. The Ringgold Playhouse 155 Depot St. (706) 935-3061 cityofringgold.com Shaun Jones 7:30, 9:45 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com CSO Pop Series Sci-fi and Superheroes 7:30 p.m. Tivoli Theatre

709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Festival of New Plays: Old Ties 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8538 theatrecentre.com

SUNDAY4.23 Cloud 9 5k 8 a.m. Collegedale City Hall 4910 Swinyar Dr. d9strong.com Earth Day Weekend Celebration 10 a.m. Chattanooga Zoo 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. (423) 697-1319 chattzoo.org 4 Bridges Art Festival 10 a.m. First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. (423) 265-4282 avarts.org Earthdayz 10 a.m. Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. (706) 820-2531 seerockcity.com Hunter Undergraduate Student Symposium: Border Crossings 1 p.m. Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 25

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Brian Regan huntermuseum.org East Chatt Highlight Festival 3 p.m. Glass House Collective 2523 Glass St. (423) 402-0565 glasshousecollective.org Brian Regan 7 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Shaun Jones 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

MONDAY4.24 Red Bank Farmers Market 3 p.m. Red Bank United Methodist 3800 Dayton Blvd. (423) 838-9804 Chattanooga Hiking Club Meeting 6:30 p.m. Outdoor Chattanooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com

TUESDAY4.25 East Brainerd Farmers Market 3 p.m. Audubon Acres 900 N. Sanctuary Rd.

26 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

(423) 838-9804 lookoutfarmersmarket.com Teacher Talks, “The Heart of the Matter” 5:30 p.m. The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. facebook.com/bloomvisioncoaching Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m. Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com

WEDNESDAY4.26 Chattanooga Market at Erlanger East 10:30 a.m. Erlanger East Hospital 1751 Gunbarrel Rd. (423) 648-2496 publicmarkets.us Main Street Market 4 p.m. 325 E. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Catalyst 5:30 p.m. Stratton Hall 3146 Broad St. (423) 486-1279 centermindfulliving.org Open Mic Comedy 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 27

28 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

FOOD & DRINK ∙ DINING OUT

Taste & Talent of Taqueria Jalisco Authentic Mexican food made from family recipes and original creations By Brooke Brown

Pulse Assistant Editor

T’S THE QUAINTEST BUILDING you’ve ever wanted to have lunch in. The exposed brick walls, the hand painted geckos seemingly scaling the walls, the close quartered seating, the cheerful Mexican music playing overhead, all gives the shop an air of authenticity not found in chain Mexican restaurants. Taqueria Jalisco is a place of heritage, of coming together over a delicious, home-cooked meal, and that is evident within the first few moments you enter the door. What started as a food truck in 2005 became a truck-to-table style restaurant on Rossville Avenue, and it’s clearly working wonderfully. While working in the food truck can have its disadvantages, such as being limited by how much food can be prepared at once, it is more manageable, having the truck parked just behind the building for all their food prep needs. “Maria Parra, the founder of Taqueria Jalisco, prepares all the food,” says manager Jorge Parra. “Some of the recipes are family recipes, while some are Maria’s special creations.” A talented woman with amazing skills in the kitchen, Maria Parra is a godsend when it comes to authentic Mexican dishes. The favorites of most guests are the sope, gordita, and authentic street style tacos. “For the sope, we start with a cornmeal shell, topped with beans, lettuce, pico, avo-

Taqueria Jalisco Open M-F, 11a-8p, Sat. 11a-7p 1634 Rossville Avenue (423) 702-8081 Follow them on Facebook

cado, crema, queso fresco and a choice of meat. Our favorite meat with it is chorizo,” says Parra. “The gordita is made out of cornmeal as well, but it’s prepared differently from the sope.” The gordita comes with beans, cilantro, onion, and queso fresco, with Jorge noting that it is great with cactus, or nopales. The authentic street style tacos were this writer’s favorite. Soft grilled corn tortilla topped with cilantro, onion, and lime and your choice of meat—the best decision being shrimp. Flavorful, spiced, and oh so perfect on that soft tortilla, the shrimp tacos were mouthwateringly delicious. On weekends they try and add an authentic entree as part of the menu, and they have tres leches cake on occasion. With a wide variety of meats to choose from, the options for each dish are astronomical. They offer steak, chicken, pastor, carnitas, tinga, fish, shrimp, barbacoa, and chorizo, and while they have so many meats to choose from, there are options for vegetarians as well. “We have a ton of vegetarian and vegan options,” says Parra. “Probably about 90% of the menu can be made into a vegetarian or vegan dish.” To wet your whistle, partake in your usual Coke products, as well as the refreshing taste of Jarritos. Flavors like pineapple, strawberry, mandarin, and grapefruit will have your tongue tingling with crisp re-

“What started as a food truck in 2005 became a truck-to-table style restaurant on Rossville Avenue, and it’s clearly working wonderfully.” freshment, something you’ll need alongside your hearty meal. If you’d prefer something stronger to drink, feel free to BYOB. Yes, I said BYOB to a restaurant. Buy a six pack of Modelo on the way

over, or maybe a bottle of wine to share with your friends, and settle in for an amazing meal. Start with chips and guacamole or a choice of salsas to get you ready for the entree. Their option to call in your orders ahead of time is perfect for when you can only get out of the office for a few minutes for lunch or to pick up for dinner on your way home. The best advice for eating at Taqueria Jalisco is to step out of your comfort zone. Order something you’ve never tried, or order what you’ve been eating at chain Mexican restaurants and see what the real thing is like. Whatever ends up in front of you will not disappoint.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 29

MUSIC

StereoFeet Come To Life With New Album Straight ahead, no apologies rock and roll. Yeah!

The Weeks Kick Off The Weekend The Weeks are a high-energy rock and roll band that has an immense amount of stage presence. This dynamic group will be showing off their polished musical skills and solid vocals from lead singer Cyle Barnes. After forming the band with his twin brother and drummer Cain, the Barnes brothers teamed up with guitarist Sam Williams and bass player Damien Bone. The group went on a wild road tour that had them touring almost non-stop from 2011-2015, where they were able to tour Europe with Kings of Leon. Now The Weeks are releasing their second album, Easy. The Weeks wrote this album after their very long tour, and turned out a punchy, loud, and unique mix of their strengths as artists. The Weeks are reminiscent of The Kooks and other bands that walk that line between rock and roll and punk. The group decided to name their sophomore album Easy, according to drummer Cain Barnes, “Because every time I make music with these guys, it’s easy.” It’s not surprising that making music is easy for this group who have been working together and making music since they were teenagers. — Alex Plaumann The Weeks Friday, 9 p.m. The Revelry Room 41 Station Street (423) 521-2929 www.revelryroom.co 30 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor

BAD DAY WRITING IS WHEN I SIT here listening to an album, thinking, “Well what in the hell am I going to say about this?” A good day writing is when I sit here listening to an album thinking, “How in the hell am I going to say everything I want to say about this?” Today is a good day. Because Tara Viland is a wonderful, smart, well-connected lady, she put me in touch with a new band in town thinking I might want to write about them. The band is called StereoFeet, they have a debut album and they are phenomenal. Chris Graham and Leon Walker are the creative force behind StereoFeet and while this is the point where I’d generally discuss their musical pedi-

grees, there’s no point this time around because whatever they’ve done before seems irrelevant compared to what they’re doing now. The album, Come to Life, is rock and roll for sure, but what does that mean? You could say rock and roll to five people and they’d inevitably imagine five different things, all of which would actually fit the designation so where does StereoFeet exist in the spectrum? The title track could easily be a tribute to U2. These days that band receives a lot of flak, primarily for Bono’s ever present and occasionally grating voice on the world political stage, so it’s easy to forget that they were one of the greatest bands of an era. Capturing that brilliance is no mean feat, but StereoFeet accomplishes it easily, flawlessly, and they deserve some respect for that alone. Does

MUSIC

“When ninety plus percent of performers adhere to the music/lyrics dichotomy, specializing in one or the other means you had best have some serious chops.” this make them a U2 clone? By no means, as every other track on the album confirms. In fact, much of the rest of the album has a feel and flavor closer to Foo Fighters than anything, and that too is meant as high praise. The guitar tracks are dynamic, muted and subtle one moment, exploding in to pure high energy rock music the next. The vocals are clear, expressive and perfectly suited to the band’s overall sound. “Light Our Way” has radio hit written all over it, and it’s not the only track I can say that about. “So We Will Run” is a highly melodic, almost ethereal track whose presence on the album illustrates yet again the band’s ability to shift gears, a point made even more powerfully by the following track, “Into the Flood” which, despite having clear, coherent vocals, plunges head first in to Metallica territory, a hard driving shredder of a tune. The truth is that by the second or third pass of this album I find hints and suggestions of more and more bands, all of which fall in to a well-defined period of rock and roll history from the late eight-

Tennessee Live, STS9 After Party, Girls Rock!

ies through the mid-nineties, a watershed era when glitz and glam (as well as soulless corporate rock) were eschewed for something more fundamental and powerful. Queensryche, RHCP, even the Seattle sound are all recognizable in the songs of StereoFeet. Simply put, Graham and Walker seem to build their music with a toolbox full of the best and brightest elements of one of the best and brightest eras of modern rock music. Facebook is a good jumping off point for learning more about the band, including links to YouTube, Soundcloud and Spotify. At a time when it seems like radio is…well… certainly not what it once was, the airwaves need a band like StereoFeet to shake off the dust and mediocrity with powerful tunes that work just as well through headphones in your apartment or blaring from the car stereo while cruising down the freeway. Rock and roll can mean a lot of things, but however you slice it, StereoFeet is pure, hard edged rock and roll with just enough of the cerebral to separate them from the thrash monkeys of the world. Come to Life is an excellent study of the genre and an exciting entry from a band that will swiftly make a name for themselves.

Plenty of great stuff coming up in and around Chattanooga starting off with an episode of one of the areas hottest new venues/projects. Tennessee Live! is a new, local televised event taking place at The Venue Creekside located in downtown Cleveland at the old Village Theater. This Friday, the Venue will be broadcasting live on WTNB-TV and will feature the talents of Josh Minchew, One Shot Down, Preston Parris and As A Leper. A bold experiment with some good corporate sponsorship, Tennessee Live! promises to be the next big thing in the local music scene. On Tuesday, JJ’s Bohemia and ChattaBoogie Music present the STS9 after party featuring Higher Learning, Daily Bread and Tryezz Official. Doors open at 10 p.m., tickets are available and it’s a

good idea to go ahead and pick them up as this in all likelihood will sell out quickly. Finally, stop by Zanzibar Studios next Friday, April 28th from 5:30 to 7 p.m. for the Chattanooga Girls Rock fundraiser/Happy Hour Mixer. Drinks, truffles and more, all to raise money for one of the coolest causes in the area, Chattanooga Girls Rock! — Marc T. Michael

THU4.20

FRI4.21

SAT4.22

Powers, Praymantha, Bogsloth

Dick Dale

Mark "Porkchop" Holder

Loud, proud, energetic... and did we mention loud? Come rock out and get an early start to your weekend. 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

The King of the Surf Guitar brings his timeless guitar sounds to a special show at the city's newest (and coolest) music venue. 7 p.m. Songbirds Guitar Museum 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.com

You want blues? Real blues? Down and dirty blues from the soul? Here's where to get the real thing, live. 10 p.m. The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 31

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Jason Isbell

THURSDAY4.20 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 6:30 p.m. Whole Foods Market 301 Manufacturers Rd. wholefoodsmarket.com Bluegrass and Country Jam 6:30 p.m. Grace Nazarene Church 6310 Dayton Blvd. (423) 877-9948 Prime Country Band 6:30 p.m. Motley’s 320 Emberson Dr. Ringgold, GA (706) 260-8404 Jam Fest 2017: A Tribute to Bessie Smith 7 p.m. Jazzanooga Arts Space 431 E. MLK Blvd. jazzanooga.org Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Bluegrass Thursdays 7:30 p.m. Feed Co. Table & Tavern

32 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Jesse James & Tim Neal 7:30 p.m. Mexi-Wing VII 5773 Brainerd Rd. mexi-wingchattanooga.com Michael McCallie and Friends 7:30 p.m. Songbirds Guitar Museum 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.com Jason Isbell 8 p.m. Track 29 1400 Market St. track29.co Powers, Praymantha, Bogsloth 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Gino Fanelli

8 p.m. The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Open Mic with Hap Henninger 9 p.m. The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com

FRIDAY4.21 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

PULSE MUSIC SPOTLIGHT John Lathim performs a unique acoustic blend of Scotch, Irish and mountain music. Michelle Young has gone from ecclectic rock to jazz-blues and country folk. John Lathim and Michelle Young Saturday 12:30 p.m. TN Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St.

Heidi Holton 6 p.m. Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln. chattanoogamarket.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m. El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Dick Dale 7 p.m. Songbirds Guitar Museum 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.com Justin Symbol & The God Bombs, Keychain, Deconbro 8 p.m. Ziggy’s Bar & Grill 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net SUSTO, Parker Gispert, Superbody, Pillow Talk 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com The Hopeful Country Band 8:30 p.m. Motley’s 320 Emberson Dr. Ringgold, GA (706) 260-8404 The Weeks 9 p.m. Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Resurrection Mary

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Nick Lutsko 9 p.m. The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Jesse Hardin 9 p.m. Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com/Chattanooga Gino Fanelli 10 p.m. The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Outlaw 45 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com Alchemy Live 10 p.m. Raw Bar & Grill 409 Market St. rawbarandgrillchatt.com

SATURDAY4.22 John Lathim and Michelle Young 12:30 p.m. Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. chattanoogarivermarket.com Gospel on Glass 3 p.m. Glass House Collective 2523 Glass St. glasshousecollective.org Yacht Rock Revue & Jason D. Williams 6 p.m. Historic Engel Stadium

1130 E. 3rd St. engelfoundation.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 Baylor School Prom & Dance with Love, Peace & Happiness 7 p.m. The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. thecamphouse.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m. El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com CSO Pop Series Sci-fi and Superheroes 7:30 p.m. Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com The Countrymen Band 8 p.m. Eagles Club 6130 Airways Blvd. (423) 894-9940 Taylor & Company 8 p.m. VFW 1491 Riverside Dr.

(423) 624-6687 423’s Eve - Behold the Brave, Kerchief, Side Affect 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com La Terza Classe 8 p.m. Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. christunity.org Minor 9 8 p.m. Ziggy’s Bar & Grill 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Hip Hop CHA 9 p.m. Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Trevor Finlay 9 p.m. Puckett’s Grocery and Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com/Chattanooga Mark "Porkchop" Holder 10 p.m. The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Outlaw 45 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com Alchemy Live 10 p.m. Raw Bar & Grill 409 Market St. rawbarandgrillchatt.com

SUNDAY4.23 La Terza Classe 11 a.m. Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Nick Lutsko 1:30 p.m. Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Gospel Sunday Brunch 1:30 p.m. Jazzanooga Arts Space 431 E. MLK Blvd. jazzanooga.org Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m. Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775

MONDAY4.24 Open Air with Jessica Nunn 6 p.m. The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. Granfalloonchattanooga.com Center for Creative Arts Jazz Café 7 p.m. The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. Granfalloonchattanooga.com Open Mic- Live Art 7 p.m. Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd. (423) 994-7497 Monday Nite Big Band CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 33

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR STS9

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

TUESDAY4.25 Bill McCallie and In Cahoots 6:30 p.m. Southern Belle 201 Riverfront Pkwy. chattanoogariverboat.com Higher Learning, Daily Bread, Tryezz 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 8 p.m. Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com STS9 9 p.m. Track 29 1400 Market St. track29.co

WEDNESDAY4.26 Eddie Pontiac 5:30 p.m. El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonrestaurant.com Live Music Wednesday’s

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6 p.m. Waterside Lounge 495 Riverfront Pkwy. (423) 834-9300 Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Bike Night with Arlo Guthrie 7 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com Royal Hounds, GA Brown, Jose Driver 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. Joel Clyde 8 p.m. The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Jazz in the Lounge 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Priscilla & Little Rickee 8 p.m. Las Margaritas 1101 Hixson Pike (423) 756-3332 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

RECORD REVIEWS ∙ ERNIE PAIK

Superbody Youth Music, Bad Jazz Daymare

Superbody Youth Music (Good Sadie)

atirist Tom Lehrer cheekily dismissed rock music as “children’s records” on his live album An Evening Wasted with Tom Lehrer, unaware in 1959 of the serious and infantile polar-opposite extremes popular music would take in future decades. The second album from Superbody (from Chattanooga via Dalton, Ga.) is titled Youth Music, but it’s not exactly a children’s record. In an interview with Impose magazine, lead singer Robert Gregg McCurry explained that he and multi-instrumentalist Caleb Jackson Dills wanted to capture “the childlike feeling of obsession with music, bands and ‘crushes’ of any kind.” Before little humans become jaded adults with cluttered, stressed minds, they’re wide-eyed youngsters who often lack the self-consciousness to hide their excitement; before critical judgment becomes more nuanced and fine-tuned, things are often simply in the “love it” or “hate it” categories, and everything could be an obsession. Within seconds of hearing

Superbody, it’s obvious that new wave pop music from the ‘80s bears a profound influence, but the members weren’t even alive in the ‘80s. What is their connection? Did it come from a fascination with something seemingly exotic, yet ridiculous and perhaps incomprehensible, including fashion senses that included Miami Vice pastel colors and feathered hair? Their own obsession is translated into this feeling of wonder; innocence, perhaps, but not ignorance. You see, Superbody understands what makes this music tick. With homemade digital recordings, Superbody has a production style that doesn’t mask artificiality but instead flaunts it. Music tropes from the ‘80s are worn proudly like jewelry; McCurry and Dills stick with the formulas so that more attention is placed on the details. One notable feature is McCurry’s distinctive singing style, mixing a Southern accent, throaty low notes and hammy-yet-endearing affectations, bringing to mind a mix of Falco and John Maus. “Real Luv,” with its vocoderstyle robotic vocals, actually is more reminiscent of Daft Punk’s ‘80s appropriations rather than ‘80s music itself. Some moments on Youth Music seem to be inspired by Prince, such as the cathartic, wailing intro to “Dishes” on electric guitar or the synth chord thrusts and LinnDrum beats of “City Boy Blues.” But with all its references, most importantly, Youth Mu-

sic consistently delivers the pop hooks that make it an irresistible joy—sure, it’s about secondhand memories of the past, but it’s also about escapism and temporarily forgetting the present.

Bad Jazz Daymare (Eh?))

photo included with the new album Daymare from the San Francisco-centered trio Bad Jazz, on the Public Eyesore imprint Eh?, shows a microphone pointed at a plate of raw fish steaks bearing what look like puncture wounds, undoubtedly inflicted in order to create uncomfortable sounds. Over a single improvised 40-minute track, Daymare isn’t just about seafood abuse—it covers strange territory with a bevy of unconventional instruments, including those invented by non-traditionalists Ben Salomon and Bryan Day, plus one recognizable piano played by Tania Chen, who also employs electronics and toys. It’s an album best heard on headphones to soak up every playful-yet-disquieting detail, and its mood is

largely a somber one, with moments of unexpected mischief. With a consciousness of space and time, the three players intersect respectfully, perhaps like animals sniffing at each other, without a competitive need to outshine each other. It’s provocative in its own subtle way, like comments muttered under one’s breath. Chen’s dissonant piano chords and cascades are a notable feature, often laid out carefully and thoughtfully despite their ostensibly abstract splatters. At times, her piano clusters seem despairing, plodding forth like a search party that is compelled to keep moving although it doesn’t want to find what it’s looking for. Day and Salomon both serve up a mind-bogglingly wide variety of noises, squeezing and wrenching sounds out of their invented instruments. Metal-on-metal scraping and squeaks are part of the sustained, twisted aural textures provided, along with more organic sounds like the simultaneously silly and disturbing gurgling sounds. On the synthetic side, there are the static rustles of electronic circuits and what sounds like a severely distorted radio transmission of a prerecorded song, and the album ends with a chimpy, toy keyboard playing a preset rhythm/accompaniment that ramps up in tempo to a tiny frenzy along with some kind of frog-sounding wind instrument, bringing the proceedings to an absurd finale. CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 35

36 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

FOOD & DRINK ∙ MIXOLOGY

The Fake Secret Martini Society Our man on the barstool presents an untrue martini origin story By Alex Plaumann Pulse contributor

AMES BOND WAS WRONG, AND clearly this is the reason he was never part of the Fake Secret Martini Society (FSMS). I made up the FSMS, so I’m allowed to say that. There is one error that Bond always committed: he always had his martini shaken and not stirred. Wrong! When a martini is shaken, it bruises the gin by agitating and aerating the liquor, which will give it a much sharper and zingier taste. Bruised spirits are never the way to go, and oddly enough one of the great mysterious men of our time, 007 himself, did not know this. After first being published in an 1880’s edition of the Bartender’s Manual, the martini started to take off and became popular around the 1920’s, coincidentally five years after the creation of the FSMS. The popularity of the traditional martini continued to rise to its height around the ‘50s and ‘60s. The traditional martini is served cold with gin, dry vermouth and a green olive or lemon garnish. Although the ratio of gin to vermouth started off as 1:1, over time that ratio of gin to vermouth changed to 2:1, but martinis are commonly made more to taste now. The FSMS does not agree with this sentiment and meet regularly about the importance of staying to the classic 1:1 or 2:1 ratio. There are a few important things to know when ordering your martini: you always want it stirred, not shaken. If you want your martini with less vermouth then ask for it dry, and if you’re a lover of olives then a dirty martini that adds a dash of olive brine may better suit your palate. While many are at odds at the origin of the martini, I have recently found the

“truth” during my interview with an anonymous FSMS member. (It was Leonardo DiCaprio!) It has been claimed that the martini was created during the California gold rush when a miner in Martinez, California asked for a pick-me-up. But I have it on good authority that the martini was actually created by none other than a founding member of the FSMS, Nikola Tesla. Around the 1880’s when Tesla was working on alternating currents, it suddenly came to him: gin, vermouth and a twist of lemon. Although Tesla is undoubtedly one of the greatest minds of all time, I think many of us can now agree that the martini is right up there with his many brilliant inventions and ideas. After this marvelous martini invention the popularity of this cocktail skyrocketed. From the old school “three martini lunch” practiced by many cosmopolitans, to the love shown by many writers, the martini is a classic and prestigious cocktail that has found its way into the heart of many generations. You have FSMS members such as H.L. Mencken calling the mar-

tini, “the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet.” While fellow American and FSMS member E. B. White called the martini “the elixir of quietude.” The martini has found its way into the minds of brilliant men and women, into the homes of millions, and into the literature of true greats. The iconic traditional martini is a clean and crisp drink that brings

Classic Gin Martini (courtesy of Esquire magazine)

out sweet herbal flavors that can be enhanced with a salty olive, or tangy twist of lemon. The way you feel when drinking a martini is different than anything else, and was put perfectly by FSMS member Ernest Hemingway in his novel A Farewell to Arms, “I’ve never tasted anything so cool and clean…they make me feel civilized.”

into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with an olive or lemon twist.

• Fill a metal shaker with cracked ice. • Pour in 1 ounce of dry vermouth, stir briefly, and strain out. • Add 4 ounces of gin. You want your gin around 94 proof. • Stir briskly for about 10 seconds, strain

My personal gin recommendations: Hendricks for a lighter more rose and cucumber flavor or St. George Botanivore for a more complex and juniper heavy taste, although many people recommend a gin with an ABV closer to 47%+.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 37

FILM & TELEVISION

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Is Back In Space The all-new MST3K is back and as good as always

Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin Comes To The Big Screen Russia, 19th century. Autumn in the country. On the Larin estate, Madame Larina reflects upon the days before she married, when she was courted by her husband but loved another. She is now a widow with two daughters: Tatiana and Olga. While Tatiana spends her time reading novels, with whose heroines she closely identifies, Olga is being courted by their neighbor, the poet Lenski. He arrives unexpectedly, bringing with him a new visitor, Eugene Onegin, with whom Tatiana falls in love. And thus begins Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin. Tchaikovsky’s many moods—tender, grand, melancholy—are all given free rein in this glorious operatic performance. The opera is based on Pushkin’s iconic verse novel, which re-imagines the Byronic romantic anti-hero as the definitive bored Russian aristocrat caught between convention and ennui; Tchaikovsky, similarly, took Western European operatic forms and transformed them into an authentic and undeniably Russian work. At the core of the opera is the young girl Tatiana, who grows from a sentimental adolescent into a complete woman in one of the operatic stage’s most convincing character developments. Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin Saturday, 12:55 p.m. Carmike East Ridge 18 5080 South Terrace (423) 855-9652 www.carmike.com/events 38 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

Y LIFE CHANGED IN A VARIETY OF ways when I was thirteen or fourteen. My parents had built a house away from the neighborhood where I grew up. I moved away from my friends, to a different part of town, and for the first time in my life, I had cable television. I spent countless hours consuming the media I had missed—scouring MTV and VH1 for pop culture facts, watching all the Nickelodeon I’d been denied, and discovering the joys of late night stand-up on Comedy Central. But above all, the greatest discovery I ever made, was a weird little show on Sci-Fi where the host and a pair of badly designed robots mocked the worst movies I’d ever seen. “Mystery Science Theater 3000” taught me

more about comedy, sarcasm, and filmmaking than any other source. I don’t know that I’ve ever laughed harder at anything than when watching the low speed go-cart chases in Space Mutiny. I came to the show during the Mike J. Nelson era, and while some might call that sacrilegious, I haven’t seen as many of the Joel Hodgson episodes as I should have, but I like them just as much. Any MST3K is good MST3K. This extends to the newest incarnation, now with Jonah Ray as host, which I can say without a doubt is the best reboot of any show I’ve ever seen. Crowdfunded and headed by original host Joel Hodgson, the revival of show is the culmination of plans that began in 2010. Casting differences aside, it is note-for-note the same show, almost as if it never went off the air. Along with a new host, Tom Servo, Gyspy, and Crowe are all voiced by

FILM & TELEVISION

“MST3K was masterful at reminding the audience that there are more bad movies out there than good ones, but the bad ones all have their moments.” different actors, and there is a different “Mads,” the scientists performing sanity experiments through B-movies on poor Jonah. Gone are Dr. Forrester and his daughter Pearl, TV’s Frank, Bobo and Brain Guy, (though Pearl and company do make a cameo appearance), and in their place are Kinga Forrester (Felicia Day) and Son of TV’s Frank (Patton Oswalt). There are a variety of celebrity cameos throughout the series, and they’re all as pleasing as they can be, but the skits were never my favorite parts of the show. The movies, as most would agree, were always the stars, for reasons that should be immediately obvious. With titles ranging from The Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy to Santa Claus

Conquers the Martians and everything in between, MST3K was masterful at reminding the audience that there are more bad movies out there than good ones, but the bad ones all have their moments. The revival is no different. The new season starts off with the infamous Reptilicus, a Danish-American giant monster movie about a prehistoric lizard that sprays acid and regenerates. Like most films of its type, it features long scenes of boring actors talking about the problem interspersed short scenes of low-budget monster rampages. The monster effects are truly terrible even by 1961 standards—Reptilicus looks like a rubber bath toy and is about as threatening—but the riffing is on point, as always, and the jokes make the film more than watchable. It’s a good a beginning to the new series as any. But the series then follows Reptilicus with Cry Wilderness, a poorly dubbed adventure movie starring

actors with bad haircuts, inconsistent settings, and tons of stock footage. Cry Wilderness reminds us that terrible movies transcend genre. Even films that feature well known stars aren’t immune to the good natured ribbing of MST3K—Avalanche starring Rock Hudson and Mia Farrow is just as terrible as anything else found in the new season. There is simply nothing out of place with the new series, a rarity when bringing back a beloved show. Granted, the MST3K formula is a simple one. There are far more moving pieces when trying to return a show like Arrested Development to the air and maintain the same quality and consistency as the original series. But the revival is still essential—most of us have tried to bridge the absence of MST3K with something like RiffTrax, and while they’re funny and entertaining, it’s hard not to feel that something is missing. For whatever reason, be it nostalgia or comfort, the audience needs to have three oddly shaped silhouettes at the corner of our screens. It lets us be a part of the experience, which helps us laugh even more.

✴ ✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴ ✴

Unforgettable A woman sets out to make life hell for her ex-husband's new wife. Not to be confused with the former television series of the same name, because Hollywood can't seem to come up with new names for movies. Director: Denise Di Novi Stars: Rosario Dawson, Katherine Heigl, Geoff Stults

Phoenix Forgotten 20 years after three teenagers disappeared in the wake of mysterious lights appearing above Phoenix, Arizona, unseen footage from that night has been discovered, chronicling the final hours of their fateful expedition. Director: Justin Barber Stars: Florence Hartigan, Luke Spencer Roberts

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 39

40 • THE PULSE • APRIL 20, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

OPINIONS & DIVERSIONS

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 20, 2017 • THE PULSE • 41

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

The List

getting trapped in molds that people pressure you to fit inside? Are you skilled at being yourself even if that’s different from what’s expected of you? What are the soulful roles you choose to embody despite the fact that almost no one understands them? Now is a good time to meditate on these matters.