The Pulse 13.16 » April 21, 2016

W. MICHAEL BUSH • CHER VON • THE INVITATION

APRIL 21, 2016

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

LIVING LIFE ONLINE LEARN TO THINK LIKE A MARKETER…OR A PHILOSOPHER Jenn Wester explains how to cautiously segment your life to protect your online self

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Contents

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor Gary Poole Editorial Assistant Brooke Dorn

April 21, 2016 Volume 13, Issue 16

Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Rob Brezsny • Steven W. Disbrow Patrick Filbin • Matt Jones Mike McJunkin • Tony Mraz Ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-Habib Michael Turner • Jenn Webster

Features

Editorial Interns Rebekah Jones • Ja'Lisa Little

4 BEGINNINGS: Chattanooga Market highlights Southside renaissance.

Cartoonists Max Cannon • Rob Rogers Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

5 THE LIST: Just how charitable are Americans, really?

Cover Illustration Penguiin FOUNDED 2003 BY ZACHARY COOPER & MICHAEL KULL

ADVERTISING

Director of Sales Mike Baskin Account Executives Chee Chee Brown • Robyn Graves Linda Hisey • Rick Leavell Stacey Tyler • Logan Vandergriff

CONTACT

Offices 1305 Carter St., Chattanooga, TN 37402 Phone 423.265.9494 Website chattanoogapulse.com Email info@chattanoogapulse.com BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher & President Jim Brewer II 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 © 2016 by Brewer Media. All rights reserved.

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Living Life Online...Intelligently

In December 2015, Chattanooga writer Rachel Stewart entered on her Facebook page: “This time, on this day in 2010, I was in the deep dark black of anesthesia, while the surgeons did their best to remove my brain tumor…after last year’s difficult clinical trial, I finally quit running. I finally sat down and faced some things.”

14

From Hollywood To East Main St.

One of the most audacious collaborations in Chattanooga’s history is happening right now at the Area 61 Gallery on East Main Street.

The innovative mind of W. Michael Bush has conceived a brilliant piece that combines the work of 21 local artists.

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Cher Von Packs Her Bags

The strange, beautiful world of a performance from Cher Von, the nom de plume of Chervon Koeune, mixes reveries of otherworldly, breathtaking wordless vocals and sounds made from found materials, with an added dimension of free movement, expanding upon influences such as Japanese Butoh dance.

10 SCREEN: Dark, plodding film delves into issues of life and death.

13 JUST A THEORY: Last month was jam-packed with exciting news.

16 ARTS CALENDAR 19 DIVERSIONS 21 MIXOLOGY: Three drinks full of flower power to get you in the Spring spirit(s).

24 MUSIC CALENDAR 27 REVIEWS: Simpson gives advice to his son, MacKillop gets introspective.

28 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY 29 JONESIN’ CROSSWORD 30 SUSHI & BISCUITS: Chef Mike pays homage to the ubiquitous Spam.

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BEGINNINGS

NEWS • VIEWS • RANTS • RAVES

UPDATES » CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM FACEBOOK/CHATTANOOGAPULSE EMAIL LOVE LETTERS, ADVICE & TRASH TALK TO INFO@CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Chattanooga Market Begins New Season Venerable market highlights continued Southside renaissance Sixteen years ago, a group of lohomes, condos and apartments, cal business leaders saw an opporand the like. And a large part of tunity to bring new life to the then that renaissance, it can be argued, almost dormant Southside. Chathas been due to the birth and ontanooga residents who have moved going success of the Chattanooga to the city in the past Market. decade may not even This weekend, the be aware that the busChattanooga Market returns for its 16th tling Southside district was once a near MICHAEL TURNER season at the First Tennessee Pavilion ghost-town, filled with a two-day kick-off. Opening with abandoned warehouses and weekend is one of the few times urban blight. during the season that the Market Today, however, the area in and is open both Saturday and Sunday. around Main Street is filled with “We wanted the community to restaurants, art galleries, thriving have a relaxing visit. Spreading businesses, a school, remodeled

NEWS

out over the entire weekend allows for more parking availability and elbow room for the serious shoppers. Plus, it gives our vendors an opportunity to engage with their customers and offer a more personal experience,” Chris Thomas, Executive Director of Public Markets.

Visitors coming for opening weekend will find the season’s beginnings of spring produce. Rumor has it that early strawberries will be available. New this year will be fresh local trout and there will also be Wild Atlantic Salmon available.

Plantings, such as herbs and sunflowers, are always a great Spring addition to any home garden.

Local food trucks will also be attending, on both the rear and side patios, a particular favorite of Market attendees. And as has been tradition for years, live music will fill the Pavilion with welcome sounds.

Chattanooga’s own Sweet Georgia Sound will perform all day Saturday, while on Sunday Ryan Oyer takes the stage at 12:30 p.m., followed by The Von Wamps at 2 p.m.

Over 250 vendors are expected in all, spilling out into the street, sidewalks and grassy areas at the sides of the Pavilion. Many vendors are returning from previous years, with experience and loyal customers under their belts. The Public Market platform is also an incubator for new artisans. It allows them to

try out their craft and perfect it, while the community serves as their springboard.

And the Market organizers haven’t been content to just focus on revitalizing the Southside.

They are also expanding out with two new Public Market openings: the Collegedale Market and the Cambridge Square Market, both of which are scheduled to open the first week of May. To really gauge how successful the Chattanooga Market has become, all you have to do is stroll through the surrounding parking lots and check out the license plates.

Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama are all well represented, sprinkled in with plates from both Carolinas, Virginia and even as far away as Florida and Ohio.

The first official day of Spring was back on March 20th, but for many Chattanoogans, Spring really arrives with the opening weekend of the Chattanooga Market.

Come on down to the Southside and enjoy.

“A large part of [the Southside] renaissance, it can be argued, has been due to the birth and ongoing success of the Chattanooga Market.”

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The List

EdiToon

How Charitable Are Americans?

by Rob Rogers

It seems like every time you turn around, you hear about an event, a fund-raiser, or a sporting event raising money for a local charity or non-profit.

Americans, by and large, have built a well-deserved reputation for being generous with both our time and our money.

Celebrating Cornbread in South Pittsburg South Pittsburg welcomes the National Cornbread Festival every year for a weekend of music, games, arts & crafts, but most importantly, cornbread. This Saturday, the festival begins with admission being only $5 at the gate; you just have to bring an empty stomach.

The festival began in ’96 with citizens pondering about the future of South Pittsburg. Only thirty minutes from Chattanooga, the small town food

was the main attraction to those from around the nation.

By incorporating the local cast iron cookware maker, Lodge Manufacturing, South Pittsburg created the National Cornbread Festival. In return, they have raised funds for local schools, athletic groups, churches, libraries, and landscaped streets.

When you arrive at the scene, turn down Cornbread Alley. an alley filled with nine different

IN THIS ISSUE

Jenn Webster Our cover story this week on how to safely live your life online in today's world is

by Jenn Webster, one of the newest members of The Pulse writing family. Webster is a dancer and writer who works in Chattanooga. Now a tech-

flavors of cornbread including sweet potato cornbread, blueberry cornbread, and cheesy chicken cornbread poppers.

What tops off the festival are the Cornbread Cook-offs. Contestants around the nation compete but only five are selected to have their original main dish cornbread recipe presented to the judges. Check it out to see who’ll win this year’s $5000 prize.

Most Southerners enjoy cornbread, but why not enjoy it with thousands of others? South Pittsburg’s National Cornbread Festival is the place to gather and do just that. — Ja’Lisa Little

Jen Sorensen nical writer, she has also written for marketing, educational, and consumer publications. She’s an Army veteran and a member of WEAVE: A Conceptual Dance Company. Jenn is fascinated by hobbyists, fans, aficionados, obsessives, geeks, and fetishists of all kinds. She also has a few hobbies of her own: Dungeons & Dragons , urban hiking, cosplay, and collaborative storytelling.

Jen Sorensen’s weekly political cartoon appears in alternative newspapers around the country, as well as in magazines and websites such as Ms., The Progressive, and Daily Kos. Jen’s work has won several awards in the past couple years, including the Herblock

Prize, a Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, and First Place from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia. In addition to drawing cartoons, Jen recently began editing an online comics section for Fusion, a new network from ABC and Univision. You can see her work every week here in The Pulse as part of our dedication to the cartoon art form. She lives in Austin, Texas and can be found on Twitter at @JenSorensen.

So, we checked in with our friends at the Statistic Brain Research Institute to find out just how charitable we really are.

• Percent of Americans give to charity each year: 70% • Percent of income given by Americans to charities each year: 3% • Number of people who said they volunteer annually: 68.2 million • Number of hours people volunteer annually: 12.9 billion • Amount donated by individuals annually: $222.9 billion • Annual amount foundations give to non-profits: $39.5 billion • Annual amount corporations, including corporate foundations, give to nonprofits: $14.9 billion • Annual value contributed to the US economy by nonprofits: $666.1 Billion • Annual revenue received by non-profits: $1.1 trillion That's a whole lot of giving. And it's very appreciated.

Source: statisticbrain.com/charitynon-profit-stats

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COVER STORY

Online? Think Like A Marketer…Or A Philosopher

Learn to cautiously segment your life to protect your online self

By Jenn Webster, Pulse contributor

I

n December 2015, Chattanooga writer Rachel Stewart entered on her Facebook page: “This time, on this day in 2010, I was in the deep dark black of anesthesia, while the surgeons did their best to remove my brain tumor…after last year’s difficult clinical trial, I finally quit running. I finally sat down and faced some things. I’m still facing them, quietly, on a daily basis. So it’s worth sharing this again. Because I am so damn proud I finally said all the things I was meaning to say all those years ago.” She then linked an xoJane article on the topic of her illness and recovery.

Rachel as Sarah from Labyrinth. Photo by Kim Swanson.

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Rachel is a woman of rare courage and spirit. She is also a blogger and cosplayer, an avid chronicler of life in words, pictures, and con appearances.

When she narrates and publicly claims a portion of her history, she’s putting her story in the hands of multiple audiences, who have the potential to lift her up or to hurt her in a variety of ways. Any of us who live vividly online could attract a painful comment—or a disdainful human representative—or a stalker with an army of bored and angry 4chan followers.

Typical of many people nowadays who play out sections of their lives online, Rachel would have to radically redesign her doings to become either Internet-anonymous or reduced to a dour LinkedIn page. What would be diminished can be heard in her lines above: Pride. Speaking out. Courage.

Camaraderie.

Others—mommy bloggers, game streamers, and home studio rappers, just for a start—have online personalities that contribute to their livelihoods.

Still, living “publicly” on one’s com-

puter or tablet can be perilous: on the vanilla end, a potential hiring manager may not like one’s latest post; on the deep trouble end, one may acquire enemies or suitors who won’t take “no” for an answer and who may press their cause by—for instance—doxing or swatting their targets. (“Doxing” means revealing identities, phone numbers and other pertinent information online, especially for others to make malicious use of; “swatting” means calling in a SWAT team on a target, for instance, by anonymously reporting that someone at an address is suicidal and has a hostage.)

How does one negotiate between personal safety and the need to speak freely in the virtual or partly virtual Agora?

Rachel and I ask another acquaintance, Gordon R. Merrill, an information security specialist who holds a master’s degree in information assurance and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional, what steps denizens of the online world should take to keep themselves safe.

Think Safety People online are no different from people anywhere else, he tells us. The main differences are the way information is collected,

tracked and disseminated, and the ability of bad actors to further their reach, in space and in time.

“We have created and fostered an environment that makes it easier for people to do wrong,” he says.

Because online media creates the possibility for very impulsive acting with very permanent results (think an angry Tweet) consequences are magnified, even as public speech is quicker and easier.

Still, everyone doesn’t see everything at once. Rachel describes a Venn diagram of overlapping circles to demonstrate her safety and privacy policy. Different spheres of interest and different levels of closeness get their own circle. Some people may use different Facebook settings; others will use different venues to segment these groups.

“Cosplay is a little weird; I started it as a hobby because I liked costuming,” she says. “I gained some

new friends; some really close, almost like family, and others more like acquaintances.

“What is popular [in this community] is to have a page with updates related to the hobby where everyone can see you. But Facebook shares with cosplay friends but also with family, people not into your hobby. Some things are better for that audience versus cosplay as a more professional audience focused on the projects we’re working on and the cons we’re working.”

This more professional- or hobbyfocused group, Rachel says, is where she directs podcasts, her nooga.com column and so on. These venues are seen by more people she may not know personally: 325 cosplay page followers, 100 podcast followers, 100 hits a month on her fandom page at nooga.com.

“I look at it as a brand versus Facebook as being more personal

in nature…my Facebook page is everything: cosplay, how I’m feeling, talking about my husband and parents. Those are things I might not be comfortable sharing with strangers.”

Audience Segmentation This approach resembles what marketers call “segmentation”: dividing an audience or potential audience into groups based on interest or demographics. In this case, segmentation protects the more personal information about Rachel from curious eyes in the fandom or the wider world; it also preserves emotional boundaries. In that way, it’s similar to how friendships have always, organically developed, just made explicit.

“You’re thinking of your friends as audiences?” I ask, just to confirm.

“

Typical of many people nowadays who play out sections of their lives online, Rachel would have to radically redesign her doings to become either Internetanonymous or reduced to a dour LinkedIn page.”

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“If you are compromised and have an emotional attack from a person, it’s like asking whether it came from an analog or digital source.

It’s still the same; the effect and eventual outcome are the same.”

“In a way,” Rachel says. “There is crossover in fandom. Then they have mutual friends who try to add me [as Facebook friends]. Those I have added are those I actually trust, whereas others I don’t know, though maybe one day I will. For now, I have 457 friends on Facebook — a lot of people to have in a trusted circle.”

It’s always a delicate balancing act; one every blogger, cosplayer, or other online citizen will solve differently.

“When showing different aspects of my life, I want to feel comfortable; I don’t want to create filters,” says Rachel. “I want to say what I want to say one time to one audience, so I only add people I feel would fit in that audience.”

Online, of course, your audience is more than your consumers, and you are more than your brand, even in the most “branded” of settings.

A better term may be “interlocutors,” emphasizing mutuality, although the danger is precisely in those audience members who remain anonymous or whose motives are obscured.

Gordon’s online self is very different: a few professional publications, a LinkedIn page, a Facebook entry so slim it’s likely been created just to convince HR managers he isn’t a psycho … like people used to have a church membership for respectability, perhaps. So I imagine that, like a true informa8 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

tion security professional, he’ll be the “Czar of No” when it comes to the online doings of us randomly creative folk.

In fact, I’m wrong. He and Rachel are surprisingly on the same page: think through what you want to say, understand the risks, and then, if you have the courage, say it.

Sharing can hurt. Rachel’s xoJane essay about her surgery and recovery, for instance, received numerous unpleasant comments of the “buck up and stop whining” variety, though it was shared widely. The emotional risks are part of the security equation, Gordon says.

“To me there is no difference [between emotional and a practical risk],” he says. “If you are compromised and have an emotional attack from a person, it’s like asking whether it came from an analog or digital source. It’s still the same; the effect and eventual outcome are the same. The far-reaching effects may be different, but it is still the same attack.”

So how do you protect your feelings and your reputation? The solution combines old-fashioned values and contemporary smarts, my experts tell me.

Take your time.

Angry or drunk? Wait until tomorrow to go online. Please. “If you have 24 hours to calm down and think before you post, most of the inflammatory stuff won’t be

Photo by Gordon R. Merrill

there,” Gordon says.

Be kind.

“Having your family members on your Facebook feed keeps you honest,” Rachel says.

“Don’t post anything you can’t justify to your mother,” Gordon agrees. He adds, “Don’t put anything online you wouldn’t want to justify on the six o’clock news.”

Think about your brand (or, if you prefer, your ethos).

For instance, Rachel carefully prunes her tags in photographs.

Part is a very human vanity, she says, part is common sense.

“Everybody knows everyone drinks or goes on vacation, but you don’t have to show every minute of every day,” she explains. “I show people snapshots of what’s going on my my life, versus whole chapters and an index and footnotes! I am very particular.”

But still, take the risks you have to take.

Writing about a tumor took cour-

age…partly in processing the experience, partly in sharing it.

Rachel says: “I might write an emotional piece about my health but I don’t post my MRIs. That doesn’t help anyone understand anyway. From an artistic perspective I wanted to write about how I felt during treatment. I hadn’t thought about my feelings and that’s what made a difference.”

“The difference is that this is a choice and a premeditated effort on your part,” Gordon observes.

“It’s a decision to to present that material for your own personal reasons.”

In the end, Rachel says, sharing may take courage, but it’s worth it. She remembers when xoJane was the Sassy of the 90s and she wanted to share her story with that audience, in that namespace.

“I was a little scared to put it out there, but I felt like it was the right place, and that gave me a feeling of peace.”

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SCREEN SCENE

Are You Ready For The Invitation?

Dark, plodding film delves into the bigger issues of life and death

Angst Down On The Waterfront The Marlon Brando classic returns to the big screen “The finest thing ever done by an American film actor” was how director Elia Kazan characterized the performance of Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront.

And in a special two-day event, you can re-experience the movie that made Brando a household name on the big screen.

Terry Malloy (Brando) dreams about being a prize fighter, while tending to his pigeons and running errands at the docks for Johnny Friendly (Lee Cobb), the corrupt boss of the dockers’ union. Father Barry (Karl Malden) tries to force him

✴✴✴✴

to provide information for the courts that will smash the dock racketeers.

This beloved classic will be accompanied by special commentary from Turner Classic Movies hosts Robert Osborne or Ben Mankiewicz, who will provide insight, background and more, making this film come alive.

On The Waterfront Carmike East Ridge 18 Sunday, 2 p.m.

Wednesday, 7 p.m.

5080 South Terrace (423) 855-9652 carmike.com/Events

NEW IN THEATERS

The Huntsman: Winter's War As a war between rival queen sisters Ravenna and Freya escalates, Eric and fellow warrior Sara, members of the Huntsmen army raised to protect Freya, try to conceal their forbidden love.

Director: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt

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Elvis & Nixon The untold true story behind the meeting between the King of Rock 'n Roll and President Nixon, resulting in this revealing, yet humorous moment immortalized in the most requested photograph in the National Archives.

Director: Liza Johnson Stars: Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey

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T

HE PROMISE OF ETERNAL LIFE HAS LONG BEEN A selling point of most major religions. Be it the Christian idea of paradise in the everlasting presence of God, the promise of 72 virgins in certain Muslim traditions, the idea of reincarnation as a new being after death, or the joining with a universal consciousness after achieving the appropriate level of enlightenment, mankind has never been comfortable with the idea of death being final and endless.

Screen JOHN DEVORE

“

Its pace may be an issue for casual movie goers, but for those willing to experience the film, the payoff is well worth the time.”

Atheists maintain that death is nothing to fear, that it’s just a natural off switch, not unlike the period of time before birth. But being human, that finality, that lack of existence, is difficult to comprehend given just how intensely aware we are of our being. From an objective standpoint, it makes sense that every culture has created some solution to this final problem.

That we have continually and historically killed each other over these inherent attempts to reconcile our own mortality with our knowledge of it is mindboggling. But then, life is full of contradictions.

Beyond just our understanding that the end is coming, the idea of eternal life also allows us a way to balance the suffering of the world with a sense of fairness (even though much of the suffering we experience is of our own devising). We routinely end the suffering of animals out of kindness but often refuse to do so for our own species out of a bewildering respect for human life at all cost.

The Invitation, a slow burning thriller shown at the Chattanooga Film Festival and now available on Video On Demand, explores these themes in detail through the guise of a Hollywood

dinner party.

The film begins as Will (Logan Marshall-Green) and his girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) are on their way to a party thrown by Will’s ex-wife Eden (Tammy Blanchard) and her new husband David (Michael Huisman). Over the course of the film, we learn that Will and Eden lost a child in an accident and subsequently were unable to stay together. They haven’t seen each other in two years.

As Will and Kira drive, Will hits a coyote in the road and is forced to put the animal out of its misery with a tire iron. When they arrive, they awkwardly interact with the party guests, all old friends who have been out of touch for a long time.

The film progresses through flashbacks and an overwhelming sense of weirdness that only Will seems to notice. It is the type of party most people would leave almost immediately—full of pseudo-philosophical discussions and wish fulfilling par-

“The film at first glance seems overly plodding in its pace and awkward in its writings. But upon further reflection, it becomes obvious that the tempo is set this way so that the swell is that much more impactful.” ty games, topped off by a strange, cringe inducing introduction to a cult-like grief therapy organization called The Invitation.

This group appears to believe heavily in the afterlife, where all will be together again, free of suffering and strife. Eden and David show the party goers a snuff film where a leader in the organization assists a terminally ill woman in ending her life. As Will wanders the house that used to be his home, he continually catches glimpses and signs that something is not right, including a strange red lantern glowing in the

dark.

The film at first glance seems overly plodding in its pace and awkward in its writings. But upon further reflection, it becomes obvious that the tempo is set this way so that the swell is that much more impactful.

The halfhearted conversations and forced socialization fit the tone so well that audience feels a part of the affair—there is a near overwhelming desire to leave the movie, but like the characters locked inside, the questions raised force the audience to remain in their seats, curious

about the outcome.

The outcome, of course, is telegraphed far in advance. We know where this is going and our skin crawls as the party inches towards its Jonestown-esque denouement.

The audience may vacillate back and forth some with Will, but ultimately, we knew what was happening from the moment David locked the doors.

The Invitation is effective in its storytelling and has a powerful sense of atmosphere. Its pace may be an issue for casual movie goers, but for those willing to experience the film, the payoff is well worth the time.

But it’s the contradictions drawn between belief and reality that make the film linger in the mind.

Will was, if not comfortable in his decision to put the coyote down at the beginning of the film, at least accepting of it as right. The antagonists in the film feel the same way, which makes them downright terrifying.

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COLUMN JUST A THEORY

Not Enough Space for Space News Last month was jam-packed with exciting news. So, let’s dive in!

There's been a whole lot of space news in just the past month, and we're here to try and make some sense of what all the excitement is about.

Vertical Takeoff and Landing

STEVEN W. DISBROW

“

At this point, Planet 9 hasn’t been seen, but it’s effects have. Specifically, a lot of those other Dwarf Planets in the outer solar system have orbits that seem to be affected by something else…

Something big. ”

For some time now, SpaceX has been trying to land one of its Falcon 9 boosters vertically on a barge in the ocean. In the past, this has always resulted in the “Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly” of the rocket. That is to say, it fell over and blew up. Fun to watch, but not great for SpaceX’s bottom line.

On April 8th, that all changed. SpaceX managed to land the first stage booster from their latest launch (a resupply mission to the International Space Station), on a drone barge several miles downrange from the launch site.

It was, honestly, one of the most amazing engineering feats I’ve ever seen. (If you haven’t seen the video, it’s worth finding.)

But, apart from giving us the best noncat-based GIF ever, what good is this?

Well, it comes down to money. With the notable exception of the Space Shuttle’s solid rocket boosters (which float), booster stages were just tossed into the ocean and left to sink.

This is a tremendous waste of time, money, and materials, and it’s one of the reasons that it costs so much to get stuff to orbit. Being able to land the booster upright (and dry), allows for possible reuse, thereby lowering future mission costs by approximately “one very expensive booster.”

Photo courtesy SpaceX

Number 9. Number 9.

Steven Disbrow is a computer 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.

Remember a couple years ago when a bunch of astronomers got together and decided that Pluto wasn’t a “Planet” anymore? The main reason Pluto got demoted was because of its size. (It’s smaller than the Moon!) See, in the last

few decades, Astronomers have discovered several other objects in the outer solar system that were as big as Pluto.

So, rather than make all those things “Planets,” the term “Dwarf Planet” was coined, and Pluto was reclassified.

Fast forward to today, and there’s good news for fans of the Number 9: Astronomers now think that there is another “Planet 9” lurking way out in the far reaches of the solar system.

At this point, Planet 9 hasn’t been seen, but it’s effects have. Specifically, a lot of those other Dwarf Planets in the outer solar system have orbits that seem to be affected by something else…

Something big. At this point, the evidence points to a body with 10 times the mass of the Earth and about four times the diameter.

It’s also really far away. Current predictions indicate that Planet 9 is 700 times further from the Sun than we are!

If that’s correct, it would take this thing about 20,000 years to complete one orbit of the Sun! Planet 9 is also dark. At that distance, very little sunlight reaches it to be reflected back at us. So, confirming that it actually exists is going to be very dif-

ficult. However, it’s been over 100 years since a “real” planet was discovered, so you can bet that Astronomers will be scanning the sky non-stop for the first glimpse of this one. (Not to mention the naming rights!)

Of course, at this point, this is all based on indirect evidence and math.

But, that’s exactly what led to the discovery of Neptune and Pluto.

Interstellar!

Just last week a group called “Breakthrough Initiatives” announced a plan to send 1,000 tiny probes across interstellar space to visit Alpha Centauri. Ordinarily, this would go into the round file, but one of the members of this group is Physicist Stephen Hawking, who is anything but a crackpot.

The entire plan hinges on the probes themselves. They would be very small and accelerated to approximately 20% the speed of light using 100 gigawatt lasers. Traveling at that speed, it would take just 20 years to reach Alpha Centauri, which is 4 light years away.

Details about the initiative are still coming out, so I’ll be digging into it more in next month’s column.

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ARTS SCENE

From Hollywood To East Main Street W. Michael Bush oversees major art project at the Area 61 Gallery

Centuries Expressed Through Music Wayward Sisters bring classical music alive at St. Paul’s Music from the 17th and 18th centuries come to life through the musical talents of the Wayward Sisters, and this Friday you can travel through time yourself as St. Paul’s Episcopal Church hosts classical music from Italy, Germany, and England.

The Wayward Sisters are an awardwinning early music ensemble comprised of Beth Wenstrom on Baroque violin, Anne Timberlake on wind recorders, Anna Steinhoff on Baroque cello and the viola da gamba, and John Lenti on theorbo and guitar.

Centuries-ago classical music has been a passion for the Wayward Sisters since 2009. At a time when classical music seemed underappreciated, they travelled coast-to-coast and to cities such as Chicago and Dallas to perform their signature musical style.

With such a variety of instruments, the group performs music by composers such as Italy’s Johann Sebastian Bach, and England’s Matthew Locke. The performance selections include Bach’s “Trio Sonata in D Minor” and Locke’s “Suite No. 5 in D Minor”, both composed in the 17th century.

Despite the unfamiliarity to us living in the 21st century, the Wayward Sisters will bring a taste of times past to Chattanooga for a night. Tickets are $15 dollars at the door and $5 dollars for students. — Ja’Lisa Little Wayward Sisters Friday, 7:30 p.m.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 305 W. 7th St. (423) 266-8195 stpaulschatt.org

THU4.21

FRI4.22

SAT4.23

NO CRYING

AUSTEN POWER

GLAMOROUS

Evita

Sense and Sensibility

Amateur Drag Queen and King Contest

Andrew Lloyd Webber's classic musical at UTC. 7:30 p.m.

Dorothy Hackett Ward Center Vine and Palmetto St. (423) 425-4269 utc.edu/theatre-speech

The Jane Austen classic comes to life under the direction of theatre major Nyssa Coffman.

8 p.m.

Covenant College 14049 Scenic Hwy. covenant.edu

Think you have the right stuff to be the best man or woman you can be?

9 p.m.

Chuck's II 27 W. Main St. (423) 265-5405

14 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

O

NE OF THE MOST AUDACIOUS COLLABORATIONS in Chattanooga’s history is happening right now at the Area 61 Gallery on East Main Street. The innovative mind of W. Michael Bush has conceived of a brilliant piece that combines the work of 21 local artists.

Arts TONY MRAZ

“

I was very lucky by the time I was a senior in high school to have the good fortune of having an art instructor who was fresh out of college. He was not burned out on teaching, and enthusiastic about young artists. ”

The Pulse sat down with Bush to ask a couple of questions about the new project and his background as an artist.

The Pulse: What can you tell us about the project?

W. Michael Bush: The name of this particular project is Controlled Chaos. I started with an iconic image for the city of Chattanooga. I did a drawing of the image onto a 3x7 foot wood panel. I did the original drawing on paper, then I did an overlay on acetate and projected that from an overhead projector onto the panel.

Then I took another 3x7 panel and projected the same image, same lines in the exact same areas. That was divided into 1 foot squares, and we took it to the table saw and cut it into 1x1 foot chunks, which gave us 21 individual 1x1 foot squares. Those were randomly numbered on the back so that no one could take panel 1 and put it with panel 2 and begin to come up with what I was doing.

Then, about three weeks ago, we brought the pieces down to Area 61.

Keeli and David had assembled 21 artists, and I had 21 bags that each had one panel in it and a brief description of what we are doing. Not the subject matter, but a description in the sense that the lines must be retained in some fashion.

A sample of W. Michael Bush's literary and stage-inspired artwork (l to r) Cyrano de Bergerac, Big Daddy from "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof", and The Headless Horseman.

They didn’t have to be left exactly as I had made them, but needed to be the same shape. If they wanted to change the color or make it three dimensional I didn’t have a problem with that. I just needed to have it intersect with the next door square at the same point and be following the line that I had drawn.

All 21 artists were game.

Our next meeting will be June 25th at Area 61, in which they will be asked to return those 21 panels. Then we will bring those 21 panels back to my studio and adhere them to the master panel. At that point I will put the image onto it and see if there needs to be any fine tuning adjustments to make the image come out. Hopefully that’s all I will need to do to it.

At that point they will each stand as individual pieces in a quilt of artwork that will ultimately tell the overall story of the image I have chosen. The finished painting will be exhibited at

“Our next meeting will be June 25th at Area 61, in which they will be asked to return those 21 panels. Then we will bring those 21 panels back to my studio and adhere them to the master panel.” the Chamber of Commerce, and the proceeds will be donated to a charity.

TP: Tell us about your creative background.

WMB: I grew up in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Art is all I’ve ever done. From the time I was a small child, it was my direction.

I always liked to draw and paint from elementary school on. I was very lucky by the time I was a senior in high school to have the good fortune of having an art instructor who was fresh out of college. He was not burned out on teaching, and enthusi-

astic about young artists. The metal shop instructor passed away, and I was given the metal shop as my studio.

I went to Jacksonville University, then I went to Ringling School of the Arts in Sarasota and got my Bachelor’s degree. After that I went to Chicago to the Art Institute, and audited two classes. I left there and went to Mexico to the Instituto Allende in San Miguel.

After coming back to the States, I got a job in motion pictures as a scenic artist and was a set painter for

twenty years. My big claim to fame is I’m one of the guys who painted the sharks in the Jaws movies. I did other films including Caddyshack, Porky’s, and Absence of Malice.

When Dino De Laurentis built his North Carolina studio in Wilmington, I did Firestarter, Cat’s Eye, Marie, and a whole string of movies. I worked frequently in Atlanta doing Invasion USA and 6-Pack. I almost always worked on location in the Southeast. I did predominantly feature films.

The last project I did was in Orlando when they opened up Universal Studios. I was getting too old and tired to do that anymore, so I closed up shop, bought farm land in Middle Tennessee, and went back to pure painting.

I exhibit in galleries stretching from Florida up to the Carolinas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama.

I’m happy to just continue to paint.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 15

ARTS CALENDAR THURSDAY4.21 The Hunchback of Notre Dame 2, 7 p.m.

Heritage House 1428 Jenkins Rd. (423) 855-9474 Ooltewah Farmers Market 3 p.m.

Ooltewah Nursery 5829 Main St. ooltewahnursery.com Outdoor Recreation Mapping and Apping Party 5:30 p.m.

Outdoor Chattanooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com South Bound Lectures: Claire Vaye Watkins 6 p.m.

Arts Building 301 E. 11th St. (423) 267-1218 southernlitalliance.org Cocktails In Color 6 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org PechaKucha Vol. 24 6:30 p.m.

Jazzanooga Arts Space 431 E. MLK Blvd. jazzanooga.org Sephartic Passover Education Program 7 p.m.

Jewish Cultural Center

16 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

5461 North Terrace (423) 493-0270 jewishchattanooga.com PSC’s Colby McLemore 7 p.m.

St. John United Methodist Church 3921 Murray Hills Rd. (423) 894-5210 stjohnumc.org Michael Mack 7:30 p.m.

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

Dorothy Hackett Ward Center Corner of Vine and Palmetto St. (423) 425-4269 utc.edu/theatre-speech Sense and Sensibility 8 p.m.

PULSE PICK: MICHAEL MACK His “laugh ‘till you puke” style has made it on to “The Bob and Tom Show”, “The John Boy and Billy Show”, and ABC’s America’s Funniest People.

Michael Mack The Comedy Catch @ The Choo Choo 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

Covenant College 14049 Scenic Hwy. covenant.edu

FRIDAY4.22 If Trees Could Sing Launch Party 6 p.m.

Coolidge Park 150 River St. (423) 757-2143 Chattanooga Singers and Chamber Singers 6 p.m.

Second Presbyterian Church 700 Pine St. (423) 266-2828 secondpreschattanooga.org Travis Knight Presents: Creep Show 6:30 p.m.

AVA Gallery

30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-4282 avarts.org Chattanooga Lookouts vs.

Birmingham Barons 7:15 p.m.

AT&T Field 201 Power Alley (423) 267-2208 lookouts.com Michael Mack 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

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

Dorothy Hackett Ward Center Corner of Vine and Palmetto St. (423) 425-4269 utc.edu/theatre-speech Wayward Sisters 7:30 p.m.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 305 W. 7th St. (423) 266-8195 stpaulschatt.org Sense and Sensibility 8 p.m.

Covenant College 14049 Scenic Hwy. covenant.edu Trinketz 8 p.m.

The Apothecary 744 McCallie Ave. apothecarygallery.com

SATURDAY4.23 Battle of the Clouds 6 a.m.

ARTS CALENDAR Ruby Falls 1720 S. Scenic Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com Clean and Green 2016 8 a.m.

Waterhouse Pavilion 850 Market St. (423) 265-3700 waterhousepavilion.com Day Out with Thomas: The Ready, Set, Go Tour 2016 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum 4119 Cromwell Rd. (423) 894-8028 tvrail.com National Cornbread Festival 9 a.m.

221 S. Cedar Ave. (423) 837-0022 nationalcornbread.com Gun & Knife Show 9 a.m.

1000 Alhambra Dr. (423) 892-0223 alhambrashrine.com Chattanooga Market 10 a.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogamarket.com Rain Barrel Workshop 10 a.m.

Tennessee Aquarium 1 Broad St. (423) 265-0695 tnaqua.org The Fence Posts & Fireflies Spring Festival 10 a.m.

Fence Posts & Fireflies

Spring Festival 197 Hope Rd. (423) 463-6257 Scenic City Art Car Tailgate Party & Parade 10 a.m.

Carmike Majestic 12 311 Broad St. (423) 265-5220 art120.org Ninth Annual Outdoor Expo and Gear Swap 10 a.m.

Gear Closet 535 Cherokee Blvd.

(423) 413 3298 gearcloset.org Amazing Family Expo & Fair 10 a.m.

Camp Jordan 323 Camp Jordan Pkwy.

(423) 490-0078 Hot Glass Demo with Sherry Nickell 11 a.m.

River Gallery 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033, ext. 5 river-gallery.com Evita 2, 7:30 p.m.

Dorothy Hackett Ward Center Corner of Vine and Palmetto St. (423) 425-4269 utc.edu/theatre-speech Sense and Sensibility 2:30 p.m.

Covenant College 14049 Scenic Hwy. covenant.edu Japanese Tea Ceremony 3 p.m.

Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St.

(423) 643-7700 chattlibrary.org Elijah 4 p.m.

Collegedale Church of Seventh-Day Adventists 4829 College Dr. E. (423) 667-0928 Michael Mack 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Amateur Drag Queen and King Contest 9 p.m.

Chuck's II 27 W. Main St. (423) 265-5405

SUNDAY4.24 National Cornbread Festival 9 a.m.

221 S. Cedar Ave. (423) 837-0022 nationalcornbread.com Gun & Knife Show 9 a.m.

1000 Alhambra Dr. (423) 892-0223 alhambrashrine.com Chattanooga Market 10 a.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St (423) 648-2496 chattanoogamarket.com The Fence Posts & Fireflies Spring Festival 10 a.m.

Fence Posts & Fireflies

Spring Festival 197 Hope Rd. (423) 463-6257 Amazing Family Expo & Fair 10 a.m.

Camp Jordan 323 Camp Jordan Pkwy.

(423) 490-0078 Day Out with Thomas: The Ready, Set, Go Tour 2016 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum 4119 Cromwell Rd. (423) 894-8028 tvrail.com Chocolate Fling Benefit 1:30 p.m.

The Chattanoogan 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400 chocolatefling.org Chattanooga Ballet Children’s Concert 1:30 p.m.

Chattanooga High School Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. (423) 209-5929 centerforcreativearts.net On the Waterfront 2 p.m.

Carmike East Ridge 18 5080 S. Terrace (423) 855-9652 carmike.com/events Tucker’s Trek 5k and 1 Mile Run 3 p.m.

Baylor School 171 Baylor School Rd. (423) 267-8505 baylorschool.org Mamma Mia! CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 17

ARTS CALENDAR

Drink Like A Viking: How To Make Mead & Cider

7 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 chattanoogasymphony.org Chattanooga Adult Skate Night 7:30 p.m.

Hamilton Skate Place 7414 Goodwin Rd. (423) 899-1788 hamiltonskate.com Michael Mack 7:30 p.m.

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

UTC Theatre 752 Vine St. (423) 425-4374

MONDAY4.25 Native Fish Restoration 7 p.m.

Green Spaces 63 E. Main St. (423) 648-0963 conservationfisheries.org There’s A Word For That 8 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org

Bessie Smith Cultural Center 200 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-8656 bessiesmithcc.org

WEDNESDAY4.27 Middle East Dance 10:30 a.m.

Jewish Cultural Center 5461 North Terrace (423) 493-0270 jewishchattanooga.com Carnival at Hamilton Place 4 p.m.

Hamilton Place 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd.

(423) 894-7177 hamiltonplace.com Drink Like a Viking: How to Make Mead & Cider 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Workspace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com On the Waterfront 7 p.m.

Carmike East Ridge 18 5080 S. Terrace (423) 855-9652 carmike.com/event Grandma Lee 7:30 p.m.

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

TUESDAY4.26 For The Love of Music!

7 p.m.

18 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

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

Diversions

Consider This with Dr. Rick

by Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D. “Surround yourself with those who see the greatness within you.” — Author Unknown When someone comes out of rehab, they must learn to make new friends. The old friends were participants in the addictive dance that led them to rehab in the first place. So, hard as it is, their support system must now be a fresh start, and must include clean and sober friends.

There’s wisdom to this. Who we attract, who we surround ourselves with, we internalize. And they internalize us. The vulnerability and trust necessary to create a bond with another person is what allows this to happen. Want to know more about someone? Check out who their friends are.

Consider this: Do your closest friends bring out the best in you, support your dreams and care about you unconditionally? And are you that kind of friend to them? For healthy self-esteem, say no to those who hurt, and yes to those who heal.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 19

20 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

FOOD & DRINK MIXOLOGY

April Showers Bring May Flowery Drinks Sampling three drinks full of flower power to get you in the Spring spirit(s) “With flowers in full bloom, now is the time to appreciate them in every form: look, smell, and especially taste.”

We all know the saying: April showers bring May flowers. But what is to come of these May flowers? Well, in this case, it’s got a little something to do with alcohol. As we approach May, we are all craving the warm, inviting weather which April promised but didn’t deliver.

As we warm up and the seasons change, the drinks begin to change, too. Winter to spring, eggnog to elderberry.

Rosey Posey: What’s more classic than a rose? Roses are used in everything from perfumes to teas, puddings, and body oils. But what about alcohol?

Surprisingly, there are numerous drinks involving rose oil, rose petals, and even rose syrup. If the look and smell of a rose is enticing to you, wait till you get

a taste.

• • • • • •

1/3 oz. rose syrup 1/3 oz. pomegranate syrup 1 1/3 oz. vodka 1 oz. cranberry juice 3 fresh strawberries Red rose

Mix strawberries and liquids in a shaker tin. Fill shaker with ice cubes, and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a rose.

Elderflower Spritz: Elderflower is from the Elder plant and is known first for its warm, sweet floral flavor followed by its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It is used for colds and flus and boosts the immune system. This

drink is tasty and easy to make—the perfect combination. Whether you’re having a party or a light dinner at home, this is the perfect companion for any occasion.

• 1 oz. St. Germain elderflower liqueur • 4 oz. apple juice • club soda • apple slice, for garnish Pour one ounce of St-Germain into a wine glass or Champagne flute. Add four ounces of pure apple juice. If you’re looking something a little stronger, add an ounce of anything clear you can get your hands on—vodka to let the elderflower flavor shine, white rum for a little more body, or gin to throw in something

enticing and herbal. Top with club soda and garnish with an apple slice.

Lilac Soda: Up next, we’ve got something a little different for you to sip on. When you think of lilac and soft drinks, you probably don’t put the two together and you probably don’t think there would be a third main ingredient involved.

We’ve got a surprise for you. Instead of one of those syrupy, sugar-filled, artificial colored soft drinks, we’d like to recommend something lighter, more refreshing, and with flavors that will soothe the soul. Oh, and did we mention there’s rum?

• • • • •

1 oz light rum 1/2 oz Creme de Violette 1/2 oz lilac simple syrup 1/2 lime 1/2 cup soda water

Mix the rum, Creme de Violette, lilac simple syrup, and lime in a glass. Add the ice and soda water. Stir to mix.

With flowers in full bloom, now is the time to appreciate them in every form: look, smell, and especially taste. Raise a toast to spring and flowers in a form that won’t make you sneeze.

— Rebekah Jones

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 21

MUSIC SCENE

Cher Von Packs Her Bags, Hits The Endless Road Louisville native brings her vagabond life and music to Cleveland

Julian Lage

A Powerful Guitar And Voice Julian Lage and Julie Dexter highlight Jazzanooga Are you ready for the annual Jazzanooga Music Festival? There are a few artists itching for it to begin.

On Sunday, jazz guitarist Julian Lage and singer/songwriter Julie Dexter are gracing the Revelry Room stage.

Dexter is the impressive opening act, followed by Lage who will entrance you with his skillfully graceful guitar playing.

Julie Dexter is a world-renowned, award-winning singer and producer hailing from Britain with a voice full of power and elegance. The moment she opens her mouth, you can tell she has been influenced by some legends; Nancy Wilson and Bob Marley to name a few. As far as genres go, you cannot pin her down, and why would you try? She has transcended the genres of Broken-Beat, Bossa-Nova, Reggae, Afro-Beat, and Soul.

At just 27, Julian Lage has a long

list of accomplishments which many musicians double his age would be proud of, including four successful solo albums, numerous side projects, and a Grammy nomination. Since the age of fifteen, he has been a faculty member at the Stanford Jazz Workshop and was classically trained at several musical universities, including the Berklee College of Music.

His newest album, Arclight, is a completely original album full of pre-bebop era songs. It is his first album recorded on electric guitar and in trio format, with a double bassist and drummer. The sultry and intriguing sound will keep you entertained for hours.

To hear these two share their wealth of talent, come to the Revelry Room this Sunday. The show starts at 5 p.m. For questions or tickets, visit jazzanooga.org — Rebekah Jones

THU4.21

FRI4.22

SAT4.23

WHAT A NAME

MELLOW MAN

CROAT HIP-HOP

Twirly Whirly Burly-Q

Ross Childress

SOCRO

There are some bands that you need only to hear their name to know they're good.

9 p.m.

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

Time to kick back, relax and enjoy some super smooth acoustic stylings.

9 p.m.

World of Beer 412 Market St. wobusa.com

Croatia meets hip-hop in the Deep South...and the marriage is wonderful.

10 p.m.

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

22 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

T

HE STRANGE, BEAUTIFUL WORLD OF A PERFORmance from Cher Von, the nom de plume of Chervon Koeune, mixes reveries of otherworldly, breathtaking wordless vocals and sounds made from found materials, with an added dimension of free movement, expanding upon influences such as Japanese Butoh dance and iconoclastic and innovative vocalists Meredith Monk, Björk, Patty Waters, Bobby McFerrin and Shelley Hirsch.

Music ERNIE PAIK

“

Seeing wherever I am at the moment as home has made it easier for me to adapt to things and feel comfortable in more settings than I usually would.”

Last month, Cher Von made a decision to become a “performing vagabond” and reduce all of her belongings to a single bag; she left her home base of Louisville to travel and perform in venues, houses and street corners across the nation.

“Thus far it’s been incredible, and I haven’t even ventured too far out of my comfort zone,” said Cher Von, via email in advance of her Friday night show at Grey House Red Door in nearby Cleveland. “It’s definitely the kind of decision that yields a lot of growth one way or another, whether you’re ready for it or not, and that part really excites me.

“Trying to shift my view of what ‘home’ means has been interesting,” she laughs. “Seeing wherever I am at the moment as home has made it easier for me to adapt to things and feel comfortable in more settings than I usually would.

“Creatively, I’m more inspired than ever. A big part of the decision to live and travel this way came from how much emotional change would likely take place, and that always impacts my creative direction. My head is swimming with ideas, and now is the very best time to get them out.”

An eager collaborator, Cher Von has performed and recorded with kindred musical spirits including Joshua Kruer (Nature Was Here) and keyboardist Jonathan Glen Wood, and one of the aims of her new status as an itinerant musician is to meet, challenge, and connect with new collaborators.

“I love improvisation, and the exciting part is just jumping in and letting people give what they have,” said Cher Von, responding to a question regarding how she approaches collaborations. “You can take it or leave it, but seeing what people naturally want to do without any direction is the way I prefer. I often hear people say they play an instrument and immediately say ‘Let’s play some music.’”

While Cher Von’s previous material was often based on vocal loops using effects pedals, currently her stream-ofconsciousness improvisations depend less on electronics and amplification, going for a more minimal approach that relies upon a careful use of space and silence.

“Setting is everything, and I love playing in living rooms and basements.

I love smaller venues in general because it feels like less separation between performer and audience.”

Her musical inspirations come not only from the European/American avant-garde but also from more obscure sources, including Japanese Shamisen music.

“There are so many influences, and as someone who is geographically challenged, it helps that I don’t really notice exactly what part of the world they come from. I just take them,” said Cher Von, about non-Western world sources. “I have really taken a liking to Shamisen music, yes, and lately more African music…specifically Moorish music. But there is some music that I have no clue where it comes from, who makes it, or how to find it again, and those are the best ones.”

Much has been said about how normative standards are most commonly used to judge physical beauty, and when translated into the artistic and musical realms, the same is true.

However, one striking thing about Cher Von’s work is how it is often unusual sounding but not alienating or inaccessible, breaking past normative ideas of beauty.

“My aim is to make music. If it comes out beautiful, I love that! If it comes out bizarre, I love that!” said Cher Von, when asked about her aim, in this context. “Any way you want to receive the music, that’s how I intend it. I think beautiful music is that which stirs you.”

Cher Von’s Friday performance in Cleveland is a house show, open to the public, which can offer a different experience than one in a commercial venue.

“Setting is everything, and I love playing in living rooms and basements.

I love smaller venues in general because it feels like less separation between performer and audience,” said Cher Von. “It’s easier to get where I need to mentally be when in a more intimate venue, and in turn my shows are better!”

What’s next for Cher Von? “Everything is next.”

Cher Von with Holy Gallows, The Flesh Void, Jesus Wept, Red Okra King and Torschlusspanik Friday, April 22 8 p.m.

Grey House Red Door Cleveland, TN Directions: tinyurl.com/greyhouse Free admission

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 23

MUSIC CALENDAR THURSDAY4.21 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 PechaKucha Vol. 24 6:30 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 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Westfield/Perkinson/Steele: A Kings of the Killer Fish Revival 7:30 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Jesse James & Tim Neal 7:30 p.m.

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

The Social 1110 Market St.

24 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

The Cleverlys publichousechattanooga.com The Cleverlys 8 p.m.

Track29 1400 Market St. track29.co Open Mic with Hap Henninger 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Twirly Whirly Burly-Q 9 p.m.

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

FRIDAY4.22 Jim Rickets & Crystle Elam 1 p.m.

Camp Jordan Arena 323 Camp Jordan Pkwy.

PULSE PICK: DRIVIN N’ CRYIN Much more than a onehit wonder, “We're a band that’s like your record collection.” So says lead singer Kevn Kinney, who's been making music since the '80s and shows no sign of stopping.

Drivin N’ Cryin 8 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 E. 14th St. revelryroom.co

eastridgeparksandrec.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 If Trees Could Sing 6 p.m.

Coolidge Park 150 River St. (423) 643-5956 Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Octet 7 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. jazzanooga.org Sandi Patty

7 p.m.

Abba’s House Awaken Worship Center 5208 Hixson Pike abbashouse.com Wayward Sisters 7:30 p.m.

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 305 W. 7th St. stpaulschatt.org The Dead Deads 8 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Drivin N’ Cryin 8 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 E. 14th St. revelryroom.co Standing Room Only 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Sam Killed the Bear with Heather Leigh Holt, Antler Hopkins, SunSap, and The Menace from Earth 9 p.m.

Mayo's 3820 Brainerd Rd. (423) 624-0034 Ross Childress 9 p.m.

World of Beer 412 Market St. wobusa.com Billy Gray Terry & Friends 9 p.m.

Puckett’s Grocery 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Randall Adams

MUSIC CALENDAR

James Taylor 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Wasted Riffs 9:30 p.m.

Brew & Cue 5017 Rossville Blvd. facebook.com/TheBrewAndCue Little Raine Band 10 p.m.

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

Raw Dance Club 409 Market St. rawbarandgrillchatt.com Voodoo Slim 10 p.m.

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

SATURDAY4.23 Sweet Georgia Sound 12:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Market 1829 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder 6 p.m.

First Volunteer Stage South Pittsburg nationalcornbread.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 Christian McBride Trio and Chantae Cann 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo Convention Center 1400 Market St. jazzanooga.org James Taylor 8 p.m.

UTC McKenzie Arena 615 McCallie Ave. jamestaylor.com/chattanooga Alan Rhody 8 p.m.

Charles and Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. christunity.org Standing Room Only 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Eric Heatherly 9 p.m.

Puckett’s Grocery 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Stump Tail Dolly feat.

Matt Smith, GA Brown, & Tony Mraz 9 p.m.

Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Backup Planet 9 p.m.

Revelry Room

41 E. 14th St. revelryroom.co Randall Dowling 9 p.m.

World of Beer 412 Market St. wobusa.com SOCRO 10 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Mark Andrew 10 p.m.

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

Raw Dance Club 409 Market St. rawbarandgrillchatt.com Voodoo Slim 10 p.m.

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

SUNDAY4.24 Emily Scott Robinson 11 a.m.

The Flying Squirrel 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Ryan Oyer 12:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Market 1829 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com The Von Wamps 2 p.m.

Chattanooga Market

1829 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com Julian Lage and Julie Dexter 5 p.m.

Revelry Room 1400 Market St. jazzanooga.org Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775 Molly Maguires 7 p.m.

The Honest Pint 35 Patten Pkwy. thehonestpint.com

MONDAY4.25 Booker Scruggs Ensemble 1:30 p.m.

The Flying Squirrel 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.

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

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

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

Granfalloon CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 25

MUSIC CALENDAR 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com "There’s A Word For That " with Nathan Bell and Dark Horse Ten 8 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Alabama Shakes 8 p.m.

Track 29 1400 Market St. track29.co Withered 9 p.m.

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

TUESDAY4.26 Open Mic with Mike McDade 8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com Escape The Fate 8 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 E. 14th St. revelryroom.co

WEDNESDAY4.27 Eddie Pontiac 5:30 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonrestaurant.com Courtney Daly Band 7 p.m.

End Zone

26 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

The Oh Hellos 3658 Ringgold Rd. (423) 661-8020 Breaking Benjamin “Unplugged” Acoustic Evening 8 p.m.

Track 29 1400 Market St. track29.co Wednesday Night Jazz with The Robert Crabtree Trio 8 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org The Oh Hellos 7 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 E. 14th St. revelryroom.co Open Jam 8 p.m.

Raw Dance Club 409 Market St. rawbarandgrillchatt.com Wednesday Blues Jam 8 p.m.

The Office @ City Café 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Priscilla & Little Rickee 9 p.m.

Las Margaritas Riverview 1101 Hixson Pike (423) 756-3332 The Palm 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 PATRICK FILBIN

Sailing Around The World, Finding Peace On The Island Simpsons give advice to his son, MacKillop gets introspective

Sturgill Simpson A Sailor’s Guide to Earth (Atlantic Records)

T

he sea is a curious place.

The wonders, the mysteries, the uncertainties. It takes a skilled and experienced sailor to navigate the treacherous waters and even then, he or she doesn’t know a lick of what to expect throughout the journey.

All someone can do is set sail, let go, and enjoy the ride whole it lasts.

A Sailor’s Guide to Earth is Sturgill Simpson’s journal of notes and advice to his son. It’s

brewer media

Kyle MacKillop The Island (kylemackillop.bandcamp.com)

his wisdom and package of anecdotes rolled up in a bottle and set off to the waves and wonders. The follow up to his critically acclaimed and award-winning Metamodern Sounds in Country Music is as expansive, personal, and experimental. It’s still a country album at its core and in the structure, but there is heaps of blues, jazz, rock and folk that make for an incredibly fun record.

The album starts off on the

somber end with “Welcome to the Earth (Pollywag)” and “Breakers Roar,” songs about the vast abyss, the uncertainty that life brings and the dreamlike qualities that exist every day. Both have lullaby qualities, piano, violin, soft vocals. They exert the feeling of the ups and downs in life.

Then he flips the script. In “Keep it between the Lines,” Simpson goes full on blues-rock and hits it out of the park with a cautionary tale of youth, what do to and not to do spoken from a man and father who has possibly done and seen it all. “Don’t turn mailboxes into baseballs, don’t get busted selling at seventeen. Motor oil is motor oil just keep your engine clean.”

The theme of the record comes off the rails only a few times, but as a complete collection, “country music,”—as far Simpson wants to stretch that— doesn’t get much better than this. Highlights also include the cover of Nirvana’s “In Bloom”

which still fits in the realm of a narrator trying to figure it out as he goes along, the sax solo and organ playing in the incredibly crafted “All Around You,” and the angry, politically driven “Call to Arms” which is hard not to compare to a Springsteen rally song. Simpson continues to prove that in order to keep country fresh, you just have to shake things up and write the damn songs yourself.

Sturgill Simpson plays the Tivoli Theater on May 18.

I

n today’s culture of discovering music, it’s always easy finding inspiration. There are new artists on the singer-songwriter wavelength like Gregory Alan Isakov and moody veterans like Ryan Adams who keep the genre refined and never tired. In Kyle MacKillop’s The Island, he touches on each inspiration and is set on making a path for himself.

MacKillop is a good storyteller. You can tell what kind of mu-

sic he listens to and the ones he aspires to write, record and produce. Sometimes he gets stuck in clichés, like in the early verse of “Funny Way,” a track about a troubled love complicated with distance and communication, but outside of that, he paints a delicate picture of someone moving on from him: “When I look west I know you’re still walkin’ / And I see your silhouette against the sun.”

Another standout is the title track, “The Island.” A sweetly produced track of simple strumming and simple piano chords with the undeniable talent of harmonies a mystery female voice that isn’t listed in the credits. What’s a girl gotta do to get some love? She’s featured on multiple songs and makes every one better with the subtleness and tenderness of her voice.

Throughout the album, there are strings of very refined and mature vocals, especially in “Watch You Go.” MacKillop doesn’t try too hard to sing, which a lot of young singers try to do. He knows where his voice fits in the song and excels when he is reserved and lets the story of the song sing itself. Elsewhere, there are typical singersongwriter themes of hometown anxiety, the urge to hit the road and desire for a new start, wherever that may be.

Chattanooga’s Greatest Hits

everywhere. every day.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 27

COLUMN FREE WILL ASTROLOGY TAURUS (April 20May 20): The ancient Greek geographer Pausanias told a story about how the famous poet Pindar got his start. One summer day, young Pindar decided to walk from his home Thebes to a city 20 ROB BREZSNY in miles away. During his trek, he got tired and lay down to take a nap by the side of the road. As he slept, bees swarmed around him and coated his lips with wax. He didn’t wake up until one of the bees stung him. For anyone else, this might have been a bother. But Pindar took it as an omen that he should become a lyric poet, a composer of honeyed verses. And that’s exactly what he did in the ensuing years. I foresee you having an experience comparable to Pindar’s sometime soon, Taurus. How you interpret it will be crucial.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “I measure the strength of a spirit by how much truth it can take,” said philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Measured by that standard, your strength of spirit has been growing—and may be poised to reach an all-time high.

In my estimation, you now have an unusually expansive capacity to hold surprising, effervescent, catalytic truths. Do you dare invite all these insights and revelations to come pouring toward you? I hope so. I’ll be cheering you on, praying for you to be brave enough to ask for as much as you can possibly accommodate.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Göbekli Tepe was a monumental religious sanctuary built 11,600 years ago in the place we now call Turkey. Modern archaeologists are confounded by the skill and artistry with which its massive stone pillars were arranged and carved. According to conventional wisdom, humans of that era were primitive nomads who hunted animals and foraged for plants.

So it’s hard to understand how they could have constructed such an impressive structure 7,000 years before the Great Pyramid of Giza. Writing in National Geographic, science journalist Charles C. Mann said, “Discovering that hunter-gatherers had constructed Göbekli Tepe was like finding

that someone had built a 747 in a basement with an X-Acto knife.” In that spirit, Cancerian, I make the following prediction: In the coming months, you can accomplish a marvel that may have seemed beyond your capacity.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In myths and folklore, the ember is a symbol of coiled-up power. The fire within it is controlled. It provides warmth and glow even as its raw force is contained. There are no unruly flames. How much energy is stored within? It’s a reservoir of untapped light, a promise of verve and radiance. Now please ruminate further about the ember, Leo. According to my reading of the astrological omens, it’s your core motif right now.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Uh-oh. Or maybe I should instead say “Hooray!” You are slipping into the Raw Hearty Vivid Untamed Phase of your astrological cycle. The universe is nudging you in the direction of high adventure, sweet intensity, and rigorous stimulation. If you choose to resist the nudges, odds are that you’ll have more of an “uh-oh” experience. If you decide to play along, “hooray!” is the likely outcome. To help you get in the proper mood, make the following declaration: “I like to think that my bones are made from oak, my blood from a waterfall, and my heart from wild daisies.” (That’s a quote from the poet McKenzie Stauffer.)

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In many cultures, the butterfly is a symbol of transformation and rebirth. In its original state as a caterpillar, it is homely and slow-moving. After its resurrection time in the chrysalis, it becomes a lithe and lovely creature capable of flight. The mythic meaning of the moth is quite different, however. Enchanted by the flame, it’s driven so strongly toward the light that it risks burning its wings. So it’s a symbol of intense longing that may go too far. In the coming weeks, Libra, your life could turn either way. You may even vacillate between being moth-like and butterfly-like. For best results, set an intention.

What exactly do you want?

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “I gladly abandon dreary tasks, rational scruples, reactive undertakings imposed by the world,” wrote Scorpio philosopher Roland Barthes. Why did he do this? For

Follow The Pulse on Facebook (we’re quite likeable) www.facebook.com/chattanoogapulse 28 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Homework: If you had to choose one wild animal to follow, observe, and learn from for three weeks, which would it be?

FreeWillAstrology.com the sake of love, he said -- even though he knew it might cause him to act like a lunatic as it freed up tremendous energy. Would you consider pursuing a course like that in the coming weeks, Scorpio?

In my astrological opinion, you have earned some time off from the grind. You need a break from the numbing procession of the usual daily rhythms. Is there any captivating person, animal, adventure, or idea that might so thoroughly incite your imagination that you’d be open to acting like a lunatic lover with boundless vigor?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): “Difficulties illuminate existence,” says novelist Tom Robbins, “but they must be fresh and of high quality.” Your assignment, Sagittarius, is to go out in search of the freshest and highest-quality difficulties you can track down. You’re slipping into a magical phase of your astrological cycle when you will have exceptional skill at rounding up useful dilemmas and exciting riddles. Please take full advantage!

Welcome this rich opportunity to outgrow and escape boring old problems.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “When I grow up, I want to be a little boy,” wrote novelist Joseph Heller in his book Something Happened. You have cosmic permission to make a comparable declaration in the coming days. In fact, you have a poetic license and a spiritual mandate to utter battle cries like that as often as the mood strikes. Feel free to embellish and improvise, as well: “When I grow up, I want to be a riot girl with a big brash attitude,” for example, or “When I grow up, I want to be a beautiful playful monster with lots of toys

and fascinating friends who constantly amaze me.”

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In one of his diaries, author Franz Kafka made this declaration: “Life’s splendor forever lies in wait around each one of us in all of its fullness—but veiled from view, deep down, invisible, far off. It is there, though, not hostile, not reluctant, not deaf. If you summon it by the right word, by its right name, it will come.” I’m bringing this promise to your attention, Aquarius, because you have more power than usual to call forth a command performance of life’s hidden splendor. You can coax it to the surface and bid it to spill over into your daily rhythm. For best results, be magnificent as you invoke the magnificence.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): I’ve got a controversial message for you, Pisces. If you’re addicted to your problems or if you’re convinced that cynicism is a supreme mark of intelligence, what I’ll say may be offensive. Nevertheless, it’s my duty as your oracle to inform you of the cosmic tendencies, and so I will proceed. For the sake of your mental health and the future of your relationship with love, consider the possibility that the following counsel from French author André Gide is just what you need to hear right now: “Know that joy is rarer, more difficult, and more beautiful than sadness.

Once you make this all-important discovery, you must embrace joy as a moral obligation.”

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “The writer should never be ashamed of staring,” said Aries writer Flannery O’Connor. “There is nothing that does not require his attention.” This is also true for all of you Aries folks, not just the writers among you. And the coming weeks will be an especially important time for you to cultivate a piercing gaze that sees deeply and shrewdly. You will thrive to the degree that you notice details you might normally miss or regard as unimportant. What you believe and what you think won’t be as important as what you perceive. Trust your eyes.

Rob Brezsny is an aspiring master of curiosity, perpetrator of sacred uproar, and founder of the Beauty and Truth Lab. He brings a literate, mythsavvy perspective to his work. It’s all in the stars.

The Best Sports Coverage in Chattanooga.

Period.

Jonesin’ Crossword

MATT JONES

“Err Guitar”—definitely not a solid instrument.

ACROSS 1 Hoover, e.g.

4 He came back for a “Big Holiday” in 2016 10 Participates in an auction 14 Roswell craft 15 ___-Lorraine (area in northeast France) 16 “A Streetcar Named Desire” director Kazan 17 ___ de mer 18 Veteran Marine, in slang 20 Cold one 22 Corleone patriarch 23 A year in Paris 24 Lawsuit 26 Pair with a lot of pull?

27 Spherical treat that comes from a toroid 32 Bowler’s place 33 Hockey Hall of Famer Cam 34 Kal Penn’s costar John 37 Hitchcock title word 38 ___ au poivre

39 “The Grapes of Wrath” family name 40 Neither’s partner 41 Graphics program included with Windows 1.0 42 Carried, as by the wind 43 Sprays some sticky stuff as a prank 45 Answer sharply 48 Plasma particles 49 Not mine, in bucolic comic strips 50 Carpenter’s leveler 53 Autocorrect target 56 Poopo or Titicaca, e.g.

59 Empty (of) 60 About, formally 61 “I can’t hear you!”

62 Four-color card game 63 King with three daughters 64 John Doe, e.g.

65 Part of rpm DOWN 1 Like some mistakes 2 In the distance

3 Like some small biological projects?

4 Chum 5 Late hour, for some 6 “Caprica” star Morales 7 Light bulb unit 8 Reverb (and a cliche when a character thinks it’s someone else) 9 Ultra-wide shoe size 10 He was associated with the Jets 11 “Mr. Belvedere” actress Graff 12 Vegetable cutter 13 Fermented rice drinks 19 Recover from a setback 21 Final Jeopardy! amount 25 Not forthcoming 26 Eleventh U.S. president 27 “Shoot!”

28 It’s sold in bars and tubs 29 No later than 30 Pint-sized 31 Events at meets

34 Sweetener under recent scrutiny 35 Install in a gallery, maybe 36 Neruda works 38 Seasonal addition?

39 It usually gets rolled 41 Schroeder’s prop 42 ___-country (2010s music genre) 43 Comparatively agile 44 Opportune 45 Emmy-winning title role for Sally Field 46 All’s opposite 47 Tony-winning actress McDonald 50 Graceful swimmer 51 Xbox series since 2001 52 “Was ___ inside job?”

54 Maine’s state tree 55 Paper factory side effect 57 Ft. Lauderdale locale 58 Aries’ animal

Copyright © 2016 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 0776 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 29

COLUMN SUSHI & BISCUITS

Spam: It’s Not Just For Email Anymore Chef Mike pays homage to the ubiquitous processed meat

MIKE MCJUNKIN

“

Eating Spam raw, straight from the can is a borderline human rights violation, but sliced thin and pan-fried, it transforms into something that is not only good, it’s downright delicious.”

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

It took me almost twenty years to recover from my first encounter with Spam. Wandering innocently into a friend’s kitchen I witnessed a glistening, vaguely meat-like cube of Spam emerge from its canned womb and slide onto a plate with the sound of a boot pulling out of wet mud. My young mind could handle the idea of meat from a can, but the gelatinous vernix coating this newborn tinned terrine caused my appetite for Hormel’s signature canned comestible to seek refuge in the loving arms of less soul-scarring porcine products.

It wasn’t until two decades later that I began an affair with Spam that, like so many irresponsible relationships, has been marked by impulsive trysts and base cravings that inevitably lead to a guilt ridden breakfast over promises that this time will be the last time. But there never seems to be a last time. In spite of its reputation, when treated with the respect it deserves, Spam is so bad it’s good.

Despite the jokes and urban legends about the provenance of its ingredients, Spam is about 90 percent pork shoulder and 10 percent ham. Add some salt, sugar, spices, water and sodium nitrate to the mix and—voilà—you have Spam.

The USDA does not allow nonmeat fillers or things like pig snouts, lips, or ears into lunchmeat (those all go to Fergus Henderson and April Bloomfield for $30-a-plate food porn) so rest assured your Spam is snout-free.

Eating Spam raw, straight from the can is a borderline human rights violation, but sliced thin and pan-fried, it transforms into something that is not only good, it’s downright delicious. In fact, fried Spam has been featured in dishes by some of the nation’s best chefs, such as Roi Choi, Vinny Dotolo, and Alan Wong. It is practically revered in Korea

30 • THE PULSE • APRIL 21, 2016 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

where it’s seen as a luxury item that’s given as a gift for the Lunar New Year. And Hawaii’s love affair with Spam dates back to the Second World War, giving birth to many of the canned meat’s most creative and quirky uses.

If you spend any time watching food television, you’re certainly familiar with Hawaiian-inspired Spam Musubi—a sushi-like roll of fried Spam nestled between rice and wrapped in nori. There are fried Spam and pineapple burgers, Spam and fois gras loco moco, and even the envelope pushing Spam agnolotti with mascarpone and lemon zest at NYC’s famed Noreetuh.

But none of the Spam-inspired, tweezer and squeeze bottle food porn coming out of LA or NYC’s food scene can compare to the simple fried Spam and egg breakfast sandwich I’m sharing with you below. This breakfast sandwich is so good, I hesitated to share it, but felt it was an important contribution to the Spam-challenged in Chattanooga, the South, and anywhere breakfast is eaten and Spam is sold.

Mike’s Breakfast Spamwich (makes 4 spamwiches) Sriracha mayo: • 1 tsp Sriracha • 2 tbsp mayo (I prefer Japanese Kewpie mayo) Eggs: • 4 tbsp butter • 8 eggs • salt, to taste • 4 tbsp diced green onions • 4 slices American cheese The rest: • 1 can classic Spam • 2 stalks of green onion, roughly chopped

• 8 slices of sandwich bread - crusts removed and lightly toasted Instructions Combine the Sriracha and mayo in a bowl and set aside.

Melt one tablespoon of the butter in a pan over medium heat. Crack 2 eggs directly into the pan and stir lightly to mix the eggs - do not scramble. Cook the eggs until the bottom is set, about 2 minutes then add the diced green onion and season with salt. Fold eggs into a square that will fit on the toasted bread and top with one slice of cheese. Repeat with the remaining 3 pairs of eggs.

Note: If you cover the finished egg/ cheese patties with a plate or pan lid, the residual heat will melt the cheese.

Slice the Spam in 1/8” - 1/4” slices and sear on medium-high heat until both sides are lightly browned and the edges are crispy.

To build the sandwiches, spread some of the Sriracha mayo on two slices of bread. Stack the Spam and egg/cheese patties on the bread and top with sliced scallions. Finish the sandwich with another slice of toasted, Sriracha-mayo’d bread and try not to take a bite before you make it to the table.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • APRIL 21, 2016 • THE PULSE • 31