The Pulse 16.18 » May 2, 2019

VOL. 16, ISSUE 18 • MAY 2, 2019

When

Orchard Knob Was Indian Hill History lies dreaming in the April sunshine…

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

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FROM THE EDITOR VOLUME 16, ISSUE 18 • MAY 2, 2019

BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher James Brewer, Sr. FOUNDED 2003 BY ZACHARY COOPER & MICHAEL KULL

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Gary Poole gary@chattanoogapulse.com Assistant Editor Jenn Webster City Editor Alex Curry Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Rob Brezsny Matt Jones Cody Maxwell Ernie Paik Rick Pimental-Habib Alex Teach Addie Whitlow Cartoonists Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow Cover Illustration Courtesy National Park Partners

ADVERTISING Director of Sales Mike Baskin mike@brewermediagroup.com Account Executives Rick Leavell • Cindee McBride Libby Phillips • Lisa Roche John Rodriguez • Danielle Swindell

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

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When Orchard Knob Was Indian Hill There is an old manuscript in the special collections of the downtown library, written by a man named Henry Wiltse. The manuscript has been cheaply bound and the pages are type-written and brittle. It is a collection of historical notes and fragments of an unfinished history of Chattanooga.

COLOR US HOLI

10

HEAVY METAL RIDES AGAIN

20

After you’ve been immersed in Sculpture Field and the massive festivities and sculpture burn, you’ll surely be ready for your next trip to the sizably impressive new ode to three-dimensional artwork.

Time again to show my age with one of those “you kids get off my lawn” moments. When I was a teenager, my musical tastes, as they are now, were quite varied.

HUMANS AND PUPPETS

One of the classic pictures of young adulthood in America is a group of 20-something-year-old friends struggling to find jobs and scrape by in New York City.

END OF THE AVENGERS?

For the past few years, I’ve been working on a musical with my sister and her husband. It’s been often rewarding, as I’ve gotten to watch the show come alive through the collaborative process.

4 CONSIDER THIS

16 MUSIC CALENDAR

21 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

9 SHRINK RAP

18 MUSIC REVIEWS

21 JONESIN' CROSSWORD

18 THE ART OF BUSINESS

22 ON THE BEAT

12 ARTS CALENDAR

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • MAY 2, 2019 • THE PULSE • 3

CITY LIFE · BETWEEN THE BRIDGES

Cons ider This w ith Dr. Rick

Color Us Holi Indian spring festival takes over Sculpture Fields

By Alex Curry Pulse City Editor

“To live is the rarest thing in the world.

Most people exist, that’s all.” — Oscar Wilde There’s a saying about not just living the length of life, but also the breadth of life.

It’s easy to become complacent, fall into a rut, and find yourself living a life that’s much more vanilla than you expected it to be.

Perhaps illness has debilitated you. Or mental illness keeps you from feeling yourself.

Or you’ve suffered a recent loss and grieving makes it hard to “get back out there”. On and on, the challenges of life can make the living of life more tiring than enjoyable, more burdensome than free.

But consider this: No matter the setbacks, there is always a degree of happiness waiting to be discovered. There’s a path toward artistic expression. There’s time to spend with those who help you feel better about the magic, the miracles, the simple beauty of simple things.

It’s up to us to believe it can be better.

— Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

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“

The special celebration is meant to be a time of glorifying the triumph of good over evil and a welcome to the impending spring season.”

A

FTER YOU’VE BEEN IMMERSED IN SCULPTURE Field and the massive festivities and sculpture burn that we discussed last week, you’ll surely be ready for your next trip to the sizably impressive new ode to three-dimensional artwork.

Holi, The Festival of Colors, should by now be a shoo-in for your Saturday calendar. Holi is a Hindu day of celebration that is becoming increasingly popular in the United States.

Photographers capturing the elated smiles on pigment-stained faces have given the festivities an aura of joyous community-wide jubilee. It is a competition crusher for photogenic aesthetic. However, the festival is enjoyed most thoroughly through the lens of our very own eyes. A reallife experience offers meaning and memory far beyond the capabilities of any photograph.

While the history of the Holi festival has a long and interesting origin concerning kings who mistook themselves for gods and actual gods who corrected these unfortunate

opinions, the special celebration is meant to be a time of glorifying the triumph of good over evil and a welcome to the impending spring season. It is an annual cleansing of sorts, a spring cleaning of the soul, the body, and the mind.

Sush Shantha and Sujata Singh are the event’s organizers. Sush is a leading proponent of diversifying Chattanooga and sharing her Indian heritage with the city. She is effectively a bridge between Chattanooga and India.

Sush teaches Indian cuisine cooking classes at various charity events for worthwhile causes around the city. Though she is known to occasionally teach a private cooking class, too, the list is long and hard to even get on. Sujata, also from India, is co-chair of the event.

EDITOONS

In addition to being an avid entrepreneur and propagator for diversity at home, Sush and her husband are partners of a hospital chain in Bangalore, India. Sush mixes her love of cuisine with her master’s degree in public health and spends three months a year in Bangalore running and staffing the hospital’s kitchen and keeping her ties to her home country alive and well.

“I love to share my cuisine with people,” she says. She talks about the spice of Indian cuisine and how people misunderstand its purpose and intensity. “It’s a spice of flavor, not a spice of heat,” she goes on, obviously dreaming of her beloved gastronomy.

If pressed, I think she could discuss the subtlety of balancing dishes and spices for hours.

Join the opalescent day of fun presented by V Love Events on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sculpture Fields. Desi Brothers, Chattanooga’s favorite India grocery store, will provide food and drink. DJ Eric of Warsaw International will play Bollywoodthemed dancing music as a traditional Indian dhol drummer wanders and

plays.

“We are excited to have Chattanooga experience the joy and color of Holi,” say the event’s organizers.

“Families will share a wonderful day of games, vegetarian Indian cuisine, and cultural activities, as well as the great fun of the color exchange. Guests may purchase pouches of vibrant color to share by tossing the colors on family members and friends. Once the colors are flying back and forth, water can be splashed on so the colors run together on faces, arms, and shirts.”

The throwing of color will make any photographer’s dream come true.

Truly, Holi is an excellent way to experience a new culture, let loose, meet some new friends, and take a little step out of our all-too-restricting comfort zones.

“We gather and have food and music and have fun. Don’t wear good clothes,” laughs Sush.

You can learn more about the event by searching “Desi Chattanoogan” on Facebook. Come hungry, come dressed to get messy, and bring your cameras!

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COVER STORY

When Orchard Knob Was Indian Hill History lies dreaming in the April sunshine…

By Cody Maxwell Pulse contributor

“

Andy Williams was his name. The year was 1835.

Andy was a young boy when he stepped off a boat with his father at John Ross’s Landing.”

T

HERE IS AN OLD MANUSCRIPT IN THE SPECIAL COLlections of the downtown library, written by a man named Henry Wiltse. The manuscript has been cheaply bound and the pages are type-written and brittle. It is a collection of historical notes and fragments of an unfinished history of Chattanooga.

Wiltse never completed the history but his notes are still there. The book smells musty and secretly alive. In those pages are bits of letters written to Wiltse by a man who was among the first white men to call this land along the river home.

Andy Williams was his name. The year was 1835. Andy was a young boy when he stepped off a boat with his father at John Ross’s Landing. A white ferryman’s cabin was on the other side of the river.

The government had granted Andy’s father an “occupant’s right” to a hilly stretch of land a few miles east of Ross’s Landing.

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His father built a small cabin near where Bushtown now is and planted corn in a valley there. Atop and over the sides of a strange looking, onehundred-foot-tall knoll known as Indian Hill he planted fruit trees. The corn in the valley did well but it was the orchard that was most impressive and Indian Hill eventually became known as Orchard Knob.

The earliest thing Andy remembered when he came here was the Indian tents, he said, which were “thicker than trees.”

From strangers the boy heard weird Indian stories about a stretch of turbulent

water downriver called the Narrows that the natives said was controlled by spirits.

A Cherokee named Dragging Canoe stalked the forests looking to kill the invading white men. River pirates hid in caves up and down the water. These stories haunted Andy and added the bit of danger that is always necessary in any young boy’s reckoning of paradise.

To Andy this new land truly a paradise. One of his letters to Henry Wiltse describes the landscape around Orchard Knob when he first arrived here with his father: The spies that Moses sent to search the land of Canaan could not have found a more beautiful valley, with everything to sustain life either growing or running wild in the woods. There was a sycamore that stood just below the fork of Citico Creek, which at the height of twenty or twenty-five feet had three prongs, and when I saw it, it had a door just large enough so a man could go through. We cut the door large enough so a horse could go in, turn around and come out, and I kept dry there out of many a summer shower of rain.

Of good things to eat that grew were the May-apple, the hazelnut, walnut, muscadine, winter grape, and mulberry.

The wild plum trees grew in clusters. The plums were not so large as some of the tame ones, but were the most delicious I ever ate. Around these hills and knobs grew the sugar, red and black haw, the summer grape, the persimmon and prickly pear. And in the black glades, wild onion by the bushel.

Of four footed beasts, there was everything from the little striped ground

squirrel to the rabbit and deer.

Among the squirrels, the gray squirrel was the most. We never thought of a pet squirrel. They were so plentiful they were all pets.

Of the feathered tribe was from the little tomtit to the turkey. The wild pigeon would come in the fall after the mast, until I have seen acres covered in a flutter with them.

The wild goose came from the cold north in droves and would often stop and winter with us. The buzzards would sail around in front of a summer cloud. I have seen the sky darkened by crows going to their roosts on the mountains and coming off in the morning.

The next structure nearest to Andy’s home was Straw Tavern. It was run by a man named Pryor. The tavern stood at what is now the corner of Vine and Willow streets. Andy came along when his father would carry fruit and corn to Pryor and later said that “Hell Hole” might have been a better name for the place. There was whiskey to be had, he said, and the area’s only deck of cards. A pack of loud baying hounds was kept out back. Andy knew of at least one murder that had been committed there.

There were also rumors of buried treasure. It was whispered around “Hell Hole” that a man named W.D. Fulton, a bank cashier, secretly buried a large amount of gold somewhere on Orchard Knob. This Mr. Fulton then left the area and mysteriously had never returned. The tales of this hidden cache of gold brought men from near and far hoping to find the buried loot. One such group of men, searching the orchard by moonlight, found a strange and unnatural indentation in

“

The spies that Moses sent to search the land of Canaan could not have found a more beautiful valley, with everything to sustain life either growing or running wild in the woods.” the ground.

At this place the men began digging hard, believing that they had finally found the spot. These treasure-seekers were convinced that each shovel full of dirt they cast away was bringing them closer to the gold. One of the men’s shovels struck something hard and hollow. They all threw their shovels aside and began digging with their hands. They lifted the object from the ground and brushed the dirt away. But what they found was not a box full of gold.

To their horror and dismay, the men had uncovered the skull of the man who had been murdered at the Straw Tavern. He had been buried amongst the fruit trees one night on Orchard knob. The men threw the skull on the ground and ran quickly back to their wives, not even bothering to rebury the bones of the poor man they had

unearthed.

Chattanooga grew quickly during those early years. Roads were scraped out of the mud and churches were raised. More people were stepping off boats at Ross’s Landing every week.

Boys and girls grew up and new children were born. Schoolhouses were built and teachers were brought to town to teach the children their three R’s.

In another letter Andy told a story of one of those new school teachers.

He was a young man named Sam Morris. One afternoon Sam and a few young ladies went for a stroll over Orchard Knob. In those days school teachers were expected to be perpetually unwed so that their lives could be devoted to their students. Sam had come to enjoy the benefits of unmarried life. He strolled most poetically that evening around the fruit trees,

delighting the young ladies with tales of old philosophies and strange, faraway places as they followed close behind.

He smiled confidently and the eyelashes of the blushing ladies waved at him.

After a while they all came upon a nest of baby nightingales in one of the fruit trees.

Sam took the small birds from their nest and placed them gently in the young ladies hands. The girls swooned and sighed at Sam and the little birds. Of course, they had all heard the nightingale’s singing but had most likely never held the song in their hands. Sam laughed and the women adored him.

As they walked on something odd laying on the ground caught Sam’s eye and he knelt down. He leaned looking close at the earth. The ladies peeked over his shoulders asking what he had found now. When he rose and turned back to them he held the skull of the poor man who had been murdered at Straw Tavern and unearthed by the treasure-seekers. The ladies gasped in fear, but Sam told them not to run away.

He took the baby birds from their hands and placed them inside the dead man’s skull. Sam laughed again.

The haunted young ladies whispered amongst themselves and the nightingales began singing again. Evening had fallen. The school teacher Sam Morris calmed the ladies and they followed him again to a quieter side of Orchard Knob.

As further years passed people continued stepping off boats and rafts with their families at Ross’s Landing.

They walked into the valleys and hills surrounding the river and made this

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COVER STORY land their home. The small town that grew up around Ross’s Landing eventually became the city of Chattanooga.

The wilds along the river became civilized and through all this Orchard Knob remained as Andy’s father made it. That big, strange hill covered with fruit trees to the east of town helped feed them everyone.

Until “the War” came.

It was 99 years after Andy died, almost to the day, that I came upon these fragments in that dusty library book. The last thing I read before returning the book was a bit of one other letter he’d written to Henry Wiltse. Henry had sent Andy questions about the Union occupation of Orchard Knob during the Civil War. Andy responded as best he could with his memories of cold soldiers and dead horses on the side of the hill.

Ulysses S. Grant had occupied Orchard Knob during the war. Andy had heard the cannons and seen the dying and starving men. He remembered what he could to help the inquisitive historian. But suddenly Andy dismissed all these horror stories and asked Henry not to ask him about war anymore.

“Let me return to my childhood days at Orchard Knob,” he wrote. “It was there that I tugged my sled up and slid down a thousand times. It was at this knob that I sat and listened to the bark of the squirrel, and woke up the whippoorwills as they sailed around, and heard them make their peculiar cries in the air. It was here that I listened to the deep basso profundo of the bullfrog, and now and then heard the hoot of a wise old owl away down in the bottoms. It was here, under the

“

The fruit trees on Orchard Knob are not there anymore. These days when Orchard Knob is mentioned an apple orchard is not what comes to mind.”

trees, that I used to dream of years to come.”

This is as far as Andy’s letters to Henry Wiltse go. How he went on with the rest of his days is unsure. These small anecdotes are all there is—little bits of letters in which an old man remembered his boyhood home. Andy died on August 14th, 1913, having never travelled too far from that old hill where his father planted an orchard.

Passing time brought what society calls Progress. Trees fell and mountains were leveled. Houses and storefronts grew out of the mud. Slaves were brought in to the city “where corn meets cotton”, as the newspapers boasted, and more crops grew in the valleys.

Sheriffs and judges were sent in to create order out of the chaos of new men trying to tame wild land. Rail-

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roads came hollering through the mountain bringing politicians, laws, and gallows. Fevers and disease came up the river. It is doubtful that these were the dreams of the young boy who stepped off a boat at Ross’s Landing and walked into wild hope with his father.

The fruit trees on Orchard Knob are not there anymore. These days when Orchard Knob is mentioned an apple orchard is not what comes to mind.

Orchard Knob is the name of the neighborhood surrounding the hill.

It’s said that decent people only go to there to buy things they don’t need.

Cops are familiar with the area. The most naive modern-day gentrifiers won’t even touch the place now.

The actual hill that was once covered in fruit trees, the real Orchard Knob, is now a monument to the Civil War. The same war Andy dismissed

in his letter to remember the land he grew up on. For some reason Chattanooga has acquired a great fondness for the part it played in “the War”, as it’s still often called, at the expense of a place as strangely romantic as Andy’s Orchard Knob. It seems sad atop that hill today and brings to mind the old poet Omar Khayyam who sang: Alas, that Spring should vanish with the Rose!

That Youth’s sweet-scented Manuscript should close!

The Nightingale that in the Branches sang, Ah, whence, and whither flown again, who knows?

Where have all those old things gone? Some old Buddha-man said that you can never put your hand in the same river twice. What’s past is gone forever, they say, and maybe that’s true. If so, it would be good if that same brutal and fleeting time could wear down those silly monuments to dead soldiers and their vulgar wars a bit faster.

It’s strange the things society honors. Where a boy and his father planted hope and fruit trees, where young girls once promenaded in their Summer dresses and sun bonnets, there is nothing for them there anymore.

The place where the young ladies went strolling with the dandy school teacher and where young Andy Williams ran through summer nights and laid on his back to hear the whippoorwills and watch fireflies and the moon, there’s no monument to any of them.

That place, old Orchard Knob, is now littered with broken beer bottles, larger-than-life stone soldiers, overgrown grass, and American flags.

COLUMN · SHRINK RAP

Rain And Sunshine For Your Soul “Healthy distractions” deliver life balance Editor’s note: The Good Doctor is on vacation, so below is a revised version of one of his favorite columns.

Dr. Rick

Pulse columnist

“

It’s easy to let the busyness of life take over your world, creating an unbalanced existence that is too full of stress, obligation, and worry. It can happen without us even realizing it.”

Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, author, minister, and educator in private practice in Chattanooga. Contact him at DrRPH.com, visit his wellness center at WellNestChattanooga.com

I

magine spending a terrific Saturday with one of your best pals. Maybe you’re checking out a few galleries or downtown shops. Strolling, enjoying the weather, talking to complete strangers.

You stop for lunch at a favorite restaurant and, later in the afternoon, enjoy a glass of wine or a big iced coffee at a new hole-in-the-wall restaurant, relaxing on the deck, people-watching, maybe overlooking the park or the river.

You’re relaxed, happy, feeling light and stress-free.

Or think about this: You and your favorite sib have been trying to get together for a while, but your busy schedules make that difficult. Finally, you create the time to meet up after work and hit the river walk, where the next couple of hours fly by as you catch up, laugh, and enjoy the scenery, logging a few miles of heart-healthy cardio, releasing the stressors of the day. Maybe later you’ll take in some live music or a movie, keeping this mini-vacation going.

Or how about: A close college buddy you haven’t seen for years is coming through town and has arranged to stop over for a weekend visit. You’ve had lots of good times in the past—some great memories that only the two of you share—and it’s wonderful to re-connect.

He plays with your kids, you fire up the grill, eat, drink, and reminisce while others roll their eyes and wonder what the two of you are finding so funny. It’s an easy, care-free weekend of good heartto-hearts, elaborate story-telling, and conversations that, for a while, let you release your personal burdens.

These scenarios may sound a bit Hallmark-ish, but remember this: It’s easy to let the busy-ness of life take over your world, creating an unbalanced existence that is too full of stress, obligation, and worry. It can happen without us even realizing it. What’s challenging is carving out some light-hearted time that gives you a break from all that and lets you come up for air.

Whether it involves friends, family, the outdoors, travel, or some much-needed solitary time, it’s up to each of us to prioritize and engage in whatever gives our full lives some balance. For in that balance we can nurture our physical wellbeing as well as our mental health. We can become better partners, parents, friends, lovers, sons and daughters. We can become vigilant watchdogs of our own happiness, and discover fulfillment from areas besides work or ongoing obligations. Simply put, we can get out of the rut.

This is a tool that I call “healthy distraction”, and the benefits can literally extend your life while making it richer, more meaningful, and more rewarding.

Healthy distraction can give you a

break from the constant exhaustion that comes from physical ailments. It can help you feel sane when emotional and psychological stress becomes overwhelming. It can give you the muchneeded breather when the challenge of caring for others weighs heavy. It can lower blood pressure and increase endorphins. It can help you sleep better, laugh more, be someone others want to be around.

Let’s be clear. This is not about living in denial or shunning responsibility. It’s not about insensitive hedonism or being careless with others. It’s about coming up for air now and then. Keeping your life balanced. Giving yourself a break.

Re-charging your batteries so that you can better handle whatever stress comes your way. It’s about giving yourself permission, and committing to the kind of self-care that allows you to be the best you you can be.

Until next time: “We are each like a flower. If we take care well, we will grow beautifully. If we take care poorly, we will wither and die. How much water and sunshine do we each need?” —Thich Nhat Hanh

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ARTS & ENTERTANMENT

Humans And Puppets Share The Stage “Avenue Q” marries naughty and nice Ashley Hamilton Opens Solo Show It’s been a while since Chattanooga painter Ashley Hamilton had her own show, and in this writer’s opinion, it’s about time.

Hamilton has been dropping entries from her “nomadic paintings” series on Facebook and her webpage for a while now, and I for one am ready to see a bunch of them together.

Why? Because you need to view Hamilton’s work side by side (by side, by side).

She creates long series of abstract paintings, thematically related, featuring repetition both within individual pieces and between pieces. Several paintings in a row create a hypnotic experience; I’m pretty sure a Hamilton-only show will induce a profound meditation on samsara.

Hamilton’s current style is both rainbowy and distressed. The paint’s piled up and then peeled down again, so a lot of times you’re looking into palimpsests, paintings beneath paintings. The colors leap out at you. Her work’s happy at first glance, but then on longer viewing you wonder whether perhaps you’re looking through a series of windows into a Genndy Tartakovsky cityscape and some scary stories are lurking back there.

The show opens this Friday at Frequency Arts, 516 Tremont St., right next to Aretha Frankenstein’s. — Jenn Webster

O

NE OF THE CLASSIC PICTURES OF YOUNG adulthood in America is a group of 20-somethingyear-old friends struggling to find jobs and scrape by in New York City. Now, while also classic, that’s a pretty average scene; there have been countless books and movies on the topic.

By Addie Whitlow Pulse contributor

However, if you want a humorous and unexpected twist on that scene, then you should definitely check out the puppets who will be representing those NYC friends in the Chattanooga Theatre Centre’s production of the musical comedy “Avenue Q”, which opens Friday evening at 8 p.m.

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“Avenue Q”, which was created

by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez, with a book by Jeff Whitty, first opened in Broadway in 2003. The show itself is R-rated because the puppets deal with some adult subject matter, as they are young adults in the big city. The production follows recent college graduate Princeton and the people he meets (Kate, Lucy, and Trekkie, to name a few) while living in a well-worn apartment a bit far

out on Avenue Q. The CTC’s production is directed by Scott Dunlap, who has experience working with puppets as Youth Theatre Director at the Theatre Centre. However, he said this show is a whole new take on the use of puppets in theater.

“In youth theater, most of our puppets are to represent animals or something like that, and they don’t do a lot of talking, in the same sense. At least not this extensively. This show, every single moment has a puppet in it,” explained Dunlap.

“You also have adults in the show who represent adult humans who live on the street, like ‘Sesame Street’ had Maria and Bob, and those characters are an ele-

ment of it, too. But every second has a puppet involved, so it’s been really interesting.”

The original concept of “Avenue Q” was actually to be television show that would mirror “Sesame Street” but would essentially be for grownups; Dunlap said the production’s source material comes from “Sesame Street”, “Mr. Rogers”, and “The Electric Company”. He also explained that the element of children’s theater is still evident in “Avenue Q”, regardless of the subject matter, which is something that’s helped him to really connect with this show.

The Theatre Centre’s cast for this production is made up of 12 people; however, Dunlap said there will be about 24 puppets in the show. Rehearsals began about six weeks ago, and Dunlap said the cast has been really dedicated since they had to learn everything a bit more quickly than usual to account for having puppets on stage.

“Initially, we blocked it without the puppets so everyone knew where they were on stage, and they had to get on book and learn their music as quickly as possible, so that we could start adding the puppet element. So that was different in a technical aspect,” Dunlap said. “There’s also been some other technical things, like as far as where the puppet’s focus is; sometimes the actors will want to look

“

I think it’s a very sweet show, surprisingly sweet. And that while it is adult, I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s dirty. It’s just adult subject matter and some adult words.” somewhere but their puppet doesn’t look with them. And it’s also different than ‘Sesame Street’ because we see the puppeteer, so that element is unusual as well; it’s required a little more coordination and a little more thinking.”

The set for “Avenue Q” is also quite large, especially since the cast itself is smaller and the concept for the show is essentially small. The set is two stories, and it’s designed in such a way that the actors can essentially hide on stage, since the puppets will sometimes appear without their human counterparts. Dunlap said that while the show does deal with some adult subject matter, he thinks the puppets are a really nice added element, but the message behind the show would still be good without them.

“I think it’s a very sweet show, surprisingly sweet. And that while it is adult, I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s dirty. It’s just adult subject matter and some adult words. But I don’t think it’s perhaps as risqué as people might

think,” Dunlap explained. “It’s made for an interesting element, but I think the overall message of it is quite sweet and good, something that people need to hear right now, which is that we need to come together as a community and be good neighbors. And in that sense, that’s the same as ‘Mr. Rogers’ or ‘Sesame Street’. But otherwise, it’s really funny. I think it’s a very well-structured play, very well-written.

Great music.”

The Theatre Centre’s production of “Avenue Q” opens Friday night and will be have a limited run of seven performances through May 11. There will be evening shows Thursday-Saturday with 2:30 p.m. Sunday matinee shows.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the Theatre Centre box office.

You may have thought that puppets were just for children’s shows, but let Dunlap and the rest of the cast show you how puppets can add a humorous element to adult theatre in the CTC’s production of “Avenue Q”; you certainly won’t be disappointed.

THU5.2

FRI5.3

SAT5.4

“The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe”

First Friday

“CUBA”

Come down to the Southside and explore the brand new home for Reflections Gallery as part of a Friday arts stroll.

5 p.m.

Reflections Gallery 1635 Rossville Ave. reflectionsgallerytn.com

Cross the Straits of Florida and get to know America’s vibrant southern neighbor on the very big screen.

4 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 201 Chestnut St. tnaqua.org/imax

The C.S. Lewis classic comes to life in the timeless tale of Narnia.

4:30 p.m.

Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. centerforcreativearts.net

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR THURSDAY5.2 Friends of the Library Book Sale 9 a.m.

Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 855-5570 friendsofthelibrarychattanooga.com Urban Farmers Market and Marketplace 3 p.m.

Miller Park 910 Market St. millerparkmarket.com “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” 4:30 p.m.

Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. (423) 209-5929 centerforcreativearts.net Naughty Knights Chess Meetup 5 p.m.

Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. 431 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 760-3600 huttonandsmithbrewing.com ELLA Chattanooga Art Exhibit Reception 5 p.m.

Arts Build 301 E. 11th St. (423) 756-2787 artsbuild.com CIVIQ, Gena Wirth: Toward an Urban Ecology 5:30 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Art Wise: Distinguished Speakers Presents Alyson Shotz 6 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Genderally Speaking 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Workspace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com Kier 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch

12 • THE PULSE • MAY 2, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Movies with Mat: Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon 7:30 p.m.

Hutton & Smith Brewing Co. 431 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 760-3600 huttonandsmithbrewing.com “Drinking Habits 2: Caught in the Act” 7:30 p.m.

Oak Street Playhouse Theatre 419 McCallie Ave. (423) 756-2021 firstcentenary.com Alcoholics Not Anonymous Comedy Open Mic 8 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 682-8200 chattanoogabarley.com “Gloria Bell” 8 p.m.

The Palace Theater 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Country Line Dancing Class 8 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. (423) 498-3069 westboundbar.com

FRIDAY5.3 Friends of the Library Book Sale 9 a.m.

Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 855-5570 friendsofthelibrarychattanooga.com “Gloria Bell” 3 p.m.

The Palace Theater 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com “CUBA” 4, 7 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 201 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4629 tnaqua.org/imax First Friday 5 p.m.

Reflections Gallery 1635 Rossville Ave. (423) 892-3072 reflectionsgallerytn.com All Member Show 5 p.m.

In-Town Gallery 26 Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214 intowngallery.com First Friday 5:30 p.m.

Visions Gallery 3240 Brainerd Rd. (423) 255-3341 visionsgallery.com Arline Mann’s “Tender Layers” Reception 6 p.m.

AVA Gallery 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-4282 avarts.org A Night for Paws Gala 6:30 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Paddling Film Festival World Tour 6:30 p.m.

Square One Venue 1200 Mountain Creek Rd. (423) 402-0568 squareonevenue.com “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” 7 p.m.

Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. (423) 209-5929 centerforcreativearts.net Kier 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com “Drinking Habits 2: Caught in the Act” 7:30 p.m.

Oak Street Playhouse Theatre 419 McCallie Ave. (423) 756-2021 firstcentenary.com Improv “Movie” Night 8 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775

improvchattanooga.com Video Game Night 8 p.m.

Stone Cup Cafe 208 Frazier Ave. (423) 521-3977 stonecupcafe.com “Avenue Q” 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Ruby Falls Lantern Tours 8:30 p.m.

Ruby Falls 1720 S. Scenic Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com Good, Old-Fashioned Improv Show 10 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

SATURDAY5.4 Friends of the Library Book Sale 9 a.m.

Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 855-5570 friendsofthelibrarychattanooga.com Free Comic Book Day 10 a.m.

Infinity Flux Comics 3643 Hixson Pike (423) 591-5689 finityflux.net Chattanooga River Market 10 a.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. publicmarkets.us Double Agent Signing with Gretchen Archer & Chip Chapman 2 p.m.

Barnes & Noble 2100 Hamilton Pl. Blvd.

(423) 893-0186 barnesandnoble.com “Into The Woods” 2, 7 p.m.

Signal Mountain High School 2650 Sam Powell Dr. smmhs.hcde.org

“Gloria Bell” 4 p.m.

The Palace Theater 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com “CUBA” 4, 7 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 201 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4629 tnaqua.org/imax “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” 7 p.m.

Center for Creative Arts 1301 Dallas Rd. (423) 209-5929 centerforcreativearts.net Kier 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com “Drinking Habits 2: Caught in the Act” 7:30 p.m.

Oak Street Playhouse Theatre 419 McCallie Ave. (423) 756-2021 firstcentenary.com Chattanooga’s Secret History 8 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com “Avenue Q” 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com “Field of Dreams” 8:30 p.m.

Tennessee Riverpark 4301 Amnicola Hwy. (423) 842-0177 hamiltontn.gov Whose Line Chattanooga 10 p.m.

Improv Chattanooga 1800 Rossville Ave. (423) 843-1775 improvchattanooga.com

SUNDAY5.5 Friends of the Library Book Sale

Noon Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 855-5570 friendsofthelibrarychattanooga.com Chattanooga Market 12:30 p.m.

The Chattanooga Market 1829 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com “Into The Woods” 2, 7 p.m.

Signal Mountain High School 2650 Sam Powell Dr. smmhs.hcde.org “Drinking Habits 2: Caught in the Act” 2 p.m.

Oak Street Playhouse Theatre 419 McCallie Ave. (423) 756-2021 firstcentenary.com “Avenue Q” 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com “CUBA” 4 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 201 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4629 tnaqua.org/imax “Gloria Bell” 7 p.m.

The Palace Theater 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Kier 7:30 p.m.

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

MONDAY5.6 Friends of the Library Book Sale 9 a.m.

Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 855-5570 friendsofthelibrarychattanooga.com Spring Belly Dance Session 5:45 p.m.

Movement Arts Collective

3813 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 401-8115 movementartscollective.com Joggers & Lagers 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Brewing Co. 1804 Chestnut St. chattabrew.com Using Decor Transfers on Furniture 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Workspace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com Smart Yards Landscaping Workshop 6:30 p.m.

UT Extension Office 6183 Adamson Cir. (423) 855-6113 extension.tennessee.edu First Monday Improv Comedy 7:30 p.m.

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

TUESDAY5.7 Wake Up & Run 6 a.m.

Fleet Feet Sports 307 Manufacturers Rd. (423) 771-7996 fleetfeetchattanooga.com Friends of the Library Book Sale 9 a.m.

Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 855-5570 friendsofthelibrarychattanooga.com Chess K-night 5 p.m.

Mad Priest Coffee Roasters 1900 Broad St. (423) 393-3834 madpriestcoffee.com Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com Watercolor Cacti & Succulents 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Workspace 302 W. 6th St.

(423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com Paths to Pints along the Riverwalk 6:30 p.m.

The Tap House 3800 St. Elmo Ave. taphousechatt.com English Country Dance for All! 7 p.m.

Heritage House Arts & Civic Center 1428 Jenkins Rd. (423) 855-9474 chattanooga.gov T.J. Miller 7, 9:15 p.m.

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

WEDNESDAY5.8 Friends of the Library Book Sale 9 a.m.

Eastgate Town Center 5600 Brainerd Rd. (423) 855-5570 friendsofthelibrarychattanooga.com Main Street Market 4 p.m.

522 W. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Yom Hazikaron Observance with Andrew Lustig 7 p.m.

Jewish Cultural Center 5461 North Terrace jewishchattanooga.com Comedy Open Mic Night 7 p.m.

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

The Bitter Alibi 825 Houston St. (423) 362-5070 thebitteralibi.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse.com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • MAY 2, 2019 • THE PULSE • 13

THE MUSIC SCENE

Heavy Metal Rides Again Päle Rider puts the head back into headbanging

Cue Darth Vader’s March …because the Chattanooga Symphony and Orchestra is playing The Music of Star Wars this weekend.

John Williams’ Star Wars score, and scores for subsequent movies in the Star Wars universe, are among some of the most recognizable pieces of classical music in the world today. Williams draws on such 19th-century composers as Tchaikovsky and Wagner, creating serious, dramatic scores that highlight characters or themes by repeated motifs.

Williams has also written plenty of famous music you may not associate him with, from themes of Gilligan’s Island and Lost in Space to the beautiful scores of the first three Harry Potter movies. But with Star Wars, he became a household name.

The original Star Wars score is the bestselling non-pop musical recording of all time. Williams earned an Academy Award for the first installment, as well as nominations for The Empire Strikes Back, The Return of the Jedi, The Force Awakens, and The Last Jedi.

Williams has hinted he will retire after writing music for this December’s Rise of Skywalker movie, but his music will live on, both in recordings and in live performances, like this weekend’s.

Prepare to have your spirits stirred this Saturday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. at the Tivoli Theatre. As in “May the Fourth be with you.”

— Jenn Webster

By Marc T. Michael

“

Pulse Music Editor

Metal was loud, and mean, and had the ability to make a pimply fourteen-yearold feel like he could take on the world.

Guitar players were god-like figures.”

14 • THE PULSE • MAY 2, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

T

IME AGAIN TO SHOW MY AGE WITH ONE OF those “you kids get off my lawn” moments. When I was a teenager, my musical tastes, as they are now, were quite varied. I don’t know if I ever qualified as a full-blown metalhead (I never got my membership card and it’s hard to headbang with a mullet) but I was a fan.

Thing is, in my day, there was one kind of heavy metal music. It was called heavy metal, and we liked it that way.

Metal was loud, and mean, and had the ability to make a pimply fourteen-year-old feel like he could take on the world. Guitar players were god-like figures. There were giants in those days. Good stuff.

When you said, “I love me some heavy metal,” people knew what you were talking about.

Then came hair metal, which still purported to be loud and mean, but was awash in bouffant

hair-dos and more make-up than Tammy Faye Baker. It was hard to take it seriously. Before you could say Hüsker Don’t, there was speed metal, thrash metal, rap metal, nu metal, black metal, death metal, Olympic medal, those meddling kids, and so many subgenres that it was impossible to keep up with.

My interests turned elsewhere as it seemed the heavy metal I grew up with was no more.

At least that’s what I thought, until my old pal Charlie Shelton, long acknowledged as one of the premier badass guitar players in

the area, called me up and said, “Hey, I have this new band, would you like to hear our album?”

An album’s worth of tunes later, I learned that old school heavy metal, the stuff of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Motörhead, Iron Maiden, and more, is BACK! Päle Rider, featuring the talents of Matt Thompson, Charlie Shelton, Brent Joly, and Scott McMasters, is as bone rattling, devil horn, old school heavy metal as it comes. With raging power chords, furious double-bass drums, throbbing bass lines and gorgeous, soaring, melodic lead lines, it’s enough to make a fellow dig out his patched denim vest, fingerless gloves and spiked wristbands.

Like all great metal albums, it opens with a short, blistering instrumental (“Crucible”) before jumping headlong into “Red Flagged”. With Dickinsonesque vocals and savage guitar, the opening strains of the tune prompt a loud, lusty exclamation that cannot be printed here.

Though it hardly seems possible, the next track, “Fury of Apollo”, goes even heavier, an unstoppable wall of sound to quicken the pulse and make the hairs on the

“

If rock and roll traces its history to the blues, all future incarnations of metal trace their lineage back to music like this.” back of your neck stand up.

“Tennessee Woman” is a lead guitar masterpiece, evincing styles that range from Yngwie to blues, and covering all the relevant ground in between. Coming in at 7:12, there plenty of space to shift gears, and the song does, several times, but never in a way that is a jarring or “too many notes”.

It’s a tour de force illustrating the broad palette of techniques the genre was built on. If rock and roll traces its history to the blues, all future incarnations of metal trace their lineage back to music like this.

The album finishes off with “Snake Charmer” and “Mothership”, two more driving songs that evoke the image of a thousand fists simultaneously pumping the air in time to the thundering drums.

Loud, raw, mean, but never simplistic, the album and the band

Egoless Comes To JJ’s Bohemia

demonstrate what fans have always known, that a genre often maligned in pop culture as being crude and basic is anything but.

There is a high level of musicianship here and technical skill that dwarfs what a lot of other bands are doing. That it manages to do so while simultaneously imparting a feeling of invincibility to the listener is the heart and soul of heavy metal. There are giants in these days, and they are Päle Rider.

The eponymous album is available on Spotify now. Have a listen, but unless you have another job lined up, probably best to wait until after that important call from the boss.

Otherwise you may find yourself expressing your work frustrations in a parade of colorful metaphors that, while ultimately satisfying, may necessitate updating the old résumé.

JJ’s Bohemia has long been the place to hear…everything. Styles and genres that could never have found a home in Chattanooga are regularly welcomed with open arms at JJ’s, cementing its status as the nexus of all things musical in the area.

This Friday JJ’s does it again, this time by welcoming internationally renowned DJ/producer/performer/technician/wizard cyborg Egoless, all the way from Croatia!

The ability of Egoless to deconstruct, mix, edit, and dub on the fly means that no two sets are ever the same, except inasmuch as they are ALL high energy, powerhouse performances.

With styles ranging from dub, dubstep, and grime to full-on experimental music, Egoless defies easy description while demonstrating mastery of genre and technique that border on the mystical.

Tickets are available now for this one-ofa-kind show with the performance scheduled from 9 p.m. until closing this Friday night at JJ’s. — MTM

THU5.2

FRI5.3

SAT5.4

Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox

The Power Players

Courtney Daly & The Daly Grind

You've seen them on YouTube, now see them live with a big band take on modern music.

8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com

It's a free customer appreciation night at Songbirds featuring Chattanooga's hottest showband.

9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co

A blend of rock, jazz, and soul in the heart of downtown for a perfect start to a Saturday.

12:30 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. publicmarkets.us CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • MAY 2, 2019 • THE PULSE • 15

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR THURSDAY5.2 Boxcar Pinion Memorial Bluegrass Festival Noon Mountain Cove Farm 994 Dougherty Gap Rd. foreverbluegrass.com James Crumble Trio 6 p.m.

St. John’s Meeting Place 1278 Market St. stjohnsrestaurant.com Danimal & Friends 6 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Fireside Latino Nights: Outdoor Concert Series 6 p.m.

Tatum Park 1609 Union Ave. Thursday Night Jazz 6 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Webb Barringer 6 p.m.

1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Eric Kirkendoll 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Jesse Jungkurth & Friends 6:30 p.m.

Mexi-Wing VII 5773 Brainerd Rd. (423) 296-1073 Toby Hewitt 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Lost Dog Street Band with Matt Heckler 7 p.m.

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Hot Jam Factory 7 p.m.

Virgola Wine Bar 608 Georgia Ave. chattanoogawinebar.com Gino Fanelli

16 • THE PULSE • MAY 2, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox 8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com Stephen Busie 8 p.m.

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Aaron Lewis 8:30 p.m.

The Signal 1810 Chestnut St. thesignaltn.com Open Mic Night with Jonathan Wimpee 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Night Beats, Cosmonauts, Psychic Dungeon 9 p.m.

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

FRIDAY5.3 Boxcar Pinion Memorial Bluegrass Festival Noon Mountain Cove Farm 994 Dougherty Gap Rd. foreverbluegrass.com Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Brandon Maddox 6 p.m.

Springhill Suites North 8876 Old Lee Hwy. (423) 301-5669 Courtney Holder 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Aaron Lee Tasjan, Oweda 7 p.m.

Miller Plaza 850 Market St. nightfallchattanooga.com

Hetty White, The Bird and The Bear 7 p.m.

Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. christunity.org Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com The Secret Sisters 7 p.m.

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Tim Hughes Quartet 7 p.m.

Virgola Wine Bar 608 Georgia Ave. chattanoogawinebar.com Steve Busie 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Americana Youth Concert 7:30 p.m.

Patriot Hall 320 Emberson Dr. cityofringgoldga.gov Misfit Toyz 8 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Dairy Daughters 8:30 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Black Label Society with Conan & Atomic Bitchwax 8:30 p.m.

The Signal 1810 Chestnut St. thesignaltn.com Barron Wilson Trio 9 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com The Power Players 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co The Afternooners 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com

Egoless 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Justin & the Juicetones 9:30 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Sullivan Band 10 p.m.

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

SATURDAY5.4 Boxcar Pinion Memorial Bluegrass Festival Noon Mountain Cove Farm 994 Dougherty Gap Rd. foreverbluegrass.com Courtney Daly & The Daly Grind 12:30 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. publicmarkets.us Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Ryan Oyer 6:30 p.m.

Westin Dorato Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Jacob Bryant 7 p.m.

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Rob McHale 7 p.m.

Charles & Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. christunity.org Forever Bluegrass 7 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. westboundbar.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonchattanooga.com The Music of Star Wars

7:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. tivolichattanooga.com Preston Ruffing 7:30 p.m.

Westin Alchemy Bar 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Tom Morello 8 p.m.

The Signal 1810 Chestnut St. thesignaltn.com Heatherly 8 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com The Reese & Rosser Band 8 p.m.

Westbound Bar 24 Station St. westboundbar.com West Sims and The Last Band 8:30 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Jess Goggans Band 9 p.m.

HiFi Clyde’s 122 W. Main St. hificlydeschattanooga.com Subsonics, Ghetto Blasters 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Departure: The Ultimate Journey Tribute 9 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Sullivan Band 10 p.m.

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

SUNDAY5.5 CSO Ensembles and Strings 11 a.m.

The Chattanooga Market 1829 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com Jhett & Callie Sioux 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Mark Andrew 11 a.m.

The Edwin Hotel 102 Walnut St. theedwinhotel.com Carl Pemberton 11 a.m.

Westin Chattanooga 801 Pine St. westinchattanooga.com Gino Fanelli Noon 1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Danimal and Friends 12:30 p.m.

The Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Hot Jam Factory 1:30 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com The Other Brothers 2 p.m.

WanderLinger Brewing Company 1208 King St. wanderlinger.com Bluegrass Jam 4 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 New Grass Express 5 p.m.

Slick’s Burgers 309 E Main St. slicksburgers.com Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

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

Songbirds North 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co I Am The Law, Heretics, Big Oaf, Sic Semper Tyrannis, City Of Ruins 8 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net SlzSlz, Sunsap, Mythical

Motors 9 p.m.

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

MONDAY5.6 Open Air with Jessica Nunn 6 p.m.

The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Blues Night Open Jam 7 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Sevendust 7 p.m.

The Signal 1810 Chestnut St. thesignaltn.com Very Open Mic with Shawnessey Cargile 8 p.m.

The Well 1800 Rossville Blvd. #8 wellonthesouthside.com

TUESDAY5.7 Ryan Oyer 6 p.m.

1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Danimal 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Space Jam Open Mic with Xll Olympians 7 p.m.

Barley Taproom 235 E. MLK Blvd. chattanoogabarley.com Live Jam Session with Freddy Mc & Friends 8 p.m.

Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Open Mic with Mike McDade

8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com Shakey Graves with Illiterate Light 8:30 p.m.

The Signal 1810 Chestnut St. thesignaltn.com The Emotron and Andy the Doorbum, Listening Skulls, Genki Genki Panic 9 p.m.

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

WEDNESDAY5.8 Mark Andrew 6 p.m.

1885 Grill 3914 St. Elmo Ave. 1885grill.com Papa Sway 7 p.m.

River Drifters 1925 Suck Creek Rd. riverdrifterschatt.com Jesse James Jungkurth 7 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Jazz In The Lounge 7 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Black Pistol Fire with Emily Wolfe 8 p.m.

Songbirds South 41 Station St. songbirdsguitars.co Priscilla & Little Rickee 8 p.m.

Las Margaritas 1101 Hixson Pike (423) 756-3332 Breathers, Kindora, Dixon III 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Bad Tattoo 9 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • MAY 2, 2019 • THE PULSE • 17

ERNIE PAIKS’S RECORD REVIEWS

New Music From Pedestrian Deposit, Mdou Moctar

Pedestrian Deposit Dyers’ Hands (Monorail Trespassing)

L

ive performances from the Los Angeles duo Pedestrian Deposit are exciting and highly dramatic, using invented instruments, electronics, and wild movements to create provocative sights and sounds, often unusual and harsh.

While Jonathan Borges tackles the table-top electronic side of things, Shannon A. Kennedy is in constant flux, scraping intimidating hooks against metal planks (fitted with contact mics) or playing various stringed instruments, including a cello, a crude violin made from a tree branch, and a string brace that uses a neck-attached harness to pull a string tightly to be played with a violin bow.

It’s difficult enough to at-

tempt to categorize the act, and the performance aspect is one side to the duo. The other side of Pedestrian Deposit is its recording artistry, as heard on the group’s new album Dyers’ Hands. It brings to mind the various strengths of different media, in the way that a certain artistic idea might be best suited for an animated film rather than a liveaction play and vice versa.

While the opening “Crow Theory” uses ear-assaulting, disorienting noise, it dissolves into an atmospheric ending, leading to “What Can’t Be Given” with soothing, ambient cello parts that gradually build. “Auger” begins with an echoing beacon tone before wispy sound apparitions drift in, created by Kennedy’s string brace bowings.

“What Can’t Be Taken” is in violent opposition of its titular predecessor “What Can’t Be Given,” with uncomfortable scraping metal sounds, high-frequency tones, and what sounds like electronic pestilence.

The highlight of the album is the intriguing and captivating 18-minute journey “Beneath the Salt,” going from desolate, barren expanses with cello and branch violin notes to crunchy, earthquake noise disruptions

18 • THE PULSE • MAY 2, 2019 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

and squeaks and squeals. Eventually, doleful cello notes gently reverberate with a sense of space to stretch out, and rumbles in the background appear—an ominous shaking of the earth approaching from miles away.

While the aural/visual intensity of a Pedestrian Deposit performance can be seared into memory, Dyers’ Hands is a compelling work for a different set of reasons that overlaps with its performative manifestation.

Mdou Moctar Ilana: The Creator (Sahel Sounds)

T

he cover of Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar’s new album Ilana: The Creator shows a bird with jewelry in its beak—the jewelry is a symbol for Agadez, the Saharan city in the west African

nation of Niger, and the cover represents, in a way, what Moctar is doing, by serving as a musical ambassador and taking his music all over the world.

The last few years have seen Moctar’s star rise swiftly, from his starring role in the film Akounak Tedalat Taha Tazoughai in 2015 to his 2017 tour, supporting his album Sousoume Tamachek, which brought him to venues including the Lincoln Center. He continues to play huge wedding ceremonies in Agadez and also has found popularity in Berlin, Germany, where he plays large club shows.

Moctar’s adaptation of the Tuareg guitar method on Ilana: The Creator shows him full-on embracing the rock origins while not abandoning the momentum and rhythm of the style; clearly, he is pushing things, sometimes jumping into blistering, fiery passages with confidence, but his roots are always felt, from the traditional aspects of his music to the folklore that sometimes informs his lyrics.

Then, there’s an exception like “Ilana”, which expresses criticism of France’s uranium mining in Niger.

The album winds up with the one-two punch of “Kamane

Tarhanin” followed by “Asshet Akal”, both of which approach guitar-shredding territory and have tempos that get faster and faster as each song progresses.

“Kamane Tarhanin” whips itself into a frenzy practically, with Moctar switching on his overdrive distortion to add to the fury.

Half-way through the album, Moctar finally lets loose with fullon shredding on the 7-minute “Tarhatazed”, taking his time to explore and tossing in quick note ornaments to provide a sense of extra motion; we’re told that Moctar learned to shred by watching YouTube videos of Eddie Van Halen.

Recorded in Detroit, Ilana: The Creator features a formidable backing band with rhythm guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane (Les Filles de Illighadad), drummer Aboubacar Mazawadje and bassist Michael Coltun, and it’s brimming with energy, from the irresistible groove of “Anna” to the blues swagger and slithering funk of “Inizgam”.

Even with the final cool-down number “Tumastin”, with a glistening haze in the background, Moctar transports his gems to the listener while the listener is transported into an electrified dreamworld.

Classical Ballet, Within Your Reach Adults are invited to immersion classes at Ballet Tennessee

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magine gliding across the stage in a series of bourrées—steps so small you appear to be in motion while standing still. You look like you’re not quite touching the surface. Sure, you say to yourself—if I was ten (or fifty) years younger, ten (or fifty) pounds lighter, less stiff, less sore, less filled with self-doubt.

Well, that feeling of flight—combined with the deep study and mental focus that make it possible—can be yours to experience this very summer.

Anna Baker-VanCura, executive artistic director and co-founder of Ballet Tennessee, is offering a summer immersion experience for adults who are seeking a true dance experience. If you can take an afternoon for yourself every day for just three weeks, this may be the one most rewarding way you can invest your time ever.

Your body type, years, or ability to place your feet in a perfect 180-degree first position have nothing to do with whether you should immerse yourself in dance. In fact, they’re beside the point. The point is to surround yourself with teachers who will meet you where you are now, then treat you with perceptivity, rigor, and kindness as they help you progress.

The adult summer intensive session will feature daily ballet lessons, pointe class for those who are ready, modern dance, and improvisational movement. Guest artists, the same nationally-established dancers who train Ballet Tennessee’s pre-professional cadre, will work with adults at every skill and age level.

“This program is for older teens and adults—there is no top age,” Baker-VanCura tells me. And while the curriculum for adults may involve the same movements as the youth curriculum, the benefits can be quite different.

“Research studies have shown dance is great for mental health, sharpening memory, increasing sociability, and reducing anxiety and depression.”

For children and youth, the study of dance can lead to focus and selfconfidence. For adults, dance may translate into other areas of life, such as their careers.

“The discipline of learning the technique refines how adult students approach life,” Baker-VanCura observes. “They may be more disciplined in areas where they want to see results.”

Then, too, there’s the joy of attempting something difficult and succeeding.

Baker-VanCura says participants may say something like, “I thought I was crazy when I decided to sign up for a ballet class, but now I’m so proud of myself. I like how I move. I understand how music and dance go together.”

Plus, research studies have shown dance is great for mental health, sharpening memory, increasing sociability, and reducing anxiety and

depression. In fact, physicians in the UK are beginning to prescribe dance classes for conditions from dementia to mental health issues.

If your schedule doesn’t permit a full immersion program, consider taking a master class in ballet, modern dance, musical theater and jazz, also available at Ballet Tennessee this summer.

Younger dancers ages 8–12 may consider auditioning for Dance Alive, now in its second generation as a free outreach program in collaboration with Chattanooga Youth and Family Development.

Guest faculty members for the summer programs include Jere Hunt of Rioult Dance in Astoria, New York, and local artists Crystal Newson and Nia Sanders. Ballet Tennessee faculty instructors for the summer intensive program include Anna BakerVanCura, Monica Coulter, Catherine Gaudreau, Jenison Owens, and Lauren White.

These are all insightful, demanding teachers. And if you haven’t lately—or ever—put yourself into the hands of a great teacher, it’s a sensation like no other.

Baker-VanCura, who was a prin-

cipal with Ruth Page’s International Ballet Company and toured with the American Ballet Theatre, links good teaching with receptivity.

“I was excellent clay,” she says of herself as a younger dancer. “When a choreographer would come in I was so excited, so present. That malleability, that plasticity, are what makes me a very good teacher.

Having trained with great teachers myself, and taken teacher training courses here and abroad, I have developed a good eye for helping dancers identify and apply information. It is important to know how much to say, when to let a dancer work on his/her own, and when to encourage a dancer to push for a bit more.”

How do I sign up?

The adult summer intensive program will be tailored to the needs of the adults who register, so reach out soon and start a conversation with Ballet Tennessee by calling (423) 821-2055.

Classes will run from Monday, July 1 through Friday, July 19 from 11:30 a.m. through 6 p.m. at Ballet Tennessee’s studios, 3202 Kelly’s Ferry Rd., Chattanooga, TN.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • MAY 2, 2019 • THE PULSE • 19

FILM & TELEVISION

Avengers Ends With A Bang Marvel films fulfill their promise, and then some

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OR THE PAST FEW YEARS, I’VE BEEN WORKING on a musical with my sister and her husband. It’s been often rewarding, as I’ve gotten to watch the show come alive through the collaborative process, which has involved active scene and songwriting as well as multiple readings in front of audiences with Broadway actors.

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

But it’s been frustrating as well, particularly during tense phone calls about the storyline and how best to develop the characters.

As the book writer, my job is not just to write the dialogue between songs, but to guide and shape the story and create consistent and relatable characters. I’m there to protect the story, keep it from straying, and remaining true to its purpose.

But that also means that the work I do bears the brunt of the criticism, which often requires more humility than I’m often prepared for.

As I head into yet another round of

rewrites, I remember that despite our success, it is still a difficult and painful process with no end in sight. However, after watching Avengers: Endgame over the weekend, it became clear that I really need to stop complaining about it and just write the damn thing.

Avengers: Endgame is a strong a conclusion as there could be to a story this complex.

Over the past eleven years, Marvel Studios has done something unfathomable. With twenty different movies, seventeen directors, and around twenty-eight different writers (I lost count), the MCU has become more than a phenomenon. Regardless of what you might think about superhero movies, what this studio has achieved cannot

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be described by all the superlative adjectives in Marvel Comics.

Using hundreds of characters, dozens of storylines, and thousands of personalities, Marvel Studios has delivered an overarching epic tale that rivals any in history. It’s hard to even talk about the film, spoilers aside, because the whole of the project is so unbelievable. Other studios have tried and failed, backing away from the Marvel model because there’s something they lack, although it’s hard to define.

Much of the criticism levelled at the Marvel films is directed at the relative blandness of the villains. The critics aren’t wrong—many of the villains are one note, each dying in some Hans Gruber fashion at the end of their respective film, never to be heard from again. The best ones, like Loki, have become characters of their own, but overall they are disposable.

But if you take a step back and look at the series as a whole, you can see the shape. They’re disposable because the real villain was always somewhere else. It took six films to even introduce

Thanos, the villain to end all villains. The others were just stepping stones. References in a greater story that serve to develop the character of its heroes.

The greater story is the point, just like all the best comic book tales. There are always individual fights, weekly monsters, episodic storytelling. But the story continues, so long as true believers keep buying the books. That might be the secret after all.

The MCU is comic books come to life.

They’re films, of course, but that aesthetic is secondary to a very familiar type of storytelling. The movies rely heavily on the stories that inspire them and they mimic the beats found in the medium.

Which leads, I suppose, to the secondary criticism of the films. Many film critics have referenced the relative flatness of the filmmaking itself—the normalized shots and action sequences, the bright, generic lighting, and sometimes simplistic direction.

I’m not always found this to be true, myself, but it is true there’s a general easy look of a Marvel film—although that’s changed some in recent years. It might be valid. I can readily admit that some of the DC films (Marvel’s only real competition) have had some incredible filmmaking not always found in the MCU. But the story is always disjointed.

Marvel Films are coherent in a way that they shouldn’t be, given the undertaking. Something just works. And for some reason, it works every time.

So is Avengers: Endgame any good?

If you’re a fan of these films, you already know the answer. Should it be someone’s first Marvel film? I can’t think of a good reason why not. If you’re confused, you can always go back and find an answer.

These films are an incredible example of what can be done creatively by working together and setting ego aside. It’s worth it to follow a vision through to a conclusion.

Someone else was inspired. Someone saw the possibilities. Someone else started writing. Someone encouraged them.

Good things happened.

Movies are magic.

No one can tell me different.

JONESIN' CROSSWORD

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I invite you to explore the frontiers of what’s possible for you to experience and accomplish. One exercise that might help: visualize specific future adventures that excite you. Examples? Picture yourself parasailing over the Mediterranean Sea near Barcelona, or working to help endangered sea turtles in Costa Rica, or giving a speech to a crowded auditorium on a subject you will someday be an expert in.

The more specific your fantasies, the better. Your homework is to generate at least five of these visions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “We must choose between the pain of having to transcend oppressive circumstances, or the pain of perpetual unfulfillment within those oppressive circumstances,” writes mental health strategist Paul John Moscatello. We must opt for “the pain of growth or the pain of decay,” he continues. We must either “embrace the tribulations of realizing our potential, or consent to the slow suicide in complacency.”

That’s a bit melodramatic, in my opinion. Most of us do both; we may be successful for a while in transcending oppressive circumstances, but then temporarily lapse back into the pain of unfulfillment. However, there are times when it makes sense to think melodramatically. And I believe now is one of those times for you.

In the coming weeks, I hope you will set in motion plans to transcend at least 30 percent of your oppressive circumstances.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You Cancerians can benefit from always having a fertility symbol somewhere in your environment: an icon or image that reminds you to continually refresh your relationship with your own abundant creativity; an inspiring talisman or toy that keeps you alert to the key role your fecund imagination can and should play in nourishing your quest to live a meaningful life; a provocative work of art that spurs you to always ask for more help and guidance from the primal source code that drives you to reinvent yourself. So if you don’t have such a fertility symbol, I invite you to get one. If you do, enhance it with a new accessory.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In my horoscopes, I often speak to you about your personal struggle for liberation and your efforts to express your soul’s code with ever-more ingenuity and completeness. It’s less common that I address your sacred obligation to give back to life for all that life has given to you.

I only infrequently discuss how you might engage in activities to help your community or work for the benefit of those less fortunate than you. But now is one of those times when I feel moved to speak of these matters. You are in a phase

of your astrological cycle when it’s crucial to perform specific work in behalf of a greater good. Why crucial? Because your personal wellbeing in the immediate future depends in part on your efforts to intensify your practical compassion.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “We are whiplashed between an arrogant overestimation of ourselves and a servile underestimation of ourselves,” writes educator Parker Palmer. That’s the bad news, Virgo.

The good news is that you are in prime position to escape from the whiplash. Cosmic forces are conspiring with your eternal soul to coalesce a well-balanced vision of your true value that’s free of both vain misapprehensions and selfdeprecating delusions. Congrats!

You’re empowered to understand yourself with a tender objectivity that could at least partially heal lingering wounds. See yourself truly!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The country of Poland awards medals to couples that have stayed married for 50 years. It also gives out medals to members of the armed forces who have served for at least thirty years. But the marriage medal is of higher rank, and is more prestigious. In that spirit, I’d love for you to get a shiny badge or prize to acknowledge your devoted commitment to a sacred task—whether that commitment is to an intimate alliance, a noble quest, or a promise to yourself.

It’s time to reward yourself for how hard you’ve worked and how much you’ve given.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Scorpio poet Sylvia Plath wrote, “I admit I desire, / Occasionally, some backtalk / From the mute sky.”

You’ll be wise to borrow the spirit of that mischievous declaration.

Now is a good time to solicit input from the sky, as well as from your allies and friends and favorite animals, and from every other source that might provide you with interesting feedback. I invite you to regard the whole world as your mirror, your counselor, your informant.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In January 1493, the notorious pirate and kidnapper Christopher Columbus was sailing his ship near the land we now call the Dominican Republic. He spotted three creatures he assumed were mermaids. Later he wrote in his log that they were “not half as beautiful as they are painted [by artists].”

We know now that the “mermaids” were actually manatees, aquatic mammals with flippers and paddle-shaped tails. They are in fact quite beautiful in their own way, and would only be judged as homely by a person comparing them to mythical enchantresses. I trust you won’t make a similar mistake, Sagittarius. Evaluate every-

thing and everyone on their own merits, without comparing them to something they’re not.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “I want what we all want,” writes novelist Jonathan Lethem. “To move certain parts of the interior of myself into the exterior world, to see if they can be embraced.” Even if you haven’t passionately wanted that lately, Capricorn, I’m guessing you will soon. That’s a good thing, because life will be conspiring with you to accomplish it. Your ability to express yourself in ways that are meaningful to you and interesting to other people will be at a peak.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Using algorithms to analyze 300 million facts, a British scientist concluded that April 11, 1954 was the most boring day in history. A Turkish man who would later become a noteworthy engineer was born that day, and Belgium staged a national election. But that’s all.

With this non-eventful day as your inspiration, I encourage you to have fun reminiscing about the most boring times in your own past. I think you need a prolonged respite from the stimulating frenzy of your daily rhythm. It’s time to rest and relax in the sweet luxury of nothingness and emptiness.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): The Blue Room is a famous Picasso painting from 1901. Saturated with blue hues, it depicts a naked woman taking a bath. More than a century after its creation, scientists used X-rays to discover that there was an earlier painting beneath The Blue Room and obscured by it. It shows a man leaning his head against his right hand. Piscean poet Jane Hirshfield says that there are some people who are “like a painting hidden beneath another painting.” More of you Pisceans fit that description than any other sign of the zodiac. You may even be like a painting beneath a painting beneath a painting—to a depth of five or more paintings.

Is that a problem? Not necessarily. But it is important to be fully aware of the existence of all the layers. Now is a good time to have a check-in.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “How prompt we are to satisfy the hunger and thirst of our bodies,” wrote Henry David Thoreau. “How slow to satisfy the hunger and thirst of our souls!” Your first assignment in the coming days, Aries, is to devote yourself to quenching the hunger and thirst of your soul with the same relentless passion that you normally spend on giving your body the food and drink it craves. This could be challenging. You may be less knowledgeable about what your soul thrives on than what your body loves. So your second assignment is to do extensive research to determine what your soul needs to thrive.

“Two From the Top”—same two, different order.

ACROSS 1 One of Cher’s friends in “Clueless” 4 Thrown tomato sound 9 Went idle 14 Summertime coolers, casually 15 Contemporary of Shelley and Byron 16 Justice Kagan 17 Hit 2019 puzzle game 19 Huck Finn’s creator 20 Cheese slices from Kraft 21 Marcos with many shoes 22 Key near the space bar 23 Lies low 25 Mid-May honorees 28 Discovery/TLC reality show (19982007) following expecting couples 33 Horseshoe trajectories 34 “Sharp as a tack,” for example 35 Red or Dead, but

not Redemption 36 MTV cartoon with the fictional show “Sick, Sad World” 38 Pot top 39 “Taking a Chance on Love” singer Waters 41 Singer of 60-Across, slangily 42 Tiny footwarmer 45 Altered mortgage, for short 46 “Voulez-Vous” and “Waterloo,” for two 48 Smooth (the way) 49 Take ___ of faith 50 It’s about 907,000 grams 52 Celebratory outburst 55 People in the red 59 Common Daily Double gesture (and bet) from “Jeopardy!” whiz James Holzhauer 60 Lyric that follows “We’re poor little lambs who have lost our way” 62 Photographer Arbus 63 British-based relief organization

64 Exercise machine unit 65 Karaoke performances 66 Anthem com DOWN 1 Browser indicators 2 Berry from palms 3 Library catalog no.

4 Prowess 5 Madrid money, once 6 Poppables snackmaker 7 Get from ___ B 8 Nashville sch.

9 “I’ll need time to think about it” 10 Mariners’ div.

11 Ardor 12 Kids’ author Blyton 13 Fictional agent Scully 18 1992 Wimbledon winner 21 Pastoral verse 23 Overdo a scene 24 Footnote word that’s usually abbreviated 25 Tyler Perry title character

26 Toothbrush brand 27 “Limited time only” fast-food sandwich 29 Ginkgo ___ 30 “Straight Outta Compton” costar ___ Jackson Jr. 31 Nautical hazards 32 Singer of 60-Across, slangily 37 Large mollusks 40 Starbucks size launched in 2011 43 Margarine, quaintly 44 One-named guitarist of infomercial fame 47 Expressing delight 51 “Dreams From My Father” author 52 Big rolls of money 53 Mishmash 54 “The Good Earth” heroine 55 Slightly off 56 Do as told 57 Very hard to find 58 Goes limp 60 Drag show accessory 61 Wood-chopping tool

Copyright © 2019 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents perminute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 934 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • MAY 2, 2019 • THE PULSE • 21

COLUM · ON THE BEAT

Serenity To Scrutiny And Back Cop and activist life: mutual feedback loops

A

Alex Teach

Pulse columnist

“

If the coppers are getting back to replenishing their forces during such lulls in the storm, what do the anti-law enforcement activists do at times like these?”

When officer Alexander D. Teach is not patrolling our fair city on the heels of the criminal element, he spends his spare time volunteering for the Boehm Birth Defects Center.

nd just like that, it was all quiet again. What silence am I referring to? Why the sound of the drumbeats of cops getting in trouble.

The cycle has run its course and we’ve gone from firing four minority officers and suspending a fifth during February’s Black History Month at just one agency to news in March of the same agency now hosting a Minority Recruiting Drive. The universe definitely speaks when you’re listening.

So it begs the question: If the coppers are getting back to replenishing their forces during such lulls in the storm, what do the anti-law enforcement activists do at times like these? Is anyone really thinking of them for a change?

These people deserve some acknowledgement, and I’m proud to be their equal opportunity champion if no one else is going to step up.

Imagine how exhausting that life is.

Standing around outside, sometime walking, sometimes shouting, and occasionally both at the same time. Those carrying-signs that do not paint themselves. Constantly having to forego baths and the basic sanitation members non-activists take for granted each day.

There’s no Purell or foam soap wash stations out there in the field there, people—and don’t even get me started on restroom access as a whole!

Good God, last fall the police themselves were handing out water to the protestors protesting them at the moment on Market Street (which required police to also protect them while being protested by them). That level of confusion can’t just be separated by a mental knife, folks.

And that’s only half of it. Think—I mean really think—of the focus it takes to selectively strip out the facts from an

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event when it potentially destroys your narrative. When police take action, it’s not about them being right or wrong. It’s about them being wrong, and how is that story going to be told? Exactly: By those willing to only acknowledge the parts they want to acknowledge.

I shudder to think of going back to a time when the police involved killing of a Southside resident three and a half years ago attracted the attention of national civil rights leaders, one of whom actually flew into Chattanooga to participate hands-on, only to leave immediately after seeing the video of the victim’s friends and family beg him repeatedly to drop the gun he had already fired. And when his little girl fled from him and into the arms of a police officer who had the audacity to then turn and use his body armor to shield the little girl from her own father’s gun?

It is a testament to these local activists’ determination and obtuseness for them to have forged on with protest marches anyway, and standing outside of courtroom after courtroom from which the

civil suits were dismissed.

Did they pick the wrong battle? That’s not possible. And shame on you for thinking of it, because there’s no point in having an army if you don’t have a battle to fight with it—even if it means manufacturing one against all odds.

This country was founded by men and women seeking a life free from oppression, amongst other things. And oppression that does not exist is an affront to the senses of people that thrive on its existence. Just think about that, my likely privileged friend. And then SHAME on you.

Don’t worry. The local constabularies’ numbers will be back up, people in my experience haven’t gotten smarter on a large scale, and so the odds will be with someone on one side of that equation or the other making a dumb choice, and you will be back in business, signs in hand and unhygienic as ever.

That’s the beauty of the Post-2016 America: It hasn’t gotten dumb enough for some of us yet. Let’s keep trying, people.

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