The Pulse 14.23 » June 8, 2017

VOL. 14, NO. 23 • JUNE 8, 2017

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

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VOL. 14, NO. 23 • JUNE 8, 2017

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GET READY FOR BONNAROO

As Bonnaroo lights up this weekend, Rocky Top will certainly scintillate, and only those in attendance will truly know of the enchantment that is unlocked from the experience.

FIGHTING THE (VERY) GOOD FIGHT

Hollywood has become a never-ending comic book movie machine, cranking out webslingers, ancient gods, weird aliens, and handsome billionaires at every turn.

SHAKESPEARE COLLIDES WITH '70S EXCESS

If you’re sitting here eatin’ your heart out, baby, waiting for some lover to call, perhaps instead you should shake your groove thing down to the Chattanooga Theatre Centre for “A Midsummer Night’s Disco,” now playing through June 18.

ROBIN GRANT IS A VERY GOOD GIRL

Stunned. That’s my initial reaction to the debut album, Good Girl, by local artist Robin Grant. When I sat down to give it a first listen I honestly had no idea what to expect. I had been assured that, “She’s really good.”

ALSO INSIDE

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The Joy of Fishing While fishing has been around since the dawn of mankind, today it could truly be characterized as a modern day hobby since many of us have never picked up a rod. And while some hobbies take some serious financial investment, fishing takes a bit less of a monetary commitment, but it does require quite the commitment overall.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

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CONSIDER THIS

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MUSIC REVIEWS

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SHADES OF GREEN

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

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NEW IN THEATERS

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OPINIONS & DIVERSIONS

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ARTS CALENDAR

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JONESIN' CROSSWORD

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ART OF BUSINESS

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GAME ON!

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MUSIC CALENDAR

Our cover story is written by Kevin Hale, a freelance journalist and experienced internet and television marketer living in North Chattanooga.

He also enjoys chasing flying saucers and saving bees with his 5-year old son.

Sandra Kurtz has long been active in environmental education and activism. She founded Tennessee Environmental Education Association, and has consulted with National Environmental Trust, Clear the Air, and the Sierra Club.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 3

BEGINNINGS ∙ ROAD TRIP

Get Ready For Bonnaroo Manchester's annual music & arts festival kicks off this week

By Adam Beckett Pulse contributor

BREWER MEDIA GROUP Publisher & President Jim Brewer II FOUNDED 2003 BY ZACHARY COOPER & MICHAEL KULL

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor Gary Poole gary@chattanoogapulse.com Assistant Editor Brooke Brown Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Adam Beckett • Kevin Hale Matt Jones • Sandra Kurtz Ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-Habib Ward Raymond • Brandon Watson Editorial Intern Lauren Waegele Cartoonists Max Cannon • Rob Rogers Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

ADVERTISING

Director of Sales Mike Baskin mikebaskin@brewermediagroup.com Account Executives Chee Chee Brown • Brittany Dreon Rick Leavell • Libby Phillips John Rodriguez • Danielle Swindell Logan Vandergriff

CONTACT

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

The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

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

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AN YOU FEEL IT? CAN YOU FEEL the magic energy from the farm in Murfreesboro building? As Bonnaroo lights up this weekend, Rocky Top will certainly scintillate, and only those in attendance will truly know of the enchantment that is unlocked from the experience.

As the community-minded Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival opens its doors, thousands of attendees are in store for a wide variety of options that are intended to strengthen the festival community.

The B-Hive essentially is the Bonnaroo town square, and it will play host to endless activities, and happenings. This year they will be hosting the first ever Bonnaroo yearbook, so those in attendance should make it a point to stop in to get their picture taken for the historical occasion.

Also in the B-Hive, Bonnaroo Census wants to know all about the individuals attending Bonnaroo and what makes their “disco balls turn”. The Sketchbook Project wants to explore the creative minds of the expressive community by allowing them to utilize the community sketch books.

After the event, the books will live in Brooklyn, New York, at the Sketchbook Project’s headquarters for visitors to scroll through for years to come.

On the artistic side of things, the wall, which allows people to contribute their artistic flair is a tradition at Bonnaroo that will be alive and well. The Poster Art Exhibit follows tradition of the inspired poster makers of the seventies, and will unleash posters from past, and present Bonnaroo artists; it will be a grand exhibit.

The Centeroo Market boasts the Best Shopping this side of the Mississippi, and will host high quality art and apparel from craftsmen, artisans, vendors, and artist merchants from around the globe.

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The camping experience at Bonnaroo is an incredible aspect of the event with a variety of camping options from car & RV camping, to community & group camping. (For more information visit bonnaroo. com.)

The Grove is a close by sanctuary filled with hammocks and illuminating lights, a trendy spot for those utilizing the campgrounds.

Lockers, and general stores will be available onsite for campers to utilize throughout the event and Pods are tactically placed throughout the campgrounds, and will host showers, charging stations, security, drinking water, and info booths.

Sustainable living is another lovely aspect of Bonnaroo this year, as Planet Roo is a haven for sustainable, and global conciseness.

Bonnaroovians can come to Planet Roo for healthy meals, yoga classes, and gardening training.

A diverse group of non-profit organizations will strengthen and power this important aspect of

Bonnaroo this year.

An eclectic blend of comedians will rumble the bellies of attendees, and classic movies will give them a chance to sit and chill at the Comedy and Cinema Stage when the walking, and dancing wears them down. People can even catch game 4 of the NBA Finals on Friday Night.

Finally, the musical aspect of Bonnaroo is unmatched. Ten stages, and a silent disco are going to satisfy the musical needs of all the attendees, there will be something for everybody.

The Other Stage this year will be hosting only hip-hip, and electronic dance music. World class artists including Borgore, Big Gigantic, Marshmello, and Snails are scheduled to blast the nights away, and is a Bonnaroo first.

On the rest of the stages, the legendary U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Chance the Rapper, two sets

by Umphrey’s Mcgee, and Flume.

Does anything else even need to be said? Go and taste the rainbow.

Consider This with Dr. Rick

EdiToon

by Rob Rogers

“I think it is very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person.” — Oscar Wilde

Smelling The Roses With The Master Gardeners The transition of the seasons is upon us, which means that all of the rain from April and May has refreshed and made more vibrant the landscape of Chattanooga. Though many Chattanoogans appreciate the landscape in passing, a group of excited green-thumbs has embraced the true meaning of stopping to smell the roses.

The Master Gardeners of Hamilton County is a non-profit, educational, volunteer organization that strives to share the excitement of horticulture and landscaping with the community through volunteer community service.

Some of their projects include the

Bonny Oaks Arboretum, Chattanooga Aquarium Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden, and the Chattanooga Zoo. MGHC is also hosting their 30th Annual Spring Garden Tour this Saturday and Sunday. This Garden Tour allows attendees to appreciate seven different

public and private gardens that, according to Spring Garden Tour Chair Patsey Boles, reflect the inspiration, art, love and hard work that have gone into creating these unique and personal landscapes.

“These gardens demonstrate how sculpture and artifacts, water features and stonework can be combined with a variety of plantings to a create beautiful and relaxing oasis in the middle of a busy neighborhood,” she says.

So take the time to stop and smell the roses this Saturday and Sunday with some master gardeners.

— Lauren Waegele

There are certain parts of you that can only be worked on when you are single, and certain parts of you that can only be worked on in the context of a relationship.

For instance, when single you can identify your needs without concern for someone else’s opinion, or hurting their feelings, or being swayed by their influence. You are on your own to acknowledge your successes and take responsibility for your personal improvement efforts.

When in a relationship, the distraction that comes with being coupled doesn’t allow for that kind of exploration. But it does encourage a different kind: one where you see what you’re like as someone who must communicate, compromise, and always consider your loved one.

Consider This: Defining who you are is a result of experiences both when single and when involved. One without the other leaves you unbalanced and unaware.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 5

COLUMN ∙ SHADES OF GREEN

How To Make America Last Why leaving the Paris Accord makes absolutely no sense whatsoever

Sandra Kurtz

Pulse columnist

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ELL, HE HAS DONE IT. PRESIdent Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Accord. Outrageous! As dust settles, we find China the new world leader in the urgent charge to ameliorate climate chaos.

China, partnering with the European Union, will lead an economic boom bringing associated jobs as the world transitions to an alternative energies platform.

Meanwhile American workers sit on the sidelines with Syria and Nicaragua, the only two other countries that rejected the Paris Agreement.

“If one country decides to leave a void, I can guarantee that someone else will occupy it,” U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said. “Disengagement will carry ‘consequences’,” he added, including a loss of integration that could undermine a country’s “internal security.”

Withdrawal proponents are throwing around misinformation. Remember, the Paris Agreement set a goal to slow the rate of climate change so that the planet’s average temperature would not rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius. Each country voluntarily submitted a plan showing their actions contributing to that goal. Reassessment happens every five years to ratchet up actions toward the goal. 195 countries agreed.

The two largest greenhouse gas emitters are the U.S. and China. The U.S. intended to achieve an economy-wide target of re-

ducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 26 to 28 percent below its 2005 level in 2025 and to make best efforts to reduce its emissions by 28 percent. This target is consistent with a straight-line emission reduction pathway from 2020 to deep, economy-wide emission reductions of 80 percent or more by 2050.

China has nationally determined its actions by 2030 as follows: To achieve the peaking of carbon dioxide emissions around 2030 and making best efforts to peak early; lower carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 60 percent to 65 percent from 2005 levels; Increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 20 percent; and increase forest stock volume by around 4.5 billion cubic meters on the 2005 level.

Trump sees conspiracies everywhere. The Paris Accord does not take advantage of American taxpayers. China is not tricking us. In fact, China is ahead of schedule on its plan reducing coal plants while vastly increasing their solar power capacity.

All countries saw the value of working together to address climate repercussions. It’s in everyone’s best interest to work together because climate change is a global problem. Had Trump stayed in, the U.S. could have led the effort putting our citizens to work addressing the problem. Instead we continue burning fossil fuels associated with

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air and water pollution.

It seems President Trump wants us to go backwards so older white men, having lost their role identity, feel in control again. This withdrawal does nothing to boost our economy. Instead, it harms U.S. ability to share expertise and take timely actions for the good of all.

There was another non-binding component to the Accord. A Green Climate Fund was established to ease climate impacts for those most vulnerable to rising seas, weather catastrophes, agricultural failures, wildfire, and loss of natural resources.

The U.S. has paid $1 billion so far. Trump reneged on that agreement even though the U.S. is most responsible for the greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate chaos.

Trump feels the U.S. is being abused by paying that ever-rising amount each year. In fact, the total U.S. amount was $3 billion. To date 19 other nations have contributed an additional $10.3 bil-

lion. What it really shows is that the U.S. doesn’t keep its promises and that we don’t care about the suffering. That’s embarrassing.

In his withdrawal speech, not once did Trump mention the numerous harmful effects of climate change and its increasing deleterious effect on life on the planet.

Please don’t tell us you care about the environment. He has ignored science, insulted the wisdom of all those who collaborated for so many years to come to the Paris Accord, and immorally ignored the reality of climate chaos on those most vulnerable on the planet.

Thank goodness for the other 194 nations, many American city mayors, state governors, corporations and philanthropies insisting they are committed to meeting our Paris Accord commitments so that we leave our children and grandchildren a habitable planet.

Sandra Kurtz is an environmental community activist and is presently working through the Urban Century Institute. You can visit her website to learn more at enviroedu.net

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COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

By Kevin Hale

Pulse contributor

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HILE FISHING HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE the dawn of mankind, today it could truly be characterized as a modern day hobby since many of us have never picked up a rod. And while some hobbies take some serious financial investment, fishing takes a bit less of a monetary commitment, but it does require quite the commitment overall. Simply put, it might be easy to get started, but to truly master fishing takes dedication.

To learn about what it truly takes to master the “joy fishing”, I caught up with a local professional fisherman to get his angle from the water, what you need to get started and the best places around the area to make your first splash into fishing.

Like many of you reading this, I had never picked up a fishing pole in my life. In fact, my ignorance started right with what to call it; it’s called a fishing rod not a fishing pole, as I was quickly corrected. Fishing rods have guides and a way to attach a reel. An old-fashioned fishing pole is

made of cane, has no guides and the line is attached to the tip with no reel.

I might have known this if my dad had ever taken my brother and I fishing, but we didn’t quite have the Mayberry “whistling down to the fishing hole” upbringing. In my inexperience, it was essential I find an experienced angler to guide me through this new adventure.

Which is how I found professional fisherman Pat Rose.

Pat’s career didn’t start with fishing.

Nope, before he became a master of the rod and reel, he was a profes-

sional wrestler. He started his career at the tender age of 19 under the tutelage of Cleveland, TN’s Ken Hawk, and his first match (against a wrester named Ken Lucas) was televised. Apparently enough people liked what they saw, and Pat spent the next fifteen years working the professional wrestling circuit crisscrossing the country until his retirement in 1994.

Around this same time, Rose began fishing in small tournaments, though it took another ten years for Rose to get noticed. “If you start catching a lot of fish, and I mean big fish, the sponsors will come calling,” says Rose. “It’s just like anything else, it takes experience.”

The same hard work and dedication Rose displayed in the ring eventually led him to landing his own radio show in 2009. ESPN 105.1’s “Set the Hook with Pat Rose” debuted that year catering to all experience levels.

But for the true novice, it has to start with the rod and reel. So, let’s start with the basic rod, from bottom to top: The butt cap is at the bottom of the handle: sometimes made of rubber, sometimes of cork. Then comes the handle, also referred to as a grip. Moving up, you will find the reel seat where the reel is attached to the rod. Most rods have some sort of hood mechanism that screws either up or down on the foot of the reel to keep it in place.

The hook keeper or keeper ring is nearby the reel seat.

This gives you a place to hook your hook so you won’t impale yourself.

Then comes the butt, which is the thick part of your rod closest to the handle.

(If you have a rod that breaks down into two pieces or more, the ferrule is the joint where sections of the rod fit together.)

“If you start catching a lot of fish, and I mean big fish, the sponsors will come calling,” says Rose. “It’s just like anything else, it takes experience.”

continued on page 11

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COVER STORY

The rings you see going all the way down the rod are called guides since they “guide” the line down the length of rod to the tip. The guide closest to the handle of your rod is called the butt guide. It’s located on the thickest part of the rod or butt, which is why it’s called the butt guide.

The strings that gets wound around the foot of the guide are called windings and are how the guides stay attached to the rod.

The tip is the uppermost part of the rod, the thinnest and most flexible, nearest the tip top. The tip top is the guide at the very tip of your fishing rod and is the smallest and most important part of the rod.

The action of the rod is also very important and refers to the flexibility of the rod. The action of a rod describes how much and where a rod bends when it’s loaded or bent. There are three main categories of action: fast, medium and slow.

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three primary varieties recommended for a new fisherman: bait casting, spin casting and spinning reel.

“If you have never fished, just head into Walmart, which is my favorite store by the way, and pick up a spin casting reel,” suggests Rose. “This is the kind of reel you can take up to Chester Frost Park. Buy some minnows, attach them to a hook and fish off the dock.” Other great spots include Chickamauga Lake, Nickajack Lake, and Guntersville. “Start by fishing on the banks.”

Drag is the mechanism that allows you to set how much resistance a fish feels when it pulls on the line. The tighter you set the drag, the more resistance the fish feels. You want to set the resistance tight enough that it tires out your fish, but not so tight that the line breaks.

The line is the thread that goes on your reel and is attached to some kind of hook or lure.

Generally speaking, tackle is any-

COVER STORY thing that is attached to the end of your line. Floats, sinkers, swivels, and lures are all designed to reel in fish. Live bait can be purchased at your local tackle shop. Instead of live bait, you could use artificial lures.

Before you hit the water with your new rod and reel, you need to know how to use it. “Practice, practice, practice throwing that bait caster,” emphasizes Rose. Find a wide open grassy area for this.

You’re also going to need a good allaround outfit to get you started: six foot to seven foot, medium to medium-light action, two-piece graphite rod. A medium spinning reel filled with a quality eight pound test monofilament line.

Get a spare spool. Then get line in four pound, and six pound test line. Fill the spare spool with the six pound test line.

Quality hooks in assorted sizes. Assorted ball-bearing swivels and snaps.

Split Shot and a couple of egg sinkers.

Pencil floats in assorted sizes. Three spinners. Polarized sunglasses so you can see fish on the water. A tackle box or fishing vest.

If you’ve never put line on a reel before, let the clerk at the tackle shop do it for you.

Now comes the actual act of fishing.

As soon as you feel you have a fish on the line, reel in the slack and set the hook.

“This is what I get off on,” exclaims Rose. “You’re in the water. You know where the fish are. They are smiling and laughing at you and then you got him.”

You set the hook by quickly and firmly lifting the rod tip. The action is in your wrist and your elbow; don’t bring your rod arm over your head, just give it a quick snap.

Next, the actions and reactions you take to tire out a fish so that you can bring it in, are collectively called “play-

Before you hit the water with your new rod and reel, you need to know how to use it. “Practice, practice, practice throwing that bait caster,” emphasizes Rose. ing” the fish. As a beginner, you are going to be tempted to haul in the fish by cranking on your reel. But, that’s a good way to lose a fish fast.

The idea is let the fish tire itself out without snapping the line or tearing out the hook.

“Landing” a fish means getting it out of the water. Most fish should be landed with a net. Do the fish a favor and kill it quickly and humanely, if you intend to eat it, or immediately release it back in the water if you

don’t.

Fishing is a pastime that most find to be the most relaxing way to spend a Sunday. Fill your cooler with your favorite beer and your tackle box with your favorite lures and take the boat down to the lake one morning this weekend, or after the week’s end.

“There is nothing like backing your boat down the ramp after a hard week’s work,” Rose continues. “We live in God’s country here. I’m making up for lost time now.”

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FILM & TELEVISION

Fighting The (Very) Good Fight

Wonder Woman more than lives up to expectations, and raises the bar for all future DC films

Tony, Jack & Marilyn On The Big Screen People have been going to watch movies since the "magic lantern" show at the 1851 World's Fair caused a sensation among audiences, awed and amazed to seeing "moving pictures" come to life before their eyes.

And while today we have far more ways to watch movies—be it on our TV screens, tablets, computer screens or even our smartphones—there's still something special about seeing it on the big screen with full theater sound and a bucket of popcorn in our lap.

Which is why we have to give thanks to TCM and Fathom Entertainment for bringing classic films back to the theater to give a new audience a chance to watch some of the best movies ever made the way they were intended: in the dark surrounded by strangers.

And this Sunday, you'll get a chance to see what many have considered to be the best comedy ever made: Billy Wilder's classic Some Like It Hot, starring Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe.

With no money and nowhere to hide, two down on their luck jazz musicians (Curtis and Lemmon) masquerade as members of an all-girl band, leading to a number of romantic complications when one falls for the band’s lead singer played by Marilyn Monroe in one of her most iconic performances.

If you've never seen Some Like It Hot, do yourself a favor and scratch this one of your bucket list. And find out why the last line is considered to be the best comedic line ever uttered on film. — Michael Thomas Some Like It Hot Sunday, 2 pm Sunday, 2 & 7pm East Ridge 18 Hamilton Place 8 5080 South Terrace 2000 Hamilton Pl. Blvd.

(423) 855-9652 (844) 462-7342 www.fathomevents.com 12 • THE PULSE • JUNE 8, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

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S A COMIC BOOK FAN, I DON’T THINK I’ll tire of superhero movies any time soon.

Hollywood has become a never-ending comic book movie machine, cranking out webslingers, ancient gods, weird aliens, and handsome billionaires at every turn.

Most of these films are fair to middling—even critically panned films like Batman v. Superman, Suicide Squad, and some of the X-Men films aren’t really that bad, just a bit boring. There’s always some fun action moments and genuine enjoyment to be had, no matter which superpowered hero is demolishing buildings with their fists.

The films are much like comic books themselves.

Not every issue is a winner, not every storyline is Chattanooga Fire Cabaret

pulse pounding, and not every villain is threatening. For every Joker, there’s a Polka Dot Man. For every Green Goblin, there’s villain based on a walrus. For every film like The Dark Knight, there’s every Fantastic Four movie ever made. Even within the well-executed Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are a few duds.

DC’s attempt at recreating Marvel’s success has mostly fizzled with each attempt, until now. With the release of Wonder Woman, DC has finally joined the ranks of quality superhero filmmaking.

It’s an energetic story with competently crafted characters and genuine honesty.

While Wonder Woman has similarities with Marvel’s Captain America: The First Avenger, (a world war, a dashing hero named Steve, colorful shields) the film is very much its own story. Steve Rogers, for example, is a laboratory experiment, not a

FILM & TELEVISION

“Minor quibbles do nothing to dampen a solidly constructed superhero film, one that finally is not part of Marvel’s attempt at world domination.”

✴ ✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴ ✴

demigod, so he’s automatically less cool.

Princess Diana of Themyscira (Gal Gadot) is the daughter of Greek god Zeus and Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons. The Amazons were created by Zeus to protect the world from Ares, god of war. After Ares slew the rest of the gods, Zeus defeated him in battle and gave the Amazons a weapon in case Ares ever returns.

But god of war or not, mankind spends their time between the rise and fall of Greece and the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand coming up with new ways to kill each other. And so, when a German plane carrying an American spy working for the British army crashes in the beautiful waters of the Amazon homeland, it brings the Great War with it. Soon enough, Diana leaves her home

to save the world from itself, convinced that Ares is really to blame.

The film works for several reasons, the most of which is that it doesn’t take itself as seriously as previous DC superhero properties. While Man of Steel was mopey and full of forced religious imagery and Batman v. Superman put too much of their faith in the name Martha, Wonder Woman maintains a light, almost innocent tone.

Gadot crafts a likable, realistic character with the surety of a hero within a fishout-of-water tale that fits a lost Amazon princess. Marvel tried something similar in Thor, but for some reason it works better here. Both stories involve ancient gods, but Princess Diana has an earnestness that was hard to find in the Asgardian prince.

Still, the film isn’t without its drawbacks.

The love story between Diana and Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) is an unnecessary attempt at relating the demigod to mankind, when she is more than capable of finding worth in humanity without spending the

The Mummy An ancient princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension.

Director: Alex Kurtzman Stars: Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Russell Crowe

night with the new Captain Kirk.

Additionally, the villains are fairly boilerplate—Germans have taken their lumps at this point, maybe it’s time to branch out to other nationalities. But these minor quibbles do nothing to dampen a solidly constructed superhero film, one that finally is not part of Marvel’s attempt at world domination.

Whether or not the momentum from Wonder Woman will continue into future films is anyone’s guess. There will, of course, be future films, because any box office success has to be replicated ad infinitum. Director Patty Jenkins has already signed on to the sequel, this time bringing Wonder Woman into modern day.

Diana will also appear in the upcoming Justice League, which after the success of this film might undergo a few edits to boost her role. There should be legitimate concern that Wonder Woman will take a backseat to the other (read: male) personalities in the upcoming film, which could serve to undo the progress DC has made. Time will tell, I suppose.

At least, for now, fans of DC comics finally have a film worthy of one of their characters.

Megan Leavey Based on the true life story of a young Marine corporal whose unique discipline and bond with her military combat dog saved many lives during their deployment in Iraq.

Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite Stars: Kate Mara, Ramon Rodriguez, Bradley Whitford CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Shakespeare Collides With '70s Excess Theatre Centre combines fantasical farce and disco

Turning Theatrical Disaster Into Success Everybody knows that making an audience laugh is the key to a good theatrical comedy performance, but the fun that happens when that humor becomes a little dark and twisty creates an entirely new dynamic that combines comedy along with awkwardness, uneasiness, and eeriness.

In its embrace of dark comedy, Back Alley Productions has partnered up with producers from Los Angeles in attempts to adapt the 2012 film It’s A Disaster to the stage.

Which is a great accomplishment, according to Director Kaylee Smith.

“We’re one of the only theaters in the country to do [this], which makes us all very thrilled and excited,” Smith says.

Smith shares why this “wonderfully sarcastic, pop-culture-obsessed, and paranoia era” is relevant to today’s audience by “poking fun at the sometimes superficial, always phone-obsessed millennials.”

Following the lives of four couples who meet together for an annual, superficial brunch, the play also incorporates the excitement of an end-of-world comedy with a twinge of awkwardness and suspense.

Chattanoogans who are looking for a dark, great, funny, and awkward time should head over to Back Alley Productions for “It’s A Disaster,” a show that, despite its name, will most certainly be a success.

— Lauren Waegele “It’s A Disaster” Opens Friday, 8 p.m.

The Historic Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St, LaFayette, GA (706) 621-2870 bapshows.com 14 • THE PULSE • JUNE 8, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Ward Raymond Pulse contributor

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F YOU’RE SITTING HERE EATIN’ YOUR heart out, baby, waiting for some lover to call, perhaps instead you should shake your groove thing down to the Chattanooga Theatre Centre for “A Midsummer Night’s Disco,” now playing through June 18. It’s a chance to get on up with the Bard while attesting how deep is your love for the Bee Gees.

Just be forewarned: There will be fairies.

As you’ll recall from Mr. Bettelheim’s eighthgrade English class, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” mixes and matches three sets of lovers: the country-club set, led by Theseus and Hippolyta; the forest-rampaging fairies, headed by

Oberon and Titania; and the young lovers, Helena and Hermia and their testosterone-addled beaux, Lysander and Demetrius. Comic and romantic chaos ensues from the magical meddling of Puck, a mischief-making fairy who puts the “imp” in poor impulse control.

It’s a potent combination—the Dream play and the disco scene—as co-directors Scott Dunlap and Beth Gumnick have taken apart the wellloved story and restructured it anew, literally constructing a disco club dance floor in the circle theatre space.

“The club is like the forest in the play, where all the rules are off,” Dunlap says. The parallels to the 1970’s disco scene become clear as he elaborates: “You take drugs, wake up the next day, and fall in love with the first person you see.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“Co-directors Scott Dunlap and Beth Gumnick have taken apart the wellloved story and restructured it anew, literally constructing a disco club dance floor in the circle theatre space.”

Several of the lovers do exactly that in the Shakespeare’s play, most notably the comical blowhard Bottom, who is transformed into a donkey-headed avatar of himself.

The experience starts in the lobby. Theatergoers are led through the back hallways of the CTC, which have been decorated as a city alleyway to suggest clandestine entry to a sketchy urban club. Making the scene is a groovy trip. Seemingly all the disco balls, flashing colored lights, and fog machines in the tristate region have been pressed into service (possibly excepting the ones in your rec room).

Innumerable colored wigs, stacked heels, crazy-colored pairs of shades, and too-short athletic shorts have been rescued from the Repository of Regrettable Clothing. The stage is set with more purple and orange than a Fanta machine—raised circular platforms for shuckin’ and jivin’

(no better term has been coined); orange-shag-carpeted “bowers” for the fairies and lovers to luxuriate on; electric-lighted palm trees, and signs with those awful curvy and inline typefaces that were last seen spelling out Studio 54, Saturday Night Fever, or the ever-in-fashion Peace and Love.

“We see it as more of a party scene than a play,” says Gumnick. “You can get up and dance or you can sit in the corner and watch like a voyeur.” However, take note: bewigged young men wearing tube socks, short shorts, and no tops—well, actually, fairy wings on top—will be flying all about the place.

The club’s denizens will be dancing in the aisles. Some good-natured audience couple each night will be selected to perform as Hippolyta, the smokin’ hot fiancée, and Theseus, her horndog old man who’s ready to jump her bones before the nuptials commence. Can you dig it?

The music of the era is, inevitably, right on.

“Love Hangover” is a perfect choice for the awakening of the be-druggled young lovers.

Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive,” Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff,” and the Bee Gees’ “More Than a Woman” have tidy thematic tie-ins, but to say more would give away nice surprises.

“Macho Man” plays to introduce the Rude Mechanicals, a group of working class stiffs (“hard-handed men” in the original play) who are gender liberated in this cast. “It’s a great opportunity for women to play these roles, the Mechanicals and Oberon as well, which are usually reserved for men,” says Gumnick. “It’s interesting that it’s the opposite of what was done in Shakespeare’s day, when all the actors were male.”

And it does get interesting. King of the Fairies Oberon, often depicted in other productions in wild androgynous makeup, is here played by a woman (“a drag king, mysterious and fun,” in Dunlap’s words), who hooks up his wife, the Fairy Queen Titania, with Bottom, a male character here played by a woman, who spends an important part of the story ensorcelled and embowered with the queen while wearing a see-through donkey head.

It’s certainly not 50 Shades of Shakespeare, but perhaps such stuff as dreams are made on.

If it’s your thing, do what you want to do.

Before the dream of disco dies, it’s time to get down to the Theatre Centre and make the scene. There’s one Thursday show tonight only at 7p.m.; then Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. in the Circle Theatre.

FRI6.9

SAT6.10

Nickajack Bat Cave Guided Canoe Tour

The Cut Throat Freak Show

Get your paddles ready and tour one of the most amazing caves in the area.

7:30 p.m.

Outdoor Chattanoooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com

Not for the squeamish or the faint of heart. But something definitely to be experienced.

9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Manifesto

THURSDAY6.8 Ooltewah Farmers Market 3 p.m.

Ooltewah Nursery 5829 Main St. (423) 238-9775 ooltewahnursery.com Signal Mountain Farmers Market 4 p.m.

Pruett’s Market 1210 Taft Hwy. (423) 902-8023 signalmountainfarmersmarket.com Citizen Jane: Battle for the City 5 p.m.

The Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Sierra Club Cherokee Group Fundraiser 5 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. (423) 602-5980 flyingsquirrelbar.com City Sweat: Sweat Like An Athlete 6 p.m.

Waterhouse Pavilion 850 Market St. (423) 265-3700 millerplazachattanooga.com Ready, Set, Buy Happy Hour 6 p.m.

The Edney 1100 Market St. (423) 756-6201 cneinc.org League of Women

16 • THE PULSE • JUNE 8, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Voters Meeting 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 lwvtn.org A Midsummer Night’s Disco 7 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Jackson Generals 7:15 p.m.

AT&T Field 201 Power Alley (423) 267-4849 lookouts.com Big Ed Caylor 7:30 p.m.

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

thecomedycatch.com The Survivalist 8 p.m.

The Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com

FRIDAY6.9 Chattanooga Market at Erlanger 10:30 a.m.

Erlanger Hospital Medical Mall 975 E. 3rd St. chattanoogamarket.com Cambridge Square Night Market 5 p.m.

Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln. (423) 531-7754 cambridgesqauretn.com

ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT As country as cornbread, Big Ed Caylor brings his downhome Southern comedic wit back to his hometown roots for a special headlining visit.

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

Big Ed Caylor 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Nickajack Bat Cave Guided Canoe Tour 7:30 p.m.

Outdoor Chattanoooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com A Midsummer Night’s Disco 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com “It’s A Disaster” 8 p.m.

The Historic Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. LaFayette, GA (706) 621-2870 bapshows.com Manifesto 8 p.m.

The Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com

SATURDAY6.10 St. Alban’s Hixson Market 9:30 a.m.

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 7514 Hixson Pike (423) 842-6303 Introduction to Mountain Biking 9:30 a.m.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

World Wide Knit In Public Day Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center 400 Garden Rd. (423) 821-1160 reflectionriding.org 30th Annual Spring Garden Tour 10 a.m.

Blue Cross Blue Shield 1 Cameron Hill Cir. mghc.org Are You Ready to Buy a Home?

10 a.m.

Northside Neighborhood House 211 Minor St. (423) 267-2217 nnhouse.org Northside Farmers Market 10 a.m.

Northside Presbyterian Church 923 Mississippi Ave. (423) 266-7497 Chattanooga River Market 10 a.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogarivermarket.com Forest Bathing–A Mindful Experience with Nature 10:30 a.m.

Crabtree Farms 1000 E. 30th St. (423) 493-9155 crabtreefarms.org Scars Upon the Land: Military Training at Chickamauga for War in France, 1917 10:30 a.m.

Chickamauga Battlefield 3370 Lafayette Rd. Fort Oglethorpe, GA (423) 752-5213

nps.gov/chch Brainerd Farmers Market 11 a.m.

Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (404) 245-3682 Blessing of the Bicycles 11:30 a.m.

Brainerd Farmers Market Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (404) 245-3682 World Wide Knit in Public Day & Fiber Arts Bash Noon Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 lwvtn.org Grand Re-Opening Party 5 p.m.

Chattanooga Ghost Tours 432 Market St. (423) 718-3509 chattanoogaghosttours.com Battle At The River Body Building Championships 6:30 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5580 tivolichattanooga.com Big Ed Caylor 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com A Midsummer Night’s Disco 8 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com

“It’s A Disaster” 8 p.m.

The Historic Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. LaFayette, GA (706) 621-2870 bapshows.com Manifesto 8 p.m.

The Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com The Cut Throat Freak Show, Subterranean Cirqus 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400 jjsbohemia.com

SUNDAY6.11 Scars Upon the Land: Military Training at Chickamauga for War in France, 1917 10:30 a.m.

Chickamauga Battlefield 3370 Lafayette Rd. Fort Oglethorpe, GA (423) 752-5213 nps.gov/chch Chattanooga Market 11 a.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogamarket.com All About Avians Day 11 a.m.

Chattanooga Zoo 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave. (423) 697-1319

chattzoo.org 30th Annual Spring Garden Tour 1 p.m.

Blue Cross Blue Shield 1 Cameron Hill Cir. mghc.org Free Fiddle School 2 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 A Midsummer Night’s Disco 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com “It’s A Disaster” 3 p.m.

The Historic Mars Theater 117 N. Chattanooga St. LaFayette, GA (706) 621-2870 bapshows.com Manifesto 7 p.m.

The Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Big Ed Caylor 7:30 p.m.

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

MONDAY6.12 Guided Downtown Kayak Adventure 8:30 a.m.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 17

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Tuesday Night Cheess Club Outdoor Chattanoooga 200 River St. (423) 643-6888 outdoorchattanooga.com Red Bank Farmers Market 3 p.m.

Red Bank United Methodist 3800 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 838-9804

TUESDAY6.13 Chattanooga Writers' Guild 6 p.m.

Noon Chattanooga Public Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 lwvtn.org Epilepsy on The Mountain 6 p.m.

Mountain Arts Community Center 809 Kentucky Ave. Signal Mountain, TN (423) 886-1959 signalmacc.org Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. (423) 643-7700 chattilibrary.com Manifesto 8 p.m.

The Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com

10:30 a.m.

Jewish Cultural Center 5461 North Terrace (423) 493-0270 jewishchattanooga.com Chattanooga Market at Erlanger East 10:30 a.m.

Erlanger East Hospital 1751 Gunbarrel Rd. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogamarket.com Art of Botany 1:30 p.m.

The Hunter Museum of American Art 10 Bluff View Ave. (423) 267-0968 huntermuseum.org Main Street Market 4 p.m.

522 W. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Lisa Wingate Book Tour 5 p.m.

ArtsBuild 301 E. 11th St. (423) 267-1218 southernlitalliance.org Comedy Open Mic 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Manifesto 8 p.m.

The Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com

WEDNESDAY6.14 Middle East Dance

18 • THE PULSE • JUNE 8, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

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

COLUMN ∙ THE ART OF BUSINESS

Urban Horticulture Supply Making it easier to bring "farm-to-table" fresh food into your own kitchen

By Brooke Brown

Pulse Assistant Editor

A

GROWING MOVEMENT OF FARMto-table dining has been making its way across Chattanooga recently with many restaurants making it a point to go so far as to grow their own fruits and vegetables so as to provide the freshest product for their customers. But what about those of us who’d like to experience farmto-our own kitchen table dining?

Urban Horticulture Supply has opened on Latta Street just ‑off Amnicola to provide you with all of your gardening needs, and then some. Having been open for just a few short weeks, UHS is brimming with seeds, 100% organic soils, hydroponic systems, tiered pots, aquaponic systems, aeroponics systems, and a wealth of informational packets and magazines to help you get started, or to continue on your journey of creating new life at home.

“I’ve had people ask if we teach classes here,” says owner Rob Mock. “I tell them if you come in, I can give you a quick oneon-one ‘class’ and get you headed in the right direction.”

There’s no better person to have educate you on the various benefits and paths you may choose for your little green lovelies than Rob as he has quite the resume in the field. From being the advisor of the rooftop garden that currently sits atop downtown Knoxville’s YMCA and being on the board of advisory of Lenoir City High School’s state

Urban Horticulture Supply Open T-F, 11a-6p, Sat. 11a-4p 1140 Latta Street (423) 708-5543 facebook.com/UHSchattanooga

of the art greenhouse to speaking at UT’s “Blooms Days” with a Hydroponics 101 class, he knows his stuff and will find the perfect match for you and your desired plants.

A Knoxville native, and now Chattanooga commuter, Rob decided to open his shop in Chattanooga to fill a niche that Chattanooga had left open recently, and there’s no better place to get educated on growing your own herbs, plants, fruits, or flowers, and so many different ways to take on that challenge. Come in, talk to Rob, and let him assess your current gardening education to get you on the right track.

“I don’t want to sell people the most expensive system,” says Rob. “I want to find what will be successful for them, to make it easier for them. I don’t want them to be overwhelmed and kill their plants. I

want my customers to be successful in their endeavors, otherwise, what’s the point?”

Your options on how to grow your plants are near limitless at Urban Horticulture Supply with aquaponic systems, hydroponic, aeroponic, and traditional soil-100% organic-- available. Each system varies on how your plants are managed and how they receive their nutrients, with aquaponic systems relying on fish to fertilize the plants, hydroponics feeding plants nutrient rich water, or aeroponics in which oxygen is infused into the nutrient solution, allowing the roots to absorb nutrients faster and more easily.

A major aspect of Rob’s love of all things green is that he wants to, in time, do more community outreach in Chattanooga like he did in Knoxville with their Y’s rooftop

garden. He’s currently in talks with revamping the aquaponics system Howard School has and he also put together an irrigation system for a local tavern. They were having trouble keeping their flowerfilled hanging baskets properly watered, so Rob visited their place and put together an irrigation system to keep those baskets looking fresh and lively.

It’s a place to go for all of your gardening needs. When you enter a chain home and garden store, you’re likely to be wandering alone in your search for your proper technique or be sold the top dollar item you may not need. Know that Urban Horticulture Supply has you and your plants in mind and will do everything they can to get you on the road to eating your own garden veggies for dinner in the near future.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 19

MUSIC

Robin Grant Is A Very Good Girl Robin Grant & The Standard showcase truly artful jazz

River City Sessions In The Great Outdoors Those in tune with the outdoor scene know Lula Lake as one of the most beautiful places in the Chattanooga region. With an incredibly blue lake, a majestic waterfall, and great hikes with great overlooks, Lula Lake is often the staple in the outdoor activity itineraries of many locals and tourists.

In the late 1950’s, Robert M. Davenport began to acquire land stripped of its beauty by mining, garbage dumping, and timber harvesting. Little by little, Davenport cleaned up the area and established the Lula Lake Land Trust in his will in 1994, including making the land open to the public on the first and last Saturdays and Sundays of the month.

Not only does Lula Lake offer many natural wonders, it is also the site for River City Sessions, a monthly Friday night concert series showcasing local musicians and talent.

This weekend, local musicians such as Mountain Creek House Fire and Caney Creek Company will be performing. Also, there will be delicious pizza baked on site from Lupi’s, as well as beer and wine available for purchase.

Get away from the crowds of downtown Chattanooga and hit up some natural wonders, great food and drink, and great music under the stars at Lula Lake’s River City Sessions. — Lauren Waegele Mountain Creek House Fire, Caney Creek Company Thursday, 4:30 p.m.

Lula Lake Land Trust 5000 Lula Lake Rd. rivercitysessions.com 20 • THE PULSE • JUNE 8, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor

S

TUNNED. THAT’S MY INITIAL REACTION to the debut album, Good Girl, by local artist Robin Grant. When I sat down to give it a first listen I honestly had no idea what to expect.

I had been assured that, “She’s really good,” and I had no reason to doubt that, but good lord…she isn’t “really good,” she and her band, The Standard, are in every conceivable way phenomenal.

This is jazz, smooth jazz, chic and sophisticated, an echo of a bygone era when music as art reached a high water mark.

Years ago there was a “study”, or rather an urban legend, which suggested that listening to Mozart made you smarter. There is no denying the genius of Mozart, but there is also no evidence that the mere act of listening to his music actually boosts your intelligence.

On the other hand, listening to Mozart does make you feel smarter, and by the same token, listening to Robin Grant makes you feel cooler, cosmopolitan and urbane.

The opening track, “Brilliant,” is a slinky tune that establishes two things immediately. The band, consisting of messieurs Marquis Dotson, Robert Grier, Conrad Hyde and Mike Salter, sound like they were born playing jazz. Theirs is an organic

MUSIC

“Listening to Mozart does make you feel smarter, and by the same token, listening to Robin Grant makes you feel cooler, cosmopolitan and urbane.” precision, mastering the math behind the music as well as the expressiveness of the art. It is this vehicle that serves to deliver the other half of the equation, Ms. Grants’ voice.

I claim no particular expertise where jazz is concerned, but I’ve heard a hell of a lot of it, and many a great band was dulled by a mediocre voice.

The ratio of “would be” jazz singers to actual jazz singers is woefully lopsided in favor of the former, but Robin Grant has a relationship with her voice like a master violinist has with a Stradivarius, and the quality of the instrument is equaled by the skill of the one wielding it.

In one moment her voice is clear and ringing while she navigates the angles of a verse, in the next she slips effortlessly into a glissando with dulcet, rounded tones and then moves sideways in to a lively scat that is as natural and unforced as any of the greats ever managed.

In a word, this collection of musical artists knows their business. There are no pretenders here, no “fake it till you make it”. Robin Grant and The Stan-

dard make some of the finest jazz of any era.

There are ten tracks altogether, each one a gem. “Good Girl” is a personal favorite, a song that manages to be pouty and playful but sultry as well.

The tango, “Love Me Wrong,” sounds like the soundtrack to the life of the “Most Interesting Man in the World,” and seems plucked from the golden age of cinema. “Not a Love Song” is a stand out example of Grant’s skill as a lyricist.

In fact, lyrically, the whole album is poetry, all composed by Grant herself, as is the music. That’s right, Robin Grant is no mere pretty voice, she is a highly skilled composer and writer who just happens to have an incredible voice and a backing band to match.

The album is Good Girl and it is one of the most surprising and rewarding finds of 2017. The level of musicianship is world-class and the passion of the performance is genuinely moving.

The album is available via iTunes, Amazon, CDBaby and RobinGrantMusic.net.

Friday I’m In Love This Friday night is the night to see… well, everything really.

The biggest problem you’re going to face is deciding where to go.

So, with that in mind, your humble music editor is here to help.

Local Irish boys The Red Rogues open the Riverbend Festival at 6:30 p.m. on the Unum Stage (the one up near the Hunter Museum) with their tasty brand of Celtic goodness. There are few other musical acts on the riverfront that night, as well, but the Red Rogues should be on your “must see” list.

Then at eight o’clock, Hip-Hop CHA present local wunderkind and rising star Kay B Brown at the Revelry Room, along with Hi$e Cold. If you want to know how I really feel about Brown, simply pick up last week’s issue of The Pulse or check out the story on our website at chattanoogapulse.com.

Local favorites Rye Baby take the stage at Dumpy’s over on Highway

Richard Lloyd

64 in Ocoee at 9 p.m. with special guest General Dollars, if you feel like making a bit of a road trip (they’re worth it).

And finally, punk legend and founder of Television, Richard Lloyd, brings the Richard Lloyd Group (with special guest Bark) to J.J.’s Bohemia at 9:30 p.m.

That’s an impressive slate of talent and proof once again that despite the naysayers, the Chattanooga music is bigger and badder than ever with no sign of slowing down anytime soon.

— Marc T. Michael

THU6.8

FRI6.9

SAT6.10

Monomath, You Bred Raptors, Deaf Scene

Kay B Brown featuring Hi$e Cold

Backwater Still

Get an early start to the weekend with some old fashioned in-your-face rock turned up to 11.

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

A hip hop star in the making, Kay B Brown takes the stage with Hi$e Cold for a blazing hot night.

9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co

At the intersection of Southern rock and withering rhythm and blues, one will find the Delta stomp of Backwater Still.

9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 21

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Boz Scaggs

THURSDAY6.8 James Crumble Trio 6 p.m.

St. John’s Meeting Place 1278 Market St. stjohnsrestaurant.com Rick Rushing 6 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Forever Bluegrass 6 p.m.

Whole Foods Market 301 Manufacturers Rd. wholefoodsmarket.com Bluegrass & Country Jam 6:30 p.m.

Grace Church of the Nazarene 6310 Dayton Blvd. chattanoogagrace.com Bluegrass Thursdays 7:30 p.m.

Feed Co. Table & Tavern 201 W. Main St. feedtableandtavern.com Jesse James & Tim Neal 7:30 p.m.

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

The Social 1110 Market St. publichousechattanooga.com Open Mic Night 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Monomath, You Bred

22 • THE PULSE • JUNE 8, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Raptors, Deaf Scene 9 p.m JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com

FRIDAY6.9 Summer Music Weekends 11 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. seerockcity.com Mountain Creek House Fire, Caney Creek Company 4:30 p.m.

Lula Lake 5000 Lula Lake Rd. rivercitysessions.com Papa Sway 5 p.m.

Underdogs 2503 Westside Dr.

(423) 485-3873 Riverbend Festival featuring Boz Scaggs and The Black Jacket Symphony 5:30 p.m.

Riverfront Parkway riverbendfestival.com Jennifer Daniels 6 p.m.

Cambridge Square Night Market 9453 Bradmore Ln. chattanoogamarket.com Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 Stacy Wilson, The Band Raven 7 p.m.

Thunder Creek HarleyDavidson 7720 Lee Hwy. thundercreekharley.com DJ King Eric

PULSE MUSIC SPOTLIGHT

Yes, it's a bit obvious of a pick, but where else can you find nearly 100 acts on five stages over eight days for such a low ticket price?

Riverbend Festival Begins Friday, 5:30pm.

Riverfront Parkway at Ross's Landing (423) 756-2211 riverbendfestival.com

7 p.m.

Coyote Jack’s Saloon 1400 Cowart St. coyotejackssaloon.com Summer from Dublin with Paul Byrom 7:30 p.m.

Red Bank Cumberland Presbyterian Church 115 Morrison Springs Rd. (423) 877-1383 Rick Rushing 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Richard Lloyd 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Kay B Brown featuring Hi$e Cold 9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co Bethany Kidd 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Jesse Daniel 9 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Boo Ray 10 p.m.

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

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

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

SATURDAY6.10 Summer Music Weekends 11 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. seerockcity.com Bluegrass Brunch Noon The Honest Pint 35 Patten Pkwy. thehonestpint.com The Molly Maguires 12:30 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. chattanoogarivermarket.com Amber Carrington Band, Nathan Farrow Band, Davey Smith Band 2 p.m.

Songbirds Guitar Museum 35 Station St. songbirdsguitars.com Riverbend Festival featuring Ludacris and Don Felder 5:30 p.m.

Riverfront Parkway riverbendfestival.com Binji Varsossa 6 p.m.

Cancun Mexican Restaurant 1809 Broad St. (423) 266-1461 DJ King Eric 7 p.m.

Coyote Jack’s Saloon 1400 Cowart St. coyotejackssaloon.com

Rick Rushing 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Backwater Still, Josh Driver & The Dixieland Playboys 9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co The Cut Throat Freak Show, Subterranean Cirqus 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Hadley Kennary 9 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com The Orange Constant 10 p.m.

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

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

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

SUNDAY6.11 Summer Music Weekends 11 a.m.

Rock City Gardens

1400 Patten Rd. seerockcity.com Kyle Nachtigal 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Guitar Chattanooga 11 a.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com Michael Jacobs 12:30 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. chattanoogarivermarket.com Brooks Dixon 1 p.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Bluegrass Jam 4 p.m.

Fiddler’s Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Riverbend Festival featuring Old Dominion and Corey Smith 5:30 p.m.

Riverfront Parkway riverbendfestival.com Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

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

The BackStage Bar 29 Station St. (423) 629-2233 Tuff Titz, Beardtron,

Chattanooga Big Band Allstars 9 p.m.

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

MONDAY6.12 Bessie Smith Strut 4:30 p.m.

Bessie Smith Cultural Center 200 E. MLK Blvd. bessiesmithcc.org Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.

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

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

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

The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com

TUESDAY6.13 Riverbend Festival featuring Crowder 5 p.m.

Riverfront Parkway CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 23

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Mother's Finest riverbendfestival.com Danimal 6 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com Bill McCallie and In Cahoots 6:30 p.m.

Southern Belle 201 Riverfront Pkwy. chattanoogariverboat.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com

WEDNESDAY6.14 Noontunes with DL Yancey Noon Miller Plaza 850 Market St. noontunescha.com Riverbend Festival featuring George Thorogood & The Destroyers and Mother’s Finest 5:30 p.m.

Riverfront Parkway riverbendfestival.com Eddie Pontiac 5:30 p.m.

El Meson 248 Northgate Park elmesonrestaurant.com Toby Hewitt 6 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com No Big Deal 6 p.m.

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Spring Hill Suites 495 Riverfront Pkwy. springhillsuites.com Danimal 6:30 p.m.

Brewhaus 224 Frazier Ave. brewhausbar.com Old Time Fiddle & Banjo Show 6:30 p.m.

Fiddler’s Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Joel Clyde 8 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Priscilla & Little Rickee 8 p.m.

Las Margaritas 1101 Hixson Pike (423) 756-3332 Jazz in the Lounge 8 p.m.

Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. barkinglegs.org Pinebox Boys 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Prime Cut Trio 9 p.m.

The Palms at Hamilton 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@chattanoogapulse.com

RECORD REVIEWS ∙ ERNIE PAIK

Ivo Perelman and Matthew Shipp The Art of Perelman-Shipp Volume 7: Dione (Leo)

J

azz pianist Matthew Shipp raised a few eyebrows when he announced that his album Piano Song would be his last for the label Thirsty Ear and that he is “immensely slowing down” his recording operations (as he told Observer in an interview earlier this year), wanting to avoid being an artist who just goes through the motions in the latter years of his career.

However, on the bright side, he’ll concentrate on live performances and continue to be a curator for Thirsty Ear, and releases will continue to trickle out for a while (including several on the legendary ESP-Disk’ label), add-

Ifriqiyya Electrique Rûwâhîne (Glitterbeat)

ing to Shipp’s already vast catalog as a leader and sideman.

Shipp’s collaborations with Brazilian tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman alone are prolific, and this year saw the release of the 7-volume series The Art of PerelmanShipp, with each volume taking its name (with the exception of Saturn) from one of Saturn’s moons.

While it’s a solid series, one of the standouts for this writer was the final installment, Dione, with drummer Andrew Cyrille, known for his work with Cecil Taylor and Trio 3, along with his impressive material as a bandleader.

“Pt. 2” finds Shipp offering a lyricism that’s both melancholic and puzzling, gently shuffling through non-obvious chords,

while Perelman deals out smoky, vibrato-rich crawls with peculiar twitches, suggesting a slinky gait and dealing with an itch that needs to be publicly scratched in not-so-subtle ways; the end is particularly satisfying with patterns intertwining.

For “Pt. 3,” Cyrille uses a constant kinetic motion without discernible repetition, and Perelman constantly bends his notes, at times resembling duck calls and managing to sound wild yet controlled; Shipp scampers playfully and alternates between left and right-hand action before shifting moods toward the end with tender drifting.

In “Pt. 4,” Shipp jabs, sparring with Perelman’s unflappable dives and rises, which effortlessly glide upward as if carried by forceful gusts of wind; Cyrille adds his underlying bumpy textures with tom taps, and the piece ends with abstract flutters.

One notable moment in “Pt. 7” is when Perelman and Shipp are locked into hypnotic rhythm, suggesting vaguely some South American dance.

Like with Shipp’s frequent collaborators, including William Parker, David S. Ware and Michael Bisio, Perelman seems to have a mind-meld capability with

Shipp, where the two complement each other’s playing without mirroring or losing momentum, demonstrated beautifully on Dione.

I

friqiyya Electrique is a novel project from guitarist and field recordist François Cambuzat and bassist Gianna Greco (members of the group Putan Club and collaborators with no-wave legend Lydia Lunch) which combines industrial music with chanting from Tunisian adherents of Tasawwuf (a.k.a. Sufism in the western world), the esoteric, mystical dimension of Islam.

The full-length album Rûwâhîne begins with atmospheric, foggy rumbling with indistinct, low vocals approaching a chant, among hand-struck drumbeats, on the track “Laa la illa Allah.”

Soon, the dark moods of industrial music are made more apparent on “Qaadrii–Salaam Alaik– Massarh,” and the listener has the realization that this ostensibly nonsensible combination actually kind of works, with dissonant and bent guitar notes, among drones and distortion; however, three minutes in, electronic beats enter the picture, which are unnecessary if anything. However, this complex, trance-inducing stew manages to hold itself together.

The album takes its name from the spirits in a Banga ritual of adorcism, which is the opposite of exorcism, where spirits are possessed rather than forced out, and four members of the Banga community join Cambuzat and Greco in Ifriqiyya Electrique—Tarek Sultan, Yahia Chouchen, Youssef Ghazala and Ali Chouchen— who sing and play hand-struck drums and krakebs (large iron castanets).

The most striking features of Rûwâhîne are its sinister call-andresponse exchanges with murky vocals, melding with the postpunk/industrial aesthetic.

Sometimes the enhanced beats work on the nine-minute track “Annabi Mohammad–Laa la illa Allah–Deg el bendir,” but this writer’s attitude swings wildly on that topic; whenever a four-onthe-floor repetition enters the picture—or really, anything suggesting formal and established western-world rhythms—it’s like the small, special world they’ve created is shattered like a snow globe.

At its best, it matches the dystopian intensity with the ecstatic Tasawwuf chants, but at its least satisfying, it channels some postNine Inch Nails generic industrial music.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 25

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY discerning how you use this stuff.

You may be stickier than you realize!

ROB BREZSNY GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “When I grow up, I’m not sure what I want to be.” Have you ever heard that thought bouncing around your mind, Gemini? Or how about this one: “Since I can’t decide what I want to be, I’ll just be everything.” If you have been tempted to swear allegiance to either of those perspectives, I suggest it’s time to update your relationship with them. A certain amount of ambivalence about commitment and receptivity to myriad possibilities will always be appropriate for you. But if you hope to fully claim your birthright, if you long to ripen into your authentic self, you’ll have to become ever-more definitive and specific about what you want to be and do.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): As a Cancerian myself, I’ve had days when I’ve stayed in bed from morning to nightfall, confessing my fears to my imaginary friends and eating an entire cheesecake. As an astrologer, I’ve noticed that these blue patches seem more likely to occur during the weeks before my birthday each year.

If you go through a similar blip any time soon, here’s what I recommend: Don’t feel guilty about it. Don’t resist it. Instead, embrace it fully. If you feel lazy and depressed, get REALLY lazy and depressed. Literally hide under the covers with your headphones on and feel sorry for yourself for as many hours as it takes to exhaust the gloom and emerge renewed.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the early days of the Internet, “sticky” was a term applied to websites that were good at drawing readers back again and again. To possess this quality, a content provider had to have a knack for offering text and images that web surfers felt an instinctive yearning to bond with. I’m reanimating this term so I can use it to describe you. Even if you don’t have a website, you now have a soulful adhesiveness that arouses people’s urge to merge. Be

26 • THE PULSE • JUNE 8, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Ancient Mayans used chili and magnolia and vanilla to prepare exotic chocolate drinks from cacao beans. The beverage was sacred and prestigious to them. It was a centerpiece of cultural identity and an accessory in religious rituals. In some locales, people were rewarded for producing delectable chocolate with just the right kind and amount of froth. I suspect, Virgo, that you will soon be asked to do the equivalent of demonstrating your personal power by whipping up the best possible chocolate froth. And according to my reading of the astrological omens, the chances are good you’ll succeed.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Do you have your visa for the wild side?

Have you packed your bag of tricks?

I hope you’ll bring gifts to dispense, just in case you’ll need to procure favors in the outlying areas where the rules are a bit loose. It might also be a good idea to take along a skeleton key and a snake-bite kit. You won’t necessarily need them. But I suspect you’ll be offered magic cookies and secret shortcuts, and it would be a shame to have to turn them down simply because you’re unprepared for the unexpected.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You’re like a prince or princess who has been turned into a frog by the spell of a fairy tale villain. This situation has gone on for a while. In the early going, you retained a vivid awareness that you had been transformed.

But the memory of your origins has faded, and you’re no longer working so diligently to find a way to change back into your royal form. Frankly, I’m concerned. This horoscope is meant to remind you of your mission. Don’t give up! Don’t lose hope! And take extra good care of your frog-self, please.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): People might have ideas about you that are at odds with how you understand yourself. For example, someone might imagine that you have been talking trash about them—even though you haven’t been. Someone else may describe a memory they have about you, and you know it’s a distorted version of what actually happened. Don’t be surprised if you hear even more outlandish tales, too, like how you’re stalking Taylor Swift or conspiring with the One World Government to

Homework: Even if you don’t send it, write a letter to the person you admire most. Share it with me at Freewillastrology.com force all citizens to eat kale every day. I’m here to advise you to firmly reject all of these skewed projections. For the immediate future, it’s crucial to stand up for your right to define yourself—to be the final authority on what’s true about you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “God doesn’t play dice with the universe,” said Albert Einstein. In response, another Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Niels Bohr, said to Einstein, “Stop giving instructions to God.” I urge you to be more like Bohr than Einstein in the coming weeks, Capricorn. As much as possible, avoid giving instructions to anyone, including God, and resist the temptation to offer advice. In fact, I recommend that you abstain from passing judgment, demanding perfection, and trying to compel the world to adapt itself to your definitions. Instead, love and accept everything and everyone exactly as they are right now.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Lysistrata is a satire by ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes. It takes place during the war between Athens and Sparta. The heroine convinces a contingent of women to withhold sexual privileges from the soldiers until they stop fighting. “I will wear my most seductive dresses to inflame my husband’s ardor,” says one. “But I will never yield to his desires. I won’t raise my legs towards the ceiling. I will not take up the position of the Lioness on a Cheese Grater.” Regardless of your gender, Aquarius, your next assignment is twofold: 1) Don’t be like the women in the play. Give your favors with discerning generosity. 2) Experiment with colorful approaches to pleasure like the Lioness with a Cheese Grater, the Butterfly Riding the Lizard, the Fox Romancing the River, and any others you can dream up.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Take your seasick pills. The waves will sometimes be higher than your boat. Although I don’t think you’ll capsize, the ride may be wobbly. And unless you have waterproof clothes, it’s probably best to just get naked.

You WILL get drenched. By the way, don’t even fantasize about heading back to shore prematurely. You have good reasons to be sailing through the rough waters. There’s a special “fish” out there that you need to catch. If you snag it, it will feed you for months—maybe longer.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): If you chose me as your relationship guide, I’d counsel you and your closest ally to be generous with each other; to look for the best in each other and praise each other’s beauty and strength. If you asked me to help foster your collaborative zeal, I’d encourage you to build a shrine in honor of your bond—an altar that would invoke the blessings of deities, nature spirits, and the ancestors.

If you hired me to advise you on how to keep the fires burning and the juices flowing between you two, I’d urge you to never compare your relationship to any other, but rather celebrate the fact that it’s unlike any other in the history of the planet.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The Milky Way Galaxy contains more than 100 billion stars. If they were shared equally, every person on Earth could have dominion over at least 14. I mention this because you’re in a phase when it makes sense for you to claim your 14. Yes, I’m being playful, but I’m also quite serious.

According to my analysis of the upcoming weeks, you will benefit from envisaging big, imaginative dreams about the riches that could be available to you in the future. How much money do you want? How much love can you express? How thoroughly at home in the world could you feel?

How many warm rains would you like to dance beneath? How much creativity do you need to keep reinventing your life? Be extravagant as you fantasize.

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

It’s all in the stars.

ALL NEW. ALL FOR YOU.

ChattanoogaHasCars.com THE TENNESSEE VALLEY’S MOST POWERFUL AUTOMOTIVE SHOPPING TOOL

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 27

OPINIONS & DIVERSIONS

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JONESIN' CROSSWORD ∙ MATT JONES

“NATO Allies”—phonetically speaking, anyway.

ACROSS 1 Be furious 5 Everglades beasts 11 Letters on a bucket 14 High hair 15 Home state of the Decemberists 16 Former Fighting Irish coach Parseghian 17 A look inside Mr. Gladwell?

19 Dorm supervisors, briefly 20 “The magic word” 21 Do bar duty 22 “The Two Towers” creature 23 Like a cooked noodle 25 Medium capacity event?

27 “Yeah!” singer 30 Busy ___ bee 33 Song with the lyric “she really shows you all she can” 34 Author Harper 35 By title, though not really 38 “Let me know” letters 41 ___ Khan

42 It shows the order of songs a band will play 44 Disney Store collectible 45 Force based on waves?

47 Top-of-the-line 48 Took a course?

49 Orangey tuber 51 Gridiron units, for short 52 Run off, as copies 54 Compadre from way back 57 Diplomat’s forte 59 Kickoff need 60 The haves and the have-___ 63 Pointer on a laptop 67 “Shallow ___” (Jack Black movie) 68 The dance of talk show employees?

70 More than -er 71 Aim high 72 Not-so-sharp sort 73 “The Crying Game” actor 74 Crystallined stones 75 Ovine moms

DOWN 1 Displace 2 Gem mined in Australia 3 Monty Python alum Eric 4 Place setting?

5 Automaton of Jewish folklore 6 Biceps’ place 7 SMS exchange 8 Shrek talks about being one a lot 9 Chestnut-hued horses 10 Original “The Late Late Show” host Tom 11 Award for “Five Easy Pieces” actress Black?

12 Monetary unit of Switzerland 13 Unit of social hierarchy 18 God of the Nile 24 Canned goods closet 26 Inhaled stuff 27 ___ Bator (Mongolia’s capital) 28 Maker of the Saturn game system 29 Weighty river triangle?

31 Type of bar with pickled beets 32 In the center of 36 Battery terminal, briefly 37 Suffix similar to “-speak” 39 President’s refusal 40 Suffix for movie theaters 43 Common campaign promise 46 Talk too much 50 It may be also called a “murse” 53 One of their recent ads features “an investor invested in vests” 54 Different 55 Tenant’s document 56 Almost ready for the Tooth Fairy 58 Parcels of land 61 “Ed Sullivan Show” character ___ Gigio 62 Racetrack trouble 64 Winter forecast 65 Eye rakishly 66 Breaks down 69 “Able was I ___ I saw Elba”

Copyright © 2017 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per3minute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 835 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 29

COLUMN ∙ GAME ON!

Gaming For The Children Playing games and building hospitals right here in Chattanooga

Brandon Watson Pulse columnist

G

AMING IS LOSING THE STIGMA of pointless life consuming diversion it used to be known for. Indeed, one only has to check out the popular gaming channels on YouTube to see how much of a positive culture is emerging by supporting gaming spectatorship and community interaction.

This interaction comes in many forms through platforms such as Twitch and Steam broadcasts. From any device you can sit and watch gamers getting down and comment during their gaming sessions.

Gaming itself seems to have become a vessel for social change because many gamers these days are jumping into raising money for local charities. I’m talking about doing some good all the while never leaving the Cheeto-encrusted sanctuary of your gaming Shangri-La. Gamers just like you and me are becoming community champions outside of the spotlight and hidden just on the fringes of charitable fundraising through a little organization called Extra-Life.

It works like this: create an Extra-Life account on their website, join a pre-existing team or create your own, then pick the charity you want to game for. Then download a digital media kit and hit up your social media platforms to ask for sponsors to log on your page and donate money.

I joined the Extra-Life-TN team and play games for Children’s Hospital at Erlanger.

Now don’t get me wrong here, I am highly

suspicious of just about every notfor-profit charity organization that does or will exist. I am cynical and jaded and I measure these things with a healthy level of justified distrust.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around gaming for charity via online sources. I am more of an analog type of guy and prefer the tangible items and causes that I can go to or show up to help. But rather than write off Extra-Life as another waste of time, I decided to jump on and put together my own gaming team to start getting sponsorships.

Honestly, it’s not as easy as the site makes it sound, you are going to have to do some riding on the social media rollercoaster and it is very exhausting trying to schedule time for gaming sessions to draw viewership and sponsors. In short, it requires time and dedication, just like any other fundraising event.

I had to know how Extra-Life and their gamers actually get donations to the charities of choice so I reached out and found that the Extra-Lifers here in Chattanooga have raised over $23,000 for Phase One of the brand spanking new Children’s Hospital being constructed over on Third Street.

Let me tell you folks, the community conscious gamers are only a small part of a great collective team. Chattanooga never ceases to surprise me with how this city comes together under a unified goal for the greater good.

This new children’s hospital fa-

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cility will have gardens, themed waiting rooms with half of a fire engine donated from the CFD, a tow-truck from the Towing museum, and a historically significant steam engine from the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum.

The new facility architecture will embrace the endearing characteristics of Chattanooga and in all honesty the hospital will look like High Point Climbing Gym and the Aquarium had a shiny sparkly baby.

The design firm is taking cues from major metropolitan children hospitals around the nation to create something fully functional and soothing for the young patients and parents who will be going there.

From the look of the plans I would happily go to this hospital to get my flu shots every year, mostly to play in the fire engine and tow truck.

The fundraising to get through the phases of the children’s hospital is ongoing and after my meet-

ing with Rebecca Brinkley, Director of the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Erlanger Health System Foundation, I felt a lot better about how I too can do my part and help see this project to completion. The new children’s hospital will be an epic testament to the future of Chattanooga and the collective passion the city has for its kids.

And honestly, it’s sorely needed in the community.

If you are interested in supporting the construction of this facility go to webelieve.build—or if you want to know how you to can game for a cause, visit extra-life. org or search for me on Extra-Life under the name Gameon!

Sponsor me and I will write about your favorite game in future Game On! columns.

When not vaporizing zombies or leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, Brandon Watson is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • JUNE 8, 2017 • THE PULSE • 31