The Pulse 14.35 » August 31, 2017

VOL. 14, NO. 35 • AUGUST 31, 2017

CHATTANOOGA'S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE

BREWHAUS GASTROPUB · DAY TRIPPIN' TO THE OBED · CONQUEST OBSTACLE GYM

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VOL. 14, NO. 35 • AUGUST 31, 2017

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CHATTANOOGA’S VERY OWN AQUAMAN

When Bill Godsey fell in love with SCUBA diving in 1956, the sport was still very much in its infancy. And as best friends tend to do, they’ve grown older together.

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AMAZON REVIVES A BELOVED IDIOT

Heroes are different shades of the same color, and that color tends to exist on the bland side of the color palette. A hero is only as good as the villain he faces.

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HANK & CUPCAKES MELD ART & MUSIC

This past weekend, the Southern Brewer’s Festival hosted the unforgettable indie rock duo Hank and Cupcakes. The pair are known for delivering high-energy performances that are accented by creative stage sets and costumes.

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FINDING HARMONY IN THE MIDST OF CHAOS

While I generally reserve this column to highlight a specific band or upcoming album, this week I’d like to put the spotlight on an upcoming show involving a few different acts.

ALSO INSIDE

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Down On The Farm In The City With the food scene in the South booming to uncharted heights over the past several years, lots of focus is being paid to the exquisite natural ingredients available in America’s new culinary hotspot.

FEATURED CONTRIBUTORS

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CONSIDER THIS

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MUSIC REVIEWS

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DAY TRIPPIN'

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ART OF BUSINESS

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ARTS CALENDAR

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FREE WILL ASTROLOGY

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DINING OUT

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JONESIN' CROSSWORD

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MUSIC CALENDAR

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ON THE BEAT

Alex Curry has explored the world as an entertainment technician and traveler. After spending nearly three years working in Asia along with time in New Orleans, he fell in love with the cultural and culinary delights of the world.

Brandon Watson has been on the gaming scene since first dropping coins in an arcade cabinet many moons ago.

When not leading space marines as a mousepad Mattis, he is making gourmet pancakes and promoting local artists.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 3

BEGINNINGS ∙ CITY LIFE

Chattanooga’s Own Aquaman Diver Bill Godsey logs 10,000 hours at the Tennessee Aquarium

By Thom Benson Pulse contributor

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

EDITORIAL

Managing Editor Gary Poole Assistant Editor Brooke Brown Music Editor Marc T. Michael Film Editor John DeVore Contributors Thom Benson • Rob Brezsny Alex Curry • Robyn Wolfe Fogle Matt Jones • Tony Mraz Ernie Paik • Rick Pimental-Habib Michael Thomas • Brandon Watson Editorial Interns Kelley J. Bostian • Jessica Manning Cartoonists Max Cannon • Rob Rogers Jen Sorenson • Tom Tomorrow

ADVERTISING Director of Sales Mike Baskin

Account Executives Chee Chee Brown • Brittany Dreon Rick Leavell • Libby Phillips Danielle Swindell • Logan Vandergriff

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.

The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.

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

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HEN BILL GODSEY FELL IN love with SCUBA diving in 1956, the sport was still very much in its infancy. And as best friends tend to do, they’ve grown older together.

Godsey became hooked on diving after dipping beneath the surface of a quarry in Hixson, Tenn., using equipment brought back by a friend who had served in the Navy. That experience sparked a passion for the sport that has defined Godsey’s life and helped him experience aquatic wonders at sites from Hawaii to the Red Sea. “People ask me which is my favorite place to dive, and I say it depends on what you’re looking for,” says Godsey, now 82. “Whenever you dive, there’s always something different. It’s different everywhere you go.”

Despite his globetrotting experiences, Godsey has spent the bulk of his time underwater as a volunteer at the Tennessee Aquarium. In 1992, he was among the first group of five divers to volunteer there, where he has used his skills to train others and to educate the public about the aquatic world. This past week, Godsey was honored for exceeding 10,000 hours as a volunteer.

In all, the Aquarium has an active pool of more than 495 volunteers, including 184 volunteer divers. Volunteers’ roles range from interacting with the public during dive programs or as docents to preparing food for the animals. In 2016, the Aquarium’s volunteers devoted almost 64,000 hours of their time, the equivalent to more than 30 full-time positions.

“It’s amazing what our volunteers do,” Aquarium President Keith Sanford says.

“These folks contribute the equivalent of more than $1.5 million a year in volunteer labor for us and a whole lot of their heart in coming here every day. For Bill to achieve

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“In his years of service, he has instructed aquatic safety courses, helped maintain dive equipment, overseen dive tests for other volunteers and served on the Aquarium’s dive safety control board. ” 10,000 hours, especially diving, is amazing. I’m just thankful and full of praise that someone can do that.”

Godsey was among the first group of five divers to volunteer at the Aquarium when it opened on May 1, 1992. In his years of service, he has instructed aquatic safety courses, helped maintain dive equipment, overseen dive tests for other volunteers and served on the Aquarium’s dive safety control board.

Having someone with Godsey’s level of experience as a volunteer is a huge benefit, says Aquarium Dive Safety Officer Mark Craven.

“Bill brings an incredible amount of knowledge about all aspects of diving,” Craven says. “When he’s

serving as topside dive support, I don’t have to worry about what’s going on with the in-water team.

Their safety is in good hands.”

But Godsey says that, for his part, having one more pin to add to his badge isn’t a measure of the value of his years of service. That’s a sentiment that’s best presented in even simpler terms.

“I’ve loved SCUBA diving and helping people,” he says. “I’ve enjoyed all my time there and hope to continue.”

The Aquarium is always seeking additional volunteer SCUBA divers.

Certified divers can check the requirements and download the volunteer diver application at tnaqua. org. The next class of new recruits will begin training in January.

Consider This with Dr. Rick

EdiToon

by Rob Rogers

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” — Unknown

Southeast Gassers Internally Combusted Euphoria In a few fractions of a second, two cars begin roaring down a quarter mile of rubber-coated asphalt. Crowds cheer happily from the sidelines and slight vibrations tickle their stomachs in the form of deafening roars. This is drag racing, not exactly two speed junkies who’ve pulled up beside each other at a red light, but pretty close.

It began in the ‘40s when the average stock car speeds began topping 100 or more miles an hour. Since then, drag racing has evolved into an enormously popular pastime. It’s produced hundreds of different vehicle classes and

race styles each with their own specific restrictions and requirements. However, the “golden age” of drag racing seems to fall somewhere in the 1960’s.

One specific drag racing organization vows to recreate this era in all its

former glory. Using historically accurate vehicles and car parts, the Southeast Gassers race their cars competitively under a very strict rule set. Their mission is to emulate the wheel up launches and groovy aesthetics that popularized the sport a little over fifty years ago.

On Saturday night, the gassers will be demonstrating this need for speed at the freshly renovated New Brainerd Optimist Drag Strip. Come witness the hot rod hysteria for yourself, in an evening filled with rumbling, nostalgia, and internally combusted euphoria.

— Kelly J. Bostian

What is that joke about how a good friend will be there, having the adventure right alongside you, but your best friend will be the one who wakes up next to you in jail?

Well, here’s hoping your adventures don’t include doing time in the big house, but the importance of choosing your friends wisely cannot be underestimated.

You’ve read in my columns about the influence we all have on each other when we care and when we love.

Whether friends, best friends or sig others, we can choose our “created family” to include those who lift us up, or let us down.

Consider this: When you’re in the company of a true friend, you feel good about yourself, and accepted for exactly who you are. Best feeling in the world.

— Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D.

Chattanooga’s Greatest Hits brewer media everywhere. every day.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 5

COLUMN ∙ DAY TRIPPIN'

A Wild And Scenic Visit To The Obed Heading up Highway 27 to a hidden gem of outdoor adventure

Robyn Wolfe Fogle Pulse contributor

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EEK-LONG SUMMER VACAtions may be over until next year, but if your inner travel bug is still itching to get away, it’s time to go day trippin’. If you’re an outdoor enthusiast and have never been about two hours up Highway 27 to the Obed Wild & Scenic River, you need to go.

What’s so special about the Obed, you ask? We all know Chattanooga has no shortage of places to hike, mountain bike, rock climb, float or do anything your outdoor spirit desires. Yet sometimes it takes getting out of town to really relax and enjoy nature without having to focus on the responsibilities at home.

Part of the National Park Service, the Obed has a lot more than a scenic river to offer. In addition to rock climbing (the draw for my husband and I), there is also abundant hiking, kayaking, rafting, fishing and more.

The Obed has become one of our favorite spots for a day trip or weekend getaway when we need a change of scenery. But the summer has been busy and we hadn’t had a chance to visit since the spring so I felt it my duty to do more recent due diligence— for your benefit of course.

It wasn’t hard to convince my husband that we needed a day of outdoor therapy away from all of our house projects and things we “should” be doing. So we packed up our climbing gear on a recent Saturday and headed out.

We left Chattanooga around 8:30 a.m. and arrived before 11 a.m. at the Lilly Bluff Trails parking lot. Excited and eager, we grabbed our packs and headed out into the woods for a beautiful 30-minute hike to a rock climbing area called Y-12—named for one of nearby Oak Ridge’s nuclear reactors.

The trails here are well-worn and only moderately strenuous.

If you’re just out for the hike, you have plenty of options at this trail head from a 0.3 mile trail leading to a scenic overlook, to the 3.8 mile round-trip Point Trail.

For two climbers who hadn’t been out climbing in weeks, the fresh air—surprisingly cool for August—felt restorative. We’d been to Y-12 before, but there is something about seeing the overwhelmingly beautiful and steep cliffs that makes me catch my breath each time—or maybe that’s due to the hike and my heavy pack.

Regardless, the spectacular cliffs are also a clear reminder that a day of powerful climbing awaits.

This cliff line is completely shaded by mid-day, making it the perfect climbing spot during the summer months; and, unlike many of the popular climbing areas in Chattanooga, the Y-12 crag at the Obed is rarely crowded.

We spent the day climbing, trying hard but mostly falling. And yet it was perfect; a mental refit.

The day was about soaking in the simple joy of a beautiful sunny, summer day spent out in nature with nothing else on the agenda

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but fun. Being active, getting worn out and loving every minute. As we sat on a rock and had lunch, I looked around us and marveled at the beauty that Tennessee has to offer. Lush green trees, gentle breezes and the peaceful tranquility of nature.

After a full day of exhausting climbing, we were ready for dinner and a cold beer. Oak Ridge, Tennessee—about a 30-minute drive from the Obed—has the perfect spot: Aubrey’s. With around 40 beers on tap, plus a full wine list, this place can’t be beat. Plus, the food is amazing—hearty portions for hungry climbers—and in my opinion the salmon tacos give even Tremont Tavern’s Sunday night fish tacos a run for their money.

Since we’d gotten so much exercise all day, it wasn’t hard to convince ourselves that we were also justified in ordering a slice of the Peppermint Patty. This mint choco-

late chip ice cream pie has an Oreo cookie crust, whipped cream and chocolate syrup drizzle and whether you’ve “earned” a slice or not, you need to splurge.

If you’re not in the mood to drive to “town” though, Del & Marte’s Lilly Pad campground, located within walking distance of the climbing crags and trails, has a brewery of their own called the Lilly Pad Hopyard Brewery where you can grab a home-grown craft beer before heading back to Chattanooga. Or stay and camp and you don’t even have to drive home!

If you love the outdoors and have time for a day trip, the Obed is the place to go. Put it on your short list for Fall. It will not disappoint.

After bidding farewell to the structure of the corporate world over a year ago, Robyn Wolfe Fogle now spends her days pursuing the things she loves. Among her passions are freelance writing, rock climbing and running.

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COVER STORY

Down On The Farm In The Middle Of The City Crabtree Farms takes the concept of urban farming to brand new heights

By Alex Curry

Pulse contributor

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ITH THE FOOD SCENE IN THE SOUTH BOOMing to uncharted heights over the past several years, lots of focus is being paid to the exquisite natural ingredients available in America’s new culinary hotspot.

The days of Southern food being implicated solely as deep-fried, heartclogging junk are dwindling quickly. A new age of chefs, artisans, and farmers have inadvertently become trailblazers as they begin the journey to develop our place on the global scale.

This reincarnation has caused the need for locality in ingredients and “purveyorship”. People are tiring of the monotony of unhealthy food options, of endless rows of soulless chain restaurants serving the same five or six frozen dishes. They are pushing back

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against large-scale monocropping and unkind animal slaughter factories.

A new desire is igniting to rekindle relationships with the South of the past, the food of our ancestors, and the recipes of our great grandparents.

Enter Crabtree Farms: a true bastion of locally sourced ingredients.

When I arrived for my first visit last year I thought for sure that I was lost.

This isn’t the first time that my conniving GPS has led me astray. But there it is, a full-fledged farm right in the middle of Chattanooga’s Clifton Hills neighborhood. The scene is ambrosial. It’s like stepping into a different world, the South of the past.

A two-story barn, which serves as an office space and produce storage facility sits at the head of the farm. There are three greenhouses and two hoop houses. Of the 22 acres, only four are currently used to actually grow food.

This number strikes me as a surprising statistic. How do you manage to grow 100 different heirloom focused varieties of fruits and vegetables on only four acres? It makes me wonder how much more I could do with my modest yard.

As Executive Director, Sara McIntyre knows all of these statistics with enthusiasm, but her real passion explodes with ardent excitement when I ask her

COVER STORY to talk about what Crabtree means to her. She began her life in the farming world as a student in California where she joined a CSA and started a garden at the middle school where she was teaching.

“I came to love local food through the lens of ecology,” she explains. “I was impacted by a class about carbon footprints. The three biggest footprints are coffee, meat, and dairy. I was vegetarian for many years back in my poor college kid days as a result.”

She sidesteps to mention the newest addition to the farm. The Evelyn Center is a 2,500 square foot wooden-clad building with a full demonstration kitchen, covered porch, event area, roll-up garage door and two restrooms. It’s available for rent and is a great way to integrate the feeling of a working farm into special events. Since its completion in 2014, the building has hosted weddings, cooking classes, business meetings, and birthday parties.

Following the path of most employees, Sara began in 2011 as a volunteer. As a new Chattanoogan, she found a home at Crabtree.

“I always felt welcomed here and embraced by the farm,” she remembers fondly. “As a transplant, it helped me develop a sense of place. While working in the fields, the seasonal rhythms of this new place became embodied. I felt like I had found my tribe. The folks at Crabtree emboldened and supported my sense of self and love of food and nature. Seven years later, Crabtree is still that for me.”

Among the many ambitions of the farm, Crabtree takes immense pride in its education programming. Their approach is one of immersion.

“I want to make food not so hard; gardening can seem really scary,” she says. “We want to make it not scary.

At the farm, we take your hand and literally put it in the dirt. None of our current farmers had any background in agriculture before they started here.

“None of our current farmers had any background in agriculture before they started here. Now, they lead groups, answer questions, farm like champs, and are always learning.”

Now, they lead groups, answer questions, farm like champs, and are always learning.

“One of the great strengths of Crabtree is we can take you where you are, follow your curiosity, and support you on your learning journey. I want to take the big ideas of food and farming and make them accessible without being too erudite in the process. The farm is an empowering place where folks can be comfortable with vulnerability. If you’re willing to say that you don’t know how, or are curious as to why we are doing something, you’ll

get much more from the experience.”

Crabtree Farms considers education important at any age. They have programs for pre-K and up. This year, the farm will host around 2,000 students on various field trips. They also travel to schools and give presentations on farming education and host cooking classes for children at Chattanooga’s Creative Discovery Museum.

Crabtree has an extensive volunteer program and they host classes and workshops for adults where they welcome all experience and interest levels. McIntyre sums up the experience

of being involved with elegant poise: “It’s a matriculation space. Volunteers come here and connect with us and with the farm.” Sounds simple enough.

As we sit in Sara’s office my excitement about Crabtree takes off. Everyone here speaks my language. From my travels and life experiences, food has become a strong passion. A place like this can bring people to the realization that being involved and in love with food can lead to a fulfilling and healthy life.

Sara goes on to tell me about the soul behind the different programs at the farm. “Our programs cause people to pause and notice themselves as eaters in the environment. Our current food system is so easy. It enables us to be consumers without being involved with our food. We can just eat the food that appears in grocery stores or restaurants and never pay a bit of attention to what we’re putting into our bodies.

“Instead, Crabtree lets us be present as both consumers and producers. Every person is in a different space with their food consumption. Why do I eat? is a question that people don’t often think about, but it’s important. What I eat literally builds my physical body.

As with anything, if I use higher quality materials, the better the end product.”

Over the next several years, Crabtree Farms plans to double their producing acreage. Through efficient land use and smart building practices, the farm will be able to produce in greater variety and quantity.

Currently, the farm provides produce to some of Chattanooga’s leading restaurants. St. John’s, The Flying Squirrel, Easy Bistro, Terra Mae, and Niedlov’s Breadworks all have strong symbiotic relationships with the farm.

Executive Chef Rebecca Baron of St. John’s is a leading proponent of Crabtree Farms. She was nice enough to give me a few minutes out of her busy schedule. >> Continued on pg. 11

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COVER STORY

“Through increased production, places like Crabtree Farms will be able to continue this tradition, which will lay the groundwork for more and more chefs and restaurateurs to open amazing places in our lovely city.”

“My favorite things that we get from Crabtree are the microgreens that Andy and Mike painstakingly grow for us,” she says.

“They also started doing some really cool spinach, which isn’t actually a spinach at all. It’s called Malabar spinach and it grows as a vine so you get these amazing little curly tendrils of crisp greenness. It grows really well in the heat. I’m so happy that we have a farm so close to us in the city and that we’re able to have such a close relationship with our farmers.”

Through increased production, places like Crabtree Farms will be able

to continue this tradition, which will lay the groundwork for more and more chefs and restaurateurs to open amazing places in our lovely city.

With this added production, the farm will pursue their goals of community involvement to an even greater level.

What better way to support this goal of amazing local food than stuffing your face with a pig roast at the farm on September 30th?

To support their education program, once a year, the farm holds their special “100 Dinner” to celebrate the season’s prosperity. Here, some of the top chefs in Chattanooga come together

to create a truly special menu for the 100 guests lucky enough to acquire a ticket. Think 9+ courses, a chill inducing bluegrass band, a gorgeous outdoor setting, and some fantastic community-driven company.

Crabtree Farms is a sustainable agricultural teaching and learning farm.

It’s a local, small-scale farm and therefore relies heavily on the greater Chattanooga community for support. I encourage everyone to take the short drive and spend a few hours (or even a few minutes) visiting.

The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and can point you in the right

direction for any questions that you might have. Think gardening isn’t for you? Too much work? The farm hosts two CSA’s, one that runs May through November and a second that is four weeks long between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Donations can be made atcrabtreefarms.org. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook. Be sure to check out their Fall Plant Sale and Festival on September 16th and again April 5th through 8th to get ready for a bountiful summer.

Get involved with your food, your health, and your community!

Follow The Pulse on Facebook (we’re quite likeable) www.facebook.com/chattanoogapulse CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 11

FILM & TELEVISION

Amazon Revives A Beloved Idiot

The Tick is back in blue-suited muscle-bound glory

Ho Ho Ho And A Bucket Of Blood It is just 116 days till Christmas comes again, but you can get a head start on the festivities with Director Craig Anderson’s Red Christmas opening this weekend.

Though, we have to be honest, this is not your standard Hollywood Christmas feel-good story, like perennial classics such as It’s A Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, Die Hard, or even the similarly named White Christmas.

No, Red Christmas is anything but a feel good story. In fact, it’s the exact opposite: it’s a classic horror movie. So you might want to put off making up some egg nog and putting out some early decorations.

In Red Christmas, a widow and her bickering family gather at her remote estate on Christmas Eve where she must soon protect them all from a hideously deformed killer who’s out for bloody revenge. Ho ho ho, indeed.

The film stars and is produced by Dee Wallace, known to mainstream audiences for playing the mom in E.T. but is also a cult icon for starring in The Hills Have Eyes, Cujo, The Howling and the cult classic Critters.

Critics have been quite divided on Red Christmas. On one hand, Wallace has her many fans who love to see her continued work in the oft-maligned horror/slasher film genre. But just as many have major issues about this film being set around the Christmas holidays, apparently forgetting other holiday-horror classics such as Gremlins and Silent Night, Deadly Night.

As it is, you’ll have a chance to decide for yourself this week at the Palace Picture House if this film should be added to your Christmas wish list. — Michael Thomas Red Christmas Opens this Friday See website for showtimes Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave., (423) 803-6578 www.chattpalace.com 12 • THE PULSE • AUGUST 31, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By John DeVore Pulse Film Editor

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AST WEEK, I ARGUED THAT THE PROBlem with The Defenders is that the show lacks a charismatic, capable villain. The heroes, of course, necessarily defend the weak and downtrodden, making them easier to like, and their allure is rooted in how their powers inform their ability to do so.

But heroes are different shades of the same color, and that color tends to exist on the bland side of the color palette. A hero is only as good as the villain he faces. If you look at the successful most Marvel and DC films, you’ll find Heath Ledger’s Joker, Alfred Molina’s Doctor Octopus, and Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier.

On the smaller screen, you’ll see David Tennant’s The Purple Man (Kilgrave) and the indomi-

table Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin. But can you remember the name of the villain in Ant-Man? In Iron Man 3? Those films lacked a strong villain and as a result don’t have a strong presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It’s interesting, then, how Amazon’s newest send up of the comic book genre understands the importance of a villain, creating a fun gallery of rogues despite the silly title character. The Tick might not be anything new—superhero parodies have been around for a long time and this one is the second live action attempt at recreating the magic of the animated Fox series from 1994—but the show is more fun than The Defenders by great blue leaps and bounds.

Most anyone born after 1980 will remember the character known as The Tick, a muscle bound, dimwitted insect based superhero powered by drama that protected the City alongside his tax ac-

FILM & TELEVISION

“Amazon’s newest send up of the comic book genre understands the importance of a villain, creating a fun gallery of rogues despite the silly title character.”

✴ ✴ NEW IN THEATERS ✴ ✴

countant sidekick Arthur. Tick was also played, expertly by the way, by Patrick Warburton in a short lived live action series in 2001.

The revival of the character, and the show, seemed unlikely, but Amazon ordered a pilot during last year’s pilot season and Prime viewers voted to have the full series created. The 2017 revival focuses on Arthur (Griffin Newman), again a tax accountant, who witnessed the death of his father at the hands of The Terror (Jackie Earl Haley) as a young child.

As a result, Arthur suffers from paranoia and post-traumatic stress, which can sometimes manifest itself through hallucinations. While the Terror was supposedly killed by superhero Superian (Brenden Hines) many years earlier, Arthur is convinced that he survived and is determined to prove it. Through a few comic book coinci-

dences, Arthur finds himself attached to the Tick (Peter Serafinowicz) and in possession of a fancy supersuit that looks like a moth.

The main characters, however, are not the best part of the show. How could they be? The original Tick series was full of a colorful and hilarious cast of villains and superheroes and this version is no different. As mentioned, Jackie Earl Haley is spectacular as The Terror, reminding us that villains don’t kill people because they’re mad at them—they kill people because it’s fun.

His henchman Ms. Lint (Yara Martinez), an electrically charged femme fatale with a grounding problem and a tendency to attract airborne debris, is equally entertaining. Smaller villains like the Pyramid Gang, led Ramses IV (a guy from Minnesota with a penchant for Egyptian bric-a-brac) make

Tulip Fever An artist falls for a young married woman while he's commissioned to paint her portrait during the Tulip mania of 17th century Amsterdam. No, really.

Director: Justin Chadwick Stars: Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan, Jack O'Connell, Holliday Grainger

for excellent fodder when facing off against the nigh-invulnerable Wild Blue Yonder.

But these characters only scratch the surface of the heroes and villains found in the Tick Universe. That the current series only utilizes one from the past incarnations is something of a disappointment. Also disappointing is the limited number of episodes in the first season.

With a twenty-five-minute running time, it’s easy to binge watch the six episode series in a single afternoon.

Hopefully, the show will be popular enough to warrant a second, more complete season, with lots of new characters to flesh out. For now, fans will have to be happy with what they get.

Slowly but surely, Amazon is gaining ground on Netflix in terms of original content. They aren’t spending as much, but if they can maintain the quality as well as continue to include viewers in its decision making process, they may be able to even the playing field. Given what comes with an Amazon Prime membership, it’s hard to argue against having one. The Tick is just one more reason.

Unlocked A CIA interrogator is lured into a ruse that puts London at risk of a biological attack. To stop the terror, they have to fight the conspiracy. Sounds familiar, huh?

Director: Michael Apted Stars: Noomi Rapace, Orlando Bloom, Toni Collette, Michael Douglas CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 13

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Hank & Cupcakes Meld Art & Music

Avant garde musical duo embrace the visual spectrum

Not Your Average Art Gallery Staying true to their title, Frequency Arts is a new local art gallery debuting their first exhibit this Friday and following that with new artist exhibitions every subsequent Friday. Showcasing artists from all age groups and walks of life, the gallery strives to pull art from any and every genre, giving artists a chance to have a solo exhibition with live music at every opening.

Founded by local artists Tony Mraz and Keith Nolan, they also share studio residency with painter and draftsman Skip Cisto and photographer Tori Fyfe. From sound design to the physical medium, their work as artists stretches across multiple genre conventions and is quite versatile.

On Friday, Mraz will be debuting a few of his paintings and a colossal new sculpture for the grand opening.

Raised by artists, he has been prolifically producing art most of his life, ranging from painting, sculpting, writing, and music.

Local musicians Jesse Jungkurth and Thirstain Daniels & The Louisiana Purchase have been booked to join Tony’s debut exhibition. Playing new and exciting rock music, their presence will only add to the already vibrant gallery atmosphere.

But don’t expect it to be your average wine and cheese gallery opening. The studio, located off of E. Main Street, is small and intimate enough to provide a house party vibe, and the grand opening is expected to be exactly such. — Kelley J. Bostian Frequency Arts Grand Opening Friday, 9 p.m.

Frequency Arts 1804 E. Main St (423) 260-8387 facebook.com/frequencyarts 14 • THE PULSE • AUGUST 31, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Tony Mraz

Pulse contributor

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HIS PAST WEEKEND, THE SOUTHERN Brewer’s Festival hosted the unforgettable indie rock duo Hank and Cupcakes. The pair are known for delivering high-energy performances that are accented by creative stage sets and costumes.

The continuing evolution of their image and stage presence has played a major role in their popularity, and made them into one of the most memorable bands in recent music history.

When Ariel Scherbacovsky and Sagit Shir came to the United States from Israel, they had just started Hank & Cupcakes. The band was underdeveloped visually—there was no interaction between them on stage, no stage design, and no costuming. New York City was a major inspiration to them, expanding their aesthetic sensibilities and inspiring their performances.

Their music was well received, and they started playing to larger audiences. When the duo started booking festivals, they realized that they were going to look very small on a big festival stage. They

wanted to have an expansive stage design that would be beautiful and give their shows a grandiose feeling.

In Ariel’s words, the set “makes the stage have our own imprint.”

The band made a practice of collaborating with artists and photographers in New York. By surrounding themselves with other talented people, they developed a series of visual languages to use in their stage designs.

“It just happened that we connected very well with people who are in the visual realm of art,” Sagit tells us. “We work a lot with a Mexican fashion photographer named Javier Ortega—he took a lot of really good photos of us, and designed the album cover for Cash 4 Gold. For the last album we did, all of the painting and stage design was painted by an amazing Mexican artist, Claudio Limon.

“We met him through Javier. We sent all of the plain white fabrics of our stage design to Claudio in Mexico, and he sent them back painted. He did the entire visual art for Cheap Thrill—the album cover and all of the contents. The actual photography was done by Anna Haas from Nashville.”

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

“By surrounding themselves with other talented people, they developed a series of visual languages to use in their stage designs.”

“In New York we collaborated with a very interesting photographer named Tom Sands, with whom we later did a music video,” Ariel says. “There is a constant flow of people that we work with.”

“One of the first things we did was with Alan Lugo—that led to one of our first music videos,” Sagit continues.

“There’s another guy named Matt Buckleman who did amazing work with us. We basically didn’t commission any of our music videos—they were all collaborations with artists and people that we were making art together with.

“Melanie Willey is another person who has had a large impact on Hank and Cupcakes, doing art direction for our ‘Liquid Mercury’ music video. Mark Herndon and Lauren Coakley have done a lot of photography work for us in Chattanooga.”

The band’s shows are extremely camera friendly, largely

because of their set and costuming. They developed their elaborate look from nothing, like an ugly duckling growing into a swan.

“I don’t think there was a specific person who inspired us, but at first we were very nonfashionable people, Sagit explains. “Everything that you see of us now, we weren’t before we came to the United States.”

“If you see some old videos of us, you will understand what we’re talking about,” chimes in Ariel.

“There was no awareness at all of a visual language,” Sagit notes. “I think that coming to New York was explosive in our minds—it was amazing.

The streets of New York are very inspiring.”

“You get into the subway in New York, and you see this guy with tight pants and things stuck to his head and glowing stuff all over him—you see the most tremendous things presented to

you right in the middle of the street,” Ariel elaborates. “It is very stimulating, and you get a lot of ideas that way, and you are like ‘Wow, that’s so cool, I want to do it!’—and then you take that to the stage, where you can actually do whatever you want.”

“It expands the limits that you have in your head—being in such a creative place like New York makes you understand that there are no limits, and you can really go very far with your creativity,” Sagit adds.

Speaking about her current costume, Sagit tells us, “I made a vagina dress in celebration of having a baby, creating life, and being a woman.”

Ariel keeps it simple, saying, “I just do the usual tiger leotard, nothing fancy.”

After the couple finishes this tour, they’re going to take a few months off to write their next album. They have an idea for a new visual language, and Sagit is editing the new music video for “Boulevard” from the album Cheap Thrill.

They also have two side projects—Starling, and Ariel’s experimental Dr. Bliss, featuring his alter-ego Max Bliss.

We can’t wait.

THU8.31 Underground Verses: LOVE & PASSION

A poetic open mic themed around love and passion...for life, for a person, for living.

7 p.m.

Spot Athletic Arts Venue 3210 Brainerd Rd. spotvenue.co

FRI9.1 Miki Boni Exhibit

Miki Boni is no ordinary painter. Her background is as varied as the largerthan-life stylized works that leap from her canvases.

5 p.m.

In-Town Gallery 26 Frazier Ave. intowngallery.com

SAT9.2 Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Brick, an alcoholic exfootball player, drinks his days away and resists the affections of his wife, Maggie.

7:30 p.m.

Ensemble Theatre 911 Eastgate Loop (423) 602-8640

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 15

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

The Confederate Occupation of Lookout Mountain

THURSDAY8.31 Humane Educational Society Night 2 p.m.

St. Elmo Deli & Grill 3931 St. Elmo Ave. (423) 825-5555 heschatt.org 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 “The Art of Authentic Presence” 5:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Workspace 302 W. 6th St. (423) 413-8978 thechattery.org Lululemon and Odd Story Pub Run 5:30 p.m.

Warehouse Row 1110 Market St. (423) 752-4313 oddstorybrewing.co Ready, Set, Buy Happy Hour 6 p.m.

Chattanooga Neighborhood Enterprise 1500 Chestnut St. (423) 756-6234 cneinc.org

16 • THE PULSE • AUGUST 31, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World 6 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Underground Verses: LOVE & PASSION 7 p.m.

Spot Athletic Arts Venue 3210 Brainerd Rd. (423) 602-1418 spotvenue.co Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Montgomery Bisuits 7:15 p.m.

AT&T Field 201 Power Alley lookouts.com Vic DiBItetto 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St.

(423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Person to Person 8 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com The Untamed 10 p.m.

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

FRIDAY9.1 Chattanooga Market at Erlanger 10:30 a.m.

Erlanger Hospital Medical Mall 975 E. 3rd St. chattanoogamarket.com

ENTERTAINMENT SPOTLIGHT The grand prize winner of ABC's America’s Funniest People, Vic DiBitetto is an incredibly powerful performer.

He churns energy, honesty and humanity into nonstop laughter.

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

First Friday Exhibition 4 p.m.

Artist on The Loose 1401 Williams St. artistontheloose.com Open Studio + Workshop 4 p.m.

LIT Gallery 4015 Tennessee Ave. (423) 521-5753 arcresidency.org Red Christmas 4 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Cambridge Square Night Market 5 p.m.

Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln. (423) 531-7754 cambridgesqauretn.com Miki Boni Exhibit & Book Signing 5 p.m.

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

Area 61 Gallery 61 E. Main St. (423) 648-9367 Makers of Sixth Street 5:30 p.m.

Chattanooga WorkSpace 302 W. 6th St (423) 822-5750 chattanoogaworkspace.com The Trip to Spain 6 p.m.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

Southside Chattanooga BBQ Cookoff Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Yoga On The Square 6:30 p.m.

Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln. (423) 531-7754 cambridgesquaretn.com Vic Dibitetto 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Ingrid Goes West 8:30 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Frequency Arts Grand Opening 9 p.m.

Frequency Arts 1804 E. Main St. (423) 260-8387

SATURDAY9.2 Survival Expo & Gun Show 9 a.m.

Camp Jordan Park 323 Camp Jordan Pkwy (563) 927-8176 St. Alban’s Hixson Market 9:30 a.m.

St. Alban’s Episcopal Church 7514 Hixson Pike (423) 842-6303 River Market Yoga 10 a.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogarivermarket.com 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 Preparing For Battle: The Confederate Occupation of Lookout Mountain 10:30 a.m.

Chickamauga Battlefield 3370 Lafayette Rd. (706) 866-9241 nps.gov Power Shift: Energy Efficiency Fair 11 a.m.

Eastdale Recreation Center 1314 Moss Dr. (423) 697-1289 Brainerd Farmers Market 11 a.m.

Grace Episcopal Church 20 Belvoir Ave. (404) 245-3682 Farmer’s Market 11 a.m.

Nutrition World 6237 Vance Rd. (423) 892-4085 nutritionw.com Southside Chattanooga BBQ Cookoff 12 p.m.

Southside Community Park

3800 Central Ave. (423) 227-6972 Southeast Gassers 5:30 p.m.

Brained Motorsports Park 745 Scruggs Rd. Ringgold, GA (706) 891-9831 newbrainerdoptimistdragstrip.com The Trip to Spain 6 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Cat On A Hot Tin Roof 7:30 p.m.

Ensemble Theatre 911 Eastgate Loop (423) 602-8640 Vic Dibitetto 7:30, 9:45 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com Ingrid Goes West 8:30 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Red Christmas 10:30 p.m.

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

SUNDAY9.3 Chattanooga Market 11 a.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogamarket.com Hot Rod Auto Show 11 a.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogamarket.com Free Fiddle School 2 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 The Trip to Spain 3 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Ingrid Goes West 8 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Red Christmas 10 p.m.

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

MONDAY9.4 Free BBQ Fundraiser 11 a.m.

New Haven Baptist Church 1058 Graysville Rd. (423) 855-4910 newhavenbaptist.com Red Bank Farmers Market CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 17

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT CALENDAR

The Trip to Spain 3 p.m.

Red Bank United Methodist 3800 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 838-9804 Introduction to Clogging 4 p.m.

Fiddlers Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497

TUESDAY9.5 Ingrid Goes West 2 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Red Christmas 4 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com The Trip to Spain 5:30 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Tuesday Night Chess Club 6 p.m.

Downtown Library 1001 Broad St. chattilibrary.com Top Secret Tuesday 10 p.m.

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

18 • THE PULSE • AUGUST 31, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

WEDNESDAY9.6 Chattanooga Market at Erlanger East 10:30 a.m.

Erlanger East Hospital 1751 Gunbarrel Rd. (423) 648-2496 chattanoogamarket.com Ingrid Goes West 2 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Main Street Market 4 p.m.

522 W. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Red Christmas 4 p.m.

Palace Picture House 818 Georgia Ave. (423) 803-6578 chattpalace.com Comedy Open Mic 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch 1400 Market St. (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com The Trip to Spain 10 p.m.

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

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

FOOD & DRINK ∙ DINING OUT

Deutschland Meets Chattanooga Brewhaus offers fantastic German-American food and crafty beers

By Brooke Brown

Pulse Assistant Editor

F

ALL IS JUST AROUND THE CORner—or so we hope—and there’s no better way to warm your soul and stomach on a crisp, autumn evening than dining on the hearty deliciousness that is served at Brewhaus. Their twist on traditional German meals into German-American cuisine has made Brewhaus a unique favorite of Chattanooga’s residents. Brunch, lunch, and dinner, they serve it all with a nice smile and great beer.

Brewhaus’ American touches on classic German dishes make it the perfect place to get your feet wet in German-American dishes so if you’ve never tried German food, this is the place to start.

General Manager David Sherrill’s take on experiencing Brewhaus for the first time is, “It’s not what you want to try, it’s how you feel going into a German restaurant.

Your stomach should be empty. And after you’re finished, you’ll be so full, you’ll probably need to be carried out.”

“You can never go wrong with starting with a pretzel though,” says Sherrill. All of Brewhaus’ pretzels come fresh baked from the Bluff View Bakery just across the river.

Dine out on the back porch overlooking Coolidge Park and know that your deliciously salty pretzel bun came from just across the way.

Pick a flame grilled brat, spicy brat, veg-

Brewhaus Mon-Sat, 11am-Mid, Sun 11am-10pm 224 Frazier Avenue (423) 531-8490 www.brewhausbar.com

gie brat, or smoked sausage to fill your pretzel bun and decide on the many topping options. They’ve got everything from kraut and vinegar slaw to pimento cheese and bacon to adorn your dog, all of it perfectly melding together with every sip of beer.

When it comes to getting your feet wet with those German beers, Sherrill suggests trying the Reissdorf. A lighter beer, it’s best for people that aren’t too familiar in sampling beers as it’s a nice, simple start for the palate. They have two German beers as standards on tap, but with the arrival of Fall comes the Ironman and Oktoberfest, meaning more German beers to come for your tasting pleasures.

During Ironman and Oktoberfest, Brewhaus’ parking lot will be fenced off to allow for more outdoor seating so patrons can experience the waves of runners gliding by alongside their meal.

More German beers will be available during these events as well as different brats and a focus on original platters you’d get in Germany which feature three different kinds of sausages with kraut.

And when Fall shows up, so do the stews and soups because there is nothing like a hearty bowl of stew to warm you up.

But you don’t have to wait until the Ironman and Oktoberfest to enjoy a good time at Brewhaus.

They have nightly events and specials to keep the good times going all year round.

“Your stomach should be empty. And after you’re finished, you’ll be so full, you’ll probably need to be carried out.”

Mondays indulge in $3 half liters all day. Tuesday is trivia night at Brewhaus starting at 7:30 p.m., but you better come early to reserve your seating. Trivia lovers start showing up around six, so be there or be…without a seat!

Wednesday nights will have you joining a runners group to partake in the 20 percent discount available post-run. The group meets at Brewhaus, does a 5k, and then refuels with the heartiest of meals at

20 percent off.

And coming this September, Ballast Point of the Brewhaus Brewery of the Month, featuring Sour Wench and other tasty offerings.

Brewhaus is Chattanooga's German gem on the water. The food, the beer, the atmosphere, it all makes for a dining experience you’ve yet to have anywhere else.

Indulge in a new culture and perhaps you’ll find the missing piece in your palate.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 19

MUSIC

Finding Harmony In The Midst Of Chaos Kay B. Brown, Heatherly and Rick Rushing combine forces

Dirty Blonde

Four Local Bands, One Great Party Who doesn’t want to see four phenomenal local bands for a measly seven dollars? Camp House has outdone itself as usual by putting together an amazing collection of sound for less than what it’d cost for a craft beer. Everything from indie pop to rock n’ roll is guaranteed to have you and your friends wondering how the hell you haven’t seen these bands before.

Local Chattanoogans Dirty Blonde, Side Affect, and Staring Contest, along with Kerchief, who comes from just up the road in Cleveland, will be putting their talent to work Friday night, displaying their skill in rock, indie pop, and so much more.

Chad Caroland of Dirty Blonde comes from a background of classic rock and hardcore music, but has found himself striving to create indie R&B music these days.

Side Affect offers an indie “dream pop” style of music, letting your eardrums melt away into the perfect lilt of sweet song. Staring Contest counteracts the sweet, dreamy soul of Side Affect’s indie pop with their take on emo americana.

The trio of Britt, Tommy, and Trever who make up the rock n’ roll trio Kerchief will have your toes tapping and your body electrified with chord after chord of talent-dripping song. The entire night will be something to experience, so don’t miss out. — Jessica Manning Dirty Blonde, Kerchief, Staring Contest, Side Affect Friday, 8 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd., (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com 20 • THE PULSE • AUGUST 31, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

By Marc T. Michael Pulse Music Editor

W

HILE I GENERALLY RESERVE THIS column to highlight a specific band or upcoming album, this week I’d like to put the spotlight on an upcoming show involving a few different acts.

Why this show in particular? Because I think it represents something pretty damn special, something we’ve seen from time to time, but not nearly often enough.

The show is being billed as “Harmony in the Chaos” and it’s being presented by the Music Box at Ziggy’s on Saturday, Sep. 16th at 9 p.m. Three acts are featured: Kay B Brown with DJ D-Whit, Heatherly, and Rick Rushing & Dakari. Each act is a phenomenal representation of their respective genres, but it’s the variety of genres on a single bill

that I find particularly noteworthy.

Common sense dictates that if you’re putting on a punk show, you book punk acts. If you’re sponsoring a jam-band show, you book jam bands.

Mixing and matching genres in a single night is quite a bit riskier, but done properly, the reward is so much greater.

The unifying element in that case isn’t style, it’s talent, and a well-balanced mix reinforces one of the most basic tenets of music I believe in, that music is a universal language and that real talent is a thing anyone and everyone can appreciate regardless of their person taste.

It’s the credo I bring to this column week after week as I write about every conceivable genre the area has to offer, from bluegrass to metal, from punk to pop, from blues to country to gospel.

Now I know this will come as a tremendous shock to many of you, but I often find myself writ-

MUSIC

“The opportunity to solidify bonds between our ever-growing music scene, to introduce fans of one to the phenomenal talent of the others, this is what Chattanooga needs more of.” ing about music I wouldn’t otherwise listen to in my leisure time because that isn’t where my personal taste lies, but the point of this column isn’t, “Marc’s favorite music,” it’s Chattanooga music, what’s out there, and what’s wonderful about what we have.

To that end I am continually reminded how rewarding it can be to step outside the box of my own predilections. When I gush about some new artist or album, it isn’t for show, it isn’t because I’m a hype man, it’s because there is something genuinely moving about whatever band I’m talking about, and honestly I tend to gush more over the unexpected finds than I do my own personal favorites.

Still, most of us tend to live within the confines of our own particular hab-

its and preferences and all too often we miss out on opportunities to hear something really worth hearing.

Kay B. Brown is easily one of the most exciting, talented rising stars in the hip-hop community. Heatherly has made a name for herself in last few years as another rising star in the singer/songwriter indie folk scene.

Rick Rushing is one of the most legendary and underappreciated bluesmen to come out of this scene, bar none.

Three acts, each one of the best at what they do, each representing a genre generally not paired with the other two, on one bill, on one stage for one night. The opportunity to solidify bonds between our ever-growing music scene, to introduce fans of one

to the phenomenal talent of the others, this is what Chattanooga needs more of.

It’s a beautiful thing and while fans of any of these individual artists are all but guaranteed a rewarding performance from their own personal favorite, the opportunity to expand some horizons, to discover something new and wonderful you might not have experienced otherwise, is too valuable an opportunity to pass up.

Unity, ladies and gentlemen, unity through music is what this show is all about I cannot urge you enough to swing by and open yourself to new possibilities. Kudos to Music Box @ Ziggy’s for sponsoring the show and kudos to the artists for coming together to make an outstanding night of music.

Chuck Mosley Comes To JJ’s Is there life after pop chart success? You’re damn right there is.

To the great unwashed, a singular appearance on the billboard top 40 can earn an artist the derogatory title of “one hit wonder” and if you’re only scale for determining musical talent is Top 40 hits, well, that’s your affair and you have my sympathy because some of the greatest artists in the world have never had even one top 40 hit, yet continue to put on sold-out shows where scalpers make a mint off of hard-to-come-by tickets.

Chuck Mosley of Faith No More may have to weather incessant questions over that one song from that one sum-

THU8.31

FRI9.1

Rick Rushing

Amber Fults

Whether electric or acoustic, Rick Rushing gives you the authentic blues with style and soul.

Not to be missed.

6 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com

mer, and he does so with a fair amount of grace, but to define a man’s talent and career over a tune that happened to get some radio play and heavy rotation on MTV (remember when that was a thing?) is to turn your back on a skillful and respected artist that has never stopped writing and performing and is largely regarded as a cult sensation.

Mr. Mosley will be appearing at JJ’s Bohemia on Friday, Sep, 8th in what will absolutely be a memorable show and one that will sell out quickly (tickets are available now.)

Tune in to The Pulse next week for our one-on-one interview with the man and his music.

— Marc T. Michael

SAT9.2

One of the biggest (and best) voices in Chattanooga, come catch Amber up close and personal in Hixson this Friday night.

8 p.m.

The Casual Pint 5550 Hwy. 153 thecasualpint.com

Dr. B & The Ease

This talented foursome brings together blistering rock, blues and soul for a hihg-energy show that gets you moving.

8 p.m.

Mayo’s Bar & Grill 3820 Brainerd Rd. mayosbarandgrill.com

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 21

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Masego

THURSDAY8.31 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 Prime Country Band 6:30 p.m.

Motley’s 320 Emberson Dr. (706) 260-8404 Masego 7 p.m.

Bessie Smith Cultural Center 200 E. MLK Blvd. bessiesmithcc.org Desolated 7 p.m.

Cloud Springs Deli 4097 Cloud Springs Rd. cloudspringsdeli.com Singer Songwriter Series 7 p.m.

Fiamma Pizza Company 405 N. Market St. fiammapizzacompany.com Tim Lewis 7 p.m.

Southside Social 1818 Chestnut St. thesouthsidesocial.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Bluegrass Thursdays

22 • THE PULSE • AUGUST 31, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

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 Shawnessey Cargile 8 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Keepin’ It Local 8 p.m.

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

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

FRIDAY9.1 Summer Music Weekends 11 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. seerockcity.com Willow Creek Quartet, The Fox Quartet 5:30 p.m.

White Oak United Methodist 2232 Lyndon Ave. (423) 877-6042 Caney Creek Company 6 p.m.

Cambridge Square 9453 Bradmore Ln.

chattanoogamarket.com Jerry Grant and The Corruptors 7 p.m.

Thunder Creek Harley-Davidson 7720 Lee Hwy. thundercreekharley.com Ryan Stinson 7 p.m.

Mountain Opry 2501 Fairmount Pike (423) 886-3252 Dirty Blonde, Kerchief, Staring Contest, Side Affect 8 p.m.

The Camp House 149 E. MLK Blvd. thecamphouse.com Stallion 8 p.m.

Fireside Grille 3018 Cummings Hwy. firesidechattanooga.com Amber Fults 8 p.m.

The Casual Pint 5550 Hwy. 153 thecasualpint.com Roughwork 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Jesse Jungkurth, Thirstain Daniels, The Louisiana Purchase 9 p.m.

Frequency Arts 1804 E. Main St. (423) 260-8387 Shabti 9 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd.

jjsbohemia.com Fly By Radio 9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.com Silvia Powell 9 p.m.

The Office @ City Cafe 901 Carter St. citycafemenu.com Kayla Woodson 9 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com FrazierBand, Winston Ramble 10 p.m.

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

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

SATURDAY9.2 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 Sabrina Murdaugh 12:30 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St.

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Annabelle’s Curse chattanoogarivermarket.com Something Else 6 p.m.

Las Margaritas 4604 Skyview Dr. lasmargaritaschattanooga.com Papa Sway 7 p.m.

Full Moon American Burger & Bar 6 Cherokee Blvd. fullmoon.bar Chancey, The Brook, The Bluff 7:30 p.m.

Ceniza 9454 Bradmore Ln. cenizalounge.com Dave and Ron Wilburn with Jerre Haskew 8 p.m.

Charles and Myrtle’s Coffeehouse 105 McBrien Rd. christunity.org Dr. B & The Ease, MRC 8 p.m.

Mayo’s Bar & Grill 3820 Brainerd Rd. mayosbarandgrill.com Rock Eupora, Focus Fox, Sunsap 8 p.m.

JJ’s Bohemia 231 E. MLK Blvd. jjsbohemia.com Minor Nine, Clockwork Asylum, Rushing Wind, 113 8 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Roughwork 8:30 p.m.

The Foundry 1201 Broad St. chattanooganhotel.com Amber Carrington

9 p.m.

Puckett’s Restaurant 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Annabelle’s Curse 10 p.m.

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

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

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

SUNDAY9.3 Summer Music Weekends

11 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. seerockcity.com Ryan Oyer 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com Travis Bowlin 12:30 p.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com Julie Tribble 12:30 p.m.

Tennessee Aquarium Plaza 1 Broad St. chattanoogarivermarket.com Dexter Bell Trio 11 a.m.

Flying Squirrel Bar 55 Johnson St. flyingsquirrelbar.com

Shawnessey Cargile 2 p.m.

First Tennessee Pavilion 1829 Carter St. chattanoogamarket.com Bluegrass Jam 4 p.m.

Fiddler’s Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Open Mic with Jeff Daniels 6 p.m.

Long Haul Saloon 2536 Cummings Hwy. (423) 822-9775 Maria and Josh Sable 7 p.m.

Southside Social 1818 Chestnut St. thesouthsidesocial.com Mathis & Martin 7 p.m.

The BackStage Bar 29 Station St.

THE PULSE MUSIC SPOTLIGHT Hip Hop CHA is looking for the best local Rap, R&B, and Soul artists and groups, with the winning act headlining the Hip-Hop Festival in November!

Hip Hop CHA Local Artist Showcase Sunday, 9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co

backstagechattanooga.com Hip Hop CHA Local Artist Showcase 9 p.m.

Revelry Room 41 Station St. revelryroom.co

MONDAY9.4 Summer Music Weekends 11 a.m.

Rock City Gardens 1400 Patten Rd. seerockcity.com Open Mic Night 6 p.m.

Puckett’s Grocery 2 W. Aquarium Way puckettsgro.com Monday Nite Big Band 7 p.m.

The Coconut Room 6925 Shallowford Rd. thepalmsathamilton.com Brandon Harmon, Creatio, The Chemical Lizards, Zestrah, Sparrus 7 p.m.

Music Box @ Ziggy’s 607 Cherokee Blvd. ziggysbarandgrill.net Open Air with Jessica Nunn 7:30 p.m.

The Granfalloon 400 E. Main St. granfalloonchattanooga.com Very Open Mic with Shawnessey Cargile 8 p.m.

The Well 1800 Rossville Blvd. #8 wellonthesouthside.com

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

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Courtney Holder

TUESDAY9.5 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 Courtney Holder 7 p.m.

Southside Social 1818 Chestnut St. thesouthsidesocial.com Open Mic Jam Session 7 p.m.

Crust Pizza 3211 Broad St. crustpizza.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 8 p.m.

Tremont Tavern 1203 Hixson Pike tremonttavern.com Frankie Banjo 10 p.m.

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

WEDNESDAY9.6 Toby Hewitt 6 p.m.

Backstage Bar 29 Station St. backstagechattanooga.com No Big Deal

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6 p.m.

SpringHill Suites 495 Riverfront Pkwy. springhillsuites.com Bike Night with Eric and Eric 6 p.m.

Bud’s Sports Bar 5751 Brainerd Rd. budssportsbar.com Old Time Fiddle & Banjo Show 6:30 p.m.

Fiddler’s Anonymous 2248 Dayton Blvd.

(423) 994-7497 Amber Carrington 7 p.m.

Southside Social 1818 Chestnut St. thesouthsidesocial.com 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 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

Jaimie Branch, Garbage Boy/Qwizzzz

Jaimie Branch Fly or Die (International Anthem)

A

Chicago-to-NYC transplant, trumpeter Jaimie Branch unleashed her quartet last year in Brooklyn as part of a showcase, because she “wanted New York to hear what Chicago sounds like.”

One irony of NYC is that it can be simultaneously invitingly cosmopolitan yet also solipsistic, sometimes being self-absorbed and dismissive, and Branch’s debut album as a bandleader, Fly or Die, is an impressive offering that should make open-minded jazz aficionados from New York (or elsewhere) prick up their ears.

Branch recorded Fly or Die in a Brooklyn apartment with her formidable ensemble that includes drummer Chad Taylor (of the Chicago Underground Duo), bassist Jason Ajemian and cellist Tomeka Reid, and the live recordings were enhanced with overdubs, studio manipulation and also some disparate musical punctuation, in the form of gentle acoustic guitar interludes from Matt Schneider.

The ensemble works incredibly well together, as demonstrated on “Theme 001,” featuring an earworm head melody; the musicians are firing on all cylinders, with Taylor’s insistent, engaging and nimble drumming and Branch’s fluttering that is the aural equivalent of a barnstorming pilot—wild yet in con-

Garbage Boy/Qwizzzz Split Series Vol. III (Orange Milk) trol.

There’s something interesting going on in the bass register, with Ajemian and Reid plucking and bowing and generating uncertain textures that alternate between frolicking and aggressive.

“Theme 002” is downright joyous and playful, with pizzicato cello notes sometimes mirroring the bass yet sometimes straying; Taylor stimulates with his swiftly alternating rim and hi-hat taps, and Branch erupts sustained trumpet tones that modulate in strange ways.

“Leaves of Glass” primarily uses horns, with a little studio wizardry, offering an echoing, bright yet chilling fanfare with induced anxiety, and “The Storm” offers a mist of mystery, with bowed strings, trumpet bleats, descending frequencies and turbulence that gives way to a thick mire.

Jaded jazz fans should take notice of this striking debut album, which would appeal to fans of Rob Mazurek, Wadada Leo Smith and eccentric, mischievous and evocative new-realm jazz.

W

hen it comes to great music about blobs, there’s the cute 1958 theme song of the sci-fi film The Blob (written by Burt Bacharach and Mack David), and, well, uh, that’s all that comes to mind. There might not be

such a long, rich history about blobrelated music, but we can add the new split cassette/digital album Split Series Vol. III to the list.

With two long tracks, one each from Garbage Boy from Denver, Colo. (not to be confused with the New Orleans band with the same name) and the even more mysterious Qwizzzz, the album allegedly tells an odd tale of a sentient blob that oozes down a staircase before shrieking and passing away. In the second part, aliens pick up the dead blob and then have a dance party on their spaceship.

The first track, “Tenchun” by Garbage Boy, apparently had already been released earlier this year, confusingly, on the album Kinku under the name Tenshi, and it’s a gloriously messy and over-stimulated track.

Among the layers that comprise this amorphous, sonic blob are electronic tones, uneasy clatters, ambient strata, disturbing vocal sounds (like coughs, heavy breathing and other vaguely human yet wordless utterances) and treble-heavy aural icicles.

Qwizzzz’s contribution, “suuuun Four,” unlike “Tenchun,” uses patterns, loops and rhythms to push the track along, among glistening and cluttered synthetic sounds. Eventually, some serene, yet unsettling vocals appear as the piece thins out to a more minimal electronic approach, afflicted with glitches and sound manipulation.

On the home stretch, dominating beats compete with tranquil singing, experiencing a manic and crazed episode before a more reserved, elegiac ending.

It’s quite possible that the whole “blob” album concept was created after these two pieces were recorded, but nevertheless, it’s a wild ride that works.

Durable art can stand to be reused and re-contextualized.

And to paraphrase a Brian Eno quote, you can shoot your arrow, then draw the bullseye where it lands.

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 25

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COLUMN ∙ THE ART OF BUSINESS

Go Forth And Conquest!

Obstacle courses a great way to improve physical and mental health

By Brandon Watson Pulse contributor

W

HEN WAS THE LAST TIME you moved through your worldspace with ease, comfort and confidence? Do you just trudge along from points A, B, and C or do you dominate your daily waypoints with ferocity and gusto like some modern day urban warrior?

The truth that physical fitness improves quality of life for the human body is becoming more and more prevalent these days.

But the same old workout grinds can have detrimental and often times negative effects on the body and mind.

Sure you could possibly bench press a Buick but could you see yourself scaling 8 ft. walls covered in mud and sludge with a deft leap? Or powering through insane monkey bars with the keen agility of a super stealth ninja? Do you gaze longingly at your friends on Facebook tackling tough obstacle races and winning medals while you stare at your computer screen saying: someday?

My friends, I’m here to tell you that someday has arrived and it resides on the South Side and it’s big, mean, and covered in razor wire! Well the logo is anyway.

Conquest Obstacle Gym has raised its glorious training banner here in the Scenic City and owners Lara and Marc Baker have the chops to chisel the greatness into anyone who seeks it. An experience I under-

Conquest Obstacle Gym Grand Opening Friday, 6am-7pm 1802 Washington Street (423) 718-4108 www.conquestobstacle.com

took with just a 15-minute demo session which rendered me sweaty and begging for more.

I’m no slouch when it comes to working out; I’ve frequented local gyms and CrossFit arenas since my days as a Marine. So full disclosure: I came to Conquest a wee bit cocky and left three hours later feeling humbled but exhilarated.

There is something about scaling walls and climbing ropes that bring about certain levels of excitement and mental agility, these activities have become very popular with the rise of Tough Mudder and Spartan Races respectfully. These courses are physically and mentally demanding but find their roots deep in military training traditions that have weathered the test of time.

It’s understood by anyone who stepped foot on any training depot that obstacle courses quickly sorted those who have what it takes from those who required more conditioning. Obstacle or confidence courses are great equalizers but also serve as amazing all around fitness arenas.

Owner Marc Baker boasts an esteemed military career as an Army Ranger but prior to that he was an endurance trainer for triathletes.

The no-nonsense and straight forward combat vet has built a fully modular fitness course that keeps pace with current obstacle race trends to ensure his students get the real deal experience of what the current year courses will consist of.

With the ability to adjust the courses to various fitness levels and experience Conquest Obstacle Gym can and will tailor fit the workouts to the individual. What you will find here is tried and true military know-how mixed with a tenacious drive for goal achievement unparalleled in many civilian training environments today.

I attribute this tenacity to owner and trainer Lara Baker who brings her obstacle race experience to the forefront with super human drive.

She broke me down shotgun style but kept me focused and motivated through the entire workout which put me up against the clock and my own determination.

This was only the circuit workout phase which comprised of super durable sand bags and medicine balls. Equipment designed to take a pounding while keeping the toes and joints safe from injury. Lara kept close watch on form and technique ensuring I didn’t require a wheelchair home, thankfully I

didn’t.

Conquest Obstacle Gym desires to promote individual and group fitness through fully functional and practical workout regimens. No gimmicks, no judgments, and no members’ only mentality. Just you and your will to succeed.

Lara and Marc will get you primed and pumped to dominate not only the insidious challenges that await you on a course but also will make you feel like you can tackle anything life throws your way.

There is nothing like crushing a new course time to make you feel ten-feet tall and bullet proof.

And first responders get a nice 10 percent discount to keep them in heroic shape for the obstacles they face from the day to day.

So if you are looking to get prepared for the next obstacle race or build up to tackle your very first one, come to the grand opening this Friday of Conquest Obstacle Gym and get your Fierce on!

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 27

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY ∙ ROB BREZSNY VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): The computer scientist Tim BernersLee invented the miraculous communication system that we know as the World Wide Web. When asked if he had any regrets about his pioneering work, he named just one. There was no need for him to have inserted the double slash—”//”—after the “http:” in web addresses. He’s sorry that Internet users have had to type those irrelevant extra characters so many billions of times. Let this serve as a teaching story for you, Virgo. As you create innovations in the coming weeks, be mindful of how you shape the basic features.

The details you include in the beginning may endure.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The sadness you feel might be the most fertile sadness you have felt in a long time. At least potentially, it has tremendous motivating power. You could respond to it by mobilizing changes that would dramatically diminish the sadness you feel in the coming years, and also make it less likely that sadness-provoking events will come your way. So I invite you to express gratitude for your current sadness. That’s the crucial first step if you want to harness it to work wonders.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): “Don’t hoot with the owls at night if you want to crow with the rooster in the morning,” advised Miss Georgia during the Miss Teen USA Pageant. Although that’s usually good counsel, it may not apply to you in the coming weeks. Why? Because your capacity for revelry will be at an all-time high, as will your ability to be energized rather than drained by your revelry. It seems you have a special temporary superpower that enables you both to have maximum fun and get a lot of work done.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): During this phase of your astrological cycle, it makes sense to express more leadership. If you’re already a pretty good guide or role model, you will have the power to boost your benevolent influence to an even higher level. For inspiration, listen to educator Peter Drucker: “Leadership is not magnetic personality. That can just as well be a glib tongue. It is not ‘making friends and influencing people.’

That is flattery. Leadership is lifting a person’s vision to higher sights, raising a person’s performance to a higher standard, building a personality beyond its normal limitations.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): “One should always be a little improbable,” said Oscar Wilde. That’s advice I wouldn’t normally give a Capricorn. You thrive on being grounded and straightforward.

But I’m making an exception now.

The astrological omens compel me. So what does it mean, exactly?

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How might you be “improbable”?

Here are suggestions to get you started. 1. Be on the lookout for inspiring ways to surprise yourself.

2. Elude any warped expectations that people have of you. 3. Be willing to change your mind. Open yourself up to evidence that contradicts your theories and beliefs.

4. Use telepathy to contact Oscar Wilde in your dreams, and ask him to help you stir up some benevolent mischief or compassionate trouble.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): A modern Israeli woman named Shoshana Hadad got into trouble because of an event that occurred long before she was born. In 580 B.C., one of her male ancestors married a divorced woman, which at that time was regarded as a sin.

Religious authorities decreed that as punishment, none of his descendants could ever wed a member of the Cohen tribe. But Hadad did just that, which prompted rabbis to declare her union with Masoud Cohen illegal. I bring this tale to your attention as a way to illustrate the possibility that you, too, may soon have to deal with the consequences of past events.

But now that I have forewarned you, I expect you will act wisely, not rashly. You will pass a tricky test and resolve the old matter for good.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Want to live to be 100? Then be as boring as possible. That’s the conclusion of longevity researchers, as reported by the Weekly World News.

To ensure a maximum life span, you should do nothing that excites you. You should cultivate a neutral, blah personality, and never travel far from home. JUST KIDDING! I lied. The Weekly World News is in fact a famous purveyor of fake news. The truth, according to my analysis of the astrological omens, is that you should be less boring in the next seven weeks than you have ever been in your life. To do so will be superb for your health, your wealth, and your future.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): “We are continually faced by great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insoluble problems,” said businessman Lee Iacocca. You are currently wrestling with an example of this phenomenon, Aries. The camouflage is well-rendered. To expose the opportunity hidden beneath the apparent dilemma, you may have to be more strategic and less straightforward than you usually are -- cagier and not as blunt. Can you manage that? I think so. Once you crack the riddle, taking advantage of the opportunity should be interesting.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Close your eyes and imagine this: You and a beloved ally get lost in an enchanted forest, discover a mysterious treasure, and find your way back to civilization just be-

fore dark. Now visualize this: You give a dear companion a photo of your face taken on every one of your birthdays, and the two of you spend hours talking about your evolution. Picture this: You and an exciting accomplice luxuriate in a sun-lit sanctuary surrounded by gourmet snacks as you listen to ecstatic music and bestow compliments on each other. These are examples of the kinds of experiments I invite you to try in the coming weeks. Dream up some more! Here’s a keynote to inspire you: sacred fun.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): On its album Jefferson’s Tree of Liberty, Jefferson Starship plays a song I co-wrote, “In a Crisis.” On its album Deeper Space/Virgin Sky, the band covers another tune I co-wrote, “Dark Ages.” Have I received a share of the record sales? Not a penny.

Am I upset? Not at all. I’m glad the songs are being heard and enjoyed. I’m gratified that a worldfamous, multi-platinum band chose to record them. I’m pleased my musical creations are appreciated. Now here’s my question for you, Gemini: Has some good thing of yours been “borrowed”?

Have you wielded a benevolent influence that hasn’t been fully acknowledged? I suggest you consider adopting an approach like mine. It’s prime time to adjust your thinking about how your gifts and talents have been used, applied, or translated.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Author Roger von Oech tells us that creativity often involves “the ability to take something out of one context and put it into another so that it takes on new meanings.” According to my analysis of the astrological omens, this strategy could and should be your specialty in the coming weeks. “The first person to look at an oyster and think food had this ability,” says von Oech.

“So did the first person to look at sheep intestines and think guitar strings. And so did the first person to look at a perfume vaporizer and think gasoline carburetor.” Be on the lookout, Cancerian, for inventive substitutions and ingenious replacements.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): When famous socialite Nan Kempner was young, her mother took her shopping at Yves Saint Laurent’s salon. Nan got fixated on a certain white satin suit, but her mean old mother refused to buy it for her.

“You’ve already spent too much of your monthly allowance,” mom said. But the resourceful girl came up with a successful gambit. She broke into sobs, and continued to cry nonstop until the store’s clerks lowered the price to an amount she could afford. You know me, Leo: I don’t usually recommend resorting to such extreme measures to get what you want. But now is one time when I am giving you a go-ahead to do just that.

JONESIN' CROSSWORD ∙ MATT JONES

“See?”—gotta keep on the ball.

ACROSS 1 Beefeater and Bombay, e.g.

5 Twilight, poetically 10 Skiers’ lift 14 Garbage boat 15 Colorado or Missouri 16 Greek letter before kappa 17 “How well do you know cartoon sailors” test?

19 It’s not a true story 20 Ants ___ (snack with raisins) 21 Felipe Alou’s outfielder son 23 Estonia’s second-largest city and home to their largest university 24 Small market increases 27 Physicist Mach 31 Like boats yet to be found, in Battleship 32 Comment on the weather to a Supreme Court Justice?

35 “Pull ___ chair!”

37 Jessie ___ (“Saved

by the Bell” role) 38 Plug-___ (program extensions) 39 Person who goes around making steaks laugh?

44 Playing form 45 2000s teen drama set in Newport Beach 46 Creator of Eeyore 49 Belly button type 53 Stretch out 55 “___ Necessarily So” 56 Dissenter’s position 58 Quick sprint for “Late Night” host Seth?

60 “___ White People” (2017 Netflix original series) 61 Destroy, as a recording 62 Cookie that somehow did a Swedish Fish version 63 “Legend of the Guardians” birds 64 The gauche half of an etiquette list 65 “Crud!”

DOWN 1 Zone named for

Dr. Grafenberg 2 “I Love It” duo ___ Pop 3 Like stock without face value 4 Be in need of AC 5 Actor Kinnear of “Brigsby Bear” 6 Kind of bar lic.

7 Egg, in biology class 8 Group that sometimes includes Y 9 Old postal mascot who promoted new five-digit codes 10 Co. that owns Life, Look, and Money 11 The most famous one is based in Vienna 12 Courtroom fig.

13 “Go team!” cheer 18 “___ the Worst” (show on FXX) 22 “The Simpsons” disco guy et al.

25 Ceramics oven 26 Health clinic pamphlet subjects 28 “The Big Board,” for short 29 Back-to-school mo.

30 Innate quality 32 Hybrid J-Pop group that debuted “Gimme Chocolate!!” in the U.S. in 2016 33 Yardstick fraction 34 “One ___ Over the Line” 35 Major constellation?

36 Bread that gets filled 40 Cure-alls 41 Home to some one-star reviews 42 Pillages 43 Galapagos owner 47 Having a handle?

48 First month of el año nuevo 50 Crown with jewels 51 Atlas closeup map 52 Cultural value system 54 Actress Cannon of “Heaven Can Wait” 55 States of wrath 56 It often follows “further” 57 Not preowned 59 Fig. that’s in the neighborhood

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. 847 CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 29

COLUMN ∙ GAME ON!

Exploring Live Action Role Playing Delving into the next level revolution of real life adventure gaming

Brandon Watson Pulse columnist

F

OLKS, I ADMIT IT WASN’T MY idea. But no matter how crazy an idea is if dropped at my feet like a gauntlet, I have this philosophy: bite it and run around like an attention starved Pitbull! So I did, and what I found are parallel worlds just on the periphery of our own mundane reality.

Worlds of amazing costumes, magical items, legendary weapons and mystical characters. Where gaming and art are mashed together in a strange mélange of theatrical performance and stat progression that falls under a nifty four letter word: LARP or live action roleplaying.

Sure the image of larping has been branded as the ultimate taboo in geek culture that seems to lay at the base of Nerdom’s uncanny valley somewhere between what is cool and eyebrow raising disdain. But from the years I’ve scoffed and shrugged at LARP, I admit that I have been very hasty in my assumptions and downright wrong in my judgments.

Most of us have played games so epic that we dreamed of crawling inside them and become one with their fictional worlds and interesting characters. But the concept of LARP is nothing new. Chances are you’ve played games as a child pretending to be a transformer or comic book hero in the back yard or playground.

The players in a LARP essentially recapture that enchanting time of childhood and kick it up a notch with some adult level

structure and refinement. Many of the games that exist today trace their evolution from the 1980s coincidentally when an entire generation become enthralled with taking their D&D games outside and why not?

A LARP tends to fit into three styles of play structure. First is the demonstrative or boffer LARP. These are the basic slap-your-friends-silly with foam weapons offering some rudimentary character progression and storylines but mostly it’s about whacking people with PVC wrapped in ludicrous amounts of duct tape.

Live Steel LARP which is favored among the Renfair-folk and groups like the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA). Live Steel incorporates real metallic armor and sometimes real weapons but utilize a heavier duty or modified boffer weapon in great medieval style tournaments and skirmishes.

Salon LARP is character or theatrical driven that involves interaction with player characters and non-player characters. These range from one-night murder mystery dine-ins to living as a wizard in a 14th century castle in Czocha, Poland called College of Wizardry or COWLARP. These three styles are not mutually exclusive either, in fact a very popular LARP right here in Chattanooga called Al’Se’War! is a Colonial Fantasy game that is lovingly considered by its players as Heroic Interactive Theater or HIT. Al’Se’War! blends the salon and

30 • THE PULSE • AUGUST 31, 2017 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Photo by Elica Sparks

demonstrative styles offering a world of fantasy combat and intense story driven adventuring.

What amazes me about this LARP is the level of care and depth the team of writers and staff undertake to keep this rich, flintlock fantasy going. Al’Se’War! is a game that continues to evolve and advance within two stages, the live action stage and the online forum stage, where characters can interact and continue plotlines or dialogues between meetup events. Gamers who salivate at lore heavy narratives or folks who like to chomp stats can find a happy home within this LARP. Though the rulebook with any LARP can be daunting to wrap the mind around the main rules of any LARP are: be nice, have fun, and stay in character. Many of the players enjoy taking time off to live in these fantastical imagined worlds as a means to explore and enrich themselves in ways many of us cannot imagine.

There is something cathartic in becoming somebody else for a while and though the idea of base-

ment dwelling loners come to mind when thinking of a larper, the truth is far more contrasting. The players are a vibrant and crafty network of artists, actors, fashion designers, accountants, and engineers who develop deep connections and friendships with whom they play with. Something that isn’t uncommon in the video game realm but rare in the level of joy and togetherness the larping community has by comparison.

I enjoy listening to the amazing stories from players as they recall tales of intense emotional conflict to the outlandish hilarity of unexpected consequences. Larping encourages creativity on all levels and strives to be a safe and inclusive gaming environment for anyone looking to step outside a normal game and discover a community that truly defines becoming anything you possibly could be.

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

CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM • AUGUST 31, 2017 • THE PULSE • 31