FREE • NEWS, VIEWS, MUSIC, FILM, ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • JUNE 16, 2011 • VOLUME 8, ISSUE 24 • WWW.CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
BEYOND THE HEADLINES 7 SHADES OF GREEN 8 ON THE BEAT 19 LIFE IN THE NOOG 25 ASK A MEXICAN 30
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VOLUME 8, ISSUE 24 • CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM
“I love that bus. It reminds me of the ’70s and peace and love…I feel like I’m driving the Love Bug around. It makes me happy.”
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— CARTA electric shuttle bus driver Lawrence Wilkerson.
“I think people really got excited about gnomes, like in those Travelocity commercials. Now the gnomes are mostly gone.”
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— Rock City art specialist Matthew Dutton.
“Brown noticed that as Chattanooga’s arts scene continues to grow, better connections needed to be made between the artists wanting to present art of all kinds, and the venues available for them to present in.”
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— Janis Hashe on the new Over the Counter Productions.
“Elk Milk is a two-piece band that has the potential of Death from Above 1979 mixed with some great riffs and vibes.”
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—Dave Castaneda on one of the many musical acts performing this week.
www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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NEWS Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative President Jim Brewer, II Publisher Zachary Cooper Contributing Editor Janis Hashe News Editor / Layout Gary Poole Director of Sales Rhonda Rollins Advertising Sales Jaye Brewer, Rick Leavell, Michelle Pih Calendar Editors Bryanna Burns, Leanne Strickland Graphic Design Jennifer Grelier Photography / Videography Josh Lang Contributors Gustavo Arellano, Rob Brezsny Dave Castaneda, Chuck Crowder, John DeVore, Janis Hashe Lauren Haynes, Joshua Hurley Matt Jones, Sandra Kurtz Louis Lee, Kelly Lockhart, Mary Petruska, Ernie Paik, Alex Teach Editorial Cartoonist Rick Baldwin Editorial Intern Lauren Haynes Contact Info: Phone (423) 265-9494 Fax (423) 266-2335 Email Inquiries info@chattanoogapulse.com Calendar Submissions calendar@chattanoogapulse.com The Pulse is published weekly and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No person without written permission from the publishers may take more than one copy per weekly issue. The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.
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Help Make Chattanooga Outside’s “Best Town Ever” Last week, Outside magazine announced that Chattanooga was among the 10 cities selected for its “Best Towns Ever” competition, currently open for voting on Facebook. We asked Executive Editor Sam Moulton why our city made the cut, along with Charleston, SC; Madison, WI; Portland, OR; Portland, ME; Santa Fe, NM; Ashland, OR; Boulder, CO; Burlington, VT; and Tucson, AZ. The Pulse: What did the vetting actually entail? Who was involved in the “narrowing down” process? Sam Moulton: We’ve been doing a Best Towns package in various forms for the past 15 years, so a small group of editors started by going through our archives and identifying the towns that we’ve highlighted with the most frequency. Then we took a harder look at this initial list of towns to determine which had the most impressive staying power; that is, in 2011, are they still great places to live and recreate? Is the city still actively dedicated to sustainable development and creating things like more trails, bike lanes, and green space? And, just as important, are they still culturally vibrant, with a resilient economy and a sane housing market? If the answer was yes to all or most of those questions, we put it on the finalists list. Then the entire staff was weighed in and, after some healthy debate, we finally settled on our top 10. TP: Do you have any prediction of how many people will participate in the voting process? SM: That’s a tough one to gauge. People can vote once a day, and there’s incentive to do so, both to show your allegiance to your hometown (or just a town you happen
Brewer Media 1305 Carter Street Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402 Letters to the editor must include name, address and daytime phone number for verification. The Pulse reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. Please keep letters within 300 words in length.
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"Q"
“Why is there no discussion about cutting expenses? You went automatically to raising taxes.”
The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
— East Ridge resident and former council candidate Marc |Gravitte, questioning talks to raise property taxes, hotel/motel taxes and increase garbage collection fees.
to love) and to a chance to win a 5-day trip to one of the towns. Thousands of people have already voted, and we’ve just started. If the race gets close, or if a few towns make a concerted and community-wide effort to get people to vote every day, we could really see the participation explode. TP: The criteria for winning include more than a wide range of outside opportunities. Why were these other city assets included in the assessments? SM: Because most people, unfortunately, can’t just play in the outdoors all day. They have to work and send their kids to school. And they also enjoy doing things like eating good food and seeing independent films. But that’s what makes our ranking so unique. We factor in all the criteria that other organizations do—things like median home price, percentage of the population with a college degree, cost of living, etc.—but then we also consider criteria that are just as important to us. How easy is it to get outside and otherwise live an active and low-stress life? TP: Will the winning city be featured again in Outside? How will the contest be tied in? SM: Absolutely. The winning town will be featured on the cover of our October 2011 issue. It will also be featured in an exclusive segment on Outside TV. The winning town and the runners-up will be a large focus of our coverage inside the magazine as well. The three-week competition is already in progress exclusively on Facebook. Vote for the Noog online at www.facebook.com/outsidemagazine
News Briefs • As many in the area continue to rebuild their lives after the devastating April 27 tornadoes, fundraising activities continue to help support the local disaster-relief effort mounted by the Red Cross. The Storm Relief Benefit Concert for Red Cross Disaster Relief will be held Friday, June 24, beginning at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) at Abba’s House Auditorium, 5208 Hixson Pike in Hixson, featuring performances by the Sonlife Quartet, The Pass Sisters, the Sonrise Quartet and Voices Won. The $10 general admission will help the Red Cross rebuild their local disaster fund, support the tornado relief effort and allow them to recruit and train more volunteers to assist when the next disaster strikes. • The League of American Bicyclists has named Tennessee a Bronze Level Bicycle-Friendly State in its fourth annual BFS rankings. The award recognizes the state for its collaboration with local agencies and bicycle advocates, efforts to provide safe routes to school for children who bicycle or walk, and commitment to safety and accommodation of all users. In the past year, Tennessee added a ‘Share the Road’ section to the state’s Comprehensive Driver’s License Manual and, more recently, passed legislation that broadens the requirement that drivers exercise due care to apply to bicyclists.
NEWS
Opinion
Brainerd or Bust I commend the city leaders, business owners and residents of Brainerd for putting together a well thought out and presented master plan for the future of the largely forgotten suburb of Chattanooga. The only question I have is where will all the money come from to pay for everything? The city council keeps cutting services and tells everyone to look elsewhere for funding. Are they going to propose a property tax increase to pay for all of this? Or is this just another grand exercise in wishful thinking? Maybe if the Mayor and council spent less time and money focusing solely on downtown and remember there is a lot to Chattanooga beyond Broad and Market, we might see some well-deserved attention to the rest of the city. Andrew Jetloe Free Wheeling Astrology Your astrologist is awesome, as always. Such a talented “horoscope-ist”. I look forward to reading it every week when I pick up The Pulse. Nikki Martin Gay In Chattanooga Excellent article. I saw the article posted on Facebook via Tennessee Equality Project and felt that it was important to mention something however. To go back to the article’s
Send all letters to the editor and questions to
info@chattanoogapulse.com We reserve the right to edit letters for content and space. Please include your full name, city and contact information.
four segments, and perhaps more depending on how many letters you want to throw together. David Hutsell (Our online review in the Pulse Blog at chattanoogapulse.com of the new 2012 Volkswagen Passat garnered a lot of attention.) Reviewing The Passat This seems to be a better bang for the buck than the new Jetta. If you equip a Jetta with 2.5l engine that is the base engine in the Passat, the price is almost the same already. The Passat will be on my list next time I go shopping for a car. Mike Palmer
original question, “What’s it like to be gay in Chattanooga?”, the article answers that pretty well. But as a whole, the article only specifically mentions and interviews gay men and lesbians. There are two letters missing from LGBT that are not covered in the article, even though the LGBT-community is the focus. It is important to remember that the LGBT-community is made up of at least these
The Passat is already a current Volkswagen favorite and this is a nice upgrade for 2012. Great to hear of the addition of cup holders! Even if they aren’t used to store drinks or cups, they usually make a good place to drop small things you might need to keep nearby. The interior of the new Passat looks very luxurious as well as convenient, especially with the leather and the mid-console navigation. Pair great navigation with excellent and cleaner gas usage, and this will be a great release for Volkswagen in 2012. Jim Ellis www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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NEWS
Politics & Crime A weekly roundup of the newsworthy, notable and often head-scratching stories gleaned from police reports from the Chattanooga Police Department, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, the Bradley County Sheriff’s Department and the Dalton Police Department.
fire in front of the residence. However, the most perplexing part of the incident, at least to the boyfriend, was the fact that the sheets belonged to the ex-girlfriend.
Here is one of the agenda items to be discussed at the Tuesday, June21 meeting of the Chattanooga City Council.
7. Resolutions: a) A resolution authorizing the Chief Information Officer to enter into an agreement with Maycreate, LLC for web design services to create a new Content Management System and migration of all applicable data to a completely new database, for a total project fee of approximately $128,000.00.
The last time the city upgraded their web site, they went with a Chicagobased development company, much to the disappointment of the many local web design firms. This time around, in an effort to upgrade and improve the now-dated city web site, the council has decided to stay in town and give Maycreate the nice-sized contract. Hopefully, our talented local web developers can come up with something cleaner and more accessible than the current rather confusing site. The Chattanooga City Council meets each Tuesday at 6 p.m. in the City Council Building at 1000 Lindsay St. For more information on the current agenda, and past minutes, visit www.Chattanooga.gov/City_Council
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• Remember when elementary-school pranks ended with detention at the worst? Those days are long gone, apparently, as two 11-year-old students attending a summer program at UTC ended up behind bars. The two are accused of pulling a fire alarm, which led to the evacuation of Holt Hall and response by six fire companies. Eyewitnesses indentified the boys, who were apprehended by campus police and then turned over to fire investigators, who promptly carted the delinquents off to the Juvenile Detention Center. The pair was charged with making a false report (i.e., activating the fire alarm when there was no fire) and reckless endangerment. At this rate, slipping a whoopee cushion underneath a teacher may end up as a capital offense. • Breaking up is hard to do. So say generations of songwriters, and more specifically one Belle Vista Avenue man. He called 911 after he noticed sheets burning in his front yard. The fire was quickly extinguished, and when officers questioned him, it became apparent the fire had been set by his most recent ex-girlfriend. Apparently, upset over the breakup and wanting to exact some form of revenge, she took the sheets from his house and set them on
The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
• When is a carjacking not a carjacking? When the “victim” turns out to have fled from his own truck after a drug deal gone bad. A man on Dodson Avenue called 911 and told police that he’d been carjacked. However, officers got a different story from nearby residents, who said the man had been in the area looking to buy drugs when he was confronted by a man to whom he apparently owed money. When the man didn’t have the money, the dealer allegedly pulled a gun, which caused the man to flee…leaving his truck with the dealer, who promptly drove off in the truck, apparently assuming that was payment for past services rendered. • Best wishes for a happy retirement go out to Chattanooga Police Department Deputy Chief Mike Williams. He announced last week that he plans to retire effective July 4. “I will miss my law-enforcement family and my many friends in city government but feel it is time to move on to other challenges,” said the soon-to-
be-retired Williams. “I have enjoyed my 28-and-a-half years at the Chattanooga Police Department immensely and I am proud of what we have accomplished during my time here. I love this city and will continue to be one of its biggest supporters.” Police Chief Bobby Dodd had nothing but nice things to say about Williams. “He is one of the most respected individuals I have had the privilege to work with. His contributions to the advancement of the department are unmatched and his devotion to protecting the citizens of Chattanooga has been unwavering.” Williams tells The Pulse that he has a number of plans after his official retirement, foremost a renewed focus on his photography, which has already earned him a number of regional and national awards.
OPINION
Beyond The Headlines
Riding a Piece of Art By Mary Petruska, Pulse Contributing Writer
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ometimes I wonder just how much art really matters—especially when, in hard times, the art budget is always the first to be cut and the hardest to defend. This, despite countless findings that a healthy art environment attracts both business and tourists to a community. When the CEO of Volkswagen announced their decision to locate in Chattanooga, he chose to do it at the Hunter Museum and said that the rich public art program in Chattanooga was one of the keys to the company’s final decision. Even knowing this to be true, last week as I sat at my computer in 90-degree heat with no air conditioning, I was questioning my choices in life one more time when I saw an e-mail from a fellow artist.
“I love that bus. It reminds me of the ’70s and peace and love…I feel like I’m driving the Love Bug around. It makes me happy.” Claire Vassort had sent out pictures of a shuttle bus that was wrapped in her artwork. She was one of five artists to receive a grant through “Art in Motion”, a program sponsored by Public Art Chattanooga in collaboration with CARTA and the River City Company. Visual and graphic artists were invited to submit original two-dimensional designs to be wrapped on the free zero-emission shuttles that transport passengers around downtown Chattanooga. The other winning proposals were created by Rondell Crier, Jaimie Davis, Karen Estes, and Daryl Thetford. Claire’s first public art project was a series of ten ban-
ners for Trenton, GA. They hung on poles along the park on the way to the Chamber of Commerce. She, being a hang glider pilot, called her banner series “Eyes to the Sky” and the banners depicted flight. We met at the park to talk about her commission and she told me that when she saw the call for proposals in the paper, she thought of the banners again and how much she had enjoyed the whole idea of public art and making it available to people on the street. The banners were commissioned by the Trenton Arts Council with the support of the City of Trenton. It was an ongoing project, commissioning an artist every six months for a new series. We talked about why so many people don’t seem to understand the importance of art in their lives. She said that when people asked her why she made art and why she thought it mattered, she would tell them to take every picture off their walls, take every vase and every keepsake off the shelves, and then walk back into their home again and see how it felt. And then we laughed, and acknowledged the fact that most artists still spend a lot of their time working silly jobs to support their passion. I decided to go into Chattanooga and try to ride the shuttle and ask people how they felt about getting on that bus. It wasn’t on the street when I was there so I went to the terminal. It is the first of the five shuttles to be wrapped in artist’s designs. There it was, with no
passengers to ask, when another shuttle came in to rest and the driver stepped out. I asked Lawrence Wilkerson, the bus driver, what he thought about the project and if he had even noticed Claire’s bus. He told me, “I love that bus. It reminds me of the ’70s and peace and love…I feel like I’m driving the Love Bug around. It makes me happy.” I asked Mr. Wilkerson if he could request that bus but he told me he couldn’t—that it was all about maintenance and rotation—but, he added, “When I get it, I know it will be a good day.” So there, on the hot cement in Chattanooga, in 90-degree weather, my heart filled and I knew, one more time, that art does matter. Mary Petruska is the communications director of the Trenton Arts Council and can be contacted at www.TrentonArtsCouncil.org
www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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OPINION
Shades Of Green
The Black Swans in Our Future D
r. David Orr came to Chattanooga this month and spoke eloquently about “black swans” and Earth’s future. He is the Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College in Oberlin, OH. Dr. Orr has received many awards, including a Lyndhurst Prize in 1992 that “recognizes the educational, cultural, and charitable activities of particular individuals of exceptional talent, character, and moral vision.” He’s planned and advised many high-ranking office holders, including U.S presidents. The author of many books, his newest is Down to the Wire: Confronting Climate Collapse. Orr explains “black swans” are unexpected events. More frequent and unexpected tornadoes are an example. We now live in a nonlinear world where we can no longer predict how our planet is going to react. Increasing temperatures raise the probability of more black swan events. What are the tipping points? Which variable in Earth processes will change all life while we are paying attention to what’s happening in Charlie Sheen’s life? How do we remake the planet so it is fair, just and sustainable for all life? The Industrial Revolution created need for extensive use of fossil fuels, with increased emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Scientific evidence is mounting that we have entered a new epoch, permanently changing the Earth by the hand of humans. The name “Anthropocene”, coined in 2002 by Nobel laureate Paul Gutzel, is now being considered for official scientific adoption. “Anthropocene” means the age of man—but of course, humans depend on
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a whole life-support system of other plants, animals, and ecosystem processes to exist. Presently we are the dominant species, a position formerly occupied by the dinosaurs. Jan Zalasiewicz and Mark Williams from University of Leicester Geology Department, who produced studies to determine whether we have entered a new era or epoch say, “The Anthropocene represents a new phase in the history of both humankind and of the Earth, when natural forces and human forces became intertwined, so that the fate of one determines the fate of the other. Geologically, this is a remarkable episode in the history of this planet.” So, here we are, seven billion people on the planet, quickly moving to become 10 billion. Increasing population threatens our survival and amplifies all our social issues. That's a huge amount of human biomass, which does not include animals grown for our consumption. It takes lots of energy, fertilizer and fossil fuels for food production alone. Then there are the energy and space needed to produce shelters—not to mention the energy needed to build dams and run equipment to assure suitable drinking water. The environmental impact is huge. For every piece of land used for human purposes, biodiversity is being reduced and deforestation occurs, weakening our planetary
Sandra Kurtz
The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
supports. With overuse, the question must be asked: Are we causing our own planet eviction strategy? Dr. Orr calls for a different thinking system in this new human-controlled environment. He advises a move to “full spectrum sustainability” in which the parts reinforce the resilience and prosperity of the whole. We can reduce our climate footprint, build a more durable economy, and improve our security. Orr recommends some actions: 1 . Stabilize and reduce all heat-trapping gases. 2. Transition rapidly to energy efficiency and renewables. 3. Make a global bargain to share resources. i.e., level poor with rich. 4. Think in precautionary ways for fairness to all species for future generations. 5. Do more with less to reach happiness and quality of life.
“Dr. Orr calls for a different thinking system in this new human-controlled environment. He advises a move to ‘full spectrum sustainability’.” 6. Become engaged in politics as trusteeship. Is Chattanooga up to Dr. Orr’s challenge? It’s in our best interest to implement our Climate Action Plan. Let’s not wait. Sandra Kurtz is an environmental education consultant, a former classroom teacher and a founder of Tennessee Environmental Education Association. Presently she is executive co-director with the Urban Century Institute, a local nonprofit organization promoting sustainability and sustainable thinking.
www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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COVER STORY
There's No Place Like Gnome
Rock City residents get an extreme makeover
You Can Go Gnome Again Story by Lauren Haynes • Photography by Josh Lang
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Rock City’s now world-famous gnomes became a notable he 2000s have been a decade of change and renovation feature when co-founder Frieda Carter initially decorated for Rock City, but their latest launch, Gnome Valley, gives the park in the 1930s. She embellished the original paths and more of a nod to its roots. As in: literally under the ground. avenues with statues of gnomes and other fairytale creatures With gnomes. imported from Germany. Along with her husband Garnet, 10
The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
COVER STORY
There's No Place Like Gnome
Freida loved Northern European folklore, and used this fixation to boost the park’s feeling of magic and fun. Additionally, during the 1950s the internationally acclaimed park’s mascot was a cartoon gnome named Rocky, who can still be seen in old advertisements from ’50s and ’60s. “In the old days, Rock City was known for its gnomes,” says the park’s art specialist Matthew Dutton, a transplant to Chattanooga who has been at the park since 2010. “That was what everyone associated us with.” He explains that over the years, the original statues were either damaged by weather and human hands or stolen completely. “I think people really got excited about gnomes, like in those Travelocity commercials,” Dutton jokes. “Now the gnomes are mostly gone.” Born and raised in Orlando, FL, 28-year-old Dutton began his artistic career early, long before preschool. As a child, he says, he made toys out of wood and other things he would find in the yard and around the house. “I just always liked figuring out how to make things,” he says, adding humbly, “I guess.” Rock City President Andrew Kean seems to be Dutton’s number-one fan. “Adding Matt was a natural next step in our development of the art and nature blending,” he says. “His eye and sense of creativity has been a phenomenal match for helping us to enhance our experience for guests and our ability to share the depth of talent our local place has to offer.” Practicing his art his whole life, but being busy with work and other distractions, Dutton never had time to devote himself fully to art until he moved to Chattanooga in 1997.
He began selling his paintings during his senior year at Hixson High School. Then he dabbled in every medium available at Chattanooga State Technical College—art education, graphic design, painting and drawing—before finally settling on sculpture. Recently, Dutton has showed in five 4Bridges Art Festivals, taught art classes at the Hunter Museum, and studioassisted with some of the most well-known artists in the city, including Terry Cannon, Jan Chenoweth, John Petrey and Roger Halligan. Dutton is currently finishing up his BFA in sculpture at UTC, although he claims to learn just as much, if not more, from his apprenticeships. “Every project I work on I try to use some techniques that I know will work, coupled with experimental ones that end up teaching me something new,” he says,. “When I am helping in the studio I typically do everything but the actual painting.” Multimedia artist Jan Chenoweth told Dutton about the Rock City opportunity, saying he was perfect for the job, and encouraging him to pursue it. Out of a pool of applicants from all over the country, the Rock City gnome gods smiled upon our local artist, and he began work in March 2010. Duties as art specialist thus far include building props for special events, restoring the original works and statues, and most importantly, undertaking the implementation of Gnome Valley, a new section of the park that is replacing the old Deer Park (the deer have a new home near Lover’s Leap). For now, Gnome Valley is just the empty deer park space
“In his on-site studio, where he has spent the last year crafting new gnomes for the park, antique gnomes line the shelves, leering at all who enter.”
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COVER STORY
No Place Like Gnome
with several gnomes sprinkled throughout. In the near future, however, it will be an aerially viewed village of gnomes, alive with pint-sized activity frozen in place. In the Valley, there will be gnomes building, gnomes gardening, gnomes getting refreshing drinks of water. “I wanted to let the gnomes have an active part in creating the space, to interact with their environment,” says Dutton. “A carpenter gnome is cutting wood with a hand saw to build a gnome house, while a gardener gnome is digging a hole with a shovel to plant some flowers.” He says once the space starts filling up, the next set of gnomes will be enjoying the space —relaxing, playing music, and fishing. Rather than importing a bevy of generic gnomes, Dutton makes each new gnome by hand. Employing his exquisite craftsmanship on each step, Dutton does it all, from making the mold, to pouring, shaping, and painting. In his on-site studio, where he has spent the last year crafting new gnomes for the park, antique gnomes line the shelves, leering at all who enter. Dutton says he uses these gnomes as inspiration, but gives his gnomes a stylistic update. “They aren’t going to be using modern technology or anything, but I wanted to them to still be relatable,” he says. You can see that the current ten gnomes are literally paving the way for their fellow Valley citizens. The current signage encourages visitors to seek, find, and count all of the gnomes. But what you cannot see is the incredible amount of time and detail that goes into each gnome. Soon a telescopic
viewer will be installed so that visitors can marvel at the exquisite paint jobs and lifelike sculpting that go into each gnome. Dutton’s modernized gnomes are made of urethane resin, a kind of plastic that won’t deteriorate, unlike the brittle plaster of their predecessors, and then painted with weatherproof oil-based paints. All gnomes will be kept out of reach of humans. “I hope that they last well beyond me,” says Dutton. “I am trying to be legacyminded.” Kean says there is definitely an initiative to show more local art at the park. “We believe there is a vital connection between art and nature, art and gardens,” he says. “We’ve sought out local artists to help us create sculptures that will tell unique stories to the hundreds of thousands of guests that see Rock City every year.” Sculptures by local artists, including Jim Pfitzer, Isaac Duncan, Michael Brandt and more are scattered throughout the park, bursting with creativity and adding a breath of fresh air. “Two things spurred us to consider adding more art—the first is the legacy of our co-founders, Frieda and Garnet Carter,” says Kean. “Both Mr. and Mrs. Carter had a creative eye for identifying artistic ways to enhance the experience that Rock City’s landscape offers. Their legacy challenges us to do the same. Secondly, we identified that guests from across the world appreciate authentic experiences. We believe locally created art and locally based musicians amplify the authenticity infused into the landscape that is Rock City Gardens.”
“An onlooker feels the forest is alive with activity, as though you might turn the corner and see a gnome scurrying back to his statue-esque pose.”
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
COVER STORY
There's No Place Like Gnome
The new art initiative parallels the park’s green initiative. Kean stresses that the Rock City company is committed to sustainable business practices. In the past three years, Rock City has reduced its energy and water usage considerably, and more than doubled its recycling efforts. There are now Dutton-crafted signs all around the park inscribed with conservation facts and ways to stay green. Last week, all the black lights in Fairyland Caverns were replaced with LED black lights, which will not only reduce energy usage, but make all the colors in the exhibit pop like they were meant to. “Critical to our commitment is the acknowledgement that the pursuit of sustainability is most successful when you develop internal and external partnerships,” Kearn says. “So, partners like Orange Grove Recycling, green|spaces and Riverstreet Architecture are all critical to our process and results. We believe that a true sustainability plan means the development of our local environment.” And in fact Dutton’s dark and whimsical aesthetic natu-
rally accentuates the feel and theme of the park. An onlooker feels the forest is alive with activity, as though you might turn the corner and see a gnome scurrying back to his statue-esque pose. And Rock City’s serious mission toward conservation and recycling, is echoed and supported by Dutton, who is in the process of building a special vacuum table out of scrap material to make his sculpture molds with. “I hope to keep filling the park with more and more gnomes, as well as continuing to restore and update the existing art here,” said Dutton of his time at Rock City. “I enjoy being part of Rock City because it really feels like a family business. Every time I show the big guys something I’ve made, however small, they seem really excited about it. That kind of encouragement is hard to find. Also, that I get to come here and make art every day. That rules.” If Dutton and his team keep it up at this rate, the whole world is truly going to need to See Rock City—and its new, even more fabulous gnomes.
“In Gnome Valley, there will be gnomes building, gnomes gardening, gnomes getting refreshing drinks of water.”
www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
ARTS
Feature
The Art Prescription is Over The Counter By Janis Hashe, Pulse Contributing Editor
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akota Brown is a clown. That is to say, the actor/improviser/playwright has been professionally trained in the art of clowning. But don’t let the big shoes fool you—Brown is one smart clown cookie, and in his latest venture, Over The Counter Productions, he’s tapping into that most basic of capitalist principles: Find a need and fill it. Brown noticed that as Chattanooga’s arts scene continues to grow, better connections needed to be made between the artists wanting to present art of all kinds, and the venues available for them to present in. “In many cases, both artists and venues are underutilized,” he says. “So the mission of Over The Counter is to connect the two.” Audiences win too, he says, in that more events will be possible.
that,” he explains, “and we’ve opened it up to all the arts.” The first three Over The Counter productions will all take place in July, and each features a different art form. All will take place at Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Avenue, and all will have an entrance cost of $5. “I discovered in talking to [Barking Legs’ co-founder] Bruce Kaplan that the summer was a time when not as many events were being booked,” Brown says. “That made it the perfect place to launch the series.” On July 8, the local band Elk Mik will do a concert. Brown is currently booking an opening act, and the evening will begin at 8:30 p.m. On July 15, an “art expo” featuring 12 local artists will fill the space. Besides an opportunity to view art, there will also be a raffle to win one or more pieces of art, along with a children’s station where kids can create art to take home. Brown also promises a piece of performance art from “Big Bo the
“Brown noticed that as Chattanooga’s arts scene continues to grow, better connections needed to be made between the artists wanting to present art of all kinds, and the venues available for them to present in.” Originally, the concept for Over The Counter was limited to just theatre, which is Brown’s principal background—he’s a graduate of Chattanooga State’s Professional Actor Training Program. “But then I decided I didn’t want to limit the idea to just
Cave Troll.” The expo runs from 7 to 10 p.m. On July 22, the local comedy improv troupe Runs With Scissors (of which Brown is a member) will perform “a more-or-less PG-13 rated version” of their show, he says. Start time is 7 p.m. In fact, Brown emphasizes that all the Over The Counter events will be appropriate for older kids at least. “Barking Legs is not a bar, though people can buy beer and snacks. It’s a theatre, and known for being accessible to people of all ages.” Over The Counter has ambitious plans for the future. Brown has already been in talks with the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, The Colonnade, the Dalton Little Theatre, the Signal Mountain Playhouse and the Oak Street Playhouse about possibly presenting events at those venues—and he is open to all suggestions as well. “I see it as encouraging collaboration between all the growing companies in Chattanooga and the whole area,” he says. And he’s not clowning around. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/pages/ Over-the-Counter-Productions
www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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ARTS
Arts & Events Calendar FRIDAY
THURSDAY
Issac Duncan III, Andy Light, Shadow May: Sculpture
Exhibit of three outstanding local sculptors is a mustsee. Free Call for hours. Front Gallery, Chenoweth. Halligan Studios, 1800 Rossville Ave., Ste. 1 (423) 243-3778.
Thursday
Open House 10 a.m. Shuptrine Fine Art Group, 2646 Broad St. (423) 266-4453. www.shuptrinefineartgroup.com Dynamo of Dixie Downtown Tour 10 a.m. Sheraton Read House, 827 Broad St. (423) 228-0448. chattanoogasidewalktours.com A Midsummer’s Night Out 5 p.m. Downtown Dayton. (423) 775-9847. Bluff and Bridges Downtown Tour 7 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 1 Walnut St. (423) 228-0448. chattanoogasidewalktours.com Mystery of the TV Talk Show 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. www.funnydinner.com Chattanooga Ghost Tour 8:15 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 100 Walnut St. (423) 821-7125. www.chattanoogaghosttours.com
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
Office Comedy 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn). facebook.com/theofficechatt
Friday
Dynamo of Dixie Downtown Tour 10 a.m. Sheraton Read House, 827 Broad St. (423) 228-0448. chattanoogasidewalktours.com Rescue 1, 5 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org Born to be Wild 3D 6, 8 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org Gospel Concert 7 p.m. Alexian Village, 437 Alexian Way, Signal Mountain. (800) 251-4600. Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D 7, 9 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. Mystery of Flight 138 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. www.funnydinner.com Bluff and Bridges Downtown Tour 7 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 1 Walnut St. (423) 228-0448. La Llorona: Three Tales 7:30 p.m. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, St. Andrews Center, 1918 Union Ave. (423) 987-5141.
Rent 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534. www.theatrecentre.com Steve Mingola 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com Chattanooga Ghost Tour 8:15 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 100 Walnut St. (423) 821-7125. Stand Up Comedy! Collin Moulton June 9:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. Female Impersonation Show Midnight. Images, 6065 Lee Hwy. (423) 855-8210. www.imagesbar.com
Saturday
Dynamo of Dixie Downtown Tour 10 a.m. Sheraton Read House, 827 Broad St. (423) 228-0448. Brainerd Farmers Market 10 a.m. Grace Episcopal Church, 20 Belvoir Ave. (423) 458-6281. Chattanooga River Market 10 a.m. Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (423) 648-2496. www.chattanoogamarket.com Musician Bobby Horton Noon. Chattanooga-Hamilton County Bicentennial Library, 1001 Broad St. (423) 757-5310. www.lib.chattanooga.gov Art till Dark Noon. 40 Frazier Ave. (423) 413-8999. www.arttildark.com
Rent
Opening night of the Tony Award-winning rock opera based on La Boheme. $18 7 p.m. reception show 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, Circle Stage, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534. www.theatrecentre.com Georgia Winery Grill & Chill Noon. Georgia Winery, 6469 Battlefield Pklwy., Ringggold. (706) 937-WINE. www.georgiawines.com Rock City Summer Music Series Noon. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, GA. (800) 854-0675. www.seerockcity.com Rescue 1, 5 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.org La Llorona: Three Tales 2 p.m. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, St. Andrews Center, 1918 Union Ave. (423) 987-5141. ensembletheatreofchattanooga.com
Dance Around the World 2 p.m. Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St. (423) 648-6043. www.cdmfun.org
ARTS
Arts & Events Calendar
SATURDAY
Beautiful Child
Nicky Silver’s provocative play. $10 cash/check, $12 charge 7:30 p.m. UTC Fine Arts Center, Vine & Palmetto Sts. (423) 425-4269. Mystery at the Nightmare Office Party 5:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. www.funnydinner.com The 100 Dinner 6 p.m. Crabtree Farms, 1000 East 30th St. (423) 493-9155. www.crabtreefarms.org Born to be Wild 3D 6, 8 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.com Bluff and Bridges Downtown Tour 7 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 1 Walnut St. (423) 228-0448. Ultimate Wave Tahiti 3D 7, 9 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. Rent 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534. www.theatrecentre.com Steve Mingola 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com
SUNDAY
Mystery at the Redneck-Italian Wedding 8 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. www.funnydinner.com Chattanooga Ghost Hunt 9:30 p.m. Patten Chapel, 615 McCallie Ave. (423) 821-7125. www.chattanoogaghosttours.com Stand Up Comedy! Collin Moulton June 10:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. Female Impersonation Show Midnight. Images, 6065 Lee Hwy. (423) 855-8210. www.imagesbar.com
Sunday
Dynamo of Dixie Downtown Tour 10 a.m. Sheraton Read House, 827 Broad St. (423) 228-0448. Chattanooga Market: Father’s Day Brew & Bluegrass 11 a.m. First Tennesee Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. www.chattanoogamarket.com Rock City Summer Music Series Noon. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, GA. (800) 854-0675. www.seerockcity.com Rescue 1, 5 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. La Llorona: Three Tales 6:30. Ensemble Theatre of Chattanooga, St. Andrews Center, 1918 Union Ave. (423) 987-5141.
Bluff and Bridges Downtown Tour 7 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 1 Walnut St. (423) 228-0448. chattanoogasidewalktours.com Chattanooga Ghost Tour 8:15 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 100 Walnut St. (423) 821-7125. www.chattanoogaghosttours.com
Monday
Dynamo of Dixie Downtown Tour 10 a.m. Sheraton Read House, 827 Broad St. (423) 228-0448. chattanoogasidewalktours.com Rescue 1, 5 p.m. IMAX Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 265-0695. www.tnaqua.com Bluff and Bridges Downtown Tour 7 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 1 Walnut St. (423) 228-0448. Disney’s Beauty and the Beast 7:30 p.m. Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5156. www.chattanooga.gov Chattanooga Ghost Tour 8:15 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 100 Walnut St. (423) 821-7125. www.chattanoogaghosttours.com
Tuesday
Chai Steppers Luncheon Noon. Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 N. Terrace Rd. (423) 493-0270. www.jewishchattanooga.com
Father’s Day Brew & Bluegrass
Treat Dad to a day out at the Market. Free 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. (423) 648-2496. chattanoogamarket.com Songwriter’s Line-up 7 p.m. The CampHouse, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081. A Benefit for Ringgold Athletics 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. www.thecomedycatch.com Chattanooga Ghost Tour 8:15 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 100 Walnut St. (423) 821-7125.
Wednesday
Dynamo of Dixie Downtown Tour 10 a.m. Sheraton Read House, 827 Broad St. (423) 228-0448. chattanoogasidewalktours.com Main Street Farmers Market 4 p.m. Main St. at Williams St. www.mainstfarmersmarket.com Bluff and Bridges Downtown Tour 7 p.m. Walnut Street Bridge, 1 Walnut St. (423) 228-0448. Joseph Campbell Roundtable: The Seven Spiritual Principles of Superheros 7 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, The Undercroft, 20 Belvoir Ave. www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
OPINION
On The Beat
How Not to Become Riverbent I
pulled my right upper lip into a series of quick sneers, but it wasn’t from anger; I was sniffing the air in quick puffs like a werewolf in one of those shitty Calvin Klein vampire movies that teenagers and stupid married chicks go gaga over. (“Team Edward”? How about Team “My Ass?”) I did so moving my head clockwise until I made a complete circle and narrowed down the source. It wasn’t just piss; it was the hot, stale piss characteristic of a weakbladdered child’s bedroom or a poorly run nursing home. Old pee. Yuck. I spotted a 20-something with oily shoulder-length hair brushing a dirty T-shirt above stained khaki cut-off shorts who was taking a leak in an open grassy area under the Olgiati Bridge, within sight of a Marine recruiting display (and everyone else walking by from age 12 to 80). I raised both sides of my upper lip now into a barely masked snarl of contempt, and it never occurred to me that I may have looked like one of those silly-ass Abercrombie movie werewolves, except old and fat instead of lean and dark. I moved quickly and quietly and grasped his shoulders from behind, all with the intention of avoiding what he did next: spraying urine in all directions except mine. “What the hell—hey, bro!” he exclaimed, to which I replied, “QUICK! Over there!” while pushing him forward to an area behind an event trailer. “If those Marines see you, they’ll tear you apart like an old man at a salad bar! Quick now!” We shuffled along at a harried pace, his urine quickly covering his legs and shoes in thin stripes as his unattended manhood was left secured only by gravity in his state of alarm. The smell of alcohol coming from him was nearly as offensive as his choice of restroom venues. “Here! Quick!” I aimed him towards a concrete column just behind the trailer, still maintaining a grip on his upper arms. “What are you thinking?” I said. He looked over his shoulder and his glazed eyes began the arduous journey of
Alex Teach
communicating with his brain, and as he opened his mouth to speak I interrupted his first attempt at speech. “The sight of a man’s exposed unit will drive those Jarheads mad! They’re animals!” I warned him, looking over my own shoulder in feigned concern. “Haven’t you noticed how there aren’t any animals around her? No cats, no dogs? NOT a coincidence, friend!” I pulled him closer to glance over his shoulder and said “Hell’s bells! Put that thing away, it’s pure suicide to leave it out! Jesus, man, are you trying to get us both killed?!” He was slack jawed, but followed my orders, and put himself away with urine-soaked hands. Disgusting. “Are you…are you going to arrest me?” he asked. I opened my eyes wide with shock and said “God no! Arrest you? I couldn’t get you out of here in one piece if they had spotted you. I’m just trying to save a life, son.” I gripped his shoulders even more tightly to communicate affection, but it confused him and he let them slacken a bit as if attempting to quietly slip out of an imaginary coat draped over his shoulders. “Uh…thanks,” he said. “No problem, son. I’m not an enforcer here,” I explained, “I’m a peace keeper. Think of me as…as the
U.N.” I could see from the side as he twisted his face in confusion. He was starting to put the pieces together, and he didn’t like the puzzle. “But we have to get you out of here. They’ll smell the piss on you from a mile away, and to a Marine piss smells like fear, and fear drives them into a frenzy. It would be like shark week in front of all these kids. Are you all put away now? Good, good. Anyway,” I said for effect, “the kids. Think of them.” He stupidly nodded his head, since my reality apparently made better sense than his own under these circumstances. Still holding him from behind, we rushed behind vendors’ tents and equipment sheds until we reached a gate and a waiting van, not coincidentally guarded by other similarly irritated cops. “Quick now! Get in!” I said as I shoved him up into the opened rear doors, sliding my hands down to his wrists where I quickly placed cuffs on him. He turned around as he backed towards a bench seat, the confusion washing over him like an ocean tide.
“No problem, son. I’m not an enforcer here,” I explained, “I’m a peace keeper. Think of me as…as the U.N.” “You’ll be safe here!” I said, and shut the doors. He was on the way to jail in the next ten minutes, his face still cocked in confusion, his mouth slightly agape. My customer safely tucked away, I allowed myself a quick smile for the bag-and-relocate-operation going so well, and walked back into the crowd. Observing. Judging. Sniffing. When Officer Alexander D. Teach is not patrolling our fair city on the heels of the criminal element, he is an occasional student, carpenter, boating enthusiast, and spends his spare time volunteering for the Boehm Birth Defects Center. Follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/alex.teach
www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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MUSIC
Feature
A Week in the Musical Scenic City By Dave Castaneda, Pulse Music Writer
I
hope everyone is all well rested after the intense festival season that kicked off with Riverbend and Bonnaroo! There is so much to talk about and see in the Scenic City this week that it will be super-hard to keep up with. I normally talk about the electronic music scene and how it is progressing in Chattanooga, but right now there are so many other genres that really need attention. I highly recommend checking out some of the bands highlighted below that get little to no recognition in the Chattanooga music scene. Among my favorites—tHE HEARtS IN LIGHt, Elk Milk, Dolphin Mouth, Moonlight Bride and The Darren Johnson Effort are hitting it hard this week
at The Honest Pint so here’s what I expect: I love the food and I love how the atmosphere of this place brings you really close to the musicians and performers. The atmosphere of The Honest Pint is a perfect setting for the type of bands that are performing at the venue that night. In case you haven’t heard of Concerning Lions or The Darren Johnson Effort, they recently performed at The Road to Nightfall competition with good response. Concerning Lions has been on the music circuit for a year or two and presents some unique songwriting abilities that anyone can appreciate.
“Elk Milk is a two-piece band that has the potential of Death from Above 1979 mixed with some great riffs and vibes.” Thursday, June 16: Yourself and The Air, tHE HEARtS IN LIGHt, Garbrahm Vitek, Daikaiju at JJ’s Bohemia I am mainly highlighting this event because I feel like tHE HEARtS IN LIGHt don’t get nearly the recognition they deserve. This two-piece features a female vocalist, and their music is best described as a nice blend of chillwave and pop. Both performers are extremely talented songwriters and this group is the one to watch for this show. Daikaiju is always a wacky show filled with some great shreds that gets the crowd pumped for more. Thursday, June 16: Concerning Lions with The Darren Johnson Effort at The Honest Pint This will be this writer’s first time checking out a show
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Friday, June 17: Elk Milk with The Formidables & mynameisjohnmicheal at JJ’s Bohemia Elk Milk is one of my new favorite bands to watch this year and this marks one of their first headlining shows. Elk Milk is a two-piece band that has the potential of Death from Above 1979 mixed with some great riffs and vibes. The boys at Elk Milk will be playing alongside New Orleans’s mynameisjohnmicheal, which brings us that good bayou soul fused with some blues rock. Add the heavy-rock styles of The Formidables and you’ve got the perfect mix! Sunday, June 19: The Emotron, Younger Siblings, and Dolphin Mouth at JJ’s Bohemia If I had one phrase to sum this show up, it would be, “This is not for the faint of heart.” With that said, Emotron is an intense live show that will make you want to look away— but you can’t because you are so into what The Emotron will do next. Emotron is best known for his outlandish per-
The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
formances, crazy visuals, and insane tactics pulled at shows. This visual experience is rounded up by the lineup addition of Dolphin Mouth. Joshua Bennet of Dolphin mouth is all about the visual experience and will bring you some great music to vibe out to. If you’re into seeing is believing, JJ’s booked the entire package and solid lineup for all to enjoy. Thursday, June 23: HeyPenny with Moonlight Bride and PDA at Rhythm and Brews Chattanooga favorite Moonlight Bride is performing alongside Nashville’s favorite HeyPenny. Moonlight Bride has had a solid year of touring, playing at the SXSW Festival and working and grinding harder than ever. HeyPenny has just released a new album called A Jillion Kicks and boy, is it HOT FIRE! Moonlight Bride is a rarity to catch in Chattanooga these days. The guys that are Moonlight Bride are always recording music or touring on the road to reach out to as many people as possible. I applaud their efforts and the hard work going into the music they are currently producing. Moonlight Bride has a very bright future ahead of them and this is a solid opportunity to check out what all the hype is about.
MUSIC
New Music Reviews
David Greenberger & Ralph Carney OH, PA
(PelPel Recordings)
“These pieces evoke a great deal of humor, a little sadness, and some bewilderment, sometimes all within the same piece.”
We can turn to the older generations for wisdom drawing from experience, but one irony about growing older is that the more you know, the more you realize just what you don’t know. For more than three decades, David Greenberger has been interviewing senior citizens and sharing their off-kilter anecdotes in his zine The Duplex Planet, and he goes beyond simply being an anthologist, having developed an artistic vision through his selections, the way he arranges them, and how he presents them. Greenberger frequently takes The Duplex Planet into the audio realm with numerous musical collaborators, and the album OH, PA, with multi-instrumentalist and Tom Waits sideman Ralph Carney, is one of five (!!) new CDs released simultaneously. In real life, Greenberger is the interviewer, but on the recordings, he always acts the part of the interviewee, reciting the old folks’ stories in a consistent manner. He’s careful not to ham things up, delivering the words with a warm sincerity, without a shred of detachment. While primarily a reed player, Carney sounds at home with an incredibly wide variety of acoustic and electronic instruments, including organ, banjo, guitar, and even mouth harp, and there’s a cartoony, weirdly whimsical quality to many of his pieces; some of the electronic sounds feel a little sterile, but more often than not, the pieces work, especially when remaining in the acoustic realm. There’s an odd, complex air to the proceedings—these aren’t all inspirational gems of wis-
Rough Rope
Demos and Wizards
(roughrope.bandcamp.com) Listening to the 4-song EP Demos and Wizards from the Chattanooga trio Rough Rope, it’s abundantly clear that the members have raging boners for heavy ’90s underground rock, of the Amphetamine Reptile and Touch & Go Records ilk. Don’t be fooled by the title—it doesn’t sound like sloppy, quick-and-dirty basement demo recordings, but also these are not polished, slick studio concoctions. It’s right in the
dom; instead, they’re often strange tidbits of dubious veracity and offbeat remembrances. These pieces evoke a great deal of humor, a little sadness, and some bewilderment, sometimes all within the same piece, like “The Yarn Project,” about a woman who can no longer knit and instead simply cuts up an entire skein of yarn into small pieces every day, to pass the time. The unusual charm and wit of OH, PA, with bittersweet memories and quirky tales, don’t present the golden years as having clarity and resolution, but perhaps can be summed up by the Dennis Hopper quote in The American Friend: “A little older, a little more confused.”
middle, exactly where it needs to be, with an urgent, aggravated vitality and an onslaught that alternates between smoldering and pummeling. Actually, if one of these songs was on some compilation from a ’90s indie label, nobody would probably blink an eye. Available on cassette and as a digital download, Demos and Wizards has a unifying style capturing an oppressive heaviness over several tempo variations through its four songs, from a speed-fueled hardcore jaunt to a downer sludge-fest death march. Guitarist and vocalist Ben Roeske steers clear from the metal growl and instead goes for an agitated, ’tude-sporting vocal delivery, a bit like a cross between Mark Arm and Steve Albini; his guitar chords often fuse with the juggernaut-like, get-the-hellout-of-the-way thick tones from bassist Brent Joly (of Gravebound), forming a massive lowto-mid-range syrup of amplified distortion. Drummer Jerry Reed (of Gravebound and
formerly of Höth) can unleash the fury when required, but he also has the patience and restraint to create tension and suspense when building for huge pay-offs. The opener, “Repeating,” arrives like a ton of bricks dropped on a Cadillac, going for a pounding rock method, a la The Jesus Lizard and Unsane; it’s followed by “Kept Man,” whose pace is reminiscent of the Melvins’ swampiest numbers, tripping the listener by changing between 5/4 and 4/4 time. “Pigs in Heat” goes with a fiery DC-hardcore-esque pace, but with a meatier, thicker sound, and “Blues Hammer (a.k.a. Detroit)” takes its time with a slow-burn approach, ultimately blowing its load with a mess of guitar squeals and spark-spitting. Is this a re-tread? Perhaps, but it’s hard to argue with the pure, sonic impact of Rough Rope. Rough Rope will play Sluggo’s North (501 Cherokee Blvd.) on June 25. www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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MUSIC
Concert Calendar FRIDAY
THURSDAY
Brian McKnight
Relax to the smooth melodies of this classic R&B crooner. Entrance with Riverbend pin. 9:30 p.m. Coke Stage, Riverbend. www.riverbendfestival.com
Thursday
Lubriphonic 6:15 p.m. Bud Light Stage, Riverbend. www.riverbendfestival.com Ben Friberg Trio 7 p.m. Table 2, 232 E. 11th St. (423) 756-8253. Neighbors, Gabriel the Marine, Join the High Flyers, Sea Scout, Do You Like Bugs? 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 412 Market St. www.warehousevenue.com Open Mic Night 7:30 p.m. The CampHouse, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081. www.thecamphouse.com Blues Jam with Rick Rushing 7:30 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. www.marketstreettavern.com Yourself and The Air, tHE HEARtS IN LIGHt, Gabrahm Vitek, Daikaiju 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia Buckner Brothers 8 p.m. The Lounge at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5005. Concerning Lions with The Darren Johnson Effort 8 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Parkway. (423) 468-4192. www.thehonestpint.com
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
Jimmy Harris 8 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Dangermuffin 9:30 p.m. Unum Stage, Riverbend. www.riverbendfestival.com Brian McKnight 9:30 p.m. Coca-Cola Stage, Riverbend Festival. www.riverbendfestival.com
Friday
Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000. Bert David Newton Band 6:30 p.m. Southside Saloon & Bistro, 1301 Chestnut St. (423) 757-4730. www.southsidesaloonandbistro.com Jimmy Harris 6:30 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Covered In Scars, Shutter, Trinity Avenue 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 412 Market St. www.warehousevenue.com Bob Dorough & Friends 7:15 p.m. Unum Stage, Riverbend. www.riverbendfestival.com Stratopheerius 7:15 p.m. TVFCU Stage, Riverbend. www.riverbendfestival.com Summer Hullender 8 p.m. Acoustic Cafe, 61 RBC Dr. Ringgold, GA. (706) 965-2065. www.ringgoldacoustic.com Buckner Brothers 8 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956. www.sugarsribs.com
Troy Underwood 8 p.m. Palms Patio at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Paleface 9 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. www.marketstreettavern.com Brian Collins Band 9 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919. www.myspace.com/jimstriker DJ E and Dancing 9 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com DJ and Dancing 9 p.m. Spectators, 7804 E. Brainerd Rd. (423) 648-6679. DJ and Dancing 9 p.m. The Lounge at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5005. www.thepalmshamilton.com Alan Jackson 9:30 p.m. Coca-Cola Stage, Riverbend Festival. www.riverbendfestival.com The Nim Nims 10 p.m. Sluggo’s North, 501 Cherokee Blvd. (423) 752-5224. Find them on Facebook. Elk Milk, The Formidables, mynameisjohnmicheal 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia Mark Holder 10 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pk. (423) 266-1996. www.tremonttavern.com Bounty Hunter 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878. www.budssportsbar.com
Riverbend Unplugged with Stratospheerius
Electro-fiddle-trip-punk. Nuff said. Free. 2 p.m. Hunter Museum of Art, 10 Bluff View. (423) 267-0968. www.huntermuseum.org
Karaoke & Dancing 10 p.m. Chattanooga Billiards Club East, 110 Jordan Dr. (423) 499-3883. www.cbcburns.com
Saturday
Chickamauga Rodeo 10 a.m. Chattanooga River Market, Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (423) 265-0698. www.tnaqua.com New Binkley Brothers Noon. Rock City Summer Music Weekends, 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain, GA. www.seerockcity.com Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000. Carolina Chocolate Drops 6 p.m. Bud Light Stage, Riverbend. www.riverbendfestival.com Jimmy Harris 6:30 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Dependency, Barrow 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 412 Market St. www.warehousevenue.com
MUSIC
Concert Calendar
SATURDAY
Bob Dorough with Paleface and Eric Nelson
If you missed the legendary jazz musician at Riverbend, second chance. $6 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. myspace.com/jjsbohemia Grupo Fantasma 7:30 p.m. Bud Light Stage, Riverbend. www.riverbendfestival.com Blake Morrison 8 p.m. Southside Saloon & Bistro, 1301 Chestnut St. (423) 757-4730. www.southsidesaloonandbistro.com Brody Johnson and the Dirt Road Band 8 p.m. Acoustic Cafe, 61 RBC Dr. Ringgold, GA. (706) 965-2065. www.ringgoldacoustic.com Dana Rogers 8 p.m. Palms Patio at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Buckner Brothers 8 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956. www.sugarsribs.com Foundation Band 8 p.m. Fireside Grill, 3018 Cummings Hwy. (423) 821-9898. Moon Slew 9 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. www.marketstreettavern.com
SUNDAY
Endelouz 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn). www.facebook.com/theofficechatt Brian Collins Band 9 p.m. Raw, 409 Market St. (423) 756-1919. www.myspace.com/jimstriker DJ and Dancing 9 p.m. The Lounge at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5005. www.thepalmshamilton.com Kellie Pickler 9:30 p.m. Coca-Cola Stage, Riverbend Festival. www.riverbendfestival.com Bob Dorough, Paleface, Eric Nelson 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia Reckless Adams: A Tribute To Bryan Adams 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644. www.rhythm-brews.com The Power Players Show Band 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878. www.budssportsbar.com
Sunday
New Binkley Brothers Noon. Rock City Summer Music Weekends, 1400 Patten Road, Lookout Mountain, GA. www.seerockcity.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 7 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (inside Days Inn). www.facebook.com/theofficechatt Chickamauga Rodeo 8 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Parkway. (423) 468-4192. www.thehonestpint.com
Karaoke with DJ Randy 9 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com Karaoke with DJ Salt 9:30 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878. www.budssportsbar.com The Emotron, Younger Siblings, Dolphin Mouth 10 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. www.myspace.com/jjsbohemia
Monday
Mountain Music 7 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 8 50 Market St. (423) 634-0260. www.marketstreettavern.com Big Band Nite 8 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. Karaoke with DJ Randy 9 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www.bartslakeshore.com Karaoke with DJ Salt 9:30 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878. www.budssportsbar.com
Tuesday
The Great Awakening, Strengthen What Remains, Those Who Fear, Majesty 7 p.m. The Warehouse, 412 Market St. www.warehousevenue.com Open Mic with Mike McDade 9 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pk. (423) 266-1996. www.tremonttavern.com Karaoke with DJ Salt 9:30 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878.
The Emotron, Younger Siblings, Dolphin Mouth
The Emotron must be seen to be believed. $7 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. myspace.com/jjsbohemia
Wednesday
McNary 5:30 p.m. Terminal Brewhouse, 6 East 14th St. (423) 752-8090. www.terminalbrewhouse.com Jimmy Harris 6:30 p.m. The Coconut Room at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Prime Cut Trio 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www.thepalmsathamilton.com Machines Are People Too, Dead Baby Robots 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Parkway. (423) 468-4192. www.thehonestpint.com DJ ScubaSteve hosts Jenntastic Wednesdays - Open Mic/Karaoke/ Poetry/Comedy/Local Music 9 p.m. Holiday Bowl, 5518 Brainerd Rd. (423) 899-2695. www.holidaybowlbrainerd.com Set the Controls: Recreating the Music of Pink Floyd 9:30 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644. www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
OPINION
Life In The ‘Noog
Careful, Daddy’s Got A Gun I
thought I’d heard it all until my mom recently informed me that my 69-yearold father had purchased not one, but two pistols for “protection.” Seems there’s a lot of crime happening on the lakeside of Big Ridge, where baby-boomer empty nesters live out their twilight years with closed garage doors and triple-locked front doors in the quiet confines of tree frogs and renegade Neighborhood Watch programs. In my mind it’s always been safer than Fort Knox, but apparently my dad and his gunslinger pals think otherwise. At his age, and in that neighborhood, there’s not much to do at night except watch endless episodes of 48 Hours Mystery, Law & Order and CSI: New York/ Miami/Las Vegas. Therefore, my parents’ sense of “reality” is limited to the whatever creative, “ripped from the headlines” crime scenarios those shows’ writers can dream up in order to make each week’s episode a little more interesting than the last. The paranoia instilled within my parents from the first few seasons of these popular shows inspired the appearance of a Louisville Slugger baseball bat next to their front door. After several years of its collecting dust, I began to feel sorry for the little needy kid they could’ve donated it to instead. At least he’d hit something with it. But now my father has upped the ante with twin six-shooters that I’m sure are at the ready in the same type of hip-hugging cowboy holster I wore as a young wrangler. He’s even exploring the necessary certification and permits required to carry these guns around wherever he goes—be it the CVS, Bi-Lo, Applebee’s or the extremely unsafe Northgate Mall. Yep, there’s a new sheriff in town. I’m not a fan of senior citizens who all of a sudden decide that buying a gun and taking shooting lessons automatically makes them “safer.” In fact, I think by doing so you’re actually placing yourself in more danger than you’d bargained for (Tex).
Chuck Crowder
“My father has upped the ante with twin six-shooters that I’m sure are at the ready in the same type of hip-hugging cowboy holster I wore as a young wrangler.”
Think about it. Someone desperate enough to lead a life of crime that involves a gun is probably used to pointing it at people—cocked, loaded and with the safety off. If he points it at you, you’d better do whatever he wants. Because you can’t tell me there is a middle-aged suburbanite who can outdraw a criminal who’s already got his 9mm leveled at your ass. What’s more, when this criminal sees you reach in the nightstand for your gun, guess what? He’s gonna assume you’re intending to use it and, unlike you, he’s not going to spend the same split second weighing the moral and legal ramifications of shooting another human being before popping off a few caps in your ass. You don’t stand a chance, papaw. I can see my pop now when the inevitable home invasion happens. “Denny,
where did I put my peacemaker? No, not pacemaker, peacemaker! It was in this drawer last time I checked. (fumbling around in the dark) Oh, here it is. Damn it, the clip’s not in it. Honey, did you hide my clips so I wouldn’t accidently shoot up the room again? No wait, here it is. Now, OK, clip’s in, safety’s off, so now all I have to do is cock the trigger and—” (by now the home invader has already ransacked the house and is on his way back to the other side of the tracks with your silverware and jewelry). Around the same time I learned of my father’s new hobby, I ran into an AfricanAmerican friend who’d grown up living in the same type of neighborhood the hooligans who are supposedly gunning for my parent’s household items live. He laughed even harder than I did at the lackof-common-sense notion that my parents were by some stretch a target for crime. “What’s your daddy need a gun for anyway? I don’t even have a gun. I’m not stupid, I don’t want to get shot. I get all my thrills just trying to pay my bills,” said my wise friend. “Where the hell is Big Ridge anyway? If he hasn’t been broken in to by now, then the brothas don’t even know his place exists.” I couldn’t agree more. I live downtown, in a neighborhood just a few blocks in any direction from “the bad part of town.” Each and every day I could be a victim, as far as crime statistics go, but so far (knock on wood) I haven’t been. Even so, I don’t live in fear. I just use caution. But in the unlikely event someone wanted to come in and take some of my beloved valuables, I’d likely help them carry the stuff out—versus risking my life and the lives of the ones I love. Nothing’s worth more than that. So to my father, and anyone else with a manicured lawn and nightstand firearm, I implore you: Invest in a bulletproof vest, for that will more likely save your life. Chuck Crowder is a local writer and general man about town. His opinions are just that. Everything expressed is loosely based on fact, and crap he hears people talking about. Take what you just read with a grain of salt, but pepper it in your thoughts. www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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SCREEN
Film Feature
The Ripples of Human Compassion By John DeVore, Pulse Film Critic
T
his month, the Chattanooga Arts and Education Council’s Back Row Film Series is showing a documentary, A Small Act, about the ripples of human kindness—the type of kindness that is so nonchalant, so accessible, that many of us do it without a moment’s pause. It is the type of kindness that is afforded to us by our ability to take for granted the comfort of our Westernized lives. We have all seen commercials asking us for pennies a day to benefit a child living in poverty. Many of us have given money, small amounts for a few months, only to forget about our donations as our lives become complicated with other problems. Here is a story about the other side. It shows us that even the smallest actions can have drastic consequences, consequences that can last for generations. For the cost of a Netflix subscription, lives are forever altered… lives that may have otherwise fueled violence or ignorance become instead lives of inspiration. The film begins with a woman named Hilde Back, a Holocaust survivor living in Sweden, who while working as a preschool teacher during the ’70s, became involved in a sponsorship program for exceptional students in Kenya. Many of the teachers and students at her school donated, but the
afterthought for Hilde, Chris was given the opportunity to succeed. He finished his secondary schooling through Hilde’s scholarship, earned a scholarship to the University of Nairobi, and then a scholarship to Harvard. Ultimately, Chris began a career at the United Nations working on human-rights issues. He never forgot Hilde, and with his success he was able to create a foundation in her honor for poor students in Kenya, students struggling with poverty despite having exceptional potential. The two meet later, for the first time, in one of the film’s most touching scenes. A Small Act is not primarily about Chris and Hilde, however. It follows three Kenyan students who are attempting to win scholarships through Chris’s foundation. The conflict of the film isn’t found in the feel-good story of benefactor and beneficiary. Instead, we see the everyday lives and realities of these Kenyan children, who are on the cusp of success or failure at such a young age. It mirrors in some ways the tension found in Waiting for Superman, the excellent documentary outlining the educational challenges faced by the poorest children in our own nation. In fact, the similarities are disconcerting. A Small Act makes a point of emphasizing the importance of education for the youth of Kenya; without a chance at secondary education, these children will lose their futures to early pregnancy, AIDS, or violence. Certainly, the threat of violence and political instability are far greater in Kenya. It seems, however, that the realities of violence, of drug culture, of intellectual vacancy are just as present in our own inner cities and rural communities. The similarities
“There are shades of spectacular karma here; shades of how the horrors of the Holocaust inspired a woman to give, which led a man on a different continent to fight against genocide.” donations were modest at best, and Hilde felt that she could do some good in the world. For $14 a month, for a few years, Hilde sponsored Chris. She lost track of him around 1979 and moved on with her life. It is a story that could easily be found in many Westernized countries. While it was something of an
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
between the children in A Small Act and the children in Waiting for Superman suggest that the idea of “American exceptionalism” is becoming more mythical every day. Our atrocities are simply better hidden. The crux of the film, however, is more uplifting. There are shades of spectacular karma here; shades of how the horrors of the Holocaust inspired a woman to give, which led a man on a different continent to fight against genocide. The film gives viewers a look at how the smallest act of charity ripples outward, affecting lives in ways that cannot be imagined. Every child can’t be helped. Sadness and desperation abound in areas so affected. But every drop in the bucket adds to the volume. Small drops equal large bodies over time. Nearly every scene in this film is heart wrenching. It is not easy. But behind the despair are hopeful people, people like Hilde Back, who never married and never had children. Nevertheless, her roots run deep. She allowed Chris to be reborn, lifting him out of poverty so that he can do likewise for others. In a time when old men cry for rapture and politicians wring their hands about societal collapse, it is important to remember people like Hilde, who exist as tangible saviors. They may not cast in abundance, but what they give changes the world. A Small Act (part of the AEC’s Back Row Film Series) $10 6 p.m. Thursday, June 23 CreateHere, 55 Main St. www.backrowfilms.com
SCREEN
New In Theaters
In Brightest Day... the number of penguins was halved to a more manageable six. Though if there is one actor in Hollywood who could handle a dozen penguins, it would be Jim Carrey. Most actors dislike working with animals, yet Carrey launched his film career as a pet detective and seems perfectly at ease with his feathered co-stars. While a lot of kids will want to see Green Lantern, a good number will likely also be drawn to Mr. Popper’s Penguins...and if parents are forced to choose between the two, our recommendation is go with the birds over the guys in green. Starring Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury Directed by Mark Waters
Green Lantern When he’s granted a mystical green ring that bestows on him otherworldly powers, test pilot Hal Jordan becomes the first human to earn membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe. His mission: to combat an enemy called Parallax, which threatens to destroy the universe’s balance of power. The summer of the superhero movie continues, with Warner Brothers hoping to ride the wave started by Thor and expected to crest with Captain America. Unfortunately, response to the various trailers that have aired in theaters and online have been almost unanimously harsh. The primary complaint has been an overreliance on unconvincing CGI. Ryan Reynolds is also not seen by fans, most notably a vocal group that has seen test screenings of early cuts of the film, as being convincing in the superhero role of either Hal Jordan or Green Lantern. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Peter Sarsgaard Directed by Martin Campbell Mr. Popper’s Penguins After businessman Mr. Popper receives a penguin as a gift, he soon finds himself the caretaker of five more of the seabirds, and he subsequently changes his life and home to accommodate his new charges. Another beloved children’s book comes to the big screen, though
The Art of Getting By George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done his schoolwork, is befriended by Sally, a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit. A rote, formulaic teen film that tries to be both Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Clueless and at the same time fails to relate to either, The Art of Getting By features a talented cast that has about as much in common with real high-school students as a rutabaga... and that may be unkind to the vegetable world. It might be a decent choice as a date movie for the under-21 set, but other than that, expect to see this film disappear quickly to resurface in a few months on the DVD shelves to limited popularity. Starring Freddie Highmore, Emma Roberts, Directed by Gavin Wiesen Buck A documentary on Buck Brannaman, renowned “horse whisperer” who helps people connect with their animals. The master of Cowboy Zen, Brannaman is one of those incredibly fascinating real-life people who remind us the world is a far more interesting place than most realize. Among unconvincing superheroes, men living with penguins, and precocious teens played by actors in their twenties, we learn the real story of a man whose philosophies and practices work for both animals and people. The hope is the documentary, which was enthusiastically received by Sundance audiences, will end up getting a much wider release. Directed by Cindy Meehl Stars Buck Brannaman www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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ENTERTAINMENT
Free Will Astrology
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In Mark Harris’s novel Bang the Drum Slowly, professional baseball players cheat their fans out of money by engaging them in a card game called TEGWAR, which is an acronym for The Exciting Game Without Any Rules. Judging from your current astrological omens, Gemini, I’d say it’s prime time for you to play a more ethical version of this game. Strictly speaking, the game can have rules, but they may be changed at any time, and new ones may be added as needed. The object of your brand of TEGWAR is to have as much smart fun as possible without anyone getting hurt. CANCER (June 21-July 22): “The only way to let your dreams come true is to wake up,” said poet Paul Valery. Here’s how I think that applies to you right now. You’ve become too engrossed in the mythic, phantasmagorical feelings of your fantasies, and that’s interfering with your ability to muster all of the kick-ass pragmatism and supercharged willpower you will need to actually make your fantasies come to life. In other words, Cancerian, I advise you to snap out of your creamy dreamy haze with a selfinduced wake-up call. Stop floating and start grunting.
Solution To Last Week's Crossword
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As we began our first session, the 79-year-old Jungian psychotherapist looked at me with mischief in her eyes and said, “Go ahead—surprise me! What have you got?” I was torn. Part of me felt like rising to her challenge, meeting her dare: I fantasized about telling her such wild versions of my adventures that they would outstrip any tales she’d heard in her long service as a deep listener. But in the end I chose to tell the truth. I felt it was more important to explore my life’s actual mysteries than to entertain her. And that was the first healing she helped me achieve. I suspect a similar test is ahead for you, Leo. Would you rather be honest or impress people? VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): I predict that at no time in the coming weeks will anyone be justified in saying to you, “Your ego has been writing checks that your body can’t cash.” Nor will anyone have any reason to tell you, “You’d better start running if you hope to catch up with your dreams,” or “You may be an old soul but you’ve been acting like a naive punk.” No, Virgo, I firmly believe that none of those accusations will be hurled at you. Why? Because from what I can tell, all of the various parts of your psyche will be in a greater state of collaborative unity than they’ve been in for a long time. Your alienation from yourself will be at an all-time low, as will your levels of hypocrisy. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I’m brave in some ways, cowardly in others. I’ve gone parasailing, performed on big stages in front of thousands of people, assisted in the birth of two children, and explored the abyss of my own unconscious. On the other hand, I’m scared of confined spaces, can’t bring myself to shoot a gun, and am a sissy when it comes time to be around people who are dying. I imagine that you, too, have areas of courage and timidity, Libra. And I suspect that in the coming weeks you will be called to a challenge in both areas. See if you can transfer some of the nervy power you’re able to summon in one sphere to bolster you in the place where you’re a wimp.
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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Kinky Dream and Funky Paradise chapter of your astrological cycle has arrived—a phase when you’ll have poetic license to let your imagination run wilder than usual. In fact, it’ll be prime time to escape into fantasyland and try on a new identity or two, complete with a host of outlandish nicknames. Your new hip hop name could be Extasy TrixxMaster. Your pro wrestler name could be Velvet Soul Pandora. Your mystic superhero name could be Mountain Wind Storm. Your Irish prostitute name could be Luscious X. Mahoney. Your rock star from the future name could be Destiny Acrobat.
The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): The coming weeks could be a Golden Age for your perceptiveness. If you’re even moderately aligned with the cosmic rhythms, you will be able to discern hidden agendas that no one else has spotted, catch clues that have been hidden, and be able to recognize and register interesting sights you’ve previously been blind to. To maximize your ability to cash in on this fantastic opportunity, say this affirmation frequently: “My eyes are working twice as well as usual. I can see things I don’t normally notice.” CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): If you were the star of a fairy tale in which a spell had been placed on you, you would find a way to break that spell sometime in the next seven months. If you were the hero of a myth about a royal child abandoned in the wasteland by your evil nurse and raised by emotionally clumsy but well-meaning gnomes, your exile would soon end; your real parents, the king and queen, would find you after a long search, and your birthright would be restored. Now translate these themes into the actual circumstances of your life, Capricorn. Are you ready to do what it takes to achieve a healing and restoration that have been a long time coming? AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): What is sacred? The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said it was anything that you cannot or will not laugh at. But I have the exact opposite view. If I’m unable to crack a joke about what I regard as holy, then it’s not holy. For me, part of what makes an idea or person or object holy is its power to animate my sense of humor and put me in the mood to play. Where do you stand on this issue, Aquarius? If you’re aligned with my view, you will have some wonderful opportunities to commune with the sacred in the coming days. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In the chorus of my band’s song “Apathy and Ignorance,” I sing, “What is the difference between apathy and ignorance?” and the other two singers chant, “I don’t know and I don’t care.” I recommend you make that chant your mantra in the coming days, Pisces: “I don’t know and I don’t care.” You really do need to experiment with a mischievous state of mind that is blithely heedless of what anyone thinks about anything. You have the right and the privilege to be free of expectations, precedents, and dogmas. Trust you intuition above all other influences! It’s an excellent time to at least temporarily declare your independence from everything that’s not interesting or useful or helpful or appealing. ARIES (March 21-April 19): The film Tuck Everlasting tells the story of a family that becomes immortal after drinking from a magical spring. The two parents and their two sons hide their gift from the world, but eventually a mysterious man in a yellow suit finds out about their secret and stalks them. At one point in his search, this man has a conversation with a young pastor. “What if you could be eternal?” he asks the priest. “Without having to face the uncertainty of death. Invincible to disease. Forever young.” The priest is rattled. “You speak blasphemy, sir,” he protests. “Fluently,” replies the man in the yellow suit. You have that mandate right now Aries: to speak blasphemy fluently, as well as any other rebellious diction. It’s time to rise up and express the unspeakable, the controversial, the revolutionary. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): There’s substantial evidence that the Amazon River used to flow in the opposite direction from what it does now. Ages ago, its currents traveled westward from the Atlantic Ocean toward the Pacific (tinyurl.com/AmazonReversal). I’d like you to hold that image firmly in mind as you contemplate a monumental shift of course in your own life. Let it serve as a surprising symbol of what’s possible—as a promise that you could actually manage to reverse a current that may seem immutable.
ENTERTAINMENT
Jonesin' Crossword — "Back and Forth and Back" Across 1 Enjoy the roller rink 6 Parade honoree 10 Blue drop? 14 1980s game with four big buttons 15 Neon sign word 16 Choir member 17 Paired up 19 “___: First Class” (2011 movie) 20 Underlying theme of “Se7en” 21 Gp. with shelters 22 Shakespearean shout of disapproval 23 Food with filling 25 Vince McMahon’s short-lived sports org. 27 They arrive before U 30 “___ Certified” (sticker at the mechanic’s) 33 On-campus recruits 35 “Fritz the Cat” director Ralph 37 Mantra for self-motivated high achievers 40 “That’s ___, and you know it!” 41 ___ chi
42 ___ bargain 43 Spoke when it wasn’t appropriate 48 Encourages 49 Game that spawned “The Urbz,” with “The” 50 Suffix for count or baron 51 “What’d I tell ya?” 52 Danielle Steel’s “Message from ___” 54 France, once 56 Greek consonants 58 Reynolds who plays the Green Lantern 60 They backed the now-defunct food guide pyramid 64 Word yelled at a moving bus 66 Defiant question sometimes followed by “Would you still...” 68 Gulf of Mexico contents 69 Boxing win 70 Tequila source 71 “Well, shucks” 72 Big tabloid 73 Qaddafi’s home
Down 1 N.Y.-to-Paris jets, until 2003 2 Fuzzy fruit 3 “Supermodified” DJ ___ Tobin 4 Completely shot 5 Kind of doc 6 Nobody wants to hold it 7 With a cast of thousands 8 Real estate company with a slash in its name 9 Hit song from “Achtung Baby” 10 Tony Danza sitcom 11 School supplies brand with a cow logo 12 ___ the cost 13 Jeremy of adult films 18 Frilly neckwear 22 Chuck D’s Public Enemy cohort, for short 24 NPR reporter Shapiro 26 J. Edgar Hoover’s gp. 28 Blacksmiths for horses, e.g. 29 They used to be the Oilers 30 Brightly-colored rocks
31 Food for livestock 32 Villainous scientist character, say 34 Polar name 36 Detained 38 Frightened outbursts 39 Trial lawyer 44 Forever, it seems 45 Twisted sample 46 Muscat resident 47 Sch. whose mascot is Chief Osceola 53 Hand puppet in “South Park” 55 Mario Kart character 57 Provo’s state 59 “Divine Secrets of the ___ Sisterhood” (2002 movie) 61 Ear cleaner 62 Monkees member Jones 63 Out on the ocean 64 Move like a hound’s tail 65 “All Those Years ___” (George Harrison song) 66 Day planner divs. 67 T-___ (cookware brand)
Jonesin' Crossword created By Matt Jones. © 2011 Jonesin’ Crosswords. For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+ to call. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle #0524.
Chattanooga Street Scenes
Photography by Kelly Lockhart
Beating the heat at Coolidge Park.
www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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OPINION
Ask A Mexican
The Disapproving Dad Dear Mexican, I’m a white girl dating a Mexican from Jalisco that works for my dad. There lies the problem. Dad absolutely dislikes him and totally opposes me dating Ignacio and has been almost rude to him, which I don’t like. Some details now: I often visit Dad at his office and in one of those I met Ignacio, deepest dark eyes that I’ve ever seen... we flirted a little, exchanged phone numbers and that was it for that day. Me and the guy hit off almost from the beginning, so I feel it was totally natural to start dating him, even if he lives in a not-so-nice place and we have different backgrounds. Of course, Dad gave me a whole speech that night at home, that I should not be talking to people I don’t know, what I was thinking, etc. And when we started dating a few days later, he got mad, refused to drive me to the mall and so on. A few days later, we dated again, and we kissed and started our relationship, and my father started to behave like a drama queen, saying he was disappointed, that he thought he raised a good, decent girl and such things. I had no option but call him a racist and sore loser, which I’m sorry now to have said. Dad lectures me about me not worrying “about my future” and that I’m “losing it over a beaner,” makes a scene many times when I’m going out with Ignacio and calls my cell phone often to “check out what I’m doing.” He justifies his behavior because I’m his only daughter and says he wants the “best for me” (read: date a white guy). The fact is that I like my boyfriend a lot and don’t
see why I need to break up with him just to please my father. It gets complicated because Ignacio says one day he’s gonna lose patience and answer back my Dad, or worse. What can I do to handle Dad’s dramas? And to have him accept my relationship with Ignacio? — Una Confused Gringa Dear Gabacha, So Nacho is good enough to work for your papi, but not good enough for his daughter? Typical gabacho exploiter…I would flaunt the relationship in front of your dad. Change your name to Xochitl. Blast mariachi in your home. Make your tortillas by hand—better yet, start eating nopales. Totally freak out your dad! But at the same time, be a responsible chica—you didn’t specify your age, but given your reference to getting driven to the mall and still living at home, I’ll assume you’re in high school. So stay away from sex—but if you don’t, make sure to use birth control, because Mexican sperm is potent. Keep up your grades. Show Dad that your life won’t worsen if a Mexi is your man, and that he’s pendejo for even thinking about it. And remind him that frowning on interracial relationships is so Jim Crow era, and to get with the programa.
Gustavo Arellano
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The Pulse | Volume 8, Issue 24 | June 16, 2011 | www.chattanoogapulse.com
Dear Mexican, Why do you frijoleros (being myself of Iberian descent, if you can use gabacho you’ve gotta let me use this) assume that white people don’t speak Spanish? You would not believe the crap I hear almost every day! We spoke Spanish when the Mexica were still ripping out the hearts of their neighbors. — El Cid Soy Dear Gachupín, A Spaniard who thinks he’s white? HA! You gachupines are as gabacho as Mexicans are infertile.
“Remind him that frowning on interracial relationships is so Jim Crow era, and to get with the programa.” GOOD MEXICAN OF THE WEEK: Latino Health Access (LHA) is a pioneering nonprofit based in Orange County, California that has earned national acclaim for its promotora program, in which it trains community members how to teach healthy living habits in the city’s low-income neighborhoods. Last week, the Board of Supervisors declined to agree to a contract with them? LHA’s sin? Using “Latino” in its name—PENDEJO FAIL. Check out the group at latinohealthaccess.org, and tell the world the Mexican’s American homeland is run by a bola of pendejos—but the world knew that, of course… Have a question? Ask the Mexican at themexican@askamexican. net, be his fan on Facebook, follow him on Twitter or ask him a video question at www.youtube.com/askamexicano!
www.chattanoogapulse.com | June 16, 2011 | Volume 8, Issue 24 | The Pulse
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