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Jan. 12-18, 2012
MAKEWORK’S MATCH POINT THE UNFOUNDATION BEGINS
Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative
THE PULSE INTERVIEW
weston
wamp
THE YOUNG GUN OF THE 3RD DISTRICT LAYS OUT HIS VIEWS ON POLITICS, THE CAMPAIGN, fast food, fashion, COLDPLAY AND MORE IN 20 QuestionS
MUSIC
SHRINK RAP
ON STAGE
ARTS
AMY RAY BOOK-END DAYS ‘ELVIS LIVES!’ NEW SHOWS AN INDIGO GIRL’S SOLO SHOW DR. RICK’S NEW YEAR THERAPY AND HE’S DOING REALLY WELL atavaand river gallery
2 • The Pulse • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
ON STAGE
Kings and Vixens CHATTANOOGA’S WEEKLY ALTERNATIVE
ChattanoogaPulse.com • Facebook.com/ChattanoogaPulse
• “Elvis Lives!” comes to town, bringing not one but four Elvis tribute artists, plus an Ann-Margaret tribute artist. Senior King Bill Cherry talks about life as Elvis and the fringe benefits. » 17
Contents JAN. 12-18, 2012 • issue 9.02
EDITORIAL Publisher Zachary Cooper Art Director Bill Ramsey Contributors Rick Baldwin • Rob Brezsny Dave Castaneda • Chuck Crowder • Michael Crumb John DeVore • Janis Hashe •Sandra Kurtz Rick Pimental-Habib • Matt Jones • D.E. Langley Mike McJunkin • Ernie Paik • Jim Pfitzer Bill Ramsey • Alex Teach • Tara V Photographers Lesha Patterson • Josh Lang
ADVERTISING Sales Director Lysa Greer Account Executives Rick Leavell • David Barry
Cover photo by Lesha Patterson
CONTACT
COVER STORY
Phone 423.265.9494 Fax 423.266.2335 Email info@chattanoogapulse.com calendar@chattanoogapulse.com Got a stamp? 1305 Carter Street Chattanooga, TN 37402
Weston Wamp
• The young candidate for Congress comes clean on politics, style, dating and other subjects in our revealing interview. » 11
letters Please limit letters to 300 words or less. 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.
MUSIC
Lungs of Love
the fine print
• Amy Ray, one half of the Indigo Girls, visits town to perform songs from her new solo album. » 9
The Pulse is published weekly by Brewer Media and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on culture, the arts, entertainment and local news. 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. We’re watching. The Pulse may be distributed only by authorized distributors.
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New Shows
BREWER MEDIA GROUP President Jim Brewer II
• AVA and the River Gallery offer diverse new shows to kick off the new year. » 15
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MakeWork’s Match Point The Bowl has been dominated with less than positive news in the past couple of weeks. Much has been said about the persistent problems of violence that tarnish our reputation as a city and its vision, so this week we’re happy to report about some unique people and organizations that can produce results in areas where they apply themselves. The announcement last week that the MakeWork program had successfully met it’s fundraising challenge of 2:1 match offered by the Lyndhurst Foundation was shaft of light for those who might be less than enthused about our city’s New Year start. The organization has raised $300,000 for the artist entrepreneurial program. Born out of CreateHere, which is in its last days of “Supernova,” the self-imposed plan of the parent organization to cease to exist, but continues it’s genetic legacy through ventures like MakeWork. Theses grants are made to artists who look to produce new ventures. The grants are awarded in three major categories: Project Grants, Studio Assistance or Career Advancement Grants, with the maximum amount awarded being $15,000. The diversity of past recipients
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It’s likely anyone reading this has been impacted by one of these grant recipients. With the successful matching funds ... it’s likely that impact will be reaching even further. were on display at MakeWork’s annual showcase on Dec. 3, 2011, during the MAINX24 festival, and it’s that diversity that is a core strength of the program.
The larger idea behind this is the fundamental belief that those who work in the creative fields can invest in the community and have economic and cultural impacts. According to a report from the Och’s Center for Metropolitan Studies, between 2008 and 2011, 472 individuals applied for MakeWork grants which selected 84 applicants awarding a combined investment of $655,000. With grant recipients spanning a wide range of concentrations, the investment in the “creative economy” looks to continue providing support for what is often the most visible and intrinsically valued portions of our city. It’s likely anyone reading this has been impacted by one of these grant recipients. With the successful matching funds now being secured, it’s likely that impact will be reaching even further. And here’s a hint for any MakeWork grant Artists reading this that are looking for a good space to explore doing something creative in, 412 Market Street (soon to be vacated by Mosaic) is available. —Zachary Cooper
UnFoundation set to award first grant Speaking of money that might have your name on it if you have the right idea, The UnFoundation will be making it’s first monthly $2,000 grant in the next couple of weeks. The UnFoundation got it’s start during the 24Hour Launch event where cofounders Joda Thongnopnua and Bijan Dhanani and their business plan won the top-tier funding prize for new, innovative ideas. It’s approach to raising and dolling out grant money is very different in it’s size, it’s speed and it’s execution. Each month, applicants will submit their idea to a a brief online form through the UnFoundation’s website. Small, nimble and
able to make come to the decision making process quickly, the organization looks to make a fast impact on a diverse amount of organizations. We chatted with UnFoundation Co-Founder Bijan Dhanani about it’s scope and it’s operations. The Pulse: The UnFoundation looks to cut through lengthy grant application processes for people with ideas to gain access to capital. Do you envision the grants increasing beyond the current $2,000 amount or is this scale important to keeping things simple? Bijan Dhanani: Keeping things simple is definitely a
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Dizzy Town
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Live from the Chattanooga Choo Choo
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A blog in print about politics, media & other strange bedfellows
Post Holiday Round-up • Club Fathom/Mosaic: Looks like all the hubbub over the Mosaic Church and Club Fathom will come to an end on Jan. 31—at least inasmuch that the group will no longer be located at 412 Market St. Pastor Tim Reid and his church/club operations have been evicted from the property and have been asked to vacate by the end of the month. That solves one issue. Let’s see where Reid’s operation ends up next and if the gang problem and other issues requiring police calls follow. A quick check of the daily newswire reveals the shooting hasn’t stopped around town. Sure hope the mayor’s $75,000 study will put the kibosh on all this Wild West stuff. • Recall Ron: Mayor Littlefield continues to try to thwart the recall effort aimed at ousting him from office with a special election this August, but that hasn’t stopped his potential replacements from picking up papers to enter the race to be Chattanooga’s new mayor. As Nooga.com reported recently, at least a handful of people were at Hamilton County Election Commission headquarters last week to file, with recall effort leader Jim Folkner leading the notable. Also in line were Landon Howard of Chattanooga Organized for Action and Guy Satterfield, a city employee. On the sidelines? Councilman Andrae McGary who told the news website he was there to show “solidary and support.” Uh-hum. Jump in, Andrae, we know you want it! • Tennessee Tea Party: And finallly, the Tennessee Tea Party has called it quits, according to Nooga. com. It’s not the only Tea Party affiliate in the state, but with 4,500 members, it must be one of the largest. Who counts those people? Certainly not us. Apparently the TTP’s leaders are in the midst of some “spiritual battle of all times” that has something to do with Barney Frank. Oh well, Good Riddance!
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... we want to help people start new things and create simple and exciting projects that represent low hanging fruit—projects that anyone can understand ... tion throughout the entire creation process. We’ve just started reviewing the applications, and already have more than 10 without much publicity. I’m extremely excited to see the continued evolution of this project. The Pulse: Are there sectors of business or noprofit that The UnFoundation is particularly interested in granting to or is
THE PULSE PRESENTS
WINTERFEST
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS W/ JONATHAN COULTON
TERRI CLARK
"ROOTS AND WINGS UNPLUGGED" W/ JEFF ROSS
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core value. Although the thought of growth is an attractive one, we want this grant to remain simple, easy and accessible. We have locked in to our current size for a year (12 grant cycles) and will re-evaluate at the end of those 12 months. Each month, we’ll offer up to $2000, and at the end of the year we’ll offer a $10,000-plus grant for a larger scale project. The Pulse: After the successful jumpstart for The UnFoundation at 24Hour Launch, you’re reviewing the first round of applications for the the first grant. How has it been going in terms of the original vision. Has the organization made adjustments thought the initial process? Dhanani: Its been surprising how much we’ve stuck to the original vision. Although the idea has evolved, our core concept of offering micro-grants with as few hoops to jump through has remained. We’ve definitely adjusted, but we were open to evolu-
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TICKETS AVAILABLE AT it case by case, completely open to ideas of all types? Dhanani: Nope, we’re not preferential to any specific sector. Legally, we’ve organized this so that we are allowed to accept any sort of idea from any individual or organization. We are, however, open about the types of projects that we’ll be pushing for. Selfcontained, charitable projects that can be executed using our funding as the primary source, will be more likely to get funded. Although we’re open to any project, we most likely wouldn’t fund an existing effort that our money would only partially fund. As opposed to being a means for people’s fundraising efforts, or a way to maintain their existing effort, we want to help people start new things and create simple and exciting projects that represent low hanging fruit—projects that anyone can understand and be a part of. More info at theunfoundation.org.
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chattanoogapulse.com • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • The Pulse • 5
On the Beat
alex teach
Gang Problem? Good as Solved Nine people were shot at a teen club on Christmas morning. The new politically correct phrase used to describe both victims and suspects both “urban youth,” five of the nine shot being juveniles. So what does that mean? Time to solve “The Gang Problem” for the cameras. Oh, there have been other shootings at that location (or specifically, just outside the club by people who had just been inside, which of course absolves the owner of any responsibility as far as he is concerned). There have been rapes there, too. And stabbings, and … well, you get the picture—it’s a “church” after all. But this one made national news, so now we’ll go ahead and “solve the problem.” Let’s start with the person making the declaration: Mayor Ron Littlefield. He’s the same guy who decided to save money by not hiring cops for two of the last three years and freezing pay for the rest, pre-recession. (“Fact,” Ron, for when you call me a liar to make yourself feel better.) Littlefield saved more money in the last eight months by removing police cars (also known as “response vehicles” and “emergency equipment mobile storage areas”) from 58 percent
of those remaining officers. (“Fact.”.) So this is the guy who’s going to solve “The Chattanooga Gang Problem.” Feel better? Besides the dozens of dollars saved by reducing public safety officers, incentives to stay and their equipment, the mayor is shoring this up by spending money on a “study” to further access the gang threat. (I bet you thought he was going to form a Blue Ribbon Committee, didn’t you? Fools. A “study” means he is serious this time!) And he’s doing so by diverting $75,000 set aside for developing minority businesses. Personally, I thought he was going to initially involve the head of a local gang unit (known as the Crime Suppression Unit) because he is on the street in the middle of the night with nine other cops actually meeting, documenting and detaining actual “gang members” where they live, work and play. Or maybe the head of the lo-
cal SRO program that deals with at-risk youth first-hand in the schools. Heck, maybe get someone out of the local adult and juvenile jails who deals with the adult gangsters 24/7 in captivity. But no. The mayor knows who knows inner-city crime and gang problems better than any gang task-force cop or jailer or SRO: A lawyer and a consultant. Zing! I’m an idiot! In fairness, I am not a personal friend of Boyd Patterson, but I do think extremely highly of him. He is an absolute professional and dedicated to the law and prosecuting criminals—a man of integrity and a wolverine when facing a daunting task such as this. I also believe he and his co-director (a housing official and ordained minister) will include the right people as they should, but the action of the Great Problem Solver Littlefield makes for great comic relief at first blush. Particularly since the two Gang Czars are being hired six months before the completion of any $75,000 “study” after pissing away $70,000 on a parking lot to secure police cars that used to patrol gang areas. (I will leave out the fact that local State Sen. Andy Berke (DChattanooga), whose district was just redistricted as major-
ity “R,” is coincidentally thinking about running for mayor and is suddenly (and publicly) praising Gov. Bill Haslam’s new comprehensive statewide public safety plan and its impact on Chattanooga. That’s lowhanging fruit for the next guy to write about.) Instead, I was hoping to make fun of a committee to be comprised of local ministers and assorted clergy to talk about how bad gangs are at 8 a.m., 9 a.m., 11 a.m. then again at 6 p.m. once or twice a week for up to two weeks—and only inside their churches. We have to do that every six months or else the public will think Local Elected Officials have no idea what the hell to do about gangs, since they don’t come to meetings or press conferences where they can be addressed. But what did I get? A “study,” two people hired at $150,000 in salaries and more in benefits, and a hint at another $500,000 that will be needed for the recreation centers that he (wait for it!) defunded in the last three years, just as he did the police department. Please don’t say I’m alone in appreciating the irony. Never one to criticize and run, however, let me pass on a tip to Mr. Patterson from another cop who (coincidentally
works the “bad” areas of town): The biggest challenge is going to be to get communities that believe being in a gang and slinging dope are normal, to change their belief systems. How does the mayor expect to stop young people from listening to music and learning from role models they live with? The core of the problem is that these communities need to fix their culture of acceptance of illegal activities. The surrounding communities can lend support, but the fix must come from the inside and work its way out toward the helping hands on the outside. That’s a start. I’m making fun of The Great Peace Bringer and Budgetarian, but I do believe in Boyd Patterson and the eventual inclusion of people actually dealing with the target audience at hand. But until then? Thanks for helping us reap what you have sewn, Your Honor. (Not a fact this time, but certainly this columnist’s opinion and that of a few thousand other affected parties.) Columnist Alex Teach is a full-time police officer of nearly 20 years’ experience. The opinions expressed are his own. Follow him on Facebook at facebook.com/alex.teach.
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Book-Ending Your Day in the New Year Well, here we are in the first days of the New Year, and undoubtedly New Year’s intentions and resolutions are on the minds of many. Each year in this column I discuss the enormous power of setting healthy intentions for yourself. And I’d suggest to you that “typical” resolutions are very different from the kinds of intentions I’m referring to. For example, it might be common to set a resolution that goes something like, “This year I’m going to lose 20 pounds.” Or, “I resolve to do better in school.” Or perhaps, “I will make a better effort to be on time and stop being late for everything.” “I will pay more attention to my kid’s schoolwork.” “I will call my parents more.” OK … all created with the idea of changing some behavior about yourself. Or, you can consider setting an intention that doesn’t address merely a behavior, but addresses a deep-seated and honest desire to evolve into the kind of person you’ve been wanting to become, perhaps for some time now. An example might be, “I intend to be the kind of person who is vigilant about my health.” You can see how this aligns more deeply with who you want to be, not just what you want to do. Those 20 pounds will likely take care of themselves, as your focus now involves what may be a whole range of healthy thinking, speaking and doing in order to become a healthier, more aware you.
All the “typical” resolutions can be re-worded (and re-thought) in this same fashion. “Doing better in school” becomes “Valuing and fully using my mind.” “Stop being late” becomes “Someone who is respectful of my time and other’s.” “Call parents more” becomes “An intention to be more loving.” You can play with this and find what works best for you. So, what if we invest our energy toward this type of deep,
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inner change more than once a year? What if we re-visit who we wish to become on a monthly basis? Or weekly? Or even daily? I’m a big advocate for paying special attention to two very important moments in the course of your day: when you first wake up, and again right before you go to sleep. These are powerful states of consciousness, where the mind is open and receptive. In the morning, before your mind has revved up to organize all the things you have to do—the lists of chores, the responsibilities to others, the work at the office—you haven’t layered on the defenses that we humans naturally wear in order to navigate the ups and downs that lie ahead. When you first wake up, you’re still in a state where your mind is vulnerable, raw, ready to be seduced. At night, as you’re shedding the physical and emotional events of the day, general fatigue helps you return to a similar state of consciousness, where your defenses are again slowly dropping away, thoughts are clearing out, to be replaced by a quieter mind. As you’ve read many times in this column, we have lots of choice in creating our reality. Our thoughts, words and
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Our thoughts, words and deeds all play a major role in co-architecting our life in concert with our Universe. deeds all play a major role in co-architecting our life in concert with our Universe. So sure, you can start and end your day with news and noise from outside. But you have choice: you can either allow external input to determine what fills your mind, or you can empower yourself to choose the content and quality of thoughts to begin and end your day with. I encourage people to begin their day with an intention, a goal. For instance, “Today I will wear a smile.” Or, “I will be sober.” “With every breath, I will have faith in myself.” “I will be courageous.” “Today I work in harmony with my Higher Power.” “Today I am going to be well.” And I encourage people to end their day with an at-
titude of gratitude. Exhale, and let your mind fill with all the positives that have visited your life. By choosing to put these thoughts in your receptive, quieting mind, you close out your day’s experience with a sense of peace. I’ve heard celebrated author Dr. Wayne Dyer refer to this as “… quiet time with God. In the morning before you’re fully awake, and again as you’re going to sleep, be in a state of appreciation,” he suggests, “and say aloud, I want to feel good!” I encourage you to ponder how you’d like to “book-end” your day. (Perhaps book-ending can be an intention in itself.) And see how it makes a difference in who you become this year. Until next time: “Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.” —author unknown Dr. Rick Pimental-Habib, Ph.D., is a psychotherapist, minister, and educator, in private practice in Chattanooga, and the author of “Empowering the Tribe” and “The Power of a Partner.” Visit his website at www.DrRPH.com.
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CALENDAR
LIST
» pulse picks
THUR01.12
THE JAN. 12-18
EASY LEMON
An Intimate Evening With Thollem McDonas
MUSIC Behold the Brave with El Cantador • Young band with a great debut album. 9 p.m. • The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 468-4192 • thehonestpint.com
Set The Controls: A Tribute to Pink Floyd 01.13 • Rhythm & Brews • See Pulse Picks
» pulse pick OF THE LITTER
All Ravel, All Night
EVENT AVA Members Juried Exhibition • Emerging artists show new work through Feb. 11 at the AVA Gallery. 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-4282 • avarts.org
FRI01.13 MUSIC Set The Controls: A Tribute To Pink Floyd • Welcome to the machine. 9 p.m. • Rhythm and Brews 221 Market St. • rhythm-brews.com
EVENT Floyd J. Phillips and Stu McCalister The intimate space known as the Easy Lemon joins with the Shaking Ray Levi Society to bring the bold improvisational piano stylings of Thollem McDonas to Chattanooga on Thursday, Jan. 19. McDonas is an often astounding improvisational pianist who tours perpetually as a soloist, vocalist and collaborator, regularly covering much of North America and Europe playing free music. In the past six years, he has added 23 albums to his discography on 10 different vanguard record labels in four different countries. His musical experiences are extremely diverse and his ever-expanding variety of approaches to making music result in dramatically new and different outcomes. McDonas routinely plays punk clubs, museums, concert halls and riots and has won numerous awards. “McDonas welds elements of jazz and classical music into a mighty tower of song” said the Riverfront Times, the St. Louis alt-weekly . Check this one out! Thollem McDonas 01.19 $5 • 8 p.m. Easy Lemon, 1440 Adams St. (423) 910-9729 easylemon.wordpress.com
• Stand-up comedy. 9:30 p.m. • Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 • funnydinner.com
SAT01.14 MUSIC Endelouze • CD release show with Justin and the Cosmics, Matt and Marty Bohannon. 9 p.m. • JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400
EVENT Hullabowloo • Music, food and an auction merge to benefit the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. 7 p.m. • Chattanooga Area Food Bank, 2009 Curtain Pole Road • (423) 622-1800 • hullabowloo. com
SUN01.15 MUSIC
CSO Masterworks: “Bolero” and other works by Ravel featuring pianist Inon Barnatan SAT 01.14 • Maestra Kayoko Dan will lead the CSO in a program of works by the French composer Maurice Ravel including “Bolero,” with poetic and passionate pianist Inon Barnatan. 8 p.m. • Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 • chattanoogasymphyony.org
8 • The Pulse • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
John Cowan Trio • Newgrass pioneer, Doobie Brother. Enough said. 7:30 p.m. • Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 • barkinglegs.org
EVENT Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival • Celebrate Sandhill Cranes. 8 a.m. • Birchwood Elementary School, 5623 Tennessee Hwy. 60. • tncranefestival.org
Music Lungs of Love By Tara V There are so many areas of you to satisfy in this lifetime. Each year we are evolving, either changing our minds or finally making them up. We are a result of our surroundings yet what makes each one of us different is how we handle it. The poor kid rises out of shambles while the rich kid medicates at the idea of being alone.
Amy Ray, one half of The Indigo Girls, brings her solo act to town. I learned a long time ago that not one person’s story is more important then the other and there can be no one-upping when it comes to our separate tragedies. Not only is this what I think personally, but it is my interpretation of a song that was being performed and recorded when my life was barely beginning and was a centerpiece of the evolving life of two Southern girls from Decatur, Ga. The song, “Kid Fears” off a 1987 album would become the song that 24 years later Amy Ray of The Indigo Girls said started it all. It was that year these elelementary school friends made their minds up and pursue their true love, music. Amy Ray and Emily Sailers would embark on one of the greatest adventures of their lives as The Indigo Girls. From this time on these two women became icons in the world of equal rights and environmental activism, Grammy Award-winning musicians and even dabbled in the role
of Jesus and Mary Magdalene to Atlanta audiences. A wild ride I would imagine and while each has carried on solo projects, such as Ray’s Deamon Records, established in 1990 to support independent musicians, and Sailer’s love of publishing and providing unique dining experiences, each has maintained a sense of self. Currently filling in the gaps between touring with The Indigo Girls, Ray is able to stay close to home as she tours with friends Lindsay Fuller and Jeff Feilder. The trio is performing a limited number of acoustic sets and Chattanooga is on that lucky list when Ray visits Rhythm and Brews on Tuesday, Jan. 17. I asked Ray what song from her solo career seemed to start it all, a song where a not-so-knowledgeable lad start and really get a sense of her music. “Laramie” was her reply. The title stems from Laramie, Wyo., and
shadows the events behind Matthew Shepard, a young man who was tragically killed for being homosexual in 1998. When I touched on how to continue the acceptance of our LGBT friends, Ray said community involvement and living your life as an example of good no matter your preferences. In addition to dealing with her own “kid fears” growing up in the conservative South, her solo side has been able to satisfy her edgier, almost punk rock leaning. During her Chattanooga show, you will hear an even different notion as Lindsay Fuller brings her almost southern gothic and gypsy stylings to the table. Fuller’s visit to her southern hometown made this a perfect opportunity for the two to get together not only in support of each other but on Ray’s new album, “Lung of Love,” hitting the streets on Feb 28. The album expresses her idea that the lung, not the heart, is where her love evolves and includes many guest vocals and a wide range of sound. When you’ve played with the likes of R.E.M., Joan Baez, Jackson Brown, Patti Smith and Bon Iver, it seems easy to let your head get bigger then your heart, but this down-home Southern Girl has stayed true all of these years by letting her life vibrate through her lungs for all of us. Amy Ray 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17 Rhythm and Brews 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644 rhythm-brews.com chattanoogapulse.com • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • The Pulse • 9
Chattanooga Live Thur 01.12
Wednesday • January 11
Elkmilk • Thief Thursday • January 12 Lon Eldridge • Woody Pines The Snake Doctors Friday • January 13 Cadillac Saints Stokeswood The Black Cadillacs Saturday • January 14 Endelouze Friday • January 27 Banditos • Strung Like A Horse Saturday • January 28 Smooth Dialects • Milele Roots
Brock Blues Band 8 p.m. The Lounge at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www. thepalmsathamilton. com Bear Scott 8 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Dr., Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065. www. ringgoldacoustic.com Jordan Halquist 8 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St., #100. (423) 634-0260. www. marketstreettavern. com Behold the Brave with El Cantador 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 468-4192. www. thehonestpint.com. The Bluegrass Pharaohs 9 p.m. Rhythm and Brews, 221 Market St. www.rhythmbrews.com. Lon Eldridge, Woody Pines, The Snake Doctors 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400.
PULSE PICK John Cowan Trio • Newgrass pioneer, Doobie Brother. Enough said. 01.15 • 7:30 p.m. • Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 • barkinglegs.org
Fri 01.13 Bounty Hunter 8 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Dr., Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065. www. ringgoldacoustic.com Elton Hendrix 8 p.m. The Foundry (at the Chattanoogan Hotel), 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400. www. chattanooganhotel. com. The Cadillac Saints, Stokeswood, The Black Cadillacs 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. Jonathan Whimpee 9 p.m. The Office,
Sat 01.14
The Sound of Chattanooga
PULSE PICK Endelouze
Follow.
901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191. Bud Lightning 9 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956. www. sugarsribs.com. Queen B and The Well Strung Band 9 p.m. Barts Lakeshore, 5600 Lakeshore Dr. (423) 870-0777. www. bartslakeshore.com. Set The Controls; A Tribute To Pink Floyd 9:30 p.m. Rhythm and Brews, 221 Market St. www. rhythm-brews.com. Crossfire 10 p.m. SKYZOO, 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 468-4533. www. skyzoochattanooga. com. Fried Chicken Trio 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878. www. budssportsbar.com Jordan Hallquist and the Outfit 10 p.m. T-Bones, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240. www. tboneschattanooga. com.
01.14 • 9 p.m. • JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400
10 • The Pulse • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
Hargerty and Deyoung 6:30 p.m. Southside Saloon and Bistro, 1301 Chestnut St. (423)
757-4730. southsidesaloonandbistro.com Cool Nights Concert Series at the Jewish Cultural Center : Dexter Bell and Friends 7 p.m. The Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 N Terrace Rd. (423) 493-0270. www. jewishchattanooga. com. Elton Hendrix 8 p.m. The Foundry (at the Chattanoogan Hotel), 1201 Broad St. (423) 756-3400. www. chattanooganhotel. com. Queen B and The Well Strung Band 8 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Dr., Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065. www. ringgoldacoustic.com Endelouze 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. Bryan Jones & The Married Men 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191. Bud Lightning 9 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956. www. sugarsribs.com. Breakfast Club 10 p.m. Rhythm and Brews, 221 Market St. www.rhythmbrews.com. Channing Wilson 10 p.m. T-Bones, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240. www. tboneschattanooga. com. Crossfire 10 p.m. SKYZOO, 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 468-4533. www. skyzoochattanooga. com.
Sun 01.15 John Cowan Trio
7:30 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347. www.barkinglegs.org
Mon 01.16 Mark “Porkchop” Holder 8 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956. www. sugarsribs.com.
Tue 01.17 Amy Ray of Indigo Girls with Lindsay Fuller 8 p.m. Rhythm and Brews, 221 Market St. www.rhythmbrews.com.
Wed 01.18 John Lathim w/ John Cady 7:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956. www. sugarsribs.com. Prime Cut Trio 8 p.m. The Lounge at The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Rd., #202. (423) 499-5055. www. thepalmsathamilton. com Callooh! Callay! with Bryan Hensley 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 468-4192. www. thehonestpint.com. 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400. Arlo Gilliam 9 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Rd. (423) 499-9878. www. budssportsbar.com
Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send live music listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com.
INTERVIEW
Weston Wamp
He’s 24, hot and ambitious—a young man in a hurry. In this 20 questionsstyle interview, Wamp talks about politics and his quest for office, as well as his relationship status and his verdict on the music of Coldplay and more. Weston Wamp is the son of former U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, the eight-term Republican congressman who gave up his seat in an unsuccessful bid to become governor of Tennessee. Not yet 25 (the legal age to be elected to Congress, Wamp will reach that milestone in March), the younger Wamp is aiming high, seeking to replace Chuck Fleischmann as representative of the 3rd District of Tennessee in Congress. The Pulse has teased and taunted Wamp for his youth and hubris, but his name recognition and fundraising ability are hard to ignore. In December, he raised more than $250,000 in a single night—a record for the district—giving incumbent Fleischmann reason for concern. In an attempt to mimic Playboy’s famed 20 Questions interviews, we submitted, well, 20 questions, to Wamp—some serious, some flighty, but all intended to reveal his views and personality, the latter of which is something that’s not reported on much. His answers are, we think, both revealing and, in some cases, carefully crafted. Our intent was to give the candidate an opportunity to represent himself in an uninterpreted manner. What did we find?
The responses speak for themselves, but Wamp is certainly compelling, possessed of conviction (if not our sort) and fun. He’s young and inexperienced but spirited (we’ll give him that) and, if he wins, it may be as much a result of the collective discontent with Congress as much as his name or ideas. Of course The Pulse will offer similar questions and the same opportunity to each candidate in the coming months, but we’re young and sexy, too, so we begin 2012 and the campaign season with young Weston. These are his answers, unedited except for grammar and style. You know the rap: You’re young, inexperienced and running on your family name. Why not lower your sights, run for city council and build a resume? What’s the rush? I think climbing the political ladder can be very disingenuous. We need people to step forward and offer to serve at the level of government where they are passionate about making an impact. I have the utmost respect for people who serve at the local level, but I’m passionate about the need for our reckless federal government to hear from my generation before it’s too
late. The federal government is borrowing more than $4 billion per day with no serious intentions to stop—that’s the rush. In your view, what’s the biggest issue facing the 3rd District and what do you intend to do about it? Any time unemployment is as high as 9 percent, that has to be the biggest issue facing our district and our country. Most jobs are created by small businesses and the federal government has stifled growth by causing uncertainty in the minds of the risk takers and entrepreneurs who drive our economy. If government would simply do its job—no more, no less—it would go a long way to restoring confidence. The tax code needs to be thrown out and drastically simplified, onerous federal regulations like Obamacare need to be eliminated and Congress has got to quit trying to fix the economy with short-term policies. You set a district record for fundraising— more than $250,000 in one night! That’s an amazing haul. How much is it going to take to send Chuck Fleischmann back to Ooltewah? »P12
PHOTOS BY LESHA PATTERSON FOR THE PULSE chattanoogapulse.com • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • The Pulse • 11
“ If you will avoid the incendiary rhetoric that has become so common, you can
develop relationships across the aisle and that’s how real consensus can be built. The good news is that all it takes to win is the most votes. Money and special interests have way too much influence in politics today. I’m just trying to raise enough to get my message out there and I’m grateful that so many respected leaders in our community have invested in my campaign. You call yourself a member of the so-called “Debt-Paying Generation” who will have to clean up the mess their predecessors made of government, the economy and the American Dream. It’s going to take a lot of work to pay all this off. Do you blame your dad and his peers in Congress and what’s it going take to climb out of this hole? It doesn’t help to point fingers. This is about generational responsibility and it’s my generation’s time to show some leadership. To climb out of this hole we need to do two things: Restore sanity by forcing the federal government to quit spending money it doesn’t have and to restore confidence in government by electing people to Congress who will look long term for solutions—not just to the next election. The current Congress has the lowest approval ratings ever, which might be good for your campaign, and a reputation for “all-or-nothing” partisan politics that’s forcing gridlock on almost every issue. Do you believe the Tea Party is to blame? And how do you intend to navigate between the extremist elements ruling Congress? Common-sense, long-term solutions will prevail if people in Congress will step forward and lead rather than playing political games. I am going to work to find the common ground that exists on big issues like entitlement reform and tax reform so that we can move beyond the petty partisanship
that has caused the gridlock in Washington. If you will avoid the incendiary rhetoric that has become so common, you can develop relationships across the aisle and that’s how real consensus can be built. Several females in our office think you’re, well, hot, and are inclined to vote for you based solely on your dimples and hard body. Do you have a serious girlfriend or are you playing the field? That’s flattering, but I’m realizing that running for Congress doesn’t leave a lot of time for a personal life. On the same note, you’re single, young, good looking. If elected, how do you intend to navigate the wiles of Washington and stay out of trouble? I’ll stay grounded by spending as much time as possible back home in Chattanooga. I’ve got an incredible support system of family, friends and supporters here as well as many friends in Washington who will be watching my back. In politics, as in life, surrounding yourself with the right people makes all the difference. You rock a pretty stylish casual look, kind of a Southern preppy thing and we dig it, especially the rough five o’clock shadow. Tell us about your style aesthetic. Blazer, jeans and cowboy boots are my standard—I’ve been told it’s “urban cowboy.” I said at the beginning of my campaign that I was running because it’s time for some young people step up and bring new ideas and fresh blood to Washington, so I’m not going to start dressing like I’m 50 in the process. I think voters want people in elected office who are “real” for a change, but when it’s time to wear a suit, I’ve got no problem cleaning up. And my friend Corky Coker would want you to know that I
12 • The Pulse • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
shave daily now. We’ve been watching the Facebook pages of 3rd District candidates. You’ve got 3,740 friends on your personal page and only 662 on your Public Figure page. We figure you’d have recruited all your buds to follow your campaign page. What’s up with that and is social media an important tool to your campaign?
“
I just don’t believe our country’s problems will be solved by the ‘99 percent’ complaining about the ‘1 percent.’ In this country of all places, hard work and success should not be vilified. Social media is an incredibly important tool for our campaign and you’ll see us do some creative stuff throughout this year to engage voters through Facebook and Twitter. However, there’s a little confusion between my personal page and my public figure profile since both are listed as Weston Wamp, so I get dozens of friend requests some days. We’re working on that one. (For the record, the campaign page is Facebook. com/westonwampcongress.) Lightning Round Question No. 1—The McRib: Pork waste on a bun or saucy riblets of seasonal McGoodness? I’ll go with a Big Mac. You haven’t said much about a plan or a platform yet, but we’re guessing you’re about to unleash that puppy
soon. Can you give us some details? By the middle of February I will roll out my plan for the first steps we need to take to strengthen our country and restore confidence in government. It’s going to be pragmatic, specific and hard hitting. I can’t wait to talk about solutions with the people of Tennessee’s 3rd District—there’s not enough of that anymore. If you could have dinner with any historical figures, dead or alive, who would sit at your dream dinner table? The Wright Brothers, daring American visionaries; William Wilberforce, the young leader of a movement to abolish British slave trade; Dave Ramsey, best known for his no-nonsense approach to solving financial problems; U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, future leader of the conservative movement; and any one of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence. Lightning Round Question No. 2—Who’s the president of Uzbekistan? Just kidding! Whose your candidate in the presidential election and why? Like a lot of voters, I’m still undecided. But I’m taking a hard look at John Wolfe. You came down pretty hard on the Occupy Movement, saying it’s time quit “whining,” now it’s time to “roll up their sleeves.” Time magazine made “The Protestor” its Person of the Year. Do you believe the movement has accomplished nothing? They have raised awareness of some legitimate corporate corruption issues. I just don’t believe our country’s problems will be solved by the “99 percent” complaining about the “1 percent.” In this country of all places, hard work and success should not be vilified. You’ve said Chuck is a nice guy, but represents the status quo. What is the “status quo”
from the perspective of your generation? Excessive partisanship and shortsighted, politically motivated policy define the status quo in Washington right now. I think we’ve seen both from Representative Fleischmann. Coldplay: “The critics are wrong! They’re a great band.” Or Coldplay: “Overrated hitmakers. They suck!” Where are you on this? I drive a Ford F-150, you think I listen to Coldplay? Could you take Obama in a pick-up game? I hope so. I’ve got 26 years on the president. But I’ve heard he’s hard to stop when he goes left. You mention God—a lot—in your interviews. Religion obviously plays a big role in your life. Give us an example of how your faith has influenced you in life. Jesus set an example of fearless living that has withstood the test of time. As believers, we are called to lead and take risks when necessary—Scripture tells us we have not been given “a spirit of timidity, but of power, love and self discipline.” At the end of the day I hope people will see my faith through my actions much more than by my words. What is the last book you read? “Common Ground” by Cal Thomas and Bob Beckel. You’ve grown up around politics. What’s the main thing you’ve learned from your father? To be motivated by impact, not money or power. He is such a passionate, joyful guy, much like my grandfather Don Wamp was, and I think it’s because he made his life about other people, not himself. At a time when many politicians were just looking out for themselves, he really took public service seriously. n
“
It doesn’t help to point fingers. This is about generational responsibility and it’s my generation’s time to show some leadership. Weston Wamp
chattanoogapulse.com • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • The Pulse • 13
901 Carter St (Inside Days Inn) 423-634-9191 Thursday, Jan. 12: 9pm
Open Mic: Mark Holder Friday, Jan. 13: 9pm
Jonathan Whimpee Saturday, Jan 14: 9pm
Bryan Jones & The Married Men Sunday, Jan. 8
Sunday Night Football • $5 Pitchers
Tuesday, Jan. 10
Server Appreciation Night
$5 Pitchers • $2 Wells • $1.50 Domestics
All shows are free with dinner or 2 drinks! Stop by & check out our daily specials! Happy Hour: Mon-Fri: 4-7pm $1 10oz drafts, $3 32oz drafts, $2 Wells, $1.50 Domestics, Free Appetizers
Facebook.com/theofficechatt
Nightly Specials Mon: 50¢ Wings • $3 Sweetwaters Tues: $1 Tacos • 1/2 Price Margaritas Wed: Wine Night + Live Jazz! Thur: Burger & Beer Night Sat: $2 Domestics Noon to Midnight
Music
Mondays: Mountain Music Wednesday • Jan. 11 Live Jazz with
The Ben Friberg Trio Thursday • Jan. 12 Songwriter Showcase with
Jordan Hallquist with Emily Pate & Cody James Harris
Friday • Jan. 13 TBA Saturday • Jan. 14 Gaslight Street • 10pm 850 Market Street• 423.634.0260 Facebook.com/marketstreettavern
Regular Gigs Thursdays Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road. (423) 499-5055. thepalmsathamilton.com Songwriters Showcase with Jordan Hallquist 7 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. marketstreettavern.com Gentlemen’s Jazz Quartet 8 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956. sugarsribs.com Open Mic with Mark Holder 9 p.m. The Office (inside Days Inn), 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191. Find them on Facebook
Fridays Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000. choochoo.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road. (423) 499-5055. thepalmsathamilton.com
Saturdays Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000. choochoo.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton,6925 Shallowford Road. (423) 499-5055. thepalmsathamilton.com
Mondays Big Band Night 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road. (423) 499-5055. thepalmsathamilton.com Mountain Music 9 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260
Tuesdays Open Mic Night 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. www.funnydinner.com
Wednesdays Jimmy Harris 6:30 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road. (423) 499-5055. thepalmsathamilton.com Ben Friberg Trio 7 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260. Roger Alan Wade 7 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956. sugarsribs.com
14 • The Pulse • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
Between the Sleeves Revisiting the ’80s ERNIE PAIK
Most of the British label 4AD’s hit acts—including Pixies, The Breeders, and M/A/R/R/S—don’t have the sound with which the label was often pegged in the 1980s and early ’90s: a sort of gloomy-but-pretty post-punk ethereal style. However, if there was an act that epitomized this This Mortal Coil aesthetic, it’s This “This Mortal Coil” Mortal Coil, the project of label co(4AD) founder Ivo WattsRussell. Involving a variety of musicians and singers, it recorded original instrumentals and cover songs from diverse acts such as Big Star, Talking Heads and Judy Collins with a sort of sophisticated, if pretentious, melancholia. The release at hand is a four-CD boxed set, compiling the group’s entire discography of three albums plus a bonus fourth disc, entitled “Dust & Guitars,” which should be of particular interest to fans as it collects the group’s single and EP tracks, including the out-of-print, previously vinyl-only Modern English-cover twosome “16 Days / Gather-
ing Dust,” “Acid, Bitter & Sad” (one of the best This Mortal Coil originals) from the “Lonely Is An Eyesore” compilation, and an unreleased single, featuring a cover of Neil Young’s “We Never Danced” with a minimal cello, piano and fake harpsichord arrangement behind Alison Limerick’s emotive vocals. At its best, This Mortal Coil was utterly mind-blowing, transcendent and beautiful. The gorgeous, room-silencing voice-andguitar cover of Tim Buckley’s “Song to the Siren,” performed by Cocteau Twins members Elizabeth Fraser and Robin Guthrie, is one of the group’s pinnacles. Unfortunately, time has not been so kind to other moments in This Mortal Coil’s catalog, which often utilized now painfully outdated elements from the ’80s such as gated drum machine beats and Yamaha synthesizer preset tones, alongside the more palatable string arrangements. Other 4AD acts are perhaps more deserving of the lavish boxed-set treatment (where’s the love for His Name Is Alive?) but This Mortal Coil works as an art object and memento—the final word on a project with several dizzying high points but mostly material that was better in theory than in practice, before it shuffled off.
“Replica,” the new album from Oneohtrix Point Never, a project of Brooklyn musician Daniel Lopatin, focuses on audio samples taken from a DVD compilation of television commercials from the 1980s and is enhanced with notes from a Roland Juno-60, an early ’80’s analog synth. Oneohtrix Some of you may Point Never be groaning already, “Replica” but “Replica” is not (Mexican in the same category as the seemSummer) ingly endless parade of ironic, distanced new music that oozes with cheesy synth nostalgia. After listening to the album, it seems like the use of these samples is less of a gimmick than a deliberate artistic constraint. Lopatin doesn’t try to ape Giorgio Moroder or even allude to any obvious pop reference points that flourished 30 years ago. Instead, he centers
on creating a fascinating piece of sound art, more in line with avant-garde musique concrète and Brian Eno’s ambient music. The commercial samples are rough, seemingly on purpose—they are often lowfidelity snippets, sometimes without clean beginnings or endings; vocal pieces are interrupted, and instruments stutter violently. The rhythms of the looped samples are mostly irregular, and when drum samples are used, they provide more of a texture or a presence than a backbone for the songs. The album really seems to come together nearly halfway through, starting with the title track. “Nassau” is a sloppy jumble of sounds that actually works, in its own schizoid, confusing way, and it’s followed by “Submersible,” which is a straight-up ambient number, with cascading waves of gentle notes. “Child Soldier” is fittingly titled, a deeply unsettling, yet playful track. The closing “Explain” features a positive, nearly angelic mood, ending an enigmatic album by derailing many expectations gleaned from its source materials, instrumentation, and methods.
Arts Diversity at AVA, River galleries By Michael Crumb AVA Gallery opened its member show ON JAN. 6 to enthusiastic attendance as a dozen artists presented works exploring a range of media. This show was “Juried” by Rocky Horton, who is chair of the art department at Lipscomb University. Lauren Goforth facilitated this presentation with an easy flow among the pieces that included a sense of harmonic symmetry of the whole. Over in the Bluff View Arts District, the River Gallery presents works by Sammie Nicely and James Conner, who are African-American artists both with different approaches. Nicely engages in both two- and three-dimensional collages in which his original works in clay, ceramics and paint are developed into further intricacy by a collage process. He also creates ceramic jugs that combine facial features with a variety of finishes. Nicely’s more two-dimensional works seems to bring a cubist sensibility to his portrayals of faces, but the artist insists that this approach is more directly African. I found myself reminded of Joseph Holsson’s recent show here that also featured cubist portrayals in his presentation of African-American history. Nicely explains that a direct result of the colonization of Africa brought African art into European contexts. The growing familiarity with African forms led to the development of cubist presentations. You may recall that the second surrealist manifests published after World War I included both primitive and occult forms as elements of surreal creations. Nicely’s primary subjects bring forms of the African face; adorned with found objects or are enhanced using other means of emphasis, into acquaintance with the viewer suggestive of a deep and complex spirituality. James Conner’s work, including 19 paintings of acrylic on canvas, focuses on emotional content through largely realist approaches. For each piece, Conner chooses
a palette coherent with the tone he expresses from quiet, religious peace, as in “Family Legacy,” to the excitement of a train arriving in the large “Chattanooga” painting. Conner’s subjects range from the flight of ducks to fighterplane dog fights with much rural imagery where a sufficient of detail supports his emotional tones. The River Gallery always presents a rich diversity of styles from innovative finearts approaches to imaginative, whimsical products. Nicely’s and Conner’s work presents a range of spiritual expressiveness through aesthetic variations. With regard to the Association of Visual Artists show, I need to make a prefatory comment. I have always understood the word “jury” as a collective noun. This is not the first show I have encountered here that has been “juried” by an individual. Why has the word “judge” become to “judgmental?” Frankly, it’s not too difficult to trust a collector to collect quality work, but individual “juries” smack more of the convenience then the collective acuity. Notwithstanding, the art-
Lynda Johnson presents an excellent, fanciful “Gemini” in “May and Meg,” with the sculpted girls augmented by a copper “fool.”
ists presenting here are finding innovative approaches, particularly with regard to the human figure. Work by Gabriel Regagnon, including “Bock” and “Oracle,” push at the usual parameters of portrayal. Sara Rouse’s hanging canvas diptych, “Autopsy,” presents both a male and a female figure opened to reveal an inner “light.” A remarkable concept, difficult to realize, but her attempt here really stands out. Brava! Lynda Johnson presents an excellent, fanciful “Gemini” in “May and Meg,” with the sculpted girls augmented by a copper “fool.” Gretchen Wagner’s “Synthesized Mandela” includes three pieces of etched plexiglass in various geometries. This relatively new medium embraces gallery light to complete its aesthetic effect, high-energy work. Jake Kelly’s “Soul Crusher” deserves a word of warning. His title pushes a work that
might be viewed as weird, semi-geometric abstract into a deep, spiritual vertigo. This work is unique in that I’ve never seen this image attempted as visual arts. But I have encountered this image twice in the writing of Aleister Crowley. Once, in a horrific story that actually requires editorial disclaimer in which the fictional context suggested a Buddhist connection to his essay on the tarot. It appears likely that Crowley used one version as elaboration of the other. In any case, what Kelly seems to be portraying should be approached with great care. This show offers a number of other interesting works. Also, Devon Kronenberg opens at Hefferlin-Kronenberg from 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 12. Enjoy. AVA Members Juried Exhibition (thru Feb. 11) AVA Gallery 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-4282 avarts.org “Past and Present” James Conner and Sammie Nicely (thru Jan 31) River Gallery 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 river-gallery.com
chattanoogapulse.com • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • The Pulse • 15
Arts & Entertainment Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. funnydinner.com Ruby Falls Latern Tours (thru March 31) 8:30 p.m. Ruby Falls, 1720 S Scenic Hwy. (423) 821-2544. rubyfalls.com Dan Swartwout 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. thecomedycatch.com Stand-up Comedy: Floyd J. Phillips & Stu McCalister 10:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. funnydinner.com
Thur 01.12 Chattanooga Gas presents Free Family Night 5:30 p.m. Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St. (423) 648-6043. cdmfun.org “Mystery of TV TalkShow” 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. funnydinner.com Live Team Trivia 7 p.m. T-Bones Sports Cafe, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240 tboneschattanooga.com UTC Men’s Basketball vs. Wofford 7 p.m. UTC McKenzie Arena, E. 4th & Mabel Sts. (423)266-6627. gomocs.com. Dan Swartwout 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. thecomedycatch.com
Sun 01.15
Fri 01.13 UTC Women’s Basketball vs. Wofford 7 p.m. UTC McKenzie Arena, E. 4th & Mabel Sts. (423)266-6627. gomocs.com. “Mystery of Flight 138” 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. funnydinner.com Dan Swartwout 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. thecomedycatch.com Live Team Trivia 9 p.m. Amigo’s Mexican Restaurant, 5450 Hwy 153. (423) 875-8049. chattanoogatrivia.com MANIFEST: Distant Relatives 9 p.m. The Camp House,
16 • The Pulse • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
PULSE PICK Hullabowloo 01.14 • Music, food and an auction merge to benefit the Chattanooga Area Food Bank. 7 p.m. • Chattanooga Area Food Bank, 2009 Curtain Pole Road (423) 622-1800 • hullabowloo.com
1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081. thecamphouse.com Stand-up Comedy: Floyd J. Phillips & Stu McCalister 9:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. funnydinner.com Dan Swartwout 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. thecomedycatch.com
Sat 01.14 The Tennessee Sandhill Crane
Festival 8 a.m. Birchwood Elementary School, 5623 Tennessee 60. (931) 484-9571. tncranefestival.org. Sandhill Crane & Eagle Cruise 9:30 p.m. Sale Creek Marina, 3900 Lee Pike. (423) 3326312. tnaqua.org. “Mystery of the Nightmare Office Party” 5:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839. funnydinner.com HullaBowloo
7 p.m. Chattanooga Area Food Bank, 2009 Curtain Pole Road. (423) 622-1800. hullabowloo.com Dan Swartwout 7:30 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. thecomedycatch.com CSO Masterworks: Bolero 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050. chattanooga.gov “Mystery of the Redneck Italian Wedding” 8 p.m. Vaudeville
The Tennessee Sandhill Crane Festival 8 a.m. Birchwood Elementary School, 5623 Tennessee 60. (931) 484-9571. tncranefestival.org UTC Women’s Basketball vs. Furman 3 p.m. UTC McKenzie Arena, E. 4th & Mabel Sts. (423)266-6627. gomocs.com Dan Swartwout 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Rd. (423) 629-2233. thecomedycatch.com
Mon 01.16 Live Team Trivia 6 p.m. Bart’s Lakeshore, 5840 Lake Resort Ter. (423) 870-0770. chattanoogatrivia.com Elvis Lives! 7:30 p.m. Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5156. chattanooga.gov
»P18
On Stage
Elvis Lives, Doing Very Well Elvis tribute artist Bill Cherry portays the Vegas-era Presley in the touring production “Elvis Lives!” coming to the Memorial Auditorium on Jan. 16.
By Bill Ramsey
Elvis, it has been written, questioned much about his life after fame arrived—his “chosen” status, fame and fortune, his fan appeal after turning fat and 40. But one aspect of being “The King” Presley never seemed to debate was the oozing sexuality that made women melt under the gaze of his hooded eyes. It was, indeed, good to be Elvis, he must have said to himself many, many times. Few men will ever know that particular feeling. But for Bill Cherry, professional Elvis tribute artist, it’s an occupational hazard. “The women,” he says, drawing a breath and letting forth a sly laugh, “Oh my God! It’s unreal!” In a phone interview prior to leaving for an Elvis festival in Birmingham, England, Cherry talked about his life as a tribute artist—not, he says, an impersonator, a distinction he makes clear—and his role as the Vegas-era Elvis as part of a group of Presley tribute artists coming to the Memorial Auditorium in a show dubbed “Elvis Lives!” on Jan. 16, incidentally just a week after the 35th anniversary of Presley’s death. The Chattanooga performance is the third stop of a cross-country jaunt that
Elvis tribute artist Bill Cherry lives like a King. lands in the mid-sized cities Presley himself often found himself during the 1970s. And while Elvis never performed in the Scenic City, this multi-media and live musical journey covering the distinct phases of his career—the rebel on the rise of the 1950s, the movie idol of the ’60s, the bejeweledjumpsuit concert years—will doubtless draw his enduring legion of devoted fans. “It’s a fantastic show,” says Cherry, winner of the 2009 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist
Contest who’s been performing as Elvis for more than 20 years. “What makes this unique is that it’s backed by Elvis Presley Enterprises— and it’s not just one guy. You get the ’50s Elvis, performed by someone who was close to his age then. The movie era, which also features an AnnMargaret tribute artist, and the Vegas Elvis.” Presley’s heirs and the corporate conglomerate that eventually purchased the rights to all things Elvis realized long ago that is was impossible to control the quality of Elvis impersonators—or, perhaps, just as important, to make money off them—if they didn’t create their own contest. Thus was born the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest in 2007, held annually in Memphis during Elvis
Week, also known as the anniversary of his Aug. 16, 1977, death. The tour is a natural “American Idol”-style extension of the contest, keeping these carefully selected “Elvi” delivering the King’s image, music and merchandise to his adoring fans. Cherry occupies what could be called the headlining spot in the show as the “Concert Years” Elvis and, at 46, is both the senior Elvis and older than Presley was when he died, a fact he keeps in mind. “I’m aware the window is gradually closing on me,” Cherry says. “But long as I can portray Elvis in a respectful way, keep my look and performance up, I can continue. I don’t want to be a 60-year-old guy playing Elvis.” Cherry has always portrayed the Vegas-era Elvis, he says, because the era chooses the performer, not visa versa. “You have to know where you fit,” he adds, acknowledging it was the Vegas Elvis he grew up with as youngster. And, he says, he knows where to draw the line, citing the difference between “tribute artist” and “impersonator.” “To me, an impersonator refers to themselves as Elvis. There’s an audience for that, but there’s a fine line between sanity and insanity,” Cherry says. “When I’m not on stage, I downplay it—but it is hard to hide the sideburns.” And those women? “Let’s just say it’s a tough life,” he says with a hearty Elvis-style laugh. “I’ve got no complaints.” “Elvis Lives!” $31-$56.50 Monday, Jan. 16 Memorial Auditorium 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 642-TIXS chattanoogaonstage.com chattanoogapulse.com • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • The Pulse • 17
EAT MORE PIZZA! 205 Broad Street 423.266.5564
2318 Lifestyle Way 423.468.3737
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Arts & Entertainment Tue 01.17 Songwriter’s Line-up 7 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081. thecamphouse.com Live Team Trivia 7:30 p.m. BrewHaus, 224 Frazier Ave. (423) 531-8490. chattanoogatrivia.com Live Team Trivia 7:30 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Dr. Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065. ringgoldacoustic.com
Wed 01.18
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Main Street Farmer’s Market 4 p.m. Main at Williams Sts. UTC Women’s Basketball vs Samford 7 p.m. UTC McKenzie Arena, E 4th St & Mabel St. (423) 2666627. gomocs.com Live Team Trivia 7:30 p.m. Buffalo Wild Wings, 120 Market St. (423) 634-0468. chattanoogatrivia.com
Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative
PROUDLY PRESENT
PULSE PICK Floyd J. Phillips and Stu McCalister 01.13-14• Stand-up comedy. 9:30 p.m. • Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 • funnydinner.com
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“Torah Covers, Sacred Textiles” Exhibit (thru Jan 13) 10 a.m. Jewish Cultural Center, 5461 N. Terrace Road. (423) 493-0270. jewishchattanooga.com “Past and Present” (thru Jan 31) 10 a.m. River Gallery, 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 2655033. river-gallery.com Works by Duncan: A Retrospective Exhibition (Thru Feb 17) 10 a.m. Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. Martin Luther King Blvd. (423) 266-8658. “Leap Into Art” (thru Jan 31) 11 a.m. In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave. (423)267-9214. intowngallery.com
Vadis Turner Exhibition (thru Feb 17) 11 a.m. Association for Visual Arts, 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 2654282. avarts.org. “Born to be Wild 3D” (thru March 1) Noon, 3 & 6 p.m. Imax Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 2650695. tnaqua.org “Tornado Alley 3D” (thru March 1)
2 p.m., 4 & 7 p.m. Imax Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 2650695. tnaqua.org “Happy Feet 2” (thru Jan 12) 11:30 a.m., 4:30 & 6:30 p.m. Imax Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 2650695. tnaqua.org “Under The Sea” (thru March 1) 1 & 5 p.m. Imax Theater at the Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (800) 2650695. tnaqua.org Missionary Ridge Local 10:40 a.m. & 12:05 p.m. Chattanooga Grand Junction, 4119 Cromwell Rd. (423) 894-8028. tvrail.com.
Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com.
Comix
Better than ‘American Idol’: The Next Great Chattanooga Cartoonist Search Begins! The Pulse is searching for local talent to join our new Comix page. A few years ago, we published the epic comic panel “Lockout
Mountain,” a cartoon that often made Gary Larson look tame, and we’re on the hunt again. With the launch of our new Comix page we’re seek-
ing local cartoonists with a wicked sense of humor and a disctinctive drawing style to join the nationally syndicated strips we run every week.
You won’t get rich, but you will be published, gain a portfolio and win the admiration of your friends and peers (although we
can’t promise the latter.) Make us laugh—send your sample strips or panels, along with a brief biography to: info@chattanoogapulse.com.
Book Lover’s Book Store. Home of the Real Book Books • CDs • DVDs • Electronics • Videos
McKay Used Books, CDs, Movies, & More
7734 Lee Highway • mckaybooks.com chattanoogapulse.com • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • The Pulse • 19
Free Will Astrology ARIES (March 21-April 19): The Sanskrit word tapasya is translated as “heat,” but in the yogic tradition it means “essential energy.” It refers to the practice of managing your life force so that it can be directed to the highest possible purposes, thereby furthering your evolution as a spiritual being. Do you have any techniques for accomplishing that—either through yoga or any other techniques? This would be a good year to redouble your commitment to that work. In the coming months, the world will just keep increasing its output of trivial, energy-wasting temptations. You’ll need to be pretty fierce if you want to continue the work of transforming yourself into the Aries you were born to be: focused, direct, energetic, and full of initiative. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Live out of your imagination, not your history,” says Stephen Covey, author of “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” While that’s always true, it will be especially crucial for you to remember in 2012. This is the year you can transcend stale traditions, Taurus—a time when you can escape your outworn habits, reprogram your conditioned responses, and dissolve old karma. You will be getting unparalleled opportunities to render the past irrelevant. And the key to unlocking all the magic will be your freewheeling yet highly disciplined imagination. Call on it often to show you the way toward the future. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Comedian Steven Wright says his nephew has HDADD, or High Definition Attention Deficit Disorder. “He can barely pay attention, but when he does it’s unbelievably clear.” I’m predicting something like that for you in the coming week, Gemini. You will encounter more things that are dull than are interesting, but those few that fascinate you will awaken an intense focus that allows you to see into the heart of reality. CANCER (June 21-July 22): As I contemplate the most desirable fate you could create
20 • The Pulse • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
rob brezsny
for yourself, I’m reminded of a lyric from one of my songs: “We are searching for the answers / so we can destroy them and dream up better questions.” Here’s what I’m implying by that, Cancerian: This is not the right time for you to push for comprehensive formulas and definitive solutions. Rather, it’s a favorable moment to draw up the incisive inquiries that will frame your quest for comprehensive formulas and definitive solutions. That quest is due to begin in two weeks. For now, raise your curiosity levels, intensify your receptivity, and make yourself highly magnetic to core truths.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “A writer—and, I believe, generally all persons—must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource,” said author Jorge Luis Borges. “All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.” I agree that this advice isn’t just for writers, but for everyone. And it so happens that you are now in an astrological phase when adopting such an approach would bring you abundant wisdom and provide maximum healing. So get started, Leo: Wander through your memories, reinterpreting the difficult experiences as rich raw material that you can use to beautify your soul and intensify your lust for life. VIRGO (Aug.
23-Sept. 22): “Poetry is the kind of thing you have to see from the corner of your eye,” said the poet William Stafford. “If you look straight at it you can’t see it, but if you look a little to one side it is there.” As I contemplate your life in the immediate future, Virgo, I’m convinced that his definition of poetry will be useful for you to apply to just about everything. In fact, I think it’s an apt description of all the important phenomena you’ll need to know about. Better start practicing your sideways vision.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A Swedish man named Richard Handl decided to conduct
a scientific experiment in his kitchen. Would it be possible to split atoms using a homemade apparatus? He wanted to see if he could generate atomic reactions with the radioactive elements radium, americium, and uranium. But before he got too far into the process, the police intervened and ended his risky fairytale. I bring this to your attention, Libra, as an example of how not to proceed in the coming weeks. It will be a good time for you to experiment around the house—refining your relationship with your roommates, moving the furniture around, and in general rearranging the domestic chemistry—but please avoid trying stuff as crazy as Handl’s.
sportswriter Eric Branch wrote about a rookie running back that San Francisco 49er fans were becoming increasingly excited about. The newbie had made some big plays in exhibition games. Would he continue performing at a high level when the regular season began? Were the growing expectations justified? After a careful analysis, Branch concluded that the signs were promising, but not yet definitive: “It’s OK to go mildly berserk,” he informed the fans. That’s the same message I’m delivering to you right now, Capricorn. The early stages of your new possibility are encouraging. It’s OK to go mildly berserk, but it’s not yet time to go totally bonkers.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): In 1878, Thomas Edison perfected the phonograph, a machine that could record sounds and play them back. There had been some primitive prototypes before, but his version was a major improvement. And what were the first sounds to be immortalized on Edison’s phonograph? The rush of the wind in the trees? A dramatic reading of the Song of Songs? The cries of a newborn infant? Nope. Edison recited the nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” When you make your own breakthrough in communication sometime soon, Scorpio, I hope you deliver a more profound and succulent message.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): I suspect you may soon find yourself in a situation similar to the one that 19thcentury American President Abraham Lincoln was in when he said the following: “If this is coffee, please bring me some tea. But if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.” In other words, Sagittarius, you may not be picky about what you want, but whatever it is, you’ll prefer it to be authentic, pure, and distinctly itself. Adulterations and hodgepodges won’t satisfy you, and they won’t be useful. Hold out for the Real Thing. CAPRICORN
(Dec. 22Jan. 19): Last summer, before the football season started,
18): In summer, the pickleweed plant thrives in the saltwater marshes around San Francisco Bay. In many places, bright orange patches of the dodder plant intermingle with the pickleweed’s sprightly jade green, creating festive displays that suggest nature is having a party. But there’s a secret buried in this scene. The dodder’s webby filaments are actually parasites that suck nutrients from the pickleweed. In accordance with the astrological omens, Aquarius, I’ll ask you if a situation like that exists in your own life. Is there a pretty picture that hides an imbalance in the give-and-take of energy? It’s not necessarily a bad thing— after all, the pickleweed grows abundantly even with its freeloader hanging all over it—but it’s important to be conscious of what’s going on.
PISCES
(Feb. 19-March 20): “That in a person which cannot be domesticated is not his evil but his goodness,” said the writer Antonio Porchia. I invite you to keep that challenging thought close to your heart in the coming days, Pisces. In my astrological opinion, it is an excellent moment to tune in to your wildest goodness—to describe it to yourself, to cherish it as the great treasure it is, to foster it and celebrate it and express it like a spring river overflowing its banks.
Jonesin’ Crossword
“Cheatin’ with the Codes”—old school Nintendo knowledge. Across
1. Designer Oldham 5. Victoria’s Secret sells them 9. ___-cone (carnival purchase) 12. Strained from work 13. Dusting items 15. Good or bad figure, in TV dramas 16. Direction for “my beautiful balloon,” in song 18. Come up short 19. What “we’re” doing, in a Fall Out Boy song lyric 21. Part of a fireman’s outfit 23. Babies do it 24. Movie where Will Ferrell played Buddy 25. Fall guy 29. In the ballpark 30. With 39-across, marching chant 33. Labor mate, on an invoice 34. Like objective data
matt jones
36. Prefix before gender or mission 39. See 30-across 43. “Role Models” actor Paul 44. Complaints 45. Not just my 46. Like some playgrounds 48. “Yabba ___ doo!” 50. Degree that focuses on human behavior 55. “And so on” 56. Panicky yell to a getaway driver 59. Felix or Fritz 60. Foreheadsmacking phrase 61. Bupkis 62. Sit-up focus 63. 1970s song with a letter-forming dance 64. Abbr. in a recipe
DOWN
1. Coll. in Houston 2. Alley-___ 3. Towed away, colloquially 4. Train station 5. Skyscraper, for example: abbr. 6. Word before hog or rage
7. “...and ___” (Lawrence Welk countoff) 8. BET Hip Hop Awards “Rookie of the Year” winner ___ Lo 9. Two-wheeler 10. “OK, I’m waiting...” 11. Can ___ 13. Anderson Cooper’s channel 14. Word sung on 1/1 17. “___ for Alibi” (first in the Kinsey Millhone book series) 20. North America’s highest peak 21. ___ Paese (cheese) 22. Soccer match shout 25. Spot on a domino 26. Like contortionists 27. “A magic number,” according to “Schoolhouse Rock” 28. Rigid 31. Muscle-to-bone
connector 32. Apt. ad stat 33. Golf average 35. Dollar divs. 36. Robert De Niro’s film studio 37. Keep the drink payment until the end 38. Detox denizens 40. Take a taxi 41. Central airport 42. “La la” lead-in 44. Like weak soup 47. ___ buco 48. “Simpsons” word added to the OED 49. Bond, e.g. 51. Chilled out 52. ___-Z (old Chevy) 53. ___ vez (again, in Spanish) 54. Public Image ___ (post-Sex Pistols band) 57. 30-second spots 58. Grammy category
Jonesin’ Crossword created By Matt Jones. © 2012 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: 1-800655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 0554. chattanoogapulse.com • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • The Pulse • 21
Life in the Noog
chuck crowder
Hey You Kids, Off My Lawn! I don’t know about you guys, but I’m really over this Occupy (Wall Street) Movement. I don’t get it, and I’m not sure half of the people supplying them with soup and support do either. In fact, I’m not convinced that all of the courthouse campers are singing from the exact same hymnal. To be as unified a presence across the country—and throughout the world—for so many months, you’d think the powers that started this snowball would’ve released a clear, e a s y-t o - u nder s t a nd agenda of their demands instead of just loose disgust for corporate America and rich people who “occupy” the upper 1 percent of our population. But no, we’re left to wonder why they’re pitching tents on the courthouse lawn and waving to passing cars with signs that simply read “We Are The 99%.” What they’re proclaiming is that they, like 99 percent of those reading this column right now, fall within the mass majority of citizens who aren’t stinking, filthy rich. No duh. However as a friend pointed out to me, the irony of the situation is that they, as only a miniscule fraction of said majority, no longer represent
honest music
the 99 percent. They in fact now represent only 1 percent (at best). In turn the upper 1 percent percent of rich folk they’re protesting are actually now part of the 99 percent who aren’t ruining the grass 100 percent of us pay taxes to upkeep. Several weeks after our local group set up camp they actually produced a sign I could sink my teeth into. It read “corporations aren’t people.” Okay ... I get that. Corporations don’t play golf or dine at power lunches—but their minions do, on behalf of the corporation they rely on to live and breathe through another pay period. Now, it took some online research, but what I gathered from the Occupier’s stance is that they don’t like the fact that (some types of) corporations aren’t held to the same standards as a typical business. Some in fact can seek and obtain the same financial pro-
tection under the bankruptcy code that an individual can to protect their business from going out of business. Right? I don’t know. I do know that I don’t want my bank, or America, to go out of business. That would be bad. We as a nation are in scary debt. My bank was in debt to we taxpayers but is one of the limited few that’s actually repaid the principal it had to borrow during the bail out, albeit without adding the interest it would’ve charged me for the same type of loan. Fig. 1
I don’t like that, but it’s not driving me to dig the Coleman stove out of the cellar. I’m not sure what kind of shell game put our poor country in such bad financial shape. I’ve been told by those smarter than me that the stock market is cyclical and goes through ebbs and flows, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that what we spent on an $800 billion war would’ve gone a long way toward helping pay back our debt to China —or helping Americans and/or American corporations even out their bottom lines. My bottom line is that I don’t mind bailing out banks
and corporations—as long as they are required by law to pay the loan back with interest in a reasonable amount of time. Seems fair, or am I just being ignorant? Anyway, I think I’m paying attention to the problem, and the Occupier’s messages, although it’s not really clear to me where to focus. I’d like to see some sort of organized message and list of demands from the top down, but the “leaders” of this movement prefer to be called “discussion facilitators,” so I’m not sure who’s gonna facilitate this list? I was happy to see that they’ve created, or at least adopted from the Quakers, a unified way to communicate their individual feelings in a group setting (see Fig. 1 on the accompanying chart). It’s a really cool way to keep from talking over one another. Maybe if that’s the primary legacy they contribute to the history of protesting then all of those Beanie Weenie’s were worth it. All kidding aside, I invite the head or lead “discussion facilitator” of the Occupy Chattanooga movement to contribute to the editors of this fine publication their specific concerns and demands regarding wherever it is the problem lay —and
“
I don’t mind bailing out banks and corporations—as long as they are required by law to pay the loan back with interest in a reasonable amount of time.
a proposed set of viable solutions (not just further protest actions like moving your money to a credit union). I’d like to know for real what all the hubbub is about and how it can be fixed. Maybe then I’d be a little more apt to wave when driving by, or even deliver the day-old bagels that help feed the cause. Solidarity! 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 read with a grain of salt, but let it pepper your thoughts.
local and regional shows
Behold the Brave with El Cantador ($3) Callooh! Callay! with Bryan Hensley ($3)
Thu, Jan 12
9pm
Wed, Jan 18
9pm
Jordan Hallquist and The Outfit with Lauren St. Jane and The Dead Westerns ($3)
Thu, Jan 19
9pm
Live Irish Music following the Irish Session players every Sunday night FREE SHOWS start at 7pm
Full food menu serving lunch and dinner. 11am-2am, 7 days a week.
thehonestpint.com * Facebook.com/thehonestpint 22 • The Pulse • JANUARY 12-18, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com
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