The Pulse 9.11 » March 15-21, 2012

March 15-21, 2012

Austin or Bust!

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC!

glowing bordis VS. strung like a horse paul geremia and Lon eldridge bob reuter and alley ghost DON WILLIAMS • jack white

BANDONTHERUN MOONLIGHT BRIDE: ON THE ROAD BACK TO AUSTIN » BY DAVID MORTON

2 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Since 2003

Contents

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

MARCH 15-21, 2012 • issue no. 9.11

ChattanoogaPulse.com • Facebook.com/ChattanoogaPulse

EDITORIAL Publisher Zachary Cooper Creative Director Bill Ramsey Contributors Rich Bailey • Rob Brezsny Chuck Crowder • Michael Crumb • John DeVore Brook Evans • Randall Gray • Dr. Rick Pimental-Habib Janis Hashe • Matt Jones • Chris Kelly • D.E. Langley Mike McJunkin • David Morton • Ernie Paik Alex Teach • Richard Winham Cartoonists Rick Baldwin • Max Cannon Jesse Reklaw • Richard Rice • Tom Tomorrow Photography Josh Lang • Lesha Patterson Interns Britton Catignani • Kinsey Elliott Molly Farrell • Rachel Saunders

COVER STORY

music

SCREEN

Moonlight Bride

Ghost of St. Louis

Oscar Ticket

• With a slate of new releases coming, the band returns to SXSW on solid ground. David Morton follows a band on the run. » 8

• St. Louis music icon Bob Reuter visits Chattanooga with Alley Ghost and a book of gritty new photographs. » 15

• The 2012 Oscar-nominated short films are coming to town—if you buy the ticket. John DeVore tells you why you should. » 23

ADVERTISING Sales Director Lysa Greer Account Executives David Barry • Rick Leavell

CONTACT Phone 423.265.9494 Fax 423.266.2335 Email info@chattanoogapulse.com calendar@chattanoogapulse.com Got a stamp? 1305 Carter St. Chattanooga, TN 37402

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.

the fine print

The Pulse is published weekly by Brewer Media and is distributed throughout the city of Chattanooga and surrounding communities. The Pulse covers a broad range of topics concentrating on 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.

© 2012 Brewer Media BREWER MEDIA GROUP President Jim Brewer II

LIFE IN THE NOOG

The Day Jack White Came to Town

• Chuck Crowder was at the sold-out Jack White show at Track 29. Read his review this week in Life in the Noog. » 30 On the cover: Moonlight Bride photographed by Lesha Patterson Contents: Jack White at Track 29 on March 10 photographed by Jo McCaughey

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 3

BOWL

THE

TALK OF THE NOOG facebook/chattanoogapulse • email: info@chattanoogapulse.com

URBAN DESIGN

Double Vision

Design team vs. TDOT on 4th the size of chattanooga’s relatively small downtown makes it a comfortable walking experience.

As Main Street continues to develop, the prospect of walking and biking from destinations on Main Street to the North Shore is appealing not only because it’s seen as a trendy thing to do, but because it’s practical and even inviting as urban designers continue to plot a more attractive path.

The paramount challenge is, of course, addressing the spaces in-between. To that end, a series of concepts presented by specialized teams under the moniker Urban Design Challenge has indentified some of the highest-profile cases in the city’s urban hub where improvement is needed.

As this week’s issue hits the stands, the next Urban Design Challenge presentation is happening Thursday, March 15, at the Majestic Theater. During this meet, Elemi Architects and its team members—Eric Meyers, Bradley Shelton, Matthew Wignet, Bob McNutt, Jared Chastain and Joseph Sawyer—will discuss the challenges of their project, the 4th Street Corridor.

We spoke with Eric Meyers and asked him what the challenges were for this important piece of the downtown puzzle and what impact highway development by Tennessee Department of Transportation currently under way makes when the section of the project between Interstate 24 and the Olgiati Bridge is considered.

“First, we had to expand the idea of the corridor,” Meyers said. “Originally, it had not included areas on the North

4 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

“

This area affects all of us and the 4th Street Corridor is an opportunity to create better access, a better environment for business and a better image for our city. It’s vitally important.”

Eric Meyers and South sides of 4th Street that we believed were major factors in bringing all the elements together. As well, the original idea of the corridor did not include Cameron Hill and the Blue Cross Blue Shield campus. Including that major influence was absolutely critical.”

Then there’s TDOT and the improvement plans for the stretch of highway from I-24 to the Olgiati Bridge.

“That major development is an enormous influence on the center of downtown and the 4th Street Corridor. We, as urban design professionals and concerned citizens, have approached TDOT about the impact their design plans will have on 4th Street and we continue to have serious concerns about those plans.”

Meyers and his team think there are concepts that TDOT should incorporate.

“You have to think of it in a more holistic sense,” he said.

“Property owners, merchants, residents, visitors ... this area affects all of us and the 4th Street Corridor is an opportunity to create better access, a better environment for business and a better image for our city. It’s vitally important.”

For its part, TDOT has made efforts to expand its

vision when it comes to this section of the project, which is clearly going to have major implications with regard to downtown, by including discussions contemplating pedestrian traffic and bike lanes. But are these offerings enough?

For Meyers and the Elemi group, new strategies need to be considered. Visions of a more thoughtful and holistic design for 4th Street will be on display at the Urban Design Challenge presentation.

We hope it inspires everyone to continue the conversation that Elemi starts after the evening comes to a close.

Learn more about the Urban Design Challenge and get more info on the architectural vision of the 4th Street Corridor at urbandesignchallenge. com. —Zachary Cooper

DOWNTOWN

Rite of Spring: Chattanooga Market the chattanooga public Market launches its season with the Chattanooga River Market on Saturday, March 24, at the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza. This is the second full season for the River Market, which animates the downtown Chattanooga scene with alternate outdoor shopping and live music from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Like its sister Sunday Market, the River Market highlights handmade, local artistry, crafts, unique gifts and a small selection of food vendors. The River Market will run through Labor Day weekend, and provides yet another weekly opportunity to support local merchants and farmers.

In conjunction with the Tennessee Aquarium’s 20th

Anniversary, several “Nighttime Markets” will take place at the Tennessee Aquarium Plaza throughout the season.

The first date scheduled, April 28, will host live music and an open market in the heart of downtown, paired with extended aquarium hours for an evening of celebration. Other scheduled dates are July 4 and Sept. 1.

“We provide a storefront for small local businesses who otherwise would not be able to afford a start. Our local farmers appreciate a platform to sell their fresh picked produce weekly and thus Chattanooga has become an increasingly supportive community of buying local,” said Chris Thomas, executive director of the market.

Editoon A seasoned favorite, the Chattanooga Market at First Tennessee Pavilion will begin again on Sunday, April 22, in celebration of Earth Day. “We are going to highlight some of our vendors that use recycled materials,” said Paul Smith, general manager of the market.

Complete with over 30 themed events in its 11th season, each week will partner with a charity or agricultural tie-in. “You don’t just come to the same market, it gives our patrons something new each week,” said Smith.

In addition to the expected community events, abundance of vendors and notable line-up of live music, this season includes an expansion of the growing Holiday Market Too!, which debuted at the Chattanooga Convention Center last year. With this addition, the season extends into the holidays on Dec. 8-9, 15-16, and 21-23.

New musicians will play free shows each Sunday at the Chattanooga Market, along with returning favorites. The live-music line-up can be found at chattanoogamarket. com. For good taste in music and local fare, the Market Café will continue to be open for lunch.

The mission of the nonprofit Chattanooga Market is to provide a platform for artists and farmers to sell their handmade, home-grown goods in a low-cost environment that benefits the community through cultural enrichment and support of local economies. Vendor sales last year exceeded $2 million, with most all of the profits retained by the local vendors themselves. Chattanooga Market expenses only require a small portion. —Kinsey Elliiott

rick baldwin

48HOUR LAUNCH

App-titude the company lab recently announced their next 48Hour Launch and the next twist.

This spring’s 48Hour Launch is asking for entrepreneurs to bring their ideas for web or mobile applications that will enhance a visitor’s experience while in Chattanooga. The apps could be meeting-and event-planning tools, sports event real-time scoring, augmented reality, or ideas for mobile app improvement such as an enhanced digital visitors guide.

“Hospitality was the fastest growing industry in the Chattanooga Metro Area in 2011,” said Dave Santucci, vice presiden of marketing at the Chattanooga Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We want to take the entrepreneurial energy and technological innovation

going on in Chattanooga right now and leverage that to grow tourism even more in 2012 and beyond.”

Prior to 48Hour Launch, The Company Lab will host a “Pitch Night” at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 19, where entrepreneurs can gather, present their ideas and begin assembling teams. In an effort to increase collaboration between academic and business communities, a full UTC graphic design class has decided to participate in the event as a course project.

The weekend-long event will begin on Friday, March 30, when teams will collaborate around the clock to create working models of their websites, applications, and products, fueled by local coffee, food and beer vendors. At 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 1, the teams will gather to publicly present demos of their prototypes to the public in order to

determine the winning projects.

Sheldon Grizzle, founder of CO.LAB, believes opportunities exist for mobile and web entrepreneurs to quickly have their products and services adopted by Chattanooga businesses.

“There are a lot of organizations in Chattanooga that are looking for ways to leverage mobile technology to improve visitors’ experiences while staying here,” Grizzle said.

“This is a great opportunity for people who create mobile and web applications to pair up with the people who are looking for them.”

The Company Lab exists to help increase the viability of start-ups in Chattanooga by connecting them with the resources they need. Learn more about The Company Lab and 48Hour Launch at colab.is.

—Staff chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 5

Mel O’Patty’s Day

Pizza Feast

BangIrv’s & Mash Pizza Guinness-Marinated Sausage, Sliced Potatoes & Onions on a Garlic & Olive Oil Base, Baked to Perfection then Brushed with Guinness Butter. Yum.

“Bootlegg Loves Red Heads” A Special St. Patty’s Day Drink!

Irish Cream Cakes with Drizzled Icing!

205 Broad Street 423.266.5564

Mellow Mushroom Chattanooga

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

Wine Week is coming march 22 in the pulse!

• A unique special section debuting in March highlighting the area’s best wine retailers and restaurants with delightful and informative editorial content.

call 423.265.9494 FOR aDVERTISING INFORMaTION 6 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

2318 Lifestyle Way 423.468.3737

Mellow Mushroom Waterside

Dizzy Town A blog in print about politics, media & other strange bedfellows

Someone, Anyone ... But That Guy listen to npr’s coverage of the Republican presidential candidates—and if you don’t, you should—as they barnstorm the South and you’ll rediscover an embarrassing truth, which is to say there remains a great deal of ignorance, thinly veiled racism and a decided, though hardly shocking, preference for God’s Rule over that of, say, the Constitution when it comes to determining the direction of this country. It’s no mistake that Righteous Rick Santorum would do so well here.

Despite its reputation as a left-leaning, elitist media outlet largely funded by taxpayer dollars (perpetuated by right-leaning demagogues and Repugnicants), NPR does not mock the slow-talking common folk it features in its reports. Rather, they clearly mark the entry to their reports with two doors: one reads “I Am The Stereotypical Moron Southerner You Always Thought I Was,” the other “We Just Don’t Like a Black Muslim Leading Our Country.” Most walk right through one or the other without a whiff of contemplation.

Nevertheless, it would, as Romney’s own campaign trumpets, take an “act of God” for any other candidate but Mittens to collect the number of delegates necessary to win the nomination. We know little about acts of God (besides the plummeting career of Kirk Cameron, for which we applaud God!), but it does seem ... inevitable. Meanwhile, Mittens has been spending time Down South, apparently eating “cheesy grits” and mixing up Alabama songs. Republicans are getting used to the idea, even if Romney has little if anything to offer anyone. This entire campaign season should be labeled “Someone, Anyone ... But That Guy (insert candidate).”

But wait, it’s March! Which means Young Weston Wamp is turning 25 (on March 26), the magic age to assume the office he seeks— and that means ... a party/fundraiser! For his big day, Weston is bringing country “star” John Rich (of Big & Rich—ha! Get it?), who stumped heavily for Wamp’s pop Zach during his failed 2010 bid for the governor’s office, for a bash at Lindsay Street Hall. Weston seems to think Rich will “help get people interested” in his campaign. Yes, Weston, that will do it, absolutely. We can’t think of a room we’d rather not be in than one full Wamp family members, youngish Repugnicants and a marginal country singer! That sounds just like ... Riverbend. Sigh.

Please, someone—anyone—feel free to jump in. The door is open.

The Mighty 3rd

Congressional Candidates Filing Deadline: April 5, 2012 Primary Election: Aug. 2, 2012 General Election: Nov. 6, 2012 Chuck Fleischmann Republican, Has The Job Cash: $731,769 Poll Rank: TFP - No. 3 Chattanoogan - No. 3 Weston Wamp Republican, Son of Zach Cash: $307,646 Poll Rank: TFP - No. 4 Chattanoogan - No. 2 Jean “Lady J” Howard-Hill Republican, Educated Lady Cash: Unknown Poll Rank: TFP - No. 7 Chattanoogan - No. 4 Ron Bhalla Republican, Rents Property Cash: Unknown Poll Rank: TFP - No. 2 Chattanoogan - No. 5 Scottie Mayfield Republican, Milkman Cash: Lots Poll Rank: TFP - No. 1 Chattanoogan - No. 1 Bill Taylor Democrat, Bidnessman Cash: Unknown Poll Rank: TFP - No. 5 Chattanoogan - N/A Mary Headrick Democrat, Doctor Cash: Unknown Poll Rank: TFP - No. 6 Chattanoogan - N/A Not much activity in the local polls, but those who vote online at the timesfreepress.com and chattanoogan.com still seek out these polls. The Athens Milkman, Scottie Mayfield, continues to find support among local Republicans, outpacing his opponents by a large margin on both websites (63 percent on the chattanoogan.com and 37 percent on timesfreepress.com). Second-quarter cash rankings (which we find at the trusted political website, opensecrets.org), are a month or more away, so we have no recent figures. By then, we’ll know more about Mayfield’s finances—and influence on this race.

On the Beat

alex teach

Alex and the Enhanced Fujita Scale disasters. like blood, i don’t handle them the way i used to. I don’t shy away from them, mind you; I’m just not as bullet proof against them as I used to be, and beyond a few educated guesses I cannot imagine why.

Maybe it’s 20 years of blood and gore crammed into a 7 3/8s hat that has reached the upper rim of the cup inside what I once believed couldn’t runneth over. And disasters? God, the thrill of bedlam and chaos! Just seeing them on television used to raise the hair on my arms.

I don’t gloat over death and destruction, mind you; I think (and I’ve always had to guess) that it was always the sense of complete freedom from all rules and order that appealed to me, and therefore the concerns and stress that go with them.

Normal people think of the future, and most worry … about paying the bills (because some people still work to pay for their own; about 463 by my most generous estimates), about the next injury, asteroids crashing, Democrats ... the list goes on.

So seeing disorder reign gives you that break from the rules of a civilized society. Then you are filled with the laser-like focus of bringing it back to order, which had its own purity.

Disasters are simplistic.

Pure. So is restoring order.

(God, I hope that makes sense to someone.)

Now? I don’t want to see it.

I’m done. So when that EF-3 son-of-a-bitch tornado made prison-shower-style love to my one safe place in the world, my neighborhood, I was none too amused. But I went into it.

As I said, it was no longer exhilarating to see how temporary we are in this universe.

How the Earth reminds us that we are Guests at most, and it occasionally has to scratch its ass—which is clearly where we reside after the fact.

No, now I just saw people out of work where businesses were destroyed. Out of their homes where they’d been swept into the woods. And me, out of the one thing that brought peace to my soul these days—my damn

boat.

Hearing tin wobble and shift in the trees no longer made me think of chaos, it just made me think my head could get sheared off and therefore made me walk closer to cover to avoid decapitation, where I looked at the ground instead of the devastation around me.

I also looked at something else: Not the patients (once that part was over), and not my coworkers. I looked at the real workers on scenes like these.

The clean-up crews and the utility workers.

In the event of disasters, cops basically do an initial sweep for victims then direct traffic or tell stupid people not to do stupid things as they stupidly ask permission to do so.

Firemen handle searches and HazMat (aka “Glow Worm”) stuff, which seems to consist largely of standing under a tent with a dry-erase board and bitching about how many platters of finger-food to have delivered from a Firehouse Sub’s joint.

EMS paramedics have real work, but they’re generally in there to load-n-go.

So who’s left after the first critical hours?

Utility workers, clean-up crews and business (and home) owners.

Responders are thinking about their next call for service in a few short hours and complaining about overtime or how bored they are now, while the guys cutting down trees, securing the hanging metal, and wrestling (and replacing) wires down know they won’t see more than five hours of sleep a day for the next week.

I’ve never been ungrateful for their help over the years, but I don’t think I ever fully appreciated the depth of their responsibilities until I’d seen the same faces doing the same work day after day as I go back to my “normal” life, driving by.

(Even as I type this, someone is out there sinking new utility poles, pulling lines and praying no jackleg fires up his generator and sends a huge surge up line that will fry his ass.)

As my lower Lumbar 4 and 5 will attest, I know the pain of bringing down a huge tree and disposing of it. But 20 trees?

Even with heavy equipment, I’m in awe of the guys handling these things.

Electrical linemen? Besides the surge story, imagine how they must feel working at least 12 hours straight dealing with downed transformers and wires, not once when the weather is decent, either.

Most of us are afraid to turn on

a blender (myself excluded, for obvious drinking responsibilities), but these guys are practically putting their tongue on a wire connected to a nuclear power plant or hydroelectric dam on the other end, and they’re working quickly.

The owners and residents?

Even after the linemen and brush cutters are gone, there they are, slack-jawed and shellshocked, not knowing where to begin.

My point? My respect for emergency services workers goes without saying, but who says the heroes of a disaster have to have an embroidered shield on their chests?

Here’s a hint: The guys in the miner hats up in bucket trucks and the ones holding the chainsaws are taking a hell of a lot more risks and doing a lot more hard work than I am on those scenes.

I’m damned impressed, and damned grateful to you guys.

Let’s just have the next exercise occur a damn sight further away from my beloved resort and marina.

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.

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 7

moonlight

Chattanooga’s hottest band on the road

T

his month a year ago, Moonlight Bride packed up their 1999 Dodge van and drove 922 miles to Austin, Texas, for a show they’d booked only two weeks prior. They had no connecting dates, no sleeping accommodations, and little in the way of a plan once they arrived. When they did, they parked two miles away from the venue, unloaded the van and carried their gear through the crowded city center where the South by Southwest music conference was under way.

8 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

“It was a 16-hour drive for one unofficial show at 1 o’clock in the afternoon on a Friday,” said guitarist Justin Grasham.

For the band, it was one of the most important trips they’ve ever taken. And, given the chain of events that began there, it’s easy to see why. It precipitated a lineup change, putting longtime friend and collaborator Dave Maki on bass guitar. Their afternoon performance impressed a coterie of industry onlookers. They signed on

with their current manager and drew the attention of West Coast producer John Goodmanson (Death Cab for Cutie, Hot Hot Heat).

Most importantly, the trip broke down a wall of selfdoubt that had built up over the preceding months. In its place, confidence took root.

“We just grew and bonded so much on that trip,” Grasham said.

They return to South by Southwest this week on

bride

back to Austin By David Morton • Photos by Lesha Patterson

stronger footing. Having put together a management team that handles day-to-day business, the band can concentrate on writing and performing. Last year, they covered thousands of miles up and down the East Coast, growing their fan base outside their hometown of Chattanooga and picking up some fantastic anecdotes along the way. (Getting Myrtle Beach drunk? Check. Raiding the minibar and feasting on crab cakes in a five-star suite in Baltimore? Check comp’d.)

And though it’s been more than two years of silence on the recording front, they have a spate of releases planned for 2012, starting with the “Twin Lakes” EP, which came out last month. Soon to follow are a collection of remixes—Tom Bromley of Los Campesinos! is contributing one of the tracks—an acoustic-based record in May, and a new full-length album in the fall.

“We’re going to focus on meeting people and spreading our music around as much as possible,” said frontman

Justin Giles, who’s dropping his surname for future releases. “I feel like ‘Twin Lakes’ is just a little starter for everything to roll up into the next full-length.”

Recorded at As Elyzum Studio in St. Elmo, “Twin Lakes” captures the band’s confidence and energy upon their return from Austin last spring. It’s a departure from 2009’s “Myths.”

There’s less keyboard, more guitar noise, and richer dynamics. The quiet passages come to a standstill before opening up and moving into new territories. Falsetto melodies haunt its darkest corners and seem to linger much longer than the brief, 20-minute runtime would otherwise suggest.

Two of the songs, “Drug Crimes” and the single “Lemonade,” were written literally days before the session began. They spent two weeks in the studio, a time consisting of live-tracking, very few overdubs, and the consumption of strong drink. (A clue to the latter lies in the title of the EP’s third track.) “In the studio, we were extremely confident,” Giles said. “We played better and sounded better.”

John Goodmanson mixed “Twin Lakes.” He got involved with the band after their performance at South by Southwest— his manager was one of the industry onlookers. “I’m always looking for people who are hungry and excited about what they’re doing,” he said in an email.

“I liked the melodies and the voice, but that paired with the psychedelic, ‘My Bloody Valentine’ vibe is what made it unique.”

Goodmanson’s involvement came at the tail end of a high-profile list of suitors. When the major labels came calling, as they did in 2010, Moonlight Bride was caught off guard. Copies of “Myths” circulated through the music industry, and Giles’ phone began to ring with calls from »P11 A&R reps, lawyers and managers.

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 9

10 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

“We didn’t even know the industry existed. It was a myth to us. It was just this thing that we heard of,” he said.

The attention, while flattering at first, became a little unnerving. Their music was critiqued outside their immediate fan base, which was too small anyway, they were told. “We want to see how it develops,” Giles recalled one person saying.

“We needed to refine our image,” was another criticism. The legendary impresario Kim Fowley once told them they needed to be clean-shaven at all times.

It seemed like the majors were only interested in 12 remakes of “Young Guns,” the upbeat, radio friendly song from “Myths,” Grasham said. “And we didn’t want to do that. We’re not going to do that.”

The attention and criticism wore down their confidence when writing. A period of self-doubt set in. The stakes suddenly seemed higher, the internal barometer of “good” more elusive.

“It seems like I spent a lot of time focusing on that when we first started getting a lot of attention. And it just kind of tainted everything,” said Giles. “That’s one of the reasons why we delayed putting anything out. We wanted to make sure that what we put out, we wanted to put out.”

“As an outsider, it seemed like the dynamic was kind of fucked up,” said Dave Maki. Prior to joining in 2011, he had worked with Moonlight Bride for several years. An unofficial fifth member, Maki co-wrote some of the interludes on “Myths” and served as a sounding board for ideas.

The rest of the band treads lightly when discussing the decision to part ways with bassist and cofounder Tyke Calfee. His exit came right before they went into the studio to record “Twin Lakes.” Calfee’s availability proved problematic in 2010. He had

“Twin Lakes” Moonlight Bride’s “Twin Lakes” EP is available on their website, the iTunes Music Store and Amazon. com. The band will be hosting a release party on March 24 at JJ’s Bohemia. For more information, visit moonlightbridemusic. com.

talked privately of leaving, and after he was unable to go to Austin, they came to the same conclusion.

“That was the thing that was tough for us. We love Tyke,” said drummer Matt Livingston. “But it came down to logistics.”

His former bandmates spoke highly of him one year later, saying that even though the transition with Maki went smoothly, it took a while getting used to Moonlight Bride without Calfee in it.

“It was really tough, but I knew in the long run it would be for the best,” Calfee said in a recent email.

“Also, Dave was really the best and only choice to replace me.”

The band still plays material from Calfee’s tenure, including songs written during the self-doubt period. After putting some distance between themselves and that time, the band realized they had a great body of work they continue to add to. But the doubt is gone. “Way gone,” Giles said.

“Some of those songs will appear on future releases.

We still have a large back catalog that we’re going to pull from for the next record,” Livingston said. “A lot of stuff that we haven’t played live. A few that we have.”

In spite of the attention “Myths” brought them, Moonlight Bride never sought mainstream success. They long ago set their sights toward an organic path, where respect is a more valuable commodity

than fame or fortune, and the idea of “making it” has little to do with inking a fast deal.

So what constitutes “making it” then? What’s the goal? Or the next step?

I posed these questions to Giles in a noisy Chattanooga bar last month. His initial reply—secure a booking agent and then indie label—was straightforward.

For the next hour though, he spoke of the importance of building professional relationships with people who genuinely love the band’s music. He admitted to “seeing stars” when opportunity first knocked, but he and his bandmates decided that they prefer building a sustainable career over a longer period of time.

The bands that hit it big really fast seem to be the ones that burn out really fast. “They don’t really sustain,” Giles said.

The next day, he and Mike Scocozza, the band’s manager, planned to drive to Nashville to meet with a booking agency. It was one of many meetings they’ve had in the past year with industry players big and small. (This one was big.)

Giles looked forward to the trip. They would talk about the band’s monthlong tour in March, he said, “Twin Lakes,” and their upcoming releases. But he didn’t behave as though the meeting was a make-orbreak moment for Moonlight Bride. Instead, he compared the experience to dating, where both sides try to see if there’s any chemistry between them — in this case, whether their professional interests align.

In the not so distant past, he might have hung his hopes on one meeting, one deal or one record.

“Now I realize that’s not the case at all. It never is,” Giles said. “You’ve got to put out what you’re doing, what you like, and what you believe in. And forget all of that.” chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 11

12 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

LIST

THE CALENDAR

MARCH 15-21

» pulse picks

THU03.15

MUSIC McKay’s Road to Nightfall

Elk Milk celebrates the release of its new EP on Saturday, March 17, at JJ’s Bohemia with the Nim Nims and Behold the Brave.

» pulse pick OF THE LITTER: BATTLE OF THE BANDS

EVENT Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Violent Rage on St. Pat’s Strung Like A Horse vs. Glowing Bordis in battle of originals, covers I’m half-British, so nothing says St. Patrick’s Day to me like a good bar brawl. Besides, it’s a mostly prefabricated holiday event designed to induce beer and Irish whiskey sales (for which most—even the truly Irish—need no excuse), so why not indulge in a prefabricated, truly strange battle of the bands to top off your faux-Irish experience by visiting Rhythm & Brews on St. Patrick’s Day to witness an excellent musical showdown.

On Saturday, March 17, two great Chattanooga bands— Glowing Bordis and Strung Like A Horse—will stalk the stage at R&B to knock each other’s blocks off, musically speaking. Strung Like A Horse kicks off the night with a set of originals, answered

by Bordis’ own songs. SLAH returns to the stage with a complete set of Violent Femmes covers before Glowing Bordis responds with its own set of Rage Against the Machine covers. This will be truly nasty and something we’d like to see more of: Dueling local bands sharing their own originals with a local audience, then spriting said audience with sets of covers from their influences. Rhythm & Brews is an excellent coverband haven, and this mix

• Local bands compete for the chance to headline the summer concert series.

7 p.m. • Rhythm & Brews • 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644 • rhythm-brews.com

• Lions, tigers and clowns. Oh, my.

7 p.m. • UTC McKenzie Arena • E. 4th St. (423) 266-6627 • gomocs.com

FRI03.16 MUSIC Strung Like a Horse, Paper Lantern • Southern bluegrass at its best.

8 p.m. • The Camp House • 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 • thecamphouse.com

EVENT “The Mousetrap” • Agatha Christie’s murder mystery.

7 p.m. • Chattanooga Theatre Centre 400 River St. • (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com

SAT03.17 MUSIC Elk Milk EP Release Show with Nim Nims and Behold the Brave • Hometown bands back Elk Milk’s new release.

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

(423) 266-1400

EVENT St. Patrick’s Day Shenanigans • Annual Irish feasting and imbibery all day long.

11 a.m. • The Honest Pint • 35 Patten Pkwy.

(423) 468-4192 • thehonestpint.com

SUN03.18 MUSIC Don Williams • Country music icon makes rare appearance.

7 p.m. • Tivoli Theatre • 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 • chattanooga.gov

serves dual purposes. It’s an intriguing premise that should be explored further and more often.

—Bill Ramsey

SAT 03.17 Glowing Bordis vs. Strung Like a Horse 10 p.m. • Rhythm & Brews 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com

Glowing Bordis (above left) and Strung Like A Horse do battle on St. Patrick’s Day at Rhythm & Brews.

EVENT Shamrock City • Irish fun for the whole family at Rock City.

Noon • Rock City • 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mountain, Ga. • (800) 854-0675 seerockcity.com

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 13

Music FRIDAY 3/16 THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND IN THE WORLD 9 pm

SATURDAY 3/17 THE MOST IMPORTANT BAND IN THE WORLD 9 pm

SUNDAY 3/18 HAPPY HOUR ALL DAY! MONDAY 3/19 RICK RUSHING 7 pm

TUESDAY 3/20 KARAOKE WEEKLY CONTEST $1,000 GRAND PRIZE

7 pm

WEDNESDAY 3/21 THE F.O.G. (FAT OLD GUYS) 7:30 pm

THURSDAY 3/22 THURSDAY NIGHT FEVER DISCO with DJ BARRY

7:30 pm

richard winham

Paul Geremia: Blues Master for more than 50 years paul geremia has been on the road, traveling from town to town, playing the blues.

It all began in the Summer of 1963 when he hitched a ride to the Newport Folk Festival. That trip changed his life, but then the festival that year was a pivotal event for many people.

seeing the old man play at Newport in 1963 was his first exposure to the style he has spent his life trying to master.

John Hurt is often described as a “songster.” That description would also fit the legend-

Bob Dylan made his first appearance at the festival that year, as did Phil Ochs and Tom Paxton. But for Geremia, it was the festival debut of Mississippi John Hurt, the first of the “rediscovered” rural bluesmen, that mattered.

Hurt was at the festival because Tom Hoskins, a young musicologist who had heard one of the records he made in the late 1920s, had traveled to Avalon, Miss., to find him.

At that time, by all accounts, Hurt was living happily as a farmer when the young fan first knocked on his door.

Hurt had continued playing for friends in the neighborhood in the 35 years since his brief commercial recording career, but he’d apparently had little interest in pursuing a career as a musician. That all changed when the young scholar came calling. Hurt told an interviewer, “I thought he was the FBI. When he asked me to come up North, I figured if I told him no, he’d take me anyway, so I said yes.”

Over the next three years the 71-year-old bluesman became a cause célèbre in the socalled “folk revival.” In 1964, Time called Hurt “The most important rediscovered folk musician to come out of Mississippi’s Delta country.” For the final few years of his life he was a star. He made a series of recordings in Washington, D.C., he was a guest on “The Tonight Show,” and he played to thousands of young fans at festivals and in clubs across

ary Charley Patton, one of his contemporaries in Mississippi on the late 1920s, and another model for Geremia. The late blues historian, Robert Palmer, called Patton a “jack-of alltrades bluesman.” Like Hurt, Patton played a mix of “deep blues, white hillbilly songs, nineteenth-century ballads, and other varieties of black and white country dance music with equal facility.”

Geremia is in that same mold. His most recent album on Red House is a compilation of live performances, a couple dating back to the 1980s, but mostly they are from the past couple of years. He’s a very agile picker who has long since mastered Hurt’s technique.

Like Patton and Hurt, his live performances encompass a broad spectrum of styles including everything from breezy, good-natured ragtime ditties like “Lovin Sam

14 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

the country.

By all accounts, Hurt was an affable man. People who knew him described him as a warm, wise, grandfatherly kind of fellow. He was also a very accomplished musician.

Despite his age he had a very nimble approach to the guitar called fingerpicking that sounds simple until you try it.

The first time Paul Geremia heard Hurt play that way it “blew his mind.” Hurt’s original recordings were out of print at that time, and the recordings he’d made in Washington, D.C., hadn’t yet been released. So for Geremia,

(The Sheikh of Alabam’)” to deep blues such as The Reverend Gary Davis’ “Death Don’t Have No Mercy.” It’s a song that’s been covered by innumerable players, but few have mastered the spectral foreboding in the lyric with anything approaching Geremia’s insight. As his voice rises and falls with the melody it has the world-weary tone of someone intimately familiar with the writer’s observation that “Death don’t take no vacation in this land.” His playing is masterful. Forcefully pulling on the strings, he slowly builds a deep, resonant counterpoint to the lyric’s description of the grim visitor’s destructiveness.

It’s a powerful performance that may well give you a new appreciation of the song.

In 1971, a reviewer in Rolling Stone noted that Geremia had, even then, “established a reputation as ‘one of the finest blues artists to come along in a long time.’” The reviewer also noted that Geremia, like many of his heroes, is “something of a gypsy.” His passion has sustained him, and it can’t have been an easy life. But it has made him a compelling performer, channeling the spirits of those masters from whom he learned his craft.

Paul Geremia and Lon Eldridge 8 p.m. • $10 adv./$12 door Saturday, March 17 Barking Legs Theater 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barklegs.org Richard Winham is the host and producer of WUTC-FM’s afternoon music program and has observed the Chattanooga music scene for more than 25 years.

Music

Party at the

The Ghost of St. Louis

By Randall Gray

bob reuter could be the most admired musician, photographer and radio personality you’ve never heard of. In his hometown of St. Louis, Reuter is considered a cult hero and the “godfather” of the underground music scene, credited with influencing generations of musicians and artists in the Gateway City. Writers for alternative publications in St. Louis have called the 60-year-old singer-songwriter a “holy grail of rock ‘n’ roll,” “iconic” and “legendary.”

Most importantly, as anyone familiar with Reuter’s medical history can tell you, the seasoned rocker is a “howlin’-atthe-moon” survivor with the scars to prove it.

Reuter gratefully accepts the high praise his fans and followers have lavished on him. But he asserts that he hasn’t gone out of his way to garner the approval of his peers.

“I feel all right with people calling me iconic,” Reuter said.

“I’ve kind of put in the hours, you know? But there was no other possibility as far as I was concerned. I mean, I haven’t known any other way. It’s the life I’ve chosen to lead, to put

St. Louis music icon Bob Reuter is back on track with a young new band and a book of photographs. my creative life above all else.”

A musical child of the 1960s, Reuter gained his chops early on, playing bass and guitar with numerous garage bands in the declining north side of St. Louis. Originally a rocker, Reuter drifted in and out of bands during the ’70s and ’80s,

exploring roots music until the ‘90s when he found his voice as an alternative country artist. Reuter said his music has been influenced by Bob Dylan, Leadbelly, Jerry Lee Lewis and, he adds, “about a million Black guys!”

Two brushes with death ultimately served as catalysts to shape Reuter’s career and artistic vision. In 1997 he fell victim to dangerous blood clots, which left him disabled and unable to work. During his convalescence, Reuter switched out his guitar for a camera and began shooting and developing photographs. A book of his raw, somewhat ghostly, low-resolu-

tion photographs, titled “Light Fuse And Run,” reflects what the artist calls his “punk-rock aesthetic.” Heart problems for Reuter in 2009 led to quadruple bypass surgery and his subsequent hospitalization, which prompted visits from St. Louis musician Mat Wilson, a fan of Reuter’s radio show “Bob’s Scratchy Records,” who became eager to pump new life into the folk-punk stylist’s career.

When Reuter was back onstage after being released from the hospital, Wilson and his friend Chris Baricevic, another St. Louis musician and the head of Big Muddy Records, were in the audience.

“He was as strong as ever, stomping around onstage and howlin’ at the moon,” said Baricevic, who now plays guitar and keyboards in Alley Ghost.

“I turned to Mat at one point and said, ‘I want you to produce a Bob Reuter album.’

That’s how the band was born.

It started as a folk-punk thing and has since grown into this proto-punk juggernaut.”

Reuter said “just being connected up with these guys brought new life to me.” Before long, Reuter and his new mates were playing acoustic and recording the band’s first album live in his apartment kitchen, an accommodating arrangement that took Reuter’s delicate condition into consideration.

With a new record, “Born There,” Reuter and Alley Ghost are currently on tour, bringing R&B-tinged folk-punk songs to audiences in the South and the Midwest.

Bob Reuter & Alley Ghost 9 p.m.

Friday, March 16 The Office (inside the Days Inn) 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191

All Week Long!

Mon & tue LIVE DJ

Wii on the Big Screen wednesdays OPEN MIC

5-Week Guitar & Bass Contest CONTINUES!

thursdays LOCAL LEGENDS

HOUSE PARTY WITH 5 DJS

WEEKEND PARTY ZONE!

FRI $1 BEER 10-11PM LIVE MUSIC WITH

PISTOL TOWN

sat $1 BEER 10-11PM

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARTY LIVE MUSIC WITH

BRENT MCDONALD Party on Two Floors!

1st Floor: Live Music • 2nd Floor: Dancing

Raw Sushi Bar

Restaurant & Nightclub 409 Market Street •423.756.1919

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 15

Music

CHATTANOOGA LIVE

Thur 03.15

Wednesday • March 14 Donna Hopkins • Red Clay

Thursday • March 15

Soul Mechanic CD Release Party Bear Left • Faces in the Trees

Friday • March 16

Milele Roots • Deep Machine

Saturday • March 17

Elk Milk CD Release Show Nim Nims • Behold the Brave

Sunday • March 18

Jucifer • Generator Earth

Monday • March 19 Dryfeet • Fliying Eyes

Tuesday • March 20

All You Can Eat Comedy Buffet Flowtribe

Wednesday • March 21

Continental (featuring members of Dropkick Murphys) • Stoneline

LIVE MUSIC

Road to Nightfall 7 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Soul Survivor 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055 thepalmsathamilton.com Remembering January 8:30 p.m.

Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com Soylent Red, The Owls 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy.

(423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com Soul Mechanic, Bear Left, Faces in the Trees 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400

Fri 03.16

CHATTANOOGA MARCH

ROAD TO NIGHTFALL THUR. 7p 15 BACK N BLACK FRI. 10p 16 TRIBUTE TO AC/DC

ST. PATRICK’S DAY VIOLENT/RAGE BATTLE OF THE BANDS

17 TUE. 9p 20 SAT.

GLOWING BORDIS VS. STRUNG LIKE A HORSE 10p CELEBRATING 11 YEARS OF GREAT MUSIC

REV. HORTON HEAT LARRY & HIS FLASK · THE GODDAMN GALLOWS

ROAD TO NIGHTFALL WED. 7p 21 ROAD TO NIGHTFALL THU. 7p 22 ALL SHOWS 21+ UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED • NON-SMOKING VENUE

221 MARKET STREET HOT MUSIC • FINE BEER • GREAT FOOD

BUY TICKETS ONLINE • RHYTHM-BREWS.COM

Function 9:30 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260 Backwater Still 8 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com Strung Like a Horse, Paper Lantern 8 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Terri Clark, Jeff Ross 8 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929 track29.co Priscilla & Lil Ricky 9 p.m. The Foundry, 1201 Broad St. (423) 424-3775 Milele Roots, Deep Machine 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.

16 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

(423) 266-1400 The Most Important Band in the World 9 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs.com The Alley Ghost 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191 Nathan Farrow 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Road (423) 499-9878 budssportsbar.com Monkey Shine 10 p.m. T-Bones, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240 tboneschattanooga.com Back N Black 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com

Sat 03.17 Paul Geremia & Lon Eldridge 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theatre, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Manifest 8 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Scenic City Soul Revue 8:30 p.m. Mocha, 3116 Brainerd Road (423) 531-4154 Priscilla & Lil Ricky 9 p.m. The Foundry, 1201 Broad St. (423) 424-3775 Elk Milk, Nim Nims, Behold the Brave 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400 Nathan Farrow, Channing Wilson 9 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com Troy Underwood 9 p.m.

The Office, 901 Carter

Sound Check SUNDAY, march 18 • Don Williams at the Tivoli When most think of Don Williams, the soft-country hit “I Believe In You,” is the song that most often comes to mind. While Williams scored dozens of hits during his long career, this 1980 song was his only Top 40 crossover hit and exposed him to a broader audience just as the “Urban Cowboy” craze was sweeping the nation.

But it is a mistake to judge the singer by one single. A member of the folk-pop group Pozo-Seco Singers, Williams launched his

St. (423) 634-9191 The Most Important Band in the World 9 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs.com Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, Dead Fingers 9 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929 track29.co Coathanger Abortion, Cranial Impalement, Uncle Touchy, Desolate Anguish 9 p.m. Ziggy’s, 607 Cherokee Blvd.

Glowing Bordis vs.

Strung Like a Horse 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Kelsey’s Woods 10 p.m. T-Bones, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240 tboneschattanooga.com Bud Lightning 10 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Road (423) 499-9878 budssportsbar.com

Sun 03.18 Don Williams 7 p.m. Tivoli

solo career in 1971. His straightforward ballads and pleasing voice propelled 17 No. 1 hits, beginning with 1974’s “I Wouldn’t Want to Live If You Didn’t Love Me.” His 1978 song, “Tulsa Time,” was also a huge hit for Eric Clapton.

Williams retired in 2006 only to return to touring in 2010 after being inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. He is indeed a country giant worth listening to—and seeing (he’s 72 and may not pass this way again). Tyson Rogers, a former Signal Mountain resident, plays keyboard with Williams.

Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 chattanooga.gov Jucifer, Generator Earth 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400

Mon 03.19 Rick Rushing 7 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs. com Tyler Shepherd & Tim Hinck 8 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Dryfeet, Flying Eyes 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400

Tue 03.20 Rev. Horton Heat 9 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Flowtribe 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400

Wed 03.21 Road to Nightfall 7 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com

Continental, Stoneline 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd.

(423) 266-1400 Prime Cut Trio 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055 thepalmsathamilton.com The First Stone, Night Beds 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy.

(423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com Nathan Farrow 9 p.m. Bud’s Sports Bar, 5751 Brainerd Road (423) 499-9878 budssportsbar.com Wooden Wand 10 p.m. Sluggo’s North, 501 Cherokee Blvd.

(423) 752-5224 F.O.G (Fat Old Guys) 7:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs.com

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

Between the Sleeves

ERNIE PAIK

No Surprises; Ridiculous the british post-punk band wire has a tendency to not look back, going through major transformations and concentrating on the new, rather than the old material.

For example, in the mid-1980s, when Wire emerged as a more electronically focused group, it performed none Wire of its late ’70s “The Black Session” r o c k- c omb o (Pink Flag) material (the albums “Pink Flag,” “Chairs Missing” and “154,” all of which are essential) in live shows, instead leaving that task up to its opening act, the Wire cover band The Ex-Lion Tamers.

The group’s latest reboot, at the turn of the century, showed the band re-embracing the electric guitar on its “Read & Burn” EPs, with a driving minimalism and irresistible momentum. However, on choice occasions, Wire has revisited older material, such as the live album “The Black Session,” recorded for a French radio show last May. Half of it is comprised of selections from Wire’s 2011 album, “Red Barked Tree,” while the other numbers are various highlights from the group’s long career.

The “Red Barked Tree” material isn’t as aggressive as that from the previous decade, and in a live setting, it isn’t delivered quite with the precision heard on the studio recordings; a few of these new songs may sound oddly familiar to fans, like “Please Take,” which is somewhat similar to “Blessed State” or “Clay” off “154”, which bears a strong resemblance to 1978’s “I Am the Fly.” The revisited older tracks aren’t dramatically altered, and in fact the group seems to be attempting to make carbon copies in a few cases. The guitar timbres on “Map Ref. 41°N 93°W” and the opening strums of “Kidney Bingos” match the originals incredibly closely.

Although the performances are good, fans may find the album redundant and lacking many surprises, but there is one clear pinnacle: The closing track, an unstoppable 10-minute version of “Pink Flag” with raucous, glorious guitar chaos—a song that sounds just as vital today as it did 35 years ago.

certainly one of the most unusual and flat-out insane albums of recent memory, Philip Gayle’s “Babanço Total” was created entirely from sounds that originated from his body—and it’s not an album for the squeamish. No noise is too awkward for Gayle, from gurgles and r burps to blowing raspberries to the sound of swishing saliva around his mouth. It varies from being hilarious to causing discomfort, and it’s a bit like eavesdropping on someone working his way through some severe gastrointestinal issues.

Gayle uses his voice frequently on the album, but it’s dramatically altered so that it has no semblance of normality. At times, he seems to be imitating Donald Duck, and on “Feral Basil Pesto,” he primarily uses nonsense vocal sounds, although a few distinguishable words actually slip through.

“Stone Shoes” features exaggerated kissytype noises, while “Falling Off Brain Like I Told Myselves” is a cacophony of sped-up voices, played in reverse—an appropriately disorienting track that seems to manifest the multiple personality disorder suggested by the title. For “Howdy Elephant Tree,” Gayle vocalizes with a vaguely Southern accent and is perhaps imitating the patterns of someone with mental deficiencies, for an extra dose of wrongness.

This kind of body-focused sound creation is not unprecedented, and perhaps a sibling track is the 1970 piece “Our Song” by Ron Geesin and Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, created for a documentary about anatomy.

While “Our Song” was a concentrated burst, “Babanço Total” explores its unconventional sound-making for over an hour, making it difficult listening for all but the most hardy listeners. Although Gayle is clearly flaunting his eccentricities, the album isn’t just a pile of random sounds. There is some method to the song constructions and even harmonizing in places where one might not expect. I’m glad this album exists, although I may not be compelled to listen to it frequently, being completely bonkers, utterly awkward and unabashedly ridiculous.

Music

regular gigs

Thursdays Open Mic: Mark Holder 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. • (423) 634-9191 Songwriters Showcase: Jordan Hallquist with Special Guests 8 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. • (423) 634-0260 marketstreettavern.com Thursday Night Fever with DJ Barry 7 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 • sugarsribs.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road • (423) 499-5055 thepalmsathamilton.com

Fridays Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo, 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 Bluegrass Night 8 p.m.

The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 • thecamphouse.com amilton.com

Saturdays

901 Carter St (Inside Days Inn) 423-634-9191

Thursday, March 15: 9pm Open Mic with Mark Holder

Friday, March 16: 9pm The Alley Ghost

Saturday, March 17: 9pm Troy Underwood

Tuesday, March 20: 7pm 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

Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m.

Chattanooga Choo Choo, 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

Nightly Specials

Live Classical Music 7:30 p.m.

The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 • thecamphouse.com Big Band Night 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road • (423) 499-5055 • thepalmsathamilton.com

Tuesdays

Mon: 50¢ Wings • $3 Yazoo Tues: $1 Tacos • 1/2 Price Margaritas Wed: Wine Night + Live Jazz!

Thur: Burger & Beer Night Sat: $2 Domestics 4pm to Midnight

Music

Open Mic Night 7 p.m.

Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 • funnydinner.com

Wednesdays

Wednesdays Live Jazz with

The Ben Friberg Trio Thursday • March 15

Ben Friberg Trio 6:30 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. • (423) 634-0260 marketstreettavern.com Folk School of Chattanooga Old Time Jam 6:30 p.m.

The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 • thecamphouse.com Open Mic Night 7 p.m.

Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com

Songwriters Showcase

Jordan Hallquist and Special Guests

Friday • March 16 • 9:30pm

Function

Cover: $3 (Ladies) $5 (Men)

Sat. • March 17 • 4pm-?

St. Patrick’s Day Party 850 Market Street• 423.634.0260 Facebook.com/marketstreettavern

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 17

1200 Taft Highway Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

1300 Broad Street Monday - Friday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Agatha Christie’s

PLAYING

MAR 16 Tickets:

THRU

APR 1

TheatreCentre.com OR CALL

18 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

423-276-8534

Join us for Girls’ Night Out Friday, March 30, sponsored by

Arts

visual art

Glass Works Bring the Light

By Michael Crumb

visitors to the hunter museum may now view the newly arranged acquisitions in the contemporary gallery, featuring 18 glass works, African-American works in a range of styles, and some large paintings. Most impressively evident, the relations between community members and the museum have resulted in the prominent display of many favored glass works now added to the permanent collection.

Light has particular importance to glass works, which often integrate ambient light into their aesthetic effects. It’s remarkable that in this city once known for its industrial darkness, this dazzling show emphasizes light.

But before you enter the museum, take a few moments to consider the new sculpture near the entrance loop.

Tennessee-born artist Red Grooms’ “The Lindy Hop” (enamel on aluminum, 2009) blends a colorful presentation with dynamic motion to recreate a peak move of this famous Harlem jazz dance.

This sculpture has been produced as one piece of an edition of two and is on longterm loan to join the intriguing Hunter scuplture garden.

Originally from Nashville, Grooms has infused this work with a sense of music, both through his portrayal of musical notes on the “Savoy Ballroom” pedestal and through his sensitivity to his figures rendered as deeply involved with both the movement and with each other. This wonderful work shows such joy!

Regular visitors to the Hunter will find the first contemporary gallery much the same, overlooked by the magnificant Frank Stella painting. Still, Willem de Kooning’s abstract “Untitled 1969” contains such intense energy, producing a magnetic presence that invites deep con-

Karen LaMonte’s “Reclining Dress Impression with Drapery” (cast glass, 2006) now on display at the Hunter Museum.

templation. His colors and forms emphasize the erotic, and the total effect reaches for reference, as if this stunning abstract view was attempting to render some deeply sublime pleasure.

On the other side of this room, Tom Wesselman’s “Monica with Tulips” (silkscreen, 1989) witnesses the progression of a fine arts form that adds paradox to paradox. The central figure has been geometrically abstracted and the huge tulips seem wholly out of proportion, except, perhaps, as a sort of squashed perspective, as if a longer view were compressed or foreshortened. The background also seems paradoxical, with its geometry of diagonal and perpendicular planes in dynamic play. There is much white space, yet the

figure has vitality with her surroundings uncannily present.

Heading to the next gallery, Wayne Thiebaud’s “Glassed Candy” (lithograph, 1980) seems a promise of a coming glass show. Again, much white throws into relief the blue mirror effect of a surface containing a reflection. With few colors—orange and blue predominant, with black accents—this simply elegant representation suggests a deep understanding of this medium by the artist, a “pop art” sensation.

Janet Fish’s “Orange Lamp and Oranges” (1982) fills the canvas with glass effects from small windows so that the oranges are literally drenched in direct and reflected light.

Again, a deep knowledge of her medium and subject re-

ally jazzes this still life into playful drama.

Karen LaMonte’s “Reclining Dress Impression with Drapery” (cast glass, 2006) presents not only the visual dynamic of its smooth to ruffled surfaces, but its playfully ironic “invisible” figure seems to breathe a tactile presence into this cool material. Follow her “gaze” over to Kreg Kallenberger’s “Titantic Series 31887” (cast lead crystal, 1987), which resembles a piece of the poetic moon, its arc sector presenting two different surfaces. One transparent surface captures rainbow hues. This is amazing fun.

There are cast-glass pieces that present a sense of this material, like Thomas Scoon’s “Composition #4” (1995), Howard Ben Tre’s “Caryatids” (1988) and Daniel Clayman’s “Pierced Volume” (2007) with its tapered cylinder and apertures.

There are “narrative” works, like Ginny Ruffner’s “Conceptual Narrative Series/Storms in the Art World” (mixed media, 1997) posing the whimsical question of how we see things, and Catherine Newell’s “Alone Together IX” (2008) with its poignant suggestions of memory’s persistence.

Sandy Skuglund’s “Breathing Glass” (cibachrome print, 2000) shows glass’ capability of presenting “impossible” illusions. Other examples include Richard Ritter’s “Untitled” (blown glass with murrini, 1984) and Jon Kuhn’s “Crystal Quadrille” (lead crystal and borosilicate glass, 1991).

There lacks room to enumerate such diversity and interest in glass. Go and enjoy this precious light show! chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 19

Arts & Entertainment Thur 03.15 Homeschool Science Club 1 p.m.

Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St. (423) 648-6043 cdmfun.org Fireside Nights 6 p.m. Rock City, 1400 Patten Road Lookout Mountain, Ga. (800) 854-0675 seerockcity.com Theaterquest 6 p.m. Hunter Museum, 10 Bluff View (423) 266-0944 huntermuseum.org The Dismembered Tennessean’s 7 p.m. North River Civic Center, 1009 Executive Dr. Ste. 102.

(423) 870-8924 Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus 7 p.m.

UTC McKenzie Arena, E. 4th St. & Mabel St. (423) 266-6627 gomocs.com CSO: “Carmina Burana” 8 p.m. Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 chattanoogasymphony.org Tom Rhodes 8 p.m.

The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

Fri 03.16 St. Patrick’s Day Celebration 10 a.m. Georgia Winery, 6469 Battlefield Pkwy.

(706) 937-WINE georgiawines.com Foto @ The Falls 6:30 p.m. Ruby Falls, 1720 S Scenic Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com “The Mousetrap”

20 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Barnum & Bailey: Barnum Bash • International acts perform to contemporary pop music.

SAT 03.17 • 5 p.m. • UTC McKenzie Arena • E. 4th St. & Mabel St. • (423) 266-6627 • gomocs.com

7 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Tom Rhodes 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com “Little Women” 7:30 p.m.

The Colonnade Center, 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 935-9000 colonnadecenter.org CSO: “Carmina Burana” 8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 chattanoogasymphony.org Josh Alton & Jake Sharon 9:30 p.m. Vaudeville

Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 funnydinner.com

Sat 03.17 Spring on Springer 5K 9 a.m. Lake Zwerner Trail, Dahlonega, Ga. dahlonegatrailfest.org St. PAWtrick’s Day 10 a.m.

Renaissance Park, Manufacturers Road (423) 757-5152 CSO String Quintet Concert 11 a.m. Northgate Library, 520 Northgate Mall (423) 757-5310 Irish to the Bone: St. Paddy’s Party & Bike Show 12 p.m. Thunder Creek Harley Davidson, 7720 Lee Hwy. (423) 892-4888

thundercreekharley.com Shamrock City 12 p.m. Rock City, 1400 Patten Road Lookout Mountain, Ga. (800) 854-0675 seerockcity.com St. Patrick’s Day Festival 1 p.m. Lookout Mountain Flight Park Club House, 1836 Creek Road, Wildwood, Ga. (614) 203-5579 soarsouth.org St. Patrick’s Dance 2 p.m. Orange Grove Center, 615 Derby St. (423) 629-1451 Pastel Demonstration & Reception 2-6 p.m.

River Gallery, 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 river-gallery.com Ringling Bros. and

Barnum & Bailey Circus: Barnum Bash 5 p.m.

UTC McKenzie Arena, E. 4th St. & Mabel St. (423) 266-6627. gomocs.com St. Patrick’s Purse Fundraising Dinner 6 p.m. Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E. Martin Luther King Blvd. (423) 266-8658 bessiesmithcc.org Tom Rhodes 7:30 p.m.

The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com “The Mousetrap” 8 p.m. Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St. (423) 267-8534 theatrecentre.com Tommy Davidson & the Allstars of Comedy

CSO: “Carmina Burana” • Kayoko Dan conducts the Chattanooga Symphony Orchestra, with special guests.

03.15 & 03.16 • 8 p.m. • Tivoli Theatre • 709 Broad St. • (423) 757-5050 • chattanoogasymphony.org

8 p.m.

Tivoli Theatre, 709 Broad St. (423) 757-5050 chattanooga.gov

Sun 03.18 Shamrock City 12 p.m. Rock City, 1400 Patten Road Lookout Mountain, Ga. (800) 854-0675 seerockcity.com LA Phil Live: Gustavo Dudamel and Herbie Hancock Celebrate Gershwin 2 p.m. Regal Hamilton Place, 2000 Hamilton Place Blvd. (423) 855-0064 Tom Rhodes 8 p.m.

The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

Mon 03.19 Harlem Globetrotters 7 p.m. N.W. Georgia Trade & Convention Center, 2211 Dug Gap Road (706) 272-7676

Tue 03.20 2012 Hometown Heroes Luncheon 11:30 a.m.

Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St. (423) 756-0001 Open Mic Stand

Up Comedy 7 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 funnydinner.com Matthew Bourne’s “Swan Lake” 7:30 p.m.

Rave Motion Pictures, 5080 South Ter. (423) 855-9652

Wed 03.21 Social Media Marketing Conference 2:30 p.m.

Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St. (423) 756-0001 Trans-Siberian Orchestra: “Beethoven’s Last Night” 7:30 p.m.

Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5156 chattanooga.gov

Ongoing “Re: Structure” (thru April 13) 11 a.m. AVA Gallery, 30 Frazier Ave. (423) 265-1282 avarts.org Children of Hangzhou: Connecting with China (thru May 13) 11 a.m. Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St. (423) 648-6043

cdmfun.org “Color” (thru March 31) 10 a.m. Shuptrine Fine Art Group, 2646 Broad St. (423) 266-4453 shuptrinefineartgroup.com “Brushstrokes and Bracelets” (thru March 31) 11 a.m. In-Town Gallery, 26A Frazier Ave. (423) 267-9214 intowngallery.com “Environments” (thru March 31) 10 a.m.

River Gallery, 400 E. 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 river-gallery.com Spring Photography Exhibition (thru June 28) 8:30 a.m. Photographic Society of Chattanooga, 71 Eastgate Loop.

(423) 344-5643 chattanoogaphoto.org Family Adventure Excursions (thru April 8) 12:30 p.m. Tennessee Aquarium, 1 Broad St. (423) 648-2496 tnaqua.org

Map these locations on chattanoogapulse. com. Send event listings at least 10 days in advance to: calendar@ chattanoogapulse.com. chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 21

Building Better Burgers DINE-IN, DINE-OUT, & CATERING

One order at a time Warehouse Row • 1110 Market St. • (423) 825-4919 Hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday southernburgerco.com • Facebook/SouthernBurgerCo

22 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

SANDWICHES, SOUPS, BAKES POTATOES, HOMEMADE DESSERTS Store Hours: Mon – Fri: 11am-8pm, Sat: 11am-4pm, Sun: 11am-3pm

It just doesn’t get any better than GollyWhoppers.

6337 E. Brainerd Rd • Chattanooga • (423) 855-2001

Screen

JOHN DEVORE

Buy the Ticket, See the Shorts i have a task for you, chattanooga. much of my time writing for the pulse has been spent advocating for independent film. I have given you information, times, places and subjects. I have interviewed filmmakers and devotees who are in love with film as a medium. I have prodded and encouraged attendance for events, not only to support the organizations that bring independent film here, but because I know that lives can be enriched by good, thought-provoking, independent film. So, now I have something to ask of you. It isn’t difficult, or expensive or painful. But it is important; not life or death, but a powerful step in the right direction for making Chattanooga a film-lover’s paradise. All I need you to do is buy a ticket.

The Arts and Education Council of Chattanooga is trying to bring us this year’s Oscar-nominated short liveaction films to a local screen.

These are not the typical Scorsese or Allen fare; “Hugo” and “Midnight in Paris” are wonderful, but they have the backing of major film studios as well as very famous directors and actors attached to them. It isn’t like they aren’t going to make money.

These short films, on the other hand, are from the other categories, categories that aren’t always celebrated, categories with films in them most people never see. These are films that tell entire stories in compact form, films about interesting subjects, told in distinct and entertaining ways, packed into one showing. It’s a miniature festival with only a $9 price tag. I don’t generally include lists in my articles, but I’m making an exception for such an important subject.

Here are the films that were nominated (including 2012 Academy Award-winner “The Shore”): “Pentecost” When Damian is forced to serve as an altar boy at an important mass in his local parish he faces a difficult choice: conform to the status quo or serve an extended ban from his passion in life, football.

“Raju” A German couple adopts in Kolkata an Indian orphan. Their child suddenly

“Time Freak”

disappears and they realize that they are part of the problem.

“The Shore” is the uplifting story of two boyhood best friends, Joe (Ciarán Hinds) and Paddy (Conleth Hill), divided for 25 years by the tumult of “The Troubles” in Ireland. When Joe returns home to Northern Ireland, his daughter Patricia brings the two men together for a reunion—with unexpected results. What happened all those years ago? Can old wounds be healed? The answer is both hilarious and moving. “The Shore” is about one of the small personal reconciliations that coincide with a national reconciliation.

“Time Freak” A neurotic inventor creates a time machine, only to get caught up traveling around yesterday.

“Tuba Atlantic” When

out to help Oskar through his remaining days. A huge horn stands at the edge of the sea, built by the brothers when they were kids. Will its sound cross the Atlantic?

Of particular interest to me is the film “Time Freak.” I have a soft spot for time-travel stories, and I feel giddy at the prospect of seeing one take place in less than 10 minutes.

I really think it’s the length that makes me so excited for these films. I’m an avid reader of short stories, and once or twice have composed my own. These are short stories in a different medium. It is a powerful device, one that can really make an impact on the audience. Every scene, every line is packed with importance—the time limitations force the storyteller to work harder to reach the audience.

From Germany and India to Ireland and Norway, these films are guaranteed to entertain and inspire. But the AEC can only bring them here if 50 tickets are sold before March 19. It is up to us. If I had the cash, I’d buy all 50 tickets myself and distribute them on street corners. But my family considers electricity and water a “necessity”—my wife is completely unreasonable on this point)—so I am resorting to the power of the press.

Go buy a ticket. You won’t regret it. Buy one for your best friend. Buy one for your sister.

Buy one for your postman.

Buy one for your arresting officer. Buy one for me. I don’t care who you buy one for; just buy one.

BlackSmith’S

The Oscar-Nominated Live Action Shorts of 2012 9 p.m. • $9 Thursday, March 22 Majestic 12 311 Broad St. Tickets: tugg.com

3914 St. Elmo AvEnuE ChAttAnoogA (423) 702-5461

“The Shore”

70-year-old Oskar is told that he has only six days left to live, he wants to put things right with his brother, who lives in New Jersey. Inger, a public “death angel” is sent

BiStro & Bar

“Excellent food! Freshly and expertly prepared local fare. Great attention to detail. In other towns this food would be twice as much and half as good.

Burgers are amazing. Sit outside and watch the Incline. Great mixed drinks and beer selection.”

–Buster sept. 2010 Online review

Wednesday through Saturday 11am to 10pm Sunday Brunch 11am to 3pm

Find uS on FACEbook www.blacksmithstelmo.com

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 23

Food&Drink

DINING OUT CHATTANOOGA

The Honest Pint: Embracing Ireland Daily

By D.E. Langley

this time of year, drinking establishments across the country festoon themselves with paper shamrocks and Irish tricolors in an attempt to lure in less discerning drinkers for St. Patrick’s Day. A true Irish-style pub, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily need to change anything to be able to provide a memorable March 17.

The Honest Pint is one of those pubs—Hibernian influences abound each and every day of the year. From the food menu to the drinks on offer, there’s no mistaking from whence the inspiration stems.

Thankfully, the interior lacks the kitschy visuals that often spring to mind when one thinks of an ‘Irish pub.” Wood grain accents abound, recalling its progenitors from across the pond, and exuding comfort.

The space itself is shockingly large, and ensures that even though smoking is allowed, you won’t find yourself choked out of an appetite.

Speaking of, an appetite is something you should definitely bring to The Honest Pint. As in other areas, the menu draws heavily on traditionally Irish components, but combines them with a modern American sensibility to produce truly elevated pub fare.

Examples include a colcannoninspired cheese dip, an Irish sausage and potato soup, boxties stuffed with all manner of

The Honest Pint 35 Patten Pkwy.

21+ at all times (423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com Hours: 11 a.m. To 2 a.m. daily

ingredients, and their “Herder Pie,” a take on the classic Shepherd’s, with leg of lamb and veg in a mustard and red wine stew, topped with smashed potatoes and Irish Cheddar.

Other items lean more towards the American influ-

24 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

ence. Smoked chicken wings are offered six ways, and one of their most popular offerings is the “Pomme Tots,” tater tots cooked in duck fat. (Yes, duck fat.) “Oink Cakes” are another choice I doubt you’ll find elsewhere: think crab cakes, then

replace the crustacean with succulent smoked pork.

In the spirit of the season, I decided to stick with more traditional fare—in particular, the traditional Irish breakfast.

What a spread! Two fried eggs, kielbasa, and rashers (back bacon—think a cross between bacon and ham) make for a healthy portion of protein. The sweetness of baked beans and fresh slices of tomato balance out the salty meats, and winesoaked button mushrooms and soda bread complete this massive plate. I washed it all

down with a creamy, nitrogenpushed Smithwick’s—the slight bitter notes balanced the flavors of the meal even further.

If you’re planning on spending your St. Patrick’s Day out, about, and imbibing, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better option than The Honest Pint.

From Smithwick’s and Guinness on tap, to a dozen different Irish whiskeys behind the bar, if your tradition is to celebrate by drinking the Emerald Isle’s finest, they’ve got you covered.

If you’re not all that concerned about the provenance of your drinks, there are loads of craft, import, and domestic beers from all over. Either way, you’re sure to find something to suit your tastes.

There are other reasons to put The Honest Pint on your St. Patrick’s Day itinerary besides their ample beverage menu.

Live music is slated to start at 6 p.m., there will be loads of promotions and giveaways, and there will be a (free!) shuttle running to Hair of the Dog and The Terminal Brewhouse.

On the other hand, if carousing crowds aren’t your idea of ideal company, The Honest Pint will be doing the same thing come Sunday that it’s been doing each and every day since it opened. While the staff at other bars and chain restaurants are taking down the green streamers and plastic pots of gold, The Honest Pint will be serving delicious meals, the finest beers and whiskeys, and a sense of gratification that only a proper pub can deliver.

(Not to mention they’ve got a wicked brunch menu with a Bloody Mary to match—just in case you need pampering after a long Saturday night.)

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 25

“May you live as long as you want, and never want as long as you live.”

Irish Proverb

Find the perfect spirits for your St. Patrick’s Day Party!

3849 Dayton Blvd. • Ste. 113 423.877.1787 At the corner of Morrison Springs Road and Dayton Boulevard in the Bi-Lo Shopping Center

Sushi & Biscuits

MIKE MCJUNKIN

Chili Pepper Junkie i’m an endorphin junkie. i regularly crave a little squirt of my brain’s happy juice, and I will go to great lengths to satisfy that urge. I don’t jump off mountains hanging from a kite or go hurdling down raging rapids stuffed inside a plastic tube to get that rush. Instead of endangering my life in an attempt to stimulate my brain into an euphoric fog, I prefer to submit myself to the whims of the capsaicinoids found in the nightshade family. Before you get McGruff to sniff around my apartment for substances which clearly sound illegal and maybe even immoral, I am talking about chili peppers—those beautifully piquant fruits that love us until it hurts (and yes, they’re technically a fruit).

A few weeks ago I began a search for the spiciest dish in Chattanooga—and I don’t mean Tabasco-level heat. I’m a serious addict, and I crave the hard stuff. I’m looking to chase that spicy dragon until beads of sweat drop from my forehead, food that comes with a warning, a waiver and a nervous look from the server. I’ve got to have at least half a million Scoville units to stop the monkey on my back from going into a shit -throwing rage.

What’s a Scoville unit, you ask? Wilbur Scoville came up with the Scoville Scale in the early 20th century as a way to measure the amount of capsaicin in hot peppers.

Capsaicin is the chemical that makes peppers spicy and Scoville Heat Units (SHU) represent the number of times the capsaicin in a pepper would need to be diluted before it would be imperceptible.

For example, Tabasco is rated at 3,500-5,000 SHU’s, Habanero chilis at 100,000500,000, and the hottest peppers, like the Ghost chili, rate an ass-burning 800,000-1.2 million SHU’s. That kind of heat will burn through latex and your lower intestine before making a fiery exit a few hours later.

As my search continued, my excited expectation at the thought of scoring some primo spice here in my home-

26 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Chasing the spicy dragon for a Scoville high in Chattanooga, our intrepid chef finds his fix in Ghost Wings. town sank into a Kafkaesque despair. When it comes to seriously spicy food, Chattanooga is a desert. It’s easier to find a one-legged hooker than a Ghost chili in the Scenic City, but there are a few good time houses where chiliheads can go to pick up some fire.

Get the “Native Thai” spice level at Thai Smile, 219 Market St., and ask for extra napkins because you will sweat like Paula Deen churning butter.

Sitar Indian Cuisine, right across the street at 200 Market St., has a Vindaloo curry that is pretty hot straight off the menu, but if you ask them to make it very spicy you’ll get a delicious curry with a nice side of chili buzz.

But if you want serious, butt-wrenching heat you have to get the Ghost Wings at Market Street Tavern next to Miller Plaza. That monkey on my back shut his little chili hole when I bit into these babies and my brain started

pumping the happy juice.

These pungent delights strike a nice balance between the Ghost chili’s flame-throwing heat and their subtle, sweet citrusy flavor.

But why would I want to engage in chemical warfare with one of my most precious organs (my tongue, of course)? Why do any of us choose to subject our bodies to this pain? The brain is a hell of a drug. Scientist Paul Rozin called it “benign masochism.” Like any adrenalin junkie, when we eat chilis we participate in a ruse for our own pleasure. Not only are we getting the high from the endorphins, but we are experiencing the pleasures of thrill seeking without the pesky side effects of crippling injury or death.

Humans are unique in that we are the only animal that likes hot peppers. Psychologist Paul Bloom put it this way: “Philosophers have often looked for the defining feature of humans ... I’d stick with this: Man is the only animal that likes Tabasco sauce.”

Our drive for pleasure is so strong we’ll endure pain to get it. That’s not all that makes us human but it is certainly an ingredient in the recipe.

Mike McJunkin is a local chef and foodie. Contact him at mike@chattanoogapulse. com.

Taslimi crowned ‘Iron Chef’ of TASTE Warehouse Row on March 8 was a playground for gastronomes as Taste gave Chattanoogans a chance to sample dishes from 20 of the area’s finest restaurants.

Offerings ranged from bites of Sequatchie Cove Farm artisan cheese to a flavor packed curry from Sitar and an assortment of Belle’s mini cupcakes. While the portions were appetizer sized, the flavors were big and bold, showcasing some of the high quality and diverse foods in Chattanooga’s growing food scene.

I had the honor of being a judge for Taste’s “Iron Chef”-style competition between Matthew Davis of Public House, Sarah Love of On The List Catering, Eric Taslimi of the recently shuttered Table 2, and Rodger Burrows of Marco’s Italian Bistro. All of the chefs made fantastic use of the secret ingredient (kale), but Taslimi (pictured above) rose above his peers to deliver an Asian-inspired halibut dish that allowed the taste of the kale to really shine. Amazingly, he did it solo, in contrast to the other chefs who brought sous chefs along to assist them.

Congratulations to Taslimi and thanks to everyone who helped bring this fun and very filling event together.

Comix

NEED EXTRA CASH? CHATTANOOGA’S #1 GOLD BUYER wants to give you MONEY for your jewelry!

Get paid TOP-DOLLAR just like Rick’s thousands of satisfied customers!

WWW.RICKDAVISGOLDANDDIAMONDS.COM

RICK DAVIS GOLD & DIAMONDS 5301 Brainerd Rd at McBrien Rd • 423.499.9162 chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 27

brad

brainaerrdt road ict distr

17 • 12-8 H C r a M G in n d Ope

Gran

fasHiOn sH

Ow • dOOr

s•

Hand MassaGe

prizes • fO

Od & drink s t is t Makeup ar

ReBirth Mid-Century Furniture Melrose Boutique Annie E Clothing FIND US ON

10.230EL5S .7 3 2 4 d a O r d NEAR THE TUNN 204 Brainer

3

Free Will Astrology ARIES

(March 21-April 19): This week you may learn the real reason the tortoise beat the hare, why two of the three blind mice weren’t really blind, and the shocking truth about the relationship between Cinderella’s fairy godmother and the handsome prince. Myths will be mutating, Aries. Nursery rhymes will scramble and fairy tales will fracture. Thor, the god of thunder, may make a tempting offer to Snow White.

The cow’s jump over the moon could turn out to have been faked by the CIA. An ugly duckling will lay an egg that Chicken Little claims is irrefutable proof the 2012 Mayan Apocalypse is imminent. Sounds like a rowdy good time for all!

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “Roots and wings. But let the wings grow roots and the roots fly.” That was written

by Spanish poet Juan Ramon Jimenez, and now I’m passing it on to you. It will serve as a keynote for the turning point you’re about to navigate. In the coming weeks, you’ll generate good fortune by exposing your dark mysterious depths to the big bright sky; you’ll be wise to bring your soaring dreams down to earth for a pit stop. The highs need the influence of the lows, Taurus; the underneath will benefit from feeling the love of what’s up above. There’s one further nuance to be aware of, too: I think you will find it extra interesting to interweave your past with your future. Give your rich traditions a taste of the stories that are as-yet unwritten.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

Is it possible you were a spider in a previous life? If so, please call on the abilities you developed back then. You need to create an extra big, super-fine web, metaphorically speaking, so that you can capture all the raw materials you will be needing in the coming weeks and months. If you’re not sure whether you are the reincarnation of a spider, then simply imagine you were. Stimulate daydreams in which you visualize yourself as a mover and shaker who’s skilled at snagging the resources and help you require.

28 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

rob brezsny

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

ships that play to both parties’ strengths.

British writer Kenneth Tynan asked a movie director about how he’d film an advancing army. Did it matter whether the action went from right to left across the frame or left to right?

“Of course!” said the director.

“To the Western eye, easy or successful movement is left to right, difficult or failed movement is right to left.” The director showed Tynan an illustrated book as evidence. On one page, a canoe shooting the rapids was going from left to right, while a man climbing a mountain was headed from right to left. Use this information to your benefit, Cancerian. Every day for the next two weeks, visualize yourself moving from left to right as you fulfill a dream you want to accomplish.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): How did the Vikings navigate their ships through rough northern seas on cloudy and foggy days? Medieval texts speak of the mysterious “sunstone,” a “Viking compass” used to detect the hidden sun. Modern theories suggest that this technology may have been Iceland spar, a mineral that polarizes light, making it useful in plotting a course under overcast skies.

Do you have anything like that, Libra? A navigational aid that guides your decisions when the sun’s not out, metaphorically speaking? Now would be an excellent time to enhance your connection with whatever it is that can provide such power.

LEO

SCORPIO

(July 23-Aug. 22): Hanadi Zakaria al-Hindi is the first Saudi Arabian woman to be licensed to fly a plane. But there’s an absurd law in her country that prohibits women from driving cars, so she needs a man to give her a lift to the airport. Is there any situation in your own life that resembles hers, Leo? Like maybe you’ve advanced to a higher level without getting certified on a lower level? Or maybe you’ve gotten permission and power to operate in a sphere that’s meaningful to you even though you skipped a step along the way? Now would be a good time to think about whether you should do anything about the discrepancy, and if so, how to do it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Recent scientific studies have confirmed what Native American folklore reports: Badgers and coyotes sometimes cooperate with each other as they search for food. The coyotes are better at stalking prey above ground, and the badgers take over if the hunted animal slips underground. They share the spoils. I suggest you draw inspiration from their example, Virgo. Is there a person you know who’s skilled at a task you have trouble with and who could benefit from something you’re good at? It’s prime time to consider forming symbiotic relationships or seeking out unusual partner-

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): If you set up two mirrors in just the right way, you can get a clear look at the back of your head. You’re able to see what your body looks like from behind. I suggest you try that exercise sometime soon. It will encourage your subconscious mind to help you discover what has been missing from your self-knowledge. As a result, you may be drawn to experiences that reveal things about yourself you’ve been resistant to seeing. You could be shown secrets about buried feelings and wishes that you’ve been hiding from yourself. Best of all, you may get intuitions about your soul’s code that you haven’t been ready to understand until now.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-

Dec. 21): According to my Sagittarius friend Jonathan Zap, the Greek playwright Aristophanes had an ambivalent attitude about divine blessings. He said that no great gift enters the human sphere without a curse attached to it. I’m sure you know this lesson well. One of last year’s big gifts has revealed its downside in ways that may have been confusing or deflating. But now here comes an unexpected plot twist, allowing you to add a corollary to Aristophanes’ formulation. Soon you will find a second blessing that was hidden within the curse in embry-

onic form. You’ll be able to tease it out, ripen it, and add it to the bounty of the original gift.

CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22Jan. 19): Writing in the science magazine Discover, Corey S. Powell says, “There’s an old joke: If you tell someone the universe is expanding, he’ll believe you. If you tell him there’s wet paint on the park bench, he’ll want to touch it to make sure.” In accordance with the astrological omens, Capricorn, I invite you to rebel against this theory. I think it’s quite important for you to demand as much proof for big, faraway claims as for those that are close at hand.

Don’t trust anyone’s assertions just because they sound lofty or elegant. Put them to the test.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.

18): It’s an excellent time to better appreciate your #@%(!)* vexations and botherations. In fact, let’s go ahead and make this Honor Your #@%(!)* Irritations and Annoyances Week. To properly observe this holiday, study the people and things that irk you so you can extract from them all the blessings and teachings they may provide. Are you too tolerant of an annoying situation that you need to pay closer attention to? Is it time to reclaim the power you’ve been losing because of an exasperating energy-drain? Does some jerk remind you of a quality you don’t like in yourself? Is there a valuable clue or two to be gleaned from a passive-aggressive provocateur?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Seahorses have an unusual approach to reproduction. It’s the male of the species that cares for the eggs as they gestate. He carries them in a “brood pouch” on his front side. Of course it’s the female who creates the eggs in the first place. After analyzing the astrological factors coming to bear on your destiny, Pisces, I suspect you will benefit from having a seahorse-like quality in the coming weeks.

Whatever gender you are, your archetypal masculine qualities should play an especially strong role as you nurture a project that’s in its early developmental phases.

Jonesin’ Crossword

St. Patrick’s Day

matt jones

SPECIALS We will meet or beat any advertised price in Chattanooga!

You’re in Luck!

Irish Whiskey Sale!

All Major Brands!

“Corner Squares”—4x3x3.

Across

1. Gordie on the ice 5. Circus performance 8. Mo-rons 13. “Give it ___, will ya?”

15. “___ Day” (hip-hop single of 1993) 16. Threepio’s buddy 17. Spring chicken 18. “Lost” actor Daniel ___ Kim 19. Overwhelmingly 20. Airline reservation 22. Calligraphy need 24. Suffix for McCarthy 25. Clue for the northwest corner 30. Assistance 31. Actor Gulager of TV westerns 32. Wipe out 33. Clue for the southwest corner 37. ___ gobi (Indian potato dish) 38. Kilmer who played Jim Morrison and Batman 39. “___ Tries Anything” (Ani DiFranco song) 43. Clue for the northeast corner 48. ___ wait (prepare to ambush)

50. Pai ___ (“Kill Bill” tutor) 51. ___ bran 52. Clue for the southeast corner 56. Lateral start 57. Barbed wire tattoo spot 58. “The Lion King” bad guy 59. More bizarre 62. Event that makes a CEO rich(er) 64. Sign message at football games 67. “The Absinthe Drinker” painter 68. Sport-___, aka “SUV” 69. Current World Chess Champion Viswanathan ___ 70. Bizarre 71. Late Pink Floyd member ___ Barrett 72. Each

DOWN

1. Bale stuff 2. Gold, to Pizarro 3. Wistful beginning of some stories 4. Cosmetics businesswoman Lauder 5. Contribute (to) 6. Jenny of diet plans

7. Frigid temperature range 8. File folder feature 9. Like a crooked smile 10. Exclamation after trying on old clothes, maybe 11. Perfectly 12. More miffed 14. Simple roofing material 21. Register tray 23. “Hooked on Classics” record company in old TV ads 25. Explorer Vasco da ___ 26. Iran’s currency 27. ___ York (NYC, to some residents) 28. Former Notre Dame coach Parseghian 29. They’re half the diameter 34. Makes do 35. ___-T-Pops (“the lollipop with the loop”) 36. Camera effect

40. Guide to getting around a mall 41. Get wind of 42. Punta del ___, Uruguay 44. Started the pilot 45. “Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)” singer 46. Field judges 47. Barton of “The O.C.” 48. “Ed Wood” Oscar winner Martin 49. Statement of denial 52. Il ___ (cathedral of Florence) 53. Toyota hybrid 54. Like some threats 55. Actress Elg of “Les Girls” (hidden in MAINTAINABLE) 60. Always, in poetry 61. Hwy. 63. Large British ref. book 65. “Walking on Thin Ice” songwriter Yoko 66. Bipolar disorder, for short

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. 0563.

Where the Liquor is Cheap and the Entertainment is Free

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 29

Life in the Noog

chuck crowder

The Day Jack White Came to Town it happened just this past weekend. jack white, considered by some to be the most powerful, talented and mysterious man in the music business, rode into town to grace us with his presence at Track 29 for a performance that would go down in the annals of local live show legend, like The Who at Memorial Auditorium in the 1960s or the Red Hot Chili Peppers at the Nucleus in the mid-’80s. Rock royalty was rolling in.

The few weeks leading up to the show were shrouded in the same kind of Jack White smoke-and-mirror hat tricks that make you wonder what he eats, if he puts his pants on one leg at a time, or if his shit stinks. The concert was, after all, his first-ever solo show (at least under his own name). It was also the opening show of a tour to promote his first ever solo album, “Blunderbuss,” which is not to be released until late April, so we weren’t sure exactly what he was going to play.

And, according to at Track 29, no one at the venue was aware of what Jack had in mind as far as a backing band or stage set-up until practically the day of the event. All of this made it very difficult to anticipate the dynamics of whatever it was everyone was so excited about.

Regardless of the details, this show promised to be epic.

It wasn’t going to be the White Stripes. We knew that. The Raconteurs? Old news. The Dead Weather? Who’s that? This was going to be ... this was going to be … well no one really knew what it was going to be, but if Jack White was involved it was going to be good. So good that fans from around the globe vied for the same scarce allotment of 1,700 tickets as those local fans who could see the venue from their house—and the show sold out in less than five minutes.

Rolling Stone magazine, MTV and other major music outfits were even sending reporters to

cover the event—just to be the first to tell the world what it was Jack had up his sleeve this time.

Thankfully, a week before the show Jack debuted his new persona on “Saturday Night Live.” The world hunkered down around the television set as if The Beatles were playing the “The Ed Sullivan Show” again just to see what Jack was going to play. After several excruciating skits featuring host Lindsay Lohan, he finally came on. Wow! A cool new song and an all-female backing band.

OK, now we could relax until his second appearance later in the show. Then he came on again. Another cool new song.

But wait—an all-dude backing band. Two different backing bands? How mysterious. What did this mean for our upcoming live experience?

Finally, our patient wait had come to an end. Saturday, March 10, turned up on the calendar and Chattanooga became the epicenter of all that is rock ‘n’ roll of late. Luckily, I had a golden ticket.

After sitting through a virtually unlistenable (yet Jack White handpicked) opening act, Hell Beach, we all stared

30 • The Pulse • march 15-21 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Photos • Jo McCaughey

for 30 minutes at a stage draped in three white panels and blue lights animated only by the silhouettes of White’s dapper road crew before the man himself appeared with his harem of female backing performers—one of whom was visibly pregnant.

Surrounded by a drummer, stand-up bassist, steel guitarist, violinist, keyboardist and

backing vocalist/tambourineist all donned in white flowing dresses, Jack launched into the White Stripes’ “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground” like it was the Super Bowl Halftime Show. In fact, it seemed as if Jack had traded Meg White rubbing two sticks together for a Zippo lighter as his new band blazed through a half-dozen or

more White Stripes songs and many others during the nearly 20 song set.

In addition to “Dead Leaves,” White ripped through Stripes’ favorites “Hotel Yorba,” “Ball and Biscuit,” “You Know That I Know,” “We’re Going To Be Friends,” “I’m Slowly Turning Into You,” “My Doorbell,” a strange but awesome new arrangement for “You’re Pretty Good Looking (for a Girl),” and of course the cult-like “Seven Nation Army.” Each song seemed to have new depth and a fresh Nashville-inspired sound compared to the original stripped-down Stripes’ versions.

White and crew also played the Raconteurs’ “Top Yourself” and the Dead Weather’s “I Cut Like a Buffalo” in addition to four or five from the highly anticipated solo LP, including the two he performed on “SNL”— “Love Interruption” and “Sixteen Saltines”—before ending the performance with the Southern-appropriate Leadbelly cover “Goodnight Irene.”

As the last song ended and the band quickly exited the stage, the harsh fluorescent house lights came on. It was as if your mom was waking you up from a good dream by suddenly flipping on the overhead light and yelling something about your potential tardiness to school. The dream was over, and it was time to go back to the reality of our normal day to day —where Jack White lives only in our iPods.

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.

chattanoogapulse.com • march 15-21, 2012 • The Pulse • 31