The Pulse 9.22 » May 31-June 6, 2012 by Brewer Media Group

May 31, 2012

Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative MUSIC

Grass Widow: pop blossoms ernie paik chats with grass widow’s hannah lew

arts

ALL THINGS NORTH SHORE celebrating the north shore

community public art project

screen

‘my day as a movie extra’ film critic makes sacrifices for his hollywood moment

h The REALLY SHORT STORY CONTEST

600 Words Using the theme of ‘Chattanooga,’ this year’s winners: ‘A Letter That Was Never Sent’ by Nicholas R. Perego ‘The General’ by Wesley Smith

2 • The Pulse • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

HIGHLIGHTS

Since 2003

INSIDE » music Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative ChattanoogaPulse.com • Facebook.com/ChattanoogaPulse

EDITORIAL Publisher Zachary Cooper Creative Director Bill Ramsey Contributors Rich Bailey • Rob Brezsny Chuck Crowder • Michael Crumb • John DeVore Randall Gray • Dr. Rick Pimental-Habib Paul Hatcher • Janis Hashe • Matt Jones • Chris Kelly D.E. Langley • Mike McJunkin • David Morton Ernie Paik • Alex Teach • Richard Winham Cartoonists Max Cannon • Richard Rice Tom Tomorrow Photography Jason Dunn • Josh Lang Interns Katie Johnston • Patrick Noland • Cole Rose

GRASS WIDOW

MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • vol. 9 no. 22

Ernie Paik talks with Hannah Lew of the all-woman San Francisco trio Grass Widow, a band that has been steadily gaining attention and critical acclaim for its distinctive music—stirring, energetic, taut, left-of-center sonic pop blossoms with a hint of post-punk. The band plays Sluggo’s on Thursday, June 7. See Page 11

ADVERTISING Sales Director Lysa Greer Account Executives Rick Leavell • Emma Regev

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

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On the cover:

600 Words

• This year for our annual short story contest, we asked local writers to employ the theme of “Chattanooga” in 600-word stories. We selected the two best entries, “A Letter That Was Never Sent,” by Nicholas R. Perego, and Wesley Smith’s “The General.” Read them on Pages 6 and 7.

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.

MUSIC

Grass Widow • The all-girl group brings its postpunk sonic pop blossoms to town. By Ernie Paik » 11 arts

All Things North Shore • Celebrate the vibrant arts district and vote for a new piece of public art. By Bill Ramsey » 14

chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 3

BOWL

THE MEDIA

TALK OF THE NOOG chattanoogapulse.com • facebook/chattanoogapulsE SEND LETTERS TO: INFO@CHATTANOOGAPULSE.COM

Fit to Print

Newspapers slide toward digital at a price this is not a chattanooga story (yet), but it is one of concern to any city with a daily newspaper. Recently, the New Orleans Times-Picayune announced it will cease publishing on a daily basis this fall and begin a three-day schedule, printing a paper on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. The paper’s owners, Newhouse Newspapers, instead intends to emphasize its website, as it has done elsewhere. This is bad news not only for the staff (which will be significantly reduced) and the industry (already in a perilous state), but for the citizens of New Orleans and readers of newspapers in general. The Times-Picayune has been in print since 1837 and, as The New York Times reported recently, avoided some of the deeper cuts in the industry, in part because the newspaper played such a critical role in the coverage of Hurricane Katrina and its

4 • The Pulse • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

aftermath, earning Pulitzer Prizes for its public service and breaking news reporting. At that time, the paper’s staff did not evacuate but rode out the storm, updating its website with vital news until its presses could come back on line. The paper and

the city recovered slowly but surely. Jim Romenesko, a popular industry insider, reports that the paper remains profitable and implies that the move is simply a costcutting measure rather than a technologyforward plan. In the publisher’s memo to his staff, the plan was referred to as a “more robust newspaper three days a week.” Surely, no one took this seriously. There’s no doubt that the printed newspaper continues to suffer and decline, but the “forced march to digital,” as one newspaper consultant put it, has less to do with digital and more to do with the expense of producing and printing the news. While it’s true that digital advertising revenue is rising, it is not necessarily climbing on the websites operated by newspapers. A recent Pew Research Center study found that U.S. newspapers lost $10 in print advertising for every $1 they gained online. Why? A generation has come of age that no longer values print, but demands news for free—and they get it, although where that news comes from is likely not from their local paper’s website. Many now increasingly rely on news reports not from credible sources, but from such sites as Facebook and other social media forums. The Fourth Estate, as the press used to be known, was never intended to be a strictly money-making venture, but it did—and still does—make a comfortable living for many of its owners, publishers and staffers. Ask a reporter if he or she got into the business to make money and you’ll be greeted with a laugh. To oversimplify, as newspapers became the property of corporations with shareholders, demand for profits increased and, combined with declining revenue, the gutting began. But the shift toward digital, while perhaps inevitable, does not necessarily compensate for a daily printed newspaper—in tone, accuracy or even, dare we say, pleasure. And there’s more to it than that. In New Orleans, where 36 percent of residents still do not have Internet access, one reporter told The New York Times, “Both my subjects and my neighbors are always looking for a print copy of what I do. One of the charms of New Orleans is that we are 10 years behind in everything, and that includes the Web.” Sound familiar? —Bill Ramsey

BESSIE SMITH STRUT

Strut Your Stuff as you are likely aware, the bessie Smith Strut is on, and it’s on MLK—though it’s not exactly the same. Following a contentious bit of wrangling after Mayor Ron Littlefield launched an effort to move the Strut to the grounds of the Riverbend Festival, the event will go on as planned on Monday, June 11. This year, however, you will pay to play, with either a Riverbend pin (which gets you in at no extra charge) or a $5 wristband (through June 9 at various locations and online at bessiesmithstrut.com) or $10 at the gate. But if you’d like to strut for free and help out, here’s your chance. The Bessie Smith Cultural Center is coordinating the Strut and is looking to fill 300 volunteer positions. The center will conduct mandatory workshops for volunteers from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, June 6, and Thursday, June 7. You can attend either workshop. For more information, call the Bessie Smith Cultural Center at (423) 266-8658 and ask for Lisa Hubbard.

RIVERBEND

Foreign-er? speaking of riverbend ... Every year the festival brings some acts that cause us to shake our heads. Actually, our heads spin a lot—similar to that of Linda Blair in “The Exorcist”—when reviewing the schedule. But this time it’s not at the fact that the festival booked the classic rock band Foreigner. No—God knows, we love us some Foreigner (we are, after all, hot blooded and really want to know what love is). But Foreigner with only one original member who is not lead singer Lou Gramm is simply That Guy From Foreigner With a Cover Band—even if “That Guy” is Mick Jones, the band’s principal songwriter (and really, does that even matter?). Even scarier is the prospect of a Mick Jones-less Foreigner. Jones underwent open-heart surgery in late February, forcing him to miss dates on the band’s current tour. Which makes us wonder: What does one call Foreigner with only one or no original members? We settled on “Foreigner.” Here’s wishing Jones a full recovery. Perhaps he will use that time to reconnect with Gramm. Meanwhile, we’ll check out Foghat, also at Riverbend this year. Oh, wait—only original drummer Roger Earl survives from that trio (and he’s been ill, too). Hmm. But what the hell, after a few beers it doesn’t much matter, does it?

On the Beat

alex teach

Non-Flaming Youth i recently had a conversation with a friend over the quality of youth today from my perspective as a cop who responds to the crap you don’t hear on the news, but that still requires paperwork and an occasional splint. “It’s gotta be bad today I imagine,” he said, “what with all the new drugs we never had and the ease in making fake I.D.’s and stuff, right?” I even surprised myself when my immediate response was “Nah, not really.” There’s a Doug Stanhope bit (he’s a comedian; if you ride a bicycle competitively you’d never “get him,” but the rest of humanity would) in which he decried the state of partying for our current batch of youth. His basic premise was that kids in the 18-to-21-year-old range today got the shitend of the stick because “fun” is now watered down and boring. No one is raising hell, not even rock stars, because it’s all too dangerous and potentially offensive now. To my horror, my friend thought both he and I were insane and that the current generation of know-it-alls and slackers were, in fact, doing their best to raise the bar for the next as is their genetic mission. My friend’s clearly a moron, but seriously, how can anyone say that partying exists anymore? I’m at the forefront of what bitchy people from a few generations before mine used to call Generation X. I am a child of the ’80s who was aware of the crazy shit The Who and Ozzy Osbourne did in the ’70s and was proud to see it carried on by Def Leppard and Motley Crue as I came of age. Guns N’ Roses breached the early part of the ’90s like a George W. Bush troop surge, but now here we are with freakin’ Coldplay as our new “hellraisers.” Kids wear helmets with

bicycles. Nothing has sugar. Electric cigarettes? Are you shitting on my brain? Stanhope is right; it’s a big damn Nanny State he’s making fun of and the only possible responses to the contrary just give guys like him more material to work with, as if there’s not enough already. It’s not that today’s youth are less violent by any means; that’s a different issue. No, I’m talking about the fact that it’s freakin’ boring to be young and coming of partying age now, and I think that he might agree that we both hope the freakin’ bottom falls out of this ridiculous “Fun-Nazi Net” that Hillary Clinton created like the weird-ass funspider that she, and many of you, have become. I’m a first responder and I don’t hear about tragic drag-racing crashes on public streets anymore, much less hotels being evacuated for false fire alarms or sex acts in public theaters between consenting young adults. Do I want those things? Certainly not. But my dark cop heart weeps that this is the state of our youth to-

day. My God, how you ever expect people to become interesting if they don’t “do” anything? Now youths don’t drink coffee, strippers are verboten, and a “new every two” cell phone upgrade is more important than a spontaneous trip to Graceland or Panama City. They’re probably even practicing safe sex. Ugh. Enjoy your stagnant monotone lives and your eco-friendly cars and moderation in drinking, but let the young be young, you know? Do you think I’m callous or irresponsible for thinking this way? To the contrary, because in your self-righteous blandness you never considered the fact that we’re 20 years away from the worst midlife crises (plural) in the history of mankind, and at this rate that could be an extinction-level event. Don’t feel stupid, I’m usually a step or two ahead, but I am worried that if 50 Cent or Chris Brown isn’t going to throw a TV through a hotel window to kick this party off, who will? I weep for our tame youth. And therefore, for us all. Alex Teach is a fulltime police officer of nearly 20 years experience. The opinions expressed are his own. Follow him on Facebook at facebook. com/alex.teach. chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 5

IT’S MARTINI TIME!

FRIDAYS $5 HOUSE MARTINIS

h 600 WORDS: The REALLY SHORT STORY CONTEST

A Letter That Was Never Sent BY Nicholas R. Perego B.I’m sorry I haven’t written in a while, I’ve been in a bad way and had a time finding the right words. It’s Sunday, and this evening marks a week since I walked into Tennessee. I was going to head out sooner, but it looks like I’ll be staying a spell here in Chattanooga. It’s still bitter cold in the city but I’m faring just fine. I bought some new socks from a thrift store in Corinth and still have a fair stock of whiskey in my pack. I find it harder to move on than usual, for better or worse. It’s a strange place, this town nestled in a bowl at the feet of the Appalachians, but it has magic in its guts, I’ll give it that.

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Find uS on FAcEbook blacksmithstelmo.com 6 • The Pulse • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

I remember a couple of hours after arriving I saw a young couple holding hands and leaning against the iron banisters of an old blue walking bridge. The boy had a heavy lock in his free hand with their initials and a little heart penned across its face, and proceeded to lock it with a dull click to the railings. Those kids just stood there a while under the lamplights, watching their breath curl and vanish, and then with arms laced, walked off towards the sound of a band striking up on the far shore of the Tennessee River. That seems to be what this town is, a scene for lovers where the music plays just for you. It’s a slow and easy place, all in all, full of nooks and crannies for ruminating and kissing pretty girls. I’ve been sitting in the park for the better part of the morning and from my bench I see the mural churning; a sky peppered with little wisps of clouds traveling lazily north. A troupe of pigeons strut through the grass in their stained grey suits, picking at peanut shells without much concern for anything at all. A riverboat drums along as a calliope pipes out some frenetic number. I’ve often wondered to myself what sort of deranged animal created such an instrument. I’m sure you’re aware, but I won-

der about a lot of things, and most of them are no doubt just as pressing as the origins of steam organs. An old man approaches me for a cigarette and we get to talking about Chattanooga. He tells me he’s lived here for 51 years, the last six of those on the street. He says he remembers a time when you could set the river on fire, and how the mountains were just silhouettes of giants behind a curtain of haze. The whole business choked him up. “We still have problems just like everybody else, but it’s nothing the people can’t fix. I’ve seen this place come out of a real bad spot, and now it’s the prettiest thing in the world.” I pass him the bottle and ask the time. He takes a swig, looks at his bare wrist for a solid minute and scrunches up his nose, “About that time, young blood.” I figure he knows what he’s talking about. People start to head home from their Sunday strolls, and the man and I part ways. I take a sip of strong drink beneath the branches of a young oak and watch the sun start to slip behind the mountains. I suppose its time I slip out for the evening as well. I hope you’re taking care of yourself, cricket. I’ll send you an address to reply to soon. Give my love to everyone and keep your lamps burning. -N.

h 600 WORDS: The REALLY SHORT STORY CONTEST

The General BY WESLEY SMITH The stone gazes of dead heroes judge him less harshly than the milk white mountaineers to whom he sells fleeting tastes of happiness. The generals and martyrs stand sentinel in their secluded arbors; they have become commonplace idols. The only homage they now receive is his, when he seeks the isolation his livelihood necessitates. For no appreciable reason he notes a square, black sticker subletting space on the Jeep’s bumper as his customers mount their hasty withdrawal. Proudly it proclaims the occupants have “Seen Rock City.” He doesn’t doubt it; he can picture their stacked leather shoes slapping staccato on rocks older than folly, hear the misplaced laughter of hopeful hooligans who despise their parent’s wealth. The mountaineers never laugh in his presence. They stumble through the transaction with the jittery fingers of promised prom night lust and mumble their gratitude away from his face in their rush to exit stage left. It’s not fear, no more than his own smirking bemusement is derision; two worlds meet in these shady glens, under the stern visages of dead men and their artillery, and no one quite knows what to do with the energy which sparks from such galactic collisions. He reaches up to stroke the smooth cheek of one of his granite companions, taking a comforting poetry of promised protection from the cool, unyielding hardness. He always does this, in appreciation for their allowing him the use of their homes. The city hosts dozens of these glens, five of which he rotates as a storefront. Even now, with so many years of shadowy commerce behind him, he finds it peculiar that only he favors the abodes of the stone soldiers, only he superstitiously seeks their warding watch. He does not know if these men fought for the freedom or enslavement of a people. It doesn’t matter. Whatever these men fought for, whatever cause has cast them into stone permanence, they are his soldiery now; he is their general. Laughing at the irony, he moves to survey

the territory his soldiers fought and died for; perhaps to take, perhaps to hold. His storefront lies atop a ridge stretching languidly along the city’s side, spooning lovers of geologic proportions. City lights wink an orange promise of prosperity, installed by fat men who reek of costly colognes. In younger, leaner, more honest years he hated those men, saw the city and its lights as a fetid product of negligent greed. He has left behind hatred, left behind hopeless aspiration to inclusion in their ranks, and sees them now with the benign, vaguely affable banality of coworkers. They milk the city and its milling people from one end of the spectrum, he from the other, and it is only their sons he ever encounters, passing through his periphery on their paths towards inevitable dominance of their domains. He has learned to love the city. “I keep account of my hits and my misses,” he says into the emptiness yawning wide and cold before him. His soldiers voice no opinion, but the cellular phone in his pocket responds with a merry tinkling. In its emerald glow he finds the voice of his child. His customers paid well, and tonight’s fish will be fresh, properly broiled, without the slippery breading of poverty. He is proud of his capability to provide, and why shouldn’t he be? There is a significant cost to love.

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THE CALENDAR

05.31-06.06

NIGHTFALL HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND

• Blues meets Southern rock boogie and New Orleans swamp funk. Rick Bowers and The Saints of Main Street open. FRI 06.01 • 7 p.m. Nightfall Concert Series Miller Plaza 850 Market St. nightfallchattanooga.com

» pulse WEEKEND PICKS » pulse pick OF THE LITTER

THU05.31 MUSIC Cutthroat Shamrock • Appalachian punk rock. 9 p.m. • The Honest Pint • 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 468-4192 • thehonestpint.com

EVENT “Aldo Leopold: A Standard of Change” • Jim Pfitzer’s new one-man play. 7 p.m. • Barking Legs Theater • 1307 Dodds Ave. • (423) 624-5347 • barkinglegs.org

FRI06.01 MUSIC Justin Townes Earle • The Son of Steve with Todd Snider. 9 p.m. • Track 29 1400 Market St. • (423) 521-2929 track29.co

EVENT Fresh on Fridays • Have a local lunch downtown. 11 a.m. • River City Company (423) 265-3700 rivercitycompany.com

SAT06.02 MUSIC Those Darlins • Rip-roarin’ Southern band with Houndmouth and Eight Knives. 9 p.m. • Track 29 1400 Market St. • (423) 521-2929 track29.co

EVENT All Things North Shore • Community party. See Page 14. 10 a.m. • North Shore Frazier and Woodland Avenues

Flippin’ Out at Lake Winnie

e were remiss in not featuring our favorite local amusement park in our Summer Guide. So we’d like to make good on that mistake and pay homage to the park where we’ve spent so many good times over the years. We speak, of course, of Lake Winnepesaukah, the family amusement park just across the state line in Rossville, Ga., where so many from the area have enjoyed the rides, the lake, concerts and even the food. OK, perhaps not the food, but it’s a park, after all. Lake Winnie is a true local institution and a grand place to while away a summer afternoon and get your thrill on without having to drive to Six Flags. While we are huge fans of the Cannon Ball (right), the legendary Lake Winnie roller coaster, the park is upping the ante this year by unleashing the Fire Ball (above). The Fire Ball is a breathtaking new ride that flips thrill-seekers head over heels as they ascend a full 360-degree loop. If that’s not enough, take on the OH-ZONE!, a 14-story free-fall, the Fly-O-Plane, the Pipeline Plunge, The Contestoga or Wild Lightnin’, the park’s other coaster experience.

home game

SCHEDULE Sat, June 2 • 7:15 PM Breakin’ B’Boy McCoy Girl Scout Night

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Sun, June 3 • 2:15 PM SunTrust Sunday

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Mon, June 4 • 7:15 PM Friends of the Park Night Kids Eat Free

vs. Jackson

Tue, June 5 • 7:15 PM Bi-Lo BOGO Dalton & Ringgold Night

On Sunday, June 3, the park’s concert lineup continues with Colt Ford performing at 3 and 8 p.m. The summer concert schedule continues with Sharp Dressed Man (June 24), Charlie Daniels Band (July 22), Confederate Railroad (Sept. 2) and the Moonshine Band (Sept. 15). Buy the ticket, take the ride.

vs. Jackson

Wed, June 6 • 11:15 PM vs. Jackson

Lake Winnepesaukah Open through October $26 (gate admission includes unlimited rides) 1703 Lakeview Dr. Rossville, Ga. lakewinnie.com chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 9

Sound Check FRI06.01

TRIBUTE BANDS

GNR? Not Quite

• Seeing a tribute band is not the same as seeing the original band, and that’s a good thing. The original Guns N’ Roses no longer exists, at least not as they did when their now-classic album Appetite for Destruction came out in 1987, which is too bad. It’s also how life works for hardpartying, late-’80s hard-rock outfits that couldn’t even come together to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012. Appetite For Destruction, also known as NotQuiteGNR, comes screeching into Chattanooga on Friday. Billed as “the ultimate tribute to Guns N’ Roses” by their host, Rhythm & Brews, fans will be treated to a live performance by a group of sound-a-likes (and look-a-likes) paying homage to a band that is now extinct. Good tribute bands function as a sort of living, breathing museum exhibit.

BETTER SOUND FASTER

Albeit, they’re more interesting because they are actively trying to melt your face off, but the idea is similar: there is distinction being given to something that was important to people. It is a preservation of how things were. NotQuiteGNR looks, sounds and lives the part of Axl, Slash and the Sunset Strip Crew, but they have a different aim. They are here not to imitate, but to occupy the vacant space left by the creative differences and egos that fragmented the original line-up. They are here to stroke your nostalgia, and they have a hell of a time doing it. —Cole Rose Appetite for Destruction 10 p.m. • $10 Friday, June 1 Rhythm & Brews 221 Market St. (423) 267-4644 rhythm-brews.com

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Party at the ERNIE PAIK

Sonic Pop Blossoms

taking its name from a term for an abandoned wife, the all-woman San Francisco trio Grass Widow has been steadily gaining attention and critical acclaim for its distinctive music—stirring, energetic, taut, left-ofcenter sonic pop blossoms with a hint of post-punk—and its unique lyrics, which are enigmatic and expressive, if sometimes cryptic. Bassist Hannah Lew took the time to answer some questions for The Pulse in advance of Grass Widow’s June 7 show in Chattanooga, supporting the group’s new album Internal Logic. The Pulse: Grass Widow’s lyrics can be oblique at times. Is the title Internal Logic a reference to this? Hannah Lew: We named this record Internal Logic based on something Tobi Vail wrote about us a while back. She really nailed it. It was one of the few times someone wrote about us and we totally agreed with all of their observations. We each have our own internal logic amongst us within our songs. Although we definitely have our own idioglossia as a band, we are three individuals who sometimes have our own method within our songs for

interpreting the parts or concepts. This multiplicity is very much part of who we are and how we operate. I’ve read that “Fried Egg” (from the album Past Time) is about death and the subconscious, written during a time of coping. To what degree are the songs on Internal Logic personal? Yes, “Fried Egg” and many other songs on Past Time were written during a time of grief for us. My father had passed away while we were writing that album and most of the songs were attempts at understanding death. Those songs are all very emotional

for us and very difficult to perform. We intentionally wrote songs that were empowering and fun to play while writing Internal Logic. All of these songs are equally personal and emotional, but they are less about grief and more about hope. There is a light at the end of a tunnel that we were pining for in “Fried Egg,” and I feel that we are on the other side of that tunnel now. I am still experiencing grief, but in a more accepting way. Your videos seem to be a perfect fit for Grass Widow’s music. How would you describe your filmmaking aesthetic and how it fits with Grass Widow’s musical aesthetic? I have been making a lot of videos, but “Fried Egg” was really the first music video that I made. I wanted to make something that visually represented our band and described something about our character. I wanted to offer another example of femininity that wasn’t solely based in a sexy super identity but rather an expression of individu-

ality as the women we are. Through all the videos I’ve done, I always strive to really represent an artist and their style. I sometimes feel like I’m a portrait artist more than anything. I’m always trying to challenge the boring ways women have been portrayed and offer some new images in the hopes that this can someday lead to a larger vocabulary for women’s identities. After being on the Kill Rock Stars label, your new album is self-released. What have you learned doing it this way? When a band is attached to a label, people lump them in with that label’s aesthetic and politics. It has become increasingly important to us that people relate to our music solely based on their love of our music. We had a good experience putting out Past Time with Kill Rock Stars, and we learned a lot about the business aspects. But we started our own label, HLR, last year because we really wanted to have every aspect of our business be very specific. We were willing to be totally broke for a few months while paying for recording, production and PR, etc., because we knew that we would have total control and reap 100 percent of the profits for the rest of our lives. There are a lot of people making money off of musicians. It’s kind of insane. Grass Widow with Big Kitty and Future Virgins Thursday, June 7 Sluggo’s North 501 Cherokee Blvd. (423) 752-5224

Richard Winham will return next week.

All Week Long!

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Wii on the Big Screen wednesdays

Jonathan Wimpee Jam Session thursdays LOCAL LEGENDS

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chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 11

Music

CHATTANOOGA LIVE Megan Jean and the KFB, The Tammys, Mollie King 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 Appetite for Destruction: A Guns & Roses Tribute 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Public Outcry Band 10 p.m. SkyZoo, 5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 468-4533 skyzoochattanooga.com

Wednesday • May 30

Raenbow Station • Forest Tourist Lee Bains • Frontier Ruckus

Thursday • May 31 BlockCrusher

Friday • June 1

Megan Jean and the KFB The Tammys Mollie King

Saturday • June 2

sat 06.02

Smooth Dialects AFRO Brian Olive

Tuesday • June 5 We the Electron The Ghost Wolves

Wednesday • June 6 David Newbould Ryan Oyer

HONEY ISLAND SWAMP BAND • The blues meets Southern rock boogie and New Orleans swamp funk at Nightfall this Friday. Rick Bowers and The Saints of Main Street open. FRI 06.01 • 7 p.m. • Nightfall Concert Series • Miller Plaza • 850 Market St. • nightfallchattanooga.com

LIVE MUSIC

Thu 05.31

CHATTANOOGA MAY

LONG GONE DARLINGS with MATT WOOD

THU. 9p

JUNE

1 SAT. MIDNIGHT RIDERS A TRIBUTE TO THE ALLMAN BROTHERS 10p 2 CHANNING WILSON WED. 9:30p 6 Awesome singer/songwriter THU. LETICIA WOLF 9:30p 7 APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION A GUNS N ROSES TRIBUTE

FRI. 10p

Singer/Songwriter, Rock ‘n’ Roll Queen COMING: 6/8: MILELE ROOTS 6/9: BON JOVI TRIBUTE ALL SHOWS 21+ UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED • NON-SMOKING VENUE

221 MARKET STREET

HOT MUSIC • FINE BEER • GREAT FOOD BUY TICKETS ONLINE • RHYTHM-BREWS.COM

An Evening with Yanni 7:30 p.m. Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5156 chattanoogaonstage.com Rosedale Remedy 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055 thepalmsathamilton.com BlockCrusher 8 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 Long Gone Darlings with Matt Woods 9:00 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Cutthroat Shamrock with Red State 9 p.m. The Honest Pint, 35 Patten Pkwy. (423) 468-4192 thehonestpint.com Peewee Moore 10 p.m. T-Bones, 1419 Chestnut St.

12 • The Pulse • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

JUSTIN TOWNES EARL • The young troubadour and son of Steve Earle visits with Todd Snider. FRI 06.01 9 p.m. • Track 29 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929 track29.co

(423) 266-4240.www. tboneschattanooga.com.

fri 06.01 Honey Island Swamp Band with Rick Bowers & The

Saints of Main Street 7 p.m. Nightfall, River City Stage at Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. nightfallchattanooga.com Firefighters Benefit Concert: The Association 8 p.m. Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5156 Robby Hopkins 8 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com Jerry Paris: The Southern Blues Unplugged 8 p.m. Meo Mio’s Cajun & Seafood Restaurant, 4119 Cummings Hwy. (423) 521-7160 Mark “Porkchop” Holder 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191 Todd Snider and Justin Townes Earle 9 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929 track29.co

Rock ‘n Ride 3 p.m. Mystery Dog Ranch, 975 Wooten Road, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 935-5559 hozhotherapeutic.org Maddie Grace 8 p.m. Acoustic Café, 61 RBC Drive, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 965-2065 ringgoldacoustic.com An Evening With Norman Blake 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Ed Huey & Lon Eldridge Blues Review 8 p.m. Meo Mio’s Cajun & Seafood Restaurant, 4119 Cummings Hwy. (423) 521-7160 Hap Henninger 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191 Those Darlins 9 p.m. Track 29, 1400 Market St. (423) 521-2929 track29.co Smooth Dialects, AFRO, Brian Olive 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 Midnight Riders: A Tribute to The Allman Brothers 10 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com Danger Kitty 10 p.m. Skyzoo,

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

5709 Lee Hwy. (423) 468-4533 skyzoochattanooga.com.

sun 06.03

Thursday, May 31: 9pm

Chattanooga Market’s Big Band SwingFest 11 a.m. First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Carter St. (423) 402-9960 Colt Ford 3 p.m. Lake Winnepesaukah, 1730 Lakeview Dr. Rossville, Ga. (706) 866-5681 lakewinnie.com

Open Mic with Mark Holder

Friday, June 1: 9pm

Mark “Porkchop” Holder

Saturday, June 2: 9pm Hap Henninger

Tuesday, June 5: 7pm Server Appreciation Night $5 Pitchers $2 Wells $1.50 Domestics

tue 06.05 International Improvisors: John Butcher, Thomas Lehn, Gino Robair and Shaking Ray Levis 7:30 p.m. Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org We the Electron, Ghost Wolves, Travis Avery 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400

wed 06.06 Charley Yates 7 p.m. Aris’ Lakeshore, 5600 Lake Resort Terr. (423) 877-7068 Prime Cut Trio 8 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055 thepalmsathamilton.com Ryan Oyer 9 p.m. JJ’s Bohemia, 231 E. MLK Blvd. (423) 266-1400 Channing Wilson 9:30 p.m. Rhythm & Brews, 221 Market St. rhythm-brews.com

Regular Gigs Thursdays Open Mic with Mark Holder 9 p.m. The Office, 901 Carter St. (423) 634-9191

●

All shows are free with dinner or 2 drinks! Stop by & check out our daily specials! THOSE DARLINS • Named as a “band to watch” last year by Rolling Stone, this rip-roarin’ quartet met years ago at the Southern Girls Rock & Roll Camp in Murfreesboro. Chattanooga Whiskey Co. brings with them to town in a showcase with Houndmouth and Eight Knives. SAT 06.02 • 9 p.m. • Track 29 • 1400 Market St. • (423) 521-2929 • track29.co

Thursday Night Fever with DJ Barry P 7:30 p.m. Sugar’s Ribs, 507 Broad St. (423) 508-8956 sugarsribs.com Open Mic 7 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com

Fridays Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000 choochoo.com Bluegrass Night 8 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055

Saturdays

Johnny Cash Tribute Band 5 p.m. Chattanooga Choo Choo Victorian Lounge, 1400 Market St. (423) 266-5000 Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055

Mondays 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

tuesdays Open Mic 9 p.m. Tremont Tavern, 1203 Hixson Pike (423) 266-1996 tremonttavern.com Songs & Stories 7 p.m. The Camp House,

Happy Hour: Mon-Fri: 4-7pm $1 10oz drafts, $3 32oz drafts, $2 Wells, $1.50 Domestics, Free Appetizers

Facebook.com/theofficechatt

1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com

Wednesdays Jimmy Harris 7 p.m. The Palms at Hamilton, 6925 Shallowford Road (423) 499-5055 Folk School of Chattanooga Old Time Jam 6:30 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Ben Friberg Trio 6:30 p.m. Market Street Tavern, 850 Market St. (423) 634-0260 marketstreettavern.com

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

Nightly Specials Mondays 50¢ Wings $3 Yazoo

Tuesdays $1 Tacos 1/2 Price Margaritas

Wednesdays Wine Night + Live Jazz!

Thursdays Burger & Beer Night

Saturdays $2 Domestics 4pm to Midnight 850 Market Street• 423.634.0260 Facebook.com/marketstreettavern

chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 13

Arts

PUBLIC ART

All Things North Shore: Vote, Shop, Party By Bill Ramsey

the pulse has devoted significant space recently to private and public projects, as well as new and significant commercial and business developments, occurring on the Southside. It’s home to more than a few of Chattanooga’s hipster population, some great galleries, restaurants and soon a new grocery store that will cement its neighborhood status. But we come now to focus on the North Shore, a more developed and distinct community. No less hip or edgy, if such a distinction exists in Chattanooga, the historic North Shore is an eclectic neighborhood that combines galleries and boutiques, restaurants, a vibrant community and some natural “pluses”—the Tennessee River, Coolidge Park, the Walnut Street Bridge—that give it an edge over the developing Southside. There is much to celebrate on the North Shore, and yet another opportunity to do so happens from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 2, during All Things North Shore, a celebration of art and culture in this diverse community. The neighborhood party was organized to celebrate the North Shore Community Public Art Project, which will soon place a new sculpture in the grassy area in front of Walgreens at the intersection of Frazier and Woodland Avenues. Public Art Chattanooga, which raised funding to purchase the new

honest music

The North Shore Community Public Art Project offers an opportunity to vote on the city’s next piece of public art and celebrate an arts community. sculpture, received more than 75 applications from artists nationwide and have selected three finalists whose work will be on display in small-scale model form at the Association for Visual Arts for the entire community to vote on which will become a permanent fixture in the city. Everyone who votes during the party will receive a sticker that makes them eligible for specials offered by participating North Shore

merchants. The free event is based in the North Shore Fellowship parking lot at 118 Woodland Ave. After voting you can: • Make your mark on a community handprint mural; • Listen to live music from such local artists as the Snake Doctors; • Enjoy food from local vendors and restaurants such as Good Dog and the Brewhaus; • Create arts & crafts and participate in children’s activities; • Shop local merchants and receive special offers, including Winder Binder Gallery & Bookstore, which will be hosting its Art ‘til Dark Outdoor Market. There’s no better way to support public art and celebrate an arts community.

View small-scale models of Chattanooga’s next piece of public art and vote at the Association for Visual Arts at 30 Frazier Ave., then shop the district, including Winder Binder Gallery & Bookstore’s Art ‘til Dark Outdoor Market.

local and regional shows

AFRO with The Mickey Finn ($3)

Wed, May 30

9pm

Cutthroat Shamrock with Red State ($3)

Thu, May 31

9pm

Coming Sunday, June 10: Two Man Gentleman Band Early Bird Tickets $5 on sale now at thehonestpint.com Free Irish Music • Sunday Nights at 7pm

14 • The Pulse • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Full food menu serving lunch and dinner. 11am-2am, 7 days a week. 35 Patten Parkway * 423.468.4192 thehonestpint.com * Facebook.com/thehonestpint

Screen

JOHN DEVORE

Quiet on the Set: My Day as a Movie Extra i spent a day last week as an extra in a film. due to the fact that I signed a confidentiality agreement, I am contractually obligated not to discuss the particulars of the film and its actors, even if one of them has prior experience as a smuggler/ archeologist. But I wanted to bring Pulse readers a small-scale look at the behind-the-scenes action of a major motion picture. This unfortunately required that I let go of something very close to me—my beard. The film is set in the past, a time when men’s beards were distinctly out of fashion, and all extras had to be clean shaven. I have had a beard for the better part of five years. Not just any beard—I can grow a spectacular beard, gold-and-red flecked, descending to jet black, full and gloriously majestic. But for the sake of journalistic investigation, and to satisfy my own personal curiosity, I hacked it off and headed down to the set. You’re welcome. I arrived via shuttle to the set at around 8 a.m., starry-eyed and hoping for the superstar treatment promised on the casting company’s website. Rather than paparazzi, I was greeted by a table full of forms and instructions. After signing away any rights I had to my own likeness, I was instructed to stand on a dirty red carpet so I could have a glamour shot, minus the ’80s bangs and silk gloves. I then filed into a line to receive a brown paper bag full of various breakfast foods. Never has the life of elegance and so-

phistication felt so much like a soup kitchen. After sitting down with a group of people to the right of the breakfast line, I was immediately informed that I was in the wrong spot. The movie folks moved me to another group of people, which seemed identical to the first group, only slightly less dapper. These fresh-faced film stars were evidently waiting to have their costumes approved or tweaked by a charming lady with a foreign accent. She gave me a new tie and hat, told me I was a banana, and sent me to see a nice young lady with a headset. Not one to argue, I went and stood with some people who were also bananas. The bunch was then led on set and told to be quiet. My second-grade teacher would have approved. Luckily, I excel at being quiet—it’s even listed as one of my special skills on my resume. So I sat down and started reading a book. My overall impression of the experience is that Hollywood

production companies are very clever. Being an extra isn’t exactly hard work, but it takes an enormous amount of time. Extras are expected to be on-set for eight to 12 hours a day. One extra I spoke to mentioned that the first day he was on set from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. The clever part? By telling people they are going to “be in the movie,” the production company can convince the general public to spend an extraordinary of time doing something for which they aren’t being paid. Most people show up to these things for a chance to see a movie star or experience the magic of Hollywood. For them, that’s worth a lot of time. Throw in a chance to win some Apple products or a free vacation, and the masses will turn out in droves, saving the company lots of money. Of course, not all extras are working for free. The paid extras get their wardrobe and makeup provided by the costume department and prime placement in key scenes. The volunteers provide their own costumes or are given the costume leftovers and are essentially seat-fillers. This distinction between the two created an amusing hierarchy. I loved listening to the volunteer extras mutter under their breath about the paid extras, rolling their eyes at their “special treatment.” “I’m just unlucky,”

“

My overall impression of the experience is that Hollywood production companies are very clever. Being an extra isn’t exactly hard work, but it takes an enormous amount of time. one extra complained, apparently upset at her placement. I overheard another volunteer explaining that she had been to every day of shooting, including the days in another city. She even planned on following the production to the next city. I never knew film extras were like Phish fans. Maybe if they spent less time talking and more time being quiet, they’d get on camera. As the day dragged on, I was moved around 10 times, did a lot of clapping, and pretended to buy popcorn or Cracker Jacks. I tried to strategically place myself next to someone who had an umbrella so I could be shielded

from the sun without looking ridiculous. While being an extra is pretty boring, there are worse ways to spend a day than reading a book outside in the fresh air while friendly folks with makeup bags offer you sunscreen or water. Later on, I was given a lunch with a barbecue sandwich, chips and a package of cookies, which I ate while sitting next to a mannequin that was much better at being quiet than I was. He didn’t even want any of my lunch. By 2 p.m. I had finished my book and decided that I’d seen about all of the filmmaking I needed for that day. It seemed unlikely that I was going to meet any stars or win any prizes, and the “actress” sitting next to me seemed intent on challenging the quiet rule by talking to me about her “career.” As the filmmakers began to set the next shot, I discreetly made my way towards the exit, dropping my borrowed tie and hat off at the door. I didn’t see the shuttle; maybe it didn’t run until the shooting was over. Maybe I just missed it. I never found out because I was still practicing my quiet skills. Instead of asking, I just donned my porkpie hat, the one that the wardrobe lady had rejected as “too modern,” and made my way, Willie Lomanstyle, down the sidewalk and back into obscurity.

chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 15

Arts & Entertainment

CALENDAR

Thu 05.31 Radiothon: The Power of One 7 a.m. rmhchattanooga.com Inman Family Wine Dinner 6:30 p.m. Back Inn Café, 412 East 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 bluffviewartdistrict.com “Aldo Leopold: A Standard of Change” 7 p.m. Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Live Trivia 7:30 p.m. T-Bone’s Sports Café, 1419 Chestnut St. (423) 266-4240 chattanoogatrivia.com Live Trivia 7:30 p.m. Magoo’s, 3658 Ringgold Rd. (423) 867-1351 chattanoogatrivia.com An Evening with Yanni 7:30 p.m. Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5156 chattanoogaonstage.com Chattanooga Sports Ministries 8 p.m. Pasha Coffee & Tea, 3914 St. Elmo Ave. (423) 475-5482 pashacoffeehouse.com

FRI 06.01 Fresh on Fridays 11 a.m. River City Company, 850 Market St. (423) 265-3700 rivercitycompany.com Nightfall Concert Series 7 p.m. Miller Plaza, 850 Market St. (423) 265-0771 nightfallchattanooga.com Bluegrass Night 8 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Sir Walt 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

16 • The Pulse • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

an evening with yanni THU 05.31 • Grammy-winning keyboardist performs in concert. 7:30 p.m. • Memorial Auditorium • 399 McCallie Ave. • (423) 757-5156 • chattanoogaonstage.com

Firefighters Benefit Concert: The Association 8 p.m. Memorial Auditorium, 399 McCallie Ave. (423) 757-5156 chattanoogaonstage.com Wide Open Floor 8 p.m. Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Ruby Falls Lantern Tours 8:30 p.m. Ruby Falls, 1720 S. Scenic Hwy. (423) 821-2544 rubyfalls.com Vince Carone 9:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 funnydinner.com

sat 06.02 River Market 10 a.m. Tennessee Aquarium Plaza, 1 Broad St. (423) 402-9960 chattanoogamarket.com All Things North Shore Community Party 10 a.m. Frazier & Woodland

National Trails Day Celebration 10 a.m. Greenway Farms, 5051 Gann Store Road (423) 643-6050 Backyard Organic Gardening 10 a.m. Crabtree Farms, 1000 East 30th St. (423) 493-9155 crabtreefarms.org What’s in Garden Dirt? 10 a.m. Crabtree Farms, 1000 East 30th St. (423) 493-9155 crabtreefarms.org FACES Ride 4 Smiles Poker Run 10:30 a.m. Thunder Creek Harley-Davidson, 7720 Lee Hwy. (423) 266-1632 ride4smiles.org Summer Music Weekends Noon. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mtn., Ga. (706) 820-2531 seerockcity.com Art til Dark Noon. Winder Binder Gallery & Bookstore, 40 Frazier Ave. (423) 423-8999

winderbinder.wordpress.com Cook-Off: Biscuit Tasting 1 p.m. Creative Discovery Museum, 321 Chestnut St. (423) 756-2738 cdmfun.org Rock N Ride 3 p.m. Mystery Dog Ranch, 975 Wooten Road, Ringgold, Ga. (706) 935-5559 hozhotherapeutic.org Chattanooga FC vs. Atlanta 7 p.m. Finley Stadium, 1826 Carter St. (423) 266-4041 chattanoogafc.com Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Jackson Generals 7:15 p.m. AT&T Field, 201 Power Alley (423) 267-2208 lookouts.com Sir Walt 7:30 & 10 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com An Evening with Norman Blake 8 p.m. Barking Legs

Lehn, Gino Robair and Shaking Ray Levis 7:30 p.m. Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” 7:30 p.m. Carmike Majestic 12, 311 Broad St. tugg.com Live Team Trivia 7:30 p.m. Brewhaus, 224 Frazier Ave. (423) 531-8490 chattanoogatrivia.com

wed 06.06

INTERNATIONAL IMPROVISORS TUE 06.05 • Gino Robair (above), Thomas Lehn, John Butcher and Shaking Ray Levis. 7:30 p.m. • Barking Legs Theater • 1307 Dodds Ave. • barkinglegs.org

Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Vince Carone 10:30 p.m. Vaudeville Café, 138 Market St. (423) 517-1839 funnydinner.com

sun 06.03 Chattanooga Market: Big Band Swingfest 11 a.m. First Tennessee Pavilion, 1829 Carter St. (423) 402-9960 chattanoogamarket.com Summer Music Weekends Noon. Rock City, 1400 Patten Rd. Lookout Mtn, Ga. (706) 820-2531 seerockcity.com Free First Sunday at the Hunter Noon. Hunter Museum of American Art, 10 Bluff View (423) 266-0944 huntermuseum.org Front Door Flower Basket Workshop 1:30 p.m. The Barn

Nursery, 1801 E. 24th St. Pl. (423) 698-2276 tnaqua.org Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Jackson Generals 2:15 p.m. AT&T Field, 201 Power Alley (423) 267-2208 lookouts.com Open Improvisational Jam 3 p.m. Barking Legs Theater, 1307 Dodds Ave. (423) 624-5347 barkinglegs.org Sir Walt 8 p.m. The Comedy Catch, 3224 Brainerd Road (423) 629-2233 thecomedycatch.com

mon 06.04 Music Monday 7 p.m. Pasha Coffee & Tea, 3914 St. Elmo Ave. (423) 475-5482 pashacoffeehouse.com Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Jackson Generals 7:15 p.m. AT&T Field, 201 Power Alley (423) 267-2208 lookouts.com

Live Classical Music 7:30 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com

tue 06.05 Poetry Too by Ray Zimmerman 6 p.m. Pasha Coffee & Tea, 3914 St. Elmo Ave. (423) 475-5482 pashacoffeehouse.com Songs & Stories 7 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Jackson Generals 7:15 p.m. AT&T Field, 201 Power Alley (423) 267-2208 lookouts.com Master Chorale 7:30 p.m. Second Presbyterian Church, 700 Pine St. (423) 266-2828 utc.edu International Improvisors: John Butcher, Thomas

Art Z Tots 10 a.m. Planet Altered, 48 E. Main St. (423) 400-4100 planetaltered.com Chattanooga Lookouts vs. Jackson Generals 11:15 a.m. AT&T Field, 201 Power Alley (423) 267-2208 lookouts.com Art Crusaders 11:30 a.m. Planet Altered, 48 E. Main St. (423) 400-4100 planetaltered.com Main Street Farmer’s Market 4 p.m. 325 E. Main St. mainstfarmersmarket.com Wine Wednesdays 5 p.m. Back Inn Café, 412 East 2nd St. (423) 265-5033 bluffviewartdistrict.com Folk School of Chattanooga Old Time Jam 6:30 p.m. The Camp House, 1427 Williams St. (423) 702-8081 thecamphouse.com Bingo Trivia 7 p.m. Mellow Mushroom, 205 Broad St. (423) 266-5564

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

chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 17

Sushi & Biscuits

MIKE MCJUNKIN

In Praise of Chattanooga and Purple Corn for most of my life i’ve heard people say chattanooga is years behind the rest of the nation in everything from music to social consciousness to the rise and fall of the mullet. I spent the better part of my adult life thinking that as soon as my kids were out of the house I would leave Chattanooga for a more culturally forward-thinking beach town and live out the last half of my life as that eccentric old guy with a gray ponytail, riding a Schwinn to my little crab shack by the beach. Fortunately, demographic and generational changes have affected the things I one bemoaned about the Scenic City. It’s actually possible to see a band that doesn’t suck, you can sometimes go an entire weekend without hearing a racial or homophobic slur, and mullets are bordering on extinction. Even the food we eat has become more forward thinking—and dare I say even ahead of the curve. Our city’s emphasis on locally sourced foods, our embrace of ethnic foods, the recent food truck outbreak, and growing availability of unique ingredients puts Chattanooga ahead of many cities its size. I can’t bring myself to openly discuss trends in food, mostly because I don’t possess enough overt cynicism or a pair of American Apparel skinny jeans. But when Ferran Adrià, the father of molecular gastronomy, calls Peruvian cuisine “the future of gastronomy” and decides to make a documentary about the flavors and food of that country, it at

least warrants some attention, particularly since we’ve had a Peruvian restaurant in our midst since April 2011. Ají Peruvian Restaurant is tucked away in an unassuming strip mall at 5035 OoltewahRinggold Road, and unless you happened to be going for a tanning session or visiting your insurance agent you could easily miss it. Family matriarch and chef Pilar Albernas opened Ají in response to the popularity of her catering business and its unique Peruvian flavors. I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable about world cuisines, but you could fit everything I knew about Peruvian food

into one of Cee Lo Green’s tiny T-Rex hands. I expected to find something similar to the South American foods I was familiar with—and I couldn’t have been more wrong. Peru’s cuisine has been influenced by a list of invaders and immigrants as diverse as the Olympic Parade of Nations. The Spanish, Africans, French, Italians, Chinese and Japanese have all had an influence on the country’s cuisine, producing a fusion more than 500 years in the making. This isn’t some forced fusion with Peking Duck tacos or Chipotle Miso soup. This is cuisine that’s been developed and fine tuned out of the interaction between disparate cultures and a unique assortment of available ingredients over hundreds of years. At first glance, the menu looks similar to any other Latin restaurant. Items with Spanish names? Check. Chicken, beef

and fish present and accounted for? Check. Flan? Check. But the combination of Asian, Spanish and European flavors spun my tongue and brain into a pleasantly confused Wes Anderson scene of postmodern convergence. I started with Anticuchos— super tender, thinly sliced, firegrilled beef heart and ceviche— the Peruvian national dish made with chunks of clean tasting whitefish “cooked” using the acid of citrus juices instead of heat. Then came the “Sabor de Peru,” a sampling of three Peruvian classics. First, a creamy turmericspiced chicken dish called Ají de Gallina, then a beef stew-like dish known as Seco Norteño, and finally a fire-grilled chicken dish with onions, tomatoes and peppers that I particularly liked called Pollo Saltado. Many of the dishes utilize the restaurant’s namesake ají pepper, which the chef imports from Peru along with the Artist-FormerlyKnown-as-Prince of corn, Andean purple corn. Juice from the

purple corn gets mixed with apple, pineapple, quince and spices similar to apple cider to make an iced drink called Chicha Morada. I could easily drink this every day, even if it is purple. Thanks to the owner’s Seventh Day Adventist dietary preference, they have a huge selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes so all the folks who sadly eschew the wonders of tasty animal bits can rejoice and gather around a plate of house-made vegetarian meat, tofu or whatever else it is you herbivores call food and have a feast. This would also explain the absence of pork, shellfish and my inability to talk them into cooking up some cuy (I’ll just let you Google cuy.) Ferran Adrià is probably on to something when he recently proclaimed that “God has spoken, the future of gastronomy is being cooked up in Peru.” But trend or no trend, supporting restaurants like Ají helps Chattanooga earn its stripes as a forward-thinking food town. I may even postpone my ponytail. For more pictures of Mike’s meal at Ají visit Facebook.com/ SushiAndBiscuits. Mike McJunkin cooks better than you and eats quite a lot of very strange food. Visit his Facebook page (Sushi and Biscuits) for updates and recipes.

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18 • The Pulse • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

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423 266 4121 starwoodhotels.com

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Chattanooga’s Weekly Alternative

chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 19

Free Will Astrology

rob brezsny

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your core meditation this week is Oscar Wilde’s belief that disobedience is a primal virtue. Be ingeniously, pragmatically, and cheerfully disobedient, Gemini! Harness your disobedience so that it generates outbreaks of creative transformation that improve your life. For inspiration, read this passage by Robert Anton Wilson: “Every fact of science was once damned. Every invention was considered impossible. Every discovery was a nervous shock to some orthodoxy. Every artistic innovation was denounced as fraud and folly. The entire web of culture and progress, everything on earth that is man-made and not given to us by nature, is the concrete manifestation of someone’s refusal to bow to Authority. We would be no more than the first apelike hominids if it were not for the rebellious, the recalcitrant, and the intransigent.” CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Some people tell me I’d invented the sounds they called soul,” said musician Ray Charles, “but I can’t take any credit. Soul is just the way black folk sing when they leave themselves alone.” I urge you to experiment with this idea, Cancerian. In my astrological opinion, you need to whip up a fresh, hot delivery of raw soul. One of the best ways to do that might be to leave yourself alone. In other words, don’t badger yourself. Don’t pick your scabs and second-guess your enthusiasms and argue yourself into a knot. Create a nice big space for your original self to play in. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “Where’s the most convenient place to discover a new species?” asks “The Second Book of General Ignorance.” What do you think the answer is, Leo? The Amazon Rainforest? The high mountainous forests of New Guinea? Northwest Siberia? None of the above. In fact, your best chance of finding a previously unidentified life form is in your own garden. There are hundreds of thousands of species that science still has no knowledge of, and quite a few of them are near you. A similar principle currently holds true for your life in general. It will be close to home that you are most likely to connect with fascinating exotica, unknown influences, and far-out adventures.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Now and then my readers try to bribe

20 • The Pulse • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

me. “I’ll give you $1,000,” said a recent email from a Virgo woman, “if you will write a sequence of horoscopes that predict I’ll get the dream job I’m aiming for, which will in turn make me so attractive to the guy I’m pursuing that he will beg to worship me.” My first impulse was to reply, “That’s all you’re willing to pay for a prophecy of two events that will supercharge your happiness and change your life?” But in the end, as always, I flatly turned her down. The truth is, I report on the music of the heavenly spheres, but I don’t write the music myself. Still, I sort of admire this woman’s feisty resolve to manipulate the fates, and I urge you to borrow some of her ferocity in the coming week.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): A solar eclipse happens when the moon passes in front of the sun and blocks much of its light from reaching our eyes. On a personal level, the metaphorical equivalent is when something obstructs our ability to see what nourishes us. For example, let’s say you’re in the habit of enviously comparing your own situation to that of a person you imagine is better off than you. This may blind you to some of your actual blessings, and diminish your ability to take full advantage of your own talents. I bring this up, Libra, because you’re in an especially favorable time to detect any way you might be under the spell of an eclipse -- and then take dramatic steps to get out from under it.

SCORPIO

(Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Some secrets will dribble out. Other secrets will spill forth. Still others may shoot out and explode like fireworks. You won’t be bored by this week’s revelations, Scorpio. People’s camouflage may be exposed, hidden agendas could be revealed, and not-quite-innocent deceits might be uncovered. So that’s the weird news. Here’s the good news: If you maintain a high level of integrity and treat the brouhaha as good entertainment, you’re likely to capitalize on the uproar. And that’s your specialty, right?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22Dec. 21): If you go to a psychotherapist, she may coax you to tell stories about what went wrong in your childhood. Seek a chiropractor’s opinion and he might inform you that most of your problems have to do with your spine. Consult a psychic and chances are she will tell you that you messed up in your past lives and need a karmic cleansing. And if you ask me about what you most need to know, I might slip you some advice about how to access your untapped reserves of beauty and intelligence. Here’s the moral of the story, Sagittarius: Be discerning as you ask for feedback and mirroring. The information you receive will always be skewed. CAPRICORN

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The state of Kansas has a law that seems more confusing than helpful. It says the following: “When two trains approach each other at a crossing, both shall come to a full stop and neither shall start up again until the other has gone.” From what I can tell, Capricorn, a similar situation has cropped up in your life. Two parties are in a stalemate, each waiting for the other to make the first move. At this rate, nothing will ever happen. May I suggest that you take the initiative?

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Should you get down on your knees and beg for love and recognition? No! Should you give yourself away without seeking much in return? Don’t do that, either. Should you try to please everyone in an attempt to be popular? Definitely not. Should you dilute your truth so as not to cause a ruckus?

I hope not. So then what am I suggesting you should do? Ask the following question about every possibility that comes before you: “Will this help me to master myself, deepen my commitment to what I want most, and gain more freedom?”

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do you know why flamingos have their distinctive orange-pink color? It’s because of the carotene in the shrimp and other food they consume. If they change their diet, their feathers turn dull grey. That’s a dramatic example of the adage, “You are what you eat.” Let’s use it as a prompt to contemplate all the stuff you take into the holy temple of your body, Pisces. Not just the sandwiches and chocolate bars and alcohol, but also the images, sounds, ideas, emotions, and energy you get from other people. Is the cumulative effect of all those things giving you the shape and color and texture you want to have? If not, this would be a good time to adjust your intake. ARIES

(March 21-April 19): “Let’s waltz the rumba,” said jazz musician Fats Waller, suggesting the seemingly impossible mix of two very different types of dancing. That’s an excellent clue for you to follow up on, Aries. I suspect that in the coming week you will have an unusual aptitude for hybridization. You could do folk dancing and hip-hop moves simultaneously. It will make sense for you to do the cha-cha as you disco and vice versa. You’ll have a knack for bringing the spirit of belly dance into the tango, and for breakdancing while you do the hokey-pokey.

TAURUS

(April 20-May 20): Have you been feeling a warm fuzzy feeling in your money chakra? I hope so. The cosmos recently authorized you to receive a fresh flow of what we might call financial kundalini. Your insight into money matters should be increasing, as well as your ability to attract the information and influences you need to refine your relationship with prosperity. It may even be the case that higher levels of economic luck are operating in your vicinity. I’m not saying you will strike it rich, but you could definitely strike it richer.

Jonesin’ Crossword

matt jones

“Metal on Metal”—what’s that sound? Across

1. Scrooge McDuck’s is great 7. Big ___, Calif. 10. Boss Hogg’s deputy 14. Full 15. Prefix for terrorism or tourism 16. 542-year-old Smurf 17. Does some comic book work 18. With 61-across, baking item 20. Court figure? 21. Stumped 22. Peccadillo 23. Talk incessantly 26. Words exchanged at the altar 27. Classic Christmas song sung by Burl Ives 34. Drink of choice for Chelsea Handler 36. Lymph ___ 37. Go out with 38. Steinbeck extras 39. Stat in an airport terminal 40. Parrot’s relative 42. Green Day drummer ___ Cool

43. Goes quickly, old-school 44. Egg producer 45. Typical line from a gangster movie bad guy 49. “___ was saying...” 50. It goes boom 51. Calendar pgs. 54. Lines on a weather map 58. Woolly beast 61. See 18-across 64. “I just remembered...” 65. “That’s ___ and you know it!” 66. Slippery and snaky 67. Nobel Prize-winning physicist Bohr 68. Precious 69. Way too precious 70. George and Jane’s son

Down

1. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” character Janet ___ 2. Boredom, to Beaumarchais 3. Plan to lose

4 It may be a big to-do 5. Small jazz combo 6. Shakespearean play with the phrase “The game’s afoot” 7. Irish or North 8. College home to Joe Bruin 9. Well-worn comedy bit 10. Postscript 11. iPod variety 12. ___ Dei (“The Da Vinci Code” group) 13. ___ Club 19. Anti-drunk driving org. 24. Epic that tells of the Trojan Horse 25. Shield 28. “South Park” kid 29. “Viva ___ Vegas” 30. Includes 31. Brand known for its first and second name 32. Goneril’s father 33. Like morning grass 34. Take to the polls 35. Gumbo ingredient 40. Custodian’s tool 41. 5th or Madison 43. Required wear for

some food servers 46. Chemistry class payment 47. Morales of “NYPD Blue” 48. Bake sale organizer, maybe 52. Sponge by 3M 53. Full of lip 54. Computer debut of 1998 55. George Takei character 56. “What ___?” 57. Dish that simmers 59. Like some wolves or gunmen 60. “The Amazing Race” host Keoghan 62. ___-de-France 63. “Science Guy” Bill

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: 1-800-655-6548. Reference puzzle No. 0574. chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 21

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22 • The Pulse • MAY 17-23, 2012 • chattanoogapulse.com

Life in the Noog

chuck crowder

A Camping We Will Go the spontaneity of last-minute decisions to accept last-minute invitations is one of those thrilling little wrenches life can throw into your day-to-day machine—even when it’s the randomness of potential encounters that can come from say, camping. My experience with camping is limited to what little my family did when I was a kid, random one-offs here and there over the years, and of course Bonnaroo. But I do own a sleeping bag, cooler, camp chair and working flashlight, so when my lady friend called one evening with an invitation for a next-morning departure to Fall Creek Falls, I was in. Luckily she’d planned everything, and was prepared for anything. Tent, cooking gear, food, beverage, bug repellent, sunscreen, soap, water and a very necessary item I’d never heard of but seemed like a no-brainer—Biowipes. I was not so prepared according to her, however. Seems my choice of jeans and boots she affectionately dubbed “evening wear” were not kosher for hiking or the looming threat of weather, so a quick pit stop to Rock/ Creek was necessary. On the road $200 later, we learned three more costly things. One was that our cell phone service completely vanished somewhere around Dunlap. Another was that the other couple we were meeting wanted to hike a mile or so in to a remote campsite rather than car camp—which meant that nearly 85 percent of what we packed in the back seat of the car would have to remain in the back seat. But the last, most crucial thing we discovered was that non-stop “scat-

tered” and/or “isolated” thunderstorms were heavily predicted for the duration of the day. This I hadn’t necessarily signed on for, but then again there are often unforeseen twists and turns to true spontaneity. Thankfully, the threat of weather scared our friends a little too and they decided to compromise the original hike-in campsite plan. Whew. We quickly constructed our tent and made a pallet inside just in time for the rain to set in for who knows how long. Trapped in our nylon shelter cracking jokes and talking about stupid stuff just to pass the time reminded me of pitching the family tent in the backyard as a kid and doing the same thing with my brother and friends. Now, as busy adults, being “stuck” in a situation tailor-made for focused, one-on-one analog conversation is often rare, but always a good thing. When the rain let up we hiked all through the park and down to the base of the falls, where a huge boulder gave us a place to relax and take in the majesty of the “highest water fall east of the Mississippi” (according to the park’s map).

Sitting around a fire that night we played games and just enjoyed the company of cool people in the great outdoors. But when the fire went out and it was time to hit the sack, it hit me what was underneath the sack— the ground. We hadn’t brought an air mattress or pad so we were relegated to the limited comfort the hard-packed dirt beneath us could provide. And, since we had pitched our tent on somewhat of a slope and tossed and turned a lot during the course of the night, we’d each slowly worked our sliding sleeping bags from due north down to the south end of the tent by morning. Despite our discomfort, we laid around for hours quietly cracking jokes about the random wildlife noises occurring just outside of our house’s paperthin walls while trying to determine with undeniable certainty whether or not bears could smell the contents of the sealed canned goods stored at our feet. Together with the clean air, complete darkness and roar of the river off in the distance, the experience proved to be not only a great last-minute decision, but also one that’ll be hard to forget. Chuck Crowder is a local writer and general man about town. His opinions are just that. Take what you read with a grain of salt, but let it pepper your thoughts.

chattanoogapulse.com • MAY 31-JUNE 6, 2012 • The Pulse • 23