Pulse Magazine: February 2014 by CVPulse

Folk duo picks out funky new sound

FEBRUARY 2014

HELL ON WHEELS

ACADEMY AWARDS

PEAS AND CARROT

PULSE HIT LIST

ROBOCOP REBOOT

O N S A L E N O W AT T H E PA R A M O U N T T H E AT R E TICKET OFFICE

PA R A M O U N T T H E AT R E 1 2 3 T H I R D AV E N U E S E CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52401

WITH THE VON TRAPPS

S U N D AY, M A R C H 8 8:00 PM

M O N D AY, M A R C H 1 7 8:00 PM

W E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 1 9 8:00PM

CONTENTS SWELL STRUMS

Classically trained folk duo The OK Factor puts a new spin on string instruments. That’s more than OK. That’s awesome.

SOUTHERN CHARM

OSCAR BUZZ

PULSE HIT LIST If you’re looking for something new to listen to, check out the hit list. It’s fresh and pretty and packed with plenty of grooves.

Texas-based fiddler and country singer Carrie Rodriguez will bring her genteel ways and crystal clear crooning to CSPS in Cedar Rapids.

waterloo

cedar falls

cedar rapids

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iowa city

February 2014

Issue No. 113

dubuque

in this ISSUE

BORDER CROSSING Surprise: immigration makes a great topic for a video game. Check out our review of games like Papers, Please and see what’s hitting shelves soon.

Aaaaaaaannnd the winner is... This year’s Oscars are a three-way race with a bunch of spoilers. See the top contenders and spirited underdogs.

GREAT ESCAPE More producers are leaving creativity-strangling TV networks for the cozy confines of cable TV, where seasons are shorter and quality trumps quantity.

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Sheila Kerns 319.291.1448 sheila.kerns@wcfcourier.com

Meta Hemenway-Forbes 319.291.1483 meta.hemenway-forbes@wcfcourier.com

Alan Simmer 319.291.1487 alan.simmer@wcfcourier.com

John Molseed 319.291.1418 john.molseed@wcfcourier.com

David Hemenway

Chris Koop

HOLLY HUDSON | PULSE WRITER

ou might think you know what to expect from a performance by two classically trained musicians. Think again. Violinist Karla Dietmeyer and cellist Olivia Hahn, who make up the duo The OK Factor, will erase any preconceived notions you have. The two Luther College graduates were in town Jan. 2 for a pre-release event promoting their first CD, Water Street. The event, held at Lampost Theatre on Seerley Boulevard, drew dozens of family members, friends, fans and Factor first-timers. The CD is coming out this month. Lampost offered a fitting setting for the casual, intimate event. Audience members enjoyed hot beverages and desserts as they anticipated

the performance. The musicians opened with an as-yet untitled song they wrote earlier that day. The pair writes the bulk of their music and sometimes intersperses portions of traditional folk songs. Though their sound is hard to define – they experiment with everything from jazz to country – they are a self-described alternative folk duo. Their music fills the room, making it hard to believe that only two instruments are creating the sounds, and they pull the audience in with their unorthodox style of playing. One moment Dietmeyer plucks the strings of her violin with her fingers, ukulele-style, and the next Hahn lays her cello across her knee and plays it with a guitar pick. Both use the chopping technique – tapping the strings with their

bows – to coax a variety of sounds from their instruments. The two are so in sync it is sometimes difficult to tell which sound is coming from which instrument. At times the two are intently focused on their instruments; at others they are sharing smiles and glances. It is apparent the women are good friends. Hahn, 22, is a native of Cedar Falls, and has been playing the cello since she was 4 years old. Dietmeyer grew up in Peachtree, Ga., and has played the violin for 18 of her 23 years. The two came together while studying at Luther. “We both played in the symphony and chamber orchestras for four years together,” Hahn said. “It wasn’t until our junior year … that we

See them in concert

really became good friends. We attended the Eileen Ivers concert at Luther and, by the end, we were both in tears. “We decided we had to try writing or playing music like that. … It seemed so liberating to be on stage wearing bright colors, not concert black, and performing without any music, making it up as you go along and following your instinct rather than the page. “We both have extremely high respect for classical music, as we studied it for four years. We absolutely could not do what we do today without the classical training we received. But we wanted to branch out and try something new.” Their album, named after the main street in Decorah, pays homage to their alma mater and

home for four years. Both women graduated in 2013. “Water Street was the OK Factor launching pad, home to our very first shows at ArtHaus downtown,” Dietmeyer said. “It was there that the love and support of the community overwhelmed us and emboldened us to continue pursuing our music.” The duo has played venues throughout the Midwest and Southeast, including The Stone Arch Bridge Festival in Minneapolis, The Dakota Jazz Club and the Iowa State Fair. The CD can be purchased at www.theokfactor.com or at upcoming live shows. Look for theOKFactor on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Bandcamp.

COURTESY AND SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOS

Saturday, March 8 @ 7:30 PM | 122 W. 10th St., Cedar Falls $10 | RSVP to cvhouseconcerts@gmail.com

PULSE 5

The Cedar Valley Derby Divas roller derby team The Push-Up Brawlers has announced its home bout spring/summer season schedule. These hell-on-wheels ladies will roll into Waterlooâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s McElroy Auditorium through June for a series of hard-hitting bouts against Midwest roller rivals. Doors open at 6 p.m. with each bout starting at 7 p.m. Advance tickets are $8 and are available at

Spicoliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar & Grill, the National Cattle Congress No experience is necessary to join. For dates box office and the Plaid Peacock, all in Waterloo. and details, visit the Cedar Valley Derby Divas Tickets will be available at the door for $10. Kids Facebook page. 12 and younger get in free. One dollar from every ticket sold will go to the Relay for Life. Cedar Valley Push-Up Brawlers home bouts The Cedar Valley Derby Divas League is always Feb. 8, March 22, April 19, May 17 and June 14 looking for volunteers, referees and new recruits. McElroy Auditorium, Waterloo New skaters will be accepted in March. cvderbydivas.com | cvderbydivas@gmail.com SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE

Wartburg Wartburg College

A JOURNEY

THROUGH

AN HOMAGE

TIME TO A ER RE-IMAG FOR

Yes, ma’am Texas-based fiddler, singer and songwriter Carrie Rodriguez will bring her southern charm to CSPS in February. Rodriguez, who came to attention a decade ago performing with singer-songwriter Chip Taylor, has established an impressive roster of touring, recording and co-writing affiliations with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Rickie Lee Jones, John Prine, Mary Gauthier, Alejandro Escovedo and others. Although she has issued three albums under her own name and enjoyed major label support for

2008’s She Ain’t Me, her newest release, Give Me all You’ve Got, was recorded with her own band and produced by the renowned Lee Townsend. And the songs, which she wrote, co-wrote or handpicked from the repertoire of longtime collaborators, establish her musical identity more powerfully than ever before. Carrie Rodriguez Tuesday, Feb. 18 @ 7 PM CSPS Hall, Cedar Rapids $16 advance, $19 door legionarts.org

Thursday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m. Wartburg Artist Series presents

THEY CALLED IT ROCK Adult Tickets: $24-$35 K-12 Students: $10

This journey through time and an homage to an era contains songs from iconic artists Jimi Hendrix, The Who, Led Zeppelin, Santana, David Bowie, and Elton John.

ORDER TICKETS TODAY! 319-352-8691 or www.wartburg.edu/artist PULSE 7

Predicting Oscar’s happy hour 3-7 and great food!

Feb 1

Chili CooK oFF 4pm ZaCh ChurCh beneFit Featuring aCoustiC perFormanCes: illegal smile, undisClosed, ZaZen, Feet to Fall over 8pm

Feb 2

super bowl party 5pm

Feb 7

viCebox with rehab monday 7pm KaraoKe every bobaFlex thursday! 8pm

Feb 14

3555 University Ave Waterloo 287-5747

A three-way race with a bunch of spoilers SHARON HOFFMAN | McCLATCHY NEWS SERVICE

12 Years a Slave, Gravity and American Hustle are the top contenders for the best picture Academy Award, but plenty of challengers could spoil that race. Here’s a look at the nominees in all the big categories and which is likely to win.

THE CONTENDERS

‘12 YEARS A SLAVE’ WHY IT COULD WIN: Oscar loves harrowing stories of historical importance. And the academy may feel guilty for snubbing African-American stories and talent. WHAT ELSE COULD IT WIN? Director (Steve McQueen), actor (Chiwetel Ejiofor), supporting actor (Michael Fassbender), supporting actress (Lupita Nyong’o), adapted screenplay, visual awards. HOWEVER: Could be too brutal for voters to sit through. And look at last year’s Lincoln (12 nominations, just two awards).

‘GRAVITY’

www.thereverb.net

WHY IT COULD WIN: Oscar likes money-making crowdpleasers (see previous winners Argo, The King’s Speech) and tales of underdogs overcoming adversity (Slumdog Millionaire). WHAT ELSE COULD IT WIN? Director (Alfonso Cuaron), actress (Sandra Bullock), a galaxy of technical awards. HOWEVER: Oscar hates science fiction. And technical marvels, though heaped with praise, rarely win (see losers Avatar, Life of Pi, Inception, Apollo 13 ...).

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Live Jazz every Thursday.

WHY IT COULD WIN: Popular with audiences, this caper is suddenly gaining momentum with the Hollywood elite, too. WHAT ELSE COULD IT WIN? Supporting actress (Jennifer Lawrence, the girl on fire), original screenplay, visual awards. HOWEVER: That hair! Those clothes! The academy may deem it too lightweight for the top prize.

THE SPOILERS ‘THE WOLF OF WALL STREET’ Shocked Oscar voters think this stockbroker carnival glorifies sex, drugs and moral reprobates. That very controversy could spur a groundswell from supporters.

‘DALLAS BUYERS CLUB’ The subject of AIDS is an Oscar magnet, and the strong performances only add to the cachet.

‘CAPTAIN PHILLIPS’ WO-030212008

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No shame of slavery or the silly 1970s, just a pulsepounding true story of Yankee heroism.

THE UNDERDOGS ‘NEBRASKA’ Its mix of bleak and sweet charmed film critics, but Oscar voters have different tastes. Bruce Dern does have a shot at best actor.

‘HER’ Oscar likes a token quirky nominee (Juno, Beasts of the Southern Wild), but those don’t win.

‘PHILOMENA’ The marketing magic of the winning Weinstein studio couldn’t draw the spotlight this time.

winners

THE BIG FIVE DIRECTOR EARLY FAVORITE: Beloved Alfonso Cuaron toiled for years on his astonishing outer-space creation. SPOILER: Steve McQueen may be a Hollywood outsider, but obviously his searing film didn’t direct itself. DID YOU KNOW: McQueen is only the third African-American director to be nominated (after John Singleton and Lee Daniels); none have won, yet.

ACTRESS EARLY FAVORITE: As a modern-day Blanche DuBois, Cate Blanchett seems unstoppable. SPOILER: More people saw astronaut Sandra Bullock, and popularity counts. DID YOU KNOW: Amy Adams has scored a remarkable five nominations in nine years but never won. The others all have statuettes. And Meryl Streep has extended her record to 18 nominations.

ACTOR EARLY FAVORITE: Chiwetel Ejiofor delivered an anguished, moving performance in a crowded category. SPOILER: Matthew McConaughey, as an emaciated crusading cowboy. DID YOU KNOW: Christian Bale, the surprise nominee, is the only one to have won before. It’s Leonardo DiCaprio’s fourth nomination and Dern’s second; Ejiofor and McConaughey are first-timers.

SUPPORTING ACTRESS

FOX SEARCHLIGHT, WARNER BROS., ASSOCIATED PRESS and SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES

EARLY FAVORITE: Newcomer Lupita Nyong’o, who added heart to a harsh film. SPOILER: Hollywood It Girl Jennifer Lawrence (but she just won best actress last year for Silver Linings Playbook). DID YOU KNOW: Tatum O’Neal, at the tender age of 10, won for 1973’s Paper Moon, and 11-year-old Anna Paquin took home an Oscar for 1993’s The Piano. Both were debut performances. The only other child actor to win an Oscar, 16-year-old Patty Duke, also earned it in the supporting actress category for 1962’s The Miracle Worker.

SUPPORTING ACTOR EARLY FAVORITE: Jared Leto, transfixing as a transgender prostitute with HIV. SPOILER: A terrifying Michael Fassbender, if 12 Years a Slave has coattails to ride. DID YOU KNOW: If Leto and McConaughey win, it would be the first time in a decade to have actor and supporting actor winners in the same film, and only the fourth time ever.

REVIEWS

THE LOWEST PAIR 36¢ teve Martin used to joke in his standup routine that you can’t play a sad song on a banjo.

“It always comes out so cheerful,” he said. Martin has since recanted. However, anyone who still agrees with him would change their mind after listening to The Lowest Pair’s 36¢, published by Team Love Records of New Paltz, N.Y. The album features duo Kendl Winter and Palmer Lee. One or both pluck the five-string banjo in the 11 songs. Their blended vocal harmonies are accompanied by forlorn notes from a banjo. The plaintive notes cascade like a warm, gentle rain. It’s a far cry from the fast-burning rural chase music the banjo is generally associated with.

JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE REVIEWER

This is a folk album that isn’t repetitive or a rehash of songs done in the same style as other performers.

Lee, from Minnesota, complements Winter’s warm, warbling voice. His original song, Trying to Feel at Home, vividly expresses the pull between living in a city and a pastoral life in the country.

The entire album is original, sincere and often heartbreaking. The first track, Oh Susanna, exemplifies this. It’s a tear-jerking, soulful version of an old song.

The album has its uplifting moments but also captures heartbreak and explores aging in Living Is Dying. It appropriately wraps with Dock My Boat, which is, again, about dying but with a hint of old-time optimism about a life after this one.

Lee and Winter have been together for only a few months. Both are coming off other projects. This duo allows both musicians to split songwriting and lead playing. Winter has produced solo albums on the K Records label out of Olympia, Wash. An Arkansas native, Winter’s backwoods roots show with her original song Do You Leave a Light On? that also appeared on her recent solo album, The Mechanics of Hovering Flight.

The pair produced this collaboration with Dave Simonett, front man of Duluth, Minn., bluegrass band Trampled by Turtles. He produced and engineered the project and sat in on two of the tracks. The two toured the upper Midwest this

summer while working on the album. Their Minnesota roots will hopefully mean they’re likely to return to the Hawkeye state. Should that be the case, I recommend making every effort to go to the show.

JENNIFER NETTLES THAT GIRL

PEAS AND CARROT LIFE IN LO-FI

edar Valley band Peas and Carrot was met with enthusiasm and growing crowds when they debuted last fall. The group quickly picked up fans who demanded a recording to take home. Peas and Carrot answered with its first EP, Life in lo-fi, due this month.

like a smooth and smoky Kim Carnes. The album features Walt Goodknight on bass. Goodknight has since left the group, but that won’t stop the band’s momentum. They will continue to perform with guest bass players until a permanent replacement is found. Nate Lantz is on drums.

The band is led by vocalist Audrey Robinson, who returned to the Cedar Valley after moving to Wyoming. Her voice sounds

Life in lo-fi features upbeat folk-rock sounds mixed with a bit of wistful blues rock, particularly in the song Jackson Hole. — John Molseed, Pulse

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN HIGH HOPES

saw rock ’n’ roll’s past, and its name is Bruce Springsteen. A singer once famously dubbed “the future” of his genre by his eventual manager, the Boss across four decades has become an icon, a musical force, a voice of moral authority and, above all, a consistently confident performer, band leader, songwriter and collaborator. As anyone who’s ever endured Springsteen’s album Human Touch can attest, though, his genius is fallible, and his latest album, High Hopes, suggests a past threatening to overtake him. A dozen songs culled from a decade’s worth of unreleased material, his 18th studio album is like a slide show, offering previously showcased material and extant studio recordings. It also includes covers of synth-punk band Suicide’s Dream Baby Dream and post-punk band the Saints’ Just Like Fire Would.

s lead singer in the contemporary country duo Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles and partner Kristian Bush kept growing increasingly experimental over four albums. For her first solo album, That Girl, Nettles takes a different tact, stripping her songs to their basics — both sonically and emotionally.

In doing so, the album not only presents an overview of his last decade of stylistic accents and inclinations — a banjo here, a gospel choir there, brass punctuation, many Tom Morello guitar solos — but it also gathers music that hasn’t landed on one of his Columbia releases. If High Hopes were a new model year car, it would be a midsize six cylinder with factory hubcaps, good gas mileage and just enough spunk to zip past the wood-paneled minivans on the two-lane. Something that looks pretty good, runs extremely well and hums, but certainly isn’t going to turn heads of Jersey girls combing hair in rearview mirrors on the boulevard (let alone the boys trying to look so hard). Harry’s Place, for example, feels like a mechanized replica of a Boss song, wellplayed and arranged but forgettable. It’s an outtake from the sessions for The Rising,

and Springsteen was right to cut it then. He’s earned the right to drop a few duds from time to time. High Hopes has its share. When your Springsteen itch needs scratching, only a few of these are going to pass muster. But it’s not like you’ll be starved for choices. — Randall Roberts, Los Angeles Times

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Nettles is blessed with a voice that features a wide range and a distinct, vinegary tone. But it’s her ability to connect with a song’s emotional content that makes her stand out most. That Girl shows off that quality remarkably well, whether she’s singing an open-hearted ballad like This Angel or a complicated confessional like the title cut. That Girl is a 1970s-style creative statement, recalling classic Carole King and Linda Ronstadt rather than any of her country or pop contemporaries. It’s a reminder of how powerful music can be when it comes from the heart — and tilts more toward talent than technology. — Michael McCall, The Associated Press

HIT LIST

WHAT GETS THE PULSE STAFF JAMMING

On a Roll by Icona Pop This eternally Friday song will make you feel like you’ve got the whole night, weekend, world ahead of you, even on a Monday morning. — Christinia C. So Much Better by Eminem This head-bobber from the rap god’s December drop, The Marshall Mathers LP 2, says what we all wish we had the guts to say. — Meta H. Team by Lorde This song from the Royals singer is just as aloof as her smash hit, but it is, enjoyably, more thickly scored. — Alan S. Halls of Columbia by Pickwick Seattle’s hot horn section and hipster-faced jazz master Galen Disston are quickly spreading east. Check out this street-stopping suite. — MacKenzie E. Pass the Peas by The J.B.’s What better introduction to the funky stuff than this loose booty jam from James Brown and his groovalistic backing band? — Chris E. When the Rain Comes by Austin Miller A trotting folky song that encourages dealing with adversity in an uplifting way. It also hints at spring, much needed this time of year. — John M. Dogheart II by The Growlers Did a 1960s calliope Bob Dylan resurface in The Growlers’ new single? I think so. — MacKenzie E. Late March, Death March by Frightened Rabbit This Scottish band shows that failing at relationships, and life in general, can be put to a tune and help you smile through the misery. — Christinia C. Over & Over by Smallpools I got really into Smallpools about five minutes ago based on this spastically happy song that I can’t stop listening to. — Alan S. Like Whaaat by Problem feat. Bad Lucc Most of the lyrics on this track are par-for-the-course hip-hop, but the hook is insanely catchy like whaaat! — Meta H. Fly so Free by Luella and the Sun The raw vocals and brooding strums create a dark, gritty, bluesy rock experience worth cranking the dial for. — Mike A. Ice Cold Heart by Karla Ruth Karla’s clean strumming and bright guitar licks are always uplifting. The song is a warm melody in defiance of iciness. — John M.

FEBRUARY 25 FOR: PC, PS3, PS4, X360, XB1 You’re Garrett. You have sticky fingers. Very sticky fingers. And you’ll have to decide how best to use them when the City erupts in revolution against the Baron. ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER

Professor Layton & the Azran Legacy This is it, folks, the end of the prequel Layton trilogy. Solve numerous puzzles and delve deep into the myths of the ancient Azran civilization. 3DS; Feb. 28.

Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare It’s Plants vs. Zombies, but it’s an online shooter with up to 24-player battles. Sound crazy? Yes. Sound fun? Also yes. Let the mayhem begin. PC, X360, XB1; Feb. 18.

Everyone’s favorite ape is back in action as Donkey Kong tries to fight off an icy invasion. Play as DK, Diddy Kong, Dixie Kong or Cranky Kong, who bounces about on his cane.

FEBRUARY 21

FOR: Wii U

The LEGO Movie Videogame I’m excited for this movie, and I’m excited for this game. The LEGO writers are hilarious, so the whole thing bodes well. 3DS, PC, PS3, PS4, Vita, Wii U, X360, XB1; Feb. 7.

Toukiden Slay the wicked Oni — those would be traditional Japanese demons — with swords, bows or whatever the heck a Kusari-gama is. Your guess is as good as mine. Vita; Feb. 11.

Tales of Symphonia Stick with me here: this Chronicles package is an HD remaster of a Japanonly PS2 port of a GameCube classic and its Wii sequel. Whew. PS3; Feb. 25.

FEBRUARY 25

FOR: PC, PS3, X360

Admit it: The Belmonts are great and all, but you’ve always wanted to play as Dracula in a Castlevania. And now you can. Start polishing those fangs.

State of Decay nails zombie genre JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER

ome months ago, I reviewed Rebuild, a game that saw the player in control of a community besieged by zombies, with resources at a premium and the danger of annihilation a constant. Where that was a straight strategy title, State of Decay is part strategy, part shooter, part RPG, the kind of gaming experience so brilliant and ingenious I didn’t even realize I wanted it. Like Rebuild, State of Decay places you in charge of a motley group struggling to survive a world overcome with animated corpses. You don’t just strategize, build shelters and manage resources, though those are important, you get right in the thick of the apocalypse, controlling a patchwork coalition of the living as society descends into hell. You find yourself on constant alert as you travel the region, ransacking individual buildings for supplies. Even as your survivors improve and strengthen through a detailed RPG leveling system, even a solitary zombie can catch you by surprise and do enormous damage. Noise of any kind, from gunshots to the clanking of rummaging through a kitchen cabinet, attracts zombies — a handful if you’re lucky, a horde if you’re not. The combat system is simple but layered, with ranged and melee attacks available. Guns are fun, but get used to getting up close, as you’re more likely to dispatch a hundred zombies with a crowbar or a table leg than a Glock. As you explore the world and an array of characters, the most interesting stories will be the ones you make. Missions go awry, blood is spilled and beloved team members are lost. Your weakest team member might single-handedly slay a horde, only for your strongest to die horribly. You find yourself wondering who to risk and feeling pangs of guilt when someone inevitably dies.

For: Mac, PC | Price: $9.99 PROS: Exciting open world, fun combat, thrilling missions. For: PC, XBLA | Rated: M Price: $19.99

CONS: Graphics issues, rough controls, “boss” zombies unnecessary .

The potential existence of supplies in every building will tempt and threaten you. Even your base doesn’t guarantee safety. Zombies will storm the walls and fences, forcing you to build mine fields and block roads. Decisions must be made about what to build. Do you build an extra bed so that your people can get better rest? Or a new kitchen to improve food quality? Whatever the case, you never have enough room, and all the while, your expendables are burning off by the day. Studio Undead Labs has a hit here, though small issues can hamper the experience. But small is just what they are. State of Decay is a great gaming experience.

Paradox, Disgaea two sides of same coin ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER

eaven and hell really need to cool their jets. Known as Celestia and the Netherworld in the Disgaea games, the demons and angels therein are constantly at each other’s throats. The latest game in the series, Disgaea D2: A Brighter Darkness, continues the story from the first game in the series, starring demon overlord Laharl, majordomo Etna, fallen angel Flonne and the Prinnies, of course.

For: PS3 | Price: $49.99 Rated: Teen

The Disgaea games are classic strategy RPGs (those are the ones where you take turns moving and attacking, leveling up as you go), and D2 is no exception. Fans of the series should be pleased at the tweaks to the gameplay, which keep it feeling fresh without venturing too far afield. And it’s nice to get back to a cast of familiar faces after three sequels of random newbies. For a different perspective on things, The Guided Fate Paradox takes place in Celestia, where God trains by granting wishes through the use of a complicated computer system. It’s an interesting, more adventure-type game set in the Disgaea universe. Paradox is built on the Disgaea engine, retaining the animation style, the grid-based movement, the extensive item catalog and that awesomely goofy jumping. But instead of controlling an entire party, you’ve got Renza, the new God, and a mostly autonomous angel companion.

waiting to be explored, teeming with enemies who move one space for every space Renza does. Blows are traded back and forth in quick succession as Renza searches for the exit to the next floor. While the ratio of story to combat is about 1:5 in a Disgaea game, it’s about the opposite in Paradox. It’s interesting, but repetitive, so I reluctantly recommend reading ahead of the voice acting and getting on with the show.

For: PS3 | Price: $49.99 Rated: Teen

PROS: Innovative design, shockingly suspenseful, genuinely challenging. CONS: Despite randomization, subsequent playthroughs can be very similar.

Papers, Please an unusual thrill JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER

ould you believe that in one of the most exciting, challenging, addictive games available, you weren’t a soldier, a cop, a criminal or a god, but an immigration officer? Believe it, because Papers, Please is one of the most surprising, innovative games to hit the PC. Rendered in early ’90s graphics, the game by indie developer Lucas Pope places you in the shoes of a citizen of a fictional communist nation in late 1982. You’re manning a militarized border checkpoint, where your job is to examine the paperwork of everyone who seeks entry into your country. If examining passports and an everchanging list of regulations sounds like work, fear not, for Pope has injected the proceeds with astonishing difficulty and suspense. The characters waiting in line present you with countless moral choices. Amid them, remember your family, who are depending on your good work to pay bills and keep them alive. When you pass someone wrong through, a buzzer sounds and you’re issued a fine, which makes those moments some of the most tense you’ll ever experience in a video game. The litany of rules, orders and documents challenge even a very keen sense of observation. And since your checkpoint is constantly threatened by bombings and rebel attacks, you’ll be forced to defend yourself with a rifle. It’s a universe that, despite confinement to your booth, feels as dangerous and complex as that of any open-world RPG.

Levels are slightly labyrinthine affairs

NIS AMERICA, 3909, NINTENDO, KONAMI, SQUARE ENIX,

UNDEAD LABS, SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES

PULSE 13

Claim to fame JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER

MATTHEW PUTNEY | PULSE PHOTOGRAPHER

hen Michael Cutsforth learned he was inducted into the Iowa Rock ’n’ Roll Music Association’s hall of fame, he told his friend Dick Cole — a fellow inductee — that it was better news than when he signed with RCA as a recording artist. Cutsforth, along with Mick Staebell, both of Waterloo, and Cliff Berinobis, of Elk Run Heights, will be recognized as rock ’n’ roll royalty in a Labor day weekend ceremony at Spirit Lake. Cutsforth calls the honor “humbling.” Staebell used the same word to describe the honor. “I was humbled and shocked,” Staebell said. “You just don’t know something like that was going to happen.” Staebell has been performing solo since 2000. Before that, he played with bands in the region, including a country rock group called Sage Brush. The band changed with the times to perform more popular songs in the late 1970s and 1980s. “We even had to do disco because for a short time

that’s what everybody wanted to hear,” he said. At the cusp of turning 60, Staebell is staying busy as a solo performer. “I’ve got more shows lined up this next year than I’ve ever had,” he said. Berinobis is a Hawaii native who has spent more than 50 years in Iowa. He formed area band the Del Rays, counting Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry among his musical influences, along with his Hawaiian upbringing. He has continued to bring the sounds of classic rock throughout the region and now leads the group CB & Company at age 73. Cutsforth, 56, who works at Mix Castle recording studio and leads area rockers the Wicked Andersons, has been performing and writing songs for more than 35 years. His recording Hey There, Lonely went platinum in Europe. He has played with members of Elvis Presley’s band, Toto, 38 Special, Elton John’s band and others. Playing with the Wicked Andersons has been one of

his best musical experiences. He’s playing with longtime friends and professional players without the familiar drawbacks of playing in a band, he said. “It’s cruise control,” he said. “There are no drunks, addicts or egos.” From his experience in music, that combination is “extremely rare,” he said. Cutsforth said he owes his induction into the IRRMA Hall of Fame to “luck more than any talent.” He said he had to work hard to achieve success in music. “I don’t really have much talent,” he said. “I’ve had to fight and scratch for everything I get.” Staebell has a grand piano in the front parlor of his home. In a back room, he has a drum kit set up for his grandchildren. One of eight kids, music runs deep in Staebell’s family. In 1999, he recorded an album with his father and his son. The 2014 Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held Aug. 31 at the SAMI Center in Spirit Lake.

Altogether ooky

The 2013/2014 National Tour of the new musical The Addams Family, based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, will perform at the Adler Theatre for one night only in February. The Addams Family features an original story, and it’s every father’s nightmare. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. But her parents have never met him. Wednesday confides in her father and

begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before — keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. The Addams Family Tuesday, Feb. 11 @ 7:30 PM Adler Theatre, Davenport $37, $47 & $57 ticketmaster.com | 800.745.3000

COURTESY PHOTO

SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO

Wartburg graduate to compete on ‘Survivor’ Cedar Rapids police officer and 2006 Wartburg College grad Sarah Lacina is hoping to outwit, outplay and outlast the competition on the new season of Survivor, which premieres Feb. 26 on CBS. Lacina is part of the Brawn Tribe (the other two tribes are, you guessed it, Beauty and Brains), but from what we’ve seen she could easily have been a member of any of them. Tune in and root for your fellow Iowan!

Strings attached

CBS PHOTOS

The Cedar Valley Acoustic Guitar Association has announced the lineup for its spring show. The annual show at the Oster Regent Theatre in downtown Cedar Falls is a fundraiser for the nonprofit music association. The money raised goes to providing concerts at Overman Park in the summer before Movies Under the Moon events. The show will feature full set performances from Karla Ruth & Deb Niermann, Phil and Travis and Rick Price. Also, the Ramblers will perform an acoustic set. Performers include Paul Conditt, Kim Nicholson, Kevin Paar, Dave Malam, Jon Purdy and Jen Bucher, Karen Rochford and Chealsea Ewen. Tickets are available at Bob’s Guitars in Cedar Falls. CVAGA spring show Friday, March 7 Oster Regent Theatre, Cedar Falls cvaga.org

IN GOOD CEDAR FALLS Beck’s Sports Grill | American, Sports Bar 2210 College St., Cedar Falls 319-277-2646 Hours: Open daily at 11 am www.barmuda.com

Bourbon Street | American, Cajun and Creole 314 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-5285 Hours: Monday - Saturday 4 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com Bourbon Street is a step off of Main Street into the French Quarter featuring Certified Black Angus steaks and delicious seafood complimented by an extensive wine list. Voted best choice for dinner with best steak in the Cedar Valley

Ferrari’s Ristorante | American and Italian 1521 Technology Pkwy., Cedar Falls 319-277-1385 Hours: Monday - Friday 11 am - 10 pm Saturday 4 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com

Ginger Thai Cuisine | Authentic Thai Food 111 W. 2nd Street, Cedar Falls 319-266-2150 Hours: Monday - Saturday 11 am - 3 pm, 5 - 9 pm; Sunday 10 am - 4 pm facebook.com/ginger-thai-cuisine Authentic thai cuisine offering lunch and dinner options. Appetizers, entrees, desserts and express menu for a quick lunch. A variety of flavors from coconut, fresh lemongrass, ginger, tofu and vegetables. Take-out and delivery available.

Soho Sushi Bar & Deli The Stuffed Olive | Deli, Sushi, Tapas, Martinis 119 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-9995 Hours: Mon-Fri at 6:30am and Sat-Sun at 7:00am www.barmuda.com

Fresh made sushi and deli sandwiches, salads Ferrari's features only the finest steaks, and paninis combined with globally inspired freshest seafood and authentic Italian fare. tapas dishes and over 100 different martinis. Offering light, quick lunch options along Homemade cookies made from scratch daily! with an extensive dinner menu and wine list. Now open for breakfast too! Stuffed Olive Voted best place for a business lunch. voted best place for a girls’night out. The Lone Wolf | WATERLOO Beck’s Sports Brewery Sports Bar | Bar, Restaurant American, Microbrewery Hilton Garden Inn | 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo 3295 University Ave., Waterloo Guerilla Brewing/Lava Lounge | Conference Center 319-833-2157 319-234-4333 Microbrewery and Bar 7213 Nordic Dr., Cedar Hours: Monday-Friday-Breakfast 7:00 am - 10:30 pm Hours: Open daily at 11 am 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo Falls Sunday-Thursday 11:30 am - 1:00 am www.barmuda.com 319-234-5686 319-266-6611 Friday & Saturday - 11:30 am - 2:00 am Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 am - 9 pm New Hilton opened in Voted best burger, best happy hour, best locally owned restaurant Karaoke - Wednesday 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm 2012, elegant dining and A double brown ale and an imperial American pale ale were the and sports bar in the CedarValley Howl Hour 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Monday - Thursday entertaining of Hilton first two to debut; other varieties will follow depending on the $2.00 drafts & domestic beers and food specials standards. Full service hotel season. None of the brews will be less than 7% alcohol. www.waterloo.isleofcapricasinos.com with Ballroom seating up to Whether you feel like getting food to go or plan to stay a while,The 350 people. Garden Grille ® Otis and Henry’s Bar and Grill | Lone Wolf is sure to please. We have mouth-watering food and thirst- Restaurant and Bar open to quenching drinks with an atmosphere unlike any other. Bar and Grill Southtown Bar & Restaurant | the public for breakfast, lunch 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo American and dinner as well as large 319-833-2241 2026 Bopp St., Waterloo exterior patios with firepits. Rudy’s Tacos | Hours: Tuesday - Saturday open at 5 pm 319-236-9112 Full service dining on site, Mexican Closed Sunday and Monday Chefs with banquet menus Hours: 7 am - 10:30 pm, bar open later 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo www.waterloo.isleofcapricasinos.com and banquet bars available. www.southtownwaterloo.com 319-234-5686 Deposits and minimums Hours: Monday Saturday 11 am 9 pm Combines the comfort of a neighborhood bar and grill with the Located next to Witham Ford behind Golf Headquarters. Stop required, full payment required www.rudystacos.com favorites of a steakhouse. Choose from the delicious pastas, in for the great broasted chicken or fresh-made pork tenderloin. prior to event. Guest room Rudy’s uses local ingredients through the Northern Iowa Food sandwiches, salads, steaks, fish and more. blocks available. and Farm Partnership’s Buy Fresh/Buy Local program. Featuring Beck's homemade microbrews, voted best burger, locally owned restaurant, sports bar and place to play pool in the Cedar Valley.

PRICING GUIDE (per entrée)

$10

$20

$30

$40+ PULSE 15

Wartburg Wartburg College

FEBRUARY 7

THE MONUMENTS MEN

STARS: George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, Bill Murray In this George Clooney-directed action film, an unlikely World War II platoon is tasked to rescue art masterpieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their owners. With great subject matter and an all-star lineup, this one has Oscar potential. FEBRUARY 14

ABOUT LAST NIGHT

STARS: Kevin Hart, Joy Bryant, Regina Hall, Bryan Callen New love for two couples as they journey from the bar to the bedroom and are eventually put to the test in the real world. While the plot sounds a little thin, funny man Kevin Hart is well equipped to rescue this film. FEBRUARY 14

WINTER’S TALE

STARS: Colin Farrell, Russell Crowe, Will Smith A burglar falls for an heiress as she dies in his arms. When he learns that he has the gift of reincarnation, he sets out to save her. This one, with its jam-packed all-star cast, has tons of promise. FEBRUARY 21

POMPEII

STARS: Kit Harington, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Browning A slave-turned-gladiator finds himself in a race against time to save his true love, who has been betrothed to a corrupt Roman senator. As Mount Vesuvius erupts, he must fight to save his beloved as Pompeii crumbles around him. If you liked 300, and we know you did, you’ll probably like this, too.

Saturday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. Wartburg Community Symphony presents

DOUBLE BASS DELICACY

Adult Tickets: $16.50 K-12 Students: $6.50

Indulge yourself with a taste of double-bass splendor. Hunter Capoccioni, Wartburg instructor of double bass, will be featured on Bottesini’s Double Bass Concerto No. 2. The Symphony will be joined by the Waverly-Shell Rock and Charles City high school orchestras.

ORDER TICKETS TODAY! 319-352-8691 or www.wartburg.edu/symphony

FEBRUARY 21

3 DAYS TO KILL

STARS: Amber Heard, Kevin Costner, Hailee Steinfeld A dying Secret Service agent trying to reconnect with his estranged daughter is offered an experimental drug that could save his life in exchange for one last assignment. Sounds decent enough, if someone can save us from Kevin Costner. FEBRUARY 28

WELCOME TO YESTERDAY

STARS: Sofia Black-D’Elia, Ginny Gardner, Jonny Weston A group of teens discover secret plans for a time machine and build it. It’s all fun and games until they realize they’ve interrupted the time/space continuum. Back to the Future meets Chronicle. Yeah, we’d watch that. FEBRUARY 28

NON-STOP

STARS: Julianne Moore, Michelle Dockery, Liam Neeson We’re not gonna lie. We love Liam Neeson, aging as he is, as a hero. Here, he springs into action as an air marshal when a bomb is discovered on an international flight. We’re crossing our fingers that it’s Taken good.

Special Valentine’s Elegant Dinner Reservations Only

Starting February 1, 2014 Sunday Brunch Call for information or reservations.

SONY PICTURES, UNIVERSAL PHOTOS

META HEMENWAY-FORBES | PULSE EDITOR

FEBRUARY 14

STARS: Joel Kinnaman, Douglas Urbanski, Abbie Cornish, Gary Oldman In 2028 Detroit, when Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), a loving husband, father and good cop, is critically injured in the line of duty, the multinational conglomerate OmniCorp sees their chance for a partman, part-robot police officer. Um, pretty sure we’ve seen this one before — in 1987, 1990, 1993 and 2000.

7213 Nordic Drive, Cedar Falls Iowa 50613

(319)266-6611

www.hiltongardeninn.com

DAVID BAUDER | AP TELEVISION WRITER

C making plans? we’ll point the way

ReaD. WATCH. sURF CVPulse.com

18 PULSE

reators of two of the most indelible dramas on network television last decade, Lost and Desperate Housewives, are making programs for cable networks now, and they speak with the zeal of the happily converted. “Now that we’re all here together, we can definitively agree that cable is far superior to network,” said Damon Lindelof, who worked on ABC’s Lost and is making a similarly complex new program for HBO, The Leftovers. The changing balance of power — and how proud broadcasters are fighting back — is the subtext to meetings with television industry leaders and reporters in Pasadena this month. Nowhere is that more clear than in the field of dramas. Once often content to air reruns, cable networks are busy establishing themselves as creators. There are 180 scripted original series on cable this year, up from 22 in 2002, said John Landgraf, FX network chief. Services like Netflix are jumping in, too. More important than numbers is the perception that cable is the place to turn for quality. It started with The Sopranos, and continues with awards and critical attention showered on the likes of Mad Men, Homeland and Breaking Bad. The idea is reinforced when many of television’s key creative minds argue that cable is the place to be. Marc Cherry, creator of Desperate Housewives, said that making the soap Devious Maids for Lifetime “has been just a joyous creative experi-

ence.” To be fair, Cherry took Devious Maids to ABC first and was rejected. Now he revels in the creative freedom, saying he gets less second-guessing. Cherry said he has more time to work on the writing, and can include more intricate details. After acknowledging now that he went into the critically drubbed second season of Desperate Housewives with no plan, he learned he needs to have an idea of what will happen in a second season before beginning the first. Cable offers a measure of security that broadcasters, with more intense commercial pressures, can’t match. A cable series is rarely canceled in the middle of a season. The grind of a typical broadcast schedule, requiring some 22 episodes a year, also wears on creators — particularly now that they see an alternative. Most cable “seasons” are half that, or less. That improves quality, Lindelof said. “You’re not needing to fill weeks of story that are non-essential,” he said. “So, hopefully, every episode of The Leftovers will feel like it needs to exist versus it’s just this very kind of fibrous bridge that exists between two essential episodes which all of us as TV fans, you know, really find incredibly frustrating to watch.” Before one conference last week, producers of several CBS dramas admitted grumbling backstage

JaNuary NCC CaLeNDar OF eVeNTS Jan. 18th – Derby Divas Jan. 25th – Barn Dance – Electric Park Jan. 26th – Cedar Valley Show Stoppers

Cable converts

February NCC CaLeNDar OF eVeNTS Feb. 8th - Cedar Valley Derby Divas – McElroy Feb. 8th - KHKE/KUNI BLUES BLOW OUT – Electric Park Ballroom Feb. 14th - D.J. Cindy/Barn Dance – Electric Park Ballroom Feb. 15th - HAIRBALL in concert – McElroy Feb. 21st - 23rd - Midwest Arms Gun & knife show Feb. 21st - D.J. Faythe Kubik – Electric Park Ballroom Feb. 28th - Coors Bull Riding Feb. 28th - Lonesome Road Dance - Pavilion - Dance free with rodeo ticket stub / $10 without

More producers leaving network TV for more creative freedom

MarCH NCC CaLeNDar OF eVeNTS March 1st - Coors Bull Riding March 1st - Lonesome Road Dance – Pavilion – Dance Free with rodeo ticket stub /$10 without March 8th - Go Kart Races - McElroy March 22nd - Cedar Valley Derby Divas – McElroy March 28th - Blue Suede Memories IV –A Tribute to Elvis – Electric Park March 29th - Blue Suede Memories IV – A Tribute to Elvis – Electric Park March 30th - Blue Suede Memories IV – A Tribute to Elvis- Electric Park March 29th - Cedar Valley BACONFEST – McElroy Brought to you buy 93.5 The Mix, 1650 The Fan, and Cruizin 1250 *Bingo Sunday and Thursday at the Pavillion

Call 319-234-7515 for more information or visit www.nationalcattlecongress.com

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It’s A Date! casters still have a reach that cable networks can’t match. Television’s most popular show, NCIS on CBS, has roughly 20 million viewers for each new episode, twice as much as AMC’s buzz worthy The Walking Dead. “It’s a privilege to reach an audience the size that we’re able to reach in broadcast,” said NCIS executive producer Gary Glasberg. “The fact that we’re in our 11th season and we have the viewership that we do, 18 million Facebook fans, that’s crazy. And, you know, that’s because I’m on broadcast.” Networks are now looking for more limited-run series. Over the past year, CBS, NBC and Fox have each assigned executives to look specifically for these types of proj-

ects. Veteran producer Mark Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, successful with The Bible miniseries on History last year, signed with CBS to adapt The Dovekeepers to television for a miniseries. Kevin Reilly, Fox entertainment president, said he’s doing away with broadcast’s traditional pilot season, where networks make test episodes of dozens of prospective series and choose among them during a furious couple of weeks in the spring. That’s a nod to cable: Reilly wants to take more time developing series to work out kinks and have a better idea of how it will work. Not everyone fully agrees with him, but change is in the air.

Look Your Best For Valentine’s Day! AMC, SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGES

about their workload. “That’s an insatiable appetite,” said Jonathan Nolan, “Person of Interest” executive producer, “which is a great thing that the audience wants more of what you’re making, but it is very difficult. I feel like that number is probably calibrated ... not to the length of the season or production schedules, but to the exact point at which a showrunner (producer) will have a nervous breakdown.” What Nolan finds exciting about being on CBS is the immediacy, writing a scene and seeing it on the air a few weeks later. It’s not like broadcasters are bereft. CBS’ The Good Wife, NBC’s The Blacklist and ABC’s Scandal are popular and creatively strong. Broad-

Butler & Sons

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330 LaPorte Rd., Waterloo, IA

232-1881

PULSE 19

GALLAGHER GALLAGHERBLUEDORN BLUEDORN

2013-14

season

TOM T OM C COTTER OTTE TTER R Prime time comedty, Tom Cotter, has taken the comedy scene by storm as runner-up and the first comedian finalist on NBC’s “America’s Got Talent.” Tom’s other television credits have included “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” his very own special “Comedy Central Presents... Tom Cotter,” and “The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.” Tom also plays in America’s most famous comedy clubs including The Improv and The Gotham Comedy Club just to name a few. Tom’s age-spanning and appropriate humor has subsequently taken him across the globe and brought him international appeal with audiences of all types and varieties. Cotter is sure to be a fresh breath of life in the comedy scene across the globe, and as Cotter always says, “If laughter is the best medicine, I yearn to be drugged.”