COLORBEARER OF ATHENS OUTDOOR WEDDINGS by Flagpole Magazine

COLORBEARER OF ATHENS OUTDOOR WEDDINGS

MARCH 11, 2009 · VOL. 23 · NO. 10 · FREE

Ishues

Local Rap Artist Tackles Real Issues in Zimbabwe p.15

Golightly

The British Songstress Is Now a Proud GA Resident p.17

Reagan Reconsidered p.7 · Film Notebook p.12 · Upstart Roundup p.16 · J.P. Watkins p.31

Monday, March 16 • 6-8pm

Gardening 101 State Botanical Garden Now-Friday, April 10

“Green” Challenge

I See

GREEN

IN ATHENS A Community Wide Celebration providing citizens with the opportunity to increase their awareness of and interest in improving the environment of their home, yard, business, and community.

Registration Form & Activity Guide available at the ACC Recycling Division Thursday, March 19 • 2-11pm

Sustainability Concert Legion Field

Saturday, March 21 • 8am

Oconee Rivers Audubon Society Spring Bird Hike State Botanical Garden Upper Parking Lot

Saturday, March 28 • 8:30pm

For more info, visit us at www.athensgreenfest.org

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

Earth Hour at Your Home

pub notes Hard Times Little did I realize growing up that I was being prepared for economic depression. All those stories my parents told seemed quaint amid the post-war prosperity and the boom times of the Kennedy era and beyond. My schoolteachers assured me, too, that economic depression was a thing of the past, that because of what we learned during the Great Depression, it can’t happen again. That knowledge gave me some relief when my parents alarmed me with their tales of doing without. The plot thickened when, after seeing movies and reading books about the “Roaring ‘20s” that preceded the stock market crash, I learned that the ‘20s didn’t roar around here. The boll weevil ate the ‘20s, throwing this area into economic depression a decade before the rest of the country. The stock market crash was nothing compared to the crash of the cotton crop. So, those depression stories I heard came from 20 years of hard times that hit my parents and their generation as they grew to adulthood, began working and got married—a step my parents postponed for six years until they felt they were financially stable enough to risk it. The Bible has a lot to say about economic depression, too: the seven fat years followed by the seven lean years, etc. If you read your Bible, you know you can’t take If you read your Bible, prosperity for granted, you know you can’t take and yet, of course, that’s exactly what prosperity for granted… we’ve done. We have lived with the expectation that things would continue getting better, that housing prices and stock prices would always rise. Now, our generation is harshly reminded that the economy is volatile and that it can do down as well as up. The government has stepped in and is trying to jumpstart the economy that has failed in large part because of its leaders’ disdain for frugality and their assurances that there will be no more lean years, that the lessons of human history don’t count anymore. Well, they do count, and we’re human. While President Obama tries to find the key to the resuscitation of the national economy, we’ve got to figure out how to make it in the local economy, while the devastation trickles down. My parents made do with what they had. Their stories of the Depression had a lot of humor in them, in spite of the hard times. We can hope things won’t get that bad for us, but however bad they get, we need to remember that we didn’t cause this one. It has come upon us unexpectedly—like a hurricane or a drought—and we’ve got to deal with it as creatively as we can, remembering that people have always had to go through hard times, even if we haven’t up until now. We’ve lived through eight years of political leadership that sold the country on the notion that this shell-game economy was sound and would continue getting better as long as we kept government off its back and didn’t tax the riches derived from these rigged winnings. The collapse of this Ponzi scheme brings widespread suffering, but we’ve all got to be better off if we come through it with an economy based on reality rather than fantasy. Here’s hoping that the government can re-prime the pump, and that when the economy starts working again it is more securely based on the production of goods and services instead of speculation and derivatives. Meanwhile, we’ve all got to tend our own gardens, buying locally from from our friends and neighbors whenever we can. Prosperity begins at home. Pete McCommons editor@flagpole.com

This week at Flagpole.com  Homedrone: Our new music blog keeps buzzing.  SXSW: How to make the most of your trip to Austin.  More live music reviews  Eco Hustle: Will the recession defeat efforts to combat climate change?

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE: News & Features City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Athens News and Views

Spring is on the way, and so are big issues like the rail-trail, the parking deck, the budget…

Everyday People . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 J.P. Watkins: Habitat ReStore Manager

How does he know so much about everything in the warehouse, anyway?

Arts & Events The Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Reagan Lives! (Sorta)

It’s the myth, not the man, that’s problematic. A new book explores it.

Film Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 News of Athens’ Cinema Scene

Robert Osborne’s Classic Film Festival hits Athens next week, Mar. 19–22 at The Classic Center.

COVER DESIGN by Kelly Ruberto featuring a painting by Melody Croft on display at the Lyndon House Arts Center

Music Yeah, He’s Got Ishues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 A Journey from Jersey to the Stages of Zimbabwe

Local rapper Ishues recently became the first American hip-hop artist to perform in Zimbabwe.

Holly Golightly Goes South . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 The British Songstress Settles in Georgia Athens, say hello to our newest import!

LETTERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CITY DOPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CAPITOL IMPACT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CITY PAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 THE READER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ORT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 GRAPHIC CONTENT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 MOVIE DOPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 MOVIE PICK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 FILM NOTEBOOK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 THREATS & PROMISES. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

RECORD REVIEWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 ISHUES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 UPSTART ROUNDUP. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 HOLLY GOLIGHTLY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 DON’T MISS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 THE CALENDAR!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 BULLETIN BOARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 ART AROUND TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 COMICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 REALITY CHECK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 EVERYDAY PEOPLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner MANAGING EDITOR Christina Cotter ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey, Melinda Edwards, Jessica Pritchard MUSIC EDITOR Michelle Gilzenrat CITY EDITOR Ben Emanuel CLASSIFIEDS, DISTRIBUTION & OFFICE MANAGER Paul Karjian AD DESIGNERS Ian Rickert, Kelly Ruberto CARTOONISTS James Allen, Cameron Bogue, Jacob Hunt, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, Clint McElroy, Matthew Ziemer ADOPT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell CONTRIBUTORS Jason Bugg, William Orten Carlton, Tom Crawford, David Eduardo, Alan Flurry, Jennifer Gibson, Michael J. Gerber, Jeff Gore, Chris Hassiotis, John Huie, Gordon Lamb, Charley Lee, Bao Le-Huu, Dave Marr, John G. Nettles, Jeff Tobias, Drew Wheeler CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Jimmy Courson, Mike Dempsey, Eric Mullins, Alex White WEB DESIGNER Ian Rickert ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Maggie Summers, Aisha Washington EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Jennifer Bryant EDITORIAL INTERN Christina Downs MUSIC INTERN Bryan Aiken ADVERTISING INTERNS Kristin Ballard, Rebecca Elmquist

VOLUME 23 ISSUE NUMBER 10

Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 17,000 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $55 a year, $35 for six months. © 2009 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.

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MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

letters

and cheese as a sample… O…M…G. Lesson learned. I will never pass up on the mac and cheese as a late-night snack. The cheesy Last weekend I had the pleasure of eatgoodness seemed to caramelize together with ing around midnight at Wilson’s (between the pulled pork and BBQ sauce in just the Manhattan and Little Kings). I didn’t even right way. know they were open for business at that I’m writing this letter because I really want hour, but I’m glad I noticed their neon “Open” Wilson’s to be successful with their new latesign. I have to say it night business experwas a darn good BBQ iment. But mostly, sandwich for any time I’m writing this letter BUMPERSTICKER OF THE WEEK: of day, and it tasted for purely selfish especially good at reasons because if I Lord, Help Me To Be the Liberal that hour. can convince enough That Conservatives Fear I Am My first hint that people to try out they were open was late-night food at Send your sticker sightings of all stripes to the delicious smell Wilson’s, then it will ben@flagpole.com or call 706-549-9523. of ribs that someone be successful and I was eating outside can eat there every on the patio at Little weekend at midnight Kings. Wilson has built a new screened smoke- for the rest of the summer. Oh, the cheesy, house in the parking lot between the restausmokey, BBQ goodness! rant and Little Kings where he can let them Joseph Kass slow-cook just right. Email I’m just extremely excited that someone has chosen to fill the “late-night beer munchies” need on that end of town since J.B. no longer makes regular appearances. It’s smart and I think there’s a huge demand for quality Pete: I enjoyed your Feb. 4 Pub Notes, late-night food downtown, especially on that “Unchained Melody.” I wish more journalists end of town. I’m extra-super excited that it’s would catch on to the fact that too much one of my favorite downtown places: Wilson’s. economic integration—mergers, acquisitions, He tried to talk me into the mac and etc.—can create problems and likely has worscheese, and I passed since I had never tried ened our current crisis. Many economic experts, including the home-style mac and cheese on a stomach full of bar-hopping, opting for just the BBQ majority of those selected by Obama for his administration, have been pushing the merits sandwich. But he gave me a scoop of mac

LATE-NIGHT BEER MUNCHIES

MONETARY MELODIES

NE Georgia’s LARGEST Annual Thrift Sale Over 10,000 Items

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

of consolidation in the name of efficiency (cost savings, mostly) for a long time. These arbiters of good judgment, however, frequently intermingle Libertarian ideology with their economics, sometimes without realizing it, and fail to acknowledge the downside of some mergers—the longer-term bureaucratic “Yesman” choruses that frequently follow, creating waste and folly—along with a reduction in competition and consumer choice. The deregulatory ideology championed by the Republican Party (although not exclusively) that has plagued our financial and securities markets also has degraded antitrust enforcement, and it’s time for a proper balance for “policing” the free market to return. I hope you continue this kind of common-sense editorial coverage. Jim Ponsoldt Athens

INTOLERANCE = TOLERANCE? Since when did intolerance equal tolerance? When President Obama was elected. When Barack is intolerant, it’s somehow tolerant. Somehow (do voters/Americans even follow news headlines?) Barack Obama, in the name of tolerance and progress, expresses extreme intolerance for specific groups of people: namely, conservatives and religious people. I greatly fear that because President Obama is as much of a celebrity (when will he get an MTV reality show? I’m waiting!) as he is a principled leader, people are deceived into thinking he is a tolerant peacemaker.

As reported today from various news sources, Barack Obama is repealing “job protections for doctors and nurses who refuse to provide a medical service because of moral qualms.” The moral qualm (that’s an understatement) is obviously abortion. How will he remove the job protection for doctors and nurses who have a particular moral stance? He’ll stop funding institutions that employ those doctors! How shrewd and nasty! He’s going to put people out of jobs because they have a particular moral stance. How intolerant. It’s similar to the amendment in the stimulus bill just passed (yes, amendments were passed in a stimulus bill?): any public school in higher education that houses religious meetings will lose federal funding. No joke. You a public university? You want to have a Christian meeting? A Hindu meeting? A Muslim meeting? Don’t do it in the school’s buildings. If you do, we’ll pull your funding. Thats what Obama says. At public universities! Now there’s one way to kill the flow of free thought. That’s about as intolerant as it comes. In the Obama administration, we will see the most deceptive displays of intolerance the country has ever seen. We will see “religious meetings” forced out of all public facilities (surely it will reach that far). We will see doctors forced out of medicine and forfeit job opportunities because they have a particular moral stance. Wake up to intolerance, Athens. Sam Hill Athens

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March 14, 8 AM to 2 PM - FREE ADMISSION & PARKING Preview Sale

city dope

capitol impact

Athens News and Views

Rolling Down a Bumpy Road

Keep an Eye Out: Somehow springtime is when everything happens in Athens, from festivals and civic events to big rock shows and big local political issues. After a pretty quiet winter, we newshounds are seeing things heat up already—witness the ACC Commission’s moderately interesting March agenda—and it looks as if there’s more fun to come. One blinking light that’s out there on the radar and incoming quickly is the long-awaited rail-to-trail project that will connect downtown (via the new bus station) to the park-and-ride lot to be built where Lexington Road crosses the Loop. There’s really good news here and, well, worrisome news too. The good news is that, at long last, Athens can now see the possibility on the horizon that the trail will actually be built after all these years of talking about it. The tough part comes in with the consideration of what to do with the remaining railroad trestle along the route—saved from destruction by a feverish worldwide grassroots

that would have required an across-the-board 10 percent cut in all non-defense spending. His amendment was not even considered in the House, further proof that our congressman, who spends most of his time publicizing himself, is irrelevant in the eyes of his peers in Congress. [Pete McCommons]

Christina Downs / Kathryn Lookofsky

Golden Giveaway: Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Poythress takes a strong stand on the insider trading by Governor Perdue and other top Republicans that has given Jekyll Island to the Reynolds Plantation developers Linger Longer Corp. Poythress’ statement follows an article in the Sunday, Mar. 1 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, not to mention all the fuss kicked up online by Leon Gallis’ comment on flagpole.com and the efforts of Susan Murphy and many others on behalf of the island that formerly belonged to the people of Georgia. Poythress nails it: ”Enough! It’s time to call the Jekyll Island land deal what it really is— politically corrupt plundering of a treasured asset that belongs to the people of Georgia. A monumental sell-out of the taxpayers of Georgia is unfolding before us, and it seems no one is able to stop it. But if this deal goes through, this administration and the Republican Party will be forever known as the crowd who lost Jekyll Island and left the taxpayers holding the bag for $50 million dollars in the worst economic times in modern history.“ Read the rest of Poythress’ statement at www.poythressforgovernor.com. [PMc] A Good Ride While It Lasted: The newly proposed state budget contains a provision for a one-cent sales tax earmarked for transportation. That’s a gigantic sum of money, and Athens stands to gain with Hwy 316 finally being turned into a true expressway instead of a high-speed death trap where cars wander randomly across it from country roads. Even better, there’s money in there for (gasp!) rapid rail to Atlanta, as well as all kinds of road and bridge improvements. But wait: a conference committee of state legislators has to sit down and iron out a few differences. Here’s betting that rapid rail and 316 get shaken out with the wrinkles. Here’s betting that the final product is all about roads. [PMc]

Old and new: Along with the raising of downtown parking fees and fines will come, at some point, some newfangled “pay-anddisplay” meters, something like the one pictured here (specifics not yet known). Look for ’em in fall, maybe. effort in the summer of 2000. It’s been left unmaintained to weather the elements since then, so now that the trail may actually be built, the engineers have to look and see if the Murmur trestle is still trail-worthy. That means that, unthinkable as it is after all that’s happened, there’s some possibility that the trestle’s fate is still, no pun intended, up in the air. The matter is still bottled up in the SPLOST project process, but it heads to the Mayor and Commission this spring, apparently. Keep an eye out. [Ben Emanuel] Shocked, Shocked: Rep. Paul Broun, Jr. is like Captain Renault in Casablanca, who could declare himself shocked at the gambling in Rick’s Place while closing it down, and at the same time accept the winnings from his own gambling. Paul has called on President Obama to stamp out “earmarks,” those pork rinds inserted into spending bills. At the same time, Paul has recently mailed out a full-color slick questionnaire that doubles as campaign literature at the expense of the same federal coffers that pay for earmarks. And at the end of last week he sent out a press release proudly announcing $3.6 million in HUD grants for Athens-Clarke County. The HUD grants will provide housing and economic assistance to people with low and moderate incomes. Paul is right to celebrate the awards even though he had nothing to do with bringing them here. Paul introduced an amendment to the stimulus bill in the U.S. House of Representatives

There is less than a month to go before the legislative session adjourns, and our lawmakers don’t appear to be any closer than they were last year at this time to resolving the state’s highway congestion issues. With time running out on the session, the Senate and the House of Representatives are still miles apart on the one factor that matters more than anything else in fixing our transportation mess: How do you raise the billions of dollars needed to build new roads, bridges and transit facilities? The Senate has passed a proposal from last year that would allow groups of counties to band together and charge a regional sales tax to pay for new highways. The House likewise has passed a measure that would impose a statewide sales tax to pay for transportation infrastructure fixes. There has been no indication of any significant movement to bridge the gap between those two positions. Gov. Sonny Perdue thinks he has the solution to this problem: do away with the current structure of the Department of Transportation and set up a new transportation authority controlled by the governor’s office. The supporters of SB 200, Perdue’s attempt to carry out a major overhaul of the state’s transportation bureaucracy, were exultant late last week over the bill’s passage in the Senate. “Today, the Senate took a major step in real transportation relief for Georgians,” said Senate Majority Leader Chip Rogers (R-Woodstock), in a typical response. A more sober analysis of the bill’s vote suggests that SB 200 could well stall out and die in the House of Representatives. SB 200 passed by the razor-thin majority of 30-25 in the Senate, which was just one more vote than the minimum of 29 it takes to adopt a bill in that chamber. Even worse for the bill’s prospects, the normally solid Republican

majority split over this issue and four GOP senators joined the Democratic minority to vote against the bill. Those votes could portend an ominous future for SB 200 in the House, where it will run up against the same coalition of Democrats and rural Republicans from outside the metro area. House Minority Leader DuBose Porter hinted at this when Democrats cut the deal with Republicans to support House passage of the statewide sales tax for transportation infrastructure improvements. “The fight over governance is very different from this bill,” Porter said as he urged House members to vote for the statewide tax. “I oppose the changes in [DOT] governance, and so should you.” The arguments on this issue are familiar. Everyone is frustrated by the DOT’s lack of progress in building new roads, but many legislators aren’t quite ready to give up their power to elect members of the State Transportation Board and hand that power over to a transportation authority that would effectively be controlled by the governor. One of the hot rumors making the rounds at the Capitol has been that House Speaker Glenn Richardson will eventually cut a deal with the Transportation Board members; he’ll keep the current DOT structure in place if board members will elect Rep. Vance Smith (R-Pine Mountain), Richardson’s close ally, as the new DOT commissioner. Whoever ends up running DOT, he’s got to get the state back on course to doing something about its wretched transportation systems. Time is getting short. Tom Crawford Tom Crawford is the editor of Capitol Impact’s Georgia Report, an Internet news service at www.gareport.com.

The Ice Cometh: Remember last week’s snowstorm? And all the ice storms that have hit us at least every other year or so? The story’s always the same. Limbs break, power lines go down, people are without electricity to heat their homes and cool their food, much misery and then, through heroic efforts, Georgia Power and the EMCs finally restore power and everybody’s happy until the next storm. Did anybody ever wonder why it hasn’t occurred to Georgia Power ’n them that we’d all be better off if they just put all the lines underground? Some people have underground lines now, but they’re dependent on above-ground wires, so they go out, too. Why hasn’t the Public Service Commission or somebody made the electric utilities bury all those lines? Gee, they could have included a few million dollars in the pay-in-advance financing for the new nuclear plants and put those lines underground and let us pay for them along with the nuke juice. [PMc]

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

city pages

The architectural rendering of the new parking deck shows how it would wrap around the Georgia Theatre between Lumpkin, Clayton and Washington streets downtown.

Economic Development with Oconee Gets Nod Last week, ACC commissioners agreed to by local governments but by the private secjoin forces with Oconee County on economic tor and perhaps headquartered at the Athens development efforts, as recommended by a chamber. task force representing UGA, Athens Tech and “It’s going to take a huge private-sector local businesspeople. The Athens area “is effort,” Eldridge said. And local businesses will missing out on hundreds if not thousands of contribute money to such an effort, he said. private-sector jobs per year and millions of “We know there is the appetite for supporting dollars in private capital investment,” that economic development in the community, as group’s report said, because efforts to recruit long as they’re comfortable with the way it’s new businesses have been too “fractured” and being done, the way it’s structured.” But he uncoordinated. Instead, there should be a added, “They’re not going to give it to the regional effort with a sinsame old way that we’ve gle contact point for inter- “What do we really want? been doing things in the ested businesses to talk past… There’s so much A vision of what this to, the task force said. duplication there.” Athens-Clarke County Eldridge added, “You’ve area will accept and will commit $150,000 a got all these different won’t accept.” year to the joint effort; groups saying they’re Oconee county will likely doing the same thing… do the same, and a 17-member board will “but it’s just very disjointed… nobody is sellsteer the effort (appointed equally by the two ing the community… Nobody is waking up in county commissions, but also including Athens’ the morning saying, ‘What am I going to do mayor, the Oconee commission chair, UGA’s today to try to attract some new jobs?’ It’s President or his appointee, and the chamber of really not rocket science.” commerce chairs of the two counties). But one thing the new regional board will Athens Chamber of Commerce President have to decide, said Jim Sikes of Georgia Doc Eldridge would like to see more money go Power, who served on the task force, is, “What into that regional effort, he told Flagpole, but do we really want? A vision of what this area “it’s a start.” Perhaps $800,000 is needed, he will accept and won’t accept.” estimated. And Eldridge agreed with the task force report that the effort should be led not John Huie jphuie@athens.net

New Fees and Fines Aimed at More Parking Turnover Downtown parking fees will go up in July— free (and downtown employees will get a 20 both the meter fees (which will double to .50 percent discount). And meter parking will be an hour) and ticket fines, which consultants enforced until 7 p.m.—one hour later. and the county’s own auditor have both said Perhaps eventually meter parking should are too low to discourage parking violations. extend even later, a couple of commission“The mission of downtown parking has ers suggested. “At night, it is very difficult. always been about turnover,” Commissioner That’s really the hardest time to park,” said David Lynn said. “You’re supposed to free up Commissioner Alice Kinman; metering at night that space for other people.” He added that could make it easier to eat out downtown at rock-bottom fines encourage people to game night, she said. the system. “I think people refer to it as the Several commissioners said they want $3 lot,” he said, pointing out that it’s no won- parking rules to be reviewed more often than der parking spaces are scarce; it’s presently so they have been in the past; the rates haven’t cheap to park, even UGA changed in 25 years. students park downtown. “The mission of downtown Kathyrn Lookofsky of In July, those $3 ticket the Athens Downtown fees will rise to $10; Development Authority parking has always been other fines will go up, told Flagpole she hears too. As for employees who about turnover.” both sides of the parking reportedly wipe off the debate. Some people say chalk marks from their tires (in order to get they’ll never come downtown again, she said, away with overtime violations), commissioners because it costs too much to park. “There are wanted to know if that’s legal. It isn’t, said quite a few people who feel that way, so it’s a parking services director Laura Miller: that’s mixed bag.” interfering with an officer, and anyone caught This summer, many of the old coin-fed doing it is warned. “That usually takes care of meters will be replaced by new solar-powered the matter,” she said. electronic models that also accept bills and Fees at the courthouse and the College credit cards and can more easily be proAvenue decks will also go up, from $1 an hour grammed for any future rate changes. to $1.50 (with an $8 a day maximum). But the first 30 minutes of deck parking will now be John Huie jphuie@athens.net

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

A Deck, Offices, Retail: Coming Soon Downtown It probably won’t be finished until 2011, but an evaluation committee has picked the likely builder for the county’s ambitious mixed-use downtown parking deck. The project—to be built beside and behind the Georgia Theatre, filling out the entire block— could combine commercial offices and streetlevel retail spaces with the county’s desire for at least 475 more public parking spaces downtown. A county-hired consultant received proposals from four firms that are interested in building the deck—which will be owned by Athens-Clarke County while the developer will own and lease the commercial spaces. Financial arrangements with the builder are yet to be negotiated, but the county has $6.7 million in sales-tax money available for a deck initially expected to be a simpler project. But integrated public/private partnerships like the one planned for the deck have worked well in Greenville, SC and other places, and have caught the imagination of the commissioners. They hope the downtown building will set a trend for developing part of downtown

and contribute tasteful retail and (perhaps) some public space. The consultant—Kirby Glaze—told commissioners last week that “it was very easy to come to consensus” on Batson-Cook Development of Atlanta. The company proposes a six-story building, which “looks like a building, not like a parking deck,” Glaze noted, with ground-level retail along Clayton, Washington and Lumpkin streets, plus topstory offices. (A market survey by the developer suggested that office space is more in demand downtown.) A rooftop courtyard, parking for 70 bikes and two buses, and a public art gallery are also included; the deck would be cast-in-place rather than prefab, which means lower maintenance costs; and the brick facade would include “traditional masonry detailing common throughout downtown Athens.” Glaze cautioned that the Batson-Cook proposal—dubbed a “conceptual plan”—is only “a starting point.” John Huie jphuie@athens.net

ACC Gets Serious About Cutting Energy Expenses ACC commissioners last year set a goal of reducing the local government’s use of “all forms of conventional energy resources” by 15 percent—but even figuring out how much electricity the government uses can be complicated. For example, the government draws electricity from some 500 different meters and accounts, so just looking at old bills has been a big job, Central Services director David Fluck told Flagpole. Last week, commissioners approved a Florida company—Cost Control Associates—to search for savings on electricity, gas and telephone bills, mostly by finding better rates, rather than actually reducing energy use. And the company won’t be paid a specific fee, but will take a percentage (for the first three years) of any savings to the county that it is able to negotiate—either through finding better rates or by discovering billing errors. The company’s audit will also “help us with our awareness of our energy use,” Fluck said. His

department has already gone through old bills to determine the government’s baseline level of energy use, chosen by commissioners to be 2006, although Fluck said a current year might have been easier to calculate: “Getting the historical data has been difficult.” But Fluck said local government is working to reduce energy use. Most departments have appointed one staff member to be an “energy champion,” who reminds people to turn off lights and conserve heating and cooling. Office thermostats stay 73 or above in summer and 74 or below in winter, Fluck said. “Where people mess with them a lot, we’ve put locks on them,” Fluck said, though he added, “I think awareness is a big thing, and most people want to do what’s right.” Studying old bills has allowed departments to see how much is being spent on electricity and gas and how to save. John Huie jphuie@athens.net

the reader Reagan Lives! (Sorta) The Power of Myth: As a shareholder in both America and the English language, I would like to offer up a partial list of terms that should be done away with immediately for the good of both, as these terms are misleading or offensive or just plain stupid: “bromance,” “Octomom,” “delicious” to describe anything other than food or drink, “boo” when not used to scare people, and “pimp” applied to anything other than personnel management in the hospitality industry. One phrase that should also be thrown into a bag and drowned like a kitten is “the party of Lincoln and of Reagan,” that old saw that Republicans like to bandy about on TV but which is purely rank boondoggle. First of all, while it’s true that Lincoln was the first Republican president, that was in the 1860s, when the Republicans were the liberal party— centralized government (or “republic,” hence the name) sovereignty over state purview, and human rights for black people, remember? We fought a war over it? Although the current state of Lincoln nostalgia as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Obama administration may be a bit spurious, the notion that Abraham Lincoln and Dick Cheney play in the same sandbox is patently absurd. Secondly, the breathless invocation of both names is an attempt to give the GOP the cachet of American folk heroes, of giants who once bestrode the earth, licking their weight in wildcats while calling for a repeal of the capital-gains tax. Ronald Reagan, more than any other Republican president of the last century (including Eisenhower), seemed to embody the stuff of myth, a plainspoken man of the West with Hollywood charisma but blue-collar sensibilities and the steely resolve to spit in the eye of America’s enemies. And subsequently, Reagan has been credited with legendary deeds of Paul Bunyan proportions: singlehandedly he saved the nation from economic malaise, restored America’s belief in its own greatness, and crushed the Soviets, ending the Cold War without firing a shot. Trouble is, none of that actually happened. As journalist Will Bunch points out in his new book Tear Down This Myth: How the Reagan Legacy Has Distorted Our Politics and Haunts Our Future (Simon & Schuster, 2009), over the 20 years since Reagan left office, historians and economists have come to the consensus that the economic recovery was due to global factors and economic cycling beyond Reagan’s control, and that the Soviet Union was ready to collapse from its rotten infrastructure and its people’s clamoring for Western-style consumerism. The lionization of Reagan, which began during his presidency but which expanded to colossal proportions after the man was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and rendered virtually critic-proof, hinges upon a set of milestones that have proven to be movieset papier-mâché.

And why is this a problem? Two words and an initial: George W. Bush. The persona of Bush, a privileged son of old Connecticut money turned Texas good-ol’-boy, his political career and his policies while in office were a studied attempt at harnessing the Reagan myth. Unfortunately, the myth ignores certain details. While Reagan did slash taxes in 1981, he raised them every year for the next six. And while he did engage in hawkish posturing with America’s adversaries, he would have regarded the notion of starting a war, especially a “shock and awe” war that targeted civilians, as immoral and unthinkable, as his own diaries have shown. Reagan believed in diplomacy with the enemy and in force as a last resort, and while we frequently get the sound-bite “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,” we never hear about the Reagan-Gorbachev arms-reduction pact, the most positive act of Reagan’s presidency and the one of which he was the most proud. Bush (more accurately, his handlers) adopted the highlight reel of the Reagan years—the contrived photo-ops, the defiance of Congress, “Bring it on”—but failed to consider that Reagan’s success was a combination of his personality and unbelievable timing, neither of which favored Bush. In other words, Bush was no Ronald Reagan, but then neither was Reagan himself. Bunch’s book doesn’t take a hatchet to Reagan (in fact, I actually have a better opinion of Reagan now than I did before I read the book) as much as it seeks to deflate the myth and expose those who have sought to profit from it, especially Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform and (not coincidentally) the Reagan Legacy Project, and the 2008 field of GOP candidates for president, all trying hard to fit into Reagan’s pants and failing. He also expresses some concerns for Barack Obama, who has already taken political cues from the Reagan playbook. Maybe the party of Lincoln and of Reagan will turn out to be the Democrats. Scary stuff. Boo.

WANTED: VOLUNTEERS with fund raising experience to assist AthFest in newly formed committee to raise funds for music education in schools.

Contact Jared at

director@athfest.com

Get Out: Local author (and yet another reason to love this town like you would your own mother) Philip Lee Williams, author of All the Western Stars and The Heart of a Distant Forest, to name my favorites of his many books, will be appearing at Barnes & Noble on Thursday, Mar. 12 at 7 p.m. He’ll be signing copies of his new book Elegies for the Water: Poems (Mercer University Press, 2009), and if you’re really, really well-behaved, he might actually read some to you. This will make you happy like the sun is warming your tummy. Lastly: And we lost another one. Philip Jose Farmer, one of the best science-fiction authors of the last century, passed away at age 91 at his home in Peoria, IL. John G. Nettles

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

william orten carlton = ort Zillions of Words “Hoosy.” We’ve all had it on one occasion or another. But I’m already doing that famous Ort trick: I’m getting ahead of myself. One of my favorite books of all time is a dictionary-ofsorts that was compiled in the mid-1970s by one Josefa Heifetz Byrne. Its name is delicious enough: Mrs. Byrne’s Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words. Having a copy of this marvy book to hand, I have a few of her selections to tell you about (as you might have imagined!), some of which I even resurrect from time to time just to bumfuddle everyone. Philoxenist (n.) “One who is happiest when he or she is entertaining strangers.” I’ve been known to be one of these at times, especially when assisting them to taste excellent local beers or seeing to it that they find what they are looking for in Athens. It makes for good times, not to mention occasional good Karma. Redubber (n.) “A buyer of stolen cloth who alters and resells it.” It’s hardly being one of those to vend American jeans in Russia, but it is indeed cousinary to it (to use another obscure word!). But I prefer to use “purloined” instead of “stolen” whenever possible. Jussive (adj.) “Expressing command.” This can also be used as a noun for someone who does this: the book specifies that it is a word or mood (or tense or case) expressing command. “Hey, Joe: I’ll take another glass of that wonderful English Pale,” I’m apt to assert jussively tomorrow night at Copper Creek. Speaking of which, here’s one for my brewer friends: Gyle (n.) 1. “Wort about to ferment.” 2. “A vat in which beer is fermented.” Matt Buley, Copper Creek’s brewer, has a few good ales readying themselves in the gyles in their suitably coppery front room. This is as opposed to “gyre,” which is a circular motion, as in “… did gyre and gimble in the wabe” from Lewis Carroll’s “The Jabberwocky,” which is my very favorite poem of all time. Quakebuttock (n.) “A coward.” Many years ago there was a comic strip named “Little Iodine,” drawn by one Jimmy Hatlo. Little Iodine’s father was Mr. Tremblechin, who worked for Mr. Bigdome. Poor man, he was a quakebuttock if ever there was one, comic strip or no. Conquassate (v. t.) “To shake violently.” (obs.) “Hey, sodajerk… conquassate that milkshake for me, wouldja?” you might have said many years ago. (Some time I’ll inform you about what you get when you order a milk shake in Rhode Island, but not tonight… and I’m not being stuffy.) Modoc (n.) 1. “One who joins the Air Force for favorable publicity.” (Gad.) 2. “A dummy used as a target for carnival ball tosses; also used figuratively.” 3. “An Indian tribe formerly of California, now relegated to Oregon and Oklahoma.” My hunch was that it was “modoc” as opposed to “lessdoc,” as in the too-many rural counties here in Georgia that do not have even one practicing physician. That’s traumatic. Being an (all-too-occasional) Scrabble® player, I dearly love “Q” words. Here’s one that’s wholly usable: Quern (n.) “A spice grinder.” I hope my old friend Ginger reads this and uses it the next time she plays against her mother: she’s sure to make more than fo’teen points. Speaking

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

of which, ginger is a spice. I wonder if Ginger needs a quern to use in her quitchen (Tee hee! THAT one doesn’t exist!). Two wonderful ones together on one page! Brotus (n.) “Any extra measure without charge, such as a baker’s dozen.” AND Brummagem (adj.) “Phony; cheap.” (n.). “Something cheap or gaudy, especially phony jewelry.” The origin of this, Mrs. Byrne explains, is Birmingham, England, where such items were once made. Some thrift stores will offer you a brotus if you’ll help rid them of a pile of their brummagem. Believe me.

Speaking of thrift stores, here’s one I often use at The Potter’s House when I grab some leftover object out of one of their outside buggies: Quidnunc (n.) “One who is curious to know everything that is going on; a gossip.” Well, since the literal meaning of it from Latin is “What now?” I take the liberty to use it as in “What have I found now?” See, it works. And I was curious enough to look, so it follows. Mycterism (n.) “Sneering or derision.” I tilt my invisible lorgnette and stare down my beak at such… don’t you?

Here’s a great Scrabble®-usable “X” word for you: Xystus (n.) “An indoor porch for winter exercising.” See, some of you had a xystus and didn’t even know it. Well, now you do. It won’t be an “enclosed patio” any more, will it? Scrannel (adj.) 1. “Thin; weak.” 2. “Harsh; unmelodious.” “Quit playing that scrannel dirge and get your scrannel self over here to eat before you blow away!” someone’s mother could conceivably have said. “Highly unlikely,” says Mr. Spock. Pilgarlic (n.) “A bald head that looks like peeled garlic.” Let’s hope that The Man Who Mistook His Wife[‘s Head] for a Hat (from the wonderful same-titled book by Oliver Sacks) doesn’t come along and accidentally try to put this into a stew. That would really put HIM in a stew, wouldn’t it? (Well, I won’t stew about it.) Empasm (n.) “Deodorant powder.” I can just imagine going into Horton’s Drugs downtown and saying, “I’ll have some empasm, please.” That would be akin to my attempting to locate a new dropsy cure there. Nesiote (adj.) “Living on an island.” Hey, we’re ALL nesiotics here, aren’t we? Now what if we live on an island within an island? How do you linguistically become doubly nesiote? Not to mention that there exists an island in Crater Lake in Oregon that has an island on it (Wizard Island). Gad. I’m wading in way too deep… say 1150 feet! Rasorial (adj.) “Habitually scratching the ground in search of food.” Sorry, folks, I gave up my a diet of grubs and earthworms years ago, although a truffle could be tasty (but it would cost more than a trifle). Fulyie (n.) 1. “A leaf; gold leaf.” 2. “Street sweepings; manure.”—Fooled ye, didn’t I? (If anyone can make a sentence out of both uses of that word, their command of English is lightyears ahead of mine!) Kwistgoed (n.) “A spendthrift.” Yes, I have been known to act in a kwistgoedic fashion upon occasion. I’d love to know the origin of THAT one! Nixie (n.) “A letter so badly addressed that it can’t be delivered” (slang). This is a term I’ve actually used before and have known for years. Many years ago, when I ran my record store, I received a letter mailed from Los Angeles addressed only to “Ort./ Athens, Georgia.” Yes, in it came, rubber-stamped with “Please advise your correspondents of your correct mailing address.” The first line of the letter was “Ort., I just wanted to see how famous you were.” Well, I still am, because I received a Christmas card a couple of years back addressed to “Ort./ Holmwood Hills/ Athens, Georgia, 30601.” It came straight to me, because there is no Holmwood in Athens, and I surely am the only Ort. who lives at any even remotely similar place. Okay, I’ve still left you hanging regarding my first word. Hoosy isn’t in Mrs. Byrne’s dictionary, but I have actually seen the word in a similar book. It means “smelly armpits.” You may choose one of at least six pronunciations, too. Now I have a chirospasm and have to quit. See you at the quincunx. Thanks for reading this jeremiad, you nonfossarians. (30.) William Orten Carlton

graphic content New Comics Reviews photos, artwork and other assorted ephemera. More than 15 years after its original appearance, Ghost World still resonates, and if the mid-’90s seems like a long time ago, well, wasn’t it?

Ex Machina #40 Brian K. Vaughan, Tony Harris (Wildstorm Productions)

Ghost World: Special Edition Daniel Clowes (Fantagraphics Books) Ghost World initially started out serialized in issues of Daniel Clowes’ magazine Eightball, and initial installments felt unrelated and a little arbitrary. But taken in the larger context of the entire saga, those earlier pieces set up an important trend in the stories, as Clowes and his readers start out sympathizing with Enid and Rebecca’s snarky commentary on the drudgery of day-to-day life they witness as they’re about to graduate from high school. By Ghost World’s end, though, it’s apparent that the two friends have become so fettered by their own cynicism that they’re no better off than those they disdain. The book’s main strength is in its simple vision of its protagonists, and the straightforward presentation thereof. They’re both comfortable in their own lives, but as Enid and Rebecca transition to adulthood they slowly realize, at different rates, how little they know about themselves. Clowes portrays their drifting apart as both tragic and healthy, and not completely inevitable. This sort of bittersweet open-endedness is one of his finest contributions to comics writing, and his influence carries through to countless contemporary artists like Adrian Tomine or Chris Ware. By the time it was turned into a 2001 film starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson directed by the misanthropically comic Terry Zwigoff, Ghost World (the comic) already felt a little out of time, and revisiting the ’90s feels a little like putting on a Superchunk album and spending time with quaint worries— remember when sarcasm and ironic detachment ruled the day? What that film occasionally missed, though, and what’s on full display upon revisiting Ghost World, is Clowes’ treatment of even his most tangential characters; his artwork and writing both convey a humanity and compassion for even the most—usually, especially the most—pathetic and grotesque among us. The original 80-page graphic novel gets the “special edition” treatment with this new hardback edition, sporting more than 200 pages of extras. Among the goodies are the movie’s original screenplay, new brief stories, annotations and commentary by Clowes and a gaggle of Ghost World paraphernalia:

When writer Brian K. Vaughan decided to set his latest series in present-day New York, using the story of a former super-hero elected mayor, he tackled head-on real-world issues like racism, terrorism, politics and the role of government. With last month’s issue he injects even more of our world into his by casting himself and artist Tony Harris as a writer and artist looking to create a comic based on Mayor Mitchell Hundred (elected after stopping the second airliner from hitting the World Trade Center on 9/11). It’s the sort of metafictional, fourth-wall-breaking trick that’s been used before, and frequently too obviously, but Vaughan wisely references his past influences and acknowledges the shortcomings of the approach. It could’ve easily been overwrought and absurd, but it’s neither, and Vaughan and Harris succeed completely. The book is loaded with in-jokes that should appeal to those more steeped in comics, from the form to the stories and even to current problems in the industry, but it’s still one of the most accessible, entertaining books on the shelves. (Speaking of which, there should already be a new issue of Ex Machina out, but this issue’s worth a look and requires almost no foreknowledge of the series’ ongoing story details beyond its premise.) One choice in particular elevates Ex Machina #40 beyond mere gimmickry, and that’s the inclusion of a particularly moving tribute that writer Vaughan pays to his former hometown of New York. It’s heartfelt and emotionally resonant, and a great example of how Vaughan, who notably writes for the TV show “Lost,” so easily glides between humor and pathos.

Kramers Ergot 7 Sammy Harkham, editor (Buenaventura Press) Sized at 16 inches by 21 inches, and a hefty 98-pages long on high-quality paper, the new edition of art-comics anthology Kramers Ergot isn’t necessarily a coffee-table book as much as, a few legs provided, it could be a coffee table in and of itself. It’ll be tough to find a bookshelf that’ll hold an almost-two-foot book, but the excess in size and the experimentation in format and presentation are worth the trouble. Usually. As with all anthologies—and there about 60 different writers and illustrators contributing here, including stars Daniel Clowes, Jaime Hernandez, Adrian Tomine, Chris Ware, Seth, Matt Groening and Kevin Huizenga, among other newer talent—you’re bound to hit a few inconsequential pieces, and that’s usually the case when the creators don’t take advantage of the opportunities afforded by such an audaciously large format. Tom Gauld’s wry four-page take on the Noah’s Ark story, for instance, is a real charmer, and a vast piece of work. And Chris Ware, for instance, takes full advantage of the size of his two-page spread, drawing a full-size baby and exploring a moving look at a character from “Building Stories,” one of his past pieces. Huizenga, given only one page, makes the most with a richly colorful dreamlike story set in the sky. And one last thing—this is a seriously high-priced item at $125, though a lot of online retailers have it discounted. That breaks down to about two bucks per story, and it’s easier to justify the price when you think of this as a limited-edition, hand-bound art piece, but still… you’re well on your way to paying a month’s rent in Athens with that kind of money. Chris Hassiotis

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

movie dope Some releases may not be showing locally this week. ALL ALONG (NR) The plot of this independent feature from director Robert Masciantonio revolves around an average American working stiff’s midlife crisis and the vivid fantasy life he creates in order to escape from his mundane reality. BEDTIME STORIES (PG) Adam Sandler stars as a guy living through the bedtime stories he’s telling his niece and nephew. Director Adam Shankman scored big, critically and commercially with Hairspray; Bedtime Stories looks more like his awful crowd-pleasers Bringing Down the House, The Pacifier and Cheaper by the Dozen 2. The presence of Sandler’s personal scribe, Tim Herlihy (Bedtime stories marks the eighth movie he’s written for the likable star), doesn’t breed confidence. With Keri Russell, Guy Pearce, Courtney Cox, Russell Brand, Lucy Lawless, Jonathan Pryce, Aisha Tyler and Richard Griffiths. BOLT (PG) The sharply animated, directed and written flick is the closest Disney has gotten to achieving Pixarlike quality, possibly due to the presence of Pixar founder John Lasseter as executive producer and Cars writer Dan Fogelman. BORDER CAFÉ (NR) 2005. Iranian writer-director Kambuzia Partovia depicts the life of Reyhan (Fereshteh Sadre Orafaiy), an independent Iranian woman flouting tradition by reopening her late husband’s truck stop café. Through her cooking, Reyhan soon attracts the attention of a Greek trucker. Winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at the Dhaka International Film Festival, two Crystal Simorghs (Best Actress and Best Screenplay) from the Fajr Film Festival and two awards from the Mar

del Plata Film Festival. Part of the ACC Library’s iFilms series. BRIDE WARS (PG) Lifelong best friends Liv and Emma (Hudson and Hathaway) have dreamed of June weddings at the Plaza since they were little girls. When their boyfriends propose, the duo begins preparations to make those dreams a reality. But when New York’s hottest wedding planner, Marion St. Claire (Candace Bergen), screws up and books the ceremonies on the same day, Liv and Emma’s friendship turns to bitter rivalry. Potential brides of every shape and size will gladly go to battle over these Wars. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC (PG) Winter movie blues got you down? More PG-rated chick lit to the rescue! Out-of-control fashionista Rebecca Bloomwood (Isla Fisher) gets a job as an advice columnist for a financial magazine, where she meets potential love interest in Luke Brandon (Hugh Dancy). Muriel’s Wedding director P.J. Hogan helms this adaptation of the Sophie Kinsella bestseller. With a whole slew of familiar faces, including Joan Cusack, John Goodman, Kristen Scott Thomas and Lynn Redgrave. CORALINE (PG) Coraline may just be next year’s Best Animated Feature Oscar. The filmed adaptation of the young adult novel by Neil Gaiman (Sandman, Stardust) virtually adds a third sense to the moviegoing experience. A visual, sonic marvel, Coraline, brought to life from real stuff (puppets and miniature trees and toy trains), has a tactile dimension. Every object, every surface has a texture of which CG can only dream. Wonderful new 3D technology reinforces the actual existence of the denizens of Coraline’s fantastical

adventure. The 3D ably amps up the film’s more startling moments, but it’s nothing a tough youngster can’t handle. ECHELON CONSPIRACY (PG-13) With its crap one-liners (delivered mainly by a more bored than in One Missed Call Edward Burns), preponderance of zooms, and phoned in performances, Echelon Conspiracy is a movie that doesn’t know its place, bypassing the direct-to-DVD route for an undeserved, assuredly merciful short theatrical run. For about 30 min-

Lamest afterparty… ever. utes, I was more intrigued by Echelon than Eagle Eye, the big budgeted hit it’s ripping off. FIRED UP (PG-13) Who exactly is the intended audience of Fired Up: the spirited fans of Bring It On, or the horny dudes who prefer their laughs dumb and their nubiles nude? I’m not sure either will be overjoyed with this tame, spottily funny mix of both. I’m not quite fired up about Fired Up, but I got an acceptable amount of laughs out of its hour and a half.

M OVIE L ISTING S

Theater schedules often change after our deadline. Please call ahead. ACC LIBRARY (706-613-3650)

Border Café (NR) 7:00 (Th. 3/12)

BEECHWOOD (706-546-1011)

Due to production deadlines, Beechwood movie times are only accurate through March 12. Visit www.Flagpole.com for updated times. Confessions of a Shopaholic (PG) 1:30, 4:05, 7:05, 9:40 Coraline 3-D (PG) 12:10, 2:30, 4:50, 7:15, 9:35 Echelon Conspiracy (PG-13) 4:30, 9:35 Fired Up (PG-13) 1:40, 7:25 Gran Torino (R) 1:15, 7:15 He’s Just Not That Into You (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:50 Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (G) 12:15, 2:15, 4:15, 6:15, 8:15, 10:15 Madea Goes to Jail (PG-13) 12:00, 2:25, 4:55, 7:25, 9:55 Metropolitan Opera: Madama Butterfly (NR) 7:00 (W. 3/18) Slumdog Millionaire (R) 1:20, 4:20, 7:05, 9:45 Taken (PG-13) 12:40, 2:50, 5:00, 7:10, 9:25 Watchmen (R) 12:30, 1:30, 4:00, 5:00, 7:30, 8:30 The Wrestler (R) 4:15, 9:50

CARMIKE 12 (706-354-0016)

Due to production deadlines, Carmike movie times are only accurate through March 12. Visit www.Flagpole.com for updated times. All Along (NR) 7:00, 9:00 (W. 3/11–Th. 3/12) Coraline 3-D (PG) 1:30, 4:30, 7:30, 10:00 Friday the 13th (R) 1:55, 4:45, 7:15, 9:40 He’s Just Not That Into You (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00 Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (G) 12:00, 1:55, 3:50, 5:45, 7:40, 9:35 Madea Goes to Jail (PG-13) 1:30, 4:15, 7:00, 9:30 Paul Blart: Mall Cop (PG) 4:50, 7:00, 9:10 Slumdog Millionaire (R) 1:20, 4:20, 7:00, 9:35

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

FRIDAY THE 13th (R) Friday the 13th, version 2009, kicks off with a quick expository sprint through the origins of monstrous Jason Voorhees (Derek Mears). Years later, a new batch of disposable teens arrives at Camp Crystal Lake looking for pot and finding Jason’s wrath. Friday the 13th is no holiday to be celebrated by all, but for the horror flock, it’s like Christmas in February. GIRLS ROCK! (PG) At the Rock ‘n’ Roll Camp for Girls, four attend-

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (PG-13) 12:30, 2:45, 5:00, 7:30, 9:45 Taken (PG-13) 1:00, 3:10, 5:20, 7:30, 9:40 The Velveteen Rabbit (G) 1:05 Watchmen (R) 12:00, 1:00, 1:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:00, 7:00, 8:00, 8:30, 10:25, 11:30

CINÉ (706-353-3343)

Girls Rock! (PG)/The Golden Eaglet (NR) 2:00 (Sa. 3/14–Su. 3/15) (add’l time Sa. 3/14: 7:00) Gran Torino (R) 4:30, 9:30 (starts F. 3/13) Milk (R) 7:00, 9:45 (new times F. 3/13: 4:15, 7:00, 9:45) (add’l time Sa. 3/14–Su. 3/15: 1:30) Revolutionary Road (R) 4:15 (ends Th. 3/12) Waltz with Bashir (R) 4:30, 7:15, 9:30 (new times F. 3/13: 7:30) (add’l time Sa. 3/14–Su. 3/15: 2:15)

GEORGIA SQUARE 5 (706-548-3426)

Due to production deadlines, Georgia Square Five movie times are only accurate through March 12. Visit www. Flagpole.com for updated times. Bedtime Stories (PG) 12:45, 3:05, 5:25, 7:45, 10:05 Bolt (PG) 12:50, 5:20, 10:00 Bride Wars (PG) 3:10, 7:40 Inkheart (PG) 1:05, 4:05, 7:05, 9:40 Marley & Me (PG) 1:10, 7:10 Twilight (PG-13) 1:00, 4:15, 7:15, 9:55 Valkyrie (PG-13) 4:10, 9:45

HWY 17 DRIVE-IN THEATERS (706-213-7693) Twilight (PG-13) 7:00 (F. 3/13–Su. 3/15)

TATE CENTER THEATER (706-542-6396)

When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (NR) 6:00 (W. 3/18)

UGA STUDENT LEARNING CTR. (706-542-7000) Life and Debt (NR) 7:00 (M. 3/16, rm 213)

ees ranging in age from eight to 18—adopted Laura (15, vocals), recovering meth addict Misty (17, bass), sweet metalhead Palace (7, vocals) and dog-loving Amelia (8, guitar)—learn to form a band, write songs, plays gigs, and generally behave in ways discouraged by years of gender stereotyping. Girls Rock! is the feature debut of directors Arne Johnson and Shane King. Showing as part of a double-bill with The Golden Eaglet, a vintage Girl Scout recruitment film from 1918, in honor of Girl Scout Week. GRAN TORINO (R) A retired Ford employee and Korean War vet, Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) still lives in the same Michigan neighborhood in which he and his now deceased wife, Dorothy, raised two ungrateful sons. But the old neighborhood has changed. Immigrants have invaded Walt’s shores. The film paints a poignant portrait of entrenched racial hatred overcome by human kindness and interaction. Walt’s transformation proves you can teach an old dog new tricks. Gran Torino proves Eastwood is already a master of them all. HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU (PG-13) Based on the self-help/ chicklit bestseller by Greg Behrendt (a “Sex and the City” story editor) and Liz Tucillo, He’s Just Not That Into You is too long, cinematographically desolate, and fashioned solely out of genderdefined traits and hang-ups. A bunch of Baltimoreans, representing every white, hetero demographic, navigate the stormy waters of love. INKHEART (PG) Inkheart can claim kinship to 1980s kid-venture, The Neverending Story. Mortimer “Mo” Folchart (Brendan Fraser, likable as usual but miscast), a Silvertongue (whatever he reads comes to life), spends his days searching for a rare copy of Inkheart, the novel into which his wife was sucked in exchange for the selfish hero Dustfinger (Paul Bettany) and the evil Capricorn (Andy Serkis, The Lord of the Rings’ Gollum) and his henchmen. Bettany and Serkis ably

provide the heroic yin/dastardly yang missing from other kid-lit adaptations. Yet a sad irony lies in Inkheart’s vigilant defense of reading, the very necessity of which the movie erases. Hopefully, viewers will be inspired to read the sequel, Inkspell, before they see it. JONAS BROTHERS: THE 3D CONCERT EXPERIENCE (G) The Jonas Brothers’ new 3D Experience is everything a tweenage fanatic would want and expect. Hatched in the same laboratory that grew Britney Spears, an early prototype whose programming kinks were fixed in the Miley Cyrus model, Kevin, Joe and Nick achieve their primary objective to foster safe, non-sexual crushes through catchy pop rock tunes that blur the lines of contemporary Christian, Disney Radio and Top 40. The 3D Concert Experience begins with allusions to A Hard Day’s Night, one of the Bros.’ favorite films. The non-narrative film’s central “plot” involves the boys’ preparations for the Madison Square Garden concert, footage from which dominates the film. The three brothers seem like nice, hard working kids who produce a rocking, high energy concert. The guys really work up a sweat performing hits like “Burnin’ Up” and…uh…other songs. If you’re not already a Jo Bro fan, the movie, 3D or not, won’t hold your interest for very long. The songs are catchy but instantly forgettable (save the aforementioned “Burnin’ Up;” I like that one). The behind-the-scenes footage is very staged and unrevealing. Likable and charming as they are, I can imagine being more entertained by a real Hard-Day’s-Night-style musical comedy starring the brothers than I was by the Jonases’ 3D Concert Experience. THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (R) Wes Craven wasn’t a very good filmmaker when he directed the original in 1972. Now as producer, he’s giving Dennis Iliadis (2004’s Hardcore) a shot to improve on his harrowing, awful first film. A gang (led by “Deadwood”’s icky Garret Dillahunt) unknowingly seeks refuge in with the parents (Tony Goldwyn and Monica Potter) of a girl they earlier brutally assaulted. The original was ostensibly a remake of Ingmar Bergman’s The Virgin Spring. With Sara Paxton. LIFE AND DEBT (NR) 2001. Jamaica Kincaid’s non-fiction look at the devastating effects of globalization on her namesake island nation becomes a “woven tapestry of… the stories of individual Jamaicans whose strategies for survival… are determined by the U.S. and other foreign economic agendas” in Stephanie Black’s documentary. The film’s narration was written by Kincaid. Winner of the Audience Award from the Prague One World Film Festival. Sponsored by the Institute for Women’s Studies as part of the Women’s History Month Film Festival. MADEA GOES TO JAIL (PG-13) The rewards of a Tyler Perry movie decrease with every formulaic play-to-film since his cinematic highwater mark, Why Did I Get Married? Diary of a Mad Black Women pretty much laid out his neverchanging Madea manifesto. Hook them with the hilariously broad hijinks of the mad matriarch (Tyler Perry in drag) before force-feeding faith-based plots best left to Billy Graham’s movie ministry. In Madea Goes to Jail, Madea doesn’t actually go to jail until the film’s final 30 minutes. I’m beginning to fear

Perry the filmmaker peaked well before his films’ popularity. MARLEY & ME (PG) Two newlyweds, John and Jennifer (Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston), learn a lot about life, love and loss from their lovable, boisterous, uncontrollable Yellow Lab, Marley. Based on John Grogan’s autobiographical novel, Marley & Me boasts the purebred screenwriting pedigree of Oscar-nominee Scott Frank (Get Shorty, Out of Sight, The Lookout) and Don Roos (The Opposite of Sex, Happy Endings). METROPOLITAN OPERA: MADAMA BUTTERFLY (NR) Anthony Minghella’s production of the Puccini opera features Cristina Gallardo-Domas in the title role opposite Marcello Giordani. MILK (R) Thirty years have passed since pioneering gay rights activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) was assassinated by fellow San Francisco city supervisor Dan White (Josh Brolin), and the exceptional new film chronicling the last eight years of Milk’s life, including its tragic end, begs the question: How far have we come? It’s an emotional wake-up slap delivered with perfect performances and necessary style. An award-winning film will always be an effective means to increase recognition and achieve validation in our nation of movie lovers. The film never apologizes for nor sanitizes Milk’s homosexuality. He was here; he was queer; get over it. l MISS MARCH (R) Two of the Whitest Kids U’Know get in the feature game with this thankfully R-rated teensploitation flick. Eugene (co-writerdirector Zack Cregger), has recently awakened from a four-year coma to discover his virginal high school sweetheart is a Playboy Playmate. Naturally, his sex-crazed best bud, Tucker (Trevor Moore, the other writerdirector), convinces him to crash a party at the Playboy Mansion. I thought this flick looked terrible when I saw the trailer for the first time, but subsequent viewings have softened me up a little. With Craig Robinson (“The Office”). PAUL BLART: MALL COP (PG) Paul Blart: Mall Cop rings in the New Year with mild, unobjectionable humor. The beginning of the year usually suffers through flicks much less funny and much more painful than this. Paul Blart: Mall Cop is as likable and funny (more the former than the latter) as its star. RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN (PG) I’m filled with so much nostalgia for Disney’s Kim Richards/Eddie Albert originals, Escape to Witch Mountain and Return from Witch Mountain, that I’m actually excited for the remake starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and that girl who’s not Dakota Fanning. A Vegas cabbie (Johnson) must assist a UFO expert (Carla Gugino) and two orphans (AnnaSophia Robb and Alexander Ludwig) outrun the government (represented by Ciarán Hinds) and an alien bounty hunter. Look for cameos by original orphans Richards and Ike Eisenmann. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (R) Frank and April Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet) feel destined for something better, more fulfilling than their hopeless, empty suburban existence. But two kids and a mortgage later, and these former idealists are at each other’s throats, their love burned away by the constant heat of angry disappointment. Those who hated American Beauty won’t warm to it; neither will the modern suburbanites Mendes vilifies by proxy. Nevertheless, mature filmgoers will revel in the craft and wince at the pain. SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE (R) If Charles Dickens had set any of his littlest-orphan-makes-good epics in the slums of Mumbai and on the uncomfortable future-chic stage of the

lacks any memories of his combat experience. He sets out to speak with numerous people—former comrades, a war reporter—and remember what his memory has chosen to forget. A shocking, painful, original experience, the animated Waltz with Bashir will leave an indelible mark upon its audience. Strangely, the image that may linger longest is not animated; it is archival footage of the aftermath at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, where 3000 Palestinian civilians were massacred by Israel’s allies, Lebanese Christian Phalangists. Fortunately, the audience can awake from Folman’s nightmarish, dreamlike recollections, although he cannot. WATCHMEN (R) See Movie Pick. WHEN A WOMAN ASCENDS THE STAIRS (NR) 1960. Keiko Yashiro (Hideko Takamine) is a geisha known as Mama. On the wrong side of 30, she must decide what to do with her life. Should she get married, become a kept woman, or borrow money to buy a bar of her own? Mikio Naruse’s beautiful classic examines this still-thriving profession with all its promises and pitfalls. Part of the Japanese Film Festival at UGA supported by the Center for Asian Studies and the Japan Foundation. THE WRESTLER (R) Academy Award-nominee Mickey Rourke may be the best thing in The Wrestler, but he’s also the worst. His performance, the best of last year and one of the strongest in recent memory, is so brilliant that it eclipses the overall excellence of acclaimed filmmaker Darren Aronofsky’s fourth feature. The Wrestler leaves 2008’s squared circle with the championship belt held high in the air as blood streams down its beaten face. No other film matched its virtuality, its seeming recreation of a real person.

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TWILIGHT (PG-13) Fortunately, Twilight isn’t the unmitigated disaster I anticipated. Thanks to a writer and director who took the Romeo and Juliet courtship of a vampire and a human seriously, the film rises above giggleinducing dialogue, groan-inducing vampire super-speed and strength, and a simplistic makeup-and-snarl depiction of its central monsters. VALKYRIE (PG-13) This much maligned, high profile, potential disaster is actually a tightly-wound historical thriller, a B-movie working above its pay grade due to A-list talent. Injured in North Africa and recovering in Berlin, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise) is approached by a clandestine organization of soldiers and politicians looking to rid sacred Germany of its greatest threat, Adolf Hitler. It is strange pulling for Nazis. Thankfully, Valkyrie’s conspirators are the good ones, and their scheme is a fascinating, largely untold story from this extremely overmined era. THE VELVETEEN RABBIT (G) Jane Seymour, Tom Skerritt and Ellen Burstyn lend their voices to this new animated adaptation of the classic children’s book by Margery Williams. WALTZ WITH BASHIR (R) A leading contender for the recent Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film (it lost to Departures but won the Golden Globe, as well as five Israeli Film Academy Awards), Ari Folman’s animated documentary on Israel’s early-’80s invasion of Lebanon is certainly the most original war movie I’ve ever seen. Long on striking imagery but short on historical context, anyone (including yours truly) without prior knowledge of the conflict will require 30 or so minutes to acclimate. Still, the animation by David Polonsky will capture the eye, while the mind pieces the story together. After a meeting with a friend, director Folman realizes he

eric

an Tav

Indian TV show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,” Slumdog Millionaire, winner of the Golden Globe for Best Drama, would be a near perfect adaptation of that unwritten classic from one of literature’s most popular mack daddies. Given the circumstances, Oscar winners director Danny Boyle and screenwriter Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty) have merely adapted Indian author Vikas Swarup’s Q & A into an uncommon feel-good movie that accomplishes its uplifting objective without resorting to clingy clichés that leave the emotions sugar-sticky from their manipulative fumblings. STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI (PG-13) This contender for worst movie of the year wouldn’t be vying for the title had it gone straight to DVD like a well-behaved bad movie should. The only people it might remotely interest, fans of the Street Fighter videogames, would be better off staying at home playing Street Fighter IV. The flick is dangerously unhip when it’s trying to be “cool.” TAKEN (PG-13) Recently retired “preventer,” Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), has given up his dangerous, globetrotting profession to be closer to his teenaged daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace, “Lost”). Shortly after turning 17 , Kim asks her dad for permission to travel to Paris for the summer. Well aware of the dangers lurking in the shadows of the City of Lights, Bryan reticently agrees. As soon as you can translate “I told you so” into French, Kim and her pal have been kidnapped by human traffickers from Albania. Bryan goes all commando on Paris, threatening to tear down the Eiffel Tower if he has to. You can easily imagine how this vengeful mission goes, but director Morel makes the trip feel fresh and new. It’s a quick, tough movie that your parents might even enjoy thanks to the toneddown, PG-13 violence.

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MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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film notebook

Ambitious, Flawed Supermen

News of Athens’ Cinema Scene

WATCHMEN (R) Quis custodiet ipsos custodies? Who watches the watchmen? Considering the massively successful superhero trend at the movies, my best guess is everyone, whether they read the comic books or not. How these watchers will respond to the most ambitious comic book movie ever made is harder to predict. Several diehard fans I know loved the film, having seen the epic twice on opening day. My inner-fan of Alan Moore, who refused to let his name appear in the credits, and Dave Gibbons’ landmark, Hugo Awardwinning graphic novel adored what director Zack Snyder fashioned from the script by David Hayter and Alex Tse. My outer critic noted several flaws. Thankfully, none of them threaten the film’s structural stability. Watchmen is not the greatest comic book movie of all time, yet considering the height of its twin measuring sticks (its own source material and The Dark Knight), such expectations may have been too great to begin with. Hell, Snyder doomed himself by comparison with his perfect previous comic adaptation, 300. Managing to corral Watchmen’s 12 meaty issues into a digestible, sub-three-hour feature that will please diehards and not confuse newbies was an impossible task. Watchmen, as it reads, is and always will be unfilmable. Nevertheless, Snyder, Hayter and Tse miraculously made the best movie they could.

visual. Comic artist Gibbons’ gorgeous panels are reproduced with painstaking precision. Entire pages are brought to life, dialogue included. Every pen-and-ink character meets its long-lost flesh-and-blood double. Watchmen’s many triumphs began in the questionable casting of Patrick Wilson, Malin Ackerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Billy Crudup and Jackie Earle Haley. Like master tailors, Snyder, Hayter and Tse cut the unnecessary plot threads from the comic’s suit. Fans might miss the comicwithin-the-comic, Tales of the Black Freighter, but no one else will. And the much-debated changes to the ending make cinematic and story sense. Still, no comic book movie has ever shown such fidelity to its source, and that faithfulness is where the film’s flaws begin. Some scenes, especially dialogue-heavy exchanges between Wilson’s Dreifort and Ackerman’s Jupiter, feel trapped on the page, the four borders closing in. As joyous as it is to see the page so exactingly replicated on the screen, that accuracy keeps the film from developing its own identity. The movie begins to separate itself with its bone-crunching brutality and a darkness deeper than Gibbons’ Jack Kirbyinfluenced comic realism. As inspired as the casting may have been, the performances are disappointingly incon-

For the uninitiated and interested, I highly recommend reading the comic first. For those without the time, here’s a little Watchmen 101. In an alternate 1985, superheroes exist but have been outlawed. Richard Nixon has been elected to five terms. World War II, Vietnam and the assassination of JFK all occurred, but the latter two were affected by the likes of Dr. Manhattan, the only hero with actual superpowers, and the Comedian, a sociopathic superhero-turned-government operative. Former adventurers—Dan Dreifort, once known as the costumed Nite Owl, and the second Silk Spectre, Laurie Jupiter—try to eke out normal existences. The world’s smartest man, Adrian Veidt, outed himself as the hero, Ozymandias, and has reaped the financial windfall of his own toyline. Amid fears of nuclear war, just when the world needs heroes again, they begin dying and disappearing. Be it coincidence or conspiracy, the murder of the Comedian catches the psychotic interest of masked vigilante, Rorschach (his mask of ever-changing blots is the film’s most memorable image), the only hero breaking the law by continuing to patrol the streets. With America’s bipedal nuclear deterrent, Dr. Manhattan, fleeing to Mars, World War III seems inevitable. Can the world’s once greatest heroes save humanity from itself? As anyone who saw Snyder’s 300 would expect, Watchmen’s greatest successes are

sistent. His voice a painful growl, his features hidden by his “face,” Haley practically boils as Rorschach. Another cloaked performer, Crudup, is as opposingly calm as Haley is agitated. Spending most of the film buff, blue and naked, Crudup softly, emotionlessly intones Dr. Manhattan’s crucial, growing distance from mankind. Dr. Manhattan is also the film’s single greatest effect. As wonderfully exact as Wilson and Ackerman look, both are rather stiff and ho-hum. Wilson is well-suited for the Clark Kent milquetoast, but he doesn’t jazz up the rather boring Nite Owl. No one is helped by the fact that most of the deconstructive Watchmen’s adventurers are simply cardboard stand-ins for DC’s real heroes. Watchmen is a rousing success, though not on the mainstreamlined level of The Dark Knight. A vicious hard R-rating and a deep philosophical cynicism practically ensure its failure as a box office juggernaut and award contender. Yet Snyder has pulled off the impossible. Should fans of comic books and movies accept the flawed masterpiece as is, they need never think of Ghost Rider and Daredevil again. Watchmen—a perfect capstone for the present superhero renaissance— has been brought to beautiful, ambitious, artistic, flawed and extremely watchable (again and again) life.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

Drew Wheeler

This Is the First “Film Notebook” of the Rest of Your Life: Let’s not waste it. I got to see a DVD of Kelly Reichardt’s new film Wendy and Lucy, and it’s as good as everyone says. Those of us who saw Reichardt’s 2006 Old Joy won’t be surprised at that, nor will readers of Film Comment, which just named it the best film of 2008 in its year-end critics’ poll. There’s a suitably weird cameo by Will Oldham, co-star of Old Joy, but the film is carried by a devastating lead performance by Michelle Williams, who should win an award or something. It’s opening in Athens around the beginning of April at Ciné; I’ll write a full review when that happens.

to open Mar. 13, and Two Lovers, the new film from James Gray, director of We Own the Night and The Yards, is scheduled for Mar. 20. Finally, Ciné’s second anniversary is coming up at the end of March, and they plan to celebrate with a festival-style lineup of four different films in one week. Very exciting—more on that in two weeks; keep an eye on www. athenscine.com for updates. Health and Inequality: The Russell Library at UGA is co-hosting “Is Inequality Making Us Sick?: 2009 Unnatural Causes Film and

It’s That Time of Year: As most of you surely know, the fifth annual edition of Robert Osborne’s Classic Film Festival hits Athens next week, Mar. 19–22 at The Classic Center. Osborne, the film historian, longtime TCM host and Hollywood Reporter columnist, will be joined as festival co-host this year by the ridiculously funny Fred Willard, who will handle the Saturday and Sunday screenings. This festival is one of the things that makes Sunset Boulevard will screen at the Robert Osborne Classic Film Festival Athens a great place Saturday, Mar. 21. to live. It doesn’t happen anywhere else, so people who want to Discussion Series” beginning Sunday, Mar. 22 see an archive-quality print of, say, King Kong at 3 p.m. at the Athens-Clarke County Public or Sunset Boulevard or The Godfather have to Library auditorium at 2025 Baxter St. This come here. Personally, I feel pretty lucky to will be a screening and moderated discussion get to go and watch those and other great, of the first, hour-long episode in the sevenrarely screened films in a plush auditorium part documentary Unnatural Causes. The film, with an absolutely enormous screen, then according to a press release, “focuses on the have a late bite or a drink downtown and social and economic factors that shape disstill be walking distance from home. It’s not eases and conditions such as diabetes, obesity, something to ignore or take for granted. In hypertension and infant mortality and illness.” addition to the eight films, each followed by The first episode, entitled “In Sickness and In an interview of a special guest by Osborne or Wealth,” introduces the connections between Willard, this year’s festival will also include a health, wealth and race. The remaining six epipanel discussion entitled “Film Festival Fare: sodes will be screened on subsequent Sunday Independent Filmmaking and Its Influence on afternoons, either at the ACC Library or at Hollywood.” I’ll have an interview with Robert UGA’s Coverdell Center. For more information Osborne in next week’s issue. In the meanor to RSVP for these free public screenings, time, go to www.robertosbornefilmfestival.com go to www.libs.uga.edu/russell/exhibits/profor more details. grams.shtml or call (706) 542-5788.

Coming Up at Ciné: Saturday and Sunday, Mar. 14 & 15, Ciné will present a special return engagement of Girls Rock!, a 2007 documentary from co-directors Arne Johnson and Shane King about Portland, Oregon’s Rock and Roll Camp for Girls. The camp brings together girls aged 8–18 who want to learn to rock (and receive some other lessons as well). The film follows a handful of camp attendees as they form bands, friendships and attitudes and, of course, cut loose at full volume in front of an audience of about 700 people. I can say that my young friend Camille Flurry was deeply inspired upon seeing this film the last time it showed in town. By all means, bring your daughters (and, what the hell, your sons, too). Speaking of your sons and daughters, Laurent Cantet’s The Class is scheduled

Quick Announcements: Dr. Karim Traore once again invites the public to the screenings for his African Film class at UGA, Monday evenings at 7 p.m. in Room 201 of the Miller Learning Center. Mar. 16 is Guimba by Cheick Oumar Sissoko, and Mar. 23 is Ta Dona by Adama Drabo. Both films are from Mali, and both are excellent. The ACC Library continues its iFilms series with Kambuzia Partovi’s Border Café Mar. 12 and Chris Bell’s Bigger, Stronger, Faster Mar. 19. Free screenings are Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the auditorium of the Main Library at 2025 Baxter St.; check www. clarke.public.lib.ga.us for more details. ‘Bye!: I am film@flagpole.com. Dave Marr

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Part Over Here, Party Over… Oh, You Know: If you’re a DJ or band that has ever been sitting around drinking at the Max Canada and thought to yourself, “Wow, it sure would be totally awesome to play here!” then you’re in luck. The bar, which had previously distinguished itself as one of the few West Washington Street establishments to not feature bands, is now looking for bands to get in touch. Both the indoor stage and outdoor patio are being booked. Interested parties should contact owner Neal Nelson via 706-248-4843 or drop him a line over at www.myspace.com/ nealnelson. Get Crazy: Are you a person who has purchased, received as a gift or through some other method come into possession of a Misfortune 500 t-shirt? Well, the band would love to get a photo of you wearing it. I have no idea why. The group recently sent out a call for Misfortune 500 “fashion photos,” and I Mike Sparrow imagine you can ham it up and glam it up all you want. Send all pics to fashionphoto@ misfortune500.com or see www.myspace.com/ misfortune500 for other details. Truckers Keep On: Drive-By Truckers had to postpone a handful of dates last week because of bandleader Patterson Hood suffering walking pneumonia and needing some time to get back to feeling 100 percent. All previously issued tickets will be honored for the shows in Lexington, KY (rescheduled for Mar. 26); Milwaukee, WI; St. Louis, MO (rescheduled for Mar. 28); Memphis, TN (rescheduled for Mar. 27) and Tuscaloosa, AL. The dates in Milwaukee and Tuscaloosa are being worked on as we speak. Anyone not able to attend the rescheduled shows can receive a refund wherever they purchased their ticket. You locals may wonder why we’re reporting all this news that takes place outside of Athens. Well, because the Truckers are our homeboys and we’ve got their backs. And besides, some fan out there somewhere may look to us for this news. For all other information concerning this tour and future dates, please see www. drivebytruckers.com.

Chronic Is Right: Funky dudes JazzChronic will release their new album with a show at Nowhere Bar on Thursday, Mar. 19. Featuring the baritone and tenor saxophone sounds of Comer, GA-based musician Luke Powell (AKA Gnarly G), JazzChronic plays self-described “psychedelic, funk-freak-fusion for the 21st century.” You can sample JazzChronic directly via www.myspace.com/jazzchronic or explore all of Gnarly G’s projects by looking toward www.gnarlyg.com. Travel Time: Martin Brummeler sent word recently that his band Mass Solo Revolt has a new record almost in the can. Brummeler himself did most of the recording with a little additional work done by Joel Hatstat. Word is that the new record, as of yet untitled, will be released around May in both digital and physical forms. Additionally, the band needs someone to head to SXSW with them and play synthesizer and keyboard. The equipment is all there and now just needs a warm body to tickle the ivories. In other news, Brummeler’s M. Cadet Studio is now a fully operational studio in an actual physical space. Engineer Jeremy Beck is working with Brummeler at the studio now. Any questions with regard to Mass Solo Revolt or M. Cadet can be answered by calling 706-2027712 or dropping a line to m.cadetrecording@ yahoo.com.

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Duty Now for the Future: The Music Business Program at UGA’s Terry College of Business is now accepting applications for the fall semester. This is an interdisciplinary certificate program that focuses on developing a unique core of knowledge for students interested in the business end of music. The requirements to apply are that you make a commitment to 21 hours of coursework and hold at least a 2.8 GPA. Send a copy of your transcript along with a completed application. For more information, please see www.terry. uga.edu/musicbusiness.

Sign ‘Em Up, Ship ‘Em Out: Dodd Ferrelle released his newest album, Lonely Parades, this week courtesy of Atlanta’s Two Sheds Music. Recorded at Chase Park Transduction with David Barbe at the helm, the album features Kyle Spence (drums), Jon Mills (bass) and John Neff (pedal steel) and various other Athens folks. Lonely Parades should be available locally at Wuxtry and Schoolkids record shops. In other news, Ferrelle asks that if any of you have signed up for his email list to please do so again. It’s been dormant for the past couple of years while Ferrelle has concentrated on recording and raising his kids. So, you can rejoin over at www.doddferrelle.com and hear new music over at www.myspace. com/doddferrelleampthetinfoilstars.

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Friends, here we are with another week of Athens music news.

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In Memoriam: Local guitarist and songwriter Mike Sparrow tragically took his own life Monday, Mar. 2 after a years-long battle with bipolar disorder. Sparrow played in local bands Canaan, Dark Horse and since 2007 had played in the Sublime tribute band Wrong Way. At the time of his death Sparrow was at work on his first solo release. To hear a sample of Sparrow’s music, please see www.myspace. com/ikemayarrowspay. Flagpole writer Jeff Tobias also pays tribute to Sparrow in a recent post on Homedrone, Flagpole’s music blog.

Gordon Lamb Send your news to threatsandpromises@flagpole.com.

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

record reviews ANATHALLO Canopy Glow Anticon Chicago six-piece Anathallo holds back no punches on Canopy Glow, its second full-length album. Like 2006’s Floating World, the album skips between quieter moments and larger musical proclamations, as literate in pop gorgeousness as The New Pornographers. Guitarist/pianist Matt Joynt and autoharp player Erica Froman are Anathallo’s primary vocalists, but there are moments when the whole band comes in and sings, and the choral harmonies hit like some sort of ebullient, angelic marching band. Unlike some bands who pack on the instruments to obscure a lack of songwriting chops, Anathallo only unleashes its biggest sounds when necessary; it’s tasteful overindulgence, and the entire album’s united by solid lyricism and a thematic current of life and death. “We saw the sky, swarming full with the light that the fireflies made,” sings Joynt on opener “Noni’s Field,” “An accidental constellation/ You, how will you go?/ Out through your mouth in a sigh?” Anathallo relies on sturdy yet inventive song structures—check the precise vocal interplay on “Interplay”— and there’s an orchestral quality to much of what’s happening on Canopy Glow. An obvious touchstone is Sufjan Stevens, whose lush pop arrangements find parallel on this album. Sure, he was no huge innovator when it came to overstuffed pop music, but in recent years he’s been a huge factor in the acceptance of a sort of unbridled sincerity and joy in alternative pop, and that same giddy love of verdant sounds shines through with Anathallo. Chris Hassiotis Anathallo is playing at the 40 Watt Club on Wednesday, Mar. 11.

DEX ROMWEBER DUO Ruins of Berlin Bloodshot One thing you can admire about Dex Romweber is his consistency. Without fail, each record he releases provides a crash course in various American music traditions coupled with a sense of backwoods revivalism, resulting in something akin to

homegrown revisionist history. It’s not Jesus who saves your soul—it’s Dex Romweber. But then who saves his soul? His records also point toward a man full of demons, a man who builds himself up just so he can tear himself back down. All of these things are present on Ruins of Berlin. However, there’s a new quality here that might throw off traditional fans: For once, Dex Romweber sounds like he’s finally gaining on the stability required to launch a full-on assault on the internal forces that plague him. With his smooth-as-ever baritone and drummer sis Sara by his side, he sounds as if he’s ready to let himself be. But don’t take that to mean he can’t still shake things up. If one thing’s for certain, it’s that those Romwebers know how to rock a joint. Whether hitting the surf rock or reworking old Hollywood standards, this sibling team careens off each other at such a natural pace you can’t help but let them take you to their world even for just a moment. And when darkness descends—and it does—they’re both there to lead you through it—Dex Romweber as savior and now seasoned guide. If he’s never allowed himself to feel proud, he should now. Jennifer Gibson The Dex Romweber Duo will play the Star Bar in Atlanta on Friday, Mar. 13.

HI RED CENTER Assemble Joyful Noise I think I love music because, secretly, subtly, it exposes our weird, idiosyncratic hearts. Ever since I first heard Hi Red Center, I watched my heart get slammed onto the worktable and flattened, caressed and molded like so much stoner’s clay—never tossed in the kiln, always wet and ready to be shaped into some other weird misshapen mess. This great feeling can’t be priced and, funny as it is, the experience of listening to Assemble would be probably be appraised altogether differently by other listeners. And that makes me feel great, too. Kurt Vonnegut said, “Many people need desperately to receive this message: ‘I feel and think much as you do, care about many of the things you care about, although most people do not care about them. You are not alone.’” I want to feel less alone in my appreciation for Hi Red Center, and if you, any of you, lend it your ear, I think you’ll be surprised—surprised by sneak-attack polyrhythms and ghostly vibraphones. These four guys—united by the percussion program at a state school in New York -carefully arrange their music into a triptych approach consisting of a.) moths-to-a-flame scattershot free-time, b.) strict Machine Age lockstep, and c.) sheer, shiny beauty. It’s stunning and so, so much fun. This sort of geeky musicianship

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

usually never has time for hooks, but the band’s deadpan playfulness is, really, the trump card. It hits me hard where it counts, and you know, maybe that’s just me. But I don’t think so. Jeff Tobias

BEN LEE The Rebirth of Venus New West Somewhere along the way Ben Lee went from spastic indie tagalong to a confident and quiet songwriter; nobody’s really sure when it happened, but Lee’s latest offering, The Rebirth of Venus, may be some of the most compelling and catchy pop music released in this short year. From the Tom Pettylike strut of the album’s opener “What’s So Bad (About Feeling Good)?” to the Beatle-y, George Harrison-like warble of the album’s closer “Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe,” Lee shows off his newfound songwriting muscle with a frankness and subtlety that is rare. The Petty and Harrison comparisons aren’t the only classic rockinspired moments on The Rebirth of Venus. In fact, Lee seems to be channeling his inner Traveling Wilbury, and while his voice never quite reaches the heights of a Roy Orbison, his songs never carry the depth, resonance or the WTF-like weirdness of Dylan, Lee never seems to sink to Jeff Lynne-like levels of schmaltz, either. The album is hardly perfect; “I Love Pop Music” seems to ramble on and become preachy at times, but the strength and the size of the hooks on the rest of the tracks (including “Boy with a Barbie,” which features a hook so large it could land Moby Dick) more than make up for the shortcoming. Lee may not be the indie-rock wunderkind that people thought he was 10 years ago, but he sounds fine with it. In fact, he’s probably better off because of it. Jason Bugg

OF MONTREAL Jon Brion Remix EP Polyvinyl Jon Brion has produced Aimee Mann, Eleni Mandell, Robyn Hitchcock, Evan Dando, Kanye West and more. He’s probably best known for his soundtrack work, though, scoring idiosyncratic indie films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I Heart Huckabees and Synecdoche, New

York, as well as most of Paul Thomas Anderson’s films (Magnolia, PunchDrunk Love, etc.). Now he’s tackled two tunes for reworking off Of Montreal’s Skeletal Lamping album. The track “First Time High (Reconstructionist Remix of ‘An Eluardian Instance’),” explains itself pretty well through its title, taking “An Eluardian Instance” and not so much reworking it, as most remixes tend to do, as cleaning it up, smoothing out some of its shaggy edges and eliminating some of Kevin Barnes’ weirder indulgences. It’s a rare remix that cuts back on odd flourishes and inessential tangents, but that’s what Brion does with “First Time High,” making it a little more palatable to the dance floor, emphasizing its chorus, but robbing it of some of its weird pop charm. The EP’s second track is an acoustic version of the same song, adding backing vocals and mandolin, recasting the tune from a propulsive powerpop track to a more sensitive one that shines new light on the repeated line “Do you remember our last summer as independents?” Brion also remixes the track “Gallery Piece,” offering up three versions: a regular one, an extended eight-minute version and an instrumental track. There’s less changed from the original; it’s more reimagining than remix, taking a vampy, glam-rock look at psychosexual desire and adding a whole mess of bleeps and bloops, easing back on some of the song’s obsessive qualities and making it more dancey, more electric, more arcadey. Online word is that Brion is set to produce an album for Blikk Fang, the stillgestating and tentative collaboration between Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes and MGMT’s Andrew VanWyngarden. The Internet quivers in anticipation. Chris Hassiotis

CHRIS McKAY AND THE CRITICAL DARLINGS Satisfactionista SideB Music The second full-length album from Athens’ power popsters, Chris McKay and the Critical Darlings, is a refreshing and upbeat blend of feel good power-pop and seriously ‘70s classic rock. Satisfactionista is what happens when you put elements of The dB’s and E.L.O. into a blender: you get a smoothie full of delicious guitardriven melodies and delectable vocal harmonies. The band’s latest release is chock full of stadium-sized guitar meltdowns and super-catchy hooks that go on for days. “Rage On” is just one such song; from the opening guitar hook to the fading overlapped vocals, this song is easy to press the repeat button on. “Scared of Myself,” however, is completely different and sounds like a lost Black Lab song, starting out minimally and then building to a ferocious climax before settling back down. “Something Unseen” is perhaps the best track on the album, which also features legendary pianist Mike Garson, (David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails,

Smashing Pumpkins), who plays on the final eight-minute opus. Honestly, every song on this album is stellar, and Satisfactionista would do well to accompany a long road trip or a contemplative night in. Satisfactionista’s other bonus is the benefit of having Grammy-nominated co-producer David Barbe (R.E.M., Drive-By Truckers) at the helm. Barbe’s production remains slick and clean, and it does a nice job of keeping all the instrumentation prominent throughout. Perhaps it’s the departure from the band’s synthy, almost punk-ish prior effort, or maybe the addition of guitarist/vocalist Joe Orr and drummer Joshua Harrison that adds more fuel to the line-up, but whatever it is, satisfaction is guaranteed. Charley Lee

THE WEIGHT Are Men Tee Pee Athens has lost many a musical talent to the Big Apple. Because if you can make it here, meh. But if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere. Of course, that’s just one way to look at it. Perhaps expatriate Joseph Plunket was thinking differently when he headed north with his decidedly Southern sound (?). These days the troubadour has removed his name and the ampersand from the marquee, choosing instead the path of solidarity in a quartet called The Weight. At the intersection of Bruce Springsteen and Star Room Boys, you’ll find a gruff, hillbilly swagger informed by booze, broken hearts and backwoods travel below the MasonDixon. “No one does the cooking, and, darling, I guess that’s just as well/ I pour a box of cereal, and I raise a bottle to myself,” growls Plunket on “Man Alone,” a country-tinged testimony to the least glamorous elements of bachelorhood. It seems cliché, but the fact that it has been done before doesn’t make it any less cool. The sound of a cold, canned brew being cracked open is a glorious one. “A Day in the Sun” opens with said glory before freight-train harmonica and honky-tonk guitars bend notes and trade solos while a bar-stool choir shouts the chorus in blissful, inebriated unity. David Eduardo

V/A Johnny Cash Remixed Compadre There’s still a whole year’s worth of releases to come, but this remix compilation of the Man in Black’s Sun

Records masters is already a lock to be one of 2009’s most hated albums. The biggest thing setting it up for near-certain damnation is that it dares tinker with the work of one of music history’s greatest, most identifiable figures. An endeavor so daring as to be crazy would be no better way to honor the iconoclastic Cash if actually pulled off with both poise and balls. But this album does neither, which means it’s gonna be a piñata. You can already hear the villagers banging on the castle doors. Leading off is the gravest trespass of all, QDT’s abominable commercialrap remix of the iconic “I Walk the Line” featuring Snoop Dogg, which looks bad on paper but is actually much more tragic in reality. The tracks range from jaw-droppingly bad, offensive even, to bloodless at best (Philip Steir’s “Get Rhythm,” Machine Drum’s “Belshazzar”). On most, the ungainly collision of country and dance music winds up like hick-hop (Sonny J’s “Country Boy”). The sole exception to the nightmare is “Doin’ My Time” by hot British newcomers The Heavy, which isn’t so much a remix as it is a sweeping, soulful and transformative reinterpretation. This comp has the blessing of the stewards of Cash’s legacy. But after they hear how it turned out, they may actually regret not allowing “Ring of Fire” to be used for a hemorrhoid commercial. At least his music would’ve remained untouched. Bao Le-Huu

JASON ISBELL AND THE 400 UNIT Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit Lightning Rod The first thing most will notice about Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s new album is right there in the title of the band and the record—this is no longer just Jason Isbell. This is an album by a full band, and it shows. While Isbell’s debut (2007’s Sirens of the Ditch) may have been a decent solo affair, it did at times feel thrown together and somewhat haphazard. That cobbled together feel is nowhere to be found on Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit. Instead, the album sounds like the work of a fully realized band, from the sizzle of the cymbals on the album’s rockers to the hum of the organ on the ballads. During Isbell’s tenure with the Drive-By Truckers, his songs often felt out of place, but given the time to shine and his own backing band, the songs have room and space of their own. The sound ranges from the slide-guitardrenched and near-Bo-Diddley beat of “Seven-Mile Island” through the big guitar rock of “Good” and all points between. If the real stars on Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit are the backing band, Isbell’s songs are the perfect platform on which to showcase them. There’s not a weak song in the bunch, and now Isbell, long touted as a promising singer-songwriter, is finally starting to prove his mettle and to show what the hubbub was about. All it took was the right band to get him there. Jason Bugg

Yeah, He’s Got Ishues A Journey from the Streets of Jersey to the Stages of Zimbabwe

his story ends with Ishues dining with the richest man in Zimbabwe then jumping offstage at the Miss Zimbabwe Beauty Pageant. It begins with him taking the train from Jersey City to Philadelphia to rob people and then going back home to rap about it. This story ends with Ishues trading verses onstage with KRSOne and Black Thought of The Roots. It begins with being shot at on Halloween night, a wake-up call that turned his life around. With the barrel of a gun aimed at his temple, Ishues was thinking one thing: “Ain’t karma a bitch?” It was Halloween 2000. A few nights earlier, Ishues was on the other side of this type of transaction. This night, however, he handed over $300, paying close attention to the hold-up man’s shoes. The perpetrator

home with the boom box and a pad of paper, writing response verses to his favorite underground battle rapper, Canibus. Eventually he gained the confidence to take his rhymes to the streets, finding lyrical sparring partners by asking people who nodded their heads with a hip-hop swagger, “Yo, you rhyme?” If they responded affirmatively, he would challenge: “So rhyme.” Ishues and his cousin earned a name for themselves battling and defeating the best MCs in the Tri-State area. During this time, Ishues not only rhymed about robbing and glorifying violence, he lived it. But after that fateful Halloween night in 2000, he could no longer put his family at risk. Ishues moved to Atlanta and reinvented himself, both as an artist and as an individual.

a show in Philadelphia, Ishues and KRS-One were joined by a surprise guest. “The DJ told us Black Thought was backstage and wanted to know if he could come out. Before we could answer, he came out with a mic in his hand and started going off. I went next.” After the tour ended, Ishues continued to perform in Athens and Atlanta, headlining smaller venues as well as opening up for big names like Kanye West, 50 Cent, Ludacris and Talib Kweli. In September 2007 he released his second album, Civil Unrest, on his own label, Spokenroar. In December of 2008 Ishues got a call from his manager, who told him of a possible New Year’s gig in Zimbabwe. Not only would this fulfill Ishues’ lifelong dream of going to Africa, he would be the first American hip-hop artist to perform in Zimbabwe. Two days after Christmas, Ishues arrived at Harare International Airport in Zimbabwe and was picked up by a Mercedes C-Class. Chauffeured from place to place, he saw the reality of Zimbabwe, a flourishing consumer culture with a thriving market for hip-hop. On the road, all he saw were high-end luxury cars, and he hung out with people who owned 10 to 12 of them. These high rollers would lend Ishues one of their cars, as long as he came back the next day to trade it in for another one. “I had never been around so much money in my life,” Ishues observed, “and this is in

was clearly a separation in class, but everybody was content with what they had. There wasn’t the pressure of trying to get more. Don’t get me wrong; that does exist. You just don’t feel it as much. They own and live off the land.” Ishues felt at home here, sharing laughs, stories and food. If the Pan-African movement could be summarized in three words, it would be “Africa as home.” While Ishues understood this intellectually, he always felt like an outsider looking in. In Zimbabwe, “I was able to see the world through the eyes of Africa.” It was always important for Ishues to visit his homeland. He knew this. Now he could feel it. Ishues had the schedule of an overnight celebrity in Africa. He went over with a TV appearance and a New Year’s concert planned. The love he received after his first TV appearance led to more TV and radio gigs, collaborations with top local hip-hop acts, and a handful of additional stage shows. The first impromptu appearance was the highlight of his trip, one song in front of 5,000 people during the nationally televised Miss Zimbabwe Beauty Pageant. “I don’t know what came over me at that pageant,” he recalls. He jumped over a table, off the stage, and ran into the audience. The crowd was electrified; “I might as well have been Lil’ Wayne.” He exited the stage with the natural high of a rock star who has connected with his audience. Breathing heavily, he wanted more. When asked by African media what the purpose of his trip was, Ishues stated, “to get out

Ishues (far right) with manager Life (center) at a radio station in South Africa. stuffed the money in his pocket and ran after Ishues’ friend, who had darted off as soon as he sensed danger. Ishues collected himself, got with his crew, and “strapped up.” They drove around the block looking for a guy wearing similar clothes. They stopped to intimidate suspects, holding them up until they could get a good look at their sneakers. If it wasn’t a match, they let the guy go with a simple, “OK, you good.” After an hour of this, they gave up. Back on the front porch, Ishues was still simmering over the night’s turn of events. While retelling the story to a friend, a shadowy figure stepped out of a car and stood under a nearby tree. Ishues looked at the shadow; the shadow looked back. Ishues noticed that only one arm of the shadow was visible; the other was hiding something behind his back. Ishues immediately jumped for cover. As the shadow opened fire, Ishues could only think about his girlfriend, who was pregnant with their first child. “I could’ve been sitting on the porch with my daughter.” Eight years later, Ishues shows friends these bullet holes when he visits his old house in Jersey City. He moved there at 18, when his cousin promised him music industry connections. Ishues started rapping while sitting at

In Georgia, he was able to focus on his music while raising a family. He was still battle rapping, but his topical and now profanity-free lyrics focused on his struggles as a father raising a daughter. He also embraced Pan-Africanism, the movement promoting the unification of all people with African ancestry. From 2001 to 2004 Ishues went from being an overly ambitious new kid on the block to the top battle MC in Atlanta. He won all the important battle titles, which cumulated in his induction to the World Famous Mic Club’s Hall of Champions. He parlayed this momentum into an album, 2004’s Reality Flow, which won multiple Flagpole awards as well as earned him the title of Underground Hip-Hop Artist of the Year by Atlanta’s Creative Loafing. With more confidence than ever, Ishues jumped onstage at a KRS-One show and took over the microphone for a few minutes. Rather than getting booted off by security, he was taken in. Ishues demonstrated an ability to captivate an audience, and KRS-One asked him to join the tour as his hype man. After every show, KRS-One would encourage Ishues to get on the mic and rhyme whenever he felt inspired. Ishues took this advice and ran with it. “I got to the point where I would just cut him [KRS-One] off,” Ishues remembers. During

A crowd of music fans gather to hear Ishues play in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe, where everybody is supposed to be starving.” But then he went to the hood, where “it was like a war zone. Buildings were blown out and… I don’t know how else to describe it except that it looked like something that survived a war.” Despite the landscape, he didn’t see anyone who was starving or unhappy. Everybody knew each other and kids were more likely to hold hands with one another than threaten each other. Cars pulled over so the neighbors could dance to the music thumping out of the speakers. It was the type of poverty where people didn’t have luxuries, but they still enjoyed the simple life. “There

here and rock.” Using hip-hop, his goal was to bring people together and forget about their differences. Besides the class divide, there is a strong racial divide between whites, darkskinned blacks and lighter-skinned blacks in Africa. Ishues rocked the stage for all of them. From a life of violence to bringing people together in the name of music, Ishues has come a long way. When asked, “What’s next?” he doesn’t hesitate to respond: “I’m going back to Africa.” After that, his plans include Australia and Japan. With Ishues, you never know what’s next. Michael J. Gerber

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

upstart roundup Introducing Athens’ Newest Talent SOLAR Grunge/Metal Lineup: Joseph Brinkley, Charles Garland, Clayton Hinson and Mark Turiano. Former members of: Brgr Trsh, Victor Charlie and The Waz. Influences: Smashing Pumpkins, Pantera. Having only heard three Solar songs so far, I don’t detect the Smashing Pumpkins influence, but Pantera is a lot closer. Brinkley’s guttural vocals roar over straightahead, no-frills, heavy-metal riffs. Heavy, crunching rhythms punctuate the bass lines while a lead guitar wails as the only melodic element in the songs’ aggressive delivery. Solar originally came together last summer and just performed its first show with the current lineup on Feb. 11 at the 40 Watt Club, opening for legendary Athens punk band The Plague. Bassist Clayton Hinson is the newest addition to Solar, joining the band just last month. Feel the Solar burn at www.myspace.com/solar2008. Next show: Wednesday, Apr. 1 at Caledonia Lounge

JUNKMAN’S Lookin’ Fer Trouble Since 1986

JUNKMAN’S JUNKMAN’S JUNKMAN’S JUNKMAN’S

DAUGHTER’S DAUGHTER’S DAUGHTER’S DAUGHTER’S

BROTHER BROTHER BROTHER BROTHER

NANNY ISLAND Rock/Surf/Indie Lineup: Shauna Greeson and SJ Ursrey. Formerly of: The Ones. Currently also members of: Creepy, Hola Halo. These two local chanteuses seem to be in a new project every few months, and frankly Athens is all the better for it. With Nanny Island, their voices harmonize in seductive waves. Surprise blizzards and frigid winters will be all but a distant memory when you hear these delicate summer-time ballads. If you missed Nanny Island’s debut show at Flicker, you can hear a particularly crisp recording of the performance care of Sloan Simpson on his site SouthernShelter.com. Even if you were there, it’s nice to have these tunes available for our continued enjoyment. Sticking to beachy themes, Nanny Island coos like a sea breeze through palm tree leaves, and their soothing sounds would fit nicely on a bill with a group like Beach House (and not just because of the tropical name, although it helps). So, that takes care of the “island,” what about the “nanny?” Well, as it turns out, both Greeson and Ursrey are real-life nannies for families in Athens. Neat! So, slide some water wings on the kids and check out www.myspace.com/nannyisland to hear more. Next Show: Wednesday, Apr. 15 at Flicker Theatre

Dayton-era Sneaker Pimps mixed with more modern house beats. That’s what I heard, anyway. The Orkids themselves think they sound more like No Doubt and Paramore, so maybe that is a more accurate description of what’s to come. If Monica looks familiar, you may have also seen him on Athens stages as the guitarist for local band Blue Flashing Light. Live the pair either employ a backing track or invite “familiar faces” to play additional instruments. You can learn more at www. myspace.com/theorkids. Next show: Check website for updates. FIRE ZUAVE Indie/Rock/Alt-Country Lineup: Chuck Andrews and Jason Fusco. Influences: Wilco, Bright Eyes, M. Ward, ‘60s psych-pop, ‘70s power pop.

Fire Zuave

The Orkids

458 E. CLAYTON ST - 706-543-4454

THE ORKIDS Indie/Pop/Alternative Lineup: Sandra Gallardo and Adam Monica. Featuring members of: Blue Flashing Light. Influences: Bloc Party, No Doubt, The Ting Tings, Paramore, The Killers, Radiohead and The White Stripes. Gallardo provides the main vocals for this new duo as classically trained guitarist Monica take turns on drums, keys and, of course, guitar. Formed in August of last year, The Orkids are currently in the process of finishing their EP and plan on releasing a full-length not long after. From the samples of music made available so far, The Orkids’ repertoire ranges from keyboard-heavy pop rock to trip-hop; “Paper Dolls” sounds like the next Lady GaGa hit while “Run with Me” recalls Kelli

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

Athens transplants Fire Zuave decided to move to town from West Palm Beach, FL after hearing so many good things about the Classic City from Andrews’ cousins David and Kevin Barnes (Of Montreal). Although new to our city, the band formed in 2007 and boasts extensive touring experience, having opened for such acts as Of Montreal, Wilco, Fiery Furnaces and The Black Crowes. Right now Andrews and Fusco are the only permanent members, but that should change soon as they are in the process of recruiting a bass player and a multi-instrumentalist to handle second guitar, keyboard and backing vocals. Fire Zuave sounds like it was built in the basement of CBGBs, says the band. Drawing on mod ‘60s harmonies, the group hopes to take listeners to “an afternoon sunset” accompanied by a “Syd Barrett sonnet.” The group was first introduced to Athens by the Barnes brothers during a comedic, improv sketch show at Flicker Theatre last summer called “Disney Herpes.” Make your own claims about how much or how little the band sounds like Barnes’ band at www.myspace.com/firezuave. Next show: Thursday, Mar. 19 at Tasty World Michelle Gilzenrat music@flagpole.com

Holly Golightly Goes South Congratulations Ben &Jess! Married Saturday, March 7, 2009

The British Songstress Settles in Georgia

ritish artists have a long history of bringing an outsider’s appreciation and interpretation to American music. Holly Golightly’s made an entire career of it, in fact, and after years of soaking up and reworking garage rock, electric blues and Southern soul, she’s making a bigger commitment to American music by picking up and moving to its spiritual home. After living in the UK and regularly touring all the likely continents (and after a brief period settled in San Francisco), Golightly and her touring partner—a Texas native who goes by the name Lawyer Dave, and who performed under the name The Brokeoffs before joining up with Golightly—have put down roots in Danielsville, about 20 miles north of Athens. The two decided to settle around these parts after visiting a friend who, following Hurricane Katrina, moved in with her father there. “We stayed with her a bit in her new place, scoping it out, working out whether we liked it,” says Golightly. “I was back and forth to the UK as well. We were looking all over, Tennessee, Kentucky… but that’s where the place came up, and that’s what we’d gone for.” Before setting out late last year on tour to promote the new album Dirt Don’t Hurt, released in October, Golightly and Dave had only been in Danielsville for a handful of days. “Just long enough to get some contractors in and spend some money,” she says. “Just before we left we had an oven put it so we could eat when we got back, but otherwise it’s a bit like camping at this point.” They both returned from that first American tour as U.S. residents and have spent the first few months of 2009 getting settled into Danielsville life. The two recorded Dirt Don’t Hurt—the 42-year-old Golightly’s 13th studio album—in Spain, taking a five-day break in the middle of a 50-date European tour to lay down tracks at a friend’s studio on the northern Spanish coast. Vintage instruments, analog recording equipment and the pair’s road-honed, camaraderie give the album a relaxed, copasetic tone. With any more studio work it might’ve sounded fussy or forced, but instead comes naturally—especially for a Brit and a lawyer playing with Southern sounds. Golightly’s known primarily for her garageband past with the cult fave, UK garage-rock band Thee Headcoatees, but her solo stuff trucks down a more rustic road, dipping into the pre-rock-and-roll era. Past solo albums have gotten into bluesy, spooky territory, sharing sounds with Tom Waits or Los Angeles sweetheart singer Eleni Mandell; teamed up with Lawyer Dave, though, things take an even more rural turn. Antique folk tunes, front-porch ruminations and American folk sounds creak and bellow; plucked banjos, glass-bottle percussion, whomped kick-drums, and a few romantic torch songs added for good measure.

Her famous neighbors down the highway may’ve offered up fables of the Reconstruction, but Golightly digs even further back in the Southern songbook for inspiration, and inspiration is what she feels here with her new Georgia home. This new turn her music’s taken places Golightly—sonically as well as geographically—near Atlanta’s Hubcap City or our own Don Chambers and Vic Chesnutt. “Bottom Below” is a rousing lament, lurching and jittery and loaded with countrysoul vocal harmonizing, while the insistent “Boats Up the River” is an eerie, haunting Appalachian toe-tapper. “For the most part, my record collection is made up of Southern soul, so it’s very much like home to me already,” she says. “And Athens is such a great place to be near, if you’re going to be near anywhere. I wouldn’t like to move to Atlanta, that’s for sure, just because I didn’t have any interest in being in a city. We wanted land, a place where we could have animals, grow some stuff, play some music and not bother anybody… and we’ve managed to fulfill all of the criteria!” Digging into American music’s recent (and less recent) history for musical inspiration makes the Georgia relocation a sensible, even natural one, says Golightly (yes, her actual name). “[The South is] much more familiar to me than anywhere else in the States. I never felt at home in San Francisco, that’s for sure, and that was work-related while I was there. And this is different, really, because we’re doing this and only doing this. We’re at a point where we don’t have to go and find a day job, so I think it’ll give us a little more time to play. That’s the idea, anyway.” Their recent tour saw tunes off the ragged Dirt Don’t Hurt, but they’ve reworked a lot of older material to suit the duo format as well. “Some of the old set that we’ve played together for years [has been] adapted to fit this lineup. We know a bit of everything, and it’s working out terrific,” says Golightly. Her new status as a Georgia musician— despite its still-in-progress status—excites Golightly. “I’m quite used to moving around, but the volume of stuff just gets bigger and bigger every time, and this time it’s really mammoth,” she says, as she gets ready to make her live debut as an almost-Athenian. “[But] it’ll be so local; it’ll be fantastic! It’ll be nice to have somewhere nearby where we can play fairly regularly. That’ll be great!” Chris Hassiotis

WHO: Holly Golightly & the Brokeoffs WHERE: Tasty World WHEN: Monday, Mar. 16 HOW MUCH: $8

“An Ecologically Fabulous Match!” ... Your Flagpole Friends

voted ‘best burrito’ Creative Loafing and Insite Magazine

burritonight?

Trivia night at Willy’s! Join us for great fun and prizes Every Wed beginning at 8pm

College Night

First Tuesday of the month Sept - May $4.00 burritos all day with college ID

www.willys.com 196 Alps Road Beechwood Promenade Mon – Sun, 11am - 10pm 706-548-1920

buy one get one 1/2 off expiration 3/31/09 • Willy’s Mexicana Grill

we cater to a crowd!

call 706-548-1920 to place order

One coupon per customer per visit per offer. Not valid if sold, transferred or duplicated. Not valid for catering orders. Cash value 1/100 of 1¢. Good only at Athens location. © 2009 Willy’s Mexicana Grill. Code: FP

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

don’t miss OUR MUSIC EDITOR’S WEEKLY PICKS

Eat. Drink. Listen Closely. THURSDAY, MARCH 12

Guitarist

ANDY McKEE

with JOEL TIPKE Tickets $10 adv • $13 at the door

Be one of the first 15 fans who RSVP for FREE private guitar clinic with Andy at the venue on March 12 with ticket purchase

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

TAB BENOIT Tickets $15 adv • $20 at the door

SATURDAY, MARCH 14

THE HUSHPUPPIES w/ ERICA SUNSHINE LEE Tickets $10 adv • $12 at the door

SUNDAY, MARCH 15

HEIDI HENSLEY CD RELEASE PARTY w/ SONIA LEIGH Tickets $7 adv • $10 at the door

TUESDAY, MARCH 17

St. Patrick’s Day with

SHORT ROAD HOME & GREEN FLAG Tickets $5 adv • $8 at the door

Irish Food & Drink Specials All Night

It was due time Flagpole stopped worrying and learned to love the blog. As we continue to iron out the wrinkles of the revised www. flagpole.com, you will find a shiny new gemstone on the music page: Homedrone. So far we’ve recruited music writer Jeff Tobias and seasoned blog-pro Jordan “Athens Music Junkie” Stepp to keep the blog filled with local music musings and multi-media. I’ll pop in there as well from time to time with late breaking news, and you’ll likely see other Flagpole writers making surprise appearances. Also, remember to check out our other online exclusives such as live music reviews and the art and culture blog, The Exhibitionists. Don’t miss “Don’t Miss,” either—if you don’t see it in these pages, you are sure to find it online, updated weekly. For the computer illiterate, never fear—you don’t need an Internet connection to enjoy these fine shows. The Ultimate CCR Tribute: This isn’t your typical cover band! Tonight features performances by celebrated local songwriter Bain Mattox plus Atlanta’s The Beggar’s Guild and Augusta’s Edison Project. These artists should be well suited for the evening, with all three having often drawn inspiration from the sounds of Heartland rock. Each act will play a short set of originals plus a couple Credence

Ben Clack and Mercer West they are calling “Magic: The Gathering.”(Rye Bar, Friday 13) Wovenhand: David Eugene Edwards, formerly of 16 Horsepower, makes a rare appearance Friday with his solo project Wovenhand. He last came to Athens about a year ago, performing as a duo with drummer Ordy Garrison. There is a Christian message in Edwards’ music, but the songs’ rich spirituality is more striking than any dogma. Wovenhand feels epic, like it was born from the depths of the Earth itself, risen from volcanos and sent thundering down white water rapids. Edwards’ husky voice, backed by gothic harmonies, seems to conjure mystical Native-American chants rather than church pews and Bible school. Wovenhand isn’t blissful, blind praise—it’s fire and brimstone, death and loss, light and shadow. Wovenhead speaks to the staggering depths of faith, the struggle and humility demanded of God’s most loyal servants. Even if you are not among the believers, the cinematic beauty of Edwards’ music is staggering just the same. (40 Watt, Friday 13) Heidi Hensley Band: Local songwriter and artist Heidi Hensley is celebrating the release of her new album A Record of Wrongs tonight. We hope to have a review in print very soon,

THURSDAY, MARCH 19 Monthly Jazz Series with

SQUAT

Tickets $5 adv • $7 at the door

FRIDAY, MARCH 20 An Evening of Louisiana Creole Roots Music and Zydeco w/ CEDRIC

WATSON & BIJOU CREOLE Tickets $10 adv • $13 at the door

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

THE GOURDS CD RELEASE PARTY

Tickets $15 adv • $17 at the door

3/27 - VAL EMMICH w/ SONS OF WILLIAM 3/29 - ARI HEST and TIM BRANTLEY w/ DAVID KOON 4/3 - Hillary Lindsey Songwriters in the Round presented by The Tumornators (benefitting the Children’s Tumor Foundation)

COMING SOON 4/4 - TOMMY TALTON CD Release w/ LINGO 4/18 - An Evening with the DAN TYMINSKI BAND 4/24 - NORMALTOWN FLYERS 30th Anniversary Show 4/25 - Evening with JIMMY HERRING BAND

All doors at 6pm and all shows 18 + up. Bring in this ad for 2 for 1 admission! (To Tuesday & Wednesday Series Only)

Terrapin Tuesday

JOHN STRAW’S

BLUEGRASS SERIES WEDNESDAY BLUES $3 All the time • Every Tuesday 7-10pm • $1 OFF TERRAPIN

MARCH 10 BUCK & NELSON MARCH 24 THE SUGGINS BROTHERS MARCH 31 KORT McCUMBER & McCUMBERLAND GAP LOCATED ON THE GROUNDS OF

LOCAL, REGIONAL & NATIONAL BLUES ACTS MUSIC 8-11PM • $5 ALL THE TIME

MARCH 11 BIG DON BAND MARCH 18 BLUES CROSSING MARCH 25 ROCKIN’ JAKE 295 E. DOUGHERTY ST., ATHENS, GA

706.254.6909

WWW.MELTINGPOINTATHENS.COM

FOR TICKETS & SHOWTIMES OR CALL THE BOX OFFICE 706.254.6909

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

Mi Ami Clearwater Revival covers, and then the acts will combine, Captain-Planet-style, to form a “superband,” taking on CCR classics for the rest of evening. (40 Watt Club, Thursday 12) Everthus the Deadbeats: “There’s a hole in my side and my guts are hanging out, what’s that all about?” asks this quirky Indianapolis band in “John Kill Visits the Doctors.” The theatrical, slightly eerie number sounds like Queen penning the soundtrack for a Tim Burton film. In fact, all the tunes have the bouncy feel of a an irreverent musical, sometimes soaring with ‘60s powerpop and other times more darkly psychedelic. Everthus the Deadbeats is a bit more subdued than, say, Man Man, but fans of experimental, slightly wacky rock will find a lot to smile about here. Also on the bill tonight is Dark Meat, playing an acoustic set. I just hope there will be enough room in the intimate confines of Rye Bar for additional audience members to squeeze in. This show is part of a three-day extravaganza of bookings by local promoters

but the tracks previewed online at www.myspace.com/heidihensleymusic seem to showcase very polished contemporary rock that lives up to her claim of being the “love child of Bono, Sting and Sheryl Crow.” (Melting Point, Sunday 15) Mi Ami: I’ve seen a lot of bands make wild declarations about their disparate influences, and when I saw “’60s free jazz, dub, minimalism, disco and African music” all in one sentence on Mi Ami’s bio, I was skeptical at best. But truth be told, this trio offers all of that and more. Mi Ami has deconstructed dance music and rebuilt it, offering at times a chaotic, tribal energy and at others times a more subdued trip, a mellow, jazzy cool down-beat dub mix. Perhaps not surprisingly, Mi Ami features two members from the now defunct hyper-percussive Dischord act Black Eyes. This show is also part of “Magic: The Gathering.”(Farm 255, Sunday 15)

Michelle Gilzenrat music@flagpole.com

the calendar! WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK

Deadline for getting listed in the calendar is every FRIDAY at 5 p.m. for the issue that comes out the following Wednesday. Email calendar@flagpole.com.

Tuesday 10 EVENTS: Film Screening: Processed People (Earth Fare Café) Film features pre-eminent health experts discussing how fast medicine, fast food and fast lives have turned Americans into uninformed “processed people.” 7 p.m. FREE! 706-227-1717 OUTDOORS: Full Moon Canoe Ride (Sandy Creek Park) Paddle a canoe on Lake Chapman guided by the full moon. Participants may use one of the park’s canoes/kayaks or bring their own. Ages 12 & up. Must pre-register. Call for fee info. 9 p.m. 706-613-3631 LECTURES & LIT.: AfricanAmerican Authors Book Club (ACC Library—Small Conference Room) This month: Rosa Parks: My Story by Rosa Parks. Newcomers welcome. 7 p.m. FREE! 706-6133650 GAMES: 8-Ball Tournament (Fat Daddy’s) Tuesdays. 7 p.m. 706353-0241 GAMES: Beginner’s Pool School (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Learn the basics, every Tuesday! 7 p.m. 706354-7829 GAMES: Cornhole League (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Every Tuesday! 7 p.m. 706-354-7829 GAMES: Drunken Bingo (283 Bar) Great prizes and fun all night long. 10 p.m. FREE! 706-208-1283 GAMES: Texas Hold ‘Em (Alibi) Every Tuesday. 8 p.m. 706-549-1010

Wednesday 11 KIDSTUFF: Spanish Storytime (ACC Library) Led by UGA student volunteers from the Department of Language and Literacy Education. 5 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Storytime (ACC Library) For ages 18 months to 5 years. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 MEETINGS: Library Sewing Group (Madison County Library) The group works on a wide variety of both unusual and traditional handcrafts. Every Wednesday. 1–3 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 MEETINGS: Mental Health America of Northeast Georgia (Buffalo’s Southwest Café) The first in a series of informational meetings hosted by Mental Health America of Northeast Georgia. Tracy Tarbutton presents a report on the Treatment and Accountability Court. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. Registration requested. 7 p.m. FREE! 706-5497888, office@fightthestigma.com GAMES: Athens Dart League (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Every Wednesday! 8 p.m. 706-354-7829 GAMES: Rock Band Game Night (Wild Wing Café) Try your luck as a virtual musician! Every Wednesday. 9 p.m. www.wildwingcafe.com

GAMES: Stan’s Famous Trivia Nite (Alibi) Get a team together and test your knowledge of the trivial. Every Wednesday. 8–10 p.m. FREE! 706-549-1010 GAMES: Trivia (Willy’s Mexicana Grill) Play for prizes every Wednesday. 8–10 p.m. FREE! 706548-1920

KIDSTUFF: Chapter Book Review (Madison County Library) Every Tuesday and Thursday a chapter is read aloud from a young adult book. For elementary ages. 4:30 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 LECTURES & LIT.: Philip Lee Williams (Barnes and Noble) The local author reads from Elegies for the Water, his new volume of poetry. 7 p.m. FREE! 706-354-1195 MEETINGS: Athens Human Rights Festival (Red Rooster) Committee planning meeting. Any volunteers who want to help organize this year’s festival are welcome. 7 p.m. 770-725-2652, www.athenshumanrightsfest.org MEETINGS: Spanish Conversation Group (1000faces Coffee—585 Barber Street) Practice Spanish conversational skills every Thursday. 6–8 p.m. FREE! 706-534-8860 GAMES: Texas Hold ‘Em Poker (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Free every Thursday and Friday! 7 p.m. & 10 p.m. 706-354-7829

Arts Foundation. 8 a.m.–2 p.m. FREE! 706-769-4565, www.ocaf.com EVENTS: Girl Scout Week Film Screenings (Ciné Barcafé) Special presentation of The Golden Eaglet, a 1918 Girl Scout recruitment film, and Girls Rock!, a 2007 documentary about a rock ‘n’ roll camp for girls, in honor of Girl Scout Week. Mar. 14, 2 & 7 p.m. Mar. 15, 2 p.m. $5 (general), $2 (ages 17 & under). www.athenscine.com ART: Carlton Art Group Open House (Carlton Art Group) Monoprints, Ukrainian eggs, jewelry, stained glass, stone sculpture, quilling, pottery, gourds and local children’s art on view and available for purchase. Light refreshments. Mar. 14 & 15, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. FREE! 706-797-3787 KIDSTUFF: Second Saturday Storytime (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Join Center staff for nature stories. 2:30 p.m. FREE! 706-6133615 MEETINGS: Zen Discussion Group (Village Herb Shop) Weekly philosophy/spirituality gathering in a nonsectarian, inclusive environment. 5 p.m. FREE! 706-254-6122 GAMES: APA Jr. Billiard Leagues (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Welcoming young billiard players aged 7-17 years old every Saturday! 11 a.m. 706-354-7829 GAMES: Texas Hold ‘Em Poker (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Free every Saturday! 5 p.m. & 8 p.m. 706354-7829

Friday 13

Sunday 15

EVENTS: OCAF Thrift Sale Preview (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) Over 10,000 items for sale. Prices double during preview. Benefits the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation. 6–9 p.m. $5. 706-7694565, www.ocaf.com KIDSTUFF: Preschool & Toddler Storytime (Madison County Library) Includes stories, fingerpuppet plays, songs and crafts for literacy-based fun. This month’s themes are race cars and the letter Z. Ages 2–5. 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706795-5597 MEETINGS: Coffee Education Group (1000faces Coffee) Cupping, espresso, education and experimentation. Every Friday. 2–5 p.m. FREE! 706-534-8860, 1000facesmail@ gmail.com GAMES: Texas Hold ‘Em Poker (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Free every Thursday and Friday! 7 p.m. & 10 p.m. 706-354-7829

EVENTS: Girl Scout Week Film Screenings (Ciné Barcafé) Special presentation of The Golden Eaglet, a 1918 Girl Scout recruitment film, and Girls Rock!, a 2007 documentary about a rock ‘n’ roll camp for girls, in honor of Girl Scout Week. Mar. 14, 2 & 7 p.m. Mar. 15, 2 p.m. $5 (general), $2 (ages 17 & under). www.athenscine.com* ART: Carlton Art Group Open House (Carlton Art Group) Pieces by the group on view and available for purchase. See Mar. 14 Art. Mar. 14 & 15, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. FREE! 706797-3787 PERFORMANCE: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (UGA Hodgson Hall) Guest conductor Nicola Luisotti leads the Grammywinning ASO featuring pianist Horacio Gutiérrez. Half-price for UGA students. FREE! pre-concert lecture begins at 2:15 p.m. 3 p.m. $37–$42. www.uga.edu/pac* KIDSTUFF: Zoo Animal Feeding Tour (Memorial Park) Explore the world of Georgia wildlife and learn all about the resident animals. 2 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3616 GAMES: APA Pool Leagues (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Join anytime, any skill level! 1 p.m. 706-354-7829

Thursday 12

Saturday 14 EVENTS: 15th Annual OCAF Thrift Sale (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) Over 10,000 items for sale. Benefits the Oconee Cultural

Nicola Luisotti will conduct the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at UGA’s Hodgson Hall Sunday, Mar. 15 GAMES: Full-Contact Trivia (Allen’s Bar & Grill) “The lord of all that is trivia,” Bobby Nettles, commutes from Duluth, GA to pick your brain. Sports-themed rules with diverse categories. 9 p.m. FREE! www. allensbarandgrill.com GAMES: Full-Contact Trivia (Amici Italian Café) Nettles starts out the evening with a round of trivia here before heading over at 9 p.m. to Allen’s. 6 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0000 GAMES: Team Trivia (Wild Wing Café) Every Sunday at Wild Wing downtown! FREE! www.wildwingcafe. com GAMES: Texas Hold ‘Em Poker (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Free every Sunday! 2, 4, & 8 p.m. 706-3547829

Monday 16 EVENTS: St. Patrick’s Day Beer & Cheese Tasting (Earth Fare Café) Spaces are limited; call to reserve a spot. 5:30 p.m. FREE! 706-227-1717 EVENTS: Women’s History Month Film Festival (UGA Student Learning Center—Room 213) Festival continues with screening of Life and Debt, a documentary that explores the effects of globalization on Jamaica’s economy. Sponsored by the Institute for Women’s Studies. 7–9 p.m. FREE! momolly@uga.edu PERFORMANCE: Dancing with the Athens Stars (The Classic Center) Well-known members of the Athens community are paired

with an accomplished dancer from a local dance studio. Proceeds benefit Project Safe. 7 p.m. $15. 706-3574444, www.project-safe.org* KIDSTUFF: Bedtime Stories (ACC Library) Every Monday. 7 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Infant Storytime (ACC Library) 10:30 a.m. & 2 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: John Cochran and Brian “Spike” Buckowski (UGA Student Learning Center— Room 248) The founders of Terrapin Beer Company share hard-earned entrepreneurial lessons and advice. A Q&A session follows. Sponsored by the Students in Free Enterprise at UGA. 6 p.m. FREE! papillon@ uga.edu GAMES: APA Billiards Leagues (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Join anytime, any skill level! 7 p.m. 706-354-7829 GAMES: General Trivia (Little Kings Shuffle Club) Get a team together and show off your extensive trivia knowledge every Monday! 8 p.m. www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub GAMES: Texas Hold ‘Em (Fat Daddy’s) Every Monday and Wednesday. Mondays, 6 & 9 p.m. Wednesdays, 7 & 10 p.m. 706353-0241

Tuesday 17 EVENTS: The Art of: Brew (Terrapin Beer Co.) Tour the Terrapin Beer Company and learn the art of award-

winning beer. Followed by a reception and music. Part of GMOA’s “The Art of” Series. RSVP. 2 p.m. $25. 706-542-0830 PERFORMANCE: Wood ‘n’ Nickel Woodwind Quintet (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Quintet features Heidi Nibbelink (oboe), Beth Baile (flute), Tom Cooper (clarinet), Barbara Hawman (French horn) and Robert Placek (bassoon). 7:30–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-542-1244, www. uga.edu/botgarden KIDSTUFF: Chapter Book Review (Madison County Library) Every Tuesday and Thursday a chapter is read aloud from a young adult book. For elementary ages. 4:30 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 KIDSTUFF: Storytime (ACC Library) For ages 18 months to 5 years. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: Artist Lecture (Lamar Dodd School of Art—Room S151) Zachary Lieberman, who uses technology to explore the nature of communication and the boundary between the visible and the invisible, speaks. Sponsored by Ideas for Creative Exploration. 5:30 p.m. FREE! 706-542-7270, www.ice. uga.edu LECTURES & LIT.: Bulldog Book Club (UGA Student Learning Center—Jittery Joe’s) Discussion of Sarah Vowell’s The Wordy Shipmates. UGA students, faculty, staff and local residents are welcome. 4 p.m. FREE! fteague@uga. edu k continued on next page

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

THE CALENDAR!

285 W. Washington St. Athens, GA • Call 706-549-7871 for Show Updates

CHEAP DRINK SPECIALS EVERY NIGHT BEFORE 11PM • 18 + UP

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11

ANATHALLO SAM AMIDON • WINSTON AUDIO doors open at 9pm • ten dollars

THURSDAY, MARCH 12

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL TRIBUTE NIGHT

BEGGAR’S GUILD THE EDISON PROJECT doors open at 9pm • five dollars

FRIDAY, MARCH 13

WOVENHAND CREEPY

doors open at 9pm • ten dollars adv.** SATURDAY, MARCH 14

MASERATI PRIDE PARADE • VINCAS

doors open at 10pm • eight dollars adv.**

BLOODKIN

THURSDAY, MARCH 19

BACKYARD TIRE FIRE doors open at 9pm • five dollars

* 3/24 * 3/25 ** 3/26 *

3/28

VETIVER / LARKIN GRIMM GENE WEEN BAND / TIMMY TUMBLE DEAD CONFEDERATE / SUMMERBIRDS IN THE CELLAR / THE INTERNS BUTCH WALKER / PONDEROSA

All Shows 18 and up • + $2 for Under 21 * Advance Tix Available at School Kids Records ** Advance Tix Sold at http://www.40watt.com

EXCLUSIVE HOME OF THE

PBR 24oz CAN 20

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

LECTURES & LIT.: “Healthy Eating: Policy Implications and Economic Issues” (UGA Tate Center—Room 138) Dr. Gail Hanula discusses economic ways of eating healthy. Noon. FREE! hagues@ cviog.uga.edu LECTURES & LIT.: “Media and the Environment” (UGA Ecology Building) Robert Jensen, journalism professor at the University of Texas at Austin, gives the talk as part of the Odum School of Ecology Lecture Series. 4 p.m. FREE! 706-542-3556 LECTURES & LIT.: Voices from the Vanguard Lecture Series (UGA Chapel) Barney Graham discusses his work on the AIDS vaccine. A reception follows at Demosthenian Hall. 5 p.m. FREE! 706-542-5038 MEETINGS: Athens Rock and Gem Club (Friendship Christian Church) Kim Cochran, a member of the Atlanta Rock and Gem Club, presents a program on plate tectonics. Visitors can bring their rocks to be identified. 7:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-8082 MEETINGS: Athens-Area Libertarian Party (Stevi B’S Pizza) Meets the third Tuesday of every month. 7 p.m. FREE! 770-868-0462, jmss1963@windstream.net GAMES: 8-Ball Tournament (Fat Daddy’s) Tuesdays. 7 p.m. 706353-0241 GAMES: Beginner’s Pool School (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Learn the basics, every Tuesday! 7 p.m. 706354-7829 GAMES: Cornhole League (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Every Tuesday! 7 p.m. 706-354-7829 GAMES: Drunken Bingo (283 Bar) Great prizes and fun all night long. 10 p.m. FREE! 706-208-1283 GAMES: Texas Hold ‘Em (Alibi) Every Tuesday. 8 p.m. 706-549-1010

Wednesday 18 EVENTS: Empty Bowl Luncheon (The Classic Center) Benefit hosted by the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia to raise awareness about hunger. Tickets include soup, a sandwich and a bowl handcrafted by the potters at Good Dirt. 12 showpiece bowls created by local artists will also be auctioned off during the drop-in lunch. 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. $15. www.foodbanknega.org, www. classiccenter.com* PERFORMANCE: Improv Athens (Ciné Barcafé) Improv from local cast members who have performed with the Alliance Theatre, the Playground Theatre in Chicago and on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien.” 8 p.m. $5. www.athenscine.com KIDSTUFF: Storytime (ACC Library) For ages 18 months to 5 years. 9:30 & 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Wildcard Wednesday for Teens (ACC Library) Celebrate the changing seasons with a handmade wind chime. Ages 11–18. 4 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: APERO Africana Brown Bag Lecture (UGA Memorial Hall—Room 407) Dr. Leara Rhodes of Grady College speaks on “Haitians Working to Make a Difference.” 12:15 p.m. FREE! fsgiles@uga.edu LECTURES & LIT.: “Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life’s Origin” (UGA Chapel) Dr. Robert Hazen, an award-winning researcher whose knack for conveying technical scientific information in everyday language has made him a best-selling author, delivers UGA’s Charter Lecture. 4 p.m. FREE! 706-542-3383

Tuesday, Mar. 17 continued from p. 19

LECTURES & LIT.: “Nuclear Renaissance, Disarmament, Terrorism and Proliferation” (Georgia Center—Master’s Hall) Panelists Sam Nunn, Mohamed ElBaradei, Susan Eisenhower, Joe Cirincione, Rose Gottemoeller, Gene Habiger and Igor Khripunov discuss the opportunities and challenges regarding proliferation and international security. Sponsored by the Center for International Trade and Security. Part of a day-long schedule of events being held to mark the 20th anniversary of the center. 10–11:30 a.m. 706-542-2985, www. uga.edu/cits LECTURES & LIT.: Talking about Books (ACC Library—Small Conference Room) Adult book discussion group. This month: Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace…One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Redlin. Newcomers welcome. 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 MEETINGS: Library Sewing Group (Madison County Library) The group works on a wide variety of both unusual and traditional handcrafts. Every Wednesday. 1–3 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 GAMES: Athens Dart League (Lucky Dawg Billiards) Every Wednesday! 8 p.m. 706-354-7829 GAMES: Rock Band Game Night (Wild Wing Café) Try your luck as a virtual musician! Every Wednesday. 9 p.m. www.wildwingcafe.com GAMES: Stan’s Famous Trivia Nite (Alibi) Get a team together and test your knowledge of the trivial. Every Wednesday. 8–10 p.m. FREE! 706-549-1010 GAMES: Trivia (Willy’s Mexicana Grill) Play for prizes every Wednesday. 8–10 p.m. FREE! 706548-1920 * Advance Tickets Available

Poundstone has starred in several HBO specials and appeared on “Saturday Night Live.” 9 p.m. $20–$40. www.classiccenter.com* PERFORMANCE: The Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber 3/27 (UGA Hodgson Hall) Broadway veterans sing Webber’s musical hits. 8 p.m. $23–$28. www.uga.edu/pac* THEATRE: Macbeth (Morton Theatre) Presented by Rose of Athens Theatre. Mar. 27, 8 p.m. Mar. 28, 2 & 8 p.m. $15 (adults), $10 (ages 25 & under). 706-613-3771, www.roseofathens.org EVENTS: Fresh Look International Film Festival (Ciné Barcafé) Screenings of short and feature films aimed at children, youth and families. 11 a.m. (ages 5–9), 4 p.m. (ages 10 & up). $6. www.athenschildrenfilmfestival.org EVENTS: Scholarship Soirée 3/28 (Complex Carbohydrate Research Center) The University Woman’s Club hosts its annual event to benefit UGA women scholars. This year’s theme,”Frontier Daze,” features western decor, wines, gourmet appetizers and a silent auction. 6:30–9:30 p.m. $15. 706-543-0729 PERFORMANCE: Academy of Ancient Music 3/28 (UGA Hodgson Hall) Music director Richard Egarr leads the orchestra in a program of the six Brandenburg Concertos by J.S. Bach. 8 p.m. $34–$39. www.uga.edu/pac* EVENTS: 31st Annual Athens Human Rights Festival (College Square) Annual festival that brings together political activists, musicians and artists in a call for action on human rights issues. May 2, 10 a.m.–midnight. May 3, 2–10:30 p.m. FREE! www.athenshumanrightsfest.org * Advance Tickets Available

Live Music

Down the Line

Tuesday 10

EVENTS: Robert Osborne Classic Film Festival (The Classic Center) Osborne and special guest Fred Willard host four days of classic films and post-screening discussions. Mar. 19–22. Festival pass: $60, $45 (students). www.robertosbornefilmfestival.com, www.classiccenter.com EVENTS: 21st Annual Red Clay Conference 3/20 (UGA Dean Rusk Center) This year’s conference— “Does Going Green Equal Making Green?”—seeks to examine the consequences of environmentally friendly business practices. Full schedule and registration form online. 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. FREE! kac@uga.edu, www.lawsch.uga.edu/ redclay EVENTS: An Evening in the Garden 3/20 (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Wine tasting and art auction to benefit Athens Area Humane Society. 7 p.m. 706-3532287, www.athenshumanesociety. org EVENTS: BreastFest 2009 3/21 (Taylor Grady House) Fundraiser for breast cancer research and breast health. Main event (5–11 p.m.) features live music, food, wine and beer, silent auction and raffle. BreastFest Kids activities (3–5 p.m.) include face-painting, moon-bounce and dancing. 3–11 p.m. $20 (advance), $25 (door). 706-546-5008, www.breastfest.org* PERFORMANCE: Paula Poundstone 3/26 (The Classic Center) Comedian known for her razor-sharp wit and spontaneity.

Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com DUSTY LIGHTSWITCH Eccentric poetries, bright vocal harmonies and sporadic tap dancing will make all the kids dance. LAMINATED CAT Local psychedelic pop band fluent in the absurd and eccentric. ROMANENKO Local band influenced by everything from folk standards and classic country to riot grrrl and ‘70s pop, Romanenko has been compared to everyone from Elliott Smith and Paul Simon to Liz Phair and Luscious Jackson. SLOW CLAW Straightforward, nonpretentious, very listenable rock and roll from Ohio. Formed only a few short months ago, the band recently released its debut, Grandfather Clocks. Farm 255 10 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com CARL LINDBERG Jazz bassist Carl Lindberg (Grogus, Squat, Kenosha Kid, etc.) performs standards, originals and some surprising tunes from divergent styles. Fat Daddy’s 10 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 KARAOKE Every Tuesday, hosted by Lynn. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ littlekingshuffleclub PUNK ROCK DANCE PARTY Every Tuesday! Hosted by Randy Smyre.

The Melting Point 7 p.m. $3. www.meltingpointathens. com BUCK & NELSON This dynamic rootsy duo has been strumming “mountain music” since the mid1970s. They play acoustic guitars using both flatpick and fingerstyle techniques, often adding in mandolin, fiddle, banjos, harmonica and washboard. Tasty World 10 p.m. $5. www.tastyworld.net SALT TO BITTERS North Carolina acoustic folk-punk, bubbling with aggression but never losing control. WESTERN CIV This Chapel Hill band offers wiry, post-punk guitars under dark, brooding melodies. Wild Wing Café 10 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com KARAOKE Every Tuesday night at the downtown wing chain’s upstairs space.

Wednesday 11 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $8. www.40watt.com* SAM AMIDON Quirky multi-instrumentalist plays breezy folk in the style of Nick Drake or Nico. ANATHALLO Flittering, vocal-driven art-pop ensemble from Chicago that recently released its second fulllength, Canopy Glow. Check out our review on p. 14. WINSTON AUDIO This Atlanta act performs guitar-driven alternative rock that’s, at its more solemn moments, epic and cinematic. Caledonia Lounge 9:30 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www. caledonialounge.com EAT LIGHTNING DIY garage rock trio from Augusta, featuring dreamy arrangements and layered, distant vocals. LEAVING ARABY Pop-rock quartet with a style akin to yesteryear radio sweethearts Goo Goo Dolls, Gin Blossoms and the like. SOAPBAR Local group plays shaggy, diverse alt-rock informed by its lo-fi and folk peers. Fat Daddy’s 9 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 THE BROS. MARLER Brothers Drew and Daniel Marler are currently concentrating on bringing their brand of Neil Young/Elliot Smith/Allman Bros.-influenced music to the people as an acoustic duo. Flicker Theatre & Bar 8:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar DANCER VS. POLITICIAN Band/ recording project (formerly known as Panda) fronted by Sanni Baumgaertner; the songs, sung in both German and English, are gentler and more pop-oriented than the cabaret of Baumgaertner’s former band Audition with Max Reinhardt. Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar WARREN STEELE STYLEE W/ THE STRUNG-OUT ORCHESTRA This local artist/musician performs sinister-sounding, avant-garde tunes that match melody with menace— skewing vocals to often haunting and bizarre effect. Harry Bissett’s Bayou Grill 6 p.m. FREE! 706-552-1193 KIP JONES Tunes split between the reflective acoustic territory of Harvest-era Neil Young and the country-infused rock of ‘80s-era Steve Earle.

Friday, March 13

Twin Tigers, A. Armada, Gift Horse Caledonia Lounge Matthew Rain’s always had a thing for noise, and the last band he fronted, Psychic Hearts, was raucously brooding, bludgeoning with volume as much as its songs grooved along. Twin Tigers, though, the new vehicle for his Twin Tigers impassioned yowl, takes things in a broodingly raucous direction, upping the melodic ante while throwing none of those decibels to the wayside. Sure, Dinosaur Jr. and My Bloody Valentine are obvious touchstones for this overwhelming din of guitar atmospherics, but it’s good to have a local band offering up such a competent take on the style. Following up last year’s self-released debut EP Curious Faces/Violet Future, Twin Tigers this week celebrates the release of a new 7” recording, offering up the tracks “Sexless Love” and “Envy” in both limited-edition colored vinyl and (unlimited, uncolored) digital formats, care of New York label Old Flame. The former opens with a bang—a crashing declaration of desire that’s barely short of being a glammed-up Jesus and Mary Chain track. Rain’s fuzzed-out vocals are melodic, lofty and far-reaching, but they’re raw and dirty, too. “Envy” is a real groover, a noisy number that lets loose when it hits the bridge; it’ll get feet stomping, heads swaying, arms akimbo. Bassist Aimee Morris and drummer Carr Chadwick lay down a relentless rhythm (though Chadwick’s no longer with the band, Doug Crump will be taking his place onstage Friday), while Enoch Bledsoe’s guitar layers have added to the band’s dynamics (Bledsoe, by the way, is also no longer in the band, either. Forrest Hall is the new guitarist). It’s true, lineup shifts have made things a little unclear lately, but so far every revision has only seen the band get stronger. When you head to the Caledonia Friday night, ask for some tunes off that full-length album, too, due later this fall. [Chris Hassiotis]

Kingpins Bowl & Brew 8 p.m.–Midnight. www.kingpinsbowlandbrew.com NORMALTOWN KARAOKE Every Wednesday night in the Terrapin Grill and Tap Room. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub THAYER SARRANO Local singersongwriter and multi-instrumentalist with lovely, airy vocals singing dark, gentle melodies over guitar while backed up by lap steel, bass and drums. STEPH TAYLOR Piano-driven rock inspired by artists like Tori Amos, Fiona Apple and Kate Bush. The Melting Point 8 p.m. $5. www.meltingpointathens. com THE BIG DON BAND Real Southern rock featuring vocals with lots of soulful drawl backed by smooth, bluesy guitars. Lynyrd Skynyrd would approve. The new lineup features Big Don Spurlin (guitar), Brian Daniel (bass), Jeff Hargens (drums) and Jason Crowe (keys). Tasty World 10 p.m. $5. www.tastyworld.net JUMPIN’ JESUS CHRISTERS Lively local Appalachian-style string band performing as part of the weekly bluegrass series. THE PLAGUE In the 1980s, this punk band formed as one of the first of its kind in Athens. Members went on to play in bands like Sump and ****Volcanic, but in 2005 revitalized The Plague, their early, energetic creation. Tasty Bar. 10:30 p.m. FREE! www. tastyworld.net DJ PHILIP RICH House music every Wednesday!

Thursday 12 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $5. www.40watt.com THE ULTIMATE CCR TRIBUTE There’s a bad moon risin’ over the 40 Watt tonight! Local rockers Bain Mattox, The Beggar’s Guild and The Edison Project will each play a short set of Creedence Clearwater Revival covers (and perhaps a few originals) before combining into the ultimate CCR tribute band! Alibi 9 p.m.–1 a.m. FREE! 706-549-1010 “STAN’S ALMOST FAMOUS KARAOKE” Karaoke lady Lynn is your energetic host for the night. Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com HOLY LIARS This local four-piece tends toward blue-collar rock, not unlike more polished early Uncle Tupelo. MISSISSIPPI JOHN DOUDE The one-man blues machine digs into the swampy origins of Americana and unearths a raw Southern sound that’ll get voices hollerin’ and feet stompin’. Tonight marks the release of Doude’s Voodoo Panther. NAKED GODS From the mountains of Boone, NC, Naked Gods bring a warm, hook-laden blend of indie altcountry and rock and roll. SPLINTER BELLY This local band describes itself as “blue(s)grass,” which seems to be an apt summation of its soulful, rootsy Americana sound. Farm 255 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com KEEGAN DEWITT This Nashvillebased artist has written acclaimed

indie-film scores, and the woeful strings that encompass his folky, heart-on-sleeve ballads add a lush cinematic air to his songs. 11 p.m. www.farm255.com GABRIEL KELLEY Whether solo or with his backing band, Gabriel Kelley Zorbanos (ex-Gabriel Young) plays heartfelt acoustic folk music informed by rustic country and Appalachian sounds. Go Bar 10 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ gobar “DR. FRED’S KARAOKE” Hosted by karaoke fanatic John “Dr. Fred” Bowers, every Thursday. The Melting Point 8 p.m. $10 (adv), $13 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com* ANDY MCKEE Acoustic soloist who was recently featured in Guitar Player Magazine after receiving over 60 million hits on YouTube. JOEL TIPKE Singer-songwriter from Seattle whose melodic rock songs generally fall into the adult contemporary category. Tasty World 10 p.m. $5. www.tastyworld.net GIRLS Kris and Dylan from Dark Meat, Subversivo and Dead Elephant Bicycle in a punk band. Expect new wave and surf licks. THE JACK BURTON Local punk band featuring former members of departed Athens faves like Hunter-Gatherer, Let’s Surf! and Exit 86. MARRIAGE Truly unclassifiable local rock trio whose recently-released sophomore record, II, features a more melodic, acoustic approach, as opposed to the sludgy chuggage of the first record. Tonight, however, will channel a “loud set” of even newer material.

NOTHINGBERRY PLASMA Maryland experimental one-man act featuring live electronics and live drums. TELETHON VEGINALD CHEESEBURGER T. V. Chee sports fun, abstract experimental pop that the band describes as “a midihaunt-psych-punk journey.” WE VS. THE SHARK Send off show for the Sharks before the band heads off on an extensive European tour. The band infuses everything with the punkish yet technical abrasion of mathy noise-rock, but also injects hip-shakin’ funk into the act. Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. www.terrapinbeer.com ERIK JOHNSON No info available. Wild Wing Café 10 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com JUSTIN BROGDON Rock vet Justin Brogdon puts a lot of Southern soul into his epic songs—drawing from artists like The Black Crowes and Tom Petty.

Friday 13 283 Bar 10 p.m. FREE! 706-208-1283 DJ VORHEES Cross your fingers and take your chances at the Camp Crystal Lake Dance Party. The original movie will set the ominous mood on the big screen. 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $10. www.40watt.com* CREEPY These five local ladies weave haunting harmonies and vitriolic cries over lush psychedelic sounds. WOVEN HAND David Eugene Edwards, formerly of 16 Horsepower, performs haunting, spiritual songs that rumble with an ancient, tribal energy. Alibi 9 p.m. $5. 706-549-1010 HAMMERSTRAT Blues-heavy Southern rock based in Statham and formerly known as The Rustlers. Allen’s Bar & Grill 9:30 p.m. FREE! www.allensbarandgrill. com CLARKE COUNTY LINE Classic country covers.

2008/09 COMEDY SERIES

THE CLASSIC CENTER THEATRE PRESENTS

PAULA POUNDSTONE

Thursday, March 26, 2009 | 9:00 p.m. | Tickets $10 - $40

Appearing on stage with a stool, a microphone and a can of diet soda, Paula Poundstone is a keen observer of politics and society. Known for her razor-sharp wit and spontaneity, she’s famous for delivering smart comedy that leaves her audience in hysterics.

Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $6 (21+), $8 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com A. ARMADA Energetic, epic, instumental indie rock. The band’s Anam Cara EP takes things in a cinematic post-rock direction, with touches of Godspeed and such. GIFT HORSE Athens’ Gift Horse is as dark and brooding as it is sensual. The ominous yet sparse tones creep and ache with tingling reverb. TWIN TIGERS Tonight the band celebrates the release of its brand new 7” single and debuts a brand new lineup featuring Doug Crump on drums and Forrest Hall on guitar. See Calendar Pick on p. 21. Farm 255 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com CHRISSAKES Local hardcore band with haunting, brooding guitar riffs and explosive, screaming vocals. 11 p.m. www.farm255.com PYGMY LUSH Tunes by the eclectic Virginia act ranges in intensity from snarling hard rock to bouncy, reflective acoustic numbers. Fat Daddy’s 9 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 SOUTHFIRE Covering current hits plus ‘70s, country and Southern rock classics.

THIS PRODUCTION IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF:

BUY YOUR

TICKETS NOW! Call, click or stop by:

706.357.4444 | 800.864.4160 | www.ClassicCenter.com 300 N. Thomas St. | Downtown Athens, GA 30601

k continued on next page

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

THE CALENDAR! Flicker Theatre & Bar 8:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar KAITLIN JONES Local folk guitarist/ vocalist Kaitlin Jones (Fine Line, Porch to the People) performs a set of Americana-tinged tunes. LIVE WELL Southern acoustic duo fueled by Jack Daniel’s whiskey and taking cues from artists like Waylon Jennings and Son Volt. VANDAVEER The alt-folk project of songwriter Mark Charles Heidinger. This up and coming act has already shared the stage with all the rising stars of the latest indie-folk movement, including Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and Alela Diane. Little Kings Shuffle Club 11 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ littlekingsshuffleclub DJ MAHOGANY Freaky funk, sultry soul, righteous R&B, and a whole lotta unexpected faves as DJ Mahogany dips into his bag of goodies from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. 6 p.m.–10 p.m. FREE! www.myspace. com/littlekingsshuffleclub DJ KURT WOOD Soundtracking your shopping with danceable selections from his expansive vinyl collection featuring garage, soul, funk, R&B and surf. On the patio. The Melting Point 8 p.m. $15 (adv), $20 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com* TAB BENOIT A music icon in the making, Louisiana-born guitarist Benoit practically lives on the road, playing his masterful blend of cajunflavored rock and roll blues more than 250 nights a year across the country. Mercury Lounge 8 p.m. FREE! www.mercuryathens.com LIVE JAZZ Jazz Fridays feature a new jazz band every week. Rye Bar “Magic: The Gathering.” 10 p.m. $8. www.myspace.com/ryebarathens DARK MEAT Performing tonight as “Soft Meat”—meaning a mostly acoustic setup. This supergroup can swell to 10+ members, although we’re never sure in advance what the lineup will be. Either way, expect Rye Bar to be filled wall to wall with psychedelic garage-rock. EVERTHUS THE DEADBEATS Careful, quirky pop music from Indiana, via the moon. GRAMPALL JOOKABOX Recent Asthmatic Kitty signee harmonizes loops into songs into frantic ravings of musical lunacy. “Like Michael Jackson plus spooky midwest acid music,” says friend and show promoter Mercer West. Tasty World 10 p.m. $5. www.tastyworld.net BALLERS’ BALL Hip-hop with a great light show to boot. This time the event welcomes OTT, DJ Triz, The Egg, Chris Grass and Orchard Lounge. Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. www.terrapinbeer.com DEFAUX Melodic rock band from Lawrenceville, GA with jam tendencies. Wild Wing Café 10 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com RESERVOIR DOGS Four-piece cover band handling a wide range of classic rock anthems, alternative rock staples and some R.E.M. for good measure. Find the band’s set list at www.myspace.com/reservoirdogsrock

Friday, Mar. 13 continued from p. 21

WUGA 91.7 FM 4 p.m. FREE! www.wuga.org “IT’S FRIDAY!” Tin Cup Prophette and Jeremy Wheatley will perform on the local radio station’s weekly program.

Saturday 14 283 Bar 11 p.m. FREE! 706-208-1283 DJ STANDALOUS Local DJ and the “most handsome member” of Velveteen Pink and the Daft Punk cover band. 40 Watt Club 9:30 p.m. $8 (21+), $10 (18+). www.40watt.com* MASERATI Celebrated ost-rock instrumental powerhouse based mostly in Athens. PRIDE PARADE Acclaimed local hard rock band with a brand new fulllength in the can called Dose. Look for it to be released digitally soon! These guys need your support—not only do they rock hard, but their brand-new, never-been-used van was destroyed during the snowstorm a few weeks back. Bummer! VINCAS Project from Chris McNeal (ex-Paper Lions, Teenage Meth Lab, Maserati). Alibi 9 p.m. $5. 706-549-1010 RANSOM Powerful classic rock and country from Atlanta. Allen’s Bar & Grill 9:30 p.m. FREE! www.allensbarandgrill. com ROLLIN’ HOME This band jams originals with a Dead groove and a Southern rock leaning. Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com SON 1 & THE INSURGENTS Backed by alternative guitars and drums, Curtison Jones lays down his original rhymes that connect with rap and rock fans alike. SUBURBAN SOUL Funk- and soulinfluenced acoustic rock, incorporating both sung and breathy spoken/ rap vocals care of Andy Greene Ball. “Singing along and dancing while consuming spirits and smoking herb” is what this four-piece is “all about,” says its MySpace blog. The Classic Center 7 p.m. $10-$35. 706-357-4444. JASON CRABB Christian artist who plays upbeat bluesy soul numbers. THE HOPPERS Landmark Southern gospel ensemble that has been active for over 50 years. PALMETTO STATE QUARTET Sourthern gospel group originally formed in Greeneville, SC in the 1940s. Farm 255 “Magic: The Gathering.” 10 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com AIR WAVES Simple, sweet songs with a smoky vibe and timeless chord changes that tug on the ol’ heartstrings. Not quite jagged enough to be anti-folk, but there is something here for fans of Kimya Dawson. QUIET HOOVES “Folk, semipsychedelic, semi-experimental, semi-comedy, semi-sleepy pop from tons of little toy instruments,” says the band. New album tonight…? WITCHES Local, wearied pop songs featuring Cara Beth Satalino on lead vocals backed by a drummer and bassist. Influences include The Breeders and Neil Young.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

Fat Daddy’s 9 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 TRACER BULLET Local band performs their original songs and some covers in a Southern rock style. Flicker Theatre & Bar 8:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar HIGGINS Lush, breezy ‘60s-inspired pop with lots of melody, hooks and harmonies. THE LOLLIGAGS Danceable yet dark tunes fill The Lolligags new record Out of Perversity Join Hands. MARSHMALLOW COAST Local group featuring smooth and airy, swirly indie-pop. Go Bar 10:30 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ gobar “LATE NITE DISCO” DJ Mahogany and Twin Powers lead the dance party tonight following the live bands. SPRING TIGERS UK transplant Kris Barratt (ex-Capes) fronts Athens’ own melodic Britpop/punk band Spring Tigers. Request songs from the just-mastered debut EP coming out soon! THE WARM FUZZIES Weezer fans should definitely pick up this local band’s deliciously scratch and sniffscented Bubblegum EP for a set of fun, alternative rock numbers. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. $3 (donation). www.myspace. com/littlekingsshuffleclub A POSTWAR DRAMA Local group featuring edgy, original folk tunes. DANIEL MACK The Pickin’ Coop frontman plays “butt-shakin’” country. TIMBER The once wistful alt-country group has turned into a “bootstompin,’ bluegrasscore string band.” The current lineup features Dan Aaron (guitar), Kyle Gann (mandolin, banjo), Coy King (upright bass), Daniel Ray (violin) and Sarah Schindler (accordion). The Melting Point 8:30 p.m. $10 (adv), $12 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com* THE HUSHPUPPIES The regional Hushpuppies—bassist Mitch Barefield, drummer Cary Cooper, guitarist-lead vocalist Todd “Tex” Cowart and lead guitarist Matt Thomas—play good ol’ “wild country,” drawing on the Bottle Rockets, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Charlie Robison and NRBQ. ERICA SUNSHINE LEE Young singer-songwriter from Elberton, GA plays a mix of passionate folky rock with a bit of country twang. Lee has been singing since the age of five and has toured around the globe. Rye Bar 10 p.m. $3. www.myspace.com/ryebarathens SIDE PROJECT No info available. Tasty World 10 p.m. $5. www.tastyworld.net DAYFALL Guitar-heavy, melodic alternative rock influenced by acts like Incubus, 3 Doors Down and Nickelback. HOLDCELL Hard rock band with big riffs and classic rock vocals that occassionally tries its hand at reggae. OMEGA RISING The latest line-up of this local hard rock outfit features Greville Hardman, Edward Hardman, Drew Mize and Corey Riley. Omega Rising plays alternative-sounding rock informed by metal. Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. www.terrapinbeer.com NUTRIA Featuring bassist Andy Pope, guitarist Dave Weiglein (ex-

Monday, March 16

The Dig Caledonia Lounge Every music snob worth his/her weight in 7” singles has an “I saw them when” moment about a now well-known band playing in a tiny bar for the town drunk and 12 hipsters who happened to be in the know due to some divine hand of some long-forgotten deity who hands out inside information on the latest craze 18 months before it happens. For those who happen to be spiritually and musically unenlightened and are forced to stumble through life and Flagpole’s music listings without that moment, be aware; The Dig might be your chance. The Brooklyn-based four-piece, made up by David Baldwin, Emile Mosseri, Erick Eiser and Nick Brown, has been playing together since the members were preteens, and the musical familiarity is apparent on the band’s acclaimed 2007 debut EP Good Luck and Games as well as on its latest three-song demo (available at www.thedigmusic.com). Pianos in NYC was hip to The Dig’s talent early on, hosting the group for two month-long residencies. The youngsters also have some top-notch opening slots under their belt, including shows supporting Girl Talk, Tapes ‘n Tapes and Longwave. What The Dig does may at times be reminiscent of other New York bands, as it does share the dark, almost dance-influenced rhythms of Interpol and the fuzzy, blustery and hook-filled songwriting charm of The Strokes, but the songwriting and pogo-ready rhythms belong to The Dig and The Dig alone. In a musical world where it seems like the latest craze is set loose upon the rock world every four months, all with the same innercity tough guy/whining-nerd-caught-in-a-blender look as “the next big thing,” The Dig has a familiar sound and a good sense of songcraft to live down the inevitable hype— not that it will be unwarranted. [Jason Bugg]

Eskimos), guitarist/vocalist Bob Spires (ex-Possibilities) and drummer Jason Eshelman (ex-Eskimos, Fairburn Royals). Wild Wing Café 10 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com CHUCK HOLT No info available.

Sunday 15 Ciné Barcafé 8 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.athenscine.com ETERNAL SUMMERS Sparse jingle jangle rock from Virginia with airy, angelic vocals. HOT LAVA Dorky, fun lo-fi electrorock from Virginia with songs about JPGs and crashing files on your Mac plus some more fantastical tributes to mummies, dragons and ghosts. Farm 255 “Magic: The Gathering.” 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com GAY AFRICA Jim McHugh, joined tonight by other members of Dark Meat and Colin Langenhaus of USAISAMONSTER. “Psych-drone reverb mellow mind-out,” McHugh says. MI AMI A freeform, jazz approach to dub and African rhythms featuring members from percussive Dischord act Black Keys. Lucky Dawg Billiards 8 p.m. 706-354-7829 LUCKY DAWG KARAOKE Every Sunday! The Melting Point 7 p.m. $7 (adv), $10 (door). www.meltingpointathens.com* HEIDI HENSLEY A Record of Wrongs CD release show! Local painter and frontwoman fuses an uncommon blend of modern rock with alt-country and a nostalgic hint of the ‘80s. As an added bonus, the numbered copies of her CD available tonight come hand-painted by Heidi!

SONIA LEIGH Edgy folk-rock musician from Atlanta with a lot of soulful, raw energy in her smoky, powerful vocals. Fans of Melissa Etheridge will find a lot to love here.

Monday 16 283 Bar 9 p.m.–2 a.m. FREE! 706-208-1283 “HEAVY METAL MONDAY” With Joel aka “DevilNECK” behind the bar, and your favorite rockers on the sound system. Tonight you are in control! Bring your iPod with a 15 minute playlist of your favorite metal tunes for your chance to DJ a set! Caledonia Lounge 9:30 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www. caledonialounge.com THE DIG The latest NYC buzz band, offering an infectious blend of pop and classic rock via focused, energetic songwriting. See Calendar Pick on p. 22. THE INCREDIBLE SANDWICH Athens-based instrumental jam band with some tropical leanings. Fat Daddy’s 8 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 NATHAN SHEPPARD The local acoustic guitarist-harmonicist is known for his emotive singing style and his modern reworkings of classic tunes. Flicker Theatre & Bar 8:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar BICYCLES AND GRAVEL Sincere, organic indie pop from here in town, formed from the ashes of The Quiet in 2005. The group’s focus has gradually risen from melancholy to uplifting lyrics, but the overall sound still recalls artists found on such labels as K Records. HUSBAND AND WIFE Four dudes from Indiana playing sweet, tender indie ballads in the vein of Deathcab for Cutie.

SLOW ROWBOAT New local group featuring Jay Henriques (ex-Gemini Cricket), Ian Rickert (Folklore), Davy Gibbs (ex-Casper and the Cookies) and Raoul de la Cruz (Folklore) playing lo-fi twee pop. Tasty World 10 p.m. $8. www.tastyworld.net HOLLY GOLIGHTLY AND THE BROKEOFFS A recent Georgian transplant from England, Holly and Texan Lawyer Dave play experimental garage-country with blues and rock flavor. See feature on p. 17. LORD JEFF Creeping, industrial psychedelia featuring live horns and guitar solos, looping beats, and the capacity for prolonged jams. PUDDIN’ TANG Upbeat, quirky, and stripped-down, Puddin’ Tang plays rootsy garage rock.

Tuesday 17 40 Watt Club 8 p.m. www.40watt.com UGA LAW SCHOOL TALENT REVUE Watch enterprising law students demonstrate their talents in areas other than the law. From singing, dancing and acting to every talent in between, for at least one night these students will drop the books and pick up the microphone, all for your entertainment. Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com KINETIC STEREOKIDS Experimental indie rock infused with elements of hip-hop. The group names Can, Beck, Sonic Youth and Beastie Boys as some of their key influences. RESIDENT PATIENT Experimental electro-pop quartet from Athens that blends haunting, atmospheric vocals with inventive instrumentation. 9:30 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www. caledonialounge.com UNCLE OWEN, AUNT BERU Eerie, haunted ambient musings from a

Georgian solo artist who records her tunes “like journal entries,” on the fly. Farm 255 10 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com DAN NETTLES The guitarist in local jazz band Kenosha Kid. Fat Daddy’s 10 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 KARAOKE Every Tuesday, hosted by Lynn. Flicker Theatre & Bar 8:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar TIN CUP PROPHETTE Local artist Amanda Kapousouz blends genres as she switches instruments and loops her airy vocals and violin around guitar and drums, backed by percussionist Jeremy Wheatley and others. The Globe 9 p.m. FREE! 706-296-7307 DONNER PARTY “This crazy, Irish boys band will perform Pogues songs, drinking songs, traditional sing alongs, more drinking songs, and also some songs for drinking to,” says the band. Featuring members of Olympus Mans, Half Dozen Brass Band, Positraxion and Greyhounds. Harry Bissett’s Bayou Grill 6 p.m. FREE! 706-552-1193 DAVID GREGORY Live bagpiper performs in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ littlekingshuffleclub PUNK ROCK DANCE PARTY Every Tuesday! Hosted by Randy Smyre. The Melting Point 8 p.m. $5 (adv), $8 (door). www.meltingpointathens.com* GREEN FLAG Celebrate St. Patty’s day with this Athens-based ensemble that is dedicated to capturing the diverse, traditional music of Ireland. SHORT ROAD HOME Athens-based Celtic music ensemble inspired by the music of Ireland, Scotland, Canada and Appalachia. No Where Bar 10 p.m. 706-546-4742 JUSTIN BROGDON Rock vet Justin Brogdon puts a lot of Southern soul into his epic songs—drawing from artists like The Black Crowes and Tom Petty. Tasty World 10 p.m. $5. www.tastyworld.net ANDREW BLEKE Young solo artist plays piano-driven jazz and woeful blues. He lists Ben Folds as a major influence. JOKER “Southern rock band with Athens bar experience,” says the band. Wild Wing Café 10 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com KARAOKE Every Tuesday night at the downtown chain’s upstairs space.

Wednesday 18 Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (21+). www.caledonialounge.com BIRDS AND WIRE This local fourpiece plays a moody kind of alternative country, incorporating sweet vocal harmonies and steel sounds as well as a rhythm section fluent in jazz. SISTER SUVI Eclectic folk-pop trio from Montreal featuring the vocals

of multi-instrumentalist Merrill Garbus who also takes turns rocking the ukulele and violin. For fans of Deerhoof and Akron/Family. TAKKA TAKKA Hand-claps, organ and sparkling guitar accentuate this Brooklyn band’s sweet and hooky guitar pop. For fans of Belle and Sebastian, and Beulah. Farm 255 11 p.m. www.farm255.com JAMIE MCLEAN “Honest rock and roll” from New York with a lot of bluesy riffs and soulful vocals. McLean is the guitarist for the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and has collaborated with such artists as Norah Jones, Widespread Panic and Dave Matthews. Flicker Theatre & Bar 8:30 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ flickerbar ANTLERED AUNT LORD Fuzz pop guitar/drums duo featuring songwriter Jesse Stinnard. THE NICE MACHINE Local spastic surf-punk trio whose debut album, Earthquake Drill, is now available. SING IDOG Local act that’s loud, distorted and psychedelic. Harry Bissett’s Bayou Grill 6 p.m. FREE! 706-552-1193 JAY MEMORY Singer and guitarist for rootsy Atlanta pop-rock band Memory Dean. Kingpins Bowl & Brew 8 p.m.–Midnight. www.kingpinsbowlandbrew.com NORMALTOWN KARAOKE Every Wednesday night in the Terrapin Grill and Tap Room. The Melting Point 8 p.m. $5. www.meltingpointathens. com BLUES CROSSING This traditional blues band from Tucker, GA has some swing in its step and a lot of soul in its lonesome harp wailings. Tasty World 10 p.m. $5. www.tastyworld.net EDDIE AND THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS Local blues-funk trio led by frontman Eddie Speaker. QUARTERLIFE CRISIS Powerpoppunk band from Boston who claim to be influenced by the “TRL generation” of artists which includes Matchbox 20, Third Eye Blind and Sugar Ray. WACKO MAZOE Elberton-based four-piece Wacko Mazoe plays around with acoustic and electric styles, drawing on radio rock, blues and even pop-punk to create sincere sounds. Tasty Bar. 10:30 p.m. FREE! www. tastyworld.net DJ PHILIP RICH House music every Wednesday! * Advance Tickets Available

In the ATL 3/11 Less Than Jake (The Masquerade)* 3/14 The Bouncing Souls (The Masquerade)* 3/14 Elton John / Billy Joel (Fox Theatre)* 3/14 Junior Brown (Variety Playhouse)* 3/24 Glasvegas (The Loft)* 3/25 Phosphorescent (Drunken Unicorn) 3/25 The Queers (Lenny’s Bar)* 4/9 Lady Gaga (Center Stage)* 4/15 Katy Perry (Center Stage)* * Advance Tickets Available

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bulletin board DO SOMETHING; GET INVOLVED! Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board and Art Around Town is every THURSDAY at 12 p.m. Email calendar@flagpole.com. Listings are printed based on available space, more listings are online.

ART Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa (Downtown Athens) Now accepting applications for upcoming artists’ market. Deadline is Apr. 5. Also seeking musicians and volunteers, especially crafters interested in manning demo stations. www. athensindiecraftstravaganzaa.com Call for Entries (ATHICA) Seeking submissions for upcoming “Emerges III” (June 20–July 19). Deadline is Apr. 30. See site for instructions. www.athica.org/callforentries.php Call for Submissions (Gallery RFD) Gallery RFD in Swainsboro seeks submissions for two upcoming exhibitions: “Seeking Solitude: Isolation in Art” (Mar. 26 deadline) and “Staged: The Constructed Photograph” (Apr. 23 deadline). www.galleryrfd@gmail.com, www. galleryrfd.org Seeking Artists (Village Herb Shop) Seeking local artists interested in displaying their work in the shop. Email slides to villageherbshop@gmail.com.

CLASSES “The Anatomy of a Novel” (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) Writing workshop led by Terry Kay. Fundamental writing techniques— including outlining, rhythm, character development and self-editing— will be emphasized. Space is limited; advance registration recommended. Mar. 21 & 22. $100. 706-769-4565, info@ocaf.com Art Classes (Ciné Barcafé) Now registering for six-week drawing and painting classes that meet Sunday afternoons starting Mar.

29. bhstrauch@yahoo.com, www. athenscine.com Athens Tai Chi (St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church) Offering traditional Yang style tai chi chuan. All levels welcome. Thursdays, 6 p.m. $10. 706-353-2749 AWC Classes (Athens Wellness Cooperative) Yoga, Pilates, tai chi and salsa classes for adults and older teens. Full schedule online. Also offering community acupuncture sessions Wednesdays–Fridays from 1–5 p.m. $14 drop-in, $60/6 classes, $108/12 classes. 706-3698855, www.wellnesscooperative.com Birding by Ear (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Course focuses on techniques to identify birds based on the songs they sing. Registration required. Mar. 14, 8-11 a.m. $23. 706-542-6156, www.uga.edu/ botgarden Business Class (UGA Small Business Center) “Writing an Effective Business Plan.” Register online. Mar. 12, 6–9 p.m. $69. 706542-7436, www.georgiasbdc.org Casual Earthenware Workshop (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) George McCauley demonstrates narrative sculpture using thrown and handbuilt methods. Learn about his casual approach to working with clay. Space is limited. Call to register. Apr. 18–19, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. $60. 706-769-4565, info@ocaf.com Clay Classes (Good Dirt) Now registering for spring clay classes. Schedule online. Also offering weekly “Try Clay” class every Friday from 7–9 p.m. “Family Try Clay” every Sunday from 2–4 p.m. $20/person. 706-355-3161, www.gooddirt.net Computer Classes (ACC Library) “Advanced Internet and Safety Skills” (Mar. 12, 10–11:30 a.m.) and “Advanced Email and

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

Browser Skills” (Mar. 19, 10–11:30 a.m.). In the Educational Technology Center. Call to register. FREE! 706613-3650 Contra Dance (Memorial Park) Old-time contra dance presented by the Athens Folk Music & Dance Society with live music and calling. No experience necessary, no partner needed. FREE! lesson at 7:30 p.m. Mar. 21, 8–11 p.m. $7 (18+), FREE! (ages 17 & under). www.athensfolk. org Cooking Class: Ireland’s St. Patrick’s Day Foods (Earth Fare Café) Led by Chef Michael Perkins. Call to reserve a spot. Mar. 11, 6 p.m. FREE! 706-227-1717 Craft Classes (Native America Gallery) Offerings include “Intro to Beading,” “Intro to Wire Wrapping,” and “Create Your Own Dream Catcher.” $25–$35. 706-543-8425 Dance Club (Village Herb Shop) Learn a new dance from around the world each week. Thursdays, 7:15 p.m. Donations. 706-540-1689 Dog Agility Classes (Lucky Dog Agility—Winterville) Dog Sports Foundation class starts Mar. 16 at 5:30 p.m. luckydogagility@alltel.net, www.luckydogagility.com Encaustic Wax Exploration (Wild Child Arts—Monroe) Experiment using one of the oldest forms of painting. All supplies included in price. Mar. 19, 6–8:30 p.m. $50. 770-266-7437, www. wildchildarts.net “Financing Solutions for Tough Times” (UGA Small Business Center) Program to include discussion of business plans, requirements for loans and other creative financing ideas. Register online. Mar. 19, 8–10 a.m. FREE! www.georgiasbdc.org Gardening 101 (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Learn the basics

Talia Bromstad’s work is on exhibit at Redeye Coffee through March. of home gardening. Registration required. Mar. 16, 6–8 p.m. $12. 706542-6156, www.uga.edu/botgarden Genealogy on the Internet (Oconee County Library) Learn how to conduct genealogy research on the online, with tips on searching for surnames and ancestors. Will briefly cover GALILEO and Heritage Quest. Limited to 7 people, pre-registration required. Mar. 21, 2–4 p.m. FREE! 706-769-3950 Gentle Yoga (St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church) Bring your own mat or towel and wear loose clothing. Julie Horne, instructor. Tuesdays, 5:30–7 p.m. $9/class. 706-354-1996 Getting Started with Genealogy (ACC Library) Monthly informal class to walk you through the basics of researching your family history. Bring a pencil and paper. In Heritage Room. Mar. 19, 2–4:30 p.m. FREE! 706-6133650 Grant Writing Workshop (Common Ground) Step-by-step course on how to write a proposal for funding. Register online. Mar. 17, 6–7:30 p.m. $20. www.commongroundathens.org Hoopdance Workshop (Athens YMCA) Learn basic hoopdance moves in this introductory workshop. Mar. 28, 1–2:30 p.m. $20. www.athenshoopdance.wordpress. com Hoopdance Workshops (Canopy Studio) Learn basic hoopdance moves in a series of three workshops. Space is limited; signup to reserve spot. Mar. 15 & 22, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m. $25/workshop, $60/all 3 sessions. 706-549-8501, www.canopystudio.com Intro to Microsoft Excel (Madison County Library) Registration required. Tuesdays, 2–3 p.m & 7–8 p.m. Wednesdays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 Mindfulness Meditation Group (Healing Arts Centre) Meditation instruction for beginners. First Monday of every month. 7:10– 8:40 p.m. FREE! 706-546-7238 Painting Classes (Georgia Center) Develop new painting techniques and learn how to understand

color and composition. Session starts Mar. 17. Register online. $149/8 sessions. 706-542-3537, www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/ppd Personal Safety Class for Women (St. Mary’s Hospital— Wellness Center) Andy Garrison, manager/director of the Athens Regional Police Academy, hosts “Personal Safety Awareness: What You Can Do for Your Safety.” Limited to 25 participants. Call to register. Mar. 21, 10 a.m.–12 p.m. FREE! 706-389-3355 Pilates Classes (Balance Pilates and Wellness Studio) Schedule and details online. Private lessons also available. 706-546-1061, www. balancepilatesathens.com Pilates Open House (Balance Pilates and Wellness Studio) Featuring demos, posture assessments and a free gift. Mar. 22, 2–5 p.m. FREE! 706-546-1061, www. balancepilatesathens.com Resume Writing and Job Searching Online (Madison County Library) Led by guest instructor Melinda Dalton-Horne. Preregistration required. Mar. 19 & 26, 7–8 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 Scanning and Restoring Family Photos (ACC Library) Learn how to restore and preserve family photographs using your computer. Led by Jim Morgenthaler, a retired UGA media professor. Call to register. Mar. 21, 2 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 Solar Water Heating Installer Certification (Complete Resources Building & Repair) Full day of instruction on how to install the Power Partners Solar Water Heating System. Includes a hands-on mock system installation. Lunch provided. Register by Mar. 16. Mar. 19. $450. 706-369-7938, www.completeresources.net Tae Kwon Do & Jodo Classes (Live Oak Martial Arts) For kids and adults, beginner–advanced. Chase St. Warehouses, next to Canopy and ATHICA. Mondays–Thursdays, 3:30-8:30 p.m. 706-548-0077, www. liveoakmartialarts.com Website Workshop (Athens Technical College) Anne Jenkins,

artist and owner of The Point of Art Gallery & Studio, leads a workshop on the basics of website creation and design. Presented by the Arts Development Council of Georgia. Registration form online. Mar. 14, 9 a.m.–12:30 p.m. $20. 706-5594841, www.adcg.org Yoga (Village Herb Shop) Drop-in yoga ($5–10 donation) meets Wednesdays (7:15 p.m.) and Thursdays (8:30 a.m.). 706-5401689 Yoga Nidra Workshop (Five Points Yoga) Carla Jennings, RYT, leads deep relaxation workshop for students of all levels. Preregistration required. Mar. 22, 3:30–5 p.m. $15. 706-355-3114, www.athensfivepointsyoga.com YWCO Classes (YWCO) Offerings include Bellydance, Triathlon Training, Teen Pilates, Gentle Yoga and Hatha Yoga. Schedule online. 706-354-7880, www.ywco.org

HELP OUT! ACT Volunteer Ushers (Various Locations) Athens Creative Theatre seeks volunteers to usher and sell concessions at its productions throughout the year. Training provided. 706-613-3628 American Red Cross (Red Cross Donor Center—3525 Atlanta Hwy.) This month donors will be entered for a chance to win two Delta Airlines domestic round-trip tickets. 706-546-0681, www.redcrossblood. org Donations Needed (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) OCAF seeks new or used items for its annual Thrift Sale Fundraiser Mar. 13–14. Drop off items from 10 a.m.– 2 p.m. Saturdays at Rocket Hall. Donations accepted through Mar. 12. 706-769-4565, info@ocaf.com Foster Homes Needed (Athens Area Humane Society) AAHS is looking for dependable foster homes for dogs and cats. Download an application at www.athenshumanesociety.org or contact the Foster Care Coordinator at foster@ athenshumanesociety.org or 706424-4900.

Hands on Athens Seeks Volunteers (Various Locations) Volunteers needed to help repair and maintain historic homes this spring. Weekend registration at the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation at 489 Prince Ave, or sign-up online. Morning and afternoon shifts available. Apr. 3–5. 706-353-1801, www. achfonline.org/handsonathens Pet Soup Kitchen (Athens Area Humane Society) The Athens Area Humane Society’s pet soup kitchen that helps needy families feed their pets seeks volunteers. Volunteers needed to pick up donated food, organize for distribution and help promote the kitchen. Dog food donations can be dropped off at any AAHS location or the adoption center. denise@athenshumanesociety.org

KIDSTUFF Camp Amped (Nuçi’s Space) Nuçi’s Space now accepting applications for summer music camps open to middle and high school students ages 11 & up. Applications and scholarship info online. June 8–20 & July 6–8. 706-227-1515, www. nuci.org Kids’ Art Camps (Good Dirt) Good dirt hosting a spring break art camp for kids ages 6 & up Mar. 9–13 ($55/day or $220 for full week). Also now registering for summer camps. Complete schedule info and registration at www.gooddirt.net. 706-355-3161 Kids’ Bead Class (Native America Gallery) Each beader will create a necklace, bracelet and/or simple earrings. Ages 6 & up. Mar. 14, 6–7 p.m. $25. 706-543-8425 Kids’ Yoga (Five Points Yoga) With Em Smith Headley, CCYI & RYT. Ages 3–5: 3-3:45 p.m. Grades K–2: 3:50–4:35 p.m. Call to register. Thursdays, Mar. 19–Apr. 23. $60.

706-355-3114, www.athensfivepointsyoga.com Yoga Sprouts (Memorial Park) Learn fun, playful yoga poses and breathing exercises. Pre-registration required. Ages 3–6: Tuesdays, 4–5 p.m., Mar. 17–May 12. Ages 7–12: Thursdays, 5–6 p.m., Mar. 19–May 14. $0–$48. 706-613-3580, www. yogasprouts.com Yoga Sprouts (Full Bloom Center) Fun, playful yoga for kids ages 2–6 and their parents. Call to register. Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. $14/single class, $60/6 classes. 706-353-3373, www.fullbloomparent.com

SUPPORT Al-Anon Family Group (Young Harris United Methodist Church) 12-step program for families and friends of alcoholics. Use Franklin St. entrance. Mondays, Wednesdays & Saturdays, 12:10–1:10 p.m. www. al-anon.alateen.org Athens Transgender Advocacy Coalition (Email for location) New group to serve the needs of local transgender people. ATAC strives to provide resources and support while building the local community. All are welcome. transgenderathens@gmail.com Domestic Violence Support Group (Call for location) Dinner begins at 6 p.m. and group at 6:30 p.m. Children are welcome for supper and childcare is provided during group. Call Project Safe hotline at 706-543-3331 for location. 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month in Clarke County. 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month in Madison County. 6–8 p.m. Emotional Abuse Support Group (Call for location) Childcare is provided. Call Project Safe’s hotline at 706-543-3331 for location. Wednesdays, 6:30–8 p.m. Emotions Anonymous (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of

ART AROUND TOWN ACC Library (Young Adult/Browsing) “Cartoons, Comic Books & Graphic Novels: The History of an American Art Form.” Through March. ATHICA “Running on Empty,” an examination of fossil fuel dependence. Exhibit includes photography, print, large-scale painting, mosaic and video. Curated by Bart King. Through Mar. 22. Ciné Barcafé “Family Trees,” an exhibition featuring Leonard Piha’s whimsical paintings and sculptures that reflect on his family’s Jewish heritage. Through Mar. 22. Circle Gallery, UGA College of Environmental Design “A Pleasant Territory: Grasslands in the Southeast,” featuring paintings by Philip Juras. Through Mar. 27. City Salon + Spa “A Series of Jars,” an exhibition by Lauren Harrell. Through April. Flaunt Photography by Heather Fletcher, through March. Flicker Theatre & Bar Photographs from the Bonnaroo Music Festival by Austen Mikulka. Through March. Just Pho and More “Resurrection,” a series of acrylic and watercolor paintings by Mary Padgelek. Through Mar. 15. Krimson Kafe Mosaic artwork by J. Elizabeth Wright. Through March. Lamar Dodd School of Art (Gallery 307) “At the Beginning: Early Paintings by Lamar Dodd,” featuring paintings from the collection of C.L. Morehead. Through Mar. 28. Reception Mar. 20. (Art Education Gallery & 3rd Floor North Bar Corridor) Youth Art Month Exhibition featuring work by students in the Clarke County School District. Through Mar. 28. Reception Mar. 22. Lyndon House Arts Center 34th Annual Juried Exhibition, featuring work by area artists in a variety of media. Through May 9. Madison County Library Cross-stitch and crochet creations by Melinda Horne. Through March.

Athens) Informal and supportive 12step program open to anyone with a desire to become well emotionally. Sundays, 4–5 p.m. 706-227-2354, www.emotionsanonymous.org Mental Health America of Northeast Georgia (Various Locations) Weekly social group for those with mental illness and their family members. This month’s events include a movie and bingo. Tuesdays. 706-549-7888, www. fightthestigma.com Mental Health Support Group (St. Mary’s Hospital) Group meets in the hospital’s lobby conference room every Thursday, 6:30 p.m. 706-783-5706, www.athensmentalhealth.org Overeaters Anonymous (Various Locations) 12-step meetings for compulsive eating disorders. All ages and sizes welcome. Mondays, 5:30 p.m. at Nuçi’s Space. Thursdays, 7 p.m. at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church. Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. at Princeton United Methodist Church. FREE! www.geocities.com/ athensoa

ON THE STREET FREE! Tax Assistance (Various Locations) Offered by AARP Tax Aide. For taxpayers with low to moderate income, with special attention to those 60+ years old. Mondays 1–5 p.m. at Oconee County Library. Tuesdays 1–4:30 p.m. at Oglethorpe County Library. Wednesdays– Saturdays 9 a.m.–1 p.m. at Kroger on Epps Bridge Rd. Thursdays 9 a.m.–1 p.m. at Athens Council on Aging. 706-543-9511 FREE! Tax Preparation (Hancock Community Development Corporation—300 Henderson Ext.) HCDC will help clients e-file or prepare a paper copy to mail. Mondays, 4–7 p.m. Saturdays, 12–4 p.m. 706546-1154 f

Do Something New — Online! Hundreds of courses starting at $129! 706-542-3537 www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/is/onlineclasses

Monroe Art Guild Annual Walton County student show. Through Apr. 30. Oconee County Library Photography by Susan M. Clopper. Through March. Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation To celebrate Youth Art Month, an exhibit featuring over 150 works of art from 12 Oconee County schools. Through Mar. 25. Pauley’s Original Crepe Bar “Streak,” featuring photographs by Brittny Teree Smith. Red Eye Coffee Work by UGA student Talia Bromstad. Media include lithography, letterpress and relief printing. Through March. State Botanical Garden of Georgia Landscapes by Hermann Kosak. Through Mar. 22. The Grit Youth Art Month exhibit featuring work by students from Barrow Elementary School. Through Mar. 23. UGA Aderhold Local artist and UGA faculty member Jamie Calkin helps the College of Education recognize its centennial year with “Celebration,” a rotating exhibit of original watercolors of the UGA campus and downtown Athens. Through Aug. 30. UGA Lamar Dodd School of Art Galleries (Gallery 301) “Garments Pleasing to God,” featuring Coptic textiles (ca. 300–700 C.E.). Curated by Dr. Asen Kirin. Through March 28. Various Locations View the 12 one-of-a-kind bowls that will be featured in this year’s Empty Bowl Silent Auction to benefit the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. For the list of restaurants displaying the pieces, visit www.foodbanknega.org/events/emptybowl.php. Through Mar. 17. Washington Historical Museum (Washington) Premiere showing of Herb Bridges’ collection of hand-painted movie poster boards from the ‘30s and ‘40s. Through May. White Tiger Gourmet Food & Chocolates “Chase Street Portraits,” an exhibition of artwork created by students at Chase Street Elementary School. Through March. Wild Child Arts (Monroe) “Crosses/Rebirth,” featuring work by local artists. March through April.

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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Comics submissions: Please email your comics to comics@flagpole.com or mail copies, not originals, to Flagpole Comics Dept., P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603. You can hand deliver copies to our office at 112 S. Foundry Street. Comics POLICY: Please do not give us original artwork. If we need your original, we will contact you. If you give us your original artwork, we are not responsible for its safety. We retain the right to run any comics we like. Thank you, kindly.

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reality check Matters Of The Heart And Loins I have never had a problem getting a boyfriend. As soon as I end a relationship with one guy, there are three more waiting for me. They are almost always sweet, considerate, interesting and generally good boyfriends. The problem is, I’m a lesbian. I date men because they ask me, because I’m vain or horny or think “Why not just give it a chance?” It doesn’t take me too long to realize I’m not attracted to the guy. Like, when I’m having sex with them, I never really focus on who I’m with. I just feel more comfortable with dating men. It comes easily to me. With women, I have no idea what to do. I don’t know how to flirt, get dates, not look like a loser. It’s like I’m an adolescent learning how to date for the very first time, and I hate it. I just can’t stop dating the guys long enough to practice with the girls. I get lonely, and it’s nice to have the company. Also, until recently, I identified as bisexual. That is what everyone still thinks I am. I’m mid-transition and have no idea how to push myself and stop saying yes to the sweet gentlemen who ask me out on dates. Since I’ve gotten back on the dating scene, I have tried flirting it up with some girls—usually to disastrous ends. I also realize it is not fair to the guys I date that, even though I treat them well, I’m not always honest about my feelings toward them. It’s starting to wear on my conscience! Looking for Lady Love Of course it’s easier to date men, LFLL. They don’t care that you are vain, needy and self-centered, as long as you are horny. My advice? Grow up. Stop pretending you’re something that you aren’t, and stumble awkwardly into dating women like everyone else does. It might make you a better lesbian. It will definitely make you a better person. I don’t understand why you are making such a big deal out of this, except that you are obviously the kind of person who makes a big deal out of everything. And you know what? That’s not really attractive to anybody. Stop worrying about how you “identify.” If you hit on a lesbian and she likes you, she’s not going to worry about what you call yourself as long as you call her. Buck up, lady! This is in regard to Irritated Single Girl. While I understand how hard being a single woman in Athens can be, and how upsetting mixed signals can also be, making a new friend isn’t so bad! Men, believe it or not, are people, too. There are some out there that want friends and may have approached ISG to do just that! My husband and I started out as buds, and it lasted that way for sometime. Also, I’d rather start out as friends; you get to know each other that way. But, that’s just me; we obviously are all different.

So, ISG, next time a cute guy with a girlfriend comes up and talks to you, please don’t get irritated, unless he is being inappropriate. Make a new friend. Who knows? Maybe he has a twin!!! Sincerely wishing you, Peace and Love!

Skate Shop O F AT H E N S

$NEAKER $ALE 50 GAINES SCHOOL ROAD · 706.543.6368

Well, gee, P&L. I’m sure Irritated Single Girl is thrilled that some damned hippie is pulling for her. Thanks for that. I have a very good friend who is in a very bad situation, and I don’t know what to do. She has always been a smart, independent girl. We have known each other forever. She is now dating a guy that is very scary and controlling, and I can’t tell if she doesn’t see it or if she is just too scared to do anything about it. Recently I was at their house and I noticed that he was talking to her in a sort of mean way. He asked her a bunch of questions about where we were going and when we would be back and who else would be there. It was very awkward, and she didn’t make eye contact with me the whole time. She was cowering from him, and I felt very uncomfortable. When we left the house she acted like nothing happened. All I said was “Wow, that was weird,” and she laughed a little and didn’t really answer me. So, while we were out, he called a couple times and texted like 15. I swear. She is in her early 20s and this is not her first boyfriend, so what the hell? She was obviously very upset but trying to hide it. We couldn’t have any fun because he kept interrupting. We were only out shopping for a couple of hours. Now I’m freaked out but I don’t know what to do. Should I say something to her? Concerned Friend You should absolutely say something to her, CF. If not you, then who? You have known her forever and this is not normal behavior. That makes it easier, because if this was a pattern and a part of her personality I would say she needs professional help, but at this point I think you can still try to step in. Take her out, sit her down, and tell her that she is acting in a way that is not normal and scares the shit out of you. Do not let her squirm out of the conversation or pretend like everything is fine. This guy is obviously trouble, but she either doesn’t see it or doesn’t know how to handle it. Talk to her. Make her talk to you. Talk to her family if need be, but get her out of there. Help her get help. Call Project Safe or another community organization. She may not see what’s happening, but the longer she stays with this guy the more difficult it’s going to be for her to get away. Good luck. Jyl Inov Got a question for Jyl? Submit your anonymous inquiry via the Reality Check button at www.flagpole.com.

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

Real Estate Apartments for Rent $440/mo. Location, Location, Location! Taking reservations for Aug. move-in. 291 S. Finley Bluffs Apt.’s 1BR. 550 sq. ft. 2 blocks from UGA campus. (678) 613-5600. Email bluffs. apts@yahoo.com. $825/mo. 4BR/3BA. Close to campus. Avail. 4/1/09. 273 Westchester Circle. Owner/ Agent, call Mike (706) 207-7400. 1BR/1BA. Next to UGA. Walk to campus & Dwntn. HWflrs., A/C, some utils. incl. Free parking for residents. Cats OK, no dogs. $475– $500/mo. Call (706) 354-4261, 10am–2pm. Get a roommate & live w/ us! 2BR duplexes starting at $475/mo. (706) 549-6070. 2BR/1BA Eastside on Cedar S h o a l s D r. A l l e l e c t r i c , remodeled, W/D hookup. $550/mo. (706) 202-2466. 2BR/1BA renovated apts., perfect for grad students, safe & quiet, close to campus & Dwntn. 225 China St. 2 avail. now! Also preleasing for fall, $400–$550/mo. Incl. water & trash, no dogs, laundry onsite. Chris (706) 202-5156.

2BR/1BA. $495/mo. FP, DW, CHAC. Close to town & UGA. Dogs OK. (706) 749-9141. 2BR/1BA. Spacious. Quiet & safe n’hood. CHAC, HWflrs., W/D. $750/mo. Call (706) 548-5869. 2BR/2.5BA townhouse avail. 6/09 or 8/09. Near UGA & Dwntn. Historic Art/Mill district. Priv. porches. Gated courtyd. O n G r e e n w a y. B a m b o o woods. Pets OK. $700/ mo. (706) 714-7600, (706) 340-4282. 2BR/2BA Urban loft condo. Approx. 1500 sq. ft. W/D incl. Walking distance to Dwntn. $900/mo. + dep. (757) 897-6766. 2BR/2BA on College Station. Huge apt., FP, deck, lots of closets, DW, W/D, CHAC. Avail. 8/1. Pets OK. $575/ mo. (706) 369-2908. 3 or 5 bedroom townhome on Eastside. $320–$450/ BR. All electric. Double porches, HWflrs., ceiling fans, DW, W/D, trash incl., & a new pool. Now leasing. (706) 543-1910. Go to www. landmarkathens.com. 3BR/2BA located on the Westside. Rivers Edge condo complex. $695/mo. On busline, close to shopping. Kitchen appls, carpet, wood flrs & paint all within the last yr. (706) 546-0182.

4BR/1.5BA. Walk to campus funky 2–story apt. in triplex. G re a t l o c a t i o n . H i s t o r i c n’hood. Pulaski near Prince. Remodeled tile, antique hear tpine accents, W/D, CHAC. Avail. now! $750/mo. (706) 215-4496. 5 Pts. 2BR/1BA. Great location. Walk to campus. W/D, CHAC, nice patio. Pets OK. $675/mo. Avail. 8/1. Call (706) 369-2908. Avail. now. Sublease, optional longterm lease. 1BR/1BA spacious historic Normaltown duplex. Walk to Aqua Linda, Prince. Front porch, grassy backyd, pets OK. $650/mo. (706) 338-7492. Best apts. in Athens! Move in March and get the 1st mo. free & the 2nd mo. 1/2 off. Or prorate it. 1BRs starting at $450 & 2BRs starting at $520! 3BRs $705/mo. & 1st mo. free! Pet friendly, busline. Pre–leasing for fall. (706) 5496254. Restrictions Apply. Brick duplex. 2BR/1BA w/ all extras, very clean. Just off Mitchell’s Bridge Rd. 2 mi. from Publix. $500/mo. Grad students & professionals welcome. (706) 254-0478. Fall Special! Best deal at The Lodge. 2BR/2BA. Incl. basic cable & Internet, clubhouse w/ pool, fitness center, & much more! Sign up now for $750/mo. Athens Realty (706) 353-0708. For Rent. 2BR/2BA apt. Windsor Place condo. Busline within 1 mi. of UGA. Lg. BRs, FP, W/D, & DW. Some pets allowed. Avail 8/1. 1 yr. lease. Sec. dep. req’d. $750/mo. (706) 540-0857.

Cobbham historic district. 1BR apt. Heart pine flrs. + ceil. fans. CHAC, W/D, garage w/ auto opener. NS. No pets. Call (706) 340-1283. Free month’s rent. Stadium Village 2BR/1BA gated community, close to campus. Wa t e r, t r a s h , l a w n i n c l . Pool, gym. $575/mo. (706) 549-6070. Garage apts. in heart of 5 Pts. 1BR/1BA, 2BR/1BA. Lv. rm., & kitchen incl. No pets. HWflrs. $550/mo. Call (706) 548-4358. Hill St. 2BR/1BA. All electric apt. W/D, water, trash, lawn incl. $575/mo. Call (706) 549-6070. Loft for rent. Walking distance to Dwntn. Chicopee Commons Poplar & E. Broad. $1400/mo. 2BR/1.5BA. DW, W/D, furnished avail. Lg. unit. HWflrs. Lv. msg. (706) 714-2767. Lumpkin Square Condo. 2BR/2.5BA, block from UGA & 5 Pts. W/D & DW. Avail. 8/1. Dep. req’d. $900/mo. (706) 540-0857. Studio 51 Condos!! 1BR luxury on-campus studios. No sec. dep.! Rent incl. water, gas, pest & trash. Built-ins, HWflrs., tile & laundry facility. City & UGA bus stop. Pets OK. $550/mo. kaceyprice@ hotmail.com, (706) 540-2829. Ve r y c o o l l a y o u t ! 3BR/1.5BA apt. in quadraplex. 2 blocks from campus. 5 Pts. area. W/D, CHAC, nice patio. $1125/mo. Avail. 8/1. Pets OK. Call (706) 369-2908. Westside condos. 2BR/2BA, $600/mo. 3BR/2BA, $700/ mo. Converted clubhouse into a huge open flr. plan. 4BR/2.5BA, $1200/ mo. Eastside quadraplex 2BR/2BA, $525/ mo.2BR/1BA, $490/mo. Call McWaters Realty, (706) 549-3222, (706) 353-2700.

Apartments for Sale $105,000. 2BR/2BA Scarborough Place ground level condo for sale. FP, pool privileges. Appls incl., lawn maint., trash, water incl. in COA Dues. (706) 540-7501. $119,000. 3BR/2.5BA Scarborough Place upstairs condo for sale. Appls Incl., FP, pool privileges. Lawn maint., trash, water incl. in COA Dues. (706) 540-7501.

Commercial Property 1600 sq. ft. retail/studio space avail. in Historic Downtown Comer. Old general store location w/ high ceilings & ceramic tile flrs. Great for antique store, pottery studio, flea market, etc. $375/mo. (706) 207-5564. 1K–2K sq. ft. of dividable warehouse/studio space available Dwntn. On Broad St. Multi-use, great price, 24 hr. access. Call for info. (706) 546-7814. 200-400 sq. ft. studios/ offices. Natural light, CVAC, BRs, common area w/ kit. $250-450/mo. Call (706) 338-0548. 4,500 sq. ft. office/shop. 1.5BA, 3 12 ft. overhead doors. 4K sq. ft. of outbuilding storage. 2+ ac. Fenced. Lexington, GA. $795/mo. (706) 549-9456. Athens Executive Suites. Offices avail. in historic Dwntn bldg. w/ on–site parking. All utils., Internet, & janitorial incl. Single or multiple offices avail. Call Stacy (706) 425-4048 or (706) 296-1863. Eastside offices for lease. 1060 Gaines School Rd. 1200 sq. ft., $1200/mo. 500 sq. ft. $625/mo., 150 sq. ft. $300/mo. (706) 546-1615 or athenstownproperties.com. Retail Suites for lease at Homewood Village. 1K–12,500 sq. ft. avail. For more info. Call Bryan Austin at (706) 353-1039 or visit www.sumnerproperties.net.

Houses for Rent $1075/mo., 3BR/2BA, lg. house, only 5 min. to campus. Popular Eastside, safe n’hood, exc. cond., no pets. 475 Crestwood Dr. Call Mike at (706) 207-7400 or email mikejoyner@charter.net. $350–$1950/mo. 1BR, 2BR, 3BR, 4BR, & 5BR. Prices reduced! Awesome walk & bike to campus & town! Pre– leasing for Fall! Many historical houses w/ lg. rms, high ceilings, big windows, HWflrs., old–world charm, modern amenities. Porches, & yds. Pet friendly. These go fast! Email for list: luckydawg96@yahoo.com. $400/mo. 1BR/1BA in a funky old house/triplex. CHAC, fenced yd. Pets welcome! Shared W/D. Off Hill St. at 323 the Plaza. Anne (706) 354-6620. $660/mo. 2BR/2BA. 115 E. Carver Dr. 1.5 mi. from UGA Arch. Fenced–in yd. HW & tile flrs., CHAC, W/D hookups, DW, garbage disposal. Pets welcome. (706) 614-8335. $750/mo. 3BR/1BA house on 2 ac. in Winterville. 5 mins from Athens. Very safe n’hood. Wooded lot. Pets OK. Call (706) 338-4669. $800–$900/mo. 2 beautiful homes on Eastside in Villas at Snapfinger. 3BR/2BA w/ pergo flrs., 2BR/2BA new carpet, CHAC, all electric, W/D hookups, nice yds., family oriented n’hood. Mins. to UGA, Dwntn, shopping, grocery. Call Kate (706) 850-0563. Email EastAthensRentals@ gmail.com. $875/mo., blocks from town & campus, 3 huge BRs, 1.5BA, 12’ ceilings, HWflrs., tall windows, no traffic, big yd., pets. 127 Elizabeth St., Avail. 4/1. Agent/Owner. Call Mike at (706) 207-7400 or email mikejoyner@charter.net. $900/mo. Nice house in c o u n t r y. 3 B R / 2 B A . S a f e n’hood. 15 min. to town. 186 Bridges Dr. Call Mike (706) 207-7400. 1, 2, 3BR houses. Pre–leasing for fall. Close to UGA & Dwntn. Call (706) 255-0066. FLAGPOLE B U S I N E S S / SERVICE CLASSIFIED AD RATES: Advertise your business or service in the Flagpole Classifieds for $15/wk or $45/mo. 1 5 % Discount for ad runs exceeding 8 weeks. Call Paul at 706-549-0301.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

1/2 mi. from Downtown. 1, 2, 3, 4BR houses & apts. located in the historic Blvd. n’hood. Please check out b o u l e v a r d p r o p e r t y management.com or call (706) 548-9797. 1BR up to 4BR houses. Preleasing for next school yr. Close to UGA & Dwntn. Call (706) 714-4486 or email at hathawayrichard@hotmail. com. 1BR/1BA carriage house. Pre–leasing for 6/1. CHAC, W/D, oak flrs. Screened porch. $500/mo. Email hathawayproperties@gmail. com, call (706) 714-4486. 2BR/1.5BA East Athens Duplex for rent. Fresh paint, new carpet, W/D, DW, range, fridge, trash & yard service incl. Pets OK. Avail. now! $550/mo. Call Mike (877) 7401514 toll free. 2BR/1BA Dwntn. CHAC, W/D. Pets welcome. Avail. now! $500/mo. Call (706) 714-4603. 2BR/1BA Sublet with option for 1 year lease. Avail. until 7/31 at $450/ mo. w/ option to sign lease 8/1 at reg. price of $625/mo. CHAC, W/D, fenced yd., pets OK. 236 N. Peter St. Call Britt (706) 346-3692 to see. 2BR/1BA cool, old shared house! $800/mo. 0.5 mi. from Dwntn. All appls. 340 Ruth St. Apt. B. Avail. 8/1. (706) 7130626. 2BR/1BA house in Addieville. Avail. April. $800/mo. W/D. 10 min walk to Dwntn. Call (706) 621-0731. 2 B R / 1 B A re n o v a t e d m i l l house on 1st St. High ceilings, HWflrs, chef’s kit. w/ all appls. Big priv. yd., front porch, rear deck, storage buildling. $850/ mo. (706) 202-9507. 2BR/1BA, p re - l e a s i n g . CHAC, W/D, DW, sec. sys., fenced. Pets OK. Close to Dwntn. & UGA. $325/BR. Email hathawayproperties@ gmail.com, call (706) 7144486. 2BR/1BA. 1/2 mi. to Arch. All appls., HWflrs, lg. wood deck overlooks priv. fenced yd. $700/mo. (706) 202-9507. 2–3BR/2BA. 2 decks & front porch, country setting, high ceilings, HWflrs., lg. rms, Good dog is OK! Avail. now or May! $800/mo. (706) 2022733 or (706) 548-9797. 3BR/1.5BA, pre–leasing. 5 Pts., 1 block to UGA & M i l l e d g e Av e . B e a u t i f u l home. $1500/mo. $500/BR. Includes utilities. Email hathawayproperties@gmail. com, call (706) 714-4486. 3BR/1.5BA. 288 4th St. Pre– leasing for 8/1/09. Fenced yd. DW, CHAC, big yd. W/D, FP, garbage disposal, HWflrs. Pecan trees. $800/mo. + $800/sec. (706) 254-2936.

3BR/1BA ARMC area. W/D, HWflrs., tiled kitchen, fenced backyd., carpor t. $750/mo . Call Ande (215) 284-2503. 3BR/1BA in quiet ARMC area. Lv. rm., din. rm., new appls. Fenced backyd. Pets OK. $850/mo. Avail. now! Call (404) 519-3983 or (706) 614-8319.

4BR/2BA. Blvd. area. Pre– leasing for 6/1. Historic lg. home. High ceilings, wood flrs. $375/BR. Email hathawayproperties@gmail. com, call (706) 714-4486. 4BR/4BA brand new house Dwntn. Walk to the Arch! W/D incl. Now pre-leasing for Fall 09. Only $1900/mo. Call Aaron (706) 207-2957.

3BR/1BA. 1 mi. to Arch. Renovated mill house. Hancock historic district. Multi–family, pet friendly. Each rm. w/ priv. porch. All appls. incl. $1100/mo. (706) 202-9507.

4BR/4BA condo w/ decks! UGA bus, pool/tennis, lv. rm. & din. rm. furniture, W/D, gorgeous wooded area. Off of Riverbend (near UGA golf course). $1340/mo. (678) 467-6127.

3BR/1BA. Pets OK. $800/ mo. 220 Habersham Dr. (706) 613-2317.

4BR/4BA house. $900 special! W/D, sec. sys., 24 hr. maint. service, pets welcome, lawn & pest incl. (706) 552-3500. Go to www. hancockpropertiesinc.com.

3BR/2.5BA houses. Brand new! $1275/mo. Avail. now! Near Prince Ave. Call Kelly (706) 254-3250. 3BR/2BA on Camelot Dr. $800/mo. Wooded lot in quiet n’hood. CHAC, all appls, FP, deck, ceil. fans. Pets OK w/dep. Trash incl. Avail Aug. Email bradleygaydos@ gmail.com. 3BR/2BA w/ lg. fenced–in yd. $800/mo. All appls. Eastside, close to Dwntn. Sec. sys. optional. Avail. 3/1. 150 Binion Rd. (706) 713-0626. 3BR/2BA, p re – l e a s i n g . Chase St., on busline, lg. house, oak flrs., fenced. Close to Dwntn. & UGA. Pets OK. $1050/mo. $350/BR. Email hathawayproperties@gmail. com, call (706) 714-4486. 3BR/2BA, p re – l e a s i n g . 5 Pts., walk to bus. Lg. house, screened porch, lg. deck, fenced, sec. sys., garage, family rm. oak flrs. $1350/mo. $450/BR. Email hathawayproperties@gmail. com, call (706) 714-4486. 3BR/3BA Eastside. Quiet n’hood. $1100/mo. All appls. 213 Springtree St. Avail. 8/1. (706) 713-0626. 3BR/3BA brand new houses in 5 Pts. & Dwntn. Walk to c a m p u s ! W / D i n c l . P re leasing for Fall 09. $1500/ mo. Call Aaron (706) 207-2957. 3BR/3BA. Huge house on Greenway! $1400/mo. All appls. 978 MLK Pkwy. Avail. 8/1. (706) 713-0626.

Amazing 5BR/3BA. 1/2 mi. from campus. 2 lv. rms., 2 kitchens, big BRs, huge deck, plenty of parking. DW, W/D, CHAC. Pets OK. Avail. 8/1. $2200/mo. (706) 369-2908. Avail. 8/1. 2BR duplex on quiet wooded lot. Eastside. CHAC. Free garbage p/u. Pets upon approval. (404) 314-1177. Avail. now & fall! 4BR/2BA property in 5 Pts next to memorial park. Very close to campus. $1100/mo. W/D, HVAC, DW. (706) 296-9546, (706) 296-9547, on www. cityblock.biz. Awesome 1BR/1BA old shared house! $650/mo. Recently remodeled. Lg., 800 sq. ft., HWflrs., all appls. 340 Ruth St. Apt. A. Avail. 8/1. (706) 713-0626. Best rentals in Athens! 1–5BR houses, apts., condos. In the heart of UGA/Dwntn/5 Pts. Avail. Aug! Call (706) 369-2908 for more info.

Dwntn Athens historic renovated. Occupancy Aug. 1st. Busline in front. 3 huge BRs/1 lg. BA. Lg. shower stall. 4 FPs, HWflrs. W/D. DW, stove, fridge, CHAC, din. rm., lv. rm. Long hallway. 1600 sq. ft. Front wrap– around porch. Back screen p o rc h . N o p e t s . $ 1 1 2 5 / mo. 225 N. Ave. (706) 2969873. See bulldogrent.com. Parking spaces. Excellent 4BR/3BA. 1/2 mi. to campus. Lots of character! Big rms. DW, W/D, CHAC. Pets OK. Avail. 8/1. $1775/mo. Call (706) 369-2908. First mo.’s rent free! 3BR/2BA all-brick near Athens CC. New paint, flrs., HVAC. $800/ mo. Call Geoff for more (706) 206-3560. Owner licensed RE agent in GA, lic. #302489. Five Points. Fall pre– leasing. 1, 2, 3, & 4BR houses & apts. See at www. bondrealestate.org. Herbert Bond Realty & Investment. (706) 224-8002. Great 4BR/4BA. Close to campus! Front porch, back deck, nice yd., DW, W/D, CHAC. Pets OK. Avail. 8/1. $1550/mo. (706) 369-2908. Heart of 5 Pts. 3BR/2BA. Lv. rm., din. rm., & kitchen. No pets. Unfurnished. $1450/mo. Call (706) 548-4358. Lynn Rock Apts. 1BR/1BA $490/mo. On Bloomfield St. off Baxter, Near campus. D W, w a t e r, t r a s h i n c l . Mention this ad & receive $100 off your sec. dep.!! (706) 353-6868 or www. joinermanagement.com.

New construction! 4BR/4BA. All appls. incl. $450/BR. A view of Dwntn. Off North Ave. Avail. July. (706) 202-4648. Tu r n t o F L A G P O L E CLASSIFIEDS to find ro o m m a t e s , a p a r t m e n t s , houses, etc. To place an ad call 706-549-0301. Northside 2BR/1BA, lg. lot, $600/mo. Hospital area, Fenced–in yd. Avail. June. $800/mo. Eastside 3BR/2BA. Lg. yd., on dead–end street. $1100/mo. Cedar Creek 4BR/2BA $1100/mo. Call McWaters Realty, (706) 549-3222, (706) 353-2700. O n e c a l l , t h a t ’s a l l ! 2BR/2BA 625B Whitehall, $675/mo. 4BR/2BA, 322 Whitehall Rd., $750/mo. 3BR/2BA, 739 Beaverdam Rd. $850/mo. 3BR/2BA, 276 Oak Meadows $995/ mo. 3BR/2BA, 125 Evergreen Terrace $995/ mo. 3BR/2BA, 1060 Macon Hwy. $995/mo. 5BR/2BA, 2045 Rober t Hardeman $995/mo. 6BR/2BA, 1065 M a c o n H w y. $ 1 6 9 5 / m o . (706) 714-7000, (706) 5467946. FlowersRentals@ bellsouth.net. See virtual tours www. nancyflowers.com. P re - l e a s i n g f o r F a l l ! Walk to campus! 2 & 3BRs from $625/mo. W/D, DW, priv. deck, pets welcome. Mention this ad & pay no pet fee! (706) 548-2522, www. dovetailmanagement.com. Preleasing for Fall! Awesome 3BR/2BA Victorian. Close to campus. High ceilings, HWflrs., big yd., DW, W/D, CHAC. Pets OK. Avail. 8/1. $1295/mo. Call (706) 369-2908.

Land for Sale Texas land. Zero $ down! 20 ac. ranches, near El Paso. Beautiful mountain views, ro a d a c c e s s , s u r v e y e d . $15,900. $159/mo. Money back guarantee. Owner financing. (800) 843-7537, w w w. s u n s e t r a n c h e s . c o m (AAN CAN).

Houses for Sale $129,900. 3BR/2BA. CHAC, W/D, DW. Front porch. 4 blocks to Dwntn & UGA. Email hathawayproperties@gmail. com, call (706) 714-4486. $163,487. 3BR/2.5BA condo conveniently located on the Eastside. Priv. & less than 5 mi. to Dwntn. Athens. See it online at ReignSold.com or Call Reign at Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty. (706) 372-4166, (706) 543-4000. $94,900. Studio 40. 1BR/1BA. Tile & HWflrs., DW, courtyds, w/in walking distance to Ramsey Center! Call Reign at Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty. (706) 372-4166, (706) 543-4000. Artistic Renovation of 1BR/1BA cottage w/ artist’s studio. 14ft. ceilings, reclaimed metal, reclaimed flrs., artistic metalwork throughout $129,900. Sarah Ellis w/ CJ&L (706) 559-4520, (706) 338-6265. Brick ranch. 3BR/1.5BA. Nice shaded fenced in backyd. 1 car garage. Home in excellent condition! $124,900. Call (706) 549-4050 or (706) 7789295 between 3pm & 9pm. ➤ continued on next page

Cleveland Road. 3BR/2.5BA on 150 ac. FP, DW, garbage disposal, CHAC, yd. maint., garbage p/u. No pets. $875/mo. (706) 372-3896. Comer. Lg. 3BR/2BA renovated farm house. CHAC, 0.5 ac. $800/mo. (706) 201-5123. Eastside. Brick ranch house. Avail. now. $800/mo. & $1K/ dep. 3BR/1.5BA. Fenced yd. Pet friendly. CHAV. (706) 2065344, lv. msg.

4BR/2BA house on Eastside for rent. HWflrs., carport, lg. yard. $1K/mo. www.infotube. net/152273. Call (706) 3699679, cell (706) 207-0935, or call Pam (706) 540-3809 lv. msg.

WELCH PLACE

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

Own in Athens. Close to UGA. $106,900. 2BR/2.5BA. Call (706) 201-2121.

Roommates All areas go to rentmates. com. Browse hundreds of listings w/ photos & maps. Find your roommate w/ a click of the mouse! Visit http://www. Rentmates.com (AAN CAN). BR w/ shared BA avail. in 3BR/2BA Eastside apt. to responsible, mature, quiet NS. $265/mo. + shared utils. $265 dep. Call Dieng (706) 207-3971. F roommate needed. Priv. suite of rms. BR, BA, & den. Completely furnished. Incl. utils. $450/mo., $200/dep. Avail. now! Eastside Athens. Call (706) 369-9083. Housemate wanted for 3BR/1BA lg. country Winterville home. $450/ mo. utils. incl. HWflrs., W/D, CHAC, 2 ac., tall ceilings. I’m a stable artist, seeking polite, respectful housemate. (706) 742-7528. M/F roommate wanted for 3BR/2BA house. 5–10 min. to Dwntn. W/D, DW, HVAC, lg. yd. $300/mo. + 1/3 utils. Avail. now! Call Chris (706) 254-0284. Roommate needed ASAP for house off Pulaski St. Screened porch, W/D. Only a 10 min. walk from Dwntn. Only $250/ mo. Call (706) 548-9744 today! Roommate wanted for 3BR/1BA historic 5 Pts. home. Avail. now! HWflrs., W/D, DW, CHAC, new stove, huge yd., deck, great views & light. $366/mo., bills not incl. (512) 627-1142.

Rooms for Rent $580/mo. + 1/2 utils. Getaway in 1900 sq. ft. beautiful home w/ woods & fields. Commerce, GA. 2 private BR & BA for roommate. Great shared huge main, kitchen, & din. rm. Garage/attic storage. Dogs OK. (706) 372-9010. 1BR/1BA in quiet, idyllic farm house. 10–15 min. from campus. Nicely furnished. $300/mo. + 1/3 utils. Pets negotiable. HWflrs., sec. sys. Pls. call (706) 201-7450, lv. msg. Refs. preferable.

Town/UGA, N. Oconee River. Band/storage neg. Rms. $75/ wk. Unlimited long distance, Internet, cable, computer/TV provided. No drugs. (706) 850-0491, 957 MLK.

Sub-lease 1BR/1BA on Blvd. Avail. 4/1. Option to renew in Aug. Lots of space, extra rm. could be 2nd BR. HWflrs., high ceilings, big front porch, fenced yd. Pets OK. $525/mo. (404) 617-6767. 1BR/1BA rm. for sublease. Clean house w/ priv. yd. 2 friendly M roommates, 5 Pts. location. $400/mo. W/D, DW, CHAC. Call (404) 310-0876.

Wanted to rent Single professional woman looking for a sm. house or duplex immediately. Close to town. Peaceful environment. $800/mo. tops. (706) 247-2092 or email angiewanj@yahoo.com.

For Sale Businesses We l l e s t a b l i s h e d D w n t n business for sale. Name recognition! Best offer! (770) 634-8241.

Computers Get a new computer now! Brand name. Bad or no credit, no problem! Smallest wkly payments avail. Call now. Call (800) 816-2232 (AAN CAN). Get a new computer! Brand name laptops & desktops. Bad or no credit, no problem! Smallest weekly payments avail. It’s yours now! Call (800) 803-8819 (AAN CAN).

Furniture Better than Ebay! Sell your goods locally without the shipping fees! Place your ads in the Flagpole Classifieds. Awesome run–till–sold rate! 12 wks for only $36. Go to www.flagpole.com or call (706) 549-0301. Mom’s Garage. Gently used fur niture for frugal people, will be open by appt. only thru March. Call (706) 207-7855. Tables, chairs, sofas, antiques, clothes, records & players, retro goods, & more! Cool, affordable furniture every day. Go to Agora! Your favorite everything store! 260 W. Clayton St., (706) 316-0130.

Miscellaneous Come to Betty for vintage quilted Chanel bags, just in for Spring! On the corner of Pulaski & Clayton, next to Agora. Open 1–4 daily. (706) 424-0566.

Music Equipment Ask about our Run– t i l l – S o l d r a t e . Lowest classified ad rate in town! Call (706) 549-0301 or submit your ad through www. flagpole.com. Restrictions may apply. Drum set $300. Pearl Export 22x18 Bass, 12x9 & 13x10 toms 16x16 floor tom 51/2x14 wood snare. Zildjian cymbals. Also Pearl Eliminator double bass pedal $250. (706) 202-0291. Fender Twin silver tweed/ black knobs. Perfect cond. $600. Bridgeport foot bellows organ. Works great! Gorgeous. $600. Fender Stage Lead II amp. Excellent cond. $200. Brian (706) 372-4897. I am looking for a Leslie cabinet. Budget cap at $750. Contact me at leftfootmanagement@hotmail. com if you can help. We buy used gear! (770) 931-9190. Music–Go–Round buys hundreds of cool used instruments/equipment each wk. Open every day. Bring trades!

Instruction Athens School of Music. Instruction in Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano, Voice, Brass, Woodwinds, Strings, Banjo, Mandolin, Fiddle, & more. From beginner to expert. Instrument repairs avail. (706) 543-5800. Guitar lessons taught by college guitar instructor. All styles. 16 yrs. exp. Students have won several guitar competitions. 1st lesson free. Composition/theory & bass lessons too. David Mitchell, (706) 546-7082 or www. mitchellmusicguitar.com. Love Guitar Hero? Quit playing the game & learn the real thing. Teachers w/ de c a de s o f e xpe rie n c e . 1–on–1 affordable, fun lessons. All styles & skill levels welcome. Music Exchange (706) 549-6199. Piano Lessons. University graduate w/ Honors in piano. Lessons taught on lg. 8 ft. concert grand piano. Excellent teacher. All ages & levels of skill welcome. (706) 549-0707.

Musicians Wanted Bass guitarist wanted to fill spot in Rock & Roll trio. Dates already booked in Memphis, Columbia, Augusta, Atlanta. Call Carey (803) 292-8387.

Rehearsal Space Rehearsal space for rent. 24/7 security. Utils incl. 2 bands will fit. $275/mo. Call Neal (706) 207-1386.

Services Classical Guitar, DJ Services. Entertainment for weddings, parties & other various social occasions. Over 20 yrs. experience throughout the Southeast. Contact Neal (770) 560-6277. Fret Shop. Professional guitar repairs, setups, electronics, precision fretwork. Previous clients incl. R.E.M., Widespread Panic, Vic Chesnutt, Bob Mould, STS9, Abbey Road Live!, Squat. (706) 549-1567. Guitar Repair, setups, electronics & fretwork by 20 yr. pro. Thousands of previous clients. Proceeds help benefit Nuçi’s Space. Contact Jeff, (404) 643-9772 or www.AthensGuitar.com for details. Looking for a fun, classy alternative to the typical wedding band? If you are looking for “YMCA” than Squat is not your band. If you want Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, & salsa, then visit www.squatme.com/ weddings. (706) 548-0457. Stringed Instruments repaired. Respectful restoration of vintage instruments a speciality. Member of Guild of American Luthiers. R. Anthony Ianuario. (706) 367-4788. Wedding Bands. Quality, professional bands. Weddings, parties. Rock, Jazz, etc. Call Classic City Entertainment. ( 7 0 6 ) 5 4 9 - 1 5 6 7 . w w w. classiccityentertainment.com. Featuring The Magictones— Athens’ premiere wedding & p a r t y b a n d . w w w. themagictones.com.

Services Home and Garden B a c k y a rd S o l u t i o n s . Make your neighbors jealous! Waterfalls, ponds, fences, decks, gazebos, porches, & more! Call Robin for free estimate! (706) 340-4492. Garden tractor–till lawns installed (pulverized, amended, seeded, etc.). Suburban Tractor Service. (706) 769-8697.

Massage Revolutionary Massage & Wellness special: $40 intro 60 min. massage. Call (706) 255-4443 or visit www. revolutionarymassage. com for more info.

Misc. Services Cash for gold. We buy gold, silver, platinum. Get cash now. Highest payouts. Satisfaction guaranteed. (877) 548-1550 (AAN CAN). In today’s economy most people have credit card debt. Credit Card Rescue has the solution. Get out of debt in months, not years! Save thousands. Call (866) 9105252 (AAN CAN).

Jobs Full-time Cashier, Sushi Chef, & kitchen staff position avail. Apply at Inoko Express, Watkinsville location. (706) 769-7088. Cozy salon in artist community seeks stylists for booth rent positions. Sense of environmentalism a must! Paul Mitchell Focus Salon. Email res. to jo@honeyssalon.com. Flagpole Classifieds! $9/ wk. for your merchandise, $13/wk. for your house, $15/ wk. for your business! Go to www.flagpole.com or call (706) 549-0301. Deadlines every Monday at 11am. Sales Reps needed! Looking for confident, self motivated, well spoken people. Starting out at $8/hr. + commission. Exp. nec. Call Kris (770) 560-5653. Weak people need not apply! Sexy Suz Adult Emporium is looking for fun, energetic, professional people to fill FT & PT positions! Come by & Apply! (706) 850-6919. Stylist opening in Watkinsville. Must have clientele. Would consider commission also. Friendly & fun atmosphere. Call Heidi at Bonnie & Clyde’s. (770) 307-6629.

Opportunities $600 wk. potential. Helping the gov’t. PT. No exp., no selling. Call (888) 213-5225 AD code L-5. Void in MD & SD. (AAN CAN). Earn $75-$200/hr. Train as media make-up artist for ads, TV, film, fashion. 1 wk. class. Stable job in weak economy. D e t a i l s a t h t t p : / / w w w. MediaMakeupArtists.com, (310) 364-0665 (AAN CAN). Earn extra income assembling CD cases from home. Call Our Live Operators Now! (800) 405-7619 ext. 150 http:// www.easywork-greatpay.com (AAN CAN).

High School diploma! Fast, affordable & accredited. Free brochure. Call now! (800) 5326546. Ext. 97. Go to http:// www.continentalacademy. com (AAN CAN). Movie extras needed. Earn $150 to $300 per day. All looks, types & ages. Feature films, television, commercials & print. No exp. necessary. (800) 3408404 x2001 (AAN CAN) Post Office hiring nationally. Avg. pay $20/hr., $57K/yr. incl. federal benefits & OT. Optional fee-based test prep materials. Not affiliated w/ the US Postal Service. (866) 6167019 (AAN CAN).

Part-time Make FT money for PT work. We are currently looking for females age 18–40 for modeling work. Everything from supermodels to the girl next door. You must be in good shape & open minded. If interested, pls. call (678) 896-2246. Mystery shoppers earn up to $100/day. Undercover shoppers needed to judge retail & dining establishments. No exp. req’d. (800) 743-8535.

Vehicles Autos BMW Z3 Convertible. 2000 has approx. 87K mi. 5 spd. 2.3 litre. Great condition, runs awesome. Newer top & tires. Black & tan interior. $12,500 (706) 202-8424.

Notices Organizations Advertise your business in 111 alternative newspapers like this one. Over 6 million circulation ever y wk. for $1200. No adult ads. Call Rick at (202) 289-8484 (AAN CAN).

Messages L e a v i n g t o w n ? D o n ’t know how to get your weekly Flagpole fix? Subscribe! $35 for 6 months, $55 for a yr.! Call (706) 549-9523. BreastFest needs walkie talkies to borrow for volunteer coordinating. This fundraiser is for St. Mary’s Women’s Diagnostic Center (3/21 at the Taylor Grady House in Athens, see http://breastfest. org). Think of the karma points! Contact allenrach@ hotmail.com.

Personals Athens couple looking to adopt. If you are pregnant & considering adoption, pls. call us at (888) 524-5054 or visit our family at www. adoption.corbyn.net. Pregnant? Considering adoption? Talk w/ caring agency specializing in matching birthmothers w/ families nationwide. Living expenses paid. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions (866) 413-6293 (AAN CAN).

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ MARCH 11, 2009

everyday people J.P. Watkins: Habitat ReStore Manager If you’ve been to the Habitat for Humanity thrift store on Barber Street, you’ve probably seen the store manager, J.P. Watkins (although his real name is Jap, everyone calls him J.P.). Spencer Frye, Athens Area Habitat’s executive director, says in the seven years they’ve been working together, he’s never seen J.P. have a bad day at work. I sat down with the ever-busy man near the end of another bustling day at the store, interrupted only once by a couple of musicians hoping to talk down the price of an organ.

HERE COMES SPRING!

FP: What kind of correcting? JPW: Well, like the peoples out of jobs. A lot of the plants is closing down. I have more peoples come here and ask me about jobs, but [we] won’t hire nobody because we use the community service peoples—like people [who] get a DUI. Back in the days when I used to drink, it wasn’t that bad. If an officer knew ya, and you were driving drunk, they’d tell you, ”Park the car. Walk home.“ But now, they’re lockin’ you

Michael Goethe

Flagpole: How did you get into this job? J.P. Watkins: I got hired… as a truck driver. Then they moved me up to supervisor, then they moved me up to manager. And I love it. I love the people, I love to deal with the customers when they come in… I help deal with everything in the store: doors, wood, plumbing. I know how to explain to them whether it work or not… And I explain it to ‘em and they say, “Doggone it, how do you know so much?” I say, “Well, I’ve did it all.”

FP: Since you’ve been around for a while, what do you think of having a black president? JPW: Well, I like that. Because maybe things might change, but he got a lot of straightenin’ up to do, a lot of correctin’.

FP: What kind of stuff did you do before you came to Habitat? JPW: …I hung ceiling fans. I installed commodes. I installed sinks and bathroom vanities. I did plumbing work. I did carpeting and painting, hanging up lights, [been an] electrician; I’ve done it all. …I used to work for my brother for 19 years, as an iron worker. I worked all up north, for a steel company out of Baltimore, Maryland—Process Steel Company… one place that we had a job [was] Trinidad. But one of the field guys had a job to do in Savannah, and he said if he couldn’t have my brother’s crew, he wasn’t gonna do the job. So, they had to cancel our trip to Trinidad—I even had my passport and everything—I was ready to go, boy. I worked a year and six months down in Savannah. It’s beautiful down there, when the azaleas start to bloomin’… oh, man, that is a beautiful city. FP: I still haven’t been yet. JPW: Go. You’ll enjoy it… I tell you something, you go down there, get you seafood gumbo. Whew. Boy, it’s kickin’. Ooh, yes, it is kickin’… I ate two bowls and carried one with me, that’s how good it was. FP: So, with all your skills, I bet you are pretty in-demand in the warehouse. JPW: Yep… and I greet my customers when they come in. I speaks to ’em: “How you doin’? How’s your day?” They like that. They don’t want to walk in the store and see you standin’ there with your mouth all poked out. Before I come in that gate [into work], I leave all my frustrations on the outside of the gate. When I come in here, I greet people with a smile. …When you be nice to somebody, it’s gonna be just like poison ivy—wherever you scratch, it’s gonna spread it. That’s the way, you be nice to them people, they gonna tell the next person… [so] a lot of people come in and say “J.P., I was told to come see you.” FP: That’s how I came to see you. So, how do you do it—you know, leave your frustrations outside the gate? JPW: I just don’t get angry… I got some peoples that come in and get real snobby with me. I say “Have a blessed day,“… and I go about my business. You got to always keep your cool. I treat all my customers the same. When they come in there they shake my hand or they give me a hug. They say “J.P., you’re the best to ever happen to this store.” Yep. FP: How long have you been here in Athens? JPW: All my life, 65 years. I love being here. FP: What do you like about it? JPW: Well… Athens is a kinda slow town; it’s not fast. When you leave out of Athens you getting in the fast lane.

up… I had a lot a guys said they had to pay $3,000 in fines… they making a believer out of these young guys. FP: What do you like to eat around here? JPW: My girlfriend, she cooks… FP: Is she a good cook? JPW: Oh, yeah… I love pork chops—them thick ones… Now I don’t eat a lot of fried food, the only time I eat fried food is when I get my biscuit every morning—she bake it in the oven. She put them pork chops in there—boy, wow. FP: What do enjoy doing when you’re not working? JPW: Fish. My coworker over there, Bobby… we go to fishin’ at night… like in the summertime… we set the lights all around the boat. FP: What are you doing in the wintertime, though? It’s too cold to fish right now, isn’t it? JPW: Yeah, mostly in the wintertime I just sit around and visit my mother, you know, then I go home and eat. Just sit around and stay in the house, get myself rested up for the summer, so I can do me some good fishin.’ Jeff Gore

MARCH 11, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

The mission of WUOG 90.5fm is to provide the University of Georgia and the surrounding community an outlet that educates and entertains UGA student volunteers and listeners through music, news, public affairs, and sports. Requests 706.542.4567 Call-In Talk Shows 706.542.8476 Business 706.542.7100

Four Horseman

ROTATION our standard mix of new and old, alternative/experimental/everything every day LUNCHBOX we play the first half of a new CD at noon MIDNIGHT SNACK and the second half at midnight on weekdays TECH NIGHT keep current with technoloy news DIRT ROADS a heaping portion of country fried tunes DOWN BY THE SALLY GARDENS showcasing the best of the British Isles CLASSIC CITY CLASSICS the classiest classic classical classics KEEPING IT CLASSY only the most tasteful classical music BLUEGRASS JUNCTION redhot bluegrass music BLUE LAWS a sultry blend of horns, guitars, and soul that celebrates the best of classical and contemporary blues MATTER OF JAZZ classic jazz for the classic city THE WRECKING BALL international psychobilly and instrumental surf rock WRITING FOR NOW all the best in 20th century and contemporary composition, from Messiaen to Merzbow SHOW FROM IPANEMA a Tropicalia show; the best of Brazilian pop and experimental rock from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s EQUINOX a celestial ceremony on the outer edge of the musical universe BOILING POINT punk/hardcore/thrash/awesomeness JITTERS & RAGS pre-1950’s pop and vaudeville ODD MAN OUT maximum chick power from female musicians and female-led bands LIVE IN THE LOBBY bands play in our lobby and we broadcast it SOUND OF THE CITY the best of classic and current local artists LOUD FAST RULES fills the metal/hardcore/grindcore void that Headbanger’s Ball left RADIO RX get healthy with a talk show co-hosted by the pharmacy school FOUR HORSEMEN political commentary ATHENS JOURNAL national, state, and local news of interest GIRLS NIGHT IN girl talk for girls by girls FILM THING all things cinema–we promise we won’t spoil the ending LINER NOTES music reviews from wuog’s trained professionals BLANK GENERATION the roots of punk and experimental music of the 60’s to the glory days of 80’s hardcore GATES OF DELIRIUM psyche, prog, art rock, and absurd album covers GLOBAL WARMING not your typical world music show: funk caricoa, kwaito, bhangra, and more CRISIS audio terror noise, mash-ups, and anything-goes improv SOFT SCALY UNDERBELLY all the guilty pleasures that would normally never find their way onto our airwaves WHO PUT THE BOMP oldies done right; bomping beats from the 50’s and 60’s HALFTIME HIPHOP world famous DJs spinning hot waxy hip hop SUNDIALING psychedelic pop and garage rock RUDE VIBRATIONS reggae, ska, dub, dancehall, oh yeah! BOLLYWUOG the music from the wonderful world of Bollywood JAZZ CAFE anything jazz, from bop to beserk PLAYER’S PICNIC soul, funk and r&b PURPLE COW spoken word and poetry; don’t clap just snap ORGANIC COMPOUND experimental electronic and dance music, new and old COMMUNITY DJ we’re inviting anyone in Athens to experience the magic of being of deejay! sign up by sending an email to programming@wuog.org