http://flagpole.com/images/jpgs/2009/10/28/FP091028 by Flagpole Magazine

COLORBEARER OF ATHENS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LOOKING GLASS

LOCALLY OWNED SINCE 1987

Halloween! Winning Stories p. 12 Scary Bands p. 30

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · VOL. 23 · NO. 43 · FREE

Vic Chesnutt

Two New Releases Out This Fall From the Local Legend p. 19

Giant Downtown Deck? p. 5 · Pope Street Garden p. 8 · Relix, the Book p. 11 · Kenosha Kid p. 21

hallowing Sink your tEeth into It. 255 w. washington street athens, georgia • 30601

706.549.4660

have you booritoed today? WILD WING first the game. then the fun. THE WORLD’S LARGEST OUTDOOR COCKTAIL PARTY!

Florida vs ✦

UGA

Saturday October 31st 312 E. Washington St. • 706-227-WING (9464) www.wildwingcafe.com 2

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

Halloween Treat…

Bring your little ghost or goblin to Willy’s on Oct 31st for a FREE Kid Combo with adult entrée purchase! (Children must be 12 & under and in costume to qualify.)

Trivia

– every Wed at 8 pm

College Night

– first Tuesday of the month - $4.00 burritos with college ID (some restrictions may apply)

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

pub notes Just the Facts Journalists, like preachers, have their own cohort of eulogizers, and now it’s time to take note of yet another scribe who has met his last deadline: Jack Nelson. Jack, who died last week, was one of those people who made a profession out of being a “hard-hitting, investigative reporter.” I put those words in quotes, because they used to be a cliché and are now in danger of becoming an oxymoron. Jack made his reputation at the Atlanta Constitution, where he won a Pulitzer in 1960 for exposing corruption at the state mental hospital in Milledgeville. The Los Angeles Times hired him to beef up their coverage of the South during the Civil Rights period, and he gave racists like George Wallace and megalomaniacs like J. Edgar Hoover plenty to beef about. Jack was one of those guys on the front lines when newspaper journalism was the primary news source in this country. He put the L.A. Times on the map in the South, and then he went to Washington as their bureau chief What reporters and, while becoming an insider do is as simple himself, built a highly respected presence for his newsas it is difficult. Washington paper, with a crack corps of reportThey go see with ers and editors. Jack’s career is a reminder that their own eyes. there is no substitute for a trained, experienced and tenacious reporter They hear with who is dedicated to finding out the their own ears. truth—meaning facts, usually facts that certain individuals or institutions want hidden. Fox’s fake news, TV shouting matches, the hearsay and opinions that permeate online blogging, cute blonds, glib teleprompter readers and punditry (Pub Notes included) are not the same thing as the harrying after facts practiced by Jack and his peers. I saw some of them in operation when the University of Georgia was integrated. They had to practice their profession in front of angry mobs who were especially irate toward those who were writing about, photographing and televising that anger and sending out images of policemen setting dogs on peaceful protesters. One of the reporters covering the Civil Rights beat along with Jack Nelson was Claude Sitton, a Covington, GA native who had succeeded the legendary Jack Popham as the New York Times reporter covering the South. Claude invented the Claude Sitton Notebook, which was a stub of a pencil and a pad that would fit into a suit-coat pocket. A reporter thus equipped could take notes without ever exposing the writing tools that identified him to the mob. Such stratagems aren’t needed by bloggers in the comfort of their living rooms. I met Jack Nelson once, as I have recounted previously in this column. When I was a freshman at the university, a veterans club was running a bar with slot machines in the basement of the Moina Michael auditorium across the river on the Atlanta Highway. They weren’t checking IDs, and students were flocking there to drink and gamble illegally. A Methodist minister here, Bill Tyson, called Jack Nelson and invited him over to investigate. Bill had been my preacher when I was in high school, so when Jack asked him to find a student who would infiltrate the club, Bill called me. I went to Jack’s motel room and talked to him about it, but, even though I didn’t drink or gamble, I didn’t feel right taking on the role of snitch, and I declined my big moment in Atlanta journalism. Jack did the story anyway, but of course it would have been stronger with the testimony of a drunken Methodist student gambler. Jack was the real thing, and so is the current Atlanta Bureau Chief of the L.A. Times, former Flagpole Editor Richard Fausset. Richard doesn’t have the Civil Rights movement to cover, but he roams the South, showing up where stories are breaking, knowing how to find his sources on the fly. Even if the newspaper business should disappear altogether, we’ve got to believe that there will always be a need for people like Jack and Richard and all the other reporters who make finding out the truth their profession. What reporters do is as simple as it is difficult. They go see with their own eyes. They hear with their own ears. They find facts and lay them out straight, not twisting them one way or the other. They let the facts speak for themselves. That’s all there is to it. That’s what journalism is. That’s why we need it. That’s why we always will. Pete McCommons editor@flagpole.com

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

Commissioners are set to approve the new downtown parking deck Tuesday, Nov. 3. It’ll be big, for sure.

The Handmade Garden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 In-Town Neighbors Grow Together

Diverse members of an Athens community have partnered to create an idyllic produce garden.

Arts & Events The Reader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Drivin’ That Train

Relix, the Book: The Grateful Dead Experience is an engaging piece of musical history.

Movie Pick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Loving a Vampire Is Hard

Thirst will slake your own bloody hunger better than any film since Let the Right One In.

COVER DESIGN by Kelly Ruberto featuring artwork by Cindy Jerrell on display at Flicker bar

Music Vic Chesnutt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Reuniting the Brain Trust

Legendary local songwriter releases two new records this fall.

Dark Meat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Out of Turmoil Comes Truce Opium

Dark Meat’s songwriting is better than ever on its sophomore release.

LETTERS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CITY DOPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CAPITOL IMPACT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CITY PAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 COMMENTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 POPE STREET GARDEN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 ATHENS IMPRESSIONS, PT. 1 . . . . . . . . . 9 GRUB NOTES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 THE READER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 HALLOWEEN STORY CONTEST. . . . . . . . . 12 MOVIE DOPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 MOVIE PICK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

THREATS & PROMISES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 RECORD REVIEWS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 VIC CHESNUTT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 KENOSHA KID. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 DARK MEAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 DON’T MISS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 THE CALENDAR!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 BULLETIN BOARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 ART AROUND TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 COMICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 REALITY CHECK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 BOO!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

This week at Flagpole.COM  Homedrone: Labelmakers, a series spotlighting local record labels 8 An online-only feature on the Georgia Theatre benefit at the Fox with the Zac Brown Band  Podcasts!: Featuring music and interviews 8 Get the global view from Gwynne Dyer  And, as always, news from Ort, and food and film updates 8 New, easy-to-use Classifieds system!

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 ILLUSTRATOR Jason Crosby CARTOONISTS James Allen, Cameron Bogue, Ryan Hall, Jacob Hunt, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, Clint McElroy, Josh Nickerson ADOPT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell CONTRIBUTORS Christopher Benton, Hillary Brown, Tom Crawford, Elaine Ely, Andre Gallant, Michael Gerber, Jennifer Gibson, Chris Hassiotis, John Huie, Dave Marr, John G. Nettles, Sam Prestridge, Julia Reidy, John Seay, Jeff Tobias, Drew Westen, Drew Wheeler CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Harper Bridgers, Jimmy Courson, Swen Froemke, Anthony Gentilles WEB DESIGNER Ian Rickert ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Maggie Summers EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Erin Cork MUSIC INTERN Charlie Stafford ADVERTISING INTERNS Melanie Foster, Teresa Tamburello

VOLUME 23 ISSUE NUMBER 43

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.

CONTACT US: STREET ADDRESS: 112 S. Foundry St., Athens, GA 30601 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603 EDITORIAL: (706) 549-9523 ADVERTISING: (706) 549-0301 FAX: (706) 548-8981 ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com COMICS: comics@flagpole.com EDITORIAL: editor@flagpole.com LETTERS: letters@flagpole.com MUSIC: music@flagpole.com WEB SITE: web@flagpole.com

Association of Alternative Newsweeklies

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

letters READY TO RECYCLE Regarding recent trash talks within the county commission [City Pages, Oct. 21], I am impressed by the progressive ideas being thrown around. While I am unsure of the impact a plastic bag fee will have on our local markets, I am happy to see the idea of enhanced waste collection gain some footing. To begin, it might be beneficial for the Athens community to switch to single-stream recycling. The switch would do a great deal to lighten the load on businesses and residents, allowing them to recycle more without having to worry about the specifics. Additionally, this could (but may not) create jobs at recycling centers for greater sorting/cleaning of recycled materials. Another idea that I would like to see the local government address is mandatory recycling for residents. I understand that this is a very complicated issue, but it affects all of us and deserves attention. I have known several people, and even lived in a household, that made almost no effort to recycle. I don’t blame myself or these people exclusively; a big problem is the convenience and availability of the service. If you live in an apartment complex, you will likely be unable to receive the service or inconvenienced to the point of not caring about recycling. One solution would be to have small recycling drop-off points at apartment complexes or placed in greater numbers around the county. This would discourage people from delivering recyclable goods to the landfill and bring the concept of

CONTACT US AT P.O. BOX 1027, ATHENS, GA 30603, LETTERS@FLAGPOLE.COM OR VIA THE “TALK BACK TO US” LINK AT FLAGPOLE.COM constitutional authority granted to the states to the federal government, not using our taxes to bail out private enterprise, not using federal taxes to subsidize home purchases, etc. Crawford pulls this stunt twice. He quotes Johnny Isakson: “I will not be a part of driving Americans to a government-run health care system that we can’t afford…” and Tom Price: “As a physician, I can attest that nothI’ve quit giving Tom Crawford the benefit of ing has had a greater negative effect on the doubt. I don’t care what part of the politi- the delivery of health care than the federal government’s intrusion into medicine through cal spectrum Crawford wants to argue his case Medicare.” From these two statements, both from, but if he has something valid to say he of which only address should figure out how health care, Crawford to do it truthfully. concludes, “…the He opens his BUMPERSTICKER OF THE WEEK: congressmen, like my Capitol Impact colLibertarian friends, umn of Sept. 30 by Are You Having Phone Sex or writing, “One of the are clear about it: Do You Always Drive This Way? government has no beliefs of the recent role to play in helppolitical protests is Send your sticker sightings to ing its citizens.” This that government in letters@flagpole.com. Thanks. is a jaw-dropping all its forms should conclusion, making be abolished.” What?! no distinction about Only an extremely what form either the congressmen or libertarsmall minority of the protesters or libertarianians believe “help” should take, and at what minded people hold anything close to this level of government libertarians believe the view. Libertarians are not anarchists, and once Constitution assigns authority to “help.” again Crawford proves himself either amazCrawford addresses an apparent ingly ignorant (unlikely) or just dishonest. “hypocrisy”—Georgia congressmen are lobbyBriefly, libertarians simply want the federal ing for federal disaster relief funds for flood government to start following both the letvictims—but fails to point out that once castter and the spirit of the Constitution. That ing a vote (yea or nay) for a given federal promeans staying out of our bedrooms and margram, the congressman’s job is to make sure riages and decisions on what drugs to choose or avoid, not blackmailing states with federal that a portion of the funds taxed from Georgia are returned to Georgians when it’s applicable. funds in a back-door way of transferring the

recycling into greater view for the public. We are all in this together, and we can do a lot more than we already have. Caley Ross Athens

LIBERTARIAN (n.)

You won’t find me often defending Chambliss or Isakson from hypocrisy—both voted for the bailouts a year ago and need replacing—but there’s plenty to criticize in our government without making things up. Cole Skinner Athens

CREDIT CARDS AT BARS Have you ever purchased a drink or two in a bar in Athens using a credit card? Chances are you have, and the bartender probably told you that there is a 10-dollar minimum on purchases. This is a horrible way bars scam people out of their money by forcing them to buy more drinks in order to make more profit. The 10-dollar minimum should be against the law because it forces people to buy and consume more alcohol more then they might want to. The bars may argue they have contracts with credit card companies where they have to pay them 25–30 cents on every credit card purchase. This may be true, but they make enough profit on a five-dollar drink where they can afford the 25- or 30-cent fee they have to pay credit card companies. Many credit card companies have even gone as far as making laws against minimum purchases. Minimum purchases, especially in bars, should be against the law because they force people to drink much more, which leads to all kinds of accidents, and it causes students to spend a lot more than they want to. Keya Rajabi Email

ATHICA: Athens Institute for Contemporary Art presents:

Closing Day Events:

silent auction, presentations & panel discussions

Spooky Treats, Halloween Cupcakes & Cookies Plus other Fall-flavored treats Please give 48 hours notice for special orders

Sunday, November 8 3:00 -- 6:00 p.m. • Free! Gallery opens at 1:00 for exhibit viewing

1:00 p.m. - Silent Auction begins for selected works 3:00 p.m. - UGA New Media Institute Presentation 3:30 p.m. - State of Print Panel Discussion

An open-forum discussion on the current state of the American print industry with: • Jim Auchmutey, 20 year veteran of AJC • Christina Cotter, Managing Editor at Flagpole Magazine • John English, freelance journalist and artist • Barry Hollander, Assoc. Pro, UGA Grady School of Journalism • and others TBA

4:45 p.m. - Artists’ Panel Discussion

Moderated by curator Allie Goolrick and ATHICA Director Lizzie Zucker Saltz with Featured artist Kathryn Refi, Visiting Photographer Franklynn Peterson, Local artists Wayne Bellamy, Ed Tant and John English

5:30 p.m.

Closing Reception with refreshments and end of Silent Auction

www.athica.org • 706-208-1613 160 Tracy St. in the Chase St. Warehouses

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

city dope

capitol impact

Athens News and Views

Does Anybody Care?

Decked Out: While it appears to be a foregone conclusion that the plan for the proposed new parking deck—er, mixed-use structure—will be approved at the ACC Mayor and Commission’s Nov. 3 voting session, consternation abounds at the failure of the developer to produce—and of county staff to demand—a thorough, accurate series of visual representations of what the building will look like in its central downtown location. The two “in-context” artist’s renderings of the massive building that the developer, BatsonCook, has provided hilariously understate its scale and impact through the creative use of what can only very leniently be described as “perspective.” “I think they’ve been hiding the ball a little bit,” says Blair Dorminey, a lawyer who has his office downtown and is involved in a last-ditch effort to raise public debate on the project. “[The request for more revealing views] has been out there for quite a while.”

See the deck in there? Big? Little? You tell us! District 9 Commissioner Kelly Girtz provided City Dope with the county staff’s response to his and other commissioners’ requests for “three-dimensional” architectural animations [see City Pages, p. 6], which reads in part: “[t]he cost for producing accurate animated views is in the $10,000–$12,000 range [versus] about $6,000 for the perspectives provided. It was felt that spending this additional money would not result in a better product in the end and would add unnecessary time to the project’s development.” Girtz finds it regrettable that apparently no one thought it was worth spending an extra $4,000–$6,000 for a little more openness “on a project that will see over $10 million of public funding.” The Dope concurs. [Dave Marr] Meanwhile, Back at the Old Parking Meters Issue: Girtz will in all likelihood vote to approve the deck project, as will the other commissioners. One sticking point that will likely persist beyond the vote, though, is the plan, disclosed by ACC Manager Alan Reddish at the Oct. 13 commission work session, to raise on-street parking rates from 50 cents to $2.50 per hour, the projected rate for the new deck, by 2013. This is intended to discourage downtown workers and university students from monopolizing cheaper metered spots that should be kept turning over for patrons of downtown businesses, but some interested parties are understandably worried that the strategy may backfire. One is

Rusty Heery, chair of the Athens Downtown Development Authority board and a strong supporter of the deck project. Raising rates so precipitously, “we might be reaching a tipping point” at which customers will begin turning away from downtown, he says, “and that’s something we want to be careful of.” Girtz says he thinks this is an aspect of the plan that can be revisited after the Nov. 3 vote, which raises the question of whether other issues surrounding the project may be, as well. Stay tuned. [DM] Intermission’s Going Well: There was yet other news on the same block of downtown as the deck last week, as Georgia Theatre owner Wil Greene received formal approval from the ACC Historic Preservation Commission, the only body of public officials he has to go through on his way to restoring the Theatre, gutted by fire in June. ACC building inspectors and other officials have to sign off on certain aspects of the renovation plans, but clearing last week’s hurdle means Greene is so far still on schedule to re-open at the end of 2010. More or less the same on the outside, the new Theatre will have a rooftop restaurant, new interior stairways and elevators, and an enhanced mezzanine with museum and more. Plus, new bathrooms! [Ben Emanuel] BrounieCare: After all this time, Rep. Paul Broun, Jr. has finally dropped his health care bill—first promised many months ago—and it basically seeks to leave everything, Medicare included, to the free market. An amalgam of other old market-based ideas like tax exemptions and health savings accounts, the bill not only doesn’t seem to offer much at the present point in the health care debate, it also doesn’t seem to address the full complexity of the health care financing crisis. Then again, City Dope is no expert. Either way, don’t expect Broun’s bill to go far in a Democratic House at this stage of the game. Meanwhile, if half your friends haven’t already forwarded you the link to the video footage of Broun getting schooled by Rep. Alan Grayson of Florida—the smart, tough progressive freshman congressman who’s lately made a name for himself calling out the Republicans when needed—then get your daily entertainment and check it out. (Search “Grayson v. Broun” on YouTube.) Most important, note that Grayson ousted a Republican in ’08 to win his House seat. Who’s to say the same really can’t be done here? [BE]

You would think people would be fired up about the congressional races on tap for next year, considering that Republicans will be trying to reverse their election losses of 2006 and 2008, while Democrats will be trying to protect their majority status. Looking around the political landscape, however, it seems most Georgia voters will be more than happy to sleep through the 2010 round of congressional elections. Every incumbent who runs for another term next year will probably be re-elected—which was also the case in 2008. The one exception is the 9th Congressional District in the northeast, where veteran Rep. Nathan Deal is stepping down to run for governor. The race in this heavily Republican district has attracted at least nine candidates who say they’ll run for Deal’s seat. The latest campaign disclosure reports for the quarter ending Sept. 30 show that three people are pulling away from the rest of the field, as far as the money is concerned. The early frontrunners in fundraising are state Sen. Lee Hawkins (R-Gainesville), former legislator Mike Evans of Cumming and state Rep. Tom Graves (R-Ranger). Hawkins has raised $301,000, a total that includes $145,300 that he lent to his campaign. Graves has raised $279,600, none of it his own money, while Evans has pulled in contributions totaling $202,500. For first-time candidates in a congressional race where the primary election is still nine months away, those are fairly impressive totals. Graves and Evans are both burning through their campaign cash a little faster than Hawkins. Graves has spent $85,600 and still has nearly $194,000 in the bank. Evans has spent $79,000 and has $123,000 left in his campaign account. Hawkins has spent the more modest amount of $20,000 and has the most available cash of the three candidates, with $280,800.

When you venture outside the 9th District, the other members of Georgia’s House delegation seem to be in good shape. The voters are either happy with their performance or just don’t care. In the 2nd Congressional District, state Rep. Mike Keown (R-Coolidge) is mounting a challenge to longtime Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop of Albany. Keown has raised $105,000, which is not bad for a first-time challenger. Bishop, who has won re-election decisively over under-financed candidates in recent campaign cycles, has nearly three times as much cash available for the race: $289,994. That’s a big margin to make up. Rep. Jim Marshall of Macon, a Blue Dog Democrat who’s been a favorite target of Republican operatives in past elections, has $425,000 in the bank right now. Neither of the Republicans who have said they will run in the GOP primary in this district has even filed a contribution report. Rep. John Barrow of Savannah is another Blue Dog Democrat in a strong financial position, with a campaign war chest of $529,000. Thunderbolt fire chief Carl Smith, an announced GOP candidate, only raised $2,135 last quarter and another potential GOP candidate, Jeanne Seaver, has not filed a disclosure report. Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Athens has also been an energetic fundraiser, with almost $852,000 in contributions and no major opposition to worry about, at least at this point in time. Broun is still saddled with massive debts from his 2007 and 2008 races in the 10th District. Although he has paid down some of the debt, he still owes more than $272,000. When you consider all those dollar amounts, it looks like 2010 will be a safe year for congressional incumbents—and a boring year for most voters. Tom Crawford

Media Notes: Witnesses report that Sunday editions of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution have reappeared at the Kroger store at Alps shopping center, if not at other Krogers. City Dope isn’t sure when the AJC came back to town, but figured that extant fans of oldschool newsprint and leisurely reading of bigcity Sunday papers would want to know. He is also unclear on what the move means about that paper’s wider strategy at this point, since it pulled distribution of out Athens entirely a while back, but is also still showing signs of trouble at home in Atlanta, where it continues to shed staff and has plans to move its offices out of downtown to new digs near Perimeter Mall some time next year. [BE] Ben Emanuel & Dave Marr

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

city pages Downtown Parking Deck up for a Vote A long-planned new parking deck next to the Georgia Theatre—downtown’s fourth publicly-owned deck—continued to attract criticism at last week’s ACC Mayor and Commission agenda-setting meeting Oct. 22, but commissioners seem resolved to move ahead as planned. Allen Stovall, a retired landscape architecture professor at UGA, told commissioners that drawings of the deck plans fail to show how the structure will really look from nearby streets. “What are the resulting visual changes and impacts this project brings to the streetscape?” Stovall asked. Widely used computer programs should be able to provide such views of the future deck, he said. Commissioner Kelly Girtz thought that was a reasonable request and asked for “a greater series of accurate perspectives” as viewed from several streets. “It’s going to be a large structure,” Girtz acknowledged. But, he said, “we’re probably going to see many other large structures in that several-block region of downtown.” He said, also, “Part of the reality of living in a dense urban sphere is that we’re going to see larger-scale structures.” Lack of parking is a common complaint of downtown visitors, Athens Downtown Development Authority Director Kathryn Lookofsky has told Flagpole. Merchants want more parking, although two county-sponsored studies of downtown parking have said there is no “true shortage” of parking spaces downtown. There is actually an 800-space surplus, one study said, but many of those spaces are “located farther away than some people are willing to walk.” The 2007 study also said parking fees and fines should be raised (as they have been somewhat) to discourage UGA students from parking downtown for classes, and suggested that signage should be improved so visitors will know where the decks are. Commissioner David Lynn defended the deck design, which involves a complex public/ private partnership with a developer who will own the commercial spaces, while the county will own the 520 parking spaces. “It’s a mixed-use project that will add well-designed retail on the street,” Lynn said. Commissioners will likely approve construction contracts and a general structural design (but not all design details) at their Nov. 3 voting meeting. The visual context of the deck has been brought up before, ACC Manager Alan Reddish recalled. When a citizens’ commission was picking the list of sales-tax projects that voters approved in 2004 (including the deck, which will be funded by sales taxes and parking revenue), “this was one of the topics that got a lot of discussion,” Reddish said. John Huie johnphuie@gmail.com

Staff Resistant to Tree Ordinance Changes County staffers are dubious about suggestions put forth by the Community Tree Council (a citizens’ advisory group) for strengthening Athens-Clarke County’s tree ordinance. Central

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

Services Director David Fluck told commissioners on the Legislative Review Committee (LRC) Oct. 20 that he’s not sure stronger standards for tree-planting in new developments are really needed, and that enforcing them would cost staff time. “We think the ordinance is working,” Fluck said, but it’s too early to say whether it is moving the county towards a goal of 45-percent overall tree canopy coverage. The 2005 tree ordinance requires developers to save some percentage of existing trees on a site: in commercially-zoned areas, for example, 10 percent of a lot’s area must be shaded; in larger subdivision lots, it’s 30 percent. Additional young trees must be planted as well, and they must be protected for life. But tree council members say too many planted trees are dying or not reaching full size, and that new standards are needed; there should be “some way to weight the ordinance towards preservation versus replanting,” council president George Crane wrote in a July letter (no tree council members attended last week’s LRC meeting). Trees that do get saved are often at the rear of lots, county arborist Melanie Graham told Flagpole in August: “most of the time,” ACC zoning regulations—which encourage building close to the sidewalk—mean that trees near the street won’t be saved, she said. Before the new CVS Pharmacy was built on Hawthorne Avenue, said Commissioner Kathy Hoard at last week’s meeting, “there was a forest there, and now there’s this massive parking lot.” “There are definitely issues in our zoning ordinance that conflict with our ability to protect certain trees,” ACC Planning Director Brad Griffin told commissioners. But, said Commissioner Andy Herod, “personally, with my experience of great cities, they’re ones that have trees up on the front… The streetscape is important.” Griffin allowed that Athens-Clarke could go back to allowing “a very wide front lawn” in front of buildings, or require larger tree islands in parking lots to sustain larger trees—another recommendation of the tree council. But making such changes “starts a domino effect” that would impact other regulations, too, he said. Nor is there “a mass die-off” of trees that have been planted under the ordinance, said Griffin, but developers are being reminded by letter that they will have to replace trees that have died. Commissioners asked the county staffers to hash over their concerns with the tree council and report back. John Huie johnphuie@gmail.com

Greenway Is Food for Thought on Westside Salena Lynch has lived in west Athens on the Middle Oconee River for 25 years. When she received a letter this month saying that the city plans to run the Middle Oconee River Greenway behind her house, her first thought was that it would mean more condoms, beer cans and wine bottles on her property. An avid biker and hiker, Lynch says of herself and her husband, “We love trails. We are not against trails.” But she is worried that a greenway would increase litter and crime in her backyard. Although Athens-Clarke County has had greenways for years, fears of rising crime rates and falling property values obscure statistical

data to the contrary. The ACC Department of Leisure Services held two meetings in October for public comment on the Middle Oconee Greenway plan. The plan would extend a greenway—part trails, part conserved greenspace and wildlife habitat—from the State Botanical Garden of Georgia to the Jackson County line, a distance of approximately 14 miles. Land and easements will be acquired from willing sellers and donors, not through eminent domain, and multi-use paths will probably avoid backyards in dense, established neighborhoods. Mel Cochran, ACC greenways coordinator, says, “People automatically assume the county is going to take away their property by force.” The route of the path depends on the voluntary agreement of those whose property sits along it. If such abutters of the currently proposed route object, plan maps will be adjusted accordingly. The current draft map will be revised based on public comments received at three meetings for landowners and two public meetings. Says Cochran, “This is a completely voluntary, long-range draft plan for the future.” Leisure Services calls the plan a “generational effort” that “provides a framework for development of natural areas.” Rachele Gibson lives along the proposed greenway, and she says, “Since we have kids, we’re worried that people would have access.” But, said Cochran at one of this month’s meetings, “We don’t have issues with crime.” She cited only one violent crime on an AthensClarke greenway. County statistics place crimes reported on the greenway far below those in other parts of the county. Gibson, like several others at the same meeting, is also concerned that a greenway would negatively impact property values. Mike Wharton, Department of Leisure Services natural resources division administrator, said that properties along Athens greenways have increased in value by an average of 7 percent (University of Georgia studies document increases of up to 15 percent). Cochran draws comparisons to the Silver Comet, a public trail through Cobb, Paulding and Polk counties that is open to all types of non-motorized uses. “People pay more to have a house on the Silver Comet,” she says. “It’s an amenity.” According to Dr. Gwynn Powell, associate professor of recreation and leisure studies at the University of Georgia, the public’s concerns are textbook scenarios. “There is constant conflict between ’not in my backyard’ and ’it’s good for the community,’” Powell says. Gibson exemplifies this division. “I am also excited,” she says. “I want to be supportive. This is the kind of thing I want our community to have.” Wharton and Cochran acknowledge that it will take a long time to build public support for the project, and they are committed to the task. “Nothing would kill this project faster than to make people angry,” Cochran says. Throughout the first of the two public meetings, Cochran, Wharton and their colleagues were posted at tables in the cafeteria of Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School. With large maps before them, they fielded non-stop questions and comments. Wharton did not appear to tire of repeating the environmental, health and financial benefits of greenways. “If we could get people out of their cars, just a few times a week, we’d see a difference,” he says. Sonya Collins

comment

Governance as a Herpes Virus

Rethinking Government

Political ideas are similar to the herpes been an inexcusable waste of money,” said virus: once introduced into the body politic, the president. “Every dollar of waste in our they’re there forever. They become part of our defense budget is a dollar we can’t spend vocabulary and shape our expectations, no to support our troops, or prepare for future matter how removed they are from the realithreats, or protect the American people.” ties of our lives. Chambliss saw Obama’s national defense When this happens, an idea becomes ploy and raised him a doomsday scenario. off-limits for debate and immune to critiAccording to Keefe, Chambliss said that cism because the argument’s assumptions “the nation’s defense could be in jeopardy if are uncritically accepted. Anyone challenganother country developed a rival to the F-22. ing the idea will be proclaimed out of touch China and Russia are reportedly working on a with the “kitchen-table realities of everyday next-generation plane that could be effective Americans,” or even to be “supporting the against the F-22.” terrorists.” Chambliss called the decision to cancel the Think of George W. Bush’s personal appearF-22 in favor of the planned F-35 a gamble: ances. When he was to make a speech, his “We’ve put all our eggs in that basket, and I team would build panels featuring a one- or think it’s a huge mistake.” two-word slogan that was intended to convey The Senator is starting the Cold War anew, the essence of the message: “fiscal disciso Georgia can contribute to the production of pline,” “home ownership” or “God wants me to the F-22? be president.” Jobs. National defense. I get that maybe it was a smart PR move, Chambliss’ principled stand on deficit but sloganism masks the complexities of the spending goes out the window when “deficit issues and the decisions being made. Also, spending” means opportunity for Georgia. I because of their simplicsuppose this is how it ity and insistence—and should be; but why then the absence of debate— does he posture as a defithese kinds of slogans cit hawk? quite often mask the Consider his eight intellectual incapacity (or years of lock-step supworse, cynicism) of those port for Bush’s profligate who represent us. spending. From 2001 to Senator Saxby 2008, the national debt Chambliss, for instance, grew from $5.8 trillion has four fundamental to approximately $10 slogans: “jobs,” “taxes,” trillion; during the same “federal deficit” and period, Bush’s budget “national security.” He deficits (which never plugs one of the four into reflected the costs of any debate without losthe wars in Iraq and ing a beat. If he acts in Afghanistan) totaled ways contrary to one of approximately $3.89 the slogans (“federal def- Senator Saxby Chambliss trillion. icit”), he switches to one Chambliss’ fiscal of the others (“jobs” or “national security”). profligacy was coupled with his support of an Chambliss voted against the $787 billion almost rabid attack on our civil liberties, as American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, well as for the president’s and the neo-cons’ calling it a “bloated government giveaway.” unitary theory of the executive branch. But as Jeremy Redmon reported in the Atlanta Now, however, the senator is introducing Journal-Constitution, Chambliss asked Defense legislation that would “increase transparSecretary Robert Gates for a $7.5 million slice ency in the legislative process.” The measure, of the “bloated government giveaway” to fund according to the Chambliss’ Oct. 16 newsletBell BioEnergy’s research into turning waste ter, “would change Senate rules to require into fuel for the military. According to the the text of all legislation to be posted on the company’s founder, the research would create Internet 72 hours prior to consideration by 2,500 full-time jobs with salaries between committee or Senate floor.” Additionally, the $30,000 and $150,000. measure would require a Congressional Budget This might seem like vigorous back-stepOffice score prior to consideration. ping, but a Chambliss spokesperson explains: Chambliss waxes sniffy in his rationale: “Senator Chambliss did not support the stimu“I’ve heard from many, many Georgians,” he lus bill because there was very little in that says, “who are angry at the way Congress legislation that would actually help grow the conducts business. Americans deserve to know economy.” Now that the bill is law, however, how Congress plans to spend taxpayer dollars.” Chambliss recognizes “his duty as a senaTaxes. Federal deficits. tor to help constituents and businesses from I’m not saying the senator’s a bad man. I Georgia in their interaction with the federal don’t know him from a staph infection. government.” But his reliance on stock phrases, and his “Federal deficit” is tabled, and “jobs” is willingness to use them to justify otherwise brought to the fore. irreconcilable changes in his positions, sugSimilarly, as the AJC’s Bob Keefe reported gest either a fundamental intellectual incapacin July, Chambliss fought for continued fundity or a stunted self-awareness. ing for the F-22 Raptor, a plane designed for I’m saying he’s a career practitioner of Cold War contingencies that Defense Secretary sloganism, bad ideas and sloppy thinking. I’m Robert Gates and President Obama wanted to saying that anyone with political aspirations cancel in order to redirect funds toward more ought to don latex gloves before shaking his pressing needs, such as more troops, helicophand. ter training and unmanned aerial vehicles. Bad ideas, like herpes, are forever. “At a time when we’re fighting two wars and facing a serious deficit, this would have Sam Prestridge

In his September speech on health care to a joint session of Congress, President Obama invoked the spirit of Ted Kennedy to make some modest steps toward almost, sorta, kinda saying that maybe we ought to rethink the role of government. Unfortunately, since taking office Obama has largely reinforced the conservative “brand” made so popular by Ronald Reagan. In explicitly discussing the role of government in a recent “Meet the Press” appearance, Obama offered a juxtaposition that would have made Reagan proud: “How do we balance freedom with our need to look after one another?” In fact, perhaps the biggest difference between progressives and conservatives is that one believes that government inherently infringes on freedom and the other believes that government creates the conditions for it. If there was a silver lining to the state of the union Obama inherited from his predecessor, it was that George W. Bush and the Republicans had so thoroughly discredited the ideology of unregulated greed and hands-off government in matters of financial security that at no time since 1933 was the public more ready for a new narrative about what government should and shouldn’t do. Americans were so frightened and angry about what was happening to their 401(k)s, their housing values (if they still had a home), their health insurance (if they still had or could afford it), their inability to know which of their kids’ Chinese toys was filled with lead, and the fine print in their credit card bills that they were ready for a progressive alternative to the mantra “Government is the problem, not the solution.” There is probably still time to begin offering that narrative. But the president needs to recognize that the pragmatic problem-solving that Americans so desperately want from their government presupposes a coherent narrative about the role of government. And he needs to recognize that the direction that problem-solving takes us (e.g., either toward health care reform that cuts into the profits of pharmaceutical and insurance companies and offers some variant of Medicare as at least one choice to people under 65, or toward reform that taxes and ultimately eliminates the better plans offered to working Americans by their employers) depends on which narrative you offer. It isn’t hard to construct one (FDR wrote a pretty good rough draft), but the president needs to tell it—and tell it over and over, until it can compete with the well-branded conservative narrative. A progressive narrative that could move the political center the way Roosevelt did isn’t that difficult to tell: we’ve been told for years that we face a choice between the free market (capitalism) and tyrannical government (socialism), when that’s not our choice at all. The choice is between

unregulated greed—which leaves none of us free—and responsible, effective leadership that protects our freedom. We just saw what happens when we embrace the ideology of unregulated greed—the idea that if we just trust our financial futures to big businesses pursuing their interests, we’ll all end up better off. If you want to lose your financial security, your job, your house and your health care, it’s a great ideology. We just relearned the lesson of our grandparents, who lived through a time when Republicans preached the same philosophy in the run-up to the Great Depression. The alternative to government for the sake of big business isn’t government for the sake of big government. It’s government for the average person, who actually creates prosperity by working for a living. No one doubts that we need government to protect our national security. But what we just learned so painfully is that we also need government to protect our financial security—just the way we need government to protect the quality of our air, our drinking water and our bridges and levees. And it’s no different for energy, education or health care. Sometimes the best role of government is to partner with business (e.g., to invest in wind and solar energy, so we’re not at the mercy of governments that are hostile to us). Sometimes it’s to regulate it (e.g., to prevent Wall Street sharks from using our money to speculate away our security— and then expecting us to bail them out and pay them bonuses for their bad judgment). Sometimes it’s to compete with big business to make sure the “free market” is really free and competitive and that it extends opportunity and prosperity to all (e.g., in higher education, where our public universities are not only some of the best in the nation but the most affordable, and in health care, where the best way to keep insurance companies honest is to make them compete with a plan or two that they don’t get to control). Sometimes it’s all of the above, and sometimes it’s none of the above. There isn’t a piece of progressive legislation the president can pass without making unnecessary concessions to a weak but determined opposition, and without creating tensions within his own party and unnecessarily losing seats in 2010—unless he enunciates an alternative vision of government. Our founders believed we could govern ourselves effectively, and that doing so was the precondition of freedom. Let’s prove them right. Drew Westen Drew Westen, professor of psychology and psychiatry at Emory University, is the founder of Westen Strategies and author of The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation (PublicAffairs). This article was originally published in The Nation.

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

The Handmade Garden In-Town Neighbors Grow Together

here’s a small wooden sign poking up from the back of an empty lot on Pope Street, about dead center between Hancock Avenue and Reese Street. An arrow points down to a “path to the garden.” The two-footwide walkway descends to the left and doubles back into a ravine once filled with kudzu; before that, a creek, called “the branch” by neighborhood residents, flowed before it was piped and filled over with topsoil. Now, thanks to the sweat of headstrong volunteers, it’s a beautiful, cascading produce garden with terracing rock knee walls and polygonal beds that are filled and filling with vegetables. It’s an overgrown ditch transformed into one of the most beautiful places in the city. Less than a year ago, Karen Witten stared down the ravine, brimming with kudzu up to her head, and saw its potential. After hauling off over 5000 pounds of vines, Witten, a retired doctor who has taught and practiced medicine on three continents, planted the garden with the help of her husband Wray and an array of volunteers including children, the homeless, students, long-time residents and members of Hill First Baptist Church. The team used only their hands and basic tools in clearing, sowing and tending the garden, leading one volunteer to name the ravine “the handmade garden.” Although many people in the neighborhood played large roles in the garden’s growth, Witten is clearly the determined, driving force behind its continued success. Having moved from Colorado to Athens after retiring, Witten familiarized herself with her new neighborhood by fanning out from her Hill Street home on daily walks. Eventually, she took it upon herself to clean up an empty lot on Hancock Avenue across from the 13 Roses tattoo shop. As she dug into the “depth of trash,” locals stopped to talk and shared memories of 60 to 70 years of neighborhood history. Witten was cleaning out the foundation of the Calloway Building, they said, a two-story building that had housed black-owned cafés on its ground floor and apartments up top. According to Hill First Baptist deacons, some of the best hamburgers in town were cooked on the grills at Zed’s and Hardeman’s cafés. As trash disappeared, neighbors said the cleaned-up lot looked like a garden, so Witten planted a small plot in the old foundation. When the lot’s owners decided to build on the site, she thought the wide ravine that spread out from behind the Hancock Avenue homes would be a great place for a new garden. Witten and husband Wray started clearing trash and pulling vines from the empty lot between Hill First Baptist and a green, stick-framed rental on Pope Street in December 2008, and although they were still unsure of the ravine’s potential as a garden, their efforts attracted the church’s attention. The

deacons and attendees were pleased with their work; anything that makes the neighborhood look better makes the church look better, they said. A 60-year-old homeless man named Tommy Lewis Chester soon joined the Wittens’ efforts, showing the couple how to pull out kudzu roots. Chester, who remembers swimming in the branch as a boy, thought the job would move quickly if they burned the vines or cleared the land with a bulldozer. In the end, though, he went along with the Wittens’ elbow-grease style. “I don’t think we really appreciated what we were tackling, and it turned out to be a massive undertaking, but it was fun,” Witten says. “We just kept working down the side of the ravine and finally got to the bottom, and started clearing the bottom… that’s when we decided we’d talk to the church about

The Reese and Hancock neighborhood has been in transition for a number of years, and Hill First Baptist, a historically African-American church built in 1893, is trying to stay viable as the community changes demographically. They see the garden, and the relationships grown from it, as a way to stay vital in the neighborhood. The new people moving in are “still our neighbors,” says Ed Thomas, a chair trustee at the church. The 150-member congregation—whose average age is “50ish,” according to Deacon James Alford—has been very supportive of the garden. Thomas and Alford say the garden has been good for race relations and has brought the community together, and that Witten, who is white, has been a “solidifying agent” for the diversifying community. By reaching out and partnering with projects like the garden, Thomas and Alford hope their church can reemerge as a headquarters for the new community. Over the spring and summer of 2009, the garden produced a bounty of collards, okra and peppers that Witten, Chester and Todd delivered to homes in the area. Chester and Todd weeded and harvested the garden over the summer while Witten was in Africa, and they’ve worked up new beds for any green thumbs who want to join in the fun. Everything seems to be in place for the project to become the “garden for the neighborhood” that Witten envisions. Witten says there haven’t been too many obstacles other than “just getting to know nature, getting to know Georgia.” But there is a vagrancy problem in the area, and the church and the community deal with these types of issues, as well: in a stark reminder of the neighborhood’s transitional state, Chester, a major contributor to the garden, was arrested recently behind an abandoned house and charged with public indecency and sodomy. Witten says we must remember that the homeless conduct their lives without the privacy of walls. The community knows Chester’s good nature, she says. Chester, speaking from the county jail, says he’s proud of what the garden has become and looks forward to getting back to work when released. Deacon Alford says he has little sympathy for Chester, but adds that he doesn’t have a problem with Chester’s continued work in the garden. Alford says Chester’s involvement is very positive and a good example. “The garden is the best thing for him,” Alford says. Todd is amazed at how welcomed she has felt in the neighborhood, although she lives nowhere near the garden. The intertwining of economically and demographically diverse elements of the community is one the garden’s greatest successes, she says: “How often do you have college professors and homeless people working together equally?”

It’s an overgrown ditch transformed into one of the most beautiful places in the city.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

maybe planting some things as well as clearing the kudzu, and they were very receptive to the idea.” After the vines were pulled up and hauled off—about five months of work—the Wittens shaped up a terrace of beds and an irrigation system using methods they’d picked up while living among mountain farmers in Ethiopia. But with most of her years spent in Colorado and Ethiopia—two dry climates— Witten was unfamiliar with how to plant in Georgia. Luckily, the locals were full of advice: Chester told Witten what types of plants grow best in Athens and introduced her to the wild onions that grow in the area; and Chris Todd, a retired child development professor, donated time, seeds and rain barrels to the project. Without access to faucets, rain barrels are the only way to collect water for a garden that’s only watered by hand, so Witten asked the church if they could capture the rain flowing from the church’s gutters. Again, they agreed.

Andre Gallant

Athens Impressions Pt. 1 A Native Returns and Sees Her Hometown with Fresh Vision

its meatless fryer, which allows for vegan fries and tots.

Larger Questions But other, larger questions linger in my mind about the community’s appreciation of the vital, progressive developments happening in its midst. Why, for instance, does Ciné not sell out screenings of films that should appeal to a broadly cultured, curious population—films that are less frequently foreign, avant-garde, or arthouse than essen-

restaurants like Five and Ten, The National and Farm 255 packed, even (or especially) on weekdays, when there are fewer activities to fill an evening. Where are academics spending their time, or their money? Perhaps they have resigned themselves to quieter lives, retiring to Oconee County at the day’s end? And where are professionals? What occupies their minds and pocketbooks in a relatively inexpensive town? The economy is rough (I know firsthand, and too well), but if Kiplinger observes correctly that Athens has weathered notably well the economic storm, the national downturn bears less relevance here.

Rachel Bailey

ucked into a rural corner of a conservative Southern state, a charming college town stands as an oasis of culture and liberalism. Here, ambitious restaurateurs bring soul to gourmet; hip entrepreneurs open vibrant music venues; folklorists and professors share Thanksgiving dinner; high school romances culminate years later in weddings with moonlit receptions spilling into blockedoff streets. For an escapee of New York and Philadelphia accustomed to a certain degree of urban vigor and persistent, evolving culture, this town should offer a smooth, soothing transition. Key to comfort would be a thriving downtown area, where she could find everything she needed—intellectual and pragmatic—to begin a new life: books, art, community; housing goods, hardware, groceries. Not Athens, not yet, though Oxford, Chapel Hill or Austin could fit the mold. While many qualities of this quaint utopia do apply to Athens, certain aspects describe an Athens from years back, or, hopefully, an Athens potentially re-emerging.

Rediscovering Athens When considering a return to Athens, I prowled the Internet for reassurance. I looked forward to The National, of which Christine Muhlke of The New York Times’ “The Moment” blog raved in March: “At night, the small bar area is filled with Williamsburg-ready foodies and music lovers on their way to and from nearby clubs. At 8 a.m. the next morning, they’re replaced by professors and locals who quietly read the paper over Counter Culture coffee and the chef Peter Dale’s knockout food.” (Alas, The National no longer offers breakfast.) I took heart in the accolades highlighted on downtownathensga.com: Athens, the site reminds, was deemed America’s fifth best city on Kiplinger’s “Best Cities: It’s All About Jobs” list, one of a “Dozen Distinctive Destinations” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation and one of “29 destinations to visit in 2009”—alongside entire nations—by the Los Angeles Times. These were promising signs: moving home was not a failure but a glorious opportunity! What had I been missing all this time? I have encountered many surprises now that I am living (and walking) in the heart of town, and now that I have been able to look around a bit, here and elsewhere. In my first week, I was caught off guard in several instances by the frequency of public prayer, the immensity of tailgating trash, the ubiquity of certain Nike shorts, the elusiveness of restaurant work and skepticism toward walking (but tolerance of drunk driving). Some discoveries—dollar coffee refills at Espresso Royale, an abundance of yoga, whole parts of town I had never known—felt like small triumphs. And I have found a new world of hopeful businesses, many of which are new, not to town, but only to me, now that I’m an older if not necessarily hipper resident. Some of my initial anxieties have been eased by further exploration. Starbucks is not the only place to buy The New York Times, as I feared at first; both Earth Fare and Big City Bread carry it, too, and Kroger on weekdays. The Grit has exceptional vegetarian food, of course, but the meat-heavy Clocked should boast of

This shot of downtown Athens on a weekday afternoon looks like everybody has fled a zombie attack. tial, even big-budget, studio productions, the titles that will win Academy Awards and that fill national papers and magazines? For $25 (not much more than buys a ticket and snacks at the multiplex), a seat at Ciné and dinner at The National should be a justified splurge for young professionals, especially if these citizens avoid college-heavy bars closer to campus. And I am concerned about continued appreciation of landmark cultural resources. Why, for example, is the renowned Georgia Review better known in New York than in its hometown? Further, when Athens should applaud and brag on the Review, why must its editor-in-chief appeal to a local audience for support with reminders of its marked accomplishments, as Stephen Corey did recently before he doted on the remarkable, immeasurably important Rita Dove, whose longstanding relationship with the journal and whose very presence in Athens should serve as some indication of the magazine’s import? I am endeared by the local foods movement and by the intimacy of the Athens food culture. I find it thrilling that our restaurant culture has grown increasingly connected to the land surrounding Athens and to local products, from meat and produce to coffee and beer. Unlike cities like New York, however, where restaurateurs play the simultaneous roles of cultural producer and cultural icon, the biggest fans of the Athens food scene seem to be other industry insiders. The university employs some 3,000 faculty, many of whom have arrived from disparate locations, and many of whom, presumably, receive standard tenured salaries. With this population alone, I expected to find

And where, I continue to wonder, are the students? What happens when a college abandons its college town? I see the same few undergraduates very frequently, but the larger student population, 35,000 or so, constitutes a small city and, indeed, operates as its own mini-province, removed from the alleged “heart of Athens.”

Lacking a Center Of all my initial reactions, the most immediate and most poignant was to the eerie silence that seems the general soundtrack of downtown weekdays, when our city center feels more like a ghost town, or a sleeping bear, than the bustling retail and restaurant mecca I had recalled. Of course, I had formerly only seen downtown on weekend afternoons on a nice day for a stroll. Perhaps, because of the extensive options on any given evening, few nighttime scenes can generate sufficient crowds to feel electric, either. I have not forgotten the rowdy crowds that dominate weekend evenings, but they seem out to support their buzzes more than a collective event or their spirit-purveyors. I am a townie, I suppose, after years of hiding my own university affiliation. Still, I expected my path to cross with those of people I want to know: graduate students, young professors, young professionals, artsy types. Aside from bars, however, where might we meet? On the streets downtown? Probably not: several restaurants offer sidewalk seating, but these, together with the tables in front of Starbucks and Walker’s, are the only areas available for lingering outside.

At bistros, cafés, coffee shops, stirring with chatter, windows agape? In shops? The coffee scene feels disproportionately small and retail traffic slow. (Downtown stores enjoy lucrative holiday and game-day traffic, assuredly, but were there not times of steady crowds in shops like those on Clayton? Now, it seems, shoppers come for one errand, parking close to their destination shop, rather than spending a day perusing.) At the Bottleworks? Its development seemed promising but has not produced a stirring pocket. At the downtown bookstore, newsstand, wine shop, yoga studio, galleries? Perhaps if they existed. I do not mean to overlook Jackson Street Books, a lovely nook, but I wish for a similarly inspiring source of new literature and worthwhile leisure. What, if not books, do students, professors, professionals, hipsters and hippies share? In Oxford—whose population of 14,000 produces a square that feels infinitely more alive than any block in downtown Athens, population 110,000—Square Books is a cultural landmark, an urban beacon, and the starting point for any lazy day visitor/ vibehunter. Of course, literature has always been to Oxford was music is to Athens. (Flagpole has reported on Janet Geddis, who hopes to open a bookstore downtown next year: kudos and the best of luck to her.) So, where is the starting point here? Part of downtown’s quiet atmosphere, I believe, can be attributed to a lack of center, and from this, I fear, stems a perpetual chickenor-egg dilemma: Why is there no bookstore downtown, no newsstand, little coffee culture? Because we do not insist that there be. And why do we fail to insist on such things? Because we do not spend our days downtown. But if older citizens think downtown belongs to the youngsters and students think it is their weekend campus and young adults steer clear of perceived undergraduate zones, then everybody else may find significant gaps in what could be—indeed, what should be—a complete urban center, a utopia of a collegiate microcosm. I wish we were fighting for the prime urban space that drew us all here in the first place, that inspires our tourist literature and comprises our mental conceptions of Athens. If we treat downtown like a jilted lover we only call late at night, we abuse the heart of our community. When people ask if my transition from the urban Northeast has been difficult, as they frequently do, I often detect a defensive, or sympathetic note—an assumption that I find Athens understimulating or disappointing, that I have picked up some pretension in my years away. Perhaps I have. But, I tell them, I am living on Hill Street in a glorious 1880s home, from which I walk to the co-op, the yoga studio, restaurants, Normaltown and downtown: cultivating a routine, finding a community and, thereby, building a life similar to the one I have tried to construct elsewhere, a life I am eager and grateful to begin here. I have doubts and criticisms, to be sure, but they stem, for the most part, from my own excitement about this glorious town. Athens is a birthplace of Southern cool, and its myriad advocates have big things in mind. I just hope everyone realizes how lucky we are to have this jewel among the hills and how important it is to treasure this town. Elaine Ely

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

grub notes Siri-ous Thai

8am-Noon

EVERY SATURDAY

at Bishop Park 705 Sunset Drive

Not Scary, Part 1: If I’d really been thinking ahead, I would have covered something organ meat-oriented for this week, or possibly something about genetically modified foods, but instead, while waiting for a couple of new places to be open long enough to work out their kinks, I visited two restaurants I hadn’t been to in forever. Siri Thai Cuisine (367 Prince Ave., in the Bottleworks complex) had recently added some things to its menu, but I hadn’t been in such a long time (not since it opened) that I really wouldn’t know the new stuff from the old stuff. Siri has a big menu, with a lot of pages and a lot of options, including mucho duck and mucho tofu, and a nice atmosphere that’s a little more upscale than most other Asian spots in town. Not that Athens is any kind of haven for Asian dining. After …mucho duck and eating at the marvelous Pok Pok mucho tofu… in Portland, OR, I had nearly vowed not to bother with Thai food again, as its fresh, zippy, thoroughly ungoopy dishes had put to shame anything I’d had in Georgia. Fortunately, I’m not the uncompromising type. Siri Thai is nothing close to Pok Pok, and it pales in comparison to many Thai places down the road in Atlanta, but it seems not to have a heavy hand with the palm sugar, which sometimes is good enough. On the other hand, a noodle dish with shrimp really could have used a bit more salt to bring out the flavor of the shrimp. The noodles themselves were adequately seasoned, but you had to create the perfect bite each time to remain satisfied, and that requires quite a bit more effort than most of us are willing to put in. The tofu and the rest of the ingredients are a slight step above some of the other places in town, the overall feel of each dish is on the healthy side, and the level of spice is still serious, although it’s been taken down a notch from what it was initially (I still remember my ears literally ringing from “medium”). Siri Thai is open for lunch and dinner every day, accepts credit cards, offers an impressive wine and beer selection, and does takeout. Not Scary, Part 2: I don’t often think of Harry Bissett’s New Orleans Café and Oyster Bar (279 E. Broad St.) as a lunch option, first because I’m not crazy about what passes for New Orleans-style food most of the time (way too much of an emphasis on spice rubs and blackening) and second because I, like most of you, think of it as pretty pricey. Well, Bissett’s still stands as the kind of place you get your parents to take you when they’re in town, but the blue plate specials it’s running for lunch at the moment are surprisingly well priced. For $5.95, you get a meat, two sides and a big hunk of bread, and if you bump that up a dollar, you’ll get yet another side. The portions aren’t enormous, but they’re comparable to many a meat-andthree’s in town, and so are those prices, only here you get real silverware and a cloth napkin. The other day, I had a nice, finely ground piece of meatloaf (incorporating a good amount of veal) with mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, maque choux (a sauté of tomatoes, corn and peppers whose name comes from a French transliteration of American Indian words, which explains why there’s no cabbage in it) and creamed spinach, none of which knocked my socks off, but all of which, especially combined, made for the kind of lunch that was perfect on a frigid day. Attentive service also reminded me of how pleasant it can be to have someone actually care about how your meal is going. There are many more options from which to choose, including Cajun fried chicken, and although they’re often laced with meat, you can also get a three-veggie plate for only $4.95. Harry Bissett’s is open for lunch or brunch and dinner every day, takes credit cards and makes fancy cocktails. What Up?: The Butt Hutt, serving BBQ on Baxter in the former location of Kelly’s and also of Ronnie B’s, is up and running, the product of two gentlemen newly made redundant by the labor market. Wilson’s, the long-lived and famed soul food restaurant on Hull Street, downtown next to the Manhattan Café, has been working on interior renovations, which should be completed by the time this column runs, and they’ll be back in business serving chicken and more. Hillary Brown food@flagpole.com

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

the reader Drivin’ That Train Eric Clapton and Jerry Garcia are on a plane over the South Pacific when it develops engine failure and crashes on an uncharted island. Clapton and Garcia survive but are captured by cannibals. As the tribe fires up the big pot, the chief goes to his captives and asks Garcia if he has any last requests. Garcia says, “Could I have my guitar? I just wanna jam on ‘Dark Star’ one last time.” The chief then asks Clapton if he has a last request. Clapton says, “Eat me, now.” That joke was a lot funnier before Jerry died. Unlike many of my friends, I’ve never been a fan of the Grateful Dead. They were, without a doubt, a great band, and one can’t help but admire their musicianship, longevity, stamina and (sorry, hippies) business acumen—there are Fortune 500 companies who would kill for the Dead’s brand identification. They made a great deal of music and much of it was quite good, especially the stuff on the quintessential albums American Beauty and Workingman’s Dead. Jerry Garcia was a gifted multi-instrumentalist, both in the Dead and in his numerous side projects. But I’ve never been able to get behind the band. I don’t particularly care for jam bands, first of all—I don’t care how good you are, after 30 seconds a solo becomes just self-indulgent noodling. Secondly, while I support any obsession that doesn’t involve children or barnyard animals, the sheer quasi-religious mania of some Deadheads, even 15 years after Garcia’s passing and the band’s breakup, is startling and often disturbing even to other Dead fans. Still, 30 years of constant recording and touring is nothing to sneeze at and there is no end of documentation of the Grateful Dead’s career. Besides the official recordings, merchandise and books by the ton, the band’s committed fan base created an endless well of unofficial material, especially bootleg tapes, which the band cheerfully accepted as part of the cost of doing business with their particular audience. Fan tapes of Dead shows circulated among the network almost virally, with aficionados poring over and comparing shows like Talmudic scholars. It wasn’t long before the network began to organize, and that’s where Relix magazine came in. Initially the first newsletter to serve as a trading post for tapers, in 1973 the rag quickly became a fanzine for Deadheads to submit their recollections of shows, art, poetry and other appreciations of the band and for the editors to post grapevine news on the doings of the Dead. Shortly after Relix went regular, however, the Dead announced that they were going on hiatus. Left without any Dead news to report, the magazine turned to reporting on other bands on the San Francisco/hippie/jam-band axis (Hot Tuna, Jefferson Starship), and the fanzine turned into a full-fledged music magazine, which is still on the newsstands today. Though Relix’s focus has broadened considerably (including reportage of new wave artists during the ‘80s, which outraged the Dead fan base), the magazine remained steadfast in

its coverage of the Dead, its spinoff projects and its direct descendants like Phish and Widespread Panic. Longtime Relix editor Toni Brown has collected and distilled the best of the magazine’s Dead reportage into a new collection called Relix, the Book: The Grateful Dead Experience (Hal Leonard Books, 2009), from its humble, amateurish origins to the slick production of its later years. For nonDeadheads like myself, it’s an interesting look at the Dead phenomenon from the fan’s-eye point of view. Unlike most of the books out there by rock historians, Brown’s book reproduces the pages of the magazine and gives a warts-and-all look at both the staff’s work and the contributions of road warriors and fellow travelers, producing a time-capsule effect that is both fascinating and often wince-inducing. Fans will, of course, gobble this up, as well they should. All of the primary players are interviewed, including elusive lyricist Robert Hunter, at the various stages of the Dead’s career, and it’s interesting to see how the band evolved through their experiences. Garcia naturally gets a lot of coverage, both in life and death, but oddly enough, there is no mention of either his diabetes or his heroin use, both of which contributed to his demise. Maybe the fans didn’t know or didn’t want to know, but it’s their forum. Scattered here and there are occasional stray articles, a piece on Stevie Ray Vaughn here, a remembrance of John Lennon there, and a gallery of Relix covers that tease at the other artists that we may see if the magazine’s editors decide to publish future retrospectives, but this volume is all about the Dead, an engaging piece of musical history for those of us outside the cosmic circle, an indispensable treasure for those inside. Speaking of ‘70s Psychedelic Ephemera: Local musician and Krush Girl Dan Donahue has just released the first book to chronicle the marvels of the ‘60s and ‘70s blacklight poster phenomenon: Ultraviolet (Abrams, 2009). A collection of 69 fluorescent stand-outs, the DayGlo eye-candy includes images of sex, drugs and rock and roll, of course, as well as Earth awareness, Black Power and astrology. [Cotter]

FIVE POI N TS

On the Other Side of the Universe from the Galaxy of Deadheaddom: New York Times columnist and man of letters William Safire succumbed at the age of 79 to pancreatic cancer last month. A former speechwriter for President Nixon and longtime gadfly for the right, Safire was a tireless journalist, gifted novelist and a warrior for the proper use of the English language. Though I may not have agreed with most of his views, Safire was a necessary figure in the national debate, a voice of reason and eloquence amid an everwidening field of bombastic know-nothings, and he will be missed. 1

John G. Nettles

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

Scary Stories 2009

Readers Become Writers in the Flagpole Halloween Short Story Contest

nce again, we had an outpouring of good stories, making it difficult to pick the winners. Read the Honorable Mention stories and some others online at Flagpole.com, including “Shock Me,” by Judi Wright, and “Paul and Julia,” by Donna Smith Fee. Also online, notice especially “The Scariest Halloween Night” by Monica Graham, age six, and “Monstrous,” by our faithful contestant Seth Adams, age 10. In the mix, you’ll also find an illustrated story, “Witch,” by Amanda Rochwick and Joyce Kim and a scary rap poem by Joshua Appleby. The theme this year is “Halloween Health Care Horror,” and contestants had to use at least 10 of these 20 words or phrases: death panels, birthers, teabaggers, Glenn Beck, zombies, Paul Broun, putrefaction, “You lie!,” swine flu, Hitler, injection, pull the plug, grandma, town hall, single-payer, Blue Dogs, public option, socialism, Canada, end-of-life. Bite somebody in the neck, then relax and enjoy these scary stories by Flagpole readers, being careful to avert the eyes of younger readers from the language in the third-place story.

The hallway is dark, but a flash of movement catches my eye. I follow into a dimly lit bedroom. “Come out grandma!” She knows that the Death Panel has marked her. Though NewsCorps haven’t found any hard evidence, they’ve publicly hinted towards the existence of the top-secret program. They have no idea. Reaper Briefing #4 Weekly Enquirer headline for February, 2025—“Fountain of Youth Serum” Turns Nation’s Wealthy Into Living Zombies!

pound causes cells to only appear youthful. Decomposition of cells is imminent and hidden for indefinite amount of time. The injection of Glennbeck into humans will result in eventual internal death of the living patient. She knows why I’m here. I’m her end-of-life plan. “I didn’t know.” Her vocal chords, loose and rotting, make her sound like she’s talking through a mouthful of beef stew.

SECOND PLACE: Swine Flu

God, the smell. It’s a smell I’m familiar with, if that’s possible. A cross between the funk of an old pissed-on cushion and the stomach-turning aroma of month-ago expired milk. The scent physically pushes me back, but mentally tells me to follow. I’m close. Death Panel, Reaper Briefing #1 Times Headline for March, 2011—After Congress votes to include a public option to the insurance bill, private insurance customers push for superior coverage from their providers. Used to be, a reaper was a symbol of death. Not much has changed, except now it’s spelled with a capital “R” and is a legitimate answer to “Occupation?” on a W-2. The government hires us to pull the plug on lives that have passed their “prime.”

Reaper Briefing #3 Classified document obtained from private insurance provider dated June 2020—Privately funded scientists have discovered a chemical that causes cells in humans to retain youthful appearance during aging process. It has been nicknamed The Glennbeck Compound (G.B.). Long-term effects remain unknown.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

Jason Crosby

I follow a snail trail of yellow mucus to some stairs and begin my ascent. The mark is trying to hide. I would feel sorry, but then I remember the greed and the blatant disregard for nature. I swallow puke and it burns my throat. The smell is so strong now I can almost see it distorting the air.

The antidote takes effect almost immediately. I watch awareness fade from her eyes. The processes that should have occurred years ago suddenly activate and play out in fast forward. Gasses escape and her skin sinks in around her bones. Fluids drain from her body as her skin shrivels and hardens. Most of her hair falls out, and she’s left a beautiful corpse. They’ll rule the death “natural causes.” As complex as living is, I’m surprised people are so scared of death. Patients want more than just to be taken care of when they’re sick. And, for the right price, there are corporations that will promise more. She didn’t realize that no amount of money can prevent the inevitable. Adam Rainville

FIRST PLACE: The Private Option

Reaper Briefing #2 Classified document obtained from private insurance provider dated July 2015—To stay competitive and justify elevated prices to our top tier customers, we must develop new programs. Top priority: Extended Life Programs (ELPs).

up the misdealings of the private insurance providers.

I throw open the closet door and step back. They try to desensitize us in training, but training can’t prepare you for the real thing. The putrefaction process is much further along than I anticipated. The woman in front of me appears to be in her mid 30s. Only, she’s “melting.” Her eyes swell with insect eggs. Her torso bloats to the point of ripping her shirt open, a result of gas buildup. Her skin is slipping off her body. This is why I’m here. Reaper Briefing #5 Classified document obtained from Centers for Disease Control (CDC) dated April, 2054—Studies of G.B. show that the com-

“You lie! No one stays young for 80 years!” I take a syringe from my pocket, stab her in the meaty part of her shoulder and push the plunger. One time I made the mistake of stabbing a mark in his bloated stomach. I’ll never make that mistake again. Exploding flesh is hard to clean off. The following passage is from the Reaper program orientation manual. The covert Reaper program was instituted to ensure the survival of public insurance. It is the government’s belief that compromise with corporate insurance is the only way to achieve a balance in the system. It is your duty to cover

I awoke to the “shhhkkk” of a hospital curtain being pulled aside. I couldn’t remember being in an accident, and I felt good, so I wasn’t sure why I was there. The nurse was busy checking my IV when the doctor came in. He pulled my chart and said, “How are we feeling today, Mr.… Paul Broun?” I was used to the quizzical looks. “Yeah, no relation. We feel fine. Why are we here?” “According to your chart, you have swine flu.” He motioned to the nurse. “Go ahead with the injection.” “I told you I’m not si… ” I raised my arms to stop her, only to find they were shackled to the bed rails. “Hey… wait… ” I struggled vainly against the straps. “What are you doing?” She had already plunged the syringe into the IV tube, and the fluid burned as it entered my vein. “Stop! STOP! HEL…” I went limp, and unconsciousness quickly followed. I don’t know how long I was out. The room was dark, lit only by the monitors. Suddenly, I noticed an orderly crouching beside my bed, fumbling with my restraints. “Mr. Broun,” he whispered, “my name’s George. You’re in danger. I’m trying to get you out.” “What danger?” I asked, still trying to clear the cobwebs. “Why are you doing this?” “My grandma,” he said through clenched teeth, “came for a visit. Next thing you know, some doctor says she has swine flu, and suddenly she’s a patient. She’s never been sick a day. Seems fine to me while she’s here. Then, about a week ago, she’s gone. Doctor says she checked out, but I haven’t heard from her since.” He stopped trying to pick the lock and started cutting the strap. “I’ve been listening when they think I’ve got my earbuds in. Whoever—or whatever—they are, they’re turning people into what they call ‘birthers.’ Some kind of Hitler-like, master race kind of plan. Have you gotten an injection yet?” I nodded. “That’s not good. I think they’ve implanted something inside you.” “You lie!” I blurted, then lowered my voice. “People, especially doctors, wouldn’t do that to other people.”

“I never said they were people.” “That’s crazy!” I hissed. “You sound like one of those teabaggers who believes in death panels. What else would they be?” George moved around the bed to get to the other strap. “Zombies, maybe. I don’t know. They’re doing something to those bodies. I’m just trying to pull the plug on their plans for what they did to my grandma.” With his back to the door, he didn’t see it open. Before I could say anything, a scalpel came through his chest. The last thing he saw was the dark stain spreading from his heart, soaking his scrubs. “Actually, he wasn’t that far off with the zombie thing.” I was so stunned I couldn’t speak. The doctor I had seen earlier was wiping blood from his hand as George’s body slid to the floor. “Every so often, our race begins to die off, and we need an infusion of red blood cells. Transfusions won’t work, so we have to get it on the cellular level. I injected you with thousands of microscopic larvae that have worked their way into your bones. Brains are disgusting, but bone marrow,” he said, slowly licking his lips, “that’s tasty!” “Why has no one ever noticed such widespread death before?” I asked. “Oh, but you have,” the doctor replied. “We just made you believe it was something else. The Black Death, the Great Plague of London, typhoid fever, swine flu.” He cocked his eyebrow as he said this last one. “All throughout your history, every major outbreak was a cover for what was really going on.” “So, why tell me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell the world?” “You won’t last long,” the doctor chuckled. “By now, the larvae have consumed most of your bone marrow. Soon, we’ll move them to the incubator where they will share your cells with the other younglings. Besides, who would believe you?” I lay back and smiled. Turning to leave, he asked, “Why are you smiling?” “Resignation,” I said. I had lied. Not about the smile. I was resigned to my fate. No, when I first told him I wasn’t sick, I was. Terminal bone cancer. I thought about these things inside me, and what would happen when they shared my cells with the “other younglings.” I thought about George and his grandma and said, “This one’s on me.” Philip Weinrich

THIRD PLACE: Two Large Pepperoni, Extra Cheese I swore last year I wouldn’t work Halloween night again. Nothing but goddamn amateurs who haven’t been this drunk or this naked in public since Mardi Gras, who order pizza and pass out on the couch with a subtle hint of vomit in the corner of their mouths and somebody else’s hands in their crotch until I knock on the wide-open door with a pizza in my hand and I get the sheepish can-you-keepa-secret smile—like New Year’s, just a touch sluttier. So, I’m delivering pizza at 4-fucking a.m. on Halloween to some asshole in the frat plantation off River Road. I look down to check which zombie factory I’m supposed to be headed towards when I hit something or someone, tossing it to the curb. I back up and shine my headlights over where he’s landed. He’s screaming at me, fists slamming into my window, blood and chunks flying and smearing everything. He’s too old to be a frat

boy, and there’s something about the pastel tie around his neck and the hysterical shrillness of his voice and the icy tears dripping down his porcine cheeks that is so familiar. I’m catching every other word, but only barely. “Death panels! Single payer! Public motherfucking option!” He’s right up against the window. I see no humanity in his blue-gray eyes: it’s Glenn Beck, and he’s about to bleed out all over my car. I back up again, and with the headlights on his translucent skin, bulging yellow and blue and brown, I peg the accelerator, and I’m shooting past him, the side-view tearing a hole in his rotting abdomen. Beck disintegrates into a steaming pile of Aryan compost as I drive up the hill. I whip around the corner, and I see the frat houses: ugly new facsimiles of bygone class and charm, lit up against the night. I stop the car, and a man—no, a hero, is illuminated in the dark. He’s carrying a broadsword and an M4A1 carbine. His hair, a shock of pure silver eminence, glows brightly, a halo of conservative superiority. It’s Paul Broun, motioning for me to join him. “We have to stop them! Under the houses, embedded in the hill, it’s a giant putrefaction farm! A human compost heap! Everyone who got the swine flu vaccine injection, they’re here, underground. It was mind-control serum that made them show up here, for their own slaughter. Another few hours, and the putrid, liquefied remains of our beloved grandparents and children will be dumped into the water supply, and we’ll all be fucked like the Israelites fucked Hamor,” he says. “My grandma got the flu vaccine.” “I’m afraid it’s too late for her. You must join me, help me destroy them!” I nod my assent, and follow closely behind as he kicks in the door of the nearest house. Into the basement, he’s kicking in another door that opens into a massive, fluorescentlit cavern. The entire hillside atop which the houses sit is a hollowed out body farm, and there are rows and rows of thousands of pods, each filled with a rapidly putrefying senior or child. It reeks of government bureaucracy and human waste. “No wonder the Eastside smells so fucking terrible all the time.” Broun snorts in bemused acknowledgment. Over in the corner is a tank, and all the pods are attached to it, filling it with dead human. There’s a spigot at the bottom, and someone is standing over there, about to open the valve and dump 10,000 gallons of melted loved ones into the local water supply. Broun dips his fist into a pod, spreads a handful of human decay across his face like warpaint, and levels his automatic weapon at the aged, bald white man. “Take your hands off that fucking thing, McCommons! Haven’t you done enough to erode the moral fabric of my town already?” “Your town? Ha!” The newspaperman is laughing, turning the spigot, and just as the first of the sludge starts to drip down, Broun puts three in him, center mass, and one to the head, which explodes in a shower of liberal compassion, Southern wit and gray matter. Broun is running over to the tank, shouting something over his shoulder, something about the Rapture and Oconee County. He tries to turn the valve back the other way, but it won’t budge. He shoves his entire arm up the spigot, and before I know it, he’s up the thing all the way to his waist, his legs wriggling below. He’s plugged the hole, stopped the flow of liquefied bodies into the water supply and drowned in a giant tank of human chum. He’s my congressman. My Republican Jesus. Our hero. Bob Howard

Skate kate Shop Sh p O F AT H E N S

50 GAINES SCHOOL ROAD · 706.543.6368 OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

movie dope Some releases may not be showing locally this week. A DIOS MOMO (NR) 2006. A bit of the old magical realism, A Dios Momo, or Goodbye Momo, is set at a carnival in Uruguay, where a paper boy, Obdulio (Mathias Acuna), learns to read and write with the help of his newspaper’s night watchman (Jorge Esmoris). Written and directed by Silver Condor nominee Leonardo Ricagni (El Chevrolé). Part of the Latin American Film Series sponsored by the Georgia Museum of Art and the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies. AMELIA (PG) I have found myself surprisingly moved and excited by the trailers for The Namesake director Mira Nair’s biopic of legendary aviatrix Amelia Earhart, who disappeared in 1937 while attempting a record-breaking flight around the world. As Earhart, Hilary Swank is nearly guaranteed her third Oscar nomination; can she extend her winning streak? (She’s presently two for two.) With Richard Gere as Earhart’s husband, publisher George Putnam, and Ewan McGregor as her lover, Gene Vidal. ASTRO BOY (PG) Osamu Tezuka’s groundbreaking manga series becomes a beautifully animated, not terribly memorable feature film. Astro Boy (v. Freddie Highmore, Finding Neverland) was built by his “father,” Dr. Tenma (v. Nicolas Cage), after Tenma lost his son. Unable to replace Tenma’s human child as he was built to, Astro runs off in search of acceptance. He finds it after using his incredible powers to save the world, or at least the floating conurbation called Metro City. Director David Bowers (Flushed Away) crafts a pretty incredible looking non-Pixar, non-DreamWorks CG feature, but Astro Boy lacks the other Pixar/DreamWorks intangibles that leave a lasting impression on the ever-changing landscape of children’s entertainment.

BLACK DYNAMITE (R) Another homage to blaxploitation, Black Dynamite stars co-writer Michael Jai White (Spawn) as the titular hero who must avenge his brother’s murder and right neighborhood wrongs all the way to the White House (James McManus plays Richard Nixon himself). I kind of hope this movie actually makes it to Athens. Winner of the Seattle International Film Festival’s Golden Space Needle Award for Best Film. With Arsenio Hall and “In Living Color”’s Tommy Davidson. THE BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY (R) Writer-director Troy Duffy mines his only successful film, a box office bust turned cult fave, for its inevitable sequel. The Brothers MacManus, Connor (former “Young Indiana Jones” Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus), leave their idyllic life on the family farm in Ireland and return to Boston to take revenge on the mob that killed their favorite priest. With Julie Benz (“Angel” and “Dexter”), Clifton Collins Jr., Billy Connolly, Judd Nelson and Peter Fonda. BRIGHT STAR (PG) Jane Campion, the Oscar-winning writer-director of The Piano (she was only the second woman to be nominated for Best Director), returns with a period romantic drama about the short-lived relationship between poet John Keats (Ben Whishaw, one of the Dylans in I’m Not There), who died at 25, and Fanny Brawne (Abbie Cornish, StopLoss). Nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes. With Thomas Sangster (Love Actually) and Paul Schneider, a strange choice for a drama set in 19th-century England. CAPITALISM: A LOVE STORY (R) A bit drier than firebrand filmmaker Michael Moore’s usual polemics, Capitalism: A Love Story is scary

and depressing. Moore compellingly connects the dots between our elected representatives and the greedy bastards on Wall Street without forgetting us the little people who keep losing our houses. Love him or hate him, Moore is a hell of a documentarian, whose brilliant sense of humor and irony save him from his own self-serving sermonizing. After the refreshingly bipartisan Sicko, Capitalism reverts to the Bushbashing for which Fahrenheit 9/11

Check out my new hybrid! was demonized. But just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not true. The truth of Capitalism may not be as simple as Moore convincingly makes it seem, but it is every bit as frightening. Keep an eye on the film’s breakout star, Ohio Representative Mary Kaptur, who comes off caring more for the American people than any of her cowardly colleagues. CIRQUE DU FREAK: THE VAMPIRE’S ASSISTANT (PG-13) The first three books in Darren Shan’s vampire series for boys (i.e., more gore, less kissing), Cirque du Freak, are mashed together for what is hoped to be the first of a new cinematic

M OVIE L ISTI NG S

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

Lake Tahoe (NR) 7:00 (Th. 10/29) Yiddish Theater: A Love Story (NR) 6:00 (Tu. 10/27)

BEECHWOOD (706-546-1011)

Due to production deadlines, Beechwood movie times are only accurate through Oct. 29. Visit www.flagpole.com for updated times. Amelia (PG) 4:05, 7:05, 9:45 Astro Boy (PG) 5:10, 7:30, 9:55 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 3D (PG) 4:30, 7:10 Couples Retreat (PG-13) 4:10, 7:10, 9:50 The Invention of Lying (PG-13) 9:25 Law Abiding Citizen (R) 4:15, 7:15, 9:55 Paranormal Activity (R) 5:15, 7:25, 9:35 Saw VI (R) 4:40, 7:25, 9:40 Stepfather (PG-13) 4:05, 7:35, 10:00 Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (PG-13) 4:20, 7:20, 9:50 Where the Wild Things Are (PG) 5:10, 7:30. 9:50

CARMIKE 12 (706-354-0016)

Due to production deadlines, Carmike 12 movie times are only accurate through Oct. 29. Visit www.flagpole.com for updated times. Astro Boy (PG) 1:45, 4:30, 7:10, 9:30 Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs (PG) 1:00, 3:15, 5:30, 7:40, 9:50 Couples Retreat (PG-13) 1:20, 4:35, 7:05, 9:35 Fame (PG) 1:45 I Can Do Bad All By Myself (PG-13) 4:10, 7:00, 9:45 Law Abiding Citizen (R) 1:20, 4:35, 7:20, 10:00 Paranormal (PG-13) 1:10, 3:20, 5:30, 7:40, 9:50 Saw VI (R) 1:00, 1:30, 3:15, 3:45, 5:30, 5:55, 7:45, 8:15,10:00, 10:30, 12:15

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

franchise. Judging from the result— stranded in a desolate no man’s land between funny and scary—the remaining nine books might be better off remaining on the page. High schooler Darren (a dreadfully boring Chris Massoglia) becomes a vampire after attending a freak show. Despite a great cast—the movie, directed by Paul Weitz from a script he co-wrote with Oscar-winner Brian Helgeland, has one thing going for it, Reilly’s laid-back

The Stepfather (PG-13) 1:45, 4:25, 7:10, 9:40 Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (PG-13) 1:30, 4:15, 7:00, 9:35 Where the Wild Things Are (PG) 1:30, 4:15, 7:00, 9:30 Zombieland (R) 1:10, 3:20, 5:30, 7:40, 9:50

CINÉ (706-353-3343)

Bright Star (PG) 4:45, 7:15 (starts F. 10/30) Capitalism: A Love Story (R) 4:30, 7:00 (starts F. 10/30) It Might Get Loud (NR) 7:00, 9:30 (new times F. 10/30: 9:30) (add’l times Sa. 10/31–Su. 11/1: 2:15) (no 9:30 show Su. 11/1) No Impact Man (NR) 5:00 (ends Th. 10/29) Thirst (R) 4:30, 7:15, 9:45 (new times F. 10/30: 9:45) (add’l times Sa. 10/31–Su. 11/1: 2:00) (no 9:45 show Su. 11/1)

GEORGIA SQUARE 5 (706-548-3426)

Due to production deadlines, Georgia Square Five movie times are only accurate through Oct. 29. Visit www.flagpole. com for updated times. G-Force (PG) 7:50 G.I. Joe (PG-13) 4:10 The Hangover (R) 5:25, 7:55, 10:15 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (PG) 4:00, 9:50 Ice Age 3 (PG) 7:35 Jennifer’s Body (R) 5:20, 7:40, 10:00 The Time Traveler’s Wife (PG-13) 4:05, 7:45, 10:15

ZELL B. MILLER LEARNING CTR. (706-548-3426)

Screenings for the Latin American Film Series are sponsored by GMOA and presented in Room 150. A Dios Momo (NR) 7:00 (W. 10/28)

vamp, Larten Crepsley. But he is not reason enough to shell out the money and two hours it takes to watch this predictable monster mash. Rent The Monster Squad instead. CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS (PG) When inventor Flint Lockwood (v. Bill Hader) devises a machine that delivers food, on order, from the heavens, the town of Chewandswallow rejoices. Kids will too, as Judi and Ron Barrett’s 1978 children’s classic comes to life on the screen. Parents, especially those who had to sit through July’s G-Force, won’t be disappointed either. The animation resembles every other high profile CG feature, but the 3D is top-notch. COCO BEFORE CHANEL (PG-13) Before Coco Chanel was Coco Chanel, she was Gabrielle Chanel. Amelie star Audrey Tautou is drawing raves and Oscar buzz for this biopic of the famous French designer, who started out in an orphanage. Coco Before Chanel is writer-director Anne Fontaine’s second buzzy release of the year. (The Girl from Monaco garnered some nice pub back in July.) With Benoit Poelvoorde (Man Bites Dog), Alessandro Nivola (Junebug) and Emmanuelle Devos. COUPLES RETREAT (PG-13) Writers Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau and Dana Fox also star in this lazily glued-together sitcom collage of misunderstandings about sex, massages, et cetera and platitudes about the hard work it takes to maintain the two-way street of a relationship. AN EDUCATION (PG-13) Teenaged Jenny (Carey Mulligan) comes of age in the 1960s suburban London upon the arrival of David (Peter Sarsgaard), a playboy nearly twice her age. Mulligan is winning raves and positioning herself on the shortlist of potential Oscar dark horses. Director Lone Scherfig also helmed Italian for Beginners and bestselling novelist Nick Hornby (High Fidelity and About a Boy) adapted the memoir by Lynn Barber. Winner of the Dramatic World Cinema Audience Award, Cinematography Award, as well as a Grand Jury Prize nomination from the Sundance Film Festival.

FAME (PG) Fame really does live forever. This remake of the popular 1980s musical centers on a new batch of talented students going broke for their dream at the New York City High School of Performing Arts. A bunch of neophytes (including “So You Think You Can Dance” finalist Kherington Payne) are joined by “real” actors (almost all of whom have TV backgrounds), Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth, Megan Mullally, Charles S. Dutton and Debbie Allen, of course. l GENTLEMEN BRONCOS (PG13) Science-fiction author Ronald Chevalier (the excellent, Emmynominated Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords, the band and the TV program) battles plagiarism charges leveled by a teenage writer, Benjamin Purvis (The Forbidden Kingdom’s Michael Angarano), homeschooled by his eccentric mother (Jennifer Coolidge). Napoleon Dynamite director Jared Hess tries to recover from his poorly received sophomore effort, Nacho Libre. Cowritten by Hess’ wife, Jerusha. With Sam Rockwell and producer Mike White. THE HANGOVER (R) When three buddies—married schoolteacher Phil (Bradley Cooper), emasculated dentist Stu (Ed Helms), and strange Alan (Zack Galifianakis)—take their pal, Doug (Justin Bartha), to Las Vegas for his bachelor party, all hell breaks loose. The fifth feature from Todd Phillips, The Hangover is a perfect comedic convergence that’s funnier than it deserves to be. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALFBLOOD PRINCE (PG) In his sixth year at Hogwarts, young wizard Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his pals, Ron and Hermione (Rupert Grint and Emma Watson), must contend with Death Eaters, a puffed-up new Potions prof and love potions. In his second Potter film, director David Yates gets what makes the books so special and translates that quality to the screen unlike any of his predecessors; fivetime screenwriter Steve Kloves has perfected extracting only the essentials from Rowling’s doorstops. Half-Blood Prince is the prettiest Potter film as well. THE HOUSE OF THE DEVIL (R) The House of the Devil sounds like my kind of movie. College coed Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) takes a lucrative babysitting job at a Victorian mansion in the middle of nowhere. Lo and behold, it coincides with a full lunar eclipse needed to complete a satanic ritual. Writer-director Ti West also helmed a seemingly DOA sequel to Eli Roth’s Cabin Fever and is in pre-production on a flick titled The Haunting in Georgia. With cameos from genre vets Tom Noonan, Mary Woronov and Dee Wallace. I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF (PG-13) With his latest, I Can Do Bad All by Myself, Tyler Perry continues preaching to the choir. The unconverted will be as unimpressed and uninterested in the latest faith-based, tonally bipolar dramedy starring himself in drag as mad matron Madea as they were the previous four features. ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS (PG) Don’t expect any surprises in the third installment of the mammoth animated franchise that isn’t Shrek or produced by Pixar. Ice Age: DotD is just for the kiddies.

THE INVENTION OF LYING (PG-13) An adult fable, the new film from British “Office” creator and star Ricky Gervais posits a world in which everyone tells the truth. An old-fashioned romantic comedy, The Invention of Lying would not seem like anything new were it not for Gervais. The brilliant Brit makes something honest out of the oldest trick in the book. IT MIGHT GET LOUD (PG) An Inconvenient Truth Oscar winner Davis Guggenheim’s new documentary tackles the electric guitar through the points of view of three pretty big names in rock and roll: Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page, U2’s The Edge (né Dave Evans), and The White Stripes’ Jack White. Any self-respecting rock doc fan is drooling at the thought, whether or not they like any or all of these guitar gods. LAKE TAHOE (NR) 2008. Director Fernando Eimbcke co-wrote this story of a teenager and the strange events occurring in his small hometown. This Golden Berlin Bear-nominee won a Golden Ariel and two Silver Ariels from Mexico’s equivalent of the Academy Awards, two prizes from the Berlin International Film Festival, three Golden India Catalinas from the Cartagena Film Festival, a Mayahuel Award from the Guadalajara Film Festival, and my personal favorite, a Special Mention at the Transilvania Film Festival. LAW ABIDING CITIZEN (R) Despite a couple of spurts of over-the-top violence, Law Abiding Citizen should please those moviegoers looking for the latest generic thriller that puts a couple of big name stars (Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler) through the predictable paces. Butler works too hard as Clyde Shelton, a mild-mannered guy who goes all Death Wish meets Jigsaw after the justice system fails to adequately punish the guys who killed his wife and daughter. He blames the show-boating prosecutor, Nick Rice (Foxx), who cut the deal that set the killers free. Clyde’s elaborate revenge scheme, which crosses from movie farfetched to patently unbelievable by the big reveal, targets the entire municipal government of Philadelphia. Nonetheless, Law Abiding Citizen will please the “NCIS”-loving masses. NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU (R) Shia LeBeouf, Natalie Portman, The Hangover’s breakout star Bradley Cooper, Blake Lively, Orlando Bloom, Robin Wright Penn, Hayden Christensen, Drea de Matteo, Christina Ricci, John Hurt, Ethan Hawke, James Caan, Justin Bartha, Chris Cooper, Andy Garcia, Julie Christie, Eli Wallach, Cloris Leachman, Irrfan Khan and many, many more star in an anthology of love stories set in New York City directed by the likes of Fatih Akin (The Edge of Heaven), Shekhar Kapur, Brett Ratner and star Portman. NO IMPACT MAN: THE DOCUMENTARY (NR) Watch as one Manhattan family tries not to impact the environment for a year. No soda cans, no bottled water, no magazines, no newspapers, no airplanes, no subways, no taxis, no elevators! In fact, they can’t get anything new at all. Sounds like a doozy of a challenge. Will Colin Beavan sacrifice his family to the gods of green? An official selection at Sundance, Silverdocs and the Los Angeles Film Festivals. Directed by Laura Gabbert and Justin Schein. ONG BAK 2 (R) I don’t really remember the first Ong Bak, though I know I saw it. (Rereading my own review of 2005’s The Protector reminded me that I preferred its 2003 predecessor, if that means anything to you.) Tien (Tony Jaa) must use his fighting skills to get revenge on the man who killed his parents. Director and star Jaa reportedly took a two month sabbatical before returning to finish shooting the movie with the help of writer Panna Rittikrai.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (R) See Movie Pick. RECIPES FOR DISASTER (NR) 2007. Writer-director John Webster documents a family as it goes through “oil detox.” Imagine trying to live an average suburban life without using any fossil fuel? Is it feasible, economical or even possible? The film provides 13 “recipes for disaster” and how to combat them. SAW VI (R) The last two Saws have me seriously reconsidering my feelings about the entire franchise. The flicks have been steadily devolving ever since director Darren Lynn Bousman left and Feast creators Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan took over the writing duties. Jigsaw AKA John Kramer (Tobin Bell) continues teaching moral lessons from beyond the grave thanks to Detective Hoffman (Costas Mandylor). The ethically corrective premise of Jigsaw’s games is undermined by the innocence of many of Saw VI’s victims. You’re really going to crush a janitor in a man-size vise for smoking, Jiggy? A gory, didactic, preachy polemic against the insurance biz, Saw VI is intensely dull. A SERIOUS MAN (R) The Oscarwinning Coen Brothers, Joel and Ethan, return with a black comedy set in the late 1960s. Midwestern prof Larry Gopnik’s (Michael Stuhlbarg) life starts to fall apart after his brother (Richard Kind) takes up semi-permanent residence in his home. His wife, Judith (Sari Lennick), is preparing to leave him; his son is stealing his money for pot; and his daughter is stealing to finance a nose job. The trailer is a true work of art. I’m really excited about this one. THE STEPFATHER (PG-13) The Stepfather stars Dylan Walsh as a man willing to kill for the perfect family. Walsh’s five-season body of work on “Nip/Tuck” was a perfect audition reel

to replace the original stepfather, Terry O’Quinn (“Lost”). The biggest problem with the new Stepfather is liking it feels like I’m cheating on the old (1987) one, a tense little thriller that didn’t need to be redone. ST. TRINIAN’S (PG-13) A smash hit in its native Britain, St. Trinian’s stars Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace’s Strawberry Fields) as the ringleader of a gang of private school girls who plan a heist to save their rundown institution. The cast includes Rupert Everett and Colin Firth so it’s got that going for it. A sequel to co-directors Oliver Parker (Othello) and Barnaby Thompson’s comedy has already been greenlit. Nominated for an Empire Award and four National Movie Awards, including Best Comedy. THIRST (R) See Movie Pick. THIS IS IT (PG) The King of Pop’s big comeback tour has now become his farewell sendoff. A sort of cinematic wake for Michael Jackson, This Is It compiles interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage as MJ prepared for his series of sold-out London shows. Tickets have been on sale for this Michael Jackson concert documentary for months; I wonder how many shows will actually sell out. Directed by High School Musical impresario, Kenny Ortega, who is also prepping the Footloose remake. TRUCKER (R) A carefree trucker, Diane Ford (Michelle Monaghan), looks to settle down after taking in her 11-year-old son (Jimmy Bennett, Star Trek). Then again, Trucker does have Nathan Fillion in it, so it can’t be all bad. Winner of an Excellence in Acting Award (Monaghan) from the Vail Film Festival and the Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature Film from the Woods Hole Film Festival. Written and directed by James Mottern. Also featuring Joey Lauren Adams and Benjamin Bratt in lesser roles.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (PG) Rambunctious Max (tremendous little Max Records) angers his single mother (Catherine Keener) while she is trying to entertain a male friend (Mark Ruffalo). Running away from home, Max hops in a boat and travels to a land of wild things where he becomes king. It is quite impressive what director Spike Jonze and cowriter Dave Eggers do with Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book of 339 words. They expand upon his wild world, populated by giant-headed monsters and a boy in a wolfsuit named Max, with the same imaginative recklessness as Sendak. YIDDISH THEATER: A LOVE STORY (NR) 2006. Award-winning director Dan Katzir and his cowriter, Ravit Markus, document Holocaust survivor Zypora Spaisman’s attempt to keep America’s oldest running Yiddish Theater from going dark. A week of fundraising leads to miracle after miracle, but can the theater be saved? The screening, presented by the Athens Jewish Film Festival and the ACC Library, will be introduced by Mira Hirsch, the founding Artistic Director of Genesis Stage and Screen. ZOMBIELAND (R) It’s hard to complain about Zombieland. It’s funny, surprising, violent, gross; if horrorcomedy fans can name it, Zombieland’s got it. Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone, Superbad), and her little sister, Little Rock (Academy Award-nominee Abigail Breslin) are trekking across the a zombie-ravaged country in search of a safe place to call home. Zombieland’s action-packed destination may strike one as rote, but the living dead-cluttered road leading there is as entertaining as any since Shaun of the Dead. Drew Wheeler

Valet Parking Thurs-Sun pm (except on football Saturdays)

Free Wi-Fi 414 N. Thomas St. • 706-353-TUNA www.squareonefishco.com

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

movie pick Minimal Frills, Maximal Chills PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (R) It being October, the annual witching hour during which ghosts, goblins and Halloween Express stores creep out, let’s talk horror movies, particularly Paranormal Activity, the latest phenomenon of alternative horror. Is its success merely the result of viral marketing spreading like the swine flu, or is writer-director Oren Peli’s haunted house flick the real, freaking scary deal? The answer is the latter if you're ready to be frightened more by what you imagine than what the filmmakers gratuitously provide. Spoiler notes: Nothing that follows will ruin the movie for you, but I might mention some plot details the trailers don’t. For the full, virginal Katie Featherston Paranormal Activity experience, wait until after you’ve seen the movie to read any more of this review. Also, for the optimal experience, plan to see it during a showtime you anticipate will be really crowded. Micah and Katie (Micah Sloat and Katie Featherston) think their new house is haunted. Micah buys a fancy new camera to record the unusual things that go bump in the night. After a tedious 10 minutes or so, the

movie reels you in like a marathon of “Ghost Hunters.” With the help of a psychic, Micah and Katie discover the entity is not a ghost but a demon, and it is not the house that is being haunted. It is Katie. From here on, the film sidles up next to the Great Old Ones of ‘70s occult horror. Peli manages to keep his mirage of verisimilitude believable even when the scares graduate from moving doors to physical aggression. The film uses sound effects better than any film since Drag Me to Hell. Paranormal Activity updates Robert Wise’s psychological The Haunting with a modern technological savvy, and the film’s simplicity—two people, a camera and a haunted house—is never its flaw. Sloat and Featherston may or may not have another movie in them, but the work they do in this two-person show is leagues better than the typical low-budget horror performance. I am not sure how the film will hold up to multiple viewings, but my first gave me the 90-minute chills. Drew Wheeler

movie pick Loving a Vampire Is Hard THIRST (R) Vampires are all the rage. People passion for a childhood friend’s wife, Tae-ju like to cite Twilight as the spark igniting (Kim Ok-vin). the current bloodsucker conflagration, but Park really loses his way in the climax of Stephenie Meyer’s phenom only made vamps the second act, and we are subjected to some acceptable to people who do not like horror, subjective, psychological meanderings that, blood or fangs. Dracula and his ilk have been while humorous, chart a far too circuitous entertainment’s go-to monsters since 1897. path to the third act’s obvious narrative startPark Chan-wook’s Cannes ing point. While we are disJury Prize-winner vomits cussing flaws, the sucking a lot of blood all over the sounds, while appropriately vampire movies that preover-the-top loud when ceded it and is the most the vamps are feeding, are alive movie about the living unappealing when they are dead for it. getting it on. Fortunately, Priest Sang-hyun (Song the last act comes roarKang-ho, The Host) wishes ing back with a vengeance to help people. At great thanks to the injection of risk to himself, he vollots of fresh blood. The unteers to take part in a near-silent dance of surmedical experiment to cure vival that concludes the EV, the Emmanuel Virus, film is really something to striking down single, white behold. or Asian, male missionaries. Another beautiful, When the experiment fails, graphic film from Park, Sang-hyun receives a blood Kim Ok-vin and Song Kang-ho Thirst is a lot more fun than transfusion. The tainted one would imagine, judgblood turns him into a creature of the night, ing on Park’s previous work. Though I hesitate and Park milks the discovery of his vampiric at calling it a comedy, it is funnier than it abilities—super-strength, super-senses, vulis scary, yet it never shies away from the nerability to sunlight—for all their amusewanton, violent abandon of vampirism. Thirst ment. Once Sang-hyun becomes a vampire, the slaked my own bloody hunger better than any hyper-sensual priest is tempted to break more film since Let the Right One In. than one of his vows. Though he tries to feed without killing anyone, he cannot contain his Drew Wheeler

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

threats & promises

SAT. NOV. 7

Music News And Gossip Fall is the best time of year in Athens. New bands are forming every day, the suffocating heat has gone away and, I dunno, there’s just electricity in the air. It’s, by far, my favorite time of year. Summer has its benefits, but autumn holds Athens’ spirit for me. So, before I turn into Robert Frost, let’s get down to this week’s news. Start gettin’ down below… I Think That You Should Catch That Train: Last week was bittersweet for hardcore Pylon fans. The band’s second album, Chomp, was finally released on compact disc for the first time by New York’s DFA Records, but a tinge of sadness remains from the death of guitarist Randy Bewley earlier this year. Bewley had been hands-on in the process of bringing this album out again. I’m pretty sure he’d be quite happy with the whole thing, and the re-release is also dedicated to his memory.

Section on Nov. 20. ARS, whose commercial success peaked in the late 1970s, has retained its legendary Southern-rock status through several seismic shifts in popular tastes. Although always a little more slick and urban cowboy-ish than, say, The Allman Brothers Band, its appeal remains pretty strong, especially in the South. Among ARS’ achievements are two top-10 hits, five in the top 40, and playing the south lawn at the White House during Jimmy Carter’s presidency. The contest to open for the band is wide open, and all you have to do is drop off a demo and fill out a one-page form. The winning band will receive $375 for playing the gig. Entry forms can be obtained from the Classic Center main administration office, and they’ll even fax or email it to you if necessary. While it remains unclear whether this contest was put together solely for the enjoyment of Je Suis France (who have

Hip Hop Homecoming Party with DJ Rich Rock and DJ Dark Knight • $5

WED. NOV. 11

Raquy Danziger

THU. NOV. 12

Dark Party w/ Eliot Lipp

FRI. NOV. 13

$10 adv. / $12 day of show

presented by Music Matters

Pigs on the Wing

Pink Floyd Tribute Band featuring members of Maserati, David Murphy of STS9 and Count Kellam • $15 adv.

WED. NOV. 18

THU. OCT. 29

Wrong Way Sublime Tribute Band

$6 adv. / $8 day of show

FRI. OCT. 30

SAT. OCT. 31

Cosmic Charlie 10 Year Anniversary Show

Halloween Sin Ball

presented by Phungus Group • Only $5 WED. NOV. 4

FRI. NOV. 6

FRI. NOV. 20 SAT. NOV. 21 FRI. NOV. 27

Big Gigantic Kyle Hollingsworth of String Cheese Incident

Lera Lynn

birds + wire Kaitlin Jones and County Fair $6 adv. / $8 day of show

THU. DEC. 3 SAT. DEC. 5

Toubab Krewe $10 adv. / $12 day of show

Glitch Mob $15 adv.

FRI. DEC. 11

w/ Electa Villain

THU. DEC. 17

Rehab Rusko

Triz CD Release Party

FRI. DEC. 18

Benji Hughes

Today the Moon Tomorrow the Sun Indie/Electro/Rock • $6

THU. NOV. 5

Joker

$6 adv. / $8 day of show

UK Dubstep

$6 adv. / $8 day of show

w/ Drizno and T8R(tot)

706.543.8283

Last Comic Standing

227 W Dougherty St. Downtown Athens Open Mon-Sat 5pm-2am All Shows 18+

Final Round

with Aman Amun and Nautilus performing afterward • $5

Advance Tix available at Schoolkids Records 706-353-1666 and online at www.newearthmusichall.com

We’re not

DEAD.

We just moved one floor closer to

Atlanta Rhythm Section Re-titled Chomp More for this edition, the 1983 album is augmented with bonus tracks, and the whole thing just looks and sounds incredible. Although currently available on CD and via digital distribution (iTunes, Emusic, etc.), there’s a rumor about a vinyl re-release, too. Please see www.wearepylon.com. Take It on the Run: Chase Park Transduction has just formed Chase Park Mobile, a budgetfriendly portable recording unit operated by engineers Drew Vandenberg and Thomas Johnston. They will bring the gear to any place you want and record you on your site for a mere $20 an hour. The mobile studio’s first client was Hope for Agoldensummer, and more details can be found over at www.chaseparktransduction.com. Related Information: A couple of Athens old-timers who now reside in Atlanta have decided it’s just not good enough being an adult with proper jobs and stuff. To this end, Sean Sawyer (Pulla Prince, et al.) and Matt Cherry (Maserati) have formed Wizard Smoke. It probably took you exactly one second to guess what they sound like, didn’t it? Total buzzy, fuzzy, stoner rock/heavy metal. They’ve got an entire album available for free over at www.wizardsmoke.net, and you’ll have as good a time listening to this as you will saying the band’s name. It’s a Champagne Jam, Dammit: The Classic Center is holding a contest in which the winner gets to open for the Atlanta Rhythm

a serious taste for ARS), I’ll be a little disappointed if this slot goes to some humorless bunch of guitar noodlers. ARS always brought the party; be prepared to bring yours. Get in touch via www.classiccenter.com. Whine into Water: There’s a creative benefit show happening at the Seney-Stoval Chapel on Friday, Nov. 6. Atlanta band The Goodfight along with Leaving Araby, Pilot Coat, The Wellreads and Jason Harwell (The Warm Fuzzies) will play. The concert is tied into a new project being undertaken by The Goodfight, whereby 100 percent of the proceeds from the band’s record sales will go to Charity:Water, a non-profit that works to provide clean drinking water to the one billion folks on this planet who don’t have it. I think this is a supremely cool task to try to tackle, and one that doesn’t get nearly enough attention. Please see www.buyarecordsavealife.com and www.charitywater.org.

HEAVEN W 10/28

Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation presents (9pm) Abbey Road Live! / Leading Edge / Dr. Squid

Th 10/29

Magnolias 5-8pm: Jason Fuller on Grand Piano 10pm: Village Exchange / The Humms / Trashcans

F 10/30

Efren / Major Love Event

S 10/31

Where the Wild Things Will Be! with Five-Eight /Kite to the Moon / The Big Lebowski Revival / Trapeze Performances, Costume Contest and Much More!

M 11/2

Coco Rico / Village Exchange / The Opposite Effect

T 11/3

Tom’s Club Event with Laminated Cat / Allison Weiss

See TASTYWORLD.NET for Private Party and Booking info

312 EAST BROAD STREET • 706-543-0797

Seldom Scene: We haven’t mentioned rootsrocker Ken Will Morton around these parts in a long time, so let me just tell you that Morton will play a free show at Allen’s Bar & Grill on Saturday, Nov. 7. The show starts at 9:30 p.m. and Andrew Vickery will join him. Morton has a new release planned for 2010 that will come out on Sojourn Records. For more information, please see www.sojournrecords.com, www.myspace.com/andrewvickerymusic and www.myspace.com/kenwillmorton. Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

record reviews MUSE The Resistance Warner Bros. Welcome to Muse: The Musical. This British power trio has always had theatrical tendencies, with Matt Bellamy’s operatic vocals and brash showmanship in the starring role. Yet, until The Resistance, Muse was a rock band first and a spectacle second. The head-banging guitar solos, especially on Origin of Symmetry and Absolution, were precise, cathartic prog-metal explosions propelled by a raw, relentless energy. But at some point in the making of Black Holes and Revelations, Muse’s last record, the band began dabbling more and more with synth, and now the guitar virtuosity is all but gone. Guitar riffs still exist, like the crunchy refrain of “Unnatural Selection,” but it sounds like a meek imitation of the band’s earlier work. Even the first single, “Uprising,” falls flat despite its name. It wants to be an anthem so badly, but every note feels too calculated to be triumphant. Whereas Muse used to remind me of Queen, The Resistance is more like We Will Rock You, the stage musical. All of a sudden Bellamy’s trembling vibrato feels like an embarrassing cliché in front of a backdrop of synth and string arrangements. The worst offender, “Guiding Light,” comes off sounding like a soundtrack for an ‘80s Olympics montage. And then, tacked on the end of this record is a three-part symphony. Really. “Exogenesis” (Parts 1-3) is pleasant enough, and it could make a lovely film score, but it’s an awkward album finale. Maybe it’s just because I’ve been listening to Muse for a decade now, and Bellamy’s epic aspirations have lost their novelty, but The Resistance simply feels like Muse writing a parody of itself. Michelle Gilzenrat

AIR Love 2 Astralwerks Air’s space-hopping records can take the shape of almost any environment—the gentle “Playground Love” and “Alone in Kyoto” work equally well in soundtracks for Sofia Coppola’s films, solitary excursions that jog intimate memories and stadium-size concerts that expand, rather than dilute or dissipate, that closeness. Love 2, Air’s first self-produced album from its

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

Atlas Studio, serves as a reminder that the duo’s bubbly melodies mine instruments and vocals for the sake of sound and romantic feeling rather than narrative progression, and that the band records and performs with metronomic precision. Each previous release featured a distinctive element that made Air’s oeuvre more cosmopolitan. The koto and shamisen on their full-length nightcap, Pocket Symphony, and the universally appealing, nonverbal whistle-chorus in “Alpha Beta Gaga” rang fresh and clear. Love 2, however, presents a world already explored, filled and examined. Parts of “Tropical Disease” and “You Can Tell It to Everybody” recall the tone of a Wong Kar-wai sequence—the languorous saxophones and synthesizers, the central figures, move slowly as bodies that stir too rapidly zoom past them. Air sidesteps much of the staleness and sterility it addresses by cloaking repetitive and mindless lyrics, incorporating subtle accents that slink and strut French cool, and by adding percussionist Joey Waronker, who handles both downtempo and propulsive, motorik rhythms. Calling a band “inoffensive” can be the kiss of death, but Air succeeds in restoring some wonder to the simple pleasures of phone calls (“Sing Sang Sung”), relationships (“You Can Tell It to Everybody”) and night hunts and haunts. Alex Dimitropoulos

MONSTERS OF FOLK Monsters of Folk Shangri-La Music Established, successful indierockers Conor Oberst, M. Ward, Yim Yames (AKA Jim James, leader of My Morning Jacket) and Mike Mogis have found a showcase for their strengths with their new band, Monsters of Folk. Their eponymous debut album doesn’t so much introduce a new group as it compiles new songs from some of today’s best songwriters. Oberst, of Bright Eyes and now the Mystic Valley Band, contributes his not-caring-cool-yet-pained rambling poetry. Mogis, the other half of Bright Eyes who has lent his production talents to an impressive catalogue of artists including Jenny Lewis and Cursive, plays a multitude of instruments on the album. In doing so, Mogis finds the right mood, whether it’s pedal steal, blazing guitar solo, minimalist folk chords or synthesizer. Ward, who specializes in releasing indistinguishable but nonetheless enjoyable albums, delivers his timeless and quaint rockabilly rasp. Yames, who made his career performing goingfor-gusto rock operas with MMJ, is fresh off his bare-bones echo-chamber solo effort, Tribute To, an LP of George Harrison covers. With the Monsters, Yames finds a middle ground and uses his rich falsetto to give the party a pious but never-far-from-freaky vibe. Oberst and Ward take turns doing what they do best, and while it’s comfortable, it’s also predictable. The

excitement is found on Yames’ songs, which demonstrate his expansive range. Not surprisingly, it’s the bandmember who inexplicably changed the “J”s in his name to “Y”s who keeps the album fresh. He infuses Monsters with a spiritual energy that makes a gratifying debut memorable. Michael J. Gerber Monsters of Folk is playing the Tabernacle in Atlanta on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

YACHT See Mystery Lights DFA Jona Bechtolt ups his game considerably for the DFA debut of his YACHT project, further adding Claire L. Evans as a full-time member. The songs that emphasize the new girl are a Tom Tom Club-esque occidental’s take on tribal music that also cites the revivalist gestures of new groups like The New Young Pony Club. And while YACHT’s older work may have been marked by good ideas out-stretched, See Mystery Lights is a denser and more lushly orchestrated affair that is equal parts forward-looking and retro. Written as a sort of love letter to dance punk master James Murphy, first-single “Summer Song” is the mission statement for YACHT’s evolved sound, taking the polyrhythm and propulsion of LCD Soundsystem, while preserving the loose playfulness and schizo-funk of more canonical worldbeat artists like Lizzy Mercier Descloux. In the end, the extended hyperactive instrumental passages imply more members than a duo, let alone laptop music, with interlocking melodies and guitar solo counterpoints. Mid-album cut and reprise, “I’m in Love with a Ripper” puns T-Pain’s “I’m in Love with a Stripper” into a discofunk punch-up, while Bechtolt still sings most songs in mini-mantras with meaningful one-liners. There’s even a song about illegal downloading! [Get it?] Yeah, it’s all smart, meta, fun and very tonguein-cheek. Christopher Benton

THE RURAL ALBERTA ADVANTAGE Hometowns Saddle Creek Most things having to do with hometowns often have a touch of charm

to them. There’s an authenticity to the hometown ideal that the big city just can’t beat. In that spirit, Canada’s The Rural Alberta Advantage made a fine choice in naming their debut record Hometowns. It’s chock full of sincere, folksy odes to one’s place of origin with occasional dashes of scratchy, ‘80s college rock riffs and warm, honeyed strings that add a shocking amount of vigor and depth to even the most barebones arrangements. Imagine strumming Pixies tunes by way of Rasputina in a rocking chair on the front porch of a farm house, and you might get close to what I’m talking about. While the band’s minimalist tendencies are striking, regardless of comparisons to indie rock and lingerieclad cellists, they really don’t overdo it. Even when a song feels like a fireside chat, there is still a spark, a strange doomed vibe that accompanies a willing fall. Hometowns is a testament to a Canadian Southern gothic haze that blankets the basis of your oldest memories. We should all be so lucky to recollect so eerily. Jennifer Gibson

JAMES HUSBAND A Parallax I Polyvinyl James Husband, better known as Jamey Huggins from Of Montreal (and who’s played with loads of other bands, too), makes his solo debut with A Parallax I. It was recorded in three different studios by three different techniques over five years, and it sounds like it. The cassette-recorded tracks seem appropriately fuzzy and mellow, the all-analogue third of the record sounds as blended and optimistic as it should, and the digitally recorded numbers are as crisp and precise as Huggins’ layered, intricately timed arrangements require. Though these contrasts reveal themselves readily, what’s more obvious is the album’s considerable common ground. Despite Huggins’ lyrics veering off toward preciousness occasionally, he explores real topics like grief (“A Grave in the Gravel”), depression (“Greyscale”) and disorientation (“Driving Around”) with very human emotion. Imaginative keys pepper all the songs, often warbling like human vibrato (“Little Thrills”) or wrapping rapidly around melody and countermelody (“No No Baby”). They augment the satisfying suspensions in “Greyscale” (which adorably borrows a verse from The Sound of Music’s “Something Good”) and ride below the banjo and stacked chorus vocals in “Take the Train.” But it’s the rock and roll basics that Huggins does really well; the ‘60s guitar in “Window” interplays perfectly with his Elliott Smith-y vocal delivery and backing horns, and the saloon piano meshes harmoniously with pretty, warped psychedelia in “The Darkestness.” A Parallax I is a patchwork quilt of one musician’s hoarded talent, and it was worth the wait. Julia Reidy

Vic Chesnutt Reuniting the Brain Trust

“We were just trying to let things happen, you know what I mean? Instead of making things happen, we were trying to feel it out. You know, it’s an incredible brain trust with this band, know what I mean? It’s incredible!” It’s a Vic Chesnutt double-header this fall, though. At the Cut was released last month, and a brand-new album called Skitter on TakeOff, recorded with consummate performer and idiosyncratic songwriter Jonathan Richman and his drumming partner Tommy Larkin, is out this month. “I’ve opened for Jonathan for years, gone on tour with him for years, and he’s been a mentor to me over the years… We recorded like 30 songs in a couple days,” says Chesnutt, who flew out to San Francisco to record with Richman and Larkin a week after recording At the Cut in Canada.

Mike White · deadlydesigns.com

the opening track of Vic Chesnutt’s new album, At the Cut, he at first humbly intones “I am a coward,” before stepping aside for his backing band to swoop in with searingly anxious guitar tones and ominous percussion. Though Chesnutt sings of a “courage born of despair and impotence,” he characteristically scrawls and sprawls out his words’ vowels again, reemphasizing the narrator’s cowardice. But the song leaves the main issue unresolved, with no lyrical resolution achieved: Chesnutt says he’s a coward, and lets his music serve as a question mark. But Vic Chesnutt, he’s no coward. In fact, it’s that crescendo of pathos built upon rock and built upon roll that proves otherwise. It’d be easy for the Athens musician to sing plaintive, peculiar folk songs steeped in Southernness, as he did on his early albums. But Chesnutt’s always chosen the harder path, working with different collaborators and pushing the boundaries of both his abilities and his audience’s expectations. In 2007 he teamed up, under the supervision of film director Jem Cohen, with a bevy of rock musicians; backed by Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto and members of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, among others, Chesnutt turned out the apocalyptic North Star Deserter. Last year he worked with Elf Power for his easy-rocking album Dark Developments, but he’s back with the post-rock crew for At the Cut.

hesnutt humbly dismisses much of his collaborative variety as luck and circumstance, saying no one will put up with him for too long. “I want to spread the pain around, man! I don’t want to burden too many too much… I don’t know. I’m not a very good planner. I’m a great faller-into-things. I just kind of fall into things. And I fell into this kind of family of the North Star Deserter band, and so we knew we had to make another album. Since we’d been on tour, we knew we had to do something together again. We thought we knew each other better, and there was more stuff we could do now that we didn’t do on that last album. And so we did it!” When North Star Deserter came out two years ago, Chesnutt described Cohen’s involvement as that of a film director, arranging the songs and players as he best saw fit. This time around, Chesnutt decided to use the same team, whom he met for the first time while prepping that prior album, but with a different approach. “We’d been on tour after North Star Deserter, so we’d all played together,” he says, “and I felt that a better way to do this record was to be more like a band. We felt like a band… They all sat on a couch, I played a bunch of songs for ‘em, and they were like, ‘That one we’ll do, nope, that one we won’t do, that one we will,’ and everybody was like, ‘Hey, I’ll play this on that song, and that on this song.’”

he tunes on At the Cut come from deep within the Chesnutt songbook. While a few were written for these sessions (“Coward,” “Philip Guston”), others needed some dusting off, like “Concord County Jubillee,” written back in 1985 when Chesnutt lived on Newton Bridge Road. “Anytime I play [old songs] with anybody they’re reworked, in a way, and that’s exciting, that’s the exciting thing about being a solo guy who collaborates with other people. It’s always a reworking. You’re always revising arrangements and everything,” he says. “When I play live, it’s deconstructed. When I play solo, everything is deconstructed; the tempos are stretched way long and there’s gaps and there’s fuck-ups and there’s hardly any chords ‘cause I can’t play guitar that great, I can’t strum anymore… and playing with a band like these guys, the songs aren’t deconstructed, they’re reconstructed. And that’s exciting!” At the Cut isn’t all tumult, though, like the noisy North Star Deserter. For all the clamor and din that does exist, Chesnutt offers up a humble tune like “When the Bottom Fell Out.” It’s neither flashy nor self-important, but it’s the kind of understated piece of craftsmanship at which he excels. It’s to-the-point, honest and uncomplicated, a three-minute guitarand-vocals meditation on emotional turmoil, replete with a dog barking in the background. “Some of these songs are hard to sing, they’re so personal,” says Chesnutt. “I’d get choked up when I was trying to sing them to

‘em there on the couch. And maybe those are the ones they were drawn to, the ones that are so personal that emotion can’t help but be obvious or evident.” “Flirted With You All My Life” is saturated with humanity and makes subtle reference to the late Athens poet John Seawright, a close friend of Chesnutt. And while Chesnutt has on occasion worked his own wheelchair-bound state into songs (“Speed Racer”) or sung about his father’s passing (“Flying”), “Flirted With You All My Life” and its savvy lyrical twists obliquely address close calls and past suicide attempts with a stark honesty that’s no less the lyrical for it. As At the Cut closes, Chesnutt’s humane portraiture is on full display with the tune “Granny,” a Southern anthem full of compassion and keen observations. The song came to him in a dream, Chesnutt says. “I was singing it in my dream. I was looking up at my Granny like I was a little kid, she was standing at the kitchen sink in her houserobe. I couldn’t even see her head. It was just her shoulders down. I was looking up at her singing this song and I was crying. When I woke up, my pillow was soaking wet and my face was wet, I was crying. And I immediately realized it was a great song… I grabbed the hotel stationery and the pen and I wrote down the words just as they were. And then I got my guitar and figured out what chords they were. It’s from the subconscious, straight from it. And what a great gift, y’know? It’s one of the best songs I’ve ever written, there it is, and I didn’t even write it. Pretty easy! I wish they’d all come to me like that.”

earing his 20th year of performing and releasing music, Chesnutt is a rare artist who refuses to go down the worn paths, and Georgia is richer because of his unrelenting curiosity and love of songwriting. His current tour features the North Star Deserter/ At the Cut backing band playing with him live, a teaming-up which Chesnutt says he cherishes. “Well, it gives me confidence, all these people,” he says. “I can tell you that the most nervous I’ve ever been was when those fuckers were sitting on that couch, and I was singing these songs for ‘em… It never gets cheesy or anything with these guys, because they’re just so bad-ass, y’know? They’re just so bad-ass! All of ‘em. Punk rock bad-asses. It doesn’t get cheesy. It’s the brain trust.” Chris Hassiotis

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Jazz, Not Jazz rigidaire Friday afternoon. The Normaltown neighborhood probably made the overcast October day seem less ominous, with joggers and women-with-children passersby painting a more boring Brueghel scene. It was this quotidian quiet that ionized the whole thing. An artist lives here. On the phone, calm and kinda funny, in person at his home, calmer and funnier still, Dan Nettles is the type of laid back and unpretentious artistic wiz who typifies most masters of the Athens music scene. Bandmate Neal Fountain lives nearby, too, and we all grab a coffee. We talk while listening to the newest test pressing of their Fahrenheit vinyl.

“You Never Did the Kenosha, Kid.” Taking its name from an obscure Thomas Pynchon reference in Gravity’s Rainbow, Kenosha Kid has been a staple of Athens since 2001. Guitarist Dan Nettles is the gravitational fulcrum of Kenosha Kid, with an orbiting group of contributors who have played with him furiously over the years, sometimes performing as a trio, sometimes a sixpiece, or somewhere between. Halfimprovised and halfpracticed, the band’s latest composition relies on the near-ESP that bands acquire. “I’m sick of the generic sax player solo and then an anonymous backing band. I’m all about having a great band sound, using a vocabulary that we have developed together after years and years playing with Neal and Marlon [Patton],” Nettles says. Nettles talks with standing concision, punctuated thoughtfully after each point. Fountain is his complement and counterpoint, a focused rambler if there ever was such a thing. They seem to always agree. ESP, indeed.

“It Was a Pleasure to Burn.” The first line of Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 may well be the refrain of Nettles’ Kenosha Kid project. Trained in jazz at Berklee College of Music, it seems Nettles would love nothing more than to burn down the entire jazz music enterprise in an act of total annihilation, if only to open the mind of the layman, confound the critic, test the orthodox and delight the informed. Fahrenheit is at the bleeding parameters of genre, lying somewhere between rock’s primitivism and jazz’s modernity, with some surf-rock riffage, acidic freak-outs, in-joke spoofs of ragtime standards and space-rock pedal-work—all of which can be taken as a big “fuck-you” to so-called “jazz rules” and still be a nod to the aesthetic avant-garde. “Rules become a burden, and you have to re-evaluate what they’re doing for you. I think that happens in any art form,” Nettles says.

“Ultimately, rules are a way to control or to say ‘Well, I told you so, you should have followed the rules.’ Well, at least I wasn’t boring from just following rules,” says Fountain. “They should just be tools. It’s a hammer. Sometimes, it’s fun to build a house with duct tape and a penknife. You end up with something more beautiful. [This is to say] the wrong tools,” Nettles adds, laughing. Rules out of the window, Kenosha Kid is more like post-rock if jazz was still a part of that commentary instead of its vestigial tail. Fahrenheit is a re-contextualization of the book by the same name, shaping an instrumental narrative with similar themes of postmodern detachment and censorship as the novel. Nettles’ Fahrenheit work began when the Ritz Theatre in Brunswick, GA commissioned him to create a soundtrack for a staged reading of the novel back in September 2007. “It was about an hour and a half. We had musical cues between scenes of when to play each part,” he says. The second staging included a two-sided composition, with sheet music on the right and excerpts from Bradbury’s classic on the left, so the players could read both. As the songs were subsumed into the setlist, the guys decided to record them. “Fahrenheit can be seen as a bleak world of the future where they have lost their connection to roots music… a human yearning for something expressive to happen,” Nettles says. The music is a paradox. While Kenosha Kid’s previous commission work included a more back-to-basics blues score for the well known Buster Keaton silent film Steamboat Bill, Jr., Fahrenheit is as much a metacommentary on the past as a peek into the future. “Parts of it are pre and post. If you take a couple of tunes and put ’em beside each other, it’s like watching the beginning of 2001: A Space Odyssey. You’re taking apes and they’re fighting each other, but there’s this giant futurist obelisk making the background music. For instance, some of the attitude is cavemanish—with sophisticated electronic instruments that nobody uses; at the same time, we’re beating the shit out of them,” Fountain says. Progressive in the philosophical sense, this is the level of the conceptual core that informs the band’s work. And while Kenosha Kid may be iconoclastic, its work touches on one of the fundamentals of “jazzbandism”: innovate by any means necessary.

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Dark Meat Out of Turmoil Comes Truce Opium

ver since Dark Meat started bringing its spectacle to the stage ‘round about the middle of this decade, naysayers and detractors sneered that it couldn’t last, that the rock and roll machine couldn’t sustain its cohesion upwards of a dozen members. The raucous, facepainted, costumed, electrified party vibe and consciousnessaltered good times cultivated by a band of hippie-punk freaks and geeks couldn’t last forever, according to the scoffing class. Well, they were right. The center didn’t hold. People came and went. The thing Dark Meat is now isn’t the thing Dark Meat was then. But that’s not a bad thing, and it’s not a good thing, either. It’s just the nature of things, right? After all, what lasts? Consider for a moment the lyrics in Of Montreal’s “Cato as a Pun.” Kevin Barnes sings, “What has happened to you and I? And don’t say that I have changed, ‘cause man of course I have.” Like Dark Meat, Of Montreal’s been another band accused—blatantly, overtly, but more often anonymously online or drunkenly in a bar— of musical flimflammery, but ambition and evolution are hard to come by in Athens and should be examined. So, this all brings us somewhere: to Truce Opium, the second full-length release from Dark Meat. If the band’s debut album Universal Indians was a mind-opening mescaline trip through Stooges-inspired rock and roll and New Orleans free jazz, Truce Opium is nastier, heavier, more raw and altogether more assertive: a rough acid trip (Who laced this joint with angel dust?). Two tracks, “No One Was There” and “Song of the New Year,” stretch past the 10-minute mark, but a few more efficient rockers hover around four minutes. “Flaps” is a particularly cosmic outing, with droning horns and wiggly synth, a sound the band’s relying on more lately. (Expect some weird oscillator sounds on this current tour.) Krautrock and Japanese noise-psych bands display a strong influence on the ferocious Truce Opium. No longer the sprawling double-digits band of last year or the year before, the act has trimmed its lineup (for now, for now, always just for now). Change has been a constant with Dark Meat, though, as the personal lives of bandmembers intertwined with one another and caused celebrations and conflicts. Hope for Agoldensummer’s Campbell sisters used to sing with the band, but don’t anymore. Sara-J Ursrey of The Ones also was a singer, but isn’t now. Heather Heyn, too. Nick Canada blew a mean trumpet, but he’s out now. Forrest Leffer was one of two drummers, but now there’s just the one. Now it’s up to infrequently audible flautist Emily Armond to bring any femininity to the dude-heavy gang and its noisy mix. “We’ve had to become much more malleable over the years,” says vocalist and songwriter Jim McHugh. “People have just broken themselves over the band, so people can’t come sometimes, or they don’t want to, or people quit. We’ve had a lot of people quit, which is understandable. Things run their course, so we’ve had to become less set in our ways.” That’s not to say that Dark Meat has become a small band. The current touring lineup is hovering at about eight members. While no former members of Dark Meat wanted to comment on why they left the band, McHugh along with co-founder and bassist Ben Clack, the band’s two regular spokesmen, are quick to discuss the troubles of the past year and take some of the responsibility on their own shoulders. “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” says Clack. “And it was really hard to hear the record at first, just because of all that went into making it. But now that I’ve had time to sit with it, I’m really, really proud of it.” Says McHugh (an occasional Flagpole writer), “The forging of it was extremely important to me. I look upon that first record more as a document than as an art object. Obviously, we had more time to focus our intentions with this

one, and strengthen our sense of purpose about it through the years because we’ve all put our asses on the line. It’s so hard to do this shit. It’s landed us all in tough financial straits, romantic straits, tough personal straits. Making this record as good as we can make it and something we can be proud of as a lasting monument up to this point was really important.” McHugh also took a different approach to putting together the songs for Truce Opium than he did on Universal Indians. He worked out demos on a four-track with bandmate Tim Schreiber, then brought the completed songs to the band to flesh out. “So Jim can bring ideas to Tim,” says Clack, “but Tim can get those ideas out of Jim in a way that Jim wants them to be heard… He, as a songwriter, got better over the years, and we, as a unit, became better at arranging that material.”

That changing songwriting dynamic and different processes in the studio may have contributed as much to the departure of some members as the shared long hours on the road and the band’s never seeing any money from sales of the first album. The first recording sessions for Truce Opium, in fact, took place right after a particularly stressful tour and big band fight. “Just because you play something live, it doesn’t mean it has to be on the record,” says McHugh. “Like when there are horns, I want them to be fucking insane, or I want them to be buried in the mix as a texture, rather than ‘You can’t hear me, that’s not fair.’ Fuck that, y’know? That’s a lot of the attitude we had to install: we’re making a piece of art—it’s not a democracy.” So, turmoil is a given, and Truce Opium, in all its feral splendor, is the product of turmoil. “That was the attitude I wanted with these songs,” says McHugh. “It’s going to be imbalanced and fucked up and raw, but that’s the point, because that’s what we are as people.” Chris Hassiotis

WHO: Dark Meat, An Albatross WHERE: 40 Watt Club WHEN: Friday, Oct. 30 HOW MUCH: $6 (21+), $8 (18+)

don’t miss OUR MUSIC EDITOR’S WEEKLY PICKS There is more to Halloween week than awesome cover bands! Here are just a few highlights from this week’s Calendar that might otherwise slip under the radar. Woodhands: Electronic duo Junior Boys are bringing along fellow Canadians Woodhands on this tour, and if you like the former you’ll probably love the latter. Whereas Junior Boys deliver their dance beats in a sort of dreamy, sugar-coated package, Woodhands is a bit

Chinatown Diary will celebrate their CD release with a free show and a sweet deal: pay just $10 and you get both albums! I got a copy of The Granfalloons’ new one last week, Songs to Sing, and I can’t listen to it without craving sunshine and margaritas. The record is a feelgood mix of warm Americana, rock, Western swing and Southern twang. You are probably already familiar with the all-star cast of familiar faces: AJ Adams (Kinky Waikiki), Seth Hendershot (Birds + Wire), Tommy Somerville

Woodhands dirtier. Not quite as jarring as, say, The Faint, but Woodhands does have what it takes to get the dance floor good and sweaty. Embrace the keytar! (40 Watt Club, Wednesday 28) Gold Party: I was relieved to hear Gold Party kicked its old drummer to the curb and replaced him with someone a bit more… human. Gold Party ditched the pre-programmed beats in favor of a living, breathing drummer. Sethen Maleno made his debut behind the kit at a Spring Tigers CD release show a couple weeks back, and his energy really takes the group to a whole new level. The songs are still very ‘80s synth/ new wave, but they have more weight now, and that lowend really gets your feet moving. You can go ahead and dress up for this show if you like, too. Reptar will probably have their face paint on, so you’ll fit right in. (Caledonia Lounge, Thursday 29) Soapbar: Fans of ‘90s alternative pop need to hear this new act. As reported in Threats and Promises recently, the band just finished recording at M. Cadet studio and will have an EP out very soon. Soapbar has a relaxed sort of swagger in its sound that reminds me of early Foo Fighters in their more ballad-y moments. You can hear their six new songs at www.myspace.com/soapbarking. (Go Bar, Thursday 29) The Granfalloons: “The idea is an economic stimulus-style CD release,” says The Granfalloons drummer Seth Hendershot. On Friday, both his band and Justin Evans’

(Squat), Matthew Williams (ThunderMonkey) and Chuck Bradburn (Southern Bitch). Adams, Hendershot and Williams were also in the nationally touring act Blueground Undergrass. In keeping with both the Halloween spirit and the vibe of the night, Western saloon-style costumes are strongly encouraged! (Farm 255, Friday 30) Jon Guthrie Benefit: Local punk rockers Guff, Thunderchief, So It Goes and Burns Like Fire have put together a special night of highenergy music for a cause that is close to their hearts. All proceeds will go to the Jon Guthrie Memorial Fund in memory of the recently departed musician. A number of local businesses have chipped in as well, donating gift certificates that will be given away in a raffle. (Caledonia Lounge, Friday 30) Brainworms: I had to include the creepiest band name in the Calendar on Halloween week! It just so happens that Brainworms, from Richmond, VA, is a well-respected posthardcore band. Depending on which record you pick up, its sound is pretty eclectic—wedged in hardcore traditions, but experimenting with more progressive arrangements. It walks a thin line between melodic and discordant, and the result is edgy, angular and tense. Singer Greg Butler tends to write more introspectively than most hardcore punk acts, and his unique vocal style has been compared to Henry Rollins-era Black Flag and Suicidal Tendencies. (Little Kings Shuffle Club, Monday 2) Michelle Gilzenrat music@flagpole.com

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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 27 EVENTS: Athens’ Haunted History Walking Tour (Various Locations) Hear tales of spirits, hauntings, superstitions, mysteries and other legends of the Classic City on a twohour tour of downtown Athens and the UGA campus. 7 p.m. $15. 706353-1801, www.achfonline.org PERFORMANCE: UGA Steel Band (UGA Ramsey Concert Hall) Presented by the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. 8 p.m. FREE! www. music.uga.edu KIDSTUFF: Family Night at the (Described) Movies (ACC Library) Showing Beauty and the Beast. Film features a non-intrusive narrative track for visually-impaired viewers. 3 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 MEETINGS: Athens Green Drinks (Five and Ten) An informal mixer for green-minded folks to discuss building, transportation and sustainability issues in the Athens area. 6–8 p.m. www.athensgreendrinks.org MEETINGS: French Group (1000faces Coffee, 588 Barber Street) All-level French conversation group. Informal, welcoming and très bon! Every Tuesday. 7–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-534-8860, www.1000facescoffee.com MEETINGS: Pub Theology (Trappeze Pub) Open conversations revolving around theology. Currently

reading Jacques Ellul’s Anarchy and Christianity. 8 p.m. FREE! 706-5491915, cmccreight@fccathens.org GAMES: Flicker Poker Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Last Tuesday of every month! 8:30 p.m. www. myspace.com/flickerbar GAMES: Locos Trivia (Locos Grill & Pub) All three Athens locations of Locos Grill and Pub (Westside, Eastside and Harris St.) feature trivia night every Tuesday. 8:30 p.m. FREE! www.locosgrill.com

Wednesday 28 EVENTS: Halloween: Live! and Halloween Party (Ciné Barcafé) WUOG hosts this innovative, live performance where local artists recreate John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic. Your favorite local talent interprets the soundtrack, dialogue and sound effects; you provide the screams. Stay late for WUOG’s Halloween party with performances by Bubbly Mommy Gun and The Agenda! 8 p.m. FREE! www.wuog. org. See Calendar Pick on p. 26. EVENTS: Canine Cocktail Hour and Costume Contest (Hotel Indigo, Phi Bar & Bistro Courtyard) Costume contest and drink and food specials for you and your (well-behaved, non-aggressive, vaccinated) dog! 5–7 p.m. www. athensdowntownhotel.com

EVENTS: Scare Up a Harvest: Help the Hungry (Chase Street Elementary School) Scarecrows from this year’s scarecrow competition and benefit are on display as part of an outdoor symposium! www.accleisureservices.com ART: Opening Reception (Walk the Line Tattoo Co.) For “After dinner… BRAINS!!!,” featuring zombie glamour shots and more by Keith Rein, Joe Havasy, Radar, John Collins and other local artists. Live tattooing and cash bar. 8–11 p.m. FREE! www. joehavasy.com PERFORMANCE: Halloween: Live! (Ciné Barcafé) Local musicians and actors perform the soundtrack and dialogue from the classic horror flick. Stick around afterwards for live music from Bubbly Mommy Gun and The Agenda! WUOG Presents. 8 p.m. FREE! www.wuog.org. See Calendar Pick on p. 26. PERFORMANCE: UGA Opera Ensemble (UGA Hodgson Hall) Performing two one-act operas, including Henry Mollicone’s “Face on the Barroom Floor” and Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari’s “The Secret of Suzanne Two.” 8 p.m. FREE! 706542-3737, www.uga.edu/pac THEATRE: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Seney-Stovall Chapel) For this weekend only, Rose of Athens Theatre welcomes audiences to join them on their

Electronic duo Junior Boys is playing the 40 Watt Club on Wednesday, Oct. 28.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

The Virsky Ukrainian Dance Company will perform at the UGA Performing Arts Center Sunday, Nov. 1. journey through enchanted Narnia, where it is always winter, but never Christmas. See your favorite characters from C.S. Lewis’ classic fantasy novel brought to life. Oct. 28–29, 10 a.m. Oct. 30, 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 31, 2 p.m. $15 (adults), $10 (students, children and seniors). 706340-9181, www.roseofathens.org KIDSTUFF: Children’s Halloween Carnival (East Athens Community Center) Featuring games, activities, face painting, scary stories and a haunted house. Grades K–5. 5 – 6:30 p.m. $3. 706-613-3593 KIDSTUFF: Children’s Storytime (ACC Library) For children ages 18 months to 5 years. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Jack-O-Lantern Contest (Broadacres Community Center) Children ages 6-14 are invited to carve their pumpkins in all kinds of spooky shapes. 4 p.m. $3. 706-613-3600 KIDSTUFF: Pumpkin Carving Workshop (Sandy Creek Park) Participants will design their own scary face on the pumpkin of their choice. Pumpkin and tools provided. Ages 12 & under. Pre-registration required. Oct. 28, 4:30–5:30 p.m. $5. 706-613-3631 KIDSTUFF: Wildcard Wednesday for Teens (ACC Library) Up next: Copycat Art. Decorate a skull with elaborate designs in the LatinAmerican style. Ages 11–18. Space is limited. 4 p.m. FREE! 706-6133650 KIDSTUFF: Young Adult Book Discussion (Madison County Library) Currently discussing Vampire Night. Copies at the front desk! 4:30 p.m. FREE! 706-7955597 LECTURES & LIT.: Oconee Dems Book Group (Five Points Deli & More, Epps Bridge) Communitywide book group hosted by the Oconee County Democrats. This month: Nickel and Dimed: On (Not)

Getting by in America by investigative reporter and essayist Barbara Ehrenreich. Newcomers from any county and of any political affiliation are welcome. 6 p.m. FREE! ppriest@ charter.net, www.oconeedemocrats. org LECTURES & LIT.: Sibley Lecture (UGA Hirsch Hall) The University of Virginia’s Frederick Schauer will deliver the 105th Sibley Lecture: “When and How (If at All) Does Law Constrain Official Action?” 4:30 p.m. FREE! www.law.uga.edu MEETINGS: American Sign Language Study Group (Cups Coffee Café) All skill levels welcome. Come once or come weekly. Newcomers welcome! 7–8 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/aslstudygroup MEETINGS: Amnesty International (UGA Campus, Joe Brown Hall) Meet with others to campaign for human rights worldwide. 5:30 p.m. FREE! www.athensai. blogspot.com GAMES: 8-Ball Tournament (Shooters Cocktails & Dancing) Double elimination with cash prizes. Every Wednesday. 7:30 p.m. $10 (entry fee). 706-546-0003 GAMES: Darts (Broad Street Bar and Grill) Blind draw darts tournament. Every Wednesday. 7 p.m. 706-5485187 GAMES: Movie Trivia Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Where movie trivia meets performance art. Hosted by “It Boy” Jeff Tobias and sponsored by Vision Video. Prizes! Sign up at 8 p.m. Trivia starts at 8:30 p.m. 8 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ flickerbar GAMES: Sports Trivia (Beef ‘O’ Brady’s) Every Wednesday. 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-850-1916 GAMES: Trivia (Willy’s Mexicana Grill) Every Wednesday. 8–10 p.m. FREE! 706-548-1920 GAMES: Trivia (Blind Pig Tavern) Think you know it all? 9:30 p.m. 706-548-3442

GAMES: Trivia Wars (283 Bar) Chris Creech hosts general knowledge trivia with different themes each week. Check the Facebook group “Trivia Wars!” for weekly updates and online question of the week. 8:30 p.m. (sign up) 9 p.m. (game starts). FREE! 706-208-1283 GAMES: XBox 360 (Buffalo’s Southwest Café) Qualifying round for the upcoming tournament. 6 p.m. 706-354-6655

Thursday 29 EVENTS: Athens’ Haunted History Walking Tour (Various Locations) Hear tales of spirits, hauntings, superstitions, mysteries and other legends of the Classic City on a two-hour tour of downtown Athens and the UGA campus. 7 & 7:30 p.m. $15. 706-353-1801, www. achfonline.org EVENTS: Scare Up a Harvest: Help the Hungry (Chase Street Elementary School) Judge this year’s scarecrow entries for yourself! www. accleisureservices.com THEATRE: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Seney-Stovall Chapel) Presented by Rose of Athens Theatre. See Oct. 28 Theatre. Oct. 28–29, 10 a.m. Oct. 30, 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 31, 2 p.m. $15 (adults), $10 (students, children and seniors). 706-340-9181, www. roseofathens.org THEATRE: “Tragedy of Thebes” (Athens Academy) The Athens Academy Drama Department performs a special one-act adaptation of Sophocles’ classic work Antigone this weekend only. 7:30 p.m. 706549-9225 KIDSTUFF: Chapter Book Review (Madison County Library) Every Tuesday and Thursday elementary school-aged children meet in the lobby to read aloud and share thoughts about books. 4:30 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597

KIDSTUFF: Children’s Book Award Program for Home School Students (ACC Library, Storyroom) Discuss the nominations for the Georgia Children’s Book Award. For first through fifth graders. 3:30–4:30 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Halloween Carnival (Memorial Park) Take a haunted trick-or-treat tour of Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail and then stop by the festive carnival for fun & prizes. Costume contest every hour. Ages 12 & under. 5–8 p.m. $4. 706-6133580 KIDSTUFF: Jack-O-Lantern Contest (Rocksprings Neighborhood Center) Children ages 6-14 are invited to carve their pumpkins in all kinds of spooky shapes. 4 p.m. $3. 706-613-3603 KIDSTUFF: Open Playtime (ACC Library) For children ages 1–3 with their caregivers. 10 a.m. FREE! 706613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Pajama Storytime (Madison County Library) Snuggle in your jammies with your favorite stuffed animal and listen to bedtime stories. Light snack provided. All ages. 7 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 KIDSTUFF: Teen Halloween Party (East Athens Community Center) Will include refreshments, DJ and dancing. Ages 13–18. 6 – 8 p.m. $2. 706-613-3593 LECTURES & LIT.: “Field Work” (UGA Student Learning Center, Room 148) Andrea Kahn, professor of architecture at Columbia University, discusses the relationship between speculative academic research and the urban scale design challenges faced by professional practices. 5 p.m. FREE! pardue@ uga.edu MEETINGS: Coffee Cupping (1000faces Coffee, 585 Barber Street) Join those seeking to move life from commodity to culinary. Taste and learn about coffees from around the world with Benjamin Myers, Presidente of 1000faces. 10–11 a.m. FREE! 706-534-8860, www.1000facescoffee.com MEETINGS: Spanish Group (1000faces Coffee, 588 Barber Street) All-level Spanish conversation group. Informal, welcoming and fun! Every Thursday. 7–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-534-8860, www.1000facescoffee.com GAMES: Trivia (El Azteca) Every Thursday. Prizes! 8 p.m. 706-5492639

Friday 30 EVENTS: Bag-A-Bargain Sneak Peek (Madison-Morgan Cultural Center) Come preview the monstersized yard sale, enjoy some refreshments and a live auction. 6–7:30 p.m. $5. www.mmcc-arts.org EVENTS: Halloween Party (Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub) Come out for a pool tournament, costume contest with cash prizes, spooky drinks and giveaways! 9 p.m. $2 (with costume) $5 (without). 706870-6563 EVENTS: Scare Up a Harvest: Help the Hungry (Chase Street Elementary School) Judge this year’s scarecrow entries for yourself! www. accleisureservices.com ART: Halloween Party and Closing Reception (Good Dirt) Spooky pottery by Jeff Williams, Sarah Visser and Mike Klapthor and live music, magic tricks and refreshments. 6–9 p.m. FREE! 706355-3161 THEATRE: Appointment with Death (Elberton Arts Center) A dysfunctional American family takes a vacation to the deserts of Jerusalem, but not all of them will return home

in this Agatha Christie whodunit. Oct. 30–31, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1, 2 p.m. $10–$30, 706-283-1049, tking@ cityofelberton.net THEATRE: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Seney-Stovall Chapel) Presented by Rose of Athens Theatre. See Oct. 28 Theatre. Oct. 28–29, 10 a.m. Oct. 30, 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 31, 2 p.m. $15 (adults), $10 (students, children and seniors). 706-340-9181, www. roseofathens.org THEATRE: “Tragedy of Thebes” (Athens Academy) An Athens Academy production. See Oct. 29 Theatre. 7:30 p.m. 706-549-9225 KIDSTUFF: Music, Art and Drama (Madison County Library) Miss Debbie conducts creative free-for-all sessions for children big and small. Act, paint or explore your other talents! 11:30 a.m.–noon (toddlers and kindergarteners), 1–1:30 p.m. (children and tweens). FREE! 706795-5597 KIDSTUFF: Pre-K Party: Going Batty (Memorial Park) Children and adults will talk about one of the animals associated with Halloween: bats! Ages 3–5. Pre-registration required. 10 a.m. $6. 706-613-3580 KIDSTUFF: Preschool & Toddler Storytime (Madison County Library) This month’s themes are banned books, monsters and Halloween! For ages 2–5. 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 KIDSTUFF: Trunk or Treat (ACC Police Substation, Baxter Street) No dead bodies in these trunks—just candy! Bring your little superheroes out for this safe trick-or-treating event where children get candy from the cars of pre-approved adults on site. For ages 12 and under. 5–7 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3601

Saturday 31 EVENTS: Adoption Day (Pet Supplies Plus) Local animal rescue organization brings their pups out for a chance at finding a forever home. Love connections made every Saturday! 11 a.m.–3 p.m. 706-3530650 EVENTS: Alibi Halloween Party (Alibi) Treats, drinks and DJs all night! Prizes for most original and best couples costumes! 9 p.m. FREE! 706-549-1010 EVENTS: Athens Farmers’ Market (Bishop Park) Buy fresh, locally grown organic produce, locally crafted goods and freshly baked breads. Every Saturday. 8 a.m.–12 p.m. athensfarmersmarket.net EVENTS: Bag-A-Bargain (MadisonMorgan Cultural Center) Monstersized yard sale benefitting the Center. All donations (except clothing) appreciated and tax deductible! Call to schedule a drop-off. 8 a.m.–3 p.m. FREE! 706-342-4743 EVENTS: Halloween Party (Tasty World Uptown) The Wild Rumpus Parade ends here, but the night has just begun. Live performances from Five-Eight, Kite to the Moon and The Big Lebowski Revival, trapeze performances and a costume contest should make this Halloween memorable. 9:30 p.m. www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown EVENTS: Halloween Sin Ball (New Earth Music Hall) This year’s theme is based on the hit vampire TV show True Blood. Behind the decks will be Atlanta DJ Sorted, D:RC and DJ43. 10 p.m. $5. www.newearthmusichall.com EVENTS: Saturday Stroll (Oconee County Courthouse) Local gallery owners Kathy and Jerry Chappelle lead this informal, hour-long stroll through downtown Watkinsville. 9 a.m. $5. oconeedemocrats.org

EVENTS: The Wild Rumpus Parade (Downtown Athens) Athens’ gleeful creative types seek to channel the wild street whimsy of Halloween into a parade. The spectacle will culminate with a party at Tasty World. Go online to preview the guidelines and choose your brigade! 10:30 p.m. FREE! www.wildrumpus.org PERFORMANCE: Zagreb Saxophone Quartet (UGA Hodgson Hall) This Croatian quartet’s repertoire ranges from Baroque to 21st-century pieces. 8 p.m. FREE! www.music.uga.edu THEATRE: Appointment with Death (Elberton Arts Center) An Encore Productions presentation. See Oct. 30 Theatre. Oct. 30–31, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1, 2 p.m. $10–$30, 706-283-1049, tking@cityofelberton.net THEATRE: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Seney-Stovall Chapel) Presented by Rose of Athens Theatre. See Oct. 28 Theatre. Oct. 28–29, 10 a.m. Oct. 30, 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Oct. 31, 2 p.m. $15 (adults), $10 (students, children and seniors). 706-340-9181, www. roseofathens.org THEATRE: “Tragedy of Thebes” (Athens Academy) An Athens Academy production. See Oct. 29 Theatre. 7:30 p.m. 706-549-9225 KIDSTUFF: Family Canoe Day (Sandy Creek Park) View Lake Chapman from a canoe. Basic instruction and guidance provided. Call to register. 10 a.m.–noon, $5. 706-613-3631 KIDSTUFF: Halloween Carnival (Lay Park) Featuring face painting, cake walk, musical chairs, fishing well, ring toss and more. Ages 6 – 12. 5 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3596 KIDSTUFF: Tikes, Trikes and Strollers (Dudley Park) Dress up like your favorite creature and romp through the park! For ages 5 and younger with a parent. 10–11:30 a.m. $2. 706-613-3615

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Sunday 1 EVENTS: Wine Pairing (Just Pho… and More) Taste several different wines and consult an expert about how to pair them with Just Pho’s menu items! Call to reserve your table. 6–9 p.m. $20. 706-850-1420 ART: Opening Reception (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) For “Southern Tableau,” an exhibit featuring the paintings of lush landscapes by Joe M. Ruiz. 1:30–3:30 p.m. FREE! www.uga.edu/botgarden PERFORMANCE: Virsky Ukrainian National Dance Company (UGA Hodgson Hall) World-class folk dance ensemble brings the humor and optimism of its native Ukraine with impressive and vibrant stage concepts. 3 p.m. $19–$24. www. uga.edu/pac THEATRE: Appointment with Death (Elberton Arts Ctr) An Encore Productions presentation. See Oct. 30 Theatre. Oct. 30–31, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1, 2 p.m. $10–$30, 706-2831049, tking@cityofelberton.net OUTDOORS: Full Moon Canoe Ride (Sandy Creek Park) Paddle a canoe or kayak 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. Pre-register. 6–8 p.m. $5, $3 (with own canoe/kayak). 706613-3631 GAMES: Full-Contact Trivia (Allen’s Bar & Grill) Sports-themed rules with diverse categories. 9 p.m. FREE! www.allensbarandgrill.com GAMES: Team Trivia (Wild Wing Café) Every Sunday. 9 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com k continued on next page

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

Monday 2 KIDSTUFF: Bedtime Stories (ACC Library) Every Monday. 7 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Infant Storytime (ACC Library) Nurture language skills. 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: Infinite Fall (1000faces Coffee, 585 Barber Street) Join Athens’ endurancebibliophiles in reading David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest this fall. Every Monday with author, educator and jester Spenser Simrill. 6–7 p.m. FREE! 706-534-8860, www.1000facescoffee.com MEETINGS: Federation of Neighborhood Associations (Fire Hall No. 2, 489 Prince Avenue) This month’s meeting will feature a discussion on the ACC Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). 7:30 p.m. FREE! cja@ perigen.com MEETINGS: Zen Meditation and Book Discussion (Email for Location) The Key by Cheri Huber. Meets every Monday. 7:15 p.m. FREE! meditateathens@gmail.com GAMES: Pool Tournament (Alibi) Free food as you shoot pool during Monday Night Football. GAMES: Team Trivia (Beef ‘O’ Brady’s) Get a team together and test your knowledge. Every Monday! 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-850-1916 GAMES: Texas Hold ‘Em (Fat Daddy’s) Every Monday. 6 & 9 p.m. 706-353-0241. GAMES: Trivia (Fat Daddy’s) Every Monday with Stan. 9 p.m. 706-3530241. GAMES: Trivia (Transmetropolitan) General knowledge trivia. Every Monday. 8–10 p.m. FREE! 706613-8773

Tuesday 3 EVENTS: Athens’ Haunted History Walking Tour (Various Locations) 7 p.m. $15. 706-353-1801, www. achfonline.org PERFORMANCE: Open TOAD Comedy (Flicker Theatre & Bar) A unique open mic experience. The audience gets to pelt the performers who go over their six-minute time limit with foam rocks. Performers must sign up by 8 p.m. 8:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/flickerbar KIDSTUFF: Children’s Storytime (ACC Library) For children ages 18 months to 5 years. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Read to Rover (ACC Library) Beginning readers in grades 1–4 read aloud to an aid dog. Trainer always present. 3:30–4:30 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: Visiting Artist Lecture (Lamar Dodd School of Art, Room S151) Artist James Casebere, a pioneer of constructed photography and three-time awardee of the National Endowment for the Arts, is this month’s speaker. 5:30 p.m. FREE! www.art.uga.edu MEETINGS: Coffee Cupping (1000faces Coffee, 585 Barber Street) Taste and learn about coffees from around the world with coffee scholar Erin McCarthy. 10–11 a.m. FREE! 706-534-8860, www.1000facescoffee.com MEETINGS: French Group (1000faces Coffee, 588 Barber Street) All-level French conversation group. Informal, welcoming and tres bon! Every Tuesday. 7–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-534-8860, www.1000facescoffee.com

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

continued from p. 25

GAMES: Locos Trivia (Locos Grill & Pub) All three Athens locations of Locos Grill and Pub (Westside, Eastside and Harris St.) feature trivia night every Tuesday. 8:30 p.m. FREE! www.locosgrill.com

Wednesday 4 EVENTS: Canine Cocktail Hour (Hotel Indigo, Phi Bar & Bistro Courtyard) Drink and food specials for you and your (well-behaved, non-aggressive, vaccinated) dog! Every Wednesday. 5–7 p.m. www. athensdowntownhotel.com EVENTS: Yappy Hour (Jot ‘Em Down Country Store & BBQ) Bring your dogs out for happy hour! Drink specials for humans. 6:30–8:30, 706-549-2110 PERFORMANCE: Eliot Chang (UGA Tate Center) “Bad Role Model” comedian Eliot Chang performs stand-up from his most recent tour. 8 p.m. FREE! (UGA students) $5 (non-students). www.uga.edu/union KIDSTUFF: Children’s Storytime (ACC Library) For children ages 18 months to 5 years. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m., Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: Alfred Heber Holbrook Memorial Lecture (UGA Chapel) Author and gallery owner Francis M. Naumann presents the lecture: “Marcel Duchamp and Jeff Koons: An Exercise in Circular Reasoning.” Hosted by the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. Reception follows. 6:30 p.m. FREE! www.uga.edu/gamuseum MEETINGS: American Sign Language Study Group (Cups Coffee Café) All skill levels welcome. Come once or come weekly. 7–8 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ aslstudygroup GAMES: 8-Ball Tournament (Shooters Cocktails & Dancing) Double elimination with cash prizes. Every Wednesday. 7:30 p.m. $10 (entry fee). 706-546-0003

GAMES: Darts (Broad Street Bar and Grill) Blind draw darts tournament. Wednesdays. 7 p.m. 706-548-5187 GAMES: Movie Trivia Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Where movie trivia meets performance art. Hosted by “It Boy” Jeff Tobias and sponsored by Vision Video. Prizes! Sign up at 8 p.m. Trivia starts at 8:30 p.m. 8 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ flickerbar GAMES: Sports Trivia (Beef ‘O’ Brady’s) Every Wednesday. 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-850-1916 GAMES: Trivia (Willy’s Mexicana Grill) Every Wednesday. 8–10 p.m. FREE! 706-548-1920 GAMES: Trivia (Blind Pig Tavern) 9:30 p.m. 706-548-3442 GAMES: Trivia Wars (283 Bar) Chris Creech hosts general knowledge trivia with different themes each week. Check the Facebook group “Trivia Wars!” for weekly updates and online question of the week. 8:30 p.m. (sign up) 9 p.m. (game starts). FREE! 706-208-1283 GAMES: XBox 360 (Buffalo’s Southwest Café) Qualifying round for the upcoming tournament. 6 p.m. 706-354-6655 * Advance Tickets Available

Down the Line PERFORMANCE: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra 11/5 (UGA Hodgson Hall) Conductor Robert Spano conducts Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 6 and Stravinsky’s Nightingale. 8 p.m. $37–42. 706542-4400, www.uga.edu/pac* EVENTS: Observatory Open House 11/16 (UGA Observatory) The UGA Observatory hosts its monthly open house viewing. 7:30 p.m. FREE! 706-542-2870 KIDSTUFF: Geocaching Adventures 11/21 (Ben Burton Park) Learn the basics of geocaching and use your skills to find a hidden cache. Under 16 accompanied by an adult. Space is limited; call to register. 10–11:00 a.m. $5, 706613-3615

EVENTS: Annual Christmas Tour of Homes 12/5 (Monroe) Tour an eclectic mix of homes throughout Monroe. Proceeds benefit the Monroe Art Guild. 12–6 p.m. $10 (advance), $15 (day of). 770-2078937, www.monroeartguild.org* * Advance Tickets Available

Live Music Tuesday 27 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $10 (adv.) www.40watt.com* THE BLACK HEART PROCESSION California band that manages to provide dark, emotionally gutting music without sinking to “emo.” THE MUMLERS Indie pop/Americana with an old-timey feel and a consistently entertaining horn section. Alibi 8 p.m. FREE! 706-549-1010 KARAOKE CONTEST Sing karaoke and try your luck at winning the $200 grand prize plus other weekly prizes. Farm 255 11 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. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub GUITARBOMB One-man blues punk band with gravelly Tom Waits vocals, the urgency of The Stooges and a drum machine to keep things barreling forward. THE HUMMS Imagine the sunny side of ‘60s garage rock tainted lyrically by mischievousness and a quirky flirtation with evil. New album out now! THE SWEET ONES Jangly garage punk from Brooklyn.

Wednesday, October 28

Halloween: Live! Ciné Experience the sights and sounds of the classic 1978 horror film Halloween like you never have before. WUOG is hosting an innovative, one-off performance featuring local musicians and actors re-creating the dialogue and soundtrack live! While visuals from Bubbly Mommy Gun the film are projected on a wall behind them, Luke Fields (‘Powers), Mat Lewis (Grape Soda), Jeff Tobias (We Versus the Shark) and Robert Gunn (An Epic at Best) will be playing the score, and voice actors Amy Whisenhunt, Sam Grindstaff (both of Titans of Filth), Ryan Lewis (The Agenda!, Grape Soda), John O’Loughlin, Jace Bartet, Jenny Peck (WUOG’s general manager) and Erin Lovett will read from the script. Even the sound effects will be reproduced live, with the help of crafty musicians Roy Coughlin (Brer Paladin) and Marie A. Uhler (Gemini Cricket). “The initial idea behind ‘Halloween: Live!’ was to re-create the John Carpenter soundtrack with a group of keyboard players,” says Jeff Tobias. “It’s one of my all-time favorite scores, and the total dark prog vibe it has kind of ‘makes’ the film. But I realized I couldn’t screen the film and only re-create the soundtrack—we would have to do the dialogue and sound effects as well.” The performance begins at 8 p.m. and will be followed by WUOG’s Halloween party, featuring live music from Bubbly Mommy Gun and The Agenda! It’s a divergent lineup to be sure, with BMG playing experimental, dreamy pop and The Agenda! crashing through snarling garage punk. Proceeds from the party will benefit AIDS Athens, so make sure to stick around! [Michelle Gilzenrat]

Ben Mostyn

THE CALENDAR!

The Melting Point 7 p.m. $3. www.meltingpointathens. com* BUCK & NELSON This rootsy duo has been strumming “mountain music” since the mid-1970s. They play acoustic guitars using both flatpick and fingerstyle techniques, adding in mandolin, fiddle, banjos, harmonica and washboard. New Earth Music Hall 9 p.m. $8 (adv), $10 (door). www. newearthmusichall.com MILES BENJAMIN ANTHONY ROBINSON Brooklyn musician singing soulful hymns for modern times. WARPAINT Low-key folky music with a psychedelic bend. No Where Bar 10 p.m. $1. 706-546-4742 THE SUEX EFFECT The trio of guitarist Ricky Barrett, drummer Jonathan Daniels and bassist Miles Karp plays psychedelicized funk-rock instrumentals, relying on spacey harmonies. Tasty World Uptown 9:30 p.m. $6 (21+), $8 (18+). www. myspace.com/tastyworlduptown CINEMECHANICA This intensely voluminous local quartet is the aggro math-rock indie outfit that doesn’t know it’s a metal band. Or perhaps vice versa. MARRIAGE Truly unclassifiable local Christian sludge-rock trio experiments with every heavy and bizarre sound it can muster. SO MANY DYNAMOS Driving, innovative rock that has earned its share of comparisons to Q and Not U and Les Savy Fav. Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub 9 p.m. FREE! 706-870-6563 KARAOKE Every Tuesday. 11 p.m. 706-870-6563 CLAIBORNE SHEPHERD Acoustic singer-songwriter from Watkinsville plays melodic, breezy rock. Every Tuesday. Wild Wing Café 10 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com KARAOKE Every Tuesday night at the downtown wing chain’s upstairs space.

Wednesday 28 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $10 (adv.) www.40watt.com* JUNIOR BOYS Hailing from those untamed lands north of the U.S., this duo produces cool, danceable electro-pop. WOODHANDS Very danceable synth pop with psychedelic and even hiphop elements. 8e’s Bar 10:30 p.m. 706-613-1764 DJ KILLACUT Spinning ‘80s and early ‘90s hip-hop every Wednesday. Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com CHRIS MCKAY AND THE CRITICAL DARLINGS Drawing equally on ‘80s power-pop like The Cars and earlier stuff like The Kinks, frontman Chris McKay has a sharp lyrical turn for every melodic offering of his bandmates. PONDEROSA Local quartet fronted by Kalen Nash (ex-Gabriel Young) blasts through fiery classic rock, working some pedal steel into the mix and drawing heavily from bluesinfluenced Texas rock. JIM STAPLEY This musician’s brand of blues is upbeat and funky.

Casa Mia 7 p.m. FREE! 706-227-4444 LUDWIG PORRAS Latin and Flamenco guitar. Ciné Barcafé WUOG Presents. 8 p.m. FREE! www. wuog.org BUBBLY MOMMY GUN Raucous psychedelic explorations led by members of Sleeping Friends and Ice Cream Socialists. See Calendar Pick on p. 26. THE AGENDA! In-your-face punk rock ensemble that features a highenergy show that’s both reckless and wildly entertaining. Flicker Theatre & Bar 8:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar MAJOR LOVE EVENT With upbeat piano and vocal arrangements, this new pop duo features local singersongwriter Rebecca Van Damm on keys and drummer CK Koch.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31

KRUSH GIRLS

GARY’S GOT A BONER (REPLACEMENTS) BLACK FRANCIS (PIXIES) HEAP P-FUNK TRIBUTE doors open at 9pm • six dollars 285 W. Washington St. Athens, GA • Call 706-549-7871 for Show Updates

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

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28

VIC CHESNUTT BAND

JUNIOR BOYS

Gnat’s Landing 6 p.m. FREE! 706-850-5858 CLAIBORNE SHEPHARD Acoustic singer-songwriter from Watkinsville plays melodic, breezy rock. Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar EUREKA CALIFORNIA Recently expanded from the solo project of Jake Ward to a full band, Eureka California is a local indie band influenced by American indie that sounds like British indie influenced by American indie. Also, it rocks. Harry Bissett’s Bayou Grill 8 p.m. FREE! www.harrybissetts.net AVERY DYLAN PROJECT Guitarist Avery Dylan turns out electric blues backed by Clint Swords and Mike Strickland. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub CHEAP GIRLS Three dudes from Lansing, MI with an affinity for powerpop and alternative rock, naming bands like The Replacements and Superchunk as influences. MAXIMUM BUSY MUSCLE Local tech-metal trio featuring Jay Roach on guitar, Mary Joyce on drums and Kris Deason on bass. The Melting Point Power 100.1’s Monster Bash and Costume Contest. 9 p.m. $12 (adv), $10 (w/ UGA ID), $15 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com* COWBOY MOUTH Raucous party rock band from New Orleans that’s been going strong for nearly two decades. THE ELMS Visceral, blue-collar rock and roll that’s loud, proud and full of soul. New Earth Music Hall 10 p.m. $5. www.newearthmusichall. com Drag Show Come out for the weekly drag show with your favorite performers. Lots of treats, and maybe a few tricks.

GHOULS GONE WILD!

EARLY SHOW!

THE

FEATURING GUY PICCIOTTO (FUGAZI) AND MEMBERS OF THE SILVER MT. ZION, GODSPEED! YOU BLACK EMPEROR AND WITCHES

CLARE AND THE REASONS

WOODHANDS

doors open at 8pm • ten dollars adv.**

doors open at 9pm • ten dollars adv.**

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4

BENEFIT FOR HOPE HOUSE

HEALTH

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29

MUSIC HATES YOU SUBRIG DESTROYER RORSHAK • HOT BREATH

CHRISSAKES ABANDON THE EARTH MISSION

doors open at 9pm • ten dollars adv.** * 11/10 ** 11/11

doors open at 9pm • six dollars

* 11/12

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30

** 11/13 ** 11/18 * 11/19

DARK MEAT

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

AN ALBATROSS • NOOT D’NOOT doors open at 9pm • six dollars

WUGA C the lassic

PETE YORN / ISAAC RUSSELL EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS / LOCAL NATIVES / FAMILY OF THE YEAR MINUS THE BEAR / THE ANTLERS / TWIN TIGERS MELT BANANA / CINEMECHANICA LUCERO SON VOLT/ PETER BRUNTNELL

91.7

EXCLUSIVE HOME OF THE

PBR 24oz CAN

97.9fm

The Office Lounge 9:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-0840 KARAOKE Every Wednesday (and sometimes Friday!) with Stan. Tasty World Uptown Halloween Concert & Benefit for Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. 9:30 p.m. $5 (w/costume), $8 (w/o costume). www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown ABBEY ROAD LIVE! Here come the sun kings! The local cover band dek continued on next page

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

Saturday, October 31st

Georgia vs. Florida Serving Fried Gator Tail and Drink Specials all weekend

HALLOWEEN

Trick or Treat with us! Wear your costume and get 10% off (this night only)

LIVE MUSIC

Wed. Oct 28 - CLAIBORNE SHEPHARD Thu. Oct 29 - LEAVING COUNTRIES Fri. Oct 30 - TBA Mon-Sun 11:30am-Until • Plenty of Parking

1080 Baxter St. • 706-850-5858 www.gnatslanding.net

livers a start-to-finish performance of The Beatles’ Abbey Road and tosses in other high-energy, later-era Beatles rockers. DR. SQUID Jangly, frenetic rock and roll at its best when emphasizing its British Invasion sounds. LEADING EDGE The local band formerly known as Mudra has gotten a bit more upbeat since the name change, channeling alternative rock and pop sounds from across the decades. See Calendar Pick on this page. Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-3377 WEIGH THOSE THINGS Father and son duo play Grateful Dead covers and traditional tunes.

Thursday 29 40 Watt Club A Benefit for the Hope House. 9 p.m. $6. www.40watt.com HOT BREATH Thrash trio featuring members of experimental local acts Garbage Island and S.V.A. MUSIC HATES YOU High-energy and higher volume, Music Hates You plays a dirtier kind of punk metal. There’s red clay under the fingernails of this fat fist raised against authority. RORSHAK Member of local group Deaf Judges performs a solo set featuring abstract lyricism set to hardcore experimental hip-hop. New solo album out now! SUBRIG DESTROYER Heavy bass and drum two-piece that sounds like a mix of Floor and Om. Alibi Thursdays, FREE! 706-549-1010 OPEN MIC/JAM Hosted by Tracy Carroll and Matt Joiner of The Rattlers. Open to all musicians. Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18-20). www. caledonialounge.com REPTAR This up-and-coming local quartet sounds like the result of Animal Collective and Talking Heads teaming up to travel back in time and fight Napoleon. Dance shoes recommended. SUGAR AND GOLD These San Franciscans serve up a slice of electro pop like a modern ‘80s synth band. Club Chrome 9 p.m. FREE! 706-543-9009 KARAOKE Every Thursday night hosted by Blueberry Bill. El Paisano 8 p.m. 706-353-0346 KARAOKE Every Thursday with margarita specials. Farm 255 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com PUDDIN TANG Upbeat, quirky and stripped-down, Puddin’ Tang plays rootsy garage rock in the vein of Von Bondies. Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com. flickerbar BROKEN BITS Local songwriter Aaron Gentry has released two albums of Magnetic Fields-y pop songs—morose, charming and quirky. DUSTY LIGHTSWITCH Described as “one of the most exciting and satisfying live bands in town” by our own Gordon Lamb, this revolving cast of local eccentrics delivers rock and roll with epic possibilites.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

Wednesday, Oct. 29 continued from p. 27

THE VIKING PROGRESS Imagery related to Vikings or Norse mythos will usually be metal, but as the exception that disproves the rule, The Viking Progress plays beautiful and touching folk songs. Gnat’s Landing 6 p.m. FREE! 706-850-5858 LEAVING COUNTRIES Warm, inviting folk rock from here in Athens featuring tender violin, aching harmonica and melodic guitars. Go Bar 9 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar REEKS OF FAILURE This three-piece punk band takes its cues from bands like Bad Religion, Jawbreaker, Minor Threat, The Descendents and Face to Face. SOAPBAR Local group plays shaggy, diverse alt-rock informed by its lo-fi and folk peers. 11:30 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ gobar “DR. FRED’S KARAOKE” Hosted by karaoke fanatic John “Dr. Fred” Bowers, every Thursday. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub MATT KURZ ONE One-man rock machine Matt Kurz literally plays drums, keyboard, guitar and bass, by himself, all at the same time. Expect a mix of garage rock stomps and bluesy croons. PEACHS Local grungy light-onthe-vocals metal that plays like a soundtrack to any badass action imaginable. Magnolia’s at Tasty World Uptown 5–8 p.m. FREE! www.magnoliasbar. com JASON FULLER Local piano man plays blues, jazz and country.

The Melting Point 8:30 p.m. $10 (adv), $13 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com TRINA HAMLIN With a powerful voice and mastery of several instruments, Hamilton plays passionate and emotional songs. And her harmonica playing… oh, her harmonica playing… ERIN MCKEOWN This multi-instrumentalist can’t be slowed down— she’s put out 10 releases in as many years and averages 200 live shows a year. McKeown utilizes experimental production techniques to showcase her quirky, crafty and melodic tunes. New Earth Music Hall 9 p.m. $6 (adv), $8 (door). www.newearthmusichall.com WRONG WAY Sublime tribute band. No Where Bar 10 p.m. $2. 706-546-4742 THREE FOOT SWAGGER Local band featuring musicians Dave Cardello, Jake Cohen, Scott Lerch, Charlie McCoy and Jeff Reusche. The Swagger plays dynamic, highenergy rock and roll with a lot of funk. Roadhouse 11 p.m. FREE! 706-613-2324 DAMIAN CHURCHWELL Atlanta songwriter whose soothingly mellow acoustic rock is tricked out with electro bells and whistles. Tasty World Uptown 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown THE HUMMS Local act plays what’s been described as “Happy Hippie Horror Rock.” Imagine the sunny side of ‘60s garage rock tainted lyrically by mischievousness and a quirky flirtation with evil. New album out now! TRASHCANS Nate Mitchell of Cars Can Be Blue heads up this garagerock project that’s self-described as “lo-fi, blown-out scuzz punk.”

VILLAGE EXCHANGE New band featuring members of Reptar that blends experimental psychedelic elements with non-traditional pop song structures to create flowing, catchy and explosive compositions. Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-3377 LINGO Funky, soulful jam band from Marietta. Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub 10 p.m. $5. 706-870-6563 DJ RICH ROCK Weekly hip-hop dance party. Wild Wing Café 9 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. His all-American sound owes a lot to his backing band.

Friday 30 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $6. www.40watt.com AN ALBATROSS Noise rock from Pennsylvania with screaming vocals backed by chaotic electronics and guitar. The live show promises to be even more intense. DARK MEAT Super-group of 10+ members playing psychedelic garage-rock rave-ups ranging from the tight and efficient to the expansively sprawling, drawing inspiration from free-jazz, punk and showboating funk. CD release show! NOOT D’NOOT Large Atlanta ensemble that offers freaky, fun funk doused in psychedelia. Alibi 9 p.m. FREE! 706-549-1010 DAMIAN CHURCHWELL & THE OMENS Local songwriter whose soothingly mellow acoustic rock is

Wednesday, October 28

Leading Edge, Abbey Road LIVE!, Doctor Squid Tasty World Uptown Leading Edge vocalist/ guitarist Matt Daniel says when he and his brothers at Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia (UGA’s Men’s Social Music Fraternity) decided to Leading Edge put together a fundraiser show, they had just one goal in mind: “We wanted to raise money for a cause that advances music in America.” That’s why they are donating the proceeds from Wednesday’s show to the non-profit Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation. MHOF—named after the movie of the same name, which told the story of a dedicated music teacher who had a profound effect on generations of students—donates both new and refurbished instruments to schools and after-school music programs that lack the resources to keep up with equipment loss. MHOF’s goal is to give every child an opportunity to pick up an instrument and play music. Daniel says Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia thought it would be great to present a lineup that features an exciting cover band plus a couple of acts with ties to the Redcoat Band. Local upstart Doctor Squid features Red Coat trumpet player Larry Cardinal on lead vocals and trombonist Sam Perrin, and three members of Leading Edge, including Daniel, are former Redcoats, too. Leading Edge performs an interesting blend of soulful music in the vein of Sade, The Beatles, Green Day and Pearl Jam. Doctor Squid sounds a little bit like the sweeping melodies of Broken Social Scene or Arcade Fire meeting the pop sensibilities of The Hives or—extending further back in time—power-pop bands like The Raspberries. This will also be a rare opportunity to catch Abbey Road LIVE!—a Beatles cover band and one of the most popular cover bands in the state—in such an intimate space so cheaply ($5 if you wear a costume, $8 without)! Come hear three entertaining bands perform and help a great organization ensure that children encounter music performance opportunities early and often. [John Seay]

Matthew Lovell

THE CALENDAR!

tricked out with electro bells and whistles. Caledonia Lounge Jon Guthrie Benefit Show. 9:30 p.m. $6 (21+), $8 (18-20). www.caledonialounge.com BURNS LIKE FIRE Local band featuring members of Karbomb, Wristbandits, and Celerity. A quartet of musical disarray! GUFF This non-stop local punk quartet’s style hearkens back to the Lookout Records sound from more than a decade ago, with a sense of fun amid the noise. SO IT GOES Socially conscious punk rock band that infuses elements of Spanish rock, folk and ska. THUNDERCHIEF “We play classic rock-influenced punk, or punk-influenced classic rock,” says the WestCoast-sounding band. “Whichever way you wanna look at it.” Club Chrome 9 p.m. $5. 706-543-9009 SOUTHERN REIGN Southern rock! Farm 255 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com CHINATOWN DIARY Justin Evans’ band celebrates the release of its new album! THE GRANFALOONS Georgians playing sunny Americana with twangy guitars, the occasional accordion and lots of pop melodies. Celebrating their CD release tonight! See Don’t Miss on p. 23. Flicker Theatre & Bar 9:30 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ flickerbar COYOTE BONES Local act headed up by singer David Matysiak with new members Jordan Noel and Heather Kemp supporting. Coyote Bones plays a stripped down, dreamy, soulful brand of folk with soaring harmonies. Celebrating the release of Niobara tonight! LITTLE FRANCIS Steven Grubbs plays songs backed by Jesse Thompson, Jordan Noel and Brian Connell, sounding like rowdy, anthemic folk music mixed with early’50s rock and roll. Georgia Bar 10 p.m. FREE! 706-546-9884 HARP UNSTRUNG This local act gives melodic, alternative rock a bluesy, Southern twist. Go Bar 8 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar 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. CHRIS MOORE Chris Moore (exSpins) performs a solo acoustic set of original Southern soul. JOHN PENLAND No info available. REIGN LEE Powerful alt rock with fierce female vocals. Midnight. FREE! www.myspace.com/ gobar IMMUZIKATION Celebrated local DJ Alfredo Lapuz Jr.—also known for his over-the-top Daft Punk tribute act— mashes up high-energy electro and rock. Dance party begins after the bands. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub ETIENNE DE ROCHER Would-be physicist drops out of school and migrates from San Francisco to play acoustic funk-rock in Athens. You can’t make this stuff up. KAITLIN JONES AND THE COUNTY FAIR Local folk guitarist/ vocalist Kaitlin Jones’ five-piece

electric band performs a set of Americana-tinged tunes that feature guitars, bass, drums and some keyboards. THE MOORE BROTHERS Bright, melodic folky pop from the sunshine state.

Convenient Westside Location on Hawthorne

The Melting Point 9 p.m. $8 (adv), $10 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com KENOSHA KID Pirates sailing the high seas of musical chance, Kenosha Kid dances nimbly from one musical source to another and is hard to pinpoint as anything other than “great music with improvisation.” Celebrate the release of their new album Fahrenheit tonight! See story on p. 21. TREY WRIGHT TRIO Guitarist Trey Wright plays originals, jazz standards and unexpected interpretations of pop tunes.

since 19 thens A 83 g in es rv Authentic Mexican Food Cooked Fresh Daily

E IS THE WESTSID E! THE BEST SID Mondays

Hardshell Tacos $1.00

Pitchers of Miller $5.25 Pitchers of Dos Equis $6.25

New Earth Music Hall 9 p.m. www.newearthmusichall.com COSMIC CHARLIE Local Grateful Dead cover band celebrates its 10year anniversary!

Tuesdays

Pitchers of House Margaritas Frozen or On The Rocks $10.95

The Office Lounge 10 p.m. FREE! 706-546-0840 NORMALTOWN FLYERS This Athens roots-rock institution plays a set of good-time rock and roll with a Southern leaning.

Wednesdays

Regular House Margaritas $3.95 ALL DAY LONG

Thursdays

Pitchers of Miller $5.25 Pitchers of Dos Equis $6.25 Glass of Sangria $2.99

Shooters Cocktails & Dancing 9 p.m. FREE! 706-546-0003 GRYPHON Alternative and classic rock covers. Tasty World Uptown 10 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown EFREN Local Americana band plays lo-fi indie swamp folk “for the feelings in you.” MAJOR LOVE EVENT With upbeat piano and vocal arrangements, this new pop duo features local singersongwriter Rebecca Van Damm on keys and drummer CK Koch. Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-3377 MAC N CHZ These Southern rockers do originals and classic covers with their own unique spin.

Saturdays

ALL Pitchers of Beer $ 6.25 each

995 Hawthorne Ave.

Down the road from the YMCA in the Bell’s Shopping Center

706.548.4261 • Open Mon-Sat

Real New York Style Still Serving

WUGA 91.7 FM 4 p.m. FREE! www.wuog.org “IT’S FRIDAY!” Mad Whiskey Grin will perform on the local radio station’s weekly program. University Cable Channel 15 will also broadcast the show.

Saturday 31 283 Bar 10 p.m. FREE! 706-208-1283 IMMUZIKATION Celebrated local DJ Alfredo Lapuz Jr.‚ also known for his over-the-top Daft Punk tribute act‚ mashes up high-energy electro and rock. 40 Watt Club Ghouls Gone Wild! 9 p.m. $6. www.40watt.com BLACK FRANCIS Pixies cover band. GARY’S GOT A BONER Replacements cover band! k continued on next page

B A G E L S

lueberry Muffins

Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub 9 p.m. $2 (with costume) $5 (without). 706-870-6563 DJ MACHINE CHRIS Halloween party! Wild Wing Café 9 p.m. 706-227-9464 DAVE & MIKE Acoustic guitar duo.

Weekly Specials

tio Dining

ood Orange Juice

Really

’s Coffee

Jittery Jo

Cream Cheese

MORE THAN 75 COURSES ONLINE For more information or to register:

www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/flagpole 706-542-3243 1-800-877-3243 See your academic advisor about applying specific IDL courses to your program of study.

ox and Capers

her

Certified Ko

UGA Online Courses

Independent and Distance Learning (IDL)

Suite 193 • 1197 South Lumpkin Street • Athens, GA The University of Georgia is committed to principles of equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Monday-Friday

Push your body. Find your beat.

Marti’s

-Cheryl Burke Two-time Champion Dancing with the Stars

$50 for the rest of 2009 with January 2010 EFT sign-up

at Midday

1280 Prince Ave. • Normaltown Wi-Fi Available

706.543.3541

www.martisatmidday.com

Valid at participating locations. Joining fee and other restrictions may apply. Expires Oct. 31, 2009.

2 Locations:

Oconee Jazzercise Center in Colony Square and Jazzercise of Athens at the YWCO

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

Saturday, Oct. 31 continued from p. 29

KRUSH GIRLS Dance numbers from the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s–and today! So shake it, shake it at the dance party hosted by ultra-popular DJ Chris Bilheimer. THE HEAP P-FUNK TRIBUTE Local indie-soul band takes on Parliament-Funkadelic.

SURSIEVISION Emotive vocals, atmospheric keys, funky bass, tribal drumming and a tight horn section all compliment each other in this dynamic live experience. Sursievision is genre-bending and combines funk, soul and electronica with hints of reggae and Latin styles.

Allgood Lounge 10 p.m. 706-549-0166 GHOUL TALK DANCE PARTY Mixing Halloween-themed music from all genres!

Go Bar 10 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ gobar AMERICAN CHEESEBURGER Athens four-piece that boasts former members of No!, Divorce and Carrie Nations, delivering rapid-fire, loud and aggressive old-school thrash rock. Jeff Rapier (ex-The Dumps) recently joined as the new singer. BODIES Sex Pistols cover band featuring Winston Parker (Abandon the Earth Mission) as Johnny Rotten, Mike Mills (R.E.M.) as Sid Vicious with Brian Smith (Gold Party) on guitar and Jim Payne (JuJu) on drums. TWIN POWERS Spinning goth disco after the bands!

Athens Farmers Market 8 a.m. FREE! www.athensfarmersmarket.net FAITH AND PAIGE CARMICHAEL Soulful vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar. (10 a.m.) WILLIAM TONKS AND FRIENDS Local folk rocker William Tonks (Workhorses, Barbara Cue, etc.) performs a solo set of his songs on guitar and dobro. His earnest delivery and palpable sincerity recall the tender vocals of James Taylor and the subtle Southern tones of Gram Parsons. Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $6 (21+), $8 (18-20). www. caledonialounge.com GIRLS OWN LOVE Andrew W.K. coverband featuring members of We Versus the Shark and Casper and the Cookies. HEAR YOU ME Weezer cover band that plays nothing post-Pinkerton. PASTOR OF MUPPETS Local Metallica cover band. Club Chrome Saints and Sinners Halloween Bash. 9 p.m. $5. 706-543-9009 THE BIG DON BAND Don Spurlin’s band delivers “workingman’s blues from a country perspective” with a catalog of Southern blues covers and originals. Farm 255 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com PACKWAY HANDLE BAND Packway’s “gather around the mic” approach to bluegrass provides sly, hearty original songs and renditions of classic tunes. The band’s close four-part harmonies are backed by high energy, and the contemporary lyrics are delivered with an engaging sense of humor. VENICE IS SINKING With boy/girl vocals, a cinematic jangle and a sweeping, emotional punch courtesy of a viola, Venice Is Sinking’s pianobased torch songs burn bright. Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. www.myspace.com/flickerbar HALLOWEEN SHORT FILM PREMIERE Premiere screening of Zombies from the Black Legume followed by a performance by Zombie Halo (Hola Halo special show with guest Dave Sturgis.) Georgia Bar 11 p.m. FREE! 706-546-9884 MICHELLE MCCLURE AND THE RED Athens musicians play “heartbreak and head-game ditties.” THE XG-1 Up-and-coming local rock trio featuring big blues-based riffs. There will be a Halloween costume contest in between bands tonight! The Globe 10:30 p.m. FREE if you wear a spacerelated costume! 706-353-4721 T’N’T DJ Triz and fellow beat aficionado t8r(tot) have “joined like Voltron” to form T’n’T and will be “unfolding a beat session before ye the likes of which have ne’er been seen.”

Little Kings Shuffle Club 9 p.m. FREE! 706-369-3144 THE 9D’S A ‘90s cover band featuring members of Daffodil. 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. The Melting Point 9 p.m. $10, ($5 if in costume). www. meltingpointathens.com STRAWBERRY FLATS Local music vets John Keane, Scott Sanders, Tim White and Deane Quinter play a special Halloween set featuring Jimi Hendrix covers! New Earth Music Hall Halloween Sin Ball. 10 p.m. $5. www. newearthmusichall.com DJ 43 Active in the Athens dance scene for nearly 20 years, Mark Bell spins breakbeat and house remixes. D:RC The latest in global club sounds ranging from dubstep, UK funky to electro and bassline. DJ SORTED Atlanta DJ Jamie Andersen draws from all aspects of modern dance music: from house to electro to dubstep and more. No Where Bar 10 p.m. $5. 706-546-4742 GEORGE MCCONNELL & THE CHALANTS McConnell served for three years as Widespread Panic’s lead guitarist and is also known for his work with Kudzu Kings and Beanland. His new band features a bold, straightahead rock sound with just a touch of Southern twang. Tonight will be a special “scary holiday show!” The Office Lounge 9 p.m. $5. 706-546-0840 1ST ANNUAL HALLOWEEN HONKY TONK BASH Featuring local Americana acts Betsy Franck, The Burning Angels, Adam Klein, Helen, Dodge and more playing covers all night long! Roadhouse 11 p.m. FREE! 706-613-2324 ASHUTTO MIRRA Local heavyleaning alternative rock group that manages to mix in a bit of Southern influence. RPM Dead Man’s Ball. 9 p.m. FREE! 706543-0428 DJ SISTER DEATHSTAR Tommy spins goth, new wave and glam rock.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

Shooters Cocktails & Dancing 9 p.m. FREE! 706-546-0003 HALLOWEEN BASH Costume contest and cash prizes while a DJ spins spooky, danceable grooves! Tasty World Uptown 9:30 p.m. Halloween Party! www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown THE BIG LEBOWSKI REVIVAL Fester “Walter” Hagood, Charlie “Brandt” Garrett, Thomas “Shut the Fuck Up Donny” Bavis, Matt “Dream Dude” Thompson, Scottie “The Dude” Nicholson and special guests pay tribute to The Dude by covering songs from the film The Big Lebowski. FIVE EIGHT This totally wired, near-legendary Athens rock trio has consistently pumped out highenergy rock and roll that’s not too complicated but overwhelmingly satisfying. KITE TO THE MOON Follow the “Wild Rumpus” parade led by Kite to the Moon as it culminates with a concert and party at Tasty World! Kite to the Moon plays quirky, highenergy pop rock. Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-3377 OPEX Progressive rock band from Atlanta whose alternative sounds borrow from jazz, Southern rock and the blues.

Sunday 1 ACC Library 3 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LIVE! AT THE LIBRARY This month: Lyric League performs your favorite songs from Broadway shows. You will feel the love tonight, er, this afternoon. Square One Fish Co. 1-4 p.m. FREE! www.squareonefishco. com SUNDAY JAZZ BRUNCH Rotating local jazz artists play Sunday afternoons on the patio.

Monday 2 40 Watt Club 8 p.m. $10 (adv). www.40watt.com CLARE AND THE REASONS This Brooklyn duo sings soft, dreamy ballads in English and French with a slightly jazzy feel, accented by delicate string arrangements. THE VIC CHESNUTT BAND One of Georgia’s most acclaimed singer/ songwriters, Chesnutt plays tonight with Guy Picciotto of Fugazi and members of Thee Silver Mt. Zion, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Witches. See story on p. 19. Ciné Barcafé 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.athenscine.com OPEN JAZZ JAM Calling all jazz musicians. Now you can join local jazz group Sonny Got Blue every Monday for an open mic jam. Little Kings Shuffle Club 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub AMERICAN CHEESEBURGER Athens four-piece that boasts former members of No!, Divorce and Carrie Nations, delivering rapid-fire, loud and aggressive old-school thrash rock. BRAINWORMS Punk five-piece from Virginia. THE JACK BURTON Local punk band featuring former members of departed Athens faves like Hunter-Gatherer, Let’s Surf! and Exit 86. SAVAGIST Brand-new Athens band featuring fine folks from local bands

Saturday, October 31

Michael Goethe

THE CALENDAR!

Halloween Concert Preview Various Venues I don’t care how much flab you are choosing to air out with that costume you rented from Junkman’s—you and your terrible friends are not going to make me forget that Halloween is about truly scary shit. It’s about the evil, the occult and the undead: terrifying elements that are beyond law and reason. Thus, I will be rating the Halloween-related musical events taking place in Athens according to how actually scary they are. Let’s go: The Krush Girls will be returning to the 40 Watt, but I don’t really work security at the 40 Watt anymore, so that doesn’t really rate very high for me in terms of scariness. The reliably ass-moving HEAP doing Parliament Funkadelic covers, a Pixies tribute called Black Francis, and a Replacements cover band called Gary’s Got a Boner will join them. The lack of time spent thinking of the Pixies cover band name is sort of scary, and the Replacements cover band name is definitely funny, but NOT SCARY. Moving on: American Cheeseburger can be scary, and the idea of a Sex Pistols cover band with Mike Mills (!) on bass is somehow very scary to me, perhaps due to my irrational fear of Nudie suits. Those acts will be at the Go Bar. Zombie Halo, a zombiefied iteration of the lovely balladeering band Hola Halo, will be at Flicker, and the fact that the zombie trend has continued unabated yet another year does get my pulse racing a bit. Timi Conley will be leading a “Wild Rumpus” (is homeboy on Warner Brothers’ payroll or something?) across downtown to Tasty World Uptown for a show with his irrepressible team in rock, Kite to the Moon. Conley is comparing the “Wild Rumpus” to Burning Man, which stacks his event near the tippy-top of my list of what I’d consider a frightening time. But the cripplingly fear-inducing heart attack of a show is at the Caledonia Lounge. The idea of a first-two-records-only Weezer tribute band, the always reliable Metallica reenactment band, Pastor of Muppets, and an all-female Andrew W.K. cover band is scary only in that I am not sure that anything this awesome will ever happen again. You’ve been warned. [Jeff Tobias]

300 Cobras, Hot Breath, and The Dumps. Tasty World Uptown 10 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown COCO RICO This new local post-rock trio performs over experimental samples and beats. THE OPPOSITE EFFECT New band making its debut tonight! VILLAGE EXCHANGE New band featuring members of Reptar that blends experimental psychedelic elements with non-traditional pop song structures to create flowing, catchy and explosive compositions.

Tuesday 3 Alibi 8 p.m. FREE! 706-549-1010 KARAOKE CONTEST Farm 255 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com DAN NETTLES Celebrated local jazz musician known for his work fronting Kenosha Kid. The Melting Point 7 p.m. $3. www.meltingpointathens. com THE DROVERS OLD TIME MEDICINE SHOW This South Carolina bluegrass band has been around for over two decades, getting its start as a back porch honky tonk act. The Old Time Medicine show still delivers its bluegrass with a good dose of humor.

ALLISON WEISS Heartfelt singer/ songwriter with quirky charm, sharp pop sensibilities and an avid online following. UGA Tate Center 8 p.m. FREE for students, $10 (adv) $15 (door) for general public. www. uga.edu AUGUSTANA California indie poppers play UGA’s Homecoming Concert.

Wednesday 4 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $10 (adv). www.40watt.com ABANDON THE EARTH MISSION Josh McKay (ex-Macha) taking over lead vocals backed by Winston Parker and Lawson Grice (Iron Hero). The band has gone in a more ambient and lush direction, driven by vibrapone, hammered dulcimer and heavier beats. CHRISSAKES Local hardcore band with haunting, brooding guitar riffs and explosive, screaming vocals. HEALTH Los Angeles noise rock band on tour in support of their brandnew album, Get Color.

No Where Bar 10 p.m. $1. 706-546-4742 SUMILAN Local progressive jam rockers.

Caledonia Lounge 9 p.m. $10 (21+), $12 (18+). www. caledonialounge.com JAY GONZALEZ Nutria keyboardistvocalist and traveling keyboardist for Drive-By Truckers. PATTERSON HOOD A shining star among the multi-talented DriveBy Truckers songwriter/guitarist/ vocalists, Patterson Hood has a way with a story, blending country and Southern rock styles with a direct approach. This is the first night of Hood’s month-long residency at Caledonia Lounge.

Tasty World Uptown 10 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown LAMINATED CAT Local psychedelic pop band fluent in the absurd and eccentric.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 11:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar AMERICAN CHEESEBURGER Athens four-piece that boasts former members of No!, Divorce and Carrie

Nations, delivering rapid-fire, loud and aggressive old-school thrash rock. Jeff Rapier (ex-The Dumps) recently joined as the new singer. Record release show! JIMMY KIND BUD Christopher Ingham’s new band, formerly Liverty, featuring Kate R. on bass and Sarah T. on drums. NECRO HIPPIES Punk band from New Orleans. Harry Bissett’s Bayou Grill 8 p.m. FREE! www.harrybissetts.net THE COMMON PEOPLE BAND Local group pays tribute to Motown. The Melting Point 10 p.m. $12 (adv), $15 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com MARCY PLAYGROUND Melodic modern rockers that exploded onto the scene in 1997 with the song “Sex and Candy.” THE ORKIDS Local electropop group guaranteed to get you dancing. New Earth Music Hall 9 p.m. $6. www.newearthmusichall. com ELECTA VILLIAN This local trio plays moody, dark indie rock with big, theatrical vocals a la Muse. TODAY THE MOON, TOMORROW THE SUN Endearing electro-rock from Atlanta featuring sweet and strong female vocals backed by fierce guitars. The Office Lounge 9:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-0840 KARAOKE Every Wednesday (and sometimes Friday!) with Stan. Rye Bar 8 p.m. www.myspace.com/ryebarathens 3 FOOT SWAGGER Local band featuring musicians Dave Cardello, Jake Cohen, Scott Lerch, Charlie McCoy and Jeff Reusche. The Swagger plays dynamic, high-energy rock and roll with a lot of funk.

Tasty World Uptown 10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown BLUESWATER BRIDGE Local rock outfit inspired by classic Southern rock and blues. FIRE ZUAVE The lead singer of this Athens-by-way-of-West-Palm-Beach trio is the cousin of Of Montreal’s Kevin Barnes, but he sings a scratchier pop that veers toward Americana. His voice can channel Conor Oberst and Jeff Tweedy, and the bassist and drummer buoy his melodies with clean backing vocals. THE REGULARS BAND Funk rock from Atlanta. * Advance Tickets Available

Down the Line 11/5 Drizo / T8R(TOT) / Triz (New Earth Music Hall) 11/5 Deaf Judges / Gemini Cricket / Puddin’ Tang / Showtime (40 Watt Club) 11/5 Adam Klein and the Thrashers / Betsy Franck and friends / The Burning Angels / The Geisha Hit Squad (Caledonia Lounge) 11/5 Julian Bozeman / Little Teeth (Farm 255) 11/5 Nanny Island / Pearl and the Beard / Jeremy Wheatley (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 11/5 Mama’s Love (No Where Bar) 11/5 Eddie & The Public Speakers (Tasty World Uptown) 11/5 Dromedary Quartet (The Melting Point) 11/6 Blood Warrior / Freon Fighters (Farm 255) 11/6 Big Spenders / Death on Two Wheels / US Royalty (Go Bar) 11/6 Aman Amun / Nautilus (New Earth Music Hall) 11/6 moe. (The Classic Center) 11/7 DJ Mahogany (Farm 255) 11/7 Hip Hop Homecoming Party (New Earth Music Hall) 11/7 The Dictatortots / Save Grand Canyon (40 Watt Club) 11/7 Ken Will Morton and Andrew Vickery (Allen’s Bar & Grill) 11/7 Artie Ball Swing Band / The Musicsmiths (Athens Farmers Market) 11/7 The Bastards of Fate / The Humms / Laminated Cat / Los Meesphits (Caledonia Lounge) 11/7 Holman Autry Band (Club Chrome) 11/7 Bananafish / Romanenko / Stereofidelics (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 11/7 Harp Unstrung (The Office Lounge) 11/8 Hola Halo / One Man Machine (Farm 255) 11/8 Night of the Living Lebowski (Kingpins Bowl & Brew) 11/9 Aloud / B-Side Revolution / Great Society (Caledonia Lounge) 11/10 Pete Yorn (40 Watt Club) 11/10 Paper Knives / Peachs / Scarab (Caledonia Lounge) 11/10 Carl Lindberg (Farm 255) 11/10 The Plague / The XG-1 (No Where Bar) 11/11 Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros / Fool’s Gold / Local Natives (40 Watt Club) 11/11 Bo Beddingfield / Patterson Hood (Caledonia Lounge) 11/11 Grape Soda (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 11/11 Raquy Danzinger (New Earth Music Hall) 11/12 The Antlers / Minus the Bear / Twin Tigers (40 Watt Club) 11/12 Hawney Troof (Farm 255) 11/12 Little Francis / Shapiro / Spring Tigers / Tenderhooks (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 11/12 Dark Party / Eliot Lipp (New Earth Music Hall)

11/13 Cinemechanica / Melt Banana (40 Watt Club) 11/13 American Cheeseburger / Dark Castle / Savagist (Farm 255) 11/13 Nate Nelson / Thayer Sarrano (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 11/13 Pigs on the Wing (New Earth Music Hall) 11/13 Shaun Mullins (The Rialto Room) 11/14 Carl Lindberg and Friends / Grogus! (Athens Farmers Market) 11/14 Heavy Petty (Farm 255) 11/14 Dexter Romweber (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 11/17 The Charlie Garret Band (No Where Bar) 11/18 Cedric Burnside and Lightnin’ Malcolm / The Dirty Streets / Lucero (40 Watt Club)* 11/19 Jazzchronic (No Where Bar) 11/20 Hope For Agoldensummer (Caledonia Lounge) 11/21 The HEAP (Farm 255) 11/21 Kyle Hollingsworth (New Earth Music Hall) 11/21 The Corduroy Road (The Melting Point) 11/27 Birds+Wire / Kaitlin Jones and the County Fair (New Earth Music Hall) 12/3 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert (MadisonMorgan Cultural Center)* 12/3 Toubab Krewe (New Earth Music Hall) 12/5 Glitch Mob (New Earth Music Hall) 12/5 Strawberry Flats (No Where Bar) 12/8 Nathan Sheppard and John Keane (No Where Bar) * Advance Tickets Available

In the ATL

Paress & Van Wickel=Dreadfully Happy

Mrs. Hedy Van Wickel of Bluffton, SC is happy to disparage the upcoming nuptials of her son Charles Dereck Van Wickel to Miss Celia Paress of NY, MA, and NH. The wedding will take place on All Hallow’s Eve, October 31, 2009 at the HardemanSams House in Athens, GA. Weighing in from heaven the groom’s father, the former Charlie Van Wickel, expressed his joy at the news by releasing 20 inches of rain upon Atlanta in a single week, and advises his first born to “marry before she comes to her senses.” The ceremony will be performed by Rabbi Ronald Gerson, the only Rabbi in the Classic City and one of just a few in the Southeastern Football Conference, and by Haitian witch doctor Kathjulie Morgana Kirbostani (Guests are advised to bring their own (live) chicken and a poncho). The Bride, Miss Paress, is the Associate Research and Marketing Manager for Cars.com, where she enjoys making reservations in some of the Second Cities’ finest restaurants. She hopes to reach five feet tall by her thirtieth birthday and would like to have children before her new husband becomes “like totally infirm, if you get my meaning.” The Maid of Honor is Miss Melissa (send me the) Biller, of Syracuse, NY and points west. Reached for comment at a local bar called Local Bar, the groom’s brother Adam, said; “Sure, Celia is incredibly sweet and good looking, but they’ve only been together for three years. What do we really know about her or him for that matter? We (I)…will (fight) this thing…a (lot).” Mr. Van Wickel, is a common ne’er do well and was recently named Best Unknown Artist by Publish-It-Yourself Magazine. His Best Man (available) Mr. Jody Owenby of Atlanta, met the groom while attending the University of Georgia, where according to Mr. Owenby he majored in “Too much damn drinking and dicking around.” The couple resides in Chicago, home of the Bears, Sox and Cubs, but thank goodness, not the 2016 Olympic Games. Fatuously, the Groom was recently made Sultan of Fredonia, a position that comes with numerous benefits but few real responsibilities, much like a member of Congress. Following the ceremony the couplet plans to honeymoon in Walla-Walla, Bora-Bora, and Pago-Pago until winding up in Sing-Sing. In lieu of gifts they ask disinterested parties to donate to Breast Cancer Awareness, because if you don’t save the tatas, all the whales in the ocean won’t matter one bit.

10/28 Alternative Press Tour (The Masquerade)* 10/30 Gogol Bordello (Variety Playhouse)* 10/30 Joe Bonamassa (Center Stage)* 10/30 Zac Brown Band GA Theatre Benefit (Fox Theatre)* 11/1 The Used (The Tabernacle)* 11/2 Wolfmother / Heartless Bastards (The Tabernacle)* 11/3 Brand New / Thrice (The Tabernacle) 11/4 King Khan & BBQ Show (The Star Bar) 11/5 Le Loup / Nurses (Lenny’s Bar)* 11/6 Fuck Buttons / Growing (529) 11/6 Mute Math / As Tall As Lions (The Tabernacle)* 11/6 The Jesus Lizard / All the Saints (Variety Playhouse)* 11/7 Alela Diane (The EARL)* 11/7 Municipal Waste (Drunken Unicorn)* 11/9 Peaches / Men (Center Stage)* 11/10 Miniature Tigers / Say Anything / Eisley (The Masquerade)* 11/11 Monsters of Folk (The Tabernacle)* 11/11 The Get Up Kids (The Masquerade)* 11/12 Queensryche (The Masquerade)* 11/12 Shonen Knife (The EARL)* 11/13 Charlie Louvin / Anna Kramer / Dexter Romweber (The EARL) 11/13 Less Than Jake (The Masquerade)* 11/14 Joshua Radin (Center Stage)* 11/15 Echo and the Bunnymen (The Masquerade)* 11/18 Lyle Lovett (The Tabernacle)* 11/20 Camera Obscura (Variety Playhouse) * Advance Tickets Available

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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 Call for Artists (Downtown Athens) The 2009 Athens Indie Craftstravaganzaa Holiday Market is now accepting applications for artists and crafters for their upcoming market. Musicians, performance artists and DJs also welcome. www. athensindiecraftstravaganzaa.com Call for Artists (Georgia Piedmont Arts Center, Winder) Seeking artists of varying skill levels to participate in upcoming gallery show “Harvest of Art” in November. Register or learn more online. 404202-3044, www.georgiapiedmontartscenter.com

AUDITIONS Vagina Monologues (Family Protection Center) Your vagina has something to say about violence against women, or maybe it just has a really killer standup act. Call Project Safe for audition guidelines and information. Nov. 15, 2–5 p.m. Nov. 16, 6–8 p.m.

CLASSES Beginner Trapeze Workshops (Canopy Studio) Learn the basics of trapeze technique, work with a partner and swiiiiiiing! Nov. 21 & Dec. 5, 3–4:30 p.m. $25. info@canopystudio.com Beginning Golf (UGA Center for Continuing Education) Take a swing at this class for beginners. Open to all! Through Nov. 2, 706-542-3537, www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/ppd Bellydance Basics (Athens YMCA) Wednesday mornings. 10:45 a.m. www.athensymca.org

Booty Camp (Sangha Yoga Studio) A low-impact core fitness course led by Mary Imes. Tuesdays, 5:30–6:45 p.m. Fridays, 10:30–11:45 a.m. $60/6 weeks. 706-613-1143 Chen Style Taijiquan (Floorspace) Got effortless power? Register for ongoing instruction. Sundays and Mondays, 706-6143342, telihu@gmail.com Clay Classes (Good Dirt) Weekly “Try Clay” class every Friday from 7–9 p.m. and “Family Try Clay” every Sunday from 2–4 p.m. ($20/ person). 706-355-3161, www.gooddirt.net Cooking for a Lifetime (Athens Community Council on Aging) Learn how to reduce your risk of cancer and other chronic diseases through a healthy diet. All are welcome, but low-income men and women who may not have access to health screenings are particularly encouraged to attend. Nov. 3 & Nov. 11, 2–3:30 p.m. $10 (covers cost of food). 706-549-4850. Dance Center Winter Classes (East Athens Educational Dance Center) Registering for adult and children’s classes including Beginning Jazz, Ballet, Tap, HipHop, Praise Dancing and more. $18–$25. www.accleisureservices. com/dance.shtml Fall Container Planting (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Landscape architect Connie Cottingham discusses the principles of design and shares tips on potting mixers, choosing a container, spring bulbs and plant choices for sun or shade. Nov. 10, 5:30–7 p.m. $17. www.uga.edu/botgarden GEN Homeschool Program (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Garden Earth Naturalist program for homeschoolers. Topics include pollination, air and water purification,

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

pest control, soil production and recycling. Nov. 23–Dec. 11, 9–11 a.m. (ages 6–8), 1–3 p.m. (ages 9–11). $22–$36. 706-542-6156 Gentle Yoga for Seniors (Council on Aging) Regain flexibility, stamina and muscle tone with gentle stretches and breathing techniques. Tuesdays, 8–9:15 a.m. Wednesdays, 3–4:15 p.m. Fridays, 10–11 a.m. FREE! 706-548-3910 Hatha Yoga (Sangha Yoga Studio) Candlelight traditional Hatha Yoga. Beginners welcome. 706-613-1143, www.healingartscentre.net Holiday Healthy Eating (Athens Community Council on Aging) Don’t let holiday pounds happen to you this year. Learn healthy alternatives to traditional holiday eating and easy exercises to prevent weight gain. Nov. 12, 1:30–3 p.m. FREE! 706-549-4850 Hoop Class (Canopy Studio) This guided hoop dance class helps develop fitness, balance, strength and flow. All skill levels welcome, but completion of basic hooping workshop encouraged. Fridays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. $15. www.canopystudio.com Intro to Computers (Madison County Library) Alisa Claytor, computer specialist, offers an Introduction to Computers series. Three weekly meetings, and you may attend one per week or all three. Preregistration required. 706-795-5597. Tuesdays, 2–3 p.m. or 7–8 p.m. Wednesdays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m. Life Drawing Sessions (Fringe Collective Artistic Studios, 159 Jackson St.) Bring any supplies/ equipment that you may require. Ages 18 and up. Call to reserve a space. Thursdays, 6–8:15 p.m. $7/ session, $20/month. 706-540-2727 Line Dancing for Seniors (Council on Aging, Harris Room)

Mike Grove’s print “Hellbot” is on display at the Pain & Wonder Tattoo Studio. Keep your health in line and have fun at the same time! Tuesdays, 4–5 p.m. $5/class. 706-549-4850 Mama-Baby Yoga (Five Points Yoga) For babies 1–8 months old and their grown-ups. Fussy babies and tired mamas welcome. Every Monday. 11 a.m. $10. 706-3553114, www.athensfivepointsyoga. com Mama-Baby Yoga (Mind Body Institute) For mamas and their babies. Six weeks old to crawlers. Every Wednesday. 10:30–11:45 a.m. $60/6 classes. 706-475-7329, mbiprograms@armc.org Managing Grief through the Holidays (Athens Community Council on Aging) Losing a loved one is painful, and the holiday season can often intensify that pain. Don’t endure it alone. Nov. 19, 2–3:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-4850, www.accaging.org Mind Your Muscles (Athens Community Council on Aging) Bring your muscles into focus with a combination of tai chi, yoga and Pilates! Fridays, 3–4 p.m. $5/class. 706-4850 Open Art Studio (Art School, Watkinsville) Led by Tracy Jefferies. Participants work at their own pace, and instruction is provided as requested. Reduced fee if you bring your own art supplies. Open to all experience levels. Mondays, 12:30–2:30 p.m. $190 for 8 classes (includes supplies). artschoolstreet@gmail.com, www.artschoolwatkinsville.com Pilates Classes (Balance Pilates and Wellness Studio) Schedule and details online. Private lessons also available. 706-546-1061, www. balancepilatesathens.com Prenatal Yoga (Full Bloom Center) Get ready for birth and beyond. Every Thursday. 5:30 p.m.

$14/class or $60/6 classes. 706353-3373, www.fullbloomparent. com Scottish Country Dancing (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens) Introductory classes. No partner necessary! Thursdays, 7–9 p.m. $25/12 weeks, $3/class. 706255-1010, info@thistleandkudzu.net Spanish Mommy or Daddy and Me Classes (Email for Location) Learn Spanish with your preschooler through songs, stories and games! New session starting soon. $75/6-week session. sehlers@uga.edu “Sustainability: Bring It Home!” (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Weekend workshop for people interested in learning about home energy alternatives, home orchards and forest gardens, natural building, raising animals at home and creative erosion control. Nov. 13–15. $155. www.uga.edu/ botgarden Tae Kwon Do & Jodo Classes (Live Oak Martial Arts, Chase Street Warehouses) For kids and adults, beginner through advanced. Mondays–Thursdays, 3:30-8:30 p.m. 706-548-0077, www.liveoakmartialarts.com Tai Chi for Seniors (Council on Aging) Increase strength and balance at your own pace! Every Tuesday. 2–3 p.m. $15/semester. 706-549-4850 UGA Swing Club (UGA Memorial Hall) Learn the Lindy Hop or the Charleston. No partner necessary. Every Monday, 7–8 p.m. www.uga. edu/ugaswingclub Yoga and Tai Chi Classes (Athens Wellness Cooperative) For beginners through experienced. See full calendar online. $14/drop-in, $60/6 classes, $108/12 classes. www.wellnesscooperative.com

Yoga Classes (Om Town Yoga, 190 Park Avenue) Ongoing classes with detailed asana instruction. Multi-class discounts. Mondays, 6:15 p.m. Wednesdays, 5:45 p.m. $10/drop-in. www.athensomtownyoga.com Yoga Crawlers (Full Bloom Center) For active babies 8–18 months. Every Wednesday. 10:30 a.m. $14. 706-353-3373, www. fullbloomparent.com Zumba at the Garden (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves comprise this dynamic fitness program. Wednesdays, through Oct. 28, 5:30–6:30 p.m. $10/class, $48/session. www.uga.edu/botgarden

HELP OUT! American Red Cross (Red Cross Donor Center, 3525 Atlanta Hwy.) Seeking donors for all blood types. 706-546-0681, www.redcrossblood. org AthFest Volunteer Opportunity (Email for Location) The AthFest Education Committee seeks year-round volunteers to assist them in their mission to connect local music to local schools. education@athfest.com Become a Mentor (Boys and Girls Clubs of Athens) Volunteer one hour per week to make a difference in the life of a child. Training provided. 706-546-4910, mentor@ athensbgca.com, www.fflife.net Bike Recycling Program (Chase Street Warehouses) Join BikeAthens volunteers as they clean and repair donated bicycles for local service agencies. Bike repair skills a plus, but not necessary. Sunday, 2–4:30 p.m. Monday & Wednesday, 6–8:30 p.m. www.bikeathens.com

Rivers Alive (Call for location) Come out and give back to our rivers for Athens’ annual river cleanup. Nov. 8, 2–6 p.m. 706-613-3615, www.handsonnortheastgeorgia.org

KIDSTUFF Athens Language Schoolhouse (Athens Language Schoolhouse) Italian immersion classes for infants through Pre-K. Call to schedule free trial classes! www.athenslanguageschoolhouse. com Creative Movement (Floorspace) Ongoing class for ages 3–5. Call to register! Tuesdays, 10 a.m. and Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. (ages 3-4), Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. (age 5). 706247-4513, lisayaconelli@yahoo.com Family Yoga Sprouts (Full Bloom Center) Enjoy yoga as a family! Third Sunday of every month. 1:30–2:30 p.m. Call for fees. 706353-3373, www.yogasprouts.com Homeschoolers Chapter Book Review (Madison Baptist Church) Elementary school-age homeschoolers gather at the library to read a book together and talk about it. Every Thursday. 1 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 Kids Trapeze Open Studio (Canopy Studio) Bring a parent to assist you as you learn the art of trapeze. Sundays, noon–1 p.m. info@ canopystudio.com Mommy/Daddy and Me Trapeze (Canopy Studio) Parents will guide their children in a range of exercises on the floor and low trapezes. Each child must be accompanied by one parent. Sundays, 10–11 a.m. (ages 2–3) 11 a.m.–noon (ages 1–2) $10/class. 706-549-8501, info@canopystudio.com One-to-One Reading Program (East Athens Community Center) Read with the

librarian and other volunteers. Get them all to yourself! For ages 6 and up. Monday–Thursday, 3:30–5:30 p.m., FREE! 706-613-3657 Yoga Sprouts (Full Bloom Center) Fun, playful yoga for kids ages 2 and up. Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m. $14/ single class, $60/6 classes. 706353-3373

SUPPORT Emotional Abuse Support Group (Call for location) Demeaning behavior and hateful words can be just as harmful as punches and kicks. Childcare is provided. Call Project Safe hotline at 706-543-3331 for location. Wednesdays, 6:30–8 p.m. Emotions Anonymous (Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens) Informal and supportive 12step program open to anyone with a desire to become well emotionally. Sundays, 4–5 p.m. 706-202-7463, www.emotionsanonymous.org Mental Health Support Group (St. Mary’s Hospital) Meets in the lobby conference room. Thursdays, 6:30–8 p.m. 706-7835706, www.athensmentalhealth.org

ON THE STREET ACC Leisure Services Winter Programs (Various Locations) Registration for adult and youth art and dance classes, youth basketball and many other programs. See complete program online. www.accleisureservices.com Band Together: Help Rebuild the Georgia Theatre (Georgia Theatre) The Georgia Theatre and the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation have banded together to help fund the rebuilding of the Theatre. To make a donation or

ART AROUND TOWN ACC Library (Top of the Stairs Gallery) Paintings by UGA alumna Christina Bray. Through November. (Top of the Stairs Gallery) Paintings by Craig Hawkins. Through October. Athens Academy (Myers Gallery) Paintings by Erin McIntosh and Jennifer Hartley. (Bertelsmann Gallery) Work by Didi Dunphy, Lou Kregel and Carol John. Through Dec. 14. ATHICA “Free Press in Free Fall” features the work of 13 artists addressing the current state of the American news media. Lectures and receptions on Nov. 8. Brick House Studio The fall 2009 exhibition features works by Tex Crawford, D.M. Kirwin and Brian Reade. Ongoing sculpture installation by Doug Makemson. Through Nov. 22 (by appointment only). Reception Nov. 22. Circle Gallery, UGA College of Environmental Design “We Are So Lightly Here: Putting Contemporary Musicians in Their Place,” a photographic exploration of musicians within their landscapes by Michael Wilson. Through Oct. 30. Earth Fare Work by Lisa Freeman. Through October. Flicker Theatre & Bar Shadowboxes and paintings by Cindy Jerrell and Jeff Owens. Through October. Fringe Collective Artistic Studios (159 Jackson Street) “Penumbra,” a special Halloween art exhibit featuring the work of local artists. Through October. Good Dirt Halloween-themed pottery by Mike Klapthor, Sarah Visser and Jeff Williams. Through October. The Grit Paintings by Mary Moses. Through Nov. 15. Hair Therapy Studio Work by Pain & Wonder’s Graham Bradford. Through Nov. 14. Healing Arts Centre “The Divine Beloved” features Charlie Gard’ner’s paintings and drawings of self-proclaimed “Avatar of the Age” Meher Baba. Through November. Just Pho…and More Work by Bob Hart. Through October. Work by Jill Leite. Through Oct. 30. Work by

learn more, visit their website. www. georgiatrust.org/preservation/georgiatheatre.php Call for Tree People (Downtown Athens) Now seeking qualified candidates to join the Community Tree Council. Interested ACC residents should apply before Nov. 1. 706-613-3561, www.athensclarkecounty.com/landscape Downtown Parade of Lights (Downtown Athens) Now accepting entries for Athens’ annual parade. This year’s theme is “A Gift from the Heart.” Register by Nov. 13. 706613-3589, markmccoy@co.clarke. ga.us, www.accleisureservices.com Nutritional Study for Children (Email for Location) Seeking children ages 9–13 to participate in dietary research. Participants will receive up to $200 compensation, a free body composition test and helpful dietary and growth information. 706-542-4918, bone@uga.edu Opening Act Contest (The Classic Center) Want to open for the Atlanta Rhythm Section in Athens? To be considered, submit a recorded performance along with an entry form. www.classiccenter.com Seeking Social Drinkers (Call for location) Social drinkers between the ages of 21 and 35 may earn up to $60 to participate in a study about alcohol and reaction time. 706-5426519, hwemudua@uga.edu Speech and Hearing Screenings (UGA Aderhold) Free screenings for adults and children ages 3 and up. Call to schedule your appointment. Nov. 13, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. FREE! 706-542-4598 Thanks4Giving Shoe Collection (ACC Recycling) Help Soles4Souls collect gently worn shoes for the poor. Now seeking collection sites! Through Nov. 30, 706-613-3512, www.accrecycle.org, www.giveshoes.org f

William C. Pierson. Through Dec. 15. Lamar Dodd School of Art (Galleries 101 and 307) First Annual Juried Student Exhibition, featuring work by artists at the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Through Nov. 10. “Making Masters” features selected MFA works from the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Through Dec. 1. (270 River Road) “Tarred and Feathered,” an exhibit featuring raw, uncomfortable narratives on race and Goya-inspired reflections in copper by printmakers Janie Askew and David Carlton. Through Nov. 12. Reception Nov. 12. Last Resort Grill Work by Ainhoa B. Canup. Through October. Lyndon House Arts Center “Surrealist Tropical Pop,” features paintings by artists Stanley Bermudez and Carlos Solis. Through October. Mercury Art Works “Terre Verte,” the debut exhibition for Mercury Art Works at Hotel Indigo, features photographs by Rinne Allen and work by various local artists, including Art Rosenbaum, Chris Bilheimer, Mary Engel, Scott Belville and Michael Stipe. Through Feb. 15. Monroe Art Guild “Wood and Stone” by Dan Thoman. Through December. Reception Nov. 6. Oconee County Library Paintings by Jacob Wenzka. Through October. Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation “Profess,” an exhibit featuring the work of Gainesville State College’s art faculty. Through Oct. 31. “Table d’Art: Place Matters,” an exhibition of textile works by the Athens Fibercraft Guild. Through Oct. 31. Pain and Wonder Tattoo Studio Halloweenthemed prints by Mike Grove. Through October. State Botanical Garden of Georgia “Southern Tableau,” featuring paintings of lush landscapes by Joe M. Ruiz. Reception Nov. 1. Walk the Line Tattoo Co. “After dinner… BRAINS!!!,” an exhibit featuring zombie glamour shots and more by Keith Rein, Joe Havasy, Radar, John Collins and other local artists. Through November 15. Reception Oct. 28. White Tiger Gourmet Food & Chocolates An exhibition by local Latina pottery collective Casa de Cultura. Through October.

GRAND OPENING PARTY!

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as well as • Ribbon cutting with the Chamber of Commerce • A few words about how P.S. Too helps fund Project Safe • Light hors d’oeuvres and drinks • Drawing for gift certificates

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reality check Matters Of The Heart And Loins I’ve been dating a woman for the last two years, and things are pretty cool. We have a lot of fun, the sex is great, and in general it feels pretty healthy. The issue is, I don’t think we feel the same way about each other. I’m IN LOVE with her, but I think she only loves me. Not that it’s platonic per se, but I’m pretty sure her heart doesn’t beat faster when she sees me. I long for her when she isn’t around, and make sacrifices to make time for her. She, on the other hand, although enjoying my company when she’s with me, tends to place me somewhat lower on her list of priorities in terms of time. This sometimes leads me to feel a little insecure and undesired, and I question the strength of her attraction. She’s a really successful academic, and I’m an artist, and she doesn’t have much faith in my art or my future as an artist. She values financial stability in the long term, and because of my passions and focus, this is something I can’t realistically offer her. If I were to be without her, I would be heartbroken, but I’m quite aware (from experience) that she would be fine without me. My question to you is, does it make sense to stay in a relationship with this kind of imbalance of attraction and values? Can we be happy, even though we feel differently about each other, or will it all blow up in our faces, drive her crazy, and break my heart? Possibly Hopefully Definitely? You need to have a talk with your lady, PHD. It is entirely possible that you are reading this thing wrong, so rather than waste any more time worrying about it, you need to ask her. After two years, this thing is either the real deal or it isn’t. You say that the relationship feels pretty healthy in general, but what you’re describing is not a healthy situation for you at all. Has your girlfriend actually expressed a lack of faith in your art and your future, or is her success just something that makes you feel inadequate? Either way, it’s no good. If she is supportive and you are insecure, then you need to get your head together and figure out how to deal with that. If, however, she doesn’t support you or your work, then your relationship isn’t healthy—it’s doomed. You are long overdue for a major State of Your Union Address. It’s nearly November for crying out loud. I am in my 30s, independent, self-sufficient and basically happy. I have had serious relationships in the past, but not very recently. I have had a couple of dates, but other than that, not anything on the sexual/social calendar for at least the last four years. This wasn’t intentional, but I also haven’t been trying that hard to get a date. For various reasons, I was just out of the loop in that regard. Anyway, I have been trying Internet dating for the past

couple of months. I am reluctant to post a photo of myself, because I am average-to-cute but I would rather not be judged on looks, and also I feel goofy presenting myself that way. I’m a regular girl and I don’t want to take some stupid vampy picture of myself that looks nothing like me and then have a guy show up looking for some idealized version of me. When I see other people’s profile pictures all I can think about is how much work it would take to keep up that image. I know that sounds stupid, but it’s how I feel. But I digress. Anyway, there has been some interest, and I have exchanged email messages with a couple of guys. But when things started to be interesting, I ultimately lost interest or decided that they weren’t really “doing it” for me for one reason or another. Now I’m starting to wonder if I am being too picky. I mean, if somebody is initially attractive enough, then they seem funny, and they read books I like, is it reasonable to lose interest because they have some other hobbies that I think are dumb? Am I under some obligation to at least meet these guys in person after we’ve talked a few times? I worry that I am being too picky. How can I overcome this and just get myself a date? Over-thinking? No need for a question mark after that word. You are definitely over-thinking. I understand why some people might want as much information as possible about a potential mate before entering the dating realm, but I also believe there is such a thing as too much information. Think of it this way: how many couples do you know who share absolutely everything in common? Or for that matter, how many friends do you have who only like what you like and vice versa? I’m going to guess that the answer is few to none. While it is useful to weed out things that you consider dealbreakers (wants or doesn’t want kids, votes Republican, worships fairies), I do think people should leave some things to chance. Maybe you think Hemingway is an overrated misogynist douche, but that doesn’t mean you can’t love a man who reads his work, you know? Besides, if you already know everything about a guy, doesn’t that take some of the fun out of the whole discovery portion of a relationship? And how do you keep the conversation rolling on your first date? My advice is to stop reading so much, stop exchanging so many emails and start meeting them in person. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, and it doesn’t have to be every guy. You should never feel obligated, but you should just jump in. Part of the problem is surely that it has been so long. Just get back into dating, and things are bound to get easier. Jyl Inov Got a question for Jyl? Submit your anonymous inquiry via the Reality Check button at www.flagpole.com.

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Real Estate Apartments for Rent $475–525/mo. 1BR/1BA, 2 Blocks to town & campus. Lg. BR, CHVAC, great view of city, ceiling fans, some screen porches. Owner pays water & garbage. Avail. for January 1st move–in. Go to boulevardproperty management.com, (706) 548-9797. $450/mo. Alexi Apartments. 1 lg. BR/1BA w/ lg. lv. rm & walk–in closet. Laundry facilities, picnic tables, grill. 1 block off Milledge w/ bus stop. (706) 207-9902, (706) 835-8401. 1BR apt. for $475/mo. 2BR apt. starting at $700/ mo. 3BR apt starting at $1000/mo. All close to campus! Howard Properties (706) 546-0300.

1BR/1BA. All electric, water furnished, nice! On busline. Single pref. Avail. now! (706) 543-4271. 1BR starting at $510/mo., 2BRs starting at $540.84/ mo., 3BRs starting at $705/ mo. Sec. dep. starts at $150. Pet friendly, on busline! (706) 549-6254. Restrictions apply. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath. Fireplace, dishwasher. Cedar Shoals Rd. Eastside. Rent $525/ mo., $525/dep. Call (706) 769-8781. 2BR basement apt. 180 Moss Side Dr. Great rm. w/ FP. Private entrance. $520/ mo + utils. Washer & DW provided. Call (706) 2542526 or (706) 227-9312. 2BR/1BA apt. W/D incl. $875/mo incl. Water, sewer, trash & 1 free meal per week from Donderos’ Kitchen. No pets. (706) 202-6202.

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2BR/1.5BA condo at Eaglewood, off Lumpkin. Pool, on lake, completely remodeled. $675/mo. Call (706) 353-7826 anytime. 2BR/1BA Five Points Duplex on Mell St., total electric, DW, W/D hookups. $625/mo. (706) 546-6900, ValerioProperties.com. 2 rm. apt. w/ full kit. & BA. W/D. incl. $400/mo. + $400/ sec dep. Avail. 11/1. Won’t last! (706) 254-2936. 2BR/1BA, Deville 136 G r a d y Av e . $695/mo. Great place to live, upstairs, HWflrs, pool, courtyard. Call for showing (706) 548-9797, www.boulevardp roper ty management.com. 3BR/2BR avail. immediately for rent/sale. $695/mo + $695/sec. dep. or $59K. Rivers Edge Condominiums. DW, micro, fridge, stove. New CHAC, carpet, HWflrs. On bus route. (706) 614-4827. 3BR/2.5BA. Incl. W/D & fridge. Great condition. At bus stop on S. Lumpkin. $900/mo. Call (404) 644-7983. 3BR/2.5BA Eastside townhome. Spacious & convenient, on bus route. Pets allowed. Incl. W/D. Only $700/mo. Call Aaron (706) 207-2957. Best deal in town! El Dorado 2BR/1BA & studio apts. in Normaltown. Free water, gas, basic cable & wireless Internet. W/D in 2BR units. Dog runs. $420–$675/mo. Joiner & Associates (706) 549-7371.

Borders! Print section of the Classifieds. Pictures! Check them out on the Flagpole website. New Categories! And still the lowest rates in town!Place your ad today at www. flagpole.com. Beautiful 2BR/1BA apt. in historic house. ARMC area. high ceilings. HWflrs. Huge backyd. W/D. CHAC. Quiet neighbors. $820/ mo. Water/trash incl. Avail. 12/1. (706) 254-3619. Best proper ty in town! Woodlands of Athens. 3BR/3BA full of amenities. Gated community, great specials. Reduced to only $1050/mo. Call Pete (706) 372-3319. Great 2BR/2BA Westside condo located behind Best Buy in Allen’s Landing. Flexible lease terms are avail. $825/mo + $825 sec. dep. Please call Ryan at (706) 614-4668. Westside condos. 2BR/2BA, $600/mo. Hospital Area, garage apt., totally updated, 2BR/1BA, $525/mo. & $550/mo. Eastside quadraplex 2BR/2BA, $525/mo. 2BR/1BA, $490/mo. Eastside duplex 2BR/1BA , FP, $490/mo. 3BR/2BA, FP, $650/mo., corner lot. Call McWaters Realty, (706) 549-3222, (706) 353-2700 or cell (706) 540-1529. Newly renovated 2BR/2.5BA townhome. Eastside. Near UGA. All new appls incl. W/D, DW. Off–street parking. NS, no pets. $650/mo. + utils. Sec. dep $650. (949) 463-3068.

DON’T BE LEFT THE FRED BUILDING HOMELESS! Office Space Downtown Lofts Available Available For Lease Hurry, Only a Few Left! 220 COLLEGE

AVENUE Call

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Preleasing for January.Units on Riverbend Pkwy starting at $575/mo. Roommate matching avail. $285/mo. On busline. Incl. W/D, DW. (706) 543-8505.

Apartments for Sale Downtown Condo. 1BR/1BA in University Tower. Approx 720 sq. ft. Across Broad St. from north campus, great view. $94,000. Call (706) 255-3743.

Commercial Property



5K sq. ft. Building/ Warehouse for sale or lease in Crawford, GA. $1650/mo. or $150K. 187 Bunker Hill Rd. On 1.5 acres in Oglethorpe Co. Call Diego (706) 6211035 or Ken (706) 6148295. More info: http:// www.kpsurplus.com/ products/view/26553.

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7500 sq. ft. Building/ Warehouse for sale or lease in Winterville, GA. $3500/mo. or $420K. 1459 Hargrove Lake Rd. On 6 acres zoned B1 in Oglethorpe Co. Call Diego (706) 621-1035 or Ken (706) 614-8295. More info: http://www.kpsurplus.com/ products/view/25214. Amazing Office Spaces for lease above Dwntn Five Guys restaurant. S i g n a 1 Year Lease and Receive the 1st Month Free or 12% off!! Call Reign at Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty (706) 3724166, or (706) 543-4000. Borders! Pictures! New Categories! And still the lowest rates in town!Place your ad today at www.flagpole.com.

Eastside offices for lease. 1060 Gaines School Rd. 170 sq. ft., $375/mo., 500 sq. ft., $625/mo., 1200 sq. ft., $1200/mo. (706) 5461615 or www.athenstown properties.com. Charming 1880s cottage. 2 rooms, 2 FPs, B A , p a r k i n g , s e c u r i t y. Great for office, studio, therapist, massage. So many possibilities. Excellent condition. 290 N. Milledge Ave. $650/mo. Heat incl. Flexible terms. (706) 340-3717. Paint Artist Studio for rent. 300 sq. ft., $150/ mo. 400 sq. ft., $200/ mo. 160 Tracy St. Historic Boulevard Area, Artist/Crafts Community. (706) 5461615 or www.athenstown properties.com.

Houses for Rent $1050/mo. 3BR/2BA house in country. 9 mi. from Dwntn. W/D hookup, DW, FP. Call (706) 540-8461. $950/mo. First mo. free. 4BR/1.5BA, Eastside, lg. kitchen, W/D, workshop, fenced yard, safe n’hood. 117 Crossbow Circle. Owner/Agent. Call Mike (706) 207-7400. $750/mo. Blocks to Campus. 4BR/2BA. Tall ceilings, central air, DW, W/D conn., sunroom, pets allowed. 231 Elizabeth St. Owner/Agent. Call Mike (706) 207-7400. 1, 2, 3, & 4BR homes for lease starting at just $600/ mo. Flexible lease terms & well maintained properties. Looking for a home? Call us today. Dekle Realty Inc. (706) 548-0580. 1BR/1BA. 153B Barrow Street. $640/mo. Block from town, great place, e x c e l l e n t f ro n t p o rc h , HWflrs, W/D, CHAC. Call for showing (706) 548-9797, www.boulevardp roper ty management.com. 1BR/1BA available now! HWflrs, all new appls. 133 1/2 Chattooga Ave. Call (706) 546-6900. 3BR/2BA. Off Milledge. CHAC, W/D, HWflrs. $750/ mo. + dep. Call Mark (706) 202-5110.

2BR duplexes starting at $ 4 5 0 / mo . 1 5 9 G r a n Ellen, 3BR/3BA $1300/mo. 1BR/1BA $600/mo. 167 Tibbets, Normaltown house $650/mo. Pls. call (706) 549-6070. 3BR/2BA house w/ fireplace & fenced yd. In a nice subdivision in West Athens. Call (706) 549-7371. Joiner & Associates Realtors. 3 B R / 2 B A re n o v a t e d Victorian. Price reduced. 1/2 mi. to UGA. Lg. rms., high ceilings, HWflrs, front porch, back deck, nice yd. lots of parking. W/D, DW, CHAC. Pets OK. $1000/mo. (706) 369-2908. 323 Cleveland Ave. $550/mo. Lg. 1BR/1BA live in art studio. Located 2 blocks from town! Avail. now. Go to boulevard propertymanagement. com, (706) 548-9797. 3BR/1.5BA near UGA. Avail. now. Fenced yd, DW, CHAC, W/D, basement, tile flrs. $600/mo. (706) 254-2936. 3 B R / 2 B A renovated home. P r i c e d l i k e a 2BR! 1 street mi. from Dwntn. in Chicopee/ Dudley area. $695/mo. Pest control, yard maint. incl. Photos & info www. 1596eastbroad.blogspot. com, (706) 255-0659. 3BR/1BA. $750/mo. Nice house in Winterville on 1 acre. 5 min. from Athens. Great, safe n’hood. Garden OK. Pets OK. Ava i l . n o w! Ca l l J a s o n (706) 338-4669. 3BR/1BA home close to Dwntn. HWflrs., lv. rm., eat–in kitchen, laundry rm., screened–in porch, covered parking. Dekle Realty (706) 548-0580. 3BR/2.5BA. 1 mi. to UGA. $1200/mo. 1 yr. old house. Open floor plan, microwave, DW, W/D conn. Avail. now. (706) 410-6122. 3–4BR cottages. Now Leasing! Close to campus, HWflrs, private b a t h s , W / D , & m i c ro s included. Call (706) 5431910 or email becky@ landmarkathens.com. 3BR/2BA house for rent. Forest Heights. $875/mo. 1 yr. lease. W/D, lg. wooded lot. Very nice. Avail. 12/1. Ron (828) 275-3447. 4BR/2.5BA beautiful plantation house on 3 acres. High ceilings, HWflrs., lg. kitchen & rooms w/ a country setting. Front porch, screen porch & rear sunroom. Pets welcome. 3–sided fence. 990 Double Bridges Rd. Avail. now! $1200/mo. + dep. (706) 319-1846, or (706) 548-4819. GA. R, E, lic. 300830.

440 Pine Needle Rd. Normaltown/ARMC n’hood. 3BR/1BA. Newly remodeled kitchen w/ DW. CHAC, lg. fenced backyd. Screened porch/ Carport. HWflrs. & carpet. $950/mo. Call (706) 202-5521. 4BR/2BA quaint house in country. 9 mi. from Dwntn Athens. Avail. now! $950/ mo. (706) 540-8461. 5 Pts. area. 3BR/2BA house. CHAC, DW, laundry rm. w/ W/D, back deck, carport. Call (706) 255-0066. Cute 2BR/1BA. All electric, CHAC, W/D, nice yd. $550/ mo. + dep. Call Mark (706) 202-5110. Country living in Athens! 3BR/1BA at East Meadow, near UGA. HWflrs, patio, central heat, window AC, DW, W/D, fenced backyd., yd. care incl. $750/mo. (706) 354-4663. Commercial/Residential. Lg. house on North Ave. $1300/ mo. Approved for shelter, group home, or possibly even restaurant or office. Call David (706) 247-1398. Eastside Winterville 3BR/2 full BA & 2 half BA. Extra nice 3400 sq. ft. 2–car garage, LR/DR, office, bonus rm. FP, CHAC, W/D, back patio, gas grill, lg. fenced backyd. w/ dog pen. $1500/ mo. + dep. (706) 247-1398. Five mins. from campus, Dwntn. 3BR/1BA home. CHAC, W/D, N/S. Fenced backyd., oak flrs. $750/mo. + deposit. (706) 338-1859. Email bro@athens.net. First month free! 2–3BRs in quiet setting, off the beaten path. Sec. sys. incl. W/D, DW, priv. deck. Mention this ad & pay no pet fee! (706) 548-2522, www.dovetailmanagement. com. Northside 2BR/1BA, lg. lot, $600/mo. Hospital area 2BR/1BA, carport, fenced–in yard, $750/mo. Eastside 3BR/2BA. Lg. yd., on dead–end street. $950/mo. 4BR/2BA w/ lg. yd. $1200/mo. 2 or 3BR/1BA w/ screened front porch, $700/mo. Cedar Creek 4BR/2BA $950/mo. Oconee C o u n t y 3BR/2BA. Lv. rm. w/ FP, din. rm., double garage, $1000/mo. Call McWaters Realty, (706) 549-3222, (706) 353-2700, (706) 540-1529. Navy School/ARMC area. Lg. 1BR/1BA. All appls. incl. W/D, HWflrs., nice side yd. Perfect for grad students/ professionals. $550/mo. Avail. 12/1. Call (706) 540-0472. New 3BR/2.5BA house. Near UGA. All appls incl. W/D. Wood flrs., lg. BRs, big backyd. Open flr. plan. NS. $975/mo. + utils. (949) 463-3068.

Newly renovated 4BR/3BA for rent in ARMC area. W/D, DW, CHAC, screen porch, game rm, off–street parking. $1200/mo. Call Vicki at (706) 540-7113 to set up a tour.

Roommate needed to share 3BR/2BA house on Eastside. Minutes from Dwntn, Walmart & dog park. $350/mo + utils. Call Eddie at (302) 354-8548.

Now Pre-leasing for January! 5BR + bonus room. HWflrs, ceiling fans, W/D, DW, micro, back deck! 1 mi. to Dwntn. Ask about our leasing specials! (706) 543-1910 or becky@ landmarkathens.com.

To w n / U G A , N . O c o n e e River. Band/storage neg. Rms. $75/wk. Unlimited long distance, Internet, cable, TV provided. No drugs, no cigarettes. (706) 850-0491, 957 MLK.

Own your own rental proper ty!139 & 143 Strickland Ave. 4BR/3BA on each side of duplex. Each side for rent at $1200/ mo. Entire duplex for sale $359,800. Call Reign at Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty (706) 372-4166, or (706) 543-4000. Place a Classified Ad at www.flagpole.com! Unique small house. Clear story, open concept, 3–level cedar center post. W/D, AC, DW, huge yd. $650/mo. 769 Whitehall. Jason (706) 3531750. White Columns Hall. 1BR/1BA, 1 block from Dwntn. Water, gas incl., laundry onsite. $465/mo. Call Joiner Management (706) 353-6868.

Houses for Sale 8000 Hog Mountain Rd. $100K. 3BR/2BA. Lg. lot Oconee Co. Call Reign at Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty (706) 543-4000, or (706) 372-4166.

Roommates $ 9 0 0 /m o h o u s e . S h a re residence w/ another professional. 20 min. 78–83 Hwy. from Athens campus. G re a t d e a l f o r s i n g l e graduate student, writer, or teacher. Furnished. Private BR, BA, backyd, sidewalks, streetlamps, nearby cheap gym & space for guest. Extras! Emailjudiethcarol@ rocketmail.com. 1BR in 2BR/1BA Eastside duplex. Grad student or professional pref’d. W/D, DW, CHAC. $263/mo. + 1/2 utils. + dep. Avail. now! (706) 254-1534. Lv. msg. Roommate needed 12/1. Lg. rm., CHVAC, private entrance. W/D use, share kit/bath w/ 1 person, utils 5–way split. Walk to town. (706) 424-0901.

Rooms for Rent 1BR in 4BR/3BA on S. Milledge. Lg. BR, $275/mo. + 1/4 utils. + dep. Dogs OK. On City & UGA bus route. (770) 851-3701.

Clothing Boutique. Designer Clothes, Jewelry, Handbags. All must go. Make offer. (706) 340-3717. Come to Betty for vintage quilted Chanel bags, just in for Fall! On the corner of Pulaski & Clayton, next to Agora. Open 1pm–4pm daily. (706) 424-0566.

Music

Sub-lease

Equipment

1BR apt. in 5 Pts. Walk to campus, near bus stops, great neighbors & location! $465/mo. Jan–May. (912) 856-4788.

Roland TD–10 V Drums. $1400, price negotiable. Comes w/ extras: sound proofing tiles, drumming DVDs, teaching workbooks. Contact (706) 202-7316 or email redhubcap@ gmail.com.

1BR avail. anytime. Dec. lease through July 2010. $300/mo. 5 min. walk to campus/Dwntn. M or F. W/D, DW, safe area. Kelly (706) 410-0387, email kvwphoto@ gmail.com. S. Milledge Jamestown condo. $675/mo. Lg. 2BR/2.5BA. Bath, W/D, DW, woodburning FP, CHAC, pool. (706) 549-3096, ( 7 0 6 ) 2 0 2 - 7 4 3 7 . Av a i l . immediately.

For Sale Antiques Lg. Victorian house full of French/English/American antique furniture, oriental rugs, stain glass windows, huge collection of local art, oil paintings, water c o l o r s , a r t q u i l ts , fi n e estate jewelry. Antiques & Jewels. 290 N. Milledge Ave. Always open Tue–Sat, 12pm–5pm & chance/ appt. (706) 340-3717, www. antiques-jewels.com.

Appliances 24 cubic ft. Hotpoint refrigerator for sale. White, side–by–side doors. Only 4 yrs. old! $375 OBO. Call (706) 338-1661.

Furniture Ta b l e s , c h a i r s , s o f a s , 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.

Recording Studio for sale. Fully wired audio, acoustic design, & sound proofing. 1300 sq. ft., control room, isolation booths, live room. Take over lease. $10K OBO. Downtown! (706) 552-0745. Two high quality flutes. Bundy & Geminheardt in cases. Like new condition. $85 each. Archipelago Antiques. (706) 354-4297.

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. Love Guitar Hero? Quit playing the game & learn the real thing. Teachers w/ decades of experience. 1–on–1 affordable, fun lessons. All styles & skill levels welcome. Music Exchange (706) 549-6199.

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” then Squatis not your band. If you want Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, & salsa, then v i s i t w w w. s q u a t m e . com/weddings. (706) 548-0457. 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.

Musicians Wanted 24 yr. old male guitarist seeks to join/start a band. Just moved to Athens to pursue a music career. Been playing for 12 yrs. (678) 9775850 or Benrasmussen11@ gmail.com.

Services Health Penis enlargement. Gain 1-3” per manently. FDA approved medical vacuum p u m p s , Te s t o s t e r o n e , Viagra, Cialis. Free brochure. (619) 294-7777, http://www.drjoelkaplan. com. Discounts avail. (AAN CAN).

Music Services Fret Shop. Professional guitar repairs & modifications, setups, electronics, precision fretwork. Previous clients incl. R.E.M., Widespread Panic, Cracker, Bob Mould, John Berry, Abbey Road Live!, Squat. (706) 549-1567.

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Miscellaneous Baby piano $8500. Pop-Up camper $3200. Canoe $350. NordicFlex $225. Gazelle $300. TotalGym $300. Ping Pong table $25. Van $2500. Convertible $5900. Call (706) 850-1909.

Loft area, picture window, wildlife observation, TV, cable, unlimited TV, utils, walk to town, quiet enough to see deer feeding. (706) 850-0491. 957 MLK. $80/wk.

OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

P re g n a n t ? C o n s i d e r i n g adoption? Talk w/ caring agency specializing in matching birthmothers w/ families nationwide. Living expenses paid. Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions (866) 413-6293 (AAN CAN). Recruiting now! UGA Nutrition Study needs 9–13 yr. old participants. Up to $140 & free health screening. (706) 542-4918 or bone@uga.edu.

Home and Garden Advertise your seasonal business! F i re w o o d , c h r i s t m a s trees, holiday decorating, etc.! Reach over 30,000 readers every week! Call (706) 549-0301. Backyard Solutions. Make your neighbors jealous! Waterfalls, ponds, fences, decks, gazebos, porches, & more! Call Robin for free estimate! (706) 340-4492.

Outstanding Handy Man. 1 0 y r s o f h o m e / re n t a l proper ty maintenance experience. Excellent references provided. Quick service. Free estimates. You may find cheaper, but none better. Martin (706) 202-7712.

Legal Services Have you won a judgement? Did you collect it? At Peachtree Judgment Recover y we specialize in locating debtors & their assets to collect c i v i l j u d g m e n t s . Tu r n that wor thless piece of paper into cash! Call (706) 621-3261 or visit us on the web at www. EnforceMyJudgment. com/peachtree/.

Massage Revolutionar y Massage & Wellness. Intro 60 min. Massage: $40. Book Online! Go to w w w. r e v o l u t i o n a r y massage.com.

Sports Martial Arts. Ladies Kickboxing, Kenpo Karate, Kali, Silat, Muay Thai, Tue. & Thu., 6pm–8pm. 4th Degree Black Belt. Call Steve (706) 410-0951, or email steve@ karatefire.com.

Jobs Full-time Custom Surveillance is looking for an i n s t a l l e r. K n o w l e d g e of surveillance equip., networking, & professional customer service a +. Email res. to sales@ customsurveillanceinc.com or call (706) 316-0210. Place a Classified Ad at www.flagpole.com! Front help needed for fast paced cafe & catering co. Pls. send resume to chas06ton@yahoo.com. Hardcore Sales Reps Needed. Hourly + commission. PT & FT positions avail. I need the best & forget the rest! Call Chris (770) 560-5653.

Local catering company seeks experienced cooks. Must have at least 5 years experience. Please email resume to experienced kitchenhelp@gmail.com. M a r k e t i n g Communication Specialist. Join an est. Athens company calling CEO’s & CFO’s of major corporations generating sales leads for technology companies. $9/hr. BOS Staffing www.bostemps. com, (706) 353-3030.

Opportunities Earn extra income assembling CD cases from home. No experience necessary. Call our live operators now. (800) 4057619 ext. 2450. http://www. easywork-greatpay.com (AAN CAN). Earn $75-$200/hr. Media Makeup Ar tist Training 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). High School diploma! Fast, affordable & accredited. Free brochure. Call now! (800) 532-6546 ext. 97. Go to http://www. continentalacademy.com (AAN CAN).

Now hiring! Companies desperately need employees to assemble p rod uct s at hom e. N o selling, any hours. $500/wk. potential. Info at (985) 6461700 dept. GA–3058.

Part-time Front help needed for fast paced cafe & catering co. Pls. send resume to chas06ton@yahoo.com. Maintenance person needed w/ skill sets for carpentry, light electrical & plumbing, sheetrock repair, painting, roof repair, & everything else to maintain houses & apts. Pls. fax resume to (706) 316-2007. Mystery shoppers earn up to $100/day. Undercover shoppers needed to judge retail & dining establishments. No exp. req’d. (800) 743-8535. P T A p t . P ro p e r t y M g r. Mon.–Fri., flexible hrs. Must have experience, references. Salary negotiable. Reply to lbsmaple@charter.net.

Vehicles Autos Van for Band. 1997 Astro Cargo, 80,845 mi., safety cage, cruise, tilt wheel, cold air, automatic, new paint, uses gas or propane. $3200. John (706) 614-0306.

2001 Isuzu Rodeo. Good condition, runs great. 92K mi. 2WD. Auto. Green/beige. AC. AM/FM, CD Changer. Tinted windows. Power windows & seat. U–Haul Hitch. $4K negotiable. (706) 548-8984. Sell your car with Flagpole Classifieds. Now with online pics! Go to www.flagpole.com today!

Motorcycles For Sale. 2007 250 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle. Black w/ red flames. Like new, only 14 mi. $2700 OBO. Call (706) 788-3160. Ya m a h a 6 5 0 V- S t a r Classic. 2001 cruiser. 8K miles, black, excellent condition. New windshield, luggage rack, & t i re s . R i d d e n d a i l y. $2950 firm. (706) 254-6529.

Notices Messages Gain national exposure. Reach over 5 million young, active, educated readers for only $995 by advertising in 110 weekly newspapers like this one. Call Jason (202) 289-8484 (AAN CAN).

Submit your favorite canine picture for publication in the

2010 Athens Canine Rescue Calendar!

All proceeds will go to the Guthrie family

$15.00 - includes two pictures and one calendar $10.00 - each additional picture and includes one calendar Visit www.athenscaninerescue.com to submit your pictures today!!

Are you or your business interested in sponsoring a month of the ACR dog-a-day calendar? Full-month Sponsorship $200, Half-Month Sponsorship $100. All donations are tax-deductible. Contact Mark at calendar@athenscaninerescue.com for more information.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ OCTOBER 28, 2009

Happy Halloween, Grandma! The Procrastinators’ Halloween Mask Is Here!

Voted Athens' Best Sushi 2 Years in a Row ABH Readers' Choice

WEEKLY BAR SPECIALS ::: sundays :::

Industry Night $2.50 Wells 2 Domestics

::: MONdays :::

SAKE Night

::: TUESdays :::

1/2 Price ON all HOT sake $ 2 sake bombs

greek Night

wear your letters for $ 3 martinis $ 2 Domestics

::: WEDNESdays :::

WINE Night

1/2 Price

bottles of wine

::: THURSdays :::

HAPPY HOUR

5-7pm weekly drink specials and free edamame

i e

HALLOWEEN OCTober 31

dress up and come to shokitini prizes awarded for best costumes

The Game is On!

HUGE Projector and HD Tvs to watch the Georgia games in surround sound

Just cut on the dotted lines, and you’ll be the OPEN late night! Mon-Sat 5pm-2am scariest thing on the street this Saturday night. Sun 5pm-12am * Popsicle stick not included. ** Disclaimer: The fangs are real. Then again, so is the threat from our bloodsucking federal government! (Or something like that.) Anyway, if you see Rep. Paul Broun, Jr. out after dark on Halloween night, run away!

251 W Clayton St. 706 353 7933 • www.shokitini.com OCTOBER 28, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

Now On Sale At These Fine Indie Stores...

264 E. Clayton Athens 706 353-1666

197 E. Clayton Athens 706 369-9428

2096 N Decatur Rd. Decatur 404-329-0020