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Our New Culture Columnist Gets Her Feet Wet p. 10

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · VOL. 23 · NO. 46 · FREE

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A Tribute to an Inspiring Talent and Unforgettable Friend p. 17

Streetscape Revisions? p. 4 · Nuçi’s Tax Woes p. 5 · Mass Solo Revolt p. 19 · CheeksFest p. 23

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pub notes Here We Go Again The staff at the UGA Admissions Department has been reading Dr. Robert Pratt’s book, We Shall Not Be Moved: The Desegregation of the University of Georgia. This is a fitting topic, because you might say that the book chronicles the university’s biggest admissions problem ever. Dr. Pratt and I spoke to the group last week—he as the author, and I as a kind of living artifact, an eyewitness to history.

Dr. Pratt’s book is a highly readable account of those tense times when lawyers for Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes were trying to gain their admission to the university against the determined opposition of Georgia’s white political and educational establishment.

All that happened long ago in the dead past, so I dipped into Dr. Pratt’s book to refresh my memory before joining him in front of the admissions staff. It was worse than I remembered, and of course I saw only a small part of all that went on during that tumultuous time: the mobs waving Confederate flags and shouting various vulgar threats and taunts along the lines of “nigger, go home,” the hordes of news people, the politicians making pronouncements, Integration in the and, at the center, two young African-American Georgians hop’60s, health care ing to get an education at their state university. in the ’00s— Their matriculation was prewhat’s the dif? ceded by highly dramatic legal maneuvering, including a hearing in federal court, where the Chancellor of the University System of Georgia, the President of the University of Georgia, the registrar and other officials swore under oath that the University of Georgia had no policy that excluded black students. With straight faces these educational leaders lied under oath in federal court, and it was not remarkable, and they were not punished. They were just doing their jobs. And student leaders, law students, orchestrated the riot at Myers Hall that temporarily removed the two black students from the university.

As I perused Dr. Pratt’s book, I lost my smug conviction that we’re far beyond all that: leaders swearing to us that there is no problem even though we can see it with our own eyes, mobs drowning out rational discourse, the poor and disadvantaged vilified, the national government targeted as the enemy while state government serves the privileged, large corporations growing richer from the maintenance of the status quo.

Now, here we go again: my home state is leading the way against not integration but health care for its citizens. Our senators and most of our congressmen assure us that it is better for our people to go without health care than to have the federal government meddle in our lives; mobs break up meetings held to discuss health care; insurance companies grow richer off the status quo; our citizens respect and vote for those who tell them with a straight face that they’re better off without affordable health insurance.

When the tear gas had cleared and the mob had finally dispersed from the campus that night, the lieutenant governor of Georgia came on the radio and praised the university students who had shown that they would not knuckle under to the iron heel of the federal judiciary. Our citizens are still voting overwhelmingly for the leaders who tell us that we don’t need the federal government trying to fix something. Take health insurance: our fine insurance companies, which so generously support our senators and congressmen, are doing well by us and don’t need the government to make them do it any differently.

Integration in the ’60s, health care in the ’00s—what’s the dif? It’s the best of all possible worlds, and anybody who would try to tell us differently is obviously not from around here and not to be trusted. Would Senator Saxby Chambliss lie to us? Sen. Johnny Isakson? Congressman Paul Broun, Jr.?

Congressman John Barrow? They are all, all, honorable men. We have elected them to act in our best interest, and we’d better believe that’s what they’re doing. They are doing what we want them to do just as surely as those who preceded them, who assured us that everything was fine at the University of Georgia. We will re-elect them, and that gives them our stamp of approval. This is Georgia. Little has changed.

Mr. Faulkner pegged it: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” Mr. Berra corroborated it: “It’s déjà vu all over again.”

Pete McCommons editor@flagpole.com

THIS WEEK’S ISSUE: News & Features City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Athens News and Views

Screwing around with a water crisis, City Hall streetscape revisions, and a big, boarded-up house.

The Unkindest Cut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Perdue Recommends Less Pay for Georgia’s Most Accomplished Teachers Teachers’ bonuses are reduced in the state’s budget crunch.

Arts & Events Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Landscapes and Landmarks

Justin Evans’ “China Images” includes pictures of rural villages alongside flashes of city nightlife.

Film Notebook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

COVER DESIGN by Kelly Ruberto featuring artwork by Quindius Stephens (4th grade) on display at the Lyndon House Arts Center

News of Athens’ Cinema Scene

UGA’s ICE-Vision series continues with Force of Evil.

Music

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Washed Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 From the Bedroom to the Blog

Sounds like the latest buzzworthy artist may soon be one of our own.

Mass Solo Revolt Gets Dirtier . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Celebrating the Release of Bend in Time

Raised on Motown and infatuated with hardcore, Martin Brummeler keeps his influences diverse.

CITY DOPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CITY PAGES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 CAPITOL IMPACT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 ATHENS RISING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 JFK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 TEACHERS’ PAY CUT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 NEW! MISCELLANY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 ART NOTES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 MOVIE DOPE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 MOVIE PICK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 FILM NOTEBOOK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

THREATS & PROMISES. . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 EDWIN McCAIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 JERRY FUCHS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 WASHED OUT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 MASS SOLO REVOLT. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 THE CALENDAR!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 BULLETIN BOARD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 ART AROUND TOWN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 COMICS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 REALITY CHECK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 CLASSIFIEDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 EVERYDAY PEOPLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

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This week at Flagpole.COM

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 Ort: Still in Winston-Salem, eating and thrifting.  Online feature: Turns out Jay Farrar and Ben Gibbard have more in common than their recent collaboration!  Online feature: On the road 200 days a year with Lucero  More Record Reviews!  Blog updates for Athens Rising, Grub Notes and Film Notebook  And more exclusive news and interviews from the local culture scene in Miscellany

CONTACT US:

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 Dave Marr CLASSIFIEDS, DISTRIBUTION & OFFICE MANAGER Paul Karjian AD DESIGNERS Ian Rickert, Kelly Ruberto ILLUSTRATOR Jacob Hunt CARTOONISTS James Allen, Cameron Bogue, Joe Havasy, Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, Clint McElroy, Matthew Ziemer ADOPT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell CONTRIBUTORS Charles-Ryan Barber, Christopher Joshua Benton, Rebecca Brantley, Jason Bugg, David Eduardo, Elaine Ely, Andre Gallant, Jeff Gore, Chris Hassiotis, Patterson Hood, John Huie, Gordon Lamb, Mark Sanders, Alan Sculley, Jeff Tobias, Drew Wheeler, Donald E. Wilkes, Kevan Williams 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 46

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FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

Athens News and Views I Am Shocked, Shocked: Thanks to former auditorium at 120 W. Dougherty St. at 5 p.m.

Dope (and water guru for all time) Ben Nov. 24, though it may not matter whether Emanuel for pointing out a posting on Jay citizens like them or not: commissioners are Bookman’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution scheduled to vote on them one week later. blog calling out Sonny Perdue for the, um, But we wonder—if commissioners put as demographics of his newly formed Water much thought into the streetscape design Contingency Task Force. The group, which met as they have into the new parking garage— behind closed doors last month to discuss whether something more special might not future plans for dealing with Georgia’s already be done. Since the city now owns the entire grave water crisis, is overwhelmingly comblock, the changes need not be limited to its posed of corporate and business officials, as periphery (as the plan now dictates). Perhaps opposed to, say, scientists or other similarly a mid-block walkway (like the one that runs qualified people who might have less of a between the courthouse buildings two blocks vested interest in how those plans address away) could be added? Perhaps a part of the the situation. At least Perdue solicited a surface lot might be combined with adjacent few environmental advocates to serve in the sidewalks to create a small ampitheatre? A 87-member group—four, by Bookman’s count. fountain or waterfall? A playground, perhaps?

Of course, this immediately brings to mind the A space large enough for real events? Have energy task force formed in 2001 by discredited wacko Dick Cheney. That industry-dominated assembly, whose records are still being kept from public view, helped shape Bush administration policy on such issues as oil drilling and carbon emissions without the input of a single representative of the environmental advocacy comA good sign: ACC has over 100 boarded-up or “nuisance” homes like this one. The munity. This is how county recently began pushing owners to renovate them—or demolish them, if they Republicans like to aren’t worth repairing—to raise neighborhood property values (and taxes), and supaddress environply useful housing. [John Huie] mental issues: by letting those who need to be regulated shape the regulations, or the possibilities really been explored? Surely, lack thereof—and they’ll keep doing it until this time, it doesn’t have to be too late… we make them stop. If we don’t start speak[John Huie] ing up to these jokers a little more loudly, we might want to get ready for a real dry spell.

Not So Fast, My Friend: While ACC staff seems [Dave Marr] ready to move ahead with the City Hall block streetscape improvement as planned, it’s And Speaking of Republicans: They aren’t the worth noting that funding for the entire projonly ones who voted against the House health ect isn’t exactly in place. Staff has divided care bill Nov. 7, and the national Progressive the improvements into three “phases,” with Change Campaign Committee is taking aim only the second phase already having cash at some of the 39 Blue Dog Democrats who specifically designated to it. That would be joined them, including Georgia 12th District the portion of the block that borders the congressman and former ACC commissioner Public Utilities Department building along John Barrow. An email campaign to voters in Lumpkin and Hancock, which will be funded the 10 U.S. Representatives’ home districts, out of $300,000 the PUD has contributed to perceived as safely Democratic by the commit- the project. That leaves about $800,000 tee, seeks contributions for internet ads and more to be dug up elsewhere, and at least a features hilariously and diversely unflattercouple of commissioners might rather see that ing photos of the Dogs in question. Watch money go to address more pressing matters. out, lizard-face. [DM] After last week’s work session, Alice Kinman and Kelly Girtz both pointed to a currently More Change Afoot Downtown: ACC comunallocated $475,000 in earned interest from missioners—and whoever else attended the SPLOST 2000 revenues that County Manager Nov. 10 commission work session—have now Alan Reddish had recommended using for the seen the first tentative plans for streetscape streetscape, and indicated that they might improvements that are slated for the entire be happier seeing that money spent on other block that contains City Hall. The changes projects like, say, sidewalk construction. Got aren’t huge: wider sidewalks along the City a preference? Let your commissioners know.

Hall side of all four bordering streets, some In any case, the public utilities building porwide enough to be called “event spaces”; tion of the block is definitely going to be widening the steps that lead to the doubleimproved. Just don’t be surprised if the other barreled cannon and the ones in front of the phases of the project—including the plans “Spirit of Athens” sculpture; a few more trees; described in the item above—wind up being and concrete pedestals above the walls along put off until the county’s financial situation the sidewalks, creating spaces for public art. improves. [DM] The public will be invited to view the plans at a public forum in the planning department Dave Marr and John Huie

Charles-Ryan Barber

Thanksgiving Menu

city dope

city pages Nuçi’s Space Seeks Relief from Appeals Court Ruling To pay or not to pay property taxes? A difficult question for Nuçi’s Space to answer of late, but a recent state Court of Appeals ruling, the latest in a three-year-long legal battle, may have settled the matter for the non-profit: time to pony up. But Bob Sleppy, the non-profit’s executive director, says the fight isn’t over just yet.

Nuçi’s Space plans on appealing the case to the state Supreme Court, but they’re not guaranteed a hearing. “We think there’s some important issues that weren’t addressed, and the case would benefit from further review,” Sleppy says. “It’s not about Nuçi’s Space anymore. This ruling puts other organizations in jeopardy as well. I hope the Supreme Court sees that.”

The appellate court ruled that by renting out rehearsal space, operating a café and hosting private parties for a fee, the

non-profit generates income that does not exclusively further its charitable mission as a mental health resource center for local musicians. The court doesn’t dispute the value of Nuçi’s to its community, but held that just because “the institution serves a benevolent purpose” doesn’t mean it’s tax exempt. Sleppy says the building itself is vital to the mission.

Nuçi’s is a gathering place, a community center that provides a vital, supportive safe place for clients who are between doctor visits or adjusting to new medications, Sleppy says.

The whole legal affair started back in 2006 with a state constitutional amendment extending property tax exemptions to “purely public charities” that use their buildings as income generators, as long as that money is used for the operation of the institution. Nuçi’s applied to the county Board of Assessors for an exemption and was subsequently denied; the Board of Equalization overruled the assessors and gave Nuçi’s the exemption. The Board of Assessors then appealed to the county Superior Court in 2008, but the court ruled in favor of the nonprofit. The assessors then took their case to the Court of Appeals.

A Musician’s Perspective Flagpole asked local musician Patterson Hood, a member of the Nuçi Phillips Memorial Foundation Board of Directors, for a comment on the Nuçi’s Space property tax situation. He sent us this: First off, I think people don’t understand or are confused about what Nuci’s Space does and is about. Their mission is first and foremost to help musicians with depression and to prevent suicide, which is a rampant problem in our society and our community. What they do goes well beyond that, as they help musicians with health care (most of our local music scene is uninsured) and provide other resources to that part of our community.

Nuçi’s Space is a non-profit in the purest sense of the word. The money they bring in from fund-raising and from rehearsal space rental all goes towards the greater goal. Many of its functions are self-maintaining, which enables such a large percentage of the monies raised to actually go towards helping people.

The rehearsal space rental serves two very important functions. The most important (and in my opinion brilliant) function is that it enables artists to get acquainted with Nuçi’s Space as a place to go for their artistic needs; in doing so they become aware of their greater mission and become comfortable with the staff. That way, when a problem arises—and believe me, a HUGE percentage of artists have problems with depression— they are already comfortable there and it’s not so hard to take that next step towards reaching out for help.

Many people (from all walks of life) don’t reach out for help with emotional problems because of the stigmas involved, and many simply because they just don’t know what steps to take to get help. Musicians and artists in general are especially hesitant to reach out for help because the very nature of what artists do often stems from a lack of certain tangible skills, and as I said before, most musicians (local and otherwise) lack decent medical insurance coverage.

Combining all of these elements into one physical space helps to overcome this very big obstacle. I have seen this work first hand, including within my own band, my family and myself. The money that comes from having the rehearsal spaces helps maintain the physical space, which enables a greater percentage of monies raised from donations and fundraisers to go to the greater mission. The money and time being spent on all of this is directly taking away from the quantity of people they can help.

Nuçi’s Space spends nearly $100,000 annually helping people in our community get help. If Nuçi’s wasn’t helping these people, they would be going to emergency rooms and seeking help from the local and state level, which would be causing a further burden on our community’s already stressed financial situation. And, of course, some wouldn’t seek or get help at all, which means lives would be lost. Believe me, I know people personally whose lives have been saved by Nuçi’s Space and what they provide.

Nuçi’s Space paid over $40,000 in property taxes before being granted an exemption a few years ago. It is one of the most amazing and unique programs anywhere in the world.

Part of why it’s hard for some folks to understand is because there is literally nothing else like it in the world. We in Athens are blessed to have it right here helping our community and should recognize what a treasure we have in it.

Thank you for your time and interest.

Patterson Hood Drive-By Truckers

Nuçi’s Space pays property taxes on two last week’s work session—and some services parcels of land: around $5,000 a year on the may have to be cut, too. building itself, and roughly $1,000 a year on To cover an estimated $1.4 million shortfall an exterior lot. They’ve paid over $40,000 in next year, Reddish suggested commissiontaxes since the space opened, and only in the ers delay planned expansions of East Athens last two years have they not paid the $5,000 park and the science building at Sandy Creek on the main building.

Nature Center, as well as land acquisition for “To some people that might not sound like the greenway. And “if revenues don’t increase, a lot,” Sleppy says, but for an organization we’re going to be back having a similar conthat relies on small private contributions, versation” about delaying the following year’s it’s a good bit. Five thousand dollars pays for projects, he added. “Services are going to quite a few counseling appointments, and change if we don’t find new revenue. That’s losing that money would have a significant just all there is to it.” There could be layoffs, impact on the organization, Sleppy says. too, Reddish said. “We’ve struggled with this Nuçi’s is funded by private donations, a few for the last couple of years to avoid these very small grants from family things. I don’t believe foundations and some “It’s not about Nuçi’s Space we’re going to be able to project-oriented support continue to do that.” for its summer programs.

Meanwhile, comanymore. This ruling puts The rest, around 30 permissioners at the work other organizations in cent, comes from earned session suggested some income generated by the things they’d like to see jeopardy as well.” café, rehearsal space and in next year’s budget. performances.

“Someone’s always callIf the Supreme Court refuses a hearing, ing us about traffic calming” in neighborSleppy says he hopes the tax assessor’s office hoods, said Commissioner Harry Sims. Others will be “willing to sit down and work with were interested in adding “complete streets” us,” even though past attempts have proved infrastructure that better accommodates bicyunsuccessful. Nuçi’s will be billed for back clists and pedestrians. taxes if the appeal doesn’t come through, says John Huie George Hanson, Jr., the county’s chief tax appraiser.

State Representative Doug McKillip says he didn’t think the Court of Appeals was disregarding the original intent of the law, merely interpreting it their way. Nevertheless, the law could use some clarification, and he’s up for sponsoring new legislation to help remedy the matter. He’s asking community and ACC commissioners will meet soon with government stakeholders to write up suggesstate legislators who represent Athens. But tions about how the law needs to be clarified. commissioners have disagreed with some There’s time before the next legislative seslegislators in the past, and are skittish about sion, so he’s open to all ideas and wants as alienating them by asking for too much. many opinions as possible. So far, he’s heard They’d like to see state laws support local concerns about preventing abuse of the law efforts to increase recycling; for example, a by non-profits, keeping certain buildings on citizens committee recommended requiring the tax rolls while making sure the exempa 10-cent charge for both paper and plastic tion stays in place for those who truly need shopping bags to encourage the use of reusit. Nuçi’s Space is a great organization, and able bags. But such a stringent requirement “we need to reward the people who are doing is “not going anywhere,” commissioner Andy things the right way,” McKillip says.

Herod said—so commisAthens-Clarke County Commissioner Kelly Girtz Why even ask for new sioners may ask for the surcharge on plastic bags only. doesn’t “believe the slippery slope exists that some taxes legislators won’t Requiring manufacturers to use recyclable materials, or other county officials see support? to take back hard-to-recycle as a possibility, with the items, would also help, potential of non-profits the citizens’ committee said, and the use of buying existing businesses, and taking those plastics other than easily recyclable #1 and #2 parcels off of the tax rolls, or with existing types should be discouraged. businesses converting to a non-profit model Similarly, Commissioner David Lynn quesof operation.” But in order to address these tioned whether commissioners should even ask “distant” possibilities, the General Assembly for new taxes the legislators won’t support. should “consider language limiting the tax But they will ask for some tax reform at the exemption.” state level: a more “progressive” income tax Adds Girtz: “I’m glad the discussion is and, perhaps, sales taxes on services (as well underway.” as goods). And Mayor Heidi Davison suggested Andre Gallant collecting sales tax on Internet purchases.

“People are going to the web to make purchases, and they’re not paying sales tax on those,” she said. “It puts local businesses at a disadvantage.” And the costs of adding tax exemptions need to be evaluated, said commissioner Andy Herod. “There’s all sorts of exemptions in the state code that have been there for 85 years.”

How about eliminating the state’s requireIt won’t solve the county’s revenue shortment for adding fluoride to local water (to fall in the long run, but the ACC government prevent tooth decay)? The necessity of the may delay some planned projects to cut process has been questioned, as have its costs—including land acquisition to extend medical benefits. But “before I… sign off on the greenway trail. The government’s operatthis, I want to hear from an expert,” Herod ing costs continue to increase gradually, and demurred. Fluoridation is widely used (and those increases add up. For the first time endorsed by the U.S. Centers for Disease in years, county employees got no “cost-ofControl), but controversial in some quarters. living” raises this year. Next year, property taxes will likely have to be raised, county John Huie manager Alan Reddish told commissioners at

ACC Commission Mulls Issues for State Legislators

Budget Shortfall May Mean Tax Hike and Service Cuts

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

Ever since he announced he would try for another term as governor, Roy Barnes has been flying under the political radar.

His campaign strategists made the decision that Barnes would be almost invisible in the Atlanta media market.

Where candidates like John Oxendine and Nathan Deal have been constant sources of coverage for TV news shows, Barnes has mostly avoided the cameras. The former governor instead has been conducting an extended listening tour across south Georgia, going from town to town for meetings with sheriffs, courthouse officials and local leaders, so that he can talk about the issues of most interest to the community.

Someone in Barnes’ position needs to do a lot of listening and bridgebuilding, considering that he irritated so many different groups during his first term that they ganged up in 2002 and voted him out of office. After keeping a low profile for all those months, Barnes popped up in front of the TV cameras last week for a news conference where he endorsed Kasim Reed in the Atlanta mayor’s race.

Atlanta’s demographic trends have created a situation where the city could elect its first white mayor in four decades, if Mary Norwood defeats Reed in the runoff. Barnes stepped right into the media spotlight to support Reed and didn’t hesitate to bring up a sensitive issue—removing the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag—that had contributed to his defeat in 2002.

“In those very difficult days when we were trying to establish a flag in the state that represents all of our people and was not a divisive symbol, Kasim Reed was there,” Barnes said. “There’s only one person that can bring our capital city together with the state of Georgia, and that’s Kasim Reed.”

Barnes has to know that he is exposing himself to a major risk when he takes such a highly public stand in the mayor’s race. There

is the racial issue, of course. The political machine built by the late Maynard Jackson that ruled Atlanta for so long sees that political control slipping away with the possible election of Norwood. There have already been several racially charged remarks from Jackson cohorts about the “threat” of electing a white mayor. Barnes is stepping into that sea of racial hostility, a move that could hurt him with some of the moderate white voters he will be trying to win back in 2010.

“I’ve contributed to a few Republicans over the years,” Barnes said. “I’m not going to tell you that I haven’t, because I thought they were good and qualified, and I’ve had great relationships with them. Let’s quit worrying about all of the partisan issues and get down to folks that can actually deliver and do things.”

If Reed loses the runoff, Barnes leaves himself wide open to criticism that he’s so politically damaged he can’t even affect the outcome of a mayor’s race. That is something you’ll hear from Democrats running against Barnes in the primary and Republicans who would face him in the general election if he should secure the nomination.

“There are some that say, what a dumb political move, and some that say, what a smart political move,” Barnes admitted. “I like Kasim Reed; I know he’s competent; I know he’s qualified; I know he’ll lead the City of Atlanta well; that’s good enough for me.”

He added this: “I’ve got to the point in life that I’ve quit worrying about what other people prognosticate and think about things; I just do what I think’s right.”

Tom Crawford Tom Crawford is the editor of Capitol Impact’s Georgia Report, an Internet news service at www.gareport.com that covers government and politics in Georgia. He can be reached at tcrawford@capitolimpact.net.

athens rising What’s Up in New Development To Begin: The new parking deck has been approved, for better or worse, and until construction begins and downtown Athens is finally destroyed once and for all, here are a few loose ends and notes worth considering. At this point, though, isn’t it really like arranging deck chairs on the roof of the burning Georgia Theatre?

Over the Shoals: Before he left Flagpole for bluer waters, budding river guardian Ben Emanuel wanted me to let you all know about the new river overlook adjacent to the Medical Partnership building (the renovated mill that formerly housed O’Malley’s) and how cool it is. Although the design could have been a bit more industrial, the overlook’s view to the shoals and dam offers a

into better, more urban spaces. They’ll never contribute to a walkable urban fabric, and they don’t provide much in the way of outdoor space beyond being wrapped in parking lots. These types of redevelopment initiatives don’t provide much room for organic growth or improvement over time. Are mixed uses and local businesses possible here, or will residents have to drive or take long bus rides to gain access to basic necessities like groceries?

When redeveloping these sites, there should be consideration given to reworking parking lots into true streets and reorienting or replacing some buildings to address these issues.

Dave Marr

More Big Plans for Downtown: The City Hall block’s streetscape is slated to be improved soon, including, if the funding can be worked out, the stretch of Washington Street between Lumpkin and College. One of the questions being considered is whether to turn the whole north side of Washington into a wider pedestrian space, or to repurpose that curbline to accommodate on-street diagonal parking. Building a wide sidewalk on the City Hall block would provide excellent ammunition for those who don’t want to see College Avenue as a true pedestrian square. City Hall isn’t exactly a hopping part of town, day or night, and that real estate would be better used by pushing out the curbline on the south side of the street to give businesses there more space for cafes or other pedestrian-friendly uses.

However, if City Hall’s parking lots were erased, and the whole block took on the character of a true “courtThe Oconee River overlook off Williams Street—note the unusually strong house square” with plenty current, visible on the upper right. of new greenspace, it might then make more sense new perspective on the river. This part of the to widen the north sidewalk, since the area river is known as Cedar Shoals, and was the would become a more public destination. site of Athens’ founding. The typically sedate Oconee, swollen with flood water of late, has Parks and Trails: Speaking of our lack of pubbeen raging through the area, and it’s worth lic urban greenspace, Boulevardians are out checking out. Eventually, when the greenway to remedy that by coming up with their own is extended to the far bank, it will have an ideas for a neighborhood park. So far, they’ve overlook roughly opposite this one. How about conducted a survey and have come up with a full-fledged pedestrian bridge instead? some general concepts. I’m excited to see how this one turns out. Five Acre Woods, a greenRepurposing Blight: A new housing effort by space off North Avenue, followed a similar Athens Area Habitat for Humanity Executive course, and together these two projects could Director Spencer Frye and State Representative set the tone for changing the way we think Doug McKillip is potentially exciting, but I’d about parks in Athens. Managing these kinds like to see the idea explored a little more of small spaces is a big issue, so designing fully before it goes further. The gist is that them into clusters might help, and in this old, often outlying and sometimes blighted case, it’s possible that the Boulevard park apartment complexes would be renovated and could relate to another proposed park along sold as condos to provide affordable ownerMoore’s Branch (AKA Pulaski Creek). Perhaps occupied housing. I have no issue with the the CSX line could become a rail-with-trail affordable housing aspect: it’s sorely needed linking various neighborhoods and their parks here. The question is whether locking in subtogether. Right now the possibilities are wide urban housing patterns is really beneficial open, but I’ll keep you updated. In the meanin the long-term, or if using those models time, keep sending me your thoughts. Are would contribute to or exacerbate some of the there any grassroots projects going on in your problems already associated with poverty. If neighborhood? Could you start one? these apartment complexes are chopped up into condos, they can never be redeveloped Kevan Williams

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RFK and the JFK Assassination Bobby Never Bought the Lone-Gunman Theory

of conspiracy, probably involving the mob, anti-Castro Cuban exiles, and maybe rogue CIA agents.” James Symington, a former RFK administrative assistant, concluded after reading the Warren Report that “it seemed to be like an effort by people who were very anxious to put the case to rest without looking into every nook and cranny. It was a long and windy thing and was concerned mostly with Oswald’s background and showing From the beginning, whatever Bobby said in public that he acted alone… There were just too many loose ends.” about the Warren Commission was only a figleaf. He Long before Talbot’s book appeared, it was well-established always suspected a powerful domestic conspiracy.—James that government officials in the know scoffed at the Warren DiEugenio Report’s no-conspiracy theory. President Lyndon B. Johnson did not believe the theory; neither did three of the seven members ne of myths propagated by defenders of the Warren of the Warren Commission (including Georgia’s Sen. Richard Commission and the Warren Commission Report is the B. Russell); neither did a majority of the members of the U.S. canard that President John F. Kennedy’s brother Robert House of Representatives Select Committee on Assassinations, accepted the commission’s conclusion, embodied in which in 1977-78 reinvestigated JFK’s murder. its Report, that JFK’s assassination was committed by a lone And now it may be considered well-established that RFK did gunman, Lee Harvey Oswald, and that there was no conspiracy not believe the no-conspiracy theory, either. Just think about behind the president’s murder. that. For 45 years, the American people were deceived about The Central Intelligence Agency, for example, which directly RFK’s views of his brother’s assassination. We were falsely led or indirectly, officially or unofficially, may well have been to believe that RFK agreed with the Warren Report’s conclusion involved in the JFK assassination, and which unquestionably that Lee Harvey Oswald, acting on his own, murdered JFK. In has stonewalled every inquiry into the assassination directed truth, however, RFK, in Talbot’s words, “contemptuously disat the agency, used to clanmissed the Warren Report as destinely supply talking nothing more than a public points to the news media relations exercise designed to claiming that, because Robert reassure the public.”

F. Kennedy supported the In the context of the JFK Warren Report, the Oswaldassassination, the befoolwas-the sole-assassin theory ing of the American people must be true. by the government and the The myth that RFK had news media has been the rule confidence in the Warren rather than the exception.

Report was demolished by The instances in which we David Talbot’s Brothers: The have been the victim of dupHidden History of the Kennedy ery are legion. The deception Years, published in 2007. concerning RFK and his belief Talbot, a leading journalthat the JFK assassination ist, is founder and former was the result of a conspiracy editor-in-chief of Salon, the is one obvious example. Two online magazine. His book others will be mentioned here. is based on recently declasIn the first place, for sified documents and more a decade we were deluded than 150 exclusive interviews into believing that President with Kennedy administraJohnson accepted the Warren tion officials and former law Report’s single-assassin enforcement officials and theory. (LBJ’s scornful rejecintelligence agents, as well as tion of the theory became with various journalists and public knowledge shortly writers who, after examinafter his death in 1973.) In David Talbot reports that Bobby Kennedy planned to re-open the investiing the work of the Warren the second place, for more gation of his brother’s murder if he were elected president.

Commission or reviewing the than four decades, we were Warren Report, or both, came denied knowledge of the fact to the realization that the commission botched its job and that that during the three weeks before JFK’s Nov. 22, 1963 assasits report is a sham. Brothers is another step forward in the sination, the Secret Service became aware of two plots—one continuing search for the truth about America’s Crime of the in Chicago, one in Tampa—to shoot the president with a high20th Century. powered rifle from an office building while he was motorcadTalbot’s 478-page book will convince an open-minded pering in an open limousine. (The certain existence of the two son that RFK privately carried on, until his own assassination plots became public knowledge when Lamar Waldron and Thom in 1968, a secret, informal investigation of the circumstances Hartmann’s book Ultimate Sacrifice appeared in 2005. As Talbot of his brother’s murder; that RFK regarded the Warren Report puts it: “In the final month of his life, John Kennedy seemed a with disdain; that he believed that his brother’s assassination marked man, encircled by a tightening knot of treachery… We resulted from a conspiracy; and that he thought the conspiracy can now conclude that Kennedy was, in fact, being methodiwas not a foreign but a domestic one, with the conspirators cally stalked in the final weeks of his life.”) probably consisting of Mafia members, anti-Castro Cubans These and numerous other duperies had the purpose and and rogue CIA-affiliated personnel. “In truth,” Talbot writes, effect of impeding the efforts of the American people to “[Robert F.] Kennedy was one of the first—and among the uncover the full truth about the murder of the 35th president. staunchest—believers in a conspiracy.”

Time, the great discoverer of truth, inevitably will reveal For personal and political reasons which Talbot explains in additional instances in which we the people have been materidetail, RFK felt compelled to publicly express support for the ally deceived about the JFK assassination, which comedian Warren Report. Privately, though, he vowed that if elected pres- Mort Sahl in a serious, truthful moment called “the foulest ident, he would reopen the JFK assassination investigation. “I event of our lives,” or craftily tricked by the Warren Report, can’t do anything,” he told longtime friend William Attwood, which assassination investigator Ray Marcus justly labeled “the “until we get control of the White House.” most massively fraudulent document ever foisted on a free Some of Robert Kennedy’s closest associates also believed society.” that JFK was assassinated as a result of a conspiracy. His press secretary, Frank Mankiewiz, told David Talbot that “I just didn’t Donald E. Wilkes, Jr. believe that a high-school dropout could’ve planned the whole thing… I came to the conclusion that there was some sort Professor Wilkes teaches in the University of Georgia School of Law. Robert Kennedy did not resign himself to the lone gunman theory, the official version of his brother’s death.

On the contrary, he immediately suspected that President Kennedy was the victim of a powerful conspiracy. And he spent the rest of his life secretly searching for the truth about his brother’s murder.—David Talbot

O

LBJ Library photo by Yoichi R. Okamoto

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FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

The Unkindest Cut

Sonny Perdue Recommends Less Pay for Georgia’s Most Accomplished Teachers

P

Only 2.1 percent of Georgia’s 120,660 public school teachers are National Board certified.

As it turns out, the state legislature didn’t completely cut the bonuses out of the budget, as Perdue had recommended. Instead, Georgia’s NBCTs will now get a reduced annual bonus of 6 percent of their salaries. The Georgia Department of Education indicated that counties should receive funds to pay out the bonuses in November. [See sidebar for more details on teacher pay.]

Jacob hunt

erhaps Governor Sonny Perdue’s spokesman, Bert Brantley, shouldn’t have said anything. Maybe he shouldn’t have given ammunition to those who said this was a political decision

by Perdue, not an economic one. But then again, the governor’s office was pressed with this question: How could the Governor deprive National Board certified teachers (NBCTs) of their hard-earned bonuses, which had, for nearly a decade, been provided by the state as a reward for their hard work? Surely, something less important could have been cut from the budget.

Brantley’s response appeared in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in late September: “This is a certification process that is not tied to any student achievement… philosophically, do you reward [student] achievement and performance, or certification and training?”

Perdue’s budget recommendation—and Brantley’s subsequent justification of it—set off a wave of responses by Georgia’s NBCTs, one of them in the form of a lawsuit filed by five teachers on behalf of the Professional Association of Georgia Educators (PAGE). In the face of the cuts, many of Georgia’s NBCTs took to defending the certification process offered by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

Roughly 74,000 teachers nationwide are certified by NBPTS, a nonprofit organization founded in 1987 “to advance the quality of teaching and learning by developing professional standards for accomplished teaching.”

Want to Teach in Georgia?

Currently, Georgia’s teacher salaries rank 17th highest in the nation.

Below are the “base rates” for teachers in Georgia based on educational degree. (This is assuming the teacher has some prior experience; beginning teachers can expect to be paid roughly $2,000 less than the figures below.)

Bachelor’s: Master’s: Specialist: Doctorate:

$33,424 $38,438 $43,435 $48,213

You would not get a pay raise in your first three years. Then, during years four to nine, you would receive roughly a $1,000 raise every year. As you moved into a decade of teaching, the $1,000 raises would come every two years. The state’s guarantee of a raise ends at the beginning of the 22nd year of teaching, but that is not to say the county couldn’t give you more money—Athens-Clarke County, as a policy, pays its teachers 7 percent more than the state base.

Jeff Gore

Still, the change poses new financial problems for teachers who have structured their own budgets around the expectation of a 10 percent bonus. In addition, Brantley’s qualitative assessment of the certification has been, to some teachers, salt rubbed in a wound.

In defending the program, many NBCTs invoke memories of the Herculean effort they had to muster to become certified. “The certification is not an easy one,” wrote Oconee County High School English teacher Lynne Ely in an email to Flagpole. She said the undertaking—“a grueling 100-page ‘box’ of reflection on my teaching, evidence of student work, documentation of my work and videotape of my teaching”—is a daunting task for teachers who already work well above 40 hours a week grading papers and constructing lesson plans.

Most NBCTs consider the cuts a violation of a “promise” first made by Governor Roy Barnes when he pushed through legislation which raised the bonus from 5 percent (first established by Governor Zell Miller) to 10 percent.

“Having the state of Georgia renege on its promise to me after all my hard work on the certification process was a severe blow to both my professional identity and my financial well-being,” wrote Stacy Blomquist in an email to Flagpole. Blomquist, an NBCT at Oconee County High, said that the main reason she became certified with the National Board, rather than pursue a higher college degree, was the financial incentive.

Ely echoed the importance of the incentive and said that she would not object to a change in the program due to budget concerns, “but to withdraw it from teachers who have already earned it… seems to me in breach of good faith.”

Bert Brantley responded with an assessment of the grim financial landscape, reminding that NBCTs were not the only ones to have

had promises broken. “Teachers that were furloughed were ‘promised’ a salary; state employees who were laid off were ‘promised’ a job,” he said, adding that the state’s budgetary crisis “is literally historic. It’s not hyperbole. We’ve never seen revenue reductions like this in the state’s history.”

Brantley mentioned that he received a number of critical emails after his remarks to the AJC went to print. “It’s clear that it’s a rigorous program that provides benefits,” he said of the certification, mentioning that he has many friends who are NBCTs themselves. Still, he did not retreat from his earlier statement: rather, he attempted to bolster it by linking it to Washington, pointing out that President Obama has endorsed “meritbased” bonuses that reward “student achievement,” or in other words, higher student test scores. He said the correlation between NBPTS certification and “student achievement” is, statistically speaking, quite small.

Not all educators are convinced that test scores are the best indicator of student progress, however. “If that’s the only measure that we’ve got out there, then that’s problematic,” said Peg Graham, an associate professor in the University of Georgia’s College of Education. Graham was a high school teacher for 17 years before coming to Athens and was also part of an NBPTS “expert panel” which encouraged teacher certification. She disagrees with the criticism that the certification process doesn’t necessarily improve teachers—that it merely identifies the above-average ones. “It did indeed change teachers,” she said, adding that even though the financial incentive was the prime motivator for NBCTs, “the byproduct of that was an extraordinary professional development experience.” According to Graham, the only “negative” effect of the certification is that “every single bit of it implies that you need to work harder, that you need to do more.”

Georgia’s NBCTs may not have to endure the cuts for long. The campaign office of Roy Barnes, the former governor and Democratic frontrunner to regain his old seat in next year’s election, confirmed that Barnes would try to reinstitute the full bonus if he were elected. (This is unsurprising, given that Barnes recently completed a six-year stint as chair of the NBPTS Board of Directors.)

Republican frontrunner John Oxendine also released a statement opposing the cuts, but when pressed, his campaign manager wouldn’t say that Oxendine would try to undo the current cuts; he said only that no new cuts to teacher’s salaries would be proposed.

It is also possible that PAGE’s lawsuit will be successful, negating the unappetizing prospect of waiting on Georgia legislators.

Whether that success comes in the form of a court verdict or capitulation is yet to be seen.

Tim Callahan, spokesman for PAGE, said it’s possible that state legislators, under considerable new pressure, may restore full funding for the bonuses in the January supplemental budget. “We’ve heard rumors that they’ve had second thoughts,” Callahan said.

Jeff Gore

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miscellany Out and About Around Athens A Taste of Athens: Athens is a cornucopia of culture. In Miscellany, and in the blog that will accompany it, I will cover cultural happenings and on-the-street news that might fall outside the realms of other columns, and I will look out for anything that adds to the flavor of Athens. I’m interested in cultural staples, in brewing developments, and in the innovative fusions at work everywhere. I will alert you to upcoming events and report back from the many I hope to attend. Feed me tips or eat me alive but, please, email me what’s up.

of the Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation that will hold casual monthly happy hours at historic Athens properties (5:30 p.m.).

Thursday is “Have a Bad Day Day.” Catch “Staff Infection,” an exhibition of work by the Georgia Museum of Art’s own artists, in its penultimate day at the Visual Arts Building on Jackson Street.

Celebrate Mexican Revolution Day on Friday with Incatepec and DJ “Boricua” JR, offering salsa and more at Ciné, beginning at 9 p.m.

On Saturday, “Visual Stories” opens at the Lyndon House Arts Center. Eight artists get personal in various media, presenting work based on their life experiences.

From the Farm: Warming our insides, adding some winter padding, stretching our stomachs for the holidays— for some reason, or for all, we take great comfort in fall food. Between Northeast Georgia’s myriad festivals and markets and the hearty new menus of local restaurants, even the most insatiable Athenian risks gluttony. Last week, I passed through the 43rd Annual Deer Festival in Monticello, an astoundingly lively nexus of fair foods, fair games and, of course, fair game.

For his attention to indulgent victuals—more sophisticated, though no less local—Athens culinary Kacico dancers Shandi Fine, Tuesday Faust and Lindsay Spilker Tate pertrendsetter Hugh Acheson form at Floorspace. appears as the very first entry in the lavish new cookbook Coco: 10 of the World’s Greatest Chefs, The Five Points Holiday Festival opens 100 Emerging Culinary Stars (Phaidon).

Sunday. Benefiting the Northeast Georgia Food Acheson was chosen by Mario Batali as one Bank, the festival offers magic shows, face of the globe’s most auspicious talents, and painters, pony rides and Santa, as well as live he’ll be in top form at The National’s Nov. 18 music. Kids can buy and wrap gifts for their French wine dinner and at Five and Ten’s on family members at the “Secret Shop” (1–5 Dec. 1. p.m.).

Monday marks the beginning of UGA’s These days, of course, cuisine has been of Thanksgiving break. Make a locals-only cookbooks and connoisseurs. Food has never play date: check out Open DJ night at New been more popular, more populist or more Earth Music Hall, trivia at Little Kings and political. As The New York Times probed pig Transmetropolitan, and ping pong at Flicker psychology (“Pigs Prove to Be Smart, If Not Bar—and while you’re there, have a hot toddy Vain”) and Jonathan Safran Foer pondered and get cozy with the remarkable photography porking out (Eating Animals, Little, Brown and installation on display. Multi-talented local Company), Full Moon Farms welcomed a litJustin Evans chose 25 shots from 2000 he ter of precious piglets, and Farm 255, home of took in China last year; together, they’re quite Wednesday Primals Night, presented its newa survey of that multifaceted landscape. est savory venture, Farm Cart, which fills the On Tuesday, hook up with Athens Green belly and the soul with hot takeaway lunches.

Drinks at Hotel Indigo. The group discusses m We’re Not in Kansas Anymore: And for local sustainability issues over cocktails (6–8 our autumnal art appetite? Gallery wanderp.m.). ers filled up on visual and performance art at November’s First Friday openings in the On the Horizon: And buy tickets now for the D.O.C. building and the Chase St. Warehouse Oak Ridge Boys Christmas Show Concert, area. At Floorspace, Kansas City Contemporary Nov. 30 at The Classic Center and Trappeze’s Dance, or Kacico, presented excerpts of their Ommegang Beer Dinner, Dec. 8. fall show, “Innerlying Landscapes,” with backdrop images by UGA Visual Arts Professor And Online!: Hugh Acheson takes on The New Michael Oliveri, and “Time Imparts Forward York Times’ impossible server standards. Justin Motion,” by Athens choreographer Julie Evans thinks on local arts and his current Rothschild. The Canopy Studio Repertory exhibit. Jake O. Francis, Farm’s L’Homme du Company glided through their fall show, Cart, describes the cart journey and his own “Pirates of the Airrrr.” And ATHICA relished voyage from Brooklyn to Athens.

Friday crowds before ending its “Free Press in Free Fall” exhibition with a nourishing closing And Hey!: Speaking of why Athens beats day on Sunday, Nov. 8.

Brooklyn: New York Magazine has compiled a list of the 40 best songs from that prolific On This Week’s Roster: Drink in some hisborough. Give me that list for Athens. And tory on Wednesday at Reds Southern Tavern.

I’ll give you… something. Check the web for New friends, new food and old Athens come details. together with a meeting of the recently formed Athenaeum Club, a youthful off-shoot Elaine Ely misc@flagpole.com

10

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

art notes Landscapes and Landmarks California Dreamin’: Cold, wet and having trudged through a swamp of soggy leaves that was ostensibly a parking lot, I walked through the front doors of the Athens Botanical Garden into an alternate world of white, steamy light and jungle green. The artificially lush interior was a welcome trade for the uncomfortable chill of the rain and dreaded first hints of winter. As optimistically verdant as the perpetual summertime of the conservatory, Joe M. Ruiz’s exhibit, “Southern Tableau,” is all sunshine and midday calm. Ruiz’s interest in landscape painting began when he lived and worked on the virtually winter-less California coast.

He’s now serving as the Executive Director of the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (OCAF) in Watkinsville, and it’s easy to see how the idyllic West Coast sunlight has infiltrated his picturesque renditions of unpopulated Georgia meadows and glowing forest interiors.

A Second Look: Mercury Art Works’ group show “Terra Verte” also focuses on the perpetually green. It was almost impossible to see the art during the crowded, event-filled opening at the swank, new Hotel Indigo in October, and

overly inclusive to adhere to a its titular theme, it is a nice salon-style survey of Athens’ tried-and-true artists, who have been here through old and new.

Urban Greenspaces: The green world interrupts the urban one in Madeline Darnell’s “Cloudy with a Chance of Flowers,” on view at OCAF. Her small, easily digestible paintings mainly focus on city corners where tiny gardens are cultivated (such as in a makeshift bathtub garden) or occur spontaneously in the all-American cityscapes of Pittsburgh and other smaller Pennsylvania towns. Probably the strongest works in the show are the more abstract paintings, like her interpretation of a woody pond shore in “North Carolina Pond” or her aerial cloudscapes (see the cover of last week’s Flagpole online).

Leather & Outdoor

Pretty as a Postcard: Similarly interested in the small town, in this case our small town, Jamie Calkin’s drawings and paintings up at Red Eye Coffee through this month are as quickly sketched and painted as Joe Ruiz’s are carefully considered. A lot of his work is done onsite, and featuring prominently are the Arch, stadium and downtown corners— landmarks of Athens and UGA’s campus. Bustling with commerce and other productive activities, his work is as cloud-free as Ruiz’s vistas and as genteel as Darnell’s flowerinfused cityscapes. With its stroller-pushing ladies and coffee-sipping students, it reads like a greeting card survey of Athens scenes.

The Occidental Tourist: Turning to landmarks that are decidedly non-local, local musician/photographer Justin Evans’ photographs of his trip to China last year are up at Flicker through the rest of this month. A strong Justin Evans’ photography series “China Images” is on display at Flicker show of photojournalismstyle work, “China Images” Theatre & Bar through November. includes pictures of rural I suspect that wasn’t the point of the whole villages alongside flashes of city nightlife. thing anyway (see Pete McCommons’ 10/21 The images are accompanied by excerpts of Pub Notes). But looking at the show in the his travel log that make the polished pictures more personal. There are several nice portraits sober light of day, I saw a couple of things I that showcase Evans’ skill as a photographer, missed the first go-round. While I didn’t miss and it’s nice to enjoy them off the clock and Michael Stipe’s life-size, Jeff Koons-style repin an intimate bar setting. lica of the endangered “American Buffalo,” I didn’t quite find Kristy Knight’s subtle instalIt’s That Time of the Year: Madison County lation “Shhh.” Having arranged tree branches held its annual artists’ market last weekend, in a corner of the gallery, Knight creates a but there are plenty more to come. The Studio play between the disembodied tree limb, its Group’s 28th Annual Show and Sale runs this shadow and the traced shadows of branches Thursday through Sunday at ATHICA’s home that have since been removed. Both Stipe and space, Unit 4 of the Chase Street Warehouses.

Knight’s works suggest the loss and marginJust around the corner, the Trace Studio alization of natural life. These are among the Collective Holiday Sale is scheduled for Dec. most speculative works; the rest of the show is given over to more conventional imagery. As 4–6 at 160 Tracey St. On sale will be ceramics and jewelry by local artists Annette suggested by the show’s title, landscapes, like Gates, Lauren Gallaspy, Jorie Berman, Rob Matt Alston’s trio of coastal and snow scenes Jackson, Mark Jordan and Andy Nasisse. or Scott Belville’s succession of lyrical Italian In Watkinsville, 70 artists will be featured at drawings, make up a lot of the exhibit. Rinne Allen’s close-up, prettily abstracted “Clematis” OCAF’s 15th Annual Holiday Market. Scheduled plays against Carl Martin’s untitled large-scale for Dec. 5 & 6, the market will be open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. daily. Look for a feature on portrait of two men in a corn field. Probably the holiday pottery sales in next week’s issue. most contemporary are acid-bright graphic prints by Tate Foley and Chris Bilheimer.

Rebecca Brantley While the show may have ultimately been l

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movie dope Some releases may not be showing locally this week.

2012 (PG-13) See Movie Pick.

ALL ABOUT STEVE (PG-13) Eccentric crossword creator Mary Horowitz (Sandra Bullock) falls in love with cameraman Steve (Cooper) after just one date. First-time feature director Phil Traill’s 2003 short, Dangle, was well-received, but I’m not curious to see how he fares with cookie-cutter comedy. With Thomas Haden Church and Keith David (not to be confused with David Keith).

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? 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. 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.

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 BLIND SIDE (PG-13) NFL offensive tackle and Ole Miss graduate Michael Oher’s life story comes to the screen. A conservative family, led by tough-as-nails matriarch Leigh Anne Touhy (Sandra Bullock), takes in a disadvantaged giant, Michael (Quinton Aaron). Writer-director John Lee Hancock is kind of cornering the market on feel-good sports movies like this and his 2002 surprise hit, The Rookie.

With Tim McGraw, Ray McKinnon, Kathy Bates and a whole heap of SEC football coaches, past and present.

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.

THE BOX (PG-13) Based on a short story by fantasy/sci-fi/horror legend Richard Matheson, The Box is a device offered by Arlington Steward (Frank Langella) to unsuspecting couples. They are then faced with a moral dilemma. Press the button and someone they do not know will die; in exchange, they will receive $1 million.

Donnie Darko writer-director Richard Kelly directs this razor-sharp, straightfaced send-up of 1970s supernatural flicks that sticks its landing despite a logy last act.

BRIGHT STAR (PG) Now considered the last—and arguably—greatest Romantic poet, John Keats experienced little triumph, critical or financial, while alive. Due to his weakened pecuniary state, Keats was unable to marry the love of his life, Fanny Brawne. Their

doomed, three-year love affair comes to torridly chaste life in Academy Award-winner Jane Campion’s newest film, her best since 1993’s The Piano, and the most tragically romantic film I have seen in ages.

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.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (PG) Oscarwinning filmmaker Robert Zemeckis’ third foray into motion-capture animation is his most successful. ‘Oliday Spirit is piled in waist-high drifts, and the animation is absolutely gorgeous, if still perched on the edge of the “uncanny valley.” Carrey voices multiple roles as Ebenezer Scrooge, young Scrooge and the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come.

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), Marie Gillain, and Emmanuelle Devos (A Christmas Tale).

COLD SOULS (PG-13) How Charlie Kaufman-esque! Paul Giamatti plays an actor named Paul Giamatti, who pays to have his soul disembodied.

Unfortunately, Paul is a victim of soul trafficking and must travel to Russia to retrieve it from a soap-opera actress.

Writer-director Sophie Barthes’ feature debut was nominated for Sundance’s Grand Jury Prize. With two-time

M OVIE L ISTI NG S

Theater schedules often change after our deadline. Please call ahead.

ACC LIBRARY (706-613-3650)

Master of the Killer Ants (NR) 7:00 (Th. 11/19)

BEECHWOOD (706-546-1011)

Due to production deadlines, Beechwood movie times are only accurate through Nov. 19. Visit www.flagpole.com for updated times.

2012 (PG-13) 4:30, 5:30, 8:00, 9:00 The Box (PG-13) 4:05, 7:05, 9:45 (no 7:05 or 9:45 shows W. 11/18) A Christmas Carol 3D (PG) 5:10, 7:30, 9:55 A Christmas Carol (PG) 4:10, 6:45, 9:10 Couples Retreat (PG-13) 4:30, 7:05, 9:45 (no 7:05 or 9:45 shows Th. 11/19) The Fourth Kind (PG-13) 5:15, 7:35, 9:55 The Men Who Stare at Goats (R) 5:20, 7:40, 10:00 Metropolitan Opera: Turandot Encore (NR) 6:30 (W. 11/18) Paranormal Activity (R) 5:15, 7:25, 9:35 Pirate Radio (R) 4:05, 7:00, 9:40 This Is It (PG) 4:15, 9:30 Twilight (PG-13) 9:00 (Th. 11/19) The Twilight Saga: New Moon (PG-13) midnight (Th. 11/19) Where the Wild Things Are (PG) 7:10

CARMIKE 12 (706-354-0016)

Due to production deadlines, Carmike 12 movie times are only accurate through Nov. 19. Visit www.flagpole.com for updated times.

2012 (PG-13) 12:20, 1:20, 3:40, 4:40, 7:00, 8:00 The Box (PG-13) 1:30, 4:20, 7:00, 9:35 A Christmas Carol 3D (PG) 12:30, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 9:50

12

A Christmas Carol (PG) 1:00, 3:20, 5:40, 8:00 Couples Retreat (PG-13) 4:35, 7:05, 9:35 The Fourth Kind (PG-13) 1:45, 4:35, 7:10, 9:40 Law Abiding Citizen (R) 1:20, 4:35, 7:20, 10:00 The Men Who Stare at Goats (R) 1:15, 3:25, 5:35, 7:45, 9:55 Paranormal Activity (PG-13) 1:10, 3:20, 5:30, 7:40, 9:50 Pirate Radio (R) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, 9:50 This Is It (PG) 1:45, 4:20, 7:00, 9:40 Where the Wild Things Are (PG) 1:30

CINÉ (706-353-3343)

Bright Star (PG) 4:45 Capitalism: A Love Story (R) 4:30 (ends Th. 11/19) Coco Before Chanel (PG-13) 7:30, 9:45 (new times F. 11/20: 5:00, 7:15) Cold Souls (PG-13) 7:15, 9:30 (new times F. 11/20: 9:30) (add’l times: 2:45 Sa. 11/21–Su. 11/22) (no 9:30 shows Sa. 11/21–Su. 11/22) New York, I Love You (R) 7:30, 9:45 (add’l times Sa. 11/21–Su. 11/22: 2:30) (no 9:45 shows Sa. 11/21– Su. 11/22) (starts F. 11/20) The Room (R) midnight (F. 12/11)

GEORGIA SQUARE 5 (706-548-3426)

Due to production deadlines, Georgia Square Five movie times are only accurate through Nov. 19. Visit www.flagpole. com for updated times.

All About Steve (PG-13) 5:20, 7:40, 10:05 The Hangover (R) 5:25, 10:10 The Hurt Locker (R) 4:25, 7:20, 10:05 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs (PG) 7:45 The Informant! (R) 4:35, 7:30, 10:00 Inglourious Basterds (R) 4:30, 8:00

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

Academy Award-nominee Emily Watson, David Strathairn (an Academy Award-nominee for Good Night, and Good Luck), and Lauren Ambrose (“Six Feet Under”).

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.

THE DAMNED UNITED (R) The Damned United documents British coaching legend Brian Clough’s (the very, very underrated Michael Sheen) 44-day tenure as the leader of Leeds United. Timothy Spall (Harry Potter’s Peter Pettigrew) costars as Clough’s coaching companion, Peter Taylor.

Two-time Oscar-nominee Peter Morgan (The Last King of Scotland, The Queen) contributed the screenplay for the film, directed by Emmy-winner Tom Hooper (“Elizabeth I”). With Colm Meaney, Oscar-winner Jim Broadbent, This Is England’s Stephen Graham and Elizabeth Carling.

DARE (R) Three high school seniors—aspiring actress and good girl Alexa Walker (Emmy Rossum, The Phantom of the Opera), her best friend Ben Berger (Ashley Springer, Teeth) and bad boy Johnny Drake (Zach Gilford of “Friday Night Lights”)—become embroiled in an intimate, complicated relationship.

The trailer looks kind of CW-y. With Ana Gasteyer, Rooney Mara, Sandra Bernhard and Alan Cumming. Directed

by Adam Salky. Nominated for the coveted Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

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.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX (PG) A clever Fox (v. George Clooney) attempts to outsmart the angry, neighboring farmers. The trailer for quixotic auteur Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated adaptation of Roald Dahl’s not quite as classic as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (or James and the Giant Peach, for that matter). It will be interesting to see if family audiences warm to the second hip children’s film of fall. Featuring the voices of Meryl Streep and Anderson regulars, Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson.

THE FOURTH KIND (PG-13) The Fourth Kind, a Blair Witch-y alien abduction thriller, suffers comparisons to recent horror phenomenon, Paranormal Activity. In fact, The Fourth Kind deserves a look. The chutzpah of filmmaker Olatunde Osunsanmi in his second film pays off. The writerdirector successfully combines fake interviews of purportedly real abductees with Hollywood-level recreations starring Milla Jovovich, Will Patton

and Elias Koteas for a chilling genre flick that will have gullible filmgoers frightened for months. Nonetheless, the movie is about alien abduction, and all the cinematic trickery in the world probably will not hook folks who have never been particularly interested in bogus encounters of the fourth kind.

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.

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.

THE HURT LOCKER (R) Largely plotless, The Hurt Locker follows Bravo Company’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit through the rubblestrewn streets of Baghdad, where every rubbish pile may hide an improvised explosive device, better known as an IED. While anyone waiting for an overarching mystery to solve or an explosive mastermind to catch will be disappointed,The Hurt Locker is the highest intensity, hottest war drama made about Iraq.

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 INFORMANT! (R) In Steven Soderbergh’s newest film, Mark Whitacre, a higher up in agri-business giant Archer Daniels Midland, reports corporate conspiracy to the FBI, becoming the first person ever to willingly step forward and cooperate in a price-fixing investigation. But Whitacre has some secrets of his own. He fictionalized a grandiose, literary illusion to cover up the fact that he had stolen millions of dollars from ADM while working for the FBI. Whoops! From the trailers, The Informant! appears to be a riotous shakedown of corporate scandal and sputtering federal agents, all of whom are at the mercy of a naïve, childish liar.

INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS (R) Once upon a time, the world was at the mercy of a madman. Then “The Basterds,” a gang of Jewish-American soldiers led by a Southern mountain man, swept across Nazi-occupied France. The world lived happily ever after. The hyperbolical trailers are right.

You’ve never seen war until you’ve seen it through the eyes of Quentin Tarantino. Inglourious Basterds is the film both critics and moviegoers have been waiting for since the ‘90s trifecta of Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction and Jackie Brown. Anyone only exposed to the previews will be shocked to hear that Basterds is QT’s most mature film, despite its graphic, gratuitous violence and howling hilarity.

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. Clyde’s elaborate revenge scheme, which crosses from movie farfetched to patently unbelievable by the big reveal, targets the entire municipal government of Philadelphia.

MASTER OF THE KILLER ANTS (G) 2007. This NOVA special looks at the Mofu people of Cameroon, a tribe that relies on the unlikely ally, an army ant, to protect their homes and crops. The jaglavak ants can rid a Mofu home of termites within weeks and protect their precious grain sorghum. Master of the Killer Ants, or Jaglavak, Prince des Insectes, is a documentary from director Jérôme Raynaud. Part of the ACC Library’s iFilms series.

THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS (R) George Clooney and his Oscarnominated producing partner Grant Heslov aim for a modern absurdist war satire like Dr. Strangelove, M.A.S.H. or Catch-22. Anyone entertained by the Boston-scored trailer for The Men Who Stare at Goats will leave with a smile but have little reason to stare when a single viewing will satisfy. These Men definitely will never achieve the timeless ranks of General “Buck” Turgidson or Captains Yossarian, “Hawkeye” Pierce or “Trapper” McIntyre.

THE MESSENGER (R) Films about the Iraq War still have not proved popular with audiences, but I’m Not There screenwriter Oren Moverman is testing the waters with his directorial debut. A soldier (the buzzy Ben Foster) struggles with his conscience after falling for the widow of a fallen officer.

Woody Harrelson has been getting some positive pub. Winner of the Silver Berlin Bear and the Peace Film Award from the Berlin International Film Festival and two Best Film prizes from the Deauville Film Festival.

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, Mira Nair, Brett Ratner and star Portman.

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

Can the Sundance favorite score with the larger moviegoing audience?

Public plugs from mega-producers and tastemakers Oprah and Tyler Perry should help. Written and directed by Lee Daniels. With Mariah Carey.

THE ROOM (R) 2003. I’ve wanted to see writer-director-star Tommy Wiseau’s personal cinematic atom bomb since reading an article in Entertainment Weekly about the prominent billboard for the would-be auteur’s debut, an awful picture beloved by two of my favorite ensembles, “The State” and “Arrested Development.” Wiseau’s film is supposedly THE new cult phenomenon. Now screening monthly at Ciné.

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.

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.

THIS IS IT (PG) This Is It is a wonderful memorial to this strange man who thrilled millions. While the film will

appeal most to MJ’s superfans, only the most virulent haters will not find some moment that proves his right to reign as the eternal King of Pop. 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. Featuring Joey Lauren Adams and Benjamin Bratt.

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: NEW MOON (PG-13) You either cannot wait for the continuation of Stephenie Meyer’s teen vampire romance films or you do not care at all; it seems that the middle ground has pretty much eroded. The Golden Compass director Chris Weitz’s pic does look better than Catherine Hardwicke’s 2008 blockbuster. For those who don’t know, Edward (Robert Pattinson) leaves Bella (Kristen Stewart), who goes all reckless while under the protection of a changed Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner). Enjoy.

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 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.

Drew Wheeler

THE G

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) 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.

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.

PIRATE RADIO (R) See Movie Pick.

PLANET 51 (PG) Astronaut Chuck Baker (v. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) lands on Planet 51 and finds an alien race paranoid of an alien invasion. He must recover his spaceship with the help of his new alien friend. Three firsttime directors—Jorge Blanco, Javier Abad and Marcos Martinez—bring Shrek Oscar-nominee Joe Stillman’s script to animated life. This family flick does not look terrible, but it does not much resemble a holiday blockbuster either. Featuring the voices of Jessica Biel, Justin Long, Gary Oldman, Seann William Scott and John Cleese.

PRECIOUS (R) Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire tells the story of an overweight illiterate teen mother (Gabourey “Gabby” Sidibe), who is pregnant with her second child when she gets a chance to turn her life around at an alternative school. I never thought I would write that Mo’Nique is generating serious Oscar buzz with her portrayal of Precious’ abusive mother.

AL

LERY

GOOD

DIRT

One God... countless paths.

Unity Athens Sunday, Nov. 22 • 1:45 Unity Athens welcomes the Grammy-nominated

KAREN TAYLOR GOOD www.karentaylorgood.com A Fundraising Event for Hospice Donation Basis Karen will also perform a message in song at the 11:00am service

Unity Athens

Meeting Sundays at 1435 Oglethorpe Ave., Athens 11 a.m. Sunday Service • 706-613-8050

www.UnityAthens.com

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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movie pick

film notebook

This Boat Rocks

News of Athens’ Cinema Scene

PIRATE RADIO (R) In 1966, the British government did battle with several pirate radio stations broadcasting filthy, filthy rock and roll from the cold, rolling North Sea. Half of the British population got their rock from stations like Radio Rock, the captain of the seas and the airwaves. The DJs for Radio Rock—The Count (Philip Seymour Hoffman); the lascivious Gavin (Rhys Ifans); big, bawdy Dr. Dave (Nick Frost); silly breakfast DJ Simon (Chris O’Dowd); annoying Angus “The Knut” Knutsford (Rhys Darby); and silent, sexy “Midnight” Mark (Tom Wisdom)— defined this era of shifting social mores.

From the music they played to the foul Philip Seymour Hoffman language and casual sexual explicitness of their on-air banter, these DJs upset the then über-conservative UK government.

Pirate Radio, originally titled The Boat That Rocked, is the second directorial effort from Richard Curtis, the Oscar-nominated writer of Four Weddings and a Funeral. His heavily fictionalized account of the radio battles waged during the British culture wars of the 1960s entertains from the mosaic montage of the opening credits to the album cover slideshow

that accompanies the end credits. In between is a two-hour-and-fifteen-minute party. Curtis’ huge guest list, dominated by British comics and comedic actors, never overwhelms, and the skilled writer plays no favorites. Each DJ/performer gets to shine. Bill Nighy, as Jaggerishly swishing station owner Quentin, has not been this much fun since Curtis’ Love Actually. I would spend at least two more hours rollicking and rolling with Nighy, Hoffman, Frost, Darby and the less familiar O’Dowd.

I adore Curtis’ dry, lightweight British dramedy, emphasis on the –medy, not on the dra-. He better recreates the essence of popular British author Nick Hornby’s musicobsessed, laddish romantic comedies than the actual movies based on Hornby’s novels (High Fidelity, About a Boy). With its “rockin’ ‘60s” backdrop of the Rolling Stones, The Who and The Kinks, Pirate Radio could almost be considered a spiritual, tonal, nostalgic sibling to Songbird, Hornby’s terrific collection of musical essays, and it’s the best time I’ve had in a theater in weeks.

Drew Wheeler

movie pick What a Disaster 2012 (PG-13) German disaster taskmaster trip with his children, Noah (Liam James) Roland Emmerich (Independence Day and The and Lily (Morgan Lily). Charlie mentions some Day After Tomorrow) destroys the entire world spaceships being constructed by world leaders, in his newest lowest-common-denominator and Jackson says “buh-bye.” Meanwhile, his blockbuster. Stronger than an Earthquake, ex-wife, Kate (Amanda Peet), and her plastic fierier than The Towering Inferno, and more surgeon boyfriend, Gordon (Tom McCarthy), apocalyptic than Armageddon, 2012 uses the are grocery shopping when the ground opens conspiracy-theorist wet-dream of the Mayan up, splitting the store in two. Uh-oh. calendar’s predicted Earth expiration date— The remainder of the two-hour-and-thirtyDec. 21, 2012—as the springboard for the eight-minute compilation of reaction shots biggest disaster picture ever. At least that’s is a race against time, tidal waves, fiery rock what I imagine Emmerich and his writing part- showers and biblical flooding. Ham-handed ner, film composer melodrama bookends Harald Kloser, deluthe special effectssionally believed they driven destruction as were doing. the good Dr. Helmsley In 2009, Dr. Adrian and first daughter, Dr. Helmsley (Chiwetel Laura Wilson (Thandie Ejiofor) submits a Newton), battle evil report to the presipolitical advisor Carl dent of the United Anheuser (Oliver States, Thomas Wilson Platt), who plans on (Danny Glover), skedaddling in masregarding the rising John Cusack and Woody Harrelson sive manmade Arks temperature of the while the unwashed Earth. A year later, the president and the rest masses—including audience proxy, the of the world’s heads of state start making Everyman Curtis clan—get washed away. travel plans, convinced the end of the world is Even the most dutiful apologist for the nigh. Of course, they invite thousands of their eternally likable Cusack has to acknowledge closest billionaire buddies along for the lifelarge-scale action movies are not for him. This saving journey. audacious, awful flick makes Emmerich’s last Jump ahead to 2012, when author, limoucinematic sermon, The Day After Tomorrow, sine driver and divorced father Jackson Curtis look downright documentarian and artful.

(John Cusack) meets kooky doomsayer Charlie Frost (Woody Harrelson) while on a camping Drew Wheeler

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FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

Living in the Present, for Now: I can’t remember the last time I wrote about a film from the past decade or so in this space, so it’s with great delight that I break my silence on things that aren’t old as hell with a hearty recommendation of Treeless Mountain, So Yong Kim’s lovely follow-up to her headturning 2006 debut, In Between Days. Both of Kim’s films are about girls with absent fathers, and the five- and seven-year-old protagonists of Treeless Mountain have been abandoned by their mother, as well. As the girls are shuttled first to the squalid urban home of their aunt, then to their grandparents’ rural farm, the existential experience of waiting for the return of their mother, who can’t afford to support them, undergoes a sublime transformation.

Kim’s handling of her young actors is superb,

at Ciné the night of the immensely successful Halloween: Live! performance/screening, and the group managed to accumulate 30 or 40 young film enthusiasts in the lobby, even while another 100 or more packed the Lab. CinéClub spokesman Parker Couch sent me the club’s mission statement, which reads, in part, “We at CinéClub not only wish to expose the student body to as many types of films as possible, but want to provide an optimal environment for discussion, various themed events, educational forums and opportunities for students to screen their own original works.”

Sounds good to me.

The statement also mentions “future plans to become directly linked with Ciné,” a tantalizing prospect when you consider how mystifyingly difficult it’s been to get UGA students interested and engaged in the stuff that’s happening at the art house.

Couch writes that the club already has over 160 people on its listserv, so that’s another very good sign.

CinéClub will generally meet at Ciné every other Wednesday to watch a film and have an informal discussion afterwards, but that format isn’t set in stone. The next club event, at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18 in the CinéLab, will be a workshop on “pitching” ideas for films with Dr. Jennifer Smith, a Abraham Polonsky’s film Force of Evil screens on Thursday, Nov. 19 as part of the filmmaker, producer ICE-Vision series. and telecommunication arts professor at and the intimate close-ups she uses almost UGA’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass have the effect of confining us to the chilCommunication. For more information and to dren’s perspective, something that’s often get on the CinéClub listserv, send an email to been attempted but rarely achieved with such cineclubuga@gmail.com. grace. m Free Screenings: Thanksgiving will take a Kim, who has lived in the U.S. since she bite out of the iFilms and ICE-Vision film was 12, shot the film entirely in her native series, which unfortunately (for reasons havSouth Korea, using Korean actors. She and ing nothing to do with turkey day) both hold her husband, Bradley Rust Gray, help protheir weekly screenings on Thursday evenings, duce each other’s films, basically taking turns but each series offers truly compelling prodirecting—his new film, The Exploding Girl, has already been screened at film festivals and gramming on Nov. 19. ICE-Vision will feature Abraham Polonsky’s 1948 Force of Evil, starwill be released in theaters next year. Both ring John Garfield; the razor-sharp noir was Treeless Mountain and The Exploding Girl are the first and last film Polonsky directed before being handled by Oscilloscope Pictures, the distribution arm of Beastie Boy Adam Yauch’s being blacklisted for refusing to cooperate with the House Committee on Un-American multimedia production house Oscilloscope Activities. The iFilms entry is Master of the Laboratories. The enterprise, begun early last Killer Ants, an absolutely incredible-sounding year, is supposed to function like the indedocumentary by Jérôme Reynaud, originally pendent record labels Yauch worked with in produced for the “Nova” series on PBS. It tells the ‘80s and ‘90s. It seems to be working: the story of how the Cameroonian Mofu tribe Oscilloscope has over a dozen film projects go to war with a horde of invading termites by already out or in the pipeline, including Kelly enlisting the help of a particularly formidable Reichardt’s gorgeous, widely praised Wendy red army ant called Jaglavak. ICE-Vision and Lucy. In this age of uncertainty for screenings are Thursdays at 8 p.m. in Room independent and foreign film distribution, it’s S150 of UGA’s Lamar Dodd School of Art; iFilms notable when a young company finds a forscreenings are Thursdays at 7 p.m. in the audimula for success, however modest. Check out torium of the main library at 2025 Baxter St. www.oscilloscope.net.

Students Fighting the Good Fight: At long last, it appears an attempt to establish an active on-campus film society has been successful. CinéClub UGA had its first open meeting

Attention: I still read the mail at film@flagpole.com.

Dave Marr

threats & promises

TM

Music News And Gossip And here we are again. What an amazingly rough year it’s been for both the Athens music scene and our town in general. Here’s to keeping our chin up and the wind at our back. Pretty much all good news below, too, so dig in…

Order Up: Allison Weiss is now taking orders for her newest album, Allison Weiss Was Right All Along, which is to be released Nov. 24. The four-tiered pre-order scheme starts at $10 for the album and a couple of bonus items up to $75 for the album, a t-shirt, poster, oneof-a-kind-drawing, limited-edition buttons and stickers and more. I have no doubt that there’s going to be more than one person out there in Internetland who’ll buy in at the $75 level. This was originally planned to be an EP when Weiss began soliciting funds for a new recording, but she managed to raise so much that she fleshed it out into a full album. On a critical note, this is heads and tails above her previous work. Weiss is great with a full band, and her players, notably brother and guitarist A.J. Weiss, create a world of nuance behind her rather matter-of-fact lyricism. Speaking of which, if you’re the dude that broke her heart, you’re gonna feel like a real ass when this comes out.

For more info, please see www.allisonweiss wasrightallalong.com.

Hidden Treasure: Lord knows how fraught with hype the hip-hop scene is.

Every event you read about is “legendary,” ”groundbreaking” or some other pile of hyperbole. But, there in the background, is DJ Killacut (Jeremiah Collins). He’s been spinning in Athens DJ Killacut for several years and barely makes a sound about himself. So, it’s up to us to spread his word. He’s currently playing each Thursday at the revamped Level 131 club featuring soul, funk and hip-hop that you won’t normally hear: deep cuts, clever mixes plus some Top-40 and old-school hits. He’s also been creating custom sets for each week so you won’t hear the same set twice. Get interested over at www.myspace. com/djkillacutmusic.

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Pack the Car: Hope for Agoldensummer has been touring around the Southeast for a couple of weeks in celebration of their newly released live album Hours in the Attic. The band returns to Athens on Friday, Nov. 20 and will play the Caledonia Lounge with Raleigh, NC band Bowerbirds. The next day the band will play at the Columbus Convention center in Columbus, GA at the H.O.P.E. venue located at 801 Front Avenue. This show is a benefit for the annual School of the Americas Watch.

The next morning, Nov. 22, at 8:30 a.m. the band will play at the gates of Fort Benning and be joined by thousands of others from around the nation in the annual protest to shut down the School of the Americas, which

is located at the base. For more information on HFAGS, please see www.hopeforagoldensummer.com. And for information on what they’re doing at Fort Benning, please see www.soaw.org.

Quiet, Please: Crawford, GA band Efren will release its album, Thunder and Moan, at Flicker Theatre & Bar on Friday, Dec. 4. Don’t mistake the quietness of the band’s sound for softness. This is gritty stuff, for sure. Recorded at home via a Macintosh computer on a kitchen table, it seems apropos that Efren reminds me, at times, of Scud Mountain Boys, who were always pretty fond of their kitchen table, so much so they even toured with it once and played shows while sitting at it. Although it’s doubtful Efren will share that particular peculiarity, there’s no denying that the band strikes the same places in the heart. Those, of course, being the spots filled with loneliness, desperation, resignation and bleakness. I have a feeling that further and deeper listening will reveal a bright spot somewhere, but I’ve not found it yet. Please go check them out at www.myspace.com/ efrenrock.

Click ‘n’ Submit: The organizers of AthFest are now taking submissions via Sonic Bids from bands that want to play the outdoor stages of the 2010 festival.

The cost is $5 for instate and out-of-state bands, but this price ends on Nov. 20 for out-of-state bands.

The Sonic Bids landing page for AthFest notes that seven slots are reserved for bands submitting through this process, with five going to Georgia artists and two going to out-of-state artists. The deadline for submitting via this process is Mar. 25, 2010.

The AthFest website gives Dec. 31, 2009 as the last date submissions will be taken exclusively through Sonic Bids. To submit, please head to www.sonicbids.com/athfest and if you have any questions, please direct them toward info@athfest.com.

It’s Just a Jump to the West: DJ Kurt Wood and DJ Mahogany will keep folks entertained between sets of music at Atlanta’s Fringe Factory on Saturday, Nov. 21. The roving 1960s-themed psychedelic dance party will happen at Spring4th Center (get it? Spring forth? It’s located at 728 Spring St. NW), and the November event is dubbed “The Electric Circus” in tribute to the New York club from the 1960s. New Orleans wonders Quintron & Miss Pussycat will perform along with the aforementioned Athenians and DJs Vikki V, Suzy Q, Chris Devoe and Yoon. Art installations by Monika Van Schellenbeck and Vikki Vaden will also be present, as well as psychedelic lights throughout. Please see www.myspace.com/fringefactory for lots more info.

Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com

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FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

Turning Down Pop Stardom in Favor of Authenticity

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dwin McCain says music for him has never been about fame and finances, but rather about honestly sharing human and spiritual emotions and experiences, and making a connection with audiences on a nightly basis.

“I like for there to be the full range of emotions and to have it be open and be honest and have people walk out feeling a little bit more connected with each other,” McCain says about his shows. “That was all I ever hoped for out of music.”

A recent tour of Europe gave McCain the chance to test whether that exchange with the audience is what he truly values about playing music.

“We went to Europe this [past] year and played in these little restaurants to 10 people a night, and it felt the same,” McCain says.

“I was relieved that it did [feel as rewarding], and I happily drove four hours a day in my little rental car to go play my little gigs in front of five people. I loved it. So, I came home feeling re-energized and even better about my choices.”

As those last words suggest, McCain had already tested his priorities—and in perhaps the most fundamental way possible. Following his 2001 release, Far from Over, McCain chose to leave his label, Atlantic Records, and work through the independent music world.

At the time, McCain was only one album removed from a period that found him on the cusp of gaining major mainstream success. A native of Greenville, SC, McCain had signed with Atlantic in the mid-1990s and seen his second album, Misguided Roses, produce a ballad, “I’ll Be,” that landed on the then-popular television show “Dawson’s Creek” and became a hit single.

Misguided Roses went on to top 500,000 copies sold. After that bit of success, Atlantic convinced McCain to record a song by hitmaking songwriter Diane Warren—the queen of the emotionally overwrought love ballad.

McCain cut the tune, “I Could Not Ask for More,” and watched it get released as a single and become a top-five adult-contemporary radio hit.

It was after this period, McCain says, that he had to make a choice. He could either take his shot at superstardom by continuing to record radio-oriented pop ballads, or follow his heart and re-focus on writing and recording the kind of soul- and folk-flavored rock that he considered his true calling. The latter option would mean spurning Atlantic’s desire to have him be a pop balladeer, leaving that label and accepting the idea of a more modest level of success outside of the major label scene. McCain chose to follow his heart.

“At the time when Atlantic was sort of

steering me in that one direction I really didn’t feel good about going in,” McCain says.

“It just felt so inorganic and sort of intrinsically weird to me.”

Since leaving Atlantic, McCain has been busy in the studio (four albums in five years) and on the road, where he has maintained a full schedule of club and theater shows.

Superstardom is probably out of reach, but he’s recording exactly the kind of records he wants to make and has retained enough of an audience to make a living as a working musician.

His latest release, Nobody’s Fault but Mine, is an example of the kind of project he probably couldn’t convince a major label to fund.

It’s a collection of covers featuring vintage soul songs, done with a stellar band and horn section.

McCain, who is given spirited backing by a fine group of musicians, attacks such songs as Wilson Pickett’s “Ninety-Nine and a Half (Won’t Do)” and Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember” with vigor, revealing a gruff, almost Joe Cocker-like quality to his voice that has rarely been heard on his eight previous albums.

“That has always been a component of our live shows,” McCain says. “I think the only other places where that type of singing ever showed up on a record was a song called ‘Sign on the Door,’ and that was on (the 1999 release) Messenger, and then another song called ‘How Can You Say That to Me.’ Those are the only times that that ever showed up in my other records, but it’s always been a component of what we do.”

McCain has stayed busy touring in 2009. He’s done a mix of full-band and solo shows and likes this dual approach to live performances.

“I get the best of both worlds,” McCain says. “I get to play acoustic shows and do the seated listening rooms and the real quiet thing, and sort of get the benefit of having that real intimate experience with the music.

But then at the same time, I get to go out with the band to play the big rock shows and the festivals and kind of do the soul thing and focus more on playing as an ensemble and playing as a band.”

Alan Sculley

WHO: Edwin McCain WHERE: The Rialto Room WHEN: Friday, Nov. 20, 7:00 & 9:30 p.m.

HOW MUCH: $30

In Memory of Jerry Fuchs 1975–2009

J

erry Fuchs was an irreplaceable spirit, drummer and friend. I will hold his legacy with me for the rest of my life.

[Coley Dennis, Maserati]

I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to get to know Jerry as well as I did.

People like him are rare, and he was the rarest of them all. I loved him more than I could ever express to anyone, and I’m so lucky to know that he loved me, too. I will always miss him, and he will be with me forever.

There is so much more I could say about Jerry, but those things, I think, I’m going to hold onto for myself for a while. [Josh McCauley, Maserati] …Jerry was, and will always be, one of the most amazing people to ever walk this Earth.

You can see the loss in people’s eyes who had known him for 15 years or 15 minutes. He had that kind of effect on people. He was an amazing drummer and an even better friend.

Jerry was a short dude. I never noticed, he was like a superhero to me… He was an inspiration to me when I felt lazy or unmotivated.

He was a hard-working, driven, crazy madman… He was my brother, and I love him and miss him so much. I’m thankful for every second I spent with him. This is a crushing loss.

My heart explodes whenever I think of his charming smile and hilarious mustache. Jerry, I love you, brother, and I will never forget you. [Chris McNeal, Maserati] I cannot think of another person who inspired me more than Jerry. He had the ability to carry himself in a manner that placed complete strangers at ease, his friends in stitches, and audiences swaying in a wake of what could only be described as human machinery.

He was insatiable in everything he accomplished—somehow it could have always been better, tighter, louder, longer, friendlier. He was humble, driven, caring, gifted, admired and loved by all. Not only was he the best

musician I have ever played with, he was one of the best moments in my life, and I will never forget our time together. He lived more in his short 34 years than most of us will ever get to experience, because he never wasted a second of his time. Jerry, I love you, I miss you and I carry your torch. Godspeed, my good friend, and may your beats move me forward.

[Steven Scarborough, Maserati] …When Jerry started playing in Maserati, I was the guy with the day job and the mortgage who just happened to play music. I was the pragmatist. Jerry was living the dream, and I lived vicariously through him. He was an untouchable talent behind the drum set and a hell of a guy in front of it… My fondest memories of him were spent driving down Highway 316 between Atlanta and Athens—a jaunt we made together for band rehearsal every few months over the last five years.

After picking Jerry up at the airport in my car packed with amps, there would be no dead air in the car during our trip. I loved hearing about his travels and adventures touring the world with the plethora of bands he was in…

He was so nonchalant about these things, too, and was quick to dismiss them. Yet, he would be genuinely interested in my life, always wanting to know what my family was up to and how my architecture projects were going.

He seemed to listen to me as intently as I did to him, seemingly comforted by the idea of my life amidst the chaos that was his… Jerry was an immeasurable talent and one of the most loyal people I’ve ever met. I feel incredibly humbled to have been able to create so much music with him. He will be with me forever.

[Matt Cherry, Maserati]

devilish side, delighted in being the prankster. He loved his friends without reservations and always let them know… It’s still hard to fathom that such a big personality, such a big life, is no longer here. I will miss him terribly for a very long time… [Kaya Yamashita, Caledonia Lounge]

It was almost shocking to hear Jerry’s drumming… He had great technique and a confident sense of dynamics. His muscular single-stroke snare rolls, unusual kick-andtom patterns, and explosive execution were frightening. While recordings were strong, seeing Jerry onstage was even more fun…

Jerry managed a lot of sound out of a very small kit, and The Martians’ power-trio setting allowed him plenty of musical space. I remember meeting and complimenting Jerry after a show at the Atomic Music Hall. For all the fire and bluster of his onstage drummer persona, he was surprisingly friendly, earnest and polite—especially compared to some of the groaning slackers on the scene at that time. He had a genuine sense of positivity and enthusiasm that never waned during his time in Athens and beyond. [Ballard Lesemann, former Flagpole music editor] Jerry cast an incredible glow on every situation he entered into. It was an honor to work with him. His drumming skills were truly a gift which he used to connect with many people.

This is what musicians are put on Earth to do. Jerry embodied this to the fullest… He was, obviously, hugely talented but always shrugged it off. He had a way about him that if you met him once, you felt like you had known him for 10 years. He was quick with a joke, often at his own expense. He had a

Jerry Fuchs was a close friend of mine for 16 years… In all of the celebration of Jerry’s sincerity, integrity, humor, talent, kindness and dedication to his friends and craft, I think it is important to add to that long list of qualities his steadfast realism and total rejection of all things fanciful or saccharine…

Jerry happened to be one of the best in our generation at what he did. Jerry had the nerve and conviction to do that while retaining his character, sense of humor and humility… I am grateful that everyone seems to have known the exact same Jerry that I knew… and profoundly sad that I will live the rest of my life with his absence, which leaves a void that can never be filled. I will never have a better friend… [Carl McClatchey] Very few people in this world can make you feel like you’re the only person in the room…

I only knew one person like this, and he was Jerry Fuchs. I met Jerry one night at the Caledonia when his band Turing Machine was playing there and gave him hell about his ‘80s metal hair for a bit. The next time I saw him, he had cut his hair and attributed the act to my badgering. I never knew if he was serious or not, but Jerry had a way of making you think that your opinions actually held meaning. Before Amber and I were married, Jerry had filled us in on some native jargon of our honeymoon destination according to his own experiences in Brooklyn with all the old Italian men sitting in lawn chairs outside swearing in their native tongues at the passers-by. We never heard the swear phrase he so vividly expressed by scraping his chin with his fingers and shouting, “Goon-gatz!” and we still don’t know what Italian phrase Jerry had mangled, but we liked it… Jerry always greeted Amber with a kind recollection of some photograph that he had of us, and the two of them shared an appreciation of fruity alcoholic beverages adorned with paper umbrellas. We miss you, and everything about you, Jerry. With this we raise our fruity drinks with umbrellas in toast, “Goon-gatz!!” [Brian McCall]

Mike White · deadlydesigns.com

BRIAN McCALL

In the early hours of Sunday, Nov. 8, the news spread that Gerhardt “Jerry” Fuchs, drummer for local band Maserati, !!!, The Don McClean and many others, had died in a sudden, tragic accident in Brooklyn. A wave of immeasurable grief rippled down the coast from New York to his home state of Georgia, where friends and former bandmates continue to share stories of his colossal talent and irreplaceable energy.

Here are just a few excerpts from the flood of emotional, heart-warming stories we have received. To read these comments and many more in full, or to add your own, visit www.flagpole.com.

at night. Made him his Halloween costume; and out of all the guys I had to sew those stupid gnome costumes for, he was the only one I took aside to measure his head. He was persistent, detailed. He was agro and pointed a lot. He loved to get his picture taken; he loved any sort of attention, even though he would grumble through the whole process.

He sent my husband and I 11 bottles of wine and one bottle of champagne for our wedding present. They arrived the day before our year anniversary. He outdid everyone. Whether it was drums or tacos or some stuff I shouldn’t talk about. He was the limelight that stormed into Athens and demanded a long night. But, I’ve seen him on tired days. And I’ve seen him on quiet days. And I’ve seen him trying to do “work” while everyone tucked themselves into hotel sheets or broken-zippered sleeping bags… I will forever be in debt and take care of the little puppy who loved to make the biggest mess. Jerry, I love you. [Misty Sue Dennis]

Jerry hated children and Jerry hated dogs. I laughed every time my dog would try to get his attention, and he had no idea how to react, because Jerry was the puppy. That was his job. I took care of him. Fed him eggs at 3 a.m. Made sure he had a place to curl up

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

M

isremembered history through the prism of nostalgia-tinted longing can still shine some light. Take the photography of Ernest Greene—the endless summers, the smiling faces—surely amateurish, but it has that fuzzy veneer and Technicolor stain of vintage, old-school tech photography. Distortion, that’s what makes all of those old pictures of your parents look so beautiful. Those are friezes etched from an old camera, obviously, one that Greene found at a thrift store; and from the sound of it, the keyboards that Greene uses on his first two commercially released EPs under the name “Washed Out” are from thrifting, too.

Findings! Maybe that’s the thing about Washed Out. His music crystallizes that “Aha!” moment and sounds like discovering a secret.

At this point, Washed Out is hardly a secret. Propelled from his bedroom, he is another one of the year’s breakout acts who was a product of the Gorilla v. Bear blog’s curatorial influence on the independent music community. “Gorilla v. Bear has a huge influence. Chris [the owner of the site] is a friend of mine, and Gorilla v. Bear was the first blog to post about me,” Greene says. Since that first post at the end of July 2009, he’s been “Best New Music’d” by Pitchfork and panned

by The New York Times, among other press.

Most significantly, he’s been dissected, flamed on and praised in unmoderated “comments” sections ever since the opening-delayed keyboard sample kicked in on his first posted track, “Feel It All Around.” Naturally, Greene doesn’t care about getting the “blog band” tag: “I don’t mind. I wouldn’t be where I am without them. I’m grateful… it’s almost like a competition now with blogs for who covered what first. It’s crazy.”

Lo-fi bedroom-pop projects are the new black, but Washed Out has been attached to a narrower sub-sub-genre of that DIY aesthetic.

Glo-fi, chillwave and dream beat have been attached to the sound that reached a tipping point this summer with various home-recorded material, after years of under-the-radar warning shots from The Tough Alliance’s Sincerely Yours record label, Ariel Pink and other Human Ear Music dudes. Somehow, a lot of what is now labeled “chillwave” represents an ‘80s that never really existed. Likely, it’s probably the cheap squelchy keyboards that make the ‘80s such an epochal time stamp for the sound, especially since ‘70s AM, soul samples and ‘90s Balearic percussion are just as prevalent in the mix for these artists. Ironically,

Carles, of the popular satirical blog Hipster Runoff, who coined the term “chillwave,” joked with calling the genre “Gorilla-v.-Bearcore,” considering the blog’s emphasis on such sunny, distorted and morphine-dripped electronic music. Ignoring the pejorative, Greene couldn’t care less about such genrification: “A lot of genre names come from critics making fun of the music. Like ‘shoegaze’… my music is somewhere between blog house and chillwave, I think,” Greene says, laughing.

Like most acts that get too big too fast, Washed Out has struggled with his live performance. In his review of Greene’s second-ever performance at CMJ in October, writer Jon Caramanica opined, “Sometimes the best way to play CMJ is to not play it at all.” Greene concedes his first New York show was hastily put together, but he did get married a few days later, so I’d give him a pass. “I think the expectations are unfair,” Greene says. Washed Out’s live show is most analogous to Panda Bear’s, as Greene uses a DJ-style setup— mostly performed behind a computer, with live vocals over pre-programmed beats and video art projected behind. Greene admits he’d never even considered playing live when he recorded his debut EP, Life of Leisure. For his show at the 40 Watt, Washed Out will perform onstage with Toro y Moi, another South Carolina guy with chill tunes.

Just back from his honeymoon, Greene has a new wife and a new home in Macon, GA—practically, a new life, as overnight he is the new biggest thing in the independent music community. A former UGA philosophy and English major, Greene says he wants to move back to Athens within the next six months: “It has a small town feel, with bigcity culture.” Skip his scattershot early material of quasi-MadLibs hip-hop instrumentals in High Times and take a listen to the Life of Leisure EP. Those dreamy, hypnotic and R&Btinged six songs are a slice of the year’s best.

Another national act nurtured on Weaver D’s and Elephant 6, Washed Out reminds us of what makes the Athens music scene so rad.

Christopher Joshua Benton

WHO: Washed Out, Toro Y Moi, Solelectric WHERE: 40 Watt Club WHEN: Friday, Nov. 20 HOW MUCH: $10 (adv.)

Jason Thrasher

UDLYY PRESE O R U P O NT WE

Mass Solo Revolt Gets Dirtier Celebrating the Release of Bend in Time

On

Nov. 21 at Caledonia Lounge, local band Mass Solo Revolt will release its third record, entitled Bend in Time. However, for Martin Brummeler—the creative force behind the band—the journey up to this point has been an interesting one. Raised in Holly, MI, a small town of approximately 4,000 people located 15 minutes from Flint, Brummeler spent his days accompanying his mother—a choreographer and dance teacher—in and out of various theaters in the area and listening to remnants of Motown music on the local airwaves. Brummeler soaked in all of these early musical encounters until in the 10th grade, when he was given a cassette with hardcore bands 7 Seconds and Bad Brains occupying its respective sides. He never looked back.

Brummeler’s love of music continued and was merged with his penchant for entrepreneurship. While many musicians boast of working in record shops or dive bars, in his early adulthood, Brummeler owned an ice cream shop in a lakeside resort town on the eastern side of Michigan.

“I’d scoop ice cream all day and record music all night in a giant, broken walk-in freezer,” remembers Brummeler. “The radio was exclusively on the oldies channel. I really learned everything I know about writing interesting pop songs from those days.”

Although Brummeler settled in Athens in 2000, he also spent time in Washington, D.C., home of hardcore music and the godfather of hardcore music, Ian MacKaye. Brummeler recorded Mass Solo Revolt’s sophomore record, Easy Mark, at the famous Inner Ear Sound Studio. MacKaye—who has a reputation for being accessible—was a constant fixture while Brummeler recorded his album. MacKaye quickly became a fan of Brummeler and Mass Solo Revolt.

“Ian MacKaye is simply awesome,” Brummeler says. “I was always [in the studio] early in the mornings, and Ian would come in and harass me. He is very much like a big brother or older cousin or something… giving you shit and challenging you in a really funny, caring way.”

Unfortunately, Brummeler’s time in D.C. soured due to a failed business partnership, and he returned to Athens to focus on his next release. Hoping to find a way to fund his recording, Brummeler stumbled across a website called Kickstarter.com.

The site bills itself as “a funding platform for artists,” and it allows artists to pitch a project for which they need funding,

set a deadline by which those funds must be received, and then if they reach their funding goal in the allotted time, they receive all of the pledged funds.

“The Kickstarter thing was amazing,” says Brummeler, “the fact that we were able to raise $3,000 in three weeks is nuts. I do think it has some kinks to work out. It took almost a month to actually get the money in our hands.”

When the money did arrive, it helped Brummeler release his current album, Bend in Time. Unlike Easy Mark, Bend in Time was self-recorded by Brummeler using Pro Tools, as well as selfproduced and self-released on Brummeler’s Hop Skip label.

“I tried hard to make Easy Mark clean sounding, glassy and more accessible than anything I had recorded in the past,” says Brummeler. “I wanted Bend in Time to be dirtier, harder.”

Brummeler plays almost all of the instruments on the record himself, although live he performs with a selection of crack musicians, including James Frye on bass, Russ Sherman on drums, and Dave Harrison on guitar and keyboard. The album itself is relatively dark, although catchy. Its opening track, “Circles,” sounds like Modest Mouse meets Built to Spill, while the closing track, “You Have Been Warned,” sounds like Unwound meets “Kashmir”-era Led Zeppelin. In between those two tracks, the album plays like an updated version of mid’90s underground pop like Superchunk and Archers of Loaf. The guitar tones are angular and gritty, reminiscent of bands like the MacKaye-co-fronted Fugazi. With punchy basslines and the occasionally sing-along-able melodies (see “Boot Strapper”), Bend in Time is an impressive and sophisticated record from an artist who has never stopped refining his worldview and his music.

“I am not trying to revive or hold on to the past,” he says.

“I am commenting on it.”

John Seay

WHO: Pride Parade, Mass Solo Revolt, Savagist WHERE: Caledonia Lounge WHEN: Saturday, Nov. 21 HOW MUCH: $6 (21+), $8 (18+)

255 w. washington st. athens, georgia • 30601 telephone 706.549.4660 www.farm255.com NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

19

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 17 EVENTS: Fuad Elhage (Casa Mia) Tango dancing! Bring a partner or make a new friend. 8 p.m. FREE! 706-227-4444 EVENTS: “Love the One You’re Wearing” (The Loft) UGA’s fashion magazine Little Red Book celebrates its digital issue by projecting the images at their launch party! Dress up as your favorite fashion icon and enjoy food from local restaurants and door prizes. Musical performance

by The Blekers. 9 p.m. $5. www. theloftathens.com 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 KIDSTUFF: Twilight Prom (Oconee County Library) Celebrate the release of New Moon, the second film installment of Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series. For ages 11–18.

6–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-769-3950 LECTURES & LIT.: Franchise Business Ownership: The Facts! (Chicopee Complex) Leslie Kuban of FranNet dispells common misconceptions about franchise business ownership and offers tips toward becoming a successful franchise owner. 10 a.m.–noon. $29.

706-542-7436 LECTURES & LIT.: King/Mandela Lecture (UGA Tate Center, Room 481) Dr. Chérif Keita presents this annual lecture. A native of Mali and a graduate of UGA with a particular interest in Mali’s social evolution, Dr. Keita will also screen his awardwinning film Oberlin-Inanda: The Life and Times of John L. Dube. 4 p.m. FREE! www.uga.edu/news LECTURES & LIT.: VOX Reading Series (Ciné Barcafé) The UGA Creative Writing Program presents works by poets Kate Greenstreet and Brigitte Byrd. 8 p.m. FREE! www. athenscine.com MEETINGS: Athens Rock and Gem Club (Friendship Christian Church) Dr. Walter Sikora presents on “Solution Mining in the Desert for Lithium and Borax; Who Would Have Guessed?” All interested parties are welcome to attend. 7:30 p.m.

FREE! 706-549-8082 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

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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 discussing Jacques Ellul’s Anarchy and Christianity. 8 p.m. FREE! 706549-1915, cmccreight@fccathens. org MEETINGS: “What’s Planned for Athens?—Do We Have a Say?” (Fire Hall No. 2, 489 Prince Avenue) Voice your opinion on developing projects like the City Hall Plaza Streetscape or the West Downtown Parking Deck in this panel discussion about architecture and planning in Athens. Hosted by the AthensClarke Heritage Foundation. 7–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-353-1801, achf@ bellsouth.net GAMES: Board Game Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Choose from the classic assortment provided or bring your own! 6 p.m. FREE! 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 18 EVENTS: Athenaeum Club Tour and Social (Downtown Athens) The newly formed club for young professionals interested in historic preservation tours the first floor of the former Athens’ Observer building on Washington Street. Flagpole editor/publisher Pete McCommons and local business owner Mike Bolen lead the tour. Registration required.

5:30–7 p.m. $10. 706-353-1801, athenaeumclub@gmail.com 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 ART: Annual UGA MFA Auction (The Globe) Bid on donated works by the students, faculty and alumni of the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Proceeds benefit the MFA Graduate Exhibition. 7:30 p.m. FREE! 706353-4721 PERFORMANCE: Falstaff (UGA Hodgson Hall) The Athena Opera University of Georgia Opera Ensemble presents a comedy about Shakespeare’s bawdiest, fattest, drunkest knight. 8 p.m. $15 (adults), $5 (students), FREE! (children). www.uga.edu/pac THEATRE: Clarence Darrow’s Search for Justice (UGA Chapel) The University of Georgia School of Law presents actor Gary Anderson’s critically acclaimed theatrical portrayal of “Scopes Monkey Trial” law-

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

yer Clarence Darrow. 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. FREE! www.law.uga.edu/ clarence-darrow-performance 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: Tikes, Trikes and Strollers Turkey Ride (Call for location) Bring the wee ones out for fun Thanksgiving-themed games and events. 10–11:30 a.m. $2. 706613-3615 KIDSTUFF: Wildcard Wednesday for Teens (ACC Library) Up next: Learn how to make traditional Native-American beaded bracelets.

For ages 11 to 18. 4:00 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: Talking about Books (ACC Library, Small Conference Room) This month, members will read and discuss David Wrobleski’s The Story of Edgar Sawtelle. Newcomers welcome. 10:30 a.m. FREE! 706613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: “The Value of Urban Open Space” (UGA Student Learning Center) A panel of practitioners, educators, advocators and policy-makers explores some of the major issues of implementing urban open spaces in the Southeast.

5 p.m. FREE! pardue@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: Sitting Meditation Group (Mind Body Institute) Silent meditation every Wednesday. Noon.

FREE! 706-475-7329 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: Dart League (Alibi) Every Wednesday! 8 p.m. FREE! 706-5491010 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.

FREE! www.myspace.com/flickerbar GAMES: Pool Tournament (Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub) Grand prize: trip for two to Las Vegas! 9 p.m. FREE! www.

AthensTopDawg.com 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

Claudia Santillan’s artwork is part of the BFA drawing and painting exit show at the Lamar Dodd School of Art through Nov. 30.

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

Thursday 19 EVENTS: A&R Southern Talent Expo (UGA Caldwell Hall, Room 202) SonyMusic Nashville’s A&R department is hosting a demo submission event. Drop off your clearly labeled demo CD for a chance to participate in a musical showcase.

5–7 p.m. rebekah.baldwin@gmail. com, duane.hobson@sonymusic. com EVENTS: Live After Five (Hotel Indigo, Phi Bar and Bistro) Get a headstart on your weekend with live music from jazz guitarist Dan Nettles and wine tastings. This week: Chilean wines from Georgia Crown. Thursdays, 6–8 p.m. $12 (wine tastings). 706-546-0430, www.athensdowntownhotel.com ART: The Studio Group’s 28th Annual Show and Sale (Chase Street Warehouses, Unit 3) Featuring fused glass, painting, wood turn-

ing, metalwork, fiber arts, jewelry and more from 13 award-winning local artists. Refreshments and door prizes daily. Nov. 19–20, 5 p.m.–9 p.m., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Nov. 22, noon–4 p.m.

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: 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: “Turkey Talk” (Oconee County Library) Get ready for Turkey Day with “Turkey Talk!” Learn wacky Thanksgiving facts and impress the adult table this year! 4 p.m. FREE! 706-769-3950 LECTURES & LIT.: “Bank on It” (ACC Library) Learn useful tips about opening a bank account, interest, fees and credit unions. 7–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 LECTURES & LIT.: “Diamonds in the Rough: Human Rights Abuses in Zimbabwe Mines” (Oglethorpe County Library) Recent

UGA PhD graduates from Zimbabwe present a short film and a discussion on Zimbabwe’s Marange Diamond Fields. 7 p.m. FREE! www.oglethorpedemocrats.org LECTURES & LIT.: “Fighting Fraud” (ACC Library) Learn why senior citizens are targeted by scam artists and develop techniques to protect yourself from various scams and identity theft. 12:15–1:15 p.m.

FREE! 706-613-3650 MEETINGS: Clarke County Democratic Committee (Clarke County Courthouse, Grand Jury Room) Democratic gubernatorial candidate DuBose Porter is the featured speaker at this month’s meeting of the CCDC. All interested persons are invited to attend. 6 p.m.

FREE! 706-202-7515 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. Go to www.1000facescoffee.com for more information.

Friday 20 EVENTS: Nuci’s Space Benefit (Rage Hair Studio) A portion of the proceeds from salon sales today will be donated to Nuci’s Space in memory of Anthony Lunetta. 706548-8178, www.nuci.org ART: Opening Reception (MadisonMorgan Cultural Center) For “From the Forest to the Shore,” an exhibit featuring wood, metal and mixed media works by Michael Murrell which focus on ecological issues, endangered species and man’s relationship with nature. 6–8 p.m. FREE! www.mmcc-arts.org ART: Reception (Visionary Art Gallery, Danielsville) For “All Ye Who Wander,” an exhibit featuring the work of UGA Printmaking graduate David Savino. 5–7 p.m. FREE! 706-363-0393, www.visgrow.com www.davesavino.com ART: The Studio Group’s 28th Annual Show and Sale (Chase Street Warehouses) See Nov. 19 Art. Nov. 19–20, 5 p.m.–9 p.m., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Nov. 22, noon–4 p.m.

THEATRE: Greater Tuna (Cedar Shoals High School) Seniors Graham Jarboe and Josh Pierce star in this full-length two-act “tour de farce” about a small one-stoplight Texas town. Jarboe and Pierce will be juggling the roles of 20 different characters from the small town of Tuna. 7 p.m. FREE! (donations welcome).

THEATRE: Hansel and Gretel (Athens Little Playhouse) Gloria Kibbe Sams directs the Athens Little Playhouse in the family-friendly production of this classic fairy tale.

Nov. 20–22. Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 21, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Nov. 22, 2 p.m. $8. 706-208-1036, www. athenslittleplayhouse.org KIDSTUFF: Afterhours @ The Library (ACC Library) Teen coffeehouse and open mic. Come sing, dance, play an instrument, read poetry or juggle. Refreshments provided. Ages 11–18. 7–9 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Japanese Storytime (ACC Library, Storyroom) Led

by Hijiri Hattori, Japan Outreach Coordinator for Asian Studies with UGA. 5 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Teddy Bear Camp-Out (Oconee County Library) Kids! Drop off your favorite stuffed animal (and a flashlight) at the Oconee County Library so that Children’s Librarian Ms. Jessie can take all the stuffed animals on a weekend camp-out! A trust-building exercise between you and Ms. Jessie, if nothing else! 10 a.m–5:30 p.m. FREE! 706-769-3950 MEETINGS: Athens Homebrewers Club (Terrapin Beer Co.) Club dedicated to the enjoyment of beers, meads and ciders as well as the advancement of brewing knowledge through education. New and experienced brewers welcome. Don’t forget to bring a glass! 6:30 p.m. www. athenshomebrewers.com MEETINGS: Drinking Liberally (Little Kings Shuffle Club) Informal, inclusive and progressive social group that gives left-leaning individuals a chance to talk politics.

First and third Friday of every month. 6:30 p.m. athens@drinkingliberally.org

Saturday 21 EVENTS: A Cross Burning in Willacoochee (Retro Cinema & Books) Doug Sebastian and Roy Kirkland’s documentary won an award at the New York International Independent Film Festival. Both

writer and director will be in attendance for the screening and a Q&A. 7:30 p.m. 706-678-6900, www. retrocinema.net EVENTS: Adoption Day (Pet Supplies Plus) Local animal rescue organizations bring 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: Contra Dance (Memorial Park) With music from String Theory! No experience necessary and no partner needed. 8–11 p.m. $7 (adults), FREE! (18 and under), www.athensfolk.org EVENTS: Foot the Bill for Adoption Recognition Day (Various Locations) Several local restaurants will donate a portion of their sales on this day to help support orphans, orphan care facilities, children in foster care, adoption support programs and local adoptive families. Go online for more information. www.hopeww.org/ athenschapter EVENTS: Grand Re-Opening (Salvation Army Family Store) The Salvation Army Family Store celebrates their re-opening with a ribbon cutting! Come early for the doughnuts or stay late for the hot dogs. 9 a.m.–2 p.m. FREE! 706543-5350 EVENTS: Madison County Toy Ride (Madison County Memorial Park) Help Santa out this year when you join this bike ride benefiting local needy families. Register for a 50/50 drawing, door prizes, music, food and fun! 10:30 a.m. (registration) 12:30 p.m. (kickstands up!) $20/bike. 706-296-4598 ART: 7th Annual Home & Garden Art Auction (Boutier Winery, Danielsville) Benefit for Madison County Habitat for Humanity. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a silent auction, smooth jazz by the Athens A-Train Band, drinks, hors d’oeuvres and a preview of the art for sale. Live auction starts at 7 p.m. 5–10 p.m.

Tickets are $12 (adv.) $15 (door).

706-789-0059, madisoncountyhabitat@yahoo.com ART: Opening Reception (The Point of Art Gallery, Union Point) For an exhibit featuring work by Henry Barnes. 6–8 p.m. FREE! 706-4866808, www.thepointofart.net ART: The Studio Group’s 28th Annual Show and Sale (Chase Street Warehouses) See Nov. 19 Art. Nov. 19–20, 5 p.m.–9 p.m., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Nov. 22, noon–4 p.m.

THEATRE: Hansel and Gretel (Athens Little Playhouse) An Athens Little Playhouse production. See Nov. 20 Theatre. Nov. 20–22. Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 21, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Nov. 22, 2 p.m. $8. 706208-1036, www.athenslittleplayhouse.org OUTDOORS: Naturalist Walk (Sandy Creek Nature Center) Join SCNC staff for a walk around the property. Bring a camera or binoculars. All ages; children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

Call to register. 10 a.m. FREE! 706613-3615 KIDSTUFF: Geocaching Adventures (Call for location) 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 KIDSTUFF: Tween Acting (Madison County Library) In this two-part program, tweens learn to focus their dramatic energy into acting exercises and costume-making. Held on Nov. 14 and 21, 2 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597

Sunday 22 EVENTS: Field Trip’s Holiday PopUp Shop Preview (Hawthorne House Antiques and Interiors) A collection of found objects, artisanal goods and unique antiques presented by sisters and artists Rinne Allen and Lucy Allen Gillis. Sale continues through Dec. 24. 4–7 p.m. FREE! www.ourfieldtrip.com EVENTS: Five Points Holiday Festival (Five Points) Magic shows, face painting and pony rides, oh my! This family festival will also give the little ones a chance to select gifts for their loved ones from the Secret Shop or decorate an ornament! Proceeds benefit the Northeast Georgia Food Bank. 1–5 p.m. www. foodbanknega.org ART: The Studio Group’s 28th Annual Show and Sale (Chase Street Warehouses) See Nov. 19 Art. Nov. 19–20, 5 p.m.–9 p.m., Nov. 21, 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Nov. 22, noon–4 p.m.

THEATRE: Hansel and Gretel (Athens Little Playhouse) An Athens Little Playhouse production. See Nov. 20 Theatre. Nov. 20–22. Nov. 20, 7:30 p.m., Nov. 21, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Nov. 22, 2 p.m. $8. 706208-1036, www.athenslittleplayhouse.org LECTURES & LIT.: Book Signing (Hawthorne House Antiques and Interiors) Local culinary wizard Hugh Acheson signs copies of the new book, Coco, which features him as one of the world’s top 100 contemporary chefs. 5 p.m. FREE! 706-227-3560 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

Monday 23 KIDSTUFF: Bedtime Stories (ACC Library) Every Monday. 7 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Movie Night (Oconee County Library) Teens can enjoy snacks as they watch Aliens in the Attic, an adventure/comedy about kids evading alien invaders. 6–8 p.m. FREE! 706-769-3950 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: Zen Meditation and Book Discussion (Email for Location) This week: The Key by Cheri Huber. Meets every Monday.

7:15 p.m. FREE! meditateathens@ gmail.com GAMES: Ping Pong (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Get your paddle ready for a riveting round of table tennis. 8:30 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ flickerbar GAMES: Pool Tournament (Alibi) Free food as you shoot pool during Monday Night Football. 8 p.m.

FREE! 706-549-1010 GAMES: Rock and Roll Trivia (Little Kings Shuffle Club) Get a team together and show off your extensive music knowledge every Monday! 8 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub 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

Books? Clothes? Dinner? Music? Jewelry? Shoes?

You really CAN have it all.

Classic Hits at The Classic Center!

“Spooky”

“Imaginary Lover”

“So Into You”

Atlanta Rhythm Section Friday, November 20 at 8 p.m.

Attend the Budweiser Select Music Series at T he Classic Center T heatre for your chance to win a Fender guitar signed by featured series artists!

Get entered to win for every ticket you buy!

Call, click or stop by the Box Office 706.357.4444 • www.ClassicCenter.com 300 N. Thomas St. • Downtown Athens

ea re

The Budweiser Select Music Series at The Classic Center is brought to you by:

k continued on next page

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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THE CALENDAR! 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 24 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: Family Night at the (Described) Movies (ACC Library) Showing A Charlie Brown Christmas. Film features a nonintrusive narrative track for visually impaired viewers. 3 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 KIDSTUFF: Thanksgiving Craft Day for Kids (Madison County Library) Seasonal crafts and beading supplies for kids of all ages. 2–3 p.m. FREE! 706-795-5597 LECTURES & LIT.: Brown Bag Lunch: Essential Nutrients for a Healthy Life. (ACC Library) Dr. Charles Burrage, Jr., shares tips on improving your overall health by incorporating the five major categories

Monday, Nov. 23 continued from p. 21

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 25 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 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: Kids Treasure Hunt (Sandy Creek Park) Enjoy a 2-mile hiking trip and unlock a treasure box with a prize! For ages 4 and up.

Call to register! 2–4 p.m. $4. 706513-3631 KIDSTUFF: Young Adult Book Discussion (Madison County Library) Call to find out what the kids are reading now! Copies at the front desk! 4:30 p.m. FREE! 706795-5597 MEETINGS: American Sign Language Study Group (Cups Coffee Café) All skill levels welcome.

Down the Line ART: 39th Holiday Open House & Sale 11/27 (Happy Valley Pottery, Watkinsville) Tour the open studios and enjoy various craft demonstrations throught the day. 9–5 p.m.

FREE! 706-769-5922 ART: 8th Holiday Open House & Sale 11/27 (Chappelle Gallery, Historic Haygood House) Enjoy an extended weekend of art, demonstrations, BBQ and holiday festivities in Watkinsville! 9–5 p.m. FREE! 706769-5922 EVENTS: Downtown Parade of Lights 12/3 (Downtown Athens) Over 60 entries compete for prizes.

7 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3589, www. accleisureservices.com PERFORMANCE: UGA Symphony Orchestra 12/3 (UGA Hodgson Hall) Featuring an inspired selection of holiday favorites! Dec. 3 and Dec. 4, 8 p.m. FREE! www.uga.edu/news ART: Holiday Show and Sale 12/4 (Chase Street Warehouses, Railroad Arts District) Affordable, usable art by the Trace Ceramic Collective.

Find work by Annette Gates, Lauren Gallaspy, Jorie Berman, Rob Jackson, Mark Jordan and Andy Nasisse. Dec. 4–6, 2–7 p.m. 706549-6877 PERFORMANCE: Classic City Christmas 12/4 (Seney-Stovall Chapel) Classic City Arts’ debut Christmas concert features a sevenmember cast performing holiday fa-

An Evening of Holiday Jazz with Nnenna Freelon and Jon Faddis

Son Volt is playing the 40 Watt Club on Thursday, Nov. 19. Check out our feature story at www.flagpole.com.

Come swing into the holidays with Jon Faddis’s tribute to Louis, Dizzy and Miles as well as 6-time Grammy nominee, vocalist Nnenna Freelon and her quartet. Classic Jazz and holiday favorites all on the same stage!

Saturday, December 5 at 8 p.m.

Call, click or stop by the Box Office 706.357.4444 • www.ClassicCenter.com 300 N. Thomas St. • Downtown Athens Productions in the Broadway Entertainment Series are made possible by our sponsors: ®

22

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of nutrients into your diet. Feel free to bring a lunch to this 45-minute program. 12:15 p.m. FREE! 706613-3650 MEETINGS: Athens Green Drinks (Hotel Indigo, Phi Bar & Bistro Courtyard) An informal mixer for green-minded folks to discuss building, transportation and other sustainability issues in the Athens area. 6–8 p.m. www.athensgreendrinks.org 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 GAMES: Flicker Poker Night (Flicker Theatre & Bar) Last Tuesday of every month! 8:30 p.m. www. myspace.com/flickerbar

Come once or come weekly. 7–8 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ aslstudygroup MEETINGS: Sitting Meditation Group (Mind Body Institute) Silent meditation every Wednesday. Noon.

FREE! 706-475-7329 GAMES: Dart League (Alibi) Every Wednesday! 8 p.m. FREE! 706-5491010 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.

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 * Advance Tickets Available

vorites for all ages. Dec. 4–5, 8 p.m.

Dec. 6, 2 p.m. $6. 706-850-1755, www.classiccityarts.com 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* EVENTS: Sleighbell 5K Run/Walk 12/5 (Pittard Park, Winterville) Benefits the American Red Cross.

Awards by Happy Valley Pottery.

8:30 a.m. Registration: 7:30 a.m. $20 ($15 no t-shirt option). 706353-1645, www.sleighbell.org EVENTS: State Botanical Garden Holiday Open House 12/6 (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Featuring live music from the Georgia Children’s Chorus, the Solstice Sisters and the Classic City Band, puppet shows and festive holiday decorations. Rumor has it that Mr. and Mrs. Claus, as well as a professional photographer, will be in attendance for the kiddies. 2–5 p.m. FREE! 706-542-1244, www. uga.edu/botgarden

Thursday, November 19

“CheeksFest” Roadhouse Charles Griffin, known to many of his friends as “Cheeks,” was an avid music fan who was taken too soon in February of this year. His friends say that whether he was slinging beers behind the bar at Roadhouse, or later at the Georgia Theatre, people were drawn to Charles “Cheeks” Griffin his outgoing personality.

Griffin would have turned 31 on Thursday, Nov. 19, and his friends and former co-workers wanted to honor his birthday with a show he would have loved. “CheeksFest” will showcase some of the best Americana artists in town, including 90 Acre Farm, Kaitlin Jones and the County Fair, Todd McBride, Betsy Franck and Eddie and the Public Speakers.

“He was a regular customer at the bar, and he got drafted into working the door one night,” recalls McBride, who worked with Griffin at Roadhouse. “He just fit right in and ended up being one of our best bartenders… He was also a proud Eagle Scout. I used to tell people that while he was working, and he would say, ‘I AM an Eagle Scout. Once you are a scout you are one for life.’ The bar can go from zero to 60 in no time at all, and he would jump up and help without me having to ask. He was just that kind of guy.”

McBride says he is planning some special covers in Cheeks’ honor, including one from Griffin’s all-time favorite musician, Bob Dylan. Griffin’s friend Kaitlin Jones will join McBride on a few surprise numbers as well.

“This is not going to be a somber event,” says Clint Swords, who helped organize CheeksFest along with Roadhouse employee Brittany White. “We want to celebrate his life.” Adds White: “He was an amazing person and a great friend.” Music starts at 7 p.m., and admission is free. [Michelle Gilzenrat]

THEATRE: “Finding Home: A Christmas Musical” 12/10 (Morton Theatre) A quiet 1905 train town is brought to life with Broadway-style ballads and your favorite Christmas carols as the townspeople search for the everelusive true meaning of Christmas in this new musical by Cornerstone Theatrical Productions Dec. 10–12, 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12–13, 2:30 p.m. $8–$15. 706-613-3771, www.mortontheatre.com EVENTS: Observatory Open House 12/11 (UGA Observatory) The UGA Observatory hosts its monthly open house viewing of the night sky. 7:30 p.m. FREE! 706542-2870 PERFORMANCE: Athens Symphony Christmas Concert 12/13 (The Classic Center) Featuring a seasonal performance by the Athens Symphony Chorus and a selection of holiday compositions.

Tickets are available in sets of four while supplies last. Dec. 13, 8 p.m. & Dec. 14, 3 p.m. FREE! 706-3574444, www.athenssymphony.org * Advance Tickets Available

Live Music Tuesday 17 Buffalo’s Southwest Café 6–10 p.m. $5 (includes lessons). 706354-6655 DINE & DANCE NIGHT Beginners and advanced dance lessons every Tuesday from 6–7 p.m., followed by open dance until 10 p.m. Tonight’s featured style of dance is hip-hop.

Caledonia Lounge 9:30 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www. caledonialounge.com CLOAK & DAGGER DATING SERVICE With melodies sewn throughout the hard-hitting rock,

this Snellville six-piece offers male/ female vocals and a dark mood punctuated by intricately executed guitar solos.

PERICLES Punk rock with a Spanish flair befitting their Dominican Republic roots.

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.

SO IT GOES Socially conscious punk rock band that infuses elements of Spanish rock, folk and ska.

Farm 255 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com DAN NETTLES Celebrated local jazz musician known for his work fronting Kenosha Kid. Fat Daddy’s 10 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 KARAOKE Huge karaoke dance party hosted by Lynn every Tuesday.

Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar CHRISSAKES Local hardcore band with haunting, brooding guitar riffs, throbbing bass lines and explosive, screaming vocals.

COP DOPE New local band featuring members of Dark Meat and Backtalk playing “power-violent ‘80s hardcore.”

PYGMY SHREWS Growling bass, ominious drums and angular guitars from an unpredictable punk trio.

The Melting Point 7 p.m. $3. www.meltingpointathens. com BLUE BILLY GRIT Live bluegrass!

Performing originals and some great covers including The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin, and even Alanis Morissette. Celebrating their CD release tonight.

No Where Bar 10 p.m. $1. 706-546-4742 CHARLIE GARRETT BAND Local guys Charlie Garrett (vocals, gui-

tar), Jay Rodgers (bass), Andrew Hammer (drums) and Matt “Pistol” Stoessel (pedal steel) play countrytinged Southern rock.

Tasty World Uptown 10 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown THE CAMPAIGN No information available.

CELERITY Punk-inspired hard rock.

HEY BASTARD! Indiana quartet offers screaming vocals and harmonies over punk-metal riffs.

KISSYFACE FASHION FAUX PAS Metal grindcore encounters electronics.

Wild Wing Café 10 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com KARAOKE Every Tuesday night at the downtown wing chain’s upstairs space.

Wednesday 18 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $12 (adv.) www.40watt.com* CEDRIC BURNSIDE AND LIGHTNIN’ MALCOLM Touting themselves as a “two-man wrecking crew,” this duo plays classic juke joint blues.

THE DIRTY STREETS Blues and soul infused with gritty Southern rock.

LUCERO Hailing from Memphis, Lucero’s hometown influence really shows in its Southern-charged rock and roll. Look for our feature on the band at www.flagpole.com.

Agua Linda Mexican Restaurant & Cantina 6:30 p.m. 706-543-0154 (Timothy Road location) MARIACHI NIGHT Enjoy authentic music from Mexico while you dine.

Caledonia Lounge 9 p.m. $10 (21+), $12 (18+). www. caledonialounge.com PATTERSON HOOD Part three in Hood’s residency at Caledonia

Lounge! The title of tonight’s show is “Onward out the Window (New and Used Songs–Stripped Down to Piano and Guitar)” and will feature Hood and Jay Gonzalez premiering songs off The Truckers’ two new albums.

THE QUICK HOOKS David Barbe’s band features driving rock songs with full-throttle electric guitars that venture from indie psychedelia to twangy blues.

Fat Daddy’s 10 p.m.–1 a.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 OPEN MIC Every Wednesday featuring Avery Dylan.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 11:30 p.m. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar COY KING Nightingale News frontman performs an acoustic solo set of his poetic country-tinged ballads.

Gnat’s Landing 6 p.m. FREE! 706-850-5858 RYAN HORN Ryan Horn hails from St. Simons Island and brings his face-melting acoustic covers and originals to the Classic City.

Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar DAFFODIL Local trio plays fuzzedout, early-’90s sounding heavy rock and roll.

JUNGOL Experimental electronic rock from Atlanta that ranges from ethereal to aggressive with operatic pop vocals.

ONLY LIVING BOY Fiery blues-based rock and roll with a smooth, rolling feel.

STOKESWOOD A mellow, modern alt-rock band from Atlanta that experiments a bit with atmospheric sounds.

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Your bridge to better health

Physician directed services founded in science and practiced from the heart:

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Health Consultations with Rich Panico, MD Mindfulness Based Psychotherapy Yoga t Meditation t Tai Chi

No referral needed ~ Now accepting Medicare for Psychotherapy

Call 706.475.7330 if you have questions or for more information.

For a complete listing of our programs, visit

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Harry Bissett’s Bayou Grill 8 p.m. FREE! www.harrybissetts.net TONGUE & GROOVE The acoustic quartet of Henry Williams, Don Henderson, Jason Peckham and Amy Moon plays lively covers and originals.

The Melting Point 8:30 p.m. $12 (adv), $15 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com CY CURNIN Curnin, lead singer of The Fixx, takes his evocative lyrics and distinctive vocals solo.

NICK HARPER Son of UK singersongwriter Roy Harper, Nick grew up surrounded by such rock idols as Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and David Gilmour. Their talent and energy influence Nick’s own performances, and he doesn’t disappoint.

New Earth Music Hall LFO Yeah!!! 9 p.m. $6 (adv), $8 (door). www.newearthmusichall.com* JOKER Local, modern, hard-rock band, plain and simple.

NOMAD With his synth and souldrenched productions, this MC has been described as “Jheri Curl Boogie” and “Wiley stuck in an elevator with Cameo.”

The Office Lounge 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-0840 KARAOKE Every Wednesday with Lynn!

Tasty World Uptown Benefit for Conscious Alliance. 10 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown LAISSEZ-FUNK Local up-andcomers play funk-jam fusion plus a variety of covers.

TREEDOM Funky new local four-piece with some psychedelic tendencies. k continued on next page

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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THE CALENDAR!

Wednesday, Nov. 18 continued from p. 23

Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub 10 p.m.–2 a.m. FREE! www.

AthensTopDawg.com KARAOKE Following the pool tournament.

Thursday 19 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $15 (adv). www.40watt.com PETER BRUNTNELL Breathy, slightly psychedelic acoustic folk-based pop from the UK. SON VOLT Long-running alt-country rock outfit fronted by mastermind Jay Farrar. Farrar recently put out an album with Death Cab for Cutie’s Ben Gibbard. Check out our story about the collaboration at www. flagpole.com.

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 4 p.m. FREE! (21+), $2 (18+). www. caledonialounge.com THE BURNING ANGELS New local act that plays Americana soul.

Featuring Natalie Garcia on vocals and guitar Mark Cunningham on vocals, guitar and dobro, Josh Westbrook on drums and appearances by Adam Poulin on fiddle and Matt Dyson on dobro and banjo.

10 p.m. $5 (21+), $7 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com 8 BALL BLUES No info available.

CHILD BITE High-energy garage soul from Detroit. See Calendar Pick on this page.

CLASSIC BASTARDS Light metal about such pressing social issues as “pwning n00bs in Call of Duty” and lovable serial killer Dexter. CD release show tonight! Check out our review of the album online.

INCENDIARIES Local indie-prog outfit featuring ex-Cinemechanica bassist and Shitty Candy member Erica Strout.

Casa Mia 7 p.m. FREE! 706-227-4444 KEVIN FLEMING Spanish and Latin guitar.

ALIBI FORMERLY SPIRITS PUB

El Paisano 8 p.m. 706-353-0346 KARAOKE Every Thursday with margarita specials.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 8:30 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar LERA LYNN The tender, jazzy folk voice behind local band Birds & Wire. Tonight she’ll be joined by special guests Karolyn Troupe (Venice is Sinking) on viola and Eunice Kang on cello.

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.

Gnat’s Landing 6 p.m. FREE! 706-850-5858 NATHAN SHEPPARD The local acoustic guitarist-harmonicist is known for his emotive singing style and his modern reworkings of classic tunes, from Dylan and Neil Young to Van Morrison.

No Where Bar 10 p.m. $2. 706-546-4742 JAZZCHRONIC Local five-piece band that explores freaky, funky, psychedelic fusion jazz while incorporating rock, R&B, heavy beats and much more.

The Office Lounge 8 p.m. FREE! 706-546-0840 KARAOKE CONTEST Every Thursday with Ken!

Hotel Indigo “Live After Five.” 6–8 p.m. FREE! www. athensdowntownhotel.com DAN NETTLES Celebrated local jazz musician known for his work fronting Kenosha Kid. Performing in the Phi Bar and Bistro in the lobby this evening.

Roadhouse “CheeksFest.” 7 p.m. FREE! 706-6132324 90 ACRE FARM This acoustic trio from Watkinsville plays original Americana and covers. See Calendar Pick on p. 23.

BETSY FRANCK AND THE BAREKNUCKLE BAND Soulful, brassy Southern rock and country songs rooted in tradition, but with a modern sensibility. See Calendar Pick on p. 23.

EDDIE AND THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS Local blues-funk trio led by frontman Eddie Speaker.

These guys also won the contest to open for Atlanta Rhythm Section at the Classic Center tomorrow night!

See Calendar Pick on p. 23.

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 keys. See Calendar Pick on p. 23.

TODD MCBRIDE Former Dashboard Savior Todd McBride turns out fine roots-rock Americana that dips into straightahead pub-rocking and more rustic pieces. See Calendar Pick on p. 23.

The Melting Point 8:30 p.m. $15 (adv), $18 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com ADAM KLEIN This local singersongwriter’s latest release, Western Tales & Trails, features a blend of the

Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. www.terrapinbeer.com BUTTERMILK REVIVAL Traditional bluegrass tribute, including songs by the Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe and many others.

Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar 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. Dance party begins after the live music.

ROMANENKO Local trio draws from ‘70s pop and folk with a modern rock edge, like Mary Timony fronting the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

SOAPBAR Local group plays shaggy, diverse alt-rock informed by its lo-fi and folk peers.

NEVER A COVER!

FRIENDLIEST BAR IN ATHENS!

HOLD ON, WAIT A MINUTE...

DON’T FORGET US! 50 Gaines school rd. • 706-549-1010

24

finest elements of folk, Americana and country with poetic lyricism and striking imagery to create engaging, well-crafted songs.

STEEP CANYON RANGERS This acoustic quintet from Asheville is a quickly rising star in the bluegrass world, winning numerous awards and regularly featured at the Grand Ole Opry.

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

Thursday, November 19

8 Ball Blues, Classic Bastards, Child Bite, Incendiaries Caledonia Lounge It’s appropriate that Child Bite hails from Michigan because the group sounds like cars crashing, cartoon cars crashing. Cartoon cars crashing into junkyards full of arcade games. On fire. Forever. Make no mistake, this is not some goofball, Day-Glo, ‘80s throwback; the members of Child Bite act like adults. Generally. No, Child Bite actually operates more in the rich tradition of Michigan rock and roll, minus any sort of revivalist, hackneyed vibe, and plus much convulsive, kinetic energy. Somewhere in between Pere Ubu, The Jesus Lizard and Six Finger Child Bite Satellite, this is a band of weirdo tour dogs for life, and their live show proves it. Child Bite has been known to kill it in the basements of its hometown of Ferndale, as well as, for example, the opening slot of the first-ever ‘Powers show at the Caledonia back in 2007. You may remember them as the band that sent carelessly placed bags of popcorn flying into the audience with one deft sweep of Sean Clancy’s bass headstock, ensuring a permanent place in the heart of doorman Gordon Lamb.

But don’t take our word for it: YouTube practically consists solely of Child Bite videos, both oddball live-action takes on its original tunes as well as animated clips from the remix EP, Exquisite Luxury. You, too, can witness the band throughout its documented history, constantly locked in an epic competition for Most Unruly Beard. Their beards go beyond typical “I’m from Toronto and I might be in Broken Social Scene” facial-hair tourism. The commitment these men have put forth into looking like terrifying hobos is astonishing and goes far beyond the pale. Perhaps if you go to their show and throw ‘em some cash for either of their brand-new twin split 7”s with This Moment in Black History or Big Bear, they could afford to get a nice shave. Here’s hoping. [Jeff Tobias]

Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub 9 p.m. www.AthensTopDawg.com DANCE PARTY Hosted by Delta Phi Lambda.

Wild Wing Café 9 p.m. FREE! 706-227-9464 JASON COLEY Rockin’ and rollin’ country and western tunes from an Atlanta native.

Friday 20 283 Bar 10 p.m. FREE! 706-208-1283

Savannah’s

MP3J VINAL Richard Vinal brings the absolute jams to the party tonight.

Captain of the infamous barn parties a few years back, Vinal knows how to get the dance floor crackin’.

40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $10 (adv). www.40watt.com SOLECTRIC No info available.

TORO Y MOI South Carolina native and frontman of The Heist and The Accomplice, Chaz Bundick plays deeply layered electropop tunes with a timid, pleasant voice.

WASHED OUT Self-described as “no-fi,” Georgia’s own Ernest Greene produces some dreamy synth pop with occasional shoegaze elements.

See story on p. 18.

Allen’s Bar & Grill 9 p.m. FREE! www.allensbarandgrill. com THE GRUNTTONES Say the Grunttones: “If you enjoy bluesy rock and roll music played by unique individuals in unconventional fashions,” a Grunttones show may be for you.

Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $5. www.caledonialounge.com BOWERBIRDS Earthy, indie-folk rockers with a sunny disposition and warm acoustics accented by accordion, violin and autoharp.

HOPE FOR AGOLDENSUMMER Charming and highly praised local neo-folk band delivers the thriftstore gospel. Celebrating the release of a new live album, Hours in the Attic!

See Calendar Pick on p. 26.

Ciné Barcafé 9 p.m. $5, $3 (if you wear a sombrero or mustache!), FREE! (ladies before 10:30 p.m.). www.athenscine.com INCATEPEC A combination of traditional tunes from South America and Cuba with a unique jazz twist.

DJ BORICUA A mix of traditional salsa and merengue music.

The Classic Center 8 p.m. $19-$32.50. www.classiccenter. com ATLANTA RHYTHM SECTION Classic Southern rock band known for its 1979 hit “Spooky.” Although the lineup has changed around over the years, ARS has retained a strong following for the duration of its nearly 40-year career.

EDDIE & THE PUBLIC SPEAKERS Local blues-funk trio led by frontman Eddie Speaker that won a contest to open up tonight’s show!

Farm 255 11 p.m. FREE! www.farm255.com BETSY FRANCK Soulful, brassy Southern rock and country songs rooted in tradition, but with a modern sensibility.

TENT CITY This local four-piece fuses elements of jazz, funk, blues and world music.

Fat Daddy’s 10 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 KARAOKE Hosted by Lynn!

Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/flickerbar BOO RAY Soulful singer-songwriter who takes inspiration from Glen Campbell and Exile on Mainstreetera Rolling Stones. Debuting his new band which features Daniel Marler, Steve Abercrombie, Nate Hale, Anna Innecken and special guest William Tonks on dobro.

THE BURNING ANGELS New local act that plays Americana soul!

Featuring Natalie Garcia on vocals and guitar, Mark Cunningham on vocals, guitar and dobro (Helen Dodge, Liberty Challenged, Pedro

Weed), Josh Westbrook on percussion (Lifehouse, Evanston Street) and appearances by Adam Poulin on fiddle (Bros. Marler, Helen Dodge) and Matt Dyson on dobro & banjo (Natalie & Matt).

NATALIE GARCIA Americana artist and half of local guitar and dobro duo Natalie and Matt.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28

HOLMAN AUTRY BAND

The Globe 10:30 p.m. $5. 706-353-4721 MELVIN MATHURIN JAZZ QUARTET Essential and original jazz compositions.

Gnat’s Landing 6 p.m. FREE! 706-850-5858 BLOSSOM CREEK BREEZE This duo plays relaxed, upbeat guitar tunes.

The Melting Point 8:30 p.m. $10 (adv), $12 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com SENSATIONAL SOUNDS OF MOTOWN Local six-piece featuring Dan Roth (Little Green Chairs, The Work) and Jason Fuller (Kinchafoonee Cowboys) on keys, Stephen Spivey (Tishamingo, Snap!) on bass, Scott Moody on drums, Henry Hopkins on guitar, and Henry Sanders on lead vocals playing all your favorite Motown hits.

New Earth Music Hall 9 p.m. $8. www.newearthmusichall. com* BIG GIGANTIC Combining elements of electronica, hip-hop and hardcore for a unique sound.

The Office Lounge 9:30 p.m. FREE! 706-546-0840 S.O.B. BLUES BAND Covering blues from the ‘70s and beyond.

Rye Bar 8 p.m. www.myspace.com/ryebarathens TRIBAL ZINE Local band with a classic rock/jam band sound featuring live improvisation.

Tasty World Uptown 10 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown THE BRIDGES Cousins from Oxford, AL with angelic harmonies, haunting melodies and memorable pop hooks. For fans of Eisley or Fleetwood Mac. NOISES 10 Gorgeous Jeff Buckleyesque vocals lead this shimmering indie pop band from Charlotte.

PART BEAR Local songwriter Gray Griggs fronts this classic-rock-leaning band featuring a fun, energetic live show.

Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. www.terrapinbeer.com SWEET KNIEVEL Brand-new local band.

TENT CITY This local four-piece fuses elements of jazz, funk, blues and world music. Also playing tonight at Farm 255.

Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub 9 p.m. www.athenstopdawg.com THE BIG DON BAND Don Spurlin’s band delivers “workingman’s blues from a country perspective” with Southern covers and originals.

Wild Wing Café 9 p.m. 706-227-9464 J EDWARDS BAND Downtempo piano and guitar ballads played in a bluesy style.

WUGA 91.7 FM 4 p.m. FREE! www.uga.edu/wuga “IT’S FRIDAY!” Nick Edelstein and Alanna Fox will perform on the

ROLLIN’ HOME doors open at 9pm • six dollars adv.**

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 2

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

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

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18

LUCERO JAY REATARD

RAMBLIN’ ROADSHOW AND MEMPHIS REVUE

PRIDE PARADE

CEDRIC BURNSIDE & LIGHTNIN’ MALCOLM THE DIRTY STREETS

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

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3

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

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 19

SON VOLT

CAMERA OBSCURA

PAPERCUTS • VENICE IS SINKING

PETER BRUNTNELL

doors open at 9pm • fifteen dollars adv.* GEORGIA THEATRE PRESENTS

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4

WASHED OUT TORO Y MOI SOLECTRIC

doors open at 9pm • ten dollars adv.*

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21

KUROMA

doors open at 9pm • twelve dollars adv.*

BRANTLEY GILBERT

OTHER SIDE OF HOMER

doors open at 8pm • fifteen dollars adv.* All Shows 18 and up • + $2 for Under 21 * Advance Tix Available at Schoolkids Records ** Advance Tix Sold at http://www.40watt.com

GIFT HORSE ARIZONA

EXCLUSIVE HOME OF THE

PBR 24oz CAN

doors open at 9pm • six dollars

La e st a i F ge Showing All Colle Football Games Week!

Full Bar 7 Days a DRINKS SPECIALS

Monday - House Margaritas $2.00 Tuesday - Domestic Draft Beers $1.50 Wednesday - House Margarita Pitchers $9.95 Thursday - Domestic Draft Pitchers $4.99 1395 College Station Rd.

(706) 549-5933

3523 Atlanta Hwy. (by Academy Sports)

(706) 353-7771

k continued on next page

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

25

THE CALENDAR! local radio station’s weekly program.

University Cable Channel 15 will also broadcast the show.

Saturday 21 40 Watt Club 9 p.m. $6 (21+), $8 (18+). www.40watt. com ARIZONA Psychedelic soul fusion from NYC by way of Asheville.

GIFT HORSE Swirling reverb and dark psychedelic textures prevade this local band’s alternative rock edge that’s equal parts shoegaze and Sonic Youth.

KUROMA Hank Sullivant’s (exWhigs, MGMT) band, featuring Alfredo Lapuz, Joaquin Cotler and Nick Robbins, has a big rock sound, fueled by Queen-esque guitar solos, dreamy vocals and an affinity for stage theatrics.

Buffalo’s Southwest Café 7 p.m. $10. 706-354-6655 DAVID PRINCE AND ED SAYE Great beach music from the ‘60s and ‘70s.

Caledonia Lounge 10 p.m. $6 (21+), $8 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com MASS SOLO REVOLT Noisy, angular post-punk based here in town and influenced by acts like Pavement and Built to Spill. Brand new album, Bend in Time, is out now! See story on p. 19.

PRIDE PARADE Local hard rockers play tracks from their new album, Dose. Expect a mix of punk, grunge, stoner metal and blues.

SAVAGIST New Athens band featuring fine folks from local bands 300 Cobras, Hot Breath and The Dumps.

Club Chrome 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 THE HEAP Super funky local indiesoul band that’s been praised by the

Friday, Nov. 20 continued from p. 25

likes of Violent Femmes and Kevn Kinney.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 9 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/flickerbar FLASH TO BANG TIME Local new wave group finds a marriage between fun and somber. The band recently added Matt Tamisin and Richi Williams (ex-Commander Chameleon) to the lineup, and says the sound is more “hard,” reminscent of “early Blondie meets Bush Tetras mixed with Buzzcocks with a dash of Beatles and a thimble of the Mothers of Invention.” New tracks will be debuted tonight! Plus, a performance by the Hoop Dancers of Canopy Studios.

Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar JACOB MORRIS Acoustic, ‘70sinspired folk rock. Morris also plays in Moths and Ham1.

JEREMY WHEATLEY You may have seen Jeremy Wheatley perform as a member of Tin Cup Prophette, The Low Lows, and Je Suis France, but tonight he joined by special guests Thayer Sarrano and Matt Stoessel.

12:30 a.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/ gobar “LATE NITE DISCO” The house deejay and occasional special guests spin a cool mix of disco, new wave and modern dance tunes for a sweaty and energetic closing-time crowd. Dance party begins after the live music every Saturday.

Little Kings Shuffle Club 9 p.m. www.myspace.com/littlekingssuffleclub BETSY FRANCK Soulful, brassy Southern rock and country songs rooted in tradition, but with a modern sensibility.

LONA The flagship band for local songwriter, guitarist and drummer Clay Leverett (The Chasers, Now It’s Overhead, Bright Eyes). The band sends out more than a little country and more than enough gutsy, midtempo rock.

MIKEY DWYER AND THE STARTER KITS There’s a touch of Elvis Costello in Athenian Mikey Dwyer’s distinctive vocals. The

multi-instrumentalist can handle guitar, mandolin, lap steel, bass and drums on his own–but not necessarily all at once. That’s why he assembled the Starter Kits featuring Jamie Coulter and Dan Orchik.

THE QUICK HOOKS David Barbe’s band features driving rock songs with full-throttle electric guitars that venture from indie psychedelia to twangy blues.

The Melting Point 9 p.m. $6 (adv), $8 (door), $5 (UGA students). www.meltingpointathens. com BACK ROW BAPTISTS With musical roots buried deep in Birmingham, the Baptists play music that is Southern in the purest sense of the word.

THE CORDUROY ROAD Although rooted in classic Americana, with lots of foot stomping, banjo plucking and pedal steel, The Corduroy Road also has a knack for endearing pop melodies.

New Earth Music Hall 9 p.m. $12 (adv), $15 (door). www. newearthmusichall.com* KYLE HOLLINGSWORTH String Cheese Incident member who’s taking on a solo act with all the appeal of SCI. Sideways 10 p.m. FREE! 706-319-1919 DJRX Brian Gonzalez delivers his own original mixes of current pop and dance with accents ranging from old-school to country to electronic.

Tasty World Uptown 10 p.m. $5. www.myspace.com/tastyworlduptown PLUMNELLE MOON Rock and roll band from Valdosta, GA! TRIBAL ZINE Local band with a classic rock/jam sound featuring plenty of live improvisation.

Terrapin Beer Co. 5:30 p.m. www.terrapinbeer.com KELLY HART Hart digs into her Georgia roots for a distinctively Southern brand of pop rock.

Top Dawg Activity Bar & Nightclub 10 p.m. www.AthensTopDawg.com GLOW IN THE DARK PARTY Dance and shine! Glow sticks and glowing jewelery will be provided.

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

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

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FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

Friday, November 20

Hope for Agoldensummer, Bowerbirds Caledonia Lounge Performing locally to commemorate the release of a new live album, Hours in the Attic, local folk trio Hope for Agoldensummer recorded the 16 songs Hope for Agoldensummer “at odd times in special places.” Fronted by sisters Claire and Page Campbell, the band trucks in an intimate, ramshackle sound informed as much by Southern R&B and gospel as it is by what’s traditionally considered American folk music.

Guitarist Deb Davis, one of Hope’s founding members and contributing songwriters, is currently taking a leave of absence from the group to focus on her visual arts. An Atlanta resident anyway, a message in the liner notes says, “DD! We miss you and we are keeping your seat warm.” And who is doing that seat warming? The local musician who these days goes by the stage name Suny Lyons. Folks around town may know him better as Daniel Rickard and have likely heard his contributions to bands like Lovers, Tin Cup Prophette and The Low Lows.

And while Hours in the Attic runs through a number of Hope songs off the band’s 2004 debut I Bought a Heart Made of Art in the Deep, Deep South and its 2007 follow-up Ariadne Thread, a lot of those recordings sound a little too casually performed. Where the album shines, though, is on its covers: James Brown (“Try Me”), Little Richard (“I Don’t Know What You’ve Got [But It’s Got Me]”), Johnny Thunders (“You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory”) and Paul Simon (“The Only Living Boy in New York”). The Aaliyah tune “Are You That Somebody?” (inauspiciously recorded for the 1998 Dr. Doolittle soundtrack) shows up, too; it’s been a live favorite among Hope crowds for at least a few years.

A lot of audiences assume it’s a joke, but the Campbell sisters usually play the song straight, even working in Timbaland’s rap word-for-word. (It’s curious, then, that the live recording they chose for this album has them cracking up throughout the track). Hours in the Attic accomplishes what both traditional folk music and Hope for Agoldensummer do well: repurposing old songs for welcoming new audiences. [Chris Hassiotis]

Sunday 22 Buffalo’s Southwest Café 6:30 p.m. 706-354-6655 GOSPEL NIGHT Every Sunday at Buffalo’s in their big back room. This week features Theresa Hayes.

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 while you enjoy the afternoon weather.

Unity Athens 1:45 p.m. Donations appreciated. 404899-8486 KAREN TAYLOR GOOD This Grammy-nominated artist presents upbeat, positive music and a spiritually motivated message. One night only!

Monday 23 Caledonia Lounge EARLY SHOW! 6 p.m. $2 (21+), $4 (18+). www.caledonialounge.com HAYRIDE This long-running Athens trio has maintained a steady output of prog- and metal-influenced rock and a huge catalog of cover songs.

Hayride’s punk leanings, however, don’t exclude strong melodies. Early show!

Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar MAXIMUM BUSY MUSCLE Local tech-metal trio featuring Jay Roach on guitar, Mary Joyce on drums and Kris Deason on bass.

THIEVES MARKET Alternative rock band based here in town.

New Earth Music Hall 8 p.m. FREE! www.newearthmusichall. com OPEN DJ NIGHT The dance party where you are in control! Bring your laptop or turntables and take a turn spinning.

Tuesday 24 Buffalo’s Southwest Café 6–10 p.m. $5 (includes lessons). 706354-6655 DINE & DANCE NIGHT Beginners’ and advanced dance lessons every Tuesday from 6–7 p.m. followed by open dance until 10 p.m. Tonight features Tango.

Casa Mia 7 p.m. FREE! 706-227-4444 LUDWIG PORRAS Latin and Flamenco guitar.

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.

Fat Daddy’s 10 p.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 KARAOKE Huge karaoke dance party hosted by Lynn every Tuesday.

Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar THE BORDER LIONS Rock and roll trio that plays ‘70s-inspired songs, with styles ranging from beachy to bluesy.

CORTEZ GARZA Local singer/songwriter Cortez Garza used to front NC emo band Mason Curse, but has relocated to Athens and turned more acoustic. The result is a truly contemporary take on Americana.

Wild Wing Café 10 p.m. FREE! www.wildwingcafe.com KARAOKE Every Tuesday night at the downtown wing chain’s upstairs space.

Wednesday 25 Fat Daddy’s 10 p.m.–1 a.m. FREE! 706-353-0241 OPEN MIC Every Wednesday featuring Avery Dylan.

Flicker Theatre & Bar 11:30 p.m. www.myspace.com/ flickerbar COY KING Nightingale News frontman performs an acoustic solo set of his poetic country-tinged ballads.

CRAIG LIESKE Local experimental music stalwart of Garbage Island and Ether Frolic (among other projects).

Go Bar 10 p.m. www.myspace.com/gobar SACRED HOLLOW Athens/Atlanta hard rock band naming Tool, Chevelle and Sevendust among its many influences. Playing covers and originals.

Little Kings Shuffle Club 8 p.m. FREE! www.myspace.com/littlekingsshuffleclub BREATHLANES Led by guitarist/ composer John Miley, Breathlanes features atmospheric, organic tones

built around guitar, drums and stand-up bass.

NINA WEGNER No info available.

WHISPER KISS New acoustic project featuring multi-instrumentalist Michael Wegner (Abbey Road LIVE!, Fuzzy Sprouts, Sunny-Side Up Band) and Shelley Olin (DubConscious, Grogus).

The Melting Point 8:30 p.m. $8 (adv), $10 (door). www. meltingpointathens.com* NORMALTOWN FLYERS This Athens roots-rock institution plays a set of good-time rock and roll with a Southern leaning.

The Office Lounge 8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-549-0840 KARAOKE Every Wednesday with Lynn! * Advance Tickets Available

Down the Line 11/27 Birds+Wire / Kaitlin Jones and the County Fair (New Earth Music Hall) 11/28 “Late Nite Disco” (Go Bar) 11/28 Fabulous Bird / Fire Zuave / S.E. Forge and Foundry (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 11/28 Joshua Westbrook (Tasty World Uptown) 11/29 Gospel Night (Buffalo’s Southwest Café) 11/29 Sunday Jazz Brunch (Square One Fish Co.) 11/29 Village Exchange (Tasty World Uptown) 11/30 Open DJ Night (New Earth Music Hall) 11/30 The Oak Ridge Boys (The Classic Center) 12/1 Athens Swing Night (Buffalo’s Southwest Café) 12/1 International Refugee Committee Benefit Show (Tasty World Uptown) 12/2 Bela Fleck & The Flecktones (The Classic Center) 12/3 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concert (MadisonMorgan Cultural Center)* 12/3 Toubab Krewe (New Earth Music Hall) 12/4 Efren (Flicker Theatre & Bar) 12/5 Glitch Mob (New Earth Music Hall) 12/5 Strawberry Flats (No Where Bar) 12/5 Nnenna Freelon (The Classic Center) 12/8 Athens Swing Night (Dancefx) 12/8 Nathan Sheppard and John Keane (No Where Bar) 12/17 Rusko (New Earth Music Hall) 2/23 Tasty Tuesday (Tasty World Uptown)

Béla Fleck & The Flecktones The Holiday Tour Featuring Victor Lemonte Wooten, Future Man and Jeff Cofn With special guest collaborators The Alash Ensemble

Wednesday, December 2 at 8 p.m.

Call, click or stop by the Box Office 706.357.4444 www.ClassicCenter.com 300 N. Thomas St. Downtown Athens

T ar

The Budweiser Select Music Series at The Classic Center is brought to you by:

* Advance Tickets Available

In the ATL 11/18 Lyle Lovett (The Tabernacle)* 11/18 White Denim (The EARL)* 11/20 Camera Obscura (Variety Playhouse) 11/21 J. Tillman (of Fleet Foxes) (The EARL)* 11/21 Mustard Plug / The Toasters (The Masquerade) 11/22 Imogen Heap (Variety Playhouse)* 11/24 Switchfoot (The Loft at Center Stage)* 11/28 Metric (Center Stage)* 11/29 Miley Cyrus (Philips Arena)* 12/7 Cursive (Lenny’s Bar)* 12/16 The Dutchess and the Duke (The EARL)* 12/29 Lady Gaga (Fox Theatre)*

Great values.

Cool products.

Amazing service. (think Mac for the Holidays!)

macs • ipods • software service • business solutions

The blazing fast new iMacs will blow your mind!

1850 Epps Bridge Pkwy • 706-208-9990 • peachmac.com • Athens • Augusta • Visit our new store in Macon!

* Advance Tickets Available

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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bulletin board DO SOMETHING; GET INVOLVED! Deadline for getting listed in Bulletin Board and Art Around Town is every THURSDAY at 12 p.m.

Email calendar@flagpole.com. Listings are printed based on available space, more listings are online.

ART 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

CLASSES Active Climbing Family Climbers (Active Climbing) Family bonding time, where kids get to climb with their parents. Please call ahead! Fridays, 4–6 p.m. $10/ person. 706-354-0038, adrian@ activeclimbing.com Adult Beginning Modern Dance (Floorspace) With instructor Laura Glenn. Thursdays, 6:15–7:45. www.floorspaceathens.com Art Classes (Lyndon House Arts Center) Now registering for instruction in drawing, painting, jewelry, clay and printmaking. Go online for full list of programs. 706-613-3623, www.accleisureservices.com Beekeeping for Beginners (State Botanical Garden) Threepart series on beekeeping basics.

Sponsored by the State Botanical Garden. First session Dec. 11 or 12.

9 a.m.–12 p.m. $45. 706-542-6156 Beginner Trapeze Workshops (Canopy Studio) Learn the basics of trapeze technique. Nov. 21 & Dec. 5, 3–4:30 p.m. $25. info@canopystudio.com 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. Through Nov. 25,

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Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 5:30–6:45 a.m. $75/session. 706613-1143 Bouldering (Active Climbing) Come and learn to climb without ropes! Wednesdays, 5:30–6:30 p.m. $15. 706-354-0038, adrian@activeclimbing.com Chen Style Taijiquan (Floorspace) Effortless power.

Authentic Chinese martial lineage.

Register for ongoing instruction.

Sundays and Mondays, 706-6143342, telihu@gmail.com Classical Pilates (StudiO) Private instruction and group classes offered daily! Schedule online. 678-596-2956, www.studioinathens.com Clay Classes (Good Dirt) Weekly “Try Clay” class Fridays from 7–9 p.m. and “Family Try Clay” Sundays from 2–4 p.m. ($20/person). 706355-3161, www.gooddirt.net Clay Gift-Making for Children (OCAF) Make holiday gifts for your loved ones! Learn how to use a potter’s wheel or sculpt. Call or go online for more information.

706-769-4565, www.ocaf.com Climbing for Beginners (Active Climbing) Learn the ropes and develop climbing technique at Athens’ new climbing center.

Mondays, 5:30–7 p.m. 706-3540038, adrian@activeclimbing.com Computer Classes (ACC Library) Introduction to PowerPoint.

In the Educational Technology Center. Call to register. Nov. 19, 7–8:30 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 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

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

Dance Foundations (Floorspace) Instructor Laura Hoffman works on the basics with kids ages 6–14.

Thursdays, 3:30–4:30 p.m. (ages 6–8), 4:45–4:30 p.m. (ages 9–14). www.floorspaceathens.com Digital Photography 101 (Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation) McGinnis Leathers teaches this twoday workshop. Wednesday, Nov. 18, 10 a.m.–noon. $60. 706-769-4565, info@ocaf.com Encaustic Painting with Beeswax (Blue Tin Art Studio) Learn how to melt and mix colors, create a variety of surface techniques and more. Dec. 5, 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m. $65. 404-556-6884, www. bluetinstudio.com Etching for Beginners and Intermediates (Lyndon House) An introduction to intaglio/etching processes using printmaking methods to inscribe images onto metal plates. Call for more info. 706-6133623, www.accleisureservices.com GEN Homeschool Program (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Garden Earth Naturalist program for homeschoolers. Topics include pollination, air and water purification, 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 Georgia Spiders Free Workshop (Active Climbing) A two-week workshop for kids who are ready to take climbing to the next level. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5–6:30 p.m. 706-354-0038, adrian@activeclimbing.com

Elizabeth Baek’s digital images are part of the “Continuance” exhibition at the Lamar Dodd School of Art through Nov. 24.

Glass Fusing Workshop (Good Dirt) Participants will make a glass candle shelter. Fee includes materials and firing. Call to register. Nov. 22, 2–4 p.m. $50. 706-355-3161 Hatha Yoga (Sangha Yoga Studio) Candlelight traditional Hatha Yoga.

Beginners welcome. 706-613-1143, www.healingartscentre.net Holiday Clay Classes (Good Dirt) Be productive and creative this season with wheel-thrown pottery, slab-building, clay beads or mug making! Complete schedule online.

706-355-3161, www.gooddirt.net Holiday Glass Brick Luminaries Workshop (Sandy Creek Park) Light up the holidays for someone special when you give them your beautiful decorative gift. Dec. 5, 10 a.m.–noon. $18/ brick. 706-613-3650 Hoop Class (Canopy Studio) This guided hoop dance class helps develop fitness, balance, strength and flow. Fridays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. $15. www.canopystudio.com Integrated Arts Workshop for Kids (Floorspace) Instructors Heather McIntosh and Laura Glenn teach students how to create sound and movement compositions by exploring color, texture, dynamics and spatial awareness in performance.

For ages 8–12. Now registering!

Tuesdays, 4:45–6 p.m. $40/4 weeks. info@auxfestival.com Intermediate Modern Dance for Adults (Floorspace) With instructor Laura Glenn. Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. www.floorspaceathens.com Intro to Computers (Madison County Library) Three weekly meetings, and you may attend one per week or all three. Pre-registration required. 706-795-5597. Tuesdays, 2–3 p.m. or 7–8 p.m. Wednesdays, 11 a.m.–12 p.m.

Jewelry and Metalsmithing (Lyndon House Arts Center) Learn how to create unique pieces of jewelry while learning about various metalsmithing techniques. Call for more information! 706-613-3623, www.accleisureservices.com 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) Keep your health in line and have fun at the same time! Tuesdays, 4–5 p.m. $5/class. 706-549-4850

Making Greenery Wreaths (State Botanical Garden of Georgia) Make a live wreath to bring home for the holidays. Dec. 10, 6:30–8:30 p.m. $27. 706-542-6156 Mama-Baby Yoga (Five Points Yoga) For babies 1–8 months old and their grown-ups. Every Monday.

11 a.m. $10. 706-355-3114, www. athensfivepointsyoga.com Mama-Baby Yoga (Mind Body Institute) Six weeks old to crawlers.

Every Wednesday. 10:30 a.m. $60/6 classes. 706-475-7329, mbiprograms@armc.org Mama-Baby Yoga Bonding (Full Bloom Center) Fussy babies and tired mamas welcome! For babies 1 to 10 months old. Fridays, 10:30 a.m. $14/class, $60/6-weeks.

706-353-3373 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) A combination of tai chi, yoga and Pilates! Fridays, 3–4 p.m. $5/class.

706-4850 Ninja Scout Adventure Kid’s Kung Fu (Floorspace) With Carl Lindberg. Go online for more information. Wednesdays, 4–5 p.m. www.floorspaceathens.com Open Art Studio (Art School, Watkinsville) Led by Tracy Jefferies.

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. 706-546-1061, www. balancepilatesathens.com Prenatal Yoga (Five Points Yoga) Get ready for birth and beyond.

Every Sunday. 10:30 a.m. $10. 706355-3114, www.athensfivepointsyoga.com Prenatal Yoga (Full Bloom) Get ready for birth and beyond. Every Thursday. 5:30 p.m. $14/class or $60/6 classes. 706-353-3373, 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 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 Tech Tips: eBay (ACC Library) Learn how to get started buying and selling antiques, collectibles, gifts and more online! Nov. 18, 12:15 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3650 Teen Painting Class (Lyndon House) Students will focus on painting and its materials and methods, as well as its history. Supplies provided. Call for more information!

Jan. 12–Feb. 16. 706-613-3623, www.accleisureservices.com The Artist Within (Lyndon House Arts Center) Students learn to give visual expression to their emotions.

Jan. 13–Feb. 17, Wednesdays, 10–11 a.m. 706-613-3623, www. accleisureservices.com 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) Mondays, 6:15 p.m. Wednesdays, 5:45 p.m. FREE! (for Nov. 16–19 only) $10/drop-in (regular fee). 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 Yoga Teacher Training (Vastu School of Yoga, Railroad Art District) Learn to teach yoga in this 10-week workshop beginning in December!

Register by Nov. 15th for tuition discount. 561-723-6172, vastuyoga@ hotmail.com Zen Seeing, Zen Drawing (Lyndon House) Drawing, painting and printmaking. $78 (ACC resident). 706-613-3623, www. accleisureservices.com

HELP OUT! American Red Cross (Red Cross Center, 3525 Atlanta Hwy.) Seeking donors for all blood types. 706-5460681, www.redcrossblood.org AthFest Volunteer Opportunity (Email for Location) The AthFest Education Committee seeks year-round volun-

teers 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. Sunday, 2–4:30 p.m. Monday & Wednesday, 6–8:30 p.m. www.bikeathens.com Food Drive (Red Cross Donor Center, 3525 Atlanta Hwy) Nonperishable food items may be donated through Tuesday, Nov. 24.

Donations benefit Project Safe and the Athens Area Humane Society.

Monday–Wednesday, noon–7 p.m.

Thursday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–3 p.m. www.redcrossblood.org GMOA Book Drive (UGA Visual Arts Building) The Georgia Museum of Art is preparing for its annual holiday book sale. Please drop off books between the following hours: Weekdays, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. or call or email for other arrangements: 706542-1817, hazbrown@uga.edu

KIDSTUFF Athens Language Schoolhouse (Athens Language Schoolhouse) Italian classes for infants through Pre-K. 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) Come enjoy yoga as a family! Third Sunday of every month.

1:30–2:30 p.m. Call for fees. 706353-3373, www.yogasprouts.com Gymnastics (Bishop Park) Now registering for winter/spring gymnastics programs! Dec. 7–9, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (ACC residents).

706-613-3589, www.accleisureservices.com/gymnastics.shtml 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. Sundays, 10–11 a.m. (ages 2–3) 11 a.m.–noon (ages 1–2) $10/ class. 706-549-8501, info@canopystudio.com

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

ART AROUND TOWN ACC Library (Heritage Gallery) Paintings by UGA alumna Christina Bray. Through November. (Top of the Stairs Gallery) Bart Lynch’s paintings speak of the process of construction. Through November.

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.

Aurum Studio Sculpture by Noah Saunders and paintings by Lamar Wood. Through November.

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.

Chase Street Warehouses (Unit 3) Featuring fused glass, painting, wood turning, metalwork, fiber arts, jewelry and more from 13 award-winning local artists. Nov. 19–22.

Circle Gallery, UGA College of Environmental Design “Forming Content,” a collection of graphic media works by Cecile L. K. Martin. Through Dec. 11.

Flicker Theatre & Bar Photographs of China by Justin Evans. Through Dec. 3.

Georgia Piedmont Arts Center “Harvest of Art” features works by a wide variety of local talent.

Through Dec. 19.

The Globe Work by Ainhoa Bilbao Canup. Through November.

Good Dirt Functional pottery, sculpture and jewelry by over 30 local artists. Through December.

Hawthorne House Antiques and Interiors Photographs and various artistic explorations by Field Trip duo Rinne Allen and Lucy Allen Gillis.

Healing Arts Centre “Balancing Polarity: A Sacred Union,” featuring “original art for the free at heart” by Lara. Through Dec. 12.

Just Pho…and More Work by William C. Pierson. Through Dec. 15.

Krimson Kafe Mosaic artwork by J. Elizabeth Wright. Through December.

Lamar Dodd School of Art (Room S365) Visual artist Jonathan Bouknight’s exhibit “(study for) Mother-Me-Do” references mythology, history, pop culture and science to express our culture’s attitudes toward gender, sexuality and identity. (Gallery

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 more. See complete program online. www.accleisureservices.com Band Together: Help Rebuild the Georgia Theatre (Georgia Theatre) The Georgia Theatre and the GA Trust for Historic Preservation have banded together to help fund the rebuilding of the Theatre. To make a donation or learn more, visit their website. www.georgiatrust.org/ preservation/georgiatheatre.php Free Hearing Screening (Call for location) Call to schedule your complimentary hearing screening from audiologist Dr. Robin Hardin.

Dec. 1–3. FREE! 706-310-7115 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 Senior Thanksgiving Dinner (Lay Park) Senior citizens are invited to attend the Senior Thanksgiving Dinner. Reservations encouraged.

4 p.m. FREE! 706-613-3596, www. accleisureservices.com. f

101) “Continuance” features kinetic video and sound sculpture by Gary Bardizbanian, a projected and sculptural piece by Katie Graham, flash animation

by Elizabeth Baek and other technologically inspired works by Rejon Noah and Seth Nichols Stephens.

(Gallery 307) The Lamar Dodd BFA Exit Show features drawings and paintings by Katie Bacon, Ian King, Timothy McLeod, Jordyn Pritchard and Claudia Santillan. Through November. “Making Masters” features selected MFA works from the Lamar Dodd School of Art. Through Dec. 1. “The Others Who Haunt Me and Whom I Haunt,” an exhibition of art and explorations of the unseen, the seen and the seeing by Marie Porterfield. Through Nov. 24.

Lyndon House Arts Center “Through Our Eyes: Portraits and Self-Portraits by the Students of Clarke County” highlights the work of local young artists in clay, pencil, paint and fabric. Through Jan. 20.

Madison-Morgan Cultural Center In his exhibit “From the Forest to the Shore,” Michael Murrell’s works in wood, metal and mixed media reflect on ecological issues, endangered species and man’s relationship with nature. Through Jan. 15.

Reception Nov. 20.

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.

Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation Madeline Darnell’s paintings of Pittsburgh, PA capture the hopeful flourishes of flower gardens in an otherwise vast expanse of concrete. Through Nov. 21.

The Point of Art Gallery (Union Point) Work by Henry Barnes. Through Nov. 28. Reception Nov. 19.

Red Eye Coffee Vibrant watercolors of various Athens locales by Jamie Calkin. Through November.

State Botanical Garden of Georgia “Southern Tableau,” featuring paintings of lush landscapes by Joe M. Ruiz.

UGA Visual Arts Building (Jackson Street) “Staff Infection,” an exhibit featuring the collected works of the Georgia Museum of Art’s staff. Through Nov. 20.

Visionary Art Gallery (Danielsville) “All Ye Who Wander,” an exhibit featuring work by UGA Printmaking graduate David Savino. Through Nov. 28.

Reception Nov. 20.

Park Oaks DUPLEXES

$99 Move-in Special.

• 2 & 3 BR • Energy Efficient • Close To Sandy Creek Park And The Greenway • Large Yards

706-548-2522

www.DovetailManagement.com Mon.-Fri. 9-6 • Sat. By Appointment 115 Berlin Street, #D-13 • Athens, GA 30601 OFFICE HOURS:

TRANSMETROPOLITAN

145 E. clayton street • downtown athens • 706-613-8773 1550 oglethorpe avenue • westside • 706-549-5112

Come enjoy our rooftop patio at our Oglethorpe Avenue location!

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

29

comics

Comics submissions: Please email your comics to comics@flagpole.com or mail copies, not originals, to Flagpole Comics Dept., P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603. You can hand deliver copies to our office at 112 S. Foundry Street.

Comics POLICY: Please do not give us original artwork. If we need your original, we will contact you. If you give us your original artwork, we are not responsible for its safety. We retain the right to run any comics we like. Thank you, kindly.

30

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

reality check Matters Of The Heart And Loins I can’t even begin to delve into the complications of my (most recently, non-existent) love life. But, I have a fairly straightforward issue: I was in a long-term relationship up until a year ago and had plenty of guy friends. Now that I’m single, it’s like every male I interact with assumes I want to date. I’ve always been a natural flirt, but I’ve learned my lesson. After three separate instances of having guys verbalize their (unreciprocated) feelings, I figured I must be sending the wrong signals. I now make a conscious, even paranoid, effort to be unambiguously platonic unless I’m certain I really want to date a guy. What else can I do to be more clear? Is it misleading that my guy friends and I hang out frequently and laugh a lot? Is that all one has to do these days to express sexual interest?

What happened to the art of flirtation? A little cat-and-mouse banter? Conveniently squeezing together on the couch to make space for more friends? My past platonic-to-romantic transitions always involved a fair amount of sexual tension, innuendo and provocative conversation. And always hand-holding before [sex].

In the past week, I had one guy friend tell me that we’d be great together in bed. Then another tried to kiss me after a couple of hours spent hanging together. I haven’t sat close enough to touch either of these guys, let alone get a snuggle or make-out session going. Maybe I don’t understand the game anymore, but it seems wise to make sure the pitcher’s at least thrown the ball before swinging. And isn’t one supposed to pass first base before bolting for home?

Anonymous Like Tom Hanks said, Anonymous, there’s no crying in baseball. Your guy friends like you as a friend, but they also find you attractive. You are flirty and freshly single, and they are taking this opportunity to tell you how they really feel. One man’s curve ball is another man’s slider, and you are a woman who feels like she’s been hit with two wild pitches. It doesn’t mean you have to feel the same way, but I respect them for putting themselves out there, and you should, too.

If you aren’t interested, then tell them so.

Hopefully, your friendships won’t suffer, but if they do, then they probably weren’t really your friends anyway. In the meantime, realize that this “game” you speak of is played differently by different people. Just relax and play the field and, eventually, you will find another guy in your league.

I am confused about this woman and I don’t know what to do. When we met in April, she had recently gotten out of a really long relationship—like, seven years with this guy.

Then we met on Match.com and we talked back

and forth for a couple of weeks and finally went out. We hit it off right away and we dated for, like, six months. I’m in my early 40s, and she’s in her late 30s; we both have our own houses and jobs, and we both want the same things out of life. So, we see each other every week, and we talk every day. We’re totally passionate, and everything’s honky-dory, right? Well, then I found out a couple months ago that she has been texting back and forth with another guy she met on the same site. They hadn’t gone out at all, but she kept trading messages with the guy, and I didn’t like it. So, we got in a fight and she told me to come and get all of my stuff out of her apartment. So, I did, then she called me crying two days later and said she wanted it back and asked me to come over. She lives about half an hour away, and I live in a pretty small town. So, I went over there, and things were great, we made love, we had a great weekend.

Then, I got home on Monday, and she called me the next day and broke up with me again.

Now I find out that she is talking to this Dennis guy she met, and to make it worse, he lives in my town! Now I gotta see the guy all over the place and I know who he is and I’m not the best looking guy in the world, but he’s a loser and he has no idea that I know who he is. I don’t even know if he knows I exist. So, what I’m wondering is: Why is this girl giving me the runaround? Why the back and forth? What should I do about it, and should I confront this other guy or what? I think I love her, but she’s making me crazy.

Mismatched?

I feel like there are some things you aren’t telling me, but I will do my best with what I have to work with. First, this woman sounds like she enjoys playing games. And in your late 30s, that’s just kind of pathetic. How do you know she never saw Dennis while she wasn’t with you? And if she wasn’t going to date him, then why did she feel the need to keep up the exchange? It sounds to me like she was either dating him without your knowledge or she was keeping him on the backburner in case things didn’t work out with you. In her defense, anybody who is fresh from a seven-year relationship is not, in my book, relationship material. And you should know that at your age. But she should know that at her age, too, so you are both at fault. You are what is commonly known as the Rebound Guy, M. Dennis or no Dennis, this thing was not likely to go well. My advice to you is to collect your things and get back online, and the next time you find a “match,” find out her dating history before you get too involved.

Jyl Inov Got a question for Jyl? Submit your anonymous inquiry via the Reality Check button at www.flagpole.com.

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

31

classifieds

Buy It, Sell It, Rent It, Use It! Place an ad anytime at flagpole.com  Indicates images available at flagpole.com

Real Estate

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.

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 boulevard​p roperty​ management.com, (706) 548-9797.

1BR apt. w/ full kit. & BA. W/D. incl. $400/mo. + $400/ sec dep. Avail. now. Won’t last! (706) 254-2936.

2BR/1BA Five Points Duplex on Mell St., total electric, DW, W/D hookups. $625/mo. (706) 546-6900, Va l e r i o Properties.com.

1, 2 & 3BR apts. Two bedrooms star ting at $506.67 a month!

1BRs, $493/mo. 3BRs, $710/mo. Huge apts at a great location. Security deposit starts at $150!

On busline, pet friendly & recycling on site! Call us today (706) 549-6254.

Restrictions apply.

2BR/2BA apt in East Athens. Partially furnished.

Big kitchen, deck. $750/mo.

(706) 433-2712.

2BR/1BA, Deville 1 3 6 Grady Ave. $695/mo.

Great place to live, upstairs, HWflrs, pool, courtyard. Call for showing (706) 548-9797, www.boulevard​p roper ty​ management.com.

flagpole classifieds Reach Over 30,000 Readers Every Week!

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PLACE AN AD • At flagpole.com, pay with credit card or PayPal account • Call our Classifieds Dept. (706) 549-0301 • Email us at class@flagpole.com

• Deadline to place ads is 11:00 a.m. every Monday for the following Wednesday issue • All ads must be prepaid • Set up an account to review your placement history or replace old ads at flagpole.com

32

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009



2BR/1BA. ARMC area.

Avail. immediately!

Prefer family, professionals, or grad students. Central heat/AC, newly renovated, off–street parking. Safe quiet n’hood. Total electric. $550/mo. (706) 543-4556.

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.

3BR/2.5BA Eastside townhome. Spacious & convenient, on bus route.

Pets allowed. Incl. W/D. Only $700/mo. Call Aaron (706) 207-2957.

Artist studio/garden cottage.

Very private, quiet, lovely setting. Dwntn Watkinsville, walk 1 block to Jittery Joe’s.

Great restaurants, music on the lawn, lg. open main rm. w/ great windows. 2BR/1BA, screen porch, 1200 sq. ft.

Professional/grad student.

N/S, no candles, pets neg. $740/mo. incl. water & all appl. Avail Dec. 15! Pls. call (706) 769-0205 evening, (706) 207-5175. Lv. msg.

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.

College Station 2BR/2BA. All appls + W/D, FP, xtra closet space, water/garbage incl. $575/mo. Owner/ Agent (706) 340-2450.

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.

FTX Apar tments.

Campus & busline within half a block. Near Milledge Ave. 2BR units.

Pre–lease for Fall 2010.

These units are always 100% leased so act now for low rental rates. Call Stacy at (706) 425-4048 or (706) 296-1863.

Overlook Village at China & Little St. 2BR/1BA. $480/mo. + sec. dep. Pls. call Dave (706) 207-2908.

Studio condos Downtown Athens.

On Broad St. & across the street from campus! $600/ mo. Avail. Jan 2010. Call (404) 557-5203.

West Athens, just off Prince. $595/mo. 2BR/2BA apt.

Living rm w/ FP, eat–in kitchen, deck. High speed internet avail. Avail. now.

(706) 433-2712.

Westside condos.

2BR/2BA, $600/mo.

Hospital Area, garage apt., totally updated, 2BR/1BA, $525/mo. & $550/mo. E a s t s i d e 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.

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

(706) 613-2742

www.fredshp.com

Commercial Property $100-$150 Studio spaces.

Great location, cool spaces.

1 block from town. (706) 5489797, boulevard​property​ management.com.

195 Park Ave. $750/mo.3 lg. offices, common area w/ kitchen. Currently used as wellness center. Great location, great n hood. Contact or call today (706) 548-9797, b o u l e v a r d ​p r o p e r t y​ management.com.

Athens Executive S u i t e s . Offices avail. in historic Dwntn bldg. w/ on–site parking. All utils., Internet, & janitorial incl.

Single or multiple offices avail. Call Stacy (706) 4254048 or (706) 296-1863.



Amazing Office Spaces for lease above Dwntn Five Guys restaurant. Sign a 1 Year Lease and Receive the 1st Month Free or 12% off!! Call Reign at Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty (706) 372-4166, or (706) 543-4000.

Charming historic cottage. 2 rooms, 2 FPs, bathroom, parking, security, ceiling fans. Retail, office, studio, therapist, massage. Excellent condition. 290 N. Milledge Ave. $650/mo. Heat incl. Flexible terms. (706) 340-3717.

Eastside offices for lease. 1060 Gaines School Rd. 170 sq. ft., $375/mo., 500 sq. ft., $625/mo., 1200 sq. ft., $1200/mo.

(706) 546-1615 or www. athenstownproperties.com.

Retail Suites for lease at Homewood Village.

1K–12,500 sq. ft. avail. For more info call Bryan Austin at (706) 353-1039 or visit www.sumnerproperties.net.

Paint Ar tist Studio f o r re n t . 300 sq. ft., $150/mo. 400 sq. ft., $200/mo. 160 Tracy St. Historic Boulevard Area, Artist/Crafts Community.

(706) 546-1615 or www. athenstownproperties.com.

Condos for Rent 2BR/2.5BA condos. Off Tallasee Rd. $550/mo. 1st month rent free! No pets allowed. (706) 202-0147, (706) 613-6560.

2BR/1.5BA condo at Eaglewood, off Lumpkin.

Pool, on lake, completely remodeled. $675/mo. Call (706) 353-7826 anytime.

Houses for Rent $ 8 7 5 / m o . B l o c k s f ro m campus. 3 extra lg. BRs, 1.5BA. 12’ ceilings, HWflrs., W/D, CHAC. Avail. now. 127 Elizabeth St. Owner/Agent.

Call Mike (706) 207-7400. $875/mo. 4BR/1.5BA. Eastside. Lg. kitchen, W/D, workshop, 1–car garage, fenced yard, safe & n’hood.

Avail. now. 117 Crossbow Circle. Owner/Agent. Call Mike (706) 207-7400. $700/mo. 3BR/1BA. 515 Reese St. Avail. Jan 1. CHAC, W/D, DW, sec. sys., deck. 4 blocks to UGA. Call/text (706) 7144486, hathawayproperties@ gmail.com. $750/mo. Blocks from campus.

4BR/2BA. Tall ceilings, CHAC, DW, W/D conn., sunroom, deck. Avail. now. 231 Elizabeth St. Owner/Agent. Call Mike (706) 207-7400.

1434 E. Broad St. 1BR/1BA duplex. $475/mo. Walk to UGA. Renovated bungalow.

W/D & yd. maint. incl. Pets OK. Flexible lease. (770) 841-7090.

1080 Oglethorpe Ave. City busline. 2BR/1BA + bonus rm., laundry rm., patio. Neat condition, great location.

Lawn maintenance possible.

Perfect for 2 grad students/ professionals. Short lease avail. $750–$850/mo. (706) 338-7990, (706) 353-0708.



149 Eaglewood Way. 5 Pts. 4BR/2.5BA end– unit condo on busline. HVAC, DW, W/D, decks, pool.

Awesome location, great deal! $800/mo + dep. Avail. now. Jimmy (706) 338-7257.

1BR/1BA. $495-525/ mo. overlooking Dwntn & campus. All electric, lg.

BRs, some w/ screened porches, laundry on site.

Freshly renovated & priced right. Avail. 1/01/09. Call (706) 548-9797 or b o u l e v a r d ​p r o p e r t y​ management.com.

2BR/1BA. Avail. Feb. 1.5 mi. north of Dwntn, HWflrs., lg. fenced yd., W/D, CHAC, all electric, lawncare incl. $535/mo. w/ dep. (706) 5465390 evenings.

2BR/1BA cute cottage w/ front porch. CHAC, near UGA. $800/mo. Avail. 12/15.

Also, ask about 2 other houses avail. now. Call (706) 354-1276 or (706) 540-7812.

2BR duplexes starting at $450/mo. 159 Gran Ellen, 3BR/3BA $1300/mo. 1BR/1BA $600/mo. 167 Tibbets, Normaltown house $650/mo.

Pls. call (706) 549-6070.

2BR/2BA townhouse. 1st 3 months $100 off! $250 sec. dep. Pls. call (706) 549-6070.

3BR/2BA renovated 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.

3BR/2BA historic farmhouse in Lexington, GA. Pls. call (706) 549-6070.

3BR/1BA. $750/mo. Nice house in Winterville on 1 acre. 5 min. from Athens.

Great, safe n’hood. Garden OK. Pets OK. Avail. now!

Call Jason (706) 338-4669.

3BR/2.5BA houses w/ HWflrs, granite tops & all appls!

Avail. now for $1200/mo! 1/2 mi. to Dwntn. 105 Trail Creek Dr.! (706) 713-0626.

3BR/2BA house Eastside.

Quiet n’hood. $900/mo. All appls. 213 Springtree St. Avail. now! (706) 713-0626.

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.

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.



Avail. Dec. 1st.

3BR/2BA. Off Milledge.

CHAC, W/D, HWflrs. $800/ mo. + dep. Pets OK. Call Mark (706) 202-5110.

Best rentals in Athens!

1–5BR houses, apts., condos. In the heart of UGA/Dwntn/5 Pts. Avail.

Aug. Going fast, call today! (706) 369-2908 for more info.

Call about our exciting Januar y special! Huge floorplan. Tons of space.

HWflrs, ceiling fans, W/D, DW, micro, bonus rm. & back deck! 1 mi. to Dwntn.

(706) 543-1910 or becky@ landmarkathens.com.

Westside off Whitehead.

3BR/2BA. 2 car garage, garden tub w/ separate shower in master BR. 6 month-yr lease. $900/mo.

Starting 12/1. Formal dining rm., eat–in kitchen. (757) 576-1706, (757) 537-9468.

Female roommate wanted for 2BR/2.5BA 2nd flr. apt.

Furnished except for priv.

B R / B A . G re a t l o c a t i o n on S. Milledge busline! $390/mo. + 1/2 utils.! No deposit! Email Rebecca at becca747@uga.edu.

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. $1250/mo. + dep. (706) 247-1398.

White Columns Hall.

1BR/1BA, 1 block from Dwntn. Water, gas incl., laundry onsite. $465/mo.

Call Joiner Management (706) 353-6868.

Sub-lease

First month rent free.

2 A-Frames on Freeman Dr. 2BR/1BA. Huge loft area. $500–$525/mo. Country cottage off Danielsville Rd. 2BR/1BA on 3 acres. $515/ mo. (706) 202-0147, (706) 613-6560.

Normaltown cottage. Avail.

1/1/10. 2BR/1BA. HWflrs, CHAC, DW, W/D hookups, fenced–in backyd, covered patio, FP. Perfect for grad students or professionals.

On busline. Pets OK w/ dep.! $800/mo.+ dep. (706) 372-3383.

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.

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.

Northside 2BR/1BA, lg. lot, $600/mo. Hospital area 2BR/1BA, carport, f e n c e d – i n y a rd , $ 7 5 0 / 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 C re e k 4BR/2BA $950/ mo. O c o n e e 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.



Own your own rental property!

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.

Houses for Sale $77,700. Cute 2BR/1BA house w/ bonus rm. HWflrs, CHAC, fenced yd, butterfly garden. Bus, walk, or bike to Dwntn, campus & Alps.

405 Benning St. Michael (706) 255-8600.

2BR/2BA townhouse w/ p o o l & b a l c o n y. F u l l y furnished except for bed.

Daytona Beach, FL. 1 mi. from ocean. 70 degrees in November! $100K. Call (386) 212-9340.



235 Bailey. $50K. Great Investment Property! Call Reign at Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty (706) 372-4166, or (706) 543-4000.

Cutest house in Comer.

3BR/2.5BA. 1800 ft. 2.2/3 acre. Fully applianced.

HWflrs., carpet. Beautifully landscaped yd. 6 ft. privacy fence. Alarm system. 100% financing. $135K. (706) 202-6119.

Land for Sale



0 Va l l e y w o o d .

Awesome Homewood Hills Lot For Sale $44,900.

Call Reign at Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty (706) 372-4166, or (706) 543-4000.

Roommates Share residence w/ another p ro f e s s i o n a l . $ 9 0 0 / m o shared rent which incl. ever ything! Negotiable portion of rent. 20 min.

78–83 Hwy. from Athens/ campus. Great deal for single graduate student, writer, or teacher. Furnished.

Private BR, BA, backyd, sidewalks, streetlamps, nearby cheap gym & space for guest. Extras!

Emailjudiethcarol@ rocketmail.com or (678) 938-1219.

2BR/2BA loft apt. conveniently located in the middle of Dwntn on E. Clayton St. W/D. $1080/ mo. total. Call for showing & m o re d e t a i l s ! ( 2 0 5 ) 218-0602.

S u b l e t i n 5 P t s a re a .

1BA/1BA. Walking distance from UGA, W/D, move-in ready Dec. 20. For spring semester, sign new lease. $575/mo. + utils. (954) 243-6217.

Studying Abroad for Spring &/or Summer. 1BR Studio Dwntn Loft Across from Campus. Very Secure & Private. Walk to Class.

Call Dave for info. (732) 674-8475.

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

Furniture Pillowtop Queen Mattress set. Never used. Still in factory plastic. $260. Full size mattress set. Never used. Still in factory plastic. $160. (706) 769-1959.

Delivery avail.

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 e v e r y t h i n g s t o re ! 2 6 0 W. C l a y t o n S t . , ( 7 0 6 ) 316-0130.

Miscellaneous 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.

TV and Video Get Dish. Free Installation. $19.99/mo. HBO & Showtime Free. Over 50 HD channels Free. Lowest prices. No equipment to buy. Call now for full details (877) 238-8413 (AAN CAN).

Yard Sales Big Garage Sale.

Snowboard, blacklight, kitchen stuff, bed, aquarium, musical instrument, kids stuff, bed, Christmas stuff.

1279 Oconee St. Sat. 11/21, 8am-3pm.

Music

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.

Ampeg Bass cabinet. 4 10” & 1 15” speakers. Beat all to hell & sounds great!

Considering partial trade for smaller cabinet. $500. Call (706) 296-4034.

Wedding Bands. Quality, professional bands. Weddings, parties. Rock, Jazz, etc. Call Classic City Entertainment.

(706) 549-1567. www. classiccityentertainment.com.

Featuring The Magictones— Athens’ premiere wedding & p a r t y b a n d . w w w. themagictones.com.

Do you want to place a Classified but don't see a suitable category?

Suggest one to us! Email Flagpole Classifieds at class@flagpole.com

Vega Recording Studio. $12/ hr. Come & track your music, then take it to your friends who use ProTools. Call (706) 207-7581 for more info.

Equipment

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.

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.

Studios

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).

Pregnant? Considering 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). ➤ continued on next page

Clothing Boutique. Designer Clothes, Jewelry, Handbags.

All must go. Make offer.

(706) 340-3717.

WELCH PLACE

CALL DEALFOR S!

The BEST Deal in Five Points Just Got Better! $

From 315 a Bedroom

3BR Townhomes and 4BR/3BA Townhouse w/ Study Includes Washer & Dryer, Free Wireless and 42” Plasma TV! Call Today for viewing.

706-549-7371

NOVEMBER 18, 2009 · FLAGPOLE.COM

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Home and Garden Advertise your seasonal b u s i n e s s ! F i re w o o d , christmas 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.

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.

Legal Services

Photography

Have you won a judgement? Did you collect it? At Peachtree Judgment Recovery we specialize in locating debtors & their assets to collect civil judgments.

Turn that worthless piece of paper into cash! Call (706) 621-3261 or visit us on the web at www.

EnforceMyJudgment.com/ peachtree/.

Holiday photos make great gifts! Creative & affordable portraits. Families, Graduates, Bands. Wedding & event services also available. www.christopher h e l m p h o t o g r a p h y. c o m .

(706) 254-9587.

Tutors One-on-one tutoring.

Experienced in K–12 & home schooling. Certified English, Gifted, Reading, Exceptional Education.

Implementing Princeton Review series working w/ students to prepare for the SAT/ACT tests.

Essay-writing, end of c o u r s e t e s t s , C R C T, & standardized test preperation. $40–$60/hr.

Call or email for info (678) 938-1219, judiethcarol@ rocketmail.com.

Jobs Full-time 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.

UberPrints.com is h i r i n g ! Web company specializing in custom apparel is seeking motivated, talented individuals for its Customer Service & Production Art Depts. To learn more about the positions & to apply, please visit www.uberprints. com/jobs.

Hardcore Sales Reps Needed. Hourly + commission. PT & FT positions avail. I need the best & forget the rest! Call Chris (770) 560-5653.

Opportunities Does your daughter have symptoms of bulimia nervosa? Has your daughter injured herself on purpose? Researchers at the University of Georgia P s y c h o l o g y C l i n i c a re conducting a treatment study for teens w/ symptoms of bulimia nervosa & deliberate self harm. Open to teenage girls age 16–18.

Receive $300 upon completion of study!

For more info, please email the Eating, Drinking, & Personality Research lab at the University of Georgia at bnstudy@uga.edu, or call (706) 542-3827.

Earn $40! UGA researchers looking for F age 18 & older who purge at least twice/mo. to participate in a 1–visit research study.

Contact bnstudy@uga.edu.

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).

High School diploma! Fast, affordable & accredited.

Free brochure. Call now!

(800) 532-6546 ext.

9 7 . G o t o h t t p : / / w w w. continentalacademy.com (AAN CAN).

PT Nurse Practitioner wanted immediately. 12–24 hrs/wk in local community free healthcare clinic. Salary competitive. Contact Deb Williams at (706) 613-6976 for more info.

Women! Earn $18K–$30K for 6 egg donations w/ the largest, most experienced agency in the US. Call (800) 444-7119 or apply online at www.theworldeggbank.com (AAN CAN).

Vehicles

Part-time Dental assistant needed part-time for busy Athens practice. Mon–Fri, from 8am–1pm. $15/hr. will be paid during training period, $ 2 0 / h r. o n c e t r a i n e d .

Must be computer literate & available to work for minimum of 3 consecutive years due to cost of training. Bachelors degree and minimum 3.5 GPA preferred. Pls. reply w/ your educational & w o r k h i s t o r y. A p p l y online at DentalAthens@ gmail.com.

Mystery shoppers earn up to $100/day. Undercover shoppers needed to j u d g e re t a i l & d i n i n g establishments. No exp. req’d. (800) 743-8535.

PT AM server needed.

Email greenhotelathens@ gmail.com.



Autos

1991 Mazda Navajo.

4–wheel drive, 6 cyl., 5 spd., good tires, great engine. $1K. (706) 296-4034.

Chevy Astro Passanger Van 1996. Good condition, runs well. Seats 2–8. Removable seats. $3200. Call Tony (478) 397-4696.

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.

Motorcycles For Sale. 2007 250 Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle.

Black w/ red flames. Like new, only 14 mi. $2700 OBO. Call (706) 788-3160.

Yamaha 650 V-Star Classic. 2001 cruiser.

8K miles, black, excellent condition.

New windshield, luggage rack, & tires.

Ridden daily. $2950 firm. (706) 254-6529.

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Powerathens.com 34

FLAGPOLE.COM ∙ NOVEMBER 18, 2009

everyday people SVETLANA ROSTOVA, WINE BUYER & CONSULTANT Svetlana Rostova grew up in Rostov-on-Don, a city of over a million people in southern Russia, which lies near the borders of Ukraine and Georgia—the countries of her mother and father, respectively. Svetlana went to college in Rostov-onDon and studied nuclear and theoretical physics, but in 1993, soon after graduating and after the collapse of the U.S.S.R., she moved to Los Angeles. It wasn’t a totally surprising move, given that she had built an impressive acting résumé as a child. In L.A. she studied directing and worked on special effects for big-name films like Meet the Parents and Men of Honor. After her seventh year in Hollywood, however, she became fed up with the film industry and decided to devote her energies to wine, a family tradition.

For Svetlana, coming to Athens was no accident, but staying here was. In the spring of 2007 she was in the process of moving to Costa Rica to work for an upstart wine company (which has since failed) and stopped in Athens to pick up her two dogs that a friend was watching. At some point, Svetlana wandered into the Five Points Bottle Shop and got along so well with the staff that she was offered a job. She accepted, and today she decides which bottles you’ll see on the shop’s packed shelves.

FP: What were you doing when the Soviet empire collapsed?

SR: … Actually I was working on a TV station when the Soviet Union fell apart… and I even had a letter from President Yeltsin thanking [us] for helping [him] come to power.

FP: Do you have any opinion on the recent Russia-Georgia conflict?

SR: When it just started, I was absolutely on the side of Russia. Because I have been to northern Ossetia many times,

Charles-Ryan Barber

Flagpole: How did you get into wine?

Svetlana Rostova: I grew up around it. My father was making wine, and I was always with him; since I was five I was tasting with him—I don’t know if that’s good to say in this country.

[Laughs.] …I was always around the wine-making process. Then, when I came to this country, my first couple jobs were in fine restaurants with fine wines… After I worked in the film industry and decided to quit it, I came back to the wine industry…

I’ve been doing it for many years now.

from other countries was quite restricted… I was listening to American music since I was a little kid, but it was not allowed.

So, it was like secret kind of thing I was doing. …I mean yes, standing in lines was not fun. When my mother would wake me up at 5 o’clock in the morning since I was like six or seven and say, “Go and stand in line for milk.”

And I stay in line for like three hours and they say, “They didn’t deliver milk to the store today.” But the rest of it: I got a great education, I was able to study all types of arts and sports… and it was all free, obviously.

FP: What made you decide to quit the film industry?

SR: It’s a very complicated industry, you know? It’s even still now a pretty sexist industry. For a woman, it’s very difficult.

FP: Can you tell me a little about the wine-making process?

SR: It’s an extremely complicated process… Wine makers know—a lot of them, their families were making it for centuries—they know exactly when to pick their grapes. Because it needs to be exactly the right time: if you pick a little bit too early, you lose something; if you pick a little bit too late, you get too much of something extra, jammy wines come out of it.

Then you need to know how to treat them after this—how long to press, how long to keep the skins on them. It’s extremely, extremely complicated.

FP: So, it appears that Chile and Argentina are the emerging players in the wine market right now. After them, who do you think will be next?

SR: You know what my feeling is? It would be Eastern Europe, like Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, because that’s one of the oldest proven regions to produce wine. I have wines from Transylvania right now.

FP: What was it like growing up in the Soviet era?

SR: You know, honestly, I had a great, happy childhood.

Only one thing I was always missing was some kind of chance to go somewhere outside of the Soviet Union. My parents made the effort to send me all over the Soviet Union; I was traveling since I was five, which I loved, but I always dreamed to go to some other countries, and this was impossible. Culture

and this part was always part of Russia, and as much as I adore Georgia, and it’s my second home, I feel that that was overreaction on their part. But then, overreaction from Russia happened, too, so right now I don’t like either one of the sides on that part of the conflict.

FP: What’s your favorite book?

SR: …Quite a few Russian books… Doctor Zhivago. That’s very famous; a movie was made about it, too. It’s really nice; it’s about Russian history.

FP: What do you think of Athens?

SR: Oh, I love it. I mean, after living in Los Angeles, it’s much more laid-back; people are nicer, much more open. It’s a pretty nice little town. Pretty cosmopolitan, really interesting, different people. I like it.

FP: If you could do one thing to improve Athens, what would it be?

SR: …Public transportation. I grew up in a big city, so I’m for the public transportation, but I think that’s a problem pretty much all over the country, with exception of a few cities like New York… otherwise, I think it’s pretty good… If it can rain a little bit less than this year, yeah, that’ll be good.

Jeff Gore

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