May 9th, 2018 by Flagpole Magazine

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MAY 9, 2018 · VOL. 32 · NO. 18 · FREE

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this week’s issue

contents

TIMOTHY DUFFY

A BOARD GAME CAFÉ

Folk singer-songwriter Dom Flemons will play this year’s AthFest Music and Arts Festival, which takes place June 22–24. The festival released its full lineup this week. Get the details at flagpole.com.

NEWS: City Dope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Candidate Fundraising Numbers and More Local News NEWS: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

A Rundown of Local School Board Races MUSIC: Threats & Promises . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

New Tunes From Telemarket, Futo and More ARTS: Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Take Michael Ian Black Seriously, Please ADVERTISING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Alicia Nickles EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner ADVERTISING SALES Anita Aubrey, Jessica Pritchard Mangum MANAGING EDITOR & MUSIC EDITOR Gabe Vodicka CITY EDITOR Blake Aued ARTS EDITOR & DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Jessica Smith CLASSIFIEDS & OFFICE MANAGER Stephanie Rivers AD DESIGNER Anna LeBer CARTOONISTS Lee Gatlin, Missy Kulik, David Mack, Jeremy Long PHOTOGRAPHERS Nicole Adamson, Jessica Silverman CONTRIBUTORS Bonita Applebum, Lauren Baggett, Tom Crawford, John Huie, Gordon Lamb, Rebecca McCarthy, Bobby Moore, Marc Schultz, Drew Wheeler, Baynard Woods CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Ernie LoBue, Dain Marx, Taylor Ross EDITORIAL INTERNS Tré Brown, Megan Wahn ADVERTISING INTERN Lindsey Whitten COVER PHOTOGRAPH of Cicada Rhythm by Jason Huffer (see feature story on p. 13) STREET ADDRESS: 220 Prince Ave., Athens, GA 30601 MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1027, Athens, GA 30603 EDITORIAL: 706-549-9523 · ADVERTISING: 706-549-0301 · FAX: 706-548-8981 CLASSIFIED ADS: class@flagpole.com ADVERTISING: ads@flagpole.com CALENDAR: calendar@flagpole.com EDITORIAL: editor@flagpole.com

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Flagpole, Inc. publishes Flagpole Magazine weekly and distributes 14,500 copies free at over 275 locations around Athens, Georgia. Subscriptions cost $70 a year, $40 for six months. © 2018 Flagpole, Inc. All rights reserved.

VOLUME 32 ISSUE NUMBER 18

This Modern World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Democracy in Crisis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Harry Sims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Locavore . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Cicada Rhythm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Art Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Movie Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Flick Skinny . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 The Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Bulletin Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Art Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Adopt Me . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Puzzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Hey, Bonita . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Local Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Pub Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Harry Sims

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“As someone who depends on public transit, ride-hailing services and MY OWN FEET to get me places, I can assure you that there is no such thing as a ‘sidewalk to nowhere.’ Instead, there is a fragmented pedestrian infrastructure wherein those who own vehicles assume that places can only be connected by driving to them. ” — Jason Ganesh From “Candidates Talk Complete Streets, Budget as Mayoral Race Winds Down,” at flagpole.com.

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route changes are also detailed.) Several routes would be simplified, Eastside service expanded and service added to Whitehead Road. A little-used route through Forest Heights would be eliminated. The No. 9 night bus would be eliminated, adding an additional Eastside night bus instead. Routes through campus would diverted away from Sanford Drive, where a new bridge is being built. Buses would continue to serve “transit-dependent” citizens well, while speeding up service, the report says. At the end of commissioners’ first-Tuesday voting meetings, citizens can speak

are available to run such a program, she said, if the county could provide facilities. Imani Scott-Blackwell (who is running for school board) said such a program also addresses health and educational issues. “These are all things that ultimately cost our community, that could be rectified by just investing in our children,” she said. By Blake Aued and John Huie news@flagpole.com A big reason Grand Slam was not continued, recalled Commissioner Jared Bailey, The Athens bus system—the state’s secNeSmith asked for a work session prewas the retirement of a dynamic leader. ond-largest behind MARTA—is progressive sentation with more details on the route “Getting some more strong leadership in many ways, with real-time online bus changes. It will be held May 17, and other would be important for a program like tracking, bike racks on buses and new, public hearings have also been scheduled that,” he said. efficient hybrid buses. Still, bus riders wait this week, including one Wednesday, Mayor Nancy Denson responded by unsheltered in the sun appointing five comand rain at many stops, missioners (chaired by and buses tend to be slow. Commissioner Mike A new 380-page consulHamby) to discuss how tant-produced “transit community groups can development plan,” two partner with the county to years in the works, recspend $2.8 million in salesommends changes. Some tax money earmarked for would need additional youth development. “It’s a money budgeted: new very nice chunk of money routes, more frequent sersitting out there to do some vice, Wi-Fi on buses, more of the things we were asked marketing, better access to do tonight.” for the disabled. But other As for the Reese/ changes would cost nothing Hancock neighborhood, and could be implemented Hamby said “there’s been quickly, such as simplifying some fits and starts” but some routes by changing $25,000 is budgeted to “to loops to faster out-and-back determine from residents routes while covering nearly what they want to happen.” the same territory. And cannabis: Several Those changes will now citizens wanted it decrimbe delayed as Athens-Clarke inalized. “It’s going to do a County commissioners lot of good for our commuagonize over whether nity if we can keep people the lack of public objecout of jail,” Aaron Gregory tions means there aren’t said. “I have over 800-plus any—or whether people names on this petition, just haven’t heard about and that’s me only going Candidates Richie Knight (mayor), Joe Hunt (10th Congressional District), Harry Sims (mayor), Lisa Lott (Superior Court judge), Imani Scott-Blackwell the changes. “We’ve had out for three days.” Denson (School board District 5), Ovita Thornton (Commission District 9), Richard Dien Winfield (10th Congressional District) and Bill Overend (Commission seven public meetings up to ran for re-election in 2014 District 7) gathered at City Hall last week for an event to promote Saturday voting, which will take place in Athens from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. May 12 at the this point,” ACC Manager saying that small amounts Board of Elections, 155 E. Washington Street. ACC will add two additional voting sites for the week of May 14–18: City Hall and the ACC Library. Both Blaine Williams told comof pot should be decrimiwill be open from 10 a.m.–5 p.m. missioners last week. But “I nalized; but then in 2016 don’t think it’s really been told The Red & Black that it’s discussed enough,” Commissioner Jerry May 9 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and two more on any subject for three minutes, and last a “firm no” on decriminalization while she NeSmith said. “The route changes kind of Thursday, May 10 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. and week over a dozen did. A proposed Hancock is mayor. Even if pot were legal to possess, got buried as far as the public is concerned.” 3–7 p.m. (See accgov.com/transit, where the Corridor historic district wasn’t on the “you still have to go to somebody to buy it agenda, but several citizens wanted to talk illegally,” Denson said. about it. “I’m confused why we’re about Flagpole asked Denson to clarify her two weeks away from that demolition morview. “I was disappointed that the recent atorium ending, and nothing’s happened FDA review did not remove marijuanna at that neighborhood, and yet the Five [sic] as a Schedule One drug, as I believe Points neighborhood gets their historic there are yet untapped medical uses, and district,” said Kristen Morales, who helped this category makes even research difficult,” get the Buena Vista district approved five she wrote back. “However, they did not, and years ago. (A historic district for parts of it is still illegal under both state and federal Milledge Circle and Castilla Avenue cleared law to grow, possess or deal in marijuanna. the Historic Preservation Commission last “We have no authority to [decriminalweek.) ize]. The parallel ordinance many support Several citizens asked for the moratosimply creates a local ordinance governing rium to be extended, to give some protecpossession of less than an ounce and allows tion to longtime and current neighborhood our local police the discretion of citing residents and prevent it from quickly tranunder local ordinance or state law. UGA sitioning to student housing. Jody Barber and other agencies are not bound by city said he knows most of his Reese Street ordinances. Many people don’t even realize neighbors, but feels a “loss of the neighwhen they have left the county. borhood” because people come and go so “My objections are several: Young people quickly in some houses. coming into the community will think they Citizens also wanted to talk about Grand are not breaking any law possessing small Slam, an after-hours recreation youth amounts, when in fact they are in violation program that was discontinued in 2010. of both state and federal law. Possession Kirrena Gallagher’s two sons, she said, “go with intent to sell would still be cited under to school with children who know or are state law. part of gangs, or have access to guns, or “I believe we would entice some people who regularly get in fights. And those chilinto a false sense that marijuanna posdren are left with nothing to do during the session is legal. More unemployed young summer.” Local donations and volunteers people will likely be drawn into the drug

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Bus Route Changes Delayed PLUS, CANDIDATES’ CASH AND MORE LOCAL POLITICAL NEWS

F L A G P O L E . C O M | M AY 9 , 2 0 1 8

business and subject to arrest and jail time. “With thousands of young people coming into our community every semester, I believe the potential problems far outweigh any benefit.” [John Huie]

Get That Paper The mayor’s race entered the home stretch with Richie Knight and Commissioner Kelly Girtz in the best position financially. Girtz reported raising nearly $21,000 in February and March in campaign finance documents filed last month, bringing his total to $46,000, and he had more than $10,000 on hand as of Mar. 31. Knight raised nearly $10,000 during the last reporting period and $30,000 overall, and had $16,000 on hand. Harry Sims had raised just $10,000 total—including $1,000 from 2006 mayoral candidate Charlie Maddox, who is heavily involved in his campaign—and had $485 on hand. Despite getting into the race late, District 7 candidate Carl Blount amassed more than $17,000 in just three weeks, primarily from family members, lawyers and developers. Russell Edwards, however, had him beat with nearly $26,000 left on hand out of the $31,000 he’s raised. Another late entrant, Bill Overend, had raised a little under $3,000 as of Mar. 31. Edwards and District 9 candidate Tommy Valentine—who raised about $27,000—have probably both shattered the record for money raised by a commission candidate. But Valentine burned through much of his cash and had just $6,000 left five weeks ago. (He donated $500 to

District 2 candidate and former campaign manager Mariah Parker and paid Imani Scott-Blackwell’s qualifying fee to run for school board.) If money is any indication, District 5 Commissioner Bailey may be in trouble. He raised just $4,100—but his few donors may be more influential than most. He counts among them NeSmith, former commissioners Kathy Hoard and Ed Robinson and planning commissioner Lucy Rowland. Challenger Tim Denson raised more than $10,000, mostly in small donations, and Danielle Benson raised nearly $16,000, including a large number of three-figure contributions from residents of the affluent Moss Side subdivision. Money won’t be much of a factor in District 1, where incumbent Sharyn Dickerson and challenger Patrick Davenport both raised around $5,000. It’s interesting to note, though, that Mayor Nancy Denson, Hoard, former commissioner Tom Chasteen and Laura Carter, widow of Commissioner Charles Carter, are among Dickerson’s supporters. Democratic congressional candidate Richard Winfield and school board members Thornton and Greg Davis are in Davenport’s corner. In District 3, incumbent Melissa Link raised a little under $8,000 to challenger Tony Eubanks’ $4,500. Edwards, Hoard, Davis and a slew of progressive activists are backing Link. Eubanks did not report any contributions of over $100, the threshold over which candidates are required to list donors’ names. In District 2, neither Taylor Pass nor Parker’s disclosures were posted on the ACC Board of Elections website. [Blake Aued] f

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Odds and Ends As reported last week, Commission District 7 candidate Bill Overend was passed over for an endorsement by the Athens-Clarke County Democratic Committee despite being a past chairman of the organization. Overend told Flagpole that he disagrees with the committee’s decision to start endorsing candidates in nonpartisan races because he believes it’s divisive, but he did fill out the group’s questionnaire and returned it, and that his years of service as a Democrat ought to warrant at least a “qualified Democratic candidate” designation. Kelly “Five-Point Plan” Girtz released another set of policy proposals last week, this one on inclusion and diversity, although it included just four points (sad face emoji). Richie Knight, however, has him beat: Knight released a 21-point (count ‘em, 21!) plan. Read ‘em both and wonk yourself out at flagpole.com.

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When we told you the endless slog of mayoral forums was over, we were wrong— there’s at least one more forum left, Monday, May 14 from 7–9 p.m. in the Cedar Shoals High School auditorium. Denson’s proposed fiscal 2019 ACC budget is out, and there’s nothing terribly exciting in it. Although the property tax rate will stay the same at 13.95 mills, county officials expect about $4.3 million additional revenue, mainly because the property tax digest rose 4.5 percent. Most of that money—$2.5 million—will go toward pay raises. A recent study found that ACC lags behind other governments and the private sector, so turnover has risen. The budget also includes additional funding for health care and retirement programs, greenway maintenance and four new positions, as well as a $300 monthly housing stipend for police officers who live within Athens-Clarke County. Public hearings are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 10 and Thursday, May 14 at Planning Department on Dougherty Street and 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 15 at City Hall. Planning commissioners took their first look at the “General Time” mixed-use development and amphitheatre at the old Westclox plant off Newton Bridge Road last week and mostly liked what they saw. The developers will tweak their plans and resubmit them for a vote at a later date. The Clarke County Board of Education sent a controversial proposal governing board communications back to committee last week. The proposal could bar board members from communicating with the public on social media. The board’s Policy Committee will take another crack at the plan, likely on either May 21 or June 4, because its usual meeting date falls on Memorial Day. [BA]

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Demond Means Deserves a Chance

SUPERINTENDENT’S AUTOCRATIC STYLE IS ILL-SUITED FOR CCSD

THE STATUS QUO IN CLARKE COUNTY SCHOOLS ISN’T WORKING

By Karen Sweeney Gerow news@flagpole.com

By Tommie Farmer news@flagpole.com

After observing our school district over that this did not happen. Perhaps if the the last few months, I am left to wonder: decision had gone through LSGTs, teachIs Superintendent Demond Means the ers would have had a chance to point out right choice to move Clarke County schools that they already employ a lot of these forward? Means is passionate, social-jusmethods. Perhaps a parent would have tice-oriented and extraordinarily relatable. wondered about the impact AVID had on Those are all wonderful characteristics, but his previous district. Perhaps a community are they enough to meet the unique chalmember would have been able to delve into lenges of Clarke County? Is his leadership the scant research available about AVID style compatible with the local control our to then find that AVID has no discernible charter system contract dictates? effects on achievement. By bypassing the Recently, I listened to Means’ presentalocal governance teams, we miss out on the tion to the school board about the direction opportunity to make sure these broad-scale in which he wants to take this district. decisions are right for our schools. Most schools in CCSD are going to particiI am not suggesting that Means is not a pate in AVID (Advancement Via Individual good leader. I am, however, suggesting that Determination), a program of strategies his leadership style is not right for Clarke geared toward closing the achievement gap County at this time. His leadership style is by preparing all students for college. very top-down, almost autocratic. As local The board has indicated that it supports school level control has diminished, posithis move based on Means’ experience tions at the top of the organizational chart with the program in his previous district. have grown. Means has imported colleagues In looking at the data from Mequonfrom Milwaukee to head up both elemenThiensville, WI, one is left to wonder what tary and secondary education. They might impressed the board so much. In 2015, be wonderful educators, but their profi44.3 percent of African-American students ciency data, too, would force one to cry. At scored in the proficient range; that number the same time, key positions in the district dropped dramatically to 31.3 percent by go unfilled. Means often asks for people to 2017. Scores of white, Hispanic and ecohold him accountable, yet the people who nomically disadvantaged students dropped would have been able to are no longer in similarly. What exactly is the board seeing those positions. The only ones above Means to inspire such confidence? Means said that on the organizational chart are the Board of Clarke County’s data “forces you to cry.” Did Education, and our board seems only willhe also cry over this 13 percent drop in the ing to place blind trust in him. proficiency of African-American students in This top-down approach to school goverhis former district? nance seems antithetical to the local school We know that Clarke County’s data governance that we are obligated to follow showed troubling disparities, but at least based on our contract with the state. Did the percentage of stuMeans understand the dents scoring in the prolocal governance model We need creative ficient range is increasing when he applied? Did the each year. Means likes to local solutions, not board not see how inconsay that our schools are gruous his leadership perfectly designed for the repackaged national ones. style is with our legally results we are getting. contracted shared goverI would prefer a slow and steady increase nance model? Who is providing oversight to in proficiency over a system that results in ensure that we are in compliance with the staggering drops in proficiency in a threestate contract? What are the implications if year span. it is disregarded? Prior to Means joining CCSD, our county If the local school teams had been given elected to have “local control” at the school the opportunity to provide input prior to level rather than at the board office. When the decision to spend upwards of $300,000 CCSD became a charter system in 2015, on teacher training for AVID, perhaps they schools were required to form Local School would have chosen other ways to spend the Governance Teams (LSGTs). Early on, those funds. In fact, the minutes of two schools of us used to the endless waves of initiaindicated that as of February, they had tives were a bit skeptical about whether or other plans for Title I carryover funds that not LSGTs were worth the many hours of included hiring personnel, buying math training and the million-dollar price tag. We supplies and putting the money towards questioned whether or not LSGTs would summer programs. have staying power, especially as a superWe need creative local solutions, not intendent search was being conducted. We repackaged national ones. Our contract were told that the charter system was a five- with the state gives us the freedom to creyear contract with the state; this was insurate this. It also mandates local control. The ance that the LSGTs and all other aspects of board is the only one who is in a position to the charter system would be in place regard- hold Means accountable to this contract. I less of who became superintendent. call upon them to do so. f Decisions about whether or not AVID Gerow is a CCSD parent and a former CCSD teacher is right for the district are meant to go who now runs the private school Double Helix. This through LSGTs first, not after Means and article originally appeared in the Apr. 15 Athens the board decide that they are the right Banner-Herald and is reprinted with the author’s move for the district. One only has to permission. read the minutes of LSGT meetings to see

A headline in the Apr. 15 Athens BannerHerald opinion section asked, “Is superintendent the right choice to lead Clarke schools?” The answer is a resounding “yes.” Demond Means is the right choice for leading educational improvements for students enrolled in the Clarke County School District. Means has a vision for quality improvement, and that plan should move forward with deliberate speed. If those who have been entrusted to teach the students can’t commit to embracing the strategies and changes needed for student success, especially students who are underachieving, then maybe they should seek alternative careers or move to another district. It is obvious that the strategies that have been used in past years are not working for the vast majority of the students. I do not believe the issues in the CCSD are AVID, local school governance teams, a team from Wisconsin, blind BOE members, repackaged national initiatives or others listed by the author. We have a new superintendent who will hold all of us—principals, teachers, parents, students, employees and this entire community— accountable; who is not afraid to advocate for underachieving students; who will not accept poverty as an excuse for underperformance; who believes poverty is a factor, not an excuse; who is courageous enough to communicate the urgent problems to the community; who is committed to changing the status quo; who firmly believes in equity and social justice for all; and who is sensitive and compassionate. We have a young, gifted and black superintendent who is not ashamed to cry because it hurts to see the condition of our underachieving students. More importantly, we have a new superintendent who believes all students can learn and will learn. Those teachers who have just been collecting a paycheck will have to perform now. Means’ leadership style requires change—a change in teaching methodology, distribution of resources and expectations. These changes frighten and threaten the status quo. The AVID program adopted by the BOE seems to upset the author. The question was, “What exactly is the board seeing to inspire such confidence?” I am sure each BOE member would be happy to respond, especially the BOE member who represents her district. After being here for less than a year, Means’ leadership style has been attacked. Because Means introduced the AVID program and the BOE supported it, his leadership style is deemed autocratic. Keep in mind that each principal and school had the opportunity to opt out of the AVID

“

F L A G P O L E . C O M | M AY 9 , 2 0 1 8

AUSTIN STEELE

Means’ Missteps

program. Three schools—Chase Elementary and Clarke Central and Cedar Shoals high schools—did opt out for various reasons. Is that top-down or autocratic? I am sure Means would have been and is more than willing to hear the author’s points of view pertaining to the AVID program. One of his strong points is being a great listener. That is evident in all of the meetings he has held across this community. So, Means has hired a new team. What does it matter whether the team is from Wisconsin or Georgia? The author should know by now it is nothing new for a new coach to bring in a new team, whether it’s an educational team or a football team. Blind trust was mentioned. I think our BOE members have 20/20 vision. They can very well see that CCSD was sinking quite rapidly. They had enough vision to see a change had to be made. Yes, the author has valid questions about the overseer of the charter system. Just remember, this system was in place before Means arrived. There is still an overseer who is performing those duties until a new person is in place, even after being promoted. We need more committed personnel like that—not just hardworking, but compassionate and committed, doing whatever it takes to move the district in a more positive direction. We do not need people who spend time grumbling and tearing down Means’ leadership. How can Means’ leadership style be incompatible with the local governance model when he has not been here long enough? Instead of focusing on the vision, he’s been too busy trying to respond to questions from disgruntled folks who probably have minimal expectations of our low socioeconomic students or no interest in equity and success for all students. Some of the questions I have heard could have been answered by the outgoing Chase Elementary principal. We need solutions for this crisis in education—whether they are local, regional, national or even repackaged. I suggest that the author find ways to work with the superintendent, BOE, teachers, parents, students, principals, other stakeholders and this entire community for the sake of all of our children. How can anyone be satisfied with this status quo? Clarke County has an opportunity to move forward. Let’s not waste any more time. Let’s not waste energy finding ways to undermine our new superintendent. I’d rather try to save a sinking ship, as opposed to throwing stones so it can sink even faster. Join the team. f Tommie Farmer is a retired CCSD teacher and chair of the local NAACP’s education committee.

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democracy in crisis

Late Registration to Trump University ‘FREE THINKERS’ LIKE KANYE COULD LEARN SOMETHING FROM CARDI B By Brandon Soderberg democracyincrisiscolumn@gmail.com the corporations paying them. Going half-Nazi is a different response surely. When Cardi B stomped through her video for “Bodak Yellow” with an anarchy symbol appended to her dress, nobody really cared. The anarchy symbol she wore was an accoutrement, clearly, a fashionable pose that framed the stripper-turned-Instagram-star-turned-reality-show-star—

KANYE WEST VIA TWITTER

When Kanye West took to Twitter to post a photo of himself in one of those dog-erection-red “Make America Great Again” hats, that was kind of the end right right there. Or the end of the end. The rapper—who for more than a decade had merged a kind of political, underground rap sensibility with David Bowie-like art-pop—first veered right in 2016, when he dyed his hair blond and met with Trump. Over the past few weeks, however, his resurrected Twitter account has become a kind of red-pilled hot mess of bad faith arguments culled from 4chan and the dank armpits of Reddit threads and YouTube channels and presented under this loose, critique-proof construct of “free thought.” Ideas such as how slavery “looked like a choice” to him are just West riffing, wondering where’s the harm in siding with racist alt-lighters adjacent to fascism and and allowing them use your celebrity and platform to spread their terrible ideas? Rich people are all crazy. Making lots of money is a sickness, and it isolates you, curdles your thinking and makes you very, very cold. West’s heel turn is only a shocker because, while, sure, he has been a rich, obsequious contrarian for a while now, his music is also a grandiose testament to confusion and occasionally, strong truthto-power talk. The son of a college professor and a former Black Panther, West resisted his parents’ legacies and struggled to live up to those legacies, too, sometimes on the same song and always through a baroque version of boom bap, the sound of empowered, conscious, aware hip-hop since its early ’90s golden era. We should also remember that AmeriKKKa intends to drive its visionary black artists crazy and eat them alive: Lauryn Hill, Dave Chappelle, Kanye and, if some of the confessional paranoia on DAMN. or that recent New York profile are any indication, perhaps Kendrick Lamar or Donald Glover soon enough. It is a no-win situation black popular artists walk into, especially when they locate a sweet spot between being successful and politically engaged. At that moment, everything they do becomes “for the culture,” and they will lose eventually, in the eyes of either The People or

who, it turns out, is one of the most entertaining, empathetic and best rappers around—as an anarchic disruption, a fist to the face of popular rap. Around the same time that West went Trumpie, Cardi went on a rant in an interview with GQ about Franklin Delano Roosevelt. “This man was suffering from polio at the time of his presidency, and yet all he was worried about was trying to make America great—make America great again for real,” she said. “He’s the real ‘Make America Great Again,’ because if it wasn’t for him, old people wouldn’t even get Social Security.” It was one of many tossed-off, on-point political observations Cardi B has delivered amid her ascent over the past year or so. At the MTV Video Music Awards in the fall, Cardi declared, “Colin Kaepernick, as long as you kneel with

us, we’re gonna be standing for you, baby! That’s right, I said it!” She has taken to Instagram to tell her fans not to bully, and, after Hurricane Maria, posted to Twitter a video of a room full of supplies and commented, “Look what the strip club I used to work at collected for Puerto Rico.” Cardi wasn’t trying to make a big deal out of any of them, though her FDR love was quickly picked up by progressives. Bernie Sanders retweeted the account Social Security Works, which turned Cardi’s observation into a shareable image and declared, in a tweet and then a short video, “Cardi B is right. If we are really going to make America great we need to strengthen Social Security so that seniors are able to retire with the dignity they deserve.” Unlike West, who is willing to bend over backwards for some Trump love, Cardi hasn’t done much to cosign Sanders. And there is the profound Sanders hypocrisy in voting for the SESTA/FOSTA bills, which punish websites promoting sex-work ads and will push sex work further underground, while glomming onto a former stripper’s statements on Social Security—but hey, what else is new. The entire right wing is as stupid as Kanye West has become. Far worse than West is Ross Douthat of The New York Times fusing his Catholic, joy-free, moralistic nonsense about sex and where the culture’s headed with the philosophy of so-called incels or “involuntary celibates”—violent sexists like Alek Minassian, who in Toronto last month drove a van into a group of people, killing 10, including eight women, for revenge against all of the women everywhere who he believes should have sex with him but won’t. In Douthat’s piece, “The Redistribution of Sex,” he defends incels’ beliefs, calling them a “respon[se] to the logic of late-modern sexual life,” and imagining a future in which “sex would be more justly distributed than it is today.” This is Douthat free-thinking. Someone with the privilege—in this case whiteness, maleness and economic comfort—to turn lives and agency into something theoretical, abstract, just a commodity to be redistributed. So congratulations, Kanye West: You’re as much of a free thinker as some New York Times ninny. And then there’s the ridiculous outrage about Michelle Wolf’s jokes at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, wherein the comedian said what needed to be said and was entertaining along the way and everyone freaked out, including the Douthats in the White House press corps— the latest example of right-winger fragility. And her closing comment, “Flint still doesn’t have clean water,” is the 2018 mic-drop that West’s own “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” was back in 2005. f

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M AY 9 , 2 0 1 8 | F L A G P O L E . C O M

Public Notice

Postponement of TDP Recommended Route Changes Effective immediately, all newly proposed Athens Transit route changes are postponed until further notice. Athens Transit will operate the same summer schedules as it did in 2017 (last summer), effective Sunday, May 6, 2018. Additionally, because of the closure of the Sanford Drive Bridge, Routes 9, 12, 14, 25, and 26 will be detoured. Please check our website for specific route and detour information and expect delays. Individual route schedules are available on our website at www.accgov.com/transit or by calling 706-613-3430. Athens Transit will hold public hearings to receive comments on the 2018 Transit Development Plan (TDP) recommended route changes.

Public Hearings will be held on:

Tuesday, May 8, 3:00pm – 7:00pm Wednesday, May 9, 12:00pm – 3:00pm Thursday, May 10, 11:00am -2:00pm and 3:00pm – 7:00pm. Location: Athens-Clarke County Multimodal Transportation Center, 775 East Broad Street, Athens GA 30601

www.accgov.com/transit 8

F L A G P O L E . C O M | M AY 9 , 2 0 1 8

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Out of the Loop HARRY SIMS HAS A DIFFERENT VISION OF ATHENS FOR EVERYONE By Rebecca McCarthy news@flagpole.com principals and hundreds of students before retiring. While he was teaching, he ran for a seat on the Athens City Council and served two and a half years, until the city and county governments unified in 1990. He lost an election to Tom Chasteen and later

“For instance, out here,” he says, gesturing to an open pasture in Winterville, “you have septic systems that are going to fail. You’re going to have houses that aren’t inhabitable. These old systems out Nowhere Road, they’re reaching the end of their life span.” Sims is at a fundraiser off Beaverdam Road, where the late Commissioner Charles Carter used to farm. He had been to church earlier that day at East Friendship Baptist, where he’s been a deacon for decades. One of those attending the fundraising event says she knows Carter would support Sims if he were alive. Sims laughs. He says the two men sat next to each other during commission meetings for years, “and I loved that man and his sense of humor.” Like Carter, Sims is an Athens native, a graduate of Burney-Harris High and the University of Georgia. After a year of working with his stepfather at the W.C. Crawford Coal and Mattress Company—“at one of those jobs that gives you a push to get your behind to school and to do what you need to do”—he started college. It was 1968, seven years after Charlayne Hunter and Hamilton Holmes had integrated UGA. Sims says he was one of maybe 80 black students on campus. “It was a big change,” he says, the first time he was in school with white students. “It was a year and a half before I was in a class with another black student. I’d look around at the white students and think, ‘Well, this is who I have to compete against.’” An interest in helping children led him to major in elementary education. He started teaching at Barrow Elementary School and never left, lasting through five

defeated Miriam Moore for the District 2 commission seat, which he kept for 25 years. He says he decided to run for the mayor’s office about a year ago, “after much prayer and supplication. I knew Nancy [Denson] couldn’t run again and thought there’s a time and a season for everything, and this is the time.” For the past few years, Sims has been involved in youth development programs to prevent young people in town from joining gangs, chairing a task force appointed by Denson after departing police chief Jack Lumpkin warned officials that gangs were making a comeback. He says he’s proud of the commission’s preparations for infrastructure, especially the expansion and upgrade of waste treatment plants. It gives the county capacity until 2050. He chaired the pension board for the county and watched the employee pension fund grow from $32 million to $240 million. “Someone asked me how we did that and I said, ‘You give us nothing, we can make something. You give us something, we can make a lot of it,’” he says. One problem he sees in town is that there are so many nonprofits that are territorial, leaving him to wonder “who’s in charge” and why they don’t consolidate in order to get a bigger part of the pie. “Sometimes it seems they’re not working together,” he says. Rather than copy programs or projects that have succeeded in Greenville, SC, Portland, OR, Chattanooga, TN or Boulder, CO, Sims believes “Athens has its own characteristics and strengths. We need to build on those things instead of copying these other places.” f

LAMON CARSON

What will you get if former Commissioner Harry Sims gets elected mayor? He says you’ll get “open-mindedness, not tunnel vision,” from someone whose focus is all of Athens-Clarke County, not just the area inside the bypass.

M AY 9 , 2 0 1 8 | F L A G P O L E . C O M

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Schooling the Voters TWO SPOTS ARE OPEN ON THE CLARKE COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD By Blake Aued news@flagpole.com Voters in two of nine Clarke County Board of Education districts will select new representatives on May 22, at a time when newly hired Superintendent Demond Means is making a few waves by making his mark on the school district. The races pit a University of Georgia lecturer and mom against an undergraduate student in District 5 and a twoterm board member against a former CCSD counselor in District 7. District 7 board member Carol Williams, a Realtor, put three now-grown children through CCSD schools and has served on the board since 2011. Prior to that, she was on the state school board, which she says gave her a broad perspective on education. It’s a thankless job, she says, but an important one. “If you were here for recognition, you’d better go somewhere else, because this is laser-focused on students Carol Williams and teachers and achievement in the school district,” she says. The board’s role—often misunderstood—is limited: hire a superintendent, approve policies and budgets, and stay out of day-to-day management. One thing Williams is proud of is working with former superintendent Philip

F L A G P O L E . C O M | M AY 9 , 2 0 1 8

Lanoue and other board members to put the district on sound financial footing. “We had not had clean audits for a long time,” she says. Her opponent, LaKeisha Gantt, worked in about half of CCSD’s 21 schools before moving to the private sector in 2015. Her last job was training bus drivers at Clarke Central High School to handle behavioral problems. She also has four children ranging from 5–15 in Clarke County public schools. “My kids are all in school now, and I want to do this [run for office] at a time when I’m naturally connected to schools,” she says. As a counselor, part of Gantt’s job was coordinating among parents, teachers and administrators—but that communication was sometimes lacking, she says, and the job became harder and harder because of a lack of clinical supervision and work-life balance. “At the time, I felt the district had plateaued in terms of how it was addressing issues of climate and culture,” she says. A year later, an alleged sexual assault at Cedar Shoals High School led to a flood of complaints about lack of

LaKeisha Gantt

communication, discipline and other problems within the district, and eventually the departure of Lanoue, the National Superintendent of the Year. “When Cedar happened and sort of the curtain was pulled back, we realized there was a lot to be done,” Williams says. The school board ordered a rewrite of the student code of conduct after teachers and parents said it didn’t lay out clear consequences for students who broke rules. However, Gantt says the district still has work to do “figuring out

JESSICA SILVERMAN

ways to shift how discipline is done.” Students should face intervention to correct the root cause of behavior rather than punishment, she says, and more conversations about issues like weapons, drugs and bullying are still needed. Kara Dyckman, running in District 5, has a number of similarities to Gantt, both professionally and personally: She has a psychology background and two children at Chase Street Elementary, and serves on the Local School Governance Team, a newly formed body that sets some policies for Chase and advises the principal and BOE on others. Dyckman attended UGA, left for graduate school, then came back and has been a lecturer in clinical psychology since 2010. She settled in Oconee County but moved to Athens after realizing she wanted to send her children to CCSD, “mostly for the diversity in the schools.” While diversity is also important to the other District 5 candidate, Imani Scott-Blackwell, she comes at it from a very different angle. Her brother has served time in prison, and she was expelled from high school in Gwinnett County after, she says, another student falsely accused her of selling drugs. Before that, she says she was “always very engaged in education and loved school.” She was running for class president and dreamed of attending Harvard. After her expulsion, ScottBlackwell says she spent her senior year being home-schooled and fell into a depression that only Kara Dyckman lifted when she found out she had been accepted into UGA. A while back, she stumbled upon an Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement workshop on the “school-to-prison pipeline” for African Americans, especially boys. “That’s when I realized, ‘Gosh, this is how it happens,’” she says. Scott-Blackwell is now 22 and on pace to graduate with a degree in philosophy in December. Her age became an issue when she challenged Dyckman to a one-on-one debate. Dyckman declined because the two had already participated in several forums, and she didn’t feel comfortable with the power dynamics of a teacher debating a student, rather than answering questions posed by a moderator. Although most students move away after graduation, “I’m going to be in Athens for a long time” working to solve the community’s poverty crisis, Scott-Blackwell promises. Her youth could even be considered an advantage, as she’d be the only school board member who was educated in the post-No Child Left Behind world of overtesting, where students are reduced to a “walking GPA.” Means has expressed concerns about equity and social justice—“This is my niche,” ScottImani Scott-Blackwell Blackwell says. “This is what I need to be focused on”—but she questions’ Means priorities and reliance on data. “Human beings are not data points or statistics,” she says. Instead of test scores, she would look at factors like parental involvement, attendance and classroom participation to measure progress. Gantt shares some of Scott-Blackwell’s suspicions about data. “I think there was a focus on numbers” under Lanoue, Gantt says. “I’m not saying numbers don’t mean anything, but they can’t be the tail that wags the dog.” She is not sold on Means, but likes what she’s heard so far. “I’m still learning about Dr. Means,” she says. “I think he has highlighted one of our issues, which is disparity.” Addressing that issue “has to be done carefully and

intentionally,” she says, “with the understanding that it’s not going to be easy, and it’s going to be uncomfortable.” Means has put an emphasis on academic rigor, ScottBlackwell says, while she would focus on the highest-need students who struggle in unique ways; for example, by feeding students dinner in addition to breakfast and lunch. An emphasis on helping low-income black and brown students would help higher-achieving white and higher-income students as well, she says, by reducing discipline problems and making classrooms easier to manage. Dyckman, meanwhile, says she appreciates Means’ focus on literacy, math and especially social and emotional development. “Everybody is coming in with vastly different home environments and things that they’re experiencing,” she says. “Social environment, past experience, expectations all affect the way we behave.” But she questions the AVID program, a teaching method Means is implementing this fall that aims to improve student achievement—especially for those who fall in between gifted and special-needs—but which many teachers are skeptical of. It takes a hard look to get past AVID’s PR, but most studies show it’s had no effect or a detrimental effect on student achievement, she says. (Scott-Blackwell says she shares Dyckman’s views on AVID.) And although Dyckman believes every student who wants to go to college should be able to, she wonders if the district is pushing too many students toward college. Gantt says she’s still evaluating AVID, while Williams says she supports it—for now. (Means briefed the board on the program, but it didn’t require a vote.) “Any interjections of something causes questions and all of that, but [Means] is confident it will make a difference,” Williams says. “At this point, the board stands behind the decision, and it will be evaluated like everything else.” Some parents have been critical of Means lately regarding AVID and popular Chase principal Adam Kurtz’s departure. But Dyckman doesn’t blame Means for Kurtz leaving. “I really liked working with him, and I know the teachers love him,” she says. “At the same time, he’s been here a long time [14 years], so it makes sense that it’s time to move on.” Williams was partly responsible for hiring Means, and she’s confident he’s the person for the job. “He’s non-stop, putting in a lot of hours,” she says. “He never stops thinking about how things could be better.” If re-elected, Williams says she’s looking forward to continuing the board’s work on its internal policies as it seeks to become more effective. CCSD is now a charter system, with a contract that suspends state requirements in exchange for meeting certain benchmarks, and Williams says she’s looking forward to discussions on implementing the charter system. She’s also eager to re-examine the career academy and consider offering summer classes for students who need to catch up or want to get ahead. The oddly shaped BOE District 5, where Sarah Ellis is stepping down, includes Boulevard, Cobbham, Normaltown and Homewood Hills, as well as neighborhoods along Mitchell Bridge Road. District 7 includes Five Points west of Lumpkin Street, Beechwood and Timothy Road. Two incumbents—Greg Davis in District 1 and Linda Davis in District 3—did not draw challengers. In District 9, Tawana Mattox is running unopposed to replace Ovita Thornton, who is seeking a commission seat. f

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The West Broad Farmers Market opened for demonstrations, offering recipe cards and its fifth season on May 5, and for the most preparation ideas for items that may not be part it was business as usual, except for one familiar to some shoppers. small but crucial change. The market is now “A lot of times in the community, we’re partnering with Wholesome Wave to offer going to buy what we think is easy to prethe Georgia Fresh for Less program to help pare,” Deadwyler says. “If we can make it low-income families in Athens buy fresh affordable along with the cooking demos local produce. we have, they can consume more than they The program—which has been available were prior.” at the Athens Farmers Market for a few The Athens Land Trust is also looking to years now—has incentivized thousands of expand its Farm Share program, offering an Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program alternative way for low-income community (SNAP) recipients to spend over $2 million members to access fresh produce, and to on local produce since its start in 2009. help small or beginning and socially disad“It will help food stamp recipients purvantaged farmers find an outlet to sell their chase more fresh, local produce at half crops. Bagley says the CSA-style program, price,” says West Broad Farmers Market which is headquartered at the land trust’s coordinator Tarsha Deadwyler. Williams Farm off North Avenue, had 52 The process is straightforward, says members this year, but it needs to grow. Deadwyler. Market visitors will swipe their “We see this as a program that is already EBT cards for a certain value and receive great but has potential to grow even furdouble the number of tokens to spend on ther, to impact more people,” especially fruits and vegetables grown by Athens-area SNAP recipients, he says. “Our goal is to farmers. include more of these customers in the The market takes over the blacktop Farm Share program.” of the old West Broad Street School each The biggest limitation, he says, is the Saturday in the growing season, offering upfront cost of joining a farm share. The easy access to residents of the Hancock Corridor. The location of the market is critical, says community agriculture manager Tex Bagley, because the neighborhood is considered a food desert where it’s generally harder to access fresh, affordable food. Part of the mission of the West Broad Farmers Market is to expand access to healthy food, says Bagley, and the health benefits associated with access to fresh It will help food stamp food make “a world of recipients purchase more fresh, difference.” “We want all of local produce at half price. Athens to be coming to the farmers market, but also we want very much to increase access to the program plans to allow SNAP customers to Hancock Corridor,” he says. pay weekly installments and pick up their Farmers markets haven’t always been boxes at the Saturday markets. culturally or financially accessible to low-inHe adds that the Farm Share and Fresh come communities. Adopting the Fresh for Less programs are just part of the land for Less program, says Deadwyler, reduces trust’s larger efforts to provide access to the cost barrier and gives more residents local foods for Athens’ low-income resian incentive to try the market-style way of dents. Outside of the West Broad Farmers purchasing fresh produce. Market and Williams Farm, the land trust “You have three [public housing combegan hosting a pop-up farmers market on plexes] in that area, and the majority of Sundays at the Terrapin brewery, which will people living in the housing authority are run through June. SNAP/EBT recipients, so we’re trying to “We’re hoping to grow that market and encourage them to come out and utilize the draw in more people living in the neighbormarket,” Deadwyler says. “Usually, if you hoods behind the brewery,” says Bagley. “So, come to that market once, you will come we’re continuing to look for ways to provide back.” access to fresh food and education.” Some of the market vegetables can The West Broad Farmers Market is open seem strange to first-time visitors, so the every Saturday from 9 a.m.–1 p.m. through market has always hosted weekly cooking Dec. 15. f

“

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By Lauren Baggett news@flagpole.com

music

feature

JASON HUFFER

ROOTS R DICAL S A

Cicada Rhythm Expands Its Americana Sound By Bobby Moore music@flagpole.com

lthough its name reflects that unavoidable summertime buzz that swarms the region every few years, local Americana duo Cicada Rhythm built a reputation beyond Athens off its modern interpretations of popular music’s Southern roots. On the band’s new album, Everywhere I Go, Juilliard-trained bassist Andrea DeMarcus and guitarist Dave Kirslis wrote songs in the same vein as past releases. But instead of working with a local engineer on stripped-down folk tunes, the duo sought help in Music City. This turned what otherwise might’ve been acceptable album tracks into solid foundations on which producers Kenneth Pattengale (Milk Carton Kids) and Oliver Wood (The Wood Brothers) could build a broader sound. Pattengale did a lion’s share of the production work, recording the band at his Nashville home and in various studios. On Cicada Rhythm’s end, the group brought a strong selection of new songs and a willingness to be constructively criticized by its new supporting cast. “It definitely took us out of our comfort zone,” DeMarcus says.”We always made our music in Georgia— primarily in Athens. We got quite comfy with our friends. Not that that’s a bad thing, but it pushed us to be a little bit better going into it. We had rehearsals just for recording, which had never happened before.” Pattengale’s influence is instantly apparent. A whirring organ sets the pace for opening track “America’s Open Road,” letting fans know right out of the gate that they’re not spinning a typical Cicada Rhythm release. “There was a lot of back-and-forth about that organ part,” Kirslis says. “Some people loved it. I loved it. But

some people were like, ‘No, don’t do that!’” As DeMarcus plainly puts it, the organ part adds a hook to a song that needed one. It doesn’t lessen the duo’s folk sincerity, nor does it water down its sound or turn it into a garage-punk band. If anything, it’s the same progression Bob Dylan experienced in 1965, when he first plugged in his guitar at Newport Folk Festival and had Al Kooper play that sweet organ part on “Like a Rolling Stone.” (Folkies are more prepared all these decades later to embrace such changes, so hopefully it’s not a polarizing development.) Other added bells and whistles, including Pattengale’s own electric guitar riffs, came via forces outside of the band. “A lot of the auxiliary instruments on the record came from Kenneth and his source of immeasurably talented friends,” DeMarcus says. “We would go up there and record, and then he’d spend the following week inviting his friends to his house and recording them. The violin and the cello are [played by] two of his really great friends.” Pattengale pals appearing on the album include Jerry Douglas bandmate and fiddle virtuoso Christian Sedelmyer. Cicada Rhythm brought some Athens talent to the fray, as well, including drummer Colin Agnew and steel guitarist and Cracker member Matt “Pistol” Stoessel. Wood produced three tracks—the rollicking duet “Shake Up,” DeMarcus’ socio-political statement “Do I Deserve It Yet” and the orchestral indie-rock opus “Even in the Shadows.” Among his creative wrinkles was the decision to capture these songs in an old church with high ceilings. When Pattengale wanted to record the tracks “Roses By My Side” and “Back Home” live, he took the band back to the church to recapture that same intimate feel. By incorporating both producers’ similar yet distinct

visions, DeMarcus and Kirslis added new facets to their already proven creative process. “It was awesome, because we could fall in love with our songs in a different way,” DeMarcus says. “They weren’t completely overworked or even created from desperation. I feel like sometimes in the studio, you’re kind of like, ‘Oh, we’ve got to come up with something good.’ Kenneth kind of took that away from us so we could just look at it from the outside. That was really cool.” However, neither band member sees this new recording process as cause to shake up their songwriting approaches or creative goals. “The only thing that’ll help me, song-wise, is I don’t have to worry so much about what goes on top of it,” DeMarcus says. “I can just write a really solid foundation. When it comes to recording the new stuff, I don’t have to worry about all the extra parts, or the glitter and sparkles that go on top of it.” By placing more trust in ambitious out-of-towners, DeMarcus and Kirslis found themselves freed up to focus on their bread-and-butter—genuine, roots-based songwriting. As long as they keep writing straight from the heart, expect this fuller take on a proven formula to remain the perennial soundtrack of fans’ hazy Georgia summers. f

WHO: Cicada Rhythm, The Artisanals, The Viking Progress WHERE: The Foundry WHEN: Thursday, May 10, 7 p.m. HOW MUCH: $7 (adv.), $10 (door)

M AY 9 , 2 0 1 8 | F L A G P O L E . C O M

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threats & promises

New Sounds From Avenue Noise PLUS, MORE MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP By Gordon Lamb threatsandpromises@flagpole.com HI, THERE. HELLO: New Athens label Avenue Noise and Sound had already distinguished itself with the cool Live in the Lobby release from The Pink Stones back in March, but there’s a new digital platter that just came out under the imprint that deserves some attention, too. It’s titled What’s Behind You, and is by Telemarket. Members include label founders Hunter Pinkston (The Pink Stones) and Adam Wayton, as well as Pink Stones member Jack Colclough. This EP is of twin, yet entirely mixed, personalities that blend quite well. First, there are softly strummed pop tunes like the title track—which also features a fuzzy wormhole of a wah-pedal midsection—and the second track “Wait (the Jordaan Hipster Song).” Then—and this is the only real example of this here— there’s the grunge/garage blast of “Dynamite Girl” and the midtempo and semi-submerged “Red Heron.” The only wishy-washy track is closer “Nothing At All,” which feels sloppy and half-finished, even though it has likely the most complicated arrangement of any of these songs. Quite honestly, if Sarah Records and Creation Records had ever agreed Telemarket to do a split release, this would have been it. Check it out at avenuenoiseandsound.bandcamp.com, and glean slightly more information at avenuenoiseandsound.com. HIT THE ROAD: Show promoter Alex Nicholson is doing another instance of his DeBellapalooza event in Blairsville. Named for the family upon whose property it takes place (i.e., the DeBells), this year’s ’palooza happens Saturday, May 26. The DeBells are also the benefactors for this whole shebang, and to this end, they provide their

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F L A G P O L E . C O M | M AY 9 , 2 0 1 8

land, food, drinks and camping for free. So, if you go, please be mindful that you are there due to someone else’s largesse, and be polite and thankful. Donations are also appreciated and encouraged. Featured Athens bands performing

opportunity to hear from Athens candidates for elected office and incumbents. Organizers note that there have been multiple events held for candidates to address constituents, but this event is scheduled specifically for workers who couldn’t attend other events or don’t enjoy traditional political forums. To this end, speakers and musicians are staggered in the scheduling, which runs on the half-hour beginning at 9 p.m. (half an hour of speakers, then half an hour of music, etc.). Confirmed speakers are Kelly Girtz, Harry Sims, Tim Denson, Jared Bailey, Russell Edwards, Patrick Davenport, Carl Blount, Linda Davis, Tawana Mattox, Imani Scott-Blackwell, Ovita Thornton, Tommy Valentine, Melissa Link, Kara Dyckman, Greg Davis, Mariah Parker and Bill Overend. The musicians playing are Claire Campbell, Ishues, Sarah Zuniga, Motorhead2x, Blind Astronomer and Eric Johnson. Doors open at 8:30 p.m. SATURDAY SCHOOL: In related news, AthFactor founder and Athens hip-hop ambassador Montu Miller will host the next installment of his film series “It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop” at Ciné on Saturday, May 12. The film this time around is the 1984 classic Beat Street. Screen time is 10 p.m., and the Stella Groove Birthday Bash happens in the Ciné Lab following the film.

are Kwazymoto, Jet Phase, Chris Gustin and Birds Fly South. For more information, see debellapalooza.wixsite. com/musicfestival, or drop Nicholson a line via aylex17@ gmail.com. GIVE TO THE CAUSE: On Thursday, May 10, AthFactorLiberty Entertainment will host a Town Hall Benefit Bash at The World Famous as a fundraiser for the annual Hot Corner Festival. This event also serves as an

DON’T FLINCH: The new album by Futo (aka Patrick Brick) is out now courtesy of Marching Banana Records and it’s named In Heaven, All My Jokes Will Kill. Fans of old-style Futo (electronic/pop/sorta glitchy) will need to get through the first couple of tracks before getting to anything remotely familiar-sounding. That said, listeners cheat themselves if they skip the first two tracks, each of which are drop-dead gorgeous acoustic tunes that had me kind of hoping the whole album would follow suit. He touches briefly on this style again later in the record, but doesn’t approach the achievement of the opening tracks. The meat in the middle is all a little darker and messier and burdensome than we’re used to hearing from Futo. Indeed, his last few releases have been pretty emotional things, but this material is expressionistic in a way that’s more physical than psychic. Enjoy it at marchingbanana.bandcamp.com. f

JOIN US SATURDAY, MAY 12 at the 40 WATT CLUB watch these businesses battle it out in ATHENS BUSINESS ROCKS a benefit for Nuçi's Space