I know shaq-fu!
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graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements • directories computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters • flyers • graphic design • invitations business plans • announcements • directories • computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters flyers • graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements • directories computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters • flyers • graphic design • invitations business plans • announcements • directories • computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters flyers • graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements • directories computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters • flyers • graphic design • invitations business plans • announcements • directories • computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters flyers • graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements • directories computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters • flyers • graphic design • invitations business plans • announcements • directories • computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters flyers • graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements • directories computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters • flyers • graphic design • invitations LET US• announcements HELP MAKE• directories YOUR NEXT CONCERT business plans • computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters OR ART OPENING A RAGING SUCCESS! flyers • graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements • directories computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters • flyers • graphic design • invitations business plans • announcements • directories • computer rental • oversize printing • artists’ canvas • laminates • fast turnaround • internet bar • posters flyers • graphic design • invitations • business plans • announcements
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MKT BRUNCH I love this time of year. It just smells better.
Awesome, trill shit is in the air. Crunk happenings abound. Our dear city is bursting at the seams with clutch maneuvers and ballin ' ass shit. Do yourself a favor and go get a whiff of what is happening. And guess what, there is room enough for all of us. So don't be a bag of dicks and promote yourself by bashing the competition. Right?
On another note, for the ver y first time, our f a m o u s l y t h o u g h t- t h r o u g h , m a t h e m a t i c a l approach to hiring and staffing has produced an actual marriage as opposed to a divorce. Art director Tyler Barber and former FPH graphic designer Jody Worthington are getting married this month and we are smiling ear to ear about it. The two met shortly after Tyler began with us in 2005 as Jody moved here from New Orleans by way of Hurricane Katrina. They quickly fell in love and are a living, breathing snapshot of that piece of Houston-New Orleans history. They have since moved to San Francisco where Tyler still meticulously performs as Art Director. We resent them
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for moving away. So what if there is no miserable / sweltering 4 months of the year, the food is impeccable, and you can have artisanal marijuana delivered to your doorstep? Either way, congratulations Jody and Tyler. We love you kids and wish you the best.
The Curious Journey of George
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By Michael Pennywark | Photo shows "The Long Road" by Allan Drummond
Just about everyone knows the story of the curious little monkey named George who was brought to the big city by the man in the yellow hat, and whose adventures are mapped out on your curtains and bedspreads and favorite pajama pants you like to wear to Starbucks when you can't be bothered getting dressed before your coffee. Of course it's hard to say whether people are smiling at you because they think you are wearing them to be ironic, or perhaps they just don't want to upset the crazy person. Either way, you always seem to get your coffee that little bit faster. I'd like to think it's because the baristas are also big fans of George. Even if they are, they probably don't know how close the world c ame to never hearing about his adventures at all. In June 1940, Margaret and H. A. Rey set out on their own incredible journey, as they fled Nazi-occupied Paris on their bicycles with a few precious possessions and a manuscript for a children's story about a monkey named Fifi. Over the next five months, the Reys traveled by bike, train and boat from France to Spain and Portugal, across the Atlantic to Brazil, then finally up the coast to the United States. A year later, af ter a small change of our hero's
name, Curious George was published. On November 8, Holocaust Museum Houston will open The War time Escape: Margret and H.A. Rey's Journey from France, which tells the story of the Reys' odyssey and features 25 framed prints by Allan Drummond, illustrator of the 20 05 public ation The Journey that Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A . Rey written by Louise Borden, along with archival images from the DeGrummond Collection of Children's Literature at the University of Southern Mississippi. I h a d th e o p p o r tu n it y to ch at with Drummond about the exhibition, the book a n d eve r yo n e 's f avo r i te s i m i a n . H a n d picked by Borden to create the illustrations for h e r b ook , D rum mon d was aske d to create the sketches one might find in the margins of a journal detailing the escape. The amazing ink and watercolor illustrations he created bring the Reys' story to life much the way the Reys brought George to life. Interestingly, Drummond confessed that he never read any of the books growing up, due to the fact that Curious George never really took off in England, his native country. George was also renamed Zozo in England, out of respect for King George VI just in case you were, um, wondering.
The exhibition begins with an exploration of the early works of the Reys, when G eorge f irst appeare d in Ce cily G . and t h e N i n e M o n key s ( b a c k w h e n h e w a s still going by the name Fifi) and is based partly on Borden's book. After the book had been published, Drummond was cont a c te d by B e th S e l d i n D ot a n , d i re c to r of the Institute for Holocaust Education in Omaha , Nebraska who organized and curated the exhibition. In response, Drummond donated the prints made from the originals that currently reside at the Savannah College of Art and Design, where he currently holds the chair of the Illustration Department. While B orde n's b ook was aim e d at children, the exhibition has something for everyone and provides us with an opportunity to view many of his sketches in their full glory. One of the highlights is his piece The Long Road, which shows the plight of refugees clamoring along a French boulevard as German fighter-planes fly close by overhead. As Drummond points out, it's important to tell the story of those who survived the Nazi persecution and important to think about all that was lost. What sort of world would we be living in if there had never been a curious monkey named George?
The Wartime Escape: Margret and H.A. Rey's Journey from France Central Gallery at Holocaust Museum Houston's Morgan Family Center 5401 Caroline St.
The public is invited to a preview reception Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Remarks by artist Allan Drummond begin at 6:45 p.m. Admission is free, but advance registration is requested for the reception. Visit www.hmh.org/RegisterEvent.aspx to RSVP online.
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4211 CAROLINE ST HOUSTON, TX 77004 (713) 523-7197
Interview: Ack!
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By Blake Jones | Photo courtesy of Rusty Herbert
For over seven years, Houston artist Ack! has been covering the city with his own blend of brightly-colored characters, ranging from drooling psuedo-self-portraits, to diamond encrusted clouds, to sunglass rockin’ pizzas. Presenting his work in the form of stickers, stencils, murals, zines, and gallery shows Ack! has captivated a following in the city, all the while maintaining expert execution and an obvious sense of humor. Recently, FPH got the honor of sitting down with Ack! to talk with him about his inspirations and his creative process. Who are you and what do you do? I’m Ack! and I’m a visual artist. How do you work? How does my mind work, or how do I create work?
I don’t know that anyone’s ever told me it changed their life or anything, but I’ll get cool stories or positive feedback from time to time, and I’m appreciative of it. What do you dislike about the art world? I don’t know if I DISLIKE the art world...it’s weird for sure, and can be tough/unfair at times, but that’s life. I just try to do my thing and dodge drama/shady dealings as best I can. I feel like I’ve been pretty lucky to stay away from most bad situations—and it happens to everybody, but you can either be naive about it and get taken advantage of repeatedly, or trust your gut/ learn from experiences and try to not make the same mistake(s) twice.
What things do you get inspiration from? I like old 2-D cartoons, horror movies, tacos, music, the city of Houston. These are all things that inspire me, I guess.
What do you like about your work? I want to be happy and not stress out. So I guess I like that my work makes me laugh sometimes. I try not to take things too seriously, and that’s probably apparent in my work. From a design standpoint, I like bold, simple, balanced things and I aim to create work that shows those elements.
What work do you most enjoying doing? I prefer painting walls—especially when the weather is nice, which is maybe two months out of the year in Houston ha.
Name three artists you’d like to be compared to and why. Three artists...Keith Haring would always be in the list, but there’s so many others...I could have a different answer for this every day. Mike Giant and Toshio Saeki.
What themes do you pursue? No themes.
What advice would you give to new and younger artists? I’m not the person to be giving advice... people should do what they love to do. It’s not for everybody and you might not make a living doing what you WANT to do, but if you hustle and put in effort—hopefully it will show. Be realistic and try to keep a positive attitude. Deep thoughts ha!
What memorable responses have you had to your work? Kids’ reactions are usually pretty good. It’s cool to talk to/meet people from other cities/states/countries that have somehow seen the work and hear their reactions to it.
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MKT BAR CELEBRATES PHOENICIA’S
30TH ANNIVERSARY WEEK with
11/4 JAWAD 11/5 DNCSXWLVS 11/6 GUEST DJ CRAIG T. BROWN (HEIGHTS VINYL) FRIENDS & FAM NIGHT OF ECLECTIC BEATS W/ INTERNATIONAL FLAIR
11/7 DAVE WRANGLER, ERIC BUSTAMANTE TRIO 11/8 DJ BAOHAUS, POOR PILATE 11/9 MKT BRUNCH: NICK GAITAN 11/9
W/ DJ PORTAL WALKER AND DEPRESSED MODE (80S PARTY & FOOD)
11/10 MKT BRUNCH: THOMAS HELTON TRIO
From Avant-Garde to Big Sur Cinema Arts Festival Free Press Houston recently spoke to Richard Herskowitz, the artistic director of the Houston Cinema Arts Festival. Among the topics were pioneers of avant-garde cinema and interactivity between the festival and the community. For instance, the festival promotes some of its movies and seminars by bussing in local high school groups as part of its Film Festival Field Trip Program. “From the foundation of the festival, we were aware that Houston has an extraordinary arts scene, and that’s what lead to the Cinema Arts Festival with all these collaborating organizations contributing and owning different pieces of the festival,” says Herskowitz. “This year, we’re doing a spotlight on Houston: A self-contained mini festival at the end.” “We also have educational programs to build new audiences in the community. To me this is part of the mission of a film festival in promoting film culture for the future,” says Herskowitz. “We have lots of filmmakers coming in from out of town and usually they’re thrilled when we ask if they would do an extra program for school children.” Some of the guests include Thomas Hayden Church, Al Reinhar t, and Tracy Letts , the latter attending the November 7 (5:45 pm) screening of a film he wrote based on his Pulitzer Prize winning play August: Osage County. “This year there’s an emphasis on the pioneers of avantgarde cinema, with guests like Jonas Mekas and Barbara Hammer. Mekas is called the godfather of American avantgarde cinema, because in the 1960s, as the film critic for the Village Voice, the founder of The Film Makers Cooperative, and later the founder of Anthology Film Archives, and as an important filmmaker himself, he was everywhere. Mekas was absolutely instrumental in that scene becoming a movement, and becoming institutionally viable. “Hammer really got started in the early 1970s, and she pioneered a branch of queer avant-garde cinema, with strong lesbian content before anybody else was doing that. Hammer expressed her sexuality in formally innovative ways, so that not only was the content rule breaking, but the form in which it was told was unconventional and expressed her emotional experiences directly in the filmmaking process itself,” explains Herskowitz. “Another person who was an earlier pioneer, who inspired both Hammer and Mekas was Maya Deren, and one of the films we’re showing in the festival, by Hammer, is Maya Deren’s Sink. Another film we’re showing is Big Joy: The Adventures
By Michael Bergeron
of James Broughton. Broughton was a contemporary of Deren. If people are interested in the history of avant-garde film in this country, there’s a lot to gain by going to these various films. We’re calling attention to the legacy of these pioneers and connecting them with newer experimental artists like Scott Stark from Austin.” The Houston Cinema Arts Festival runs from November 6-10 at various venues around town, which includes theaters at the Sundance Cinema and MFAH, as well as the Asia Society Texas Center, The Aurora Picture Show, and others. A full schedule can be found on their website (www. cinemaartsociety.org).
Big Sur Producer Orian Williams talks fondly about growing up in Houston, Alief High class of 1984. As a teen, Williams worked at Hastings Records in the Galleria and briefly for Pace Concerts. After getting a degree at Baylor, Williams moved to the west coast to become a filmmaker. As a producer, Williams has co-produced and produced films like Shadow of the Vampire and Control (about Joy Division). His latest production, Big Sur, an account of Jack Keroauc in his later years, opens at the Sundance Cinemas Houston on November 1. Williams also worked on a 2008 documentary One Fast Move or I’m Gone: Kerouac’s Big Sur. “I was brought on by the Kerouac estate to help on the documentary. I thought this has to be a feature,” says Williams. “I brought in half the cast through friends and connections, hired the Polish Brothers; we found the money and pulled it together. The documentary taps into what was going on with Kerouac at the time, by going inside the head of Jack through the performance of Jean-Marc Barr. “On one level you have Kerouac’s voice over, his poetry and his thoughts. You have image of Big Sur, which is very compelling. Then you have other characters that bring Jack’s thoughts to life. Big Sur can be a place of happiness, but also complete depression. Jean-Marc just exudes all things Jack. This is long after the events in On The Road. For longer versions of He left New York at the bequest of Lawrence Ferlinghetti,” both articles, please continues Williams. go to the Free Press “The time Kerouac spent in the cabin in Big Sur was Houston website supposed to be an idyllic retreat, but instead became a freepresshouston.com. nightmare. He was coming off alcoholism, but then he went back on the drink.” Big Sur chronicles Kerouac as he battles his demons, through his alter ego of Jack Duluoz.
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November Rain
By Will Guess
It’s hard to belie ve it’s already November. The older I get, the faster time flies. It ’s the holiday season now—a time for family, friends, and once again, some great shows in our city. We’ve gone from being a city that artists used to skip over, to one they compliment and must play in. It’s nice to be back on the map. November brings a mainstay metalcore band, legends of metal, and a white rapper that isn’t Eminem. Let’s keep showing everyone why we’re not a city to dismiss. Saturday, November 9 August Burns Red at House of Blues It takes a lot to remain relevant in the metalcore scene. An absurd amount of bands play the style, but only a few rise to the top of the pack and even fewer stay there for very long. August Burns Red is one of those few. The band emerged in 2003, and 10 years later, they’re going at it stronger than ever. All 5 members are insanely talented at their respected instruments, playing off time technical blast beats, to some of the heaviest breakdowns I’ve ever heard. The guitarists make shredding look like child’s play, the singer controls the crowd from the moment he steps on the stage, and it’s hard to believe the drummer isn’t a robot with some of the things he’s playing. Though the band’s growth has remained slow, it has also remained steady and on a constant rise. They’re one of the best bands doing this style of music today, and they bring it live. Moshing required. Tuesday, November 12 Slayer at Bayou Music Center Ok, look—I’ve never really been a fan of Kerry King, and since Jeff Hanneman died, Slayer kind of is over as far as I’m concerned, but no one can dispute the huge amount of influence the band has exerted on metal music. The history of the band, the quantity AND quality of the music they’ve put out, and the imagery they use live, have solidified them as not only masters of their craft, but a spot in the Big 4 - Metallica, Megadeth, and Anthrax are the other 3, in case you were wondering. Slayer will always be a band that people bring up when discussing heavy music. They’ve carved out a special place for themselves in music history. If you’ve never seen them live, I highly suggest it. From the visuals, to the wall of guitar cabinets to the performance—it’s not something to miss—especially at a venue like Bayou Music Center. Slayer will go down as legends, and as the phenomenal movie The Sandlot says, “Legends never die.” Wednesday, November 27 Macklemore & Ryan Lews at Reliant Arena FPSF veterans Macklemore & Ryan Lewis just keep getting bigger. After struggling with an independent career for so long, the duo have finally found success, and it seems like just when you think their popularity will fizzle out, it grows exponentially. If you missed them at FPSF this summer, this is your chance to catch them before they solidify themselves as A-list celebrities. Macklemore has a way of combining smart lyrics with sensitive issues, while at the same time keeping it fun for everyone. It’s like a party where you actually learn something useful. Not only that, but Ryan Lewis handling the production is just as impressive. Though he gets less credit for not being the “frontman” or face of the group, his talents shouldn’t be dismissed. The beats keep you interested and invested—something that is seriously lacking in modern day hip-hop. They’re both intensely audience-focused, involving them at every turn of the show. To top it off, Talib Kweli and Big K.R.I.T will be opening: A lineup that is stellar from top to bottom. Monday, November 25 - High on Fire at House of Blues Saturday, November 30 - Protest the Hero at Warehouse Live
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Music (The Review Of)
By K.M. Anderson
Bill Callahan Dream River (Drag City) Bill Callahan has always had the knack of making songs that read like literature. The imagery, “You looked like worldwide armageddon while you slept, you looked so peaceful,” the humor, “The only words I’ve said today, are `beer’ and ‘thank you’,” the words unfold slowly like the slow panning camera in a film to establish theme. In Callahan’s songs, every word is a clue, a color, and his latest album Dream River is an illustration, an archetype of great music. As the album trots along, each song entices and magnifies the theme of time, reflection, and love: Things similar to thoughts one might ponder as they stare off into the distance. A masterpiece. Overseas Overseas (Undertow) Overseas features former Pedro the Lioneer David Bazan (who I am unfamiliar with) and the Kadane Brothers (Bedhead, The New Year) who I am very familiar with, perhaps even why I was interested in this band. Well, glad I was interested, because Overseas’s self-titled album is a fine 30 minutes of music. Even not knowing of Bazan, his voice is a magical instrument. The songs document doubt of the ethereal (H E L LP), longing “Here (Wish You Were)”, and there is “’Lights Are Gonna Fall.” I hate to use ish, as a description, so I would say reminiscent of country, but not in THAT way. “All Your Own” is also an appropriate and powerful closer. I told my daughter there are two types of music: Good music and bad music. This is clearly the former. Eminem The Marshall Mathers LP 2 (Shady\Aftermath) I hate sequels; they seem to be an indication of an absence of new ideas. Sometimes they complete the story, but I think we are aware and familiar with the Marshall Mathers story. The other thing is, this is supposedly the “return to form” Eminem, which I doubt, because nothing from the album thus far (“Berzerk”, “Rap God”) sounds like young Eminem, being that this is technically old Eminem. But—it is Eminem, probably one of the greatest rappers ever, so it will be a joy at least hearing new Eminem verses. Rick Rubin is reducing it, which worked for Kanye, but Em would never make Yeezus. So, will it be good? Will it suck? Probably in parts. Let’s be optimistic (ficka, ficka, Slim Shady).
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KING KHAN AND THE SHRINES
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BILL CALLAHAN DANIEL THE JULIE RUIN Kathleen Hanna & Kathi Wilcox JOHNSTON
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Otherworldly Sounds
N e w Wa s h e d O u t A l b u m D e l i v e r s Mo r e D r e a m s c a p e s
By Meghan Hendley-Lopez | Photo courtesy of Shae DeTar
FPH
K eeper of the a mbien t and executor of the reverb, Ernest Greene of Washed Out recently took time out from his European tour to answer some questions . He will be landing in Houston on November 9th at Fitzgerald’s. Washed Out’s new album Paracosm features meditative electronic trances, but also with the a new highlight: live instruments. Ernest spoke to us about the new album along with a bit of history behind the project. Your music serves as aural poetry, pairing melodies and sounds, to paint a picture of cerebral openness. When you embarked on this project, what were some of the influences, musical and/or non-musical? What are some of the attributes of electronic music you use, that help you accomplish such a warm, dreamy environment? My musical influences are all over the place, which has a lot to do with the sound of Washed Out, but I’d say the biggest genres that inform my process are hip-hop and shoegaze music. I was really inspired by the collage-like quality of hip-hop production and my vocal sound owes a lot to shoegaze bands like My Bloody Valentine. As for non-musical influences, I was ver y into photography around the time WO started, and I spent a lot of time on the internet looking at photos. The saturated, analog film look (pre-instagram) was starting to get bigger and bigger, and I think
that had some influence on my choice for a more dated, worn sound—not unlike a polaroid picture. I find it interesting that you have a masters in library and Information sciences. Did a love for research and investigation aid you in becoming so well-versed with various forms of electronic music? The internet and research in general have been a big part of WO, and I can’t imagine being able to work the way I do pre-internet. First and foremost, I’m a self-taught musician/producer, and I’ve learned everything from researching online. I ’ve also so u rce d a l m o s t a ll of th e s a m p l e s a n d sounds from my records from various websites and forums. Growing up in a small town, there was very little interesting music, so research online was also very important for develo pin g my ta ste a n d g ath e rin g id e a s o r inspiration. It has b e e n note d that your new album Paracosm includes sounds that lend itself to more of a ro ck vib e than in previous work, pointing to the inclusion of guitar and live drums. What was it like creating this record , and how was it dif ferent to process with effects? I mentioned above about the importance of the WO band and I had a lot of experience playing shows with them promoting
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“ Within a n d With o ut .” I wa nte d to ta ke some of that and put it into the record and rely less on electronics and more on “real” instruments. More than anything, it meant a different way of working, and I learned a lot during the process. I feel like I’m capable of approaching record-making from a lot of different angles now. A s a musician myself, I am most impressed in how you transfer your songs into a live context, while still remaining true to creating a celestial atmosphere and highlighting the layers in your music. What are some of the key components that allows this to happen in live shows? Performing live electronic music with a band is very challenging—and it is only in the last couple of years that I’ve started to wrap my head around it. Unlike a rock band who just plugs in their instruments and play, there is quite a bit of pre-production that happens that ensures that all of the electronic elements are very controlled and working together. Processing of various sounds is also very important (and much different that a normal rock band), so it helps having an FOH [front of house] engineer who can get the various effected sounds from the record. For instance, my vocal sound is accomplished through quite a lot of effects and, the balance between being too dry/ too wet is a very fine line. I am intrigued by the title of the album for it seems very fitting for your overall sound. A paracosm is noted for being a detailed imaginary world usually having its own history, language, and geography. A paracosm can also be derived from an experience during childhood that continues over a long period of time . At this point in your life creating music, what is your paracosm in reality and imaginary? Is it the escape that music provides? I moved into a new house around the time I started writing for the record, and I think it became a paracosm of sorts for me. It represented a very safe place that was far away from the world of touring and being in the limelight (and all of the “stuff” that comes with that). For me, creativity comes from a very personal/sacred space that is the opposite of that world—so it really felt like my wife and I had escaped to our own little world, and the music from the record is very connected to that idea.
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Phoenecia Specialty Foods Turns 30 By Rob McCarthy | Photo courtesy of Zanda.com
Thirtieth birthdays are usually something that people don’t get too excited about. You know that you are halfway to 60, no longer in your 20s, and you are ever closer to the vague “middle age.” However, in the case of many family-owned and operated businesses, 3 0 th bi r th d ays a re wo r thy of m u c h ce l e b rati o n . Phoenicia Specialty Foods, an established Houston destination for international culinary creations, is having their 30th birthday party on November 9th, and you are all invited! It all began with a signature shawarma … “Of Armenian descent, Arpi and Zohrab Tcholakian fled war-torn Lebanon, where their family owned a grocery store, and immigrated to the United States. Facing the collapse of the oil industry in the early ’80s, Zohrab sought economic security through business ownership with his wife. The Tcholakians soon realized Arpi’s shawarma was too good to keep a family secret. In 1983, they o p e n e d P h o e n i ci a D e l i , a s m a l l , M e d ite r r a n e a n style delicatessen and grocery near Beltway 8 on Westheimer Road, where cow pastures outnumbered retail centers at the time. “We had no choice but to go into business for ourselves,” says Arpi. From that modest start, Phoenicia grew exponentially. The Tcholakians were onto something, and had their finger on the pulse of what would come to be Houston’s most heralded quality—its diversity. As Houston’s population expanded, customers from all corners of the globe began requesting that Phoenicia carry favorite products from their home countries. “ We have a Mediterranean background,” Arpi explains, “But soon, demand came for foods from o t h e r r e g i o n s . We p r ov i d e d to m e e t t h e g r ow ing demands our customers. While we started with Mediterranean items, we grew to include products from Western Europe, then Eastern Europe, and eventually from all over the world!” Ahead of the national specialty market trend, Phoenicia mirrors the international diversity of its city and customers. The adaptability of the company’s customer-centric ethos is key in America’s secondfastest growing city, where the explosive population growth continues to make national news. According
to a recent study from the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University led by Dr. Stephen L . Klineberg, Houston is the most ethnically diverse city in the United States. The Tcholakian family has always passionately supported Houston’s dynamic, diverse community. Communit y involvement continues to be an inte gral part of the family business, which supports a variety of local groups focused on arts, education, environment and human services including SEARCH Homeless Services, Houston Food Bank, and Society for the Performing Arts Houston. Phoenicia has also commission e d loc al stre et a r tist, G O NZO247, to design a mural in the downtown market to commemorate the anniversary. To celebrate the past 30 years and exciting events to come, both the West H ouston and downtown Phoenicia locations will feature month-long giveaways and Armenian-inspired dishes and baked goods. These include: • Thir t y- dollar gif t c ards will be awarded to luck y sha warma and store -made pita bread patrons during the anniversary week. • Traditional Tcholakian family favorites will be served for a special family night buffet and night of eclectic live music honoring Phoenicia founders Arpi and Zohrab Tcholakian at the downtown loc ation’s M K T BAR on We dnesday, November 4, from 7:00–9:00 p.m. • For the anniversary weekend, a giant Phoenicia boat will “dock ” with free customer cupcakes, leading up to the official anniversary celebration taking place on Saturday, November 9.
P h o e n i c i a w i l l h o s t i t s o f f i c i a l a n n i ve r s a r y 1 9 8 3 -th e m e d G ro ce r y G et D own ce l e b ratio n o n Saturday, November 9 from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. at MKT BAR. The evening will feature 80s-themed m usic by DJ Po r tal Wa lke r a n d b a n d D e presse d Mode, 80s-inspired light bites, and boutique wine, craft beer and MKT BAR cocktail specials. Entry is free, and a portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit the Houston Food Bank. Dressing in 80s gear is highly encouraged!
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Get Off Your Ass,
In s t e a d o f J u s t R a i s i n g Yo u r G l a s s
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By Harbeer Sandhu | Art by Shelby Hohl
Another week and another round of invitations land in the inbox for “charity fundraiser” happy hours at local bars. Come, the promoters say, have drinks with your friends and do your part to help the world’s wretched. It ’s win-win! But is it really? Is social justice as simple as laying down your credit card, ordering a few rounds, and leaving a nice tip, thus buying yourself a clear conscience? One bar with a weekly “charity fundraising happy hour” is a stone’s throw from my house, so I go sometimes. Their charity window is open for two hours—from 5 to 7 pm—during which time 10% of their gross receipts from alcohol sales go to a different arts organization. Food sales are not included in that total. Last week I showed up at 5:30 and I counted 39 people. When I left at 8 pm, there were probably about 150 people, and those people looked like they were going to be there for a while. Every table had some amount of food on it, at some point. I rang up a $20 tab and threw a $5 tip on top, which means I “donated” $2 to the charity of the week. But who does this really benefit? The beneficiaries have to arrive early (at least two employees or volunteers), set up a display with glossy brochures, field
Charity is no substitute for justice withheld. - St. Augustine We have to work with the world we live in. - anonymous local non-profit administrator Another world is possible. - slogan of the World Social Forum
questions, sign people up for mailing-lists, and stay late. They usually walk away with somewhere between $150 - $250. To me, that sounds like a lot of inconvenience for not a lot of money. “It’s really up to the beneficiaries,” says the organizer of this event. “If they promote it and invite their supporters, they get a bigger check.” While that is true, wouldn’t it be more accurate to say that if the beneficiaries promoted their one at-bat at this weekly event, the bar would get a bigger check? “Forget about that,” says the PR manager for this bar, “we spread awareness of these organizations. People gain awareness.” What good is awareness, though? A r e c e n t b e n e f i c i a r y o f t h i s eve n t works with refugee populations—Burmese refugees , in par ticular, but people flee ing political violence from other places, too. Now, I’m all for spreading “awareness” about political refugees making our city their home and the challenges they face, and I’m all for helping to alleviate those challenges, but when do we get around to talking about (much less challenging) the root causes behind refugee crises? Let ’s talk about just Burma. The reason we have Burmese refugees in Houston
is because Burma (Myanmar) is ruled by a brutal military junta. One way that junta maintains power is by doing business with one Chevron Corporation—Chevron is one of their major sources of income. Not only that, but the gas pipeline partially owned and operated by Chevron in partnership with the Burmese military junta is responsible for “violent suppression of dissent, environmental destruction, forced labor a n d p o r te ri n g , fo rce d re l o c ati o n s , to rture, rape and summary executions.” So, Chevron helps poison people’s land and benefits from their slave labor. When those people make a fuss, they are raped and tortured and imprisoned and murdered. When they have enough of that, they flee to refugee camps in Thailand, where they await relocation in a host country. Some of those people end up in Houston. This “awareness” is not reaching people. To make matters worse, I attended a “World Refugee Day” event two years ago and guess what?! I saw Chevron employees “volunteering” in t-shirts bearing the C h ev r o n l o g o , h a n d i n g o u t f r e e s a n d wiches to Burmese refugees. “Sorry about that whole rapey, prisony, destroying your c o u n tr y th i n g . H e re , h ave a s a n d w i c h . You’re welcome.” We all kn ow that some n on - prof it s are a racket, but there are good ones too. I don’t mean to paint with a broad brush, but according to a 2009 book called The Revolution Will Not Be Funded: Beyond the Nonprofit Industrial Complex, the US non-profit sector is a $1.3 trillion industry and the world’s seventh largest economy. “Charity” is big business—some do good wo rk , so m e spre a d pa r tial “awa re n ess” that evaporates quicker than booze, and some allow unscrupulous corporations to white-wash their sins while simultaneously receiving a tax write-off. That said, whatever drinking you do is helping the bar much more than it ’s helping the victims of our immoral economic system. Nothing wrong with drinking with your friends, but let’s just call it what it is. If you really want to help, cut out the middle-man and send your money straight to the charity of your choice. Even better, leave your comfort zone and seek out the people you wish to support—the actual victims—and ask them what you can do express solidarity with them, rather than patronizing them with your charity. Local artist Carrie Schneider did just that. She spent years teaching afterschool ar t classes , in her own time at her own expense with no organizational support, to Burmese refugee children whose parents could not afford child care. That is someone worthy of our admiration and even a few drinks.
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A Rennie Returns
T h e T e x a s R e n a i s sa n c e F e s ti va l i n R e t r o s p e c t
By David Louis Haydon | Art by Shelby Hohl
T he T e x a s R en a i ssa nce Fe s t i va l is what Disney World would be like if the Magic Kingdom sold beer. Fifty-five acres of pine trees, wooden shops and theater stages have survived 39 years, even with decades of changes in both content and audience. The change is what keeps things interesting, after all. Stagnant parties tend to die. In spite of this enticing evolution, TRF receives mixed perspectives among Texans. Some are addicted to the eating, drinking and merriment. A small percent think it’s a tourist trap, since a state that invented “No Child Left Behind” really has no business with the word “Renaissance.” Others have never visited. A third group lives on the other side of the fairgrounds, inside tents, RVs and makeshift houses. These are Rennies, workers of the festival, and for four years, I was a member of this group. In my late teens, I got a job at TRF. Paying money to get inside the miniature ecosphere seemed less enticing than getting paid to be there. Some Rennies do it for a living, and travel along the renaissance festival circuit year-round. Others go back to society during the off season. Regardless, every Rennie pours their sweat and blood into making the illusion real. For me, life in Houston eventually made life in TRF impossible. Since then, I have gone only as a visitor. Steampunk and video game clothing was scattered among the fairy costumes I saw that particular weekend. Patrons always inject alternate flavor into their renaissance clothing. A new fantasy-themed TV show or Hollywood movie periodically takes over. I’ve been told that between 2002-2003, elves and hobbits were an infestation. In 2007, no one could turn the corner without bumping into a Captain Jack Sparrow.
This year, Adventure Time popped up even before the Halloween weekend even arrived. T h e 8 6 - p a g e b ro c h u re h a n d e d to m e at th e entrance looked nothing like the brief pages of previous years. Unlike the other seasons, this packet named names. The pages included normal items for patrons, like a map of the fairgrounds, times for the different shows and a list of all the food, but buried in the middle of the booklet was a staff list, acting company list and vendor list. TRF delivers great numbers of patrons each year, unlike the fluctuating attendance at less frequented festivals. It was no surprise that so many sword-sellers and costume shops wanted a corner, but walking among the 55 acres, I found myself surrounded by more shops, stalls, tents, stands, kiosks and bars than I had ever come across as a worker. Adding into this the fact that some 30,000 people made it into the fairgrounds that day, and the potential for business was all the more evident. It ’s hardly surprising that so many would want to vend their merchandise here. The average patron pays a little over $20 for entrance. They drop $10 or so on food. It costs the average human at least $40 to get drunk. Trinkets like jewelry, books, incense, masks, corsets, weapons and armor are where the rest of the money ends up, if not at one of the games or rides in the back of the fairgrounds. The point is that TRF’s patrons want to spend the money. Most of the patrons shuffled around the entrance. A few had probably raced to the back end of the fairgrounds, but the trick of TRF is to swirl patrons from shop to show until they’re perfectly happy to forget where they are or how they got there. I was
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occasionally assaulted by old friends during my people-watching. Most were glad to see a familiar face. Some told me the festival had degenerated more than ever. Others who came up to me couldn’t have been happier with the potential for the festival this year. A bar and grill by the name of Hacienda San Jorge caught my eye early into my walk. The walls of the place consisted of pine trees killed by the drought, which fit in with the surroundings and backdrop mural of Spanish ships sailing on the horizon. The only problem with this chunk of Spanish empire was that it sold brisket, sausage links, ribs, potato salad, fried okra and coleslaw. As one of my former coworkers later put it, “That’s just what I want. Flamenco dancing and brisket.” Not that selling soul food is a faux pas at a renaissance festival. The Italian village sells pizza . The German village sells bratwurst. The sin is that this Spanish square serves no spicy pork rolls, no carne seca and no garbanzo beans. Not that much can be done, since forcing the food to be authentically renaissance would nix most of the food vendors, if not most of their customers. The main food I found stuffed in every patron’s mouth, even years ago, was the turkey leg. Kettle corn aside (which is intended to be only a snack, try that for an experiment) every wet-behind-the-ears patron just can’t help but assume that those turkey legs are somehow the quintessential food of TRF. Maybe it is the symbolic nature of the turkey leg at any fair, or the medieval satisfaction of a hunk of meat in one hand a beer in the other. The point is, turkey legs are a red herring. You have never seen a Rennie eating one of those things, and you never will. The real Rennie food, the staple, is the German Burger. The price for this chunk of beef, bread, Swiss cheese, sautéed onions and mushrooms cost $5 when I first worked at TRF. During my recent visit, I purchased a burger for old time’s sake. The cost was $8. I s p lit th e b u rg e r b et we e n m e a n d a fo r m e r coworker whom I ran into at the back end of the fairgrounds. He caught me up on the latest news (some of which was and was not included in the brochure) and explained that the newest crop of young workers, teens who usually didn’t last the first weekend, had stuck around thus far and were still hyped. At the beginning of my time there, the coworkers kept up a family-like coherence. Friday nights meant a campfire at the manager’s house on Renfaire Drive. Saturdays involved dinner from the kitchen hidden behind the Drench-a-Wench booth. Sundays ended at the Tex-Mex cantina in Magnolia. This comradery faded as each year passed, with old people leaving and new cropping up. The year after I left, I heard things were at their lowest. Yet the newbies this year had stayed thus far. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival, originally star ted by G eorge Coulam (the ver y man who is the founder and president of TRF) has shrunk along with the dozens of others throughout the US. TRF, th ro u g h s o m e fo r m of co n s t a nt tr a n s f o r m ati o n , hasn’t lost its success. From the die-hard perspective, change is bad. If TRF ran the way of the strictly-accurate, every worker would be forced out of pirate and gypsy clothes and get smacks on the hand for grammatical errors not reflecting the King’s English. In effect, TRF would resemble something akin to the re-enactment museum from Chuck Palahniuk’s Choke.
A d oze n o r s o h i s to r i c a l l y- a cc u r a te d e m o n strating artists, blacksmiths and glassblowers who still show the patrons how things were done, are a reminder of the festival roots from decades ago. One of the mainline complaints from nostalgic critics is that commercialized shops and cheap thrills ruined the historical accuracy. Yet if TRF took this hard line, it would go broke in less than a decade. After a few hours of walking among the thousands of people, I ended up inside a few dozen merchandise shops. From what I could tell, the year had been better than the previous when patrons were still anxious about the recession. By evening, just before the closing ceremonies, I had circumnavigated the festival three times, and still hadn’t managed to cover the entirety of the fairgrounds. The 55 acres is designed that way. Even if you purchased a season pass, arrived on Fridays, camped, and left on Sunday before midnight, you still wouldn’t see everything. Normally, staying around for the fireworks show is worth it, but only assuming you’re not going to get caught in the car crawl all the way back to Magnolia. The other option is to camp out in the Patron’s camp, which used to be the stomping grounds for Juggalos, cosplayers, Otakus, hippies, American gypsies, bikers and generally every other type of high-quality godless heathen known to society.
Each season of Renfest holds a certain vintage. The wholesome family types used to not camp. They tended to come out on Sundays after church but before the hangovers of Saturday’s patrons wore off. Those families camp now. This is another shift in the norms, probably due to the inclusion of potable water, showers, Wi-Fi and a “quiet area” around the front end of the camp. To head off the ocean of people who would flow out of the fair after fireworks, I drove out of patron parking early, made my way to Renfaire Drive (invisible to patrons) and parked outside the home of a former coworker I was to meet, near the gate where most Rennies exit for the night. I met with friends, some old and some new, and reminisced about the good old days. But those good old days were some other person’s decay, I’m sure. Each season of Renfest holds a certain vintage. Some flavor unique from the year before, new by the next. The festival changed each year I worked there, and changed each year af ter. It grows and shif ts, because if it did not it would shrink, and a business that shrinks eventually goes bust. Tw o y e a r s a g o , t h e Te x a s w i l d f i r e s a l m o s t destroyed the fairgrounds. Next year, it celebrates its 40th anniversary. Anyone can guess what the place will look like for the semicentenary. I think the only change both Rennies and patrons would not be able to stomach is the often rumored, and always disproven, conspiracy theory that the Walt Disney Company is going to purchase TRF. For anyone that wants to see the 2013 Renfest, about a month remains. You’ll need steel nerves to overcome the desire to drop $500 on beer, weapons and armor, but you would never get that chance at Disney World.
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ALREADY GONE A TRIBUTE TO THE EAGLES
SPECIAL GUEST /ABBEY RODE A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES SATURDAY NOVEMBER 16TH 5636 RICHMOND AVE. 713.278.7272 THECONCERTPUB.COM
LIVE MUSIC BY SPACE MONKEY
THURSDAY NOVEMBER 21ST 2470 FM 1960 W. 281.583.8111 THECONCERTPUB.COM
Last Chances to Attend an Artery Event
Nov. 1, 6–10 pm
Nov. 2, 12–9 pm Nov. 7, 7–8 pm (inside)
Nov. 7, 8–10 pm (outside)
The End of the Artery
An In t e rv i e w w it h M a r k L a r s e n
By Nick Cooper | All photos courtesy of the Artery
Since 1987, the Artery has been a spiritual space nestled in a thick canopy of trees, where art appreciation is a non-commercia l , exp e ri e n ce . Fo u n d e r M a r k L a r se n moved into the space four years earlier, beginning a 30-year relationship with an urban forest. Trees don’t grow overnight, so the forest is a collaboration between nature, Mark, and multiple former residents of the space, most of whom remain nameless to Larsen. A Michigan native, he found himself in a tiny pocket of harmony in a city where human appropriation of nature was at its height. After completing graduate school in painting at U of H, Larsen saw the presentation of art in galleries as stripped of spiritual context. His response has been the 26-year-long project called the Artery, where collaboration, harmony, and nature have been valued over commercial considerations. Painting is often a lonely profession, but Larsen has made art a social experience by providing a space for communal art classes, music, dance, poetry, and politics. In a recent interview, Larsen said that the old man that lived there before him, “was a packrat who collected all this building material . I used to get ticket s from the city for it. So I took all that slate and blocks and cylinders and started making it into art and I no longer received citations . . . It ’s the old stor y of build it and they will come.” Key in the early years was Larsen’s friend Bill Day, “He was working with a steel
drum band (Shinar). They needed a place to practice with a lot of room. So we began a Monday night practice. After a while we started getting other bands.” It wasn’t just bands. Over the years, the Artery has hosted poetry, dance, politics, and many other forms of art. Some of the experiences were one-time events, when everything happened to coalesce in a special time and place. “One time I had a call from Amazon Watc h i n S a n Fr a n ci s co a n d th ey s a i d , ‘We’re bringing Peruvian and Ecuadorian tribal elders into town to protest at a shareholders’ meeting. They said they can get U of H, or St. Thomas, or Rice, but they said to try the Artery first.’ Sure enough, over a two-year period, we had them several times, in full regalia, interpreting from their language to Spanish to English.” When Bush’s presidency heralded a new era of American warmongering, the Ar ter y was there to welcome speakers , thinkers, and elders. “One time we had twelve minutes on national radio for a panel discussion with Sissy Farenthold. She said that night, ‘we are on the eve of crimes against humanity.’ Then you look back on what was said at that panel, what was broadcast over the airwaves. She was right. They were right. We need places for smart people, and elders, to come and share. When government and systems start to crash, that’s where a place like the Artery, and other alternative art spaces, become essential.”
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Nov. 15, 8 pm (free)
Nov. 16, 8 pm
Nov. 23,
Art exhibit opening for French artists Serge Ruffato and Jill Steenhuis. A mother and son will be exhibiting their sculpture and lithography. Check out art. sergeruffato.com, ArtInProvence.com, & jillsteenhuis.com Open house - art exhibit: Serge Ruffato & Jill Steenhuis Mark Lacy from the Houston Institute for Culture will give a lively presentation on the first contact between Native Americans and Europeans and Africans on the Gulf Coast. Concert by Yetlanezi. This group has performed at the Artery in its other incarnation, Huehuetl. Yetlanezi incorporates Huehuetl’s ancient, organic indigenous instruments with electronic, synthesized sounds. Yetlanezi is the seed and next generation of Huehuetl. In 1521, the Mexica (Aztec) ruler Cuauhtémoc gave his final order for the people to bury and destroy all things sacred to them and their culture, but and to keep them alive secretly within the family, passing them down from parent to child. Five centuries later, at the dawn of the new era, el sexto sol, Huehuetl and Yetlanezi are bringing these sacred gifts, the ancestral sounds of pre-Columbian Mexico that have been passed down by their ancestors, back into the light. Art exhibit opening for painter Rennie MacKay Quinn. The wife of Ishmael author Daniel Quinn, Rennie is a visionary painter known for her exploration of color and elemental forms. Annual Artery Music Showcase, hosted by Jeff Abrams. This year features the return of Frank Meyer to the stage with his new project Paper Moonshiners . Other performers in this year’s showcase include Laura Steiner from Baton Rouge and Houston’s treasure Charity Ann. Umbrella Man
8 pm Nov. 30, 8 pm Dec. 7, 8 pm
Free Radicals & Jazz Funeral for the Artery End of Year Party
Six months ago, Larsen had to confront an unprecedented challenge, “They sold the property next to me—Tierny Malone’s old house. They’re gonna make eight townhomes, four stories high, right up to the property line. That would kill the trees on the South side of the property, and parking’s gonna become more difficult. So, that’s the gentrification angle. But soon af terwards, we had a couple of windy nights and all these branches were crashing down out of the forest—it was the drought two years ago that really sealed the fate. The huge trees I have are real sick, and several of the medium trees have died. Add to that the development next door, when they take out all the trees on the South side, and it’s not the Artery anymore. So the time has come.” In addition to Bill Day, Larsen’s long ti m e c o l l a b o r a to r s i n c l u d e M a r k L a c y, Malcolm Hackney and many others, “They all feel like the Artery’s theirs. This shows how far you can get in life collaborating with folks. It doesn’t have to be about you. Especially in the beginning stage, it was more of a ‘we’ thing with all the artists that came and played. I didn’t have two coins to rub together and was able to have all this experience. I even had a piece of paper that I handed out that said the Artery is a commercial free zone. It was only when the property taxes got crazy, and I started producing the videos, that we started having to charge.” Larsen says his immediate neighbors, who supported his project instead of call-
ing to cops on him, did so because, “It’s an African-American area and I have a lot of African-American and world music. They really honored and appreciated the multicultural aspect of what our experiment was about.” When townhomes first started going up ten years ago, Larsen dreaded his new neighbors. “I figured that people moving in are a particular demographic, and they might not appreciate what we do. We were really involved in a lot of political events back then—anti-war, etc. Surprisingly, every single person that moved into the neighborhood and asked ‘what’s this place about?’ subsequently, became the most faithful ones to attend events. They were the most devastated, bummed out, and freaked out, when they found out it’s closing.” Before announcing to others that the Arter y was closing, Larsen processed it alone. “I went through all the phases over the summer, anger, denial, bargaining... could I still stay there? But I’m in the acceptance mode now, and I hope my friends who love the Artery will get there quick, because even forests have a life. I think it’s time to move on and give up this project.” On KPFT’s Eco-ology show, host Pat Greer quoted Larsen, a man who has spent 30 years tending to trees , saying , “ The only way we will know Eden on earth is if we protect what is left, and foster stewardship and inspiration from nature’s return to areas from whence she has been banished.”
Selections from the Artery’s Video Archives
Everything in the Artery’s video archives is interesting, but here are some really special ones.
Climate Scientists Q & A with Students: vimeo.com/71900186
Climate scientists Dr. Barry Lefer (University of Houston) and Dr. Dan Cohan (Rice University) share their expertise with students near the heart of big oil.
Huehuetl, ‘Constelaciones’ vimeo.com/56324791
Based in Tonala, Mexico, Huehuetl performs dance and music in costumes and on instruments they make themselves, honoring their Mayan, Olmec and Aztec traditions. Houston has long been a second home to Huehuetl. Many Houstonians saw Huehuetl decades ago, performing at MECA, featuring Isaac Borsegui, his wife Patricia Alacala, and their three small children, Ce Acatl, Topiltzin and Tonantzin. Now those children have grown up and have inherited the traditions and leadership of the ensemble.
Marlon Lizama, ‘Immigrant’s Poem’
One of Houston’s most renowned breakdancers is
vimeo.com/56301223
adept in poetry as well.
Ira Perez, ‘No Regrets’
This young, native Houstonian
vimeo.com/56304753
has a voice that reflects a maturity beyond her years.
Karina Nistal,
Singer/songwriter Karina is a
‘Somos Hermanos’
Houstonian of Mexican and
vimeo.com/56288136
Cuban heritage and part of Rebel Crew. This Spanish language song features a large ensemble of talented musicians.
Gypsies, ‘No, No Naley Gadje’ vimeo.com/56262834
Since 1974, Greg Harbar and his group the Gypsies have been bringing Eastern European traditions and dance music to Houston.
Abbos Kosimov, excerpt from drum solo vimeo.com/50478418
Alash, ‘The Reindeer Herder’s Song’
Uzbekistan’s Abbos Kosimov is a master of the Doyra (frame drum),
Tuvan throat singing comes to Houston, Texas.
vimeo.com/42783397 Harry Sheppard, Bob Chadwick, David Craig vimeo.com/41912727
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Living legend Harry Sheppard is joined on stage by frequent collaborators Bob Chadwick and David Craig. Wondering what the hell Bob is playing? That would be a bass flute.
A New Chapter for Libraries
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By Kathryn McGranahan | Art by Blake Jones
In school, we s tu dy Egypt ’s Li b ra r y of Alexandria as the best example of an early center of learning, one tasked with finding and archiving the world’s knowledge. Indiana Jones would never leave. But his motley crew of sidekicks would have had to wait outside—only scholars were allowed in the library. Later, libraries were typically the property of Catholic monasteries and nobles. What became the Bibliothèque Nationale of France began with Charles V’s royal library in the Louvre Palace. His valet de chambre was its first recorded librarian. It was recreated and expanded throughout the centuries by donations, purchases and plunder from other kingdoms, especially during Napoleon’s reign. Libraries slowly took root in communities, but were usually based on endowments o r d o n atio n s to ch u rch e s , sch o o ls a n d towns . These were usually limited , and before 1900 were often open by subscription . B ut as printing presses took ove r and libraries opened their doors for free, they became symbols of equal access to a wealth of knowledge you couldn’t find anywhere else. Like an early Reddit. In America, we don’t know who s t a r te d th e f i r s t p u b lic li b ra r y. P e o p l e argue it was in Boston , Charleston or a town in Massachusetts that renamed itself Franklin to honor Benjamin Franklin (who ran away to Pennsylvania) and received books as thanks.
We d o k n ow w h o s t a r te d t h e f i r s t public digital library. San Antonio is now home to BiblioTech, the nation’s first public library running essentially on e-readers. Bexar County residents can borrow one of the library’s 600 3M e-readers or use their own to access thousands of titles and programs. The building itself also hosts 40 computer stations, 40 tablets (iPads, iMacs, MacBooks, Nooks) and 10 laptops to use within the building. BiblioTech also offers pre-loaded e-readers for kids and early readers. The interactive Nooks can even record your voice, which means parents can read to their children while the children read the words themselves. It ’s a cornucopia of free techie goodness for learning and leisure. “ People expect information to be at their fingertips now,” says Ashley Eklof, Head Librarian. “We have instantly accessible formats for music and movies and TV, but not for borrowing books. This way, we can reach a wide variety of people in their homes 24/7.” You do have to sign up for a physical library card, however. Perhaps, someday, an app will screen your fingerprint, but for now the digital library still runs on good oldfashioned, hand-held cards. The online titles themselves come from several dif ferent resources , which help BiblioTech expand its offerings beyond one system. Sure, cardholders can still access the San Antonio Public Librar y ’s digital
collection. But they also have access to collectives like Project Gutenberg, renowned for its bounty of rare and random e-books, the Library of Congress Internet Archive and the Digital Public Library of America. LibriVox has access to over 6,000 free public domain audiobooks. Ek l of e s ti m ate s a b o u t 2 0 0 p e o p l e visit the librar y daily. “ It ’s much higher for our website,” she adds . That makes sense, since B ibliotech’s website has a page devoted to online resources ranging from 92Y On Demand, which offers audio and video of speakers on life topics, to the Khan Academy videos, a Microsoft-funded program that can teach you basically everything about math. “ These are just free resources we thought people could use, but may not k n ow w h e re to f i n d th e m ,” El kof s ays . “We’re going to expand it. We really want to show people, ‘here are other options for access.’ That’s what libraries do; we provide free information access.” BiblioTech also provides free train ers for those with little to no computer skills, which is good in a local and global sense. Local, because BiblioTech was specifically chosen to operate in San Antonio’s less affluent south side, where technology access is more limited. Global, because the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) called us stupid. Yo u k n ow h ow s t u d i e s a r e a l w ay s re m i n d i n g u s h ow m ath e m atic a lly a n d grammatically inept our nation’s schoolchildren are compared to other developed nations? OECD recently decided to compare U.S. adults too. Turns out we also bring down the international average in math, literacy and digital skills. The study refers to the latter as “problem-solving in technology-rich environments”, and was dominated by countries like Japan and the Netherlands. We, however, scored below average. And that’s the category we did best in. Don’t even ask about our math prowess. “One of the original goals is to bridge the digital divide. Some people just really need the one-on-one,” Eklof says. “They’ll sit down and work with people to upload apps, start an email account or get help with their personal readers.” The library also offers regular classes on specific topics, where a community member will teach other community members about blogging or email. E k l o f, i s n ’ t wo r r i e d a b o u t h e r j o b becoming obsolete. “Technology slightly changes the role of the library, but we’re still the ones who provide references and resources. We’re a tech center, and we have the Internet, computers, educational databases and tutorials people can watch. But we can only reach the people we see face to face. Sitting them down and having them walk out happy, just being here if the community needs us, is still what we do.”
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PTSD Should Be Looked at Case by Case By Matthew Brian Smith
P o s t t r a u m at i c s t r e s s d i s o r d e r ( P T S D) h a s entered the lexicon of the 24-hour news cycle with much more frequency because of United States military actions post-9/11. It was only entered into the DSM in 1980 and has been greatly expanded since then, due to advancements in neurosciences. The term is a highly-generalized way to describe how veterans feel after they come back from war, but soldiers are people, and people are varied. According to a soldier I interviewed, who chooses to remain anonymous, treatment starts too late and is not accessible enough. Most importantly and most disconcerting, is that this particular soldier feels as if no person outside of the armed forces, be it counselor or friend, can relate to him any longer. The soldier is a currently inactive veteran of the United States Marine Corps who served all over the world, including Afghanistan and Iraq. He began serving in 2001, and his last tour of duty ended in 2011. He got into the Marine Corps because of the benefits that every recruiter will make you aware of before a prospective soldier signs up. He claims that it isn’t in the best interest of a recruiter to warn you of adjustment to life outside the corps, but just informs you that your benefits will never run out. The soldier receives $3,000 per month, as a sort of life stipend; his schooling is paid for, as is his insurance. Oddly enough, he insists that if he wishes to receive treatment for PTSD, he would have to pay out of pocket. “I did 16 months in Afghanistan and 32 months in Iraq. Four separate tours in Iraq. I think PTSD is very loosely-defined. I think people misdiagnose it. I think TBIs (traumatic brain injuries) are a big problem. You go through a diagnosis as soon as you get back.” It would be difficult for someone who hasn’t gone through an event as traumatic as combat in Iraq to be able to comprehend what a soldier has gone through, so an ordinary counselor may not be sufficient. “Being deployed that instant doesn’t cause PTSD. Going through the motions of becoming non-complacent and vigilant, and than de-machining yourself whenever you come back and how you process with other individuals who haven’t been through what you have been through; maybe you’re a little more multicultural than them, so you cut them slack, so you really hold your tongue.” This soldier was trying to convey to a civilian a complicated emotion that can’t be explained in words; which is that he felt like it was hard to relate to anybody after he got back and he said that it is far too common for soldiers not to communicate with each other once they get back because “you want to put it all behind you.” PTSD is different for everyone because everyone will experience different trauma. PTSD is no longer
thought of as a generic feeling that people get after an experience; different people will injure different parts of their brain and will actually have their brain altered in different manners. “I think PTSD is mis-cross-diagnosed, if you see what I’m saying. Traumatic brain injury is a physical ailment, PTSD is totally mentally-induced by the individual. I don’t take any medication. I think there are some pharmaceuticals certain people need to take if they have a chemical imbalance. But if something is induced just from something that they have been through or what they saw than I think talking to someone is probably the only thing that can help them. Maybe someone has a TBI and PTSD. ” The soldier interviewed experienced much heavier combat than the average soldier. He came from a regiment trained in Okinawa that he described as an above-average regiment. His training consisted of firing at his fellow soldiers, so he knew he was being fast-tracked to combat. “Every promotion I received was a combat promotion. Guys either got killed or got demoted because they couldn’t step to the plate of that real-life scenario. In the states it’s hunky-dory with your boss. If its 5:30 and you don’t have anywhere to go you could get a drink with your boss, and you’re going to take orders from him in combat? That shit doesn’t work in the Marine Corps.” How do you go from a highly-structured environment, full of adrenaline and order, and then go back to civilian life? “I got out and didn’t like being back out. I was bored so I went back in. It’s a comfort zone. There are types of individuals who have no structure outside of the military. Yeah it’s different. What the military did do for me is it gave a little more self-drive.” “Let ’s take an agoraphobic individual. Let ’s say that their niece or nephew is over, and they’re allergic to bees, and they have to go get an epi pen from the store around the corner: That might be the most traumatic event that they have ever been through. That’s literally the equivalent of me being behind enemy lines. For me, PTSD was a block of time and not recognizing how that block of time would affect me after. The worst thing I ever did was we had so many enemy KIAs (killed in action), that we had to seize a potato factory. It was 108 degrees outside and you can’t leave them in the street, Geneva Conventions Court would have come raining down on your head. I’ll never forget the fucking smell.”
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“ Whenever your mindset is: I’ve been through something that nobody else has been through; that’s where you fuck up and that’s what happened to me.”
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T h e U p & Co m i n g A lt e r n at i v e Co m e dy S c e n e i n Ho u s ton
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By David H. | Art by Shelby Hohl
It’s hard for me to believe that there are so many people that don’t know about the importance of Houston when it comes to stand-up comedy. Andy Huggins, Ron Shock, Sam Kinison, and Bill Hicks all cut their teeth in Houston at a place called The Comedy Workshop. The strangest part of the aforementioned list, is that only one of them is still alive. When Hicks passed away in 1992, it was like the legacy of comedy in Houston was done as far as a scene goes. That is until about a year ago. However, the scene that has formed; is more of an alternative scene; but it’s as vibrant and fruitful as it was in the 1980’s. This all starts by acknowledging several factors and several players. People like Theo Taylor, Ali Siddiq, and Ralphie May who filled the void of comedy here in Houston between the early nineties and today. While you have most certainly heard of Ralphie and Saddiq, you may or may not have heard of Theo Taylor. He’s been doing stand-up for 13 years, he can work both the traditional clubs like The Improv and The Joke Joint Comedy Showcase, as well as the alternative rooms. The night I see him, he kills and I quickly realize why he’s so revered in this town. There’s also Andy Huggins, from the Texas Outlaw Comics. Though Huggins left for six or so years, when he came back in 2010, he came back with a vengeance. Watching Huggins do stand-up lives up to the legend; he’s a consummate professional, with a great rhythm, matched only by his intense comedic timing. The night I see him, he kills as usual, and it’s easy to see why he’s such a source of inspiration for all of the “new guys,” as well as a shining example of another guy who’s funny no matter where he’s at. Even in our brief exchange, he makes me laugh four or five times in a ten minute conversation. T h e wo rl d of s t a n d - u p co m e d y i s a s tra n g e a n d sometimes depressing place. In the three weeks I spent researching this piece, I would see comics bomb continuously. I would sit back and listen to some call each other names behind their backs, and then lie to their faces about
how much they liked their performance. I would hear and see things that let you realize why so many comics end up dead due to their own vices. Keep in mind, the desire to be funny and the guts it takes to walk up and attempt to make others laugh is a difficult and painful process. This world, is all about respect. Gaining respect of the veterans and your fellow comics, while attempting to carve out a small place in the world that may one day guarantee that you can actually pay your bills from. As hard as it is for me to watch guys go up and only do two minutes of material where no one laughs; I can only imagine how hard it is to do it continuously. The easiest parallel one can compare stand-up to, would be the music world. Both career paths incite often taking a job you hate, to afford the ability to play a show whenever you can. Both are filled with people from all walks of life who are tirelessly promoting their act, while taking steps to get to that place where they can reach the next level of performance. And both are filled with people that have this one thing that is almost an obsession that fills their make up of who they are and who they see themselves as. However, the advantage to being a musician, is the ability to practice and not have an audience. Meaning you can suck for a long time before anyone else can confirm or deny that you do. In stand-up, you have to work out your act in front of a live group of people; and many times, sucking for a long time before you can get the golden ticket, stage time. For those of you who don’t know, the alternative comedy scene has been around since the 1980’s. It typically takes place in a setting that isn’t the usual fare of the traditional comedy club, but more in a place known for anything other than comedy. It’s in that setting, that the crowd has a different expectation level, in that they have no idea about what they are getting ready to see. Part two of this article will run in the December issue of Free Press Houston.
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The Rising Era of Indie Games in Houston By Eric Kinkead | Art by Blake Jones
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QUEST LORD
W h e n m o s t p e o p l e fi r s t t h i n k o f video games, the first thing that comes to min d is usu a lly co rp o rate g a m e s made for the masses. Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto Pokemon, Angry Birds. Even in ‘underground circles’, the clutches of Walmart purchased mega hits with million dollar budgets are first to be brought up in casual conversation. The state of Houston game development (i.e.game studios making games here) has always been weak at best when it comes to chart topping megahits. This city has always had a void when it came to game studios that garner attention to cities as a game d eve lo pm e nt m e cc a th ro ugh a c tual work. The last of those studios to follow that corporate model were Pi Studios and Timegate, both have folded and are no longer operational. On top of that, there are a variety of schools and colleges offering ‘game degrees’ to an eager base of young students year after year. There are no ‘game jobs’ for these students. It is the equivalent offering a ‘rock ‘n roll’ degree. Sure some of them might get placed in speciality ways at the few major companies around the countr y still operating in the corporate capacity. But they will be competing against an army of laid off, downsized, experienced individuals not to mention the go getter do-it-yourselfers. Furthermore, they will not be finding these jobs in Houston any time soon. There just are no game jobs in H ouston . Period . Even if there were, five specialized game jobs wouldn’t meet demand. H o w e v e r, n o t u n l i k e t h e m u s i c industry a decade ago, the traditional publisher model for video games has been turned on its head in the last few years. Mass studio layoffs and closures, coupled with the ease of self-publication on the Apple iTunes store has ushered in a new age for game developers. With mobile games, computer and consoles like the upcoming Playstation 4, the ease of access directly to the customer has never been more achievable by a small group or individual. Documentaries like Indie Games the Movie have clearly struck a nerve with game developers wanting to seek it out
on their own. Along with this, an entire new community of games have been released that challenge the traditional aesthetic of what a game is. W i t h s e l f p u b l i c a t i o n , c r e a t i ve f re e d o m f o l l ows . G a m e r s a re m o re open now than they ever have been to different artistic styles; it doesn’t take an army of artists to make a good indie game. And a publisher can’t pull the plug if the deem it not to fit into their quarterly profit margin. Programming has never been easier with available S D K s (S of t wa re D eve l o p m e nt K it s). Homebrew games and micro-studios are finding that they have much better s u c c e s s t a r g e ti n g t h e i r n i c h e a u d i ences directly. So then where is the Houston Game Developer scene? When I first started my indie game QuestLord www.questlord.com for mobile I knew the answer for that question before it was finished. I was born in Houston and I know what Houston’s rules are. You don’t just wish fo r thin gs to h a pp e n in H o usto n . I n Houston you make it happen. So with a little research, I was able to find local like-minded individuals and created the collective called www.houstongamedev. org In the year and half that have passed since we started this we have grown in numbers, we have had a total of seven direct-to-consumer releases from various members in the organization and many more local releases covered by our website. Our meet ups are growing in size ranging from coffee shops to restaurants, to nerd enthusiast conventions like Space City Con. Other collectives are out there as well. While not specifically featured on indie game development, groups and media such as Lazy Bit, Point’s Matter, and Space City Nerd populate Houston with a sense of do it yourself-ness that indie games thrive on. Houston is in the middle of a reboot when it comes to game development. So it is basically what you want to make it. But if you are an indie game developer, and want to help foster a sense of indie game dev community, then you really should either A) Move or B)Take a cue from the musicians in Houston’s present and past and just start doing it yourself.
Events coming up: UH Game On lws.lib.uh.edu/sites/gameon/ Nov 30, Deadline for Houston Game Dev awardshoustongamedev.org Space City Nerd spacecitynerd.com/ Lazy Bit facebook.com/LazyBitCollective
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The Affordable Care Act Gets a Checkup By Jack Daniel Betz | Art by Blake Jones
Jus t a s t he Aff or da ble Ca r e Ac t ’s detractors were screaming for its repeal, even before any of the provisions were in place, true believers were slapping fresh, new bumper stickers onto their car exteriors proclaiming, “I love Obamacare,” well before the centerpiece of the legislation (the exchanges) had gone gone into effect. B y t a c k i n g th e p re si d e nt ’s n a m e to th e b ill , th e Republicans have distracted many Americans from asking salie nt qu estio ns . This p olitic ally- cha rg e d na m e “Obamacare” has caused a lot of people to jump the gun and claim to know either A) that it has to be good (because we voted for President Obama), or B) that it will burn down our homes and deflower our children (because we voted against President Obama). However, now that the exchanges are open, and transformation of America’s insurance landscape is underway, it’s time set a practical metric for the ACA’s success (or shortcomings). 1) Can I keep my current plan? It is probably true that in the text of the law itself, there are no measures that deliberately kill anyone’s current plans by name. However, the rigorous requirements the law now sets for all insurance plans have caused thousands of policy cancellations initiated by the carriers themselves. True, the government is ending not anybody’s current plan per se, but these new requirements and drastic changes are certainly ending many plans per quod. Not many people are discussing this at the current time, mostly due to the tech side of rollout, but it’s certainly not a myth from one of grandpa’s dreaded chain emails. In an NBC News article from October 18th, Anna Gorman of Kaiser Health News writes, “The main reason insurers offer is that the policies fall short of what the Affordable Care Act requires starting Jan. 1. Most are ending policies sold after the law passed in March 2010. At least a few are canceling plans sold to people with pre-existing medical conditions.” Th e se b a re b o n e s p l a n s a re of te n p u rc h a s e d by younger, healthier individuals who simply don’t require the extra bells and whistles that families and older people do. And in a economic downturn like the one we’re currently in, how many young people can afford to splurge on anything period? These buyers are not flouting the ACA’s requirement that all Americans must purchase insurance, they’re simply not purchasing “approved” plans. And in response, instead of making the required adjustments, companies are dropping their plans altogether, which is apparently not at all disturbing to the administration or bill supporters in Congress, both of whom have remained silent. So the answer to this question is, “Kind of depends who you are.” 2) Can I keep my current doctor? There’s no obvious hints that the average person would be separated from his or her current doctor, but if said person loses a current plan as a result of ACA and must pick a new plan on the exchange, there’s at least a possibility that the new plan might not be compatible with the preferred physician. However, this compatibility problem is something the average person could experience when switching jobs or purchasing a new insurance plan on the open market. 3) Will my health care actually be more affordable? At this time in the rollout process, it’s hard to tell what the mean price is going to be for insurance on the exchanges, especially since the final price for policy buyers is based
on many moving parts (including the total wildcard of government subsidies). However, the cancellation letters that many have received, and many more will continue to receive, do raise the question of how much “approved” plans will cost, given the extras we are all now required to purchase, even at the so-called bronze level. Where does the price reduction even come in? The results of this test are crucial for the ACA being successful. The government could argue that, “Yeah, while you can’t have your current plan, at least you’re able to purchase one that provides the same amount of coverage at a lower cost.” This would be a fair point, and a hard one to counter. Yet, with the wild internet anecdotes on both ends of the price spectrum, it shouldn’t make you feel like a party pooper or birther to be a bit anxious. New York Times ar ticle “ Health C are Law Fails to Provide Lower Prices in Rural Areas” brings up the peculiar problem of static premiums in non-urban areas. In rural regions of the country, there are less insurers to choose from and consequently less competition, which seems to be hampering the ACA’s cost-lowering effects. Problems like these (let ’s not even discuss the exchanges themselves) show that despite what your chipper, neighborhood OFA volunteer assures you when he thrusts a free bumper sticker into your hand, the ACA is not going to be a slam dunk right out of the gate. But this should come as no surprise to anyone, given th at th e p rovisio n s we re n ot p a s se d pi e ce m e a l , b ut instead as a gigantic, hulking monolith which nobody took the time to read. Even the sticker bearers and the OFA volunteers should pay close attention to the bill’s unfolding and not feel shy or embarrassed to demand better if it should fall short. Ultimately though, it’s not your opinion of President Obama, or what Rush Limbaugh says, or what Jon Stewart quips that determines the success of the ACA: it’s how the law affects you personally. Anyone who tells you otherwise just wants your money or your vote.
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