VOLUME 04 ISSUE 10 HOLIDAY 2016
MILLIONS ARE CUTTING THE CORD
UNA STUDENT GETS FOCUSED
HARK! THE HERALD ANGELS SING
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
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HOLIDAY 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
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TO BED WE ALL GO, TO AWAIT MORNING’S LIGHT, HOPING AND PRAYING FOR A CHRISTMAS THAT’S WHITE. ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS DOWNTOWN, P12
LETTER
CONTRIBUTORS
FROM THE EDITOR
LET’S HEAR IT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
WAKE-UP CALL A GUIDE TO CUTTING CABLE IN THE NEW YEAR . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6
“MOM! I WON A CAR!”
HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Let’s all take a moment to be thankful for the holiday season. First of all, there’s a time in the year, a whole two months, where we are allowed to revel in sweet, sweet gluttony. Think about it: you’re living your best life, wearing soft fabrics because of the cold, surrounded by those that you don’t mind being around and that don’t mind being around you. The fireplace might even be lit to prove just how lit your holiday vibes are to all your followers on Instagram. There’s food literally everywhere - do not get me started on my love of a great charcuterie platter. There is nothing more beautiful to me than a well organized spread of meats and cheeses accompanied by the crunch of grilled, oiled bread. Speaking of all that holiday party goodness, Marc Anderson returns in his article this month on how to throw the perfect parties for all your friends before returning home to your families, however they may be formed. Combined with Allie Sockwell’s top choices for holiday music, and newcomer Mallory Kirk’s new and interesting recipe ideas, your parties are sure to be the talk of the next few months. While at home for the holidays, try to convince your family to go cordless with all the information Derrick Flynn brings us in his article on cutting the cord and saving some serious cash on your TV bill. The feature of this issue is a creative endeavor by myself and Lexi Peck, turning The Night Before Christmas on its head and re-creating it to feature some of the best hangouts in Columbia
SOME THINGS ARE WELL DESERVED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS DOWNTOWN A HOLIDAY TOUR THROUGH COLUMBIA AND THE SHOALS. . . . . 10-13
GOOD FOOD, GOOD FUN, GOOD PEOPLE CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS IN STYLE.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15-17
THE RIVER THAT SINGS OPERA UNA OPERA TO PERFORM ROMEO AND JULIET. . . . . . . . . . . . 18-19
CALENDAR WHAT’S GOING ON HERE? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21-23
SPOTLIGHT SET READERS IN ACTION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-27 and The Shoals. We hope you enjoy it! Shifting gears a little bit, new SET Contributor Harley Duncan hosted an exclusive interview with Listerhill Credit Union’s Car Giveaway winner from this past year’s The Big Deal, Drake Hamilton. Read up on his awesome story about helping out his West Point attending brother Ryan. As always, if you ever feel the need to have your voice heard, hit me up through my email, editor@getsetmag. com, and keep up with SET on all our social media to stay in the know! See y’all next year!
BY ISAAC RAY NORRIS, EDITOR
SET is a publication by and for local young people dedicated to lifestyle, finance, technology and community. It is published by Listerhill Credit Union as
part of its ongoing mission to promote the credit union philosophy of cooperation and financial literacy. It is a platform for 15-20 somethings in the community and it is free.
MERRY MUSIC HOLIDAY ALBUMS TO GET YOU ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
INDY OR BUST! PRIDE OF DIXIE TO PERFORM AT BOA GRAND NATIONALS, AGAIN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31
NOT YOUR MOTHER’S RECIPES SPICE UP YOUR HOLIDAY GRUB . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
HARD KNOCK LAUGHS COMEDY TROUPE PUTS NEW SPIN ON COMEDIC CONTENT. . . . . . 34
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4 CONTRIBUTORS
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SET CONTRIBUTORS DERRICK FLYNN Madison, AL
DANIEL PEREZ
Mons, Belgium
HARLEY DUNCAN
White House, TN
DUSTIN COAN
Ford City, AL
LEXI PECK
MARC ANDERSON
REBEKAH MILWEE
ALLIE SOCKWELL
MALLORY KIRK
WESLEY HOPKINS
Columbia, TN
Lawrenceburg, TN
Florence, AL
Florence, AL
Gilroy, CA
Florence, AL
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TECH/MONEY 5
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81 percent of adults have a Netflix account.
By 2017, one in eight U.S. homes will own a 4K TV.
WAKE-UP CALL A GUIDE TO CUTTING CABLE IN THE NEW YEAR LET’S SEE WHAT YOU GOT WHITE SHADOW! With the new year rolling around, change is something that becomes less of a background echo and more of a loud bellow. New year’s isn’t just some anticipation for a new number on the end of a calendar, but a tabula rasa to anyone looking for a fresh start from the past. It’s a time to reflect upon our lives, and most importantly, realize how we can we improve our day to day lives in the coming months. Cutting cable won’t drastically improve your life, but it will give you a better perspective on how to save money and start the new year off right. With so many streaming services coming out of the woodworks this year, and the steadily increasing demand for fiber-optic internet, there has never been a better time to unsubscribe from those pesky cable companies and to solely rely on streaming as a main source of how you view your content. I realize this process of transitioning to an internet based setup for watching TV can become complicated very quickly, so I’m going to explain things as simply as possible to get you setup in no time. The first thing you’ll need before doing anything else is a steady
internet connection. When looking for a provider in both the Florence and Muscle Shoals area, I’m going to recommend the only big two companies that are available right now around us; Comcast or AT&T. AT&T’s Fiber is now better than ever, they’ve just removed their internet monitoring preferences from their policy that included paying a $30 monthly privacy fee to opt-out of targeted advertising. (Yes, they actually tried to do this) And the speeds? Unbelievable. I rarely see the the loading bar for Netflix at all anymore. For $70 a month, you get 100 Mb/s to use at your digression for up to 1 TB of data. Downloading music takes literally seconds. Fiberoptic internet is really for those that want the best there is to offer in America, in terms of internet speeds. Though to the average person, you won’t really need these speeds to enjoy your content. Choosing a lower package should still be more than enough. For streaming both 1080p content or 4K content, having an internet speed of at least 25 Mb/s is recommended, both for reliability and ease of frustration when trying to watch content on multiple devices. (Or sharing with a few roommates.)
The next thing to do is to look for is a good router that can support 5 GHz speeds. Although Comcast and AT&T give you a router from them to use, I recommend buying your own router to have more control over your network and devices. For those looking at purchasing gigabit internet, make sure you have a router that supports it. If you have a PlayStation or Xbox One, I recommend hooking up your console via ethernet cable. Hooking it up by an ethernet cable should allow a more consistent streaming experience, and less variation in the video quality of your content while watching. Certain devices, like the Apple TV, may actually lose bandwidth speed when connected by ethernet as opposed to Wi-Fi, so you may want to check the particular device before using ethernet with it. Television sets today have improved vastly since the emergence of 4K and apps that support streaming in 4K like Netflix and Amazon Video. But what should you really look into when buying a new TV for the next five to 10 years? One thing to note is to not pay attention to the advertised features of a 4K TV. By that I mean you should pay attention to a TV that has good, deep black levels and a combination
of both 4K and HDR (High Dynamic Range). While 4K has been all the hype in recent years, it just doesn’t offer that much of a difference between 1080p. By itself, 4K offers a subtle increase in video fidelity. With HDR and 4K, the difference to 1080p is night and day. Colors pop off the screen in an unimaginable way, everything is brighter but not overbearing. It’s important to note higher price does not mean a better viewing experience when watching content. In fact, some stores will mess up the picture settings on other TVs to make them look bad in comparison to other models. Just make sure to do the research beforehand and look at sites like CNET, The Verge, or Rtings for a more in-depth discussion of purchasing a 4K TV. Selecting what kind of device to watch your content on at home is also an option that can make or break your experience with cutting cable. For instance, if you know that you like to use Android or iOS, you should probably look at a streaming device that is more suited toward what you already use with your phone. For Android users that want on on-screen interface for their TV, I recommend the Roku Premiere. The
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Google has been plotting a web TV service since 2012. $80 Roku Premiere outputs 4K video at 60 frames per second, and has its own store filled with thousands of notable apps. Those invested heavily in Apple should pick up the new fourth generation Apple TV. The new Apple TV supports Siri onscreen, has its own app store, and an interface very similar to iOS. The new Apple TV does not support 4K video and has two different models. One model offers 32GB of storage for $149 while another model has 64GB of storage for $199. They both have exactly the same features, just a difference in storage. If you’re frugal about certain things, and use either iOS or Android, the Chromecast is another excellent pick. Starting at $35 your phone, tablet, or computer becomes your new TV remote. You can instantly stream video, photos, music, even your phone’s screen to your TV instantly. The only issue with Chromecast is that there’s not an on-screen interface like with the Roku or Apple TV - everything is controlled by an app on your phone. There’s also the new $70 Chromecast Ultra being introduced this month that outputs video in 4K and HDR support. PC Gamers should look at the Nvidia Shield starting at $199 that allows you to stream PC games to your TV (little to virtually no lag) and supports 4K video. Console gamers should look at the new Xbox One S for $299 or the new PlayStation 4 Pro for $349 that releases this month, which both support 4K streaming video. Once you have a reliable internet package and router, a modern TV and a trust-worthy device to view your content on, it’s time to look at exactly how to put everything together. Cutting the cord requires some replacement of a cable package. Now that you have everything setup, it’s time to look at your new choices for watching TV. Currently there are two internet-based TV services that are worth mentioning. Sling TV and PlayStation Vue. I have experience with trying both services and have come to realize that they both have their ups and downs. If I could recommend only one service to you I would urge you to go with PlayStation Vue simply because you get a more familiar experience to a normal cable package, for more than half the cost. PlayStation Vue starts out at $30 a month for 55 channels and jumps all the way up to $65 a month for 100 channels and includes HBO and showtime. PlayStation Vue offers
HOLIDAY 2016
AT&T plans to launch a DirecTV streaming TV service.
NETFLIX AND DON’T TOUCH ME! more content THAN Sling TV and comes with a cloud-based DVR to record your shows from up to 28 days after the show airs. Another big thing going for PlayStation Vue is the ability to log in to existing apps from other TV networks with your PlayStation Vue login information. Sling TV doesn’t offer nearly as much features as PlayStation Vue, but is more accessible on more devices, with some drawbacks to this that I’ll go into detail about. Sling TV starts out at $20 a month for 25 channels and goes all the way to $40 a month for 40 channels. Sling TV offers additional add on packages like that include channels like HBO and Showtime from $5 to $15. Some things to note about Sling TV is that it does matter which device you use for it. I found that the experience on an Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku was flawless while using Sling TV on an Xbox One encountered some significant issues when trying to watch content
or keeping a consistent video quality. The interface for PlayStation Vue is arguably better than Sling TV’s interface, so it’s easier to search for content and more welcoming to newcomers as opposed to Sling TV. Sling TV is currently working to improve their services to have a more unified interface across multiple devices, leaving things to only improve for the better. In comparison to cable, Sling TV and PlayStation Vue have become viable alternatives this year to cable television. The national cable bill for 2016 averages at about $100 after promotional offers end, and sometimes higher. With just an internet package of 25 Mb/s you would currently be at only $30 to $40 a month, depending on the company. From here if you added a service like the base Sling TV or PlayStation Vue package for a fee of $20 to $30. With Netflix or Hulu added on top of it, that’s $8 to $10 added to your new bill. Your new bill still doesn’t
come close to what I would be if you still had cable instead of streaming. Another bonus to streaming is that you can cancel a particular service at any time with no hidden fees, and there’s no extra charge for wanting to stream content in HD. (Like some cable companies do). The magic of streaming TV as opposed to cable is that you can mix and match your bill based on your preferences of what and when you like to watch. That’s something cable companies simply aren’t willing to do. Services like Sling TV and PlayStation Vue may be in their infant stages, but with more networks continually to their lineups along with lower price points, cutting the cord is beginning to look like the most stress-free resolution anyone could make for the new year.
STORY BY DERRICK FLYNN
HOLIDAY 2016
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SET isn’t just a magazine looking for people to share their 2 cents. It is entirely comprised of content provided by the 15 - 29 year olds of our community. No one else writes the articles, no one else takes the pictures and no one else decides what runs. That’s why we need you. Attend our next editorial meeting, drop us a line or send us an idea for your story. We want your photography, art and music. Get on SET’s team.
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8 HERO
Over 400,000 children are in foster care in America.
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About 100,000 are in need of an adoptive family.
“MOM! I WON A CAR!” SOME THINGS ARE WELL DESERVED
CALLING THE PARENTALS
Webster’s Dictionary defines fate as the development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power. In life, sometimes everything falls into place for those who deserve it, either by fate or of their own doing, and a good story is often birthed from those moments. Drake Hamilton, a freshman at the University of North Alabama, barely made it onto campus this fall. His car was on its last leg and puttering slowly to uselessness. The hour and a half drive back home to Falkville, Alabama was a valid concern for him and his family. Hamilton’s first car was a 1998 Buick that his older brother, Ryan, had passed down to him. Shortly after Ryan gave his car to Drake, Drake totaled it. He came out of the wreck with a few scratches, but he lost a lot trust from his parents. “My grandpa surprised my brother with the car. He and his friends named it Steven. It was some sort of inside joke,” he said. “That sucker was bottom heavy though. I don’t know how I flipped it.” Earlier this year, Ryan told Drake that he could borrow his Dodge Charger while he was away for school. Ryan’s trust in Drake brought him a tremendous amount of joy. Ryan is two years older than Drake, and when Ryan was 10 years old, he was forced to move to Arizona because of family issues. Drake still remembers the tears that rolled down his face as his best friend
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HERO 9
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The U.S. Military Academy acceptance rate is 9.5%.
The population of Falkville, Alabama is 1,279.
THE PICK UP left the airport to live halfway across the country. “He told us that he really missed us and wanted to come back. Eventually, we decided to get custody of him,” said Drake. Drake’s grandfather flew out to Arizona and brought Ryan back to be a part of the family. “We went to Disney World to celebrate as soon as he moved back,” Drake said. Ryan and Drake became best friends and then they became brothers. Drake doesn’t remember a time without having a brother. Their parents not only provided Ryan with love, but also an opportunity to succeed. Now, Ryan is on the path to be a hero. Ryan is currently in a preparatory school before he enrolls into the United States Military Academy. He has accepted a full scholarship to play football for the Army and has accepted the reality that he will serve this country after he graduates. “I originally signed with Faulkner, but when West Point came into the mix I couldn’t pass that up.” Ryan was a little apprehensive to ask his coach if he could go to West Point, but the coach fully understood what of type opportunity this was for his former player. Ryan will be living in Hebron, Maine for the next year where he will attend school. Football heavily influenced him to sign with the Army, although Ryan said the main reason he chose the Army was the unique
experience he will get serving our country and getting an education at the same time. On Aug. 25, 2016, Listerhill Credit Union hosted “The Big Deal” on UNA’s campus. This year Listerhill gave one lucky student a car. “As soon as my mom saw the car she kept saying that I was going to win it. She said that car was going to be mine.” Drake’s hopes to win the car were a little less optimistic. He knew that the chance of his name being drawn from 171 other names was incredibly small. Later that evening, after Drake’s parents and brother had left, he heard his name announced. He was one of three students to choose a bag that may or may not have the keys to the car. When the moment came for him to search the bag, fate was on his side. He immediately called his mother to share the news. “My mom’s voice was shaking so bad, ‘You better not being lying to me!’ She screamed and my dad said she even danced around the house,” he said. When Ryan found out about the car he could not help but be extremely excited for his younger brother. “It felt like I had won the car too. That’s how excited I was for him,” Ryan said. Drake and his mom signed the paperwork the very next morning to seal the deal. Drake had declared a few months ago that he was going to save money to buy a new car his first two
ZOMG! years at UNA. After he won the car, I cautiously asked him how much he had saved so far. With a guilty laugh he said, “I actually haven’t saved anything.” This car really is a “Big Deal” for the Hamilton family. “It would have taken a while for me to save up to get a new car. Right now times are a little rough,” Drake said. A car has given a mother peace about her son’s safety as he drives back home for the holidays, and it has given an opportunity for Drake to earn a part-time
job. Stories like these prove that anyone can be a hero at any moment in life. Being a hero does not require a super power. It is simply sacrificing for the greater good of others. If you see Drake cruising around in his red Ford Focus, tell him that he rocks. He deserves it.
STORY BY HARLEY DUNCAN
10 FEATURE
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'Twas the Night Before Christmas Downtown A holiday tour through columbia and the shoals BY LEXI PECK AND ISAAC RAY NORRIS
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It was first published in 1823 by Troy Sentinel.
PHOTO BY SHOALS HISTORY
No one knows who wrote "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."
‘Twas the night before Christmas, downtown on the square, A festive tree sat, on the Courthouse stair.
Guarded by nutcracker and drummer boy too, They stared out into the streets to see what we’d do. Wreaths hung on shop doors, inviting us in They lined 7th street, where the magic begins. The lampposts were lit, with a holiday glow, The streets lay bare, just waiting for snow. The people had been there just hours before Finishing their shopping in all of the stores. With packages in arms, in their hands were lists, ROGERS HALL
The gifts yet to buy looked something like this:
PHOTO BY COLUMBIA, TN MAINSTREET
“A hat for my brother with it’s emblem turned round, 61 years and counting is Ted’s sign upside down. A bag of coffee for sister and her late college nights, Muletown’s small batches will fix her up right. A down-home meal for Grandpa, southern to the bone, Pucketts Restaurant & Grocery is locally known. Grandma likes stories to pass the time away, Duck River books should have something, I say. A nice dress for Mother, fit for next year’s Polk Ball, Lace & Company’s selection is sure to enthrall. And for Father, what else but new vinyl to store, A throwback from Variety will strike an old chord. Now to Lily Jane, to Oak & Lace, and Bleu 32! The holiday sales are just too good to be true. To Southern Exposure, Unique Korner and off to High Fashion LOOKIN' FOR THOSE GIFTS.
These shops have everything, all you could imagine.
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The U.S. declared Christmas an official holiday in 1870.
PHOTO BY SHOALS HISTORY
Roosevelt banned Christmas trees in the White House.
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MOBILE STREET SNOW
Onto Square Market and Mercantile too,
Further down the road,
Then off to Asgard for some yuletide brew.
from the hills of Tennessee
And speaking of food, I forgot the Christmas feast!
to the Valley by the river,
Pie Sensations will be last, but certainly not least.
lies a town that doesn’t forebode.
They stop only moments to cross items off their lists,
'Twas the night before Christmas on Court Street,
Double checking to make sure none had been missed.
the lights strung up, all pretty and neat.
Others still scurry, to and fro from the shops,
The Shoals was booming with holiday feasts,
Juggling their presents praying none drop.
with citizens reveling in sweet, sweet treats.
Still so much to be finished as this day comes to close,
Workers checked the lights of the trees,
With the night comes the cold and faces half froze.
signaling the coming season.
Off home to ready for candlelight songs
Churches put up their signs,
A Silent Night’s end to a day full and long.
helping us remember the reason.
To bed we all go, to await morning’s light,
The party was just getting started at Odette,
Hoping and Praying for a Christmas that’s white.
with trivia and libations, I bet.
‘Twas the night before Christmas in Columbia’s downtown
Over at Ricatoni’s the tiramisu was calling,
Thank you so much for letting me show you around.
But I refrained for my waistlines a’growing.
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The first artificial Christmas trees used dyed goose feathers.
PHOTO BY SHOALS HISTORY
Christmas trees grow for 15 years before they are sold.
1950S COURT STREET
Billy Reid, all decked out in Christmas gear,
The bands prepared for their holiday parades
was light up with joy for the new year.
Warming and tuning their horns.
And don’t forget about Woodpecker Café,
Santas abound in these towns,
their pastries surely match your fresh latté.
Somehow he’s always around.
Further up the street, Leo and Una were snuggled and warm,
Tusccumbia showed off her own holiday cheer,
with dreams of blood-sickles dancing in their heads.
with lights there and here.
UNA welcomes the holiday spirit,
Coldwater Books was lit to the heavens,
though her students aren’t in it.
offering candy and cookies to fill your cravins’.
All throughout Florence,
All throughout the Shoals,
parties and gatherings begin.
the holiday spirit rings clear.
With warm greetings and open arms,
In the hope that Saint Nick
This season isn’t meant for harm.
would soon be near.
Across the cold Tennessee River, which flowed quietly and calmly, laid the rest of the Shoals, not in the least balmy.
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FOOD 15
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The holiday host should make the turkey.
The friend with good taste in music should provide playlist.
GOOD FOOD, GOOD FUN, GOOD PEOPLE
CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS IN STYLE
Well folks, autumn is finally here and winter is coming. They bring four celebratory holidays; ones that we can either spend with family or with friends. Technically, now that Halloween has passed, there are only three holidays remaining; Thanksgiving, Christmas and new year’s. The majority of college students and twenty-somethings enjoy the company of close friends and acquaintances more than that of their own family members. It’s only
natural for us to want to socialize with people our own age. The cooler weather gives us the opportunity to do just that. The holiday season is the perfect time to host a party or social gathering. So, if you are tired of the weekly tailgates or the occasional frat parties, why not try putting together your own little shindig? With three different options to choose from, it shouldn’t be too hard trying to decide who, what, when and where.
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HOLIDAY 2016
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FOOD 17
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There should be potatoes. In any form.
Must have vegetables that aren’t part of a casserole.
I often plan a holiday party at my home for my friends. In fact, I have attended or hosted a party for all of the aforementioned holidays. For those of you who may be absolutely clueless about how to plan a party, I would like to take a look at each holiday and share just a few ideas about what to expect if you choose to celebrate any of them with your friends this year.
THANKSGIVING Traditionally, this is a holiday that we celebrate with family but, friends and co-workers come together to celebrate ‘Friendsgiving.’ Oftentimes brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents from all over gather together and sit down to enjoy a smorgasbord sprawled out on a table. The food is not the only thing that they share and partake in; they share fond memories and stories. The same scenario can happen amongst friends. Everyone comes together to have a nice meal and swap stories about the semester and share their thoughts on what’s to come. The Thanksgiving holiday is always on a Thursday and most schools close the Wednesday before. An ideal time to have a Friendsgiving feast would be the weekend before or on any of the days that precede the actual holiday. As the host, you could provide one main entrée and ask that those invited bring a side item, dessert or a lesser entrée. You could even convince someone to provide plates, napkins, cups and the cutlery. Decorating for this occasion should be minimal. In fact, consider the meal as the decoration. The different textures and colors of all of the casseroles, ham, turkey and dressing is on display. If you want to select a few colors for the event, I suggest that you choose those that resemble colors of autumn leaves. For those of you who are interested in watching the Iron Bowl, have your Friendsgiving then. The menu would consist of everyone’s favorite game day snacks and guests could dress casually. Once that’s all done, whip out the board games or go see a newly released movie at your local theater.
CHRISTMAS I absolutely love Christmas and the whole Advent season. I will go ahead and warn you that without the
ALL I CAN MAKE IS COLD CEREAL AND MAYBE TOAST! proper planning, a Christmas party can get very out of hand and turn into a disaster. First, you have to decide what type of party you want it to be; serious or fun. If you’re into tacky sweaters, then make it fun. If you want to have a more refined gathering and serve wine, then be serious. Whatever you decide, make sure everyone invited knows what’s up and dresses accordingly. From there, you choose your menu items. I always tend to stick with hors d’oeuvres and food that people can eat with their hands or toothpicks; it keeps you from having to purchase cutlery. At my last holiday party, I prepared butternut squash crostinis, Oreo balls and homemade eggnog. Ultimately, it depends on how much money you’re willing to spend and how much time you have to prepare. Once you have decided the theme of the party, decorate accordingly. Despite what you may think, decorating for Christmas is not easy. Too little looks sad and too much looks crazy. One has to find a happy medium. Now, as far as locating said decorations, practically every store in town has various assortments of ornaments and they all vary in price. Ideal stores to purchase decorations from would be Target, Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, Kirkland’s, Loewe’s and Cracker Barrel. I would also recommend perusing a few of the local boutiques and thrift stores; you might find some hidden gems there. Some people are into DIY Christmas decorations. This brings up one of the many
activities that you can do at your party. You can have guests bring homemade ornaments or setup a craft station at the party; a spot where all of that can take place. Two other fun games to do are Dirty Santa or Secret Santa gift exchanges. One last detail is music. So, I will admit that I made a four-hour long playlist for my party. Did my party last four hours? No, but, I wanted to make sure that music was constantly playing in the background and affecting the mood of the party. I started out by selecting traditional songs by older artists and then added in songs by more contemporary ones. Once I compiled that list, I went back and added songs that really had nothing to do the season; they were either songs that were relevant to the occasion or ones that were just fun to listen to. See, I wasn’t kidding when I said that planning these types of parties have a tendency to be overwhelming. Selecting a theme or basic idea for what type of party you want will influence all of the other details and everything will fall into place. One final Christmas party idea is to do a movie marathon. There are so many movies to choose from. I am certain that Netflix will make every last one of them available for viewer consumption. Enjoy.
NEW YEAR’S EVE Hopefully by now you have noticed a trend with this whole process. If you volunteer to open up your home to your friends, you not only have to
make sure that they have a good time but you need to have a good time too. Do not go out of your way to put on an event that pleases everyone except you. It’s your place. If you’re not comfortable with being responsible for a certain type of party, then don’t invite that into you home. I have yet to experience a situation like the one featured in that movie ‘Project X.’ That being said, let’s talk about new year’s eve. This is an easy holiday to plan for. Since the date is associated with celebrating, most of the bars are open. Instead of preparing a fancy meal just have everyone meet at the local pub or tavern to celebrate responsibly. If the crowded bar isn’t your scene and you would rather celebrate at home, then you have some planning to do. Personally, I have always considered a new year’s eve party to be a classy affair. Now, I don’t expect everyone to dress in costume de rigueur like they do during Mardi Gras but, sweatpants are not an acceptable article of clothing. Again, you will want to have a menu that allows people to grab and go. For decorations, the two main colors tend to be gold and silver. Play around with either one or the other and pair it with colors that compliment. Create a photo booth so that guests can remember their last party of 2016. Speaking of parties, this is definitely one where people will want to dance. A combination of classic and contemporary music always works best. If you happen to have a friend that’s also a DJ, this is the perfect night to have them over. Lastly, make sure you’re ready for the Champagne toast at midnight. Unfortunately, when that time comes, the party doesn’t end. Most of these parties have a tendency to last until sunrise so, gird your loins. Now, I do not consider myself an expert on this sort of thing nor am I encouraging you to go out and put on this grandiose holiday bash. I have had experience with festive gatherings and know-how special this time of year is to people. That’s really what it’s all about; spending time with those special people and creating a moment that all of you can cherish. Cheers!
STORY BY MARC ANDERSON
18 ART
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More than 80 spellings of Shakespeare are recorded.
HOLIDAY 2016
Romeo and Juliet was the first play about romantic love.
THE RIVER THAT SINGS OPERA UNA OPERA TO PERFORM ROMEO AND JULIET
The Shoals is home to a wide array of musical talents, ranging from jazz and the blues to the music of local Native Americans. What better to add to the diversity of the area than a classical opera production? From Nov. 4-6th, during two evening and one matinee performance, University of North Alabama’s Department of Opera and Musical Theater will proudly present French composer Gounod’s arrangement of Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet. Staged and directed by UNA music department’s Dr. Tiffany Bostic Brown, the performance will be a modern retelling of the classic Shakespearean tragedy. Double casting was done for each lead role, with Mark Anderson and Alex Wasson alternately playing the role of Romeo Montague, alongside Gabrielle Fuqua and Maria Sullivan each taking on the role of Juliet Capulet. This version of Gounod’s work has been translated into English from the original French script. The entire crew has been tirelessly preparing for their demanding roles since late May when auditions were held and casting announced. Upon the initial excitement of being cast, the leads subsequently spent the summer memorizing their roles and preparing themselves mentally for the characters they are to play. When school started in August, each lead was expected to be mostly off-book, and began working privately with Bostic-Brown
on their blocking, characterization and vocal delivery. Bostic-Brown recognizes the ever changing world we live in, and has a vision of allowing opera to grow, change, shift and evolve with the times in order to remain relevant to younger audiences. Bostic-Brown understands that “opera can be daunting and hard to understand at first, even admitting it was an acquired taste for herself in the beginning.” However, once she began training in opera and learned to appreciate the difficulty of the work and the intricacy of the composition, Bostic-Brown developed a strong appreciation and eventual love for the world of opera. She hopes this passion will be evident to the audiences who come to see the final product shaped by her direction. Lead roles are given to vocal majors, so opera has generally been previously included in their upper level vocal classes. Becoming classically trained in opera is challenging, and takes time, but can be highly rewarding as well. An ensemble cast of 27 Montagues and Capulets provides accompaniment during several pivotal scenes. An operatic ensemble operates slightly differently from a typical chorus. Members of the ensemble are encouraged to be fairly vocal and maintain individuality within their vocal delivery rather than making an effort to blend as a unit
GABBY FUQUA AND EVAN HAMMOND IN “INTO THE WOODS” as a traditional chorus would tend to do. This distinction adds colorful texture to the overall sound. According to Gabrielle Fuqa, playing Juliet, characterization was among the most challenging parts of the production for her. At times, Fuqua claims that she found it very difficult to understand or relate to what Juliet’s intentions are. “Juliet is so youthful and naive when encountering Romeo. I feel that empathizing with this difficult character eventually became an excellent way for me to delve deeper within my own psyche,” she said. “As well as another’s and examine what Juliet’s actions can teach us about human nature as a whole.” Within a matter of minutes, Fuqua had me convinced that I had been
missing a deeper, more central lesson of Romeo and Juliet all along. In Fuqua’s interpretation, the tragic love between Romeo and Juliet is only tragic due to unreasonable circumstances entirely created by Montagues and Capulets, the tale’s two feuding families. Because of their senseless division and hatred for one another, several characters lose their lives. “In this way, the story makes a greater statement about the repercussions of enabling a divisive society as a whole.” “By ignoring history and remaining divided, senseless violence will always continue,” Fuqua said. “By analyzing the story through this broader angle, Fuqua was at last able to empathize with
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ART 19
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His only granddaughter died childless in 1670...
Shakespeare therefore has no descendants.
THE UNA OPERA PERFORMING “INTO THE WOODS” Juliet’s character, and settle in her character to shape her vision of how Juliet would really carry herself. Set in a timeless “Black Box” style setting in George Lindsey Theater, the staging is to be minimalist, yet beautiful according to Bostic-Brown. “In the interest of staying contemporary, the costumes are to be very modern in comparison to traditional opera garb. The show is divided into three acts, running roughly an hour and a half total,” Bostic-Brown said. Due to the success of the last production, Into the Woods, expectations are high for a sold-out box office. Performances will be Friday, Nov. 4, and Saturday, Nov. 5, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 6, at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Tickets are available at una.edu/music, at the Lindsey Theatre Box Office (M-F, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.), and at the door.
STORY BY REBEKAH MILWEE
AMY JOHNSON AND SAMANTHA HAMMOND
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to relax, recharge, or (of course) take care of your financial
needs. The Hill is a full service, student-run Listerhill Credit Union location in The Commons at UNA dedicated to helping students reach their full financial potential.
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EVENTS
NOVEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 31 CALENDAR OF EVENTS NOVEMBER 1
COLBIE CAILLAT @ Schermerhorn Symphony Center, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm JOHNNYSWIM @ Iron City, Birmingham, AL, 8pm YG WITH KAMAIYAH @ Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN, 8pm SIA @ Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
NOVEMBER 2
LUCIUS @ Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN, 8pm POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
NOVEMBER 3
ANDREW W.K. @ Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
NOVEMBER 4
FIRST FRIDAYS @ Downtown Florence, AL, 5pm UNA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. ALABAMA A&M @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 6pm ANDREW W.K. @ Saturn, Birmingham, AL, 9pm DOCTOR STRANGE @ Your local theater TROLLS @ Your local theater HACKSAW RIDGE @ Your local theater POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
NOVEMBER 5 STEVIE NICKS @ PHILIPS ARENA, ATLANTA, GA // NOVEMBER 6, 8:00 PM
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
UNA FOOTBALL VS. WEST FLORIDA @ Braly Stadium, Florence, AL, 1:30pm REEVE CARNEY @ The High Watt, Nashville, TN, 9pm
22 CALENDAR
NOVEMBER 6
STEVIE NICKS @ Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA, 8pm
NOVEMBER 7
ELLE KING @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm STEVIE NICKS @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 7pm BRAND NEW, THE FRONT BOTTOMS & MODERN BASEBALL @ The Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, AL, 7:30pm BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
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LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
UNA VOLLEYBALL VS. VALDOSTA STATE @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 1pm UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. TAMPA @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 7pm THE FRAY @ War Memorial Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 8pm ALL SHOOK UP PRESENTED BY THE ZODIAC PLAYERS @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 7:30pm
NOVEMBER 26
NOVEMBER 13
NOVEMBER 19
NOVEMBER 27
GLASS ANIMALS @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm
KENNY G @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
NOVEMBER 28
DECEMBER 6
NOVEMBER 12
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
NOVEMBER 9
NOVEMBER 14
JOHNNYSWIM @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
CARRIE UNDERWOOD @ Legacy Arena at the BJCC, Birmingham, AL, 7pm BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
NOVEMBER 10
NOVEMBER 15
INGRID MICHAELSON @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm ALL SHOOK UP PRESENTED BY THE ZODIAC PLAYERS @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 7:30pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
THE WONDER YEARS & REAL FRIENDS @ Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm BOB DYLAN @ Legacy Arena at the BJCC, Birmingham, AL, 8pm RUNNING WITH FRIENDS: THANKSGIVING FUN RUN @ Singin’ River Brewing Company, Florence, AL, 5:30pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
NOVEMBER 11
NOVEMBER 16
UNA VOLLEYBALL VS. WEST FLORIDA @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 6pm KEITH URBAN @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 7pm ALL SHOOK UP PRESENTED BY THE ZODIAC PLAYERS @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 7:30pm ARRIVAL @ Your local theater ALMOST CHRISTMAS @ Your local theater ALL EYEZ ON ME @ Your local theater LOVING @ Your local theater SHUT IN @ Your local theater BILLY LYNN’S LONG HALFTIME WALK @ Your local theater POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm
MOON TAXI @ The Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, AL, 7:30pm POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
CASTING CROWNS @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 7pm VELCRO PYGMIES @ Iron City, Birmingham, AL, 8pm FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM @ Your local theater THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN @ Your local theater POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SAINT LEO @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 3:30pm ALL SHOOK UP PRESENTED BY THE ZODIAC PLAYERS @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 2pm
NOVEMBER 8
NOVEMBER 18
HOLIDAY 2016
POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
NOVEMBER 17
UNA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. OAKWOOD @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 6pm UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. OAKWOOD @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 8pm STRAIGHT NO CHASER @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. CUMBERLAND @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 3pm STEVE VAI @ Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN, 8pm
NOVEMBER 21
THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:00pm THE 1975 @ Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 8pm BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
NOVEMBER 22
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
NOVEMBER 23
UNA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. TREVECCA NAZARENE @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 1pm UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. LANE @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 3pm
KACEY MUSGRAVES @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
NOVEMBER 29
UNA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. ALABAMA-HUNTSVILLE @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 6pm UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. MILES @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 8pm SEVEN LIONS @ WorkPlay Theatre, Birmingham, AL, 9pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
UNA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. FISK @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 6pm JIM JAMES @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 7:30pm THE 1975 @ Legacy Arena at the BJCC, Birmingham, AL, 8pm ALLIED @ Your local theater MOANA @ Your local theater BAD SANTA @ Your local theater RULES DON’T APPLY @ Your local theater POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
NOVEMBER 30
NOVEMBER 24
DECEMBER 2
THANKSGIVING DAY
NOVEMBER 25
CASTING CROWNS @ Boutwell Auditorium, Birmingham, AL 7pm
SEVEN LIONS @ Cannery Ballroom, Nashville, TN, 8:30pm POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
DECEMBER 1
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm FIRST FRIDAYS @ Downtown Florence, AL, 5pm KIDNAP @ Your local theater KEEP WATCHING @ Your local theater POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
DECEMBER 4
UNA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. ALABAMA-HUNTSVILLE @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 2pm UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. ALABAMA-HUNTSVILLE @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 4pm
DECEMBER 5
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
DECEMBER 7
POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
DECEMBER 8
A CHRISTMAS STORY PRESENTED BY THE GINGERBREAD PLAYERS @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 7:30pm FLOSSTRADAMUS @ Marathon Music Works, Nashville, TN, 8pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
DECEMBER 9
A CHRISTMAS STORY PRESENTED BY THE GINGERBREAD PLAYERS @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 7:30pm OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY @ Your local theater NOCTURNAL ANIMALS @ Your local theater MISS SLOANE @ Your local theater POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
DECEMBER 10
UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. HUNTINGDON @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 3pm
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A CHRISTMAS STORY PRESENTED BY THE GINGERBREAD PLAYERS @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 7:30pm
DECEMBER 11
A CHRISTMAS STORY PRESENTED BY THE GINGERBREAD PLAYERS @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 2pm
DECEMBER 12
BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
DECEMBER 13
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
DECEMBER 14
POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
DECEMBER 15
UNA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. WEST ALABAMA @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 6pm UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. WEST ALABAMA @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 8pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
DECEMBER 16
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY @ Your local theater THE SPACE BETWEEN US @ Your local theater COLLATERAL BEAUTY @ Your local theater LA LA LAND @ Your local theater POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
DECEMBER 19
UNA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. WEST GEORGIA @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 1pm UNA MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. WEST GEORGIA @ Flowers Hall, Florence, AL, 3pm BILLIARDS @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ Odette, Florence, AL, 8pm
DECEMBER 20
UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER FUN RUN @ Singin’ Rive Brewing Company, Florence, AL, 5:30pm TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm
DECEMBER 21
PASSENGERS @ Your local theater ASSASSIN’S CREED @ Your local theater SING @ Your local theater POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm WAFFLE HOUSE WEDNESDAY @ 1104 Nashville Hwy, Columbia, TN, 10pm
DECEMBER 22
TRIVIA NIGHT @ La Fuente, Columbia, TN, 7pm KARAOKE @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 8pm
DECEMBER 23
POKER NIGHT @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 7pm LIVE MUSIC @ Dolan’s Deli and Bar, Spring Hill, TN, 9:30pm
DECEMBER 24 CHRISTMAS EVE
DECEMBER 25
CHRISTMAS DAY FENCES @ Your local theater GOLD @ Your local theater WHY HIM? @ Your local theater
DECEMBER 29
WIDESPREAD PANIC @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 8pm ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES @ The Alabama Theatre, Birmingham, 8pm
IF YOU HAVE ANY EVENTS YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED, EMAIL CALENDAR@GETSETMAG.COM
DECEMBER 30
WIDESPREAD PANIC @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 8pm ANDERSON EAST WITH DYLAN LEBLANC @ Shoals Theatre, Florence, AL, 7pm
DECEMBER 31
WIDESPREAD PANIC @ Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN, 8pm OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW @ Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN, 10pm
24 SPOTLIGHT
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SET READERS IN ACTION
CREATIVE GRAPE RIBBON CUTTING SHEFFIELD, SEPTEMBER 29, PHOTOS BY DANIEL PEREZ
DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL MCFARLAND PARK, OCTOBER 1, PHOTOS BY DANIEL PEREZ
PHOTOS BY DANIEL PEREZ AND DUSTIN COAN
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ARX MORTIS KILLEN, OCTOBER 1-2, PHOTOS BY DUSTIN COAN
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SPOTLIGHT 27
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CO-OP FLORENCE, OCTOBER 19, PHOTOS BY DUSTIN COAN
STEPHANIE WILLIS, HOLLEY GRAY, KAYLA AUGUSTINE AND ELAINE BURDESHAW
KATE HALDROP
DANIEL CRISLER AND AUSTIN MANUEL
MOLLY TIMOTHY, KELLY THIGPEN, ADRIANNE RICHARDS AND PAYTON PRUITT
AUSTIN MANUEL
28 MUSIC
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Rebecca Member Since 2013
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MUSIC 29
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Crosby’s “White Christmas” is the highest-selling single ever.
“Jingle Bells” was the first song performed in space.
MERRY MUSIC HOLIDAY ALBUMS TO GET YOU ROCKIN’ AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE It’s almost that time of year, friends. Break out your red and green, tangles of twinkly lights, and replace your pumpkin spice with all things peppermint. The Holiday season just isn’t complete without some festive music playing in the background of your parties, get-togethers, or as background music for your decorating days or white relaxing by the fire. Below you’ll find a compilation of some of my favorite Holiday albums, based in order by their year of production. Happy listening!
A Christmas Album by Amy Grant, 1983 Although this album was produced probably before you were born, it is truly one of my favorites. “Tender Tennessee Christmas” is my absolute favorites (shoutout to my fellow TN residents), but even if you call Alabama or another state home, you will still feel a connection to the atmosphere the Holiday season brings.
Merry Christmas by Bing Crosby, originally 1945 but rereleased as White Christmas digitally in 1995 This album includes Crosby’s signature song “White Christmas,” the best-selling single. Crosby’s voice and the collection of classic songs creates the perfect album to pair with a cup of hot cocoa and cozy in front of the fireplace, adorned with stockings, of course. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole, 1963 Reissued three years after the original album The Magic of Christmas, it’s Cole’s only full album of Christmas songs. Sometimes you just have to go old-school classic. His classy pipes paint the most sentimental picture in your head and remind you of why we celebrate the Holidays in the first place. The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album by The Beach Boys, 1964 This album is regarded as one of the finest Holiday albums of the rock era. It includes five originals (gotta love “Little Saint Nick”) and seven standards (including favorites like “Blue Christmas” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”). Give this album a listen if you want to bring a little bit of California to your Holidays.
to your Holiday parties, Carey’s album is the perfect choice. Of course, we can’t forget about the beloved “All I Want for Christmas is You,” which Carey co-write for the album, which is sure to be played on repeat throughout the Holiday months. Santa Claus Lane by Hillary Duff, 2002 Duff’s debut studio album, this one takes me back to childhood and choreographing my own dances to the poppy pieces. This album has received mixed reviews from music critics, who believe the album adds little to the Holiday canon. While I agree that the album isn’t reinventing the wheel, it provides a poppy, fun and light-hearted array of songs about hearing Santa on the radio and walking through winter wonderland.
Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey, 1994 Our list would not be complete without including the best-selling Christmas album of all time, selling 15 million copies worldwide. If you want to add little bit of soulful, seasonal pop
Christmas by Michael Bublé, 2011 This album is where Holiday classics are Bubléified. Bublé’s soothing voice and sometimes jazzy edge create new renditions of favorites that will have you humming long after the album has stopped. “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” is my personal favorite and will have to spreading fake snow throughout your living
room anticipating the picture-perfect Christmas scene. Under the Mistletoe by Justin Bieber, 2011 If you consider yourself a Belieber, you’ll love this teen pop icon’s take on the Holiday season. Under the Mistletoe is the first Christmas album by a male to debut at No. 1. Songs include Usher, The Band Perry, Busta Rhymes and even Mariah Carey herself, as well as Bieber’s own hit “Under the Mistletoe.”
That’s Christmas to Me by Pentatonix, 2014 Pentatonix is known for their harmony and beatboxing, using no instruments to make melodic sounds. This Holiday album is complete with spins on old favorites (“Sleigh Ride and “Winter Wonderland”). Check out my favorite, “White Winter Hymnal.” According to Yahoo Music, the album is the highest charting Holiday album by a group since 1962. The Greatest Gift of All by Rascal Flatts, 2016 Newly released and hot off the press is Rascal Flatts’ album. We couldn’t compile a list without at least having a little bit of country twang in the mix. Flatts’ album features their recognizable vocals in classics such as “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Go Tell it On the Mountain.”
STORY BY ALLIE SOCKWELL
30 SPECIAL FEATURE
UNA’s band was formed in 1948.
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The first band room is still used as a meeting place.
INDY OR BUST!
THE PRIDE OF DIXIE AT BRALY STADIUM
PRIDE OF DIXIE TO PERFORM AT BOA GRAND NATIONALS, AGAIN
Ask anyone in north Alabama what they think of when they think of UNA, and a myriad of topics will come to their minds, from greek life, to athletics, to music, to the honors program. More often, people recognize UNA through its band program, The Pride of Dixie Marching Band. When I decided that the University of North Alabama was the school for me, I had no idea what the journey held. An immensely formative part of that journey was, and continues to be, the Pride of Dixie Marching Band. No other program, to my knowledge, has such deep roots in
our community. There are alumni of the band program at every turn, and if you mention that you’re a member or an alumnus as well, they light up. Arms open wide in greeting, and soon talk begins about days past and times had on Pride Field. Entering its sixty-seventh year, the Pride of Dixie has grown to find national recognition in recent years. The source of this recognition can be found through its director, Dr. Lloyd Jones, as well as its past performances at Bands of America competitions in Atlanta, Georgia and Indianapolis, Indiana.
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SPECIAL FEATURE 31
The oldest American marching band is the Notre Dame Band of the Fighting Irish, founded in 1842.
The POD’s Marching Band Extravaganza began in 1971.
4 types of bands: military, drum corps, carnival, & show.
THE PRIDE OF DIXIE AT THE 2014 BOA GRAND NATIONALS. This November, the POD will travel again to Indianapolis to perform at the Bands of America Grand National Championships in Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Drum Corps International World Championships, for a second time. They will perform for a crowd of more than 20,000 people, giving them access to a crowd bigger than any other organization has access to on UNA’s campus. Bands of America is a program of Music for All. More than 1 million people are alumni of Bands of America marching band events, the first of which were held in 1976. Bands of America was created in 1976 as “Marching Bands of America” (MBA), renamed Bands of America (BOA) in 1984 and merged with the Music for All Foundation in 2006 to create Music for All (MFA). MFA’s marching band events continue to carry the name of “Bands of America.”
Performances such as these are important because they not only benefit the POD, they also benefit the University of North Alabama. When the POD performs, they become the biggest recruitment tool for the university. More than 20,000 people - that’s more than 40,000 eyes - see what the campus has to offer in terms of talent, nerve, grit and intellect. Having been a member of the POD for the past five years, I can say that my experience has been one of the best professional development courses I’ve ever taken. And of course, my bias is clear. There are lessons learned within my time with the program that I will keep with me forever: don’t be a “candy,” be early or you’re late, success is preparation meeting opportunity, don’t aim for good - aim for great - then aim higher. I could go on and on about the anecdotes that have been drilled into my head, but that would take
too long and eventually I would start repeating myself. The rush of energy you get from “the turn around,” a POD classic wherein the majority of the band literally turns around and blows the crowd away with a piercingly astounding wall of sound, is chilling in only the best of ways. Being validated by a crowd of hundreds, thousands, or tens of thousands is the best feeling. All the work, sweat and tears finally come to fruition and the crowd affirms everything the group has done. Pride of Dixie Drum Major Victoria Roose is in her first year in leadership. “Our BOA performance is the culmination of everything that we’ve been working on this year,” she said. “We wouldn’t be able to perform at Indy without the work that previous editions of the POD have done.” Mellophone section leader Emily Clay believes that performances are worth the harsh Alabama summers
spent in preparation. “The POD gives me the opportunity to work with a group of people who are all striving toward the same goal. We’re all working toward being the best possible in our activity,” Clay said. “BOA feels like the culmination of all that hard work. It’s a ‘we made it’ moment, and suddenly being out in over 100 degree heat for hours at a time seems worth it. To get to play at such a high level with 250 people you’ve given your all with for three months is very emotional in the end.” The Pride of Dixie will be performing at the Bands of America Grand National Championships at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana on Nov. 11 through 13.
STORY BY ISAAC RAY NORRIS
32 FOOD
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HOLIDAY 2016
HOLIDAY 2016
FOOD 33
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46 million turkeys are eaten in the U.S. on Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is America’s second favorite holiday.
NOT YOUR MOTHER’S RECIPES SPICE UP YOUR HOLIDAY GRUB As the holidays approach, contributing to Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners moves up on the to-do list. Most cooks will resort to traditional turkey and dressing recipes along with simple side dishes. Why not mix up the mediocre cuisine and spark conversation on your newly founded culinary skills? It is crucial not to disappoint your family’s taste buds on this overwhelming feast of a holiday. Thankfully Pinterest exists, and all of your cranberry-filled anxiety can subside.
BUTTERNUT SQUASH GOAT CHEESE HAND PIES by Style Sweet Ca
Ingredients: 1 recipe pie dough 1 egg 2 cups butternut squash 4 oz. goat cheese ½ stick butter 1 clove garlic fresh sage poppy seeds caraway seeds salt + pepper Directions: Use the same traditional pie crust recipe as you would a standard pie, but cut much smaller for the individual portions. Sautee chopped butternut squash with garlic, butter, and sage for a flavorful filling. The goat cheese balances the squash perfectly. Brush the crusts with egg wash for a beautiful golden color. Poppy and caraway seeds finish the dish.
CIABATTA AND SAUSAGE STUFFING
by Saveur
Ingredients: 3 tbsp. unsalted butter 10 oz. bulk sweet or hot breakfast sausage 1 carrot, cut into 1⁄4” dice 1 small yellow onion, cut into 1⁄4” dice 1 stalk celery, cut into 1⁄4” dice 2 cups turkey or chicken stock 1⁄3 cup olive oil 2 tbsp. roughly chopped parsley 2 tbsp. roughly chopped rosemary 2 tbsp. roughly chopped sage 1 (12-oz.) loaf ciabatta bread, cut into 1” pieces Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Directions: Heat oven to 375°. Melt 1 tbsp. butter in a 12” skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, stirring and breaking up meat into medium pieces until browned, about 8–10 minutes. Transfer sausage to a large bowl; set aside. Add remaining butter to skillet; cook carrot, onion and celery until soft, about 5–7 minutes, and transfer to bowl with sausage. Add stock, oil, parsley, rosemary, sage, bread, salt and pepper to bowl; toss to combine. Spread evenly in a 9” x 13” baking dish. Bake until golden brown and bread is slightly crisp on top, about 30–35 minutes. Garnish with more parsley, if you like.
BUTERNUT SQUASH GOAT CHEESE HAND PIES
A FRENCH BAKED BRIE RECIPE WITH FIGS, WALNUTS AND PISTACHIOS by The Mediterranean Dish
Ingredients: 4 tbsp. fig jam or preserves, divided 1/3 cup dried mission figs, sliced 1/3 cup shelled pistachios, roughly chopped 1/3 cup walnut hearts, roughly chopped 13-oz French Brie Directions: Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the fig jam/preserves in a microwave-safe dish, then microwave for 30 seconds to soften. In a small bowl, combine the sliced dried figs with the nuts. Add half of the fig jam and mix well to coat the nut mixture. Place the round of Brie in a small cast iron skillet or oven-safe dish. Using a knife, coat the Brie with the remainder of the jam. Top the Brie with the fig and nut mixture. Place the Brie dish on a baking sheet. Bake in 375 degree F-heated oven for 10 minutes (or until Brie starts to ooze, but not melt). Serve warm with your favorite crackers!
PUMPKIN HUMMUS by Kim’s Cravings
Ingredients: ½ cup pumpkin puree 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed ½ lemon, juiced 2 garlic cloves 2 tablespoons tahini 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste as desired ½ teaspoon ground cumin, plus more to taste as desired ½ teaspoon chili powder ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Directions: Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor or high-speed blender. Process or blend until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl or pitcher.
FRENCH BREAD BRIE Drizzle 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil over the top and serve with raw veggies, chips and/or crackers. Also, it is wonderful as a topping for sweet potatoes, salads and wraps. Thanksgiving 2016 is going to be an epic buffet of savory bliss. This holiday, branch out and try new things – remember what you are thankful for and do not forget to wear your stretchy pants!
“LEARN HOW TO COOK – TRY NEW RECIPES, LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES, BE FEARLESS AND ABOVE ALL HAVE FUN” – JULIA CHILD
STORY BY MALLORY KIRK
34 ENTERTAINMENT
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There are over 100,000 comedians working today.
HOLIDAY 2016
Stand-up comedy’s roots stem from 1900 Vaudeville.
HARD KNOCK LAUGHS COMEDY TROUPE PUTS NEW SPIN ON COMEDIC CONTENT
The spin-off Half-Minute Comedy (HMC) was indisputable for the producers of Half-Minute Horror (HMH). Producer Keith Sims said that when humorist, film student and friend, Austin Parsons introduced the idea of HMC, he was intrigued, and, after a short but deliberate discussion with his partner Tashina Southard, they approved Parsons’ idea. Sims and Southard had to consider the possible advantages and disadvantages of a spin-off. Horror and comedy are similar. They’re both subjective, and like everyone has a fear, everyone has a funny bone. This was an ace proposal. Parsons has been a fan of HalfMinute Horror since its debut in October 2014. Two years later, with the help of his friend and fellow filmmaker Javarice Moody, he came up with the idea for HMC. And Oct. 13, Half-Minute Comedy was born with its debut episode “Toothpaste,” starring local actor and comedian Cody Hopper. The 30-second episode is a dark comedy that uses the five stages of grief to provide a humorous perspective on a horrifying but undeniable tragedy—running out of toothpaste. Half-Minute Comedy will release a new episode every Thursday and have plans for multiple seasons. They believe, being able to deploy the seemingly unlimited number of horror sub-genres, they won’t run out of ideas anytime soon. HMC’s second episode, “Smauto Porrect” was released Oct. 20. In 30 seconds, its characters showcase
LAUGH TILL YOU HURT! a common inconvenience— autocorrect fails—hyperbolized to craft an impressive installment. The short film stars Parsons and local actor, producer and UNA graduate Phoebe Jones. Most of the crew members of HMC and HMH live in the Shoals area, so all of the scenes so far have been shot in Northwest Alabama. To the producers, finding that perfect location is one of the most difficult parts of production. Parsons needs
“that certain aesthetic that gives the vibe of what [the scene] is trying to accomplish.” But even if that perfect environment is found, it may not be accessible; sometimes, they just have to settle for what’s available. For “Toothpaste,” all they needed was a bathroom. They used the bathroom at a local photography studio because it was available and fulfilled every flexible ambition. “Smauto Correct” was shot by Sims
in his own home. It doesn’t get more accessible than that. Sims and Southard got the idea to create 30-second videos by practicing fast-paced writing exercises; they knew it would translate well to film. The viewer of a HMH or HMC production experiences an entire story with an unabridged dramatic curve in 30 seconds, and, in today’s fastpaced society of short attention spans, brevity in media has never been more important. But reaching a punchline in half of a minute is a troublesome charge. Many professional writers agree that humor is the most difficult form of writing, and creating an absolute story with believable characters and a successful punchline in 30 minutes seems akin to painting detailed art on a grain of rice. Parsons’ goal is to employ all different types of humor to make anyone laugh in just 30 seconds every week, and he’s one in a diverse group of talented friends working together, writing, directing, acting, producing, editing and operating cameras and sound equipment to donate joy every Thursday.
STORY BY WESLEY HOPKINS
HOLIDAY 2016
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ENTERTAINMENT 35