The Tulsa Voice | Vol. 3 No. 2

2015 Year of ...

The Woman + The Donald + The Protest The Pope + The NIMBY + The Force The Optimist + The Pessimist + The Terrorist

JAN. 6 - 19, 2016

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VOL. 3 NO. 2

15 0 2 f o t eirdes

dW n a t s r , Wo t s e B e Th

The 7th Annual Bad Penny Awards

headlines from the future

The battle for helmerich park

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January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH GOOD BEER.

McNELLIE’S TULSA McNellies.com 409 E. 1st Street

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

McNELLIE’S SOUTH McNelliesSouthCity.com 7031 S. Zurich Avenue

McNELLIE’S OKC McNelliesOKC.com 10th & Walker

McNELLIE’S NORMAN McNelliesNorman.com 121 E. Main Street

CONTENTS // 3

4 // CONTENTS

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

contents

Jan. 6 – 19, 2016 // vol. 3 no. 2 N E W S & C O M M EN TA RY

The 7th Annual Bad Penny Awards BARRY FRIEDMAN // 10 8 // B ig-box city

12 // N eural minefield

Carlos Moreno

Ray Pearcey and Sujata Singhal

Tulsa’s fight over Helmerich Park

Combating head trauma in football

bottomline

cityspeak

FOOD & DRINK

VOICE’S CHOICES Staff picks for the best and worst of 2015 26 // A most violent year

24

27 // F uture headlines

Mark Brown

Andy Wheeler

Gunshots and whatnots from the subconscious

Imagined news stories of 2016

f e at u r e d

f e at u r e d

Memory palate Food and drink highlights from 2015 MEGAN SHEPHERD // 16

A RT & M U S I C 28 // S tate of the Arts Alicia Chesser

Past highlights and a future wish list for performing arts o n s tag e

33 // T ulsa favorites

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD Send all letters, complaints, compliments & haikus to:

voices@ langdonpublishing.com PUBLISHER Jim Langdon MANAGING EDITOR Joshua Kline ART DIRECTOR Madeline Crawford ASSISTANT EDITOR John Langdon GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Morgan Welch, Georgia Brooks PHOTOGRAPHY/MULTIMEDIA Greg Bollinger

Mitch Gilliam and Mary Noble Twenty local music-makers

offer their picks for the year musicnotes

FILM & TV

Paramount pictures

facebook.com/thetulsavoice twitter.com/thetulsavoice instagram.com/thetulsavoice

Joe’s favorite films of 2015 JOE O’SHANSKY // 42

AD SALES MANAGER Josh Kampf CONTRIBUTORS Mark Brown, Alicia Chesser, Claire Edwards, Barry Friedman, Mitch Gilliam, Valerie Grant, Landry Harlan, Carlos Moreno, Mary Noble, Joe O’Shansky, Ray Pearcey, Michelle Pollard, Megan Shepherd, Sujata Singhal, Maurie Traylor, Andy Wheeler

1603 S. Boulder Ave. Tulsa, OK 74119 P: 918.585.9924 F: 918.585.9926 PUBLISHER Jim Langdon PRESIDENT Juley Roffers VP COMMUNICATIONS Susie Miller CONTROLLER Mary McKisick ADMIN. ASSISTANT Rachel Webb RECEPTION Gloria Brooks, Gene White

The Tulsa Voice’s distribution is audited annually by Circulation Verification Council THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

37 // C aged and Enraged!

38 // T he year of ‘Peak TV’

Claire Edwards

Landry Harlan

‘Bitch Planet’ offers feminist satire

The best small screen offerings of 2015

l a dy pa rt s

popradar

REGULARS // 18 tulsafood // 20 boozeclues // 30 thehaps 36 musiclistings // 44 thefuzz 45 news of the weird // 46 astrology CONTENTS // 5

editor’sletter

2

015 was a weird one, guys.

This first TTV of 2016 looks back and assesses the damage wrought, highlighting the highs and lows of news, arts, culture and entertainment. I won’t depress you with a reminder of the low points—that’s Barry Friedman’s job, which he once again does admirably (page 10).

Every year, Friedman gamely dives into the reality distortion field of Oklahoma politics and emerges with a long list of demagogues, crooks, morons and fear-mongers who are wasting our time, money and quality of life, then bestows the so-called “bad

penny” on one lucky asshole who best represents the worst tendencies of our state. (If you’re under the age of 50 and wondering what a “bad penny” is, the 1989 Oxford English dictionary defines it as “a person or thing which is unpleasant, disreputable or otherwise unwanted.”) This year’s winner is a deserving Tulsan. I won’t spoil it for you.

On page 33, a handful of Tulsa musicians offer their favorite albums of 2015. Meanwhile, film critic Joe O’Shansky works through his hatred of lists (page 42), and Landry Harlan shares the year’s best television (page 38).

Megan Shepherd revisits Tulsa’s high points in food and drink (page 16), Alicia Chesser assesses the state of our performing arts, and Andy Wheeler imagines 2016’s future headlines. The behindthe-scenes staff of TTV gets in on the action with an expanded, year-capping Voice’s Choices.

Moving away from the lists, Mark Brown mines his sub-conscious for meaning during a most violent year (page 26), and Ray Pearcey continues his exploration of head trauma in football (page 12).

Claire Edwards kicks off “Lady Parts,” a new column exploring

women’s contributions to pop culture, with a review of the satirical feminist comic book “Bitch Planet” (page 37).

Finally, guest op-ed writer Carlos Moreno, a board member of Smart Growth Tulsa, takes a closer look at the battle for Helmerich Park (page 8) and what it means for future Tulsa development.

Anyway, enjoy. To a happy, healthy 2016! a

JOSHUA KLINE MANAGING EDITOR

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#HillcatNation

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

THANKS, BUT NO THANKS. We appreciate it when you recycle. But the wrong items create problems.

So please limit recycling to these four things: aluminum and steel cans, cardboard and paper, plastic and glass jars and bottles. No plastic bags, hoses or computers.

To learn more about Resource Recovery, including how to dispose of hazardous materials, special pick-ups and other questions, go to tulsarecycles.com or call 918.596.9777.

“Did you hear?”

BIG NEW YEAR

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facebook.com/idaredtulsa • Mon-wed 10am-7pm thur-Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12pm-4pm NEWS & COMMENTARY // 7

bottomline

Big-box city Tulsa’s fight over Helmerich Park raises questions over future development

by CARLOS MORENO

“I

don't want to build a store there. … Momma doesn't like it too much.”

— Peggy Helmerich, speaking to KJRH

Throughout this summer and fall, one of the biggest stories in Tulsa has been the fight over Helmerich Park, a patch of land between Riverside Drive and the Arkansas River south of 71st Street. It’s home to a few well-loved sand volleyball courts, a small playground, and … not much else. But Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) plans to change that. The Washington-based big-box sporting goods store announced plans last summer to build a Tulsa location on top of Helmerich Park, a revelation that sparked feelings from excitement to outrage, depending on who you ask.

With the Gathering Place under construction and downtown development booming, intense public interest in Tulsa’s next phase of growth has resulted in floods of protest over everything from a proposed outlet mall near 8 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

Turkey Mountain (successfully pushed out to Jenks following public outcry) to high-end lofts in the Brady Arts District’s music corridor. Citizens will soon be voting on the proposed construction of low-water dams in the Arkansas River, and as such, land development along the river has become a hot topic. With the REI announcement, the unassuming patch at Helmerich Park because the subject of the year’s most argued-about land-use issues.

To fully understand these issues, we must first jump back 25 years.

In 1991, the Tulsa City Council voted to allocate public funds from a 1985 sales tax ordinance (earmarked for “parkland”) and combine the funds with private donations from 27 corporations and individuals to purchase 70 acres along the Arkansas River.

The land would be the responsibility of Tulsa Parks, and held in a public trust.

At the time, the Tulsa World heralded this “wise plan for maxi-

mum public use of the land south of 71st Street,” and stated that the creation of Helmerich Park “will be recorded in Tulsa’s history to the everlasting credit of the present mayor and city council.”

A great start, but after 1991, the only park improvements made were theoretical—good ideas hidden in planning binders collecting dust on the shelves of city hall.

Eight years later, in 1999, the park board finally drafted a set of plans to further develop Helmerich Park. These plans contained some of the same ideas that are being executed at the Tulsa Gathering Place: multiple water features, world-class sculptures, several recreation and garden areas each with their own theme, and a 10,000-square-foot community center. Unfortunately, at the time, neither Tulsa Parks nor the City of Tulsa had the money to move forward, and the plans were shelved.

INCOG (the Indian Nations Council of Governments, Tulsa’s regional planning organization) tried their hand at coming up with a new idea for the park in 2005, to

no avail. Part of the Arkansas River Corridor Development Phase II Master Plan calls for the creation of a lake, boat dock, community center, and new playgrounds and recreation areas.

Seemingly giving up on planning for a park, the city released a request for proposal (RFP) for commercial development of the land in 2013. This RFP listed the land as available to be leased from the city. After a year, the city had received no responses to this request. Then, this past June, quiet plans for purchase of the area by a Dallas-based subsidiary of commercial developer CBRE were discovered by a few local land-use nerds (folks who read things like the city’s budget and comprehensive plan for fun), who proceeded to launch a firestorm on social media—notably, a petition on change.org, the Twitter account @ reitulsa, and a series of articles on the Smart Growth Tulsa blog written by former Mayor Terry Young.

Local citizens demanded answers to the legal loopholes used to put this land up for sale.

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

Aerial view of Helmerich Park at 71st and Riverside, from the City of Tulsa’s 2013 RFP | COURTESY

The response from the Tulsa Public Facilities Authority (TPFA), the trust that holds the deed to the land, was to file a lawsuit against Craig Immel, a private citizen who attended and was vocal during TPFA meetings. At the end of this past November, a letter containing a mountain of legal evidence against TPFA’s actions circulated through the city council and the media. Since then, barrels of ink have been spilled in the Tulsa World, The Frontier, Newson6 and Fox23 going back and forth about whether the land should be developed for an REI superstore or should remain as public park land.

“I don't want to have an authority taking away the rights of the citizens of Tulsa to use [Helmerich Park] as a park. We have to make sure we don't give someone the opportunity to take that right away from us.”

— Councilor Dewey Bartlett, Tulsa City Council meeting, May 1991 The battle has pitted Mayor Bartlett and Clay Bird, head of Tulsa’s Office of Economic Development, against conservationists and advocates who want the land to remain a park. And this fight is just the tip of the iceberg. The mayor has asked for a list of 20 pieces of public land that the city THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

can sell. Speaking in terms of economics, selling the city’s land is about as wise as pawning your grandma’s priceless jewelry at Tulsa Gold & Gems.

So, why are we doing this?

Because of our leaders’ apparent inability to increase tax revenue, save for sales tax, the city feels pressure to sell land and attract big-box retail. This is an anachronistic strategy, though, and promises to be destructive in the long term. Creating more retail space doesn’t contribute to the economic growth of a city. The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ilsr.org) lists several studies that show big-box retail is actually economically harmful to cities, while developing new local businesses has been proven to create sustainable economic growth.

How, then, do we resolve this mess?

We may need to look no further than REI itself and the work it’s done in other communities. In Dallas, REI moved out of an off-the-highway, big-box store to a new location near the White Rock Creek Greenbelt, closer to residential neighborhoods. According to a May 2014 press release, the reason for the move was to “allow REI customers and members to more easily access our products and expert staff, including better public transit options.”

Transit options. You don’t hear a lot of retail stores clamoring for transit options in Tulsa, but REI’s business is to understand what its customers want. In 2013, the Washington Post reported on a University of Michigan study which found the number of 18to 35-year-olds not applying for driver’s licenses has grown to 19 percent. That’s one in five young adults who isn’t interested in driving a car. Cities typically develop around transit, and increasingly, retailers are following suit.

Another key trend that Tulsa should take note of is increased public involvement in public policy matters. In a statement released on December 11 to FOX23, REI was clear about its terms: “REI has not signed a lease in Tulsa and will not do so until the city has resolved its discussion of the development with the community.” They recognize the public is a critical part of the discussion.

Most cities have economic development commissions, ideally comprised of members in the business community, city council, the city’s planning department, and citizen volunteers. These commissions play an important advisory role to city leaders in developing a strong economic growth strategy, and help bring diverse opinions to the table. This often leads cities to adopt solid

economic policies, resulting in stable, long-term decisions. This is the kind of predictability that land developers like to see.

Tulsa had an economic development commission, but Mayor Bartlett dissolved it in 2014 in the same executive order that created the Mayor's Office of Economic Development, led by Clay Bird.

What the Helmerich Park controversy has uncovered is a general lack of trust between citizens and city hall. Just before the holidays, the mayor and city council supposedly hammered out a final package to renew Vision2025. The Tulsa Chamber was quick to say they are tentatively supportive, at best. If taxpayers don’t trust local government to manage Tulsa’s development responsibly, new tax packages like Vision2025 will continue to be poorly received, and more fights in the public square over land use will plague us for years to come. a

Carlos Moreno is a graphic designer, community volunteer, serial entrepreneur, and a magic-bean buyer.

He serves on the boards of Smart Growth Tulsa, the Art Directors Club of Tulsa, and the Tulsa chapter of Code for America. He was selected by national urban-affairs magazine NextCity as part of its 2014 Vanguard Class. He's passionate about improving public policy, building civic engagement, and collaborating with local creatives.

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 9

But they did find Jimmy Hoffa’s body in Housewares and a clearance bin filled with “I survived Jade Helm” ’15 shirts.

VIEWS FROM THE PLAINS

There were rumors the Wal-Mart at Admiral and Pine, which had been closed due to plumbing issues and/or to punish unions, was actually being used by the federal government in preparation for Martial Law. And everyone knows, control East Tulsa, control the nation.

TOP of 2015

Hey, Rand McNally, OPEC headquarters are in Vienna “Make no mistake, the vast majority of the challenge we face ahead of us started at the OPEC building in Saudi Arabia, not at this building,” —Oklahoma Secretary of Finance Preston Doerflinger

The 7th Annual Bad Penny Awards That which doesn’t kill a state makes it stronger (well, we’ll see)

by BARRY FRIEDMAN “A bad penny always returns” —Grandma Sylvia

Stanley Glanz | COURTESY

W

ho else cuts taxes, while facing massive budget deficits; hassles Planned Parenthood, while being the worst in the nation for female health; refuses free federal money for healthcare, while 632,000 residents go without health insurance; blocks cities and communities from raising the minimum wage, while gutting assistance programs; executes people (or tries to), while passing fetal heartbeat legislation; cuts education funding, while keeping tax rates on horizontal drillers lowest in the nation; and blames the federal government for overreach, while spending welfare dollars to promote the benefits of marriage?

Oklahoma … Non-union Labor omnia vincit.

And while many were qualified in 2015 to take home the coveted bad penny—Governor Fallin, Attorney General Pruitt, State Senator John Bennett (R-Sallisaw), lines one, two, and three— there was only one man who fully embodied Grandma Sylvia’s vision of stonewalling, obstinance, defensiveness, pride and atonal arrogance.

Sheriff Stanley Glanz.

Ably assisted by Robert Bates, Clark Brewster, a hands-off county commission, daily obfuscation and martyrdom, Glanz was a unanimous selection in 2015 (and not since retired Judge Donald Thompson has that happened). He was the wrong man at the wrong time making the wrong decisions and surrounded by the wrong people giving the wrong advice (Terry Simonson, hello!).

P.S. Anyone else notice how quiet Representative Sally Kern was in 2015?

So many pennies, so little time.

Let’s begin.

Bad Penny Winner (Inanimate Division) The Ten Commandments MOSES DIDN’T HAVE THIS MUCH TROUBLE // The Ten Commandments monument, placed in front of the state capitol and paid for

by Broken Arrow State Representative Mike Ritze, came to an ignominious, tumultuous end in 2015. Erected in 2012, it contained spelling errors, suffered a hit-and-run, was rebuilt, threatened with the company of a prankster satanic group’s statue of Baphomet (an idol with a goat’s head and legs, human arms and torso, angel wings) with—this is my favorite part—two children gazing in adoration nearby, ruled unconstitutional and ordered removed about 16 times and then eventually hauled away in the middle of the night.

Et tu, Oklahoma Highway Patrol?

10 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

Maybe?

Aside from everything else with 2015 Bad Penny Winner STANLEY GLANZ, the wife and daughter of his attorney, Clark Brewster, neither of whom were state-certified appraisers, received close to a million dollars appraising houses for the sheriff’s office. Said Glanz, “I’m sure there’s maybe a perception problem, but I don’t consider it one.”

The mind, she boggles.

If we told you once, we’ve told you a 1,000 times. When medicating bovine, focus!

Police Captain Denton Morgan of Enid was fired after reportedly pointing a green laser multiple times at Enid Woodring Regional Airport. Morgan said he and his wife were medicating cattle with a dart gun, which had a green laser attached to it.

MAMAS, DON’T LET YOUR CHRISTIANS GROW UP TO BE COWBOYS. A group of Christian cowboys from Wichita Falls, Texas, including a pastor Christian cowboy (the jokes write themselves) brought a miniature 10-Commandment Plaque to OKC and presented it to the governor, who called it art and promised to keep it in her office.

The pastor, John Riggs, said even though the 104-mile trek by horse was made difficult because of the rain, he wasn’t ruling out doing it again. And the horses wept.

WHAT ARE THE JEWS, CHOPPED LIVER? // In celebrating yet another 10 Commandments statue, this time in Rush Springs, Duane Gibbs, a business owner, concluded, “They are beautiful. I think everybody in Rush Springs is probably a Christian. Or at least they are a veteran or Baptist or Catholic or Presbyterian.”

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

Was honestly tough to know which way to root on this one.

Kevin Calvey, R-OKC, said if he were not a Christian, he would douse himself in gasoline and set himself on fire because state judges weren’t stopping more women from getting abortions.

That sound you heard was God’s big hand smacking God’s big forehead.

“In case we have forgotten, because we keep hearing that 2014 has been the warmest year on record, I ask the chair, ‘You know what this is?’” he said, holding up a snowball. “It’s a snowball, from outside here. So it’s very, very cold out. Very unseasonable.

Catch this.” —Senator Jim Inhofe, climate change denier, shortly before lobbing a snowball on the Senate floor.

Quote of the Year “It’s not like suffocating.

People won’t be gasping and fighting for air. They’ll be breathing normally, and then they’ll be dead.”

—Michael Copeland, a criminal justice professor at East Central University, talking about the state’s new execution protocol.

2016 Predictions First District Congressman Jim Bridenstine is named Secretary of Defense by President-elect Ted Cruz.

1

THE ONLY THING THAT STOPS A BAD MAN WITH A GUN OUTSIDE A “MUSLIM-FREE” GUN STORE IS KARMA. The man, along with others in his “platoon,” was protecting—wait for it—the Save Yourself Survival and Tactical Gear Store from Muslim shoppers, when he accidentally shot himself in the arm after his gun fell out of his holster. // Okatah Sheriff Charles Pearson summed it up thusly: “The way they were holding their weapons,” he said, “with the fingers on the triggers, you can tell a couple of these gentlemen have no idea about weapons safety. It’s like the Clampetts have come to town.” // A little unfair to the Clampetts, perhaps, but we’re feeling you.

2 3

WEEP FOR THE BIRD, NOT FOR THEE // Three men were caught in Ma jor County, when authorities discovered they had marijuana buds, a pipe, and a dove out of season.

IT’S NOT THAT WE HATE THE POOR. OKAY, THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. // Plans for Iron Gate, a downtown food pantry, to move to 3rd and Peoria were voted down by the Tulsa Board of Adjustment after area business owners complained about its effect on the neighborhood. Really? 3rd and Peoria? It’s Fallujah. A soup kitchen would actually gussy up the place.

4

AMONG ALL THESE WERE 700 CHOSEN MEN WHO WERE LEFT-HANDED; EVERY ONE COULD SLING A STONE AT A HAIR AND NOT MISS —JUDGES 20:16 // Not for nothing, but if I were a hair, I’d move to Okemah, where one of the town’s pre-K teachers forced a 4-year-old left-handed student to write with his right hand because, as she said in the letter home to the boy’s mother, “the devil is often portrayed as a left-handed, and people throw salt over their left shoulder to ward off the evil spirits that live there.” The teacher resigned after other students, also left-handed spawns of Lucifer, came forth with the same complaint, but not before Okemah Superintendent Tony Dean said the teacher in question doesn’t have anything against lefties and that her husband is left-handed. Hypocrite, traitor … stone her!

5

BEFORE LIBERALS CRAMMED POLITICAL CORRECTNESS DOWN OUR THROATS, DONNING A KKK ROBE AND BURNING A CROSS WAS JUST HARMLESS HOLIDAY FUN. // So the police chief of Lahoma, Oklahoma (does anyone think of these names beforehand?) donned a KKK robe last Halloween, went out trick or treating, burned a cross and everyone got all upset. As the police chief’s wife, who also happens to be the mayor, said, “This is ridiculous. It was a Halloween night.” Yeesh, sheeple, lighten up. He didn’t do it on a ma jor holiday.

6

MAYBE, LAD, THIS ISN’T YOUR SPORT. // A 16-year-old Tulsan shot himself twice during a three-month period in 2015, both times in the leg. Authorities said they weren’t sure how the teen got the gun after the first accident or why he was so pissed at that particular leg.

George Kaiser, deciding the piecemeal approach isn’t working, buys all of Tulsa and leases it back to us at a handsome profit.

The greatest minds of the city, county, and state get together and after a 6-month, million dollar study conclude that highway lights are more effective when they’re turned on.

New parking meters are installed downtown which ask even tougher questions than do the current ones.

Dewey Bartlett wins a third term as Tulsa’s mayor, confounding those who still aren’t sure how he won the first two times.

All local road construction ends. Begins again.

IN SPORTS

OU-OSU. It’s Bedlam and anything can happen. But usually it doesn’t.

We’re not emotionally involved here, but in football, OU leads the series 85-18-7, including 13 of the last 15, so let’s lighten up on the competitiveness of the rivalry. Watching these two play is like watching a ROCKY sequel.

And we complain about 6-year-olds getting participation trophies.

TU, 6-6, and with a losing record in the American Athletic Conference, went to the Camping World/Independence Bowl in Shreveport to play Virginia Tech which also went 6-6 and also had a losing record in the Big 12 Conference. // Virginia Tech won 55-53, so TU finished the season under .500. Worse, they had to spend Christmas in Shreveport.

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

We’ll Miss DR. JEROME E. BLOCK LEE ROY CHAPMAN THE RITZ CABARET MISS JACKSON’S

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 11

cityspeak

Neural minefield Combating head trauma in football through emerging technologies

by RAY PEARCEY and SUJATA SINGHAL

T

his is the second installment of a three-part series. For Part One, see the Dec. 16 issue of The Tulsa Voice (“Building Football 3.0,” page 10) or read it online at TheTulsaVoice.com.

American football is on a chaotic, downward trajectory.

As discussed in the first of our three-part series, football’s existential tumble is propelled by a variety of forces. Perhaps the most compelling of those forces is the developing research regarding brain trauma, combined with increasing concern from parents when it comes to allowing kids to strap on the pads – concern that not only affects today’s participation levels, but tomorrow’s recruitment possibilities. The present crisis is only intensified by a successful NFL player suit against league officials – one that will have a sweeping impact on the pantheon of sports.

Tentative-but-mounting data surrounding frequent head injury portends long-term health consequences for as many as one in three NFL players and a number of college athletes. It’s all part of a neural minefield exposed by increasingly confident neuroscientists and the medical community at large. It’s bad mojo that is likely to be amplified by recently announced follow-up neural injury projects from the National Institutes for Health and the NFL. If football is to maintain its lofty status in American culture, significant changes will have to be made.

“Tentative-butmounting data surrounding frequent head injury portends long-term health consequences for as many as oNe iN tHree NFL players and a number of college athletes.”

Quashing the damage There is a clear need to ratchet down athletic injuries for economic (and liability) reasons. Injuries are the big “season-doomers” that fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder and the surprisingly fragile Chicago Bulls deeply understand.

Staying in the game in spite of injury is sparked more by athletes’ intense desire to play than by institutional or monetary dynamics.

Player “insistency” was a factor discussed at an event hosted by TU Heath Sciences Dean Gerald Clancy. The session provided a tough look at brain trauma via a flick called “Head Games” and an after-movie coach/sports med briefing at the university about 18 months ago.

Medical experts and sports pros consulted for this article agreed that panoramic injury prevention, optimized athletic training and sharper in-game decisions player re-entry after an injury are often the difference between a victory and an early

playoff exit. Rule changes, player body sensors currently in development, blood-based biomarkers that show brain damage in real time, “injury equations” and robotic optics may be the next big counter-trauma playmakers. These promising new on-field technologies will tightly monitor player movements and track collision intensity in real time to help coaches, trainers and officials bring some much-needed accountability to the game.

A new game Imagine 2022: a collegiate or professional football game takes on the look and feel of a tightly choreographed video game. This info-saturated landscape will accompany crisp on-screen graphics, player thumbnail sketches and dynamic play-tracking now commonplace in televised games.

Now envision a “bio status”-enhanced rendering of a live game: a vantage point that fans will share with coaches, human

and robotic referees and sports medicine professionals. You’ll see the current condition of every player identified by a simple color scheme. Each player will wear a fabric “articulator” that displays a “how I’m doing” color for all to see. Just now, you see that the opposing team’s quarterback is more fatigued, more physically compromised than your main guy.

You also observe that three of your players are near “pull point” and may be called off the field by a robotic referee before the quarter is out. And sadly, you notice that your team is decidedly more whacked, as a group, than the opposing outfit. A rich computer simulation also available to you suggests that the current state of play may result in a three- to sixpoint deficit to your side’s disadvantage as the clock runs out.

Firms like the Aussie sports tech outfit Catapult Sports and U.S. competitors Nike, Adidas and STATS SportVU are working to make this virtual world a reality, and it may come to pass in the not-so-distant future. Tulsa’s very own ICEdot Inc. may have time to get in the game, as well.

Will these developments enhance or diminish fans’ perceptions and overall enjoyment of the game? And will Oklahoma be actively involved in pioneering new technologies, or will we be content to observe from the sideline? a

Stay tuned for part three, when we’ll talk to some local fans to see how they feel about Football 3.0.

Further reading for understanding head trauma in football

“Using Your Head: The Brain Game” A legal brief by Alexandra Sinatra, self-published, 2014 // “Jersey-Embedded GPS and the Tech-Centric Future of Football” by Nick Fouriezos, Ozy.com, November 2015 // “The Australian Tech That’s Improving the World’s Best Athletes” by Alex Konrad, Forbes, May 2013 // “Solving the Concussion Problem and Saving Professional Football” by Rodney K. Smith, Thomas Jefferson Law Review 129 (2013) // “The Ghost in My Brain: How a Concussion Stole My Life and How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Helped Me Get It Back” by Clark Elliott, Penguin & Google Books, 2015 // “Head Games” by Christopher Nowinski, Amazon/Kindle First Release, September 2012 // “Head Games” A 2012 documentary film by Steve James 12 // NEWS & COMMENTARY

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my RIGHT HAND, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory REJOICETH; my flesh also shall rest in HOPE. Jan. 10 Bible Lesson: SACRAMENT

Jan. 17 Bible Lesson: LIFE

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THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

NEWS & COMMENTARY // 13

TELL US WHAT YOU’RE DOING

TULSA’S ORIGINAL LATE NIGHT COFFEE & TEA HOUSE

So we can tell everyone else

Join us for Brady Art Crawl 1/8!

Send all your event and music listings to voices@langdonpublishing.com

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 303 MLK Jr. Blvd. www.gypsycoffee.com

SECOND

Not just an ordinary bar

21 E. Brady St. 918-585-8587

Join us for Brunch 10:30am-2pm every Sat. & Sun. 18 East M. B. Brady St. 918-588-2469 cazschowhouse.com

JAN. 8 from 6-9 PM

CE FOR BEST PLA E FIRST DAT EE CE FOR FR BEST PLA INMENT ENTERTA

ARRIVE EARLY STAY LATE 14 // BRADY ARTS DISTRICT GUIDE

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

S Y A W A E V I G !

K C A B E AR

RE A D I T Online, anytime, anywhere!

2015 Yea r of ...

JAN. 6 - 19, 2 016

//

VOL. 3 NO. 2

The Wom an + The Donald The Pope + The Opti + The NIMB The Protest mist + The Pess Y + The Force imist + The Terr orist

The Best, Worst and Weirdest of 2015

Just visit TheTulsaVoice.com for a complete digital edition of The Tulsa Voice including back issues.

The 7th Bad Pen Annual ny Award s

headlin es from the fut ure

Visit TheTulsaVoice.com each week to register for our Fantastic Friday giveaways!

The bat tle for helmer ich par k

Tulsa Symphony presents…

JANUARY 8 – Two tickets to the sold-out Tulsa Town Hall on Jan. 15 featuring David L. Boren, plus a $50 Sisserou’s gift card JANUARY 15 – Dine downtown at Naples Flatbread with a $100 gift card

HEARING DREAMS JANUARY 22, 2016 7:00 PM TSO musicians offer a follow-up to Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 with a performance of the composer’s Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major, op.102. Additionally, the program will feature TSO principal harpist, Jill Wiebe, in Louis Spohr’s Trio for Harp, Violin, and Cello.

VISIT TULSASYMPHONY.ORG FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO PURCHASE TICKETS OR CALL 918-584-3645

JANUARY 22 - Spiff up the wardrobe with a $100 gift card for Travers Mahan JANUARY 29 - Get ready to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a $50 Justin Thompson Restaurant Group gift card and $50 for Mary Murray’s Flowers

Join us for music, wine and conversation in a classically casual atmosphere.

Doors open at 6:30 PM for wine and appetizers and the music begins at 7 PM. The FlyLoft is located at 117 N Boston Ave, across from Hey Mambo.

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

BRADY ARTS DISTRICT GUIDE // 15

CITYBITES TOP of 2015

Antoinette Baking Co. | MEGAN SHEPHERD

Memory palate Food and drink highlights from 2015

by MEGAN SHEPHERD

2

015 was downright delicious for the Tulsa food scene.

We welcomed new concepts and bid adieu to a few that had run their course (some in the same breath), sipped painstakingly-mixed libations at bars many thought would never survive in Tulsa, heralded the facelift of the Reasor’s markets across the city, and sampled dishes from some of our region’s finest culinary talent.

To put together a complete look back would take far more than a thousand words, so here’s a brief taste of where we’ve been—and, hopefully, where we’re headed.

MOST UNIQUE Millicent Brasserie is Tulsa metro’s first multi-sensory restaurant concept Broken Arrow’s Millicent Brasserie was quite possibly the most exciting (and peculiar) opening of the year. With LED light shows, video montages, sweeping musical num16 // FOOD & DRINK

bers and haute cuisine, it’s hard to find a concept that rivals Millicent Brasserie in experimentation or novelty. The food is very good—a meal at Millicent Brasserie is a fun way to ease newbies into the prix fixe world. Call ahead to schedule reservations for one of their Thursday or Saturday seatings.

BEST BAR OPENING Saturn Room revives Tiki culture If you think sticking a Tiki bar in downtown Tulsa is random, don’t tell Noah Bush; the co-owner of The Saturn Room (alongside John Gaberino and Jeremy Reed) has always loved the festive touches and Polynesian flavors of the classic Tiki bar, and thought they’d be right at home in downtown Tulsa.

With flaming cocktails served in hand-carved coconuts, collectable mugs, floating luau lanterns and thatch-covered walls and booths, the Saturn Room’s south Pacific atmosphere is perfect for a breezy summer day, or a night when you’d

just like to channel one. Niche or not, it’s one of the most inventive additions to the Tulsa bar scene in years.

MOST MEMORABLE DISH Chimichurri Octopus at Temp Tavern One of my fondest memories of 2015 involves standing in the middle of the McNellie’s Harvest Beer Festival drunkenly sharing bites of octopus with strangers out of a Styrofoam to-go box, and I have The Tavern to thank for that. During its run as the Temp Tavern (the name for the restaurant’s temporary pop-up location off Archer that operated while the Main and Brady site was updated), each week welcomed a new themed menu from around the world. Most exciting me was the Chimichurri octopus—a sweet and spicy Mexican/ Mediterranean combo plated in October. It was only featured on the dinner menu, but after hearing some crazy woman at table

five beg desperately for a cool pound-and-a-half of octopus at 11:30 in the morning, the kitchen staff said ‘why not?’ and made me one for brunch. Sweet and rich with a salted-honey bath and spiced chimichurri glaze, I’ve never tasted anything else quite like it in town. Here’s hoping Chef Ben Alexander brings the dish back to the Tavern’s home location.

BEST TRANSFORMATION The Bramble becomes Bramble: Breakfast and Bar This time last year, Tallgrass’s sister restaurant was making waves with flavor-packed spheroid jello shots, tapas-style small plates, and hand-shaken cocktails. Today the Bramble beckons an earlier crowd to the table, dishing up short order breakfast creations and gourmet donuts daily. The signature snoutto-tail cooking approach is still in practice, and the bar creations are as creative and rich as ever (a pickled quail egg in a cocktail? Try anything once…). And now BramJanuary 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

Saturn Room | GREG BOLLINGER

The Tavern | MEGAN SHEPHERD

Millicent Brasserie | MEGAN SHEPHERD

ble’s resident breakfast maven Michelle Donaldson is even being considered for a James Beard award nomination (think of it as the Oscars for food), which would be a first for an Oklahoma chef.

BEST UPGRADE Antoinette Baking Co. opens new space Marie Antoinette was on to something; Tulsans want cake, and the gals at Antoinette are letting them eat as much as they want. With daily pie and pastry selections, decadent cakes, glam-dusted macarons, and a host of other epicurean delicacies, Molly Martin and Andrea Mohn have become the treat-touting darlings of the Brady Arts District. A far cry from the bakery’s first home on Brookside, the new space at 207 N. Main reflects the luxury of their dishes with Victorian decor, lux lighting fixtures, and big, gleaming windows with tons of natural light.

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

OTHER SIGNIFICANT HAPPENINGS: The Park in the Pearl, Tulsa’s first permanent outdoor food truck park, opens The Rooftop brings a new buzz to Broken Arrow’s Rose District The Tropical plates locally grown produce in Asian creations Savoy’s Kelamis family celebrates 90 years of business Doe’s on Cherry Street closes Coney Island moves to the Brady District Living Kitchen adds seats to heralded farm table dinner schedule The unnamed ‘Lounge’ opens as Tulsa’s first secret steakhouse and bar Lone Wolf Food Truck opens a carryout spot at 37th and Harvard Hoot Owl Coffee opens in the Kendall Whittier District, then, sadly, closes Justin Thompson Restaurant Group opens Tavolo Market in downtown Dilly Deli closes, remodels, re-opens as the new and very improved Dilly Diner

BEST NEW PROJECT Kitchen 66 launches Tulsa’s first Kickstart kitchen Tulsa boasts a powerful portfolio of food trucks, bakeries, and locally owned small food businesses. The Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation is on a mission to protect and cultivate these businesses; enter Kitchen 66, Tulsa’s first ‘kickstart kitchen’

for aspiring food entrepreneurs.

Kitchen 66’s incubator program aims to connect business-minded food-preneurs with the resources, training, and mentorship necessary to launch food businesses at scale.

Late 2015 marked the first open application cycle for locals with ideas, and the inaugural class will kick off early this year in facilities located in the Sun Building. Locals not in the program can support

Kitchen 66 by dining in their cafeteria, where K66 businesses will prepare and sell dishes for lunch, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the program.

MOST NEEDED Eritrean & Ethiopian Cafe brings African cuisine to Tulsa When it comes to representation of ethnic cuisine, Tulsa’s been lacking. Aside from several delicious Mexican offerings, a few Mediterranean eateries, and some strong Asian contenders, it’s hard to pinpoint much in the way of world food. Thankfully, Eritrean & Ethiopian Cafe opened earlier this year. The name says it all with this one: traditional Eritrean and Ethiopian food takes center stage on the plate. Inerja, sambusas, and dero wot are all favorites, and leave little need for utensils (don’t worry—you’ll get used to eating with your hands). a FOOD & DRINK // 17

Lobster tail at Molly’s Landing | VALERIE GRANT

Approachable ambiance Molly’s Landing offers traditional seafood and steak in a casual setting

by MAURIE TRAYLOR

T

hough the original plan to use the hull of an old navy landing ship tank (or LST as they call it) didn’t make it off the concept board, the name Molly’s Landing has defined traditional seafood and steak, exceptional value and personal fun for Tulsa-area diners.

This Catoosa dining oasis— owned and lovingly operated by Russ White, his brother Doug Powell, their mother Linda Powell, and Jerry Louellen—encompasses a myriad of experiences, including the Chicken Coop Gift Shop, an herb/spice garden, fire pits for outdoor events, dining rooms that seat up to 40 people, and original art work created by Linda Powell specifically for the restaurant.

Her signature touch is evident throughout the dining room, in

the colorful painted tables and portraits that adorn the walls.

Perhaps most noteworthy is the commitment the owners invest in their 34-member staff, some of whom have stayed for more than ten years, a distinction honored by the owners with a one carat diamond. “We’re proud to say that we have given away 11 rings!” White said.

The delightfully bound, handcrafted menu is extensive, with a large wine list that offers tremendous value and selection, including several Oklahoma grown wines from Whispering Vines Vineyard. The bar menu is rounded out by imported and micro beers along with specialty drinks. Soft beverages include a coffee selection, hot apple cider and assorted juices, making this

one of the most comprehensive drink menus I’ve seen.

On my visit, I sampled the 4-ounce Peppered Filet and ½ baked potato (guests can opt for rice instead) in a pool of pepper brandy sauce. Flavorful and oh-sotender, the dish is completed with a side salad and house breads.

The Spicy 1872 Ribeye was another favorite. Smothered with seasonings reminiscent of the Chisholm Cattle Trail, this is one of the best steaks I’ve ever experienced – and one of the largest for the price.

The Lobster Tail, 10–12 ounces and served with a baked potato, salad and dinner breads, earns my “best value” designation.

Deliciously prepared with savory garlic butter sauce, I’ve seen this entrée priced up to $60, yet at

Molly’s landing it’s an affordable $24.

The casual, approachable ambiance of Molly’s Landing is the winning ingredient for a great dining experience. No white tablecloths or whispering here.

The family-owned restaurant has stayed in business for 31 years by offering a fierce dedication to detail, superior value and a comprehensive menu. It’s a natural choice for a date, business dinner, or any special occasion. a

MOLLY ’S LANDING Open Daily 4 – 10 p.m.

3700 N. Old Hwy 66 Catoosa, OK 74015 918.266.7853 mollyslanding.com

FIND THIS AND OTHER DELICIOUS MORSELS AT TULSAFOOD.COM, COVERING RESTAURANTS, PRODUCTS, EVENTS, RECIPES—EVERYTHING A TULSA FOODIE NEEDS 18 // FOOD & DRINK

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

FOOD TRUCKS, TRAILERS, & CARTS Full Bar • 1552 E. Cherry Street Late Night Slices from 10pm Th-Fr-Sa

2 CHEFS ON WHEELS // ANDOLINI’S // Back Street Burgers & BBQ // BOHEMIA // BROWNIE’S

Now Open in Broken Arrow

HAMBURGERS // CACTUS JACKS BBQ // COOLRAY COFFEE CAFE // DOG HOUSE // EAT MIKE’S BBQ // EURO PRANZO // FOURAYS EASTERN EATS // EL GRINGO LOCO TRUCK’N FRESH TACOS // GYROS BY

Andopizza.com | @andopizza | Facebook: Andopizza driven by virtue. crafted for taste.

ALI // HOOP’S PHILLY TRUCK // IN THE RAW ON THE ROLL // JARED’S PROPOPS // JOHN’S DIGGITY DOGS // JOSH’S SNO SHACK // JUBILEE CONCESSIONS // KONA ICE // LEGRUBS CATERING CO. // LICK YOUR LIPS MINI-DONUTS // LONE WOLF BANH MI // THE LOCAL TABLE // LOLA’S CARAVAN // MANGIAMO // MASA // MELTDOWN GOURMET GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES // MOD’S MOBILE // MR. NICE GUYS // PITA PLACE MEDITERRANEAN GRILL // PLUM // POLLO AL CARBON // SAM FRANCES CO. // SMOKIN’ HOWARD’S BBQ //

TulsaVoice_one-eighth.indd 1

BEST CHINESE FOOD

Dine in or carry out,

Beef w/ Broccoli & Sweet & Sour Pork

3.5 Out of 4 Stars From Scott Cherry’s Review in Tulsa World

TULSA’S BEST DINNER SPECIAL! GOLDEN GATE CHINESE CUISINE

STELLA REAUXS // T-TOWN GOURMET // TACOS FIESTA

30 Years in Business

Egg Drop Soup

MEXICANA // EL TAQUERO // TNT DYNO DOGS // TRUE BEAN ICE CREAM RESCUE // THE WURST

11/2/15 9:03 PM

2620 S. Harvard • 918-742-4942 OPEN: Mon.-Fri. 11am-9pm, Sat. 12pm-9pm

Shrimp w/ Lobster Sauce

AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO THE BEST WEEKEND EVENTS IN TULSA

The Haps is a weekly entertainment e-newsletter published by The Tulsa Voice.

Make sure you know what’s happening in Tulsa each week by subscribing to The Haps.

Visit TheTulsaVoice.com/haps to subscribe THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

FOOD & DRINK // 19

BOOZECLUES TOP of 2015

The year in drinking Exceptional Tulsa cocktails

by GREG BOLLINGER

T

ulsa is quickly developing a national reputation for its progressive cocktail scene, and TTV staff photographer Greg Bollinger has been on the frontlines every step of the way, tasting and documenting the revolution for you faithful spirit geeks. After an arduous year of imbibing, Bollinger offers four personal favorites from 2015.

Dilly Diner

Elote Café & Catering

402 E. 2nd St. 918.938.6382 dillydiner.com

514 S. Boston Ave. 918.582.1403 elotetulsa.com

THE BARTENDER: Ryan Dixon THE COCKTAIL: Cereal Milk THE INGREDIENTS: Vodka, vanilla extract, simple syrup, house-made cereal milk and ground nutmeg, served on the rocks THE LOWDOWN: This clever throwback will make you nostalgic for those simpler days of Saturday morning cartoons, when your parents didn’t fret over the ingredients in your loops, charms and puffs.

20 // FOOD & DRINK

The Penthouse Rooftop Lounge at The Mayo Hotel

SMOKE. on Cherry Street

115 W. 5th St. | 918.582.6296 themayohotel.com

1542 E. 15th St.| 918.949.4440 smoketulsa.com

THE BARTENDER: Dane Tannehill

THE BARTENDER: Colin Witt

THE BARTENDER: Cole Fairchild

THE COCKTAIL: Farmer’s Market Margarita with strawberries

THE COCKTAIL: Caipirinha

THE COCKTAIL: Ms. Puente

THE INGREDIENTS: Muddled lime, white sugar, 2 ounces of cachaça, served on the rocks

THE INGREDIENTS: Kirk and Sweeney 12 year rum, Averna, Dolin Rouge sweet vermouth, chocolate bitters, egg white, served up

THE INGREDIENTS: Lunazul 100% agave tequila, lime juice, orange juice and sugar muddled with seasonal fresh fruit or veggies, served on the rocks THE LOWDOWN: The local fruit and veggies in this modified house margarita come fresh from the Cherry Street Farmers’ Market.

THE LOWDOWN: The Caipirinha is Brazil’s national cocktail.

Though both rum and cachaça are made from sugarcanederived products, the alcohol in cachaça results from fresh sugarcane juice, which is later distilled.

THE LOWDOWN: A balance between bitter and sweet—the chocolate bitters and the rum give it that sweeter flavor, and the Averna really balances it out with the bitterness.

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

The Campbell Hotel & Maxxwells FEBRUARY 12TH FROM 6PM

Annual Sweetheart Ball will be hosting our

Appetizers, Dancing, Live Music!

Full cash bar on-site.

RESERVE A TABLE FOR YOU AND YOUR SWEETHEART 918-748-5550 • 2636 E 11TH ST

MAKE IT A NIGHT WITH OUR SWEETHEART PACKAGE:

A King Deluxe Room

Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Roses, Champagne, Two Tickets to the Sweetheart Ball, and Two Complimentary Breakfast Coupon; $389 *Subject to Availability BOOK TODAY • 2636 E 11TH ST 918-744-5500 • TULSA, OK Located on Historic Route 66, and National Register of Historic Places.

www.thecampbellhotel.com

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

FOOD & DRINK // 21

dininglistings TU/KENDALL WHITTIER

SOUTH TULSA

Big Al’s Health Foods Bill’s Jumbo Burgers Billy Ray’s BBQ Brothers Houligan Calaveras Mexican Grill Capp’s BBQ Corner Café Duffy’s Diner El Rio Verde Freddie’s Hamburgers Guang Zhou Dim Sum Jim’s Coney Island Las Americas Super Mercado & Restaurant

BBD II Baja Jack’s Burrito Shack Bamboo Thai Bistro Bellacino’s Pizza & Grinders Bodean’s Seafood Restaurant The Brook Camille’s Sidewalk Café Cardigan’s Charleston’s Cimarron Meat Company Dona Tina Cocina Mexicana El Guapo’s El Samborsito Elements Steakhouse & Grille The Fig Café and Bakery First Watch Five Guys French Hen Gencies Chicken Shack Gyros by Ali Hebert’s Specialty Meats Helen of Troy Hideaway Pizza India Palace

Lot a Burger Maxxwell’s Restaurant Mr. Taco Oklahoma Style BBQ Philly Alley Pie Hole Pizza Pollo al Carbon Rib Crib BBQ & Grill The Right Wing Route 66 Subs & Burgers Tacos Don Francisco Tally’s Good Food Cafe Umberto’s Pizza

PEARL DISTRICT El Rancho Grande The Phoenix Café Lola’s Caravan

Ike’s Chili Papa Ganouj JJ’s Hamburgers

BROOKSIDE Biga Billy Sims BBQ Blue Moon Bakery and Café The Brook Brookside By Day Café Ole Café Samana Charleston’s Claud’s Hamburgers Cosmo Café & Bar Crow Creek Tavern Doc’s Wine and Food Egg Roll Express Elmer’s BBQ Lokal The Hen Bistro HopBunz In the Raw Keo La Hacienda Lambrusco’Z To Go

Leon’s Brookside Mazzio’s Italian Eatery Ming’s Noodle Bar Mondo’s Ristorante Italiano Old School Bagel Café Pei Wei Asian Diner R Bar & Grill Rons Hamburgers & Chili Señor Tequila Shades of Brown Sonoma Bistro & Wine Bar Starbucks Sumatra Coffee Shop Super Wok SushiHana The Warehouse Bar & Grill Weber’s Root Beer Whole Foods Market Yolotti Frozen Yogurt Zoës Kitchen

UTICA SQUARE Brownies Gourmet Burgers Fleming’s Goldie’s Patio Grill McGill’s Olive Garden P.F. Chang’s China Bistro

WO ODLAND HILLS

BLUE D OME The Krazy Olive La Crêpe Nanou La Flama Mahogany Prime Steakhouse McNellie’s South City Mr. Goodcents Subs & Pastas Napa Flats Wood Fired Kitchen Naples Flatbread & Wine Bar Nordaggio’s Coffee OK Country Donut Shoppe Pita Place Redrock Canyon Grill Ripe Tomato Ron’s Hamburgers and Chili Sushi Hana Japanese Fusion Thai Village Tres Amigos Mexican Grill & Cantina White Lion Whole Foods Yokozuna Zio’s Italian Kitchen

Pepper’s Grill Polo Grill Queenie’s Café and Bakery Starbucks Stonehorse Café Wild Fork

Albert G’s Bar & Q Bramble Dilly Diner El Guapo’s Cantina Fassler Hall Joe Bots Coffee Juniper

Lambrusco’z McNellie’s S&J Oyster Company STG Pizzeria & Gelateria Tallgrass Prairie Table White Flag Yokozuna

DECO DISTRICT Atlas Grill Billy’s on the Square Boston Avenue Grill Deco Deli

Elote Café & Catering Mod’s Coffee & Crepes Tavolo The Vault

DOWNTOWN 624 Kitchen and Catering All About Cha Stylish Coffee & Tea Baxter’s Interurban Grill Bohemian Pizzeria The Boiler Room The Boulder Grill Café 320 Casa Laredo Coney Island Daily Grill Foolish Things Coffee Grand Selections for Lunch The Greens on Boulder Lassalle’s New Orleans Deli

Lou’s Deli MADE Market in the DoubleTree by Hilton Mazzio’s Italian Eatery Naples Flatbread & Wine Bar Oneok Café Oklahoma Spud on the Mall Seven West Café Sheena’s Cookies & Deli Steakfinger House The Sushi Place Tabouli’s Ti Amo Topeca Coffee Williams Center Café

TERWILLEGER HEIGHTS Bill & Ruth’s Blue Rose Café Burn Co. BBQ The Chalkboard Dalesandro’s

Elwoods Mansion House Café Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili La Villa at Philbrook

GREENWOOD Abear’s Fat Guy’s

Lefty’s on Greenwood

MIDTOWN Albert G’s Bangkok Thai Super Buffet Bravo’s Mexican Grill Bros. Houligan Celebrity Restaurant Daylight Donuts Supershop Eddy’s Steakhouse Felini’s Cookies & Deli

Golden Gate Lambrusco’z Mary Jane’s Pizza My Thai Kitchen PJ’s Sandwich Shoppe Phill’s Diner Trenchers Delicatessen

I-44/BA INTERCHANGE Big Anthony’s BBQ Bill & Ruth’s Subs Billy Sims BBQ Binh-Le Vietnamese Chop House BBQ D’Oro Pizza Desi Wok Fiesta Cozumel Gogi Gui Growler’s Sandwich Grill Hideaway Pizza Himalayas – Aroma of India Ichiban Teriyaki Jumbo’s Burgers Las Bocas Las Tres Fronteras Le Bistro Sidewalk Cafe Mamasota’s Mexican Restaurant & Bar Mazzio’s Italian Eatery

Monterey’s Little Mexico Nelson’s Buffeteria Pho Da Cao Pickle’s Pub Rice Bowl Cafe Rib Crib BBQ & Grill Roo’s Sidewalk Café Royal Dragon Sezchuan Express Shawkat’s Deli & Grill Speedy Gonzalez Grill Spudder Steak Stuffers USA Tacos Don Francisco Thai Siam Tokyo Garden The Tropical Restaurant & Bar Viet Huong Villa Ravenna Watts Barbecue

NORTH TULSA Amsterdam Bar & Grill Admiral Grill Bill & Ruth’s Christy’s BBQ Evelyn’s Golden Saddle BBQ Steakhouse Hank’s Hamburgers

Harden’s Hamburgers Hero’s Subs & Burgers Los Primos Moonsky’s Cheesesteaks and Daylight Donuts The Restaurant at Gilcrease White River Fish Market

WEST TULSA

Tulsa Broken Arrow

22 // FOOD & DRINK

Arnold’s Old-Fashioned Hamburgers Burger House Charlie’s Chicken Jumpin J’s Knotty Pine BBQ Hideaway Pizza Linda Mar

Lot a Burger Monterey’s Little Mexico Ollie’s Station Rib Crib BBQ & Grill Sandwiches & More Union Street Café Westside Grill & Delivery

Asahi Sushi Bar Baker Street Pub & Grill Billy Sims BBQ Bistro at Seville Bluestone Steahouse and Seafood Restaurant Brothers Houligan Brothers Pizza Bucket’s Sports Bar & Grill Charlie’s Chicken Chuy’s Chopsticks El Tequila Fat Daddy’s Pub & Grille Fat Guy’s Burger Bar Fish Daddy’s Seafood Grill Fuji FuWa Asian Kitchen Firehouse Subs The Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse Haruno Hungry Howie’s Pizza In the Raw on the Hill Jameson’s Pub Jamil’s Jason’s Deli

Jay’s Original Hoagies Keo Kit’s Takee-Outee La Roma Lanna Thai Logan’s Road House Louie’s Mandarin Taste Marley’s Pizza Mekong River Mi Tierra Napoli’s Italian Restaurant Oliveto Italian Bistro Ri Le’s Rib Crib BBQ & Grill Ridge Grill Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili Savoy Shogun Steakhouse of Japan Siegi’s Sausage Factory & Deli Ti Amo Italian Ristorante Wrangler’s Bar-B-Q Yasaka Steakhouse of Japan Zio’s Italian Kitchen

BRADY ARTS DISTRICT Antoinette Baking Co. Caz’s Chowhouse Chimera Coney Island Draper’s Bar-B-Cue Gypsy Coffee House Hey Mambo The Hunt Club Laffa

Lucky’s on the Green Mexicali Border Café Oklahoma Joe’s Prhyme Downtown Steakhouse The Rusty Crane Sisserou’s Spaghetti Warehouse The Tavern

CHERRY STREET 15 Below Andolini’s Pizzeria Café Cubana Chimi’s Mexican Food Chipotle Mexican Grill Coffee House on Cherry Street Genghis Grill Heirloom Baking Co. Hideaway Pizza Jason’s Deli Kilkenny’s Irish Pub & Eatery La Madeleine Lucky’s Restaurant

Mary’s Italian Trattoria Mi Cocina Oklahoma Kolache Co. Palace Café Panera Bread Phat Philly’s The Pint Qdoba Mexican Grill SMOKE. Te Kei’s Tucci’s Café Italia Zanmai

EAST TULSA Al Sultan Grill & Bakery Big Daddy’s All American Bar-B-Q Birrieria Felipe Bogey’s Brothers Houligan Casa San Marcos Casanova’s Restaurant Charlie’s Chicken Cherokee Deli Darby’s Restaurant El Centenario El Gallo Loco El 7 Marez El Refugio Azteca Super Taqueria Fiesta Del Mar Flame Broiler Frank’s Café Fu-Thai Garibaldi’s The Gnarley Dawg Hatfield’s

Jay’s Coneys Josie’s Tamales Kimmy’s Diner Korean Garden Leon’s Smoke Shack Lot a Burger Maria’s Mexican Grill Mariscos Costa Azul Mariscos El Centenario Mekong Vietnamese Pizza Depot Pizza Express Porky’s Kitchen Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili RoseRock Cafe Señor Fajita Seoul Restaurant Shiloh’s of Tulsa Shish-Kabob & Grill Stone Mill BBQ & Steakhouse Tacos San Pedro Taqueria la Cabana Timmy’s Diner

ROSE DISTRICT Andolini’s Pizzeria Daylight Donuts Fiesta Mambo Franklin’s Pork & Barrel In The Raw Sushi Main Street Tavern

McHuston Booksellers & Irish Bistro Nouveau - Atelier de Chocolat Romeo’s Espresso Café The Rooftop Toast Breakfast and Brunch

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

VOTING STARTS SOON.

THE TULSA VOICE

BEST OF TULSA READERS’ CHOICE 2016

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

FOOD & DRINK // 23

FAVORITES TOP of 2015

GREG BOLLINGER PHOTOGRAPHER

Voice’s choices Staff picks for the best and worst of 2015

by TTV STAFF and illustrations by GEORGIA BROOKS

F

or the grand finale of the year in Voice’s Choices, TTV staff chimed in with their personal favorites of 2015, from movies, music and books to news stories and hopes for the year ahead.

Because writers aren’t the only ones with opinions.

Best Meal 2015 was the year of the Hasty Bake for me. Everything I’ve made with that wonderful smoke box was the best. Manufactured right here in Tulsa!

Best Book “Prayer Man: Out of the shadows and into the light.” A must read for anyone who doesn’t believe the official version of the JFK assassination events.

Worst Politician Mary “Can’t Stop” Fallin Most Hopeful News Story The successful SpaceX landing.

Best Moment for Tulsa The continuing development of the Tulsa Office of Film, Music, Arts & Culture.

GEORGIA BROOKS GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Best Meal I went to Italy this year, so the best meal has to be fresh pear ravioli from some way-too-fancy place in Florence. However, the second best meal of 2015 was the Reuben from Seigi’s food stand at Oktoberfest.

Yeah, yeah, beer is good, but it’s so much better as an accessory to wash down each bite of the messiest and most delicious sandwich ever invented.

Best Movie I loved “It Follows.” I am not a scary movie fiend, but seeing a clever one is a lot of fun.

Totally worth all of the nightmares it gave me.

Best Book “The Goldfinch” was literally the best book I read all year because it was the only book I read all year. No regrets at all; it was fun, inventive, and very well-written. A fantastical story with a great protagonist narrator–many reviewers have compared it to a Dickens novel.

24 // FEATURED

Most Hopeful News Story I was extremely happy with Pope Francis’s encyclical Laudato Si’ on caring for the earth.

Whatever your opinion or faith, it’s past time that environmental consciousness be viewed and discussed as a moral issue.

Thing that defined 2015 Acaí bowls from Nourish Café. I can’t describe them but they changed my life for the healthier and happier. Go get one right now.

MADELINE CRAWFORD ART DIRECTOR

Best Television Show The final weeks of “Mad Men” Best Movie “Spotlight” Best Album Spotify Year in Music tells me my most listened to album of 2015 was Kacey Musgrave’s Pageant Material.

Worst Moment for Tulsa The response from some of the community to the proposed location of the new Iron Gate facility.

Person who defined 2015 My best friend, Annie, had her new beautiful baby, Paisley.

JOSHUA KLINE, MANAGING EDITOR

Best Meal Chicken fried pork with roasted turnips, charred greens and bacon gravy from Tallgrass Prairie Table. Good lard.

Best Movie “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Big Short,” “Anomalisa” and “Heaven Knows What.” Choice subject to change with mood.

Best TV Show I feel bad recommending Netflix’s true crime documenJanuary 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

tary “Making a Murderer.” It’s going to ruin your week.

Most Hopeful News Story That an apparently honest politician like B ernie Sanders can advance in the presidential race as far as he has with a grassroots campaign, even as he proudly calls himself a democratic socialist and refuses to accept money from special interest groups.

In 2016, most looking forward to: Watching Tulsa continue its long, painful slog toward reconciling its past and future.

JIM LANGDON PUBLISHER

Best Meal Crispy Chicken and Noodles from Polo Grill Best Movie “Black Mass” Best Moment for Tulsa The retirement of Sheriff Glanz.

Worst Moment for Tulsa The sale of Williams Co. Person who defined 2015 Marq Lewis of We The People Oklahoma, an example of how peaceful activism can produce positive outcomes.

JOHN LANGDON ASSISTANT EDITOR

Best Meal This may be a cop out, but for me it was the Leftover Last Waltz. It’s like a family dinner with a giant family of music fans, and “The Last Waltz” has never sounded better than on the Cain’s system. This year, the delicious feast was provided by several local restaurants, including Burn Co., Tallgrass Prairie Table and Mr. Nice Guys, among others.

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

Best Movie At this moment, I feel like I can’t not say “The Force Awakens,” having just seen it for the second time last night, but it was probably actually “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

Best Moment for Tulsa Being featured on “Drunk History.”

Worst Moment for Tulsa Legends Dance Hall being the featured filming location for “Drunk History.”

In 2016, most looking forward to: New seasons of “Twin Peaks” and “The X-Files”

JULEY ROFFERS

PRESIDENT OF LANGDON PUBLISHING

Best Meal Pan-fried chicken at Celebrity Restaurant Best Book “Love in the Time of Cholera”

by Gabriel Garcia Marquez Most Depressing News Story That Donald Trump would stay so high in the polls for such a long time—just a sign of the Dumbing Down of America.

Best Moment for Tulsa Opening of the Botanical Gardens, a beautiful place, good reflection on Tulsa, and hopefully a place Tulsa families will visit together.

Thing that defined 2015 Always, my family, regardless of what else is happening anywhere.

MORGAN WELCH GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Best Album 5 Seconds of Summer’s sophomore album Sounds Live, Feels Live. Their sound really matured, along with their beards.

If you’re a first time listener, or don’t have the highest opinion of them, listen to this album.

Best Movie “Magic Mike XXL.” I had my reasons for why I never thought I’d see the first “Magic Mike,” but after catching it on TV and seeing the acting and cinematography, my views drastically changed.

Without hesitation, I saw the second one and was not let down. It was ten times better than the first.

Best Moment for Tulsa The opening of Dilly Diner, because it has everything breakfasty I love about a diner and then some.

In 2016, most looking forward to: Going to more concerts/festivals, trying new food, and getting through one more year before the impending apocalypse.

GENE WHITE RECEPTIONIST

Best Book “A Hidden Wholeness - The Journey Toward an Undivided Life,” by Parker J. Palmer Best Movie “Selma” Worst Politician Donald Trump—he is using outrageous comments with no care for how they affect our national security or cloud the status of this country. His only interest is in feeding his enormous ego which reveals his low self-esteem.

Best Moment for Tulsa Continuing construction of The Gathering Place, which will eventually benefit all Tulsans.

In 2016, most looking forward to: My hope is for continued personal growth and the sincere desire by all to save our country and the world through intercultural education and unity. a FEATURED // 25

A most violent year Gunshots and whatnots from the calendar of the subconscious

by MARK BROWN

I

t is one of the privileges of the good city of Paris that anybody may be born, or live, or die there without attracting any attention whatsoever.

—Honoré de Balzac Shots rang out at 12:48 a.m. Four of them. Firecrackers you feel in your ears, gunshots in your chest.

We’d gone to bed, in a cute little room without a view in a part of Dallas the hotel receptionist called “still developing.” We’d satiated ourselves on smoked meat and Rhone wine and the best hominy grits this side of Tupelo. There was a day the gunplay would have signaled an end to the reverie.

That night, it came as a too-early wakeup call.

“Life in the big city,” she said, with a laissez-faire kind of smile.

We’d gone south, to Frisco via Dallas, to polish off a kitchen renovation in the dubious chic of Ikea. We dropped a wad on a shelving unit before realizing three pieces of it were longer than our car. I sat against a wall, measuring the width, height and depth of my stupidity. The gift boxes—our presents to ourselves—are the code of domestic wrath: Maximera and Ranarp, Sektion and Gasgrund.

I felt safer in our borrowed bed, gearing up for the next round of shots. Perhaps they’re popping now, ringing in the New Year.

26 // FEATURED

*** Where does the time go?

In January, Pete came into DoubleShot brandishing a copy of the Charlie Hebdo cover, a relic by design. I’d not seen Pete in ages (he lives in Holland and works in Ghent), but there didn’t seem any point in discussing the past.

In between Charlie and the Bataclan (on Boulevard Voltaire, of all places; Buffalo Bill performed there, and Edith Piaf, dame of another war), so much had gone wrong. Paris tried to somehow mend itself, and the world, by hosting a pretty death-defying emissions treaty. Instead of worrying about what it might mean for us, I dreamt … of an old horse, collared in a cracked yoke, dragging around a broken leg, begging to be put mercifully to rest. And then I woke up, as I often do, to some forsaken line from the Shelly West-David Frizzell duet, and neither of them from Oklahoma, it went like this: I remember green eyes and a rancher’s daughter.

But remember is all that I do. *** In remembrance of things past … an early report of a Germanwings Flight 9525 in late March listed this fellowship of death: the wife of a high-ranking secessionist politician; two Moroccan

newlyweds—one in possession of a Spanish passport, one not; an executive of a sanitation company headed to a food-and-beverage expo; the bassist of a Buenos Aires-based rock band, and her boyfriend; high-school exchange teachers and sixteen of their students; two international stars of opera.

There is a certain safety in staying grounded, until the earth moves under your feet. This was the year I stopped wondering at earthquakes and began assuming them. Gabriel, the Costa Rican kid who lived with us for a month, had a saying to cover such things: “It’s a miracle from the nature!” *** In July, Glenn Martin of Monument, Colorado, was camping with his daughters in Pike National Forest when a stray bullet punctured his chest. “Ow,” he said, and fell dead. A few weeks later, we camped in the Collegiate Peaks area west of there. Stay off the trails, a camp guide from Texas warned us: Five hundred Polaris riders were kicking up dust in the 6th Annual Taylor Park RZR Forum Ride.

In July, at a birthday party and in self-defense, I took aim on all the children brandishing weapons in the dark maze of Laser Quest, whose dry-ice smell, blacklights and pulsing beats harken my dancehall days. We make up aliases

and track hits on scorecards. Turns out, I am a lousy shot. *** On the last Friday of November, we all went to El Rio Verde, braving the lunch rush in order to show Gabriel the meaning of Mexican food on North Lansing.

Three days later, two guys walked through the same door, waving handguns and hungry for something other than wet burritos. I pictured our table, our chips, our luck.

Sitting in the dentist’s chair a week later, prepped for another crowning achievement, I watched Harrison Ford do a morning show and felt what it must feel like to see Jesus, speaking in parables and so many people hanging on every word and so much riding on it.

Then I remembered his son, the one that opened a restaurant here yesteryear. From the “Chef Ben Ford” website: “Following 9/11, Ben desired a way to make his style of food more accessible to the average American, and he experimented with Ford’s Filling Station, a place to enjoy real sustainable food with friends and family, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, opening in 2004.”

Ford moved his Filling Station back to LA two years later.

Meanwhile, Star Wars product placement appears in everything from toasters to eyeliner. Beware the dark side. a January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

Future headlines Imagined news stories of 2016

by ANDY WHEELER

2

016 news promises some highs (“Legalize it!”) and lows (militias organized to “protect the constitution”). The extremes get people’s attention.

These not-altogether-based-in-fact stories will dominate headlines this year, creating rage bubbles on Facebook, flame wars on Twitter and fence-riding editorials in the Tulsa World.

lo n G F o r M

DARPA and GUTS weaponize social media prayer

In 2016, DARPA will partner with GUTS Church’s R&D department to find a way to weaponize the power of prayer on Facebook, Twitter, Tinder, and Instagram. But without any way to regulate the technology, the “Pray Gun” will be shelved after fear-mongering pundits warn of creating heaven on earth, which would result in financial ruin and economic collapse.

c a p i t o l r e p o rt

High-point beer is legalized, blamed for earthquakes

After years of languishing behind other states, Oklahoma finally authorizes the sale of high point beer in grocery stores. The liquor store lobby will argue that hopsand grain-fueled moral depravity is causing pressure to build within the earth, resulting in Oklahoma’s beer-made earthquakes.

Suggested News Outlet: The Oklahoman, which will run a press release from the liquor store lobby and label it “staff reports” in the byline.

Suggested News Outlet: Weird science, government secrecy and a religious scandal—sounds like a 20,000-word job for This Land.

p U B l i c s e rV i c e inVestiGation

Editor’s note: We respect and appreciate our intrepid peers in the Tulsa media and hope they like our jokes.

niGHtliFe notes

edUcation

Club Kids are alive and well (and drunk)

Oklahoma teachers banned from the classroom

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt will fail in his attempt to get the federal government to ban Colorado’s legalization of marijuana. Undeterred, this advocate for states’ rights will again sue Colorado; but this time for playing their music too loudly, leaving their Christmas lights up too long and dancing too close together on Sundays.

I don’t get to The Club—or any club, for that matter—anymore.

But I left a private party the other night and mistakenly (read: open bar) found myself in a dance club. I am happy to report there are still Club Kids. Jager shots, popped collars, high heels and bad decisions are all part of what makes this country great. We as a nation owe them a tremendous debt for their constant diligence on the wall.

Suggested news outlet: The Tulsa Voice. Barry Friedman’s smacked gob will cover it, and—wait for it—find a way to implicate James Lankford.

Suggested news outlet: Currentland, in their inaugural “Best nightclubs in the Oklahoma/Kansas/Texas/ Arkansas/Louisiana/El Salvador region” issue.

In 2016, after decades of being underpaid, insulted and overworked, Oklahoma teachers’ increasingly wanton and lascivious need for pain and humiliation will lead to an emergency bill authored by state senator Ralph Shortey effectively banning teachers from classrooms for being deviant masochists. In an effort to replace them, Oklahoma State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister will be forced to issue emergency teaching certificates to several thousand Club Kids (see adjacent).

leGal neWs

Oklahoma sues Colorado (again)

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

Suggested News Outlet: Tulsa Crime Monthly, cuz “wanton” and “lascivious.”

Why all the potholes? The Tow Truck / Tire Shop Conspiracy

After suffering a catastrophic loss of tire pressure on I-44 due to a pothole the size of our state’s deficit, I had a lot of time in a tire shop’s waiting room to dream up, er, research this one: towing companies and tire shops are in cahoots.

Let me explain: under cover of night, tow-truckers disperse across the city and lay waste to our roads with jackhammers. The tire shops feed them kickbacks for creating new customers. You hit a pothole, you get a flat, you need a tow to the tire shop. Mutually beneficial, right? For everyone but you.

How else do you explain the disaster of our local and state roads? Surely, no elected official would willfully allow our streets to implode without some external, nefarious force? Right?

Suggested news outlet: The Frontier, if they can stop dancing on the grave of Stanley Glanz’s career long enough to do some real investigative work. a FEATURED // 27

ONSTAGE TOP of 2015

State of the arts Past highlights and a future wish list for Tulsa’s performing arts

by ALICIA CHESSER

F

or performing arts, 2015 was a year of continued creative growth in expected and unexpected places, particularly in the ways we think about the realities and possibilities of the arts in Tulsa.

There’s a prevalent idea that the “big three” organizations — the ballet, the symphony, and the opera — stand strong with a fair degree of comfort, and a lot of other groups survive in the interstices. The data unearthed by Arts Alliance Tulsa, about whose launch I wrote last month, reveals a different story. Every single arts organization in Tulsa, not just the big ones, contributes in substantial ways to the economic life of our community. And every single one needs more sustainable support.

The truth is that even the most seemingly indomitable groups have to work hard to balance taking creative risks with filling the seats. Conversation with arts leaders over many years suggests to me that what makes an arts organization strong is precisely what makes any living organism strong: that work, that play, that push and pull between challenge and security.

Instead of making a “best-of ” performing arts list for 2015, I’d like to celebrate a few performances and organizations that tilted toward the “risk” category, and offer up my wish list for 2016.

1 // Tulsa Ballet’s new creations initiatives.

Supporting new work is expensive, but TB has decided it’s worth the investment. Their Emerging Choreographer’s Showcase in April highlighted dancemakers from within the company—new talents who are among 28 // ARTS & CULTURE

My wish list for 2016: • More diverse critical conversation. (Do we need a podcast?

A YouTube channel? Roving reporters who collect audience feedback right after performances?)

“God of Carnage” | COURTESY

the generation that will literally keep the art form from dying out if they’re given chances to make work now. I’ve been thinking about the curious, sculptural use of stage space and the delicate yet muscular transparency of the movement Rodrigo Hermesmeyer created in his short contemporary ballet “Skins and Sky” ever since that performance.

And back in September, TB’s Creations in Studio K series, coming up on its tenth year, shot a gorgeous, angular, sexy jolt of Dwight Rhoden into the audience’s neural pathways. Rhoden, one of America’s most celebrated young choreographers, joins a long line of path breakers whom TB artistic director Marcello Angelini has invited to innovate amongst us.

2 // “God of Carnage” at the Nightingale Theatre.

In May, the Midwestern Theater Troupe and Odeum Theatre Company collaborated to present this brilliant, scathing, hilarious, deeply uncomfortable play to full houses. An obvious choice? Nope (decade-old play by a French author, obscure title, etc.). But well-worth it; a superb theatrical workout for performers and audiences alike.

3 // “TaxDermia” at Living Arts.

Theater, dance, site-specific performance art, political manifesto: this production from Mexico City, covering the subject of political violence throughout history, made for a November evening both devastating and healing in its raw sincerity. Deeply human, intelligently crafted, with unbelievably fearless performances — a brilliant show.

4 // Community and audience engagement.

Organizations like Chamber Music Tulsa, the Comedy Parlor, and Choregus take the time and resources to provide pre-performance talks and post-performance Q&As, classes for masters and beginners, and other ways for patrons to understand and experience firsthand the joys and challenges of making art.

5 // Every local theater company that’s going bigger, harder, and more complex with its productions.

And the ones that commit to small, provocative, uncertainly profitable shows, as well. Are the productions always great? No way. But I hope we are moving toward an arts environment where pushing boundaries and sparking conversation are just as valued as success.

• More communication and creative collaboration between artists of different genres and organizations. I want to see Chris Mantle live-painting with a string quartet at the PAC, and ballet dancers improvising with a punk band inside the Warhol exhibit. It’s still a small town, really. Presenters could take much greater advantage of it.

• More performance outlets like the Tulsa Fringe Festival, where emerging artists can be supported and encouraged as they try new things and gain the rewards of experience.

• More mid-sized venues, perhaps run collectively by participating organizations, and more efforts to offer broader access to a more diverse audience, such as the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra’s offer of childcare during performances.

• More original work, more venues, and more recognition of local artists representing a diverse array of minority voices, full stop.

Keep at it, Tulsa. And keep getting out there, Tulsans. Artists and audiences — we’re all taking chances here, for the sake of a richer, more interesting life together. Art is how we get to know ourselves. Oil may have built this city, but it’s art that keeps the marrow in its veins. a January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

Tulsa Glassblowing School | MICHELLE POLLARD

Brady Arts District’s First Friday Art Crawl – January 8 108 Contemporary – Cultivating Craft: 108’s Artist Members, #knitbomb108: The Unbearable Absence of Landscapes AHHA – InEx: ETA Collective Exhibition Brady Artists Studio – pottery by Mel Cornshucker, Donna Prigmore, Chas Foote and Murff & Julie Box, jewelry by Rachael Dazey, music by Seth Dazey Caz’s Chowhouse – music by Josh Caudle Caz’s Pub – live graffiti art Chrysalis Salon & Spa – Watercolor…reality interpreted by Posey Gaines Classic Cigars – art by John Hammer Club Ma jestic – Hoe You Think You Can Dance! contest Hey Mambo – paintings by Caleb William Thrutchley, music by 7 Blue Jazz Trio The Hunt Club – Musiclynx showcase Inner Circle – metallic photo prints by Susan Foust Living Arts – Core Connection: TU Students and Alumni Ceramics Exhibition, Medulla by Mery McNett, Havisham by Abby Bagby Mainline Art & Cocktails – art by David Morrison Philbrook Downtown – Interludes & Off The Wall by street artists Thomas “Breeze” Marcus TAC Gallery – 32: Capturing a Moment: new works by Colleen Stiles

ONLINE The best of Tulsa — music, arts, dining, news, giveaways and more.

Come find out what’s happening.

Tulsa Glassblowing School – glassblowing demonstrations Yeti – art and music by Mike Gilliland Zarrow Center – Impressions: Yesterday and Today, music by Grazzhopper THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

ARTS & CULTURE // 29

thehaps

A Chorus Line

Fri., Jan. 15 through Sun., Jan. 24, $34 John H. Williams Theatre, PAC, tulsapac.com Theatre Tulsa presents one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history, the Pulitzer Prize-winning meta-musical A Chorus Line.

Show Time: Tulsa’s Theaters of Yesteryear

Wed., Jan. 6 through Fri., Jan. 29, PAC Gallery See over a century of Tulsa theaters, movie houses and driveins dating back to 1906, when the Dreamland and Lyric Theaters and the Grand Opera House all opened.

A Sense of Wonder

Thurs., Jan. 7 through Sun., Jan. 31 Dennis R. Neill Equality Center, okeq.org This exhibition of work by retired geologist and photographer Dave Muller focuses on the beauty of the natural world. Images include canvas, metal and traditional framed prints of landscapes and wildlife from Oklahoma's Green Country, the desert southwest and Iceland. Muller's work encourages viewers to see and appreciate the beauty and wonder that surrounds us.

Beyond the Tomb: May’s Story

Fri., Jan. 8, $10 Spotlight Theater, spotlighttheater.org The one-woman show for theatregoers who love Ca jun Creole history is back by popular demand after a successful performance during Tulsa Fringe Festival. Beyond the Tomb describes the story of Old New Orleans as told by May Constance, an affluent, eccentric character of the 1890s. Gifted local actress and storyteller Ann Therese Hargrave Knight portrays May.

Fo r t h e m o s t u p - t o - d a t e l i s t i n g s , v i s i t

thetulsavoice.com/calendar 30 // ARTS & CULTURE

Havisham

Fri., Jan 8 through Thurs., Jan. 28 Living Arts, livingarts.org Havisham is an exploration of the subconscious through the psychological technique of contextualizing thoughts, emotions and impulses into a setting that makes more sense to us. Through multi-media installation, using primarily human hair, Broken Arrow native Abby Bagby draws us into seeing some of the characteristics that make us most human, but not without pointing out elements that are foreign to our nature, leading to questions about morality, Freudian principles and base instincts.

Medulla

Fri., Jan. 8 through Thurs., Jan. 28 Living Arts, livingarts.org Medulla is a multimedia exhibit by Mery McNett combining video, performance, installation and traditional media to create an environment centered on science and the not-yet-understood components of the human brain. Performance coordinated by Jessica Davenport, featuring Sami Lee, Olivia Jensen and Davenport herself, at 6 p.m. during the exhibition’s First Friday opening on Jan. 9.

The Runway Run 5K

Sat., Jan. 9, 10 a.m., $25, Tulsa International Airport, tulsaairandspacemuseum.org The 2nd annual Runway Run is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to go where few runners have gone before: the Tulsa Airport runway. Stunning aircrafts will be parked alongside the runway, offering great views while you run or walk. The registration fee benefits Tulsa Air and Space Museum, and includes free entry to the museum.

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

thehaps

BEST OF THE REST PERFORMING ARTS

Write On! Readers and Writers Panel and Book Fair

Sat., Jan. 9, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Hardesty Regional Library, tulsalibrary.org

The process of writing can be a solitary pursuit. Thankfully, Tulsa City-County Library hosts Write On! at Hardesty Regional Library, offering writers a chance to meet, socialize and share ideas.

A panel of publishers and writers will share tips on getting published from 1-2:30 p.m. in the Maple Room. Panelists include Total Publishing & Media, Books-A-Daisy owner and author Karen Graham, Nimrod Editor-in-Chief Ellis O’Neal, Tate Publishing, and authors Will Thomas and Colleen McCarty.

Meet and talk with 40 area writers in the Local Author Book Fair. Buy local books, get them signed and support library programming: 10% of sales will be donated to the Tulsa Library Trust.

The program is in conjunction with the Library’s 39th annual Adult Creative Writing Contest. The deadline for submissions is January 31.

Chili Bowl Nationals

Mon., Jan. 11 through Sat., Jan. 16, $30-$240 River Spirit Expo Center, chilibowl.com Catch six days of high-octane indoor racing when the annual Chili Bowl returns for its 30th year.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade Mon., Jan. 18, 11 a.m.

Greenwood District, mlktulsa.org

Join thousands of Tulsans and local organizations in celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luthur King, Jr. The theme for this year’s parade is “One Race: The Human Race.”

We celebrate MLK by remembering how far we’ve come and acknowledging how far we have yet to go in the fight for social justice. The parade begins on John Hope Franklin Blvd. at Detroit, turns south on Greenwood, then west on Archer, ending at Elgin Ave.

Holy Cows with Seth Andrews

Tues., Jan. 19, 7 p.m.

This Land Store, booksmarttulsa.com Seth Andrews, host of "The Thinking Atheist" podcast, comes to town to discuss his book, "Sacred Cows: a Lighthearted Look at Belief and Religion around the World." Andrews takes a look at the beliefs that God forbids shoe tying on Saturdays, that humans emit a color aura that is only seen with a third eye, that bountiful harvest requires the flinging of a live goat from a church bell tower and many other customs that still exist in the 21st century, though they may seem more suited to the Bronze Age. THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

TSO Classics: Dreams and Revolution // Principal Guest Conductor Daniel Hege conducts the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra through Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Ma jor, which will feature TSO’s Principal Clarinet, David Carter. The program will also include Debussy’s “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun and Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11 in G Minor (“The Year 1905”). // 1/16/16, 7:30 p.m., Tulsa Performing Arts Center - Chapman Music Hall, $15-$70, tulsapac.com/index.asp Ragtime Family Concert with Donald Ryan // Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame inductee Donald Ryan will introduce families to Ragtime and its connection to Tulsa history through music, stories, historical pictures and dance. Come early and stay late for artist introductions, Q&A sessions and hands-on Discovery Lab activities. // 1/17/16 // 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., Tulsa Performing Arts Center - John H. Williams Theatre, Performing Arts, tulsapac. com/index.asp One Act Extravaganza! // Youth Onstage presents an evening of 5 one-act plays, several of which were written by the students themselves, entirely produced and directed by troupe members. Expect comedy, drama, suspense and intrigue. // 1/15-1/17, Spotlight Theatre, $10 David L. Boren: Fighting for America’s Future // University of Oklahoma president and former Oklahoma Governor and U.S. Senator David L. Boren speaks at the PAC. Boren chaired the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and currently co-chairs the nonpartisan President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. // 1/15/16, 10:30 a.m., Tulsa Performing Arts Center Chapman Music Hall, SOLD OUT, tulsapac.com/index.asp

COMEDY

Naughty Bits Comedy Show // 1/9/16, Fur Shop, furshoptulsa.com Sunday Night Stand Up // 1/10/16, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com Frank Caliendo // 1/14/16, 8 p.m., Hard Rock Casino The Joint, $35-$45, hardrockcasinotulsa.com Improv Club // 1/14/16, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Comfort Creatures // 1/15/16, 10 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Komedy Kombat // 1/16/16, 10 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Blue Dome Social Club // 1/16/16, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com Cian Baker says Laugh it up, Tulsa // 1/17/16, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com The Roast of Matthew Spruill // 1/20/16, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com Skip Clark, Sid Davis // 1/13-1/16, Loony Bin, $2-$10, loonybincomedy.com/Tulsa Michael Mack, David Graham, Hilton Price // 1/6-1/9, Loony Bin, $7-$12, loonybincomedy.com/Tulsa

SPORTS ORU Women’s Basketball vs South Dakota // 1/6/16, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, $8, mabeecenter.com Tulsa Oilers vs Wichita Thunder // 1/9/16, 7:05 p.m., BOK Center, $13-$73, bokcenter.com ORU Men’s Basketball vs North Dakota St. // 1/9/16, 7 p.m., Mabee Center, $12-$20, mabeecenter.com

Pop Up Players // 1/7/16, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $5, comedyparlor.com

TU Women’s Basketball vs Cincinnati // 1/13/16, 7 p.m., Reynolds Center, $5

Army of Stand Ups // 1/8/16, 10 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com

TU Men’s Basketball vs UCONN // 1/14/16, 6 p.m., Reynolds Center, $15-$44,

Crayons // 1/8/16, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com

ORU Women’s Basketball vs IPFW // 1/16/16, 2 p.m., Mabee Center, $8, mabeecenter.com

The Mic Drop // 1/9/16, 10 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com

TU Women’s Basketball vs Tulane // 1/16/16, 1 p.m., Reynolds Center, $5

A New You Year! Now Go! // 1/9/16, 8 p.m., Comedy Parlor, $10, comedyparlor.com ARTS & CULTURE // 31

UPCOMING

Birds in ArT Through February 7, 2016 Exhibition organized by the Leigh Yawkey Art Museum, Wausau, Wisconsin.

Join us on Jan. 30 for It’s All About Birds! presented by the George Miksch Sutton Avian Research Center. Trained birds will fly from the stage over the audience in this inspiring educational show that will explain the impact birds have on our environment. Ticket prices are $8 for members, $16 for not-yet members and include museum admission.

Registration is required. Register online at gilcrease.org.

TU is an EEO/AA Institution.

Exhibition season title sponsor is the Sherman E. Smith Family Foundation. Support also provided by Mervin Bovaird Foundation.

GILCREASE.ORG

New Hope Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation proudly present the

New P.O. B Tulsa

New Hope Oklahoma and Cherokee Nation

3rd Annual 3rd Annual Mardi Gras Masquerade

proudly present the

OPEN UNTIL JAN. 17!

TULSAWINTERFEST.COM

SAVE THE DATE

Mardi Gras Masquerade

benefitting the work of New Hope Oklahoma benefitting the work of New Hope with children enduringbenefitting parental the incarceration. work New Hope Oklahoma Oklahoma withofchildren enduring

with children parental enduringincarceration. parental incarceration.

Friday, February 5th, Friday,2016 February 5th, 2016 6:30 p.m. Center Greenwood Cultural Greenwood Cultural Center Greenwood Cultural Center

ForForinformation information contact: contact: For information contact: New NewHope Hope Oklahoma Oklahoma 918.359.9024 918.359.9024 New Hope Oklahoma

918.359.9024 32 // MUSIC

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

MUSICNOTES TOP of 2015

Twenty local music-makers offer their picks for album of the year b y MITCH GILLIAM a n d MARY NOBLE

W e called on a diverse cross-section of Tulsa tunesmiths to name one album that defined 2015. It’s no surprise Kendrick Lamar’s genre-bending masterpiece To Pimp a Butterfly made the cut more than once. (Not that you asked, but TTV editors Joshua Kline and John Langdon also picked it for album of the year.)

To Pimp a Butterfly is my top pick for 2015.

Kendrick’s overwhelming hip hop/funk attack on our eardrums reminded me that laws don’t apply in creativity. Mixing funk grooves with old-school rhythms, along with dramatic personifications projected from root emotions, had me glued from the first track to the last. I am a fan of the big picture, the true story, and Kendrick makes no apologies in sharing the true essence of his existence.

Most of my favorite records take a few listens before I truly understand them... To Pimp a Butterfly was no different. Musically, many of the compositions and backing tracks feature interesting chord changes and grooves that have as much in common aesthetically with George Clinton, Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock as they do Snoop, Dre and Tupac. Kendrick’s voice sounds discernibly different from his vocals on Good Kid M.A.A.D. City.

The content, fire and power of Kendrick’s message coupled with the album’s production and musicality make it my favorite of 2015.

BRANJAE JACKSON

CHRIS COMBS

Branjae and the Filthy Animals

Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

I hate to say Kendrick ‘cause I already had that discussion with Josh Kline, Costa, Jay Hancock and Branjae (TTV, April 1 issue).

I feel like his was best overall, though. It had every component and song to make it a classic rap album. Full disclosure, I’d be inclined to pick a rap album for this column regardless, but I think musically it rolled the dice in the right places, and brought traditional hip-hop in the places it mattered.

DEREK CLARK Verse and the Vapors

My favorite album for 2015 is going to have to be To Pimp a Butterfly. From top to bottom that album is almost perfect. It’s one of those albums that you get like every ten years, and it’s only going to get better with time. From the production choices—Thundercat’s presence and guest features like George Clinton—it’s just the level of creativity that I shoot for when I make music.

STEPH SIMON emcee MUSIC // 33

FA I L U R E

D E S I A N D C O DY

SPORTS

TA M E I M PA L A

The Heart is a Monster

Self-titled

Naked All the Time

Currents

They are my favorite band of all time, and reunited in 2014 after a 15 year-plus break.

This is their follow-up album to Fantastic Planet and it slays! The wait for new music from Failure was well worth it.

This is a great record that encompasses the true Tulsa spirit by combining elements of Americana with vocal harmonization. With guest features from an array of Tulsa artists, it’s a journey from one song to the next, with no two songs sounding the same.

Hipster Fun Facts: Did you know that this debut album guest features Ryan Lindsey (Broncho) on background vocals and James McAlister (Sufjan Stevens) on drums? Or that it has over half a million plays on Spotify? Or that the average age of this Tulsa band is 20? Have you heard this album yet?

My favorite album of 2015 is Tame Impala’s third release, Currents. Kevin Parker continues to prove his genius in production, hooks, and lyrics. This is a voyage further towards ‘psyche pop’ from where Lonerism left off, and Parker delivers with tracks “Let It Happen” and “Cause, I’m A Man.”

ANDEY DELESDERNIER

CODY BREWER

COSTA STASINOPOULOS

HANK HANEWINKEL III

AKA Afistaface, Tulsa DJ

Grazzhopper

producer / engineer

Nuns, And There Stand Empires

STEPH SIMON

STEPH SIMON

Visons from the Tisdale

Visons from the Tisdale

SHANNON AND THE CLAMS Gone by the Dawn

AND THERE STAND EMPIRES III

My choice for album of the year has to be, without a doubt, Steph Simon’s Visions from the Tisdale. Steph is a native of North Tulsa, and with Visions he gives an honest, accurate and passionate articulation of Tulsa through poetic hip-hop. Steph’s use of imagery over classic hiphop drumbeats solidifies his voice as an artist worthy of the respect of his city and state.

Visions from the Tisdale has got that gutter feel with that intellect. The overall feelin’ it gives about Tulsa is the shit. He tells a story of being from out North and going to school out South, it’s two different worlds that he explains well. Not a lot of people know that Brown Gravy was a local basketball star that got hooked on crack, now that’s some Tulsa shit.

Out of all the bands reviving the sweet sounds of the ‘50s and ‘60s, Shannon and The Clams are doing it best. Gone by the Dawn is unlike anything I’ve heard that has come out of the array of music released this year.

With the sexy vocals of Shannon Shaw meshing perfectly with the strident guitar licks of Cody Blanchard, you can’t help feeling a certain kinda way.

This is the record I can’t stop listening to this year. An instrumental album featuring some of Tulsa’s finest musicians, this became the soundtrack to my daily life. Mixing elements of jazz, classical and progressive music yet with enough of an edge at times to almost feel punk. One of my favorite releases this year.

Check it out, it may be one of yours as well.

WRITTEN QUINCEY

EARL HAZARD AKA MR. BURNS

COVEY TIMS

CALVIN COMPTON

emcee

emcee

The Riot Waves

Starship Records & Tapes

34 // MUSIC

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

VOICE’S CHOICES

SHANA CLEVELAND & THE SANDCASTLES Oh Man, Cover The Ground

B A R R E R AC U D A S

PRURIENT

Can Do Easy

Frozen Niagra Falls

It’s a really pretty but haunting folk record. Not something I usually get into but Shana is currently one of my favorite songwriters (she plays in girl group La Luz who also came out with one of my top albums of the year, Weirdo Shrine).

If you’re a fan of power pop or rock & roll in general then PICK THIS RECORD UP! Stand out tracks like “Jerk,” “Promises” or “Cut Me Loose” had us singing along the first listen through. Give ‘em a listen, you’ll be singing along, too!

THE GAME

The Documentary 2.5

The liner notes say it all: “Listen at night while the snow falls silently under street lights.” Prurient (aka Dominick Fernow) delivers a sprawling masterpiece weaving a schizophrenic soundscape of harsh noise, ambient drones, throbbing synths, industrial clamor, and a healthy amount self-doubt.

KYLIE SLABBY

TONY & MICHELLE COZZAGLIO

JAY HANCOCK

The Daddyo’s, Who & The Fucks

Boulevard Trash

Holy Mountain Music & Oddities

The Documentary 2.5 is the second half of The Game’s highly anticipated double album. The Game’s ear for choosing a pallet of decadent beats that successfully blend varying styles sets this album apart from the rest, including part one. Solid production combined with guest appearances from Nas, Busta Rhymes, Lil Wayne, Scarface, E-40, and many more make The Documentary 2.5 a no-brainer for album of the year. -MARY NOBLE

ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER PAUL BENJAMAN BAND

COURTNEY BA RNETT

Sneaker

Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit

Up to the point of Paul Benjaman’s release, my two-yearold daughter was obsessed with my album. Now, every morning it’s, “I wanna hear Paul Benjaman.” The opening track starts out with such a classic groove that hooks you immediately. The second tune has a twin guitar melody where both Jesse Aycock and Paul are in sync and it’s very moving.

The whole album is just wonderful to me—every tune grabs you.

The songwriting speaks for itself on this record.

It’s solid all the way through.

Instead of relying on pretty vocal melodies to carry the song like people might expect from a female artist, she has a super unique vocal delivery. She doesn’t have a singer/songwriter vibe; she’s rock and roll and is a great guitar player. She has a strong kind of in-your-face presence both on stage and on the recording. Did I already say she rips on guitar?

THE MARCUS KING BAND Soul Insight

One of my personal favorites was The Marcus King Band, Soul Insight.

It’s got all the elements—incredible guitar playing, soulful vocals, dynamic rhythms.

We had them in Tulsa on a Sunday afternoon in May at Guthrie Green, which got rained out so we moved it to Fassler Hall. It was packed and hoppin’. They showed up at The Colony later that night for Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing and sat in all night.

JACOB TOVAR

PENNY PITCHLYNN

BRIAN HORTON

Jacob Tovar and the Saddle Tramps

Broncho

Horton Records

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

Garden of Delete

In 2014, Aphex Twin dropped Syro, a collection of perfect acid house and techno, but it’s Oneohtrix Point Never’s 2015 release Garden Of Delete that truly carries AT’s boundary-burning torch. Blurring the line between music and museum piece, 0PN mines 1997-9/11 for this album’s sounds. With such a trove of tones to tinker with, Daniel Lopatin produced an aural anxiety attack in brain massaging stereo.

Synth drone smashes against drill-core and faux-dubz, littering the brain with Final Fantasy load screens, Goku button-ups and tamagotchis.

-MITCH GILLIAM

MUSIC // 35

musiclistings Wed // Jan 6

Desi and Cody | COURTESY

Mix Co – Mike Cameron Collective On the Rocks – Don White The Colony – Tom Skinner’s Science Project

Thurs // Jan 7 Boom Boom Room – DJ MO Fur Shop – Songwriters Night w/ Mike Williams Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Runnin’ On Empty Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Reverse Reaction Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – The Hi-Fidelics River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Deuces Wild The Colony – Honky Tonk Happy Hour w/ Jacob Tovar Vanguard – Trae the Truth, MKB, Tha Supa, Jay Red, 2uned In, Yung Ken ($15) VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Paris Horner Woody’s Corner Bar – Tyler Russell

Fri // Jan 8 727 Club – Bo Phillips Band American Legion Post 308 – Round Up Boys Cain’s Ballroom – Bobby Bones & The Raging Idiots, Lindsay Ell, Lucie Silvas (SOLD OUT) Four Aces Tavern – David Dover Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Western Justice Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Darren Ray Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Dirty Saints Hunt Club – Musiclynx Showcase Mercury Lounge – Coyote Union Osage Casino - NINE18 Bar – The Stars Pepper’s Grill - South – Barton and Long River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – The Copa Reefers Soul City – Cary Morin, Wink Burcham Soundpony – Mike Dee w/ Stone Trio The Colony – Adrienne Gilley Band, The Sisters Sweet VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Mark Miller and the Cold Wind Westbound Club – Cody Clinton Band Woody’s Corner Bar – DJ Spin

Sat // Jan 9 illy and Renee’s – Symphonia, Benny’s Little Weasel, Madewell, Serafem, OLDMAN Boom Boom Room – DJ MO Cimarron Bar – Seven Day Crash Fassler Hall – Desi & Cody, Grazzhopper ($7) Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – The Tiptons Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Darren Ray Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Uncrowned Kings Hunt Club – BC and the Big Rig Lennie’s Club – David Dover Mercury Lounge – Th’Legendary Shack Shakers, The Yawpers Osage Casino - NINE18 Bar – The Stars River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – The Copa Reefers The Colony – 3 Guys and a Lady: Justin Bloss, Chris Blevins, Matt Sanders & Chloe Johns VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Muskogee’s Wild Card Band 36 // MUSIC

River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Redland Soundpony – Lizard Police, Merlin Mason The Colony – Levi Parham Band, Matthew & The Arrogant Sea Vanguard – Red Wood Rising ($7-$9) VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Bryce Dicus Woody’s Corner Bar – DJ Mikey Bee

Sat // Jan 16

Westbound Club – Cody Clinton Band Woody’s Corner Bar – Jason Young

The Colony – Tom Skinner’s Science Project Vanguard – Creed Bratton ($20)

BOK Center – Tool, Primus, 3TEETH – 8 p.m. – ($59-$79.50) Boom Boom Room – DJ MO Bull & Bear Tavern – Annie Ellicott w/ Dean DeMerritt Jazz Tribe Cain’s Ballroom – Riverfield Rocks ($10-$13) Dusty Dog Pub – Scott Ellison Band Electric Circus — abSRD, Ject&Svenchen Fur Shop – Difuser Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Phil Vaught Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Daniel Dew Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Replay Hunt Club – Dusty Pearls Lennie’s Club – David Dover Nitro Lounge – Even the Dogs, Ethera River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – Travis Kidd Sandite Billiards & Grill – Mike and the Moonpies The Colony – Dan Martin Band w/ Derrick Webster Vanguard – Derek Reed’s Birthdaypalooza w/ The Noromantics ($8) VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Bootleggers Union Woody’s Corner Bar – Life of the Party

Sun // Jan 10

Thurs // Jan 14

Sun // Jan 17

East Village Bohemian Pizzeria – Mike Cameron Collective Fur Shop – Goodfella, Stateside, NeoRomantics Juniper Restaurant & Martini Lounge – Dean DeMerritt, Frank Brown and Olivia Duhon Juniper Restaurant & Martini Lounge – Dean DeMerritt, Frank Brown and Olivia Duhon The Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing

BOK Center – Madonna – 8 p.m. – ($40-$355) Boom Boom Room – DJ MO Cain’s Ballroom – Corey Smith, Kimberly Dunn ($17-$32) Crow Creek Tavern – Jake Flint Fur Shop – Songwriters Night w/ Casii Stephan Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Brian Capps Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Phil Vaught Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Travis Kidd Hunt Club – Beau Tyler River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – The Hi-Fidelics Soundpony – Netherfriends presents: Seinfeld Party About Nothing!

The Colony – An Evening with Jared Tyler VFW Post 577 - Centennial Lounge – Randy Brumley Woody’s Corner Bar – Brandon Jackson

East Village Bohemian Pizzeria – Mike Cameron Collective Soundpony – Tul$axWorld The Colony – Paul Benjaman’s Sunday Nite Thing

Desi and Cody Music Video Release Show Sat., Jan. 9, 9:30 p.m., $7 Fassler Hall, desiandcody.com Tulsa's sweethearts Desi and Cody are releasing their new music video for “Everyone Is On Our Side,” directed by award-winning local filmmaker Sterlin Harjo. To celebrate the release, Desi and Cody are playing a special show at Fassler Hall, benefitting Iron Gate Soup Kitchen. The new video will play on the big screen, and Grazzhopper will open the show. 10% of proceeds will be donated to Iron Gate, and you’ll receive a $2 discount on the cover charge if you bring donations of cotton socks, peanut butter or strawberry preserves.

Mon // Jan 11 Fur Shop – Limpz Wizurds, Quiet Things Hodges Bend – Mike Cameron Collective The Colony – Singer/Songwriter Night

Tues // Jan 12 Fur Shop – FLOW Gypsy Coffee House – Open Mic Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Darrel Cole Nitro Lounge – Caboose, The Calamities, Cosmosis River Spirit Casino - 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar – The Copa Reefers The Colony – Mike Cameron Collective

Wed // Jan 13 Mix Co – Mike Cameron Collective On the Rocks – Don White

Fri // Jan 15 American Legion Post 308 – Rowdy Creek Crow Creek Tavern – Soul Shine Hard Rock Casino - Cabin Creek – Phil Vaught Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Daniel Dew Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Replay Hunt Club – Kalo Mercury Lounge – The Calamity Cubes Osage Casino - NINE18 Bar – Mike Black and The Stingrays Pepper’s Grill - South – Jennifer Marriott Band

Mon // Jan 18 Hodges Bend – Mike Cameron Collective Juniper Restaurant & Martini Lounge – Dean DeMerritt and Frank Brown The Colony – Singer/Songwriter Night

Tues // Jan 19 Cain’s Ballroom – The Expendables, Zach Deputy, The Last Slice ($17-$20) Fur Shop – FLOW Gypsy Coffee House – Open Mic Hard Rock Casino - Riffs – Great Big Biscuit Hunt Club – Preslar Music Showcase Nitro Lounge – Caboose, The Calamities, Cosmosis The Colony – Mike Cameron Collective

Wed // Jan 20 Mix Co – Mike Cameron Collective The Colony – Tom Skinner’s Science Project

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

ladyparts

Caged and enraged!

‘Bitch Planet’ turns exploitation cinema into feminist satire

by CLAIRE EDWARDS

H

ey gang , welcome to the inaugural installment of “Lady Parts,” a bi-weekly column exploring women’s contributions to culture, entertainment, social justice, and outrage.

“Girl Gangs…Caged and Enraged!”

So promises the cover of the best thing I read all year, Kelly Sue DeConnick’s comic book satire “Bitch Planet,” the first five issues of which have been assembled into a handsome trade paperback, “Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine.”

A send-up of 70s women-in-prison exploitation films, “Bitch Planet” is set in a dystopian future where “Non-Compliant” women are expelled from Earth and condemned to live out the rest of their days on an Auxiliary Compliance Outpost, affectionately nicknamed “Bitch Planet.”

“Non-Compliant” is a purposely-flexible term that can be used to describe a number of unforgiveable infractions, ranging from “Wanton Obesity” to murder.

The one unifying characteristic amongst the women is that they in some way threaten to destabilize the white, patriarchal status quo, and, for this egregious crime, they must be banished from society.

The comic paints the patriarchy in broad, hyperbolic strokes, but, in the context of a satire, nuance isn’t missed.

The book introduces us to Marian Collins, a white, jilted housewife banished to Bitch Planet after making threats against her adulterous husband. As the first non-compliant woman given voice in the narrative, readers might reasonably assume Marian is our protagonist.

But the book pulls a clever baitand-switch when Marian is saved from sadistic guards by Kamau Kogo, a badass woman of color

THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

“Bitch Planet - Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine” | COURTESY

and the story’s true hero. With her Afro and her kick-ass fighting skills, Kamau is a natural analogue to Pam Grier, star of many of the Jack Hill-helmed exploitation flicks (“The Big Doll House,” “Foxy Brown”) “Bitch Planet” is subverting. From here on, women of color lead the narrative.

DeConnick (“Pretty Deadly,” “Captain Marvel”) and illustrator Valentine De Landro harness the pulpy, sensationalist tropes of women-in-prison films (sadistic

guards, catfights, Sapphic action) to turn an accusatory gaze back on the reader. This is most obvious in the Obligatory Shower Scene. Lesbian lovers Fanny and Renelle put on a show for a peeping guard.

They’ve struck a deal with him— they can be physically intimate with each other, and he won’t report them if he is allowed to watch. The arrangement provides a clever way for the prisoners to spread information to other inmates without fear of discovery.

The guard’s voyeurism doesn’t go unpunished. Kamau breaks through the shower—and, arguably, the fourth wall—and threatens him while he lies helpless on the floor. The issue ends with her crouched over him, brandishing a pipe that seems to extend from between her legs. (DeConnick and De Landro don’t deal in subtlety—phallic symbols abound.)

In another passage, inmate Penny Rolle stands before a wall of video monitors. On each monitor is a man casting judgment on her for not conforming to his white, slender ideal of womanhood. A large, “wantonly obese” black woman, Penny suffers from a lack of empathy from those around her—be it about her hair, her weight, or her inability to turn the other cheek when confronted.

Despite constant judgment, Penny is comfortable in her own skin, unafraid of taking up space.

Her refusal to see herself through the gaze of others elevates her character above what could have easily been a rote, condescending cliché.

“I ain’t broke,” she proclaims.

“And you bastards ain’t NEVER gonna break me.” This, above all else, is a rallying cry for the women of Bitch Planet. It’s a daring declaration of self-love, a revolutionary statement for all women who are constantly scrutinized, judged, and told they aren’t good enough.

Vol. 1 of “Bitch Planet” is hilarious, heartbreaking, and scathing in equal measures. It’s the perfect tome to stoke your ire and validate your rage, you shrieking harridans!

Issue #6 hits stands today, January 6th, 2016. How’s that for synchronicity? To check it out, hit up your local comic book store, or get a digital copy at imagecomics.com. a FILM & TV // 37

POPRADAR

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

TOP of 2015

The year of ‘Peak TV’

The best small-screen offerings of 2015

by LANDRY HARLAN

Hannibal

UnREAL

F

our hundred nine. That’s the number of original scripted television series that were available in 2015. FX President John Landgraf calls it “Peak TV.” Whether you like having a Cheesecake Factory-sized menu of television options or not, the number is only going up from here (Netflix is producing 31 in 2016 alone). Lucky for us, higher quantity has also led to higher quality. Dozens of shows are worthy of your time. Here are ten of my favorites from 2015.

The Leftovers (HBO) “The Leftovers” isn’t perfect. It throws a cavalcade of ideas at the audience and not all of them stick. Still, creator Damon Lindelof should be praised for the daring to do so. The radically improved second season starts in a prehistoric age with a woman birthing a child. The scene is not necessary to the plot, but integral to the rich tapestry of emotions “The Leftovers” evokes. I can go on and on about the pitch-perfect cast and enigmatic writing, but it’s their collective force that rapturously (pun intended) resonates long after the final shot.

Fargo (FX) “Fargo’s” second season did what “True Detective” could not: improve upon the successes of the first season with dynamic characters, a vivid

38 // FILM & TV

‘70s setting, and a riveting plot.

The Kansas City mafia, a feuding family, Ronald Reagan, and even aliens all made it into the story (and it still mostly made sense).

What truly made this season special though was the philosophy amidst the carnage. Why the senseless violence? Can a righteous heart overcome the folly of Man? Hopefully not for a few more seasons, at least.

Hannibal (NBC) Throughout its woefully short run (three seasons), “Hannibal” was the most beautifully macabre romance on TV. I know—romance? For all its delectable murder tableaus and chilling confrontations, “Hannibal” was always about the pushand-pull between Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) and the titular Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelson). The final season brings them together. All it took was Francis “The Red Dragon” Dolarhyde, played by Richard Armitage in the most terrifyingly surreal supporting performance of the year.

Mr. Robot (USA) “Mr. Robot” is about a revolution. It’s also a revolution in itself. The fourth wall is broken repeatedly as our narrator, Elliot Alderson (Rami Malek), addresses the audience.

We want to believe in his plan to upend corrupt corporations through hacking, but how much can we trust a drug-addled, possiJanuary 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

Mr. Robot

Better Call Saul The Leftovers

Fargo

Penny Dreadful

bly unreliable narrator? This uncertainty resulted in some of the most daring surprises of the year.

Better Call Saul (AMC) I’m usually against spin-offs. Anyone remember “Joey”? To create a new series from the fabric of “Breaking Bad,” the peak of the Golden Age of TV, seemed ill advised at best, and I viewed the premiere with severe trepidation. I was wrong. Creator Vince Gilligan and actor Bob Odenkirk tease out the humanity of Saul Goodman (the corrupt lawyer from “BB”) and find new empathy and humor in the process, resulting in a show that’s a little funnier and a little brighter than its predecessor.

Outlander (Starz) Listen, “Game of Thrones” is an entertaining show, but just imagine THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

how much more interesting it would be if it was told from a more resolutely female perspective without the sensational fantasy.

That’s the beauty of “Outlander.” Claire Beauchamp, portrayed

by Caitriona Balfe, is the most refreshing and striking female lead of the year. Time travel initiates the plot, but rousing adventures and sweeping romance propel it forward. Sorry, no dragons. You won’t mind.

Master of None (Netflix) Aziz Ansari is a funny guy. What’s even better is that he’s a funny, wickedly smart guy. Rejoice that Netflix gave his voice the proper outlet. “Master of None” tackles the Millennial struggles of modern times with an optimism and hilarity that’s welcome relief from a sometimes dour TV landscape.

Master of None

UnREAL (Lifetime) Turns out you shouldn’t judge a network by its original movies—Lifetime’s “UnREAL” is an intelligent, biting lambast of reality television. Shiri Appleby plays a conflicted producer on a dating show called “Everlasting” (modeled after “The Bachelor,” for which “UnREAL” writer/creator Sarah Gertrude Shapiro previously worked as a producer) who’s trapped in the quagmire of a morally bankrupt production.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Netflix) Truly, any product that Tina Fey touches turns to gold. Or, in this case, bright yellow and Jansport purple. “Kimmy Schmidt” is a joy to behold. Every frame erupts with frenetic energy and the jokes whip about so fast you need to

Outlander

pause for your laughter to catch up. Ellie Kemper and Tituss Burgess delight, and Jon Hamm shows up for the funniest cameo of the year. Until next season, PINOTTTTTT!!!

Penny Dreadful (Showtime) While “American Horror Story” continues to shock and sensationalize to diminishing returns, a far more riveting horror series enraptures and enchants on Showtime.

“Penny Dreadful” turns a monster mash into a sublime Gothic painting that quickly seduces viewers into the dark underbelly of Victorian London. Where the first season felt scattershot, season two drives its disparate elements together in a terrifying climax against the Devil himself. Check out of “AHS: Hotel” and get lost in the lushness of “Dreadful” instead. a FILM & TV // 39

OFCC 2015 Winners BEST PICTURE “Spotlight” “Mad Max: Fury Road” “Brooklyn” “Ex-Machina” “The Big Short” “Carol” “The Revenant” “Inside Out” “Sicario” “The Hateful Eight”

Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton and Mark Ruffalo in “Spotlight” | COURTESY

BEST ACTRESS Brie Larson, “Room”

Critic’s choice

Oklahoma Film Critics Circle names ‘Spotlight’ top film

T

he Oklahoma Film Critics Circle, a statewide group of film critics (including TTV’s Joe O’Shansky and Joshua Kline), announced its tenth annual list of awards for achievement in cinema, naming “Spotlight” the Best Film of 2015 and awarding Best Director to George Miller for his blockbuster hit “Mad Max: Fury Road.”

By the widest margin of victory in any category, Best Original Screenplay honors also went to “Spotlight,” a riveting movie about the Boston Globe’s investigation into the massive, decades-long cover-up of child molestation in the Catholic Church.

“Spotlight’s” Michael Keaton won Best Supporting Actor in a tie with Sylvester Stallone for his return as Rocky Balboa in “Creed.” “‘Spotlight’ is an exceptional film in a year full of great movies,” said OFCC President James Cooper in a press release.

“We have strong actors at their best in ‘Spotlight’—Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Mark Ruffalo, and Liev Schreiber—and, what makes their performances so effective is their ability to come across as 40 // FILM & TV

ordinary journalists doing actual investigative journalism. It’s a rare film to get so much right about how a real newsroom works.

“With confidence in mass news media at historic lows, particularly among young adults 18-49, ‘Spotlight’ reminds us what good journalism and smart filmmaking look like. The film is this decade’s ‘All the Presidents Men.’” Joining “Spotlight” on OFCC’s list of 2015’s Top 10 Films are Miller’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Brooklyn,” “Ex Machina,” “The Big Short,” “Carol,” “The Revenant,” “Inside Out,” “Sicario” and “The Hateful Eight.”

Best Body of Work went to Alicia Vikander, who appeared in “The Danish Girl,” “Testament of Youth,” “Burnt” and “Ex Machina.”

For her role as a beautiful artificial intelligence robot in the sci-fi thriller “Ex Machina,” Vikander also won Best Supporting Actress.

Brie Larson won Best Actress for her performance in “Room” as a kidnapped woman who convinces her son the small shed where they’ve been captive for five years is all that exists.

BEST ACTOR Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Revenant”

Leonardo DiCaprio won Best Actor for his work in director Alejandro González Iñárritu’s brutal epic revenge thriller, “The Revenant.”

Pixar's “Inside Out” won Best Animated Feature.

For his directorial debut “Ex Machina,” Alex Garland won Best First Feature.

Additional award winners include “Son of Saul” for Best Foreign Language Film, “The Big Short” for Best Adapted Screenplay, and “Amy”—about late singer Amy Winehouse—for Best Documentary.

Not every award honored quality work.

Futuristic spectacle “Tomorrowland” won 2015’s Most Disappointing Film.

“Tomorrowland should work,” said Cooper. “But, not even Key from the hilarious ‘Key and Peele,’ George Clooney, or director Brad Bird (‘Ratatouille’) could save this movie from being anything more than a dud.”

OFCC members are Oklahoma-based movie critics writing for print, broadcast, and online outlets that publish or post reviews of current film releases. a

BEST ANIMATED FILM “Inside Out” BEST BODY OF WORK Alicia Vikander, “Ex Machina,” “The Danish Girl,” “Testament of Youth,” “Burnt” BEST DIRECTOR George Miller, “Mad Max: Fury Road” BEST DOCUMENTARY “Amy” BEST FIRST FEATURE Alex Garland, “Ex Machina” BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM “Son of Saul” BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY “Spotlight” BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Charles Randolph and Adam McKay, “The Big Short” BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Michael Keaton “Spotlight” and Sylvester Stallone “Creed” BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Alicia Vikander, “Ex Machina” January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

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FILM & TV // 41

FILMPHILES TOP of 2015

Clockwise: “Mad Max Fury Road,” “Carol,” “Inside Out,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” | COURTESY

Paramount pictures Joe’s favorite films of 2015

by JOE O’SHANSKY

I

tend to start these lists by expressing my dread for making definitive lists. (Editor’s note: I made a silent bet with myself that Joe would open this column with a reference to hating lists. I now owe myself five bucks.) I don’t see why this year should be any different.

There are always the films missed, or sometimes forgotten. Someone once told me I should journal these things more often. There’s my New Year’s resolution.

Tulsa’s independent and non-profit art-house theatre, showing independent, foreign, and documentary films.

42 // FILM & TV

Anyway, doesn’t matter. I still saw more movies than you. Here are my favorites.

Beasts of No Nation Writer/director Cary Fukunaga proved with 2009’s “Sin Nombre” that he was a shining talent. But it wasn’t until the cannonball first season of “True Detective” that he earned carte blanche to make this long-gestating passion project (based on the 2005 novel by Uzodinma Iweala). Equally gut-wrenching and rewarding, “Beasts” tells the story of Agu (Abraham Attah), a West African kid who becomes a child soldier under a Kony-eqsue rebel leader (Idris Elba) after his village is wiped out. Brutal, yet compellingly humane, Fukunaga spins uncompromising performances into a gorgeously complex emotional web.

Carol Sophistication and spectacular performances that detail the often-discontented inner landscapes of his characters are trademarks of director Todd Haynes’ (“Far From Heaven”) quietly potent

style. His eye for perfectly composed shots and textured scenes create a layered, frame-worthy cinematic portraiture. Cate Blanchett plays Carol, a divorcee fighting for custody of her daughter while living closeted in 1950’s New York.

When she meets Therese (Rooney Mara), a photographer who works at a department store, their magnetic attraction threatens to upend both their lives. Oscar-worthy performances abound in this gracefully constructed, unforgettably staged work of art.

Mad Max: Fury Road Action movies don’t usually make these lists, much less the fourth film in a 36 year-old franchise from a director who could have started collecting Social Security a decade ago. But this was a good year for that kind of thing.

“Mad Max: Fury Road” not only lived up to the promise of its magnificent trailers, it also ranks as the best in the series. Director George Miller serves up a fatfree action-gasm that delivers the essence of his demented style within an insanely detailed world, while giving us the most iconic

female action hero—Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron)—since Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley.

Inside Out Riley is a pre-teen girl forced to move with her parents to San Francisco when her father gets a new job. Her emotions are conflicted, quite literally. Turns out Fear, Sadness, Joy, Disgust, and Anger are little people who run a control room in her head, working mostly in harmony to balance her emotional state—until Joy and Sadness are sucked out into the wilderness of Riley’s memories.

The sheer imagination on display is awe-inspiring, bolstered by Pixar’s typically great and emotional storytelling. You will cry. Bing Bong got me.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Some of you might groan at this one, and I’m a little conflicted myself, but here’s the thing: despite the problems with the script, and that it’s a quasi-remake, “The Force Awakens” is still a ton of fun. The fact is, I’ll wind up seeing this movie more times than all the other films on this list combined.

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

HONORABLE MENTIONS Ex Machina Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation Room Steve Jobs Straight Outta Compton What We Do in the Shadows

Clockwise: “The Hateful Eight,” “White God,” “The End of the Tour,” “Tangerine,” “Beasts of No Nation,” “The Martian” | COURTESY

Years ago I put JJ Abram’s “Star Trek” in my Top 10 for similar reasons. It was simply that entertaining, that fun, and I have, in fact, seen it at least 15 times now.

Whatever its shortcomings, “The Force Awakens” taps into the excitement and nostalgia of the original trilogy that for some of us is ingrained on a near-genetic level.

Abrams has achieved something that seemed almost impossible after the prequels: he got us excited about “Star Wars” again.

Tangerine If you need proof that vital, micro-budget cinema is alive and well, look no further than writer/ director Sean Baker’s brilliantly transgressive quasi-New Wave comedy. It’s not only gorgeous (for being shot on iPhones), it’s also a vital kick in the ribs for mainstream filmmaking. The story of two trans sex workers with a vendetta against their mutual pimp is oddly accessible for those of us who aren’t in that game—rendered like a waking dream by the hyper-real cinematography and the utterly genuine performances of its lead actresses, Kitana Kiki THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

Rodriguez and Mya Taylor. No other American film this year was as revelatory.

The End of the Tour Jesse Eisenberg portrays David Lipsky, the Rolling Stone writer who interviewed literary wunderkind David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel) during the book tour for his 1996 masterwork, Infinite Jest.

Told as a flashback after learning of Wallace’s suicide in 2008, the film (based on Lipsky’s book) acts as something of a biopic for the legendary writer, revealing his genius through crackling conversations between he and Lipsky, as they discuss an array of subjects; from pop culture to artistic integrity to the nature of television addiction (he doesn’t own one), while dancing around the subject of Wallace’s chronic depression and addictive personality. Director James Ponsoldt’s film is funny, thoughtful, and rapturously entertaining, while the finely calibrated performances from Eisenberg and Segel capture their warm frenemy bond, giving us a deeply satisfying look into the soul of an artist.

The Hateful Eight Director Quentin Tarantino’s eighth film is a return to form for the illustrious and controversial auteur. Leaving behind his historical revenge fantasies for something far less fanciful, the film gathers seven unrepentant S.O.B.s and one wicked woman in a mountaintop cabin during a blizzard. The characters are all uniquely drawn and beautifully realized (not a shock) but the film is anchored by Sam Jackson’s typical charisma and his perfect delivery of QT’s trademark dialogue. Violent, suspenseful, likely offensive, and weirdly funny, it lives up to its title, and is Tarantino’s most accomplished film since “Jackie Brown.”

The Martian “I’m going to have to science the shit out of this,” says Matt Damon’s Mark Watney just after he’s marooned on Mars, realizing that science is all that can save him.

You almost feel your heart jump for joy. Damon plays a botanist left for dead after a violent storm forces the rest of his scientific team to escape from the Red Plan-

et. He must not only find a way to contact Earth, but also survive in a lifeless world, for years. Exciting, beautifully shot and directed, and carried by Damon’s warm and funny charm, director Ridley Scott, whose “Alien” and “Blade Runner” are amongst my favorite films of all time, has made what might be my third favorite film of his entire career.

White God This heart-rending Hungarian film is like an odd remake of the 1989 satire “Baxter” if it were directed by James Cameron. Lili is forced to give up her dog, Hagen, when her father won’t pay the tax for owning a mongrel. Pursued by militant dog catchers who go after him like he robbed a bank, Hagen falls into the clutches of a dog fighter who radicalizes him to revolt against his former masters.

The subtext of racial discrimination isn’t subtle, but writer/director Kornél Mundruczó’s story is an emotionally wrenching adventure. A really mean-spirited Disney film, with a sublimely satisfying payoff. Someone should nominate that dog for something. a FILM & TV // 43

THE FUZZ THE TULSA VOICE SPOTLIGHTS: TULSA SPCA 2910 Mohawk Blvd. | MON, TUES, THURS, FRI & SAT, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 918.428.7722

SERGIO loves to play fetch and tug-a-war. In his down time, this oneyear-old Australian Cattle Dog Mix hangs out on the couch or on his bed.

He enjoys long walks and outside playtime. He isn’t much of a talker unless there are other critters around. He is very smart and knows basic commands, and he’s excited to learn more.

ACROSS 1 “Forever” 5 Eye nerve 10 Religious teacher 15 ___-serif 19 Lead-in for “trooper” or “medic” 20 Apple-polisher 21 Assign to, as blame 22 “Don’t hurt me,” for one 23 Like a glowing lamp 25 Flat finale 27 Barely get by (with “out”) 28 Skirt seam 29 Roman magistrate’s attendant 31 Poke holes in a lawn 32 Born in Cardiff 34 Activist’s focus 35 “Diamond Lil” star West 36 Doctor’s handwriting, stereotypically 39 As a whole 41 Like some positions 45 One who inherits 46 Butchered remains 48 State, as one’s rights 51 Dr. Dre’s music 52 Santa’s employees 54 Get ready to fire 55 Magical glow 56 Musician’s concern 57 Schooner’s cargo?

58 Like a good puppy 63 Tiny remnant 64 Woebegone 66 “Roses ___, violets ...”

67 Goody-goodies 68 Article of furniture 70 “___ y Plata” (Montana’s motto)

71 73 75 78 81 82 84 85 86 87 88 90 91 93

FLORENCE is a loving one-year-old Pit Bull Terrier Mix who enjoys belly rubs. Her favorite game is catch—meaning, she jumps into your arms and you catch her. She likes to go on walks and being outdoors, but prefers being inside. She’s great with people, adults and kids alike.

Self-centeredness Primitive shelter Fumbling for words Best, in sports Desert islands Doodad “Born,” literally Mayberry drinker Serve coffee ___-Z (thoroughly) Alpine falsetto Nixon, for two yrs.

Alcohol type “... one ___ leap for mankind” 95 ___-majeste (crime against a dignitary) 96 “Tobacco Road” author Caldwell 98 Not minor anymore 100 Didn’t disregard 102 Month to give thanks in Can. 103 Normand of the silents 105 Palmists, e.g.

107 Turkey part 110 INS, e.g.

112 Fuel 113 Clocks are set by it (Abbr.)

116 Type of clock 118 Object of a crush 121 “Enchanted” girl of film 122 Deliver a speech 123 Tribal leader 124 Insignificant amount 125 Earl Grey, and others 126 More recent 127 Mr. ___ (Fred Flintstone’s boss) 128 Eared pitcher DOWN 1 Altar location 2 Rubberneck 3 Canal to the Hudson 4 Obeyed “Down in front!”

5 Desdemona’s man

6 Rhyming works 7 Small portion 8 “American ___” (TV show) 9 Distrustful 10 Burger flipper 11 Bowery figures, stereotypically 12 Cavern, in poetry 13 “Li’l ol’ me?”

14 Privately, to a lawyer 15 Bridal wreath shrub 16 ___ mater 17 Tidy 18 ___-Coburg (royal house) 24 Process the fat?

26 Inclined, in England 30 Pomona’s ___ Poly 32 Suffix with “soft” or “share” 33 Oldies players 36 Batch, as of papers 37 Large stringed instrument 38 They may be drained by tributaries 40 ___ few (give examples) 41 Bird on a beach 42 Unshockable 43 “Ivanhoe” weapon 44 Nonlethal swords 47 Flora’s partner 49 “For heaven’s ___!”

50 Shoemaker’s leather, sometimes 53 Bermuda wear 56 Have confidence in 59 Cookie jar denizen 60 Common eye color 61 Get ready to sail again 62 Atoll in Kiribati 63 Du Maurier novel 65 Crescent-shaped figures 67 Sport played on horseback

The Tulsa SPCA has been helping animals in our area since 1913.

The shelter never euthanizes for space and happily rescues animals from high-kill shelters. They also accept owner surrenders, rescues from cruelty investigations and hoarding and puppy mill situations.

Animals live on-site or with fosters until they’re adopted. All SPCA animals are micro-chipped, vaccinated, spayed/neutered and treated with preventatives.

Learn about volunteering, fostering, upcoming events, adoptions and their low-cost vaccination clinic at tulsaspca.org.

RUDDY is a two-yearold American Cocker/ Retriever/Lab Mix. He is extremely attached to people. He would love nothing more but to be held and petted all day long. He gives soft kisses and whimpers sweet nothings in your ear. He is friendly with his neighbor dogs but has not yet had a chance to find a dog friend to play with.

69 “For sure!”

72 Neighbor of Cameroon 73 Not tight at all 74 “Peter, Peter, pumpkin ___” 76 Light and breezy 77 Outlook competitor 79 Former Attorney General Edwin 80 Caught elvers 82 “Bag” or “board” beginner 83 Rat-___ (old machine gun sounds) 86 Defense Department headquarters 89 Bullring accolades 91 “Manage” lead-in 92 UPS machine 93 Deep ravines 94 West End attraction 97 Down Under tree climbers 99 Home office locale, perhaps 101 Before now, before now 103 Brilliantly colored parrot 104 Stone with curved, colored bands 106 Showy plumed bird 107 Help, as a lawbreaker 108 “Blue” or “White” river 109 Coke nut 111 Participate in a pep rally 113 Raise, as produce 114 Bit of dust 115 Alpine transport 117 Anger or rage 119 Org. quoted on toothpaste tubes 120 Take off in a hurry

MONTY is one cool cat.

This one-year-old gray Tabby hangs out in his house, but will come out to visit you as soon as you enter the room.

He enjoys brushing and petting, and gets along well with other cats. He is a very soft-spoken kitty who meows quietly to get your attention and always seems to be smiling.

UNIVERSAL SUNDAY CROSSWORD Edited by Timothy E. Parker

HI, GUYS!

By John Meghurt

© 2016 Universal Uclick 44 // ETC.

EDEN is a curious little girl. This two-year-old white-and-gray Tabby loves attention from humans and enjoys being held and petted. When inside, she’ll explore every inch of the room.

Every now and then she gets a burst of energy to play with a new toy or kitty, but mostly she enjoys watching everyone else play.

1/10 January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

news of the weird

by Chuck Shepherd

Easily Disrespected Two foreign students at the liberal arts Oberlin College complained in a recent school publication that the cafeteria selections — supposedly “inclusive” of world cultures — were actually denigrating other cultures by offering inferior versions of national dishes. Vietnamese student Diep Nguyen wrote that the correct “banh mi” sandwich should be a “crispy baguette with grilled pork, pate, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs” and not, he complained, “ciabatta bread, pulled pork and coleslaw.”

Said Japanese student Tomoyo Joshi, sushi with “undercooked rice and lack of fresh fish is disrespectful.” (Cafeteria managers told The Washington Post they were proud of their commitments to other cultures, to local farming, sustainable foods and animal-treatment concerns.)

New World Order In December, Canada’s supportive organization The Transgender Project released a biographical video of the former Paul Wolscht, 46 and the father of seven children with his ex-wife, Marie, describing his new life as not only a female but a 6-year-old female, Stephoknee Wolscht. She told the Daily Xtra (gay and lesbian news site) that not acting her real age (even while doing “adult” things like working a job and driving a car) enables her to escape “depression and suicidal thoughts.” Among the trans-age’s favorite activities are (coloring-book) coloring, creating a play-like “kingdom,” and wearing “really pretty clothes.” Stephoknee now lives with the couple who adopted her.

Compelling Explanations Breen Peck, 52, an air traffic controller who has been having career troubles in recent years, was arrested during a traffic stop on New York’s Long Island in December when officers found illegal drugs in his car. “That’s meth,” he said. “I’m an air traffic controller.”

“I smoke it to stay awake.”

In a “she-said/he-said” case, wealthy Saudi businessman Ehsan Abdulaziz, 46, was acquitted of rape in December in England’s Southwark Crown Court, apparently persuading jurors of “reasonable doubt” about his DNA found in the alleged victim’s THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

vagina. Perhaps, his lawyer said, Abdulaziz was still aroused after sex with the other woman in the apartment and accidentally fell directly upon the alleged victim lying on a sofa.

Thee, Not Me American “millennials” (those aged 18 to 29) continue a “long-standing tradition,” The Washington Post wrote in December, describing a Harvard Institute of Politics poll on their views on war. Following the recent Paris terrorist attacks, about 60 percent of U.S. millennials said additional American troops would be needed to fight the Islamic State, but 85 percent answered, in the next question, that no, they themselves were “probably” or “definitely” not joining the military.

Exceptional Floridians Police in St. Petersburg reported the December arrest of a 12-yearold boy whose rap sheet listed “more than 20” arrests since age 9. He, on a bicycle, had told an 89-year-old driver at a gas station that the man’s tire was low, and when the man got out to check, the boy hopped in the car and took off.

A driver accidentally plowed through two small businesses in Pensacola in December, creating such destruction that the manager of one said it looked like a bomb had hit (forcing both — a tax service and a casket company — to

relocate). The driver told police he was attempting to “travel through time.”

Ironies Christopher Manney was fired from the Milwaukee Police Department in 2014 after shooting a black suspect to death in a case bearing some similarity to 2015 shootings that produced “Black Lives Matter” protests — not fired for the shooting (adjudged “not excessive force”) but for improper actions that preceded the shooting (not announcing a valid reason for a pat down and conducting a notby-the-book pat down). Two days before the firing, he had filed a disability claim for post-traumatic stress disorder from the shooting and aftermath, and in November 2015 the city’s Annuity and Pension Board, following city law, approved the claim. Thus, Manney, despite having been subsequently fired, retired with full disability, with basically the same take-home pay he was receiving when fired.

In November, as anti-Muslim tensions arose in several U.S. cities following the Paris terrorist attack, two chapters of the Satanic Temple church (San Jose, California, and Minneapolis) offered to protect Muslims who feared a backlash.

The Minneapolis group offered “just big dudes walking you to where you need to be,” for example, grocery shopping — an offer “of genuine compassion for our

fellow human beings.” (The offer was subsequently rescinded by the Minneapolis church’s executive ministry, reasoning that they are “not a personal security service.”)

Least Competent Criminals Jasper Harrison, 47, working inside the storage unit in Edgewater, Florida, where he grows his marijuana, heard a helicopter overhead on Dec. 9, panicked, and called 911 to turn himself in to pre-empt what he presumed was a SWAT raid.

Actually, the helicopter belonged to a local news station headed elsewhere, but police later arrested Harrison based on the 911 call.

Lloyd Franklin, 34 and suspected in a North Carolina double murder, fatally shot himself in a Bensalem, Pennsylvania, motel room in November when police knocked on the door. However, cops actually had come to arrest another man in the room on a parole violation. a 12/15 SOLUTION: UNIVERSAL SUNDAY

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free will astrology

by ROB BREZSNY

CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19):

In his essay “The Etiquette of Freedom,” poet Gary Snyder says that wildness “is perennially within us, dormant as a hard-shelled seed, awaiting the fire or flood that awakes it again.” The fact that it’s a “hard-shelled” seed is a crucial detail. The vital stuff inside the stiff outer coating may not be able to break out and start growing without the help of a ruckus. A fire or flood? They might do the job. But I propose, Capricorn, that in 2016 you find an equally vigorous but less disruptive prod to liberate your dormant wildness. Like what? You could embark on a brave pilgrimage or quest. You could dare yourself to escape your comfort zone. Are there any undomesticated fantasies you’ve been suppressing? Unsuppress them!

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Frederick the Great was King of Prussia between 1740 and 1786. He was also an Aquarius who sometimes experimented with eccentric ideas. When he brewed his coffee, for example, he used champagne instead of water. Once the hot elixir was ready to drink, he mixed in a dash of powdered mustard. In light of the astrological omens, I suspect that Frederick’s exotic blend might be an apt symbol for your life in 2016: a vigorous, rich, complex synthesis of champagne, coffee, and mustard. (P.S. Frederick testified that “champagne carries happiness to the brain.”)

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): My Piscean acquaintance Arturo plays the piano as well as anyone I’ve heard. He tells me that he can produce 150 different sounds from any single key. Using the foot pedals accounts for some of the variation. How he touches a key is an even more important factor. It can be percussive, fluidic, staccato, relaxed, lively, and many other moods.

I invite you to cultivate a similar approach to your unique skills in 2016. Expand and deepen your ability to draw out the best in them. Learn how to be even more expressive with the powers you already possess.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): John Koenig is an artist who invents new words.

Here’s one that’s applicable to your journey in 2016: “keyframe.” Koenig defines it as being a seemingly mundane phase of your life that is in fact a turning point.

Ma jor plot twists in your big story arrive half-hidden amidst a stream of innocuous events. They don’t come about through “a series of jolting epiphanies,” Koenig says, but rather “by tiny imperceptible differences between one ordinary day and the next.” In revealing this secret, I hope I’ve alerted you to the importance of acting with maximum integrity and excellence in your everyday routine.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): The coming months look like one of the best times ever for your love life. Old romantic wounds are finally ready to be healed. You’ll know what you have to do to shed tired traditions and bad habits that have limited your ability to get the spicy sweetness you deserve. Are you up for the fun challenge?

Be horny for deep feelings. Be exuberantly aggressive in honoring your primal yearnings. Use your imagination to dream up new approaches to getting what you want. The innovations in intimacy that you initiate in the coming months will keep bringing you gifts and teachings for years to come.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In ancient times, observers of the sky knew the difference between stars and planets. The stars remained fixed in their places. The planets wandered around, always shifting positions in relationship to the stars.

But now and then, at irregular intervals, a very bright star would suddenly materialize out of nowhere, stay in the same place for a while, and then disappear. Chinese astronomers called these “guest stars.”

We refer to them as supernovae. They are previously dim or invisible stars that explode, releasing tremendous energy for a short time. I suspect that in 2016, you may experience the metaphorical equivalent of a guest star. Learn all you can from it.

It’ll provide teachings and blessings that could feed you for years.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Be alert for an abundance of interesting lessons in 2016.

You will be offered teachings about a variety of practical subjects, including how to take care of yourself really well, how to live the life you want to live, and how to build the connections that serve your

Place the numbers 1 through 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once.

NOVICE

dreams. If you are even moderately responsive to the prompts and nudges that come your way, you will become smarter than you thought possible. So just imagine how savvy you’ll be if you ardently embrace your educational opportunities.

(Please note that some of these opportunities may be partially in disguise.)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): The silkworm grows fast. Once it hatches, it eats constantly for three weeks. By the time it spins its cocoon, it’s 10,000 times heavier than it was in the beginning. On the other hand, a mature, 60-foot-tall saguaro cactus may take 30 years to fully grow a new side arm. It’s in no hurry. From what I can tell, Leo, 2015 was more like a silkworm year for you, whereas 2016 will more closely resemble a saguaro. Keep in mind that while the saguaro phase is different from your silkworm time, it’s just as important.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): “The sky calls me,” wrote Virgo teacher and poet Sri Chinmoy. “The wind calls me. The moon and stars call me. The dense groves call me. The dance of the fountain calls me.

Smiles call me, tears call me. A faint melody calls me. The morn, noon and eve call me. Everyone is searching for a playmate.

Everyone is calling me, ‘Come, come!’” In 2016, Virgo, I suspect you will have a lot of firsthand experience with feelings like these. Sometimes life’s seductiveness may overwhelm you, activating confused desires to go everywhere and do everything.

On other occasions, you will be enchanted by the lush invitations, and will know exactly how to respond and reciprocate.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In the 19th century, horses were a primary mode of personal transportation. Some people rode them, and others sat in carriages and wagons that horses pulled. But as cities grew larger, a problem emerged: the mounting manure left behind on the roads. It became an ever-increasing challenge to clear away the equine “pollution.”

In 1894, a British newspaper predicted that the streets of London would be covered with nine feet of the stuff by 1950. But then something unexpected happened: cars. Gradually, the threat of an excremental apocalypse waned. I present this story as an example of what I expect for you in 2016: a pressing dilemma that will gradually dissolve because of the arrival of a factor you can’t imagine yet.

MASTER

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The longest river in the world flows through eastern Africa: the Nile. It originates below the equator and empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Although its current flows north, its prevailing winds blow south. That’s why sailors have found it easily navigable for thousands of years. They can either go with the flow of the water or use sails to harness the power of the breeze. I propose that we make the Nile your official metaphor in 2016, Scorpio. You need versatile resources that enable you to come and go as you please — that are flexible in supporting your efforts to go where you want and when you want.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): In many cases, steel isn’t fully useful if it’s too hard.

Manufacturers often have to soften it a bit.

This process, which is called tempering, makes the steel springier and more malleable. Car parts, for example, can’t be too rigid. If they were, they’d break too easily.

I invite you to use “tempering” as one of your main metaphors in 2016, Sagittarius.

You’re going to be strong and vigorous, and those qualities will serve you best if you keep them flexible. Do you know the word “ductile”? If not, look it up. It’ll be a word of power for you.

If you’d like to enjoy my books, music, and videos without spending any money, visit bit.ly/LiberatedGifts. t h i s w e e k ’ s h o m e w o r k // T E S T I F Y AT F R E E W I L L A S T R O L O G Y. C O M .

46 // ETC.

January 6 – 19, 2016 // THE TULSA VOICE

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THE TULSA VOICE // January 6 – 19, 2016

ETC. // 47

Pleas e re cycle this issue.