FREE MAY.11.2022
THE FESTIVAL GUIDE
ISSUE 9 Forecastle Sets We Are Excited About
Poorcastle Returns To Breslin Park
WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN KENTUCKY IF ROE V WADE IS OVERTURNED | PAGE 11
More Area Festivals That We’re Looking Forward To
MORGAN MCGARVEY AND ATTICA SCOTT WRITE ABOUT THEIRLEOWEEKLY.COM PLATFORMS | PAGE 6&8 // MAY 11, 2022 1
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ALI FESTIVAL
6TH ANNUAL
JUNE 3-9, 2022
Please join us for the Ali Festival, a celebration commemorating the anniversary of Muhammad Ali’s passing (June 3, 2016) and his worldwide impact and love for Louisville.
LOUISVILLE ECCENTRIC OBSERVER
Volume 32 | Number 02 974 BRECKENRIDGE LANE #170. LOUISVILLE KY 40207 PHONE (502) 895-9770 Your Things Are Probably Not Worth What You Think They’re Worth A Look At Louisville’s Vintage And Collectible Resale Market
FREE MAY.11.2022
FESTIVAL GUIDE
ISSUE
PROGRAMMING & EVENTS
BY TALON HAMPTON
9 Forecastle Sets We Are Excited About
Friday, June 3
Tuesday, June 7
DAUGHTERS OF GREATNESS* 8:30am-10am | Ali Center
ALI COMMUNITY NIGHT WITH THE LOUISVILLE BATS 7:05pm | Slugger Field
FOUNDER
Wednesday, June 8
A&E EDITOR
ROSES & REMEMBRANCE 10am-3pm | Cave Hill Cemetery OPEN GYM NIGHT 6:30pm-8:30pm | TKO Boxing Gym
RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE* 11am-6pm | Ali Center
Saturday, June 4
YOUth ARE THE GREATEST* 6pm-8pm | Ali Center
ALI MEMORIAL TROLLEY TOUR* 1pm-3pm | TBA
Sunday, June 5 FAMILY DAY 12pm-5pm | Ali Center
Thursday, June 9 GREATEST GIVEBACK (SERVICE PROJECTS)* 9am-5pm | Ali Center
ON THE COVER
Poorcastle Headline here
XXX | PAGE 9
The Local Festivals That We’re Looking Forward To XXX | PAGE 25
John Yarmuth MANAGING EDITOR
Scott Recker, srecker@leoweekly.com Erica Rucker, erucker@leoweekly.com DIGITAL CONTENT EDITOR
Danielle Grady, dgrady@leoweekly.com STAFF WRITER
Josh Wood, jwood@leoweekly.com STAFF WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER
Carolyn Brown, cbrown@leoweekly.com ART DIRECTOR
Talon Hampton, thampton@leoweekly.com CONTRIBUTING VISUAL ARTS EDITOR
Jo Anne Triplett, jtriplettart@yahoo.com OFFICE MANAGER
Elizabeth Knapp, eknapp@leoweekly.com
CONTRIBUTORS
Robin Garr, Dan Canon, Tyrel Kessinger, Syd Bishop, Attica Scott, Charles Booker, Morgan McGarvey, Sarah Kinbar, Kevin Wilson, Dan Savage
Writer Illustrations by Yoko Molotov ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Marsha Blacker, mblacker@leoweekly.com Andrew Burch, aburch@leoweekly.com EUCLID MEDIA GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Andrew Zelman
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICERS
Chris Keating, Michael Wagner
VP OF DIGITAL SERVICES
Stacy Volhein
www.euclidmediagroup.com
Throughout the Ali Festival, come to the Center to vote on your favorite AliVille Creative Classic street art!
*Sign-up required in advance. Visit alicenter.org for updated events and information.
For more information about the Ali Festival, please visit alicenter.org/ali-fest. 502.584.9254 | 144 N. 6TH ST. | LOUISVILLE, KY
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
LEO Weekly is published weekly by LEO Weekly LLC. Copyright LEO Weekly LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed herein are exclusively those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Publisher. LEO Weekly is available free of charge, limited to one copy per reader. No portion may be reproduced in whole or in part by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the express permission of LEO Weekly LLC. LEO Weekly may be distributed only by authorized independent contractors or authorized distributors. Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO) is a trademark of LEO Weekly LLC.
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EDITOR’S NOTE
LEO ENDORSES SHAMEKA PARRISH-WRIGHT FOR MAYOR By LEO Weekly | leo@leoweekly.com WHEN SHAMEKA PARRISH-WRIGHT visited LEO’s office back in March for our mayoral candidate interviews, she told a story of door-knocking and speaking with a man who worked full time and made enough money to pay his mortgage, but couldn’t afford utilities, and, at that time, had them turned off. She used the story of that interaction to highlight that, across the city, in every neighborhood, there are people on the edge of housing insecurity. As someone who has experienced homelessness herself, she spoke of how most people are a bad break or two from facing hardship, and how Louisville needs to increase access to affordable housing and public services such as programs for homeownership, house repair and rental assistance throughout the city, because most of us are susceptible to falling on hard times. “In every end of our city, someone is struggling,” she said. The more she spoke, the more it was apparent that story was just a microcosm of how she has a unique and direct understanding of the sometimes concealed challenges that people face in our city on a daily basis. Parrish-Wright is running as “The Can-
didate For The People,” and she highlights her many years in public service as proof. Parrish-Wright might be most well-known for her work with The Bail Project — a nonprofit that helps people who cannot afford bail — where she was up until recently the operations manager, and currently serves as the partnerships and advocacy manager. She also has been involved in organizations such as Kentucky Alliance Against Racist & Political Repression, Kentucky Jobs with Justice, La Casita Center Board, Continuum of Care Board of the Homeless Coalition, The Carl Braden Memorial Center, Louisville Books to Prisoners program, Justice Now and Sowers of Justice Network. Parrish-Wright has been a human relations commissioner for the city. Parrish-Wright is also an activist who has protested against police brutality and
racial injustice. As someone who has both worked within the government and stood with the people, she says she also wants to strengthen the connection between the two. During her time at LEO’s office, she spoke about how the position of mayor is primarily a management position, not only responsible for delegating duties, but making sure that the people sitting on boards and in positions of power are a diverse group that are reflective of the city. She spoke of streamlining ways for more people to get involved. Parrish-Wright’s progressive platform includes empowering residents to be able to create the solutions for their own neighborhoods, police accountability, antiviolence programs, support for unions, funds for environmental projects and other forward-thinking proposals. For these reasons, LEO has decided
to endorse Shameka Parrish-Wright for mayor. For far too long, Louisville leadership has more focused on “becoming the next Nashville” and aggressive development than on its people and problems. Our city has deep scars that come from decades of injustice, while politicians have maintained the status quo. It’s time to elect someone who falls outside of the general archetype of wealthy business person turned politician, someone who aligns more with the working class. And that person is Shameka ParrishWright, someone who can build with the people and manage the city’s fiscal needs. “I’m inclusive, I build bridges,” Parrish-Wright told LEO. “I also live all of the issues. There is no issue, that any mayoral candidate is running on that I haven’t been impacted by, that I haven’t lived and I haven’t fought for on a social justice level. So, I feel like we need a new direction.” LEO agrees.•
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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HOW BUSING IN LOUISVILLE INSPIRED CHARLES BOOKER TO FIGHT INJUSTICE: AN EXCERPT FROM HIS MEMOIR By Charles Booker | leo@leoweekly.com
[Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from Charles Booker’s new book, “From The Hood To The Holler: A Story Of Separate Worlds, Shared Dreams, And The Fight For America’s Future.” The book is currently available at Carmichael’s Bookstore and wherever else books are sold.] “THE WEST END is the best end!” we used to shout when I was younger. We had so much pride in our community. The West End was filled with hardworking families who’d fought the indignities of segregation, who’d been deprived of places to sit down in restaurants and blocked from voting in elections. But that never stole our joy or broke our spirit, and the streets were rich with places to commune and celebrate and show love. The bonds we developed living in the midst of poverty, crumbling buildings, police sirens, and constant gunshots were a true testament to the power of family and the resilience of community. All the elders like my grandparents used to sit on their front porches like lighthouses, and you could hardly go anywhere in the West End without someone knowing you, especially with my big family. I used to hear “You Deacon Hearn’s grandson?” at least once a week. Riding down Broadway or Market Street, you were likely to see either a music-filled block party spilling out of a church or a tent revival with folks singing, clapping, and playing the tambourine into the night. Every weekend, folks would make their way to Shawnee Park or Chickasaw Park, two historic parks within minutes of each other. There would be BBQs, cards and domino tournaments, small concerts. There would be races, little league games, football games, basketball tournaments like the Dirt Bowl. My cousins and I would go to the corner store and get the 69-cent bag of Grippo’s and the Faygo orange cream soda. And every Sunday in the summer: cruising. Everyone would clean up their cars and file in to cruise the road that circled around the park. Other than a few fast food places and dollar stores, the major business chains wouldn’t invest in the West End, but residents in the area worked to create local businesses and infrastructure. From Big Gene’s
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LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
convenience store to the family-owned Ace Hardware and restaurants like King’s Fast Food Chicken and Annie’s Pizza, folks in the West End found a way to get the things they needed. Except schools. Built on the separate and unequal foundations of Jim Crow, the schools in the West End had always struggled. When the first court-ordered busing plans were rolled out in 1975 to integrate the students and remedy the problem, the backlash was swift. Riots broke out, the Klan marched, and in the years that followed white families accelerated their flight to the suburbs, taking their tax dollars with them and leaving the city schools, particularly those in Black neighborhoods, to fall even further behind. For elementary school I attended Schaffner Traditional Elementary, a high-performing integrated school not far from our apartment in South Louisville. But once we loved back to the West End, getting ahead meant getting me out of the neighborhood schools and into the better-served schools on the other side of town. Only a certain percentage of students qualified for the busing program, and I still remember my mom’s joy when I got in. It was like we’d won the lottery, like there was a glimmer of hope that I would be able to get ahead. I was excited because she was excited. But I was nervous, too. It meant that I would be going to school without many of my friends. It meant a fourhour round trip every day. But there was no discussion about whether I wanted to do it or not. It was what we needed to do to get by. Which is why, starting with Barret TMS for middle school and then Male for high school, I was out at that bus stop at 5:30 a.m. every morning. Riding the school bus from the West End to the East End of the city was always an eye-opening experience. The geography of Louisville was governed by race from the beginning. Its location on the Ohio River made it a major slave-trading hub, with the trafficking of human beings taking place in slave pens near the aptly named Market Street, the same thoroughfare my mother’s house sits off of today. As the area was never a major cotton-growing region, the enslaved people who lived here were mainly domestic
The cover of Charles Booker’s new book, which is now for sale.
servants and laborers. And Kentucky being a border state that did not secede, freedom wouldn’t come for its enslaved people until December 18, 1865, with the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment (an amendment the state would not formally recognize for over
a century, finally ratifying it in 1976). In the decades that followed emancipation, “Little Africa” sprang up in the area west of what is now downtown. What started as nothing more than a shantytown built by formerly enslaved people quickly grew into
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a thriving community run by self-sufficient Black entrepreneurs who built and owned their own homes, clubs, schools, nightclubs, and parks—only to have their community seized by the city through eminent domain to be bulldozed and paved over for the Watterson Expressway. After Little Africa was destroyed, Black ambition rose up again, this time in what would become the bustling corridor known as Walnut Street, Louisville’s Harlem. It was the business district where Black families could get insurance and bank loans. It was also the nightlife district where the greatest blues and jazz performers in the country would come to play. Walnut Street is where Dr. King marched. It’s where Muhammad Ali had his parade when he won gold at the 1960 Olympics. A place that celebrated the Black community, Walnut Street was nonetheless open to everyone. But many in authority came to fear the growing power of a rising Black community and its demands for equality. They also coveted the increasingly valuable real estate that Walnut Street occupied, with its proximity to downtown. Then came the “urban renewal” plans of the 1960s, which gave state and local governments the pretext to clear out what they called “slums.” In cities across the country, urban renewal became known as “Negro removal,” and in Louisville that’s exactly what it did. It pushed the Black community farther west and erected a wide, high-traffic thoroughfare along 9th Street, creating a barrier that walled off the Black community from the rest of the city, physically and in every other way. With Black families confined to the West End, the predatory real-estate practice known as blockbusting was used to drive out the remaining white homeowners, and the whole area was redlined by banks and insurance companies, starving it of the investment and mortgage capital a functioning community needs. Three decades later, thanks to the lessons my grandfather taught me, when I looked out the window on my bus ride, I didn’t identify my self-worth with the crumbling, dilapidated landscape passing by me. I wasn’t looking at a slum. I was looking at a history lesson written in rotting wood and busted-up concrete.
The most startling moment in the journey always came as we crossed 9th Street. On a map, 9th Street looks like any other road, but crossing over it was like entering a different world. As we rode east, the trash on the streets vanished, abandoned buildings and graffiti gave way to thriving businesses and manicured lawns. The cop cars disappeared. As we approached the wealthier neighborhoods around the school, we rode past grand houses, some with stained-glass windows that cast Charles Booker. beautiful colors on the grass. People would be out walking their dogs, which was incredible to see. We loved dogs in my family, but nobody in the West End “walked” their dog; you just let them run around in the yard. Here, folks were strolling along with a dog leash in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, looking relaxed and at peace, not even thinking they might have to soon run from police or duck from a gunshot. I envied that, just like I envied the other students I saw as we finally pulled up in front of school, the ones getting dropped off in BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes as we pulled up in our dusty old school bus after the interminable ride, already tired before the day had even begun. As much as I envied the life I saw east of 9th Street, it pissed me off, too. Everyone deserves a safe place to walk a dog or go shopping. Everyone deserves sidewalks that aren’t torn up and streets without potholes big enough to swallow a car. Everyone deserves to go a day without yellow tape or police sirens, no matter which side of town they live on. But the West End didn’t have that. All we had was the bus, driving children over and through the problem that nobody wanted to fix, and every time I rode through the problem the anger and the sense of injustice I felt lit a fire inside me. If nobody else was going to fix it, I wanted to try. Adpated from FROM THE HOOD TO THE HOLLER by Charles Booker. Copyright © 2022 by CBIKY LLC. Published by Crown, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. •
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WHO WILL REPRESENT US?
ATTICA SCOTT ON THE THREE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITY By Attica Scott | leo@leoweekly.com
[Editor’s Note: Before the May 17 primary, LEO asked both Attica Scott and Morgan McGarvey — the two leading Democrats running for the U.S. House seat that will be open after Rep. John Yarmuth retires — to write about what they think are the three biggest issues facing our community.] ”Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.” -Coretta Scott King HAS there been a time in the history of this nation that women were not under attack? Whether it was the women who shepherded people to freedom during enslavement, the nearly 100-year fight for women’s suffrage, the immigrant women who have literally had their breastfeeding babies ripped from their arms, the transgender women whose brutal murders have gone unsolved, and today when the right to an abortion is under attack. If we must center our conversation around the three most pressing issues Louisville and the nation is facing, we must center women who are increasingly in need of unemployment insurance benefits, childcare assistance, eldercare assistance, who carry an overwhelming amount of student loan debt, and who are most underrepresented in political office where the decisions on all these issues are being made. POVERTY is painfully real in Louisville. I know. I grew up in the projects of Beecher Terrace where government food commodities fed our family. As a Louisville Metro Councilwoman, I was the primary sponsor of a bill to raise the minimum wage, when it passed, Louisville became the first southern city to raise the $7.25 poverty wage. I’ll continue that charge in DC by supporting a $15 federal minimum wage (which is the floor) and supporting Universal Basic Income measures (which I sponsored as a State Representative and supported a pilot program that was recently launched in Louisville). I support extending the refundable Child Tax Credit so that families get a chance to thrive, as well as investing in the TenantBased Rental Assistance account and other public policies that address affordable hous-
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LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
ing for people on fixed incomes. We must do our part to get people into housing who are seeking shelter and support people who are living in the West End who are fearful of gentrification from the tax-increment financing district that was created during the 2021 legislative session. I filed a rent control bill at the request of residents who were seeking policy band-aids on a bill that was passed without their input. As a Louisville Metro Council member, I championed ban-the-box legislation that would remove questions about felonies from job applications so that folks have a chance at a job and can answer those questions during the job interview. We need this kind of second chance legislation at the federal level. HEALTHCARE is a human right that doesn’t often extend to people living in poverty in our city. For years I suffered with endometriosis. I was able to eventually get the needed surgery to alleviate lifelong pain. I’m grateful to have had insurance that covered what would have been an astronomical bill. But there are far too many people who are uninsured and must foot expensive medical bills. In Congress, I will boldly support Medicare for All and the Momnibus bill. We must connect the intersectionality of environmental, financial, mental and physical health and that is why I have sponsored the Maternal Care Act in our state legislature to address institutional and systemic racism in healthcare, as well as legislation to require Medicaid reimbursement for Doula support services for pregnant people, and Doula support for pregnant women who are incarcerated. RACIAL JUSTICE is one of the reasons that I believe we must engage in a radical transformation of government in the United States. We must dismantle the institutions and systems that were never designed with the thought of women in political leadership or Black, Asian, Latinx, Indigenous, or other people of color in political power; or people who grew up in or are currently living in poverty. We desperately need bold agendas because the status quo won’t save us. Congress’ role in advancing racial justice for Black and Indigenous people is to implement policy that removes barriers and access to
jobs, education, and affordable housing, codify anti-discrimination into law at the federal level, like with The CROWN Act, and hold systems accountable when they fail. We must hold police accountable at the Congressional level with the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act. No person deserves immunity from murder, which is why we must end qualified immunity and demand that officers who kill unarmed people are fired, arrested, and charged with those murders. We must completely ban no-knock warrants. I championed this legislation in the Kentucky General Assembly and supported Lexington in its successful efforts to ban no-knock warrants and will champion this ban in Congress. I believe that every neighborhood, from the East End, to the South End, to the West End, needs the social safety nets that exist for the wealthy – access to mental health and addiction services, and financial security. I support ending extreme partisan gerrymandering (especially after the General Assembly totally wiped out the district that I serve from the West End of Louisville), passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, and creating term limits to encourage new generations of leadership to engage in political activity. As a public servant, I have fought for policies that will uplift everyone across Kentucky. The experiences of the past few years have shown me that we can’t wait for justice and transformative change at every level of government. We cannot continue to accept the status quo if we are going to see real progress. Washington has the power to allo-
cate to communities the resources that people need to thrive — we need public servants with the courage and political will to fight for us. I am that leader. Our campaign is about building a community where we all win. I believe in an inside-outside partnership between elected officials and our communities. We need folks on the outside who are agitating for change on the inside — that’s how I started. I am a community activist and organizer who continues to advocate for change. It is the communities that I am on the frontlines with that encouraged me to turn my protest into policy and my legwork into legislation. Most of the bills that I have championed have been at the request of grassroots groups. This is the work I’ll continue in Congress for the people of Kentucky. Our campaign is people-powered and not funded by an ungodly amount of crypto-currency dark money. I’m very direct with voters about what I’m motivated to do in Congress. You know what I’ll do, you know how I’ll lead, and you know how to reach me. Attica Scott is currently a state representative. •
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LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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WHO WILL REPRESENT US?
MORGAN MCGARVEY ON THE THREE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING OUR COMMUNITY By Morgan McGarvey | leo@leoweekly.com [Editor’s Note: Before the May 17 primary, LEO asked both Attica Scott and Morgan McGarvey — the two leading Democrats running for the U.S. House seat that will be open after Rep. John Yarmuth retires — to write about what they think are the three biggest issues facing our community.] ALMOST 11 years ago today, my wife Chris was pregnant. I was terrified when her water broke 14 weeks early, and awestruck when, ten days later, she gave birth to our beautiful twins, Clara and Wilson. Each baby weighed less than two pounds, and they stayed in the NICU for months. We spent countless hours there as well, sleeping in uncomfortable hospital chairs and worrying in hallways. We just wanted our babies to survive and come home safe. In the midst of our twins battling for their lives, Chris and I had to go to war ourselves: with our insurance company. They didn’t want to cover the life-saving nutrients that extremely low birthweight babies need in order to survive. We were lucky that eventually our babies came home healthy. But, once we had made it through that ordeal, Chris and I promised that we would do whatever we could to ensure that other families didn’t have to go through a similar fight during the most terrifying moments of their lives. Three months later, my state senator retired. I ran for his seat in a four-way primary, and I won. In my first year in office, I authored a law that requires insurance companies to cover life-saving nutrients for premature babies. It was the first bill I passed into law, and the first new insurance mandate in over 20 years in Kentucky. It was also a reminder that the government can be a force for good, and that good policy has a real impact. Since taking office in 2012, I have continued to serve Louisville and all of Kentucky in the same way: by standing firm on my progressive values in a chamber controlled by conservative Republicans, while also building coalitions to win real policy gains that help people in their everyday lives. Today, I’m running for Congress to bring that same leadership to Washington.
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LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
I continue to serve as a legislator because I believe that government can be a force for good in peoples’ lives. I’m running for Congress to work to solve the challenges that our city, state, and country face. I am running to expand quality, affordable health care to every American. I believe health care is a basic human right. The Affordable Care Act brought health insurance coverage to over 440,000 Kentuckians for the first time. I’ve talked to people whose lives changed because they could finally afford to go to the doctor. They’ve told me what a game changer it’s been for their families that they are able to take care of themselves. That’s why we have to build on the success of the ACA and work toward a singlepayer health care system like Medicare for All. Every Kentuckian should be able to regularly see a doctor, access affordable prescription medication, and survive a catastrophic health event without risking financial ruin. No one should receive a diagnosis and have to worry about going bankrupt, or be forced to choose between their prescription medications and paying for groceries. It is time to broaden our concept of public education from K-12 to age 3 through 20. Every child in America should have access to pre-K instruction, and every high school graduate should have access to free community college. My wife and I are products of public schools, our kids go to public schools, and I have spent the entirety of my time in Frankfort championing the interests of our hard-working teachers and public school employees. I know what it means to fight for education access. I was elected leader of the Senate Democrats when Matt Bevin was our Governor, and I led the fights in Frankfort against his conservative, anti-teacher agenda – especially the fight to prevent Bevin’s illegal gutting of the teacher retirement system. I am proud to have the backing of the Jefferson County Teachers Association, the KEA and the NEA in my campaign for Congress. There’s more work to do. We must guarantee that every child has access to the transformative tools of education, regardless
of their ZIP code. We must sufficiently fund our public universities to make them affordable for all Americans. And, now more than ever, our teachers and public education employees — who have taken care of our loved ones and risked their own health and safety during the pandemic — deserve our gratitude, and a raise. We have to act now to address the existential threat of climate change so that future generations have a livable planet. The UN released a report this spring titled “Now or Never.” As a father of three young kids who will inherit the planet we leave behind, I am running for Congress to make sure we act now. Our children deserve to live in a world that isn’t haunted by ever-more-frequent natural disasters like last December’s tornadoes that devastated Western Kentucky. They deserve better; we all deserve better. That’s why I support extensive federal investment to overhaul our energy system and dramatically increase our use of renewable energy, through wind and solar tax credits, incentive structures for investorowned utilities, and forgivable loans for rural electric cooperatives to get out of coal-related debt and invest in renewable sources of power. Governor Beshear has done a fantastic job attracting over $7 billion of economic investment in Kentucky for battery manufacturing that will make Kentucky a national hub for the technology that will power our transportation system’s transition to electric vehicles. Congress needs to act to build on that success. Across these issues and others, I believe that it is the federal government’s duty to
address the racial wealth gap — and the racial health gap — between white communities and Black and Brown communities. Racial disparities in our economy, our criminal justice system, housing, health outcomes, banking, voter participation and more are all the result of centuries of racist policies in the United States, from slavery to poll taxes to redlining to Jim Crow voting laws. Problems created by bad policy need policy solutions. In my decade as a legislator, I have learned that the two most powerful phrases in government are “I don’t know” and “What do you think?” I have spent my career as a public servant never backing down from the hardest fights in Frankfort, while working with communities, listening to constituents, and building coalitions to get big things done. I will take that same approach to my role in Congress. To get there, I’m asking for your vote on May 17. Morgan McGarvey is currently the minority floor leader of the Kentucky Senate. •
STREET FAIR Sunday May 15
Trager Family JCC
3600 Dutchmans Ln. Louisville, KY 40205
12 - 4 p.m. FREE Admission
Israeli Music, Food Trucks, Falafel, Cocktails & Mocktails, Arts & Crafts, Kid Zone and a Market featuring Local Artists!
This program is proudly supported by Israel Engagement Fund
A JCC Association of North America Program Accelerator
The Annette Simon Sagerman Special Events Fund
For more event details, scan the QR code, or visit
jewishlouisville.org/israelistreetfair LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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THE MIDWESTERNIST
WHAT HAPPENS NOW? THE AFTERMATH OF ALITO’S LEAKED DRAFT OPINION. By Dan Canon | leo@leoweekly.com
THIS is the question many of us are asking after we read what appears to be a frothmouthed Justice Alito’s draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade in a case styled Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The reproductive rights movement has been diligently planning for this, and those folks are organizers par excellence. They will raise all the money, drive all the miles, smuggle all the pills, and do whatever needs to be done. I can’t answer the “what now?” question when it comes to what reproductive justice orgs are going to do, and if I could, I wouldn’t do it here. I can, however, explore a little bit of “what now?” when it comes to the federal courts. For more than 50 years, the Supreme Court has been a party to the neoliberal détente, struck between a developing corporatocracy and the working classes in the 20th century. From the perspective of the ruling class, the terms of that détente are, in essence: We’ll give you your individual liberties, so long as you let us make gobs of money however we damn well please; and we won’t drop you out of helicopters and/or you won’t guillotine us. Under this tacit agreement, we can wear jackets that say “fuck,” but unions are brought to heel; we can marry people of a different race or the same sex, but winning a lawsuit against your employer is going to be practically impossible; we can consume all the crush porn we want, but corporations are people and cash is their free speech, and so on. Not a great way to do society, but I suppose it could be worse. This configuration of the Supreme Court is unflinchingly willing to blow up that bargain. This is laid bare by the Dobbs opinion, but the Court has been sending a not-sosubtle message to red-state legislatures for a while now. The message is: Do your worst. We won’t stop you. In the long run, maybe this is good, because it prods us to stop seeing American institutions as sacred and holy, and start seeing them as the blasphemous things they are. The courts have long been terrible on all sorts of run-of-the-mill Civil Rights issues, but you wouldn’t know that unless you had a closeup look at them, and anyway there are these big SCOTUS wins, so they can’t be all bad. Now we can observe the reality, which is: Yes, they are all bad. In the short run, of course, the Court’s collective urination on the neoliberal pact will be devastating. There’s the obvious issue of: What if they come for our other rights? That’s a scary thought, sure. But a far more terrifying experiment is to ask: If they decide to roll back all the progress of the 20th century to make way for the ill-conceived, warlordrun, Old Testament Libertopia that the far right wants, what options do we have to prevent it? This is where my imagination comes up short. I’m an American lawyer, trained in an American law school. I, like all lawyers, am necessarily an “establishment” type. The primary way I know of to go about making things better is by using the institutional lemons that some old slaveowners put in place centuries ago, and hoping for something potable
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to dribble out. This romantic view of the role of change-making lawyers is no longer tenable, I’m afraid. We are entering an era in which we must accept that the courts are barriers to — not conduits for — justice, liberation, peace, wellness and all the other stuff we might want as humans with finite life spans. And so long as those barriers persist, the reforms we so desperately need in this country will be impossible. Think of the best case scenario for the Roe problem: Congress is reluctantly roused from its state of suspended animation and decides to pass legislation codifying the federal right to an abortion. Within a month, SCOTUS strikes down the law. Now what? Or suppose President Biden decides to “pack the court” with new justices who reverse Dobbs, thus reversing the reversal of Roe. Even assuming that this could happen (which is a sparkly-eyed, cottoncandy fantasy), there is no way that red states would accept the legitimacy of any decision by a 13-plus member Court. They’ll go right on prosecuting women and doctors, creating a situation that is impossibly weird at best, heinously violent at worst. You can apply this logic to just about any scenario you can come up with. Say the backlash from Dobbs leads to the election of “radical” Democrats nationwide, and Congress decides to
pass Medicare for All (again, a gratingly naive daydream). A wave of the Supreme Court’s wand and ZAP — unconstitutional. Free college? Paid parental leave? A Green New Deal? Not in my lifetime. So the answer to “What happens now?” is not one that I see any pleasant answers to. We are going to be in a protracted battle to determine how far backward in time we go, how much ground we give, how many of our hard-fought liberties we are willing to sacrifice. Moving forward won’t be possible within our existing framework. And the demolition of that framework, even if sorely needed, will come at a frightfully high cost. • Dan Canon is a civil rights lawyer and law professor. His book “Pleading Out: How Plea Bargaining Creates a Permanent Criminal Class” is available wherever you get your books.
NEWS & ANALYSIS
HERE’S WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN KENTUCKY IF ROE V WADE GETS OVERTURNED By Josh Wood | jwood@leoweekly.com
FEARS that Kentucky’s “trigger law” immediately banning abortions could go into effect are high following the May 2 leak of a draft Supreme Court majority opinion that would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v Wade decision that federally protects abortion rights. “Until this moment, there was still some hope that Roe wouldn’t be fully overturned. But the draft opinion suggests that the majority of the court is leaning in that way,” said Aziza Ahmed, a professor of law at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, who specializes in reproductive rights. “And in states like Kentucky with the trigger bans in place, we’re going to see basically a complete loss of access to abortion.” Kentucky is one of 13 states that have a trigger law that would, upon the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v Wade, ban abortion. Kentucky’s law, which was passed in 2019, bans abortions except in order
THORNS & ROSES THE WORST, BEST & MOST ABSURD ROSE: SCARY GOOD REPORTING FROM THE CJ Keeper of the archives, guardian of the courts, Courier Journal reporter Andrew Wolfson recently delivered a truly harrowing article about injuries and deaths sustained by women when abortions were illegal in the Commonwealth. The accounts of infections, unfit practitioners and one case that ended in a beheading are grim but necessary reading. Seemingly nothing, though, will convince hardliners that Roe v Wade should be saved. One online commenter said, “It was 50 years ago. There have been a few medical advances since.” Yeah, like all the people who will perform illegal abortions have been keeping up with PubMed.
Clinic escorts stand outside of EMW Women’s Surgical Center in 2017. | PHOTO BY DANIEL HOSTERMAN.
to prevent the death or serious risk of death of a pregnant woman. Under Kentucky’s trigger law, any person who performs an abortion or provides medication to terminate a pregnancy can be charged with a Class D felony, which is punishable by up to five years in prison. Ahmed called Kentucky’s trigger legislation “a particularly cruel law” as it does not provide exceptions for abortions in cases of rape or incest. A copy of a draft Supreme Court majority opinion that indicated that Roe v Wade would be overturned was published by Politico earlier this month, triggering a
political and social earthquake on one of the polarized country’s most heated issues. In the 98-page draft opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences. And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.” The worries about the Supreme Court’s Roe v Wade decision comes just weeks after Kentucky’s Republican-dominated legislature overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s
THORN: WHITE KNIGHT WESTERFIELD Kentucky legislator Sen. Whitney Westerfield tweeted that even if Roe v Wade isn’t overturned, Kentucky should provide prenatal care and child care for low-income mothers and make adoption easier and simpler. Fine ideas. Except Westerfield has been sponsoring anti-abortion legislation since at least 2014. And he voted for the trigger law that passed in 2019, which would make abortion illegal in Kentucky immediately if Roe v Wade were overturned. A responsible legislator who actually cares about poor people in Kentucky wouldn’t be pushing for bills like that without safeguards (not that we agree with the legislation in the first place). Westerfield may be trying to pose as a reasonable conservative, but he’s not — at least when it comes to abortion. ABSURD: A $75K SELFIE Donald Trump doesn’t even care about the people that pay thousands to see him. The former president showed up late to his own $75,000 a head fundraiser at the Kentucky Derby, according to disgraced attorney Eric Deters, who was interviewed by the Lexington Herald-Leader. At least he got a photo. THORN: RED-DICULOUS Since we’re already unwillingly aboard the Trump coverage train, the Independent, a British news outlet, reported that the Orange One’s appearance at Churchill Downs delighted “fans in the red state.” First, this is Louisville, which we all know is a blue island in Kentucky. Second, photos and videos from the scene show there was plenty of booing and bird flipping alongside the cheers.
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NEWS & ANALYSIS
veto of House Bill 3, a law that the state’s tucky would be quite dire,” said Jamie two remaining abortion providers called a Abrams, a UofL law professor whose research focuses on reproductive and “de facto” ban on abortions. Abortions in birthing decision making. “It aligns with the state ceased for around a week until a what we’re experiencing now, but it will federal judge issued a temporary restrainbe deepened and exacerbated because ing order blocking the law after Planned other states that similarly have trigger Parenthood and the American Civil Liblaws or move to ban abortion rapidly erties Union filed lawsuits against it. are going to strain to a breaking point “We’ve already gotten a preview the limited states that will be providing of what comes next in Kentucky as services. So it will be a matter of getting we watched the state go dark for eight women who need healthcare to the states days on abortion access because of the that are able to provide it.” sweeping abortion restrictions passed According to an analysis by the by the Kentucky General Assembly,” pro-choice Guttmacher Institute, Illinois said Rebecca Gibron, CEO for Planned and Virginia will be Kentucky’s only Parenthood Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, neighbors that are not certain or likely Indiana, Kentucky in a statement to LEO. to ban abortion “What’s coming if Roe v Wade is is dangerous and “The leaked SCOTUS overturned. will open the The ability of floodgates for opinion, while troubling, patients to get states across the does not change the across state lines country to ban will likely come abortion, devascurrent abortion down to their tating communities nationwide.” landscape in Kentucky. financial situaIn a statetion, said Ahmed, Abortion remains ment, ACLU the University of of Kentucky California, Irvine legal and people can communications professor, which still access that care director Angela could see a furCooper stressed ther widening of in Kentucky. We don’t the preliminary already prevalent nature of the draft disparities. know what the fınal opinion, but said “Typically opinion will look like and it will be upper the organization was prepared to women who we are prepared to fıght class continue fighting will be able to restrictions on to protect reproductive fly to a different abortion. state, women who freedom across the have the means to “The leaked SCOTUS opinion, do so,” she said. commonwealth.” while troubling, “And frequently, does not change the women who ~ ACLU of Kentucky communications the current abordo not have the director Angela Cooper tion landscape means to do so in Kentucky. are not only finanAbortion remains legal and people can cially struggling, but are women of color, still access that care in Kentucky. We Black and Latina.” don’t know what the final opinion will Abrams, the UofL law professor, said look like and we are prepared to fight to the draft opinion also raised questions protect reproductive freedom across the about things like equality, rule of law and commonwealth,” she said. “If Kentucky’s democratic values — and that language trigger ban is enacted based on the final used by Alito in the opinion, such as ruling, it will be devastating and danger“abortionist” in reference to doctors ous for Kentuckians seeking reproductive and nurses who perform abortions, was care. Abortions will always occur — this inflammatory and dangerous. would only eliminate safe abortions.” “There’s a lot of long-lasting, searing implications of an opinion like this,” she Kentucky’s trigger law going said. • into effect could have wide-ranging consequences. “The implications for women in KenLEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
AFTER a two-year break because of the terrifying global pandemic that we all hope is starting to fade in the rear-view mirror, Forecastle Festival is back. Taking place Memorial Day weekend, from May 27-29, the three-day music festival has shifted its identity a bit, transitioning from a focus on rock and indie to a bill that features some of today’s brightest hip-hop and electronica stars. Three-day general admission tickets currently run for $265. Before you go (or decide whether or not you want to), here are some sets that LEO is excited to see.
Friday, May 27 Ocean Stage | 2:45 p.m. A Louisvile-based rap group featuring Quiiso, Shloob, Ace Pro and 2forwOyNE, The Homies build songs with slick verses and clever choruses. They pull from different eras and styles of hip-hop, but they don’t seem tied to any sort of trend-of-the-day sound, with their production, flow and words all living in the lands in-between sub genres. Everything that they do is smooth, with a relaxed creatively that still hits hard. All The Homies. things considered, their superpower is the diversity of their styles, how each member is different, bringing new energy and ideas into various moments. That’s the thing about a collective done right: it’s never gets boring, because there’s too much talent. —Scott Recker
Friday, May 27 Mast Stage | 5:45 p.m. The deep baritone rapper is known for his low-key personality, yet he’s set to deliver a forcefully-moving show if his recent appearances — like one with Action Bronson and The Alchemist this February at The Tabernacle in Atlanta — are any indication. In Atlanta, he performed 27 songs, missing not one beat, and kept audiences immersed throughout. One of the strongest lyricists to emerge from Odd Future Wolf Gang Earl Sweatshirt Kill Them All, a collective drawn together by Forecastle Saturday headliner Tyler, the Creator, he won huge critical acclaim from 2010 on. Earl Sweatshirt — whose real name is Thebe Kgositsile — has continually delivered conscious rap, addressing social injustice and forthcoming about personal challenges with depression and anxiety. Freed
from the tyranny of big-label handcuffs in 2019, Kgositsile spoke on Some Rap Songs as his last release through Columbia Records, telling Pitchfork, “Figuring out how you can be radical from within the system breaks your head. That’s where I’m really at: that frustrating-ass place. And this is the best attempt I got. Only so much can happen above ground.” —Sarah Kinbar
Friday, May 27 Boom Stage | 8:45 p.m. If there were ever music made to listen to in a park on a late spring afternoon, it’d be the ultra-chill bedroom-poppish tunes of Still Woozy. (Even one of Spotify’s official playlists says so.) Sven Gamsky’s dreamy tracks are light on the psychedelia and heavy on the good vibes. Start with “Habit” and “Goodie Bag” for two songs that’ll put you in a good mood. I’m looking forward to seeing him at Forecastle for the same reason I’m looking Still Woozy. forward to the weather clearing up: because we all need more sunshine in our lives. Still Woozy’s version just happens to exist in music. —Carolyn Brown
Friday, May 27 Mast Stage | 9:45 p.m. Why see Jack Harlow at Forecastle? Simple: you can’t not. The 24-year-old rapper is at the top of his game and the top of the music industry, and his songs constantly rep Louisville. He’s got a smooth flow, a respectable braggadocio, a solid portfolio of collabs, and the adulation of millions of fans worldwide... and it all started here. This is his moment and yours to see him. All that aside:
Jack Harlow. LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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honestly, his music’s just fun. I once photographed a Jack Harlow-themed burlesque show where everybody sang along to “I WANNA SEE SOME ASS” as a guy clad in a leather harness and thong gyrated around a table of gleeful college-age women. I expect Jack will perform that, plus other viral hits like “Whats Poppin,” in his headliner show — albeit probably not the same way the burlesque dancer did, but who knows. But any concertgoer knows how fun it is to sing together with thousands of people, and the energy for Jack at Forecastle is going to be unbeatable. Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to see it firsthand. — Carolyn Brown
Saturday, May 28 Boom Stage | 7 p.m. Princess Nokia is bringing her New Yorican, Afro-Indigenous hip-hop vibes to the ‘Ville, and I cannot wait. With her show, she brings a wealth of unique experiences as a Brown woman in the diaspora and a blend of trip-hop and hip-hop beats to share. Nokia’s music is heavy with female power and promotes the strength of all women but in particular the experience of Black, Indigenous and Latina women. From her first ventures, Princess Nokia. the former “Tomboy,” has a new glammedup image and a decent catalog starting from 2014’s Metallic Butterfly. She’ll be hopefully giving Louisville the full spectrum of her discography including 2017’s 1992 Deluxe and her 2020 releases Everything Sucks and Everything is Beautiful. Don’t let the glam fool you, Nokia still delivers in the lyrics. —Erica Rucker
Saturday, May 28 Mast Stage | 7:45 p.m. With striking, heart-on-the-sleeve, hookheavy yet shape-shifting folk-rock, Phoebe Bridgers makes lyrically intense and goldenvoiced songs that tell stories in such a direct, yet idiosyncratic way. Some people have such a personalized, bottled-lightning way of writing that their words feel refreshing, magnetic and transportive, and Bridgers easily falls into that category. Her stories drip with evocative realism and relatable pain, crawlPhoebe Bridgers. ing with the people who let us down, how we let ourselves down, the memories of the small yet substantial moments, the fears, the small victories, the way things could be worse, all sprinkled with a dash of dry humor and a flurry of heavy-handed honesty. It’s a cliche thing to say, but I don’t care, because it’s true — she’s one of the most important voices of her generation. —Scott Recker
Saturday, May 28 Mast Stage | 9:45 p.m. One of the first interviews I ever did at the LEO was with Kevin Parker, the maestro behind Tame Impala, right around the time that Lonerism dropped. He was in Singa-
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pore and excitedly shared what he saw at the moment of my call, a cruise ship laid across the top of two skyscrapers. Parker was amazed by his opportunities, by what he saw in life and that comes across in his music. You can feel the breeze on these tunes, which is part and parcel of all of Parker’s work, whether it’s the garage-psych of his first two releases or the imminently danceable indie of the Slow Rush. This is music designed to help you chill, which is perfect for late-May Kentucky, right as the heat kicks in. It’s the place to be on Saturday if you’re looking to knock the encroaching summer heat off the night air. —Syd Bishop
Tame Impala.
Sunday, May 29 Ocean Stage | 6:45 p.m. There are few emcees as compelling as JPEGMAFIA, both in terms of the subversive lyrics and the song titles. JPEG kicked off his career with the incendiary black ben carson, which was a modern take on grime and trap. His album, All My Heroes Are Cornballs, was my personal intro and what a dope start. Here, JPEG expanded on his style, bringing in elements of ambient, glitch JPEGMAFIA. and experimental into his already weirdo vibe. Not only does JPEG’s music reference classic hip-hop legends like MF Doom or ODB, but off-the-wall influences like Björk or Faust — this is weird as fuck, and I’m here for it. This is an emcee that never flinches at spitting hard-hitting lyrics, and it comes through in his music and his live show. I haven’t caught him yet, but watching videos online, JPEG gets into the mix no problem, whether that’s getting into the crowd, literally, or just engaging with folks through the mic. This is an emcee that never fakes the funk and I can’t wait to see what his set is like at Forecastle. —Syd Bishop
Sunday, May 29 Mast Stage | 9:45 p.m. Tyler will surely draw from his newest award-winning Call Me If You Get Lost album, but a number of deep cuts that appeal to his ride-or-die fan base should pop up as well. As a gift of love, he might deliver the alternate version of “911/Mr. Lonely or Boyfriend,” which can’t be found on streaming platforms. Tyler’s loose affect bears the marks of pure authenticity. Never the same Tyler, the Creator twice, he moves, screams, raps and speaks with ease on stage, making every song an original. Of one thing you can be sure: Tyler will speak to Louisville, recalling his experiences in the city, extrapolating upon his observations of the people and places he has interacted with. No matter how big the show, he maintains a personal touch, echoing the intimate connection implied in the album title Call Me If You Get Lost. —Sarah Kinbar
Rmllw2llz performs at Poorcastle 2017. He’ll be performing at Poorcastle 2022 as part of the N8Vs. | PHOTO BY KATHRYN HARRINGTON.
AFTER TWO YEARS LOST TO THE PANDEMIC, THE LOCAL THREE-DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL IS BACK By Scott Recker | leo@leoweekly.com SINCE it began in 2013, Poorcastle has faced its share of challenges, but few have been as daunting for the three-day, nonprofit music festival — that features all local acts — than choosing this year’s lineup. Through the years, learning curves, a venue change, logistical nightmares and waiting out a pandemic hasn’t been easy, but Poorcastle Festival
co-founder and director of operations Shaina Wagner said the hardest part of scheduling the 2022 version was deciding which of the 279 area musical artists that applied to perform would fill the lineup’s 36 slots. “It’s the best part and the worst part about organizing Poorcastle, hands down,” Wagner said.
“We just crack open some beers and order pizza and we sit there and listen to every submission, and we actually take the time to talk about each of these submissions because we know that these people took the time to submit, and this is their passion, so we’re going to put just as much effort into it by listening to each and every band,” she continued. LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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Despite the difficulties of making the cuts, when bands. They billed it as “The festival for the rest of us.” Almost every year since, it’s Poorcastle returns on May 20-22 expanded a little at a time, adding at Breslin Park, the lineup will Despite the diffıculmore acts, days and vendors over feature a predictably talented the course of its lifespan. group of Louisville musicians ties of making the The biggest change came in that runs across several genres, 2019, when Poorcastle moved including The N8VS, Routine cuts, when Poorcastle from Apocalypse to Breslin Park. Caffeine, Air Chrysalis, Shark returns on May 20-22 at The year prior, the festival hit Sandwich, Lacey Guthrie, Dom B, capacity on both Friday and SatBelushi Speedball and many other Breslin Park, the lineup urday night, and Wagner said the local rock, folk, hip-hop and indie goal is to make sure fans never get notables. For the second time, the will feature a predictturned away. So they looked for a fest will be held at Breslin Park, ably talented group of bigger space, settling on Breslin. where it moved to in 2019 after While they got what they outgrowing Apocalypse Brew Louisville musicians wanted, the move also came with Works, the venue where the first six installments took place. Being that runs across several a series of serious challenges. Wagner said the work tripled, in the park has allowed Poorcastle genres, including The because Breslin didn’t have the to add several more vendors and features that Apocalypse experiences for festival-goers, N8VS, Routine Caffeine, built-in had, such as fencing, bathrooms, a like the comedy and live podcast liquor license and insurance. tent, plus more booths as well as Air Chrysalis, Shark “We learned a lot, making bar and food options. But, even Sandwich, Lacey Guthrie, that move from Apocalypse to though Poorcastle is enhancing Wagner said. “And, all of those things that surround Dom B, Belushi Speedball Breslin,” honestly, the two years we took off the music, what makes it a special due to COVID was almost like a event is that it’s the rare multiand many other local relief, in a way, just because it was day music festival that features rock, folk, hip-hop and such a big change going to Breslin all local acts from many different Park after doing it so many years genres. indie notables. at Apocalypse — it was, at that And, because of that, Wagner point, a well-oiled machine. There says people are really excited for were just so many new hurdles that we didn’t expect.” its return. “Even just talking about it to people in the community, they just are so happy that we’re back,” she said. “I mean, it kind of shows you how important that something like this is. We always knew that, but it took it being gone for two years Every day at Poorcastle 2022, the gates of the festival for us to be be, ‘Oh, we’re actually doing something pretty open at 1 p.m. and the last band goes on at 10:15 p.m. important for our community and it’s good to know that There’s one stage, so no overlapping sets, and the lineups are people are happy that we’re back.” sonically diverse, making it a great event for discovery. Local hip-hop artist Romell Weaver, whose collective Weaver, who heads the N8VS, said that fans can expect The N8VS headline Saturday night, said that Poorcastle a high-energy hip-hop show from the group, which he comgives local acts an invaluable increase in visibility. pares to the Wu-Tang Clan, where the members have very “It’s one of the best for promoting visibility across all different styles but they mesh well. genres of the music scene — it is one of the best, abso“Expect fun, expect good vibes, expect some dope lutely,” Weaver said. “You get all of the top-tier talent from hip-hop, some great lyrics, nice concepts, some wild beats, the rock bands to the experimental stuff to the bluegrass. It’s some more bars, and just a tad bit more bars after that too,” a beautiful festival.” Weaver said. Belushi Speed Ball, who are known for their themed eccentric thrash shows that involve anything from spraying silly string and throwing garbage at the crowd to only It started as a joke. playing a concert to cats, are performing at the festival at 8 A group of Crescent Hill Radio DJs were on air talking p.m. on Saturday, but lead singer Vinny Castellano won’t about how they could no longer afford to go to the increasgive any hints as to what’s going to happen when they take ingly expensive major music festivals. They talked about the stage. starting their own. Something affordable, that highlighted “We have something really huge planned that we’ve the under-the-radar bands around town. Someone made a been trying to pull off for a long time, so this will be the play on words, cheekily calling the hypothetical fest Poorperfect time,” he said. “It’s not going to destroy the park or castle, mimicking the local juggernaut, Forecastle, and the anything. It’s not messy to that degree.” rest is history. We might have to wait to see what Belushi has in store Every year, Poorcastle takes place the weekend before for that Saturday, but Castellano had high praise for the festiForecastle. That first year, in 2013, it was one day and 11 val and the other acts that will be there.
WHAT TO EXPECT
IN THE BEGINNING
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“It’s so important to keep into perspective that right here in Louisville we have this amazing plethora of artists and talent,” he said. Poorcastle takes place from May 20-22 in Breslin Park. Tickets are $10 each day or $25 for the weekend. For more info, visit poorcastle.com.
Friday, May 20
1 p.m.: Festival gates open 2: Young Romantics 2:45: Ben Traughber 3:30: 222 4:15: Lavacado 5: Honey Cutt 5:45: The Uncommon Houseflies 6:30: The Excuses 7:15: Trapkingkai 8: Shark Sandwich 8:45: Rosario 9:30: Tall Squares 10:15: Routine Caffeine
Saturday, May 21
1 p.m.: School of Rock 2: Overchoice 2:45: Salem Ave 3:30: The Golden Whip 4:15: Sister Crone 5: Mr. Please 5:45: TVLO 6:30: Mommy’s Cigarettes 7:15: Sunshine 8: Belushi Speed Ball 8:45: Tez of 2Deep 9:30: Anemic Royalty 10:15: The N8Vs
Sunday, May 22
1 p.m.: Gates open 2: The Highlanders 2:45: Yellow Cellophane 3:30: Elk Hound 4:15: Baby Bones 5: Shutaro Noguchi 5:45: Coyia 6:30: Parister 7:15: Dom B 8: Jameron 8:45: Lacey Guthrie 9:30: Wesley 10:15: Air Chrysalis
BRESLIN PARK MAY 20-22 2022 THREE DAYS OF LOCAL MUSIC
VENDORS
FOOD + FUN
F U L L S C H E D U L E T I C K E T S B U Y * * WWW.POOR*CASTLE.COM
CERTIFIED 501(c)3 NON PROFIT BENEFITING YOUTH MUSIC IN LOUISVILLE LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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THE LEO FESTIVAL GUIDE
THE LOCAL FESTIVALS THAT WE’RE LOOKING
Forecastle MAY 27-29, 2022
WATERFRONT PARK
FORWARD TO
LOUISVILLE, KY
FRIDAY
JACK HARLOW • PORTER ROBINSON CLAIRO • STILL WOOZY • EARL SWEATSHIRT • COIN • WALE SAN HOLO • MAXO KREAM • DOMBRESKY X NOIZU DUCKWRTH • DR. FRESCH • INDIGO DE SOUZA MADDY O'NEAL • CHARLOTTE SANDS • THE HOMIES SATURDAY
TAME IMPALA • PHOEBE BRIDGERS 6LACK • QUINN XCII • LANE 8 • CHELSEA CUTLER • 100 GECS TROYBOI • PRINCESS NOKIA • TAI VERDES WAX MOTIF • PARIS TEXAS • EVAN GIIA LEON • FLAMINGOSIS • DJ MEL SUNDAY
TYLER, THE CREATOR • RUFUS DU SOL BLACK PUMAS • ALISON WONDERLAND • OLIVER TREE JAI WOLF • FLETCHER • JPEGMAFIA • GLAIVE KENNYHOOPLA • JOEL CORRY • KIRBY TSHA • BLOSSOM • MOB RICH • LUCILLE CROFT
MUSIC • ART • ACTIVISM ®
Tickets at ForecastleFest.com
The July 14, 2021 Waterfront Wednesday, the first installment after the pandemic canceled the 2020 season. | PHOTO BY NIK VECHERY.
THROUGHOUT SPRING/SUMMER KENTUCKY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL NIGHTLY SCHEDULE:
6 p.m., Food Trucks 7 p.m., Kids’ Globe, Will’s Gift Shop, & Will’s Tavern 7:15 p.m., Community Pre-show Performance 8 p.m., Performance
C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater in Central Park, 1340 S. Fourth St., Louisville kyshakespeare.com/season/sicp
WFPK WATERFRONT WEDNESDAYS April 27 – Nappy Roots, Neal Francis, Kiana & the Sun Kings May 25 – Maggie Rose, Boa Boys, Phourist & the Photons June 29 – War, Bendigo Fletcher, Wombo LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
July 27 – Moon Taxi, Sarah Shook & the Disarmers, Routine Caffeine Aug. 31 – Joan Osborne, Seratones, Mark Charles Sept. 28 – Yonder Mountain String Band, Hot Brown Smackdown, Houseplant
Waterfront Park, Great Lawn, 300 River Road, Louisville ourwaterfront.org/annual-events/ wfpk-waterfront-wednesdays
MAY INTERNATIONAL FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL May 14 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Big Four Lawn, 1101 E. River Road, Louisville ourwaterfront.org
THE LEO FESTIVAL GUIDE
Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Forecastle Festival 2019. | PHOTO BY NIK VECHERY.
ISRAELI STREET FAIR
May 15 Noon - 4 p.m. Trager Family JCC, 3600 Dutchmans Lane, Louisville jewishlouisville.org/the-j/j-arts-ideas/ israeli-street-fair
SPRINGFEST
May 21 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Toonerville Park at Oak and Brook Street, Louisville Ttnalouisville.org
ABBEY ROAD ON THE RIVER
May 26 -30 Big Four Station Park, 222 W Maple St., Jeffersonville, Indiana arotr.com
BICENTENNIAL PARK CONCERT SERIES
Fridays May 27- Aug. 5 Bicentennial Park, 118 E. Spring St., New Albany, Indiana do502.com/venues/bicentennial-park
FORECASTLE FESTIVAL POORCASTLE FESTIVAL
May 20 - 22 Starts at 1 p.m. Breslin Park, 1400 Payne St., Louisville poorcastle.com
BERNHEIM ARBORETUM AND
RESEARCH FOREST BLOOM FEST May 21, 2022 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. 2499 Clermont Rd, Hwy 245, Clermont, Kentucky bernheim.org/tag/bloomfest
May 27 -29 Starts at 1 p.m. Waterfront Park, 129 River Road, Louisville forecastlefest.com
MAYOR’S HIKE, BIKE & PADDLE May 30 and Sept. 5 Community Boat House at 1325 River Road, Louisville louisvilleky.gov/government/city-events/ mayors-hike-bike-and-paddle
MAY 21 10AM – 7PM
HANDMADE VENDORS, KIDZONE, LIVE MUSIC, FOOD TRUCKS & MORE! LIVE MUSIC Genevva • Jack Keys • Mom’s Mad Coda Battousai • Ellie Ruth Old Lou’s Ragtime Band
I N TO O N E RVIL L E PAR K AT OA K & BR OO K STR EET LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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THE LEO FESTIVAL GUIDE
JUNE
JULY
JOHN HARTFORD MEMORIAL FESTIVAL
TERRAPIN HILL MUSIC FESTIVAL
I AM ALI FESTIVAL
WATERFRONT INDEPENDENCE FESTIVAL
June 1-4 Lawrence County Recreational Park, 99 Moore Lane, Springville, Indiana hartfordfest.com
June 3-9 Muhammad Ali Center, 144 N. Sixth Street, Louisville alicenter.org/ali-fest
July 1-3 7695 Mackville Road (Route 152 West), Harrodsburg, Kentucky terrapinhillfestivals.com/directions.html
July 4 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. Waterfront Park, 129 River Road, Louisville ourwaterfront.org
FUNKFEST
June 4 Waterfront Park, 129 River Road, Louisville funkfesttour.com
BARDSTOWN ROTARY CLUB 46TH ANNUAL WINE AND CHEESE TASTING FESTIVAL
June 4 6:30 p.m.-10 p.m. My Old Kentucky Home Rotunda, 501 E. Stephen Foster Ave., Bardstown, Kentucky bardstownrotaryclub.org/event
SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY FESTIVAL
July 8-10 4211 Lower River Road, Mt Vernon, Kentucky sweetlandfest.com/
SEND IT SLAM OUTDOOR FESTIVAL
July 9 7:30 p.m. - 11 p.m. Brown-Forman Amphitheater, 1301 River Road, Louisville tickets.timetogowild.com/event/send-itslam
KENTUCKY CRAFT BASH
June 11 Waterfront Park, 129 River Road, Louisville kycraftbash.com
KENTUCKIANA PRIDE FESTIVAL
June 18 Noon - 10 p.m. Downtown Louisville and Big Four Lawn kypride.com
ROMP FESTIVAL
June 22 - 25 Yellow Creek Park, 5710 KY Hwy 144, Owensboro, Kentucky rompfest.com
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
MASTER MUSICIANS FESTIVAL July 15-16 4-11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Saturday Somerset Community College Festival Field, 808 Monticello St., Somerset, Kentucky mastermusiciansfestival.org
JTOWN BEER FEST
July 16 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. Downtown Jeffersontown jtownbeerfest.com
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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THE LEO FESTIVAL GUIDE 10th & 11th September 2022
BUY LOCAL FAIR
BOURBON & BEYOND FESTIVAL
AUGUST
LOUDER THAN LIFE FESTIVAL
July 30 Noon-6 p.m. Louisville Water Tower Park. 3005 River Road keeplouisvilleweird.com
KENTUCKY STATE FAIR
Aug. 18 - 28 Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville kystatefair.org
200+ Juried Artists 20+ Emerging Artists 2 Days of Music & Art 1 Beautiful Waterfront Setting
BigFourArtsFestival.com
Sept. 22 - 25 Highlands Festival Grounds, Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville louderthanlifefestival.com
NATIONAL JUG BAND JUBILEE KENTUCKY IRATE FESTIVAL
Aug. 26-28 21st in Germantown, 1481 S. Shelby St. iratefest.com
OLD LOU BREW CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL Aug. 26 Central Park, 1340 S. Fourth St. 6 p.m.-10 p.m. oldlouisville.org/ old-lou-brew-craft-beer-fest
SEPTEMBER BIG FOUR ARTS FESTIVAL
Sept. 10-11 Waterfront Park on the Big Four Bridge Lawn, 1103 River Road 2-11 p.m. bigfourartsfestival.com
KENTUCKY BOURBON FESTIVAL Sept. 14-18 114 N. Fifth St., Bardstown, Kentucky kybourbonfestival.com
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
Sept. 15-18 Highland Festival Grounds, Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane, Louisville bourbonandbeyond.com
Sept. 24 Noon-10 p.m. Brown-Forman Amphitheater in Waterfront Park, 1301 River Road, Louisville ourwaterfront.org/event/ the-national-jug-band-jubilee-2
OCTOBER BARDSTOWN ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL Oct. 8 -9 Downtown Bardstown 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. bardstownmainstreet.com
STAFF PICKS SATURDAY, MAY 14
Schnitzelburg Walk
Schnitzelburg neighborhood | Search Facebook | No cover | 11 a.m. One of the season’s local gem events, the Schnitzelburg Walk WALK returns, and the bars will be packed and live music will be plentiful. From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., the Flea Off Market will take place outside of Monnik Beer Co. From 6-11 p.m., Monnik will host live music, with performances from Beware the Images, Darlington Pairs, Future Fossils, Kinni Moon and The Golden Whip. Starting at 5 p.m., The Merryweather will also host a stage, with performances from Magic Domdi, King Kong, Rude Weirdo, Cereal Glyphs, The Archaeas and The Ego Trippers. And, in a historic neighborhood with plenty of historic bars, you can bet there will be a lot more action to find. —Scott Recker
SATURDAY, MAY 14
9th Annual How-To Festival
Louisville Free Public Library | 301 York St. | Search Facebook | Free | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Come learn how to grow vegetables, keep bees and be a circus performer at this year’s How-To Festival. There will be some old favorites like how to brew beer or grow D.I.Y. tomatoes along with new lessons in making dog treats, creating digital music and modern dance. If you’ve wanted to learn something new, this is the one-stop shop for finding a new hobby or possibly a new career. —LEO
SATURDAY, MAY 14
Reclaiming Our Rights: Reproductive Freedom Fair Planned Parenthood - Louisville Health Center | 842 S. Seventh St. | Search Facebook | No cover | Noon-4 p.m.
With the threat of Roe v Wade being overturned hanging over Kentucky, things might seem hopeless. “But there is power in community,” REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS writes Planned Parenthood. The organization is holding a Reproductive Freedom Fair with local vendors, food trucks and entertainment, as well as resources — showing how you can still help their cause. —LEO
SATURDAY, MAY 14-15
2022 Gardeners’ Fair: Spring On The Farm
Locust Grove | 561 Blankenbaker Lane | Search Facebook | Free | 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Agricultural life has sustained the state of Kentucky for a long time. Come and gather seeds, meet cute farm animals and enjoy a day of beauty and a wealth of SPRING gardener knowledge with the Locust Grove’s vendors. There will be seeds, vegetables and flowers for purchase and the chance to meet some goats and alpaca. Ballyhoo Farms will demonstrate goat milking and sheep shearing while the alpaca folks of Shepherd’s Criations will have their animals and products created from alpaca fleece. Don’t worry, no visit to the farm is complete without food, and there will be good eats from the Sweet ‘N’ Savory food truck and Gelato Gilberto. —Erica Rucker
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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STAFF PICKS
GET YOUR
SATURDAY, MAY 14-15, MAY 21-22
Southern Indiana Renaissance Faire
Birdsell Castle | 6900 Dave Carr Road, Charlestown, Indiana | renaissancefairindiana.com | $7.50-$25 | 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Hearken, m’lords and ladies, to these glad tidings: the Southern Indiana Renaissance Faire cometh this weekend. There will be much jousting, feasting, music GOOD KNIGHT and merriment; thou may mingle with pirates, faeries, Vikings and royalty, as well as merchants of enchanting wares. Tarry not in the purchase of your tickets or the king and queen may see fit to put you in the dungeon. — Carolyn Brown
PICK-UP LOCATIONS Bungalow Joe's • 7813 Beulah Church Rd Street Box @ Republic Bank Bus Stop • 10100 Brookridge Village Blvd Party Center - Fern Creek • 5623 Bardstown Rd Street Box @ Piccadilly Square • 5318 Bardstown Rd Jay "Lucky" Food Mart #1 • 5050 Billtown Rd Cox's - J-Town • 3920 Ruckriegel Pkwy Bearno's Pizza - Taylorsville • 10212 Taylorsville Rd Louisville Athletic Club - J-Town • 9565 Taylorsville Rd Cox's - Patti Ln • 2803 Patti Ln L.A. Fitness • 4620 Taylorsville Rd Habitat ReStore - Taylorsville • 4044 Taylorsville Rd Feeders Supply - Hikes Point • 3079 Breckenridge Ln Street Box @ Heine Bros • 3965 Taylorsville Rd Paul's Fruit Market - Bon Air • 3704 Taylorsville Rd
Full list at LEOWEEKLY.COM/DISTRIBUTION
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SATURDAY, MAY 21
Forest Fest
fashion forward without spending a fortune shopsassyfoxconsign.com
New Hours Tue–Fri 11–5 pm Sat 10–4 pm
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
Horine Reservation, Jefferson Memorial Forest | 12408 Holsclaw Hill Road | wildernesslouisville.org/event/forest-fest | Free admission, $10 parking | Noon-7 p.m. Get back to the roots of American music BLUEGRASS in a place full of literal roots. This oneday bluegrass music festival will also have crafts, food vendors, jam sessions and a play area for kids. — Carolyn Brown
502.895.3711 150 Chenoweth Ln
‘Ladies of the Lea’ by Cynthia Kelly Overall. Oil painting.
STAFF PICKS
SATURDAY, MAY 21
Paristown Flea
Christy’s Garden | 720 Brent St. | thefleurdeflea.com | No cover | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. It’s that time of year: Time to grab an MARKET overloaded grilled cheese from a food truck and to walk around outdoors, picking through vintage finds curated by local tastemakers. Outdoor markets are back, baby, and the best of the best, the Paristown Flea is hosting its first one this month. There will be over 75 vendors, selling vintage, collectibles, clothing, mid-century modern pieces and more.—Danielle Grady
THROUGH MAY 15
‘Elmer Lucille Allen: Solo Exhibition’ Surface Noise | 600 Baxter Ave. | Search Facebook | Free You’ve probably heard the name Elmer ART Lucille Allen around Louisville. She’s a star in the local art scene, the scientific community, in activism and feminist circles. She’s packed a lot in her nine decades of life. Allen’s artwork is varied, as well, because she is both a fiber artist and ceramicist. This show at Surface Noise features her shibori dyed textiles. There will be a closing reception on Sunday, May 15 from 6-8 p.m.—Jo Anne Triplett
By Elmer Lucille Allen. Shibori dyed textile.
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
25
STAFF PICKS
THROUGH MAY 27
THROUGH JUNE 4
Bourne-Schweitzer Gallery | 137 E. Main St., New Albany, Indiana | bourne-schweitzergallery.com | Free
Galerie Hertz | 1253 S. Preston St. | galeriehertz.com | Free
‘In Retrospect’ by Willi H. Koesters
The pandemic stopped, for a time, RETROSPECT the beloved memorial. To be able to celebrate someone’s life is a time-honored tradition, especially in the art world. “In Retrospect” is the postponed celebration for local photographer Willi H. Koesters, who died in 2020. ‘Grand Tetons National Park’ by Willi H. Koesters. The German-born Koesters Large format film photo print on archival paper. was a photographer for 40 years; he shot a wide range of work, including photojournalism, portraiture and still life. But he felt there was nothing better than to photograph nature, especially the landscapes of national parks. The exhibition features 19 of his large format photographs. —Jo Anne Triplett
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Spring Show
Galerie Hertz is displaying three artists in its spring exhibition, presenting each as a solo show. Don FLOWERS Buckler’s “Hommage to Mapplethorpe” are paintings that reference Robert Mapplethorpe’s flower photographs. “Reflections,” by former Louisvillian Emily Church, features abstractions of landscapes such as bodies of water. Ceramicist Lena Wolek is walking in the footsteps of her Russian grandmother in “Who Stole Our Heroes?” by making bogatyr (“hero” in English) teapots. — Jo Anne Triplett
‘White Orchid’ by Don Buckler. Oil on canvas.
buy tickets: mastermusiciansfestival.org LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
MUSIC
MONGOLIAN METAL BAND THE HU TO BRING KHOOMEI TO THE MERCURY BALLROOM By Erica Rucker | erucker@leoweekly.com
ONE of the best outcomes of living in the modern world is the ability for those in cultures less understood to have the opportunity to introduce themselves in a way that demands both respect and attention. More than ever, people outside of what we consider the “Western world” have the chance to be heard and to demand that their histories and stories are part of the greater human experience that previously had been controlled by the stories and “histories” perpetuated through the lens of Europeans. When Mongolian folk/metal outfit, The Hu band sings about Chinggis Khaan (most
The Hu plays Mercury Ballroom May 11 night at 8 p.m. | PHOTO BY E.ALTANKHUYAG.
often known as Genghis Khan in the West), it isn’t with blind romanticism or the fabulation that we’ve had in the Western world from our history books. They sing about an ancestor, a hero who they revere with great respect. He is their founding father and a leader who made it possible for the expansion of cultural awareness and trade by making the Silk Road a cohesive byway for commerce. The Hu band is making a stop in Louisville, May 11 at Mercury Ballroom. The Hu, named after the Mongolian root word for human, is bringing their blend of
traditional Mongolian instruments, throat singing known as khoomei and metal to the local audience. Their sound feels mighty and expansive, and whether you’re a fan of metal or not, The Hu band is one you should respect. LEO got the chance to speak with band member, singer and multi-instrumentalist Nyamjantsan Galsanjamts, known simply as Jaya. For the interview, we spoke with the aid of an interpreter. LEO: I guess just sort of tell me about what you call ‘Hunnu rock.’
Nyamjantsan “Jaya” Galsanjamts: Hunnu is a new rock genre that is coming from Central Asia and, specifically in Mongolia. This genre is brand new and offers our traditional music into the modern rock rock genre, and we’re bringing that to, to the world. Our singing style is very different, as well as the instruments are traditional wind flutes, tsuur, morin khuur and tovshuur. Those are the instruments that we use in our new genre, and our singing style also includes throat singing. That gives our traditional components into this new genre LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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and offers a unique style that is loved by our fans. How did you discover rock music as a genre to explore? It’s true for in any country, the modern music, especially American rock was… when it was created and booming, Mongolians also loved American rock, and in any way we can, the vinyl CDs, anything we can put our hands on, we would get from our neighboring countries, or wherever we’re visiting. Beatles and Queen, those are the bands that, at the time, would put a base on our modern music and genre as well. Tell me about some of the music. You said you listened to the Beatles and Queen but obviously, Metallica has been an influence. Tell me more about how Metallica influenced you and then some of the other bands in the rock and metal genre that influenced you. You are absolutely correct. Our Mongolians love Metallica, and we had had an honor to recreate “Sad but True” and also “Through the Never,” and we were also one of the artists that was included in the Blacklist album of Metallica [a tribute album of various artists]. So it’s a great honor to be in
there. It was a great boon to our Mongolian fans as well. There are many Mongolian fans who love Metallica and then they saw us with the great admiration that we had a chance to work with them. How are you using your music to teach the world about Mongolia? Because I noticed that the songs are obviously history lessons and they challenge what Americans may know about Mongolia. Good catch. Yeah, absolutely. There are many things that Mongolians brought, our ancestors brought, such as gerege is one of the first passports that you used across the world when you’re traveling. [It is also the inspiration for the name of the Hu’s first record, Gereg.] We did trade with our neighboring countries. The Silk Road was invented by the Mongolians. And, there are so many aspects that our ancestors created that we don’t even know to this to this day. So on top of sharing our history, we also wanna share the message of, like, having the core values of respecting your elders and parents, as well as respecting, most importantly, nature and the relationship that we have to have with nature. Things that we easily ignore on a day to day basis. We try to remind our fans and our listeners about
d n a r G OPENING
those core values that need to be remembered every day. How has the pandemic affected your work and ability to create? As performing artists, obviously COVID hit us very harshly and government and worldwide rules in terms of the COVID. It was a bit hard as a performing artist, but as a creator of music and as a creator of lyrics and all of that we had a chance to really focus on our second album. We had an enormous amount of time. We put a lot of effort into it and because of the lockdown, we had a chance to really focus on those. So I think it had ups and downs but I think it impacted our second album very positively. And yeah, we can’t wait to share our second album with our fans, and I think it will be a great one. When does the second album come out? It should come soon. Is this gonna be the first U.S. tour for the band or have you been to the U.S. before? Have you been to Kentucky before? This is our third tour. Yes, we have.
I know the band has received great support inside Mongolia and met former President Khaltmaagiin Battulga. So how has that support helped propel your music outside of Mongolia? How does that make you feel to be honored by your country? It is such a great honor to be receiving the Order of Chinggis Khaan medal and support from government means a lot to us because, when we were starting out, there were many financial supports offered from our government for our us to start our first video and after our second tour in America, when we came back, they appointed us for the Great Chinggis Khaan’s medal. That, symbolically, was important to us because the Mongolians were cheering on us to do a cultural revolution, in terms of bringing positive representation into the world about Mongolia and to make people listen to our values and beliefs as a nation. I think it is one of the greatest things… greatest medals that you can get as a Mongolian. See The Hu band at Mercury Ballroom Wednesday, May 11. Show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now through Live Nation or the Mercury Ballroom box office. •
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Air Chysalis | Photo from Bandcamp.
AIR CHRYSALIS members Stanley Chase and reading about an outlaw gang called the Reno Gang. It turned into a week or two of Michael Powell operate under very precise reflecting on the movie, reading about the sonic aesthetic, and “Beyond My God” is a song that exempliReno Gang, and things It’s a song that not fies this perfectly. It’s I was dealing with in a song that not only personal life, and only walks the “tight- my walks the “tightrope I started writing the between experimentarope between experi- song from all three tion and accessibilperspectives as they mentation and accessi- intertwined. All were ity,” but also has an interesting intent. owing into a narrability,” but also has an fltive of revenge and “I watched the impending doom. I movie ‘Once upon interesting intent. a Time in the West’ kept thinking about the and I couldn’t stop thinking about it,” said thoughts that would go through someone’s Chase. “Then I went down a path online head the minute before they die. We always
MAY 25 | JUNE 29 | JULY 27 AUGUST 31 | SEPTEMBER 28 WATERFRONT PARK’S BIG FOUR LAWN • EVENT BEGINS AT 5PM • FREE ADMISSION OUTSIDE ALCOHOL IS PROHIBITED. NO COOLERS, GLASS OR PETS ALLOWED MEMBER SUPPORTED PUBLIC MEDIA • WFPK.ORG
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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think it’s this sort of life-passing-beforeBoth Powell and Chase set out to make your-eyes kind of thing, but maybe there’s Air Chrysalis a “multi-sensory” act, and, another side of that.” to this end, strive to bring the same amount of passion to the visual side of things as “Beyond My God” is a mid-tempo elecwell, creating a video for the song when the tro-pop number that evokes a lo-fi ‘80s aura pandemic began. complete with new-wave drum machines, “You can see we’re very distant from atmospheric synths and a rousing chorus. each other,” said Wrapped tightly in a melancholic air, exacStanley. “At the time, “Beyond My God” is erbated by Chase’s we were both terrified quiet, yet raw vocals the virus and felt a mid-tempo electro- of that melt into the it was risky to be chorus’ effects-laden making it. When you pop number that timbre, the song is watch it, you would evokes a lo-fı ‘80s as much a feeling or assume there’s a vibe as it something camera crew filming aura complete with easily dissected. the thing, but we “The early demos made it in my companew-wave drum were hard to piece ny’s warehouse, just machines, atmotogether, but the bass tripods and the two of line always drove the us filming each other. spheric synths and song,” said StanThere was a lot of ley. “Michael and I editing and back-anda rousing chorus. worked on that origiforth filming single Wrapped tightly in a nal idea, and just kept camera shots. It was expanding where it fun.” melancholic air, exac- really was going. We really The song has also wanted it to be dark helped Air Chrysalis erbated by Chase’s and illuminating at make a name for quiet, yet raw vocals themselves, a fact the same time, which felt pretty natural that was a surprise to that melt into the from a creative space the duo. as we continued “I honestly chorus’ effects-laden working through it.” thought this was timbre, the song is as going to be a deep Powell’s approach was more cinematic: much a feeling or vibe cut,” Powell said. “It’s almost five “I asked myself, as it something easily minutes long and ‘How would someone it’s kinda strange. like Robin Guthrie dissected. But people who’ve of Cocteau Twins checked out our approach an Ennio music really graviMorricone score?’ The goal was to tated toward this one. create a desolate, repetitive riff that sounded When I shared the EP with Kyle Meredith, like it was bouncing off canyon walls that that’s the song he picked immediately, and lead up to a bombastic crescendo. I wanted WFPK had us in rotation for almost a year. to capture that huge booming Johnny Marr We were pretty blown away. I certainly vibe in the chorus. I think we were successdon’t mind that surprise — and it’s still the ful, although someone recently remarked most fun song to play live.” • that the riffs reminded them of U2, which is deeply concerning to me.”
TICKETS - KENTUCKYPERFORMINGARTS.ORG LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
FOOD & DRINK
RECOMMENDED
A CRAVING FOR ENCHILADAS LURES US TO COCINA DE MAMÁ By Robin Garr | LouisvilleHotBytes.com I HATE TO SAY that my food cravings are easily influenced from what I see and hear. It’s true, though. All it takes is a tempting phrase in a cooking article, an attractive food photo or a culinary video, and I’ve got to have it right now. This time it was The New York Times that sent me out looking for Mexican food thanks to a lyrical dissertation, “All Enchiladas Are Perfect. But These Are My Favorite,” in the April 27 edition. Oh! Yes! I had to have enchiladas, and I needed them right now. I’d been meaning to check La Cocina de Mamá for quite a while, anyway. “Mom’s Cooking,” what could be more lovable than that? Located in a short strip of stores on Hurstbourne just south of Westport Road, it’s attractively decorated with stylish art and walls in various colors reminiscent of red chiles, green avocados and golden corn tortillas. The menu is completely in English except for the names of the dishes, and the servers speak English and Spanish with equal fluency.
We came for enchiladas and ultimately chose the mole style, a seductive blend of chocolate and hot-chocolate flavors and earthy cotija cheese. | PHOTOS BY ROBIN GARR.
More than a dozen appetizers, many of them well-suited to accompany your beverage, are priced from $6.75 to $11.99. There are also four soups (all $5.99 for a cup, $7.99 for a bowl), and three dinner-size salads ($12.99 to $14.99). The main-dish selection includes about 75 dishes subdivided among chicken, pork, beef, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas, seafood, burritos, sandwiches and dinner specials; there are also selections of vegetarian and gluten-free meals. Prices in most categories are in the $10 to $15 range, although some seafood dishes move into the upper teens and most of the steak dishes are around $20 to $25. About 15 lunch specials are mostly under $10, a half-dozen desserts are $5.75-$8.99. A children’s menu offers a half-dozen options for those 12 and under for $5.99; and there’s full bar service for the grown-ups. An estimable order of chips and salsa got our meal off to a good start. Large, bright yellow corn chips were fresh and crisp, and a coarse-textured red salsa with just enough heat to tickle your taste buds made them go
Generously proportioned carnitas tacos are loaded with twice-cooked, seasoned pork and finished in the traditional style with onions and cilantro. LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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La Cocina de Mamá’s complimentary tortilla chips and textured, medium-hot salsa are exceptionally good. Refills are available on request.
down easily. I was delighted to find four enchilada options on the menu, along with the information that “Enchiladas originated in Mexico, where the practice of rolling tortillas around other food dates back at least to Mayan times.” Mamá offers enchiladas four ways: mole-
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LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
style ($15.50) with dark-chocolate mole sauce; seafood enchiladas ($14.75) filled with shrimp, scallops, and artificial crab; enchiladas suizas ($13,99), the traditional style; and enchiladas rancheras ($13.99), filled with pork and peppers and topped with ranchero sauce. A yen for chocolate got in the way and I
summoned the mole enchiladas, choosing the cheese enchilada option; it’s also available with pork, chicken or beef. The thick wave of red chile and dark chocolate sauce that flowed over my three small cheese enchiladas enhanced their flavor, as did the generous pile of grated cotija cheese that formed a snowdrift on top. The rolled tortillas hidden within were tender and light, easy to cut through and pick up a sample of all the flavors in every bite. The mole was distinctly sweet, almost as if it were made with semisweet chocolate rather than the traditional bitter chocolate, but I had no complaints. This entree came with an order of mild but flavorful white rice formed in a turban shape, green-carrot dice, a cup of thin, savory black bean soup with a swish of crema on top, and three fried plantain slices almost as sweet as ripe bananas . No trip to a Mexican restaurant is complete without a few tacos, and an order of carnitas tacos ($13.25) hit the spot too. Although it’s not a taqueria, Cocina de Mamá offers a half-dozen taco entrees among the meat categories: In addition to the carnitas, there are pork tacos al pastor ($14.50); grilled-beef carne asada tacos ($21.99), and salmon ($18.99), shrimp
($15.99) and fish tacos ($15.25). Three oversize tacos made with doubled corn tortillas were neatly mounted in a metal rack and filled up with generous portions of shredded pork topped with finely chopped red onion and cilantro leaves. Carnitas is twice-cooked pork, first marinated and roasted, then shredded and fried. These bits were a bit dry from frying but quite tasty crisp-fried along the edges and tender within, with good pork flavor. Sides of yellow-tinted rice and thin refried beans topped with cheese were decent but unmemorable. Tubs of mild red salsa and spicy green salsa gave them a needed boost. With water to drink and abundant firstrate chips and spicy salsa, our meal for two came to $30.21, plus a $7 tip. •
LA COCINA DE MAMÁ 2809 Hurstbourne Lane 822-3506 lacocinademamaky.com
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
CERTAINTY OR A CIRCUMSTANCE? LATEST GROUP SHOW AT QUAPPI PROJECTS WANTS YOU TO CONSIDER. By Erica Rucker | erucker@leoweekly.com THE PRESS RELEASE for the latest Quappi work that pulls us toward contemplation like Skylar. Being from Louisville, but not based Projects group show opens with this quote there anymore, it has been so amazing to by Carlos Cruz-Diez: “I want people to connect to these three artist via social media realize that color is not a certainty, but a over the past few years. To see such parallels circumstance. Red is maybe red. It’s not in thinking, aesthetics, and influences is the same if you hold an object under the so inspiring for me. I feel, even though we sun as when you hold it in the shade.” With have never met in the “Not a Certainty But physical realm, the a Circumstance,” Seeing is the funfour of us are kindred one ex-pat living in spirits on a similar New Orleans, Martin damental aspect of quest for transcenBenson, and three lomy work, exposing dence coupled with cally-based artists — a need for groundedLetitia Quesenberry, anomalies in vision ness. Kind of like Gibbs Rounsavall and Neo-Hermetics trying Skylar Smith — have the basis of everyto merge heaven and taken their interests thing that I make. earth in this technoin sacred geometry, of the 21st linearity, proportion I’ve been always very soup century. and abstraction to Letitia Quesenbegin a conversation interested in percepberry: Sometime about understanding tion and time, about in the fall of 2020, and what certainty Gibbs reached out to vs. circumstance is how memory affects Skylar and I about saying about how we see the world. the ways we see right meeting up. Mostly to discuss some of LEO sent a quesnow and in turn, our the commonalities tionnaire to the four appearing in our artists. In the same future life. It seems work, i.e. geometric way that colors are abstraction, and the not absolutes, neither to me that the best possibility of doing are the ways these way to function in a group exhibit. We artists will view this met in the parking lot show or their work. the world involves behind Heine Bros. What we found was Coffee on Frankfort a team of artists who avoiding quick and Avenue (near where have a unique symbieasy assumptions. the three of us live) osis in thought about and talked about their work, though our work and motivations. It has been both different they very much are exploring the gratifying and very interesting to see all of many ways to see, reflect and understand. the work together, in person. I love to notice the places where all our work touches and LEO: Talk to me about the show (in your how it departs and becomes completely own words) and what it means to work individual. It all feels very predestined in the with this group of artists. straightforward way it came together. Martin Benson: To me this show is about a struggle to find ways to grow our What themes are you exploring in your consciousness, to wake up to a deeper, more nuanced view of reality. We all approach this work? Quesenberry: Seeing is the fundamental very differently. We all seem to be exploring aspect of my work, exposing anomalies in the limitlessness along with the limitavision the basis of everything that I make. tions of our minds, whether through deep I’ve been always very interested in percepprocess-based work like Gibbs, through tion and time, about how memory affects refined abstract form and light like Letitia, the ways we see right now and in turn, our or through symmetry, yantras, and making
future life. It seems to me that the best way to function in the world involves avoiding quick and easy assumptions. This amounts to a near constant battle with the part of one’s brain that hurls assessments for the sake of security. I like to slow the process of seeing, to interrupt the automatic ways one might be approaching the world. For me, bewilderment and confusion are tools for realizing this task. I like to balance opacity and precision to tease out responsiveness in viewers eyes. Rounsavall: Lately, I’ve been thinking about the concepts of surprise and delight. I think these concepts are undervalued. There are incredible opportunities for shifts in perspective and insight when we reflexively have to reorient ourselves. Smith: I have continued to work with themes I started exploring in 2020, but on a bigger scale for this show. I have come to see my art practice as a generative, healing, restorative process of discovery and connection. With these pieces I’m thinking about relationships between life forms on cellular and cosmic scales, and on creating images that promote introspective and expansive experiences. Benson: In my own work, I am exploring ways to express my own questions about these deeper levels of reality. I am trying to make paintings that embody my own contemplative practices and the experiences I have within them. For me they seem to be about reconciling the tension between spirituality and our hyper-materialist modern world. My paint-
Artwork by Gibbs Rounsavall is part of the “Not a Certainty but a Circumstance” show at Quappi Projects. | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY QUAPPI
PROJECTS.
New Orleans-based Artist Martin Benson art is on display as part of the “Not a Certainty but a Circumstance” show. LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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How does Quappi facilitate something unique in local arts and why is that important to local artists? Smith: Quappi, under the direction of gallery owner and curator John Brooks, shows visually stimulating and thought provoking solo and group shows featuring How important is it for artists to particicontemporary art by regional and national pate in group shows and not to simply artists that generate ideas and discussion; seek solo shows? (All of you have had solo this is crucial to building a vital artist and group shows.) network and generating a strong art comQuesenberry: Community is always the munity. Also, the gallery space is incredible. most important and group shows are great in It’s spacious and sleek with beautiful natural fostering connections. light, which makes However I think it very conducive to It’s no secret that it’s also important showing artwork of to balance this by all media. the gallery scene in stretching far for Benson: I mean, I important solo shows. Louisville is dwinonly get to experiThe best thing any ence Quappi Projdling. Fortunately for ects show virtually artist can do for another artist is to these days, or when the local art scene, succeed, to keep I happen to be back one of the last remain- home in Louisville. pushing, to go further. Benson: Group it’s a treasure ing spaces is a gallery But shows are usually the to have a space like most powerful when like Quappi. John has this in Louisville. done thoughtfully. Growing up, I don’t a keen eye and has Art is all about comrecall anything like munication of some happening, and developed a fantastic this kind or another, and what John is doing is when works dialogue so important. There space that exhibits with each other it creare so many amazing engaging work. ates unexpected coland talented artists laborations of feeling, in Louisville and to thought, and emotion. have a space where You never know what you will fully get, artists can show, experiment, commune, and but when the work resonates with each dialogue is everything. other, I feel it heightens the power of the art Rounsavall: It’s no secret that the gallery experience for everyone present. No one has scene in Louisville is dwindling. Fortua stranglehold on reality; the more perspecnately for the local art scene, one of the last tives the better. And just like when you’re in remaining spaces is a gallery like Quappi. a deep and moving conversation with other John has a keen eye and has developed a people, there is a gravity that takes hold and fantastic space that exhibits engaging work. takes you places you never planned, and all It gets said all the time but it bears repeatfor the better! ing: artists need public spaces to exhibit Rounsavall: This is so true! We should their work and engage with the public. This all want to be learning and growing everyhelps the artist grow which in turn cultivates day. Presenting your work alongside other a healthy cultural ecosystem where ideas are artists is a really effective way for this to shared and minds are expanded. take place. I have another group show in Quesenberry: Quappi is the best space November and this current exhibit has made for art in Louisville right now. John Brooks me even more excited for it. personal vision, sharp curation and open Smith: Unexpected things can happen aesthetic make it an incredible place for with group shows — I have the chance to artists and art admirers. He understands the see my work differently when it’s in relatransformative power of art and Louisville is tionship with other artworks. Group shows extremely lucky. are also a great way to get to know other artists and build your artist network/support Are there other events connected to the system. Artists have to stick together. We are show? stronger as a group! Smith: We are have a discussion with the artists in the show moderated by John ings are almost like visual “Koans” both for myself and the viewer. I make them, but don’t really have the answers. I guess I am hoping that they invoke a process for myself and others to seek out our own answers to the paradox of modern times.
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Letitia Quesenberry with friends Skylar Smith and Gibbs Rounsavall came up with the concept of the group show. | PHOTO PROVIDED BY QUAPPI PROJECTS.
Brooks at Quappi on May 26 at 6:30 p.m. Rounsavall: I‘m honored to participate later this month in “Artful Connections” at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art. In June and November I will be part of some group shows at Robertson Ares Gallery in Montreal and will be showing Skylar Smith works often with sacred geometry. See her work and the three at the Papier Art Fair other artists on display at Quappi Projects through June. | PHOTO PROVIDED BY and the Art Toronto QUAPPI PROJECTS. Art Fair in the fall. Benson: I will be flying up to be present for this and look forward to meeting these amazing people and getting tons of inspiration from being in their presence. Personally, I have a show at Octavia Gallery in New Orleans in July. The “Not a Certainty But a Circumstance” show will run until June 4 at Quappi Projects, 827 E. Market St. •
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
KYCAD GRADUATES FIRST BFA STUDENTS AS INDEPENDENT SCHOOL By Kevin Murphy Wilson | leo@leoweekly.com
FOUR YEARS ago, the Kentucky Council on my research processes to better inform my work,” she said. “With my thesis project Post-Secondary Education gave the recently I’ve done just that.” separated Kentucky College of Art + Design Driven in part by social injustice, Kopp the authority to grant a Bachelor of Fine Arts recalls that he degree in Studio Art. This week, Old Louisinitially came to ville’s newest school is KyCAD wanting turning another to blur the line of big corner by what fashion and graduating its art can be in our first class and modern society. presenting its “The motivainaugural BFA tion behind my thesis exhibition work in clothing at the 849 Galis to provide lery. people the This capstone opportunity for show, which is expression and on view through ask them to July 29, features consider the delightfully disinaccessibility of high-end fashion parate work from and fine art,” Kopp explained. “I consumed emerging Louisville fine art and luxury fashion through imageartists Jada Lynn Dixon, Austin Kopp and MacKenzie Taylor, who collectively embody based material — it was never a physical thing I could grasp onto. That’s why I began the KyCAD class of 2022. to make it for “We could not myself.” have wished for A nuanced storyteller, A nuanced a more dedicated Taylor was primarily drawn storyteller, group of artists was as our first cohort to KyCAD’s experimental Taylor primarily drawn of graduates,” to KyCAD’s KyCAD presifılm program, and she’s experimental dent Moira Scott always looking backward film program Payne told LEO she’s always Weekly. Accordand forward with her lens. and looking backing to Payne, the ward and forward big achievements “My muse for my senior with her lens. on display this thesis is my genealogy — “My muse for week, “signal the senior thesis beginning of our exploring how we all have my is my genealstudents’ individual creative different perspectives and ogy — exploring how we all have journeys.” why we hold weight to dif- different perspecThough she tives and why we works in more ferent things,” she said. hold weight to traditional medidifferent things,” ums, Dixon’s she said. “I was inspired by my grandfather provocative thesis is centered around mental and our connection since I never met him. health and the role of trauma on human Many of our family stories go back to him.” memory. While acknowledging that KyCAD’s “When I first came to KyCAD, my hopes graduation ceremony and related BFA thesis were to further develop my studio practice exhibition are the culmination of several and quality of craftsmanship and refine
Jada Lynn Dixon. | PHOTO PROVIDED BY KYCAD.
Austin Kopp. | PHOTO PROVIDED BY KYCAD. LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Um, excuse me... where is the rest of Mystery Incorporated? My name's Daphne Blake. Perhaps you've heard of me? I'm about a year old but am adept at solving problems and navigating tricky terrain - all while staying pawsitively gorgeous! I was at an overcrowded shelter and nearly solved the mystery of where the humans keep the Scooby Snacks. But then I got transferred to this place called the Kentucky Humane Society! Now I have a bigger problem on my hands: finding a family! I appear to be a Labrador Retriever/Border Collie mix and would love a family that is an active sleuth like me. My favorite trait in humans is how they are so engaging. The staff at KHS have used training and agility course materials to build a relationship with me, and I LOVE it! I'm about 43 pounds already and have DAPHNE the body type of a potato, so I'm not as graceful as most dogs. But I try my best! My friends laugh at my expressions and say I'm a very good girl. They're stating the obvious, of course, but it's always nice to hear it. I have met other dogs and I've found I do best with big dogs my size or larger. Those tiny dogs are cool but it's just too hard to play with them. I ended up running them over somehow! Because of this, I want to meet any dogs in the home before being adopted. I haven't met any children since arriving at KHS but you can certainly bring your kiddo in to meet me! I was adopted and recently returned because I was a bit too persistent with the resident cat... so no small animals in my new home going forward! I'm spayed, micro-chipped and up-to-date on my shots. Come meet me at the Kentucky Humane Society’s Main Campus, 241 Steedly Drive, or learn more at https://www.kyhumane.org/adopt/dogs/. Introducing our lovely lady, Sweetie Pie! Let us be the first to tell you that this twelve-year-old longhair kitty sure lives up to her name! Sweetie Pie found herself SWEETIE PIE at the Kentucky Humane Society after being transferred from an overcrowded shelter, but she doesn't seem to have any issues with making new friends. In fact we are pretty sure that this sweetie has never known a stranger, as she will come right up and rub against anyone willing to give her scratches. Along with being the sweetest cat in town, we can also say that she is the prettiest and softest kitty we have met as well! With her gorgeous long coat and striking green eyes, you can clearly see how she is able to charm anyone who meets her. While she gets along great with most humans, we are unsure how she feels about other kitty friends as well as any canine friends. We have also noticed that she seems to dislike it when people pick her up. Sweetie Pie is spayed, micro-chipped and up-to date on all vaccines. If you are looking for a lovely kitty to have and love in your life, come meet Sweetie Pie the Kentucky Humane Society’s Main Campus, 241 Steedly Drive, or learn more at www.kyhumane.org/cats.
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MacKenzie Taylor. | PHOTO PROVIDED BY KYCAD.
intense years of study and practice, as well May 10 at the Louisville Woman’s Club, as a measure of specific students’ dreams featured remarks from Louisville Mayor realized, Payne is also noticeably grateful Greg Fischer and internationally renowned for all the forward motion within the wider artist Mel Chin. campus commuPayne stated nity that has led to that Chin was this monumental selected as keyWhile acknowledging moment. note speaker, in that KyCAD’s graduation large part, because “As we come around our stuhis extensive ceremony and related dents, to celebrate body of work their vision, talent is in alignment BFA thesis exhibition and hard work, we with KyCAD’s are the culmination of can, and should, interdisciplinary take a moment to curriculum that several intense years reflect on how far folds the humaniof study and practice, we have grown ties and technolover the last four ogy into the studio as well as a measure of years as Kenspace. “Mel is a tucky’s only indespecifıc students’ dreams perfect example pendent college of of an artist who realized, Payne is also art and design,” works across she said. “During disciplines using noticeably grateful for the institution’s everything from long evolution, mixed reality, all the forward motion the baton has video and gaming within the wider campus to traditional been handed forward several sculptural matericommunity that has times and each als,” she said. person involved For more led to this monumental — whether information about moment. philanthropist, the current show board member, at the 849 Gallery faculty, staff or or the Kentucky student — has become an important part of College of Art + Design in general, visit the unfolding story. This feels like another www.kycad.org. • new beginning and we are excited by what the next chapter will bring.” The KyCAD graduation ceremony, held
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Hemlock relative Old ____ (London theater) Gag line? Spanish ‘‘hey!’’
E A D R B O O C A L D O O E L T R D A H D E F F A I R L R E A N E T E F W H A M E L C A R L E R R I R N N O W B O W O O K O Y E S O E S L
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60 Unforgettable, unstoppable sort 61 They’re not to be trusted 65 Julie who played Catwoman on old TV 67 Puzzle (out) 70 Personal bearing 71 Strong pan 72 Hard thing to do? 78 German title 80 Capital of Bangladesh 82 Mushroom in miso soup 86 Afterword 87 Nicolas who directed ‘‘The Man Who Fell to Earth’’ 88 Lab where the Higgs boson particle was discovered 89 Inventory 90 ‘‘My Cousin Vinny’’ setting 91 Airport route 93 Squealed 96 Opposite of a glut 98 Who was famously hit over the head with inspiration? 99 Tech release of 2006 101 Didn’t act rashly, say 103 Pit 105 Words before relax or remember 106 Small section of a pit 107 Bowl-shaped cooking vessels 109 German state that includes Frankfurt 112 Manage 115 What’s got ewe covered?
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1 Cause of a jolt 2 Really busy, perhaps 3 It’s nothing to joke about 4 Artist known for his lampooning cartooning 5 Startin’ place 6 ‘‘____ moved on’’ 7 Calming words 8 Holy city near Baghdad 9 Hardly a lover of hot wings? 10 Radio-frequency meas. 11 Ad or show follower 12 ____ P. Morton, Benjamin Harrison’s vice president 13 Lost deposits, as a bank? 14 Attorney’s org. 15 Sorrow 16 Thank you, in Tokyo 17 Stovetop device 18 Breadths 20 Sled dogs, e.g. 25 Word in some cocktail names 28 Baseball’s ‘‘Master Melvin’’ 33 Westernmost sch. in Conference USA 34 Actress ____ Pinkett Smith 35 ‘‘Er .?.?. umm .?.?.’’ 37 Nonbinary possessive 39 Game-show invitation 45 Modern lead-in to ‘‘X’’ 46 Got out fast 48 Exit 50 Tom Petty hit with the opening line ‘‘She’s a good girl, loves her mama’’ 51 Rendezvous 52 Nickname for Virginia 53 Declare 54 Is beaten by 55 You might take a lift to one 56 Married mujeres: Abbr. 57 All-in-one purchase from a smoke shop
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1 Disseminated 5 JPEG alternative 8 Quick-witted 14 ‘‘Forbidden fruit is the sweetest,’’ e.g. 19 Kind of writing 21 Hurting more 22 Mineral used as a flame retardant 23 Aromatic herbal drink 24 Carmen McRae or Anita O’Day, notably 26 Disorganized 27 Sound in the Serengeti 29 Tying words? 30 Horrible boss, say 31 Neighbor of S. Sudan 32 Endpoint of a Shinto pilgrimage 36 What’s going up in Chicago? 38 And so forth 40 Munchkin 41 Spade with a short handle? 42 Morse morsel 43 You can have a blast with this 44 ‘‘Yes, indeedy!’’ 47 ____ volente 49 Makes clearer, in a way 51 1997 pop hit with a nonsensical refrain 52 Fete 56 Anago, on a sushi menu 57 In ____ fertilization 58 & 59 Flag bearers, for short? 62 Clap back 63 Many moons 64 Chaired 66 Many, many, many moons 68 Subj. line heading 69 Birthplace of five U.S. presidents, with ‘‘the’’ 73 German title 74 Like discriminatory employers, often 75 Just roll with it! 76 See 88-Across 77 Eliminates, mob-style 79 Driving stick? 81 ____ out a victory 83 Pack (in) 84 Fracases 85 Start of some conventional wisdom 88 With 76-Across, Mexican business magnate who was once the world’s richest person 89 Means of a quick recharge 92 ‘‘____ funny!’’ 93 Fab 94 Akin to 95 Rapper ____ Cudi or DJ ____ Loco 97 Comprehension
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BY TIMOTHY POLIN | EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ
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99 Domain of Mars 100 Boise-to-Spokane dir. 102 Post-default event 104 ‘‘Eureka!’’ 108 ‘‘That’s the spot’’ 110 Kinda 111 Lunkhead 113 Court order 114 Red accessory for cartoondom’s Huckleberry Hound 116 Scientific contribution from 98-Down, discovered in a manner suggested by this puzzle’s theme 120 Crow’s-nests, e.g. 122 One living in the rial world? 123 Lingerie fabric 124 Blights 125 More mirthful 126 Defiant refusal 127 ____ Plaines, Ill. 128 Start of a story, in journalese
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SAVAGE LOVE
By Dan Savage | mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage
REAL WORRIES
Q: I’m a straight guy, married to a straight woman for 15 years. Several years back, I opened up to my wife about my fantasies of her sleeping with other men. I was nervous about bringing it up. Her views on sex had always been traditional, and she had always expressed a very strict idea of monogamy and commitment. So, I was extremely relieved when her reaction was intrigue rather than disgust. She was curious about it and wondered if I really wanted it to happen or if it was just something I wanted to keep in our rotation of dirty talk. Fast-forward to this week, and my wife tells me she is interested in exploring this. (Note to other guys who want this from their wives: be respectful, don’t pressure, and give her time to think about it. Your patience might be rewarded!) Here is the problem: We both have careers that could be complicated or damaged by the stigma around “cheating.” I know about all the apps out there, but we live a large city, and there is a non-zero chance that we might run into someone on the apps we are connected to professionally or socially. Are any of the apps out there geared toward folks who want to go about this carefully? Is it possible to minimize the risk of professional or social embarrassment here, or is this just something we must accept to pursue this lifestyle? Hooking Up, Seeking Help A: There are lots of dating apps for people and/or couples looking for casual sex and/or kinky sex (Feeld, 3Somer, #Open, et al), and lots of people—single and partnered— looking for casual and/or kinky sex on regular dating apps (Tinder, OKCupid, Christian Mingle, et al.). But hookup/threesome/swinger 38
LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
apps, while perceived as sleazier, are a safer bet for a couple like you and your wife. While there’s no way to eliminate your risk of being recognized on an app, HUSH, anyone who spots you on Feeld looking for extracurricular dick was on Feeld looking for and/ or offering up a little extracurricular dick of their own. The threat of mutually assured destruction—if they gossip about you, you’ll gossip about them—is usually enough to restrain bad actors, as is the threat of the obvious follow-up question. (“Wait, why are you on Feeld?”) And most people on hookup apps aren’t bad actors, HUSH, but fundamentally decent people like you and your wife, i.e., singles and couples looking for a little fun, not for an opportunity to hurt anyone. A friend or a relative or a coworker who spots your wife in a bar with a strange man—or in the lobby of a hotel or on her way into your apartment—is likelier to cause you headaches than one of your fellow perverts online. To minimize your risk of being spotted and outed on the apps, HUSH, don’t post face pics and only share them after you’ve established—to the best of your ability—the person you’re talking to isn’t a bot, a pic collector, or an extortionist. Again, there’s no way to fully eliminate the risk, but at a
certain point you have to trust your gut and take a risk. You also have the option of creating a profile in a city you visit regularly but don’t live in, HUSH. After you’ve found and vetted a few good candidates, get yourself some airline tickets and a hotel room and have those drinks in a bar that a colleague, a fan, or your father-in-law is unlikely to walk into. Q: There’s a story making the rounds on Reddit about people getting those metallic “bejeweled butt plugs” all the way into their asses and needing pretty intense intervention to get them out, ranging from partners pulling them out with their fingers (the unfun kind of double penetration) to actual surgery in a hospital (only fun for a very select few). The blame,
apparently, is the fact that the base of these toys is rarely wider than the widest party of the head, which is pretty damning, and that lubed metal is slipperier then lubed silicone. So here are
the operative questions: Are metallic bejeweled butt plugs safe or not so much? Are silicone bejeweled butt plugs any safer? Are there any safe bejeweled butt plug options out there? The world isn’t going to stop being obsessed with sparkly butt toys any time soon, so we’re going to need to find a way to do it safely. Insertion Toy Extraction Messy Situation A: I’ve seen those jeweled butt plugs in shops and in photos online—they’re usually made from stainless steel and have glass “gems” mounted at the end of an alarmingly narrow base—but I’ve never actually seen one in person. Or in a person, at least not in person. But knowing what I do about butts (and how they relax after some play), and knowing what I do about plugs (a flared base is your first line of defense against a trip to the ER), I would’ve worried too much about losing one to use one. As for safe bejeweled butt plug options, ITEMS, you’re going to want a flared base and a jewel that’s at least the size of Cullinan I Diamond, the fist-sized rock on the Queen of England’s royal scepter, which come to think of it… Q: As you’ve surely heard, the conservative Supreme Court majority plans to overturn Roe v. Wade. While my wife and I were lamenting the state of this fucking country, she mentioned that nobody ever hears men talking about the abortions that kept their lives on track—even though that’s obviously a very common thing that happens. How many guys shat their pants after a condom failed during sex with a woman they weren’t that into? How many
ETC.
prominent men knocked up their mistresses or assistants or babysitters? How many Republican boys have pressed a wad of their parents’ money into a girl’s hand because having a baby would ruin his future? These men need to speak up. I’m not expecting actual Republicans to do so, but perhaps there are men out there who are willing to speak up and admit what we all know: Men benefit from abortion while bearing none of the shame associated with it. It’s time we heard from them. I’m sorry I don’t have a catchy name for this or a cute sign-off. I’m so tired and the world is falling apart. Men Should Speak Up About Abortion A: Now for some real worries. We are weeks away from American women being stripped of a fundamental constitutional and human right. And we face the prospect of an out-of-control and illegimate Supreme Court stripping us of a host of other rights: the right to contraception, the right to same-sex marriage, the right to interracial marriage, even the right to have sex for pleasure—you know, the sex most people have most of the time. (In Lawrence v. Texas (2003), the Supreme Court struck down sodomy laws that criminalized not just consensual gay sex, but consensual sex between men and women that wasn’t open to conception as well.) While it should be enough to hear from women who’ve benefited from safe and legal abortion—and it should be enough to know that women die from unsafe and illegal abortions, and enough to know that banning abortions doesn’t stop women from getting abortions—I happen to agree that cis men who support abortion rights and have benefited from them need to speak the fuck up about reproductive freedom. “There are millions of men whose lives would have been worse without abortion,” the writer Jill Fili-
povic wrote on Twitter last week. “Men who wouldn’t have found their big loves, wouldn’t have their kids, wouldn’t have been as successful, wouldn’t have taken big risks” if they had become fathers before they were ready. To those men, to all men, Filipovic says, “This if your fight, too. Get in it.” And gay men? The exact same arguments being used right now to strip women of the right to decide when and whether they want to bear a child—abortion isn’t within the “history and traditions” of the United States, abortion isn’t a right enumerated in the Constitution, abortion is a moral question—can and will be used to strip us of the right to have sex and the right to marry. Republican assholes are passing laws in red states right fucking now that force women to give birth to their rapists’ babies against their will. Don’t for a second think these same assholes won’t pass laws forcibly ending your gay marriage or throwing your gay ass in jail for getting your gay ass fucked. This is our fight, too, faggots. Q: Is there a website where we can legally find out how to buy the abortion pills you’ve mentioned on the podcast? Make It Stop A: Everything you need to know about abortion pills—how they work and where to get them— can be found at www.plancpills. org. And anyone using those pills at home needs to read Dr. Jen Gunter’s essay “Your Medical Team Cannot Tell If You Had a Self-Administered Abortion” at www.vajenda.substack.com. And everyone should read Jill Filipovic’s advice on what we can do right now to fight back (“Get To Work, Get Informed, Get Brave”) at www.jill.substack.com. And if you can afford to donate to the National Network of Abortion Funds, now would be a great time to do so. They’re at www.abortionfunds.org.
And finally: don’t vote Republican, don’t fuck Republicans. questions@savagelove.net Listen to Dan on the Savage Lovecast.
Follow Dan on Twitter @ FakeDanSavage. Columns, podcasts, books, merch and more at savage.love.
CLASSIFIED LISTINGS LEGAL KY Hemp Association: Seeking detail oriented professional for part-time to full-time WFH position as Administrator / Marketing Manager for non-profit. Role consists of General Admin Duties. General Marketing Duties: social media, website, monthly enewsletter, create web graphics. Event Marketing Duties: Project Management for Annual Conferences and other events (prior to and during events), PR, etc. Please contact info@kyhempassociation.org for more details.
Leo’s Towing & Recovery, LLC at 510 E. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202 with phone number of 502-643-4570 has intention of obtaining title to a black in color 1985 Chevrolet Monte Carlo bearing VIN#1G1GZ37G7FR115331 registered in the name of Taija Cobb, last known address 1619 S. 13th Street, #21N, Louisville, KY 40210 Lienholder: None. Owner or lienholder has 14 days after last publication of this notice to object. Objections must be sent in writing to the above address.
Leo’s Towing & Recovery, LLC at 510 E. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202 with phone number of 502-643-4570 has intention of obtaining title to a black in color 1998 Dodge Ram 1500 bearing VIN#1B7HC16Z0WS513767 registered in the name of Virginia McKinley, last known address 3919 Booker Ave., New Albany, IN 47150. Lienholder: None. Owner or lienholder has 14 days after last publication of this notice to object. Objections must be sent in writing to the above address.
REPOSSESSION SALE These vehicles will be offered for sale to the highest bidder at the time, date and place stated below. Term of sale is cash only. Seller reserves the right to bid and purchase at said sale. Dealers welcome. May 13th, 2022 2011 Ford Escape 1FMCU9D79BKC12363 DIXIE AUTO SALES (502) 384-7766 (NEXT TO ZIP'S CAR WASH) 7779 DIXIE HWY., LOUISVILLE, KY 40258
Parties of interest: Jaiera Hebert/leaser 2704 Portland Ave Louisville, Ky 40212 Credit Acceptance/lien holder 25505 West Twelve Mile Rd Southfield, MI 48034 Credit Acceptance/lien holder P.O. Box 513 Southfield MI 48037 Coyle Chevrolet Buick GMC/dealer facility 1801 Broadway St Clarksville, IN 47129 This letter is to inform the persons of interest of vehicle 2015 Ford Edge vin# 2FMK4AP7FBB86473 has been left on the property of B&S Autos located at 2518 Dixie Hwy Louisville, Ky 40216 of intent to collect or file lien. This vehicle was towed at the expense of B&S Autos from 22nd Portland Ave on the date of 12/17/2021 at the owner’s request. Vehicle has been left at our secured facility for 75 days in which a $40 per day storage fee has been assessed plus towing charge of $75. This totals in the amount of $3075.00 to date and will still accumulate these fees unless owner is contacted and paid in full or arrangements are made between owner/owners and B&S Autos. Lien action has already been put into effect so it would be in your best interest to reply by phone asap to avoid further legal actions. Phone number to B&S Autos is (502)356-3013 and again lien process has started and vehicle can be sold to recover damages owed to facility. THANK YOU B&S Autos 2518 Dixie Hwy Louisville, Ky 40216 Phone: (502)356-3013
Leo’s Towing & Recovery, LLC at 510 E. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202 with phone number of 502-643-4570 has intention of obtaining title to a white in color 2008 Chevrolet Equinox bearing VIN#2CNDL33FX86058433 registered in the name of Pamela Armstrong, last known address 1501 W. Chestnut St., Louisville, KY 40203. Lienholder: None. Owner or lienholder has 14 days after last publication of this notice to object. Objections must be sent in writing to the above address. LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022
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LEOWEEKLY.COM // MAY 11, 2022