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Issue 17 SEPTEMBER 2014
News, Makers & Trends of the New South
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PUBLISHER MADE Paper
Issue 17 SEPTEMBER 2014
EDITORS Brent Rosen, Anna Lowder, Caroline Nabors Rosen, Harvi Sahota CREATIVE DIRECTOR Harvi Sahota DESIGN Matter www.iheartmatter.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Brent Rosen, Caroline Nabors Rosen, Anna Lowder, Andrea Jean, Heather Steen, Tiffany Bell, Will Abner, Johnny Veres, Sam Wootten, Jennifer Kornegay, Melissa Tsai, Tom Jean, Edwin Marty, Evans Bailey, Tina Hofer Medico, Robert Wool, Elliot Knight, Mark Bowen, Christian Kerr, Rebecca Seung, David Mowery, Brian Carroll, Blake Rosen, Josh Carples, Katie Lindgren, Natilee McGruder, CarolineTaylor, Skye Borden, Katie Vega, Rachel Fisher, Amy Collins
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Harvi Sahota, Grace Photography, Josh Moates, Jonathon Kohn, Ryan Muirhead, Luke Lindgren, Thomas Lucas DESIGN CONTRIBUTORS Jay Wilkins, Alex Lazzari
Made is a free, independent newspaper published monthly. Modern design, authentic voices, smart articles and curated events. ISSUE 17 SEPTEMBER 2014
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COVER PHOTO: Jonathon Kohn
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Column feature: BIG FISH feature: prattville SPORTS MAKERS Food & DRINK music
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MADE is a collective of citizens celebrating the local, the authentic, and the unique. We are creatives featuring other creatives and the engaging work being produced in our city. We call attention to all fields forging new pathways in expression and innovation. We are makers who love to eat, talk, collaborate, question, party, and laugh, and we want you to take part. Thanks for reading this and supporting the artists, craftsmen, creatives, and active citizens that make a city thrive.
Growing Pains: Parking Edition WORDS BRENT ROSEN
Lately, I’ve heard a lot of people complaining about parking in
real problem finding parking on Fairview until Leroy and the Cloverdale
Montgomery. All races, all creeds, all ages, united on this single issue.
Playhouse opened, and those places have made Cloverdale
No parking downtown near the Alley. No parking around Derk’s and the
immeasurably better.
A&P. No parking on Dexter Avenue. No parking along Fairview in the
Cloverdale Corridor. Everywhere inside the boulevards, a constant
conventions and events at the Renaissance and along the Riverfront
refrain: “parking, parking, parking.”
(and the paying visitors they bring), you could park anywhere you
Some facts. The city has over 1,000 parking spots in three garages
wanted. A growing vibrant city means more people want to be there,
around downtown, all of which are within a quarter mile of Dexter
which means easy and free parking becomes a thing of the past. That is
Avenue and/or the Alley. All of those garages are free after 5:00 p.m,
a good thing -- Selma has ample downtown parking.
and during the day parking is fairly inexpensive. You can park in
downtown Montgomery, you just have to be willing to park in a garage
through as it transitions into the future. Development is disruptive to
and take a short walk to your final destination.
existing business, existing patterns, and the existing way of life for some
Around the A&P, you have Pure Barre, Pine Bar, Derks, True, Chop
in Montgomery. Development, however, has reached a tipping point, and
House and the various antique and home and ladies stores in the area,
after many false starts, it looks like Montgomery is in for lasting change.
all of which draw large numbers of people throughout the day and night.
Eventually, growth will normalize and parking will no longer be a code
Although parking in front of those places can fill up, there is always
word or a dog whistle in the battle between the Old and New
parking along Graham Street and along Felder. The walk is never longer
Montgomery. Until then, expect to hear lots of complaints from people
than a block or two.
looking to park in front of Sinclair’s on the same Thursday the Capri is
In the Cloverdale Corridor, parking along Fairview, like that around
showing the Big Lebowski.
the A&P, fills up quickly. But the streets surrounding Fairview, including
In the meantime, those of us interested in Montgomery’s continued
Cloverdale Road on both sides of Fairview, Agnew, and Boultier always
growth can do our part. We need to start living like Montgomery is a
have open spots for off-street parking. I used a stopwatch to time the
major city. Instead of just talking the talk, we need to walk the walk.
walk from my house on Cloverdale Road in Cloverdale Idlewild to the
Literally. Walking to lunch around downtown instead of driving a few
corner of Fairview and Cloverdale, and then timed how long it took to
blocks. Parking in parking garages rather than circling around for 20
walk into Target at Eastchase after I parked my car. My walk from
minutes looking for on-street parking. If you live within walking distance
home to Fairview was only about 40 seconds longer than the walk from
to dinner, drinks, movies, or shows, walk. This is not just a challenge to
my car to the front door of Target. Not a huge difference, but there is
you, but also to myself.
never anyone parked in front of my house on even the busiest
When I moved to Montgomery from Tuscaloosa, I gained 10 pounds
Cloverdale weekend.
within a month. In Tuscaloosa, I used to ride my bike and walk for days
Those are the facts. Now, I understand that some people cannot walk
at a time. I would leave my car in its parking spot, and forget about it.
a block or two due to age or infirmity, but those people can always be
When I lived in D.C., I walked the mile and half home from work on any
dropped off before the car is parked. But for everyone else, a short walk
day it wasn’t the height of summer, the dead of winter, or raining. That
should be no big deal. So why is parking such a talking point in
was 30 pounds ago. Now, I drive everywhere, even distances as short as
Montgomery conversations?
half a mile. Montgomery has made me fat and lazy.
A friend of mine likes to say Montgomery can’t decide if it wants to
Attitudes, not parking, are the problem. I’m ready to change my
be Birmingham or Monroeville. The Monroeville faction will always see
attitude and start walking and biking more, ready to feel like I live in a
lack of parking as the intrusion of city living on their small town, and
young, growing, dynamic city. I hope many of you will join me. And if
growth as something to fear rather than to embrace. The Birmingham
that means there are more prime parking spots for those not yet
faction will always see lack of parking as a good sign -- there was no
adjusted to the New Montgomery, I’m happy to help ease the transition.
It’s the same downtown. Without the Alley, The Biscuits, or the large
Parking is but one of the growing pains Montgomery will have to work
SEPTEMBER 2014 • MADEPAPER.COM
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MADEPAPER.COM • SEPTEMBER 2014
WORDS ANNA LOWDER PHOTOS JONATHON KOHN
Ten years after Big Fish, MADE Paper dropped by the town of Spectre. We were intrigued to see how the magical town - created on a hidden island outside of the city by Tim Burton’s crew a decade before - had fared during the Southern summers once the spotlights and cameras had long gone. If you recall in the film Big Fish, Spectre is a town of friendliness and beauty. A simple place where the protagonist Edward finds a community of barefoot strangers, trusting and warm. Yet, he arrives first too early, and then too late.
We found a land forgotten, not unlike its rural neighbors. The film set has been ravaged by the elements over the past decade, yet looks not far from the closing scenes of Big Fish - the moments when Spectre lost its beauty and magic because the outsiders came. In reality, it’s the lack of outsiders that most often destroys places. It’s the loss of activity, attention, ideas, and work that turns towns into places of obsolete shadows.
story. Story telling has its place in the culture of the American South specifically. Big Fish made Montgomery feel like a big fish for that Spring, and it felt good to be in the sunlight. But the film’s true legacy is its theme. That life comes and goes. Good stories tie us together and give us hope. And that the unknown - outsiders, strangers, even ourselves - is not to be feared, but rather embraced. Thanks for a good story, Spectre.
Spectre faded once the film crews and craftsmen, the people and the life, left it. It is a ghostly place to take an afternoon walk, but it’s a town built of nothing waiting for the landscape to reclaim it. At MADE we love a good
To commemorate the ten year anniversary of the Big Fish film, Big Fish author Daniel Wallace returns Saturday, September 6 for a book signing and movie screening at The Capri. Event starts at 2pm. For information, visit www.capritheatre.org.
SEPTEMBER 2014 • MADEPAPER.COM
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One City, Six Activities, Three Ways I took a trip to Prattville the other day. My first. I found a lot to love in Prattville, but before I can make recommendations, I need to know a bit more about you. Time for a quiz:
PHOTOS JONATHON KOHN
WORDS BRENT ROSEN
1.
On a typical Sunday morning, you can be found: A Rushing out of the house with kids in tow trying to make it to church on time B I haven’t experienced Sunday morning in years. I’m more of a Sunday afternoon person C Cuddling, all morning long 2.
On Friday night, your biggest concern is:
A Finding a babysitter B Finding yourself in a police cruiser C Finding a Zooey Deschanel movie the two of you haven’t already
watched on Netflix
3. You get your recommended 30 minutes of daily exercise by: A Chasing children at bath-time and bed-time B 12-ounce curls C Walking through the neighborhood, holding hands, imagining your future home together
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MADEPAPER.COM • SEPTEMBER 2014
4. Your Social Media feed is mostly: A Kid pics B Food pics C “Him” or “Her,” depending. 5. How you connect with your friends: A Playdates B Drinking at Bud’s C We are so focused on each other we don’t have any other friends 6. Your sex life is: A “Before or after we had kids?” B “Often impossible” C “Everything man, everything.” If you answered mostly “A,” you are “Married with Children” If you answered mostly “B,” you are “Sunday Funday” If you answered mostly “C,” you are “Young and In Love”
Your kids will thank you, then fall asleep. Victory.
Stop #1: Bamboo Forest (800 Upper Kingston Rd., Prattville, AL) Just around the corner from Prattville High School is a 27-acre bamboo forest. The bamboo shoots climb upwards of 60 feet, creating an alien world of muscular shoots and strange shadows on a stunning scale. A trail takes you from the parking lot to a pond encircled by the forest. As you walk the trail around the pond, small, almost-invisible frogs jump into the water on your approach, creating so many ripples it looks like a rain storm. It’s a magical world, both for you and your kids.
Stop #2: Play in Autauga Creek (park near Fat Boys BBQ Ranch, 154 1st St., Prattville, AL) Not that you’ve worked up a bit of a sweat hiking around the bamboo forest, it’s time to cool off with a swim. Head to the Autauga creek near Fat Boys BBQ Ranch (a great lunch option on Saturday), and enter the riverbed from one of its many access points. This time of year the current is not all that strong. Walk all the way to the dam on the rocky stream bed, then get into the stream and let the current in deeper water carry you back to where you started. You should be reported to the authorities for animal cruelty if you own a Labrador Retriever and don’t bring it along. Ample room for picnic chairs and blankets.
Stop #3: Look at the Fish and Hit the Arcade at the Bass Pro Shop (2553 Rocky Mt. Rd., Prattville, AL) The Bass Pro Shops pioneered the concept that shopping should be an “experience.” Just to park one must take a winding drive through heavily wooded landscapes, I assume to get shoppers “in the mood” by making them feel like they’re on the way to a deer camp. If the driveway doesn’t get you in the mood, all of the fish and game inside the place should do the trick. There are multiple aquariums full of local and exotic fish, stuffed deer, moose, bears, and birds of all variety. Your kids will love seeing the animals and the fish and climbing around in what is basically a life-sized diorama masquerading as a store. Don’t miss the kid-friendly shooting gallery on the second floor where you can measure your sharpshooting talent with a light gun for 50¢ a try.
You slept through the singing Waffle House chef’s shift, but you get to drink and play with guns.
Stop #1: Bass Pro Shop (2553 Rocky Mt. Rd., Prattville, AL) The Bass Pro Shop has a bar with an 11,000 gallon fish tank. The Bloody Mary’s are great, which is good because you are likely hung over. Don’t be a hero order something fried. Drink as you gaze in wonderment at nature’s majesty the coordinated movements of the schools, the ripple of unseen waves on a dorsal fin, the peaceful co-existence of the varied species. Had enough majesty? Great. Finish your drinks and head upstairs to the gun section, where the clerks will be offended if you don’t handle the shotgun that comes with an American flag bandana. America is truly a shining city on a hill.
Stop #2: Time for a Swim in Autagua Creek (go to the Doster Road Artesian Well below Jensen Stadium) Of Prattville’s many creek entrances, the one near the Doster Road Artesian Well seems to be the safest for repeatedly violating open container laws. The city has cleared away the underbrush on the well side of the creek, providing 08
MADEPAPER.COM • SEPTEMBER 2014
easy access to the water. The creek runs deep but slow, with plenty of shade from the trees lining the banks. Bring a cooler of beer and opaque cups, a lawn chair, and anything that plays music. This little park practically begs you to pull a dozen friends together and head north for a rowdy afternoon swimming hole party.
Stop #3: Drinks at The Robert Trent Jones Trail (2600 Constitution Ave., Prattville, AL) I’m more Rodney Dangerfield than Chevy Chase on the golf course (and honestly off the golf course too), so I’ve never been to the Capitol Hill golf complex on the RTJ trail. When my friend Donovan Ivey suggested we go out there for a margarita, I kind of thought he was insane. Then I went. The clubhouse features beautiful verandas and porches for outdoor seating, perfect landscaping around a classic fountain, and tremendous views of downtown Montgomery from the first hole of “The Judge.” The margaritas will blow away any of your lingering sobriety.
You’ve alienated all of your friends; good thing you don’t need them for this trip.
Stop #1: The Singing Waffle House (2597 Cobbs Ford Rd. off of Interstate 65) Slide into a cozy booth. Don’t be shy about sitting on the same side. Ask the waitress if Valerie, the singing cook is in. If you go on the weekend before 12:00, she should be. Relax and stare longingly at each other over a cup of coffee while Valerie serenades you with solid gold oldies, classic hip-hop, and the occasional gospel or Christmas song, but with added lyrics about Waffle House.
Stop #2: Bamboo Forest (800 Upper Kingston Rd., Prattville, AL) Join the hundreds before you who have memorialized their love by carving your initials and a heart into a bamboo shoot. Once you’ve made your love “bamboo forest” official, explore the forest’s 27 acres of pure romance. Go off the trail and into the dry creek beds; feel free to explore the space. Warning: no matter how tempted you are to make love in the woods, remember it is full of frogs and insects. Keep it safe, make-outs only.
Stop #3: The Park surrounding the Daniel Pratt Gin (The middle of downtown Prattville) Before you leave home, put a bottle of Rose, some chicken salad and pimento cheese, some fresh fruit, some crackers, and a serving piece into a basket. Grab a blanket and something to read. Now you’re prepared for a romantic picnic next to Pratt’s dam across Autauga Creek. You can wade in the water, lay down and read to each other on your blanket, have some snacks and just relax. Now go home and fool around until you get bored with it. Next stop, “Married with Children.”
In Alabama the most anticipated thing about the Fall isn’t escape from the summer heat,
On the defensive side, Alabama is looking to get back to its dominating 2011 & 2012
but College Football. As MADE Paper’s Bamaist, I’ll have the pleasure of guiding Alabama
form. The defensive line should take a step forward with players like Freshman All-
fans through this year’s season with weekly Monday morning online re-caps of Alabama’s
American A’Shawn “Cornbread” Robinson and Jonathan Allen ready to accept bigger
game - with a little inside recruiting info splashed in for good measure - on www.
roles. After two straight years loading up on speed at linebacker, look for Alabama to
madepaper.com. Before we get into the season, however, we at MADE have decided to
be better equipped at dealing with spread and hurry-up-no-huddle (HUNH) offenses.
wet your appetite with a pre-kickoff preview of the Crimson Tide.
In Saban’s first seven years at Alabama he faced nine spread/HUNH teams, this year
How should Alabama fans feel heading into 2014? “Hopefully optimistic” best sums it up.
alone Alabama will face nine teams running spread/HUNH offenses.
Despite some big questions on offense and defense, Alabama looks primed for a spot in
In the secondary, Alabama is loaded at safety, led by Landon Collins and Jarrick
the inaugural College Football Playoff and a run at another National Championship.
Williams. Their experience will make Alabama more comfortable than ever when having to sit in its Nickel and Dime packages. The only question on defense is
Like Auburn in 2013, Alabama will benefit greatly from one of the more favorable
cornerback. Last year Alabama changed cornerbacks like my wife changes clothes,
schedules in the SEC. Alabama avoids the SEC East’s two best teams in South
and I don’t expect things to smooth out this year -- especially with Alabama’s best
Carolina and Georgia and gets Auburn, Florida, Texas A&M and Mississippi State in
corner Eddie Jackson sidelined with a knee injury.
Tuscaloosa. A road trip to Oxford could be tough, and you’ll probably be able to smell the bourbon from the field when Alabama visits LSU in newly renovated Tiger
For better or worse, this team reminds me a lot of Alabama’s 2010 squad, loads of
Stadium with capacity now 102, 321. Alabama’s other two road trips (at Tennessee
talent, but young and inexperienced on the offensive linemen and at the cornerback
& at Arkansas) should be smooth sailing as the Hogs and Vols must continue to
position. Despite the similarities with a 2010 team that went 10-3 and finished in the
dowse the flames of the dumpster fires that are their respective football programs.
top 10, I agree with pretty much every other sports writer on the planet: the SEC
The offense, save presently not having a starting quarterback, which we’ll discuss at
crown comes down to one annual game, the one that turns friends against one
a later date, looks to be the best of Saban’s tenure. Led by new Alabama Offensive
another and can force you to throw your “lucky” visor and shaker into a roaring fire.
Coordinator Lane Kiffin, the Tide will likely have to lean on the one-two punch of
That’s right, the Iron Bowl. For the second straight year, I expect the Iron Bowl winner
star running backs T.J. Yeldon (6-2/220) and Derrick “King” Henry (6-3/240) early
to win not just the SEC West, but also the SEC Championship and then the inaugural
in the season until the quarterback, whomever that may be, settles into the starting
College Football Playoff.
role.
Don’t forget to join us online Monday mornings for a colorful re-cap of Alabama’s game
Alabama is also loaded at wide receiver. Coach Saban stated this group of wide
and an update on the latest and greatest from the recruiting trail. On the quarterback
receivers is his best since arriving in Tuscaloosa, and if you see a 6-3/200+ pounder
front, we’ll be interviewing the starting QB’s private QB Coach - at least once a starter is
wearing #8 making catch after catch, don’t worry, you aren’t having football acid
named - to give fans the inside scoop on what they can expect in 2014. Until then.
flashbacks of Julio Jones. You’re watching Robert Foster, Alabama’s next great receiver to wear #8.
ROLL TIDE, The Bamaist
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MADEPAPER.COM • AUGUST 2014
After last year’s unexpected explosion of success that resulted in the most memorable season in Auburn Football History, it’s safe to say Auburn fans are ready for football. As MADE Paper’s Auburnist I hope to be able to take you on another whirlwind journey that will start in Auburn, and, God willing, end in Dallas, Texas, home of the inaugural College Football Playoff Championship Game. Along the way, I’ll provide weekly recaps of each game on MADE’s website every Monday and insider recruiting info fresh from the recruiting trail. While most Auburn fans went into 2013 thinking how great it would be to get back to a bowl game (and not get shutout by Alabama), it’s pretty safe to say the bar is a little higher for 2014. With a team that boasts 13 All-SEC players, the sky’s the limit for this season. As a friend close to a rival SEC program recently told me, “until I see someone hold Auburn to at least 200 yards rushing, it’s hard to see anyone beating them.” I can’t argue against that, but we Auburn fans are a superstitious bunch and most are leery of the fact that Auburn has posted back-to-back 10 win seasons only once in school history (1988-1989). With 13 All-SEC players, Auburn’s roster is loaded - unfortunately, so is the schedule. Unlike 2013, the Tigers will have to navigate one of the nation’s toughest schedules with road trips to Mississippi (I and II), Georgia, and Alabama, and an unusual Thursday night trip to Manhattan, Kansas to face Dan Snyder’s Kansas State Wildcats. The home games don’t get much easier with South Carolina, LSU and Texas A&M all heading to Auburn. All in all, the Tigers will play 7 teams who opened the season in the top 25 of the coaches’ poll. On offense, Auburn will look to continue to make defenses look more confused than a hungry baby in a topless bar. Since the early 1990’s, Gus Malzahn’s zone read offense has used a deadly mixture of the misdirection made popular by the triple option with zone blocking and the hurry-up-no-huddle. The results speak for themselves, so don’t expect much to change in terms of play calling. However, Auburn will look to a trio of running backs (Cameron Artis-Payne, Cory Grant and Peyton Barber) to fill the void left by Heisman Finalist Tre Mason. Additionally, although known more for his legs than his arm, quarterback Nick Marshall will have a host of weapons at receiver; everyone returns and the Tigers add a likely one-anddone talent in physical receiver Duke Williams. Speaking of Mr. Marshall, its scary to think that he’ll likely improve on his 3,079 combined yards and 26 TD’s. However, the real story on the offense is the offensive line, which boasts a combined 99 career starts, more than any other SEC team. Expect Auburn to continue to run behind that experienced offensive line and let Nick Marshall eat defenses alive with the play-action off the read-option. On the defensive side of the ball, Auburn’s 2013 motto seemed to be “bend but don’t break,” a motto they’d like to shed and probably will with plenty of contributors returning. Most of the time on defense it starts in the trenches, and Auburn’s defensive line is just plain nasty. Even with the loss of Dee Ford, Auburn is loaded with talented defensive linemen, all of whom wreaked havoc on SEC quarterbacks and made huge plays when needed. The Linebacker position is no different. Kris Frost, Casanova McKinzey, JaViere Mitchell, Anthony Swain and newcomer Tre’ Williams should make for a deep and athletic group of linebackers. The secondary, however, could be a work in progress. Jonathon Mincy and Jermaine Whitehead played well for Auburn last year and each started all 14 games, but after that, the secondary gets pretty darn thin. In fact, while LSU and Alabama will be the “sexy” tickets, I wouldn’t be surprised to see teams that like to throw the ball (Ole Miss & Texas A&M) give Auburn more trouble than run first, second and third teams like Alabama and LSU. I’m certainly in the minority, but I tend to think Alabama and LSU simply won’t be able to keep-up offensively in a game that is starting to leave defense on the shelf. Although I’ve painted a pretty picture so far, not everything will be peaches and cream for the Tigers. Auburn fans just learned that starting quarterback Nick Marshall and starting cornerback Jonathon Mincy will not play, at a minimum, the first quarter of the Arkansas game due to some legal trouble they found themselves in over the summer. Additionally, we learned that starting defensive end Carl Lawson, who was expected to fill Dee Ford’s shoes, is likely out for the year due to a knee injury, and starting left guard Alex Kozan “The Barbarian” is also out for the year due to a back injury. Even with those losses, I expect Auburn to have plenty on offense and defense to become the first team since Tennessee in 1997-98 to win back-to-back SEC Championships. Am I right? Am I wrong? Should I stick to my day job? Join us online every Monday morning starting this September to see if my predictions hold true. Until then, WAR EAGLE, The Auburnist
AUGUST 2014 • MADEPAPER.COM
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PHOTO MICHAEL STRICKLIN
PHOTO ETHAN GULLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO ETHAN GULLEY PHOTOGRAPHY 12
MADEPAPER.COM • SEPTEMBER 2014
PHOTO MICHAEL STRICKLIN
PHOTO ETHAN GULLEY PHOTOGRAPHY
WORDS KATIE VEGA I love to go antiquing. I love antiquing because everything old I
honing my skills, and challenging myself. That fall I really got
LS: “I love the seasons here. We get everything. Beautiful, glowing
lust over is so well made. These treasures I find (and fall in love
down to work, making as much as I could. I spent hours drawing
falls; cozy, gray winters; fresh, breezy springs; and lush, overgrown
with) were made with real-life human hands, years and years and
new wallets and bags while in class. I was obsessed, and the
summers, and even a little bit of snow here and there. I could do
years ago, and they remain intact, although patinaed. Certain
aesthetic that is Loyal Stricklin was born. I was fortunate enough
without the humidity and mosquitoes, but after a number of years,
people are bringing the craftsmen “let’s make things that last”
to have some great press from FOLK Magazine and collaborations
I’ve embraced the sticky, wet air!
lifestyle back to the forefront with their magical hands. One of
with 1924us and a few others that really got my name out there. I
those craftsmen is Michael Stricklin.
then moved my workspace into an old southern house in Opelika,
The south has been on fire lately. Maybe I didn’t notice it as much
and worked out of there until I moved into the Opelika Train Depot
as when I was younger, but there is just something so special
Michael Stricklin is founder of the American-made leather goods
with Cottonseed Studios. Growth has been pretty rapid, but at a
about the South. It just radiates a culture all its own, and it should
company Loyal Stricklin, and he lives and breathes the handmade
level that I have been comfortable with. I couldn’t be more
be celebrated. I’m proud to be a Southerner and call Alabama
lifestyle. A Homewood, Alabama native, Michael and Loyal
thankful. I now have three part-time employees.”
home. I love to travel and see how other people live, but the more
Stricklin now call historic Opelika their home. In the words of
I grow, the more I feel my roots taking hold here. The South has
Michael himself, Loyal Stricklin’s story is “one built on hard work,
MP: Why do you think buying handmade, local goods is
something honest and genuine to offer the world; maybe it’s the
late nights, and too many cups of coffee”. We talked to him to get
important? Why is it especially important in the South?
sweet tea and porch swings, maybe it’s the kind, smiling strangers,
a little insight on his talented self…
LS: “So many products are made overseas, and are made to fall
but either way, I’m just happy to be here.”
apart. I started this venture because I wanted to use items that wore
MP: Tell us how this all got started and how it has evolved.
in, not out. I’d rather pay $100 for a wallet that will last me 20 years
MP:Run us through the process of making your goods. LS:
LS: “I started working with leather out of my bedroom in early
and be even more beautiful beaten up, than spend $40 on a wallet
“It all starts with a drawing. I usually come up with an idea, draw
2012. I had a little money in my pocket and I really wanted to
that will fall apart and go to the garbage after a year or less of
it a dozen times, and then figure out dimensions on poster board
make a purchase that I could value. At the time, I was in
use. American made is usually a bit higher in price, but you can see
templates. From the templates I make a few samples and then a
architecture school at Auburn—a program that I loved, but even
the quality difference, because when a craftsman is making
production process is born.”
then, I wasn’t satisfied. We would spend months designing a
something, he cares about the final outcome and the quality of their
project only to make final drawings and models, without ever
item they have made themselves. I’ve found that plenty of Americans
MP: What is something most people don’t know about you?
actually having the chance to build our designs. I craved to see a
are fine spending a bit more for higher quality items, but it feels like
LS: “I’m a pretty goofy guy when it comes down to it. I have a
design go from drawing board to real life use. I had some
many of them don’t even know that American-made is an
serious look a good bit of the time, but all I really want to do is
experience in woodworking and welding, but I couldn’t do either of
option. “Made in China” has become the norm and our generation
share a good laugh with a friend and play with my pup.”
those from an apartment, so I bought some leather and got to
has become a throwaway culture. I generally think of buying local as
work. I worked slowly and only make 2 or 3 items a week, but I
buying American-made, whether it’s made in Alabama or Alaska, it’s
To learn more about Michael and Loyal Stricklin and to see his beautiful
didn’t give up. A year and a half later I had graduated from
important to support other Americans’ craft.”
work, visit their website at loyalstricklin.com, like them on Facebook, and
undergrad and had the summer off from school before going to
follow them on Instagram (@loyalstricklin). You won’t be able to resist
grad school for a Master of Integrated Design and Construction,
MP: What are some of your favorite things about Alabama, or
getting your hands on some of his goods (the Leather Tote Bag and Ruck
so I spent the entire summer working on leather for 8 hours a day,
the South in general?
Sack in Russet are a couple of my favorites).
September 6 Big Fish Book Signing Capitol Book & News
10 a.m. Part of AUM Connected’s Big Fish event line-up, author Daniel Wallace will be signing books at Capitol Book & News. capitolbook.com EGGLESTON, TROUBLED-WATERS
SOUTH SPECIFIC
COMMONPLACE
September 4 - 30, 2014 Curated by New York-based Y&S, South Specific brings together the work of eight emerging artists. Hailing from the American North, West and South, each of the artists’ explorations of material and process ultimately results in works that supersede their own components to speak in the conceptual language driving contemporary art practice today. Featuring the work of some of the most of-the-moment (read: collectible) artists in the US, this show is a don’t miss as it brings artists never before shown in Montgomery .Featured artists include: Dean Levin (b. 1988, South Africa/Los Angeles), New Orleans-based Julian Wellisz, Evn Robarts’ (b. Miami, FL), Henry Levy, a Los Angeles based artist, and three of the eight artists on the Still House Group’s permanent roster - Isaac Brest, Jack Greer and Dylan Lynch who work in the group’s shared Red Hook, Brooklyn studio. Y&S is a New York City based non-profit dedicated to the support of emerging and unrepresented artists. Founded and driven by a group of art enthusiasts, Y&S strives to give young artists a platform on which an everbroadening audience celebrates the works of their own generation. Y&S creates a bridge between young artists and a young audience, through group shows, lectures, studio visits and publications.
October 9-31, 2014 Featuring William Christenberry, William Eggleston, William Greiner, and Birney Imes, this exhibition brings together four photographers, native to the South, who pioneered and mastered the use of color photography as a fine art. Commonplace presents the rare opportunity to view in public internationally acclaimed works in the landscape from which they were made.
Visit www.youngandstarving.com Triumph & Disaster Gallery is located at the Courtyard of The A&P in Old Cloverdale. Follow it @triumphdisastergallery and visit www.triumphdisastergallery.com
Triumph & Disaster Gallery is located at the Courtyard of The A&P in Old Cloverdale. Follow it @triumphdisastergallery and visit www.triumphdisastergallery.com
NEW ALABAMA ART NATIVE DAUGHTER, NATIVE SON September 11 - October 3, 2014 Presenting new work by Margo Russell and Michael Vaughn Sims, Stonehenge Gallery is hosting a reception on September 11 at 5:30pm. Margo Russell received the Emily B. Gassenheimer Award for “Woods Behind the Fort” at the 2011 Montgomery Art Guild Museum Exhibition. She received she BFA from the University of Alabama and her MS in Art Education from Florida State University. Michael Vaughn Sims is the recipient of an Artist Fellowship in Visual Arts, awarded by the Alabama State Council on the Arts for 2014-2015. He received his BFA in Theatre from Auburn in 1989 and his MFA from Yale School of Drama in 1992. After sixteen years in New York as a theatrical designer, he returned to Lowndes County in 2008 to pursue a career as an independent fine artist.
September 6 Big Fish Capri Theatre
2 p.m. Join MADE Paper at the Capri for our September Launch Party and special showing of Big Fish with an intro from author Daniel Wallace. Part of AUM Connected’s Big Fish event line-up. capritheatre.org
September 12 & 13 Common Threads: Alabama’s Quilting Traditions Selma Friday, September 12 and
Saturday, September 13, the Alabama Folklife Association will lead their third session of a series of programs and workshops dedicated to the study, appreciation and education of Alabama’s quilting traditions. For a full schedule, registration and information, visit alabamafolklife.org or call 205.956.9888.
September 13 Waverly Fall Boogie Standard Deluxe
11 a.m. to 8 p.m. 3rd annual Waverly Fall Boogie promises live music, great food, art, exhibits & more. Happening rain or shine. For tickets & more info visit standarddeluxe.com.
September 18 MADE/Leroy Big Lebowski Party Leroy
5 p.m. Pre-party for the Capri’s annual showing of Big Lebowski at Leroy with costumes, drink specials, White Russians & your friends from MADE Paper. Showtime starts at 7:30 p.m.
September 21 International Day of Peace Cloverdale
Bottom Park 4:30 to 6 p.m.
Free yoga at Cloverdale Bottom Park brought to you by MJ Yoga’s Crew. mjyoga.net
Stonehenge Gallery is ocated at 1041 East Fairview Ave. Call 334 262 8256 for more details. SEPTEMBER 2014 • MADEPAPER.COM
13
OKTOBERFEST in The MGM
Smell that in the air? Behind the fading whiff of coconut sunscreen, it’s there. It’s subtle, but you catch it in the breeze: the hint of grilled sausages, the promise of fires and falling leaves, and yes, dark, heady beer. Maibock and Kolsch and Mårzen, to be precise. With a fond farewell to the simple pilsners of summer, we turn to September and welcome back our old friend Oktoberfest. Now before you post to MADE’s Facebook page saying how silly we are, remember that Oktoberfest begins this month in Germany and carries through the first weekend in October. Being good beer drinking folks, we tend to extend the celebrations throughout next month to take advantage of craft beer, filling food and fall weather. So where to celebrate Oktoberfest 2014? Oktoberfest festivities fall into three general categories: sloppy, craft, or tongue-in-cheek. If you are after sloppy, stop here. But if you are interested in craft or tongue-in-cheek, you’ve found the right source. Montgomery has a handful of unique events that reflect its newfound hipness. Check them out it’s worth the support for these local establishments.
WORDS ANNA LOWDER
This fall brings the Fifth Annual Oktoberfest at The Tipping Point. Set in its outdoor beer gardens, this massive event brings craft beer tastings from the South’s best breweries and a special menu of German “pub” specialties like beerbraised bratwurst and German pretzels. With live music by Zac Martin, this event sells out every year so don’t wait until the last minute. This year, The Tipping Point is joining with the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra to integrate music into the beer bash. A first for Montgomery’s Oktoberfest, this is a unique approach not to be missed. Details are under wraps until the event night, but support for local music and tastings by Blue Pants, Brew Stooges, Rocket Republic sounds like a great night out to us. Elsewhere, El Rey & Leroy Oktoberfest is Friday, October 3rd in Cloverdale. Featuring DJ Kevin Nutt & friends, the specialty house-made chorizo dogs, currywurst and vegan chorizo dogs return with 20+ German beers. Tavernfest returns to Downtown’s Old Alabama Town on October 17th. Lucas Tavern, on North Hull Street, is the
oldest building in Montgomery County - the perfect venue to celebrate Oktoberfest and the spirit of the old tavern at Tavernfest. There will be craft beer and wine tastings, music from Mike Whitty Band, tavern-style food, and porch packages are available for private tables on history cottages.
September 19: The Tipping Point’s Oktoberfest Craft beer tastings 5-7 p.m. Live music from 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.tippingpointhampstead. com. This event sells out every year, advance ticket purchase is recommended. Proceeds benefit the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra.
October 3: El Rey & Leroy Oktoberfest Food from 4 p.m., DJs from 7 p.m. Find out more at www.burritolounge.com.
October 17: Tavernfest at Old Alabama Town Gates open at 6pm, band starts at 7pm. For info call 334 240 4500. Proceeds benefit Landmarks Foundation and help bring more school children to learn about history at Old Alabama Town. Tickets are $10 pre-sale, $15 at the gate.
This is my favorite time of year for beer.*
WORDS SAM WOOTTEN
Late Summer and early Fall bring about the release of more styles and unique once-a-year brews (Pumpkins, Harvests, “Autumn”, Oktoberfest, etc) that prepare your palate for the coming season, with a gentle reminder that Winter is coming. It says, “Go ahead. Enjoy the sweetness and warmth while it lasts. Frolic and let the liquid bread soothe your pangs of saying goodbye to summer. Beer will be beside you as the days grow shorter, and the nights get longer. A steady companion for watching the leaves change, beer won’t let you down.” Oktoberfest is traditionally a herald of the changing of the guard for beer styles, but with the popularity of certain brews and the ease of access to ingredients, many seasonal releases are now year-round offerings. Or, as is the case with many “seasonal” items, Fall arrives midsummer, Halloween candy is on the shelf at the end of July, Christmas items arrive before Thanksgiving, and Valentine’s is out by New Year’s. Up is down, down is up. Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria! You can look at it as consumerism run amok, or enjoy the opportunity to get more of what you like with out all that pesky anticipation. However, it can be overwhelming. What do we drink, and when do we drink it?! Thankfully, your friends at MADE have taken the time to negotiate the murky waters of this beer conundrum, with a little bit of beer history, and some suggestions that keep the focus where we like it - in Alabama - with a touch of Deutschland for good measure. In Germany, Oktoberfest has always started in late-September. I know, it seems crazy, but it’s true. This is less about marketing and extending the sales window for products, and more about when a prince got married a long, long time ago, and had an amazing party to celebrate his nuptials with a couple of weeks worth of drinking. I guess people liked it so much they just decided to keep doing it every year. In honor of that Teutonic genius, we highly recommend some Alabama-brewed versions of German beers that you can enjoy at this year’s Oktoberfest party. *This is not exactly the whole truth. Each approaching season is my favorite time of year for beer. There is no bad time for beer.
Straight to Ale Sand Island Lighthouse (Huntsville, AL) STA knows a thing or two about beer (and rocket science), and it really shows with this light, easy-to-drink ale. They describe their kolsch much better that I could hope to (see below), but know that it is a go-to beer for any light beer fan. Tasting Notes & Details: “A German kolsch-style ale, clean and refreshing, Mildly sweet with a touch of Tettnanger hop bitterness in the finish, it is the perfect brew for warm weather or anytime of year. 5.1% ABV 14
MADEPAPER.COM • SEPTEMBER 2014
Blue Pants Oktoberfest (Madison, AL) These guys know how to work and consistently produce super-tasty beer. I look forward to this one every year, and it is because their Oktoberfest isn’t as sweet as some others. Just good, clean fun. See their description, and judge for yourself. Tasting Notes & Details: “Brewed to the upper end of the alcohol limit of the classic style, uses all German Vienna and Munich malts. Oktoberfest vary widely in color depending on their historical tradition. This the most common style in the North, which is lighter in color but still rich in flavor. Bready with a smooth sweet maltiness. Incredibly clean with the traditional lager characteristics to compliment the rich tastes of Vienna and Munich Malt. 6.0 % ABV”
Avondale Meredith Marzen (Birmingham, AL) Great story about this beer on Avondale’s website being named after a ghost in the building. Equally as fun is this Marzen tastes as good as any that I’ve had from Germany, and it’s brewed right here in Alabama! Tasting Notes & Details: “The Marzen style of beer is also known as an Oktoberfest style, traditionally brewed in March and cellared in caves until the end of summer. It was a special beer to be enjoyed at Oktoberfest in Bavaria. The finest malts from the previous year’s crops were used to brew this premium lager in celebration of the new brewing season. The brew has a deep golden hue, the aroma is clean and malty. Malt is the major player in this brew and it dominates the palate. The rich malt character is derived from mostly Vienna and Munich malt. The Vienna adds a toasty and biscuity flavor that is balanced by the sweet Munich malt. 5.5%ABV”
Yellowhammer Lost Highway Black Lager (Huntsville, AL) Yellowhammer does its thing with a schwarzbier, and the result is awesome. I am a huge fan of their beers, and think that this one does not disappoint. It’s easy to drink, with yummy toasty/roasty notes. Don’t let the dark color scare you. This one is not heavy. Tasting Notes & Details: “A German-style schwarzbier, or “black beer,” brewed with a blend of German Munich malt, Vienna malt and “huskless” roasted malts, which give the beer a smooth toasty character. [Yellowhammer’s] version employs a German ale yeast rather than the traditional lager yeast. 5.8% ABV”
Sam Wootten is the proprietor of the Tipping Point in Hampstead. Their 5th Annual Oktoberfest is September 19th, and will feature these beers and oh, so much more. He hopes you will come drink with him.
The New Tailgaiting Necessities
WORDS & PHOTO WILL ABNER
PHOTO JONATHON KOHN
In case you haven’t heard, college football season is upon us.
dusty bottles of Schweppes Tonic in your liquor cabinet and clear
going to be eating, some killer BBQ or just about anything grilled. This
Awesome weather, passionate pom-pom shaking, cookouts, and
room for Jack Rudy! This amazing tonic is bright and floral, true to
spectacular Oregon pinot does everything. Great red fruit aromas, a
tailgates galore. I really can’t wait to see what this Fall brings us. A
what tonic is supposed to be. Just add a splash of your favorite
little spice and earth on the palate makes for a perfect pre-game vino.
few of us here at the restaurant were discussing our favorite tailgate
sparkling water to an ounce of this stuff...Jam!
Open this on one of those cooler, late game evenings.
going to be drinking this year. Of course, there’s always room for craft
27 SPRINGS GIN: Yeah, you could use your boring ol’ vodka or gin to
ANGEL’S ENVY BOURBON: Don’t let the name fool you, this stuff
beers in the cooler, and maybe a few more not-so-craft beers for
go with that kickass tonic mentioned above, but why ruin a good
made it to the list for a reason. When the moment comes for the
those marathon tailgating days. It’s in my job description however, to
thing. How about making a little effort and grabbing a bottle of this
perfect whiskey drink with a couple of rocks, this is it. Like I
think about how we can toast our favorite teams and consume good
stuff from High Ridge Spirits. It’s the best gin I’ve seen all Summer
mentioned before, it’s all about character. Angel’s Envy is finished in
beverage in style and with ease.
and sure to blow you away. Not to mention it’s practically made in
ruby port casks, producing a well balanced, rich and round sip of
our backyard. Easily mixed on any truck tailgate, two ounces of gin,
bourbon.
treats recently, and I started thinking about what the heck are we
Here are a few things that I have come across recently that should help
one ounce of Jack Rudy, a splash of soda...heck, just eyeball it. BULLEIT 10: Speaking of character, this bourbon right here is
us out. Some items are listed because they make for great, easy gameday cocktails, and others are listed because they are just damn good.
REYKA VODKA: Like I said earlier about the tonic, why ruin it with
excellent for the price. Just like its younger brother, the 10 offers great
Trust me on this, the Dewars, Titos, Mich Ultra, and Tanquerays are tired.
mediocre, blasé vodka. This stuff from Iceland has character, without
oaky spice, followed by a really interesting tropical/floral/fruit finish.
the price tag. Mineral driven, and incredibly smooth, it does great
Yeah, I said fruit when talking about bourbon. Don’t go running back
BUFFALO ROCK GINGER ALE: Awesome, distinctive packaging, and
with anything. It is just vodka after all. Use this in combination with
to your Jim Beam just yet, give it a taste and expand your palate a
an Alabama classic this ginger ale makes a killer alternative to a
the Buffalo Rock and a lime for a kick on the Moscow Mule, or with
little.
Moscow Mule. If vodka isn’t your thing then try it with bourbon. Its
the Jack Rudy.
big, bold spice can pair with even the lowliest whiskeys. JACK RUDY TONIC: This stuff will spoil you. Go throw away all of the
Will Abner is the sommelier and supreme bartender at SpringHouse on Lake
2012 BIG TABLE FARM WILLAMETTE VALLEY PINOT NOIR: Yeah,
Martin. You can catch up with him there, and even in Garden & Gun these
we are going to need some wine. Think about what your probably
days. But always at MADE Paper.
SPOON: They Want My Soul
COURTESY LOMA VISTA RECORDINGS
Coming as they do from a consummate “album band,” new releases by Austin fivepiece Spoon are considered gratification for the Beatles / Stones camp, Classic Rock radio lovers let down by post9/11 music culture. The group’s last LP, Transference, explored a prickly anti-pop domain only to be overlooked by the general public, an inevitability that disappointed the already drained band. After a hiatus, recharged at least to a smolder, the band hired MGMT producer Dave Friddman to help them explore the other side of their coin: commercial appeal. They Want My Soul, the band’s anticipated ninth album, is being touted as their most accessible release to date. Often described as minimalist, Spoon eviscerates large sections of fat from their songs to exert a fascinating self-control, unlike bands like The XX or Low, who start small and stay there for a discrete purpose. When faced with the candy shop of production gimmickry available to today’s wellfunded Rock band, Spoon doesn’t so much opt out as engage in musical bulimia. Hearing what they keep in and what they omit is part of what makes engaging with their albums a ritual and enduring pleasure. Masters at staying on the bucking bull that sends lesser mid-level groups hurtling either to a sandeddown commerciality or nebulous nowheresville, it would appear you’d be wise not to doubt them, but is the new album an overcorrection? Bookended by bland, harmless filler, They Want My Soul is a real seven-ten split. “Rent I Pay” is a simplistic caricature of their earlier work, so to see it rushed out as both the first track and single 16
MADEPAPER.COM • SEPTEMBER 2014
points to one of Spoon’s weaknesses: not always understanding what people like about them. Another potential red mark is that the group, guided by the distinct brand of their new producer’s sound, has responded to the cactus-like, angular dryness of their last release by pushing themselves into a lush (but cold) Modern Contemporary world, one in which their edges have been nearly too smoothed out for the comfort of the inner hellion that lies at the heart of Rock and Roll. As much as you might fear the misdirection the band could go from here, they’re not there yet, singer Britt Daniel anti-heroically snarly and personable as ever. He goes to great lengths to adhere a dissatisfied humanity to the windexed production for balance. The problem is that dramarich They Want My Soul promises to be about something: society, social media, the NSA, Youtube commenters, haters, hipsters, hamsters, zealots – The trope of THEY – and a soul in peril, but Daniel seems too distracted by an unrelatable NYC heartstomping to focus, splitting the narrative to such an extent that you wonder if the tracklist wouldn’t best be served as two brilliant, five-song EP’s. Thankfully, Britt’s mojo-less spirit aspect evaporates at just the right times on record, such as when he delivers a life-affirming suckerpunch to Zach Braff on “Outlier.” Despite strategic missteps at play, Spoon’s overall craftsmanship is keen, and while taking fewer risks, they still elaborate on old sonic ideas their fans wished they would, headphone-ready scorchers like “Knock Knock Knock” showing off the same dizzying cut-and-paste doodad editing chops of Gimme Fiction’s “Was It You?” “Do You,” the album’s second single, is such cyclical fun that you could Doot-Doot-Dit-Do It on repeat for hours and just get lost in it, like all of Spoon’s best songs. Also darn good is the incredulous early-Beatles-via-Ann Margret cover, “I Just Don’t Understand,” a straightforward rendition of the vampy, ragtime-tinged waltz that flirts with Zombies
– of the Argent variety - yet continues to fly further sunward toward the heat of The White Album’s “Yer Blues.” Single three, “Inside Out,” is fresh oxygen, its semisloppy Chinese harp scales endearing rather than irritating. Meanwhile, buried on the B-side, little gem “Let Me Be Mine” takes a straightforward Power Pop beat and twists it into an Alan Parson Project before dropping down to a moonlit forest for sublime owl hoots in the breaks. That’s good weird, a great example of how Spoon likes to climax in a cinematic fashion, preferring to use the last track (in this case, the gross synth dance tune “New York Kiss”) to roll credits by rather than leave the audience hanging. The band’s burnout preceding this release sounds like it’s been well-bandaged. Producer Friddman may have cobbled a swift and decent Spoon album, an infinitely more popular cousin to their last, but it’s hard to shake the sense that there are a few hairline cracks in the vacuum, with generic Eighties and Nineties Top 40 seeping into Spoon’s carefully curated world. The few sour tracks from the band’s prior releases may have been too odd, but they had character, unlike the blah that threatens to shade They Want My Soul’s short tracklist. Musically still very worthy, but a missed thematic opportunity, a last minute lyric restructuring might have been enough to make it a bona fide classic from the band. As it stands, it’s just another feather in their cap. They Want My Soul is best seen as an incremental improvement, or minor comeback, if you will. “Do You,” now enjoying airplay, shares real estate with several well-adorned, equally strong friends. If you like Spoon, listen to the whole thing, get as obsessed with the act as a Spoon release demands. Bands of Spoon’s caliber and pedigree are rare on today’s radio, so grading them solely upon their latent capabilities can make criticism misleading when they still destroy ninety-nine percent of their competition. Longtime fans will admit that the band is capable of better work, but not too much better.
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VISIT THE HAMPSTEAD INFORMATION OFFICE & MODEL OPEN DAILY CALL FORREST MEADOWS AT 270.6730 HAMPSTEAD IS LOCATED ON TAYLOR ROAD, 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF VAUGHN ROAD INTERSECTION Town building, design, & construction are an evolving process. The Hampstead master plan, features, floor plans, & pricing may change without notice due to a variety of considerations. Any illustrations are artist’s depictions only & may differ from completed improvements. This is not an offer to sell real estate property. Information is correct but not warranted. Void where prohibited by law. Equal Housing Opportunity.© 2014
SEPTEMBER 2014 • MADEPAPER.COM
07
O P E N TA B L E DINER'S CHOICE W IN N E R
FROM JAMES BEARD AWARD SEMI-FINALIST
Chef Wesley True
LOCATED IN HISTORIC OLD CLOVERDALE NEAR DOWNTOWN MONTGOMERY truemontgomery.com
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5 503 Cloverdale Rd.
Secret Stages
Words BRIAN CARROLL
In August, I went to Secret Stages in Birmingham and had a blast. Featuring over sixty unknown bands in five neighboring venues, it was a music lover’s Disneyland and I highly recommend you go next year. Here are some of my favorite shows from the two-day event: The Debauchees – Louisville, KY Like a Rockabilly Arctic Monkeys, mysterious young Louisville trio The Debauchees delivered a sharp and clever set with a shy, devil-may-care attitude and wound-up punk energy in spades. Singer Sydney Chadwick hid behind her hair, a Squire guitar, and dangerously advanced vocal and guitar melodies flanked by a super-tight rhythm section. With no aspirations to stay in the garage, the band led the crowd through a cool, mischievous set that began at viable, Mr. Gnome-like Pop/Rock and crested with face-melting Math Rock and Jazz flourishes without losing their signature sound. I was surprised to see how surprised the band was that everyone liked them so much. It’s entirely possible Louisville audiences don’t know how to process a band this aggressive and mischievous. The band has a record on Spotify called Big Machines and Peculiar Beings. You’re likely never to find a more delectable concoction of sweetness, detachment, and ennui than spinning, eerie 6/8-power-ballad “It’s All Endorphines.” After looking that song up, check out the next track, hyperactive Latin phrase dropping “I’ve Got Energy.” Looking back, I can tell that the band played a couple of searing ass-kickers that aren’t on their album, so put the band’s live act on your radar. Something about their inescapable Southernity combined with such a European sound makes you want to root for the group as they find their way through the murky indifference of the American music landscape. Anthony Fantano is full of shit, Big Machines and Peculiar Beings is a great record. Check it out.
Mechanical River – Charleston, South Carolina Charleston two-piece Mechanical River put on the most-talked about set of the weekend at brightly-lit fashion store Harold and Mod. Essentially a cymbal kicking one-man band with a tambourine shoe and electric cigar box ukulele, backed by yet another multiinstrumentalist, singer / songwriter Joel T. Hamilton howled to the pop deities Casio and Roland through a microphone embedded in a football helmet. Laying out their gear on an ironing board, the band’s homespun charm, positive songs, lack of slickness, and outright sung compliments won over the crowd, changing the early dynamic of the weekend from a ticking a checklist of second-hand-buzz bands to seeking out the groups with the weirdest names that no one knew anything about. With soft fuzz and reverb repurposed as a warm glaze, Mechanical River’s natural combination of folk, Lo-fi Electro Pop, and Chillwave sounds like a Walkmen- and My Morning Jacket-friendly update of XTC’s lush psychedelia lightly frosted with the spooky Folk sweetness of Devendra Banhart and John Jacob Niles. Though much cleaner than his live set, Hamilton’s latest album, Astral Castle, is beautiful and worth seeking out.
Passing Parade – Jackson, Mississippi What started as a hard-rocking and tuneful Power Pop set by the down-to-earth guys in Passing Parade quickly evolved into something stranger to the morbid delight of those in attendance. After a couple of balls-to-the-wall, high-flying stadium Rock songs, the band took it down a notch to explore noisy Delta-inspired blues for the rest of their set, and in
the mix I heard a glorious, beefy rebirth of the Morphine sound. Maybe I’m just the sort of listener who gets the band, but hearing a loud, swaggering Rock set with swamp roots exposed stood out as authentic when compared to so many of today’s Indie Rock acts that mimic safe, easy-peasy influences. In talking with the singer Cody Cox about life in Jackson, it sounds like the state next door’s capitol city is enjoying a musical renaissance, with group shows among original bands at an all-time high and plenty of neutral, unbranded turf to go around.
Armand Margjeka – Birmingham, AL I wanted to include one of the several wonderful local bands in attendance at Secret Stages. From the impeccable art direction and costuming of sprawling Hip-Hop group The Green Seed to the nuanced, jazzy guitar feedback symphonies of Baghouse, the festival was a great way for me to check out several of Birmingham’s most popular bands all in one go. Solo artist Armand Margjeka, backed with four additional players in support of his recently released album Hummingbird, put on an otherworldly, moody set with the most inherent journalist cud of the bunch: First off, the guy’s from Albania, and though gruff in appearance, is a sweet, soft, and modest balladeer at heart. Margjeka began his set with an unusual stylistic homage to Phil Collins’s “In the Air Tonight,” accomplished by use of requisite a capella vocal effects and moody lighting (drum pad suit a no-show). It was the perfect sundown music, but as the band quizzically explored other comfortable Eighties Contemporary influences like Peter Gabriel, Robert Palmer, and Paul Simon, I kept wondering if they were ever going to break out the rugged Eastern European gypsy folk you could hear being repressed in the architecture of Margjeka’s songs. When finally unleashed and fully endorsed by his band, the Near-Russian influence emerged to a powerful, impish extent at the set’s nadir that the crowd roared in delight and approval. While you might be tempted to hear a replication of Margjeka’s tricky intercontinental bait-and-switch on Hummingbird, the record, unfortunately, doesn’t do the robust, twangy live set justice. Seek out Armand Margjeka, Baghouse, and The Green Seed in concert ASAP. In closing: Secret Stages is tricky for just one person to cover, with four or five concerts going on simultaneously, no one experiences the same festival as the person next to them. I swore I’d return in 2015 to recapture the permasmile of being up close to so much unknown music. Even though I was perpetually on the move, it was the closest thing I had to a vacation this year. The event showcased a mind-blowing amount of incredibly grateful and talented underground musicians, and I can tell the festival was a moving, bright point of the year for many of them. Many thanks and good blessings to the people behind this event for giving them all equal billing. That sort of open-minded, generous spirit is what being a good host to musicians is all about, a point sadly lost on the overwhelming number of originality-phobic venues here in Montgomery. As for you, reader of music columns, you must find a way to go to Secret Stages next year. For details on this year’s event and to stay tuned for 2015, visit www.secretstages.net.
DEBAUCHEES COURTESY SECRET STAGES
SEPTEMBER 2014 • MADEPAPER.COM
19
Russell Lands On Lake Martin is an idyllic place on the shores of Lake Martin, Alabama’s largest lake. With 44,000 acres of
the southeast. Russell Lands On Lake Martin lies at the heart of Lake Martin and includes 25,000 acres of pristine forests with
pristine water and 750 miles of
more than 80 miles of hiking, bik-
shoreline, Lake Martin is a recre-
ing and equestrian trails, four flag-
ation destination unparalleled in
ship marinas, an outstanding, private golf course and country club, and a town center - Russell Crossroads - that harkens back to a simpler time, yet provides charming shopping and fine dining opportunities.
Throughout our country’s history,
the town center has served as a community gathering spot – a common meeting ground to shop, to dine and if luck had it, to leave with a few friendships formed. Located in the heart of Russell Lands On Lake Martin, Russell Crossroads perfectly blends these storied traditions with today’s conveniences. For more information, call 256-215-7011 or visit RussellLandsOnLakeMartin.com