Mountain Xpress, May 19 2010 by Mountain Xpress

Our 16th Year Weekly Independent News, Arts & Events for Western North Carolina Vol. 16 No. 43 May 19 - 25, 2010

BANDING AGAINST BASHING p.14

DRUG COURT SAVES LIVES p.16

ACS SAYS GOODBYE TO ITS LONGTIME DIRECTOR p.60

MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ mountainx.com

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p. 54 Feeling the Moog spirit Music pioneer Bob Moog would’ve been 76 this week. To celebrate, and to help carry his legacy forward, the Bob Moog Foundation has a stellar event in store. Keyboard wizard Erik Norlander brings his mammoth “Wall of Doom” synthesizer to town, and he’ll be joined by a host of local musicians and instruments, along with the debut of Moog Filtered Ale. It promises to be a celebration of Moog proportions.

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Cover design by Kathy Wadham Photograph courtesy the Bob Moog Foundation

news 14 not bashful Marchers call attention to anti-LGBT incidents 16 life saver County drug court saves lives, money 20 three b’s for boobs A benefit for Beauty Through Cancer

arts&entertainment 56 continental drift Josh Rouse returns to Asheville with his well-traveled El Turista

58 soul of the hills Tim Eriksen may be king of an obscure subgenre, and with good reason

60 adieu, adieu Asheville Choral Society says a fond farewell to its longtime music director

61 jeanius Truth & Salvage Co. with a new CD, decides to release it in Asheville

62 junker’s blues Kewpies of the damned

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MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

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letters Working should keep you out of poverty In response to the article “Down and Out,” which ran in the Mountain Xpress the week of May 5, and especially Christopher Head’s excellent comment: “I don’t mind not making very much money, but I’d like to not have to worry about paying rent every single month. I don’t feel that these lower-paying jobs are worthless: Someone has to do them. I’m not saying we should make tons of money, but since someone has to do these jobs, they should be able to afford to live [in exchange] for working all the time.” The connection between unemployment and poverty is fairly clear — no work, no income — but the connection between low-wage employment and poverty is not so often emphasized. Today, millions of working people struggle to cover the cost of housing, food, health care, childcare and other basic necessities. According to N.C. Employment Security Commission data released in 2009, 31 percent of the Buncombe County workforce earns less than the minimum required for an individual to afford basic necessities — that means that one third of Buncombe County workers are struggling each month to pay their bills. As Forbes’ article states further on, 28 percent of all families receiving food stamps are working full-time. I believe that working should keep you out of poverty. That working people have to rely on federal aid to make ends meet is not only counter-

intuitive, it’s counterproductive: social services are more costly to taxpayers than they are valuable to recipients. Raising wages is a more effective way of boosting worker incomes and also builds economic self-sufficiency and job satisfaction among workers. Better paid, happier and healthier employees translates to lower turnover rates and training costs for businesses. Research shows that businesses that pay good wages are more likely to be sustainable in the long term, and (as Governor Purdue emphasized recently) strong local business are critical to our economic recovery. How we handle poverty now affects the speed and sustainability of our community’s economic recovery. Just increasing the employment rates in minimum-wage and low-wage jobs isn’t enough to keep poverty out of Buncombe County. What can we do to get over the hump? Getting working people out of poverty is the first step. Employers, including Asheville city contractors, must support their workers by paying a Living Wage. For 2010, this is $11.35/hour or $9.85/hour with employer-provided benefits. Consumers must support these businesses and shop Living Wage Certified (look for the sticker emblem in store windows throughout Asheville). And the broader community must shift its focus away from short-term fixes to poverty, investing instead in efforts that address the root causes of poverty and aim for a sustainable economic recovery that works for all. — Sophia Hatz Americorps VISTA, Voices Program Coordinator

Send letters to: Letters to the Editor, Mountain Xpress, P.O. Box 144, Asheville, NC 28802 or by e-mail to letters@mountainx.com. (Include name, address and phone number.)

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UNFORGETTABLE One more face of local poverty: the child

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Thank you for bringing attention to the problem of poverty in our community. As David Forbes described in the article “Down and Out in Asheville” [May 5], poverty is a silent epidemic that is taking its toll on seniors, working adults and families. There is one more group that is being hit particularly hard, but their voice is not being heard. That is children. One out of every five children in Buncombe County lives in poverty. Poverty affects how children grow, learn and develop. It influences how children will be as adults by impacting their long-term social and economic development. This is why Children First/Communities in Schools is leading a community-wide initiative to reduce the impact of child poverty in Buncombe County. The team is charged with inspiring and sustaining a local movement to reduce the impact of child poverty in Buncombe County through education, collaboration and public-policy advocacy. We chose to focus on three key areas that are at the root of child poverty in our community: • Early Childhood Development and Education: New research on childhood development emphasizes how critical the early years of 0-5 are for a child’s long-term health and success. Ensuring quality early care and education is key. • Family Supports: This encompasses the services provided to families, such as Food Stamps or Medicaid. It also includes how family and community members support one another and the stresses that go along with living in poverty. • Economic Stability and Asset Development: Of course, it’s about jobs. But it’s also about supporting financial literacy and savings accounts for children. Child poverty touches all of us, not just those who have trouble making ends meet. A bright, healthy, well-adjusted community and workforce in the future starts with all our children today. — Allison Jordan executive director Children First/Communities in Schools Asheville

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Downtown vandals: Presumption of guilt is dangerous As I left work in downtown on May 1, glass littered the street, a few planters were turned over, some windows in the Grove Arcade were broken and some personal vehicles were smashed up. Police were everywhere; I went to check my vehicle, parked in the Wall Street deck, and saw black clothes ditched after the rampage. Outside the deck, a couple police officers stopped me and — pointing to my apron, which is black, and my T-shirt, also black — inquired about my comings and goings. I still had my work shirt on and protested, offering to corroborate my statements. These are not the droids you are looking for.

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For other Molton cartoons, check out our Web page at www.mountainx.com/cartoons Back inside work, the kitchen staff buzzed about what they saw and suggested possible reasoning for the action, noting a mainstream media outlet and a bank being attacked. In the following days, the chorus sang out about the damage to small and local businesses, the implication being that the action might have been supportable had only large corporate targets been attacked. Frankly, I think the protesters did the people of Asheville a disservice by coming halfway across the country or state to indiscriminately smash a town they know nothing about. As if there aren’t symbols of our corporate domination in Raleigh or Carrboro. It’s sloppy. That said, if shooting a cyclist in front of his family will only merit a four-month sentence, how much punishment should a broken-glass

spree whose total doesn’t exceed the value of a used luxury car merit? Hardly any, if past indications could be trusted. However, we do not live in this world. Smashing and burning with intent to collect insurance money, i.e., fraud and property destruction, carries less of a sentence than the same destructive actions carried out with a political purpose. That is because ideas are dangerous. Also dangerous, is the presumption of guilt — a campaign of which the Asheville Citizen-Times has embarked upon. It is altogether unsurprising as they were one of the targets. I wish the protesters had stayed there and worked over the CitizenTimes, that conglomerate-owned, yellow-journalistic, four-page coupon sheet. There would be no hand wringing. Ignorance of events and relying

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on only hearsay is no way to draw conclusions about groups of people. That said, let’s assume for a moment that everybody is right. This was a perfect example of spoiled-rotten, half-baked rioters messin’ with our nice quaint little town. The flip side is right too: Our economic system, based on importation of vital goods and tourism, is bound for collapse and ecological destruction. This is already occurring in slow motion. Our institutions are hollowed out and politicians throw us semantics like scraps from the table every four years when they take a break from collecting corporate donations to run for the office they have been neglecting. The older generations of our society are succumbing to the psychology of previous investment, like a lemon of a car, worked on and tweaked, barely running and holding on until it is gifted to the youth. We recognize this for what it is, a lemon and unpaid bill with our name on it. But it’s not a car; it’s our future. There is great work to be done anywhere you look and we — anarchists, anti-authoritarians and decentralists — cannot afford to be needlessly destructive. We will need help to build a culture of direct participation, ecological justice and equality. Let’s get busy building it up and we’ll find some allies to help us tear it down. — Martin Ramsey Asheville

The problem isn’t anarchism or any other ‘ism’; it’s violence I’d like to thank the worker-owners of Firestorm Café — Emma Chandler, Evan Edwards, Scott Evans, Meg Hen, Daniel Lee, Sara LynchThomason, Joe Rinehart, Eli Scott and Rebbecca Soup — for their collective comment in last week’s issue [Commentary, “Sound Bite Vandalism: An Anarchist Response to Media Hysteria,” May 12]. At a time of great confusion and concern, their statement is remarkable for its calm intelligence. I applaud them for trying to clear the air of some of the misconceptions surrounding “anarchism” by pointing out that the movement has a long, diverse and in many ways admirable history. But there is a further point to be made here: The real problem is not anarchism or any other “ism,” but violence, which seems to tempt people of every political stripe, or of no professed stripe at all. And violence produces only more violence, not change. Thoreau knew this, Gandhi knew this, Martin Luther King Jr. knew this. As did (come to think of it) a certain Jewish carpenter. The anarchist community, like all communities, has to come to terms with the violent people who invoke its name in the service of destruction. If the capitalist hegemony you oppose really is crumbling and imploding under the weight of its own injustice, all you have to do is offer a viable alternative, and make it clear that your community abhors violence as a political means, no less than as an end in itself. — John Crutchfield Asheville

Low primary voter turnout tells politicans we’re not paying attention The May 4 primary elections have come and gone, and in our district we had a disappointing 14 percent of registered voters participate in the

MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

primary elections. This is highly disappointing for numerous reasons. When unemployment is in double digits in our state and country and we have politicians in Washington who have, once again, failed to deliver what they promised to their supporters, you would expect people to be much more willing to exercise their privilege, not right, to vote. When some criticize the younger citizens for not becoming involved in the political process in the future, they should be asked, “Did you vote in the primary election in May?” We are not only becoming irresponsible for refusing to replace politicians who have made a career out of producing and campaigning off strong rhetoric and we are leaving a terrible precedent for future generations to follow. We must examine, question and follow the actions of our elected officials as much as we can because when we stay onto them, they know better than to lie or mislead the people that they “represent.” Those who choose to ignore the will of the people should be replaced as soon as possible, not given another chance to repeat the same mistakes over and over again. It is now up to us if we decided to pay attention and then actually participate. It is time to prove to our politicians that we know what they are doing and we know how they are doing it. They still believe that they can easily convince the people to vote for them just because they have great offers. But when it comes time to deliver those promises and offers, they back away and lose the spine that they pretended to have while campaigning. We need experienced candidates who understand the stress and troubles that the American people are forced to face, not candidates who have always had a silver spoon in their mouth. We must have candidates and elected officials who stand by true values and morals in which they live their lives by, not a set of values that was developed due to a run for a public office. If we continue on this path of dependency, irresponsibility and laziness, our failures will rise and our accomplishments, as a country and a people, will decrease. Let’s reenergize ourselves and set a good example for those that will be running the country soon. Remember that the next generation’s decisions will be vital to the future of our country. Do we really want to set a precedent that includes laziness and irresponsibility or one of accomplishment, education and boldness? You decide. Maybe we can do better in two more years. — Colby D. Carr, chairman Burke County TACS

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You can speak about your values, but you can’t speak for all of us Mr. Eck, in his letter [”Democrats Don’t Represent Our Mountain Values,” May 5], claims to speak for all the other humans who live in this area. His values are not my values; in fact, I have strong disagreements with most of his. I accept his right to speak of his values, but not for others. I view both major [political] parties as pretty poor performers, but the Republican(‘t) party has acted consistently against the interests of most U.S. citizens. — Stephen Rinsler Arden

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commentary

Everything is illuminated

HATCHfest Asheville lights fires, opens doors by Lorin Mallorie Three months before I was due to graduate and launch a career as a print journalist, the realization struck like a lightning bolt: I want to make movies. Go figure. With my rational mind furiously battling my heart, the easiest thing would be simply to sideline my vision and walk stiffly out into the working world. But I’m an Ashevillean, and in this town, we nurture our dreams. Hatchfest was born in Bozeman, Montana, in 2004; Asheville debuted as an East Coast partner last year. Designed to inspire and enlighten the next generation, the festival brings together mentors from a variety of creative industries in an explosion of cross-disciplinary conversations and workshops. Along with five of my UNCA classmates, I was chosen as a “groundbreaker” journalist for this year’s HATCHfest Asheville, which ran April 15-18. We were given the royal treatment during an event designed specifically to connect tomorrow’s creative minds with today’s successful professionals.

Guess again. Clad in a jean jacket and seated on the floor with his golden retriever, he introduced himself as Charlie. We learned to tweet together, playing with brief, boiled-down sentences and discovering that it’s actually kind of fun. To find myself tweeting with the scion of an American media dynasty is a powerful metaphor for the changing face of media and the world today. “I am still searching and learning,” Annanberg said during the social-change panel later that day. “The desire to help people has always been a part of my life.” And Barnet Bain, who produced What Dreams May Come, giggled as he talked about the collapse of L.A.’s economy, which cost him and everybody else in Hollywood a good deal of money. But for Bain, life is a continual state of transformation, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Follow your passion, he urged me, because it’s the message, not the means, that matters. “Your time is now,” he added with a smile. About to embark on a monthlong journey into the belly of an earthquake’s devastation while continuing to hunt up funding for my film, I anticipate moments of tremendous doubt.

Kasben wrote to the “hatchlings” on Monday morning, wishing us the best. They say a rising tide lifts all boats. In this country, we have the incredible luxury of creativity, the ability to take chances and discover ourselves. And here in Asheville, we have our community behind us to help us realize our dreams. The energy Hatch brought to this town is the kind of feeling you want to preserve and carry with you. The kind of thing you want to spread all over the world, as these mentors have done, sharing inspiration with the lost, the fearful and the unconnected. Now if only I could bottle it and take it with me to Haiti... And as I step off the commencement stage and into the great unknown, I won’t be afraid. Instead, I am sharpening my oyster knife, hungry for what the world has to offer... X Asheville resident Lorin Mallorie is working on a documentary and a novel on sustainable investment in Haiti’s rural provinces. Her blog is at http://haitilivesnow.com.

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For me, HATCH Asheville transformed the future into an untamed wilderness alive with endless possibilities. “I’ve learned more in the last three days than I have in the last three years,” gushed 22-year-old Ian Shannon, the bright-eyed star photographer for UNCA’s The Blue Banner. Dubbed “hatchlings” by British director Jon Amiel, the groundbreakers in film, fashion and journalism were thrown into a remarkable realworld opportunity. Getting face time with bona fide professionals — all of them eager to give advice, see our work and help us get connected — was incredibly empowering. During my recent voyage to Haiti [see “Surviving Port-au-Prince,” April 7 Xpress], I dove into the world of documentary filmmaking armed only with a camera, a vision and a story. But at HATCH Asheville, I was given the kind of emotional support that can help me make this dream a reality. The festival’s mentors and organizers all seem to have one thing in common: the understanding that life is not a passive endeavor. Being successful in this world takes more than just showing up, and luck, they maintain, is really the result of timing and preparation — both of which can be created via hard work and focused effort. After three years of studying media law, theory and history, I’d pictured Charles Annenberg Weingarten as just another suit-and-tie, a stony, New York Times sort of presence in the backbone of the communications industry.

But even as I search for my own true north, I am bolstered by the knowledge that I’m standing on the shoulders of giants. Beginning with UNCA alumna Amber Munger, who opened the door to Haiti for me, mentorship has played the greatest role in my education to date. “It doesn’t have to look the way you think it does,” Munger said about one’s journey through life — changing mine forever. This is a period of great flux and uncertainty, and for the children of my chosen profession, the past year has often been a dark and scary time as we graduate into the “dying” newspaper industry. But it’s the same story now for everyone: For the laid-off executive gone back to school at 65, or my stepfather, replaced by someone younger and cheaper after building a company for 30 years, the future no longer seems carved in stone. And even amid this doom-and-gloom economy, I am dreaming in color. For me, HATCH Asheville transformed the future into an untamed wilderness alive with endless possibilities. If it’s not out there, create it; if you don’t like it, change it; and if you haven’t found your calling yet, keep searching. What do we have to lose? “I hope we all continue to play in the world of possibility with a sense of wonder and openhearted optimism,” local coordinator Katie

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 13

news Not Bashful in Asheville

Alleged assaults lead to rally against anti-LGBT violence by David Forbes

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On the evening of March 12, more than 200 people streamed up Montford Avenue and down Cumberland before entering downtown on Lexington and eventually gathering around the Vance Monument. Escorted by Asheville police, they carried signs emblazoned with “Hate + Silence = Death” or “Our rights, your rights, human rights.” And though it took the marchers a few minutes to get going and coordinate their chants, before long the name of the march — “We are not bashful!” — could be heard echoing through the streets, along with other chants, such as, “We’re here, we’re queer, we’re fabulous, don’t f**k with us!”

Assaulted?

Designed as a show of strength and “a stand against violence,” as organizer Samantha Soper put it in her remarks before the rally, the march and rally were held in response to a series of incidents that took place from Friday, April 30, to Sunday, May 2, which LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) activists are describing as assaults against members of their community. According to Amber Van Pelt, who’s helping to revive the Safe Streets Asheville Project, on Saturday, May 1, one woman was attacked with a metal pipe on the Clingman Avenue Bridge. The next day, someone was hit in the face with a metal pipe on Cumberland Avenue and someone else was followed and verbally threatened. In all three cases, the victims described the attackers as three college-age white men in a red Volvo. On that Friday, Van Pelt claims a woman was assaulted on Chestnut Street by a man driving a gray Chrysler. She believes that in all cases the individuals were targeted because of their perceived sexual orientation. “All of the people attacked could easily be seen as part of the queer community,” Van Pelt notes. She adds that she and some friends were followed by three young white men on April 30 for several blocks in Montford. “We made them aware we knew they were there, and they eventually left.” Allysa Oliver said she had a similar experience on Cumberland Avenue — on the same day. “I was walking with a group of friends who could be perceived as homosexual, and a group of guys got out of their car and said ‘hello’ in a very aggressive manner and followed us for quite a few blocks.” In response, “We’re starting a nonprofit called Safe Streets Asheville Project, to try and reach out to the community without the police,” Van Pelt says. “It’s our attempt to look out for ourselves.”

14 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

“We’re here!”: Marchers went through the streets of Montford before thronging around the Vance Monument during the May 12 march against LGBT violence. Photos by Jonathan Welch

Not Bashful: Marchers held hands, chanted and waved signs. The rally was in response to a series of alleged assaults on LGBT individuals in the Montford area. SSAP was initially founded in the summer of 2008 in response to a similar attack, but Van Pelt notes that it “lost its momentum as the attacks became less frequent.” The group is currently working on setting up contacts, a hotline for people facing similar assaults and other efforts. “We’re trying to find people to offer free therapy for an extended period of time. We’re working on setting up a support group [and] self-defense classes, [and we’re] distributing whistles and pepper spray,” she tells Xpress.

“There’s a lot of fear”

The march was pulled together after news of the attacks spread. An announcement from Soper declared: “This peaceful, permitted demonstration is in response to recent alleged hate crimes against LGBTQ residents. The demonstration will promote harmony and tolerance.” Representatives of Safe Streets and march organizers met with police and city officials, and Asheville City Council member Gordon Smith

participated in the march. So far, no police reports have been filed about the attacks. Van Pelt, who’s spoken to the victims, says that’s a result of their distrust of the police and skepticism that the attackers will be caught. “They’re terrified of cops,” she tells Xpress. “We’ve never been helped by the police as a community. A lot of people in the queer community have been assaulted by the police. Most of us don’t have any fond experiences with them, but a lot of us have had [bad] experiences with them. There’s a lot of fear.” “Since I moved to Asheville [from Greenville, S.C.], I’ve noticed it’s like a haven, but I still experience the same kinds of threats and assaults [that] I got there, just not as frequent,” Oliver tells Xpress. “With this many assaults in one weekend, it’s nerve-wracking to walk down the street alone. It’s hard to report an attack if you don’t know who they are and they run away immediately after. Most gay bashings do go

unreported because of that, or because [victims] feel the cops won’t handle it in an appropriate manner. But far as I know, the Asheville police force has been very accommodating towards trying to keep everyone safe.” Asheville Police Department Chief Bill Hogan says that the department has had a good rapport with the marchers. “We extended cooperation, and they were very receptive,” he says, encouraging victims to report attacks as soon as possible. “We don’t know that assaults occurred — not saying they didn’t, but we just don’t have any factual information to go on,” Hogan tells Xpress. “Obviously, if those kinds of things happen, they need to report them to the police immediately. We always encourage people to travel in a group of folks late at night. It’s just always safer.” The lack of reports, he says, “puts us in a difficult situation. We want to investigate it, and if there’s a criminal act, we want to charge and prosecute.” The faster it’s reported, Hogan continues, the better the odds that the attackers can be caught. “It depends on what they did and if they can give us an accurate description, if they report it in a timely fashion. There’ve been many, many cases where someone calls, immediately gives a good description, and we intercept the vehicle or the person walking down the street, identify this person as the offender and then enforcement action is taken.” Stopping assaults is a priority for the police, he adds, but they need citizen cooperation. “We want everyone to have the freedom to move about this community safely and not feel put upon or harassed for any reason,” Hogan says. “Our desire is to have open lines of communication with all our citizens and for them to take comfort in knowing that they can come to the police department, and we’ll work handin-hand to make this community safe. We need citizens to be good witnesses and to help us be our eyes and ears.” Oliver says that people should remain aware of their surroundings, and that assaults on LGBT people are more common than often thought. “My experience with most gay bashings is that if you [show that] you’re aware they’re being aggressive, they’ll most of the time back off, because they’re afraid you’ll call the cops,” she says. “The worst thing you can do is ignore it. I’d like to see the community more aware. With everything going on, it seems like people can forget there’s still a civil-rights battle to be won…. I feel like the gay population’s pretty vulnerable.”

Pride

At Vance Monument, the enthusiasm swelled. Marchers clapped, chanted and cheered while passersby honked their horns in support. One man, R.K. Wells, brandishing a “HOMO Sapien” sign, climbed atop a low wall and shouted, “This is awesome! This is the biggest pride event I’ve ever seen in Asheville!” X David Forbes can be reached at 251-1333, x137 or at dforbes@mountainx.com

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 15

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“If it weren’t for drug court, I’d probably be dead,” says Rebecca Robinson, reflecting on an eight-year addiction to painkillers that eventually landed her in Buncombe County’s Adult Treatment Court. An Asheville native, Robinson says she first started taking pharmaceuticals to deal with pain from ulcers and gallbladder surgery, but the habit started spiraling out of control as she went through a difficult divorce. “It was a roller coaster of depression and the Percocets seemed to numb my ability to deal with pain,” she says, explaining that at her low point, she was taking 90 of the prescription narcotics a day. “I was in a deep, deep addiction, so much so that I couldn’t get out.” All of that changed in September 2007, however, when the 46-year-old mother of three and freelance cleaner was arrested for forging prescriptions in five counties and faced a choice: seven to nine years of jail time at the state penitentiary in Raleigh or enrollment in drug-treatment court, which offers qualifying nonviolent drug offenders like Robinson a strict program of probation, treatment and community service. The program soon forced Robinson to see a counselor regularly, attend five AA meetings a week, observe a 6 p.m. curfew, undergo stringent drug testing, and shovel goat manure at the Western North Carolina Nature Center. The penalty for slipping up and not making it to a counseling session or an AA meeting? Jail time, which Robinson says didn’t seem like such a bad option when she realized how tough the drug-court program was going to be. “It was hell for the first few weeks. Because you go through a physical withdrawal, which was absolutely horrible,” Robinson says. “At the time, when you’ve just come off drugs, and you have to do stuff, and they’re holding your freedom over your head, it’s like ‘Oh dear God, maybe seven to nine years wasn’t that bad.’” Now, a year and a half into the program and about to successfully graduate in a few weeks,

On the way to drug-court graduation: Rebecca Robinson says the program saved her life. photo by Jonathan Welch

Robinson says the rigid schedule was just what she needed to get her life back together. “It’s brought me back to where I was before I was doing pills. It gave me my life back,” she says. Buncombe County Adult Treatment Court Coordinator Norma Grivich says she’s seen success stories like Robinson’s again and again. “It’s a really structured program, and it works — I’ve been in the field for over 30 years, and it’s the most effective program I’ve ever been involved in,” says Grivich, who’s worked over the years as a magistrate, probation officer and substance-abuse counselor. To back up her observations, Grivich points to studies that show 75 percent of graduates of the 2,400 drug courts in the United States never see another pair of handcuffs. Currently serving about 75 Buncombe participants a year, Grivich also touts the program’s savings to taxpayers. According to Grivich, it costs $4,200 to $4,600 per year to put someone through drug court, while it costs between $28,000 to $40,000 per year to house someone in prison. That’s a major reason why North Carolina’s court system followed other states’ leads and started the program 15 years ago, she says.

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“The courts just saw that there were so many chemically dependent offenders coming through the criminal-justice system, and it was that revolving door — seeing them come back and come back,” she says. “If they’re getting treatment, they have close accountability, and they’re answering to a judge, that makes more sense than having them sit in a prison cell costing taxpayers much more money.” Judge Alan Thornburg, the resident Superior Court judge who presides over the local drug court, also touts the program’s benefits. With an annual retention rate that overage over 50 percent, the graduates he sees come out of the court “generally become productive citizens and taxpayers when they would otherwise have been wards of the State.” Even with all its success, Grivich says that although demand for the program is higher than ever, state funding is down. “The state has cut treatment funds to the point where some of our folks are unable to get the higher level of treatment they need,” she says, noting that more money is particularly needed to help provide some participants safe shelter in halfway houses. The funding shortfall doesn’t sit well with Robinson, who sees herself as living proof that the program works. “They give funding to other things that are just absolutely preposterous,” she says. Now working at McDonalds as she studies for her GED exam, Robinson says she’s so inspired by her experience in drug court that she’s considering becoming a substance-abuse counselor to help others. “I’m so grateful of where I am now, that I want to help other people who have this problem,” she says. “I always knew deep down that I had more to offer the world than what I’d been doing.” X Jake Frankel can be reached at jfrankel@mountainx. com or at 251-1333, ext. 115.

mountainx.com â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 17

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May 11 marked an appearance of that rarest of creatures: a short Asheville City Council meeting. The reason was basketball. Officials from the Southern Conference tournament have approached Asheville about using the Civic Center as a location, and Council members were heading off to mingle with them at the Norah Jones concert. The result was an earlier meeting time — 4 p.m. instead of the usual 5 — and an intentionally short agenda. Just after the Council meeting, Council member Gordon Smith revealed that SoCon was showing strong interest but had emphasized the importance of television. “The Civic Center isn’t quite ready for prime time,” Smith said, “so we’d have to make some improvements.” Despite the meeting’s brevity, Council did move forward on some matters. City staff unveiled the much-wrangled-over budget for the next fiscal year and held public hearings on 12 annexations, all but one of which garnered no comments.

The budget cometh

In January, when a projected $5 million budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year was announced, Council and staff began to weigh their options, most notably in a series of premeeting work sessions. Among the proposals that were considered and rejected during the past months were cuts to transit, a tax increase, a fourday work week, and a nine-percent-higher water fee. The final budget closes the gap through reductions in overtime and employee training, a waterfee increase of five percent, a salary freeze for all employees making more than the median income, reduced brush collection and community-center hours, a selective hiring freeze, an eleventh-hour transit grant from the federal government and a reduction of money given to outside agencies. The proposed budget also calls for the Asheville Film Festival to take a hiatus this year. Staff noted that the city is looking to eliminate or privatize the event. Anticipating flat revenues due to the economic downturn, the proposed $96.1 million general budget is about one percent smaller than the current fiscal year’s budget. “This is the third year we’ve entered the bud-

get process dealing with the effects of the global recession,” Administrative Director Lauren Bradley said. “I think we’re presenting a budget tonight that thoughtfully balances the city’s need to provide quality core services to its citizens while maintaining the current tax rate and also supporting our work force.” Bradley said the cuts and the scaled-down size of the city’s budget reflect “the new normal” in the face of the downturn. Council members were largely silent, seemingly saving their views for the public hearing they unanimously agreed to set for May 25 (the budget will get a final vote June 22). Council member Bill Russell thanked staff for “looking at this during the fall, seeing this is an ongoing thing, being very proactive, keeping us on top of this.”

The sound of annexations

During the public hearings on 11 of the 12 involuntary annexations proposed by the city, the sound was silence. The properties included everything from half of a house in Haw Creek to the future site of the Deerfields residential development to an Ingles in the Airport Road area. A larger set of mostly commercial properties in the same area, which included a Walmart, a Lowe’s and a Target, was also up for consideration. That last proposed annexation was the only one to attract any comment, with attorney (and former Asheville mayor) Louis Bissette seeking a deal for Normac Inc.: If the city exempted Normac’s manufacturing plant from the annexation but annexed the rest of its property, Bissette said, the company would waive a requirement that Asheville run a sewer pipe through the property, saving the city $188,000. “Normac’s been there for about 25 years,” Bissette told Council. “It makes grinding machines. They’re having difficulties, like most manufacturing companies. At one time they employed about 50 people; now they’re down to 25.” In response to Bissette’s proposal, Mayor Terry Bellamy noted that the city has generally shied away from annexing manufacturers in the past. Vice Mayor Brownie Newman said the proposal “seems creative.” Council agreed to ask staff to draw up an amendment for the final vote on the annexation on May 25. X David Forbes can be reached at 251-1333, ext. 137, or at dforbes@mountainx.com

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to imagine a more winning combination for a fundraiser than the one devised by Beauty Through Cancer, a local nonprofit dedicated to serving cancer patients and their loved ones. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;3 Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for Boobsâ&#x20AC;? event next week features local bands, draft beer and barbecue. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do you know anyone who hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been affected by cancer?â&#x20AC;? asks Earleen Bennett, president/founder of Beauty Through Cancer, which opened its doors on McDowell Street in April 2009. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are more and more young people [diagnosed with cancer] each year, and we want to let people know, especially young people, that we exist and that we want to help.â&#x20AC;? As a permanent-makeup artist (cosmetic tattooing focusing on eyebrow and areola pigmentation), Bennett worked with cancer patients in the final stages of their recovery. Many women opened up to Bennett during their sessions, telling stories about their recent medical experience and how it affected their lives. Inspired by these stories, Bennett decided to start a nonprofit that would empower women with consistent local support, while helping patients maintain high self-esteem throughout treatment. Beauty Though Cancer is equipped with a tattoo room (all restorative tattooing is offered free of charge), a community space for support groups and educational presentations, plus a â&#x20AC;&#x153;give and take roomâ&#x20AC;? where patients can find free wigs and cosmetic supplies (community donations are welcome and always needed). Three Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for Boobs is sponsored by the Asheville Affiliates, a local nonprofit that has helped coordinate and plan the event, which promises to be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;party with a purpose.â&#x20AC;? Luellaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar-B-Que, Okie Dokies Smokehouse, Chef Moâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant & Bar and Fioreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ristorante (to name a few) will serve up an all-you-can-eat barbecue buffet. Plus, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all-you-can-drink brew provided by Highland Brewing Co. and Catawba Valley Brewing.

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Beauty and empowerment: Local nonprofit Beauty Through Cancer presents â&#x20AC;&#x153;3 Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for Boobs,â&#x20AC;? a fundraiser supporting women battling cancer in WNC. Photo by Kristi Hedburg Photography

The festivities donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t end with food and beer. The evening also includes an impressive lineup of local musicians and talents. Weather permitting, the event will be held in the field behind Highland Brewery, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy., on Thursday, May 27. If it rains, the festivities will move indoors. Sultry Americana tunes will be performed by Underhill Rose (Eleanor Underhill and Molly Rose Reed); plus soulful blues music by The Honeycutters; country/rock with the Trainwreks; and solo performances by singer/ songwriter Dave Desmelik, Graham Sharp of Steep Canyon Rangers and Robert Greer of Town Mountain. Members of Bootstraps Burlesque will circulate through the crowd selling raffle tickets and promoting the silent auction. Additional parking will be available

at the River Ridge shopping center where the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brews Cruiseâ&#x20AC;? bus will shuttle people to and from the brewery. All proceeds from the event benefit Beauty Through Cancerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outreach programs. The organization has partnered with area salons, where women can have their wigs shaped and fitted for free. They are also working with Cancer Care of WNC to develop a program that teaches the â&#x20AC;&#x153;simple, basic scienceâ&#x20AC;? behind the effects of cancer treatment on the body. Three Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for Boobs will be held on Thursday, May 27, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Highland Brewery, 12 Old Charlotte Hwy. Cost: $25 in advance and $30 at the door includes food and beer. Info: 252-8558 or www.beautythroughcancer.org. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Aiyanna Sezak-Blatt

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Beat around town: Rounding up the local news Of vandals and anarchy

The May 1 vandalism spree in downtown Asheville continues to spur coverage and conversation. In its wake, local self-described anarchists recently submitted commentaries to the Xpress and Asheville Citizen-Times rebuking what they see as misinformed media coverage of the crimes. In both group-written commentaries, the authors take particular issue with John Boyle’s May 4 AC-T column, “A Few Questions for the Anarchists in Asheville,” in which he implores anarchists: “Are you starting to see that your movement is utterly impractical and self-indulgent? That you come across not as crusaders fighting injustice but as over-privileged brats throwing a tantrum?” In their response, “Anarchists Offer Answers to John Boyle’s Cynical Questions,” published May 12 in the AC-T and credited to Scott Evans, Emma Chandler, Lani Bouwer, Evan Edwards, Meg Hen and Dany Lee, the group asserts that Boyle “merely lists uncharitable and unresearched assertions concerning the arrested individuals while making a series of absurd and incorrect statements about anarchism in general.” In the Xpress commentary, “Sound-Bite Vandalism,” written by many of the same authors and also published May 12, the group further defends their political philosophy by saying “anarchism plays an important role in the culture of Asheville” and pointing out that “anarchists run a community-exchange network (Asheville LETS), started an adult-education program (Freeskool Asheville), serve food to the homeless (Food Not Bombs) and maintain multiple programs assisting the incarcerated.” Xpress’ own David Forbes also jumps into the debate, writing in a May 7 online commentary, “The A Word: Anarchists, Hysteria and Vandalism in Asheville”: “Now, anarchism isn’t remotely my creed, and it probably isn’t yours either, but there’s a massive difference between someone whose beliefs drive them to such nefarious actions as running a community garden or free book exchange and the beliefs of the thug busting up a local business.” No doubt the community conversation and coverage will continue in coming days as the Asheville Police Department continues its investigation into the vandalism.

Greenlife, lettuce, chefs and beer

Other recent water-cooler conversations have hovered around the purchase of Greenlife Grocery by Texas-based multi-national Whole Foods Market. After months of rumors, the sale was confirmed on May 7. Xpress’ Mackensy Lunsford chronicled the history of Greenlife and what the sale might mean for local shoppers and farmers in her May 6 online commentary, “The Greenlife Saga Continues.” In other food news, Xpress’ Margaret Williams reports in “Romaine Lettuce Recall Affects N.C., Product Pulled from Ingles,” that Buncombe County’s Health Department issued a recall on Romaine lettuce distributed by Freshway Foods of Ohio. North Carolina is one of 23 states included in the recall, announced on Friday, May 7, after the potentially deadly bacteria E. coli was found in a sample. Ingles CFO Ron Freeman confirmed to Xpress that all affected products were pulled from stores “as soon as we heard about the recall.” And in less scary food related news (unless you’re one of the competing chefs), the WNC Chefs Challenge kicks off this week at the Flying Frog Cafe. The local Iron Chef-style competition pits some of the area’s top chefs against each other in weekly cook-offs every Tuesday through July. See Lunsford’s feature on p. 50 for more info. While tickets still remain for that food and beverage bonanza, they’re already gone for this fall’s Brewgrass Festival. The AC-T’s “Beer Guy,” Tony Kiss, reports in “Amazing! Brewgrass Tickets Sell Out in Less Than a Day,” that all 3,500 of them sold out the same day they went on sale. As usual, the annual fest will feature dozens of craft breweries and bluegrass bands, and will be held at Martin Luther King Jr. Park in Asheville on September 18.

Living with ghosts and rockslides

A regional attraction not faring quite as well as Brewgrass is Maggie Valley’s Ghost Town in the Sky. The May 12 edition of Smokey Mountain News has an in-depth story, “Ghost Town Owner Harper Daunted But Not Deterred,” on whether the mountaintop amusement park will reopen this summer. The Smokey Mountain News also has an update on how residents of Maggie

All clear: The Buncombe County Health Department recently issued a recall of Romaine lettuce distributed by Freshway Foods of Ohio. Fresh-produce lettuce (pictured here) was not affected by the recall. photo by Jerry Nelson

Valley’s Rich Cove community are recovering in the wake of a devastating mudslide that struck the area last February. “Slide victims are still wondering when a cleanup will finally begin,” reports Bibeka Shrestha in the article, “Maggie Slide Victims Still Living in Limbo. “Their properties are not much better off since the Feb. 5 landslide occurred, with enormous boulders, splintered trees and muddy debris still cluttering yards. Some residents with ruined drinking wells continue to suffer lack of access to water.”

March but don’t drive

Back in Asheville, mudslides aren’t as much of a concern as the real estate market. On May 11, the New York Times included an Asheville home in its regular “What You Get for ... $300,000” feature. The article compares what kind of home $300,000 will buy you in Asheville compared to San Antonio and Chicago. The verdict? The Times finds that square footage is more expensive in Asheville than San Antonio and less expensive than in Chicago. Own a home or live in Montford? Well then you might have witnessed the hundreds of “We are not Bashful” marchers streaming down your streets on May 12. The demonstrators gathered in response to a series of alleged assaults on LGBT individuals in the north Asheville neighborhood. Xpress offers a rundown of the event and the alleged attacks on p. 15, with photos and a video up at www.mountainx.com. Look for a different kind of marching, biking and bus riding this week, as local multimodal activists have organized a number of Strive Not to Drive events that encourage transit alternatives to the single-occupant car. Xpress covered Strive Not to Drive Week extensively in last week’s print feature, “Wheels on Fire,” and will continue to have Web updates from the events as they unfold. In other, more tragic news, Asheville Police blame text messaging for a May 10 collision on Long Shoals Road that took the life of teenager Ashley Johnson. According to Traffic Safety Unit investigators, Johnson was attempting to retrieve a text message from her cell phone seconds before crossing the center line and striking a Ford truck head-on. The driver of the Ford sustained injuries that were not life threatening. No charges have been filed. — Jake Frankel

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Chamber Challenge 5k on June 4

The Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Chamber Challenge 5k” is coming up on Friday, June 4. It’s designed to promote community wellness through friendly competition between businesses. It’s Asheville’s only teambased corporate race. The certified course begins and ends at the Asheville Chamber building and winds through the historic Montford neighborhood. Last year drew over 700 participants. Both individuals and teams can participate. Training sessions to prepare for the race will be held every Wednesday at the Chamber at 5:30 p.m. and are led by the YMCA. All skill levels are encouraged to participate. Register before May 21 and you’ll save five bucks for individuals and twenty bucks per team. You can register online for the race at http://www.chamberchallenge.org.

Media Maven Kelby Carr gets social

Asheville’s own Kelby Carr (@typeamom on Twitter) will hold a series of classes that will cover the basics of Twitter, Facebook, online video, business blogging and a variety of other social media tools. Carr was named one of the 50 Most Influential and Powerful Women in Social Media. Carr has networked online since the 1980s on bulletin board systems and CompuServe. She was recently named “Most Social in Social Media” by Mountain Xpress & Blog Asheville. She hosted the Type-A Mom conference, an event that drew hundreds of influential bloggers to Asheville. Previous speaking engagements include BlogHer, Blog World Expo, Converge South, BlissDom and Social Media Business Forum conferences For each course, a national expert in social media will co-host, bringing the best of the

world’s social media knowledge right here to Asheville. The cost of each of the social media sessions is $50. Those attending all six sessions can register for $200, or three sessions for just $125. For a full course schedule and to register for the classes, visit http://avlsocialmedia.com.

Local Businesses sponsor 20th annual “Spellebration”

The Literacy Council of Buncombe County will hold its annual Spelling Bee “Spellebration” on Thursday, May 2,7 at 7 pm in A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium. Fifteen Spelling Bee teams — sponsored by local businesses, nonprofits, community associations, colleges, book clubs and others — will compete in the 20th Annual Spelling Bee. Local celebrities competing this year include A-B Tech President Dr. Hank Dunn and Asheville Citizen-Times reporter John Boyle. Corpoarte sponsors of the Literacy Council include Blue Ridge Energy Systems, Bellagio, RBC Bank, Arvato Digital Systems, Greenlife, Laurey’s Catering, Sensibilities Day Spa, the Captain’s Bookshelf, and the Battery Park Book Exchange. For more information, contact Amanda Edwards at 254-3442, ext. 206, or by email at amanda@litcouncil.com. The Literacy Council of Buncombe County’s website is http://www. litcouncil.com.

Swannanoa Shindig looking for Sponsors

The Swannanoa Business Association is asking local businesses to consider sponsoring its “Swannanoa Shindig,” a weekly community event that features mountain music, bingo and other family-friendly activities. Vendors sell food, farm products and crafts at the event, which is held on the first Friday of each month behind Swannanoa’s Main Firehouse on Railroad Street.

bizcalendar Calendar for May 19 - 27, 2010 Ready To Sell Or Buy A Restaurant In WNC? (pd.) We work exclusively with the food and beverage industry. • Contact National Restaurant Properties in Asheville: (828) 225-4801. jeffnra@bellsouth.net • www.restaurantstore.com American Business Women’s Association ABWA brings together businesswomen of diverse occupations to raise funds for local scholarships and enhance the professional and personal lives of its members. Info: http://www.abwaskyhy.com. • 1st THURSDAYS, 5:30-7:45pm - Meeting at the Flat Rock Grille, 1302 Hendersonville Road. Networking begins at 5:30pm and the meeting/dinner begins at 6pm. $5, plus personal menu choice. RSVP: 681-9688.

22 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Financial Fraud, Scam & Exploitation Summit • MO (5/24), 9:30am-2:30pm - The Area Agency on Aging at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office and the Aging Coordinating Consortium will host the summit. Held in the conference room at Land-of-Sky. RSVP: Christina@ landofsky.org.

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Shindig organizers are looking for a coordinator and judges for its pie-eating contest and donations of pies for the pie-eating contest itself. They’re also seeking Face painters, jumprope contestants and bingo assistants. The board of the Swannanoa Business Association meets the second Wednesday of every month at noon at Moments Café on Highway 70. The meeting is free and open to any individual or business.

Mountain BizWorks offers marketing course

Mountain BizWorks is offering a four-week course on the principles of marketing for entrepreneurs who want to grow their business. The course starts June 14 and continues on June 21, 28, and July 12 from 6-9 p.m. at the Mountain BizWorks’ Asheville office at 153 South Lexington Avenue. According to a press release, the course will cover the principals of creative marketing and how to craft a promotional strategy intended to stir the interest of customers. In a peer group environment, marketing students can learn the art of marketing, identify and analyze target markets and competition, match vision and image with demand, and determine what benefits the customers desire. The course will be facilitated by Marilyn Ball, president of 12Twelve Collaborative Solutions, a leading expert in creating partnerships through cooperative marketing strategies. The former president of Kelso Advertising & Design, she has 18 years marketing experi-

ence in Western North Carolina in the tourism, economic development, and hospitality industries. The cost of the workshop is $85 for Mountain BizWorks members, $140 for the public. Space is limited. For more information or to register, contact Erica at 253-2834, extension 27 or erika@mountainbizworks.org.

Carolina First eyed for possible Fed takeover

According to a May 6 story in the Charleston Regional Business Journal, Carolina First Bank has entered into a consent order with the FDIC that sets time frames during which the Greenville-based bank must improve its capital position or risk takeover by federal regulators. The bank’s parent company, the South Financial Group of Greenville, informed shareholders of the order in a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. South Financial expected the order and had previously notified investors that it would likely enter such an agreement this year. The FDIC consent order requires that the bank improve its leverage ratio and total riskbased capital ratios to 8 percent and 12 percent, respectively, within 120 days. Currently, those ratios stand at 6.88 percent and 10.45 percent, respectively. For the full story, visit http:// www.charlestonbusiness.com. X Send your business news and tips to business@ mountainx.com.

May Hope Mental Health Benefit Concert

Chris Rosser • Aaron Burdett Annie Lalley & Joe Ebel Richard Sackett & Friends • Susan Ward

Saturday, May 22, 7pm All Souls Episcopal Cathedral Biltmore Village – Asheville, NC

-New Event-

Silent Auction Tickets: $15 Advance Tickets: NAMIwnc.org

Recipient Agencies: A Hope Hospitality House, NAMI - Western Carolina, All Souls Counseling Center, Copestone - In Pt & Out Pt Psychiatric Services

Info: Richard Sackett 828-777-0783 / Rnotesackett@charter.net

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 23

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The tradition began 30 years ago. Norman Blair, fresh out of college, began meeting with a few other elite runners for a weekly track workout. Over the years, the group has met at tracks all over Asheville, including those at Christ School, Asheville School, T.C. Roberson High School and Asheville High School. Nowadays, anywhere from 30 to 50 runners show up at Blairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s store, Jusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Running, every Tuesday evening to get a challenging workout. The group is no longer just a club for elites, but now caters to all manner of serious runners. Now 52, Blair leads the pack on the one-anda-half mile warm-up down to the track at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Like clockwork, everyone circles around Coach Blair when he slows to a stop before the real training begins. With hands on hips in drill-sergeant fashion, Blair barks out the eveningâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plans. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so consistent in his no-nonsense approach that group members began calling themselves â&#x20AC;&#x153;Normâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maggots.â&#x20AC;? Although Blair is retired from professional racing, he runs the track workout along with

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everyone else. With a lifelong commitment to running, Blair never ceases to amaze: By the end of this month he will have recorded 130,000 miles in his daily mileage log, which has taken him 38 years and 10 months. When asked what these workouts are all about, Blair says: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Workouts are partly for the social aspect and partly for the competitive aspect. Anyone who is consistent with the workouts will improve their PRs [personal records]. Not only do you have camaraderie, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got people here that will ensure you do the workout. A lot of people have a hard time doing a faster [session] by themselves. You have a support group here.â&#x20AC;? By the time runners are finished with their laps, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve usually logged about five miles. Add that to the warm-up and the return trip to Jusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Running, and the nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mileage totals around eight. Most workouts are average in difficulty. But, says Blair: â&#x20AC;&#x153;There are some workouts that are epic out there from the standpoint that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re totally different than what people are used to.â&#x20AC;?

24 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ mountainx.com

Ready, set, go! Dubbing themselves â&#x20AC;&#x153;Normâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maggotsâ&#x20AC;? in honor of the no-nonsense approach of their unofficial coach, Norm Blair, a group of runners has been meeting for years for a challenging Tuesday workout. photo by Jonathan Poston

Take, for example, the Newton workout: Run 200 meters, rest one minute and repeat the set four more times; then run 200 meters, rest 45 seconds and repeat this sequence four more times; now run 200 meters, rest 30 seconds and repeat four more times; finally, run 200 meters, rest 15 seconds and repeat four more times. But no matter how grueling such sessions get, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Normâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Maggotsâ&#x20AC;? are devoutly loyal, as participants below attest: Frankie Adkins, 36, tells Xpress: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of the pillars of the running community. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that keeps me connected. Even when Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m running a lot of my runs on my own, I still bank on connecting with other runners at the track workout. I gauge what kind of progress Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m making just based on how Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing at the track workout. For instance, when I first started six weeks ago, I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t finish the whole workout. Now Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m at a point where I can finish. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m also starting to get close to Gary [Curran] and some of these other guys when I started out way behind them.â&#x20AC;? Gary Curran, 42: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been coming for 13 years. I do it because it keeps me regular. I know the people here. I know Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to get the incentive to run fast that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get on my own. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the discipline to run speed on my own. Anybody whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s running four or five days a week and is trying to do a 5K or 10K could benefit from this. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not all people winning races. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mainly about if you want to get faster. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s people who have a goal of racing faster regardless of what pace they start at. Anybody can come

out here and do half the workout and nobody is going to think any less of them.â&#x20AC;? Jay Curwen, 43: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been coming out for 25 years. If I could only do one workout a week, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be the Tuesday-night track workout. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a building block. You get that piece of quality in and you can build the rest of the week around that.â&#x20AC;? Danielle Deines, 28: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing this since I was 16. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easy to come out here and have somebody tell you how to do the workout and have all these people pull you along and hope that you can keep up. Doing workouts with people like this is what helps you get new PRs.â&#x20AC;? Matt Roane, 39: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been doing this for 11 years now. I enjoy coming out and seeing my friends. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a big enough group that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always someone to run with. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a concrete part of my week. I know what Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m doing every Tuesday night. Over the years, I went from a 22-minute 5K to a 16-minute 5K â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and from 230 pounds to 180.â&#x20AC;? After the workout is over, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pizza and beer. Where do they go? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anyplace thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take smelly, sweaty runners,â&#x20AC;? Blair says. To join in, simply show up, ready to run, at Jusâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Running (523 Merrimon Ave., Asheville) on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m. For a YouTube look at the Maggots in action, check out http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=AjqX51vp-OY&feature=youtu.be&a.X When heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not writing, Jonathan Poston runs the trails of WNC.

outdoorscalendar Calendar for May 19 - 27, 2010 Asheville Track Club The club provides information, education, training, social and sporting events for runners and walkers of any age. Please see the group Web site for weekly events and news. Info: www.ashevilletrackclub.org or 253-8781. • Register now for Fit Families. Age-appropriate exercise for kids and their caregivers. Parents and older kids (11+) can join up with ATC’s Beginning Runners, Walkers, or create their own group. Kids ages 4-10 will play fitness games. Meets every Tues. and Thurs. at Carrier Park. Info & registration: kellyallenasheville@gmail.com. • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 6pm & SATURDAYS, 8am (through 7/22) - Train for Bele Chere 5K with ATC’s Beginning Runners Program at Carrier Park. All fitness levels and ages from 11+ welcome. Walking and Fit Families kids programs also available. Info: 665-7526. • SUNDAYS, 8:30am - Trail run for all paces. Meet at the NC Arboretum, Greenhouse Parking Area. Info: 648-9336. Blue Ridge Bicycle Club Encourages safe and responsible recreational bicycling in the WNC area. To find out more about the club and its ongoing advocacy efforts, or to see a complete club calendar, visit www.blueridgebicycleclub.org. • THURSDAYS - Fletcher Blue Sky Road Ride. Route, meeting place and starting time vary. No one will be left behind. E-mail: JohnL9@MorrisBB.net. • SATURDAYS - Gary Arthur Ledges Park Road Ride. Departs in the a.m. from Ledges Park, located 6.5 miles off UNCA exit on I-26. Ride north along the French Broad River to Marshall for coffee, then return via Ivy Hill. E-mail: jbyrdlaw@charter.net. • SUNDAYS - Folk Art Center Road Ride. Departs in the p.m. from the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is a show-n-go ride, meaning there may not be a ride leader. Info: 713-8504 or billcrownover@bellsouth.net. Carolina Mountain Club CMC fosters the enjoyment of the mountains of WNC and adjoining regions and encourages the conservation of our natural resources, through an extensive schedule of hikes and a program of trail building and maintenance. $20 per year, family memberships $30 per year. Newcomers must call the leader before the hike. Info: www.carolinamtnclub.org. • WE (5/19), 8am - Buckeye Gap and Haywood Gap Trails Circuit. Info: 505-0443. • SA (5/22), 10am - Bee Tree Gap to Tanbark Tunnel. Info: 230-4883. • SU (5/23), 8am - Big East to Shining Rock via Old Butt. Info: 658-1489 —- 12:15pm - DuPont Forest Reasonover Trail. Info: 698-5208. • WE (5/26), 8am - Cold Mountain. Info: (502) 4949309. Experience the Foothills Trail • SA (5/22), 11am-1pm - Experience the Foothills Trail and its diverse landscape, from high rocky outcrops with views to the distant horizon, to forests in deep valleys carved by mountain streams. Free presentation at REI. To register: www.rei.com/asheville. Girls on the Run Girls on the Run is a nonprofit dedicated to educating and preparing girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. Info: www.gotrwnc.org or girlsontherunwnc@ gmail.com. • SA (5/22), 10am - New Balance Spring 5K at Biltmore Park. Starts and finishes in front of the YMCA. Open to all. Register: www.active.com. Info: rachellesorensencox@ gmail.com. Pisgah Center for Wildlife Located in Pisgah National Forest, 10 miles from Brevard off of US Hwy. 276 N. Programs are free, but registration is required. Info: 877-4423 or www.ncwildlife.org. • WE (5/19), 9am-Noon - Adult Fishing Class. Topics will include fishing skills, water safety and fishing regulations. All equipment and materials provided. This program will meet at the Lake Imaging parking lot in DuPont State Forest. Free, but registration required.

SoleMates Interested in running a 5K or half-marathon? Join SoleMates, a fundraiser for Girls on the Run. Info: www.gotrwnc.org. • SA (5/22) - Training for SoleMates begins.

MORE OUTDOORS EVENTS ONLINE

Check out the Outdoors Calendar online at www.mountainx. com/events for info on events happening after May 27.

CALENDAR DEADLINE

The deadline for free and paid listings is 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY, one week prior to publication. Questions? Call (828)251-1333, ext. 365

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 25

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Haywood Community College launches bird-and-butterfly sanctuary by Cinthia Milner

Sara Martin just received one of six Excellence in Teaching awards from Haywood Community College. It’s easy to see why: The biology professor’s enthusiasm for the college, the kids and her subject is contagious. As part of the College Advisory Council, which meets monthly to develop leadership among faculty and staff, Martin volunteered to head up a garden project. The campus already boasted rose, dahlia, rhododendron and rain gardens, but this would be a birdand-butterfly sanctuary designed to attract wildlife. For her part, Martin would like to see the entire campus become a certified wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation (www.nwf.org), which is working to draw attention to habitat preservation. As development gobbles up more and more areas that were formerly home to native species, the National Wildlife Federation is encouraging people to provide food, water and nesting areas by creating suitably designed gardens. Besides supporting wildlife, you’re keeping them out of the rest of your garden as they search for food. The plants for Haywood’s bird-and-butterfly garden are all native species, selected with monarch butterflies and hummingbirds particularly in mind. Flowers such as coral honeysuckle, low-bush blueberries, trumpet

Haywood Community College’s garden project works to support native species, providing food, water and nesting areas.

26 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Early blooms: Designed to attract wildlife, the new garden at Haywood Community College will boast coral honeysuckle, low-bush blueberries, trumpet vine, milkweed and more. photo by jonathan welch

vine and milkweed were chosen precisely because, unlike exotic foreigners, they’re already part of our native wildlife’s diet. The garden project was also a chance to educate Martin’s environmental-biology students about wildlife habitat — as well as the students in the forestry department, the fish and wildlife program and the horticultural program. The school is home to a rather extensive program in natural resources, so the garden fits right in. But to get the garden going, funds were needed. The school’s president, Rose Johnson, suggested that the garden be a celebration of the people of Haywood County. The result? Donations continue to be accepted from the college community and Haywood County at large. All donations are recorded and, in keeping with the garden’s theme of celebrating the community, each plant is labeled with the name of the contributor. Plaques display everything from the name of a beloved teacher to the unknown (as of yet) name of a first child. Baby Willis had to suffice for that plaque, at least for now. Yet the garden also needed an outline. The Landscape Design I class (taught by John Sherman), which is part of the horticultural program’s curriculum, took up the challenge by staging a competition. The class project was to design the garden, and a board was chosen to review the submissions. The win-

ner was Josie Purbrick, who submitted a more formal design complete with paths, benches and birdbaths. Every community effort also needs some publicity. As part of her senior project, student Tamara Smith created a brochure outlining plans for the garden, including a list of hoped-for plants. Donors can purchase mountain laurels, rosebay rhododendrons, and coral honeysuckle for $30, or purple coneflowers and mountain mint for $10 (prices include the cost of maintaining the garden). Donations are accepted and managed by the Haywood Community College Foundation. (Please contact Martin at 6274687 or smartin@haywood.edu if you’d like to participate.) Not to be left out, the carpentry shop, headed by John Mark Roberts, built a trellis for the garden, while Martin, a blacksmith, designed and built a butterfly bench. The garden isn’t just limited to butterflies and birds, after all — people are welcome to come, sit and enjoy as well. The garden will be used by the college to teach Haywood’s students about native wildlife, their natural habitats and needs. While this is a useful teaching tool, the garden will ultimately do what all gardens do — provide a respite for animals and humans alike. X Cinthia Milner lives in Leicester.

gardeningcalendar Calendar for May 19 - 27, 2010 Sow True Seed (pd.) • Asheville, NC. Open-Pollinated, Heirloom and Organic Vegetable, Herb and Flower Seed. Free catalog. www.sowtrue.com 828 254-0708 Botanical Gardens at Asheville This 10-acre nonprofit nature preserve at 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd. (next to UNCA) is dedicated to preserving and displaying the native flora of N.C. Info & event registration: 2525190 or www.ashevillebotanicalgardens.org. • SU (5/23), 2-3:30pm - “Designing a Backyard Wildlife Habitat,” with David Tuch. Learn about habitat requirements and more. $5/$7 nonmembers. Buncombe County Extension Center Events Located at 94 Coxe Ave., Asheville. Info: 255-5522. • WE (5/19), 10-11am - Buncombe County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers free garden talk on “Success With Hostas.” Plant Clinics Buncombe County Master Gardeners will be available to look at plant problems and pests and answer gardening questions. Info: 255-5522. • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 11am-2pm - The Master Gardeners will be set up at the WNC Farmers Market in the breezeway between the retail buildings. Stop by and visit. Regional Tailgate Markets For more information, including the exact start and end dates of markets, contact the Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project. Info: 236-1282 or www.buyappalachian. org. • WEDNESDAYS, 2-6pm - Asheville City Market - South, Biltmore Town Square Blvd. —- 3-6pm - Victory Tailgate Market, in the parking lot adjacent to ABCCM Veterans Restoration Quarters on Tunnel Road, Asheville —- 2:306:30pm - Weaverville Tailgate Market, on the hill overlooking Lake Louise —- 3-7pm - Market on South Main, in the parking lot between Good Stuff and the Marshall Presbyterian Church —- 2-5:30pm - Spruce Pine Farmers Market, on Pollyanna’s Porch on Upper Street. • WEDNESDAYS & SATURDAYS, 8am-1pm - Haywood’s Historic Farmers Market, located in Waynesville at the HART Theater and Shelton House parking lot on Pigeon Street —- 8am-Noon - Waynesville Tailgate Market, at the American Legion, just off S. Main Street —- WE, noon-5pm & SA, 8am-1pm - Cashiers Tailgate Market, in the parking lot of Cashiers Community Center. • THURSDAYS, 10am-2pm - Mission Hospital Tailgate Market, at the back entrance to the Mission Hospital Heart Center on Memorial Campus —- 3-6pm - Flat Rock Tailgate Market, located in the parking area behind the Hand in Hand Gallery in Flat Rock —- 4-6:30pm - Tryon Tailgate Market, on Trade Street. • FRIDAYS, 4-6:30pm - Saluda Tailgate Market, Westend city municipal parking. • SATURDAYS, 8am-1pm - Asheville City Market, in the parking lot of the Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte St.

—- 9am-Noon - Big Ivy Tailgate Market, in the parking lot of the old Barnardsville fire station on Hwy. 197 —- 9amNoon - Black Mountain Tailgate Market, 130 Montreat Road —- 8am-Noon - North Asheville Tailgate Market, on the campus of UNCA, commuter lot #C —- 9am-Noon - Riceville Tailgate Market, adjacent to the parking area of the Riceville Community Center —- 7am-Noon - Henderson County Tailgate Market, 100 N. King St., Hendersonville —- 9am-Noon - Mills River Farm Market, directly off of NC 280 in the Mills River Commons Shopping Center —- 9am-Noon - Jackson County Farmers Market, in the municipal parking lot next to Bridge Park —- 9am-1pm - Madison County Farmers and Artisans Market, across from the football fields on the Mars Hill College campus —8am-Noon - Bakersville Farmers Market, in the Bakersville Community Medical Clinic parking lot —- 8-11:30am - Columbus Tailgate Market, Courthouse Street in front of the Polk County Courthouse —- 8:30am-12:30pm - Yancey County Farmers Market, Highway 19E at S. Main Street, Burnsville. • SUNDAYS, 9am-1pm - Greenlife Sunday Market, 70 Merrimon Ave., Asheville —- Noon-4pm - Sundays on the Island, cross the river at the Courthouse on Main St. in downtown Marshall and turn right onto the island. • MONDAYS, 3-6pm - Hendersonville Community Co-op Tailgate Market, in the parking lot of the Hendersonville Community Co-op. • TUESDAYS, 3:30-6:30pm - West Asheville Tailgate Market, 718 Haywood Road —- 5-7pm - Green Creek Tailgate Market, on Rte. 9 in Green Creek, Columbus. • TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS & SATURDAYS, 8am-2pm - Hendersonville County Curb Market, on Church Street, directly across from the old courthouse in Hendersonville — - TU, 3-6pm & TH & SA, 8am-1pm - Transylvania Tailgate Market, in the parking lot behind the corner of Jordan and Johnson Streets. • TUESDAYS & SATURDAYS, 7am-Noon - Canton Tailgate Market, in the muncipal parking lot on Park Street. Tryon Fine Arts Center The gallery is at 34 Melrose Ave. in Tryon. Open Mon.-Fri., 9am-Noon & 1:30-4pm; Sat., 9am-1pm. Info: 859-8322 or www.tryonarts.org • SA & SU (5/22 & 23), 11am-3pm - Art in Bloom, a celebration of artful gardens. Tour six private gardens in the Tryon area. Garden & Art Bazaar in downtown Tryon on Sat., 9am-5pm. Reception celebrating gardens and artists on Sun. at 4pm. Info: www.art-in-bloom.org.

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mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 27

calendar

your guide to community events, classes, concerts & galleries

Community Events & Workshops • Social & Shared-Interest Groups • Government & Politics • Seniors & Retirees • Animals • Technology • Business & Careers • Volunteering • Health Programs & Support Groups Calendar C a t e g o r i e s : Helplines • Sports Groups & Activities • Kids • Spirituality • Arts • Spoken & Written Word • Food • Festivals & Gatherings • Music • Theater • Comedy • Film • Dance • Auditions & Call to Artists Calendar for May 19 - 27, 2010 Unless otherwise stated, events take place in Asheville, and phone numbers are in the 828 area code. Day-by-day calendar is online Want to find out everything that’s happening today — or tomorrow, or any day of the week? Go to www.mountainx. com/events. Weekday Abbreviations: SU = Sunday, MO = Monday, TU = Tuesday, WE = Wednesday, TH = Thursday, FR = Friday, SA = Saturday

Community Events & Workshops ACLU of WNC Annual Meeting & Award Ceremony • SU (5/23), 2pm - The Evan Mahaney Champion of Civil Liberties Award will be presented to Bob Smith, executive director of the AshevilleBuncombe County Community

Relations Council. Held at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville. Info: 252-7666. Alternatives to Violence Program • TU (5/25) - A workshop with Turtle MacDermott. The program was developed by Quakers as an alternative to violence in prison, but has now found a wider audience and application. Learn more at the Asheville Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Road. Info: www.aglifpt.org. Drinking Water Source Protection Workshop • FR (5/21), 8:30am-4pm - A free public drinking water source protection workshop will be held at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council office. Send contact info to annie@landofsky.org to register. Designed especially for those who play a role in protecting the quality of drinking water sources. East End Community Discovering A New Vision • THURSDAYS (5/20 and 6/3 & 17), 6:30-8:30pm

Calendar deadlines:

*FREE and PAID listings - Wednesday, 5 p.m. (7 days prior to publication) Can’t find your group’s listing?

Due to the abundance of great things to do in our area, we only have the space in print to focus on timely events. Our print calendar now covers an eight-day range. For a complete directory of all Community Calendar groups and upcoming events, please visit www.mountainx.com/events..

Calendar Information In order to qualify for a free listing, an event must cost no more than $40 to attend and be sponsored by and/or benefit a nonprofit. If an event benefits a business, it’s a paid listing. If you wish to submit an event for Clubland (our free live music listings), please e-mail clubland@mountainx.com. Free Listings To submit a free listing: * Online submission form (best): http://www.mountainx.com/ events/submission * E-mail (second best): calendar@mountainx.com * Fax (next best): (828) 251-1311, Attn: Free Calendar * Mail: Free Calendar, Mountain Xpress, P.O. Box 144, Asheville, NC 28802 * In person: Mountain Xpress, 2 Wall St. (the Miles Building), second floor, downtown Asheville. Please limit your submission to 40 words or less. Questions? Call (828) 251-1333, ext. 365. Paid Listings Paid listings lead the calendar sections in which they are placed, and are marked (pd.). To submit a paid listing, send it to our Classified Department by any of the following methods. Be sure to include your phone number, for billing purposes. * E-mail: marketplace@mountainx.com. * Fax: (828) 251-1311, Attn: Commercial Calendar * Mail: Commercial Calendar, Mountain Xpress, P.O. Box 144, Asheville, NC 28802 * In person: Classified Dept., Mountain Xpress, 2 Wall St. (the Miles Building), Ste. 214, downtown Asheville. Questions? Call our Classified Department at (828) 251-1333, ext. 335.

- East End Neighborhood Association. Join in discovering a new vision for the community. Bring a dish to share, joyfulness and ideas. Meet at St. James Fellowship Hall, 44 Hildebrand at MLK. Freeskool Events & Classes A teaching and learning network by and for the community. Community members offer free classes to other community members. Info: www.freeskoolasheville.org. • SU (5/23), 1-5pm Nonviolent communication, radical menstrual health, squatting classes at Magnolia Park in Montford. Hemp History Week • MO (5/17) through SU (5/23) - Asheville is a focal point for the national celebration this year. For more info and a list of area events: www. hemphistoryweek.com. Lunch and Learn Series • TU (5/25), 1pm - “Strangers No More: A Faithful Look Working with Immigrants and Immigration Reform in WNC,” with speaker Rev. Austin K. Rios at Congregation Beth HaTephila, Liberty and Broad. Co-Sponsors: Beth HaTephila and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. National Preservation Month Events Info: www.ashevillenc.gov/ preservationmonth. • WE (5/26), 5:30-7:30pm - Preservation Forum at the YMI Cultural Center. Have questions about tax credits or easements? Know the difference between national and local historic designation? Regional professional will answer questions. “Sidewalks for Safety” Walk • SA (5/22), 9am - Join sidewalk advocates for a walk starting at Groce Methodist Church and continuing along the “Goat Trail.” Residents of the Veterans Quarters with appointments at the VA have worn this trail in the grass beside Tunnel Road due to the lack of sidewalks. To confirm participation: sbicknell@ bellsouth.net. Strive Not to Drive Participate in the national campaign to increase awareness about air quality and transportation issues. Info: StriveNotToDrive.com or www.blueridgecommute.org. • SA (5/15) through SA (5/22) - Spend a week in May

28 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

developing new ways to move about the city and explore multi-modal forms of transportation. Participants are asked to sign up online. • TH (5/20), 8pm - The Strive Not to Drive committee is making a stylish foray into bike, bus and pedestrian aesthetics this year with its first Multimodal Fashion Show at the L.A.B., 39 Lexington Ave. Featuring local boutiques and European designers. Emceed by Xpress’ Alli Marshall. Free. US 70/Swannanoa River Greenway Public Meeting • TH (5/20), 6-8pm - Buncombe County Parks, Greenways and Rec. Services is partnering with Equinox Environmental to complete a feasibility study for a greenway. Citizens are invited to comment or give concerns at a meeting at Lake View Senior Center in Black Mountain. Info: 250-4260. Walking Tour of Black Mountain • SATURDAYS, 9am Summer walking tour through Black Mountain’s historic district. Meet at the Visitor Center on 201 E. State Street. $10/$5 for children ages 5-12. WCU Asheville Luncheon Series Hear about the latest developments at the university at the Hilton in Biltmore Park. $10.50 for lunch. Info: alumni.wcu. edu, 227-7335 or mramsey@ wcu.edu. • WE (5/19), 11:45am - Gathering and reception followed by lunch buffet —12:15pm - Program focusing on the College of Education and Allied Professions.

Social & SharedInterest Groups Amateur Pool League (pd.) WHEN YOU PLAY, PLAY POOL. Team rosters are open NOW for the Summer. ALL SKILL LEVELS WELCOME. Sign-up to play 8ball or 9ball. 828-329-8197 www. BlueRidgeAPA.com ONGOING - weekly league play. www. BlueRidgeAPA.com Asheville Homeless Network Meetings take place at Firestorm Cafe & Books in downtown Asheville. Info: 552-0505. • THURSDAYS, 2pm - All homeless people and interested citizens are welcome. Blue Ridge Toastmasters Club

weeklypicks Events are FREE unless otherwise noted. Buncombe County Extension Master Gardeners present a free garden talk on "Success With

wed Hostas" Wednesday, May 19, at 10 a.m. at the Cooperative Extension Center, 94 Coxe Ave., Asheville. Info: 255-5522.

Join the Asheville Art Museum's ARTmob for "Hot Glass + Cold Beer." Visit with glass

thur artists Alex Greenwood and Logan MacSporran in their studio in the Phil Mechanic Building in Asheville's River Arts District Thursday, May 20, at 6 p.m. $5 for beer. Info: 253-3227.

fri

All are welcome to Poetry on the Porch Friday, May 21, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Thomas Wolfe Memorial, 52 N. Market St., Asheville. Keith Flynn will read from selected works of poetry. Info: 253-8304.

sat

Kenilworth Artists Association Open Studio Tour is this Saturday, May 22, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, May 23, from noon to 6 p.m. Artists in Asheville's Kenilworth neighborhood invite the community to tour 17 studios, featuring 23 artists working with glass, fabric, wood, paper, pottery, paintings, photography and more. Info: www.kenilworthartists.org.

sun

The Poetry Bomb: Tour of Words 2010 will be at Asheville's Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, 56 Broadway, Sunday, May 23, at 3 p.m. The Poetry Bomb is a former Vietnam-era military-practice bomb that has been converted by poet S.A. Griffin into an art object filled with poetry from around the world. Donations appreciated. Info: 350-8484. Green Monday presents a panel discussion on "Green Building: New Technology, Design and

mon Materials" Monday, May 24, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, second-floor conference room, 36 Montford Ave.

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Catch a film screening of 2 Million Minutes, presented by the Center for Diversity Education, at UNCA's Humanities Lecture Hall Tuesday, May 25, at 7 p.m. The film explores how China, India and the U.S. prepare their students for the future. $5 minimum donation. Proceeds benefit the center. Info: www.diversityed.org.

Meets once a week to enhance speaking skills both formal and impromptu. Part of an international proven program that takes you through the steps with fun along the way. Network with interesting people of all ages and professions. Info: www.blueridgetm. org or 926-4600. • MONDAYS, 12:20-1:30pm - Meeting. Carver Community Center Events • WE (5/26), 7-8:30pm - Natural Skin Care Workshop with Jennifer Maves of JenZen Botanicals. Learn the basics of natural skin care. Make your own masks and custom toners. $20, includes materials. The Carver Community Center is located at 101 Carver Ave., Black Mountain. Info: 669-2052. Financial Therapy Groups • TUESDAYS, 7-8pm - Try out new ways of living and of being, supported by others with similar circumstances, for the collective wisdom of the group to enlighten all, while lightening the burden of each. $8. Info: www.financialtherapygroups.com.

Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society Open for research at 128 Bingham Rd., Suite 700. The Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society Library specializes in Old Buncombe County, which comprised the western third of the state. $5/day for nonmembers. Info: 253-1894 or www.obcgs. com. • SA (5/22), 2pm - “Up the Cherokee Path and across Leatherman Gap with the Grant Expedition Against the Cherokee, 1761” will be presented by Scott Withrow, a native of Rutherford County. A Q&A will follow. Scrabble Club Come play America’s favorite word game SCRABBLE. Info: 252-8154 or www.ashevillescrabble.com. • SUNDAYS, 1-5pm - Meets at Books-A-Million in Asheville. Also meets at Barnes & Noble on Wednesdays at 6:30pm. We have all the gear; just bring your vocabulary. No dues the first six months. Spring Mountain Community Center

Located at 807 Old Fort Road, Fairview. Info: carolyns4kids@ att.net. • 2nd & 4th TUESDAYS, 1-4pm - Doll-Making Bee. Beginners welcome. Bring your tools and supplies. Info: 628-1045.

TEDxNextGenerationAsheville • 4th THURSDAYS, 6pm - Organizing committee meetings held in West Asheville. Teens and adults are welcome. Info: TEDxNGA@gmail. com or TEDxNGA.com. The Haywood County Amateur Radio Club Info: 627-2558 or 329-9303. • TH (5/20), 7pm Introduction on “What’s So Great About Ham Radio?” at the Masonic Lodge, 74 Marshall St., Waynesville. For those interested in pursuing a license, a series of classes will be held at the same time and location on the following seven Thursdays. Free. Vivace Young Professionals • 2nd & 4th THURSDAYS, 6pm - A subsidiary of the Asheville Lyric Opera designed to provide networking for young professional opera

lovers. Info: mpopebeck@ gmail.com. WNC Community Media Center • WEDNESDAYS, 6-7pm - Want your own radio or TV show? Attend a free orientation at the WNC Community Media Center. Info: www.urtv.org/ index.php/coursesequipment Youth OUTright A weekly discussion group for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth ages 14-23. Each week a new topic and activity will be led by at least two trained facilitators. Straight allies are also welcome. Info: www. youthoutright.org. • FRIDAYS, 6:30-9pm - Meets at the Jefferson House, adjacent to the Unitarian Universalist Church (corner of Edwin and Charlotte Streets) at 21 Edwin Pl.

Government & Politics Henderson County Republican Women • 4th TUESDAYS, 11:30am1:30pm - Meets at The Cedars, Hendersonville. $14. To RSVP, send a check pay-

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mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 29

able to Eve Gregg, HCRWC, 236 Greenleaf Drive, Flat Rock, NC 28731, memo “Cedars.” Must be received one week prior to meeting. LibertyOnTheRocks.org A national nonpartisan social group connecting liberty advocates. • MONDAYS, 7pm - Meets at El Chapala Restaurant off of Merrimon Ave.

Seniors & Retirees Henderson County Senior Softball League The league is always looking for new players, ages 55 and older. Weather permitting, they play year-round. Info: 6983448 or www.LJRsoftball. com. • TUESDAYS & FRIDAYS - Daytime games at Jackson Park in Hendersonville (AprilOct.) and Leila Patterson Center in Fletcher (Nov.March). Start times may vary with season. Lakeview Senior Center 401 S. Laurel Circle, Black Mountain. Info: 669-8610. • WE (5/19), 12:30pm - Van Clan to Historic Johnson Farm. Take a guided tour of the 19th century farm and resort. $8.

Animals Asheville Kennel Club Membership is open to everyone interested in purebred dogs and responsible dog ownership. Info: 258-4833 or www.ashevillekennelclub. com. • WEDNESDAYS, 7pm - Breed Handling Classes. Learn how to present your purebred dog in the Show Ring. Meets at the US Army Reserve Center on Louisiana Ave. Open to the public. Details and map on the Web site. Carolina Basset Hound Meet & Greet • SA (5/22), 1-3pm - Carolina Basset Hound Rescue is a volunteer-staffed nonprofit rescuing and placing stray, unwanted, neglected and abandoned Basset Hounds in permanent homes. Meet dogs at MoonDoggies Natural Pet Foods, 1263 Smokey Park Hwy., Candler. ChainFree Asheville A nonprofit, all-volunteer effort dedicated to improving the welfare of dogs living outdoors on chains and in pens in Asheville and Buncombe County. Info: www.chainfreeasheville.org or 450-7736. • SUNDAYS, 11am-3pm - Come help a chained dog experience freedom. No experience necessary. Meets four times a month within Asheville

30 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

or Buncombe County to build a fence for a chained dog. Community Partnership for Pets This nonprofit’s primary goal is to stop the unnecessary killing of hundreds of healthy and adoptable animals at local shelters in Henderson, Buncombe, Transylvania and Polk County. Info: 693-5172 or www.communitypartnershipforpets.org. • 1st & 4th SATURDAYS, Noon-3pm - Spay/neuter vouchers will be available at the Blue Ridge Mall, Four Seasons Blvd. at the Kmart entrance. $20 cats/$30 dogs. Raw Pet Food Class • SA (5/22), 1-3pm - Learn about the health benefits of and how to make your own raw pet food for your cat or dog at MoonDoggies, 1263 Smokey Park Hwy., Candler. Free. Info: 633-0900. Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation The Foundation’s mission is to save healthy, adoptable animals in the Haywood County Animal Control facility. Located at 1659 S. Main St., Waynesville. Info: www.sargeandfriends.org or 246-9050. • SATURDAYS (through 5/29), 10am-3pm - Pet Adoption Day at 1659 S. Main St., Waynesville. Adoption fee covers rabies and spay/neuter. Photos can be viewed at www.sargeandfriends.org or www.petfinder.com.

Technology Free Mac Computer Classes Classes are held at Charlotte Street Computers, 101 S. Lexington Ave., downtown Asheville. To register: classes@charlottestreetcomputers. com. • MONDAYS, Noon-12:45pm - Mac OSX Basics class. • WEDNESDAYS, Noon12:45pm - iMovie class. • FRIDAYS, Noon-12:45pm - iPhoto class.

Volunteering This Sunday! • Bluegrass Concert • Raffle • Benefit (pd.) May 23, 2pm-5pm, church grounds of St. Luke’s, 219 Chunns Cove Road. • Bluegrass bands • Raffle: 2 tickets, Southwest Airlines • Crafts • Prizes • Food • Fun! • Benefits Guardian Ad Litem, helping abused and neglected children with legal representation. • $5 per person. Share our Attitude of Gratitude this Sunday! American Red Cross • Volunteers are always welcome as canteen greeters at the WNC American Red Cross Blood Services Donation Center, 100 Edgewood Road,

Asheville, and out in the community with the mobiles units. Info: 258-3888, ext. 214 or tosettim@usa.redcross.org. Appalachian Trail Conservancy A volunteer-based, private nonprofit dedicated to the conservation of the Appalachian Trail. Info: www. appalachiantrail.org or 2543708. • SA (5/22), 9:30am - Seeking volunteers to participate in an invasive exotic plant inventory on the Appalachian Trail. Starting at Sam’s Gap, Marshall. Call or e-mail jodell@appalachiantrail.org. Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity Seeks Volunteers Volunteers must attend an orientation prior to scheduling in the Home Store or the Jobsite. Info: lodeen@ashevillehabitat. org. • 2nd WEDNESDAYS, 6pm & 2nd FRIDAYS & 3rd SATURDAYS, 10am - Volunteer orientations are offered at Habitat for Humanity, 30 Meadow Road. Asheville Young Advocates • WE (5/26), 7-8:30pm - Meet-and-greet like-minded women who are interested in volunteer work for Planned Parenthood. Events range from art auctions to dance parties. At Planned Parenthood of Asheville Health Center, upstairs conference room, 603 Biltmore Ave. RSVP: 252-7928, ext. 6041 or bonnie.smith@pphsinc. org. Carl Sandburg Home Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site is located three miles south of Hendersonville off U.S. 25 on Little River Road. Info: 693-4178 or www.nps.gov/carl. • The CSH is seeking dynamic volunteers to work with the Park’s Education Program. Positions include teaching workshops, coordinating special events and more. Girls on the Run Girls on the Run is a nonprofit dedicated to educating and preparing girls for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. Info: www.gotrwnc.org or girlsontherunwnc@gmail.com. • Volunteers are needed to assist with the May 22 Spring 5K. Help needed with set-up, support, registration and takedown. Info: maggieskroski@ hotmail.com. Hands On Asheville-Buncombe Choose the volunteer opportunity that works for you. Youth are welcome to volunteer on many projects with adult supervision. Info: www.handsonasheville.org or call 2-1-1. Visit the Web site to sign up for a project. • TH (5/20) & TU (5/25), 6-8pm - Help MANNA prepare

“Packs for Kids,” backpacksized parcels of food that will be distributed to students from low-income families. • SA (5/22), 3-5pm - Help make “lovies” blankets for premature babies served by Mission Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Instructions provided. • SA (5/22), 10am-1pm - In the Garden: Help prepare the Emma Community Garden for fertilization, planting and harvest. • SU (5/23), 2-4pm - Knit-nGive: Make hats for newborns served by the Health Center’s Community Health Program. • MO (5/24), 7-8:30pm Help bake cookies for families staying at the Lewis Rathbun Center. The center provides free lodging for families from out of town who have a loved one in an area hospital. Supplies provided. • TH (5/27), 5:30-7:30pm - Meals for Hope. Cook and serve a meal for 15-25 women and children who are part of New Choices, an empowerment program for displaced homemakers in need of counseling and assistance. • TH (5/27), 4-6pm - Assist with unpacking and pricing merchandise for Ten Thousand Villages, a nonprofit, fair-trade retail store that sells handcrafted items made by artisans in more than 30 developing countries. Mountain Sports Festival The festival is held at various locations throughout Asheville, and features trail running, disc golf, cycling, kayaking and more. Info: www.mountainsportsfestival.com. • FR (5/28) through SU (5/30) - Committed volunteers are needed to help throughout the festival. Duties include working for races and events, parking, info booth, and selling merch. Volunteers receive a T-shirt and beverage voucher. RiverLink’s Volunteer Opportunities RiverLink is a regional nonprofit organization working to revitalize the French Broad River watershed. Internship positions are available, as well as many volunteer opportunities. Info: 252-8474, volunteer@riverlink.org or www. riverlink.org. • RiverLink is now gathering supplies at its office, 170 Lyman St., to aid in the oilspill cleanup in the Gulf of Mexico. Items needed include: towels, bed sheets, toothbrushes, paper towels, gloves, dish soap, pet kennels. Twilight Brigade Hospice Volunteer Training • FR (5/21) through SU (5/23) - Become certified as a Hospice Volunteer for the

Health Programs Professional Help For Overshoppers/Overspenders (pd.) • 12 session group format beginning in June. Stop the pain of Overshopping/ Overspending! • Discover triggers and what you’re really shopping for • Learn specific tools and strategies to end the shame and pain • Holistic, Mindful and Compassionate approach. Call Denise Kelley, MA, LPC: 231-2107 or email: empowering.solutions@ yahoo.com Art of Intimacy Learn life-changing communication and relationship skills, drawing from the work of Marshal Rosenberg (Nonviolent Communication), Brad Blanton (Radical Honesty), Susan Campbell (Getting Real), John Bradshaw (Homecoming) and others. $60/4-session class. Info: 254-5613 or www.theREALcenter.org. • WEDNESDAYS, 7:309:30pm - Meeting. Events at Pardee Hospital All programs held at the Pardee Health Education Center in the Blue Ridge Mall in Hendersonville. Free, but registration and appointments required unless otherwise noted. To register or for info: www.pardeehospital.org or 692-4600. • TH (5/20), 2-3pm - “Allergy Free but not Taste Free,” a nutrition discussion with Cheryl Tuttle. Samples and recipes provided. $5. • FR (5/21), Noon-1:30pm - “Partial Knee Replacement,” a discussion with Brian Seng with Hendersonville Orthopaedic Associates. Events at the Downtown Market Located at 45 S. French Broad Ave. Info: www. DowntownMarketAsheville. com. • SA (5/22), 11am-Noon - “Pediatric Homeopathy: A Better Way,” with Dr. Cornelia Franz, pediatrician. Plus, Rosiland Whiteley of Heaven Rains will discuss “Allergy Drops vs. Allergy Shots.” $10 advance/$15 door. Info: 273-4478. Final Exit Network Meeting • SU (5/23), 2pm - “What is MOST and Why Do I Need It?” presented by Dr. Ellen Kaczmarek, medical director of Mission Hospitals Geriatric Consultation Service, at the Unitarian Universalist Church

of Asheville. Learn about Medical Orders for Scope of Treatment. Info: 687-7759. Health Events at Earth Fare South Located at 1856 Hendersonville Rd. Events are free, unless otherwise noted. Info: 210-0100. • MO (5/24), 6:30pm - Healthy Meals in Minutes Series: Breakfast Entrees. Learn to prepare easy and elegant breakfast entrees. $8. Register by 10am no later than May 23: 334-4342. Henderson County Red Cross Red Cross holds classes in CPR and First Aid for infants, children and adults; Standard First Aid in Spanish; Babysitter Training; Pet First Aid. Located at 203 Second Ave. East, Hendersonville. Info: 6935605. : Blood Drive dates and locations are listed below. Appointment and ID required. Through June 30, all donors are entered to win a cruise for two. • SA (5/22), 8am-12:30pm - Fletcher United Methodist Church, 6140 Hendersonville Hwy., Fletcher. Info: 6846747. • MO (5/24), 3-7:30pm - Rugby Middle School, 3555 Haywood Road, Hendersonville. Info: 8916566. • WE (5/26), 9am-1:30pm American Red Cross Chapter in Hendersonville. • TH (5/27), 3-7:30pm - Stoney Mountain Baptist Church, 3301 Asheville Hwy., Hendersonville. Info: 692-2944. Living Healthy Live healthy with a chronic condition. Sponsored by the Land-of-Sky Regional Council. Free. To register: 251-7438 or rebecca@landofsky.org. • TUESDAYS (5/25 through 6/29), Noon-2:30pm - Living Healthy is a free interactive workshop for people with one or more chronic health conditions. Meets at Bethel A Baptist in Brevard. • WEDNESDAYS (5/26 through 6/30), 1-3:30pm - Living Healthy With Diabetes is an interactive workshop designed to teach people with diabetes how to take control of their health through self management. Meets the Marshall Senior Center. Living Healthy with a Chronic Condition • WEDNESDAYS (through 6/2) - Self-management program for people with chronic conditions. Learn how to take charge of your health and manage pain, fatigue, frustration and more. $30. To register: 274-2276, ext. 311. Opportunity House Events

Located at 1411 Asheville Hwy. in Hendersonville. Info: 698-5517 or 692-0575. • WEDNESDAYS, 7-8am - Low-cost medical testing with Linda Garren, RN of Hendersonville. No appointments necessary. Info: 692-0575. • WE (5/26), 9am-1pm - Red Cross Blood Drive. Walk-ins welcome. For donor appointments, call 258-3888. Red Cross Events & Classes Red Cross holds classes in CPR/First Aid for infants, children, and adults; Babysitter Training; Pet First Aid; Bloodborne Pathogens; Swimming & Water Safety; and Lifeguarding. All classes held at chapter headquarters, 100 Edgewood Rd. To register, call 258-3888, ext. 221. Info: www.redcrosswnc.org. : Bloodmobile Drive dates and locations are listed below. Appointment and ID required. • MO (5/24), 9:30am-2pm - Buncombe County blood drive at the Training and Development Building, 199 College St. Door prizes. To schedule an appointment: www.membersforlife.org/ cbsr/schedule (enter code 11594). Spring Mountain Community Center Located at 807 Old Fort Road, Fairview. Info: carolyns4kids@att.net. • MONDAYS, 7pm; WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS, 8:30am - Yoga. Bring a mat and blanket or towel. Improve your breathing, flexibility and stamina. $5-$7 donation per session.

Support Groups Adult Children Of Alcoholics & Dysfunctional Families ACOAs continue “survival” behaviors they had as children, which no longer serve them as adults. Come learn how to grow in recovery and become the person you are meant to be through this 12-step fellowship. Info: 545-9648. • FRIDAYS, 7-8:30pm - Meets at Grace Episcopal Church, 871 Merrimon Ave., Asheville. Al-Anon Al-Anon is a support group for the family and friends of alcoholics. More than 33 groups are available in the WNC area. Info: 800-286-1326 or www. wnc-alanon.org. • WEDNESDAYS, 8-9pm - Newcomers meeting and discussion: West Asheville Presbyterian Church, 690 Haywood Road, across from Ingles. Enter through parking lot door. Info: 225-0515. • WEDNESDAYS, 12:151:15pm - Step study: First

Baptist Church, 5 Oak St. Park in the back of lot between Church and Y. Info: 6868131. • WEDNESDAYS, 8pm - Al-Anon in West Asheville: Meeting at West Asheville Presbyterian Church, 690 Haywood Rd., across from Ingles. Separate Newcomers’ Meeting meets also at 8pm. Info: 258-4799. • THURSDAYS, 7pm - Discussion meeting for parents of children with addictions: West Asheville Presbyterian Church, 690 Haywood Road, across from Ingles. Info: 242-6197. • FRIDAYS, 8pm - The Lambda (GLBT) group of Al-Anon is a gay-friendly support group for families and friends of alcoholics, and holds their weekly candlelight meeting at All Souls Cathedral, 3 Angle St. Info: 670-6277 (until 9pm). • FRIDAYS, 12:30-1:30pm - Discussion meeting: First Baptist Church, 5 Oak St. Park in the back of lot between Church and Y. Info: 686-8131. • FRIDAYS, 6:30pm - Discussion meeting for couples only: All Souls Cathedral, 3 Angle St. Info: 676-0485. • SATURDAYS, 10am - Al-Anon North: Meeting at Grace Episcopal Church, 871 Merrimon Ave. • SATURDAYS, 10am - Saturday Serenity at St Mary’s Episcopal Church on the corner of Charlotte and Macon. Beginners welcome. • SATURDAYS, Noon - Weaverville discussion meeting at First Baptist Church on N. Main St., next to the library. Enter via side glass doors. • SUNDAYS, 5-6pm Discussion meeting: West Asheville Presbyterian Church, 690 Haywood Road. Info: 281-1566. • MONDAYS, 12-1pm - Discussion meeting: First Baptist Church, 5 Oak St. Park in the back of lot between Church and Y. Info: 686-8131. • TUESDAYS, 5:30pm - 12 Steps and 12 Traditions Study at Kennilworth Presbyterian Church, 123 Kenilworth Road. • TUESDAYS, 7pm Discussion meeting: First Congregational United Church of Christ, 20 Oak St. Asheville Radical Mental Health Collective • MONDAYS, 7-9pm - Mutual aid in a world gone mad. Peer support, resources and discussion. At the YWCA, 185 South French Broad Ave. The Collective supports selfdetermination and choice for mental health and wellness.

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Everyone is welcome. Info: radmadasheville@theicarusproject.net. Beauty Through Cancer Provides programs and services for breast cancer patients and survivors in the WNC area. Located at 131 McDowell St., Suite 202, Asheville. Info: 252-8558 or info@beautythroughcancer. org. â&#x20AC;˘ 4th MONDAYS, 5:156:30pm - Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cancer support group for individuals going through any type of cancer treatment or recovery. This uplifting group with cover many diverse subjects. Cancer patients, survivors and caregivers are welcome. Bipolar and Depression Support Group â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAYS, 6:308:30pm - Magnetic Minds meets at Mountain House, 225 E. Chestnut St., Asheville. Peer support, empowerment, recovery and advocacy. Info: 318-9179. C.L.O.S.E.R. Gay Support Group â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAYS, 7-9pm Community Liason of Support Education and Reform. Weekly support group for GLBT community. Weekly meetings with varying subject matter, visiting guest speakers and social activities. Meets at the Cathedral of All Souls Episcopal Church meeting room. Info: 776-0109. Cancer Support Group for Caregivers â&#x20AC;˘ MONDAYS, 11am-Noon - Meetings at Jubilee, 46 Wall St., Asheville. Emotional support for family members of people experiencing cancer. Facilitated by Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Info: 299-0394. Cancer Support Group for Women â&#x20AC;˘ MONDAYS, 1:30-3pm - Meetings at Biltmore United Methodist Church. Emotional support for women experiencing cancer. Facilitated by Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Info: 299-0394. Eating Disorders Individuals are welcome to come to one or all of the support group. Info: 337-4685 or www.thecenternc.org. â&#x20AC;˘ WEDNESDAYS, 7-8pm - Support group for adults at T.H.E. Center for Disordered Eating, 297 Haywood St. Focus is on positive peer support, coping skills and recovery tools. Led by licensed professionals. Free. Grief Recovery Seminar/ Support Group Meets at First United Methodist Church, 204 Sixth Ave. W. Hendersonville. GriefShare is a special support group for people grieving the death of someone close. The

video seminar features recognized experts on grief recovery topics. Info: 694-3621 or www.hvlfumc.org. â&#x20AC;˘ 2nd & 4th TUESDAYS, 23:30pm - Meeting. National Alliance on Mental Illness - Western Carolina Dedicated to improving the lives of persons with severe mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, OCD, PTSD and anxiety disorders. Free Connection Recovery Support Groups. Info: 5057353. â&#x20AC;˘ 2nd & 4th MONDAYS, 11am - Group meets at 356 Biltmore Ave., Suite 298. Overcomers Recovery Support Group â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAYS, 7-8pm - A Christian-based 12-step recovery program. Provides a spiritual plan of recovery for people struggling with life-controlling problems such as alcohol, drugs, overeating, pornography, codependency, enabling. All are welcome. Info: rchovey@sos.spc-asheville.org. Overeaters Anonymous A fellowship of individuals who, through shared experience, strength and hope, are recovering from compulsive overeating. This 12-step program welcomes everyone who wants to stop eating compulsively. Meetings are one hour unless noted. â&#x20AC;˘ THURSDAYS, Noon - Asheville: Biltmore United Methodist Church, 376 Hendersonville Rd. (S. 25 at Yorkshire). Info: 298-1899. â&#x20AC;˘ SATURDAYS, 9:30am - Black Mountain: Carver Parks & Recreation Center, 101 Carver Ave. off Blue Ridge Road. Open relapse and recovery mtg. Info: 686-8131. â&#x20AC;˘ MONDAYS, 6:30pm - Hendersonville: Balfour United Meth. Church, 2567 Asheville Hwy. (Hwy. 25). Open mtg. Info: 1-800-5804761. â&#x20AC;˘ MONDAYS, 6pm Asheville: First Congregational United Church of Christ, 20 Oak St. Open mtg. Info: 277-8185. â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAYS, 10:30am-Noon - Asheville: Grace Episcopal Church, 871 Merrimon Ave. at Ottari. Open BBSS mtg. Info: 280-2213. S-Anon For those affected by someone elseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sexual behavior. Info: 545-4287 or 606-6803. â&#x20AC;˘ WEEKLY - Three meetings are available per week. S-Anon Meetings S-Anon is a 12-step recovery program for partners, family and friends of sexaholics. We share our experience, strength and hope to help solve our common problems. Meetings

held weekly in Asheville, Fletcher and Waynesville. Call confidential voice mail for information: 258-5117. â&#x20AC;˘ WEEKLY - Meetings. Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous â&#x20AC;˘ SATURDAYS, 10-11am - A 12-step, recovery fellowship for those who want to stop living out a pattern of compulsive sexual and romantic behavior. Meets at Congregational United Church of Christ, 20 Oak St. Park behind church and enter at front door of the annex. Sexaholics Anonymous SA is a 12-step fellowship of men and women recovering from compulsive patterns of lust, romance, destructive relationships, sexual thoughts or sexual behavior. Call confidential voice mail 681-9250 or e-mail saasheville@gmail. com. Info: www.orgsites. com/nc/saasheville/. â&#x20AC;˘ DAILY - Asheville meetings. SMART Recovery â&#x20AC;˘ THURSDAYS, 6-7pm - Self-Management and Recovery Training, a free, selfempowering, science-based mutual help group for abstaining from any substance or activity addiction, meets at Grace Episcopal Church on Merrimon Ave. Donations requested. Info: www.smartrecovery.org. WNC Brain Tumor Support Welcomes family as well as the newly diagnosed and longer-term survivors. Info: 691-2559 or www.wncbraintumor.org. â&#x20AC;˘ TH (5/20), 6:15pm - Renowned oncologist Edward Shaw will discuss â&#x20AC;&#x153;Coping with a Brain Tumor and Cancer.â&#x20AC;? Shaw is the principal of the Wake Forest Universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Comprehensive Cancer Center of Clinical Oncology. Free. â&#x20AC;˘ 3rd THURSDAYS, 6:158pm - Group meets at MAHEC, 501 Biltmore Ave., at the edge of the Mission Hospitals campus. Workaholic Anonymous (WA) Meetings Feeling rushed? Canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get it all done? WA slogan: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Slow is beautiful and powerful. I move glacially.â&#x20AC;? Info: 2546484. Or try conference call meetings: Get times and numbers at www.workaholics-anonymous.org/page. php?page=_meetings. â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAYS, 5:30-6:30pm - Asheville WA meeting at First Presbyterian Church, 40 Church St.

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Sports Groups & Activities Birding with Simon Thompson (pd.) May 21st at 8:30 am and 6 pm. Simon is a renowned birder and has led people all over the world on bird watching expeditions. He will lead an 8:30 am walk at Fletcher Park (meet by the park shelter) and then will give a 6 pm presentation at Diamond Brand in Arden. Get Outdoors More Tour (pd.) May 27th at 6 pm. At Diamond Brand in Arden. The Get Outdoors More Tour, presented by Backpacker Magazine, provides an interactive mobile media and education tour designed to inspire participation in active outdoor pursuits. The Tour will visit Diamond Brand, so be sure to stop by! For more info, contact Sarah at smerrell@ diamondbrand.com. ABRC Ladies Road Ride â&#x20AC;˘ MONDAYS, 6pm - Meet at Youngblood Bicycles, 233 Merrimon Ave. This is a ride for people with some experience who want to improve their group road-riding skills. Cue sheets are available at Youngblood. Info: 251-4686, wcoin13@thefhc.net or www.abrc.net. Asheville Aikikai Info: www.aikidonc.org or 258-1330. â&#x20AC;˘ WEEKLY - Women and men (ages 14 and up) are invited for advanced and beginning practice. Beginners are welcome anytime. $5. At 939 Riverside Drive. â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAY & FRIDAYS, 5:30-6:15pm - Aikido class for children ages 8-14. $5. Asheville Kendo Club â&#x20AC;˘ FRIDAYS, 6-9pm Dedicated to bringing quality Kendo to the Asheville area. Kendo, the Japanese â&#x20AC;&#x153;Way of the Sword,â&#x20AC;? develops a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind, posture and spirit through the principles of Japanese fencing. Kendo is not self-defense. Info: ashevillekendo@gmail.com. Asheville Masters Swimming Competitive, fitness and triathlon swimmers welcome. Info: www.ashevillemasters.com â&#x20AC;˘ MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS, 5:45-7:15am Practice at Asheville School. â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 5:45-7:15am & SATURDAYS, 7-9am Coached practices at Warren Wilson College. Disc Golf Check the kiosk at Richmond Hill Park for events and nearby tournaments. Info: 680-9626 or www.wncdiscgolf.com.

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• TUESDAYS, 3pm - Doubles at Richmond Hill Park. Random draw for partners. Filipino Martial Arts Kuntao: Traditional emptyhand system of self defense. Kali: Filipino method of stick-and-knife combat. First two lessons are free. Info: 777-8225 or http://kuntao. webs.com. • SATURDAYS, 1pm & TUESDAYS, 7pm - Classes at Asheville Culture Project, 257 Short Coxe Ave. Outdoor Climbing at the YMCA • Through (5/29), Noon-2pm - Outdoor climbing class for ages 6 and up at the YMCA Youth Services Center, 201 Beaverdam Road. Two climbs: $5/$20 family. Info: 253-4706. Pickleball It’s like playing ping pong on a tennis court. For all ages. $1 per session. Paddles and balls are provided. Info: 350-2058. • MONDAYS, WEDNESDAYS & FRIDAYS, 9-11am - Meets at Stephens-Lee Rec Center, 30 George Washington Carver St. (take S. Charlotte to Max St.). Stephens-Lee Center Events Located at 30 George Washington Carver St. Info: 350-2058. • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 5:30-6:30pm - Step Aerobics/Weights in the gym. Multi-level class. Free. • MONDAYS, 5:30-6:30pm Women’s Full Body Workout. Women get into the Fitness Center free. Self-directed/staff on hand for assistance. • TUESDAYS, 6:30-8pm - Adult women’s pickup basketball. Tai Chi for Seniors (all welcome) • WEDNESDAYS, Noon - A gentle class for beginners promoting balance, strength, flexibility and calm. Basic practices, no complex movements. Upstairs at the French Broad Co-op, 90 Biltmore Ave., Asheville. $10. Info: 645-9579. Ultimate Frisbee Pickup • SUNDAYS, 4-6pm - Play ultimate frisbee with the Asheville Ultimate Community. Pickup is coed; all levels are welcome. Bring a dark and a light shirt, cleats and disc if you have them, and water. At Memorial Field (behind McCormick Stadium). Info: chris@ashevilleultimate.org.

Kids At The Health Adventure Free first Wed. of every month from 3-5pm. Hours: Tues.Sat., 10am-5pm & Sun., 1-5pm. $8.50 adults/$7.50 students & seniors/$6 kids 211. Program info or to RSVP:

34 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

254-6373, ext. 324. Info: www.thehealthadventure.org. • THURSDAYS, 10:3011:30am - Preschool Play Date. Interactive fun just for preschoolers led by museum facilitators. Free with admission. • SATURDAYS, 1-2pm - Experiment with science during Super Science Saturdays. Featuring hands-on activities led by museum facilitators, the programs are fun for all ages. Free with admission. • 2nd & 4th MONDAYS, 4-5pm - “My Mom Is Having a Baby.” Help your child prepare to be an older brother or sister. Learn what to expect, how to hold the new baby, and make a special present to hang over the crib. Free with admission.

Celebration Singers of Asheville Community children’s chorus for ages 7-14. For audition/ performance info: 230-5778 or www.singasheville.org. • THURSDAYS, 6:30-7:45pm - Children’s chorus rehearsal at First Congregational Church, 20 Oak St., downtown Asheville. N.C. Arboretum Events for Kids Info: 665-2492, jmarchal@ ncarboretum.org or www. ncarboretum.org. • TU (5/25), 10-11am - Wee Naturalists: “Tiger Swallowtail Safari.” The lesson will include age-appropriate activities for ages 2-5, such as nature walks, garden exploration, stories, crafts and visits from our classroom animals. $6. • TU (5/25), 1-3:30pm - Eco Explorers: Nature-based learning for homeschoolers. Explore the streams, woodlands and gardens of the Arboretum. All programs emphasize hands-on and experiential education. Open to children ages 7-12. Children ages 5 and 6 may attend, but a parent or guardian must accompany them. $12.

Spirituality 1 Day Class - Reiki II Certifiation (pd.) Learn to send Distant Healing, Reiki Symbols, & more. Pre-requisite Reiki I. Compassionate, experienced Reiki Master/Teacher. Info: www.AshevilleReiki.com or 828-367-0434. Astro-Counseling (pd.) Licensed counselor and accredited professional astrologer uses your chart when counseling for additional insight into yourself, your relationships and life directions. Readings also available. Christy Gunther, MA. (828)258-3229. Chanting and Meditation in the Kriya Yoga Tradition

(pd.) With Steven Dean 6:30-8:30 PM Friday May 21 Donations accepted Creative Thought Center 449 Pigeon St., Suite D Waynesville 828361-4571 www.thekriyayogaway.org Tuesday Afternoons • Study • Meditation • Great Tree Zen Temple (pd.) Study: 3:30pm • Meditation: 5:30pm. 679 Lower Flat Creek Road, Alexander. Love offering. More information: 645-2085 or www.greattreetemple.org Reiki Circle - Sat. May 22nd 2-4PM (pd.) If you’ve never experienced Reiki, this is a perfect opportunity - come join us! Reiki Master Odilia begins the circle with an overview of Reiki, then leads a powerful Chakra Balancing Meditation incorporating Sound Healing with a Crystal Singing Bowl. This is followed by each person receiving a mini Reiki treatment while seated in a circle. $12 Love Offering. 26 Howland Rd., Asheville. Space limited, please RSVP 828-367-0434 or www. AshevilleReiki.com A Course in Miracles Class/ Discussion Group • TUESDAYS, 6:30pm - Meets in N. Hendersonville. Info: 242-2536. All Saints Anglican Church Located at 15 McDowell Road, Mills River. The 1928 Book of Common Prayer is used. Info: 891-7216. • SUNDAYS, 8:30am - Holy Eucharist —- 9:45am Christian Education —- 11am - Holy Eucharist. Call for information on other weekly services. Asheville Center for Spiritual Awareness Located in the N. Louisiana Office Park, 370 N. Lousiana Ave., Suite D-3. Info: www. csa-asheville.org. • SUNDAYS & THURSDAYS Meditation practice in the kriya yoga tradition. Sun. mornings and Thurs. evenings. Donation basis. Info: ryan.kurczak@ gmail.com. Asheville Center for Transcendental Meditation/ Introductory Lecture: Got bliss? The true nature of life is bliss—full abundance of creativity, health, happiness, peace. The TM technique is the most widely researched meditation, with over 600 scientific studies validating its life-transforming benefits for mind, body, behavior and environment. Info: 254-4350 or www.TM.org. • WEDNESDAYS, 7:158:15pm - Learn more: free public introductory talk at the Maharishi Enlightenment Center, 165 E. Chestnut St. Asheville Meditation Center

Classes are held at the Greenlife Community Center, 90 Merrimon Ave., unless otherwise noted. Info: 505-2300 or www.meditateasheville.org. • MONDAYS, 6:30-7:30pm - Meditation for Inner Peace class. Donations accepted. Asheville Sound Healing • 2nd & 4th SATURDAYS, 6-7pm - Chakra Toning Circle at Skinny Beats Drum Shop, 4 Eagle St. Learn how to tone the chakra sounds for health and well-being. Love offerings accepted. Info: 776-3786 or www.AshevilleSoundHealing. com. Awakening Practices Study the works of Eckhart Tolle and put words into action through meditation and discussion. Info: Trey@ QueDox.com. • 2nd & 4th THURSDAYS, 7-9pm - Meets at the EnkaCandler Library meeting room. Bear Clan Medicine Lodge The group practices Native American spirituality. It also studies natural healing modalities. Not affiliated with any tribe or organization. Everyone is welcome. Meets at the library on Mitchell St. in Old Fort. Info: http://seeks.spirit. tripod.com. • 2nd & 4th SUNDAYS, 3pm - Meetings. Focus on our connection to All Our Relations and what this means to each of us on our personal path. All are welcome to come and share.

Bruno Groening Circle of Friends Help and healing the spiritual way through the teachings of Bruno Groening. Participants are asked to attend an introduction before coming to the regular community hour. Info: 393-0630 or ehlersk@ aol.com. • TU (5/25), 7-8:30pm - Meeting at North Asheville Library, 1030 Merrimon Ave. Love offering. Buddhist Meditation and Discussion Meets in the space above the French Broad Food Coop. April’s theme: “How to Solve Our Anger Problems.” Suggested donation: $8/$4 students & seniors. Info: 7795502 or www.meditation-innorthcarolina.org. • WE (5/19), 7:15pm - “The Inner Workings of Rebirth & Karma.” • WE (5/26), 7:15pm - “Great Compassion.” Coalition of Earth Religions Events Info: 230-5069 or www. ceres-wnc.org. • 4th WEDNESDAYS - Meeting at the Earth Fare Community Room. Call for details.

freewillastrology ARIES (March 21-April 19)

All of us have gaps in our education. You and I and everyone else alive have dank pockets of ignorance that diminish our humanity and musty pits of naivete that prevent us from seeing truths that are obvious to others. We all lack certain skills that hold us back from being more fulfilled in our chosen fields. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the bad news, Aries. The good news is that the gaps in your education will be up for review in the coming weeks â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which means that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be an excellent time to make plans to fill them. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good way to get started: Be aggressive in identifying the things that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

I wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be surprised if people begin to compete for your attention. There may even be some pushing and shoving as they jostle to get closer to you. At the very least, you can expect a flurry of requests for your time and energy. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s this all about? Well, your worth seems to be rising. Either your usefulness is flat-out increasing or else those whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve underestimated you in the past are finally tuning in to what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been missing. So hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my question and concern: Will you get so seduced by what everyone asks you to give them that you lose sight of what you really want to give them? I suspect there will be a difference.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to answer to anybody this week, Taurus. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to defend yourself, explain yourself, or compromise yourself. I mean, you can do those things if you want to be super extra nice, but there wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be any hell to pay if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of those rare times when you have more power than usual to shape the world in accordance with your vision of what the world should be. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll go so far as to say that the world needs you to be very assertive in imposing your will on the flow of events. Just one caveat: Mix a generous dose of compassion in with your authoritative actions.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not saying that you should create a superhero identity for yourself and embark on a campaign to combat injustice. But if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever wondered whether the life of a costumed crusader is right for you, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an excellent time to experiment. Your courage will be expanding in the coming weeks. Your craving for adventure will be strong, too. Even more importantly, your hunger to do good deeds that reach beyond your own self-interest will be growing. Interested? Check out the Superhero Supply website to get yourself operational. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at www.superherosupplies.com.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20)

All 26 of Edgar Rice Burroughsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; stories about Tarzan are set in Africa, but he never once visited that continent. And Bram Stoker didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel the need to travel to the Transylvanian region of Romania in order to write about it in his novel Dracula. But I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t recommend this approach to you in the coming weeks, Libra. If you want to cultivate something new in your life by drawing on an exotic influence, I think you should immerse yourself in that exotic influence, at least for a while. If you want to tap into the inspiration available through an unfamiliar source, you need to actually be in the presence of that unfamiliar source.

When Paul McCartney first got the inspiration to write the song â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yesterday,â&#x20AC;? he had the melody and rhythm but couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get a feel for what the lyrics should be. For a while, as he was waiting for the missing words to pop into his brain, he used nonsense stand-in phrases. The dummy version of the first line was â&#x20AC;&#x153;Scrambled eggs, oh my dear, you have such lovely legs.â&#x20AC;? This approach could be useful for you in the coming weeks, Gemini. As you create a fresh approach or novel departure in your own life, you might want to show the patience McCartney did. Be willing to keep moving ahead even though you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the full revelation quite yet.

CANCER (June 21-July 22)

I suspect youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to feel a bit constrained in the coming weeks, Cancerian â&#x20AC;&#x201D; maybe even imprisoned. I suggest you make the best of it. Rather than feeling sorry for yourself and spiraling down into a dark night of the soul, try this: Imagine that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a resourceful hermit whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s temporarily under house arrest in an elegant chalet with all the amenities. Regard this â&#x20AC;&#x153;incarcerationâ&#x20AC;? as a chance to start work on a masterpiece, or upgrade your meditation practice, or read a book youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve needed an excuse to lose yourself in. Believe it or not, your â&#x20AC;&#x153;deprivationâ&#x20AC;? could be one of the best things that has happened to you in a while.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Why would you choose this bright, sunny moment to descend into the dark places and explore the fermenting mysteries? What renegade impulse would move you to turn away from the predictable pleasures and easy solutions, and instead go off in quest of more complex joys and wilder answers? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I have to say about that: I think you long to be free of transitory wishes and fleeting dreams for a while so that you can get back into alignment with your deeper purposes. You need to take a break from the simple obsessions of your grayish, poker-faced ego, and re-attune yourself to the call of your freaky, evergreen soul.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Sufi holy man Ibn â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ata Allah was speaking about prayer when he said the following: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If

On Saturday, June 5, at 7:30 PM

you make intense supplication and the timing of the answer is delayed, do not despair of it. His reply to you is guaranteed; but in the way He chooses, not the way you choose, and at the moment He desires, not the moment you desire.â&#x20AC;? While I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t claim to be able to perfectly decipher the will of the divine, my astrological research suggests that you will soon get a definitive answer to a question youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been asking for a long time. It may come softly and quietly, though, and from a direction you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect, and with a nuance or two thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll test your reflexes.

World renowned guitarist Frederic Hand will be performing in concert at the Asheville Unitarian Church. This concert is a benefit for Windhorse Zen Community.

All donations are tax-deductible. For more information, visit www. windhorsezen.org or call 828-645-8001.

Mystic India

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Satsang & Organic Indian Feast

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is Fast Food Too Tempting?â&#x20AC;? read a headline in The Week magazine. The accompanying article discussed whether people have the right to blame and even sue McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and Burger King for their health problems. In my opinion, we might as well add other allegedly appealing poisons to the discussion. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is heroin too tempting?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is cheating on your lover or spouse too tempting?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is watching TV five hours a day too tempting?â&#x20AC;? I hope youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re seeing where Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going with this, Capricorn. The coming weeks will be a good time to take personal responsibility for any supposedly fun activity youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing that warps your character or saps your energy. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prime time to end your relationship with stuff thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bad for you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The mind loves order, the heart loves chaos, and the gut loves action,â&#x20AC;? says my astrological colleague Antero Alli. The ideal situation is to honor each of these needs, keeping them in a dynamic balance. But now and then, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healthy to emphasize one over the other two. According to my astrological analysis, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re entering one of those times when the heartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s longing for chaos should get top priority. But if you do choose to go this way, please promise me one thing: Do your best to tilt toward the fascinating, rejuvenating kind of chaos and tilt away from the disorienting, demoralizing kind.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

When people are truly dehydrated, the impulse that tells them theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re thirsty shuts down. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why they may not know theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re suffering from a lack of water. In a metaphorically similar way, Pisces, you have been deprived so long of a certain kind of emotional sustenance that you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re missing. See if you can find out what it is, and then make measured (non-desperate!) plans to get a big, strong influx of it. The cosmic rhythms will be on your side in this effort! Homework: Brag about your flaws and weaknesses and mistakes, preferably with a grandiose lack of inhibition. Send your boast to Truthrooster@gmail.com. ÂŠ Copyright 2010 Rob Brezsny X

with

Paramanand Maharaj Prama Retreat Center Sat. June 12 @ 7pm Sugg. Donation $25

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4HE !SHEVILLE !STROLOGER Blending Western & Vedic Astrology

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Healing The Whole Self

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mountainx.com â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 35

J AMES D ANIEL TR A D I T I O N A L PAINTING & DRAW ING STUDIO

PORTRAITS & COMMISSIONS

CLASSES & WORKSHOPS

Currently exhibiting at 16 Patton Gallery, downtown Asheville

(828) 713-3237 WWW.JDANIELART.COM | JWCD1@MAC.COM

36 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Compassionate Communication Practice Group Learn ways to create understanding and clarity in your relationships, work, and community by practicing compassionate communication. Group uses a model developed by Marshall Rosenberg in his book Nonviolent Communication, A Language of Life. Free. Info: 252-0538 or www.ashevilleccc.com. • 2nd & 4th THURSDAYS, 5-6:15pm - Practice group for newcomers and experienced practitioners. “Conscious Contact!” 11thStep Retreat & Workshop • SA (5/22), 10am-4pm - Explore the Higher Power connection with 11th-step discussion, meditation and fellowship. Any/all 12-step program members welcome. Held on the grounds of Terra Nova Retreat Center in Brevard, NC. $30. Info: 215-9911. Free Christ Meditation Teleconference Call • TH (5/27), 8-9pm - The Christ Meditation is being offered via teleconference call to anyone who wishes to experience blessings for greater oneness with their Christ presence. To sign up: 338-0042 or www.thechristsoul.com. Global Heart Meditation • 3rd FRIDAYS, 7-9pm - Prayer is the single most powerful force in the Universe. Join with others to collectively radiate our coherent heart energy to support global consciousness of Oneness. At CSLAsheville, 2 Science of Mind Way. Love offering. Info: 231-7638 or 242-3133. Hare Krsna Sunday Feast Meets above the French Broad Food Co-op, 90 Biltmore Ave. Info: www.highthinkingsimpleliving.org or 506-2987. • Select SUNDAYS, 6-8pm - An evening of bhajans, class on the Bhagavad-Gita and a vegetarian feast. Everyone welcome. Refer to the Web site or call for dates. Hendersonville First Congregational United Church of Christ Located at 1735 Fifth Ave. W. in Hendersonville. Info: 692-8630 or www.fcchendersonville.org. • SU (5/23), 9:15am - Adult Forum: “Revisiting the Psalms with Walter Brueggemann,” a spiritual conversation with Rev. Lester Vier. Joan Hunter Healing Explosion • FR (5/21) through SU (5/23) - The vision of Joan Hunter Ministries is to carry the saving healing message of Jesus Christ around the world. Fri. healing service at 7pm. Sat. healing school from 10am-3pm. Sun. healing ser-

vice at 10am at Faith Church International, 15 Airport Road, Arden. Info: office@rwoc.net. Land of the Sky United Church of Christ Located at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 15 Overbrook Place, in East Asheville. • SUNDAYS, 9:15am Women-led, justice-focused, family-friendly, and open to all. Worship with Land of the Sky UCC. An unconditional church. Mindfulness Meditation Class Explore the miracle of healing into life through deepened stillness and presence. With consciousness teacher and columnist Bill Walz. Info: 2583241 or www.billwalz.com. • MONDAYS, 7-8pm Meditation class with lesson and discussions in contemporary Zen living. At the Asheville Friends Meeting House at 227 Edgewood Ave. (off Merrimon Ave.). Donation. Mother Grove Events Info: 230-5069, info@ mothergroveavl.org or www. mothergroveavl.org. • SUNDAYS, 10:30am - Weekly devotional service at the Temple. A simple service to ground and center you for the week. Spend some quiet time with the Goddess, with song, readings, meditation and prayer. • MONDAYS - Book discussion group, facilitated by Antiga, on the book The Creation of Patriarchy by Gerda Lemer. Info: 285-9927. Mountain Zen Practice Center Exploring the ‘how’ of moment by moment peace, joy and freedom through the practice of Conscious Compassionate Awareness. Info and orientation times: www.mountainzen.org or 450-3621. • TUESDAYS, 7-8:30pm Meditation and discussion. Psychic Development Class • WEDNESDAYS, 7-8:30pm - Learn to use your intuition to help yourself and others. Explore remote viewing, channeling, mediumship, telepathy, precognition and healing in a relaxed and fun-filled atmosphere. All are welcome. Love donations accepted. Info: ecastro1@charter.net. Shambhala Meditation Center of Asheville Every human being has fundamental goodness, warmth and intelligence. This nature can be cultivated through meditation and in daily life, so that it radiates out to others. Visitors welcome. Free meditation instruction at 19 Westwood Pl., W. Asheville. Info: www.shambhala.org/ center/asheville or 490-4587.

• THURSDAYS, 6-6:45pm & SUNDAYS, 10am-Noon - Public meditation. Toning for Peace Experience the health benefits of a form of singing anyone can do. Generate well-being and peace within. $5-$10. Info: 667-2967 or www. toningforpeace.org. • 2nd & 4th SUNDAYS, 1:302:45pm - At the Light Center in Black Mountain. Transmission Meditation Group Join in this meditation group for personal and spiritual growth, as well as the healing and transformation of the planet. Info: 318-8547. • SUNDAYS, 2pm Meditation. Unitarian Universalist Church of Asheville Located at the corner of Charlotte St. & Edwin Pl. Info: 254-6001 or www.uuasheville.org. • SUNDAYS, 9:15am & 11:15am - Services and Children’s Programs. Unity Center Events Celebrate joyful, mindful living in a church with heart. Contemporary music by Lytingale and The Unitic Band. Located at 2041 Old Fanning Bridge Road, Mills River. Info: 684-3798, 891-8700 or www.unitync.net. • 2nd & 4th TUESDAYS, 7pm - Truth On Tap: Join Chad O’Shea at the Lexington Avenue Brewery for spiritual conversation. • WE (5/26), 7pm - Film screening: Beyond Belief, a documentary about the origins and nature of beliefs. A discussion will follow. Love offering. Windhorse Zen Community Meditation, Dharma talks, private instruction available Tuesday and Thursday evenings, residential training. Teachers: Lawson Sachter and Sunya Kjolhede. Main center: 580 Panther Branch, Alexander. City center: 12 Von Ruck Court. Call for orientation. Info: 645-8001 or www. windhorsezen.org. • SUNDAYS, 9:30-11am - Meditation, chanting and a Dharma talk. • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 7-9pm Meditation and chanting. • FRIDAYS, 5:30-7:15pm Meditation and chanting at the City Center. Womyn in Ceremony Co-create a sacred circle of women where we will connect, share, dream and experience inner awarenesses and empowerment. Each Circle “stands alone.” Meets 12 miles NW of Asheville. By donation. Info: www. RitesofPassageCouncil. com/theresa.

• SUNDAYS, 3:45-6pm - Gathering. Xuanfa Dharma Center of Asheville • TUESDAYS, 7pm - Practice followed by a short DVD screening. Free. Call for directions: 255-4741. Zen Center of Asheville A Soto Zen Temple in downtown Asheville offering zazen instruction, weekly lectures and a regular sitting schedule. Info: www.zcasheville.org. • MONDAYS through SATURDAYS - Sittings in the mornings. Also, on Wed. evenings before lecture.

Art Gallery Exhibits & Openings 310 ART Gallery Located at Riverview Station, 191 Lyman St., #310, in Asheville’s River Arts District. Info: 776-2716 or www.310art.com. • Through MO (5/31) - First annual Salon by the French Broad River. This smallworks show will feature the works of more than 30 artists displayed in the French academy style, from floor to ceiling. Arts Council of Henderson County D. Samuel Neill Gallery hours: Tues.-Fri., 1-5pm and Sat., 14pm. Located at 538 N. Main St., 2nd Floor, Hendersonville. Info: 693-8504 or www. acofhc.org. • Through SA (5/29) - River District Artists group show. Asheville Area Arts Council AAAC is located at 11 Biltmore Ave. Info: 258-0710 or www.ashevillearts.com. • Through SA (5/29) - Real in the Unknown: New Paintings by Ben Betsalel. Asheville Art Museum Located on Pack Square in downtown Asheville. Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am-5pm and Sun., 1-5pm. Admission: $8/$7 students and seniors/ Free for kids under 4. Free first Wednesdays from 3-5pm. Info: 253-3227 or www. ashevilleart.org. • Through SU (7/11) - Nouns: Children’s Book Artists Look at People, Places and Things. • Through SU (7/18) - Limners to Facebook: Portraiture from the 19th to the 21st Century. • Through SU (10/10) - Hands in Harmony: Traditional Crafts and Music in Appalachia, photographs by Tim Barnwell in Holden Community Gallery. Asheville Gallery of Art A co-op gallery representing 29 regional artists located

at 16 College St. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 10am-5pm. Info: 251-5796 or www.ashevillegallery-of-art.com. • Through MO (5/31) Menagerie!, featuring original water media paintings by Jane Snyder. Beaverdam Gallery Located on Beaverdam Road, where it splits into Lynn Cove and Webb Cove Roads. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 10am-6pm and Sun., Noon-5pm. Info: www. beaverdamgallery.com. • SA (5/22), 10am-4pm Open house hosted by Sheville. org, featuring the work of nine emerging artists. Refreshments will be served. Bella Vista Art Gallery Located in Biltmore Village, next to the parking lot of Rezaz’s restaurant. Open Mon.-Thurs., 11am-5pm, and Fri. & Sat., 10am-6pm. Info: 768-0246 or www.bellavistaart.com. • Through MO (5/31) - Feature wall artist: August Hoerr, drawings. New paintings by Sara Linda Poly. Black Mountain Center for the Arts Located in the renovated Old City Hall at 225 West State St. in Black Mountain. Gallery Hours: Mon.-Wed. & Fri., 10am-5pm (closed Sat. during winter months). Info: 669-0930 or www. BlackMountainArts.org. • Through SU (6/20) - Art in Bloom exhibit, a curated show from area galleries. Art in Bloom event with floral interpretations of the art will be June 17-20. Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center The center is located at 56 Broadway, and preserves the legacy of the Black Mountain College through permanent collections, educational activities and public programs. Info: 350-8484, bmcmac@ bellsouth.net or www.blackmountaincollege.org. • Through SA (6/12) - The Tutelary Years of Ray Johnson (1943-1967). Blue Spiral 1 The gallery at 38 Biltmore Ave. is open Mon.-Sat., 10am-6pm. Info: 251-0202 or www. bluespiral1.com. • Through SA (6/26) - The Golden Circle: SE Alaska and The Yukon, landscape paintings by Robert Johnson —- Habitat: Wood, Water and Glade, interpretations of wildlife and natural surroundings by various artists —- Ceramics by Shoko Teruyama —- curiosities, works incorporating found objects, text and fragmented relics by various artists —- Regional landscapes by Peggy N. Root —- Porcelain vessels and wall-mounted tiles by Vicki Grant.

Castell Photography A photo-based art gallery located at 2C Wilson Alley, off of Eagle St. in downtown Asheville. Info: 255-1188 or www.castellphotography.com. • Through SA (5/29) - The Lensless Image juried exhibit will be on display. In celebration of Worldwide Pinhole Day. Center For Craft, Creativity and Design Located at the Kellogg Conference Center, 11 Broyles Road. in Hendersonville. Info: 890-2050 or www.craftscreativitydesign.org. • Through FR (8/13) - In Sunshine or In Shadow, an exhibition of works by students from UNCA, WCU, Appalachian State University and Haywood Community College. Crimson Laurel Gallery Info: 688-3599 or www.crimsonlaurelgallery.com. • Through WE (6/30) - Containment, a group exhibition of ceramic boxes. Echo Gallery 8 Town Square Blvd., Suite 160, Biltmore Park in Asheville. Hours: Thurs.-Sun., Noon6pm. Info: www.echoasheville. com or 687-7761. • Through SU (5/30) - Threads, an exhibition featuring works by fiber artists Jen Swearington, Libby and Jim Mijanovich and Barbara Zaretsky, among others. Grovewood Gallery Located at 111 Grovewood Road, Asheville. Info: 2537651 or www.grovewood. com. • Through SA (6/26) Remarking the Elements, an exhibit featuring mixed-metal sculptures by N.C. artist Gretchen Lothrop. Haywood County Arts Council The HCAC sponsors a variety of art-related events in Waynesville and Haywood County. Unless otherwise noted, showings take place at HCAC’s Gallery 86 (86 North Main St.) in Waynesville. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 10am-5pm. Info: 452-0593 or www.haywoodarts.org. • Through SA (6/19) Haywood Heritage Trail: Quilts of Bygone Years will be on display. Penland School of Crafts A national center for craft education dedicated to helping people live creative lives. Info: www.penland.org or 765-2359. • TU (5/25) through SU (7/18) - The Weight of Black, work that uses the color black as an integral element, will be on display. Studio 103 Fine Art Gallery Located at 103 West St., Black Mountain. Info: 357-8327 or

www.studio103fineartgallery. com. • Through WE (5/26) - Encaustic paintings by Tif McDonald will be on display. Toe River Arts Council The TRAC Center Gallery is at 269 Oak Ave. in Spruce Pine. Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am-5pm. The Burnsville TRAC Gallery is at 102 W. Main St. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 10am-5pm. Spruce Pine info: 765-0520. Burnsville info: 682-7215. General info: www.toeriverarts.org. • SA (5/22) through SA (6/5) - Juried artwork from the 2010 Paint Out will be on display at the Burnsville Gallery. Transylvania Community Arts Council Located at 349 South Caldwell St. in Brevard. Hours: Mon.Fri., 10am-4pm. Info: 8842787 or www.artsofbrevard. org. • Through FR (5/21) - New works by Christine Kosiba, Karen Swing and George Peterson. Upstairs Artspace Contemporary nonprofit gallery at 49 S. Trade St. in Tryon. Hours: Tues.-Sat., 11am-5pm and by appointment. Info: 859-2828 or www.upstairsartspace.org. • Through SA (5/29) - Equine Expressions, celebrating the noble horse, and Seduction: Layered Interpretations, paintings and an installation that suggest temptation. Vadim Bora Gallery At 30 1/2 Battery Park Ave. Hours: Tues.-Sat., Noon-6pm (sometimes later) and by appointment. Info: 254-7959 or www.vadimborastudio.com. • Through SU (5/23) Asheville, Angels and Trees, works inspired by some of Asheville’s favorite landmarks by international artist Rita Genet. WCU Exhibits Unless otherwise noted, exhibits are held at the Fine Art Museum, Fine & Performing Arts Center on the campus of Western Carolina University. Hours: Tues.-Fri., 10am-4pm & Sat., 1-4pm. Suggested donation: $5 family/$3 person. Info: 227-2553 or www. fineartmuseum.wcu.edu. • Through SA (5/8) - System + Structure, School of Art and Design biennial faculty exhibit.

More Art Exhibits & Openings Art and Animations • Through SA (5/29) - CIRCO DI CARTA, Luca Dipierro’s exhibition of art and animations, will be on display at Hip Replacements, 72 N. Lexington Ave. Info: www.lucadipierro. com. Art at the N.C. Arboretum

Works by members of the Asheville Quilt Guild and regional artists are on display daily in The Visitor Education Center. Info: 665-2492 or www.ncarboretum.org. • Through MO (5/31) - On Earth’s Furrowed Brow: The Appalachian Farm in Photographs, an exhibit by Tim Barnwell, will be on display in the Education Center Gallery. • SA (5/22) through SU (8/22) - Balance and Beauty: A Visual Celebration of Rural Life, featuring paintings by Tenn. artist Margaret Scanlan. Art at West Asheville Library • Through MO (5/31) - Mimi Harvey, West Asheville artist, will exhibit her paintings in acrylic, oil, watercolor and pastel for adults and art prints for children in the community room of the West Asheville Library, 942 Haywood Road. Info: 250-4750. Art League of Henderson County The ALHC meets and shows exhibits at the Opportunity House, 1411 Asheville Hwy. (25N) in downtown Hendersonville. Info: 698-7868 or www.artleague.net. • Through TH (6/10) - Painting Upside Down, featuring paintings done by members challenged to draw and paint a picture using a personal photograph viewed from an upside-down perspective. Asheville Community Theatre All performances are at 35 East Walnut St. Info & reservations: 254-1320 or www. ashevilletheatre.org. • Through SU (5/23) - The work of artist Marie Hudson will be on display in the lobby. Blue Ridge Community College Info: www.blueridge.edu. • Through WE (5/19) - The third Annual Student Art Show will be on display in the Blue Ridge Conference Hall. Center for Diversity Education The Center is on the UNCA campus in Highsmith Student Union. Info: jshuster@unca. edu or www.diversityed.org. • Through MO (5/31) - The Center will display the Loving Families Exhibit: Conversations with the GLBTQ Community in WNC, which takes an intimate look at the joys and challenges of families in Asheville’s growing and vibrant GLBTQ community, at Scandals. Grand Bohemian Gallery Located at the Grand Bohemian Hotel in Biltmore Village, 11 Boston Way. Info: www.bohemianhotelasheville. com or 505-2949. • SA (5/22), 6-9pm Reception to celebrate new works by nationally recognized collage artist Elizabeth Nelson. Lynne Harty Photography Series

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 37

• TH (5/20) - Harty will sign prints of a new series of images of the Biltmore house and estate as part of the festivities for the grand opening of the Traditions store in Biltmore’s new Antler Hill Village on the estate. Images from the series will also be on view at Corner Kitchen in Biltmore Village from May 23 through the fall. Push Skate Shop & Gallery Located at 25 Patton Ave. between Stella Blue and the Kress Building. Info: 2255509 or www.pushtoyproject. com. • Through TU (6/15) - small towns burn a little slower, a new collection by bluetan, a Brooklyn-based art collective. The four members work in an array of mediums. Info: http://bluetan.com.

Classes, Meetings & Arts-Related Events

Is writing your passion – your dream – maybe even your profession? The Great Smokies Writing Program is designed for you: the beginning writer, the aspiring writer, even the accomplished, published author. The program is committed to providing affordable university-level classes, and each course awards academic credit through UNC Asheville. Workshops cover all aspects of prose and poetry writing and are presented in the evening, off campus, under the guidance of published, professional instructors. You’ll be a part of a supportive, learning community of fellow writers who share the goal of honing their craft. Registration for Summer classes is underway now. For more information call 828.232.5122, or email Nancy Williams, program director at n.william@unca.edu, or visit unca.edu/gswp for a schedule of classes.

38 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Asheville Art Museum Located on Pack Square in downtown Asheville. Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am-5pm and Sun., 1-5pm. Admission: $8/$7 students and seniors/ Free for kids under 4. Free first Wednesdays from 3-5pm. Info: 253-3227 or www. ashevilleart.org. • TH (5/20), 6pm - Join the museum’s ARTmob for “Hot Glass + Cold Beer,” with glass artists Alex Greenwood and Logan MacSporran in their studio in the Phil Mechanic Building in the River Arts District. Talk is free/$5 for beer. Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center The center is located at 56 Broadway, and preserves the legacy of the Black Mountain College through permanent collections, educational activities and public programs. Info: 350-8484, bmcmac@ bellsouth.net or www.blackmountaincollege.org. • FR (5/21), 7pm - Dr. Frances F. L. Beatty, Director of the Ray Johnson Estate, will talk about Johnson’s attitude towards exhibiting work, the contents of the estate and her relationship with the eccentric artist. $7/$5 members and students. N.C. Arboretum Events The Arboretum hosts a variety of educational programs. Unless otherwise noted, all events are free with parking fee ($8/vehicle). No parking fees on 1st Tuesdays. Info: 665-2492 or www.ncarboretum.org. • SU (5/23), 11am-4pm - “Art at the Arboretum,” featuring craft demos, book signings, music and more by regional artists and craftspeople.

Public Art Display in Hendersonville • Through SA (10/23) - This year’s Public Art Display in Hendersonville is titled “Bearfootin’ Bears.” Thirteen bears will be featured on sidewalks in the downtown area. Info: www. DowntownHendersonville.org or 697-2022. Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League Classes are held at the studio, 999 W. Old Rt. 70, Black Mountain. Info: svfal.info@ gmail.com or www.svfal.org. • THURSDAYS, Noon-3pm - Experimental Art Group. Experimental learning and sharing water-media techniques and collage. $20 for four sessions or $6/session. • FRIDAYS, 10am-1pm - Open studio for figure drawing. Small fee for model. • MONDAYS, Noon-3pm Open studio for portrait painting. Small fee for model. The Fine Arts League of the Carolinas Located at 362 Depot St. in the River Arts District. Info: 252-5050 or www.fineartsleague.org. • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 7-9pm - Open figure drawing sessions. Four 5-minute poses and four 20minute poses. $5. Toe River Arts Council The TRAC Center Gallery is at 269 Oak Ave. in Spruce Pine. Hours: Tues.-Sat., 10am5pm. The Burnsville TRAC Gallery is at 102 W. Main St. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 10am-5pm. Spruce Pine info: 765-0520. Burnsville info: 682-7215. General info: www.toeriverarts.org. • SA (5/22) - Fourth annual Paint Out. Artists are invited to spend the day in Burnsville and paint. Participating artists check in at TRAC Burnsville between 8 and 10am. Painting materials are validated and a $25 fee is paid —- 6:30pm - Public reception where the announcements of the awards are made. WNC Knitters and Crocheters for Others This group meets monthly in Black Mountain and Fletcher/ Arden to create handmade items for donation to local charities while enjoying fellowship and swapping ideas and patterns. • 3rd THURSDAYS, 1-3pm - Black Mountain group meets at Highland Farms, Building GH in Upper Core Room. Info: 669-0680.

Art/Craft Fairs Crafts & Arts Festival • SA (5/22), 9am-4pm Gateway Christian Community Church is hosting a Crafts & Arts Festival. Local crafters

and artisans will sell their homemade items and/or promote their home businesses. Info: www.gccchurch.org or 251-9997. Events at the Downtown Market Located at 45 S. French Broad Ave. Info: www. DowntownMarketAsheville. com. • Forty tables are available at the upcoming Eclectic Flea Market. Clean out your closet and make a sale. $10. The market will be held May 28-30. Kenilworth Artists Association Open Studio Tour • SA (5/22), 10am-6pm & SU (5/23), Noon-6pm - Artists in Asheville’s Kenilworth neighborhood invite the community to tour 17 studios, featuring 23 artists working with glass, fabric, wood, paper, pottery, paintings, photography and more. Info: www.kenilworthartists. org or 253-1118.

Spoken & Written Word Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center The center is located at 56 Broadway, and preserves the legacy of the Black Mountain College through permanent collections, educational activities and public programs. Info: 350-8484, bmcmac@ bellsouth.net or www.blackmountaincollege.org. • SU (5/23), 3pm - “The Poetry Bomb: Tour of Words 2010.” Poet S.A. Griffin turns a former Vietnam-era military practice bomb into an art object filled with poetry from around the world. Donations accepted. Book Club • Last TUESDAYS, 7pm - Meeting at Barnes & Noble in Biltmore Park. The group is currently reading Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. Info: 808-9470. Buncombe County Public Libraries LIBRARY ABBREVIATIONS - Each Library event is marked by the following location abbreviations: n BM = Black Mountain Library (105 N. Dougherty St., 250-4756) n FV = Fairview Library (1 Taylor Road, 250-6484) n LE = Leicester Library (1561 Alexander Road, 2506480) n SS = Skyland/South Buncombe Library (260 Overlook Road, 250-6488) n SW = Swannanoa Library (101 West Charleston Street, 250-6486)

n WV = Weaverville Library (41 N. Main Street, 2506482) n Library storyline: 250KIDS. • WE (5/19), 5-7pm - Library Knitters meet. A casual knitting and needlework group for all skill levels. SW. • TH (5/20), 2:30pm - Book Club: A Voyage Long and Strange by Tony Horwitz. SS —- 7pm - Book Club: Five Smooth Stones by Ann Fairbairn. FV. • FR (5/21), 4pm - The Teen Awesome Group presents a creative writing workshop for teens ages 12 to 18. WV. • SU (5/23), 2pm - The Oral History Project presents a film screening of Velma and Grace. FV. • TU (5/25), 6-8pm - Sit and Knit. A casual knitting and needlework group for all skill levels. WV —- 6:30-8pm Library Knitters meet. LE. • WE (5/26), 6:30pm - Library Knitters will meet at the Black Mountain Yarn Shop at 203 W. State St. BM. Events at City Lights City Lights Bookstore is at 3 E. Jackson St. in downtown Sylva. Info: 586-9499 or more@citylightsnc.com. • SA (5/22), 1pm - The City Lights American Girls Club meets, based on the popular doll and book series. Events at Malaprop’s The bookstore and cafe at 55 Haywood St. hosts visiting authors for talks and book signings. Info: 254-6734 or www.malaprops.com. • WE (5/19), 7pm - Brunonia Barry will read from and sign copies of her book The Map of True Places. • TH (5/20), 5:30pm Women on Words. An open poetry circle for women —7pm - Stitch-n-Bitch. Bring a project and chat. Hosted by Stacey Budge-Kamison. • FR (5/21), 7pm - Susan Kelly will read from her novel Now You Know and How Close We Come. • SA (5/22), 3pm - Local author Joe D’Agnese will discuss his book Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci —- Susan Rebecca White will read from her novel A Soft Place to Land. • SU (5/23), 3pm - Elise Blackwell will read from her latest novel An Unfinished Score. • MO (5/24), 7pm - Ann Linnea will discuss her book of short stories Keepers of the Trees: A Guide to Re-Greening America. • TU (5/25), 7pm - Fret Knot Radio Hour. Come listen to the podcast in the cafe. • WE (5/26), 7pm - Rice Freeman-Zachary will discuss

newsoftheweird Lead story • Our Expanding “Rights”: (1) In April, a high official of the European Union called for member-nations to subsidize “vacations” for seniors, the disabled and those too poor to afford one. Said Commissioner (for enterprise and industry) Antonio Tajani, “Traveling for tourism today is a right.” (2) In April, the town of Olathe, Kan., became the second city in two years to settle lawsuits filed by citizens who were arrested for flashing their middle fingers at police officers, thus appearing to acknowledge that flipping the bird contemptuously at a cop is expressive conduct protected by the First Amendment. (Philadelphia paid out $50,000; Olathe, one-sixteenth the size, paid out $5,000.)

Can’t possibly be true

• The Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., famously pickets targets around the country with explicit anti-homosexuality signs and recently chose as venues the funerals of deceased U.S. soldiers and Marines (calling such deaths God’s punishment for America’s acceptance of gays and lesbians). One grieving Marine family in York, Pa., filed a lawsuit accusing Westboro of “intentional infliction of emotional distress” by picketing their son’s 2006 funeral, but a U.S. Court of Appeals ruled in March that such protests are protected by the First Amendment. Piling on, the Court added that the grieving family must also pay Westboro $16,510 to cover its costs in having to defend the lawsuit. • Michelle Taylor, 34, was sentenced in Elko, Nev., in April to life in prison, solely for the crime of forcing a 13-year-old boy to touch her breasts, twice. The sentence was mandatory under a certain state law, but, said her lawyer, “She is getting a greater penalty ... than if she killed [the boy].” (She could be eligible for parole after 10 years.)

Inexplicable

• Baltimore County (Md.) Judge Darrell Russell Jr., presiding over a March domestic-violence case in which the woman obviously had changed her mind about blaming the boyfriend, performed the couple’s marriage ceremony in

his chambers after temporarily halting the boyfriend’s trial. Earlier, Judge Russell had informed the woman that she could not refuse to testify based on “marital privilege” because she and the boyfriend were not married. Consequently, as the trial started, she asked the judge to marry them. After the ceremony, she was then granted the “marital privilege,” and the judge dismissed the charge for lack of evidence. (Russell has now been reassigned to less important cases.) • When Joseph Velardo, 28, was arrested in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in April after shoplifting items from a Staples store, he for some reason expressed relief that the charges would prevent him from being accepted by law schools. He explained that, since the value of the goods was over the $300 line that separates a mere misdemeanor from a third-degree felony, law schools, thankfully, could no longer accept him. While officers were busy being puzzled about all that, the Staples manager told the police that the actual value of Velardo’s take was $276.88. • Justin Massler, 27, charged with criminal stalking of 28-year-old businesswoman-heiress Ivanka Trump, was released on bail in New York City in April but explained to a New York Daily News reporter that he intended to alter his approach. Instead of imposing himself on Trump, he said he would “become like a bigtime millionaire, real estate mogul, so that she’s the one who contacts me.”

Unclear on the concept

• More fuzzy thinking: (1) Schools’ conventional “zero tolerance” policies prohibiting guns or weapons on campus not only apply (as they have recently) to drawings of guns and to a 2inch-long toy charm in the shape of a gun, but, at an Ionia, Mich., school, to making the familiar, thumb-up hand representation of a gun, for which Mason Jammer, 6, was suspended in March. (2) Carly Houston, 29, was arrested in

Read News of the Weird daily with Chuck Shepherd at www.weirduniverse.net. Send items to weirdnews@earthlink.net or PO Box 18737, Tampa FL 33679

Naperville, Ill., in March after a rowdy earlymorning dispute with a taxi driver, and, given her customary “one phone call” to ask a friend to post bond for her, she chose instead to call 9-1-1 and report that she was “trapped inside a detention facility” (thus causing police to add “abuse of 9-1-1” to the charges). • Erlyndon Joseph Lo, 27 and a graduate of Southern Methodist University law school, was arrested in April after threats against a Dallas women’s clinic that performs abortions. Police were tipped the day before when Lo appeared at the federal courthouse in Plano, Texas, and sought a formal judicial ruling that would protect him from harm, even if he were to use deadly force “to defend the innocent life of another human being.”

Latest protests

• (1) In April, outdoing the recent partisan spats in the U.S. Congress, several dozen members of the Ukrainian parliament squared off over a cooperation-with-Russia bill that eventually involved headlocks, punching, a smoke bomb, glue (in the voting machines) and cartons of eggs tossed at the speaker’s platform. Russian president Dmitry Medvedev called it the chamber’s “traditional elegance.” (2) Sweden’s Metro newspaper reported in March that a 21-yearold inmate at Kirseberg prison in Malmo faces discipline for continuing his protests against jail conditions by aiming his gas-passing directly at guards.

Recurring themes

• Federal agents in April uncovered an elaborate bestiality ring (involving horses) in Washington state. Facility operator Douglas Spink is suspected of using the site to make pornographic videos for perverts, and a visitor from England was arrested as a suspected paying customer. This farm is near Bellingham, Wash., and the operation is completely separate from the 2005 raid on a similar facility near Enumclaw, Wash. (about 110 miles away), in which one man died of a perforated colon following penetrative sex by a horse. The state had no specific anti-bestiality law in 2005, but one was enacted after the Enumclaw episode.

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Creative Time & Space: Making Room for Making Art. • TH (5/27), 7pm - Emily Wilson, author of Becoming Elizabeth Lawrence, will be signing copies of her book. Events at Montford Books & More Located at 31 Montford Ave. Info: 285-8805. • FR (5/21), 7pm - David Madden, winner of the Robert Penn Warren award, will dramatically read from excerpts of his psychological thriller Abducted by Circumstance. • SA (5/22), 10am-Noon - “Courageous Words Writing Workshop.” A writing class for all ages and skill levels. $10. Free for children in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. To register: 3484505 or torrose@gmail.com —- 10am - The book store will participate in the Montford Music & Arts Festival. Stop by for free lemonade. Events at Thomas Wolfe Memorial Located at 52 N. Market St. Info: www.wolfememorial. com or 253-8304. • FR (5/21), Noon-1pm - Poetry on the Porch with Keith Flynn. Free. Henderson County Public Library System Unless otherwise stated, all events take place in Kaplan Auditorium of the main branch library, located at 301 N. Washington St. in Hendersonville. The county system includes branches in Edneyville, Etowah, Fletcher and Green River. Info: 6974725 or www.henderson. lib.nc.us. • THURSDAYS (5/27 through 6/24), 2pm - Ken Burns’ documentary National Parks: America’s Best Idea will be shown in the Etowah Library auditorium. The 10-hour documentary will be shown in 2-hour segments each Thursday. Meet the Author • SA (5/22) - Elizabeth Wiegand, author of The New Blue Ridge Cookbook, will give a book signing at the Veranda Restaurant, Black Mountain, during lunchtime. Osondu Booksellers All events are held at Osondu, 184 North Main St., Waynesville, unless otherwise noted. Info: 456-8062 or www.osondubooksellers. com. • TH (5/20), 6:30pm - Spirit Seekers Book Club. • SU (5/23), 3pm - Scott Owens will read from Paternity, a collection of poetry. • TU (5/25), 10am - Book Babies —- 6:30pm - All Gender All Genre Book Club. Wednesday Afternoon Writer’s Group

40 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Weekly group open to writers of all genres who are interested in improving their craft through peer readings and discussion of assigned literature. Free. • WEDNESDAYS, 2-4pm - Meets upstairs at the Barnes & Noble, Asheville Mall. Women’s Book Club Wanted: Passionate readers. This feminist, intellectual group reads fiction, science, sociology, classics and world literature. All female lifelong readers interested in fellowship, support, intellectual stimulation, food and conversation, e-mail ashevillebook@yahoo.com or visit http://groups.yahoo. com/group/awbc/. • 3rd WEDNESDAYS, 7pm - Book Club meeting. Writers’ Workshop Events WW offers a variety of classes and events for beginning and experienced writers. Info: 2548111 or www.twwoa.org. • SA (5/22), 10am-4pm - “Tapping the Creative Process” with Veronica Fisher. • Through WE (6/30) - Hard Times Writing Contest: Write about a difficult experience in your life. $20/$15 members entry fee.

Food Edible Plant Walk • SU (5/23), 2-5pm - Learn how to eat for free from the wild or your yard at a talk by Corey Pine Shane, Director of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine. Raw potluck to follow. $15. Hosted by Asheville’s Raw Food Meet-up in Weaverville. Info: 777-1141 or 275-6221.

Festivals & Gatherings Montford Music & Arts Festival • SA (5/22), 10am - The festival will be held on Montford Ave., between Cullowhee and Waneta. There will be local vendors selling art and crafts, live music and more. Info: http://montford.org/festival.

Music African Drumming With Billy Zanski at Skinny Beats Drum Shop, 4 Eagle St., downtown Asheville. Drums provided. No experience necessary. Suggested donation $10 per class. Drop-ins welcome. Info: 768-2826. • WEDNESDAYS, 6-7pm - Beginners. Audie Blaylock and Redline IBMA award-winning and Grammy-nominated Audie Blaylock and Redline will

make a first-ever appearance in WNC. $10 advance/$12 door for both shows. Canton info: 235-2760. Burnsville info: 682-7209. • TH (5/27) - Show at the Colonial Theatre in Canton. • FR (5/28) - Show at the Burnsville Town Center in Burnsville. Black Mountain Center for the Arts Musical Events Located at 225 West State St. in Black Mountain. Info: 669-0930 or www. BlackMountainArts.org. • FR (5/21), 7:30pm - Cary Fridley and Down South in concert. Fridley combines old time, blues and classic country. $10 at the door. Blue Ridge Ringers A five-octave auditioned community handbell ensemble based in Hendersonville. Concerts are free to attend. Info: 692-4910. • SU (5/23), 4pm - Concert of sacred and secular handbell music at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 808 N. Broad St., Brevard. Downtown After Five These free concerts take place in downtown Asheville, on N. Lexington Ave. at I-240 and Hiawassee. Concerts begin at 5pm and end at 9pm. Info: www.ashevilledowntown.org. • FR (5/21) - stephaniesid (indie pop) will headline, with Jennie Arnau (Americana) opening. Haywood Community Band Concerts are presented at the Maggie Valley Pavilion, adjacent to the Maggie ValleyTown Hall, and are free to attend. Bring a picnic dinner. Info: 452-5553 or 452-7530 or www.haywoodcommunityband.org. • THURSDAYS, 7pm Rehearsals at Grace Episcopal Church, 394 N. Haywood St., Waynesville. All interested concert band musicians are welcome to attend. Hendersonville Chamber Music Concerts take place at First Congregational Church of Hendersonville. Tickets: $17/ show. Students are free. Info: 890-4411 or www.hendersonvillechambermusic.org. • SU (5/23), 3pm - The Opal String Quartet will perform. Hendersonville Symphony Orchestra Info: 697-5884 or www.hendersonvillesymphony.org. • SA (5/22), 7:30pm - The Kruger Brothers, a trio of Swiss bluegrass musicians, will perform with the symphony orchestra at the Blue Ridge Conference Hall. $25/$5 students. Land-of-the-Sky Barbershop Chorus

For men age 12 and older. Info: www.ashevillebarbershop.com or 768-9303. • TUESDAYS, 7:30pm - Open Rehearsals at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 51 Wilburn Pl. Music at Filo • SA (5/22), 8pm - Ian McFeron and Alisa Milner from Seattle will perform at Filo, 1155 Tunnel Road, Asheville. Free. Info: 2989777. Music on the Rock Concert Series Presented by Flat Rock Playhouse, 2661 Greenville Hwy. in Flat Rock. The concerts will span Broadway, country, bluegrass, pop and rock favorites. $19/concert. Tickets & info: 693-0731, (866) 732-8008 or www. flatrockplayhouse.org. • SU (5/23) through TU (5/25), 8pm - “A Night of Country and Folk,” featuring the music of KD Lang, Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn and more. Osondu Booksellers Musical Events All events are held at Osondu, 184 North Main St., Waynesville, unless otherwise noted. Info: 456-8062 or www.osondubooksellers. com. • SA (5/22), 6:30pm - Chris Minick will perform music in the cafe. Song O’ Sky Chorus (Sweet Adelines International) The chorus is always looking for women 18+ who want to learn how to sing barbershop harmony. Please visit a rehearsal. Info: 1-866-8249547 or www.songosky.org. • MONDAYS, 6:45pm Rehearsal at Reed Memorial Baptist Church on Fairview Rd. (enter parking lot on Cedar St.). Guests welcome. Sounds of the Chakras • SATURDAYS, 6-7pm - Sounds of the Chakras with Linda Go at Skinny Beats Drum Shop, 4 Eagle St. Learn to tone the chakra sounds for health and well-being. Info: 258-1140. Summer Concerts at WCU Held on the University Center lawn. Free. Info: www.wcu. edu. • TH (6/24), 7pm - Dr. DP and the Trainrunners will perform reggae, punk and ska tunes. The Asheville Choral Society Tickets & info: 232-2060 or www.ashevillechoralsociety. org. • SA (5/22), 8-9:30pm & SU (5/23), 4-5:30pm - Annual pops concert: “Unforgettable.” The choir will perform a sampling of popular American music, including songs by Harry Connick Jr., Nat King

Cole, Billy Joel, Michael Buble, Frank Sinatra and more. $20, with group discounts available.

Theater Flat Rock Playhouse The State Theater of North Carolina is on Hwy. 225, 3 miles south of Hendersonville. Info: 693-0731 or www. flatrockplayhouse.org. • Through SU (5/23) - Comedy/drama Steel Magnolias, about the bond among a group of Southern women in northwest Louisiana. Wed.-Sat., 8pm & Wed., Thurs., Sat. & Sun., 2pm. $34. Hendersonville Little Theatre At the Barn on State St. between Kanuga and Willow Roads in Hendersonville. Info: 890-3070 or www.hendersonvillelittletheatre.org. • Through SU (5/23) - The Night Thoreau Spent in Jail. The play opens with Henry David Thoreau in jail for refusing to pay taxes to a government conducting what he considered a war of aggression with Mexico. Fri. & Sat., 8pm & Sun. 2pm. Montford Park Players Unless otherwise noted, performances are free and take place outdoors Fri.Sun. at 7:30 p.m. at Hazel Robinson Amphitheater in Montford. Bring folding chair and umbrella in case of rain. Donations accepted. Info: 254-5146 or www.montfordparkplayers.org. • TH (5/20) through SU (5/30), 7:30pm - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged). $15/$10 students. A fundraiser for the theater. Performances are Thursdays through Sundays.

Film Asheville 48 Hour Film Project Info: www.48hourfilm.com/ asheville. • Registration is now open for this year’s competition. Visit the Web site to register your team. Center for Diversity Education The Center is on the UNCA campus in Highsmith Student Union. Info: jshuster@unca. edu or www.diversityed.org. • SA (5/22), 7-9:30pm - Film viewing and discussion at Eleven on Grove of It’s Elementary, which shows that children are eager and able to wrestle with stereotypes and absorb facts about what it means to be gay or lesbian. $5 min. donation. • TU (5/25), 7-9pm - Film viewing and discussion at UNCA’s Humanities Lecture Hall of 2 Million Minutes,

which examines global education for the 21st century. The film looks at how China, India and the U.S. prepare their students for the future. $5 min. donation. Local Film Screening • TH (5/20), 7pm - The Blue Ride Orchestra: For the Love of Music, a local documentary about the volunteer community orchestra by filmmaker Mark Fields, will be screened at the Fine Arts Theater, 36 Biltmore Ave. Info: 232-1536. Movie Night at Wedge Brewery Located at 125B Roberts St., Asheville. Movies are free and start at dusk. Bring a lawn chair. Info: 505-2792. • SA (5/22) - The Thin Man. Seven Sisters Cinema A documentary film series presenting films by regional filmmakers and/or subjects of regional interest. Screens are held at the White Horse in Black Mountain, 105C Montreat Road. Info: www. sevensisterscinema.com or 686-3922. • TH (5/20), 7pm - Why Old Time?, a documentary exploring why younger generations are attracted to older styles of fiddle and banjo music, will be screened. $5. An open jam session will follow.

Dance Argentine Tango Dancers of all levels welcome. Info: www.tangoasheville. com. • SUNDAYS, 7-9pm Argentine Tango Practica at North Asheville Recreation Center, 37 E. Larchmont Rd. $5 for members/$6 for nonmembers. Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre Performances are held at BeBe Theatre, 20 Commerce St., Asheville. Info & tickets: 254-2621. • FR (5/14) through SU (5/23) - Alice in Wonderland. Dance theater for all ages. Advance: $10 students & seniors/$15 general admission. At the door: $12/$17. Fri. & Sat., 7:30pm and Sun., 3pm. Classes at Asheville Contemporary Dance Theatre Classes are pay-as-you-go. $10-$15 donation due to teacher after each class. Classes are held at the New Studio of Dance, 20 Commerce St. in downtown Asheville. Info: www.acdt.org or 254-2621. • TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS, 6-7:30pm Modern classes. By donation. • MONDAYS, Noon-1:30pm - Fusion Flow Yoga: A blend of Hatha, improvisation and

meditation. $5-10 suggested donation. Classes at Asheville Dance Revolution Sponsored by The Cultural Development Group. At 63 Brook St. Info: 277-6777 or ashevilledancerevolution@ gmail.com. • TUESDAYS, 8-9:15pm - Beginning/Intermediate Adult Jazz. • FRIDAYS, 4-5pm - Boys Dance Combo Class. This is for boys interested in dance —- 6-7:30pm - African dance with live drumming. Open to all. $14. • SA (5/22), 7:30pm - Explore the vibe of tapping to a live rhythm section. Drummers, bass players and tappers from beginner to advanced. All ages welcome. Forge Mountain Cloggers Classes are held at the Old Homeplace on North Mills River Road. $25 for a fourweek session. Info: 891-2487 or www.forgemtncloggers. org. • MONDAYS (through 7/5), 6-7pm - Beginner clogging class. Open to ages 7 and older. InterPlay Held at 227 Edgewood Ave. Info: www.interplaync.org. • Last WEDNESDAYS, 7-8:45pm - Performance Jam. First hour we play with InterPlay forms that are fun and where even rank beginners look good. Next, enjoy the show, or share a song, story or dance. Everyone (musicians, too) is welcome. Morris Dancing Learn English traditional Morris dances and become a member of one of three local teams as a dancer or musician. Music instruction provided to experienced musicians. Free. Info: 994-2094 or www.ashevillemorris.us. • MONDAYS, 5:30pm - Women’s Garland practice held at Reid Center for Creative Art. Old Farmer’s Ball Info: www.oldfarmersball. com. • THURSDAYS, 7:30-11pm - Contra dance to live music at Warren Wilson College’s Bryson Gym. No partner necessary. Beginners welcome. $6, includes dance lesson. Swing Asheville Info: www.swingasheville. com, 301-7629 or dance@ swingasheville.com. • TUESDAYS, 6-7pm - Beginner lindy-hop swing lessons. $12/person per week for 4-week series or $10 for members. Join at SwingAsheville.com. No partner necessary. Let your inner dancer out. 11 Grove St., downtown Asheville.

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VFW Upstairs. Open to the public. At 5 Points, 860 N. Main St., Hendersonville. Info: 6935930. • SATURDAYS, 6pm - Free dancing lessons —- 7pm - Live band music and dancing. $7. All singles welcome. No partners necessary. Finger food and sweets provided. No alcohol or smoking in dancing area.

Auditions & Call to Artists Art in the Airport Gallery Located on the pre-security side of the Asheville Regional Airport terminal. Open to the

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Attention Lovers of Local Beer • Through MO (5/24) - Pay homage to your favorite brewery or profess your love for the local beer scene by submitting art for the I Love Asheville Beer Art Show, which will coincide with the upcoming Beer City Festival. Info & submission requirements: www.hotironstudios. com.

The Big Crafty Call to Artists, Crafters & Makers • Through TU (5/25) - The

Big Crafty, sponsored by the Asheville Art Museum, invites artists, crafters and makers to apply for its July 11 event at Pack Place. Shop handmade, shop local. Application deadline is May 25. Info: www. thebigcrafty.com.

CALENDAR DEADLINE The deadline for free and paid listings is 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY, one week prior to publication. Questions? Call (828)2511333, ext. 365

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 41

consciousparty

fun fundraisers

what:

Asheville Green Opportunities Warehouse Dinner and Dance Party

when:

Saturday, May 22 (6 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. $30 VIP pass or $10 after-party pass)

where:

Seven Star Factory, 191 Lyman Street, Suite 101, Asheville’s River Arts District

why:

Support GO’s efforts to build a just and inclusive green economy in WNC by attending the organization’s annual fundraising party. The $30 VIP pass includes dinner provided by ROOTS, organic Pisgah beer and organic wine from Wine Studio, mealtime entertainment by the Youth Gospel Choir and admission to the after-party starting at 8:30 p.m., featuring dancing and music by Laura Reed and DJs Brett Rock, VIET and TerryCloth Tube Top. RSVP: 398-4158 or goparty@greenopportunities.org. The $10 after-party passes will be available at the door. www.greenopportunities.org/events.

benefitscalendar Calendar for May 19 - 27, 2010 All Souls Counseling Center Located at 35 Arlington St., Asheville. Info: 259-6933. • TH (5/20), 7am-3pm - Support the All Souls Counseling Center at Roots Cafe, 166 W. Haywood St., in the River Arts District. • TU (5/25) - Support All Souls Counseling at Curras Nuevo Cuisine, 72 Weaverville Hwy., Asheville. Animal Compassion Network WNC’s largest nonprofit, no-kill animal welfare organization. Find a new pet at their pet adoption events. Info: 274-DOGS or www.animalcompassionnetwork.org. • MONDAYS through SATURDAYS, 10am6pm - Drop off clean hair clippings or pet fur to Pet Harmony, 803 Fairview St., to be donated to Matter of Trust, which crafts items used to clean up oil spills. Pet Harmony will also donate all fur from grooming appointments. Asheville Affiliates Fundraisers This group of young professionals holds fundraisers for nonprofits in Buncombe County. Complimentary hors d’oeuvres, beer, a raffle and a silent auction. Admission is $25 with RSVP/$30 at the door. Info: www.affiliatesofasheville.com. • TH (5/27), 6:30-9:30pm - “3 Bs for Boobs,” a benefit for Beauty Through Cancer, at Highland Brewing Company. Beer, bands and BBQ. RSVP: events@beautythroughcancer.org. Asheville Green Opportunities A community-based development organization dedicated to building a strong and just green economy through job training and placement, community education and green micro-enterprises. Info: www.greenopportunities.org.

• SA (5/22), 6pm-1:30am - Annual fundraising party at Seven Star Factory, 191 Lyman St., Suite 101, in Asheville’s River Arts District. Dinner and drinks, plus dancing and live entertainment by the Youth Gospel Choir and Laura Reed. $30 VIP pass/$10 after-party pass. RSVP: 398-4158. Benefit Sale for Goat Mountain Ranch Animal Sanctuary • SU (5/23), Noon-5pm - Cold River Gallery, 32 Biltmore Ave. in Asheville, will host a benefit sale featuring jewelry, glass, artwork and more for Goat Mountain Ranch Animal Sanctuary. Info: http://goatmountainsanctuary.org. Brother Wolf Animal Rescue A no-kill organization. Info: 458-7778 or www.bwar.org. • FR (5/21), 5:30-8pm - Pouring Cats and Dogs Wine Tasting, a benefit for Brother Wolf Animal Rescue, at Appalachian Vintner, 2-B Huntsman Place, Asheville. Food provided by Frankie Bones, silent auction and live music by Michael & Jones. $15 admission. Diva*licious Asheville Community Theatre’s musical theater gala and annual fundraiser. Several of Asheville’s top performers will vie for the title of ACT Diva in this American Idol-style event. $35 concert and gala/$20 concert. Info & tickets: 254-1320 or www.ashevilletheatre. org. • FR (5/21), 8pm - Concert. • SA (5/22), 6:45pm - Concert and gala. Fine Arts League of the Carolinas Fundraiser Located at 362 Depot St. in the River Arts District. Info: 252-5050, info@fineartsleague. org or www.fineartsleague.org. • WE (5/19), 7-9pm - “An Italian Evening With the Fine Arts League” at the Grove

42 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Arcade, Suite 115. Wine, hors d’oeuvres, art, live music, live portrait drawing and more. Tickets: holt@fineartsleague.org. Fundraiser for Haiti • TU (5/25), 6-10pm - Benefit concert featuring live music by the Kellin Watson Band and the Honeycutters. There will also be a silent auction. Proceeds support Mission Manna’s work with malnourished children in Haiti. $10. At Jack of the Wood, 95 Patton Ave. Imagine! An Asheville Arts Extravaganza • TH (5/20), 5:30pm - Students at Rainbow Mountain Children’s School express their vision for a better world by collaborating with professional local artists. Imagine! is the culminating event of this collaboration, featuring an auction, dance, music, drama and more. At UNCA’s Lipinsky Auditorium. Proceeds benefit Rainbow Mountain. $15/$5 students. Info: www.rmcs.org/imagine. Literacy Council of Buncombe County Located at 31 College Place, Bldg. B, Suite 221. Info: 254-3442, ext. 205. • TH (5/27), 7pm - 20th annual Literacy Council Spelling Bee at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium. Audience entry is $5 or food item for MANNA FoodBank. MANNA Food Bank MANNA helps alleviate hunger in WNC by processing donated food for distribution throughout WNC. Located at 627 Swannanoa River Road. Info: 299-3663 or mannafoodbank.org. • SU (5/23), 4pm - Luella’s BBQ, 501 Merrimon Ave., will host a Widespread Panic Dirty Side Down listening party to benefit MANNA FoodBank. Plus, live music by Untaxed Whiskey. May Hope Concert • SA (5/22), 7pm - A mental-health benefit concert featuring Chris Rosser will be held at

All Souls Cathedral in Biltmore Village. Silent auction and snacks. Proceeds will go to All Souls Counseling Center, A Hope Hospitality House, Copestone and NAMI of Western Carolina. $15. Tickets: nami.org. Info: 7770783. “Name Your Own Price” Yard Sale • SA (5/22) - The sale will be held at 35 Orange St. Tables available for $10 each. Funds raised will go to Pathways of Change, a women’s recovery program. Call for more info or to reserve a space: 301-4889. n Items may be dropped off for the sale at 35 Orange St., Mon.-Fri., 9am-4pm. Paws With a Purpose A nonprofit organization of volunteers and their pets who provide animal assisted activities and animal assisted therapy services to people with social, emotional and cognitive needs in health care and educational facilities. Info: 301-5737 or www.pawswithapurpose. org. • SA (5/22), 9-11am - Annual Walk-A-Thon Fundraiser: “PAWS On Parade at River Walk,” at Carrier Park. Light morning fare will be served and the walk will follow. All dogs must be on leashes. $10. Info: 713-3223. Pisgah Area SORBA Mountain Bike Club Chapter of the Southern Off-Road Biking Association (SORBA) is a volunteer organization dedicated to improving technical off-road biking recreational opportunities through advocacy for quality trail systems. Info: www. pisgahareasorba.org. • SA (5/22) - The Hub at Backcountry Outdoors Grand Re-Opening, featuring Backcountry Outdoors, the Hub Bike shop and the Pisgah Tavern. Food, drinks and events all day long. Benefits Pisgah Area SORBA. Raffle for Evergreen Community Charter School

• TH (5/20) - The fifth annual Community Quilt Raffle will be held. Tickets are on sale now: $2.50/$10 for five. Info: 298-2173 or www.evergreenccs.org. Relay for Life of Henderson County Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life of Henderson County. Events take place in Hendersonville. Info: www.relayforlife.org/henderson. • FR (5/21), 6pm-8am - Relay for Life event at North Henderson High School, 35 Fruitland Road, Hendersonville. A family-friendly, overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money for the American Cancer Society. Entertainment, food and more. Info: 805-5819. Transylvania Community Arts Council Located at 349 South Caldwell St. in Brevard. Hours: Mon.-Fri., 10am-4pm. Info: 884-2787 or www.artsofbrevard.org. • SA (5/22) - Spring Tour of Homes. Tour homes in Transylvania County that have been chosen for their location, beauty, architecture or decor. Fundraiser for the TC Arts Council and its youth programs. $30.

MORE BENEFITS EVENTS ONLINE

Check out the Benefits Calendar online at www.mountainx.com/events for info on events happening after May 27.

CALENDAR DEADLINE

The deadline for free and paid listings is 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY, one week prior to publication. Questions? Call (828)251-1333, ext. 365

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mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 43

edgymama Fun on the horizon: local stuff to do with kids May seems to jumpstart Western North Carolina’s summer season — what with local festivals happening practically every weekend, tourists appearing in smallish droves, and the winding down of the academic year. Oh, and the Tourists, as in the Asheville Tourists, are back in the ballpark. Which brings me to my topic for this week: cool fun stuff to do with your kids over the next month or so, much of it free. Tourists ball games are high on my family’s list of fun, despite not being free, especially the Sunday slots, which don’t interfere with bed time. The next three Sunday home games take place on May 23, June 6 and June 20 at 2:05 p.m. Don’t forget your sunscreen. Next on the happening agenda includes free events at The Hop Ice Cream Shop in North Asheville. I tell ya, these folks are revving up the parties lately. They’re throwing fundraisers for a variety of non-profits that support kids and animals, such as the Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association, Asheville City Schools Foundation, Animal Compassion Network, and the Wild for Life rehabilitation center (check here for dates: www.hopicecreamcafe.com). The Hop’s also offering a variety of free per-

formances throughout the summer. On June 9, at 6:30 p.m., a group of kids calling themselves the Curtain Call Collective Acting Troupe will be performing in honor of Rudyard Kipling (he’s the dude who wrote The Jungle Book). On June 22, Professor Whizzpop, local magician, will delight families from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. And on June 26, The Jolly Balloon Smiths will rock their balloon art from 3 to 4 p.m. These dudes regularly appear at Tuesday family night at Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company, and they do amazing stuff with latex and air. Cows, lambs and veggies, oh my. The Family Farm Tour, organized by the folks at Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project, happens on June 26 and 27. You and your fam are invited to visit up to 37 different farms and gardens throughout six counties in WNC. The idea is that you can tour as many or as few as you want, but all during this one weekend between 1 and 6 p.m. each day. You buy a $25 button that admits everyone in your car (seat belts for all, please). The idea is that you get a farm map, and then fill your car with family and friends, choose the farms you want to visit, and plan your routes. A variety of vegetables and fruits, trout, beef,

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parentingcalendar Calendar for May 19 - 27, 2010 Complete Childbirth Education (pd.) Involve your partner; increase confidence; learn hands on tools with a Certified Nurse Midwife. Enjoy your birth! June 26 and 29. $175. Empowered Birthing Childbirth Classes. www.ashevillewomenswellness.com Asheville Mommies Support group for moms from Asheville and surrounding areas. Info: www.ashevillemommies.com. • WEDNESDAYS - Meet-and-greets from 11am-noon and 3-4pm at the Hop Ice Cream and Coffee Shop on Merrimon Ave. All area mommies and kids are invited to come and play. La Leche League of Asheville

pork, lamb, eggs, cheeses, herbs, mushrooms, honey, garlic, preserves and more will be available to sample or for sale. Just thinking about summer produce is making me salivate. To purchase a ticket or for more information, visit www.asapconnections.org. If, like us, you’ll be out of town the weekend of the Family Farm Tour, the ASAPers recently put out a version of their well-loved Local Food Guide, but this one’s specifically for kids. My two loved reading about their school garden and seeing photos of and quotes from kids they know. The best part about the guide is the listing of area farms to visit (a lot of these are already on the Family Farm Tour). My kids want to go see the American Buffalo at Blue Ridge Bison, pick blueberries at Hop n Blueberry Farm or Imladris Farm and hang with the pigs at Hickory Nut

• 3rd MONDAYS, 7pm - Monday Evenings: Meeting at Awakening Heart, Merrimon Ave. Pregnant moms, babies and toddlers welcome. Info: 242-1548 or 713-7089. • 2nd MONDAYS, 10am - Monday Mornings: Meeting at First Congregational Church, Oak St. Pregnant moms, babies and toddlers welcome. Info: 628-4438, 242-6531, 683-1999.

MORE PARENTING EVENTS ONLINE

Check out the Parenting Calendar online at www.mountainx.com/events.

CALENDAR DEADLINE

The deadline for free and paid listings is 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY, one week prior to publication. Questions? Call (828)251-1333, ext. 365

Gap (oh yeah, and buy some pork sausage there too — my son refers to himself as a hogatarian. The only meat he eats is swine. What can I say? He was born and raised in North Carolina). While we’re talking produce, Asheville City Market, which runs downtown on Saturdays, will offer free kid activities from June 5 through August 28 from 9 a.m. until noon. There will be a kid tent with live music and a children’s book raffle every week. Activities range from cooking demonstrations to healthy eating games to a market scavenger hunt. It’s all organized by the kid-friendly folks at ASAP. For more information, call 236-1282 or visit www.asapconnection. org/citymarket.html. It’s time to dive into summer, y’all. X

Anne Fitten “Edgy Mama” Glenn writes about a number of subjects, including parenting, at www.edgymama.com.

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44 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

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greenscene

environmental news

Keeping coal ash contained EPA proposes new coal-ash regs by Susan Andrew Coal ash — a waste product of many power plants including the one overlooking Lake Julian in south Asheville — may be federally regulated for the first time: On May 4, the Environmental Protection Agency proposed changes to how the material is stored and monitored. As the federal agency gears up for a 90-day, public comment period, local environmentalists and a Progress Energy representative spoke to Xpress. “The simple fact is that coal combustion waste, which contains a litany of toxic substances such as arsenic, lead and mercury, is not comparable to coffee grounds, banana peels and other household garbage,” says Stephen Smith, executive director of the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. Progress Energy’s Scott Sutton counters, “The EPA has evaluated the health safety of CCPs three times since 1980, and all three times the agency determined that these products should be regulated as non-hazardous.” Known as coal combustion products, the

ash has typically been stored in unlined ponds (water is often used in the process that prevents most of the toxins from being released in the air). The storage practice received national attention in December 2008, when a Kingston, Tenn., dam broke at a TVA plant and released enough coalash slurry to destroy one nearby home, damage several others, cover about 300 acres of land and spill into the Emory and Clinch Rivers. “A breach [here] could release millions of gallons of coal-ash slurry over the highway, into the [French Broad] River, and ultimately into the communities downstream,” says Hartwell Carson of the Western North Carolina Alliance. Pollutants found in coal ash have been detected in independent studies of ground water, surface water, and fish samples from areas near the Progress Energy plant, he claims. Carson has also observed material resembling coal ash in the sediment collected along the stream beside the Asheville Regional Airport, where the dried waste is being used as fill for a runway expansion project (coal ash and its derivatives are used in concrete, bowling balls and wallboard). Carson notes that Progress Energy has volun-

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46 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

A smidgin of ash: In part due to a tragic dam collapse that released about a billion gallons of sludge containing coal ash from a Kingston, Tenn., plant in December 2008, the EPA has proposed regulating the material, a waste product of coal-fired power production. photo courtesy of WNCA

tarily tested groundwater around the plant for several years, recording 116 instances in which pollutants in the groundwater, including lead and mercury, exceeded state standards. But Sutton cites the company’s own testing from upstream and downstream of the plant: Fish from both locations reveal high levels of mercury. “To say that this plant is the source of the mercury levels in the fish, you’d have to show higher levels in the downstream fish. That just wasn’t the case.” Up till now, coal combustion products have been exempt from the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), meaning that it’s been up to individual states to determine how the material is treated and monitored. State regulations have been uniformly minimal, according to Chandra Taylor, senior attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center, and enforcement has been spotty. The EPA proposal offers two regulatory alternatives, Smith explains. One option would treat coal ash as a hazardous substance: Wet ash ponds would be phased out, tougher disposal and storage standards would apply, and there would be greater oversight by the EPA. The other option would be less rigorous, continuing to treat coal ash like common household waste, and power-plant operators would self-monitor their compliance. Further, the less-strict option would not require plant operators to guarantee substantial funds to cover a failure. The stricter proposal would, however, and that financial commitment is a substantial piece of the regulatory muscle in the proposed regulations, say Smith and other

environmentalists. But Progress Energy “supports the regulation of coal combustion products as non-hazardous,” Sutton states. The company has already been taking steps to improve the local plant’s containment of coal ash, he says. An EPA inspection in 2009 found that their active dam is structurally satisfactory, although it was listed with 44 others in the U.S. as high-hazard. That list identifies dams based on their location near human structures such as highways or buildings, Sutton explains. “It’s a worst-case-scenario designation,” he says. However, an older, inactive dam at the lake Julian facility is slated for structural improvement once state permits are secured, a process that Sutton expects will take nine months. “If state studies indicate off-site impacts from our operations, we will work with the state to mitigate them,” he adds. With Asheville’s needs for electricity growing, Sutton continues, “We’re seeking a balanced strategy to meet energy demands.” Progress Energy is investing about $1 billion dollars in emissions-control technology and wastewater treatment using natural organisms for its discharge water, he says. “It’s in our corporate culture statement to be good stewards of the environment.” For more information, go to the EPA Web site, http:// bit.ly/cJwTbv. X Susan Andrew is a freelance writer and researcher based in Asheville.

ecocalendar Calendar for May 19 - 27, 2010 ECO Events The Environmental and Conservation Organization is dedicated to preserving the natural heritage of Henderson County and the mountain region as an effective voice of the environment. Located at 121 Third Ave. W. Hendersonville. Info: 692-0385 or www.eco-wnc.org. • 4th THURSDAYS, Noon-1:30pm - Board meeting. Visitors are welcome. Green Monday What does sustainability look like? The Blue Ridge Sustainability Institute will present a free presentation in the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce second floor conference room. Speakers will be followed by a community conversation. • MO (5/24), 3-5pm - “Green Building: New Technology, Design & Materials.” Hear a panel of five groundbreaking participants in the green technology industry. This Green Monday will be of special interest to both contractors and homeowners. N.C. Arboretum Events The Arboretum hosts a variety of educational programs. Unless otherwise noted, all events are free with parking fee ($8/vehicle). No parking fees on 1st Tuesdays. Info: 6652492 or www.ncarboretum.org. • TUESDAYS & SATURDAYS, 1pm - “Walk With a Naturalist” programs. Interpretive guides will lead small groups of participants along woodland trails and through a variety of forest types. $3/$2 kids 8-17. RiverLink Events RiverLink, WNC’s organization working to improve life along the French Broad, sponsors a variety of river-friendly events. Info: 252-8474 or www.riverlink.org. • 3rd THURSDAYS, Noon-2pm - Bus Tours. See and hear about plans for the river’s future, learn local history and visit

neighborhoods. Meet in front of Asheville City Hall. $15 for nonmembers. BYO lunch. Reservations required. Save the French Broad Kickoff Party • MO (5/24) - “Give Your Liver to Save the River.” Party at Pulp at the Orange Peel before Michael Franti & Spearhead. $10 for WNC Alliance members/$15 nonmembers ($5 more at door) for Sweetwater beer and food. Info: www.wnca.org. Sierra Club Members of the WNC Sierra Club Chapter work together to protect the community and the planet. The mission of the Sierra Club, America’s oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, is to explore, enjoy and protect the wild places of the earth. Info: www. nc.sierraclub.org/wenoca or 251-8289. • TH (5/27), 7-9pm - Presenter: Drew Ball, N.C. Sierra Club’s Governmental Affairs Coordinator. Ball will discuss the legislative action taking place in Raleigh. At the Unitarian Church, Edwin at Charlotte, in Asheville. WNC Alliance Members of the WNC Alliance and the public are invited to be agents of change for the environment. Info: 258-8737 or www.wnca.org. • Looking for motivated volunteers to come out and help remove invasives that are threatening a very rare plant species growing in Henderson County, weekdays from now until mid-June. Call or e-mail bob@wnca.org for more info.

MORE ECO EVENTS ONLINE

Check out the Eco Calendar online at www.mountainx.com/ events for info on events happening after May 27.

CALENDAR DEADLINE

The deadline for free and paid listings is 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY, one week prior to publication. Questions? Call (828)251-1333, ext. 365

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mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 47

food

the main dish

Capsicum Fever

Smoking J’s Hot Sauce Company brings the heat

Pick a pepper: Joel Mowrey grows the peppers for the hot sauce he makes, including the infamous ghost chili. Photos by Jonathan Poston

By Jonathan Poston Asheville’s not usually known for its hot spells, but that’s all about to change. There’s a heat wave in town that’s about to get hotter. Xpress recently sat down with Joel Mowrey, owner of Smoking J’s Hot Sauce Company, to fan the flames: Mountain Xpress: How did you get started making hot sauce? Joel Mowrey: My wife and I had grown our largest garden to date, which included way too many hot peppers, and we had to use them somehow. I made my first bottle in 2004. Where do you make the sauce? Our farm is located in Hominy Valley of Candler. We produce our sauces out of Blue Ridge Food Ventures, located on the A-B Tech Campus in Candler. What was the first hot sauce you brought to market? Firie Habanero. We decided to bring this product to market because we were receiving such great feedback from friends and family whom I was passing the sauce onto as gifts. It is currently the only product available for sale in stores, but we will be introducing several new products this fall.

48 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Describe how Firie Habanero tastes. You have sweetness, which comes from mangoes and carrots, [and] heat, which comes from ripe habanero peppers, and also a smoky flavor that we get by smoking our habanero peppers with apple wood. Add garlic, vinegar and some secret spices, and the result ends up being something very special. On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the hottest, I would rate this sauce as a five or six. Any new sauces in the works? Indeed. We are growing the world’s official hottest pepper, [which] is called the bhut jolokia, [aka] the ghost chili. The jolokia clocks in at over 1 million units on the Scoville scale, whereas a habanero ranks in at about 350,000 units. Why the jalokia? Other than the insane heat of this pepper, believe it or not, there is a very distinct flavor that goes along with it. Cooked into curry, or blended with other ingredients for a hot sauce, the perfume-like sweetness and fruitiness of the pepper is very apparent and enjoyable. Is this Asian pepper challenging to grow here? Growing the bhut jolokia in Asheville, NC can be a challenge; for good seed germination, the

Hot to trot: Mowrey shows off his Firie hot sauce, which features smoked habeneros blended with mango, lime juice and a selection of secret spices. jolokia requires soil temperatures between 75 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which can be accomplished with some form of bottom-heat system. Even then, the seeds can take up to 35 days just to germinate. Following seed germination, you are looking at possibly another 160 days until [harvest]. We have to start our seeds indoors in midto late-December to ensure we have large enough transplants to put into the field in mid-May once the frost-free date has passed. Starting with large plants in the spring also helps to ensure we have enough growing time in the field for proper fruit harvest prior to early frosts that come in the fall. Although it’ll still be a while before pepper harvest, do you have a recipe together yet? We have been working on a hot-sauce recipe using the ghost chili for about a year. The sauce is going to be called the Roasted Ghost and features roasted tomatoes, roasted red onion, roasted garlic, ghost chilies, applecider vinegar and some additional ingredients. It will be one our thicker sauces, and

the flavor is very fresh and dangerously addicting. Was it hard to decide how hot this sauce should be? On one side, you are working with the hottest pepper in the world, and perhaps people should be left remembering what they are up against. On the other side, we are all about fire and flavor, so we have decided to make this sauce tolerable on some level so more people can enjoy it. Now, with that said, there is no doubt in my mind that we will be making a sauce with the ghost chili that will punish even those chili heads that think they can’t be burned. Want to buy a bottle of Mowrey’s devil sweat? Visit www.firiehotsauce.com, Green Life, the French Broad Food Co-op or the Grove Corner Market. X Jonathan Poston is an Asheville-based freelance writer.

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Asheville Chefs Challenge Cookoff

Are you a fan of the Iron Chef shows on the Food Network? Hungry for high-tempo culinary action, Asheville-style? Get ready for the WNC Chefs Challenge. WNC Magazine is serving up a big helping of the talent that our area restaurants have to offer. Every Tuesday, from now through July, some of the best chefs in Western North Carolina will square off against each other in a showcase of skill and steel will. If you are familiar with Iron Chef, you are familiar with the concept: A secret ingredient will be presented to the chefs on the day of competition; each team will then have to come up with three unique, creative dishes that showcase the mystery item. The chefs will get to dip into a common pantry of ingredients, but they are also allowed to bring their own arsenal — up to $100 worth of goodies, plus a few extra kitchen tools. The competitions will be held in front of a 120-person audience — an audience which will ultimately decide whose cuisine reigns supreme. The chefs will compete weekly until only four are left standing. Those finalists will move on to a series of showdowns during the Asheville Wine and Food Festival in August. Bob Bowles, organizer of the WNC Chefs Challenge along with WNC Magazine, practically bubbles over with enthusiasm when talking about the upcoming events. “The excitement is coming from the realization that ... we’re showcasing some of the best chefs in Western North Carolina,” says Bowles. “I really believe that is the key to really showing people what an exciting food culture we have here.”

Further showcasing what our area has to offer, the pantry the chefs get to pick from will feature local produce and meats, and most — if not all — of the secret ingredients will be locally produced. “We’ve reached out to ASAP (Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project) in order to get the word out to local farmers and producers,” says Bowles. “We have a lot of major players on board to really put a lot of emphasis on the local food movement, and in using a lot of local, sustainable ingredients.” Bowles says that he can’t wait to see the audience get into the excitement of the judging process. “I think the suspense is going to kill everyone every evening,” he says. “[The audience] will be on the edge of their seats wondering which team of chefs has won each challenge at the end of each evening,” he says, adding, “I think every chef in this competition will prepare excellent dishes.” Brian Canipelli of Cucina 24 is ready for his battle against chef Brian Sonoskus from Tupelo Honey. “I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be a good time,” he says. “I’m interested to see what the mystery ingredients are going to be.” Are any secret weapons going to be pulled out of the Cucina 24 arsenal? “I’m going to do what I do, that’s all,” says Canipelli. “I don’t have any tricks up my sleeve. I’m not a trickster. I’m not a magician. I might try a couple of new things, but I’m not going into it with plans.” Eliott Moss of the Admiral is looking forward to the events as well. His team will be competing against chef Chris Aquilino from Pomodoros Greek and Italian Café in the first round. “We’re all excited to do something like this. We all like competition, so it will be fun to partake in it.”

chefschallenge May 18

(complete, winner to be announced): Deerfield, Asheville VS. Red Stag Grill, Grand Bohemian Hotel â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Asheville

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May 25

Corner Kitchen, Asheville VS. Sunset Terrace, Grove Park Inn, Asheville

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June 1

Pomodoros Greek and Italian CafĂŠ, Asheville VS. The Admiral, Asheville Green and growing: Michael and Shannon Blair, owners of The Green Light CafĂŠ, are bringing their brand of vegetarian cuisine to downtown Asheville. Photo by Jerry Nelson

What does Moss feel gives their team the edge? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have immersion circulators, vacuum sealers and sous vide cooking gear. We have a few other things that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to bring, ingredient-wise, that some people in town might not be familiar with, or able to get their hands on,â&#x20AC;? he says. Bowles remarks that every single competing restaurant team thinks they can take down their opponent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all looking forward to the challenge. They all have a lot of self-confidence, in their creativity and also in the food that they prepare for folks.â&#x20AC;? The Chefs Challenge dinners will take place at the Flying Frog Cafe at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday â&#x20AC;&#x201D; see sidebar for full schedule. Tickets are $39, and include three dishes from each of the competing chefs. Drinks, tax and gratuity are not included. Tickets may be purchased by calling the Flying Frog at 254-9411, or go to wncmagazinecom/ wineandfood/challengeform. Winners from round one will advance to the quarterfinals. The Xpress online food page (mountainx.com/dining) will have updates as they unfold.

Getting the Green Light

The Green Light CafĂŠ, once located in Black Mountain, is re-opening in downtown Asheville. Since the restaurant closed two years ago, owners Shannon and Michael Blair have been bringing their brand of fresh vegetarian and vegan cuisine to the festival circuit, as well as catering private functions. Now theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re moving their place to the space next to BoBo Gallery on Lexington Avenue. The Green Light CafĂŠ and the gallery/bar are connected by a common dining room, so diners at the restaurant can sidle up to the bar, and barflies will have food within reach. Of particular interest to night owls is the fact that Green Light will keep late hours to match that of BoBo Gallery, at least when BoBo is featuring events. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to play it by ear,â&#x20AC;? says Blair. The menu at the Asheville restaurant will be similar to the menu served in the old Black Mountain space, Michael says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll basically be a soup and sandwich shop. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have daily specials, smoothies and juices.â&#x20AC;? Easily carried items like

pocket sandwiches will be available to grab and go. Michael also reports that, while available, the restaurant will use all local and organic products. Menu items will include dishes like a sweet-potato patty over rice with a spicy peanut sauce, or a three-cheese spinach lasagna. Nearly everything on the menu will be available vegan. The Green Light CafĂŠ will be opening in late May or early June. For more information, visit greenlightcafe.com.

X Food and features coordinator Mackensy Lunsford can be reached at food@mountainx.com.

hello, food A food calendar for the Xpress is in the works. Have a class or workshop coming up? A gala dinner? List your food-related events at mountainx.com/events/submission (listings are free for events that cost less than $40, or are benefits for, or sponsored by, nonprofits. Other type listings are paid).

June 8

Early Girl Eatery, Asheville VS. A Moveable Feast Catering, Asheville

June 15

Nicoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CafĂŠ, Waynesville VS. Chelseas and the Village Tea Room, Asheville

June 22

Cucina 24, Asheville VS. Tupelo Honey CafĂŠ, Asheville

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mountainx.com â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 51

brewsnews

by anne fitten glenn

Brews News: American Craft Beer Week Edition Moog Filtered Ale hits the stands

See the photo accompanying this story? That’s Mike Rangel and Doug Riley, both of Asheville Brewing Company, showing off their newest beer, Moog Filtered Ale, which will be released on May 27. I wrangled a preview taste of the Moogie brew, and you pale ale people are gonna love it. It’s a smooth, piney, easy-to-drink American Pale. According to both Rangel and Jason Atallah of Bruisin’ Ales Beer Shop, folks have been calling and e-mailing from all over the world trying to get their hands on this beer. Because the Moog name travels far. And because all proceeds from the sale of the beer will benefit The Bob Moog Foundation. To read more about the beer and the Moog Foundation’s plans, see page 55.

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American Craft Beer Week: Reason to celebrate

This week, May 17-23, is American Craft Beer Week. Called the “Mother of All Beer Weeks,” by organizers the Brewers Association, this is a time for beer lovers to celebrate small and independent craft brewers and their amazing brews. Given that Asheville supposedly has the highest per-capita ratio of microbreweries to population, we, in particular, should celebrate. So drink a local craft beer or two this week. Like I need to twist your arm. Below are a few fun beer-centric events happening around Asheville this week that’ll help you meet that goal of honoring craft beer.

Up next at Craggie: Antebellum Ale

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Craggie Brewing Co. is doing it up for Craft Beer Week. They’re introducing Antebellum Ale, a 1840s-era American beer recipe containing water, yeast, molasses, ginger and spruce tips (5 percent ABV). The launch party is Wednesday, May 19, at Craggie’s Public House. The first 50 folks to arrive between 4 and 7 p.m. will get a wee Willi tasting glass of the Antebellum for free. On Thursday, May 20, Craggie brewmaster Bill Drew will be cracking a cask of the Antebellum at Thirsty Monk South. He also promises to sign

Moog’s Brew: Mike Rangel and Doug Riley of Asheville Brewing Company show off the Moog Filtered Ale, to be released May 27. photo by Anne Fitten Glenn

autographs and kiss babies. Then, on Friday, May 21, Bruisin’ Ales, Craggie and the Hop Ice Cream Shop will let you drink your beer and eat it too. Six bucks gets you an ice cream float combining the Antebellum Ale and ice cream made with the Ale. Plus you get to keep the glass. Runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at Bruisin’ Ales. Finally, on Saturday, when you purchase an Antebellum Ale at Pack’s Tavern, you get to keep the glass. Also, Craggie’s Jonathan Cort will be there to talk beer from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Hemp on tap at Wedge

Wedge Brewing will release iHemp Ale, an ale made from 150 pounds of hemp seed (and some hops), as a one-time special in honor of both American Craft Beer Week and Hemp History Week. The creamy, earthy brew comes in at 5.8 percent ABV, and at the brewery will be referred to as Derailed Ale, following the lead of the Wedge’s Iron Rail IPA and Third Rail Imperial IPA. The hemp beer will be available at the brewery and at Nine Mile Restaurant in time for the Montford Music & Arts Festival on Saturday, May 22.

Drink with Spike from Terrapin

Brewmaster Spike Buckowski of Terrapin Beer Company will be in Asheville Thursday and Friday. Terrapin’s home base is in my college town of Athens, Ga. Unlike many University of Georgia alums, I’m not an avid football fan, but I am an avid Terrapin fan. Thursday night, May 20, Spike will be hosting a beer dinner at Zambra Wine & Tapas in conjunction with Bruisin’ Ales beer shop and Zambra chef Adam Bannasch. The dinner includes six paired courses and costs $60 per person (includ-

52 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

ing tax and gratuity). All the courses look awesome; though I’m particularly struck by dessert (of course), which consists of Terrapin’s Dark Side Belgian-style Stout (8.5 percent ABV) served with date-stuffed beignets with espresso ganache, honey crème fraiche, and rose petals. For reservations, call Zambra at 232-1060. On Friday, May 21, Spike will be hanging at the Thirsty Monk downtown and releasing a cask of his new side project, Boom Shaka-Lager, starting at 7:30 p.m. In addition to having one of the greatest names ever, this imperial lager is made exclusively with German malts and hops and a true Bavarian lager yeast strain. “While 99 percent of the beers brewed at Terrapin are ales, we figured we should show some love to the lager style as well,” Spike says. I’m ready to give Boom Shaka-Lager a little love. You?

Will Asheville win the Beer City East title again?

Although Asheville earned the title Beer City, USA, last year in beer god Charlie Papazian’s first annual poll of the nation’s beer lovers, it’s time to vote again (actually we were voted Beer City East, while Portland, Ore., won the title of Beer City West). Polling takes place all week, ending at 11:59 p.m. (Mountain Time) on Sunday, May 23. So get out the vote! Go to www.examiner.com and click through to Beer Examiner to vote. Get a link at www.mountainx.com. Happy American Craft Beer Week. A votre santé! X Anne Fitten Glenn can brewgrasmavl@gmail.com

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mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 53

arts&entertainment Feeling the Moog spirit

Benefit brings together local musicians, a California-based keys wizard and one mammoth synthesizer by Jake Frankel

who:

Michelle MoogErik Norlander, Blind Boy Koussa knows her Chocolate and the Milk Sheiks and other local coldad would’ve dug the laborators spirit behind Moogus Operandi. what: For one thing, it feaMoogus Operandi, a benefit tures an analog modufor the Bob Moog Foundation lar synthesizer so maswhere: sive, it’s known as the The Orange Peel “Wall of Doom.” And virtuoso keyboardist when: Erik Norlander won’t Thursday, May 27 (7 p.m. / be playing the monster 6 p.m. doors. $10/$12. theoralone. An orchestra of angepeel.net and moogfoundiverse local musidation.org) cians (including Woody Wood, Ellie LaBar, Adama Dembele, Shen Hunt, Greg Howell, Derrick Johnson, Oso Rey, Debrissa McKinney and Amos Gaynes) will be adding strings, percussion, horns and vocals to the mix. Bob Moog would’ve loved the idea of creating such musical fusion, says Moog-Koussa, who timed the event to celebrate what would’ve been Moog’s 76th birthday. “His beacon was really music as a transcendental means of communication that brought people together in community,” she says. “And that’s what this event is doing — it’s bringing different musicians together, different kinds of music together.” Offering a night of musical, artistic and multimedia exploration, the Moogus Operandi event aims to bring the legacy of Moog, the synthesizer engineering pioneer, to life. A worldwide electronic-music icon known for his innovative analog synths and theremins, the inventor lived in Asheville for 27 years before his death in 2005. Now, the Bob Moog Foundation, a nonprofit started by Moog-Koussa, seeks to carry Moog’s torch by educating and inspiring people through electronic music. “This foundation is driven by making an impact on future generations,” Moog-Koussa tells Xpress. “That’s a very powerful thing to be able to do. I think it would be a waste of his legacy if someone didn’t fulfill that.” The latest in a series of creative events held to help fulfill that mission, Operandi will be headlined by keyboard maestro Norlander, who Moog-Koussa says she recruited because he’s “a really multifaceted symbol of how the Moog legacy has carried on, through the music he chooses to perform and the variety of Moog instruments he uses.” One of the instruments Norlander will bring to Asheville from his home in Northern California is a massive, 400-pound analog modular synthesizer his roadies coined the “Wall of Doom.” Powering the six-by-seven-foot musical monolith is a 1967 vintage Moog modular, complete with 22 oscillators(!) and six filters. “When I got my first Minimoog, it was an epiphany for me. It was ‘Wow, this is the greatest sounding synthesizer I’ve ever heard,’ and it just kind of went on from there,” Norlander says of his ever-expanding rig. “It’s only a ‘wall of doom’ for the poor guys who have to lift the thing and put it into trucks and all that.” On his new album, The Galactic Collective, Norlander harnesses the musical beast to craft epic instrumental compositions that call to mind everyone from Pink Floyd and Rush to Metallica. A prolific artist, he culled the songs from his previous 32 albums of material,

54 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Bob Moog, the legend. photos courtesy the bob moog foundation

re-recording the tracks with a new band and reinterpreting them into a cohesive sonic whole that navigates intensely technical prog-rock. “You take the idea of a best-of album but then you go in and you reinterpret all those songs in one singular context,” Norlander says of the concept. At the Orange Peel, Norlander plans to recruit top local musicians to help bring songs like his 20-minute opus, “The Dark Water,” to life. The collaborations promise to produce a unique mix of electronic and organic improvisation that Norlander sees as a fitting way to honor Moog’s work. “A big part of the modular Moog system is truly the spirit of limitless possibilities and the idea of improvisation; not only musically, but sonically,” he says. “There will be certain anchors and themes, but how long it takes us to get to each of the themes, and how we get there, is really up to all the musicians.” Empowering the audience to join in the creative spirit, Operandi will also provide opportunities for those in the crowd to collaborate and improvise, as organizers plan to set up a public “MoogLab” with theremins and synthesizers. The evening will also include the launch of Moog Filtered Ale (See sidebar), a multimedia presentation created by local digital-design guru Gene Felice, and an art auction of Mooginspired work from local artists such as Gabriel Shaffer, Chad Adair and Phil Cheney. All of the proceeds from the event will go to the foundation, which Moog-Koussa says has been hit hard by the sluggish economy.

Keyboard virtuoso Erik Norlander is bringing his 400-pound analog modular synthesizer, the “Wall of Doom,” to the show. “We’re struggling just like other nonprofits right now,” she says. “So, we’re getting creative. The beer is one of the ways we’re getting creative.” Moog-Koussa thinks that her dad would’ve approved of the new brew. “He loved beer,” she says. “We never drank any kind of soda at our house. He would always say, ‘Beer’s better for you than Coke is, beer’s better for you than pop.’” The foundation continues to make slow but steady progress towards its goal of creating a Moogseum to house Moog’s archives, interactive exhibits and a performance venue, says Moog-Koussa. In the meantime, expanding the foundation’s school program is a major focus. “Instead of just going into schools every once in a while, we’re going to develop something for grades K through eight that we can start here and then grow throughout the region and then the nation in the next five to ten years,” she says. More than anything else, Moug-Koussa says it’s the potential to impact young lives that motivates her to plow ahead. “Sometimes I surprise myself at how hard I’m driven at it,” she says, relaying a story of how she got up at 3 a.m. on a recent morning to start working. “My husband said to me ‘Do you have the holy spirit in you?’ and I said, ‘No, I have the spirit of Bob Moog in me.’”

X Jake Frankel can be reached at jfrankel@mountainx.com.

Moog in a bottle

Opener Dwight Hawkins

Asheville Brewing Company releases Moog Filtered Ale

.07*/( 4"-&

by Anne Fitten Glenn photo by jerry nelson

Asheville Brewing Company and the Asheville-based Bob Moog Foundation are launching a beer named for synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. The Moog Filtered Ale, an American pale with notes of caramel and pine, will be available starting Thursday, May 27. The first tastes will be served to the public at Moogus Operandi. All proceeds from the sale of the limited edition beer will be donated to the foundation. The ale initially will be sold from May 27 through May 30 at Greenlife Grocery, The Orange Peel and Asheville Pizza and Brewing. Starting May 31, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be distributed nationally and internationally (where possible) through Asheville-based beer shop Bruisinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ales. It will also be available on tap at various restaurants and pubs throughout Western North Carolina. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very accessible beer that reflects the Moog legacy,â&#x20AC;? says Doug Riley, head brewer and part owner of Asheville Brewing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been a fan of Bob Moog since college, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m excited to present a beer in honor of an American pioneer.â&#x20AC;? (Asheville Brewing previously produced a limited edition Christmas Jam White Ale, in honor of Warren Haynesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Christmas Jam concert. All profits from that beerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales â&#x20AC;&#x201D; more than $9,800 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; went to the W&S Charitable Foundation, which partners with Habitat for Humanity to provide housing for area residents.) The beerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s label was designed by Asheville artist Phil Cheney. It shows Moog leaning over a keyboard with musical notes, synthesizer knobs and patch cables floating around him. The number â&#x20AC;&#x153;76â&#x20AC;? graces the upper right-hand corner of the label, commemorating what would have been Moogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 76th birthday, on May 23 (Moog died in 2005). Sean McDonald, board co-chair of the Bob Moog Foundation, says heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excited about the ale and what it means for Moog. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can give people a rockstar way to donate to the Bob Moog Foundation, which means schools will get better programs to use music to teach science,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the whole team here at the foundation is really proud to be working with Mike Rangel and Asheville Brewing, because this model is fun, innovative and generates revenue for a nonprofit thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s making the world a better place. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a win-win-win.â&#x20AC;? So how does McDonald like the beer? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love it. Perfect ale â&#x20AC;&#x201D; worthy of the Moog-y community of donors, sponsors, allies, volunteers and friends,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In my experience, the Moog Filtered Ale is best served with a pizza from APBC and a side of synth rock, turned up loud ... but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to try salad and theremin jazz next.â&#x20AC;?

You may have seen Dwight Hawkins on the streets of Asheville, making music with a large handsaw and a violin bow, to striking effect. Sometimes he plays solo on a classical-sounding piece, other times heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s joined by old-time musicians and uses the saw as a fiddle, or heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll scratch it to keep a percussive rhythm. His saw has a unique, high-pitched sound, similar to the theremin. Hawkins lives an unconventional life. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chosen to be a fulltime street musician, despite his carpentry and building experience. He calls himself and his friends hobos. How does one fall into this line of work? His childhood wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that uncommon: strict parents, good grades, a few state scienceproject awards. But craving for adventure led him to run away and live on the streets a few times. Hawkins found music: punk rock, folk, Woody Guthrie. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all similar,â&#x20AC;? Hawkins says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all dissident music with strong messages and emotions.â&#x20AC;? Hawkins, 29, has played music and continuously learned new instruments all his life. By age 10, he played the trombone, tuba and piano. In his teens, he focused on the guitar. Music and traveling are his passions. He often pops out of town on freight trains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Free spiritâ&#x20AC;?: you hear that term a lot, especially in towns like Asheville, with lots of artists and entrepreneurs. But Hawkins directly lives the full spirit. His band here, Blind Boy Chocolate and the Milk Sheiks, plays a lot of jug-band music, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;20s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;30s style. The Shieks open the Moogus Operandi event â&#x20AC;&#x201D; donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss them. Blind Boy Chocolate and the Milk Sheiks are Dwight Hawkins on saw and vocals; Aaron Gunn on fiddle and vocals; Antone Costa, finger-style guitar, kazoo, harmonica and vocals; Nick Marshall, mandolin and vocals; Alex Brady, washtub bass; Mike Moravetz, vocals and accordion â&#x20AC;&#x201D; plus frequent guest Jesse Kammerdiener, country-and-western folk guitar/harmonica/ vocals.

Anne Fitten Glenn writes about beer for mountainx.com and her blog, brewgasm.com.

Read the entire story, including videos of Hawkins playing on the streets and traveling by train, at mountainx.com.

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mountainx.com â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 55

Moog in a bottle

Opener Dwight Hawkins

Asheville Brewing Company releases Moog Filtered Ale

by Anne Fitten Glenn Asheville Brewing Company and the Asheville-based Bob Moog Foundation are launching a beer named for synthesizer pioneer Bob Moog. The Moog Filtered Ale, an American pale with notes of caramel and pine, will be available starting Thursday, May 27. The first tastes will be served to the public at Moogus Operandi. All proceeds from the sale of the limited edition beer will be donated to the foundation. The ale initially will be sold from May 27 through May 30 at Greenlife Grocery, The Orange Peel and Asheville Pizza and Brewing. Starting May 31, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be distributed nationally and internationally (where possible) through Asheville-based beer shop Bruisinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Ales. It will also be available on tap at various restaurants and pubs throughout Western North Carolina. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a very accessible beer that reflects the Moog legacy,â&#x20AC;? says Doug Riley, head brewer and part owner of Asheville Brewing. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been a fan of Bob Moog since college, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m excited to present a beer in honor of an American pioneer.â&#x20AC;? (Asheville Brewing previously produced a limited edition Christmas Jam White Ale, in honor of Warren Haynesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Christmas Jam concert. All profits from that beerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales â&#x20AC;&#x201D; more than $9,800 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; went to the W&S Charitable Foundation, which partners with Habitat for Humanity to provide housing for area residents.) The beerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s label was designed by Asheville artist Phil Cheney. It shows Moog leaning over a keyboard with musical notes, synthesizer knobs and patch cables floating around him. The number â&#x20AC;&#x153;76â&#x20AC;? graces the upper right-hand corner of the label, commemorating what would have been Moogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 76th birthday, on May 23 (Moog died in 2005). Sean McDonald, board co-chair of the Bob Moog Foundation, says heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s excited about the ale and what it means for Moog. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can give people a rockstar way to donate to the Bob Moog Foundation, which means schools will get better programs to use music to teach science,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think the whole team here at the foundation is really proud to be working with Mike Rangel and Asheville Brewing, because this model is fun, innovative and generates revenue for a nonprofit thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s making the world a better place. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a win-win-win.â&#x20AC;? So how does McDonald like the beer? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love it. Perfect ale â&#x20AC;&#x201D; worthy of the Moog-y community of donors, sponsors, allies, volunteers and friends,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In my experience, the Moog Filtered Ale is best served with a pizza from APBC and a side of synth rock, turned up loud ... but Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to try salad and theremin jazz next.â&#x20AC;? Anne Fitten Glenn writes about beer for mountainx.com and her blog, brewgasm.com.

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photo by jerry nelson

by Scott Sessoms You may have seen Dwight Hawkins on the streets of Asheville, making music with a large handsaw and a violin bow, to striking effect. Sometimes he plays solo on a classical-sounding piece, other times heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s joined by old-time musicians and uses the saw as a fiddle, or heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll scratch it to keep a percussive rhythm. His saw has a unique, high-pitched sound, similar to the theremin. Hawkins lives an unconventional life. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chosen to be a fulltime street musician, despite his carpentry and building experience. He calls himself and his friends hobos. How does one fall into this line of work? His childhood wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t that uncommon: strict parents, good grades, a few state scienceproject awards. But craving for adventure led him to run away and live on the streets a few times. Hawkins found music: punk rock, folk, Woody Guthrie. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all similar,â&#x20AC;? Hawkins says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all dissident music with strong messages and emotions.â&#x20AC;? Hawkins, 29, has played music and continuously learned new instruments all his life. By age 10, he played the trombone, tuba and piano. In his teens, he focused on the guitar. Music and traveling are his passions. He often pops out of town on freight trains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Free spiritâ&#x20AC;?: you hear that term a lot, especially in towns like Asheville, with lots of artists and entrepreneurs. But Hawkins directly lives the full spirit. His band here, Blind Boy Chocolate and the Milk Sheiks, plays a lot of jug-band music, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;20s and â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;30s style. The Shieks open the Moogus Operandi event â&#x20AC;&#x201D; donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss them. Blind Boy Chocolate and the Milk Sheiks are Dwight Hawkins on saw and vocals; Aaron Gunn on fiddle and vocals; Antone Costa, finger-style guitar, kazoo, harmonica and vocals; Nick Marshall, mandolin and vocals; Alex Brady, washtub bass; Mike Moravetz, vocals and accordion â&#x20AC;&#x201D; plus frequent guest Jesse Kammerdiener, country-and-western folk guitar/harmonica/ vocals. Read the entire story, including videos of Hawkins playing on the streets and traveling by train, at mountainx.com.

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mountainx.com â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 55

arts

music

Continental drift

Josh Rouse returns to Asheville with his well-traveled El Turista

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by Alli Marshall

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“I’m a mediocre songwriter, but I’m a good record maker,” says Josh Rouse. The first part of that statement is arguable: Rouse’s 2003 album 1972 is a lush folky/groovy/disco-y meditation on that year; Subtitulo from 2006 examines his transition from the U.S. to his present home in Spain, in pretty melodies and infectious beats. “It’s just the work you put into it,” Rouse says. “I’m good at putting the songs together and production and making it an album. I wish I had a bit more luck in the singles area, but I’ve always kind of dug album tracks, the deeper cuts. If I get an idea for a record and I work on it for awhile, it usually turns out pretty well.” His latest release, El Turista (Yep Roc), is a departure from the poppy rhythms of She’s Spanish, I’m American (a 2007 EP recorded with then-girlfriend, now-wife Paz Suay) and the spacious, jangly compositions of 2008’s Bedroom Classics, Vol. 3. It’s a departure, partly because El Turista is the first album on which Rouse sings in Spanish. It’s been six years since Rouse left the U.S. for Valencia, but it wasn’t Spain, per se, that inspired the language choice. “I did a couple covers of Bola de Nieve — he was kind of like the Louis Armstrong of Cuba. I really liked the way that he sang,” says Rouse. Inspired, “I wrote some of my own songs. Part it was that I needed to do something new for myself.” The other departure is that, instead of the

who:

Josh Rouse

what:

Singer/songwriter with Spanish band and Brazilian rhythms

where:

The Orange Peel

when:

www.bodytalksystems.com

Saturday, May 22 (8 p.m., $14 advance/$16 doors. theorangepeel.net.) folk-and-pop base that has typified Rouse’s sound, the album borrows inspiration from bossa nova — especially its bass and percussion. Bossa nova, it’s worth noting, comes from South America and its Brazilian performers sing in Portuguese. “I’m a big fan of Brazilian music,” says Rouse. “It’s kind of a no-no, actually, to sing in Spanish over Brazilian songs, but I figured because I’m American I can get away with it. I’m not Portuguese and I’m not Spanish, so maybe they’ll give me a get out of jail free card. And it kind of worked.” On the bio notes for the album Rouse adds, “I know it’s kind of funny, this Midwestern guy doing Brazilian songs in Spanish. I don’t know if

56 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Dream vacation: Josh Rouse’s newest album, El Turista, draws from the rhythms and landscapes of tropical places. it fits, but I like the way it feels.” Furthering the world-travel feel, the accompanying book looks like a passport, complete with the stamps and Rouse’s regulation photo. As strange and experimental as the album might sound, the end result is a congruent, fluid, easily digestible collection that sweeps from start to finish through cinematic landscapes of sea and sky, shoreline and sultry city streets. (Likely Rouse’s neighborhood in Valencia impacts his writing. He describes the area as a coastal town with a lot of palm trees and a lot of older people in the neighborhood.) The Brazilian influence lends polish, an effortless suavity that seems to come naturally to Rouse, the musician, if not Rouse, the guy. After recording El Turista, he says, “I listened to the record and it turned out really well and I thought, ‘How did I do that?’” How he did it was, in fact, almost an accident. Bored with writing pop songs, Rouse decided to take some time off. “I really didn’t have a plan for the record. ... I got together with the producer Brad Jones and said, ‘Let’s do something that has less pop structure and is almost like a soundtrack.’ That’s kind of how we started,” he remembers. “I kept saying, ‘I’m not making a record.’ That’s code word for ‘I’m really making a record.’” One track, “Lemon Tree,” appeared earlier on Bedroom Classics. Another, “Cotton Eye Joe,” is Rouse’s Latin-flavored remake of an American folk tune, inspired by a version recorded by soul

singer/songwriter Terry Collier. And then there are the originals, like the breezy “Valencia,” easily reminiscent of João Gilberto. “The world is flooded with male folk pop singer/songwriters,” Rouse says. “There weren’t so many when I started out, but now it’s a popular genre. I wanted to do something different.” Living in Spain has given him the freedom to do just that. “The states can be very competitive sometimes,” the musician says. “I might feel like, ‘I’ve got to put another record out. Josh Ritter just put a record out.’ But here I’m kind of disconnected from that, which is nice. For awhile when I first started, I always had the next record done. The songs were written and I was just waiting on the record company. But now ... I’m not quite as ambitious as I used to be.” El Turista — the name both a comment on Rouse’s outsider status (“Living in a city where you weren’t raised, you’re always missing a few things from where you come from.”) and his life as a touring musician — benefits from that decompression. It’s unhurried, textured, thoughtful and expansive as a nine-to-fiver released from the office to a white sand beach with nothing to manage but a tall, icy drink. “Even since I’ve lived here, the records I’ve made here have a different feel,” says Rouse. “There’s just not as much of an agenda.” X Alli Marshall can be reached at amarshall@ mountainx.com.

mountainx.com â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 57

arts

music

Soul of the hills

Tim Eriksen may be king of an obscure sub-genre, and with good reason by Parrish Ellis

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In the domain of tradiTim Eriksen, with Riley Baugus tional ballad singing, Tim where: Eriksen wields astonishThe Grey Eagle ing power, with a voice full of deep, emotive qualities, when: a well-worn character and Thursday, May 20 (8:30 p.m. effortless fluidity. In fact, $10/$12. All ages. www.thegrehis new album, Soul of the yeagle.com. To note: Eriksen January Hills, is a collection will also be a teacher for the of unaccompanied ballads, traditional song week at the Swannanoa Gathering, July 5-9). shape-note hymns and folk songs, recorded completely live in one take with no editing, in a medieval abbey tower in Poland; quite an impressive feat in this modern age of digital doctoring and auto-tune correction. Eriksen is somewhat of a paradox. He sounds like he’s 250 years old — a compliment in traditional ballad singing — but his singing has an immediacy that grabs listeners and compels them to share in the moment of performance. And though solo ballad singing might be a forgotten or ignored niche in the decidedly unpopular, commercially marginal world of traditional folk music, Eriksen isn’t worried. “I see it as more of an opportunity than an obstacle,” he tells Xpress. “It’s great music, and the fact that it’s currently obscure means the possibilities are wide open. It also means that for the moment, I’m the king (of this obscure sub-genre).” Although he is an erudite ethnomusicologist, he’s far from an academic archivist of old folk ballads; he re-infuses these well-traveled melodies and lyrics with new blood and an intensity that brings them fully into the present with re-invigorated life and meaning. And his collaborations are legendary. Born and based in Massachusetts, Eriksen was raised in the northeastern American folk tradition. His expansive interests led him to various national and ethnic folk traditions around the world, including Indian, Albanian, Bosnian, Romanian and southern-Appalachian mountain music. In fact, he spent a major phase of his musical journey as a punk-rock influenced singer/songwriter/guitarist in the self-described “folk-noise” band Cordelia’s Dad. “I guess I’m just curious, but south Indian music is the only stuff I’ve intentionally sought out, the rest has been serendipitous and tied to extraordinary experiences and people I’ve met along the way,” Eriksen explains. “Bosnian music, Oromo gospel and more recently playing with (Cuban pianist/composer) Omar Sosa, and singing with a symphony orchestra — each is a long and improbable story. Believe it or not, I started singing ballads as a kid at about the same time I started playing hard-core punk, and I still love both. They’re probably on opposite ends of some spectrum, but really close on whatever spectrum I’m on. If you listen carefully you can hear echoes of all the different music I’ve learned in my singing.” Over the course of his career, he has worked with an impressive variety of collaborators, and some very notable producers, including Steve Albini and T-Bone Burnett — with whom he worked on the movie Cold Mountain, coaching the actors on how to sing the sacred harp melodies, and contributing his voice and arrangements to the soundtrack. Some of the most memorable experiences? Eriksen lists them, in stream-of-consciousness style: “Singing with a symphony orchestra at Carnegie Hall, a flaming car out back of Steve Albini’s studio, playing the Academy Awards with Elvis Costello and Alison Krauss, working on set with Anthony Minghella, a near fistfight with Kurt Cobain, a triple vina concert at the Thyagaraja Samajam in Chennai India, singing gangas with the guys on Mt. Bjelasnica in Bosnia, mixing sacred harp with T-Bone Burnett while he was tracking with Sly Stone next door.” When asked if the new album was an intentional move to reacquaint listeners with the skill and real-time performance aesthetic found in old

58 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Effortless fluidity: The latest album is a collection of unaccompanied ballads, shape-note hymns and folk songs. photo by michael murphee

field recordings, he said, “I love the intensity and immediacy of unaccompanied singing; at its best it’s great music and great storytelling. Soul of the January Hills is mostly an aesthetic statement, but it’s also a challenge. Maybe it’ll encourage someone to go out on a limb and trust their voice more, or maybe even get out of the habit of trying to make music sound better by editing and overdubbing it to death.” Sharing the bill with Eriksen is North Carolina Piedmont native Riley Baugus, who provides the perfect complement to Eriksen’s sensibility as an American-folk-inspired singer and multi-instrumentalist. Baugus grew up in the mountain-music-rich area of Surrey County, learning fiddle/ banjo/guitar directly from local masters Tommy Jarrell, Fred Cockerham, Ernest East and Benton Flippen, and he is one of the leading exponents of the vernacular musical tradition known as “Round Peak” style. Like Eriksen, Baugus is also a talented singer of a capella ballads. Eriksen agrees: “I love gigging with Riley. We worked together on Cold Mountain and toured together with Ralph Stanley and Alison Krauss afterwards. People probably wouldn’t put us together based on our head shots, but when you hear us sing you can tell we’re brothers from another planet.” X When not on tour with The Wiyos (www.thewiyos.com), Parrish Ellis lives in Asheville, writes songs and studies multiple idioms of American rural music, including western swing, country blues and Appalachian mountain fiddle and banjo styles.

mountainx.com â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 59

arts

performance

Adieu, adieu

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Asheville Choral Society says fond farewell to music director Lenora Thom by Tracy D. Hyorth

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Monday rehearsals for Asheville Choral Society begin at exactly 7:15 p.m. No chatting. No daydreaming. No fiddling with your cell phone. There’s a concert coming up, and there is work to be done. It’s a very important concert, a farewell to a beloved leader, a last musical program for Lenora Thom as ACS Music Director. “Lift, lift, lift … release,” Thom tells the singers as she starts them off with breathing exercises. “Now, we’re going to hum five notes. Breathe into it.” The exercises go on for about three minutes, and it only takes that amount of time for a visitor to realize the rehearsal is a rich, intense, heartfelt musical experience in itself. The small sanctuary of the Haywood Campus of Central United Methodist Church is almost filled. The 100 or so members pay close attention to Thom’s words. “Have a seat. Don’t talk. Don’t talk.” “Lenora runs a tight ship,” says Bob McGahey, an ACS member since 2002. “She is clearly the best. … She will missed at ACS.” And, for good reasons. Since her seventhgrade days as an assistant choir director, Lenora Thom has spent 40 years working with large choral groups. Prior to her move to Asheville in 1998, Thom enjoyed a busy and varied professional career in the New York City area, where she led the New Jersey Choral Society and Orchestra, the Kean (N.J.) Chamber Symphony and the Riverdale (N.Y.) Chamber Orchestra. A conductor, pianist, vocal coach, organist and arranger, she is well known locally for her work with many of Asheville’s leading musical groups: Asheville Symphony Orchestra, Flat Rock Playhouse and Asheville Community Theatre. Thom was appointed Music Director of Asheville Choral Society in 2000, following the retirement of founding director and Music Director Emeritus Robert P. Keener. “The last 10 years with ACS have been

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grand,” Thom tells Xpress. Her stepping down as the group’s music director is simply a natural progression at this point in her life, she says. “After 40 years in the music profession, I’m ready to lighten up some of my schedule to enjoy other aspects of my life … my family, friends and so much more. It’s ‘just time’ for me to leave ACS. They’re ready for a new director to take them on their next adventure. They have a positive future ahead of them.” However, Thom hasn’t completed her ACS tenure just yet. “The (May) concert is only three weeks away, and I have about 100 hours of work between now and then,” Thom says — one reason rehearsals are so intense. “Sing loudly. Dig in and give it a bigger voice,” Thom tells the group as they practice “Do Nothing ‘til You Hear From Me.” It’s a difficult piece to sing — a jazzy, syncopated song with music written by Duke Ellington and lyrics by Bob Russell. “Let’s go back,” Thom tells the choral group. “This is a tricky arrangement. Speak the words with me. Feel the rhythm? Feel it?” And feel it, they do. “Lenora, as a director, has a sense of humor,” says Andrea Rosal, a member of ACS since 2007 and current board vice president. “She knows how to read what the chorus is doing and communicates in terms that connect with people.” Thom is well-loved by the group for many reasons. One is the diversity in music she has brought to ACS. She loves all types of music and tries hard to present many styles of music, say those who work with her. “She is great at programming,” says MaGahey. He explained that Thom has the innate ability to move easily between swing and classical songs, and much more. “She just has this bodily sense of what song to choose for a performance so that it is interesting and challenging at the same time.” Thom is proud of her thematic programming: “I spend thousands of hours agonizing over what songs to put in a particular concert, going through many pieces of music,” she says. “I want each performance to be different. I like all of my concerts.” She’s also been able to help the volunteer, auditioned chorus grow from a smaller and less-diverse group to one that ranges in age from 14-84 and has an average of about 140 singers. A majority of the members are (or have been) professional musicians, or have considerable choral knowledge. However, Thom has worked hard to make the less experienced feel welcome and an important part of ACS. “I first met Lenora when she directed Music Man at Asheville Community Theatre in 2000. She asked me to sing an arpeggio during the audition, and I had to whisper to the accompanist. ‘What’s an arpeggio?’” says Doug Hauschild, via e-mail. He has worked under Thom her entire time at ACS. “I am cur-

Fare thee well: After 40 years in music, Lenora Thom steps down to spend more time with family and friends. photo by lynne harty

who:

Asheville Choral Society

what:

Unforgettable, The best of American popular music: timeless classics, from the 1930s to the present

where:

Diana Wortham Theatre

when:

Saturday, May 22, and Sunday Saturday, 23, at 4 p.m. $20 and $10 for students. www.ashevillechoralsociety.org and 232-2060 rently rehearsing for my 30th concert under Lenora’s direction, and I’ve received an excellent music education without a single private lesson,” he says. There is no doubt that ACS is sad to see Thom leave — and it will take a year-long search and a season of guest conductors to replace her, Rosal says. Yet, the singers understand her choice and look forward to the challenge of finding someone to fill the vacated spot. “Nobody can truly replace Lenora,” Hauschild says. “We will all miss her very much. I’m just thankful that she stayed 10 years.” X Tracy D. Hyorth can be reached at outnaboutwnc@bellsouth.net.

arts

music

Jeanius

Truth & Salvage Co. lives in Los Angeles, heads to Asheville for CD release by Alli Marshall Hard work can pay off. Los Angeles-by-wayof-Asheville country-tinged indie-rockers Truth & Salvage Co. are proof of just how far a decadeand-a-half of paying dues (plus tenacious belief in a dream) can get you. But a little luck, paired with being in the right place at the right time, doesn’t hurt. “We had a friend who knew the cousin of the CEO of Gap,” explains keys player/vocalist Walker Young. Before Young formed T&S Co. with his former Scrappy Hamilton band mates Bill “Smitty” Smith (vocals/drums), Scott Kinnebrew (vocals/guitar) and Joe Edel (bass), the quartet was performing in L.A. — where they relocated to from Asheville — as The Denim Family Band; a group that wrote (according to Young) “goofy songs about jeans and denim and such.” It was one of those songs, “Them Jeans,” that the friend mentioned to her Gap connection. Says Young, “He was like, ‘OK, where can I see them,’ and she said, ‘They’re going to be in San Francisco opening for the [Black] Crowes,’ and he said, ‘I already have tickets.’” So the band — which had become T&S Co., with the addition of vocalist/guitarist Tim Jones and keyboardist Adam Grace — recorded not just the song for the clothing company, but also a GAP 1969 jeans-clad video, set on a dusty California ranch. (See the video at on Facebook; it’s also available on the Gap app for iPad.) But what’s really cool, to hear Young tell it, is

who:

Truth & Salvage Co.

what:

Los Angeles-by-way-of-Asheville indie rock. Paleface opens.

where:

The Grey Eagle

when:

Tuesday, May 25 (8:30 p.m., $10 advance/$15 day of show — advance ticket holders can buy the album for discount price of $9. thegreyeagle.com) that people pick up on “the essence of the band. I don’t know how people really get a hold of that, just through songs, but somehow there’s some other energy we’re giving off.” The video — complete with vintage tour bus, worn flannel, sun-faded blue jeans and oversized belt buckles — goes a long way to summing up the visage of T&S Co.: “very retro and denim and cowboy,” says Young. Anyone who caught the T&S Co. show at the Grey Eagle last August (the group’s first triumphant return to its old stomping grounds, before following up in October as support for The Black Crowes’ Thomas Wolfe performance) gets that

“Retro and denim and cowboy” is the vibe T&S Co. gives off, according to fans. aesthetic, from the battered western boots to The Band (as in, the Band, à la Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson)-reminiscent tracks. Not that T&S Co. is cribbing from that iconic group’s playbook, but, beyond the obvious ‘70s-rock sound, there’s also the fact that T&S Co. (like The Band) has multiple songwriters (Smith, Jones, Kinnebrew and Young) who take turns singing lead. The result is a varied album, but one with a strong common theme throughout. The group’s self-titled debut, set to drop on May 25 — the same day they play in Asheville — benefits from the strongest work of each writer, from Kinnebrew’s raucous, anthemic numbers (“Hail Hail,” “Jump the Ship”) and Young’s sentimental hooks (“Call Back,” “Pure Mountain Angel”) to Smith’s narrative, guitar-drenched rocker, “Welcome to L.A.,” and Jones’ seamlessly gorgeous slow-burner, “Old Piano.” There’s also plenty of behind-the-scenes magic: contributions from the likes of Luther Dickinson and Katy Perry, and the guiding hand of producer Chris Robinson. It was the Black Crowes’ front man who signed T&S Co. to his Silver Arrow imprint of Megaforce Records and then tapped the group to open for the Crowes’ 2009 dates. “We did like 90 shows in 110 days,” says Young. “Playing in front of massive audiences helps you figure out what works and what doesn’t work.” But more than their live show (which, according to Kinnebrew, “very well represents our studio effort, and vice versa”), T&S Co. has, in the last year, evolved as a unit. “Just learning how to travel together has been one of the biggest things,”

says Smith. “Truly coming to the table, being brothers and not sweating the small stuff.” Four of the guys toured together years ago as retro-swing group Scrappy Hamilton. The difference these days is that they have a team handling details like booking and publicity and, says Smitty, “In the Scrappy days everyone was not necessarily on the same page.” Now, says Kinnebrew, “We’re all at a place where we just want to have a good time.” And they’re excited (a word that peppers their phone call from Kansas City, Mo.) about sharing their growth and success and new album with the Asheville audience. In fact, they decided to launch the record at Grey Eagle because, says Young, “The reality is, we consider Asheville our home. We spent the majority of our lives there, and it’s the foundation to a lot of what we do, musically.” And no matter how far they travel, T&S Co., can’t quite seem to escape Asheville — not that they want to. “Two days ago we were in Memphis and we shared the stage with Band of Horses — we know Bill Reynolds and Tyler Ramsey from Asheville,” says Young. “We just did 10 days with the Avett Brothers, who we played with a bunch of times six years ago before we moved to L.A. To see the progression of all these bands and be a part of that is amazing, and Asheville is the beginning of all of that, so it makes sense to bring it back.”

X Alli Marshall can be reached at amarshall@ mountainx.com. Read the full interview at mountain.com.

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 61

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"EAVERDAM 2OAD . !SHEVILLE www.waterlilysalon.com

by Whitney Shroyer

Whence came the Kewpies of the damned, or why to ask if something is â&#x20AC;&#x153;too storeâ&#x20AC;? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a while since thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Junkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bluesâ&#x20AC;? in the Xpress. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll forego the editorial and personal details of its hiatus (basically, it comes down to your humble correspondent being a lazy good-for-little), but I thought weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d take the opportunity to reintroduce the column with a little junker aesthetic theory. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get back to what seems to be the most popular aspect of this column, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tales from the Thrift,â&#x20AC;? next time. This week itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about â&#x20AC;&#x153;why we junk.â&#x20AC;? A fellow junker recently showed me a pair of rubber dolls sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d found. These guys were weird â&#x20AC;&#x201D; they were like Kewpie dolls, but these Kewpies that had grown up in the late â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;60s, wearing different-colored overalls. And their parents had let that little tuft of Kewpie hair row out into gigantic post-â&#x20AC;&#x153;troll-dollâ&#x20AC;? afros. Framed by these modern accoutrements and given a subtle, Margaret Keane-style facial update, their Kewpie expressions shifted from blissful innocence into a too-knowing smirk. You just didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to know what was going on behind those oversized eyes. Truly, they were the Kewpies of the damned. It was difficult to understand how these disturbing things were ever designed, approved, manufactured, marketed and sold. And to add to their mystery, there was no tell-tale copyright, company name or country of origin impression on them anywhere. It somehow seemed logical that these sinister little creatures had manifested themselves in a box that was ready to go to the flea market, that the dealer just put them out on the table, maybe thinking â&#x20AC;&#x153;Huh, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t remember these weird things,â&#x20AC;? and then sold them for 50 cents. They had to occur naturally (or, I suppose, given my stated theory, supernaturally); there was no way, I said to my friend, they could have ever come from a store. This reminded her of one of her friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s criterion for deciding whether or not she was going

62 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ mountainx.com

to make a purchase â&#x20AC;&#x153;in the field.â&#x20AC;? If you junk a lot, you have to have certain rules for deciding to grab something unfamiliar, and you have to stick to them. Stuff rarely looks better than it does in the yard; you have moments to decide if it will curdle into clutter when you get it home. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got friends who will make decisions about records based on if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re published by BMI or ASCAP. I know folks who buy thrift store paintings only if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re unsigned. Her friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cardinal rule: She would not pick something up if it seemed â&#x20AC;&#x153;too store.â&#x20AC;? This is such a marvelous distillation of junker mentality that it barely needs to be unpacked, but, hey, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a columnist, so please allow me to belabor the point. (Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d also like to point out that the adverbial â&#x20AC;&#x153;too storeâ&#x20AC;? is different than the infinitive â&#x20AC;&#x153;to store,â&#x20AC;? another aspect of junkdom entirely.) If something is â&#x20AC;&#x153;too store,â&#x20AC;? it looks like you actually bothered to go out and buy it. If something is the opposite of â&#x20AC;&#x153;too store,â&#x20AC;? it should look, I suppose, like it just popped out of your head and landed next to you, or on you, some kind of natural outgrowth of your very being. A personal lifestyle based not on consumer reports and identification with advertising, but on the luck of the draw, the eye of the beholder and a touch of strange. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;too storeâ&#x20AC;? concept certainly begs a lot of questions. What is its opposite, anyway? Homegrown? Hand-cranked? From Kewpie Town? Do I have to buy for relatives who think my junking habits are â&#x20AC;&#x153;weirdâ&#x20AC;? gifts that are â&#x20AC;&#x153;just store

enough,â&#x20AC;? in order to simultaneously maintain solid family relationships and personal integrity? These dilemmas and many others present themselves as I consider the ramifications of moving my own junker criteria over to the â&#x20AC;&#x153;too storeâ&#x20AC;? standard. And even if I keep my own rules intact, I figure this â&#x20AC;&#x153;too storeâ&#x20AC;? thing is worth asking in just about any context, before any transaction. We live in a culture where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re expected to allow our purchases to define us. Are you a Mac or are you a PC? Vinyl, CD or download? Processed or organic? This stuff really can define who we are, whether we want it to or not. Taking a moment before buying just about anything to ask yourself â&#x20AC;&#x153;is this too store?â&#x20AC;? can go a long way to keeping ugly, lifeless, plastic and personality-free nonsense from cluttering your home and mind. There are a number of intellectual justifications for junking, e.g. the potential for profit, the saving of money, the reuse of goods that would otherwise be landfill, etc., but ultimately something in the junkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brain is just happier around a bunch of junk than it is around the shiny and new. And that is not, necessarily, superior to any other consumerist lifestyle. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still talking about â&#x20AC;&#x153;purchases as personality.â&#x20AC;? But hey, in junkland, at least everything is on the dollar menu. X â&#x20AC;&#x153;Anyone can fill his life up with things he can see but he just cannot touch.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Bob Dylan

smartbets The Swell Season

You may think you’ve never heard of folk duo The Swell Season, but if you saw the gorgeous 2007 sleeper film Once — about an Irish busker (played by Glen Hansard) who meets a Czech singer (played by Marketa Irglova) and they form a band that lasts just long enough to record an album — well, that’s The Swell Season. Many of the songs from the group’s debut, self-titled album appeared on the Once soundtrack, but unlike the premise of the movie (the band only recorded once), The Swell Season is now on its third album and is touring the world. See them at The Orange Peel on Thursday, May 20. 9 p.m., $35. theorangepeel.net.

Downtown After 5

TGIF: Asheville’s monthly block party is back. Downtown After 5 happens the third Friday of each warm-weather month, marking the end of the work week with free music, food and beer vendors and a perfect opportunity to hang out on Lexington Avenue (the event happens near the I-240 overpass). The first DTA5, slated for Friday, May 21, 5-9 p.m., features local pop act Stephaniesid headlining and New York City-based “grass-rock” artist Jennie Arnau opening. Future DTA5 dates are June 18, July 16, August 19 and Sept. 17. ashevilledowntown.org.

Montford Music & Arts Festival

Not only does the Montford neighborhood boast tree-lined streets, an amphitheater and an historic district designation, it’s also got its own festival. The low-key, community-oriented celebrations runs all day (from 10 a.m.) on Sunday, May 22. Bands include Embe Marimba Band, Vollie and the Lead-Foot Vipers, The Cheeksters, closers The Screaming Js and more. There’s also arts, vendors, and food from the likes of the Flying Falafel Brothers, Holy Trinity Ladies Philoptochos Society and Mac Daddy’s Hot Dogs. It’s free, so bring lots of friends (but leave your dog at home). montford.org/festival.

Club phone numbers are listed in Clubland in the (828) area code unless otherwise stated; more details at www. mountainx.com/clubland. Send your Smart Bet requests in to ae@mountainx.com for consideration by the Monday the week prior to publication.

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 63

smartbets

“The Light in the Heart is Vaster than All the Worlds” Teachings and Meditations on the Upanishads, ancient Sanskrit texts, with Dr. Bill Mahony, Dr. Bill Mahony is an internationally known vedic scholar as well as head of the Dept. of Religious Studies at Davidson College. He brings to these teachings over 40 years of spiritual practice.

June 11 - 13 Participate in any or all four sessions

$125 Entire Weekend

Queer on Their Feet

Jennie McNulty has performed comedy for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan; comic Daniel Leary landed a role on the TV series Criminal Minds — as did Diana Yanez, who also appeared in Boston Legal and other shows. These three comedians together form Queer on Their Feet, an all-gay troop that “performs both stand-up comedy and improv in one fabulous show.” In a press release, Leary points out, “Obviously, the show is geared towards a gay audience, but there really is something for everyone.” They’ll be at Club Hairspray on Thursday, May 20, 9 p.m. $10. clubhairspray.com.

Town Mountain

“This band is on the way up the ladder of bluegrass bands,” writes Brian Asplin, spokesman for local quintet Town Mountain. “We have been invited to Festival of the Bluegrass, Pickathon, Red White and Bluegrass Festival, Pickin’ in the Pines Bluegrass & Acoustic Music Festival, Tri-State Bluegrass and more.” But even with that busy itinerary, Town Mountain makes time for local fans, playing the Orange Peel on Friday, May 21 as support for Nashvillebased acoustic six-piece The Infamous Stringdusters. 8 p.m., $12 advance/$15 doors. theorangepeel.net.

Keep It Local!

Tom Waits Tribute

What with his ragged voice, dark suits and Vaudeville tendencies, Tom Waits is both immediately recognizable and nearly impossible to duplicate. But on Saturday, May 22, the Asheville Waits Band (saxophonist Greg Norris, bassist Christian Ferri and drummer Brian Festa from Dashvara with keyboardist Max Melner of Kung-Fu Dynamite and Discordian Society and vocalist Mark Conti) will attempt just that. Or at least a worthy tribute. “The night will span all the phases of Tom Waits’ career and will include blues, tango, jazz, Americana and theatrical themes,” says a press release. 9 p.m. $5. westvillepub.com.

a monthly coupon section dedicated to good deals at local businesses. In print the first issue of every month and online all month long at www.mountainX.com/ keepitlocal

call 251-1333 or advertise@mountainx.com to get your ad in the June 2nd issue

Creole Zydeco Farmers

So, you may ask, is this a bunch of guys who spend their days tending their okra crops? Not exactly. While they could do just that, their bio explains that “their name reflects Zydeco’s roots in southwest Louisiana’s farming communities.” Instead of tilling the back 40, the five-piece band (whose members got their start backing up accordion player Fernest Arceneaux) travels the world planting the seeds of Zydeco music. They play a dance show (lesson at 5:15 p.m.) at the Grey Eagle on Sunday, May 23, 6 p.m. $12 advance/$14 day of show. thegreyeagle.com.

Club phone numbers are listed in Clubland in the (828) area code unless otherwise stated; more details at www.mountainx.com/clubland. Send your Smart Bet requests in to ae@mountainx.com for consideration by the Monday the week prior to publication.

64 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

clubland

where to find the clubs â&#x20AC;˘ what is playing â&#x20AC;˘ listings for venues throughout Western North Carolina Clubland rules â&#x20AC;˘To qualify for a free listing, a venue must be predominately dedicated to the performing arts. Bookstores and cafĂŠs with regular open mics and musical events are also allowed. â&#x20AC;˘To limit confusion, events must be submitted by the venue owner or a representative of that venue. â&#x20AC;˘Events must be submitted in written form by e-mail (clubland@mountainx.com), fax, snail mail or hand-delivered to the Clubland Editor Aiyanna Sezak-Blatt at 2 Wall St., Room 209, Asheville, NC 28801. Events submitted to other staff members are not assured of inclusion in Clubland. â&#x20AC;˘Clubs must hold at least TWO events per week to qualify for listing space. Any venue that is inactive in Clubland for one month will be removed. â&#x20AC;˘The Clubland Editor reserves the right to edit or exclude events or venues. â&#x20AC;˘Deadline is by noon on Monday for that Wednesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s publication. This is a firm deadline.

Wed., May 19 Club 828

Dance & open jam session

Boscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sports Zone

Shag dance

Shag & swing dancing w/ DJ Ron Blankenship

Thu., May 20

Broadwayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

PULP

DJ night

Chameleon Soul Food

Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s night, 10pm

Open mic

Jack Of The Wood Pub

Open mic

Fairview Tavern

Rock Bottom Sports Bar & Grill

Boiler Room

After Elvis (rock) w/ Mosquito Bandito

Laureyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Catering and Gourmet To Go

Boscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sports Zone

Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Club 828

Lobster Trap

Courtyard Gallery

Mack Kellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pub & Grill

Curras Nuevo Cuisine

Mela

Eleven on Grove

Mo-Daddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar & Grill

Open mic jam w/ BlindLiver & friends

Open mic w/ Peirce Edens

Frankie Bones

Rocket Club

Chris Rhodes (singer/songwriter) French Broad Chocolate Lounge

Geoff Weeks (soul, jazz piano)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Super dance partyâ&#x20AC;? feat: Adam Strange & Crick Nice DJ The Blackbird

Ken Kiser (acoustic, folk)

Good Stuff

Open mic w/ rotating local hosts

Hollandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Grille

Marc Keller (singer/songwriter)

Tolliverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Crossing Irish Pub

Jack Of The Wood Pub

Town Pump

Front stage: Aaron Woody Wood (soul, pop) â&#x20AC;&#x201D;- Back stage: The Congress (soul, Americana, rock)

Zydeco Dance w/ Creole Zydeco Farmers 6pm

Truth & Salvage Company CD Release w/ Paleface 8:30pm Benji Hughes & Electric Owls 9pm An Evening with Dehlia Low 9pm Darrell Scott with David Grier 9pm

Firestorm Cafe and Books

Orange Peel

Chomping at the Bit (string band)

The Swell Season (acoustic, alternative)

Frankie Bones

Packâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tavern

Westville Pub

Chris Rhodes (singer/songwriter)

Woody Wood (rock, soul) Purple Onion Cafe

Wild Wing Cafe

French Broad Brewery Tasting Room

Singer/songwriters in the Round Vincenzoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bistro

Trees Leave (Americana, folk) Red Stag Grill

THURSDAY 5/20

IrIsh sessIons, 6:30 pm open mIc, wIth parker brooks! 8:45 pm - no cover!

M ay 1 9 ThE CongrEss

Denver, CO

M ay 2 0 naTaraj

$5-$10 sliding scale

M ay 2 1 ThE MusE

M ay 2 2 PiErCE EdEns & ThE dirTy Work

with Jar-E (duo)

~ Friday 5/21 â&#x20AC;˘ 8pm ~

darol anger & scott law, $12 JennIfer smIth wInner of talent search & danIel weIser, pIano, $8

Woody Wood 9pm

SATURDAY 5/22

EVXd H]^ee Ig^d WORLD CLASS COUNTRY, BLUES AND FOLK HARMONICA PLAYER & SONG CRAFTER

FRIDAY 5/28

BV_dg BV\^X`

BOMBASTIC ROCK, SOUL & FUNK

~ Saturday 5/29 â&#x20AC;˘ 8pm ~

davId holt & Josh goforth, $12

~ Sunday, 5/30 â&#x20AC;˘ 2pm ~ ~ Friday 6/4 â&#x20AC;˘ 8pm ~

Jake Hollifield Piano | 9pm

â&#x20AC;&#x153;THE PASSION OF THE AVETTS BLENDED WITH THE INSTRUMENTALS OF OLD CROWâ&#x20AC;?

bIg daddy love wIth aaron burdett, $12

o n T h E F r o n T s Ta g E

Aaron Price 1pm | Piano

FRIDAY 5/21

IgZci LV\aZg I]Z HiZZa L]ZZah

~ Friday 5/28 â&#x20AC;˘ 8pm ~

sunday classIcs: three to tango $12, $8 students

WedneSdayS

:kZgn Bdi]ZgÂżh 9gZVb I]Z HXgZVb^c\ ?Âżh

seven sIsters cInema - why old tIme? followed by old tIme musIc Jam! $5, $3 for students

junE 6 | jiM LaudErdaLE

TueSdayS

LOCAL SHOWCASE WITH

~ Thursday 5/20 â&#x20AC;˘ 5-7pm ~

~ Saturday 5/22 â&#x20AC;˘ 8pm ~

Music & Fashion event

SundayS

232-5800 www.thegreyeagle.com 185 Clingman Ave.

Matt Walsh (rockabilly)

Jam night

~ All Tuesdays Free ~

WEd.

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra 9pm

DJ night feat: D Numbers, Moodswinger, Woo & Incredible Bob

-OUNTAIN 8Â´S "EST -USIC 6ENUE OF "LACK -OUNTAIN 3WANNANOA 6ALLEY

Thurs.

Fri. 5/21

Belly dancing

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Malleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On Main

Caribbean Cowboys (classic rock)

Fri.

Tim Eriksen & Riley Baugus 8:30pm

Marc Keller (acoustic, variety)

Charlie Mars (singer/songwriter) w/ Sanders Bohlke (experimental)

Tressaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Downtown Jazz and Blues

Jamminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; with Funky Max

s aT.

Thur. 5/20

Hank Bones

Hip-hop & DJ night

Emerald Lounge

Steve Whiddon (piano, vocals)

Mo-Daddyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bar & Grill

Back stage: Nataraj (world dance music)

Open mic & jam

Vortex Cabaret (music, burlesque & more)

Open mic w/ David Bryan

Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Le Trio Invite (French jazz)

Mark Guest (jazz guitar)

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s night

Old-time jam, 6pm

Paul Cataldo (singer/songwriter)

Open mic w/ Barbie Angell

The Hookah Bar

Open mic

Olive or Twist

saT. 5/29

Beacon Pub

Blackberry Smoke (Southern rock) w/ Outshyne

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;90s night dance party

Open mic

Fri. 5/28

Handlebar

Every Motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dream (folk, acoustic) w/ The Screaming Jâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Ras Berhane (acoustic, reggae)

Thur. 5/27

Trent Wagler & The Steel Wheels (Americana, root)

Blue Mountain Pizza Cafe

Tues. 5/25

Tim Eriksen (Americana) & Riley Baugus

Back Room

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bike Nightâ&#x20AC;? feat: Gypsy & classic rock music

Rendezvous Restaurant & Bar

Nine Mile

sun. 5/23

Red Stag Grill

Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern

Emerald Lounge

Zydeco dance & lessons

Soul jazz jam

Back Room

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hits & Shitsâ&#x20AC;? w/ Jamie Hepler

Robert Thomas (jazz standards, blues)

Eleven on Grove

Fish out of Water (reggae, funk)

Athenaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club

Open mic w/ Zaq Suarez

Spoken word, music & poetry night hosted by Lyric

Garage at Biltmore

I]Z

SATURDAY 5/29

AVhi 8Vaa

CD RELEASEâ&#x20AC;Ś FODDER FOR RUG CUTTINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; & BOOTY SHAKINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;!

sIrIus b!, $7

~ Saturday 6/5 â&#x20AC;˘ 5-7pm ~ Jukebox dInner theatre! world premIere show! $22 adults, $15 students

828-669-0816 whitehorseblackmountain.com

mountainx.com â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 65

Anne Coombs (jazz, swing) Red Step Artworks

Open mic

FAIRVIEW TAVERN

Rocket Club

Zoomba party

Scandals Nightclub

“Exposure” DJ night

Temptations Red Room

‘80s dance party w/ DJ Chubby Knuckles The Hookah Bar

Bootstraps Burlesque

Old Razcal’s Location! %VERY 7EDNESDAY PM

Town Pump

The Five Tones (blues, rock, soul) Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues

Peggy Ratusz and Friends (blues) Vincenzo’s Bistro

Open Mic Jam Session with

Aaron LaFalce (piano)

BlindLiver & Friends

Westville Pub

Matt Walsh (blues, rockabilly, roots) Wild Wing Cafe

4HURSDAY +ARAOKE

Jeff Anders DJ Moto dance party Zuma Coffee

&RIDAY -AY ST PM

Thursday night bluegrass jam

Fri., May 21

Westsound • Motown

Athena’s Club

DJ night

3ATURDAY -AY TH PM

Back Room

Mind Echo • Rock

831 Old Fairview Rd.

Curras Nuevo Cuisine

Boiler Room

Attention System (electro, rock) w/Akamai Drone

Wed., May 19th Soul Jazz Jam

Hosted by VJP • No Cover • 25¢ Wings 5-7pm

Thur., May 20th Vice Verse Tour feat. D Numbers,

DJ Moodswinger, Woo & Incredible Bob $2 Taco Night

Fri., May 21st Friday Funkness with Major Magick Sat., May 22nd Jenny Juice’s Brown Bag Songwriting Finals – win a Seagull Guitar!!

Sun., May 23rd

& DISCORDIAN SOCIETY THURSDAY • 6/17

GROOVESTAIN FRIDAY • 6/25

ROLLIN’ IN THE HAY FRIDAY • 7/9

GIFT OF GAB

Firestorm Cafe and Books

The Disposables (psychedelic, rock) French Broad Brewery Tasting Room

Woody Wood (soul, rock)

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

Chelsea Lynn La Bate (classical folk) Garage at Biltmore

Fred Whisken (jazz pianist) Red Stag Grill

Chris Rhodes (singer/songwriter) Rendezvous Restaurant & Bar

Gypsi (rock)

Rocket Club

Allen Thompson (Americana) w/ MyNameIsJohnMichael (indie, pop) Root Bar No. 1

Blue Jay Way (Chicago blues) Stella Blue

Dave Foraker (Americana, blues) Tallgary’s College Street Pub

Live music

Temptations Red Room

DJ Drea

The Hookah Bar

Live music w/ singer-songwriters Town Pump

Wink Keziah (Americana, country) Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues

“May Raw Essence” (funk) Vincenzo’s Bistro

Bobby Sullivan (piano) Well-Bred Bakery and Cafe

Valorie Miller (Southern) White Horse

Darol Anger (acoustic, jazz) Wild Wing Cafe

Kiss Army (rock)

Athena’s Club Back Room

Hudson K CD release party (indie, rock) Blue Mountain Pizza Cafe

Iron Horse Station

Paul Cataldo (singer/songwriter) Jack Of The Wood Pub

Paco Shipp Trio (roots, blues) Jerusalem Garden

Belly dancing w/ live music Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Back stage: Pierce Edens and the Dirty Work (Americana, rock) w/ Jar-e (soul) Mo-Daddy’s Bar & Grill

Songwriting Competition w/ Jenny Juice New French Bar Courtyard Cafe

The New Cosmic Band (psychedelic, trance) w/ DJ TOUCH Samadhi, Transformus & Full Mo Nine Mile

Ras Berhane (acoustic, reggae) Olive or Twist

42nd Street Jazz Band Orange Peel

Josh Rouse (singer/songwriter) w/ AM Pack’s Tavern

Peggy Ratusz (blues, jazz, soul) Purple Onion Cafe

Michael Reno Harrell (Americana, acoustic) Red Stag Grill

Chris Rhodes (singer/songwriter) Rendezvous Restaurant & Bar

Charlie Foxtrot (classic rock)

Rock Bottom Sports Bar & Grill

Kemistry (Southern rock) Root Bar No. 1

Humble Thumb (folk, punk, bluegrass) Stella Blue

Dark Ridge (rock, psychedelic) w/ Deadgirl Straightaway Café

The Twilite Broadcasters (acoustic string, rural harmonies) Tallgary’s College Street Pub

Live music

Temptations Red Room

DJ Spy V

The Hookah Bar

Boom One Sound (dub, hip-hop) w/ The Chalwa Collective

Blue Ridge Dining Room & Wine Bar

Chris Rhodes (r&b, blues, pop), 5:30-10pm

Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues

Havana Restaurant

Boiler Room

The Surf Church (surf, rock)

Vincenzo’s Bistro

Highland Brewing Company

Broadway’s

On the Take (indie, new wave), Big City Bangers & Decoration Ghost

Well-Bred Bakery and Cafe

Craggie Brewing Company

Dash Vara (funk, jazz, rock)

Live music

Chalwa (reggae), 6-8pm Holland’s Grille

Mind Echo (rock)

Jerusalem Garden

Belly dancing w/ live music Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Back stage: Muse (showcase of local female talent and fashion artists) Lobster Trap

Live music by local artists

66 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Purple Onion Cafe

Peace Jones (rock, reggae, funk)

Mayday Parade (punk, rock) w/ Rocket to the Moon & Sparks the Rescue

Trent Wagler & Steel Wheels (Americana)

50 Broadway • Asheville, NC 236-9800

Hannah Flanagan’s

The Incredible Sandwich (progressive, experimental, rock)

Burning Nova (rock, alternative)

Tolliver’s Crossing Irish Pub

Jack Of The Wood Pub

All shows start at 9:30 pm and are $5 unless otherwise noted

Pisgah Brewing Company

Live music w/ Jesse James and the Goddamn Ghosts

Buddy Davis Unplugged

Handlebar

Twilite Broadcasters (acoustic, rural harmony)

Mon., May 24th Taylor Martin’s Engine • $2 Well Drinks Tues., May 25th Secret B-Sides • $4 Patron Margaritas

Handlebar

Buncombe Turnpike (bluegrass, acoustic, folk)

DJ night

Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra (progressive, rock)

Garage at Biltmore

Pack’s Tavern

Good Stuff

Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern

Lorraine Conard (Americana, blues)

Good Stuff

The Infamous Stringdusters (acoustic, bluegrass) w/ Town Mountain

Sat., May 22

J.P. Delanoye (blues)

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

Orange Peel

brotherbrother (rock, pop) w/ Emily Lynch & Hannah Miller

Iron Horse Station

All-You-Can-Eat Fried Chicken 6-9pm

77b Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 828-258-1550 • mo.daddys@gmail.com Check out our music online! myspace.com/modaddysbar

Bent Grass (bluegrass)

Lyndsay Wojcik (soul, folk)

Sharon LaMotte Band (jazz)

Tolliver’s Crossing Irish Pub

Feed and Seed

French Broad Brewery Tasting Room

Invasion feat: Alfonz De La Mota w/ Roger and Order of Elm, Josh Naster, Xist, Techoa & Bassick

Eleven on Grove

Modo (electro, pop, jazz) w/ Doc Aquatic & Baby Cowboy

Sanctum Sully (bluegrass)

Olive or Twist

TnT (electronic) w/ Cleofus, Produceman & David Krantz (of Agobi Project)

Emerald Lounge

KUNG FU DYNAMITE

Five Pound Fire

Mark Guest (jazz guitar)

Salsa & Mambo Dancing, 10pm-2am Dance Lessons, 10:30pm

FRIDAY • 5/21

O’Malley’s On Main

Straightaway Café

Chris Rhodes (r&b, blues, pop), 5:30-10pm

11PM - 2AM, DOORS AT 10PM

Michael Burgin & The Drinkers Union (rock) w/ The Luckiest Girls

Blue Mountain Pizza Cafe

BEST PHILLY STEAKS IN WNC!!! | WED. 35¢ WINGS LUNCH & DRINK SPECIALS OPEN 12PM TO 2AM • 7 DAYS

LIVE MUSIC!

New French Bar Courtyard Cafe

The Summertime Whiskey Band (funk, rock) w/ John Douglas Company

Blue Ridge Dining Room & Wine Bar

828.505.7236

“Friday Funkness” w/ Major Magick

Ten Toe Turbo (reggae, rock) Acoustic Swing

(Next to Home Depot)

Mo-Daddy’s Bar & Grill

Luella’s Bar-B-Que

Jay Brown (“toe-tappin’ roots) Mellow Mushroom

Kung Fu Dynamite (rock) & Discordian Society

Baby Cowboy (roots, acoustic) Curras Nuevo Cuisine

Greg Olson (folk)

Eleven on Grove

Center for Diversity Fundraiser Emerald Lounge

Live music w/ singer-songwriters

The Brand New Life (psychedelic, roots) Live music w/ Marc Keller Ryan Furstenburg (vocals, acoustic) Westville Pub White Horse

Jennifer Smith (singer/songwriter) & Daniel Weiser Wild Wing Cafe

Goodspeed (rock)

Wayne Robbins & the Hellsayers (folk, soul) w/ Kovac’s and the Polar Bear

Sun., May 23

Fairview Tavern

DJ night

Twist of Fate (rock, metal) Feed and Seed

OverDrive (bluegrass, country) w/ Art & Cathy Firestorm Cafe and Books

Connor Garvey w/ Zoo (folk, rock) Fred’s Parkside Pub & Grill

Athena’s Club Barley’s Taproom

Like Mind Trio (jazz)

Blue Mountain Pizza Cafe

John Cook (acoustic)

Bosco’s Sports Zone

Shag dance & lessons

clubdirectory The 170 La Cantinetta 687-8170 Asheville Ale House 505-3550 Asheville Civic Center & Thomas Wolfe Auditorium 259-5544 Athena’s Club 252-2456 The Back Room 697-6828 Barley’s Tap Room 255-0504 Beacon Pub 686-5943 The Blackbird 669-5556 Blue Mountain Pizza 658-8777 BoBo Gallery 254-3426 Bosco’s Sports Zone 684-1024 Broadway’s 285-0400 Club 828 252-2001 Club Hairspray 258-2027 Courtyard Gallery 273-3332 Craggie Brewing Company 254-0360 Curras Nuevo 253-2111 Desoto Lounge 986-4828 Diana Wortham Theater 257-4530 Dock’s Restaurant 883-4447 The Dripolator 398-0209 Ed Boudreaux’s Bayou BBQ 296-0100 Elaine’s Dueling Piano Bar 252-2711 Eleven on Grove 505-1612 Emerald Lounge 232- 4372

Fairview Tavern 505-7263 Feed & Seed + Jamas Acoustic 216-3492 Firestorm Cafe 255-8115 Frankie Bones 274-7111 Fred’s Parkside Pub & Grill 281-0920 French Broad Brewery Tasting Room 277-0222 The Garage 505-2663 Good Stuff 649-9711 Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern 232-5800 Grove House Eleven on Grove 505-1612 The Grove Park Inn 252-2711 Guadalupe Cafe 586-9877 The Handlebar (864) 233-6173 The Hangar 684-1213 Havana Restaurant 252-1611 Highland Brewing Company 299-3370 Holland’s Grille 298-8780 The Hookah Bar 252-1522 Infusions 665-2161 Iron Horse Station 622-0022 Laurey’s Catering 252-1500 Lexington Avenue Brewery 252-0212 The Lobster Trap 350-0505 Luella’s Bar-B-Que 505-RIBS

Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern

Zydeco dance w/ live music by Creole Zydeco Farmers Hangar

Comedy open mic Jack Of The Wood Pub

Irish session, 5pm Tom Waits time, late

clubland@mountainx.com

Mack Kell’s Pub & Grill 253-8805 Magnolia’s Raw Bar 251-5211 Mela 225-8880 Mellow Mushroom 236-9800 Mike’s Tavern 281-3096 Mo-Daddy’s Bar & Grill 258-1550 New French Bar Courtyard Cafe 225-6445 Old Fairview Southern Kitchen 277-7117 Olive Or Twist 254-0555 O’Malley’s On Main 246-0898 The Orange Peel 225-5851 Pack’s Tavern 225-6944 Pineapple Jack’s 253-8860 Pisgah Brewing Co. 669-0190 Pulp 225-5851 Purple Onion Cafe 749-1179 Rankin Vault 254-4993 Red Stag Grill at the Grand Bohemian Hotel 505-2949 Red Step Artworks 697-1447 Rendezvous 926-0201 Rock Bottom Sports Bar & Grill 622-0001 Rocket Club 505-2494 Root Bar No.1 299-7597 Scandals Nightclub 252-2838

Rocket Club

No BS! Brass (funk, rock, covers) The Hookah Bar

Belly dance w/ live music Town Pump

Pickin’ at the Pump, open acoustic jam

Scully’s 251-8880 Shovelhead Saloon 669-9541 Skyland Performing Arts Center 693-0087 Stella Blue 236-2424 The Still 683-5913 Stockade Brew House 645-1300 Straightaway Cafe 669-8856 Switzerland Cafe 765-5289 Tallgary’s College Street Pub 232-0809 Temptations Red Room 252-0775 Tolliver’s Crossing Irish Pub 505-2129 TGI Friday’s 277-4080 Town Pump 669-4808 Tressa’s Downtown Jazz & Blues 254-7072 Vaso De Vino Wine Bar & Market 254-4698 Vincenzo’s Bistro 254-4698 The Watershed 669-0777 Waynesville Water’n Hole 456-4750 Wedge Brewery 505 2792 Westville Pub 225-9782 White Horse 669-0816 Wild Wing Cafe 253-3066 Xcapades 258-9652

Club 828

Metal Monday feat: guest artists

D Mack Sharon LaMotte (jazz) w/ Bill Gerhardt, Mike Holstein & Sonny Thornton

Luella’s Bar-B-Que

Firestorm Cafe and Books

Vincenzo’s Bistro

Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern

Contra dance

Tue., May 25

Handlebar

Back Room

Manic Monday feat: Kelly Jo

Stephen Whiteside (rock, country)

Mo-Daddy’s Bar & Grill

Broadway’s

Taylor Martin’s Engine (roots)

Nerd Parade (indie, pop)

Orange Peel

Eleven on Grove

Dangermuffin (Americana, rock) New French Bar Courtyard Cafe

Singer/songwriters Orange Peel

Butch Walker & The Black Widows (indie, glam) w/ Locksley Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge

“Vinyl at the Vault” w/ Chris Ballard

Michael Franti & Spearhead (soul, funk, roots) w/ One eskimO Pack’s Tavern

starts at 9 pm

Fri.

LIVe MusIc

Sat.

‘80s KARAoKe

wink keziah & Delux Motel honky tonk, Straight up Saturday, May 8

Five gallon groove MOndayS!

$1 Beer • the DewDaBiDeS

wedneSdayS!

Sun. Sunday Bloody Sunday $4.50 Bloody Marys 733 Haywood Rd. • West Asheville (on the corner of Brevard & Haywood Rd.)

828-505-2129

IRISH PUB

open MiC night

SundayS!

8:30 pm w/ David Bryan

$1.50 Beer

Open SundayS nOOn- Midnight MOn. - wed. 3pM - Midnight thurS. - Sat. 3pM - 2aM

828-669-4808

135 Cherry St. BlaCk Mountain, nC

MySpaCe.CoM/townpuMptavernllC

Town Pump

Lobster Trap

Mo-Daddy’s Bar & Grill

TRIVIA NIGHT

Friday, May 21

Asheville Jazz Orchestra (swing, jazz)

Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues

Paul Masson (singer/songwriter)

all u Can Eat Jambalaya & Blues $2 domestics and $5.50 bombs

the Five toneS SoulFul BlueS

Rocket Club

Mon., May 24

Hank & Johnny (from Firecracker Jazz Band), 11:30am-2pm

FAT TuesdAy

thurSday, May 20

Save the French Broad kick-off party

Front stage: Aaron Price (piano) Chris Rhodes

Thur.

5-11 pm

PULP

Paco Shipp (roots, blues) w/ David Bryan, Steve Blanton & Jerry McNeely

Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Tues.

WING NIGHT

Acoustic open mic w/ Aaron LaFalce

Steve Whiddon (piano, vocals)

Vincenzo’s Bistro

Mon.

Marc Keller & Company (variety)

Swing & Tango lessons and dance Emerald Lounge

Tuesday Night Funk Jam

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 67

Feed and Seed

Will Ray’s Mountain Jam Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern

Truth & Salvage Company CD release show (Americana, rock, roots) w/ Paleface Iron Horse Station

Open mic w/ Yorky

Laurey’s Catering and Gourmet To Go

Ukelele jam w/ Lyn Llewellyn

3pm-2am everyday pinball, foosball & a kickass jukebox kitchen open until late 504 Haywood Rd. West Asheville • 828-255-1109 “It’s bigger than it looks!”

Lefty Williams Saturday, May 22nd - 9pm

Hipbones Open 4 - 9pm Mon. - Wed. • 2pm - until Thurs. - Sat.

tuesday Getaway’s (Eleven on Grove) Mike’s Side Pocket Tallgary’s College Street Pub

Geoff Weeks

Mellow Mushroom

Rollin’ In The Hay (Americana) Mike’s Tavern

wednesday

Mo-Daddy’s Bar & Grill

Asheville Ale House / Fred’s Parkside Pub & Grill / The Hangar / Infusions O’Malleys on Main / Holland’s Grille Hookah Bar / Rendezvous Temptations

Jacob’s Ladder (punk) w/ Humble Thumb (folk, punk, bluegrass) Secret B-Sides (soul, hip-hop)

Sound Extreme “game show live”

S P BSN, RN, L. Ac., Senior Practitioner, BS in Nursing 1966 Board Certified, Licensed in Acupuncture 1986; Chinese Herbology 1990

Rock Records

Temptations Red Room

Open mic w/ Pierce Edens The Hookah Bar

Fat Tuesday feat: DJ Selector Cleofus & Herbivoress

Vincenzo’s Bistro Westville Pub

friday

• Co-Founder/Co-Director Asian Studies Consortium for Continuing Ed.

Marc Keller & Company (variety)

(828) 236-1704 • Email: susanpaulbanyan@yahoo.com

thursday Beacon Pub / Cancun Mexican Grill Chasers / Club Hairspray Shovelhead Saloon

Thomas Wolfe Auditorium

Dan Buettner (explorer, educator, author)

ASHEVILLE FAMILY ACUPUNCTURE • 70 Woodfin Place, Ste. WW9 • downtown Asheville

Telephone:

Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge

• Private Practice since 1986, NYC and India. In Asheville since 1998 Asheville Family Acupuncture • International lecturer and medical educator in France, India, Canada and throughout USA. provides highly personal and comprehensive care for chronic • Founder and Director of AHMVI, AIDS Herbal Management: Village and acute disorders as well as Initiative. See www.ASCCE.com, Go to: About Us, Susan Paul substance abuse detox and facial • Susan Paul RN, L. Ac. is the sole practitioner in her practice rejuvenation treatments.

Mack Kell’s Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues

Lobster Trap

Pack’s Tavern

) ,ISTEN ) %XPLAIN ) !NSWER 9OUR 1UESTIONS

monday

Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Front stage: Jake Hollifield (blues, ragtime)

Thursday, May 20th - 8pm

karaoke

Blues Jam w/ Mars Fariss

Johnson’s Crossroad (acoustic, Americana)

Fairview Tavern / Infusions Mack Kell’s / Shovelhead Saloon Stockade Brew House The 170 La Cantinetta

Wed., May 26

saturday

Club 828

Club Hairspray / Holland’s Grille Infusions / Shovelhead Saloon The Still

White Horse

Irish session, 6:30pm Open mike w/ Parker Brooks, 8:30pm Wild Wing Cafe

Dance & open jam session

sunday AMERICAN / ECLECTIC FARE & 32 BEERS ON TAP... In the heart of Pack Square Park

Asheville Ale House / Bosco’s Sports Zone / Cancun Mexican Grill / The Hangar / Getaway’s (Eleven on Grove) / Mack Kell’s / Pack’s Tavern Temptations / Wing Cafe Back Room

Open mic

Blue Mountain Pizza Cafe

Open mic

Bosco’s Sports Zone

Shag dance

Broadway’s

‘80s night, 10pm Chameleon Soul Food

Spoken word, music & poetry night hosted by Lyric Fairview Tavern

Open mic jam w/ BlindLiver & friends Frankie Bones

Chris Rhodes (singer/songwriter)

SUNDAYS: Sound Extreme Karaoke (9p-1a) MONDAYS: Aaron LaFalce - Open Mic Night (8p-11p) TUESDAYS: Sound Extreme Game Show Live (8p-11p) WEDNESDAYS: Mystery Night

THUR., MAY 20: Woody Wood

Geoff Weeks (soul, jazz piano)

FRI., MAY 21: Buncombe Turnpike (Supreme WNC Bluegrass) SAT., MAY 22: Peggy Ratusz (Asheville’s Queen of Blues, Soul & R&B)

Open mic

20 S. Spruce St. • Downtown Asheville • 225-6944 Off Biltmore Ave. beside beautiful new Pack Square Park • Open 11am -’til Free Parking weekends & weekdays (after 5pm) • View menu & photos: www.packstavern.com 68 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

(Spontaneous Rock, Groove & Goodness)

Good Stuff Holland’s Grille

Marc Keller (singer/songwriter) Jack Of The Wood Pub

Old-time jam, 6pm

Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Front stage: Aaron Woody Wood (soul, pop) —- Back stage: LUMINESCENCE CD release party (electronic sound) w/ Kate Steinbeck (flutist), Amy Brucksch (guitarist) & River Guerguerian Mo-Daddy’s Bar & Grill

Soul jazz jam Nine Mile

Ras Berhane (acoustic, reggae)

Olive or Twist

Shag & swing dancing w/ DJ Ron Blankenship

Hilary Dirlam & Rhonda Gouge (old-time guitar & banjo)

Craggie Brewing Company

PULP

Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Curras Nuevo Cuisine

Open mic w/ Zaq Suarez Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge

“Hits & Shits” w/ Jamie Hepler Red Stag Grill

Robert Thomas (jazz standards, blues) Rock Bottom Sports Bar & Grill

Open mic w/ Peirce Edens Rocket Club

Visqueen (rock) w/ Brindle The Blackbird

Red June (Americana, acoustic) The Hookah Bar

Open mic w/ rotating local hosts Tolliver’s Crossing Irish Pub

‘80s night

Town Pump

Open mic w/ David Bryan Vincenzo’s Bistro

Steve Whiddon (piano, vocals) Westville Pub

Mark Guest (jazz guitar)

Back stage: Ahleuchatistas (other) w/ James Owen

Eleven on Grove

Lobster Trap

Hank Bones

Salsa & Mambo Dancing, 10pm-2am Dance Lessons, 10:30pm

Mack Kell’s Pub & Grill

Emerald Lounge

Mela

Feed and Seed

O’Malley’s On Main

French Broad Brewery Tasting Room

Orange Peel

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

Bloodkin (rock)

Marc Keller (acoustic, variety)

Red June (Americana)

Belly dancing

Dave Desmelik (Americana)

Jam night

Benefit for The Bob Moog Foundation feat: Moogus Operandi, Erik Norianfer and his Wall of Doom Pisgah Brewing Company

Retro Vertigo (‘80s tunes)

Red Stag Grill

Havana Restaurant

Anne Coombs (jazz, swing)

Rocket Club

Live music

Highland Brewing Company

Open bluegrass jam

Athena’s Club

Jason DeCristofaro Trio (jazz, classical, other)

Back Room

“Exposure” DJ night

Beacon Pub

‘80s dance party w/ DJ Chubby Knuckles

Boiler Room

Katie LaRue (acoustic, folk)

Nate Currin (modern rock) Open mic

Scandals Nightclub

Bosco’s Sports Zone

Vincenzo’s Bistro

Club 828

Westville Pub

Courtyard Gallery

Wild Wing Cafe

Open mic & jam

Hip-hop & DJ night Open mic w/ Barbie Angell

Thursday night bluegrass jam

Vortex Cabaret (music, burlesque & more) Emerald Lounge

Jerusalem Garden

Belly dancing w/ live music Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Back stage: DJ Chalice Lobster Trap

Live music by local artists

Evan Swink Band (country, roots)

Eleven on Grove

Mark Guest (jazz guitar)

Major Magick (rock, funk, soul)

Aaron LaFalce (piano)

Curras Nuevo Cuisine

New French Bar Courtyard Cafe

Baby Cowboys (roots, acoustic) w/ Ty Nemecek O’Malley’s On Main

Jason Lusky (rock, progressive)

Zuma Coffee

Olive or Twist

Sharon LaMotte Band (jazz)

Fri., May 28

Orange Peel

Local Metal Showcase feat: Ironside, Mother Soul & Telic

Goldenrod (psychedelic, electro) w/ Wormholes & Trumpets & DJ C:3

Athena’s Club

Frankie Bones

Back Room

Chris Rhodes (singer/songwriter)

Not A Sparrow (folk, pop, bluegrass)

French Broad Brewery Tasting Room

Beacon Pub

Robert & Lauren Jazz Duo (jazz)

Travers Brother Band (rock, blues)

Garage at Biltmore

Blue Mountain Pizza Cafe

Chupa Cabra (Gothic, punk)

Calico Moon

Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern

Blue Ridge Dining Room & Wine Bar

Benji Hughes & Electric Owls (psychedelic, folk)

Chris Rhodes (r&b, blues, pop), 5:30-10pm

Handlebar

Boiler Room

DJ night

Pack’s Tavern

Southern Silk Duo (jazz, blues) Pisgah Brewing Company

Now You See Them (indie) w/ Uncle Mountain Purple Onion Cafe

Fred Whisken (jazz pianist) Red Stag Grill

Chris Rhodes (singer/songwriter) Rendezvous Restaurant & Bar

Flobots (hip-hop, rock) w/ Trouble Andrew & Deaf Judges

Telic (metal) w/ Burnstitch, Chokehold Disaster & Steryle

Jack Of The Wood Pub

Broadway’s

Bluegrass jam, 7pm

Attached Hands & Robots Win (electro, folk)

Laurey’s Catering and Gourmet To Go

Club 828

“Time Warp Fetish Ball”

95.6 House Band (rock ‘n’ roll)

Jack Of The Wood Pub

Peggy Ratusz and Friends (blues)

Jeff Anders DJ Moto dance party

Holland’s Grille

Pierce Edens (folk, rock, country)

The Hookah Bar

Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues

The Discordian Society (experimental, funk, progressive), 6-8pm

Iron Horse Station

Temptations Red Room

Ivan the Terribles (alt-rock) w/ Randy Burke & Romancing the Devil

Jake & Sarah Owens (acoustic duo)

Handlebar

One Leg Up (Gypsy jazz)

Thu., May 27

Good Stuff

Dehlia Low (bluegrass, country)

Purple Onion Cafe

Red Step Artworks

Paul Cataldo (Americana, country)

Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern

Big Sam’s Funky Nation (funk, soul)

Jammin’ with Funky Max

DJ night

Jeff Santiago (acoustic, groove)

Mixx (r&b)

Rocket Club

Mountain Sports Festival afterparty Stella Blue

Baby Cowboy (roots, acoustic) Straightaway Café

~ WNC’s Upscale Adult Club & Sports Lounge ~

The THOROUGHBREDS Have Arrived! Th • Fr • Sat ( May 20-22) Featured Entertainer of the Week:

Veronica

Over 30 Beautiful Entertainers Best Dance Prices in Town • Nightly Drink Specials Enjoy Our Awesome Smoking Deck (where you won’t miss a minute of the action) All UFC & Boxing PPV on 6 Big Screens • Spinning Pole

828.298.1400 • 520 SWANNANOA RIVER RD, ASHEVILLE, NC 28805 • MON-SAT 6:30PM-2AM mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 69

Listen to Bad Ash &

Screech Owl Serenade (swing, old-school country)

Greg Olson (folk)

42nd Street Jazz Band

Tallgary’s College Street Pub

Diana Wortham Theater

Bua (Celtic)

Orange Peel

Emerald Lounge

Purple Onion Cafe

Unit 50 (rock)

Temptations Red Room

DJ D-Day

Enemy Lovers (rock, indie) w/ Andy Lehman, Night Moves & Open Windows

The Hookah Bar

Feed and Seed

The Leer (rock, punk)

entertainment writers

every Sunday on

SUN. All-You-Can-Eat B’fast, All Day $1 off Bloody Mary’s & Mimosas

MON. Buy 1 Get 1 Half off, all appetizers $4 Margaritas • Wii Bowling on the 11’ Screen

TUES. Shrimp ‘n Grits $1 off Rum drinks • Blues Jam

WED. Cajun Food Night • $1 off Whiskey Jammin’ w/ Funky Max

THUR. MATT WALSH

5/20 Blues, Roots Rock • $1 off Vodka

ABCCM Thrift Shop a local ministry

Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm 217 Coxe Avenue • 259-5322

FRI. TRIVIA NIGHT

5/22 with prizes • $3.50 Gin & Tonics

Tolliver’s Crossing Irish Pub

Live music w/ singer-songwriters Town Pump

Big Love Choir (indie, pop, reggae) Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues

The Funk Messengers

Vincenzo’s Bistro

Bobby Sullivan (piano) Well-Bred Bakery and Cafe

Jenne Sluder (acoustic) White Horse

Big Daddy Love (Americana, bluegrass, folkrock) w/ Aaron Burdett

Sat., May 29 Athena’s Club

DJ night

Back Room

Johnson’s Crossroad (acoustic, Americana) Beacon Pub

Rewind Blue (Southern rock) Blue Mountain Pizza Cafe

SAT. DASH VARA

5/22 Funk, Jazz, Rock • $1 off Robo shots 11’ SCREEN • POOL & DARTS

777 HAYWOOD ROAD • 225-WPUB (9782)

JWbb]WhoÉi College Street Pub J > K H I : 7 O I 1/2 Price bottles of Wine • 1/2 Price appetizers 5-8

B?L; CKI?9

M ; : D ; I : 7O C 7O ' / oPen miC / oPen Jam

< H ? : 7O C 7O ( ' WeStSound

Pierce Edens (folk rock)

The High Gravity Jazz Trio (jazz standards) Garage at Biltmore

The Baghdad Battery (acoustic) & Pleasures of the Ultra Violent Good Stuff

VooDoo Wedding (indie, rock) Curras Nuevo Cuisine

Kemistry (Southern rock) Rocket Club

Pierce Edens (folk rock) w/ The Go Devils Stella Blue

Wooden Toothe (rock, punk) w/ Wild Wild Geese Straightaway Café

Ben Farley (acoustic)

James Richards (bass, vocals)

Grey Eagle Music Hall & Tavern

Darrell Scott (Americana, roots) w/ David Grier Handlebar

Afterburn (rock, progressive) w/ Red X, Concrete Donkey, Tasting Verena & more Iron Horse Station

Tallgary’s College Street Pub

King Bees (blues)

Temptations Red Room

DJ Spy V

The Hookah Bar

Glenn Spayth (Americana, acoustic)

RiYeN RoOtS (Americana, blues) w/ The Family Tree Band

Jack Of The Wood Pub

Tolliver’s Crossing Irish Pub

The Last Call CD release show (folk, rock) Jerusalem Garden

Belly dancing w/ live music Lexington Ave Brewery (LAB)

Mike’s Tavern

Craggie Brewing Company

Mixx (r&b)

Rock Bottom Sports Bar & Grill

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

Boiler Room

Datsik, Mindelixir, Bowie, Midnight Ace, Medisin, Thump, Gift, Selector Cleofus, GalaxC Girl, Ape Kit, Spooky Jones & DJ A.D.D.

Red Stag Grill

Rendezvous Restaurant & Bar

French Broad Brewery Tasting Room

Back stage: Galen Kipar Band (Americana, fusion)

Club 828

Hickory Grove (bluegrass) Chris Rhodes (singer/songwriter)

Copper Kettle (bluegrass)

Paul Cataldo (singer/songwriter) Madre (indie, rock)

Matt Stillwell (country, bluegrass)

The Woodgrains (psychedelic, folk) New French Bar Courtyard Cafe

DJ night

Live music w/ singer-songwriters Town Pump

Live music w/ Boys of Buncombe Tressa’s Downtown Jazz and Blues

Royal Groove (soul, r&b) Vincenzo’s Bistro

Live music w/ Marc Keller Well-Bred Bakery and Cafe

The Peg Twisters (“Old-Time Music With a Twist”) Westville Pub

Nine Mile

Ras Berhane (acoustic, reggae) O’Malley’s On Main

Owen T. & friends

Little Country Giants (bluegrass, country) White Horse

David Holt (acoustic, folk) & Josh Goforth

Olive or Twist

club xcapades :gdi^X! :mdi^X4

GORGEOUS WNC Ladies! 3 New Satellite Stages & “Exotic Cage Stage”

I 7J K H : 7O C 7O ( ( HooliganS

I K D : 7O C 7O ( ) ginney Waite

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KaraoKe $2 draft & aPPS

8db[n! 8VhjVa4 Just Relax in Our Upscale Lounge Area & Take in the Scenery Great Nightly Drink Specials,

n oW o P e n f o r l u nC H 7 dayS a WeeK

WedneSdayS free Pool Sat. & Sun. CHamPagne brunCH & bloody mary bar

4 College Street

828.232.0809 tallgaryS.Com

70 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 • mountainx.com

Pool Tables, & Interactive Games. Mon. - Sat. 7pm - 2am • 21 to Enter

828-258-9652 99 New Leicester Hwy.

(3miles west of Downtown -off Patton Ave.)

crankyhanke

theaterlistings Friday, MAY 21 - Thursday, MAY 27

Due to possible last-minute scheduling changes, moviegoers may want to confirm showtimes with theaters.

movie reviews and listings by ken hanke

JJJJJ is the maximum rating

Please call the info line for updated showtimes. Alice in Wonderland (PG) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00 Hot Tub Time Machine (R) 10:00

additional reviews by justin souther • contact xpressmovies@aol.com

pickoftheweek Just Wright JJJJ

Director: Sanaa Hamri (Something New) Players: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, James Pickens Jr., Phylicia Rashad, Pam Grier Romantic Comedy Rated PG

The Story: A romantic comedy about a woman who loses a potential NBAstar boyfriend to her golddigging best friend — until an accident changes things. The Lowdown: A truly pleasant romantic comedy with nicely drawn characters, stylish direction and one luminous star. I tussled with myself a bit about whether or not to give Sanaa Hamri’s Just Wright a solid four stars. Ms. Hamri’s film won. Why? First of all, I had a better time watching Just Wright than anything else I saw this weekend — and if that doesn’t count for something, I don’t know what does. Second, it restored my faith in the possibility of enjoying a romantic comedy — something I was beginning to seriously doubt. Is this a formula picture? Sure it is. Does anything happen that you don’t already know when you walk into the theater? No, not really. But this is a good formula movie and it goes down its structural checklist with a sense of élan, a variation or two and a freshness in terms of the characters. It helps immensely that Queen Latifah is the star of the film. She lights up the screen with enough presence for two personalities. She exudes warmth, intelligence, friendliness and a degree of common sense. It’s impossible not to like her. Unfortunately, it’s not always — or even often — impossible to dislike the movies she has been in. Titles like The Cookout (2004), Taxi (2004), The Perfect Holiday (2007) and Mad Money (2008) come to mind. However, a lot of the movies she is in would be negligible without her propping them up. She’s certainly the most entertaining feature of Valentine’s Day (2010). Here, we have a movie that is close to being worthy of her. Oh, she may still have to do most of the heavy lifting, but Just Wright offers her a pretty square deal. Latifah plays Leslie Wright, a well-grounded physical therapist who is more or less contented with her lot in life — if not what you’d call happy. She has a good job, a nice fixerupper house in New Jersey, parents (TV actor James Pickens Jr. and Pam Grier) who love and support her — and the mixed blessing of a best friend, Morgan (Paula Patton), who has

Paula Patton, Queen Latifah and Common in Sanaa Hamri’s Just Wright, an extremely entertaining romantic comedy where the romcom formula is just right. come to live with her. What she doesn’t have, of course, is a relationship, something she is used to as she is the one “they all want to be friends with.” She has fallen into being “just one of the guys.” She dresses like it, she acts like it, and she won’t play helpless. Plus, she is used to guys getting one look at Morgan and losing all interest in her. This is exactly what happens after Leslie meets NBA star Scott McKnight (Common), who likes her just fine — he’s taken with her forthrightness, her established credits as a knowledgeable fan and her professed fondness for jazz. Of course, everything changes when Morgan comes on the scene and sets out to snare Scott and realize her dream of marrying an NBA player. Leslie dutifully backs out and soon Morgan is engaged to Scott, but things go awry when he has an injury that might render him incapable of ever playing again. Since she’s sure his physical therapist is on the make for Scott, Morgan engages Leslie to work on him — and that might have been fine, except Morgan gets bored and worried that he’s going to be an ex-NBA star and dumps him. What follows isn’t hard to predict, but it does everything with finesse and charm, turning the proceedings into one of those films that does less what it has to do than what you want it to. Part of why it works is that it likes and respects its characters. These are genuinely nice people — even to some degree, Morgan — and you enjoy spending time with them. Some of the genre clichés have pleasant spins on them, especially the variation on the

Asheville Pizza & Brewing Co. (254-1281)

requisite gloomy penultimate reel. Oh, it’s there — the film follows the formula — but it’s not quite the same old thing. It doesn’t all work. Common has good chemistry with Latifah, but almost none at all with Patton — and it’s not just because we know she is the wrong girl. But enough of it works to make it a worthwhile 90 minutes of pleasurable entertainment. Rated PG for some suggestive material and brief language. reviewed by Ken Hanke Playing at Epic of Hendersonville, Regal Biltmore Grande 15, United Artists Beaucatcher.

Letters to Juliet

Carmike Cinema 10 (298-4452)

Carolina Asheville Cinema 14 (274-9500)

Babies (PG) 11:40, 1:45, 3:45, 7:25, 9:25 (Sofa Cinema) City Island (PG-13) 11:55, 2:25, 4:50, 7:25, 9:45 Date Night (PG-13) 12:25, 2:40, 5:00, 7:50, 10:05 The Ghost Writer (PG-13) 12:20, 3:50, 7:05, 9:55 How to Train Your Dragon 2D (PG) 12:05, 2:20, 4:45 (Sofa Cinema) Iron Man 2 (PG-13) 12:00, 3:00, 7:10, 10:05 Iron Man 2 (PG-13) 1:00, 4:05, 7:40, 10:25 Letters to Juliet (PG) 11:35, 2:05, 4:35, 7:30, 9:50 MacGruber (R) 11:50, 2:15, 4:40, 7:50, 10:35 A Nightmare on Elm Street (R) 7:50, 10:30 (Sofa Cinema) Robin Hood (PG-13) 11:45, 12:15, 2:45, 3:30, 7:00, 7:35, 10:10, 10:25 Shrek Forever After 3D (PG) 11:30, 1:45, 4:00, 7:15, 9:30 Shrek Forever After 2D (PG) 12:10, 2:30, 5:00, 7:45, 10:00 Vincere (NR) 12:10, 3:10, 7:15, 10:00 n

Cinebarre (665-7776)

Co-ed Cinema Brevard (883-2200)

Shrek Forever After 2D (PG) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00, Late show Fri-Sat only 9:15 n

Epic of Hendersonville (693-1146)

Fine Arts Theatre (232-1536)

The City of Your Final Destination (PG-13) 1:00, 4:00, 7:00 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (NR) 1:20, 4:20, 7:20 n

Flatrock Cinema (697-2463)

JJJ

The Back-up Plan (PG-13) Fri-Wed 4:00, 7:00 Sex and the City 2 (R) Starts Thu May 27, 3:30, 7:00

Romance Rated PG

Regal Biltmore Grande Stadium 15 (684-1298)

United Artists Beaucatcher (298-1234)

Director: Gary Winick (Bride Wars) Players: Amanda Seyfried, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Egan, Gael García Bernal

The Story: A young would-be writer helps an aging widow track down her long lost love in Italy. The Lowdown: A harmless, yet bythe-book romance that’s plagued by inconsequence. If you happened to listen to the first installment of Elitist Bastards Go to the Movies, a new podcast featuring Ken Hanke and myself available on the Mountain Xpress Web site, you may recall that we predicted the biggest problem with Gary Winick’s Letters to Juliet would likely be that its trailer gave away

Alice in Wonderland 3D (PG) 12:50, 4:10 Death at a Funeral (R) 7:50, 10:05 Furry Vengeance (PG) 1:20. 4:40 Iron Man 2 (PG-13) 1:00, 1:30, 4:00, 4:30, 7:00, 6:40, 7:40, 9:30, 10:00, 10:30 Just Wright (PG) 1:40, 4:50, 7:20, 9:45 Robin Hood (PG-13) 12:40, 1:10, 3:50, 4:20, 7:00, 7:30, 10:10, 10:40 For some theaters movie listings were not available at press time. Please contact the theater or check mountainx.com for updated information.

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 71

Tune In to Cranky Hankeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Movie Reviews

5:30 pm Fridays on Matt Mittanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Take a Stand.

nowplaying Alice in Wonderland JJJJJ

Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover Fantasy In this sequel to Alice in Wonderland, the young adult Alice is lured back to the land of her youthful adventures to help defeat the tyrannical Red Queen. A visually striking, emotionally involving, highly Burtonized take on the Alice in Wonderland stories that sometimes soars without quite striking the gong, but is never less than entertaining. Rated PG

Babie JJJJ

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Bayar, Hattie, Mari, Ponijao Documentary Follows the first year of four newborn babies from around the world. A low-key, specialized take on the documentary thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only really worthwhile for those who find the goings-on of babies the height of adorableness. Rated PG

City Island JJJJ

Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, Steven Strait, Emily Mortimer, Dominik GarcĂa-Lorido Family Comedy/Drama A Bronx family must deal with the fact that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not wholly honest with one another. A well-acted little comedy/drama thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never anything more than adequate. Rated PG-13

Clash of the Titans JJJ

Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Flemyng, Gemma Arterton Effects-Driven Fantasy The demigod Perseus sets out to detach the head of Medusa so he can use it to turn a giant monster to stone and save the people of Argos. Every bit as silly as it sounds, Clash of the Titans, nonetheless, offers passable, if far from extraordinary, entertainment. Rated PG-13

Date Night JJJJ

Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, Common, James Franco, Mila Kunis Thrill Comedy A dull married couple pretend to be other people to get dinner reservations, causing them to be mistaken for those peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;who just happen to be in bad with the mob. The castâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;especially Steve Carell and Tina Feyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;raise this otherwise ordinary thrill comedy to the level of agreeable entertainment. Rated PG-13

Furry VengeancE J

Brendan Fraser, Brooke Shields, Ken Jeong, Matt Prokop, Ricky Garcia, Wallace Shawn Anthropomorphic Animal Comedy With Bodily Functions Forest critters take their revenge on land

Follow Mountain Xpress on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mountainx for local events, news & ticket giveaways!

72 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ mountainx.com

developers. Incredibly, impossibly, irredeemably, inescapably, indescribably terrible. Rated PG

The Ghost Writer JJJJJ

Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan, Kim Cattrall, Olivia Williams, Tom Wilkinson Psychological Political Thriller A ghost writer is hired to polish the memoirs of a former British prime minister after the mysterious death of the original writer. A complete return to form for Roman Polanskiâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a quietly intense psychological and political thriller that ranks up there with the filmmakerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great works. Not to be missed. Rated PG-13

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo JJJJJ

Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre, Peter Haber, SventBetril Taube, Ingvar Hirdwall Mystery/Crime/Thriller A disgraced journalist and an enigmatic computer hacker with a history of problems investigate a 40-year-old mystery involving the disappearance of a 16-year-old girl. A rivetting mystery thriller with solid plotting, strong performances and charactersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and something more than entertainment beneath it all. Rated NR

How to Train Your Drago JJJJJ

(Voices) Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill Animated Adventure/Fantasy A young Viking wounds a dragon and, in dealing with the creature, learns that everything his people think they know about dragons is wrong. A thoroughly appealing animated fantasy from the duo who made Lilo & Stitch. Rated PG

Iron Man 2 JJJJJ

Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell Sci-Fi Comic-Book Action Iron Man returns to take on new villains, new personal complications and government pressure to co-opt his technology. A vastly entertaining movie with strong characters and wit to keep it asâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or moreâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;interesting in its plotting as in its action set pieces. Rated PG-13

Just Wright JJJJ

Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, James Pickens Jr., Phylicia Rashad, Pam Grier Romantic Comedy A romantic comedy about a woman who loses a potential NBA-star boyfriend to her golddigging best friendâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;until an accident changes things. A truly pleasant romantic comedy with nicely drawn characters, stylish direction and one luminous star. Rated PG

Letters to Juliet JJJ

Amanda Seyfried, Vanessa Redgrave, Christopher Egan, Gael GarcĂa Bernal Romance A young would-be writer helps an aging widow track down her long lost love in Italy. A harmless, yet by-the-book romance thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plagued by inconsequence. Rated PG

Mid-August Lunch JJJJ

Gianni Di Gregorio, Valeria De Franciscis, Marino Cacciotti, Maria Cali, Grazi Cesarini Sforza Comedy/Drama A beleagured man with a demanding aged mother finds himself babysitting three additional elderly ladies over a holiday weekend. A leisurely, but utterly charming and true little comedy that hits all the right notes without trying too hard. Rated NR

Mother JJJJJ

Hye-ja Kim, Bin Won, Goo Jin, Yoon Jae-Moon, Mi-sun Jun, YoungSuck Lee, Mun-hee Na Crime/Thriller A mother decides to find the truth on her own when her son is arrested for murder. An absolutely splendidâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;nearly perfectâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;crime thriller built around a mystery that almost always surprises and a title character unlike any youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen. Rated R

A Nightmare on Elm Street JJ

Jackie Earle Haley, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker Half-Baked Horror Reboot A reworking of the 1984 film with razor-gloved-madman-from-beyond-thegrave Freddy Krueger dispatching meat-on-the-hoof teens. Uninspired, unscary and just not very good at all. Rated R

Robin Hood JJJ

Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Max von Sydow, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac, Danny Huston Faux Historical Action The story of how Robin Longstride came to be Robin Hood. A good cast, solid production values and spectacular battle scenes canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really overcome the fact that the movie spends two-plus hours to establish what earlier versions of Robin Hood did in a scene or two. Rated PG-13

Vincere JJJJJ

Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Filippo Timi, Corrado Invernizzi, Fausto Russo Alesi Biographic Historical Drama The story of Benito Mussoliniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s discarded and disowned early lover, possible first wife and mother of his first son, and her obsession with the Fascist dictator. A rich, wildly creative, boldly operatic, almost phantasmagorical film that is a must-see despite a few notable flaws. Rated NR

startingfriday CITY ISLAND

In an unusual move, a film that opened and closed in the space of a week a few weeks back is being given a second chance. Justin Souther’s three-and-a-half-star review of City Island (“A Bronx family must deal with the fact that they’re not wholly honest with one another. A well-acted little comedy/drama that’s never anything more than adequate.”) is available online at www.mountainx.com/ movies/review/city_island. (PG-13)

THE CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION

The latest film from James Ivory — his first following the death of his long-time partner Ismail Merchant in 2005 — has a screenplay by his most frequent writer, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, and features such actors as Anthony Hopkins, Laura Linney and Charlotte Gainsbourg in its cast. However, the critics have so far been very divided on this film about a young man (Omar Metwally) researching the biography of a famous writer. Still, Ivory is usually worth giving a chance — and considering the other new films this week, this looks better than it might. (PG-13) Early review samples: • “Partly because the rarefied aesthetic climes conjured by the film barely exist anymore, its story feels as quaint as the once-vital Merchant Ivory ethos of hothouse nostalgia — with its antique-shop sensibility and Anglo-European snob appeal — does.” (Stephen Holden, New York Times) • “James Ivory and cast make every scene flutter with feeling in this adaptation of Pater Cameron’s 2002 novel, written for the screen by Ivory’s collaborator-of-50-years, Ruth the entire movie in about 90 seconds. Now, a couple of days after having actually sat through the film — and with as little bragging as possible — I can say we were spot on. If you’ve seen the trailer, you know the film follows a young American girl named Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) who is vacationing in Verona with her somewhat distracted fiancé Victor (Gael García Bernal). After finding a dusty, old letter left at the home of the fictional Juliet, Sophie is inspired to help an aging Brit named Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) and her chagrined grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan, Eragon) track down the lady’s old flame from 50 years earlier. And if you’ve seen the trailer, you also know that Sophie becomes dissatisfied with her soon-to-be hubbie, begins to fall for Charlie, all while Claire finds her lost love. You’ve also seen the whole movie. Now, I hate to disparage a film based solely on its trailer, something that has zero to do with the film on a practical level. But at the same time, it’s a symptom of something greater, since even if I had never laid eyes on the film’s trailer, within the first 20 minutes of the movie I still could’ve figured out how Letters to Juliet would pan out. It’s the kind

Prawer Jhabvala.” (Nat Pinkerton, Village Voice)

MACGRUBER

Will Forte (The Brothers Solomon) brings his SNL character MacGruber to the big screen with the aid of SNL writer/director Jorma Taccone. According to the Universal press release, when the retired MacGruber “learns that his country needs him to find a nuclear warhead that’s been stolen by his sworn enemy, Dieter Von Cunth (Val Kilmer), MacGruber figures he’s the only one tough enough for the job.” The name of Val Kilmer’s character is likely a good barometer of the level of humor here. Interestingly, however, very early word has it that the movie is actually funny — but the more esteemed critics have yet to weigh in. (R)

SHREK FOREVER AFTER

OK, is this thing called Shrek Forever After or Shrek The Final Chapter 3-D? The press info says the former. The newer posters say the latter. By whatever name, it’s still Shrek 4 and everyone has fingers crossed that it’s at least better than the lackluster third installment. Bringing in the director of Sky High (2005) sounds like a good idea, till you realize that Mike Mitchell was also responsible for Deuce Bigalow (1999) and Surviving Christmas (2004). All the voice talent is back, but the real question is whether the inspiration that fueled the first two films is — 3-D will never replace that. Early reviews — too few to tell much, except both the trades panned it — suggest a negative answer. (PG) of predictable reserved solely for Hollywood romances. Efforts are made to shake things up here and there, but they’re mostly cosmetic. There’s at least an attempt at the tried-and-true witty repartee that’s been a staple of the Hollywood romance flick for ages, but it never quite gels. A lot of this is due to casting. Seyfried could probably have pulled this kind of role off, except she has no one to play against. Bernal is at best wasted and at worst — very, very worst — turned into a woundup Bronson Pinchot clone, while Egan lacks the charisma or magnetism to be convincing as a smarmyyet-likable romantic lead. The screenplay is no help, since these are the kind of inherently off-putting movie types who can leave the country for weeks on end with no real-world repercussions whatsoever. At the very least, they could have been stylish, but the film can’t even afford them that. Instead, we get a cast of dull, drab characters, with nothing unique, conspicuous or exceptional about the lot of them. Letters to Juliet plays it safe throughout its entire running time. Sure, it’s an easy way to make a harmless little movie, but it’s also the quickest route to being forgotten. Rated PG for

mountainx.com • MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 73

brief rude behavior, some language and incidental smoking. reviewed by Justin Souther Playing at Carmike Cinema 10, Carolina Asheville Cinema 14, Cinebarre, Epic of Hendersonville, Regal Biltmore Grande 15.

Mid-August Lunch JJJJ

Director: Gianni Di Gregorio Players: Gianni Di Gregorio, Valeria De Franciscis, Marino Cacciotti, Maria Cali, Grazi Cesarini Sforza Comedy/Drama Rated NR

The Story: A beleagured man with a demanding aged mother finds himself babysitting three additional elderly ladies over a holiday weekend. The Lowdown: A leisurely, but utterly charming and true little comedy that hits all the right notes without trying too hard. Once you get past the ludicrous promotional idea of â&#x20AC;&#x153;a new comedy by the makers of Gomorrah,â&#x20AC;? a brutal gangster picture from 2008, and settle into Gianni Di Gregorioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unassuming little film Mid-August Lunch, you realize youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the realm of something just a bit special. When I say â&#x20AC;&#x153;little,â&#x20AC;? Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m being quite literal. This is a small movie. It runs a bit under 75 minutes. It largely takes place in one apartment in one neighborhood of Rome. It isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going much of anywhere and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not in a hurry to get there. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s actually a plus and part of its charm. The story is little more than a situation. Gianni (played by the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s writer/director Gianni Di Gregorio) is a man approaching 60. He doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t work because he has to spend all his time taking care of his aged mother (Valeria De Franciscis), but he seems largely content to do so. There is a problem, however, since the family has suffered a financial set-

back and faces the incommodious prospect of being turned out into the street. Their apartment is a condominium on which theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve not paid any maintenance for some considerable time (the electricity bill is three years in arrears). The neighbors are unsurprisingly tired of carrying them for free, but the man in charge of it all, Alfonso (Alfonso Santagata), has a proposition. If Gianni will take care of Alfonsoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aged mother (Marina Caccotti) for a couple days while he joins his family on a holiday, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll write off the debts. Somewhat against his better judgment, Gianni and his mother agree to this â&#x20AC;&#x201D; only to discover that Alfonso hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been entirely honest. Not only does he appear to be going off with a mistress, but his mother also comes with a dotty aunt (Maria Cali) in tow. Instead of one extra old lady on his hands, Gianni has two. Soon their ranks enlarge by one more when Gianniâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doctor (Marcello Ottolenghi) unloads his mother (Grazia Cesarini Sforza) on them. Worse, she comes with pills to be given at specific times and strict dietary requirements. Di Gregorioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interest lies in depicting the interaction of the four women and Gianni. The results could have been altogether too precious and too cute with very little trouble. The film flirts with this in detailing the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s little acts of petty bickering and rebellion. Yes, one of them has a very active libido and is prone to sneaking out to a bar where she can drink and smoke. Yes, the one with the dietary restrictions has no intention of observing them. But somehow the film remains grounded in the basic reality of the personalities and the situation, and what results is a strikingly honest portrait of old age, its pleasures and its disappointments. It becomes a great little movie about old age precisely because it isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t a movie about old age. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a movie with old characters in it. It observes and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t preach or become cloyingly sentimental.

All 37 Plays in 97 Minutes! An irreverent, fastpaced romp thru the Bardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plays.

May 20-30 Thurs-Sun, 7:30pm Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre Tickets $15 at the gate or online at www.montfordpark players.org For information call 254-5146

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74 MAY 19 - MAY 25, 2010 â&#x20AC;˘ mountainx.com

Robin Hood JJJ

Director: Ridley Scott Players: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Max von Sydow, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac, Danny Huston Faux Historical Action Rated PG-13

The Story: The story of how Robin Longstride came to be Robin Hood. The Lowdown: A good cast, solid production values and spectacular battle scenes canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really overcome the fact that the movie spends two-plus hours to establish what earlier versions of Robin Hood did in a scene or two. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say that I think Ridley Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Robin Hood is a good movie, but it is better than I expected in some ways â&#x20AC;&#x201D; especially if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t approach it as a Robin Hood movie. Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s film is many things, but a Robin Hood picture in the classic sense of the term

Co-sponsored by Asheville Parks & Rec Member Asheville Area Chamber

it ainâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. The movie attempts to show the origins of Robin Hood â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in other words, this is Mr. Hoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backstory â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and to do so in an earthy and realistic manner. This immediately raises the question of whether or not thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great desire for an earthy and realistic Robin Hood. The truth is that Scott and company are largely just cashing in on a recognizable brand name. What theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve given us feels more like a somewhat bloated, generic ancient-times battle picture â&#x20AC;&#x201D; with notions of profundity and a dose of modern superhero thrown in. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t particularly blame Scott for going for the recognizable â&#x20AC;&#x201D; not after Kingdom of Heaven (2005), A Good Year (2006) and Body of Lies (2008) all tanked. Even his most successful film in recent years â&#x20AC;&#x201D; American Gangster (2007) â&#x20AC;&#x201D; underperformed when you compare budgets to grosses. Scott needs a solid hit and, for that matter, Crowe could also stand one. Whether Robin Hood is that hit remains to be seen. If you take the film on its own merits, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solidly OK. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been no skimping on the cast, which is pretty much made of A-listers of some note. Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Max von Sydow, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Danny Huston (in a beguiling Shirley Temple wig), Eileen Atkins and Mark Addy (who better to be Friar Tuck?) are all on the high side of respected performers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and rightly so. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re good here, even if they somewhat miss the mark of greatness, which is not entirely their fault. Danny Huston as Richard the Lionheart has too little to do. Mark Strong â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who is on his way to being the essential bad guy of our age â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is fine, but he hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the meatiest role of his career. The weak link in all this is Oscar Isaac (Body of Lies) as Prince/King John. His performance is all in one key: petulant, spoiled-brat villainy. Brian Helgelandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lumbering screenplay is partly to blame, but Isaac really canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t hold the screen against the others.

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