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NORTHERN MICHIGAN’S WEEKLY • january 14 - January 20, 2019 • Vol. 29 No. 02 Michael Poehlman Photography

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2 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

Our simple rules: Keep your letter to 300 words or less, send no more than one per month, include your name/ address/phone number, and agree to allow us to edit. That’s it.

Email info@northernexpress.com and hit send!

Let’s Unite This is in response to the Dec. 31 letter

by Carol Medland [to former Michigan Gov. Snyder regarding the passage of lame duck bills seeking to change executive officials’ powers] in the Dec. 31 issue of Northern Express. Why don’t you tell your liberal friends to take your statement, “With the last election, voters told you they want change” and apply it to our 2016 presidential election? We are not governed by the two states of New York and California, but by 50 states. And 306 electoral votes for a president is more than sufficient to determine the outcome of an election. If you do not like the results, don’t blame the man — change the system. Let’s put all of the petty bickering aside and move on together, liberal and conservative, for not only the benefit of all people, but for the unity of our great country.

Lee Hallett, Beulah

Shutdown: A Personal Perspective Over the 1995-96 holidays, I was among hundreds of thousands of federal employees declared “non-essential” and laid off by Newt Gingrich’s intransigent Republicans.

That pointless exercise in political tribalism ruined our Christmas season and cost the American public over $2 billion wasted dollars. Now “Trumpf ” is repeating this political brinkmanship, provoked by a few “Freedom Caucus” legislators and rightwing commentators.

Weaponizing government shutdowns, and demeaning and treating career civil servants as hostage pawns, all to assuage infantile narcissism and play to a supposed “base” of racist xenophobes, is shameful behavior, certainly not that of a rational leader caring for our country.

Our government is clearly dysfunctional, and these theatrics only make partisanship more divisive. Members of both parties must override any budget veto and find ways to cooperate for the good of the entire country, especially with the new makeup of Congress. Those who claim to “represent” us need to stand up to despotism and practice compromise and collaboration to benefit all Americans (not just party, corporations, and political contributors).

All sectors of our economy are harmed by this petulant refusal to sign a clean budget, without the fantasy of a wall-toend-all-walls blocking non-whites coming from Central America. Over 69 percent of Americans oppose the wall.

This lame-brained shutdown is costing us, the American public, an estimated $1 billion per week. Workers and contractors are unpaid, essential infrastructure repairs delayed, ports closed to commerce, and tourism businesses suffer from park and federal facility closures.

Trumpf should consult knowledgeable political and social scientists and legislators (not sycophantic staffers or even crazier right-wingers) to plan better ways of dealing with immigration long-sought by Democrats. The $70 billion full cost of “The Wall” could better be invested in providing jobs and security from gang violence in Central America, so people wouldn’t need to emigrate here to live decently!

David A. Newhouse, Cadillac

Better Schools for a Better America Amy Hardin’s [Jan. 7 issue guest column, “America the Stupid”] makes some excellent points but neglects to suggest that we improve public education in America. Let’s begin by legislation demanding quality textbooks that have been created by scholarly boards and history that has been fact-checked.

Preschoolers should be taught nothing else before they are taught empathy. To learn how and why this can be done, please search online for the TEDx Traverse City talk “Empathy is a Verb,” by Michelle Borba. We need to support this teaching to make our schools a safe learning environment.

Last, we need to support a public education for all, in newer brick-and-mortar schools where teachers are paid a living wage for their day job, and they don’t need a second one.

Colin Bohash, Honor Short-Term Rentals Improve Character As a consumer and past provider of short-term Rentals (STRs) I’ve not had one bad experience. On platforms like Airbnb, there is extensive vetting by both the host and consumer, which promotes good behavior ... like a first date. And no one is more motivated than I to protect and monitor my primary investment.

Regarding preserving neighborhood character: As neighborhood character, STRs have enhanced my ability to remain in downtown Traverse City and improve my 100-year-old home. The city’s primary residence requirement prevents income properties from “gutting” neighborhoods.

Neighbors impacted by retirement, catastrophic illness, divorce, or death, or young first-time home buyers can remain in their neighborhoods.

In 2017, Traverse City had 29,300 Airbnb guests, with no documented increase in complaints in those locations. Noise and parking ordinances already exist. And guests are not lurking in the neighborhood — they’re shopping, hiking, biking, and beaching, just like most of us on vacation.

The proposed ordinance is needlessly restrictive. We can look to neighboring tourist towns for their experience and the Traverse City data we already have. Why overregulate something that isn’t broken?

Janice Stump, Traverse City

The Uglification of Traverse City The incredible lack of wise planning on the part of the Traverse City planners and managers who have allowed the tree-cutting and ghastly concrete buildings on West Front Street, near the Civic Center, and the Uptown Condos built into the river near the Union Street dam is mindboggling. These new buildings look like crematoriums.

They are built right to the edges of the river and the sidewalks. They are going to make Traverse City famous for its ugliness.

Traverse City needs more parks, more green space, more trees, more tree canopy, more landscaping with native plants — not less.

Trees and parks are needed for beauty and clean air. If Traverse City doesn’t wake up and get with the times, tourists are going to flee to Northport.

Kathleen J. Stocking, Traverse City What’s Chatfield hiding?

With GOP Rep. Lee Chatfield becoming Speaker of the House in 2019, it seems that July 2018 incident in which he brought an unregistered, loaded handgun through a security checkpoint at the Pellston airport has been forgotten. Or at least he wishes it were so. He paid the $250 fine to the district court for owning the gun for more than two years without registering it. The news media reported that he would also be fined up to nearly $10,000 by the TSA. Some have pursued a Freedom of Information Act request to learn has occurred. Chatfield made no effort to pass a new law to fix the loophole that had allowed him to avoid criminal charges, although he pushed through a lot of bills during the lame duck session! Those following up on the FOIA requests about the TSA fine still have no answers.

Since Mr. Chatfield’s incident went unreported for more than two weeks after it occurred, and his apology only came after it had been made public, he has shown that we cannot rely on the transparency that he claims to value. At a Dec. 7 coffee hour in his district that I attended, Mr. Chatfield failed to show up.

His legislative director, Bob Anderson, was asked about the TSA fine. He said that the TSA fine was paid but refused to reveal the amount. Mr. Chatfield needs to be held accountable. He should make it very clear that he used his own personal funds, and not campaign funds, to pay the fine. Elected officials need to be held to a higher standard. What is he hiding?

Carolyn Penniman, Alanson So Profane Michigan must be proud. We have been able to elect a congresswoman who has mastered the foulest of foul language and displayed her abilities by using it as soon as she found a microphone. It takes a person of intelligence to get their point across without vulgarity. One can only wonder about her abilities as a legislator.

J. P. Hommel, Frankfort

CONTENTS features Crime and Rescue Map......................................7 The Great White North Way.................................10 Parallel 45’s Latest Coup................................12 Boyne City’s Lake Street Pub.........................14 Wanna Laugh?................................................15 Jake Allen: Chasing a World of Music..............16 Hiding in Plain Sight.......................................17

dates................................................19-20 music Nightlife.........................................................24 columns & stuff Top Ten...........................................................4

Spectator/Stephen Tuttle....................................6 Weird...............................................................9 Crossed..........................................................13 Modern Rock/Kristi Kates................................21 Film................................................................23 Advice Goddess...........................................25 Crossword...................................................25 Freewill Astrology..........................................26 Classifieds..................................................27

On the cover: A scene from Parallel 45’s March 2017 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland.

The play was nominated for a Wilde Award, which honors the best productions, performances, and technical work produced or presented by professional theaters in Michigan.

Cover photo by Michael Poehlman Photography Northern Express Weekly is published by Eyes Only Media, LLC. Publisher: Luke Haase 129 E Front Traverse City, MI 49684 Phone: (231) 947-8787 Fax: 947-2425 email: info@northernexpress.com www.northernexpress.com Executive Editor: Lynda Twardowski Wheatley Finance & Distribution Manager: Brian Crouch Sales: Kathleen Johnson, Lisa Gillespie, Kaitlyn Nance, Mike Bright, Michele Young, Randy Sills, Todd Norris For ad sales in Petoskey, Harbor Springs, Boyne & Charlevoix, call (231) 838-6948 Creative Director: Kyra Poehlman Distribution: Matt Ritter, Randy Sills, Kirk Hull, Kimberly Sills, Gary Twardowski, Kathy Twardowski Listings Editor: Jamie Kauffold Reporter: Patrick Sullivan Contributors: Amy Alkon, Rob Brezsny, Ross Boissoneau, Geri Dietze, Jennifer Hodges, Kristi Kates, Blair Yaroch, Michael Phillips, Steve Tuttle, Meg Weichman, Copyright 2019, all rights reserved. Distribution: 36,000 copies at 600+ locations weekly. Northern Express Weekly is free of charge, but no person may take more than one copy of each weekly issue without written permission of Northern Express Weekly. Reproduction of all content without permission of the publisher is prohibited.

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 3

this week’s

top ten

laureates of the sphinx competition To honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the diversity of the nation, the Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor welcomes previous winners of the Laureates of the Sphinx Competition on Sat., Jan. 19, at 7:30pm. This showcase of talent performed at Carnegie Hall, and includes three of the nation’s leading Black and Latinx artists – Elena Urioste, Gabriel Cabezas, and Xavier Foley, accompanied by pianist Tom Poster. Tickets start at $20 adults, $5 students. greatlakescfa.org

4

Vogue Volunteer Wins Spot on TCM Vogue Theatre volunteer Ken Cooper made a 90-second video that both touts the love his wife, Ruth, has for the classic film The Music Man and celebrates Manistee’s beloved nonprofit art-deco movie house.

Cooper entered the video (along with 800 others) and was selected to be one of only 25 entries to win the Turner Classic Movies contest “DEDICATE A FILM ON AIR WITH BEN” in honor of TCM’s 25th Anniversary.

The Coopers headed to Atlanta on Jan. 10 to tape the segment with host Ben Mankiewicz; it airs on TCM sometime this year.

Ruth Cooper is a classic film host in her own right. She helps select movies for the Vogue’s Wednesday Morning Classic showings, which offer a glimpse into Hollywood’s past for $2.

In the pitch video, Cooper explained why he wanted to introduce The Music Man: “It is the favorite movie of my favorite person in the world, my wife of 52 years, Ruth Cooper. She loves this movie.”

2 tastemaker peptita sun

If you’re into superfoods, you know already about the small but mighty pepita seed — the wee powerhouse hidden inside pumpkin seed shells whose Spanish name translates to “little seed of squash.” But did you know you can actually get their brain- and bodfueling benefits (think: hefty doses of iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, and more) in a simple effortless schmear? Yup. Williamsburg’s Natural Nutty, maker of multitudes of handcrafted small-batch organic nut butters, also offers seed butters. We tried the Pepita Sun seed butter, which goes even mightier with a blend of sunflower, ground flax, hemp and chia seeds, and is made ever more tasty by a light touch of cane sugar, vanilla bean, allspice, cinnamon, and sea salt. It was not only delicious to us adults on staff but also passed the ultra-picky tastebuds of a staffer’s two-year-old, pre-nap. If that isn’t an endorsement, we don’t know what is. 8 oz., 12 oz., and 5 pound tubs available for $7, $8.85, or $43 respectively at www.naturallynutty.com. Also available from local grocers and www.amazon.com.

4 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

Hey, watch it!

DIRTY JOHN

Bravo may be best known for its sudsy reality TV, but its latest scripted drama makes the case that it might not be that way for long.

Starring Eric Bana and the Golden Globenominated Connie Britton (Texas Forever!), this salacious limited series (think a little less A-List and a little more pulpy Big Little Lies) is an adaptation of the hit true-crime podcast of the same name based on the story of charming con man John Meehan. Britton plays Meehan’s latest mark, Debra Newell, a successful interior designer desperately looking for love. She moves faster, and we mean a lot faster, than she should with her new beau, much to her daughters’ chagrin (the brilliantly cast Juno Temple and Julia Garner).

And to say Debra didn’t know him very well is quite the understatement, as John’s past and the increasingly messed-up present are gradually revealed. Sundays on Bravo and on Bravo On Demand.

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6

Sturgeon Season is Coming!

The once-per-year chance to catch a gigantic, prehistoric, bony-plated lake sturgeon is coming up, and it’s not going to last long.

The Department of Natural Resources is gearing up for the 2019 sturgeon fishing season, which will begin at 8am on Feb. 2 and last until no more than seven of the beasts are pulled from Black Lake in Cheboygan County.

DNR officers are serious about making sure the fish limit is not exceeded, so they’ll close the season once the sixth fish is harvested or if five have been taken at the end of any fishing day. The season could last until Feb. 6, but typically the limit is reached on the first day or so.

To participate, registration at the Onaway DNR field station is required. Early registration will take place there (located on Route 11, five miles north of Onaway) from 2pm until 7pm Feb. 1.

stuff we love The Boyne Bookmobile Most any rural-living child of the ’90s — the heyday of the nation’s bookmobiles, according to the American Library Association — has fond memories of ascending non-skid steps into a miniature, mobile palace of fiction and nonfiction each week. Well, in Boyne City, you still can. The Boyne District Library’s Bookmobile is driving a lot of books and a little nostalgia all over town, paying weekly visits to area schools, the senior center, and now, the Boyne City Indoor Farmers Market. Want to check it out? (Figuratively speaking, of course.)

Head to the Saturday morning market between 9 and noon; the market is held in the City Facilities Building across from Veterans Park. The bus is parked right outside.

Your Heartfelt Admiration Got a friend, neighbor, coworker, or family member that you think deserves a public shout-out? Write ’em one! For our upcoming Valentine’s Day issue — on newsstands Feb. 11 — Northern Express will publish a selection of “Secret Admirers.” All you have to do? Pen a paragraph or two about or “to” someone you admire, then email it, along with their name and photo, to info@northernexpress.com. We’ll publish it, along with their name and photo, from an anonymous secret admirer. Then — only if you wish — we’ll publish the names of the admirers the following week. Submit by Feb. 1.

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Celebrating 61 Years!

Bottoms up the new york’s smoky Stout beers, red wines, peat-y Scotch — cold winter nights seem to beg for drinks of the heavy, hearty sort, and rightfully so: When the North’s wind blows, you want smooth and soothing; libations that don’t startle, but enfold. The New York’s Smoky, though, does both. A luminous blend of Don Julio Blanco Tequila, fresh citrus, and Aperol (a lightly bittersweet Italian cousin to Campari, with amaro-like botanicals of bitter orange, gentian, and sour rhubarb), the cocktail’s lightly sweet heat rolls over a smoky, salty lip for an icy yet warming, earthy yet luminous winter refresh. The perfect nightcap to a day spent shredding the slopes, or the bright start to a night spent tucked in to Chef/Owner Matt Bugera’s famed filet mignon with bearnaise sauce and dauphinoise potatoes. Smoky, $7.

Filet $30+. Find both at The New York, 101 State St., Harbor Springs. (231) 526-1904, www.thenewyork.com

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 5

SOUL SQUEEZE CELLARS

The Tasting Room

A MONUMENT TO IGNORANCE spectator

G NIN OPE ING SPR

by Stephen Tuttle

!

2019

The idea of walls is to either keep people in, or keep people out, or both. Almost none have ever worked.

Any wall discussion should start with the Great Wall of China. Started in the fourth century BCE, it was supposed to keep out invading “barbarians.” When finally completed more than 2,000 years later — that’s right, 20 centuries — it ran an astounding 13,000 miles. It didn’t keep out many barbarians. It was ultimately finished, not as an effective barrier but as a point of national pride.

When the Romans controlled a good chunk of what is now Great Britain, they tried a wall, too. Hadrian’s Wall, started in 122 CE, ran a scant 75 miles and never stopped anyone either. It served the purpose of marking the northern boundary of Rome’s territory, but entire invading armies poured across.

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PUBLIC NO TICE Northwestern Michigan College is seeking comments from the public about the College in preparation for its periodic evaluation by its regional accrediting agency.

The College will host a visit on March 11-13, 2019, from a team of peer reviewers representing the Higher Learning Commission. The team will review the institution’s ongoing ability to meet HLC’s Criteria for Accreditation. Northwestern Michigan College has been accredited by HLC since 1961. Comments must be in writing and must address substantive matters related to the quality of the institution or its academic programs.

Submit comments to the HLC online: hlcommission.org/Student-Resources/third-party-comment.html or Submit comments to the HLC by mail: Third-Party Comment on Northwestern Michigan College Higher Learning Commission 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500 Chicago, IL 60604-1411 All comments must be received by January 31, 2019.

6 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

planet. It was designed to stop invading land forces from either side.

But what about national security? The president, his director of Homeland Security, and his spokespeople have lately been perpetuating the myth that we’ve stopped 3,000, or sometimes 4,000, “possible or potential terrorists” from entering.

According to Homeland Security’s own data, those folks weren’t suspected terrorists; they simply arrived from countries known to sponsor terrorist groups. And fully 95 percent were stopped not at the southern border but at ports and airports. Six were on our terrorist watch lists. Six. We can safely assume the rest, including the 354 stopped at our southern border, were not terrorists since we did not arrest, interrogate, prosecute, convict, or imprison any of them.

So what do the people on the front lines think we should do?

The Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surveyed border patrol agents in 2017.

Nearly all mentioned new and better technology and more personnel as their top priorities.

Europe is full of walled castles and villages — most now tourist attractions, museums, or fancy bed and breakfasts. All worked for a little while; all eventually failed.

Nor did we even notify the countries from which they arrived. We just stopped them.

A wall won’t even address the real illegal immigration issue.

The president and his team now reference the wall around Vatican City as proof walls are good and humane. It’s the smallest independent nation-state on the planet; its 100 acres would fit nicely in downtown Traverse City. Its walls were initially constructed to discourage pirates and competing popes. It never completely encircled the place, and today there are huge gates and openings.

The “border” runs across St. Peter’s Square, marked by a painted white line on the pavement. You don’t even need identification to enter the Vatican. Hardly analogous to our southern border.

Those entering illegally through the southern border actually make up a relatively small percentage of those in the country illegally. According to the Center for Migration Studies, more than two-thirds of those in the country illegally arrived with proper visas; they just never left. At some point we knew who and where they were, but we’ve apparently lost track. No wall will stop those already here.

A wall’s success depends almost entirely on the harshness employed by those guarding it.

The Berlin Wall is a good example.

Started in 1961 as an effort by East Germany to isolate West Berlin and stop a flood of East Germans trying to escape to freedom, it was reasonably effective. Stretching 67 miles around West Berlin, it was actually a double barrier with a nifty killing zone and all manner of barricades in between. Still, 100,000 people tried to cross it, 5,000 succeeded, and more than 200 were killed in the attempt. By 1989 the wall came down, another failure.

The ultimate barrier is the demilitarized zone (DMZ) between North and South Korea. Conjured up as part of the armistice to end the Korean Conflict, it runs for 160 miles, is 2.5 miles wide, and contains the largest concentration of land mines on the

So what do the people on the front lines think we should do? The Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surveyed border patrol agents in 2017. Nearly all mentioned new and better technology and more personnel as their top priorities.

Less than one percent listed a wall.

“Build the wall” was an idea created by Trump’s campaign staff so he’d remember to mention immigration. The anti-immigration crowd loved it, and it was easy to chant at rallies. Now he’s shut down parts of the government to get his wall even though wiser heads know it will not make the country safer, will not much deter illegal immigration, will do nothing to solve the expired visa epidemic, and will cost a fortune.

So 400,000 people are furloughed without pay, and another 400,000 or so keep working without pay. All for the wrong solution to the wrong problem at the wrong place.

A campaign memory trick converted to policy will just be a monument to ignorance.

Crime & Rescue ROBBERY SUSPECTS TRACKED DOWN Kalkaska County Sheriff’s deputies followed tracks in the snow from one house to another and arrested two suspects for an armed robbery.

At 2:37pm Jan. 8 a 33-year-old Clearwater Township resident reported that he’d been robbed at gunpoint and assaulted with a blunt object. The man said the thieves stole cash and firearms.

Deputies spotted footprints in the snow and followed them to a house a mile away; there, the deputies found the stolen property and arrested two suspects — Joshua Michael Young, 34, and Kyle Allen Larocque, 20.

A woman at the house was also taken to jail because she had warrants out for her arrest.

The victim was treated and released from the hospital.

MEN FIGHT AFTER MINOR CRASH A teenager was arrested after two men got into a fight following a minor traffic crash.

A neighbor who witnessed the fight on Yarrow Trail in Garfield Township called 911 at 8:43pm Jan. 4. Grand Traverse County Sheriff’s deputies responded and interviewed the two drivers, a 19-year-old and a 41-year-old who were acquainted with each other prior to the crash.

The 19-year-old told police he slid past a driveway and was backing up when the other driver rear-ended him; the 41-year-old told deputies that he slid into the vehicle as it was making a U-turn in front of him.

The older driver said that the 19-year-old then purposely rammed his vehicle after he pulled over to the side of the road, said Capt.

Randy Fewless.

That apparently caused both drivers to get out of their cars and fight. There were no significant injuries, and no medical attention was needed.

Witnesses told deputies that after the fight, the 19-year-old got back into his car and backed into a third vehicle, causing damage.

The teenager was arrested for malicious destruction of property and driving without insurance.

HOT POKER ASSAULT ALLEGED A man got upset with a female neighbor on New Year’s Eve, heated up a fire poker, and used it to burn her arm and leg.

Nicholas Ryan Matthew, 30, faces charges of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and assault with a dangerous weapon; he was held on a $75,000 bond after he was charged Jan. 3.

The 29-year-old woman told Michigan State Police that she was with Matthew at Interlochen’s The Fireplace Inn around 5pm when he became upset and put a rod into a fire, letting it heat up for five minutes. Next, she said he wrestled her to the ground and burned her arm and leg, according to the charges. A friend of the woman intervened.

State police investigated, and Matthew was arrested later that day.

by patrick sullivan psullivan@northernexpress.com

WOMAN KILLED IN CRASH An 81-year-old Glen Arbor woman was killed after she failed to stop at a stop sign on M-72 and was broadsided by an oncoming car.

Suzanne Herendeen was taken to Munson Medical Center, where she died from her injuries.

Leelanau County Sheriff’s deputies responded at 7:54am Jan. 8 to M-72 at Benzonia Trail in Empire Township, where they found two vehicles that had suffered extensive damage.

The second driver, a 31-year-old Empire man, was also taken to Munson with non-lifethreatening injuries.

Deputies determined that the man was headed west on M-72 when Herendeen drove into the intersection from Benzonia Trail without stopping.

ALLEGED GROPER JAILED State police arrested a registered sex offender after a 31-year-old woman reported that he groped her at a gas station.

The woman alleged that 45-year-old Cheboygan resident Elmer Truman grabbed her buttocks while she was inside the store of an Alanson gas station Jan. 5. The woman told troopers that Truman is an acquaintance but they have never been involved in a romantic relationship, according to a press release.

Truman was found at his home in Cheboygan and arrested; he faces a charge of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct in Emmet County.

After 5pm, officers were called to Family Fare on Eighth Street to investigate two men suspected of shoplifting. O’Brien said the men consented to be searched, and officers found no merchandise in their possession, so they were let go. One of the suspects was the same 35-year-old almost arrested an hour earlier.

“I’M ROLLING DIRTY” A speeding drunk man driving a stolen car without a license but with an open alcoholic beverage refused to pull over when a police officer tried to stop him.

The 47-year-old Traverse City man was clocked going 70mph at 1:10pm Jan. 8 on Garfield Road. After the East Bay Township community police officer started a pursuit, the driver turned onto Salon Road, which is gravel, and continued at 50mph until he lost control and hit a tree.

The officer asked the driver why he didn’t stop, and the man replied, “I’m rolling dirty,” apparently a reference to the stolen car, the drinking, and the fact that he had at least three previous drunk-driving convictions and no license or insurance.

A field test confirmed the man had a blood-alcohol level of .127. He was taken to jail and is expected to face numerous criminal charges.

emmet cheboygan

ACCUSED SHOPLIFTER AVOIDS ARREST A would-be shoplifter who helped himself to $8 worth of snacks while hanging out at a gas station was bailed out by a good Samaritan.

Traverse City Police were called to the Marathon gas station on Eighth Street just before 4pm Jan. 5 to investigate a shoplifting complaint, Chief Jeff O’Brien said. The suspect had eaten the snacks in the store and had no money to pay for them, but a customer intervened and paid on behalf of the 35-yearold.

Nonetheless, the homeless man was wanted on an Otsego County warrant for an unpaid traffic violation. Officers heard nothing back from Otsego County, however, so they let him go after 20 minutes.

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Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 7

MODERN ELDERS opinion

bY Mary Keyes Rogers Each of us has a role to play in keeping young professionals in our region. In my case, it’s a matter of returning a favor granted to me when I was a young professional.

volunteer himself into my professionally challenging situation. I’m impressed that he even took the time to find my circumstances of any interest.

There is a new business term: modern elder.

Like other cultures hold their elders in high esteem, digital tech companies filled with young workers have found the value of balancing their workforce with these more experienced modern elders who have wisdom in the softer business skills often found lacking in some millennials.

We met for lunch, and he explained that my next position would be the most important of my career, that it was imperative to make a significant jump in status and salary from the one I just left. If not, I would be damaged goods. He was very direct — no sugarcoating on his message. I was in deep career trouble, and “we” needed to move quickly.

As we try to attract and keep younger professional people in northern Michigan, we more mature and experienced men and women can be an asset complementing their skills.

My experience with a modern elder begins with my own #MeToo story. This story isn’t about sexual harassment in the workplace.

Rather, it is about a more seasoned professional extending a hand down the ladder to one younger and less experienced.

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My situation had played out rather publicly with the “real story” visible only to those who could read between the lines. Everyone was asking me why in the world I was leaving such a great job, and I was left short on answers, given the terms of my separation agreement.

And then my modern elder arrived, by telephone.

“Hello, this is Robert Magill calling. I would like to speak to … ” I did not know this man. I had never heard his name. But he knew mine and had found my home phone number. Mr. Magill had been following the stories in the newspaper about my work and sudden departure from my job.

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Twenty-five years ago, something quite unexpected resulted from my experience of walking away from a great job that I loved with a “hush money” check in hand. (At that time, such money was a victory, but that’s a topic for another time.)

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1120 CARVER STREET, TRAVERSE CITY 231 946-0789 8 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

He introduced himself as the retired vice president of industry and governmental relations at General Motors. “Mary, only an idiot would read the stories about you and not see the truth of what happened there.

I don’t know the exact details, and I don’t want to. I won’t ask. But it is obvious to me that somebody over there screwed up, and you took the fall. For such a young person, you have conducted yourself with grace and poise under immense pressure.”

Robert Magill had something I did not. He had experience. He had started his career in 1955 as an assistant tax director at General Motors, advancing over the years to be named GM’s first vice president of industry and government relations. He had seen careers made and careers lost.

Robert Magill became my savior and my mentor. His extensive contacts in business and the nonprofit sectors were deep. He helped me to clarify my career goals, identify the best next position on that path, and then he worked his contacts, which got me immediate interviews and ultimately a job. My salary doubled, and I was soon working for a prestigious organization, doing important work, and making valuable contacts of my own.

Why did he do it? Whenever I tell this story I get asked the same question. “Did he hit on you?” No, he did not. What he asked for was that I stay in touch and keep him posted on my career.

He was a good man who helped a young person. He remained relevant by helping me in my career, advising me when I made my next career move — this time without his connections. Now I can appreciate how happy it had made him to use his wisdom and contacts to help somebody early in their career.

As we try to attract and keep younger professional people in northern Michigan, we more mature and experienced men and women can be an asset complementing their skills. It doesn’t take much to reach out as Mr. Magill did, and they don’t need to be front page news.

“Mary, if you’ll allow me, I’d like to help you.”

Let’s show more interest in and support of our younger colleagues and neighbors by simply reaching out and showing interest.

We need to let young people know that we see them and would like to support them as needed. Be a modern elder.

Just. Like. That.

A final word to millennials: Ask.

Imagine it. This retired executive reads a few newspaper stories about a 30-year old whose career is headed for the toilet, and he decides to skip his golf game at the country club to

Mary Keyes Rogers is a freelance writer and business consultant based in Traverse City. She hosts and produces The Experience 50 Podcast for Midlife. Contact: mary@experience50.com

And then, he said the magic words.

Regifted?

Rakhi Desai of Houston didn’t think much at first of the gift she brought home from a white elephant party in midDecember -- a brown stuffed bear with a stitched-on heart. As she looked it over later, Desai noticed the words “Neptune Society” stitched on its foot “and then I started to feel, and it’s almost like little pebbles or rocks” inside, she told KTRK-TV. That’s when it hit her: The bear was filled with someone’s cremated remains. The friend who brought the bear to the gift exchange got it at an estate sale, so Desai called the Neptune Society, hoping to reunite the bear with the family it belongs to, but the organization doesn’t track the bears. However, there is a name on the bear’s tag, and Desai is hoping to find the owner through that. “(T)his bear is very special to somebody and belongs in somebody’s family,” she said.

Weird Roundup On Christmas Day, Deadspin.com shared a “verbatim” list from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission of emergency room visits paid by Americans who inserted items into various body parts, and shouldn’t have. An edited sampling: Into the ear: “Popcorn kernels in both ears, ‘feeds her ears because her ears are hungry’”; “Was cleaning ear with Q-Tip, accidentally walked into a wall, pushed Q-Tip into ear”; “Placed crayon in ear on a dare.” Into the nose: “Sneezed and a computer keyboard key came out right nostril, sneezed again and another one almost came out”; pool noodle; piece of steak; sex toy.

Into the throat: mulch; “Swallowed a quarter while eating peanuts”; plastic toy banana. And finally, into the rectum: “Significant amount of string”; cellphone; Christmas ornament ball; “Jumped on bed, toothbrush was on bed and went up patient’s rectum.”

Likely Story Vanessa Elizabeth Helfant, 38, of Knoxville, Tennessee, floated a “dog bites man” defense at her DUI hearing on Dec. 13, arguing that several parked cars struck her on March 25, 2017. The jury, however, didn’t buy her story after hearing evidence: Witnesses at the scene followed Helfant to her destination, and when officers arrived and knocked on the door, Helfant called 911 to report people knocking on her door.

WATE reported that she eventually admitted that she had drunk half a pint of vodka and smoked marijuana. Helfant, who had no prior offenses, was convicted and faces at least 48 hours in jail and her license will be suspended for a year.

Which Witch?

Tiffany Butch, 33, of Timmins, Ontario, Canada, may go down in history not for her psychic gifts, but for being the last person ever charged in Canada with “pretending to practice witchcraft.” On Dec. 11, Butch, whose nickname is the White Witch of the North, was charged under Section 365 of the Criminal Code for demanding money in return for lifting a curse. Two days later, that law was repealed. Marc Depatie, spokesperson for the Timmons police force, said Butch gave a customer “a sense of foreboding that a dreadful thing was about to happen to their family ...” But Butch denies the charge, saying other psychics framed her.

“People proclaimed me a witch here and

gave me a nickname, but I’m not a witch.

I’m a psychic,” she told CBC News. Butch is scheduled to appear in court on Jan. 22.

Weird Science On Jan. 1, Camron Jean-Pierre, an 11-year-old Brooklyn, New York, boy, lost his life after apparently suffering an allergic reaction to the smell of the fish his family was cooking for dinner, reported the New York Daily News. His parents used an unspecified medical device to try to help him, but he lost consciousness and emergency services were called. Camron was taken to Brookdale Hospital, but he couldn’t be revived.

Scientists have noted that people with food allergies can react strongly to odors from food, and inhaling these odors can cause extreme asthmatic reactions.

People Different From Us Asparagus is healthy and delicious. But for 63-year-old Jemima Packington of Bath, England, the columnar vegetable is much more: Packington is an asparamancer, a person who can foretell the future by tossing the spears into the air and seeing how they land. “When I cast the asparagus, it creates patterns and it is the patterns I interpret,” Packington said. “I am usually about 75 to 90 percent accurate.” In fact, out of 13 predictions she made for 2018, 10 of them came true.

What’s in store for 2019? Packington tells Metro News that England’s women’s soccer team will win the World Cup; “A Star Is Born” will win an Oscar; and fears over Brexit will be largely unfounded. Oh, and asparagus will see an all-time high in sales.

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Overreactions Alarmed neighbors in Perth, Australia, called police after hearing a child screaming and a man repeatedly shouting, “Why don’t you die?!” on Jan. 1, according to the Evening Standard. Multiple units of officers arrived at the property, only to learn that the unnamed man, an extreme arachnophobe, had been trying to kill a spider. His wife confirmed to police that her child had been screaming, and her husband apologized to police for the confusion. The spider didn’t survive.

Weapon of Choice Rogelio Tapia, 26, was arrested in Des Moines, Iowa, on Dec. 31 after a dispute at a QuikTrip around 3 a.m. The store clerk and witnesses told police Tapia chased the clerk around the store and assaulted him with a banana after the clerk tried to intervene in a domestic situation. According to KCCI, Tapia caused about $1,000 in damage; he was charged with assault and third-degree criminal mischief.

Bright Idea If super-sharp shears snipping near your ears isn’t enough of a rush, you might want to visit Madrid, Spain, and the salon of Alberto Olmedo, who uses ninja swords and blowtorches to cut hair. Claiming his approach is inspired by Renaissance tradition, Olmedo told Euronews that swords allow a hairdresser to cut hair from both sides of the head at once, resulting in a more even finish. He started perfecting the skill when he became “disillusioned with scissors.” Olmedo also offers a cut with claws worn on the ends of his fingers, and plans are in the works to bring lasers into his work.

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 9

The Great White North Way

Broadway might be 800+ miles away, but if you dream of stardom — or just taking in a show — auditions and audience opportunities abound.

By Ross Boissoneau If the play’s the thing, as Hamlet said, then audiences around the region are in luck. A host of local community groups stage dramas, comedies, and musicals throughout the year, in venues from high schools and churches to dedicated theaters and even restaurants. Whether you want to strut your stuff or watch your neighbors showcase theirs, there’s a play — and place — for you somewhere. Check out: Benzie County Players The Benzie County Players were founded in 1980, an offshoot of two plays put on to benefit Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital.

The amateur performers were so pleased with their success they decided to form an organization dedicated to play production and open to all people interested in any aspect of the theatre.

The group has been ongoing since that time, though membership fluctuates. It currently puts on one show per year, though member Rachel Stoltz said they’d like to do two or three. This April brings “Boeing Boeing,” and Stoltz is hopeful for another one in the fall. Shows are typically held at either Grow Benzie or the Mills Community House.

Stoltz said the group’s income comes from ticket sales, though it is looking into acquiring sponsors and becoming a

nonprofit. Stoltz said she and the other members of the troupe are hoping to bring in more people and revive the group.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the group can go to its Facebook page.

Cadillac Footliters The Cadillac Footliters are a hardy group, having lost one home and sold another. They hope the third time is the charm, as they look to raise $1.6 million for a new theater. Joe Baumann, president of the Footliters, said a new and permanent space has long been a dream, and the group is working toward that goal.

The Footliters began in 1964, when a group of theatre enthusiasts purchased the Old Center Theatre building downtown. An electrical fire destroyed the building in November 1990, and despite the loss of all sets, props, costumes, and memorabilia, the members soldiered on, meeting in homes, churches, and schools.

Currently there are 48 paid members of the organization, though many others contribute toward the productions.

In 1992, the Footliters purchased and renovated the First Christian Church. In the summer of 2004, the group sold the property to another church congregation. The organization purchased property a block north of its original location and is now working to raise funds for a new building similar to the original.

10 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

In the meantime, the Footliters continue to present offerings at Cadillac High School and other locations. It has five productions slated for 2019, including one for the Footliters Junior Players. Over 3,000 people attended the adult shows, and more than 1,500 attended its juniors production in its last full season. The Footliters budget is less than $40,000 a year, derived from community underwriters of productions (which includes program advertising), memberships, grants, ticket revenue, and other sources.

Elk Rapids Players The Elk Rapids Players was formed by Rob Ford and Karen Haspas in 2009 as a fundraising support arm for the Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall Association (HERTHA), where the plays are staged. The organization’s first production was “The Odd Couple” and it has produced two plays per year since, typically in May and November.

The core of the Elk Rapids Players is a group of about 10 people, but there are open auditions for every show. In addition to stage productions, the organization hosts a Community Trivia Night on the second Friday of each winter month to provide entertainment and raise more money for the hall. To date, its shows and games have raised well over $50,000 for HERTHA.

Gaylord Community Productions Gaylord Community Productions began in1995 when theatre enthusiasts Sandy Gartelman and Sandy Glasby decided to put on a show to benefit the new Gornick Auditorium at Gaylord High School. The Music Man raised $17,000 toward the auditorium fund for air conditioning.

GCP offers one stage production each year in the summer (the only time the group can use Gornick Auditorium).

Approximately 100 volunteers play a part in the productions, including actors, the musical director, choreographer, set designer, lighting designer, sound technician, stage managers, and carpenters. The group’s next show is Peter Pan in August 2019.

GCP also serves as a resource for costumes and related advice for area schools and organizations. GCP supports participation in many area children’s programs. One of the goals of GCP is to provide scholarships for individuals who plan to study the performing arts and expand their knowledge of the many facets of live theatre.

In addition to ticket sales for its annual show, the group raises money from a variety of activities, including a murder mystery show, a community stroll, and even a tea party.

Glen Arbor Players The Glen Arbor Players began life in 2011 as the Readers’ Theatre, part of

the Glen Arbor Arts Center. In a readers theatre, the actors read from the scripts, with minimal lighting, costuming, and sound effects adding to the atmosphere of an oldtime radio show being performed live, rather than an actual theatrical play.

While that was the group’s original modus operandi, it has broadened its approach to include full theatrical performances as well.

It has also split off from the Glen Arbor Arts Center, according to Pete LaPlaca, the head of the Glen Arbor Players Steering Committee. That was due in large part to the renovation of the GAAC facility, which prompted the group to find a new home: It now performs at the Glen Lake Community Reformed Church.

LaPlaca said the troupe, which now draws from Frankfort, Empire, and Traverse City, as well as Glen Arbor, is working toward nonprofit status. The group performs at least four times per year, with two performances scheduled for this coming summer, one in October and one in December. Tickets are free, though the Players take donations at performances, with additional funding coming through donations or advertising. LaPlaca said the group owns its own light and sound equipment and is financially sound.

Leelanau Players In 1976, several Leelanau County residents got together at the Bay Theatre in Suttons Bay to perform the Bicentennial play “In Pursuit Of Liberty” by local author and playwright Greg Kelsch. The Leelanau Players formally organized the following year.

Throughout its 40-plus years, the theatrical group has performed at numerous locales in the area, including the Bay Theatre, the Northport Community Arts Center, Old Art Building, the Leland Library, and Glen Lake and Leelanau Schools. It has done dinner theatre shows at Samuel’s Restaurant, the Leland Lodge, the Bluebird in Leland, the VI Grill in Suttons Bay and the Manor on Glen Lake.

Tickets are free, though the group accepts donations at performances.

The Players generally present two shows a year, one in the spring and another near Christmas. It is a non-profit organization governed by a board, with a president, treasurer, secretary and members-at-large.

Those interested can contact the group through its Facebook page, or come to meetings or auditions; those are posted on the Facebook page.

Little Traverse Civic Theatre Little Traverse Civic Theatre was born in 1945 when a group of volunteers organized an acting troupe under the name Petoskey Little Theatre. In January 1946, the troupe presented its first play, “You Can’t Take it With You.” The group went on to present an average of three plays a year. The name was changed to Little Traverse Civic Theatre during a 1960-62 reorganization, when it was chartered as a Michigan non-profit corporation and later as a federal 501(c)3 corporation.

In May 1981, LTCT became a tenant of the newly opened Crooked Tree Arts Center. The relationship with Crooked Tree Arts Center continues today with a lease that runs until 2020. LTCT Performs there four times a year (spring, summer, fall and winter) and at other Petoskey area venues from time to time.

To become a voting member one must pay for a membership. Currently there are 63 voting members and many more volunteers.

Dues and ticket sales are the main source of income, along with program advertising, corporate sponsors and donations.

Manistee Civic Players The Manistee Civic Players organized in 1939 and produced several plays before a wartime hiatus in 1941, which continued until 1952. In 1964 it ended the summer stock program, which used outside professional talent, and began a year-round season of locally produced shows.

In 1974 the MCP leased the theatre portion of the Ramsdell Theatre from the City of Manistee and took on the management of the entire structure until 2007. During the restoration period of the early 1990s thru 2007, the Civic Players oversaw and organized restoration efforts, securing funding for them, as well as organizing volunteers and management of the day-today operations, events, and shows.

Four productions are scheduled for each season of 2019. These productions are typically presented at the Manistee High School Auditorium. The group also conducts workshops, studio productions, children’s plays and student drama classes.

Get Your Live Theater Fix! You can take a trip to Lansing, Detroit, or Chicago to see the latest plays or musicals — or you can save a bundle of time and money and take in a great performance minutes from home. The North’s calendar is stacked with opportunities: Arts Academy Theatre Co. “The Children’s Hour,” Apr. 12 & 13 Phoenix Theatre, Interlochen “Tartuffe,” Apr. 19 & 20 Harvey Theatre, Interlochen

Northport Players Karen Cross proposed the idea of dinner theatre to the Northport Community Arts Center and directed its first four productions in 2015–2018. The group performs one show each year in February at Tucker’s of Northport. This year’s presentation is Neil Simon’s comedy “Last of the Red Hot Lovers” on Feb. 1–3 and 8–10. There are only 70 seats per performance, so folks need to get their tickets early. (231-386-5001 to buy tickets.)

Joe Thatcher, president of the Northport Players, said the group is also working to build up the human resources to produce a larger-scale play or musical in the summer.

That will involve both more on-stage and off-stage talent, and he said the company is always looking for people who enjoy working as stagehands, directors, stage managers, costumers, prop people, and the like.

Most of its funding comes from ticket sales, from donations by patrons to our Performing Artists’ Fund, from individual and business sponsors of specific events, and from ad sales in our playbill. It also receives funding from the Leelanau Township Community Foundation, both through their Northport Community Arts Center Endowment Fund and through grants for specific projects.

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” May 10–12 Corson Auditorium, Interlochen

Traverse City Civic Players The Traverse City Civic Players formed in April 1960 when Elnora Milliken, who had earlier founded the Traverse Symphony Orchestra, gathered Interlochen faculty and 40 local theatre buffs to stage the play “You Can’t Take It with You” at a local school. The Players’ home stage moved from the high school to the Park Place Dome, then home to the now-defunct Cherry County Playhouse, then shared space at the First Christian Church before purchasing it in 1975.

Old Town Playhouse has been home to community theatre ever since — though not without challenges. In 1998, new fire code restrictions forced the theatre to close while it faced more than $350,000 in required improvements. A major capital campaign in 1999 allowed it to undergo renovations to meet safety codes.

Today the Old Town Playhouse season runs annually from September through May, with a variety of productions and a seasonal attendance ranging from 20,000 to 23,000 patrons. Performance areas include a 277-seat mainstage auditorium and an 80seat studio theatre. The Young Company (formerly known as the Traverse City Children’s Theatre) provides performance and educational activities for youth from preschool through college.

Little Traverse Civic Players “Pride and Prejudice,” April 25–28 and May 2–4 Ross Stoakes Theatre at Crooked Tree Art Center, Petoskey

Benzie County Players “Boeing Boeing” May 3–5 Mills House, Benzonia Cadillac Footliters “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime,” Jan. 25, 26; Feb. 1, 2 Cadillac Elks Club “Shrek, the Musical” (CF Junior Players), Apr. 12–13, 19–20 “Company,” June 7–8, 14–15 Cadillac High School Auditorium Elk Rapids Players Neil Simon’s “Rumors,” May 3–5, 10–12 Historic Elk Rapids Town Hall Gaylord Community Productions “Peter Pan,” Aug. 1–4 Gornick Auditorium Glen Arbor Players “Born Yesterday,” June 14–15 Glen Lake Community Reformed Church.

Interlochen Center for the Arts “Peg + Cat Live!” Feb. 22 Corson Auditorium

Northport Players “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers,” Feb. 1–3, 8–10 Tucker’s of Northport Traverse City Civic Players “Fun Home,” Jan. 11–13, 17–20, 24–26 “Moon Over Buffalo,” March 1–3, 7–10, 14–16 “The Who’s Tommy,” Apr. 26–28; May 2–5, 9–12, 16–18 Old Town Playhouse mainstage “Sylvia,” Feb. 1–3, 7–10, 14–16 “Marjorie Prime,” March 29–31; Apr. 4–7, Apr. 11–13 Studio Theatre, TC West Shore Community College “Little Shop of Horrors,” Feb. 22–24, March 1–3 Center Stage Theatre Ramsdell Theatre “WWII Tribute: The Ernie Pyle Show,” May 18 Know of a play or musical we missed? Email info@northernexpress.com, and we’ll add it to the list at www.northernexpress.com.

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 11

Old Town Playhouse presents

Parallel 45’s Latest Coup

TONY AWARD WINNER Best Musical!

An open-air theater, just in time for summer

Music by Jeanine Tesori Book and Lyrics by Lisa Kron Based on the Graphic Novel by Alison Bechdel

January 11th - 26th 231.947.2210 oldtownplayhouse.com Elk Rapids Antique Market

New season, new shows, and a new venue make this summer a big one for Parallel 45, the professional Traverse City-based theater company that brings high-caliber actors and production and tech pros from around the world (and northern Michigan) to stage innovative new and classic works.

Recently, the theatre group reached an agreement with Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation to refurbish its Civic Center Park amphitheater. For four weeks this summer, the company will host three rotating shows on its stage.

The shows will take place under a “saddlespan” tent that will protect cast, crew and theatergoers from all but the most inclement weather. The company also will install professional lighting and sound equipment. The new venue will seat 148 people.

From July 11 through Aug. 4, three plays will rotate: “Hair,” “Little Bunny Foo Foo,” and “Stupid F---- Bird,” loosely adapted from Chekhov’s “The Seagull.” The casts for the shows will draw from the same set of actors.

“Hair” is vocal and dance — how does that work with “Stupid Bird” and a children’s show?

That’s a puzzle for the artistic director and set,” said Parallel 45 Executive Director Erin Whiting.

It’s a puzzle she said the actors and crew are comfortable solving. Whiting said there are efficiencies in having a cast that morphs from one role to another, principally in terms of finances. Rather than bringing in new groups for every play, they keep the same people in different roles. It will also allow P45 to have more than one performance in a day, providing more opportunities for audiences that might only be in the area for a brief time, or for locals to see all three efforts at different times.

Whiting said that also makes actors more available, as larger markets typically follow a fall-tospring season. That’s much the same model as used in decades past by Cherry County Playhouse, a summer stock theater founded in 1955 by former summer Northport resident and early star of The Guiding Light (when it was a radio soap opera), Ruth Bailey. until 1990, when it moved to Muskegon.

Whiting is hopeful that audiences will embrace the opportunity to enjoy the summer while taking in these cultural offerings, perhaps picnicking prior to the show and enjoying the Civic Center. Tickets are on sale now at www.mynorth.com.

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Can One Live By Reason Alone?

Bill’s statement In a word, no. Some try to contrast reason and faith, suggesting they form two mutually exclusive world views, scientific and theological. However, they are mistaken.

Faith and reason are inseparable. Moreover, there’s a reason theology is queen of the sciences. It’s the only rational world view, engaging the mystery of life beyond what science discovers.

Most people of faith are reasonable, given the informaRev. Dr. William C. Myers tion they use to make decisions. Even those who celebrate Senior Pastor Festivus have their reasons! Scott and I may find them unat Presbyterian satisfactory, but their reasons may yet be reasonable given Church of the context in which their decisions are made. Likewise, Traverse City most reasonable people, even those who don’t believe in God, rely on a certain measure of faith in the evidence or logic they are using to make their decisions.

If you’re reading this column, you made a conscious choice to do so. Was your choice based on reason or faith? You believed it was worth your time to read this column. You might have had your reasons. Perhaps you A LOCAL PASTOR have read previous columns. You might have been referred by friends. You might have found the title captivating.

Whatever your reasons, you read the column. You created a hypothesis. You gathered evidence. You performed the experiment. Your hypothesis was either proven or disproven. Either way, the process began with a step of faith. You believed you should read the column.

Life is filled with these moments where reason and faith abide together. We can’t escape them. We make a conscious choice to get out of bed, believing it’s better than sleeping late. We may have countless good reasons to believe this.

But we won’t know for sure until the day is over. Even then, our perspective may change, based on new information coming with another new day. We may have our reasons, but the choice to rise was made on faith.

“Come let us reason together,’ says the Lord.” Sounds reasonable to me!

Scott’s statement No. And why would anyone want to? The topic provides an opportunity to quash a persistent misconception. We atheists and advocates for the usefulness of rational thinking seem to continually need to rebut the idea that we eschew emotion and experiences of the heart. We don’t; we embrace them. Richness, joy, and meaning in our lives come from emotional engagement with everything around us.

Scott Blair I usually resist using the word “spiritual.” It implies susBlair is a conceptibility to supernatural beliefs that I disclaim. However, sultant in the one meaning of the word “spirit” is “essence.” So, a person wastewater treatwho is deeply interested in the essence of being human or ment field and the workings of the universe can be thought of as a “spiritupresident of the al” person. Sometimes when thinking about nature, perhaps Grand Traverse Humanists. while also experiencing it directly and sensually, I may feel a rush of wordless awareness and awe. I am tempted to describe those moments with another word that carries too much baggage for comfortable use by some atheists: it is a feeling of “transcendence.” There is no contradiction; I am describing a feeling, not something ATHEIST DEBATE supernatural.

Atheists appreciate rationality and dispassionate inquiry when they are the right tools for the job; they’re for discerning what is true. One can’t just “feel” truth. Intuition has survival value because it’s fast, saves energy, and generates resolve, but intuition can be sloppy. We often need to override what we feel to get to what is true. “Trust your feelings” is bad advice for deciding how to treat cancer, or whether a collection of ancient writings is a message to humankind from a supernatural being. Use reason in determination of facts but let the heart reign everywhere else.

Religious people sometimes feel attacked by atheists because we criticize beliefs central to their identity. In reaction, the believer might assume atheists lack something essential, thus preventing us from accessing the “truth” that they feel.

I think this is the root of the misconception that atheists choose cold rationality over the heart. Actually, we appreciate the value of both in their place.

CROSSED

Scott’s reply Bill asserts that everyone, atheists included, live by faith. This allows him to regard our very different ways of understanding as equivalent. He commits the fallacy of equivocation (blurring distinctions between two meanings of a word).

Labeling everyday evidence-based predictions as “faith” does not make them comparable to religious faith. The expectation that your car will start is a rational prediction. Whether it starts or not, no rules of nature will have been violated. If it doesn’t start, you’ll use rational processes in determining why. It is the inviolable reliability of nature that allows us to make such predictions. In contrast, religious faith can mean coaxing oneself to believe culturally passed-down claims that are incompatible with how nature behaves.

Reason alone doesn’t make a complete life, but religious faith is not the complement to it.

AND A LOCAL

Bills’s reply As a trombone player, I’m a paper-hanging side man. That means I’ve never been good at improvising. My sheet music is on my stand (hence, the paper hanging). I seldom solo (side man). No one will confuse me with Tommy Dorsey or Glenn Miller, but I’ve had a great time playing. I’m in awe of anyone who can pick up a horn and play. Since I can’t play that way, I suppose I could say, “It’s an illusion, a trick — no one can simply pick up a horn and start playing without sheet music.” But that would be foolish. Just because I don’t have that gift doesn’t mean others can’t have it. Faith is much the same. While everyone lives by faith, there are those who don’t believe in God. They don’t see God as clearly as people who do. Like Scott, they assume God is an illusion, a feeling, a trick, something beyond reason. That’s their right, but it doesn’t make it true. When one looks at all the evidence, God’s existence seems pretty clear.

Agree statement Scott and Bill agree we cannot live by reason alone. There are matters of the heart. Reason and heart each have their place when making life’s choices.

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 13

An LSP burger with deluxe fixings and egg

John Cross whitefish with slaw and waffle fries

Boyne City’s Lake Street Pub Uptown hometown food, sports, billiards, and beer. Oh, and kid friendly too. Welcome to your new home away from home.

By Geri Dietze Boyne City is a restaurant town, and breaking into an established market might seem daunting, but after eight short months, Lake Street Pub already has a feeling of permanence. Opening in late May 2018, LSP began operations with everything in place: contemporary ambiance, professional wait staff, crave-inducing menu, a convivial bar, and entertainments for every age.

“The word is starting to spread, and our patronage is only growing,” says general manager Jessica Mulvaney.

A LOOK INSIDE In a freshly renovated building, part of a larger project that replaced a block of tired, underused storefronts, Lake Street Pub pays homage to industrial style: clean lines, natural brick and wood, generous windows, and an open ceiling with exposed trusses and ductwork. Tables are large and long with ample space for groups to spread out. LSP is cozy enough for a date but big enough for groups of 40. The rear seating area offers comfortable, curved banquettes, a softening counterpoint to the massive garage-style glass door that dominates the opposite wall. The door is raised in the summer, opening out to the patio, creating dramatic and comfortable al fresco dining. Umbrella tables protect against sun and the occasional shower, and overhead, an industrial-style pergola defines the space. “Our patio offers an amazing fireplace and views of sunsets over beautiful Lake Charlevoix,” Mulvaney says.

LET’S EAT! Overheard during lunch: “This is the best Cobb salad I’ve ever had.”

Such praise is the norm at LSP. Pub food is casual, yes, but the best pub fare is made to exacting standards with thoughtfully sourced ingredients. “I’m proud to say that we let the dishes and the quality of the products speak for themselves,” says chef Dylan Percy. The LSP philosophy says it all: Simple food, made with care, using local ingredients when it makes sense. “We use local honey and vinegars to dress our local organic green salads. We use Michiganmade caraway sauerkraut for our famous

hickory-smoked pork shoulder and whole brined-smoked-and-braised corned beef brisket. In fact, LSP was named Boyne Business Expo & Taste of Boyne’s People’s Choice Winner of 2018 based on its Pulled Pork Sandwich with Sweet Mustard Iceberg Slaw. The Pub’s Reuben is tender, flavorful, and big enough to share.

Picking a customer favorite is difficult, but beyond the award-winning Pulled Pork and the famous Reuben, popular items include the Fried Cheese Curds; Wings;

“The biggest burger I’ve sold had 22 patties on it, and the customer has a spot in our kitchen on the wall of fame.”

Reuben sandwiches. We feature a rotation of locally made mustards only found here at the Pub.” Percy stresses rigorous quality as a guideline for the menu. “You can come in any day of the week and get a 10-ounce hand-cut prime sirloin steak. Not select, not choice, but prime,” he says. “The same piece of meat is also butchered into a beautiful roast with only fresh garlic, salt, and pepper to create our amazing Cheese Steak Sandwich.”

“Our whitefish is delivered fresh from John Cross Fisheries in Charlevoix, and our bacon comes from Plath’s [Meats, in Rogers City and Petoskey],” he adds. “I guess the overall message is, if you’re going to make amazing food, you absolutely need to start with the best product.”

The workhorse of the kitchen is a small portable smoker which turns out a rich,

14 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

Fried Brussels sprouts with balsamic, bacon, and almonds; the Club Sandwich; pub salad, and the aforementioned turkey Cobb salad. For kiddos: Hot picks are the mac and cheese, the chicken strips, and a giant pancake served with syrup.

The Pub burgers are an example of the build your own restaurant trend. “Our basic burger starts with two 2-ounce groundchuck patties, two slices of American cheese, and house seasoning on a soft toasted Kaiser bun sourced from an amazing New York deli,” Percy explains. “But beyond that, it’s a starting vessel for a flavor bomb.” Actually, if there’s an ingredient in Chef Dylan’s kitchen, chances are good you can put it on your burger: cheeses, smoked meats, bacon jam, egg, grilled peppers, a hot dog (you read that right), and even a pancake can go on top of a Pub burger.

“We have a lot fun with this, and trust me, we’ve seen some ridiculous combinations!”

Chef Dylan says. “The biggest burger I’ve sold had 22 patties on it, and the customer has a spot in our kitchen on the wall of fame.”

Another BYO item is the ultra creamy and delicious mac and cheese, a perfect vehicle for chicken, Plath’s bacon, smoked pork, grilled steak, or shrimp.

WHAT’S ON TAP? Lake Street Pub has a long, comfortable bar with 26 craft and domestic beers. Says manager Jessica Mulvaney: “We have the tried and true domestics including PBR, Bud Light, and Miller Lite, and we also have a great rotating selection of specialty craft beers. Currently, we are proud to be one of the few places in northern Michigan to have Founder’s CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout), on tap.” Wines, spirits and soft drinks are offered to the non-beer crowd.

GAMES PEOPLE PLAY In true pub fashion, LSP aims to appeal to everyone: Three large-screen televisions are always tuned to sporting events. The game room has a pool table, pinball machine, and a Centipede/Millipede/Let’s Go Bowling/ Missile Command arcade game. There are puzzles for the toddlers and board games for all ages. Coming soon: a pub-appropriate dart board.

Jessica Mulvaney explains the simple premise behind LSP. “Our intent is to create an Up North culture that is warm and welcoming — where we have something for everyone to enjoy, from our locals, to our seasonal residents, to our tourist guests. We want all age groups to feel comfortable and hang out at Lake Street Pub.”

Wanna Laugh?

Here’s where to go, comics to see

By Ross Boissoneau If laughter is indeed the best medicine, then folks in northern Michigan must be feeling pretty good. From open mic nights to shows by regional and national comics, the laughs just keep coming.

Chris O’Non is a veteran of the local scene, though he has morphed more into a comedy producer than performer. His Sips and Giggles shows, pairing comedy with Leelanau Peninsula Wines, take place at venues across the area. The most recent was a sold-out New Years Eve show at ECCO with David Dyer. “I focus on bringing in nationally touring comedians,” he says.

He’ll occasionally open one of his shows, though he prefers to let other local comedians have that opportunity. “There are a lot more shows than a year ago,” he says of the local scene.

Jeremy West concurred. He, too, books and performs. “The scene has gotten better, I think,” says West. West says there is a core group of local comics, many of whom show up at open mics at Union Street Station, the Parlor, the Dish and other locations. “Open mics are very important.”

Another popular venue is Studio Anatomy, located in the lower level of the building known as the Arcade on Front Street. While it mostly serves as a recording studio, owner Brian Chamberlain welcomes occasional comics as well as musicians. “I wanted to do shows. We do at least one a month,” he said.

He works with Matt Zerilli and Ben Mack. The two funnymen host and perform as Kamikaze Comedy; Mack’s alter ego Thad Ranger also shows up on social media. “Ben and I started Kamikaze as a collective,” says Zerilli. He was a featured performer for Tom Green at Shakespeare’s Lower Level in Kalamazoo and performed at Gilda’s Laugh Fest in 2017.

In addition to Studio Anatomy, both can be seen at the Parlor and Union Street Station.

And they’re not just doing their thing in Traverse City. “Matt and I both branch out — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Kalamazoo,” says Mack, who performed at The Night before Thanksgiving Show at Mark Ridley’s Comedy Castle and at the 2017 Motor City Comedy Festival.

The twosome is also looking north. “We do a showcase at the Elks in Charlevoix and

Blue Smoke in East Jordan,” says Zerilli. He said they are also talking with a couple venues in Cadillac. “The jokes and PA both travel.”

While solo comics at a mic may be the lifeblood of comedy, they’re not the only ones making people laugh. Traverse City is also home to the long-running improv troupe Good On Paper. “We’re in the middle of our ninth season,” says troupe member David Avis. Originally an offshoot of the Traverse City Civic Players, the group performed at the Studio Theatre at the Depot before splitting off from the Civic Players and moving to Inside Out Gallery. Since that venue’s demise, they’ve been performing at View Nightclub at West Bay Beach.

(They might have to shift locations again; West Bay Beach, a Holiday Inn Resort, was just sold at the turn of the new year — for $23 million — to local investor George Cochran, owner of Northern Building Supply and Air Services Inc. in Traverse City, and Connecticut-based Greenwich Hospitality Group. The property is intended to become a four-star property, Delamar Traverse City.)

As an improvisatory group, Good On Paper’s shows come to life entirely in the moment, without rehearsal or more than a few minutes’ planning. They take audience suggestions and sometimes audience members as well. “[Viewers] can choose their level of involvement: They can watch, make suggestions, or be in the game,” Avis says.

He said the group’s audiences continue to grow and diversify, as longtime enthusiasts bring new friends to the shows. That helps them retain their edge. “They’ll think of something we’ve never heard before. That’s a nice challenge,” says Avis.

A similar troupe in Petoskey … might or might not be resuscitated. The Petoskey Improv Group — The PIT for short, an acronym which also refers to the city’s famous downtown construction hole — put on monthly shows from May 2017 to August 2018 at Red Sky Stage in downtown Petoskey before going on an indefinite hiatus. “[Member] Dean [Tahtinen] went on a trip to Australia and was going to miss some shows,” said Sally McCoy of the group. “We had monthly performances at Red Sky Stage but didn’t pick up a following. Our status is a little up in the air.”

Tahtinen is perhaps a little more optimistic. “We’ve started and stopped many times,” he says. He and McCoy were part of

Laugh and Disorder, a long-standing improv troupe that performed from 2004 through 2009 at the City Park Grill, Blissfest, and the Perry Hotel, before forming The PIT. He is interested in starting it up once again — this time as a fundraising entity for nonprofits, and says the group has discussed that approach in the past.

McCoy is quick to note that there are no ill feelings among the six members of the troupe.

She said they were all together at a Christmas party and had a great time, but their future is unclear. “We’re all friends, and we are funny.

But we don’t know if there’s a future. It’s a lot of work to put together a show.”

While Traverse City remains the epicenter of the Northern-born comedy scene, venues scattered across the region bring in comics, comic troupes, and comedic theatre presentations.

Manistee’s Little River Casino Resort has hosted the likes of Wayne Brady, Jim Belushi, and Craig Ferguson. Jay Leno and the Capitol Steps have appeared at Interlochen Center for the Arts, Lily Tomlin and Kevin Nealon at the City Opera House in Traverse City, Paul Reiser at Bay View. The Second City has appeared at Milliken Auditorium and the Great Lakes Center for the Arts, the latter of which has also hosted Tom Papa.

Rory Baker, who books the outside acts that perform at Interlochen, said he sees comedy as a growth area in this region. “We see tremendous work at the local level with shows at Studio Anatomy, The Parlor, and open mics at Union Street and the Workshop,” said Baker. “Interlochen Presents continues to look for opportunity in presenting comedy at the national level to reinforce local efforts, which included Jim Gaffigan this last summer and NPR’s “Snap Judgment,” and humorist Red Green as featured guest artists during the Performance Arts Series.”

Baker is currently working on booking guest artists for the 2019 Interlochen Arts Festival and the 2019/20 Performance Arts Series. “Both seasons will include comedy as a way to continue serving our patrons, guests and our broader community,” he says Alexandra Myers, the marketing manager at Great Lakes Center for the Arts, said that facility strives to offer diverse experience for its audiences, including comedy. In addition to Papa and Second City, it is bringing in the Capitol Steps Feb. 16. The musical political satirists are performing — wait for it —

President’s Day weekend.

Why comedy? The comics say giving free range to the imagination and cutting loose from the daily doldrums is a gift for them as well as the audience. “It is just a fact that people love to laugh — it makes you feel good!” said Myers.

That extends to the theatre, as many of the local groups perform comedies. Venues like City Opera House and the Ramsdell Theatre bring in comic plays, such as Ed Asner’s turn in “A Man and His Prostate,” which was on stage at the Ramsdell in September.

Most of those involved are optimistic that the scene will continue to grow in Traverse City and expand out from there. “I’m so proud to be a part of the comedy scene as it keeps getting better and better,” says Avis.

For a quick look at upcoming comedy shows in Traverse City, go to www. traversecitycomedy.com.

PENCIL IN SOME GIGGLES Jan. 19, Studio Anatomy: Tim Locke/ Justin Chupp Jan. 16, Studio Anatomy: Sam Rager/ Megan Cottington Feb. 23, Studio Anatomy: Mike O’Keefe March 6, The Parlor: Dave Stone March 9, Elks Charlevoix: Bill Bushart March 16, Studio Anatomy: Ben Langworthy March 26, Union Street Station: Keith Bergman April 4, The Parlor: Clifton Cash April 20, Studio Anatomy: Dan Alten May 4, Studio Anatomy: Tom E. Thompson May 18, Studio Anatomy: Mother’s Day Showcase

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 15

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Jake Allen started experimenting with mixing boards when he was just six years old, in his dad’s home recording studio in Grayling. With parents who both played music, it might have seemed inevitable that he would gravitate toward the same pursuit.

It was. By the time he’d picked up a guitar at age 13, he’d chosen his road: “I just wanted to rock.”

By 16, he’d formed his own band and was writing original tunes. By 19, he was touring nationally as a solo singer-songwriter and guitarist. (A multi-instrumentalist, Allen also plays bass, piano, drums, and harp.)

And just a few years later, a half-baked idea would ignite his local music career.

“My friend Jakey Thomas, a bass player, was the first musician I took on the road with me,” Allen says. “In 2013, he mentioned that he wanted to start a cover band, so we got that rolling. We didn’t take it too serious at first though. We just thought it would be a fun thing to do.”

That “fun thing” rapidly evolved into The Cookies, which became one of northern Michigan’s premiere wedding and party bands. “We saw a need for doing what not a lot of people were doing up here: the kind of Motown, matching-suits, high-energy dance music show you see in bigger cities,” Allen said. “We made a pretty good living from The Cookies for quite a while.”

But as many bands do, The Cookies disbanded. “We just went through the usual ‘band tensions,’” Allen says. “New Year’s Eve 2016 was our last gig as The Cookies,” Allen said.

Once on his own, Allen toured with toured Traverse City’s The Accidentals — both as a band member playing guitar and keyboards, and as an opening act, performing his own solo music. In 2018, he embarked on a few domestic solo tours, and then fate intervened.

A friend invited him to join an artist’s collective called Take Me to the River. The group, which represents a variety of artistic media — drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, performance — has a singular goal: building bridges across country and cultural borders via art exhibitions. When Allen joined, the group was planning an

16 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

exhibition in Lithuania. Allen, of Eastern European descent, was intrigued.

“Around that same time, I got a call from Takamine Guitars, who have been one of my sponsors since 2012, and they wanted me to go to Asia to perform at two music conventions — Music China in Shanghai, and the Tokyo Music Fair.”

Allen booked Lithuania for September and Asia for October, and set up a tour in between. He began in the Lithuanian resort town of Palanga, a lively town with forests, coasts and dunes that reminded him of northern Michigan and inspired his song, “Color in the Gray.”

That song would become Allen’s contribution to the art exhibition; he recorded it there, and it was played on a loop with an accompanying video (created by another Take Me to the River artist) throughout the duration of the exhibition.

After the exhibition had closed — and Allen had inadvertently rubbed elbows with one of the biggest rock stars of Lithuania, Andrius Mamontovas, at a late-night small gig at a club back in Palanga — he was ready to move on, and hopped a plane to Berlin, Germany. From there, he headed to Prague, Vienna, and Paris. Takemine guitars paid him to do a couple guitar clinics in Belgium and the Netherlands, and a fellow guitarist friend, Beck Langan, drew Allen to Manchester, England to play a show.

Then, he was bound for communist China.

“Before I’d even left the States for this whole thing, I’d had to drive to the Chinese consulate in Chicago to get my visa,” Allen said. “Their consulate made the DMV look like a spa visit. The staff was very cold, the whole thing was very stressful, and when I said I needed a visa, they misinterpreted it as a regular work visa. So I had to explain over and over again that I was going to communist China as a performer, and I had to go through a long process of paperwork and jumping through various loopholes.”

He said he continued to feel a similar level of tension once he got to Shanghai, which was heightened by the fact that he quickly found himself blocked out of his usual social media accounts. “I just couldn’t use anything, social-media wise,” he said.

“When you tried to load up any social media

accounts, your browser would just say ‘Safari cannot find that page.’ Nothing would load.”

The flip side of that coin, he added, was that the mere fact that he was from American drew him plenty of attention.

Walking the floor of the Music China expo, he was constantly approached for photos.

“A few people from the music-nerd world recognized me, but mostly people wanted photos because I was a Westerner.”

The convention itself was also a divergent experience. “Unlike an American music convention event like NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants), this event had no limits on sound levels in the con or time limits on performances. There was virtually no sound ordinance. So it was a giant building full of hundreds of music exhibitors with no rules, meaning it was constant, overwhelming noise,” he says.

“When I performed, I couldn’t even hear myself. It was a free-for-all.”

The final show of Allen’s worldly trek took place at the Tokyo Music Fair at the Big Sight International Convention Center, where he gave five performances, including one alongside Jiro Yoshida, another Takamine artist.

Finally, he lifted off toward home via San Diego, performing in Los Angeles, Arizona, and Chicago along the way, before returning to Michigan. Now that he can claim the title of “worldwide entertainer,” what’s next for Allen?

Not surprisingly, more music. He’s at work promoting his current album, “Deviant Motions” and writing music for his next one.

His massive trek was Allen’s first major trip away from the United States, it left an impression on him that continues to reverberate: how music, including his own, reaches people.

“The idea that there are all of these different places around the world, and I’m meeting all of these other people but we’re all really the same, just really affected me,” he says. “How music is such a universal language. I traveled to all of these places, watched other musicians perform — and in many cases, I didn’t know a word of what they were singing — but through the music, I still understood.”

For more information on Jake Allen and his music, visit www.jakeallenmusic.com.

Chastity Brown

Willie Nile

Thornetta Davis

Hiding in Plain Sight

Freshwater Gallery might be the best concert venue you’ve never heard of, and its winter shows bring a wonderland of musical performers.

By Geri Dietze By day, Boyne City’s Freshwater Gallery is a thoughtfully curated art collective representing over 200 Michigan artists working in variety of mediums. But come the cold weather, Freshwater opens its doors for a series of intimate evening concerts featuring some of the best working musicians from the U.S. and abroad.

Remarkably, this 2,800-square-foot, midcentury space spent part of its life as a hardware store and many years as a dusty, empty storefront, but owners Tony Williams and his wife, Robin Lee Berry, themselves artists and musicians, saw the possibilities and opened the art gallery in July 2009. By September of that year, they were hosting their first concert, Orpheum Bell, an Ann Arbor quintet.

“We had 50 fifty, but at about 4:30 the day of the show, I had to jump in my truck, drive to Petoskey, and rent more,” Williams says. “We were very lucky to hit the ground running.”

Also lucky: “The design of the building was fortuitous,” says Berry. Its low, deep footprint proved amenable to performance. The couple added only a raised stage and 8 inches of foam to the beamed ceiling to create an acoustic gem.

“We have the ambiance of an art gallery, the intimacy of a small venue, and the acoustics to satisfy seasoned musicians,” she says.

In less than a decade, Freshwater has hosted 64 concerts, including, but not limited to: Thornetta Davis, Peter Asher and Jeremy Clyde, Hot Club of Cow Town, Steve Poltz, Chris Smither, John Gorka, The Mammals, The Ragbirds, Patty Larkin, Maria Muldaur, Willy Nile, Willy Porter, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Chastity Brown, The Accidentals, and Billy Strings. (Master sound engineer Dan Calloway regularly gets shout-outs from the stage for his skills. “He’s irreplaceable,” Tony says.)

As a group, these artists win awards, enjoy glowing press, are covered by top-flight artists, contribute to film and TV soundtracks, work as session musicians, and share the stage with

other heavyweight talents, all while producing their own albums and maintaining demanding touring schedules. Their collective style brings together blues, jazz, rock and roll, rhythm and blues, country, world music, folk, ethnic, pop and swing. This is genre-fusing Americana; not coffee house nostalgia.

SETTING UP On concert day, the gallery’s floor art and display cases are moved to accommodate seating for the music lovers — most of them regulars — arriving for the 8:00pm show: two 40-minute sets that bookend an intermission with hors d’oeurves, mingling, and a chance to talk to the artists.

“Shape-shifting the gallery into a concert venue once a month was an obvious and natural transition for us,” Williams says. “We were hoping that bringing people through the door for the concerts would expose people to the gallery and vice versa. We’ve always enjoyed turning people on to great musicians, and we love the sense of community that we feel at the shows.”

MOST MEMORABLE ENTERTAINER “Steve Poltz has a huge heart and some serious health issues, and he channels this into an amazingly entertaining show,” Williams says. Poltz, widely respected as a world-class songwriter and musician, and a regular on the Billboard Top 100, first played Freshwater in 2014, returning in 2016. Some revere him as the frontman for the punk-folk band Rugburns, while others know him as the cowriter of Jewel’s giant hit, “You Were Meant for Me.” (According to Poltz, he and Jewel were enjoying a Mexican vacation after completing the song, but their idyll was interrupted by the Federales, who inexplicably took the pair along on a cartel pot bust. The musicians’ stories are an entertainment in themselves.)

THE ERSTWHILE GREEN ROOM For a number of years, performers settled

into a six-by-six-foot furnace room pre-show.

Then Blackie and The Rodeo Kings took a picture of themselves and posted it on social media, Williams says. “A ton of people reacted to it, mostly musicians, comparing hardships of the road.”

Thankfully, the generous loan of a slick Airstream trailer — when its owners aren’t pulling it somewhere — now allows visiting musicians a more relaxing space.

GETTING IT DONE Getting national and international acts to Boyne City is not without its challenges, but Williams and Berry have developed working relationships with other small venues in Michigan, so artists can often coordinate stops in other towns such as Traverse City, Cadillac, Spring Lake, and Ann Arbor.

“We work on our end to take care of details and make it a smooth, no-drama evening of fun, and the musicians do all they can to bring their A-game, which can be hard when you do 22 shows in 25 days, and you’re traveling in the winter during flu season,” Williams explains.

A GOOD FIT Although Williams jokes about the origins of the concert series — “Robin asked me to get a part time job to help level out the bills, and I talked her into thinking this was a legitimate job!” — their incentive was far more substantial.

Williams and Berry have long musical histories of their own, and it is this love of music that brought the Freshwater concert series into fruition. Williams is a self-taught guitarist who began his career as a teenager and has played with a number of highly regarded northern Michigan groups. Berry trained at Boston’s Berklee College of Music and has enjoyed a long and successful career that includes multiple recordings, including an appearance on Going Driftless: An Artist’s Tribute to Greg Brown, alongside artists like Lucinda Williams, Ani DiFranco, and Shawn Colvin.

Not surprisingly, Williams and Berry have developed friendships with many of the artists who pass through Freshwater. “We’ve often sat around the gallery after shows and shared stories till the small hours. Some of the performers have come out to our house for morning-after breakfast before they hit the road, and some have stayed with us. We keep in touch with many. It’s somewhat of a brother-sisterhood.”

For information on upcoming concerts, visit www.freshwaterartgallery.com or follow them on Facebook.

COMING NEXT The Way Down Wanderers - Jan. 19 A young, fresh, and exuberant quintet, already making their mark in Americanaroots music, the Way Down Wanderers have been building their reputation since 2014 with a succession of tours and awards across the Midwest and U.K. Though they think of themselves mainly as songwriters rather than musicians, it’s hard to separate one from the other, so cohesive is their talent. Throw in some dreadlocks and a skateboard video, and the Way Down Wanderers will not disappoint.

Albert Lee - Feb. 9 Widely referred to as “the guitar players’ guitar player,” Lee has been influencing music and musicians for 50 years as a top session guitarist, solo act, and valued touring band member. So skilled is Albert Lee that, while his name might not be instantly recognizable to the public, he has played and/or toured with some of the world’s greatest performers: Eric Clapton, Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Crickets, the Everly Brothers, Jackson Browne, Bo Diddley, and Eddie Van Halen to name just a few. This is a show to experience.

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 17

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18 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

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saturday

GRASS RIVER SHIVER 5K/10K SNOWSHOE RACE: Strap on your snowshoes & run through snow-covered Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Registration is held at 9am; race at 10am. $20-$25. grassriver.org/ grass-river-shiver-5k.html

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STATE SEN. WAYNE SCHMIDT COFFEE HOURS: 9-10am, GT Pie Co., 525 W. Front St., TC. The senator will be available to answer questions & provide info & assistance, as well as take suggestions on issues affecting communities & businesses in the district. senatorwayneschmidt.com

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25 CENT MOVIES: 10am, The Lyric, Harbor Springs. Featuring “The Secret Life of Pets.”

AUDITIONS FOR “A TIME TO SHINE”: Petoskey United Methodist Church. Held at 10am-noon & 1-5pm. “A Time to Shine” is a talent showcase being put on by Voices Without Borders. Open to all ages. This showcase will be held on Feb. 9 at Great Lakes Center for the Arts. littletraverseyouthchoir.org

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MAKE A GIFT SERIES: ROCK ART: 10amnoon, Interlochen Public Library. For adults. Sign up: 231-276-6767. Free. tadl.org/interlochen

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XC SKI/SNOWSHOE: 10am-2pm, Rainbow of Hope Farm, Kingsley. Cross-country ski or snowshoe through 96 acres of woods. Lunch includes a choice of homemade soups, bread, dessert & a drink. $10. rainbowofhopefarm.weebly.com

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ARTS IN ACTION: 10:30am-12:30pm, Great Lakes Children’s Museum, TC. Featuring Youth Program Coordinator for the Glen Arbor Arts Center Sarah-Cheek-Toomey. Includes several different projects for children ages 2-8 to participate in, all with an “Animals in Winter” theme. greatlakeskids.org

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DOWNTOWN CHILI COOK-OFF: 11am, Downtown TC. Local restaurants compete in chili categories such as 1 Alarm, 2 Alarm, 3 Alarm, White, Vegetarian, Ethnic, & Seafood. Attendees vote for their favorite in each category & their overall favorite for the People’s Choice Award.

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GRASS RIVER WINTERFEST: 12-2pm, Grass River Natural Area, Bellaire. Enjoy outdoor & indoor activities & a roaring fire to keep you warm. Reflect on 50 years of conservation, stewardship & outdoor education. Free. grassriver.org/classes-and-programs.html

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SIPS & SOUPS: 12-5pm, Leelanau Peninsula Wine Trail. Sip soups & chilis paired with Pinot Noirs, Rieslings, Chardonnays & more. Tickets include a souvenir wine glass & soup & wine pairings at 20 wineries. $5 for each ticket sold is being donated to local food banks coordinated by Leelanau Christian Neighbors. Ages 21+. $20. lpwines.com/events/sips-soups

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AUTHOR & SUBJECT SIGNING: 1-3pm, Horizon Books, TC. Karen Wiand & Eddie will sign their book “A Course in Fun with Fast Eddie.” horizonbooks.com

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DESIGN CHARRETTE FOR THE BELLAIRE COMMUNITY HALL: 1-4pm, Community Hall, Bellaire. Find on Facebook.

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DOODLE ART DAY: 1-3pm, Twisted Fish Gallery, Elk Rapids. Enjoy socializing, refreshments & music – all while doodling. Free. twistedfishgallery.com/doodle-in-the-new-year-jan-12

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YOUNG PEACEBUILDERS SUMMIT: 2-4pm, NMC, James Beckett Building, Room 147, TC. Hear stories of YPCs in war-affected areas of the world, & find out how you can get involved.

Free. Find on Facebook.

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70 YEARS ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION: Boyne Mountain, Boyne Falls, Jan. 9-12.

Featuring the 70 Hour Mountain Challenge to benefit Challenge Mountain. Also includes the Vintage Party, Mountain Challenge Party, 70th Anniversary Party, & Torchlight Parade & fireworks. boynemountain.com

january

12-20

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ROCK N JAM: 4:30-8pm, The Rock, Kingsley.

Community play-along for music lovers of all ages. Free. facebook.com/pg/therockofkingsleyMI/events

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COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS BANGKOK: amical, TC. The author brings the vibrant food scene of the city into our world with these classic Thai recipes that have been handed down through generations. Call 941-8888 for reservations. amical.com/bangkok

send your dates to: events@traverseticker.com

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TAKE THE LEAP RECEPTION: Gaylord Area Council for the Arts, Gaylord. Take the Leap into the 100-Day Project at a reception tonight from 5-7pm. Join others who plan to commit to at least 10 minutes of creating per day from January 20 - April 30. Free. gaylordarts.org

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GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN COAST GUARD FUNDRAISER: 6pm, Hotel Indigo, TC. A fundraising event to benefit the families of the Traverse City Coast Guard station. Held to make sure nobody falls through the cracks, or lack for food, heat, medical needs & other essentials during the Government Shutdown. This event includes food & live music by the Andy Evans Trio wsg vocalist Adrianne Evans, & Honesty with the Freshwater Collective. freshwaterevents.com

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BAYSIDE TRAVELLERS CONTRA DANCE: 9191 S. Kasson St., Cedar. There will be a basic skills workshop from 7-7:30pm & the dancing runs from 7:30-10:30pm. The live band will be Bowhunter & the caller will be Jan Fowler. $11 adult, $7 student, $9 member. dancetc.com

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“FUN HOME”: 7:30pm, Old Town Playhouse, TC. A musical adapted from Alison Bechdel’s memoir of the same name. The story takes you through Alison’s discovery of her sexuality, relationship with her closeted gay father, & attempts to unlock the mysteries surrounding her life through three different time periods. $28 adults, $15 for 18 & under. oldtownplayhouse.com

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COMEDY NIGHT - GOOD ON PAPER: 8pm, West Bay Beach Holiday Inn Resort, TC. $10.

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GOPHERWOOD CONCERTS: THE WAY DOWN WANDERERS: 8pm, Elks Club, Cadillac. A high energy folk/bluegrass experience.

Advance tickets: $15 adults, $7 students, free for 12 & under. At the door: $18, $9. mynorthtickets.com

jan 13

sunday

COMMUNITY APPRECIATION DAY: FREE SKIING/ SNOWBOARDING & MORE: 9am, Boyne Highlands Resort, Harbor Springs. For residents of Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet & Otsego counties. boynehighlands.com

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FAT CHANCE FAT TIRE BIKE PRE-RIDE: 11am. Meet at Iron Fish Distillery, Thompsonville & ride to Crystal Mountain to complete a few laps on the Fat Chance race course. Then ride back to Iron Fish Distillery for food & drink specials. crystalmountain.com/event/fat-chance-pre-ride

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YOGA + BEER: Noon, Silver Spruce Brewing Co., TC. A one hour flow class. Bring your own mat. Donations appreciated. eventbrite.com

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“Fresh Cuts: The Art of Papercraft” opens on Sat., Jan. 12 from 2-4pm and runs through Feb. 16 at Crooked Tree Arts Center, TC. This exhibit features original works of art created by over two-dozen artists from the across the U.S. It includes contemporary examples of papercuts, collage, book arts, and paper sculpture. Pictured is artwork by Monika Meler. Free. crookedtree.org/tc

perspective to explain the geological features of Torch Lake, & some of the glacial landforms that are seen every day. 231-331-4318.

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MEETING OF LE GRANDE TRAVERSE SOCIETY OF THE CHILDREN OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION: 2-4pm, Traverse Area District Library, TC. Featuring a library tour, scavenger hunt & short meeting. Practice reading some of your family’s old handwritten letters & documents, & help create a library display that promotes the society & shows how the members serve their communities & veterans. Bring books to donate to the USO’s Read2Connect Program. For info, email: legrandetraversesociety@gmail.com

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WINTER MUSIC JAMS: 3-5pm, Gaylord Area Council for the Arts, Gaylord. Every Sun. Musicians of all skill levels are welcome. Bring your instrument, music & a friend. Free. gaylordarts.org

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GREAT LAKES CHAMBER ORCHESTRA SUNDAY SERIES RECITAL: 4-6pm, First Presbyterian Church, Harbor Springs. Featuring duo pianists Michelle Mitchum & Robin McCarty. Free will donation. glcorchestra.org

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THE WAY DOWN WANDERERS: 4pm, Little Theater of Scholars Hall (room 217), NMC, TC. High energy, youthful Americana/bluegrass/roots band. $20 advance, $25 door. 995-1090.

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COOKBOOK DINNER SERIES PRESENTS BANGKOK: (See Sat., Jan. 12)

jan 14

monday

YOGA FOR ATHLETES AT RUNNING FIT!: 8:30am, Running Fit, 3301 West South Airport Rd., TC. All levels class designed to enhance your performance no matter what sport you are involved in. Will build strength, flexibility, focusing on lengthening tight hamstrings, calves, quadriceps & hip flexors. Sign up at eventbrite.com by searching Yoga for Athletes at Running Fit! Donations appreciated.

“FUN HOME”: (See Sat., Jan. 12, except today’s time is 2pm.)

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“GEOLOGIC HISTORY OF TORCH LAKE”: 2pm, Helena Township Community Center, Alden. Kalkaska Conservation District Manager Mark Randolph will present a historical

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MASQUERADE BALL: 6pm, 123 Speakeasy, TC. A formal event; “Black and Gold” theme. $90. mynorthtickets.com/events/masquerade-ball SOUP & BREAD: 6-8pm, The Little Fleet, TC.

Enjoy soup & bread donated by local chefs.

Pay whatever you can -- proceeds benefit a different local helping organization each month. thelittlefleet.com

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GT HUMANISTS PRESENT CÉLIA VILLAC: RED TIDE: 7pm, GT Circuit, TC. Célia Villac will give a presentation on Florida Red Tide & other Harmful Algal Blooms. Free. gthumanists.org

jan 15

tuesday

CHARLEVOIX BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-7pm, Lake Charlevoix Brewing Co.

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“HOW TO TRAVEL LIKE A TRAVEL WRITER”: 6:30pm, Charlevoix Public Library. Presented by Amy Eckert, author of “Easy Detroit Outdoors” & “100 Things to Do in Detroit Before You Die.” 231-547-2651. Free.

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CITIZENS’ CLIMATE LOBBY TC MEETING: 6:30-8:30pm, Central United Methodist Church, third floor, TC. If you’re new, come at 6pm for an intro to CCL. citizensclimatelobby.org

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GTHC JANUARY PROGRAM: 7pm, Boardman River Nature Center, TC. Theodore Roosevelt NP & Volunteer Awards. facebook. com/GTHikers

jan 16

wednesday

RESOURCES FOR LEARNING PRESENTATION: 11am, Peninsula Community Library, Old Mission Peninsula School, TC. The Library of Michigan’s e-Library (MeL) can help you find the answers you need. Join Mary Morgan as she shows you how to find resources for family history, auto repair, Consumers Reports, career prep, crafts & more. Free. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org

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FRIENDS OF PCL MEETING: 1pm, Peninsula Community Library, Old Mission Peninsula School, TC. Join this group as they plan fundraisers, host events & support PCL. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 19

ELLSWORTH STATE OF THE COMMUNITY: 6-8pm, Banks Township Hall, Ellsworth. Listen to short presentations from community leaders & learn about the Banks Township master plan, the Ellsworth Downtown Development Authority, & the sanitary sewer feasibility study.

---------------------MONTHLY MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUPPORT GROUP MEETING: 6:30pm, Old Munson Osteopathic Hospital, 550 Munson Ave., TC. Ann Parker will be the guest speaker at this meeting of the TC MS Self-help support group. Ann is a Tai Chi instructor & physical therapist who has taught Tai Chi to many MS patients. 727-643-5349. Free.

---------------------NATIONAL WRITERS SERIES: AN EVENING WITH JEN SINCERO: 7pm, City Opera House, TC. Jen will talk about her new book, “You Are a Badass Every Day: How to Keep Your Motivation Strong, Your Vibe High, and Your Quest for Transformation Unstoppable.” Sincero has a #1 New York Times best-seller & has appeared in Forbes, Oprah Magazine, Comedy Central & more. $5 students, $20 reserved, $30 premium reserved, plus fees. nationalwritersseries.org

---------------------PETOSKEY FILM SERIES: 7:30pm, Petoskey District Library, Carnegie Building. Featuring “The Old Man and the Gun.” Donations appreciated. facebook.com/petoskeyfilm

jan 17

thursday

ANTRIM COUNTY WOMEN DEMS & FRIENDS MEETING: Noon, Short’s Brewing Co., Bellaire. The speaker will be Eric Keller, a northern MI aide to Sen. Gary Peters. The topic will be issues & priorities of his administration in the new year. Cost for the luncheon is $13.50 & is payable at the door. RSVP @ chrisandglennh@gmail.com

---------------------BENZIE BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-7pm, COGNITION Science & Discovery Center, Beulah. $5/person.

---------------------ER BUSINESS AFTER HOURS: 5-7pm, Ethanology, Elk Rapids. Featuring free tours & tastings at 5:30pm & 6:30pm. ethanologydistillation.com/events

---------------------DETOX YOGA FLOW: 6pm, Press On Juice Cafe, TC. This class involves a lot of twists & poses that are focused to help eliminate toxins.

Bring your own mat. Donations appreciated. eventbrite.com

---------------------PERSONALIZED HEALTH: 6pm, Table Health, GT Commons, TC. Carol Bell, registered dietitian, will provide clear guidance about how to begin your own personalized path toward health. Free. TableHealthTC.com/events

---------------------THE GREAT BENZIE READ: 6pm, Benzie Shores District Library, Frankfort. Read the book “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes”

by Dan Egan & meet up to talk about it with readers from around the county.

---------------------PAGETURNERS BOOK CLUB: 6:30pm, Peninsula Community Library, Old Mission Peninsula School, TC. This month’s book is “The Perfume Collector” by Kathleen Tessaro. Copies are available in the library on a first come, first served basis. Free. peninsulacommunitylibrary.org

---------------------“FUN HOME”: (See Sat., Jan. 12)

jan 18

friday

26TH ANNUAL WINTER FEST: Mackinaw City. Featuring the Pepsi International Outhouse Races, Chili Cookoff, art exhibit, art sale, kids games, ice sculptures, Euchre Tournament, ice fishing tournament & more.

LUNCHEON LECTURE: NCMC, Library Conference Center, Petoskey. Take a look at EMGO, Emmet County’s new transit system. Featuring County Administrator John Calabrese. Lunch begins at 11:30am; program at noon. Reservations required: 231-348-6600. $12.

---------------------“FUN HOME”: (See Sat., Jan. 12) ---------------------HEIKKI LUNTA PARTY: 7:30pm, Treetops Resort, Gaylord. Party of the Snow Gods. The weekly celebration carries on the tradition of asking for abundant snowfall. Enjoy a bonfire, entertainment, a tube-pulling contest, & more. Free. treetops.com

---------------------PETOSKEY FILM SERIES: 7:30pm, Petoskey District Library, Carnegie Building. Featuring “The Old Man and the Gun.” Donations appreciated. facebook.com/petoskeyfilm

jan 19

saturday

2019 HOME EXPO: 9am-3pm, GT Resort & Spa, Acme. Featuring new building trends, products, ideas & more. $8/person. hbagta.com/home-expo

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FROZEN FOOT 5 MILE & FUN RUN MILE: 9am.

A five mile timed jaunt through the Huron Hills neighborhood of TC. $30 adults/$15 students; free for TC Track Club members. tctrackclub.com

---------------------26TH ANNUAL WINTER FEST: (See Fri., Jan. 18)

---------------------54TH ANNUAL MOOSE JAW SAFARI: 10am, Harbor Springs Snowmobile Club Groomer Barn, 3151 Kernow Lane, Harbor Springs.

Ride your vintage sled. The route includes scenic trails on the way to Larks Lake. The famous bean soup will be ready at noon & riders have use of the Center Township Hall at Larks Lake. harborspringssnowmobileclub.com

---------------------FAT & FLURRIOUS 2019: 10am. Fat tire bike race. Check in & register at North Country Cycle Sport, Boyne City. Race start & race finish, as well as the post-race party, held at Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen, Boyne City. The main area of the bike race is held at Avalanche Mountain, Boyne City. Featuring sport class & open class divisions. fatandflurrious.com/race-info

---------------------FRUITHAVEN HIKE: 10am-noon, Fruithaven Nature Preserve. See the rolling hills & conifer trees of the property. Learn about the preserve, check out tree species & look for animal tracks.

Bring winter gear, including snowshoes, water & a snack. gtrlc.org/recreation-events/events

---------------------WINTER WARM UP: 10am-5pm, Wineries of Old Mission Peninsula. $30 advance; $35 day of; $25 designated driver. wineriesofomp. com/36/wine-trail-events

---------------------25 CENT MOVIES: 11am, The Lyric, Harbor Springs. “Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs.”

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WOMEN’S MARCH TC 2019: 1-3pm, TC. Gather at The Workshop Brewing Co. & march peacefully & respectfully though downtown & then proceed to line the Parkway. Bring signs, drums & your voice. Call Monica for more info: 231-325-6812. Find on Facebook.

---------------------BLISSFEST FOLK & ROOTS MINI-CONCERT SERIES: 7pm, Red Sky Stage, Petoskey. Featuring Indigo Moon wsg Dwain Martin. $10 advance; $15 night of. redskystage.com/event-schedule-4

---------------------THE WAY DOWN WANDERERS: 7pm, Freshwater Art Gallery & Concert Venue, Boyne City.

Although they perform folk & Americana music, The Way Down Wanderers consider themselves songwriters more than anything. 231-582-2588. $30 advance. freshwaterartgallery.com/concertCalendar.php

---------------------“FUN HOME”: (See Sat., Jan. 12) ---------------------LAUREATES OF SPHINX COMPETITION: 7:30pm, Great Lakes Center for the Arts, Bay Harbor. Four of the nation’s leading black & Latino artists – who are also recent winners of the Sphinx Competition – this program includes dynamic solo & chamber works. $35, $30, $25, $20. greatlakescfa.org

---------------------STEFAN JACKIW & CONRAD TAO: 7:30pm, Interlochen Center for the Arts, Dendrinos Chapel & Recital Hall. Recognized as one of his generation’s most significant violinists, 33-year-old Stefan Jackiw joins with 24-year-old pianist Conrad Tao, named a musician of “probing intellect and open-hearted vision” by the New York Times. $33 full, $13 youth. tickets.interlochen.org

---------------------JILL JACK: 8pm, Charlevoix Cinema III. This Detroit singer-songwriter has won 41 Detroit Music Awards. $25. mynorthtickets.com

---------------------WARRANT: 8pm, Little River Casino Resort, Manistee. Enjoy these multi-platinum heavy metal icons. $30, $40, $45. lrcr.com/event-calendar/ concerts/warrant

---------------------CHEER FEST: 2-11pm, The Leland Lodge.

Featuring live music by Jim Hawley from 2-5pm, & The Broom Closet Boys from 6-10pm. There will also be sledding, food, drinks, bounce houses & more. $10 ages 13+, $5 ages 4-12, & free for 3 & under. 231-256-9848.

jan 20

sunday

100-DAY PROJECT: Gaylord Area Council for the Arts, Gaylord. The 100-Day Project begins January 20 & runs through April 30. Optional weekly check-ins are Mondays starting 1/28/19 at 1pm.

Free. gaylordarts.org

---------------------IRON FISH DISTILLERY FAT CHANCE FAT TIRE BIKE RACE: 10am, Otter Trail loop. Otter Trail course is 2 miles of speed, twisting sections & minimal elevation. $50 per rider; $60 day of. crystalmountain.com/event/fat-chance-fat-tire

VINE TO WINE SNOWSHOE TOUR: 11am-4pm.

A snowshoe hike with guides. Enjoy soups with wine purchase pick up service. Tour starts at BigLittle & L. Mawby Vineyards, Suttons Bay. $55. grandtraversebiketours.com/vine-to-wine-snowshoe-tour.html

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SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: 12-5pm, Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay. blackstarfarms. com/snowshoes-vines-wines

SNOWSHOES, VINES & WINES: (See Sat., Jan. 19)

2019 HOME EXPO: 11am-3pm, GT Resort & Spa, Acme. Featuring new building trends, products, ideas & more. $8/person. hbagta. com/home-expo

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---------------------YOGA + BEER: (See Sat., Jan. 13) ----------------------

HOBBIES IN THE LOBBY: 1-3pm, Petoskey District Library Classroom, Petoskey. Join Daniel & Janada Chingwa to create a beaded wish necklace. Free. petoskeylibrary.org

---------------------NATIONAL MODEL RAILROAD ASSOCIATION MONTHLY MEETING: 1-4pm, Peninsula Township Hall, TC. Includes time for fellowship, opportunities to talk about & show current projects, & clinics by experts. For info, email: info@ NCRDivision2.groups.IO

20 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

CANCER FREE-DOMS SUPPORT GROUP: 12:15pm, West Side Community Church, TC. For all of those affected by cancer. Learn about individual resources, emotional support, treatment research & review, hugs, recipes, love & support.

Held every other Sun. Free. Find on Facebook.

---------------------WEST BAY & BOARDMAN LAKE: FROM INDUSTRIAL TO RECREATIONAL: 1pm, Dennos Museum Center, NMC, TC. Historian Peg Sicilia-

no will present a program about the transformation of West Bay & Boardman Lake over the centuries & will discuss TC’s evolution from a lumbering & industrial hub to an outdoor mecca for tourists & residents alike. Free. dennosmuseum.org

---------------------WORLD SNOW DAY: 1pm, Crystal Mountain, Thompsonville. Featuring free activities geared to introduce “first timers” to the world of snow. Includes cross country, snowshoeing & snowboard presentations, bonfire, ride a fat tire snow bike & more.crystalmountain.com/event/world-snow-day

---------------------“FUN HOME”: (See Sat., Jan. 12, except today’s time is 2pm.)

---------------------ARCTIC WEAVING LECTURE: 3pm, Dennos Museum Center, Janis Community Room, NMC, TC. The Northland Weavers and Fiber Arts Guild presents Canadian artist Donald Stuart. Mr. Stuart will present a lecture on the weaving program in the Canadian Arctic community of Pangnirtung.

He will also speak about his current exhibit at the Dennos Museum Center: “Homage.” Free. northlandweaversguild.com

art

GRAND TRAVERSE ART BOMB: Runs Jan. 12 - April 6 at Right Brain Brewery, TC. A collaborative art show with talent from around northern MI. Featuring three reception events throughout the show. It supports artists & their creative endeavors, by giving them an opportunity to showcase their talents with minimal cost. An opening reception will be held on Sat., Jan. 12 beginning at noon. gt-artbomb.wixsite.com/2019 FURNITURE, FIBER, PHOTOGRAPHY, AND SCULPTURE: Oliver Art Center, Frankfort. An opening reception will be held on Fri., Jan. 18 from 5-7pm. Runs through Feb. 22. oliverartcenterfrankfort.org HIGHER ART GALLERY, TC: - LOCAL ARTIST SPENCER MCQUEEN: Spencer presents his show “You’re So Yourself.” Runs through Feb. 8.

- BIG GROUP / SMALL WORKS ART SHOW: Runs through Jan. Over 40 artists, with nearly 200 small, affordable original works to choose from. higherartgallery.com CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, PETOSKEY: - HERE AND THERE: Runs Jan. 19 – March 30. A photographic exhibition showcasing the work of photographers Jin Lee, Larson Shindelman & Regan Golden.

- 2019 JURIED PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION: Held in Bonfield Gallery. Juried by John Fergus-Jean, this exhibition includes 43 photographs by 34 exhibiting photographers of local & regional acclaim. An opening reception will be held on Sat., Jan. 19 from 2-4pm.

Runs through March 30.

- 2019 CROOKED TREE PHOTOGRAPHIC SOCIETY JURIED FINE ART SHOW: Runs Jan. 19 – March 2. Juried by current Crooked Tree Photography Society members.

Showcases the work of fifteen current members. Subject matter includes, but is not limited to, nature, landscapes, wildlife & northern MI scenes. crookedtree.org CROOKED TREE ARTS CENTER, TC: - FRESH CUTS: THE ART OF PAPERCRAFT: An opening reception will be held on Sat., Jan. 12 from 2-4pm.

Runs through Feb. 16. crookedtree.org/event/ctac-traverse-city/opening-reception-fresh-cuts-art-papercut DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER, NMC, TC: - PANGNIRTUNG WEAVINGS FROM THE DENNOS MUSEUM CENTER’S COLLECTION: Runs through Jan 20. Featuring weavings from the Inuit art collection, by the artists of the Pangnirtung Weaving Cooperative.

- HOMAGE: INSPIRED BY OUTSTANDING CANADIAN WOMEN: Runs through Jan. 20. This exhibition features 40 framed neckpieces created as a celebration & tribute to Canadian women, past & present by jewelry artist Donald Stuart.

- THE ART OF: THE OTHER TRAVERSE CITY: Runs through Jan. 20. Local photographer Alan Newton will focus his lens on the opioid crisis affecting the TC region & beyond. Featuring about 11 portraits of people who are addicts in recovery, emergency responders, judges, families who have lost children, & others, along with their written stories based on interviews conducted by Newton.

- VISIONS OF AMERICAN LIFE: PAINTINGS FROM THE MANOOGIAN COLLECTION, 1850-1950: Runs through Jan. 20. From the Detroit Institute of Arts, this exhibition features 40 works by late-19th & early-20th century artists capturing American life, culture & identity in that time. Here:Say Storytelling & the Front Street Writers have produced & recorded short stories to accompany these artworks. Hours: 10am-5pm, Mon.-Sat.; 1-5pm, Sun.; & 10am-8pm, Thurs. dennosmuseum.org

MODERN

LAMAR, GAGA, DRAKE, LEAD GRAMMYS PACK The complete list of 2019 Grammy Award nominees has been revealed, showing Kendrick Lamar at the top of the list, with eight nods, most due to his work on Black Panther: The Album. Right behind him is Lady Gaga, with eight nominations, primarily for her work in the movie A Star is Born. Following next are Drake, Boi-1da (producer), Cardi B, Zedd, and Shawn Mendes, with the best new artist category listing Luke Combs, H.E.R., Dua Lipa, Margo Price, Chloe x Halle, Bebe Rexha, Jorja Smith, and Frankenmuth, Michigan’s own breakout band, Greta Van Fleet. The Grammys will air live at 8pm Feb. 10 on CBS …

In other awards news, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has named the artists that will be in its Class of 2019: Stevie Nicks will be honored as a solo artist, making her the first woman to be inducted into the hall twice.

(Fleetwood Mac was inducted in 1998.) Also on the 2019 honorees list: Radiohead, Roxy Music, The Zombies, and Janet Jackson, among others. Induction ceremonies happen on March 29 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. You’ll able to watch it unfold in a later broadcast on HBO …

Kendrick Lamar

ROCK

BY KRISTI KATES

Several lawsuits are underway against the wildly popular video game Fortnite — two regarding stolen dance moves. First, background for non-gamers: Characters in the game are able to acquire the ability to perform specific dances (to, for instance, celebrate wins and achievements). Two of the originators of two available dances — hiphop artist Milly, creator of the “Milly rock,” and Alfonso Ribeiro, of the “Carlton dance” performed in TV sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air — claim their moves were pilfered by the game without compensation …

Chris Cornell, the late frontman of Soundgarden and eventual solo artist, will be honored this week with a major concert event called I Am the Highway: A Tribute to Chris Cornell. The show will take place at the Fabulous Forum in Los Angeles and will benefit charity. Among the performers scheduled to rock: Foo Fighters, Metallica, Ryan Adams, Temple of the Dog, Audioslave, and the other members of Soundgarden. Presiding over the event will be host Jimmy Kimmel, alongside Cornell’s wife, Vicky Cornell, and additional family and close friends …

LINK OF THE WEEK Bruce Springsteen’s Broadway show arrived on Netflix as a streaming special

and it’s every bit as good as they say. Set a night aside to watch the long presentation, or at least: take a peek at this exclusive trailer to get a sneak preview: http://youtu.be/ M1xDzgob1JI THE BUZZ Get your suitcase packed for another trek to Chicago — Dead and Company (Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Bob Weir, and their band, plus John Mayer) will perform at Wrigley Field June 14–15 …

Another show is booked for the Grand Rapids Public Museum’s concert series.

Catch Frankie and Myrrh’s experimental rock on Feb. 7 …

Jesse Cook will be in concert at the Royal Oak Music Theater on Jan. 15 …

The Motown Museum project underway in Detroit just got another boost, this time $1.3 million from the Kresge Foundation, which will help the museum’s expansion plans … … and that’s the buzz for this week’s Modern Rock.

Comments, questions, rants, raves, suggestions on this column? Send ’em to Kristi at modernrocker@gmail.com.

Mon - Ladies Night - $1 off drinks & $5 martinis with Jukebox

I lost 70 pounds and gained my drive back.

Deb Rademaker is back in the driver’s seat, thanks to weight loss surgery.

Tues - $2 well drinks & shots 8:9:30 TC Comedy Collective

Wed - Get it in the can for $1 w/DJ Ryan Zuker Thurs - $1 off all drinks & $2 Coors Lt. pints

with DJ Coven

Fri Jan 18 - Buckets of Beer starting at $8 (2-8pm)

Are you ready to take control of your health?

Attend a Bariatric Surgery Seminar.

Happy Hour: Chris Sterr then: DJ Prim (no cover) Sat Jan 19 -DJ Prim (no cover)

Jan. 22 and Feb. 12 | 6 - 8 pm Cowell Family Cancer Center Conference Room 1, Lower Level 217 S. Madison St., Traverse City, MI

Sun Jan 20- KARAOKE (10PM-2AM) 941-1930 downtown TC check us out at unionstreetstationtc.net

Also available via video conference at these Munson Healthcare locations: Cadillac Hospital, Charlevoix Hospital, Grayling Hospital, and Manistee Hospital.

To learn more or to register for an upcoming seminar, call 800-533-5520, or visit munsonhealthcare.org/bariatrics.

Traditional Chinese Massage An ancient practice that can help relieve:

• Numb Fingers • Neck/Shoulders, • Knees Back & Body Pain • Sprained Ankle • Relax Sore Muscles • Noninvasive • Increase Circulation • Effective & 100% Safe • Sciatica/Lower Back $25 / 40 minutes - foot massage $45 / hour full body relaxation massage $55 / hour full body repair massage Blue Distinction Centers (BDC) met overall quality measures for patient safety and outcomes, developed with input from the medical community. A Local Blue Plan may require additional criteria for providers located in its own service area; for details, contact your Local Blue Plan. Blue Distinction Centers+ (BDC+) also met cost measures that address consumers’ need for affordable healthcare.

Each provider’s cost of care is evaluated using data from its Local Blue Plan. Providers in CA, ID, NY, PA, and WA may lie in two Local Blue Plans’ areas, resulting in two evaluations for cost of care; and their own Local Blue Plans decide whether one or both cost of care evaluation(s) must meet BDC+ national criteria. National criteria for BDC and BDC+ are displayed on www.bcbs.com. Individual outcomes may vary. For details on a provider’s in network status or your own policy’s coverage, contact your Local Blue Plan and ask your provider before making an appointment. Neither Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association nor any Blue Plans are responsible for non-covered charges or other losses or damages resulting from Blue Distinction or other provider finder information or care received from Blue Distinction or other providers.

Happy Feet

Susan Zhou Andersen 620 2nd St. TC • 231-360-4626 www.traversecitybodypain.com

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 21

HOLIDAY BILLS COMING IN?

CREDIT CARDS MAXED OUT? Debtors Anonymous Can Help You:

DA is a Twelve Step Program for those with money problems: credit card debt, compulsive shopping, living paycheck-to-paycheck, etc.

ALL WELCOME! WEEKLY MEETING TUESDAYS, 6:30-7:30PM

FOURSCORE by kristi kates

Teenage Fanclub – Man-Made – Merge

The Scottish alternative rock outfit wound up 2018 by releasing this special edition vinyl pressing right before the year ended, with a dual press effort on both the band’s own EU PeMa label and Merge in America. The trio recorded this set in Chicago with John McEntire, adding a different kind of urban edge via myriad clicking synths roiling underneath each track. Each bandmate wrote four songs; the best is opener “It’s All in My Mind” (Norman Blake) and Raymond McGinley’s layered “Nowhere,” both rife with harmonies.

Traverse City, MI

Breathless – Green to Blue – Victor House

Dominic Appleton fronts this shoegaze-y, “psychedelia light” ensemble, who are experts at conjuring up diffused melodies awash in echo chamber effects and tumbling guitar riffs. It’s a pensive, slow, sometime gloomy album that drones on a little too long, but just take a break and come back for worthy-uponsecond-listen tracks like “Rain Down Now” and the most upbeat tune on the set, the strummy “Just for Today.”

Cowell Family Cancer Center (Munson) Room 3002 (third floor) Sixth and Madison Street For more info: John P at (973) 476-7384, or go to debtorsanonymous.org

Save 50% on ALL Floor Samples

Cosmic Eye – Dream Sequence – The Roundtable

This one’s been a long time coming from the legendary English psychedelic jazz-pop outfit. It’s the first legitimate reissue of this landmark set, pulled from its original master tapes. You might see only two tracks here, but that’s the point: “Dream Sequence I” and “Dream Sequence II” were equally divided as a part of a studio experiment led by guitarist Amancio D’Silva, who brought East Indian instrumentation in to craft these worldly and modernist musical excursions.

Uranium Club – All of Them Naturals – Static Shock CEDAR

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22 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

The Midwestern band’s second set finds it digging even farther into the toy box — Uranium Club is known for stitching various sounds and clips into audio pranks — to embellish its latest collection of punk tracks. More jittery beats, á la Talking Heads, holds down the low end. “The Lottery” kicks in the band’s sharp, aggressive, darkly humorous side, while “Opus” keeps the focus on the guitar work, especially when those guitars crank up to 11 in the middle section.

But the sum of these sometimes jagged parts makes an impressively focused album for the hyperactive punk outfit that it is.

The reel

by meg weichman

vice holmes & watson

I

Dick Cheney was second in command, of our country for eight years. He’s one of the most influential forces of the 21st century. And yet he’s someone we know next to nothing about.

Not where he came from, not what he did to get to his position, or what motivates him.

And in Adam McKay’s (Step Brothers) latest “serious” film, McKay pulls back the curtain on the ultra-secretive former vice president. And with so little known about him in the popular consciousness, how much of this movie is true? Well, as the film says in the first of its many mischievous moments: When it came to putting together the pieces of Cheney’s life, “We did our @*#!ing best.”

An unconventional and absurdly original biopic and an absolutely savage satire that is as funny as it is mournful, Vice is a totally diverse work that functions almost a cinematic essay at times.

It’s a style McKay mastered in his Oscarwinning film The Big Short, where using a humorous approach to teach us about another extremely alarming part of our recent history, the 2008 housing crisis, was put to nothing less than absolutely exhilarating use. And while Vice is similarly illuminating and entertaining, here the playful mix of storytelling techniques can frustrate as much as it exhilarates. Which is to say that all that constant winking at us can grow weary. Or perhaps McKay is trying too hard to duplicate the magic of The Big Short.

In tracing Dick Cheney’s extraordinary rise, the most surprising takeaway might be that there’s nothing really extraordinary about him. We first meet Cheney as a young man in Wyoming who was recently kicked out of Yale, working on power lines, and with two DUIs to his name. And this is intercut with footage of a future Cheney on one of the most significant days in modern history, taking charge of the situation. How’s that for a story arc?

It’s only when his girlfriend-turned-wife Lynne (Amy Adams) kicks some sense into him does he start getting his act together. And you immediately get the sense that it is Lynne who is the more interesting character and, had times only been different, this could have very well been her story. Instead, she’s only a supporting player in his.

Sufficiently motivated, Cheney lands a congressional internship and cozies up to then Congressman Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carrel).

Cheney excels as a legislative lackey, loyal and dutiful, earnestly asking Rumsfeld, “What do we believe in?” He receives an answer that perfectly and succinctly sums up the state of modern politics.

From there, a master of manipulating from the shadows is born: He gets a gig in the White House, becomes President Ford’s chief of staff, runs for Congress, is appointed secretary of

t should’ve been a wonderful Christmas gift: the reunion of one of the great big-screen comedy duos, Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, whose previous collaborations in Step Brothers and Talladega Nights were nothing less than genius. But Holmes & Watson was not the gift from the comedy gods we were hoping for, notoriously obtaining at a zero percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

And while the film is by no standard “good,” it’s also not as bad as headlines would have you believe. On its side is a premise and characterizations that really do make sense. Stepping into the role of our most famous and over-adapted literary sleuth is Ferrell, who, as Holmes, walks a very fine line between absolute genius and complete idiot, and the sweet-natured Reilly is a great fit for the loyal and devoted Watson. Together their winning bromantic chemistry is still there. So while the setup is solid, it’s really the only thing about the film that was well thought out. The mystery Holmes & Watson are trying to solve — involving Queen Victoria, a one-armed tattoo artist (Steve Coogan), longtime rival Professor Moriarty (Ralph Fiennes), a cake-covered cadaver, and too many painful and vaguely old-timey gags about selfies or drunk texts — was not. The jokes are beneath an esteemed cast that features many acclaimed British actors, who are completely underused. A major disappointment, Holmes & Watson goes to show you that even when putting two amazing comedic talents together, there’s nothing elementary about making a great comedy.

defense under George H.W. Bush, and settles into a cushy gig as CEO of Halliburton.

But it’s not all political dealings. You also see Cheney at home with his two daughters, and it seems he’s actually a pretty great dad, accepting of his daughter Mary when she comes out as a lesbian and even giving up some of his political ambitions to protect her. But will this last?

The fateful day arrives when George W. Bush comes calling. And from there the rollicking film loses its dramatic momentum and goes inert, becoming more of an encyclopedic listing, checking off the “greatest hits” of Cheney’s time in the Bush White House, from the Iraq War invasion and the Valerie Plame leak to covering up Halliburton’s overbilling and his deeply alarming “unitary executive” theory.

Mixing TV footage, pop culture clips, a fourthwall-breaking narrator (Jesse Plemons), and diversions that leave reality behind, it’s a wild ride almost too clever for its own good. ’Cause quite a few of these gimmicky flourishes come across clumsily. Like the narrator identity reveal that will leave you nonplussed, or Dick and Lynne breaking into Shakespearean verse, which, while appropriate for Lynne’s Lady Macbeth-esque character, belabors the point.

This playfulness that toys with glibness becomes unfocused at times. But one thing is very clear though: McKay wants to teach us about the mess of our current geopolitical situation. And while sometimes it isn’t very nuanced, that isn’t to say it isn’t smart. I mean, if this movie shows us anything, it’s that we don’t want to understand or do anything about complicated matters — so who’s to judge if he uses every tool in his kit to try to get through to us?

Bale and Adams are truly splendid. The king of method madness, Bale, becomes Cheney.

He seems to nail every little tick, every little intonation, every little mannerism. It’s a Cheney more familiar and real than anything you remember. Sam Rockwell makes one heck of a George W. Bush, and Carell infuses a little Brick Tamland into his Rumsfeld, and while it might not be an entirely accurate portrayal, it sure is appreciated.

When all is said and done, Cheney will likely remain an enigma, and the mystique will still stand. Sure, a lot of biographical details will be filled in, as well as some other eye-opening, I-c an’t-b elie ve-I-wasn’t-p ay ing-moreattention moments. But what makes him tick?

Well, that’s anyone’s guess. Satire had to be the approach here. A film that chronicles nothing less than the moral decay of the country is almost too upsetting. So while Vice is certainly funny at times, it’s no laughing matter.

Meg Weichman is a perma-intern at the Traverse City Film Festival and a trained film archivist.

the favourite

A

pitch-black tragicomedy from the bracingly inventive mind of Yorgos Lanthimos (The Lobster), the early 1700s set is the polar opposite of a stuffy period piece. Based in true history, the key word being based, The Favourite takes us inside the reign of England’s Queen Anne (Olivia Coleman). But unlike your adaptations of your Elizabeths or your Victorias, this queen wails and flails, is constantly in pain, often confused, always craving attention, has 17 pet rabbits, and sits around eating cake, despite being terribly afflicted with gout. But she has Sarah Marlborough (Rachel Weisz) — her closest confidante, lifelong friend, and maybe something more — to keep her in check and make sure she doesn’t go out looking like a badger.

And for all intents and purposes, the Duchess of Marlborough is basically running the country, stepping in for Queen Anne when it counts. Sarah is in about as perfect a situation as can be, masterminding a war with France and enjoying the Queen’s near undivided affections. But all that changes upon the arrival of her fallen cousin Abigail (Emma Stone) at court, and through some cunning happenstance, Abigail soon makes herself indispensable to the queen. Both vie for Queen Anne’s love, and what transpires between the two is savage, spewing venomous insults and trading biting barbs. They can be petty, jealous, and treacherous, and while their schemes often sting, it is a wickedly wonderful thing.

roma

O

scar-winner Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity) is the director of Roma, and you’re probably familiar with his varied filmography that spans fantasy franchise fare, art-house hits, and space blockbusters, moving through styles and genres with the most magical of ease. And Roma is the culmination of his remarkable and masterful career, a film that embodies both his intimate, artistic storytelling with his epic and wondrous filmmaking. A true quotidian epic, Roma is a domestic drama that follows the everyday lives of a fairly average upper middle class family in Mexico in the 1970s and becomes something extraordinary — an exquisite and deeply felt look at relationships and the human experience, and a masterpiece of technique, vision, and emotion. Most of the story focuses on Cleo (sublime newcomer Yalitza Aparicio), one of the live-in maids for the family.

You see this young indigenous woman’s rhythmic routine, her duties (cleaning up Borras the dog’s excrement in the too small garage, doing the laundry, etc), the love she gives the family’s four kids (tucking them in at night), and how she spends her day off. And you realize she is the quiet force that the family revolves around and relies on, especially as their seemingly easy lives and her own are thrown into tumult. With some of the most beautifully cinematography ever put to screen (the depth of field at work is truly wild), you could throw every grandiose adjective you can think of at this film and it earns them all. And when it’s all over, you might cry, not necessarily because you’re sad, but because all that emotion has to go somewhere when you’ve just been given a piece of a person in cinematic form.

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 23

nitelife

jan 12 - jan 20 edited by jamie kauffold

Send Nitelife to: events@traverseticker.com

Grand Traverse & Kalkaska

FANTASY'S, TC Mon. - Sat. -- Adult entertainment w/ DJ, 7-close GT DISTILLERY, TC Fri. – Younce Guitar Duo, 7-9:30 1/12 – Randy Reszka

Wed -- Jazz Jam, 6-10 1/19 -- Scott Pellegrom Trio, 8 1/20 -- Jesse Ray & The Carolina Catfish, 7

TC WHISKEY CO. 1/13 -- Shawn Butzin, 4-6 1/17 -- Paul Livingston, 6-8 THE DISH CAFE, TC Tues, Sat -- Matt Smith, 5-7

KILKENNY'S, TC 1/12 -- Brett Mitchell, 9:30 1/17 -- 2 Bays DJs, 9:30 1/18-19 -- Risque, 9:30 Tue -- Levi Britton, 8 Wed -- The Pocket, 8 Sun. -- Geeks Who Drink Trivia, 7-9 LEFT FOOT CHARLEY, TC 1/14 -- Open Mic Night w/ Rob Coonrod, 6-9

THE HAYLOFT INN, TC Thu -- Roundup Radio Show Open Mic Night, 8 THE LITTLE FLEET, TC Wed -- Tiki Night w/ DJ, 3 THE YURT: 1/12 -- Patrick Elkins & Fat Angry Hens Music & Puppet Show, 7-10 1/18 -- Michigander, 7 THE PARLOR, TC 1/12 -- Chris Sterr, 8 1/16 -- Wink Solo, 8 1/17 -- Chris Smith, 8 1/18 -- Matt Mansfield, 8 1/19 -- Blair Miller, 8

PARK PLACE HOTEL, TC BEACON LOUNGE: Thurs,Fri,Sat — Tom Kaufmann, 8:30 SAIL INN BAR & GRILL, TC Thurs. & Sat. -- Phattrax DJs & Karaoke, 9 STUDIO ANATOMY, TC 1/19 -- Comedy w/ Timothy Locke & Justin Chupp, 9

UNION STREET STATION, TC 1/12 – DJ Deacon Jonze, 10 1/13 – Karaoke, 10 1/14 -- Jukebox, 10 1/15 -- TC Comedy Collective, 8-9:30 1/16 -- DJ Ryan Zuker, 10 1/17 -- DJ Coven, 10 1/18 -- Happy Hour w/ Chris Sterr; then DJ Prim 1/19 -- DJ Prim, 10 1/20 -- Karaoke, 10 WEST BAY BEACH HOLIDAY INN RESORT, TC 1/17 – Jeff Haas Trio w/ Nancy Stagnitta, 6-8:30 1/18-19 -- DJ Motaz @ View, 10

BEARDS BREWERY, PETOSKEY 1/12 -- A Brighter Bloom, 8-11 1/13 -- Owen James - Second Sunday Solo Set, 6-9 1/17 -- Joshua Davis, 8:30-11:30 1/18 -- Kyle Brown, 8-11 1/19 -- Charlie Millard Band, 9-11 1/20 -- Charlie Millard Solo, 6-9 BOYNE HIGHLANDS, HARBOR SPRINGS MAIN DINING ROOM: 1/12 – Chris Calleja, 6 1/19 – Pete Kehoe, 6 SLOPESIDE LOUNGE:

SNOWBELT BREWING CO., GAYLORD 1/18 -- The Real Ingredients, 7-10

Manistee, Wexford & Missaukee

LEO’S NEIGHBORHOOD TAVERN, PETOSKEY Thurs — Karaoke w/ DJ Michael Willford, 10

1/12 – Dos Hippies, 9 1/17 – Pete Kehoe, 6 1/18 – Frank & Doug, 9 1/19 – Sean Bielby, 9 1/20 – Nelson Olstrom, 9 ZOO BAR: 1/12 – The Drift, 4:30 1/19 – Union Guns, 4:30 CITY PARK GRILL, PETOSKEY 1/18 -- Annex Karaoke, 9 1/19 -- Apres Ski Party w/ The Mars, 10

NUB'S NOB, HARBOR SPRINGS NUB’S PUB: 1/12 – Mike Ridley, 3-6 1/19 – Patrick Ryan, 3-6 1/20 – Mike Ridley, 3-6 THE SIDE DOOR SALOON, PETOSKEY Sat. – Karaoke, 8

KNOT JUST A BAR, BAY HARBOR Mon,Tues,Thurs — Live music

Leelanau & Benzie DICK’S POUR HOUSE, LAKE LEELANAU Sat. — Karaoke, 10-2

LUMBERJACK'S BAR & GRILL, HONOR Fri & Sat -- Phattrax DJs & Karaoke, 9

LAKE ANN BREWING CO. 1/15 -- Jim Crockett Band, 6:309:30

ST. AMBROSE CELLARS, BEULAH 1/12 -- Blue River, 6-9 1/17 -- Open Mic w/ Jim & Wanda Curtis, 6 1/18 -- Maggie McCabe, 6-9 1/19 -- Rob Coonrod, 6-9

LEELANAU SANDS CASINO, PESHAWBESTOWN BIRCH ROOM: 1/12 -- TC Knuckleheads, 8 1/19 -- Derailed, 8

THE WORKSHOP BREWING CO., TC 1/14 -- Rotten Cherries Comedy Open Mic, 8 Tue -- TC Celtic - Traditional Irish Music, 6:30-9

Otsego, Crawford & Central ALPINE TAVERN & EATERY, GAYLORD Sat -- Live Music, 6-9

Emmet & Cheboygan

1/20 -- Storm the Mic - Hosted by Blake Elliott, 6-9 THE CABBAGE SHED, ELBERTA Thu -- Open Mic Night, 8-11 THE LELAND LODGE 1/19 -- CHEER FEST w/ Jim Hawley, 2-5 & The Broom Closet Boys, 6-10 VILLA MARINE, FRANKFORT Tue -- Open Mic, 8-11

STORMCLOUD BREWING CO., FRANKFORT 1/12 -- Patty Pershayla, 8-10 1/18 -- The Duges, 8-10 1/19 -- Mike Struwin, 8-10

Antrim & Charlevoix CELLAR 152, ELK RAPIDS 1/13 -- Blue River, 8-10 1/18 -- Jeff Brown, 8-10 ETHANOLOGY, ELK RAPIDS 1/19 -- The Pistil Whips, 8-11

PINE LAKE LODGE, BOYNE CITY 1/18 -- Jelly Roll Blues Band, 8-11 RED MESA GRILL, BOYNE CITY 1/15 -- Project 6, 6-9

LAKE STREET PUB, BOYNE CITY Thu -- Poker Karaoke w/ DJ Lang, 8-11

TORCH LAKE CAFÉ, CENTRAL LAKE 1st & 3rd Mon. – Trivia, 7 Weds. -- Lee Malone Thurs. -- Open mic Fri. & Sat. -- Leanna’s Deep Blue Boys 2nd Sun. -- Pine River Jazz

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LITTLE RIVER CASINO RESORT, MANISTEE 1/19 -- Warrant, 8

Send us your free live music listings to events@traverseticker.com

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24 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

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the ADViCE GOddESS Cling Kong

Q

: My girlfriend of three years recently took a trip home for a weekend wedding.

Before she left, I asked her, “Can you set my expectations as to how often I’ll hear from you?” She said she’d call every day. She called each of the three days but never stayed on the phone very long, always giving some excuse: She was in a bar, the hosts were sleeping, etc.

In three days, she spent a total of 43 minutes speaking and reconnecting with me. I told her I felt really hurt by how little time she allocated.

She responded that there were things planned, that she was sometimes at the behest of others driving her places, etc. I am sure that’s all true.

Though I’m not insecure, I’ve felt insecure about my relationship with her. So...what do you think? Do I have a valid reason to feel neglected and invisible?

— Ignored

A

: Where there’s smoke -- like, say, puffs of it coming out of a first-floor window — there’s sometimes a stick of incense burning; no reason to run for the garden hose and turn the living room into a stylishly furnished wading pool.

If your girlfriend imagined what you’d be doing in her absence, it probably wasn’t standing over the phone for 72 hours straight, willing it to ring. Chances are, she isn’t entirely tuned in to how insecure you are about her commitment to you. Also, wedding weekends these days tend to be packed with activities from breakfast to nightcap. So... there’s an initial idea of how much alone time one would have, and then there’s the actual free time between sleep, showering, and “Our ride’s here! You can take your rollers out on the way to the church!”

As for the het-up state you found yourself in, what I often call our “guard dog emotions” can be a little overprotective — and that’s actually an evolved feature, not a flaw. It’s sometimes in our best interest to see unclearly. In fact, human perception evolved to be inaccurate at times — protectively inaccurate, explain evolutionary psychologists Martie Haselton and David Buss, in favor of helping us survive and pass on our genes.

This makes us prone to to signs of infidelity — our suspicion is easily by harmless, innocent

be oversensitive which is to say, triggered, even behavior. This

BY Amy Alkon

oversensitivity is evolutionarily sensible — protective of our interests. For example, it’s typically much more costly for a man to be undersensitive — all “Naw, I’m sure everything’s fine!” — when he’s about to be deceived into paying for college, grad school, and rehab for a kid with some other dude’s genes.

The problem is, an infidelity alarm system that defaults to DEFCON “HOW DARE YOU, YOU HUSSY!” can also take a toll, even on a partner who really loves you. The jealousy, possessiveness, and badgering for reassurance that ensue can make the cost of the relationship start to outweigh the benefits. This isn’t to say you can’t ask for reassurance; you just need to do it in a way that doesn’t make your partner long to put you out on the curb like an old couch.

First figure out whether there’s anything to those alarm bells going off in you -- whether you have any reason to believe your girlfriend is cheating or is unhappy in the relationship.

If not, chances are, your compulsion to turn her iPhone into her wireless leash stems from what the late psychologist Albert Ellis called “catastrophizing” — telling yourself it would be HORRIBLE and TERRIBLE and you would just DIE EVERY DAY FOREVER if your relationship ended. (Drama queen!)

(P.S. We’ve all had our turn wearing the dingy tiara of gloom.)

The reality is, a breakup could lead to a stretch of mope-apalooza — weeks or months snot-sobbing into a pillow, along with the occasional sobfest in the frozen foods aisle.

Obviously, you’d rather not go through this.

HOWEVER!...if you did, you’d eventually recover, get back out there, and maybe even get into a relationship that’s better for you.

Reflect regularly (like, daily) on this rational corrective to your irrational thinking; accept that your relationship could end and admit that you could deal if it did. Once you calm down a little, ask your girlfriend for clarification and reassurance about her feelings for you. In time, when she’s away, you could be obsessing over those highly enjoyable activities we women call “weird gross guy stuff ”: Eat black bean taquitos and try to break your previous records for fart volume and velocity. Play “Minecraft” for 46 hours straight, wearing only a pair of superhero underwear. And finally, seize the opportunity to create timeless art — which is to say, draw a face on your penis and shoot remakes of classic films: “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope!”

“Jonesin” Crosswords "Hey Nineteen" --welcoming in the new year. by Matt Jones

ACROSS 1 Gymnastics equipment 5 Pointillism detail 8 It’s called “orange” but is really black 13 “Grand Ole” venue 14 Salve plant 16 Collect little by little 17 Element #19, whose chemical symbol derives from the word “alkali” 19 “No Hard Feelings” band The ___ Brothers 20 Here, at the Louvre 21 Italian city where “Rigoletto” is set 23 ___ facto 24 British tabloid since 1964 26 Not so much 28 Card game holding where it’s impossible to score 19 points 34 Number on a liquor bottle 37 Instrument with stops 38 Actor Keegan-Michael 39 Julia Roberts, to Emma Roberts 40 Singer with the hit 2008 debut album “19” 41 Lima, for one 42 Belarus, once (abbr.)

43 Afghani neighbor 44 Spend thoughtlessly 45 Stephen King series that makes many references to the number 19 48 Yokozuna’s activity 49 “The Stranger” author Camus 53 Hare crossing your path, e.g.

55 Eucharist disks 59 “See-saw, Margery ___” 60 Cold-weather coat 62 Golf course hangout known as the “19th hole” 64 Simon’s brother 65 Chuck 66 ComÈdie segment 67 Charges on personal property 68 “Karma Chameleon” singer ___ George 69 Achievement

DOWN 1 Hasbro game with voice commands 2 Division of a geologic period 3 “Glee” character Abrams 4 One of four singers on the “Lady Marmalade” remake 5 Coca-Cola bottled water brand 6 “The Reader” actress Lena 7 Publicize 8 Links gp.

9 Language spoken in “The Lord of the Rings” 10 Souvenirs 11 They may be steel-cut 12 Prefix meaning “inside” 15 National bird of Australia 18 Character pursued by Gargamel 22 Aquarium accumulation 25 Aberdeen resident 27 End of the end of October?

29 “___ Yellow” (Cardi B song) 30 Spiner of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” 31 Spaghetti ___ e olio (garlicky pasta dish) 32 “That’s swell!”

33 Physical force unit 34 Realm of one “Christmas Carol” ghost 35 “Tom Sawyer” band 36 Like popular library books 40 It’ll show you the way 41 Insulting comment 43 “___ not kidding” 44 Language for Llanfairpwllgwyngyll 46 ___ Donuts 47 Quavering, like a voice 50 Draw out 51 Wailers fan, maybe 52 Presidential policy pronouncement, probably 53 Birthstone of some Scorpios 54 Burkina Faso neighbor 56 “Oh,” overseas 57 Mess up, as lines 58 Prefix with vision or Disney 61 Part of Q&A, for short 63 Lummox

Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 25

NEW LISTING!

lOGY

aSTRO

NEW LISTING! Unique Northern Michigan lakefront home.

Marsha Minervini Thinking selling?

Making of What Was Making What Was Call now a free market Oldfor New Again Old New Again evaluation of your home.

culture commentator Colin Morris reveals the conclusions he drew after analyzing 15,000 pop songs. First, the lyrics of today’s tunes have significantly more repetitiveness than the lyrics of songs in the 1960s.

Second, the most popular songs, both then and now, have more repetitive lyrics than the average song. Why? Morris speculates that repetitive songs are catchier.

But in accordance with current astrological omens, I encourage you Capricorns to be as unrepetitive as possible in the songs you sing, the messages you communicate, the moves you make, and the ideas you articulate. In the coming weeks, put a premium on originality, unpredictability, complexity, and novelty.

Aquarian aviator Charles Lindbergh made a pioneering flight in his one-engine plane from New York to Paris. He became instantly famous.

Years later, Lindbergh testified that partway through his epic journey he was visited by a host of odd, vaporous beings who suddenly appeared in his small cabin. They spoke with him, demonstrating a sophisticated understanding of navigation and airplane technology. Lindbergh’s spirits were buoyed. His concentration, which had been flagging, revived. He was grateful for their unexpected support. I foresee a comparable kind of assistance becoming available to you sometime soon, Aquarius.

Don’t waste any time being skeptical about it; just welcome it.

w w w. m a r s h a m i n e r v i n i . c o m

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CANCER (June 21-July 22): An imaginative

27-year-old man with the pseudonym Thewildandcrazyoli decided he was getting too old to keep his imaginary friend in his life.

So he took out an ad on Ebay, offering to sell that long-time invisible ally, whose name was John Malipieman. Soon his old buddy was dispatched to the highest bidder for $3,000. Please don’t attempt anything like that in the coming weeks, Cancerian. You need more friends, not fewer—both of the imaginary and non-imaginary variety.

Now is a ripe time to expand your network of compatriots.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In December 1981,

PIScES (Feb. 19-March 20): More than four

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CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Writing at ThePudding, pop

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In May 1927,

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Large views wrap-around Only minutes panoramic out to the Bay from this well-maintained raised dows looking from outin the todowntown the lake. Floor-to-ceiling, natural Michigan stone, wood burning fireplace multi-level spacious backscity up to a creek. ranch. Fulldecks of natural light w/ all yard new that windows, water & sewer, a large master suite (could be fam rm) w/ Heatilator vents.

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Openforfloor plan, maple center. plank Open plan.

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Detached garage has complete kitchen, flooring, newer kitchen appliances, butcher block counters. new deck studio, is the perfect spotworkshop, to watch out to deck.

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JAN 14 - JAN 20

centuries ago, a Piscean samurai named Honda Tadakatsu became a leading general in the Japanese army. In the course of his military career, he fought in more than a hundred battles. Yet he never endured a major wound and was never beaten by another samurai. I propose we make him your inspirational role model for the coming weeks. As you navigate your way through interesting challenges, I believe that like him, you’ll lead a charmed life. No wounds. No traumas. Just a whole lot of educational adventures.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1917, leaders

of the Christian sect Jehovah’s Witnesses prophesied that all earthly governments would soon disappear and Christianity would perish.

In 1924, they predicted that the ancient Hebrew prophet Moses would be resurrected and speak to people everywhere over the radio. In 1938, they advised their followers not to get married or have children, because the end of civilization was nigh. In 1974, they said there was only a “short time remaining before the wicked world’s end.” I bring these failed predictions to your attention, Aries, so as to get you in the mood for my prediction, which is: all prophecies that have been made about your life up until now are as wrong as the Jehovah Witnesses’ visions. In 2019, your life will be bracingly free of old ideas about who you are and who you’re supposed to be.

You will have unprecedented opportunities to prove that your future is wide open.

novice Leo filmmaker James Cameron got sick, fell asleep, and had a disturbing dream. He saw a truncated robot armed with kitchen knives crawling away from an explosion. This nightmare ultimately turned out to be a godsend for Cameron. It inspired him to write the script for the 1984 film The Terminator, a successful creation that launched him on the road to fame and fortune. I’m expecting a comparable development in your near future, Leo. An initially weird or difficult event will actually be a stroke of luck.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Psychologists

define the Spotlight Effect as our tendency to imagine that other people are acutely attuned to every little nuance of our behavior and appearance. The truth is that they’re not, of course. Most everyone is primarily occupied with the welter of thoughts buzzing around inside his or her own head. The good news, Virgo, is that you are well set up to capitalize on this phenomenon in the coming weeks. I’m betting you will achieve a dramatic new liberation: you’ll be freer than ever before from the power of people’s opinions to inhibit your behavior or make you self-conscious.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): What North America

community is farthest north? It’s an Alaskan city that used to be called Barrow, named after a British admiral. But in 2016, local residents voted to reinstate the name that the indigenous Iñupiat people had once used for the place: Utqiagvik. In accordance with astrological omens, I propose that in the coming weeks, you take inspiration from their decision, Libra.

Return to your roots. Pay homage to your sources. Restore and revive the spirit of your original influences.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Movie critic

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26 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

Roger Ebert defined the term “idiot plot” as “any film plot containing problems that would be solved instantly if all of the characters were not idiots.” I bring this to your attention because I suspect there has been a storyline affecting you that in some ways fits that description. Fortunately, any temptation you might have had to go along with the delusions of other people will soon fade. I expect that as a result, you will catalyze a surge of creative problem-solving. The idiot plot will transform into a much smarter plot.

GEMINI

(May 21-June 20): In 1865, Prussia’s political leader, Otto von Bismarck, got angry when an adversary, Rudolf Virchow, suggested cuts to the proposed military budget.

Bismarck challenged Virchow to a duel. Virchow didn’t want to fight, so he came up with a clever plan. As the challenged party, he was authorized to choose the weapons to be used in the duel. He decided upon two sausages. His sausage would be cooked; Bismarck’s sausage would be crammed with parasitic roundworms. It was a brilliant stratagem. The proposition spooked Bismarck, who backed down from the duel. Keep this story in mind if you’re challenged to an argument, dispute, or conflict in the coming days. It’s best to figure out a tricky or amusing way to avoid it altogether.

ScORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): The Alaskan

town of Talkeetna has a population of 900, so it doesn’t require a complicated political structure to manage its needs. Still, it made a bold statement by electing a cat as its mayor for 15 years. Stubbs, a part-manx, won his first campaign as a write-in candidate, and his policies were so benign—no new taxes, no repressive laws—that he kept getting re-elected.

What might be the equivalent of having a cat as your supreme leader for a while, Scorpio? From an astrological perspective, now would be a favorable time to implement that arrangement.

This phase of your cycle calls for relaxed fun and amused mellowness and laissez-faire jauntiness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Trees

need to be buffeted by the wind. It makes them strong. As they respond to the pressure of breezes and gusts, they generate a hardier kind of wood called reaction wood. Without the assistance of the wind’s stress, trees’ internal structure would be weak and they might topple over as they grew larger. I’m pleased to report that you’re due to receive the benefits of a phenomenon that’s metaphorically equivalent to a brisk wind. Exult in this brisk but low-stress opportunity to toughen yourself up!

NORTHERN EXPRESS

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Northern Express Weekly • January 14, 2019 • 27

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28 • January 14, 2019 • Northern Express Weekly

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