VOL. 30 ISSUE 13 ISSUE #1464
NEWS / 4 THE BIG STORY / 7 BURGER PASSPORT / 12 ARTS / 15 MUSIC / 18 // SOCIAL
What is your go-to side when eating a burger?
Andrew CORRELL
Grant CATTON
Tyler Conaway
Chew on the left side.
Sweet potato fries.
Another burger.
// OUR TEAM
7
100 years for Workingman’s Friend
IN THIS ISSUE
COVER // Photo by Haley Ward SOUNDCHECK ....................................... 20 BARFLY ..................................................... 20 FREE WILL ASTROLOGY.................... 23
16
Laura McPhee
Dan Grossman
Cavan McGinsie
Brian Weiss
Seth Johnson
EDITOR
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FOOD EDITOR
ENGAGEMENT EDITOR
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
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French fries with pepper
Kimchi
A Bloody Mary
Star tots
Fries (light on the condiments)
Charlie Clark™
Haley Ward
Mercer Suppiger
PHOTOGRAPHY/ ADVERTISING DESIGNER
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Lisa Gauthier Mitchison
Ian McPhee
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Fried pickles with ranch
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ian@nuvo.net Peanut butter
New album by Rob Dixon
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BRYAN FONSECA’S NEW THEATER By: Dan Grossman
SUMMER READS BY HOOSIER AUTHORS By: Laura McPhee
GADFLY
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Onion rings work.
hward@nuvo.net
Onion rings but no onions on my burger
SOUNDCHECK
Ummmm … I don’t eat burgers
BY WAYNE BERTSCH Trice RiasThompson
Matthew Kapusta
Jessie Davis
Nathan Shipley
La’Tia Smith
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A nice cold session IPA along with some crinkle-cut french fries.
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Sweet potato fries
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FILM EDITOR: Ed Johnson-Ott, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: David Hoppe, CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS Wayne Bertsch, Mark Sheldon, Mark A. Lee, CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Rita Kohn, Kyle Long, Dan Savage, Renee Sweany, Mark A. Lee, Alan Sculley DISTRIBUTION SUPPORT: Mel Baird, Bob Covert, Mike Floyd, Zach Miles, Steve Reyes, Harold Smith, Bob Soots, Ron Whitsit, Dick Powell and Terry Whitthorne WANT A PRINT SUBSCRIPTION IN YOUR MAILBOX EVERY WEEK? Mailed subscriptions are available at $129/year or $70/6 months and may be obtained by emailing kfahavin@nuvo.net. // The current issue of NUVO is free and available every Wednesday. Past issues are at the NUVO office for $3 if you come in, $4.50 mailed. MAILING ADDRESS: 3951 N. Meridian St., Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46208 TELEPHONE: (317) 254-2400 FAX: (317)254-2405 WEB: nuvo.net
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COPYRIGHT ©2018 BY NUVO, INC. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written permission, by any method whatsoever, is prohibited. ISSN #1086-461X
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2 // THIS WEEK // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // 100% SUSTAINABLE / RECYCLED PAPER // NUVO.NET
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JUNE 25-JU
LY 1
CITY REQUESTS MEETING WITH PHOENIX LEADERSHIP Questions Arise After Departure of Bryan Fonseca BY DAN GROSSMAN // DGROSSMAN@NUVO.NET
T
he city of Indianapolis has requested a meeting with the Phoenix Theatre leadership. The request by the city was made after the theater announced on June 1 that the theater’s founder, Bryan Fonseca, would be leaving his position as producing director. Phoenix board member Bill Farkas confirmed that such a meeting would take place. Fonseca, who declined to comment for this story, announced on June 18 the creation of the River West Theater based on the Near Westside of Indianapolis. Deputy Mayor of Community Development Jeff Bennett says the meeting should take place within the next couple of weeks. “We stay in close contact with projects that receive public financing—in this case, we’ll be getting an update on the leadership transition at Phoenix,” he said. After Fonseca’s parting of ways with the theater, there were two departures from the board of directors that Farkas knows of—Patricia Castaneda and Rick Rezek—he said. The nonprofit performing arts organization moved into the new $11 million Cultural Centre at 705 N. Illinois St. on April 28. A major gifts campaign was started to fund the new building, but the campaign is still approximately $2.5 million short of its goal. The Phoenix had formerly occupied a retrofitted church at 749 Park Ave., adjacent to Mass Ave. Last month, the Phoenix received new market tax credits that will generate $2.5 million in equity for the theater. The credits were secured through a $4.5 million bond backed by the city.
// PHOTO BY ESTON BAUMER
In order for the Phoenix Theatre to show the city that it would have the ability to successfully close out its major gifts campaign—and presumably be able to sustain itself long term—the theater commissioned an outside consultant to present a feasibility study. The study, a prerequisite step in receiving the new markets tax credits, was presented on March 23, 2018. The study, which was shared with the city of Indianapolis, was based, in part, on 23 personal interviews with “leaders from across numerous corporate and community sectors,” according to the feasibility study executive summary. “There are highly regarded leaders within the [Phoenix] administration,” reads one of the bullet points in the executive summary. Elsewhere in the document, overall confidence is expressed in the theater’s
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ability to carry out its capital campaign and its mission. Confidence was also expressed in the theater’s place in the community. There is no hint of dissension or dissatisfaction with Phoenix leadership in the study. Bill Simmons was capital campaign manager during the time that the study was completed. In the same June 1 press release that announced Fonseca’s departure from the producing director role in the theater, Simmons was named artistic director. Essentially this is the same role as producing director said Farkas. Farkas declined to comment on whether Fonseca’s departure was voluntary or not, saying that he was not authorized to discuss personnel issues. As for Fonseca’s new role, his new title (producing director emeritus) is in name only. “At this moment Bryan would have
no responsibilities,” said Farkas. “That being said, the door is always open for the potential for Bryan to direct shows [or] to potentially bring in shows produced either by him or by the theater.” “Bryan has done it all, and once we went from a $600,000 to a $1.5 million budget, first off we wouldn’t have been in the position to build the building and move forward reputationally without Bryan,” he said. Farkas also expressed confidence that the mission of the Phoenix, post-Fonseca— of bringing edgy theater to Indianapolis— would not change. “I’m speaking on my behalf as a board member, and I feel strongly that the rest of the board would say 100 percent absolutely,” he said. “That’s why we are here. That’s what we are committed to doing. We know that Indianapolis needs the kinds of shows that we have produced and continue to produce.” The leadership change, Farkas said, has been difficult for the Phoenix. “As someone who has served on the board a long time and served in leadership capacities with Bryan, this is difficult for all of us…With all that’s transpired with the new building, I’m very curious to see what Bill’s going to do. He did such an outstanding job as an actor in Halftime with Don; he did such an outstanding time as a director of The Pill... It’s going to be interesting to see him in that role of figuring out what shows we do moving into the future and how those are received. I’m very excited to see what the future’s going to hold for us. I think that we’re positioned in a really good place.” N
NUVO.NET/NEWS
POGUE’S RUN GROCER CLOSES Leadership Turmoil and New Whole Foods Hasten Demise BY LAURA MCPHEE // LMCPHEE@NUVO.NET
T
he Indy Food Co-op Board of Directors announced the closure of Pogue’s Run Grocer this past weekend. “It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that Pogue’s Run Grocer, Indy Food Co-op II, will no longer be in operation starting Tuesday, June 19,” the board said in a Facebook post and email sent to supporters and members on Saturday. Located at 10th and Rural streets on the city’s Eastside, the food co-op aimed to bring healthier food options to one of the most significant food deserts in Indianapolis. But the burden of financing the project through memberships was difficult in the low-income neighborhood, despite over 1,000 members paying $125 per year. “Sales are at an all-time low,” the board said in their announcement. “The store has reached a point where it cannot sustain itself, and the people who are carrying most of the burden are the employees. Not only do they show up to work every day uncertain of whether their job will be here the next day but also uncertain in regards to whether the store can cover their payroll.” It’s been a rough 2018 for the food co-op that opened in December 2010. In January of this year, accusations of racism among board
For more news, visit nuvo.net/news
members led to a leadership change after a nasty public campaign culminated with the reinstatement of board member Mat Davis. One of only two African American members of the community to serve on the board at that point, Davis claimed he was removed from his leadership role after pushing for more racial equality and representation. “I have been constantly disappointed by the co-op’s sense of entitlement and privilege as it relates to helping the community with food security and access,” Davis said in January. “But recently, PRG’s struggles have intensified in regards to their perception of community and the cooperative itself, and I was kicked off of the board for trying to address this ongoing pattern of privilege and prejudice.” Davis was reinstated to the board after an outpouring of support that included a petition with more than 300 signatures. Several board members resigned, but by February, the co-op seemed to be rebuilding and moving forward successfully. But it might have been too little, too late. In his own online post this weekend, Davis called Pogue’s Run Grocer “a store that never turned a profit” and blamed the closing on “a serious financial crisis due to 5 years of mis-
management and discriminatory practices.” Davis wrote, “The natural lull of summer sales, the arrival of Whole Foods, and personnel issues proved to be more of a challenge than we thought.” It’s a disappointing end for the project. The small grocery store aimed to improve the area’s economic and physical health by providing access to good food and creating jobs in the immediate neighborhood. Jolene Ketzenberger wrote about Pogue’s
Run for NUVO last year when the store celebrated its fifth anniversary. “It’s definitely a challenge, and we had our work cut out for us, but there’s just such a great feeling of community among our members and contributors from the beginning,” General Manager Greg Monzel said at the time. “It’s just a powerful thing to see people come together at a grassroots level and build something where there’s nothing.” N
NUVO.NET // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // NEWS // 5
ALL IN THE FAMILY
100 years of The Workingman’s Friend Tavern
BY CAVAN McGINSIE // CMCGINSIE@NUVO.NET
// PHOTO BY HALEY WARD
W
alking through the side entrance of The Workingman’s Friend Tavern, you find yourself immediately looking out across the heavily worn black-and-white tiled floor and the sea of Formica-topped tables to the retro bar, which isn’t retro; it’s just the way it’s always been. You then look to the left and right and see the array of people, from factory workers and doctors to grandmas from the neighborhood and politicians, all happily chatting while gorging themselves on crispy, cheesy burgers, ham-and-Swiss sandwiches, chili, onion rings, and massive goblets of beer. A place like this has stories to tell. And you’ll see the keeper of those stories weaving her way among the happy, greasy-fingered customers during her breaks from smashing their famous burgers on the grill, stopping by tables to chat, and making sure everyone is feeling welcomed and enjoying themselves. That’s Becky Stamatkin, the current owner of The Workingman’s Friend Tavern and granddaughter of the founder, Louie Stamatkin.
BECOMING THE WORKINGMAN’S FRIEND “It was probably a little house,” Becky says of the original tavern her grandfather opened in 1918, which was called The Belmont Lunch. “They took the living room out and all that and put a bar in.” Louie was a Macedonian immigrant who moved to the states when he was young. He lived with a local family until his early 20s, and then, somewhere between the ages of 25 and 28, Louie opened The Belmont Lunch to feed the factory and railroad workers in the bustling neighborhood. He quickly became known as “The Workingman’s Friend” due to his policy of letting railroad workers come in and eat and drink even when they didn’t have money because of labor strikes. Becky says, “He’d tell them, ‘Pay me when you get paid.’ If they had it all, they paid him off. If they didn’t, they paid what they could.” At age 48, Louie passed away. “He decided to stay up playing poker for two days and nights,” Becky says. “He caught pneumonia, and see ya’ later.”
WHAT // The Workingman’s Friend Tavern (cash only) WHERE // 234 N. Belmont Ave.
A lot of the details aren’t known about the time when Louie was running the place. Becky says she wishes she knew more, but, “To know any of those stories, everybody’s gone.”
A NEW ERA What Becky does know is her dad, Carl, and his brother, Earl, took over the business after their father’s death. They decided to memorialize Louie by changing the name to his nickname, and thus The Workingman’s Friend Tavern was born. They also moved from the original transformed house into the current building, which they built in 1950 around the orginal building. Along with the addition of the new building, they changed up the menu. “They upgraded and went a little fancier,” Becky says. When looking at a copy of the 1950s
menu she keeps behind the bar, it’s easy to see this was a major change from the simple lunch counter and drinking hole Louie had been running. T-bone steaks ($2.75), filet mignon ($3), and fish, shrimp, scallops, and oysters all showed up. The still-famous burgers were on the menu too, a double hamburger costing 50 cents and the addition of cheese kicked it up to 65 cents. The drink menu had cocktails you’d find in hip “mixology” bars today, such as Old Fashioned (60 cents), Sloe Gin Fizz (60 cents), and Planters Punch ($1.25). Becky remembers this time from her childhood. She says they did their best to still be the workingman’s friend. “I remember guys that would come in two or three times a day and get a half pint of whiskey,” she says with a laugh. “They didn’t want their wives to know how much they were drinking, so they’d slip those half pints in their pocket. The railroaders coming through used to call ahead and order 200 half pints of whiskey— same as the Ringling Brothers’ Circus.” The circus coming through was a fond and NUVO.NET // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // THE BIG STORY // 7
The Big Story Continued...
MARY ALICE STAMATKIN //
fun memory for her. “I remember as a kid we’d go over into the railroad yard and look at all the lions because they’d stop with their big 20 cars, or however many it was, they’d stop right there,” she says, pointing out toward the railroad that sits just north of the building. “They’d all come in and party, and dance, and the ringmaster got up and sang. “Can you imagine seeing the bearded lady and shit sitting in here?” she asks while shaking her head and laughing. While sitting in this building, it’s easy to imagine any number of people having a hell of a time, partying, laughing, and spreading good cheer well into the night. According to Becky, oftentimes that would happen even after her mom and dad had headed to bed for the evening. “There was a Link-Belt [factory] down the street, and my dad, when he was tired and ready to go and they were still drinking, he would just hand them the keys,” Becky says. And while it was a place to party and have fun and sometimes drink a bit too much, it also had its hardships, too. One of those nights, with a bit too much to drink, brothers Carl and Earl ended up getting into a fight that led them to split as business partners. Becky’s dad, Carl, took sole ownership of the
business. But, she says, her dad wasn’t the best at running the business, mainly due to his alcoholism. “In the early ’70s, my dad was drinking a lot,” Becky says. “He’d be sitting here,” referencing the table we’re sitting at, which is a four top closest to the kitchen. “This was the liars table,” she mentioned when we sat down. “He’d be drunk, and this place would be full of people eating steaks, and he’d stand up and tell them to get the hell out, we’re closing.” And so, that left one person who would work to save the place, and that was Becky’s mom, Mary Alice.
MARY ALICE, THE MATRON SAINT OF THE WORKINGMAN “My mom was a big part of this place, too, but she’s not getting a whole lot of recognition. She walked in in 1959 to help out for two weeks, and 52 years and six kids later, she was still here,” Becky says, which leads her to tears. “If she wasn’t here cooking back then— with the way my dad was—we probably wouldn’t even be here. “She was the big cook,” says Becky. “It was a lot of her recipes, her coleslaw, her potato salad. We were known for her stew; I mean,
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CARL STAMATKIN //
“Everything’s cooked to order, everything’s cut fresh. We’ve just never changed it.” —BECKY STAMATKIN
they still talk about her stew. It’s just things that she didn’t write down and I don’t have the recipe for. “She told me how to make the chili, the bean soup, the slaw, the potato salad, and the tuna salad. And my mom could cook a steak. I would have put that steak up against any steak in the city.” And her mom led Becky to stick around. “I didn’t want her to have to put up with my dad and leave her here by herself doing it all. “I hate to say it, but [my dad] had a heart attack and a stroke back in the early ’80s, and that pretty much pushed him away from the alcohol and away from here…So that’s when it started taking off. It was nose-diving before. But I was still around. I graduated from high school, and I stuck around with my mom, and we were able to start climbing. And it’s been crazy the last 15 to 20 years.”
BECKY STAMATKIN // PHOTO BY HALEY WARD
IF IT AIN’T BROKE While Becky really started to take her role in the place when she got out of high school, she had been working at the restaurant for years at that point. “I tell everybody I learned how to throw dice and play poker before I learned how to walk,” she says, laughing. “It was just growing up in the bar. I’ve been around it all my life.” She started working in the kitchen when she was 14, dressing buns and things like that. And it’s because of her long time working alongside her parents that the place has gone relatively unchanged since she began. “I’ve been here for 40 years,” she says. “So I’ve passed down what my mom did—and my dad—so it’s pretty much the same, and I think that’s what people like about it.” One big change came sometime in the ’70s. She says that’s when the steaks, seafood, and fancy cocktails left the menu. Due to that change, it’s honestly probably closer to its beginnings as The Belmont Lunch than it was when her dad and uncle ran the place. “Since the beginning, we’ve really just been a lunch counter. My grandpa started out with the food and the chili, and we’ve just kept it the same,” she says. “Everything’s cooked to order, everything’s cut fresh. We’ve just never
NUVO.NET/THEBIGSTORY changed it. “The recipes haven’t changed, the cook hasn’t changed—she’s just gotten older—but I think that helps.” And this unwavering attention to tradition brings hundreds of people through the doors every day—people coming for a meal in a place that is pretty much the same as it ever was. People coming in for their crispy, double cheeseburger, which has become the item The Workingman is known for in the internet age. “It depends on what’s going on,” Becky says about how many burgers she smashes a day. “But when all the publicity was going on for the 100-year celebrations, in two days I’d burn through 600 hamburgers; I’d smash that many.” And no matter how many they’re pumping out, they’re always delicious and the same as they were before Becky was even around. “There was a gentleman at the bar today who said the last time he was at the bar was 50 years ago,” she says. “He said it still tastes the same, the exact same.” And not just the burgers are the same
either. There’s the ham and Swiss, named the Big John. And the five-alarm chili. They even still have salami and Braunschweiger sandwiches. She mentions a guest asking why these last two are still on the menu and how many she sells. “That’s not what it’s about,” she says. “I’m not here to make a million dollars off the Braunschweiger and the salami. It’s been on the menu as long as I can remember, and people still eat it. Yeah, I might only sell one or two a week, but that’s what they want, and that’s what they came in for. I want to give it to them. It’s just keeping things the same. I really try to change nothing.” Not only is the food the same, but much of the staff is the same. One server Cindy says she has been working for Becky for over 20 years. And the daytime bartender, Becky’s wife of one year, Shelley Groover, is in her 21st year at the tavern. “We got together in 1998,” Becky says. “She started working for me within a year. And it works out because it’s like two different worlds. She’s out here, and I’m back there,” she says of being able to work alongside her
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After Party
& Beer Garden 7 – 11:30 PM LIVE MUSIC WITH
Hyryder LATE NIGHT SHOW W/ DERICK HOWARD FERMENTATIONCELEBRATION.COM
THE OLD WORKINGMAN’S SIGN, THE OLD WORKINGMAN’S MENU, AND LOUIE STAMATKIN //
NUVO.NET // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // THE BIG STORY // 9
The Big Story Continued...
MORE GREAT INDY BURGERS 317 Burger
Flamme Burger
915 E. Westfield Blvd.
Various locations
Broad Ripple isn’t a burger haven by any means, but
Every year in the fall, there is an event called the
this local (this is important) spot has made a name
Indy Burger Battle, and Flamme Burger always has
for itself as dishing out some of the best burgers in
some of the longest lines. The reason why is simple:
the city. It’s a craft burger joint with a craft beer selec-
Their burgers are flame. While you can branch out
tion to match; plus, some of the beers come straight
and try any style that they offer, it’s never bad to go
from their own brewery, None the Wiser. The fries are
with their namesake, the flamme burger—the roasted
hand cut, the beef’s excellent, and for spice lovers, the
serrano peppers and sriracha mayo add a nice kick to
Angry Mule is maybe the tastiest spicy burger you’ll
in-house ground Black Angus, which is cooked on a
find. 317burger.com
wood-fired stove. Add some truffle parmesan fries on the side and smile. flammeburger.com
Between the Bun
102 S. Madison Ave. (Greenwood)
McGinley’s Golden Ace
For the Southsiders out there that want their burgers
2533 E. Washington St.
without Mc in front of them, Between the Bun is a
The McGinley family has owned and operated
saving grace. This little locally owned spot offers up a
the spot since 1933 (the end of Prohibition) when it
menu that is filled with offerings for everyone, but it
was a haven for Irish workers around the city. They
is within their burgers that the true magic lies. Their
have made sure to keep this place a shining beacon
burgers have been voted the best in Indy, and it is
to get a shot of whiskey, a bottle of beer, and one
because all of their burgers are fantastic. And while
of their burgers with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle,
you can go standard here and have yourself a helluva
and maybe some mayo or mustard. They’ve been
burger, check out their specialty burgers for some-
cooking up those patties in the same cast iron since
LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE
thing truly unique, such as one with cookie butter on
right around the time they opened, and a good
Becky seems uncertain about the next steps for WMF. She believes the neighborhood, which is now being touted as River West, will continue to develop, and she’s hoping people are right when they’re telling her she is sitting on a goldmine. “Where’s that pile of gold?” she quips. She says she plans on doing more of the same and steer away from change. But she also has no children and doesn’t know if any of her nieces or nephews would be interested in taking over the company when she is ready to hang up her apron. “It’s a hard life,” she says. “You have to get up and deal with some of the people that you have to deal with. You try to work your butt off, and then they just downgrade you and try to tell you it’s shitty. And you have to do so much. I’ve done it all. I’ve cleaned the shitters. I’ve cleaned the puke up. I’ve had to do dishes. When somebody doesn’t show up, you’ve just gotta do it. “I tell people often, eventually, all good things must come to an end,” she says, smiling. “But as far as I’m concerned, right now my customers won’t let me go anywhere; so here I am.” N
it. btbindy.com
burger is all about a well-seasoned pan. (Cash only)
// PHOTO BY HALEY WARD
wife. She then laughs and adds, “She does get a little more flak than the rest, but that’s what she’s here for, somebody for me to vent to.” One noticeable aspect is the lack of men on staff. She currently has one male employee, and that is the dishwasher. “We’ve always had it that way,” she says. “I don’t know why, just is…My mom, years ago, told me, ‘Don’t ever trust the men,’” she says with a smile. “The women just want to come work with you. The guys want to come learn what you’re doing, and then the next thing you know, they’re gone [and] opening their own place with your recipes.” The only major changes that have happened have been going to only daytime hours (except Fridays when they’re open until 8 p.m.) and The Workingman’s Friend Tavern becoming known across the state and even other parts of the country. “Some days it’s like, where are they coming from? It’s crazy in here,” Becky says. “Like today at 10:30 they started lining up. And I went to open the door at 11, and there were already at least 25 people at the door. It fills up in 15 or 20 minutes, and it bombards me.” As for the daytime hours, those stem from the smoking ban in 2006. “The smoking ban killed a lot of my night business,” she says. That, with the additional loss of the night bartender, her half-brother, Terry, who passed away, led to Becky going to only daytime hours. She says she would go back to nighttime hours if the neighborhood
picks back up, but right now, it doesn’t make business sense. Plus, it gives her a chance to get out of the kitchen for a few hours a day. “It is nice to have a 40-hour-week job. I never had that.”
10 // THE BIG STORY // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // 100% SUSTAINABLE / RECYCLED PAPER // NUVO.NET
goldenaceinn.com Burgerhaus
Various locations
The Red Key Tavern
Take a walk on the canal and stop in for a juicy burger
5170 N. College Ave.
and pint. The spicy fries are killer and the setting is
The Red Key is a part of Indy literary history (Google
casual, so all you have to do is wear your comfy shoes
“Dan Wakefield”) and maintains late owner Russ
and enjoy. If heading to Downtown Indy isn’t an option,
Settle’s rules: no swearing, no moving of the tables,
you can now get their burgers at their latest location
no coats draped on chairs or stools. And another part
up in Carmel. No matter where you go, this is a place to
of the Red Key that might go down in history is their
branch out and try something you may not be used to,
simple yet fantastic burger, which is arguably the
such as their tuna burger. burgerhausrestaurants.com
best classic burger in the city. Order one with a side of their homemade potato salad and their signature
BRU Burger Bar
Manhattan or a Bier Brewery Red Key beer.
Various locations
(Cash only) redkeytavern.com N
Sure, you’re at BRU for the over-the-top burgers with guacamole and exotic cheeses and for a menu that frequently rotates. And it’s the perfect place to go to get a pint and grab a juicy patty with all the toppings (or none of them because they’ll do that too). But it’s much more than that; it’s got one of the best outdoor spaces on Mass Ave, nestled right in the center of all the action. bruburgerbar.com
McGINLEY’S GOLDEN ACE’S BURGER //
A
WITH LOCAL DJ AND NUVO COLUMNIST
KyleLong WEDNESDAY PM
PHOTO BY JENN GOODMAN
NIGHTS 8
ON
SATURDAY PM
NIGHTS 10
A Cultural MANIFESTO
explores the merging of sounds from around the globe with the history of music from right here at home.
JUNE 25–J
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#INDYBURGERWEEK 20% of all restaurant registrations fees and Sponsorships will be given directly to Second Helpings.
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Dine-in Only Add Crack Fries for an additional $2.95
JUNE
GO SEE THIS
ART FROM THE HEARTLAND Three Questions for Mike Barclay, iMOCA director of exhibitions, about exhibit opening June 22 at the Indianapolis Art Center NUVO: What is Art from the Heartland?
21
ing from the American Heartland. Geographically, this is an immense area, so the art is a great selection of diverse artists and talents representing a variety of stories and ideas. It’s a menagerie of artists and themes. NUVO: Can you describe some of the entries in terms of diversity of media and style? BARCLAY: There is a little bit of everything, from painting, photography, jewelry, sculpture, ceramics, and video with a few surprises in there. There were around 600 entries, and I had to select about 80 for the exhibition. It was tough, and I tried to make sure my selections were representative of the diverse body of work I had to select from, not just visually but thematically. My curatorial style tends to lean toward color, avant-garde, and well-executed works…and a touch of humor. I was trained as an artist in the traditional schools of drawing and painting, so I also have a lot of respect for the classics like landscape and portraiture as well. I love damn good realism as much as I love graffiti and street art. NUVO: Are you a fan of White Castles as well as the “White Castle Cheese Sliders” sculpture by Edward Cabra in the exhibit? BARCLAY: Personally, I am greatly repulsed by White Castle, and I don’t ever recall eating a “slider.” I know people who love it and that is their choice. Once a roommate’s brother stayed at our apartment and drunkenly ate White Castle. I remember cleaning up the next day and throwing away one slider that was hard as a rock. That is why those ceramic sliders are hilarious to me and an accurate representation!
31
EVENT // Rachel Hayes WHERE // iMOCA at The Alexander TICKETS // FREE
Community Input Opportunity This Week
MIKE BARCLAY: Art from the Heartland is a
styles, and mediums in contemporary art com-
THRU DEC.
IMPROVEMENTS AT INDIANAPOLIS ART CENTER BY REBECCA BERFANGER // ARTS@NUVO.NET
juried art show of nine Midwest states. To me, it represents a snapshot of current themes,
EVENT // Carolyn Spencer WHERE // Saks Fifth Avenue TICKETS // FREE
T
he Indianapolis Art Center is considering new plans to improve access and interaction with its riverfront location and grounds. To gather community input on the riverfront that is accessible to the Art Center, the nonprofit arts organization hosted a meeting of stakeholders Feb. 8. The meeting, funded by the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, included funders, environmental groups, artists, river users, and city representatives. More than 45 attendees from 28 organizations participated in the meeting. Focus groups discussed various opportunities for the Indianapolis Art Center grounds, including the river access. Possible improvements include a potential grand observation deck and a riverbank room on the west end, which could include an event space. A community BBQ on June 22 aims to showcase the center’s engagement with the river and draw more interest in their waterfront improvement effort. Admission is free, and food and drinks will be available for purchase. There will also be games, activities, and music. Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc. will have an activity highlighting the importance of keeping watersheds free of waste and debris. The February meeting (called a charrette) launched a series of discussions about how the Art Center grounds can better serve the Indy community. The earliest phases will include developing a stronger connectivity to the Monon and engagement with the IndyGo Redline when it comes in 2019. (IndyGo repre-
14 // VISUAL // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // 100% SUSTAINABLE / RECYCLED PAPER // NUVO.NET
sentatives will also be on hand at the community BBQ.) While the overall focus was on better access to the riverfront from the Art Center, the work coincides with the larger effort to revitalize a 58-mile stretch of the White River, spanning from northern Hamilton to southern Marion counties, Partners for the White River announced in early May. Since joining the IAC in 2014, President and Executive Director Patrick
“We’re finding the happy medium between working studio and welcoming space.” — EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PATRICK FLAHERTY
Flaherty has been talking with various funders about big-picture improvements that can be made. The Indianapolis Art Center is known for its art classes and art exhibits, and it will continue to focus on those two areas as it has for several decades, says Flaherty. But they also don’t want to ignore the riverfront’s potential for bringing in new visitors, and they want to be a leader in how they approach improving access, appreciation, and stewardship of the river. While the stakeholder meeting focused on long-term plans, such as building boardwalks and observation decks and
making more of the trails better accessible to bikes, wheelchairs, and strollers, the Art Center has already been using what they learned to make small but significant improvements, and it will continue to do so. “We’ve cleaned up our east entrance a bit, which has a functional wood kiln and a functioning sculpture garden,” Flaherty says. “We’re finding the happy medium between working studio and welcoming space. We’re investigating how in the short term, without significant funding, we can make that more apparent.” Additionally, the Art Center has improved visibility from the Monon Trail by cutting back invasive species and by looking into adding more signs, art installations, and perhaps an “education path” says Director of Development Emily Hunter. They are also working on other programming ideas to make the east entrance—the approach from the Monon Trail—more welcoming. They’re considering hosting food trucks, community festivals, and smaller pop-up events in that space, according to Hunter. She adds that they are also open to community groups contacting the Indianapolis Art Center with their ideas to discuss use of the space and potential partnerships. And there will be ample opportunity during the community BBQ for such discussion. The BBQ coincides with the opening of the Art from the Heartland exhibition juried by Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art Director of Exhibitions Mike Barclay, as well as the opening
WHAT // Community BBQ and Art from the Heartland WHEN // June 22, 6–9 p.m. WHERE // Indianapolis Art Center TICKETS // FREE www.indplsartcenter.org
of the exhibit featuring works by the Indianapolis Art Center’s Supportive Mentoring through ART (SMART) program, where youth ages 12–18 are partnered with art mentors to attend classes at the Art Center. The meeting of stakeholders was just the first of many steps as the IAC continues to seek feedback from the community in the coming months. The next phase will be programming, participation, and partnerships, so there will continue to be opportunities for community involvement. N
POTENTIAL RIVERFRONT ACCESS ENVISIONED IN COLLABORATION WITH SWT DESIGN //
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To schedule your appointment, please call 800-510-4003 www.accessclinical.com NUVO.NET // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // VISUAL // 15
NUVO.NET/VISUAL
BAROQUE TO THE CORE Indianapolis Early Music Festival Kicks Medieval Ass BY CHANTAL INCANDELA // ARTS@NUVO.NET
T
he 52nd Indianapolis Early Music Festival is nearly upon us, where artists from around the world come to share music written in the medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque eras. Mark Cudek, artistic director of the Indianapolis Early Music Festival for more than a decade now, is enthusiastic about the variety of ensembles he’s able to bring this year. “The enormous variety of music we have is so important,” says Cudek, who is also chair of the Historical Performance Department at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. “We’ve got very, very high Baroque music, like an all-Bach concert with full orchestra and choir, and on the other hand, we’ve got a crossover band playing Celtic music on early instruments. Some ensembles play in Renaissance style, and others let more recent musical trends influence them. It’s a really complete experience of early music. Every season to me [it] is crucial that I present the whole gamut of early music—medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque, and that’s been my approach for each summer.” In selecting groups to help fill his vision, Cudek is always keeping his ears and eyes open, listening to recordings, checking out concerts, and finding musicians within his own collaborations as well. His vision and approach have proved successful. Cudek is a highly regarded early music performer in his own right, an accomplished lutenist who plays with the Baltimore Consort. He has performed at venues ranging from the National Gallery in Washington, D.C., to the Teatro Nacional de Panama to New York’s Metropolitan Museum. He has also played at the Indianapolis Early Music Festival. Established in 1966, it is the oldest continuous presenter of early music in the United States. “The IEM is a great festival primarily because of its high artistic standards,” says
inated, from an album of his own compositions, and he formed this group years ago to bring to fruition his true ideas on what his original music should sound like. Their guest vocalist, Sarah Pillow, was originally a jazz
WHAT // Indianapolis Early Music Festival WHEN // June 22–July 15 WHERE // Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St. TICKETS // Prices vary; http://iemusic.org/
MARK CUDEK, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE INDIANAPOLIS EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL //
Michael Toulouse, a member of the board of directors of the Festival Music Society (the corporate identity of the festival) and program director and primary host of Classical Music Indy. “Its guest performers are drawn from the top ranks of the early music world.” There’s something for everyone with the festival lineup, and Cudek gets the best of the best, but what is it that gets people intrigued about early music in the first place? “Early music is hard to resist thanks to its distinctive blend of intimacy and informality,” says Toulouse, attempting to answer that question. “The ensembles are generally
16 // VISUAL // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // 100% SUSTAINABLE / RECYCLED PAPER // NUVO.NET
small, the music forms are loosely defined, and the instruments are necessarily acoustic. It’s all slightly rough around the edges—a genre in the process of evolution.” Starting the festival off on Friday, June 22 at the Indiana History Center is the crossover group Ayreheart with soprano Sarah Pillow in a program called “Ayres of Albion: Songs, Dances, and Ballads of England, Scotland, and Wales.” “Ayreheart is put together by Ronn McFarlane, who is coming back later to play the lute duets,” says Cudek. “He’s one of the top lute players in the world. He’s Grammy nom-
vocalist. She’s equally adept at early music as jazz.” The festival is also presenting the first of two free family concerts on June 23—again featuring Ayreheart. There will be opportunities for kids to touch and experience the instruments as well. Ensemble Caprice starts off the second part of the festival on July 13, with a performance using period instruments. Their program “Chaconne: Voices of Eternity” presents music of the 16th century up until Bach. They are also giving the second family concert of the series on July 14 titled “Salsa Baroque.” “It’s a program that’s just wonderful,” says Cudek. “Late 16th and early 17th century music...a little from Spain but most from Latin America. Most music is by native composers and some by Spanish composers who couldn’t get the best gigs in Spain, so they sailed across the sea and got gigs at the new cathedrals that were springing up in the new world.” Please see program notes at iemusic.org for a complete list of performers in the threeweek-long series of performances. In asking Cudek for his thoughts on this lineup, he responded with an enthusiastic “They’re all tremendous! I wouldn’t bring them here if I didn’t think so.” N
FRESH DAILY AT NUVO.NET
JULY
COMING UP
26
OMAR APOLLO // PHOTO BY VINNY ROMERO
OMAR APOLLO MAKING MOVES Hobart Singer-Songwriter Releases Debut EP BY SETH JOHNSON // SJOHNSON@NUVO.NET 18 // MUSIC // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // 100% SUSTAINABLE / RECYCLED PAPER // NUVO.NET
EVENT // Lauren Sanderson WHERE // Deluxe at Old National Centre TICKETS // oldnationalcentre.com
H
obart may be an unknown place to most of America, but it is home to budding soul musician Omar Apollo. With Chicago to the northwest, the humble city has an industrial history tied to brickmaking and is home to about 28,000 citizens today. With parents that are both from Mexico, the 21-year-old Apollo has lived in Hobart all of his life. Self-taught on guitar with a voice as smooth as the nearby Indiana sand dunes, the multitalented Chicano musician has forged a musical path of his own, finding more and more mainstream success as the years have gone by. Earlier this month, for example, Apollo released his Stereo EP, which received a favorable review from Pitchfork.com. Although very few of his relatives were musically minded, Apollo remembers getting his first guitar around the age of 12. “My parents got me an electric guitar, and they were just like, ‘All right, here you go,’” Apollo recalls. “I didn’t have a DVD or anything. They didn’t give me an amp either because they didn’t know.” Apollo quickly insisted that his parents buy him an acoustic guitar instead. “They went to the pawn shop and got me an acoustic one,” he says. “I just fell in love with it. I’d go to sleep playing and shit.” Growing up in Hobart, the options for playing music out in public were quite limited, as one might expect. “It was just kind of different because no one played anything ever,” he says. “Like, there were no open mics, at least that I knew of.” Early on, he did befriend some likeminded musicians— some of which still play in his live band today. Overall, though, he was somewhat of a lone wolf. “Chicago was right next door, but I was young and couldn’t just go to Chicago,” he says. “So growing up, it was just me and the guitar for the most part.” Eventually, he taught himself how to record as well—something that took him a bit of time to master. “I was so bad,” he says. “It took me a while to find out where my voice was at.” Nevertheless, Apollo immediately began catching the attention of many, as he started posting his seductive soul songs on SoundCloud. In fact, he remembers au-
SEPT.
28
EVENT // The Revivalists WHERE // Garfield Park TICKETS // mokbpresents.com
dience members knowing the words to his music at the very first show he played. “My first show that I ever did was at a basement in Bloomington with a bunch of college kids,” Apollo says. “They were just like, ‘Yo. Come play this show. It’s free.’ No one knew me back then—I barely had any music out. I think the most I had was 10,000 plays on SoundCloud. But some people knew the lyrics, which was cool.” At this party Apollo first linked up with notable Indianapolis rapper Drayco McCoy, who was quite impressed with what he heard. “Drayco was just like, ‘Who the fuck is this?’” Apollo says. “He didn’t even say, ‘Let’s work.’ He just said he was a fan.” But as one thing led to the next, Apollo eventually called upon McCoy to rap on his grooving 2017 gem “Algo.” “I had this song, and I was like, ‘Bro, get on this with some Pusha T-type shit,’” Apollo says. “I just approached it like Pharrell and how he would look at it.” With his latest Stereo, Apollo looked to expand on his smooth and soulful sound a bit, showing off his many musical sides. “It [the EP] came together pretty easily,” he says. “It was kind of just songs that I really liked. They weren’t so much in a theme as much as an album would be, where there’s a reoccurring theme top to back. This was just kind of a bunch of different genres that I’ve been fucking with.” With future releases, he’d like to continue honing in on the things he does best. “Now that I have this EP out, I get a bird’s-eye view of what I want to do as an artist sonically,” Apollo says. “The music is definitely changing all the time. I’m kind of finding my sound—or at least what I want to do next.” Later this summer, Apollo will embark on a month-long tour with his band, hitting major market cities such as Boston, Denver, Houston, and Los Angeles. No matter how far away he is from Hobart, though, he will continue to rep his state. “I’m a Hoosier for sure,” Apollo says. “When I go places, a lot of times people are like, ‘Yeah, I can tell that you’re not from here.’ [I’ll be] walking around with fruit snacks in my pocket and shit like that…I definitely love Indiana.” N
NUVO.NET/MUSIC
ROB DIXON’S TRIUMPHANT RETURN Indy Jazz Hero Returns with First New Album in Over a Decade BY KYLE LONG // MUSIC@NUVO.NET
O
n June 30, Indianapolis jazz hero Rob Dixon will hit the stage at the Jazz Kitchen to celebrate the release of his first new album in over a decade. The saxophonist’s latest is titled Coast to Crossroads, and the LP features Dixon fronting an all-star ensemble that includes Mike Clark on drums, Ernest Stuart on trombone, and Charlie Hunter on guitar/production. Alternating between hard-hitting funk jams and soulful blues shuffles, Coast to Crossroads offers listeners a masterclass in groove-based jazz. I recently caught up with Dixon to learn more about the record’s creation. “The album came together through a conversation with Charlie Hunter,” Dixon says. The two musicians first performed together at the Jazz Kitchen several years ago. Hunter was impressed with Dixon’s sound and invited the saxophonist to join him on the road. Dixon’s live gigs with Hunter eventually led to talk of a recording date. “When we started talking about doing an album, I thought I was gonna play on a record of his,” Dixon shares. “I kept saying to Charlie, ‘You ought to do a record that has grooves and shuffles.’ Eventually Charlie said, ‘Why don’t I
just produce you doing a record like that?’ Six months after that conversation, we had Coast to Crossroads.” Even if you don’t recognize Hunter by name, you’ve likely heard the guitarist’s work. Hunter was featured on D’Angelo’s classic Voodoo album and has collaborated with a wide range of artists from Norah Jones to Mos Def. “Charlie is one of the most unique guitarists in the world,” Dixon states. Hunter rose to fame in the jazz world during the 1990s with an unconventional sound. Using custom-made seven- and eight-string guitars, Hunter developed a method of playing melodies, chords, and bass simultaneously. Hunter then runs his guitar through a Fender Vibratone Leslie amplifier, which produces a tone eerily similar to the Hammond organ. This Hammond-flavored guitar effect is a huge element of the Coast to Crossroads sound. “Charlie has that old Hammond B3 sound, where he’s comping the bass and striking the chord at the same time,” Dixon says. “It’s actually more complex than that. The upper register of the guitar bites a little harder. So Charlie adds the organ sound, the bass, and guitar. When you listen to him on this record,
it sounds like three different people playing, but it’s just Charlie.” The presence of jazz legend Mike Clark on drums adds extraordinary depth to the music on Coast to Crossroads. “Mike is an amazing talent,” Dixon says. “He’s worked with Herbie Hancock, Chet Baker, Vince Guaraldi, and he replaced Phil Collins in Brand X. I got acquainted with Mike around 2005. He came through the Jazz Kitchen, and he was looking for a saxophonist. We immediately started working together. I toured Russia with him, and he brought me into the Headhunters as a sub. He’s introduced me to a lot of things, and he’s a dear friend of mine now. He’s one of my jazz heroes, so it was great to have him on this record.” Dixon told me he composed a few of the LP’s tracks around Clark’s trademark style,
including the ultra-funky standout “San Leandro.” “I was thinking about Mike when I wrote ‘San Leandro,’” Dixon says. “I wanted him to get into that kind of linear funk beat he played with Herbie Hancock on Thrust.” Rounding out the quartet is trombone virtuoso Ernest Stuart, perhaps best known for his work with the celebrated Punjabi brass band Red Baraat. A Philadelphia native, Stuart recently planted roots in Indianapolis and has been performing sporadically with Dixon over the last year. “Ernest is a phenomenal trombone player and a rising star,” Dixon says. “He sounds amazing on this record.” Coast to Crossroads was recorded at Bunker Studios in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to a CD and digital release, Dixon will also offer a limited vinyl edition. “I’m excited about this album,” Dixon says. “I remember the day we finished mixing the record, Charlie said, ‘I think a lot of people are gonna like this record. I think my fans will like it. I think jam-band fans will like it. I think straightahead jazz fans will like it. I don’t even think it will offend the smooth jazz fans.’” [laughs] Head to RobDixonMusic.com to preorder a copy of Coast to Crossroads or to purchase tickets for the June 30 release party. N
ROB DIXON //
CHARLIE HUNTER //
ERNEST STUART //
MIKE CLARK // PHOTOS BY MARK SHELDON
WHAT // Rob Dixon Coast to Crossroads album release shows WHERE // The Jazz Kitchen WHEN // Saturday, June 30 at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. TICKETS // $20–$30 at TheJazzKitchen.com
NUVO.NET // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // MUSIC // 19
WEDNESDAY// 6.20
THURSDAY // 6.21
THURSDAY // 6.21
SATURDAY // 6.23
MONDAY // 6.25
TUESDAY // 6.26
WEDNESDAY// 6.27
Lazyeyes, Gwendolyn Dot, Jessica Albatross Pioneer
Digital Dots, Caleb McCoach, Maravich State Street Pub
We Are Scientists HI-FI
Drums & Drones Listen Hear
Rhythm! After Hours: Hamilton’s Andres Forero Rhythm! Discovery Center
Summerbruise Tour Kickoff Hoosier Dome
Bad Bad Hats HI-FI
After studying the ins and
Yeah Yeah Yeahs drummer
Put on your shoegazin’
What’s all the fuss about?
outs of indie rock for the
Brian Chase and video
Andres Forero is literally
Summerbruise has only
from Minneapolis when they
shoes and prepare to be
After a year-and-a-half
last several years, We Are
artist Ursula Scherrer will
the jazz ambassador to the
been a band for a little un-
swing through HI-FI next
strapped to a psych-rock
hiatus, Digital Dots is back.
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be at Listen Hear perform-
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der two years, and they’ve
Wednesday night. They’re on
rocket ship like a man-
Songwriting savant Mac
the resident experts on the
ing with Drums & Drones
won every award you can
already made their mark on
tour this summer in support
nequin in a Tesla (minus
Sanders and his gang have
subject. In April, the band
on Saturday evening. The
think of from the Grammy
the local scene with poppy
of their latest, Lightning
the part where you’re
been quietly chipping away
released Megaplex, their
project is an investigation of
to the Tony. Catch him at
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Rhythm! Discovery Center
der Mad Dog ballads. Don’t
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on repeat for eternity) by
new songs, and they’re
They’ve been on tour all
experimental visual abstrac-
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miss them at the Hoosier
a good ol’ indie rock band
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ready to debut the new
summer bringin’ their
tions. Oh, and if you can’t
interview, and Q&A session.
Dome as they charge the
with lyrics that could rip your
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powerhouse of musical mi-
make it out to the show, you
Afterward, grab a beer and
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by Jessica Albatross and
your favorite songs about
tochondria to the masses.
can catch the performance
explore the most badass
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WEDNESDAY // 6.20
Erin Rae, The Bishop (Bloomington) 8:30 p.m. $10, 18+ Flatland Harmony Experiment, Flatwater Restaurant 8 p.m. FREE, 21+ Greg Klyma, Union 50 9 p.m. FREE, 21+ Grupo Bembe Latin Band, The Jazz Kitchen 6:30 p.m. FREE, 21+ Have Mercy, Kississipi, Gleemer, Super American, Hoosier Dome 6 p.m. $15, all-ages Laurie Morvan, The Slippery Noodle Inn 8:30 p.m. $5, 21+ Peter of Big Lug, Literhouse, Black Circle Brewing Co. 7 p.m. FREE, 21+ Reed Stewart, Listen Hear 7 p.m. $5, all-ages
The Pink Cigarettes, Lucy Furr, Sonora, State Street Pub 7 p.m. $5, 21+ Homesafe, Hot Mulligan, Heart Attack Man, Jetty Bones, Hoosier Dome 6 p.m. $12, all-ages Imagine Dragons w/
Grace Vanderwall, Ruoff Music Center 7 p.m. $67+, all-ages Polkaboy, The Rathskeller 8 p.m. FREE, 21+ Pope Paul & The Illegals, The Melody Inn 7 p.m. $5, 21+
Pussy Control, Pioneer 10:30 p.m. $5, 21+ The Doors Experience w/ The Janis Joplin Experience, Radio Radio 7 p.m. $15, 21+ The Elect, The Slippery Noodle Inn 8 p.m. $10, 21+
The Elect, The Slippery Noodle Inn 8 p.m. $10, 21+ The Old You, Suntitle, The Hoosier Dome 6 p.m. $10, all-ages The Woomblies, The Rathskeller 8 p.m. FREE, 21+ Walk Among Us, Methmatics, Deadbeat Sailors, Filth & Majesty, The Melody Inn 9 p.m. $6, 21+
Bri Murphy w/ Mike Boo, Black Circle Brewing Co. 7 p.m. FREE, 21+ Blues Jam w/ Gene Deer, The Slippery Noodle Inn 8:30 p.m. FREE, 21+ Dizgo, The Bluebird (Bloomington) 9 p.m. $5, 21+ Kelly Isenhower, Flatwater Restaurant 8 p.m. FREE, 21+ Jazz on The Point, Eagle Creek Park 6:30 p.m. FREE, all-ages Speedy Ortiz, Anna Burch, Xetas, HI-FI 8 p.m. $15, 21+ Symptoms, The Melody Inn 7 p.m. $5, 21+
THURSDAY // 6.21 Amigo, The Melody Inn 8 p.m. $5, 21+ Barenaked Ladies, The Lawn at White River 6:30 p.m. $22+, all-ages Edwin McCain, The Rathskeller 8 p.m. FREE, 21+
8:30 p.m. $8, 18+ Brother O Brother w/ Lung, Black Circle Brewing Co. 7 p.m. $5, 21+ Fat Pockets, The Bluebird (Bloomington) 8 p.m. $5, 21+ Grlwood, Mr. Clit and
BARFLY
FRIDAY // 6.22 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Conner Prairie 8 p.m. $13+, all-ages Bodega, The Bills, The Bishop (Bloomington)
20 // SOUNDCHECK // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // 100% SUSTAINABLE / RECYCLED PAPER // NUVO.NET
Don’t miss Bad Bad Hats
BY WAYNE BERTSCH
SATURDAY // 6.23 Duel, State Street Pub 8 p.m. $5, 21+ Chin Up, Kid, The Irving Theater 6:30 p.m. $15, all-ages ICON Live: MJ and Prince, The Vogue Theatre 8 p.m. $12, 21+ Magic City Hippies w/ Audiodacity, HI-FI 8 p.m. $15, 21+ Marion Meadows, The Jazz Kitchen 7:30 p.m. $35+, 21+ Outlaw Music Festival, Ruoff Music Center 6 p.m. $21+, all-ages Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, Mallow Run Winery 7 p.m. $15, 21+
SUNDAY // 6.24 Matthew Sweet w/ The Easthills, HI-FI 7 p.m. $20, 21+ Fastidio and Thadeus Gonzalez, The Melody Inn 8 p.m. $5, 21+ Pouya Deluxe, Old National Centre 8 p.m. $30, all-ages Steely Dan w/ The Doobie Brothers, Ruoff Music Center 7 p.m. $17+, all-ages Tony Cheese and Friends, The Slippery Noodle Inn 7:30 p.m. FREE, 21+
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© 2018 BY ROB BREZSNY ARIES (March 21-April 19): According to my analysis of the astrological omens, you have cosmic permission to enjoy extra helpings of waffles, crepes, pancakes, and blintzes. Eating additional pastries and doughnuts is also encouraged. Why? Because it’s high time for you to acquire more ballast. You need more gravitas and greater stability. You can’t afford to be top-heavy; you must be hard to knock over. If you would prefer not to accomplish this noble goal by adding girth to your butt and gut, find an alternate way. Maybe you could put weights on your shoes and think very deep thoughts.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): The coming weeks will be a favorable time to accentuate and brandish the qualities that best exemplify your Libran nature. In other words, be extreme in your moderation. Be pushy in your attempts to harmonize. Be bold and brazen as you make supple use of your famous balancing act. I’ll offer you a further piece of advice, as well. My first astrology teacher believed that when Librans operate at peak strength, their symbol of power is the iron fist in the velvet glove: power expressed gracefully, firmness rendered gently. I urge you to explore the nuances of that metaphor.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): You’re slipping into the wild heart of the season of discovery. Your curiosity is mounting. Your listening skills are growing more robust. Your willingness to be taught and influenced and transformed is at a peak. And what smarter way to take advantage of this fertile moment than to decide what you most want to learn about during the next three years? For inspiration, identify a subject you’d love to study, a skill you’d eagerly stretch yourself to master, and an invigorating truth that would boost your brilliance if you thoroughly embodied it.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): If I were your mom, I’d nudge you out the door and say, “Go play outside for a while!” If I were your commanding officer, I’d award you a shiny medal for your valorous undercover work and then order you to take a frisky sabbatical. If I were your psychotherapist, I would urge you to act as if your past has no further power to weigh you down or hold you back, and then I would send you out on a vision quest to discover your best possible future. In other words, my dear Scorpio, I hope you will flee your usual haunts. Get out of the loop and into the open spaces that will refresh your eyes and heart.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Playwright and novelist Samuel Beckett won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1969. Four of his works were essential in earning that award: the play Waiting for Godot, and the novels Molloy, Malone Dies, and The Unnamable. Beckett wrote all of them in a two-year span during the late 1940s. During that time, he was virtually indigent. He and his companion Suzanne survived on the paltry wage she made as a dressmaker. We might draw the conclusion from his life story that it is at least possible for a person to accomplish great things despite having little money. I propose that we make Beckett your role model for the coming weeks, Gemini. May he inspire you to believe in your power to become the person you want to be no matter what your financial situation may be. CANCER (June 21-July 22): I suggest you ignore the temptation to shop around for new heroes and champions. It would only distract you from your main assignment in the coming weeks, which is to be more of a hero and champion yourself. Here are some tips to guide you as you slip beyond your overly modest self-image and explore the liberations that may be possible when you give yourself more credit. Tip #1: Finish outgrowing the old heroes and champions who’ve served you well. Tip #2: Forgive and forget the disappointing heroes and hypocritical champions who betrayed their own ideals. Tip #3: Exorcise your unwarranted admiration for mere celebrities who might have snookered you into thinking they’re heroes or champions. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): “A waterfall would be more impressive if it flowed the other way,” said Irish writer Oscar Wilde. Normally, I would dismiss an idea like this, even though it’s funny and I like funny ideas. Normally, I would regard such a negative assessment of the waterfall’s true nature, even in jest, to be unproductive and enfeebling. But none of my usual perspectives are in effect as I evaluate the possibility that Wilde’s declaration might be a provocative metaphor for your use in the coming weeks. For a limited time only, it might be wise to meditate on a waterfall that flows the other way. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Stage magicians may seem to make a wine glass hover in mid-air, or transform salt into diamonds, or make doves materialize and fly out of their hands. It’s all fake, of course—tricks performed by skilled illusionists. But here’s a twist on the old story: I suspect that for a few weeks, you will have the power to generate effects that may, to the uninitiated, have a resemblance to magic tricks—except that your magic will be real, not fake. And you will have worked very hard to accomplish what looks easy and natural. And the marvels you generate will, unlike the illusionists’, be authentic and useful.
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BEAUTIFUL LADIES DAILY DRINKS SPECIALS
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sex education classes at some high schools employ a dramatic exercise to illustrate the possible consequences of engaging in heterosexual lovemaking without using birth control. Everywhere they go for two weeks, students must carry around a 10-pound bag of flour. It’s a way for them to get a visceral approximation of caring for an infant. I recommend that you find or create an equivalent test or trial for yourself in the coming days. As you consider entering into a deeper collaboration or making a stronger commitment, you’ll be wise to undertake a dress rehearsal. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Members of the Dull Men’s Club celebrate the ordinary. “Glitz and glam aren’t worth the bother,” they declare. “Slow motion gets you there faster,” they pontificate. Showing no irony, they brag that they are “born to be mild.” I wouldn’t normally recommend becoming part of a movement like theirs, but the next two weeks will be one of those rare times when aligning yourself with their principles might be healthy and smart. If you’re willing to explore the virtues of simple, plain living, make the Swedish term lagom your word of power. According to the Dull Men’s Club, it means “enough, sufficient, adequate, balanced, suitable, appropriate.” AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In the Georgian language, shemomechama is a word that literally means “I ate the whole thing.” It refers to what happens when you’re already full, but find the food in front of you so delicious that you can’t stop eating. I’m concerned you might soon be tempted to embark on metaphorical versions of shemomechama. That’s why I’m giving you a warning to monitor any tendencies you might have to get too much of a good thing. Pleasurable and productive activities will serve you better if you stop yourself before you go too far.
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PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Please do not send me a lock of your hair or a special piece of your jewelry or a hundred dollar bill. I will gladly cast a love spell in your behalf without draining you of your hard-earned cash. The only condition I place on my free gift is that you agree to have me cast the love spell on you and you alone. After all, your love for yourself is what needs most work. And your love for yourself is the primary magic that fuels your success in connecting with other people. (Besides, it’s bad karma to use a love spell to interfere with another person’s will.) So if you accept my conditions, Pisces, demonstrate that you’re ready to receive my telepathic love spell by sending me your telepathic authorization.
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NUVO.NET // 06.20.18 - 06.27.18 // ASTROLOGY // 23
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