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inside P.4 In the past decade, as social media has evolved, your friends and parents (and grandparents), companies and other organizations created, shared or exchanged everythig from ideas, pictures, videos, interests, opinions, jokes, complaints and experiences to news. Indeed, social media is a key part of modern life. Oklahoma Gazette examines how it should be used and what should and should never, ever, ever be shared.

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cov e r

NEWS

Get social

Staff writers explore differing ideas of local experts and socials media users on how to use websites and apps to interact in myriad ways.

Expert Advice When digital marketer Allie Carrick conducts social media training, she advocates her clients stop before they ever click “post,” “tweet” or “publish.”

In that moment, the social media user — whether they are publishing on a personal, business or organization account — should ask one question: Does this bring value?

“That’s what it boils down to,” Carrick explained. “These platforms are for building connections, interacting with people you don’t see very often and others you might never meet. It requires positivity.

You want to build connections rather than tear them down.”

In the era of hashtags, memes, clickbait, live streaming, fake news, cyber bullying and more, Carrick — who serves as the managing director of Smirk New Media — counsels on what initially led to the creation of social media: bringing people together. Despite the new risks, users should never forget how social media sites connect people in extraordinary ways, allowing for communication and 4

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By Laura Eastes sharing information like never before.

After all, social media is defined as “forms of electronic communication through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages and other content,” according to Merriam-Webster.

In the past decade, as social media has evolved, individuals, companies and other organizations created, shared or exchanged a range of things, including ideas, pictures, videos, interests, opinions, jokes, complaints, experiences and news. There is no denying social media has become a key part of the modern lifestyle. News outlets break big stories on Twitter.

Businesses gain traction with clients through Facebook posts. Employers seek new hires through LinkedIn. Parents post photos of their children blowing out birthday candles on Instagram. As much as 65 percent of the American population has a social media profile connected to their name, according to Pew Research Center.

How does one achieve a well-rounded social media presence? Does that mean

posting frequently, maintaining several accounts, engaging often with followers, working to build genuine relationships?

Oklahoma Gazette reached out to local social media experts to find out what’s socially acceptable on social media.

Personal brand

The advice and strategies Marek Cornett, a social media strategist for Koch Communications, offers clients often translate to the average person who enjoys scrolling through Facebook or logging on to other social media platforms. One piece of advice relevant to all, no matter the social media platform, is be authentic.

“Your personal brand is letting someone see you as you are,” Cornett said.

“Is that sharing articles you find interesting? Is that you sharing little tidbits about yourself from time to time? Offer the whole picture of you, rather than sharing only accomplishments or your troubles.”

Equally important is for users to utilize the platforms as they were designed, Cornett said. For example, sharing recipes or photos of a family vacation earns likes and generates comments on Facebook but no attention from LinkedIn, a social network for business professionals, or Nextdoor, a popular social app for neighbors to post about their communities.

For people interested in making new connections based on similar interests, Twitter, which allows users to share quick bits of information, and Instagram, a photo-posting app, are best. Both sites generate lists of recommended accounts to follow.

“It’s an easy way to let yourself be

Social media strategist Marek Cornett offers tips on how to find a purpose in every post. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

known,” Cornett said, “engage with the audience and build your community.”

Balancing act

No matter the social media platform, users must walk a fine line when they post about their personal lives, advised Carrick.

Often, networks go beyond the initial family and friends and include more formal contacts like co-workers, bosses, neighbors and community leaders. The reality is some comments and posts can be a problem, from posting naked baby pictures to political criticism.

Not to mention there is a privacy concern when listing every action or thought in great detail.

“I tell people not to be too transparent,” Carrick asserted. “It is becoming standard practice to put everything and anything you can online. … Your online reputation can define your overall reputation. Some people don’t realize that until it goes wrong.”

Much like day-to-day life, manners matter. Tweets and posts need to have an object and a goal, Carrick said. If the content could bring harm or result in a difficult situation, a user should avoid hitting “post” or “tweet.”

“It is easy to be reactive to what’s happening in that moment,” Carrick said.

“You want to get a thought out there. No one wants to be remembered by their first thoughts on any given subject. … You can delete posts, but screenshots last forever.”

Closing windows In some ways, social media has played a role in broadening what it means to be friends with someone. Though it is not uncommon to come across a Facebook profile with a friend list exceeding 500 or even 1,000 people, there was once a time when social circles were confined to people who called, wrote or saw each other at least occasionally.

Social media is so ubiquitous that, for some, it has become hard to imagine life without it. Even so, many still choose to live off the social networking grid. For some, a hiatus can be a refreshing change of pace.

Professional counselor Karen Mannix told Oklahoma Gazette that many New Year’s resolutions include coming to more peaceful terms with their online lives and relationships with others.

“It becomes an obsession to compare what is projected on social media with the reality of one’s own life, which, for all of us, is good and bad,” Mannix said.

While some post pictures of their welldressed and well-behaved toddler, all parents know the “terrible twos” reality is often far removed from anything portrayed in professional photo shoots. Mannix said many social media profiles, intentionally or not, represent an ideal, one-dimensional version of life. She said it is important not to get lost in a com-

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By Ben Luschen

petitive race for attention or “likes.”

Though cases of social media anxiety should be handled in individualized ways, Mannix said those who take short or extended breaks from social networking sites sometimes come away with an increased appreciation for maintaining offline relationships.

“The detox also gives them another opportunity to appreciate real life, instead of the cyber reality, in a more meaningful way,” she said.

Personal connections

From 2011 to 2012, Carlos Garcia regularly used Facebook while deployed in Afghanistan as a United States Army specialist. There was no better tool available to him for communication with family, friends and loved ones.

“We had a little bit of internet, and different places would have a satellite set up, so Facebook was great for chatting and keeping up with everybody,” he said.

However, after he returned to Oklahoma, what was once a cherished link to home lost its utility.

“I noticed I wasn’t really posting anything; I was just going on there when I was bored to look at stuff and snoop on people,” he said. “Half of the stuff was just game invites and spam.”

Garcia closed his Facebook profile in 2012 and has not created a profile on any other platform since then. He doesn’t miss it.

The decision was made from a businesslike perspective, he said. He was not getting any return (personal enjoyment) on his investment (time and energy), so he moved on.

There are some challenges to modern living without a social media account.

Outside community connectivity and networking, it’s often presumed that everyone has at least a Facebook account. Garcia said he has not been able to participate in online services and contests because they require him to log in with Facebook or Twitter. He also misses out on some opportunities to keep up with his extended family in Mexico.

Despite some disadvantages, Garcia said he prefers focusing on select personal relationships to maintaining a generalized public persona. He said he does not need a social media profile to keep updated on the life

Carlos Garcia used Facebook frequently while stationed in Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. | Photo provided

events of the small circle of people he genuinely and deeply cares about. While there are people outside that circle he might still care about, he does not believe he needs an open window into their lives.

“If I just met you one day on the street, I don’t need to know your kid’s birthday or anything like that,” he said.

Garcia advised anyone who does not receive any benefit from social media to consider living life without it. Still, he recognizes Facebook and other forms of social media as potentially useful or fun. Even he once enjoyed participating.

“I’m not saying social media is bad or we should all stop using it,” he said. “It’s not a principle thing; it’s just not for me.” continued on page 6

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NEWS Bryson Green uses professional photography and videos to post updates about his music to Instagram, which then post to Facebook and Twitter. | Photo Bryson Green / provided

their relationship would likely end after graduation.

Gordy said it’s also a good way to keep up with family members she doesn’t see often. But for close family members, like her daughters, she uses other methods.

“My younger daughter in Dallas doesn’t do Facebook. She does Instagram,” Gordy said.

They keep up through frequent texts and phone calls as well as Apple’s Find a Friend feature, which lets them see where the other is in real time.

The most useful social media for Gordy is the most direct: FaceTime. That’s how she keeps in touch with her granddaughter in North Carolina. Frequent and free video chats make her feel connected, and when they see each other in person, her granddaughter recognizes her. continued from page 5

Generational divide

By Greg Elwell Facebook started off as a social media platform for college students.

When it launched in 2004, the service created by Mark Zuckerberg was exclusive to Harvard University. Then it spread to other schools in Boston, throughout the Ivy League and across colleges in the U.S. In 2005, it was opened to highschoolers.

The next year, anyone with a registered email address could sign up.

A decade later, Facebook is still a social media juggernaut, but its user base is much older than originally envisioned.

According to a study by Pew Research Center, 71 percent of American adults who use the Internet used Facebook in 2014.

Lots of those were younger people — 87 percent of respondents age 18-29 use Facebook — but older users are on there, too. Fifty-six percent of people 65 years and older who use the internet are on Facebook. That’s about 31 percent of all seniors.

Family ties

Lin Gordy, 69, is a former adjunct professor of French and Spanish at the University of Central Oklahoma, which is how she ended up on Facebook a little earlier than some others her age.

“At the time, you needed a .edu address to sign up,” she said. “Some of my students thought it was funny that I was on there.”

She’s not an everyday user of the platform, but she likes to post pictures of her granddaughter for her other relatives to see.

“The main reason I’m on there is to keep up with former students,” Gordy said.

“I get to see when they graduate from college or get married or have their own kids. That’s stuff I otherwise would never know.”

As a foreign language teacher at Edmond Public Schools, she would sometimes spend four years getting to know students. Without social media,

Finding followers

Getting known is precisely why Oklahoma City native Bryson Green spends so much time on social media. The 27-year-old musician is on Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, but his most-used platform is Instagram.

Twenty-six percent of adult internet users were on Instagram in 2014, according to Pew Research Center, including 53 percent of users ages 18-29.

The platform focuses on photos and videos, which suits Green perfectly.

“As a musician, social media is the best way to spread word of mouth,” he said from his home in Atlanta. “It puts a face to the sound.”

As he tries to gain more followers and transition those fans from digital to sales and shows, Instagram became his go-to application because it plays so well with other platforms.

“I’m ver y brand-oriented, so everything I put out, it’s about the brand,” Green said. “#GoGreen is on everything I put on Instagram, which then posts to Twitter and Facebook.”

That helps him draw more followers to his projects, including one in which he’s posting a new song online every week for a year.

“My following grows exponentially on there,” he said. “That’s the reason I use the hashtags and the explorer page — people can stumble upon your post and keep following from there.”

It’s also a format that allows him to translate professional works including songs, videos and photographs to Instagram’s platform.

“You can do a lot with it,” he said.

W hile Facebook (which owns Instagram) and Twitter help him project a professional face, Snapchat is for more personal interactions.

“Snap is on a 24-hour cycle, so if from left Mother Virginia Minton, daughter Lin Gordy, great-granddaughter Amada Goller and granddaughter Claire Gordy keep in touch through social media. | Photo Dinah Whistler / provided

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Katie Sultuska Hurt | Photo Katie Sultuska Hurt / provided

someone doesn’t watch it by then, it’s gone,” Green said. “Snap is more on a ‘need-to-know’ basis. They delete themselves after viewing.”

He said knowing that what he puts on Snapchat won’t be around forever is freeing.

“People get more wild, more daring,” he said.

Disappearing act

Instagram is also a favorite for Katie Sultuska Hurt, 26, but she uses Snapchat all day.

According to The Motley Fool investing site, teens are flocking to Snapchat, which has about 100 million daily active users.

Everyone is still on Facebook, which reports 1.18 billion daily users, but Hurt and her friends are more circumspect about what goes out on social media platforms that live on after her posts are seen.

“If there’s something serious, that would go on Facebook,” she said. “If I am going to write something out and really think about it, that’s where I’d put it. It’s also where I share articles or funny stuff.”

Snapchat is more personal, though. In some ways, it replaces text messages because it’s so useful for one-on-one interactions. And unlike iMessage or Google Chat, there’s no problem sending messages to friends who are on a different brand of operating system.

“I have seven people I send at least one Snap a day to,” Hurt said. “It depends on the eventfulness of a day, but I use it a lot.”

Not only does Snapchat let friends know you were thinking of them in the moment, but it ensures that your friends are thinking of you when they watch it, too. While people might aimlessly scroll through other social media platforms while watching TV, using Snapchat demands attention. Once a video has been played, it is gone forever.

“The fact that it disappears makes it more special,” Hurt said. “Just like real moments, they go away.”

h e a lt h

Legal approach

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma partners with Oklahoma City-County Health Department to support patient needs, achieve health equity and address social barriers to care. By Laura Eastes

Serving on the front lines of poverty, public health nurses and social workers are determined to reduce the incidence of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, tobacco use and more.

Poverty has devastating consequences on physical and mental health. There is a well-documented connection between socioeconomic status and health.

“If you don’t have a roof over your head or you don’t know where your food will come from, you really can’t focus on anything else,” said Patrick McGough, Ok la homa Cit y-Count y Hea lt h Department (OCCHD) deputy director.

At OCCHD campuses, health care workers struggled daily to treat patients and provide case management to those suffering the health consequences of poverty.

Before, there were few options for a patient suffering asthma resulting from perpetually inhabitable housing, an insurance company denying a prescription or a family on the edge of poverty that was refused governmental benefits for their children.

Now, OCCHD nurses, social workers and community health workers lead patients down the hall for a different kind of help. In November, the health department and Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma began a legal-medical partnership and placed an attorney inside the state’s largest county health department to assist patients.

Though new to Oklahoma County, legal-medical partnerships are a common practice across the country.

Attorneys combat health issues on a legal level, cutting down unnecessary patient visits and producing health care cost savings.

At the same time, the legal-medical approach is a meaningful strategy to those suffering, meeting their basic needs and, at times, reversing negative health outcomes.

Legal prescription

Seated in his new office located at OCCHD South Health Clinic, close to the intersection of SW 59th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, attorney Andrew Tevington described a recent referral from one of Oklahoma County’s Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics.

A nursing mom was denied breastfeeding benefits, such as a breast pump, by her

insurance company.

“Sometimes I might have to go to court, but most of the time, this work never involves showing up at a courthouse,” the attorney with 31 years of legal experience said. “Often, people just need to know the right place to go.”

Recruited from Legal Aid’s Ardmore office where a similar partnership was underway at Mercy Hospital Ardmore, Tevington entered his new role a witness to the success of the approach, which earned the endorsement of the American Bar Association in a 2007 resolution.

‘Legal professionals are encouraged to work with the health care community and social services organization “to identify and resolve legal issues that have a detrimental effect on health and wellbeing.”

Funding for the partnership comes from a $50,000 one-year grant from Telligen Community Initiative, a private nonprofit foundation that supports innovative health programs.

On weekdays, Tevington splits his time between two OCCHD campuses as he meets with low-income, uninsured or underinsured patients and their families.

In addition to the south location, Tevington offices Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at Northeast Regional Health and Wellness Campus, 2600 NE 63rd St. The health department’s nurses, community health workers and social workers send referrals, but at times, a patient is simply sent down a hallway to Tevington for legal help.

With just two months serving at the health department, Tevington confronts health issues patients experience that result from unenforced laws or denial of vital services. Legal challenges include mortgage foreclosures, loss of benefits, child custody, Medicaid payments and domestic violence issues.

He predicts his work will lead to many landlords coming into compliance with housing code standards, removing mold, cockroaches and rodents, which can cause asthma, allergies or migraines.

“Most of these people would otherwise not have access to a lawyer or receive any kind of legal help,” Tevington said. “They don’t know how to navigate the legal system. I am able to provide assistance to take care of these problems.”

Attorney Andrew Tevington splits his time between two OCCHD campuses as he meets with low-income, uninsured or underinsured patients and their families. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Growing partners

In recent years, to fulfill the vision of OCCHD — “Working with the community for a healthy future” — leaders have forged collaborations across communities and industries to build a health department “protecting health, promoting wellness and preventing disease.”

Steppin’ Out with Ben VerThrough community partnerships witheen Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, YWCA Oklahoma City, OU Physicians Friday, November 18 and more, OCCHD offers the services of @ OCCC a traditional health department and establishes a modern approach to public health by offering an array of services to county residents.

Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma is the latest on a growing list of partners, McGough said.

“This is one more piece of the puzzle for providing holistic care and putting people back in charge of their lives,” McGough said.

With legal-medical partnerships at OCCHD in their infancy, leaders suggest it’s too early to gauge the impact on patients and the greater community.

However, both McGough and Tevington attest that when medical and legal professionals combine forces to help low-income people struggling with health problems and overwhelmed by daily life, they can make a difference.

“Once people can stop being stressed and worried over legal issues,” McGough said, “they can truly focus on their health issues.”

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NEWS Oklahoma City Adventure District’s manager Tiffany Batdorf | Photo Garett Fisbeck

favor, the city council approved the district’s request for BID status. For 10 years, tax dollars from property owners (including the city-owned zoo and racetrack) will be pooled together for a $200,000 annual budget.

The district’s first task was putting up a new website listing all the area’s attractions and established businesses.

Debuting in April, the website replaced an aging nine-year-old site without mobile capabilities. In the first eight months, more than 4 million impressions were captured on the website. A district brochure and an initial beautification project for a median along Martin Luther King Avenue marking OKC’s Adventure District were other priorities.

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Development hurdles

Open for business

Oklahoma City’s Adventure District leaders see Business Improvement District status as an engine for economic growth. By Laura Eastes

The field of American Quarter Horses is turning for home and heading down the stretch as the crowd’s roar swells from Remington Park Racing & Casino. The traveling sound catches the attention of softball fans located just south of the racetrack in the ASA (American Softball Association) Hall of Fame complex.

On afternoons when horse racing and softball tournaments collide, Oklahoma City Adventure District’s manager Tiffany Batdorf is asked repetitively about the various attractions in the northeast quadrant of the city. Often, her responses about the lively entertainment and educational offerings in the district generate bewildered replies.

“People will tell me they had no idea there was even horse racing in Oklahoma,” Batdorf said. “Many people know about the zoo or Science Museum Oklahoma, but I don’t think people know all we have in the district.”

What the Adventure District has is what no other district in the area or state can claim. The area is home to five museums, which includes the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 45th Infantry Museum, Oklahoma State Firefighters Museum, The American Pigeon Museum & Library and Science Museum Oklahoma. Furthermore, the district boasts a golf course, a major movie theater, a special events venue, an amphitheater, a health department, a career and vocational school and neighborhoods such as South Park Estates and Wildewood.

First coined by marketing professionals in 2000, the Adventure District appears to have all the key ingredients for further

economic growth: infrastructure, location and people. Annually, 4 million visitors funnel through the major attractions, the district reports.

Stakeholders and residents have witnessed slow growth in regard to retail, restaurants and hotels, explained Oklahoma City Ward 7 Councilman John Pettis Jr., who represents the area.

With construction of an $80 million racetrack in the late 1980s, city leaders and nearby residents expected the area to witness an economic boom. Before construction began in 1985, Ward 7 Councilman Goree James described the racetrack as “the greatest economic shot in the arm the northeast area has ever had.”

Now, over three decades later, no major hotel brands or restaurant chain has dotted the district’s vacant land, which is not far from the crossroads of interstates 44 and 35.

“It’s one of the strongest areas of the city; just think of the number of people who visit the area,” Pettis told Oklahoma Gazette. “It’s sad to say, but the visitors and residents must go far northwest Oklahoma City, Midwest City or Edmond to eat, to shop or to stay the night. I am hopeful we will be able to change that and bring money back into city limits and into the Adventure District.”

In hopes to spur economic activity, Adventure District leaders pursued a business improvement district (BID), a collaborative initiative in which property owners pool resources for services. Like many endeavors, such districts take time to develop fully and strengthen.

What is a BID?

Despite business improvement districts (BID) growing in popularity in cities like New York City and Toronto during the 1970s, the first BID for Oklahoma City developed in 2001 downtown. Seventeen years later, five BIDs are in operation: Downtown, Stockyards City, Capitol Hill, Western Avenue and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District.

Other commercial areas of the city, including the SW 29 District (La 29), actively seek BID status.

In a BID, municipalities collect mandatory tax assessments on commercial property owners to cover district costs in areas of marketing and public relations, enhanced maintenance, capitol improvement projects and administration. With a defined boundary, a district manager and a business-merchant association establish a mission and goals to strengthen and uplift the area.

Leaders of the Adventure District were attracted to the BID method for its role in bringing all attractions and businesses together, which Batdorf explained had never been done before.

“We wanted to come together as one unified voice and bring attention to the district,” Batdorf said. “In the past, communication was just limited to the five major attractions. We’ve opened the line of communication.”

Economic tool

For the area deprived of big-box stores and sit-down restaurants, the BID was viewed as an economic development tool to stakeholders.

While the district can’t directly offer economic incentives or tax breaks, the district could proposer through its goals of maintenance and beautification, advocacy and promotion.

Such endeavors are known to lure new businesses eager to become part of a thriving commercial area.

Thirteen months ago, with more than half the commercial property owners in

The Adventure District has caught the intrigue of developers and franchisees over the last year, contend both Pettis and Batdorf.

Questions and concerns posed by developers hint the area must overcome misconceptions, like its major attractions operate seasonally.

Entities like the zoo, racetrack and museums offer year-round events and exhibits bringing people to the area all 12 months of the year, Batdorf said.

Efforts are underway to break down attendance numbers at the museums and other entities by quarters, which would prove visitors come year-round.

BID status earned the attention of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, which listed the district in economic development materials.

Pettis joined chamber officials at a Las Vegas retail conference where he personally introduced franchisees, including those with interest in entertainment districts, to the Adventure District.

“No one seems to want to be the first,” Pettis said.

The first-term council member explained developers often ask why development has been stalled over the past three decades.

“For them, that’s a red flag,” he said, “but to us, no one has taken the opportunity. We are still waiting to see who will be the first.”

All good things take time, and further economic growth in Oklahoma City’s Adventure District is no exception.

Small signs of progress eventually make a big difference — Batdorf and Pettis are counting on it.

On cold and dreary winter days, Batdorf notices swarming parking lots at Science Museum Oklahoma and the movie theater. Holiday parties at Remington Park stretched from the second weekend in November into New Year’s Eve. In the event of an unseasonably warm winter day, families walk the zoo grounds and golfers take their swings on the course.

“We have the kids, we have the moms, we have adults and we have seniors,” Batdorf said. “We have a little bit of everything out here. … We just need that one developer to come out here, see the potential.”

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Safety zone

Citizens in Automobile Alley continue to seek safety and quality-of-life updates with a railroad quiet zone. By Laura Eastes

For more than three decades, Oklahoma City Ward 6 Councilwoman Meg Salyer has listened countless times as trains approached her Automobile Alley office.

The sound of the horns steadily increased as the train inched through the urban district and into downtown.

“There have been so many occasions over the years where you had to stop a conversation,” Salyer said. “We used to have a conference call every Monday at 4 p.m. with our offices in Tulsa, Kansas City

At the end of the day, it is about safety.

Meg Salyer

and Wichita Falls. Everyone on that call knew at 4:20 p.m., the train was coming.”

Railroad regulations require conductors to blow their whistles 15 seconds before reaching a crossing as a way to alert pedestrians and drivers nearby. In Oklahoma City, conductors blow their trains’ whistles repeatedly as they travel through the N. 16th to SE 23rd streets.

For close to two decades, the need for a quiet zone has grown as the city’s urban core witnessed a revival with new busi-

nesses, stores, restaurants and residential living opened in a once predominantly industrial area. When Salyer was elected in 2008, she was determined to create a railway quiet zone.

By the city investing in approved safety features — such as four-quadrant crossing gates, enhanced pedestrian crossings and raised-curb medians — locomotives could travel through downtown and neighboring areas only sounding their horns in emergencies.

The quiet zone project, which first took shape in 2009, was completed late last year with city leaders sending their final application to the Federal Railroad Administration last week.

With federal approval, trains blaring their horns will become a rarity in downtown Oklahoma City, which some believe could further spur economic activity and enhance the quality of life of citizens.

Project history

Back in 2009, the Oklahoma City Council took the first step to establish a quiet zone by approving a zone east and west along the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe rail line between NE Seventh and NE 16th streets. A year later, funding constraints stalled the project from moving forward.

That wasn’t the end of the quiet zone discussion around City Hall or among

those in the downtown business community, Salyer explained. Led by Mickey Clagg, who was then president of the Automobile Alley Association, a group of donors raised more than $600,000 to contribute to the project.

Tax Increment Finance (TIF) money helped round out the funding package, which was approved by the council in 2013. The quiet zone project cost the city around $3.9 million over the course of three years.

“When a project comes to us with private dollars attached to it, it speaks volumes about how serious citizens are about an issue,” Salyer said. “May it be the residences living in the nearby apartments, diners seated outdoors or people seated in their offices, this really is going to enhance our quality of life.”

Safety first

For those who live or work near the railroad, the quiet zone is a quality-of-life issue, explained Salyer.

Federal railroad authorities contend that crossings in quiet zones can be as safe, or safer, than traditional crossings.

For example, Oklahoma City installed curb medians at six crossings. The medians discourage motorists from attempting to drive around lowered gates.

In emergency situations, such as when a vehicle or pedestrian is on the tracks, a conductor is permitted to the sound the horn.

“At the end of the day, it is about safety and preventing any kind of technique people use to beat the train, which can have deadly consequences,” Salyer said.

letters

NEWS Oklahoma Gazette provides an open forum for the discussion of all points of view in its Letters to the Editor section. The Gazette reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity. Letters can be mailed, faxed, emailed to jchancellor@okgazette.com or sent online at okgazette.com.

Include a city of residence and contact number for verification.

PSA

A public service announcement: There was yet another robbery in the OKC area where someone in the family was talking about going somewhere for Thanksgiving at school to everyone, was posting pictures the whole time they were gone and guess what? Guess what? They got robbed!

Shocking, I know!

Yes, I am being a smart@$$ because I hate to see any of my friends or family or anyone get robbed this way. I love you all, even the stupid ones. But seriously, this is a blatant “rob me” sign. May as well leave the front door unlocked.

Another thing many of you may not realize or is easy to forget about: When you post to Facebook, those fancy phones of yours automatically put down your location, meaning if you’re not home, it’s automatically telling everyone, kinda like an answering machine where the message is, “We’re not home right now; leave a message.” Get in your phone and shut that crap off. Why do these phones come with that option turned on? I don’t know; not thinking.

Anyway, it’s important regardless of the time of year, but especially now, unless you’re at home on Facebook all day, posting that you’re in Paris, sitting on the couch with an AR. Then, by all means, keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t let me stand in your way.

Doug Rixmann Newalla

Chosen one?

‘Chosen one’ It’s biblical: In their shortsighted desire to elect a “strongman,” the people have elected Saul. God help us, indeed.

Melody Hobbs Bowlegs

Caustic wit

First, I would like to tell you that I am a huge fan of Oklahoma Gazette and have been for a very long time. I am so much a fan that I make it a practice of picking up each week’s edition.

One of the things I enjoy reading is the Letters to the Editor, especially after Robin Meyers’ offerings of his philosophies; however, the first section I seek out is Chicken-Fried News. If I read nothing else in each edition, I read Chicken-Fried News — that is, until recently.

Something has changed. Something important is missing. Oh yeah, it’s the 11

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sarcastic, à la Saturday Night Live, cuttingedge, funky angle on local and state news.

More often than not, I used to feel an OMG giggle erupting when I read one of the CFN articles. That is in decline now. The CFN is just news, plain and boring. My funny bone hasn’t been tickled in quite a while.

Help!

As an aside, I appreciate the variety of topics the Gazette publishes each week, the recognition of good works done by the different elements of our community, as well as information on new restaurants and entertainment, etc. Thanks for that.

Eloise Bentley Oklahoma City

Without judgment

I am writing this on Sunday morning, Jan. 1, 2017, having just read your op-ed (Opinion, Commentary, “What have we done?” Robin Meyers, Nov. 16, Oklahoma Gazette). What a wonderful way to start the morning. This piece has given me purchase with all Christians! It is without vitriol or judgment; it simply compared and contrasts facts that are essential to our democracy.

Of the hundreds of articles I have read, there are three I have saved and printed.

Yours is one. Please know that in the days to come, your words will serve as inspiration and instruction.

Claudia K. Cunningham Aspen, Colorado

Cost-cutting measures

Sen. Kyle Loveless was interviewed not too long ago on Channel 5. He mentioned that they might solve the school budget deficit by passing a sales tax. What part of the people’s vote do our elected officials not understand?

Mary Fallin and her Legislature are still looking for a way to cut the income tax on the oil companies and rich again.

Of course, since they convinced citizens to vote for no new taxes without a vote, they can’t legally add any new tax.

Maybe they could cut their own salaries back to equal the teachers’ pay. Every other department has had huge cuts.

What about the legislative department?

Elda Davis Bethany

Touting socialism

Over the last year or so, polls have indicated that as much as 40 percent of millennials have a favorable view of socialism/communism compared to capitalism.

I have a number of friends (most conservative) who are aghast. How could this be? they ask. It’s really simple.

Most of today’s youth realize that the lifestyle their parents enjoy is no longer available to them. Wages, until just recently, have been stagnant when they haven’t fallen. As the concerted effort to kill unions continues, wages once used for the benchmarks for non-union jobs have decreased. When a 60-something worker at McDonald’s hands me my McLatte, I wonder again who the minimum wage was designed for.

Get sick? Too bad. If you’re lucky, you’re under age 26 and still able to be under your parents’ health care plan. If not, you might be able to get treatment on a plan that costs an arm and a leg or you just give up any future plans to pay for necessary medical treatment because you can’t afford the sky-high premiums.

A study a while back mentioned that the average young American worker could look forward to changing jobs seven times during their working lives. In the past, a job or even a career starting and ending with the same employer wasn’t that uncommon. Today, the length of long-term business plans often resembles that of the old Soviet Union.

Nothing more than five years is even contemplated.

Even my beloved military, which if you just showed up, shut up and did what you were told, is getting very picky about who it lets stay until retirement.

Many economic publications these days tout the rise of the “gig” economy.

Supposedly, this allows Americans the opportunity to make a few extra bucks on those things we don’t need full-time like our cars, our houses or our spare time.

Finish putting in the longest work day in the industrial world and you can spend idle time driving around strangers in your car, risking your insurance and burning your gas.

Got a spare room you don’t need to house your parents, your grown children or yourself? Rent it out daily to complete

strangers from other states or even countries. Let them use your electricity, gas, water and homeowners insurance for a few bucks a day.

Thanks to the miracle of computing, someone who develops a new algorithm can roll back decades of wage and hour laws, consumer protection regulations and local and state zoning codes to make big bucks while you keep the change.

Many know I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer. But they also know I’m not a spoon either. I see my kids and their friends struggle to find good-paying jobs with benefits and have policies that will provide them a decent pension when their work life is done and they realize they’ve been robbed.

It’s one thing to say how capitalism is the best form of economic systems but another when it fails to deliver anything it promises. Our kids aren’t stupid. They see others in the industrial world that have both better futures and current opportunities, and many of them live under democratic socialist governments. I’m just surprised the number who approve of socialism isn’t higher.

Carl O. Owen III Moore

Ban fracking

In case you might miss this news: Last month, the EPA finally confirmed what we’ve known all along — fracking contaminates drinking water.

Last year, after a five-year study on the impacts of fracking on drinking water, the EPA released a highly flawed draft report.

The topline claimed that there were no “widespread, systemic” impacts on drinking water from fracking.

Why did the EPA make such a dangerous and unsupported statement? Because the oil and gas industry infiltrated the process and influenced the outcome of the draft.

I am proud to say that Food & Water Watch supporters and staff jumped into action. More than 100,000 public comments were submitted to the EPA and got 51 members of Congress to send a letter to the EPA, telling it to back the claim or drop it from the report.

We also testified before the agency’s science advisors on numerous occasions and wrote a letter signed by over 200 public interest groups calling on the EPA to correct its report.

We called foul. And we won. The EPA recently released the final report and stated it could not support its dangerous and misleading claim from the draft report and highlight the stories of impacted communities. It now clearly states that fracking can and does cause drinking water contamination.

Now, we must take this report to communities across the country as we continue our work to ban fracking everywhere. There is no safe way to frack, and to protect our drinking water, we must ban fracking everywhere.

Emily Wurth Washington, DC

chicken

friedNEWS

Warehouse troubles

A new report from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics says going behind bars in the Sooner State could mean a sooner end to life.

The statistics show Oklahoma inmates were second most likely to die of homicide in prison between 2001 and 2014. There were 13 killings for every 100,000 inmates. Only Maine beat Oklahoma, with 14 killings per 100,000, but the small sample size makes those numbers unreliable. So maybe it’s not as bad as it appears? … Naw. The national average for homicides behind bars is five per 100,000 inmates.

Oklahoma also had the second-highest accidental death rate for prisoners, with eight of 100,000 inmates dying behind bars — almost triple the national average.

Oklahoma Public Employees Association policy director Sean Wallace told the Associated Press that prisons are “just a warehouse for inmates in Oklahoma.”

“We don’t really offer them any programs to rehabilitate them,” he said. “We barely staff our facilities. Our facilities are crumbling and falling apart.”

But the high mortality rate might have another cause, Oklahoma prisons spokesman Alex Gerszewski told the Associated Press.

Inmates in general have poor health and are getting older, he said. Seventy-two of the 109 state prison deaths reported in 2015 were inmates older than 50, Gerszewski said.

“Inmates coming into the system oftentimes have pre-existing medical conditions that put their health in a compromised state,” Gerszewski told the AP. “The department does its best with the resources available to care for them and provide treatment.”

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Road block

The dirt trails at Bluff Creek Park could now be called a road to nowhere for Oklahoma City runners and pedestrians.

News9.com reported that the Oklahoma City Trails Advisory Committee decided in December it was necessary to begin banning walkers, runners, dogs and the use of earbuds from the dirt trails near Lake Hefner’s north shore after a city survey showed that several people have had accidents in the area.

The OKC Parks & Recreation Department plans to post signs listing the new trail restrictions sometime later this month.

Bikers, of course, move at a much faster rate than even the most skilled trail runner. Coming off a blind turn, bikers can have very little time to react to a pedestrian.

Does that mean an all-out ban should be imposed on nonbikers? Many of those in the Facebook group Keep OKC Parks Free and Open to All think a total restriction on trail runners is too extreme.

The nearly 700member group states its goal is to “convince city hall to reverse this decision.”

Tegan Malone, president of Oklahoma Earthbike Fellowship, which

maintains the Bluff Creek trails, told News9.com that she believes the decision was rushed and the city should have involved her group in finding an alternative solution.

Unless the city can be convinced that a better option exists, the ban will remain in place. However, Parks & Recreation told News 9 the rules are voluntary and cannot be enforced by the city.

Instead, we’d like to suggest some signs and see that ban lifted. How about: “Walk safely! You might not get a second chance!” or “Earbuds on board!” or “Be aware! 70 percent of all people are caused by accidents!” or “Safety third! OK, OK, it probably should be first! ... Yeah, safety first!”

Racer drag

Joyrides are usually made in your parents’ car in the dead of night while they’re fast asleep. Or they’re done in a police car found sitting all alone with the keys in it, just begging you — a young, fearless teenager — to take it for a spin.

A Stratford man hanging around the Oklahoma Heart Hospital at 5200 E. Interstate 240 Service Road dared to be different. One armchair enthusiast dauntlessly entered the race but did not qualify or finish. NewsOK.com and KFOR.com reported that police believe 56-year-old

Michael Bagby was attempting to steal Oklahoma City Fire Department’s Brush Pumper 13, which was parked by the hospital, Jan. 3.

Bagby barely had an opportunity to push the pedal to the metal before he joyrode the commandeered wildfire-fighting truck straight into a ditch. He also missed his chance to expropriate the tow truck called to pull out the damaged vehicle after Bagby was arrested.

KFOR.com reported that the driver assigned to the truck was inside the hospital at the time of the attempted theft.

Hopefully, Bagby learned his lesson and realized that his joyriding days were over long ago and he isn’t really qualified to drive fire trucks anyway.

Gas tax time!

Remember 1987?

It was the year of the Iran-Contra affair and the Black Monday stock market crash, which was the largest one-day market crash in history. Who could forget The Bangles’ body-contorting hit “Walk Like an Egyptian” or the yet-to-be-uberfamous young Johnny Depp in the undercover high-school cop television

series 21 Jump Street?

Those were the days!

Last but not least, Oklahoma lawmakers also passed a fuel tax rate of 17 cents.

It was a memorable year. Three decades later, not much has changed.

After all, U.S.-Iranian relations are still rocky, the stock market is never a sure bet and people still do the sprinkler (and/or cabbage patch, worm or robot) to the Bangles’ song. (We at Chicken-Fried News recommend the running man.)

Oh, and Oklahomans still only pay 17 cents in fuel tax at the pumps.

That’s right! While other states have increased their fuel tax, the Sooner State has been moonwalking at 17 cents for going on 30 years. Long live the ’80s!

But wait. Now, state lawmakers are doing the electric slide into the modern age as they face a nearly $900 million budget hole for the 2017-18 fiscal year; they want to increase the gasoline tax.

“I am confident it will be discussed,” Rep. Earl Sears, R-Bartlesville, told NewsOK. com at the end of December as he performed the lambada with another lawmaker.

(We made up that very last part; we couldn’t really tell which dance move it was, but it looked totally rad! Please, Hammer, don’t hurt ’em!)

Had state lawmakers liked the 2016 gas tax proposal, which called for a 3-centsper-gallon increase as long as gas stayed below $3 a gallon, the state could expect to collect $42.6 million annually, according

GIVE THE GIFT OF POSSIBILITY

to NewsOK.com.

The bill, sponsored by Sears, failed to move past a legislative committee last session. (Shut up, Ted.) Maybe this session will be different.

Oklahoma is on year three of burgeoning budget woes. Sooner or later, you have to modify. If 21 Jump Street can successfully be rebooted, then, dude, anything is possible!

Indiscretion indecision

Proving once again that there’s no job security like being an elected official in Oklahoma, state Rep. Dan Kirby (R-Tulsa) resigned his post Dec. 23 after it was revealed a legislative assistant filed a sexual harassment complaint against him.

Then he walked back that resignation a few days later.

“I made my decision hastily to resign based upon some pressure, a lot of pressure, that I am not used to,” Kirby told Tulsa World. “After speaking with family and friends, I decided that was not the right course of action.”

Kirby’s former assistant, Hollie Anne Bishop, and her attorneys were paid $44,500 in a settlement after she alleged Kirby sexually harassed her and that she was fired after reporting it. The payment to Bishop was filed as a “legal settlement,” but the money paid to her attorneys was budgeted under housekeeping and cleaning supplies, which we think is an interesting

way to classify the expenditures of wrapping up a messy lawsuit.

Kirby said he did not know about the settlement and maintains his innocence in the sexual harassment charges. He also maintains his elected seat because he sent his resignation to McCall instead of Gov. Mary Fallin, who should have received it because the Legislature wasn’t in session.

Fallin spokesman Michael McNutt said the governor didn’t receive Kirby’s resignation, according to the Associated Press.

“I have done nothing wrong,” Kirby told Tulsa World. “That is a promise that I am making to you right now.”

But we at Chicken-Fried news humbly submit that you, the reader, might wait a few days and check back on that promise.

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10/14/16 5:05 PM

EAT & DRINK The Brick, The Mantel Wine Bar & Bistro and All About Cha. “I’m about as local and small business as you can get,” Mains said. “We’d like to see it come full circle. Just like everything else, if someone tells you, ‘This place is cool,’ then everybody wants to be there.”

F E AT U R E

District distractions

Staying Japanese

Dekora! owners hope a new look and name will entice more people to return to Bricktown.

By Greg Elwell

Anna Mains knows Bricktown is cool, and she wants to prove it.

Anna and husband Drew Mains, who own Rockford Cocktail Den, Knucks Wheelhouse and newly rebranded Dekora!, 200 S. Oklahoma Ave., Suite 130, staked their fortunes on Oklahoma City’s original entertainment district in 2013 when they purchased a struggling outpost of Tulsabased In the Raw restaurant.

“We bought In the Raw a little over three years ago,” she said. “It was never our brand to begin with; the style and the idea were someone else’s.”

Part of the reason they could afford to buy it was the restaurant’s struggle to bring in and retain customers.

“I feel like we were able to buy it because of the rocky beginning in Oklahoma City,” she said.

Their management skills made for better service and consistent quality, which helped right the ship. Unfortunately, the news didn’t spread as quickly.

“So many people would say, ‘I never knew it changed owners. We came there four or five years ago and it was horrible and we never came back,’” Mains said.

The restaurant needed a complete break, she said. Oklahoma City’s In the Raw already had a different menu than

those in Tulsa and Broken Arrow, so why not go all the way and change the name?

Breaking chains

Instead of continuing to rehabilitate the image of In the Raw in Oklahoma City, the Mains decided to rebrand the restaurant and make it their own.

“I wanted to bring something that was going to have a vibe that was our personality: fun and vibrant,” Mains said.

Bricktown has struggled in recent years with feeling too corporate, she said.

Whatever In the Raw would become, it needed to be original and local while still addressing the needs of the district.

“What can be hip and fun and cool but also feel comfortable to bring your kids to?” Mains said.

Their answer is Dekora!, which retains the sushi menu that previous customers love and plays up tasty, sharable Japanese street food.

“Seeing the evolution of the district, there are more families coming to Bricktown,” Mains said. “Dekora! fits that evolution. It has a more all-ages, casual feel to it.”

Dekora! co-owner Anna Mains | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Beating Bricktown

Bricktown is a district with an image problem, Mains said.

“When you say something is in Bricktown, no one says, ‘Oh, great!

Bricktown!’” she said.

It has become cool to hate the district, she said. Everyone continues to reinforce Bricktown’s negatives, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts.

“I mainly hear a lot of complaints about traffic and parking,” she said. “Once the road construction ends, it will help the traffic, but there’s always free parking in Lower Bricktown.”

Dekora! even validates parking on Thunder game days, meaning diners can get a $20 parking spot for free just for eating at the restaurant.

To those who think Bricktown is touristy and corporate, Mains said there are small business owners everywhere in the district.

West in Bricktown is owned by Rick and David Haynes. Crabtown is part of the local Pearl’s Restaurant Group. Other locally owned spots include Room 222 at

Mains said it’s common to have friends from Edmond stop in at Rockford, 317 NW 23rd St., and say Bricktown is just too far away.

“The people who were in Bricktown five years ago are now in Uptown,” Mains said. “And I’m saying, ‘You know Bricktown is just four minutes up the street, right?’”

Without the efforts of Bricktown pioneers, Mains thinks we wouldn’t have many of Oklahoma City’s other districts.

“It if weren’t for Bricktown, would we have Uptown 23rd? Would we have the Plaza District?” she asked.

Hoping and wishing won’t bring people back to Bricktown, but the Mains think Dekora! can.

“When we decided to rebrand, we wanted to attract the people who won’t come to Bricktown because they think there’s nothing cool down there,” she said.

“It’s difficult to do that and still have that amazing base of regulars who come in all the time.”

Dekora! has the same owners and staff that turned In the Raw’s fortunes around but adds a pop culture-centric look, courtesy of Robot House Creative. The back wall is a mural depicting a giant monster fighting costumed defenders over a city.

But the restaurant’s new name might also be causing confusion.

“People didn’t understand In the Raw. Was it a strip club, an oyster bar, a raw health food thing?” Mains said.

Dekora! isn’t immediately understood, but the name comes from a Tokyo street fashion called decora that uses bright, flashy accessories to create a feeling of playfulness. For the Mains, the extreme fashion fits in with their extreme brand of hospitality, doing whatever it takes to please customers.

Once customers find their way into Dekora!, Mains is confident they’ll want to explore more of what Bricktown has to offer.

Visit extremeyum.com.

Tuna Tataki | Photo Dekora! / provided

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EAT & DRINK

re v ie w

Pork ribs adobo | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Geography lesson

Diners should find their way to Del City’s Chibugan for lovingly prepared Filipino food.

By Greg Elwell

country’s location remained a mystery to me.

Chibugan Filipino Cuisine Here’s a rundown in case you get quizzed later.

4728 SE 29th St., Del City | 405-595-2426​ The official name is Republic of the Philippines.

What works: Saucy pork ribs adobo are a The country is made up of must, and lumpia are addictive little bites. more than 7,600 islands in the South China Sea near What needs work: Pancit bihon could use a spice infusion.

Indonesia, Vietnam, Taiwan and China. The people speak Tip: Filipino food isn’t inherently spicy, so Filipino, and they know how those worried about too much heat can relax. to cook a pig.

Taste that last fact for yourself at Chibugan, which transIt’s time to Make America Learn lates from Filipino as “eating.”

Geography Again.

A best bet is pork ribs adobo. (All Getting fooled by Last Week Tonight entrees are $6.95 at lunch and $7.95 at with John Oliver jokes about pointing to dinner.) Diners receive a platter with a the wrong country on a map time and heaping helping of rice, two dumplings again should have been enough to moticalled lumpia and a bowl full of tender ribs vate me, but the breaking point came after that were marinated in soy sauce and a visit to Chibugan Filipino Cuisine. vinegar before being sautéed.

The Del City eatery at 4728 SE 29th St. Like any ribs, be prepared to eat around is wonderful. The food is exotic and fathe bone. There’s one problem, though: miliar, the service is friendly and the The ribs come with a good deal of sauce, dining room is stacked so full of pictures which makes them a bit messy to eat. Plus, and knickknacks that anyone dining there they’re hot, so you’ll need to hold off a alone will have plenty to look at other than minute before you pick them up. a phone screen.

Either peel the meat off the bones with And then my friend asked, “Where are a fork or pick them up and go for it. The the Philippines, exactly?” and I realized I risk of messy fingers is well worth the had no idea other than somewhere in Asia. flavor of the ribs, which have a nice, solid chew to them. The pork is juicy, and the For shame! Not only has new President Rodrigo Duterte been all over the news, sauce that coats the ribs and marinates but the Philippines were once under U.S. the meat is salty with a nice tang. rule. I’ve met lovely Filipino Oklahomans Let’s not give lumpia short shrift here. with Asia Society of Oklahoma, but the These tiny little eggroll-shaped dumplings 16

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Barbecue chicken skewers with lumpia and rice | Photo Garett Fisbeck

are full of meat and make an outstanding snack. If the two that come with each meal aren’t enough, diners can get 12 for $4.99.

They disappear fast because lumpia are perfectly bite-sized.

The pork dish I thought I’d like the most was actually my least favorite.

Lechon kawali are chunks of pork belly that are seasoned and deep-fried. It sounds like the most Oklahoma dish ever, but in practice, it’s a little tough and wasn’t as flavorful as anticipated. It tastes good, but there are other dishes that demand attention first. Your experience might be different, though.

For anyone tentatively wading into Filipino cuisine for the first time, chicken barbecue skewers are a good bet. The meat is marinated in a mix of banana ketchup, brown sugar and soy sauce, giving it a juicy texture and a big burst of flavor. The sugars in the marinade stick to the meat and char up nicely on the grill, so there’s a little smokiness to the taste.

Plus, everything is better on a stick. Even though it’s not quite as sauce-heavy as the pork adobo, it’s nice to have the skewer to hold while nibbling on the chicken.

There is also a pork version that comes with a bit more meat and the same combination of banana ketchup, sugar and soy sauce.

Though it looks similar to pad thai, I found pancit bihon to be a little bland. The massive plate of rice noodles sautéed with pieces of chicken and a mélange of carrots, scallions and other vegetables was filling,

but it lacked any sense of momentum that can be found in many Thai noodle dishes or a great lo mein. The addition of some soy sauce helps, but I found myself wishing for more citrus to squeeze over the plate. That bit of brightness and sourness can make a plate of noodles irresistible.

One of the most comforting dishes on the menu is bistek, which literally translates to beef steak.

Slices of beef are sautéed and simmered in a blend of lemon juice, soy sauce and caramelized onions for a taste that is remarkably close to my ideal version of pot roast. The beef isn’t quite so ready to fall apart as in a roast, but the flavor was wonderful with just a little zing from the lemon juice. The onions spice the sauce and hold onto it, packing more flavor into each bite.

I’d like to spotlight a little-recognized piece of many meals that Chibugan does perfectly: rice. I likely wouldn’t go anywhere just for white rice, but the restaurant cooks each mound masterfully — with good reason, too, since almost every dish comes with rice. It not only makes each entree more filling, it soaks up the delicious sauces, extending the flavor.

I’m far from an expert on the Philippines or the country’s native cuisine, but if it tastes as good as the food they make at Chibugan, we should all pay attention.

Bistek sauteed beef with onions | Photo Garett Fisbeck

b rief s By Greg Elwell

Hillbilly’s closed Dec. 29. | Photo Gazette / file

•Cajun closure

After three years in business, Hillbilly’s has closed.

Hillbilly Po-Boys and Oysters, 1 NW Ninth St., was opened in 2013 by Shannon Roper and Bryan Neel — the S and B of the popular S&B’s Burger Joint chain. The eatery was rebranded as simply Hillbilly’s in 2015 to focus less on its Cajun menu and more on its unique comfort food and relaxed atmosphere.

Roper said business was fine, but landlord Steve Mason made him an offer to cut short the lease that was too good to pass up.

Closing wasn’t an easy decision, he said, but it was made easier because he found all Hillbilly’s employees jobs within the company, which includes multiple metro S&B’s locations and Sunnyside Diner, 916 NW Sixth St. Though Hillbilly’s closed Dec. 29, it’s not the end of the restaurant’s menu, Roper said. The bread pudding and brunch menu’s bread pudding french toast will be served at Sunnyside Diner, and other recipes will be used in S&B’s specials.

“We loved the concept and we had a ton of fun with it, but it takes a lot of energy to run a restaurant,” Roper said. “We have enough else to focus on.”

Chocolate tasting

Whether you’re buying chocolates for a Valentine’s Day gift or just because it’s delicious, Cocoaphilia’s chocolate tasting event is a must.

Owner Alicia Helsley prepares six truffles 6-8 p.m. Saturday at the shop, 1878 Church Ave., in Harrah, and Luther’s Wildhorse Canyon Farms will be on-site doing wine tastings.

“I’ll probably do my most popular truffles; salted caramel, raspberry beret, dark chocolate orange and some other ones,” Helsley said.

She said she hopes the tasting helps more chocolate lovers find her shop. She first rose to prominence in 2009 when her confections were featured in Martha Stewart Weddings magazine.

Helsley’s creations are made in small batches.

“So customers can be sure it hasn’t been sitting around in a package for weeks, waiting for people to buy it,” she said.

Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at www.cocoaphiliaokc.com. Call 405-3231787 for more information.

Beer Summit

Beer nerds and policy wonks alike will attend the 2nd Annual Oklahoma Craft Beer Summit 8:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday in the Plaza District.

The summit is Craft Brewers Association of Oklahoma Inc.’s (CBAO) main annual fundraiser. The nonprofit partnered with Oak & Ore, 1732 NW 16th St., to create the event.

CBAO’s mission is to educate, promote and raise awareness of craft brewing industry issues among consumers, regulators and legislators across the state.

After a big year for craft brewers in the state, including passage of laws allowing taprooms to sell full-strength beer and cold, strong beer and wine to be sold in grocery stores in 2018, industry members will meet to discuss what comes next and how to continue growing Oklahoma’s craft beer scene.

The summit features 10 educational seminars, including how to start a brewery, beer tastings from 19 Oklahoma breweries and a keynote address by Bernardo Alatorre, Boulder, Colorado-based Avery Brewing Co.’s head production manager.

Other speakers will be District 22 State Sen. Stephanie Bice and Krebs Brewing Co. president Zach Prichard.

The event concludes with the 2017 State of the Brewnion address at 3:45 p.m.

Saturday at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, 1727 NW 16th St. Tickets are $75 and are available at oklahomacraftbeersummit.com. They include tastings, tours, specialty glassware and entry to all sessions.

NAACP & TEMPLE B’NAI ISRAEL PRESENT:

THE 29TH ANNUAL MARTIN LUTHER KING PROGRAM

“THE DIALOGUE CONTINUES” HARMONY CREATES HARMONY A MUSICAL JOURNEY OF HOPE

Sunday, January 15, 2017 6:00pm – 7:30pm At Temple B’nai Israel 4901 N Pennsylvania

FREE TO THE PUBLIC Light Supper Provided

This program is made possible by the Clare and Rabbi Joseph Levenson Fund of Temple B’nai Israel

Martin Luther King, Jr. 1929-1968

O kg a z e t t e . c o m | j a n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7

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g a z e di b l e s

eat & DRINK

Restaurant resolutions

While everyone else is worried about hitting the gym three times a week and “practicing mindfulness” or whatever, you have chosen a truly worthy resolution for 2017: Eat at more new restaurants. Every time a new place opens up, you think, “That sounds good! I ought to check that out.” But months go by, and then it has been a year and you still haven’t walked through the door. No more! This year, we’re making it easy by giving you a list of new restaurants to love.

By Greg Elwell Photos Garett Fisbeck

Wicked Piston Bar & Grill 309 S. Bryant Ave., Edmond wickedpiston.com | 405-285-1484

Drive too fast and you might miss Edmond’s Wicked Piston Bar & Grill. Climb the stairs to the second-story eatery and park in one of those cozy booths with tall glass of beer.

Piston’s menu is sure to set some hearts racing. Piston lamb sliders are a good appetizer right off the line, but so is Wicked Saganaki, a flaming dish of Greek cheese with lemon and brandy served with pita points. Adventurous palates might be drawn to NOX (N2O) “death by fire” wings with a root beer float to put out the flames.

Revolución Taqueria & Cantina

916 NW Sixth St. revolucionokc.com | 405-606-6184 After conquering the worlds of pizza and ramen with Empire Slice House and Gorō Ramen + Izakaya, the owners of 84 Hospitality Group took on a new challenge: tacos. Revolución Taqueria & Cantina is open until midnight Monday-Saturday, making it a good place for lunch, dinner and late nights with crave-worthy including pork carnitas and beef barbacoa tacos or wilder options like chicken tinga and cauliflower al pastor.

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Volare

315 White St., Norman volarepizzeria.com | 405-310-3615 Ninety seconds. Nine-hundred degrees Fahrenheit. Those are two key ingredients in the extremely tasty pizza napoletana (Neapolitan-style pizza) served at Volare pizzeria. It cooks in a minute and a half, but that doesn’t mean you have to eat that fast.

Volare serves flavors worth savoring, including fungi di lemon with fontina and taleggio cheeses, roasted mushrooms, artichokes and lemon oil and Wilson with roasted zucchini, red peppers and eggplant, basil, spinach and cheese over red sauce.

Sam’s Southern Eatery

2336 NW 23rd St. samssoutherneatery.com | 405-605-5252 Perhaps the most difficult part of visiting Sam’s Southern Eatery is leaving any corner of the menu untouched. A really tasty piece of fried fish is always great, and the crab cakes sound appetizing and, ooh, is that a po’boy with gyro meat? Or maybe this is a good time to order those Buffalo wings and try the fried livers and gizzards. Sam’s bills itself as “home of the jumbo shrimp,” so it’s rude not to try at least a couple of those. The Shreveport, Louisianabased franchise came to Tulsa in 2014 and recently expanded to Oklahoma City.

Thai or Pho

722 S. Mustang Road, Yukon facebook.com/thaiorpho | 405-265-1969 It’s about a 16-hour drive to get from Bangkok, Thailand, to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, or an hour and a half by plane. Meanwhile, it takes only 20 minutes to get to Yukon’s Thai or Pho from midtown Oklahoma City. That’s a much shorter trip with the same rewards — enjoying delicious Thai and Vietnamese cuisines side by side. Indulge in pad see ew with thick, stir-fried noodles, broccoli and carrots in a sweet Thai sauce or a big bowl of steaming hot pho with rare steak and meatballs all in the same restaurant.

El Toro Chino

2801 36th Ave. NW, Norman eltorochino.com | 405-708-9472 Take the Chinese bull by the horns. The LatinAsian fusion restaurant already garners a lot of love from Norman diners with carnitas eggrolls that mix slow-roasted pork with Korean hoisin sauce, pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions and roasted corn and veggie enchiladas full of artichoke hearts, mushrooms, spinach and cheese and covered in mango salsa and citrus sour cream. At lunch, El Toro Chino offers make-your-own combos with a mix of Latin and Asian ingredients to experiment with.

Los Perez Mexican Restaurant

7011 W. Hefner Road facebook.com/losperezmex 405-498-3460 Everybody deserves to feel special now and again, which might be why Los Perez Mexican Restaurant carved out an entire section of its menu for special dinners.

That’s where customers will find quesadilla de chile Colorado stuffed full of spicy rib-eye and cheese and slathered in red sauce and filete diablo, which is tilapia filet cooked in a spicy chipotle sauce.

Introducing

with host Joshua Johnson Monday-Friday, 9am-11am Give at

www.kgou.org

ruby trout

BourBon St. Cafe

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OKC’S CELEBRATION

DESTINATION birthdays-anniversaries bachelorette parties RiveRwalk | bRicktown

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ARTS & CULTURE

“Callie Campbell, 11 years old, picks 75 to 125 pounds of cotton a day, and totes 50 pounds of it when sack gets full. ‘No, I don’t like it very much,’” photographer Lewis Hine wrote in his notebook. Photo taken Oct. 16, 1916, in Pottawatomie County. | Photo Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C. / provided

Art

Photographic memory

local history his images reveal.

“Most people had no idea that Lewis Hine was here in Oklahoma, and it’s actually been really interesting to look back 100 years … to see where he was and what he was looking at,” Bragg said. “For the most part, these [images] have not been widely published.”

Child Labor in Oklahoma: The Photographs of Lewis Hine, 1916-1917 thought-provokingly documents life and work of early 20th century youth. By Lisa K. Broad

Child Labor in Oklahoma: The Photographs of Lewis Hine, 1916-1917 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday through March Chesapeake Events Center Oklahoma History Center 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive okhistory.org 405-522-0765 Free-$18

Currently on view at Oklahoma History Center, Child Labor in Oklahoma: The Photographs of Lewis Hine, 1916–1917, showcases the pioneering work of sociologist and photographer Lewis Hine. The exhibit, co-curated by Lori Oden and Jim Meeks of the center and Theresa Bragg, an adjunct professor of photography at St. Gregory’s University and Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC), brings together visually striking and thoughtprovoking images that provide valuable insights into the realities of life and work in early 20th-century Oklahoma.

The decision to build an exhibit around 20

j A n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

“Hymie Miller, 5-year-old newsie who lives at 922 W. California St., sells after school mostly,” photographer Lewis Hine wrote in his notebook. Photo taken in March, 1917 in Oklahoma City. | Photo Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington D.C. / provided

Lewis Hine

Hine’s Oklahoma photographs arose after Meeks came across one of Hine’s images while curating a 2015 exhibit of Farm Security Administration photos for the history center.

Shot in 1917, the image of an 11-year-old Oklahoma City bakery worker led Meeks to investigate Hine’s time in the state.

“There were just a ton of photos,” Meeks said. “I started looking through them, and it was like a flood of information.”

He reconnected with former OCCC colleague Bragg when she brought a group of photography students to see the FSA exhibit.

“She’s a huge Hine fanatic,” Meeks said.

With Oden, Oklahoma History Center’s director of exhibits, Meeks and Bragg selected 25 of Hine’s works to display alongside a selection of cameras and other period objects drawn from Oklahoma History Center’s own collection.

For its curators, the exhibit represents a valuable opportunity to educate viewers about Hine’s work and the fragments of

Born in Wisconsin in 1874, Hine worked as a photographer for the National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) from 1908 until the beginning of World War I. Traveling throughout the United States, he used his camera as a tool for social change, documenting the conditions of child workers in support of efforts to reform local and national labor laws.

In 1916 and 1917, Hine visited Oklahoma communities, including Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Lawton, Shawnee, Okmulgee and Sulphur.

While there, he produced portraits of school-aged children employed as cotton pickers, newsboys, factory workers, bakers and bicycle messengers.

Hine’s work as a photographer and social justice advocate proved instrumental in raising public awareness of child labor and other social problems, but he often struggled to find financial and institutional support for his projects.

He died in poverty and obscurity in 1940, leaving behind an artistic and political legacy that would be rediscovered and brought to light by subsequent generations of scholars and historians.

They’re just looking right into your soul to communicate with you about what’s going on.

Lori Oden

Powerful images

Exploring Hine’s body of work, Bragg, Meeks and Oden were struck not just by the powerful subject matter but also by the aesthetic qualities of the photographs themselves.

Hine cultivated relationships with each of the children he shot, gaining their trust and learning about their lives.

The bond between artist and subject can be felt in the direct, confident gazes of the youths.

“I think that’s what’s so powerful about some of the images that have become iconic,” Oden said. “They’re just looking right into your soul to communicate with you about what’s going on.”

Meeks highlighted Hine’s consistent use of shallow depth of field, a technique that allows individuals in the foreground to stand out in sharp relief against a softfocused background.

By framing his young subjects in this way, Hine emphasized that the children — even more than the social and economic conditions that shaped their lives — were the true focus of his art.

In addition to showcasing the strength and diversity of Hine’s work, Child Labor in Oklahoma: The Photographs of Lewis Hine, 1916–1917, draws instructive parallels between past and present.

“A lot of the issues during Lewis Hine’s time are still issues now: immigration, worker’s rights, children’s rights,” Bragg said. “I personally think it’s a perfect match, and I’m thrilled with what we’ve picked out.”

The exhibit is on display through March in Chesapeake Events Center at Oklahoma History Center, 800 Nazih Zuhdi Drive. Admission is included with regular history center admission, which is free-$7 for individuals and $18 for a family of up to six people. Organizers suggest guests call ahead to make sure the events center is open to the public before they visit.

Visit okhistory.org.

Oklahoma City Community College 2016-2017 Performing Arts Series Presents

25th Anniversary, Classic Koresh

“the most exciting dance experience I’ve ever seen in Philadelphia - and my life... this, with its outstanding lighting and technically-honed music, was an experience I wholeheartedly advocate for anyone even slightly interested in dance.” ~ Philadelphia Weekly

Tuesday, January 24 • 7:30

p.m.

OCCC Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater Purchase tickets at tickets.occc.edu Box Office at 405-682-7579 • www.occc.edu/pas Oklahoma City Community College • 7777 South May Avenue

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Co m e dy

ARTS & CULTURE

Community leader Joel McHale stays busy with a Riverwind performance and a National Lampoon biopic. By George Lang

Joel McHale 8 p.m. Jan. 28 Riverwind Casino 1544 State Highway 9, Norman riverwind.com 405-322-6000 $45-$55

Joel McHale’s life did not get any slower after graduating from Community, the NBC cult-hit sitcom created by Dan Harmon, in 2015. Almost immediately, he booked an arc on Fox’s The X-Files revival in early 2016, and then his new four-camera sitcom on CBS, The Great Indoors, got picked up for a full season at the end of the year.

But his experience playing Jeff Winger on Community is not entirely in the past.

When McHale books standup gigs like his 8 p.m. performance Jan. 28 at Riverwind Casino, 1544 State Highway 9, in Norman, a large portion of the ticketholders are emotionally enrolled with Winger, Britta, Abed, Shirley, Annie, Troy and sometimes Pierce at Greendale Community College.

It is one of the most ardent cults in current pop culture.

“At the book signings, it was pretty pronounced,” said McHale, who published his memoir, Thanks for the Money: How to Use My Life Story to Become the Best Joel McHale You Can Be, in October. “But also at the standup shows. It’s younger Community fans and then a lot of women in their late 40’s and early 50’s who watched The Soup.”

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Comedian Joel McHale performs Jan. 28 at Riverwind Casino. | Photo provided

j A n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

McHale’s ongoing relationship with the series takes a meta turn this year with the release of director David Wain’s A Futile & Stupid Gesture.

Based on the 2006 book chronicling the rise and fall of National Lampoon and cofounder Douglas Kenney, McHale will play his former Community costar Chevy Chase.

“I would call it the greatest coincidence of all time,” McHale said. “I met with David Wain about it, we had a long discussion about Chevy and what it was like in the ’70s. And physically, Chevy and I are very similar — we’re about the same size, so there was that. Now, in theory, you could know someone for several years and be terrible at portraying him. Hopefully, I’m not that. And I’m not really doing an impression. The movie is not about nailing every characteristic of the people who lived then. It’s more about the story of Doug Kenney and capturing some of the magic that happen in the ’70s. It’s not like a National Lampoon movie, and in the same way, it’s not a sobering, realistic view of what happened. It’s doing a lot of things at once.”

McHale, 45, was too young to experience National Lampoon at its peak, but the style of comedy it ushered in helped shape his comedic worldview.

“They really did something different,” he said. “They filled up this vacuum that was seemingly waiting there, waiting to be filled up with this young comedy that nobody knew was there before Doug Kenney showed up. In a weird way, it’s like a Steve Jobs thing where you go, ‘Yeah, this is what people wanted,’ but you didn’t know you wanted it until they put it in your hand.”

A Futile & Stupid Gesture, named for a famous line from National Lampoon’s Animal House, stars Will Forte as Kenney, along with McHale, Paul Scheer, Thomas Lennon and Emmy Rossum.

McHale believes the story conveys what it felt like to be in a transformative period in American comedy.

“I haven’t seen the film, but I know David Wain directed the shit out of it and it’s one of the best screenplays I’ve ever read,” he said.

If the early days of National Lampoon and Saturday Night Live established a benchmark for transgressive comedy, then Community was their metacultural descendant.

Late in its first season, the series transitioned from being just about nontraditional students at a California two-year school and became an astonishingly hilarious free-for-all commentary on pop culture at large.

Scrupulously detailed Martin Scorsese parodies and claymation episodes became the norm, not the exception.

“We knew while we were making Community that a show like this is very rare to come around. We all kind of felt

it,” McHale said. “We knew we had something going when we kept going to ComicCon and our rooms kept getting bigger and bigger, to the point where we were in the huge room for a couple of years and they’re turning away thousands of people.”

In the language of Community fans, perhaps no phrase is more important than a line cribbed from a second-season clip show: “six seasons and a movie.”

Thanks to an intervention by Yahoo! when the show was facing cancelation, Community made it to six seasons.

In a time when favorite shows can come back to life with the right amount of investment from Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, McHale said he is not counting it out.

“Maybe an oligarch will give us a few million dollars and we can make the movie,” he said. “They brought Gilmore Girls back and Fuller House and Arrested Development, and I think that if a movie can be made and there’s money to do it and Donald [Glover]’s not too busy being Lando Calrissian, then maybe we can make the movie.”

to the United States Senate of any party in 2014.

Banz completed his term-limited legislative sessions in November and served as Majority Whip. During his career, he represented the eastern part of Midwest City, Choctaw, Harrah, Nicoma Park and southeast Oklahoma County. He helped launch the Oklahoma Honor Flights program, which transports senior veterans to visit memorials dedicated to their service in the nation’s capital.

Community impact

Co m m u n i t y

The 20th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast celebrates the life and work of the activist and Baptist minister Jan. 16 in Midwest City. | Photo provided

Intertwined history

The 20th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast in Midwest City honors the legacy of an American icon and the tapestry of the city’s vibrant community. By Christine Eddington

Tapestry of Unity: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast 7 a.m. Monday Sheraton Midwest City Hotel Reed Conference Center 5750 Will Rogers Blvd., Midwest City facebook.com/mlkbreakfastokc 405-623- 1957 $10

Twenty years ago in Oklahoma City, a group of volunteers started an inclusive, celebratory event whose mission seems, if anything, even more crucial today than it did at inception: the Midwest City Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast.

The 2017 breakfast is Monday inside Sheraton Midwest City Hotel at Reed Conference Center, 5750 Will Rogers Blvd., in Midwest City. Early birds should arrive around 6:15 a.m. to hear performers, including the Midwest City High School Jazz Band, during the prelude. A full buffet breakfast is served 7-8 a.m. At 8 a.m., the program begins and speakers inspire and inform, performers energize and the Clara Luper Community Award is presented.

Event chairwoman Vivian Woodward

said the breakfast tends to sell out; however, any remaining tickets will be offered at the door. She has been involved with the event for four years.

“When I learned that there was an agency whose desire was to bring people together in peace and to incorporate everyone in the community, that got me involved,” Woodward said. “We reach out to everyone — every religion, every race, every economic level. We are a group of human beings who get together to celebrate the ideals and legacy of Dr. King.”

This year’s event theme is Tapestry of Unity, which Woodward said symbolizes the beautiful cohesion of a society whose different members and their ancestries and stories are deeply interwoven.

Event highlights

Tickets are $10. Reserved seating, tableof-eight sponsorships, are also available for $200. Around 450-500 guests fill the venue for the annual event, Woodward said.

“Every cent of a ticket goes into the breakfast,” she said.

Featured speakers are Sen. Connie Johnson and Rep. Gary W. Banz.

Johnson served in the Oklahoma State Senate 2005-’14 before retiring. She represented District 48, which includes most of northeastern Oklahoma County. She was the first black woman nominated for a major statewide office in Oklahoma as well as Oklahoma’s first female nominee

“We will also present the Clara Luper Community Award for the third year,” Woodward said.

The inaugural award was given to Oklahoma City’s Rev. Jesse Jackson, who serves as senior pastor at East Sixth Street Christian Church. Last year, filmmaker Julia Clifford, who directed the documentary Children of the Civil Rights, earned the honor. Her film featured footage of segregation-busting sit-ins led

by Oklahoma City civil rights activist Luper in the late ’50s and civil rights activist John Lewis’ firsthand account of the horrific 1965 attack on peaceful protesters in Selma, Alabama, known as Bloody Sunday.

The 2017 honoree is Midwest City police chief Brandon Clabes, whose dedication to changing the philosophy of law enforcement has been a game-changer.

“In Midwest City, our officers have the discretion to help people when they commit crimes that are really acts of desperation,” Clabes said. “Midwest City also has the largest municipal jail in Oklahoma, which is important because within that jail, we have an embedded mental health professional on staff who evaluates every person we bring in. And we offer after care to each person when they come out.

“Sometimes, we learn that the problem is simple — for example, that the person is off of his or her medication because of cost. We can solve that. I always say that in law enforcement, the only things that are black and white are the police cars.

Everything else is gray.”

He said he’s humbled to be honored with this year’s award and Luper has long influenced his life and work.

“I had the good fortune to meet Mrs. Luper as a young person because my father was in the newspaper business,” Clabes said. “Then I was fortunate enough to serve on the Midwest City Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast committee with her earlier in my career. I don’t deserve this award; there are so many people who work to make this community stronger.”

Tickets are $10 and are available in advance at the Midwest City Community Center during regular business hours or from Prosperity Real Estate by calling 405-623-1957.

MONDAY

Sauced Singo@8pm

TUESDAY

oPen Mic nigHT@8PM

WEDNESDAY

Red diRT PoeTRY@8PM

THURSDAY

SKeTTi nigHT & THRee acT THuRSdaY

FRIDAY dj Peace@9

SATURDAY

3Rd annual PRoM nigHT@9PM fRee enTRY, dj HoTRod King & queen cRowning

We reach out to everyone — every religion, every race, every economic level.

Vivian Woodward O kg a z e t t e . c o m | j a n ua r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7

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ARTS & CULTURE The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses hits Civic Center Music Hall Jan. 21 | Photo Jose Lim / provided

The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 Thelma Gaylord Performing Arts Theatre Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Ave. zelda-symphony.com okcciviccenter.com 405-297-2264 $35-$110

local orchestra, so I think this is a great way to contribute to the local economy,” Paul said.

t h eater

Missing Link

Game score

The Legend of Zelda comes to life Jan. 21 at Civic Center Music Hall. By Ben Luschen

Outside mustachioed plumber Mario and Pac-Man’s chomping cheese-wheel face, few video game characters are more universally recognizable than Link, The Legend of Zelda’s elvishly dressed protagonist.

Nintendo’s fantasy-adventure franchise has thrived in the hearts of gamers for more than 30 years. In that time, fans have grown attached not only to Link, Princess Zelda and the fairytale-like Hyrule kingdom but, through hours of gameplay, to the original musical score that has become a major part of the gaming experience.

The Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses brings the music out of home gaming consoles and into concert halls as

the show tours the globe. The symphony makes its first stop in the state 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 21 at Civic Center Music Hall, 201 N. Walker Ave. “We’ve created a wonderful show with timely visuals,” said Jason Michael Paul, the show’s executive producer. “If you can imagine the soundtrack of your childhood being performed live with a full orchestra and a choir in perfect sync with the visuals from the game, it’s more or less a retelling of The Legend of Zelda through the visuals and music.”

Symphony of the Goddesses features a 66-musician orchestra and a 24-voice choir.

Arranged with classical sensibilities, the show features two acts and four movements covering music from Zelda games The Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess and more. A surprise finale caps off the show.

Symphony of the Goddesses launched its first tour in 2012. The Oklahoma City show signals the last scheduled stop for this leg of its Master Quest season, which began in January 2015. Paul said large gatherings of devoted fans have joined them at every stop along the journey.

“Zelda commands a huge audience,” Paul said. “It’s in a league of its own, to

be honest with you.”

Great journey

Paul’s production company began working with Nintendo in 2011 to develop and produce a few one-off concerts promoting the game’s 25th anniversary in cities like Tokyo, London and New York City. He said the shows paved the way for an initial world tour and Symphony of the Goddesses.

Paul developed a working relationship with the Japanese game company even before 2011. He has produced other gamethemed concert series in the past, including shows featuring scores from Final Fantasy and titles in and outside Nintendo.

His work within the Zelda franchise has been among his most successful.

“It’s been truly a remarkable journey to be a part of it,” he said. “I’m honored and privileged to be able to do what I do and bring this show to Oklahoma City and all the cities around the world.”

Symphony of the Goddesses almost always utilizes local orchestras or musicians for its programs. The Oklahoma City orchestra will be comprised of musicians from within the local chapter of the American Federation of Musicians.

“Not all musicians can perform with a

It’s an exciting time to be a Zelda fan.

Nintendo’s newest game console, Nintendo Switch, is scheduled for a worldwide release in March. One of the system’s most anticipated games is Zelda’s 19th installment, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Promotional materials for the game have promised an open-world environment that allows gamers to conquer the map’s dungeons in any order. It’s the kind of freewheeling adventure Paul says Zelda fans have always wanted.

“It’s just nice to see the progression and the way Nintendo has been able to utilize technology,” he said.

He said he plans to use music from the new game for another concert series.

The producer said those who attend the Symphony of the Goddesses show have almost universally praised it. The biggest bit of feedback Paul receives often comes from those who did not find out about the show until after its date in their city.

“That’s what really raises the hair on the back of my neck, because I don’t want anyone to miss this opportunity,” Paul said. “I want everyone to be able to experience it.”

The show is designed to pull the heartstrings of close fans, and Paul said those fans make these concerts rewarding for him.

“This show is nothing without the fans coming out to see it,” he said.

Visit zelda-symphony.com.

SALES, RENTAL, TRADE just north of reno on council road

405-514-7885 24

j a n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

t h eater

Slanted storytelling Jewel Box Theatre’s 37 Postcards highlights the unpredictable nature of family and unconventional methods of handling loss. By Jessica Williams

You can always go home again, but things Living abroad in Europe for eight years, might be a little different than how you reAvery had valid reasons for leaving home in membered. the first place. Escapism For Avery Sutton in motivated his travels.

Jewel Box Theatre’s 37 “Avery’s twin brother 37 Postcards Postcards, this statement passed away before he left rings true in the form of a for Europe,” Taylor said.

8 p.m. Thursdayssinking childhood house “Leaving his hometown was Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. and a supposedly resurhis way of grieving, but his Sundays Jan. 19-Feb. 12 rected grandmother. family members have fallen Jewel Box Theatre Showing Jan. 19-Feb. 12 at into more unconventional 3700 N. Walker Ave. the theater, 3700 NW methods of handling loss.” jewelboxtheatre.org Walker Ave., Michael 405-521-1786 McKeever’s dark comedy ‘World of delusions’ $15-$20 examines a family unit out Turning back time is imposof sync with time. sible, but pretending to live Stage director Don Taylor spoke with in the past proves a viable option for Avery’s Oklahoma Gazette about the play’s debut at mother. The phrase “ignorance is bliss” is The Jewel Box, its challenging set design taken to the extreme through Mrs. Sutton’s and the unpredictable nature of family. penchant for feigning happiness.

t h eater

Gregory Lee, Amy I-Lin Cheng, Jonathan Ruck and Chad Burrow perform at a Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble concert. | Photo Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble / provided

Land music

Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble enthralls audiences with notes foreign and domestic. By Jessica Williams

Get up close and personal with music across time and space at Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble’s Lands Near and Far concert.

Continuing its 2016-17 season, Tuesday’s 7:30 p.m. show unites iconic works from four globally distinct composers inside St. Paul’s Cathedral, 127 NW Seventh Street.

Ranging from the Romantic era to modern day, Lands Near and Far mimics a compre-

hensive trip across dozens of cultures.

“The title of the concert is very broad in that the musical styles represented in the four works selected for the program all come from different countries,” Chad Burrow, Brightmusic’s co-artistic director, told Oklahoma Gazette. “We have music from Armenia, Hungary, the U.S. and England, fusing Western classical traditions and

37 Postcards director Don Taylor | Photo Jim Beckel / provided

“This woman decides to become the essence of a 1950s American TV show where nothing is wrong and nothing bad could ever happen,” Taylor said.

One fiction Mrs. Sutton constructs is her deceased mother, who isn’t dead at all. She lives in the pantry.

“To shield Mrs. Sutton from reality, the rest of the family has decided it’s best to help her maintain her fantasy world,” Taylor said.

Outside influences destabilize her comfort zone. Throwing a curve ball in her Leave It to Beaver façade, Avery brings home his fiancé he met in Europe. Despite her best efforts to stabilize her delusion, life is about to change for Mrs. Sutton.

“During his time in Europe, Avery sent postcards to his mother. Of course, in her state of oblivion, she neglected to read them.

Now everyone has to deal with this extreme lapse in communication,” Taylor said. “The Sutton house is slowly dipping into a sinkhole, which is the first thing audiences will notice, even if some of the characters won’t address it.”

Even in his 20th year at Jewel Box, directing 37 Postcards has stretched Taylor’s abilities.

“Working with actors on a slanted stage has made for rather interesting rehearsals,” he said. “On the positive side, at least the actors don’t have to wear roller skates on this stage.”

Confrontations with reality, family and life underlie the play’s central themes.

“Although the family is dealing with a confusing, sometimes sad situation, the way characters go about living in the present is comedic,” Taylor said. “It’s quirky, but it’s also a touching play at its core.”

Such a duality between the absurd and the sentimental defines playwright Michael McKeever’s brand, which appeals to Taylor as a theater professional and audience member.

“As a director, it’s rare to actually want to sit through an entire performance you’ve had a hand in,” he said.

Tickets are $15-$20. Visit jewelboxtheatre.org or call 405-521-1786.

Eastern European folk traditions.” unaccustomed to modern and contempoWorks from Armenian/Russian comrary composers.” poser Alexander Arutiunian and Hungarian Staying true to the concert’s name, other composer Béla Viktor János Bartók take points of interest come from sources beyond listeners through Eastern Europe’s rich music. Burrow said poetry seamlessly musical history while English composer complements and enhances the concert’s Ralph Vaughan Williams recalls the regal transient themes. decadence of the early 20th “Edward Knight chose the poetry of Sara Teasdale to accentury. Grounding audiences in the present, local company his works,” he said. composer and Oklahoma “Her poem ‘There Will Come Lands Near Soft Rains’ imagines another City University composer-inand Far residence Edward Knight possible time in the future, also serenades the cathedral. where humans will be extinct 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and nature will thrive and St. Paul’s Cathedral ‘Larger-than-life’ hardly notice our absence.”

127 NW Seventh St. “In the setting Brightmusic Staged in close physical and brightmusic.org provides, you’re getting a psychological proximity to the Free-$20 larger-than-life experience audience, Brightmusic’s repin an intimate setting,” said ertoire confronts individual Sara Grossman, Brightmusic vice president listeners with larger philosophical connecof publicity. “The beauty of chamber music tions to the world. lies in its ability to create unique musical Vaughan Williams’ work incorporates performances with a small group of musiA.E. Housman’s poem “Is My Team cians.”

Ploughing.”

Seven established Brightmusic musi“This text has a conversation between a cians will perform: Gregory Lee (violin), living man and one who has passed away to Samuel Formicola (violin), Mark Nuemann another place,” Burrow said. “So the ‘lands near and far’ can be musical, geographical, (viola), Meredith Blecha-Wells (cello), Chad spiritual or even otherworldly.”

Burrow (clarinet), Amy I-Lin Cheng (piano) and Andrew Ranson (tenor).

Grossman said she has witnessed the “Since we don’t normally include entransformative power of chamber music on sembles for tenors, this will be a new and the most unlikely of audience members. original program for Brightmusic and audiTickets are $20. Admission is free for ences who have attended our concerts,” children, students and active-duty military Grossman said. “Our pairings and collaboservice personnel with ID. Visit brightmusic.org. rations for this show will bring an interesting experience to listeners, especially those O kg a z e t t e . c o m | j a n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7

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ARTS & CULTURE

Big trends

Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show features a large-scale tiny home township, home and garden experts, a food truck rally and more. By Christine Eddington

Planners of the Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show, happening Jan. 20-22 at State Fair Park, 3001 General Pershing Blvd., will construct a tiny house village, hold a food truck rally, host crafty make-and-take stations and fill the bustling three-day agenda with presentations by home-and-garden show celebrities, gardeners, chefs and other experts.

The January home and garden show welcomes 550 exhibitors, said show manager Rae Ann Saunders. “[They] encompass every facet of home remodeling and repair, décor, design and gardening and landscaping,” Saunders said.

The event occupies three State Fair Park buildings: Centennial Building, Cox Pavilion and the new Bennett Event Center.

“We are the first event to be held in the new building,” Saunders said. “It’s exciting and a little bit of a challenge to be first.”

During the show on Jan. 22, walkways between the three buildings are trans-

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formed into a food truck rally site.

One of the most of-the-moment exhibits planned for the show is the tiny house village, Saunders said. Tiny houses, or homes usually 400 square feet or smaller, have captured the collective national fancy of late, and a group of them from around the country will comprise a diminutive township in Bennett Event Center.

Among them will be Tiny Homes of Oklahoma builder Michelle Wunder.

“We are a brand-new company launched in October,” Wunder said. “We will be bringing our model home, which is completely finished with luxury materials like hardwood flooring, granite, waterfall counter tops, hand washed cedar walls and gorgeous tile.”

Wunder attributes the current fascination with diminutive domiciles to a new notion of what luxury means.

“The fact that people can quickly pay off a home, and that it can be something por-

Joel Karsten | Photo provided

table and that they don’t have to give up a high-end interior means freedom,” Wunder said. “It’s letting people live lives filled with experiences instead of things.”

All-star presenters

Presentations happen each hour on the Cox Pavilion Lifestyle Stage. Featured local experts include Guilford Gardens owner and Kam’s Kookery chef Kamala Gamble; Prairie Earth Gardens’ Julia Laughlin, who discusses vegetable gardening and edible landscaping; and representatives from Rebuilding Together OKC, the event’s nonprofit partner.

Nationally recognized stars of the DIY world will take the stage, too. HGTV’s Matt Fox, who hosts the popular Room by Room emcees the Lifestyle Stage during the threeday event and also leads a series of weekend project demonstrations done completely with supplies found at home improvement stores.

Jason Cameron, who hosts DIY Network shows Man Caves, Sledgehammer and Desperate Landscapes, walks guests through techniques for making dreary landscapes cheery. Joel Karsten, creator of the straw bale gardening method, shares techniques for growing vegetables, and locally owned Tony’s Tree Plantation constructs a 2,200 square-foot landscape for visitors to walk through.

Visit oklahomacityhomeshow.com.

Oklahoma City Home + Garden Show noon-9 p.m. Jan. 20, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Jan. 21 and 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Jan. 22 State Fair Park 3001 General Pershing Blvd. oklahomacityhomeshow.com 712-269-9582 Free-$12

Quick Class: Apple Cider Vinegar, providing a laundry list of health benefits, learn how to use apple cider vinegar to support blood sugar regulation, a healthy body weight, heart health and more, 3-3:30 p.m. Jan. 15. Natural Grocers, 7013 N. May Ave., 405-840-0300, naturalgrocers. com. SUN

are events recommended

by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

Pint Night, try a new brew and keep the glass, 5 p.m. Jan. 16. The Mule, 1630 N. Blackwelder Ave., 405-601-1400, themuleokc.com. MON

BOOKS Kim Liggett Book Launch Party, meet author Kim Liggett and have the opportunity to get her new horror thriller The Last Harvest, 7-9 p.m. Jan. 11.

Half Price Books, 6500 N. May Ave., 405-843-5837, hpb.com. WED

YOUTH After School Art Program, Activities include visits to the museum’s galleries with related art projects, guest speakers and performers. Activities include printmaking, weaving, flute making, soap carving/ sculpting, roping, working in clay, watercolor painting and experiencing a one-room school house.

3-4:30 p.m. through March 31. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org. MON

Brad Taylor book signing, author of the New York Times bestselling Pike Logan series, 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 12. Norman Public Library, 225 N. Webster Ave., Norman, 405-701-2600, pioneerlibrarysystem.org. THU

FILM La La Land, (USA, 2016, Damien Chazelle) A jazz pianist falls for an aspiring actress in Los Angeles, Jan. 6-12. Circle Cinema, Tulsa, 10 S. Lewis Ave., Tulsa, 918-585-3504, circlecinema.com. FRI Things to Come, (France, 2016, Mia Hanson-Love) A philosophy teacher soldiers through the death of her mother, getting fired from her job and dealing with a husband who is cheating on her, Jan. 6-12.

Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. FRI 13th, (USA, 2016, Ava DuVernay) an in-depth look at the prison system in the United States and how it reveals the nation’s history of racial inequality, 6-8:30 p.m. Jan. 13. Church of Open Arms UCC, 3131 N. Pennsylvania Ave., 405-525-9555, openarms.org. FRI Westworld, (Italy, 1973, Michael Crichton) a robot malfunction creates havoc and terror for unsuspecting vacationers at a futuristic, adultthemed amusement park, 10 p.m. Jan. 13 and 14.

Circle Cinema, Tulsa, 10 S. Lewis Ave., Tulsa, 918585-3504, circlecinema.com. FRI The Brand New Testament, (Belgium, 2015, Jaco Van Dormael) Did you know that God is alive and lives in Brussels with his daughter? Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. FRI Singin’ in the Rain, (USA, 1952, Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly) a silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound, Jan. 15. and 18.

Cinemark Tinseltown, 6001 N. Martin Luther King Ave., 405-424-0461, cinemark.com. SUN

Story Time with Miss Julie, bringing old and new favorite children’s books to life, 10:15 a.m. Jan. 14.

Full Circle Bookstore, 1900 NW Expressway, 405842-2900, fullcirclebooks.com. SAT

Horseshoe Road Chinese New Year concert China has fallen in love with Oklahoma native Kyle Dillingham, and the feeling is mutual. Last September, the fiddler and guitarist garnered rave reviews as he represented the United States at the Silk Road International Arts Festival in Xi’an. Now back in Oklahoma City, Dillingham and his band Horseshoe Road celebrate with a Chinese New Year concert 7 p.m. Wednesday at CHK|Central Boathouse, 732 Riversport Drive. Tickets are $15. A food truck dinner starts at 5:30 p.m., but it is not included in the concert ticket price. Visit horseshoeroad.brownpapertickets. com or call 800-838-3006. Wednesday Photo Andrea Dillingham Photography / provided Raising Arizona, (USA, 1987, Joel Coen and Ethan Coen) when a childless couple of an ex-con and an ex-cop decide to help themselves to one of another family’s quintuplets, their lives become more complicated than they anticipated, 7 p.m. Jan. 18.

Opolis, 113 N. Crawford Ave., Norman, 405-6734931, opolis.org. WED

HAPPENINGS Hot Topic Lunch, Cindy Rosenthal shares her insight on financing city government. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 11. Interurban, 1150 Ed Noble Parkway, Norman, 405-307-9200, interurban.us. WED

Turquoise Twenties Gala, evening of jazz music, swing dancing, auctions, photo booth, dinner and more 6-11 p.m. Jan. 14. Sheraton Hotel, 1 N. Broadway Ave., 405-235-2780, sheratonokc.com.

Academic Technology Expo 2017, two-day conference focused on increasing impact in the classroom with guest speakers, demonstrations, food, networking opportunities and more, 8 a.m.

Jan. 12. through 5 p.m. Jan. 13. OU Information Technology, 660 Parrington Oval Room 321, Norman, 405-325-4357, it.ou.edu. THU Art Walk Mixer, live music from Dust Bowl Refugees, community visioning art project, craft beer from Brewhouse, Crepes & Tater Cakes food truck and more, 6-9:30 p.m. Jan. 13. Stash, 412 E. Main St., Norman, 405-701-1016, stashok.com. FRI Meet and Mingle with Doulas in the District, casual come-and-go Q&A or mini consults as availability allows, live events and local food, 7-10 p.m. Jan. 13.

Thrive Mama Collective, 1745 NW 16 St., 405-6325684, thrivemamacollective.com. FRI LIVE! on the Plaza, join the Plaza District every second Friday of the month for an art walk featuring artists, live music, street pop-up shops, live performances and more, 7-11 p.m., Jan. 13. Plaza District, 1618 N. Gatewood Ave., 405-367-9403, plazadistrict.org. FRI Oklahoma City Remodeling Expo 2017, comprehensive and expansive home show bringing together homeowners and the area’s most knowledgeable and experienced remodeling and building experts, 2 p.m. Jan. 13 through 5 p.m. Jan. 15. Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, 405602-8500, coxconventioncenter.com. FRI

Sweeney Todd After finishing your daily meat pie, consider going to see Upstage Theatre’s production of everyone’s favorite demon barber musical Sweeney Todd.

The show opens 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Upstage Theatre & Performing Arts Studio, 844 W. Danforth Road, in Edmond.

Other show times are 7:30 p.m. FridaySaturday and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.

Tickets are free-$18. Visit ticketstorm. com or upstagetheatreok.com or call 405285-5803. Thursday-Sunday

IFR47 Trade Show, the latest rodeo gear, jewelry and more, Jan. 13-15. Oklahoma State Fair Arena, 333 Gordon Cooper Blvd., 405-948-6704, okstatefair.com. FRI Oklahoma City RV and Boat Show 2017, three-day event showcasing a wide range of products and services related to boating, camping, caravan and RV sectors from leading exhibitors, Jan. 13-15. Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, 405-6028500, coxconventioncenter.com. FRI Free Homebrew Class for Beginners, learn how to brew beer at home with this free three-hour Brewer’s Best kit class to learn the mini-mash or partial mash method of brewing, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 14. The Brew Shop, 2916 N. Penn Ave., 405-528-5193, thebrewshopokc.com. SAT

Drop-In Art: Tile Art, interactive experience to create extraordinary works of art inspired by the museum’s collection and special exhibitions, 1-4 p.m. Jan. 14. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. SAT

Cosplay Costume Contest, costumes can be any copyrighted character, mash-ups and original characters, 2-4 p.m. Jan. 14. Southern Oaks Library, 6900 S. Walker Ave., 405-631-4468, metrolibary. org. SAT January Yarn-In, all yarn enthusiasts invited for an afternoon of food and fellowship, 2-6 p.m. Jan. 14.

The Gourmet Yarn Company, 2915 W. Britton Road, 405-286-3737, gourmetyarnco.com. SAT

Coffee with Entrepreneurs, networking over coffee. 5-7 p.m. Jan. 11. Starbucks, 5836 Northwest Expressway, 405-720-5877, starbucks.com. WED

Bear Snores On! Family Overnight, tiptoe into the wild world of animals who snooze and snore throughout the cold winter, 7 p.m.-9 a.m. Jan. 14. The Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Pl., 405-424-3344, okczoo.org. SAT

SAT

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration, an afternoon of music, crafts and readings, 1-4 p.m. Jan. 16. Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-297-3995, myriadgardens.com. MON 2017 MLK Marketplace, celebrating unity, culture and community; vendors, visual art, stage performances, activity center and more, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Jan. 16. Metro Technology Center, 1900 Springlake Drive, 405-844-8324, metrotech.edu.

MON

Trivia Night, live trivia hosted by Challenge Entertainment, 8:30 p.m. Jan. 18. Othello’s Italian Restaurant, Norman, 434 Buchanan Ave., Norman, 405-701-4900, othellos.us. WED PechaKucha Night, an evening of presentations from creative individuals with food and beverages during social hour, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Jan. 18. Plenty Mercantile, 807 N. Broadway Ave., 405-888-7470, plentymercantile.com. WED Red Earth Tree Festival, celebrate the Christmas season with a decidedly Native twist. This popular new holiday tradition features over 15 Christmas trees decorated with handmade ornaments created

by Oklahoma Native tribes 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon-Fri through January 13. Red Earth Museum, 6 Santa Fe Plaza, 405-427-5228, redearth.org. TUE

FOOD Craft Cider and Cheese Pairing, explore the new wave of American craft cider and how they pair with a variety of cheeses, 6:45-8:15 p.m. Jan. 13. Forward Foods-Norman, 2001 W. Main St., Norman, 405-321-1007, forwardfoods.com. FRI

Party With a Purpose at ArtNow What do we want? Art! When do we want it?

Now! Oklahoma Contemporary Art Center’s ArtNow exhibition is on display right now. The show features works by 24 Oklahoma artists and wraps up with the nonprofit arts education group’s Party With a Purpose at ArtNow, 8 p.m. Jan. 20 at the center, 3000 General Pershing Blvd.

Tickets are $50-$150. Visit oklahomacontemporary.org or call 405-951-0000.

Jan. 20 Photo Justice Smithers / provided

School’s Out Day Camp, a unique adventure during a school holiday, 8:30 a.m.- 5:15 p.m. Jan. 16.

Oklahoma City Zoo, 2000 Remington Pl., 405-4243344, okczoo.org. MON Red Dirt Dinos, following a journey around the state and across the world, the dinosaurs that once roamed over Oklahoma’s red dirt landscape return to Science Museum Oklahoma; three interactive, lifelike robotic dinosaurs and a variety of hands-on components help visitors explore Oklahoma’s dinosaurs. through March 12. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2100 NE 52nd St., 405-602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org. MON

PERFORMING ARTS

Oyster Mushroom Bucket Cultivation, workshop providing information on growing mushrooms using a low-tech and low-energy process, 3-5 p.m.

Jan. 14. SixTwelve, 612 NW 29th St., 405-208-8291, sixtwelve.org. SAT

Alex Ortiz, labeled the Boriqua Beast of Comedy, Alex Ortiz is one of the fastest rising stars in the comedy world today, Jan. 11-15. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 405-239-4242, loonybincomedy.com. WED

2017 Oklahoma Craft Beer Summit, 10 different sessions of beer, behind-the-scenes tour, tastings from 19 Oklahoma breweries, swag and more 8:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 14. Plaza District, 1618 N. Gatewood Ave., 405-367-9403, plazadistrict.org. SAT

Wu Man, Pipa and the Shanghai String Quartet, Wu Man and the Shanghai String Quartet meld the sounds of China with the Western string quartet and Pipa in an unforgettable concert experience, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12. Armstrong Auditorium, 14400 S. Bryant Road, Edmond, 405-285-1010, armstrongauditorium.org. THU

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Photo Upstage Theatre / provided

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

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ARTS & CULTURE calendar

continued from page 27 Lisa Lampanelli, stand-up comedian with racy material and ethnic humor, 7 p.m. Jan. 13. Brady Theater, 105 W. Brady St., Tulsa, 918-582-7239, bradytheater.com. FRI OKC Improv, premier platform for improvised comedy theater, 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Jan. 13-14. The Paramount Theatre, 11 N. Lee Ave., 405-637-9389, theparamountokc.com. FRI

ACTIVE Mother’s Day, moms get free admission with one paid family member, 3-9 p.m. Jan. 11. Devon Ice Rink, 100 N. Robinson Ave., 405-235-3500, downtownindecember.com. WED Family Yoga in the Gardens, class participants should bring a yoga mat and water. Exercise and unwind from the day together. 5:45 p.m.-6:45 p.m. Jan. 11. Myriad Botanical Gardens, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-445-7080, oklahomacitybotanicalgardens.com/events. WED

Pick-A-Tune with Lucas, for those who want to learn the banjo, 2-3 p.m. Jan. 14. American Banjo Museum, 9 E. Sheridan Ave., 405-604-2793, americanbanjomuseum.com. SAT

Indoor Kart Racing Qualifying Event, a qualifying race for the finals, 6-8 p.m. Jan. 11. Pole Position, 2905 NW 36th St., 405-942-2292, polepositionraceway.com. WED

Together We Sing United We Stand, Norman PHILharmonic led by Richard Zielinski with special guests Kayley Williamson and Gill and the Richard Zielinski Singers presents an evening honoring the songs that have defined the musical landscape of America, 8-10 p.m. Jan. 14. Nancy O’Brian Center for the Performing Arts, 1809 N. Stubbeman Drive, Norman, 405-364-0397, norman.k12.ok.us. SAT

OKC Basketball, Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. Jan. 11. Chesapeake Energy Arena, 100 W. Reno Ave., 405-602-8700, chesapeakearena.com.

WED

Men’s Basketball, OSU vs Iowa State, 8 p.m. Jan. 11. Gallagher-Iba Arena, W. Hall of Fame Ave., Stillwater, 877-255-4678, okstate.edu. WED International Rodeo Finals, professional rodeo action as cowboys and cowgirls compete for the title of world champion in eight different events, Jan. 13-15. Oklahoma State Fair Arena, 333 Gordon Cooper Blvd., 405-948-6704, okstatefair.com. FRI Barre3 with Art, flex those creative muscles and work through a variety of barre3 poses, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 14. 21c Museum Hotel, 900 W. Main St., 405-982-6900, 21cmuseumhotels.com. SAT East Coast Swing Lesson and Social Dance, 6:30-10 p.m. Jan. 14. Mitch Park Activity Center, 2733 Marilyn Williams Drive, Edmond, 405-642-9170, accessdance.com. SAT Women’s Basketball, OU vs Texas Tech, 2 p.m.

Jan. 14. Lloyd Noble Center, 2900 S. Jenkins Ave., Norman, 405-325-4666, lloydnoblecenter.com.

SAT

Women’s Basketball, OSU vs Kansas State, 4 p.m.

Jan. 14. Gallagher-Iba Arena, W. Hall of Fame Ave., Stillwater, 877-255-4678, okstate.edu. SAT

Trout Fishing Clinic If you’re angling for a fun, informative start to 2017, look no further than the Oklahoma City Parks & Recreation Department and Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s free trout fishing clinic 7-8:30 p.m. Friday at Putnam City High School’s gymnasium, 5300 NW 50th St. The clinic is a chance to learn new skills and perfect a few old ones while learning about the best trout bait, what equipment to use and how to tie knots. The event coincides with the city’s annual rainbow trout season, which runs through Feb. 28 at Dolese Youth Park’s pond, 5105 NW 50th St. Admission is free and open to fishermen of all ages and skill levels. Registration is required. Visit okc. gov/parks or call 405-297-1426. Friday Photo Oklahoma City Parks & Recreation / provided

Westheimer Quartet, Dr. Lisa Kachouee joins the Houston-based Westheimer String Quartet, featuring an ecletic program of Mozart’s “Quintet in A Major, K. 581,” David Bruce’s “Gum Boots” and the world premiere of “In the Absence of Rational Discourse” by Prof.

Jamie Wind Whitmarsh, 8-9:30 p.m. Jan. 14. Bass School of Music, OCU, 2501 N. Blackwelder Ave., 405-208-5227, okcu.edu. SAT Lands Near and Far, Brightmusic Chamber ensemble featuring seven musicians in its third concert of the season, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 17. St. Paul’s Cathedral, 127 NW 7th St., 405-235-3436, stpaulscathedralokc.org. TUE Mark Poolos, weaving stories of his life as a bumbling jolly giant in a fast engaging story telling style, Jan. 18-21. Loony Bin Comedy Club, 8503 N. Rockwell Ave., 405-239-4242, loonybincomedy. com. WED Bakersfield Mist, a comedy-drama by Stephen Sachs based on a true story. Could a tag sale find be a modern art masterpiece? Jan. 6-28. Carpenter Square Theatre, 806 W. Main St., 405-232-6500, carpentersquare.com. FRI

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D League Basketball, OKC Blue vs Austin Spurs, 7 p.m. Jan. 14. Cox Convention Center, 1 Myriad Gardens, 405-602-8500, coxconventioncenter. com. SAT Men’s Basketball, OU vs Texas Tech, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 14. Lloyd Noble Center, 2900 S. Jenkins Ave., Norman, 405-325-4666, lloydnoblecenter.com.

SAT

OKVD Season Opener: Home-team Hostilities, Oklahoma Victory Dolls kick off the season with a raffle and halftime games for a family-friendly, action-packed evening, 6-8 p.m.

Jan. 15. Star Skate Norman, 2020 W. Lindsey St., Norman, 405-329-1818, starskate.com. SUN Men’s Basketball, OSU vs Kansas State, 8 p.m.

Jan. 18. Gallagher-Iba Arena, W. Hall of Fame Ave., Stillwater, 877-255-4678, okstate.edu. WED Devon Ice Rink, ice skating, through Jan. 29. Devon Ice Rink, 100 N. Robinson Ave., 405-235-3500, downtownindecember.com. FRI

VISUAL ARTS A Night of Hygge, spiked hot chocolate, adult story time, subversive cross stitch, live music and more, 6-9 p.m. Jan. 12. Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com. THU A Year in Review, the most stunning works from 2016 for a year in review, through Feb. 13. Kasum Contemporary Fine Arts, 1706 NW 16th St., 405604-6602, kasumcontemporary.com.

All That Southwest Jazz exhibit, using narrative text and historic photographs to trace Oklahoma blues lineage and legendary jazzmen who staged their early careers in Oklahoma, Jan. 16-Mar. 1.

Crystal Bridge Tropical Conservatory, 301 W. Reno Ave., 405-297-3995, myriadgardens.com. MON Ambiguous: Loss + Interference exhibition opening, created by Nathan and Laura Kent, this exhibition communicates the link between science and art. The artists use pattern to invoke questions about reality and provide visual representation of the human ability to control information processing and experiment with the idea of absence, 5-8 p.m.

Jan. 12. Artspace at Untitled, 1 NE Third St., 405815-9995, artspaceatuntitled.org. THU Art is a Serious Thing, Peeter Allik and Toomas Kuusing exhibition, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through Jan. 13. Mainsite Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main St., Norman, 405-360-1162, mainsite-art.com.

Celebrity, Fashion and the Forgotten Man, best-remembered for striking modern portraits of American celebrities and elegant fashion photography, Nelson pursued documentary photography before his untimely death in 1938. This exhibition celebrates Philbrook’s recent acquisition of the artist’s estate and the rediscovery of this little-known talent in this first-ever, one-person exhibition, through May 7.

Philbrook Museum of Art, 2727 S. Rockford Road, Tulsa, 918-749-7941, philbrook.org.

Current Thursday: Open Studios, meet the studios artists of Next Door Studios OKC and Current COOP, see works in progress and learn more about the artist work spaces available through Current Studio, 6-9 p.m. Jan. 12. Current Studio, 1218 N. Pennsylvania Ave., 405-673-1218, currentstudio. org. THU From the Belly of Our Being, art by and about Native creation, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. through Jan. 28. Oklahoma State University Museum of Art, 720 S. Husband St., Stillwater, 405-744-6016, museum.okstate.edu.

Hand + Eye, exhibition highlighting work showing a high caliber of hands on illustrative and drawing skills from all levels of the graphic design, interior design, illustration and foundations programs, through Feb. 10. UCO Department of Design, 100 N. University Drive, Edmond, 405-974-5200, uco. edu.

Jim Trosper and Annie Doan artist reception, artist preview of featured gallery works, 6-9 p.m.

Jan. 12. DNA Galleries, 1709 NW 16th St., 405-5253499, dnagalleries.com. THU Kim Norton’s Equine and Vineyard Paintings, oil and pastel works on canvas, masonite and velour paper by self-taught artist, Jan. 13 through Feb. 28.

50 Penn Place, 1900 NW Expressway, 405-8487588, 50pennplacegallery.com. FRI Lowell Ellsworth Smith: My Theology of Painting, features watercolor studies, Smith’s own words and observations, it introduces the man, his methods, and his belief in the power and potential of creative energy, through July 9. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

Michelle and Barack Obama Celebrity Paint and Wine, step-by-step painting process created by portrait artist Ray Tennyson; sip wine and go home with a finished painting, 6-9 p.m. Jan. 14. Bistro 46, 2501 NE 23rd St., 405-595-3904, bistro46okc. com. SAT Nathan Price: A One-Man-Show, figurative pieces, whimsical portraits of animals and Southwest scenes, 6-9 p.m. Jan. 13. Norman Santa Fe Depot, 200 S. Jones Ave., Norman, 405-307-9320, pasnorman.org. FRI New Works, Carolyn Faseler, Corazon Watkins and B.J. Wood. Through Jan. 13. Mainsite Contemporary Art, 122 E. Main St., Norman, 405360-1162, mainsite-art.com.

Off the Beaten Path, a photo documented joint art exhibit by Scott and Katie Henderson; tour many of the state’s unusual, intriguing and lesserknown areas, through May 4. Science Museum Oklahoma, 2020 Remington Place, 405-602-6664, sciencemuseumok.org.

Paint Your Art Out Balto 2017, complimentary dinner and a chance to win door prizes, 7-10 p.m. Jan. 15. Paint Your Art Out, 10 S. Broadway Ave., Edmond, 405-513-5333, paintyourartout.net. SUN Patterson Private Collections, containing over thirty years of eclectic art from detailed realism portraits, cutting-edge experimentation of oils, watercolors, visually explosive nudes and early works of local Oklahoma artists. Art pieces from Kenyan and Sudanese artists will also be exhibited.

Through Jan. 28. Prairie Arts Collective, 3018 Paseo Drive, 540-533-5883, thepaseo.org.

Power and Prestige: Headdresses of the American Plains, original exhibition includes nine headdresses from Northern and Southern American Great Plains along with historical photographs and other supporting artifacts including ledger art depicting Indian warriors and bonnets from the museum’s permanent collection. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum, 1700 NE 63rd St., 405-478-2250, nationalcowboymuseum.org.

The Complete WPA Collection, collection features a large proportion of rural American landscapes and depictions of labor, infrastructure and industrial development. All are figurative, as was favored by the WPA, and there are significant representations of female and foreign-born artists in the museum’s holdings, through July 2.

Oklahoma City Museum of Art, 415 Couch Drive, 405-236-3100, okcmoa.com.

Black and White, artists have a chance to experiment with only black and white or minimal color, Jan. 6-28. 12-5 p.m. In Your Eye Studio & Gallery, 3005-A Paseo Ave., 405-525-2161, inyoureyegallery.com.

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

Close to You: The Music of The Carpenters The music of Karen Carpenter of The Carpenters comes to life onstage with singer Lisa Rock and her six-piece band in the show Close to You: The Music of The Carpenters 7:30 p.m. Jan. 21 at Oklahoma City Community College Visual and Performing Arts Center Theater, 7777 S. May Ave. The tribute show features the act’s biggest hits, including “We’ve Only Just Begun” and “Rainy Days and Mondays,” which Rock sings in their original keys. Tickets are $29-$43. Visit tickets. occc.edu or call 405-682-7579. Jan. 21 Photo Erika Rock / provided

The Cultivated Connoisseur: Works on Paper from the Creighton Gilbert Bequest, Creighton Eddy Gilbert (1924-2011) was a renowned art historian specializing in the Italian Renaissance and was one of the foremost authorities on Michelangelo.

The bequest includes a total of 272 objects, the majority of which are works on paper spanning a time period from the 14th century to the 20th.

Through June 4. Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art, 555 Elm Ave., Norman, 405-325-3272, ou.edu/fjjma.

The Queen of Texas: Solo Exhibition by Eli Casiano, a culminating body of work that reflects Eli’s experiences as a young Chicano in the American South. Through appropriation of found imagery and objects, he explores childhood memories of racial alienation, combines American iconography with family photographs and a Tejano aesthetic to create scenes of contrasting elements.

6 p.m. Jan. 13. Resonator, 1010 N. University Blvd., Norman, 580-917-3695, resonator.space. FRI

Submissions must be received

by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date.

Late submissions will not be included in the listings.

Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible. Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail them to listings@okgazette.com.

Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

For okg live music

see page 32

f e at u r e

MUSIC

Withered words

but never considered himself a gifted player of real instruments. His musical journey took off in earnest shortly after moving to Oklahoma, when he got his first iPhone and began experimenting with GarageBand. Lewis said his technique has greatly improved since then and he’s constantly learning new things from friends and connections he has made in the city.

Steven Lewis uses solo black metal outfit Dead & Grey as a way to vent inner demons.

By Ben Luschen

I feel like if I go to a church, I’m just going to explode.

Steven Lewis

Settling nerves

Steven Lewis makes most of the music for Dead & Grey on an iPad from his bedroom. | Photo Garett Fisbeck

Steven Lewis is a gracious, warm and softspoken host as he sits in the bedroom of a house he shares with roommates near Oklahoma City’s Windsor District.

He drinks fresh coffee from a floralprinted mug labeled “Love” in fancy cursive script. The vessel humorously contrasts with the upside-down cross patch on his vest that reads, “Fuck me Jesus.”

“I feel like if I go to a church, I’m just going to explode,” he said.

Lewis, who moved to Oklahoma from Florida in 2014, is an atheist, but the idea of Satanism intrigues him. He draws on the concept of the Antichrist and his own general anxiety and depression in crafting music for Dead & Grey, his raw, one-man black metal project.

All of Dead & Grey’s music is made with exclusively virtual instruments utilizing sound production programs like GarageBand. It’s an aesthetic that is common in the do-it-yourself black metal world and fits the genre’s well-established ethos. Aside from a general connection to Satanism and harsh Nordic winters, black metal is known for low-fi, bare-bones recordings.

The first Dead & Grey album, appropriately titled I (the Roman numeral for one), was released in February 2014. Lewis took about a year off to work on other projects but began renewing his efforts in summer 2015, when he put out followV: Path of Sulfur by Dead & Grey | Image provided

up album II. Since then, Lewis’ musical output has been prolific. V: Path of Sulfur, a deeply personal addition to his numeral series, was released Oct. 29, his birthday, two nights before Halloween. Four-song Iniquitous Studies was released two nights before New Year’s Day. He is also working on a series of especially harsh-sounding concept records titled Artifacts of the Antichrist, which offer the story of the Antichrist as a parallel to the birth of Jesus.

Lewis uses a drum machine for percussion at speeds faster than most humans are capable of replicating. While his trademark shrieking vocals seem otherworldly, his piercing voice is a natural gift.

Still, what sets Dead & Grey apart is Lewis’ creative vision and propensity for writing. His ideas easily outpace his ability to actually produce the music, which helps

speed up the technical process.

“Usually if I’m really excited about it and I have everything written down, I’ll just get right to it,” he said.

‘Mind-blowing’ music

Lewis grew up in a strictly Christian family, but he said he has consistently rebelled against religion since childhood. That conflict often led to rough times at home in Deltona, Florida, near Daytona Beach.

He partied and caused general havoc for his parents. Lewis remembers his mom bringing pastors to his house to pray for him.

After turning 23, Lewis finally had his fill of Florida. He moved to Oklahoma in 2013 because he had a close friend here.

It didn’t take him long to learn about local death metal and punk music scenes that were much more vibrant and welcoming than anything he’d experienced back home.

“There’s a lot of really cool people here,” he said.

Lewis’ interest in black metal started in high school as a result of his own online research. The first black metal album he heard was a Deathspell Omega project recommended by someone on a metal forum. It immediately fascinated him.

“Everything about it, from the vocals to the guitars to the drums being super fast and technical, was just mind-blowing,” he said. “I thought, ‘Wow! This is insane.’”

Lewis has been in a few bands before

Lewis plays his Dead & Grey material live, but not as frequently as he would like.

There are several obstacles that stand in the way, one of which is that he does not own a car.

It’s also a stiff mental challenge anytime he takes the stage.

“I’m really nervous, and I have anxiety like crazy,” he said. “Every time I play a show, I get so nervous, but I’m just like, ‘Let’s just get this over with and do it.’ I have a fun time playing it; I put all my energy into it and make it as loud as possible.”

The energy he puts into his performances has led to a lot of positive crowd feedback, which in turn has helped steadily build Lewis’ confidence. He remembers one time he performed at a noise house show in Norman where no one in the crowd had any interest in black metal.

Before the show, Lewis was not sure how they would react to his shrieking music, but his reception after the show was very warm.

“Everyone was telling me how great it was and how different it was to what they usually see it, so it was really cool to get that feedback,” he said.

Taking a stand

Lewis is aware that Oklahoma sits squarely in the Bible Belt, but he does not let that have any bearing on the oftenSatanic content in his music.

“I feel like I’m standing up for it,” he said. “I’m an atheist, but I like the idea of [Satanism], and it just pisses people off. I grew up in a really strict Christian home, and just to do something different is gratifying.”

Lewis doesn’t let outside opinions affect him because his music was never an attempt to claim widespread fame. It’s a very personal sound, which is part of what has endeared it to others.

“I don’t do this just to get popular or anything,” he said. “I do this because it’s fun to me and I have a great time doing it.”

Stream or purchase music at deadandgrey.bandcamp.com.

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MUSIC Judd Irish Photography / The Toasters / provided

Sat, Feb 4

ELI YOUNG BAND

Fri, Feb 10

JON WOLFE W/ JOsh WArD Sat, Feb 11

rANDY rOGErs BAND W/ MIkE rYAN BAND Sun, Feb 12

YOUNG ThE GIANT W/ LEWIs DEL MAr Wed, Feb 15

GrOUPLOVE W/ sWMrs Fri, Mar 10

JIMMY EAT WOrLD Mon, Mar 13

WILLIAM sINGE & ALEX AIONO Fri, Mar 24

shOVELs & rOPE

tueS, May 2

TrEY ANAsTAsIO BAND Wed, May 10

TULsA Ok

423 NOrTh MAIN sT

TIckETs & INFO cAINsBALLrOOM.cOM

s U w o ll o F on

instagram to see all our

#selfies! @okgazette

Oklahoma Gazette

event

TY sEGALL

Ska kings

The Toasters maintain their impressive longevity through a fierce commitment to independence.

By George Lang

When the second wave of ska hit England in the late 1970s and bands like The Specials and The Beat weaponized Jamaican rhythms in their war of words with Margaret Thatcher’s Tory government, Englishman Robert “Bucket” Hingley was in the process of moving to New York City to open and manage a Forbidden Planet comic book location.

Hingley witnessed ska’s power firsthand back in London, experiencing its propulsive energy and the implicit political statement of multiracial bands speaking with one voice. But in New York, hardly anyone was paying attention.

“I was really surprised that in the U.S.A., there hadn’t been so much as a whisper,” said Hingley, who performs with The Toasters 8 p.m. Tuesday at 89th Street Collective. “It seemed strange to me that something so big and so widespread — I’m talking No. 1 hits in the U.K. — was relatively unknown here to the point that when I saw the English Beat at Roseland Ballroom in 1981, there were only 150 people there.”

Hingley turned evangelical about ska, and his first move was to form The Toasters with some of his fellow workers at Forbidden Planet. They gigged around New York and recorded a demo produced by post-punk legend Joe Jackson, but the record companies were disinterested to

j a n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

8 p.m. Tuesday 89th Street Collective 8911 N. Western Ave. 89thstreetokc.com $10-$12

New orbit

30

The Toasters

with The Big News

the point of insulting.

“None of the record labels would give me the time of day. In fact, they kind of laughed me out of the office,” Hingley said.

“One of them called it ‘circus music.’ They didn’t understand the music in terms of what it was trying to say, the sociopolitical message of it, and they didn’t know how to market it. It was music that was marketed to both black and white people that they really didn’t understand.”

In response, Hingley founded Moon Ska Records, which became the preeminent distributor of ska music in North America. In addition to being the label home for The Toasters, which released its full-length debut, Skaboom!, in 1987, Moon Ska attracted the groups such as Dance Hall Crashers, The Pietasters, Hepcat, The Slackers and Mephiskapheles that would form ska’s third wave. Moon Ska also issued first-rate compilations including Nihon Ska Dansu, a collection of rarely heard Japanese ska bands.

Local command station

Meanwhile, The Toasters built a worldwide following. With most of the second-wave groups splintered or dissolved by the late1980s, Hingley and his group became standard-bearers for the genre, releasing acclaimed albums such as 1994’s Dub 56 and the group’s critical high water mark, 1997’s Don’t Let the Bastards Grind You Down.

In 2003, after dissolving Moon Ska, Hingley founded a new label, Megalith Records, which is based in Norman, home of The Toasters’ webmaster and graphic artist Jeremy Patton. Hingley said the greatest advantage to headquartering Megalith in Norman is its central geography for distribution and logistics. One of the side benefits for Oklahoma City is that it is virtually guaranteed a Toasters visit each year because of the Megalith connection.

Booster blast

Now, over 35 years after their inception, The Toasters are still toasting. Hingley said he credits his decision to go independent with ensuring the band’s impressive longevity.

“The music business isn’t really set up to promote artists over a long period of time,” Hingley said. “It’s a parasitic industry, but I think the fact that the band being set up as a niche market all this time has insulated us against that. Having a hardcore set of fans has really helped. We never had a major label deal, and that’s what kills bands.

“When you sign a deal with a major label, you lose control of your project. You suddenly lose control of your rights on musical composition and you lose control of your distribution and what you want to do to really promote the band. Everything is done according to what accrues benefits for the record label. The artist comes second. The artist comes last.”

review

Electric enchantment

The Flaming Lips bring mythic psychedelia into the future with new studio album Oczy Mlody.

By Ben Luschen

No, that’s not some new Bun B music rattling the car stereo; it’s The Flaming Lips’ 15th full-length studio release featuring plenty of songs that legitimately bang.

Oczy Mlody, set to be released Friday, does not find the Oklahoma City-based psychedelic rock band doing its best impression of the era’s trendiest trap or electronic music, nor is it even an attempt to do so.

Despite the deep, meaty, low-frequency bass that permeates the record, The Lips’ newest effort is more of an ethereal shower than a club-thumping thunderstorm.

Instead, the band utilizes descending bass, drum machines and other synthetic sounds to tell a dreamy, light and futuristic fairy tale. Images of unicorns, wizards, fairies, frogs and space help populate Oczy Mlody’s out-of-body utopia.

Make no mistake, though. Fans are going to want to make sure their headphones or whatever listening apparatus they are using to play the new album are equipped to handle the full scope of The Lips’ bass because the element has never before taken such prominence in the band’s music.

The title song, a nearly three-minute instrumental track that kicks off the record, sets an auditory tone that should have been echoed throughout the project. Listeners find themselves somewhere between a video game score and a Stanley Kubrick film with a pleasant and relaxing melody fleshed out with dense bass.

The intro transitions seamlessly into “How,” the album’s most immediately impactful tune. When it’s said that Oczy Mlody can legitimately bang, this is one of the songs that come to mind. Band cofounder and frontman and local creative stalwart Wayne Coyne wastes no time in grabbing attention, starting off with the lyrics, “White trash rednecks, earthworms eat the

ground. Legalize it, every drug, right now.”

“How” also signals the first time on the project the band plays with vocal distortions. That is not a new thing for the Lips, but it pulls off the effect with varying degrees of success on Oczy Mlody. On this song, however, it adds another aural layer to its visceral lyrics.

The vocal distortions continue on “There Should Be Unicorns,” which seems to describe the band’s idealistic dream world. The Lips, though playing with very low bass frequencies and other effects with great freedom, sound impressively inspired.

There’s a definite method to the madness.

However, that sense of purpose wanes later in the tracklist. “Nigdy Nie (Never No)” and “Do Glowy” sound more like experimentation than vision-driven recording.

“One Night While Hunting for Faeries and Witches and Wizards to Kill” is a strong exception on the album’s latter half and successfully balances eccentricity with musical palatability, due in part to its many layers to be mined through.

“The Castle,” Oczy Mlody’s delicate and catchy lead single, which is subtly comparable to the sound of Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, is another high point near the album’s close.

“We a Family” closes the project with a surprise appearance by pal, musician and frequent Lips collaborator Miley Cyrus. At times, the tune gets too cutesy with highpitched vocals and general mushiness, but the anthemic friend tribute carries a positive vibe a lot of listeners will find attractive.

Oczy Mlody is not an album for everyone, but when have The Lips ever been bound to the constraints of mass appeal? On this project, the bold union of mythical psychedelia with aggressive, rumbling bass hits more than it misses.

Oklahoma City Community College Cultural Programs Presents

CARRIE NEWCOMER CD Release Concert

“She’s a poet, storyteller, snake-charmer, good neighbor, friend and lover, minister of the wide-eyed gospel of hope and grace. All this, and she comes with a voice that declares, ‘Sit down here a minute and listen’.” ~Barbara Kingsolver, author

Friday January 27 7:30 p.m.

OCCC Bruce Owen Theater

Purchase tickets at tickets.occc.edu Box Office at 405-682-7579 • www.occc.edu/pas

Oklahoma City Community College • 7777 South May Avenue ONE

YR

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31

LIVE MUSIC These are events recommended

by Oklahoma Gazette editorial staff members. For full calendar listings, go to okgazette.com.

WEDNESDAY, 01.11 DJ Ku Rx, Six Shooter Saloon. DJ Dreamhouse, The Paramount Theatre. ROCK Katie Thiroux Quartet, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ Maurice Johnson, The R&J Lounge and Supper Club. JAZZ The Devil Makes Three, ACM @ UCO Performance Lab. BLUEGRASS The Direct Connect Band, L&G’s on the Blvd. BLUES The Friends No BS Jam, Friends Restaurant & Club. VARIOUS

THURSDAY, 01.12 Tanner Miller, Wormy Dog Saloon.

SINGER/SONGWRITER

Train Wreck Variety Show with SnailMate, Your Mom’s Place. VARIOUS

FRIDAY, 01.13 Adam Aguilar Band, Rock & Brews. ROCK Bell Biv Devoe/SWV, WinStar World Casino. R&B

Anniversary of Bowie’s Ascension into Space for Doug Schwarz Believe it or not, it has now been one year since music icon David Bowie’s death. Local bands and musicians, including Kali Ra (pictured), Ali Harter, Kinsey Charles and Johnny Bohlen, lead a tribute to the late musician and salute to Oklahoma-born music photographer Doug Schwarz. The show begins 8 p.m. Saturday at VZD’s Restaurant & Bar, 4200 N. Western Ave. Admission is $5.

Visit facebook.com/officialkalira or call 405-602-3006. Saturday | Photo

Doug Schwarz / provided

Blind Date, The Landing Zone. COVER Consider the Source/Thank You Scientist, Opolis. VARIOUS

Harumph, Othello’s Italian Restaurant, Norman. JAZZ

Cover Me Badd, Mickey Mantle’s Steakhouse. COVER

Metro Strings, Full Circle Bookstore. JAZZ

Electric Storm 2: Lucky Friday the 13th, The Main Street Event Center. ELECTRONIC

Mountain Smoke, UCO Jazz Lab. BLUEGRASS

Hannah Wolff/Saint Loretto/Roots of Thought, Blue Note Lounge. VARIOUS Nathan Kress, Othello’s Italian Restaurant, Norman. INDIE Stitched Up Heart, 89th Street Collective. ROCK

That 1 Guy, Opolis. VARIOUS The Van Allen Belt/The Lunar Laugh/ Grant Adams/Social Creatures, The Paramount Theatre. VARIOUS Tulsa Female Songwriter Showcase, Red Brick Bar. SINGER/SONGWRITER

The Remedy, Oklahoma City Limits. VARIOUS

Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Rick Toops, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

Tyler Wilhelm and a Few Dollars More, Wormy Dog Saloon. ROCK

MONDAY, 01.16

Vox Vocis/Zoot Suit/Moth Wings, Red Brick Bar.

The Smooth and Soulful Sax and Axe, Jazmo’z Bourbon St. Cafe. JAZZ

ROCK

Ann Hampton Callaway, UCO Jazz Lab. JAZZ

SATURDAY, 01.14 Collective Theory/Nymesis/Fervent Route/Original Flow, Fassler Hall.

VARIOUS

TUESDAY, 01.17 Jenny Rucker, A Touch of Class and a Taste of JazZ, UCO Jazz Lab. CLASSICAL Vesta Collide/Curses, The Paramount Theatre.

ROCK

Jahruba and the JahMystics, Othello’s Italian Restaurant, Norman. REGGAE

WEDNESDAY, 01.18

Jim the Elephant, Baker Street Pub & Grill.

Chrysalis/Flaw/Whitney Peyton, Thunder Alley Grill and Sports Bar. ROCK

VARIOUS

John Michael Montgomery, Sugar Creek Casino.

COUNTRY

Laredo, Newcastle Casino. COVER Levi Parham/Jaimee Harriss, The Blue Door.

SINGER/SONGWRITER

Midas 13, Oklahoma City Limits. ROCK

Paul Thorn, VZD’s Restaurant & Club.

ACOUSTIC

Post Nothing/Goodfella/Father Mountain/Only, Earth Rebirth. ROCK Scott Lowber/Will Galbraith/Ed VanBuskirk, Friends Restaurant & Club. COVER

Mojo Men, Rock & Brews. R&B Otakunauts/St. Basic, Opolis. POP Randy Rogers Acoustic, Wormy Dog Saloon. ACOUSTIC Ravens Three, Full Circle Bookstore. FOLK Red Hot Chili Peppers, BOK Center. ROCK Self Inflicted Oklahoma Sludge, Thunder Alley Grill and Sports Bar. ROCK The Manatees, Blue Note Lounge. ROCK

SUNDAY, 01.15 Cliff Eberhart/Louise Mosrie, The Blue Door.

SINGER/SONGWRITER

32

j a n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7 | O kg a z e t t e . c o m

Live music submissions must be received by Oklahoma Gazette no later than noon on Wednesday seven days before the desired publication date.

Late submissions will not be included in the listings. Submissions run as space allows, although we strive to make the listings as inclusive as possible.

Fax your listings to 528-4600 or e-mail to listings@okgazette.com.

Sorry, but phone submissions cannot be accepted.

go to okgazette.com for full listings!

free will astrology Homework: Tell a story about the time Spirit reached down and altered your course in one swoop. Go to RealAstrology.com and click on "Email Rob." ARIES (March 21-April 19) In Norse mythology, Yggdrasil is a huge holy tree that links all of the nine worlds to each other. Perched on its uppermost branch is an eagle with a hawk sitting on its head. Far below, living near the roots, is a dragon. The hawk and eagle stay in touch with the dragon via Ratatoskr, a talkative squirrel that runs back and forth between the heights and the depths. Alas, Ratatoskr traffics solely in insults.

That's the only kind of message the birds and the dragon ever have for each other. In accordance with the astrological omens, Aries, I suggest you act like a far more benevolent version of Ratatoskr in the coming weeks. Be a feisty communicator who roams far and wide to spread uplifting gossip and energizing news.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You have a divine

mandate to love bigger and stronger and truer than ever before. It's high time to freely give the gifts you sometimes hold back from those you care for. It's high time to take full ownership of neglected treasures so you can share them with your worthy allies. It's high time to madly cultivate the generosity of spirit that will enable you to more easily receive the blessings that can and should be yours. Be a brave, softhearted warrior of love!

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) I love and respect

Tinker Bell, Kermit the Frog, Shrek, Wonder Woman, SpongeBob SquarePants, Snow White, Road Runner, and Calvin and Hobbes. They have provided me with much knowledge and inspiration. Given the current astrological omens, I suspect that you, too, can benefit from cultivating your relationships with characters like them. It's also a favorable time for you to commune with the spirits of Harriet Tubman, Leonardo da Vinci, Marie Curie, or any other historical figures who inspire you. I suggest you have dreamlike conversations with your most interesting ancestors, as well. Are you still in touch with your imaginary friends from childhood?

If not, renew acquaintances.

By Rob Brezsny

CANCER (June 21-July 22) "I never wish to be easily defined," wrote Cancerian author Franz Kafka.

"I'd rather float over other people’s minds as something fluid and non-perceivable; more like a transparent, paradoxically iridescent creature rather than an actual person." Do you ever have that experience? I do. I'm a Crab like you, and I think it's common among members of our tribe. For me, it feels liberating. It's a way to escape people's expectations of me and enjoy the independence of living in my fantasies. But I plan to do it a lot less in 2017, and I advise you to do the same.

We should work hard at coming all the way down to earth. We will thrive by floating less and being better grounded; by being less fuzzy and more solid; by not being so inscrutable, but rather more knowable.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Here's my declaration: "I

hereby forgive, completely and permanently, all motorists who have ever irked me with their rude and bad driving. I also forgive, totally and forever, all tech support people who have insulted me, stonewalled me, or given me wrong information as I sought help from them on the phone. I furthermore forgive, utterly and finally, all family members and dear friends who have hurt my feelings." Now would be a fantastic time for you to do what I just did, Leo: Drop grudges, let go of unimportant outrage, and issue a blanket amnesty.

Start with the easier stuff -- the complaints against strangers and acquaintances -- and work your way up to the allies you cherish.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) There are some authors

who both annoy me and intrigue me. Even though I feel allergic to the uncomfortable ideas they espouse, I'm also fascinated by their unique provocations. As I read their words, I'm half-irritated at their grating declarations, and yet greedy for more. I disagree with much of what they say, but feel grudgingly grateful for the novel perspectives they prod me to discover. (Nobel Prize-winner Elias Canetti is one such author.) In accordance with the current astrological rhythms, Virgo, I invite you to seek out similar influences -- for your own good!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Now would be an excellent

time to add new beauty to your home. Are there works of art or buoyant plants or curious symbols that would lift your mood? Would you consider hiring a feng shui consultant to rearrange the furniture and accessories so as to enhance the energetic flow? Can you entice visits from compelling souls whose wisdom and wit would light up the place? Tweak your imagination so it reveals tricks about how to boost your levels of domestic bliss.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) In 2017, you will have

unprecedented opportunities to re-imagine, revise, and reinvent the story of your life. You'll be able to forge new understandings about your co-stars and reinterpret the meanings of crucial plot twists that happened once upon a time. Now check out these insights from author Mark Doty: "The past is not static, or ever truly complete; as we age we see from new positions, shifting angles. A therapist friend of mine likes to use the metaphor of the kind of spiral stair that winds up inside a lighthouse. As one moves up that stair, the core at the center doesn't change, but one continually sees it from another vantage point; if the past is a core of who we are, then our movement in time always brings us into a new relation to that core."

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) The *Tao Te

Ching* is a poetically philosophical text written by a Chinese sage more than two millennia ago. Numerous authors have translated it into modern languages. I've borrowed from their work to craft a horoscope that is precisely suitable for you in the coming weeks. Here's your high-class fortune cookie oracle: Smooth your edges, untangle your knots, sweeten your openings, balance your extremes, relax your mysteries, soften your glare, forgive your doubts, love your breathing, harmonize your longings, and marvel at the sunny dust.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) I recently

discovered *Tree of Jesse,* a painting by renowned 20th-century artist Marc Chagall. I wanted to get a copy to hang on my wall. But as I scoured the Internet,

I couldn't find a single business that sells prints of it.

Thankfully, I did locate an artist in Vietnam who said he could paint an exact replica. I ordered it, and was pleased with my new objet d'art. It was virtually identical to Chagall's original. I suggest you meditate on taking a metaphorically similar approach, Capricorn. Now is a time when substitutes may work as well as what they replace.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) "It is often safer to

be in chains than to be free," wrote Franz Kafka. That fact is worthy of your consideration in the coming weeks, Aquarius. You can avoid all risks by remaining trapped inside the comfort that is protecting you. Or you can take a gamble on escaping, and hope that the new opportunities you attract will compensate you for the sacrifice it entails. I'm not here to tell you what to do. I simply want you to know what the stakes are.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) "All pleasures are in

the last analysis imaginary, and whoever has the best imagination enjoys the most pleasure." So said 19thcentury German novelist Theodor Fontane, and now I'm passing his observation on to you. Why? Because by my astrological estimates, you Pisceans will have exceptional imaginations in 2017 -- more fertile, fervent, and freedom-loving than ever before.

Therefore, your capacity to drum up pleasure will also be at an all-time high. There is a catch, however. Your imagination, like everyone else's, is sometimes prone to churning out superstitious fears. To take maximum advantage of its bliss-inducing potential, you will have to be firm about steering it in positive directions.

Go to RealAstrology.com to check out Rob Brezsny’s expanded weekly audio horoscopes /daily text message horoscopes.

The audio horoscopes are also available by phone at 1-877-873-4888 or 1-900-950-7700.

O kg a z e t t e . c o m | j a n u a r y 1 1 , 2 0 1 7

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puzzles New York Times Magazine Crossword Puzzle Rolling in the Aisles

By Matthew Sewell | Edited by Will Shortz | 0108 ACROSS 1 Sponged 8 Asylum 14 Takes from page to screen, say 20 Pope with the longest reign

between St. Peter and Pius VI

(A.D. 67-1799) 21 Left speechless 22 On the down-low 23 They may be sealed or broken 24 Marquee locale 26 Degree in math 27 Gruesome 29 Companion of Han in The Force

Awakens 30 H.O.V. ____ 31 Sénégal summers 33 Running figure 34 Players last produced in July 2016 36 Epic singers 37 Kicks back 39 Rural postal abbr.

40 Worthiness 41 Samberg and Serkis 42 Home of the Triple-A Mud Hens 44 Gets bogged down 45 Vitamin Shoppe competitor 46 Vegan sandwich filler 48 Calrissian of The Empire Strikes Back 49 One end of Paris’ Champs-Élysées 53 Worked as a stockbroker 54 Capitol group 56 Designer Saarinen 57 Post-op program 58 Main stem 59 Rap group inducted into the Rock

and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 60 Pulled off 61 Like an unswept hearth 62 Brawl 63 “That Latin Beat!” bandleader 65 Advantage 66 Drone regulator, for short 67 Mrs., in Montreux 68 Magic Johnson, for one 69 Apothecary’s container 70 She, in Spanish 72 Passenger jet 75 Quinze + quinze 77 Actor with the line “Gentlemen,

you can’t fight in here! This is the

War Room!”

79 Fits snugly 80 Indra, to Hindus 81 Developer’s purchase 82 Giraffe-like beast 83 What might cost you an arm and

a leg?

84 Washroom feature 87 Totally captivates 88 Muzzle 89 One who knows all the

shortcuts, maybe 92 Fill in for 93 Game box specification 94 Flaky minerals 96 “Mind … blown!”

97 Glue trap brand 98 Tolkien meanie 99 Beverage with a floral bouquet 101 Hedge-fund pro 102 Farmers’ market alternative 106 Admit 108 West Coast city known as the

Track and Field Capital of the World 109 Mischievous sort 110 Miles away 111 Candy known for its orange wrapping 112 Muss up 113 Things always underfoot

DOWN 1 George Eliot title surname 2 Swan Lake role 3 Place for bows and strings 4 Corporation’s head tech expert,

for short 5 Tort basis 6 Wrap up around 7 Tosses 8 Not stay on topic 9 University associated with the

Carter Center 10 Go-to choice, slangily 11 Weapon in some Call of Duty games 12 “I didn’t know that!”

13 John Glenn player in The Right Stuff 14 Sore 15 Fawn’s mother 16 Winter fall?

17 Early explosive device

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18 Modish 19 & 25 Financial regulator’s requirement 28 Meteorological lead-in to stratus 32 Resolutely supported 34 Like some salsa 35 Antigone antagonist 36 Judge’s seat 38 Zig or zag 40 Capital of Belarus 43 Fog might push it back, briefly 44 Hawaiian “thanks” 45 “Brilliant!”

46 Attacks from above 47 Exclusive event before public availability 48 Exam with a section known as

“Logic Games,” for short 49 Fighting tooth and nail

50 Hitching post?

51 Japanese “thanks” 52 Made peak calls?

54 Unmitigated 55 Sin of those in Dante’s fifth circle 58 Quarters followers 62 Chic 63 “Pretty please?”

64 Instruments played close to the

chest, informally 65 “Still, after all this time …?”

68 Imitates Sylvester the Cat 71 Results of treaties 73 Something to tear into, informally?

74 Bounds 75 Nautical sealer 76 Yemeni capital 78 Immense spans

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Fill in the grid so that every row, column and 3-by-3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9. www.printmysudoku.com

Account EXECUTIVES Stephanie Van Horn, Saundra Rinearson Godwin, Elizabeth Riddle, Leah Roberts Nathan Ward, Walter Agnitsch

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EDITOR-in-chief Jennifer Palmer Chancellor jchancellor@okgazette.com

It comes in tubes It lays out the lines of authority Show anxiety, in a way Nag to death Build up, as interest Straight man Boy’s name that’s an Indiana city Brazilian supermodel Bündchen Vital lines Slogs away Kind of fiber Attach, as a patch They’re found in veins Elephant pluckers of myth Marching band?

Venice-to-Trieste dir. ____ Paulo Volunteer State sch.

Card game cry

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B E A C H

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H A M A I E R M B M U B Y S L I A S N G O D R A E R C E L A U T C B E T S A F O A D S A T

F U R P A N O T I C P S S U E A F T O L F O M W I T S T R O I S I S T P A I T E S R E S A B S O S A P H I N E T R I E A L B I D E A D I E Y S O N

L S F U T R I E C E S L E V A U R A M P O N D E N T R O O A N C E R H I E R E N A U G R B S L O T S E B O P S F E S U C E P T S A T P R I

Staff reporters Greg Elwell, Laura Eastes, Ben Luschen Contributors Lisa K. Broad, Christine Eddington Jack Fowler, George Lang Jessica Williams Photographer Garett Fisbeck Circulation Manager Chad Bleakley Art Director Chris Street Production coordinator Arden Biard Advertising/Marketing Design Coordinator Erin DeMoss

www.okgazette.com

Puzzle No. 0101, which appeared in the January 4 issue.

T O R R E S

Assistant EDITOR Brittany Pickering

Graphic Designer Anna Shilling

New York Times Crossword Puzzle answers E N D O W

Digital Media & Calendar Coordinator Aubrey Jernigan Advertising Director Christy Duane, cduane@okgazette.com

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Stumped? Call 1-900-285-5656 to get the answers to any three clues by phone ($1.20 a minute).

Sudoku Puzzle Very Hard

publisher Bill Bleakley Associate Publisher James Bengfort

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