Out & About Magazine -- June 2011 -- The Music Issue

VOL. 24 NO. 4

JUNE 2011

OutAndAboutNow.Com

COMPLIMENTARY

Inside Musikarmageddon

RETURNS! pg 16

PLUS: • Todd Rundgren's endless journey • Rock documentaries • Pick a picnic • Summer movies worth seeing

WHY WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF NEW SWEDEN

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5/24/2011 12:13:12 PM

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Player Information: In Delaware: 1-800-338-6200.

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6.10.11 8 PM - 10 PM $5 ENTRY FEE FREE BEER & WINE TASTING $1 BEERS & GLASSES OF WINE DJS CONTEMPORARY ART

Whether you’re new to the Museum or a regular on the arts scene, this event is the unique night out you’ve been searching for!

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4 . Inside

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June  | O&A

5/24/2011 12:07:30 PM

INSIDE

Published each month by TSN Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Mailing & business address: 307 A Street, Wilmington, DE 19801

O&ACONTENTS June 2011 | Vol. 24, No. 4 | www.outandaboutnow.com

FEATURES Publisher Gerald DuPhily Editor-in-Chief Michael “Peace Out” Pollock

12 UP CLOSE: THE MUSIC ISSUE Our annual tribute to the local-music scene, featuring New Sweden, this year’s Musikarmageddon bands, Todd Rundgren, contributor lists, staff picks, and more.

30 FOOD & DRINK: A CUT FOR EVERY OCCASION Director of Publications Jim Hunter Miller Director of Sales Marie Graham Creative/Production Manager Matthew Loeb

Despite a top-dollar profile and wallet-conscious consumers, steak remains as popular as ever. By Pam George

41 SHORT STORY: TAKING ITS TOLL Our final winning entry in this year’s writing contest. By Pamela Zwaskis

45 MOVIES: SUMMER BY THE NUMBERS A preview of blockbuster season, with some smaller films worth seeing.

By Mark Fields

Art Director Joy Smoker Senior Graphic Designer Shawna Sneath

DEPARTMENTS 7

Contributing Editor Bob Yearick Contributing Writers Mark Fields, Richard L. Gaw, Pam George Carol Kipp, Robert Lhulier J. Burke Morrison, Larry Nagengast

Out Front

30 Food & Drink 45 Movies 49 Nightlife 57 Flip Page

Contributing Photographers Joe del Tufo, Dennis Dischler Tim Hawk, Les Kipp Tony Kukulich, Matt Urban Special Projects Kelly Loeb, Marie Poot

ON THE COVER The members of Americana band New Sweden, photographed

by Joe del Tufo inside the Grand Opera House. To see what the buzz is all about, go to pg. 12.

Editorial Intern Arielle From

For editorial & advertising information: (302) 655-6483 • Fax (302) 654-0569 Website: www.outandaboutnow.com Email: contact@tsnpub.com

5

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presents

8 Saturday, July 23, 2–10pm Special Menus Tailored to Over 40 Featured Brews Hops & Shops Sidewalk Sale Unique Beers Creative Cuisine Live Music Sidewalk Performers

m o c . t s e F : w re inner : B S d rds W AIL an T E od wa A D e r R o wa nt! a FO rkF l De a ve n E w w l o Ne Downt Retai 10 20

t Bes

EDITOR’S NOTE

I

remember the first story I wrote for Out & About. It was October 2004, and I was assigned to interview John Barbieri, a.k.a. the guy who dresses up like Gene Simmons from Kiss every year for the Halloween Loop. John, incredibly friendly and no stranger to publicity, happily invited me to his Pike Creek home, where we chatted in his rock-memorabilia-decorated basement. We photographed him in full make-up and Kiss garb, and put him on the cover.

In some ways, it was the perfect mix of everything I love about the magazine: a personality profile that incorporated music and one of the biggest nightlife events of the year. Later, I’d write and edit stories about military families coping during the holidays, breast-cancer survivors, a widow raising awareness about brain tumors, and the fight to make school lunches healthier. I had awkward interviews with David Bromberg and the Recording Industry Association of America, and great ones with Bettye LaVette and Henry Rollins. It was a long way from Gene Simmons’ basement. But being my first, that issue holds a unique place, as will this issue, which will be my last.

I can’t think of a more fitting send-off than our annual music issue. There’s a bit of the old with the new all over this month’s pages, from the upstarts participating in our Musikarmageddon battle-of-the-bands competition (pgs. 16-17) to veteran audiophile Todd Rundgren playing the Grand (pg. 23). Even our flannel-loving cover stars, New Sweden, embody that spirit: After winning last year’s Musikarmageddon, the band is ready to release its debut album amid a series of high-profile shows and festival appearances. Read more starting on pg. 12.

Leaving won’t be easy with that kind of energy in the air. It’s even tougher knowing how much I’ll miss an office of incredibly funny, creative, and deadline-pushing co-workers who are also great friends. You guys rock. Pun intended.

Enjoy. And keep reading.

Michael Pollock Former Editor-in-Chief Correction: That was Kuumba Academy’s “Voices of Inspiration” singing at the Queen’s ribbon-cutting last month.

6 . Out Front

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June  | O&A

5/24/2011 12:36:23 PM

The War

OUTFRONT

ON WORDS

By Bob Yearick

A monthly column in which we attempt, however futilely, to correct some of the most common errors in English usage

WORD OF THE MONTH

pedant

Pronounced ped-nt, it means one who makes a show of knowledge.

A non-reader Richard Hatch, in the first episode of Celebrity Apprentice back in March, suggested the men name their team “Penultimate.” He apparently thought, as many do, that the word means “the very best.”

The tax evader and winner of the first Survivor obviously didn’t read our February column, in which we explained it means “next to last.”

Hoist with our own petard

Department of Redundancies Dept.

A History Channel show about World War II claimed that “establishing air superiority over England was an essential prerequisite for the Luftwaffe.”

A press release touting a new book spoke of “today’s contemporary society.”

Last month, we inadvertently created a candidate for our own Department of Redundancies Dept. by referring to an “ATM machine.” Readers Larry Kerchner and Craig Wiener, both of Wilmington, were quick to point out that ATM stands for “automated teller machine.”

We were thus “hoist with our own petard,” a phrase from Shakespeare meaning blown up by our own bomb. (“War” occasionally likes to play the pedant—see Word of the Month.)

How long, oh Lord, how long?

Also in May…

The Delaware National Guard website lists an “Information resource center for current & perspective…Guard members.”

Perspective—a noun meaning viewpoint—is often confused with prospective, an adjective that means potential, probable.

…In our sister Wilmington Magazine, we found the phrase “track of land” (instead of tract) and this headline: “Wilmington native brings flare to Market Street.” No fire involved here, so the word should’ve been flair, meaning style, glamour, panache.

Literally of the month We’ve got two of ’em: Kelly Ripa, the often hyperbolic co-host of the hyperbolically named LIVE! With Regis and Kelly, speaking of Christoph Waltz, Oscar-winning supporting actor in Inglourious Basterds: “He literally scared me to death.”

Regis retires, Kelly dies; there goes the show.

A CBS TV announcer speaking about 600 tornadoes in April “smashing—literally—the old record.”

www.out-and-about.com

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From the Wilmington Rugby Football Club website: “Member’s only.”

A sign at the Boothwyn Farmers’ Market advertised “sticky bun’s.”

Clarification Dept.

A letter to the editor of The News Journal—from the dean of a law school, no less—referred to the “tenants the faculty subscribe to when they sign a contract.” The word is tenets.

A recent email from a reader contained these phrases: “low and behold” and “tongue and cheek.”

It’s lo and behold and, of course, tongue in cheek.

BONUS

WORD OF THE MONTH bumf Pronounced bumf, it means unwanted or uninteresting printed matter, such as governmental forms, legal documents, junk mail, promotional pamphlets. Short for “bum fodder” and slang for toilet paper.

Seen a good

(bad) one lately?

Send your candidates to ryearick@ comcast.net

And finally, from a Spark columnist, speaking of The Twilight Saga: “Sure, I’ve participated in the bologna.” If she were speaking of the meat product, this would be acceptable.

But when referring to twaddle such as Twilight, the preferred word is baloney.

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OUTFRONT six kids poured out. The adults sat in the car while the kids ran around and played. Two of the little girls asked if I could push them on the swings.

I panicked, not knowing what to do. Of course I would be happy to give a few pushes, but what happens when someone falls and gets hurt?

And frankly, I came to the park to play with my own child. I suppose I should give these adults credit for at least taking their children to the park, but it’s no one else’s job to entertain your kids. This is how kids get hurt or, worse yet, abducted.

Behavior #3: Allowing your children to run rampantly around a busy restaurant. I’m all for bringing children to restaurants if you’re going to teach them how to behave properly. But there are other people dining who don’t appreciate the screaming, and there are servers who are trying to do their jobs. When your baby throws Cheerios and carrots all over the floor, it wouldn’t hurt to pick up after them. Failure to do so gives the rest of us parents a bad name.

That Is Not OK!

By Marie Graham

I

’ve been a mom for 10 months now, and it’s truly amazing. Like most parents, I love my little guy more than I could have dreamed possible. Every decision I make revolves around him. I find myself paying attention to how others interact with their children, because I’m learning how I want to interact with mine. Most parents I meet are really great role models who are glad to share their child-rearing experiences. Sadly enough, there are also far too many examples of exactly the type of parent I do not want to be.

Behavior #1: Parents who curse at their children. Last month, I was at the grocery store when I turned around because I heard cute chirping and laughing, and I wanted to see the source. I did so just in time to hear the woman say “Can’t you ever shut the … up?” The baby could not have been more than 6 months old.

I was speechless. Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how to speak to your children. I will, however, ask you not to speak that way around mine.

Behavior #2: Failure to watch your child at the park, resulting in my deciding whether or not to commit Behavior #1. Now that the weather is so nice, we go to the park a lot. On a recent trip, I watched as a minivan pulled up and

8 . Out Front

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Behavior #4: Smoking around children. It astounds and disgusts me to see people who smoke cigarettes while pushing a stroller, or holding their child’s hand, let alone those who smoke in the car with children in the back seat. This should be considered an arrest-worthy offense, because it’s child abuse. I don’t know anyone over the age of 5 who doesn’t know that smoking and second-hand smoke causes cancer, asthma, and a whole other list of diseases. How selfish can you be?

Your children look up to you, whether you deserve that sort of admiration or not. If you expect them to respect you, try giving them the same courtesy.

Feedback Feedback is always OK. Write me at: mgraham@tsnpub.com

June  | O&A

5/24/2011 12:39:11 PM

The Clean-Plate

CLUB

OUTFRONT

A recycling company tries to do something about food waste

W

hile there’s nothing new about going green—or making green by going green, for that matter— efforts to reduce our carbon footprint are still trying to catch up with our daily habits. Eating out, for example: What happens to all the waste produced by restaurants and their patrons (read: us)?

Suburban Waste Services is one local company tackling the challenge of recycling food waste. As the name implies, Suburban has long offered waste services that remove household and commercial trash, including construction and demolition cleanup. But more recent efforts have been geared toward the restaurant and food industry—specifically, food waste.

“We have elementary schools—we manager, Waylon Pleasanton. “That’s take everything from the cafeteria—to where we make new rows of compost, dining halls in hospitals and at the fluffing it back up and mixing it again, and University of Delaware,” says sales director re-establish our temperatures.” Phase 3 is Bryan Hewes. “It goes from gathering “a stabilization phase, where we’re letting the prep waste in the back all the way the compost cool down without any to scraping the plates when the kids cover on it,” he goes on. That gets it ready are done eating.” Suburban expects one for screening, after which the compost of its future big clients to be Iron Hill is “theoretically ready for market.”

Brewery, whose Wilmington location, But it’s still considered immature Hewes says, is already outfitted with compost, Pleasanton says, meaning it a food-waste tote, and whose other could cure longer depending on its use. eight restaurants (in Newark, West “If somebody is using it for a flower Chester, and other areas) plan to be. pot in their house, they’ll want a very Klondike Kate’s and both Catherine stable compost. So we can screen it and Rooney’s locations are also on board. cure it for another three to six months, Suburban employs an to meet that market.” extensive, multi-phase (If you’re wondering filtering process, which takes what kind of odors might Suburban Waste place at the Wilmington be floating around at Services is one Organic Recycling Center, this point, the answer is local company near the city’s port. It works virtually none. Waste sits tackling the something like this: Waste but for a day, Pleasanton challenge is gathered and run through says, before the composting of recycling a shredder, where it’s mixed process begins.) with a specific “recipe”—a food waste.

Compost can also be balance of carbon dioxide a long-term stabilizer for to nitrogen that can be soil, which carries a lot created out of wood chips, leaves, grass, of appeal for the agriculture industry, and other seasonal materials—to make Pleasanton says. “The agriculture industry compost. The compost rests on site for loves compost, because as crops are put about four weeks, in what’s called Phase 1, down, the minerals are being stripped out then gets “turned down” as part of Phase of the soil. Compost can be tilled into the 2, according to the center’s quality-control www.out-and-about.com

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ground, which improves the structure of the soil as well as its water-holding and draining capacity. You can get about three years of slow nitrogen release out of it.”

The material-screening process is key.

Compost is sifted several times to remove material that can’t go to market. “We have the ability here to hand-sort material,” Pleasanton says. “We use a magnet to pull out knives and forks, or nails from pallets, and then we’re sending those materials to a scrap yard.” He notes that by the end of screening, only about 2 percent (by weight) of the waste ends up in a landfill.

There’s also an education process, something Suburban does with each of its customers. “Like using plastic bags, which we have to sift out at the end,” owner and vice president Lou Bizzari says. “We tell our customers to buy biodegradable bags, so they can do it right from the beginning.”

Those measures are actually cheaper for Suburban’s customers, because cleaner material carries less weight, and, therefore, cost. Still, it’s a learning curve. “It can be hard to get people away from routine,” Bizzari says.

But amid the complex biochemical and financial discussions, Bizzari cuts to the chase about going green.

“We’re just trying to do our part, really, along with everyone else.”

— Michael Pollock 9

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t

T

REIGNITED Boy Sets Fire blazes again

By Michael Pollock

10 . Out Front

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he running joke for bands today is that they’re better off breaking up and regrouping in 10 years—absence makes tthe heart grow fonder (and the checks ggrow bigger). Just ask Newark-rooted Boy Sets Fire, who stormed through B the mid-’90s and 2000s with its brand of political punk before disbanding in 2007. (The band’s five members are now spread across Pike Creek, Elkton, New York, and Munich, Germany.) Reunited, BSF is about to embark on a 24-date tour. Twenty-one of the shows are part of a European trek—hitting cities in England, Denmark, Copenhagen, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, the Netherlands, Austria, Italy, and Greece.

The remaining three are East Coast gigs, including a June 2 stop at the Trocadero in Philly, where guitarist Josh Latshaw’s and vocalist Nathan Gray’s 18-year-old sons will open the show with their band, the May 4th Massacre.

Cleary, BSF has its overseas following to thank for keeping the flame lit. “Our first show back [in April], we played in Berlin to 5,000 kids, and it was sold out,” Latshaw says. “We were on MTV over there. But it’s a different culture. In America, you’re kind of flavor of the month. The European fans seem to take a real ownership of the band. It was weird. It was like no time had passed whatsoever.”

Time has passed, of course, which is why Latshaw and the other members

might feel like they’re leading double lives—family guys in their mid-30s by day, punk-rock heroes by weekend.

At another recent show in Belgium, Latshaw says, “I was at my desk job on Wednesday, got on a plane that night, practiced Thursday and Friday, played in front of 10,000 people on Saturday, and was back at my job on Monday.”

BSF unofficially reformed last Thanksgiving, when they played a secret show at Mojo Main. “It was nervewracking,” Latshaw remembers. “It sounds trite, but I was thinking, What if the magic’s gone? What if no one cares?”

That wasn’t the case. Still, there’s quite a gap between BSF’s hometown support and its ability to attract thousands of rabid fans in a foreign land.

“Here, we’re just a better-kept secret.

We’ll play the Troc, and there’ll be 800 to 1,000 kids. And it’ll be awesome.

What kind of d—k would I be to complain about that? It’s just economies of scale.

One’s not better than the other.”

But it was an offer to play Berlin—“an offer we couldn’t refuse,” Latshaw says—that set the reunion wheels in motion. “Enough time had passed.

We ended as best friends. But the years go by and you start to miss a lot of the aspects of being in a band.”

Rehearsing for 20-song, 90-minute set lists leaves little time to record or even write new songs, Latshaw says, but the possibility is open. “We’re taking it a day at a time. But I think in the back of our heads, we’re going, I wonder what would happen if we did write a song.”

For now, the band’s focus is on this tour and not much else. “We’re five very strong personalities. Let’s get through the summer and see if we’re still talking,” Latshaw jokes. And for now, that’s enough—both for Boy Sets Fire and its zealots, here or otherwise.

“Sure, things have changed,” Latshaw says. “We’ve gotten older. And we look older. But once we get on stage…”

June  | O&A

5/24/2011 12:42:06 PM

A

Do You See What I See? The Delaware Art Museum uses an exhibit on perception to launch a social-networking event

www.out-and-about.com

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revolver hangs from a wall at the Delaware Art Museum. But the butt of the gun is stretched into the shape of a barrel, and the barrel is short and stunted, like the gun handle. This is Robert Lazzarini’s idea of distorted violence and, next to shooting targets that look like trippy cut-outs from a Quentin Tarantino or Clint Eastwood film—the characters in the targets are actually pointing guns at us—it’s a powerful, hypnotic one.

Lazzarini is one of four contemporary artists (the others are Mary Temple, Chul-Hyun Ahn, and Larry Kagan) whose works are on display now through Sept. 25 in Perception/Deception. Each of the collections in the exhibit plays with the idea of “how aware we are of our surroundings,” assistant curator Margaret Winslow says. “It’s that moment of looking.” Kagan, for instance, has mounted steel sculptures on the walls. With custom lighting at various heights and distances above them, the sculptures create bug-like shadows. Temple takes the idea of light and shadows even further with her paintings, bringing attention to trees and nature. Ahn uses light sources and depth to create feelings of disorientation.

Perception/Deception introduces Art Is Social, a socialnetworking series the Delaware Art Museum is kicking off on Friday, June 10. The contemporary feel of the exhibit should serve as a great icebreaker for those who haven’t stepped foot in the museum since their field-trip days.

From 8 to 10 p.m., guests are invited to explore the installations while tasting beer and wine (courtesy of Frank’s Union Wine Mart) as DJs Bill Fields and SquareWell provide a soundtrack of electronic and dubstep. It’s a fresh alternative to a night at the bar. (You can always hit the bar afterward, you know.) Admission is just $5. Look for another Art Is Social event in the fall, to correspond with the Delaware Art Museum’s 100th anniversary, and learn more at the museum’s Facebook page.

— Michael Pollock

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12 . Up Close

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June  | O&A

5/24/2011 12:51:03 PM

photo by Joe del Tufo

Brave New

WORLD For the area’s heaviest-buzzing band, the future is uncertain but strangely calm

By Michael Pollock

B

illy Dobies is a man of many words.

Unfortunately, on this day, not too many of them contain details of his Americana-inspired quintet New Sweden’s upcoming album, a promotional video to support that album, possible interest from record labels and/or producers, or any other predictions for the near future.

“There are some things going on right now where we’re speaking to some certain people,” the lead singer, guitarist, and harmonica player says as vaguely and accommodatingly as possible. (The band is filled out

by Jimmy Dukenfield on vocals, banjo, and mandolin; Jimmy’s brother Zac on percussion; Caroline Stratton on viola; and Dan Weirauch on bass, although all five members are known to use other instruments and add vocals.) “We’re trying to make sure we take the right steps to make the video great and that it’s the perfect song.”

That perfect song—as of right now, at least—is “The Highest Road,” one of perhaps 10 or 11 tracks that will make up the band’s as-yet-titled debut album, which Dobies calls “as real as it gets. It’s a

www.out-and-about.com

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UP CLOSE

little mean and it’s a little nice.

It’s everything that intertwines in everyone’s life: love, hate, politics, drugs.” It might actually be an EP, just a handful of songs, Dobies says. And although it’s a long shot, the video, which is being done by Wilmington’s Mobius New Media, could make its premiere at the band’s record-release party, to be held July 29 at World Cafe Live at the Queen. But even then, there’s no guarantee the record—whether it’s an LP or an EP—will be finished in time for the show.

(A six-track demo CD, Lovers Lane, has been circulating since last month.) The band has been approached by…well, Dobies won’t say.

“We have a lot of the record done, but part of the process is going back and making sure we’re moving in the right direction.

We want a bit of polished dirt.

We’re a folk group, so it wouldn’t make sense to put out this shiny record. We might go back in and redo some of the record with a producer and certain studios. But I can’t let go of that information yet. We’re still in talks.”

Confused? Frustrated?

Hungry for more? Dobies is staying tight-lipped.

“So much time goes into these things. We’re just trying to make sure everything comes out right.” Things have gotten so busy that the band has formed what they call Team Sweden: Brianna Hansen has been added to handle public relations and booking, while manager Noah Merenda tackles his growing media-related duties. (“They keep us sane and crazy at the same time,” Dobies says.)

– continued on next page

13

5/25/2011 11:25:48 AM

Brave New World

– continued from previous page

Coming this month

SPLINTERED SUNLIGHT

Thursday, June 16 Doors 8pm/Show 9pm

Upstairs Live at World Cafe Live at the Queen

Billy Dobies (left) and Jimmy Dukenfield. photo by Joe del Tufo

S

plintered Sunlight boasts a play list of well over two hundred songs, spanning the 30-year career of The Grateful Dead (as well as numerous other classic rock bands) from which it skillfully crafts each show’s set list, carefully endeavoring to not repeat set lists – let alone songs – in the same or even nearby venues.

Splintered Sunlight and its members have performed with Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead, as well as former Dead members Donna Jean Godcheaux and pianist Tom Constanten. They have also performed with longtime Grateful Dead collaborator Merle Saunders, and Jimmy Herring, recent guitarist for The Dead. In addition, Splintered has shared the stage with many notable Dead-related acts including Kingfish, Jorma Kaukonen and Jefferson Starship, among others.

Splintered Sunlight performs monthly at Upstairs Live.

ALSO AT WORLD CAFE LIVE THIS MONTH Every Monday Night: Groove Night Every Tuesday Night: Acoustic/Electric Open Mic Every Wednesday Night: 4W5 Blues Jam 2 – Runner Runner Unplugged 3 – Transistor Rodeo w/The Cocks 4 – Kate Schutt 9 – Gary Allegretto 10 – Countdown to Ecstasy 11 – Dukes of Destiny

16 – Splintered Sunlight 17 – 40th Anniversary Celebration of Carol King’s Tapestry 23 – Jim Tisdall Band 24 – Liz Goodgame & The Poor Sports 25 – Minas

8PSME $BGF -JWF BU UIF 2VFFO t / .BSLFU 4U 8JMNJOHUPO %& r 8PSME$BGF-JWF DPN

All is forgiven, however, and not just because these sticky situations are to be expected when local bands like New Sweden (whose members have full-time jobs and families) look to launch (without the help of a record label) a career (in today’s music industry) that takes them beyond our little state (which very few bands have ever done). Something about New Sweden, both in their right-at-home playing on stage and gentle conversation o it, evokes comfort and patience. There’s no feeling of pressure, because this is the kind of music that makes time stand still.

(That’s not hyperbole; try listening to the end of “Son of a Bitch,â€? with its “I don’t know what to do / I pretendâ€? refrain, and not get all reective and teary-eyed.)

With the record on the back burner, New Sweden have taken to the stage, performing an intimate set at the recent Ram Jam festival and sharing a weekend—and playing one of its bestever shows—with some of the band’s heroes (Bright Eyes, Justin Townes Earle, the Head and the Heart) at Non-COMM. In between, they opened for James Murphy-produced, Pitchforkapproved, Letterman-playing Free Energy at the Arden Gild Hall.

Summer is shaping up, too. This month, they’ll play the Baby Grand (June 4; a reward for winning this magazine’s Musikarmageddon competition last year), Arden’s Shady Grove Music Festival (June 11), and the aforementioned Queen gig at the end of July. There’s also Kalmar Nyckel’s Pirate Day on July 9 (rather appropriate, given the band’s name) as well as shows along the East Coast, including Philly’s North Star Bar on July 1. “It’s exciting, I have to tell you,â€? Dobies says. “I’ve been in bands around here since I was 11 years old, but my heart wasn’t in it. This is the ďŹ rst one where I’ve had a lot of input. I feel really lucky. I don’t wanna jinx it, of course. Sometimes I have to pinch myself.â€?

And that, right there, is when the words begin to pour out.

Dobies can’t say much about the band’s plans, but he can say plenty about the band itself. That, it seems, is worth talking about. “Things are all over the map, and that’s what’s so exciting.

The hardest part is picking out which songs to put on the record, because some of our stu is hillbilly; some of it’s indie rock. Some people are calling it country-punk rock, and I don’t even know what that is. But if that’s what they think, I let the person who’s watching take charge of it. “It’s surreal. I’m really weird about anything I do. I’m very critical of myself. It’s just exciting that people care enough to want to hear more of it. They help the music evolve. The songs that you write become less about me and more about you.â€?

14 . Up Close

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5/25/2011 11:24:00 AM

GIGS

JUNE & MORE

BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES @ the Baby Grand

Support your local music scene (and beyond) THE BULLBUCKERS (ska/funk) June 4: Baby Grand June 11: Shady Grove Music Festival (Arden) June 18: Mojo 13 June 25: Home Grown Café June 30: Rusty Rudder myspace.com/bullbuckers THE BULLETS (rockabilly) Thursdays @ Blue Parrot myspace.com/theoriginalbullets CURREN$Y June 7: The Trocadero With a pair of 2010 albums—another is on the way—and an EP produced by Alchemist, the busy, breezy rapper makes the kind of beef-free hip-hop we loved so much in the early 1990s. He’s flanked by his Jet Life label cohorts, including the reinvigorated Fiend.

DINOSAUR JR. June 24: Electric Factory The pre-alternative greats, now reunited, perform their classic third album, Bug, in its entirety. Henry Rollins, a fan and ’80s peer, will interview the band live; Rollins’ former Black Flag bandmate, Keith Morris, opens the show with his new punk-rock supergroup, Off!.

THE GRAND (select shows) June 2: Bela Fleck & the Flecktones (bluegrass/jazz) June 4: New Sweden (roots rock) thegrandwilmington.org THE JOE TRAINOR TRIO (pop/rock) June 4: Baby Grand June 11: Shady Grove Music Festival (Arden) joetrainortrio.com KENNETT FLASH (select shows) June 3: The Jon Herington Band (blues/rock/pop) June 4: The Rose Project (folk)

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June 5, 12, 19, 26: Open-mic nights w/Butch Zito June 6, 13, 20, 27: Blue Monday blues jam June 24: Born Sisters (country pop) kennettflash.org LOWER CASE BLUES (blues rock) June 2, 9: High Stakes Bar & Grille (Fenwick) June 4: Smitty McGee’s June 5: The Frogg Pond June 7: Irish Eyes lowercaseblues.net MAD-SWEET PANGS (folk rock) June 11: Home Grown Café madsweetpangs.com NEW SWEDEN (roots rock) June 4: Baby Grand June 11: Shady Grove Music Festival (Arden) newswedenmusic.com WORLD CAFE LIVE AT THE QUEEN (select shows) June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: 4W5 Blues Jams June 2: Dwele (R&B/jazz) June 3: Transistor Rodeo w/the Cocks (country rock) June 4: Kate Schutt (jazz) June 7, 14, 21, 28: Acoustic/electric open-mic nights June 9: Gary Allegretto (blues) June 16: Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad (reggae) June 17: Martin Sexton (soul/gospel/country/blues) June 21: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (jazz/big band) June 28: Citizen Cope (blues/rock) July 1: Little Feat (roots/blues/rock) queen.worldcafelive.com VILLAINS LIKE YOU (blues rock) June 11: Shady Grove Music Festival villainslikeyou.com

15

5/24/2011 12:52:56 PM

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JULY 14 Spaceboy Clothing The Parachuting Apostles (9pm) vs The Collingwood TribeSound Studios (10:30pm) Mobius New Media

WSTW’s Hometown Heroes

JULY 21 FINALS TO BE HELD AT Felix Hunger (9pm) vs THE BABY GRAND ON SEPT. 17 Little Invisibles (10:30pm)

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June  | O&A

5/25/2011 11:39:19 AM

UP CLOSE Phantogram. Not to be

Braids. Little-known

confused with candygrams, holograms, kilograms, programs, mammograms, or electroencephalograms.

fact: In a competition for Snottiest Indie Song Title, Braids’ “Plath Heart” took second to Vampire Weekend’s “Oxford Comma.”

Major Lazer. Diplo and

Local contributers give us their music picks

Switch do a better job of selling La Roux than...well, La Roux.

Baths. This California• Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers • X Los Angeles • Ludwig van Beethoven Moonlight Sonata (the slate 78-rpm record sounds super creepy on my wind-up Victrola)

Top 5 Reasons to Simultaneously Love & Hate Kool Keith

By Joy Smoker, O&A art director • Stream-of-consciousness lyrical style • More aliases than you can shake a stick at • Black Elvis head ornament (this one is 100-percent pure love) • Non-stop surrealist imagery • Still making albums

TOP 5 ALBUMS TO LISTEN TO ON VINYL

Top 10 Artists I Discovered Through O&A’s Michael Pollock & Joy Smoker

By Kevin Liedel, press-relations manager for the Grand Kid Cudi. The pathos is always catchy and hummable in Mr. Rager’s neighborhood.

Madvillain. These fancy clowns mention sharecroppers, the Grand Ole Opry, and a jalopy all on the same track. In other words, they belong on some kind of list.

based electronica artist deserves to be here for his well-kept muttonchops alone, but he also gets big sounds out of just a Mac and sequencer.

RAC. Though I love the Rent-A-Center and often put them on “Best Of” lists, this time RAC stands for the Remix Artist Collective!

5 Not-So-Young Rappers Making the Best Music of Their Lives

By Michael Pollock, O&A editor-in-chief • DJ Quik (The Book of David)

The Knife. Creepy synthpop that always manages to excite. Never a dull moment! (Heh, heh.)

[Your puns might disqualify you from participating in next year’s lists, Liedel.

—MP]

Flying Lotus. When Thom Yorke finally takes his one-man seizure dance show on the road, he’ll be doing it to the tunes of Flying Lotus.

Robyn. “Do You Know (What It Takes)” to be the best “Dancehall Queen”/“Fembot” of all-time? Well, I’ve got some news for you: Robyn is “Indestructible.”

[That’s it! — MP]

DJ Quik • E-40 (the Revenue Retrievin’ series) • Brotha Lynch Hung (last year’s Dinner and a Movie, this year’s Coathanga Strangla) • Vakill (Armor of God) • Kool G Rap (Riches, Royalty & Respect)

–continued on next page

Robyn

By Sarah Davenport, marketing manager for World Cafe Live at the Queen • Bauhaus 1979-1983 • The Jesus & Mary Chain Psychocandy

www.out-and-about.com

6_UpClose.indd 9

19

5/24/2011 3:38:14 PM

LIST THIS

– continued from previous page

your fist and share the glory in tales about epic battles, wolves, and cold Swedish winters. What more can you ask?

Jag Panzer, The Scourge of the Light. One of the

TOP 5 RECENT METAL ALBUMS

By Brett Lubins, Wilmington-area metalhead, really nice guy

most underrated powermetal bands today. But unlike most power-metal groups, they’re from America. If you haven’t heard of them, this album sums up their sound and discography pretty well.

There are fast songs and mid-paced songs, all held together by amazing vocal performances and incredible guitar solos.

5 Really Good Albums You Can Always Find in the Used-CD Section

By Michael Pollock, O&A editor-in-chief • Bush’s Razorblade Suitcase • Lemonheads’ It’s a Shame About Ray • Cake’s Fashion Nugget • Garbage’s Garbage • Alice in Chains’ Dirt

6 GREAT LOCAL BANDS

By Mark Rogers, host of WSTW’s Hometown Heroes I must offer a disclaimer that this was very difficult because there are a lot of great bands in Delaware and beyond. In no particular order:

Ghost, Opus Eponymous.

classic heavy metal of Judas Priest, toss in a ship full of Vikings, then add some catchy sing-alongs that make you want to raise

20 . Up Close

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Degnars’ poetic lyrics, vocals, and piano-playing fuse with the full band to create a sound that’s beautiful, dramatic, and mesmerizing.

New Sweden. The positive reviews and awards are well-deserved.

New Sweden’s take on Americana and folk has an earnest and homegrown feel to it, along with an energy, that grabbed me from the first listen.

Driving piano rock, delivering intelligent lyrics and catchy melodies.

Los Angeles that looks like it came out of a time machine after opening for Iron Maiden in 1983. This album has power, speed, thrash, and some great melodies. They’re not a band that’s stuck in the past like so many throwback heavy metal bands these days. Instead, they bring a modern edge to the classic heavy metal sound.

Grand Magus, Hammer of the North. Take the

Little Invisibles. Gina

Joe Trainor Trio.

Holy Grail, Crisis in Utopia. A great band from

Mysterious and creepy, with Satanic lyrics sung over pop music with metal undertones. It doesn’t seem like it could be possible, but it works very well. Some call it ‘proto-doom’ influenced by early Mercyful Fate and Venom, but I call it ‘evil pop-metal’ that even your mom would like…if she didn’t read the lyrics.

rock and blues, performed with the sensibility and energy of punk.

Volbeat, Beyond Hell/ Above Heaven. This Danish band is quite unique with their colorful mixture of punk rock, heavy metal, and rockabilly. Their sound is a breath of fresh air, and their newest album is full of energy and a whole lot of fun. After one listen, you’ll want to learn the lyrics so you can sing along with pride.

The Hold-Up. Great live show from a group of very talented musicians. A mix of

Mean Lady. Among the more interesting and unique music I’ve heard recently; their songs have been stuck in my head for days at a time. Katie Dill’s vocals would be at home among standards from the ’40s and ’50s, but they’re coupled with skillful sampling, beats, and instrumentation that is very 2011.

Hallowed Cain. An incomparable high-energy, in-your-face live show.

Their music is harder-edged than what I’d normally gravitate toward, but they won me over. Wow. Can’t wait to hear their CD once it’s finished.

The Hold–Up

June  | O&A

5/24/2011 12:59:21 PM

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Special guest appearance by the band CAPTAIN FLASH, first reunion of this infamous band since 1998, of which Tom was a member! http://client.wh2p.com/work/tompizzala

PLAYLIST Liturgy Aesthethica Big K.R.I.T. Return of 4Eva CunninLynguists Oneirology Afghan Whigs Black Love Twilight Singers Dynamite Steps Burzum Fallen — Michael Pollock, editor-in-chief

Radical Face “Welcome Home” The Kooks “Naïve” Jon Anderson Survival and Other Stories — Shawna Sneath, senior graphic designer

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June  | O&A

5/24/2011 4:14:14 PM

UP CLOSE

The Endless Journey OF TODD RUNDGREN

By Jim Miller

W

hen posed with the nearly impossible challenge of summarizing his entire musical journey thus far with just one word, song-and-sound wizard Todd Rundgren pauses for a moment, then offers this: Endless…

It’s a fitting answer considering that, first and foremost, Rundgren is very much alive.

In addition, the multi-talented star continues to produce and perform his brand of genrewww.out-and-about.com

6_UpClose.indd 13

defying music more than 40 years after his first single, the Nazz tune, “Open My Eyes,” hit the Billboard charts in 1968.

Likewise, his classic songs “Hello, It’s Me,” “I Saw the Light,” “We Gotta Get You a Woman,” and “Bang the Drum All Day” continue to be popular on the radio, as well as movies and TV. But there’s more…

“Music still fascinates me,” Rundgren says. “There are still [aspects] of it I don’t fully understand. I also believe that I still have things to learn and things to express in the medium. And so it remains fascinating to me.”

This from a man who has worked his magic on more than 70 albums—as studio engineer, producer, songwriter, and musician—for artists ranging from Hall & Oates to Patti Smith, from the Ramones to Meat Loaf… not counting his own jumbosized catalog of solo material.

“This is a real rock star,” says area producer and musician,

Ritchie Rubini, a self-described Rundgren fan. “In terms of output in a human life, there aren’t many cats in the business that have had as many hits, and songs in general, than Todd Rundgren. He’s a highly, highly creative guy.”

Indeed, the number of words that could be used to describe Rundgren’s career does, in fact, borders on endless.

“Working outside of the typical musical ‘box,’ to me, gives my musical career a purpose,” Rundgren says. “I’m not simply doing whatever everybody else is doing. I’m doing something that only I’m willing to do, I guess.”

He laughs, brief but hearty.

IN A FEW WEEKS, Rundgren will embark on a national tour, including a stop at the Grand on July 8, with a band with whom he’s played for the past 20 years.

Showcasing songs selected from his canon of 20-plus solo albums, the tour essentially will function as a retrospective.

– continued on next page 23

5/24/2011 1:01:24 PM

UP CLOSE The Endless Journey of Todd Rundgren

– continued from previous page

Rundgren adopted his father’s methodology for learning and adapted it to music.

Instead of his father’s paint plant, Todd chose the studio.

24 . Up Close

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At his home in Hawaii, on the sunnier end of a phone conversation that morphs at times into a revealing word game, the artist looks back into his past.

“I’ve always been sort of musically precocious,” he says. “Over the long run, I realized I was born a musician. People are born with an aptitude—or their brains are wired for a certain type of thing—and that’s what I do better than anything else: understand and interpret music.”

Rundgren sifts through the memories of growing up in Philadelphia and of his father, Harry Rundgren, a DuPont engineer who worked at one of the area paint plants. Both father and son shared a thirsty curiosity and an unorthodox means of learning.

“It’s funny,” Rundgren says of his father.

“He never graduated high school, but he was very precocious and smart. He got himself an entry-level job at the plant, and whenever a new piece of equipment came in, he would be the one to figure out how it worked. Eventually, through attrition, he was the only one who knew how things worked in the plant [laughs].”

Because of this, Harry was the go-to guy who got the phone calls late at night, even when he was retired, because—wouldn’t you know—one of the machines had shut down and the other workers at the plant couldn’t figure out how to get it started again. Harry was the fixer. But he was more than that, too. Harry also taught himself draftsmanship and eventually configured technical drawings with the same ease it took for him to create crossword puzzles for his son, who enjoyed the word games as a kid.

Rundgren adopted his father’s methodology for learning and adapted it to music. Instead of Harry’s paint plant, Todd chose the studio.

“I never did well enough in high school to go to college,” says the musician. “Having to sit at a desk with someone lecturing you, instead of learning things that are useful and interesting to you…Probably most of what I know, I learned after high school. A lot of it was hands-on.”

After some moderate success with the local psychedelic-rock band Nazz, which broke up due to “internal acrimony,” Rundgren found employment as a sound engineer with the Albert Grossman Organization (who, at times, also represented Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and The Band).

“For a lot of people, sound engineering didn’t involve any formal education,” he says.

“You got a job in a studio as a tape operator, or something like that, and they would allow you in the off-hours to mess around with the equipment. And that’s how just about every independent engineer learned how to be a sound engineer: with hands-on experience.”

RUNDGREN’S STAR BEGAN TO RISE, specifically after a two-week engineering session for The Band on their 1970 Stage Fright album [See companion story, “In a Word: Todd on Todd,” for more on that.] Soon after, Rundgren was picked by Apple Records to finish production on Badfinger’s Straight Up album, which George Harrison had started, then abandoned for the Concert for Bangladesh. A single, “Day After Day,” sold more than a million copies worldwide, and the album hit No. 31 on the U.S. charts.

Emerging from this period were also the humble beginnings of a solo career.

“I was an engineer and a producer before I was a solo artist,” Rundren says. “Many of the records that I produced were very successful and for many people, that would be enough.

They would say, ‘OK, I’ll just be a record producer and make a living at that.’ I still felt that I had to express myself musically.

“But my attitude is completely different from most artists in that [as a solo artist], I was not constrained to be successful at it. I never felt the need to be commercial or, on my own behalf, try to understand what being commercial meant in any particular era…All I had to understand was: ‘Where is my head at musically, and how do I most effectively get that down on record?’”

Thus, concurrently with varied production work—some of them hit records with Grand Funk and Meat Loaf—Rundgren churned out 10 very different solo albums in a period of about 15 years, varied works from concept albums to highly successful pop masterpieces.

But today, the artist eschews his chart success for a higher purpose, it seems: the reason behind the musical journey in the first place. “[One] reason my music isn’t obviously commercial and yet sticks with certain people is that I’m expressing myself,” he says. “And the process of expressing myself is also the process of knowing myself. And the process of knowing myself is process of changing myself [laughs].

“If I was simply making records that other people wanted to hear, I would be a different person. Literally: I would know less about myself. There are things about myself I never would have confronted. I wouldn’t be as happy as I am, and as content as I am, and as confident about who I am and what I’m doing.

“I think that’s something that’s not strictly music,” he says.

Of course. It’s all part of the endless journey.

The journey continues when Todd Rundgren plays the Grand on Friday, July 8. For tickets, go to ticketsatthegrand.com.

June  | O&A

5/25/2011 11:42:39 AM

UP CLOSE

In a Word: TODD ON TODD

A

sked to summarize, in only one word or term, seven select albums, musician extraordinaire Todd Rundgren elaborates on his exhaustive career of solo and production work. What follows after the album-word association is a deeper explanation of those sessions.

Stage Fright, The Band Rundgren’s first big recording gig, recorded in Woodstock, 1970 He says: “Inexperienced” “It was a flyer for them. Before I did Stage Fright they had me go up to Toronto and engineer a record that most of The Band played on and that Robbie Robertson produced. It was the first Jessie Winchester album. It was my performance on that album that convinced them to use me as engineer for Stage Fright.”

We’re an American Band, Grand Funk Recorded in July, 1973, this album produced two Top 20 hits, the title track becoming the group’s first No. 1 single He says: “Windfall” “It was almost too easy in a way. They had been so poorly produced that it wasn’t necessarily a challenge to improve them. But the amazing thing about the whole project was how synchronized every bit of it was. They already had planned out the release of the record, the tour that would come behind the record, the advertising campaign was all ready to go…the only thing they didn’t have was the record [laughs]. I recall the very first song we recorded in Criterion Studios in Miami was ‘We’re an American Band.’

We mastered it the next day, and a week later, based on [advance] orders, it was on the charts. It was like Top 20 and we’re still in the studio working on the album.”

A Wizard, a True Star, Todd Rundgren Said Patti Smith in Creem: “Blasphemy even the gods smile on. Rock and roll for the skull. A very noble concept.”

He says: “Freedom” “We’d built a studio of our own [in New York City] and that was the first record that was made there. There were absolutely no rules about how we made the record or what the contents of the record would be.”

Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf With 43 million copies sold worldwide, it’s the fifth best-selling album of all-time He says: “Leap of faith” “I did it because I thought it was an excellent parody of Bruce Springsteen and that whole bombastic retrorock thing. Instead of the handsome, hunky guy, it’s this

– continued on page 27 www.out-and-about.com

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In a Word: Todd on Todd big fat guy with an operatic voice. It’s like Pavarotti doing Springsteen…Meat Loaf actually had a record deal, but he decided that his label didn’t understand him. As soon as we finished rehearsals and were about to go to the studio, he calls up the label and says, ‘I want off,’ without considering that we didn’t have anyone else to pick up the expense of making the record [laughs]…

It did work out in the end, but it looked like one of those vanity projects that might eventually go nowhere. I don’t think anyone thought while we were making the record, ‘Oh, there are going to be a lot of hit singles from this.’ The songs are all six to nine minutes long!”

Adventures in Utopia, Utopia From 1973 to 1986, Utopia was Rundgren’s prog-rock outfit, and Adventures was its 1980 release He says: “High point” “I consider it a high point in terms of Utopia defining a sound for itself. It had our only hit single, ‘Set Me Free,’ so that made it perhaps a better-selling album than our other ones. We had covered a lot of musical territory from the time Utopia was mostly a progressive-fusion sort of band to a band that did pop songs. I think Adventures was the album where we melded those two things in a way.”

Skylarking, XTC Rolling Stone ranked this 1986 album No. 48 on its “100 Greatest Albums of the ’80s” list He says: “Pulling teeth” “It was a record that, in the end, I wanted more than the band did. I had to put my money where my mouth was,

www.out-and-about.com

6_UpClose.indd 17

– continued from page 25 in the long run, and endure a lot of abuse. But we got it done, based on my faith in the record, faith that even the band had lost by the time we’d finished it. Fortunately, radio and the critics—and eventually the audience at large—proved that my faith in the record was justified.”

Nearly Human, Todd Rundgren Rundgren’s 1989 release was recorded live with all musicians performing at the same time He says: “Ideal” “It was probably the most fun I had in the studio, ever. In consecutive weekend sessions, we would take a group of musicians and walk them from complete ignorance about a song to the final takes that would actually be on the record.

We would spend eight to 10 hours on one piece of music until we had learned enough to perform it. At the time, [studio recording] seemed a process of endless overdubbing, to the point that sometimes you would never have more than two musicians in the studio at one time. And most of the time, it would be just one musician.

So you don’t know what the thing actually sounds like until the last person has put the last overdub on. And I started to think, ‘In the good ol’ days, you just went in [to the studio] and played the song, and then evaluated the performance.’

Then I thought, ‘That’s what I would like to try to d o.’ I had never done a record like that or, at least, hadn’t since Nazz had done their live demos in the studio. I’d never attempted to do all-live recording. It’s especially satisfying, but it’s a lot of work, and it’s expensive.”

— Jim Miller

27

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5/24/2011 3:48:23 PM

FOOD&DRINK

A Cut for W EVERY X

OCCASION

Always buy high-quality products, no matter the cut.

“Look for good marbling and small grains of fat.”

–Tim Baker, executive chef of Sullivan’s

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5/24/2011 1:07:29 PM

FOOD&DRINK

Despite a top-dollar profile and walletconscious consumers, steak remains as popular as ever

By Pam George

T

he economy may go up and down faster than presidentialapproval ratings, but steak remains a treat that many diners aren’t willing to do without.

“People love steak,” says Eric Huntley, executive chef of Redfire Grill Steakhouse in Pike Creek. “People may view certain high-dollar cuts as special-occasion meats, but people in general keep eating red meat.”

That’s particularly true come summer, when home chefs are firing up the grill.

But whether you’re eating in or eating out, the choices today are varied. “There’s a cut for every budget and occasion,” Huntley agrees. Likewise, there’s a sauce or topping for every taste. No longer are accoutrements limited to A1.

While some things change, others remain the same. Filet mignon remains one of the most popular cuts. John Walter Constantinou, owner of Walter’s Steakhouse in Little Italy, credits the portion size. Many restaurants serve a 6-oz. steak, although restaurants like Harry’s Savoy Grill in North Wilmington often feature a 4-oz. special.

The cut has other attractive characteristics. Since there’s no gristle or fat, there’s little waste, notes Matthew Curtis, chef/owner of Union City Grille in Little Italy. Bill White, general manager of Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Brandywine Hundred, says diners also love its “cut-it-with-a-fork texture.” For variety, Sullivan’s sells a bone-in option.

A bone gives the meat a boost in flavor, and it encourages the juices to stay put. White’s favorite is Sullivan’s 18-oz., bone-in Kansas City strip steak. Sullivan’s

saw sales jump with the introduction of a long-bone, rib-eye steak, also called a “tomahawk chop.” At 26 oz., it packs a lot of flavor in a pleasing package. (“It’s not uncommon for people to take pictures of themselves with it,” White says.)

The rib-eye, used for prime rib, is also known as a Delmonico. Huntley is keen on the barrel-cut, which targets the “heart” of the rib-eye.

While these steaks have long been restaurant favorites, other cuts are popping up on the menu. Rick Whittick, general partner of FireStone on the Wilmington Riverfront, relishes the restaurant’s hanger steak, marinated in a blend of soy, ginger, pineapple juice, and teriyaki sauce.

Marinade is a plus for cuts like hanger, flank, and skirt steak. “They can be a little stringy and tough if not handled properly,” explains David Leo Banks, executive chef of Harry’s Savoy Grill.

Flat-iron steak, a step above, comes from the shoulder, which is also the source for the “pub” steak at Kid Shelleen’s Charcoal House & Saloon in Trolley Square, where Banks is a partner. Curtis is also a fan. “Its price has risen due to the demand, but you can’t diminish the quality,” he says.

Along with helping to break down the muscle, marinades add flavor. Rubs also up the taste profile. Constantinou created his “java char-crust” seasoning with finely ground house-blend coffee mixed with herbs and spices. “It lends a rich flavor,” he says. Likewise, Huntley is a fan of a rub with espresso, sea salt, and cane sugar.

Some say a properly cooked steak should speak for itself. Others like a little adornment. Consider the 10oz. sirloin at FireStone that’s topped with blue cheese. Walter’s may offer a roasted-red-pepper sauce on a special.

Like many restaurants, Harry’s has garnished its sirloin with either fried onions or onion rings. The latter, popular 20 years ago, is now a trendy favorite. And, of course, there’s always mushroom, a local staple.

There are those diners who can’t get enough of a good thing. FireStone also tops the sirloin with a cheese mix of Gruyere, cheddar, and smoked Gouda. At Sullivan’s, guests can crown a steak with jumbo-lump crabmeat with béarnaise sauce, served over asparagus.

While rib-eye and barrel-cut have long been favorites, other cuts, like hanger and pub, are popping up on menus.

– continued on next page 31

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5/24/2011 1:07:59 PM

A Cut for Every Occasion

– continued from previous page

Specialty butter toppings include cabernet goat cheese or gorgonzola garlic butter. Union City Grille oers crab scampi.

Many of these dishes are a heart attack on a plate, Banks jokes. Few would argue, though, that they are an indulgence. And when it comes to steak, a little luxury is a welcome side dish.

Steak AT HOME S I X T H A N N UA L

BRANDY WINE

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To get it right at home, here are some steak-cooking tips from the experts.

Always buy high-quality products, no matter the cut. “Look for good marbling and small grains of fat,� says Tim Baker, executive chef of Sullivan’s.

Cook fresh meat. Freezing can break down the structure of the meat, Constantinou says.

When it thaws, the meat will lose its juices.

Marinades with citrus, tomatoes, and vinegars tend to help tenderize meat, Huntley says. Use caution.

Marinating for more than 24 hours aects the texture.

Let the meat come to room temperature before you cook to create an even temperature.

Dry the meat so you can get a good sear on it, Banks says.

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Salt just before you cook. If you salt too soon, it will pull out the moisture in the meat. Sullivan’s uses coarse kosher salt and cracked black pepper.

Butter it up. Many chefs butter the steak before and after serving. It imparts a rich avor and fragrant smell—and it helps get that nice sear to the outside.

Cook it right. Less-expensive meats should be served on the rare side to avoid making them chewing gumlike. Admittedly, most chefs shiver at the thought of any well-done meat. “At least try medium,� Curtis says, and adds: “Are you listening, Dad?�

Let your steak “restâ€? at least ďŹ ve minutes before serving.

The meat will keep cooking and the juices will redistribute so they don’t pour onto the plate at the ďŹ rst cut. Cooling the meat a bit also allows your palate to better distinguish all the subtle avors. “Extreme hot or cold numbs the palate and shortchanges your taste buds,â€? Huntley says.

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32 . Food & Drink

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5/24/2011 1:09:39 PM

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— Joy Smoker, art director

“One word: Nutella. I must’ve gone through four jars of the stuff this past spring, for reasons I’m still unsure of. It’s just addictive, plus oast for breakfast it goes well on toast or or sandwiches for lunch. It’s not the healthiest option, but that might be part of the appeal—I feel like Augustus Gloop swimming in a sea of hazelnut and milk chocolate.”

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6_FoodDrink.indd 5

5/24/2011 4:19:06 PM

Saturdays —or Any Day—

in the Park Picnicking is an occasion unto itself, thanks to the right culinary accompaniments

By Pam George

I

deally served in a beautiful setting, picnics are tasty ways to spend a summer afternoon. They can be romantic or family-oriented. They can tie into an event—think Hagley’s fireworks—or they are the event.

But while a red-checkered cloth and wicker basket may set the mood, it’s the food that makes it memorable. Susan Teiser, owner of Centreville Café, follows a simple rule: “I think every picnic includes something practical, something indulgent, and everything easy to manage.”

Good thing Delaware has so many spots specializing in picnic-centric food.

Potato salad is a staple. “We go through 100 lbs.—sometimes 500 lbs.—a week in the busy season,” says Kevin Varrasse II, a partner in Bachetti Bros. on Kirkwood Highway. The 34 . Food & Drink

6_FoodDrink.indd 6

gourmet store and meat market puts a little mustard and eggs in its mix. Moveable Feast in Wilmington jazzes up the recipe by using mustard vinaigrette instead of mayonnaise.

For an exotic offering, consider Moveable Feast’s barley salad, which also includes chickpeas, almonds, celery, and arugula.

“It’s delicious,” says executive chef Ellen Scully. “We also do a refreshing Moroccan-orangeand-carrot salad with honey, cinnamon, and golden raisins.”

Chicken salad is more of a main course than a side dish.

Bachetti Bros. counts its allwhite-meat chicken salad among its top sellers. You needn’t stick to the traditional. Centreville Café offers a chicken-club salad and a curried-chicken salad with fruit.

Janssen’s Market in Greenville is known for its Brandywine chicken

salad, which includes grapes and walnuts in a creamy dill dressing.

“It’s a classic,” says Eileen Janssen.

Because chicken is delicious cold or hot, it’s a popular picnic dish. Moveable Feast’s appropriately named “picnic chicken” is marinated in Dijon mustard and rolled in breadcrumbs with a hint of tarragon. Janssen’s fried chicken is always a winner.

Like chicken, sandwiches are another traditional picnic food.

Again, you can buck the norm.

Consider the turkey BLT offered at Sugarfoot Fine Foods, which has locations in Little Italy and downtown Wilmington. The sandwich includes sliced turkey, applewood-smoked bacon, tomatoes, lettuce, and chutney mayo. It’s served on country-white sourdough bread, although some customers request multigrain.

General manager Jamie Jenney also recommends easy-to-carry Cobb salad, a medley of Maytag blue cheese, sliced avocado, grilled chicken, applewoodsmoked bacon, and lettuce.

“It’s one of our most popular salads—all year long,” he says.

Starters, when combined, can act as a main course. “I love small bites for a picnic,” says Betsy LeRoy, co-owner of Pizza

by Elizabeths in Greenville. “It’s more fun to mix and match.” She recommends any of PBE’s dips: artichoke and crab, spinach and artichoke, or buffalo chicken.

(Serve with baguette slices or gourmet crackers.) The restaurant’s hummus with fresh veggies is another option.

For something to sink your teeth into, opt for Sugarfoot’s newly reintroduced tomato tart: layers of crust, caramelized onions, red and yellow tomatoes, olives, and cheddar cheese.

No picnic would be complete without dessert, such as Moveable Feast’s lemon-square cookies and turtle brownies.

Bite-sized works best, which is why picnic customers snatch up Sugarfoot’s carrot cupcakes with cream-cheese icing and filling.

June  | O&A

5/24/2011 1:10:16 PM

While presenting the meal from a picnic basket is the classic way to go, it’s not always practical. Janssen prefers a cooler outďŹ tted with ice packs to keep food fresh. Silver plastic forks and upscale disposable plates add cachet to your event. LeRoy usually brings along a vase of owers, a cute peppermill, and a large blanket. “You never know when you may feel like getting horizontal,â€? she says.

For a more elegant experience, use real silverware and linen napkins.

Serve Champagne and strawberries in glass utes. Or, purchase wild hibiscus leaves at Janssen’s. Place them in the bottom of a glass, add any type of sparkling beverage, and watch them unfold. Says Janssen: “They’re fun.â€?

PICNIC PLACES

Park,� says Ellen Scully of Moveable Feast, who also likes Rockford.

But, hands down, an informal survey garnered an overwhelming response for Valley Garden Park o Route 52. “It’s a gem,â€?

Eileen Janssen maintains.

WSTW DJ Mike Rossi explains why. “Uphill from the pond, near the creek, are several nice spots—some sunny, some shady.

There’s great scenery all around, and usually it’s very tranquil.�

Well, at least it was before survey respondents spilled the beans. “Oops,�

Rossi agrees, “I said too much!�

O

nce you’ve packed your picnic basket or cooler, you’ll have no trouble ďŹ nding a place to enjoy it. Kevin Varrasse II of Bachetti Bros. likes Bellevue State Park and Lum’s Pond State Park.

Indeed, any of the state parks have much to oer. “There are plenty of places to picnic in Brandywine State

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5/25/2011 11:50:35 AM

TASTE Food for thought on Father’s Day

By Robert Lhulier

T

urning a certain age as a father, you begin to realize that many of the paternal clichés you grew up with are destined to become part of your life once again. It’s different than the parental curse. Naturally, that’s when your kids act just like you did, or worse. No, this is when you slowly inherit all the traits you secretly snickered at your dad about behind his back. It begins with not asking for directions in your 20s. In your 30s, you plan Sundays in front of the TV with precisely the same snack spread as your pop, right down to the favorite stinky cheese and nostrilflaming mustard. In your 40s, you can nap on command. No lie.

Until recently, I never understood how my uncle and grandfather could sleep through what can only

be described as sheer mayhem at raucous family gatherings. And snoring like only a deep sleep can produce. Formidable is the only word that comes to mind.

But what happens when the parental curse and the paternal curse merge? I was having a rather unsuccessful morning preparing the little one for daycare when she told me, “N-O spells NO.” I said, “That’s MY line!” Another back-atcha came when I grabbed her to cut some of the roughly 20 minutes it takes to get her into the car seat, and she turned just before I swooped my arms around her. She said with all the sincerity of a doctor giving bad news, “Don’t even think about it.” Four.

Years. Old. I am, and always have been, I suppose, the Master of Breakfast.

It’s the first memory I have of cooking. Now it’s my gig, again.

And good thing, too. For my daughter, I usually have seven or eight viable choices in the morning, all of which can be knocked out in five minutes or less. I was making bacon for her last month and asked, “What would you like with your bacon?”

To which she said, “Sausage.”

Not all dad-isms, however, are offspring-related.

For example, I confess a certain titillating feeling when I enter the hardware store with a list of only two things to buy, then eye up one of the liquor-storesized carts and begin planning an afternoon of ambitious projects as I catch the heady aroma of fertilizer and garden-hose rubber.

Then I remember I only came in for light bulbs and a bungee cord.

Perhaps the most cliché of all is the myth of our innate penchant to barbecue big pieces of meat. The steak is a lie. Well, partially. Yes, we can barbecue (and barbecue well, thankyouverymuch), but the idea of sending dear old dad out to the backyard for roughly three months of the year to cook was created by the charcoal-andlighter-fluid lobby headed by an all-female executive board. (Stick with me.) They discovered that giving “the man of the house” an important task like cooking dinner and the freedom to do it outside in the warm sun, usually with a beer in hand and the game on the radio… Well, let’s be frank: It leaves a rather peaceful and drama-free household for the female sisterhood to enjoy.

I believe in corporate America, they call this the “win-win.”

So, what else is there to look forward to? From what I’ve seen, there’s cutting the lawn in black socks and sneakers. Memorizing all the channels on cable. Boasting proudly about your electric-lawnand-garden-grooming devices.

I’ve not yet been stricken with the thermostat bug. Though, I hear once you start, you can’t stop. I’m OK with all this. It lends a certain air of lunacy and confusion to your standing in the family. It might even, if you’re lucky, get you taken off some important (read: annoying) task, leaving you time, of course, to nap.

Robert Lhulier is the executive chef at the University & Whist Club and author of the food blog forkncork.blogspot.com.

36 . Food & Drink

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5/24/2011 1:11:29 PM

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5/24/2011 4:31:24 PM

JOIN US FOR HAPPY HOUR F

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5/24/2011 4:28:45 PM

R FROM 4-7PM AT HAPPY HOUR 4-7pm DAILY • $1 off Wine by the Glass • $2 Bud Light Bottles • $2.75 Domestic / Corona / Corona Light bottles • $5 Happy Hour Food Menu includes chili nachos, fried artichokes, sweet potato fries and roasted wings.

• $10 Bud Light Buckets (7oz) • $11 Bud Light Lime Buckets (7oz)

JUNE ENTERTAINMENT EVERY THURSDAY: JEFE, 7PM FRIDAYS 3: Chorduroy, 9pm 10: What Mama Said, 9:40pm 17: MoFaux, 10pm 24: DJ NOJ, 11pm

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5/24/2011 4:29:32 PM

DSL is dedicated in memory of Richard Embry Downing Sr. and his legacy of friendship, fun, and love.

age s s e M om fr ...

D y Bobb here is a special group of people that week in and week out, put themselves out there, are so committed to the principles and values of DSL, that they are willing to give their time to make sure that so that the other members of DSL can have a fair game, have an organized league and have the fun times that we have every week. like Pete Capriotti, Jeremy DelMatto, Kristin Dugan, Tara Sherbinko, Larry Solimini, Jim O’Hara, Kevin Jordan, Dave Zavala, Robert Cotter, Amy Garrahan, Jeff Hoban, Taylor Haverkamp, Brian Rubin, Erika Kurtz, Erika Liech, James Davis, Joe Fragle, Matt Brown, Ron Cheedle, Mike Shrewsburry, Jordan Watson, and the famous Pete Boyer are the people that are there every week to make sure that our members get the quality of games that you deserve. We are all forever indebted to each and every one of them for making DSL what it is today.

When you see them, thank them, buy them a beverage or even simply shake their hand. Without them, none of this is possible.

Thank you to all of our Member Umpires!

DELAWARESPORTSLEAGUE.COM D E L AWA R E S P O R T S L E AG U E . C O M

Monthly Highlights...

WILMINGTON KICKBALL: After 3 weeks of the season Hooligan’s, Duke Wayne, Angry Pirates, Shenanigan’s, Luther Towers, Giggity Giggity Balls, FTS Mazzarotis, and Ball & Oats are at the top of their divisions.

WILMINGTON ROOF TOP MINI GOLF: Our first inaugural season is under way with a Roof Top mini golf course. The format and course will change each week to keep all participants on the toes.

Coming In June: Wilmington Kickball PLAYOFFS! Best Buddies Kickball Tournament

DSL MONDAY BOWLING: Congratulations to Gregory Peck, Abby Twerdock, and Amanda Irons of Dry Bumbers as DSL Winter Bowling Champions!!!

DSL CO-ED GRASS VOLLEYBALL: Another inaugural season is under way with 8 teams. We just started these folks are ready to go as the first week was played in the rain and these spikers didn’t flinch at all.

WILMINGTON FIELD HOCKEY: Special thanks to Heather Jackson for all her help with the league and to all of the girls of the Delaware Field Hockey Association for giving us a chance. Also a special thanks to Jessica DelMatto and Holly Groff for being our amazing umpires and helping us pull this all together! Thanks for a GREAT first season!

XX . MUSIC

DSL_Full_JUNEl2011.indd 1

Register Today:

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It is the policy of Delaware Sports League that all members and/or those participating in Delaware Sports League games, events and/or outings must be 21 years of age or older. Neither athletic ability nor the consumption of alcohol is a requirement to participate in Delaware Sports League games, events, or outings. This is about the people, not the party. The only MAY 2008 | O&A XX requirement is that you are open to all people, treat them well, be safe with yourself and others, and have fun!

5/24/2011 4:24:17 PM

SHORT STORY

TAKING its toll I

GIVE OUT SIX DOLLARS IN CHANGE TO THE BLUE SEDAN, and let them pass on. You see a lot of $10s and $20s, rather than singles—it seems like most people don’t carry much cash anymore, and before they get on the road, they stop at an ATM. The singles we do get tend to be crumpled and overused; it’s hidden-in-the-sofa money, bills dropped into back pockets and folded into rolls. We wear disposable gloves if we like.

I put them on just to look a bit more uniformed, but I’m not really worried about catching some disease from a few dollars. You get cash at the bank, cash at the 7-11; there’s an equally likely chance you’ll catch something from www.out-and-about.com

6_ShortStory.indd 1

that, and I sure never have.

The next woman, driving a black Jetta, has a sour look on her face that I’m all too familiar with. I don’t really try to engage them; I just hold out my hand.

She says, “It’s only four dollars on the way down.”

“Yeah,” I say, “But you only hit one booth on the way down. There’s two on the way back.”

She finally picks up her purse, and rifles through it, muttering.

“That’s a rip-off,” she says.

I give her the change.

The attitudes and complaints about the cost aren’t really the worst part of it. Unless they’re really crazy, they just want to be on their way, so you don’t have to put

By Pamela Zwaskis

up with them too long. Steve, who works in booth six, tells me women get it worse than the guys, because people assume we’ll be browbeaten into admitting the fees aren’t fair or something. What can you do? I suppose I could be getting it worse, but everyone gets picked on every so often.

The worst part might be THIRD-PLACE WINNER the fumes, letting them build up all day around you. You get used to it, but you see how darkened your booth gets, and you realize you’re breathing that in, all day. You’ve also got to watch for out-of-control cars that could hit you or the booth—it’s happened before.

Not to me, or on my shift, but we saw safety videos about it in training; lots of warnings, lots of protocol.

— continued on next page 41

5/24/2011 1:20:38 PM

Taking Its Toll — continued from previous page It’s a scary thought, but as far as I know, all the booths have stayed intact since I’ve been here—except for two that have been made into E-Z Pass lanes, I guess.

I look over—three. That’s three that’ll be E-Z Pass lanes by the end of the year.

The next guy who pulls up is in a clunker: one of those old Mercedes that sounds like a broken air conditioner coming up the street from miles away.

It’s an ancient car, but he looks younger, maybe about my age. He’s all right to look at, as far as I can see—he’s got a good jawline, stubble, a nice smile.

After a few minutes, honking starts, and angry voices loudly complain from cracked-open windows.

You certainly don’t meet people doing this. Your interaction should take 15 seconds, tops—they’ll time you. There are familiar faces that come through a few times a week, but with so many booths and less than 15 seconds, you usually don’t make friends.

That’s OK. I can’t imagine I’d have much to talk about with anyone.

He smiles when he hands me the money. He says something while I make change, but I can’t hear him over that churning rumble, so I just nod.

He moves his feet on the pedals, and the car just makes this grating sound of scraping metal, the loud kind that makes your teeth grind, and it dies.

“It’s stalled,” he says.

I can hear him now.

I pause. I know my eyes get wide.

“For good?” I ask.

“Nah,” he says. “It does this sometimes.”

He tries it again. The car wheezes and shakes, but doesn’t move. He goes for it again, and it responds less ferociously each time.

“Stuck,” he says, “We gotta call a tow truck.”

I inwardly groan. I’ve heard of this happening before, but luckily it’s never happened on my shift.

“Hold on,” I say. I change my lane lights from green to red. We can direct traffic over to another lane, although it’ll take some careful maneuvering.

I call over to Steve, and Eddie, the cop we’ve got on duty now.

After a few minutes, honking starts, and angry voices loudly complain from cracked-open windows. The guy opens his door—which he’s really not supposed to do yet—and turns and waves, motioning toward his car.

“Sorry!” he says to his audience.

There’s cursing and muttering. Steve and Eddie break out the signal signs, and start directing drivers over to the other lanes. It’s slow work, and dangerous.

They won’t let me do it, because people won’t watch their speed, won’t slow down properly when they approach.

The cars start crawling by, and the guy in the stalled Mercedes watches them.

A man in an old Cherokee leans out and says something foul to him. The guy shakes his head, but he’s still smiling.

“You from here?” he says.

LighthouseDewey.com

42 . Short Story

6_ShortStory.indd 2

June  | O&A

5/25/2011 11:52:43 AM

“Yeah,” I say. “Near Wilmington.”

“Oh, yeah?” he says. “What high school?”

“St. Mark’s,” I say.

“No kidding!” he says. “I went to St. Mark’s, too.”

He must’ve been a few years ahead of or behind me. Then again, I missed a chunk of junior year, and wasn’t really too social.

“How do you become a tollbooth collector?” he says.

“You wait for someone to retire,” I say, “or die.” I don’t have a clever response to replace the honest one.

“Which one happened first?” he teases.

“Huh?” I know I’m frowning, but I don’t get it.

“Did you put a hit out on someone?” he says.

“Oh,” I say. “No. One of my parents did this, too.”

Until I was 16 years old, I heard the stories about repetition, about making proper change with quarters and dimes, about Buicks and Dodges and Lincolns. They were bigger cars back then, built like tanks, their fumes surely worse than anything I’ve inhaled lately. If a car stalled in your lane and you needed to redirect traffic back then, the cars had a much slower reaction time.

“How long have you been doing this?” he asks.

“About a year and a half,” I say. It’s closer to two years, although, to tell the truth, I don’t really notice. The time goes by, because there’s not much beyond the E-Z Pass booths that’s new.

“You live here?” I ask him.

“Nah,” he says. “D.C. I moved there about six months back. I’m up to visit my parents for the weekend.”

“You move for work?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “I had a job here; it was pretty good. It’s not that I don’t like Wilmington; it’s just that I wasn’t really doing anything.” He sighs. “It’s good, though.

There are problems, but it’s a good city. Lots to do.”

I’m probably going to watch television tonight, although I might miss my shows if I have to pick up some dinner.

“I’ve got a girlfriend,” he said. “She went to George Washington U. You want to see a picture?”

“All right,” I say. Steve’s got some photos of his wife and kids that he keeps in his booth, but I haven’t put anything in mine yet.

He shows me the screen of his Blackberry, and there’s a grinning girl with dirty brown hair. He uses his thumb to scroll over to another photo, and he and the girl are there—at a picnic, it looks like—smiling at each other. They look happy, content.

I hear the repetitive beeping of the emergency truck, see flashing lights. They’re good and fast—they know we have to clear these lanes in a hurry.

He puts the Blackberry back in his pocket.

“Here’s my ride,” he says. Then, he jokes: “Can’t believe they sent a truck. Embarrassing. I usually get a limo.”

I grin back. Well, he deserves one. A grin, I mean.

The truck beeps, and he and the truck driver start packing it up. They’ll have him out of the way and at a shop in no time at all. He can get home, and he can go see his parents. They can laugh at him driving that awful clunker Mercedes, still.

My light’s still red, and I can flip it back to green and start up again. The cars are piling up in the other lanes, so I can alleviate some of the blockage.

I look at the clock—my shift’s over.

I settle my drawers, and head back to the transit center, watching carefully for wayward drivers all the way. I peel off my gloves, blackened at the fingertips from those hidden-in-the-sofa bills, and dump them in the trash. I take off my smock and drop it in my locker.

I’ll hand in my resignation tomorrow. D.C. sounds good.

It’s only four dollars on the way down.

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44 . Movies

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June ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™„ | O&A

5/24/2011 1:28:43 PM

MOVIES SUPER 8

S AND ALIEN COWBOYS

PIRATES O

F THE CAR

Summer by the Numbers

By Mark Fields

T

he summer months offer many highly anticipated releases, but good luck finding many that don’t include a number in the title. Sequels (or at least successive films using the same characters, if not premises) will be crowding the cineplexes this summer, hoping that familiarity breeds strong ticket sales among the fan boys and girls. FastFive, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (a.k.a. #4), The Hangover Part II and Kung Fu Panda II have already opened, and joining them later on will be new additions to the franchises of Harry Potter, X-Men, Final Destination, and Cars.

Here are the movies to which I personally am most looking forward:

www.out-and-about.com

6_Movies.indd 3

IBBEAN

THE HELP

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (now playing).

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (July 15). The story

Yes, the last one was pretty weak, but Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack is one of the great screen characters of recent memory, and this outing also features Ian McShane as Blackbeard and the delectable Penelope Cruz as his swashbuckling daughter.

of “the boy who lived” has transfixed a generation of children and adults in print and film alike, and many (this writer included) are approaching the final cinematic chapter with a mixture of great anticipation and deep regret.

Cowboys and Aliens (July 29).

Super 8 (June 10). J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Lost) directs this intriguing mashup of a period coming-of-age drama and sci-fi thriller. Kids making a zombie film witness the crash of a train and the escape of an unknown creature, perhaps from outer space?

Harrison Ford. Daniel Craig. Director Jon Favreau (Iron Man). Olivia Wilde (House). Spaceships. Gunslingers. The only thing that would make this any better would be for the film to actually be good. My fingers are crossed.

The Help (Aug. 12). Based on the Larry Crowne (July 1). Tom Hanks directs himself and Julia Roberts in a romantic drama about an eternally optimistic man starting over after being laid off. Though there are shades of Forrest Grump in the description, this film promises to be both more timely and less heavy-handed.

best-selling novel by Kathryn Stockett, this 1960s-set film explores the complex relationships between Southern white families and their African-American maids. One of two times to see the everastonishing Emma Stone on screen this summer (the other is Crazy Stupid Love, opening July 29).

45

5/24/2011 1:29:10 PM

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46 . Movies

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June ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™„ | O&A

5/24/2011 4:44:05 PM

TOP ROCK DOCS When it comes to the creative and crazy minds in music, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction Dig! (2004). Music scenes always start off on promising terms.

Inevitably, they fade out or fall apart. In the case of the Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre, they also take drugs, waste money, ruin record deals, and destroy friendships. Best worst scene: Between Anton Newcombe’s Jesus complex and Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s condescending narration, there’s not a dull moment here.

I Am Trying to Break Your Heart (2002). Named after the opening track on Wilco’s fourth album, …Break Your Heart captures a band both at its artistic high and business low. A fascinating look at the frustrating intersection between creation

and commerce. Best worst scene: Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett spend what feels like half the film deciding where the percussion should start in “Heavy Metal Drummer.” Tweedy, suffering from migraines at the time, soon vomits.

Some Kind of Monster (2004). The biggest heavy metal band ever decides it’s a good idea to hire a Cosby-sweaterwearing live-in shrink at $40,000 a month and allow a camera crew to film the proceedings. All this during the recording of St. Anger, the album with that god-awful drum sound. Best worst scene: The less-than-enthusiastic reaction, via drummer Lars Ulrich’s dad, upon hearing the band’s new material;

the word “stock” as Ulrich and James Hetfield have a heated discussion over Hetfield’s guitar-playing.

Live Forever (2003). A well-rounded and culturally deep look at the Britpop phenomenon that encapsulated the 1990s, featuring fresh interviews with the Gallagher brothers, Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker, and Blur frontman Damon Albarn. Best worst scene: Albarn produces a painfully long pause when asked about the infamous first-week chart war between Blur and Oasis, only to say, “I don’t think we need to talk about that.”

— Michael Pollock

Anvil: The Story of Anvil (2008). You’ve never heard of Anvil?

But they’ve been this close to getting their big break since 1984, when they played the Super Rock Festival in Japan with Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, and Scorpions. Director

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of

Sacha Gervais makes a band of crippled souls look like the Rocky of hair metal. Best worst scene: Singer/guitarist Steve Kudlow threatens to kill a promoter in Prague after the band gets stiffed for show money during an illfated European tour.

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47

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5/24/2011 3:55:41 PM

48 . Movies

6_Movies.indd 6

June  | O&A

5/24/2011 4:37:18 PM

NIGHTLIFE

Revolution, I Love You photo by Joe del Tufo

Saturday Night Live Think there’s nowhere to see original music? Look again.

What you’ll find: If it can be played on a stringed instrument, you’ll hear it here Friday through Sunday: blues, rockabilly, singer/songwriters, something called gypsy jazz. The food takes a while and the area is low-key, so you’ll have time to take in a set or two.

Blue Parrot Bar & Grille

By Michael Pollock Arden Gild Hall 2126 The Highway, Arden ardenclub.org; 475-3126 What you’ll find: Folk, bluegrass, and the occasional shot of hip indie rock, such as last month’s Free Energy show (opened by the eclectic New Sweden, several members of which reside in Arden). The Shady Grove Music Fest (June 11) will be a showcase for the concert hall’s diversity.

Bellefonte Café 804 Brandywine Blvd., Bellefonte 761-9175; find them on Facebook

1934 W. Sixth St., Wilm. blueparrotgrille.com; 655-8990 What you’ll find: In keeping with the restaurant’s voodoo-party theme, it’s all about the blues here. But you can also find rock, funk, acoustic, and rockabilly (courtesy of the Bullets’ residency).

Deer Park Tavern 108 W. Main St., Newark deerparktavern.com; 369-9414 What you’ll find: Known for its Thursday Mug Nights and hosting of popular cover bands, Deer Park also opens the stage to local, original acts like Mad-Sweet Pangs and Spokey Speaky.

Del Rose Café 1707 Delaware Ave., Trolley Square 656-3015; find them on Facebook What you’ll find: Like Deer Park, Del Rose is known for its cover acts, usually in a solo or duo format.

But dig around and you’ll find some original songwriters who are more than just background music while enjoying a beer.

The Grand 818 N. Market St., Wilm. thegrandwilmington.org; 652-5577 What you’ll find: One of the city’s— scratch that, state’s—best live-music venues, the Grand regularly plays host to national acts: Todd Rundgren (July 8; see pg. 23) and Andrew Bird (Oct. 22) among them. Local artists (New Sweden on June 4) can find themselves at the Baby Grand.

Home Grown Café 126 E. Main St., Newark homegrowncafe.com; 266-6993 What you’ll find: Blues, rockabilly,

– continued on next page 49

6_NightLife.indd 3

5/24/2011 1:31:58 PM

Saturday Night Live

– continued from previous page

Est. 1864

Family Owned Since 1889

Come Make History with Us!

some jazz, experimental indie rock, and roots music that suits the venue’s organic vibe and neighborly Newark feel. The wide selection of craft beers and divine menu don’t hurt, either.

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6_NightLife.indd 4

(302) 65-LOGAN

519 E. Basin Rd., New Castle mcginnespub.com; 322-4766 What you’ll ďŹ nd: Edgy, FM-style rock in a where-everybody-knowsyour-name atmosphere. Friday and Saturday nights feature local lineups.

Kelly’s Logan House 1701 Delaware Ave., Trolley Square loganhouse.com; 652-9493 What you’ll ďŹ nd: The Logan House has a rich history of supporting original, local music, one that continues as they play host to this magazine’s Musikarmageddon battle-of-the-bands competition, kicking o this month and rolling through the summer. Beyond MA, you can ďŹ nd stalwarts like Ike and lower case blues as easily as newcomers Mean Lady and Little Invisibles, plus open-mic nights.

Kennett Flash 102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square kennettash.org; (484) 732-8295 What you’ll ďŹ nd: Lots of blues and folk, as well as bluegrass, jazz, and several varieties of pop and rock. Even the occasional star (like The Voice’s Rebecca Loebe, who plays here on July 29) breezes through. If you enjoy an evening of ďŹ ne-tuned songcraft regardless of genre, the Flash is for you.

Mojo 13 1706 Philadelphia Pike, Wilm. myspace.com/mojothirteen; 798-5798 What you’ll ďŹ nd: What won’t you ďŹ nd is more like it. Don’t let the carnival-onacid dĂŠcor scare you (truth be told, it scares us): Mojo is crawling, sometimes literally, with bands from all walks of life, death, and someplace in between. Booker/ promoter Andrew Miller has his ďŹ nger on every pulse within a 50-mile radius, easily. He even nabbed the Hold Steady last fall. Not for the faint of heart, but if you haven’t made at least one pilgrimage here, you haven’t experienced local music.

Mojo Main 270 E. Main St., Newark mojomain.com; 369-6656 What you’ll ďŹ nd: Mojo 13’s prettier June ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™„ | O&A

5/24/2011 1:32:36 PM

younger sister used to be East End Café, itself a haunt for local bands and Main Street townies for decades. But the year-old Mojo Main isn’t shying away from the grit and grime, evidenced by its booking of ’80s-hardcore band Reagan Youth on June 11.

The Nomad Bar

The Nomad Bar 905 N. Orange St., Wilm.

What you’ll find: True to name, Nomad “invites” wanderers by way of a neon sign that just says “Open.” But once inside, you’ll find a swarm of jazz fans who’ve found their new Mecca. Friday nights feature select artists; Saturdays host jam sessions. Saturday nights open the stage to non-jazz (but original) acts.

World Cafe Live at the Queen Fifth & Market sts., Wilm. queen.worldcafelive.com; 994-1400 What you’ll find: Does the Queen need another introduction? The biggest and most talked-about live-music venue to open in recent memory keeps giving people reasons to come downtown.

The upstairs stage hosts local and regional acts, while downstairs is typically reserved for nationally known bands and artists. Genre-friendly, with no shortage of what to expect.

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6_NightLife.indd 5

51

5/24/2011 1:32:59 PM

WINNER of Best of DE’s BEST DOWNSTATE AWARDS 2011

Festivals for the Rest of Us Find your groove at any of these upcoming music events

By Arielle From ROOTS PICNIC

2011

>> BEST BAR! >> BEST BREAKFAST! >> BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH!

June 4, starts at noon Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing in Philly Fourth annual bash, featuring performances by hip-hop band the Roots, Nas, Esperanza Spalding, Wiz Khalifa, Ariel Pink, Yelawolf, the Dismemberment Plan, Little Dragon, Man Man, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and others.

Tix: $79.95 okayplayer.com

WINE & JAZZ FESTIVAL June 4, 1pm Longwood Gardens Performances by the Ravi Coltrane Quartet, New York Voices, Kenny Barron Trio, and Tony Miceli Quartet.

Tix: $34 for members, $40 for non-members; discounts for groups of 15 or more longwoodgardens.org

DELAWARE CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL

L a u r a L eual o u s b & Tr i p p F a

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52 . Nightlife

6_NightLife.indd 6

June 10-19 The Music School of Delaware Performances of folk and classical music by David Bromberg, the SeraďŹ n String Quartet, and others.

Tix: $10-$22 for single concerts; $36-$80 for all four; free for children 6 & younger dcmf.org

SHADY GROVE MUSIC FESTIVAL

June 11, 11am-8pm, Arden Performances by New Sweden, Villains Like You, Smoke Signals, the Joe Trainor Trio, Deadbeatz Inc., the Bullbuckers, Little Invisibles, Local Chaos, Sharon Sable, and Frequency Bender.

Tix: $15 in advance, $20 at the gate; free for children 12 & younger ardenclub.org

June ď™…ď™ƒď™„ď™„ | O&A

5/25/2011 12:15:54 PM

DuPONT CLIFFORD BROWN JAZZ FESTIVAL

An American Classic.

June 20-26 Rodney Square Wilmington’s annual jazz festival, with free admission. See the flipside of this issue for a lineup and schedule of events.

DEADFEST June 30, gates open at 5pm Brandywine Valley Association in West Chester The music of Grateful Dead, as played by more than 20 area bands and musicians. $5 admission; proceeds benefit the watershed-conservancy efforts of the BVA. (610) 793-1090

7JTJU PVS FYQBOEFE CBS BU +BNFT 4USFFU Triple Play Special for Phillies Games! Catch every play at James Street

TURKS HEAD MUSIC FESTIVAL July 17, 11-5pm Everhart Park in West Chester Featuring North End, New Pony, Barakka, the National Rifle, and others. Free admission. turksheadfestival.com

$7 Draft Beer and Wings (1/2 Dozen) $7 Draft Beer & Burger $7 Draft Beer & CheeseSteak (SFBU 5BTUJOH $PME #FFST "MXBZT PO 5BQ t &OKPZ &WFSZ 1JUDI PO )%57T 2 West Market Street (Corner of Market & James Streets) | Newport, DE 302.998.6903 | jstavern.com

DELAWARE STATE FAIR Harrington; Wilmington Trust Grandstand July 22: Three Days Grace (Tix: $43-$48) July 24: Big Time Rush (Tix: $35-$40) July 25: Toby Keith, Eric Church (Tix: $59-$69) July 26: Ke$ha (Tix: $45-$50) July 27: Miranda Cosgrove, Greyson Chance (Tix: $31-$36) July 28: Josh Turner, the Band Perry (Tix: $31-$36) July 30: Alan Jackson, Craig Campbell (Tix: $50-$55) delawarestatefair.com

DEWEY BEACH ELECTRONIC DANCE MUSIC FESTIVAL July 29 Bottle & Cork, Dewey Beach Delaware’s first-ever EDM festival features local and regional DJs and producers, including Drivepilot, Dirty Talk, Minnesota, Voodoo Farm, Bassdread, Scott Nyce, DJ EA, and H Mazz, with light shows and lots of visuals. A 21+ event.

Tix: $20 in advance online at tickets.deweybeachlife.com Find them on Facebook under “CKC Productions”

– continued on page 56

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6_NightLife.indd 7

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5/24/2011 1:34:21 PM

TROLLEY

Our most recent winners Theresa Ruggerio and Sarah Potoch as on the Miller Spot Lite in Trolley Square

LOOK FOR MILLER LITE SPECIALS AT TrolleyNights_june11.indd 2

5/24/2011 4:41:17 PM

Y

NITES VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE PHOTO TO BE ON THE

MILLER SPOT LITE BILLBOARD IN TROLLEY SQUARE!

Vote from these photos at OutAndAboutNow.com.

Voting closes on June 15th.

NEXT SPOT-LITE PHOTO SHOOT: SATURDAY JULY 18TH IN TROLLEY SQUARE.

YOUR TROLLEY SQUARE DESTINATION TrolleyNights_june11.indd 3

5/24/2011 4:41:49 PM

Festivals for the Rest of Us

– continued from page 53

PEOPLES’ FESTIVAL TRIBUTE TO BOB MARLEY July 30, noon-10pm Riverfront Live reggae and world-beat music, featuring Bushman, the Anthem Band, and others. peoplesfestival.com

RIVERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL August 5-7 Riverfront Performances by Joanne Shaw Taylor, Smokin’ Joe Kubek with B’nois King, James Cotton Band, Porkroll Project, Travis Haddix, E.C. Scott, Super Chikan & the Fighting Cocks, Vasti Jackson, Chicago Blues Reunion, Jumpin’ Johnny Sansone, Tab Benoit, and the Lowrider Band.

Tix: $50 for weekend pass, $20 Friday only ($15 in advance), $25 Saturday or Sunday ($20 in advance) riverfrontbluesfest.com

SUMMER ON THE PATIO MEXICAN MONDAYS

Aug. 19-21 Old Pool Farm in Schwenksville, Pa. Arlo Guthrie, Jorma Kaukonen, David Bromberg, and Justin Townes Earle are among the performers.

Tix: 3-day passes available for $103.50; other prices vary pfs.org

HAPPY HOUR

DEWEY BEACH MUSIC CONFERENCE

EVERY MONDAY IN JUNE! Mexican food specials $3.50 Coronas & $5 Cazadores Margaritas while you sit on our beautiful patio!

MONDAY – FRIDAY, 4 – 7 P.M. $5 Tall Bacardi Rum Drinks

FRIEND BBC ON

And get a FREE appetizer, entree or dessert! (find us at BBC Greenville)

LIVE ACOUSTIC MUSIC! Every Thursday, starting at 9 P.M.

PHILLIES GAMES 50¢ wings, $3 Miller Lites

56 . Nightlife

6_NightLife.indd 10

PHILADELPHIA FOLK FESTIVAL

Sept. 22-24 Select venues in Dewey Beach Annual independent-music showcase featuring dozens of bands, industry workshops, and more. deweybeachfest.com

REHOBOTH BEACH JAZZ FESTIVAL October 12-16 Rehoboth Beach Convention Center Performances by Fourplay, Steve Cole, Norman Brown, Richard Elliot, Mindi Abair, and many others.

Ticket prices vary. rehobothjazz.com

June  | O&A

5/24/2011 3:59:29 PM

5

6_FlipPageCalendar.indd 1

Father’s Day

26

19 9

12

World rld Environment Day viro ro onm nmen men ent nt Da D ay

SUNDAY

JUNE

13

6 Half-price burgers @ Kid Shelleen’s every Tuesday

Tuesday

14

7

HAPPY B-DAY, Queen of ENGLAND! ENGLAN ND!

21

Full Moon

22

15

27

28

@ World Cafe Live at the Queen

CITIZEN COPE

Summer Solstice

@ World Cafe Live at the Queen

BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY

29

9

2

@ BRANDYWINE ZOO

FAMILY FUN NIGHT

3

24

17

WILMINGTON BEER WEEK July 9-16 NEWARK FOOD & BREW FEST July 23

THE DATE

11

4

5/25/2011 12:35:24 PM

25

18

Separation Day in historic New Castle

@ the baby grand

NEW SWEDEN

Saturday

TODD RUNDGREN @ THE GRAND July 8

MARTIN SEXTON @ World Cafe Live at the Queen

DETAILS, PG. 11

10

Transistor Rodeo with the Cocks @ World Cafe Live at the Queen

Friday

SAVE

30

23

16

DETAILS, WM PG. 11

@ the Grand

BÉLA FLECK & THE FLECKTONES

DUPONT CLIFFORD BROWN JAZZ FEST, 20–26 DETAILS, WM PG. 6 D

20 2

Flag Day

8

1

Thursday

GREEK FESTIVAL, 7–11

New Moon

Wednesday

ST. ANTHONY’S ITALIAN FEST, 12–19 DETAILS, WM PG. 11

GROOVE NIGHT @ World Cafe Live at the Queen

Monday

Our event picks for the month

MAGAZINE

6 great festivals you need to experience

this issue

6_Wilmington_Cover.indd 1

• A complete Jazz Fest preview • The Nomad Bar’s secret spilled • Biking & walking on the Riverfront

JUNE 2011 Vol. 3 ISSUE 1

5/24/2011 1:37:12 PM

ENJOY A TA S T E O F

DI N E AT A NY OF THE S I X T R O L L E Y S Q UA R E R E S TAUR A N TS B E LO W AN D R E C E I V E A $10 GIFT CERTIFIC AT E D i nner c h e c k m u st b e $ 5 0 o r m o re.

Gif t cer tificate valid at any of the restaurants below.

O ffer valid through Jul. 31, 2011. Gif t Ce r tificate expires Aug. 31, 2011.

6_Wilmington_Inside.indd 4

5/25/2011 2:03:39 PM

For one week this summer,

it’s all gravy.

Experience the beauty and spirit of the Renaissance—right in the heart of Wilmington—at the Italian Festival from June 12 to 19. Enjoy authentic Italian food and beverages, amusement rides and carnival games, a gala classical concert, a full-size outdoor Renaissance garden, and a host of vendors and merchants.

Admission: $5 daily (ages 14–61) • 8-day passes: $12 (through 6/5); $15 at festival 13 and under/62 and over get in free • Free parking and shuttle service at Salesianum

Visit StAnthonysFestival.com for details Presenting Sponsor: WSFS Bank Community Partners: Aloysius Butler & Clark St. Francis Hospital City of Wilmington Cultural Patron: Wilmington University Proceeds benefit St. Anthony of Padua Grade School

r 5"45*/(4 r #&&3 %*//&34 r .&&5 5)& #3&8&34 r %&-"8"3& #&&3 /*()5 r $*5:8*%& )"11: )063

WILMINGTON BEER WEEK

JULY 9-16 6_Wilmington_Inside.indd 1

WilmingtonBeerWeek.com

5/24/2011 5:17:59 PM

DIVISION OF MOTOR VEHICLES

The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles is now issuing more secure, federally compliant driver licenses and identiďŹ cation cards.

In order to obtain your new driver license or ID card, you will need to collect and bring a few important source documents to provide proof of: s Identity (Name and Date of Birth) s U.S. citizenship/Legal presence s Social Security Number s 2 proofs of Delaware residency s Name change documents (if applicable) You can find everything you need to know at

SecureID.dmv.de.gov or call toll free

877-477-7117

(302) 482-3333 821 N. MARKET ST. WILMINGTON, DE CHELSEATAVERN.COM 2

6_Wilmington_Inside.indd 2

JUNE 2011

5/24/2011 4:04:44 PM

Produced by magazine

all rights reserved

TSN Publishing, Inc. President Gerald DuPhily

Editor-in-Chief

June 2011 volume 3, issue 1

6 Cover Story City Swing A preview of the DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, the city’s biggest musical celebration all year.

Michael Pollock

Art Director Joy Smoker Production Manager Matt Loeb Senior Graphic Designer Shawna Sneath

Advertising Sales Jim Hunter Miller Marie Graham

12

In This Together

The Wanderers Can you keep a secret? The Nomad, the city’s hottest new jazz bar, is betting you can’t. By Michael Pollock

14

Riverfront

June on the Water DTC puts kids onstage; Bike to Build raises money for homes; DEEC teaches gardening; Riverwalkers promotes exercise.

Project Manager Christine Serio

Contributing Writers Josephine Eccel, Carol Kipp Larry Nagengast, Bob Yearick

Contributing Photographers Joe del Tufo, Tim Hawk Les Kipp, Matt Urban

For editorial and advertising information: p (302) 655-6483 f (302) 654-0569

TSN Media, Inc. 307 A Street Wilmington, DE 19801

4

“in” Calendar

18

City Notes

19

Wilmington Renaissance News

DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival photos by Tim Hawk and David Howell.

St. Anthony’s Italian Festival photo by Don Blake.

ABOUT THE “IN” CAMPAIGN Wilmington is truly in the middle of it all, and the “in” campaign is a celebration of the accomplishments we continue to achieve as a community to make our city stronger and more attractive. From neighborhood and business development to our arts and cultural scene, the people of Wilmington are working together to support our city’s ongoing growth and prosperity.

ABOUT WILMINGTON MAGAZINE The mission of Wilmington Magazine is to capture, through stories and images, the ongoing energy present in the city. We aim to inform readers, both inside and outside Wilmington, of the city’s residential, financial, and cultural progress while remaining entertaining and vibrant.

3

6_Wilmington_Inside.indd 3

5/24/2011 1:41:43 PM

WED, JUN 1, 6 – 8 PM

EVERY THU, 7 PM & SUN, 3 PM

THU, JUN 2, 8 PM

EVERY FRIDAY HOME GAME

TheDCH presents Jazzing

Up The Goodstay Gardens

All-You-Can-Eat Crab Cruise on the Riverboat Queen

Bela Fleck & The Flecktones: The Original Line-Up

Fireworks Night at the Blue Rocks

s 0ENNSYLVANIA !VE BIT LY MGE3RS

Departs from the Riverfront Public Docks "LOCK OF 3 -ADISON 3T s BIT LY JS1#X

The Grand s '2!.$ .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET s BIT LY I%V-H,

&RAWLEY 3TADIUM s ",5% 3HIPYARD $RIVE s BIT LY I(&H"'

SATURDAYS, 4 – 7 PM

EVERY MONDAY, 6:30 PM

TUE, JUN 7 – SAT, JUN 11

WED, JUN 8, 6 – 9:30 PM

Saturday Afternoon Jazz Jam

Rockford Park Concert Series

Greek Festival

.OMAD "AR s 302.655.8800 .ORTH /RANGE 3TREET s BIT LY JN"-+F

Rockford Park s ,OOKOUT $RIVE s BIT LY K8F0DN

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church .ORTH "ROOM 3TREET s BIT LY MK82JZ

Singles Party bit.ly/jm97Wc World Cafe Live at the Queen presented by Delaware Today s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

THU, JUN 9, 6 – 8 PM

SAT, JUN 11, 11 AM – 8 PM

SUN, JUN 12, 11 AM – 4 PM

SUN, JUN 12 – SUN, JUN 19

WSTW’s Family Fun Night

Shady Grove Music Festival

Wilmo A Go-Go Car Show

St. Anthony’s Italian Festival

"RANDYWINE :OO s .ORTH 0ARK $RIVE s BIT LY I"+ FN

Arden Shady Grove s 4HE (IGHWAY !RDEN s BIT LY KZ2,))

Presented by Poppycock Tattoo, Brett Garwood Photography and Downtown Visions #ORNER OF TH /RANGE 3T s BIT LY KGD 0D

St. Anthony’s Church 8 Day Passes now available for $12.00 .ORTH $UPONT 3TREET s BIT LY L!KPEA

SUN, JUN 19 – SUN, JUN 26

TUE, JUN 21, 6 PM

NOW – SUN, SEP 18

DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival

Summer Solstice Labyrinth Walk

The Elliptical Frontiers

Rodney Square s TH -ARKET 3TREETS s BIT LY L97 2

$ELAWARE !RT -USEUM s +ENTMERE 0ARKWAY s BIT LY MI R1L

FRI, JUN 17, 7:30 PM

WXPN Welcomes Martin

Sexton

World Cafe Live at the Queen s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET BIT LY KZ - R

The Delaware Center for #ONTEMPORARY !RTS s 3OUTH -ADISON 3TREET s BIT LY J V: Q

QR CODE

WHAT’S ‘IN’ FOR JUNE 2011

find more at { inwilmingtonde.com } 6_Wilmington_InCalendar.indd 2

MUSIC

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FOOD & DRINK

5/24/2011 1:42:57 PM

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1 & BEYOND

SUNDAY, JUNE 5

Delaware Art Museum

7th Annual Riverfront Camaro Show

s %SCAPE TO !DVENTURE &OCUS ON !RTHUR % "ECHER thru December 31, 2011 s +ENTMERE 0ARKWAY

3HIPYARD 3HOPS s *USTISON 3TREET

Delaware All-State Theatre presents Ragtime $U0ONT 4HEATRE s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

School of Rock: Best of Season Show

The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts

Serafin String Quartet – Delaware Chamber Music Festival

7ORLD #AFE ,IVE AT THE 1UEEN 2/#+ s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

s #LAIRE &OLKMAN thru Thursday, July 7 s ) .EED 3OME 3PACE TO 4HINK thru Sunday, September 4 s -EMBERS *URIED $UETS thru August 14 s %DGAR *ERINS thru Sunday, August 21 s 3OUTH -ADISON 3TREET

4HE -USIC 3CHOOL OF $ELAWARE s 7ASHINGTON 3TREET

The Delaware Walk for Lupus Now The Secret Garden

(ARE 0AVILION 2IVERFRONT Check-in at 7:30 AM, Walk begins at 8:30 AM s *USTISON 3TREET

THURSDAY, JUNE 2

7ILMINGTON $RAMA ,EAGUE s 7EST ,EA "LVD

SATURDAY, JUNE 18

5th Annual Berry Festival 7ILMINGTON &RIENDS -EETING (OUSE 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Harmony on the Hill Concerts s .ORTH 7EST 3TREET

Dwele 7ORLD #AFE ,IVE AT THE 1UEEN s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

The Machine – Pink Floyd Tribute 7ORLD #AFE ,IVE AT 4HE 1UEEN s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

Bellevue Summer Concert Series

Thursday Noontime Concerts

Enchanted Summer Day

"ELLEVUE 3TATE 0ARK Sundays & Thursdays at 6:30 PM thru August 28 s #ARR 2OAD

&IRST #ENTRAL 0RESBYTERIAN #HURCH s -ARKET 3TREET

Wilmington Acoustic Thursdays

FRIDAY, JUNE 17

7INTERTHUR s +ENNETT 0IKE

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8

)RON (ILL "REWERY Live acoustic music every Thursday at 7 PM s *USTISON 3TREET

Pre-Raphelites in Print: The Age of Photomechanical Reproduction

Live at Lunch Concert Series

thru September 17 $ELAWARE !RT -USEUM s +ENTMERE 0ARKWAY

"ELLEVUE 3TATE 0ARK Every Wednesday at noon s #ARR 2OAD

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

SUNDAY, JUNE 19 Art on the Town

Why I Write

6ARIOUS ,OCATIONS Buses leave promptly at 5:45pm from the Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts and return at 8:55pm.

302.576.2135 s 3OUTH -ADISON 3TREET

Theatre N s /RANGE 3TREET

Celebrating Wild Dads!

"RANDYWINE :OO s .ORTH 0ARK $RIVE

FRIDAY, JUNE 10 MONDAY, JUNE 20

re:Fresh

Wilmington Trust Presents Fireworks at Hagley

&ILM "ROTHERS -OVIE #/ /0 Don't miss the official Art on the Town after party featuring live music and more from 8–11:00 PM 302.576.2135 s . -ARKET 3TREET

In the Park Lunchtime Concerts

(AGLEY -USEUM ,IBRARY s (AGLEY 2OAD

thru August 26 ( " $U0ONT 0ARK TH 7ASHINGTON 3TREETS

Relay for Life

The Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts

TUESDAY, JUNE 21

June 10 & 11 0 3 $U0ONT 3CHOOL !#3 s 7EST TH 3TREET

s 'UST thru September 25 s ,ESLIE 3HELLOW thru October 9 s 3OUTH -ADISON 3TREET

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy 7ORLD #AFE ,IVE AT THE 1UEEN s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

SATURDAY, JUNE 11 4th Annual Trolley Bazaar

SATURDAY, JUNE 4

The Business of NOW Networking Series 4HE CO). ,OFT s ! 7EST TH 3TREET

MONDAY, JUNE 13 Summer Library Performing Arts Series

4HE -USIC 3CHOOL OF $ELAWARE s 7ASHINGTON 3TREET

Acclaimed storyteller Diane Macklin reads Animal Tail Tales, various dates & libraries thru June 20 X

4HE "ABY 'RAND 2010 winners of Out & About’s Musikarmageddon '2!.$ s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

QR CODE K

8:00 AM, $40 registration fee, prizes for top riders 4UBMAN 'ARRETT 0ARK s X 7ATER 3OUTH &RENCH 3TREETS

Orchestral Concert: Suzuki Academy Orchestras

New Sweden

THURSDAY, JUNE 23

Habitat for Humanity's Bike to Build

$ELAWARE #ENTER FOR (ORTICULTURE Folk art, fine art and crafts s .ORTH $UPONT 3TREET

SUNDAY, JUNE 26 Sunday Studio Series Activities for children the last Sunday on every month $ELAWARE !RT -USEUM s +ENTMERE 0ARKWAY

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15

Little Italy Farmer's Market

TUESDAY, JUNE 28

Summer Salon Series 4HE 'RAND Live music every Wednesday at noon thru August 24 '2!.$ s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

Citizen Cope: An Intimate Solo/Acoustic Performance

Every Saturday thru October 29 s TH "ANCROFT 0ARKWAY

find more at { inwilmingtonde.com }

6_Wilmington_InCalendar.indd 3

7ORLD #AFE ,IVE AT THE 1UEEN s .ORTH -ARKET 3TREET

MUSIC

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

FOOD & DRINK

5/24/2011 1:43:17 PM

COVER STORY

The Avery Sharpe Quintet

The Captain Black Big Band Ninety Miles

René Marie

The Junior Mance Quintet

2011 PERFORMER

BIOS

The Captain Black Big Band The 39-piece band, led by Philadelphia pianist Orrin Evans, has been called “aggressive”

by The New York Times and “hard-blowing”

by The Columbus Dispatch. Their self-titled debut was recorded live at the Jazz Gallery in New York City and Chris’ Jazz Café in Philly. (captainblackbigband.com)

The Avery Sharpe Quintet Bassist/

The Junior Mance Quintet The

composer Avery Sharpe began playing piano at 8 and quickly moved on to other instruments. He spent 20 years playing bass for McCoy Tyner, and has also served as sideman for Dizzy Gillespie and Pat Metheny. His quintet’s latest release is Running Man. (averysharpe.com)

82-year-old pianist is an accomplished leader, sideman, and instructor. He even performed with Clifford Brown as a backing player for Dinah Washington, recording two live albums. His quintet’s latest is Out South. (juniormance.com)

6 . DUPONT CLIFFORD BROWN JAZZ FESTIVAL

6_Wilmington_CoverPackage.indd 2

Manifest 3 Bassist Michael Cruse, keyboardist Dennis Fortune (who teaches at the Christina Cultural Arts Center), drummer Harry “Butch” Reed, and guitarist Gerald “Twig” Smith comprise this expert, musically tight Philadelphiabred quartet. (manifest3.com) René Marie The soulful, naturally gifted jazz singer didn’t start performing professionally until the age of 40—she spent two decades raising a family. She’s made up for lost time; her latest is Voice of My Beautiful Country. (renemarie.com) The Metta Quintet Drawing their influences from literary works (like those

by James Baldwin) and social experiences JUNE 2011

5/24/2011 2:37:51 PM

The Rufus Reid Quintet

Soul of Summer Tizer

(the subway), the members of the Brooklyn-based Metta Quintet dedicate themselves to reaching young audiences and street musicians. (jazzreach.org)

Ninety Miles Vibist Stefon Harris, saxophonist David Sánchez, and trumpeter Christian Scott traveled to Havana, Cuba to collaborate with pianists Rember Duharte and Harold López-Nussa. The results are a nine-song collection and accompanying documentary, out June 21. (ninetymilesproject.com)

The Ronny Jordan Full Band Guitarist Ronny Jordan is a leading name in the acid- and crossover-jazz circles, although his fluid style defies easy

The Ronny Jordan Full Band

categorization, making him a DJ and club favorite. (ronnyjordan.com)

The Rufus Reid Quintet Educator/ composer/double bassist Rufus Reid was won attention and accolades for his everevolving craft. He recently released Hues of a Different Blue. (rufusreid.com) Soul of Summer Singer Maysa and saxophonist/vocalist Eric Darius join South African singer/guitarist Jonathan Butler for a blend of jazz styles as the trio embarks on this summer tour, which features forgotten-gem soul music of the last several decades.

Take 6 The a capella sextet is one of the premiere names in gospel music, having won 10 Grammys and collaborated with a who’s-who in R&B and soul. (Member Claude McKnight is the older brother of R&B great Brian McKnight.) (take6.com)

Tizer Jazz-fusion keyboardist Lao Tizer ushers in a fresh take on contemporary jazz while paying his dues via performances with legends such as Isaac Hayes, the Commodores, Wayne Shorter, Bruce Hornsby, and Jethro Tull. (reverbnation. com/tizerlaotizer)

7

6_Wilmington_CoverPackage.indd 3

5/24/2011 2:38:24 PM

Take 6

COVER STORY

2011 CONCERT

SCHEDULE Tuesday, June 21: 6PM The Junior Mance Quintet 8PM Manifest 3 Wednesday, June 22: 6PM The Avery Sharpe Quintet 8PM Ninety Miles, featuring Stefon Harris, David Sanchez & Christian Scott Thursday, June 23: 6PM The Ronny Jordan Full Band 8PM Soul of Summer, featuring Jonathan Butler, Eric Darius & Maysa

Saturday, June 25: 3:30PM The Captain Black Big Band 5PM René Marie’s “Voice of My Beautiful Country” tour, featuring Rene Marie (vocals), Kevin Bales (piano), Kevin Hamilton (bass) & Quentin Baxter (drums) 7PM Rufus Reid Quintet 9PM TBA Sunday, June 26: 4PM The Grand Opera House will host a jazz-inspired concert by the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Amado and featuring guest soloists

Friday, June 24: 5PM The Metta Quintet 6:45PM Tizer, featuring Chieli Minucci & Karen Briggs 8:30PM Take 6 8 . DUPONT CLIFFORD BROWN JAZZ FESTIVAL

6_Wilmington_CoverPackage.indd 4

JUNE 2011

5/24/2011 2:38:52 PM

JAZZING UP

THE TOWN Look for these special events taking place throughout the week

Sunday, June 19: Jazz Vespers (Episcopal Church of Saints Andrew & Matthew, 8th & Shipley streets, 5 p.m.). Inspired by Duke Ellington’s Sacred Music Concerts, the Jazz Fest hosts Jazz Vespers, a structured sacred concert featuring elements of jazz and spiritually based spoken text.

Monday, June 20: Phase III dedication of Clifford Brown Garden (16th Street & Clifford Brown Walk). Wilmington sculptor Rick Rothrock adds to his Clifford Brown tribute by installing a vibration-activated audio system that plays Brownie tunes when visitors pass through.

Saturday, June 25: Saturday has been reserved for community-based educational programming, festival curator Tina Betz says. World Cafe Live at the Queen will host “Big Drum, Small Drum” for children in grades 3 through 6. On Saturday afternoon, bassist Rufus Reid (a performer that night) will lead a workshop at the Christina Cultural Arts Center. Also that day: performer René Marie will visit a local homeless shelter; and Theatre N will show Ninety Miles, a documentary about one group of musicians’ trip to Cuba. Visit cliffordbrownjazzfest.com for details.

Each night after the performances: The Nomad Bar (905 N. Orange St.; see the feature in this issue), the city’s popular new jazz club, will be the official after-party jam spot for the Jazz Festival when performances end around 10 p.m. “We’ll have the house band and musicians from the festival playing, and anyone’s welcome to join in,” Nomad co-owner Dave Vandever says.

WHY

CLIFFORD BROWN?

W

ilmington’s Clifford Brown arrived on the jazz scene during the mid-1950s with a degree of range and technical facility that inspired up-and-coming trumpet players for decades. Sadly, a car accident in 1956 on the Pennsylvania Turnpike brought his life to a premature end.

Brown was only 25 when he died, but he had already established himself as the premier trumpet player of his time, the heir apparent to the bebop throne that Dizzy Gillespie and Fats Navarro had claimed in the 1940s. “He played like an old man,” trumpeter Donald Byrd once said, “someone 40, 50 years old at [the age of] 20.”

Brown was born here in 1930, the youngest of eight children. He studied music at Howard High School and privately with Robert “Boysie” Lowery, the famed Wilmington teacher who served as a mentor to scores of young musicians in the Delaware Valley. Brown’s identity with Wilmington became so strong, in fact, that musicians used to refer to the city as “Brownie’s Town” and “Trumpet City.”

“He had that beautiful sound in all registers,” drummer Max Roach once said. “You just knew it was him. Louis [Armstrong] was like that; so were Dizzy [Gillespie] and Miles [Davis].

Clifford was an original. He’s in that pantheon of very special people. They just never go away. They’re always here.”

The Nomad

— Originally written by Eric Fine 9

6_Wilmington_CoverPackage.indd 5

5/24/2011 2:39:15 PM

DELAWARE COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN

CONTINUING EDUCATION Enhance your artistic abilities and advance your career at DCAD. Courses in Computer Graphics, Fine Arts, Interior Design, Jewelry Design and Photography.

Register at dcad.edu or call 302.622.8867 x110.

Spring Semester begins Monday, June 6.

10 . CITY FESTIVALS

6_Wilmington_CoverPackage.indd 6

JUNE 2011

5/24/2011 1:50:00 PM

Fun in the

Sun The Jazz Festival isn’t the only celebration Wilmington has to offer this summer. Here’s a closer look at the rest of festival season.

GREEK WEEK The city’s Greek Festival features food, beer, and wine native to Greece.

Photo by Matt Urban

WILMINGTON GREEK FESTIVAL June 7-11 WHERE: Grounds of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 808 N. Broom St. WHAT TO KNOW: The annual Greek Fest, held over five days this year, features dishes and desserts, beer and wine, and music and dancing native to Greece.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY? Yes. TIX & PARKING: Free admission. Street, non-metered parking is available in the neighborhoods around the church (space permitting), and a free shuttle service runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Friday. Pick-up is at Ninth and Market every 10 minutes.

ST. ANTHONY’S ITALIAN FESTIVAL June 12-19 WHERE: Grounds of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, 901 N. Dupont St. WHAT TO KNOW: A Wilmington tradition, the Italian Festival is the city’s best people-watching event all year, with some of its best food. Consider the games, vendors, music, and rides for the kids bonuses.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY? Yes (although you’ll want to keep the kids away from the beer garden).

TIX & PARKING: Admission is $5 for those ages 14 to 61; an eight-day pass is $12 if purchased before June 12; eightday passes can also be purchased at the gate for $15. Street parking is available, but the festival tends to draw tens of thousands of folks throughout the week, so be prepared to hunt for a spot. Some lots offer deals, and a shuttle service is offered from Salesianum to the festival from 4:30 to 11:30 p.m. weekdays and 1 to 11:30 p.m. on weekends.

WILMINGTON PIRATE DAY July 9, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

WHERE: Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park WHAT TO KNOW: The inaugural festival is a celebration of pirate culture and sea life, with treasure hunts, tours of the Kalmar Nyckel, music and food.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY? Absolutely.

TIX & PARKING: Free admission but charges for some activities. Parking available at various Riverfront lots.

PEOPLES’ FESTIVAL TRIBUTE TO BOB MARLEY July 30, Noon – 10 p.m.

WHERE: Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park WHAT TO KNOW: Two stages of reggae and world beat (featuring Bushman, Kinto Sol, and others), in honor of legend and former city resident Bob Marley. Arts-and-crafts vendors and beer garden also on tap.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY? Yes. TIX & PARKING: Tickets are $20 if purchased in advance online (at peoplesfestival. com) and $25 at the gate. Parking available at various Riverfront lots.

RIVERFRONT BLUES FESTIVAL Aug. 5-7 WHERE: Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park WHAT TO KNOW: Cross-generational blues across two stages, featuring Tab Benoit and the Lowrider Band as well as local acts, with after-parties at the Sheraton. Food and beer on sale.

FAMILY-FRIENDLY? Yes. TIX & PARKING: Ticket packages run $15 (for advance one-day passes on Friday), $20 (for advance one-day passes on Saturday or Sunday), and $50 (for advance three-day passes). Children under 12 get in free. Parking available at various Riverfront lots.

11

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5/24/2011 1:50:29 PM

IN THIS TOGETHER

The Wanderers Can you keep a secret?

The Nomad, the city’s hottest new jazz bar, is betting you can’t.

By Michael Pollock

I

t’s become a wink-and-nod that the virtually undetectable Nomad Bar, at 905 N. Orange St., informs patrons that it’s open for business through a neon sign in the window that reads, well, “Open.” There is no other official signage, which is how the Nomad got its other name: the Open Bar. True to the jazz club’s mysterious nature, the Nomad is sometimes open even when the sign is turned off.

A visit last month provided as much evidence. That day, the retired, 62-year-old Dave Vandever, who owns the bar with his wife Linda, was handling bartender duties for a handful of customers before his staff was due to come in. There was no music playing; the flat-screens in several corners of the place weren’t even on. But customers didn’t seem to mind. In fact, they almost seemed to 12 . IN THIS TOGETHER

6_Wilmington_InThisTogether.indd 2

prefer it that way: their little corner of the city, still new and hidden.

Traffic, however, is picking up since the Nomad’s soft opening in late January. It’ll pick up even more this month when it’s the official post-performance venue during the DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, running June 20-26. When the festival finishes each evening (around 10 p.m.), the bar’s house band will open the Nomad stage for jam sessions. “Anyone’s welcome to come in,” Vandever says, “and I’m sure some of the performing musicians will stop by.”

That’s thanks to Harry Spencer, a well-connected local jazz musician who books gigs for the Nomad and has a history of performing at the Jazz Fest. He met Vandever through a very musical connection. “He was my saxophone instructor,” Vandever says.

“I picked up the instrument late in life, only a few years ago.” (In addition to jazz, Vandever and Spencer also share a love of fishing.)

Vandever has owned the building that houses the Nomad since the mid-1970s. The ground floor has been home to several luncheonettes through the years, but the narrow, deep space lends itself well to a low-key hideaway. “We gutted the place, right to the rafters,” Vandever says. Everything is brand-new: the plumbing and electrical work, the heating and air, the bar rail. The

exposed brick and track lighting set a sleek urban mood. “Once we got into it, we really wanted to do it right,” Vandever says. “We felt Wilmington needed something like this.”

As a result, the Nomad has turned into a clubhouse for jazz fans. Regional performers are booked for Friday nights, with dropins taking over for jam sessions and open-mic showcases on Saturday afternoon and night, respectively, which tend to bring out younger, fusion-minded musicians.

“We’ve kind of become the official bar for the Midtown Brandywine neighborhood, or for office people finding a really nice place for happy hour. The night people start filing in around 9 or 10 o’clock. We have different orbits, but everyone seems to mellow out and get along,” Vandever says.

Word-of-mouth has been the bar’s greatest marketing tool. The absence of signage, a web presence, and advertising wasn’t part of creating mystique, Vandever says. He’s been too busy to do those things, and now he doesn’t really need them. “We’ll put up a sign eventually, and we want to use our website to post backgrounds on the performers, to create an artistic dialogue with the musicians. We haven’t had the time to expand into that. But we will.”

JUNE 2011

5/24/2011 1:51:21 PM

W

ilmington hosted one of its biggest weekends in recent memory with two talked-about events: the Wilmington Grand Prix bike race and street festival (May 20-22) and the 2011 Non-COMM music conference (May 19-21).

Remarked one long-time city resident: “I haven’t seen this many people on Market Street since the ’60s.” (There were more than 20,000 people downtown.) Above, scenes from the festivities. At top right, the Men’s Pro field turns onto 10th Street; at top left, World BMX Champion Mike Steidley entertains the crowd; middle: onlookers watch as a pack of cyclists heads up Market Street. (Photos by Les Kipp) At bottom left: the Givers, an Afro-beat-inspired folk-rock band from Lafayette, La., made the trek for a Non-COMM performance. At bottom right: funk-soul crooner Raphael Saadiq. (Photos by Joe del Tufo) 13

6_Wilmington_InThisTogether.indd 3

5/25/2011 12:05:02 PM

KIDS ON STAGE

Send the kids to a summer on stage

D

elaware Theatre Company’s Summer on Stage is a performing-arts program where kids explore their creative sides. They’ll learn performance techniques during a three-week summer camp, where mornings are spent studying acting, improvisation, movement and voice, and stagecraft, while afternoons are dedicated toward using these skills to create original plays. Children ages 8 to 15 are eligible to participate. Session 1 runs June 20 to July 8. (delawaretheatre.org)

BIKE TO BUILD Join the fight to end substandard housing

C

ome to Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park for a bike ride on June 11 to help end substandard housing in New Castle County. Bike to Build 2011 is aiming to raise $250,000 to build homes in the Mill Stone neighborhood for local families.

Bike individually or on a team that tackles a 15-mile family ride, a 25-mile ride, or a 50-mile ride. Registration is $40 per rider. (habitatncc.org)

6_Wilmington_Riverfront.indd 2

5/24/2011 1:52:14 PM

wilm.com GARDEN FOR WILDLIFE Make your garden an environmental masterpiece

J

oin Greg Gagliano at 7 p.m. on June 22 to learn the ins and outs of gardening. “Gardening for Wildlife” will teach you how to design a garden that is both aesthetically pleasing and welcomes animals. Learn about wildlife, gardening, and land use.

The program is run by the DuPont Environmental Education Center. (duponteec.org)

WALK FOR A CAUSE Challenge yourself for better health

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et a breath of fresh air and a bit of exercise—as well as compete for prizes—by enrolling in the Riverfront’s Riverwalkers program. As a Corporate Challenge team member, you and up to 14 of your teammates will compete against other teams over a six-week period. Or join the Family Challenge, competing alongside your family members, also for a six-week period. The second challenge period begins June 27. (riverfrontwilm.com)

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JUNE 11 CROSSFIT RIVERFRONT GRAND OPENING Crossfit Riverfront 10am–2pm

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JUNE 15 COMMUNITY ACCESS NIGHT @ DEL AWARE CHILDREN’S MUSEUM Visit the museum for just $2/person 5-7pm

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Seventh annual Camaro show, featuring prizes Shipyard Shops 12pm 25

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Amtrak Station Tubman-Garre Riverfront Park Residences at Christina Landing Harry’s Seafood Grill Riverfront Market Delaware Theatre Company FireStone Roasting House Justison Landing Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts Joe’s Crab Shack Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant Frawley Stadium & Delaware Sports Hall of Fame Chase Center on the Riverfront Dravo Plaza & Dock Shipyard Shops Timothy’s Restaurant Molly’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream Wilmington Rowing Center Russell W. Peterson Urban Wildlife Refuge/DuPont Environmental Education Center Wilmington Youth Rowing Assoc.

Cosi @ the Barclays Crescent Building ThoroBreads at Christina Landing Opera Delaware Studios/City Theater Co. Hare Pavilion/Riverwalk Public Docks AAA Mid-Atlantic Kooma, CrossFit Riverfront Big Fish Grill Delaware Children’s Museum

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JUNE 25 CHILDREN’S BEACH HOUSE 5K Delaware Children’s Museum 9am

JUNE 12 B E AT M P S 5 K Dravo Plaza 9am

F O R M O R E O N T H E R I V E R F R O N T, V I S I T: R I V E R F R O N T W I L JM .2011 C O| M XX UNE

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Offering

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5.............................................Family Fun Sundays & Wacky Webkinz, “Gleek�ed Out! A Tribute to Glee 6..............................................................................................................$1 Hot Dogs, Top Gun Tribute 7.........................................T-Shirt Giveaway, KRAFT Singles Tuesday Night Tickets, Tworrific Tuesdays 8.................................Wawa Wednesdays, Dora and Diego Night, Coors Light Summer Deck Series #1 9........Post-Game Fireworks Show!, Lanyard Giveaway, SWOOP and EAGLES Cheerleaders Appearance Families Eat FREE Thursdays 16...............................................Mike Moustakas Bobblehead Giveaway, Families Eat FREE Thursdays 17....................................................Fireworks Friday! Police Night, Ronnie Williams Foundation Night 18...................................Seat Cushion Giveaway, Super Savings Saturdays, Beauty and Baseball Night 19.......................Golf Umbrella Giveaway, REGGY! Appearance, Family Fun Sundays & Wacky Webkinz 23....................Families Eat FREE Thursdays, Flashback to the 90’s, Coors Light Summer Deck Series #2 24.......................................................................................Fireworks Friday! Livestrong Jersey Auction 25..........................................................Cap Giveaway, Super Savings Saturdays, Dog Days of Summer 29.................................................Logo Baseball Giveaway, Wawa Wednesdays, Transformers 3 Tribute 30.............................................................................................Families Eat FREE Thursdays, Elvis Night

2011 SEASON Ticket Game Plans starting at $28 Corporate Picnics Corporate Group Outings Cafe Rentals Luxury Suite Rentals Blue Rocks Youth Kid’s Club Birthday Parties Youth Team Parties

#-6& t #-6&30$,4 $0.

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CITY NOTES

Thai cuisine finds a second home on the Riverfront The flavors of Thailand have long filled the air of the Riverfront Market, courtesy of Jeenwong’s Thai Cuisine.

Now, the Milburns, who run Jeenwong’s, are opening a second Thai eatery, Ubon Thai Cuisine, later this month in the Shipyard Shops. Ubon will be a sit-down restaurant with its own style and flair.

The dishes will be specific to the family’s region of Ubon, Thailand. Guests will taste traditional and familiar Thai dishes, as well as other unique, family recipes, such as lemon-grass lollipops and Isan Waterfall salads.

“We’re keeping the 27-year tradition going by buying our meats and produce locally and daily,” says owner Wit Milburn.

The restaurant will be open Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight. For more, visit ubonthaicuisine.com or find them on Facebook under “ubonthaidelaware.”

18 . CITY NOTES

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Habitat for Humanity dedicates 6 new homes

Christina Landing welcomes new sushi bar

Six more Wilmington families now have quality, affordable homes thanks to Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County.

The nonprofit organization recently dedicated six brand-new homes in Terrace Green, a sixhome development located at A and Townsend Streets in Southbridge. Completion of this development marks the second through seventh completed homes by HFHNCC in 2011.

“This is an exciting day for our homeowners and their families,” said Kevin Smith, Habitat’s executive director. Still, he said, “It’s important to keep in mind those still living in poverty housing and that our work is far from complete.”

Part of the agreement prospective homeowners enter with Habitat in order to receive their homes is what’s called “sweat equity,” where homeowners contribute labor hours to the building of their homes. HFHNCC will sell the homes to the pre-qualified homeowners at Habitat’s cost with a zero-percent interest mortgage.

Asnan Modern Asian Cuisine and Sushi Bar recently opened in the street level of Christina Landing at 115 Christina Landing Drive. In addition to a wide range of sushi presented in colorful and creative plating, the restaurant offers a taste of Thai dishes, Indonesian flavors, and more. Hours are Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more, visit asnanrestaurants.com.

Vacant-property laws get a makeover Mayor Baker and City Council Member-atLarge Charles “Bud” Freel are assisting property owners who are trying to return vacant and abandoned properties to productive use. City Council recently approved an amendment to the city’s innovative Vacant Property Registration Fee Program, offered by the mayor and Council Member Freel. Owners of vacant properties who JUNE 2011

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have already been granted a one-time fee waiver now have the opportunity to receive an extension of the waiver for up to 12 months instead of the previous limit of 90 days.

“Many property owners have in good faith restored their properties to active use, but are unable to sell their homes due to market conditions,” Mayor Baker says. “It’s only fair that we recognize the economic realities we’re facing and show some flexibility in our assessment of penalties.”

According to Mayor Baker and Freel, the amendment to allow for an extension period of an additional 12 months was necessary in light of the current downturn in the economy and real estate market.

“The program was always intended to penalize those who continuously fail to do anything about abandoned and vacant properties that damage neighborhoods,” Freel says.

“This revised waiver extension period recognizes those owners who are doing the right thing by fixing up their properties, but are handcuffed by the current economy.”

For more, visit wilmingtonde.gov/vacantproperties.

City, Del-Tech give a boost to small businesses Current and prospective small-business owners in the City of Wilmington are encouraged to take advantage of the Small Business Success Program—a 10-week training program sponsored by the city and Delaware Technical & Community College. The next session opens on June 28 and registrations are currently being accepted.

Formerly known as the Micro Loan Program, the Small Business Success Program provides participants with technical skills, business-support services, and loan-packaging assistance. Graduates of the training program receive Continuing Education Units (CEU) that can be applied to a degree program.

This program provides an important opportunity to create jobs and grow our small-business economy,” says Joe DiPinto, director of the city’s Office of Economic Development. “It presents a hands-on approach to the development of an effective business plan—the lack of which has been determined by the U.S. Small Business Administration to be the number-one reason why businesses fail.”

Both the spring and summer sessions of the Small Business Success Program will take place at Del-Tech’s Wilmington campus (333 Shipley St.). Call the city’s economic-development office at 576- 2121 to register or for more info.

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downtownwilmington.com

Wilmington Renaissance Corporation

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WRC News Festival season begins in Wilmington!

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ummer is almost here, and that means festival season in Wilmington. As the winter doldrums are shaken away, the city is alive with ethnic celebrations and music events that are sure to get your summer off to the right start.

The season of fun begins with the Greek Festival from Tuesday, June 7 to Saturday, June 11. The annual event is a true celebration of the Greek culture with authentic food, music, and vendors. The parking lots around Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church will be alive with the sounds of Greece and the smells of dishes native to the country. The festival will also feature vendors selling goods from Greece or crafted in the Greek tradition.

Those working in downtown Wilmington can take advantage of a daily shuttle that brings them to the festival site for lunch.

Details can be found at holytrinitywilmington.org.

St. Anthony of Padua’s Italian Festival continues the festival fun from Sunday, June 12 to Sunday, June 19. The streets surrounding the historical church in Little Italy will be transformed into a touch of the Old Country mixed with newworld amusement. Italian tunes will blend with contemporary music as several stages will be set up throughout the event. Italian cuisine will be available at multiple cafés.

The theme for this year’s festivities is “The Splendor of the Renaissance.” The Florence and Tuscan regions will be celebrated with a Renaissance Garden, a merchant area, and a Bellini Bar called DaVinci’s. In addition to celebrating Italian culture, the festival will feature amusement rides and carnival games. Visit stanthonysfestival.com for more details.

Jazz fans will be excited to welcome back the DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival on Monday, June 20 to Sunday, June 26.

The free jazz fest brings thousands of jazz fans to downtown Wilmington in Rodney Square for a week-long music celebration.

In addition to the large stage, which will be the platform for some of the greatest jazz musicians in the nation, the square will also include food, t-shirt, and other vendors. For more details and lineup info, see pg. 6 or visit cliffordbrownjazzfest.com.

WRC’s Favorites

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ach month we’ll feature a few of the staff ’s favorite things happening in the city. Our favorites for June include (in no particular order!):

• Asnan Modern Asian Cuisine and Sushi Bar is open in Christina Landing.

• Festival season in the city is underway—many are free and most are family-friendly.

• The Art Loop continues through the summer on the first Friday of each month.

• Construction on several new eateries on Market Street is almost complete. Stay tuned for details.

DowntownWilmington.com 5/24/2011 1:58:58 PM