Planet Weekly 470

>>> N E W S | T H E C H AM B E R OF COMM E R C E

NEWS

CHAMBER WOMEN TO HOST FALL LUNCHEON Women's Division of the Chamber to Host Fall Luncheon Our Women's Division's annual fall lunch will be held at Indian Hills Country Club on Thurs., Nov. 6 at 11:30 a.m. (cash bar at 11 a.m.). The speaker will be Heidi Elnora, wedding gown designer, star of TLC's Bride by Design and mastermind behind Bham Fashion Week. Tickets are $35/ea with paid membership. Door prize tickets are $5 or 5 for $20. Mail your check for a reservation to WDCC P.O. Box 20534, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. Deadline to register is Nov. 3. Contact Debra McCrary at dsmccrary@comcast.net for details.

Tables available for groups of 4-10. All area ladies are invited to attend.

Know of a Veteran Woman-Owned Business?

The Minority Business Council is looking to spotlight veteran women-owned businesses for the 2014 MBC Business Expo, which will be held in conjunction with the Chamber Connects mixer at Hotel Capstone on Nov. 11 from 5-7 p.m. Email carolyn@ tuscaloosachamber.com for more info.

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

2014 Northport Citizen Award Winners Named

The 39th Annual Northport Citizen of the Year dinner and awards program was held on the evening of Oct. 9 at Five Points Baptist Church to honor those who have contributed to the betterment of Northport during the last year.

Keynote speaker was former Governor of Alabama, Jim Folsom, Jr. Jerry Pike was named

the 2014 Northport Citizen of the Year. He was honored for his work in founding Eagles' Wings, a day rehabilitation program for adults with special needs, coaching little league baseball and participating in tornado relief efforts. Pike is also an active member of Northport First United Methodist Church and The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.

The following awards were also given (pictured L to R): Julie Taylor Goodwin of Capstone Bank was named Business Leader of the Year; Andrea Hamner, principal at Huntington Place Elementary School,was named Educator of the Year; Robby Davis was named Northport Historian/Pioneer of the Year; Sheriff Billy Sharp received the Public Safety Leadership Award; and Ben Jameson of Five Points Baptist Church was named Religious Leader of the Year.

Tuscaloosa Tennis Center to Host Reception The Tuscaloosa Tennis Association invites you to be a part of the official announcement of the opening of the Tuscaloosa Tennis Center. The reception will be Mon., Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. at the pavilion at Jaycee Park. There will be refreshments and guest speakers. Staff will be on-hand to answer questions about the facility and to show you the progress of the project. Membership applications are now available and a special deal will be given to the first 100 to sign up. call 331.0211 for details.

Tinsel Trail Registration Now Open Tuscaloosa's One Place is working to make this Christmas a little brighter with the new Christmas tradition, Tinsel Trail!

It's a display of 100+ live Christmas trees that light up our city's Riverwalk. Each spruce is sponsored and decorated by a local business, organization, group or individual and on display from Nov. 22 to Jan. 4. Registration for Tinsel Trail is now open. For more info, visit www.ttowntinsel.com or email ttowntinsel@gmail.com.

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inside

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>>> planetweeklyissue470

STORIES 4 SELECTIVE MEMORY // JUDAH MARTIN Ongoing acts of kindness

HIGH TIDE SPORTS 21 SABAN'S 100 GAME // RECRUITING UPDATE TH

By Gary Harris

UA Athletic Photography

6 UA GHOST STORY // EDITOR–1885 COROLLA A haunting legend from the 1850s

PUBLISHER LIN DA W. JOHNSON MANAGING EDITOR B E R T PAULS EN ASSISTANT EDITOR W ILLIAM BAR SHOP COVER DESIGN LAU R A LIN E B E R R Y ARTIST: SUZAN BUCKNER EVENTS W ILLIAM B A R S H OP ROAD TRIP T R E Y B R OOK S DESIGN/PRODUCTION HERB NEU

IMAGES Creative Common License unless otherwise credited.

ADVERTISING 205.792.7 239 205.765- 8007

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS J E R OM E A D AMS W ILLIAM B A R S H OP c a r a br a ke T R E Y B R OO K S K E LS E Y CAM E R ON clint cargile ALY X C H AN D L E R r a c he l d o b s o n K A R E N GALA R N E AU S H E E NA H G R E GG GA R Y H A R R IS J U D A H MA R TIN JIM REED BRETT REID j o n r o g er s VAN R O B E R TS STEPHEN SMITH

Planet Weekly P. O . B o x 2 3 1 5 T u s c a l o o s a , AL 3 5 4 0 3 Phone: 205.792.7239 |

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Email: publisher@theplanetweek ly.com Please direct correspondence to: publisher@theplanetweekly.com The Planet Weekly is a proud member of The West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. © 2014 All rights reserved. THE PLANET WEEKLY is a registered trademark.

Planet Weekly is published every other Thursday. No part of this publication including editorials may be reproduced, in whole or part, by any means, including electronic retrieval systems, without the Publisher’s prior expressed written consent. One copy of each issue of THE PLANET WEEKLY is free to each of our readers. Any reader who takes more than four copies without expressed permission of the publisher shall be deemed to have committed theft. The views and opinions of the authors of articles appearing in this publication may not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Publisher.

8 INTERVIEW WITH LETTUCE // WILLIAM BARSHOP One wild ride

11 JAI ALAI BEER REVIEW // BRETT REID Getting emotional

17 WAYS TO KEEP PETS SAFE // KAREN GALARNEAU Halloween candies, highly toxic to your pet

25 JAZZ IT // ALYX CHANDLER Performing with Dave Douglas

27 BEAR CREEK MUSIC/ARTS FESTIVAL // TREY BROOKS Many artists, many sets, great camping

13 "MAZE RUNNER" // VAN ROBERTS

entertainment 10-12 13

FEATURE Better than the book

RESTAURANT GUIDE / WINE & BEER

MOVIE REVIEW

16-17

Events Calendar

18

Road Trip

19

Tuscaloosa music

22

THE FLAT SCREEN / Reviews

23 Horoscopes // Sudoku 24 CROSSWORD PUZZLe

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

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Photos: Judah Martin

>>> CO M M U N I T Y | J U DA H M A R T I N

SELECTIVE MEMORY // FRIENDSHIP HOUSE

Joan McCoy

Usually, Joan McCoy can hardly make it through a sentence without cracking up. Her shoulders get to shaking, her legs buckle or her back all but gives out so that she rears back against whatever chair or wall is nearby, laughing uncontrollably at a joke she hasn't even told yet.

Gasping for breath, she finishes telling the joke in some wheezing, high vocal register that only time and patience can translate.

In these moments her mouth moves with such excitement that each syllable she utters scarcely has time to tumble hastily from her lips before she moves on to another. But then there are shorter lapses of time when she will turn away in stony silence, unable to keep up with the pace of her thoughts. For just a few moments, she stares blankly ahead like she had never bothered to strike up a conversation at all.

Now she sat alone, buried in an armchair, watching an "In the Heat of the Night" re-run in black and white. She sat so close to the old television set that she could reach out and press to turn up the volume if she pleased, but she chose instead to just watch the silent images.

Suddenly, she couldn't stand it any

longer. She jumped up and darted off to a room in the front of the house, passing two older men who were similarly slouched in chairs, watching but not listening to a prime time crime drama on another TV. A few moments later she was in the kitchen, reaching for a paper plate loaded with seasoned hamburger steak and mashed potatoes.

Glancing up from her stove, Leigh Green spotted McCoy and interrupted her before she could finish lifting the plate.

"Excuse me," Green’s voice was sprinkled with an unmistakable sass. “I haven’t called for lunch yet.”

"Somebody out there said it was lunch time," McCoy said.

"No ma'am," Green said, shaking her head. "I haven't finished setting out all of the plates yet."

Defeated, McCoy drifted back to her place in front of the TV and Green finished arranging plates on the counter.

"It took a little time for me and Joan to get used to each other," Green said, reflecting on her first few weeks working at Friendship House, a sort of daycare center for adults diagnosed with a mental illness.

When the previous cook retired three

Leigh Green

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

years ago, Green took her place as cook and, eventually, as director of the house.

McCoy was used to helping the previous cook keep order in the kitchen, and she expected Green to adhere to her meticulous organization.

Green’s eyes shifted momentarily to the floor-to-ceiling pantry shelves stocked with cooking supplies and snack foods from the West Alabama Food Bank. The shelves were not messy in the traditional sense, but there was no noticeable order to the way the items were arranged. McCoy, a woman who spends at least an hour before bed straightening the photos on her walls, Green to see things her way.

“I’m fine with that as long as it’s not in my kitchen,” Green said.

Some way or another, McCoy learned to live with not getting her way and the two became friends. Despite McCoy’s fondness for the previous cook, who once banned McCoy from returning to the Friendship House, it was Green who allowed her back in.

McCoy was diagnosed with a mental illness around 1991 and she had spent 20 years living in a halfway house. Now 65 years old, she lives on her own again and she returns to the Friendship House each day.

"Friendship House was started because a few people got together and decided that there needed to be some place where people could go [for activities] and not feel like they were being watched," said Susan Lake, whose father founded the house. "We try to get them away from the clinical setting."

Usually, McCoy likes to hang out in the kitchen with Green until she gets too bossy and Green chases her away. She says her food is so good that if she ever wants to trap a third husband she could convince Green to secretly do all of her cooking.

Like anyone who spends enough time with McCoy, Green has become a confidante.

Green knows that McCoy has two favorite topics, her son Andrew and Jesus.

"Now if you really want to know me, the one thing you need to know is that I'm a big Christian and I love Jesus," McCoy said. “And I love my son more than anything except God. Next to God is my son.”

Inside of her apartment, her bedroom might pass as a nun's living quarters.

In the far left of the room, a low bed is pressed against the wall. It is covered only with a solid black sheet. An adjacent dresser holds her pots, bowls and utensils.

On top of the dresser, six square, crimson eating plates are meticulously aligned in order from smallest to largest.

“Let me give you some sociology on a messy room,” McCoy said. “If I’m in a simple room without too much clutter then it’s like your mind is relaxed. Now, Leigh is just different. She has all of her stuff mixed up.”

The only real decorations in McCoy’s room are the photos lining each wall.

Above her dresser, a degree from the University of South Alabama is sandwiched

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between two family photos. The degree is decreed to Joan McCoy Cater Leung, an unintentional homage to her two exhusbands. On another wall, above a small desk, was a large photo of her son.

“Honey my son stops traffic,” she said, grinning at the All-American boy in the faded photo.

He gets his looks from his daddy, she explained. She met Joe Bernell Carter in 1975 and was immediately smitten with his blue eyes and “movie star” smile. Before she knew it she was pregnant so, like any polite couple, they got married.

“Andrew was born on Christmas,” McCoy said. “You see, Jesus knew I was trying to be a good girl and I didn’t mean it.”

At the time, she wasn’t so concerned with Jesus. The years of reading her Bible for hours before bed would come later, after her diagnosis. Back then, Joe was all she thought about.

“I remember the first time I found one of those naked women magazines it was in the bathroom,” she said. “Back then I didn’t even know what it was. [Joe] just said he found it somewhere and I didn’t know any better so I believed him.”

She stopped speaking and stared at her reflection in the mirror covering the door to her bedroom closet. When she spoke again she chose her words carefully.

“It made it so that he couldn’t relate to me physically,” she said. “It’s like if your mother has a photo of an ideal son that she keeps on her dresser and you’re looking at this photo saying ‘but I’m your real son’ but she don’t look at you because she likes that photo of her ideal son better.”

She left Joe, and for a while things were just fine. She worked as a waitress and later as a Kindergarten aid. Still, they were poor, so poor they often ate just rice for dinner, but she found little ways to make life more bearable. If they had rice for dinner, she’d sometimes scrape together enough change to take Andrew out for Yogurt. She called it a “psychological treat.”

McCoy remarried and gave birth to a daughter, Ashley. She tried to instill morality and work ethic in her new family.

Andrew was an excellent student. Usually charged with babysitting, he was a stricter disciplinarian than his mother. She’d come home from work to find that Andrew had ordered his sister to clean her room and finish her homework before dinner. Still, she never really got away from Joe Carter.

One day, his family took Andrew and said they weren’t going to bring him back. Not long after, God started whispering to her that she should hurt herself.

“The devil tried to kill me one time, he tried to take me out, he hates me,” she whispered. “That’s when the devil zeroed in on my children. He’s jealous of a home where the wife is holy and takes care of her kids. He split my family up.”

She sat on the bed trembling, desperate to be believed. A leather Bible lay beside her. Then, as if to cheer herself

up, she went to her closet and pulled out a stack of photos from all of the years she missed with her children. She stopped on a photo of Andrew shaking hands with Arnold Swarzenegger, taken after Andrew convinced him to endorse the San Diego Food Bank he now works for.

She stared for a long time at the photo, rhapsodizing on how kind, how handsome, how devoted her son was to his mother and to his sister. Years ago, he went out of his way just to make it home for Ashley’s wedding.

When McCoy was diagnosed he was her protector. He called the hospitals and the group homes obsessively to be sure his mother had everything she needed.

She passed over photos from when he’d flown her out with him in California.

Now he is an abstraction. He’s a boy in a stream of tearing, thinning photographs.

He can be five years old, he can be 20 or he can be nearing 40, depending on what memory his mother needs to remember most.

McCoy has not spoken to Andrew in four years.

"My son is doing something now, he's sinning and he knows I don't like it," McCoy said. "He says there's nothing wrong with it and they love each other, he says their relationship is normal and beautiful.

He makes excuses, but he’s sinning. Well sometimes people are looking for an apple and the devil gives them a snake.”

She paused another moment to look remorsefully back at the photo.

“He's mad at me now, but he'll be back," she said.

In just a few seconds, she was back to telling funny stories and cutting herself off mid-sentence with impossible fits of laughter.

“I don’t let nothing stick to me that’s negative,” she said. “Everything has got to be positive. Negativity is like poison.”

>>> G E E K N E W S | S T A F F R E P O R T

2014 BEST ROBOTICS COMPETITION // NOV. 1 AT SHELTON STATE held in December at Auburn University.

The mission of BEST is to engage and excite students about engineering, science, and technology as well as to inspire them to pursue careers in these fields.

The BEST Robotics program is sponsored

by Mercedes-Benz.

For more information on the BEST program, contact Beth Patrick at 205.391.5874.

Shelton State Community College will host its third annual BEST (Boosting Engineering Science and Technology) Robotics Competition on Saturday, November 1, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Martin Campus Gymnasium, 9500 Old Greensboro Road. Admission to the competition is free and open to the public.

All faculty, staff, students, and friends in the community are invited to attend.

This event challenges students from twenty area middle and high schools to design and build a functioning, competitive robot in six short weeks using plywood, PVC pipe of various sizes, threaded rods, a box filled with screws, and other assorted items. Teams will join to compete with their robots which is an awards presentation that will begin at 4:20 p.m.

Winners advance to the South’s BEST,

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If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~ Dalai Lama ~ >>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

5

>>> GHOST STORY | EDITED BY CLINT CARGILE

UA GHOST STORY // FROM THE 1850S

UA's Corolla was only two-years old when this story appeared in its pages in 1885, but the story had been circulating as a form of student folklore since the 1850s.

Of the innumerable folk traveling the dusty road of life, some are dying and being buried all the time. So the bare statement that Gregg died and was buried should be commonplace enough, if not for the fact that upon his death and burial, Gregg became the centerpiece of the story I am about to tell.

Gregg was a student at the University of Alabama in the earliest days, and died in his room in the Jefferson College, which was one of the dormitory halls, and his body was buried in the college graveyard nearby. The Jefferson College was burned

by Federal troops during the Civil War, but its foundation walls still remain. It stood on the eastern side of campus, a few yards north of the spot on which the Chemical Laboratory now stands. The Jefferson College was a brick building of three stories, containing twelve suites of rooms for the use and occupancy of students. There were two staircase halls, or “entries” as the students called them. Each suite consisted of three rooms, namely: a spacious front apartment for studying. and two bedchambers in the rear.

One afternoon, as I sat on the crumbling front steps of this ancient dormitory, I recalled the remarkable events of the story which I am about to relate. At the time when these events occurred, the Jefferson College stood alone on the eastern side of the college lawn. Just east of the dormitory, there was a dismal marsh and frog pond. Not far beyond these was a dense wood, in the northwest corner of which, in full view of the back windows, was the college graveyard. It held a single, lonely grave, marked by four white posts—the grave of young Gregg, buried many years before.

Late one night, near the end of winter in the year 1850, several young students gathered in the dorm room of brothers Henry and Luke Whitfield. Henry was a gentle, sedate, and studious young

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fellow, not given to excessive talk or mischief. His brother Luke, on the other hand, had an aggressive sort of energy, which could be directed toward anything except books or study. On this particular night, with everyone sitting warmly about a fire, Luke drifted the conversation to the telling of ghost stories. Many of these

Ellyson, owner of a nearby plantation and a man known to be God-fearing, prideful, and courageous, would never ride home near this place after nightfall. He always went around to the great road, which added a half-mile to his trip. The element of doubt in all these tales was eliminated by the imaginative storytelling of Luke and some of the other boys. It was later reported that a few of the timid freshmen were afraid to go to bed by themselves that night.

After the party dispersed, everyone returned to their respective rooms to prepare for the next day’s studies. This is when the strange disturbances began.

Two students of the party, a Mr. Joseph Wier and a Mr. James Jefferson Goode, returned to their room but had not yet gone to bed. Joe, a member of the senior class, was a diligent student and also a practical man. He was genial, witty, and warmhearted, but never found the time for reading romances or fantasies. James was the opposite in all these qualities. He had, by wild excursions into the flowery fields of poetry, romance, and light literature, acquired a fund of information which passed, in the eyes of many, for culture. Their differences often led to long nights of discussion and debate, and after this evening’s fill of ghost stories, this night would be no different.

“Joe, do you believe in ghosts?” Jim asked.

<

UA campus circa 1850. "The Jefferson College (see arrow) was burned during the Civil War, but its foundation walls still remain. It stood on the eastern side of campus, a few yards north of the spot on which Chemical Laboratory now stands." ~ 1885 Corolla ~

tales were your typical yarns, ghouls and goblins making unexplained appearances at various times and places. Some were old tales from the plantations, which the superstitious slaves had shared with these college boys in childhood.

It was said that strange lights had been seen dancing about the college graveyard.

A tall white figure had been seen more than once flitting through the woods after dark. It was also said that Colonel Robert

Joe, who was engaged in study, replied rather impatiently. “Of course I don’t.

Ghosts exist only in the imaginations of ignorant and superstitious people. In fact, I could sit all night on Gregg’s grave in the cemetery without the slightest fear of Gregg popping out to disturb my meditations. I may be distracted by depressing thoughts on man’s mortality and the certainty of death. but at least I will never be afraid of a ghost.”

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“But Joe, isn’t there some ground for doubt. I mean, and I’ll tell you plainly, I’m not altogether clear on the idea. Some of the best and brightest men in history have believed in the existence of disembodied spirits.”

“If by ‘disembodied spirits’ you are referring to some of the poets you read...”

“No, no. I’m talking about the dead.

People who have actually died. Socrates believed in spirits. In fact, one of the Justices of our supreme court of Alabama, a profound lawyer too, thinks that he is haunted by a ghost that takes the form of a little yellow dog which follows him along the streets each day!”

“All which,” answered Joe with a laugh, "only shows how, in the case of some men, imagination takes the bit in its teeth, and runs away with the brains.”

James was about to reply, when a deep and long drawn groan was heard in the room. James jumped to his feet and froze in place. They both listened in silence. The sound seemed to be coming from James’ bedroom. His face turned deathly pale as he looked from the door to Joe. Joe remained seated and calm. ‘“What?” He said. “‘It sounds natural enough to me. Definitely human. I just wonder who on earth it can be, and why they’re in your room."

“Oh, it sounded human enough,” said James, “‘I’m just afraid that it may be supernatural.”

“Well, as it seems to be coming from your room, you should go in there and check it out.”

“I think it should be the duty of all those who don’t believe in ghouls and goblins to investigate the mysterious sounds they make.” James made no attempt to move.

“Fine.” Joe answered. shaking his head and rolling his eyes. “But you’re coming with me.

They opened the door together, Joe in front, Jim peering over his shoulder. The room was empty. They crossed the room and looked out the back window. Across the dreary field, dimly lit by the moon. they could see the four white posts marking Gregg’s grave. But there was no moving form, and there was no sound save the piping of the frogs in the marsh. Just as Jim breathed a sigh of relief, they heard the deep groan again, only this time it seemed to be coming from the hallway, near the stairs.

“We must catch this prankster,” Joe said, "and stop this nonsense so I can go to sleep and you can stop worrying about things unearthly.”

The two put on their coats and headed into the hall. They followed the muffled sound to the staircase and began to head down. James grabbed Joe by the arm, “It sounds like the wail of a lost spirit!”

“Oh Fudge!” Replied Joe, “No spirit ever gets lost in this dormitory. You may be able to find an empty bottle, but believe me, the spirits it once contained are not lost. This is nothing more than some fellow, lying on his back, blessing the man

>>> ghost story | from pre v ious page that invented sleep. Let us go and wake him up so we can get some rest.”

They quietly descended the stairs and stopped on the landing of the first floor.

They could still hear the wailing voice, but were unsure of where it came from. Solemnly it rose and swelled in the silence of the night, then died away in the distance.

Just when they thought it was gone for good, it suddenly rose again, nearer and louder than before, until with a loud swish it lapsed suddenly into silence.

“Joe, it actually hissed in my ear!”

James squeeled. “‘I felt its breath on my cheek.”

“Probably just a bat,” replied Joe. “Come on. Lets get back to our room. I’ve a long day tomorrow.”

It was discovered the next morning, after several stories had been shared, that everybody in Jefferson College had heard the unearthly noises the night before. It was the main topic of discussion at breakfast, and news soon spread throughout the University that Jefferson College was haunted. The common opinion was that the ghost of Gregg was prowling about the rooms he had frequented in life.

A few nights later the solemn moaning of the ghost was heard once again. Only this time, they were accompanied by the clanking of chains. All the students rushed from their rooms and began to search for the intruder. But the ghost, obviously a timid spirit, departed just as quickly as it came. Luke Whitfield appointed himself as ghost-finder-in-chief and organized a thorough search of every room in the building, but there were no discoveries.

For several weeks after this, at somewhat rare intervals, the ghost returned.

Nobody ever caught sight of him, but the groans and shrieks and rattling of chains left little doubt he was there. Luke Whitfield seemed plainly unnerved by his inability to catch the ghost. The lack of sleep was starting to show in the everyone’s grades, as well as their haggard faces. The venerable Doctor Manly, President of the University, was informed of the situation, but chastised the boys for still believing in such folly in the middle of the nineteenth century.

Then things grew quiet for several weeks. The boys could again gain a peaceful nights rest and concentrate on their studies. Then one night, while Joe was up late tackling a difficult problem in Astronomy, he heard that same familiar wailing voice rise up throughout the building. He sat and listened for a minute, then closed his book and left the room. He was determined to find the source of the noise himself. He descended the stairs to the first floor. The sound became louder and clearer as he neared the back room at the north end of the building. As he approached the door, he became certain the noise was coming from just the other side.

Mounting the stone ledge which ran along the wall, he peered through the dust and cobweb covered window just above the door. Shadows flickered about the room. seeming to dance along with the wild shrieking and clanking of chains. In the middle of the room he saw it—the Ghost!

Joe was bewildered and confused by the myriad of dancing shadows and flicker-

ing lights which surrounded this ethereal form in the center of the room. It was certainly a sight he could not comprehend or explain.

James was torn from his slumber by Joe’s violent shaking and yelling. "Get up, Jim! I’ve found it. I found the Ghost! Come on! Let me show you!” The two rushed back down the stairs and to the door Joe had earlier peered over. Jim stopped a few paces away and held his hands up.

“Whoa, now,” Jim let out a nervous laugh. "What if, I mean, well, let’s just say I don’t really want to meet this spirit.

You know, I’m not too anxious, and I’m certainly not prepared to rush into the presence of the devil or possibly one of his minions.”

“Pshaw!” Joe said. “Don’t be chicken.

You won’t get hurt. Come on."

With that, Joe threw open the door.

Before them they beheld a pale figure, clad in a long, white robe, industriously clanking his chains. The shadows continued dancing all about as the figure's face seemed to contort before them. It even began laughing, a loud sinister laugh to drown out the moans and the chains.

“Angels and Ministers of grace defend us!” James shrieked. ‘“If thou be a goblin damned...” but he did not stay to finish the sentence. The light was suddenly extinguished and the ghost disappeared into the darkness. Joe and James ran all the way back to their rooms. They put out the light and climbed straight into bed, but I don’t think either one slept that night.

EPILOGUE: I have concluded, even at the venture of spoiling a good ghost story that it should be explained what Joe and James saw on that eventful night, lest some timid reader should lose sleep seeking the proper solution.

It just happened, prior to the mysterious happenings related in this story, Luke Whitfield had purchased a foot-lathe and a set of tools for turning out woodwork. On that first night of the ghost’s appearance, when tales of ghosts were still fresh on everyone’s minds, Luke engaged in turning out some ornamental piece of woodwork.

It was the groaning of the wheel of his new foot-lathe, the grating of his chisels, and the hissing sound of the sandpaper that had been mistaken for the wailing of Gregg’s uneasy spirit. When Luke found this out the next day, he resolved, for his own amusement, to prolong the excitement. He added a dog chain to the machine just for effect. And on the final night, it was he, clad in his nightgown and seated at his lathe, that Joe and James saw in the middle of the room. The dancing shadows and transforming face were merely effects of the candles Luke had placed on the floor surrounding him. Luke was also the leader of the ghost search party. That explains why his room was never searched.

Thursday, Oct. 16

Dead Dick Hammer with Evil Eye Friday, Oct. 17

Economy Cartel / Debbie Bond & Carroline Shines / Forgotten Grey Friday, Oct. 24

The MOBROS / Dearly Departed

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

7

GOOD, CLEAN SALES IS ABOUT COMMUNICATION, NOT MANIPULATION

>>> B A N D R E V I E W | W I L L I A M B A R S H O P

LETTUCE KEEPS IT FRESH // FUNK AT THE JUPITER

T

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Solid commission and support are provided. The rewards can be great. By being pro-active, able to listen well to your prospective and existing clients, you will be successful. And your clients will appreciate you for your professionalism.

Your success could lead to even greater opportunities with us.

"Jesus" Coomes What do you get when a well-oiled machine knows when to go off the rails?

One wild ride from Lettuce, the funk-rock group from Boston, Mass. The band rolled into Tuscaloosa Oct. 8 to lay down a few grooves at the Jupiter bar, and the Planet Weekly got a chance to ask a few questions before the show.

Funk-lovers of various ages filled the Jupiter especially well for a Wednesday night, many of them returning from Lettuce’s last appearance in Tuscaloosa that apparently hooked quite a few new fans. With a thick crowd letting loose to the rhythms, and hula-hoopers and poi-swingers glowing in the dark, the vibe was equally chill and electric. Of course, penny pitchers on Wednesday night never put anyone in a bad mood.

Lettuce could be called a “jam” band, but that description doesn’t do justice to how tightly they deliver a tune. Erick “Jesus” Coomes summons basslines so commanding Stevie Wonder might get jealous, but he doesn’t let them take over the moment. Instead, every part from the drums to the horns gets settled in to create a strong, flowing pulse that makes its way to the dance floor. Just when it can’t get any funkier, Ryan Zoidis fires off a sax riff or Neal Evans mashes the keyboard to zap everyone’s attention back to the max. Those keys might have made the most colorful sounds of the whole show, and at times when the band almost fell into a rut, Evans blasted a new path.

For a band so dedicated to throwback sounds, Lettuce felt remarkably fresh on

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

Continued from previous page a college-town stage. Sovereign radio giants like Daft Punk and Robin Thicke might borrow heavily from “retro” genres, but Lettuce steals with confidence, teaching funk as a new school.

After the band wrapped up their set around 11 p.m., Slovenian beat-maker Gramatik took the stage. Fans who liked rocking out to Lettuce’s grooves were treated to a sweet hip-hop comedown.

Gramatik’s electronic sounds were engaging as well, but his set made a much more suitable soundtrack to relaxing and enjoying the last few drinks of the night.

It’s no wonder that the two acts tour together regularly.

Lettuce first formed in 1992, when the members attended the Berklee College of Music and bonded over an appreciation for artists like Herbie Hancock and J Dilla. For years, the band survived almost solely on word-of-mouth publicity, until 2001 when they finally released “Outta Here!” on CD. In the band’s lifetime several members have racked up valuable experience in the industry, Adam Deitch working on music with John Scofield and 50 Cent, and Coomes playing on tour with Britney Spears and The Game.

Since the band’s first release they have been invited to several big-name festivals like Bonnaroo, and even sold out Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London, three nights in a row.

Their most recent album, 2012’s “Fly,” was perhaps their most successful.

The group’s growing fanbase loved the full-bodied arrangements of gems like “Lettsanity” and “Madison Square,” and critics took notice of the band’s evolving ear for crisp production. While Lettuce has picked up a little celebrity status around Tuscaloosa for their dynamite shows, recognition is still growing for them nation-wide as they prepare to record their next big project.

When Lettuce sat down for an interview on their tour bus – complete with a giant head of lettuce on the side – Neal Evans was eating a cup of Coldstone ice cream with cake batter and pieces of Kit Kat and Heath bars. Eric Bloom was slicing fruit for a green apple smoothie.

PW: Who did you admire at that age?

Coomes: Definitely James Brown.

Zoidis: Herbie [Hancock] was a big influence at that time. Or Pete Rock, DJ Premiere, J Dilla.

PW: And what drew you to funk?

Bloom: Funk.

Coomes: It gives you a feeling you can share … When you feel that feeling and you look at your friend, and you can tell they felt it too, that’s a great moment.

PW: What are the best moments you share with a crowd?

Zoidis: We’ve been playing a lot of festivals, it’s hard to pick one.

Evans: You know it’s hard when you’re playing these festivals and there’s a lot of acts all at once, but for some reason we’ve lucked out… whether it’s a certain time of day or the rain stopped, we’ll look back and say ‘that was probably the best time slot possible.'

When asked about the sound of their new album, the band got sidetracked just trading bits of beats and melodies that they wanted to develop when they got into the studio in November. For Lettuce, the recording process is a game of ideas, everyone playing off an intimate knowledge of each other’s style.

They all agreed that they are more focused than ever on creating the best project possible and being proud of every song. Coomes described the vision with clenched fists and a growling sound.

For a modern funk sound from a group still gaining momentum, Lettuce is one band to definitely check out. With two successful concerts under their belt at the Jupiter, it’s hard to believe they won’t come back to blow our minds one more time.

Planet Weekly: How was the show you played here last year?

Eric Bloom: It was great, we love Tuscaloosa.

Neal Evans: I always like shows where the campus is right there. There is always a certain vibe.

PW: Since the beginning you guys have had this same, distinctive sound. How did you land on that at such a young age?

“Jesus” Coomes: We actually met at the perfect time. We were young and impressionable and all of us were influenced by our elders who had awesome record collections. We kind of met up and said ‘are you guys into this bulls— or are you into this cool s—?”

Ryan Zoidis: And it was a golden era for hip-hop at that time.

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

9

>>> wine REVIEW | J O N R O G E R S

LEESE-FITCH // THIS REVIEW HAS A LITTLE STORY Located in Sonoma, California, Leese-Fitch wine has won multiple awards. Included in their winnings are Silver Medals at the California State Fair in 2011 for both their Chardonnay and their Cabernet Sauvignon.

Their wines are produced in Napa and are bottled with a unique peel and reseal ZORK closure instead of a cork. The ZORK is a recyclable closure that doesn’t require a cork screw to open the bottle.

This “two for one” review is of LeeseFitch Chardonnay 2013 and Leese-Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon 2012.

This review has little a story to it!

Several of my reviews have been featured in the Planet Weekly, an alternative bi-weekly publication from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA. Its editor contacted me and told me about Leese-Fitch wine and how he and his wife have been enjoying their wines.

He was also in touch with them and mentioned to me that their wines have been gaining in popularity in the Tuscaloosa area.

So, he put Leese-Fitch and myself in touch with each other with the suggestion I might want to check them out.

They liked the idea and sent me a sample of their Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon to review.

So with that said, on to the reviews!

Leese-Fitch Chardonnay Review Appearance: Light golden in color with no apparent legs. Suggesting an especially light-in-body Chardonnay.

Aroma: Light sweet citrus, like a Myers lemon. Also a hint of a sweet nose you’d find in a Moscato. Very little alcohol noted in the aroma.

Alcohol Content: 13.5% per the bottle.

Taste: The light citrus hint in the aroma carries through to the taste with also a bit of sweetness you might not expect in a Chardonnay.

I suspect the sweetness is coming from the 2% Viognier that is in this wine.

I would further guess that it may even have been a late harvest Viognier, but can’t pinpoint that for sure.

It’s definitely not oaky as some Chardonnays can be.

Tannins: Tannins were minimal but defi-

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nitely sensible via the slight bitterness and also a bit of tingling behind the upper lip.

Finish: Finish is long and pleasant.

Overall, I found this to be a smooth enjoyable Chardonnay with just the slightest bitterness in the finish. I really enjoyed the blending with the Viognier. Even at just 2%, I think it’s what makes this Chardonnay so unique. Recommend!

Leese-Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon Review This Cabernet Sauvignon is actually a blend of the following: 78% Cabernet Sauvignon 9% Petit Verdot 5% Alicante Bouchet 3% Tannat 3% Merlot 2% Barbera Appearance: Medium dark garnet with a little bit of plum color. Very leggy, including fast forming and slow forming legs.

Aroma: Lovely dark earthy nose with hints of caramel and over ripe black cherry. Just the tiniest whiff of alcohol noted. From the aroma, you’d expect this to be a sweet red.

Alcohol Content: 13.5% per the bottle.

Taste: Super smooth and warm in flavor.

Flavors included dark cherry, classic Cabernet grape and a hint of vanilla. Not sweet in flavor at all (which suits me when it comes to Cabernet Sauvignon).

Tannins & Mouthfeel: Well balanced tannins with no bitterness. Silky mouthfeel.

A slightly dry tingling noticed all over the mouth.

Finish: Finish is long and lingering. Again, noted all over the mouth.

Overall, I really loved this wine. The complexity is great and the way the winemaker was able to negate sweetness in the flavor and bitterness in the tannins and finish was exceptional.

Definitely recommend!

Conclusion A big thank you to my editor at Planet Weekly and also Leese-Fitch for sharing this find with me. Two great wines, with the Cabernet being the best of the two.

Grab ‘em if you can find ‘em.

Leese-Fitch Cabernet Sauvignon price about $8.00-$12.00 (a great value).

Leese-Fitch Chardonnay price about $8.00-$9.00 (also a good value).

More wine reviews

by Jon Rogers at www. honestwinereviews.com

>>> RESTAURANTS |

W here to E at in T uscaloosa

BREAKFAST / LUNCH Brown Bag 9425 Jones Road | Northport // 333.0970 Its speciality, fried green tomatoes, joins barbecue plates and fish filets on an extended list of meats and vegetables.

Tues 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Wed-Sat 10:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m.

City Cafe 408 Main Ave | Downtown Northport // 758.9171 Established in 1936. Big on food, low on price. Open for breakfast and lunch. Historic downtown Northport. Closed weekends.

CountryPride Restaurant 3501 Buttermilk Rd // 554.0215 www.ta.travelcenters.com Breakfast 24 hours. Lunch and Dinner buffet.

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store 4800 Doris Pate Dr | Exit 76 // 562.8282 www.crackerbarrel.com International House of Pancakes 724 Skyland Blvd // 366.1130 Jack's 1200 Hackberry Lane | Tuscaloosa // 345.1199 Maggie's Diner 1307 Ty Rogers Jr. Ave | Tuscaloosa // 366.0302 Mr. Bill's Family Restaurant 2715 McFarland Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 333.9312 Panera Bread 1800 McFarland Blvd *402 | Tuscaloosa // 366.8780 Quick Grill 1208 University Blvd | The Strip | Tuscaloosa // 342.0022 Rama Jama’s 1000 Bryant Dr // 750.0901 Closest restaurant to Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Sweet Home Food Bar 2218 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 764-9346 Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The Waysider 1512 Greensboro Ave // 345.8239 Open for breakfast and lunch. Smoke free.

MEXICAN Chipotle Mexican Grill 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 391.0140 www.chipotle.com Don Rafa's 2313 4th Street | Temerson Square // 345.9191 El Mariachi 3520 McFarland Blvd E |Tuscaloosa // 409-8585

Thursday of every month. Happy Hour- Mon-Fri from 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. featuring 1/2 price appetizers. $2 Domestic Draft Beers and $3 Well cocktails.

Epiphany Cafe 19 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 344.5583 “New American cuisine” with a strong emphasis on local produce, organic meats, and sustainable seafood. The menu is always changing and features include an extensive wine list, a large vibrant bar and martini lounge area, as well as patio seating. Reservations are available online at epiphanyfinedining.com or through open table. Hours: Mon–Sat 5 p.m. - until Evangeline’s 1653 McFarland Blvd. North // 752.0830 Located in the Tuscaloosa Galleria. 2004 West Alabama Tourism Award Winning Restaurant. American Eclectic Cuisine. Lunch: Mon–Fri 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: Tues–Sat 5 p.m. - until... Fall: Saturday Brunch.

FIVE Bar 2324 6th Street. // 205.345.6089 A restaurant/bar based on simplicity. We offer 5 entrees, 5 red wines, 5 white wines, 5 import beers, 5 domestic, and 5 signature cocktails, to go along with our full liquor bar.

Dinner: Sunday - Thursday 5-10; Friday and Saturday 5-12 Lunch: Friday and Saturday 11-3; Sunday Jazz Brunch: 10-3 five-bar.com; 205.345.6089 Kozy’s 3510 Loop Road E | near VA Medical Center // 556.4112 Eclectic menu, extensive wine list. Dinner at Kozy’s is a romantic experience complete with candlelight and a roaring fireplace. |killionrestaurants.com/kozys/ Twin 3700 6th St, Tuscaloosa in Tuscaloosa Country Club | 758-7528 | http://twinpowersactivate.com Certified USDA Prime Steaks; specialty Sushi and cocktails.

Hours: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.; 5 – 10 p.m.

JAPANESE Benkei Japanese Steak House 1223 McFarland Blvd // 759-5300 Hours: Mon–Thurs 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. | Fri–Sat 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Bento Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar 1306 University Blvd // 758.7426 Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant 607 15th Street Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Ichiban Japanese Grill & Sushi 502 15th Street // 752.8844 Tokyo Japanese Steak & Sushi Bar 6521 Hwy 69 S | Hillcrest Center // 366.1177 Offers steak, seafood, tempura, teriyaki and sushi. Including cooking at your table, if you choose. Sun–Thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Fri & Sat 5 p.m. - 11 p.m.

El Rincon (2 locations) 1225 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 366.0855 1726 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 330.1274

Kobe Steak House 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 759-1400 Lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 4:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Sat & Sun 11:30 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Fernando's Mexican Grill 824 McFarland Blvd E | Northport // 205.331.4587

ITALIAN

Iguana Grill 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 752.5895

Avenue Pub 405 23rd Avenue

Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill 2001 New Watermelon Rd | Northport // 342.3378

Broadway Pizzeria 2880 Rice Mine Road Northeast Tuscaloosa, // 391.6969

LaGran Fiesta 9770 Hwy 69 S // 345.8871

DePalma’s Italian Cafe 2300 University Blvd, Downtown // 759.1879 Menu ranges from sanwiches to finer pasta dishes and pizza.

Varied beer and wine selection.

Hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. – 11 p.m. www.depalmascafe.com

Los Calientes Mexican Grill 3429 McFarland Blvd E // 553.1558 Los Tarascos (2 locations) 1759 Skyland Blvd // 553.8896 3380 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 330.0919 Margarita's Grill 1241 McFarland Blvd E // 343.0300 Moe’s Southwest Grill (2 locations) 2330 McFarland Blvd E // 342.1487 1130 University Blvd // 752.0234 moes.com Pepito’s (2 locations) 1203 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9028 1301 McFarland Blvd NE // 391.4861 Taco Mama 2104 A University Blvd, Tuscaloosa 409.8173

FINE DINING Chuck’s Fish 508 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 248.9370 Monday - Thursday 5-10 p.m. and Friday - Saturday 5-11 p.m.

Steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials: Monday $20 Bottles of Wine; Tuesday - Ladies Night 1/2 off Domestic Beer and House Wine, Select $5 Martinis, $2 off Select Sushi Rolls for Everyone; Uptown Wednesday - $6 Uptown Shrimp; Featured Cocktails and $20 Bottles of Wine.

Cypress Inn 501 Rice Mine Rd // 345.6963 Fax: 345.6997 | www.cypressinnrestaurant.com 2003 Restaurant of Distinction. Beautiful riverfront location.

Steaks, seafood and more with Southern flavor. Wine list, full bar. Specialities of the house include Shrimp Cypress Inn and Smoked Chicken with white barbecue sauce. Kid friendly. Closed Saturday lunch. Mike Spiller is featured the first

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Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.345.4343 Mellow Mushroom 2230 University Blvd // 758.0112 Pizzas, calzones, hoagies and more. Open daily for lunch and dinner. www.mellowmushroom.com Mr. G’s 908 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339-8505 Olive Garden 2100 McFarland Blvd E // 750-0321 Open daily from 11 a.m. www.olivegarden.com

CASUAL DINING Avenue Pub 405 23rd Avenue // Tuscaloosa The pub offers a different menu for brunch, lunch, and dinner.

Feature foods include pineapple French toast, pork sliders, and a house burger which changes daily. The drink menu features specialty cocktails, local pints, bottled beer, and wine.

Monday through Friday 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Saturday Noon – 11 p.m., Sunday Noon p.m. – 9 p.m.

Big Daddy’s Cafe 514 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 759.9925 The Blue Plate Restaurant (Was Northport Diner) 450 McFarland Blvd, Northport // 462-3626 Brumfield's Restaurant 4851 Rice Mine Road | Tuesday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Buddy’s Ribs & Steaks 2701 Bridge Ave | Northport // 339.4885

>>> RESTAURANTS |

W here to E at in T uscaloosa ( cont . )

Buffalo Wild Wings 2710 McFarland Blvd // 523.0273 Mon–Wed 11 a.m. - midnight | Thurs–Sat 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Chicken Salad Chick The Shoppes at Midtown & Essex Square, Northport | Said to be the very best chicken salad that can be found anywhere. www.chickensaladchick.com

through Saturday from 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Sunday from 10:30 a.m. till 9 p.m. (Sunday Brunch 10:30am-3pm).

Chili’s 1030 Skyland Blvd | Near McFarland Mall // 750.8881 Fax: 758.7715 // www.chilis.com

Champs Sports Grille 320 Paul Bryant Drive | inside Four Points Sheraton Hotel // 752.3200 Breakfast and lunch buffets. Sunday brunch 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Dave’s Dogs 1701 McFarland Blvd E | University Mall // 722.2800 Five Guys Burgers & Fries 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 391.0575 www.fiveguys.com Glory Bound Gyro Company 2325 University Blvd // 349-0505 Glory Bound Gyro Company is a unique restaurant that focuses on great food and service in a funky, fun-filled atmosphere.

Open Mon-Thu: 11am - 10pm | Fri - Sat: 11am-10pm | Sun: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Hooligan’s 1915 University Blvd // 759.2424 From hamburgers to hummus. Open daily 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Horny's 508 Red Drew Ave | Tuscaloosa // 345.6869 Mon 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. | Tues-Thurs 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.

Fri 11 a.m. - 3 a.m. | Sat 4 p.m. - 2 a.m.

New Orleans style atmosphere in the heart of Tuscaloosa on the strip. Horny's offerings include a full liquor bar, beer, and a variety of classic American food. Horny's Bar and Grill offers a limited late night menu from 1:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.

Tacogi 500 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 342.3647 Logan's Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd E // 349.3554 Madear’s 1735 Culver Road // 343.7773 Mon–Fri 6 a.m. - 5 p.m. | 2nd & 3rd Sunday 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Mugshots Grill & Bar 511 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 391.0572 Great burgers & sandwiches. Unique setting, full service bar, veggie entrees, kid friendly, and open late www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com Newk’s Express Cafe 205 University Blvd. East // 758.2455 Fax: 758.2470 // www.newkscafe.com An express casual dining experience in a refreshing and stylish atmosphere. Serving fresh tossed salads, oven baked sandwiches, California style pizzas and homemade cakes from Newk’s open kitchen. Sun–Wed 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Thurs–Sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

O’Charley’s 3799 McFarland Blvd // 556.5143 Open daily for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch www.ocharleys.com Panera Bread 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 366.8780 www.panerabread.com Piccadilly Cafeteria 1701 McFarland Blvd E | University Mall // 556.4960 www.piccadilly.com Quick Grill 1208 University Blvd | The Strip // 342.0022 www.bamaquickgrill.com Ruby Tuesday (2 locations) 6421 Interstate Drive | Cottondale // 633.3939 Just off I-20/59 at exit 77. Near Hampton Inn and Microtel Inn 311 Merchants Walk | Northport // 345.4540 www.rubytuesdays.com Ryan’s 4373 Courtney Dr // 366.1114 Near Marriott Courtyard and Fairfield Inn Sitar Indian Cuisine 500 15th St // 345-1419 Southland Restaurant 5388 Skyland Blvd E // 556.3070 Steaks, chops and home-cooked vegetables Mon–Fri 10:45 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Buffalo Wild Wings 2710 McFarland Blvd. East | Tuscaloosa // 523.0273 Sports grille with TVs galore. Diverse beer and wine selection, full bar

Innisfree Irish Pub 1925 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 345.1199 Moe's BBQ 101 15th Street | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 752.3616 Mon-Sat 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Bar open until 2 a.m., 3 a.m. on Fridays Mugshots Grill & Bar 511 Greensboro Ave // 391.0572 Great burgers. Full service bar. Open late. www.mugshotsgrillandbar.com Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company 1014 7th Ave. | Tuscaloosa // 764.1976 Over 160 craft beers.

Tue. - Thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri - Sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Large selection of decadent desserts Wilhagan’s 2209 4th St | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 366.0913 Wings U 1800 McFarland Blvd East Suite 218 | Pick-up Tuscaloosa // 561.3984 Features the first coal-fired pizza oven in Alabama.

Owned by former UA/Miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower.

Completely open concept! www.wingsu.com WingZone 1241 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 342.2473

BARBEQUE Archibald & Woodrow's BBQ 4215 Greensboro Ave | Tuscaloosa // 331.4858 Mon-Sat 10:30 a.m. – 9 p.m. | Sun lunch Bama BBQ & Grill 3380 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 333.9816 Dickey's BBQ 9770 Alabama 69; Midtown; and 13544 Hwy 43 North at Rose Blvd. in Northport. Great Texas Barbecue. | 344.6500 Dreamland (2 locations) 5535 15th Ave | Tuscaloosa // 758.8135 101 Bridge Ave | Northport // 343.6677 The legend. On game day, get there early if you want to make kickoff. Seating is limited. Hours: Mon–Sat 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. | Sun 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Hick’s BBQ 4400 Fayette Hwy // 339.3678 // Tues–Sat 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Moe's Original BBQ 2101 University Blvd.. // 752.3616 Serving up an award-winning, all things Southern BBQ and Live music experience. Come dine-in or sit on the patio and enjoy some great Que, beers, whiskey, and live music on Thursday-Saturday. Roll Tide!

Mon–Sat 11am - 10pm | Bar service Mon-Sat 2am and Fri -3am | Kitchen closes at 10pm Pottery Grill (2 locations) Highway 11 | Cottondale // 554.1815 3420 Alabama 69 | Northport // 333.5848 Menu: thepotterygrill.com Awesome barbecue. The Pottery Grill serves up everything from pork, chicken, ribs and sausage to burgers, hot dogs and salads. Take-out and catering available.

I rarely come across a beer that makes me stop and be thankful for my life.

It's even more uncommon for me to come across a brewery that does the same.

I have yet to find another company like Cigar City; a company who consistently makes quality beer with a standard for excellence that I can really get behind.

I've written on the Maduro, a magnificent Brown Ale, and the Florida Cracker, a par-for-the-course Belgian White Ale, although I don't enjoy the style. Now I'm finally getting the opportunity to write on my one of my favorite beers EVER. The Jai Alai is easily my favorite beer in the U.S. and if I don't have your attention by now, you might not enjoy the rest of this entry. Some of you may say "Brett, is it really that good? It seems like you're making a fuss over something that is so minuscule in the grand scheme of things."

False, this is about much more than just a beer. This is about people taking pride in their product and making it something that people like myself can get overwhelmingly excited about. This is about creating something that can inspire cult followings, influence opinions, and open the minds of

people who don't realize that they could enjoy an IPA. The Jai Alai is consistently rated at the top on Beer Advocate and Rate Beer with scores usually landing in the high 90s, and rightfully so. A lot of people don't place a lot of stock into these reviews

by Regular Joes, but the common folk are the people who are buying the beer, so if you can satisfy them, you're doing your job right.

Upon pouring, the beer showcases its beautiful, hazy copper coloring with about two fingers’ width of an off-white, foamy head. The head descends slowly and leaves a good bit of lacing around the glass, even more so as you drink your way through. The aroma is really strong in the way of tropical citrus: a super fresh aroma of grapefruit, orange, and lemon.

The hop character is not as noticeable, but still detectable in the way of Citra and the other usual suspects. One thing that you don't get that is somewhat common in some IPAs is that grassy or earthy hop character. Overall, the nose of the beer recontinued on page 22

Tee’s Ribs and Thangs 1702 10th Avenue // 366.9974 |11 a.m. - 10 p.m. daily

STEAKS

T-Town Café 500 14th Street, Tuscaloosa | 759-5559 |www.ttowncafe.co Mon - Fri: 5 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sat: 5 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sun: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Logan’s Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd | next to Sams // 349.3554 Steaks, ribs and spirits

Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company 1014 7th Ave. | Tuscaloosa // 764.1976 Over 160 craft beers.

Tue. - Thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri - Sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Large selection of decadent desserts.

Longhorn Steakhouse 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 345-8244 #412

SPORTS GRILL

JAI ALAI // WORLD CLASS BEER GETS ME EMOTIONAL

Hooter’s 5025 Oscar Baxter Dr | Next to Jameson Inn // 758.3035 Wings, clams, shrimp and of course the Hooters Girls www.hooters.com

The Southern Dining Room Grill (Behind Ryan's) 4251 Courtney Dr, Tuscaloosa 331-4043

Zoe’s Kitchen 312 Merchants Walk // 344.4450 A wonderful selection of Greek foods

>>> beer review | B R E T T R E I D

Nick's In the Sticks 4018 Culver Rd | Tuscaloosa // 758.9316 A long-time Tuscaloosa tradition.

Good steaks at a reasonable price Try a Nicodemus if you have a designated driver.

Outback Steakhouse 5001 Oscar Baxter Dr // 759.9000

Baumhower's Wings of Tuscaloosa 500 Harper Lee Drive | catering-Pick-up Tuscaloosa // 556.5858 | Always fresh and always fun. Owned by former UA/ Miami Dolphins great Bob Baumhower. Kid Friendly

Twin Restaurant 3700 6th Street |Tuscaloosa | 758-7528 A full service restaurant specializing in Sushi, Prime Steaks, made fresh daily pasta, and whiskey oriented cocktails. 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. // Former Tuscaloosa Country Club

Buffalo Phil’s 1149 University Blvd | The Strip // 758.3318 Sports grille with TVs galore. Diverse beer and wine selection, full bar Billy's Sports Grill Historic Downtown Northport / 879.2238 Good food, beverages and family friendly Monday through Wednesday from 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Thursday

Chuck’s Fish 508 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 248.9370 Monday - Thursday 5-10 p.m. and Friday - Saturday 5-11 p.m.

Steak, seafood, & sushi specialities. Daily specials: Monday $20 Bottles of Wine; Tuesday - Ladies Night 1/2 off Domestic Beer and House Wine, Select $5 Martinis, $2 off Select Sushi Rolls for Everyone; Uptown Wednesday - $6 Uptown Shrimp;

SEAFOOD

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

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>>> R estaurant review | S H E E N A G R E G G

BROADWAY PIZZERIA // WOOD-FIRED AT ITS BEST In a college town where pizza is considered its own food group, it’s no surprise that there’s a pizza place on every corner.

However, there’s one place in Tuscaloosa that has been serving T-town folks authentic wood-fired pizza for over ten years. Owner Eric Wyatt says it all started while working part-time at a Papa John’s Pizza. “It occurred to me that no one in Tuscaloosa offered authentic wood-fired pizza for delivery. Since I lived up Rice Mine Road, I was well aware of the growth happening all around me. I knew that the chain pizza places could only serve about half of the North River area, and I wanted to be the one that fixed that problem,” says Wyatt.

Enter Broadway Pizzeria, a hidden gem which is literally hidden in the fact that I drove by it twice before finally making the correct turn into the parking lot. Though I’d eaten food from Broadway before, I had never really paid attention to its exact location. I had always known it wasn’t too far from the Randall-Reilly building, but that’s about as far as my brain could reference in terms of Broadway’s location.

With a history of only eating their calzones, my husband and I decided to give the pizza a try for Sunday lunch. We were welcomed by a large menu board boasting an assortment of food options as well as the staff behind the counter yelling “welcome to Broadway” upon entering the building. A montage of pizza toppings filled the menu in addition to their specialty pizzas, The Manhattan, The Bambino, Cheese Steak, and Spicy Buffalo Chicken. I was honestly overwhelmed by the variety of pizzas and other items that the restaurant served. Wood-fired wings and muffaletas caught my eye, but I knew I was on a mission to have pizza. After perusing the pizza options, we decided to go with a 12 inch Bambino pizza featuring pepperoni, ham, Italian sausage, beef, bacon, and mozzarella. Since I felt guilty for ordering a pizza sans veggies, we opted to split a chef salad to appease the dietitian in me. While we waited on our food, I took in the ambiance around me. Black and white checkered floors and adequate seating was pleasing to my eye while a TV in the corner kept my husband busy with sports updates.

The chef salad came first accompanied by Captain’s Wafer crackers and an ample amount of blue cheese dressing. The salad was quite large and a more than perfect size to split between the two of us. I was excited to see that there was enough blue cheese

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

Photos: Sheena Gregg

>>> RESTAURANTS |

W here t o E a t i n T u s c a l o o s a ( c o n t . )

Featured Cocktails and $20 Bottles of Wine.

6521 Alabama 69 | 752.5444

Red Lobster 2620 McFarland Blvd // 553.8810 McFarland Plaza Shopping Center

Tut’s Place 1306 University Blvd | The Strip // 759.1004

Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar 4851 Rice Mine Rd NE #460 // 462.3399 McFarland Plaza Shopping Center & Temerson Square Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company 1014 7th Ave. | Tuscaloosa // 764.1976 Over 160 craft beers.

Tue. - Thu 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Fri - Sat 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sun 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Large selection of decadent desserts.

Wintzell’s Oyster House 1 Bridge Ave | Northport // 247.7772 Casual riverfront dining Sun–Thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Fri–Sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

CHINESE Buffet City 1747 Skyland Blvd E // 553.3308 All you can eat buffet. Open 7 days a week.

Chang’s Chinese Restaurant 1825 McFarland Blvd N // 391.9131 China Fun 2600 University Blvd | Alberta City // 553.2435

dressing for the hubs and I to have with our pizza. Side note: yes, blue cheese or ranch dressing with pizza is delicious.

After woofing down our salad, our server brought The Bambino, and it did not disappoint. Generous amounts of meat, cheese, and sauce covered the perfectly textured crust. I consider myself to be a bit of a “crust snob” so it was refreshing to have a crust with good flavor, texture, and just plain ol’ deliciousness. Our server Rachel checked in to make sure we were fine, and I was too busy stuffing my face to indicate how happy my mouth was.

Overall, I was satisfied with our Sunday lunch outing. I was a little disappointed with the few number of folks dining in, especially when I am a sucker for wanting to support family business. Though the atmosphere of the restaurant doesn’t scream romantic, dim, Italian restaurant, it is certainly worthy of a group of friends and family coming to chow down. Though there are tons of pizza options in town, there’s nothing like the flavor that comes from a pizza made in a wood-fired oven. In fact, the owner Eric tells me that their gluten-free pizza is even more delicious just because of the way it’s cooked. The staff is more than accommodating and the price is hard to beat for the quality of food that Broadway churns out.

Broadway Pizzeria is located at 2880 Rice Mine Road and open from 11:00 a.m. till 9:30 p.m. with a 10:30 p.m. closing on Fridays and Saturdays. Tweet us @ ThePlanetWeekly and let us know where you are eating!

Sheena Gregg, MS, RDN,LD is a registered dietitian and local “Filipino foodie.”

Follow her on Twitter @AFilipinoFoodie

DELICATESSEN

Honeybaked Ham Company 421 15th St. E // 345.5508 www.honeybaked.com Jason’s Deli 2300 McFarland Blvd // 752.6192 Fax: 752.6193 // www.jasonsdeli.com Located in the Meadowbrook Shopping Center.

Jimmy John’s (3 locations) 1400 University Blvd | The Strip // 366.3699 1875 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 752.7714 815 Lurleen B. Wallace S | Tuscaloosa // 722.2268 Delivery 7 days a week. www.jimmyjohns.com Manna Grocery & Deli 2300 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 752.9955 McAlister’s Deli (2 locations) 101 15th St | Tuscaloosa // 758.0039 3021 Tyler Dr | Northport // 330.7940 Sandwiches, salads and spuds www.mcalistersdeli.com

China Garden Hwy 69 S | Hillcrest Center // 758.0148

Momma Goldberg’s Deli 409 23rd Ave // 345.5501 www.mommagoldbergs.com

Hot Wok Express 6751 Alabama 69, Tuscaloosa // 758.0148

Newk's 205 University Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 758.2455

Lee Palace 6521 Highway 69 S // 391.9990 Open daily 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Schlotsky’s Deli 405 15th St. E // 759.1975 schlotskys.com

Mr. Chen's Authentic Chinese Cooking & Oriental Market 514 14th St. | In the Oz Music shopping center // 343.6889 // Open Sun - Thu 11am - 9pm, Fri & Sat 11am - 9:30pm

Which Wich University Blvd.// Downtown Tuscaloosa // Mon – Sat 10:30 – 9 // Sunday 11 – 7 // Fun atmosphere,fresh ingredients, great sandwiches. 764.1673

Pearl Garden 2719 Lurleen Wallace Blvd | Northport // 339.0880

COFFEE SHOP

Peking Chinese Restaurant 1816 McFarland | Northport // 333.0361 Open 7 days a week. Super lunch and dinner buffet.

Hours: Sun–Thurs 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Barnes & Noble 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa 349.6366

Swen Chinese Restaurant 1130 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9887 Trey Yuen 4200 McFarland Blvd E // 752.0088

ASIAN CUISINE Ruan Thai 1407 University Blvd // 391.9973 | ruanthaituscaloosa.com Exotic Thai cuisine. Offers vegetarian options, outdoor dining, and a full bar. Sushi on Thursdays. Lunch: Mon–Sat 11 a.m. -2 p.m. | Dinner: Mon–Thurs 5 p.m. - 10 p.m. Fri & Sat 5 p.m. -10pm | Sun 11 a.m. -3 p.m.

Surin of Thailand 1402 University Blvd // 752.7970 Authentic Thai restaurant and sushi bar. Open daily.

Lunch: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Dinner: 5 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. www.surinofthailand.com

PIZZA AND SUBS A Taste Of Chicago 1700 Greensboro Avenue 205-342-DOGS Mon. - Thurs. 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Fri. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.

17th Street and Greensboro Avenue. Authentic Chicago style foods. Italian Beef Sandwiches, Chicago Rib Tips, and Chicago Style Pizza.

California Underground 13552 Highway 43, Northport | 339.8660 Firehouse Subs 1130 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 248.0680 Hungry Howie’s (2 locations) 1105 Southview Ln | South Tuscaloosa // 345.6000 1844 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 333.2633 1211 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa | The Strip // 366.1500 4851 Rice Mine Rd | Northriver/Holt // 345.3737 Lenny’s Sub Shop 220 15th St // 752.7450 Fax: 752.7481 // www.lennys.com Little Caesars Pizza 1414 10th Ave // 366.2220 | 1www.littlecaesars.com Little Italy 1130 University Blvd. // 345.4354 Mellow Mushroom 2230 University Blvd | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 758.0112 Subs n' You 2427 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa // 205.758.0088 Roly Poly Sandwiches 2300 4th Street | Tuscaloosa // 366.1222 The Pita Pit 1207 University Blvd | The Strip // 345.9606 Hours: Mon–Sat 10:30 a.m. - 3 a.m. | Sun 11:30 a.m. - midnight Pizza 120 50115th St. East | 561.6853 Pizza Palace Buffet

Chloe's Cup 2117 University Blvd.| Tuscaloosa // 764.0218 Crimson Cafe International Coffee House & Gourmet Deli 1301 University Blvd | The Strip // 750.0203 Mon–Fri 7 a.m. - 11 p.m. | Sat & Sun 8 a.m. - 11 p.m. thecrimsoncafe.com Five Java Coffee, fresh juices, smoothies and treats from Mary's Cakes.

Open Monday - Saturday at 7am; 9am on Sundays Heritage House 18 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 758.0042 Krispy Kreme Doughnut 1400 McFarland Blvd // 758.6913 www.krispykreme.com Starbucks (2 locations) 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 343.2468 1901 13th Ave East | inside Super Target // 462.1064 starbucks.com

DESSERTS Celebrations Bakery, Inc. 1832 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339.3221 Fax: 349.1945 Cold Stone Creamery 1130 University Blvd. | Tuscaloosa //343.1670 Specializes in customized ice cream Hours: Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Sun 12 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Dunkin' Donuts 2520 Stillman Blvd. |Tuscaloosa// 349.3400 McCorvey Dr. | Tuscaloosa // 348.4041 www.dunkindonuts.com Mary's Cakes & Pastries 412 22nd Avenue | behind Opus | Northport // 345.8610 www.maryscakesandpastries.com Mon–Fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. | Sat 8 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Smoothie King (2 locations) 415 15th Street | Tuscaloosa // 349.1721 Fax: 349.1945 1403 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 462.3664 Sweet CeCe's Frozen yogurt Treats 2217 University Blvd. | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 561.6458 A fun and friendly make your own creation, yogurt experience!

TCBY (3 Locations) 2304 Mcfarland Blbd | Meadowbrook Shopping Center // 349.4661 // 2 Mcfarland Blvd | Northport | Essex Shopping Center // 758.6855 // 1130 Univ. Blvd. | The Strip // 345.0804 Yogurt In Love Patriot Center 7402 Highway 69 South Phone Number: 764.9173 Fax Number: 764.9228 Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11 a.m.-10 pm.

Yogurt Lab 920 Paul W. Bryant Dr Ste 200 | Tuscaloosa // 347.9522 Yogurt Mountain 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 342.1484

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

>>> F I L M | V A N R O B E R T S

"THE MAZE RUNNER" // THIS SAGA IS PRETTY AMAZING // BETTER THAN THE BOOK ✭✭✭✭

ou t of 4

Usually, Hollywood does little justice to novels. Undoubtedly, this has something to do the sense of unity the author or authors impose on their work, despite any tampering on the part of the publisher. By the time the novel illuminates the screen, a horde of individuals— including but not limited to the producers, directors, writers, and the studio bosses— has gone through it in an effort to make it more palatable for movie-going patrons.

Sometimes, they change the book so you don’t recognize it or audaciously leave it intact. In the latter instance, the author may have adapted his own work for the screen. Indeed, this seems to be the case with David Fincher’s “Gone Girl.” Typically, Hollywood doesn’t let the author interfere until that piece of literary genius has coined multi-millions at the box office and the sequels and prequels are in the works.

Meantime, one of the biggest problems with adapting a novel is the drastic difference between books and movies.

Some things that appear promising in print simply don’t translate to the screen. Occasionally, the novel may be too massive for the screen like J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was until the advent of computer-generated imagery. Surprisingly enough, “The Maze Runner” ranks as the exception to the rule; it surpasses its literary counterpart.

Anybody who is a stickler for faithful adaptations will grit their teeth at the liberties freshman director Wes Ball and scenarists Noah Oppenheim, Grant Pierce Myers, and T.S. Nowlin have taken with James Dashner’s post-apocalyptic, young-adult, science fiction bestseller.

Apart from “The Maze Runner,” Oppenheim has written only one other screenplay and it is for the upcoming “Divergent” sequel “Allegiant: Part 1,” while Myers has written nothing else. Not only has Nowlin been revising the forthcoming “Fantastic Four” reboot, but also he has been hired to script “The Maze Runner” sequel “The Scorch Trials.” Mind you, some of the events depicted in Dashner’s provocative novel wouldn’t have appeared as realistic on screen, principally; Ball and company have altered the Griever’s hole, eliminated the cliff, and changed the Glade layout.

I think they have done a splendid job of

sprucing up “The Maze Runner” without sabotaging it.

When we meet him for the first time, Thomas (Dylan O'Brien of “The Internship”) is a 16-year old who doesn’t remember his name. He awakens to find himself ascending in a supply elevator “The Box” to place called ‘the Glade.’

After the elevator jars to a halt, several teens pull him out. Gally (Will Poulter of “We’re the Millers”), Alby (Aml Ameen of “Red Tails”), and Newt (Thomas BrodieSangster of “The Baytown Outlaws”) are among those teens. Afflicted with amnesia, Thomas knows nothing about his new surroundings. Initially, Gally proves to be the most inhospitable member of the Glade. He hates Thomas from the moment he sees him. Thomas reciprocates this sentiment and tries to escape. This little stunt earns our protagonist a night in the slammer. When he emerges the following day, Thomas learns escape is impossible. He stares in awe at the towering stone skyscrapers that enclose ‘the Glade’ where the teens thrive on supplies brought in by the Box. Those gargantuan walls that tower all around the Glade constitute the perimeter of ‘the Maze.’ While the sun shines, the Maze doors remain open. At dusk, these colossal doors rumble back together as if by remote control and slam shut.

Thomas discovers some of the Gladers have been imprisoned there for three years. Everybody, our hero learns, performs a specific task. Some tend the gardens; others prepare meals; still others build the enclosures, and some even serve as medics. The job Thomas desperately relishes is to be a runner. Runners enter the maze at dawn and explore the exotic premises until dusk. They scour this enormous labyrinth in search of an exit.

Unfortunately, nobody has yet found one.

None of the runners prowl around after dark in the maze because grisly creatures known as the Grievers lurk in the shadows. These giant, slimy, bug-like predators scamper about on mechanical legs.

Moreover, they can scale walls when they aren’t charging down corridors. Equipped with stingers, they dispense venom that can transform a teenager into a screaming maniac. Miraculously, Thomas lures

one of these hideous devils into a corridor as the walls shift and crush it to bits. This is the first time a Griever has ever died in the maze. Horrified, Gally wants to banish Thomas. Things get worse when the Box delivers a girl, Teresa (Kaya Scodelario of “Moon”), and she brings a message that the end is near. Gally wants to kill Thomas and Teresa, but everybody else stands up for the two newbies.

“The Maze Runner” takes its cues from a number of ancient myths, classic novels, and recent movies. First, because the teens tangle with the Grievers, this saga resembles the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur. Second, since guys dominate the Glade with a peculiar code of justice, “The Maze Runner” is reminiscent of William Golding’s post-apocalyptic novel “Lord of the Flies,” published in 1954, about a group of students marooned on a desert island who struggle to survive.

Inevitably, “The Maze Runner” resembles the sci-fi saga “Dark City.” In “Dark City,” aliens control a replica of Earth as they try to come to terms with what it means to be human. Similarly, these aliens alter the landscape of their bogus city, much in the same way the maze changes during the night in “The Maze Runner.” Naturally, Dashner’s book bears some resemblance

to other young adult novels such as “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent.” Director Wes Ball does an admirable job of generating baffling mystery and white-knuckled suspense throughout this tantalizing tale of terror. Nobody gives a bad performance, and Will Poulter makes a wicked villain. Sadly, the tension and suspense lapses after our heroes survive the maze and prepare for the sequel. Nevertheless, “The Maze Runner” qualifies as pretty amazing.

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

BACKROAD ANTHEM OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

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>>> E X P L O R E A L A B A M A | J E R O M E A D A M S

Photos: Jerome Adams

THE 43RD KENTUCK FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS // ENORMOUS VARIETY OF ART, CRAFTS, MUSIC AND FOOD

Of all places for world-class artists to convene, swap stories and show off their handiwork, the Fall destination of choice isn’t in New York or California. It is in Northport, Ala., where the Kentuck Festival of the Arts is held every year. For the 43rd celebration of folk art and fine craftsmanship, the festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday, the 18th and 19th of October.

The gathering of artists is an opportunity to view creations from the Tuscaloosa area as well as folk art from more remote corners of the country. Both nationally and internationally recognized artists will put their efforts on display and try to sell a few special pieces.

If a musician catches your area from one of the festival stages, you might pick up a CD to hear more of their style.

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

A weekend spent at Kentuck is an opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind items of artistic value for yourself, and maybe even cross some names off your list for Christmas shopping. Simply seeing and enjoying the aesthetics of individual artists and meeting the creators in person will be well worth the low fee of $10 per day (or $15 for both days if purchased in advance).

Children will have no trouble staying entertained with artistic activities packed into the weekend’s schedule.

A real treat for some festival-goers may be the demonstrations that go along with some artists’ displays. Craftspeople will show and tell the techniques used in their craft as viewers pass their booths, offering a peak into the creative process. As you

are walking through the crowd, you may notice a group of folks standing mesmerized. Stop and take a look; you may become hypnotized, too. An artist might take a cast-off chunk of wood and use a lathe to shape a beautiful, handcrafted bowl. For a piece like this, the human hand’s imperfections make it a priceless addition to any home.

Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder and the Kentuck Festival of the Arts only proves the point. There is such a variety of presentations that anyone can find expressions that reflect beauty in their own, particular eye. For example, artist John Tilley’s water color paintings take inspirations from the natural and add just small touches here and there to tranform a blank beginning into an illusion that draws the viewer into a daze.

Mr. Tilley also teaches water color painting for various abilities, where he shares his easy-going and friendly nature so no every student feels comfortable in his class. One warning to keep in mind: If you were to join his class, the first thing he will do is give a demonstration of how to perform a certain technique. It might seem incredibly simple, but when the budding artist goes back to their seat the question will be “What did he do first?” Good luck remembering, and never be afraid to ask.

Kerry Kennedy is a professional potter who will present her talents at this year’s festival. She teaches along with other potters in the area such as Fred Mitchell at the Kentuck Art Center in Northport. Both of the artists mentioned have finely developed skills and take great pride in their creations. As Kentuck artists tend to be, they are both quite pleasant in nature. Even casual discussions with them reveal a deep understanding of the specific chemical nature of the raw materials they work with, and the techniques required to produce something useful, beautiful and valuable. The sight of Kerry or Fred spinning a blob of Alabama clay and into a lovely vase or cup in a few minutes’ time is an amazing experience. Those of us untrained in pottery would splatter that blob of clay into a lumpy mess that would turn out shapeless and unusable. However, with training and plenty of, practice many students have become adequate at pottery. Several have discovered a knack for potting under Kentuck’s guiding wing, even when all previous types of artistic endeavors ended in failure!

The artists described above are examples of the high caliber of presenters

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

at this year’s Kentuck Festival of the Arts.

Altogether, there are over 270 at this year’s gathering. These creative minds did not just chose to take part in the festivities, but went through an application and selection process based on the merits of their creations.

At each end of the festival grounds is a stage where performers play their own music, offering a wide variety of styles and genres as well as spoken-word storytelling. Even for someone who doesn’t care much for the artsy side of things, the music performances would be worth the price of admission and the effort to go. Performances are scheduled for alternate times, so one could even attend a show and then make their way through the art presentations to catch the next show. While walking from one end to the other it would take a rare individual to resist being entertained by the visual art presentations springing up all around downtown Northport.

The Kentuck Festival of the Arts is one of the greatest opportunities to Explore Alabama, and it rolls around only once every year. There will always be an excuse not to head out to Kentuck for the first time, but Tuscaloosans are likely to return once they have a taste of the vast art world concentrated right here in Alabama. Explore Alabama and see for yourself!

>>> E X H I B I T | R A C H E L D O B S O N

DARIUS HILL // ROOTS, ROUTES, REVERENCE // A BLACK EXPERIENCE

Photo: www.jerrysiegel.com In his upcoming exhibition, MFA candidate Darius Hill traces his artistic influences to the iconic imagery of 1970s and 1980s African American pop culture, as well as abstract expressionist, minimalist and pop art paintings created by artists Kenneth Noland, Jasper Johns and Robert Indiana. The exhibition is in partial fulfillment of the Master of Fine Arts degree in the Department of Art and Art

History at The University of Alabama.

Hill’s MFA exhibition, Roots, Routes, Reverence: A Black Experience, opens Monday, October 20 in the Sella-Granata Art Gallery on The University of Alabama campus. It runs through November 14, 2014.

The public is invited to a reception on Thursday, November 6 from 5-7 p.m. (Art Night).

“The round graphic logo of 1980s rap group Public Enemy was an important influence,” recalls Hill, “something I also used many years ago as a collage element. The design consists of a black male figure, arms crossed, in the crosshairs of a riflescope. That logo design prompted me to do a series of pieces loosely influenced by the work of Kenneth Noland, Jasper Johns and Robert Indiana; work that echoed some of their formal compositions and design elements, using poker chips and concentric circles.”

A Birmingham resident, Darius Hill has served as Chair of the Visual Arts Department at the Alabama School of Fine Arts for more than twelve years. He is an exhibiting artist, participating in shows throughout the southeast including New Vision Gallery in Atlanta and the Crossroads Initiative in New Orleans.

Hill’s work is represented in museum, corporate and private collections. His

honors and awards include Operation New Birmingham Best in Show Award at the Magic City Art Connection and an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Alabama State Council on the Arts. He was one of 13 Alabama printmakers selected to work with the University of Montevallo’s Big Print project. Juried exhibitions include the Red Clay Survey, Huntsville and the Energen Exhibition, Birmingham. His work has been reviewed in Art Papers, Birmingham Magazine, B-Metro Magazine, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the Birmingham News. Hill received his BFA degree in printmaking from the Atlanta College of Art.

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

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>>> EVENTS CALENDAR |

THE SOUTHEAST'S LARGEST

NOTE: All events listed here have phone numbers in the 205 area code unless otherwise indicated.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17

BARNES & NOBLE MYSTERY AUTHOR WHEN: 7 – 9 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 1800 McFarland Blvd PHONE: 349.6366.

LINK: bn.com DESCRIPTION: Celebrate Mystery Month with Tuscaloosa’s Barnes & Noble at they host their Mystery, Murder, and Mayhem Author Event. Meet local mystery/thriller authors and solve our store's crime for a chance to win spooky prizes! Fun for book-lovers of all ages.

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA WHEN: 7 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 1901 Jack Warner PHONE: 248.4930 LINK: mwwtm.com DESCRIPTION: Join the Warner Transportation Museum for this outdoor screening of Hotel Transylvania. Enjoy the fall weather and the spooky atmosphere with family of all ages.

PHONE: 348.7525 LINK: upua.tix.com DESCRIPTION: Play ball to help raise awareness for breast cancer at this University of Alabama event with refreshments and plenty of breast cancer info.

Register your own team or watch others play and even get a chance to meet Big AL! New and gently used bras will be gladly accepted as donations and sent to “Bras for a Cause” to help fight breast cancer.

DOG OBEDIENCE WHEN: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

COST: $80 WHERE: 3500 McFarland Blvd PHONE: 333.3006 LINK: tcpara.org DESCRIPTION: Need to get that unruly pooch under control? We can help! Dogs must be at least 4 months old and have had all necessary vaccinations. Those with a history of biting or vicious behavior are discouraged from registering for this course. Sign up online!

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21 KENTUCK FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS WHEN: All day Saturday & Sunday COST: $10/day WHERE: Downtown Northport PHONE: 758.1257 LINK: kentuck.org DESCRIPTION: Visit Northport for one of the greatest celebrations of art and culture in the country, for one weekend only. Over 270 folk artists and craftspeople will have their work on display and for sale at this cherished annual event.

RISING TIDE TAILGATE WHEN: All day COST: Free WHERE: University Quad PHONE: Register online LINK: upua.tix.com DESCRIPTION: Join University Programs as we team up with Health Promotion and Wellness for the Rising Tide Tailgate on Oct. 18 for the Alabama vs. Texas A&M game! The tailgate begins four hours before kickoff. Stop by for some free food and great company!

Register for free at upua.tix.com.

DARIUS HILL FUSES IMAGERY WHEN: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 405 McCorvey Dr PHONE: 498.1893 LINK: art.ua.edu DESCRIPTION: In his upcoming exhibition, MFA candidate Darius Hill traces his artistic influences to the iconic imagery of 1970s and 1980s African American pop culture, as well as abstract expressionist, minimalist and pop art paintings created by artists Kenneth Noland, Jasper Johns and Robert Indiana. Take a look at the Sella-Granata Gallery in Woods Hall.

KICKBALL FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS WHEN: 6 – 9 p.m.

COST: Donations accepted WHERE: Presidential Park, behind Publix

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

HATHA YOGA WHEN: 6 – 7:10 p.m.

COST: $9 WHERE: 2200 Rock Quarry Dr PHONE: 562.3230 LINK: tcpara.org DESCRIPTION: Learn relaxation techniques while increase your strength and flexibility. New classes begin every month.

Bring your yoga mat any Tuesday or Thursday and join us for some calming exercise.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23 HOMEGROWN ALABAMA FARMER’S MARKET WHEN: 3 – 6 p.m.

COST: Prices vary WHERE: 812 5th Ave PHONE: 210.9621 LINK: homegrownalabama.ua.edu DESCRIPTION: Support local farmers an d treat yourself to freshest produce.

Homegrown Alabama invites you to the lawn of the Canterbury Episcopal Church every Thursday through October 30.

CHILDREN’S HANDS ON MUSEUM SPOOKTACULAR WHEN: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

COST: Free with costume WHERE: 2213 University Blvd.

PHONE: 349.4325 LINK: chomonline.org DESCRIPTION: CHOM's 9th Annual Halloween Spooktacular and Monster Mash Ball! Your costume is your Admission to Spooky fun! Buy carnival tickets to play games for prizes! Dance with DJ Chuckie at the Monster Mass Ball!

KENTUCK CLAY CO-OP WHEN: 3 – 6 p.m.

COST: $20 trial WHERE: 503 Main Ave, Northport PHONE: 758.1257 LINK: kentuck.org DESCRIPTION: If you are a potter, at any skill level, who wants to work seriously

>>> PET PLANET | K E L S E Y C A M E R O N

TALLY'S SWEET AS TAFFY // LUCY IS PRECIOUS

This scruffy dog is Tally, a two year old female Terrier mix.

She has a mostly black wiry coat with some white. She has the long body and short legs like a dachshund or a Jack Russell terrier. Tally is small, weighing only 12.2 pounds and this is fully grown. Tally is a very friendly, sweet, and fun dog. She does have some energy but playtime, walks or another dog will take care of that. She should be fine in an apartment if she gets daily exercise. Tally will require a fenced in yard if left outside any because she will take off after a squirrel. Tally seems to get along fine with other dogs and should be good with children 10 and older. Tally loves attention and to be with you.

She is just a nice little dog. We have started on her crate training. Tally is up to date on her vet care, spayed, heartworm negative and is micro chipped. She is on heartworm and flea/tick prevention. Help us find Tally her new forever home, she is very ready!

If you are interested in giving Tally the forever home she wants and deserves visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at humanesocietyofwa.org or call us at 554-0011.

This very beautiful young lady is Lucy, a medium-haired female Tuxedo. She is two years old. Her soft fur feels more like a rabbit's. Lucy is a gentle, sweet little lady, and she loves attention from people! She does well around other cats, but we've noticed she prefers the company of people. She'd be a wonderful companion cat for another kitty or for a person.

She should do well with children who can handle her gently, but we do not recommend her around large dogs.

Lucy is negative for FeLK/FIV, current on rabies/FeLK vaccinations and spayed. Come visit our cat adoption center during open hours or contact us to meet Lucy! If you are interested in giving Lucy the forever home she wants and deserves, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at www.humanesocietyofwa.org or call us at 554-0011.

“Fall in Love:” Through the month of October, adopt any cat for a special reduced adoption fee of only $50. Visit our Cat Adoption Center at 2430 36th Street in Northport to meet cats available for adoption. We are open Saturdays 10 a.m.– 2 p.m. and by appointment.

Fashion for Furbabies: Join the Humane Society of West Alabama for an adoption even at Chico’s in Midtown Village this Sunday, October 19th between 2-6pm. You will get a chance to meet some of the dogs available for adoption, speak with our volunteers, and find out more about adopting a pet from the Humane Society. Also, 10% of sales will be donated to the Humane Society.

We hope to see you there!

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

>>> P E T P L A N E T | K aren G ala R N eau

FIVE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR PET SAFE THIS HALLOWEEN

Halloween can be lots of fun for everyone, not just the children. Just like any other times of revelry, the tradition of “trick or treating” with children wearing costumes going to neighborhood homes asking for candy or “treats” can be a hazardous time for your pet. Yes, indeed. So if you will, please take the time to consider the following five ways to keep your pet safe during Halloween.

1. Keep the candy and chocolates away from your pet. Chocolates, especially the dark chocolate and baker’s chocolate can be toxic to dogs and cats.

It can cause them serious harm or death.

Chocolate toxicity can cause vomiting, diarrhea, rapid heartbeat and collapse in dogs. Some candy might contain an ingredient called xylitol, which is also toxic to dogs and cats. If you plan to give away candy and chocolates to “trick or treaters”, please make sure that your pet does not get their paws on them.

Keep their favorite treats handy. With all the candy, and other treats in abundance during Halloween night, it would be a good idea to have a supply of your pet's favorite treats handy and available.

Keeping them happy with their own treats is a good way to prevent them from being tempted to eat candy and chocolates that are bad for them. Make sure you have your favorite emergency vet’s number handy in case of accidental poisoning.

2. Keep the costumes pet-friendly and safe. If you plan to dress up your pet in a costume, do have a dress rehearsal. Try the costume on your pet before the event, to see if they like it. If they show signs of discomfort, chewing, or scratching at the costume, or other untoward behavior, these are hints that your pet does not like wearing the costume. Yes, pets can look so cute and adorable wearing some of the fanciest costumes, but when choosing a costume, please consider not just the cute factor, but the comfort and safety of your pet. Please make sure that it does not restrict your pet’s movement, or its breathing. Also, if you decide to dress up your pet in a costume, please do not leave it unattended. Watch out for accessories or costume parts that might be choking hazards or might entangle the pet, leading to suffocation or other injuries. Instead of

a complicated costume, maybe opt for a simple bandanna instead.

3. Keep your pet's anxiety level to a minimum. You know your pet better than anyone else and you know if strangers, children included, particularly if they are wearing strange costumes and maybe being loud, would bother them. If so, make sure that your pet is safely in a different room from where you will be receiving the “trick-or-treaters”. Constant ringing of the doorbell—if that’s a trigger for your pet's barking or anxiety—would cause stress.

In such a case, make the necessary arrangements to prevent undue stress and anxiety on your pet. If you are including your pet in your Halloween activities, make sure that they are always under your control and supervision. Please be sure that each of your guests are instructed to not be tempted to give your pets any form of candy or sugary "treat" because there can be dire consequences for your pets.

4. Keep your pet on a leash when out and about. While you want to make sure that your pet is safe, it is your responsibility to ensure that the children and other revelers are also safe from being bitten or otherwise harmed by your pet.

5. Keep your pet indoors on Halloween night. Because there may be a lot of candy, chocolates, wrappers and other debris that may be scattered on the ground or in your backyard, it would be safer to keep your pet indoors on Halloween night. With all the traffic, noise and everything going on during Halloween night, pets might get anxious and run away. Also, some mean spirited individuals might tend to steal away pets on Halloween night. If you haven’t yet, this would be a good time to get an identification (ID) pendant for your dog. Make sure the information on it is enough to be able to have your pet returned to you, in case it is lost and found.

If you prefer, you can ask your vet to have a microchip ID implanted on your pet.

We all want to enjoy the Halloween tradition with our darling pets, and what better way to do it than by being prepared and informed. I wish you and yours a happy and safe Halloween! Trick or Treat!

Dr. Galarneau holds a PhD in Veterinary Medical Sciences. She resides in Tuscaloosa County.

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | (and play exuberantly) in clay but doesn't need or want to keep an individual studio, the Kentuck Clay Co-op may be just the ticket for you. Limited membership, so call ahead to see if a space is available.

KENTUCK CLAY CO-OP WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 1305 Greensboro PHONE: 499.7648 LINK: english.ua,edu DESCRIPTION: The Coal Royalty Fund presents Verlyn Klinkenborg, a 2007 Guggenheim fellow and longtime columnist for the New York Times, will give a reading of his work on Thursday, October 23, at the historic Jemison-Van de Graaff Mansion at 7:30pm. Mr. Klinkenborg’s books.

Several Short Sentences About Writing and More Scenes from the Rural Life, will be for sale, and broadsides unique to his work, created by students in the Book Arts Program at the University of Alabama, will also be available at no charge.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24

ROCKIN’ & ROLLIN’ WHEN: 6 – 8 p.m.

COST: $7 WHERE: 2200 Rock Quarry Dr PHONE: 758.5195 LINK: tcpara.org DESCRIPTION: Bring your roller blades or skates to the Phelps Center to join Tuscaloosa Parks and Recreation for a fun night of skating. Prizes, games and a live DJ are always part of the fun, and the first slice of pizza and snack are free!

ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

COST: $14 - 20 WHERE: 600 Greensboro Ave PHONE: 562.3230 LINK: bamatheatre.org DESCRIPTION: The Actors’ Charitable Theatre presents the delightfully creepy musical based on The Addams Family.

Perfect for Halloween, come have a good laugh from Oct 24 to Sunday, Oct 27 at the historic Bama Theatre.

DRIVE-IN: "LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS" WHEN: 7 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 1901 Jack Warner PHONE: 248.4930 LINK: mwwtm.com DESCRIPTION: Join the Warner Transportation Museum for this outdoor screening of Little Shop of Horrors. Enjoy the fall weather and the spooky atmosphere with family of all ages.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26

WADE HALL’S LIBRARY WHEN: All day COST: Free WHERE: Gorgas Library, UA Campus PHONE: 348.0506 LINK: lib.ua.edu DESCRIPTION: Wade Hall’s personal collection of books allows researchers to see the full flowering of American writing through nearly 17,300 titles that date from 1779 through the 1990s. These books en-

THE SOUTHEAST'S LARGEST

compass a wide range of genres including poetry, prose, travel narratives, religious tracts, abolitionist material, government documents, and cookbooks. The collection will be in the J. Wray and Joan Billingsley Pearce Grand Foyer until Oct 26.

JOHN DEPOL, WOOD ENGRAVER WHEN: All day COST: Free WHERE: 711 Capstone Dr PHONE: 535.0772 LINK: bookarts.ua.edu DESCRIPTION: These are beautiful printed works, including wood engraved prints and original endgrain wood blocks, by 20th-century American artist John DePol. The exhibit ends Sunday, Oct 26, so be sure to visit Gorgas library’s second floor exhibition hallway to take a look at these historic creations.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27

YOGA THERAPY WHEN: 4 – 4:45 p.m.

COST: $9 WHERE: 2200 Rock Quarry Dr PHONE: 562.3230 LINK: tcpara.org DESCRIPTION: This class is for anyone with MS, back conditions, arthritis, senior adults or beginners who would like to take an adapted (gentle) yoga course. You may use a chair during this session. Drop-in any Monday at the Phelps Center.

MONDAY, Oct 27 TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE WHEN: 3 – 4 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 801 University Blvd.

PHONE: 348.9700 LINK: uahr.skillport.com DESCRIPTION: Telephone communications are critical to the success of the University of Alabama. It is not just what you are communicating but how you communicate it! In this one hour session, you will learn helpful tips that will help to make your phone conversations more effective.

We will conclude the training with the top seven tips for smart phone usage.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30

HISTORIC TUSCALOOSA HALLOWEEN FUNDRAISER WHEN: 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.

COST: $50 suggested WHERE: Bama Theatre, 600 Greensboro Ave PHONE: 758.5195 LINK: bamatheatre.org DESCRIPTION: Attend the reception for Hamner’s exhibit at the Bama Theatre Junior League Gallery, hosted by the Arts Council of Tuscaloosa. Check out the previous issue, #469, of Planet Weekly for an introduction to the seven stunning paintings on display.

PUBLICIZE YOUR EVENT. CONTACT

planeteditor@yahoo.com

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

17

>>> ROAD TRIP | SOUT H E AST E R N CONC E R TS AN D E V E NTS

BRIAN CULBERTSON // ATLANTA // OCTOBER 17

LIL BOOSIE // BIRMINGHAM // OCTOBER 18

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16

Amphitheatre at Encore Park John Prine, Fabulous Fox Theatre

BIRMINGHAM Dan and Shay, WorkPlay Theatre ATLANTA The War on Drugs, Tabernacle

NASHVILLE Paul McCartney, Bridgestone Arena Shakey Graves, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom

BIRMINGHAM Big Gigantic, Iron City

ATLANTA Ne-Yo, Tabernacle

ATLANTA Warpaint, Variety Playhouse

HUNTSVILLE Kozmic Mama, Lee Ann’s w/ CSB

NASHVILLE REO Speedwagon, Schermerhorn

MONTGOMERY Alice Cooper, Montgomery Performing Arts Center Ben Sutton, War Eagle Supper Club DJ G, Blue Iguana

NEW ORLEANS Dru Hill, Saenger Theatre The Wailers, House of Blues

ATLANTA Ziggy Marley, Variety Playhouse Brian Culbertson, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Café Tacuba, Center Stage NASHVILLE Kip Moore, Ryman Auditorium OK Go, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom NEW ORLEANS Erasure, House of Blues Brand New, The Civic Theater

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21

BIRMINGHAM Brand New, Iron City

saturday, OCTOBER 18

MONTGOMERY Shane Owens, Double Branch Rollin’ in the Hay, Mellow Mushroom Prattville

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24

MONTGOMERY Bill Cosby, Montgomery Performing Arts Center ATLANTA Bombay Bicycle Club, The Masquerade Capital Cities, Tabernacle Jim Gaffigan, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center NASHVILLE Jason Isbell, Ryman Auditorium Yacht Rock Revue, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom Perifery, Exit In Dank Sinatra, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom NEW ORLEANS GWAR, House of Blues Alton Brown, Saenger Theatre Watsky, House of Blues Of Montreal, Howlin’ Howlin Wolf

ATLANTA Macy Gray, Variety Playhouse

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25

BIRMINGHAM Yelawolf, Iron City Shooter Jennings, Sloss Furnaces Anjelah Johnson, Comedy Club Stardome ATLANTA Enrique Iglesias and Pit Bull, The Arena at Gwinnett Center

BIRMINGHAM Granger Smith, Sloss Furnaces

ATLANTA American Authors, The Buckhead Theatre Paul Thorn Band, Variety Playhouse NASHVILLE Richard Marx, James K Polk Theater

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 26

NASHVILLE Alan Jackson, The Ford Theater at the Country Music Hall of Fame

BIRMINGHAM Jimmy Eat World, WorkPlay Theatre Amon Amarth, Iron City

NEW ORLEANS New Politics with Bad Suns, House of Blues Drowning Pool, Southport Music Hall

ATLANTA Justin Hayward, The Buckhead Theatre Susan Boyle, Symphony Hall Atlanta

>>> R OA D T R I P D I R E C T O RY Travel the South's best venues. Visit their website for ticket info and more.

Acoustic Café 2758 County Hwy 9 205.647.3237

Fox Theatre 660 Peachtree St NE 404.881.2100

Amphitheater at the Wharf 23101 Canal Rd 251.224.1020

The Hangout 251.948.3030 thehangout1.com

Bridgestone Arena 501 Broadway 615.770.2000

Marathon Music Works 1402 Clinton St 615.891.1781

Centennial Olympic Park 265 Park Ave W NW 404.223.4412

Minglewood Hall 1555 Madison Ave 901.312.6058

18

OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

OCTOBER 24

BIRMINGHAM Maze, Frankie Beverly and Patti LaBelle, BJCC Yonder Mountain String Band, Iron City The Delta Saints and CBDB, Sloss Furnaces

NASHVILLE Wilco, Ryman Auditorium Vance Joy, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom Bobby Long, The Rutledge

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

BIRMINGHAM Lil Boosie, Boutwell Auditorium Bobby Long, Bottletree Café Brother Ali, WorkPlay Theatre

ATLANTA Miranda Lambert, Verizon Wireless

NEW ORLEANS OK Go, Tipitina’s

HUNTSVILLE Diamond Rio, Von Braun Concert Hall

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17

HUNTSVILLE The Dozens, The Station Bar and Grill

MONTGOMERY Yelawolf, Liquids

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19

BILL COSBY // MONTGOMERY //

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

NASHVILLE K Theory, Seen

MONTGOMERY Brandon Santini, Capitol Oyster Bar

NEW ORLEANS Jerrod Niemann, House of Blues

ALAN JACKSON // NASHVILLE // OCTOBER 22

Montgomery Performing Arts Center 201 Tallapoosa St 334.481.5100 The Nick 2514 10th Ave S 205.252.3831 Sloss Furnaces 20 32nd St N 205.324.1911 Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre 2200 Encore Pkwy 404.733.5010

>>> VISIT US ON THE WEB @ THEPLANETWEEKLY.COM

Von Braun Center 700 Monroe St SW 256.551.2345 WorkPlay 500 23rd St S 205.380.4082 Zydeco 2001 15th Ave S 205.933.1032

NEON TREES // NEW ORLEANS // OCTOBER 28

STS9 // BIRMINGHAM // OCTOBER 30

NASHVILLE Bombadil, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 28

BIRMINGHAM Julian Casablancas, Iron City

NEW ORLEANS Neon Trees, The Civic Theater

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29

ATLANTA Chris Robinson Brotherhood, Variety Playhouse NASHVILLE Beats Antique, Marathon Music Works First Aid Kit, Ryman Auditorium

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30

BIRMINGHAM STS9, Iron City

ATLANTA Zac Brown Band, The Villages Amphitheatre Jason Derulo, Tabernacle NASHVILLE Drive-By Truckers, Ryman Auditoirum NEW ORLEANS Moon Taxi, House of Blues

>>> LOCAL MUSIC | WHO'S PL AYING AROUND TOWN

TRIGGER PROOF // ROUNDERS

// OCTOBER 17

THURSDAY OCTOBER 16

Dead Dick Hammer with Evil Eye, Green Bar Snazz, Rhythm & Brews David Nail, Jupiter Matt Bennett, Rounders

BIG SMO // RHYTHM & BREWS

THE MOBROS // GREEN BAR

// OCTOBER 23

// OCTOBER 24

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30

David Nail and Native Run, Jupiter Mojo Trio | Desperate Measures, Rhythm & Brews

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17

Trigger Proof, Rounders Missused, Rhythm & Brews Debbie bond, Carroline shines | Forgotten Grey and Economy Cartel, Green Bar

Who Shot Lizzy?, Mike's Place

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18

Anthony Orio, Rhythm & Brews Nic Snow / Trigger Proof, Rounders

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22

Monday – $5 Bud Light Pitchers Tuesday – Free Poker Tournament Wednesday – $3 Pint Night

DJ Proto J, Rhythm & Brews

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23

@7 p.m.

Big Smo, Rhythm & Brews

Thursday – Live Team Trivia and beer specials @8 p.m.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24

Sunday – Free Poker Tournament

Eli Young Band, Jupiter The MOBROS / Dearly Departed, Green Bar

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25

Mojo Trio, Rhythm & Brews

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29

@2:30 p.m.

DOWNTOWN TUSCALOOSA 205.366.0913

WRITERS WANTED

willhagans.com

willhagans

CONTACT PLANETEDITOR@YAHOO.COM

HAVE YOUR LOCAL MUSIC EVENT LISTED FREE in planet weekly. just EMAIL

DJ Proto J, Rhythm & Brews

PLANETEDITOR@YAHOO.COM

>>> LO C A L B A R S 4th & 23rd //

Buffalo Wild Wings // 523-0273

Gallettes // 758-2010

Jackie's Lounge // 758-9179

Rhythm & Brews // 750-2992

1831 // 331-4632

Capones // 248-0255

Gnemis Top Shelf Tavern // 343-0020

The Jupiter // 248-6611

Rounders // 345-4848

Alcove // 469-9110

Carpe Vino // 366-8444

Grey Lady // 469-9521

The Legacy // 345-4848

Bear Trap // 345-2766

Catch 22 // 344-9347

Harry's Bar // 331-4151

Mellow Mushroom // 758-0112

Big Al's // 759-9180

Copper Top // 343-6867

Houndstooth // 752-8444

Mike's Place // 764-0185

The Booth // 764-0557

Downtown Pub // 750-0008

Innisfree // 345-1199

Mugshots // 391-0572

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

19

Photo: UA Athletic Photography

>>> S T E P H E N ' S R E P O R T | S T E P H E N S M I T H

SEC FOOTBALL // WEEK 7 RECAP dominated in the trenches. The Crimson Tide rushed for 66 yards and totaled 227 yards of offense. It wasn’t a vintage Alabama defense, but it sure felt like it Saturday night. Alabama forced three turnovers and sacked Brandon Allen four times. Jonathan Williams rushed for 83 yards and a touchdown, but the Crimson Tide held Alex Collins to 13 yards.

Alabama’s Trey DePriest, Jonathan Allen and Landon Collins were the difference makers in the contest. DePriest caused a fumble (Kody Walker) to go out of the endzone for a touchback. Allen blocked John Henson’s extra-point. Collins intercepted a Brandon Allen pass in the fourth quarter, ending all hopes of a miracle in Fayetteville.

Final Score: Alabama 14—Arkansas 13

With junior T.J. Yeldon's 22-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter against Arkansas, Alabama has scored in 175 consecutive games—the longest streak in program history.

USA Today released its new top 25 coaches’ poll. The Southeastern Conference rejoices as one of its own now ranks supreme. The magnolia state is at an all-time high. It was once known for soul food, but now Mississippi has a gridiron game to match its culinary talents.

It’s unusual to say, but Mississippi State and Ole Miss are on top of the world. Both team excelled last week and ESPN coined Mississippi the capitol of college football.

Sports writers are starting to believe that the victor of this year’s Egg Bowl will win the SEC West. Week six was separation week in college football, but Saturday made week seven even more exciting.

The college football playoff and Heisman Trophy conversations are beginning to take shape as we head down the stretch, but for now let’s recap the madness from Saturday’s matchups.

SEC Matchups: Week 7 #3 Mississippi State vs. #2 Auburn Mississippi State punched Auburn in the mouth early. The Bulldogs led 21-0 in the first quarter, after a 34-yard touchdown pass from Dak Prescott to De’Runnya Wilson and two rushing scores. Give Auburn credit for hanging around. Daniel Carlson nailed two field goals in the second quarter, and Nick Marshall hooked up with D’haquille Williams for a 9-yard touchdown. It wasn’t his best game, but Prescott delivered Mississippi State a victory. He registered 367 total yards (246 passing, 121 rushing), three touchdowns and two interceptions. Marshall struggled in the first half, but came alive in the second half. He along with teammate, Cameron Artis-Payne anchored Auburn’s run game. Marshall totaled 309 yards (209 passing, 100 rushing), two touchdowns and two interceptions. Mississippi State and Auburn each had four turnovers, but both team generated 400+ yards of

20

OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

offense. The Bulldogs converted more third downs than Auburn (Miss. St. 47.1 percent—Auburn 40 percent).

Final Score: Mississippi State 38— Auburn 23 #3 Mississippi vs. #14 Texas A&M It’s safe to say that Kenny Hill isn’t Johnny Manziel. Fans at College Station wanted a win; instead Bo Wallace came to play. Ole Miss’s head coach Hugh Freeze created a balanced game plan for Mississippi’s offense. Wallace attempted 19 passes and the Rebels rushed for 160 yards. Wallace completed 68.4 percent of his passes (13-19) for 178 yards. He had three total touchdowns (1 passing, two rushing).

The Rebels defense stuffed Texas A&M’s run game. The Aggies totaled 54 yards rushing. Hill recorded 53 pass attempts. He completed 79.2 percent of his passes (42-53) for 401 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Texas A&M had more first downs (TAMU 27—UM 17), total yards (TAMU 455— UM 338) and passing yards (TAMU 401—UM 178) than Ole Miss, but three turnovers and six penalties cost the Aggies the game.

Final Score: Mississippi 35—Texas A&M 20

#13 Georgia vs. #23 Missouri No Todd Gurley. No problem. Hutson Mason, Nick Chubb and Georgia took Missouri to the woodshed Saturday in Columbia. Mason looked rattled in the first half, but gained confidence as the game moved on. He completed 78.6 percent of his passes (22-28) for 156 yards and a touchdown. Chubb collected 38 carries for 143 yards and a touchdown. Georgia’s defense played lights out. The Bulldogs forced five turnovers, including four Maty Mauk interceptions.

Missouri totaled 147 yards of offense

(97 passing, 50 rushing) and was 0-7 on third down.

Final Score: Georgia 34—Missouri 0 LSU vs. Florida Florida’s receiver Andre DuBose was healthy Saturday and it showed.

DuBose caught one pass for 35 yards, but returned two punts for 115 yards and a touchdown. Jeff Driskel continues to struggle with interceptions. He had two against LSU. His stats weren’t gaudy, but Anthony Jennings got the job done. He was 10-21 passing for 110 yards and a touchdown. Freshman running back Leonard Fournette had a monster game. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry. Fournette recorded two scores and 140 rushing yards. LSU forced three Florida turnovers. The Tigers converted 43.8 percent on third down. Placekicker Colby Delahoussay drilled a 50-yard game-winning field goal with three seconds left.

Final Score: LSU 30—Florida 27 UA student Stephen M. Smith is a contributing writer for Planet Weekly and SEC Sports Insider, also a staff writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine and Pick Six Previews. He is a sports radio personality for WVUAFM 90.7 and is a guest on the ESPN SEC insider show.

#7 Alabama vs. Arkansas Alabama was fortunate to escape Fayetteville alive. Razorback Stadium was wet and it resulted in two Crimson Tide turnovers. Special teams continues to be Alabama’s Achilles heel.

Placekicker Adam Griffith missed a 30-yard field goal attempt. Christion Jones, Cyrus Jones and Landon Collins couldn’t handle the ball on returns. All three players fumbled the ball. Blake Sims didn’t toss an interception; however, he did make some poor choices Saturday. He locked onto Amari Cooper too much and almost threw two interceptions. Alabama’s offensive line struggled. Arkansas’s defensive line

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

>>> HIGH TIDE | G A R Y H A R R I S / W V U A S P O R T S D I R E C T O R

RECRUITING UPDATE // BARNETT PLAYING UP TO STANDARDS

Dallas Warmack

Photo: TouchdownAlabama.net

A labama's star quarterback B lake Barnett of Santiago HS in Corona, CA is rounding into form. The 6-4, 205-pound Barnett, who might be the nation's premier prep signal-caller for 2015, has passed for 1,341 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 299 yards, averaging 7.0 per carry, and three touchdowns in helping Santiago to a 3-2 record.

In a recent game against Hart HS, Barnett was 31 of 53 for 384 yards and three touchdowns. He ran eight times for 109 yards, including a 62-yard TD run.

"He's doing really well," Santiago head coach Jeff Steinberg says. "I feel like that every game he's showing improvement. Our last game before the bye week, he pretty much played up to the standard that we expected of him with his arm and his legs and being able to extend plays and hit his second and

third receiver."

Barnett was in Tuscaloosa the weekend of September 20th on an unofficial visit for the Florida game. It was Barnett's first opportunity to see an Alabama game in person. The Tide's 672yard offensive outburst and Blake Sims' 445-yard and four touchdown passing performance made quite an impression on Barnett.

"He was pretty impressed with that," Steinberg says. "But he just had a great time just being around the other recruits, guys that he's going to be with there over the next four or five years, and to get an opportunity to sit in on meetings and see how the offense is run and how they manage the team pre-game and gameday. Just to be a part of that before you actually get there, I know he came back pretty excited.

"Obviously SEC football is just on

a whole other level. He said it was just fantastic at game, in the stadium just kind of sitting back and taking it in and being around the Bama fans. He really enjoyed himself.

"It was kind of neat for me to watch the game back here and then share some things with him from my perspective when he got back," Steinberg says.

"We talked about how some of the plays they run look very much like what we're doing. He said, 'Coach, they're doing a lot of the same stuff we're doing.'"

After Barnett completes his senior season, he'll play in the Under Armour HS All-American Game. Following the game, he'll fly directly to Tuscaloosa to begin his Alabama career. He'll take part in spring practice, competing with other Tide quarterbacks—Jacob Coker, Alex Morris, Cooper Bateman and David Cornwell—for the starting job.

"There's just such a difference from the level of play from high school to college football, but I think he's coming into a really good situation to compete," Steinberg says. "He just recently signed a Financial Aid agreement with Alabama, so he's really excited about getting there and getting going when the time comes."

Arkansas Game Notes Game captains Alabama's captains for the 14-13 victory at Arkansas were Jalston Fowler, Austin Shepherd and Dalvin Tomlinson.

The Razorbacks won the coin toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff.

Series History With the win, Alabama leads the all-time series with Arkansas 15-8 (18-7 before forfeited and vacated games), and has won eight straight in the series.

Nick Saban coaches 100th game at Alabama The game at Arkansas marked the 100th game of Nick Saban's career at Alabama. His record on the field for those 100 games is 84-16 for a .840 winning percentage. He joins Paul "Bear" Bryant (287) and Frank Thomas (146) as the only coaches to coach 100 or more games at Alabama.

Ragland leads defense with careerbest 12 tackles Junior Reggie Ragland led the Crimson Tide with a career-high 12 tackles against the Razorbacks, seven of which were solo. He also had one of Alabama's six pass breakups on the night.

Xzavier Dickson getting pressure Senior Xzavier Dickson added another sack in last Saturday's game at Arkansas giving him a team-high five sacks for the season. He had two in both the West Virginia and Ole Miss games.

Scoring streak continues With junior T.J. Yeldon's 22-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, Alabama has scored in 175 consecutive games—the longest streak in program history.

Punting game Freshman JK Scott had another solid outing for the Crimson Tide. He finished the game with eight punts for 354 yards equaling an average of 44.2. Three of his punts went over 50 yards and seven of the eight were inside the 20. He is averaging 46.7 yards per punt with 19 punts on the season for 887 yards.

Game Notes: Courtesy UA Media Relations

Nick Saban joins Frank Thomas and Paul "Bear" Bryant in guiding the Crimson Tide in at least 100 games.

Photos: UA Athletic Photography

>>> PLANETWEEKLY • tuscaloosa's SOURCE for entertainment, music, sports & THE ARTS

Photo: TouchdownAlabama.net OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

21

>>> T H E F L AT S C R E E N | C A R A B R A K E

>>> BEER REVIEW | CO N T I N U E D FR O M PAG E 11

FREAK SHOW // MORE TERRIFYING JAI ALAI OBSESSION // CONT'D THAN PREVIEWS

The internet has been abuzz with previews, promotional photos, and behind the scenes videos of the newest installment of the American Horror Story franchise. The teasers for the show that have been airing for the past two months show deformities, amazing acts, and terrifying villains. None of those, however, will prepare viewers for the actual episode.

The first episode of "Freakshow" aired on Wednesday, October 8th, and the trailers didn’t do it justice. The episode, over an hour in its entiretly, is a roller coaster from the opening, where we meet Bette and Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson), the conjoined twins. After the murder of their mother, Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange), the madam of an ailing freak show and carnival, convinces Bette and Dot that it’s in their best interest to come work for her at the show, where they will hopefully save the failing show. Dot is ready to enter Elsa’s world, bent on being a star; Bette, however, is more hesitant, not wanting to exploit herself and her sister for the pleasure of others.

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Along with Bette and Dot, the rest of the freaks are introduced, including the tiniest woman in the world (Jyoti Amge), Amazon Eve (Ericka Ervin), Jimmy Darling the lobster boy (Evan Peters), his mother Ethel the Bearded Lady (Kathy Bates), Paul the Illustrated Seal (Mat Fraser), Legless Susie (Rose Siggins), and a host of other actors with real deformities who brave the world’s scrutiny to bring "Freakshow" to life.

Nightmares take form as Twisty (John Carroll Lynch), the horrifying clown villain of the show. Twisty is introduced in the first episode, and though that is uncharacteristic for a series, it works for "Freakshow".

Twisty, a serial killer clown with a deformed mouth, spreads fear in the town of Jupiter, Florida, where a series of brutal murders have been committed and no one has been arrested. Having nowhere else to turn, the police start sniffing around the camp of the freakshow stars, where things take a dangerous turn. However, the police aren’t the only thing the members of Elsa’s camp have to worry about. A very precocious and spoiled socialite’s son takes an interest in Bette and Dot, and his mother, ever needing to keep her son happy (Frances Conroy), makes Elsa an offer for her newest stars.

Overall, "Freakshow" was a big success. It is much darker than the past three seasons, but how else should it be when set in the dark world of a side show? Creator Ryan Murphy definitely ups the gore and horror of American Horror Story in this season, since Twisty’s murders are bloody and crude. This fact, along with strong language and strong sexual content makes the show not suitable for minors, so show caution when watching. As the episode ends with Elsa revealing a deep secret, Murphy definitely has us hooked, and viewers will be waiting anxiously for the next episode.

"American Horror Story: Freakshow" airs every Wednesday at 10/9 central on FX. Episodes are available for streaming on the FX websites and various other websites a day after the episode airs.

ally makes me think of Florida. Good job, Sunshine State.

Flavor is where this one really shines.

With the taste almost mirroring the scent, you are basically punched in the mouth with citrus flavors and a well-balanced ratio of hop and malt. Up front, you get some standard bitterness with an instant creamy character from the perfectly dialed carbonation. As you continue, you begin to pick up those great citrus flavors; there's a juicy quality to the flavors that really drive home the taste of fresh fruit and make it easy to drink. The malt character smoothes the entire flavor profile out and makes it something that you can't wait to take another sip of. As it finishes, you continue to get that fruit juice quality along with a nice hop aftertaste that doesn't really show up until the end. The flavors of this beer are, in my opinion, perfectly molded to make this the end all be all of citrus forward IPA beers. Seriously, this is what legends are made of.

Mouthfeel is the next best part of this beer. The carbonation lends itself to enhancing the already amazing flavors of the beer. The beer is able to rest on your tongue without the carbonation affecting how you take in the flavors as it sets on your

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tongue. Overall, if I could only drink one more beer for the rest of my days, it would be this one. Everything is so perfectly executed and crafted to be exactly what it's supposed to be. There's no fluff. There's just a great beer made by people who took the time to really have something to be proud of. With Cigar City beginning to distribute through the state of Alabama, there is no reason that everyone that considers themself a beer lover shouldn't try this one. So, my parting words are these: find it, drink it, and repeat.

Michael Brannon, aka Michal B Reddy Meghan Steel

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weekly o v er v iew

>>> PUZZLEMAniA |

Sudoku

Your lifestyle options are up for review, which could lead to some interesting changes. This week's blend of energies encourages you to create routines that build health, bring satisfaction, and allow you to live life to the fullest. You may look to new ideas or philosophies to give you some pointers on this. However, you might also want to head to the kitchen and consider how a change in diet could boost your energy and the feel-good factor in no time.

This week's focus encourages you to enjoy life. If you've been very busy, perhaps you should consider a spa day or at least a massage and the chance to ease off the accelerator. Social options look fairly upbeat, bringing new friends and connections your way. Whether you seek romance or more business, the current lineup brings a chance to enjoy both. You might find one person particularly stimulating and want to connect with a view toward collaborating on a creative project.

You may be busy with home and family affairs this week, especially as Mercury's retrograde phase centers on this part of your chart.

If you've had problems with the family dynamic, certain Mercury influences encourage conversation to help overcome such difficulties. Consider everyone's viewpoint to reach the outcome you desire. If gadgets are broken, you might find this phase useful for getting them fixed and keeping them functioning. The weekend brings inspiration for redecorating and DIY projects.

Keeping on good terms with friends, family, and neighbors makes good sense this week, when you can benefit greatly from an easygoing approach. If you're in business, you can negotiate key deals, discuss options, and brainstorm ideas, but you might want to postpone making any firm commitments until Mercury turns direct later in the month. Should you encounter any delays, your optimistic and energetic approach to life will help you circumnavigate problems and focus on the positive.

If you let your intuition help you with financial decisions, you could do well. You may be eager to purchase items for your home or invest in anything that improves your quality of life. As Mercury is still retrograde, it would help to research your options before proceeding. However, you'll benefit from information, courses, and even gadgets that can enhance learning, health, and your overall life balance. In addition, if you haven't gotten around to removing clutter from your home, start now.

What makes you tick? This week's lineup may help you decide, as it emphasizes your pet loves and hates and encourages you to indulge in activities that make your heart sing. Personal issues, plans, and projects are helped along by a fun blend of energies, meaning that the input of friends and loved ones could enhance your prospects and help expand your horizons. The weekend may be perfect for a romantic getaway to somewhere that offers adventures galore. You might close a lucrative deal, too.

It's easy to play Sudoku! Simply fill every column, row and 3x3 box so they contain every number between 1 and 9. The game is easy to play but difficult to master! Solution Page 27

The cosmos encourages you to think about getting more rest and relaxation. With this week's focus on your spiritual sector, "balance" is the operative word as you seek to ease back on the throttle after a busy period. Your intuitive energy will be enhanced, so it would pay to listen to those inner promptings. They could lead you to the fulfillment of your desires more quickly. If you have an important goal, tune in and follow your heart.

Positive social vibes bring you plenty of opportunities for fun and romance. Plus, the words of a pal might motivate you to follow a dream, giving you the encouragement and push you need. Whatever your relationship status, you'll likely find the week ahead enhances your bond and enables you to enjoy each other's company. If there's someone you'd like to get closer to, the weekend brings some delectable opportunities for a walk on the wild side.

The more time you take to help others in your same profession, the more you'll benefit. With a focus on Libra and your career zone, the little things like everyday warmth and human kindness can be what help the wheels of commerce turn in your favor. In addition, you'll likely find that pooling resources, working as a team, or collaborating on certain plans can double your chances of success.

It's possible you'll also be in the spotlight, so enjoy it!

Camaraderie and pleasant connections make this the time to count your blessings. Input can be uplifting and encouraging, with a focus on moving outside your comfort zone and exploring delightful social options that can open new doors for you. As Mercury continues retrograde, you might go to a reunion or decide to arrange one. Perhaps an opportunity that you thought you'd lost will come around again, enabling you to grab it. Going out on a limb can certainly bring new developments your way.

One of the more sensitive zones of your chart is in focus, leading to sensual opportunities and many intimate moments. You might find the week ahead encourages you to get up close and personal with someone you've admired for some time. Joint finances begin to stabilize, and you may find it easier to make decisions that seemed impossible just last week. Opportunities to find a fun and challenging job or career may arise, but you'll need to stay alert to find them.

You'll enjoy the week ahead because it brings a chance to relax and assess your progress regarding a key relationship. If last week brought a few changes, you now get the chance to consolidate your affairs and reflect on what's best for you. However, there's also a fun aspect to the week that's great for spending time with friends and generally relaxing. The option to take a budding romance one step further looks very possible over the weekend, when the chemistry sizzles.

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

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>>> PUZZLEMANIA | C R O S S W O R D P U Z Z L E

>>> ALBUM | W I L L I A M B A R S H O P

MISSTEP FROM ARETHA

Across 1. La ___ tar pits 5. Type of lily 10. N.Y. and S.F., e.g.

14. Owned jointly by you and me 15. T. Jefferson's opponent 16. Medium pace 17. Viper's defense 19. Grist for the operagoer 20. DNA strand's shape 21. Similar item 23. Classic artist's subject 26. Sheer fabrics 27. The church bells go ___ 32. Sade's "Is ___ Crime" 33. Netman John Mc___ 34. Dutch pottery 38. Clinton Trans. secretary Federico 40. Pre___egg cell 42. Casanova type 43. Peyo creation 45. Lawn bowling 47. Mauna ___ (volcano) 48. "Ah, Wilderness!" playwright 51. Furry 54. Not loose-fitting 55. 76 City on the Dnieper 58. Friars' fete 62. Magic word beginning 63. Star of "The Pawnbroker" 66. Milk, in Marseille 67. Gravelly ridge 68. Conserve 69. Store inventory: Abbr.

70. Unrinsed, maybe 71. Nautical chains Down 1. Hooey 2. Old Norse character 3. Of a period of time

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4. Making inquiries 5. Cleveland NBAer 6. "Honest" president 7. Far-side-of-the-moon photographer of 1959 8. "Dianetics" author ___ Hubbard 9. Italian fashion designer Giorgio 10. Not so dilute 11. Sauce brand 12. Springsteen's "Born ___" 13. Pens.

18. Give off 22. Soprano Jenny who was nicknamed 'The Swedish Nightingale' 24. "___ harm" (medical maxim) 25. Clothe 27. Ballroom dance motions 28. News entry 29. Mork's sign-off, when doubled 30. Mounted, as a horse 31. Thaws the windshield 35. Evildoing Norse god 36. Gas or oil 37. Pond duck 39. Having a ring 41. Brand of bug killer 44. Electrical overload protector 46. Acclimate 49. Rock and rap, e.g.

50. Self-worshiper 51. The 23rd, for one 52. "... when ___, I'm better": Mae West 53. Asiatic lemur 56. Not too great 57. America's first commercial radio station 59. "... I'm ____ deceiver": G. Colman 60. First name in golf 61. Number between dos and cuatro 64. Schlemiel 65. Hear a case SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMANIA CROSSWORD ON PAGE 27

that misses no opportunity to cram in a Adele’s music may be the closest hook. To say this style fails across the thing in the past few years to carve out a board would be myopic; Dusty Springfield place in the “Great American Songbook.” would sound like a joke singing “Call Me A perfect storm of crossover popularity Maybe,” and The Temptations could have and classic songwriting makes songs like never pulled off “Teenage Dream.” But “Rolling in the Deep” irresistible for any the fact is that pop singers today lend artist to cover. Check out versions of the their voices as fixtures in a much more song by Patti Smith, Linkin Park and Lil complex apparatus than we ever heard Wayne that range from pretty, to unnecduring the renaissance of soul music. To essary, to downright unholy. Doesn’t it make sense that a song like “Rolling in the be clear, Aretha’s voice is not a fixture. It’s the whole damn show. That’s where the Deep” would reach its maximum potential cover of “Rolling in the Deep” went wrong. in the hands of a real music legend, say, Between the vastly different worlds Aretha Franklin? Surprisingly, no.

Widespread thatPanic bore Aretha and Adele, it’s hard to The veritable Queen of Soul covered imagine a middle ground where the former Adele’s hit for her new covers compilacould really cover a modern pop tune. It’s tion set for release on Oct 21, and the even harder to imagine a young woman results were a mild disaster. The collision as talented as Aretha making the same of Aretha’s powerhouse pipes and the rise to stardom without a magic genie for modern pop blueprint say a lot about the an agent. Talent scouts and record labels great divide between the music of her era aren’t looking for someone to breeze and this one. It may even mark an end to through tricky runs; they’re looking for artists who fit her mold. someone to dress up and be Autotuned On “Rolling in the Deep,” Franklin to sing those runs. More optimistically, brings the same vocal gymnastics that they’re looking for someone forwardevery choir girl has studied since 1972’s thinking or genuine with a voice that can Amazing Grace, but each flourish of her be recognized among all the clutter. voice is smothered mercilessly by the This trade-off can’t be called a “death backing track, produced by Andre 3000. of music” or even a net loss, really. This Aretha, of all people, has to struggle be decade will end up offering something as heard, and Autotune, of all things, wipes brilliant as “Think” (I’d nominate Beyoncé’s away the fine details of her performance. “***Flawless” or Frank Ocean’s “Thinkin When she tries to soar on the chorus, Bout You”), and so will the decade after more distractions are thrown into the that. Of course, you can always turn on jumble, from ear-sore synths to canned a Jill Scott or Jazmine Sullivan record backup singers. The whole thing sounds to enjoy one of the glorious RnB voices strained, like Aretha is about to physically of this era, just don’t expect to hear their beat down Andre 3000 until he puts the names in the mainstream. Music moves spotlight back on her trademark Big Ol’ on, but the pop landscape will always feel Voice. a little empty without Aretha or her natural The recording tech of the 60s and successors.

70s gave musicians space. Even silence Who knows? There could be a little girl between notes that gave weight to every somewhere with a Big Ol’ Voice, too big to moment of a song’s duration. Slowly we ignore, dreaming of the day she proves us learned to expect a constant barrage of all wrong. sounds, a clutter of electronic witchcraft

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JAZZ IT // PERFORMING WITH DAVE DOUGLAS

Photo: Jonathon Whitaker

Rob Alley (trumpet) with Dave Douglas

Inside of a silent concert hall, an attentive audience imagines the rev of an engine, the soulful roar of sudden drum rumbles rocking ribs, they feel the cool wind of high-pitched saxophones cruising forward. Within the notes, a highway out West takes form, jazz filling the air. Nostalgic piano keys chime in as the University of Alabama's Jazz Ensemble follows the carefully composed Dave Douglas song, 'Sunrise Highway.'

“The song 'Sunrise Highway,' I wrote it about a feeling. You're driving on a road, and you think everything is going to be beautiful, even when it's not. I wrote this piece imagining the highway was actually beautiful like that,” said Dave Douglas, an innovative New York trumpeter of over 50 records, including the recently released and critically acclaimed record called 'Time Travel.'

Douglas, also a renowned composer awarded two Grammy nominations, came to the University of Alabama's Moody Hall on Thursday, Oct. 2, to play with UA's Jazz ensemble, and then to play his Quintet on Friday, Oct. 3.

“I never thought I'd be on stage with him,” Rob Alley, a local musician and UA instructor in the honors and music department, said. “That thought never even occurred to me.”

Alley played the trumpet lead for Douglas's parts so that the Jazz Ensemble could practice with someone before he came to perform with them. Though he was only expecting to practice with the ensemble, he said that when Douglas asked him to play that night onstage with them, he knew even though he had absolutely no time, he wouldn't miss it for anything. He has been listening to Douglas since 1992, when he first discovered his recordings.

The chance for the UA Jazz Ensemble, as well as Alley, to collaborate and perform with Douglas was a rare opportunity.

“Out there with my proverbial pants off, exposed, trying to make something happen, his vocabulary of the genre was so extensive, it pushed me beyond where I thought I could go,” Alley said.

Peter Grant, a percussion and drums player of the University of Alabama's Jazz Ensemble for the past two years, said that, “once you see it in person,

it's a totally different performance.” Grant started playing percussion all the way back in second grade, so when his professor encouraged him to try out for the jazz band in college, he did, and he made it. He said now he usually practices for about an hour or two every day, but he said improvisation is still a key component to jazz.

Douglas exhibited this “incredibly,” Grant said.

“Obviously, you play what's on paper, but you might not play it at the same tempo or speed. You might improvise, and [in jazz] you can really do stuff by yourself.

You don't need someone to tell you what to do the whole time,” Grant said.

Although jazz takes practice like every other form of art, the break-neck improvisation required to be a creative and ultimately successful jazz leader is what differentiates this American-born form of music from radio-played, more well-known forms. One particular jazz song can be a whole different experience each time it's played, versus a song that a pop artist might play, which has the intent to let the audience sing along and be familiar in the song each time.

“In jazz, everyone is important,” Grant said. “You're always performing, and you learn to play off your mistakes. Jazz teaches you how to come back after you mess up without completely failing.”

Back in the 1940s, heart-throbbing blues fused with hip-grooving swing until the new type of innovative music— jazz—emerged, drastically different from the planned performance of orchestra and concert music. As Grant said after he played with Dave Douglas, “there's not much of creating something in those forms.”

Though the style of jazz that was popular in previous years isn't as popular today, it still has a dedicated fan base.

Elements of jazz are also seen in all types of various genres and songs.

“Jazz is everywhere, people just don't realize it. People are using jazz all over the place, all the time, with hip-hop artists pushing the bounds of tradition with current things,” Alley said.

The director of the UA Jazz Ensemble, Chris Kozak, partnered with Sonic Frontiers and the UA School of Music to bring Douglas down to Tuscaloosa to play his Quintet.

“Chris understands the spirit of the music is innovative. He brings in current innovative jazz musicians,” Alley said.

“The fact is, he's bringing in the people that represent the essence of the music.

These are the people sticking their necks out, so to speak, to move the music forward to keep it current.”

Joe Berry, a sophomore jazz stud-

ies major and two-year jazz ensemble drummer, said it was an eye-opening experience to play with a musician of that caliber. Although both he and Grant said the performance with Douglas was a highpressure environment, no one on stage could contain the occasional, awed grin throughout the performance at the fact

they were playing with such a well-known jazz musician. In addition to playing that Thursday and Friday evening, Douglas hosted a masterclass in-between his performances.

“Educationally, it's imperative he's doing it for these students. It gives them great role models to look up to,” Alley said.

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

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>>> RED CLAY DIARY | J I M R E E D

HALLOWEEN WITH MR. ZESTY PANTS I haven ’ t been places and I haven’t done much, compared to lots of other people. But in my mind, everything I’ve done and everywhere I’ve been manage to take up volumes of space and produce endless stories and reflections.

Each tiny moment of my life is a tale that must be told, even if nobody’s paying any attention.

For instance… It’s Halloween eve at the bookstore. One nonbook-reader customer is trying to find something inexpensive or free to take with her.

She spies the basket of lollipops I keep on hand.

“How much are these?” she asks.

“They’re free,” I say.

“OK, then,” she says, and begins downloading the entire basket of candy into her enormous purse, a generous handful at a time. I freeze for a moment, because I don’t want to make a scene in front of other shoppers…but, dang it, it’s my store, so I have to say something.

“Uh, they’re free, one to a customer,” I say firmly and pleasantly.

“Oh!” she says, and throws a few back into the basket before going her way.

At Halloween, there’s always that one trick-or-treater who will grab half your treats if you don’t say halt.

many

It’s one of those days when customers trickle in just frequently enough so that I don’t have time to take a bathroom or lunch break, so I wind up eating out of my lap in between waiting on folks.

Today, I’m dining on leftover salad covered with Liz’s zesty dressing, which I end up dumping into my lap when two patrons ask questions at the same moment.

I have to police the floor and discard the entire meal, unable to get the dressing out of my britches. So, the rest of the day, I smell like Mr. Zesty Pants…aromatic but unfulfilled and unfilled.

Employee Marie gives me a break later on, so that I can go search for some togo food. I rush over to the hot dog place to get something quickly. The line winds out the door, so I peer into Subway’s window, where the always-slow service is sustaining a long line. I try to enter Seafood D’Lite, but they have this funny entrance that reads EXIT, and another unmarked door that is the real entrance, only it just goes down a long white hall with no signage, sort of like a Twilight Zone episode.

Daryl sticks his head out of the blank door and invites me in, whereupon I learn in excruciating time extension that Seafood D’Lite has a policy of cooking everything fromscratch—nothing is quick or ready to go. I decide to be Patient Zesty Pants Guy and relax, visit with Daryl and learn something from the experience. After the cook tells Daryl he’s too busy stirring something to prepare a hamburger, I wait while the cow is raised, stalked, slaughtered, butchered, shipped and cooked.

Or maybe it just seems that way. Anyhow, I finally get back to the store, relieve Marie, eat my burger in big bites in between duties, and within 90 minutes, I’ve finished my meal and am ready to go home to another one.

And that very night, we have zesty dressing again ©2014 by Jim Reed jim@jimreedbooks.com blog: www.redclaydiary.com

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>>> MUSIC | T R E Y B R O O K S

BEAR CREEK MUSIC AND ART FESTIVAL // MANY ARTISTS, MANY SETS

ALL-TIME GREATEST ROMANCES

One of the most active venues on the music festival circuit is the Spirit of Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. Located on the banks of the Suwannee River, the 600acre music park is host to several festivals throughout the year. October in particular is a busy times for the park. Magnolia Fest is occurring this weekend, and includes acts from the country/southern rock circuit such as Lyle Lovett, Jason Isbell, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn. On Halloween weekend, the band String Cheese Incident hosts Suwannee Hulaween, where they will play three straight nights alongside several other artists ranging from dub-step to bluegrass. Then there’s the weekend of November 13th to November 16th, when the park is host to the Bear Creek Music Festival.

Bear Creek Music and Art Festival is notable for the large number of artists who play multiple sets. In terms of artist quantity, this festival falls far short of the behemoth summer festivals that dominate the landscape. However, the multiple sets allow patrons the opportunity to see artists they might miss at a much larger event. The artists come from the same jamband/indie circuit that fans can see at festivals such as All Good, Wakarusa, and Lockn.

The main headliner for the festival is Umphrey’s McGee, one of the many acts at Bear Creek who will play two sets. Umphrey’s have established themselves one of the leading jambands in the current scene. The sextet from Chicago tend to play heavier music than many other jam contemporaries, and are just as influenced by progressive rock and alternative music. Another major two-set headliner will be Dumpstaphunk. The New Orleansbased funk group have also made waves crossing genres. With their roots set deeply in the famous Neville Family, Dumpstaphunk have helped modernize the classic sound of New Orleans. Meanwhile, the New Mastersounds bring a form of jazz-fusion and funk from Leeds in the United Kingdom. They too will perform two sets. Other artists performing two sets include Zach Deputy, Lettuce, Budos Band and The Main Squeeze.

Not all artists at Bear Creek will do two sets. However, there will definitely be a few oneset acts that patrons need to see. Chris Robinson’s Soulive Revue is a new act from the lead singer of the Black Crowes. Robinson’s voice lends well to older soul and blues songs.

Rapper Talib Kweli will also headline the festival. Kweli was once a member of Black Starr alongside Mos Def. Fans familiar with the Birmingham music scene should be familiar with St. Paul and the Broken Bones, the soul group who has been rising up the circuit since 2012. Electronic music will be fully represented as well, led by Break Science. Some other artists include Soulive, the Floozies and Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds.

Bear Creek will also have “artists at large” at the festival. These are musicians who have no set times to perform, but will make unannounced appearances during other performances. Some of these artists include George Porter Jr., Oteil Burbridge, Bernard Purdie, Skerik, Jennifer Hartswick and Grant Green Jr. Probably the best part about Bear Creek Music and Art Festival has nothing to do with the music though. By being in November and in Florida, the festival has almost perfect weather for camping. The park itself is much better set up for camping than some of the larger festivals as well. Along with their unique approach to scheduling, Bear Creek provides one last great festival experience before season officially ends, not to return until April.

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OCTOBER 16 + OCTOBER 30

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