Planet Weekly 483

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inside

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>>> planetweeklyissue483

STORIES 4 THE MUSIC OF OZ // RAIHA BAJWA The only true music store remaining in Tuscaloosa

HIGH TIDE SPORTS 23 SABAN TALKS // GARY DAVIS His A-Day candid opinions

5 ALABAMA SHAKES // WILLIAM BARSHOP "Sound and Color" is amazing

PUBLISHER

LIN DA W. JOHNSON

MANAGING EDITOR BE R T PAULS EN

ASSOCIATE EDITOR W ILLIAM BAR SHOP

COVER DESIGN

LAU R A LIN E B E R R Y

EVENTS

W ILLIAM B A R S H OP

ROAD TRIP

T R E Y B R OOK S

RESTAURANT GUIDE DOC FRANKENSTEIN

PRODUCTION HERB NEU

IMAGES

Images: Creative Common License unless otherwise credited.

ADVERTISING MA R T Y R OBERSON 205.523.4 668 HE R B NE U 205.765.8 007

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS R E G INAL D ALL E N R AI H A B A J WA W ILLIAM B A R S H OP Cou r t n ey Bla n cha rd K AITLY N B LOUNT T R E Y B R OO K S K E LS E Y CAM E R ON J o rd a n c i s s e l l G A R Y H A R R IS CIN DY H U G G INS K E V IN L E D G E W OO D BRETT REID VAN R O B E R TS J ON R O G E R S R AC H E L ST E IN E R

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 |

6 A DEADHEAD'S EXPERIENCE // Reginald allen What really happened?

7 CITY CAFE´ // RAIHA BAJWA Consistency makes the difference

14 FEAST FOR THE FAMISHED // COURTNEY BLANCHARD All about Collards

16 ROGER AND PETEY // KELSEY CAMERON These guys want you to love them

entertainment 10-12

205.765.8007

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. © 2015 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.

FEATURE 8 POWER TRIPP // KAITLYN BLOUNT

RESTAURANT GUIDE / WINE & BEER

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BOOKS

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MOVIE REVIEW

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The man behind Innisfree's popularity

LOCAL Events Calendar

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Road Trip

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LOCAL music

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PUZZLEMANIA / EDITORIAL CARTOON

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HOROSCOPE

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

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>>> L O C A L B I Z | R A I H A B A J W A

THE MUSIC OF OZ // ONE OF A KIND

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hat was once a chain of music stores in the South through the ‘70s and ‘80s is now a single music store in Tuscaloosa.

Oz Music is not only the last remaining store of the chain, but also the only independent and full service music store left in town.

Jason Patton, the manager of Oz Music, has been working at the store for 15 years and recalls seeing the changes in the music business in Tuscaloosa.

“At one point we were one of seven music stores in town,” he said. “Today we’re the only true music store left here.”

Even with the presence of chain stores like Target and Best Buy that sell CDs, Patton doesn’t consider them competition.

“To me they’re not competition because their selection is crap,” he said.

“The people that work there don’t care about music like we do, they’re there for the paycheck and they don’t know music like us.”

The real competition has proved to be the Internet.

In recent years people have veered more toward shopping online, and the rise of digital music has taken away from sales of physical products.

One of the biggest issues the music industry has seen is the rise of piracy

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and illegal downloads, and that has become the biggest competitor.

“I can’t compete with free,” Patton said. “But I also think that if somebody downloads something for free and never tries to purchase physical product, they were never my customer anyway.”

Despite the increase in downloads and move towards digital music, recent years have also seen a rapid increase in demand for vinyl.

“Vinyl is definitely back,” Patton said. “Even though we mostly make CD sales, I’ve had to start ordering more records because a lot of people are going back to listening to vinyl.”

Stephen Peek, a regular customer, enjoys collecting records and prefers listening to music on vinyl.

“I feel like vinyl forces you to pay attention to the music you’re listening to as well as open you up to different sounds and genres,” he said. “And it’s more fun searching and looking for vinyl of your favorite music as opposed to it being readily available to you.”

Peek prefers shopping at Oz because of the selection they carry.

“I think because Oz is a smaller shop and it’s kind of a rarity in this area that it takes music more seriously,” he said. “They have a good selection and verity of music on vinyl, new and old, popular and abstract, so even

though I may not find exactly what I’m looking for, there’s always something there that I’d like.”

Oz Music caters to customers who are interested in physical products, and Patton maintains that shopping online will never compete with the customer service found in the store.

“You can sit at your house in your underwear and order a CD at midnight to be shipped to your house, so why come out to a store?” he said. “Well, because we have customer service and you can’t talk to someone on Amazon and you can’t get recommendations on Amazon like you can here.”

Parker Evans, a Tuscaloosa native, has been shopping at the store for years. Evans said he values physical copies of music more than digital ones.

“I buy CDs partly because I like to support Oz as a local business, and also because I like having physical copies of my albums and books,” he said. “Some of that probably has to do with the fact that I like to have a physical representation of my music taste.”

Evans also prefers buying a product rather than downloading it for free.

“I feel like if you really enjoy an artist, then you want to show support and ensure that they are able to continue to produce music,” he said. “If you illegally download music you’re es-

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sentially robbing them of their product, especially if they’re a lesser known artist.”

Oz Music is a store that “lives and breathes music,” and Patton looks for employees that do the same.

“We try to only hire people that care about music,” he said. “We get people who only come in here for paychecks and it shows, and they usually weed themselves out pretty quickly.”

Employees who know and care about their product make for better customer service, and for a business like Oz Music, customer service ay be one of the most important factors for success.

“Customer service is what’s been our mantra since the owner bought this place,” Patton said. “And it’s what will continue to be our mantra for forever.”

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

SMOOTH AND PRISMATIC // ALABAMA SHAKES AMAZES ON "SOUND & COLOR"

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esus preached against wasting your five talents, and Alabama Shakes has ten or twenty to spare. The first and foremost is the big, bellowing set of pipes on lead singer Brittany Howard, but that still leaves quite a handful that the band chose not to bury on their new album, “Sound & Color.”

The popular reaction to their 2012 debut “Boys & Girls” was “That girl can SING,” and the breakout hit “Hold On” boasted the kind of heart-wrenching, soulsummoned belting that you can’t learn in music school. Plenty of fans would be happy to follow a long career of singles trying to match that one chorus, but there is a lot to admire about Alabama Shakes that wasn’t appreciated as much if you didn’t dive into the rest of their material.

Their roots rock compositions manage to sound like an honest golden age to indie kids and old folks alike, and every song thrives when they play it live. The studio guidance of Blake Mills does the magic of bottling that energy and making every instrument heard at the right times, a task sometimes ignored on “Boys & Girls.” These strengths are fine-tuned on the new batch of songs, with That Big Ol’ Voice worked in as a prominent but not primary feature. Out of virtue or stubbornness, the group made a point of not becoming “Brittany Howard and the Shakes,” and the choice materialized into one class act of a sophomore album.

Though “Hold On” moments are scarce, all the tension when Howard is revving up to full power is almost as rewarding as the payoff. See the verses of “Gimme All Your Love,” where the tenderness of Etta James gives way to the howl of Robert Plant. See the tea-kettle squeal she fires as a warning shot for glory notes to come as the album is just kicking off on “Don’t Wanna Fight” (the first track is more of a trippy prelude, time for the listener to crack open a beer). For most singers, that throaty note wouldn’t even count as singing. For Brittany Howard, it’s a deliciously rock ‘n roll show of restraint.

The rock showcase doesn’t end there by a long shot, either. Every wavelength on the Shakes’ spectrum of influences gets put to work somewhere in a prism that scatters from funk to grunge. A hot kick of punk nostalgia on “The Greatest” runs right into a Temptations-style soul chorus. The Janis Joplin shades on “Miss You” make for the kind of love ballad that leaves you bruised in a shallow ditch.

And of course, the hearts of Southern blues bands are dutifully represented by the swinging grooves of “Shoegaze” and “Dunes.” There’s always a fear that a distinctive band like this one has only one trick up their sleeve, but they just keep pulling that rainbow cloth and not telling where it comes from.

“Guess Who” is another spot that takes some pride in Alabama, strolling through a hall of the simple things in life and picking them out like candy. “People say I look just like my daddy / Cause I doo-o-oo,” Howard hums without a care.

The songwriting is a refreshing break from the all-or-nothing declarations that get a crowd on their feet, wisely placed right at the halfway mark of the album.

Lyrics often get lost when it comes to Alabama Shakes, who prefer a core, relatable meaning, but “Sound & Color” doesn’t get lazy with words. “I’m gonna miss you. . . and your Mickey Mouse tattoo” is a line from that implants in your memory on first listen of “Miss You”, and continues to share the vivid details: “. . .and you’ll be leaving in your Honda Accord.” The message of “This Feeling” closely resembles “Hold On,” but it’s not nearly as embellished, letting a soft reading do what a scream and shout could in a different mood or under a different moon.

“Gemini” spins a Southern creation myth with Adam and Eve washing up on the gulf and nourishing themselves on “the honey of the Tennessee.” The story gets sliced open and abducted by an eerie guitar drone, one of the Shakes’ most adventurous choices, and one that takes up a good chunk of their longest song to

date. Again and again, the Shakes are maddeningly casual about their ability to make any style feel like it was invented in Muscle Shoals. You would think Pink Floyd grew up on sweet tea and barbecue.

Another song that lands a distance from their comfort zone, “Future People,” is a highlight thanks to the catchiest of all the melodies here and a lightning-powered bass line. The whole track is surprisingly plugged in, and the upper register of Howard’s voice lets the spacey vibe lift you away from the earthy essence that defines their usual sound. Again, the hand of Blake Mills is felt polishing the nooks and crannies, taming that festival-rocking sound into something ready for alternative radio. The layered vocals sound a little like arena anthemindie, but in the most sincere way that it can be done. The same could be said of “Over My Head” when it fades out the album with a bright chirping chorus of Howard’s own voice, but no one could accuse her of overselling the emotion of a song; the passion is always real. It gets on you like dust in the air.

If you’re one of the many, many people who have seen Alabama Shakes play live and were hopelessly blown away, you can finally own an album that

matches that energy. If you had any concerns that electronic bleeps and bloops had buried rock music for good, you can rejoice that the most exciting stuff out right now was made by a little band from Alabama with a truck driver turned mail lady for a singer. If your heart was stolen by this gang of misfits, you’re in a groovy majority.

“Sound & Color” is available everywhere via ATO Records, MapleMusic Recordings and Rough Trade Records.

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

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>>> REMEMBERING | R E G I N A L D A L L E N

FORMER DEADHEAD'S PSYCHEDELIC EXPERIENCE

SHAKY KNEES RETURNS TO ATLANTA

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he Grateful Dead is preparing for their own funeral. After 50 years of performing, the legendary band is calling it quits for good. After the death of lead guitarist and vocalist Jerry Garcia, the band essentially disbanded, only reuniting for a handful of shows. Over the years, Grateful Dead has seen numerous members leave and join the band. In July, the remaining members will host its “ Fare Thee Well” shows, a three-day concert at Chicago’s Soldier Field. The event is sold out, but many Deadheads look back to a time when the band was a whole.

Birmingham was one of the last cities to see the late Jerry Garcia before he passed on August 9, 1995. One attendee, who will be called “ Emma Rose” to protect her identity, was at that show.

Emma Rose had seen several Grateful Dead shows in her time, but it was its 1995 concert in Birmingham that she remembers the most. It was because on April 5, 1995 Rose witnessed a legend raised from the dead.

On the evening of the show, Rose and her friends pulled into the parking lot of the Birmingham- Jefferson Civic Center.

“Okay, nobody do any drugs tonight,” one friend said to Rose and company.

Most of the group behaved, but not too long after her friend’s lecture, Rose encountered a man she described as a hippie who had an offer that she could not refuse: acid.

“He came up to me and said, ‘I will sell you five tabs for five dollars,’ and I was like that seems like a pretty good deal,” Rose said.

One tab of LSD in, she had already lost her friends and proceeded to enter the concert hall. As a novice with drugs, she wasn’t sure how she should feel. But once the lights began to flicker, signaling the beginning of the concert, she popped the rest of the tabs in her mouth. While the friends she had lost were nowhere to be found, she ran into an acquaintance

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named John before the show started.

Then she saw him.

Jimi Hendrix took the stage. He stood inches away from lead singer Jerry Garcia, doing what he did best: playing guitar.

As Rose recalls it, “the audience went wild.” But Rose herself could not utter a sound; instead, she stood silent, taking in the guitar player’s performance. It was the most amazing thing she’d ever seen.

But the next day around noon, when Rose finally started to get her wits, she remembered something.

“I was like ‘Jimi Hendrix is dead.’” Rose said. “I had hallucinated the whole thing.”

But for Rose, the experience felt real somehow. It was as real as Jerry Garcia being on stage.

“That’s the image I have of him and light shining down on him,” Rose said. “I knew the whole experience was different.

Everything was colorful and bright and felt like there were spirits all around.”

Rose never found her friends that night. Instead she stayed with John, the friend she had run into earlier. The rest is a haze.

“It’s funny that I remember anything about it,” Rose said. “But it was because of the Jimi Hendrix thing and that was so clear.”

Today, the now-mother does not consider herself much of the Deadhead she used to be. Her friends from the concert have since moved on, but they occasionally connect on Facebook. While a few songs might be on her playlist, she doesn’t have any plans to attend the Grateful Dead’s farewell concert in Chicago. Though her days as a traveling Deadhead may be over, she said she would always remember the Birmingham concert. It is because memories are all she has. No ticket stubs. No band memorabilia from her younger and more vulnerable years.

“Just memories,” Rose said. “They are a little hazy, but good.”

t’s that time of year again. Summer music festival season is upon us! That time of year where you spend way too much money, but it’s ok because Tom Petty sat in with My Morning Jacket and it was awesome! Seriously though, if you’re looking to get the most out of your money, festivals may be expensive, but you will see more artists that you could possibly have imagined. As April turns into May, festivals like Coachella and Jazz Fest are in full swing while Hangout and Memphis in May are getting cranked up. By June, the full slate of Wakarusa, Mountain Jam, Bonnaroo and more take shape. And in our neck of the woods (kind of), Shaky Knees cranks up in Atlanta on May 8th, 9th and 10th.

Shaky Knees was introduced to the world last year as yet another installment of a rapidly growing concert scene in Atlanta. The home of the Braves and Ted Turner is home to impressive venues such as The Masquerade, Variety Playhouse and The Tabernacle, as well as major outdoor venues in nearby Alpharetta and Lakewood. The city has long been associated with Dirty South hip hop, but alternative rock, punk, metal and electronic all have scenes in the ATL. While Nashville, New Orleans and Memphis are all known for their unique music scenes, Atlanta provides modern variety to a region steeped in tradition.

Nowhere is this more evident than at Shaky Knees.

The lineup for Shaky Knees relies heavily on alternative music. This is not a hard line that is drawn. In fact the nature of alternative music is very inclusive in and of itself and draws from a multitude of genres. Generally, the artists of Shaky Knees tend to be more rock oriented, though genres such as folk, psychedelic and metal are represented.

It’s this trait that separates Shaky Knees from fellow Atlanta festival Counterpoint, which has a heavy emphasis on electronic dance music.

The top headliner of the festival sets

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the tone for the rest of the lineup. The Strokes have been a constant in the alternative scene of the last fifteen years.

With a sound rooted in 1970’s garage rock, The Strokes wowed critics and audiences with their debut album This Is It in 2001. Frontman Julian Casablancas also had a successful solo career while the band went on hiatus in 2009.

While the strokes represent urban rock, rural music is represented by headliners Wilco and the Avett Brothers. The Avett Brothers, along with Mumford and Sons, have helped revitalize the popularity of folk music in the United States. Wilco has a heavy country influence in their special brand of rock. The headliners are round out by pioneering group The Pixies, who have influenced everyone from Nirvana to Lady Gaga.

Many more names fill out a lineup that is sure to please the live concert die hards. Pioneering band Social Distortion helped define the California punk scene of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. Ryan Adams, former frontman for the band The Cardinals, has earned a following as a singer-songwriter.

Former Oasis member Noel Gallagher will be there with his band High Flying Birds. Old Crow Medicine Show paved the way for groups like the Avett Brothers, and their song “Wagon Wheel” has been covered into a country hit. In local fare, heavy metalFriday groupFeb Mastodon 27th blend progressive elements their Black Velcrointo Pygmies Sabbath sound. And as for psychedelic music, Australia’s Tame Impala brings Saturday Feb 28th that to the table.

Mojo Trio Some other artists to look out for include NeutralWednesday Milk Hotel, Mar TV On 4ththe Radio, Interpol, Manchester KaraokeOrchestra, Flogging Molly, Dr.w/DJ Dog,ProtoJ Kaiser Chiefs, Trombone Shorty, Minus the Bear and The Black Lips.Thursday Mar 5th 3-day passes areKaraoke still available for the festival, as arew/DJ single-day ProtoJtickets.

Shaky Knees hopefully continues to add to the emergence of Atlanta as a major player in southern music.

>>> SUCCESS | R A I H A B A J W A

CITY CAFE´ // AN ICON FOR GENERATIONS

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t age 15 Joe Barger began working at a restaurant in downtown Northport.

Today, at 65, he is the owner of the same restaurant and runs it with the help of his family.

The restaurant, City Café, sits in the corner of historic downtown Northport, on Main Avenue, and remains in the same building it started in 100 years ago. Customers are welcomed by the old-timey booths inside, surrounded by walls covered in different photographs and posters accumulated over time.

Over the years, City Café has become a staple for affordable local breakfast and lunch, and during peak hours one may find the line going out the door.

Jodie Rosenberg, one of Barger’s daughters, has been working there full time for years, and remembers helping out around the restaurant since she was a child.

She credits part of the success of her father’s business to his need for consistency.

“My dad likes everything to be exactly the same every day,” she said. “He won’t let

us add things to the menu unless we can prove that we can make it consistently every time.”

Frequent customers of the restaurant rely on expecting the same thing everyday.

“People get really mad if we make big changes, so we usually only change one thing on the menu every year,” Rosenberg said. “We keep everything the same, and we just try to make sure it’s always good quality.”

To ensure the quality of the food they serve, City Café makes every item from scratch, and always makes it fresh.

Rosenberg and her sister can be found at the restaurant at 2 a.m. starting to prep for the day’s menu, leading up to 4 a.m. when customers start arriving for breakfast.

“It takes a couple of hours to get everything running and we do as much stuff as we can ourselves, so we’re here nonstop,” she said. “I don’t sleep much.”

Meghan Johnson, a student at the University of Alabama, is one of the restau-

rant’s 4 a.m. customers.

“If I’m ever pulling an all-nighter then you can bet I’ll be there in the morning,” she said. “It’s always so welcoming, even when it’s so early in the morning, plus the coffee is good and the eggs are always hot.”

The restaurant doesn’t buy any of its vegetables and meat pre-packaged, which makes for more work but also saves on money.

This helps the restaurant maintain its low prices, which inch up every year.

“We go up every Christmas and this year my dad was actually stressed because we went up a quarter on some stuff,” Rosenberg said. “We usually just go up a dime.”

For Kilian Afzalirad, a student at the University, the restaurant’s combination of quality and low prices are the reason he prefers going there for breakfast.

“I love that if I only have five bucks in my pocket I can still get a good sit down meal,” he said. “Sometimes that’s all I’ll have and I’d rather spend it here than someplace like McDonald’s.”

Through the past few years the restaurant has faced competition from other businesses that have opened up, and sometimes has struggles keeping up.

“It gets harder every year, with food prices going up, it gets harder every year to get by,” Rosenberg said. “We do more and more every year, it’s constant.”

According to Rosenberg though the customers have fluctuated over the years, “we don’t get as many students as we used to,” City Café has acquired a solid base of returning customers.

“We have people that have been here every morning for years,” Rosenberg said.

“If you don’t see them for a while you start to worry if they’re OK because they just become a part of your life.”

Along with some of the customers, most of the staff that works at the restaurant today has been has been around for more than 20 years.

“It’s just a big family,” Rosenberg said.

“Everyone here has been together for so long that we’re a family.”

During football season you can find former students coming back to look for the same waitresses who served them years ago during their time at the University.

“We have people come in and they’re bringing their kids to college now, and I can remember seeing these kids when I was pregnant and now they have their own kids,” Rosenberg said. “It’s just really neat how time flies.”

SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

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>>> S U CC E S S | K A I T L Y N B L O U N T

POWER TRIPP // OVERCOMING THE HURDLES

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ripp Rogers knew a long time ago that he wanted to live in the South. After spending eight years of his childhood in Atlanta before his family decided to move back to their hometown of Washington, D.C., Rogers fell in love with the South’s charm and decided he would come back one day. So after graduating high school, that’s exactly what he did: He moved to Alabama, and pretty much never left.

“I knew when I came down to school that if I could ever stay and live here, I’d do it, and I’ve been lucky enough to be able to do that.” Rogers said.

Now, Rogers not only lives in Tuscaloosa, but he is one of the owners of Innisfree Irish Pub and the Copper Top Bar. He also co-owns a second Innisfree, located in Birmingham, with his two partners Mike McInerney and Derick Purdy.

Long before Rogers became the successful businessman he is today, he was a communications major at the University of Alabama. After graduation, Rogers got a gig working in broadcast for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. But once the games ended, Rogers was now in living in Georgia and wasn’t really sure what to do next. The answer came in the form of a business offer from a friend back in Tuscaloosa, who wanted us to open up a Planet Smoothie and wanted Rogers to get in on it.

“I was like well, why not, you only live once,” Rogers said.

So Rogers moved back to Tuscaloosa to open his first business. After a couple of years running Planet Smoothie, he decided it might be more lucrative to try his hand at running a bar instead.

Back when Rogers was attending the University of Alabama, his current partner and childhood friend McInerney was living in New Orleans, where he attended Tulane

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University. Once during a visit to the Big Easy, the two went to an Irish pub called O’Flaherty’s, which would later serve as inspiration for the opening of Innisfree.

“We decided that if we ever wanted to do something, it would be awesome to own an Irish pub,” Rogers said.

Then later in 1997, years after visiting New Orleans, Rogers and his friends were sitting around one day, and this time he was the one who had a business offer. He proposed that if they really wanted to own a bar, he’d go out and find a building. So Rogers got in his car, drove around Tuscaloosa, found a location on Greensboro Avenue, met up with the building’s owners and told them what he wanted to do.

So they had a location ready to go, but the road to Innisfree was not an easy one.

They were turned down by four banks in a row, all wary of loaning money to a couple of guys fresh out of college, looking to open a bar. Refusing to take no for an answer, they tried again, and the fifth time was the charm. Grateful for the chance being given to them, Rogers told the man at the bank “It will not fail, I promise you.”

And so Innisfree Irish Pub was born.

The summer of 1998, they opened Innisfree’s doors, with hardly a penny in the bank and all the money from their pockets being used to fill the lone cash register.

The next two years were spent doing everything they could to ensure Innisfree wouldn’t fail; Rogers says he only left Tuscaloosa a total of three days during that time. Despite the hurdles in the beginning, all of their hard work paid off: just five years after opening on Greensboro Avenue, they opened a second Innisfree in Birmingham, and then by 2003 they had become the owners of the Copper Top Bar. By 2008, Innisfree’s popularity had grown and needed more room, and they

also wanted to start serving food. So after being open for 10 years at the original location, they decided it was time to relocate.

Rogers says they tried to model the main room at the current location after the original, so when you walk in you see basically all of the same memorabilia on the walls as the first one. Also, the bar in the main room is the same one he built 17 years ago when they first opened, that way no one could forget where they came from.

Rogers explains that they got the idea for the bar’s name after The Lake Isle of Innisfree, a poem by W.B. Yeats. In the poem, the man wants to find an escape from the harsh reality of everyday life, and Innisfree served as that escape for him. So the idea was that Innisfree Irish Pub could serve as that same escape for anyone who wants it.

“We want people to come here and just relax and have a good time,” Rogers said. “Anyone that knows me knows that if someone’s not having fun, it upsets me; it’s the main thing I care about.”

And it’s not just the customers coming to Innisfree that Rogers is concerned about having a good time. He says that Innisfree will always be a place for his employees to come back to, whether it’s for a job if something doesn’t work out for them, or just to visit on a game day.

“That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “I just hope that once people work here, it makes them a better person to go out in the real world.”

As for the possibility of another location opening, Rogers says that while they’re probably going to stick with what they have, they want someone else to do

what they’ve done and open their own Innisfree. Doing this would mean someone really caring about it and building on their own, and willing to be its owner and operator.

“For Innisfree to be Innisfree, it needs to be someone that wants to do it, and wants to make it that town’s bar,” Rogers said.

Rogers says that in the beginning, they really just wanted to open a bar so they could have a place to hang out with friends. Little did he know that it would turn in to so much more than that.

“We thought we’d do this for a few years, have a good time, then go get real jobs,” Rogers said. “Now, 17 years later and we’re still serving our friends, and now our friends are coming back with their kids, and it’s just been really fun.”

And after 17 years of being in business, Rogers has seen the change and growth that has occurred to the nightlife of Tuscaloosa. When Innisfree first opened, there weren’t many places bringing people downtown, and there wasn’t much in between there and the Strip. Now, downtown has it’s own wide variety of bars and restaurants, and more businesses are bringing attraction to the gap in between downtown and the Strip, including Innisfree. With so much available, and a lot of it within walking distance of everyone in the area, you don’t have to go far to find what you want.

“I just love it down here, Tuscaloosa is definitely one of the greatest cities in the South, if not the best in my opinion,” Rogers said. “It’s fun and it has a lot to offer, and it’s only getting better.”

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NEWS

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FOCUSING ON SMALL BUSINESS AND SCHOOLS Next Small Business Roundtable is April 30 These events offer great open discussions. Come and meet other small business owners and be treated to lunch at The Tuscaloosa News on Apr. 30 at 8a.m.

RSVP to Jill McDonald at 205-391-0555 or jill@tuscaloosachamber.com.

Minority Business Council Workshop on Alternative Funding Set A free workshop entitled Alternative Funding: The Other Source for Capital will be presented by our MBC and LiftFund on Thursday, Apr. 30 from 5:30 -7:30p.m. at the Chamber. Participants will get info on Angel Tree Networking, Crowd Funding, SBA business loans and more. Heavy hors d'oeuvres will be provided. Seating is limited and an RSVP is required by noon on Apr. 29. To register, email carolyn@tuscaloosachamber.com or call 205-391-0556.

Civic Hall of Fame Nominations Sought The Tuscaloosa County Civic Hall of Fame is currently accepting nominations for the 2015 class of honorees. deadline for entry

is June 1. The program is designed to honor exceptional citizens who have made significant, long-term contributions to the quality, livability and economic progress of Tuscaloosa County. Any organization, business, or individual citizen is encouraged to submit a nomination, which must be submitted on an official form available at the Chamber office at 2201 Jack Warner Pkwy. in Tuscaloosa, or here. If an individual has been nominated in the past, a new and complete nomination form is required. For more info, call Carolyn Tubbs at 205-3910556 or email Carolyn@tuscaloosachamber.com.

Nominate a Difference Maker Together with Moody Radio, we recognize a group each month for making a positive difference in our community. Nominate a group today (even your own) at moodyradiosouth.fm.

DMS Leaders Recognized by The Legacy Connection Duncanville Middle School recently held a student leader awards program. Students received awards for all As and A/B honor roll,

perfect attendance, Students of the Month and the DMS athletes were recognized.

During the program, student leaders also showcased their talents including vocal, instrumental and even comedian presentations. Robin Bailey of The Legacy Connection, Adopt-A-School partner for DMS, was on hand to present the awards to each Student of the Month. Sponsored by The Legacy Connection, Student of the Month honorees received framed certificates and gift cards.

DMS students appreciate the recognition and value the support from The Legacy Connection! Find out how your organization can get involved with AAS by contacting Loo Whitfield at loo@tuscaloosachamber.com.

Tuscaloosa City Schools Study: View the Options & Take the Survey Last week, nearly 700 parents, employees and community members participated in a morning and an evening session of Community Dialogue #2. This event provided stakeholders an opportunity to weigh in on possible options under consideration for the Integrated Facilities and Demographic Study. This study represents more than

a year-long effort to plan for the future of the Tuscaloosa City Schools. In case you missed the meeting and would like the opportunity to participate, you can view the presentation materials online at www.tuscaloosacityschools.com and the online survey will be available there until Apr. 24.

Annual Mayor's Cup 5K for Pre-K is April 25 The event aims to increase awareness and raise funds for the Tuscaloosa Pre-K Initiative. The race will start and end at Government Plaza behind City Hall. The route will go through downtown and will cross through the Walk of Champions on the UA campus.

There will be an after-race event, dubbed Post-K, where certain downtown businesses will provide deals on merchandise, food and drinks to participants who present their race bibs. The Mayor's Cup is registered with the Tuscaloosa Track Club, and awards will be given. There will also be family-friendly activities on site. Registration fee is $25. Participants can register online at tuscaloosamayorscup.com. For more info, call Tuscaloosa 311 at 205-248-5311.

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

APRIL 23 + MAY 7

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>>> W I N E R E V I E W

|JON ROGERS

WILLIAM HILL CABERNET SAUVIGNON // SMOOTH William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is actually a Cabernet with a little Merlot blended in. In this review you’ll get this wine’s price, alcohol content, aroma, taste and more.

William Hill Estate is located in Healdsburg, California. The estate produces several different wines.

Included in their portfolio are the Coastal, Napa Valley, Bench Blend, Tasting Room and Benchmark Collections.

For this review I tasted a wine from their Coastal Collection. Specifically, the 2012 North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon.

According to William Hill Estate the North Coast Cabernet fruits come from four different vineyards. Those vineyards are found in the counties of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Monterey.

I had help from a good friend of mine for this review. Our opinions were similar but I’ll highlight where we differed.

This wine is very dark in the glass. We described it as deep purple in color with very limited light shining through.

The wine’s legs were a little different than the usual. My friend came up with a unique description of the legs. He said they looked like a “liquid centipede.”

What this meant was that the wine had many, many thin legs that fell slowly down the sides of the glass.

In the aroma we noticed a lot of black fruits, walnut and a bit of Concord grape.

We both agreed on the black fruits but he picked up on the walnut. I caught the Concord grape.

There was just a slight tinge of alcohol in the aroma.

William Hill Cabernet alcohol content 13.6% by volume per the bottle.

Interestingly, we both had guessed that the percentages were lower. I estimated 13.1% while my friend estimated in the high 12% range.

The William Hill Cabernet’s taste started smooth and juicy with black cherry, black berry and plum flavors. After that was another layer of complexity that my friend described as a hint of eucalyptus. I noticed that the dark fruit flavors did a nice job of making a smooth transition to the dryness from the tannins.

The tannins themselves were quite noticeable and felt all over the palate.

The wine’s finish was long and lasting. There was a good lingering balance between dryness and the much richer dark fruit flavors.

Overall, we both really enjoyed William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. As we were doing the tasting I knew right away this wine was not 100% Cabernet Sauvignon.

I actually guessed Zinfandel as the blend, but as mentioned above it was actually Merlot. The slight sweetness is what gave away the fact that this wine is not a pure Cab. So, if you’re looking for a wine that’s got the dryness of a Cab combined with the more juicy Merlot then this wine is probably right up your alley!

William Hill Cabernet price $12.99.

>>> 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 El Rincon (2 locations) 1225 University Blvd | Tuscaloosa // 366.0855 1726 McFarland Blvd | Northport // 330.1274 Fernando's Mexican Grill 824 McFarland Blvd E | Northport // 205.331.4587 Iguana Grill 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 752.5895 Jalapeno’s Mexican Grill 2001 New Watermelon Rd | Northport // 342.3378 LaGran Fiesta 9770 Hwy 69 S // 345.8871 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

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 Great locally-sourced foods and live piono music on the weekends. |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.

The Side by Side Restaurant 2410 University Blvd. | Embassy Suites | 561-2500 thesidebysiderestaurant.com

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.

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.

ITALIAN

Avenue Pub 405 23rd Avenue

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

Moe’s Southwest Grill (2 locations) 2330 McFarland Blvd E // 342.1487 1130 University Blvd // 752.0234 moes.com

Mr. G’s 908 McFarland Blvd N | Northport // 339-8505

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 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.

APRIL 23 + MAY 7

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.

Margarita's Grill 1241 McFarland Blvd E // 343.0300

Pepito’s (2 locations) 1203 University Blvd | The Strip // 391.9028 1301 McFarland Blvd NE // 391.4861

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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

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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 Brunch, lunch, and dinner. Specialty cocktails, local pints, bottled beer, and wine.

Mon - Fri. 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., Sat. Noon – 11 p.m., Sun. 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 | Tue. - Thu.: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m., Fri - Sat.: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m., and Sunday: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

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

>>> RESTAURANTS |

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

The Shoppes at Midtown & Essex Square, Northport | Said to be the very best chicken salad that can be found anywhere. www. chickensaladchick.com Chili’s 1030 Skyland Blvd | Near McFarland Mall // 750.8881 Fax: 758.7715 // www.chilis.com 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.

Heritage House 700 Towncenter | Northport // 758.0042 Open Mon-Fri 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 4 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.

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.

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.

Tacogi 500 Greensboro Ave | Downtown Tuscaloosa // 342.3647 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.

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

SPORTS GRILL 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 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 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).

Buffalo Wild Wings 2710 McFarland Blvd. East | Tuscaloosa // 523.0273

Sports grille with TVs galore. Diverse beer and wine selection, full bar 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.

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

FRANKLIN COUNTY STOUT // A BEER TO BE RECKONED WITH S

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 (3 locations) 9770 Alabama 69; Midtown; and 13544 Hwy 43 North at Rose Blvd. in Northport. Texas Barbecue. | 344.6500 1800 McFarland Blvd, Midtown Village, Tuscaloosa. | 758-1133 13544 Hwy 43 North, Winn Dixie Shopping Center, Northport. | 330-1147 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 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.

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

STEAKS

Logan’s Roadhouse 1511 Skyland Blvd | next to Sams // 349.3554 Steaks, ribs and spirits Longhorn Steakhouse 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Midtown Village // 345-8244 #412 New Orleans Steak and Seafood House 824 McFarland Boulevard |11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. daily.

248-7666 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 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

SEAFOOD

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.

New Orleans Steak and Seafood House 824 McFarland Boulevard |11:00 a.m. till 11:00 p.m. daily.

248-7666 Tin Top Restaurant & Oyster Bar

>>> B E E R R E V I E W | B R E TT R E I D

tout season is nearing an end here in Alabama, but there’s always time for one last hoorah; especially when the last hoorah is this good. I heard Grayton Beer was working on an Oyster Stout a while back, but then I guess I forgot about it and went on about my business. A few weeks later, as I was scrolling through Instagram, I saw a “Franklin County Stout – Oyster Stout” written on their draught listings in their taproom.

Once again my interest was piqued and I desperately wanted to try it. I commented on the picture asking if the beer would be making its way to Birmingham and Tuscaloosa, because we get only about two to three of their offerings at a time. Andrew, Grayton’s Birmingham rep, replied and told me to email the brewery with my question; I did and waited on a response from someone. A few days later I got an email from Andrew saying that he had a few bottles and would be willing to let me have one so that I could try the creation. So, we met up at Hop City, Andrew explained the beer in a greater detail, and then I was on my way. I took it home, threw it in the fridge, and then waited until I couldn’t stand it anymore (that same night) before I drank it. Let me tell you, this is a force to be reckoned with. Here are my thoughts: Alright, so I know that a lot of people hear the words oyster stout and are immediately turned away. I’m here to say that you absolutely shouldn’t be, because the flavors blend so well, especially if it’s done right, and you get a beautiful bouquet of aromas that really just put you right on the coast with a platter of empty half-shells. Andrew informed me that Grayton’s head brewer, hilariously named Shank, wanted to recreate the experience of eating a raw oyster, and what better place to do that in than the Gulf Coast of Florida. Everything from the lemon, to the pepper, to the brininess is present in this one and it makes for an interesting, yet extremely enjoyable beer.

Poured from the bottle into a pint glass, immediately I noticed the pitch-black color, and the thickness from when it poured.

Honestly, I was nervous about how thick the beer was, because I didn’t want it to be super heavy and overwhelming, and I didn’t want this to falsely represent the experience of eating oysters. The aroma was one of the most complex areas of the beer, because as I stated earlier, you pick up some lemon and some peppery notes.

The flavor aspect of this beer drops a bomb on your taste buds. Seriously, Andrew wasn’t joking when he said that they had simulated the experience of eating oysters. Upfront you get a lot of that classic stout flavor, coffee and some roasted maltiness, but then you start to get notes of lemon and a slight salty brininess that

instantly puts the thought of saltwater in your mind. Towards the end of each sip, you get a little bit of a peppery burn on the back of your tongue that makes it just that more addictive. With all of these complex and nontraditional flavors from the oyster-like additions, it shouldn’t be overlooked that there is a great stout base here that allows everything to build off of those core flavors that everyone is used to. Nothing is too overpowering here and the flavors are all pretty mild which makes for an extremely easy to drink stout. That’s probably for the best, because it gets hot as Hell in Grayton during the summer, but I wouldn’t have a problem throwing back a few of these at sunset.

The mouthfeel of the beer continues the streak of excellence and takes those great flavors to the next level. The carbonation level is on point and could not have been better; any more and it would have been too rough on the tongue and any less and it would have felt uncarbonated. A velvety feeling on the tongue and a nice bit of foam towards the end of each sip make it really smooth and easy going. I would even go as far to say that it has a nice dry finish with a little more of that brininess, albeit faint, on the back of your tongue mixed with a little black pepper. This beer is something special on so many levels.

Overall, this is something that needs more attention, because of the beautiful craftsmanship that went into making it.

From taking almost every aspect of eating a raw oyster and then turning it into a briny, peppery bottle of malted goodness, the Franklin County Oyster Stout blends a plethora of magical flavors into something you really have to taste to believe. Lucky for us, Grayton is releasing some bottles at Hop City in Birmingham very soon, so, I suggest everyone take a trip up and grab a four-pack before they’re gone, because you do not want to miss out on this.

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

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>>> R E S T A U R A N T review | C I N D Y H U G G I N S

THE SIDE BY SIDE // A TREAT FOR THE CASUAL YET SOPHISTICATED PALATE J

ames Beard Award winning Chef Chris Hastings alongside of his Chef de Cuisine Patrick Brawley created The Side By Side restaurant with Alabamians in mind. The name originated from Chef Hastings favorite gun as a child, playing into the menu which features gamey meats. The menu is a medley of French, American, and Southern cuisine. The select entrees featuring game meat include rabbit, duck, and quail. The Photo: Cindy Huggins menu reads slightly different offering a much more appealing debroth. On my plate rested a gorgeous scription: Grilled Duck with Hunter style piece of grouper sprinkled with capers, rice and fried sage, Rabbit & Porcini lemon butter sauce and blue crab meat Mushroom Papparadelle, Swiss chard tossed in a butter vinaigrette. Hidand parmesan, and Rabbit Tamales den under the pan seared grouper lay served with Black beans, cilantro crème onions, roasted potatoes, carrots, and fraîche and ancho chile sauce. Having romanesco broccoli. The grouper was just opened in March, The Side by Side tender with a mild butter flavor and slight already shows promise of a becoming a pungent taste from the capers. The local favorite. non-starchy vegetables were prepared My husband and I spent a much wonderfully. Their vibrant color was still needed date-night at The Side By Side. intact and each bite offered a crisp texThe dining area was quit breath taking. ture. For dessert, we chose to share a The dim lighting illuminated like soft piece of coconut cake. A beautiful white candle-light. The large open design and yellow layered slice of cake was captures different scenes. A rather large served. My husband and I literally had and inviting bar wraps from the lobby no words. We sat in awe and took in its entrance to the main entrance. This parbeauty. A delicately hand-crafted sugar ticular evening, a group of well-dressed mold sat effortlessly on top. Each light businessmen occupied the bar as they and fluffy bite brought so much flavorful. sipped on whiskey and locally brewed As we contemplated licking the plate our beer. A lounge area provides casual ticket was sat on the table in none other seating perfect for drinks with friends. than a shotgun shell box. The ticket conRed accent walls, tiles and chairs gave sisted of a three-course meal with cockmovement to the space carrying your tails for two. After a fair tip the evening’s eyes from one focal point to the next. meal came just under $150. Pricey, yes.

A gorgeous open kitchen with bar-top Though after one bite of their savory seating allows patrons to experience coconut cake, you just may be willing to the preparation and crafting of each sell you soul for another. dish. One of the best tables in-house The Side By Side restaurant is locatwould have to be those circled along the ed on the ground-floor of the Embassy ceiling-high windows overlooking downSuites Hotel on the corner of University town. The staff was prompt and friendly.

Blvd and Queen City Ave. Hours of Once seated, the waitress approached operation: Monday through Sunday: 11 with a chilled water bottle and proceeda.m. until 11 p.m. Limited parking and ed to pour while introducing herself. valet is available. Reservations are acBefore the appetizer arrived a batch of cepted and walk-ins are welcome. freshly-baked bread was served. The Cindy Huggins is a registered dietitian sweet smell hit us even before it was nutritionist and local “foodie”. Tweet her @ in sight. The warm, soft bread was just DietitianCindy as appetizing as the aroma let on. Our appetizer was the Southern Cheese and Ham Plate which displayed three soft cheeses, honey, spiced pecans, green tomato chutney, and thinly slice ham.

The momentum of the evening’s meal was seamless. Just as the last sip or bite was done then came the next. For the main entrees my husband and I both took advantage of the available fresh seafood. The Southern Bouillabaisse, a seafood stew, consisted of the who’s who of the ocean. Crab claws, muscles, shrimp and more marinated in a seafood

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

>>> RESTAURANTS |

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

4851 Rice Mine Rd NE #460 // 462.3399 McFarland Plaza Shopping Center & Temerson Square Tuscaloosa Burger & Seafood Company 1014 7th Ave. | Tuscaloosa // 764.1976 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. Over 160 craft beers. Large selection of decadent desserts.

The Levee Bar and Grill 1 Bridge Ave | Northport // 247.7772 Casual riverfront dining Open Sun–Thurs 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. | Fri–Sat 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Wintzell's Oyster House 808 Skyland Blvd. at the intersection of Skyland and Alabama Highway 69. | 247-7772 | wintzellsoysterhouse.com/location/tuscaloosa/

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 Chongwah Express 1425 McFarland Boulevard, Northport. 333-1088 Hot Wok Express 6751 Alabama 69, Tuscaloosa // 758.0148 Lee Palace 6521 Highway 69 S // 391.9990 Open daily 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

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 Pearl Garden 2719 Lurleen Wallace Blvd | Northport // 339.0880 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.

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 6521 Alabama 69 | 752.5444 Tut’s Place 1306 University Blvd | The Strip // 759.1004

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 Momma Goldberg’s Deli 409 23rd Ave // 345.5501 |www.mommagoldbergs.com Newk's 205 University Blvd E | Tuscaloosa // 758.2455 Schlotsky’s Deli 405 15th St. E // 759.1975 schlotskys.com Which Wich University Blvd.// Downtown Tuscaloosa // Mon – Sat 10:30 – 9 // Sunday 11 – 7 // Fun atmosphere,fresh ingredients, great sandwiches. 764.1673

COFFEE SHOP

Barnes & Noble 1800 McFarland Blvd E | Tuscaloosa 349.6366

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 700 Towncenter | Northport // 758.0042 Open Mon-Fri 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sat. 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

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 Mon–Thurs 11 a.m. - 11 p.m. | Fri & Sat 11 a.m. - midnight

TO HAVE YOUR RESTAURANT LISTED HERE PLEASE EMAIL PLANETEDITOR@YAHOO.COM

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>>> H E A LT H | D R . R AC H E L S T E I N E R

GMO // WHAT EXACTLY DOES THIS MEAN?

T

he three-letter abbreviation, GMO, has become a hot topic of discussion and debate with food and nutrition, but many do not understand exactly what it means.

“GMO” is an abbreviation for Genetically Modified Organism. Biotechnology and bioengineering are the two fields of science that studied and created GMO’s with a goal of reducing world hunger. This started with golden rice, which was the first GMO food created with a goal of increasing the nutritional value. It was specifically designed to supplement the diets of children who suffered from Vitamin A deficiencies and was considered a huge break through. This new science creates unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria, and viral genes that do not occur in nature or natural crossbreeding methods. Most GMO foods can withstand herbicides, pesticides, and drought intolerance, therefore increasing the chances of the crop making it through the growing process to then be available to the public.

An example of this unnatural science that is currently being done is inserting a cold-water fish gene into a tomato planet so the plant won’t freeze in the winter. Another combination taking place is inserting a bacterial gene that is toxic to insects in a corn plant so corn worms die when they attempt to eat the corn.

This is a debated topic of discussion as we are the guinea pigs of this experiment.

The knowledge regarding this issue is too new to know if there are any long-term side effects, but we are essentially being treated as test subjects in the meantime.

Some argue that GMO foods are perfectly fine and are a great attribute to the food industry to modify foods to make them with whatever makeup and nutritional value we want. Because this new science was originally created with the vision of ending world hunger, regulations and bans have been put to the side to support the supposedly good cause.

On the flip side, many believe GMO products are harming the health of citizens with nasty side effects. GMO products are restricted or completely bannned in over 60 countries including Australia, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. There are some

ongoing experiments showing that consuming GMO foods can lead to reduced fertility, increased inflammation, impaired metabolism, autism, obesity, allergies, and kidney function.

GMOs do not require labeling anywhere in North America, preventing potential health liability claims from being traced back to the GMO producers and food processors.

Without mandatory, legally defined labeling there is no traceability, accountability, or liability to find a direct correlation between GMO products and any side effects.

Until regulations are set and more research is done, there are a few things we can do in the meantime to protect ourselves. Be aware that items containing GMOs will not be noted on the label. Again because the government has not put any restriction on these products, GMO products are not required to inform the public of the fact. Obviously if a company is using GMO products, they would not want to advertise it if they are not required to for the sake of sales and business.

However, there is some good news: Recently, items that do not contain GMO’s have a green label as seen with this article.

These labels have come available through the Non GMO Project, which is a recognized group trying to get restrictions on genetically modified food. To see a complete list of GMO free products, you can visit nongmoproject.org.

I am no expert on GMOs, how exactly they work, or the absolute truth of the side effects—but I don’t think anyone is—which I find scary. I am still doing my research to learn and become more educated on the topic. Although with this being such a new concept in the world today, I believe the exact long-term side effects are still unknown.

That statement alone is scary to me.

Scientists are not 100% that the researched side effects are caused exclusively by GMO products. However, anytime we interfere with nature and the amazing job it does, it is never a good thing. I encourage everyone to take the time to do his or her research to better understand this topic that could effect our planet and future generations forever.

Dr. Steiner is a Tuscaloosa area Chiropractor and Wellness Specialist.

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

BACKROAD ANTHEM APRIL 23 + MAY 7

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>>> A L B U M R E V I E W | J O R D A N C I S S E L L

>>> B O O K S | C O U R T N E Y B L A N C H A R D

ALL THE WORLD'S A COLLARDS // A FEAST WRESTLING RING // FOR THE FAMISHED THE MOUNTAIN GOATS F

B

eat the Champ is ostensibly an album about professional wrestling. But in crafting 45 minutes worth of songs about the spandex-clad world of big biceps and bigger egos, bandleader and lyricist John Darnielle has delivered a treatise that transcends the ring: Ultimately, the Mountain Goats’ 15th studio album is about what it feels like to be a human being.

More on all the existential stuff later, but first it seems right to reassure you that there is still more than enough high-flying action to go around.

“Foreign Object” opens in a burst of big, swaggering baritone sax. As the song settles into a loping samba rhythm, Darnielle’s narrator drily declares his intention to “jab you in the eye with a foreign object” and “sink [his] teeth into your scalp.” Ever the multi-tasking professional of performance, he also makes a mental note to get stage blood on the front row and convincingly sell his match-ending leg snapping.

With the jaunty, carefree bounce of a Sesame Street sing-a-long session, Darnielle’s narrator recounts a Herculean effort to rescue his tag-team partner during an 18-man free-for-all cage match.

Soothing slide guitar slips under the ropes throughout the song, barely perceptible beneath the chirpy acoustic strums and playful snare brushes.

Darnielle’s lyrics are dense with references to wrestling lingo and lore.

Album-closer “Hair Match” refers to the practice, especially prevalent in Mexican lucha libre promotions, of competitors placing their locks on the line should they lose an upcoming bout. “Heel Turn 2” explores a wrestler’s transition to a villainous character, known as a “heel” in the business, before Darnielle’s plucky guitar and warbling vocals cede center stage to a majestic piano outro reminiscent of the coda to Derek and the Dominos’ “Layla.”

“Luna” was inspired by the life of World Wrestling Federation star Luna Vachon, and “Stabbed to Death Outside San Juan” recounts the stabbing death of Bruiser

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

Brody, a 6-foot, 8-inch former National Football League player known for erratic behavior in the ring and remembered for his demise at the hands of a fellow wrestler minutes before a match.

But what truly makes this record worth listening to is that you don’t have to know about any of that stuff for these songs to mean something to you. While he’s busy trying to save his buddy, the narrator of “Animal Mask” is rocked by a longing for a time “when were green,” and things were simpler. “The Ballad of Bull Ramos” never once mentions the 350-pounder’s 20-year career in the ring, but rather follows him in retirement. Back home in Houston, Texas, Ramos operates a towing and wrecker service and attempts to ignore the slow deterioration of his body due to diabetes and kidney failure.

In “The Legend of Chavo Guerrero,” we learn far less about the titular hero than we do a young fan who grew up idolizing him, the song tracing the boy’s path from a wide-eyed kid propped on elbows in front of the TV set to a grown man learning that Guerrero’s son has since become a star in his own right. “My last hope is Chavo Guerrero / coming off the top rope,” Darnielle sings, conveying an acute understanding that the need for childhood heroes, no matter our age, can hit harder than any dropkick or piledriver.

ood is essential to southern culture, and collard greens play a central role in the South's culinary traditions. A feast to the famished, a reward to the strong, and a comfort to the weary, collards have long been held dear in the foodloving southern heart.

In Collards: A Southern Tradition from Seed to Table, Edward H. Davis and John T. Morgan provide this emblematic and beloved vegetable the full-length survey its fascinating and complex history merits.

The book begins with collards' obscure origins.

Like a good detective story, the search for collards' home country leads the authors both to Europe and West Africa, where they unravel a tale as surprising and complex as that of southerners themselves. Crossing back over the Atlantic, the authors traverse miles of American back roads, from Arkansas to Florida and from Virginia to Louisiana. They vividly recount visits to homes, gardens, grocers, farms, and restaurants where the many varieties of collards are honored, from the familiar green collards to the yellow cabbage collard and rare purple cultivars.

In uncovering the secrets of growing collards, the authors locate prize-winning patches of the plant, interview "seed savers," and provide useful tips for kitchen gardeners. They also describe how collards made the leap from kitchen garden staple to highly valued commercial crop.

Collards captures the tastes, smells, and prizewinning recipes from the South's premier collards festivals. They find collards at the homes of farmers, jazz musicians, governors, and steel workers. Kin to cabbage and broccoli but superior to both in nutritional value, collard greens transcend human divisions of black and white, rich and poor, sophisticated and rustic, and urban and rural.

Food trends may come and go, but collards are a tradition that southerners return to again and again. Richly illustrated in color, Collards demonstrates the abiding centrality of this green leafy vegetable to the foodways of the American South. In it, readers will rediscover an old friend.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Edward H. Davis is a professor of geography and the chair of the Geography Department at Emory & Henry College and coauthor of The Virginia Creeper Trail Companion: Nature and History along Southwest Virginia's National

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Recreation Trail. John T. Morgan is a professor of geography at Emory & Henry College and author of The Log House in East Tennessee.

PRAISE FOR COLLARDS "Historically and culturally, collards matter. As sustenance and sacrament, as meme and totem, this leafy green has long served the American South and its peoples. Rooted in geography, but ranging smartly through complementary fields, Ed Davis and John Morgan deliver a book that quotes a wide range of sources--from novelist Zora Neale Hurston of Florida to seed-saver Charlie Malone of Alabama--while exploring collard origins, adaptations, and diffusions."

--John T. Edge, author of Southern Belly: A Food Lover's Companion "Underrepresented, underappreciated, undervalued, collards have long deserved a focused book. Davis and Morgan serve up a delectable account of collards that stands as the definitive treatise on the topic. Collards is an admirable account of the natural and social history of the plant and its role in southern food culture."

--Steven L. Hopp, coauthor of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

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

"THE LONGEST RIDE" // SCOTT EASTWOOD ✭✭✭ BECOMES A MOVIE STAR

ou t of 4

M

ovies made from by Nicholas Sparks’ sudsy bestsellers usually require Kleenex galore if you don’t want to drown in your own tears. The tenth Sparks’ novel to receive the silver screen treatment, “The Longest Ride” isn’t as hopelessly tragic as some of the author’s prior tearjerkers. Meaning, “The Longest Ride” is nowhere near as heartbreaking as “Message in a Bottle” (1999), “A Walk to Remember” (2002), “The Notebook” (2004), “Nights in Rodanthe” (2008), and “The Best of Me” (2014). Mind you, “The Longest Ride” does have its share of lachrymose moments. Nevertheless, everything works out well enough for all the protagonists in this sappy soap opera.

Each of the four primary characters and most of the supporting players are endearing souls. The villains that lurk on the periphery are far from despicable.

More than anything else, they are simply suspicious, but never hateful. Like “The Notebook,” “The Longest Ride” intertwines two romances occurring in different times at different places to illustrate the timeless message that true love involves sacrifice.

“The Longest Ride” emerges as lightweight and frivolous compared with the far more serious “Notebook.” “Scream 4” actress Britt Robertson and Clint Eastwood’s youngest son Scott Eastwood portray the lovers in the contemporary romance who negotiate an obstacle course of trials and tribulations. She is a second semester college senior from the city studying art with a promising career awaiting her in the industry, while he is a hard-luck, country boy, rodeo rider who tries to wet nurse snotty bulls for at least 8 seconds and is struggling to save the family ranch. In the flashback romance, set against the Second World War, Jack Huston plays Ira, the Jewish son of a haberdasher, who falls in love with Ruth, a vibrant refuge from Vienna. Having fled from the wicked Nazis, Ira’s inamorata and her family are embarking on a new life. Interestingly enough, “The Longest Ride” marks the first time that Sparks has integrated Jewish characters into his predominantly WASP narratives. Despite

their ethnic traditions, each couple must triumph over distressing medical conditions that threaten to derail their romance more than snobby parents worried about social class mixing.

You know tragedy is going to strike in “The Longest Ride,” but you cannot be certain when or who it will affect the worst. The contemporary cowboy and sorority girl romance surpasses the Jewish love story. Principally Britt Robertson and Scott Eastwood generate greater charisma than Jack Huston and Oona Chaplin. Nevertheless, “Soul Food” director George Tillman Jr., and “Light It Up” scenarist Craig Bolotin neatly relate the past romance with the contemporary one. Sophia Danko (Britt Robertson of “Scream 4”) is the kind of college student who prefers to study rather than goof off on campus with her sisters. Now that she’s halfway through her final semester and has racked up straight A’s, Sophia cuts herself some slack when a sorority sister invites her to attend a rodeo.

Love at first sight aptly describes Sophia’s reaction when the bull that rodeo rider Luke Collins (Scott Eastwood of “Fury”) straddles sends him sprawling into the dirt at her feet. Luke loses his Stetson, and Sophia retrieves it for him.

Luke lets her keep his headgear and ambles away. Later that the day, Luke and Sophia strike up a conversation, and the inevitable date ensues. Basically, she is the sophisticated dame, while he is a rural ranch hand. Nevertheless, these opposites attract as they do in the best love stories.

When Luke is driving Sophia back to the sorority house after their first date, he notices a smashed-up bridge railing. They find an elderly widower who has plunged off the bridge and slammed into a tree. He lies near death in his wrecked car. Courageously, Luke pulls Ira Levinson (Alan Alda of “The Aviator”), from his automobile. Ira cries out about a box, and Sophia grabs it as Luke is toting him away. Since nobody knows Ira at the hospital, Sophia hangs around until the old man awakens from surgery. Ira, it seems, banged his head up rather se-

verely in the accident. As a patient, Ira is nothing but cantankerous. He complains that his nurse soaks her hands in ice water. Sophia explains that she was one of the two good Samaritans who rescued him. Moreover, she persuades grumpy Ira to eat his objectionable hospital fare.

If he’ll eat his food, she promises to read some of the letters in his box of mail.

Sophia knows the letters are love letters because she has perused them.

Later, as she reads to Ira, we find ourselves swept up in a nostalgic flashback that captures the love affair between a carefree Jewish lad and lady in the 1940s. As it turns out, love is no different for different people.

Everybody encounters variations on the same heartache. The passion of Ira’s life, Ruth (Oona Chaplin of “Quantum of Solace”), dreams of having a large family, but Ira cannot accommodate her owing to a war wound. Like Noah in “The Notebook,” Ira tangles with the Nazis in Europe, but he comes home a

different man much to Ruth’s chagrin.

Meantime, Luke and Sophia quarrel after a vicious bull throws him. Luke’s physician warns him his next tumble could be fatal. Sophia begs him to quit bull riding, but Luke refuses out of stubborn pride.

“The Longest Ride” is sure to make Scott Eastwood into a movie star. He looks so much like his father that you cannot believe he is his son. Director George Tillman doesn’t overlook an opportunity to photograph every muscular contour of Eastwood’s virile physique, and the PG-13 rating prevents him from going all out. Eastwood and co-star Britt Robertson have a shower scene together and do just about everything that is expected of a young romantic couple. Comparatively, Ruth and Ira’s romance is restrained. Alan Alda spends most of his time in a hospital bed. Altogether, “The Longest Ride” packs enough panky to match all the hankies.

Fri 4/24 - The Kinky Aphrodisiacs with Black Water Thieves Sat 4/25 - Take The Power Back!

Thu 4/30 - Ferguson and the Copper Dogs with Belle Adair Fri 5/1 - Skeptic? & Sinema Sat 5/2 - Pyrite Parachute with Tomato Band

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

15

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H E S O U T H E A S T ' S L A R G E S T NOTE: All events listed here have phone numbers in the 205 area code unless otherwise indicated.

FRIDAY, APRIL 24

MY SON PINNOCCHIO, JR WHEN: 7 p.m.

COST: $10 - 20 WHERE: Bama Theatre, PHONE: 758.5195 LINK: bamatheatre.org DESCRIPTION: Enjoy the Tuscaloosa Children’s Theatre production of this classic tale, retold from Gepetto’s perspective but still packed with the beloved songs from the Disney animated feature. Two performances will also be on Saturday April 25, and one at 2 p.m. Sunday April 26. Reserve your tickets now at the historic Bama Theatre.

ALABAMA SOFTBALL VS TENNESSEE WHEN: 6:30 p.m.

COST: $7 WHERE: 321 5th Ave E PHONE: 348.2262 LINK: rolltide.com DESCRIPTION: Watch UA’s softball team face the Tennessee Volunteers in Rhoads Stadium. Friday is the third game in a fourday conference, and the final game of the series will be played Saturday at 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

TUSCALOOSA MAYOR’S CUP WHEN: 8 – 10 a.m.

COST: $25 WHERE: 6th St PHONE: 752.1284 LINK: tuscaloosamayorscup.com DESCRIPTION: Join us for the 9th annual Tuscaloosa Mayor's Cup 5K for pre-K. Since 2007, the Mayor's Cup race has raised over $140,000 for Tuscaloosa preK, while promoting health and wellness in the Tuscaloosa community. Participants will receive a goodie bag, performance race shirt, post race refreshments, potential for great door prizes and access to exclusive "Post-K" discounts and coupons from participating downtown Tuscaloosa merchants.

COMMUNITY BLOCK PARTY WHEN: 3 – 6 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 14611 Old Greensboro Rd PHONE: 752.1284 LINK: bigsandybaptist.org DESCRIPTION: Big Sandy Baptist Church is hosting a Second Annual Community Block Party with special guests, "Brighter Day" playing gospel bluegrass music.

There will be something for every age group from face-painting to dominoes.

Games, inflatables, food, and great fellowship.

SUNDAY, APRIL 26

BRIGADOON WHEN: 2 p.m.

COST: $7 – 10 WHERE: 9500 Old Greensboro Rd PHONE: 391.2277 LINK: theatretusc.com DESCRIPTION: A Scottish fantasy about a town that disappears into the Highland mist and returns for only one day every one hundred years, "Brigadoon" is a tribute to simplicity, true love, and goodness, which is hidden from the ordinary traveler. Watch

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

this adventure unfold on stage at the BeanBrown Theatre at Shelton State Community College. Tickets are available through Theatre Tuscaloosa Box Office.

MONDAY, APRIL 27

MCALISTER’S BLOOD DRIVE WHEN: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 101 15th St PHONE: 242.7520 LINK: mcalistersdeli.com DESCRIPTION: McAlister’s of Tuscaloosa (the 15th St location) is going to be holding an all-day fundraiser and blood drive for the Red Cross on April 27th. 20% of all sales (delivery, dine in, to go, catering) from 11am until 8pm will be donated to the Red Cross. Also, from the hours of 1pm until 6pm, they will have a mobile blood bank on site.

STORYTIME AT THE LIBRARY WHEN: 10 – 11 a.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 1801 Jack Warner Pkwy PHONE: 345.5820 LINK: tuscaloosa-library.org DESCRIPTION: Join us at the Tuscaloosa Public Library on Mondays with your children ages 0 to 5 years old for an exciting program of stories, songs, and activities. Parents and caregivers are invited to join the fun!

FINALS WEEK BEGINS AT UA

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

ROGER AND PETEY // WANT A HOME F

un, frisky, and full of life! Anyone need a personal trainer?

This is your guy! Tall, dark and handsome describes Roger! He is a 1 to 1 ½ year old male Labrador Retriever and Greyhound mix. He is solid black with a lean, leggy build and the slim face and ears of a Greyhound. Roger only weighs 42 pounds and really is in pretty good shape. He is just a very lean dog. Roger was pulled from our local animal shelter, where he had been picked up by Animal Control and no one came to claim him. This poor dog had been down there for almost 4 months!! Because he was always in such good health and so sweet he survived being down there for so long. We had to get sweet Roger out! Roger is a very social, loving dog. He does have some energy and gets very excited on first meeting. He loves to run and boy, can he run! Once you get some of that energy out of him, he settles down and just wants to be with you. Roger is very playful and good with other dogs. He will be great with children, just maybe not little ones due to his size and being a bit jumpy. Roger will require a fenced yard. We have started on his crate training. Roger is up to date on his vet care, neutered, heartworm negative and is microchipped. He is on heartworm and flea/tick prevention. Please don’t let the “black dog syndrome” keep you from adopting this dog! He has such a great personality that you simply must see in person! If you are interested in giving Roger the forever home he wants and deserves, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at humanesocietyofwa. org or call us at (205) 554-0011.

TUESDAY, APRIL 28

ALABAMA BASEBALL VS SOUTHERN MISS WHEN: 6:30 p.m.

COST: $20 WHERE: Stadium Trace Pkwy, Hoover PHONE: 348.2262 LINK: rolltide.com DESCRIPTION: Watch the Crimson Tide baseball team face on the baseball diamond in the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. After Friday the team will play three games against the Arkansas Razorbacks from April 30 to May 2.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29

TIPS FOR TUSCALOOSA WHEN: 6 – 9 p.m.

COST: Donations accepted WHERE: 430 Main Ave, Northport PHONE: 247.4990 LINK: billyssportsgrill.com/northport DESCRIPTION: Billy’s Sports Grill in Downtown Northport hosts a singersongwriter night with country artist Hope Cassity benefitting Arts ‘n Autism. Come out for a night of great music to support a worthy cause.

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

MUSICAL EXTRAVAGANZA WITH THE WESTWOOD SINGERS WHEN: 7 p.m.

COST: $5, Children $1 WHERE: Bama Theatre PHONE: 758.5195 LINK: bamatheatre.org DESCRIPTION: The Musical Extravaganza will feature the Westwood Singers singing several selections, including

T

his is handsome little Petey.

He is a sweet male white and orange tabby. Petey is 2 years and 11 months old. He is a playful young fellow! He loves to play, jump and climb! He is such a sweet boy. When he isn't playing, he's snuggling! He loves to socialize with other cats, but he really loves when he can snuggle with a person. He would do well in a home with other cats or as an only pet. He would love plenty of one-on-one time with his person or family. He's never been around dogs, but he's gentle and sweet with children. Stop by our cat adoption center to meet Petey and more adoptable cats! Petey is negative for FIV/ FeLK, current on vaccinations and neutered. If you are interested in giving Petey the forever home he wants and deserves, visit the Humane Society of West Alabama at humanesocietyofwa. org or call us at (205) 554-0011.

If you ever decide to adopt a dog, check out your local shelter. Buying dogs from pet stores or online increases the demand for the cruel puppy mills that often supply them. If you already have a dog, please remember to get it spayed or neutered. It's the best way you can help prevent dog overpopulation.

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

>>> E V E N T | K E V I N L E D G E W O O D

"AWAKE–THE LIFE OF YOGANANDA" // SCREENING AT THE BAMA

>>> EVENTS CALENDAR | T H E S O U T H E A S T ' S L A R G E S T highlights from “The Sound of Music.” The ensemble will also present the musical “Summer Camp,” portraying the story of a group of campers as they learn to make new friends and find out that everyone has a little talent. Tickets available at the door.

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 and treat yourself to freshest produce.

Homegrown Alabama invites you to the lawn of the Canterbury Episcopal Church every Thursday this Spring. Grab some local veggies as the season begins!

T

he Arts Council of Tuscaloosa will present the screening of “Awake - The Life of Yogananda” on April 28, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bama Theatre. This screening is part of the GATHR: Theatrical on Demand® program.

The screening features the 2014 documentary film by Oscar-nominee Paola di Florio and Sundance winner Lisa Leeman about Hindu mystic Paramahansa Yogananda. He is credited with bringing yoga and meditation to the West in 1920 and wrote the spiritual classic “Autobiography of a Yogi,” a go-to book for seekers from George Harrison to Steve Jobs. By personalizing his own quest for enlightenment and sharing his struggles along the path, Yogananda made ancient teachings acces-

sible to a modern audience and led millions onto the path of self-realization. The film is Rated PG. The presentation is made possible through GATHR: Theatrical on Demand®, a program that brings screenings to theaters if a minimum number of reservations are met for the venue by a certain date. Individuals, social clubs or theaters can make the request. For more information, visit http://gathr.us.

Admission is $10 general. Visit http:// gathr.us/screening/11516 to purchase.

All tickets MUST be purchased online in advance; tickets will not be for sale at the Bama box office prior to or the evening of the screening.

OPEN AUDITIONS // "FIDDLER ON THE ROOF" AT THEATRE TUSCALOOSA

O

pen auditions for “Fiddler on the Roof” will be held May 11th and 12th at 6 p.m. in the Bean-Brown Theatre. This show has an enormous cast, and we need men, women, teens, and children! (12 AND OLDER) Actors should prepare: • 16 bars of a musical theatre song and bring sheet music to be played by the supplied accompanist.

• Be prepared to do cold readings from the script. Be familiar with the story and the character(s) you are interested in playing. (No monologues necessary) • A dance audition will be taught on site, so bring comfortable clothing that

allows for movement and wear closetoed shoes (no flip flops or sandals).

• For men who wish to audition, it would be a good idea to start growing beards now.

Performance dates for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF are July 10 through 19.

Rehearsals will begin May 15-ish.

More information about the performances is available here: theatretusc. com/shows/fiddler-on-the-roof/ Audition Workshop Do You want to Audition for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF but need some help? Come participate in our Audition Workshop. Registration is free, but space is limited. Call 205.391.2277

FRIDAY, MAY 1

VERSO | RECTO BY ASTRI SNODGRASS WHEN: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

COST: Fre WHERE: 700 Capstone Dr PHONE: 348.1891 LINK: art.ua.edu DESCRIPTION: In fulfillment of The University of Alabama Department of Art and Art History studio graduate program’s terminal degree, Astri Snodgrass presents a body of new work representing her studio research as a painter. The public is invited to the artist reception May 1 from 6 - 8 p.m.

SATURDAY, MAY 2

TUSCALOOSA RIVER MARKET WHEN: 7 a.m. – 12 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 1900 Jack Warner Pkwy PHONE: 248.5295 LINK: tuscaloosarivermarket.com DESCRIPTION: The Tuscaloosa River Market is now open every Saturday, year round! Come check out local farmers and artisans who have everything to offer from goat cheese to okra, from clay pottery to homemade candles. Discover baked goods, hand-stitched clothing, pickles, and organic tea all at one location along the Black Warrior River.

GARDEN DAY AT MOUNDVILLE WHEN: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: Moundville Archaeological Park PHONE: 371.8732 LINK: moundville.ua.edu DESCRIPTION: The park’s Americorps Volunteer in Service to America, Kenric Minges, volunteers and education staff host a day of fun in the garden. Visitors learn that Native Americans traditionally inter-planted corn, beans and squash, the “Three Sisters,” developing one of the earliest methods of sustainable agriculture. Other plants harvested and/or grown and used by Southeastern Indians, many of which we now consider “weeds,” are included as part of a garden tour. Enjoy traditional tea and indigenous trail mix, and let the kids decorate a flower pot for Mother’s Day.

SUNDAY, MAY 3

5TH STREET VINTAGE MARKET

WHEN: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 4150 5th St PHONE: 345.4763 LINK: 5thstreetvintagemarket.com DESCRIPTION: We will feature dozens of dealers from the region who specialize in vintage goods, handmade items and vinyl records. Concessions available on site.

MONDAY, MAY 4

MUSEUM MONDAYS WHEN: 3:30 – 5 p.m.

COST: $8 WHERE: 427 6th Ave PHONE: 348.6383 LINK: amnh.ua.edu DESCRIPTION: Come experience the Museum in a whole new way! Stomp around with dinosaurs, unearth rocks and minerals, and discover a host of other natural wonders. For K-2nd grade explorers. Registration is required. Call or email programs@ua.edu to reserve your space today!

TUESDAY, MAY 5

WILLIAM AND SARA HALL COLLECTION: CONTEMPORARY PRINTS WHEN: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 620 Greensboro Ave PHONE: 758.2238 LINK: cac.tuscarts.org DESCRIPTION: This inaugural exhibition features a selection of contemporary artist’s prints from the William and Sara Hall Collection. The Hall family placed their collection of over 475 artist’s prints in the care of the University’s Sarah Moody Gallery of Art in 2014, a collection that showcases a master printer’s career.

THURSDAY, MAY 7

KENTUCK ART NIGHT WHEN: 5 – 8 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: 503 Main Ave, Northport PHONE: 758.1257 LINK: kentuck.org DESCRIPTION: As on the first Thursday of every month, Kentuck opens its doors to visitors for a night of art, music, food and fun. Enjoy a live band, food from the cob oven, and the wonderful art of resident Kentuck artists.

WEST ALABAMA FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL

WHEN: 5:30 – 8 p.m.

COST: $55 WHERE: 320 Paul W Bryant Dr PHONE: 469.0105 LINK: westalabamafoodandwine.org DESCRIPTION: Each guest will receive a souvenir tasting wine glass to sample a variety of different wines from several different wine distributors. Over a dozen different local restaurants will be serving tasting samples of new and traditional dishes. Live music will swinging in the ballroom. Benefiting the Red Cross of West Alabama. Tickets may be purchased at: brownpapertickets.com or at Spirits Wine Cellar.

Check out our new website: www.theplanetweekly.com

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

APRIL 23 + MAY 7

17

>>> ROAD TRIP | S O U T H E A S T E R N CO N C E R T S A N D E V E N T S

THURSDAY, APRIL 23

NASHVILLE Guilty Pleasures, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

BIRMINGHAM Zoso, WorkPlay Theatre Motionless in White, Zydeco

NEW ORLEANS Trombone Shorty, Saenger Theatre Father John Misty, The Civic Theater Dead Feat, Howlin’ Wolf Galactic, Tipitina’s

HUNTSVILLE Casting Crowns, Von Braun Concert Hall MONTGOMERY Rodney Carrington, Montgomery Performing Arts Center ATLANTA The Who, The Arena at Gwinnett Center Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless Testament w/ Exodus, The Masquerade NEW ORLEANS Bill Burr, Saenger Theatre

FRIDAY, APRIL 24

BIRMINGHAM Slayer, Iron City Modern Measure, Zydeco

HUNTSVILLE Christopher Titus, Chan Auditorium Rodney Carrington, Von Braun Concert Hall ATLANTA Bob Dylan, Fabulous Fox Theatre Richard Cheese, Center Stage Lil Dicky, The Masquerade Cartel, The Masquerade NASHVILLE Ten Out of Tenn, Ryman Auditorium NEW ORLEANS Gov’t Mule, Saenger Theatre Lettuce, The Civic Theater Anders Osbourne, House of Blues

saturday, APRIL 25

BIRMINGHAM Little Raine Band, Zydeco

MONTGOMERY Terry Turner, Millbrook Theatre Shane Owens, Double Branch Jessie Lynn, Montgomery Motor Speedway ATLANTA Chris Hardwick, Variety Playhouse All Time Low, The Masquerade Walk the Moon, Tabernacle

SLIPKNOT & HATEBREED // BIRMINGHAM // MAY 2

SHEN YUN // NASHVILLE // MAY 1

BOB DYLAN // ATLANTA // APRIL 24

sUNday, APRIL 26

NASHVILLE Rachel Brathen, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom Death Cab for Cutie, Ryman Auditorium Natalie Prass, High Watt NEW ORLEANS Bob Dylan, Saenger Theatre Walk the Moon, House of Blues

BIRMINGHAM Kevin Hart, BJCC Marilyn Manson, Iron City Scott Weiland & the Wildabouts, Zydeco

BIRMINGHAM Periphery, Zydeco

HUNTSVILLE Chicago, Von Braun Concert Hall

HUNTSVILLE Anthony Hamilton, Von Braun Concert Hall

ATLANTA Buckcherry, The Masquerade

MONTGOMERY Chicago, Montgomery Performing Arts Center

NEW ORLEANS Slayer, The Civic Theater JJ Grey and Mofro, Tipitina’s

NASHVILLE Of Mice and Men, Rocketown

MONDAY, APRIL 27

ATLANTA Death Cab for Cutie, Fabulous Fox Theatre Hollywood Undead, The Masquerade NASHVILLE Bob Dylan, TPAC Andrew Jackson Theater Ryan Adams, Ryman Auditorium The Time Jumpers, 3rd and Lindsley Bar and Grill

TUESDAY, APRIL 28

BIRMINGHAM Halestorm and The Pretty Reckless, Iron City ATLANTA Godsmack, Tabernacle NASHVILLE Rachel Brathen, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom NEW ORLEANS Slash, House of Blues

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29

BIRMINGHAM Crown the Empire, Zydeco

ATLANTA Earl Sweatshirt, The Masquerade

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

FRIDAY, MAY 1

BIRMINGHAM The Delta Saints, Zydeco

ATLANTA Lewis Black, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre Steve Winwood, Fabulous Fox Theatre Iration, Variety Playhouse NASHVILLE Zac Brown Band, Bridgestone Arena Shen Yun, TPAC Andrew Jackson Theater The Color Morale, Rocketown NEW ORLEANS Primus, The Civic Theater

SATURDAY, MAY 2

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

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APRIL 23 + MAY 7

NASHVILLE In Flames, Marathon Music Works In This Moment, Mercy Lounge/Cannery Ballroom NEW ORLEANS Blackberry Smoke, House of Blues Zappa Plays Zappa, Tipitina’s

SUNDAY, MAY 3

BIRMINGHAM Diarrhea Planet, Saturn

ATLANTA Tesla, Tabernacle The Midtown Men, Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

BIRMINGHAM Slipknot w/ Hatebreed, Oak Mountain Amphitheatre Steve Winwood, Alys Stephens Center Mustache the Band, Zydeco

NASHVILLE John Fogerty, Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater

MONTGOMERY Black Jacket Symphony, Montgomery Performing Arts Center

BIRMINGHAM The Used and Chevelle, Iron City

ATLANTA Doobie Brothers w/ Don Felder, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encre Park

>>> 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

JOHN FOGERTY // NASHVILLE Celtic Women, Fabulous Fox Theatre// MAY 3

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

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

404.733.5010 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

MONDAY, MAY 4

TUESDAY, MAY 5

BIRMINGHAM Five Finger Death Punch, Iron City Celtic Women, BJCC NEW ORLEANS The Pixies, The Civic Theater

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6

NEW ORLEANS Oliver Dragojevic, Saenger Theatre

THURSDAY, MAY 7

BIRMINGHAM The Pixies, Iron City Hozier, The Alabama Theatre

HUNTSVILLE Jay Leno, Von Braun Concert Hall

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

HANDSHAKE PROMISE // RHYTHM & BREWS //

URI BAND // COPPER TOP // APRIL 24

APRIL 30

THURSDAY, APRIL 23

Nic Snow and Charlie Argo, Rounders Rebel, Rhythm & Brews Search Party, Crimson Bar Hampton Gray, Copper Top

FRIDAY, APRIL 24

Missused, Rhythm & Brews Plato Jones, DJ Spinnzz, DJ Blaze, Rounders The Kinky Aphrodisiacs with Black Water Thieves, Green Bar Boogie Junction, Crimson Bar Uri Band, Copper Top

SATURDAY, APRIL 25

Take The Power Back!, Green Bar TBA, Rhythm & Brews Johnathon East, Crimson Bar John May, Copper Top Charlie Argo Band, DJ Spinnzz, and DJ Blaze, Rounders

TREY LEWIS // CRIMSON BAR // MAY 1

Nic Snow Band, DJ Spinnzz, and DJ Blaze, Rounders Skeptic? & Sinema, Green Bar

SATURDAY, MAY 2

Crazy Chester, Crimson Bar Sean Rivers Band, DJ Spinnzz, DJ Blaze, Rounders Pyrite Parachute with Tomato band, Green Bar

THURSDAY, MAY 7

Debbie Bond / Radiator Rick, Black Warrior Brewing Co.

FRIDAY, MAY 8

Green bar Presents: T-Town For Titus Charity Fundraiser // FT Looksy and Lake Lyon

Sunday April 26

John Kilgore / Drew Dye, Crimson Bar

WEDNESDAY APRIL 29

Unplugged Acoustic Acts, Rounders Jackson Caps, Billy's Sports Grill

THURSDAY, APRIL 30

Ferguson and the Copper Dogs with Belle Adair, Green Bar Handshake Promise, Rhythm & Brews

HAVE YOUR LOCAL MUSIC EVENT LISTED FREE in planet weekly.

FRIDAY, MAY 1

just EMAIL

PLANETEDITOR@YAHOO.COM

Trey Lewis, Crimson Bar

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

Capones // 248-0255

Gnemis Top Shelf Tavern // 343-0020

Mellow Mushroom // 758-0112

1831 // 331-4632

Carpe Vino // 366-8444

Gray Lady // 469-9521

Mugshots // 391-0572

Alcove // 469-9110

Catch 22 // 344-9347

Harry's Bar // 331-4151

Rhythm & Brews // 750-2992

Bear Trap // 345-2766

Copper Top // 343-6867

Houndstooth // 752-8444

Rounders // 345-4848

Big Al's // 759-9180

Crimson Bar // 764-0185

Innisfree // 345-1199

The Booth // 764-0557

Downtown Pub // 750-0008

Jackie's Lounge // 758-9179

Buffalo Wild Wings // 523-0273

Gallettes // 758-2010

The Legacy // 345-4848

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

EFFECTIVE AFFORDABLE ADS 205.765.8007

APRIL 23 + MAY 7

19

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

Across 1. Professional grp.

5. Police informer 9. Means of connection 14. Garden door 15. Arctic phenomenon 16. Prevent, as disaster 17. Done to excess 19. Infield bags 20. Be opposed 21. Fiery ballroom dance 23. Speak ill of, in slang 25. Sean Lennon's mother 30. Olympia resident 33. Sheep's bleat 35. Slender antelope 36. Caspian Sea feeder 37. Went for ____ (swam) 39. Of ebb and flow 42. Nothing in Nice 43. Lotion brand 45. The "Fat" in "Fat Tuesday" 47. Legal scholar's deg.

48. Antes 52. In a persnickety manner 53. Corvine call 54. ___ spades 57. Certain tides 61. Toward the stern 65. Alexandria's area 67. Pola of the silent screen 68. Woeful word 69. Decisive time 70. Not overly emotional 71. Harmonize 72. McGwire's 1998 rival Down 1. "He's ____ among men..."

2. Economize 3. Staunch 4. "Il Postino" poet

20

APRIL 23 + MAY 7

5. Its 2010 season begins September 9th 6. Much 7. Front line of theater seats 8. "Breathless" saxophonist 9. "Lolita" novelist Vladimir ___ 10. "Uncle Tom's Cabin" girl 11. Check alternatives 12. Ending with prefect or press 13. Rte. parts 18. Invigorating 22. Received 24. Closed tight 26. ____ off (light switch choices) 27. In an obsequious manner 28. Nail, to Nikolaus 29. "... so ___ so forth" 30. Relinquishes 31. Amin of Africa 32. A little push 33. Canadian ski town 34. Bonjour opposite 38. Walkers, briefly 40. Genesis craft 41. Churchgoer 44. Of the Far East 46. Tolerate 49. "Creep" band 50. Doglike scavengers 51. Woolen clothes 55. Like some salad dressings 56. Custard tart 58. Ray of Hollywood 59. School gps.

60. "I won't ____ word!"

61. Retort (abbr.)

62. Risk 63. Way back when 64. Cal. heading 66. PC panic button SOLUTION FOR PUZZLEMANIA CROSSWORD ON PAGE 21

>>> PUZZLEMANIA| S U D O K U

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 21

WRITERS WANTED

For Information, please email PlanetEditor@ yahoo.com

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

>>> HOROSCOPES |

weekly overview If you've felt a lack of control over the direction your life has been taking, you'll be back in charge of the reins this week. After all the dreaming, thinking, and planning of recent weeks, now is the time to knuckle down and make a start. If you're collaborating with others, be sure the working terms and conditions are fair at the outset, as it might be too late to change things once you're involved.

The same could be true of romance, too!

You're entering a natural phase in which it helps to kick back and take time to yourself. This doesn't mean retreating from the world completely, but it does suggest that you make space in your day for reflection, journaling, and perhaps meditation. Any practice can be useful if it helps you regain your inner poise and balance. This is also a good opportunity to recharge your batteries and get back in touch with what's important to you. The weekend could bring an instant attraction your way.

Your social life is buzzing this week, encouraging you to be socially curious and enhance your network of friends and associates. This could be one of the most interesting times in your yearly calendar, when a natural inclination to reach out can bring wonderful opportunities your way. Tuesday and Wednesday may require careful handling when dealing with loved ones or business relationships. Avoid being manipulated. There's fun to be had if you can keep your distance from anyone who tries it on you.

For Summer Reading Lists Try the Best!

lest dtog o o C : e Rosi the plane on

Rosie Recommends TOP SELLERS AT HALF PRICE

The Sun enters your career sector, so it's time to take center stage!

You could be in the spotlight this week. As this is generally where you feel most at home, be sure to take advantage of that fact.

You can make great strides this week by putting your effort into key ambitions and goals. By doing so you'll lay the groundwork for greater security in the future. You're also entering a phase of significant growth if you do what's necessary to make it happen.

You'll flourish this week if you're willing to move outside your comfort zone and explore new ways to market your skills and abilities to the world. A dynamic focus on education and learning makes this one of the better times to sign up to get a qualification or upgrade a skill or talent. If you have teaching or lecturing ability, sharing your knowledge with others could be very rewarding and something you might consider doing over the long term.

The way you handle your assets may be a cause for reflection this week. A potent Taurus focus encourages you to take a long look at your investments, debt, and income and how you can improve your financial picture in general. Seeds sown now could be a source of greater wealth in the future if you play your cards right. You have a natural talent for business and the current situation shows a perfect opportunity to use it.

When it comes to relationships, you're in a phase in which you may be doing more giving than receiving. This week's alignment reveals plenty of interaction, with opportunities to collaborate on projects and plans. Play down your feelings on Tuesday and Wednesday, as rather powerful transits could coincide with misunderstandings. It might be better to compromise than get involved in a spat. Where romance is concerned, you have plenty of opportunities to rekindle the flame of passion.

Health and lifestyle issues figure prominently, encouraging you to take stock of your habits and make changes where necessary. Yours is a sporty sign, but you can be rather lax when it comes to diet and nurturing your body. Make a habit of getting massages, enjoying relaxing treatments or therapies, and eating good food. When it comes to your job, the more effort you put in at this time, the more you'll get out. A pay raise might be possible with the right attitude.

Your creativity peaks this week. The current Taurus focus entices you to get back in touch with a hobby or pastime you enjoyed as a child. Taking out paints, craft materials, or a musical instrument can transport you back in time and be pleasantly therapeutic. Whatever your relationship status, there are plenty of options for romance. If you're hoping to impress a new lover, it's important not to rush. Give the person time and you may receive the earth in return.

Home is where you'll want to be this week. After all the hustle and bustle and general busyness you've endured, it's time to get cozy and rest. Use this opportunity to get back in touch with your culinary abilities. Make up some new dishes, try out a family recipe for apple pie, and cook for friends and family. This is an opportunity to ground yourself and nurture your body. Gardening and walking in nature are other ways to do this.

Tuscaloosa’s Independent Book Store

PAPERBACK HEAVEN STOCK UP NOW

Gently used — most like new

PARKVIEW SHOPPING CENTER • 205.758.5770 Near OZ Records

PUZZLE SOLUTIONS

It's a good week to reach out and expand your circle of associates.

Also research your options and gather information for the plans and projects you have in mind. The right knowledge can help you lay the groundwork for future success, so it pays to take your time to do this part of the process thoroughly. You'll also find that networking with likeminded people can be a very supportive, validating experience.

Shopping for the home can be fun, too.

This week spotlights power of a different kind - earthy, persistent, and resistant to obstacles. The lively quality of the past few weeks has died down and is now replaced with a strong Taurus focus. This means you'll benefit from making a daily effort to fulfill your goals and ambitions. Tuesday and Wednesday could be particularly intense and very useful if you need to blast through a particular difficulty. There's no doubt you'll succeed! Romance can be fun if you're in the mood.

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

APRIL 23 + MAY 7

21

>>> EXHIBIT | R A C H E L D O B S O N

PHOTO STUDENTS BRING HISTORY TO LIFE AT GORGAS

I

n April, Assistant Professor of Art Chris Jordan’s students in Advanced Digital Photography class (Art 428) made history come alive. Students Brian Burkhard, Dana Cottone, Caroline Godwin, Chi Pan and Yanbing Wu created and photographed historically accurate scenes in UA’s Gorgas House Museum as a course assignment. They worked with museum director Lydia Ellington and Theatre and Dance Costume Manager Todd Roberts to research and develop nineteenth-century characters and set up scenes with actors in period dress. The Gorgas House is the oldest structure still standing on The University of Alabama campus, built in 1829. The Gorgas family lived there from 1879 into the 1950s. Three UA students, Sam Hardy, Jon Headrick and Dana Cottone posed for photographs as nineteenth-century characters who might have lived in the historic home.

Under Jordan’s direction, his students set up all aspects of production. Along with researching the characters, they surveyed the Gorgas House location to determine likely places for photographs and best vantage points. They decided on camera lenses and angles, lighting design and the assembly of the finished images on the computer. Professor Jordan explained the assignment: “This was an exercise in ‘directorial mode’ photography in which fictional realities are staged for the camera. Photography can be used to ‘authenticate’ fictional stories quite convincingly. In class we looked at the work of Cindy

Sherman, Jeff Wall, Gregory Crewdson and others for inspiration. Looking at these artists prompted conversations about photographic lighting, composition, and narrative tone.

We wanted to move beyond merely lighting the space for illumination. Questions arose about how active a ‘voice’ we wanted the light to have–should we use strong, theatrical lighting that brings attention to the artifice, or something more subtle and nuanced, more natural. I think the images reflect these different approaches: some seem to be more passive and natural, for instance taking advantage of natural light; while others seem like they could be on a stage in a theatre, with more active lighting directions. It was a great exercise on many levels, conceptually, technically and aesthetically.”

IMAGE CREDIT: Students in Art 428, UA Department of Art and Art History.

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ALABAMA FOOTBALL // SABAN TALKS A-DAY “I thought he played great. That’s how he’s played all spring. I think that we are trying to make a business decision about what’s best for Kenyan Drake and his future, as well as, what’s best our team. I don’t think he had anything to prove out there today by going out there and getting tackled and us putting him in a situation where he’d be at greater risk of injury. He’s pretty much full speed, but yet to be cautious with him I think is probably smart right now. If he’s a competitor you would expect him to get frustrated because he wants to compete like everybody else. I think with a cool head and under normal circumstances if any of us sat down and had a conversation with him, he’s probably pleased with the spring that he had and feels great about the fact that he got a lot of work in and he didn’t get exposed a lot.

He’s going to now have a great opportunity for the next three or four months to continue to build on that and he didn’t put himself in any great risk of injury.”

O

pening statement: “The best news about any spring game is you get through the game, a lot of players get the opportunity to play and you don’t get anybody injured. That’s the case today. The two guys, DeSherrius Flowers got a little bit of a shoulder, but it’s not a big issue, and Shank (Alphonse Taylor) has had a sprained knee all spring and sprained it again a little bit, but it’s nothing serious and not surgical. He just needs some time to heal up and rest.

“I look at spring practice, especially the spring game, as an opportunity to see where your team is. It’s almost like the midterm in school. It’s not the final exam. It shows you the progress that you’ve made to this point, how many guys you actually have out there that have made the kind of progress that they need to make; that they can go and play in a competitive situation and elevate their game and play with some kind of consistency. It also points out the areas where you need to improve, individually as well as collectively, as a team, and also where we have to invest our time in the future to be able to fix some of those things.

“I was very pleased with the way our two young receivers played today. They both made plays, they both played with confidence. I thought the first offense did a pretty good job of run-pass balance. I thought the two quarterbacks that played with that team had a much better opportunity. You’re going to ask me all that stuff and look [at the numbers], and say ‘we’ll these two guys played better.’ Well, if I had to play on those two teams, I would’ve played better on the White Team. That’s me playing quarterback. I can still play quarterback. I can sling it a little bit. I can’t see very well, and I might not be able to avoid the rush like I used to. I’m just saying that they had a much better opportunity. We lost a lot of players on offense, so we don’t have a lot of depth on offense right now. It really affects the second unit a lot more than it does the first, especially when you add a few guys that are injured. Those guys had a better

opportunity to have success today, and they took advantage of it and did a good job. I thought Jake did a good job. He threw the one pick that was a pick-six.

“That would be one of the things that I would say, the turnovers. A big emphasis this spring has been the ball. How are we going to take care of the ball on offense, and how are we going to ball-hawk on defense?

Well we obviously did a better job of ballhawking on defense because that’s way too many turnovers, even though there are two games going on out there, not just one. But you have to take care of the ball. Turnover margin, turnover ratio, is probably the No. 1.

When Jason Garrett was here, he had NFL stats from five, 10, 20 years. When you are plus-one in turnovers you have an 80 percent chance to win, when you’re plus-two in turnovers, you have a 95 percent chance to win, and it goes up from there. That’s really important, to get them and to take care of the ball. We need to do a better job of that.

“This game was set up to try to look at the quarterbacks, to try to give them an opportunity. I think the guys that played with the second team, because of the offensive line, was not up to snuff and where it needs to be, relative to the second defensive line. They probably didn’t have the same opportunity to have success. There can be not great conclusions drawn from anything that happened today, other than we were pleased in what we saw in some of the guys. We will certainly take that into fall camp and summer and try to build on it. I was encouraged by the way the first offense played.

“I think the focus for everybody here now is the commitment to doing things the way we need to do them, so that we can improve and take advantage of the things that we learned today. We’ll go to work on that Monday with the meeting, and finish this semester academically like we need to and go from there.”

On Kenyan Drake’s performance with the non-contact jersey:

On evaluating the quarterbacks: “You kind of take the plays that the quarterback couldn’t make because he didn’t have a chance to make, and you really can’t fault him for that. You take the opportunities that maybe they had where they had protection, they had time and they had open people. Did they throw the ball

the right place? Were they able to throw it accurately? Did they make good decisions? I think you have to separate the things that they can control and the things that they can’t control and sort of evaluate it that way.”

On the running back position: “We have two guys that have proven around here over time that they are very, very good players. Bo Scarbrough was having an outstanding spring and played really, really well in the first scrimmage. Ronnie Clark is coming off of an injury and is not 100 percent yet, speed wise. DeSherrius Flowers has basically been hurt all spring long and we have a freshman runner coming in. After the first two guys, there hasn’t been a real solid opportunity to have any continuity and development of any of these players. I think whether it’s a freshman that comes in next year or the players that we have now and developing those players, that’s where the depth for this position has to come from. It’s unfortunate because we had some guys here and they didn’t live up to what they were supposed to do and they aren’t here anymore. We feel comfortable and confident that we can develop the players that we have –we have some explosive players there and we will keep working with them.”

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