The Pulse Magazine by Pulse Magazine

SEPTEMBER 2015 IN THIS ISSUE COVER story

FOOD & DRINK

6 get out and explore the neighborhoods

38 Dining Review:

of worcester

Basil Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Spice offers light,

entertainment 16 shuffle down shrewsbury street 17 pulsebooks: This book will $ave you money

flavorful Thai dining

39 Hot & Now

ART & CULTURE 42 Start brings the art

18 the central scene

to park ave.

22 Club, Pub & grub Listings

sports & fitness

26 PulseShots

46 the hidden history of

college sports

Lifestyle

read pulse Online @ ThePulseMag.com

BEAUTY & sTYLE 50 new around the woo:

Nowstreaming: Debbie Hennessey / Daniel Ouellette and the Shobijin / Motorhead GameOn: Batman hits the road in Arkam Knight everydayscience: Fall brings a colorful science Learn to pick your battles

Worcester Wares

32 pulsetech:

52 STEAL THE STYLE:

New app helps students get to know the Woo

Celebrate your hood

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/thepulsemagazine

30 rooted in cooperation 31 OUT+ABOUT: Worcester celebrates 40 years of Pride

PULSE Magazine is produced 12 times a year by Pagio Inc., 88 Winter St., Worcester, MA 01604. (508) 756-5006. Copyright 2012 All rights reserved. Pagio, Inc. does not hold itself responsible for statements made by any contributor. Statements or opinions expressed in Pulse reflect the views of the author(s) and not the official policy of the Pagio, Inc., unless so stated. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical standards, acceptance does not imply endorsement by Pagio, Inc. unless so stated. Material printed in Pulse is covered by copyright. No copyright is claimed to any work of the U.S. government. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission. For information on permissions, reprints and other services, contact Pagio, Inc. Also by Pagio Inc.: Worcester Medicine, Vitality Magazine, Thepulsemag.com, Thevitalitymag.com, & TasteWorcester.com

Paul Giorgio, Publisher Donna Roberson, Editor Vanessa Herbold, Art Director Chris Reddy, Kerry Cyganiewicz, Kyle Sullivan, Alex Theisen Account Executives Mitchell Perry, Event Manager Kim Dunbar, Sports Editor

Jennifer Russo, Lifestyle Editor Kimberly Dunbar, Jennifer Russo, Jason Savio, Bernie Whitmore, Michael Wood, Paul Giorgio, R.J. Linton, Ryan Cashman Kerry Cyganiewicz, John Trobaugh, Jamie Burke, Anna Spack Writers

SEPTEMBER 2015 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 5

By Ryan Cashman Whether you’re new to Worcester or returning for another year at one of Worcester’s many colleges, one thing you need to know – Worcester is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own history and character. Each neighborhood has a reason to visit, whether you’re dining on Shrewsbury Street, bar-hopping in the Canal District or checking out the culture of Downtown. So get out of your dorm and start exploring this city they call Wormtown!

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Tat n u c k Tucked into the northwestern side of the city is the neighborhood of Tatnuck, home

arts and sciences university. The college has brought students from around the state and

of Worcester State University, Patch Reservoir and Rockwood Field. While not as

across the country to Tatnuck, many of whom spend days lounging under the sun on the

residential as Greendale, Tatnuck maintains a quaint suburban atmosphere and is close

green grasses of the campus or gallivanting down Chandler Street to catch the bus for a

to the airport, Indian Hill and Indian Lake and is filled with hidden gems, including a

quick, six-minute ride to downtown.

theater, art galleries, cafes, restaurants, thrift stores and shops. Tatnuck is perhaps the most unintentionally, possibly even intentionally, strategically The sense of safety provided by the neighborhood serves as the perfect location for one

placed neighborhood in Worcester. Residents are a stone’s throw away from the business

of the city’s many colleges, Worcester State University, the only school in the city to be a

and arts areas of the city; Tetasset Ridge Park is nearby for anyone looking for a morning

member of the Massachusetts State University system. Founded in 1874, the school was

or afternoon hike; and Worcester Regional Airport sits just outside the neighborhood’s

originally a teacher training institution but, over time, developed into a blossoming liberal

border and provides domestic flights to and from various cities around the country.

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s h r e w s b u r y street New York has Little Italy. Boston has the North End. Worcester has Shrewsbury Street. Widely considered the most profitable and tasty neighborhood in the entire city, Shrewsbury Street is lined with restaurants ranging from Italian to Japanese to Middle Eastern cuisine. Along with being Worcester’s gastronomical hub, the street is host to numerous novelty stores, auto shops, pharmacies and local marketplaces. Further down the street is Cristoforo Colombo Park, a 59-acre area complete with a playground and the beginning of the East Side Trail, which leads to Lake Quinsigamond. Shrewsbury Street became the home of Italian immigrants in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Today, roughly 13 percent of all residents in and around Shrewsbury Street are of Italian descent. The Italians brought their culture and love of food to Worcester and opened the fresh food markets that would eventually evolve into the swath of restaurants locals know and love. Apart from the eateries, Shrewsbury Street has a bustling and efficacious nightlife. Merchants along the street have worked tirelessly to stimulate commerce in this beloved neighborhood. Nearly every month, a festival or event of some sort is held on Shrewsbury Street. Historic homes dot the neighborhood and are set in a prime location for anyone who is looking to enjoy Worcester nightlife. Also in close proximity to Union Station, the Canal District and Downtown, Shrewsbury Street is a lively neighborhood where taste is king and a good time is just around the corner.

main south The American Sanitary Plumbing Museum was better known to the residents of Main South as “The Toilet Museum” until the lyceum left its Piedmont Street location in 2008 and moved to a new spot in Watertown. No doubt a fun and singularly whimsical landmark to those living nearby, The Toilet Museum had a grand 20-year history on Piedmont Street before the move and will continue to entertain plumbing enthusiasts for years to come. Main South sits, conveniently enough, on the southern stretch of Main Street and towards the city’s southern border. In the 1840s, abolitionist congressman Eli Thayer bought the area that encompasses the neighborhood in hopes that the relatively undeveloped area would soon reap the benefits of the economic expansion of the Industrial Era. Unfortunately for Thayer, who sold the land to finance abolitionist

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settlers moving to the Kansas Territory, Main South did not truly begin to develop until the 1850s. Then, in 1887, Jonas Gilman Clark founded Clark University, which today encompasses the majority of the neighborhood. Main Street is lined with historic three-decker houses, which in the late 19th century and the early 20th century were very popular homes for multiple families. Similar architecture can be found in areas of Boston. Arguably the second most historic district in the city, Main South offers heritage and modern cultural interests. Restaurants abound; Downtown is five minutes away by foot; and University Park, with its scenic beauty and historical buildings, winds its way around Clark, providing a light walking path for anyone looking to let off some steam.

G R E E N D A L E This neighborhood is known for its residential streets, Quinsigamond Community College and proximity to the airport. In 1953, however, Greendale was known for something else entirely: the Worcester Tornado. An F4 tornado touched down just outside of Worcester on June 9, 1953, and proceeded to eviscerate 48 miles of Worcester County and a large chunk of Greendale. In its wake, the tornado left unprecedented destruction and killed 94 people, making it the single deadliest tornado in New England history.

Worcester soon saw an increase in production of ceramics, a trade familiar to the Swedish, and also an increase in workers willing to labor in iron factories, iron being one of the city’s most profitable industries at the time.

Over the last 62 years, however, Greendale revived and is now one of Worcester’s most flourishing residential communities. Originally settled by the Swedes during the Golden Age of Immigration, Greendale became the area with the largest concentration of Swedish immigrants in all of New England by 1930. With the Swedes’ arrival,

Today, Greendale is the perfect city suburb. Quinsigamond Community College unassumingly assimilates into the quaint habitat. The Greendale Mall is visited regularly, as well as the local branch of the Central Massachusetts YMCA. And if you’re looking for a peaceful and almost country feel, Indian Lake is a short car ride or walk away.

The Swedish influence on Greendale can be seen in the architecture of the homes that dot the residential streets. Pitched roofs and classic rectangular farmhouse shapes were common in Sweden during the time of immigration.

d o w n t o w n It is no secret that over the last few decades of the 20th century and the beginnings of the 21st, downtown Worcester was no longer the commerce hub of yore. Appearing bleak and lacking any solid form of business or entertainment structure, Downtown was in desperate need of revitalization. Worcester is no stranger to urban revitalization and renovation. Union Station received a $32 million restoration in 2000, and the former Worcester Center Galleria, which dominated a major parcel of Downtown, has been replaced by CitySquare, the city’s newest revitalization project, with an estimated $565 million budget. So far, nearly 11 acres of the proposed 12-acre building area has been developed into office buildings, potential apartment spaces and a Cancer and Wellness Center, courtesy of St. Vincent Hospital.

The strengthening of Downtown has been a long time in the making and began in 2009, when the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences renovated an old office space into a sister campus for the school. Since then, other colleges and institutions have taken up residency in spots all over the downtown area. The town common has received a facelift, and the reflecting pool and fountains were removed and replaced with grassy knolls, trees, a seasonal skating rink and new sidewalks and lampposts. With other famous Worcester establishments like the Hanover Theatre and Mechanics Hall and the great restaurants and cafes of Shrewsbury Street not too far away, Downtown is a great starting point for an exploration of the city. Though far from complete, Downtown is finally beginning to look and feel like a proper “downtown.”

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quinsigamond/ college hill College Hill achieved its namesake because of the college that dominates the neighborhood: The College of the Holy Cross. Any student or budding student who lives at or visits the university will immediately notice that the campus is, in fact, built along the side of one of Worcester’s seven hills. Founded in 1843 by Father James Fitton, Holy Cross stands as not only the largest university in the city, encompassing 52 acres of land, but also serves as one of the oldest and most prestigious Jesuit institutions in the country, alongside Boston College. A beautiful view of the Worcester can be seen from the top of the Holy Cross campus, a point of contention that was actually written about in 1836, when the land was first purchased by Father Fitton. One might wonder how the view looked back in the 19th century – the Blackstone Canal snaking its way through a series of mills and factories versus today’s high-rises and I-290 traffic. Holy Cross stands out among the colleges in Worcester not only by being one of the oldest, but also by providing a

sense of faith, history and pride to a neighborhood. Quinsigamond Village is also incorporated into this area. Strategically placed close to the Massachusetts Turnpike and with an atmosphere akin to that of Greendale, this section of the neighborhood is residential and quaint. The Swedes, whose influence left an indelible mark on the city, also settled in Quinsigamond Village. Pitched roofs and rectangular framed houses, much like those found in Greendale, also dot the streets of this neighborhood. Far from being entirely suburban or residential, Quinsigamond Village and College Hill are still within the borders of the city of Worcester. Public transportation or a quick car ride or even a walk, depending on which area of the neighborhood you live in, will take you anywhere in the city you want to go. With shops, restaurants and nightlife abounding in the city, no matter where in Worcester you go or live, you’ll always find something interesting.

highland st. Away from the congestion and business of Interstate 290 is Route 9, the less-congested roadway that serves as a commuter road and living area for a decent chunk of the population of Massachusetts. In Worcester, many streets are incorporated into Route 9 as it carves its way through the city. Highland Street is one such road. Lined with quaint houses, shops and restaurants, Highland Street lends a fanciful and quiet atmosphere to the otherwise urban and bustling nature of Worcester.

of the first urban parks in the United States, alongside parks in New York and Hartford. The park became a popular fairground and once hosted P. T. Barnum and his circus caravan. Today, thanks to extensive renovations which took place in 1971, Elm Park remains a popular spot for students and residents to spend a quiet afternoon among nature and away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

Becker College, with a founding charter signed by the likes of John Hancock and Samuel Adams, is settled neatly into the neighborhood surrounding Highland Street. One of the city’s many colleges, Becker stands out amongst them as the only university in the city to offer courses in video game design and development. And where better to find creative inspiration than just down the road at Elm Park? Purchased in 1854, Elm Park became one

Highland Street offers a prime location to settle in Worcester for anyone wanting to live in the vibrant city center but still have the suburban atmosphere of Greendale and Tatnuck. Shops and cafes mix in seamlessly to the homes and provide residents with unique areas to spend mornings. Downtown and the Canal District are close by, and Shrewsbury Street is not too far away, making the Highland Street neighborhood a quiet, but lively, place.

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pa r k av e . There are not many streets or neighborhoods in America that can lay claim to being home to one of the oldest engineering schools in the entire country, but Park Ave. is one of those streets. Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) was founded in 1865 and holds the official title of being the nation’s third-oldest engineering academy. Nestled seamlessly into Worcester’s urban surroundings, the privately owned campus of WPI is not far away from any of the excitement of Downtown or Shrewsbury Street. The shops and restaurants of neighboring Highland Street are often a popular destination for WPI students. Though no public roads run through WPI’s campus, pedestrians coming from Park Ave. are more than welcome to stroll the grounds and even take a short walk through Institute Park, which was donated to the university by Stephen Salisbury in 1887, as part of a personal plan to provide

university students and the general public with a clean and well-maintained park. Residents from in and around Park Ave. can enjoy the greenery and bird-watching across the pond and the recreational field on the northern side of the Park. Apart from the educational and outdoor aspects of this neighborhood, there are many other cultural endeavors one could pursue, such as viewing exhibits at the Worcester Art Museum or heading to the galleries Downtown. Living around Park Ave. and WPI is relatively affordable, and the position to notable Worcester areas such as Shrewsbury Street, the Canal District and Highland Street make finding a restaurant or a fun way to spend a night out very easy. The neighborhood is urban enough to provide the feel of a city and dotted with enough trees and homes to conjure feelings of a tight-knit community suburb.

canal district The Blackstone Canal, the namesake of one of Worcester’s most recognizable neighborhoods, once wound down what is now Harding Street. The Canal District, which now boasts a lively night scene and year-round festivities, was once credited with stimulating commerce within the city of Worcester and the Blackstone Valley (often regarded as the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution). The inception for the Blackstone Canal came by way of New England businessmen in the early 19th century. The goal was to create a waterway connecting Worcester and the valley to Narragansett Bay. Over the course of its 20-year history, the canal created an area rich in industry, but after commercial operations ceased, use of the canal dropped, and it was eventually paved over and forgotten. During the early 20th century, the Canal District was a thriving Eastern European ethnic neighborhood brimming with small markets and commercial activity. Today, after a long period of decline, the Canal District is once again brimming with liveliness. Filled with bars, restaurants and clubs, the area is becoming an entertainment district. Yet, the history still clings to the neighborhood. A majority of the historic buildings still stand and have been converted into apartments and business spaces; wagon tours trot around the area retelling the neighborhood’s history; antique shops and consignment shops dot the area; and unique and creative restaurants spring up around every corner, making the Canal District a fun and energetic neighborhood. SEPTEMBER 2015 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 11

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

The ninth annual College Shuffle is hosted by Pagio, Inc., and The Shrewsbury Street Merchants’ Association. Students can purchase admission buttons through their student activities office for $10 (with a valid college ID) or $15 the day of the event. An updated bus schedule can be found online at thecollegeshuffle.com. WooFest is a free event happening from noon-5 p.m., so be sure to head to East Park after you’ve had your fill of food at the Shuffle.

Shuffle down Shrewsbury Street By Mitchell Perry The September return of students to their dorms heralds the return of cool weather, fall colors and the annual College Shuffle. On Saturday, Sept.12, college students and their families will have the chance to sample tastings from more than 20 restaurants on Shrewsbury Street, also known as Worcester’s Restaurant Row, from noon-3 p.m. It’s both an opportunity for incoming first-years to explore their new city and for returning students to sample food from some of their favorite restaurants. “This is a great way for students to get off campus and find out what Worcester is all about,” said Pagio, Inc.’s Paul Giorgio, one of the event organizers. “Shrewsbury Street is vibrant and hip – it’s one of the top destinations in Worcester, and we want everyone to get a taste of Shrewsbury Street, as well as all the other great neighborhoods.” This is one of the few events in Worcester hosted exclusively for the local college community and welcomes students, their families and university staff and faculty. Admission entitles you to more than just

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food from some of Worcester’s most popular eateries. Shrewsbury Street will be lined with tents and booths from various local businesses and sponsors, offering music, shopping and maybe even a few giveaways. Free transportation will be provided to and from the majority of colleges in the city. This year’s College Shuffle will be even more jam-packed with activities, thanks to a collaboration with WooFest, an all-new music and arts festival happening concurrently in East Park. This event will feature student musicians and artists, as well as booths and demonstrations set up by local shops and businesses. WooFest is the creative product of two rising seniors at Clark University, Faith Kelnhofer and Tricia Wise, who were awarded funding from the university’s Liberal Education and Effective Practice initiative. “With the festival,” Kelnhofer said, “we believe we can create an effective event that will be marketed towards college students, especially incoming freshman. This will introduce these students to the various events, places and areas in Worcester. They will learn of the various restaurants, stores, musicians and artists through the vendors and essentially get a feel for the city as a whole.” These events will make Sept. 12 the ultimate welcome for Worcester’s thousands of college students. It’s a can’t-be-missed opportunity to experience the sights, smells, sounds and – most importantly – tastes of one of the city’s most happening cultural hotspots. And if that doesn’t sound like enough excitement for one day, you can head over to the Canal District for this year’s Blackstone Canal Fest or to the Worcester Common to show your support of the 40th anniversary of the Worcester Pride Festival.

l se B O O K S:

This book will $ave you money By Kimberly Dunbar Going off to college, whether for your freshman or senior year, is always a scary – but really fun – experience. Making it even scarier are all the statistics and stories about what awaits today’s college graduates: student loan debt. In a recent Wall Street Journal article that cited data compiled by Edvisors, the Class of 2015 is the most indebted ever (not a difficult feat, as debt continues to rise each year). The average student loan debt of a 2015 graduate is $35,000 – not counting interest you’ll accumulate during your loan period. Unless you’re extremely lucky and your parents are footing the bill, you’re going to need to be on a tight budget for the next few years to ensure you won’t have a heaping pile of credit card debt to complement your student loans. Michelle Perry Higgins, an award-winning financial planner, has got you covered in her latest book College Poor No More. In her book, Higgins offers 100 savings tips tailored to help students survive the college years without having to eat Ramen every night. According to Higgins, being poor in college is neither a bad thing nor a rare thing. As this is the time in which you transition from your teen years to adult independence, these are the best years to practice money and life management skills. So accept the truth: You are poor. And learn to embrace it. However, being frugal doesn’t have to be boring – you just need to be a little more creative with how you spend your money. This book is packed with ways you can be spend-savvy in many different aspects of college life – like housing, cooking, eating, travel and social occasions. For example: • • • • •

You don’t need to blow your money on iTunes when you can listen to Pandora and Spotify for free. True dollar stores sell pretty much the same stuff as other stores. It’s time to let go of being a brand snob and go generic. If you’re not already a Sriracha fan, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon. Hot sauce makes any dorm or leftover food taste better. Duct tape really does solve almost any problem. (Check your local dollar store.) Always use a coupon and/or take advantage of student discounts. Although the minimal savings might not seem to be worth the effort, it equals bigger savings in the end.

Higgins’s tips aren’t just for college students either. Are you a recent grad, a starving artist (literally or figuratively) or someone simply looking to cut excessive costs? This book might also be of interest to you. Although I’ve been out of college for 10 years (and am still saddled with undergrad and grad school loans), I still found some of Higgins’s cost-cutting tips useful. But the best part about this book is that 100 percent of the profits go to providing scholarships for deserving students. Get your copy on Amazon or at your local bookstore today. SEPTEMBER 2015 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 17

College Shuffle

Canalfest

What better way to celebrate a new college year than by heading down to Shrewsbury Street for the ninth annual Shrewsbury Street College Shuffle? At this event exclusively for the college community, you’ll walk down Restaurant Row and take part in food tastings at participating restaurants, as well as enjoying live entertainment and vendors. Noon-3 p.m. Sept. 12 on Shrewsbury Street in Worcester. Admission is $10 in advance and $15 on the day of the event. thecollegeshuffle.com.

Head on down to the Canal District in Worcester and enjoy the fun and festivities of the 2015 Blackstone Canalfest Street Festival. Indulge in a variety of vendors, artists, food, street performances and children’s activities. Stop by and ride a kayak down a full size replica of the legendary Blackstone Canal. Free, Sept. 12 on Harding Street in Worcester. blackstonecanalfest.org.

Worcester Gay Pride

Pet Rock Festival

Celebrate the 40th year of Worcester Pride

this month with three days of festivities. Head downtown and join hundreds of others for an uplifting festival and parade of pride and

diversity. From 7-10 p.m. On Saturday night, enjoy the Canal Fire Block Party at Kelley Square. Sept. 9-12. worcesterpride.org.

The Central Scene

SEPTEMBER 2015

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Join in the festivities as Pet Rock Fest holds its 17th annual festival on Becker College’s Leicester campus. Enjoy live music, a vegetarian food court, contests for dogs, a photo competition for cats, exhibits and hundreds of nonprofit animal welfare organizations. All proceeds from the festival are given to animal-related charities. Noon5 p.m. Sept. 13 at Becker College in Leicester. petrockfest.org.

Accumulation of Raw Talent Make your way to St. Joseph’s Church campus in Leicester for an Accumulation of Raw Talent. Meander through hundreds of artist booths and listen to local musicians in this celebratory event for those passionate about art and music. Enjoy food and drinks, a silent auction and so much more. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept.12-13 at St. Joseph’s Church Campus, 761 Main St., Leicester. stjoseph-stpiusx.com.

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Club, Pub + GRUB Listings

Entertainment at clubs, bars, pub s & other select venues American Graffiti 113 Summer St., Lunenburg Backstreets Pub 14 Mill St., Fitchburg facebook.com/backstreetspubfitchburg The Banner Bar & Grille 112 Green St., Worc. thebannerbar.com Wednesdays: Trivia Night Thursdays: Live music Fridays, Saturdays: Weekend DJs Barber’s Crossing Road House 861 Main St., Leicester barberscrossingrestaurant.com Barber’s Crossing (North) 175 Leominster Road, Sterling barberscrossingrestaurant.com Beatnik’s 433 Park Ave., Worc. beatniksbeyou.com Sept. 3: Freestone Sept. 5: Steely Jam Sept. 11: DJ Dance Away Sound Sept. 12: Rebel Alliance Sept. 13: Box Of Rain Sept. 18: Brian Chaffee Sept. 19: Lola Sweet and the Burbanites Sept. 20: Back in Blues Sept. 24: Nudie Suits Sept. 25: A Fine Connection Sept. 26: Darryl & The Derelicks Sept. 27: The Littlest Giant Beemer’s Pub 114 River St., Fitchburg beemerspub.com Billy’s Pub 81 Clinton St., Shrewsbury Birkbeck’s Waterfront Grille 242 Mill St., Worc. Black Sheep Tavern 261 Leominster Road, Sterling blacksheeptavernsterline.com Blackstone Tap 81 Water St., Worc. blackstonetap.com Blue Plate Lounge 661 Main St., Holden hometown.aol.com/blueplatelounge Blueprint New American Bar & Grill 9 Village Square, Westminster Sept. 3: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Sept. 4: Brett Casavant Sept. 5: The Quarry Sept. 10: Scott Babineau Sept. 11: Michael Spaulding

Sept. 12: Kevin Shields Sept. 17: Dan Cormier Sept. 18: Ken Macy Sept. 19: Brian Chaffee Sept. 24: Sam Nesbitt Sept. 25: Brother Maynard Sept. 26: Brett Casavant Boulder Cafe 880 Main St., Fitchburg Breakaway Billiards 104 Sterling St., Clinton myspace.com/breakawaybilliardsclinton Thursdays: Karaoke Sept. 26: Panache Brew City 104 Shrewsbury St., Worc. brew-city.com Bull Run Restaurant 215 Great Road, Shirley bullrunrestaurant.com Cafe Destare 320 Main St., Fitchburg destare.com Canal Restaurant & Bar 65 Water St., Worc. facebook.com/CanalRestaurantandBar Thursdays: Team Trivia Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays: DJ (21+) Saturdays: Stage Time Comedy Show Chooch’s Food & Spirits 31 E. Brookfield Road, N. Brookfield sitewizzer.com/choochs Fridays: Karaoke Chopstick’s Restaurant & Lounge 21 Commercial Road, Leominster chopsticksleominster.com Christopher’s Pub 7 Pleasant St., Leominster facebook.com/christopherspubleominster Cicero’s Cafe 17 Suffolk St., Worc. worcesterscene.com/admin/location_ images/ciceros.jpg Classic’s Pub 285 Central St., Leominster classicspub.net Tuesdays: Open Mic with Key Performance Wednesdays, Thursdays: Karaoke with Royal Crown Fridays: DJs Dareen & Ricksta Sept. 5: Soundtrack to Monday Sept. 12: Laquerhead Sept. 19: Never Enuff Sept. 26: Dazed Till Dawn Club KasBar

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234 Southwest Cutoff, Worc. facebook.com/ClubKasBar The Columbia Tavern 28 Manning Ave., Leominster Sept. 3: Whitney Doucette & Kyle Amalotti Sept. 10: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Sept. 17: Brett Casavant Compass Tavern 90 Harding St., Worc. thecompasstavern.com Wednesdays: Karaoke Fridays, Saturdays: DJs Sept. 3: Sam James Sept. 8: Chad Clements Sept. 10: Vin & Chris Sept. 15: Chris Reddy Sept. 17: Dezi Garcia Sept. 22: Chris Brunelle Sept. 24: Chris Houston Sept. 29: Hit the Bus Cosmopolitan Club 96 Hamilton St., Worc. Dance Ranch & Saloon 70 James St., Worc. danceranchandsaloon.com Days End Tavern 287 Main St., Oxford daysendtavern.com Devens Grill 4 Ryans Way, Devens devensgrill.com Electric Haze 26 Millbury St, Worc. facebook.com/ElectricHaze Sundays: Funky Jazz Jam Sundays, Sunday Dead Night Mondays: Open Mic/Open Decks Tuesdays: Hip Hop Tuesdays Sept. 4: A Night of Classic Reggae Part 2 Sept. 5: Electric Haze Anniversary Party with Soule Monde and WTF Sept. 10: Mizz Kitsunes Electro Fusion with Sassfactory Sept. 11: After Pride Pageant Dance Party with DJ Andy Morris Sept. 12: New England Junglists United – Pink Edition Sept. 16: Wormtown Fest Pre-Party Sept. 17: Mikey Sweet, Ryan Hommel Sept. 18: Airspray Queer Dance Party Sept. 19: Disturbia’s ’90s Dance Party, Blocks McCloud album release Sept. 22: Block McCloud’s Birthday Bash Sept. 25: Relative Souls, Ghosts of Jupiter Sept. 26: Magic Island, Soft Cactus, One Way Light Time Sept. 27: Polyrythmics Sept. 29: Rezno and Nine Millz

Fiddlers’ Green Pub & Restaurant 19 Temple St., Worc. aohworcester.com Saturdays: A Murphs Comedy Joint Sept. 4: P.E. James Firefly’s / Dante’s 350 E. Main St., Marlborough fireflysbbq.com Flip Flops 680 Main St., Holden flipflopsma.com Sept. 24: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Flying Rhino Cafe 278 Shrewsbury St., Worc. flyingrhinocafe.com Funky Murphy’s Bar & Grill 305 Shrewsbury St., Worc. funkyandjosemurphys.com Gardner Ale House 74 Parker St., Gardner gardnerale.com Mondays: Blue Mondays Sept. 3: Audio Wasabi with Brian Chaffee The GazBar Sports Grill 1045 Central St., Leominster thegazbar.com Sept. 18: Hitchcock Blondes Sept. 19: City Boys Sept. 26: Booty and the Jett Greendale’s Pub 404 W. Boylston St., Worc. greendalespub.com Sundays: Jim’s Sunday Blues Jam Tuesdays: Open Mic Night with Bill McCarthy Halligan’s Sports Bar and More 889 Southbridge St., Auburn halliganssportsbarandmore.com Hotel Vernon - The Ship Room/Kelley Square Yacht Club 1 Millbury St., Worc. Sept. 12: Worcester Pride Divas Show Indian Ranch 200 Gore Road, Webster indianranch.com JC Fenwick’s 37 Mechanic St., Leominster Jillian’s - Worcester 315 Grove St., Worc. jilliansworcester.com Sept. 4: The Musical Dynamo Sept. 5: UFC 191, Johnson vs. Dodson Sept. 11: Squelch Sept. 12: Fight Night with Mayweather vs. Berto

Continued on Page 25

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Continued from Page 22 Sept. 18: Never in Vegas Sept. 19: Neon Alley Sept. 25: Metro Sept. 26: Decades by Dezyne JJ’s Sports Bar and Grill 380 Southwest Cutoff, Northborough jbag.biz Sept. 4: Gladstone Sept. 11: Flock of Assholes Sept. 12: Whiskey Church Sept. 18: Dirty Deeds Sept. 19: Probable Cause Sept. 25: Panic Button Sept. 26: Custard Pie The Lazy Dog 31 Main St., Marlborough doggonelazy.com Legends Airport Road, Fitchburg facebook.com/centericebar Leitrim’s Pub 265 Park Ave., Worc. leitrimspub.com Loft 266 Bar & Lounge 266 Park Ave., Worc. loft266.com London Billiards / Club Oasis 70 James St., Worc. londonbilliards.com Lucky Dog Music Hall 89 Green St., Worc. luckydogmusic.com Mahoney’s Pub 413 Park Ave., Worc. facebook.com/mahoneyspub.ma Marty’s Pub 225 Cantebury St., Worc. martyspub.com MB Lounge 40 Grafton St., Worc. mblounge.com McNally’s Grille & Pub 88 Sargent Road, Westminster mcnallysgrille.com Michael’s Cigar Bar 1 Exchange Place, Worc. michaelscigar.com Sept. 3: Hit the Bus Sept. 4: Neon Alley Sept. 5: Acoustic Nation Sept. 10: Blue Light Bandits Sept. 11: Jim Devlin Band Sept. 12: Mycah Sept. 13: Songs for Hope with Ricky Duran, Sam James, Cara Brindisi & Blue Light Bandits Sept. 17: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Sept. 18: Tequila Bonfire Sept. 19: Mycah Sept. 24: Dave Anthony Sept. 25: Andy Cummings & Swingabilly Lounge Sept. 26: Jack Rabbit Slim Mickey Sheas

324 Electric Ave., Lunenburg The Mill 185 185 W. Boylston St., W. Boylston themill185.com Sept. 4: How Bizarre Sept. 10: Steve Angellis Sept. 11: Brett Casavant Sept. 12: Joe Macey Sept. 18: Mychael David Sept. 25: Chris Reddy Acoustic Loops from Hell Sept. 26 Belit Mill Street Brews (@ The Artist Development Complex) 18 Mill St., Southbridge millstreetbrews.com Moonstruck Café 19 Worcester Road, Charlton Moynihan’s Pub 897 Main St., Worc. Nick’s Bar and Restaurant 124 Millbury St., Worc. myspace.com/NicksWorcester Fridays: Thank Friday It’s Dr. Nat The Nines Neighborhood Bar 136 Millbury St., Worc. Olde Post Office Pub 1 Ray St., N. Grafton Sept. 12: Windfall Classic Rock On The Rocks Sports Bar & Grill 96 Lakefront Ave., Lunenburg Oxford Tavern 314 Main St., Oxford Padavano’s Place 358 Shrewsbury St., Worc. padavanosplace.com Thursdays: Karaoke Sept. 13: Guy Bergeron Sept. 26: The Babe Pino Band Paisanos Pizza & Spirits 450 Lancaster St., Leominster The Palladium 261 Main St., Worc. thepalladium.net Park Grill and Spirits 257 Park Ave., Worc. Fridays, Saturdays: Dick’s Beantown Comedy Escape Sept. 18: The Drunken Uncles Partner’s Pub 970 South St., Fitchburg partnerspub.com Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays: Karaoke Sept. 5: Volcano Divers Sept. 12: One 50 One Sept. 19: Johnny Girouard Sept. 26: Ben Cote Band Perfect Game Sports Grill and Lounge 64 Water St., Worc. perfectgameworcester.com Wednesdays: Bike Night Fridays: DJ One-3

Pho Dakao 593 Park Ave., Worc. Point Breeze On the Lake 114 Point Breeze Road, Webster pointbreezeonwebsterlake.com Press Box 536 Lincoln St., Worc. facebook.com/pages/The-PressBox/181242711941126 Primetime Pub 5 Summer St., Lunenburg facebook.com/ PRIMETIMEPUBOFLUNENBURG Ralph’s Chadwick Square Diner 148 Grove St., Worc. ralphsrockdiner.com Sundays: Sunday Night Cinemageddon Mondays: Dirty Gerund Poetry Show Tuesdays: C.U. Next Tuesday with DJ Poke Smot Sept. 19: Whipstriker, Rawhide, Panzerbastard, Seax The Raven 258 Pleasant St., Worc. facebook.com/people/RavenWorcester/100001022046717 Red Onion - Otter River Hotel 29 Main St., Baldwinville myspace.com/theredonion Rivalry’s Sports Bar 274 Shrewsbury St., Worc. rivalrysworcester.com Sept. 11: The Invaders Sept. 13: Clamdigger Sept. 18: Mike Lynch Trio Sept. 19: Take Two Sept. 25: Drunken Uncles Sept. 26: Mike Lynch Trio

58 Shrewsbury St., Worc. facebook.com/pages/Scorz-SportsBar/216216528569258 Sean Patrick’s Family Restaurant 494 Electric Ave., Lunenburg seanpatricksrestaurant.com South Side Grille & Margarita Factory 242 W. Broadway, Gardner southsidemargaritafactory.com Wednesdays: Ladies Night with Scott Babineau Sept. 4: TC Polk Sept. 5: Matt Piaseczny Sept. 11: Sean Fullerton Sept. 12: Throwback to the ‘80s Sept. 18: Dave Malouin Sept. 19: Laquerhead Sept. 25: Sam Nesbitt Sept. 26: Go Gadget Go Speakers Night Club 19 Weed St., Marlborough speakersnightclub.net Thursdays: DJ dance party Fridays: Karaoke and dance party Saturday: Live bands Sept. 5: DJ Norm Sept. 11: Girls on Girls Sept. 19: The Allens Sept. 26: Brasilian Dance Band Spruce Street Tavern 68 Spruce St., Clinton SpruceStreetTavern.com Stagecoach Inn and Tavern 128 Main St., Groton grotonstagecoachinn.com Sunset Tiki Bar 79 Powers Road, Westford skinashoba.com/summer

Rocky’s 139 Water St., Worc.

Tal’s Place 138 Lake St., Webster talsplacewebster.com

Rumors 371 Park Ave., Worc. clubuniverseworcester.com

Three G’s Sports Bar 152 Millbury St., Worc. 3gs-sportsbar.com

Rye & Thyme 14 Monument Square, Leominster ryeandthyme.com Sept. 3: Big Jon Short Sept. 4: Sean Fullerton Sept. 5: The City Boys Sept. 10: Brian Chaffee Sept. 11: Andy Cummings & Swingabilly Lounge Sept. 12: Caves on Mars Sept. 13: Brunch with Zack Slik Sept. 17: Scott Babineau Sept. 18: Zack Slik Sept. 19: Madison Avenue Sept. 24: Brian Chaffee Sept. 25: Scott Babineau Sept. 26: Doctor Robert Sept. 27: Brunch with Jon Short

Trumbull Bar & Grill 117 Main St., Spencer

Sakura Tokyo 640 Park Ave., Worc. sakura-tokyo.com Sept. 18, 19: Doctor Robert

Vincent’s Bar 49 Suffolk St., Worc. facebook.com/vincentsbar Tuesdays: Boogie Chillin’

Union Music 142 Southbridge St., Worc. unionmusic.com Sept. 12: TJ’s Open Mic Saturdays Sept. 17: Victor’s Bluegrass Jam Sept. 24: Ukelele Club Union Tavern 65 Green St., Worc. facebook.com/TheUnionTavernWorcester. com Victory Bar & Cigar 56 Shrewsbury St., Worc. victorycigarbar.com

Scorz SEPTEMBER 2015 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 25

PULSE SHOTS

By Justin Perry

banner bar & grille GREEN ST., WORCESTER

BREW CITY SHREWSBURY ST., WORCESTER

BOCADO TAPAS BAR WINTER ST., WORCESTER

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GAZBAR SPORTS GRILL CENTRAL ST., LEOMINSTER

THE MILL 185 W. BOYLSTON ST., W. BOYLSTON

THE LOFT 266 PARK AVE., WORCESTER

BLACKSTONE TAP WATER ST., WORCESTER SEPTEMBER 2015 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 27

SEPTEMBER 2015 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 29

L I F E S T Y L E

For more information, visit worcesterroots.org, futurefocusmedia.org and stonesoupworcester.org.

By Anna Spack

Worcester Roots Project has widened its outreach and grown to oversee various projects.

The Worcester Roots Project is planting its community-strengthening and re-shaping business models throughout the city, and if organizers have their way, worker-run businesses will be a big part of Worcester’s future.

One such project is Future Focus Media Incorporated, a cooperative started in 2011 that now operates as its own legal business entity. This co-op teaches youth about photography, video production, web design, graphic arts and social media. The goal is to produce quality content for clients while simultaneously strengthening jobs skills and producing powerful stories about the lives of youth in Worcester.

The nonprofit organization helps develop and maintain cooperatives, or co-ops, democratically run businesses in which the workers own the business and everyone works together to sustain the organization. By promoting a co-op economy, Worcester Roots seeks to make neighborhoods safer and foster an environment of collaboration, respect and environmental awareness. With is mission to create opportunities for environmental, social and economic justice and a focus on progress through green cooperatives, Worcester Roots has a number of projects and initiatives that aim to help members of the Worcester community. While serving primarily as a co-op incubator, it also runs Toxic Soil Busters, a program for Worcester youth; offers Co-op Academy, an eight-week program that teaches individuals how to develop sustainable co-ops; and is in the process of building a greenhouse. “It’s a way of producing sustainability within the organization,” said Julius Jones, co-director of Worcester Roots. “Because everyone who is an owner has a deeper vested interest in it than your typical business model, which has just a small group of owners or one owner who all the profits go to. There’s greater incentive for that company to stay in business and keep providing jobs to its owners.” Jones said that co-ops can change society in huge ways. “When people have the ownership and they have a relationship with the work that they’re doing where they directly benefit from it – more than just wages – I think it changes the whole dynamics of the job.” Instead of workers putting in their labor and receiving just a paycheck, they also get the reward of time invested in their own company. They are receiving their own profits from the work they put in, rather than the profits going to a single owner. This means there is almost no risk of the business losing jobs because it “will always have its owners in mind, who happen to be the workers.” Founded in 2001, Worcester Roots originally began with a focus on environmental justice, but has since added social and economic justice to its mission because, as Jones explained, these causes are all interconnected. The organization’s first project extracted lead from contaminated soil in the city’s Main South and Piedmont neighborhoods. Since then, the

The youth who participate in Future Focus Media tend to be from low-income families without access to technology like computers or DSLR cameras, and many are often first-generation high school or college students. Teaching them these skills is crucial to increasing their desirability in the job market. And they don’t just learn skills related to the technological world, either. “[We] teach things about being on time, work ethic, working on a deadline, how to put together a business plan, how to communicate effectively and efficiently face-to-face, as well as by e-mail,” said Dee Wells, co-founder and instructor at Future Focus. “They’re all transferrable skills [that] can be used in college and beyond.” Wells explained that Future Focus is “really a partnership between our youth and our core group of co-founders.” The organization is hired by clients to produce video, photography, website or social media content. The youth participants – who range from kids as young as 10 to older students in their mid-20s – then work with instructors to help produce this content. It’s all hands-on learning, said Wells, because students are learning how to produce this media by participating in the process from start to finish. For example, when creating a video project, students learn “how to storyboard, how to think about what angles to shoot, shooting with multiple cameras, making sure audio is good, lighting is good, making sure the take is good. Then, taking that back to the office and editing it all together.” In this way, students have gained skills in video production and Future Focus has produced content for its client. The organization works for a wide variety of clients, “be it a Chinese food restaurant that needs some help with social media and creating their website, someone who’s running for City Council or a big organization like UMass Memorial,” Wells said. “There’s no task too small or too big.” Graduates of Future Focus have moved on to internships and jobs and have even had the chance to display their work at local film festivals. Future Focus is also the primary founder of the Central Mass Film Festival, launched in 2013. The festival showcases movies filmed either in Central Massachusetts or by someone from the region. While Future Focus Media recently incorporated and no longer operates directly under the Worcester Roots Project, “we’re all involved in Worcester Roots” and in promoting co-ops, the green economy and new business models, Wells said. Both Worcester Roots Project and Future Focus Media are housed in the Stone Soup Community Center, an activist collective and resource center in Main South that brings together social justice groups from around Worcester. Photo courtesy of Future Focus Media.

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Worcester celebrates 40 years of Pride By John Trobaugh Worcester has now celebrated Gay Pride for 40 years! Pride started with really committed individuals in a loose alliance. In 1975, you had to be committed, as you were already considered an outcast, and you could be legally fired from your job and even be put in jail! We praise and honor the brave souls here in Worcester and across the country that put their lives on the line for social justice. Now, the plight for most of us has improved dramatically. In July, the Equal Opportunity Commission ruled that LGBT people are protected from job discrimination by Title VII. It is our transgender community that has the fewest built-in protections, and we are working on making that right as well! The month of September has become Pride Month for Worcester for a variety of reasons. We have such a large college community here that several years ago, it was decided we should celebrate Pride when the students return to the city. In addition, we know people from Worcester visit all the other regional Pride celebrations in Boston, Providence, Salem and Portland, Maine. Therefore, to be more inclusive, we have Pride at a time when people don’t have to choose between Prides! The Pride 2015 theme is “Love Will Keep Us Together!” Here is a list of the events that the Pride Committee has planned for Pride Week.

Wednesday, Sept. 2 7 p.m. Worcester Pride Art Show, opening reception at Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St. The show is on exhibit through Oct. 6.

Wednesday, Sept. 9 7 p.m. Pride Kick-Off Dinner at Bocado, 82 Winter St. Limited seating. $60 per person includes tapas dinner and wine. Tickets at worcesterpride.org. 21+ event.

Thursday, Sept. 10 3 p.m. Pride Flag Raising at City Hall, Worcester City Hall Plaza, 455 Main St. 7 p.m. Pride Flag Raising at Union Station, 2 Washington Square.

Friday, Sept. 11 7-10 p.m. LGBTQI Pride Pageant at Fiddler’s Green, 19 Temple St. See contestants compete for the titles of Miss Gay Worcester, Ms. Worcester Pride and Mr. Worcester Pride. $15; tickets at worcesterpride.org. 21+ event. 10:30 p.m.-1 a.m. After Pageant Parties with DJs at Electric Haze, 26 Millbury St., and MB Lounge, 40 Grafton St. No cover; $5 donation to Pride suggested. 21+ event.

Saturday, Sept. 12 11 a.m.-noon Pride Parade, Institute Park down Main Street to City Hall. All ages welcome. Noon-6 p.m. Worcester Pride Festival, the Worcester Common (behind City Hall), 455

Main St. There will be a Woo Church children’s area, vendors, food, information and dozens of entertainers, including Glenn Steward. All ages welcome.

7 p.m.-2 a.m. Pride Block Party at MB Lounge, 40 Grafton St. This full-day party will feature entertainment, food and raffles. $10 cover, $5 donation to Pride suggested. 21+ event. 7-10 p.m. Youth Pride Dance at Wycked Java, 100 Water St. Ages 16-20. 10 p.m.-2 a.m. Sweet Pride After Party at Sweet Kitchen & Bar, 72 Shrewsbury St. $5 donation to Pride suggested. 21+ event. John Trobaugh is the president of Worcester Pride and a diversity project specialist in the Diversity and Inclusion Office of UMass Medical School.

For tickets to events and more information, visit worcesterpride.org. SEPTEMBER 2015 | THEPULSEMAG.COM 31

New app helps students get to know the Woo By Mitchell Perry

few years – The Worcester Go List. Operating through an email subscription list server,

The city of Worcester is known for its dense concentration of colleges and universities,

form of a daily email digest.

boasting nine higher education institutions within the city itself. Although those colleges

bring more than 36,000 students to the city, these millennials are often at a loss when it

comes to finding things to do. A lack of structural communication between schools makes

it difficult to find out what’s going on across campuses, and the depth of events happening throughout the city can be near-impossible to navigate for students who’ve lived here for

the Go List allows for a crowd-sourced accumulation of local events and classifieds in the

Turgeon and Singh plan to develop their app in a way that will be more accessible for

college students and will negate many of the issues that come from using such a service.

“The real value of using our application is that students are recommended not just events,

a relatively short period of time.

but content aimed specifically for students based on their interests, rather than spending

Two Clark University students, seniors Alexander Turgeon and Abhijit Singh, are hoping

our users will love and continue to want to use based upon their initial experience with

time filtering through an already crowded mailbox. We believe in a seamless product that

to change that. “The problem that we identified has less to do with Worcester than it does with the negative perception students have about the city,” Turgeon said. “With this in mind, our ideas quickly grew into a passion for progress.”

Through funding attained by winning the Clark University Ureka! Big Idea Challenge, the intrepid duo is launching a new way to connect university students with the vibrant

and eventful community around them. WooConnect is a web and smartphone applica-

tion that will allow students to “discover events that are occurring on their campus, other campuses, and the city they live in.” The app also will help businesses and individuals to

market their events by offering analytics that provide insight into needs of the app’s users. A pilot application will launch with limited features this fall at Clark University, where it will benefit

from feedback from students and administrators. Turgeon said, “After the initial focused pilot, Woo-

For more information, visit woo-connect.com.

Connect will go live to all Worcester students from September until mid-October, focusing on promot-

ing and marketing content off campus. In the future iterations of the application, students

will be able to filter and search by various categories such as start/end time, genre, loca-

tion, etc. We envision an expansion of other features focused around great user experiences, but testing our core product is the goal for the pilot.”

Some readers may be familiar with a similar service that’s existed in Worcester for the last

32 THEPULSEMAG.COM | SEPTEMBER 2015

the application.”

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N O RTH