For the latest entertainment news, go online to masslive.com/entertainment
Weekend
E
|
| THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020
Miss going to concerts? 15 shows to check out on video, Page E2
LIVEWIRE: Live Nation amphitheaters will be dark for much of summer, E4 MOVIE REVIEW: ‘The High Note’ offers a summery slice of escapism, E6 WINE PRESS: How to make a summer cocktail using rose wine, E11
WEEKEND
E2 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
At left, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform on stage at Giants Stadium on July 21, 2003, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. At right, Taylor Swift performs onstage during opening night of her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour at University of Phoenix Stadium on May 8, 2018, in Glendale, Arizona. (MARIO TAMA; JUNKO KIMURA / GETTY IMAGES)
ON THE COVER
15
MISS GOING TO CONCERTS?
shows to check out on video
F
By Keith O’Connor
Special to The Republican
Billy Joel performs at Shea Stadium on July 16, 2008, in New York City, one of last concerts ever to be held at the stadium. (ROB LOUD / GETTY IMAGES)
or those who love live concerts, sitting home and watching previously recorded live videos and streaming concerts on your television may be the new norm until a vaccine is found for COVID-19. In the new world of social distancing, large stadium tours and even smaller venues have become questionable until 2021. So, grab your favorite drink, put on a T-shirt you may have from one of the concerts listed below, and choose a reminder from the 15 concert videos listed of what was and what may not sadly be in the near future.
Taylor Swift – “Reputation Stadium Tour”: For those holding tickets to Taylor Swift’s “Lover” concerts at Foxborough this summer who can’t wait until she reschedules, Netflix is still running its N Film, “Reputation Stadium Tour” for subscribers. The tour was the highest-grossing U.S. tour in history for the 10-time Grammy winner. The Band – “The Last Waltz”: Eight years after helping to edit the “Woodstock” movie, famed director Martin Scorsese moved to the director’s chair for yet another concert/documentary on The Band. Filmed on Thanksgiving Day, 1976, at Bill Graham’s Winterland Ballroom, the one-time backing band for Bob Dylan called it quits after 12 years – and several hit albums to their legacy – with a concert attended by 5,000 including musical guests such as Ringo Starr, Neil Diamond Van Morrison, Eric Clapton and a host of other greats. A special edition DVD running 117 minutes is available on 20th Century Fox. Justin Timberlake – “Futuresex/ Loveshow – Live from Madison Square Garden”: Heartthrob Justin Timberlake, onetime member of the popular boy band ‘N Sync, went solo in 2002. It’s hard to believe that it has already been 14 years since the Grammy Award-winning singer/ actor released his second solo album in 2006, “FutureSex/LoveSounds” spawning three No. 1 singles. His 2007 tour behind the No. 1-selling album was captured on video for a Sony Legacy two DVD set running 265 minutes, including the New York concert and behind-the-scenes footage from the HBO special. Beatles – “Eight Days A Week”: If you’ve never seen the footage of The Beatles on Ed Sullivan or never had the opportunity to actually see and hear (well, SEE CONCERTS, PAGE E3
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
WEEKEND
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020 | E3
Concerts CONTINUED FROM PAGE E2
you couldn’t actually hear them because of the screams) them before they stopped touring in 1966, then this movie is for you. Lovingly directed by Ron Howard, who remembers seeing them on Ed Sullivan, he has crafted a 1 hour, 46 minute concert documentary that contains live performances from their touring years alongside interviews and other commentary. Available on Capitol DVD and on Hulu by subscription. “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé”: A Netflix film, still available to subscribers of the streaming channel, “Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé” documents Beyoncé’s historic 2018 performance as the first black woman to ever headline the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Called “black excellence” by CNN, the performance also included guest appearances by her sister Solange, husband Jay-Z, and fellow Destiny’s Child members.
The Beatles documentary “Eight Days A Week”contains live performances from their touring years alongside interviews and other commentary. (HULTON ARCHIVE / GETTY IMAGES)
“Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé” documents Beyoncé’s historic 2018 performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. (LARRY BUSACCA
ing country artist in a two-hour concert went through a string of his hits including “Alcohol” and “Crushin’ It.” The video, however, runs only 95 minutes.
Elvis Presley performs in concert during his “Aloha from Hawaii” 1972 television special.
concert broadcast from the Honolulu International Center Arena on Jan. 14, 1973, was beamed live via Globecom Satellite to various countries to watch. Available at store. graceland.com. Michael Jackson – “Live at Wembley”: Michael Jackson fans were robbed of what was being billed as his comeback final tour called “This Is It,” when on June 25, 2009, he died of cardiac arrest less than three weeks before the first London show. “Live at Wembley” captures the mega-performer on a Legacy DVD of his July 16, 1988, concert in London before Princess Diana and 72,000 fans in a sold-out show. Prince – “Sign o’ the Times”: Yet another musician who died before his time at age 57, the guitar virtuoso and funk rocker born Prince Rogers Nelson left a legacy of music behind that was labeled as the “Minneapolis sound” after his birthplace. Prince’s ninth album, “Sign o’
Irish House Restaurant Trinity Pub & Patio at the Irish Cultural Center Gift certificates are available online! We are currently closed until further notice. Stay safe and healthy, and we will see you soon. PURCHASE ONLINE AT: IrishCenterwne.org
3136016-01
Rolling Stones – “Shine a Light”: The late critic Roger Ebert called it “maybe the most intimate documentary ever “Woodstock 3 Days of Peace made about a live rock ‘n’ roll and Music”: Deemed the concert, while Rotten Tomatoes “ultimate rock concert video,” said it offers “an electrifying the original Oscar-winning concert film experience.” documentary was released by “Shine a Light,” another of Warner Bros. in 1970 just one director Martin Scorsese’s year after the unprecedented masterpieces of the rock ‘n’ three-day concert was held roll world was filmed during on Max Yasgur’s dairy farm in a Rolling Stones performance Bethel, New York. Directed by in 2006 at the famed Beacon Michael Wadleigh and edited Theatre in New York City. by a cast of six, including famed The Paramount DVD runs 122 director Martin Scorsese, the minutes. 185-minute film features some 17 acts — including Jefferson Nirvana – “Live at the ParaAirplane, Janis Joplin, The Who, mount”: Stuck with the name “grunge” rockers, Nirvana Jimi Hendrix, Canned Heat, Arlo Guthrie and Crosby, Still & broke up after the suicide death Nash — who defined the hippie of frontman Kurt Cobain. At the generation. The film is available top of their game in 1991 after in several DVD formats includ- the release of their first maing Anniversary and Director’s jor-label record, “Nevermind,” Cuts. the band performed at Seattle’s Paramount Theatre. The amazBrad Paisley – ‘Life Ampliing performance was released fied World Tour: Live from on a Geffen Records DVD some WVU”: For those craving “a 20 years later. little bit country,” Brad Paisley’s second concert DVD on City Elvis – “Aloha from Hawaii”: Elvis died before his Drive Films was shot with 20 cameras before a live crowd of time in 1977, but several of his concerts have been captured over 20,000 fans, who turned out at West Virginia University on video for fans to remember him by — including “Aloha from in the rain to see their hometown hero. The platinum-sellHawaii.” The groundbreaking
New Year’s Eve at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas as part of what was billed as her “final concert tour.” Available on Sony Legacy, the 127 minute DVD features Streisand at her finest performing a list of songs that covered her entire career from “People” to “On A Clear Day (You Can See Forever)” Billy Joel – “Live at Shea Sta- and from “Evergreen” to “Papa dium”: Singer-songwriter and Can You Hear Me?” and many pianist extraordinaire, Billy Joel more. The late composer, performed the last two concerts Marvin Hamlisch, who scored ever to be held at Shea StadiStreisand’s hit movie “The um on July 16 and 18 in 2008 Way We Were,” conducted the before its demolition. Both a orchestra. compact disc and DVD on Sony Legacy, “Live at Shea Stadium,” Bruce Springsteen & the E were released of the memoraStreet Band – “Live in New ble concerts before a crowd of York City”: Back in 2016, 110,000 fans and the historic Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band played their longest stadium. Special guest artists show in U.S. history – 4 hours who performed alongside Joel included Paul McCartney, Tony and 4 minutes with 34 songs at Citizens Bank Park in PhiladelBennett, Garth Brooks, John phia. “Live in New York City,” a Mayer and several others. Sony Legacy DVD, doesn’t run quite as long, clocking in at just Barbra Streisand – “Timeless: Live in Concert”: Just in over three hours. But it does time for the new millennium give fans a lengthy look at his and the fear that all electron10 sold-out shows at Madison ics would go haywire, Barbra Square Garden in June and July Streisand took the stage on 2000.
the Times” performed better in Europe, where he toured to further promote the double disc recording. The DVD, filmed at Rotterdam Music Hall in 1987, features his electrifying performance with drummer Sheila E. and a special appearance by Sheena Easton.
/ GETTY IMAGES FOR COACHELLA )
WEEKEND
E4 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
MUSIC
Live Nation amphitheaters will be dark for much of summer
W
HILE MANY CONcert promoters and venues continue to shuffle dates in the hopes of getting some foot-traffic by summer’s end, promoter Live Nation has been forced to clear much of its schedule at three amphitheaters it owns in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Most of the major world and North American tours come through Live Nation venues and typically the outdoor sheds in New England are on the itinerary. To date, concerts by Zac Brown Band, Tim McGraw, Breaking Benjamin, Incubus and many others have all been canceled at the Xfinity Theatre in Hartford. The only dates officially still on the schedule is the Sept. 5 stop of KISS’s “End of the Road” world tour and the Luke Bryan concert, rescheduled from May to Aug. 13. In Mansfield, Xfinity Center has called off shows from artists like Nickelback, Sam Hunt, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum and Journey. However, it still lists shows by The Impractical Jokers (July 12), Rod Stewart (Aug. 9), Hall & Oates (Aug. 29), Korn (Sept. 1) and KISS (Sept. 4). The Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion in Boston has scrubbed shows by Kesha, Foreigner, Alice Cooper, and Lewis Capaldia, among others. Its pre-Labor Day schedule includes planned shows by Jimmy Eats World (Aug. 16), John Legend (Aug. 31) and 5 Seconds of Summer (Sept. 2)
Donnie Moorhouse LiveWire
sessions” videos on Instagram and Vine. As of Season 7, he is one of the recurring cast members of the improv comedy show Wild ’N Out on MTV, VH-1 and MTV2.
Live Nation has been forced to clear much of its schedule at three amphitheaters it owns in Massachusetts and Connecticut due to the coronavirus pandemic, including a May performance by Zac Brown Band at Xfinity Theatre in Hartford. (MATTHEW O’HAREN / PENNLIVE.COM)
p.m., is one of five new shows announced last week. Lisa Lisa is performing on Sept. 30 at 8 p.m., Big Brother & the Holding Co. has shows on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at 3 p.m., Carly Pearce performs on Oct. 2 at 8 p.m. and Pablo Cruise has matinees (3 p.m.) from Oct. 2 through Oct. 4. Several other Court of Honor concerts have already been announced: Jesse McCartney (Sept. 18 at 8 p.m.), The Yardbirds (Sept 21, 22 at 8 p.m.), pop band Exile (Sept. 23 and 24 at 3 p.m.). Swing revival band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will take the 8 p.m. slot on Sept. 23. The Court of Honor stage is located in front of the Coliseum. Shows are free with full day admission to the fair. Liner notes The 2020 Big E is scheduled • The Eastern States Exposi- to take place Sept. 18 to Oct. 4 tion continues to move forward at the Eastern States Exposiwith its plans for the 2020 run tion in West Springfield. Ticket of The Big E, announcing more information is available at concerts for its Court of Honor thebige.com. stage at a time when many acts • Foxwoods Resort Casino are canceling summer tours has shuttered another month of due to the coronavirus pandemic. concerts at its various venues Rock band Hoobastank, set located in the Mashantucket, to perform on Sept. 25 at 8 Connecticut, venue.
Shows at the Grand Theater and Fox Theater have been shut down through July. The canceled events include performances from Jackson Browne (June 21), Janet Jackson (July 17), Jerry Seinfeld (July 18), and Pitbull (July 24). The casino listed the notice on its website at foxwoods. com with detailed information on ticket refunds. “Your health and safety is our top priority,” the statement read. “As a precaution due to Coronavirus (COVID-19), all shows through July are postponed. If you have questions, please email them to FWTick et@foxwoods.com and we will respond to all inquiries within 72 hours of receipt of them.” For canceled shows with no reschedule date, ticketholders who paid in cash are asked to bring the tickets to the Fox Theater Box Office for a refund. Credit card purchases will be automatically credited. Tickets can also be mailed to Foxwoods Resort Casino, ATTN: Bruce Flax – Ticket Refund, 350 Trolley Line Blvd. PO Box 3777 Mashantucket, CT 06338-3777.
• DC Young Fly will perform in the Fox Theater at the Mashantucket, Connecticut, casino on Jan. 16, 2021. Tickets for the show are on sale through all Ticketmaster outlets and locations including ticketmaster.com. They are also available by phone at 800-745-3000. DC Young Fly is an internet personality, comedian, actor, host, rapper, and singer best known for his “roasting
• The Happy Together Tour has been postponed. The tour, which was originally scheduled for the Calvin Theatre in Northampton on June 26, has been moved to Oct. 10. The tour features performances from The Turtles, Chuck Negron (formerly of Three Dog Night), The Cowsills, The Association, Mark Lindsay, and The Vogues. The acts offer up an impressive string of hits from the late 1960s and early ’70s including “Happy Together,” and “Eleanor,” (The Turtles), “One,” and “Joy to the World” (Check Negron of Three Dog Night), and “Hair,” (The Cowsills). Tickets purchased for the original show will be honored on the new date.
SEE LIVEWIRE, PAGE E5
Start Your Own Heat Wave AdamEveGreenfieldMA
AEStoresGreenfield LGBTQ++ Friendlyy
Pleasure, Adventure & Fun www.Greenfield.AdamEveStores.com Due to the ongoing state of emergency, our Greenfield MA location is temporarily closed. Follow us on social media to stay up to date. For further inquiries about this location, please email us at adameveofwmass@aol.com
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
WEEKEND
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020 | E5
MUSIC ALBUM REVIEW
Pop star Gaga is back, but where’s the art? By MESFIN FEKADU
album lacks real flavor. Where is the salt, or spark? In the 12 years since Lady “Alice,” one of the better Artist: Lady Gaga Gaga dropped her first album, songs on the 16-track set, opens Record label: Interscope the singer has exceptionally the album as Gaga sings, “My shown that she knows how to name isn’t Alice/But I’ll keep rent pandemic, that’s equivacreate a killer album. looking, I’ll keep looking for “The Fame” was danceable lent to dancing alone in front of Wonderland.” and clever. “The Fame Monyour floor mirror. Her search isn’t over if “Chroster” was an epic adventure But instead of bopping along matica” is any indication — this into her darker mind. “Born feels like a watered-down to the album, you’ll want to This Way” brilliantly wove in version of the creative Gaga we social distance from it. elements of rock and house all love. “Chromatica” is a letdown with her signature pop. Though from one of pop’s best voices. In an interview to promote she might have tripped over The production, which is basic, the album, she explained that her disco ball on “ARTPOP,” is the album’s biggest problem “Free Woman” was about the album still had direction her sexual assault and “Rain — and the flat sound doesn’t and character. And “Joanne” help bring the heavy themes of on Me” was partly about her was a deep, emotional set of the album to life like Gaga has overdrinking. The topics are songs that paved the way for real and at times, extremely been able to do in the past. the sound of “A Star is Born,” a BloodPop works as lead pro- heavy, and Gaga gets points for flawless album that captures all ducer, co-crafting most songs sharing her real-life feelings on the project. But other help- and experiences in her music. the great sides of Gaga. Enter “Chromatica,” her ers are also part of the process, But the album’s production sixth studio effort, and her including Max Martin, Skrillex, doesn’t serve as the best vessel return to the electro dance-pop Ryan Tedder, Axwell, Sebasfor those deep emotions to tian Ingrosso, Justin Tranter, sound that made her a multibreathe. And her vocal perforplatinum pop star. mance, surprisingly plain and BURNS, Rami Yacoub and It’s an album made for the Tchami. Too many cooks in the unmemorable, doesn’t help clubs, though during this curkitchen could be the reason the either. Sometimes it feels like Associated Press
LiveWire
‘CHROMATICA’
The Canadian band was heading out to celebrate the 15th anniversary of its “All the CONTINUED FROM PAGE E4 Right Reasons” release, which • The “After Hours” tour has included hits “Photograph,” been moved to 2021. “Rockstar,” “Far Away,” “If The Weeknd has moved all Everyone Cared,” and “Savin’ shows supporting his latest Me.” The release is Diamond release due to COVID-19 Certified (10 million-plus sold) concerns. by the RIAA. Performances in MassachuThe band was scheduled to setts and Connecticut have play Hartford (Xfinity Theatre, July 10), Saratoga Springs been impacted. The artist was originally (Saratoga Performing Arts scheduled to play Mohegan Sun Center, July 22) and the Boston Arena on July 4 and TD Garden area (Xfinity Center, Mansfield, on July 11. Those dates have July 26). been moved to July 4, 2021 According to promoter (Mohegan) and July 2, 2021 Live Nation, ticket purchased (Boston). should be automatically reTicket purchases for the orig- funded within 30 days. inal shows will be honored. • Rammstein has canceled • Nickelback has canceled its first-ever U.S. stadium tour. its summer tour plans. The band announced this
week that due to COVID-19 concerns, the entire run has been scrapped. “Sadly, but in the best interests of everyone’s health and safety, we have to postpone our North America Tour,” the band wrote on Twitter. “We are now working on rescheduling the tour in 2021.” The German metal band was slated to play Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Sept. 6. Rammstein has sold millions of records around the world and its live show is a wild ride. The band relies heavily on pyrotechnics (singer Till Lindemann has performed entire songs while engulfed in flames) and costumes that range from lederhosen and corsets to military-inspired uniforms. • June shows slated for the
“Chromatica” by Lady Gaga. (INTERSCOPE VIA AP)
Gaga isn’t even present. Some of the lyrics feel lazy, too. On “Plastic Doll” she sings, “I’ve lived in a pink box so long/I am top shelf, they built me strong.” Enter sideeye emoji here. Gaga fares better on tracks like “Replay,” or even “911” and “Babylon,” though both songs sound like leftover tracks from “Born This Way.”
Pines Theater at Look Park in Northampton are the latest victims of the global pandemic. The tribute Almost Queen scheduled for June 5 was canceled some time ago. More recent adjustments by promoter DSP Shows include Bela Fleck and the Flecktones moving to May 30, 2021, and Indigo Girls being postponed to a still-undetermined 2021 date. The cancellations mean the Pines Theater will be dark for June and July, as the next scheduled show still on the calendar is Dark Star Orchestra on Aug. 11. • Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons have rescheduled their appearances to the fall. The group will now play the
SEE LIVEWIRE, PAGE E7
But most of “Chromatica” is problematic: First single “Stupid Love” is forgettable; “Enigma” is predictable; and the inclusion of the chart-topping Ariana Grande on the bouncy but super-mediocre “Rain on Me” screams, “I JUST WANT A NO. 1 HIT RIGHT NOW.” Having little depth, the best way to describe “Chromatica” might be shallow.
Doggie Daycare $65 Per Week Unlimited Days Mon-Fri.
In the Mutt Rescue Building 102 Grove Street Chicopee, MA
413-331-4083 - Lori
WEEKEND
E6 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
MOVIES MOVIE REVIEW
Tracee Ellis Ross takes center stage ‘The High Note’ offers a summery slice of escapism
By Michael O’Sullivan
Washington Post
‘T By Ann Hornaday
Washington Post
he High Note” is a music-centered comedy that evokes deep-comfort dives such as “Beyond the Lights” and “A Star is Born.” It’s a movie drenched in catchy pop hooks and aspirational romance. If this iteration doesn’t quite achieve the full liftoff of the best of the form, it still manages to hit more than a few pleasure centers as a summery slice of light escapism. One of “The High Note’s” chief strengths is the radiant Tracee Ellis Ross, who for so long has been the best thing about anything she’s in, and here claims center stage with toughness, humor and almost feral unpredictability. She plays Grace Davis, an R&B diva who’s been in coast mode for several years; as the film opens, she’s being offered a residency in Las Vegas that will offer the perfect glide path to wealthy obsolescence. It will also put her out to pasture creatively, a fact that her longtime manager Jack couldn’t care less about. The only member of her entourage who still believes Grace hasn’t long since peaked is her personal assistant Maggie, an adoring acolyte who nurses
What to stream?
Above, Dakota Johnson, left, and Tracee Ellis Ross in “The High Note.” At right is Ice Cube. (GLEN WILSON / FOCUS FEATURES)
‘THE HIGH NOTE’ rrts
Rated: PG-13 Running time: 112 min. Available: On Demand via various streaming platforms
a secret dream to be a record producer. Maggie, in other words, is young, hungry and ambitious, which makes Dakota Johnson’s performance so curious: Languid and doe-eyed, Johnson’s breathy delivery and recessive persona never suggest higher stakes than achieving the right style points with her vintage fringed suede jacket. She’s lovely to look at and can never be accused of overacting, but in terms of conveying single-minded drive, Johnson is no match for Ross’ carefully calibrated tonal swings between imperiousness, self-awareness, isolation and down-to-earth intimacy. That’s a shame, because even though there’s a low-key
subplot involving an attractive singer, “The High Note” is essentially a love story between two women whose interpersonal politics are complex and ever shifting. It should be “The Devil Wears Prada” with sicker beats. But director Nisha Ganatra (“Late Night”), working from a script by Flora Greeson, keeps undercutting the story’s most promising moments by meandering away from them, especially in a third act whose twist is no less preposterous for being so glaringly obvious from the get-go. Thankfully, “The High Note” is full of funny, charming and diverting supporting performances, especially Ice Cube as
the perpetually grumpy Jack; June Diane Raphael as Grace’s catty house manager; and Kelvin Harrison Jr., who delivers an impressive and utterly persuasive turn as a gifted singer Maggie meets in a Laurel Canyon market. (Eddie Izzard and Diplo also pop up in cameos, the latter doing an amusing burlesque of a pompous synth-happy producer.) Throw in some fun songs, sun-kissed Los Angeles locations, stunning wardrobe changes and an overall vibe of generous-hearted fun, and “The High Note” makes for a welcome digression from real-life irritations. It may not soar, necessarily, but it hums along pleasantly enough.
“The Vast of Night” opens with the intro from a fictional, black-and-white TV show from the 1950s: “Paradox Theatre,” modeled after “The Twilight Zone,” right down to the portentous, Rod Serling-esque voice-over. That sets the tone for this stylish, micro-low-budget sci-fi thriller, set in smalltown New Mexico in the late 1950s, and centering on two young people (Jake Horowitz and Sierra McCormick), whose experience of a strange sound over the radio and via a telephone switchboard. That sound leads them down a rabbit hole involving a potential close encounter of the third kind. Andrew Patterson’s feature debut, which won the Audience Award at last year’s Slamdance Film Festival, is exceptionally well made, even if at times it feels a tad padded out, as if it were meant to be a half-hour television show. Still, it is an engrossing alien tale, and the slow build to its inevitable payoff is worth the wait. PG-13. Available on Amazon Prime. Contains brief strong language. 89 minutes. - Michael O’Sullivan The father and son at the heart of “End of Sentence” are estranged. (Do they make movies about any other kind of parents and their adult children?) But the actors who play Frank Fogle and his ex-con kid Sean (John Hawkes and Logan Lerman, respectively) generate a nice, prickly dynamic. So when the two set off on a trip to Ireland, carrying the ashes of Frank’s late wife and Sean’s mother to scatter in a beloved lake, the antagonism and slowly surfacing resentments make for a watchable - if SEE STREAM, PAGE E8
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
WEEKEND
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020 | E7
DVD RELEASES
‘Watchmen’ shakes up classic comic By Tribune News Service
“Watchmen: An HBO Limited Series”: HBO’s “Watchmen” was one of the best-reviewed TV series of 2019. And because show creator and runner Damon Lindelof decided to walk away after the first season, the show begins and ends here. The HBO series used the 1980s comic book of the same name as a base, but then charted its own course. With a strong focus on racial animosity in America, the series opened with a graphic depiction of the real-life 1921 Tulsa, Oklahoma, race massacre, where a white mob attacked black residents and businesses. The show also included the supernatural creations from the comic for an interesting mix.
“It’s a gumbo of genres,” series star Regina King told the Los Angeles Times. “And everyone loves gumbo.” Also new on DVD “1BR”: Horror movie where a woman finds her “perfect” apartment is maybe not so perfect. “Debt Collectors”: Martial arts expert finds work as a debt collector for the mob. “Harley Quinn: The Complete First Season”: DC antihero in her own animated series. “Robert The Bruce”: Angus Macfadyen stars as the Scottish king in this sequel to Oscar-winner “Braveheart.” “Rogue Warfare: The Hunt”: Commandos seek to rescue their leader from terrorists.
Regina King as Sister Night in the HBO series “Watchmen.” (MARK HILL / HBO)
Two men in love in the con“Witches in the Woods”: servative society of the former Students’ snowboarding trip goes wrong - very, very wrong. Soviet republic of Georgia “The Blackout: Invasion New on Digital HD Earth”: Russian sci-fi movie “And Then We Danced”: about Earth’s last hope.
LiveWire
Rock band Hoobastank will perform on Sept. 25 on The Big E’s Court of Honor stage. (ETHAN MILLER / GETTY IMAGES)
The entire tour has been postponed to 2021 due to the global pandemic and some CONTINUED FROM PAGE E5 dates have been canceled. Mohegan Sun Arena in Unc- The group will play Mohegan asville, Connecicut, on Nov. Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, on Aug. 15, 2021. Tickets 13 at 8 p.m. for the original date will be Tickets for the original honored. show (May 22) will be honored for the new date. The configuration of Tickets are also available McDonald, singer-guitarists through all Ticketmaster out- Tom Johnston and Patlets and locations including rick Simmons along with ticketmaster.com and by multi-instrumentalist John phone at 800-745-3000. McFee, hasn’t toured together in 25 years. The vocal group served McDonald worked with the up chart-topping hits in the band from 1975 to 1982 and 1960s and ’70s and had sang on hits such as “What remixes land on the dance A Fool Believes,” “Minute by charts well into the ’90s. “December 1963 (Oh, What Minute,” and “Takin’ It To the Streets.” a Night),” was a No. 1 single “This decision has been in 1976. made with the health and safety of the Doobie Brothers’ • The planned reunion of Michael McDonald and the fans, crew, and local employees in mind,” the band said in Doobie Brothers has been an announcement. put on hold. The 50th anniversary • Matchbox Twenty has tour featuring the return of McDonald was scheduled to postponed its entire 2020 summer tour, including dates play Mohegan Sun Arena on July 2 and the Xfinity Center in Mansfield and Mohegan Sun. in Mansfield on July 3.
“A Clear Shot”: Based on real hostage situation at an electronics store. “Feral”: A homeless woman living below New York City survives on her own terms.
The band was scheduled to play the arena on July 26. No new dates for the tour have been announced but tickets will be honored for the rescheduled date. “We were really looking forward to seeing everyone this summer but we must put everyone’s safety first,” read a message on the band’s website. “So, sadly, we will be rescheduling all North American dates until next year. We’ll be announcing 2021 dates as soon as possible.” Other scratched dates include the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in Gilford, New Hampshire, on July 18, the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, New York, on July 24, and the Xfinity Center in Mansfield on July 25. Dubbed the “Matchbox Twenty 2020” tour, it is the group’s first run since 2017. It coincides with the 20th Anniversary of the band’s 2000 album “Mad Season,” which spawned Top 10 hits “If You’re Gone” and “Bent.”
WEEKEND
E8 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
Stream
subtitles. 105 minutes. • The drama “I’m No Longer Here” tells the story of a young Mexican gang leader (Juan Daniel Garcia Treviño), whose entanglements with a drug cartel force him to go on the run, to a place where many immigrants have come before him: Queens. There, despite his attempt to assimilate, he begins to wish he were home. According to IndieWire, director Fernando Frías de la Parr — a former documentarian who directed all six episodes of the of the first season of the HBO series “Los Espookys” — “knows his way around the vibrant and the mundane, the eerie and the all-too-real.” Unrated. Available on Netflix. In Spanish and English with subtitles. 105 minutes.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE E6
somewhat familiar – tale. A young woman in need of a ride (Sarah Bolger) injects a shot of unpredictability, and Icelandic director Elfar Adalsteins, working from a low-key screenplay by Michael Armbruster, never forces his story into places it doesn’t want to go naturally. Unrated. Available on various streaming platforms. Contains some strong language, brief violence and mature thematic elements. 96 minutes. – M.O. Can a movie be violent and cute at the same time? “Lucky Grandma,” a heist movie-cum-character study set, for the most part, in Manhattan’s Chinatown, pulls off that modest trick. Yet if action movie elements lend the film a breezy humor, the preposterous plot, which resembles a lighthearted version of the intense Adam Sandler vehicle “Uncut Gems,” hides a poignant drama about the elderly. The 86-year old actress Tsai Chin, whose credits include everything from “You Only Live Twice” to “The Joy Luck Club,” plays the title character, a widow whose adult son wants her to move out of a tiny apartment to his spacious suburban house. But the matriarch values her independence, and furthermore, nurses a high-stakes
Juan Daniel Garcia Treviño in “I’m No Longer Here.” (NETFLIX)
gambling habit that runs hot and cold on a day trip to a casino. Her fortunes change quickly when she stumbles onto a gym bag full of cash, but this sudden windfall gets her caught in the middle of a brutal gang war. Chin portrays both her character’s stubborn sense of mischief and weary resignation with equal gusto; while comedies like the 2017 remake of “Going in Style” treat the elderly as helpless and bumbling, this grandma is more formidable than she looks. First-time writer-director Sasie Sealy treats Chin with a dignity rarely afforded veteran actors, the crime drama ultimately overwhelms a film that, at its core, is graced with a touching family dynamic.
Tsai Chin in “Lucky Grandma.” (GOOD DEED ENTERTAINMENT)
Jake Horowitz, left, and Sierra McCormick in “The Vast of Night.” (AMAZON STUDIOS)
Unrated. Available at theavalon.org, sunscinema. com and afisilver.afi.com. Contains violence and strong language. In English, Man-
darin and Cantonese with subtitles. 87 minutes. – Pat Padua Also streaming • Set in Algeria in the 1990s, when the country was embroiled in a civil war between Islamist extremists and those deemed too Western, “Papicha” tells the story of two university students (Lyna Khoudri and Shirine Boutella) who regularly sneak out of their dormitory at night to party. According to Variety, “Terrific lead characterizations and edgy camerawork hold their own against a problematic script in Mounia Meddour’s feature debut,” which was loosely inspired by parts of the director’s own life. Unrated. Available at afisilver.afi.com and theavalon. org. In French and Arabic with
• The documentary “Screened Out” examines the modern problem of screen addiction. According to the Los Angeles Times, the film suffers from director Jon Hyatt’s focus on his own family: “The eternal struggle for docs that rely on personal stories to humanize the problem is to balance human-interest storytelling with persuasive fact.” That issue, the Times writes, is exacerbated by “the filmmaker’s insertion of himself into his documentary — it’s a bit uncomfortable watching him use his young kids as examples, and to see so many shots of him walking down the street and looking at his phone.” Unrated. Available on demand via various streaming platforms. 71 minutes. • Dating from 2015 to 2018, four separate editions of “Animation Show of Shows,” an annual compendium of the best in animation, have been made available for online viewing. The four editions of the program, comprising a total of 56 short films, feature several Oscar nominees, including “We Can’t Live Without the Cosmos,” “Weekends,” “One Small Step,” “Pearl” and “World of Tomorrow.” Unrated. Available at afisilver.afi.com. Films vary in length.
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
WEEKEND
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020 | E9
VIDEO GAME REVIEW
“If Found ...” sets new standard for visual novel By Christopher Byrd
Special To The Washington Post
The recently released visual novel “If Found ...” is a milestone for video games; not only does it tell a moving story about a young transgender woman, but it does so with exquisite visual flair using simple but engaging game mechanics. Consequently, I’ve found myself pushing it on my less gaming-literate friends as another example of the aesthetic riches that the medium has to offer. For most of its history, the video game industry has struggled with storytelling, embracing instead a gameplay-first mentality where narrative plays second fiddle to game mechanics. Going against the grain, a number of smaller developers have sought to remedy this by creating visual novels, one of gaming’s smaller, less publicized genres. Usually identified by a profusion of text and static or sparsely animated images, visual novels often bear a closer resemblance to graphic novels than other mainstream video games. Though I’ve played video games for most of my conscious life, I’ve only gotten into visual novels in the last couple of years. I was always aware their restrictive
A scene from “If Found …” (ANNAPURNA INTERACTIVE)
‘IF FOUND ...’ Developed by: Dreamfeel Published by: Annapurna Interactive Available on: iOS, Mac, PC
family who look askance at her new identity. After falling out with her mother she leaves home to crash with her friend Colum, his boyfriend Jack and their friend Shans at a dilapidated old house — a place that once belonged to some of the well-to-do-mem-
Besides tracking the ups and downs of life in the house, “If Found ...” interweaves a tale about an astronaut investigating an anomaly near Jupiter.
TRAVELER CAPE COD
ACROSS FROM THE BEACH - THE VILLAGE GREEN. Rates from $75- $105 to 6/7/20 (excluding holidays, some restrictions apply). Ocean views and efficiencies available. FREE continental breakfast in season. All rooms have refrigerators and cable TV. Heated outdoor pool. Take children to the beachside playground. Close to several golf courses, tennis courts, whale watch cruises, ferries to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, restaurants, shops, bike trails and many more of the Cape’s unique attractions. 10% Senior Discount. South Shore Drive, South Yarmouth, MA 02664. 1-800-487-4903. www.vgreenmotel.com.
TO ADVERTISE HERE CALL 413-788-1165
3135607-02
bers of Anglo-Irish gentry, but now belongs to the church. Though the ostensible purpose of their squat is to serve as a practice space for Colum, Jack and Shans’ recently formed band, it also serves as a refuge from the conservative outside world that would prefer for Colum and his boyfriend keep their amorous relationship on the down low. Besides tracking the ups and downs of life in the house, “If Found ...” in-
NewEngland
313556 3135607-01 5607 607-01
interfaces, which usually amount to little more than clicking on text boxes. That’s why “If Found ...” has struck me as such an important advance for the genre; it’s as interesting to move through as it is to read. Set at the end of 1993, on the Irish island of Achill, it tells the story of Kasio, a 23-year-old who recently completed her master’s degree in Dublin and has returned home for the winter holiday to her perplexed
terweaves a tale about an astronaut investigating an anomaly near Jupiter. The story of Doctor Cassiopeia’s survey of a black hole serves as a fanciful counterweight to the game’s exploration of Kasio’s everyday life. Given Kasio’s passion for astrophysics, it isn’t hard to parse the rationale for the sci-fi twist. In addition to its quality storytelling and mesmerizing soundtrack, what elevates “If Found ...” to the status of a masterpiece is its interface and art design. For much of the game, the cursor on your mouse serves as an eraser that you use to scrub away scenes and text to uncover fresh examples of both. Seeing how one scene dissolves into another makes for a captivating experience. For example, one can wipe away a sketch of a character to reveal that person framed behind a window, or scrub away a picture of the house where Kasio is staying to disclose other takes on the same place at different times of day. This technique, used by Impressionist painter Claude Monet, conveys how things acquire other resonances when viewed under contrasting conditions. The eraser also acts as a sort of brush, allowing play-
ers to feel like sketch artists digging deeper into the visual material to uncover new layers of expression. Furthermore, it serves as a powerful metaphor for Kasio’s rejection of her old gender identity – highlighting the distance between the person she was in 1993 and the individual looking back on her life more than two decades later. “If Found ...” is one of the more refreshing games to come along this year. I deeply appreciated how it made me connect with someone whose experience runs outside of usual video game archetypes. It represents a path forward both for visual novels and for the industry’s expanding inclusivity.
WEEKEND
E10 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
DINE & WINE
George Lenker Beer Nut
Bits of beer news
I
T’S BEEN A FEW months since I rounded up the beer notes and briefs on my virtual desk (which is not surprising, given that so much has been curtailed or shut down), so I thought today would be a good day as we head into a new month. First up is the news that a 103-year-old Massachusetts resident recently recovered from COVID-19 and celebrated by having a beer. Now some beer snobs will turn their noses up at her choice, Bud Light, but I say that if you 1) beat the coronavirus and/or 2) live to be 103, you can drink whatever the heck you want. (To be fair, I think people can drink whatever they want anyway, but in the case of this woman, Jennie Stejna, I’d be glad to have a Bud with her, just because both her age and recovery are worth celebrating.) Cheers, Jennie! Our second bit of news comes from the Czech Republic, where the nation’s biggest brewery, Plzenský Prazdroj, celebrated the reopening of bars and restaurants in the country with a promotion named “First Beer On Us.” Now before beer fans start planning trips there, be advised that the name is a little deceptive. It’s actually the second beer you get free. The deal is that if you order a beer in any place serving Pilsner Urquell on tap, you will get your second beer at no charge. The country allowed bars and
SEE BEER, PAGE E11
A
Fine dining establishments making difficult choices
S THE PANDEMIC-MANDATed shutdown of restaurant dining rooms has continued, operations whose business model was focused on “dine in” and “the experience” have faced a difficult choice — remaining shuttered until the shutdown storm passes or embracing the new realities of takeout, delivery, and curbside pickup. Of course, fine dining establishments have always offered takeout as a convenience to customers, and some had even signed up with a major third party delivery service with the hope of bringing in a bit of incremental business. But the past 10 weeks have clearly upended the restaurant business. Public health necessities may have required that restaurant dining rooms remain closed, yet the public appetite for high-quality, ready-to-enjoy food has endured. Hugh Robert Quick Off The Menu service chains like Taco Bell and McDonald’s have, from day one of the shutdown, maintained operations, and many of the casual dining brands such as Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill + Bar and Outback Steakhouse quickly pivoted to their own combinations of delivery, takeout, and curbside. Some independents followed suit, offering similar services at the same time, developing the now nearly ubiquitous “family meals.” Some locally based operators that are predominantly fine-dine were quick in shifting to survival mode. The Bean Restaurant Group (which operates the Student Prince, Johnny’s Tavern, and nine more locations throughout the region) and the Delaney House, which already had a robust prepared-meals-togo presence in the form of its Delaney’s Market operations, are examples. Independently owned and operated venues that were previously attuned to the dine-in experience seemed to have been less agile in repositioning themselves, but as weeks of shutdown have turned into months, more and more of
The Blue Heron Restaurant, 112 North Main Street in Sunderland, last month began offering its own version of “Contactless Curbside Take Out.” Available Thursday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Blue Heron is creating new menus each week. (DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN FILE PHOTO)
those operations have been rethinking their short-term business strategy. Likely motivated by the need to retain key employees and to generate some cash flow, those independents are turning in increasing numbers to no-contact ways of selling meal experiences. The Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland last month began offering its own version of “Contactless Curbside Take Out.” Available Thursday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Blue Heron is creating new menus each week, with selections that include pan-seared swordfish, fettucine with lobster, coconut curried vegetables, as well as “small
by credit or debit card. Ordering and pickup details, in addition to each week’s menu, are available at the Blue Heron’s website, blueheron dining.com. Mezze Bistro + Bar in Williamstown is another of those eateries that previously focused on Instagram-worthy dining but has now, as a stopgap measure, begun to make take-home available Since the restaurant is working with a very small kitchen team, Mezze’s “Pick up on the Porch” fare, which is available Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, is somewhat limited in scope. Thursday evenings feature a casual,
Likely motivated by the need to retain key employees and to generate some cash flow, those independents are turning in increasing numbers to no-contact ways of selling meal experiences. plates” such as pan seared scallops, bacon-wrapped blue-cheese stuffed dates, and a charcuterie assortment. Dessert choices are also available, as are “Family Style Meals” like Greek-inspired grilled chicken and tofu Marsala. Beer, wine, and house-made cocktail mixers can be added to curbside orders. The restaurant accepts advance online orders throughout the week at blue herondining.smartonlineorder.com. All orders must be paid for in advance
burger-focused menu, while on Fridays and Saturdays Mezze draws inspiration from its catering repertoire, providing selections for two such as Tuscan chicken and a green garlic polenta cake as well as supplementary sides. Wine and beer to go can be added to meal orders, which need to be placed in advance through the restaurant’s web site, mezzerestaurant.com. Mezze’s phone number is 413-458-0123.
SEE MENU, PAGE E12
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
WEEKEND
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020 | E11
DINE & WINE
How to make a summer cocktail using rose wine
T
HERE’S NOTHING more frustrating than opening a bottle of bad wine. I won’t say which one, but this happened to me recently when I was tasting wines for last week’s wine column about rose wines. No, the wine wasn’t corked. And it hadn’t been stored improperly. And I’m not even sure if it’s fair to call the wine a “bad” wine. I just personally didn’t like it. Everyone’s taste is different. Some people would probably love this wine. I personally found this rose wine too sweet, too syrupy, too cloying. So what do you do with a wine you don’t like? I’ve written about this topic before. Luckily, you have a few choices. You can force yourself to finish the wine, even though you’d probably rather drink lighter fluid. You can wait a day or two to see if the wine gets any better. (This one didn’t, in my opinion.) You can pour the wine straight down the sink. (Something I’m loathe to do because I’m too cheap.) You can set the wine aside to cook with later. (Always a possibility, but not something I normally do with rose wine.) You can add an ice cube and hope the offensive flavors get diluted. (Tried that. Didn’t work.)
Beer CONTINUED FROM PAGE E10
restaurants to reopen on May 25 and the promotion runs until June 7. Third on our list: I understand that the idea of having beer delivered to one’s home may seem sketchy to some folks who worry about underage kids pulling a fast one in order to drink illegally.
Palazzi’s Vespers, I decided to mix equal parts rose wine, tonic water and bourbon on the rocks. Delicious, but still missing a little something. That’s when I added a lemon twist. Since then, I’ve had a few more Rose Trois, as we like to call them around the house. They’re especially great on warm, muggy afternoons. But that’s simply one person’s recipe. Next time you open a bottle of wine you’re not exactly thrilled with, don’t give up hope. Start blending and start having fun!
Ken Ross Wine Press
After making and thoroughly enjoying one of Palazzi’s Vespers, I decided to mix equal parts rose wine, tonic water and bourbon on the rocks. Delicious, but still missing a little something. That’s when I added a lemon twist.
‘ROSE TROIS’ OR R.B.T. COCKTAIL Rose wine can be perfect for making summer cocktails. (KEN ROSS PHOTO)
“Yellow Rose” or maybe a “Rose Trois” or an “R.B.T.” At first, I tried making a rose spritzer — equal parts rose wine and seltzer on the rocks. It was good but a little bland for my taste. Running out of ideas, I sudSo then I added a dash of denly had one more. St. Germain, an Elderflower Actually, I think my wife liqueur from France often had this idea, but since I’m a used in mixed drinks. But man, I’ll just take credit for this concoction was too her brilliant idea and claim it sweet. as my own. Feeling a bit like Goldilocks and the three bears, I Why not make a cocktail then added a splash of bourusing this sweet, slightly bon at my wife’s suggestion. syrupy rose wine? Definitely an improvement And so began an experiment that eventually resultbut something still wasn’t ed in a drink I like to call a quite right.
Yet almost half of the states in the U.S. allow some sort of home delivery (Massachusetts is not one, and the only New England state that allows it is New Hampshire). The reason I bring this up is because of a group known as the Beer Buyers Club, which is doing great things in delivering harder-to-find brews to its members. I realize Massachusetts – and New England in general
Then a flash of inspiration occurred later while I was watching a video of Alessandro Palazzi making a Vesper. Palazzi is the head bartender at Duke’s Hotel in London and widely regarded as one of the greatest bartenders in the world. (He’s also an absolute gentleman and gracious host.) Palazzi’s Martinis are considered the best in the world. And so are his Vespers, the James Bond inspired cocktail that is a blend of equal parts Kina Lillet dry vermouth, gin and vodka. After making and thoroughly enjoying one of
It seems a shame that a state that certainly is a leader in craft beer denies its citizens a chance to sample brews that they otherwise would have trouble getting. – tends to be more puritanical about these things, but if legislators in 24 states see fit to allow this sort of thing, I’m not sure why Massachusetts, which is one of the more progressive states in general, refuses to do so.
(I’m also a bit shocked that Vermont — a bastion for all sorts of liberties — doesn’t allow it.) I’m not sure I would indulge in this activity, but I know plenty of people who would. It seems a shame
2 ounces rose wine 2 ounces tonic water (Schweppes Tonic Water if possible) 2 ounces Kentucky Bourbon (Woodford Reserve Bourbon if possible)
Pour all three ingredients into a cocktail glass. Add ice and gently stir drink. (Don’t bruise the Bourbon.) Cut a thin slice of lemon peel, run along the edge of the glass and twist the lemon slice before adding to the drink.
Cheers! Wine Press by Ken Ross appears on Masslive.com every Monday and in The Republican’s weekend section every Thursday.
that a state that certainly is a leader in craft beer denies its citizens a chance to sample brews that they otherwise would have trouble getting. Last but not least, Building 8 just released a new lager (aptly named The Lager) that is an alteration of the brewery’s tasty LBer lager from last year. It’s a German pilsner with a slightly different hop profile. Can’t wait to check it out.
E12 | THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2020
WEEKEND
THE REPUBLICAN | MASSLIVE.COM
DINE & WINE
Menu
pickles, and the customizable choice of regular or hot saucespiked mayonnaise. CONTINUED FROM PAGE E10 The nationwide introduction Storrowton Tavern in West of the sandwich is contingent Springfield was one of the early on its success in the central fine-dine adopters of curbside Florida market where it is curpickup service. Its to-go menu, rently being tested. which debuted in March, dishes up a selection of individually • Cima Restaurant and sized comfort food entrees Chophouse in Wilbraham has like Yankee pot roast, baked put together an off-premises Boston scrod, and roast breast menu that it’s making available of turkey. Tuesday through Sunday eveFamily dinners to go come in nings beginning at 4 p.m. three forms. An “Italian” feast The selections suggested are features chicken parmesan, a representative subset of the meatballs, pasta, broccoli, establishment’s pre-pandemic salad, and dessert, while the bill of fare. Entree choices include chicken Milanese, penne “Thanksgiving” package is assembled around roast turkey with vodka sauce, and a classic with all the trimmings. A “New Bolognese sauce served over pappardelle. Linguine with England Dinner” includes Yankee pot roast, corn fritters, clam sauce and baked scrod are also among the possible and more. Family dinners can be oroptions, as is a 16-ounce New dered on a per-person basis. York Strip steak. Storrowton Tavern takes orDelivery is available in the ders and requires payment over Wilbraham area for orders the phone. For more details, totaling $30 or more and must call the restaurant at 413-732be paid for in advance and by 4188. credit card. Other high profile fine dining Contact Cima Restaurant & operations such as the Salem Chop House at 413-279-3322 Cross Inn in West Brookfield for more information on its and the Public House Historcurrent menu offerings. ic Inn in Sturbridge remain closed, waiting out the shut• “Contactless” yet “cusdown order and making plans tomizable” are among the new to reopen under dining out’s marketing imperatives to which new realities. restaurant operators need to respond, and Chipotle MexSide dishes ican Grill, the Denver-based • In the rear view mirror of fast-casual chain, has redelife, last summer’s Twitter war signed its app to provide more between Popeyes Louisiana flexibility to those placing Chicken and Chick-fil-A over orders using a smartphone. the former’s newly introNow featuring enhanced duced chicken sandwich looks functionality that allows customers to specify the amounts rather silly, yet the jolt of viral marketing energy that salvo of of each ingredient that goes tweets and re-tweets triggered into their bowl or burrito, the continues to ripple through the app offers “light,” “standard,” or “extra options” for many restaurant world. KFC, the iconic quick-service menu components, as well an chicken chain, is currently “on the side” option for rice or developing a new “premium” beans. fried chicken sandwich as it More details are available at strives to re-establish itself as chipotle.com. “the fried chicken specialist.” The company’s product Hugh Robert is a faculty development and marketmember in Holyoke Community ing teams have labeled the College’s hospitality and culinary double-breaded, deep-fried arts program and has nearly 45 product as “the best sandwich years of restaurant and educational experience. Robert can be yet to debut on the menu” at KFC. It features a larger breast reached online at OffTheMenu filet, a brioche bun, extra-thick Guy@aol.com.
90 William Street, Springfield • 732-5428 159 Shaker Rd, East Longmeadow • 525-9400
Talk about our award-winning
SANDWICHES!! SANDWICHES Customize any sandwich to your taste. Stop downtown for a nice fresh sandwich on the way to the beach, a picnic or a delicious break at your desk.
Check Ch k iin on th those you care about b with a
GIFT BASKET! BASKET ! Customize any gift basket to make it perfect for the occasion whether its for something special, congratulations, sympathy or for someone you can’t see now.