RVA Volume 2 Issue 11

SECURE NETWORKING WEB DESIGN REPAIRS/UPGRADES MALICIOUS FILE REMOVAL

Jeff Hathaway 804.833.3748 jahathaway.com

Fixing Richmond computers by “Word of Mouth” for over 10 years.

RVA V O L . 2 I S S U E 1 1 P i t s t o p W h i l e Soul Searching

COVER by Aaron Farrington

R ANTHONY HARRIS PUBLISHER SENIOR DESIGNER PARKER MANAGING EDITOR CREATIVE DIRECTION ADAM SLEDD MANAGEMENT CHRISTIAN DETRES ADVERTISING MARISA BROWNE COPY EDITOR PETER SZIJARTO WEBMASTER CHRISTIAN DETRES R ANTHONY HARRIS KEN HOWARD DAVID KENEDY EMILY FLOWERS AD TEAM BEN MURI DISTRIBUTION IAN GRAHAM KIM FROST MICHELLE DOSSON GRANT PULLMAN DAVE BROWN JUSTIN LELINKO DAVE STEWART WILLCARSOLA TYLER BASS NOAH SCALIN PHOTOGRAPHERS MIKE RUTZ CHRISTIAN DETRES PAUL LAZIO CLAY MCLEOD CHAPMAN TEDDY BLANKS SEAN PATRICK RHORER TYLER BASS ADAM SLEDD MARISA BROWNE IAN GRAHAM R ANTHONY HARRIS PARKER WORDS ADAM JURESKO JEFF SMACK R ANTHONY HARRIS ILLUSTRATORS DESIGN

contents

10 Katy McDaniel 12 Bruce New 14 Chaz Maviyane-Davies 20 Jason Boyer 26 Mark Price Is A Factory 34 Hackensaw Boys Invade The Sound Of Music Studios 38 Mouthbreather Tour Diary 44 The Assailant Colera - Capital Signal Corps - Des Ark/Ben Davis & The Jetts Battle of the Beards Lifetime Lifetime - Marionette You Are Here - The Midwestern Self-titled EP Nouvelle Vague Bande à Part - Resist Demo 2006 - Smoke or Fire This Sinking Ship The Snake The Cross The Crown Cotton Teeth - Witches With Dicks Manual 50 Circus Maximus G ra n t P u l l m a n 56 Culmination of a Dream A a ro n Fa r i n g t o n 58 Kaine Endorses Obama S a ra Wa l o r 62 Call Your Lobbyist Michele Dosson 64 Let’s Make a Deal K i m Fro s t 67 Balance Beam Ke n H owa rd 70 Billy Joe 72 LEMON JELL-O photos 74 Rhapsody in PINK A d a m J u re s ko J e ff S m a c k #/.4!#4 )NKWELL $ESIGN &LOYD !VE !PT 2ICHMOND 6! P E INFO RVAMAG COM WWW RVAMAG COM

illustration

!$6%24)3).' &OR ALL LOCAL AND NATIONAL ADVERTISING INQUIRIES P /2 E ADVERTISING RVAMAG COM $)342)"54)/. )F YOUR BUSINESS OR ESTABLISHMENT WOULD LIKE TO CARRY 26! CONTACT US P /2 E DISTRIBUTION RVAMAG COM 35"-)33)/.3 26! WELCOMES SUBMISSIONS BUT CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSOLICITED MATERIAL 3END ALL SUBMISSIONS TO CONTENT RVAMAG COM (%!$3 50 4HE ADVERTISING AND ARTICLES APPEARING WITHIN THIS PUBLICATION REFLECT THE OPINION AND ATTITUDES OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AUTHORS AND NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHER OR EDITORS 2EPRODUCTION IN WHOLE OR PART WITHOUT PRIOR WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM THE PUBLISHER IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED 26! -AGAZINE IS PUBLISHED MONTHLY !LL MATERIAL WITHIN THIS MAGAZINE IS PROTECTED 26! IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF )NKWELL $ESIGN , , # 4HANK YOU

Jason Olsen S a ra h M a i t l a n d N i c o l e I n t rove r t Liz Canfield D. C u r t i s S o m m e r v i l l e R a c h e l To ro R e b e k a h A O f o r i - Fr i mprong L a u re n Vi n c e l l i B ra n d o n Pe c k M i ke R u t z Fra n k i e L e e Don Harrison Ty l e r B a s s S e a n Pa t r i c k R h o re r J e ff B ye rs Fre d P i n c k a rd R. Anthony Harris

writers

Anthony

I don’ t have a lot of time the s e d ay s t o s p e nd in my r e l a t io ns hip s w it h f r ie nd s, f a m ily, e v e n my g ir lf r ie nd . I f e e l lik e I a m c o ns t a nt ly a p o lo gizing because I am wor k ing and have ne gle c t e d s o m e b o dy but s o m e t im e s s m a ll t hin g s h a p p e n t ha t m a k e e v e r y t hing w o r t hw hile .

Fr o m : “ C ha r t e r C . Wo o d r uf f \ (ccwoodr uf f\)” <ccwoodr uf f@henrico.k12.v a.us> D a t e : M a r c h 6 , 2 0 0 7 1 2 : 4 7 : 2 6 PM EST To : <t o ny @ r v a m a g. c o m > Sub j e c t : JR Tu c k e r H ig h Sc ho o l Field Trip??

H e ll o ! N o d o ub t yo u ha v e a m illion e-mails to get to...

I ’ m t he f a c ult y s p o ns o r fo r J R Tuc ker High Sc hool’s liter ar y and ar ts ma g azine, “T he Hearing,” and we ar e often inspir ed by RVA ma g azine. I’m wondering if yo u w o uld w e lc o m e my s t a f f (1 3 k id s ) a nd m e fo r a quic k tour of your of fice and the pr ocess you all go thr ough to put out the ma g azine. Se ver al of my editor s ar e considering a p ublic a t io ns c a r e e r up o n g r a d ua t io n t his ye a r, a nd I’ ve also got se ver al ne w staf f member s w ho I’ d love to r eel in with a little r eal-wor ld exposur e. We’ r e hopeful you don’ t have a no - t o ur ing p o lic y !

I a p p r e c ia t e yo ur c o ns id e r a t io n, and we’ r e looking forw ar d to hearing ba c k fr om you! Have a gr eat day.

T ha nk yo u, t ha nk yo u, C h a r t e r C . Wo o d r uf f Ex c e p t io na l Ed uc a t io n J R Tuc k e r H ig h Sc ho o l

Parker Cheesus Christ in a tube to p ! T he l a s t is s ue w a s a n e d i t o r ia l c a t a s t r o p he . We a r e s t ill t r y ing t o f ig ur e o u t jus t w ha t t he he ll ha p p e ne d . B etween our copy editor, Marisa, losing her g la s s e s a f t e r p r a c t ic ing c ir c us t um bling, m e h uf f ing w ay t o o m u c h g a s a f t e r s ho t s o f w h is k ey w hile lo o k in g ov e r the content, Tony getting little too into the la t e s t Ya nni a lbum w hile d o i ng t he layo ut , a nd t he s t a f f o f Zo o o m (o ur p r int e r ) p l ay i ng int e ns e g a m e s o f C hut e s and Ladder s w hile simultaneously loading in the c o r r e c t io n s t o t h e p r o o f s o m e t hing go t r e a l ly m e s s e d up. We s inc e r e ly a p o lo g iz e fo r t he f a ilu r e t o b r i ng yo u a f lawless issue NOT filled with misspellings, le t t e r s le f t o f f o f w o r d s (ex a m p le : “ M ” le f t o f f o f “ M T V ” … s p e ll c he c k ?), a nd e v e n t he v e r y e nd o f a n a r t ic le mysteriously disa ppearing into a blac k h o le (s o r r y d ay byd ay - go t o r v a m a g. c o m fo r t he c o r r e c t e d v e r s io n). We p r o m is e yo u f r o m t his p o int o n t o c o nt inue doing best we can under suc h cir cumstanc e s t o ha v e t o p no t c h s p e lling, g r a m m a r, a nd inc lud e t he la s t p a r a g r a p hs o f e v e r y a r t ic le .

new york deli 2920 west cary street DJs every night at 10pm never a cover

www.returnofthedeli.com

K AT Y M C DA N I E L - K AT Y M C DA NIEL@GMAIL.COM

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12 “ A Do o m ed W ay Of L i fe ” p h o t o m o n t a g e

B RU C E N E W - W W W. BRU C E N E W.CO M 13

“ Tim e T o Spa re ” ph o t o mon t a g e

“ I A m A n A m eri c an , N o t A M a s c o t ” p h o t o m o n t a g e

“ Ga za ” - d ig it al

“ Wa rn in g ” - d ig it a l

C HA Z M AVI YAN E - DAV I E S - W W W. M AV I YA N E . COM

March 23 and 24, 20 0 7 , a t 8 : 0 0 p . m . , Dim Sum Dance prese n t s Warehouse She Seep , a n e v e n i n g o f d a n c e works, at the Grace S t r e e t T h e a t e r .

Warehouse She Seep i s t h e c o m p a n y ’ s production debut at t h e G r a c e S t r e e t T h e a t e r .

Foremost among the d a n c e s b e i n g p r e s e n t e d i s t h e quintet On the Count o f T h r e e … L o v e , w h i c h m a k e s i t s premiere. A surreal an d p l a y f u l w o r k , t h e d a n c e r s i n On the Count of 3…L o v e a r e c h a n g e l i n g s m o v i n g f l u i d l y through various perso n a s a s t h e y n e g o t i a t e a m e t a phor ical hall of mirror s . O n e m o m e n t t h e y a r e c r e a t u r e s trapped in a bog, the n e x t t h e y ’ r e g l a m - c o n s c i o u s w o m e n work ing on their runwa y w a l k .

Anot her piece making i t s R i c h m o n d p r e m i e r e i s W a r e h o u s e , a so lo performed by D i m S u m D a n c e a r t i s t i c d i r e c tor Julie Mayo create d i n c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h r e n o w n e d Seat tle-based choreog r a p h e r S t e p h a n i e S k u r a . T h i s p i e c e explores ritualistic beh a v i o r a n d t h e e f f e c t s o f c o n f i n e ment; the rigidly circu m s c r i b e d s p a c e l i t e r a l l y o u t l i n e d on the floor can at o n e m o m e n t b e c o z y a n d w o m b like and the next be c o n s t r i c t i n g a n d c l a u s t r o p h o b i c .

The performer moving t h r o u g h t h e s e c h a n g i n g s t a t e s undergoes a striking tr a n s f o r m a t i o n . W a r e h o u s e w a s first shown last fall in N e w Y o r k a s p a r t o f t h e W h i t e Wave Dance Festival.

Guest choreographer a n d O h i o U n i v e r s i t y p r o f e s s o r Mickie Geller presents a d u e t s e t o n D i m S u m D a n c e titled Nudge. The inspi r a t i o n f o r t h e p i e c e c a m e f r o m watc hing and videotap i n g a d a n c e r f r i e n d a s s h e worked on creating a d a n c e f o r h e r s e l f a n d h e r

16

h o r s e . G e l l e r w a s s t r u c k b y t h e t a c t i l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n t h a t w as estab l i s h e d b e t w e e n d a n c e r a n d h o r s e a n d u s e d t h o s e q u a l i t i e s o f touch, trust, and synchronicity as the basis for movement material.

A m o n g t h e D i m S u m r e p e r t o r y w o rk being pre s e n t e d , t h e q u a r t e t C l o s e r a s k s q u estions about h o w w e p r o c e s s i n f o r m a t i o n a n d o rient ourselves i n o u r e n v i r o n m e n t : H o w d o y o u f i nd a center?

H o w d e e p l y d o y o u h a v e t o l o o k to really see a n o t h e r p e r s o n ? W h e r e d o e s o n e ’ s self end and a n o t h e r p e r s o n b e g i n ? A s t h e d a n cers probe t h e s e q u e s t i o n s t o a s c o r e s e t t o Windy & Carl, t h e B o o k s , a n d P h i l i p J e c k , t h e y a rrive at some s u r p r i s i n g a n s w e r s . T h e t r i o T i d e p ool dispenses w i t h t h e i d e a o f d a n c e a s n a r r a t ive to explore a w o r l d i n h a b i t e d b y c r e a t u r e s driven by t h e i r o w n l o g i c a s t h e y m o v e explosively i n a n e n v i r o n m e n t r i c h w i t h sound and c o l o r . A n d c r o w d f a v o r i t e Mouth-off u s e s h u m o r a n d t h e a t r i cal staging to e x a m i n e t h e p a r a d o x es of commu n i c a t i o n - - o r l a c k t h ereof--in the c o n t e m p o r a r y w orld.

United Blood Festival A hardcore festival in Richmond just seems like one of those things that should happen. That’s why locals C ollin Ackerman and David Foster are making just such an event a reality.

“Richmond has today, and I think has always had, one of… the most thriving hardcore scenes on the East Coast,” explains Ackerman. “We couldn’t find a reason why a big weekend with some of the best current hardcore bands around shouldn’t happen here.” It’s this sentiment that has led to United Blood Festival ; what might arguably be one of the biggest and best festivals of its kind planned to happen this year and right here in Richmond.

Scheduled to take place March 23rd and 24th at Alley Katz, United Blood will feature some of the brightest stars in the genre today. Among those playing will be well known bands from around the country/world including Cold World, Rise & Fall, Blacklisted, Have Heart, Iron Age, and Mind Eraser, as well as local favorites Down To Nothing, Government Warning, Bracewar, Permanent, and Swamp Thing.

With Richmond’s hardcore roots about as old as any city’s, United Blood Festival proves this history hasn’t died.

For full lineup and ticket information, visit www.myspace.com/ unitedbloodfestival - Sean Patrick Rhorer

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Ric hmond Zine Fest

The Why Organize a Zine Fest?

By Sarah Maitland, Nicole Introvert, and Liz Canfield

P u n k s Fo r P r e s e n t s

Auction for Autism

9pm - Saturday April 28th @ Empir e Lounge ar twor k from 30 local Richmond ar tists 1 0 0 % o f A L L P R O C E E D S & T I P S b e n e f i t t h e Fa i s o n S c h o o l f o r A u t i s m thefaisonschool.org myspace.com/empirerichmond myspace.com/punksfor presents 18

“Why zines, why not blogs?” some people both inside and outside the zine community ask. Although many zinester s do zines and blogs (or print and online publications), there are many who believe in the per sonal, tangible pleasur e that comes from r eading print texts. Another subject of debate among those who make their own media is the question of access i b i l i t y. T h o u g h o n l i n e t e x t s h a v e t h e p o t e n t i a l t o r e a c h a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l audience, zines and other independent print media are potentially acc e s s i b l e t o t h o s e w h o d o n’ t h a v e a c c e s s t o c o m p u t e r s a n d g o o d I n t e r n e t connections. And still other s claim that zines ar e an ar t for m unto themselves, not a mer e conduit for infor mation/writing, and thus deser ve their o w n v e n u e . W h i l e z i n e s h a v e n’ t g o t t e n m u c h m a s s - m e d i a a t t e n t i o n s i n c e the ear ly-to-mid 1990s, despite the attention that cr afts and other tang i b l e f o r m s o f a r t h a v e b e e n r e c e i v i n g l a t e l y, t h a t d o e s n’ t m e a n p e o p l e have stopped creating zines, or that zines have ceased to be an innovative and dynamic for m of media. T his is why Nicole, Liz Canfield, and I, a m o n g o t h e r s , h a v e d e c i d e d t o h o s t a z i n e f e s t i n R i c h m o n d t h i s s p r i n g.

T h e R i c h m o n d Z i n e Fe s t w i l l b e h e l d o n A p r i l 2 8 t h , 2 0 0 7 a t T h e F i r e h o u s e T h e a t r e a n d T h e C a m e l , w h i c h a r e o n t h e 1 6 0 0 b l o c k o f We s t B r o a d S t r e e t . I t w i l l b e t h e f i r s t z i n e f e s t o f i t s s i z e i n R i c h m o n d i n 1 3 y e a r s.

T her e has been a v ague confusion around her e as to what a zine fest is.

It’s not r eally like an activist convention or a music festiv al, although we’re incor porating some elements from both - a zine fest is more akin to a cr afts festiv al or a comics convention, just without the celebrity in the c a s e o f t h e l a t t e r. I t ’ s a c o n v e n t i o n f o r z i n e c r e a t o r s , z i n e d i s t r i b u t o r s ,

and zine r eader s to meet and networ k. T her e will be people ther e selling, tr ading, and sometimes even giving away their zines, and ther e will also be people reading from their zines, wor kshops, and perhaps infor mal affinity or discussion groups instead of mor e-for mal panel discussions.

A lar ge par t of zine cultur e is to shar e the knowledge one may have in a par ticular subject. T his is why at many zine gatherings, including the R i c h m o n d Z i n e Fe s t , t h e r e i s a f o c u s o n h a v i n g w o r k s h o p s . Wo r k s h o p s m a y r a n g e f r o m b i c y c l e r e p a i r, t o j u g g l i n g , t o r e p r o d u c t i v e h e a l t h , t o c r e a t i n g y o u r v e r y o w n z i n e . Wo r k s h o p s a n d s k i l l - s h a r i n g a l l o w p e o p l e t o lear n more on an infor mal peer-to-peer level.

While the majority of people who have registered to vend so far are from Richmond or Vir ginia, ther e ar e sever al other s who ar e coming from o u t s i d e t h e s t a t e . T h e r e a r e n’ t v e r y m a n y z i n e f e s t s i n t h e M i d - A t l a n t i c region (although there was a zine fest in Baltimore in ear ly March, and there has been an annual zine fest in Philadelphia since 2003) or in the S o u t h ( e s p e c i a l l y t h e n o t - s o - d e e p - S o u t h ) a n d t h e r e r e a l l y i s n’ t a n e t w o r k for zinester s in both Richmond and Vir ginia. I know ever y time I go to Chop Suey Books, I am made aware of a new local zine writer because of t h e z i n e s o n t h e s h e l f o r n e a r t h e d o o r.

One of the primar y objectives in holding a zine fest in Richmond is to bring together zinester s from the area (and some from afar). Creating a networ k of DIY publishing individuals is cr ucial in order to keep the ar t for m alive. The beauty of zines is that there is absolutely no limitation, n o “ r i g h t ” o r “ w r o n g ” o n s u b j e c t m a t t e r. B r i n g i n g t o g e t h e r f o l k s w h o write about anarchism or politics, mental illness, par enting, feminism, p e r s o n a l j o u r n a l s , p o e t r y, “ h o w - t o ” t o p i c s , a n d o t h e r s a n d h a v i n g t h e m realize they are all contributing to the diver se and ever-changing wor ld o f z i n e c u l t u r e i s a m a z i n g.

A Word About the Organizers Nicole has been involved in zine cultur e, both writing and r eading for 10 year s. She cr eates the zine Introver t and has contributed to many comp i l a t i o n z i n e s a l o n g t h e w a y. S h e d i s c o v e r e d z i n e s a s a t e e n a g e r t h r o u g h t h e m e g a p o p u l a r t i t l e , C o m e t b u s , by f i r s t b e i n g a f a n o f A a r o n C o m e t b u s ’ m u s i c . Fo r h e r, c r e a t i o n o f z i n e s h a s a l w a y s b e e n a s o r t o f c o m p u l s i o n . A way to cleanse the mind of r epetitive thought patter ns, ideas, adventur es, and daydr eams and shar e them with anyone who car es to r ead.

Liz began reading zines as a teenager and once in college in the ear ly 90s, began writing them. She creates a variety of zines related to her poetr y and politics. She has also collabor ated with other writer s and activists to produce two issues of anti-war poems, and zines that focus on q u e e r a n d f e m i n i s t i s s u e s . L i z i s a w r i t i n g t e a c h e r a t VC U a n d h a s c r e a t e d zines for her poetr y class, and taught zine wor kshops at local organizing events. She is also the faculty advisor for Amendment, which is a publication that grew out of students’ desire to have an ar tistic voice that s p e a k s o u t a r o u n d i s s u e s o f s o c i a l j u s t i c e . Fo r h e r, z i n e s h a v e b e e n t h e place to fuse ar t and politics, and to express ideas that are not found in mainstr eam print texts.

Sar ah fir st began reading zines in the mid-1990s, but did not create her fir st zine until the age of 20. She r an a zine distro from June 2000 until October 2003 and co-created an online community for distro owner s in 2002. She has been spor adically publishing a film and pop culture zine called Dangeresque since April 2004.

To r e s e r v e a t a b l e , t o v o l u n t e e r, t o h o l d a w o r k s h o p, o r t o f i n d i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e R i c h m o n d Z i n e Fe s t , v i s i t w w w. r i c h m o n d z i n e f e s t . c o m 19

i n’ the S h i

by Fred Pinckard S h oo t

t

with

Jason Boyer

A n o t h e r l a t e n i g h t w i t h a l m o s t t h e s a m e a i r a s t h e n i g h t b e f o r e , t h e o n ly d i f f e r e n c e t h i s e v e n i n g w a s t h e c o m p a ny a n d t h e c o nv e r s a t i o n . To n i g h t I h a d t h e g r e a t p l e a s u r e o f s i t t i n g d o w n w i t h a n a m a z i n g a r t i s t a n d f r i e n d , J a s o n B oye r. I t ’ s n o t v e r y o f t e n yo u f i n d s o m e o n e w h o b r i n g s a f r e s h a n d i n s p i r i n g a p p r o a c h t o w h a t ’ s b e e n d o n e s o m a ny t i m e s b e f o r e , bu t h e r e i n l i e s t h e t a l e o f a m a n b e i n g a n i nv e n t i v e a n d s o m e w h a t my s t e r i o u s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e w o r l d a r o u n d h i m . S o w i t h o u t f u r t h e r a d o, m ay I p r e s e n t t h e e v e n t s of the evening….

Fr e d P i n k a r d L e t ’ s ge t s t a r t e d w i t h t h e b a s i c s. I k n o w yo u ’ r e n o t o r i g i n a l ly f r o m R i c h m o n d , l i k e m o s t o f u s, s o c o u l d yo u t e l l m e w h e n yo u m o v e d h e r e ?

J a s o n B oye r I m o v e d h e r e M a r c h o f l a s t ye a r f r o m s o u t h e r n C a l i f o r n i a .

F P W h a t b r o u g h t yo u t o R i c h m o n d ?

J B I m e t a g r e a t g i r l , w h o I ’ m m a r r i e d t o n o w.

F P Re c e n t ly yo u h a d a s h o w i n g a t C h o p S u ey ?

J B Ye a , i t w e n t r e a l ly w e l l . T h e r e w a s a g r e a t t u r n o u t o f p e o p l e , i n c l u d i n g s o m e p r o f e s s o r s f r o m VC U, w h i c h w a s s u r p r i s i n g.

F P S o l e t ’ s m o v e o n . C a n yo u t e l l m e a l i t t l e a b o u t yo u r w o r k ?

J B I t ’ s m o s t ly a c r y l i c o n p a p e r, I ’ v e d o n e s o m e s t e n c i l w o r k i n t h e p a s t bu t c u r r e n t ly I ’ m w o r k i n g w i t h a c r y l i c s.

F P I ’ v e h e a r d a l o t o f p e o p l e h a v e s a i d yo u r w o r k l o o k s v e r y t a t t o o o r i e n t e d ; d o yo u 21

t h i n k yo u r t a t t o o w o r k i n f l u e n c e s yo u r p a i n t i n g s t y l e a t a l l ?

JB Most of what I paint has a lot of lines, ever ything is put within a set of lines a n d b e i n g a t a t t o o e r i t ’ s o n l y n a t u r a l t h a t e v e r yo n e i s go i n g t o a s s u m e I p a i n t t a t t o o r e l a t e d s t u f f. Ta t t o o i n g i s t h e o n l y t r a i n i n g I ’ v e h a d i n a ny a r t f o r m , s o i t ’ s b o u n d t o c o m e a c r o s s.

F P S o yo u d i d n’ t h a v e a n y f o r m a l a r t t r a i n i n g ?

J B We l l I w e n t t o a r t s c h o o l f o r a w h i l e ; I t h i n k I l a s t e d a c o u p l e o f s e m e s t e r s. I t h i n k I w e n t f o r t h e w r o n g t h i n g s , I w e n t f o r c o m p u t e r r e l a t e d a r t s bu t f e l t t h a t progr ams were actually making the gr ades, while the kids that wer e ther e to dr aw w e r e n’ t d o i n g s o w e l l .

FP So it took the soul out of it?

J B We l l , f o r m e a n y w ay s, j u s t b e c a u s e I ’ m n o t v e r y g o o d w i t h c o m p u t e r s.

F P W h e r e d o yo u d r a w m o s t o f yo u r i n s p i r a t i o n ?

J B M o s t o f i t c o m e s f r o m t h e c o m p o s i t i o n o f o l d r e l i g i o u s i m a ge r y, a s w e l l a s o l d a l c h e m i c d i a g r a m s. T h e c o m p o s i t i o n i s w h a t g e t s m e ; i t ’ s j u s t r e a l ly s t r i k i n g a n d i s made to make a lasting impression FP So it’s like the empower ment of it that comes across?

J B We l l i t ’ s a l l a b o u t h o w t h e r e i s s u c h a s t r o n g p u r p o s e b e h i n d i t , j u s t t o m a k e their faith and beliefs translate through that piece of ar twor k. There’s almost this p e r s u a s i o n b e h i n d i t … t h e r e ’ s a p u r p o s e b e h i n d e v e r y t h i n g t h ey p u t o n t h a t p a p e r and it’s all for per suasion.

F P S o a t t h a t p o i n t d o yo u f e e l l i k e yo u t r y a n d c a p t u r e t h a t p e r s u a s i o n i n yo u r o w n ar twor k?

22

J B I d o n’ t n e c e s s a r i l y h a v e t h a t m u c h o f a n a g e n d a , I e n j oy p u t t i n g a n i d e a d o w n a n d s t r i k i n g t h e v i e w e r. M o s t o f t h e t i m e I j u s t d r a w, t h a t ’ s a l l , I w a n t t o d o. I f I c o u l d m a k e a l i v i n g a t t h a t , i t would be perfect.

F P S o w h e n yo u s i t d o w n t o s t a r t a p a i n t i n g d o yo u c o m e a t i t w i t h a n i d e a i n m i n d o r d o yo u j u s t l e t i t d e v e l o p o n i t ’ s o w n ?

J B I t r y t o n o t p u t t h a t m u c h t h o u g h t i n t o, I ’ l l g e t a n i d e a o r t h i n k about an awkward situation and tr y to r un with it.

F P Wa n t a n o t h e r b e e r ?

J B O k ay F P W h o w o u l d yo u s ay yo u d r a w m o s t o f yo u r i n f l u e n c e f r o m ?

JB The ar tist I respect and I feel have some sor t of grasp on livi n g t o d ay, m e a n i n g o u r l i f e t i m e . R a l p h S t e a d m a n i s p r o b a bly my b i g ge s t i n f l u e n c e . T h e w r i t i n g s o f K u r t Vo n n e g u t . I j u s t r e a l ly appreciate [his character s’] approach on life and their attitude o n w h a t e v e r y b o d y h a s t o s ay a l l t h e t i m e .

F P H o w d o yo u f e e l t h e a r t c o m m u n i t y i n R i c h m o n d v a r i e s f r o m o t h e r p l a c e s yo u ’ v e b e e n ?

JB Richmond feels like one of those places where kids will spend h a l f t h e i r p ay c h e c k o n a p a i n t i n g t h a t t h e y l i k e , w h i c h i s i n c r e d i bl e . T h a t ’ s s o m e t h i n g I ’ v e n e v e r e x p e r i e n c e d b e f o r e . Yo u d o n’ t have to have a big name or reputation to sell a painting around here, as long as it’s priced cor rectly and a good idea, someone w i l l p i c k i t u p, a t l e a s t i t f e e l s l i k e t h a t .

Mark Price

is a Factory

by R. Anthony Harris

Mar k is a designer out of Philly w ho w as at Galler y 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Re pr essed show in Mar c h. I had a c hance to ask him some questions.

R. Anthony Har ris Your wor k is fr enetic , gr a phic and lends itself to stinging sar castic statements on nor mal life and ca pitalism. Wher e did your wor ld vie w de velop and w hy is it impor tant to your wor k?

Mar k Price Nor mal being to dri ve giant car s e ver yw her e ver y f ast and expect wor r y fr ee gloss convenience for e ver w hile the r est of the wor ld w ar s to kee p economies booming e ven after the wor ld has r eac hed Peak Oil Pr oduction* and unsustain a ble consumption of finite r esour ces. My wor k is c ynical, sar donic , possibly

c r a s s, a n d ye s a t t im e s s a r c astic. It is no t a b o ut a s p e c if ic a ge nd a or political p r o s p e c t i v e , but m o r e a b o ut this fo g of c o nf u s io n, u nc e r t a int y a nd doom that s e e m s t o b e c r e e p ing up int o our e ver y m o m e nt .

My wor ld v ie w is v e r y, v e r y lim it e d t ho ug h. L i v ing in Philade lp h ia a nd lo o p ing t h a t s a m e 2 0 blo c k s m o s t d ay s is a g gr es si ve tr a f f ic , a ng r y p a n- ha nd le r s, d i r t y s ub w ay c a r s, f ilt hy str eets, ic y cold b it ing w int e r w ind , a nd w h e n I c a n, p e e r ing o ut of this c yc le thr o ug h N P R , b o o k s, a nd c o nv e r s a t io n w it h d e a r f r iends.

Moving t hr o ug h t he c it y d a ily w e a r e r a p e d by t he m illio n-dollar stealth- lik e s lic k c a m p a ig ns t ha t ex t r a c t e v e r y t ho u g ht a nd dr eam f r o m o ur m ind a nd e v e r y m e a ning le s s d ollar fr om o ut o u r p o c k e t . All t he s e a c t s t r a ns p ir ing with out o ur c o ns e nt , inv it a t io n, o r e v e n a t t im e s our con s c io us a c k no w le d ge m e nt o f w ha t is b e ing done to o ur p s yc ho lo g ic a l he a lt h a nd m e nt a l w e ll being.

N o w a n d t o m o r r o w b r in g s e v e r m o r e d is tr actions to d r o w n int o. I t is im p o r t a nt t o b e c a p a ble of cutting t hr o ug h t he s e o m nip r e s e nt no n- r e a lit ie s that ar e a w a s h ov e r o ur p e r s p e c t i v e o f c o nt e m p o r ar y mono -

cultur e. We must r etain the a bility to be ske ptical of our envir on ment and equally critical of our af fect on it.

RAH Does this vie w conf lict with your basic life needs of money and comfor t?

MP Yes, of cour se. I am feeling so bur ned and confused with how we as a society, as a ci vilization ar e for ging into a ver y unsta ble, a pocalyptic futur e, yet I still need to figur e out how to take car e of myself and stay w ar m. T his leads to muc h contr adiction and hypocrisy and dif ficulty in my a bility to stic k to my own convictions and ideals.

RAH Is your ar t is a bout af fecting people or a cr y for help?

MP Pr oba bly both but ar t does not save the wor ld.

RAH Do you e ver feel you can be too honest with yo ur audience?

MP Ne ver. “We all have our har ps to play. And it’s up to you now to know with w hic h ear you’ ll listen”** RAH Mar k Price is a f actor y? How often ar e you wor king?

MP Wor king is in fr antic dr aining bur sts. But sur e, w heels and gear s ar e almost alw ays continually spinning as I am sc heming on ne w pr ojects to thr ow myself into at the scr een-printing ta ble.

Pulling long shifts, pulling ink for editions of scr een prints, inking in c har acter s with tiny long hair br ushes, letting the glowing pixels 27

fo r mor e www.mar kpriceisaf actor y.com

bur n my eye s w hile lay ing o ut b o o k p a ges, and no w a l l t ha t o n t o p o f a f ull t im e jo b a t a sign s ho p w hile a ls o d o ing f r e e - la nc e s c r e e n printing at nig h t fo r c lie nt s.

Space 1026, Blac k Floor Galler y, and Padloc k Gal ler y that do just a bout e ver ything fr om scr eenprinting and ar t exhibitions to film scr eenings and themed par ties.

R AH H o w is w o r k ing in P hilly ? W ha t is t he scene lik e up t he r e ?

M P N o i s y, bus y, a nd a lw ay s a ne w p r o je ct in the wor ks!

To the fun house shows at DangerDanger! and BigPink that dip into e ver ything fr om the har sh beautiful noise of Dr ums Like Mac hine Guns, Shar ks With Wings, Mincemeat or Tenspeed, Dave Smolen and Snowstor m to the s weet and c har ming sounds of WiseBlood and Char les Cohen. While bands like Sweathear t, Plastic Little, and Pr owler

Sho u t - o ut s ! P hilly r ig ht no w is s o o n t o p of itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s g a m e fr o m t he a r t is t r un c o lle c t i v e s p a ces like 28

29

ar e ther e own br eed of f antastical mayhem comedy with lights, r a p, and fo gmac hines r especti vely. Philadelphia’s experimental music scene is str ong and cohesi ve thanks to Bowerbir d’s pr omotion, booking, and or g anizing with v arious ar t g alleries, historic landmar ks, and music venues to showcase the w hole g amut of w hat Philly and beyond has to of fer.

Publishing pr ojects like Fr ee Ne ws Pr ojects and Me g awor ds Ma g azine ar e wor king har d at getting Philly out of Philly and letting the r est of the wor ld in on some of the r eally amazing things that ar e going down her e in the city.

RAH You ar e showing wor k in Galler y 5’s “Re pr essed” show this month, have you e ver shown in Ric hmond?

MP No. T hough I’ d love the oppor tunity to get down her e a g ain. T he open ing w as a blast with the w all of sonic str ess that Caustic Castle, Constant Mauk, Chef Kir k, and my own Carz Will Bur n! br ought thr oughout the night coupled with the politically c har ged pa per wor ks showing on the second f loor.

I would have loved to stay longer but scooped out the sites near Maymont Bir d Par k and the cur r ent installation at VCU’s Solvent Space, found some tr easur es at Di ver sity T hrift and snac ked on some amazing Cuban f air at Koba K uba befor e making the long tr ek bac k along 95 Nor th to Philly. * Named after the late Dr. M. King Hub ber t, Geophysicist **R ay Br adbur y - Fahr enheit 451 30

Note:

Interpretive dance cannot stop time. (no matter how hard you fruitloops try)

Brought to you in whole by:

Get Your Work Done With Us.

Free Highspeed Fiber Optic Wireless.

Great Food Selection.

Perennially Voted Best Coffee In Town (Richmond Magazine).

26 North Morris

Coffee.

T[a_Q [R XaWMeM tues - sun 12 - 10 1717 e. main st richmond va 23223 804.377.3380 photo by thomas roberts - trphotozvze.com

The

Hackensaw Boys

Invade Sound of Music Studios

by Jason Olsen

i m a g e Aa ro n Fa r r i n g t o n

Fr om out of the fo g g y mists o f t h e fo o t hills o f C ha r l o t t e s v ille , a nd t he g ho s t laden str eets of Ric hmond, c o m e a s t r a g g ly b a nd o f g r inning a nd p ic k i ng enter tainer s. Once str uc k by c ho r d s a nd r e m e m b r a nc e o f T he R a m o ne s and T he Car ter Family, they d o n t he ha r ne s s o f “ ge t t in’ it d o n e , ” a nd m a k e the s weet sounds of r e vi v a lis m t he ir o w n. I t is t im e . T im e fo r a l l t o h e a r a semblance of duty and song.

Six member s str ong, Ba by J, Sa lv a ge , M a hlo n, T he K o o k y - Eye d - Fox , Fo ur, & Spits come tumbling into f a m ilia r t e r r a in. W ha t d o e s it t a k e fo r a p o o r b oy to do? Exce pt sing in a blue g r a s s b a nd ?

It’s not my duty to make it und e r s t o o d . I t ’ s o ur inc um b e nt d ut y t o und e rstand this tr emblant, get-d o w n, c a t c h- a ll, k is s - ye r- m o m m a m us ic . Wa ng dang-dittle-all. It’s Sound o f M us ic a nd t he la nd t ha t s u r r o und s it .

Fer d Lionel Moyse, IV (AKA, “ Fo ur ” ) is i n t he v o c a l b o o t h o f St ud io B , 3 2 1 West Br oad. While it isn’ t im m e d ia t e ly a p p a r e nt w he t he r o r no t his s ing ing tr ac ks will be ke pt, it s e e m s t ha t his “ a t t it ud e ” i s a ne c e s s it y. Fe r d e vidently has the deli ver y t he s o n g is d e m a nd ing. A c e r t a in f uc k - it - a ll is lac king. Perha ps he needs a no t he r B ud t a llb oy f r o m t he f r id ge d o w ns t a ir s.

Or maybe the guitar par t s t ill ne e d s t o b e la id t o r e s t . Wit h a ne w b o r n a t home, Brian Hof f a, the pr o je c t ’ s e ng ine e r is ge t t ing d a nge r o us ly c lo s e t o taking a br eak w hile ther e a r e s t ill lo a d s o f w o r k t o b e d o ne . T he t e n s io n mounts as other band mem b e r s s t o r m t hr o ug h t he s t ud io in c o w b oy b o o t s.

Time may be a w astin’.

“To all my r elations, w hat should I do?”

D a v id Sic k m e n ha s r e jo ine d t he b a n d t o r e c o r d “ L im o us ine Lady,” a song he ha s w r it t e n t ha t ’ s s t ill in r o t a t io n o n t he B oy s ’ s e t lis t s. It’s an up-down c a d e n c e t ha t ’ s t r ic k y t o ha r m o niz e . I t ’ s no t Fe r d ’ s na t ur a l r ange, but will b e a p a r t t ha t h e ’ ll b e r e s p o ns ible fo r in a li v e s e t t ing. D avid’s thr oat is ge t t ing a w o r k ov e r jus t s in g ing b it s a nd p ie c e s a t t he d e sk. Brian’s coaxing him t o t he p r o p e r no t e s, but d o e s n’ t w a nt him t o “ ge t t o o anal a bout it.”

H o f f a , a p r o d uc e r a nd e ng ine e r, ha s a n a m a z ing ly t a le nt e d ear. He’s pic king up s ub t le t ie s in t he p e r fo r m a nc e t ha t ne e d t w e a k ing w it h sonic pr ecision.

B e fo r e I ’ v e e v e n ha d a s e c o nd t o p r o c e s s a ny o f Fe r d ’ s t akes, Brian is t a lk ing b a c k t hr o ug h t he s inge r ’ s he a d p ho ne s, c o a c hing him to soften the a p p r o a c h.

“I’m standing her e humbled, and listening for the sound of you…”

T he m a na ge r s o f So und o f M us ic St ud io s ha v e b e e n g r a c ious enough to a l lo w m e t o e nt e r w h ile t hey r e c o r d , a nd o b s e r v i ng t he m go a bout their jobs le a d s m e t o no t hing s ho r t o f a s o r t o f m a nia c a l d r o o ling envy. Could ther e b e a ny o t he r p r o f e s s io n in t he p a nt he o n o f d r e a m jo b s t hat would satisfy my c hild ho o d f a nt a s ie s ? As t r o na ut m ig ht b e a t Re c o r d ing Eng ineer, but only by a s lim m a r g in. So un d o f M us ic ha s m o r e but t o ns t o p us h, knobs to twiddle, a n d f a d e r s t o, uh, f a d e t ha n a ny s hiny s p a c e c r a f t . A nd w hen you fill it up w it h r o c k e r s, b o he m ia ns, hip s t e r s, a r t is t s, a nd a c a t na m ed after a Russian c o s m o n a ut yo u ge t s o m e s e r io us li f t o f f.

I c h a t w it h M i g ue l U r b iz t o nd o, c o - o w ne r a nd m a na ge r o f t he studio, w hile m o s t o f t he B oy s b r e a k fo r g um b o f r o m C o m fo r t . H e a g r e es that his job is p r e t t y s w e e t ind e e d . “ W ha t b e t t e r jo b a f t e r b e ing a g y p s y than to ca ptur e c r e a t i v it y. Yo u k no w, w e h a d a lo c a l b a nd he r e , a nd I w o n’ t say w ho, and t hey t o ld m e t ha t t hey j us t w a nt e d t o b e t he b ig ge s t b a nd ar ound- and I like 35

that! I w ant to see the acts w e p r o d uc e s uc c e e d . I ’ m a b i g f a n o f t he m u s ic her e.”

p us hing fo r B r ia n. H e ’ s b e e n o n t his p r o je c t f r o m m inut e one. He knows it a l r e a dy. H e ’ s he a r d e v e r y t a k e o f e v e r y s o ng. H e r e c o r d e d it.”

Is it r eally af for da ble for m o s t b a nd s t o r e c o r d in a s t ud io ? M ig ue l t hink s so. “We cater to all budget s. I f t he p r o je c t is up a g a ins t t he w a ll, I ’ m go ing to tr y and get them to do it q uic k e r. I ’ m he r e t o f a c il it a t e . D a v i d [ L o w e r y ] knows so many people, his ne t w o r k ing is o bv io us ly inv a l ua ble . I ’ m he r e t o mana ge the day-to-day stuf f. ” And o f f he go e s, t a p ing up a t e le p ho ne t ha t seems to have f allen into d is r e p a ir.

And w hy d o e s e v e r y lo c a l b a nd r e a dy t o t a k e t he ir m us ic a ste p fur ther c o m e t o So und o f M us ic ? I s it a s ig na t ur e s o und ? So m e ma gical piece of ge a r ? “A ll o f us ha v e r e c o r d e d he r e b e fo r e . I t ’ s a no - b r a iner. Best staf fed, b e s t ge a r, b e s t s t ud io in t o w n, ha nd s d o w n. B ut it ’ s f a m ily. I’ ve wor ked with a l l t he e ng ine e r s. I t ’ s v e r y o r g a nic . A nd t he r e is no b e t t e r w ay to do our m us ic , B lue g r a s s m us ic , t ha n t o t a k e g r e a t ins t r um e nt s a nd put them in f r o nt o f a w e s o m e m ic r o p ho ne s. ”

War d Har rison, my old beer s ling i n’ bud dy f r o m w ay b a c k w he n, ha s r e t ur ne d with takeout and a book a b o ut M a c O SX. “ Ye a h, I f ina lly m a d e t he le a p a nd bought a computer. I’ ll be a ble t o s c r e w a r o und w it h t he m ix e s, le a r n p a r t s, all that cr a p is so easy to d o no w. Jus t p lug it i n a nd it w o r k s. B ut I ’ m s o compute r illiter ate I’ ve got t o ha v e t he b o o k . ” I inquir e a bout how he got i n t he e ns e m ble . A b a nd t ha t ha s e v o lv e d f r o m twelve member s at its onse t t o a c ur r e nt s ix . Jus t w hy d id t hey ne e d a no t he r guitar player anyhow, War d ? “ G o o d q ue s t io n. D a v e Sic k m e n w a s s t a r t ing a f amily and Pee Paw [Tom Pe lo s o ] ha d jo ine d M o d e s t M o us e . I ha d f i v e minutes of r ehear sal bac ks t a ge a t my f ir s t g ig a nd t ha t w a s s o r t o f it . G o onsta ge, have no idea w hat yo u ’ r e d o ing, m a k e it o f f a li v e in o ne p ie c e , a nd I guess you’ r e in the band. I k no w w e ’ ll b e w o r k ing a ye a r f r o m no w. I ’ m jus t glad we’ r e putting out a r e c o r d t ha t ho ld s up. I t ’ s go t g r a v it a s a nd r a nge . ” Ahhh, War d. Ever the bullshit t e r.

“T he hope is that it’ ll be m ix e d he r e . We ha v e f a it h t ha t B r ia n H o f f a s h o uld be mixing. Sometimes w hen yo ur d e a ling w it h a r e c o r d l a b e l, t hey t r y a nd make de cisions based on thing s t ha t a r e n’ t ne c e s s a r ily b e s t fo r t he b a nd , but r ather w hat’s best for t he la b e l. N e t t w e r k ha s a t o n o f p r o duc e r s a nd s o for th that they mana ge, so t he m o ney s t ay s in- ho us e , a s it w e r e . B ut w e ’ r e 36

C o nv e r s a t io n s w it c he s t o p o t a t o c hip s a nd t r a ns - f a t s, p laying with Modest M o u s e a nd m e e t ing Jo h nny M a r r. Wa r d d e m o ns t r a t e s his c omplete ina bility t o fo c us o n a ny s ing le t o p ic fo r m o r e t ha n a f e w b e a t s. H is is a wor ld w her e m inut ia e c a n a nd w ill r e ig n. And s o I b id a d ie u , w it h r o ug h mixes of a fe w a l bum c u t s, Sp it s H a r r is o n s t ill r a m bling a b o ut t he a d v a nt a ges of a tour bus ov e r a s t ink y v a n.

L a t e r in t he e v e ning, w he n e v e r y t hing ha s go ne c o m p le t e ly quiet, I put on my he a d p h o ne s a n d lis t e n fo r t he s o und o f b o o t s o n c r e a k y f loorboar ds.

T he H a c k e ns a w B oy s a r e s ing ing hi g h a n d c le a r, p r o m is i ng a hell of a time, p ut t in g d o w n a f a s t a nd f ie r c e A p p a la c hia n s t o m p. K e e p your hand on the p lo w, B oy s. K e e p yo ur ha nd o n t ha t p lo w.

T he wor king title for the Hac kensaw Boys’ latest album on Nettwer k Recor ds is Yeah, You. T he entir e session w as mixed and engineer ed by Brian Hof f a at Sound of Music. www.hac kensawboys.com www.myspace.com/hac kensawboys

Mouthbreather Tour

Diary

by Jef f Byers

Br ooding behind a stor a ge s p a c e g a r a ge d o o r fo r a b o ut a ye a r, t he b a nd Mouthbr eather made their d e but t his p a s t s um m e r. Af t e r t he d is b a nd ing of Wow, Owls! and T he Setup in Fe b r ua r y o f l a s t ye a r, f i v e m us ic ia ns w e r e left in the r ub ble to pic k up t he p ie c e s. Fr o nt e d by t he b a s s is t t ur n e d singer John Mar tin, Mouthb r e a t he r fo r ge s t o ge t he r t he s t r inge d ins t r um e nt s of Wow, Owls! with the rhythm s e c t io n o f T he S e t up. C o m p a r ing ne w bands to member s’ pr e vious e nd e a v o r s is a g lib m e a n s t o a n e nd . W hile Mouthbr eather does indeed d r a w u p o n t he ov e r a ll e s s e nc e o f fo r m e r pr ojects, the member s have ex t e nd e d t he ir m us ic a l b r e a d t h b eyo nd t he ir past tric ks of for mer bands. Fo c us ing m o r e o n s o ng w r it ing, M o ut hb r e a t he r has taken a laid bac k a ppr o a c h t o i nt r o d uc ing t he m s e lv e s t o t h e p u blic befor e self-r eleasing their s ix s o ng d e m o a nd p lay ing t he i r f ir s t s ho w. Af t e r allowing their demo to be a v a ila ble f r e e o f c ha r ge t o t he p ublic o n t he 38

int e r ne t , t hey s e t o ut t o ge t t he m s e lv e s k no w n t he o ld f a s hion, perha ps p r e his t o r ic w ay : t o ur i ng a nd w o r d o f m o u t h. I w e nt w it h t he band as a r o a d ie o n t he ir ill- f a t e d “ t o ur ” t o t he So ut he a s t t his p a s t Fe br uar y. What fo llo w s is g uit a r is t B r a nd o n Pe c k ’ s a nd my a c c o unt o f o ur v acation to G a ine s v ille , Flo r id a . I s ug ge s t yo u lis t e n t o t he m a t w w w. myspace. com/ m o ut hb r e a t he r r v a o r s e t up a Pay Pa l a c c o unt fo r t he ir m oney pit known as a v a n.

T h u r s d a y F e b r u a r y 1 s t G a i n e s v i l l e , F l o r i d a Da y 1 T he la s t t im e I w a s in Flo r i d a w a s t he w e e k b e fo r e C hr is t mas 2006 and it w a s a r o und 8 0 d e g r e e s. B e ing t he o nly t im e I ’ v e b e e n t o Florida in the

ne w s p r ing t ha t p e o p le c a ll t he w in t e r s e a s o n, I w a nt e d t o r e voke Floridian r i g ht s t o c e l e b r a t e C hr is t m a s. P r e s e nt s und e r t he t r im m e d palm tr ee d o e s n’ t c o m p ut e t o a Vir g inia na t i v e . So it ’ s w it h t his in mind that I found it o d d t o b e w e a r in g no t o n e but t w o c o a t s in G a ine s v ille .

C o m ing f r o m J a c k s o nv ille , o ur d r i v e w a s le s s t ha n t w o ho ur s and we ar ri ved int o t o w n a r o und n o o n. I n t r u e G a ine s v ille f a s hi o n, w e w e r en’ t supposed to lo a d i n unt il 9 p m b e c a us e G a i ne s v illia ns d o n’ t w a k e up u ntil mid after noon a n d w a nt a f ull d ay b e fo r e r a g i ng unt il f i v e in t he m o r ning. We languidly a t e p iz z a , p laye d p o o l a t Silv e r Q, a nd t r ie d t o t a k e na p s in the v an par ked b e hind t he At la nt ic , t he c lub t hey w e r e s c he d u le d t o p lay. We wer e also a w a it ing t he a r r i v a l o f o u r G a ine s v ille f r ie nd Alis o n w ho w asn’ t getting into t o w n u nt il t e n. Jo hn M a r t in go t ye lle d a t by c r u s t i e s fo r not gi ving them c ha n ge . A p p a r e nt ly, a c c o r d ing t o a no t he r s o ur c e , t he s a me cr usties hit s o m e b o dy w it h a b r i c k fo r t he s a m e r e a s o n .

Ev e n t ua lly lo a d in t im e c a m e a f t e r w hic h w e s e t t le d int o o ur selves drinking a n d p l ay fo o s b a ll. M o ut hb r e a t he r p l aye d r e a lly w e ll a nd s old some demos a n d T- s hir t s. Af t e r t he s ho w w e hung o ut a nd s t aye d a t Alison’s. T he night w e nt o n la t e a nd s p ir it s w e r e hig h. O h, by t he w ay, t he v a n br oke down.

To ug h b r a k e . I d o n’ t k no w m u c h a b o ut c a r s but t he p o s s ibility of the v an s p lit t ing i n t w o w a s a p p a r e nt ly a n is s ue s o I c a n o nly a s s ume that the v an is p r o p e r f uc k e d .

S u n d a y, F e b r u a r y 4 t h G a i n e s v i l l e , F L D a y 4 T he m o r ning s t a r t e d o f f w it h a d e lic io us v is io n o f t o f u s c r amble. Alison and I go t b a c k t o t he ho us e a nd m a d e it a p u nk a s f uc k c o o k ing spr ee listening t o T he D is t ille r s ’ “ C o r a l Fa ng ” a nd R a nc id ’ s “ … And O ut C ome the Wolves.”

Jo hnny M a r t in he ld d o w n t h e p o t a t o e s w hile Alis o n a n d I manned the tofu s c r a m ble . I s e a s o ne d t he t o f u a nd e v e nt ua lly b r e a k f a s t w as r eady. One by o ne , v a r ia t io ns o f “ WOAH ! ” w e nt a r o und t he r o o m . “ T his tofu’s REALLY s p ic y. ” As Jo hnny M a r t in p ut it i n je s t : “ Yo u r uine d a ll t he br eakf asts e ver.”

39

After a jo g with Johnny Mar t in r id ing a b ik e a lo ng s id e m e t ha t go t m e pumped Roc k y style, e ver yo ne ex c e p t G e ne d e c id e d t o go Pay ne s P r a ir ie .

In between John Mar tin’s Anim a l P l a ne t o n a llig a t o r s a nd d is c us s ing t he musical we suspected Gene w a s m a k ing inv o lv ing t he p e t s in Alis o n’ s house, we saw some allig at o r s up c lo s e a nd p e r s o na l . Pay ne s P r a ir ie is an unfenced state par k w he r e a llig a t o r s a nd p o is o no us s na k e s c a n c r o s s footpaths. A ppar ently, acc o r d i ng t o junio r- a l lig a t o r- ex p e r t Jo hn M a r t in, a gir l allig ator is called a “Ga llig a t o r. ” We w e r e a ls o s t unne d w he n B r a nd o n infor med us that allig ator s c a n c o m b ine t he m s e lv e s t o m a k e b ig ge r, s up e r allig ator s.

After Paynes Pr airie, we he a d e d ov e r t o t he b a r C o m m o n G r o und s t o ha v e drinks and w atc h the Super B o w l o n a b ig s c r e e n t e le v is io n. Jo hn M a r t in, John Hall, and I wer e r ooting fo r t he C o lt s but Jo hn M a r t in w a s n’ t q uit e s ur e w hy. I had to explain to him d ur ing t he g a m e t he fo ur d o w ns. I n t he f ir s t quar ter, he left to go meet up w it h t he b a nd T ha nk G o d a t L e o ’ s. A c o up le of 24oz. Red Stripes later a nd w e w e r e r e a dy t o p a r t y a nd s t a r t a b o nf ir e a t Alison’s house. Gene did p u s h- u p s o n a b e nc h a nd I ye lle d “ W ho ’ s w a lk in g w ho?” to a dr unken dude w a lk ing a d o g (o r a d o g w a lk i ng a d r unk d ud e ) o n the w ay home.

A bonfir e w as held in honor o f t he C o l t s. G a ine s v ille , o n t he w ho le , w a s n’ t r eally fe eling the Mouthbr e a t he r v ib e s. I w e nt t o b e d a t 3 : 3 0 in t he mor ning as the par ty r a ged o n. I w a s t o ld B r a nd o n a lm o s t go t b e a t up by a wife beater-c lad dude w ho ha d t hr o w n a c ha ir a t s o m e o ne e a r lie r in t he e vening.

Tuesda y, F ebr uar y 6t h G a i n e s v i l l e , F L D a y 6 After a long day of sitting a r o und a nd p lay ing w a ll b a ll, it w a s t im e t o go t o the Atlantic to take adv anta ge o f a t hr e e - d o lla r c ov e r c ha r ge a nd 2 fo r 1 PBR drinking special.

Friends fr om St. A ugustine d r ov e up t o ha ng o ut a n d go s e e t he AC / D C c ov e r 40

b a nd f r o nt e d by Aa r o n, t he m a n Jo hn H a ll he lp e d o ut by p laying “ima ger y” in a s t o r y t ha t Aa r o n w a s t e lling t he p r io r e v e ning. Je f f f r om St. A ugustine a n d I s hut o ut Jo h n H a ll a nd B r a nd o n in fo o s b a l l. Je f f s r ule.

T he AC / D C c ov e r b a nd w a s go o d but d id n’ t p lay a ny o f t he hits. Ever yone go t d r unk . Fr e s h f r ie nd ly f a c e s, d r i nk s p e c ia ls, a n d c a b in fe ver took to s t r e e t s a s a r o a m i ng p a r t y o f d e s t r u c t io n o n c o ns t r u c t io n sites moved t hr o ug h t he t o w n. M a ny “ Ro a d C lo s e d ” s ig ns w e r e k ic k e d down. Real e s t a t e p ic k e t s w e r e u p r o o t e d a nd s o m e t r e e s w e r e c a r r ie d bac k to Alison’s by v a r io us m e m b e r s fo r w h a t I ’ m no t s ur e . I t r i e d j um p ing on many people’s b a c k e v e n w he n no o ne w a s t h e r e a nd m a ny m e m b e r s “ a c cidentally” fell into bus he s. We c o nt inue d t he jo k e a b o ut Sa w : T he M us ic a l. John Mar tin tried t o m a k e a f ir e w hile t w o p iz z a s w e r e o r d e r e d . Sup p o s e d ly it w as bo gus but I w o u ld n’ t k no w b e c a u s e I c hum p e d o ut a nd w e nt t o b e d by 4:30 as people p a r t ie d o n. St . A ug us t ine ha d t o le a v e by 5 : 3 0 in t he m o r ning. It w as good t o s e e ne w f r ie nd ly f a c e s. P le a s e le t us go ho m e t o m o r r o w. All this fun is m a k ing m e s ic k .

We d n e s d a y, F e b r u a r y 7 t h G a i n e s v i l l e , F L D a y 7 N e w s c a m e t ha t t he m e c ha nic go t t he w r o ng p a r t a nd a f t e r wor d spr ead, w e w e r e a ll b r o k e n m e n. We a t e ho t d o g s, w a t c he d m ov ie s, made a halfhe a r t e d a t t e m p t a t w a ll b a ll, a nd l a id a r o und fo r a lo ng t ime. But none of o ur a c t io ns m a d e a d e nt in t he d ay o r p ut us o ne s t e p c lo ser to going home.

Ev e n t ua lly ne w s c a m e la t e r t h a t t he r ig h t p a r t h a d a r r i v e d and we wer e top p r io r it y fo r t o m o r r o w m o r ning. We w e r e le a v ing t he nex t day! Ever yone w a t c he d L o s t t o ge t he r a nd d r a nk . I d r a nk t o f a l l a s le e p as soon as possible b e c a u s e t he r e is o nly s o m uc h ha ng in g o ut t ha t c o uld b e done. I think John H a ll d e s c r ib e d t he s e nt im e nt b e s t p o s t - t o ur : “ I ha d t o d r ink to the point w he r e I c o uld n’ t s t a n d up o r I w a s n’ t go ing t o b e a ble t o f all aslee p.” T he m o r ni ng c o m e s a f t e r s le e p a nd w it h t he d a w n c o m e s t he r e pair ed v an and w it h t ha t lie s t he lo ng d r i v e ho m e .

Mouthbreather Tour

Diary By Brandon Pec k

Thursday February 1st Gainesville, Florida Day 1 The drive from Richmond to Char leston, SC was about 6 hour s from what I under stand. Having pulled an all-nighter befor ehand to finish printing our t-shir ts, and packing, I slept the majority of the trip. I did wake up at South of the Border long enough to star e per plexed at a huge sign that r ead, “FIREWORKS ON DVD.”

By the time we showed up at the venue, a medium sized club/bar called the Cumber land, it was pouring r ain outside. Our show that night was the fir st of what should have been three shows with a band called T hank God, who is as awesome a band as they are guys. T he show went off without any problems, and between playing foosball, drinking some fr ee beer, watching good bands and meeting a really nice Ger man guy, I’d say that ever yone had a good time.

We left the show with a member of T hank God giving us dir ections to the house we wer e staying at, and met up with Jake, who’s house it was. After having a debate with himself as to whether or not we could stay with him, he took us to the closest place to by beer, and then guided us to a “par ty.”

T he “par ty” was actually about 15 people cr ammed in a small house, ver y few of which paid us any mind, instead focusing on their lines of cocaine. After about an hour of awkward looks between the small group of us who’d made the trip, one guy proudly proclaiming “I’m never too dr unk to drive,” my realization that the house was in fact slightly tilted and I wasn’t loosing my mind, and Tyler’s r etelling of a bat almost flying into his face – we decided to leave.

I slept in the v an that night, much to my delight, as the next mor ning I heard tales of Jake falling asleep, pants down on the toilet and throwing up all night in the only bathroom in the house (conveniently located next to the room where ever yone was tr ying to sleep). According to my sources, John and Gene had to pee in the kitchen sink out of desper ation.

Friday, February 2nd Gainesville, FL Day 2 After a shor t stop at CiCi’s pizza buffet, and a visit to the grocer y store, we wer e headed to Jacksonville, Florida. It was during this drive that we fir st noticed the smoke and bur ning smell coming from the v an. A shor t and semiuninfor med inspection of the v an told us that something on the bottom of it was leaking tr ansmission fluid, and the spill was bur ning off, so we added more fluid and hit the road.

T he show was at a small independent movie theater called the Pit, and the bands played outside. While the show was still waiting to get star ted, a few of us r elaxed in the v an to a few episodes of Ar r ested Development. Thank God, Environmental Youth Cr unch and a band named Gorf all played to a decent crowd of people and a fir e inside an oil dr um. Towards the end of the show, Jeff passed out in the v an (wher e he stayed until the next mor ning), and plans 41

were made to stay with one of the guys at the show.

The next few hour s were filled with absurdity and nonsense including, but not in any way limited to: cat impressions, imaginar y people, Tyler acting as a jukebox of mid 90’s top 40 hits, Gear s of War, a dance par ty consisting solely of Gene and Tyler, and the most expansive collection of glass “tobacco” accessories I have ever seen. I passed out at some hour despite a cat in heat making the most hor rible cat noises I’ ve ever heard.

Monday, February 4th Gainesville, FL Day 4 After a day of alligator s, the Super Bowl, a bonfir e, and copious amounts of alcohol, there are only a few options left as to what to do when you get to spend an extr a day in Gainesville. Since the v an was out of order for the time being, and we’d cancelled on the Tampa show, the only option left was to par ty. Cer tain people opted for r ecr eational use of mushrooms, while I stuck to beer and the hammock. I was having a bit of trouble being social that night so I spent most of it kicking a par tially deflated basketball to a dog that had accompanied one of the people ther e. Eventually the alcohol inspir ed some level of confidence and I began talking to a gir l, whom I promptly r uined conver sation with by throwing the cellophane from my pack of cigar ettes into the fire, despite her begging that I not.

So I tr aveled back inside, and met a few new people. One of those people was a guy named Jimbo, who was nice enough. After a little conver sation, both of us decided to show each other how masculine we wer e and had our selves an ar m wrestling match, which I lost almost instantly despite my desper ate shit talking.

A guy named Johnny who was also in attendance, and had been belliger ent all night and coming close to being kicked, was being macho, so in my infinite wisdom, I challenged him as well.

Johnny was a strong man, and it was perfectly evident once you caught a glimpse of his wife beater / suspender s combination. I was on the ver ge of losing my second ar m wrestling match when I yelled something along the lines 42

of “I’m going to tr avel back in time and find your mom and tell her that her son is going to be a pussy,” when his anger got the best of him and the game went in my favor. I didn’t REALLY win, but I thought it was funny to joke about beating him, even though ever yone was telling me to shut up. Maybe I was too dr unk to notice, but Johnny r eally wanted to fight me. Eventually, his outbur sts had him ejected from the house, wher e he spent roughly a half hour stumbling around the front yard yelling incoher ently at the house. I passed out and after a little mini par ty ended in one of the roommates’ rooms, John spent a few hour s being awakened by the sounds of someone having sex.

Monday, February 5th Gainesville, FL Day 5 T he fir st day of bad news. T he hopes that our v an troubles would be covered by the new tr ansmission’s war r anty (and quickly fixed) wer e dashed as John explained that we had new problem. Appar ently our drive shaft (you all ever ybody!) was in trouble and some connecting par ts would need to be

replaced, or we faced the possibility of the v an ripping in half while being driven. The repair would be near ly $700 and wouldn’t be fixed for at least another day. Okay, so we’ ll miss our Or lando show as well. All of this and a hangover. I decided to go back to sleep.

Tuesday, February 6th. Gainesville, FL Day 6 We were all dr unk enough to for get about the fact that our tour was quickly becoming a thing of the past. It had been another long night of drinking, but what else is new in Gainesville? One of Alison’s friends followed us back from the AC/DC cover band show and we order ed some pizza again. Appar ently her friend said something about Gene being sketchy and all of a sudden shit got awkward. I tried to make peace with both par ties’s, the guy seemed nice enough, and once I thought I had, I joined the r est of the group in watching Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle and eating pizza. I guess her friend was easily excitable, because at one point I guess I said something he didn’t agr ee with, and threw Tyler’s pillow at me getting pizza all over the pillow and my shir t. A few minutes later, he was gone and no one even saw him leave. It was enough excited for one day so I climbed in my sleeping bag and rolled over to dream of wor king vans and the possibility of a tour salv aged at the last minute.

was officially bor ed. Alison left for wor k, and I went back to playing solitaire for almost 2 hour s. When ever yone woke up, we went and bought more beer, and pr epar ed to watch Lost.

We built one last bonfir e, that despite its gr eatness didn’t last ver y long, but that seemed to be the theme of the trip so far.

Thursday, February 8th Gainesville, FL Day 8 We said our goodbyes to our gr acious host and new friend, Alison, and we were on our way. 10 hour s and hundr eds of far ts later we wer e back in Richmond.

T her e was a str ange sense of failur e but mostly r elief as we piled out of the v an one by one and tr udged up the stair s of our apar tment. Richmond isn’t such a bad place to come home to, at least it’s nice to go and it’s nice to come home.

Wednesday, February 7th Gainesville, FL Day 7 The one par t that had been delaying our depar tur e came in today, and to our dismay, it was the wrong one. At this point ther e was no question about it, the tour was over. After paying for the r epair s, both the band and its member s would all be completely broke, and the next show would be sever al hundr eds of miles away. On the upside, we could get out of Gainesville and sleep in our own beds. That didn’t really make anyone feel any better.

Alison had been a good spor t the entir e time we’d been staying with her, but I could see in her eyes that we had over stayed our welcome, though she’s much too sweet to have ever said so. Mor e movies wer e watched, mor e cards wer e played, and after about an hour of playing guitar in the backyard, I decided I 43

The Assailant

Cólera Rome Plow Records

Capital

Signal Corps Iron Pier Records

Dropping the names of Following all the menBotch and Kiss It Goodbye tions of Capital in my as if these fellow Seattle- inter view with Permabased groups were their nent last issue, I felt older brothers, The Asit only fitting to review sailant clearly has taken a their new album for musical hint from their lo- RVA. Featuring former cale. That said, it sounds Silent Majority frontman more like these guys took Tommy Corrigan, Capital their old brothers’ sound continues in a similar via rehashing that’s been vein to his previous done by any number of endeavors while teaming metalcore bands, as there his hardcore roots with seems to be an underlya more punk rock style. ing metallic tone that the The result is nine songs aforementioned were of passionate music that skilled in avoiding. Cólera seems motivated by the doesn’t completely miss hear t and soul, not the the point and its likely The brain and wallet. As Assailant will be on the the song “Goth N’ Roll ” right path going into their proclaims : “before the next release, but it’s not eyeliner, before the entirely there yet. Sean Soundscan, before the Patrick Rhorer 44 titles in color represent local work - ed.

street team, and their corporate master plan there was a scene created by the kids who really gave a fuck about what they said and what they did.” Sean Patrick Rhorer

Des Ark /Ben Davis & The Jetts Bat tle of the Beards Lovit t Records

Nor th Carolina natives, Aimee Argote ( Des Ark) and Ben Davis come together to release a wonderful collaboration, Battle of the Beards .

After years of playing in notewor thy punk bands Milemarker, Sleepytime Trio and indie rock group Bats and Mice, Ben Davis has decided to take a calmer

approach to songwriting, this time around with his backing band, The Jetts. He begins the record with the song “Clash It” a mostly piano and drums driven rock song with oddly layered vocals and a chorus that brings to mind both the Beatles and The Clash at separate times. His contribution to the record is a five-song collection of mostly upbeat (but occasionally moody) songs with a strong emphasis on his unique approach to his vocals : somewhat whiny at times, but always confidant. Fans of his previous works will be pleased with the new songs.

Des Ark is an odd bedfellow for Davis, as

the first of her five songs assure you that you are in for 5 much more somber songs than the previous. Four of the five tracks are revamped versions of her amazing live acoustic demo that was released after the loss of her drummer.

These versions pull on the hear tstrings a little harder than they did before, this time her acoustic guitar accompanied by strings, piano, occasional percussion, and back up vocals. All of the songs tell of realizations of personal failure, soured love, shor tcomings and self-loathing, many of which the average person can connect with.

The real treats of this album are the two bonus tracks that appear on the CD version. These two tracks are co-written by both par ties, and are on another level altogether than the rest of the record. Relying heavily on the songwriting skills of both par ties, the execution of most of Davis’ works, and centered primarily on Argote’s passionate voice, these songs evoke another emotion altogether.

Intensity abounds and a pairing to be talked about for years to come is born.

The album as a whole is solid, and fans of either ar tist are bound to become fans of the other. Perhaps we can

can bask in all the glor y that made Lifetime’s acclaimed albums Hello Bastards and Jersey’s Best Dancer so great.

This time around, their Lifetime sound is much bigger, Lifetime the recording much Decaydance clearer, but somehow the /Fueled By Ramen instruments retain the

same tone and power of First of all, the packagtheir previous records. ing for this record is horrible. Utilizing a huge The vocals are where foldout digipak as the things begin to present case, they had room to a problem. Recorded make this CD look incredible and they pissed in greater clarity and presence, gone are the it away with one of the times spent tr ying to more inane layouts in figure out exactly what recent histor y. </rant > the hell singer Ari Katz

is actually saying. Also Lifetime returns with gone are the sincere their first full-length in imperfections in the a decade with Lifetime, presentation of his arguably the most anticipated album of 2007. vocals. The pitch perfection is almost completely From star t to finish you all look for ward to more collaboration from these two in the future.- Brandon Peck

disguised until you get to the tracks “Haircuts and T-shir ts” and “All Night Long,” which were previously released as a 7 ” single promising two “exclusive” tracks.

So much for that. It’s on these songs that the difference between what he actually sings, and what you hear become entirely evident.

This self-titled record is ever ything you might have hoped for, but it’s missing something. It’s easy to say that what it misses is sincerity and passion, but a couple listens will convince most naysayers other wise.

The problem, in this reviewer’s opinion, is that it is nearly impossible for Lifetime to release

any more music without coming off as jocking a style that they basically created ten years ago.

All the melodies and all the usual Lifetime-esque conventions are in place, but sometimes it just comes off as forced. All that aside, this record is quite good, and cer tainly better than almost any record Lifetime-influenced bands are releasing these days, and it’s not too hard to see a lot of new fans coming out of the woodwork after being introduced to this album. - Brandon Peck

Marionette

You Are Here self-released w w w.myspace.com / marionet tebandpage

There comes a time in ever y metalhead’s life when they are successfully turned on to something a bit quieter. Ever since I heard the American Analog Set over a decade ago, my musical tastes have grown exponentially wider. In 2007, Marionette should be the band that broadens horizons. With six members and a truckload of traditional instruments, Marionette packs layer upon layer of sound in ever y second of their 6 song EP You Are Here (including the instrumental opener). At first, their sweet indie-pop seems dark and contemplative, especially with a lyric such as “Happiness will never last…” But, as their moniker suggests, Marionette will also help

lift you up with their warm, sunny melodies, and offer some brutally honest advice on how to find your way - “And through the fires of affliction you will learn to warm your hands by fire of the bridges you have burned…”

With at least half the band acknowledging some sor t of jazz background, it’s not surprising that, at times, Marionette sound like a mini-orchestra. In “Siren,” Kevin leads with his strong vocal range as the band marches from an Amelie-inspired soundtrack into 60sera psychedelic folk.

Although it’s tempting to look, you won’t David Gilmour’s name in the

45

liner notes for “Some People Say.” And the hand-clapping and steady beat of “ Your World” make it sound like it could be from the original OR recent post-punk scene. The last song on this EP, recorded by Todd Cor vin at Living Room Studios, envelops you just as much as the first. It must be because the harmonies on You Are Here, all sung by grown men, are so damn beautiful.

If you haven’t already, now’s the time.- Mike Rutz

The Midwestern

Self-titled Ep Rorschach Records The Midwestern have

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a sound that makes perfect sense in light of their name : melodic, power-trio rock that evokes all of those flat, cornfield-covered states in the middle of the countr y. However, don’t be fooled into condemning them as sub-Poly vinyl indie-emo pastiche —this is something else entirely. All three of The Midwestern’s members are ver y proficient at their instruments, and are not content to simply structure their songs around simple three-chord verses and choruses. In fact, three out of four of these songs are instrumental, which says a lot about how much work they’ve put into their construction. It actually took me a

few listens before I even noticed the sparse vocal work; there’s enough going on in these songs that you never get a sense that anything is missing. When there are vocals, they’re sung in a husky tenor that’s a perfect complement to the warm sound of the guitars, which dance around the edges of the songs, playing sinuous arpeggios that offset rather than follow the more straightfor ward bass lines. Meanwhile, the rhythmic structure of the songs—which tend to smoothly incorporate a variety of complex time signatures— change often, sometimes so subtly you barely notice (for example, the slight acceleration in tempo two-

thirds of the way through “Molson Golden” ), and at other times so dramatically that you might be fooled into thinking a new song has star ted.

Occasionally, the entire band will come together into a more climactic groove, but for the most par t, these songs stretch out, taking time to explore different ideas and develop at a more relaxed pace. Even though this is only a four song EP, it lasts for over 20 minutes, and continues to reveal subtle nuances even after multiple listens. Well wor th checking out.- Andrew Necci

Nouvelle Vague

Bande Á Par t Luaka Bop Records

Following the international success of their selftitled debut, French bossa nova-meets-new wave ar tists Nouvelle Vague return with a second selection of hits given their special treatment. Bande Á Par t , with renditions of classic tunes by Echo & The Bunnymen, U2, Billy Idol, and more, might even surpass the group’s previous release in demonstrating a willingness to really make each track their own (re) creation. By far, the most interesting and well-done songs are New Order’s “Confusion” with its subtle smoothness, the ever-so-dark version of Bauhaus’ “Bela Lugosi’s Dead,” and The Buzzcocks’ “Ever Fallen In Love? ” which retains its intense poppy hook

through the bossa nova remake. Honestly, you’d be surprised how refreshing and intriguing an album entirely of cover songs could be…

Sean Patrick Rhorer

Resist

Demo 20 06 self-released Following the breakup of Boston hardcore powerhouse Ten Yard Fight, I was stoked to hear Impact’s demo, the band that later became Stand & Fight and were sadly pretty disappointing in the long run. Now, Wrench has returned to New England, again fronting an anthemic hardcore outfit.

Throughout the four songs on Resist’s demo,

a definite connection can be heard to the epic late ‘90s style Ten Yard Fight helped to create /revive.

It’s hard to judge with so few songs, but let’s hope this demo ser ves as a promising indication of the band’s future.

The Snake The Cross The Crown Cotton Teeth Equal Vision Records cover image : I’ll be emailing it shor tly I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, The Snake The Cross The Crown are easily the most underrated band on Equal Vision’s roster. Despite a horrid name that might lead one to believe they specialize in metalcore dripping with unoriginal riffage and an even more tired aesthetic, this outfit creates some of the best

Americana-induced indie rock you’ll ever hear.

Imagine Ryan Adams, Jeff Tweedy, Ben Gibbard, and Chris Mar tin all pitching in to co-write an album and you might get somewhere close, although The Snake The Cross The Crown have that cer tain unique element all their own too.

Their last album, Mander Salis , blew my mind and this new one, while slightly less atmospheric in approach, packs equally as incredible songwriting. -Sean Patrick Rhorer

Smoke or Fire

This Sinking Ship Fat Wreck Chords Basing how you might feel about an album on

a single is a bad way to gear yourself up to review an album you haven’t actually listened to. Having only heard the song “The Patty Hearst Syndrome,” a vast departure from the grittiness and ugly charm of Smoke or Fire’s entire debut album, Above the City, it would be easy to write this album off as a bad attempt at writing pop songs.

The truth of the matter is that This Sinking Ship is almost as good as its predecessor and that is perfectly evident after listening to the opening track “What Separates Us All ” (perhaps the album’s standout).

Overall, the songwriting is as solid, the lyrics

just as poignant, and the recording more pristine than ever without sounding too overdone.

With the addition of new drummer, Dave Atchison (formerly of From Ashes Rise), the drums have never sounded better and develop their own personality in the twelve tracks contained. Smoke or Fire have brushed up on their melodies, writing their most catchy and infectious melodies yet.

Even “The Patty Hearst Syndrome” manages to not sound too far out of place in the context of the other tracks.

Unfor tunately when casually listened to, this album has a tendency to trail off. This may be due in par t to the song

“Shine,” which despite being the oddball on the album, sits in the middle of it. This song is the heaviest one on the record, and lacks the charm that most of the others expel. Have patience though, the remaining tracks have enough of the qualities a fan of Smoke or Fire will be looking for.

Smoke or Fire might have gotten a little poppier over the course of the last few years, but a little pop never hur t anyone.

- Brandon Peck

Witches With Dicks

Manual Kiss of Death Records Witches With Dicks might be the funniest and best name for any band ever, and their new album

is pop punk quality.

Boston, Massachusetts has officially upped the ante with this album.

Manual is a fun, upbeat, anthemic and really, really shor t record.

Clocking in at just under 20 minutes contained in ten blistering songs, almost any fan of pop punk will be wishing for more, or hitting play for a second time. Dual vocals pepper each song over ten bouts of solid punk rock songwriting.

Obvious comparisons to Dillinger Four may arise, but Witches With Dicks remain original and never stagnate over the course of the record.Brandon Peck

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Cir cus Ma xi m u s

by Laur en Vincelli

O n a f r e e z i n g J a n u a r y e v e n i n g m y m o m a n d I m a d e o u r w ay i n t o t h e M o d l i n Center for the Ar ts prepared for some high-flying excitement in the latest show from Cir que Ă&#x2030;loize called Rain. What we saw blew our expectations o u t o f t h e w a t e r, l i t e r a l ly. A s t h e p e r f o r m e r s b e g a n s p l a s h i n g a r o u n d a s i t a c t u a l ly r a i n e d o n s t a ge i n t h e t h e a t e r, I k n e w I h a d t o d i v e a l i t t e r d e e p e r i n t o t h e w o r l d o f t h e c i r c u s. S o t h e n e x t a f t e r n o o n , I s a t d o w n w i t h a p a i r of star s from Rain, Nadine Louis and StĂŠfane Gentilini, before rehear sals a n d d i s c u s s e d t h e i r b i g - t o p l i v e s. I l a t e r i n t e r v i e w e d t h e i r c o l l e a g u e , Jo n a s Wo o l v e r t o n , v i a M y S p a c e . c o m .

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Jo n a s Wo o l v e r t o n , 2 9 , w e a r s m a n y h a t s. H e i s a d a n c e r, s i n g e r, a c t o r, f i l m m a k e r, m u s i c i a n , a r t i s t , N e w Yo r k e r, c l o w n , a c r o b a t , a n d s t r o n g m a n . H e i s g r a d u a t e o f Va s s a r a s w e l l a s t h e C l o w n C o n s e r v a t o r y a t t h e C i r c u s C e n t e r i n S a n Fr a n c i s c o, a n d a m a s t e r o f t h e e n i g m a t i c Ro u e C y r. H e i s a s e l f p r o c l a i m e d c a r ny a n d Wo o l v e r t o n’ s v i v a c i o u s p e r s o n a l i t y s h i n e d e v e n a s I inter viewed him via cyber space after four sold-out perfor mances at the Univer sity of Richmond.

H i s c h a r m i n g c o l l e a g u e s, S t é f a n e G e n t i l i n i , 2 8 , a n d N a d i n e L o u i s , 2 9 , a r e a l s o f o r m a l ly t r a i n e d c i r c u s p e r f o r m e r s , a l t h o u g h t h e i r t r a i n i n g c a m e much ear lier in life. The bed-headed Gentilini began as a street perfor mer a s b oy i n Fr a n c e . L a t e r h e a t t e n d e d t h e É c o l e n a t i o n a l d e c i r q u e d e Châteller ault and the National Circus School in Montreal. He explained t o m e w i t h h i s t h i c k Fr e n c h a c c e n t t h a t h e n o w f o c u s e s o n j u g g l i n g a n d object manipulation.

T h e d e m u r e Fr e n c h - C a n a d i a n N a d i n e L o u i s b e g a n t r a i n i n g a t t h e N a t i o n a l Circus School in Montreal at the age of nine, which led her to a quar tet of contor tionists who toured with Cir que du Soleil for seven year s, and s u b s e q u e n t ly g a r n e r e d s e v e r a l a w a r d s a n d o t h e r h o n o r s i n c l u d i n g a n a p p e a r a n c e o n T h e To n i g h t S h o w w i t h J o h n n y C a r s o n . S h e s t u d i e d a r t a t t h e C o l l è ge Je a n - d e - B r é b e u f a n d a c t i n g a t t h e N a t i o n a l T h e a t r e S c h o o l o f C a n a d a . L i k e h e r c h a r a c t e r, N a d i n e i s s o f t - s p o k e n a n d b a s h f u l . H o w e v e r, s h e d o e s ge t m o r e v o c a l d u r i n g o n e o f h e r m a n y a m a z i n g c o n t o r t i o n a c t s.

S h e p r o t e s t s v e h e m e n t ly a s t w o c a s t m a t e s p l ay f u l l y c o n t o r t h e r b o d y t o f i t into a medium sized suitcase.

The award winning Cir que Éloize show completely dazzled the audience a n d l e f t m e w i s h i n g I c o u l d r u n a w ay a n d j o i n t h e m f o r j u s t a l i t t l e b i t .

O f t e n c o m p a r e d t o C i r q u e d u S o l e i l , t h e y p e r f o r m e d a b r e a t h t a k i n g, b e a u t i f u l ly d e s i g n e d a n d c h o r e o g r a p h e d s t o r y a b o u t l o v e , n o s t a l g i a , a n d

v u l n e r a b i l i t y w i t h a h i n t o f m e l a n c h o l y.

L a u r e n Vi n c e l l i Yo u g u y s h a v e b e e n p e r f o r m e r s f o r a w h i l e . I r e a d t h a t S t é f a n e h a d h i s s t a r t a s a s t r e e t p e r f o r m e r t h e n w e n t t o s c h o o l i n Fr a n c e a n d C a n a d a . H o w i s t h i s d i f f e r e n t t h a n w h a t yo u d i d a s a s t r e e t p e r f o r m e r ?

What ar e some of the less obvious differ ences?

Stéfane Gentilini Ah. Big differ ence. It is totally differ ent. When I was in t h e s t r e e t i t w a s m o r e j u s t t o e n j oy s o m e t h i n g a b o u t t h e t e c h n i q u e , l i k e , circus technique. After I went to circus school, and now with Danielle ( F i n z i P a s c a , t h e d i r e c t o r ) w e a r e m o r e a b o u t g o i n g o n s t a ge a n d p l ay a n d meet the audience and meet the other people on stage. It’s less about s h o w i n g s o m e t h i n g s m a l l e r ; t r y i n g t o l i v e s o m e t h i n g o n s t a ge .

LV N a d i n e , yo u a c t u a l l y t o u r e d w i t h C i r q u e d u S o l e i l . H o w i s t h i s d i f f e r e n t that Cirque du Soleil?

N a d i n e L o u i s We l l . I w o u l d s ay t h a t s t r a n g e l y a b o u t t h e s a m e r e a s o n s. T h e f o c u s i s n o t p u t o n t h e p e r f o r m a n c e . I t ’ s n o t a b o u t s h o w i n g t r i c k s bu t i t ’ s m o r e a b o u t m o v i n g p e o p l e a n d l o o k i n g f o r s o m e t h i n g d e e p e r. S o, f o r m e , i t m a k e s a l o t m o r e s e n s e , t h e w o r k I a m d o i n g n o w.

LV J o n a s , u n l i k e m a n y o f t h e o t h e r p e r f o r m e r s i n C i r q u e É l o i z e , yo u ’ r e a c r o b a t i c t r a i n i n g d i d n o t b e g i n u n t i l a f t e r yo u g r a d u a t e d f r o m Va s s a r, w h a t d i f f e r e n c e s a n d c h a l l e n g e s h a s t h i s p r e s e n t e d t o yo u i f a ny, a n d w h a t a b o u t t h e c i r c u s c a p t u r e d yo u h e a r t s o c o m p l e t e l y ?

J o n a s Wo o l v e r t o n A f t e r I g o t a l i b e r a l a r t s d e g r e e f r o m Va s s a r C o l l e ge , I w a s w o r k i n g a s a d o c u m e n t a r y f i l m m a k e r i n S a n Fr a n c i s c o m a k i n g a f i l m a b o u t a s e x y - p u n k - r o c k s i d e s h o w c i r c u s. A l l o f a s u d d e n i t d a w n e d o n m e t h a t I d i d n’ t w a n t t o b e m a k i n g a f i l m a b o u t a c i r c u s , I w a n t e d t o B E i n t h e c i r c u s. I t h i n k w h a t c a p t i v a t e s m e a b o u t t h e c i r c u s i s m y d e s i r e t o l i v e a n impossible dr eam. I never want to lose the wonder and magic about the wor ld that I had as a child and circus wor ld constantly amazes me. I was 51

2 5 ye a r s o l d w h e n I s t a r t e d c i r c u s a n d l u c k i l y u p t o t h a t p o i n t I h a d b e e n an actor and a dancer so when I was accepted to the Clown Conser vator y a t C i r c u s C e n t e r i n S a n Fr a n c i s c o, I a l r e a d y h a d a l l o f t h e s e s t r e n g t h s w h i c h r e a l ly c a m e i n h a n dy. I j u s t n e e d e d t o d e v o t e m y s e l f b o d y, m i n d a n d spirit to the acrobatic training which is tough and fun as hell.

LV H o w i s C i r q u e É l o i z e d i f f e r e n t t h a n o t h e r c i r c u s e s a n d p e r f o r m a n c e a r t t h a t yo u h a v e p a r t i c i p a t e d i n ?

J W Wo r k i n g w i t h R a i n’ s d i r e c t o r, D a n i e l e F i n z i - P a s c a h a s b e e n o n e o f t h e m o v i n g ex p e r i e n c e s o f m y l i f e . H e c a n b r i n g o u t e m o t i o n s i n h i s p e r f o r m e r s w i t h o u t e v e n s ay i n g a w o r d , b u t j u s t by g e n t l y m o v i n g t h e i r b o d i e s. Ve r y s o f t - s p o k e n , p o e t i c a n d f u n n y g u y.

LV H o w d i d yo u d e c i d e t o b e c o m e a c i r c u s p e r f o r m e r ?

S G W h e n I w a s r e a l ly s m a l l , I l o v e d t h e w o r l d o f t h e c i r c u s. I d i d n’ t d r e a m t o b e p a r t o f t h e c i r c u s, b u t I l o v e d t h e w ay t h e y w e r e m o v i n g, t r a v e l i n g.

B u t a f t e r, I f o r ge t t h i s i d e a a n d I m e e t s o m e s t r e e t t h e a t e r a n d I s t a r t e d w i t h t h a t . B u t r e a l ly yo u n g y e s , I w a s d r e a m i n g t o t r a v e l l i k e t h i s. I w a s 18.

NL I star ted at the circus school at nine, but professionally at 12 and now I’m 29. It kind of just happened, because as many children, I went to s e e a C i r q u e d u S o l e i l s h o w. I f e l l i n l o v e w i t h i t a n d I w a n t e d t o g o t o t h e c i r c u s s c h o o l , bu t t h a t w a s n’ t v e r y s p e c i a l a t t h a t t i m e b e c a u s e f o r m a n y children it was the same. I was par t of a wor k shop for touring contor tion w i t h a C h i n e s e t e a c h e r a n d t h e n w e w e r e o n l y a c o u p l e o f yo u n g g i r l s t o do that and after we kept on doing that, Cir que du Soleil came to us for b e i n g p a r t o f t h e i r s h o w. I t w a s a c o i n c i d e n c e I ’ d s ay.

LV W h a t i s c i r c u s s c h o o l l i k e ?

J W I w e n t t o t h e C l o w n C o n s e r v a t o r y a t C i r c u s C e n t e r i n S a n Fr a n c i s c o, a ye a r- l o n g p r o f e s s i o n a l c l o w n t r a i n i n g p r o g r a m . I h a d t r a i n i n g i n t h e 52

e s s e n t i a l s o f c r e a t i n g p hy s i c a l c o m e d y, t i m i n g, c l a s s i c “ e n t r e e s ” a s w e l l a s e x t e n s i v e C h i n e s e a c r o b a t i c t r a i n i n g, s e l e c t i o n o f a n a p p a r a t u s, j u g g l i n g. . . 3 d ay s a w e e k a l l d ay f o r a y e a r.

LV W hy h a v e yo u c h o s e n a c a r e e r i n t h i s k i n d o f c i r c u s i n s t e a d o f s ay, R i n g l i n g B r o t h e r s o r B i g A p p l e C i r c u s i n N e w Yo r k ? T h i s s e e m s s o i n h e r e n t l y d i f f e r e n t t h a n t h e e l e p h a n t s a n d t h e s h o w g i r l s a t t h e o t h e r s.

N L We l l a c t u a l l y w h e n I s t o p p e d p e r f o r m i n g w i t h C i r q u e d u S o l e i l I d i d n’ t k n o w a n y m o r e w hy I w a s d o i n g t h e c i r c u s a n d w hy I w a s o n s t a ge . I decided to stop circus to do theater because I was looking for some sense a n d I w a s i n t e r e s t e d i n m a n y s u b j e c t s t h a t c a n b e t o u c h e d by t h e a t e r. I d i d n’ t p l a n t o g o b a c k t o t h e c i r c u s. W h e n C i r q u e É l o i z e s u g ge s t e d m e t o b e p a r t o f t h a t s h o w, I a g r e e d o n l y b e c a u s e i t w a s v e r y t h e a t r i c a l a n d b e c a u s e t h e d i r e c t o r, D a n i e l e F i n z i P a s c a , w h o i s f r o m t h e t h e a t r i c a l wor ld.

S G M e , I w a s n e v e r i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c i r c u s. I h a v e a l o t o f r espect about the tr adition and the technique, but I never want to be a p a r t o f t r a d i t i o n a l s h o w s. I w a s i n t e r e s t e d by t h e a t e r a n d by d a n c e a n d c i r c u s w i t h t h a t . I w a n t t o p l ay. I u s e c i r c u s a n d I u s e d a n c e a n d I use theater but it was not about the laws of tr aditional circus—at the b e g i n n i n g, n o w I a p p r e c i a t e t h a t a n d I l e a r n m o r e a b o u t i t .

LV W hy h a v e yo u c h o s e n t o b e a p a r t o f t h i s k i n d o f c i r c u s i n s t e a d o f those kinds?

J W O n e e n o r m o u s d i f f e r e n c e . G o v e r n m e n t f u n d i n g. T h e p r o v i n c e o f Q u e b e c s t i l l f u n d s t h e a r t s a n d a m a z i n g l y, t h e c i r c u s. Wi t h o u t t h e i n i t i a l a r t s funding from the Quebec gover nment companies like Cir que Éloize and Cir que du Soleil would not have been able to go on and have inter national s u c c e s s. I n m y h u m b l e o p i n i o n t h e a r t s f u n d i n g f r o m Q u e b e c t r a n s l a t e s into more time to hand-craft a show from scratch with a director and t o e x p l o r e t h i s u n i q u e hy b r i d o f t h e a t e r a n d m u s i c w i t h a c r o b a t i c s.

S G Fo r m e , I a m f r o m Fr a n c e , t h e r e i s t h e s a m e s t e r e o t y p e . Yo u s ay yo u d o c i r c u s a n d t h e y i m a g i n e yo u — t h e y a r e d i s a p p o i n t e d w h e n yo u a r r i v e i n t h e t h e a t e r a n d t h e y s ay “ W hy i s t h e r e n o a n i m a l s ? ” S o m e t i m e s t h ey c o m p l a i n . “A h ! T h e r e i s n o l i o n i n yo u r c i r c u s ! T h i s i s n o t a r e a l C i r c u s ! ” b u t m o s t o f t h e t i m e t h e y a r e h a p py.

LV H o w d o yo u f e e l a b o u t s t e r e o t y p e s l i k e t h a t ? W h a t d o yo u s ay t o p e o p l e w h o w o n d e r w hy yo u ’ r e n o t a s i d e s h o w ?

N L We a s k t h e m t o c o m e s e e t h e s h o w.

S G Ye a h . I t ’ s a c t u a l l y w h e n p e o p l e a r e t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e a t e r a n d f o r t h e m i t s h o u l d j u s t b e d r a m a o r a b o u t d a n c i n g yo u s h o u l d h a v e a t u t u o r yo u a r e n o t a d a n c e r. We a l w ay s t r y j u s t t o o p e n u p t h e m i n d . Yo u ’ r e go i n g t o be sur prised.

Ringling and Big Apple are on a more commercial model and without the go v e r n m e n t s u p p o r t t h ey h a v e l e s s t i m e f o r c r e a t i n g t h e i r s h o w s , w h i c h I l o v e by t h e w ay, e v e n t h o u g h t h e y a r e m o r e c o m m e r c i a l . T h a t ’ s n o t a b a d t h i n g i n my m i n d . I c h o s e t o w o r k w i t h t h e C i r q u e É l o i z e r i g h t n o w b e c a u s e I a m a bl e t o ex p r e s s m a n y d i f f e r e n t f a c e t s o f m y s e l f t h r o u g h t h e w h e e l , t h e a c c o r d i o n , s i n g i n g, c o m e d y, a c r o b a t i c s. . . B u t h o n e s t l y I w o u l d l o v e t o w o r k w i t h B i g A p p l e o r R i n g l i n g o n e d ay.

LV I t h i n k , i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , w e a r e n o t a s f a m i l i a r w i t h t h i s k i n d of circus; we are r aised on Ringling Brother s and cotton candy and t h o s e d i s g u s t i n g c i r c u s p e a n u t c a n d i e s. S o m e t i m e s t h e r e i s a n e g a t i v e stereotype about people who perfor m in the circus; they are car nies or freak shows or something like that. This circus is nothing like that. Have yo u e n c o u n t e r e d t h e s e n e g a t i v e s t e r e o t y p e s i n C a n a d a a n d o t h e r p a r t s o f the wor ld?

LV J o n a s , H o w h a v e yo u d e a l t w i t h t h o s e s i t u a t i o n s ? W h a t i s yo u r r ebuttal?

J W I ’ l l b e t h e f i r s t t o a d m i t t h a t I a m a c a r n y. I a m a m o d e r n d ay g y p s y.

I chose to (live) a circus life because I love to travel the wor ld and wor k h a r d t o d o a m a z i n g f e a t s. I n A u s t r a l i a p e o p l e w o u l d c a l l m e a c a r ny outright and I would embrace it. I’m proud to be in a profession that is on t h e f r i n g e o f s o c i e t y t h a t h o p e f u l l y i n s p i r e s p e o p l e t o r e a l i z e t h a t m ay b e t h e i r o w n d r e a m s a r e n’ t s o c r a z y a f t e r a l l .

LV H o w d o yo u f e e l a b o u t c i r c u s e s t h a t t e n d t o e m b r a c e t h i s s t e r e o t y p e l i k e t h e J i m Ro s e C i r c u s a n d C o n e y I s l a n d p e r f o r m e r s ?

J W I l o v e J i m Ro s e , B i n d l e s t i f f, ( a n d ) C o n e y I s l a n d ’ s S i d e s h o w s by t h e Seashore. These are the circuses that inspired me to pur sue the path t h a t I h a v e . I a c t u a l l y l i k e t h e i r t r a s hy, e d g i e r a p p r o a c h . I ’ m m o s t i n my element in theatrical circus but I appr eciate elements of ever y circus show f r o m t h e p u n k - r o c k n a i l s i n t h e n o s e s i d e s h o w t o t h e g l i t t e r y s p a n d ex o f a L a s Ve g a s c i r c u s s h o w. Fo r m e t h e y ’ r e a l l j u s t d i f f e r e n t c o l o r s o n t h e 53

circus spectr um.

LV Jo n a s, yo u r b i o g r a p hy s ay s t h a t o n e d ay yo u p l a n t o c o m b i n e yo u r l o v e o f t h e c i r c u s a n d yo u r l o v e o f f i l m m a k i n g ; h o w w i l l yo u d o t h i s ?

JW I gather ideas for scripts, novels while on tour based on my own ex p e r i e n c e s, t a l e s t h a t I h e a r o f c i r c u s l o r e , ( a n d ) t h e p e r f o r m e r s t h a t I wor k with.

LV Yo u r b i o g r a p hy a l s o s ay s t h a t yo u w e r e i n a c i r c u s - r o c k b a n d . T h e r e seems to be a growing trend of gypsy/circus influence in music; Dresden D o l l s, G o go l B o r d e l l o, e t c . Te l l m e a b o u t t h a t , a n d o t h e r w ay s t h a t yo u have incor porated circus into music.

J W A n u m b e r o f ye a r s a go I f o r m e d a c i r c u s - r o c k b a n d c a l l e d “ C i r c o p h o n i q u e ! ” d r i v e n n o t by g u i t a r s , b u t by a c c o r d i o n s. S o m u c h c o o l e r o f a n i n s t r u m e n t i f yo u a s k m e . I ’ v e a l w ay s b e e n a t t r a c t e d t o c i r c u s f a n f a r e s, a c c o r d i o n m u s i c , t h e m u s i c o f N i n o Ro t a , t h e m u s i c i n C h a p l i n’ s f i l m s. W h e n I h a v e h a d t i m e o f f f r o m R a i n I h a v e t o u r e d w i t h o n e o f my f a v o r i t e b a n d s, t h e D r e s d e n D o l l s , p e r f o r m i n g a s a w h e e l a r t i s t a n d clown. I grew up with the Dolls’ singer Amanda (Palmer), and a few year s b a c k w e s t a r t e d t a l k i n g a b o u t h o w w e c o u l d r e a l l y b l o w p e o p l e ’ s m i n d s by i n c o r p o r a t i n g h i g h - l e v e l a c r o b a t i c s a n d p hy s i c a l c o m e d y i n t o t h e i r p u n k c a b a r e t ex p e r i e n c e . I t ’ s v e r y e x c i t i n g t h a t t h e r e a r e r o c k b a n d s c u r r e n t l y t h i n k i n g i n p a r a t h e a t r i c a l w ay s ; c i r c u s , c a b a r e t , p hy s i c a l c o m e d y.

LV W h a t i s t h e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n t h e G e r m a n W h e e l a n d t h e C y r W h e e l ?

JW The Cyr Wheel is a 2 meter tall metallic ring that I get inside of and spin, twist, dive, jump and roll. The Ger man Wheel is comprised of 2 rings a t t a c h e d w i t h c r o s s b e a m s , h a n d l e b a r s a n d f o o t r e s t s. T h e C y r W h e e l i s t h e n ex t e v o l u t i o n a r y s t e p u p f r o m t h e G e r m a n W h e e l . I t ’ s o n l y a s i n g l e m e t a l l i c r i n g, s t r i k i n g ly e l e g a n t .

54

LV H o w d o e s t h e C y r W h e e l w o r k , a n d w h a t w a s s o d i f f i c u l t a b o u t mastering it?

J W P i c t u r e t h e D a Vi n c i p a i n t i n g o f ‘ t h e Vi t r u v i a n M a n’ t h e p a i n t i n g w i t h t h e perfectly propor tioned man with his ar ms and legs outstretched. My ar ms and legs ar e basically the spokes of a giant wheel; all of the propulsion of the spin comes from throwing my body weight into a constant tur n.

LV H o w h a v e yo u c o n n e c t e d w i t h s o m e o f t h e s y m b o l i s m a n d c h a r a c t e r s i n the show Rain?

NL I think that Daniele wor ks a lot from what we are and then he pushes t h a t a b i t f u r t h e r. M y c h a r a c t e r i s v e r y c l o s e t o w h o I a m a n d w h o I w a s as a child. And because this show is ver y related to the childhood, I can connect ver y much to my childhood as well.

S G Wi t h m y c h a r a c t e r I w o u l d s ay t h e s a m e a s N a d i n e . I t i s c l o s e t o m e .

I t ’ s c l o s e t o m e a n d c l o s e t o D a n i e l e I t h i n k . S o s o m e t i m e s I a m p l ay i n g

l i k e I a m h i m s o m e t i m e s I a m p l ay i n g l i k e I a m m e , t h e r e i s a c r o s s o f t i m e between this idea. I dream I direct the show but it is not ready; ther e is s o m e m i s t a k e ; N a d i n e d o e s n’ t c o m e w i t h g o o d t i m i n g, b u t w e p l ay u p o n t h a t . M e , I t h i n k I a m r e a dy, b u t f i n a l l y I a m n o t a n d w e s h o w a l l o f t h a t .

We p l ay, w e p l ay t h e c i r c u s.

NL It’s also a show about not what’s perfect but all the things that ar e h u m a n . T h e d i r e c t o r p l ay s a l o t o f t h e m i s t a k e s a n d ( s h e l o o k s t o G e n t i l i n i a n d a s k h i m s o m e t h i n g i n Fr e n c h ) … a n d d e f a u l t .

S G I n t h e ( o t h e r ) c i r c u s, m o s t o f t h e t i m e b i g t r i c k s a n d t h e y n e v e r s h o w ( m i s t a k e s ) . Ju s t o k , p e r f e c t , p e r f e c t , p e r f e c t , p r e f e c t , a n d u s , i f ( p e r f e c t i o n ) h a p p e n s, a h , i t ’ s n i c e , w e ’ r e h a p py, b u t i f n o t , e h . I t ’ s n o t nice, oh fuck.

N L We l o o k f o r p e r f e c t i o n , b u t w e a r e h u m a n .

LV W h a t a r e s o m e o f t h e s i m i l a r i t i e s a n d d i f f e r e n c e s i n yo u r p e r s o n a l i t y a n d t h e c h a r a c t e r yo u p l ay i n t h e c u r r e n t C i r q u e É l o i z e s h o w, R a i n ?

J W T h a t ’ s m e u p o n t h e s t a g e i n R a i n . T h e r e ’ s n o h i d i n g b e h i n d 1 5 l ay e r s o f c a k e m a k e - u p o r i n a Ly c r a b u g c o s t u m e .

LV H o w h a v e yo u c o n n e c t e d w i t h t h e s y m b o l i s m f r o m R a i n ?

J W I l o v e t h e f i n a l i m a ge o f t h e s h o w w i t h t h e e n t i r e c a s t p l ay i n g s o c c e r in the rain. There is something about the ecstasy and sadness of that m o m e n t t h a t e f f e c t s m e e m o t i o n a l l y. S o m e t i m e s i t v i v i d l y r e m i n d s m e o f p l ay i n g s o c c e r a s a k i d w i t h m y c o u s i n s a n d f r i e n d s i n B r a z i l . W h e n t h e letter s float down at the end of the fir st act, depending on the night it could be a letter from my Gr andmother in Br azil or from my other g r a n d m o t h e r w h o p a s s e d a w ay o r f r o m a f r i e n d I h a v e n’ t s e e n i n y e a r s o r f r o m s o m e o n e t h a t I u s e d t o b e i n l o v e w i t h . . . A l w ay s a b i t t e r s w e e t moment for me.

LV W h a t i s i t l i k e b e i n g p a r t o f s u c h a d i v e r s e c a s t ?

J W E a c h m e m b e r o f t h e c a s t i s a r e a l l y d i f f e r e n t a n d d i s t i n c t p e r s o n a l i t y, a n d I t h i n k t h a t ’ s w h a t m a k e s t h e s h o w s o s p e c i a l , b e c a u s e w e a l l ge t o u r chance to shine.

LV H o w m u c h t i m e d o yo u s p e n d t o u r i n g ?

S G We d o a U S t o u r e v e r y y e a r. A t h r e e m o n t h U S t o u r. B u t a f t e r w e c a n d o s o m e s i t d o w n s l i k e w e d i d i n P a r i s f o r e i g h t w e e k s , S a n Fr a n c i s c o, N e w Yo r k . I t d e p e n d s.

N L We w e n t t o A u s t r a l i a , a n d K o r e a . I t ’ s v e r y u n r e g u l a r ( s i c ) . B u t I w o u l d s ay t h a t m o s t o f t h e t i m e w e a r e o n t h e r o a d . T h i s ye a r w a s a b i t e x c e p t i o n a l , w e h a d f i v e m o n t h s o f f, b u t i t w a s k i n d o f a m i s t a k e b e c a u s e s o m e t h i n g w a s c a n c e l l e d a t t h e l a s t m i n u t e . N o r m a l l y w e a r e v e r y r a r e ly home. The most would be for a month.

LV D e s c r i b e a d ay o n t o u r w i t h C i r q u e É l o i z e .

J W O n a t w o - s h o w d ay : Wa k e u p a t 1 0 a m . E a t a b i g p r o t e i n a n d f r u i t b r e a k f a s t . Wo r k o u t o n m y w h e e l f o r a n h o u r. S h o w c a l l a t n o o n . M a k e u p. S e t p r o p s. J u g g l e . G r o u p w a r m u p s , s i n g i n g a n d a s t i c k g a m e f o r a w a r e n e s s. S t r e t c h . 2 h o u r s h o w. E a t b i g p r o t e i n l u n c h . 1 h o u r n a p.

S h o w c a l l . 2 h o u r s h o w. E a t a l i g h t d i n n e r. G o o u t w i t h t h e c a s t a n d d r i n k a b e e r t o c o m e d o w n f r o m t h e a d r e n a l i n e r u s h . Re a d m y n o v e l o r w a t c h a f i l m . S l e e p.

LV W h a t e l s e w o u l d yo u l i k e R i c h m o n d t o k n o w a b o u t t h e c i r c u s ?

J W M a k e c i r c u s n o t w a r.

Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a n d v i d e o c l i p s o f t h e i r h i g h - f l y i n g, d e a t h - d e f y i n g acrobatics check out them out on line at w w w. r a i n t h e s h o w. c o m 55

s u b s i d e d a l o n g w i t h t h e c r e d i t s . U l t i m a t e l y, t h i s i s w h a t I d r e a m t a b o u t ; bringing people together for one day to enjoy film and fur ther elev ating f i l m c u l t u r e i n R i c h m o n d . N o w, I s a t i n t h e B y r d T h e a t r e c u l t i v a t i n g i n a c e l e b r a t i o n o f f i l m , c r e a t i v i t y, a n d c o m m u n i t y. M y v i s i o n o f p u t t i n g a f i l m festiv al together in Richmond is happening right befor e of my eyes.

The Plan: Setting the Stage

Culmination o f a D r e am

Putting a F i l m Fe s t i va l t o g e t h e r i n R i c h m o n d , V irginia

By Rebekah A. Ofori-Frim p o n g

The Dream Realized The lights are dimmed, and there is just a little bit of popcor n left in the b o t t o m o f m y p o p c o r n b ox . L o o k i n g d o w n w a r d f r o m t h e b ox s e a t s e c t i o n , I can see the audience quietly watching the actor sâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; faces flicker across the scene. The excitement and anticipation star ts to build amongst the audience. A temporar y connection with character s in the film are made.

T h e a u d i e n c e b e c o m e s e n t h r a l l e d m a d e n o t i c e a b l e by t h e g a s p s a n d f a i n t whisper s drifting across the theatre. The credits star t to roll and the culmination of a dream, better yet the thought of the future, also had 56

Two year s ear lier ; after par ticipating in a shor t untitled film piece, I became enamored with the whole experience of acting on film. My love for film actually star ted when I was young , watching old movies and memorizing lines. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d fantasize about playing roles of heroines and venomous beauties. Putting on impromptu perfor mances for my mother in our living room. I tried out for roles in plays from middle school onto high school.

My fir st acting role was the par t of an enchanted tree. I later got into t h e a t r e c l a s s e s a n d d i d m a k e - u p f o r m y h i g h s c h o o l p r o d u c t i o n s . S o, t h e transition into film was second nature to me. Acting on film spar ked a desir e within me to explor e in mor e depth the film making process. T he shor t untitled film (which was filmed in Richmond) had gotten some recognition and praise which allotted me the oppor tunity to meet some local aspiring filmmaker s. After watching their wor k, visiting set locations, and l i s t e n i n g t o t h e i r s t o r i e s ; I b e c a m e a b e l i e v e r. I b e g a n t o a p p r e c i a t e t h e i r visions, admire their effor ts, and was captivated with their cinematic over tur es. I began to consider putting together my own film festiv al . I wanted to help open door s for more women in film production, because I noticed ther e wer e hardly any women, (if any) involved in film in Richmond. Many of the filmmaker s I was acquainted with, spoke of the hefty expenses associated with film production. And I wanted to have a film festival that would provide an oppor tunity for the filmmaker s to receive money for film production and exposure. I star ted to plan and br ainstor m ideas for a film festival. I decided to do a film festival in Richmond and I w a n t e d t o s h o w c a s e t h e w o r k o f l o c a l f i l m m a k e r s i n a n u n i q u e w a y. I

wanted to organize a film festival that gave the audience a chance to par ticipate. The audience would choose their favorite film at the festival and that filmmaker would receive a cash reward and exposure. The next s t e p, w a s t o m a k e i t a l l h a p p e n .

Manifest: The Outcome T h e d e c i s i o n t o t e a m u p w i t h R VA M a g a z i n e t o p u t t o g e t h e r a f i l m f e s t i v a l i n R i c h m o n d t u r n e d o u t t o b e a p e r f e c t m a t c h . T h e g r i t t y e d g e o f R VA Magazine’s for mat fit well with my idea of an unconventional film festiv al.

T h e p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h R VA M a g a z i n e w a s s e a l e d o v e r a s a l a d , s o m e c o f f e e , s a n d w i c h e s , a n d c h o p py n o t e s o f i d e a s . We c a m e u p w i t h t h e “ R VA A r t h o u s e S h o r t F i l m Fe s t i v a l ” a s t h e t i t l e a n d s t a r t e d r e c r u i t i n g l o c a l filmmaker s to submit films after finalizing the details for the film festival.

O v e r t h e n e x t m o n t h o r s o, I s e n t e - m a i l s a n d p o s t i n g t o e v e r y f i l m o r g a nization in Vir ginia, went to film scr eenings, and local industr y events. I networ ked ever y contact I had to get the best films shown at this festival.

We s t a r t e d o u r p l a n n i n g i n O c t o b e r o f 2 0 0 6 , a n d t h e f i r s t f i l m w a s n’ t received until Januar y 2007. The success of the film festival looked grim s i n c e t h e d a t e f o r t h e f e s t i v a l w a s s e t f o r Fe b r u a r y 1 7 , 2 0 0 7 . G e t t i n g 1 0 c r e d i t a b l e f i l m s i n by Fe b r u a r y s e e m e d l i k e a n u n a t t a i n a b l e g o a l . B y t h e s e c o n d w e e k i n J a n u a r y, m o r e f i l m s h a d b e e n s u b m i t t e d a n d o u r t o t a l f i l m s u b m i s s i o n s h a d r e a c h e d 1 0 f i l m s . B y t h e e n d o f J a n u a r y, o u r t o t a l f i l m s u b m i s s i o n s w a s a r o u n d 2 0 f i l m s . We e n d e d u p h a v i n g 1 2 l e g i t s h o r t films r anging in dur ation from five to 15 minutes. T he film festiv al was s c h e d u l e d f o r Fe b r u a r y 1 7 , 2 0 0 7 a n d t h e j u d g i n g f o r t h e b e s t 1 0 f i l m s t o o k p l a c e t h e o n l y t h e w e e k b e f o r e . T h e j u d g e s s e l e c t e d w e r e M a r k J o y, Ellie St. John, Annie Chapman, and Adam Sledd. All of the selected judges a r e i nv o l v e d i n v a r i o u s f i e l d s r e l a t e d t o f i l m l i k e s c r e e n w r i t i n g , a c t i n g , producing, and casting . Vir ginia Ber tholet, who is a producer , was selected as a special judge. Ber tholet made her selection for the Best Film award during the film festival. All of the judges have impressive resumes

a n d a r e a c t i v e i n t h e V i r g i n i a f i l m i n d u s t r y. B y h a v i n g t h e f i l m s s u b m i t t e d v i e w e d by a v a r i e t y i n f l u e n t i a l j u d g e s , e a c h f i l m m a k e r w a s r e c e i v i n g m a j o r exposure.

The 10 films finally selected to be shown at the film festival were: E o n , by M a t t We s t R e g a r d / e , by Va n e s s a Fa s s i e I n v i s i b l e Pe o p l e , by J o e C a r a b e o a n d B r i a n S a r v i s S t o r m i n a B o t t l e , by Wa r d H o w a r t h D u p l i c i t y, by K u n i t a r o O h i M o r e t o L i f e , by C h a r l e s B e v a n T h e S c a r l e t L e t t e r s , by B a r o n B l a k l e y, J e f f R u b i n , a n d K e v i n H e r s h b e r g e r L o o s e n M y T i e , by M i c h a e l H a g a n A t t h e R i v e r, by To d d R a v i o t t a M e g a C h i r o p t e r a , by J o e y Tr a n The 10 films selected were eligible for three prizes: the Juried prize, Best Film prize, and the Audience Choice award. The Juried prize was awarded by t h e A r t h o u s e f i l m c o m m i t t e e . T h e B e s t F i l m p r i z e w a s c h o s e n by V i r ginia Ber tholet. The Audience Choice award was given to the filmmaker s e l e c t e d a s a f a v o r i t e by t h e v i e w i n g a u d i e n c e a t t h e f i l m f e s t i v a l u s i n g t i c k e t b a l l o t s . T h e J u r i e d p r i z e w e n t t o “ D u p l i c i t y, ” by K u n i t a r o O h i . T h e B e s t F i l m p r i z e w e n t t o “A t t h e R i v e r, ” by To d d R a v i o t t a . A n d t h e a u d i e n c e c h o s e “ M e g a C h i r o p t e r a , ” by J o e y Tr a n t o r e c e i v e t h e A u d i e n c e C h o i c e award. The film festival was a success and the dream I had about two y e a r s a g o b e c a m e a r e a l i t y. I o p e n e d u p t h e d o o r f o r w o m e n t o d o f i l m wor k in Vir ginia, built new professional r elationships, and inspir ed local f i l m m a k e r s t o k e e p m a k i n g f i l m s a l l i n o n e d a y. T h e c u l m i n a t i o n o f t h i s dream is a smile upon my face and beginning of a new quest.

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K a ine m a r k e d up his e nd o r s e m e nt t o t w o t hing s : t he c a nd idate’s focus on t he “ h a r d is s ue s ” lik e e t hi c s r e fo r m a nd r e fo r m ing t he d e ath penalty, and his w illing ne s s t o b e a “ go o d li s t e ne r. ” As t he G ov e r no r f awned in fr ont of t he s o f t t r ic k ling o f h is s ho d dy l a w n fo unt a in , t he S e na t o r looked like he w a s p r ay ing o r s le e p ing. H e a nd hi s w if e M ic he l le he ld t he ir hands c lasped s e p a r a t e ly f r o m ho w c o ld it w a s. H e a p p e a r e d a s if in c o nstant contempla t io n, o r a s if he w e r e a b o ut t o no d o f f o n his f e e t .

Kaine

By Tyler Bass

E n d or ses

Obama

“Even though it is still ear ly, ” s a id G ov e r n o r T im K a ine o ut s id e o f hi s R ic h mond mansion Fe br uar y 17 , “ I ’ m v e r y ha p py t o s ay t ha t i t is a v e r y s im p le decision for me in ter ms of w ha t I t hink is im p o r t a nt in my a s s e s s m e nt o f w her e the nation is and the s e c a nd id a t e s t o e nd o r s e Se na t o r B a r a c k O b a m a to be our nation’s next pr e s id e nt . ” Wit h t ha t s t a t e m e nt , K a ine be c a m e the fir st gover nor to endor s e O b a m a o ut s id e o f h is c o n s t it ue nt s ’ s t a t e o f Illinois. T he Senator had ac c r ue d a lo t o f c r e d it f r o m t he G ov e r n o r d ue to r e peated political f avor s, ha v ing v is it e d t he C o m m o nw e a lt h m a ny t im e s to push fellow Democr ats K a ine a nd We b b t h r o ug h ex t r e m e ly t ight r e c e nt r aces.

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I n o ne w ay o r a no t h e r s inc e his a nno unc e m e n t , it s e e m e d like Bar ac k Obama w a s ge t t ing t w o c r it ic a l q ue s t io ns t ha t c a n b e m o c k ing ly p ar a phr ased her e, a s “ I s n’ t it unus ua l t ha t yo u a r e bla c k ?” a nd “Ar e n’ t yo u inexperienced?”

T hey w e r e w o r t hy o f no t e o nly b e c a us e t hey w e r e e it he r meaningless (as in c a s e 1 ) o r t he c a nd id a t e ha d ha d t o r e s p o nd t he m t o a d nauseam (espe c ia lly a s in c a s e 2 ). I n a p o s t - 6 0 s Am e r ic a w he r e t he p e o ple empower ed e n o ug h t r y t o jus t if y b o m b ing s a r e J a m a i c a n s la v e d e s c e ndants like Colin Po w e ll o r a w o m a n w ho f in d s h e r c hi ld ho o d c l a s s m a t e s blown up in a c hur c h lik e C o nd o le e z z a R ic e , t he p a r a d i g m ha s s hif t e d t o o f a r. I ndeed, to tr uly und e r s t a nd w ha t t he O b a m a c a nd id a c y w o uld m e a n in 2 0 0 8, all of the old q ue s t io n s s ho uld h a v e b e e n b e w a s he d a w ay. C a nno t his t o r y be eter nalized w it ho u t t r y ing t o m a k e t he o ld g ua r d i nt o ex - G o d s o n Ea r t h?

So, o f c o u r s e , O b a m a ’ s k ey no t e a d d r e s s a t t he C o nv e n t io n Center w as not, a s t he Fr e e P r e s s t e r m e d it : “ L inc o lne s q ue . ” I n t he 1 8 5 8 four th de bate w it h D o ug la s s, L inc o ln s a id t ha t bla c k p e o p le s ho uld no t be qualified to m a r r y w hit e s, t ha t t he t w o r a c e s by na t ur e ’ s o w n d e s ig n should alw ays be s e p a r a t e . L inc o ln w a s a fo r b e a r e r o f a d is g r a c e f ul id e a t hat incidentally w o uld ha v e m a d e O b a m a ’ s c o nc e p t io n im p o s s ible . Als o, t he candidate had him s e lf a llud e d t o Je f f e r s o n’ s m o r e f a m o us n o t e t o a l l m e n being cr eated e q ua l , w hic h is b iz a r r e t o m e b e c a us e Je f f e r s o n ha d a t o ne point ar gued Af r ic a ns t o ha v e ha d inna t e ly inf e r io r r e a s o ning s k ills. W hen some Americans ha v e jud ge d his t o r y, t hey h a v e p r ov e d t o o unc r it ic a l o f it s mor e impor tant p a r t ic i p a nt s, if j us t b e c a us e o f t he ir s he e r im p o r t a nc e .

So, it didn’ t r eally sur prise m e t ha t t he f ir s t it e m t o b e a s k e d o f O b a m a w hen he opened it up for q ue s t io ns w a s m o r e o f t he s a m e t r it e bulls hit .

(When confr onted with suc h h ig h- p r o f ile c a nd i d a t e s, e v e r y jo u r na lis t ne e d be aw ar e that ther e is no h a nd - r a is e s y s t e m ; o ne jus t t r ie s t o ej a c ula t e “Senator” as quic kly as pos s ible w it h a t im b r e o f s uc h q ua lit y t ha t it c ut s thr ough the air and hopefully int o t he m ind s o f t he h ig hly c o m p e ns a t e d rhetor s.)

Old Guy In Tr enc h Coat Sena t o r O b a m a , uhm m , c o uld yo u s p e a k a lit t le b it a bout the historical moment t h a t t his e v e nt , t he f ir s t s it t ing G ov e r no r t o e n dor se a dec lar ed candidate , u h, a nd he r e w e a r e in t he S o ut h. T ha t build ing over ther e housed the Conf e d e r a t e C o ng r e s s.

Bar ac k Obama Absolutely.

OGITC “I f you could, w hat d o e s t his m e a n t o yo ur v ia b il it y a s a c a nd id a t e and how things have c hange d in r e c e nt ye a r s ?”

Bar ac k Obama “I have to c o nf e s s t ha t yo u m ay b e m o r e e lo q ue n t t ha n I am on this point. I think yo u m a k e a p o w e r f ul p o int . H e r e w e a r e in t he hear t of w hat w as the Conf e d e r a c y, a nd fo r m e t o b e a ble t o s t a nd he r e a s an African-American r ef lect s t he e no r m o us p r o g r e s s t ha t t his c o unt r y h a s made, and to some de gr ee r e p r e s e nt s n o t t he p e r f e c t io n o f t he unio n, but a w hole lot of pr o gr ess in p e r f e c t ing t his U nio n a n d o n e m o r e s t e p t ha t we have taken to li ve up to t he e s s e nt ia l c r e e d t ha t Vir g inia ’ s f ir s t c it iz e n [?] T homas Jef fer son wr ote a b o ut in t he D e c la r a t io n O f I nd e p e nd e nc e . I t ’ s humbling, because as I hav e s a id b e fo r e , I a m s t a nd ing o n t h e s ho uld e r s o f an awful lot of people w ho ha v e d o ne a n a w f ul lo t o f w o r k . I a m a l s o m i nd f ul that ultimately the decision t ha t v o t e r s a c r o s s Am e r ic a m a k e w it h r e s p e c t t o w ho will lead them in these d if f ic ult t im e s is no t go ing t o b e b a s e d o n s y m bolism. It’ s going to be bas e d o n w ho c a n m a k e s ur e Am e r ic a is s a f e , w ho can make sur e that health c a r e is a f fo r d a ble a nd a c c e s s ible , w ho c a n e n sur e tha t our c hildr en ar e b e ing e d uc a t e d t o c o m p e t e in t he w o r ld e c o no my, issues that span r e gion and s p a n r a c e . I t hink it ’ s w o r t h us n o t hi ng t ha t t he tr ajector y of America has b e e n t o inc lud e m o r e p e o p le a nd t o b r i ng m o r e

p e o p le t o ge t he r. We ’ v e s t um ble d a t t im e s. I t ’ s b e e n a r o c k y path, and we s t ill ha v e a lo ng w ay t o go. B ut p a r t o f my c a m p a ig n, I ho pe, is to r emind p e o p le o f t he c a p a c it y o f t his na t io n t o c ha nge a n d t o e v olve.”

D u r ing t ha t q ue s t io n a nd t he nex t , I fo r m e d my h a nd in t o a c hopping m o t io n , t r y ing t o s e ns e t he r hy t hm a nd t he c a d e nc e t ha t signaled that an a n s w e r w a s w r a p p ing up. At t he m o m e nt I f e lt K a ine w r a p ping up an ans wer, I int e r je c t , “ Se na t o r O b a m a ! ” Ty le r St e p he n B a s s “ W ha t r e s t r ic t io ns w o uld yo u s e e k t o place on semia u t o m a t ic w e a p o nr y in t he U ni t e d St a t e s ?”

B O “ M y v ie w ha s a lw ay s b e e n t ha t t he s e c o nd a m e nd m e nt means something.

Sp o r t s m e n a nd hunt e r s, p e r s o ns w ho w a nt a f ir e a r m fo r t heir pr otection in t he ir ho m e s ho uld b e p e r m it t e d t o ha v e t ho s e a r m s. I ha v e also been of the v ie w, w hic h is I t hink is s ha r e d by la w e nfo r c e m e nt o f f ic ia ls all acr oss the c o un t r y, t ha t if yo u’ v e go t s e m i- a ut o m a t ic w e a p o ns w ho s e primar y design a n d p u r p o s e is t o k ill hum a n b e i ng s, t ha t w e s ho uld b e a ble to place some p r ud e nt r e s t r i c t io ns o n t ha t . And , lo o k , I m e a n, t he r e ’ s a lw ays gonna be v io l e nc e in t his s o c ie t y. And , yo u k no w, t he r o o t s o f t ha t violence extend w e ll b eyo nd t he p o s s e s s io n o f f ir e a r m s, but w he n yo u s t a r t getting into s e m i- a ut o m a t ic w e a p o ns w he r e m ult ip le p e o p l e c a n b e hur t, then I think it’s a p p r o p r ia t e t o lo o k a t s o m e o f t ho s e l a w s a n d t ig ht e n t he m.”

B y 1 9 9 8 , a s a n I llino is St a t e Se na t o r, O b a m a h a d t a k e n t he position of ban ning t he s a le a nd t r a n s f e r o f s e m i- a ut o m a t ic w e a p o ns, a notion of the kind I c o ul d s u p p o r t o n t h e s a m e p r a c t ic a l b a s is a s t r y i ng t o m a ke all Ric hmond’s inf a nt s g ig g le s im u lt a n e o us ly. I c a nno t d e f e nd a ny s o r t o f r acial quota s y s t e m , but b e ing a U. S. p r e s id e nt ia l v o t e r ov e r p a s s ing c enturies star ts to c r e a t e a n e e r ie no t io n in p o p c ult ur e ; t he Am e r ic a n m ind finds itself wor king in a c ub ic le in a c o r p o r a t io n a nd if m a na ge m e nt is o nly t aking w hite male C h r is t ia ns, it b e g ins t o o c c ur t ha t m ay b e t hey w e r e no t e v en examining the a p p lic a t io ns a t a ll.

59

Obama r ecei ved a lot of str a nge s p e c ula t io n ; s o m e o f it a c t ua lly built o n the nonsensical pr emise tha t b e c a us e he s ha r e d p a r t o f hi s na m e w it h Saddam, or that because his la s t na m e r hy m e d w it h B in L a d e n’ s, v o t e r s should have f aced him with a d d it io na l c a ut io n. Suc h c r it iq u e s h e a r k e n bac k to a muc h mor e sombe r e r a o f f e a r, s uc h a s – w he n im m e d ia t e ly a f t e r the Okla homa City bombing s – a ll o f t h o s e M c Ve ig hs a nd T im o t hy s fo un d themselves out of the job a nd t he p ublic ’ s g r a c e s. Er, uhm , m ay b e I ha v e a little mo r e r esear c h to do. B a r a c k H us s e in O b a m a m a d e a s t ir r ing ly a r d e nt defense of the right of Ha b e a s C o r p us. I f yo u ha v e I nt e r ne t a c ce s s, I hig hly r ecommend you c hec k out his a c t if yo u d o no t ge t t he c ha nc e t o a s k him a bout it per sonally.

TSB “T he subject is this . . . D o yo u g uy s . . .

Ric hmond City Councilman Willia m J. Pa nt e le : “ Yo u g uy s a r e g a m ing m e a ll the time . . . “ TSB “What is your inc linatio n a b o ut B a r a c k O b a m a a nd his c a nd id a c y a nd would you suppor t his cand id a c y ? W ha t is yo ur f e e ling a b o ut it ?”

WJP “Well, it’s too ear ly in t he p r o c e s s t o c ho o s e o ne ov e r t he o t he r.

Howe ver, I am excited as ex c it e d c a n b e t ha t t he G e o r ge B us h e r a o f cor r uption and de v astation o f o ur e c o no my a nd d e s t a b iliz a t io n o f w o r ld security is a bout to end. And I k no w t h a t a ll D e m o c r a t s w ill c o me t o ge t he r and do w hat we have got to d o in a d e m o c r a t ic s o c ie t y t o t a k e us t o a no t he r le vel. So, in ter ms of par tic ula r c a nd id a t e s, I w a s lis t e ning t o a ll o f t he m . . . “ TSB “Right. R ight.”

WJP “ . . . and will, and I’ ll m a k e t ha t k ind o f a d e t e r m ina t io n a b o ut w ho I ’ ll suppor t for the nomination la t e r. ” TSB “It is ear ly. It is, indee d , e a r ly. I t a ll c o m e s d o w n t o f und r a is ing a nd things like this. I mean, my o w n t ho ug ht is t ha t if t his g uy c a n’ t ge t $1 0 0 million by the end of 2 007, h e ’ s j us t t o a s t . To a s t . ” WJP “Well, ther e’s no denyi ng t ha t f un d r a is ing a nd m o n ey p lay s t o o m uc h of a r ole in elected politics, but I , uh, I a ls o t hink t ha t e le c t a b ilit y ha s a 60

s ig nif ic a nt r o le in – T he r e ’ s no d e ny ing t ha t t he r e ’ s a lo t of excitement in t his build i ng t o nig h t . I a t t e nd e d t he D e m o c r a t ic N a t io na l Committee meeting . . . “ T S B “ I n 2 0 0 4 ? T he w int e r m e e t ing ? ” W J P “ U h, no. T his D e m o c r a t ic N a t io n a l C o m m it t e e m e e t ing up in Washington a c o up le o f w e e k s a go, a nd t he r e ’ s no d o ub t t ha t B a r a c k Obama has ca p t ur e d t he im a g ina t io n s o f – “ T S B “ W ha t s o r t o f le g is la t io n d id he f a v o r o r ha s int r o d uced that you as w e ll f a v o r, o r c o ns id e r uniq ue ly p r ud e nt ?”

W J P “ We ll, a s I s a id , I ’ m f a m ilia r iz ing my s e lf w it h t he c a ndidates. I don’ t k no w t ha t I k no w e no ug h a b o ut his le g is la t i v e p r o f ile t o p r efer him or a nyo ne e ls e o f t h e o t he r s. I t ’ s t o o e a r ly, s o r ig ht no w, I ’ m, I think we ar e all e n joy i ng t he r id e , a nd w e ’ ll s e e , a nd in t he m o nt hs a he a d , things will, uh, s t a r t t o s e t t le o ut , but t his I c a n s ay : t ha t D e m o c r a t ic P r esident is going to w in, a nd I a m go ing t o d o e v e r y t hing in my p o w e r t o ge t e ver y soul to the p o lls t o m a k e t ha t ha p p e n. ” C O R R EC T I O N I n Vo lum e 2 , I s s ue 8 , I r a n int o a m a n c la i m ing to be For r est Alle n, s o n o f fo r m e r S e na t o r G e o r ge Alle n. T he n , R VA M a g azine r e por ted, “Alle n’ s s o n, Fo r r e s t , o c c a s io na lly c he w e d t he t ip o f a m e c hanical pencil. In c o nt r a s t t o w ha t Sus a n Alle n [ ha d c la im e d in he r ] a p p e a r ance on Fox Ne ws, w he r e s he c la im e d in p r im e t im e t ha t Fo r r e s t h a d b e e n c a lled ‘macaca,’ he s a id t ha t t he r a c e h a d ‘ no t r e a lly ’ a f f e c t e d his s o c ia l lif e , and ‘you would b e s ur p r is e d ’ ho w lit t le it ha d . ” A m a n w ho c a lle d him s e lf Andy, w ho, I could c le a r ly id e nt if y f r o m t he Alle n m e lt d o w n la s t N ov e m b e r, s aid on the night o f t he Je f f e r s o n- J a c k s o n d inne r I a t t e nd e d t ha t t he m a n w ho had identified him s e lf a s Fo r r e s t w a s a n im p o s t e r, t ha t he w a s jus t t r y ing to sham us. Let t he c o r r e c t io n s t a nd t ha t w e c a n ha v e m a d e a d e q u a t e c la ims r e g ar ding the t r ue p s yc ho lo g ic a l s t a t us o f Fo r r e s t ne i t he r o n e le c t io n night nor in his go ing a b o ut s c ho o lw o r k .

C a l l Yo u r

L o bbyis t

by Frankie Lee

image Adam Juresko

I’m pr oposing ne w le gislatio n. T he la w w ill t ie p ublic c e ll p h o ne us e t o s m o k ing. A s m a ny o f yo u m ay k no w, s m o k ing c i g a r e t t e s in p ubl ic places is now b anned in many citie s, s t a t e s, a n d c o u nt r i e s w o r ld w id e . I p r o p o s e t ha t c e ll p ho ne us e i n p ublic a l s o b e b a nne d . T he s im ila r it y i s uncanny.

Secondhand smoke can kill (s up p o s e d ly ), s o c a n s e c o nd ha nd c o nv e r s a t io n. I t w a s r e c e nt ly r e p o r t e d t ha t a w o m a n w a lk ing int o a c r o s s w alk in the str eets of Fr ance w as hit by a c a r b e c a us e s he w a s lis t e ning t o s o m e o ne e ls e ’ s ’ m o b ile c o nv e r s a t io n a nd d id n’ t r e a liz e c a r s w e r e s t ill zooming thr ough the inter section. T he w o m a n s ue d t he p e r s o n t ha t w a s t a lk ing m o b ile in p ublic fo r d is t r a c t io n, a ne w fo r m o f c i v i l d is o b e d ie nc e , says lawmak er s. I have per sonally for e s e e n t his A p o c a ly p s e . W hile o n a t r a in b o und fo r N YC , I ov e r he a r d a yo ung c o lle ge - a ge d f e m a le d is c us s ing he r upcoming nightly plans with a friend. I n t he m id s t o f he r c o nv e r s a t io n, I c o uld no t f inis h r e a d ing my ne w s p a p e r a nd s ub s e q ue nt ly m is s e d a b e t t ing deadline fr om my bookie, a misha p that c o s t m e $4 7 5 . Als o, a f t e r t he ne a r by m o b ile c o nv e r s a t io n w a s f inis he d , I w a s c o n f us e d , ir r it a t e d a nd s o m e w ha t c louded for minu tes. I thought, ’I’ v e s e e n t his s c e ne b e fo r e . I t ’ s lik e w he n a ll t ho s e no ns m o k e r s w a lk e d in a nd o ut o f t he Eng lis h build ing in c o lle ge, only to be gr eeted by c loud s o f c o nf us io n a nd ir r it a t io n. ’ So o n, p ublic c e ll p h o ne us e r s w ill b e g r e e t e d w it h c r unc he d eye b r o w s, w aving hands, unpr oven r e s e a r c h, a nd c he e s y, ex p e ns i v e info m e r c ia ls. C e ll p h o ne c o m p a nie s w ill s p e nd t he ir time a n d m o ney i n c o ur t … a d o c um e nt a r y “ T ha n k Yo u Fo r C a llin g ” w ill b e m a d e … a nd t he lo t o f us w ill b e in a Wa r s a w - lik e g he t t o - - s m o k ing, c ha t t ing, a nd e a t ing s t e a k s.

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L e t ’s

M ake

by Don Harrison

a

Deal

P r e d i c t a b l y, R i c h m o n d ’ s l o n g - r u n n i n g p e r f o r m i n g a r t s c e n t e r s o a p o p e r a c a m e d o w n t o w h o g e t s c o n t r o l o f t h e p r o p e r t y. B o t h s i d e s d o.

I n a l o n g - a w a i t e d f i n a l r e p o r t r e l e a s e d i n J a n u a r y, M a y o r L . D o u g l a s W i l d e r ’ s 1 0 - p e r s o n Pe r f o r m i n g A r t s C o m m i t t e e a t t e m p t e d t o s t r a d d l e t h e need to placate a stubbor n Hizzoner with the political practicality that s a y s : K e e p t h e B i g B o y s h a p py a t a n y c o s t . A l l p a r t i e s w i n o n p a p e r, f u l l speed ahead and damn the consequences — never mind if this is the best thing for aver age taxpayer s or even people who “suppor t the ar ts.”

It seems so str aightforward. Like this par t: 1. The city gives up $25 million and gets the title to the Car penter Center (now the Car penter Theater).

2 . T h e V i r g i n i a Pe r f o r m i n g A r t s Fo u n d a t i o n ( VA PA F ) w i l l o w n t h e Car penter for ever “for tax and financial planning pur poses.”

Huh? Ye a h , t h a t ’ s w h a t i t s a y s . B u t s o m e h o w t h i s c o m p l i c a t e d , l o o py s w e e t h e a r t d e a l , c r a f t e d by a h a n d p i c k e d b o d y c o n s i s t i n g o f p o l i t i c a l a p p o i n t e e s a n d d i s t i n g u i s h e d b u s i n e s s m e n ( m a n y o f w h o m d o n’ t e v e n l i v e i n t h e c i t y ) seems…right for this par ticular project.

Fr o m t h e m i n u t e t h a t t h e Fo u n d a t i o n r a m m e d a m e a l s t a x h i k e t h r o u g h city council in 2003 to build their ar ts center — originally slated to be privately funded until mar ket forces showed little interest — the p u b l i c - p r i v a t e p a r t n e r s h i p h a s b e e n t h e g a n g t h a t c a n’ t s h o o t s t r a i g h t . I t h a s b e e n d a m n e d by f a l s e f u n d r a i s i n g t o t a l s , e x c e s s i v e s a l a r i e s a n d 64

wasteful spending, clueless outside consultants and the embar r assing c r e a t i o n o f a d o w n t o w n h o l e i n t h e g r o u n d ( t h a n k f u l l y n o w f i l l e d i n ) . To t a l cost: More than $20 million, with a little less than half than that coming f r o m R i c h m o n d t a x p a y e r s . ( G e e , a n d f o l k s g e n u i n e l y w o n d e r w hy t h e mayor expr essed an inter est in scr utinizing this project.)

U n d e r t h e Fo u n d a t i o n’ s l e a d e r s h i p, t h e C a r p e n t e r C e n t e r h a s a l s o g o n e dar k for more than two year s; its endowment squandered. When asked a b o u t s u r r e n d e r i n g t h e t i t l e t o t h e t h e a t r e , VA PA F ’ s c h a i r m a n J i m U k r o p p o i g n a n t l y t o l d N B C 1 2 n e w s : “ I t d i d n’ t r e a l l y m a t t e r t h a t m u c h . We ’ l l h a v e c o n t r o l o f t h e l e a s e f o r m y g e n e r a t i o n , f o r m y c h i l d r e n’ s g e n e r a t i o n … ” And that’s all that really matter s, right?

T h e Pe r f o r m i n g A r t s C o m m i t t e e ’ s r e p o r t , w h i c h o u t l i n e s t h i s n e w W i l d e r - a p p r o v e d v e r s i o n o f t h e a r t s c e n t e r, m a k e s t h i s c l a i m a s f a r a s funding: “Financial suppor t for Richmond CenterStage would include $25 Million “City of the Futur e” funding, $20+ Million priv ate suppor t, plus $ 5 . 7 M i l l i o n o f S t a t e a n d Fe d e r a l g r a n t s , a n d e x p e c t e d h i s t o r i c t a x credits and funds on hand.”

Befor e you star t imagining that you just heard the sound of mor e tax money flushed down the toilet, wor r y not! This proposal to create a Richmond CenterStage is reputedly up to the authority and over sight of the Mayor through newly-proposed committees (gosh, we love us some committees around here). He gave his blessing to the deal in a press c o n f e r e n c e w h e r e t h e PA C c o m m i t t e e ’ s r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s w e r e d e t a i l e d .

The repor t’s “executive summar y” spells out the details: - The City of Richmond would take title to the expanded Car penter T h e a t e r, a s p a r t o f i t s $ 2 5 M i l l i o n “ C i t y o f t h e F u t u r e ” f u n d i n g.

- A special pur pose, public-private Limited Par tner ship (“Newco LP”) would be established to ser ve as the master developer and oper ator of

Richmond CenterStage

Richmond CenterStage to be completed on budget and on time.

- Under long-ter m leases and agreements, Newco LP would lease the Car penter T heater from the City and the Dorothy Pauley Squar e facilities f r o m t h e Fo u n d a t i o n .

- The Music Hall site on Broad Street would fir st ser ve as a constr uction site, and then could be an outdoor par k or perfor mance space until its ultimate and best use is deter mined.

- Fo r t a x a n d f i n a n c i a l p l a n n i n g p u r p o s e s , N e w c o L P w o u l d b e v i e w e d as the owner of the entire Richmond CenterStage project, including the C a r p e n t e r T h e a t e r a n d D o r o t h y P a u l e y S q u a r e ; a n d t h e C i t y, Fo u n d a t i o n a n d t a x c r e d i t i nv e s t o r s w o u l d b e c o m e t h e L i m i t e d P a r t n e r s o f N e w c o L P.

- T h e Fo u n d a t i o n a n d t h e C i t y w o u l d c o n t i n u e t o j o i n t l y s e e k p o t e n t i a l commercial development of the Broad Str eet site that may include a M u s i c H a l l o r o t h e r p e r f o r m i n g a r t s f a c i l i t y.

- A n e w n o t - f o r - p r o f i t e n t i t y, N e w c o G P, w o u l d s e r v e a s N e w c o L P ’ s Gener al Par tner ; and Mayor Wilder would appoint its Board of Dir ector s, w i t h i n p u t f r o m t h e a r t s c o m m u n i t y a n d t h e Fo u n d a t i o n .

- The Public-Private Par tner ship str ucture would enable Newco LP and the City of Richmond to enter into a comprehensive agreement for Newco’s development of Richmond CenterStage.

- The Board of Newco GP would car r y out its wor k through two committees, the Building Committee and Oper ations Committee.

- The Building Committee would over see all aspects of the renovation and constr uction of Richmond CenterStage facilities.

- The Oper ations Committee would manage and oper ate Richmond C e n t e r S t a g e ’ s f a c i l i t i e s a n d t h e L a n d m a r k T h e a t e r.

- T h e Fo u n d a t i o n w i l l c o n t i n u e f u n d r a i s i n g t o b u i l d a n O p e r a t i n g Endowment that would suppor t facilities oper ations, stabilize rental r ates for local ar ts groups and help fund capital r epair s.

- The cur rent constr uction budgets and timetables would be maintained for

- Improvements to the Landmar k Theater should focus on loading dock and acoustical reflector s; and improvements for Landmar k’s patrons w o u l d i n c l u d e a d d i t i o n a l r e s t r o o m s , A DA c o m p l i a n c e a n d i n t e r i o r p a i n t i n g.

T her e’s some good stuff in ther e. Anyone wanna ar gue that the Landmar k d o e s n’ t n e e d s o m e w o r k t o o ? I f t h e M a y o r c h o o s e s i n c l u s i v e a n d knowledgeable people to helm the thing, and mans those committees with more representatives from “the ar ts community” than representatives f r o m “ t h e Fo u n d a t i o n , ” i t c o u l d t h e o r e t i c a l l y b e s o m e t h i n g t h a t w o r k s .

B u t g e t i n t o t h e d e t a i l s o f t h e r e p o r t a n d y o u s t a r t t o w o n d e r. A s E a g l e Eyes at Save Richmond pointed out in an email to me that accompanied various other missives among people who have studied this woeful project for awhile, the committee’s output says nothing about verifying futur e private fundr aising pledges - “that is how it all went bad the fir st time.”

Soon, more red flags were raised…

- Who pays for cost over r uns?

- A n d w h y i s n’ t a c c o u n t a b i l i t y w r i t t e n i n t o t h e r e p o r t s p e c i f i c a l l y ? … they spent 1.2 Million Dollar s before they even had a new concept?

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- They paid how many thousands of dollar s to come up with the name, “CenterStage”?!!! How original - that’s the same as Baltimore’s complex, a n d t h e n a m e o f t h e Fo u n d a t i o n’ s f o r m e r n e w s l e t t e r ?

- U n d e r “ S t r u c t u r e ” t h e y r e f e r e n c e C h a p t e r 2 2 . 1 o f t h e C i t y C o d e . S o r r y, 22.1 cover s cemeteries, not priv ate-public par tner ships.

And so on...

A f e w d a y s a f t e r t h e r e p o r t w a s i s s u e d , w o r d c a m e d o w n a b o u t a n “A r t s i n E d u c a t i o n m e e t i n g t h a t t h e Fo u n d a t i o n w a s s p o n s o r i n g f o r t h e n e w c o m p l e x . T h i s m e e t i n g w a s i n v i t a t i o n - o n l y, w i t h n o c a l l f o r R i c h m o n d - a r e a educator s to attend despite the city being far and away the project’s b i g g e s t f u n d e r. A n d a t t h i s w r i t i n g , m o r e t h a n t w o m o n t h s a f t e r t h e mayor’s upbeat pr ess confer ence, the title to the Car penter has still not b e e n t r a n s f e r r e d t o t h e c i t y.

S o, u n t i l t h e Fo u n d a t i o n g e t s s e r i o u s a b o u t t h e d e a l i t j u s t m a d e , o r t h e m a y o r u nv e i l s t h e n a m e s o f c o m m u n i t y r e p s t o o v e r s e e t h e n e w p r o j e c t , t h e Pe r f o r m i n g A r t s C o m m i t t e e r e p o r t i s n o t h i n g b u t a n e m p t y “ F u t u r e i s Wo w ” p a r a d e t h a t j u s t s o h a p p e n s t o h a v e m a y o r ’ s b l e s s i n g. U n t i l r e a l progress is made and shown, it’s the same old champagne wishes and caviar dr eams city taxpayer s have endur ed for four year s — at our cost.

T h e m a y o r l i k e s t h e p l a n a n d w a n t s i t . T h e V i r g i n i a Pe r f o r m i n g A r t s Fo u n d a t i o n s a y s t h e y w a n t i t ( d o t h e y ? ) T h e a r t s g r o u p s a f f i l i a t e d w i t h t h e V i r g i n i a Pe r f o r m i n g A r t s Fo u n d a t i o n a r e w i l l i n g t o e n t e r i n t o a n y Fa u s t i a n d e a l t h e y c a n i n o r d e r t o g e t i t .

But after all that has gone wrong, and with mor e and mor e signs that no o n e i nv o l v e d h a s l e a r n e d a n y t h i n g f r o m t h e p a s t , d o w e w a n t i t ?

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R e a d t h e p l a n a n d m u l l t h a t q u e s t i o n o v e r ( a t h t t p : / / w w w. c i . r i c h m o n d . v a . u s / g e t B l o b D. a s p ? B l o b I D = A 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 E ) . T h e n a s k y o u r s e l f i f t h e PAC Committee’s final repor t recommending a “CenterStage” reads more like a fir st dr aft that needs retooling (and backup documentation) before the city lets Newco — or JamestownShellCo or Ambusto or whatever it is — receive $25 million and a place in line ahead of building new schools and repairing the city’s infrastr ucture.

Mayor Wilder used the word “accountability” a lot at his CenterStage press conference — a thinly-veiled reference to his ongoing battles with t h e R i c h m o n d S c h o o l B o a r d . B u t i f h e c a n b r e a k t h i s k i n d o f c o nv o l u t e d , u n c o o k e d b r e a d w i t h t h e V i r g i n i a Pe r f o r m i n g A r t s Fo u n d a t i o n a f t e r t h e i r c o n t i n u e d l a c k o f a c c o u n t a b i l i t y, D e b o r a h J e w e l l - S h e r m a n a n d t h e s c h o o l board should be easy potatoes. And heaven help us all.

The difference, of cour se, is that Richmonder s get the chance to replace t h e c i t y ’ s s c h o o l b o a r d a t t h e b a l l o t b ox i f t h e y f e e l i t i s u n a c c o u n t a b l e .

B u t i f t a x p a y e r s d o n’ t l i k e t h e e n d l e s s w a t e r f a l l o f p u b l i c m o n e y a n d u n e l e c t e d p o w e r t h a t t h e VA PA F h a s b e e n g r a n t e d — a n d c o n t i n u e s t o feel entitled to — they have no other choice but to keep r epeating, “it’s for the childr en...It’s for the childr en.” Not for your childr en, of cour se, or even their teacher s. And for gener ations.

Ba la n c e Beam

by Rachel Toro

All of my bad dr eams star t o f f t his w ay. D r i v i ng s o m e w he r e I s ho uld n’ t b e .

Re gr etta bly, I’m not aslee p. M ay b e jus t a l it t l e d a z e d . I b e c o m e m o r e aw ar e of the focused ef for t a nd s im p le m o t io ns inv o lv e d in d r i v ing a standar d Ja panese coupe: a c ur v e o f t he w h e e l a lit t le t his w ay a nd t ha t .

Remaining focused, co gniza nt . C o ns c io us. I t s ud d e nly t a k e s a ll I ha v e i n this little minute not to sim p ly d r o p my ha nd s int o my la p m i d - d r i v e , le t my feet r est on the f loor of the c a r, s it b a c k a nd le t go. I nt o w ha t e v e r, w he r e ver. It’s the w home ver tha t k e e p s my ha nd s f ir m ly g lue d t o t he w he e l. I ’ m dri ving to his house, and it ’ s a lo n g, s t o m a c h g na r ling 4 5 - m inut e d r i v e f r o m mine. T his gi ves me nothing but t o o m uc h t im e t o im a g ine w ha t I p la n o n doing w hen I get ther e.

Scr eam? Why? Because I lov e blo w n o ut v o c a l c ho r d s ? T hr o w t hing s ? H is “things” ar e innocent in this, a nd I ’ d r a t he r s p a r e t he c le a n u p.

Humiliate him? T hat leaves a b a d t a s t e in my m o u t h a ll o f t he s ud d e n. I must have w atc hed some d a m ne d m ov ie t he o t he r nig h t o n c o m p a s s io n o r listened too har d in my last c o uns e ling c la s s t o s o m e le s s o n a b o ut p r o p e r communication, because sud d e nly a ll t h e d e s p ic a ble t hing s I w a n t t o d o feel… stupid. Wasteful.

I’m not playing music; I don’ t w a nt t o b e i nf lue nc e d by a ny t hing o r a nyo ne else. T his makes the 45 m inut e s o f nig ht d r i v i ng p a s s m o r e s w if t ly s o m e how, as all the neon and he a d lig ht s a nd ye llo w r e d g r e e n r e d ye llo w r e d tr af fic signals f loat ar ound m e lik e s t a r s. I ’ m t r a v e ling in a t ub e , ins ula t e d .

So w ha t a r e yo u go nna d o w he n yo u ge t t he r e ? I go a d myself. “ I d o n’ t k no w. I d o n’ t k n o w. I d o n’ t k no w. ” I s ay it o ut loud, and it’s a s t e a dy he a r t b e a t . I t ’ s a c t ua lly a ll t ha t ’ s s t e a dy, a s I no t ice I can no longer ho ld my l e g s t ill e no ug h t o d r i v e p r o p e r ly. I t je r k s unc o ntr olla bly in antici p a t i o n o f p a r k in g, s t o p p ing. I t ’ s s ay ing I d unno, I d unno w hat to do. What d o le g s d o a g a in?

W h e n I p ull up t o t he d r i v e w ay, his c a r is p a r k e d nex t t o her s. I’ ve ne ver s e e n t he c a r, but I k no w. I g r a s p my k ey s a nd t w is t t he m bac kw ar d to shut o f f my c a r. I t ur n t he he a d lig ht s o f f. “ N o w w ha t ?”

I ’ m p a r t ia lly hid d e n by a lo o m ing s ha d e t r e e o n t he c ur b, but I w ant to hide e v e n m o r e . I w a nt t o s hr i nk a nd c ur l int o t he s iz e o f a p e a and r oll into a s t o r m d r a in. C a n’ t d o t ha t . Sho uld n’ t ge t o ut o f t h e c a r, either. But I do.

So m e t h ing in m e ha s s p lit , a nd I s e e m t o b e d o i ng t he o p posite of e ver y t hin g I int e nd . I t ’ s lib e r a t ing, a n d t e r r i f y i ng.

I o p e n t he c a r d o o r, le a v ing my p ur s e c a r e le s s ly s p r a w le d on the passenger s e a t , a n d d o n’ t b o t he r t o lo c k t he c a r. T he r e ’ s no l ur k ing son of a bitc h w ho ’ d d a r e t o t r e s p a s s m e a t t h is m o m e nt . I b e g in w a lk ing up on the f lat s t o ne p a t h t o t he f r o nt d o o r. O ne fo o t in f r o nt o f t he o t her. I r emember b e ing fo ur ye a r s o ld a nd s t e p p ing o n a b a l a nc e b e a m m ay be 2 inc hes high o f f t he s a nd o n t he p layg r o und . O ne fo o t , t he n t he o t he r foot in a car eful r o w, my a r m s s p r e a d o ut lik e w ing s t o s t ay s t a ble . I p r o ba bly look the s a m e w ay no w, t ho ug h a t fo ur t he int e nt w a s t o ins t ill a s ense of inter nal e q uilib r ium . I c a n’ t t hink o f a ny t hi ng, o n a ny le v e l, w he r e “balanced” w o uld a p p ly t o m e a t t he m o m e nt , s o I s hif t le f t f r o m t he stones and be gin m e t ic ulo us ly s t e p p ing o n t he f lo w e r s I ’ m s ur e o ne o f his par ents planted 67

ear lier in the season. T hey s e e m t o t r a ns fo r m i nt o w e t p ie c e s o f p a p e r af ter eac h tr espass. My sho e s a r e c a k e d w it h m ud by t he t im e I r e a c h t he fr ont door, w hic h makes me ex q uis it e ly p le a s e d .

I put my f ace a g ainst the d o o r a nd lis t e n fo r. . . . I ’ m no t s ur e w ha t . I t hink I may be a ble to make out t he s o und o f a T V in s o m e f a r a w ay r o o m . I t ’ s near ly 1:30 AM now, so I’m g ue s s ing t hey ’ r e b o t h a s le e p.

I have my key, of cour se, a nd o p e n a s s ile nt ly a s p o s s ible .

It’s ver y dar k w hen I ste p i ns id e , a nd I w a s a p p a r e nt ly im a g i ning t he T V.

I can hear him snoring.T he s o und m a k e s m e s o f ur io u s t h a t my f a c e f lus he s with the fer ocity of a sla p, a nd I c le nc h my f is t s s o ha r d t ha t I ina d v e r t e nt ly sna p the connecting ring of f o f my k ey s. Tw o m e t a l c link s fo l lo w o nt o t he tile. T hey’ r e as loud as mis s ile s.

So some one gets up. I’m no t s ur e w hic h o ne unt il I s e e a h e a d a nd b o dy, in that or der, move as s wiftly a nd s ile nt ly a s p o s s ible d o w n t he d a r k h a llw ay. I see a f amiliar ly built ar m sho o t o ut t o w a r d m e , s w o o p ing t o t he s m a ll o f my bac k and simultaneously tur n in g m e in t he o p p o s it e d ir e c t i o n, t o w a r d t he door a g ain.

“Outside,” he w hisper s. I c o uld s c r e a m , I r e a lly c o uld . I c o uld s c r e a m r ig ht now, and she’ d w ake up and t he d o g w o uld w a k e up a nd t he n s he ’ d s e e m e and she’ d know and then the r e w o uld b e jus t ic e . B ut in s t e a d I ’ m o ut s id e o n the muddy por c h.

Even in the dar k, with no p o r c h lig h t t o illum ina t e his f a c e , he c a n t e ll. “ What did you do?” he asks, inc r e d ulo us.

“Re-landsca ping.”

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“ W ha t t h e f uc k ?! ” “ Yo u c a n r e p la nt t he m . . . t he r e ’ s a s a le o n s e m i- a nnua ls a t Home De pot.” “ Yo u’ r e ins a ne . ” “ Yo u’ r e a lia r. ”

H e p a u s e s fo r a s e c o nd b e c a us e I ’ m r ig ht . H e ’ s no t w e a r ing a shir t. T he r i ng s he ’ d b e e n w e a r ing fo r t w o m o nt hs a r o und his ne c k after he moved out - o n a ne c k la c e I b o ug ht him , t ha t he a s k e d fo r - a r e no t icea bly a bsent. I c a n’ t d e c id e w he t he r I w a nt t o s t r a ng l e o r k is s t ha t ne c k . T hat nec k that c r a ne d , t ha t ne c k t ha t d ip p e d a nd a s k e d m e fo r he lp, t ha t connected us b o t h.

“ Julia . . . ” “ Yo u’ r e a lia r. Yo u t o ld m e w e w o uld a lw ay s b e ho ne s t w ith eac h other.”

H is s ile nc e r e a f f ir m s t he p o int le s s ne s s o f o ur c o nv e r s a t ion, and my coming he r e . “ I d o n’ t w a nt t his t o b e a b ig d e a l. I ’ m ju s t . . . m ov ing o n. ” I d o n’ t e v e n f linc h. “ So a m I . ” “ T he n w hy a r e yo u he r e in t he m id d le o f t he nig ht s t e p p ing on my f lower s?” “ B e c a us e yo u s h o uld ha v e t o ld m e . Yo u o w e m e t ha t . Yo u owe me at least t he d e c e nc y o f h e a r ing it f r o m yo u f ir s t . ” “ H e a r ing w ha t ?! ” “ T ha t I ’ v e b e e n r e p la c e d . ” H e s ig hs, a nd s t a r t s b a c k t o w a r d t he d o o r. “ G o ho m e , Julia.” “ I ’ m ne v e r go ing t o s e e yo u a g a i n, yo u k no w. ” “ T ha t ’ s r id ic ulo us. O f c o ur s e I ’ ll - ” “ N o. ” H e h um o r s m e , m o m e nt a r ily, a nd p ut s a ha nd o n his hip. “ Fine. Why?” “ B e c a us e . B e c a u s e I ’ v e b e e n r e p la c e d , a nd t he r e c a n’ t b e two of me. ” I f e e l no ne e d t o e la b o r a t e . I ’ m b e c o m ing m o r e a w a r e o f t he melodr amatic , Je r r y Sp r inge r- e s q ue a s p e c t o f w ha t I ’ m d o ing, a n d it s t a r ts to make me

lightheaded. I bac k of f the p o r c h, s ud d e nly una ble t o r e m e m b er w hy I c a m e her e or w hy I would car e if he w e nt b a c k ins id e .

“I love you, Julia,” he says, his v o ic e d r ie d o ut f r o m s le e p a nd s o m e t hi ng else. “Please, go home.”

“I hate you.”

“I know.”

“But I am going to go home . ” “Okay.”

“And that’s it.”

He r ealizes it then, that I’m no t k id d i ng. T ha t he w o n’ t b e a ble t o s ne a k in like he did last night, wit h hi s k ey, a nd ho ld m e a s if I w e r e an o b je c t exuding his comfor t instead o f a li v ing b e ing. Sq ue e z i ng f a m ilia r it y a n d safety fr om me as if I wer e a s o f t d r ink d is p e ns e r. And t he n d o ing ex a c t ly that - dispensing of me. H e r e a liz e s I ’ m t a p p e d o ut a nd w o n’ t a llo w it . Ev e r a g ain.

“Please,” he star ts, and I c a n a lr e a dy s m e ll t he f a m i lia r d e s p e r a t io n o n hi s br eath.

“No. Goodbye.”

I tur n on my dir t heel, num b but s o m e w ha t s a t is f ie d . I d o n’ t e v e n t ur n ar ound to see if he’s stand ing t he r e , if h e ’ s fo llo w ing m e , if he ’ s go ne inside a g ain. It doesn’ t ma t t e r.

T he car is cold inside, but I a m c o ns id e r a bly le s s s ha k y. W he n I t ur n o n t he headlights, he’s standing b e t w e e n t he m w it h s t up i d t e a r s in his eye s, a nd the nec klace with the rings in his p a l m , d a n g ling in t he lig ht . L ik e r o s a r y beads.

So I just put the car into r e v e r s e .

Bill y Jo e

by D. Curtis Sommerville

image by Jeff Smack

Was it lonely Billy Joe? Dying by yo ur s e lf, s o yo ung, und e r t ho s e s a m e beautiful star s that illumina t e d t he s k y f r o m t he m o m e n t o f yo ur r e m e m br ance? Could you hear the c r ic k e t s c h ir p ing in t he c o o l m id ni g ht g r a s s o r feel the br eeze as it ble w t hund e r o us t hr o ug h t he s ilk e n f inge r t ip s o f t he cor nfields? What did you se e ?

T hey found you on the gr ound , yo ur t r uc k t w is t e d a r o und a n e lm . D a m m it Billy Joe, how many times ha v e yo u d r i v e n d o w n t ha t s a m e d e s o la t e s t r e t c h of out-o f-date highw ay? Yo u k no w t ho s e e nd le s s a s p ha lt s na k e s a s w e ll a s

t he b a c k o f yo ur ha n d . Yo ur g r a nd d a d dy s ho w e d yo u t ho s e bac k r oads, lazy s um m e r d ay s s p e nt i n his b ig s t e e l C he v y, t he w ind o w s d o wn and the uphol s t e r y s m e lli ng o f d o g, le a t he r, a nd hay. H o w c o uld yo u fo r get?

T hey fo u nd yo u o n t he g r o und , ly ing o n yo ur b a c k . B illy Joe, w hat wer e you t hin k ing ? Wa s it t he hy p no t ic g la r e o f he a d lig ht s o n a c o untr y r oad, that s e ns uo us s t e a dy s t r e a m o f g r e e n blur in unna t ur a l lig ht t hat caused you to le t go ? T he s c e ne r y o n t ho s e K e nt uc k y b a c k r o a d s c a n b e danger ous boy, yo u k no w t ha t . W ha t m a d e yo u go s o f a s t ? N o t t he b e e r B illy Joe, couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; t ha v e b e e n t he b e e r. H e ll b oy, yo u le a r ne d t o d r ink b e fo r e you lear ned to d r i v e . A f e w b e e r s ne v e r w e nt t o yo ur h e a d , c o uld nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; t h a v e been the suds.

T hey found you on the gr ound , yo ur lim b s t w is t e d a n d blo o d , bla c k a n d stic k y, caked to your nose a nd lip s. I t m us t ha v e b e e n t he d a r k e s t s e c o nd of the night. A ripple in tim e , a d i v ine m is t a k e . A f la s h o f lig ht fo llo w e d by mec hanical death. But it did n’ t t a k e yo u B illy Jo e , yo u m a d e i t out .

T hey found you on the gr ound , a lm o s t t e n f e e t f r o m yo ur t r uc k , yo ur d r i v e r side door hanging open. Ho w d id yo u ge t t he r e , B illy Jo e ? W hy d i d n’ t yo u stay in the metal cof fin tha t w a s w r a p p e d a r o und t ha t t r e e ? D id t he h o ney suc kle a nd s weet c lover inv a d e yo ur s e n s e s a s yo u g a s p e d fo r a ir, c r a w ling until you couldn’ t cr awl any m o r e ? P ik e v i lle H ig h’ s s t a r r unning b a c k a nd you just couldn’ t cr awl anym o r e . W he n yo u f ina lly r o l le d ov e r a nd s e t t le d on your bac k, did the sk y e m b r a c e yo u , b e c o m ing int im a t e w it h yo u a s yo ur spar k f aded?

T hey fo u nd yo u o n t he g r o und , yo ur eye s o p e n, p a le blue and milk y. Your lim b s b e g a n t o t ig ht e n a s t he s un c a m e up. T ha t w a s p r o b a bly w hen the bug s s t a r t e d . D a m m it B illy Jo e . A g lo r io us blue g r a s s m o r ning, the gr ound g lis t e ning w it h r a in b o w d e w a nd t he s un r is ing s lo w ly b e hind pale c louds, w hile w hit e b ir d s c a lle d t o e a c h o t he r w it h s w e e t no t e s. W her e wer e you for t his f a m ilia r s ig ht ?

T hey fo u nd yo u o n t he g r o und , s t if f, e m p t y, a nd c ov e r e d in bugs, your name w r it t e n o n t he b a nd o f yo ur und e r w e a r by yo ur m o t he r. Wa s it lonely?

LEMON

JEL L- O

by D. Curtis Sommerville

It feels so good in my hand. The rough plastic—is it plastic?

I d o n’ t k no w, but it f e e ls s o nic e , s o lig ht . T he g r ey m e t a l top glimmers radiantly and I know exactly what that is: that’s steel. No, I don’t need it to feel tough, but it is comfor ting to know that with just the tip of my index finger I can give concer t to death. Accompaniment by thunder and hellfire. Can you do that? Oh yeah? Well I bet you can’t do it faster than me.

I stood behind him; he’d put his hands in the air in the f a s h i o n o f s o m e m o r o n i c c a r t o o n c h a r a c t e r, t r e m b l i n g l i k e a c u b e o f l e m o n J e l l - O . L e m o n J e l l - O , b y t h e w a y, i s t h e p u s s y o f a l l t h e J e l l - O s . A l l w o b b l y a n d y e l l o w . S o w e a k . A n y w a y, h e began swearing to somebody that he didn’t have anything in h i s p o c k e t s . Ye a h r i g h t . O n l y w o m e n ( a t l e a s t t h e f a s h i o n a b l e ones) don’t car r y anything in their pockets. I let him feed me fallacies four consecutive times and in the midst of the fifth I brought it down, butt to the back of his head. Is “yelped” the right word, or is it “yipped?” He yelped or yipped in what I guess was shock and agony and fell to his knees, sobbing and clutching the base of his skull, black blood seeping from between his fingers. He was abruptly silent the minute he 72

felt me place its business end against the tender flesh of his pale neck. The full moon shone bright overhead and the silhouette it cast painted me a god smiting a barbarian. What g o d ? T h o r, I d e c i d e d , a n d t h e n I r e a d i e d m y h a m m e r.

Click.

I wasted my breath again with an inquiry as to the contents of his pockets. Denied once more. Jesus Christ, this guy w a n t e d a n o t h e r ? To u g h n u t , b u t e v e n s o, n u t s ge t c r a c k e d .

Clichés get cracked too, but not the previous one. It fit.

I brought the butt of it down once more, this time to that s o f t s p o t r i g h t i n f r o n t o f t h e e a r. N o y e l p o r w h a t e v e r t h i s round, just a sudden jer k and sloppy belly roll. Now he was spread out on his back, his empty gaze staring straight ahead searching the sky for stars, the heavens just mooning him in r etur n. His chest wasn’t rising and falling. No mor e trembling. Goddamn, that one was too hard. Passionate and beautifully done, but just too damned hard. I didn’t mean to t a k e i t t h a t f a r. H o n e s t l y. H o w e v e r, n o w I w a s f r e e t o b e b l a tant about the whole thing. I explored his pockets, taking my time as the alley was deser ted. Hell, even if it wasn’t it was n o m a t t e r. O n l y c o p s a n d h e r o e s t r y t o s t o p y o u , a n d I d o n ’ t m i n d s h o o t i n g e i t h e r.

I rolled him onto his stomach and a raspy gurgle emanated from somewhere inside him, fading slowly like a motorboat

racing toward a horizon. The sound caught me off guard and I froze, a wayward deer in headlights, waiting for him to be silent. He finally was and I proceeded to check his back pockets. Goddamn again, the sonuv abitch wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lying. He didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a thing.

I rolled him over again, this time placing his hands on his chest when I was through. I examined his face. Same hollow stare, but now jet blood coated his lips and teeth. I rose, and as I did a small trickle ran out of his nostril and made a thin black line across his cheek. I left him on the filthy cobblestones of the obscure alley to be found at daybreak by some wandering derelict who will also go through the pockets b e f o r e a l e r t i n g a n y o n e o f t h e d i s c o v e r y. D e r e l i c t . F u n t o r e a d a n d f u n t o s a y. D e r e l i c t . M u c h n i c e r t h a n c r a c k h e a d , w i n o , j u n k i e , b u m , h o m e l e s s , a b a n d o n e d , f o r g o t t e n , u n c a r e d f o r, o r utter ly lacking. Some wandering derelict will find the lifeless, d e s t i t u t e b o d y. L a i d o u t a l o n g s i d e t r a s h c a n s a n d r a t s h i t , a n d f o r n o g o o d r e a s o n . S o m e t h i n g h o t a n d f u z z y, p o s s i b l y g u i l t but more likely indigestion, crept into me but the feeling was quickly dissipated when I spotted a drunken couple staggeri n g i n t o a n a l l e y j u s t t w o b l o c k s a w a y. I t u c k e d i t i n t o m y waistband and adjusted it so that the grip was sticking out a n d t h e n s t a r t e d w a l k i n g b r i s k l y t o w a r d m y n e w f o u n d g l o r y.

I gave empty pockets one last glance before I left him. The poor bastard. Done in by a derelict.

Rhapsody

in

PINK

All clothes from Pink in Carytown.

Shoes provided once again by the wonderful ladies at City Shoes.

Accessories from our friends at Need Supply.

Photography - Sarah Walor Art Direction & Styling - Mary Heffley and Christian Detres Model - Leah

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