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CENTRAL WISCONSIN EDITION SCENE STAFF
Publisher James Moran • 920.418.1777 jmoran@scenenewspaper.com Associate Publisher Norma Jean Fochs • 715.254.6324 njfochs@scenenewspaper.com
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APPLETON Editor Will Stahl • 920.277.7189 wstahl@scenenewspaper.com Ad Directors Mareen Andrejeski 920.522.2381 • mo@scenenewspaper.com Graphic Designer Jeff Hillis jhillis@scenenewspaper.com CENTRAL WISCONSIN Editor Merry Dudley • 715.498.1946 mdudley@scenenewspaper.com Ad Director Norma Jean Fochs • 715.254.6324 njfochs@scenenewspaper.com Graphic Designer Jeff Hillis jhillis@scenenewspaper.com FOND DU LAC Editor Michael Casper • 920.344.0036 mcasper@scenenewspaper.com Ad Director Greg Doyle • 920.251.8944 gregdtdoyle@yahoo.com Graphic Designer Ericka Kramer-Baker • 920.602.2297 ebaker@scenenewspaper.com
CONTENTS COVER STORY L6 Central Waters Brewery FINE ARTS R8 Artful Living
Sales Theresa Naud • 920.366.4468 tnaud@scenenewspaper.com Graphic Designer Kelly Anderson kanderson@scenenewspaper.com
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Ad Director Dan McCord mccord.dan@gmail.com Graphic Designer Ericka Kramer-Baker • 920.602.2297 ebaker@scenenewspaper.com
R16 Dobie Maxwell R26 Buddhist Advisor
GREEN CHOICES
R36 Concert Watch March 2015
R28 Seeing Green
R38 The Spanish Inquisition
R30 Aldo Leopold and the
2015 Season
Grass Roots Food
R2 Best and Worst Foods to Eat When You’re Sick L9
R24 Right Wing Nut
Wisconsin Idea
L14 Palace Theater Announces
R6 From the Wine Cave OSHKOSH
R14 Nick Olig
R42 Postcard from Milwaukee
FOOD & DRINK
GREEN BAY
R38
R34
L6
More of a Good Thing
L14 Wild Rose Kiwanis Pays
OUTDOORS R34 Sturgeon Season
Tribute to End of Civil War
EVENT CALENDARS
NEWS & VIEWS
R46 Live Music
R18 The View from the Left-
L10 The Big Events
Hand View Seats
ENTERTAINMENT
R20 Rohn’s Rants
R10 I’m Hear
R22 Media Rants
R12 Live from Japan
CONTRIBUTORS Merry Dudley Bonni Miller Dennis Riley Tricia Derge Kimberly Fischer Jean Detjen Liv Anne Lern James Page Nick Olig Dobie Maxwell
Rohn Bishop Tony Palmeri Robert E. Meyer John Price-Kabhir Will Stahl Michael Mentzer Ryan Koenigs Jane Spietz George Halas Blaine Schultz
Calumet
PRESS
INC.
PO Box 227 • Chilton, WI 53014 • 920-849-4551
Advertising deadline for April is March 20 at 5 p.m. Submit ads to ads@scenenewspaper.com.The SCENE is published monthly by Calumet Press, Inc. The SCENE provides news and commentary on politics, current events, arts and entertainment, and daily living. We retain sole ownership of all non-syndicated editorial work and staff-produced advertisements contained herein. No duplication is allowed without permission from Calumet Press, Inc. 2015.
March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | L3
FOOD & DRINK // GRASS ROOTS FOOD
The Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative BY BONNI MILLER A stone’s throw from Hartman’s Creek State Park, west of Waupaca on Highway 54, sits a modest pole building looking out over hundreds of acres of tidy farm land. At the edge of the driveway leading to the building, a clean and modern sign reads, “Wisconsin Food Hub,” and it points the way to one of the big ideas in sustainable agriculture. Several weeks ago, I met there to talk with Tara Roberts-Turner, manager of the Wisconsin Food Hub, or “the Hub” as it’s known to local farmers. The Hub, now in its third year, is a farmerled cooperative owned by the participating growers and the Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU), which was designed to efficiently distribute the product of small local farmers to big markets. For instance, if you shop at a grocery store owned by the Roundy’s Corporation, you may have seen the larger-than-life fullcolor ads in the produce section, promoting their locally grown produce. Roundy’s is by far the largest single customer of the Hub aggregate, accounting for roughly half of
their million dollars in sales in 2014. Other customers include the Sysco Corporation (which dominates sales to restaurants in the U.S.), V. Marchese, Midwest Foods, and a handful of other vendors. Other large vendors are being targeted for future sales opportunities. There are currently about forty members in the cooperative, most of them modestly sized vegetable growers. A growing number of value-added producers, such as maple syrup harvesters, cheesemakers, etc., are swelling the ranks and represent a portion of the food market that the co-op is actively courting. In return for a portion of the sales, membership in the Hub gives the farmer-owners access to large-scale sales with retail, institutional and food-service outlets. Other membership benefits include insurance, training and participation in a well-connected network. THE HISTORY
In the waning years of the last century, local food advocates, well aware that exceptional food was being produced in Wisconsin, were actively trying to figure out how to get that product in front of the consumer.
The Alsum family of Alsum Sweet Corn farms together outside of Randolph, Wis. L4 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
Dane County, with its longtime investment in farmland preservation efforts and a deep appreciation of the merits of maintaining a viable farming community, eventually commissioned a feasibility study. It concluded that potential sales for local growers could range from $18 million to $26 million a year. The study recommended creating an efficient system to make concrete connections between large markets and small producers. At this point the WFU stepped up to offer planning assistance and ultimately suggested a cooperative model that became the Hub. They also offered $250,000 to help get the plan off the ground. Tom Quinn, executive director of the WFU, told the Wisconsin State Farmer that the project fit perfectly with several missions of Farmers Union, not the least of which was getting farmers a fair price for their product. THE FUTURE
Sales through the Hub are predicted to top $2 million dollars in 2015. “Our greatest challenge right now is finding enough growers to meet the demand,” Roberts-Turner said. While overwhelming demand for product may seem like a good problem, it can still be frustrating. What’s working against the Hub is that some farmers aren’t willing to trade any portion of their already slim profit margins, even for a larger volume of sales. And many are reluctant to give up the branding of their product, preferring to maintain a strong link with their wares. “Our value-added partners maintain their identity,” said Roberts-Turner, pointing to a palette filled with clearly labeled jars of maple syrup. “But it’s a little trickier when we’re filling an order for, say, winter squash.” In that case, product from several farms is combined to meet demand that a small farm couldn’t satisfy on its own. “So it’s not for everyone, but for those who are willing to sacrifice a little name recognition, the rewards can be awesome, offering a cash cushion to supplement their own direct sales.” Adding that all of their members are listed on their website and get the benefit
of all the Hub’s marketing, Roberts-Turner notes, “For instance, a farm can put a couple of extra acres into a crop or two for the Hub for a quick, solid sale without any of the uncertainty of hoping to find a buyer. “Maybe they don’t make as much as they would have otherwise, but they don’t have to put any extra effort into selling the product, either. All they have to do is deliver it to the Hub.” Once at the Hub warehouses (there’s another one in southern Wisconsin), product is packed into palettes and shipped off to buyers. In addition to large-scale freight
Andy Diercks, of Coloma Farms, is a fourthgeneration potato farmer in Wisconsin’s Central Sands region.
FOOD & DRINK // GRASS ROOTS FOOD
The Tim Zander family runs Emerald Meadows Farm outside of Columbus, Wis. The farm is certified organic.
trucking, this year the Hub is partnering with Minnesota-based Spee-Dee Delivery for quick turnaround on smaller orders, even offering next-day delivery. Roberts-Turner, who is the third-generation operator of Turner’s Farm Market in Waupaca, is no stranger to the vagaries and challenges of farming. “It’s a lot to ask of someone that they not only be skilled at growing things but also be skilled in marketing, in logistics, and in dealing with the public. “Some people can do it all. But for those who can’t, the Hub means that they
can do what they do best. They don’t have to worry about making sales. They can just grow and farm.” Bonni Miller is the manager of the Waupaca Saturday Farm Market, which operates year-round on the public square in Waupaca. She’s also the owner of Chez Marche Foodworks, which provides local food sourcing and personal chef services. She hates her phone, but she wants to hear from you. Your best bet for reaching her is to send her an email at bonnimiller@yahoo.com.
In an effort to “go green” Fiona decided to have Irish coffee at breakfast every single day.
A merry heart lives long!
a fine “top o’ the mornin’ to ya” indeed!
- irish proverb
what a lucky day…
jag is here!
plus all your boutique favorites!
brighton • tribal • lisette-l • chambrai simply • nally & milly • slimsations & more!
BOUTIQUE
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Tara Roberts-Turner, manager of the Wisconsin Food Hub, is the third-generation operator of the Turner’s Farm Market in Waupaca.
1016 MAIN ST 54481 715•345•7819 : MON-FRI • 10 -5 30 SAT • 10 - 4:00 for fashion & accessory updates, follow us on facebook March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | L5
COVER STORY // CENTRAL WATERS BREWERY
Having a Brew with the Central Waters Team BY MERRY DUDLEY Photos courtesy of Norma Jean Fochs.
When we think about doing travelrelated activities such as taking tours of interesting buildings or businesses, we tend to believe we have to travel great distances to see something new and interesting. What we may forget is that there are unique places often much nearer. In my case, I had to drive about a mile to find something amazing. The Central Waters Brewing Company came to Amherst several years ago, but I had yet to stop in. But I drive by it almost every day, so I took notice when the building added parking, put up the impressive row of solar panels, then expanded with a
new loading area a few years ago. When they added a huge new warehouse and expanded the main entrance last year, I finally realized just how big this business had become. So in February, I finally turned down Allen Road to see just what was going on down there. Anello Mollica and Paul Graham, the current owners and operators, were kind enough to show me around and answer some of my questions. SCENE: So how long has Central Waters been at its current location in Amherst? How did it all begin? Anello Mollica (AM): Central Waters
started in Junction City back in 1998 as a homebrewer’s dream. We quickly maxed out production there at 750 barrels per year. In 2006, we decided to grow the business, as demand was huge. We chose Amherst as our location and began construction in 2006, brewing our first beer in our new location on December 31, 2006. Since then we have grown from 750 barrels in 2006 to 11,500 in 2014, with a goal of closer to 18,000 in 2015. SCENE: Those of us who drive by on the County Road B bridge have a great view of the awesome solar panels in the back. Can you tell us about your solar energy initiatives? How long has Central Waters been “green?” Was it always in the plans to use renewable energy? Has it made a difference in your day-to-day business? Do visitors comment on it? AM: Renewable energy has always been something Paul and I have believed in. We built our first set of solar in 2008 and have since been adding on. We now have solar thermal, providing heat for the building and, most notably, hot water for all of our brewing needs. We also have a 20kW solar PV system, providing electricity to our brewery. These are the very visual pieces, but in reality, we do a lot [of things] to shrink our environmental footprint. From energy reduction through lighting, to choosing the right suppliers that are also green, to reducing water consumption, we do any-
Paul Graham takes a moment during our visit to relax with a pint. L6 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
thing we can. People do comment on it, and we get asked by other brewers across the country. At the end of the day, brewing is very resource intensive, so it is our duty to reduce our usage to stay in business for the long term. Paul and I always wanted this because we believe in it. It certainly impacts our use of energy. Our business is integral to the use of power and water, so it’s our duty to minimize what we use as stewards if the environment. People comment on it all the time. SCENE: This year you added a new building, and the front of the building, which I now know is the taproom, has been beautifully updated. Tell us about the latest expansion and the remodeled entry. AM: The influx of tourism and visitors in our taproom is amazing! We certainly had no idea it would turn into what it is. We remodeled it to accommodate the increase in visitors because we realized we needed more space for more people. The new warehouse is to accommodate our burgeoning barrel-aged beer program, making it one of the largest in the country for barrel-aged beers. SCENE: Just a few weeks ago you had your anniversary party, and I noticed people lining up before noon! How did it start?
To accommodate the influx of visitors, Central Waters remodeled its storefront in 2014 to create an inviting retail space and larger taproom area where people can relax and enjoy Central Waters products. Once the snow is gone, there are plans to open a beer garden (to the left of the main doors, where the picnic tables are) for warmer months.
Region 5 (The Scene) Size 9.5 x 10
MARCH CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Featured Event
FAMILY BIRTH CENTER EDUCATION OFFERINGS Lamaze One-day Saturday Class
Saturday • March 7 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., $55
Breast Feeding Basics
NEW MOMS CLASS
Wednesday • March 11 6 - 8:30 p.m., $15
Mondays • March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital New moms are encouraged to join other new moms to share experiences during a mother and baby group. The class is led by Lora Harris, a registered nurse and certified lactation consultant. Different topics are discussed each week. A scale is also provided for moms to weigh babies. New Moms Class meets every Monday (except holidays). No registration required. For information, call 715.346.5332
Life with Baby: How to Navigate through Your Baby’s First Months Wednesday • March 18 6 - 8:30 p.m., $15
For information and to register for all programs, call 715.346.5655
Bariatric Support Group
Monday • March 2 6 - 7 p.m. 2501 Main Street, Stevens Point Oak Room No registration required
Grief Support Groups
Thursday • March 5 1:30 - 3 p.m. Ministry Home Care 2501 N. Main Street, Stevens Point For information, call 800.398.1297 Friday • March 13 Noon - 1:30 p.m. Goodwill Store Community Room 2561 8th Street South, Wisconsin Rapids For information, call 800.397.4216 Monday • March 16 6 - 7:30 p.m. Redeemer Lutheran Church Conference Room 900 Brilowski Road, Stevens Point For information, call 800.398.1297
Bariatric Information Sessions Tuesday • March 17 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Wednesday • March 25 6 - 7 p.m. 2501 Main Street, Stevens Point Oak Room To register, call 877.295.5868
Unless otherwise noted, all programs are free and located at: Ministry Saint Michael’s Hospital, 900 Illinois Avenue, Stevens Point
For a complete listing of programs and events, visit our online Health Connection Calendar of Events at ministryhealth.org/events March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | L7
COVER STORY // CENTRAL WATERS BREWERY
The brewery, which currently employs about 20 people, will be looking to add more staff in the next few months.
What special events/goodies do you offer during this event? And have you already begun to make plans for next year? AM: We had previously had smaller anniversary parties, but it wasn’t until our 14th that we started offering a specialrelease beer only available that day at the party. That year, the beer won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival. Since then, the party exploded, doubling visitors every year. This year, we had nearly 4,000 people in attendance, and last year’s anniversary beer, Sixteen, won the gold medal at the World Beer Cup for the best barrel-aged
stout in the world. People come from far away to get these beers. We plan for this event year-round. It has been a huge undertaking, and our crew works hard to pull this off. SCENE: Let’s talk about products for a minute. What kinds of beverages do you offer year-round? What do you offer seasonally/annually? AM: We offer 7 year-round products: Hop Rise, Mudpuppy Porter, Ouisconsing Red Ale, Glacial Trail IPA, Satin Solitude Stout, Honey Blonde and Shine On. We have a rotating seasonal beer, too. We also offer a multitude of limited-
A view from above shows how visitors to the taproom can get a front-row view of how their favorite beers are made. L8 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
Artwork is displayed throughout the remodeled taproom and entry.
release beers throughout the year, from our award-winning barrel-aged program with beers like Bourbon Stout and Bourbon Barleywine to Illumination (our double IPA), to a rotating array of limited 22-oz. bottles throughout the year — more than 20 in all. SCENE: So when can visitors stop in? Do you give tours?
events or products? History or awards? AM: Watch our Facebook page and our website for upcoming events because there are a lot. Most notable, we were recently given the distinction of being named the best brewery in Wisconsin and one of the top 100 brewers in the world, both by www.RateBeer.com.
SCENE: Finally, is there anything else you would like to talk about? Upcoming
On March 27, come to Central Waters, 351 Allen Street, Amherst, to hear live music by Horseshoes & Hand Grenades. Tickets are $10 each (you must be 21 years or older to attend). Doors open at 6:00 pm and the show begins at 7:00 pm. Call 715-824-2739 for more information.
Central Waters won gold at the World Beer Cup in 2014 in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout for its Sixteen anniversary beer.
Not only is this a green brewery, it also offers green products! Shown here are a green and a brown Earthspun T-shirt (each original bottle shirt saves the equivalent of 6.5 20-oz. plastic bottles from the landfill and 18 quarts of water by eliminating textile dyeing), an Anvil Tee made of organic cotton and recycled polyester, and two Econscious organic cotton corps hats. Products are available at www.centralwaters.com.
AM: Our taproom is open every Friday and Saturday from 3:00 pm to 10:00 pm, with free tours at 5:00 pm.
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www.foxvalleyhomeexpo.com March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R1
FOOD & DRINK // TRICIA’S TABLE
Best and Worst Foods to Eat When You’re Sick BY TRICIA DERGE When you’re under the weather, the last thing you want is to eat something that makes you feel worse. But what if the last thing you want is chicken soup or crackers, and you’re craving ice cream or a glass of wine? It depends on what’s wrong with you. Here are common symptoms and suggestions on foods that help...and hinder relief. YOU’VE GOT THE RUNS For diarrhea caused by a stomach virus or a meal that didn’t agree with you, try the BRAT diet, says James Lee, MD, gastroenterologist with St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif. “Many different things can cause diarrhea, such as Crohn’s Disease or colitis,” he says. So see your doctor if symptoms continue for longer than two weeks or sooner if signs of dehydration appear, or if diarrhea is accompanied by fever, blood, severe pain, or severe nausea and vomiting. Best foods: The BRAT diet: bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. Oatmeal, boiled potatoes, saltine crackers, and baked chicken or turkey without skin are also safe bets. Worst foods: Sugarless candy and gum containing sorbitol or other artificial sweeteners, which aren’t digestible and can trigger diarrhea. Other foods that can cause gas and bloating include onions, apples, broccoli, cabbages, and beans. Dairy may also aggravate diarrhea, as well as alcohol and caffeine. YOU’RE CONSTIPATED Constipation can occur when not eating enough fiber-rich whole grains, fruits, and veggies, which stimulate digestion. “Adults need between 25 and 30 grams of fiber a day,” says Dr. Lee. Best foods: High-fiber whole grain R2 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
breads, nuts, beans, prunes, oatmeal, flaxseed, broccoli, pears, and apples. Drinking six to eight glasses of water per day also helps get things moving. Wo r s t f o o d s : C h o c o l a t e , d a i r y products, iron supplements, narcotics (pain medications) and some blood and anti-depression medications may worsen constipation. YOU’RE FEELING NAUSEOUS Feeling queasy makes all foods sound unappealing, but the right ones can ease symptoms by calming stomach acids, says Dr. Lee. “In general, keep food portions small and odors to a minimum.” Best foods: Saltine crackers or pretzels can help, says Dr. Lee, as does small quantities of dry toast or cereal. Ginger or lemon tea, fresh or frozen lemon slices, and peppermint also work. Worst foods: Greasy, spicy, or oily foods, caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated drinks can make nausea worse. IT HURTS TO SWALLOW When you have a sore throat, several foods can coat your throat and soothe the pain, says Lauren Slayton, RD, founder of foodtrainers. com and author of The Little Book of Thin (Perigee 2014). Best foods: Combine peppermint tea (lukewarm, not hot) which has analgesic and anesthetic effects, and Manuka honey, which is known for its wound-healing properties. Soft, creamy foods such as
cream soups, mashed potatoes, yogurt, scrambled eggs, and custards are also soothing. Worst foods: Avoid hot liquids and hard, scratchy foods such as potato chips, nuts, and granola. The acidic juices from raw fruits and vegetables, as well as orange juice, grape juice, and lemonade can also irritate a sore throat. YOUR ENTIRE BODY ACHES Foods that ease muscle aches depend on the specific reason for the body aches. For general muscle aches, food containing magnesium or calcium may help ease
soreness. Best foods: Magnesium-containing foods include nuts, bananas, beans, leafy greens, and avocados. Foods high in calcium such as canned salmon, yogurt, dark-green leafy greens, and orange juice fortified with calcium also lessen muscle cramping and pain. Worst foods: Anything that dehydrates
you can worsen muscle aches, particularly alcohol and caffeine. YOUR HEAD HURTS Dehydration is one of the leading causes of headaches, so it’s best to treat that cause first and see if it relieves your pain. Best foods: Water and other fluids are your best bet. Drink a bottle of water and wait 20 minutes to see if you feel better. Caffeine is known for drying you out, but ironically, it can help in small doses. But for each cup of tea or coffee, drink an equal amount of water to avoid dehydration. Worst foods: Headache-triggering foods include artificial sweeteners, MSG (found in sauces and soy sauce), aged cheeses (blue, stilton) that contain tyramine, plus chocolate, red wine, hot dogs, deli meats, and dried fruit. MSG is metabolized to glutamate, an excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Tyramine links to increased blood pressure, which can trigger headaches. YOU HAVE AN EARACHE Earaches typically accompany other symptoms, so they’re not correlated with any food in general. Since they occur most often with upper respiratory infections, however, foods that clear up congestion can help earaches as well. Best foods: Clear fluids and chicken soup ease congestion by loosening up mucous in nasal passages. Omega-3s found in salmon and nuts decrease inflammation, and vitamin C found in dark leafy greens, berries, and citrus boost the immune system. Worst foods: Dairy can thicken phlegm and worsen congestion, with the exception of yogurt, which contains probiotics. Stay away from processed and packaged foods, too, which increase inflammation and lengthen the recovery process.
Timeless Creations, Old World Charm Make Your Dream Home a Reality in 2015 With a Custom Designed & Built Home by Jesse Burg
March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R3
FOOD & DRINK // TRICIA’S TABLE
YOU’RE RED AND ITCHY A rash could be a symptom of an allergy. Keep a detailed food journal to look for links to foods that seem to trigger a rash. Best foods: Omega-3 containing foods such as fatty fish (salmon, sardines) and walnut and flax seed oils, as well as foods high in protein are all important for skin health. Skin is made up of proteins, so a diet adequate in protein is necessary for skin protein synthesis. Worst foods: The most common foods that cause itching are nuts, chocolate,
fish, tomatoes, eggs, berries, soy, wheat, and milk, says Debra Jaliman, MD, dermatologist and author of Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist. YOU HAVE A RUNNY NOSE When you have a cold, the worst symptom might be a nose that just won’t stop running. Aside from taking a steamy shower, Slayton suggests drinking warm tea...it may not slow down the drip, but a soothing tea will make you feel better. Best foods: Try Wakaya ginger tea, suggests
Slayton. Ginger contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help clear up a cold faster than just waiting it out. “Apple cider and lemon in water works well, too,” she says. Worst foods: Spicy foods can cause an immediate runny nose (which then turns into congestion), as may alcohol. YOU’RE STUFFED UP A cold, flu or sinus infection can irritate and inflame blood vessels in your nose, making it hard to breathe. Aside from inhaling steam from a hot shower or using
What do you mean we don’t drink the most Beer? New research by FinancesOnline shows that the top beer consuming countries also pay the most for their beer. On average, Australia pays $4.45 for a beer and spends $747.90 per person yearly on the beverage. They are also the second largest consumer of beer in the world, averaging 304 beers per person in 2012. The Czech Republic beat Australia with an average of 419 beers per person, but they are also one of the cheapest places to buy the beverage with the average costing $0.71. The U.S. is one of the world’s largest spenders on beer with each beer drinker spending an average of $356.20 per person
on the drink. It doesn’t make the top ten though -- the U.S. is number 14 on the list of world beer drinkers with 217 beers per person. Budweiser, Corona Extra and Heineken are favored internationally, while Bud Light still reigns supreme in the USA.
a humidifier, if you’re stopped up due to mucous, some foods can help. Best foods: Slayton recommends “golden milk,” which includes turmeric, a spice known for its anti-inflammatory properties. Place 2 cups of coconut or almond milk in a saucepan with 1 tsp dried turmeric, 1 tsp dried ginger, a dash of black pepper and honey to taste. Bring to a simmer, allow to sit for 10 minutes and serve warm. Worst foods: Skip dairy, spicy foods, and sugar, all of which can aggravate symptoms. triciastable@gmail.com
Toasts
Here’s to a long life and a merry one. A quick death and an easy one A pretty girl and an honest one A cold beer – and another one! When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. So, let’s all get drunk, and go to heaven! May your home always be too small to hold your friends. Here’s to me, and here’s to you. And here’s to love and laughter. I’ll be true as long as you. And not one moment after. When money’s tight and hard to get, and your horse is also ran, When all you have is a heap of debt, a pint of plain is your only man.
SCENE
CALL TO RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE
Jim Moran @ 920-418-1777
Creative. Inspirational. Effective. R4 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
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FOOD & DRINK // FROM THE WINE CAVE
From the Wine Cave BY KIMBERLY FISHER It is impossible to speak in generalities when speaking of wines from Italy. There are so many varietals and so many producers; some of which are rich in tradition, and others who have a more modern approach to winemaking. Fine Italian wine has taken the wine world by storm and both traditionalists and innovators have earned international acclaim. I have just spent nine days in the Veneto region in Italy which is considered part of Northeast of Italy and shares many traits with its neighbors Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige. Exploring the Veneto, one is struck with how beautiful the region is. The most intensely cultivated vineyards are on the Alpine foothills from Lake Garda to Conegliano Veneto. These hills surround a fertile plain, with its rich alluvial soil, and a coastal climate influenced by the Adriatic, as opposed to the central plain which is hot in summer and harsh and foggy in winter. Among the great wines that come from this region are, Valpolicella, Soave, Valpolicella Ripasso and Recioto along with Amarone. The headline white wine in Verona Italy is Soave. A dry and fruity white named after the city of Soave it
is produced from the Garganega g r a p e , and either Trebbiano, Chardonnay or R6 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
Pinot Bianco from vineyards in the hills southeast of Verona. Soave Classico is produced in the most ancient areas and alcohol content usually reaches around 11.5%. Also in this region, you can find Recioto di Soave, a sweet passito version. The name is derived from the Venetian “rece” or “ears” meaning the outer grapes of the selected bunches that are used and placed on mats for a drying process known as appassimento. North of Verona, we find the DOC of Valpolicella. (the DOC is specific growing area within Verona that is called Denominazione di Origine Controllata) The grapes grown here are Corvina, Molinara and Rondinella
which make up the heart of this famous red wine region. Va l p o l i c e l l a wine does not overwhelm the palate, but sings
a soft tune as background music to go with good food. Corvina and Rondinella grapes create the classic blend that is light to medium bodied, ready to drink. The third grape Molinara adds acidity to the wine, although many modern producers are leaving this red grape out of their blends. The best examples of Valpolicella are from small vineyards, wines located in the classic area, and regions to the east including the Valpantena and Messane Valleys. Valpolicella Ripasso is a wine made according to traditional vinification methods, which subjects Valpolicella to a second fermentation on the lees drawn from Amarone. Some producers achieve better results by adding dried grapes to the wine, which is the same process used in Amarone.
Sw e e t R e c i o t o della Valpolicella and dry Amarone della Valpolicella are made by the same process as Recioto di Soave, but the grapes are
pressed somewhat earlier than for the sweet Recioto della Valpolicella. The king of Veneto’s reds is Amarone della Valpolicella. Amarone uses the same grape varieties as Valpolicella, but the grapes have been left to dry on mats, under cover, until the end of March. Amarone is a very powerful wine, is vinified dry, and can reach alcohol levels of 15-16%. Traditionally Amarone wines had to be aged at least ten to twenty years before they could be enjoyed. Today, the new styles of Amarone make most wine far more enjoyable at an earlier age. Amarone, with its unique method of vinification is an extraordinary example of the sensuality of Italian red wines. One of the great vineyards that I visited while in Veneto was Bertani. This winery dates back to 1857 when it was founded by brothers Gaetano and Giovan Battista Bertani. In the early years, Bertani spearheaded a campaign to have Valpantena become a DOC. Today, Bertani celebrates more than 120 years of winemaking and provides an unbelievable wine experience. This must-see winery gives you the true expression of passion and commitment to making great wine. If you h a ve n o t ye t explored this area either in person or in tasting their wines, take time to dive into the beauty of this magnificent region. Valpolicella is perfect for everyday drinking, with a burger, pizza, or plate of spaghetti, whereas Amarone will simply warm your heart. Indulge, explore and have fun in the process. Kimberly Fisher is Director of Fine Wine Sales for Badger Liquor-Wine & Spirits.
March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R7
FINE ARTS // ARTFUL LIVING
Artful Living BY JEAN DETJEN
rooms with pen in hand, hoping to stir up hidden away memories. Vocalized great My new Artful Living column is about expectations for disadvantaged students feeding senses and spirits through the who, like all children, deserve every exploration of art, music, fashion, lifestyle, creative discovery opportunity the world culture and creative happenings. I invite has to offer. Channeled my inner (friendly!) readers to journey along with me on an vampire, soliciting altruistic offerings of eclectic melange of artistic adventures, life-giving human blood. Helped bring searching out muses and amusements, original music to community streets, meandering as we go. homes, hearts and souls. Waxed poetic Who needs an itinerary? It often does during challenging yet transformative life us good to be more child-like, tapping changes. Posed for camera lenses and the into natural curiosity in fearless pursuit of artists behind them, casting off old ideas new sensory experiences about age and that grab our attention. Exploration of art, music, beauty. Opportunities for doing Life is achingly fashion, lifestyle, culture & so are all around us! short, yet art lives creative happenings When asked as a to tell the story. kid what I was going Many of us can to be when I grew up, I said I wanted to relate to artist Pablo Picasso’s observation be an artist. I didn’t exactly pursue what that “art washes away from the soul the most people think of when the word “art” dust of everyday life.” Getting lost in comes to mind. But I’ve certainly played the process of creating something is a around with a variety of hues, mediums, balm like no other. Each of us has some and canvases in my life and career path. form of innate creativity, expressed most I’ve painted and weaved lush stories, authentically via how we choose to live. selling the romance of wine from across I often ponder these words from French the globe. Danced a two-step and belted philosopher and historian Michel Foucault out Irish pub songs on a Texas dude ranch. whose inquisitiveness I share: “What strikes Transported BBQ buffets down rocky me is the fact that in our society, art has riverside hills in an open pickup truck, become something which is related only to using my dusty, ruffled, skirt-draped boots objects and not to individuals, or to life. to keep pot lids secured. Seduced calloused, That art is something which is specialized hard-working feet into all or which is done by experts who are artists. variety o f But couldn’t everyone’s life become a work f o o t c a n d y . of art? Why should the lamp or the house Haunted be an art object, but not our life?” nursing Why, indeed?! h o m e I’m still trying to figure out what ar ts & it means to be an “artist”. Perhaps a crafts definition is unnecessary. What I know for sure is that life is about painting your own personal masterpiece. Throw lots of colors on it and experiment with texture and technique. Don’t be afraid to break rules, paint beyond the lines, and let your eyes see beauty in unexpected places. When you do, I’d love to hear about it. Living artFULLY in the heart of Wisconsin. jdetjen@scenenewspaper.com R8 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
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ENTERTAINMENT // I’M HEAR
Dear Liv, My name is Connie. I have a situation on my hands, and I’m really hoping for a bit of direction. I’m presently living with my wonderful 82 year-old mother, as my husband is back in Connecticut in the process of selling our home, so we can move here in order to be closer to her. At first all was going well. She was happy to have me staying with her, and I was glad I could help her with things that needed to be addressed. Prior to me moving in, I wasn’t aware of any issues with her mental or physical health. I had decided to move back in order to assist her in her later years, and get a chance to spend some quality time with her. Unfortunately, I’ve started to notice that things aren’t exactly as they seem. There are things going on with my mother that either she’s not willing to face, or is completely unaware of them happening. Because my mom has always been a stubborn woman (which has been both good and bad), I’m not sure if she’s aware of what’s going on, or if she’s lying and just being stubborn. For example, my mom passed out while walking around in a store one day a few weeks ago. Obviously she was aware of this, however, when we took her to the doctor; she didn’t listen to anything he had to say. She quite adamantly stated that he knew nothing, and that she was fine. Well, that would be great if she was, but one minute she’s complaining to my two brothers, me, and anyone else who will listen, that she’s so dizzy she can’t do anything, and the next minute I come home from breakfast with a friend,
and she’s returned from having DRIVEN to the grocery store and has a trunk full of food and supplies. When I remind her that she was complaining of being dizzy, and ask her why she would be driving to the store when I would be happy to get those things for her, she very angrily responds that she’s fine, and that I should leave her alone! She has now resorted to blaming me for everything. She tells everyone that I’m the problem. She goes on to say that she was doing fine before I came, and she wishes I would just keep my nose out of her business. Now, not only is this not true, but it’s so hurtful to hear I can’t tell you. So what do I do about this? Do I take her back to the doctor? Do I have her tested for dementia or something like that? (Not sure she will do that). My brothers and I feel she needs to have her driver’s license revoked, as she has become very confused and has even called us from her mobile to ask us how she can get to where she’s going. How the heck do we go about taking her license away without her having a complete fit? PLEASE help me if you can. I’m frustrated, sad, hurt, and worried. Where do I turn? Connie – Concerned and Confused Dearest Concerned and Confused, Yup, this is a tough one. It sounds very much like there is something health-related going on with your mother, and you’re probably looking at some rough days ahead. My first suggestion is to arrange a little meeting with your family members (excluding your mother) to discuss every-
R10 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
one’s concerns. Once you’ve establish that there is a real concern (not that this is the way she acts when she gets a cold or the flu, and then goes back to acting normal), you need to take action. Unfortunately, life doesn’t hold back it’s fury from anyone. Although we can get sick or afflicted with a disease at any age, we all know as we age, things really start to happen. From there, I would make an appointment with her doctor (again, excluding your mother). If you feel you trust the doctor’s opinion, then listen to what he has to say. He’s most likely dealt with this many times, and will be able to give you an idea of what to expect, or what to do next. Your mother’s stubbornness may cause lots of road blocks. In the end, if she gets into a state where she becomes physically aggressive or is putting the world at large in danger, you’ll have to act quickly. A psychiatrist could write an order for her to be hospitalized and assessed, if needed. It all depends on what happens from here on in. Keep your eyes and ears open. Talk with your mother’s friends and neighbors on the sly, to find out if they have noticed
any significant changes in your mother as of late. Any information you can pass along to the physician will be very helpful to him in determining the actual problem. I know this is terribly disturbing for you, as it is for every child who loves their parent and has to watch these types of changes occur. Take a deep breath. Gain support from your husband, your brothers, and any other calming element in your life. LOVE your mother. If a form of dementia IS starting to take over…she’s not to blame. As hard as all of this is; just keep loving her. Your love will lead you to the answers you need to keep her, you, your family, and everyone around you safe. I wish you didn’t have to experience this, but remember, our parents cared for us when we were children. I’m sure that wasn’t always easy. Now it is our turn to be the caretaker. Live and Learn If you would like to ask Liv a question that may be addressed in a future column, send a short email to livannelern@gmail.com
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R11
ENTERTAINMENT // LIVE FROM JAPAN
Player’s Page: The Winter Blues BY JAMES PAGE THEPLAYERSPAGE@YAHOO.COM The first quarter of the year has always been a slow time for the video game industry. The holiday rush is subsiding and the industry is taking a small break before ramping up for the E3 Expo. Every now and then a company will release a little bit of information to build up buzz for an upcoming title. Recently Bethesda has tried to generate some buzz by announcing a large press conference for the 2015 E3 Expo and by dropping some hints about “Fallout 4.” Apart from a few instances like the Bethesda announcement the industry tends to be as dormant as the grass; eagerly waiting for the coming spring. More often than not, the winter brings with it disappointment for video game fans. Those who are eagerly awaiting the release date of a game will often see the date consistently pushed back f r o m December 31 to February, then to March, and in some cases to the upcoming fall. The PlayStation 4 title “The Order: 1886” is a perfect example of this trend. It was originally supposed to launch with the system, but then it was pushed back to February of 2014 and now it is set to release on February 20, 2015. However, despite this trend, some companies release numerous titles during this time of year, but they tend to be smaller games with a devoted fan base. NIS America is one of these companies and it usually releases multiple games during the winter, and in 2015 some of the titles include “Criminal Girls: Invite Only,” “htoL#NiQ: The Firefly Diary,” and “The Awakened Fate Ultimatum.” Winter may seem like a depressing
time to be a fan of video games, but despite the slow release schedule, the winter is the perfect time to catch up on some games that may have been languishing in one’s collection. These games may be relatively recent additions or they could be old gems, but all of them are games, which for one reason or another have fallen to the wayside in favor of different games. These games can help one feel comfortable with the solitude of winter or they can bring people together t o help pass the time. They
d o not need to represent large investments of time and energy, but the only requirement is that they are fun and suited to whatever mood one finds themselves in. The long running Nintendo series “Super Smash Bros.” released two titles for the holiday season. The games were made available for the Nintendo 3DS and WiiU and featured similar game play, characters, and stages. However, the WiiU version featured more characters, more stages, and the ability for more players to join in the mayhem. The WiiU version introduces the “amiibo” figures which can act as both a collectible figurine and an interactive game piece. The figure is able to interface with the WiiU controller and creates an in-
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game character which can be leveled up and used as an ally, an opponent, or battled against someone else’s
amiibo. B o t h games featured the new Smash Run mode which is divided into two parts. The first part of the battle puts the player character into a large area filled with numero u s
enemies, and the goal to obtain powerups by destroying as many enemies as possible. At the start of the second part the player’s power-ups are applied to their stats and then all characters are pitted against each other in a battle or a race. The Smash Run mode along with traditional battles and Tour modes combine to offer the player and friends numerous ways to spend fun filled hours. If winter conjures to mind ideas of solitude then Falcom’s “Y’s Memories of Celceta” is the perfect way to pass the time. Set in the frontier province of Celceta, the game puts the player into the shoes of Adol Christin who is tasked with mapping the
Great Forest. Adol’s first journey into the forest robbed him of all of his memories and now he must venture back into the foreboding woods to complete his task and regain his memories. The game features simple hackand-slash game play set to an upbeat soundtrack w h i c h may be
repetitive but makes for an enjoyable experience. The mobility of the PlayStation Vita helps enhance the game play experience by allowing for the player to experience the game anywhere. Winter can be a frustrating time for fans of video games. The lack of big-name releases and the delayed release of other games can make this time of year seem unbearable. However, these difficult times are perfectly remedied by playing one of a multitude of older games. If older games do not seem like they will chase away the winter blues, one always has the option of playing mobile games, just be mindful of micro-transactions. I for one have spent many hours playing Sudoku, but whatever game one chooses to play it will be a fun way to spend the cold days of winter. Remember, like all games if you play them just to have fun there will never be a bad game.
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R13
ENTERTAINMENT // NICK OLIG
Home Team Survivors Beat Zombies BY NICK OLIG Musings about zombies used to entail more of a commitment to a niche, and that niche could be found at places such as widely ignored lunch tables. What was once a cultish fascination has gradually trended into the mainstream, so much so that one of the most popular shows on television takes place in a world overrun by walking corpses. Years ago, zombie-chats were for pale introverts with little interest in locker rooms or hunting shacks, but with the success of The Walking Dead, popularity is quite shockingly starting to work in the favor of nerds. However, when it comes to withstanding the violence of a zombie uprising, being a nerd is a serious drawback. Unlike Resident Evil, I never got into rugged pursuits like hunting and fishing. My stance is that I can buy meat from a store or restaurant without going to all the trouble of killing and gutting some animal. It makes sense to me, but I have to admit, should tomorrow be fraught with mayhem, anarchy, and zombies, I have almost NO survival skills. I’d be screwed. I have friends who hunt, fish, and most importantly, own guns, and they tend to lack strong feelings about The Walking Dead. (It’s a limited sample size, but I think it represents a greater truth.) They usually have better things to do than game plan strategies regarding a hypothetical event involving monsters. When I was out playing laser tag in high school, they were shooting holes in the guts of bucks. I’m at peace with that, but the moment I spot the mailman being eaten by a data entry clerk, I know I’ll have to call up a friend with a gun collection. I’ll have to beg to be a part of a group with firearms. But I will have a lot of tactical ideas to offer that group. Far too much thought on the matter of zombies has culminated in me realizing the best place to survive such a hellish ordeal. And I’ll soon tell you what I’d do and where I’d go, as long as you promise to keep it a secret. Once I got a pal to break down and agree to let me be a part of their gun-wielding posse, I’d grab my aluminum bat and head straight for my car, using my quick feet to avoid trouble, only swinging when necessary. Home runs are exciting, sure,
but it’s much easier to hit a single to ensure you’ll be safe. At my friend’s house, I’d probably get the lowdown on hunter safety, everything from “don’t point this at me” to “blah-blah-blah.” Then I’d cock my loaner shotgun just ‘cause it looks and sounds cool and declare to my team of survivors: “We’re going to Miller Park.” Completed in 2001, the home of the Milwaukee Brewers stands as the closest, most rational save haven from those dreaded z-words. Some reasons for occupying a stadium are more obvious than others, so allow me to endorse Miller Park’s resume as a doomsday sanctuary. For protective purposes, the facility contains fences at every major entrance. Its barriers against predators are plentiful, and its ascending bleachers provide easy access to higher ground, too. In emergencies, even higher ground can be taken by snipers on catwalks as well as Bernie’s Dugout atop that winding yellow slide. (Dibs!) Sanitation and living conditions are made suitable by the ballpark’s expansive locker rooms, which include showers and fancy bathrooms. Who wouldn’t want to store their stuff in the old locker of the once-living Ryan Braun, or bathe away all that splattered blood in a hot tub powered by a generator?! Additionally, a number of luxury boxes and offices permit the kind of comfort most humans wouldn’t dare dream of during an onslaught of dumb, psychotic cadavers. The food horde is astounding, and the generator also proves its worth in the kitchens. Miller Park’s stadium guide cites over two-dozen restaurants and bars. Whether you prefer to gorge on a stockpile of hot dogs, bratwursts, Polish Sausages (there are FOUR Brat Boys, mind you), hamburgers, nachos, pizzas, soft pretzels, grilled cheese sandwiches, waffled and cheese fries, or that make-shifted hamburger/ grilled cheese double-decker the snobby vendor never agrees to cook, you’ll soon be so pleasantly plump the zombies on the other side of the gates will ogle you the way I ogle Lauren Cohan. As a more dangerous and fun alternative, ballpark survivors are free to determine once and for all how long they could last on a diet composed strictly of beer and peanuts. You can stuff your face with those ordinarily overpriced brats and nachos
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for a while, but for a renewable source of food, the outfield has to offer over three acres of natural grass for farming. As an important aside, remember to raid a small town’s Walmart en route to Milwaukee for a plethora of supplies, including fertilizer, seeds, and gardening equipment. Granted, as we all know, vegetables are not as tasty as burgers and cultivating crops seems a bit dull, but renewable food is a must, and on the bright side: broccoli can be dipped in nacho cheese, and if you find yourself in a bind, a boring-old rake can be used for exciting things like impaling rotted skulls. To further enhance farming, the towering planes of glass that outline the stadium facilitate sunlight and therefore natural grass even when the roof is closed. That retractable roof will be useful throughout inclement weather and, of course, the long winters, and get this: the seating area is warmed by up to 30 degrees when Miller Park transforms into its cocoon-state. Meanwhile, zombieBraun and all the other staggering groaners outside the structure will have their bad intentions impeded by snowfalls and icy sidewalks. Other Miller Park-perks to consider when the walkers come to devour us all include security guard weapons such as nightsticks and pepper spray, handcuffs and holding cells, dozens of baseball bats (if there’s one signed by Henry Aaron in a display case somewhere, I call dibs), sprinklers and plenty of relatively safe (all things considered) outdoor fun, escalators to mess with the zombies, and in the announcer’s booth: a joke-gift of the Major League trilogy on DVD that Bob Uecker never bothered to unwrap. Perhaps the best thing of all is a footnote. Imagine having to go on a rescue mission to save a loved one, or, if your fantasy prefers, Hank the Dog, and advancing with four friends across the parking lot in a blaze of bullets and head-bashing, only to be swarmed by the undead. Imagine their savage teeth chomping at your throat. And imagine overcoming that carnage with your rescued teammate in tow, retreating safely into the stadium, where everyone would remove their protective costumes: Brat, Hot Dog, Italian, Polish, and Chorizo. I can think of no better way to survive.
March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R15
ENTERTAINMENT // DOBIE MAXWELL
“Packing It In” BY DOBIE MAXWELL We’ve all seen the scenario more times than we can count. The aging star athlete calls a press conference to announce the inevitable – the time has come to hang ‘em up. They all use the same tired old clichés to the crowd of reporters that hangs on their every word and eventually the tears start flowing. Then they’ll say “I swore I wasn’t going to cry when I got up here… but I am.” And then it’s over, and the world keeps spinning. Each of these giants in their field walks on to that podium a living legend but walks off just another elschmucko. If they’re lucky they might be able to land a job as a broadcaster, but how many of those jobs exist? To most, the ride has ended. But what about us fans? We don’t get signed to any long term no cut guaranteed contracts, and for the most part we are stuck with our particular team in a given sport until death do us part. It’s a sweet deal for the team and the league and they know it. We keep coming back no matter what because we have been programmed to “wait ‘til next year” in hopes of winning the whole thing. Well, only ONE team wins it all in a given year and everybody else is disappointed. Those are not good odds, so championship seasons are to be cherished. Fans of a given team all know their glory years, and it becomes ingrained in their psyches. In Chicago, all the ’85 Bears are royalty. So are the ’69 Cubs, and they didn’t even win anything. They almost went to the World Series and there’s no guarantee they would have won that, but even the lowliest scrub player from that team can get a free beer on the north side of Chicago to this day. Sports fans are human sheep. I am ashamed to admit that I have fallen into this embarrassing category like millions of others, and I have done it numerous times in multiple sports. Growing up in Milwaukee in the 1970’s, the choices were pretty bleak as far as football and baseball went. The Packers were beyond horrible, and the Brewers made the Cubs looks like the Yankees. Losing sports
became a lasting tradition. To make it worse, I loved listening to baseball on the radio when I was a kid. Chicago stations come in crystal clear in Milwaukee, so I suffered through bad Cubs and White Sox teams as well as having to endure the torture of the Brewers after they were out of it on June 1st of every year. This stupidly didn’t stop me from continuing to be a fan though, and every year I would have my hopes and dreams violently dashed to the pavement by a subpar squad of sports stooges that cared about it a whole lot less than I did. They were getting paid win or lose, so my emotions did not play into the mix. A winning team to cheer for was Roadrunner, and I was Wile E. Coyote. Still, I continued to buy into the program – much to the delight of each team. I spent chunks of my hard earned money on anything and everything I could get my hands on from game tickets to programs to year books to bubble gum cards right down to my wardrobe. What loyal fan of any team anywhere doesn’t own a big stash of swag with a logo and team colors? I fell for it as well. I’ve got enough green and gold clothing to outfit my own team, and I paid full price for all of it – including the underwear and socks. I’ve got a winter coat, a fall jacket, a lanyard to keep an ID around my neck, t-shirts, sweat shirts, pajamas, a stocking cap and even fuzzy bedroom slippers. Baseball is nice, but in Wisconsin the Packers are a religion. I have some baseball clothing too, but it doesn’t come close to the volume of my Packer-phernalia. I have several jerseys, and when I happen to wear one in public I get compliments from people who would not know I was alive if I wasn’t wearing it. It has become a major thread of my identity, and all who know me know it. And then there was that pesky little NFC Championship game in Seattle in January. Like all of my Packer brethren
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and sistren, I sat on my couch decked out in full Packer gear while I watched my beloved heroes turn into The Three Stooges during the last five minutes of what should have been the cherry on the sundae before going to the Super Bowl. Instead, it was a pit to choke on. Stephen King couldn’t have written a more graphic horror story, and I saw my childhood come flooding back as the Packers went down in the most flaming defeat I can ever remember – and I can remember a lot. It would be like asking General Custer to offer up an opinion on which one of the arrows was the worst. If I had to make an educated guess, I would say it was the final one. Well, that was the final arrow for me as a Packer fan. I’ve had several weeks to think it over, and I have made up my mind. I am officially retiring as a Packer fan. I’m hanging up my lucky sweat pants – which didn’t turn out to be lucky at all. In fact, I thought I was going to soil them when Brandon Bostick dropped that onside kick. I just don’t need that kind of stress in my life. Don’t get me wrong, it has been a terrific run. I have pleasant memories of going to Lambeau Field with my grandfather several times as a kid, even though they lost every time. Having that memory of Gramps is still sweet even today, but I don’t have that kind of time to devote now. By my best calculations, I have watched almost every Packer game – preseason included – since 1975. That’s forty years, and at 20 games a year that’s sixty hours a year not counting the playoffs and Super Bowls. Who’s got that kind of time to spend on something that doesn’t pay a penny in return? I suppose I could start betting on the games, but that’s a whole other discussion. It might have been a rough start, but there have been some unbelievable high’s since 1992 when that hillbilly took over as quarterback. Yes he was great in his day,
and then crapped all over all of us when he went to play for the Vi-queens. That would be like a guy’s wife going to live with his best friend for two years, then wondering why he was a bit miffed. That puke is dead to me. But now that I am officially retired, I could not care less that they’re having a ceremony up in Green Bay this summer to retire his number and rub it in even more. I won’t be attending, and it doesn’t mean a thing to me. I will also have most of my Sunday afternoon’s and occasional Monday night’s free in the fall, so I can find something else to do for those sixty hours I have been giving to the NFL since before puberty hit. Like Keith Richards putting down the pipe, I am a new man! I am going to have to find some new clothes, but that’s okay. Whatever I choose will surely cost less than all the Packer wear I’ve been buying all these years. It sure will put an end to all of the impromptu arguments I’ve had to endure living in the Chicago area while remaining loyal to my boys for so long. Wearing a Packer jacket on Michigan Avenue is not something I recommend to anybody that isn’t a quick wit. I have defended myself for the last time. I feel safer already! Watching that Seattle game really squeezed the life out of me for being a sports fan in general. As a kid it’s fueled with hope that everything good will prevail and years of loyalty will someday pay off in championships. Ha! Ask any Cubs fan how that works out. It’s not fair and that’s life. I saw my team win the Super Bowl just a few years ago. Maybe I should have seen it again this year but instead of being upset I’ll choose to walk away happy. How much good can I do in three hours on a Sunday afternoon in October? I’m going to find out. Maybe I’ll work on writing that book I’ve been meaning to get to. Maybe I can go visit somebody in a hospital that doesn’t have anybody that cares. I’m not going to miss the NFL, and they’re surely not going to miss me. Dobie Maxwell is a stand up comedian, and writer. Find where he’ll be performing his next hell-gig at dobiemaxwell.com
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Saturday, July 18 | $28 The Second City | The most famous brand in live comedy. Hilarious, spontaneous, topical and insightful.
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Visit website for more info! 506 Mill St Green Lake, WI 54941 920.294.4279 info@thrasheroperahouse.com www.thrasheroperahouse.com March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R17
NEWS & VIEWS // THE VIEW FROM THE LEFT-FIELD SEATS
The University of Scott Walker BY DENNIS RILEY Anyone reading this is aware that Governor Walker wants to turn the University of Wisconsin System into a very different animal. In between the Governor’s Budget Address and the writing of this column – about five days – there has been an awful lot of talk about the size, shape, and strength of that new animal. Much of that talk, of course, has focused on the carnage that will accompany a $300 million cut piled on top of cuts imposed over the past half dozen years and seasoned with another two year tuition freeze. Another chunk has been devoted to the proposed UW System Authority, the vehicle for giving us greater flexibility over several aspects of our operations, most prominently over the tuition we charge. We would also get a dedicated revenue stream, one that would come from the sales tax, which just happens to be the most regressive tax imposed by the state of Wisconsin. In case you are not intimately familiar with the concept of a regressive tax it works like this. As income rises, the percentage of that income taken by a regressive tax gets smaller. Rich folks pay more sales tax than the rest of us, but it is a far smaller percentage of their incomes. But what interested me the most was something else, namely, the vision of a university that animated the cuts, the authority, and most of all the Keystone Cops effort to impose on us a new mission. The antiquated Wisconsin Idea – research that seeks truth, efforts to improve the lives of every citizen in the state, extending
ourselves out from campus to community be unemployed for any length of time and and so on – was to be replaced (sort of ) by are almost certain to make more money a focus on the workforce needs of the state over their lifetimes than are the people of Wisconsin. they went to high school with who decided In typical college professor mode, my not to join them. Finally, employer after first question was how do we define work- employer agrees that college graduates force needs? It could be seen as the needs bring to their jobs skills that are essential, of the employers of the state? But it could skills that can transfer from one type of also be seen as the needs of the workforce task to another. itself, that is, of the men and women who We are preparing a work force. But, take the jobs those employers have “cre- two things have to be kept in mind. ated.” I’ve got a strong hunch that the First, we often have no idea what jobs Governor would define it as the former. we are preparing them for. The Geography I’ve got an even stronger hunch that uni- and Psychology Departments at UWSP versity faculty, administrators, staff, and had no idea in the late 1990s that they students would were preparing Paul Rich folks pay more sales Graham and Anello choose the latter. Workforce develrespectively, to tax than the rest of us, but Mollica, opment is human develop what a nationally development and it is a far smaller percentage respected publication has human developcalled the best brewery of their incomes. ment is our first in Wisconsin. On one priority. level, they didn’t learn It’s not that we neglect the idea of this brewing or business. On another, they human development as part of a process learned to think and plan, and it seems leading toward jobs and eventually careers. to have worked wonders. I didn’t know I There isn’t a professor in the UW System was helping so many other departments who hasn’t had conversation after conver- prepare Kyle Chivers to be a fantastic sation with students – even prospective organic baker – and businessman. We here students – about possible careers and how at UWSP have prepared young men and they might prepare for those careers. I did women for far more conventional career the Freshman Orientation for incoming paths – law, medicine, accounting, politics, Political Science majors for 12 years and teaching, and so many more. The point is, jobs/careers was part of the discussion we we prepare them by helping them learn to had every time. Beyond that, the data is think. just as clear and convincing now as it was Second, we try to prepare the young 54 years ago when it was my turn to figure people who come to spend time with us out if I wanted to go to college. People to lead a full and satisfying life. The diswho graduate from college are less likely to couragingly well-kept secret of universities
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is this. We are bait and add institutions. We bait people with the job/career side of human development and then slip in the development for life side. When I left for Willamette University in the fall of 1961 it was a strictly a job oriented decision. I didn’t want to follow my Dad into the shoe business, my Mom to Penney’s, my uncle Emil to the General Mills plant, or my grandfather to repairing sewing machines. College seemed to offer the possibility of all sorts of open doors. The only one I thought about was high school History teacher and baseball coach. Nope. But I stumbled into one, and along the way I also stumbled into a vision of life that was so much broader and more satisfying than the one I came there with. I was still grounded in my parents’ most basic values, but I could look at music, art, literature, society, history, and who knows what all else through a very different lens. And I got that lens from friends, roommates, acquaintances, and most of all from Ed Stillings, Ted Shay, Noel Kaestner, Jerry Canning and a host of others. They were my teachers and my role models. I hope I have done the same for at least some of the students I have taught here over the past 36 years. Actually, I am pretty sure I have. So, we do a lot more of what the Governor seems to want than he appears to see. But more to the point, we do more than he seems to want to see. It’s important. Let us keep doing it. Enough out of me. Dennis Riley
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www.hilltoppubandgrill.com March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R19
NEWS & VIEWS // ROHN’S RANTS
Time to repeal the 17th Amendment BY ROHN BISHOP The states created the federal government, the federal government did not create the states. Following the Revolutionary War, America was governed by the Articles of Confederation, which set up an extremely weak national government. Each of the 13 states pretty much did their own thing, from printing money, to making agreements with foreign nations. There was no stable economy, or military to defend the fledgling states. In fact, each state ran its own affairs exactly as it saw fit, with no concern for the needs of fellow states, or the republic as a whole. There were a dozen different currencies; neighboring states taxed each other’s imports, while at the same time; many states passed laws that enabled debtors to escape paying debts from the Revolutionary War. After eight years, the states realized they needed a stronger national government. One that could raise a military force, negotiates trade agreements, and governs interstate commerce. Again, the states realized they needed a stronger national government. Representatives from the states met in Annapolis, Maryland in 1786. They proposed that the states appoint commissioners to meet in Philadelphia and consider revising the Articles of Confederation. Congress agreed to the proposal and suggested that each state select delegates to a constitutional convention. The Great Compromise The task of creating this new national government, and creating the supreme law of the new government, a constitution, would be no easy task. The states wanted a stronger national government that could defend and hold the republic together, while at the same time maintaining each state’s sovereignty; a federal government that was a coming together of the states. The biggest hurdle to this new national government was who would have the most
power. Delegates from the large and more populous states disagreed with those from the small states about representation in the national legislature. The larger states favored the Virginia Plan, under which population would determine the number of representatives a state could send to the legislature. The smaller states supported the New Jersey Plan, which proposed that all the states would have an equal number of representatives. The Connecticut delegates suggested a compromise that settled the problem. Their plan provided for a bicameral Congress, meaning there were two houses of congress, with equal representation in the Senate, along with representation in proportion to population in the House of Representatives. This proposal became known as the Great Compromise. The two memberships of the two houses were also to be chosen differently. Members of the House of Representatives were to be elected directly by the people, thereby being the closest to the people, and representing the needs of the people directly with each member of the House to be elected every other year and representing a small district of several thousand people. The United States Senate was created to represent the states in the federal government, and the issues most important to those states. Originally the constitution required each state legislature to appoint two senators to represent that state in the senate. The founders believed that senators elected by state legislatures would be able to concentrate on the business at hand without pressure from the populace. And to further isolate senators from dramatic changes in public sentiment, senators served six year terms, a third of the senate up for election every two years, and when a senator’s term was up, the state legislature decided whether to re-elect that senator or choose someone new. Each Senator was directly responsible to the state houses, the issues important to that state, and the sovereignty of the state, while each state legislator, whose votes
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would determine our senate representation, were directly responsible to us, the voters. And because state legislative districts are quite small, held responsible they were. This allowed for a check of federal government’s power by the states. A republic not a democracy Having lived under a dictatorial power of a King, the people of the new United States were worried about an abusive or run away federal government, so they created a system of three co-equal branches of government, to keep checks and balances on each other. It’s important to remember we live in a representative republic and not a democracy, this is an incredibly important distinction as the founding fathers wanted to ensure the rights of the minority. Thomas Jefferson said, “A democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where 51% of the people may take away the rights of 49%.” The Legislative Branch The House elected by the people to represent the people, and the senate appointed by the states to represent the states in the federal government. The Executive Branch A president, elected by the people in state-wide elections, with each state having a number of electoral votes, based on the size of their congressional delegation, was to represent all the people, the nation as a whole, and enforce laws passed by congress. The Judicial Branch Make sure laws don’t violate constitutional rights of the people A great example: Illinois 1858 Under the constitution you did not need to be a multi-millionaire who could self fund a state wide campaign to get elected to the senate. A great example was the now famous senate campaign of Illinois in 1858, when Abraham Lincoln challenged Stephen A. Douglas for Douglas’s senate seat. They traveled the state and held what have
become famous as the “Lincoln-Douglas” debates. In reality, neither Mr. Lincoln nor Mr. Douglas was asking for the votes of the voters. They were asking voters to vote for a Republican or Democrat member of the Illinois State House. Obviously, Republican members would have voted for Lincoln, while Democrat members would have voted for Douglas. This method of electing senators, along with the Electoral College, maintained state’s sovereignty, and ensured that the federal government was a government made up of the states, and not a central government governing over the states.
The 17th Amendment In 1913, during the progressive movement, when government started telling us how to live our lives, progressives successfully pushed through the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, which gave the people direct election of our senators. In theory, more democracy for more people sounds like a great idea, in fact that argument is why the 17th amendment was ratified in record time with little opposition, but the amendment threw off the balance of the states and federal government. Article 6 of the Constitution-the Supremacy Clause-guaranteed that federal law would always supersede state laws, so the senate was to serve as the brake pedal to the house’s gas pedal of direct democracy, thus balancing federal supremacy with states sovereignty. After 102 years the amendment has allowed for an ever increasing centralized federal government that runs roughshod over the states. State’s sovereignty is not only something of the past, but currently the federal government is suing states, and 24 states are suing the federal government, all because the states lost their voice in the congress. Without the balance of state control Continue on Page R22
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R21
NEWS & VIEWS // MEDIA RANTS
Reflections on Jon Stewart BY TONY PALMERI Jon Stewart recently announced that he will be leaving the Daily Show at the end of the year. For the millennial generation, Stewart’s departure must feel similar to what their grandparents felt when Walter Cronkite retired from CBS: sadness at the stepping down of a man perceived by them as trustworthy and honest. As a college teacher in the area of Communication Studies who works primarily with 18-22 year olds, I can testify that classroom clips of Stewart get a kind of appreciation from students that I never see after clips from “serious” correspondents like Scott Pelley, Brian “Tall Tale” Williams, David Muir, or any of the bloviators over at CNN, Fox, and MSNBC. My own view of Jon Stewart changes depending on what critical hat I’m wearing. In the remainder of this rant I will reflect on Stewart from three perspectives: teacher, media critic, and citizen. As a teacher, I should probably send Stewart a “thank-you” note. Some of my classes deal with practical communication issues: how to recognize and critique established issue frames, how to support claims with sound evidence and argument, how to recognize and expose reasoning fallacies in political argument, and how to develop irony and other “extraordinary” uses of language. The Daily Show’s been a gold mine Continued from Page R20 of the senate the feds more easily force mandates on states. Today, the feds tax our money; then graciously return the money to the states with rules attached. If states don’t like the attached rules, the feds give the money to some other state. This is how we end up with annoying federal mandates like a national speed limit, national education mandates, national health care, 1 gallon per flush toilets, obnoxious EPA regulations, and a ban on drug testing welfare recipients, to name a few. Today a senator’s primary concern is not for their state, but for their next re-election bid, and the easiest way to get re-elected
of illustrations for all that and more. As a media critic, I’ve appreciated Stewart’s brutally amusing takedowns of CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and indeed all of the establishment lapdog media. Unlike CNN’s Reliable Sources, and Fox’s MediaBuzz, both of which pretend to give viewers sophisticated analyses of media machinations but usually end up as little more than “insider baseball” shop talk, Stewart’s media criticism reduces the media giants to the absurdity that they’ve become. His insightful critique of the 24 hour news cycle in “CNN Leaves it There” and his reduction of Fox to the “lupus of news” in “Bernie Goldberg Fires Back” will remain as classic critiques of what passes for “news” on the cable channels. In an interview with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Stewart revealed a keen awareness of Fox’s formula for success: “They’ve delegitimized the idea of editorial authority while exercising incredible editorial authority” he mused. He went on to claim, quite accurately, that Fox expertly turns criticism of their programming into “persecution.” Lest you think, as many on the right do, that Stewart is somewhat of a “leftist,” the interview with Maddow as well as his “Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear” in 2010 left no doubt that Stewart sees himself as “in the stands” watching all sides as opposed to playing on the field alongside a team. He also had a well publicized verbal
skirmish with the NYT’s Paul Krugman a few years back (Krugman is probably the most liberal op-ed writer working in a mainstream news source.). Stewart’s dogged tendency to take shots at both right and left is, I think, less about being perceived as “fair” and more about wanting to remain independent. To me he seems mindful of the late satirist Frank Zappa’s admonition that (I’m paraphrasing here) “the right wants to shut you down and the left wants to use you.” As someone who’s been criticized by both of the “official” sides over the years, I can identify with where Stewart is coming from. I’m most critical of Jon Stewart when I put on the citizen cap. My thinking in this area has been influenced by a wonderfully provocative piece of scholarship (published 2007 in Critical Studies in Media Communication) by political communication professor Roderick Hart and University of Texas at Austin doctoral student Johanna Hartelius. Their essay “The Political Sins of Jon Stewart” argues that a proper understanding of the nature of Stewart’s cynicism leads to the conclusion that the Daily Show does not defend or support “small d” democratic values and maybe succeeds in undermining them. Hart and Hartelius claim that Stewart’s brand of cynicism, which has been around for ages but gains particular potency in the television era, works against the idea
that people can come together to solve problems. They write: “Real politics is hard, frustrating work. Instead of wrestling with such matters, cynics like Jon Stewart teach us how to cop an attitude. Why is copping an attitude now such an obsession? Because with television we can all be young, clever…and lazy. Cynics place faith in observation, not participation, and see irony as the only stable source of pleasure.” In support of the authors I can offer only anecdotal evidence: more often than not, the biggest fans of Stewart that I deal with either (a) have no interest in working with established organizations to participate in finding solutions to problems or (b) do participate but use Stewart merely as a form of “gotcha” to knock down their real or perceived opponents. In other words, they double down on the cynicism. Cynicism is sure profitable: the day after Stewart’s stepping down announcement reports surfaced that Viacom stocks lost $350 million in value. My own cynicism informs me that a comedy that did engage participation in the manner suggested by Hart and Hartelius would not make it through the corporate cable TV censors. Who knows, maybe Stewart freed from corporate constraints will become an activist comedian in the Dick Gregory mold.
is to tax the few and spend on the many, causing ballooning deficits, empowering special interest groups, and forcing multimillion dollar re-election campaigns on the American people. Senators who had been representing their respective state for 150 years were now representing those special interest that bankroll multi-million dollar campaigns, and instead of opposing overburdening mandates on their states, they support them, and while seeking masses of voters, now focus more attention on populated metropolises, whereas the state legislature equally represents the most rural of area with that of its biggest cities. We’ve turned the Senate into a “super” House of Representatives. It wasn’t
intended to be that, and it’s not working. The Federal Government no longer cares about the states. The 17th Amendment has been a failure, and like the 18th Amendment, it deserves repealing.
The 1994 Republican Revolution would not have resulted in a Republican controlled senate. Today, the GOP would have a filibuster proof majority in the US Senate, and Tammy Baldwin would not be in the senate For the record, I also support repealing the 22nd, 23rd, and 26th, amendments to the constitution. (Look them up) Rohn W. Bishop is a monthly contributor to the Scene, a former member of the Waupun City Council, Bishop currently serves as treasurer for the Republican Party of Fond du Lac County
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Some 17th Amendment tidbits Had the 17th Amendment not been ratified it is likely most of FDR’s New Deal would have been in real trouble, as Republicans likely would have controlled the U.S. Senate. Republicans would not have won the senate with the Reagan Revolution in 1980, as Gaylord Nelson, not Robert Kasten, would have been appointed to the Senate.
Tony Palmeri (palmeri.tony@gmail.com) is a Professor of Communication Studies at UW Oshkosh.
Contact Rohn: e-mail: rohnnyb@msn.com Follow Rohn on Twitter: @RohnWBishop
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R23
NEWS & VIEWS // RIGHT WING NUT
Remembering a Contrarian Gadfly BY ROBERT E. MEYER On December 11, 2014, Robert Nordlander, a household name to anyone who habitually read the opinion pages in the Appleton Post-Crescent, passed away after a lingering illness. Nordlander was also once a columnist in this publication and some years ago his portrait graced a monthly cover. Because I frequently offered rejoinders to Mr. Nordlander’s letters, I am in a position to write about my interactions with him from a unique perspective. Shortly after I first got connected to the Internet, I had a strange dream that after a brush with death, Nordlander denounced his atheistic convictions. Who knows if the experience actually meant anything, but it motivated me to contact him. I mailed him a cassette introducing myself and sharing my views with him. It also included a segment where Robert called into a talk show in the early 1980’s. I inquired about an event in 1977, where I might have met him as a youth. Shortly after sending the tape, a friend, Dr. Jake Jacobs asked me to replace him in an Internet forum which Nordlander participated in, known as “The Hegelians.” Between that venue and personal E-mails, Nordlander and I corresponded on almost a daily basis for years. Despite the monthly letters, most of the actual debating occurred behind the scenes. As far back as the 1990’s I read Nordlander’s letters and believed his assertions needed to be addressed. I knew I was inadequate for the task. That, in turn, motivated me to study and research, particularly in Christian apologetics and the psychology of atheism, until I felt confident I could address his challenges. So, as I often reminded him, I was his creation. I credit him for making me better than I would have been without ever knowing him. Years ago, I was asked to debate Nordlander at The Candlelight Club in Oshkosh. The audience included a host of stoic looking members, so I decided to
add a little levity to the event. I put an old shoe on the lectern when giving my opening remarks. As I continued, the curiosity over the shoe was mounting. Finally, I told the audience what the shoe was about. I explained that the last time I heard Nordlander debate, there was excessive table pounding, a la Nikita Khrushchev’s tantrum at the UN. I told them that I brought the shoe in case I needed to pound on the table myself. During the same debate, I explained to the audience that relatives who once lived around the block from Robert’s current residence took care of me as a child. I told them Robert missed his opportunity to sneak through the back yard and strangle me in my playpen. The members chuckled while Nordlander repeatedly announced from behind me “I didn’t live there back then.” Several winters past, David Horowitz appeared at Lawrence University for a lecture. Nordlander was in the audience and at one point got into a heated exchange with Horowitz. Afterward, an elderly couple approached me and asked if I knew who the man doing all the yelling was. I told them it was Robert Nordlander. The woman gasped and said “He’s the same in public as he is in the paper.” One unfortunate flaw of Robert, was that he was easily upset when certain topics were broached. One had to be extraordinarily gracious to resist pushing the buttons that would instinctively set him off. Despite his brilliant intellect, Nordlander was somewhat naïve in failing to recognize when he was being tweaked. It 2006, both Nordlander and I were interviewed by blogger Gavin Schmitt of The Framing Business Blog, who in a different post inferred that I was Nordlander’s “chief nemesis.” The links are still on the internet. http://framingbusiness.net/archives/131 http://framingbusiness.net/archives/141 In a strange sort of collaboration, Robert and I once collectively bought a set of cassette tapes on the Christian Reformation. I was happy to get them for half price,
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but always wondered why he wanted the tapes. My father diligently studied the Bible during his last years of his life. Once he asked me who I thought had informed him most about the scriptures. I said “Probably Robert Nordlander.” That was the correct answer. Once Dr. Jacobs invited all the Hegelian members, including Robert, over to his house for a Christmas party. We were probably the only two professing Christians there but had an engaging conversation. I played a tape that featured the highlights of the debate Dr. Jacobs and Nordlander had in 2001, broadcasted live on WHBY radio. Afterward, Jacobs lamented that the Hegelian constituents were growing old and feeble. On another occasion, Jacobs and I went to the monthly meeting of the Hegelians at the old Menasha Hotel. Nordlander didn’t own a car so we had to give him a ride home. I was hoping he would invite us in, because I heard that his house was a cross between a museum and a rummage sale. Sentimentality can cast a persuasive spell. It can win you elections, get you praise and, cause people who despise you to consider that you’re half-human after all. But the life and passing of someone we know demands contemplation and introspection deeper than recalling a few lively anecdotes. Robert Nordlander billed himself a man of reason, so by reason we must honestly evaluate his life perspective. Though I’m willing to extend Robert a bit of grace from harsh criticism, none of us is able to escape this implication: If Nordlander was wrong about Christianity, then he now has the empirical evidence that eluded him in life and can do nothing with that knowledge. If, on the other hand, he was correct about atheism, he can’t experience the pleasure of knowing he was right. Hmmmmmm?
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ENTERTAINMENT // BUDDHIST ADVISOR
Dreams, Dreams To Share My Dreams BY JOHN PRICE-KABHIR THE BUDDHIST ADVISER [Note: This is Part I of a two-part column on dreams. Part II will appear in a future edition of The Scene.] Waking life had a hardness about it. We can rap our knuckles on the table, feel the cold, feel pain, become exhausted after heavy activity. But dreams are different. Though every bit as real as waking life, dreams allow us to fly, to rise above the senses of normal life. In dreams, although in mysterious ways, much is offered beyond everyday life. Dreams are real. Inside a vivid dream, what happens is its own reality. We slip into dreams while sleeping, and then emerge before we wake. Dreams can be ascertained with machines tracing our eye movement and brain waves. But dreams are poetic, and their substance belies any machines. The reality of dreams is its own reality. Dreams are the closest things to magic in action as any aspect of life available to virtually all of us. People who say they don’t dream simply do not wake enough in the night to allow waking reality access to the dreams. We live in dreams, we live out fantasies and wishes, and we are confronted by our fears. Poets create dreams. Great poets bring words to life much like dreams do. Where do dreams come from and what do they mean? Perhaps we each have a kind of angelic Dream Creator, giving access to worlds of dreams often far more enchanting and interesting than normal waking life. Dreams have their own magic, their own Dream Creator. I once wrote in this column about using our dreams to inform waking reality. If we could look through into dreams like we might be gazing through a window, the lessons dreams offer us might indeed help us to solve our own problematic issues. Dreams just might bring our suppressed problematic matters to life and allow us opportunities to solve our problems. Throughout my life, I’ve had memorable dreams. Some of them are truly fantastic, setting aside all conventions and allowing me to fly, move through walls, traverse great distances. Others could be called nightmares, the kinds of dreams that keep one awake and have me too fearful of
the dream to return to it. Others aren’t particularly special, just mundane repetitions of normal day and thought activity. But when I hit on a recurring dream with obvious symbols, good dreams or bad, they get my attention. Not that any stock in trade dream book can help e.g. horses = X; fire symbolize Y. When I’m under the spell of mysterious recurring dreams, I am enchanted. There’s an important distinction between the dreams happening during deep, heavy sleep and light, airy dreams called daydreaming. People who meditate deeply and often produce brainwaves suggesting dreaming. But visions had during the deeper meditative states are not technically dreams. The most memorable vision I’ve had during meditation was of myself shrinking, shrinking before the door of a flaming hot woodstove, I bowed in blessing, and when I was small enough, the door opened slowly and I stepped in, burned up and disappeared, painlessly. A type of “pre-cognitive” dream has in it the element of clairvoyance and predicts the future. Many people have had this or that incident in a dream, only to have it actually happen in the waking world after the dream is over and the person awakes. We’ve all had these, and they often contribute to what we call déjà vu. A very long time ago, when I was twenty-four and a beginning teacher, I woke up from a very clear, lucid dream. It was so strikingly vivid that I woke my wife to tell her of it. In it, a woman I hadn’t known well, who had a strange way of walking in a kind tilted, kind of gait, appeared to me. And then, in my first day of teaching, the door down the hall opened, and there she was. This is not a particularly dramatic dream, but it remains memorable due to its striking accuracy. Another such dream happened on my first night at a Zen retreat at an Eastern (U.S.) monastery. In it, around the circle of people, a woman sat. This in itself was odd because at the time, no women were allowed in this type of retreat. Yet in the dream, in the circle, sat a strangely beautiful woman of indistinguishable origin. We were passing around the ritual Samurai sword, very gently as instructed. When the sword came to her, she quickly and with authority pulled it from the sheath, It
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glistened in the morning light, and she just as quickly rammed it back in its sheath. Despite our ban on talking, I told my bunkmate of this. He dismissed it as wildly imaginative and something that would never happen. As the retreat unfolded, surely, a woman, an Israeli, joined our circle through some kind of mysterious deal made with the Master. She indeed performed the action with the sword exactly as in the dream. The woman became the first in what is now a long line of co-ed retreats. Clearly, my mind wandered ahead in time while I was sleeping. Less than a year ago, my closest living relative died. He was a first cousin, and though we’d been estranged for some time, I always thought of him as a slightly older brother. He’d been there with me for many of life’s milestones. Hi8s sudden death shocked me, and in its wake, I have come to accept life after death in ways I never had before. I have some of his last photographs imprinted in my mind, and I can hear him
whispering in his own curious inflection to me, but always through a window. He offers in my dreams a way to get to him. I am not clear on that path, but its repetition in my dreams on so many nights tells me there is a way. Perhaps it’s only a longing, a desire. But it’s so real. Dreams can offer us ways to address our problems, our unresolved issues. I know for certain the “plot” of many recurring dreams for me is centered on things I have left behind in life unresolved. My repetitive dreams have been telling me for years that I need to be slower and more methodical in making life decisions. Dreams are not always painless, not always offering us exotic things. Dreams can bring shadowy and fearful things to the front of our consciousness. In further exploration, we shall see. John Price - Kabhir, is an ordained Zen householder. I welcome your input at 920558-3076; Shiningcrow11@yahoo.com
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GREEN CHOICES // SEEING GREEN
The Wolf Wars Resume BY WILL STAHL In the past I have been hesitant to write about the Wisconsin wolf issue, obscured as it was by too much smoke and heat and not nearly enough light. Besides, the law seemed settled in place; we were having a wolf hunt no matter what I or anyone else might think. But a recent court decision relisting the grey wolf as an endangered species has brought the issue to the fore again. The judge’s decision basically said that in the delisting process, the states of the western Great Lakes, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota would take a scientific approach to their management of their wolves. In the judge’s opinion, they had not done so, and the wolf should be back on the list, which seriously limits what individuals and the DNR can do about wolf management. The reaction by wolf hunters has been apoplectic. Already Reid Ribble has sponsored legislation to remove wolves from the endangered species list and prevent them from being relisted. Wildlife biologists see dangerous precedent there. Though I have heard wolves at night in the Northwoods here, I have seen only two wild wolves close up. With three other people I was floating the Noatak River in arctic Alaska. Rounding a tight, fast bend with a stiff wind in our faces, we came upon a wolf at the mouth of a small ravine, drinking water from the river. Looking up, it saw us, clearly startled, and after a moment’s hesitation, it turned and ran back up the gully, but it quickly circled back and stood atop the steep cutbank, watching with interest as we passed. As we paddled out of the bend, we saw on the opposite side of the river another wolf, standing on top of the cutbank, maybe fifteen feet above the water. It watched us approach, and as we drew closer, it began to pace and prance. We landed at the foot of the bank. A member of our party, a long-time Alaskan, stepped out of her boat with her camera, saying, “I want to see how close he’ll let me get.” As she climbed the bank the wolf intensified its dancing and spin-
ning until suddenly it turned and bolted across the tundra. Neither wolf showed any sign of hostility or threat. The overwhelming impression was how “doggy” they were––they behaved exactly as any of our domestic dogs would when confronting something it was both curious and anxious about. It seems to me that the wolf ’s manifest “dogginess” is part of the emotional content of the controversy swirling around the wolves of Wisconsin. Some people see a kinship between wolves and their own companion animals, so they feel a bit of kinship for the wolf. Those who are virulently anti-wolf or pro wolf hunting, which their rhetoric seems to make nearly synonymous, also see the dog in the wolf, but they see evil dogs, preternaturally cunning, vicious, and living only to kill the most helpless prey they can find. The pro-wolf emotional set is colored by stuff such as calendar pictures and videos, showing wolf parents doting on their adorable pups and wolves standing with fierce dignity in the winter snow. It was fed at the root by Farley Mowat’s quasi-fictional Never Cry Wolf, which depicted wolves as benign, almost friendly members of the wildlife community and promulgated the notion that no one in North America had ever been killed by a wolf. That claim turned out to be less than true but not really such a huge stretch. Wolf attacks on humans in this country have occurred, but they have been few and far between. The pro-wolf view has been shored up lately by the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park, which has proved beneficial to the park’s environment. Yellowstone, like several other western parks, has been overrun with elk, and they had eaten most of the streamside willows, removing the shade that cooled the water to fish-friendly temperatures, destroying the habitat of some birds, allowing the banks to erode and muddy the water, and removing the food of the beavers whose ponds had created habitat for all sorts of creatures.
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Wolves keep the elk moving and the streamside vegetation has grown back. Fish are thriving in the re-shaded water and the beavers have returned. The elk population has declined by half. Indications are that wolves are helping to restore conditions to what they were in pre-settlement times. Wisconsin wolf supporters point to these results and preliminary observations that our local wolves are having similar effects, keeping deer moving and preventing them from over-browsing particular areas. Wolves are a part of the naturally functioning ecosystem. In the views of the anti-wolf and pro wolf-hunting segment of the population, easily found on the Internet, wolves are vermin that have no redeeming characteristics. They have all the bad points of poorly trained dogs (mean, eat anything, destructive) and no good ones. They drive deer away from the family hunting lands, and probably kill way more deer than the DNR will admit. The DNR will not acknowledge that Wisconsin has many more wolves than its numbers show. The DNR said we have 850; I have seen Internet speculation that Wisconsin has between a thousand and four thousand wolves. The level of hostility and paranoia directed against the DNR and anyone else who wants to limit wolf hunting is rather startling. The bear hunters are angry because their dogs get killed when they wander into wolf territory. Coyote hunters are angry because the wolves kill or drive away the coyotes. Farmers and ranchers are angry because wolves kill or threaten their animals. Deer hunters are angry because they aren’t seeing the number of deer they used to see. Many Northwoods commenters say they don’t feel their pets and children are safe, though the number of actual pets (not hunting dogs) killed has been very small. Last year, it was four in the whole state. No attempts on children have been reported. Wolf supporters point to the official numbers and say wolves are not much of a hazard. The science hasn’t really been
done yet; let’s see how many the state can support. Some wildlife biologists believe that the population was running up against natural limits when it was in the 850 range. Wolf haters say the official numbers are crap and if they let the wolves keep multiplying, no one will be safe. They recite anecdotes of neighbors whose livestock was killed and mutilated or a bird hunter whose devoted lab was killed and eaten. That those incidents are rare compared to other forms of animal death doesn’t figure emotionally. The atavistic dread of the wolf overshadows the statistics and negates the compensation the state pays for losses. It is the bear hunters who are the key players in this drama. In Wisconsin hunters can use dogs to chase and tree bears. Seems a bit unsporting to me, but other states do allow it. What is unique to Wisconsin is that if a wolf kills a bear hunter’s dog, he or she is compensated $2,500. That money is paid even if the hunter is in an area designated by the DNR as having serious wolf danger. It’s paid even if he or she is hunting illegally, with a revoked license for example. This is apparently to maintain the bear hunters’ acceptance of wolves in Wisconsin though it hasn’t worked. I have never understood why their opinion was so important. What if I take my kayak down a wild river that is supervised by the DNR and wreck it on some rocks? Am I entitled to compensation because the DNR allowed the rocks to be in the river? I voluntarily set out down this river, knowing it had rocks and I could hit them, but since it is the DNR’s river, and they want rocks in it, they are at fault and should pay for my new boat. When you have a group that can carve a deal like this out of the state’s limited funds, the debate is already distorted. Add in the deer hunters, the ranchers, the Northwoods pet owners and the fairy-tale believers and you have a powerful constituency for diminishing or eliminating the wolf in Wisconsin. Before the wolf was initially de-listed, I participated in Sierra Club executive Continue on Page R30
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GREEN CHOICES // SEEING GREEN
Continued from R28 committee meetings when we debated whether to support the measure. We (I am a Sierra Club member) and other state conservation groups supported it based on an understanding with the DNR that they would undertake a five-year study before any hunting would be allowed. Wolf numbers were in the 850 range then. Some in the conservation community were in favor of maintaining endangered species protection until the grey wolf had re-occupied much of its previous range. Some, myself included, felt that was unrealistic. In my view what we were doing was conducting a scientific experiment to try to understand if and how humans and wolves could live in close proximity. If the DNR kept to its word and used the wolf ’s de-listed status to manage problem wolves and observe how wolves behaved as their population pressures moved them closer to human settlement, they might have found some important information. So much was unknown. My assumption was that hunting would at some point be necessary. Wolves must think people are dangerous. Of course about a day after the wolf was de-listed, Wisconsin’s Republican
legislature passed the most inclusive wolfhunting bill that wolf haters could have wished for. Under this bill, hunters could take wolves with bait, traps, dogs or hunting from vehicles. Even hunting at night though that was later dropped. No other state allows wolves to be hunted with dogs. The season is about five months long and extends through denning and breeding times. The anti-wolf community was gleeful. The wolf had been delisted from an endangered species because the states said they would undertake the scientific management of the population. Wisconsin did no such thing. Its legislature immediately set out to please the segment of the voters that wanted the wolf minimized or gone. No other voices were heeded. At the heart of this debate the wolf brings to a head the concept of what we want Wisconsin to be. Do we want it to be a game park, tree farm and resort, managed only to have plentiful game, make money and live out in shady quiet places? Or do we want it, as much as possible, to restore and sustain the historical relationships among its native living beings? The wolf is a menace to those who want the first
Wisconsin and a symbol of revival to those who want the second. The wolf debate in Wisconsin is a microcosm of the whole debate about how to live on our Earth. It plays out in controversy over forests, minerals, rivers, farming, hunting and fishing. It is between those who see the Earth itself as a commodity or source of commodities freely available to the highest bidder and those who see the Earth as the home of a community of life that we can use to the extent that we fit ourselves and our needs into it rather than remake it to fulfill our every desire. The wolf had long ago been flushed from the natural community and it was on its way to retaking its place, but that was short circuited before we could find out what that place might be. With little hope, given the legislative steamroller already firing up, I suggest we take a deep breath and use this moratorium to do some serious science on Wisconsin’s wolves. Some common-sense measures are readily available that would limit wolf depredation. For one, we could stop paying bear hunters for dogs they deliberately put into danger. Donkeys, apparently, are effective wolf deterrents when grazed with sheep and cattle. Perhaps the state could
subsidize the training and purchase of donkeys rather than pay out compensation for lost livestock. The DNR could foster education about the realities of living with wolves. The state could seek to reduce the wolf ’s status to “threatened,” which would allow more options for dealing with problem wolves. Finally, after the state has demonstrated some scientific management, it could apply to have the wolf de-listed again and hunting could resume, without dogs, and with quotas set so most wolves would be taken from areas with the highest concentrations of them or where the most wolf/human conflicts have occurred. Such was not the case with the previous hunt. Surveys show most people in Wisconsin, including many in wolf country, believe the wolf has a place in the wild lands of this state. Hysteria, rage and sentimentality are not good inducements to responsible wolf management. Firm science and calm deliberation would work much better. Let’s choose that way.
GREEN CHOICES // WISCONSIN IDEA
Aldo Leopold & the Wisconsin Idea BY MICHAEL MENTZER Change is in the air, in the angle of light, in our bones. We feel it more than we understand it. The feeling sends me to the bookcase to find “A Sand County Almanac” and the writings of acclaimed environmentalist Aldo Leopold. Somehow it warms my insides to hold the old tattered book with the cobalt cover, the image of Canada geese beneath the title and little yellow post-it notes sticking out from key passages marked over the past 30 years. It’s happened without fail for years — the need to read Aldo’s essays while realizing that winter is about to lose its grip on this part of the world. It may happen on a March night when the mercury plunges to zero or it might occur when the sun climbs a bit higher and warms the foundation wall
on the south side of the house. No matter how or when, it happens. Honoring Aldo’s legacy Years ago I promised myself that I’d honor Leopold’s memory and share his insights wherever possible these first days of March. Today the honor is here on these pages. And so are some concerns about our state today in the wake of the governor’s proposed budget and what Leopold might think about threats to aspects of Wisconsin he held dear. By proclamation signed in 2004 by the Wisconsin Legislature, the first full weekend in March is named in honor of Aldo Leopold. This year Aldo Leopold Weekend falls on March 7 and 8. Memorial events are scheduled throughout Wisconsin and in neighboring states as well.
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Aldo Leopold Day was observed March 1 at a gathering at the Fond du Lac Public Library to kick off the week of Aldo. For those who don’t know the significance of Aldo Leopold, he is a Wisconsin
man and a Badger State legacy with roots as deep and vibrant in our state as prairie blue stem, an acclaimed author and scientific writer, natural scientist, “evangelist of the environmental movement,” hunter, maker Continue on Page R32 • SAVE • SAVE • SAVE • SAVE •
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GREEN CHOICES // WISCONSIN IDEA
Continue on Page R30 of bows and arrows, forester in the wilds of Arizona and New Mexico, an educator who was appointed in 1933 as professor in the newly created University of Wisconsin Department of Wildlife Management, first chairman of the department in 1939, devoted husband of Estella, and father of five children who have distinguished themselves in the field of natural resources. Changing the world In the cause of environmental issues, Leopold virtually changed the world with his writings and teachings that land is not merely a commodity but rather a community. He stressed that people are citizens of that “land community,” not just users and abusers of what the land has to offer. In brilliantly written essays throughout his career and especially in “A Sand County Almanac,” published in 1949, he pointed out that humanity’s responsibility is to conserve and preserve, not exploit and destroy. Sixty-seven years ago, Leopold composed the Foreword to his Sand County essays. He didn’t live long enough to see his book in print, but his words ring true as they peal across the decades: “But wherever the truth may lie,” he wrote, “this much is crystal clear: our bigger and better society is now like a hypochondriac, so obsessed with its own economic health as to have lost the capacity to remain healthy.” Almost 50 years before Leopold’s words, President Theodore Roosevelt offered similar insights after viewing giant sequoias for the first time in his life. Finding greater value He saw greater value in the beauty of the “great monarchs of the woods” than in their so-called practical value as “house siding or decks or porches.” He said that “there is nothing more practical, in the end, than the preservation of beauty, than the preservation of anything that appeals to the higher emotions in mankind,” those aspects of life that can’t be enumerated with dollar signs. In my estimation, Aldo Leopold had an eye for, and feel for, those higher emotions in mankind. Teddy Roosevelt had those qualities too, I think, as they relate to the role of government, natural resources and interaction with the everyday citizen. There’s an uplifting, cerebral, feel-good sense to Leopold essays such as “Think-
ing Like a Mountain,” “Good Oak,” “The Geese Return,” “Marshland Elegy” and “Back from the Argentine.” I’d much prefer to write about those works and their significance in the long run, but there are topics much more pressing that deserve attention today. They relate to natural resources in our state and the Wisconsin Idea that has formed the bedrock and guiding principle of the University of Wisconsin for more than a century, service to the state and its people, and the cornerstone of “sifting and winnowing” in search of truth that is part of our Wisconsin DNA. Reason for concern Gov. Scott Walker has submitted a proposed state biennial budget that raises the eyebrows of any clear-thinking citizen of this state. Aldo Leopold must be figuratively sitting bolt upright in his grave as the potential impact of the budget plays out in discussions about the harm it could conceivably do. I say “harm” because I don’t see any good in it for the regular citizen. Perhaps there is good for the governor in terms of more power for him and his supporters who focus their vision only on jobs, money and development at the expense of public service, research and betterment of the human condition. A month ago in these pages we looked at the prospects for preservation of a number of prized parcels of Ledge property in Fond du Lac County to be saved in their natural state for posterity. The governor’s proposed budget would prevent such an effort by shutting down stewardship grants for more than a decade. Stewardship grants, named in honor of Gov. Warren Knowles (a Republican) and U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson (a Democrat) and other forms of state funding are crucial to the purchase of private land for the public’s benefit. Erosion of power In addition, the governor’s proposed budget would strip power from the state’s Natural Resources Board and make it an advisory body only, not the citizen policymaking board that it is today. The origin of the Natural Resources Board can be traced to the Wisconsin Conservation Act of 1927 when a group of environmental giants of thought and action helped get a law passed that created
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a citizens’ board known as the Wisconsin Conservation Commission. Among the leaders of the movement in 1927 and ’28 were Aldo Leopold; Haskell Noyes, who helped secure land for the Kettle Moraine State Forest; and William Aberg, who helped ensure continuation of timber growth and proper harvesting in the state. As a result of their efforts and those of the legislature, citizens were appointed by the governor and served on the board as volunteers to establish policy for the state conservation agency. They served in the interests of fellow citizens and natural resources with no influence in the form of money, gifts, politics or votes. The name of the commission was changed in 1967 to the Natural Resources Board. The governor already has the power to appoint the secretary of the Department of Natural Resources. That is power enough — some would say it is more than enough and such power should not be concentrated in the domain of just one person. Prior to 1995 the Natural Resources Board selected the DNR secretary. The Tommy Thompson budget bill of 1995 took away the board’s ability to select the secretary. The post became a political appointment and provided the governor with greater political power. It appears Gov. Walker’s budget proposal seeks even more power for the governor in the realm of natural resources and development related to business, land and mining to name a few. What would he say? I keep wondering to myself: What would Aldo Leopold do? What would he say about this? Not only was Leopold a steward of the state’s resources, he was a UW professor and chairman of the university’s Department of Wildlife Management. He knew firsthand what the Wisconsin Idea entailed and what it stood for. He taught it, he breathed it and he lived it. The Wisconsin Idea is sacred to people of this state. In essence it says that the mission of the University of Wisconsin System is to improve the human condition, enhance people’s lives, search for truth for truth’s sake, reach out with knowledge to the people of the state, conduct research and provide public service. A key aspect of the university’s mission statement is that the university extends
beyond the classroom and the campus to include the entire state. When I was a student I viewed the Wisconsin Idea as something even bigger — education and service to the nation and even beyond. I still see it that way. A diminished Idea Gov. Walker’s proposed budget includes a diminished view of the Wisconsin Idea. It includes changes in the “purpose and mission statement.” The budget also includes a proposed massive cut of $300 million over two years to the UW System. The governor’s budget apparently seeks to concentrate greater effort and less resources for the university in favor of the “the state’s workforce needs.” It seems to me that interest in dollars sometimes overpowers the interest in concepts that matter more. I know Aldo Leopold would agree. In the weeks since Gov. Walker’s budget was unveiled, there has been an uproar of sorts about its potential impact on the state’s natural resources and the mission statement of the university system. Walker eventually chalked up the furor about the Wisconsin Idea to a language drafting error by a subordinate. In effect, he said, ‘Don’t worry about it. It was just a mistake by an underling. The language will be corrected.’ I find that really hard to swallow. The proposed budget will be debated in the months to come. Changes will be made — hopefully changes for the greater good. A need for respect Aldo Leopold was an accomplished man of science and a respected man of letters. That is a rare combination in this world of ours. We need more people like him. And we need to respect what he and others accomplished and make sure those accomplishments aren’t cast into the waste pile created by unnecessary tax and funding cuts, excessive borrowing, over-development of land, fouled resources and greater political power at the expense of qualities of greater value in the long run. Michael Mentzer, now retired after a 40-year newspaper career, writes a monthly column for Scene.
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R33
OUTDOORS // STURGEON SEASON
Sturgeon Season Ends Safely With High Harvest
On Day-1 of the 2015 season, spearers braved high winds on Lake Winnebago
BY RYAN KOENIGS
Chad Cherney and his 137-pounder that measured 80.3-inches at Payne’s Point
Sturgeon fishermen, having braved some of the most brutal weather conditions in memory, closed out the 2015 spearing season on Lake Winnebago today with a total harvest of 2,158 fish, the sixth highest harvest on record. Conservation wardens with the state Department of Natural Resources said the more than 13,100 licensed fishermen pulled off a safe season with no reported injuries and generally excellent compliance with regulations. DNR sturgeon biologist Ryan Koenigs
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said sturgeon fishermen are experts at dealing with conditions many people would consider life threatening. They are also a patient lot, he said, often waiting inside their darkened shacks hour after hour, day after day and season after season before opportunity suddenly arrives, to be followed by seconds of sheer pandemonium. “Sturgeon spearing is an exercise in patience, persistence and perseverance,” Koenigs said. “I think most people were happy this year. Anytime they can fish in clear water they know they have a better
chance of seeing fish and being successful. The big thing is that people were able to get out and pursue their passion, and they did it safely.” The sturgeon spearing season is largely a family affair on Lake Winnebago – home of the largest, native population of lake sturgeon in the world – where the pastime has been passed down through the generations and new stories are added to family lore with each new season. Today, on the eighth and final day of the season, a father and son from Oshkosh registered their fish together. Derek
OUTDOORS // STURGEON
quickly when conditions are favorable and Detailed records the sturgeon will pack on the pounds. of the season can be “The decrease in shad has nothing to found online at dnr. do with the numbers of sturgeon,” Koenigs wi.gov by typing said. “And this isn’t going to be any real “sturgeon” into the detriment to the sturgeon. The fish just search box and a aren’t quite as heavy this year.” photographic record The season on Lake Winnebago lasted can be viewed on 8 days this year. The closure was set for the DNR’s Facebook today after the harvest of adult female page - www.facebook. sturgeon reached the “90 percent trigger” com/WIDNR Friday. The cap was set at 878. In the end, 911 adult female sturgeon were speared. Ryan Koenigs is Koenigs said exceeding the cap by 33 fish a DNR Fisheries was not a problem. There are many years, Biologist he said, when the cap is not reached, often because cloudy water limits visibility. This year, Father and son team, Robert Drexler and spearers enjoyed good his 12 year-old son Derek fished out of the same shack on Lake Winnebago. On the water clarity. final day of the 2015 season the younger “The system is set up so bested the elder. Derek speared a 70-inch, we can keep the harvest at 76 pounder, and half an hour later, Bob got or very close to 5 percent the 50-inch, 24 pounder. They registered of the adult population,” at Jerry’s Bar in Oshkosh. No word on how Koenigs said. “This was a much razzing Dad took at the tavern for sustainable harvest.” his much more diminutive fish.
Fa
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Drexler, 12, in his first season of eligibility, was fishing out of the same shack with his father, Robert, 44. Derek speared a 70-inch fish that weighed 76 pounds. A half hour later, the father threw his spear and landed a 50-inch sturgeon weighing 24 pounds. They were photographed together, creating a family heirloom. The largest fish of the season – 81.3 inches long and weighing 137.5 pounds – was speared Tuesday by Chad Cherney and registered at Payne’s Point. While there were more fish speared on Lake Winnebago this year than last, the weights of the fish were down. A drop in the shad population – a fatty food source – meant the sturgeon were a bit “skinny” this year, with heads that were bigger around than their bodies. Cherney’s fish, for instance, when compared to the top 11 heaviest sturgeon ever registered, was longer than 9 of those behemoths. Koenigs said this year’s sturgeon weight loss is not a concern for their long-term viability. Shad populations will rebound
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R35
ENTERTAINMENT // CONCERT WATCH MARCH 2015
Concert Watch - Gregg Allman BY JANE SPIETZ Since their formation in 1969, the Allman Brothers Band was responsible for such classics as “Ramblin’ Man,” “Jessica,” “Midnight Rider,” “Melissa,” “Blue Sky,” “Whipping Post,” “Statesboro Blues,” “Dreams” and many others. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995. The Brothers performed their final series of concerts together over six nights last October at one of their favorite venues – the Beacon Theater in New York City. Co-founder Gregg Allman has successfully divided his time between performing with the band that carries his name and as a solo act. His first album, Laid Back (1973), was well received and the 1987 single, “I’m No Angel,” charted at #49, with the album of the same name later going gold. T-Bone Burnett produced Allman’s Low Country Blues, which was nominated for a Grammy in 2011 for Best Blues Album. Allman won a Lifetime Achievement award for Performance at the 2011 Americana Music Honors and Awards. His 2012 autobiography, “My Cross to Bear,” became a New York Times best seller. A special star-studded concert honoring Gregg Allman recorded in January 2014, All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman, featured such artists as Jackson Browne, Eric Church, Taj Mahal, Dr. John, Vince Gill, John Hiatt, Trace Adkins, Martina McBride, The Allman Brothers Band and many others. Gregg Allman and Taj Mahal were nominated for a Grammy Award this year for their live performance from this album in the Best American Roots Performance category. Allman received the living legend award at the 10th annual Classic Rock Roll of Honour ceremony last fall in Hollywood. He recently established a scholarship in his name to the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music. I recently connected with Gregg Allman during a well-deserved break from the action. Jane Spietz: Hi Gregg. The last time I interviewed you, you were at home and some guys were cranking up your Arlen
Ness Highliner motorcycle! Do you still enjoy riding? Gregg Allman: I love to ride. I always have, always will. I love the freedom it brings, and there are these great open roads around my home in Savannah that are just perfect for riding. That’s one of the many reasons I love living down here. JS: When you’re not making music or touring, how do you spend your time these days? GA: Fishing has been a favorite pastime of mine since I was kid, and over the years I’ve picked up painting. I love to go up to this room in my house that has this spectacular view of these old oak trees; it inspires me. Painting truly relaxes me, and it’s something I’ve really come to enjoy. JS: For your fans, please tell us how you were first introduced to the Hammond organ. GA: I fooled around with a B-3 a few times when I was kid in Daytona, but my first real lesson about the Hammond came from a guy in St. Louis named Mike Finnegan. The Allman Joys were playing this club called Pepe’s a Go Go, and Mike was in this band called the Serfs. He let me sit down behind his Hammond, which is something most guys won’t do, and I fell in love with the sound of the B-3. Mike turned me on to Jimmy Smith, and man, I was hooked. It’s funny though; as much as I love it playing it, I’ve only written two songs on a Hammond, “Dreams” and “Demons.” JS: Some of the early adventures of the Allman Brothers were adapted for the movie Almost Famous. Please share this great story of that connection. GA: (Rolling Stone writer) Cameron Crowe came out with us for a few weeks when he was like 15 or 16, and man, we took him to school a bit! He was a great kid, and even then you could tell he had talent no one would have thought he’d go on to make the movies he’s done. Cameron’s not ‘almost’ any more. I love Almost Famous, because Cameron caught the spirit of the band, and so many of those scenes were just perfect. That’s how it was, no doubt. JS: Will there be a follow-up to your 2011 chart bustin’ album, Low County
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Blues, with T-Bone Burnett? GA: We have a live CD from my solo band coming out later this year. It was from a smokin’ show we did in Macon, GA last year. I’m also determined to do an album that’s made up of songs written solely by me. I want the credits to read ‘All compositions by Gregory L. Allman.’ JS: Your 2012 autobiography, “My Cross to Bear,” became a New York Times best seller and is an amazing read. How did the book come to be? GA: I first started writing about my life back in the ‘80s. I would jot memories and stories down on legal pads and in notebooks, and then I would set it all aside. Then I began to do interviews on tape with a former employee of the band who was really informed on dates, shows and events about the band. We had hours and hours of stuff, and finally Michael Lehman, my manager, decided we really had to make a move to get it published. He went to Harper Collins, and I couldn’t be more pleased with how everything came together. #2 on the New York Times best seller list. Man, I still can’t believe that! WHAT: Gregg Allman WHERE: Potawatomi Casino/ Northern Lights Casino, Milwaukee WI WHEN: 8 PM March 24 – 25, 2015 COST: $75/$70/$65 INFO: www.greggallman.com www.paysbig.com/shows/headliners/ JS: The Allman Brothers Band performed its final shows last October at the Beacon Theater. What was that experience like? GA: It was everything I hoped it would be, and more. We wanted the Allman Brothers to go out on top. There was no way we were going to become a parody of ourselves. That final show was special, and I know my brother would have approved. After 45 years the time had come, and we did it right. JS: Share some of the highlights from All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs & Voice of Gregg Allman, the recording of the January 2014 concert tribute to you.
GA: Man, that whole night was a highlight! The one and only Sam Moore just owned “Please Call Home,” and I got to see old friends like Taj Mahal and Dr. John. I loved how Trace Adkins, Eric Church, Vince Gill and Martina McBride put a country twist to some of my songs, and singing “Melissa” with Jackson Browne actually made the both of us tear up a little bit. It was a show I’ll never forget, no doubt about that. JS: Who are the members of your touring band? GA: I’ve got a kick-ass band. It’s one of the best line-ups I’ve ever put together. The veterans of the band are Scott Sharrard on guitar, Jay Collins on sax and Steve Potts on drums. They’ve been with me for a while now. The ‘newe’ guys are Peter Levin, who has played keyboards for Aaron Neville and Levon Helm, while Ron Johnson has played bass with Karl Denson and Warren Haynes. People know percussionist Marc Quinones from his twenty years in the Allman Brothers, and about a year ago Art Edmaiston and Marc Franklin joined Jay to give us a killer horn trio. Man, we play with a groove that’s a mile wide. JS: I just finished listening to your son Devon’s album, Turquoise. Wow, I absolutely love it! It’s apparent that Devon has not fallen far from the Allman musical tree! GA: I’m very proud of Devon, and Turquoise is a hell of an album. Devon has earned everything he’s gotten, because a name will only get you so far in this business. JS: We are so looking forward to your shows at the Northern Lights Theater in Milwaukee in March. What can your fans expect to experience there? GA: There will be something for everyone who comes out, I can promise you that. We’ve got a set list that covers my solo career, some Allman Brothers tunes I’ve rearranged to fit the sound of my solo band, and a couple of killer cover songs as well. People can spent a few hours singing along and dancing their butts off, and then go home with a big smile because they forgot about their problems for a while. That’s the power of music, and that’s why I still play.
March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R37
ENTERTAINMENT // THE SPANISH INQUISITION
WiFEE and The HUZzBAND: LOTTA FUN AND GREAT MUSIC BY GEORGE HALAS The Inquisition is constantly mesmerized by the fact that The Universe will go to the ends of the earth to create great music. Halfway across the country anyway…. Our story starts in sunny southern California, the birthplace of Ruby James. No one knew back then she would one day be Kitty CoopDeVille. Meanwhile, back in the Fox Cities, Steve Cooper was developing some impressive sax and vocal chops, playing with stellar outfits like The Groove Hogs and The Jazz Orgy. James went to make a major mark on the music scene in Austin, Texas, before heading to Wisco in July of 2012 as ‘The Universe’ stepped in, directing her to Gordon Lodge in Bailey’s Harbor. “I went to Gordon Lodge for the first time in 2012 right after Steel Bridge Songfest. My best friend, Anna, took me up there two days before my flight was supposed to go home to LA where I was going to spend the summer seeing if I wanted to move back to California. I had been living in Austin for the last five years,” she said. “It seemed so crazy but I decided to stay on a whim and take the job as a bartender. I had a suitcase and a guitar...that was it. But I had been struggling with some life stuff, not inspired to play much music and I thought this was perfect. I’ll spend the summer in paradise with my best friend, ride my bike, work and meditate and not be distracted by guys or anything.” The U also had Cooper on speed dial. “In July of 2012 I originally went to Gordon Lodge to play a pick up gig as a side man for a band I don’t usually play with,” Cooper recalls. “Two days before that gig, I had been playing a show in Silver City, New Mexico with my band, The Jazz Orgy. Just as I was about to leave, a very dear friend of mine, who is also a clairvoyant, stopped me before leaving and told me without hesitation that in two days I would meet a girl. THE girl! She would be from Texas, and she was going to take
my world and flip it upside down...for the better! She would be the one I’d been looking for, but it was gonna go real fast, so hang on real tight.” “Due to plane delays, I was awake for 38 hours by the time I got home,” he continued. “I woke up late on the day of that Gordon Lodge gig and tried to get out of it because I was still so tired but I was assured by the band leader that they really wanted me to come...and I’m sure glad I did!” At the break, Cooper asked bartender James “does the band get a Coke?” and “it was love at first hair sight. We got engaged three weeks later on August 6 in Sturgeon Bay at pat mAcdonald’s birthday party,”
Dear” together in about 30 minutes the night we arrived!” “The light bulb went on! Wow!! Look what we can do! We also wrote “I Knew” that week and Coopy wrote, “The Get Down” with our guitar player.” “On our drive back to Austin in a blizzard driving about five miles an hour with hardly any visibility I was pleading with Coopy for us to move back to Wisconsin,” James recounts. “I said ‘Look what we just did!! Don’t you see? We need to move back to Wisconsin and put this band together.” “Coopy thought I was nuts at the time,” she added. “We came back to Wisconsin in June
James noted. It was love, but not necessarily music, at first. “I moved Coop back to Austin with me in November on a tour with Rosie Flores,” James said. “We had no idea yet we would play music together; just figured I’d take Coopy to Austin and make him famous with all that talent he has.” “We returned to Wisconsin in February of 2013 to attend the week-long writing event Love on Holiday at The Holiday Music Motel where we wrote “Forever My
for Steel Bridge Songfest, wrote some more songs “She Won’t Go,” and “Fall in Lovers,” and stayed in Wisconsin,” James said. “Our friends asked us to play their wedding in September and that forced us to put the band together. So it took us six months after we met to realize we should play music together and that we had something really special with those first few songs and then it took another six months after that to put the band together.” The songwriting has become a very productive partnership as well.
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“I would say we both contribute pretty equally,” Cooper said. “Generally one of us will come up with an initial idea and we will bring it to the other and try to run with it. Basically something sung into a voice recorder and we will both work on lyrics and chords and melody together.” “We had come in late to Love on Holiday and we missed being paired off into songwriting groups so we seized the opportunity to try writing together,” He continued. “I had the initial idea for “Forever My Dear,” but that idea was mostly just chord changes and part of the melody. Ruby really liked it so we focused in on it and came up with the rest of the melody together, including the hook, and then wrote the lyrics together.” The success was almost immediate. “It feels like the band took off like a rocket,” James said. “We went back to Austin in March of 2014 and played a bunch of shows during SXSW (South By Southwest). We played between 50-60 shows in our first year together. We have pretty much put ourselves on the national touring band level in just a little over a year. 2015 is shaping up to be even better. “All the same big festivals wanting us back for this summer plus there are some new exciting developments like Jazz in the Park in Milwaukee this summer,” James said. “We are touring to Texas again in April and will play Houston, Austin and New Orleans. We are headed to Austin to play the big car show, The Lonestar Roundup, where we will open for legends Wanda Jackson and Elvis’ guitar player/ Wisconsin boy James Burton. “We’ve also had this residency in Chicago once a month at Untitled for the past year and we were asked to kick off the Peg Egan Center summer concert series in Door County this coming June,” James added. “They only book national touring acts. Johnny Lang kicked off their series last summer, so we are quite honored to kick off the series this year.” “The whole band is excited to finally be playing in Appleton at Mill Creek
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R39
ENTERTAINMENT // THE SPANISH INQUISITION
on March 6th,” James said. “Our show last month at Thelma Sadoff Performing Arts Center in Fond du Lac was incredible
experience. It was sold out with 40 people on the waiting list.” Even without James and Cooper, the
players on the album, Vee Sonnets (guitar), Greg Roteik(bass), Zach Vogel(drums), Kipp Wilde(keys),Kurt Shipe(trumpet), Tommy Vanden Avond(trombone), Greg Garcia(trumpet) and Julio Reyes (baritone sax) represent a collection of top talent that would be worth paying good money to see. (Vogel is replaced by Chris Scheer or Mike Underwood for the live shows). Cooper could front this band without James – his always outstanding vocal chops are better than ever - again, top value for your money… But when you add James’ considerable talent, the results are electric. More importantly, it’s a lotta’ fun. Everybody in the band is having a good time. The enormous chemistry that runs hot between James and Cooper is augmented by cool band chemistry. The band is also a fun visual treat. The
songs, while technically complex, nuanced at times and very well-crafted, end up being toe-tappin,’ finger-snappin’ fun as well. Both James and Cooper are incredibly gifted and accomplished, serious musicians – Coop’s got WAMI’s – but they are also talented and accessible entertainers who push the fun to the forefront. Part of Cooper’s “brand” has always been his long black 1959 Cadillac, hence “CoopDeville” and “Kitty CoopDeVille.” It all works very well for you, the viewer. If solitude and quiet are what you seek, WiFEE and The HUZzBAND is probably not your best bet…. However, if what you seek – and The Inquisition quotes Belushi on Bliss here – “as much fun as you can have with your pants on,” go early and grab some dance floor.
WIFEE AND THE HUZZBAND CD Review
Songs of Eternal Love and Immediate Satisfaction BY GEORGE HALAS The great multi-instrumentalist and thought leader Dennis Jones once opined that Wham’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go would have been a hit in any decade of the Twentieth Century. Likewise, Songs of Eternal Love and Immediate Satisfaction is a record that combines and ultimately transcends genres; one can’t help liking it for a bunch of reasons. On first listen, it is an infectious pop tour de force that utilizes the fun rock of the 50’s and 60’s with big band R&B to inform a robust, very danceable, hornaccented sound. The songs are the product of the combined pens of Ruby James (Kitty CoopDeVille) and Steve Cooper (Coop DeVille). On second listen, it becomes apparent that, while the songs recall certain pop rock genres, they are sophisticated, multi-layered well-crafted compositions; Cooper’s horn arrangements – and his always stellar tenor sax playing – complement the songs and the sound. Fun and danceability are the common
themes that weave throughout the record. Alert: this is not the best music for meditation. Think party. In addition to a talent for turning catchy hooks into full-blown musical compositions, the duo harmonizes very well vocally. James has a multi-faceted voice that ranges from the virginal innocence of the 50’s (i.e., Sandra Dee, Annette Funicello as well as certain Taylor Swift tunes) to smoldering sultry. Cooper’s tenor has never been better as when he takes the lead and blends perfectly with James. The opening track, She Won’t Go, and Goodnight Moon are a pair of 50’s-inflected tunes that give James an opportunity to run a full gamut of “relationship” emotions. I’ve Been A Fool has an early 60’s – Carole King kind of sound and showcases Cooper’s tenor playing. The band, with a Cooper vocal lead, turns Girl Can’t Take It into an R&B anthem with exactly the right groove to showcase the horns and a tasty trumpet solo by Greg Garcia. With Kipp Wylde’s B3 setting the tone, James takes an understated vocal approach on I Knew that exposes complex emotional
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vulnerability and sets the stage for perhaps Cooper’s best work on the record. Forever My Dear is one of the first tunes James and Cooper wrote together and, in addition to the obvious chemistry, the song gives Cooper the chance to shine vocally as well as contributing another stratospheric sax solo. Baritone sax player Julio Reyes sets the groove of Our Love in a way that recalls Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes – James brings a level of emotional sophistication that takes the tune into new territory. The Get Down starts with a Jailhouse Rock feel and tempo, then Cooper and the rhythm section cut loose, and the result rocks. The album tells, in part, the story of the romance between Kitty CoopDeVille and Coop DeVille, but it also tells a bigger story. “All originals so far have been penned under the roof of the Holiday Music Motel. We say the band was born out of the Motel as that’s where the songs have been written and our rhythm section came out of the events,” James said. “That world of singer songwriters that I come from mixed with
C o o p ’s virtuoso jazz world out of the Fox Valley is the magical combo that has created what is WiFEE and the HUZz BAND. A little punk rock rhythm section mixed with a pristine horn section from the jazz world and with a couple of crazy looking front people and voila, you’ve got us!” Produced by pat mAcdonald, the album features a group of outstanding musicians including Vee Sonnets on guitar, Greg Roteik, bass, Zach Vogel, drums, Kipp Wilde, keys, Kurt Shipe, trumpet, Tommy Vanden Avond, trombone, Greg Garcia, trumpet and Julio Reyes, baritone sax. For additional information and/or to purchase, go to: wiffeeandthehuzzband.com
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R41
ENTERTAINMENT // POSTCARD FROM MILWAUKEE
The Long Haul BY Blaine Schultz Gurf Morlix, Kevin Gordon, Phil Lee and Johnny Dowd may not be household names but all of these singer/songwriter/ musicianss have found creative ways to make a career work well into the age when most folks are planning to retire. Don’t be surprised if none of these guys ever hang it up. Their careers have drifted from Buffalo, New York; Monroe, Louisiana; Durham, North Carolina and Fort Worth, Texas. They have won Grammy Awards, played living room concerts and everything in between – rubbing shoulders with the likes of Lucinda Williams, Keith Richards, Neil Young and Charles Bukowski. What they have in common is a rare combination of talent, grit and tenacity that defines their songs. They all have new cds out or on the way. Gurf Morlix’ new album Eatin’ At Me is out now. At this stage of the game he sums his career thusly, “Honestly, I have never enjoyed life more. My career, such as it is, has been a slow build. I’ve been producing albums for some of the best songwriters in the world for the last 26 years, but it’s the songwriting I am concentrating on now. I’ve been writing songs all my life, but it’s only been the last 8 years or so that I have felt that I have been writing songs that people respond to. Now, all I want to do is go out there and play them for anyone who wants to listen. I know that they will feel be moved. I think with every album, the songs get better, and the sounds get better. I just want people to come find me and listen.” His process for a new album is a basic one. “It somehow seems to be organic, he said. “I don’t have to plan and plot much at all. I write a lot. Every chance I get. Not every song is good, but somehow I manage to figure that all out. By the time I am ready to record, I usually have enough songs for 2 albums. Then the job is to figure out which of those are worthy. That can be difficult, sometimes. Somehow, the day job I have of being a record producer fits into the schedule, and any album that
needs to be made will be made.” These artists built their careers working in band situations but time and wisdom suggested a more lean operation at times to press on. Phil Lee’s philosophy was humorous and quite simple. “I fired everybody. I fired people that didn’t even work for me. It got good to me all that firing. Then I had to figure out how to do it alone. That was tough. I knew I’d suck for a while until I figured it out or at least got used to being onstage alone...I learned to finger pick. I became more wardrobe savvy. Spruced up the in between song patter and I found out quick the difference between a real song and an ‘I wish I hadda song’...it was all a challenge except for the splitting up the money at the end of the night part. That part I liked. There’s also satisfaction in getting the job done all by your lonesome... Oh yeah, I kept the booking agent. Her I didn’t fire.” Relying on his self-deprecating wit, he defines his current status – but read between the lines. “I could make a good case for failure...I’m working, well equipped, highly mobile and there are future gigs on the calendar...Bingo! I never knew not being rich and famous could be so rewarding. Let’s face it, I’m pulling down on a good day, maybe 27 cents an hour, but considering how satisfying it all is, I’d probably do it for less... His recent album Some Gotta Lose falls into his philosophy. “Mainly I got the idea from never having a snappy come back to the query, “you’re so dang fabulous (I paraphrase) how come it is I’ve never heard of you?” (That with the implication it’s somehow it’s my fault. The noive)...My pat answer became ‘Hey, some gotta lose’”. Kevin Gordon sees taking advantage of new formats as a way to keep fresh material in front of his listeners. “I really feel pressured to release tracks more often--with the short-attention-span theater out there, you’ve gotta do it just so people remember that you exist, because so much information is thrown at us all every day.” He also has adapted to solo gigs to balance full band situations. “The move to
R42 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
touring s o l o allowed me to get out there more- a n d it’s also Kevin Gordon b e e n good for me as a musician. When you’re up there alone there’s nobody else to look at when something goes wrong.” As Gordon readies his next album (scheduled for a May release), which was subsidized by fans via crowd funding, he grasped the reins to bring his project to fruition. “My own experience has been overwhelmingly positive, he said, “though as much in intangible ways as the tangible aspects of the funds raised. When fans participate, a certain bond is created that wasn’t there before--a more personal relationship, I suppose. I didn’t expect that, but it’s been a powerful unifying force among the fans, and between them and me.” Morlix also offered his take on the state of the music biz and crowd funding. “I’m kind of torn on this issue. When I was young, you kind of had to get a license to make an album. It was called a “record deal”, and it involved some company with a lot of money, some of which they would give to you, as if it was yours, and you would go into a very expensive recording studio, roll the dice, and if you were lucky, come out with something that you were proud of. Hopefully a little piece of art -that you no longer owned. It belonged to the company store. And from how many sales you might have generated, or not generated, depending on the gods of luck and commerce, you would never see a single penny of profit. No matter how many you sold. Those were the good days. “ he said.
“These days there is fan funding, but you better have some fans, and you better have given them good reasons to invest in you. This is a good thing, and a lot of albums get made that wouldn’t, otherwise. However, the other side of the issue is that it enables almost anyone to make an album. And they all do. Part of me misses the days when you had to get a license.” Gordon’s perspective on career challenges could be shared by the others. “Oh, survival, mainly. I turned 50 last year, and with that it seemed like some things I used to kinda laugh off became not so funny anymore--the extremely mercenary gigs where you’re encouraged to feel lucky that you’re being guaranteed the same money you were getting in 1995, that sort of thing -- incompetent sound engineers. Just the ancillary jive that can surround you in this line of work.” But things keep getting better, overall. As iconoclastic as his peers, the Ithaca, New York-based, Johnny Dowd plays music that might be described as CountryWestern influenced gothic R&B with a seriously dark sense of humor. He may be better appreciated by fans in Europe than his own backyard – which is our loss. Consider the first time I saw him play with some Mekons in a corner bar in Milwaukee, Dowd had a iron C-clamp attached to the headstock of his Telecaster. Also consider his new album is titled That’s Your Wife on the Back of My Horse. Dowd is also matter of fact if a bit tongue in cheek. “I’m not sure I would call it a career--it’s more an all consuming hobby/vocation/calling. Ii make a record once a year--it’s a kind of snapshot of where I am at musically at that time--it’s a way of emptying the trash so I can move on to something else. If I can be home home by 9pm i will play free--after that you have to me--at this point i take what i can get.” “I look up to anybody who is doing
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R43
ENTERTAINMENT // POSTCARD FROM MILWAUKEE
what they are doing just for love of it like Sun Ra or Captain Beefheart, “ he said. “The challenge is to be like the shark-- keep moving and avoid the harpoon.” While the music business has evolved to
the point where most artists are forced to take the reins to keep their careers moving forward, Lee provides a sagacious mantra. Recognizing the worth of his self-optimism, he says “I’m pleased with my improvement as a musician. I’m finding it’s never too late to buckle down and learn something. My one man circus feels like it’s getting better too. I am proud of that. At this age, I’m finding it’s easier to accept this- You’ve got your good days, you’ve got your bad days and you’ve got some days you can’t even tell what the Hell it is. It’s a day though. I’ll take it. A lot of my old pals, these days, they’re not getting any days at all.”
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March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R45
CALENDAR // LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR
MARCH 2015
SLUGGERS APPLETON
presented by www.ButtonCapBooking.com
BIG AND TALL WORLD OF BEER APPLETON
9:00 PM
NORTHSTAR CASINO
MENOMINEE CASINO
BOWLER
KESHENA 8-12:00
GREEN BAY
SHAWANO
7:00 PM
TEQUILA TANGO
8:00 PM
CONSULT THE BRIEFCASE OCTANE BAR AND GRILL WISCONSIN RAPIDS 9:00 PM
WORLD OF BEER
WILDSIDE
APPLETON
JJ MALONEYS
MARCH 5
KAUKAUNA
9:00 PM
MISSBEHAVIN ISLE CASINO RICK K & ALLNIGHTERS
WORLD OF BEER
KESHENA 8-12:00
APPLETON
STILL CRUISIN DUO
RICK K & ALLNIGHTERS
POTAWATOMI CASINO
MENOMINEE CASINO
CARTER 3:30-7:30 WIFEE & THE HUZZBAND MILL CREEK
SARDINE CAN
APPLETON
GREEN BAY
9:00 PM
MARCH 6
UNITY
WISEGUYS
JIMMY SEAS
GREENVILLE
GREEN BAY
BAZOOKA JOE BOWLER
9:00 PM
MENASHA
9:00 PM
8:00 PM
9:30 PM
RABID AARDVARKS HEADLINERS NEENAH
9:30 PM
ROAD TRIP WINNECONNE 9:30 PM SEPARATE WAYS ROADHOUSE 9:30 PM
SONIC CIRCUS LEAP INN 9:30 PM
SPIN
DARBOY
8:00 PM
STONEYARD FOOD & SPIRITS APPLETON
R46 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
9:00 PM
THE PRESIDENTS
BAD HABITZ
9:00 PM
PLANK ROAD PUB DE PERE
7:00 PM
MARCH 13 BIG MOUTH ROCK FOR WISHES
ANDUZZIS EAST GREEN BAY
TANNERS
GREEN BAY
KIMBERLY
3:00 PM
CHOCOLATEERS JIMMY SEAS GREEN BAY
9:00 PM
THE SANDWICH OSHKOSH
8:30 PM
GRAND UNION FAT JOES FOND DU LAC 10:00 PM DUELING PIANOS DOCKSIDE OSHKOSH
8:00 PM
9:00 PM
CONSULT THE BRIEFCASE RED LANTERN FOOD AND SPIRITS GREEN BAY
9:30 PM
THE COUGARS JJ MALONEYS KAUKAUNA
9:30 PM
THE PRESIDENTS SLUGGERS APPLETON
9:30 PM
HITS CIMARRON MENASHA 9-1:00
MARCH 8 WORLD OF BEER 9:00 PM
ROCK FOR WISHES
APPLETON
STONEYARD DARBOY
APPLETON
APPLETON
THE BOMB
THE BAR LIME KILN ROAD HALF EMPTY
EMMETTS
OSHKOSH
7:00 PM
9:00 PM
THE STRINGBENDERS
TRAVIS LEE DUO
CAPITOL CENTRE
9:30 PM
APPLETON
EAA MUSEUM - HOPS AND PROPS
CONSULT THE BRIEFCASE GREEN BAY
WORLD OF BEER
GREEN BAY
BECKETT’S
WOODEYES
FREEDOM
MARCH 7
NORTHSTAR CASINO
STONE TOAD
CEDARBURG
SARDINE CAN
BAD HABITZ 9:30 PM
9:00 PM
SIDESHOW GREEN BAY
9:30 PM
R P M
WATERLOO IA 9-1:00
AUGIE & PAT SHOW
TED EGGE
MEYER THEATER
ANDUZZIS EAST GREEN BAY GREEN BAY
MENOMINEE CASINO
KESHENA 8-12:00
MARCH 12
NASHVILLE PIPELINE 9:30 PM
8:00 PM
VIC FERRARI W/ SYMPHONY
FOND DU LAC 9:30 PM
KAI-MAN PROJECT 9:00 PM
7:00 PM
PAT MC CURDY
SHAWANO HIGH SCHOOL
FAT JOES
7:00 PM
MILL CREEK APPLETON
ISLE CASINO
9:00 PM
TOE KNEE V’S 80’S
ANDUZZIS-GREEN BAY WEST
HOWARD
APPLETON
MISSBEHAVIN
APPLETON
RICK K & ALLNIGHTERS
BRIAN JAMES
MILL CREEK
7-10:00
WORLD OF BEER
BAZOOKA JOE
GRAND UNION
TOE KNEE V’S 80’S
GREEN LAKE
WATERLOO IA 9-1:00
ANDUZZIS - HOWARD
9:00 PM
HEIDEL HOUSE
TAYLOR JAY
SEPARATE WAYS
WORLD OF BEER COOKEE...TIMELESS MUSIC APPLETON 9:00 PM PRIVATE THE PRESIDENTS
MARCH 4
9:30 PM
BRUCE KOESTNER
LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR MARCH 3
MARCH 11
WILDSIDE
8:30 PM
TANNERS KIMBERLY
3:00 PM
MARCH 10
JERRY & NORA DUO POTAWATOMI CASINO CARTER 3:30-7:30
BOBBY EVANS DUO
NEXT MYLE
WORLD OF BEER
LVD CASINO
APPLETON
WATERSMEET MI 8-12:00
9:00 PM
CALENDAR // LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR
ANNEX
SHAWANO
ROAD TRIP
ROOFTOP JUMPERS
PETTY PUPPETS - ZEN FRANKLIN
MILL CREEK
STONEYARD GREENVILLE
ZIGGY’S CORNER PUB
APPLETON
NEENAH
2 HOUR NOTICE
GREENVILLE
FOND DU LAC 10:00 PM
ROOFTOP JUMPERS
SARDINE CAN
STAR SIX NINE
GREEN BAY
DUBLINS IRISH PUB
10:00 PM
9:00 PM
MAD POLECATS O’MARRO’S PUBLIC HOUSE OSHKOSH
8:00 PM
COPPERBOX
OSHKOSH
7:00 PM
9:30 PM
7:00 PM
OSHKOSH
PUMPHOUSE
KIMBERLY
LITTLE CHUTE 9:00 PM
OSHKOSH
8:30 PM
MARCH 14
THE COUGARS FOX HARBOR PUB & GRILL GREEN BAY
9:00 PM
THE PRESIDENTS
DEJ
FAT JOES 9:00 PM
WILDSIDE
OUTPOST
CAPTAINS COVE 9:00 PM
GRESHAM
BOURBON COWBOYS
BILL STEINERT
PLANK ROAD PUB
HEIDEL HOUSE
DE PERE
8:30 PM
CONSULT THE BRIEFCASE JIMMY SEAS GREEN BAY
9:00 PM
CRANKIN YANKEES KOUNTRY BAR APPLETON
9:30 PM
GRAND UNION LEAP INN FREEDOM
9:30 PM
HALF EMPTY TANNERS KIMBERLY
9:30 PM
HYDE 9:30 PM
JOHNNY WAD ANDUZZIS - HOWARD HOWARD
9:30 PM
NASHVILLE PIPELINE RIVER RAIL SHIOCTON
9:00 PM
REPLICA COTTON PATCH
STAGE HOGGS ACOUSTIC WORLD OF BEER APPLETON
9:00 PM
MARCH 20 DEJ APPLETON
9:00 PM
CHAD DEMEUSE DUO 7-10:00
COOKEE...TIMELESS MUSIC MACKINAWS GREEN BAY
9:00 PM
BOBBY EVANS BAND
7:30-11:00
LITTLE VITO & TORPEDOES POTAWATOMI CASINO CARTER 8-12:00 NEXT MYLE
WORLD OF BEER APPLETON
9:00 PM
CONSULT THE BRIEFCASE MILWAUKEE ALE HOUSE MILWAUKEE
9:30 PM
DOOZEY BLUE LINE ICE CENTER SHEBOYGAN
6:00 PM
NASHVILLE PIPELINE
LVD CASINO WATERSMEET MI 8-12:00
MR Gs
VIC FERRARI W/ SYMPHONY
APPLETON
CAPITOL CIVIC CENTER
NORTHSTAR CASINO
MANITOWOC 7:30 CONSULT THE BRIEFCASE
HEADLINERS NEENAH
GREEN LAKE
7:00 PM
MARCH 19
FOND DU LAC 9:30 PM
ASK YOUR MOTHER SHERWOOD
MARCH 18
APPLETON
ALEX WILSON BAND APPLETON
8:00 PM
MILL CREEK
MIKE MALONE COMBO BECKETT’S
SONIC CIRCUS
TOE KNEE V’S 80’S
8:00 PM
JIMMY SEAS GREEN BAY
9:00 PM
MADISON MALONE BECKETT’S OSHKOSH
8:30 PM
9:30 PM
THE COUGARS BOWLER
8:00 PM
VIC FERRARI W/ SYMPHONY SENTRY WORLD STEVENS POINT AZURE FALLEN SARDINE CAN
THE PRESIDENTS
GREEN BAY
FAT JOES
BIG MOUTH & THE POWER TOOL HORNS
FOND DU LAC 10:00 PM
NEW LONDON 9:30 PM
HALF EMPTY
TEQUILA TANGO
9:00 PM
JIMMY SEAS GREEN BAY
9:30 PM
SOCIABLES
MARCH 15 TANNERS
O’MARRO’S PUBLIC HOUSE
HEADLINERS
9:00 PM
BACKSTAGE BAR SLY JOE AND THE SMOOTH FOND DU LAC 9:00 PM OPERATORS SPITFIRE RODEO BECKETT’S WOUTERS SPORTS BAR OSHKOSH
8:30 PM
MARCH 21 6 FIGURES SOCIABLES NEW LONDON 6:00 PM BAD MEDICINE PICKARD AUDITORIUM NEENAH 7:30 PM BIG AND TALL VILLAGE GREEN GOLF COURSE GREEN BAY 2:00 PM CONSULT THE BRIEFCASE PLANK ROAD PUB DE PERE 8:30 PM CRANKIN YANKEES EASY STREET NEW LONDON 7:00 PM DIAMOND AND STEEL LEAP INN FREEDOM 9:30 PM DOOZEY CASH AND SWILLIES KAUKAUNA 9:30 PM FOLLOW SUIT OSHKOSH LANES OSHKOSH 9:00 PM GRAND UNION SLUGGERS APPLETON 8:00 PM HALF EMPTY POTAWATOMI CASINO CARTER 8:00 PM HURRY UP WAIT BLUE LINE ICE CENTER SHEBOYGAN 12:00 PM NASHVILLE PIPELINE WISEGUYS GREENVILLE
8:30 PM
LITTLE SUAMICO 9:00 PM THE BOMB DEJ APPLETON
9:00 PM
THE COUGARS NORTHSTAR CASINO BOWLER
8:00 PM
THE PRESIDENTS DUBLINS WEST BEND
7:30 PM
FRAN STEENO HEIDEL HOUSE GREEN LAKE
7-10:00
VIC FERRARI W/ SYMPHONY RICHLAND CO PERFORMING ARTS RICHLAND CENTER 9:00
6&
CONVENIENCE STORE FLOWERS BECKETT’S OSHKOSH
8:30 PM
DRIFTWOOD FAT JOES FOND DU LAC 10:00 PM
MARCH 25 TOE KNEE V’S 80’S MILL CREEK APPLETON
7:00 PM
MARCH 26 HAPPY HOUR HEROES WORLD OF BEER APPLETON
9:00 PM
TAVELING SUITCASE MILL CREEK APPLETON
9:00 PM
March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | R47
CALENDAR // LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR
MARCH 27
APPLETON
BRIAN JAMES WORLD OF BEER APPLETON
9:00 PM
NASHVILLE PIPELINE THORNBERRY CREEK - OPEN TO PUBLIC ONEIDA
8:00 PM
REVEREND RAVEN MILWAUKEE ALE HOUSE MILWAUKEE
9:30 PM
THE COUGARS SARDINE CAN GREEN BAY
MILL CREEK 10:00 PM
RABID AARDVARKS
WATERLOO IA 9-1:00 VIC FERRARI W/ SYMPHONY
PLANK ROAD PUB
OCTANE BAR AND GRILL
THE COUGARS
DE PERE
SARDINE CAN
GRAND UNION
WISCONSIN RAPIDS PM
GREEN BAY
9:00 PM
MARCH 28 BAD HABITZ
8:30 PM
9:00
GRAND THEATER
FOX HILLS BENCHWARMERS SPORTS BAR
RED LIGHT SAINTS
WAUSAU
HEADLINERS
GREG WATERS
MISHICOT
NEENAH
9:30 PM
9:30 PM
JIMMY SEAS
HAPPY HOUR HEROES
REVEREND RAVEN
GREEN BAY
VILLAGE GREEN GOLF COURSE
WHITE EAGLE BAR AND GRILL
ANDY’S AUTOMATICS
BIG AND TALL
GREEN BAY
HOBART
HURRY UP WAIT
ROBERT ALLEN JR. BAND
OSHKOSH
WORLD OF BEER APPLETON
10TH FRAME
DEJ
STONE TOAD MENASHA
9:30 PM
9:00 PM
APPLETON
9:00 PM
COOKEE & DENNIS PROVISOR ISLE CASINO WATERLOO IA 9-1:00 VIC FERRARI W/ SYMPHONY
DAPHNI
APPLETON
9:00 PM
WATERING HOLE
PORTAGE HIGH SCHOOL
GREEN BAY
PORTAGE
10:00 PM
NASHVILLE PIPELINE
WILDSIDE
LEAP INN
KOUNTRY BAR
GRAND THEATER
RPM
WAUSAU
SLUGGERS
JJ MALONEYS
COOL WATERS BAND
APPLETON
KAUKAUNA
10:00 PM
APPLETON
7:00 PM
9:30 PM
COOKEE & DENNIS PROVISOR 10:00 PM
ISLE CASINO
BECKETT’S 8:30 PM
CHASIN MASON FAT JOES
SEPARATE WAYS
FREEDOM
R48 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
9:00 PM
9:00 PM
JOHNNY WAD
CRANKIN YANKEES 9:00 PM
2:00 PM
9:00 PM
FOND DU LAC 10:00 PM If you would like your band or live music venue added to our calendar please provide us you information at livemusic@ scenenewspaper.com
presents
SATURDAY,
APRIL 18 at 7:30 p.m. 19 at 4:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, APRIL
BY THE PEOPLE FOR THE PEOPLE ERNST BACON Ford’s Theatre; A Few Glimpses of Easter Week, 1865 GEORGE FREDERICK MCKAY To a Liberator (A Lincoln Tribute) AARON COPLAND Lincoln Portrait narrated by Wisconsin Public Radio’s Jim Fleming
Performances at Sentry’s Theater @1800 Tickets: UWSP Box Office ($2 handling fee) 800.838.3378 • cwso.org/tickets $25/Adult • $20/Senior • $10/Student Bring a non-perishable food item in support of Orchestras Feeding America for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the 2015-16 season.
CONCERT SPONSORS: Sentry Insurance • Worth Company SeASOn SuPPORt: College of FIne Arts & Communication - uWSP • Wisconsin Public Radio • City of Stevens Point Wisconsin Arts Board (with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the national endowment for the Arts)
March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | L9
While the SCENE does everything to ensure the accuracy of its Events calendar, we also understand that some dates and times change. Please call ahead to confirm before traveling any distance. For inclusion in our calendar of events, please contact us!
UWSP Concert and Campus Bands Present “Joy and Sorrow” Concert Music depicting the joys and sorrows of life will be performed by the UWSP Campus Band and Concert Band. Tickets are $8.25 for adults, $5.25 for seniors, $4.25 for students; free for UWSP students with ID. Concert begins at 7:30 pm. Michelsen Hall, Noel Fine Arts Center, 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point; 715-346-4100; http://tickets.uwsp.edu.
MARCH 6 The Bad Downs at Rookies MARCH 1 Chasing the Ghost Particle at the UWSP Planetarium Discover how tiny and elusive particles found in Antarctica are uncovering the secrets of the cosmos. Doors open at 1:30 pm, show begins at 2:00 pm; free admission, no reserved seating. Parking is available in Lot X near the building entrance and is free after 7:00 pm and on weekends. Allen F. Blocher Planetarium, UWSP Science Building, corner of Reserve and Fourth Ave., Stevens Point; 715-346-2208; http://tickets.uwsp.edu.
Free Movie: Big Hero 6 Movie begins at 2:00 pm; free admission. Lettie Jensen Community Center, 487 N. Main Street, Amherst; 715-824-5202.
UWSP Presents On the Twentieth Century This play concerns the efforts of a grandiose theatrical impresario to persuade a glamorous film star to appear in his new stage production and save his floundering career before the 20th Century Limited reaches New York. Performances begin at 7:30 pm. Admission is $19 adults, $18 seniors, $14 youth. Jenkins Theatre, Noel Fine Arts Center, 1800 Portage Street, Stevens Point; 715-346-4429; http://uwsp. edu/theatre-dance/Pages/default.aspx.
St. Philip’s NCSF Pancake Breakfast The National Catholic Society of L10 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
Foresters of St. Philip Catholic Church of Rudolph is having its annual Bake Sale and Pancake Breakfast, serving potato and buttermilk pancakes, pork sausage, applesauce and sweet rolls. The event, which runs from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon, will be a benefit for Jason Reeves who has Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Cost is $7.50 for adults, $3 for kids age 6-12, free for children 5 or younger. Wagner Hall, St. Philip’s Catholic Church, 6957 Grotto Ave., Rudolph; 715-435-3286; www. saint-philip.org.
MARCH 3-8 “By the Side of the Road” Exhibit by Robert Rosen Featuring photographic images of things seen along highways and local roads, by Rosen. His stubjecs also include landscapes, serval from the American West and National Parks, as well. Opening reception on Friday, march 6 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Gallery hours are Tuesday through SAturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, closed Mondays. Free admission. Gallery Q, 1108 Main St., Stevens Point; 715-3452888; www.robertrosenphotography.com or http://qartists.com.
MARCH 4-7 UWSP Presents On the Twentieth Century Performances begin at 7:30 pm. Admission is $19 adults, $18 seniors, $14 youth. Jenkins Theatre, Noel Fine Arts Center, 1800 Portage Street, Stevens Point;
715-346-4429; http://tickets.uwsp.edu.
MARCH 5 First Thursday Film Series: On Golden Pond
Classic and modern alternative rock group will perform from 9:30 pm to 1:30 am; no cover charge. Rookies Sports Pub, 3425 Church St., Stevens Point; 715-3447640; www.facebook.com/TheBadDowns.
The loons are back again on Golden Pond, and so are Norman Thayer and his wife, Ethel, who have a summer cottage there. And this summer, their daughter is coming for a visit. Directed by Mark Rydell, starring Henry Fonda, Katharine Hepburn, Jane Fonda and Dabney Coleman. Commentary by Dr. Jack Rhodes. Event begins at 1:30 pm. Free popcorn and movie refreshments; free admission; appropriate for all ages. Waupaca Area Public Library, Main Street; http:// waupacalibrary.org.
Dervish Performs at Thrasher Opera House
Open House at Point Place Dental
Presented by the Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre. Admission is $10; doors open at 6:30 pm, entertainment begins at 7:00 pm. WRCT Studio Theatre, 220 3rd Ave South #6, Wisconsin Rapids; 715-421-0435; www.wrctheatre.org.
Get to know Dr. Mlodik and her great team, tour the new, state-of-the-art facility, raffe drawings and give-aways. Light refreshments provided. 3:30pm to 7:30 pm; free admission. Point Place Dental, 3216 Business Park Dr., Stevens Point; 715-344-9075.
The Importance of Sleep Discussion of why sleep is even more important for your overall health than exercise. Learn how to maximize the most important 8 hours of your day. 6:00 pm; free admission. Infinity Wellness and Chiropractic, 2016 County Rd. HH, Plover; 715-544-6508; www.infinity wellnessandchiropractic.com.
Irish band Dervish kicks off its U.S. tour with passionate vocals and dazzling instruments. Doors open at 6:45 pm, show begins at 7:30 pm; $25 admission. Thrasher Opera House, 506 Mill Street, Green Lake; 920-294-4279; www. thrasheroperahouse.com.
Friday Night Lights Series: Trivia
Wind Ensemble Presents “Dance Rhythms” Concert Enjoy dance rhythms and a world premiere when the Wind Ensemble at UWSP performs in March. Tickets are $8.25 for adults, $5.25 for seniors, $4.25 for students; free for UWSP students with ID. Concert begins at 7:30 pm. Michelsen Hall, Noel Fine Arts Center, 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point; 715-346-4100; http:// tickets.uwsp.edu.
CALENDAR // BIG EVENTS
Jurnie Fest Jurnie Fest with Boogie & the Yo-Yo’s to benefit Jurnie’s Shelter, a future domestic abuse shelter for Waupaca County. Sponsored by the Waupaca Ale House and featuring a 50/50 raffle. Music begins at 8:30 pm; admission is $10 at the door. Waupaca Ale House, 201 Foxfire Dr., Waupaca; 715-942-2424.
MARCH 6-8 Central Wisconsin Viszla Club AKC Agility Trial Contact Camp Bandy for details. Public welcome, free admission. Camp Bandy, 9376 Main St., Amherst Junction; 715-824-3900; www.campbandy.com.
Pacelli Presents Godspell Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:00 pm, Sunday at 2:00 pm; $7 adults, $5 seniors and students. Pacelli High School, 1301 Maria Dr., Stevens Point; 715-341-2442.
MARCH 7 Point Bock Run A scenic out-and-back, flat and fast, 5-mile run that runs along and crosses the scenic Wisconsin River twice and starts and finishes at the Stevens Point Brewery. Electronically timed (chips in bib), Age groups, Big Bock and Dopplebock divisions. Capped at 2,000 runners. Run begins at 12:00 noon. Stevens Point Brewery, 2617 Water St., Stevens Point; 715-344-9310; www.pointbockrun.com.
Speaker Series: Learning About Islam Learn about the religion of Islam and its founder at a free lecture. UWSP alumna Fizza Razvi will discuss “The Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday” at 7:30 pm in the Alumni Room of the Dreyfus University Center. Her talk is open to the public and is sponsored by the Islamic Student Association. Refreshments will be provided. A native of Hyderabad, India, Razvi is a former teacher in the Stevens Point School District and a graduate student at Argosy University in Chicago. DUC, UWSP, 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point.
11th Annual Science Extravaganza Sponsored by the Stevens Point FFA and the UWSP Delta Kappa Pi. Two main stage shows and oodles of hands-on and make-and-take activities that are fun for the whole family. Event runs 10:00 am to 2:30 pm; admission $3, children three and under free. Ben Franklin Junior High, 2000 Polk St., Stevens Point; 715-345-5587.
UWSP Presents Kennedy’s Kitchen Kennedy’s kKtchen has been making Irish music together since 1998, averaging about 80 shows per year. Show begins at 7:30 pm; $15 adults, $12 seniors, $6 youth, UWSP students $4.50 for advance tickets. Michelsen hall, Noel Fine Arts Center, 1800 Portage Street, Stevens Point; 715-346-4100; http://tickets.uwsp.edu.
Waupaca Book-to-Art Club: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate For this read-talk-make meeting, the group will be making Paper Cut Work and reading The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. Meeting runs 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. This group meets the first Saturday of each month in the downstairs library meeting rooms to discuss the current book and make art together. Please call 715-258-4414 for additional information. Waupaca Area Public Library, Main Street; http://waupacalibrary.org.
MARCH 7-8 Point Dance Ensemble’s Annual Sprint Performance Point Dance Ensemble celebrates its 16th season, featuring live music and dance. Performances begin at 7:30 pm on Saturday, 2:00 pm on Sunday; $15 adults, $10 for seniors and students. Sentry’s @1800 Theatre, 1800 North Point Dr., Stevens Point; 715-592-4140; www. pointdance.org.
MARCH 8 Chasing the Ghost Particle at the UWSP Planetarium
at 2:00 pm; free admission, no reserved seating. Allen F. Blocher Planetarium, UWSP Science Building, corner of Reserve and Fourth Ave., Stevens Point; 715-346-2208; http://tickets.uwsp.edu.
Riverfront Arts Center Reception: Emerging Artists Come to the gallery reception for Emerging Artists, an exhibit which features area student artwork from grades 7 through 12. Reception runs 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm; free admission. Annette & Dale Schuh Riverfront Arts Center, 1200 Crosby Ave., Stevens Pointl 715-343-6251; www.facebook.com/RiverfrontArtsCenter.
MARCH 9 Bingo at Harmony Living Center Refreshments served. Call to reserve a seat. Pulled pork dinner available for $3 per plate. Bingo starts at 5:00 pm. Harmony Living Center, 1801 Lilac Lane, Stevens Point; 715-343-9530.
Beer & Wine Sharing Have fun and make some new friends with the O’so team during an evening of beer and wine sharing from 6:30 pm to 7:30(?) pm; free admission. Bring a bottle or two of some wine, beer, mead, cider, etc., that you have made to taste and share with others. This is a free event, so bring a friend. Point Brew Supply, 3038 Village Park Dr., Plover; www.facebook.com/ events/966815099997771.
MARCH 10 Community Potluck Series Bring a dish to pass. This month’s theme is Fermented Foods, such as konbucha, pickles, tempeh, kimichi, tofu, yogurt, etc. Dinner runs 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm; free admission. Central Rivers Farmshed, 1220 Briggs Ct., Stevens Point; 715-544-6154.
Lunch & Learn: Heirloom Seeds, Seed Saving, and the Waupaca Seed Library Organic farmer and librarian Brigid Ferkett will give an educational talk about saving heirloom seeds. A light lunch will be catered by a local restaurant. Event runs from 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm; free admission. Please make your reservation online or by calling the library at 715-258-4414. Waupaca Area Public Library, Main Street; http://waupacalibrary.org.
Point in Common Community Speaker Series: “Disconnect to Reconnect” Matt Killingsworth, happiness researcher and developer of the Track Your Happiness app, discusses staying in the moment and how to track happiness in real time. Registration for this free event is encouraged, but not required: Sentry’s @1800 Theatre, 1800 North Point Dr., Stevens Point; 715-346-4838.
UWSP Community Lecture Series: “Skeletons in the Closet, Mammoths in the Freezer” UWSP associate professor Ray Reser of the museum will be giving the lecture, which begins at 6:30 pm; free admission. Pinery Room, Portage County Library, 1001 Main Street, Stevens Point; 715346-4211.
MARCH 10-15 “By the Side of the Road” Exhibit by Robert Rosen Featuring photographic images of things seen along highways and local roads, by Rosen. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, closed Mondays. Free admission. Gallery Q, 1108 Main St., Stevens Point; 715-3452888; www.robertrosenphotography.com or http://qartists.com.
Doors open at 1:30 pm, show begins March 2015 | SceneNewspaper.com | L11
CALENDAR // BIG EVENTS
MARCH 11 Spring Bouquet Cards Class Make three pretty spring bouquet cards using new Stampendous rubber stamps and dies, decorative paper, embellishments and a super new pop-up card technique. Bring your own adhesive. Class runs from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Registration $10. Lighthouse Books & Gifts, 4330 8th St. S., #110, Wisconsin Rapids; www. lighthousebooksandgifrts.com.
MARCH 12 Spring Bouquet Cards Class Make three pretty spring bouquet cards using new Stampendous rubber stamps and dies, decorative paper, embellishments and a super new pop-up card technique. Bring your own adhesive. Class runs from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Registration $10. Lighthouse Books & Gifts, 4330 8th St. S., #110, Wisconsin Rapids; www. lighthousebooksandgifrts.com.
MARCH 13 Irish-American Band Solas Performs at Thrasher Opera House
popular, influential and exciting Celtic band in the U.S. Doors open at 6:45 pm, show begins at 7:30 pm; $22 admission. Thrasher Opera House, 506 Mill St., Green Lake; 920-294-4279; www. thrasheroperahouse.com.
MARCH 14 Central Wisconsin Network Singles Dance Celebrate the season by wearing green and enjoy green treats! Enjoy oldies with some good modern tunes thrown in. Dance runs from 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm. Admission $8 for members, $12 for nonmembers. No T-shirts, tank tops or shorts. Bernards Supper Club, 701 Second Street N., Stevens Point; 715-281-7823; http:// cwn-singles.com.
MARCH 15 2nd Annual Clancey’s Shamrock Shuffle This 5K walk/run is a fundraiser for Alzheimer’s. Music and food will be provided, and awards will be given. 10:00 am check-in, 11:00 am 5K shuffle. Registration is $25 before March 6, $35 after. Anyone under 21 must be accompanied by an adult. Clancey’s Stone Lion, 7214 Custer Dr., Custer; 715-592-4511.
Solas has been proclaimed as the most
Mastering Portrait Photography Workshop with Spyros Heniadis — March 21 Spyros Heniadis, local photography guru and YouTube sensation with more than 22,000 followers, will be hosting a hands-on workshop to teach you how to master portrait photography using off camera flash. With his fun and engaging style of teaching, more than one million people have watched Heniadis’ videos on YouTube, and he has taught hundreds of photographers in his workshops, making this an event you will not want to miss. In the workshop, you will learn how to get the most out of your flash and take photos that make people say, “Wow!” You will also learn how to read any picture to figure out the lighting used to create the photo, the step-by-step process of building a shot, and much more. (Photographers taking this class should have a camera with a hotshoe, and a compatible flash.) The Mastering Portrait Photography workshop will be held on Saturday, March 21, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the Biron Municipal Center, 451 Kahoun Road in Biron. There will be a one-hour lunch break, as well. Tickets are $75 for early birds, until March 6. Otherwise they are $100 if you pre-register or $125 at the door. VIP tickets are also available. For more information or to sign up, go to www.spyrosphoto.com. To check out his videos, go to www.youtube.com/selfhelpphotographer or to view his body of work, got to www. spyrosheniadis.com. L12 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
MARCH 17-22
MARCH 20
“By the Side of the Road” Exhibit by Robert Rosen
Vic Ferrari at SentryWorld
Featuring photographic images of things seen along highways and local roads, by Rosen. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, closed Mondays. Free admission. Gallery Q, 1108 Main St., Stevens Point; 715-3452888; www.robertrosenphotography.com or http://qartists.com
MARCH 19 5th Annual Water Quality Symposium Take an active role in improving the water quality of the Wisconsin River basin by attending a symposium at the UWSP, themed “Making Connections for Clean Water.” Keynote speaker Mark Cupp, director of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway Board, will present “Finding Common Ground: 25th Anniversary of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway.” To register or become an event sponsor, go to www.tinyurl.com/wisriver2015. For more information, contact Nancy Turyk, water resource scientist, at 715-346-4155 or wisriver@uwsp.edu. Hours are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Dreyfus University Center, UWSP, 1015 Reserve St., Stevens Point; 715-346-4155.
Fun Birthday Cards Class Make three fun birthday cards using new Stampendous rubber stamps, decorative paper and embellishments. Bring your own adhesive. Class runs from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm or 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Registration $10. Lighthouse Books & Gifts, 4330 8th St. S., #110, Wisconsin Rapids; www.lighthousebooksandgifrts.com.
Throwback Thursday Every third Thursday is Throwback Thursday in the Best Cellar. Join the group for old-school games, challenges and activities as well as blast-from-thepast snacks that were staples of your childhood, featuring Bop-it, Skip-it, Hula Hoop contests, Hungry Hungry Hippos, Simon and much more. Event runs from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm; free admission. Waupaca Area Public Library, Main Street; http://waupacalibrary.org.
Symphony on the Rocks in Stevens Point. Ticekts are general admission, $35 in advance, $47 at the door. Show begins at 8:00 pm. SentryWorld, 601 N. Michigan Avenue, Stevens Point; 715-345-1600.
MARCH 20-22 WRKC Agility Trial Contact Camp Bandy for details. Public welcome, free admission. Camp Bandy, 9376 Maint St., Amherst Junction; 715-824-3900; www.campbandy.com.
MARCH 21 Sweet Easter Card Make & Take Make a cute Easter-theme card using Impression Obsession rubber stamps. Limit one free make & take per customer, while supplies last. Event runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Lighthouse Books & Gifts, 4330 8th St. S., #110, Wisconsin Rapids; www.lighthousebooksandgifrts.com.
Ego Con 2015 Presented by NEWFOD (North Eastern Wisconsin Friends of the Doctor). This gaming event featurs a full-size Tardis, full-size Daleks, K-9 (the Doctor’s robot dog), vendors, demonstrations, 27th NEWFOD Sci-Fi/Fantasy charity auction (proceeds go to St. Paul’s Food Pantry and WPTV). Show runs 9:30 am to 5:00 am for the main room. Admission is $10 adult, $5 student (with photo ID). Receive a dealer dollar discount by bringing a non-expired food item in a non-glass container. Elizabeth Inn, 5246 Harding Ave., Plover. For more information, email NEWFOD2020@yahoo.com or visit https:// sites.google.com/site/egoconevent. (Please note that the convention will not be affected by the recent fire at the Elizabeth Inn.)
Tomorrow River Concerts Presents Ane Hills Concert begins at 7:30 pm; admission $12 seniors, $10 students. Lettie W. Jensen Community Center, 487 N. Main St., Amherst; 715-824-5202.
CALENDAR // BIG EVENTS
MARCH 21-22 26th Annual WDUX Home Show Three rooms featuring more than 60 exhibitors with items for your home, yard and life! Informative seminars offered both days, and you can register to win thousands of dollars in door prizes. Admission $2 adults, kids are free. For more information, or to become an exhibitor, call WDUX at 715-258-5528. Event will be held at the Waupaca Rec Center, 407 School Street, Waupaca.
MARCH 24-29 “By the Side of the Road” Exhibit by Robert Rosen Featuring photographic images of things seen along highways and local roads, by Rosen. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, closed Mondays. Free admission. Gallery Q, 1108 Main St., Stevens Point; 715-3452888; www.robertrosenphotography.com or http://qartists.com.
MARCH 26 Power of the Purse Event will feature hors d’oeuvres and cash bar, silent purse auction, and networking and information about United Way of Inner Wisconsin’s Women’s Leadership Council Learning for Life Initiative. Event runs from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Tickets are $25 per person in advance, $30 per person at the door. Advance tickets are available at River Cities Bank, Riverview Hospital’s Lobby Desk and United Way of Inner Wisconsin. Bull’s Eye Country Club, 2800 Ridgewood Trail, Wisconsin Rapids; 715-423-2225.
MARCH 27 Stoy Time at the Natural History Musceum: “Stars” by Ray Frazee Spring is upon us, and it’s time once again to do some star gazing. This story shows you that you don’t always have to look to the sky to see stars. Story Time runs 10:30 am to 11:30 am; free admission. Email museum@uwsp.edu to register.
Museum of Natural History, UWSP Learning Resource Center, Stevens Point; 715-346-2858; www.uwsp.edu/museum.
MARCH 27-29 Golden Sands Home Builders Association Home & Garden Show The Golden Sands Home Builders Association Home and Garden Show provides eager homeowners access to some of Central Wisconsin’s most trusted and innovative building professionals. Talk to the experts while you see, compare and buy the latest products and services for your home and garden. Friday 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm; Saturday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Admission $5 adults, children 12 and under are free. Receive $1 off admission if you bring in a non-perishable food item. Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center, 1001 Amber Ave., Stevens Point; www.gshba.org/home--garden-show.html.
MARCH 28 CWN Singles Dance Looking for something fun? Come to our singles dance! Dance runs from 8:00 pm to 11:30 pm. Admission $8 for members, $12 for non-members. No T-shirts, tank tops or shorts. Bernards Supper Club, 701 Second Street N., Stevens Point; 715-281-7823; http://cwn-singles.com.
Sugar Bush Observe maple sap being cooked down to make syrup. If the trees are running, help gather the sap. Then sample some 100% maple syrup on a silver-dollar-sized buckwheat pancake in the Wakely House. Event runs from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm; admission is $3 for adults, $2 for children. Historic Point Basse, 300 Wakely Road, Nekoosa; 715-459-1722.
3rd Annual Fox Valley Bike Swap Featuring new and used bicycles of all types for sale, including road, mountain, triathlon, BMX, vintage and kids bikes. You can also enter a bicycle for sale or swap in the secured Bicycle Corral the day of the event. Simply register a bike at the admission table, pay the $10 fee, and
MARCH 31 - APRIL 5
it will be placed in the corral for viewing until 3:00 p.m. The Fox Valley Bike Swap also will be a bicycle donation drop-off location for St. Vincent de Paul in Oshkosh. Hours are 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Admission (cash only) is $5 adults, $3 for students with ID, and free for kids 12 and younger. Food and beverages will be available for purchase at the Feed Zone. Funds raised by the event will go towards cycling advocacy and bicycle safety awareness. Oshkosh Sunnyview Expo Center, 500 E. County Road Y, Oshkosh.
“By the Side of the Road” Exhibit by Robert Rosen Featuring photographic images of things seen along highways and local roads, by Rosen. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am to 3:00 pm, closed Mondays. Free admission. Gallery Q, 1108 Main St., Stevens Point; 715-3452888; www.robertrosenphotography.com or http://qartists.com.
MARCH 29
Laser Light Show
Chasing the Ghost Particle at the UWSP Planetarium Discover how tiny and elusive particles found in Antarctica are uncovering the secrets of the cosmos. Doors open at 1:30 pm, show begins at 2:00 pm; free admission, no reserved seating. Parking is available in Lot X near the building entrance and is free after 7:00 pm and on weekends. Allen F. Blocher Planetarium, UWSP Science Building, corner of Reserve and Fourth Ave., Stevens Point; 715-346-2208; http://tickets.uwsp.edu.
Visit the planetarium to see a Laser Light Show. Show themes include music styles of Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles. The planetarium doors open 30 minutes before the scheduled program. For all age groups. Seating is first come, first served for up to 60 people. Shows at 8:00 pm, 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm; admission is $5 adults, $4 students , $3 UWSP students with ID. UWSP Stevens Point Planetarium, UWSP Science Building, corner of Reserve and Fourth Ave., Stevens Point; 715-346-2208.
APRIL 2
MARCH 30
Reducing Your Toxic Load
Carlsten Art Gallery Reception: Jillian Noble’s “Ampersand”
Unfortunately, toxic chemicals are all around us. Find out how they are impacting your body more than you may even realize and how to decrease your carbon footprint. Program begins at 6:00 pm; free admission. Ininity Wellness and Chiropractic, 2016 County Rd. HH, Plover; 715-544-6508; www.infinitywellnessandchiropractic.com.
Reception is scheduled 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm; free admission. Exhibit will be on display until April 19. Carlsten Art Gallery, Noel Fine Arts Center, Portage St., Stevens Point; 715-346-4797; www. uwsp.edu/art-design/Pages/Exhibitions/ carlsten.aspx.
MARCH 31 Even More Masculine Cards Class Make 3 classic masculine cards using decorative paper, embellishments & unique folds and cut-outs. Bring your own adhesive. Class runs from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Registration $10. Lighthouse Books & Gifts, 4330 8th St. S., #110, Wisconsin Rapids; www.lighthousebooksandgifrts.com.
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ENTERTAINMENT // WISCONSIN DELLS’ PALACE THEATER
Palace Theater Announces 2015 Season The Palace Theater, Wisconsin Dells’ newest professional theater, has announced its exciting new season full of critically acclaimed shows for the whole family. PINKALICIOUS — MARCH 14
Based on the popular children’s book by Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann, Pinkalicious is perfect for the entire family, featuring music, lyrics and orchestrations by Frederick Loewe Award winner John Gregor. The show opens March 14 and runs through April 12 before re-opening June 13 and running through August 29. In the story, Pinkalicious’ pink cupcake indulgence lands her at the doctor’s office with “Pinkititis,” an affliction that turns her pink from head to toe. Performance time is 1 hour, and the show is appropriate for children between 2 and 10 years old. Tickets are $19.95 per person and includes a cupcake and carton of milk to add a special treat for audiences of all ages. RING OF FIRE — MARCH 27
Ring of Fire takes audiences on a journey through legendary singer Johnny Cash’s
storied life and celebrated music, from the cotton fields of Arkansas to the Grand Ole Opry. Ring of Fire previews March 26, opens March 27 and runs through May 3. More than 35 of Cash’s hit songs, including “I Walk the Line,” “A Boy Named Sue,” and “Folsom Prison Blues,” paint a musical portrait of the Man in Black that promises to be a crowd-pleasing salute to the uniquely American Legend. THE LITTLE MERMAID — MAY 22
Based on the animated Disney classic, The Little Mermaid previews May 20-21, opens May 22, and runs through September 6. Based on the Hans Christian Andersen story of the same name, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, the theater adaptation of the blockbuster film tells the story of Ariel, an adventurous young mermaid. With catchy tunes like “Part of Your World” and “Under the Sea,” The Little Mermaid will enchant audiences with its breathtaking sets and dazzling costumes. LOMBARDI — SEPTEMBER 25
Just in time for NFL kickoff, the legendary and inspiring story of one of the great-
est coaches in NFL history is celebrated in Lombardi, opening September 25 and running through November 1. Based on the best-selling biography When Pride Still Mattered: A Life of Vince Lombardi by Pulitzer Prize winner David Maraniss, Lombardi is written by Academy Award winner Eric Simonson. Set in 1965, Lombardi brings coaching icon Vince Lombardi to life on stage and chronicles the story of not only the Green Bay Packers coaching legend, but the man behind the Super Bowl trophy named in his honor. A CHRISTMAS CAROL: THE MUSICAL — NOVEMBER 13
The musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol: The Musical, takes the stage just in time for the holidays, opening November 13, and running through December 27. THE NUTCRACKER — DECEMBER 5
And The Nutcracker will open December 5, and run through December 27. The theater version of the iconic Tchaikovsky ballet follows Marie and Fritz, each given a special present from their mysterious uncle Drosselmeyer. The story chronicles
Marie’s unforgettable dream as her gift, a Nutcracker Prince, comes to life and races through a dazzling land of sweets, accompanied along the way by a magical cast of characters, to get the Nutcracker’s crown back from the Evil Mouse King. The Palace Theater is a state-of-theart, 800-seat, regional theater destination, producing classic American musicals in a style and quality consistent with that of Broadway. In 2015 and 2016, The Palace will also present nationally known bands and comedians for concert engagements. The Palace Theater produces seven family friendly, classic musical revivals annually, while serving a sumptuous meal included in the ticket price. With an ideal location across the street from the Wilderness Hotel and Golf Resort, the country’s largest waterpark resort, the Palace Theater is likely to become a major cultural and tourism attraction for the Dells’ 5 million annual visitors. Tickets typically start at $29.95, including dinner. Group rates are available for groups of 15 or more. To reserve tickets, please call the Palace Theater Box Office at 608-253-4000 or visit www.dellspalace.com for more information.
ENTERTAINMENT // COMMEMORATING END OF CIVIL WAR
Wild Rose Kiwanis Pays Tribute to End of Civil War The 150th commemoration of the end of the Civil War will happen on April 12, 2015, and the Wild Rose Kiwanis Club has planned a stellar, one-of-a-kind event with a performance by the 1st Brigade Band, which is comprised of 35 brass and percussion musicians who will perform on stage at the Wild Rose High School Auditorium at 2:00 pm on the exact date of the Stacking of Arms at Appomattox Court House. Visitors will also be treated to a special performance by Max and Donna Daniels, the nation’s finest Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln re-enactors. The entire band, plus additional vocalists and narrators will be dressed in full period costumes. The 1st Brigade band is modeled after a band formed in Southern Wisconsin as part of a Volunteer Infantry. In 1864, a L14 | SceneNewspaper.com | March 2015
group of 18 young men from the Brodhead Brass Band enlisted in the Union Army as the band of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Division, 15th Army Corps. The Brodhead Band had earlier played at the famed 1858 debate on slavery between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in Freeport, Illinois. The enlisted members of the band left their rural Wisconsin homes to participate, under the command of General William T. Sherman, in the campaigns of Northern Georgia and the Carolinas. The musicians played marches and various pieces known as “quick steps” to move soldiers forward. They serenaded at campfires and performed at ceremonies and worship services. At the end of the war, the original 1st Brigade band was invited to play at the Galena, Ill., Homecoming for General
Ulysses S. Grant. They also performed at the Grand Review in Washington D.C., where they received praise as excellent musicians and gentlemen. The tradition of excellence that these men established 150 years ago lives on today with the members of Wisconsin’s 1st Brigade Band. The band makes history come to life by presenting period brass band music, performed on antique instruments. Attired in uniforms and gowns, the Band’s musicians, color guard and costumed ladies take you back to the turbulent era of the Civil War. A nostalgic portrayal of the atmosphere of days gone by is generated by a unique form of showmanship that blends the sights and sounds of the period with historical anecdotes. More than 80 volunteers make up the
1st Brigade Band. Widely varied in age and occupation, these men and women come from many communities, bringing with them a common interest in our musical heritage. While the abundant written and pictorial materials remain, the mellow sounds of the brass bands of the Civil War days were lost until the 1st Brigade Band, starting in 1964, began to locate and restore the dented and broken instruments and to retrieve and reconstruct the yellowed and torn music. Through their work, you will hear what Presidents Lincoln and Davis, Generals Lee and Grant experienced. Tickets are available at Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Waushara Argus in Wautoma, and Office Outfitters in Waupaca, or they can be ordered by phoning 920-622-3088.
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