NEXT WEEK: FIND OUT WHO OUR READERS VOTED BEST OF LA CROSSE
La Crosse's Free Press VOLUME 10, NO. 18 | MAY 13, 2010
We Salute the finest in local theatre
Page 5
ALSO ... 'Camelot' crew overcomes inherent weaknesses
Page 6
T.U.G.G. helps pull fans to Reggae Fest Page 8 PLUS: SOCIAL NETWORKING • PAGE 2 | THE ARTS REVIEW • PAGE 6 | THE ADVICE GODDESS • PAGE 7
2// May 13, 2010
Second Supper
Social Networking
NAME AND AGE: Ryan Hamel, 20 WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Sparta!!!!!! CURRENT JOB: Sub slinging, mayo-master. DREAM JOB: Video game programmer LAST THING YOU GOOGLED: Diablo 3 IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, WHERE WOULD IT BE? The Mariana Trench WHAT IS SOMETHING YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE? Play guitar in a band on a world tour. IF A GENIE GRANTED YOU ONE WISH, WHAT WOULD YOU ASK FOR? A Smoke-Sesh CELEBRITY CRUSH: Megan Fox FIRST CONCERT YOU WENT TO: Kid Rock WHAT IS YOUR BEVERAGE OF CHOICE? Red Bull WHAT BOOK ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? "The Oral Biography of Buster Casey" TELL US YOUR GUILTIEST PLEASURE: Shredding WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST PET PEEVE? Repeating myself TELL US A JOKE: What's the difference between red and purple? The strength of your grip. WHAT'S THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT? Food WHAT'S IN YOUR POCKET RIGHT NOW?: The Essentials: Phone(check), Wallet(check), Keys(check). WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF SECOND SUPPER? The Advice Goddess(too funny), and of course Shug's article. HOW DO YOU KNOW CARMEN (LAST WEEK'S INTERVIEW)? Met her at Jimmy Johns. The rest is history. >.< — Shuggypop Jackson, shuggypop.jackson@secondsupper.com
Second Supper
Things To Do Support the animals with a night at Players
The Top
Theatre idioms 1. Upstage 2. Curtain call 3. Break a leg 4. Limelight 5. Long-running 6. Wait in the wings 7. Backdrop British spellings 1. Aeroplane 2. Arse 3. Pyjamas 4. Cheque 5. Colour 6. Odour 7. Draught
May 13, 2010 // 3
FIRST THINGS FIRST
A variety show benefiting the Coulee Region Humane Society will be held at 9 p.m. Saturday, May 15, at Players Bar, 300 S. Fourth St. Love for All the Animals will feature emcee Sam Strong and a diverse mix of acts: music, drag queens, comedy and more. Performers volunteering their time include Tammy Why Nott??, Nicoli Clyne, Liza Hollywoodz, Lyle Loves-It, Vicki Elwood, Conner Knightly, Phaedra Simone, DJ Cory, Holiday Rose, Averi Boiz Dream and Taylor Vaughn. Prizes being given away include two tickets to "Angry Housewives" at The Muse, a celebrity doodle card designed by the late artist Tom Hadley and autographed doodle from Rita Rudner from By James, a sun catcher from Vision of Light, metal works from Creations by KC, roses from Monet Flowers and a gift card from Fayze's. Tickets are $8 and are available at the door, but reservations also are being accepted by calling (608) 784-4200.
1
Applaud the work of city's young artists
Artists featured in La Crosse High School Student Art Exhibit at the Pump House Regional Arts Center, 119 King St., will be honored at a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 14, at the center. The exhibit includes winners from the 2010 Congressional Art Competition, open to all high school students throughout the U.S. The top entry from each congressional district is displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year. Zoe Fay of La Crosse won this year's contest in the Third Congressional District, and her work "Anna" is included in the exhibit. In addition to the reception, the Pump House galleries are open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. For information, call (608) 785-1434.
2
Strap it on and party on
Residents are invited to have a rootin', tootin' good time Sunday, May 16, at the second annual La Crosse County Open Carry picnic at Village Park in West Salem. This is the first open carry event of the year, so organizers are hoping for a large turnout. Last year's picnic attracted about 200 people. This family event features a Chicken-Q dinner for $7, drawings for prizes, including $300 cash, and refreshments â&#x20AC;&#x201D; but no alcoholic beverages. Open Carry is encouraged but not required. The picnic starts at 11 a.m. and should be wrapped up by 3 p.m. For information, call (608) 385-1160 or send an e-mail to serpent10@hotmail.com.
3
Check out the stars
Beginning Saturday, May 15, the La Crosse Area Astronomical Society will offer monthly Star Parties, or public observation sessions. The programs will meet May 15, June 11, July 17 and Aug. 21 if the weather cooperates. Participants are asked to gather at the Myrick Hixon EcoCenter. Then then will caravan up to the observing site on the Prairie Trail Loop near the weather station located on County Road FA. Saturday's start time is listed as 8 p.m. For information, e-mail rustyzip@charter.net.
4
Try some fine pancakes and help Riverfront
Local celebrities and volunteers will be flipping pancakes from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday, May 16, at Riverfront's second annual Gourmet Pancake Extravaganza at Nell's City Grill and Catering, 1111 Third St. S. The event benefits Riverfront, a nonprofit organization founded in 1977 that helps more than 2,000 people with disabilities. The event features specialty gourmet pancakes by The Great American Pancake Co. and several beverages, including classic mimosas. Tickets cost $25 each, $40 per couple and $140 for a table of eight. For tickets or information, call the Riverfront Foundation at (608) 784-9450.
5
4// May 13, 2010
Second Supper
COMMENTARY
The WisPolitics.com Week in Review STOCK REPORT
RISING Downtown Madison
CLASSIFIEDS FREE RENT: Campus Housing, 4 & 5 bedroom units, single bedrooms available. Contact (608)7823776 and ask about our “free rent” special! HELP WANTED: Second Supper needs a reliable independent contractor to deliver papers each Thursday. Pay averages about $10 per hour. You must provide your own transportation. Call Roger at (608) 782-7001. HELP WANTED: Second Supper seeks a part-time sales account representative. Must be outgoing, organized and able to meet weekly deadlines. Monday-Tuesday afternoon/evening hours required. Send application to advertising@secondsupper.com. To advertise, call (608) 782-7001
Second Supper 614 Main St., La Crosse, WI 54601 Phone: (608) 782-7001 Online: secondsupper.com Publisher: Roger Bartel roger.bartel@secondsupper.com Editor in Chief: Adam Bissen adam.bissen@secondsupper.com Student Editor: Emily Faeth emily.faeth@secondsupper.com Sales: Mike Keith mike.keith@secondsupper.com Sales: Jenaveve Bell jenaveve.bell@secondsupper.com Sales: Ansel Ericksen ansel.ericksen@secondsupper.com Contributors: Amy Alkon, Erich Boldt, Nick Cabreza, Brett Emerson, Jake Groteuschen, Shuggypop Jackson, Matt Jones, Carolyn Ryan, Stephanie Schultz, Anna Soldner
Reversing course, the guv announces Madison’s new high-speed rail station will be located at the downtown Monona Terrace rather than the Dane County airport. Doyle’s administration initially sent signals the airport was the better option because of the already available parking and other factors. But critics complained it was too far away from downtown to be an effective mode of transportation for business folks. Now Doyle says it was determined the costs were about the same, the travel time was fairly equal and it was clear potential riders wanted to be dropped off downtown. City officials envision the new station being part of a transportation hub that includes a mix of options and the city’s first bike parking. High-speed rail critics complain the designation only further commits the state to a project it cannot afford and will put another drain on the state transportation fund. Both leading GOP guv hopefuls reiterate their plans to nix the project if elected.
FALLING
THAT'S DEBATABLE
Editor's Note: WisOpinion.com has asked two veterans of Wisconsin policy and politics, Scot Ross of One Wisconsin Now and Brian Fraley of the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, to engage in weekly exchanges on a topic of their choosing. In this installment of "That's Debatable," Fraley and Ross debate the retirement of U.S. Rep. David Obey.
Scot Ross
After more than four decades of incomparable and dedicated service to all the people of Wisconsin, U.S. Rep. David Obey has announced his intention to retire from Congress at the end of this year. No matter your ideology, it is impossible to deny the extraordinary record of service Obey provided not only his constituents in the 7th Congressional District, but also citizens in every corner of these United States. Unparalleled in his willingness to give voice to the voiceless, Obey was a tireless champion for us. While Obey’s leadership will be sorely missed, his legacy of service to working people inside and outside of Wisconsin will remain the standard by which all elected officials should be judged. ... It’s always tough when someone like Obey decides to move on and no moment more personifies his towering career than his leadership from start to finish on passage of the historic health reform act.
Wisconsin biotech
The guv announces a series of positive developments on the biotechnology front, but WARF loses a round in its fight to protect a patent for embryonic stem cell research. The good news includes the opening of the Wisconsin Institutes for Discovery later this year and that Madison will host the 2011 Small Business Innovation Research National Conference. Meanwhile, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has reversed a previous decision siding with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation on a patent covering the early work of UW-Madison researcher James Thomson. The office says Thomson’s work could have been performed by other scientists doing similar research, though WARF has the opportunity to continue fighting to protect the work.
MIXED UW System
The UW hits some of its graduation targets but misses key minority goals, according to the latest Growth Agenda Accountability Report. System schools met goals for enrollment, student retention, graduation rates and the number of degrees conferred. But targeted minority groups lagged behind the System's goals in most categories. During the 2008-09 school year, the System conferred 33,044 degrees compared to 32,475 degrees in 2007-2008. The report also shows the UW also met its goals for increasing research funding, the graduating class' impact on Wisconsin revenues, and the number of degrees in the economically critical STEM areas — science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Obey was rightfully indignant against the profligacy, indifference and corruption of so many of the Republicans who personify the GOP's Gingrich-DeLay years in the House.
Brian Fraley
Yeah, the crusty, arrogant old lion is right up there with Mother Teresa. How about this? After years of taking re-election for granted Obey decided to deny his constituents the opportunity to react to his earmark-laden stimulus bill and the health care debacle which he and his fellow Democratic leaders shoved down their throats. ... No one saw his announcement coming. However, make no mistake here, Dave Obey didn't quit because he needed to take a nap, he quit because he didn't want to work as hard as was necessary to try to keep his seat. ... So, congrats to Congressman Obey, he’s been around a long time and in that time did a lot of things. But a true display of political courage would have been for him to come back to Wisconsin and campaign on the stimulus and the health care plan against a strong challenger like Sean Duffy. ... He said he was tired. I believe him. He was tired of listening to his constituents, and he was unwilling to put in the effort necessary to keep his job in the face of not listening to them. Score another victory for the Tea Party patriots.
POLITICAL NEWS IN BRIEF Lassa announces bid for Obey's former seat
State Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, announced her candidacy for the 7th Congressional District, talking up her connections to the northern Wisconsin district and her work as the chair of the Senate Economic Development Committee. “The hard working men and women of our area deserve a representative who will keep fighting to turn our economy around, even when it means standing up to big special interests," Lassa said in a statement. Lassa is seeking to replace longtime U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, D-Wausau, who announced he would retire at the end of this term rather than seek re-election after more than 40 years in the House. Tom Erickson, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said in a statement that the state has lost 175,000 jobs during Lassa's tenure as chair of the Economic Development Committee.
O'Connor: Judges should be selected not elected
Former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor urged members of Wisconsin's legal community to work toward a system of merit selection for judges, arguing that the influence of campaign contributions in state judicial races presents the greatest threat to public trust of the judiciary. "The eroding faith in our judiciary is far reaching," O'Connor warned in an address to the State Bar of Wisconsin's annual convention in Madison. She said that although judicial independence has been a concern
for decades, the steady increase in the expense of state judicial races has convinced the public that judges are little more than "politicians in robes." While spending in Wisconsin's high court races have dramatically increased in recent years, O'Connor pointed out controversial campaign donations to judges in Illinois, Alabama and, most infamously, West Virginia, where the U.S. Supreme Court had to order a new state Supreme Court judge to recuse himself in a case involving a major campaign contributor.
Ad illustrates debate over 'combined reporting'
The liberal-leaning Greater Wisconsin Committee has begun the first third-party TV ad of the gubernatorial race, accusing Republicans Mark Neumann and Scott Walker of proposing tax breaks for the wealthy and loopholes for big corporations. The line refers to promises from Neumann and Walker to repeal combined reporting, which impacts how companies with out-of-state holdings calculate their Wisconsin tax bill. Walker called on Democrat Tom Barrett to either say he supports combined reporting or to call on the GWC to amend the ad to include his name as well. Barrett said at a recent campaign stop prior to Walker's statement that he'd be willing to discuss changing combined reporting "to the extent someone makes a case this is going to have an impact on employment." He noted that the tax was implemented to keep corporations from avoiding state tax liability by shifting income out of state.
Second Supper
ARTS
May 13, 2010 // 5
The Suppies: Honoring the best in local theatre
Editor's note: Second Supper is proud to present our inaugural, and hopefully annual, Suppies Awards for best performances in the local theatre scene during the 2009-2010 school year. Jonathan Majak, our primary reviewer, attended most of the local productions of the five local theatre troupes, and several other writers helped round out our first season of extensive theatre coverage. We polled the writers and others involved in the theatre scene for the best performances of the year. We don't claim to be the most authoritative voice on theatre, or as Jonathan puts it: "You may ask what qualifies me, a mere freelance journalist, to give out awards for theatre. Did I go to school for theatre, have I acted in front of the footlights, can I deliver a heart-tugging soliloquy? Nope. But I’m hyper critical and judgmental and those are good enough qualifications." So let's get to it:
Best Drama The firing and rehiring of La Crosse Community Theatre Artistic Director Greg Parmeter was high drama at its finest and would really make a great play/musical actually. Meanwhile, back onstage ... Honorable Mention: Frozen, UW-La Crosse Judge's comment: "Frozen is an absorbing and disturbing look into the perspectives of a pedophile serial killer, his psychologist and the mother of one of his victims. With very emotional scenes in the script, the three leading performers dealt with dark issues. ... The actors handled what must have been a difficult script with an admirable level of control." Best Comedy Escanaba in Da Moonlight, LCT Judge's comment: "From the opening curtain to the close, I felt like I was in deer camp. They even made it smell like a huntin’ cabin. ... I don’t know why deer camp is like dat but da yoopers up der on dat stage captured the entire essence of deer camp." Honorable Mention: Escape from Happiness, UW-La Crosse Best Musical Rocky Horror Picture Show, Muse Theatre Judge's comment: Sweet transvestites, murderous aliens, half-naked humans, Muse Theatre’s production was family entertainment at its finest.
Honorable Mention: Into The Woods, UW-La Crosse
Best Play Anton in Show Business, Viterbo University Judge's comment: Playing like an early, theatre-centric version of 30 Rock, the gleefully fourth-wall breaking production of Anton at Viterbo smartly examined the highs and lows of putting on a production. Honorable Mention: Driving Miss Daisy, LCT Best Actor, Musical Ryan Claussen Chess, Viterbo University Judge's comment: As the dastardly clever Molokov, Claussen managed to make this Soviet spy not a moustache twirling figure of old but a multi-layered character caught up in the politics of the time. Honorable Mention: Kevin Fanshaw, Into the Woods, UW-La Crosse Best Actress, Musical Natalie Wikstrom The Spitfire Grill, Muse Theatre Judge's comment: Wikstrom shined in the vocally demanding role of Percy, a recently released prison inmate who finds a second life to be had in a small Wisconsin town. With a slight Tanya Tucker twang and the right balance of grit and tenderness, Wikstrom delivered a tasty acting treat at the Grill. Best Musical Number “There’s a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place)” Rocky Horror Picture Show, Muse Theatre Judge's comment: A kooky blend of an extremely catchy tune meets slight homage to Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, this number let actor Alex Brick let loose some rock-androll vocals against the choreography done by Mary Leigh Snider to the thunderous applause of the audience. Honorable Mention: "Children Will Listen" Into The Woods, UW-La Crosse Best Actress, Non-Musical Anna Troy Anton in Show Business, Viterbo University Judge's comment: Tough, smart, Anna
Troy's character is a sharp actress armed with a wry wit to deal with being in the business. Sort of a hard thing you would think a freshmen student at Viterbo to play, but Troy, with an uncanny deadpan style, makes you believe every moment and stands out in a cast uniformly made up of strong actresses from Viterbo. Honorable Mention: Maddie Fendrick, Escape from Happiness UW-La Crosse Best Actress in Supporting Role, Non-Musical (Tie) Brooke Bellehumeur Jake's Women, La Crosse Community Theatre Judge's comment: Taking on the difficult role of Jake's deceased wife who has to be at first the perfect girl and then the control of her own existence, Bellehumeur made the transition between the two look easy while never letting go of her sharp comedic timing. Cara Kluver Anton in Show Business, Viterbo University Judge's comment: The best actress ironically goes enough to an actress who played two men in Anton in Show Business. A skilled comedic actress with uncanny gift for accents, Kluver should prep herself for a long successful life in the theatre.
Best Actor, Non-musical Colin Thelen 5,000 Lbs., The Pump House Judge's comment: Playing the potty-mouth Baker in 5,000 Lbs., Thelen transcended the cliché of a tough guy with a secret sensitive soul to make a devastating portrait of a young man unsure of his life stuck in a war riddled with uncertainties. Honorable Mention: Adam Petchel, Frozen, UW-La Crosse Best Actor in Supporting Role, Non-Musical Ken Brown Escanaba in the Moonlight, La Crosse Community Theatre Judge's comment: "(Ken Brown) stole the show. From his entrance wearing a huge rabbit fur hat (the kind with the oversized earlappers) to his gas attack that brought Reuben back from another dimension, this man was flat out funny. It doesn’t hurt that
he kept drinking porcupine urine and the moose ball testicle milkshake." Honorable mention: Andrew Kelly, Escape from Happiness UW-La Crosse Best Ensemble 5,000 Lbs.: Seven Soldiers’ Stories Pump House Regional Arts Center Judge's comment: The seven 20-something actors in this play written by David Krump showed what sheer force of chemistry and camaraderie among a cast can transform a play into a lightning-in-bottle experience. Honorable Mention Driving Miss Daisy, LCT Best Scene Stealers Ryan Soberg, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Muse Theatre; Mary Hurley, The Vagina Monologues, Muse Theatre; Emily Bourland, Spitfire Grill, Muse Theatre; Garrett Flood, Eurydice, UW-L Best Costume Design Eurydice, UW-La Crosse Judge's comment: As designed by Joe Anderson, Eurydice’s costumes were the love child of Lady GaGa and Tim Burton that added extra dimensions of drama to the UW-L production. Honorable Mention: A Christmas Carol, UW-La Crosse Best Set Design Into The Woods, UW-La Crosse Judge's comment: The storybook designed by Mandy Hart helped transport audiences at UW-L to both dark and whimsical world. Best Inanimate Object Milky White from Into the Woods UW-La Crosse Honorable Mention: Pump House Regional Arts Center Diana the Pig, 5,000 Lbs. Most Eagerly Anticipated Season La Crosse Community Theatre JM says: With Chicago, On Golden Pond AND West Side Story all on deck, LCT is going to potentially have one of its strongest seasons ever. So in the words of one RuPaul, good luck. And don’t f*** it up.
6// May 13, 2010
Second Supper
ARTS
KJOME RENTALS
In the end, I was impressed with the cast and crew of Camelot, as I have been all season long with LCT and look forward to all the adventures that are going to come. — Jonathan Majak
Bizarro Masterpiece Theatre
Ready to Move in? Two-Bedroom
612 S. 7th St., La Crosse $650.00 Heat Included, Laundry, Storage, Parking
Studio
313 Main St., Onalaska $425.00 Heat Included, Parking All Month to Month Leases Cats Welcome!
1-877-452-2155 Toll Free #
Come Home To The Best! Sudoku
Answers below
ENJOY YOUR SUPPER ONLINE AT www.secondsupper.com
The Screening Room Medium: Film Iron Man 2 (2010) Director: Jon Favreau Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke Writer: Justin Theroux
The Arts Review The Curtain Call Medium: Theatre Camelot Troupe: La Crosse Community Theatre Dates: May 13-16, May 20-23 While sitting in row L of the LCT watching a performance of Camelot, I was reminded of those old school 1930s/1940s musicals that had a group of plucky folks getting together and putting on a show. Those musicals emanated a can-do spirit and I was struck how the cast of Camelot had that same sort of vibe about them. It’s that gung-ho spirit that makes Camelot a treat to watch and what makes the show overcome the weaknesses inherent to the show. When I interviewed artistic director Greg Parmeter, even he confessed that the book for the show is clunky and there are lots of thuds in terms of plotting, especially in Act One. But even at its clunkiest moments, the performers in the show sort of transcend its faults and create coherent characterizations. In the role of Arthur, Daniel Schneider is able to capture Arthur’s befuddlement with life without making him a total fool while also showing an intelligent dreamer who comes up with the novel idea of the Knights of the Round Table. In the role of his wife Guenevere, Amanda Grimsled Wiese takes over the role originated by Julie Andrews and brings a silly, Carol Burnett-esque charm that balances the self-absorption that can make the character difficult to root for. And for the third side of the love triangle, Anthony Rodriguez as Sir Lancelot sends up the conventions of the good knight in Act One yet still maintains the heroic essence of the figure. With Arthur, Guenevere and Lancelot mired in a love triangle, the show allows for some of the supporting characters to steal the show while the trio tries to figure out who is zoomin’ who. In the role of Pellinore, Tom Desjarlais is a hilarious grump of a man who never overplays the comedy of the character. Ryan Soberg is deliciously evil as the villain Mordred. His and the presence of Mary Leigh Christine as Morgan La Fey bring life to the show in its better second act where the plot finally kicks in. The rest of the supporting ensemble were great and seemed to be having a good time, though one would hope that some of the bum notes in the group numbers will be corrected in rehearsals. The lighting and sound design enhance the show greatly, especially in Act 2 when Mordred visits Morgan La Fey; the once cheery set takes on a dark and magnificently malevolent atmosphere. The costume design is great period work without being excessively costume-y.
Anyone doing a double-take at the above
Medium: Film writing credit for Iron Man 2 can rest easy: yes, The Best of TromaDance Film Festival, the Justin Theroux who wrote Iron Man 2 is the same Justin Theroux who made a name Volume 1 Lloyd Kaufman is a man who backs up his vision. Having spent decades as the kingpin of the underground film scene, he has served as a prime advocate of the idea that film — and art in general — can be made by anyone, regardless of funding or equipment. Kaufman’s Troma label has been supporting independent filmmakers for years, but with the dawn of the new millennium it kicked things up a notch with the creation of its own film festival, TromaDance! The motto repeated throughout its first best-of DVD is that art is for the people, and the inaugural festival lived that motto. Everything was open to the public, free of charge, and there were no entrance fees demanded in order to submit films to the festival. Held at the same time and place as the more upscale Sundance Film Festival, the Troma Team naturally caused a ruckus, scared the straights and got in trouble. But their mission continues! The resulting collection of the best and weirdest films of TromaDance 1 is a delight. Many of the films share Troma’s penchant for goo and gore, yet there’s very little that feels rehashed, and there are even a few films that throw out the formula altogether. Chief among these is Please Kill Mr. Kinski, a documentary in which a director speaks in an unnerving cadence about his experience working with the legendarily difficult actor Klaus Kinski. Another relatively bloodless film — depending on how you look at it — is Deadbeats, in which wrestling star and author Mick Foley portrays a bandit turned bill collector. The movie falls pretty flat, though it’s an interesting premise. The real fun comes in with the goo and gore. Zitlover is exactly what it seems, a story of a creep who covers himself in nacho cheese and shoots pus from massive zits. H.R. Pukenshette tells the tale of a down and out man who rediscovers the joys of life due to the encouragement of his own talking vomit. Psychotic Odyssey discusses real life murderer Richard Chase via voice distorted narrative and the wonders of puppetry. There are two films that shine above the rest. TV Head — Family Dinner Party shows a twitching, neurotic man’s attempt to host a nice meal — and his psychotic, screaming meltdowns in the bathroom when things go awry. But the real gem in this collection is Harry Knuckles and the Treasure of the Aztec Mummy, an early film in the Harry Knuckles series by Lee Gordon Demarbre. In this film, Harry Knuckles once more teams up with famed luchador Santos, this time to beat up zombies and save his child. The ass-kicking robot is a nice touch. Troma, I salute you!
for himself as an actor in films like American Psycho (2000) and Mulholland Dr. (2001). His other writing credits include Tropic Thunder (2008) and — that's it, which explains how he lucked into this gig. It may also explain why Iron Man 2 doesn't really build upon the story established in the 2008 original so much as stretch it out. The actions of its characters carry little weight, and by the end the whole thing seems to have played out with little consequence. But by golly, Iron Man 2 has charm. It feels more like a pitstop on the way to something bigger and less like a well-rounded sequel, but it's never un-entertaining, and at least Marvel fans won't find themselves walking out of theaters with their heads lowered in shame. The film's opening credits roll during a scene that has Russian felon/physicist Ivan Vanko (Rourke) building an arc reactor used to power his own armored suit. This opening might be the most successive screentime the film offers Rourke. Vanko is an intimidating yet underwhelming presence who remains obtrusively one-dimensional while operating mostly in the background. Instead, Tony Stark finds a primary rival in Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), an arms developer obsessed with creating his own line of military-ready armored suits. Stark also battles a series of private and internal antagonists: his friendship with Lt. Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle) has strained, his secret love for assistant Pepper Potts (Paltrow) is approaching the tipping point and he feels pressure to do right by the Stark family legacy, all while the U.S. government seeks to appropriate the Iron Man armor. If it sounds like Iron Man 2 is overstuffed, that's because it is. As a result, the film often feels disjointed and filled with awkward, sudden transitions that leave Theroux and Favreau's solicitude in question. It plays like a two-hour long episode of an Iron Man TV show, over the course of which the characters battle both internal and external demons but by the end everything is righted and virtually nothing has changed. But that doesn't mean the ride isn't fun. To say that about a summer blockbuster with a surprisingly small number of action scenes says something of the dynamics of the sprawling cast of characters and the performances that comprise it. In fact, so much time is spent watching the characters interact via storms of chess-game-like dialogue that the film's epic action finale almost feels insincere. It certainly isn't earned. Iron Man 2 (refreshingly) features so much conversation that it almost convinces you the characters are smart enough to settle their conflicts not with explosions and mayhem, but by sitting down and talking their problems through.
— Brett Emerson
— Nick Cabreza
Second Supper
May 13, 2010 // 7
ADVICE
The Advice Goddess By Amy Alkon amy.alkon@secondsupper.com Wussy galore
Ohh! I FINALLY get what you're saying! For the longest time, I was resenting you for telling women they shouldn't ask men out. I had this impression of you wanting ladies to just sit in a corner waiting for a strong, burly man to come to our rescue. I reread some of your columns, and it seems you're saying it's OK for us to APPROACH guys, strike up a conversation, and show we’re interested, but not to do the actual asking out. Or, am I wrong? If so, I'm just going to go buy 23 cats right now and get it over with. — Don’t Wanna Be The Crazy Cat Lady Too many women tell themselves they’re expressing their equality with men by taking a “Raid on Entebbe” approach to getting a date. (You’re supposed to be seducing a man, not rushing him into your cargo plane before he gets shot by the Ugandans.) Women who go all “Me Tarzan, you Tarzan” on men confuse “equal” with “the same” and what a woman can do with what actu-
ally works. (Pssst! Somebody has to be Jane.) You might be as “liberated” as all get out, but your genes are ready to party like it’s 1.8 million years ago, when women evolved to be the harder-to-get sex and men co-evolved to expect to smooth-talk a woman into the bushes. Anthropologist Heather Trexler Remoff writes in “Sexual Choice” that an unambiguous advance on a man — asking him out — is fine if your goal is getting him to attend one specific function with you. If you’d like more than a single-serving-size encounter, “you’d do well to take (your) time and not push against the built-in rhythms of human courtship.” Guys these days don’t make this easy. Masculinity, especially in young guys, appears to have gone the way of the rotary dial phone, the Betamax and the spotted owl. It has gotten so bad that there are even Barbies for adult males — the action figures guys stay home moping to about how they can’t get dates. (Of course, the first step would be actually asking a girl out, not staying home praying to date her.) The answer for you and the rest of the ladies isn’t taking over the man’s job — doing the asking — but signaling to him that it would go very, very well for him if he did it. You do that by flirting. You’ll have to experiment, but you can probably flirt far beyond what seems reasonable — especially when a guy seems to have all the sexual aggression of a lost baby duck. Ultimately, flirting is a form of information-gathering: Is there a man cowering in there somewhere? If so, is he man enough and interested enough to squeak out, “Doing anything Friday night?” If he can’t or
won’t, he’s telling you something important: “Go flirt with the next guy.” You may do a whole lot of flirting with a whole lot of next guys, but it beats dating somebody who’s not that interested in you or sitting in a corner waiting for some burly man to come to your rescue. (One may — an archaeologist in the year 2110, musing, “Hmm, looks like she died waiting for a guy to grow a pair.”)
Let’s meek love!
How come many women on online dating sites expressly state in their profile that they don’t want “winks” from men, only e-mails? Isn't a wink just an invitation to look at a profile — which is what an introductory e-mail is, right? — Online Daterguy You never get a second chance to make a really crappy first impression. Next time you’re in a bar, and you spot a girl who strikes your fancy, don’t bother talking to her or buying her a drink. Just tap her on the shoulder and run. That’s basically what you’re doing by “winking” online. Never mind coming up with some clever little form e-mail that you personalize for each girl you hit on. Just send that little winkieface symbol, telling a girl you’re too lazy, dull, wimpy or cheap to write her a message (cheap because you can “wink” on a lot of dating sites without paying to join). Sending a wink is also a really girly thing to do — the online version of wearing a really short skirt and crossing and recrossing your legs. That does send a provocative message — something along the lines of “Hey, ladies — guess whether I’m wearing any panties!”
My Reality?
We put those ATM fees back in your pocket.
I‘ve got money, I never carry cash.
With Altra Plus Checking, you can get up to $20 in ATM fees refunded every month and earn an outrageously high dividend on the money in your account. Ask us how. • No minimum balance required • No monthly service charge
Open 7 days a week inside Festival Foods, La Crosse
608-787-4500 • www.altra.org
fits my life
Membership eligibility required. A+ Checking available for personal accounts only. The use of four free Altra technology services is required to receive ATM refunds and dividend rate. ATM fee refunds available for withdrawals made from A+ Checking. Dividends calculated and paid each calendar month on the daily balance. Please contact Altra for complete account details.
8// May 13, 2010
Medium: Album Stimulus: Hypernova — Through the Chaos Anno: 2010 What Hypernova has to offer on Through the Chaos is a solid rock debut with equal parts strength and swerve. Throughout the album the band mixes many influences — new wave, old school punk and even a little bit of ska guitar — and creates a unique account of itself. The guitar work is especially noteworthy, its shrieks, growls and whispers creating much of the album’s driving force. The rhythms pulse and shake through the album’s uptempo tracks and run smooth through the softer fare, augmenting vocalist Raam’s deep crooning so that each song is an example of fine songcraft. If there is a shortcoming on Through the Chaos, it’s that Raam’s lyrics at times get bipolar — either they get too easy or they try too hard to be metaphorical. An example of the latter comes during “With You,” in which he sings of “the mushroom cloud of indifference,” which is a fairly baffling phrase. At the same time, he also provides songs of depth and cleverness that indicate the potential for his lyricism to grow. The best example of this talent comes in “American Dream,” a sonically cheerful song replete with staccato guitar riffs. While
MUSIC the music bounces along, Raam turns the song into a brooding immigrant song, a disillusioned sequel to Neil Diamond’s “America.” The glowing anticipation of America gives way to narcissism and entitlement, the new arrivals being converted into products. The album is at its most aggressive during a pair of songs: “Viva La Resistance” and “Fairy Tales.” The former is an anti-authority anthem in which the bass guitar comes into fullest focus, nimbly dictating the song’s flow. The latter is a song of distorted guitars punctuated by leaping leads. “Fairy Tales” is one of Raam’s least lyrical tunes, yet his delivery is so spot-on that it gives the track an attraction that it may not have otherwise possessed. “Viva” is the superior of these two punch tracks, but “Fairy Tales” is more fun. The most unexpected part of Through the Chaos lies in the prettiness of “Empty Times,” a clean and soft-spoken work enhanced by crystalline keyboards. The vocals gently push the song along, accompanied by the hum of new wave guitars and a faint trace of drum and bass. It’s this song above any other which makes Through the Chaos feel like a true album rather than a series of tracks. As a whole, that album brings a lot to the table, and as such it’s a captivating work. This is easily one of the best rock records of the year.
— Brett Emerson [To read Brett's interview with Hypernova vocalist Raam, go to www.secondsupper. com.]
Second Supper
T.U.G.G. helps pull fans to Reggae Fest By Anna Soldner anna.soldner@secondsupper.com This Saturday, May 15, the village of Trempealeau will be flooded with hundreds of people celebrating the 20th anniversary of Reggae Fest. Presented by the Historic Trempealeau Hotel, crowds will gather on the hotel lawn overlooking the Mississippi River to enjoy Jamaican food, browse crafts, visit with friends and revel in the flowing reggae melodies. To commemorate the history and spirit of the celebration, patrons will be greeted with 20th anniversary buttons — and hopefully some sunshine, too. “We’re hoping for nice weather . . . but regardless there’s always a lot of people who come no matter what the weather is because it’s a family oriented festival,” explains hotel owner Jim Jenkins. “It has great food, a number of crafts and outdoor vendors, and of course the music is always good.” Reggae Fest consistently attracts notable groups from around the Midwest, and this year the lineup is equally sublime (no pun intended). The festival kicks off at 2 p.m. with La Crosse favorite T.U.G.G. taking the main stage, followed by Chicago-based Gizzae at 5 p.m. and Twin Cities group Les Exodus from 8 to 11 p.m. To adhere to the town’s 11 o’clock noise curfew, T.U.G.G. then will move the party indoors to the hotel’s dining area and deliver tropical grooves well into the night. Along with keeping the people and the party lingering, T.U.G.G. will undoubtedly draw a large number of fest-goers. Since releasing its latest album, Slow Chill, in 2009, T.U.G.G. has received plenty of positive feedback and developed a loyal fan base. T.U.G.G. plans to tour out West this summer and to release its fifth album, Come Sunrise, on July 1. So what was the band members' reaction after finding out they scored two slots at Reggae Fest? “A lot of high fives and beers were had!” admitted lead singer and guitarist Andy Hughes, followed by chuckles from his band mates. “We were all excited. We worked really hard to sort of get the word out there that we’re from La Crosse and we think we play a really good style of reggaeinfluenced music. "I’ve gone to Reggae Fest three times and it’s a blast. I’ve always said, ‘Man, I wish I could play there!’” T.U.G.G. is stoked to be one of the first local acts to play Reggae Fest and is anxious to play with Gizzae and Les Exodus. “We’ve been working hard on our set list and we’re excited to party,” Hughes said. The five men of Grammy award-winning Gizzae collectively have more than 100 years of musical experience and a wealth of achievements to prove it. In addition to recording and playing with a wide variety
At A Glance WHAT: Reggae Fest WHERE: Trempealeau Hotel WHEN: 2-11 p.m. Saturday, May 15 FYI: Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. They can be purchased by phone (MasterCard or Visa) at (608) 534-6898 or at trempealeauhotel.com. Tickets also are available at People’s Food Co-op, La Crosse, and Hardt’s Music and Audio in Winona. of musical acts such as The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Iggy Pop, Gizzae has toured with Ziggy Marley and contributed to his platinum record Conscious Party. Appearing for the third year and officially closing the festival will be the popular Minneapolis group Les Exodus, with members hailing from the Virgin Islands and Jamaica. The band — keyboardist Charles “Chilly” Petrus, bassist “Star” and lead vocalists and brothers Prince Jabba and Lynval Jackson — strives to respect the beauty and simplicity of reggae music, but is not afraid to incorporate the occasional R&B or hip hop rhythm. Petrus explains,“We try to stay current and we try to stay familiar to people who may not be 100 percent reggae fans.” After years of international touring, Les Exodus looks forward to continue making music by “relaxing and just having fun.” Nevertheless, the band show no signs of slowing down and will continue to keep the Minneapolis reggae scene fresh and relevant. “We are one of the main reasons that there’s still a reggae scene in the Twin Cities," Petrus said. "Throughout the years we’ve been the only band consistently playing on a regular basis.” Les Exodus anticipates the Trempealeau crowd to dance to the self-described “party” tempo. “We’re really looking forward to coming down there,” Petrus said. “We like to have a good time. It should be fun.” Saturday's forecast is for plenty of sunshine and temperatures about 70 degrees — a sigh of relief considering the festival’s chilly track record — and the festival will proceed rain or shine. If you like easygoing reggae tunes, delicious food and lively conversation, bring your spirit, appetites and lawn chairs to charming Trempealeau to commemorate 20 years of Reggae Fest. “Reggae music is real positive vibes, you know. People like the positive vibes and it gets into your blood stream, into your heart,” Jenkins said. “And if you like reggae, you like reggae, and you’re going to want to come to the festival."
Second Supper
May 13, 2010 // 9
MUSIC
music directory // May 14 to May 20 FRIDAY,
just a roadie away
May 14
Minneapolis
LA CROSSE QUEEN // Riverside Park The Journeymen (dinner cruise) • 6 p.m.
population
MUMFORD & SONS // MAY 25 Varsity Theatre • $15
MOOSE LODGE // 1932 Ward Ave. Russ Guyer (classic country) • 7 p.m.
JEWEL // JUNE 2 The O'Shaughnessy • $32
NIGHTHAWKS TAP // 401 S. Third St. The Sena (Plan B) Ehrhardt Band (blues, funk, soul) • 10 p.m.
CARIBOU // JUNE 4 7th Street Entry • $13.50
NEUIE'S VARSITY CLUB // 1920 Ward Ave. Joe Cody and the Junkyard Saits (La Crosse supergroup) • 9 p.m. PEARL STREET BREWERY // 1401 St. Andrew St.
Ross Perry (acoustic blues) • 5 p.m. PIGGY'S BLUES LOUNGE // 501 Front St. S. Ross William Perry Band (blues) • 8 p.m.
SHE & HIM // JUNE 5 First Avenue • $21.75 Stephanie Nilles (rhymes with Bruce "Willis") is a New Orleans-based jazz/punk musician who has been touring in and out of La Crosse for the past two years. Dubbed "Ella Fitzgerald beating the s*** out of Regina Spektor" by one particularly evocative Rolling Stone writer, Nilles is a piano player with a smoky singing voice. But she's no simple chanteuse. Nilles seemed to study at the Tom Waits school of music performance as her songs frequently break into unexpected charges. Joining Nilles at her May 14 concert at the Root Note are local groups Saints and Sailors and Radiator Girls. The show begins at 8:30 p.m., and there's no cover charge, so you have no excuse for skipping the most exciting bill of the weekend.
LA CROSSE QUEEN // Riverside Park POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Jake Dilley and the Color Pharmacy The Journeymen (dinner cruise) • 6 p.m. (psychedelic rock) • 10 p.m. NIGHTHAWKS TAP // 401 S. Third St. SHER BEARS // 329 Goddard St. Good Tymes (oldies) • 9 p.m. THE JOINT // 324 Jay St. The Soapbox Project (rock) • 10 p.m.
Brownie's Live Anything Goes Show (improvisational rock & roll) • 10 p.m.
MY SECOND HOME // 2104 George St. Cheap Charlie Band (country rock) • 8 p.m.
THE ROOT NOTE // 114 4th St. S. PIGGY'S BLUES LOUNGE // 501 Front St. S. Stephanie Nilles, Saints and Sailors, Ross William Perry Band (blues) • 8 p.m. Radiator Girls (indie jazz) • 8:30 p.m. TIMBERS // 426 2nd Ave. S. (Onalaska) Mathew Haefel Band (rock) • 9:30 p.m.
SATURDAY,
May 15
CONCORDIA BALLROOM // 1129 La Crosse St. The Legends of Rock-N-Roll (Spring Fling Dance) • 8 p.m. CROSSFIRE // 422 Main St. Mario Street (spiritual hip-hop) • 6 p.m. FEATURE'S // 1425 Hwy. 16 (West Salem) The Human Jukebox Gerry Grossman (comedy, rock & roll) • 8 p.m.
387,970
POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Fayme Rochell and the Waxwings (old tyme string band) • 10 p.m.
SUNDAY,
May 16
CONCORDIA BALLROOM // 1129 La Crosse St. Gary & Ridgeland Dutchmen (polka) • 1 p.m. LA CROSSE QUEEN // Riverside Park The Journeymen (dinner cruise) • 6 p.m. POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Som'n Jazz (jazz) • 10 p.m.
MONDAY,
May 17
POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Shawn's Open jam • 10 p.m.
May 18
THE JOINT // 324 Jay St. The Smokin' Bandits (Tim Powers' graduation party) • 10 p.m.
TUESDAY,
THE ROOT NOTE // 114 4th St. S. Alex Toast & Friends (indie) • 8:30 p.m.
LA CROSSE CENTER // 300 S. Second St. Seether, Five Finger Death Punch, Hell Yeah, Drowning Pool, Lacuna Coil (hard rock) • 6 p.m.
THE WAREHOUSE // 324 Pearl St. Gun Barrel City, Barely Blind, TV/TV, Empires (pop-punk) • 7 p.m. TREMPEALEAU HOTEL // 150 Main St. T.U.G.G., Gizzae, Les Exodus (Reggae Fest) • 2 p.m.
POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Fayme and Casey (acoustic) • 10 p.m. THE ROOT NOTE // 114 4th St. S. Jazz Jam • 8 p.m.
GEORGE CLINTON & P. FUNKADELIC // JUNE 7 First Avenue • $23.75 JOHN BUTLER TRIO // JUNE 10 First Avenue • $25
WEDNESDAY,
May 19
DEL’S BAR // 229 Third St. Derek Ramnarace (post-Hooch) • 10 p.m.
NIGHTHAWKS TAP // 401 S. Third St. The Bad Axe Band (open jam) • 10 p.m.
POPCORN TAVERN // 308 S. Fourth St. Open Jam • 10 p.m. RECOVERY ROOM // 901 7th St. S. Dox Phonic (open jam) • 10 p.m.
THURSDAY,
May 20
NIGHTHAWKS TAP // 401 S. Third St. Dave Orr's Damn Jam (open jam) • 10 p.m. THE ROOT NOTE // 114 4th St. S. Open Mic • 8 p.m.
THE STARLITE LOUNGE // 222 Pearl St. Kies and Kompanie (jazz) • 5 p.m.
THE WAREHOUSE // 324 Pearl St. Catalepsy, Miss August, No Wings to Speak Of, Elle Woods, Our Judgement (hard rock) • 6 p.m.
Second Supper YOUR GUIDE TO CONSUMPTION The Best Food & Drink Specials in Town To advertise here, call (608) 782-7001 or e-mail us at advertising@secondsupper.com. 10// May 13, 2010
LOCATION
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
ARENA
SUNDAY
Midwest Poker League 7 p.m.
Closed
Wyld Wednesday: $2 Jumbo UV, mixers $1.50 Coronas
Ladies' Night, $5 Long Island pitchers
$1 Cherry Bombs, $1 Keystone Light silos
$1 Cherry Bombs, $1 Keystone Light silos
BODEGA BREW PUB
$2 BBQ Pork Sliders
2-Fers, Buy any regularly priced food item and get one of equal or lesser value for free
$2.50 Coors vs. Keystone pitchers. All specials 9 p.m. to close
AUC2D: $5, domestic taps, rail mix- 10-cent wings, $1 Miller High Life ers, Long Islands. All specials 9 p.m. bottles, $1.50 rail mixers; $2.50 call to close drinks. All specials 9 p.m. to close.
107 3rd St. S. 782-1883 122 4th St. 782-0677
BROTHERS
Closed
306 Pearl St. 784-0522
FEATURES
Fish Tacos: 1 / $2.50, 2 / $5.00, 3 / $6.50.
Free beer 5:30-6:30; Free wings 7:30- Taco buffet 11-2; 8:30, Free bowling after 9 $1 Pabst bottles and $1 bowling after 9
W3923 State Highway 16 786-9000
HOWIE’S
AUC2D: $5, domestic taps, rail mixers and Long Islands. Wristband Night: $2.50 SoCo & Jack. All specials 9 p.m. to close.
$3 3 Olives mixers, $3 Mojitos, $2 $3 Bacardi mixers, $3 Mojitos, $2 Cherry Bombs, $1 Bazooka Joe's; Cherry bombs, $1 Bazooka Joe's. FAC: $3 domestic pitchers, micro/ All specials 9 p.m. to close. import taps, anything that pours. 4-9 p.m.
All you care to eat pizza buffet, 11-2
All you care to eat fish fry 4-10; un- Prime rib dinner 4-10; limited Glow-N-Bowl $9.99 unlimited Glow-N-Bowl $9.99
1125 La Crosse St. 784-7400
Happy hour 4 to 9 p.m.; 9 p.m. to 9 p.m. to close: $3.50 domestic 9 p.m. to close: $1 rails, $2.50 pitch- $5 all you can drink close: Night Before Class - $3 pitch- pitchers ers, beer pong ers of the beast
9 p.m. to close: $1.25 rails, $1.75 bottles/cans
9 p.m. to close: $2 Captain mixers, $2 bottles/cans, $3 Jager bombs
IMPULSE
Closed
Closed
Karaoke 9 p.m.-Close; Happy Hour daily 5-8
Wine & martini night; Happy Hour daily 5-8
18+ night (1st and 3rd Thursday of each month); Happy Hour daily 5-8
$25 open bar package, 11 p.m. to Happy Hour daily 5-8 close: domestic/import beer, rail, call drinks, martinis; Happy Hour daily 5-8
JB’S SPEAKEASY
$1.75 domestic bottles
SIN Night
$1.75 domestic bottles
Happy Hour 5 to 7 p.m.
Happy Hour 5 to 7 p.m.
Happy Hour 5 to 7 p.m.
Northside Oasis 620 Gillette St., 3 p.m. Howie's 1128 La Crosse St., 8 p.m.
Arena 620 107 S. 3rd St. 8 p.m.
Logan Bar 1400 Caledonia St. 6 p.m.
Sloopy's Alma Mater 163 Copeland Ave., 8 p.m. Days Hotel 101 Sky Harbor Drive, 8 p.m.
Adams Street Pub 1200 11th St. S. 7:30 p.m.
$1.79 burger (after 8 p.m.) Breakfast 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Hat Night: Buy 1 drink, get 1 free w/ Rail drinks $2 (4:30 to close); Buckets of beer $10, Boston Bobby's Margaritas $4 (Straw, rasp, mango, hat (4:30 to close); $1.50 chili dogs After 8 p.m. specials: $5 skewer of drummies 10 for $2 (4:30 to close), peach and reg); After 8 p.m. specials: (after 8 p.m.) shrimp,l $1.79 burger, $1.50 chili dogs $1.79 burger (after 8 p.m.) $5 skewer of shrimp, $1.79 burger
Breakfast 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
$2 can beer (2-6 p.m.) $11 buckets of beers (6-close)
$2 can beer (2-6 p.m.) 12" pizza: $8.99 up to 5 toppings (4-close)
Wings, Wings, Wings... $2 off 14: Ladies night, 2 for 1 drinks (6-close), Friday Fish, $2 can beer (2-6) pizza, $2 can beer (2-6 p.m.) $2 can beer (2-6 p.m.)
2 for 1 pints/pitches w/ student ID over 21
Buck Burgers
Tacos $1.25
15-cent wings
$8.99 12-ounce T-bone
15-cent wings
$1.50 taps 6 to 8 p.m.
All Mojitos $5
214 Main St. 782-6010
9 p.m. to close: $2 Bacardi mixers, $2 domestic pints, $1.50 shots blackberry brandy
Happy Hour 5 to 7 p.m.
717 Rose St. 796-1161
MIDWEST POKER LEAGUE midwestpokerleague@mail.com
SCHMIDTY’S 3119 State Road 788-5110
SLOOPY'S ALMA MATER 163 Copeland Ave. 785-0245
SPORTS NUT
Visit www.midwestpokerleague.com for league updates.
Cruz-in Pub and Eatery W5450 Keil Coulee Road, 3 p.m.
801 Rose St. 784-1811
THE CAVALIER LOUNGE 114 5th Ave. N. 782-2111
THE LIBRARY
Sunday Fun Day - Wristband Night
Half price tequilla, $1 domestic taps Karaoke, $2 double rails & all bottles Beer Pong Tourney and and rails wristband night
123 3rd St. 784-8020
TOP SHOTS
$3 Bacardi mixers, $3 Jumbo Long Island Iced Teas
$3 Jumbo Long Island Iced Teas, $3 3 Olives mixers $5 Miller/Bud Light Pitchers, $2.25 Leinies Bottles (7-1AM)
137 4th St. 782-6622
$5 Pitchers/$2 bottles of Miller $1.75 Miller/Bud Light Taps, $2.25 $1.75 Rails, $1.50 Domestic Taps, $2 domestic bottles, $2.50 Skyy/ products (11-4pm) MIcro/Craft Taps, $2.50 Cherry Bombs $3.50 Jager Bombs Absolut mixers, $2 Dr. shots $2 Corona Bottles, $2 Kilo Kai Mixers (7-1AM) (7-1AM) (7-1am) , $3 Bloodys (7-1AM)
5 Domestic Bottles for $10, $5 $2 Captain Mixers, $2. Long Island Micro/Import Bottles $11.50, $7 Mixers, $3 Effen Vodka Mixers (7Micro/Craft Pitchers (7-1AM) 1AM)
TRAIN STATION BBQ
Ask for great eats
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Barn burner $7.95; 4 to 9 p.m., Hobo dinner (serves two) $30.95
WHO'S ON THIRD
Happy Hour until 10 p.m. $1.50 domestic taps, $2 rails from 10 to close
601 St. Andrew St. 781-0005 126 3rd St. N. 782-9467
$1 taps of PBR, $1 rails
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., extra side with sandwich; 4 to 9 p.m., $1 off rib dinner
Special varies
11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Chicken on fire One-half chicken three bones $7.95; 4 to 9 p.m., Bones and bris- $12.95 kets $13.95
$3 call doubles, $2 Bud products
Ladies' Night: $2 top shelf, $1 Pink $8.50 Fish Bowls, $2 Miller products $1 off Three Olives, $2 domestic taps Tacos Everyone: $2.50 bombs, $2 taps, $3 Jack/Captain doubles
Editor's Note: For information about advertising your food and drink specials, call Second Supper at (608) 782-7001 or e-mail us at advertising@secondsupper.com.
Winners Will Be Announced May 20 • Best Steak • Best Pizza • Best Rock Band • Best Bakery • Best Music Venue ... And Many More
Second Supper
Maze Efflux
May 13, 2010 // 11
CONSUMPTION
"Schoolyard pranks: Platinum edition" Only for the classiest children
By Erich Boldt By Matt Jones
The Beer Review Ranger IPA New Belgium Brewing Company Fort Collins, Colorado When I first started writing a weekly beer column in 2007, I was afraid there would eventually come a day when I would run out of new beers to review. I am now certain that day will never come. Not only do microbreweries shake up their offerings on a seasonal basis (Maibocks in spring, Oktoberfests in fall, Christmas ales in December, etc.), they also introduce new brands at a rate that probably eclipses both breakfast cereal and candy bar makers combined. Or at least that’s the reasoning behinds this week’s review, New Belgium’s Ranger IPA, a perfectly excellent ale that was released four months ago but I never found time to rave about. To a certain degree, I owe New Belgium a second look. I’ve often felt this brewery’s offerings (or at least those available in western Wisconsin) were overrated, and I wrote a pretty damning takedown of their flagship Fat Tire when it was first introduced to La Crosse last year. But in the opinion of this fervent hophead, the Ranger IPA is the best widely distributed India Pale Ale to
hit the market since Sierra Nevada’s Torpedo Extra IPA (another fine offering I’ve never found time to review). So let’s pop a bottle and drink to second chances. The Ranger IPA pours a clear golden brown color with particularly amazing lacing. According to promotional materials, this is the first IPA New Belgium ever brewed, and judging by the hop content, it Appearance: 8 appears like they’re making up for lost Aroma: 7 time. This is a veritable clinic in hop- Taste: 8 piness, with aromas alternating between Mouthfeel: 7 mint, pine, light tobacco and citrus, all Drinkability: 7 over a base of biscuity malts. Considering this Fort Col- Total: 37 lins brewery is best known for its Belgian-style beers, I was pleasantly surprised by its hoppy assertiveness. The flavor is an eye-opener, but it’s introduced with peppery notes and balanced by a warm malt base. The taste alternates between bitter and sweet, kind of like a grapefruit with a healthy sprinkling of sugar, and it leaves the cheeks salivating with long-lasting flavors. The Ranger IPA is medium-bodied and decently drinkable (just ask my roommate, who Bogarted my six-pack). But for the hop lovers of the world, this is a beer you can turn to time and time again. I know that I’ve been drinking my fair share — I just never got around to telling you. — Adam Bissen
ACROSS 1 Rubbish 4 Rockin' out 10 Plant with fronds 14 "All Things Considered" reporter Shapiro 15 European rocket series 16 One of the deadly sins 17 More formal version of an ear-related prank? 19 All tied up 20 City in Spain's Basque Country 21 Chuck who told viewers he'd "be back in two and two" 23 "Let's Make ___" 24 It may start to show 26 Leather punching tool 27 Like, totally awesome 28 Small farm size 30 Obvious winner
33 Chest-related prank with a more posh color option? 35 Painter Chagall 38 "___ hesitates is lost" 39 Actress Ward 40 Dignified version of a punch-to-the-leg prank? 43 Head female 44 Fortune teller's opener 45 Way to look at things, for short 48 Playboy boss 49 Ending for general or marginal 50 Dog the Bounty Hunter's real first name 52 Early ___ (technology fan, often) 55 Day for egg rolls 56 Hit by The Kinks 57 Version of a punching prank for a more
Answers to May 6 puzzle Battle of the bands: Who would win?
refined palate? 60 "The ___ Love" (R.E.M. song) 61 "A life," to Lemaitre 62 Be delinquent 63 Georgia used to be part of it 64 One of Mars' moons 65 Horror legend Chaney DOWN 1 Restaurant with shellfish 2 Food company named for two states 3 Called 4 Fast-moving ball game 5 "Alice's Restaurant" singer Guthrie 6 Dot follower, in some e-mail addresses 7 ___ tai 8 Wonderstruck 9 Fish in a Pixar pic 10 Fail to get any better 11 It gets opened before some speeches 12 Winnebago occupant 13 City far from L.A., CA 18 Ringside org. 22 Pearl City's island 24 Where Van Gogh painted 25 "Shucks" 29 "I'm Your Man" subject Leonard 30 Make some noise
in bed 31 Out of commission 32 Federal performance funder, for short 33 Correspondence course for fix-it types, once 34 Items pointed to from afar 35 1900, way before 1900? 36 "Now I get it!" 37 Where rodents enter walls 41 Room at the top? 42 Puts under 45 Walk a beat 46 Combo punch 47 Actor/dancer/singer Ben 49 Title role for Renee Zellweger 51 Org. that puts on shows for the military 52 Multigenerational baseball surname 53 Oxford heads 54 Former Israeli prime minister Olmert 55 Italian basso Pinza 58 Camping gear co. 59 "I really appreciate that," while texting For answers, call (900) 226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Or to bill to a credit card, call (800) 655-6549. Reference puzzle #0466.
Visit us online at www.secondsupper.com
12// May 13, 2010
Second Supper
THE LAST WORD
Thespian Pride By Jonathan Majak jonathan.majak@secondsupper.com Question: What’s a more prime bullying target than a squeaky-voiced, chunky minority with a bad case of near-sightedness? Answer: A squeaky-voiced, chunky minority with a bad case of near-sightedness dressed in pseudo-Renaissance clothing and a faux medallion made of card board. Yes, while gallivanting around from show to show, musical to play this past theatre season, I couldn’t help but remember my one brief less-than-shining moment as a raging, scenery-chewing thespian. They often say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I’m sure a few of those bricks come from the wellmeaning but usually misguided attempts of teachers to get students to learn in an entertaining fashion. My middle school English teacher, a short woman of perpetually perky nature, helped put together a Renaissance/ Shakespeare festival for students because nothing keeps the attention of tweens on a
nice sunny spring day a scant few weeks before summer vacation like the machinations of King Henry’s court. I got put into the Macbeth group, doing the famous Three Witches scene where Macbeth meets the Witches in the forest and they forewarn him of the tragedy ahead. I, as Macbeth, basically just had to show up and be cognizant of my surroundings, a seemingly easy qualification that nevertheless have become the bane of Lindsay Lohan’s existence. As I sat through performances of shows such as Spitfire Grill and Jake’s Women, I recalled the countless hours of rehearsal we tried to conduct in the quiet of our library. “You barely have any dialogue,” said an exasperated student teacher who still had the earnestness of somebody who had yet to fully appreciate the monstrosity of headstrong pre-teen students. “How can you not remember it?” “It’s lame,” I said. “It’s Shakespeare!” she proclaimed. “It’s Suck-speare,” I countered. The witches weren’t having that much better of a time but our English teacher was giving us a gift to help along the performance: dry ice for our cauldron. After seeing some truly awful bits of acting in my time as a reviewer, I believe my English teacher was acting one of the first rules of producing a show: at first if you fail to act, try, try, try special effects. And while we were desperately trying to put together at least competent rendition of Macbeth, the Fonz of our grade was busy get-
ting in trouble and being released from juvenile hall. We all sort of admired him because we thought he was so mature. In retrospect he was less mature because he acted older but mature because of all the habits he liked — drinking, fighting, smoking — were aging him extraordinarily fast and making the trip from cradle to grave a seemingly short jaunt. With his returned presence, our teacher did her best to contain him by giving him the “To be or not to be” speech from Hamlet. So there we were, the day of the Renaissance Festival and we had all of the ingredients for a disaster. A bad boy reciting Shakespeare with a monitoring device strapped to his ankle, a Macbeth with memory problems, and three young witches whose only real points of reference for how to act like spell casters were Bewitched and Disney Channel replays of Hocus Pocus. I’ve been told by several of the actors/ actresses I’ve met this season that they often get a fight-or-flight feeling right before an opening of the show. During my brief acting period, my nerves were quelled from a preshow pep talk from a science teacher who explained the various ways that if we messed up and got our fingers into the dry ice we would most likely end up having stumps for the rest of high school. “And don’t forget, enjoy yourself!” he added. We shuffled out in front of a packed classroom and did our thing in a competent if not spectacular manner. In every show that I’ve ever gone to, there is always a scene stealer. In ours, it was our science teacher
when he came out to pour the dry ice into our cauldron, as it got a healthy smattering of applause from students both times. After we performed our number, we got a healthy ovation from the students and we were actually asked to perform again later on in the day; the other students wanted to see the dry ice. So whenever I sit in the dark of a theater, thinking about acting choices, costuming, set designs, I always remember my one flickering moment in the footlights. Oh P.S., our middle school Fonz did a great job delivering “To be or not to be.” He may or may not have gotten detention for trying to steal the skull he acted with, though.
Have an opinion? Send your letters to the editor to Second Supper, 614 Main St., La Crosse, WI 54601 or by e-mail to editor@secondsupper.com. Letters should be signed and include phone number for verification purposes. Please limit letters to no more than 300 words. Second Supper reserves the right to edit letters for length, clarity and grammar. For more information, call (608) 782-7001.
Downtown La Crosse, above Fayzes - 782-6622
top shots joke of the week Why shouldn't you have phone sex? Check out our new Beers on Tap!
You could get hearing aids. Good People, Good Drinks, Good Times
SUNDAY
$5 Pitchers $2 Bottles of Miller Products (11-4 pm) $2 Corona Bottles $2 Kilo Kai Mixers $3 Bloody’s (7-1am)
MONDAY TUESDAY
$1.75 - Miller/Bud Taps $2.25 Micro/Craft Taps $2.50 Cherry Bombs (7-1am)
$1.75 Rails $1.50 Domestic Taps $3.50 Jager Bombs (7-1am)
$2.00 - 1 Player, $3.00 - 2 Players 50 Cents Off Drinks, $1 Off Pitchers
WEDNESDAY $2 Domestic Bottles $2.50 Skyy/Absolute Mixers $2 Dr. Shots (7-1am)
THURSDAY FRIDAY 5 Domestic Bottles 4 $10 $5 Micro/Import Bottles $11.50, $7 Micro/Craft Pitchers (7-1am)
$5 Miller Lite/Bud Light Pitchers
SATURDAY $2.25 Leinies Bottles (7-1am)
$2 Captain Mixers $2 Long Islands $3 Effen Vodka Mixers (7-1am)