Topeka’s guide to art, entertainment, lifestyle + local flavor
Vol. V Issue VI March 1 - April 15, 2011
free dig me
jazz matters a look at jazz clubs in Topeka, past + present
e B o t e c a l P y l n O he
T LIVE MUSIC Sat: 3.5: Rob Wade
Sat: 3.12: Gypsy Jazz Band Sat: 3.19: Brody BroodyBuster Buster Sat: 3.26: Blues 88
Sat: 4.2: Slow Your Roll
Fri: 4.8: Beans & Cornbread
Sat: 4.16: Arnie Bryant Band
Open at 8 am Enjoy breakfast casserole and biscuits & gravy Mike Babbs performs inside from 3:30 - 7:30 pm Bag Pipers around 7:30 and then.... Parking Lot - BIG TENT Party w/
SOUL REBEL & THE BEAST
every week Tues: Jeff Toda, Acoustic Debauchery
Wed: All Star House Band & Open Mic
NOW ON TAP
Thu: Live Team Trivia
Fri: Karaoke w/Groovy Girl
College Hill
THE plaCE To bE
EvEry THUrSDay @ 9 pm
for exclusive specials
GLAM SHOW Saturday, April 23. A benefit for the Topeka AIDS Project
1616 SW 17th St. 785.234.0700 rockinthehillnow.com
[ in this issue ]
March 1 - April 15, 2011 Vol V Issue VI Publisher/Owner Kerrice Mapes kerrice@sevneightfive.com
With Jeffrey from Pigskins
features editor Leah Sewell leah@seveneightfive.com
30 behind the bar
Poetry Editor Dennis Etzel Jr. poemslyrical@yahoo.com Weekender Editor Alice C. Hunt Marketing Specialist Rio Cervantes-Reed rio@seveneightfive.com
[art]
[ lifestyle ]
6 savour kansas
17 the scene
A look at the upcoming art event for Kansas’ birthday.
For those who are looking, the gay and lesbian scene in Topeka isn’t exclusive to hangouts that advertise themselves as “gay bars.” Read about how local gays take on the nightlife in Topeka.
21 poet: stella robbins
An interview with and poetry by Stella Robbins
24 jazz matters
[entertainment]
When London’s Jazz Café opened in downtown Topeka this January, it filled a role that had been missing in Topeka’s music scene and gave Topekans back their beloved Rosa’s suicide burritos. But London’s is no Catfish Hollow, the lively jazz club in east Topeka back in the 70’s and 80’s. Find out why.
8 5 Q - monk’s wine
Like a well-balanced mixed drink, Monk’s Wine blends genres all while insisting they didn’t name their band after a pig.
8 rundown studios
30 appx + snacks
The Topeka Library is the epitome of modern with additions like mobile phone apps and healthy fare farmers markets.
[ local flavor ] 2 menu proclamation
New City serving up eggplant - no Italian way
Rundown Studios produces radio quality cuts that make do-ityourself demos sound like that police scanner your grandpa keeps in his garage. This locally-owned studio is becoming a fave among some notable bands.
9 let’s go alfresco
Your guide to dining and drinking outside come Spring.
seveneightfive is a free lifestyle magazine highlighting entertainment, art, local businesses + more in Topeka.
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Disclaimer: seveneightfive strives for accuracy in all of our materials, regrets errors, but cannot be held responsible. We recommend contacting venues to confirm dates and events (sometimes they change).
Marketing / Website Jay Bachman Rio Cervantes-Reed Robin Cremer Ande Davis Alice C. Hunt Kerrice Mapes Leah Sewell Erin Leigh Wynkoop Advertising Kerrice Mapes Rio Cervantes-Reed Layout & Design Aymen Ghali Kerrice Mapes Leah Sewell
Business Liz Bell Distribution Ryan McClure Rio Cervantes-Reed photography Lydia Barnhart Tiffany Bonnewell EJ Drake Adam Koger Colin MacMillan Brie Martin Matt Porubsky writers Larissa Amundson Amber Bonnett Judith Cremer Robin Cremer Dennis Etzel Jr. Cale Herreman Kerrice Mapes Gary Piland Matt Porubsky Boone Smith Macie Smith Tom Wah Janice Watkins Jim Williamson Erin Wynkoop Bar Wars Jared Hitchens
[on the cover] Tara Nicole Tonsor Designer / Illustrator Tara Nicole Tonsor is a freelance Illustrator and designer from Kansas City. Having studied and received her degrees at The University of Kansas, she has continued in Illustration, graphic design, textile design and teaching. Tara works as an art educator at The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. She continues to work freelance in her studio under the company name of See[k] Design and has created a jewelry collection called Lost & Found sold locally. Her influences have always been from images and materials of the past such as old textbooks, vintage postcards & posters, thrown-away pictures, and distressed textures. She finds inspiration in what people have thrown away or left behind. She works both digitally and by hand, and mostly through a collage-like style. You can often find her at thrift stores, on her bike, or at coffee shops sketching. She describes herself as a self-proclaimed art nerd.
menu proclamation
navigating the waters by Rio Cervantes-Reed • photo by EJ Drake
F
[ local flavor ]
or many years I’d heard about James Cameron Fish Market, so I was excited to get this assignment. With visions of crackling fried catfish, cornbread and beans swimming in my head I drove east through downtown Topeka to 6th street, turned north to 4th street, then went just a few blocks east to Lake. Right there on the corner was James Cameron Fish Market, clearly marked, with good storefront parking.
“But the highlight of this meal was the butter beans. They were slow-cooked to pure perfection.”
Walking into the restaurant I was immediately greeted by a wood-paneled wall featuring a velvet painting of the Last Supper. A regular customer was dining on a late lunch, and I found James Cameron (not that James Cameron, the other one) behind the counter fixing a plate for himself. I asked what he was eating, and the answer came back, “Fried catfish filets, cornbread and butter beans.” Bingo! “I’ll have the same thing, thank you.” I sat at a table by the door where Jesus could look over me and made small talk with the other customer. I could hear the fish sizzling as it was lowered into the deep fryer. Within a few minutes I hear, “Order’s up!” I pick up my plate and grab a bottle of hot sauce. I tear a filet apart, dab it in the sauce and
James Cameron Fish Market 400 Lake Street 785.234.4175
take a bite. Mmmm, very good. I do the same with a piece of cornbread. Yummy. But the highlight of this meal was the butter beans. They were slow-cooked to pure perfection. I continued eating the fish and bread, but it was the beans I kept returning to with gusto. They had a buttery mouth-feel, and a small piece of smoked ham was evidence of how they were cooked with a ham hock. I realized I didn’t need to salt or pepper the beans as they were perfect right out of the pot. I looked at velvet Jesus and remembered the story of the crowd and the loaves and the fish. Then I thought, too bad they didn’t have James Cameron’s butter beans. seveneightfive
deliciously evolving...
785.235.1700 2
www.RowHouseRestaurant.net
nd street s 66607 32-8008
change it up Pillows: a simple accessory to change and refresh your dwelling this spring
A Topeka Favorite. - Offering a unique lunch, dinner and catering menu - Lunch buffet Monday thru Friday - LIVE entertainment - Historic atmosphere - Home of the greatest steaks in Topeka by way of Kansas Premium Black Angus Beef -
monday & thursday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
by chance or by appointment 414 south east second street | 785.232.8008
...a high style home furnishings store with an eclectic mix of new designs, antiques and vintage pieces...
- Kid friendly menu and atmosphere - Full bar and wine list -
appetizers salads seafood sandwiches pasta ORDER ONLINE
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DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS We offer a different daily special every day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday - Friday. ASK YOUR SERVER, “WHAT’S THE DAILY SPECIAL?”
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[ lifestyle]
dazzled + bedazzled by Anita Miller Fry photos by Nathan Ham Photography
F
ashion, fun and frills await those attending the 2011 American Cancer Society Couture for Cancer, an event that style-savvy Topekans anticipate each year.
Bid on trendy fashion from world-renowned designers, catch the stiletto action of a spectacular fashion show, and titillate your taste buds with enticing edibles. Couture is your chance to mingle with the glamorous crowd – and to support a good cause. “When I think of the Couture for Cancer event, I get an overwhelming feeling of happiness to see close to 300 attendees coming together for the same purpose, which is the Fight Against Cancer,” said Christina Genrich, chair of the event. “Don’t get me wrong, the event is fun and a lot of wonderful fashion. But the purpose is what I think of first.” The trendy fashion event raises funds for the American Cancer Society’s mission to help people stay well, get well, find cures and fight back. If you’ve never experienced this shopping, social and charity event, this is the year to be there. The 7th annual Couture for Cancer will be April 16 at the Topeka Performing Arts Center. Tickets are $65, but there are additional perks available with VIP options. Details are available at topekacoutureforcancer.org.
couture for cancer The shopping, social and charity event of the year – the American Cancer Society’s 7th annual Couture for Cancer – is 4 to 7 pm, Saturday, April 16, at the Topeka Performing Arts Center (TPAC), 214 S.E. 8th Ave. For more information, to purchase tickets or to volunteer, contact the American Cancer Society at (785) 438-5607 or e-mail Stacie.Schroeder@cancer.org. Tickets are $65 per individual; reserved seating for $100 (only 30 available); VIP tickets for $175; or Men’s ticket for $500 (15 available). Information about Couture for Cancer can also be found at topekacoutureforcancer.org and on Facebook. Tickets can be purchased online.
4
If you’re looking for a sneak peek of the designer fashions, handbags, jewelry and home decor items that have been donated to the event, check out the Couture for Cancer Facebook page. Jewelry from Amrita Singh, stunning handbags – lots of designer bags – and a large serving platter from Arthur Court are already on the list. Designers who have been generous to the event in the past have included New York/ Brooklyn-based designer Hayden-Harnett’s handbag and apparel lines, handbag designer Katherine Kwei, Eric Javits and many others featured in magazines such as “Elle Decor” and “ELLE Magazine.” Well-known Kansas City, Lawrence and Topeka retailers have also supported this event in the past. Stormont-Vail HealthCare and Cotton-O’Neil Cancer Center are the presenting sponsors. Couture for Cancer is a must for ladies looking for a fun evening out (and a few select men who purchase a $500 ticket for the gentleman’s table). Each lady will receive a “swag bag” full of fabulous items and the men receive a man’s gift bag and special amenities. Tickets for VIP seating, which includes runway table seating, champagne, a VIP gift bag and sneak peak pre-bid opportunities, are $175. There are also 30 reserved table seating tickets for $100 per person. Get ready for some Spring stylin’. It’s Couture time. aseveneightfive
[ local flavor + art ]
savor arts...and food...and entertainment b y E r i n Wy n k o o p • i m a g e p r o v i d e d b y F r y e A l l e n A d v e r t i s i n g
W
hat things come to mind when you hear the words “Savor Kansas?” Flavor, experience and culture of our great state? Maybe you think of all the amazing things Kansas has to offer in the year of our sesquicentennial, which by the way, is a huge deal. If you haven’t heard, or have possibly been living under a rock for the last few months, the sesquicentennial a 150th anniversary celebration! Yes, you heard me correctly, the amazing state we live in is having a little birthday this year, and Savor Kansas is your guide to all the great things to come this year to celebrate! June is going to be the month to party it up for our sesquicentennial celebration, but lucky for you, Savor Kansas has the 411 on all the happening events throughout the entire year to honor Kansas. A few events happening this spring that seveneightfivers are excited about:
Green Fair @ The Topeka Shawnee County Public Library April 16, 2011 / 2 - 5 pm TSCPL hosts it’s annual Green Fair and teaches us 150 ways to go green, so we can stick around and keep Kansas beautiful to celebrate our tricentennial! Mulvane Art Museum David Hicks Overmyer : A Kansas Original This Topeka native is recognized on the national level for his work as an illustrator and muralist who was commissioned in 1951 to paint the eight murals on the ground floor of the Statehouse Rotunda. Surface & Form A pottery/textile exhibit celebrating the works of artists David Brackett, Cathy Broski, and Danny Meisinger. Both exhibits will be on display from February 4 to May 22 at the Mulvane Art Museum located at Washburn University
Visit Savor Kansas at savorkansas.com seveneightfive
the tradition continues... St. Patrick’s Day Complimentary food while it lasts Drink specials worth talking about Bag Pipers at 7:30 & DJ following
March Madness established
1938
The DuTch Goose
/seveneightfive @seveneightfive
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stay in touch.
sporTs Bar & Grill 3203 SW 10th I 785-357-8474 Open 365 days a year
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by Robin Cremer • logo by Ashley Reynolds | photo by Amanda Reynolds
5Q / Monk’s Wine
Take a jigger of jazz and a dash of pop, stir together, garnish with just the right amount of witty acerbic lyrics, then sit back and enjoy the sweet savory sounds of Monk’s Wine.
G
etting their name from an unusual source, Monk’s Wine populate their upbeat, lyric driven, piano based songs with an unusual assortment of characters. Within the wonderful world of Monk’s Wine, you’ll meet the “Moustache Man,” “the Hobo and the Stockbroker” and the short term memory challenged “Average Super Hero” - all moving about to a groovy, jazz inspired soundtrack. With influences as diverse as John Scofield, Oscar Peterson, Mudvayne and John Mayer, Monk’s Wine are carving out a much needed niche in Topeka’s predominately hard rock music scene, recently releasing a five track CD, recorded at Rundown Studios. I had a chance to meet with the members of Monk’s Wine awhile back and encountered a serious, sullen and almost sad group of individuals . . . NOT! Where did the name ‘Monk’s Wine come from? Jarrod Guth, guitar/vocals: Ashley and I, we said, ‘We gotta get
a name for this band,’ and being that I was a former bartender and Ashley is a former drinker, we looked in this book and we’re just reading off. What we did not expect . . . is somebody asking ‘Why’d you name it after a pig? What’s a Monk Swine?’ Ashley Reynolds, piano/vocals: We found the domain name was still available for Monk’s Wine, and it just fit. For the record, the book we got the name out of was ‘The Playboy’s Bartender’s Guide.’ Jarrod: Like two things that maybe don’t mix together, like people aren’t supposed to be as good looking as us and have that much talent. When I listen to your music, I hear splashes of Ben Folds and Barenaked Ladies. Do you credit them as influences or is this just a coincidence? Ashley: Yeah, my biggest influence is definitely Ben Folds, so it’s flattering that you hear that element in there. I
Monk’s Wine
[ entertainment ]
“A band that plays music. That’s how we roll. Just a piano, a bass and some drums. And a guitar. And a little bit of awesome. Yes, these are the things that make up a truly unique musical experience for their listeners and these things continue to bring them new fans every day.” - from monkswine.com
Aaron Leonard - Acoustic / Bass / Vocals Jarrod Guth - Guitar / Vocals Sam Zlotky - Drums Ashley Reynolds - Piano / Lead Vocals
wouldn’t say I try to copy or really even emulate his music, but he certainly does have a place in there. Jarrod: I didn’t hear that much Ben Folds before I met Ashley . . . but each of us kind of bring a different influence. Aaron Leonard, bass/vocals: Ashley might write a part to a song, and he’ll let me come in and think of a bass part, and if he likes it, great, but he might tell me to change something, and he can tell me exactly what to do, and I can follow it, we all work like that . . . we communicate really well about what we want to hear, or if we like it or not, and help each other out like that. Jarrod: And at the same time, we have confidence in each other that we’re all going to come up with good parts. Everybody kind of plays their own parts and it’s nice because it just works. I don’t know how many people actually feel that; well, at least fifty, we sold some CDs. Where’s your favorite venue to perform? Sam: The Granada was the biggest venue to date that I’ve played at. It was a blast. Aaron: The Granada was great, there were a few sound issues, naturally, because we were the band throwing everything off. Ashley: I would agree with the Granada being a pretty good venue thus far. We got a really good reception from that crowd . . . and it kind of surprised me. Like Sam said, we were the ones kind of throwing everything off. What’s been playing on your stereo lately? Jarrod: I’m into a lot of artists that aren’t super well known. Peter Mulvey . . . he’s a poet and plays fantastic guitar. I always have some of Andy’s [McKee] music in the player. John Scofield, Eric Johnson is always up there. I love Guster, I have all their albums.
Aaron: I listen to a lot of Muse, Radiohead, Cake. Oscar Peterson is one of my all time favorites. John Coltrane, Wes Montgomery. I listen to a lot of heavy rock still - I grew up on that. Ashley: Jamie Cullem, I mean ,that cat . . . he’s got a real strong jazz background, but then puts it to pop lyrics, but still incorporates jazz solos in the middle of his songs. Brad Mehldau, a phenomenal piano player, I really like his solos, Joey Calderazzo, John Mayer. Of course, Ben Folds. Sam: If it’s a good song, I don’t care about the artist, I’ll just go with it, maybe explore that artist. Lately, Mudvayne, Tool, U2, Chris Cornell, Audioslave, Ryan Farish, Zero 7, Sarah McLaughlin, James Taylor, I really dig one of his ‘Covers’ CDs. What was your experience like working at Rundown Studios? Sam: Well, that’s the first time I actually recorded with a band in a studio. The first thing I noticed is the guy running this, Paul, turns out, great guy, really knows his stuff. We pretty much did our thing, everything was set up professionally, and we just made a day of it. Aaron: It was above and beyond my expectations. I’ve been in recording studios before, and when I go into a studio, I expect the person doing their job to know their job. And Paul did an amazing job. Jarrod: I’d like to add that I hate Paul (laughter). From when he first started doing the recording thing and everything from there till now has been a step for him, and what he did with our CD, I was amazed at! Ashley: Paul is what really makes it a very pleasant place to be. He’s not overbearing, he doesn’t try to control everything you’re doing, He let us come in there, and pretty much do our thing, and he did the work on his end of it. seveneightfive
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p o Sh 10 Reasons to
Shop LocaL 1. You buy from people you know and trust 2. Better, personal service 3. It helps other local businesses who that merchant buys from 4. It creates jobs locally 5. You maintain the community’s character 6. It encourages local investments in the city and community 7. It develops a strong community bond 8. You’re encouraging product diversity 9. It supports the people who support the community 10. It stimulates the local economy and keeps your dollars in the community
Shop Local! Shop East Topeka!
Interested in starting or growing your small business? Contact: Cyndi Hermocillo-Legg Vice President of Entrepreneurial and Minority Business Development 785.231.6000 clegg@GoTopeka.com for more information about our many entrepreneurial programs and classes.
Small Business orientations Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library 1515 SW Tenth Avenue February 1 March 1 April 5
May 3 June 7 August 2
Entrepreneurial & Minority Business Development 120 SE Sixth Avenue, Suite 110 Topeka, KS 66603-3515
785.231.6000 www.GoTopeka.com
J
A
matters
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by Leah Sewell • photos by EJ Drake
There are a few holes in the landscape of Topeka that its citizens tend to bemoan. No, this isn’t a story about potholes. The missing pieces that come up include things like an independently owned record store, a middle eastern restaurant, a theatre where independent films are shown. People used to lament that there was no jazz club.
L
ondon’s, located downtown at 115 S.E. 6th, opened under the vertical Hillmer’s Luggage sign and maroon awning in midJanuary. It bills itself as a jazz café, and it does indeed offer both jazz and food. Is it a club? Not really. The food – created by Rick Barron, of Rosa’s Mexican Restaurant fame – is so far garnering acclaim and packing the house at lunchtime. The music is some of the best jazz you’ll find in Topeka – whether you’re into bebop, bosa nova or smooth. The seating is like a jazz club in Chicago, with little black tables, votive candles flickering through filtered photos of jazz greats like Duke Ellington and Miles Davis with his iconic smirk. The floor is a sweeping sea of hardwood that gives a little echo as you click-clack to your seat. A single orange-glowing lamp lights the band and their shiny instruments. It’s a cool joint with an atmosphere wholly unique in 12
Topeka, and a perfect place for a jazz club. But you’d better stop short of calling it a jazz club. “If you go with the word, ‘café,’ you may think a little more intimate, more food, not necessarily just a place to go listen to music and drink alcohol,” says Lisa Kirk, co-owner of London’s. “We want the atmosphere to be smooth and soft, and I think we’ve accomplished that,” says Lorean Williams, co-owner. She sits with impeccable posture and serenely surveys the layout of the establishment from a table near the bar, where girls who Williams said were too young to have their picture taken without parental consent offered “mocktails” from London’s Foxy Moxy menu and food to the mostly-older crowd. London’s will offer some of the Mexican food that Barron and the former
Rosa’s Restaurant were famous for, but with a constantly changing menu. The entertainment will have a varying rotation as well, with Wednesday and Saturday nights being the fixed dates to catch straight-up jazz at London’s. “Washburn Wednesdays” are reserved for Washburn students of jazz, and there are plans in the works for gospel/R&B featuring Topeka’s own Pastor Cecil Washington. There will be some rock-type stuff, some open-mic stuff. The bookings are heating up and Kirk believes that the joint will be shaking in the coming months.
“Come spring, summer, fall, it’s going to be a grand time in that venue,” she says.
For show listing, go to just1londons.com or check them out on Facebook. London’s entry into the Topeka music scene and specifically the sporadic jazz performance scene is definitely filling a hole that has gaped for far too long. But still, some Topekans are skeptical about the future of London’s.
Ernie Douglas’ place, Catfish Hollow, opened in 1978 and lasted five years at the modern-day location of El Azteca Club on E. Sixth. The Catfish was the premiere spot for local and nationally-lauded jazz musicians in Topeka, with a gritty atmosphere that appealed to musicians. Late-night jams were the norm. | photo courtesy Washburn Review / Regina Cassell
“The negativity is horrible, even from the media,” says Kirk. “I guess anyone who’s an adult likes to drink. It’s very upsetting that businesses will open with liquor, liquor, liquor and everyone is supportive, and as soon as one opens without it, it’s ‘Oh, you’re not going to last,’ and that’s not true.”
“We want the atmosphere to be smooth and soft, and I think we’ve accomplished that,” - Lorean Williams, co-owner of London’s.
Is this what separates a jazz café from a jazz club? The booze? Let’s take a look at a jazz club from the 1970’s-80’s where the whiskey flowed like, well, like an inspired sax solo. Pianist and vibraphone player Ernie Douglas was born in Topeka in 1932. He came of age in a segregated town, witnessed a lot of the stuff we read about in history books these days, got into performing in the 1950’s when there were quite a few jazz halls in Topeka, played jazz records as a disc jockey for KTOP and left in the 60’s for Denver to delve into a bigger music scene. He returned home to Topeka in 1973. On the day that the Topeka papers reported that a black man had been beaten at the Black American Legion, he got a phone call from a couple of white men in the community who knew of Douglas from his days at KTOP. “They called and asked me if I knew the guy that got beat with a tire chain,” he says in a tone of incredulity. “I didn’t go to the Black American Legion. That wasn’t somewhere I frequented. That turned me around and I went, ‘Uh-oh.’ I knew a lot of black people in Topeka who weren’t patrons of that place. I thought, ‘Where do they go?’ That facility was unbelievably bad. I said, ‘O.K., we need a place in Topeka where we can congregate and do whatever.’ I knew there’d be no problems. As long as I keep the music good, that keeps the dogs away.”
So that was how Douglas’ jazz club, Catfish Hollow, was born in Topeka in 1978 at 1201 E. 6th (location of the modern-day Latin dance club, El Azteca, and just across the bridge from the modernday London’s). Throughout its five years of business, Douglas kept the place alive and swinging with the kind of jazz that “was going to make you tap your foot and feel good about yourself,” he says. The Catfish sold, according to Douglas, “fish, chicken, whiskey, beer, shrimp, salads and jazz.” It was the kind of club that attracted musicians, the novice and accomplished locals and nationally recognized ones that left Topeka audiences - both white and African-American - foaming at the stage. In the late hours, individual musicians, always with instruments in hand, would hold impromptu jazz sessions that lasted until breakfast was served the next morning. It had a “postage stamp” dance floor, a bandstand and a bar with whiskey galore. “It’s supposed to be the Bible Belt,” he says, “but that’s one side of the street. On the other side of the street, they’re running wide open, cause there’s always been whiskey there [in Topeka], even when it was dry.” The side of the street that London’s is on is definitely the dry side. continued on next page >>
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<< continued from previous page
jazz matters “Not everyone drinks,” says Williams. “It’s a place where people know they can come and don’t have to worry about others being intoxicated around them.” “Things get out of hand when people drink too much,” says Kirk, who brings up the fact that she is the wife of a 30-year Topeka Police officer. “We don’t want a situation where someone is leaving London’s and they have had one too many.” On a January evening, a group of twenty-somethings sat huddled together in front of the band at London’s with diet colas and finger foods crowding their table. Part of the organizing members of Top City Live, an organization that promotes Topeka happenings to Washburn students, the group had come to check out London’s because they’d seen news of the venue’s opening on Twitter earlier in the day. “I like to have variety, and this is new, so I thought I’d try it out,” said Ryan Masilionis, a student. “I really like the atmosphere. It’s relaxed and easygoing.” Were they missing the alcohol in their beverages? “It’s kind of nice to have something to sip on when you go out to a place,” said Kris Huff. “I think it might hurt them a little bit,” said Masilionis. “It’d be easier to ask my friends to come here if they had [alcoholic] drinks, sadly.”
“We are giving this type of music and atmosphere to a more mature audience, more mature ears and pocketbooks,” -LIsa Kirk, co-owner of London’s. Part of their unique business ideology, Kirk and Williams hope to attract a more mature audience by experimenting with age restrictions at the door. For now, attendees must be 21+ to enter (unless a Washburn student on Washburn Wednesdays with school ID) but the minimum age may be hiked up to 25+ if the owners run into any problems with a younger crowd. “We are giving this type of music and atmosphere to a more mature audience, more mature ears and pocketbooks,” said Kirk. All issues of beverages and maturity aside, London’s is a unique business that, in its own way, has offered an answer to the call for a live jazz venue that Topekans have been mumbling about for years. It’s no Catfish Hollow, but few things are these days. “I’ve lived in Topeka for 3 years, and that’s one thing I’ve always felt was missing was jazz,” said Yvette Jenkins, a patron who sat by herself at a table in London’s in January. Yvette didn’t have a drink sweating on her table or food steaming in front of her. All she had was a clear view of the trombone player. seveneightfive
through the lens of Topekans with disabilities
[ art]
Jennifer Bobby
I
The photography project was led by Jennifer Spence and Jabeth Coachman with the City of Topeka Parks & Recreation Department. As adaptive recreation specialists, their mission with the project is to, “provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to share and present their achievement to the community.” And they will do that on March 4 at Big Gage Shelter, located just north of the Topeka Zoo entrance in Gage Park, from 5:30 pm -8:30 pm. Refreshments will be available. “We’re thankful to get support from the community,” said Spence. “Gary Blitch, owner of Southwind Art Gallery offered to frame the photographs selected for the exhibit, and Zercher Photo and Wolfe’s Camera are donating their printing services.” Twelve participants of Loving Hands enrolled in the photography project. “Two of the requirements for participating in the project were, first, they had to consent to sharing their work to the public,” said Coachman. “Second, they had to be comfortable attending the event and discussing their work with visitors.” The group was part of the whole planning process, from deciding where they would go to take the photographs, to themes: landscapes, people, lines, etc. Together they traveled to various sites around Topeka and Shawnee County, using their digital cameras to take the pictures.“It was fun to take off and look for interesting views,” said photographer Ashley Flanagan.
(standing), (seated
in the foreground) and others discuss a photograph.
Loving Heart’s Photography Show First Friday, March 4 Big Gage Shelter 5:30 - 8:30 pm
by Rio Cer vantes-Reed • photos by Adam Koger
t was a cold and snowy day outside, but in Human Resource director Tony Castenada’s office at Loving Heart’s Training Center it was the Fourth of July. Oohs and aahs emanated from the lips of several attendees of the Center as their photographs flashed across Tony’s computer monitor. The task was to select a few photographs to use for marketing a First Friday Art Walk Event in March. This scene wouldn’t be out of place anywhere photographers gather: a high school class, a photography club, a portrait studio. But what made this gathering special was that the photographers are adults with developmental disabilities.
Spence
Kitchkommie
Ashley also liked learning about using a digital camera. “It’s cheaper than developing disposable cameras, easier than a 35 millimeter.” Dylan Davenport enjoyed taking photos at Truckhenge and learning about places he hadn’t been to before enrolling in the project. Bobby Kitchkommie, whose impressive photos included the water feature at the Kansas Judicial Center and the State Capitol building decided his favorite subject was Lake Shawnee. However the crowd favorite was the Topeka Zoo; at one point a close-up picture of a lion flashed on the screen which made this writer ask if the shot was taken while inside the exhibit with the dangerous animal. “No,” came the laughs. “We just got really good pictures,” offered one of the photographers. That, they certainly did.
seveneightfive
the next level
[ entertainment]
how a local recording studio ups the ante for Topeka musicians by Robin Cremer • photos by EJ Drake
At the intersection of 6th and MacVicar, Rundown Studios resides covertly under the marquee of its previous occupant, rarely meriting a second glance from passing motorists. The public in general is oblivious to the fact that if his Toyota is parked out front, Rundown’s proprietor Paul Schneider is probably inside creating aural masterpieces.
A
lthough employed as a Lawrence firefighter, Schneider, also a singer/songwriter, has been composing, recording and performing since 2000, with several releases available, most notably on iTunes. He profits modestly from his efforts.
“About every two or three months I’ll get a twenty-five dollar check from iTunes sales,” Paul says, smiling. Writing heartfelt lyrics based on personal experiences, Paul’s songs have often found a place in the hearts of others.
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“The song ‘Movin On,’ from my first CD, was actually written about my grandfather dying and kind of dealing with that. A 17-year-old girl got a hold of my CD and emailed me.” She told that she’d been taking care of her terminally ill father for several years and his song was a particular source of comfort. “Wow, that’s pretty incredible that something I wrote for me actually helped somebody else.”
] “With each band I go through a pre-production, sitting down with the band, and developing a strategy of how we’re going to record.” The tracking session comes next, with Paul setting up several mikes, so that all vocals, instruments and every separate part of the drum kit has its own track that will be individually recorded. Historically, certain recording studios have indelibly shaped the sound of modern music. During the fifties, Sam Philips essentially wrote the blueprint on Rock and Roll at Sun Studios in Memphis. Further north in Detroit, Hitsville U.S.A and Barry Gordy’s artists, were calling out for a brand new beat with the Motown sound. And of course, modern music was forever turned on its ear, when a scruffy group of Liverpudlians walked into London’s Abbey Road Studios and, with the aid of the legendary Sir George Martin, set out on that long and winding road. These three studios and their respective producers are just a few of the standouts who have given us some of the most diverse, memorable music of our time. Carrying on with this time honored tradition, albeit on a much smaller scale, Paul Schneider and Rundown Studios here in Topeka are gaining a reputation among the musical cognoscenti, as the place to go for a professionally done mix, recorded and produced by a capable and knowledgeable producer. With computer software enabling the budding Bob Ezrin, or novice Rick Rubin, to produce decent sounding demos at home, is there still a need for an established recording studio? Paul readily acknowledges the importance of home studios, but points out that certain limitations may hinder the amateur producer’s final outcome. Experience and hindsight is the key to pro-sounding results in the studio, and this is where the professional producer, such as Paul, still holds sway. “What I have spent thousands of hours doing is music production and engineering. I have practiced a hundred different ways to record a kick drum. This is something a lot of guys don’t have the time to do when they’re in a band and they have a home studio. What ends up happening is a lot of guys will record their music and it sounds okay, but where it never reaches is the level you hear on the radio, because in the studio, you sculpt every single piece of sound in the mix through a lot of different techniques that takes years to learn.”
“Each song will have anywhere from twenty to a hundred tracks on it . . . there might be a guitar track that we might overdub or replay and duplicate it onto another track.” Next is the mixing process. “You take all the tracks and try to mix them. That sounds like the band playing together. The majority of the time they do play together, but we do a lot of overdubbing, so a lot of tracks are played independently. We’ll record the band as a whole but then come back in and overdub.” Paul will then go in to edit the track. A familiar word for many, it essentially has the same meaning in the audio realm. “Editing is much like a person would do in Word. Maybe you have a piece of an article at one place you really like and you want to copy and paste and put it in different places. Audio’s the same way, when I go in to edit, there will be portions of tracks, where say a vocalist, for instance, won’t sing from the beginning until the verse starts. So what 2525 SW 6th St. | 249.9014 I’ll do is edit out the nonrundownstudios.com crucial areas that I don’t Rundown Studios is a Pro Tools equipped need.”
Rundown Studios
studio located in Topeka, recorded and producing a wide range of bands across the Midwest from Rock, Metal, Christian, Classical, Celtic and Rap.
Paul will perform this painstaking, timeconsuming process until he feels it’s ready for the band to take possession of the final mix.
A producer’s job is to oversee the band, offering suggestions to improve a track, or giving guidance on the arrangement of a song, while the recording engineer is the guy who figures out how to achieve that auditory concept envisioned by the producer. Paul fills both roles at Rundown, and does so with creative flair. An occurrence when he felt that the song “Carry Me” by Kansas City band Awaken Us, was lacking a certain je ne sais quoi, illustrates this perfectly.
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seen + noted
<< continued from previous page
the next level “They had this part where they went from this bridge back into the big chorus, but it wasn’t impactful enough for me.” So, working his studio magic Paul constructed a two second segue using pieces of the band’s recorded output. “I have a lot of fun creating things, so I’ll take a cymbal roll and reverse that cymbal and put all kinds of crazy effects on it, take a guitar chord that they played, reverse it, do some synth stuff and lay it real tastefully back in there and make this sweeping two beat sound back into this chorus . . . so I spent probably five hours on this one little segment.”
Paul Schneider and Rundown Studios are gaining a reputation among the musical cognoscenti, as the place to go for a professionally done mix...
This attention to detail is the norm for a Rundown Studios session, setting a Rundown mix apart from your average home studio recording. Conveniently located, ironically named, Rundown Studios is in the business of producing high class, low cost, superior sounding mixes for the band or artist willing to take it to the next level. A few of the artists who have spent time at Rundown Studios are: Monk’s Wine, Head Change, Paradize, Order Number 11, Rehtaeh, Jeremy Swedlund, Mirror Image, Changing Effect, 7 Minute Goodbye, NeoCircus, DKB, Killing Eve, David Luther, Mavens, Brass Knuckle Betty and Awaken Us. Check out the “Rundown Sound” at rundownstudios.com. seveneightfive
bar wars raises $ for local charities
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ant to change the world while sipping a cold brew at one of your favorite bars in Topeka? Throw in some bar games, a big shiny trophy and a competitive spirit, and that’s what Bar Wars is all about. In this annual event, teams from local bars compete against each other for the chance to win big for a charity of their choosing, the Bar Wars trophy to be displayed prominently at the winning bar and bragging rights. In its fourth year, organizers expect as many as 20 teams to compete. They’ve raised over $6,000 for charity in that span of time. Events include speed pool, darts, sports trivia, music trivia, bar trivia, pop culture trivia, touch screen challenge, silver strike bowling, poker, bartender’s challenge and an awards ceremony. Bar Wars will officially begin in April. Stay up-to-date on event dates and times by visiting seveneightfive.com. Locally owned bars can sign up to participate through March 8, and spectators can attend any event to cheer on their bar of choice with a valid 21+ I.D. Because, although Bar Wars is designed to bring much-needed funds to charities, it’s also a great time to sit back, enjoy a cold drink and celebrate your favorite local bar. seveneightfive
Past Winners
FB: /topekabarwars Twitter: @topekabarwars
Our Buffalo Bierocks are like snowflakes. Each one is unique. And wonderful. And tasty.
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2008: Lucky Dog’s (charity: ArtsConnect) 2009: Boobie Trap (charity: Breast Cancer Awareness) 2010: Tailgator’s (charity: TARC)
apps + snacks by Macie Smith • photo by Leah Sewell
The Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library stays on the cutting edge w/ smartphone connects + farmers market
Your library is now your information portal on the go and for your mouth. Two new programs launching this spring aim to make the library an even more convenient and user-friendly place. Beginning May 16 through Oct. 10, each Monday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the library will offer a Monday Farmers Market where local growers will set up in the library parking lot to sell their goods. Items will include produce like farm-fresh vegetables, herbs, flowers, and bedding plants. It will also be an opportunity for customers to ask questions of the vendors, one of which will include library booth, where visitors can pick up recipes. After purchasing your delicious, fresh goodness you can step inside the library’s Health Information neighborhood, where there are more than 5,000 books and DVDs on living healthy, or view the newly opened Cooking and Lawn and Garden neighborhoods. “The library likes to provide connected services, like the Monday Farmers Market, our collections, and the Millennium Cafe where you can eat fresh items out of the library’s herb and greens garden,” said Lisa CobleKrings, a library spokeswoman. “It is also a great place for local vendors to connect to the savvy customers that come to the library. It provides a community meeting place that helps everyone connect their needs.” In the spirit of ultimate connection, the library has launched a free mobile phone app that runs on the following systems: Windows Mobile, palm, BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, Symbian Series 60 3rd Edition and Java J2ME CLDC/1.1 MIDP/2.0. The “Topeka Library” mobile application allows you access to the latest in books, DVDs, music and games. You can put books on hold, renew items, track down the bookmobile or the closest book drop. Or, if you are fearful of missing an event at the Library, but don’t remember when it is, you can pull up a calendar of events and have the information right at your fingertips. “As a local leader in technology and ease-of-use concepts, it simply makes sense for the library to have our own mobile phone app. Not everyone will use this, but for those who do, I predict it will be very popular,” deputy director Rob Banks said.
artsconnect topeka.com
March 4 + April 1
get a map
mos ope t gal n ‘t lerie ill 8 s :30 p
aseveneightfive
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An interview with Joseph Harrington
scrapbooks without scraps
[ lit]
b y D e n n i s E t z e l Jr. • p h o t o c o n t r i b u t e d
I have the honor of interviewing my mentor from The University of Kansas, Joseph Harrington, about his first book of poetry: “Things Come On: An Amneoir,” (published by Wesleyan Press). Dennis: Could you tell me where the title comes from and what an amneoir is? Joseph: The book is about my mother’s dying. She wrote a letter with some “last requests” which I reproduced for the book. It begins with, “This experience has taught me how fast things can ‘come on’ – and should the bad times come, “I knew that I wanted to build it is hard to make decisions.” I found this sentence very the book around the records. striking. Here is a woman who knows she is dying, she writes this letter to try to make things easier on her In that respect, you could call husband, and she opens the letter in this kind of casual, it a ‘documentary poem.’ reflective manner. - Joseph Harrington I think that speaks to her character, and to the cultural role of the “Southern lady.” There’s an expectation that she will be stoical and self-composed at all times, and always think of others first. That role is highly problematic. But I do have to marvel at her strength. I really value these documents and artifacts, because I don’t really remember a great deal about my mother. That’s where the subtitle comes in – a portmanteau word combining “amnesia” and “memoir.” Dennis: I know you are working with collage. What kind of approach did you set out with? Joseph: I knew that I wanted to build the book around the record – artifacts, testimony, evidence. In that respect, you could call it a “documentary poem.” My job was editing and suturing the various pieces – along with bits of other types of texts, such as the Meditations of St. Ignatius – and reflecting on them. It lent itself to collage. I also have a fascination with scrapbooks – which are, I think, looked down upon to some extent and very much “feminized” in our culture. But they are serious efforts to create memoirs and memorials via excerpts and objects. There is a lot about my mom I wouldn’t know, had she not kept a scrapbook as a kid. And I just love the way they look. Somebody called the scrapbook a form of “popular modernism,” and I think that’s right. It seems appropriate to draw upon the scrapbook form for this project. aseveneightfive
read the full interview > seveneightfive.com 20
from Things Come On
[ poetry] history becomes fate when it’s over with no more disjunct
poems built from artifacts, testimony and evidence. The poet’s job was to suture together the various pieces.
than this world A gateway timeout occurred The server / is unreachable History abounds a keeling curve this starts to be how it gets to keening love filters : red void Molly’s mussels live-o while she dies-o – that’s the point, see? A space is a character too One remembers that, if not what
Flame before glass reflects flames inside ribcage Heart immolate Broken hearth rages Find “your voice” – puff combustion flick-lit smoke Why do you think they call us ghosts? Who’s to say the mouse isn’t? intervals,
in pulses,
SCORPIO Why does yer photograph always look like it was lifted from the cover of a French fashion magazine? Wowza!
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Continue imposing a form. In elegy, I is always the subject, but a narrative opens outward, thereby providing an order. Even a list. Even a pattern of stars. Find the two fishes, swimming against each other in a circle. What is the story behind it? Answer by pasting the scraps.
SAGITTARIUS Okay, so ya need a little time and some space to find yerself. Let’s see, would that be TIME to find somebody else to fill the SPACE in yer bed? Just nod and pretend yer not busted.
June 15, 1974 – Rose Kushner discovers a small lump in her left breast.
CAPRICORN Plastic shoes make yer feet smell trés bad. It’s a law of the Universe, Bucko. Respect it.
“This I am not really definite on. The words I can remember from it are ‘Joe’s,’ ‘Stone crab.’” : a summer sign. Hers.
The space is more historical than the stars
LIBRA News Flash! Tea Party adores Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and Sarah Palin. The first two pooped on our Constitution and the third thinks it’s where the Roman gladiators fought. So much for American values!
You really do have to think long term: the same in this universe and a universe to come: in the myriad kalpas of gigabytes of worlds: and later I have to go pick up some milk. It’s just that I don’t especially like all those creatures in the Cambrian shale, and I don’t appreciate the idea of cutesy sea otters and cerulean warblers dropping dead to make way for microorganisms and bivalves and people like me. The something there is that doesn’t love a life loves Life. What was your face before you were born? It’s right there in the fossil record. Endless, sickening iterations of nightmares led to me. Where is the black milk. We led too. In this change in the earth to come, the Republic will endure.
AQUARIUS If anyone tells ya, “Problems are opportunities dressed up in work clothes!” (And they’re all perky and stuff?) Smack ‘em. Tell ‘em Ruprecht sent ya. PISCES Soon Governor Sammy will ask for yer tax returns and a chunk of yer cash. At least ya don’t have to worry about it being wasted on worthless art and culture! It’s all going back to the super rich so they can afford another castle or yacht and to buy themselves another House Member or two. Feel better? ___________________________ Question for the Blue Guru? Stop kidding yerself, Bucko. Yer not as big (a loser) as ya think! Ruprecht@PsychicChicken.com ___________________________ * Astrological predictions are as tough as an Arab dictator. “I’m staying, I’m going, I’m staying, I’m going...”
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heard + noted Tweet your heard + noted to
@785HeardNoted email them to seveneightfive@gmail.com FB them to seveneightfive’s fan page
Please don’t tell me you have that Bieber fever too? @ The Dutch Goose Well, it’s good to know the naked girls showed up tonight. @ The Boobie Trap I’m pretty sure I am 92% realist, 8% romantic. @ Bosco’s In cowboy boots, I feel indestructible @ Speck’s Oh, don’t worry, I’ll be there with bells on. @ The College Hill Remember, we get around ... Listen with us + tweet:
@785HeardNoted Some top locations to find seveneightfive Fine Line Tattoo Envy Salon TSCPL [Library] Dutch Goose College Hill Ice & Olives Oscar’s Topeka Civic Theatre The BreakRoom JE Dunn Pigskins/ Boss Hawgs 22
Surviving the Madness by Jim Williamson
W
hen I was a kid, my dad used to yank me and my brother out of school in mid-March and take us to Kemper Arena for the first two days of the 32-team NAIA small college national basketball tournament. We watched 16 games in two days. The very thought makes my wife borderline suicidal; I was in heaven. Ever since, March has been my favorite month of the year. Now I spend March watching every possible minute of the NCAA tournament. I hunker down with some food product that’s been fried to within an inch of its culinary life. I also grab something cheap and Canadian. No, not Celine Dion; I’m talking about whiskey. Then, I assume the half man/half mattress position and enjoy the Big Dance. Here are a few tips to maximize your enjoyment of this annual rite of spring.
Pick a team to root for: If you were/are lucky
enough to attend a school that’s participating in the tournament, cheer your butt off. If you didn’t, pick one to root for anyway. And don’t pick Duke or Kansas or some other perennial power. That’s too easy, and people will throw stuff at you in bars and call you a frontrunner. Find a team seeded ninth or tenth in their region – someone with a name like Fresno State or someone with a mascot like the Chanticleers from Coastal Carolina University. It’s more fun, and maybe they’ll be this year’s Cinderella.
Ummm…is that you?: In 2008, I cheered KU
to a national title in the same clothes, including tighty-whiteys and socks, for six games. And did I mention, washing is not allowed? Because you’d wash out all the good luck! I shouldn’t even have to explain that; that’s simple karma, people. Sure, my clothes smelled a little like beer and cheesy poofs and feet as the Jayhawks cut the nets down in San Antonio, but to me, it smelled like…victory. I wish you the same victorious stink.
“I hunker down with some food product that’s been fried to within an inch of its culinary life. I also grab something cheap and Canadian.” Wherever you go, there you are: Wherever
you watch the first tournament game is where you have to watch every game so long as your team is in it. You also have to sit in the same place, preferably with the same people. People with a real rooting interest in the tournament tempt fate by bouncing from bar-to-bar, party-to-party for each game. I’ve passed up dozens of invitations to great watch parties to sit in my living room in my spot on my couch, barking at my kids to sit in the same places they sat in two nights before ago. Fine, call it “silly,” but don’t blame me as you drive home from that new bar with the taste of defeat and old Natty Light in your mouth. It is permissible to change seats with friends if the game isn’t going well for your team; you cannot, however, do so before halftime (you gotta have faith), and you cannot leave your chosen watch location, be it a bar, a friend’s house or your own living room. Once your team is done, feel free to check out every bar in town. And then, depression set in: Remember that 67 teams go home from the NCAA tournament as losers. You usually end up disappointed. Cursing like a drunk Marine and swearing off college basketball for the rest of your life is perfectly normal in the first 48-72 hours after your team gets beat. But don’t feel bad if you find yourself sneaking peeks at the other games, even though your team is out of it. That doesn’t make you a bad fan; it makes you an addict. There’s a big difference. The Madness will do that to you. seveneightfive
in’s k s ig P t a ls a e D ' SmokinEvery DAY of the Week! • $1.50 Pabst every day • $2 Daily Budget Beaters • Seating for 300 for every KU and K-State game • Outdoor patio with TV • Live Entertainment • Mardi Gras and St. Patty’s Day party headquarters Be sure to check out our Facebook page for live entertainment updates, and daily food and drink specials on premium cocktails and micro brews!
2833 SW 29th | 273.7300 | www.bosshawg.com
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Obtain what you desire 2601 SW 17th 233-5577
b y M e l i s s a S e w e l l • g r a p h i c s b y Ay m e n G h a l i • p h o t o b y Ly d i a B a r n h a r t
the scene
If you’re seeking out the gay scene in Topeka, you will inevitably find yourself at the Tool Shed Tap. Nestled between 9th and 10th on Kansas Avenue, this bar touts the title of The Only Gay Bar In All Topeka (with trumpets bleating). While we’re touting, it should be mentioned that this is one of the few gay bars in Northeast Kansas, including Lawrence, which boasts only “gay-friendly” establishments. So what’s the big deal? It’s similar to other bars - it has a jukebox (the digital sort, of course), a red velvety pool table, plenty of seating, a decent little dance floor, all the cheap booze you could ask for. But the group mentality of the place is what makes the Tool Shed different - its staff and clientele are zealously tolerant, of pretty much every kind of people. Also they host highlyentertaining drag shows. Speaking of zealots, how about those Phelps? Tool Shed Owner-in-Progress Dave Proctor thinks they’ve missed the mark. “They’ve really done the gay community a favor,” Proctor laughs. “Nobody wants to side with what the Phelps stand for.” Proctor believes that the Phelps taking such a strong standpoint against gays has led Topekans to become more tolerant. Think, for example, of the diversity of the annual Million Fag March (which takes place from 2-5pm on Apr 30th this year). A collection of hundreds at Gage Park gather to hear speakers, march or mosey and display their own neon signs celebrating their acceptance of all people. Essentially, it is a figurative flipping the bird at the hate-spewing Westboro Baptist Church. In fact, this growing tolerance may be the reason why there is only one gay bar in the city, and why it doesn’t have quite the volume of business that it used to. Other bars have garnered the alternative dollar with their alternative label - namely, the late Junkyard, which deemed itself (drumroll) “an alternative bar.” The Junkyard is now, no pun intended, “Bottom’s Up,” a hiphop club that hosts an “alternative lifestyle night” on Saturdays. This word - alternative - is perhaps the most ambiguous noncommittal wishy-washy word that (according to all-knowing Wikipedia) could be used to describe a group of people who participate in a wide range of lifestyles. Former Junkyard patron Andrew Marsh is uncomfortable with the phrasing. “Alternative lifestyle? It isn’t as if I don’t go to work and pay taxes,” he scoffs. “‘Alternative lifestyle’ makes it sound like I worship Satan and eat babies.” Marsh is not e d it o r ’ s n o t e : t h e h e a d l i n e f o n t f o r t h i s a r t i c l e i s n a m e d “ S a m e - S e x M a r r i a g e S c r i p t L DO ” J u s t s e e m e d f i t t i n g .
appeased by the owner of Bottom’s Up attempting to keep the gays’ business with their single alternative night - “I’d rather go someplace like the Tool Shed, which is way more supportive of the gay community.” Jennifer Falley thinks the alternative label may have something to do with the inability to pigeonhole the gay community into a neatly-tied package. “You can’t classify gay people as a minority because they hit every race, age group and gender,” she explains. She believes that the younger The Funky Town Follies, just one of several generation of gays simply drag show troupes, performs at venues like don’t care as much about The Tool Shed, The Break Room and even Hill for entertainment and sometimes being judged, and that College to raise money for local charities, such as The walking into a bar has little to Topeka AIDS Project. do with sexual orientation. “I don’t want to know about heterosexuals’ sex life, and they don’t want to know about ours,” she shrugs. Still, she admits that homosexuals have to be more aware of their surroundings. “I wouldn’t shy away from going somewhere because I’m gay, but I’m not going to walk into the middle of Bullfrog’s Live and make out with my same-sex significant other.” It makes sense that some simply prefer to go somewhere that they simply won’t be judged - at least based on their sexual preferences. “Years ago, if you were gay, you went to a gay bar,” Proctor reminisces. “Nowadays, it’s more acceptable to be gay; you can go to a ‘straight bar.’ The thing is that I want to be myself, I don’t want to have to worry about the one violent person who is not okay with gay people.” Falley insists that it’s all of a matter of individual preference it’s the same for gay people as it is for straight people: “It just comes down to going wherever you mesh in and feel good about yourself. seveneightfive At the time of this printing, Bottoms Up was still defining what type of audience and scene it was going to present to its clients. Due to the newness of this bar, please check them to see what is happening that night.
Alfresco dining guide by Kerrice Mapes
let’s go alfresco
Welcome the season to fire up grills, pack the picnic baskets and run screaming from eating inside whenever possible. Whether you’re looking for a simple patio and a cold brewsky or want to take your special someone and dine alfresco, we think you’ll enjoy our two cents on some of Top City’s best alfresco options. Beer Gardens / Patio College Hill Tavern | 17th and College Revamped last year, the patio can hold ample number of beer drinkers and was created for 5:05 cocktails and community conversations. On Tuesday nights, Jeff Toda performs his acoustic show, and if last year holds true, we will soon be able to hear music under the stars on this patio.
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with bench and tables. Music played outside and ribs - this terrace is better than your backyard, and you don’t have to clean up. El Mezcal | 5th and Topeka Blvd. You’ll appreciate their big 99 cent margaritas even more once you drink them outside under the umbrella tables with guacamole Mexicana. Make the extra drive if you live out west and have Mexican outside.
Celtic Fox | 8th and Jackson The small sidewalk patio holds approximately 16 people and creates a great place to grab lunch and watch downtown walkers. At night, it becomes the smoking patio and might not be the best spot for dinner with your hunny.
Old Bullfrogs | 29th and Wanamaker The original college bar has been serving up consistent food and sports spring after spring. Their multi-level patio is a great place for groups of 4 - 6 and their outdoor televisions allow you to not miss a beat during March Madness.
The Blind Tiger | 37th and Kansas Ave. Large and accommodating, this is a patio for stretching out while dining. The Blind Tiger’s patio is set above their parking lot and is with half covered by a shade awning. $1 off appetizers and locally brewed beers make this a must happy hour stop.
Specks | 21st and Gage Last year, Specks added on a large patio north of the building. It’s roomy enough for you, four friends and a Speck’s burger. This patio is on show to all the traffic zooming up and down 21st, which makes it a better after-dusk patio.
Pigskins | Brookwood Shopping Center The terrace creates a perfect patio situation
Bullfrogs Live | Huntoon & Gage This is a fantastic patio with tall and short
Other must stop patios for libations and food include: Tailgators Skinny’s Dutch Goose Goose Again Pepe & Chela’s Break Room Reeds - Lakeside + Ringside Jax Blackbird Bistro Classic Bean locations Rowhouse Resturant seating. We love the lifeguard chair that serves as a bouncer perch on weekends, and when they have a band play, it’s bliss. (Especially when it’s reggae – the perfect warm weather music). However, be leery - if you are looking for amazing service and a quiet place to dine, this might not be your best bet. It can be noisy, and the service has been spotty at times. A perk: the table by the exit. You can see everyone coming and going. Quinton’s | Huntoon & Gage Another patio perfect to see who might be joining you as they enter the bar. This is a great location for lunch in spring. Sit outside and enjoy one of their famous sandwiches. We love the T.A.C.: turkey, avocado and cream cheese. Now that’s a fresh spring taste. seveneightfive
“The ultimate dining experience.”
LUNCH
Mon - Fri: 11 am - 2 pm
DINNER
Mon - Thu: 5:30 - 8:30 Fri & Sat: 5:30 - 9:30
The Topeka Symphony presents
Richie’s House of Jazz with Richie Cole and Five by Design
4005 Gage Center Drive 785.271.8646 • newcityonline.biz photo by Lydia Barnhart
Upcoming Events for YPs
Be dazzled by the close vocal harmonies of Five by Design as they partner with legendary jazz saxophonist Richie Cole and the Topeka Symphony for an unforgettable evening.
Quarterly Networking Socials:
Members free / Guests $5. Socials are from 5 - 7 pm
March 24: 5- 7 pm @ Bosco’s 435 S. Kansas Ave. April 28: 5 - 7 pm @ se2 5801 SW Sixth Ave.
Quarterly Insiders Series Events: Members free / Guests $10. Socials are from 5:30 - 7 pm
April 6: A Walking Tour of the Capitol District Project / Topeka Chamber Boardroom / 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. May 12: Frito Lay Tour / 4236 SW Kirklawn Rd / 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Saturday, March 12 7:30 pm White Concert Hall
azz
For tickets call: 232.2032 topekasymphony.org
Educational Luncheon Programs: Members pay $10 / guests $15
April 14: “Fresh and Local in Topeka. Real Food, Real Community, Real Farmers” 12:15
p.m.-1:30 p.m / Washburn University
Fast Forward is a program of the Topeka Chamber of Commerce designed to offer young professionals a place to socialize, network and grow in leadership potential through a variety of yearly programs. We invite you to attend an event as a guest or become a member. Please refer to our website www.fastforwardtopeka.org for information about joining Fast Forward or to RSVP for an event.
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bud light’s behind the bar
“i love you baby”
[Jeffrey from Pigskins]
Party with Jefe, 785 + Bud Light Monday, April 11 • Happy Hour BudLight Specials + Giveaways from 5 to 7 pm. Must be 21+
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by Amber Bonnett • photos by Colin MacMillan / Nathan Ham Photography
Jeffrey, I would like to begin this interview by addressing your famous lustrous dudecurls. “My testosterone infused beard and manlocks? I’m cool with that.” There are very few Topeka bar-goers who are not familiar with Jeffrey “Jefe” Hix, the witty, squinty-eyed, pony-tailed hired gun at Pigskin’s. Over Tootsie Roll drinks and Broke Ho shots, we experiment with Hpnotiq, discuss Chicago pizza, batman, the fallacy of lefties being more creative, and other chitchat including the following subjects: In three words, describe your bartending style. Smooth, creative, engaging. (smoooooth) So tell me about this jukebox game played around here. Basically, it’s a contest of wits and who knows music. A song comes on. For example, this is Journey. I would say “Hey Bri, this is Journey, drink.” Whether it be soda, milk, or alcohol… it makes you feel all better about yourself. Bri, wherever you are at- George Michael…” What’s your favorite jukebox “Runaway” by Kanye West.
song?
What? I pick “Runaway” by Del Shannon. But since explicit content is not allowed to be played until 9:30, and this crazy jukebox doesn’t have Del Shannon, we are going to have to battle it out karaoke style. It’s on. How do you keep yourself occupied on a slow night? Making up new drinks. For example, Guano, named for Bacardi’s bat. It’s Bacardi O, Southern Comfort and Peach Schnapps.
Who would you most like to have a drink with? Joe Bonomasse - he’s a great blues musician...we’ve cheersed beers. But if I can really pick someone to have a drink with, it would be Jerry Garcia. I know it’s your stereotypical hippie answer, but there it is. Actually, while I think it would be cool to have a drink with any of my favorite artists or musicians, I would, in the end, have to pick Anne Hathaway. This bar is the only bar in Topeka where… you can get a black snake. It is Free State Copperhead and Oatmeal Stout. Kinda like a black and tan. If I am not mistaken, we are the only bar in Topeka that offers this. Copperhead takes thickness out of the stout, and the stout takes a little hoppiness out of the Copperhead. It’s a beautiful blend. Also, we have random bouts of Tom Jones serenades. You really don’t get that anywhere else. [Jefe’s favorite, “I love you baby.” What is in your cabinet at home? Pudding. Tuaca. Jager. What else are you involved in: Two pool leagues, my band “Berryton Road”, and a waffle ball team, the Tuaca Cubs. We play the PBR royals.
As starting pitcher for the PBR royals, I would like to formally inform you that the Tuaca Cubs are going down. In other news, do you have a signature drink? The shipwreck. It is Captain Morgan spiced rum, Captain Morgan lime and 7Up. Very simple, very tasty. There is an alternate version of this which has Captain Morgan 100 proof . It’s called “Lost”. Favorite cheers? I cheers to the first thing I look at. Cheers to the boxing machine! Cheers to the lamp! I love you, lamp! Where are you most likely to be found when you are not in this bar? At a pool table or in front of a microphone. I like to think I play some pool. I will let others be the judge of that. There are three things I am good at. Singing and playing pool are two of them. seveneightfive
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