9
“Freedom Anthem” at LampLight Theatre
15
Arts In The Park Artists’ Deadline
...plus so much more
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Volume 29 • Issue #36
ETSU Fall
Publisher Luci Tate
Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle
Season Preview
Office Manager Luci Tate Cover Design Bill May Advertising Dave Carter Terry Patterson Lori Hughes Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Karie Grace Duncan Brian Bishop Nathan Cox Distribution Jerry Hanger Teresa Hanger Published by Pulse Publishing, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising)
happenings 4 6 7 8 9 10 11 13 21
ETSU Fall Season Preview Mountain Stage at Barter Theatre Monroe Crossing at Carter Family Fold Busker Fest in Abingdon “Foggy Valley S.C.A.M.” 4th Annual Greek Fest Grammy Award-Winner David Holt Mother-Daughter Quartet Plays for Contra Dance Rhythms of The Mountain Empire
music & fun 14 24
Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times Crossword & Sudoku
columns & reviews
All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement, including claims or suits for defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright infringement.
Founder: Bill Williams
12 Batteries Not Included - Back to School 16 She Does It Herself - Key & Message Board 23 The Trivial Traveler - The Most Famous Tech Center 18 Stargazer - Mars Urban Legend Back: Help NASA 19 Skies This Week 22 Screen Scenes - “Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation” 25 Lock, Stock & Barrel - The One Minute Assessment 26 Kelly’s Place - The Sounds Behind The Sound
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From Classic to Cool
School of the Arts’ fall events will blow you away with music, machinery, theater, history, literature, visual art, film
Air-powered music and mayhem. Classic country by a young duo in early-Elvis hairstyles. An evening in a Harlem Renaissance speakeasy. A worldrenowned orchestra of voices. An author steeped in both Appalachian and Salvadoran culture. A look at quilting as a contemporary, as well as historic, art form. And films documenting the challenges and victories along the road to freedom in three disparate countries. “Our seasons are always eclectic,” says Anita DeAngelis, director of Mary B. Martin School of the Arts. “We have a lot to offer many different audiences in our community. To me that is part of the reason why I think every season is exciting.” Fall 2015 at ETSU’s School of the Arts is not only eclectic, but it also presents a unique dichotomy of classic and cool arts and artists and, in some cases, a mix of both in one event. “I always think we’re classic and cool,” DeAngelis says, “but this fall, we certainly run the gamut from historic and classic to very, very cool and maybe a little crazy.” The season will kick off with what Time Out New York calls “a blazingly unique spectacle” and what the artists themselves call “fast, funny, shameless and inclusive” – Pneumatica by Squonk Opera, a family-friendly “event about air, made of air and powered by air.” Featuring original music, tentacle-like inflatable appendages shot from cannon drums and a 40-foot steam-breathing Lady Pneumatica with a crown of sun-colored sails, Pneumatica will be presented Friday and Saturday, Aug. 28 and 29, in Johnson City’s Founders Park. Free 30-minute shows, part of ETSU PRIDE activities, will take wing Friday at 4 and 7 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., each followed by talkbacks with Squonk’s creative team on the science of the super-sized Seussian spectacle. “Squonk Opera is different than anything I’ve seen,” DeAngelis says. “One of the things I like best about Pneumatica is that it’s about the science of air, so not only do they combine music, visual art, theater and their own choreography, but they slip in science and engineering, too. A lack of an arts center is making us think of other ways to experience the arts and bring interesting, fun events to the community.” Balancing the early blast of “coolness,” will be the fall’s first ticketed event, the completely classic Malpass Brothers, who “don’t just sound retro. They are retro,” says Dan MacIntosh of Roothog Radio. Christopher and Taylor Malpass and band will bring their early-Elvis hairstyles and authentic mix of country,
rockabilly and honky-tonk to ETSU’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium Thursday, Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m., with the ETSU Pride Band opening the show. Hailing from Goldsboro, N.C., The Malpass Brothers toured with the late Don Helms, former steel guitarist for Hank Williams, and have opened for music legend Merle Haggard on multiple tours, as well as performing at the Ryman and Merlefest. “We usually bring in groups that are more established than The Malpass Brothers,” DeAngelis says, “but it’s also important for us to support high quality up-and-coming artists, as well. I think we are going to hear a lot more from them in the future.” Not only classic, but historic is Raisin’ Cane: A Harlem Renaissance Odyssey that will conclude the School of the Arts’ fall schedule, on Nov. 12 at the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts at Northeast State. Starring award-winning actress Jasmine Guy with music by the Avery Sharpe Trio, Raisin’ Cane celebrates and honors the legendary voices of the Harlem Renaissance through text, song, music, movement and imagery. One reviewer termed the retrospective “exquisite edutainment.” “The Harlem Renaissance is a period of artwork, writing and music I’ve always found to be very powerful,” DeAngelis says. “This combination of music, dance, literature and visual art should have something for a lot of different tastes, and be educational, as well.” Rather than focusing on one period or genre, the fall’s other ticketed event will feature a spectrum of music, from Renaissance to classical and contemporary compositions to Gershwin and Queen – performed by Chanticleer, a 12-member men’s chorus known as “an orchestra of voices.” Since 1978, Chanticleer has sold more than a million recordings, won two GRAMMY® awards, been inducted into the American Classical Music Hall of Fame, started its own National Youth Choral Festival and been recognized for its education programs with young singers. Bringing the Grammy®-winning group is the result of a collaboration with the Department of Music, DeAngelis says. “It took us while to get on Chanticleer’s schedule,” she says. “They are in very high demand internationally. ETSU has such a strong vocal music and vocal music education, plus there are so many vocal groups in our region. This is really an opportunity to bring the community together for
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something very special. I’m very pleased the ETSU Chorale, directed by Dr. Matthew Potterton, will perform in a pre-concert event” Another combination of classic and contemporary comes in the form of quilts, more specifically Layers: Quilt as Form, an exhibition that explores the formal evolution of quilting with a focus on contemporary and innovative techniques prominent artists are weaving into this visual art form. The exhibition will run Oct. 5-30 in ETSU’s Slocumb Galleries. Patricia Mink, associate professor of art, and head of the fibers program in ETSU’s Department of Art & Design, is curating the exhibition. Artists will include Susan Brandeis, Jeana Klein, Dorothy Caldwell, Michael James, Nancy Crow, Judith Content and Joan Schulze, who will give a lecture and workshop. The free public lecture, sponsored by the School of the Arts, is at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, in Ball Hall Auditorium. “We are excited to bring in Joan Schulze for the artist talk,” DeAngelis says. “She is well-known as a multimedia artist, and she will be sharing her talents in quilting, printmaking and collage with our students, as well as the public.” September at Mary B. Martin School of the Arts will feature a talk and reading by another multi-faceted artist, Marcos M. Villatoro, best known for his Romilia Chacón crime fiction novels, poetry and essays in media. Villatoro grew up in Rogersville, Tenn., and has since attended seminary, worked with a non-profit in Honduras, explored his Salvadoran lineage in a film, Tamale Road, won two Emmys and moved to Los Angeles, where he teaches literature and writing.
Villatoro will read from a selection of his work on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m. in Ball Hall Auditorium. The reading is free and open to the public with a light reception to follow in Slocumb Galleries. “Marcos is writing a new novel set in East Tennessee, so that will make for a particularly interesting reading for our community,” DeAngelis says. “He will also conduct a number of outreach activities, in classes from History to Appalachian Studies to Creative Writing. He is really an artist that can address a lot of different topics.” Rounding out the fall will be three more free events, three
of the annual series of six independent films from South Arts Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, in which the filmmakers travel with the films and hold Q&As after each screening. All three films are documentaries and screenings will start at 7 p.m. On Monday, Sept. 14, the retrospective She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry will transport viewers from the founding of the National Organization for Women to contemporary discussions of race, reproductive rights, sexual violence and homosexuality. Filmmaker Mary Dore will travel with the film, which screens in Ball Hall Auditorium. The focus will change to freedom on Monday, Oct. 19, with Shield and Spear, by Petter Ringbom, which explores identity, art, race and freedom of expression in South Africa, 20 years after democracy was instituted. November’s film, Frame by Frame, on Monday, Nov. 9, also turns the camera, literally, on emerging freedom, in this case, freedom of the press and a photographic revolution after the fall of the Taliban regime. Filmmakers Mo Scarpelli and Alexandria Bombach follow four photojournalists to create an honest view of today’s Afghanistan. The October and November films will screen in Martha Street Culp Auditorium. “The quality of films this year was impressive,” DeAngelis says. “Our whole fall season is full of great choices for arts fans of all kinds. It’s all very cool and we are delighted to get to share it with the campus and community.” For information about the ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423-439-TKTS (8587) or visit www.etsu. edu/martin. Please “Like” ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts on Facebook and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ArtsAtETSU.
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Mountain Stage features Gretchen Peters and Nellie McKay at Barter Theatre
Mountain Stage* with Larry Groce will feature musical guests Gretchen Peters and Nellie McKay for the August 16 performance and recording at Barter Theatre. More artists will be announced at a later date. During the press conference announcement, Artistic Director Richard Rose of Barter Theatre said, “When two great and wellknown organizations such as Mountain Stage and Barter Theatre team up for an event, one expects something totally awe inspiring and truly remarkable. Our goal is to meet and exceed that expectation and to provide an experience that is totally transformative.” Mountain Stage works to showcase the talent of performers and continue a rich musical history just as Barter Theatre works to showcase the talent of the actors, playwrights, and various designAPPALACHIAN BALLET COMPANY will hold company auditions on Saturday, August 15th at ers who call the Barter stage home. Barter has worked for many years the company’s home studio - Van Metre School of Dance, 215 West Broadway, Maryville , TN 37801. Dancers to help preserve the vibrant heriwill participate in a ballet class with a panel of qualified judges. Please note the times to attend: Ages 10 - 11 tage of the Appalachian region; at 11:30 am until 12:30 pm ; Ages 12 - 13 at 12:45 pm until 1:45 pm and Ages 14+ up at 2:00 pm until 3:30 pm. partnering with Mountain Stage Dancers ages 12 and up should be prepared to dance en pointe. The audition fee is $20. The audition class will to continue that project on another be taught by Kylie Morton Berry, rehearsal mistress and principal dancer of the company. Artistic Director, level is a natural fit. Barter Theatre Amy Morton Vaughn is searching for dancers with solid classical training, good musicality, engaging acting is excited to present this special skills and a desire to dance. The company plans a full season with their Blue Jeans and Ballet fall show, The event to their loyal patrons. Nutcracker presented in Knoxville and Maryville and a Spring Gala planned in March. The Nutcracker holds For more than 30 years Mouna special treat this year with Aaron Smyth, guest artist, dancing the role of the Prince with Kylie Berry as tain Stage with Larry Groce has the Sugar Plum Fairy. Aaron was most recently seen on America’s Got Talent as a solo ballet dancer. ABC is been the home of live music on also excited to present both The Nutcracker and The Spring Gala accompanied by the Knoxville Symphony public radio. The show was foundOrchestra. The ballet company is the proud Resident Dance Company for The Clayton Center for the Arts. ed in 1983 in Charleston, West VirFor more information visit Appalachianballet.com or call 865-982-8463.
ginia and is produced by West Virginia Public Radio. The two-hour broadcast is carried on nearly 150 NPR Stations nationwide. Each show features 4-5 guests and is recorded in front of a live audience for delayed distribution. The opportunity to bring Mountain Stage with Larry Groce featuring Gretchen Peters and Nellie McKay to Barter Theatre is made possible by The Town of Abing-
don and Emory & Henry College. Barter Theatre is funded in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. *Mountain Stage is produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and distributed by NPR Music
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Monroe Crossing performs at Carter Family Fold
Saturday, August 15th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m. the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of bluegrass music by Monroe Crossing. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free. Named in honor of Bill Monroe – the Father of Bluegrass Music – Monroe Crossing dazzles audiences with an electrifying blend of classic bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, and heartfelt originals. Their superb musicianship and on-stage rapport make them audience favorites across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Based in the twin cities of Minnesota, the group plays an average of 150 shows a year at intimate rooms, major venues, and festivals. This will be their second Carter Fold performance. Founded in 2000, Monroe Crossing is made up of five very distinct personalities with differing musical backgrounds. When combined, their individual histories make for a very unique ensemble sound. Derek Johnson plays lead guitar and does both lead and harmony vocals. Lisa Fuglie plays fiddle, mandolin, and guitar, and also sings lead and harmony vocals. Matt Thompson plays mandolin and fiddle and does harmony vocals. Mark Anderson plays bass and does bass vocals. David Robinson is featured on banjo, dobro, and harmonica, and does harmony vocals. Their paths crossed through the music of Bill Monroe, and they like to say they had a Monroe Crossing. Among their many honors, Monroe Crossing was awarded Bluegrass Album of the Year by the Minnesota Music Academy in 2003. In 2007, they were inducted into the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. They have twice been selected to showcase at the annual World of Bluegrass convention hosted by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). They’ve performed at the Big Top Chatauqua in Wisconsin, Branson’s Silver Dollar City, the legendary Ozark Folk Center in Arkansas, and at the Kennedy Center. Monroe Crossing has performed twice at Carnegie Hall in New York City. In 2016, the group will have
the honor of being the first Minnesota bluegrass band to ever perform in South Korea. Monroe Crossing has recorded 14 CDs to date. Included in their discography is composer Carol Barnett’s The World Beloved; A Bluegrass Mass. Recorded with the VocalEssence Ensemble Singers in 2007, they have been honored to perform this work over fifty times with choirs from coast to coast. Their latest release, Because You Asked, is a live collection of audience favorites. The second set of every Monroe Crossing show always features audience requests, and their latest CD documents this tradition. For more information on the group and the artists who comprise this award-winning band, visit their website at http://monroecrossing.com/. For a night of unforgettable traditional bluegrass, be sure to see Monroe Crossing at the Carter Fold. There will be fiddle tunes aplenty, good gospel music, solid
harmony – a little something for everyone. Bring along your friends and don’t forget your dancing shoes! Whether playing traditional bluegrass, bluegrass gospel, original bluegrass, or even songs outside the bluegrass genre, Monroe Crossing is one of the most active and entertaining acts on the bluegrass scene today. Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold. org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – Twitter @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.
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Abingdon, VA Fills Downtown with Street Performers for Main Street Busker Fest This Labor Day weekend, the sidewalks of downtown Abingdon will be filled with weird, wonderful performing artists during a brand new festival. The Main Street Busker Fest is Saturday September 5th, presented by Abingdon Main Street and the Abingdon Music Experience. Kids’ activities start at 11:00am at the Imagination Station, and buskers will perform from noon to 5:00pm on street corners and three anchor stages along Main Street. From 8:00pm to 10:00pm, Abingdon Main Street will hold “Buskers After Dark”, an after party and fundraiser at the Abingdon Market Pavilion featuring a beer garden and performances from the best of the buskers. “Busking” is an age-old tradition in which artists play publicly for tips, performing on street corners or wherever a crowd gathers. Musicians, acrobats, magicians, stiltwalkers, living statues and more – street artists add character and fun to their communities.
At the Main Street Busker Fest, visitors are encouraged to wander up and down Abingdon’s Main Street from noon to 5:00pm to stumble upon interesting and unusual acts, from bands like The Pointer Brothers to a magician’s circle at the Sinking Springs Presbyterian Church parking lot, plus dozens more on almost every street corner. The festival is free, but visitors should plan to bring change so they can show appreciation to their favorite artists with a tip. Volunteers will be available to make change, and several ATMs are located on Main Street. Three anchor stages will offer space for larger acts like the Rosetta Sisters’ performing a fusion of acrobatics, balancing stunts, juggling, rolla bolla, comedy and other antics, or Jalopy Junction which brings an old-time vaudeville act to life with song and dance, aerial arts, and even some fire breathing. Anchor stages are located at the Abingdon City Park (across
from the post office), the Sinking Springs Presbyterian Church parking lot at the corner of Pecan and Main Street, and Courthouse Hill. Food vendors will be located at the parking lot at the corner of Pecan and Main Street, offering carnival food. In addition, Abingdon restaurants are open for lunch and dinner; a full listing can be found here: http://visitabingdonvirginia.com/dining/. The Imagination Station is presented by Paper Moon Studios and Barter Youth Academy and is open to all children and the young at heart. This free workshop takes place at the Barter Green, and includes puppetry crafts and improvisation activities. At the end of the workshop, kids will bring their puppetry show to Main Street, and try a little busking of their own! A small stage will also be set up for youth performers of all types. Children are encouraged to try their hands at busking; sign up available at the stage.
At 8:00pm, Abingdon Main Street invites adults 21+ to Buskers After Dark, a fundraiser for the non-profit organization(ID required to enter, no exceptions). Buskers After Dark is a night of up-close and untamed performances, including a stage show and chance to mingle with the best buskers of the festival. Attendees are welcome to attend in costume, adding to the magic of the night. In keeping with the spirit of the festival, attendees are encouraged to bring a “tip” for Abingdon Main Street, a donation at the door. The Main Street Busker Fest is presented by Abingdon Main Street, a non-profit organization affiliated with the National Main Street program. Abingdon Music Experience is supported by the Town of Abingdon and the Abingdon Convention & Visitors
Bureau. Details: The Imagination Station is open from 11:00am to 3:00pm at the Barter Green. Buskers will perform from 12:00pm to 5:00pm along Main Street in downtown Abingdon. Festival maps will be provided at the event; for a sneak peek at some of the artists performing, visit www.mainstreetbuskerfest.com. This event is sponsored in part by Eastman Credit Union, Ecological Energy Systems, the Gilliam Foundation and Walling Distributing. The lead media sponsor is Bristol Herald Courier, with supporting media sponsors Smoky Mountain Living and The Loafer. For more information, visit www.mainstreetbuskerfest.com or contact Event Coordinator Sara Saavedra at (276) 676-2282 or ssaavedra@abingdon-va.gov.
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“Foggy Valley S.C.A.M.” A Screwball Comedy The Foggy Valley Gang is back with madcap craziness. The wacky, redneck troupe will be debuting a new zany comedy at LampLight Theatre on Broad Street in Kingsport, TN. Something is amiss at the B.A. Goodin Funeral Parlor and it becomes necessary to call in the F.B.I. With Mama Goodin at the helm of the investigation, it makes to be a hilarious muddle of chaos. S.C.A.M. (Singers, Choirs, and Ministers) Conference is being held in Foggy Valley at the Goodin Family Funeral Parlor. Mama has enlisted in a new senior program with the F.B.I. in order to break up a supposed “sting operation” that will take place during S.C.A.M. Special F.B.I. Agents, Marsh and Jones, are on-site to apprehend criminals that have been ripping off people during large events. Mama recruits the bungling skills of “in-house” security officer, Otis Purdy, along with his inept side-
kick, Clovis Bodine. Eccentrics, Cleopha Blair and Flo Rakestraw, arrive to help Marge and Cedric (butler and maid) prep the Funeral Home for S.C.A.M. Conference. Suspicion arises as healer/evangelist, Rev. Norville Dingus and his daughter, Lillian, arrive for the special event. Lillian seems to fall for widower, Spoolie Goodin, and Mama’s intuition will not tolerate the romance between Lillian and her son, Spoolie. However, Spoolie’s daughter, Ura Goodin, is up to having a new mommie. A spark of jealousy brews between family minister, Rev. Clyde T. Humperdink, and Rev. Norville as Rev. Clyde’s girlfriend, Clementine, seems to swoon for the healing power of Rev. Norville. An out-and-out bumfuzzled disaster is on the horizon as Mama breaks out her “ninji” outfit to help rid Foggy Valley of con artists and thieves. Secret agents
and S.W.A.T. teams are no match to Mama Goodin’s professional criminal-catching skills. At the S.C.A.M. Conference, a surprise twist exposes the truth and hopes to bring an end to all criminal activity. Foggy Valley S.C.A.M. will be presented every weekend, August 14 through September 6, at LampLight Theatre at 140 Broad Street in Kingsport, TN. Nightly performances will be at 7:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Matinees on Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. Doors will open one hour prior. Admission is a suggested donation of $10 Adults, $5 Students, and FREE for children 5 and under. For reservations and information, please contact the LampLight box office at (423) 343-1766, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or online at www.lamplighttheatre.com.
Umoja Goes Global
The 2015 Umoja Festival at Johnson City is sending patrons on a trip around the world, no plane ticket required! In the past, visitors of the festival were able to explore and learn about the many different cultures represented in the African American community and their traditions. Umoja is working to turn the two-day festival into a tradition that will allow visitors to explore cultural foods, arts, music and crafts from all over the world; all in downtown Johnson City. “The Umoja Festival is all about celebrating, experiencing and learning about cultural arts, foods
and traditions, and we want to give that opportunity to all the cultures in the East Tennessee area,” said Ralph Davis, President of the Umoja Arts and Cultural, Inc. This years festival will feature a different footprint, longer kids zone hours, and a larger stage than years past. For more information about the festival, vending, performing or sponsoring, visit our website at www.umojajc.org. We hope you will join us in a trip around the world to celebrate cultural diversity and unity in downtown Johnson City on August 14 and 15, 2015!
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Fourth Annual Tri-Cities Greek Fest
The ancient Greeks asked one thing after a man died: did he have passion? At the Tri-Cities Greek Fest, the passion and celebration of Greece, its culture, food, and all things Greek, is something you do not want to miss. This year on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., the public is invited to partake of the philoxenia (Greek hospitality) that lasts all day and never wears thin. Neither does the Opa. Hosted by Christ the Savior Greek Orthodox Church, guests will be able to see the church’s own dance troupe perform a variety of dances from the Greek islands and mainland. The dancers even have some surprises in store that are sure to amaze any audience. Live entertainment will be provided by George Karras and his band throughout the day. Karras will even let you try on his bouPhoto courtesy of Studio Mathewes zouki for photographs, but you www.studiomathewes.com better be sure to wear your dancing shoes if you want to be part of Got Ouzo? Try it once and you’ll is Loukanikos, mildly smoked the fun that has everyone kicking be an honorary Greek for the day Greek sausage. up their heels like Zorba. boasts the Fest’s taverna. Attend As always, guests are invited to this year and see what the hype take a church tour to learn about over this Grecian liqueur is all the Greek Orthodox Church. about. These are so interesting that even Now in its fourth year, the Greeks attend. Plenty of seating Tri-Cities Greek Fest has several will be available allowing for an things in store for its guests. up close and personal look at OrThis year, patrons will have the thodox iconography and worship. chance to win door prizes. DrawA children’s area, open from ings start at noon. 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. will once The rummage sale portion of again be located behind the the event, known fondly to lo- church, but still very much a part cal Greeks as Poseidon’s Treasure of the festivities. Children are inCove, will be the largest yet. This vited to have their faces painted year, it will be underneath a large and participate in a variety of tent outside providing space for games. more items and larger ones such as Guests will not be able to resist furniture. Tent opens at 11:00 a.m. the unique delights of the retail No Early Birds! area. Cookbooks, jewelry, homeTempting pastries will be avail- made lotions and jams, and of able that pride themselves on their course, the Tri-Cities Greek Fest’s Grecian roots. Items such as kok, own T-shirts will be for sale. two round vanilla sponge cakes Patrons should note that this filled with Bavarian cream and event only accepts cash and pertopped with chocolate ganache; sonal checks. ergolavos, an almond cookie with Come one and all. Grab your apricot filling; tsourekia, braided parea (group of friends) and put loaves of Greek sweet bread; and a little Greek in your week. The baklava cheesecake will return memories made at the Tri-Cities this year for another expected sell- Greek Fest will last longer than out. Be sure to pick yours up while Zorba’s Dance. they last. For more information visit Combination platters will also www.facebook.com/TNTriCitiesreturn for those who want to try a GreekFest or www.ChristTheSavlittle of everything. New this year iorOrthodox.org/GreekFest
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Jonesborough Welcomes Grammy Award-Winner David Holt
In the 1960s, when David Holt set out to learn mountain music, banjo lessons weren’t exactly a thing. There weren’t instructional DVDs or lesson books or Youtube tutorials. There were just people. So Holt packed up and moved across the country from California to North Carolina, and when he got to the mountains, he started knocking on doors. “I felt like I’d stumbled on a lost world,” Holt recalls. “These people were born in the 1870s, 80s, and 90s. I didn’t think I’d make a living. That wasn’t the plan at all. I just thought I’d learn from them. No one every turned me away. I was (and still am) truly interested, and I think these folks could sense that.” His story was so exotic that it was picked up by the local newspaper, which ran a full-page story. (“It included an 8 x 10 picture,” he says with a laugh.) And what had started as the simple desire to learn banjo turned into an incredible career that has included four Grammy wins, radio shows, and several TV series. Along the way, Holt became involved in storytelling almost as a matter of course. “Mountain music really grew out of people’s lives, so stories are a big part of it,” he says. In the beginning, he mostly told folk tales. His approach has since evolved, and now Holt focuses on true-life tales—anecdotes from his mentors, historical stories behind old songs, and personal tales from his life on the road. Holt will soon appear in Jonesborough for a weeklong storytelling residency sponsored by the International Storytelling Center. Accompanying himself on banjo, steel guitar, harmonica, washboard, and a whole host of other unusual instruments, Holt will offer matinee performances daily, August 18 – 22, in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall. Showtime is 2:00 p.m. sharp, and tickets are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. On Thursday, August 20, Holt will host an additional evening show, “The Story Behind the Songs.” He’ll tell stories about some of his mentors, including
All ticket holders will save 10 percent on same-day dining at The Dining Room, Jonesborough General Store and Eatery, or Main Street Café. Though Holt has long since transformed from a student into a master, he still practices every day. “I’m always trying to improve,” he says. “My personal motto is be good and get better, so I’m constantly learning new stuff. That’s part of the way you do something like this for 45 years. You’ve really got to keep yourself entertained first of all, and then worry about other people.” Information about this season’s performers, as well as a detailed schedule, is available at www. storytellingcenter.net. Storytelling Live! is supported by program sponsors CrestPoint Health and Eastman Credit Union, and media sponsors News 5-WCYB, FOX TriCities, Tri-Cities CW, Johnson City Press, Kingsport Times-News, Herald & Tribune, Cumulus Media and Foster Signs. Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Niswonger Foundation, and the Arts Fund of East Tennessee Foundation. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Doc Watson and Ralph Stanley. Monday through Saturday. For Tickets for the exclusive Thurs- more information about Storytellday night show are only $15. Ad- ing Live! or to make a group reservance purchase for it, as well as the vation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 matinees, is highly recommended. or (423) 913-1276.
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Back to School
The other morning I stood on my front porch, sailor’s hat poised on my head, corncob pipe in my mouth. A wind began to kick up, and I could feel my nose becoming stuffy. I turned to my faithful dog Duke, and said, “Aye. The kids will be back in school soon. The time for pumpkin is nearly upon us. Let us can the rest of the preserves.” Then I got a text from my Aunt asking if I would do the back to school shopping for my cousin who is entering the 5th grade. I quickly gave up my old sea farer’s garb and dressed like regular Andy, picked up the cousin, and off to the various shopping establishments we went. Upon arriving at the store, I realized I should have
left my sailor gear on. It was a restless sea full of desperate parents and uneasy students. Children all confused that their precious Summer was coming to close, parents trying to make sure they got everything on their back to school supply lists right, while trying to please their kid that wanted a $60 Spider-Man backpack. It was the week before school started back, and the feeding frenzy in the back to school section of the store was strong. It was a mini break down in every aisle. I witnessed a mother shaking a stock boy with tears in her eyes, screaming at him “For God’s sake man! Where’s the graph paper!?” At the display of markers and highlight-
ers, one student and his mother stared in disbelief. “They want a pack of four, but they only come in packs of ten. It’s the hot dog dilemma all over again. I thought we had evolved beyond this.” After twenty minutes of being in the increasingly crowded section, I began to feel a little claustrophobic. The soon to be fifth grader was cool and relaxed. The madness around him didn’t bother him at all. Naturally, his chill behavior was rewarded with a post shopping meal. Granted, it also gave me a chance to sit and relax after being in the trenches with dazed folks. We went to the restaurant of his choice, and we sat down to eat. The soon to be fifth grader is somewhat picky, even among children of his age, he doesn’t like chocolate for one thing. I had skipped out on breakfast, so I was dying to have a solid meal in my stomach. When the waiter came around, I was fully prepared with what I wanted to eat. The ten year old? Not so much. Part of the problem is that in our new world, the ten year wold was constantly immersed in his smart phone. I’m not saying I’m better than him at it, but trying to get the picky eater to pay attention to a menu was trying. He wanted a burger, but he no lettuce, add spinach. Drop the mayo, tomato, add ketchup. No mustard. Swiss cheese if they got it, toasted bun, crisp fries, brioche bun please. My foodie nature has rubbed off on the little tyke a little. I won’t be shocked if in time he opens up the tri-cities first bespoke burger joint. The day was largely a success and all survived with sanity intact. Who knows if that will carry through as we start a new school year. May the odds ever be in your favor. See you next week.
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August 11, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 13
Mother-Daughter Quartet Plays for Contra Dance in Jonesborough!
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will hold another contra dance on Saturday August 15, 2015 at the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. HJDS welcomes back mother-daughter combo, Firefly, from Asheville, North Carolina. The contra dance will run from 7:30-10:30pm with a waltz break at 9:00pm. Admission to the dance is $7, HJDS Members $5 and students $5. A contra dance class for newcomers will be held from 7-7:30pm. The caller for the event will be Bob Dalsemer from Brasstown, NC. FIREFLY is an all-women’s acoustic combo that plays spirited old-time music, with surprising and lovely vocal harmonies on waltzes. Pearl Shirley (Mock Turtle Soup) is on fiddle, Barbara Davis (Far Horizons and the Whoalls) on guitar, and Laurel Willoughby (performed with Owen Morrison and Steve Hickman, and with Bob Willoughby) plays stand-up bass and Julia Weatherford on fiddle and cello. Based in the mountains of west-
ern North Carolina, Firefly members have performed at LEAF, in Great Britain, the Laurel Theater in Knoxville, TN, and throughout the country from Birmingham to DC, Wilmington to the Rockies. Bob Dalsemer lives in Hayesville, North Carolina in the extreme southwestern corner of the state: 2 miles from Georgia, 30 miles from Tennessee and “about two and a half hours from everywhere.” Bob specializes in calling traditional American contra, square and circle dances. He has composed a number of new dances in traditional style and published two collections of traditional square dances ( Smoke On the Water and When The Work’s All Done ) which, after being out of print for some time are available again from Hanhurst’s Tape and Record Service. Bob’s 1982 book, West Virginia Square Dances, about old time square dancing in five W.Va. communities is also available again, free, online. He also enjoys teach-
ing, calling, and dancing English country dances. Since 2000 Bob has been the principal caller for the Mountain Folk Festival at Berea College in Kentucky, an annual dance weekend for middle and high school age dance groups. In addition to calling, Bob plays fiddle, guitar, mandolin and piano accordion. He is a musician for Sticks In the Mud Morris, Rural Felicity Garland Dancers, Dames Rocket Northwest Morris and a member of the Dog Branch Cats string band. Contra dancing is an evening of fun, featuring dancing in “sets” of about a dozen couples. You interact with your partner and everyone else in the set too as you dance with easy walking steps to energetic music. A caller, working with a group of live musicians, guides new and experienced dancers through a variety of dances. The caller teaches each dance before it is actually done to the music. This walk through gives everyone an idea of what to expect so the movements can be easily ex-
ecuted. The caller calls the dances as they are being performed to the music, so dancers are able to execute each movement to the music. Once the dancers appear to have mastered a dance, the caller may stop calling, leaving the dancers to enjoy the movement with music
alone. For more information, please contact event organizer, David Wiley, at 423-534-8879 or visit www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org. Also join the HJDS Facebook group for latest updates.
Page 14 | The Loafer | August 11, 2015
WREN
TUESDAY - Aug. 11 JASON LLOYD & FRIENDS at Biggies Clam Bar
RANDY & THE LUGNUTS at Acoustic Coffeehouse
WEDNESDAY - Aug. 12
9pm at 620 State Street
SOUTHERN REBELLION 7pm at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe
RAMBLING ROSE at Elks Club - Elizabethton
DIRTY BADGERS JAKE & THE COMET CONDUCTORS
6:30pm at Kickin’ Back Kings Alley
MARK LARKINS
SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country) at The Outdoorsman LIVE MUSIC
JOHN PATRICK HALLING
ASH BREEZE
THE DUO TONES at Marker “2” Grill
6pm at Luke’s Pizza
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
7pm at Music on the Square Jonesborough
THURSDAY - Aug. 13 JAZZ
at Wellington’s - Carnegie Hotel
SOUTHERN REBELLION 6pm at Quaker Steak & Lube
MODEL CITY WRECKING CREW 7pm at Winged Deer Park Lakeside Concert
LIVE MUSIC
7pm at Marker “2” Grill
AMERICAN FLOYD 7pm at Full Moon Jam
SECRET SISTERS
MOONLIGHT RUN
at Country Club Bar & Grill GUY MARSHALL 8pm at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room BORDERLINE (Country, Rock) 7pm at Marker “2” Grill
ASYLUM SUITE at Biggie’s Clam Bar
SATURDAY - Aug. 15 CATFISH FRYE BAND (Rockin’ Boogie Blues)
7pm at Sonny’s Marina & Cafe
LIVE MUSIC
ALL THE LITTLE PIECES 8pm at The Willow Tree
Coffeehouse & Music Room
NIGHTSHIFT
(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) 7pm at The Show Palace
ACOUSTIFRIED (Country) 7:30m at Laurel Marina
SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND (Country) at Buffalo Ruritan MONROE CROSSING at Carter Family Fold
SUNDOWN BAND (Country)
7pm at David Thompson’s Produce
PLAN Z (Rock)
at O’Mainnin’s Pub
THE FUGITIVES
at Country Club Bar & Grill
KELLY ZULLO
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
CHRIS JAMISON HEPPY KATS at Acoustic Coffeehouse
SUNDAY - Aug. 16 IVY ROAD
at Marker “2” Grill
CHRIS JAMISON at Bone Fire Smokehouse
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
BILL KIRCHEN
TIFFANY HUGGINS GRANT ACOUSTIC VOODOO PROJECT
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
BORDERLINE (Country, Rock)
FRIDAY - Aug. 14
MONDAY - Aug. 17
ONE GOOD THING
BLUEGRASS JAM
WYLDEHEART
THE GOSPEL TWO
at The Paramount Center
LIVE MUSIC
7pm at Marker “2” Grill
THE JENKINS TWINS
at The Down Home 8pm
TROY BATEY ZACK JOSEPH & THE SOCIETY
8pm at Rush Street
at Biggie’s Clam Bar
8pm at Quaker Steak & Lube
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
PULSE & 3 SHADES OF RED
8pm at Quaker Steak & Lube
9pm at Capone’s
STOLEN RHODES
(Original Rock n Roll)
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
at Hardee’s (Boones Creek)
7pm at Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch
OPEN MIC
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
KARAOKE TUESDAY
Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN ***********************
WEDNESDAY
Karaoke At Bristol VFW - Bristol TN Turn the Page Karaoke At VFW Post 2108 - JC ***********************
THURSDAY
Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Electric Cowboy - JC Karaoke At Holiday Inn - JC Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JC ***********************
FRIDAY
Karaoke At Bristol VFW - Bristol TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertaiment at Rainbow Asian Cuisine - JC Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - JC Karaoke At Elizabethton VFW Elizabethton TN Karaoke w/ DJ Marques At Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN ***********************
SATURDAY
Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN ***********************
SUNDAY
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Mellow Mushroom - JC Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille -JC ***********************
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Zack Joseph and the Society Acoustic Coffeehouse 10pm | Friday, Aug. 14th
You probably haven’t heard Zack Joseph and The Society on the radio, but you surely won’t forget a live performance by this Nashville TN based band. Zack Joseph is 24 year old singer, songwriter and guitarist with a mission, it seems, to resurrect a beloved sound from the past. Accompanied by upright bass and drums, the band released their debut album, “All in Time,” in 2014 and has steadily toured the country ever since. With a refreshing and unique take on classic American sounds, their music is a perfect fit for fans of modern indie folk, early rock and roll, folk and roots music. Join Zack Joseph and The Society at The Acoustic Coffeehouse for an evening of original music on August 14th at 10pm. Music available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and at the show. zackjoseph.com facebook.com/zackjosephmusic
Spotlight Directory
Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872 Biggies Clam Bar 417 W Stone Dr Kingsport 423/765-9633 Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Buffalo Ruritan 200 Willowbrook Dr. Bluff City 423/391-7382 Capone’s 227 E Main St Johnson City 423/928-2295 Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons Va 276/594-0676 Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 David Thompson’s Produce 251 Highway 107 Jonesborough 423/913-8123 Full Moon Jam Bristol Downtown Center 423/ 989-5500 Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100
Kickin’ Back at King’s Alley 156 E. Jackson St. Gate City VA 276/386-3831 Luke’s Pizza 3111 W. Market St. Johnson City 423/ 328-0186 Marker “2’ Grill at Lakeview Marina 474 Lakeside Dock, Kingsport 423/323-4665 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 The Outdoorsman 4535 Highway 11W Kingsport Quaker Steak & Lube 629 State St Bristol VA 276/644-9647 Sonny’s Marina & Café 109 One St. Gray TN 423/283-4014 Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City • 423/979-6400 The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City Winged Deer Park 4137 Bristol Hwy Johnson City 423/ 283-5816
August 11, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 15
Page 16 | The Loafer | August 11, 2015
Key & Message Board
If you’re always losing your keys, like me, then I’m sure you’ve been given the advice to keep them in the same place all the time. My dad has preached this to me at least a thousand times. But day after day I find myself rummaging through purses and piles of clothing and running late for work. There are some expensive and silly methods that you can try to help you find your keys: a ringing key fob, flashing key ring, or whistling keychain. But what happens when you lose the accessories to these items or they no longer work? The truth is, my father
is right; the only full proof way to keep track of your keys is to keep them in the same place constantly. To motivate myself to do this in my home, I’ve created a multifunctional key rack. The ruck functions as a message board and a place to hang your keys so that you may always find them easily. This DIY is simple and very cheap. Most of the supplies can be found at the dollar store, Walmart, or any craft store. You will need: a wooden picture frame ($1 at Dollar Tree), super glue ($1), chalkboard piece or chalkboard paint ($1-$3 at Dollar General), brass plated mug hook
($1 at Dollar General). Start by creating your message board. You can use either a small frameless chalkboard sheet or paint the glass that comes in the frame with chalkboard paint. Using the chalkboard sheet is less time consuming but you may want to get chalkboard paint and use it for multiple projects. If you do choose chalkboard paint, you will want to use several coats on the glass, letting each one dry fully before the next. I used a sheet of chalkboard. To do this, I had to super glue the edges of my chalkboard to the inside of my frame so
that it doesn’t wiggle when hung. This requires only a small dot of glue on each corner. Now is the time to decorate your frame if you desire. You can add your favorite color paint or tape off the edges and spray pair them gold. One of my favorite design ideas is to mix Modpodge and glitter and paint the frame with glitter. But because I chose a frame with a built in cork board, I decided to leave the frame it’s natural, matching tan color. Lastly, you must add the most important detail of your key rack, the hooks. Luckily, this is also one of the easies parts. Measure your frames and make two markings an inch inward on either side of the frame. This is where your first two hooks will be placed. Measure to find the exact center of the frame and mark there to place a third hook. If you desire more hooks, make the proper measurements
and markings. To add the hooks, take the screw end of your mug hook and twist it into place a few times until you feel a dent. Then, start twisting until you reach the end of the screw. When all your hooks are placed, write a message for your guests on the chalk board, like the wifi password, hang your rack, and hang your keys so you never lose them again.
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August 11, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 17
The Most Famous Tech Center in Washington Heights
Out of all there is to see and do in New York City, it seems a shame that the casual tourist will almost always limit his experience to a few select neighborhoods in Manhattan (heck, Brooklyn alone has nearly as many people as the city of Chicago). I too, am guilty of the Manhattan-centric approach to viewing the city. On my most recent trip though, I did make it a point to spend some time exploring the northern Manhattan neighborhoods of Washington Heights
and Harlem. It was in Harlem, just blocks from the Apollo Theater, where I happened upon what I’ve decided to present today – The Audubon Ballroom. Located at the intersection of 165th Street and Broadway in Washington Heights, the Audubon Ballroom was home to a variety of tenants and functions over the years. Built originally as a theater by William Fox as the center of operations for his media empire that would become 20th Century Fox,
it was designed by noted architect Thomas Lamb and completed in 1912. Over the course of its life, it served as a vaudeville theater, a movie house, a meeting hall, and even (for a time) a synagogue. Its stage was graced by the likes of
Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, Henny well-known. Youngman, Mae West, and The For those who don’t know a lot Three Stooges. While this colorful about him, Malcolm X was a huhistory is noteworthy enough, it is man rights activist and Black Nathe ballroom’s distinction as the place where Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965 for which it is most continued on page 23
Traveler .....
Page 18 | The Loafer | August 11, 2015
Mars Urban Legend Back: Help NASA That stupid urban legend that Mars will be as big as the Moon is back circulating around Facebook, but real space facts on the social media are even stranger than fiction. For instance: What are those mysterious white spots on dwarf planet Ceres? And what causes the amazingly complex layers of frozen terrain that cover distant Pluto? Forget the stupid misconception that Mars could ever be as big as the Moon, as well as the weekly revelations that artifacts of tools, bones and even living creatures are turning up on Mars Rover photos. That Mars hoax has been making the Internet rounds since 2003 when the Red Planet was a record 35 million miles from Earth. Even then it was tiny if placed beside the Moon—like the ratio of a basketball to a pea! To put it another way, the Moon is 2,160 miles across and averages 240,000 miles away. Mars is almost twice the size of the Moon at 4,217 miles wide, and this week it is about 237,000 million miles away. Astronomers wish that Mars could be as big as the Moon, we’d saved a lot of money on flyby missions and orbiters finding landing spots! Don’t be so gullible—and trust scientists not blogs. NASA WANTS YOUR VOTE— Just what do you think the bright spots on former asteroid Ceres are? You can log in your opinion at a NASA site: www.jpl.nasa.gov/ dawn. What we are talking about are several clusters of bright areas inside a 60-mile-wide crater. These features have puzzled astronomers since they were seen during the ap-
proach of the spacecraft Dawn before its March 6 orbit around Ceres. Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and it unique characteristics led to its reclassification with Pluto as a “dwarf planet” in 2006. The bright white clusters have been observed for a month from Dawn’s orbit 1,700 miles above the surface of Ceres. That distance is now being lowered to 900 miles for a couple months where some scientific instruments can operate, critical to understanding these objects. Eventually in November the orbit will be just 230 miles—so the best is yet to come.
So what are these objects? And NASA wants you to vote: a) volcano b) geyser c) rock d) ice e) salt deposit f) other. Predictably among the “other” category are guesses ranging from an alien base to a new Dunkin’ Donuts. I vote for frozen geyser. WHAT’S IN A NAME? PLENTY! With two major Solar System dwarf planets getting plenty of face time, the new scenery needs some names. It’s up to the International Astronomical Union to formally adopt the names of celestial bodies and their features. But the planetary scientists, aka, nerds, have already begin putting monikers on
the features of dwarf planets Ceres and Pluto. The informal names on mountains, craters and plains are necessary so they can talk about them. And all will probably be formally adopted. Ceres was named for the Roman god of agriculture. So many of the features on the largest object in the asteroid belt are named in keeping with the farming theme. The 60 mile crater where the bright, cluster spots are found is called Occator after the Roman god of harrowing (leveling soil). A 20mile crater is named Havlani after the Hawaiian goddess of plants. And there are craters named Kerwin (Hopi spirit of maize), Urvana (India god of plants), and Ezinu (Sumerian grain goddess). Former planet Pluto, named for a god of the underworld, has lots of features temporarily named for symbolic creatures of Hell. But the most prominent feature is popularly named for the man that discovered Pluto, Clyde Tombaugh. The heart-shaped feature of uncratered plains is called Tombaugh Regio. And there is a smaller “Lowell Regio” named after astronomer Percival Lowell who hired Tombaugh and spurred the search for “Planet X” in the 1920s after asserting Mars was inhabited in a series of bestselling books about his telescopic observations from Flagstaff, Arizona. Also on Pluto are features named for NASA’s interplanetary spacecraft, including the two Viking spacecrafts now leaving the Solar System 40 billion miles away. And the large moon Charon locked in a 6 hour orbit around Pluto has
many curious features of mountains and plains that are being named. Among the monikers for that frozen world are characters from “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” characters, including Skywalker, Spock and Kirk on the Vulcan Planium. WANT TO COUNT ROCKS AND CRATERS? NASA is looking for a few good people who want to download some large files and count craters and rocks the size of semi-trucks on the Moon. Using pictures taken by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, participants are asked to identify craters and boulders about 35 feet across or smaller out of an image covering 1.4 square-miles, the equivalent of 1,000 football fields. This 21st Century “crowd sourcing” of technical data to amateur scientist has proven to be just as reliable and conclusive as this sort of work performed by credentialed scientists. Cosmoquest is a citizen science website that is building a community of people learning to do science. Data is being explored on the Moon, Vesta and Mercury as people mark craters and surface features. The ever changing face of our Solar System is requiring some radical new ways to analyze all the data from dozens of interplanetary spacecraft. You can either join in, or sit back and take in all the new sights. It’s quite an amazing time for space exploration…and it is all as close as our Smart Phone!
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August 11, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 19
Celestial events in the skies for the week of August 11th - August 17th, 2015 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. Everybody’s favorite display of “shooting stars” is upon us as this is the week of the Perseid Meteor Shower, peaking on Wednesday night/Thursday morning. The meteors will be seen all week. Hot August nights have us realizing that Summer is losing its grip on daylight and night-time is gaining. And that makes stargazers happy! True daytime, from twilight to twilight, is now around 14.5 hours. That’s an hour different from those late June evening memories.
Tues. Aug. 11
On this 1962 date in space history, the USSR launched Vostok 3 with cosmonaut Andrian Nikolayev. The next day Vostok 4 was launched with Pavel Popovich aboard, and the Soviets claimed the first rendezvous of spacecraft. Decades later it was learned two spacefliers saw each other’s spacecrafts from a distance of maybe 6 miles in binoculars, and communicated with each other—but it was far from a controlled rendezvous in orbit.
Wed. Aug. 12
The Perseid Meteor Shower peaks tonight, and though the Moon is a crescent in the morning, its moonlight is not a factor in diminishing the darks skies. Around 2-5 am Thursday morning you might see up to 50 meteors an hour—worth losing some sleep over. Earth continues until Aug. 23 traveling through the debris field of comet Swift-Tuttle, whose particles we see burning up in our atmosphere.
Thursday, Aug. 13
On this 1960 date in space history, NASA was bouncing radio signals off a gigantic balloon orbiting Earth, the first such telecommunications from space. Echo 1 was rocketed off Cape Canaveral by the first Delta rocket, both major hurdles for the young space agency, NASA. Radio waves were bounced off the exotic, 100-foot Mylar balloon surface and captured by dish antennas thousands
of miles away.
set around midnight.
New Moon today, our neighbor between the Earth and Sun. If you have been watching the morning skies for Perseid meteors, you are looking at the Autumn skies of evening. Pegasus, Taurus and The Pleiades star cluster are the predawn sky. At that early morning hour the Summer constellations are setting in the west, the Milky Way standing beautifully upright.
Scraping the northwest landscape is the Big Dipper, aka The Plough. From midnight to 5 am the most familiar seven stars in the sky is hard to see unless you have a clear northern horizon. The Big Dipper is an “asterism” of a much larger constellation, The Great Bear or Ursa Major.
Friday, Aug. 14
Sun. Aug. 16
Mon. Aug. 17
My daughter, Jessie, turns 19 today, and she loves music like I Looking west in the early eve- love her. Of course Jessie knows ning you’ll see a yellowish star the influence of astronomy on all dominating—Arcturus in Bootes genres of songs, particularly the the Herdsman. The third brightest 100-plus that include the Moon. of all the stars we see, this beau- I also remind Jessie that just betiful star is 37 Light Years away, cause astrology says she’s a Leo, fairly close to Earth: that’s why it she’s really a Marquette! appears so bright. Arcturus will
Sat. Aug. 15
Page 20 | The Loafer | August 11, 2015
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“Rhythms Of The Mountain Empire”
A Ten Part Original Series About Local Music, Supported by Tri-City Communities & Adoring Fans
Open Mic Nite A Treasure Trove Of Local Talent!
Written by William Camelot
I believe that venue owners and club managers are always looking to increase customer participation and the local music scene provides that opportunity. There is a treasure trove of really talented musicians that are eager to be seen and heard on a bigger stage with a live audience instead of Facebook and their garage..! I have four venues that come to mind when writing about the phenomena of “Open Mic Nite”... Starting with Woodstone Deli, or what it’s fans online refer to as it’s Woodstone Baby...! Woodstone is what I call the gateway to rising stars on the local scene. A very eclectic place with a true personality in its owner Jeremy Jones; with a penchant for serving up some fantastic food (try the wings on open mic nite); while pointing the spotlight on new groups & talented 1st timers, but on each Wednesday evening you can also listen to some of the established musicians in the area that stop by such as Catfish & Ja-
son Ellis. Open mic nite is hosted every other month by the incredibly talented Gina Hubbard, who in another life was Janis Joplin..! Many come out just to hear her play a medley of songs and introduce the fresh talent. I asked Jeremy what he thought were the reasons for the success of Open Mic Nite @ Woodstone: “ The tradition of Woodstone, through the years, the diversity of the music you can hear, from; Blue Grass, to Ozzie Osborn to Johnny Cash..! ... Many musicians that played Woodstone years ago like to come back and relive those glory days and add
a new chapter to their memories of a musical journey..!” We also tracked down Gina Hubbard the talented host of open mic nite for her impressions about what creates such magic on Wednesday evenings... “If you’re looking for great local music and even better food, Woodstone Deli is the place to be on Wednesday nights. I have been hosting Open Mic Night for over a year now and it has grown to be
Open Mic.....
continued on page 23
August 11, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 21
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In Theaters Now
Box Office Top 10 Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)
“Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation”
In his “Mission Impossible” movie series Tom Cruise has certainly done some amazing stunts. His stunts have included being hung on a line like a gymnast, rock climbing, jumping off a skyscraper, climbing on the side of the world’s tallest building, and hanging on the side of a airbus plane as it takes off. The aforementioned are just some of the many stunts the actors insists on doing himself, leaving little work for a stunt double. In the latest “MI” effort, “Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation”, Cruise is up to his usual stunt antics, and movie fans benefit from his bravery. In the latest film, Mission Force agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is on a quest to prove the existence of the Syndicate, an international criminal consortium. Not only does the Syndicate exist, but they kidnap Hunt and are planning on torturing him. However, our hero escapes thanks to the help of the mysterious IIsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), and despite the CIA shutting down the IMF, manages to contact fellow agents for help. The fellow agents helping Hunt are Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), William Brandt (Jeremy Renner), and Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames), and once they track down Hunt, it’s game on. The villain of the piece is Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), who is so vile, he would be at home in any Bond film. The action, thank goodness, is fast and furious as Hunt attempts to both flee and take down the Syndicate. Meanwhile CIA director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) is causing Hunt any manner of problems until our
Ethan and team take on their most impossible mission yet, eradicating the Syndicate - an International rogue organization as highly skilled as they are, committed to destroying the IMF.
Trainwreck (2015)
Having thought that monogamy was never possible, a commitment-phobic career woman may have to face her fears when she meets a good guy.
Southpaw (2015)
Boxer Billy Hope turns to trainer Tick Willis to help him get his life Rusty Griswold takes his own back on track after losing his wife family on a road trip to “Walley in a tragic accident and his daughWorld” in order to spice things up ter to child protection services. with his wife and reconnect with his sons. Paper Towns (2015) A young man and his friends embark upon the road trip of their Ant-Man (2015) Armed with a super-suit with lives to find the missing girl next the astonishing ability to shrink in door. scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace Inside Out (2015) his inner hero and help his mentor, After young Riley is uprooted Dr. Hank Pym, plan and pull off a from her Midwest life and moved heist that will save the world. to San Francisco, her emotions Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - conflict on how best to naviMinions (2015) Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob gate a new city, house, and school. are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her Jurassic World (2015) inventor husband Herb, hatches a A new theme park is built on plot to take over the world. the original site of Jurassic Park. Everything is going well until the park’s newest attraction--a genetiPixels (2015) When aliens misinterpret video cally modified giant stealth killing containment feeds of classic arcade games as machine--escapes a declaration of war, they attack and goes on a killing spree. the Earth in the form of the video games.
Vacation (2015)
Source: IMDb.com • (08/08/2015)
hero can convince the leader the IMF needs to be reinstated. As usual the many fights and chases in the film are top notch, and the film has plenty of humor provided courtesy of Pegg’s character Benji. The actors are all great in their roles, and the film moves at a perfect pace. While it’s hard to believe this film series began back in 1996, Paramount is already developing a sixth “MI” movie. After all, despite his youthful looks, Cruise
isn’t getting any younger. Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie (“Edge of Tomorrow”) have delivered a great addition to the film series that pops and cracks with thrills. Put “Mission: Impossible- Rogue Nation” on your list of must see movies for the waning summer season. (Rated PG-13) A-
Rated: PG-13
A-
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Traveler .....
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tionalist who was an important figure in the civil rights movement of the mid-to-late twentieth century. I invite you to spend some time learning about him and what he believed, as I’m sure I couldn’t give a proper review of the man in the space I have here. I can tell you that he gave several speeches at the Audubon Ballroom prior to his assassination there on Febbruary 21, 1965, but on this day he was gunned down by three men, one wielding a sawed-off shotgun, as another distracted both the police and Malcolm’s bodyguards with claims of being pickpocketed. While many rushed to take down the assassins (three were ultimately convicted), Malcolm’s wife, Betty Shabazz, who was in attendance with their children, attempted CPR. This effort would be in vain though, as Malcolm had succumbed to more 21 gunshot injuries before even reaching the
Open Mic .....
hospital. The Audubon Ballroom continued as a meeting hall and sometime theater until 1992. The building was acquired by Columbia University, whose regents intended to demolish it and replace it with a biotechnology research park. Met with numerous protests, both internal and external, an agreement was reached by which the university would raze most of the building, but leave the historic façade intact. Furthermore, the portion of the ballroom where Malcolm X was murdered would be remade as the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center. The building, now called the Audubon Business and Technology Center, is open to the public for those who which to learn more about its history and the lives of the Educational Center’s namesakes.
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one of the area’s premiere places for undiscovered talent. You will hear anything from bluegrass to rock and roll and we’re always looking for new talent. There’s something for everyone at Woodstone Deli so come join us and let the music feed your soul.” –Gina Hubbard Meet the newcomer: Lakeview Marina… About twenty minutes down the road we (my partner and I) shift the ambiance to Lakeview Marina; a true rustic outdoor venue; great friendly people that look to make sure you enjoy your musical evening. They have a limited menu, but can honestly say “the food we ordered hit the spot”!
Marker #2 Grill, is new to the scene but felt like Karaoke had run its course and change up is good for business..! To help raise the awareness of their Open Mic Nite they did a very smart thing; management enlisted two of the very best musicians in the area to both perform and host the event. They are known as the Duotones but that really means: J.r Moore, lead guitar and vocalist for the incredibly popular Acoustifried. J.r. is joined by another truly talented musician; Jeffrey Wright... Let us not forget the “Cameo” appearances by Terry Mccoy, perhaps the best acoustic guitar player in the entire area and is lead guitar for Asylum Suite... We asked Terry Mccoy to pin
down the opening success of Lakeview Marina...”Each Wednesday, it’s great to be a part of “showcasing” the amazing talent in the region and the marina is a great forum for local artists to play original music, chase their dream and inspire others to do the same..!” Jr Moore added: “I enjoy open mics because it’s such a great op-
portunity to meet n play with other great musicians that you may have never met, from which you can form lifetime friendships.” When the weather stays nice, music fans like to get outside and
enjoy great local talent while they throw down a few. Doesn’t get any better than this and Lakeview is sure happy to oblige..! Coming next week: Acoustic Coffee House & O’Mainnin’s..!
rhythmsofthemountainempire.com facebook.com/rhythmsofthemountainempire williamcamelot@mymorningcoffee.tv
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August 11, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 25 ger. Improper trigger placement can result in pulling to the right or left, as well as jerking the trigger. Now for this assessment take your dominant hand and place it behind your back. Then touch your index finger to your thumb. Where your index finger touches your thumb is where your trigger should rest.
The One Minute Assessment There a few things of value that be done in less than a minute, one is microwaving a frozen burrito; another is a self assessment that can drastically improve your marksmanship. Okay so the first part of the assessment will determine which of your eyes is dominant. This is important because all too often a shooter will be left eye dominant, but because they write with their right hand they use their right eye to aim, greatly affecting their marksmanship. So for this exercise find a corner of room. Then touch
the tip of your left index finger to the tip of your right index finger. Then while keeping the tips of you index fingers touching, touch the tip of your left thumb to the tip of your right thumb. This should form a triangular opening. Now fully extend your arms. Next place the distant corner where the ceiling meets the wall in the center of the triangle. Now bring the triangle towards your face keeping the corner in the center. The triangle will be naturally drawn to your dominant eye. Now in rare cases it will be drawn to the center of your face,
this means both eyes are equal and you can use either to aim. What’s bad is if it is drawn to your right eye but you are left handed. This means you should still hold the gun in your left hand but adjust your stance to accommodate using you right eye, while not impossible this could prove to be difficult. Most of us however will have matching dominance in both hands and eyes. So the second part of the assessment is quite simple. It is a test to determine where on your index finger you should place the trig-
This allows for a more natural pull. Beeeep, your burrito’s done, and you’ve learned which of your eyes is dominant, and where your trigger should go. I hope you found this article informative. As always if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me, I look forward to your feedback.
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The Sounds Behind The Sound While listening to your favorite playlists, how often do you wonder about the musicians who are providing the music? Most listeners don’t ask these kinds of questions, of course, and even less wonder what sorts of instruments are being played, in what keys, and with which chord progressions (I must confess that’s what I do every time I listen to music). To narrow down the list of questions even further, how many people do you know who ask questions about the sound engineers who actually create the final mix we hear through our headphones or over our speakers? If these sorts of questions seem intriguing, then you will no doubt want to continue reading this column, particularly if you have any degree of interest in how popular music evolves from idea to our ear drums. If this is the case, then you are in luck, thanks to a spate of books and documentaries about the sounds behind the sound of popular music. Let’s begin our tour with a pair of extraordinary accounts of what is perhaps the greatest crew of session musicians ever assembled— the infamous Wrecking Crew, a group of very talented and efficient musicians who played on nearly every record that came out of Southern California during the early to late Sixties. The list of recordings bearing the Wrecking Crew stamp is pretty amazing, and pretty surprising, especially if you always assumed the artists appearing on their labels played all the instruments you hear on their recordings. The group that generally comes to mind is The Monkees, a fabricated band assembled for the popular mid-Sixties TV show (it-
self a ripoff of The Beatles’ muchimitated “A Hard Day’s Night”). Until their last couple of albums, The Monkees didn’t play on any of their records. This job was left up to the Wrecking Crew, made up of future stars like Glen Campbell and Leon Russell. No doubt most fans of Sixties pop music will be surprised to discover that hit makers like The Beach Boys, Sonny and Cher, The Association, Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass, The Byrds, Simon And Garfunkel, and The Grass Roots (a group to which “The Office” star Creed Bratton once belonged). And the list goes on (to paraphrase another hit song, Sonny and Cher’s Wrecking-Crew-arranged “The Beat Goes On”), including recordings by Frank Sinatra and Barbra Streisand. And one of my all-time favorite albums, “Pet Sounds” by the Beach Boys (actually Brian Wilson, since his siblings had little to do with it) is in reality an album by the Wrecking Crew. If this sounds like something you would like to pursue further, let me recommend Kent Hartman’s authoritative book, THE WRECKING CREW (2012), a fitting tribute
to this formative group and chock full of pop culture nuggets. The perfect companion to this book is the DVD, “The Wrecking Crew,” produced by the son of one of the group’s guitarists, and containing footage from countless sessions, including revealing interviews with surviving session members. A must-have for anyone interested in the process that creates hit records. Our next destination is Detroit, home of the Motown Sound that captivated America during the same period that the Wrecking Crew was churning out hit after hit. Here, in a rather small basement on a residential street, a group of session musicians referred to as the Funk Brothers played on nearly every hit that came out of Motown during the Sixties and early Seventies. This group’s contributions to the music with which we are so familiar is documented in a rather bittersweet double-DVD package “Standing In The Shadows Of Motown,” produced in 2002 while many of the session musicians were still alive. The claim made on the back of the DVD that the Funk
Brothers “were the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music” is very difficult to dispute. Watch it to see what I mean. Like the Wrecking Crew documentary, this one is readily available on a variety of streaming services—although I recommend your getting your hands on the DVD or BluRay versions for all the extra goodies (and there are lots of them). One of my favorite record labels (yes, there were once such things) is STAX, a little studio located on Memphis’ McLemore Avenue. This label became affiliated with Atlantic Records and in
Mark Ribowsky’s new biography of Otis Redding (2015) for the light it shed on the recording process. If you can remember, or have encountered on satellite radio, groups and singers like Atlanta Rhythm Session, the Box Tops, Percy Sledge,The Classics Four, or even Aretha Franklin and the Rolling Stones, you have heard the work of a group of session players sometimes known as The Swampers, who made their home in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Their work is well documented in the recent DVD, “Muscle Shoals” (2014), which contains some enlightening
the late Sixties was purchased by Paramount. The house band here was Booker T. and The MGs and the Mar-Keys, and they played on nearly all the hit records made by the likes of Sam and Dave, Isaac Hayes, Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, Wilson Pickett, and a host of others. I was just beginning to play Hammond Organ at the time, and the STAX house band was my inspiration then as well as now—and I hear so many of their influences in the music of contemporary artists like Pharrell Williams, Jon Ronson, Sam Smith, Tove Lo, and many others that I like very much (perhaps even more than the music I grew up with). These modern artists still depend on session musicians to create their hits, although many of these musicians are working their magic with digital media like ProTools and many other software programs. Recommended viewing and reading material includes “Respect Yourself: The STAX Records Story” (DVD, 2007) and Robert Gordon’s RESPECT YOURSELF: STAX RECORDS AND THE SOUL EXPLOSION (2013); I also highly recommend
interviews and rare footage, plus testimonials from artists like Keith Richards—the Rolling Stones recorded a few tracks in Muscle Shoals and my friend who grew up in Florence, Alabama, once saw them driving by the road outside his house (in addition to running into Sonny and Cher in the local K-Mart). I certainly hope you will do some exploration of the role played by session musicians in the music you like. The next time you enjoy one of your favorite vocalists, for instance, please give some thought to those who are backing him or her up. Before I go, let me recommend one more book that sheds a great deal of light on the sessions that produced the hits of The Beatles (don’t worry—they did play their own instruments, but often were assisted by session musicians)—recording engineer Geoff Emerick’s revealing HERE, THERE, AND EVERYWHERE: MY LIFE RECORDING THE MUSIC OF THE BEATLES (2007). See you next week with another column that I’ve written myself (I don’t rely on the work of studio columnists!!).
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