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August 26, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 3
Volume 28 Issue #38
Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor/Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Office Manager - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May Advertising - Dave Carter, Akey Kincaid, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette Published by Tree Street Media, 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 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.
Page 4, The Loafer • August 26, 2014
An Opponent To Focus On
Linebackers open game week preparation ready for challenge posed by Utah St. QB By Brian Rice • UTSports.com
Utah State had the attention of the Tennessee linebackers all offseason. Now that training camp is in the rear view and game preparation is underway, that attention has kicked up a notch. After two days off for the beginning of classes that represented both a physical and mental break between training camp and game week, the Volunteers returned to the practice field now fully locked on the opponent that will enter Neyland Stadium next Sunday. The change in tone was a catalyst for a productive afternoon on Haslam Field. “Everyone is anxious preparing for Utah State now,” sophomore Jalen Reeves-Maybin said. “We’re tired of beating up on each other and seeing the same things.” The biggest attention-getter for Utah State is quarterback Chuckie Keeton, the Mountain West Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Keeton has also been mentioned in the preseason Heisman Trophy conversation. But it’s his on-field ability rather than offfield accolades that has the attention of linebackers coach Tommy Thigpen. “He’s dynamic,” Thigpen said of Keeton. “He can throw it, he can run it, he can make all the checks, he doesn’t give their offense many
Jalen Reeves-Maybin #34
Open Football practice at Neyland Stadium Photo by: Parker Eidson | Tennessee Athletics focused on stopping the opponent, they’re focused on what they have to do themselves to stop the opponent. It’s a lesson A.J. Johnson hopes the team can learn and apply to all 12 games on the schedule, not just the first. “The one thing about football is it’s not what they do, it’s what you do,” Johnson said. “We have to come out focused and worried about us and getting the job done.” Thigpen agreed. While the line-
Chuckie Keeton #16 negative plays.” The dual threat Keeton poses had the linebackers focused on Utah State in the film room long before the extended game week preparation. “You can’t run by him, your guys have to be disciplined in their lanes, Thigpen said. “Don’t
let him beat you with his legs. He can throw it just as good as he runs it. He poses one of the biggest threats we’ll see all year.” An opponent as experienced as Utah State with a player as talented as Keeton served as motivation for the team in preparation for the season. But the Volunteers aren’t
backers may be called upon to be the primary unit to keep Keeton in check, it is going to take an effort that extends beyond just the position that he directs. “It’s going to take all 11,” Thigpen said. “That’s kind of been our theme, no mental errors, don’t beat yourselves, don’t run past the quarterback and let him make an explosive play. That’s been the thing, do your job, don’t try and do too much.”
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UT Gameday! THE VOL WALK The football team’s walk to Neyland Stadium -- begins 2 hours and 15 minutes before kickoff at the Torchbearer statue in Circle Park on Volunteer Drive. It continues down Peyton Manning Pass before turning left on Phillip Fulmer Way and into the stadium through Gate 21A. BAND MARCH The Pride of the Southland Band makes its way the stadium beginning 1 hour and 40 minutes before kickoff. The band marches up Volunteer Boulevard to Andy Holt Avenue and then onto Phillip Fulmer Way, stopping along the way to “Salute the Hill” before marching into the stadium through Gate 21. VOLUNTEER VILLAGE Open 3 1/2 hours before all home football games, Toyota Volunteer Village hosts pregame festivities for fans of all ages, including interactive inflatable games,
live bands and WNML radio’s “Game Day All Day.” Located in the Humanities Plaza, Toyota Volunteer Village features pregame appearances from Smokey, Junior Smokey, cheerleaders and dance team. It’s also a great place to watch the team make its way down Volunteer Blvd., to Neyland Stadium during the Vol Walk. TAILGATE TENNESSEE It’s Tailgate Time in Tennessee! The ultimate tailgating experience on Rocky Top starts at Tailgate Tennessee, the official full-service tailgate park of Tennessee football. Whether you’re getting together with a few friends or hosting a larger group, Tailgate Tennessee offers several affordable tailgate packages that provide all the fun with none of the hassle. You bring the crowd, Tailgate Tennessee does the rest! For more information or to reserve your tailgate today, visit tailgatetennessee.com or call (865) 356-6669.
Have an event coming up? Email a press release and photos to:
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Page 6, The Loafer • August 26, 2014
Jonesborough Welcomes
Jim “Two Crows” Wallen Jim Wallen, a storyteller whose rich imagination breathes new life into historical tales, will be the next teller in residence at the International Storytelling Center. During his weeklong residency in Jonesborough, Wallen will offer daily performances September 2 – 6, Tuesday through Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall. Tickets for all shows are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Advance purchase is highly recommended. Each matinee will feature a new collection of adventure tales, including stories about Native Americans, Lewis & Clark, and the Civil War. Wallen will share many artifacts from his wide collection of Americana, including hand-sewn flags and weaponry ranging from grapeshot to a sixpound cannonball. He also wears authentic clothing from different eras for all his programs, including a handmade Native American frock that he has invested more than 1,000 hours’ worth of time in making. Wallen recently developed a new set of Civil War stories when delving deep into a family history project. His collection of stories, which focuses on commoners like private soldiers, women, and children, was slowly shaped from that
painstaking research. “I actually had 16 ancestors that fought in the war, 15 of whom were in Tennessee,” Wallen says. “They were ages 15 to 56, and only one out of the 16 made it all the way up to the rank of corporal. I think that’s what got me interested in telling the stories of the people and not so much about the generals and the politics of the day.” Wallen discovered Jonesborough and the storytelling world in the 1980s, becoming a full-time professional some years later. “In 1993, I was working 60 hours a week managing a hardware store and 40 hours a week storytell-
ing,” he recalls. “I told my wife I couldn’t keep it up. She had gone back to school to get her degree as a graphic artist, so she told me it was time to pursue my dream. So I quit the hardware store and we’ve never looked back.” That dream has paid big dividends for Wallen, who loves his work, as well as his enchanted audiences. “I love getting people interested in history,” he says. “If I can get somebody to say that I made them feel like they were there and that they want to know more, I know I’ve done my job.” Wallen is the latest performer in the International Storytelling Center’s Storytelling Live! series, which will host a new performer every week through October. Information about all TIR performers, as well as a detailed schedule for 2014, is available at www.storytellingcenter.net. Ticket holders will save 10 percent on same-day dining at The Olde Courthouse Diner, The Dining Room, Jonesborough General Store and Eatery, or Main Street Café. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live! or to make a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 or (423) 913-1276.
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It’s April Baby!
Bristol Motor Speedway Announces New April 19, 2015 Race Date for the Food City 500 Fans of Bristol Motor Speedway have been heard. After considerable fan feedback, Bristol Motor Speedway announced Friday the 2015 Food City 500 weekend will move to April 17-19. Since 2005, the Food City 500 has been held in March. “This is a great day in the history of Bristol Motor Speedway thanks to our passionate fans,” said Jerry Caldwell, BMS general manager and executive vice president. “Bruton and Marcus Smith and NASCAR heard the relentless plea for a true spring race date.
The fans can look forward to a 2015 landmark celebration April 17-19 in Thunder Valley.” Food City has become synonymous with NASCAR racing in the region with its sponsorship of two of the sport’s most popular races, the Food City 500 and Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway. As the second longest running sponsor in NASCAR, Food City has also contributed more than $500,000 to local organizations through its annual Family Race Night events. “We are thrilled NASCAR,
Mike Helton and Bruton Smith responded to the race fans,” said K-VA-T President and CEO Steve Smith. “Bristol is a special place. The April date better accommodates our guests traveling in their RVs from northern climates and provides our loyal Bristol fans with the best possible Food City 500 experience. We can’t wait for April 2015!” Tickets for the 2015 April race weekend are available now. For information on reserving your seat at Bristol, visit BristolTix.com or call (855) 580-5525.
Natural History Museum to host ‘Fossil and Artifact ID Night’ One doesn’t have to be a scientist to find fossils or other artifacts, but identifying them is a different story. The East Tennessee State University and General Shale Natural History Museum and Visitor Center at the Gray Fossil Site will assist the public in identifying such specimens as a part of “Fossil and Artifact ID Night” on Tuesday, Aug. 26, from 4-6 p.m. During this event, members of the community may bring fossils, rocks, minerals and artifacts to be identified and photographed by the museum’s team of experts. Light refreshments will be served. “Several scientists will be on hand to help identify finds. Our scientists have backgrounds in paleontology, archeology and geology,” said Brett Woodward, collections manager for the museum. “Because we have scientists with different interests and areas of expertise, we are able to better identify more types of specimens. We enjoy seeing what visitors bring to ‘Fossil and Artifact ID Night.’ It really helps us to better understand our region’s past.” The museum will not appraise fossils or artifacts. The museum is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday
The exhibit halls feature touch-screen computer games, such as this Fossil Identification game.. and is located 1.8 miles off Exit 13 on Interstate 26. For more information, call (866) 202-6223 or visit the museum at www.etsu.edu/natur-
alhistorymuseum. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423439-8346
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Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash at Carter Family Fold on August 27th
Wednesday, August 27th, 2014, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will partner with Barter Theatre to present Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. Admission to the show is $20 for adults, $18 for seniors over 65, and $12 for children under 16. Tickets may be purchased in advance through Barter Theatre or at the door the night of the show. Doors open at 6 p.m. Created by Richard Maltby, Jr., conceived by William Meade, and adapted from the Broadway Production by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Jason Edwards, Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash brings to life one of the greatest musical legends of all time. As music historians know, the life and music of Johnny Cash is forever linked to the Carter Family of Scott County, Virginia, through his marriage to June Carter. June’s mother was Maybelle Carter – one of the Original Carter Family. After the Original Carter Family disbanded, Maybelle Carter went on to forge a career with her daughters as Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters. After June’s marriage to Johnny Cash, the act became part of the Johnny Cash Show. Thus the music of
Johnny Cash and the Carter Family traveled the world and is known worldwide. Barter Theatre and the Carter Family Fold first partnered in 2002 to present Keep on the Sunny Side – a beautiful play written by Dr. Doug Pote of Chilhowie, Virginia. The play ran many times at Barter, was presented multiple times at the Carter Fold, and toured the U.S. It has been presented since that time at various theaters throughout the U.S. Barter’s most-requested play, it forged a connection between the Carter Family Fold and Barter as well as the Carter Fold and Barter Theatre “families” that continues to this day. Virginia’s State Theatre, Barter was created due to one man’s idea to have patrons pay with produce. From that humble beginning, Barter has grown today into a year-round theatre with more than 160,000 visitors each year. During the Depression, Robert Porterfield, an enterprising young actor, returned to his native southwest Virginia with an extraordinary proposition – bartering produce from the farms and gardens of the region to gain admission to see a play.
So on June 10, 1933, Barter Theatre opened its doors, proclaiming With vegetables you cannot sell, you can buy a good laugh. The price of admission was 40 cents or the equivalent amount of produce. Four out of five attending in the Depression-era paid their
way with vegetables, dairy products, and livestock. The actors performing at the building were distracted not only by the occasional squealing pig or clucking hen, but noise
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Ring .... continued from page 8 from the town jail, which was located directly beneath the stage. Later used as a holding area for dogs suspected of rabies, it was eventually converted into dressing rooms for Barter actors. To the surprise of many, all the seats for the first show were filled. The concept of trading “ham for Hamlet” caught on quickly. At the end of the first season, the Barter Company cleared $4.35 in cash, two barrels of jelly, and a collective weight gain of over 300 pounds. Today, at least one performance a year celebrates the Barter heritage by accepting donations for an area food bank as the price of admission. See part of Carter Fold’s history come to life by joining us for the presentation of Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. Johnny’s last performances were on the stage of the Carter Family Fold – and that’s just how he and the Fold wanted it. Johnny was one of the Fold’s biggest advocates – performing many benefit concerts to help establish the venue and later to sustain it. He and June, along with all the Carter Family, helped create the Carter Family Museum and later relocate and rebuild the A.P. Carter birthplace cabin. Johnny Cash embraced the Carter Family with arms wide open – and an entire family did the same for him. Johnny’s career is unparalleled in terms of the types
of music he’s known for – country, rock, folk, and gospel. His career spanned his entire lifetime, and he never stopped recording or creating. Undoubtedly, his version of Hurt will go down in history as one of the greatest recordings of all time. With a heart as big as Clinch Mountain itself, he touched the lives of everyone who ever heard him or knew him. The Fold is honored and humbled to present Ring of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash. You can contact Barter Theatre by phone at 276-628-3991 or visit them on the web at http://www.bartertheatre.com/. 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. Shows from the Carter Family Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad.org. 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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Everything is better with Bacon!
Baconfest
at Millennium Center, August 30th
Come one, come all to the tastiest event in the Tri-Cities! The Tri-Cities Baconfest is finalizing details on what is sure to be the most savory of events in 2014. The event, held on August 30th at the Millennium Centre, is down to the final week of ticket sales. “Because we’re dealing with guest counts and food, we always tell people as much as possible..don’t wait to get your tickets,” says Brandi Woodall. “Last year we sold out of tickets the day prior to the event because we do limit the number of tickets we sell. We’re hoping since this is our 3rd year and improved on the past years, we will sell out again. We never promise tickets at the gate and last year we even turned a few folks away who hadn’t purchased their tickets in advance.”
The 3rd annual event will include food samplings, beverages, fun activities and live music from one of the region’s most in-demand bands, Folk Soul Revival. “We have so many fun things lined up. From our popular man vs bacon eating competition, songwriting competition, Mr and Ms Baconfest and new this year we’re introducing the Bacon Dating Game. We figured for all of those swinging singles looking for love, why not find it at Baconfest?” continued Woodall. The event is from 12pm-4pm and packs a ton of fun and deliciousness for the entire family. For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.tricitiesbaconfest. com or www.facebook.com/tcbaconfest.
Addiction Counseling
Narconon reminds families that abuse of addictive pharmaceutical drugs is on the rise. Learn to recognize the signs of drug abuse and get your loved ones help if they are at risk. Call Narconon for a free brochure on the signs of addiction for all types of drugs.
Narconon also offers free assessments and referrals. 800-431-1754 or visit DrugAbuseSolution.com Narconon can help you take steps to overcome addiction in your family. Call today for free assessments or referrals 800-431-1754
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ETSU Martin School announces fall arts season Cultures coalesce, visual arts blend activity, and history and music, dance, theater and storytelling comingle this fall for a tapestry of more than a dozen events from the Mary B. Martin School of the Arts at East Tennessee State University. The School of the Arts’ fall season will start in September with a public art project and residency by Dennis McNett and the opening of a photographic and historical exhibition on DeVault Tavern. During McNett’s 10 days at ETSU, the artist, known for his bold woodcut prints from folk tales and Nordic lore, will work with students to create a piece of art inspired by the hanging of Big Mary the elephant in Erwin. The DeVault Tavern Exhibition will overlap the residency, running from Sept. 11-Dec. 11 at the Reece Museum. It will include a reception and talk with curator and photographer Paul Kennedy on Sept. 11 from 5-7 p.m. and related activities, such as a talk about history, a workshop on family archives and a discussion about contemporary photography. On Sept. 22, the School of the Arts kicks off its returning South Arts Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, which
brings a series of three films to campus each semester. Each free film is followed by a “talkback” and reception with the filmmaker, all at ETSU’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium. This fall’s screenings include “My Toxic Backyard,” concerning the residual effects of the CTS Superfund site in south Asheville, N.C., on Sept. 22; “Valentine Road,” a look back at a teen’s murder by a classmate and its repercussions, on Oct. 20; and “Good Ol’ Freda,” the story of The Beatles’ loyal secretary’s long-secret decade of adventures with the legendary band, on Nov. 10. “Good Ol’ Freda” herself, Freda Kelly, is expected to attend and participate in the discussion afterward. On Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m., Sweet Honey in the Rock will bring its unique mixture of a cappella fivepart harmony, African American cultural roots and American Sign Language interpretation to the Culp Auditorium. Founded in 1973, Sweet Honey weaves a “complex journey of celebration and struggle rooted in the history of the African American legacy,” according to Allmusic.com. Visual artistry, music, dance, stories and more will intertwine in
November with the Mystical Arts of Tibet, storyteller Ariana Ross’ “Story Tapestries” and five performances of the American classic stage musical “Oklahoma!” The Tibetan monks of Drepung Loseling monastery will visit ETSU from Nov. 10-14. In a noon ceremony on Nov. 10, they will initiate a four-day mandala sand painting project in the Reece Museum, which will be open each day from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. for the public to observe the process and artistry. A closing ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. on Nov. 13. On Nov. 14 at 7:30 p.m., the monks will combine music, dance and traditional costuming for “Sacred Music/Sacred Dance,” in which each of the main chantmasters simultaneously intones three notes, thus each individually creating a complete chord. The Tibetans are the only culture on earth that cultivates this vocal ability, also known as “overtone” or “multiphonic” singing. “Story Tapestries” will also feature multiple arts (acrobatics, dance, history, storytelling and music) and cultures in a familyoriented performance on Nov. 16 at 3 p.m. It is based on Ross’ work as a storyteller and teacher in India, Brazil and Vietnam.
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Oklahoma!” will conclude the fall season, showcasing the talents of the Department of Music and the Division of Theatre and Dance in the Department of Communication and Performance at ETSU. The romantic musical comedy will run Wednesday-Saturday, Nov.
19-22, at 7:30 nightly and Sunday, Nov. 23, at 2 p.m. For information about the Martin School of the Arts, call 439TKTS (8587) or visit www.etsu. edu/martin. “Like” ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts on Facebook and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ArtsAtETSU.
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Theatre Bristol Going Back in Time with a Totally Awesome Musical! Opens August 29 for three-weekend run
Marty McFly had his time traveling DeLorean. Bill & Ted used a time traveling phone booth for their excellent adventures. Theatre Bristol is using music and nostalgia to roll back the clock for the fourth show of their 49th season. From the era that brought the world The Rubik’s Cube, Max Headroom, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a president who was an actor comes the “totally awesome” musical Back To The 80’s. In the style of movies such as Back To The Future, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,and The Karate Kid, Back To The 80’s is a nostalgic romp through the greatest hits of the decade. Back To The 80’s opens for a three weekend run on August 29th. Performances will be Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 and Sunday afternoons at 2:30 through September 14th. Reserve your tickets by calling 423-383-5979. Back To The 80’s tells the story of the senior class of William Ocean High School as re-
membered through the eyes of now 40-something Corey Palmer. 17-year-old Corey is madly in love with his next-door neighbor, Tiffany Houston, one of the coolest girls in the school. However, she is too busy mooning over Michael Feldman, the hottest guy around. Michael and his friends are athletic and good-looking - the kind of guys that Corey and his two best friends dream of being. However, while they may not be the coolest guys in school, they are still one up on Feargal McFerrin III, whose best friend is his computer, and
who believes the crazy notion that one day CD’s will replace cassette tapes. Throw in a Star Wars dream sequence, high-energy dance routines, the obligatory 80’s party scene, copious amounts of blue eye-shadow, twenty cans of hairspray, as well as some of the most popular songs ever written, and the result is a musical that will delight and amuse audiences of any age. Back To The 80’s is a highenergy musical with contemporary flair that will certainly fill the seats.
“We’ve been on a little bit of a roll lately, bringing quality family friendly shows that involve a lot of kids with shows like Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Snow White, Peter Pan, Anne of Green Gables, and Miracle on 34th Street. We wanted to do a show that primarily featured teenagers and would be fun for teenagers to come see and adults could come and get a kick out of remembering a fun decade,” says Mike Musick, producer of the show. “It’s a show that to my knowledge has never been done it this area
and people aren’t real familiar with it. But it’s very nostalgic and a storyline the is very similar to a lot of teen comedy and drama TV shows and movies from that era. Plus with songs from artist like Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Wham!, Katrina and the Waves, and many more, you know the songs and you’ll be singing along. Great, now I sound like a late night greatest hits infomercial,” Musick says with a laugh. Theatre Bristol also wants the audience to get into the act and join in on the fun in style. There will be a Best of the 80’s dress up contest each performance and winners will receive some totally awesome prizes. The production team leading the cast of 33 is a lot like the cast themselves, young and incredibly talented with a love for the Theatre. Back To The 80’s is directed by Emily Glover, music direction by Scott Elliot, choreography by Lindsay Marshall and costume and concept design by Will Oliver.
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Carter Railroad Museum honors Western railways at August Heritage Day
East Tennessee State University’s George L. Carter Railroad Museum will hold its August Heritage Day on Saturday, August 30, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The exhibit, “Prairie Fires and Mountain Peaks: The West Side of the Mississippi,” will feature both vintage and current railroading displays. The first transcontinental line was
migrants to new homesteads. Today, those multiple lines are consolidated into the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe empires, with a handful of independent regional lines. “When we consider the grandeur of the American West, railroads played a vital role in our nation’s story,” said Geoff Stunkard, coordinator of the museum’s Heritage Days program. “Even today, when you buy fresh produce, dry goods, beef and any number of staple items, it is quite likely a railroad was involved in its shipment somehow. “Railroads continue to take an completed in 1869, when the duel- enormous amount of traffic from ing Union Pacific/Central Pacific the public highway system in an operations joined in Utah to con- environmentally-conscious way, nect Nebraska with San Francisco. but few people recognize that the During the remainder of the terrain in the West required vast 19th century, other rail firms engineering to build railways and crossed the continent both north unique high-horsepower machinand south of the original location, ery to move goods.“ opening up the west from San DiOne mighty engine was the ego to Seattle with steel rails and Union Pacific’s “Big Boy,” the bringing tens of thousands of im- world’s largest steam engine. A
model of the engine is part of the museum’s permanent roundhouse collection on the 24x44 feet 1:87 HO scale layout, one of four model lines housed in the museum. Members of the Mountain Empire Model Railroaders (MEMRR) club will operate both vintage and modern western equipment on the layout, while display cases will be filled with artifacts and a collection of streamlined antique Lionel trains that represent Western Operations. A special section of advertising items and timetables will be shown as well. Members MEMRR and the George L. Carter Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society are coordinating the program. Visit www.memrr.org to learn more about MEMRR, which helps demonstrate and maintain the model layouts, museum exhibits and other projects. The Carter Railroad Museum is open every Saturday from 10 a.m.3 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are welcomed. The museum
can be identified by a flashing railroad crossing signal at the back entrance to the Campus Center Building. Visitors should enter ETSU’s campus from State of Franklin Road onto Jack Vest Drive and continue east to 176 Ross Drive, adjacent to the flashing RR crossing sign.. To learn more about the museum, visit http://johnsonsdepot. com/glcarter/cartermuseum. For more information about Heritage Day, contact Dr. Fred Alsop, museum director, at 423-4396838 or alsopf@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423- 439-8346.
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Where ‘O Where has the Milky Way Gone? “If a man would be alone, let him look at the stars.” Ralph Waldo Emerson Being denied something that was once so easy to have, well, it can make a person go crazy. And I’ve been going crazy without my Milky Way. Not the candy bar...our Galaxy! Oh, where is that starry stream of stars that used to lure me to come out and play in the dark? I used to see it hanging above my backdoor on August nights. But as hard I look on moonless nights, the more frustrated I become, as the Milky Way cannot be found. Oh, yeah, there are the usual bright stars of the Summer Triangle, Deneb, Vega and Altair, which straddle either side of the Milky Way. But where are the other stars of the constellations Cygnus, Lyra, Aquila, Sagittarius and Scorpius? Those stars have been moved in the background behind the veil of progress, one might “politically correctly” say. The Milky Way has been banished from sight by the unchecked and often inefficient night-time business and home security lighting that has created the nemesis to all stargazers—light pollution. The neighborhood lights and sky glow from the car lots, restaurants and shopping centers of Johnson City overpowers the starlight of our Galaxy from my Boones Creek, Tennessee home. As I looked around at midnight the last clear night hoping to catch some late Perseid Meteors, I realized that there were only about 100 stars of any brightness visible in the entire sky. Just 10 years ago, the total number of stars seen from my Boones Creek backyard probably numbered around 1,000 or more. At a dark location, like a mountaintop
In the Appalachians, it’s easy to find some dark viewing sites. Night skies are still black at Sam’s Gap at the Tennessee/North Carolina border. And some of the darkest skies in the Eastern United States are found on the top of White Top Mountain or Mt. Rogers in Virginia. The many area lakes also afford some reasonably dark skies that let the faint stars come out. The Milky Way was once the inspiration of poets and songwriters who punctuated romance with the mystic glow of starlight. “Spanning the sky as a beautiful belt of pale light, it makes—when the moon is not shining—one of the most marvelous fascinations of a summer evening.” A Beginner’s Star-Book, 1912, by Kelvin McKready. Some ancient civilizations saw the Milky Way as a river to take
Milky Way photo by Mark Marquette or lake, a person might see 2,000 stars with the naked eye. But light pollution of all kinds is encroaching into the sky, obscuring the fainter stars, and robbing a generation of youngsters the chance to ever see the Milky Way in their suburban backyards. Light pollution is the lament of astronomers all over the world. Where there is civilization, there will be more artificial light to blot out the stars. The great California mountaintop telescope observatories of Mt. Palomar and Mt. Wilson are now made almost useless to serious research because of the Los Angeles area light pollution.
At Kitt Peak National Observatory 50 miles from Tucson, Arizona, the city lights are still encroaching in the urban sprawl, though lightrestricting ordinances have been enacted for decades. This oncecutting edge astronomy complex of more than 20 telescopes is in the stages of being moth-balled as astronomy research moves to the mountain tops of Hawaii and South America. Serious stargazers drive an hour or so to get away from the interfering light of urban sprawl. And they are well rewarded when they unpack their vehicles full of telescopes, tripods and gadgets.
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www.theloaferonline.com Stargazer.... continued from page 16 souls to heaven; others imagined a seam that is cracked in the celestial night. All peoples of antiquity had legends centered on the band of light that spanned from north to south every summer. But modern man is hard pressed to make up Milky Way stories. Maybe those lucky enough to vacation in area of dark skies have looked up and created a starry memory. Others may make a mental note to do so.
August 26, 2014 • The Loafer, Page 17 One thing for sure, once a person sees the celestial river of stars splitting the night sky in two, they never forget it. “Downward from Cygnus the stream of the galaxy is seen to be partially split longitudinally. It resembles a broad river meandering, in the droughts of the “dog days,” over flats and shallows, and interrupted with long sand-bars. How can stars have been thrown together into such forms? What whirls and eddies of the ether can
have made these pools of shining suns?” Round the Year with the Stars by Garrett R. Serviss, 1910 Of course, moonlight will also drown out the Milky Way; so after the Moon sets or before it rises are the only times to see it best. But the effort will be worth it. Sometimes lost but not forgotten, the Milky Way is another endangered treasure that our modern world just doesn’t seem to have much respect for. And that’s just too bad.
“The Contrarians” highlight Labor Day Weekend Contra Dance in Jonesborough!
The Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will host two contra dance events on Labor Day weekend starting on Saturday August 31, 2014 at the Jonesborough Visitors Center at 117 Boone Street. At 7:30 PM. “The Contrarians” from Charleston, WV. with callers Clinton Ross and Christi Bothwell will kick off the events. Admission is $7, $5 for HJDS members and $5 for full time students. A special family package for members is now offered for a total of $15. Parents and all of their own children under age 18 can gain admission for one price. A class for beginners will be taught from 7:00pm-7:30pm. The Contrarians consist of Paul Epstein on fiddle, John Longwell on mandolin and tenor saxophone, Will Carter on bass and Andy Park on guitar. From early childhood, John Longwell played piano. Into high school, the tenor saxophone and folk guitar were his preferred mu-
sical instruments. In the early 70’s, he moved from Pennsylvania to rural West Virginia near Charleston as part of the “Back to the Land” movement. He and his wife Peggy found themselves in somewhat of an intentional community
that was filled with Old Time music devotees. John picked up and mastered the fiddle and mandolin and became part of Paul Epstein’s band “Booger Hole Revival” and later on the “Back Road Travel-
Contra.... continued on page 19
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Skies This Week Celestial events in the skies for the week of Aug. 26th - Sept. 1st, 2014, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.
This week in space history features four Space Shuttle missions that over a span of three years took America on a path of three spaceships being paid like a commercial semi-truck hauling satellites into Earth orbit. Looking at the starry night this late week of August 2014, the crescent Moon will draw all the attention, and be beside Saturn on Sunday and Mars on Monday. And don’t forget to try and see the Milky Way high overhead and peaking at midnight before moving westward to set around 4 am. Dark skies and a pair of binoculars will give some breath-taking views of one spiral arm of our Milky Way Galaxy. Tues. Aug. 26 The Moon was at new phase yesterday (Monday), and you might see it as a thin fingernail tomorrow after sunset, but for sure Thursday. You might be lucky to see the Moon tonight at 8:15 pm, but for sure Wednesday in the 8 pm twilight western horizon. Wed. Aug. 27 On this 1985 date in space history, NASA launched Space Shuttle Discovery on a “pay for delivery to orbit” mission for three clients. Communications satellites were deployed for Australia, American Satellite Co and the US Department of Defense at about $50 million each (plus cost of the satellite) as the Space Transportation System of NASA began ramping up to pay for itself. This mission even retrieved and repaired in the cargo bay another satellite of DOD that was deployed and failed in April 1985. NASA was on a roll as five more missions with paying customers—one a month—was launched. The commercial business of NASA for the Space Shuttle ended in January 1986 when Challenger blew up 70 seconds after launch. Aug. 28 On this 2009 date STS-128 with orbiter Discovery was rocketed into orbit for the International Space Station. The seven crew members spent 10 days docked to the ISS delivering the Leonardo logistics module loaded with physics and chemistry experiments to be conducted in zero gravity, correctly called “micro gravity.”
Fri. Aug. 29 The planets Saturn and Mars are directly south at sunset, red Mars to the left and yellow Saturn to the right. Mars is in the constellation Scorpius, a long fishhook of stars with red star Antares at its heart. Saturn is in the indistinct and small constellation Libra the Scales. Sat. Aug. 30 In 1983, Space Shuttle Challenger was launched as the third mission of this 100-ton Orbiter. The five astronauts included Guion A. Bluford, the first African-American (or non-white person) to be rocketed into Earth orbit. The mission was another shake-down mission of Shuttle systems, like the 40-foot remote arm. A year later on this date in 1984, Discovery was launched on its maiden mission, making three reusable space ships in America’s fleet. The six astronauts deployed three commercial clients during a near-flawless, six-day mission. Sun. Aug. 31 The Moon is very close to planet Saturn in our skies tonight, and actually moves over, or occults the planet in other parts of the world. As seen from the African continent, the lunar occultation of Saturn will be a big event for amateur astronomers. Catch some of their images at SpaceWeather.com. Mon. Sept. 1 On this 1979 date in space history, NASA’s Pioneer 11 give mankind its first close-up views of Saturn and its amazing ring system. The first photos were crude by today’s standards, but 35 years ago the images of the vinyl record-like grooves in the rings were astounding and a scientific bonanza. Pioneer 11 continued past Saturn to report on the Sun’s effects and the environment of the outer regions of our Solar System, ceasing to work in November 1995 after more than 22 years powered by nuclear fuel. Now 8 billion miles from the Sun on an endless journey that will bring it by another star in the summertime constellation Aquila the Eagle in maybe 4 million years, Pioneer 11 has a golden plaque attached describing our Solar System and earthlings for any aliens to decipher.
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Contra.... continued from page 17 ers”. Professionally, John was involved in every part of the wood working industry after starting the Green Creek Woodshop in the early 80’s where he had a sawmill, custom cabinet and furniture shop and also ran a sizeable farm. He and Peggy raised a son who now lives on their farm with two grandchildren. Andy Park is a retired public school teacher from who currently lives in Charleston, WV. Now 58 years old, he has played music in bands since he was 16. During the 1990s I was in an alternative band called “Crazy Jane” that had some regional success. They released 3 CDs. After Crazy Jane disbanded, he joined a band named “Voodoo Katz” which is a world beat band. World Beat is a music genre that blends Western pop music or rock music with traditional, folk or world music influences. “Voodoo Katz” released two CDs to date.. Andy joined the Contrarians in September of 2013 playing guitar in addition to some fiddle, mandolin and banjo. He has a solo CD called “True Love” in which he sings original tunes. Andy played at the Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City several years ago. Will Carter, the Contrarian’s bass player, was raised in Charleston, West Virginia and now lives in a small intentional community in rural Putnam County, West Virginia. He and his wife Martha are the parents of Trace Carter, an avid contra dancer who will enter War-
ren Wilson College this Fall. Will also plays bass in Blue Yonder, an acoustic honky-tonk trio featuring national-award-winning musicians John Lilly (singer-songwriter) and Robert Shafer (guitar), and is the founder of the Appalachian String Band Music Festival, better known as “Clifftop”. A Harvardeducated attorney, Will’s day job is leading a company he founded that specializes in holistic financial planning. Band leader, Paul Epstein, is also a retired educator. Paul plays fiddle and does abundant song writing, composing and arranging the tune sets for the band. Joining The Contrarians on Sunday, August 31st is Fyrefly from Charlottesville, VA for a 12-hour Contrathon dance. The Contrathon callers are Emily Able and Emily Rush from North Carolina. The first half will take place at the Jonesborough Visitors Center and the evening dance will move to the Pavilion at Serenity Knoll, 542 Bacon Branch Road in Jonesborough. Pre-registration for Contrathon is suggested and may be sold out prior to the dance. Please check with event organizers for availability. Registration forms can be downloaded at www.hjdsevents. com. For more information, contact David Wiley at 423-534-8879, or email to david@historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org. Also visit the Historic Jonesborough Dance Society on FACEBOOK.
Heartwood’s Venue Showcase
Blacksburg Square Dance On Thursday, August 28th, Blacksburg Square Dance will be the Venue Showcase at Heartwood in Abingdon, Virginia. The caller will be Lou Maiuri, caller extraordinaire, from West Virginia and the band will be the Indian Run String Band from Blacksburg featuring Paul Herling on fiddle. The dance will start at 6:30 and run until 9:00 PM. Beginner dancers are welcome as the caller will teach all dances and no experience is necessary. There is no charge so come join the fun!
Heartwood’s restaurant will be open at 5:00 and the barbeque menu features a variety of homemade items such as smoked beef brisket with peach BBQ, pulled pork, grilled chicken, smoked sausage, and much more with house made sides and desserts like kettle chips, hand-cut fries, baked beans, toasted pound cake and cobbler! For more information: www. myswva.org/heartwood, www. daretobesquare.org or call 276492-2400.
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Migrating raptors soar over Grandfather Mountain in September
Grandfather Mountain staff counts migrating hawks from Linville Peak at Grandfather Mountain. The Hawk Watch occurs again Sept. 1-30. Photo By :Katie Casella | Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation.
Hundreds or even thousands southward migrations. Throughout the month, visitors of raptors will soar over Grandfather Mountain in September as the can join trained staff and volunbirds of prey make their annual teers at Linville Peak as Grandfa-
ther Mountain participates in the official Hawk Watch for the third consecutive year. Each day, trained counters will record the number and type of raptors that pass above the mountain — including bald eagles, golden eagles, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, American kestrels, merlins and vultures. Grandfather Mountain guests can watch the official counters at work and talk with volunteers about the process, or they can purchase illustrated bird guides from the Top Shop and conduct their own unofficial counts. Perhaps the most astounding display is the broad-winged hawk, which migrates in groups of hundreds or thousands called kettles. Those sightings are most common around the second to third week of September. “The broad-wings are the real show,” said Jesse Pope, director of education and natural resources for Grandfather Mountain. “It’s like a tornado of hawks.”
Each fall, thousands of raptors migrate from Canada and the eastern seaboard along the Appalachian Mountains to Central and South America. The birds use thermal air columns to gain lift and glide above the peaks toward their warmer destinations. Grandfather Mountain is an excellent spot for viewing because it sits along the eastern escarpment of the Appalachian Mountains, and its rocky peaks generate strong thermals and allow prime visibility. The Mountain is one of more than 275 Hawk Watch sites officially designated by the Hawk Migration Association of North America. North Carolina has seven other active sites. In fall 2013, staff and volunteers counted 3,075 raptors in 174 hours of observation at Grandfather Mountain. The vast majority were broad-winged hawks, but they also spotted more than 30 each of Cooper’s hawks, bald eagles, redtailed hawks and turkey vultures.
Aside from offering a visual spectacle, the Hawk Watch serves an important purpose. The annual counts from Grandfather Mountain and other locations help track hawk populations and migration routes over time and provide important data to inform land management decisions. Counts will be conducted every day that weather permits — the hawks don’t typically fly in fog or storms — and will be posted daily at HawkCount.org. Experienced hawk spotters may contact Jesse Pope at naturalist@grandfather.com or (828) 7332013 to volunteer with the Hawk Watch. A training session will be held Aug. 27. The not-for-profit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, call (800) 468-7325 or visit www. grandfather.com to plan a trip.
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3,000 Miles, Two Coasts, One Split EP Hailing from opposites sides of the United States, Bevelers and Erica Russo and The Good Sport came together in the spring of 2014 to create a split EP and to subsequently embark on a tour to each band’s respective coast and the many miles in between. Both bands channel the Indie-folk vibes made famous by the Pacific Northwest and New
(Top) Erica Russo and The Good Sport (Right)
Bevelers
England. Fans of Kimya Dawson, Bon Iver, the Lumineers, Wes Anderson soundtracks, and similar sounds would also enjoy the likes of both Bevelers and Erica Russo and The Good Sport. Erica Russo and The Good Sport and Bevelers perform at Acoustic Coffee House on August 29th at 10pm
Matt Butcher & The Schoolyard Band It happened almost by accident. The three transplants met in Nashville, TN in 2012. It was a transitional period for all. “I was planning on moving back to England,” says Butcher. “I thought we’d just get together and bash out a few covers.” A Sunday jam turned into much more and six months later the boys found themselves at Fry Pharmacy Recordings in Old Hickory, TN. “The chemistry was apparent,” says Tierney. “We just wanted to capture it.” Produced by Chris Casello and engineered by Scott McEwen, the ten original songs were recorded live to two-inch tape on a variety of vintage gear. “We are really inspired by music of the 60s and 70s,” says Pulkrabek. “We wanted to approach our material with the same tools, and same limitations.” Af-
ter a week of recording, the band emerged with an album that is steeped in classic influences, but is still very much their own. Ranging from scuzzy rockers to acoustic ballads, “The Kids are Gone” shines in all its ragged glory. The songs are simple, direct, and poetic. This is a fully formed debut and statement of intent; a testament to the healing power of music. Sings Butcher, “Rock and roll, free my soul.” The band will be hitting the road throughout 2014, bringing their energetic live show to the people. “We love to play,” says Tierney. “We want to get out there and find our audience. This is just the beginning.” Matt Butcher and The Schoolyard Band will be performing at the Acoustic Coffeehouse in Johnson City on Sunday, August 31st.
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THE GIVER Imagine if you lived in a society where there were no different races, no feelings, no money, no social status, and everyone owns the same things and lives in houses exactly alike. Such is the case with the supposedly Utopian society in the new film “The Giver”. The film is set in the year 2048, and the decision was made to live in such a way as to not cause conflict after a huge war. The new society is ruled by politicians called The Elders (sounds like most of Congress), who have formed a way to keep citizens in check by supplying them with a daily dose of medication. The medication prevents feelings and memories of the past. The only person in the society who has memories is called The Giver (played by Jeff Bridges). The citizens live in family units, and while they are not related, typically include two adults and two children. When the children turn 16, they are assigned jobs in a special ceremony. The jobs range from gardeners to Drone pilots. Jonas (Brenton Thwaites), the main character, is given the special assignment of being trained as the next Giver. Jonas leaves his household, which includes his “Dad” (Alexander Skarsgard) and “Mom” (Katie Holmes), to train with the current Giver. During his training Jonas discovers many wondrous things via memory download, and begins to sir up several of his friends, which eventually leads to conflict with the chief Elder, played by Meryl Streep. Undeterred by the trouble he is in, Jonas is soon on a journey to make his society discover what they are missing: love. The film,
based on the 1993 novel of the same name, is beautifully filmed. The film begins in black and white, and the format is so rare today it’s shocking to see. When the film finally has a scene in color, my personal reaction was one
of amazement, and compares to Dorothy first entering the Land of Oz. With strong performances, a fine script, and beautiful cinematography, “The Giver” is a great example of top notch film making. (Rated PG-13) A-
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Sycamore Shoals: September Events and Workshops Watauga Valley Fife & Drum Corps
you will need at least 3 skeins) or any fiber that will make a comfortable scarf; bring a crochet hook Saturdays: 10:00 am – 12 pm The Fife & Drum Corps performs – either size H, I, or J (5, 5.5, or 6 at historical events, dedications, mm) Overmountain Victory and parades. This group is open Trail Celebration to anyone ages 13 & up. MusiSat, Sept. 20: 10:00 am – 4:00 pm cal experience is welcome but not necessary; just come with a will- Sun, Sept : 21: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm ingness to learn. Meet our volun- Join us for an encampment by the teer coordinator John Large at the Overmountain militia before the Sycamore Shoals Visitors Center. Battle of King’s Mountain in 1780. Lessons are free of charge, just call Live some of the most crucial days of the American Revolution! and let us know you’re coming!
September 25, marchers will cross the Watauga River at Sycamore Shoals, just as the Overmountain militia crossed 233 years ago.
Sat, Sept 20: 10:00 am On Saturday the 20th of September 2014, The Tennessee Society Sons of the American Revolution will celebrate the 234th “Gathering at Sycamore Shoals”. This is a celebration of the Overmountain Men coming together to march to King’s Mountain and defeat Loyalist forces under Col. Patrick Ferguson. We will have a Memorial Service and a wreath laying service. The public is invited to attend and to participate in the wreath laying. For more information please contact Ronnie Lail at 423-914-8677 Wataugatnssar@ Gmail.com.
Instructor: Amy Gawthrop Sun, Sept 28: 1:30 pm – 4 pm Cost: $40 includes fleece (1st time students in this class) • $15 for returning students • Min: 1 • Max: 5 Learning about wool, it’s structure and how it reacts. Wool preparation with hand cards, viking combs and drum carder. Practical on the spinning wheel.
Carter Mansion Autumn Tours Tuesdays: noon – 3 pm
Join historic interpreter Ramona Invidiato for a tour of Tennessee’s oldest frame house, the John and Landon Carter Mansion. Walk through the rooms of this elegant frontier home and listen to the walls of raised paneling echo stories of days gone by. The Carter Mansion is located at 1031 Broad St.., Elizabethton, TN. 13th Annual Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival Fri -Sun, Sept. 5, 6 and 7 Fri Night Torchlight Ceremony: 6:30 pm • Sat – Sun : 9:00 am – 5:00 pm • Sat Night Concert: 6:30 pm
Celebrate Appalachia’s Celtic heritage! Opening with a torchlight ceremony Friday night, Clans and Family Societies will be on hand to help with family history; dance, music, food, vendors, demonstrations, reenactments of 18th & 19th Century heritage, lectures. There will be a special musical concert on Saturday evening. Admission Charge.
The Liberty Spinners
Tue, Sept. 9: 9:30 am – 11:30 am This gathering of spinners and fiber artists is open to anyone interested in the art of spinning. Join us at 9:30 am on the 2nd Tuesday of each month (April to November). Anyone Can Crochet!
Crocheting a Scarf
Instructor: Amy Gawthrop Sun, Sept 14: 1:30 pm – 4 pm Cost: $25 • Min: 1 • Max: 10 You will learn all of the necessary techniques to get you started in the art of crochet! Bring at least 2 skeins of worsted weight solid color yarn (if you want a long scarf,
“Gathering at Sycamore Shoals”
Overmountain Victory Trail March
Thu., Sept 25: 2:00 pm (approximate time) Members of the Overmountain Victory Trail Association have recreated the historic march to King’s Mountain since 1975. On
Cornhusk Dolls
Instructor: Terri Asbury Saturday, Sept 27: 9 am - noon Cost: $25 • Min: 5 • Max: 20 Kick off the fall season with this old-time tradition! Choose from a variety of styles including Native American dolls, Victorian dolls, or something of your own design. Bring a large bowl and a pair of scissors.
Spinning Basics
Old Time Music Jam
Led by Art Lang Sunday, Sept 28: 1:30 pm – 4 pm Enjoy the rich musical traditions of our region each month. Old time musicians of all levels are welcome. Don’t play and instrument? Come on over, kick back, and enjoy the tunes! To join one or more classes, you must register in advance & prepay. For more information contact: Sycamore Shoals State Historic Area at (423) 543-5808 or visit www. friendsofsycamoreshoals.org
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Phantom of the Paradise You can hear about a movie dozens of times before you ever get around to seeing it. This is especially true of films that are tiny cult movies, and hard to track down. My high school weekends were spent watching, sometimes over and over again, that granddaddy of all cult movies, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” But there’s a film that pre-dates Rocky by a year that deserves to have just as much attention as it has, a film that I had often read about in tiny snippets online, but never had the chance to see. That film is 1974’s “Phantom of the Paradise.” “Phantom of the Paradise” is one of those unique films that Hollywood studios used to be wiling to spend money on. It was, in many ways, destined to become a cult classic. Now is a perfect time for the film to be discovered by new fans. I first saw “Phantom” earlier this year, when my curiosity required the rental of the film from iTunes--something I do only when I can’t resist seeing a particularly hard to find film. The film is now back in a new super deluxe, two disc blu-ray treatment, which was recently released by Scream Factory (a horror only sideline from those masters of all things awesome, Shout Factory). An early work from writer/director Brian De Palma, “Phantom of the Paradise” is a wildly enjoyable, funny, mash up of “Phantom of the Opera” and “The Picture of Dorian Grey,” with a splash of “Faust” thrown in for good measure. All of this filtered through the lens of the world of mid 1970s Rock and Roll, with a healthy dose of glam. The horror/rock/ glam mash up, with it also being a musical is why the film has always floated around outside of
the Rocky Horror wheelhouse. Anyone who is a fan of Rocky, is bound to like this movie. William Finley stars as Winslow Leach, a nerdy songwriting hopeful that is working on a pop cantata based around the “Faust” tale. Leach hopes to make it big, but can’t seem to break into the music scene, which is largely ruled by Swan. Swan is a mysterious music imprisario, a Phil Spector-esq analog, played by singer/songwriter Paul Williams. Williams was best known at the time for being a hit making songwriter, cranking out tunes left and right at A&M re-
cords, and for us who missed the 1970s, we might know him best for writing songs for “The Muppet Movie” with Kenneth Ascher. Not only playing Swan, Williams also provides the songs for this film, and they’re absolutely wonderful. The music touches on song styles from all throughout the rock and roll universe. Much in keeping with the “Opera” source material, “Paradise” unfolds as Swan steals Leach’s music in order to open his new rock venue, the aforementioned Paradise. Swan frames Leach on drug charges, and has him imprisoned. Leach breaks
out, breaks into Swan’s record HQ, Death Records, and attempts to sabotage the pressing of his stolen music. Instead of being scared by acid, our Phantom receives his damage from his head falling into a record press. A move that not scars his face, but destroys his vocal chords as well. Leach then takes to the underground of The Paradise, donning a owl mask/helmet combination, and begins to terrorize the theater. There’s a love story as well, Winslow fell for a young female singer named Phoenix (Jessica Harper) prior to his “transformation.” In at attempt to sabotage the first rehearsal at The Paradise, by putting a bomb into a prop car on stage, Swan catches up with Winslow, and offers to put him under contract. He gives Leach a voice box, tells him he wants him to finish his pop cantata. Winslow insists that only Phoenix can sing the music, which Swan agrees to, but in reality changes his promise and gives it to a drug addicted Glam head named Beef, in a brilliantly funny portrait by Gerrit Graham. It’s a crazy good film. A wild movie, smart, quickly paced, with
really great songs, and a satirical overtone that has hardly aged. The film is one that I can highly recommend, the new blu-ray set from Scream Factory is overflowing with extra features and goodies. “Phantom,” much like “Rocky Horror,” was a huge bomb when it was first released, but over time it’s cult following has blossomed. Were you curious as to why Paul Williams worked with Daft Punk on their latest album? Why he accepted the Album of the Year Grammy on their behalf? Daft Punk are fans of “Phantom of the Paradise.” As much as I can tell you why you should see it, as much as the original trailers and TV spots failed to market the film, it is one of those films best experienced by seeing it. Long out on print on a no frills DVD issued years ago, “Phantom of the Paradise” is back in the first edition to seriously appreciate the film with the respect it deserves. It’s never been easier to see the film, and it’s absolutely worth doing so. You won’t even have to sign a contract in blood to do it. See you next week.
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Absence In 1992, environmentalist Bill McKibben wrote in his much-discussed book, The Age Of Missing Information, that “electronic media have become an environment of their own. To the list of neighborhood and region and continent and planet we must now add television as a place where we live, and the problem is not that it exists— the problem is that it supplants. Its simplicity makes complexity hard to fathom.” I first read those lines twenty-two years ago when the book was first published. Today, they sound very quaint and—do I dare say it?—old-fashioned. When was the last time you even thought about television or its power to supplant anything? Today, television has moved from the center of our lives to the periphery as newer and much more powerful devices occupy our time, our attention, and our very being. In 1992, if you wanted to watch television you had to be in a room where it was. You had to go to it in order to experience it and reflect on how it might be supplanting something. Today, you don’t have to go anywhere to experience life on multiple screen, both large and small. Something that sounds even more old-fashioned is the way McKibben, an avid outdoors advocate, did the research for his book. He spent twenty-four hours in the woods and then experienced video tapes that recorded twenty four hours of continuous programming from several cable TV stations in the Arlington and Falls Church communities outside our nation’s capitol. Needless to say, watch-
ing the video tapes took several weeks. Yes, we are talking about VHS tapes recorded on a video tape machine. And McKibben had to sit in a room to watch them on a television set. We might as well be talking about the Lascaux cave paintings, shouldn’t we? In any event, what McKibben was trying to get at was how experience has become fragmented in the modern world—although we live in a world of nature, we are becoming more and more absented from that world in favor of the world of images seen on a screen (and when he first wrote the passage quoted above, that screen had been a part of our lives for nearly fifty years). But in 1992 we couldn’t pick the TV up and take it wherever we wanted, especially into the woods. There are many people today who echo the ideas of McKibben and lament the fact that we are abandoning an older and better world in favor of a newer but less desirable alternative. One of our more provocative contemporary voices is that of Michael Harris, whose newly-published book, The End of Absence: Reclaiming What We’ve Lost in a World of Constant Connection, opens up a dialog about the meaning of constant connection. I suppose we could make something of the fact that as I write this sentence I am referencing Harris’ book on my iPad while sitting in my recliner typing on my MacBook Pro. And, the television monitor across my living room is turned off and only connected to a Blu-Ray player and
an Apple TV (the useless cable box was disconnected about two years ago). Of course, my Galaxy S4 is conveniently within arm’s reach. Harris addresses his book to those of us who belong to the “straddle generation” and can remember living in two worlds—a lost one where connectivity meant physically going to something for information and the one in which we are now living where connectivity is much like the air we breathe. While he admits to not being nostalgic for the “good old days” of TV and rotary phones, he does believe we should disconnect from time to time to reflect on what this new kind of existence means. Because we live in a state of “continuous partial attention,” we should give our full attention to some things every once in a while. Central to Harris’ argument is that we are quickly losing our sense of Before and After—that is, many of us, particularly those of us who were born in the midEighties, do not remember a time when life was not lived in a state of continuous partial attention. We are approaching the end of absence—“the lost of lack.” Harris believes that the “daydreaming silences in our lives are filled; the burning solitudes are extinguished.” This process, which began with the invention of move-
able and interchangeable type by Gutenberg in the mid-fifteenth century, now manifests itself in a world filled with smartphones and continuous connection. Needless to say, most of us would not want to go back to the earlier time described by Bill McKibben. What would we do if all we had was TV? What would a world without social media and texting look and feel like? As a member of the socalled straddle generation, I recall that pre-text-messaging world as if it were a dream. While those of us who remember the pre-Internet world might long for a return to its quaintness and illusion of simplicity, more and more people have no recollection of that world and can’t even envision what any other existence would be like. Harris writes that the “content of our digital lives . . . .has piled up into such significant forms that it can no longer be passed off as some appendage or decoration [because our digital appendages] don’t just enrich our experiences, they become our experiences.” He uses a statement from Oxford professor of synaptic pharmacology (whatever that might be) to bring home his point: “A car or a plane enabled you to travel farther and faster. What concerns me is that the current technologies have been converted from being means to being ends.”
While by no means advocating an anti-digital or reactionary point of view, Harris does go on to describe several strategies for reclaiming at least a semblance of absence in our very crowded and ever-connected lives. I won’t list them here, in hopes that you will read his suggestive and muchneeded book. Of course, we can argue, as many did in the midnineteenth century when books were becoming objects of mass consumption, that reading is a form of absence. Books take us away from the moment and even cause us to be anti-social at times. But we don’t often complain that our dinner companions ignore us in favor of a book as we do when they ignore us in favor of text messaging or obsessive Facebooking. We are, after all, living an age where most people suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), even when it means ignoring those who happen to be physically present. Could it be that our Facebook “friends” are more real and meaningful than our physically-present friends? I must bring this much-too-long column to an end while I go attend to the needs of my mobile devices. Can’t be absent from them too long, you know. See you next week. In the meantime, read Harris’ book.
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