The Loafer January 5th

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4th Annual JANUARY JAMS

Volume 30 • Issue #5 Publisher Luci Tate

Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle Cover Design Bill May Advertising Dave Carter Terry Patterson Lori Howell Beth Jinks-Ashbrook Don Stuck Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop 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) 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

happenings 4

4th Annual January Jams

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Bela Fleck in Performance of ‘The Imposter’

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Blue Highway w/ The Loose Strings

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The Motown Experience at NPAC

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Hands ON! January Calendar of Events

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McKinney Center to Host Open House

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Kristen Ford’s “Never Ending Tour”

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Arts Array’s 2016 Spring Films

music & fun 14

Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times

24

Puzzle Page

columns & reviews 12

Batteries Not Included - Free Parking

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Stargazer - Top 10 Astronomy Stories of 2015

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Skies This Week

18

Screen Scenes - Daddy’s Home

19 Trivial Traveler - A Forum for Discussion 22

Pets Of The Week

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Lock, Stock & Barrel - Breath Control and Trigger Pull

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Kelly’s Place - Are Our Generations Running Our Of Letters?

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The Barter Theatre and the Abingdon Music Experience team up for the 4th annual January Jams Series beginning January 8th. Grammy Award winning and nationally recognized artists will perform a total of 6 concerts to run on Fridays and Saturdays during January. “The Barter Theatre is such a special venue, which offers a uniquely intimate concert experience with legendary musicians” explains Sara Saavedra, Special Events Coordinator for the ACVB. “The previous three years have been met with great reviews, and highlights Abingdon as a music destination for visitors and residents alike.” Brought to you in part by sponsors, Eastman Credit Union and Ecological Energy Systems.

Doors open at 7:15 and the shows will start at 8pm. Ticket prices will vary for each show. Weekend and Series passes are available. For more information and tickets call Barter Theatre Box Office at 276-628-3991 or go online at www.bartertheatre.com. A complete lineup of the 2016 Abingdon Music Experience series can be found online at www.abingdonmusicexperience.com.

The schedule for January is as follows: Friday, January 8th

Dirty Dozen Brass Band with Major & The Monbacks

If you like: New Orleans brass & jazz, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Dr. John, Soulive, Trombone Shorty.

In 1977, The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club in New Orleans began showcasing a traditional Crescent City brass band. It was a joining of two proud, but antiquated, traditions at the time: social and pleasure clubs dated back over a century to a time when black southerners could rarely afford life insurance, and the clubs would provide proper funeral arrangements. Brass bands, early predecessors of jazz as we know it, would often follow the funeral procession playing somber dirges, then once the family of the deceased was out of earshot, burst into jubilant dance tunes as casual onlookers danced in the streets. By the late ‘70s, few of either existed. The Dirty Dozen Social and Pleasure Club decided to assemble this group as a house band, and over the course of these early gigs, the seven-member ensemble adopted the venue’s name: The Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Thirty-five years later, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a world famous music machine, whose name is synonymous with genre-bending romps and high-octane performances. They have revitalized the brass band in New Orleans and around the world, progressing from local parties, clubs, baseball games and festivals in their early years to touring nearly constantly in the U.S. and in over 30 other countries on five continents.

The Dirty Dozen have been featured guests on albums by artists including David Bowie, Elvis Costello, Dr. John, Widespread Panic, Modest Mouse, Dave Matthews Band and the Black Crowes.

As trumpeter and bandleader Gregory Davis points out, “The concept of the Dirty Dozen is to play and experiment with all types of music. We will take a song - and not worry about if it is a jazz song or any particular type of song - we’ll just take a song and see what we can do with it as The Dirty Dozen.”

Opening up for Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Major & The Monbacks bring a lot of energy to the Barter stage. Hailing from Norfolk, VA, Major and the Monbacks have created their own blend of rock n roll, merging retro 60’s rock n roll, psychedelic twang, soaring three-part harmonies, and the high energy and horn laden grit of southern soul. With three songwriters all switching between lead and backing vocal duties, as well as a full 8-piece ensemble that includes a lively horn section and a powerful rhythm section comprised of both a drummer and full time percussion player, the Monbacks have honed a very powerful sound.

Saturday, January 9th

Bettye Lavette with The Broadcast

If you Like: Mavis Staples, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Nina Simone “Simply one of the greatest singers alive today, Bettye LaVette performs soulful passionate interpretations of songs by a diverse range of artists (Fiona Apple, Aimee Mann, Lucinda Williams, The Pogues, Dylan). For anyone who appreciates emotional R&B singing that has substance, grit and incredible energy, she is a must see” Her “overnight” success may have taken 50 years, but two time Grammy nominee Bettye LaVette is no mere singer. Bettye is an interpreter of the highest order. Whether the song originated as country, rock,

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January Jams ..... continued from previous page pop, jazz or blues, when she gets through with it, it is pure R&B. She gets inside a song and shapes and twists it to convey all of the emotion that can be wrought from the lyric.

Bettye is one of very few of her contemporaries who were recording during the birth of soul music in the 60s and is still creating vital recordings today. Her live performances are a must see. She makes her audience feel whatever she is singing about, often leaving grown men in tears. She performed for President Obama’s inauguration in 2009, and is indeed a soul icon. You may not have heard of her, but, trust us, you don’t want to miss a chance to see her in this intimate setting.

The Broadcast Also hailing from Detroit, front woman Caitlin Krisko opens for Lavette with her group, The Broadcast. They are breaking new ground across the country with their infectious energy and authentic approach to rock & roll. Drawing much of their ambiance from 70s classic rock, this dynamic ensemble is

January 5, 2016 | The Loafer | Page 5 Friday, January 15th

Anderson East with Erin & The Wildfire

If You Like: Ray LaMontagne, Sturgill Simpson, Jason Isbell, Shakey Graves, St Paul & The Broken Bones, Chris Stapleton Alabama is the birthplace of lots of great music, and the newest Alabama-native adding to the musical heritage is Anderson East. With a powerhouse voice that lies somewhere between Ray LaMontagne and Joe Cocker, East has been gaining fans all over the world on tour with Brandi Carlile, Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell. This year “he released his debut album, Delilah, and it’s 32 glorious minutes of music. The ballads are smoldering amalgamations of soul and country, mellower

known for their explosive live performances highlighted by Krisko’s soaring vocals. Krisko’s vocals glide effortlessly from subtle and delicate to deliberate and booming. Described by audiences as a

modern day “Grace Slick meets Led Zeppelin”, The Broadcast has quickly propelled themselves into the live music spotlight with their award winning debut album “Dodge the Arrow”

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January Jams ..... continued from previous page in sound but not in emotion. The uptempo songs are impossible not to get off your ass and dance to. From the Solomon Burke-like soul of “Only You” and “Keep the Fire Burning” to the Wilson Pickett swagger of “Satisfy Me,” “Find ‘Em, Fool ‘Em and Forget ‘Em” and “Quit You,” you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more consistently enjoyable album released this year.” ~thewordbeat .com

Saturday, January 16th

Ricky Skaggs & The Kentucky Thunder with Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley

If You Like: Bluegrass, Marty Stuart, Bruce Hornsby, Ry Cooder, John Prine, A life full of music. That’s the story of Ricky Skaggs. By age twentyone, he was already considered a “recognized master” of one of America’s most demanding art forms, but his career took him in other directions, catapulting him to popularity and success in the mainstream of country music. His life’s path has taken him to various musical genres, from where it all began in bluegrass music, to striking out on new musical journeys, while still leaving his musical roots intact.

Ricky struck his first chords on a mandolin over 50 years ago, and this 14-time Grammy Award winner continues to do his part to lead the recent roots revival in music. With 12 consecutive Grammy-nominated classics behind him, all from his own Skaggs Family Records label, the diverse and masterful tones made by the gifted Skaggs come from a life dedicated to playing music that is both fed by the soul and felt by the heart.

Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley This unique collaborative effort between two uniquely gifted musicians is bound to be a revelation to traditional music fans on several counts. Rob Ickes is a longtime, well-established instrumental giant, and Trey Hensley is newly arrived in Music City, bursting with talent both as a vocalist and guitarist.

Trey grew up in Jonesborough, TN, and began playing when he was 10 years old, and landed on the Grand Ol Opry at the age of 11. When he was asked to record scratch vocals for Blue Highway, that’s when Rob Ickes became a fan. Rob Ickes has played with the well-known and loved bluegrass group, Blue Highway for over 20 years, and they decided to keep Trey’s vocals on the track, which was widely acclaimed when released.

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JCSO to Join Béla Fleck in Performance of ‘The Imposter’

The fourth concert of the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra season on January 9 features world renowned banjoist Béla Fleck and the JCSO performing “The Imposter,” a concerto Fleck composed himself for banjo and orchestra.

Considered a milestone in American composition, “The Imposter” is the first piece of serious orchestral music ever written by a non-classical composer featuring the five-string banjo. The work was originally commissioned by and performed with the Nashville Symphony in 2011.

“The JCSO is excited to be crossing musical boundaries and supporting Mr. Fleck’s innovative work,” noted JCSO Maestro Robert Seebacher about the upcoming concert. “We’re pleased to be performing with such an amazing talent and to honor the banjo, which is so much a part of our own region’s musical heritage.”

Recognized for his banjo virtuosity, Fleck has won 15 Grammys and garnered more Grammy nominations (about 30) in more categories than any other artist in history.

He’s known for his work with the Flecktones, an instrumental group he founded in the late 1980s. But Fleck has also collaborated separately with various genres of musicians around the globe. He brazenly crossed the line into classical in 2001 by collaborating with bassist Edgar Meyer on the work, “Perpetual Motion.” In 2003, the duo also wrote a double concerto for banjo, bass and the Nashville Symphony. Then, in 2011, Fleck composed “The Imposter” concerto, which he has since performed with orchestras across the country.

The banjoist, now age 57, has confessed that writing orchestral score is extremely challenging for him, since he never received formal composition training. He overcomes the shortcoming by writing orchestral parts in tablature, the system used to show fingerings for stringed instruments, such as the banjo. Fleck then transcribes the parts into conventional music notation. He has also used a software program called Sibelius to develop the score.

In previous interviews, Fleck

has explained the conceptual narrative that underpins “The Imposter.” In the first movement, “Infiltration,” someone sneaks into a masquerade wearing a mask who isn’t supposed to be there; the individual is disguised and outside his element, says Fleck. In the second movement, “Integration,” the score is slower and more melodic, signaling that “everyone gets comfortable with each other.” By the third movement, “Truth Revealed,” bluegrass emerges – or what Fleck calls the banjo’s typical image – and the impostor is unmasked.

In many ways, the story mirrors Fleck’s own innovative attempts to blend bluegrass into other musical genres.

A native of New York City, the musician-composer began playing banjo at age 15, inspired by the theme song from “The Beverly Hillbillies” television series, performed by musicians Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs. He attended New York’s High School of Music and Art, where he studied banjo privately, experimenting with new sounds, techniques, and genres – particularly jazz. Following graduation, he joined the Boston-based bluegrass band Tasty Licks.

Fleck later become part of the

group New Grass Revival, with which he performed and recorded throughout the 1980s. He formed Béla Fleck and the Flecktones in 1988.

In addition to “The Imposter” concerto, the JCSO will also perform “Appalachian Spring,” a ballet commissioned by choreographer Martha Graham and composed in 1944 by Aaron Copland.

Tickets are on sale now for the Jan. 9 JCSO concert, which begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Auditorium of Seeger Chapel at Milligan College. JCSO’s concert season will continue on Saturday, Feb. 6, with an unprecedented joining of the JCSO with Milligan College’s Orchestra in recognition of the school’s 150th anniversary. The formal season concludes March 5 with a guest appearance

by Sonora Slocum, principal flautist for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra.

Concerts are partially funded under an agreement with the Tennessee Arts Commission. Johnson City Press and Jet Broadcasting are media sponsors for the 2015-2016 subscription series. Visit www. jcsymphony.com or call the symphony office at 423-926-8742 for more information.

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An Evening w/ Grammy Nominated Contemporary Bluegrass Band

Blue Highway and Special Guest The Loose Strings Band LIVE The Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts and Engage Kingsport present an evening with Grammy nominated contemporary bluegrass band Blue Highway and special guest The Loose Strings Band on January 15, 2016 at the beautiful Renaissance Arts Center Theatre in Kingsport. This show will open the Engage Kingsport Performing Arts Series of 2016. All tickets are for reserved seats and available now at www.EngageKingsport.com or by calling (423) 392-8414.

Blue Highway is indisputably one of the most esteemed and influential groups in contemporary bluegrass. The band’s eleven exceptional albums and compelling live performances give proof to the stellar reviews, Grammy nominations, and numerous awards earned by the band since it first took the stage on December 31,

1994. Blue Highway was honored to be nominated for a cumulative eight awards at the 26th Annual IBMA Awards held last October in Raleigh, NC. Blue Highway has earned a collective 25 IBMA

Awards, 6 SPBGMA Awards, one Dove Award and two Grammy nominations as a band, plus three prestigious Grammy Awards among its members.

Last year at this time, Blue Highway stormed national airplay charts sending “The Game” soaring to #1 on the national Bluegrass Unlimited Album Chart, holding firm at #1 for 7 consecutive months (Jun-Dec 2014). The IBMA 2012 Vocal Group of the Year also sent the title track of The Game to #1 on multiple charts including

Bluegrass Today and Roots Music Report, as well as holding at #1 for three consecutive months on the national Bluegrass Unlimited Song Chart (Aug-Oct 2014).

As momentum continues to build for the 21-year strong powerhouse band, Blue Highway broke into 2015 with sold out shows (including a sold out show in Kingsport in January 2015!) accounting for half their shows to date. On December 9, 2015 the band announced its new member, Gaven Largent, as dobro player,

filling the spot which opened when founding member Rob Ickes departed three weeks ago.

Gaven grew up in a musical family spanning five generations in the heart of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, the hometown of legendary Patsy Cline. Gaven worked on his great grandparents’ farm from the time he was a youngster. The high value his family placed on music, honesty, and hard work enabled him to become a fine and multitalented young man, gifted with most anything his hands touch, from playing dobro, guitar, bass, banjo, and mandolin, to fine-tuning the engines of vintage tractors like McCormick Farmalls and Minneapolis Molines. Largent began playing guitar at age 8, resophonic guitar at age 9, and at age 13 was honored to be invited to perform with Rhonda Vincent and the Rage on the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry.

Since 2012 Largent has performed in several bands including Bud’s Collective, Lonesome Highway, and most recently Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper.

“Gaven is a true find for Blue Highway,” said Wayne Taylor.

“He’s a great person and the perfect person to fill this spot in the band!” “I’m so excited to have Gaven in the band!” said Jason Burleson. “He’s an amazing do-

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Blue Highway..... continued from page 8 bro player and an all-around great musician and good guy. I can’t wait for everyone to hear this cat!”

“Gaven has really impressed me in the short time I’ve known him, both as a musician and person,” said Tim Stafford. “He’s a natural, and his talent and dedication to his instrument and the music is inspiring. We’re very excited to have him in the group!” “We couldn’t have found a better musician for this spot than Gaven,” echoed Shawn Lane, who summed it all up, relaying, “Gaven rocks!!”

Gaven grew up listening to Blue Highway, but came to meet the members of the band through his good friend, Jacob Burleson, son of Blue Highway banjo player, Jason Burleson.

Largent expressed his excitement to be invited join Blue Highway: “I’d first like to say it’s my extreme honor to join a band that has been such a huge influence on the way I think about bluegrass music and the way that I play.

Tim, Shawn, Wayne, and Jason are all huge heroes of mine, and as a

young dobro player, Rob Ickes has always been one of my idols! He is one of the best, and it’s going to be tough for me to try to follow such a respected and talented musician.

But that said, I am very excited for the challenge of learning all these tunes (even though I’ve listened to Blue Highway for years!) and thankful for the opportunity to join the ranks and share the stage with this band. Playing music full time has been a goal and dream for me since I was eight years old when I started, and to do it now seems surreal. I hope I can make all the family, friends and fans proud!”

The Loose Strings Band (LSB) is an all-girls band, ranging in age from sixteen to twenty years of age from Galax Virginia. Once known as a youth band, the girls have now crossed over into the adult league and placed thirteenth out of 178 registered bands in the adult competition at the world famous Galax Fiddlers Convention! The band has been together now for nine years, playing at bluegrass conventions, weddings,

benefits, churches, reunions, festivals etc. They are known in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia, and beyond for their nice blend of tight vocal harmonies and sweet rhythms. They are also unique in their style since they all play an instrument and sing! Sometimes the sound technicians are not used to providing eight microphones and if they do, it is a rare find! William Nale, father to Ashley and Lindsey, runs the sound for the group and is sometimes called the “MIC” (man in charge). But as you know, with four girls..... Enough said!

The band has been very blessed through the years to have great parents and family support!

They have traveled throughout Southwest Virginia and beyond playing for many different types of events. They have won contests in which one of those wins allowed them to play at the little Nashville Palace in Nashville TN. They have also traveled to Ohio where they were recognized as the “best entertainment” of the entire travel expo in Columbus. They were also honored to play at the

International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) this past year in Raleigh N.C. They have played in Alabama, Tennessee, Ohio, North Carolina, West Virginia, Georgia, Massachusetts, South Carolina and of course their home in the state of Virginia. They have even been asked to play in Europe!

The girls are also excited to be performing on the PBS televised show Song of the Mountains at the famous Lincoln Theater this year. The girls have gone through their early years, high school years

and now three of them are in college! There is a fine balance in their music career, with studies, family and extracurricular activities. Somehow through their love of music, determination, and very busy lives, they have continued to perform and completed two CDs recently.

For more information or to purchase tickets to any event contact the City of Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts at (423) 392-8414 or log on to www.EngageKingsport. com

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Hands On! Regional Museum

January Calendar of Events

Tuesday, January 5th - Sunday, January 24th Newton’s Notions Celebrate Sir Isaac Newton’s birthday in the Eastman Discovery Lab this week. Discover Newton’s Three Laws of Motion with our tower test, eraser racers, and the water whirl. Try your hand with Newton’s nightmare and Newton’s gravity beads. The Eastman Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day.

Wednesday, January 13th, 9:30 am - 12:00 pm Newton’s Antics Workshop Sir Isaac Newton’s birthday is this month, so let’s celebrate! Discover the laws of physics with Newton’s inertia beads, an amazing egg drop challenge, building and launching a film canister rocket, and a centripetal force penny experiment. A healthy snack is included. Cost $12 for members, $15 for non-members. Ages 7-13.

Payment is required with registration by Tuesday, January 5th. To register, please call423-434-4263 ext. 100, T-F 9-5 or e-mail reservations@handsonmuseum.org.

Tuesday, January 26th - Sunday, February 7th Magnificent Magnets Did you know Earth is considered a giant magnet? Discover the power of magnets as you test various items for magnetism, watch cereal become magnetic, and even try out some neodymium magnet

Hands On Regional Museum | 315 E. Main St. | Johnson City | TN challenges. The Eastman Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day. (***Please note that this program contains neodymium magnets which may inhibit the proper function of pacemakers.

This program also contains small parts that may not be suitable for children under 3 years of age.)

If you have any questions on

these or other programs, please call (423) 434-HAND. Hours Tuesday-Friday 9am-5pm,Saturday 9am-6pm, and Sunday 1pm5pm. Mondays 9am-5pm, March, June, July, August only. Fridays extended to 6pm during June and July. Admission fees apply. All programs and activities are subject to change without notice.

Tuesday Night @ the Movies Jonesborough Library Tuesday, January 5, 5:30 p.m.

Celebrate the New Year with our Tuesday Night @ the Movies on January 5 at 5:30 p.m.

Our film is a 1953 romantic comedy about a bored and sheltered princess who escapes her guardians and falls in love with an American newsman in Rome.

Our show time features free popcorn and drinks. Tuesday Night @ the Movies is a free event sponsored by the Friends of the Washington County Library. For more information, please call the Jonesborough Library at 753-1800.

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Jonesborough’s McKinney Center to Host Spring Art Classes Open House Jan. 9

are: Unearth the Past: A HandsOn Exploration of the History of Ceramics, which is for homeschool students from grades 6 to 12; The Potter’s Wheel Series, for grades 7 to adult; Beginning Beading, for grades 9 to adult; After School Drama Class, which will be taught at Jonesborough Elementary School for grades K-5; and several one-day workshops including, Musical Theatre Dance, (grades 9 – adult, Glass Fusion Fun,(several days and several age levels), Clay Play for Toddlers, (18 months – 4 yrs), Printmaking, (adult), Family Clay Class, (grades 5 – adult), Painting,(adult), and a Creative Circle Writers Group, (age 15 to adult). For a complete listing of classes and additional informaJanuary 9, is the last day to re- Open House. ceive the Early Bird Discount for The event is free and open to tion, visit jonesboroughtn.org.

This spring promises to be an classes through Jonesborough’s the public and is an opportunity Mary B. Martin Program for the to meet instructors, find out more exciting, artful adventure at the Arts at the McKinney Center. Sat- about available classes and enjoy McKinney Center. Registration is now through January 15. Classes urday, January 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 art demonstrations. p.m., is also the program’s Spring New to this season’s selections begin the week of January 25.

Teen Advisory Group Meetings

Cross Stitch @ the Library

Jonesborough Library 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, January12 Gray Library 6:30 p.m.

If you love to cross stitch, or would love to learn how to cross stitch, please join the Cross Stitch group at the Washington County Gray Branch Library!

The Cross Stitch group meets the 2nd and 4th Monday each month at 6:00 p.m. All levels are welcome and instruction for beginners is available. Bring your own projects to work on. This program is free and open to the public. For more information, please contact the Washington County Gray Branch Library at 477-1550.

Monday, January 11

Teens, age 12-17, are invited to attend our Teen Advisory Group (TAG) meeting at the Jonesborough Library on Monday, January 11 at 6:30, or at the Gray Library on Tuesday, January 12, 6:30 p.m.

TAG members have the opportunity to help plan library programs and choose library materials for teens. As a TAG member, teens can gain work experience, meet new friends, and earn volunteer hours to meet school requirements. Refreshments are provided at every meeting. Monthly meetings will be held on the second Monday of the month in Jonesborough, and on the second Tuesday of the month in Gray.

For more information, please call the Jonesborough Library at 753-1800 or the Gray Library at 477-1550.

Washington County Gray Branch Library 5026 Bobby Hicks Highway

Registration may be completed at the McKinney Center Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by mailing the registration form to The McKinney Center at 103 Franklin Avenue, Jonesborough, TN 37659. A special Spring Expo will be held at the McKinney Center on Saturday, January 9

from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Faculty will be present conducting demonstrations. Light refreshments will be served.

For more information, contact McKinney Center Director Theresa Hammons at 423-753-0562 or email at theresah@jonesboroughtn.org.

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Free Parking As I sit here, it’s December 20th-the Sunday before the big week kicks off. As you read this, it’s the first week of the new year. I usually don’t point out the chronology of written to when read, but I feel I need to this week as being the week of Christmas, I have a thought on my mind. Board games. I’ve talked a lot in my column about the things I love and collect. Records, movies, but I don’t think I’ve talked much-if any--about my love of board games.

I’ve collected board games for most of my adult life, new or old, I don’t care. As long as the game is in decent shape and fully playable, let

me at it! I have a closet in my house that’s sole purpose is to house most of my board game collection. I’ve always liked board games. When I was a kid I used to get board games as gifts a lot. Some of those I played then are still favorites, Sorry, Monopoly, and to this day I love Clue most of all. Yes, I am one of those who does love Monopoly.

Monopoly isn’t a terrible monster if you play it exactly by the rules--we’ve just developed so many house rules by each family over the years that it breaks the mechanics of the game--I’ve played four player games that were over in two hours or less because we didn’t

keep fueling money into the game.

Getting tax money when you land on free parking? Not in the rules!

Refusing to auction a property?

Not in the rules! Bankrupt quick and the game ends. My family played MANY games of Monopoly with me growing up. I own four copies of it, eight of Clue.

Board games are on my mind as I have cousins of young ages that will be hanging around a lot this week, and I hope we can find some time to play games together. Be it part of the new wave of standards like Ticket to Ride or Qwirkle, to something as crazy and simple as Risk--which can go on for years, if

you think Monopoly is long. When the older and more mature relations come around, I’ll break out Cards Against Humanity and learn things about them I perhaps never wanted to know.

I do hate that a lot of the classic games have been homogenized down into super cheap editions.

Hasbro bought both Milton Bradley and Parker Brothers and their branding is long gone. Clue has been revamped to appeal to young kids by changing rooms and weapons and produced so cheap the boards are almost paper. Fortunately, there is a game company that makes Clue in it’s original style, with nicer playing pieces and call it “The Classic Edition.” Then again, you can always dig around on eBay. That’s how my collection exploded, cheap games on eBay. A lot of them pop culture related oddities I just had to have. I miss when movies and TV shows all got a board game--and sometimes a video game! I’ll even admit that part of my pop culture gaming collection is an embarrassing amount of Game Show Home Games. I admit that at more than a few recent game nights I’ve dragged along a copy of “The $25,000 Pyramid” game and

forced/asked nicely for all to indulge me in a few rounds. “It’s like taboo, but better, go!” I yell at them while they stare at me wondering why I’m geeking out about playing a home game to a show that hasn’t been on the air in almost 30 years.

But the pop culture games allow a nice blanket of connectivity we can all identify with. One of my pop games has brought quite a bit of bemusement to game nights lately. People delighted to learn it exists, and quite surprised to find it’s a fun game to play. What game am I talking about? “Murder, She Wrote.” That’s right, Jessica Fletcher has a board game, and it’s awesome.

One player at the table is the killer, and everyone else is J.B. Fletcher. If you’re the killer, you gotta kill five people and escape. If you’re Jessica, you gotta catch the killer.

The game has smart mechanics that keep things from being a, um, dead giveaway. If you find a player is dead, you put your hand in a box of tokens and replace it with a similar one. If you’re the killer, this lets you swap them out for dead tokens, and no one is the wiser. It’s more fun than it should be. Let’s face it--you got a smile on your face learning there’s a “Murder, She Wrote” board game--didn’t you?

Point of it is board games are fun and awesome and man do I love that I have a closet full of them. I hope this coming year brings many nights of games with friends and loved ones. I need to improve my Scrabble game tremendously. You can’t imagine how embarrassing it is to be a writer who often opens up games of Scrabble by playing “Cat.” Happy New Year to one and all, and now I gotta get my 13 year old cousin to give up Utrusk for my marching army. See you next week.

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Kristen Ford’s “Never Ending Tour” Date for the 11th Annual Starts Right Back Up Again Antique Appraisal Fair & Show Announced

After 14 months on the road, playing over 245 shows across 45 states, Kristen Ford´s one woman band sailed off the map to South America this past fall. Now, Kristen returns to the USA and picks

right back up where she left off with her ¨Never Ending Tour¨. Her next performance near you will be at Acoustic Coffeehouse, 415 W Walnut St, Johnson City, TN 37604 on Sunday, January 10th at 10 p.m. Kristen’s “Never-Ending Tour” has delighted audiences across the country in support of her latest release “Tighten It Up” which is available at www.kristenfordmusic.com. This is an all ages, no cover show so come check it out!

Kristen Ford’s indie music fuses folk, reggae, country, and blues with a healthy dose of rock and roll. Kristen is a Massachusetts native, with a traveler’s heart. This fall she volunteered in Bolivia playing music with children in rural libraries. This experience provided Kristen with endless inspiration for new material she is ready to debut. Her one woman band explores the format of looping vo-

cals and guitar riffs, specifically writing for the sum of her moving parts: loopers, drums, vocals and stringed instruments. Within the constraints of that technology, a stacked and ambient vibe emerges, underpinning Kristen’s ability to be acoustically brooding one moment, explosive and epic the next. The show always promises to be a deliciously unique evening of music, highlighting the musical growth Kristen has experienced over an adventurous couple of years, interacting with diverse audiences across the country and around the world.

“Dinosaur” will elevate Ford from obscure artist to buzzing folk-rock-pop master.”- Boston Herald “Bluesy, and soulful, belting out her lyrics carefully with every verse. Other times, she is pure rock and roll screaming with childish joy.”- The Dig

The Tourism Department of the Greene County Partnership will host the 11th Annual Antique Appraisal Fair and Antique Show Saturday, February 13, at Greeneville High School on Tusculum Boulevard from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is FREE. The event will feature certified appraisers that will assess the value of antique treasures brought in by the public. A small fee of $5 per item will be charged for appraisals. Also featured at the event will be local and regional antique shops displaying and selling their wares throughout the day, as well as local museums and historical attractions.

Again this year, the fair will offer a Preview Party Friday, February 12, from 7 to 9 p.m. for those

that would like to purchase their treasures early. The preview will feature live entertainment, light hors d’oeuvres, door prizes and the opportunity to shop early for that special item. Admission will be $10 per person. Guests will also have an opportunity to meet the appraisers, as well as more than 40 antique dealers.

The Antique Appraisal Fair & Show is a project of the Tourism Department of the Greene County Partnership and is sponsored by the Greeneville City School System. For more information or to reserve tickets for the Preview Party, please contact Tammy Kinser at the Partnership, 423-638-4111, email tkinser@greenecop.com or visit www.GreenevilleAntiqueAppraisalFair.com.

Page 14 | The Loafer | January 5, 2016

- TUESDAY - Jan. 5th JOHN MALAYTER at Acoustic Coffeehouse

DOWNTOWN COUNTRY at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm

- WEDNESDAY - Jan. 6th OPEN MIC

at Acoustic Coffeehouse

OPEN MIC

at WoodStone Deli

- THURSDAY - Jan 7th JAKE CLAYTON

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

THE WORLD OF WENDEL WERNER

at Acoustic Coffeehouse 8pm

- FRIDAY - Jan. 8th THE BOSSES

at Jiggy Ray’s 7pm

PEA PICKIN HEARTS

at Yee Haw Brewing Co. 7pm

BRADLEY CARTER

- SATURDAY - Jan. 9th SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND

CHRIS LONG

MARK LARKINS

FUGITIVES

at The Family Barn 7:30pm at Bristol VFW 7pm

at Bristol Brewery 8pm

SIMPLIFIED

at Holston River Brewing Co. at Country Club Bar & Grill

SHOOTER

THE LAUREN COLE BAND

ELSPETH TREMBLAY w/ PAIGE ALBRITTON JOE CAT

MOUNTAIN ROSE

THE MCLAIN FAMILY BAND

at The Show Palace 7pm at Jiggy Ray’s

at Down Home 10:30pm

at Carter Family Fold

CRYSTAL BRIGHT & THE SILVER HANDS

- SUNDAY - Jan. 10th BILL & THE BELLES

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

BETTYE LAVETTE

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

at Barter Theatre January Jams

NIGHTSHIFT

(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at David Thompson’s Produce 7pm

THIS MOUNTAIN AMETHYST KIAH and HER CHEST OF GLASS

at Acoustic Coffeehouse

at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm SUNDOWN BAND (Country) at Willoughby Ruritan

WINNIE BRAVE KRISTEN FORD

at Acoustic Coffeehouse

- MONDAY - Jan. 11th OPEN JAM at The Family Barn 1pm

OPEN MIC

at Acoustic Coffeehouse

BLUEGRASS JAM

at Hardee’s (Boones Creek)

at Bone Fire Smokehouse

SHOOTER

(Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at State Line Bar & Grill 7pm

THUNDERCOCK. SUNDALE. NERVE ENDINGS at Capone’s

JET BLACK AUDIO

WEDNESDAY

Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke At Bristol VFW - BTN Turn the Page Karaoke At VFW Post 2108 - JCTN ***********************

THURSDAY

Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Macadoo’s 8pm Karaoke At Holiday Inn - JCTN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JCTN ***********************

FRIDAY

KaraokeAt Bristol VFW - BTN Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 9pm Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - JCTN Karaoke At Elizabethton VFW Karaoke w/ DJ Marques At Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - BVA Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN *********************** Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - JCTN Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN Karaoke at Bristol VFW Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Macado’s - Kingsport ***********************

BROAD STREET STATION at The Outdoorsman 7pm

DIRTY DOZEN BRASS BAND

at Barter Theatre January Jams PLAN Z (Rock) at 50Fifty Sports Tavern

BENNY JONES

at The Family Barn 7:30pm at Acoustic Coffeehouse

TUESDAY

Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN ***********************

SATURDAY

at Country Club Bar & Grill

BEN STALETS LOST FIDDLE STRINGBAND

KARAOKE

PLAN Z

Friday, Jan 8th • 50Fifty Sports Tavern

SUNDAY

Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JCTN ***********************

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Spotlight Directory

50 Fifty Sports Tavern 2102 N. Roan Street Johnson City Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872 Bristol Brewery 41 Piedmont Ave Bristol VA 276/ 608-1220 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Bristol VFW Post 6975 14 16th St. Bristol TN 423/ 764-0381 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 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 Family Barn 15559 Lee Hwy Bristol VA

Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100 Holston River Brewing Company 2621 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton 423/ 518-1500 Kosher Pickle 3900 Bristol Hwy Johnson City 423/ 979-7000 Show Palace 14364 Lee Hwy Bristol VA 276/494-6610 State Line Bar & Grill 644 State Street Bristol 423/652-0792 Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City 423/979-6400 Willoughby Ruritan 5145 Marvin Rd Bulls Gap VA The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City Woodstone Deli 3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport 423/245-5424 Yee Haw Brewing Company 126 Buffalo St. Johnson City

Amethyst Kiah & Her Chest of Glass

8pm • Sat. Jan 9th • The WillowTree Coffeehouse & Music Room

January 5, 2016 | The Loafer | Page 15

Page 16 | The Loafer | January 5, 2016

Top 10 Astronomy Stories of 2015 Hands down, the robotic flyby of Pluto at the farthest reaches of our Solar System is the top story in astronomy for 2015.

Other stories that everybody heard about one time or another during the past year include the orbiting of Ceres in the asteroid belt by another amazing NASA spacecraft and the confirmation that water exists on the surface of Mars.

Astronomy highlights of the year 2015 also include the 15 year of people on the International Space Station and 25 years of fantastic images from the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope.

Let’s look at my personal Top 10 Astronomy Highlight of 2015: 1) Pluto: the flyby last July by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft revealed a dynamic world of active geology despite the minus -370 below zero temperatures. Pluto, smaller than Earth’s Moon at just under 1,400 miles wide has frozen nitrogen, water and methane that has created a bizarre landscape of mountains, moving glaciers and ice volcanoes. Also bizarre and an active world is the 375 mile-wide moon Charon, which has a hemisphere of ice spewed off Pluto. See the latest imagery at the New Horizons web site headquartered at Johns Hopkins University.

2) Ceres: this dwarf planet in the asteroid Belt surprised planetary scientist when cameras onboard the Dawn spacecraft revealed more than 100 white splotches mostly inside craters and a pyramid-like mountain. Dawn began orbiting in August 2015, and is the first spacecraft to orbit two bodies, having spent a year in 2012 around the asteroid Vesta. The now famous image of the bright spots inside crater Occator are revealed to be a mineral like

magnesium sulfate—Epsom salt.

Dawn has been lowered to is final orbit height of 240 miles and is already sending back incredible images. Check out the Dawn website or Facebook at 1 Ceres Protoplanet being revealed.

3) Water on Mars: A decade of orbiters and rovers, the collaborative knowledge has finally yielded the discovery worth waiting for; liquid water does flow on the surface of Mars. The visual evidence of water breaching the surface on the sides of many crater and canyons has been confirmed as salty water welling up from the ground. NASA’s car-sized rover Curiosity has also found Martian mud a foot below its wheels as it works in the middle of an ancient riverbed. Slowly, the pieces of the puzzle are coming together about a wet Mars maybe 3 billion years ago.

4) Earth-like Exoplanets Found: The search for extraterrestrial live in our Universe has taken some big leaps in 2015 as the Kepler Telescope and those powerful lenses on Earth keep narrowing the life indicators on planets orbiting other stars.

5) Europe Spacecraft Continues Orbiting Comet: The European Space Agency (ESA) has a

year of orbiting is spacecraft Rosetta around two-mile long Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko. In November 2014 the spacecraft ejected refrigerator-sized lander Philae on the surface, and it sent photos before batteries ran out—all The odd, two-lobed shaped comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko was created when two comets collided at a low speed, giving it a distinctive “rubber duck” shape.

6) International Space Station occupied 15 years: Since the year 2000, there have been at least two

people aboard the ISS orbiting 225 miles above Earth. That includes more than 320 people from all 17 countries that are part of the consortium that built the $400 billion “Station.” Aboard and heading to end their year-long mission in March 2016 are American and Russian experienced space men, Scott Kelly and Mikhail Kornienko. The ISS is easy to see in our post twilight skies as a very bright, slow moving star, usually one week a month in the morning and one week in the evening. The NASA website will give you accurate times to see the ISS. 7) Super Moon Lunar Eclipse: North America was captivated by the Sept. 30 total eclipse of the Moon that also happened when our celestial satellite was at its closest point to Earth, 338,000 miles away. Beautiful photos were captured as the Moon slipped into the shadow of the Earth, creating lasting memories across America.

A new awareness of these frequent “super moons” have piqued the public to look up at Full Moon time—and maybe do a little howling.

8) Commercial Supply Runs to ISS: Orbital Services spaceship Cygnus and SpaceX’s Falcon have flow to the ISS with supplies as private industry becomes a big player in the business of space flight. After a disaster that lost its cargo ship in October, SpaceX rallied in December by launching its Falcon 9 rocket, safely landing its first stage vertically at Cape Canaveral while the second stage successfully deployed a constellation of 11 satellites. The year 2016

will be an active year for private industry continuing to push into the space frontier.

9) Hubble turns 25: Launched on April 24th, 1990 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, the Hubble Space Telescope celebrates 25 years in space in 2015. The final servicing mission in 2009 gave Hubble a reprieve from the space junk scrap heap, and the orbiting telescope is still going strong. Hubble has no less than pushed the limits in modern astronomy to become a modern icon of the space age.

10) Messenger Ends 10 years at Mercury: NASA’s Mercury exploring spacecraft wraps up its mission next year. Launched in 2004, MESSENGER arrived in orbit around Mercury after a series of flybys on March 18th, 2011. MESSENGER has mapped the innermost world in detail, and studied the space environment and geology of Mercury. In late March 2015, MESSENGER achieved one final first when it impacted the surface of Mercury to end its extended mission.

11) BONUS: The book and movie “The Martian:” Written by a computer programmer Andy Weir, this first novel created a sensation with a simple rescue mission that was written around plausible survival techniques that are capable now. The movie was a hit as actor Matt Damon turned in a credible performance about a man stranded on Mars having to survive more than 500 days before being rescued. Even “nonspace” people love it, so check the book or movie soon!

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January 5, 2016 | The Loafer | Page 17

Celestial events in the skies for the week of Jan. 5th 2016 - Jan. 10th as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.

While pretty window “sun catchers” toss the rainbow of sunlight around the walls of our cozy homes, the days might be cold, but they are getting longer. The Sun is at its lowest point of the year in the south, the low angle filtering sunlight into our rooms with windows facing south. But day-by-day, the Sun’s arc across the daytime sky is getting higher—adding about a minute every other day to our light time. But there’s still more than 13 hours of nighttime, and plenty to see in the glorious winter sky.

tus. Joining Pluto, former asteroid Ceres was upgraded to “dwarf planet,” considered protoplanets that failed to get bigger in the birthing of our Solar System. and others in the new classification.

discovery convinced Galileo that the Earth orbited the Sun and our Moon orbited Earth—which was not accepted knowledge 400 years ago. A few nights later, Galileo saw a fourth Jupiter moon, Ganymede, joining Io, Callisto and Europa. All Wed. Jan. 6 Nothing says the New Year four moons, and the cloud bands is here more than the easily rec- of Jupiter, are easily seen in any ognized constellation Orion the backyard telescope.

Hunter. Leaping over the eastern Fri. Jan. 8 horizon and taking his place high Happy Birthday Stephen Hawkin the south as the night of stars ing, the world’s premier physicists wheels overhead, Orion is a win- and longest survivor of ALS at age ter friend to avid stargazers, and a 74. Confined to a wheel chair for treasure trove of deep sky objects, decades, Hawking has a brilliant Tues. Jan. 5 including the crown jewel of the mind that has pioneered modern On this 2005 date in space his- winter sky—The Great Nebula of day physics. He put it all down tory, astronomers discovered an Orion. in layman’s terms in the 1988 bestobject larger than Pluto and nearly Thurs. Jan. 7 seller, “A Brief History of Time.” twice as far in the Kuiper Belt.

On this 1610 date in space his- Sat. Jan. 9 Named Eris, it and a half-dozen tory, the great Italian scientist GalOn this 1968 date in space hisother objects near the size of Pluto ileo turned his new telescope to tory, Surveyor 7 lands on the sparked the debate that demoted the planet Jupiter and discovered Moon near the young crater Tythe planet to “dwarf planet” sta- three of its four giant moons. The cho, who’s rays are visible during

space for two years, deployment of two communications satellites and another half-dozen experiments conducted by the crew of five.

Sun. Jan. 10

On his 1946 date in space history, the U.S Army bounced a radar signal off the Moon and received it back on Earth. This allowed the average 240,000-mile distance to the Moon to be determined within Full Moon. feet. In the early 1970s, Apollo In 1990, Space Shuttle Columbia moonships left three, one-squarewas launched from Cape Kenne- foot reflective prisms on the surdy. This busy 12-day mission in- face, used today to catch earthcluded retrieval of Long Duration based lasers and determine the Exposure Facility that had been in Moon’s distance to the inch.

Page 18 | The Loafer | January 5, 2016

IN THEATRES NOW Box Office Top 10

In Theaters Now

“Daddy’s Home” Will Ferrell films are often hit (“”Elf”) and miss (“Land of the Lost”), but they are rarely boring, and unlike fellow comedic actor Adam Sandler, Ferrell can actually portray dissimilar characters in his films. Ferrel’s latest effort, “Daddy’s Home” co-stars Mark Wahlberg, and the two actors are perfect polar opposites for the film. Ferrell stars as Brad, a caring Step-dad to his new wife Sara’s (Linda Cardellini) two kids.

At first the step-kids can’t stand their new dad, but just as they are warming up to his charms, their real dad, Dusty (Wahlberg) shows up all brash and cool on a motorcycle. Of course, the kids have a fit their dad has shown up, and they immediately shower all their attention on Dusty.

However as Dusty has never been a real father to the kids, Brad is apprehensive at first, but realizes the kids need to get to know Dusty, and agrees to let him stay at their home during his visit. Not only does Dusty have a motorcycle, he is all muscles, and his brash demeanor impresses the kids, but freaks Brad out. Sara wants no part of Dusty, and despite warning Brad to keep him away, agrees to tolerate his presence. Dusty’s presence in the house sets the stage for a “father” competition between dad and step-dad. The two dad’s do everything they can to win over the kids with some of their stunts including a pony and expensive seats at an NBA game. Despite Brad’s best efforts in securing mega expensive tickets to the NBA game, Dusty actually man-

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) Three decades after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, a new threat arises. The First Order attempts to rule the galaxy and only a ragtag group of heroes can stop them, along with the help of the Resistance.

The Big Short (2015) Four outsiders in the world of high-finance who predicted the credit and housing bubble collapse of the mid-2000s decide to take on the big banks for their lack of foresight and greed.

Daddy’s Home (2015) Stepdad, Brad Whitaker, is a radio host trying to get his stepchildren to love him and call him Dad. But his plans turn upside down Point Break (2015) when the biological father, Dusty A young FBI agent infiltrates Mayron, returns. an extraordinary team of extreme sports athletes he suspects of masJoy (2015) terminding a string of unprecJoy is the story of the title char- edented, sophisticated corporate acter, who rose to become founder heists. “Point Break” is inspired by and matriarch of a powerful fam- the classic 1991 hit. ily business dynasty.

The Hunger Games: Sisters (2015) Mockingjay - Part 2 (2015) Two sisters decide to throw one As the war of Panem escalates to last house party before their par- the destruction of other districts, ents sell their family home.

Katniss Everdeen, the reluctant leader of the rebellion, must bring Alvin and the Chipmunks: together an army against PresiThe Road Chip (2015) dent Snow, while all she holds Through a series of misunder- dear hangs in the balance. standings, Alvin, Simon and Theodore come to believe that Dave is Creed (2015) going to propose to his new girlThe former World Heavyweight friend in Miami...and dump them. Champion Rocky Balboa serves They have three days to get to as a trainer and mentor to Adonis him and stop the proposal, saving Johnson, the son of his late friend themselves not only from losing and former rival Apollo Creed.

Dave but possibly from gaining a terrible stepbrother.

Concussion (2015) In Pittsburgh, accomplished

ages to upstage him at the game, sending Brad reeling in a drunken stupor at the game. His embarrassing behavior at the basketball game results in Brad leaving his home, with Dusty left behind at the house with the kids and Sara.

While Brad is away, Dusty realizes

pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu uncovers the truth about brain damage in football players who suffer repeated concussions in the course of normal play.

wife shows up. The film is saved from being mediocre thanks to the performances of Ferrell and Wahlberg, who have great onscreen he is not cut out for the father rou- chemistry, highlighted by their tine, and plans on leaving town. verbal sparring. In addition the Even though Dusty has done characters, who could have easeverything to get Sara back in his ily been over-the-top stereotypes, life, Brad eventually brings every- are kept under control by director one together, gets to go home, and Sean Anders (“We’re the Millers”). all ends on a good note until the fa- I would best describe “Daddy’s ther of the children of Dusty’s new Home” as a cute film with an edge.

IMDb.com (01/01/2016)

Rated: PG-13

B-

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January 5, 2016 | The Loafer | Page 19

A Forum for Discussion The holidays have now come and gone and honestly, I feel a little cheated. It’s not that I had a bad Christmas mind you - I hauled in some excellent loot. And I spent time with family, watched a little football, etc. No, it’s the weather that has me bummed out. Though I’m not one to dream of a green Christmas, that’s exactly what I got. So, for this week, I’m inspired to do something a little different.

Come with me, if you will, to a land of snow; a land of toques and poutine; a land of hockey. That’s right, this week we’re going to Canada.

Specifically, we’re going to Montréal, one of the most touristfriendly cities in North America and a place that I highly recommend for travelers in search of something a little out of the ordinary. There’s lots to see, do, and eat, and a simple Google search will lead you to all of it. To me though, one of the most interesting stops is to a movie theater.

Though a large one by any standard (22 screens) it’s the cineplex’s former use that makes it unique: it was once an arena that played host to a staggering number of noteworthy moments in sports history and numerous other events of cultural significance.

Opening in 1924, the Montréal Forum (or Le Forum de Montréal) was home ice to the NHL’s Montreal Canadiens, possibly the most dominant franchise not only in hockey, but in the history of sport.

Over its 72-year run, the Forum saw 24 Stanley Cup Championships (15 from 1956-79). Not even the New York Yankees can boast that kind of dominance. And although it’s best known as the place to see hall-of-famers with names like Lafleur, Richard, and

Béliveau, the storied arena’s single greatest athletic performance took place in 1976 and was delivered by a fourteen-year-old Romanian girl named Nadia. Yes, that Nadia.

As the Forum served as venue for the gymnastics events in the 1976 Summer Olympics, it was there where Nadia Comăneci scored the very first ‘Perfect 10’ in Olympic competition.

The Forum’s relevance wasn’t just limited to sports either. As Montréal’s biggest and best arena, it was also the site of numerous

other live events, musical and otherwise. Several concerts that took place there have been released as albums by artists such as Queen, Black Sabbath, Journey, and of course, Rush. Even Billy Graham once held his Mission Quebec at the Forum (though his live album isn’t out yet). And to top even that, Canadian fans of the Beatles were treated to an evening with the Fab Four as part of the group’s summer 1964 tour of North America.

Although the Montréal Forum was gutted in the late 1990’s and

repurposed as that movie theater I mentioned above, you don’t need to buy a ticket and stand amongst the ushers and overpriced snacks to get a feel for the history that took place there. The expansive lobby was designed to incorporate a dizzying amount of Canadiens nostalgia. Decked out in the

team’s traditional blue, red, and white, some of the features include a re-creation of center ice, a bank of seats from the old Forum, and 24 banners hanging from the rafters - one for each of Montréal’s Stanley Cup winners. And you can see it all without having to dodge any errant pucks.

Page 20 | The Loafer | January 5, 2016

January Jams ..... continued from page 6 Friday, January 22nd

Johnnyswim with Amythyst Kiah & Her Chest of Glass

If You Like: The Civil Wars, John Mayer, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors, The Lumineers Abner and Amanda formed JOHNNYSWIM in Music City, USA. The son of immigrants who fled Cuba for the southeast, Abner had moved to Nashville to study and pursue music while Amanda’s family settled in Nashville after moving between Los Angeles and the northeast. Both inherited strong musical influences from their parents and both were driven by a desire to chart their own path in music. Abner attempted a solo career with a record label and Amanda had done some recording in New York but neither course was creatively satisfying. And then they met each other in 2005.

Fueled by Nashville’s fervent music scene, the two began writing songs that drew from and augmented each other’s musical strengths. “Nashville was our incubator,” says Amanda. “It was a creative cocoon that allowed us to get out whatever was in us without the need to be ‘successful.’ It developed us in the best way. In Nashville, I met so many amazing musicians who could care less if anyone ever knew their name.

They loved music and that was that. It was so refreshing.” Adopting the name JOHNNYSWIM, the duo self-released their debut EP 1-4 in 2008. A year later, Abner and Amanda got married and relocated to Los Angeles. No matter what JOHNNYSWIM writes or where they perform, the excellence of their craft infuses every note.

Amythyst Kiah & Her Chest of Glass. Amythyst Kiah is a singer/songwriter and a contemporary rootsmusic fusionist based out of Johnson City, TN, which has been her permanent residence for nearly a decade.

Most people have a difficult time describing her sound, but she defines it simply as “southern roots music.”

She has been performing in what is known as the Tri-Cities (Bristol, TN/VA, Johnson City, TN, Kingsport, TN) and in various parts of Southwest Virginia.

Not only are her influences eclectic, but they span across decades. She draws heavily on Old Time music (Mississippi Sheiks, Son House, Jimmie Rodgers, Olla Belle Reed, Carter Family) and is inspired by vocal stylings of R&B and Country music from the ‘50s-’70s (Big Mama Thornton, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Mahalia Jackson, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn). Needless to say, Amythyst has got a lot of tools in her vocal tool box, and is also well on her way to join the powerhouse vocalist pantheon.

The recent addition of local musicians known as Her Chest of Glass transforms her songs into country blues dance rock, and have had the pleasure of making their debut in Savannah, GA at Revival Fest, and con-

tinue to play and other venues within and outside the Tri-Cities Region.

Saturday, January 23rd

Horse Feathers & Joe Pug Double Headline Show

Joe Pug Solo If the opening notes on Joe Pug’s new LP “Windfall” are a bit disorienting, his fans won’t likely be surprised. The Austin, TX singer songwriter has made a habit of defying expectations so the piano-driven “Bright Beginnings” and the atmospheric rumination of “Great Hosannas” are just further indication that he’s quite comfortable

January Jams ..... continued on page 23

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Arts Array Films for Spring 2016

The Arts Array Film Series presented by Virginia Highlands Community College opens the Spring 2016 Film Series January 25 and 26 with an amazing performance from Carey Mulligan in “Suffragette.” All films are presented at the Abingdon Cinemall on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 pm.

“The series continues to showcase foreign films, documentaries, and independent American films that movie enthusiasts in the area don’t have access to in commercial theaters,” said series coordinator Tommy Bryant. “The Spring 2016 season includes a number of titles that will certainly be considered

for major film awards.”

The year’s schedule is as follows: “Suffragette” (January 25 and 26) A drama that tracks the story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.

“Trumbo” (February 1 and 2) In 1947, Dalton Trumbo was Hollywood’s top screenwriter until he and other artists were jailed and blacklisted for their political beliefs. TRUMBO recounts how Dalton used words and wit to win two Academy Awards.

“Pawn Sacrifice” (February 8 and 9)

In a gripping story set during the height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer finds himself caught between two superpowers when he challenges the Soviet Empire.

“Room” (February 15 and 16) ROOM tells the extraordinary story of Jack, a spirited 5-year-old who is looked after by his loving and devoted mother. Like any good mother, Ma dedicates herself to keeping Jack happy and safe.

“Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon” (February 22 and 23) Featuring rare and never before seen footage, this is the mind boggling story of The National Lampoon from its subversive and electrifying beginnings, to rebirth as an unlikely Hollywood heavyweight.

“Animal House” (February 29 and March 1) This outrageous comedy captures the story of a group of Blevel frat boys who must fight for their existence as a fraternity at Faber College in the face of the prestigious Omegas.

January 5, 2016 | The Loafer | Page 21 “What Our Fathers Did: A Nazi Legacy” (March 14 and 15) Three men travel together across Europe. For two of them, the journey involves a confrontation with the acts of their fathers, who were both senior Nazi officers.

“The Danish Girl” (Mar. 21 & 22) Danish artist, Gerda Wegener, painted her own husband, Einar Wegener as a lady. When the painting gained popularity, Einar started to change his appearance into that of a female.

“In the Heart of the Sea” (March 28 and 29) In the winter of 1820, the New England whaling ship Essex was assaulted by something no one could believe: a whale of mammoth size and will, and an almost human sense of vengeance.

“Macbeth” (April 4 and 5) Macbeth, a loyal subject of the realm, is told by three witches that he will one day hold the crown, which moves Macbeth to take devious steps to secure that position.

“Paulette” (April 11 and 12) Paulette lives alone in a housing project in the Paris suburbs.

With her pension, she can no longer make ends meet. One evening,

outside her building, Paulette sees the sign of destiny.

“Hitchcock/Truffaut” (April 18 and 19) Kent Jones brings “the Bible of Cinema” to invigorating life.

He interviews filmmakers whose work has been profoundly influenced by Hitchcock.

The Arts Array Film Series is part of the comprehensive cultural outreach program of Virginia Highlands Community College.

The series is co-sponsored by the Abingdon Cinemall, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Emory& Henry College, and King University.

Admission to the films is free for the faculty/staff members and students at the supporting institutions. Members of the general community may attend for $7.75.

Arts Array brochures can be found at the following locations: Virginia Highlands Community College, the Washington County Library, The Abingdon Cinemall, or the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center.

For more information, please contact Tommy Bryant at 276-7392451 or email him at tbryant@ vhcc.edu.

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Pets Of The Week

Albert is a 2 yr old male Great Pyrenes mix he is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. He is a sweet boy and wants to be with a family.

Bella is a 2 yr old Daschund female who is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. Start the new year with this smart and fiesty girl!

The Bridge Home has an ongoing aluminum can can collection in front of the shelter at 2061Hwy 75 in Blountville,TN 37617. The cans are collected by a volunteer and the money from the aluminum goes towards badly needed food and supplies for the animals

Monthly Meeting The National Active and Retired Federal Employees will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday January 7, 2016 at 11:00 am at the Empire Buffet, 2614 N. Roan Street, Johnson City, Tn. The speaker will be Shawn Haugrud, ETSU Gray Fossil Site dig coordinator and director of prepping all fossils from the site. He will be talking about the latest discovery of the Mastodon. For additional information contact Wayne Robertson (423) 741-0612.

The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue recently moved in to their new 7,300 sq foot building @ 2061 Hwy 75 Blountville, TN,37617. The Bridge Home is a non profit 501(c)(3) organization established in 2002 dedicated to the welfare of homeless or abandoned animals. They provide care and compassion for stray and unwanted cats and dogs until they can be adopted into a forever home.

Every animal in their care is spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated before being adopted. Being a non profit the shelter is funded entirely by membership dues and private donations. They always need volunteers or monetary donations. Other always needed items:pet food, cat litter & cat toys dog treats & dog toys,paper towels, cleaners, office supplies,Purina weight circles.

Phone: 423.239.5237 Hours are Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm Sat 12pm-3pm and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is www.bridgehomerescue@gmail.com or like them on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bridgehome?fref=ts.

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January Jams ..... continued from page 20 stepping outside of the guy-with-a-guitar trappings of the genre.

His rise has been as improbable as it has been impressive. After dropping out of college and taking on work as a carpenter in Chicago, he got his musical start by providing CDs for his fans to pass along to their friends. This led to a string of sold out shows and a record deal with Nashville indie Lightning Rod Records (Jason Isbell, Billy Joe Shaver). As he toured behind “Messenger” (2010) and The Great Despiser (2012) it was with a band that looked as much like a jazz trio as an Americana band. ”I never quite found a live band that captured what I was aiming for until I connected with Greg [Tuohey--electric guitar] and Matt [Schuessler--upright bass]. It was an arrangement that maybe didn’t make a ton of sense on paper but 10 minutes into the first rehearsal I knew this was going to be my band.” The following years would have them on the road for over four hundred shows, including stops at Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and The Newport Folk Festival.

After taking himself off the road in 2013, the self-induced layoff paid dividends in spades.

When Pug set up camp in Lexington KY in 2014 to record, he did so with some of the best songs he has ever written. The agenda was much simpler than previous albums. “The aim on this one was very straightforward. We wanted to capture the music just the way we play it, with minimal production. It was a very back to basics approach because ultimately that’s what I love about music, and that’s what I love about making music. I wanted to record these songs the way they were written and put them out in the world.” The result is a collection of songs that are as close as we’ve gotten to a road map to Pug’s ambitions. He has collected plenty of the requisite Dylan comparisons over his young career but on this record it’s easier to hear the sway of more contemporary influences like Josh Ritter, Ryan Adams and M.Ward.

Horse Feathers-Special Duo performance Justin Ringle, the man behind all ten years of Horse Feathers, has the following to say about the making of this album, and the current state of his band: “I wanted to stop. I did all the touring for my fourth record – “Cynic’s New Year” – and ended the year 2012 disillusioned and defeated. I didn’t touch my guitar for months, which was the longest I had gone in about 15 years. I thought that my career in music was over and wondered if I even wanted to do it anymore. After an arduous period of self-doubt and discovery, I finally arrived at the enlightened idea that maybe it should just be a little more fun. I had grown weary of talking to people after shows who said that my last record “helped them through their divorce”. I have always been flattered by that sort of thing, but I realized what I wanted to hear was how my last record helped them “have a great weekend”. If you have heard any of my previous records you will realize that this transformation from “divorce” band to “weekend” band would be a tall order. And it was! I wouldn’t say we’ve become a “party band” overnight, but I certainly tried to change things a bit.

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GREENEVILLE, TN

Niswonger Performing Arts Center:

Breath Control and Trigger Pull Breath control, and trigger pull are two shooting fundamentals that directly impact your accuracy.

With rifles and shotguns the two stances in which these fundamentals can make the most difference is standing and kneeling. If the

you’re shooting a 20mm spread at 100 meters, but you really want to shoot a 12mm spread.

Trigger pull, this technique is unique to each shooter. An exercise I recommend is to take your dominant hand and place it be-

part in this. You need to memorize the trigger, at what pressure does it begin to move? When does it release the action? And when does it reset? Over anticipating the release of the action and subsequent shot can cause the shooter to jerk the

Jan. 9 - The Motown Experience Apr. 23 - Charlie Daniels Band May 7 - Restless Heart

KNOXVILLE, TN

Tennessee Theatre:

Jan. 23 - Moon Taxi Feb. 20 - Don Williams Mar. 2 - Foreigner Mar. 9 & 10 - Blue Man Group

Knoxville Civic Auditorium: Feb. 17 - R5

Bijou Theatre:

Jan. 15 - Steep Canyon Rangers Apr. 9 - Robin Trower

Knoxville Civic Coliseum:

Feb. 20 - Scott Hamilton and Friends

Thompson Boling Arena:

Apr. 15 - Brantley Gilbert Sept. 14 - Maroon 5

NORTH CAROLINA Harrah’s in Cherokee: gun is resting on a branch or rest than the rest negates the purpose of breath control however, proper trigger pull is always useful.

What is the purpose of breath control? Have you ever noticed when you’re aiming your rifle or shotgun that the front sight moves ever so slightly up and down?

This is a result of your breathing.

Now, some people can hold their breath longer than others. That being said everyone at some point or another while holding their breath and a rifle will begin to quiver.

This negates the purpose of breath control, which is to steady the rifle. Test yourself to find you threshold. I for example only have about 10-20 seconds of usable time with one breath. Now should you practice breath control with every shot? I wouldn’t recommend it as you will eventually will grow light headed from holding your breath. The time this technique really comes in handy is when

hind your back. Then with your index finger and thumb at a 90 degree angle draw the two together until they touch. Where your thumb touches your index finger is where your trigger should be for a natural pull. If the trigger is placed anywhere else on the index finger, the shooter may be tempted to pull left or right. This can greatly impact your marksmanship. Now that you’ve figured out where your trigger should go lets discuss trigger pull.

When pulling the trigger, the shooter should utilize a single fluid motion.

Knowing your rifle plays a big

trigger. It is important to know at exactly which stage of the trigger pull the gun will go off. Effective trigger pull can only be mastered through practice. If you’re afraid of dry firing your rifle or shotgun, I recommend investing in some snap caps or “Dummy Rounds” which in most cases are colored to distinguish them from live rounds. They also come equipped with silicone primers which won’t damage firing pins and hammers, whether on the range or using dummy rounds practice finger placement, and learning the stages of your trigger. Another nifty trick is to balance a dime on the end of your barrel, and then pull the trigger, if you’re pulling left, right, or jerking the coin will fall off.

As always I hope you enjoyed this article, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email me, I look forward to your feedback.

Jan. 9 - Gregg Allman Feb. 6 - Jennifer Nettles, Brandy Clark, Lindsay Ell and Tara Thompson Feb. 13 - Tracy Morgan Mar. 5 - Dwight Yoakam

Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte: Feb. 20 - TobyMac Apr. 14 - Mumford & Sons June 7 - Selena Gomez June 30 - Demi Lavato & Nick Jonas Sept. 11 - Maroon 5

U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville:

Jan. 22 - Jackson Brown (acoustic tour) Feb. 19 & 20 - Umphrey’s McGee Feb. 21 - Vince Gill and Lyle Lovette Apr. 12 - Celtic Woman

WNC Agricultural Center Expo in Asheville: Dec. 31 - Deck the Hall & Rock the Walls

SOUTH CAROLINA House of Blues in Myrtle Beach: Dec. 31 - Corey SMith Jan. 23 - The Wailers Mar. 29 - Disturbed

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Are Our Generations Running Out Of Letters?

For our first new year’s visit to Kelly’s Place, let’s take a look at a very important topic. Perhaps more important than our ever-present concerns about the upcoming Presidential election or whether our government will continue to be funded is the question concerning what will we call the present generation when we run out of letters to designate it.

Well, we have apparently reached that point with the appearance of Generation Z, that group of young Americans who were born in the late 90s and will soon be graduating from our high schools. Of course, we have used other nonalphabetic descriptors for our generations, such as Baby Boomers (I have a membership card to that one), Millennials, Generation App, etc., but it seems that we particularly like alphabetical designations. Why we didn’t start with A and go through Z I don’t know. If we had done this, there would still be plenty of letters left.

The current issue of Time maga-

zine reveals, in a piece written by Katy Steinmetz, that “society is starting to obsess over the next generation that will define American culture.” This so-called Generation X is also referred to as the Plurals, the Founders (of what we are not told), and the Homelanders. “Generation X,” while not being more precise, seems more appropriate for the time being. Until we need a letter for the next generation, that is.

According to Larry Rosen, a California State University psychologist, Generation Z is “totally and utterly connected,” with “Google-fostered expectations that everything be instantaneous” and its members are filled with worry about “their inability to tolerate even five seconds of boredom.”

Perhaps more significant is the question of personal identity in an age of social media. A spokesperson from the University of Washington says “There’s so much pressure on young people, who are still forming their identities,

to present this crystallized, idealized identity online.” Hey, I grew up in the pre-social-media era and remember having several identity issues back then. And I still wonder what I want to be when I grow up (a decision which I hope will continue to be postponed for as long as possible).

Nearly a year ago The Business Insider ran a very informative article titled “Everything you need to know about Generation Z.” According to Laurence Benhamou, the author of this piece, “These youngsters, born after 1995, and unaware of a world without Internet, live a life that seems a million miles removed from the hopes, dreams and morals of previous generations. They are so hooked into the digital world that some academics have nicknamed them ‘the mutants.’” Only a generation that looks down on these individuals rather condescendingly and perhaps fearfully would choose such a questionable designation.

Benhamou goes on to list some

of the characteristics of Generation Z: “They want everything, everywhere and immediately,” they “find it easier to talk online than in person,” they “have become the ultimate ‘self-educators,’ learning how to use new stuff via videos on YouTube,” they spend “more than three hours a day in front of a screen” (sounds like a very conservative and unrealistic estimate to me), they “live in constant ‘FOMO,’ fear of missing out,” they want “to create their own company—between 50 percent and 79 percent want to run their own start-up,” and, filled with disillusion about the current state of political affairs, “they want to change the world and love the idea of vol-

unteer work, which a quarter of Americans in their late teens are already doing.” Doesn’t sound like a group of mutants to me.

Needless to say, many members of my generation are disillusioned, constantly connected, and dedicated to volunteer service (I currently serve on two non-profit boards).

So, we should be very cautious in our descriptions of other people and other generation. A better way of understanding all this is provided by Beloit College professors, Tom McBride and Ron Nief, authors of their yearly “Mindset Lists,” and a book I use every year in my US History Honors class at Northeast State: THE MINDSET LISTS OF AMERICAN HISTORY. What Ron and Tom have done makes much more sense that trying to find alphabetical letters and often-nonsensical descriptors for various generations. What they do is make lists of what 18-year-olds from various decades think is normal and what they take for granted as their world views. For instance,

the Class of 1931, which was made up of people who were born in 1913, grew up believing that most people “have always questioned the health benefits of daily baths,” that “until their senior year in high school, New York City was able to claim the Woolworth Building as the tallest in the United States,” and that “they’ve always heard that the country can’t build roads fast enough.” Members of the Class of 1970, born in 1952, possess a mindset characterized by “trusting no one over thirty,” having to “learn a five-digit zip code as part of their address” when they were eleven, that “there has always been a link between cancer and smoking,” and “since they were second graders, the U.S. flag has had fifty stars.” By doing some research on each of these statements, students can gain much more depth in their understanding of history than by engaging in the usual memorization of random “facts and dates.”

Thinking about American history in terms of mindsets certainly makes more sense than the usual and way-overdone “parade of decades” mentality that has for far too long dominated the study of our history. By examining mindsets and themes we can see how history is interrelated and connected to our own lives. I recommend using Tom and Ron’s book as a history textbook. As they observe in their introduction: “Whether in the past, the present, or the future, we are all part of history in the making, and we will do well never to forget that.”

And I will add that taking a mindsets perspective takes us far aware from the mantra of standardized testing that should have no place in the study of history.

I hope you will greet this New Year with an appreciation of how mindsets affect all of us. And I hope you will not think of Generation Z as the “mutant” generation as you prepare for the arrival of Generation Post-Z. See you next week. Before I go, I am happy to report that for the twelfth year in a row I have kept my one and only New Year’s Resolution to not watch the movie “The Sound of Music.” I have already made that goal my resolution for this year and believe I can once again feel good about keeping it when December 31 rolls around. I hope you have chosen an equally easy-to-keep resolution.

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