theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
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on the cover
Volume 30 • Issue #50
Same place, New face
Publisher Luci Tate Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle
Supporting the Arts and Entertainment of the region... with a new look!
Cover Design Bill May
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 adcopy@theloaferonline.com 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 Let’s Get Social!
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Stargazer Second Moon Landing A Pinpoint Exclamation Point Skies This Week Batteries Not Included The Roku’s Paw The Casual Word My Dear Autumn Pop Life Doctor Strange Appalachian Wanderers A Smoky Mountain Winterfest Mountain Movers The David Hartsock Interview Puzzle Page Kelly’s Place Watching Television
your week’s line-up
Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Brian Bishop Daniel Worley Jason Worley Langley Shazor
columns & reviews
Advertising Dave Carter Patti Barr Sam Jones Shawn Hale Paul Kavanaugh
4 Letter From The Publisher 5 Kenny Rogers’ Final World Tour 6 “Little Women, The Broadway Musical” 7 Milton Marathon 8 Story Slam 9 John McCutcheon Returns To ISC 10 9th Annual Gospel Show 12 Jeff Beam Coming To Johnson City 13 An Evening with Jill Andrews 14 Culture Club Hits Knoxville 15 Harp Guitarist in Concert 16 Spotlight 21 Carter Railroad Museum Homecoming 21 Prohibition for the Paws 23 Contra Dance & Food Raiser 27 JC Christmas Parade Accepting Applications 27 Barter Theatre Stage Dedication 28 Things To Do 29 Pets Of The Week 30 Classifieds
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
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theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
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LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
Luci Tate
Publisher luci.tate@ theloaferonline.com
HOW YA LIKE IT NOW?
the look of the paaaaper.
As you read this issue, we hope you like what we’ve done with our place. If there’s one word that can describe the upcoming new year, I’d have to pick “change”. Without doubt, change does surround us. Presidential changes. Weather changes. Economic changes. Business changes. As I walked around the quiet office floor last June, I noticed a stark disconnect between The Loafer branding and that of
increasing distribution to an even greater circulation with additional location stops. We will thus be even better able to continue to keep more of you informed of current and emerging trends, events, festivals, arts, and music in the region. If common values, and a shared location, are what make a community, then we have all hit the jackpot. Whether that means a year-round recreation mecca, an exciting business landscape, or meaningful
As I walked around the quiet office floor last June, I noticed a stark disconnect between The Loafer branding and that of our own surrounding. our own surrounding. Our office walls are now adorned with extreme art ranging from old barn wood to modern design. We have been building the environment of our work space to better reflect the soul root of what The Loafer brand is all about -- Arts and Entertainment, Music and Nightlife, Dining, and Dancing. And, as our own office space required change, so does The Loafer. It’s the same place, just a new face. As you read through this week’s issue of The Loafer, you will notice that we have given it, too, a change. A face lift, if you will, with a freshened new logo. A new, clean, layout design, making it easier reading for you, our reader; and, more effective space usage for our advertisers. The Loafer brand identity is the connecting point for the many things we do. This includes not only our print and digital publications; but, also, our redesigned website. And, as the TV pitchman is heard to say: “But wait, there’s more!” Thanks to your demand for our publication, the Loafer will now be
volunteer opportunities around town, The Loafer hopes to inspire our readers to get involved and be part of what is going on around us all. A special community deserves a specialty weekly magazine. We hope that as our community grows and prospers, The Loafer will mirror its success. We believe the changes you see in this week’s magazine, and in the newly designed website, will give us an even better opportunity to achieve that goal. But, when it comes to the words and images - the soul of the magazine - The Loafer remains the same. You will find the same local focus, at least the same amount of stories, and, gratefully, the same great columnists! Thank you for being our valuable readers and customers!! Love it? Hate it? Let us know what you think by dropping a comment to this article online at theloaferonline.com. Because after all, it’s what you do with your free time that counts!! Luci Tate Publisher
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theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
FINAL WORLD TOUR
KENNY ROGERS’
GRAMMY Award-winning superstar and Country Music Hall of Fame member Kenny Rogers has enjoyed great success during his storied career of nearly six decades, which will be celebrated during his Final World Tour: The Gambler’s Last Deal. Along with Linda Davis, the American Icon comes to Knoxville Civic Auditorium March 3, 2017 and tickets go on sale this Friday at 10:00am at the Knoxville Coliseum box office and website. The enduring country and pop icon has endeared music lovers around the globe with his amazing songs, heartfelt performances, distinctive voice, gift for storytelling and universal appeal. The first country artist to consistently sell out arenas, Rogers has played to millions of fans around the world, performing songs from his long list of hits which comprise 24 Number Ones including “The Gambler,” “Lucille,” “Coward of the County,” “Lady,” “Islands in the Stream,” “She Believes In Me,” “We’ve Got Tonight,” “Daytime Friends,” “Through The Years,” “You Decorated My Life,” and “Buy Me A Rose.” Incredibly, Rogers has charted a record within each of the last seven decades. He has sold more than 120 million albums worldwide, making him one of the Top Ten Best Selling Male Solo Artists of All Time, according to the RIAA. Rogers has won many awards for his music and charity work, including three GRAMMY Awards, 19 American Music Awards, 11 People’s Choice Awards, eight Academy of Country Music Awards and six Country Music Association Awards, including the CMA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. Rogers was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2013. In 2015, Rogers was awarded the CMT Artist of a Lifetime Award and in 2016, he received the Tony Martell Lifetime Entertainment Achievement Award from the TJ Martell Foundation.
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IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS THEATRE BRISTOL PRESENTS “LITTLE WOMEN, THE BROADWAY MUSICAL”
Theatre Bristol presents “Little Women, The Broadway Musical” November 18 through Thanksgiving weekend until December 4 at the ARTspace, 506 State Street, with tickets on sale now. With book by Allan Knee, music by Jason Howland and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, “Little Women, The Broadway Musical,” follows the adventures of Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March as they grow up in Civil War America. Jo (Lorrie Anderson) longs to publish a novel. Meg (Emily Barnes) longs for a fiancé. Beth (Annika Burley) longs for a piano. Amy (Eden Phillips) longs to be admired. This timeless tale has been given new life as an exhilarating musical filled with glorious song, dance and a few tears. Author Louisa May Alcott’s classic story celebrates personal discovery and coming of age in a time of challenge and transformation. The sisters are joined by Marmee (Laura O’Bryan), Aunt March (Hyacynth Barbera), Laurie (Kerry Morton), Professor Bhaer (Anthony Underwood), Mr. Laurence (Dan Gray), and John Brooke (James Altman). Directing this classic story will be Theatre Bristol veteran David D. Hyde, Jr., most recently Theatre Bristol production designer of The Music Man, Scrooge The Musical, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Nicole Intagliata is stage manager and costumer, Steve Baskett is technical director, and Luke Gray is properties master. Little Women will run from November 18 to December 4 at the Theatre Bristol ARTspace for nine shows over three weekends, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2:30 pm. Box office opens 30 minutes prior to showtime. Tickets are $12, with students and seniors $10 each, available online at the Theatre Bristol website, www.TheatreBristol.org or by calling the reservation message line at 423-212-3625. Little Women The Broadway Musical has been produced nationally
East Tennessee State University will hold 7 a Milton Marathon, with a public reading of John Milton’s 1667 masterpiece, “Paradise Lost,” on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Forum room of the D.P. Culp University Center. ETSU President Dr. Brian Noland will lead off the reading of the epic poem that features God, Satan, war in Heaven and mankind’s loss of the Garden of Eden. Guests are invited to stop by during the day to listen or read some of the 10,000 lines of poetry. In addition, an exhibition of rare 17th through 20th century illustrated editions of “Paradise Lost” will be on display, along with student verbal and visual art inspired by the poem. ETSU students in attendance can enter a drawing for a $100 Barnes and Noble Booksellers gift certificate. The event is sponsored by the ETSU Department of Literature and Language and organized by students in Dr. Josh Reid’s “Milton and His Age” course. For more information, contact Reid at 423-392-8032 or reidjs@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423439-8346.
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
MILTON MARATHON
ETSU to hold a
and internationally, praised by critics for its ambition in adapting such a wellknown story for the stage, according to Music Theatre International. “This timeless, captivating story is brought to life in this glorious musical filled with personal discovery, heartache, hope and everlasting love. The original production starred the unparalleled Sutton Foster, who received Tony, Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nominations for her performance.” Little Women is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI). All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, www.MTIShows.com. Founded in 1965, Theatre Bristol is the oldest continually running children’s theatre in northeast Tennessee and now celebrating its 51st season. Its Main Stage season consists of up to five productions. Some of its performances take place in the ARTspace, a multi-purpose, black box theatre which seats up to 120. Theatre Bristol is entirely volunteer run and we invite you to get involved. For more information, visit the Theatre Bristol’s website or Facebook page, contact Theatre Bristol at 423-212-3625, or email info@theatrebristol.org.
Re-generation: A Johnson City Story Slam Continues
STORY SLAM ANNOUNCED
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
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The Re-generation Story Slam kicks off the holiday season with the third in a series of story slams on Friday, November 18, 8:00 p.m. at Nelson Fine Art Center in downtown Johnson City. This month’s theme is “Blue.”. The slam is open to everyone in the community who has something to say. Adventurous residents with a true personal story to tell that relates to the theme can arrive early and put their names in the drawing. You don’t have to be a seasoned storyteller or slam poet – all are welcome. Admission is free to the public with a suggested donation of 5 to 10 dollars. Stories are aimed at adults, so use discretion when bringing children. Story Slams have been a part of the Johnson City arts scene for six years now, but most of our community still doesn’t know what a Story Slam is. For those who are come for the first time this month, here are a few facts about the history of the leader in the slam movement, The Moth. According to Wikipedia, “The StorySLAM is a live storytelling competition in the vein of poetry slams organized by The Moth, a non-profit literary society from New York, since 2001. Storytellers (slammers) have 5 minutes each to tell a story, based on a theme chosen for the event.” The Moth had taken huge strides around the United States to spread the gift of story and the incomparable connection, between tellers, audience and story, telling brings. Like poetry slams, story slams share a festive environment, usually gathering around mugs of ale or other fine spirits. Slams foster an unabashed environment in which there is no such thing as too far or too little. Story Slams are meant to foster real life tellers of true stories. At the Re-generation: A Johnson City Story Slam people have double the original 5 minutes to tell and are allotted 10 minutes to tell anything they like, as long as it follows a few rules of thumb: 1. Stories should be true. 2. Stories should be 10 minutes or less. 3. Stories should be told and not read. 4. Stories should relate to the theme. Participants put their name in the “hat” from which seven tellers are randomly selected. The event is judged by volunteers from the audience and the winner receives a cash prize! If you prepared a story but your name wasn’t drawn, you still have a chance to tell. A story open mic follows the slam competition. Dick Nelson, owner of Nelson Fine Art Center, offers great coffee and allows guests to bring their own beverages to the slam. This is the third year the story slam has been housed at Nelson’s. TaleTellers, an ETSU student led organization, hosts, schedules, and manages story slam operations. Here is what some folks have to say about Johnson City’s Story Slams: We sat down with some audience members, tellers and a venue owner to find out. “I think any Story Slam is an amazing opportunity to experience the humanity of everyday life through someone else’s perspective” – A.D. “The Story Slams here in Johnson City are the best in the region. I have been to several different places for Slams. Johnson City’s is edgy, honest and in general told more effectively” –Z.R. “There are always many sides to a story. Storytellers present the most entertaining side” –C.N. “I love when the space gets transformed from one space to the other” –D.N. owner of the Fine Art Center that has hosted Johnson City Story Slams for the last several years. The November 18th event is the third in a full season of six slams continuing through April. Slams are intended to share local talents and foster the growth of new talent, here, in Johnson City. You can follow the group’s activities and events at Regeneration: A Johnson City Story Slam on Facebook or TaleTellers Official Facebook page and on Instagram. Direct inquiries to the Department of Communication & Performance at 423-439-7676 or storytel@etsu.edu.eastState. edu.
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
with John McCutcheon
Award Winning Folk Muscian Returns
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On November 17, the International Storytelling Center (ISC) is pleased to feature two concerts from world-renowned folk musician John McCutcheon. These concerts are a special feature of ISC’s Storytelling Live! season, a six-month showcase of the country’s top storytellers. John McCutcheon’s wide repertoire, ranging from multiinstrumental ballads to satire to symphony, provides the fodder for an unforgettable evening of song and story. With 36 albums and seven Grammy nominations, he’s been hailed as “one of our country’s best songwriters” by Pete Seeger and “the most impressive instrumentalist I’ve ever heard” by Johnny Cash. The marriage of song and story is a beloved one, earning the award-winning McCutcheon a top spot among storytelling fans at the National Storytelling Festival. With a style often compared to Will Rogers and Garrison Keillor, few people communicate with his versatility, charm, wit or pure talent. Both concerts will take place on November 17 in the theater of the International Storytelling Center, with a matinee at 2pm and an evening show at 7:30. Tickets are $20 each and are expected to sell out quickly. Reservations for this concert are strongly recommended, though walk-in seating will be available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Following John McCutcheon’s concerts, ISC’s renowned Storytelling Live! series will close with the ever-popular Christmas shows featuring The Uncalled for Trio ( Bil Lepp, Kim Weitkamp, and Andy Offutt Irwin) and Tim Lowry’s interpretation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Information about those performances can be found at www.storytellingcenter.net. The premier sponsor of Storytelling Live! is the Heart & Soul program of Mountain States. Media sponsors include News 5-WCYB, FOX Tri-Cities, Tri-Cities CW, Johnson City Press, Kingsport Times-News, Herald & Tribune, Cumulus Media, The Laurel of Asheville, Plough to Pantry and Foster Signs. Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the East Tennessee Foundation, Eastman Credit Union, the Mooneyhan Family Foundation, the Niswonger Foundation, and Massengill-DeFriece Foundation, Inc. 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.
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
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9TH ANNUAL
JANETTE CARTER GOSPEL SHOW
Sunday, November 20th, 2016, at 2:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a special gospel concert by Carson Peters and Iron Mountain and Ronnie Williams and Friends. Tim White and Teddy Helton will be two of the musicians helping Ronnie. 2016 marks the ninth annual gospel event in honor of Janette Carter. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, children ages 6 to 11 $3, under age 6 free. Tickets will be available only at the door on the day of the concert. Doors will open at 1:00 p.m. Carson Peters started playing the fiddle at the ripe old age of three when his parents bought him a 1/8 size fiddle. By age four, he was playing in fiddle competitions and jamming at music festivals. Carson has continued to hone the fiddling and singing talent that God graciously blessed him with and has won many competitions along the way. At 12 years old, Carson is a seasoned performer playing numerous venues with his band throughout the region – Dollywood’s Bluegrass and BBQ, Asheville Bluegrass First Class, Song of the Mountains, WDVX’s World Class Bluegrass concert series, and at the Carter Family Fold. Carson has had the honor of playing on national TV as a guest on NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He
played with Jimmy Fortune on the floor of the Tennessee State Senate. Carson’s dream of playing on the Grand Ole Opry stage was realized in 2014 when he was invited by Ricky Skaggs to perform with him and his band Kentucky Thunder. The same year, Carson was asked to make a re-appearance at the Opry – this time with his own band. Later that year, Carson made his Ryman Auditorium debut playing again with Ricky Skaggs during the 2014 Bluegrass Nights series. Carson says that winning trophies and getting your name in the paper is “really cool,” but that is not the main reason he works so hard at his music. “It’s all about using the talent God gave me to make people smile!” A born entertainer, Carson is a natural on stage. He and his parents live in Piney Flats, Tennessee. When Carson isn’t “fiddlin’ around,” he’s just an ordinary country boy who enjoys baseball, basketball, golf, hunting, riding his four wheeler, and going to church. Carson’s new band, Iron Mountain, help him entertain audiences performing old time, bluegrass, and gospel music. The band consists of Carson’s father, Jamie Peters, Eric Marshall and Ben Marshall of Mount Airy, North Carolina, and Austin Tate of Marion, Virginia. Carson feels truly blessed to have these fine Christian young men in his band, and especially blessed to be playing with his dad.
music with some amazing bluegrass artists, including the Queen of Bluegrass – Miss Rhonda Vincent. When he isn’t picking on the bluegrass scene, Austin enjoys watching dirt track racing.
Jamie Peters plays the rhythm guitar in the band and has loved bluegrass music since starting to play guitar at age eight. After a long break from playing, his love for pickin’ was reignited when Carson began playing. In any spare time Jamie has from his full time job and picking, he loves restoring and driving old muscle cars. One of the finest musicians around, Jamie is a special blessing to everyone he meets. Ronnie Williams, a longtime Carter Family friend, will be helping with this special concert. Ronnie is a well-
loved and frequent performer at the Fold. He knew and 11 loved Janette, visiting her regularly before her death in 2006. We’re especially grateful and honored to have Ronnie with us for this concert as well as long-time friends Tim White and Teddy Helton. Ronnie has been playing since 1975. One of his best memories is playing for Sara and Maybelle at the Fold in 1976. He remembers playing Gold Watch and Chain and Black Mountain Rag for “Mommy and Maybelle” at Janette’s request. Ronnie plays a Gibson guitar similar to Maybelle’s, and he also plays autoharp and sings beautifully. He now owns and lovingly plays Maybelle’s favorite autoharp as well as several other family instruments. Ronnie has been a friend of the Carter Family for years – covering three generations. He often visited various members of the family – a tradition he continues to this day. Be prepared to be amazed by Carson Peters. His talent and stage presence rival the most seasoned of performers. Dancers won’t be disappointed because he’s as fine a fiddler as any that ever graced the stage of the Carter Fold. There will also be beautiful vocals, instrumentals, and gospel music – something for everyone. For more information on the Fiddlin’ Carson Peters Band, go to http://fiddlincarsonpeters.com. For further information, go to http://www. carterfamilyfold.org or http://www.carterfamilyfold.com. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on upcoming shows at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
Eric Marshall, who plays banjo, was born in Mount Airy, North Carolina, and has loved to sing from his earliest memories. Raised in a region known for its’ traditional music, it was natural for him to be drawn to bluegrass. In his early 20s, Eric started playing banjo with his brother in the Marshall Brothers and Highroad Band. Over the past 20 years, Eric has worn almost every hat possible in a bluegrass band. From band leader to side musician, he’s best known as a traditional style banjo player, vocalist and songwriter. Going to his first bluegrass festival at 18 months old, Ben Marshall truly grew up surrounded by music! He told his dad he wanted to play, so Eric sat Ben on a picnic table at the Galax Fiddler’s Convention, stood a bass fiddle up in front of him, and there’s been no looking back! With his God-given talent, Ben quickly became known for flawless timing and taste as an anchor for the music he played. Once comfortable with playing, Ben started singing lead and harmony, adding his abilities as a performer. Soon, Ben started playing with the youth group, Oldgrass, which has received numerous awards and realized vast exposure. Now 15 years old, Ben continues to share a love for bluegrass and gospel music as he currently plays bass and sings as a member of Iron Mountain. Austin Tate, from Marion, Virginia, is 17 years old and plays the mandolin and sings for the band. He began playing music as eight years old. His taste in music ranges from classic rock and old country to bluegrass and gospel. He has played for many local churches, nursing homes, and venues. He has had some great opportunities to play
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
BEAM ME UP JEFF
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ouring musician Jeff Beam is coming to Johnson City on November 16th. The Portland, Maine native is performing at The Acoustic Coffeehouse at 8pm as part of his 10-show tour of the eastern seaboard. Other stops on the tour include Burlington VT, Charlottesville VA, Athens GA, and New York City. Beam plays music inspired by the likes of Neil Young, Elliott Smith, Radiohead, and The Olivia Tremor Control. Beam is a multi-instrumentalist; his albums are layered affairs that focus on melodic songwriting and interesting chord changes, stitched together by lush soundscapes and new sounds. Beam is occasionally backed by a five-piece band; on this tour, Beam embarks on a solo journey, utilizing acoustic, electric, and bass guitar, with looping and samples. This is Beam’s 2nd show in Tennessee, first playing in Nashville in 2010. “I’m really looking forward to playing in Johnson City and seeing what it’s all about,” said Beam. “A tour like this is a great opportunity for me to see the country, and I think it’s important to hit parts of the country that are less obvious than big city spots like NYC or Washington DC or Nashville. It’s an expansive country, and it’s made up of all kinds of different areas. But it’s funny – Johnson City is the 9th largest town in Tennessee, but it’d be the biggest city in Maine, populationwise.” Beam has performed with national acts like Spoon, Deer Tick, Robert Schneider (The Apples In Stereo), Eleanor Friedberger (Fiery Furnances), Nat Baldwin (Dirty Projectors), and Jefferson Starship. His new album, Is Believed To Have Been, is available on Teenarena Records on CD, cassette, and digital download.
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
An Evening with
JILL ANDREWS
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The Capitol Theatre in historic downtown Greeneville, TN will host an evening with Jill Andrews on Saturday, November 19th with the show starting at 8:00PM. The Band Sawyer, a Nashville based Indie Pop Duo, will open the show. Folks living in the Tri-Cities area will remember Jill Andrews from her days with The Everybodyfields, which blazed onto the alt-country scene in 2004. The EBF’s were co-founded by Andrews and Sam Quinn. The band released three stellar albums and after years of national touring, decided to venture off into other projects. Jill opted to make a go on her own and released a self-titled EP in 2009, followed up with the fulllength album, The Mirror, in 2011. Since that time, Andrews has toured with the likes of The Avett Brothers, along with several other super talented artists. Her songs have been showcased on such shows as Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Wife, Nashville, Hart of Dixie and American Idol. Jill, who now lives in Nashville, spends much of her time song-writing and collaborating with a number of artists. On her newest solo record, The War Inside, Andrews shines a light on her own struggles and successes, tying the songs together with a new sound that mixes her folk background with a wider set of influences. “It was a time filled with many new and exciting beginnings, as well as some deep personal loss,” says Andrews, who wrote the album after relocating to Nashville, TN. “The album focuses in on some particular moments of triumph, hardship, and hope.” The War Inside reaches into the pop and indie rock world, while still tipping its hat to Andrews’ Appalachian roots. Longtime friend Seth Avett even makes an appearance on the album, singing a duet with Andrews on “I’m so in Love with You”. Tickets for the show are $15. For more information on this show, or other events at the Capitol Theatre, visit www.capitolgreeneville.org .
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theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
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CULTURE CLUB BRINGS U.S. TOUR TO
KNOXVILLE
ORIGINAL MEMBERS REUNITE FOR FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS
Overwhelming excitement and outstanding reviews caused by Boy George and Culture Club‘s performances from last year’s brief mini-tour of the U.S. has driven the group to include more show dates to the tour, including a show in Knoxville. Known for dominating the charts worldwide with their classic hits including ‘Karma Chameleon,’ ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me,’ and ‘Miss Me Blind,’ the iconic band will make a stop at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium on November 26. Tickets are available online at www. knoxvilletickets.com, by phone at 865-656-4444 or at the Coliseum Box Office and any Knoxville Tickets Outlets. Culture Club is one of the biggest pop bands of the 80s, racking up seven straight Top 10 hits in the UK and nine Top 10 singles in the US. Central to the band’s appeal is the flamboyant front man Boy George, whose unique fashion and heavy make-up create an image that was completely unique on the pop scene in the 80s. George is also noted for his biting wit and cutting quips that won Culture Club media exposure on both sides of the Atlantic. Although they draw influence from the ‘New Romantic’ movement, Culture Club is also inspired by the music and fashion of ‘Northern Soul’, which helped to create a broader appeal. Culture Club grew out of the ashes of ‘Sex Gang Children’, formed by George and bassist Mikey Craig. Drummer Jon Moss and guitarist Roy Hay came on board, and by 1981 the band had been renamed. Culture Club was the first band since The Beatles to achieve three top 10 hits from their debut album on the Billboard charts. Their hit single, “Time (Clock of the Heart)” has also been included on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s list of 500 songs that shaped rock and roll. Currently the band has re-announced their North American tour with scheduled dates in both Canada, and the United States. This will be the first time the band has reunited in over a decade to come together and perform! In November 2014 they released their debut single, More Than Silence, from their latest album, Tribes, which is set to release later this year.
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“
What Stephen can do, and few artists have this gift, is to speak directly to your heart and to move your best feelings!”
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
Harp guitarist in Concert
Stephen Bennett
The Birthplace of Country Music Museum proudly presents renowned harp guitarist Stephen Bennett in concert on Saturday, November 19 at 7:00 p.m. The man referred to as “the Jedi Master of finger-style guitar” will perform with a 1909 harp guitar and a new version of the instrument, and will give background on the history of this fascinating gem. “Several instrument styles dating back hundreds of years have been called ‘harp guitar’ and companies like Gibson made harp guitars from about 1903 through the 1920s,” said Dr. Jessica Turner, director of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. “There are only a handful of performers today who are adept on this instrument, and Stephen Bennett is a renowned instrumentalist who performs traditional songs as well as his own compositions. We are excited to host him at the museum to perform on his great-grandfather’s 1909 Dyer harp guitar.” One of the most prolific and original finger-style guitiarists of his generation, Bennett is also one of the leading exponents of the harp guitiar. A challenging teacher, gifted composer, and a performer of great sensitivity, the artist has performed around the world sharing the stage with some of the finest guitarists of our time while creating a deeply respected body of work. Tone Poet, Stephen’s latest release, is a collection of music for harp guitar. Bennett is the founder of the Harp Guitar Gathering, an event that celebrates this fascinating instrument in a different city each year. For the past 14 years, the Gathering has brought players, luthiers, scholars, and fans of the harp guitar together for a weekend of performances, workshops, and camaraderie. An Italian guitar festival promoter wrote: “What Stephen can do, and few artists have this gift, is to speak directly to your heart and to move your best feelings!” In performance and recordings, the artist’s lifelong love affair with the guitar is apparent and contagious. His appearance at the Birthplace of Country Music Museum will be an event music lovers won’t want to miss. Tickets for the performance are $15 per person and available for purchase at www.BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.
Spotlight
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
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- SATURDAY - Nov. 19th -
- FRIDAY - Nov. 18th -
- TUESDAY - Nov. 15th -
OPEN MIC
If you or your band are playing in the upcoming week and would like to be in The Spotlight, call in advance to (423) 283-4324 or go online to: theloaferonline.com. Due to last minute cancellations or changes, please call the location to confirm.
HWY 321 at Jiggy Ray’s 8pm SHADES OF REFINEMENT at Rush Street CROOKED ROAD REJECTS
CASTING CROWNS
LAUREN COLE BAND at Capone’s 10pm PF FLYERS at Studio Brew SHOOTER at Stateline Bar & Grill 7pm RAILWAY EXPRESS
DOWNTOWN COUNTRY
MULLIGAN COLLEGE JAZZ ENSEMBLE
DERRICK RYAN at Bristol Brewery 8pm STEPHEN BENNETT
MARK LARKINS
HANDSOME & THE HUMBLES
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
WILLIE & THE WILDWOOD FLOWERS at Blackbird Bakery
at Freedom Hall Civic Center 7pm at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm
- WEDNESDAY - Nov. 16th -
JEFF BEAM
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
SINGER SONGWRITER NIGHT w/ SCOTT TUCKER at Our House Restaurant
OPEN MIC
at Woodstone Deli 8pm
at St. James Community Center
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
ADAM MCMILLAN (A little bit of everything) at Rainbow Asian Cuisine MAMA MOLASSES at Blackbird Bakery
MIKE MILHORN & FRIENDS at Model City Tap House 7pm
JOHN MCCUTCHEON CONCERTS at Jonesborough Storytelling Center 2pm
JAM w/ DANNY FARMER at Wellington’s Restaurant 8pm
JOHN WALSH at Studio Brew
JESSE KRAMER JIGSAW JANE
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
- SATURDAY - Nov. 19th -
BILLY CRAWFORD at Holiday Inn (Exit 7)
NIGHTSHIFT BAND
at David Thompson’s Produce 7pm
REVLOW & SPACE JUNK at Sleepy Owl Brewery 9pm
STEELE COOKIN’ at Studio Brew TUATHA DEA & KT VYKE at Capone’s 10pm
at Rock’s Wood Fire Pizza & Grill 7pm
TREVA BLOMQUIST / TOGETHER S.O.U.L at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
- FRIDAY - Nov. 18th -
RAILWAY EXPRESS at CJ’S Sports Bar 8pm SCOTT MOSS & OAK GROVE BAND
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm
THE DIAMONDS at Rock’s Wood Fire Pizza & Grill 7pm MOUNTAIN PARK OLD TIME BAND at Carter Fold
NICE COUCH at Bone Fire Smokehouse 8pm RUSTY STEEL w/ QUARTER BOUNCE at Country Club Bar & Grill
ANNIE STOKES / BLACKBEARD’S TRUCK at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
- SUNDAY - Nov. 20th -
CARSON PETERS & IRON MOUNTAIN w/ RONNIE WILLIAMS at Carter Fold
SINGER/SONGWRITER NIGHT feat. JEFF LANE, JAMEN DENTON & ANNIE ROBINETTE at Blackbird Bakery
ANNIE JAMEN & JEFF at Studio Brew 5pm
JERRY PIERCE & NIGHTLIFE BAND
BILL & THE BELLES
BIG DON & COLD CREEK
JOE HOLT
at The Dispensary
at Holston River Brewing Company 8pm
JAZZ 251
at The Hideaway 10pm
O’CONNOR FAMILY BAND feat. MARK O’CONNOR
ZACK MILES
ANDY FARRELL
THE CK5 / NERVE ENDINGS TH’ MONKEYPAWS
REX MONTGOMERY at Bristol Brewery KT VANDYKE at Jiggy Ray’s 8pm SUNDOWN BAND
at Country Club Bar & Grill
- THURSDAY - Nov. 17th -
at Capitol Theatre
at The Hideaway 9pm
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
at Jiggy Ray’s
JILL ANDREWS / THE BAND SAWYER
THIS MOUNTAIN / ILLITERATE LIGHT BARRETT & THE GREEN FINGERS
DRIFTWOOD OPEN MIC
at The Damascus Brewery 7pm
at Yee Haw Brewing Company
at The Down Home 8pm
at Birthplace of Country Music Museum 2pm
at Birthplace of Country Music Museum 7pm
at Milligan College (Seeger Chapel) 7:30pm
OPEN MIC
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 6pm
at The Eagles Club 9pm
at Just One More Bar & Grill 8pm
SHOOTER
at Bristol’s Show Palace 7pm
WEBB WILDER & THE BEATNIKS at The Down Home 8pm
NOSTALGIA DUO
at Peerless Steakhouse Lounge 7pm
ADAM MCMILLAN (A little bit of everything)
BRIAN CULBERTSON
SAM BURCHFIELD
SUNDOWN BAND
at Hungry I Apex
at Niswonger Performing Arts Center 7:30pm
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm
at Washington County Moose
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
- MONDAY - Nov. 21st -
THE DIAMONDS
at Blackbird Bakery OPEN MIC at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
check us out at
theloaferonline.com
Blackbird Bakery 56 Piedmont Ave. Bristol VA 276/ 645-5754 Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Bristol Brewery 41 Piedmont Ave Bristol VA 276/ 608-1220 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262
David Thompson’s Produce 251 Highway 107 Jonesborough 423/913-8123 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822
Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill 3119 Bristol Hwy. Johnson City 423 / 262-0444
The Hideaway 235 E. Main St Johnson City 423/ 926-3896
Rush Street 1229 E Stone Dr Kingsport 423/247-3184
Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100
Sleepy Owl Brewery 151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476
Holston River Brewing Company 2621 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN
State Line Bar & Grill 644 State Street Bristol 423/652-0792
Hungry I at the Apex 604 W. Market St. Johnson City
Studio Brew 221 Moore Street Bristol VA 423 / 360-3258
Capone’s 227 E Main St Johnson City 423/928-2295
Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton 423/ 722-3410
Capitol Theatre 104 S. Main St. Greeneville TN 423/638-1300
Just One More Bar AJ Hwy Mosheim
Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons VA 276/594-0676 CJ’S Sports Bar 516 Morelock St. Kingsport 423/ 390-1361 Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 The Damascus Brewery 32173 Government Rd. Damascus VA 276 / 469-1069
Model City Tap House 324 E Market St. Kingsport Niswonger Performing Arts Center 212 Tusculum Blvd Greeneville TN - 423/ 638-1328 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 Our House Restaurant 4903 N. Roan St. Johnson City 423/ 282-1555 Peerless Steakhouse Lounge 2531 N. Roan St. Johnson City 423/ 282-2351
TUESDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Boomershine’s Pizza Karaoke w/ Marques at Painter Creek Marina Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** WEDNESDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Smokey Bones - Johnson City TN Turn the Page Karaoke At VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN *********************** THURSDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke at Holiday Inn - Johnson City TN Karaoke at Jiggy Rays Pizzaria Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Mellow Mushroom - Johnson City ***********************
KARAOKE
Rainbow Asian Cuisine 2412 N. Roan St. Johnson City 423/ 232-6688
Washington County Moose 15605 Porterfield Hwy Abgindon VA 276/628-2756 Wellington’s Restaurant Carnegie Hotel 1216 W State of Franklin Rd Johnson City 423/979-6400 The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 216 E Main St Johnson City Woodstone Deli 3500 Fort Henry Dr Kingsport 423/245-5424 Yee Haw Brewing Company 126 Buffalo St. Johnson City
FRIDAY 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 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at CJ’s Sports Bar Karaoke at Elizabethton VFW - Elizabethton TN Karaoke w/ DJ Marques at Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Moe’s Original BBQ Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** SATURDAY Karaoke at CJ’s Sports Bar Karaoke at The Horseshoe Lounge Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke at Numan’s - Johnson City TN ***********************
17 theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
SPOTLIGHT DIRECTORY
Birthplace of County Music Museum 520 Birthplace of Country Music Way , Bristol VA 423/ 573-1927
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
18
SECOND MOON LANDING A PINPOINT
EXCLAMATION POINT Stargazer
By Mark Marquette since 1996 stargazermarq@ gmail.com
The anniversary of those six American conquests of the Moon is always a time to reflect on what was called man’s greatest adventure when three men aboard the spaceship called Apollo captivated the world. This week marks 47 years since three Navy buddies flew to the Moon and made a pinpoint landing that punctuated with an exclamation point America winning the Moon Race against the Communist Soviet Union before the end of the 1960s decade. While the historic first Moon landing of Apollo 11 by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on July 20,1969 was a hair-raising, white knuckle event with lots of problems, the lessons learned allowed for Apollo 12 to make a textbook, smooth touchdown right on target. Armstrong and Aldrin found their moonship named Eagle was flying too fast and it overshot their landing site by two miles. Undoubtedly the best pilot in the astronaut corps, Armstrong’s skills paid off as he had to maneuver over boulders looking for a smooth place to set down with near empty tanks fueling an engine that may last just 30 more seconds, Armstrong landed the 20-ton moonship safely into the history books at Tranquility Base. With three months to solve those navigation and computer problems that plagued Apollo 11, NASA engineers chose to land Apollo 12 next to an unmanned lander that 18-months earlier proved the lunar surface would support heavy weight. Called Surveyor 3, this spidery-looking, 700-pound space probe the size of a small car was made of aluminum tubes with three landing legs, fuel tanks, engine thrusters, solar panels, a remote arm with a scoop and the important camera system. When Surveyor 3 landed April 20, 1967 in the Ocean of Storms it was another American triumph of a controlled soft landing of a spacecraft on an alien world. Surveyor 1 had previously landed safely in 1966, but Surveyor 2 crashed. Surveyor 3 had actually landed inside the sloping walls of a small crater a couple hundred yards wide in the Ocean of Storms. That became “Surveyor Crater,” and above it was the landing target for Apollo 12. And during midnight hour of Wednesday Nov. 19, 1969, best friends Pete Conrad and Alan Bean took their moonship Intrepid right where they had been planning for six months. They landed right on top of Surveyor Crater looking down at the little robot that had been waiting for them. Conrad and Bean were true friends, along with their Navy buddy in the mothership “Yankee Clipper” orbiting the Moon, Dick Gordon. Unlike the Apollo 11 crew of Armstrong, deceased, Aldrin, 86, and lunar orbiter Michael Collins, 86, who bonded only around the business of space travel, the Apollo 12 crew were true buddies during decades together as military pilots flying the most cutting edge of aircraft. The diminutive, 5-foot, 5-inch Conrad was one of the practical jokers in the astronaut corps with unflappable wit. He bet a female reporter $500 that
he could say anything he wanted to when he stepped off the ladder onto the Moon. She said NASA dictated Armstrong’s famous words “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” but Conrad knew Neil thought it up on the way to the Moon. Conrad told the reporter what he planned to say, and said it when he became the third human to step onto the Moon. His self-effacing words were: “Whoopee! That may have been a small one for Neil, but it’s a long one for me.” Conrad said he never collected the bet. Tragically, Conrad died in 1999 from internal injuries after crashing his motorcycle. NASA had twice fulfilled President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 proclamation directing America to land on the Moon before the end of the decade. The methodical approach was to learn about human spaceflight with the one man Mercury, the two-man Gemini, then the three-man, two vehicle Apollo program. Overcoming long odds after the death of three astronauts during a launch pad test of the moonship in January 1967, the entire country was involved in the Moon Race. Each of the United States contributed something to the ultimate human adventure. And the elite astronaut corps adapted daily to lastminute innovations and risky missions that solved problems with spacesuits, navigation and docking systems. The July 20, 1969 landing of Apollo 11 was a true triumph of the American spirit. But by November, there was a lot of public sentiment that any more Apollo moon missions were a waste of money and too risky. The Viet Nam War, racial strife and a sliding economy were on the minds of Americans more than another trip to the Moon. The Apollo 12 launch and 3-day lunar trip got the
usual media coverage, but not as comprehensive as the hour-by-hour telecast of the Apollo 11 mission. Then, a public relations nightmare happened once Apollo 12 had safely landed and the astronauts were walking about the surface. The special color camera for sending back live photos during the moonwalks was damaged when astronaut Bean accidentally aimed it at the Sun! The inadvertent exposure to the direct, hot Sun fried the video sensor and ruined any hope of sending back live photos. During Apollo 11, the drama played out on a Sunday afternoon landing, and then the historic moonwalk late in the evening. The two hours of black and white television images of Armstrong and Aldrin scurrying about performing their tasks captivated Americans and the entire the world. That live connection with moonwalkers and earthlings was lost during Apollo 12 because of the damaged video camera. And without the exciting visuals, all NASA lunar scientists had was the audio of the moonwalkers until they got back to Earth with still and movie film. Apollo 12 moonship Intrepid landed at 1:54 am EST, and the first moonwalk began around 6 am. Consequently, most of the American public awoke to the live news of two men again walking on the Moon, television commentators trying to make up for the lack of the televised action. There were actually two walks lasting more than three hours each. It was on the second walk that Conrad and Bean walked down to the Surveyor 3, posing for photos and cutting off the camera and scoop for later analysis. When the Navy buddies Conrad, Bean and Gordon returned to Earth on Monday, Nov. 24th, they were quarantined for two weeks like Apollo 11 astronauts as a precaution against any risk of moon germs. So their Thanksgiving Day was a very special one. Conrad and Bean each spent a total of more than 7 hours 30 minutes on the surface of the Moon during two EVAs. But in another faux pas, the astronauts accidently left some color film on the Moon, leaving mostly black and white images to document their amazing mission. Today, Gordon, 87, also a veteran of Gemini 11, makes appearance to sign autographs and relive his astronaut memories. After Apollo, Bean, 84, commanded the second Skylab space station mission, and literally paints his memories of his space travels. A true artist, Bean’s acrylic paintings of astronauts on the Moon sell for tens of thousands of dollars and are the focus of several books. Apollo 12’s Bean is among seven surviving members of the dozen humans who have walked on an alien world. All in their 80s, the mortality of these unique men is all too apparent. And someday there will be no one left to point the Moon and say they once camped out there. And that will be another milestone to ponder about what was once considered man’s greatest adventure.
The big, bright Moon is up all the night and the moonlight is magical, illuminating the landscape and casting shadows from our defoliated world. Also a good time to remember the 24 brave Americans who orbited—and 12 who walked—on the Moon. The brightest stars poke through the twilight. Venus rules the early evening in the west and Jupiter the predawn sky.
Tues. Nov. 15
Venus is brilliant high in the west as twilight begins shortly after sunset. Mars is the red “star” to the left in Scorpius, chasing the Sun and gone quickly in the evening.
Wed. Nov. 16
Looking north at around 9 pm the next two weeks is interesting…Cassiopeia is looking like a “W” or an “M” directly above Polaris, the North Pole star. Bookending Polaris are two bright stars, Vega setting in the west and Capella to the right, or east.
Thurs. Nov. 17
On this 1970 date in space history, the USSR landed the unmanned Luna 17 on the Moon and it deployed the first alien rover, Lunokhod 1. The bright Moon will interfere with the Leonid Meteor Shower, but you still might see a dozen an hour in the early morning hours
of Friday.
Fri. Nov. 18
After sunset around 5:30 pm (!) four planets are strung along the sky. First, Mercury is beginning a short climb into the twilight, followed by Saturn. They set before 6 pm, but Venus is brilliant in Sagittarius while red Mars is fading in Capricornus.
Sat. Nov. 19
On this 1969 date in space history Apollo 12 safely landed on the Moon. Commander Pete Conrad, deceased, maneuvered the lander called Intrepid to the edge of football field-sized crater where the Surveyor 3 spacecraft was waiting where it landed two and one-half years earlier. The other moonwalker, Alan Bean, 83, helped dismantle the camera and scoop from the unmanned lander. Bean came back from the mission to later command the second Skylab Space Station mission. Bean is an accomplished artist, painting huge murals of his space experience that sell for tens of thousands of dollars.
Sun. Nov. 20
On this 1998 date in space history, Russian launched the Zarya module, the first element of the International Space Station. The $10 billion structure has been continuously occupied for 16 years; the 50th Expedition crew of six is now under the command of American Peggy Whitson.
Mon. Nov. 21
Your guide to the night sky can be found at many sources, including a star map from Skymaps.com, a library book, a monthly astronomy magazine or one of those dial-the-date “planisphere” from a bookstore.
19 theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
THIS WEEK
SKIES
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Nov. 15-21, 2016, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.
theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
20
THE
ROKU’S PAW
Batteries Not Included
By Andy Ross aross@ theloaferonline.com
I watch YouTube before bed sometimes (cat videos!). But the streaming stick I had been using in my bedroom is an older model that sometimes causes the YouTube app to freeze like a snail dipped in molasses. I felt that I could justify buying myself a new one, one that was snappier, peppier. I walked to my local store that sells such devices, found one on sale, and took it home to set it up and fill my nighttimes with cat videos that have the most minimal of buffering. I took the streaming stick home, plugged it into my TV, turned it all on, and placed batteries inside the remote to begin the syncing. A moment passed, and nothing happened. “Press sync button on back of remote if sync does not start” the setup guide read. I did so, and again, nothing happened. “Hmm, that’s most odd” I thought to myself, so I went down to the googler box and typed in my conundrum, which led me to the company’s support page. I clicked on the box to chat with a “friendly representative” who appeared after a few minutes and wanted to know all the details of my problem. I described to them what all was going on, mostly with the remote not syncing. I followed all their troubleshooting advice, none of which fixed the problem. This led the “friendly rep” to then inquire about the state of my wireless router. “What channel is it on? If it’s not on these channels, it won’t work
right.” Perplexed, I told them my router was on one of those channels, and then came a long pause. “It’s your house” the rep began to say, “you live in a poorly designed house, with terrible walls. Also, you don’t deserve good shoes.” With that the support chat abruptly ended. Surprised, and a little shocked, I went upstairs and went to bed. I woke the next morning with a scratchy throat that hadn’t been there the night before. I was coming down with a cold, and it only got worse as the day went on. At the coffee shop that morning, I managed to trip on a rug and spill my latte all over myself. I later got a text from the person I was seeing, they wanted to “have a talk about the direction of the relationship.” I went home, got into bed, and began to have an existential crisis. “What sin have I committed to bring this wrath upon me? What if they are right and it is my house? Hey, that last pair of shoes I bought wasn’t too hot now that I think about it!” are all the things I thought about. I then found myself getting angry. Getting angry at myself for getting bent out of shape over something as stupid as a streaming stick. I exchanged the stick out at the store I bought it from, and the new one setup just fine. It’s important to remember that when it seems like it’s all falling to hell, it’ll work out and be OK. One way, or another. See you next week
MY DEAREST
AUTUMN The Casual Word
By Langley Shazor Follow Langley at TheCasualWord
You whisper in my ears Breathe on my neck Brush past my face Your scent Ever present As if you are always standing next to me Behind me Sweeping my curls Around your fingertips Lightly caressing earlobes Your voice Delicately taps my drums I love this song And you sing it so well You have always been my favorite And now that you’re here, I will enjoy every part of you Until you depart As quickly as you arrive
ANNUAL HOMECOMING HONORING NAMESAKE East Tennessee State University’s George L. Carter Railroad Museum will hold its annual Homecoming to honor its namesake on Saturday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. In October 1911, Carter, a regional developer, donated the property for what is now ETSU. Carter was involved in mining and logging efforts in Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky, employing thousands of workers. His achievement at the time of his donation was his new mainline railroad, the Carolina Clinchfield and Ohio.
“
Mr. Carter did immeasurable good for our area when he routed the CC&O mainline through Johnson City,”
for the Paws
Prohibition
notes Geoff Stunkard, the museum’s Heritage Days coordinator. “That he made the new state university a priority and chose to live in town speaks volumes to his commitment to Johnson City. We enjoy honoring him each November.” The Homecoming event allows museum volunteers, supporters and the public to gather to enjoy mutual interests in railroad technology and modeling. Members of the Mountain Empire Model Rail Roaders will bring in their favorite equipment. Light refreshments will be served. The Carter Railroad Museum is open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 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. Visit www. memrr.org to learn more about MEMRR, which helps demonstrate and maintain the model layouts, museum exhibits and other projects. For more information about Homecoming, contact Dr. Fred Alsop, museum director, at 423-439-6838 or alsopf@etsu.edu. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-4398346.
Stephen Callahan, owner of TN Hills Distillery has been a life long resident of the Tri-Cities. Since opening his doors this past May in Jonesborough - TN Hills Distillery has received overwhelming support and a warm welcome to the business community. Stephen and his wife, Jessica decided to give something back to their community by hosting a 1920’s themed Prohibition Party benefitting a charity near and dear to their hearts – the Washington County Animal Shelter. The event is called “Prohibition for the Paws” – being held at the “Venue” at King Centre – on Saturday, December 3rd. Tickets are $60 each or $100/couple. You can buy your tickets today at: www.tnhillsdistillery.com and click on the “Prohibition for the Paws” logo. For sponsorship information, please call 423-788-9105 or email us at: prohibitionforthepaws.com
theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
CARTER RAILROAD MUSEUM’S
21
theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
22
DOCTOR
STRANGE Pop Life
By Ken Silvers ksilvers@ theloaferonline.com
The comic book character Doctor Strange first appeared on the pop culture scene in 1963. Flash forward to 2016, and the character is making a splash on the big screen in the film “Doctor Strange” starring Benedict Cumberbatch (“Sherlock”) in the title role. The word strange is appropriate for both the character and the movie. In other words, this is one eccentric movie. “Doctor Strange” is an origin story, and introduces us to the character of Steven Strange(Cumberbatch), a famous neurosurgeon who loses use of his hands as the result of a harrowing car accident. Distraught at his condition after numerous failed surgeries, learns about a paraplegic who was mysteriously able to walk again. When Strange seeks out the man how was healed, the man sends him to Kamar-Taj, where he was healed. Upon arriving in Kamar-Taj, Strange is taken under the wing of a sorcerer named Morod (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who trains him and introduces him to the Ancient One (Tilda Swinton). The Ancient One reveals to Strange the astral plane (the place where angels, spirits,etc. exist) and other dimensions (an example is Asgard the home of Thor). I told you this movie was eccentric. Once Strange learns how to harness his power via teaching by the Ancient One and Morod, he is ready to tackle the bad guys of the film, led by the power hungry Kaecillus (Mads Mikkelsen), who has really bad dark and cracked circles around his eyes. Kaecillus and his followers are bad because they have stolen pages from some ancient books that have allowed him to summon the Dormammu of the Dark Dimension, where time does not exist and you can live forever. Meanwhile, before his battle with Kaecillus begins, Strange has come in possession of the Cloak of Levitation, that has a mind of its own, and the amulet called the Eye of Agamotto, a really cool green glowing stone that reminded me of Kryptonite.
The battle between Strange and Kaecillus is very exciting and involves all sorts of special effects, some of which reminded of those used in the film “Inception”. The film also features several sequences which might make you feel as if you are tripping, and not over something. All the actors involved, specifically Cumberbatch, are excellent, and the lead actor continues to show he is one of the best working actors of our time. Swinton is perfect and especially jarring as the Ancient One, who appears more alien than human in appearance. Even though I am a comic book fan, I only had limited information about Doctor Strange, so I went into the theater with little knowledge of what I was about to experience. While I enjoyed the visually stunning film (a must see in 3D), I was at times a bit confused, but still managed to enjoy the proceedings. The role was tailor made for Cumberbatch, and falls in line with his other extremely intelligent characters, including his star turn as Sherlock Holmes in the British television show “Sherlock”, and Khan in “Star Trek Into Darkness”. Overall, “Doctor Strange” is one of the more creative and daring films from Marvel Studios, I just don’t recommend you take younger kids to visit this doctor. (Rated PG-13) 3 cloaks (out of 4)
as was the case when they played for the FOOT BALL in Jonesborough on February 2nd and at Serenity Knoll on August 8th. They were one of the featured bands at the 2014 Moon Dance at Table Rock State Park last weekend. Thus, a new band was born merging traditional contra music with psychedelic, surf rock and metal to create a new force: ContraForce! With these crazy jokers at the wheel, there’s no telling where the dance will end up, but you can be sure that the hall will be filled with happy dancers. Margaret Matthews, from upstate New York, is in the area visiting relatives in Asheville. She has been calling contra dances for many years. She brings her set of super dances, clear calling and a beautiful smile. Contra dancing is a traditional form of American folk dance that evolved from the long ways country dances popular in English society centuries ago. Contra dance communities now thrive all over the country. There are websites that can direct you to contra dances in most states. The modern contra dances provide dancers of all ages and experience levels with the opportunity to smile, move, connect, flirt and create an evening of dance nirvana with each other. No previous dance experience is necessary. No fancy footwork is required. If you can walk and count to eight, you can contra dance! Contra dances are community events. At almost any contra you will find people of all ages and all dance skill levels, from young to old, beginner to expert. Contra dancers form a very open and welcoming group of people. You can come alone or with others since it is a tradition to dance with a variety of partners throughout the night. It is perfectly acceptable for either a man or a woman to ask someone to dance. It’s a great way to make friends with someone they haven’t met before. You will find contra dancing a great way to make new friends. For more information, please contact event organizer, David Wiley at 423-534-8879, visit www.historicjonesboroughdancesociety.org and on FACEBOOK.
23 theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
THE ANNUAL FOOD RAISER FOR THE JONESBOROUGH FOOD BANK.
BE WITH YOU!
LET THE CONTRAFORCE
The
Historic Jonesborough Dance Society will present a contra dance on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at the Historic Jonesborough Visitors Center, 117 Boone Street. The featured band will be ContraForce from Charleston, SC with Emily Abel from Asheville is the caller. Admission to the dance is $7, HJDS Members $5, Students $5. No partner is necessary. All dances are taught by the caller. All dances are smoke and alcohol free. A workshop for beginning contra dancers will be led by the caller at 7:00pm. The dance will run from 7:30-10:30pm with a waltz break at 9:00pm where, once again, Klondike Bars will be served to all. The dance will also be the focal point for the annual HJDS Food Raiser for the Jonesborough Area Food Bank. ContraForce’s goal is to bring the rock influence to some folk tunes. This three-piece powerhouse packs the frenzied bowing arm of Andrae Raffield, the Donkey Kong slammin’ palms of drummer and saxophone player Joey Dorwart, and the acoustic and electric guitar onslaught of Jimi “Two Nails” Periano, into a hurricane of wild, energetic, kick-in-the-mouth contra music that will leave you gasping for breath and begging for more. Andrae and Joey were old hands at the contra band scene, having vetted themselves in local Charleston bands, Anna’s Bananas and Shady Groove, for over fifteen years before deciding to create ContraForce to explore their new and exciting vision for contra dance music. To complete the rockin’ trinity, Jimi “Two Nails” Periano came on board to begin experimenting with “rocking out some fiddle tunes”. This synergy quickly led to a period of this new band writing much of their material. On the side, Joey and Jimi are registered nurses while Andrae is teaching music at a Charleston middle school. Thus, a new band was born merging traditional contra music with psychedelic, surf rock and metal to create a new force: ContraForce! With these crazy jokers at the wheel, there’s no telling where the dance will end up, but you can be sure that the hall will be filled with happy dancers
A SMOKY MOUNTAIN
spotlighting the celebration of the birth of Christ with the area’s largest living nativity. Country Tonight Christmas Show promises a holiday bonus for everyone. You’ll get the regular season show during the first half and then the holiday magic abounds when the stage opens for the second half, including the Smokies most talented award winning singers and dancers, covering a number of holiday classics. The Comedy Barn Christmas will have you laughing over holiday themed magicians, jugglers, ventriloquists and family comedians along with live Christmas and gospel music and barnyard animals. If you forgot to eat while you were out shopping don’t worry, as you’ll find many dinner theaters in town ready to provide you with holiday cheer in the form of delicious meals to fill your stomach. Dixie Stampede Christmas is your favorite arena transformed with softly falling snow, twinkling lights, evergreens, poinsettias, old-fashioned holiday costumes, and familiar holiday music. Christmas at Dolly Parton’s Lumberjack Adventure will have you cheering for either the McGregor’s or the Wheelers as they fight for control over the old saw mill on Locus Ridge. You’ll be served a feast big enough for, well, big enough for a lumberjack, while watching the families compete in a variety of activities showcasing their lumberjack skills all in a holiday setting. At the Hatfield & McCoy Christmas Diner Disaster, it doesn’t matter if you’re city-folk or country cuzins, you’ll love all the Christmas themed singing and dancing. These two families have become the longest running feud in history and this holiday season, you can help the Hatfield’s and McCoy’s try to settle their differences, mountain style. No trip to Pigeon Forge would be complete without a stop at Dollywood’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Festival. Here you’ll find yourself immersed in millions of lights while still enjoying rides on all your favorite coasters, as well as the new Lightning Rod c o a s t e r,
WINTERFEST Appalachian Wanderers
By Jason & Daniel Worley jdworley@ theloaferonline.com
“Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas….” Ah, wintertime, the time of the year that we bring out our coats, dust off those “lovable sweaters” that the in-laws love to bestow on us each Christmas, and stock the cabinets with our favorite soups and coco. Out in town, the storefront windows are starting to become decorated with our favorite winter scenes and the street lights are getting dressed with displays of snowflakes, snowmen, and wreaths. Here in the mountains of Sevier County, you’ll find that the cities of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are all decked out in lights from November 7th through February 28th for the 27th Annual Smoky Mountain Winterfest Celebration. Here you will be able to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the Holiday Season all while still having fun at the area attractions. You’ll enjoy millions of lights, some twinkling, as you drive down the parkway and surrounding streets taking in the lighting displays. Sevierville – You’ll want to check out the live music, kids events and hayrides with Santa! The city will have a kickoff celebration in early December at the Sevierville Community Center including inflatable bounce attractions, fireworks and coco by the mugful. Stay around for the winter themed firework show just after the Christmas parade. If you’re looking for something to do while you wait for the lights to come on, don’t forget all the Christmas shopping that can be done at Tanger Outlets and the many other specialty shops and store around town. Pigeon Forge – If theaters and Christmas shows are your thing, you’ll be set in Pigeon Forge. Here you will find theaters with such shows as Christmas at The Smoky Mountain Opry, featuring a multi-million dollar Christmas production that features flying sugar plum fairies, soaring angels, dancing elves, and most importantly,
which is finally running on a permanent basis. Be sure and check out the all new show, It’s a Wonderful Life, performed daily in Dollywood’s Show Street Palace Theater as well as the new Parade of Many Colors, premiering on November 16th. Many beloved classics will return such as Christmas in the Smokies, Christmas with the Kingdom Heirs, O’ Holy Night, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, and Timber Canyon Festival of Lights. Gatlinburg – Enjoy your stay in Gatlinburg by riding around town on one of the trolleys during the Trolley of Lights. These special tours are only $5 a person aboard a specially designed Gatlinburg Trolley and run at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 PM daily. The Gatlinburg Space Needle will provide you a view of the Christmas lights from 407 feet up above the city! You’ll see the lights in a way you have never thought of before from this sky high view. Ober Gatlinburg will provide the adrenaline rushes you are looking for with ten different skiing trails, a terrain park and three chairlifts. If skiing isn’t your thing, check out the tubing or the indoor ice skating rink. Of course, don’t forget that you’re at the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park; if the hustle and bustle is too much, you can always take a leisurely drive through the natural snowy wonderland found in the higher elevations. A hike through the balsam forest just after a frost comes through is truly an experience not to be missed. Whatever you decide to do on your visit, you can be sure that your Christmas in the Smokies will be a memorable one!
Downtown Gatlinburg transformed into a winter wonderland
theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
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THE DAVID HARTSOCK
theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
INTERVIEW
Have you ever needed to call a handyman and gotten that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach because you know it is like a box of chocolates? (You never know what you are gonna get.) Let me introduce you to a friend of mine for many years, and he is a friendly and dependable face to his clients from insurance agencies to individuals. He is much more than just a handyman though, Dave is a Christian guy and a single father. In short, to put it in local terms, he is good people.
Meet Dave. Mountain Movers
By Brian Bishop bbisop@ theloaferonline.com
BRIAN: Dave, thanks for taking time to talk to me and let people get to know you. You grew up here, so talk a little about what that was like and how it made you who you are. DAVE: Thanks for taking the time to interview me. I grew up in Kingsport and attended Sullivan South High School before going on to Northeast State. Growing up and living my life in Kingsport instilled in me a work ethic and an appreciation for doing the job right the first time. There is nothing like the smile on someone’s face when they realize I have gone above and beyond and then realizing they have been charged a fair wage for what I have done. Those two things are all of the motivation I will ever need to keep doing things the way I was raised. Growing up, I saw the good side and the bad side of business, so I have seen the other side of things when customers are upset and not satisfied. I do my very best at everything in my personal life, so it was an easy decision to treat my professional life the same way. BRIAN: I know you are like me and you will never move away from here no matter what. Why do you like this area and the people who live here so much? DAVE: This area is home and it is where the people I love live. There is a list of great things about living here that is way too long for one interview. But if I have to pick a few they are things like the small-town feel, the sense of community, low cost of living and low crime rate. The natural beauty of the area is one of my favorite things about this area as well. My kids and I like to go and enjoy the Green belt, Bays Mountain and all of the other outdoor things to do. Schools here are top notch in my book too. My kids go to Kingsport schools and my boys play sports there along with the Boys and Girls club activities. BRIAN: Most of us from here have a deep sense of faith that guides our life day-to-day. Tell folks a little about your faith and how it drives you. DAVE: My faith is like a GPS, any time I get lost or need to find a new direction, it keeps me on the right path in my daily life. I am constantly guided in my business by the verse Matthew 7:12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” That verse has served me, my family and my customers very well. BRIAN: One of the things I admire the most about you is the fact that you are a Dad first and foremost. It isn’t easy being a single father, talk a little about that and brag on your family. DAVE: Being a single parent certainly has its challenges and its rewards. First, everybody should know it is double the work and double the stress. It seems like I am always trying to find an extra thirty minutes in the day
or wishing I had an extra set of hands to help out. With that said, the good Lord knew what I could handle and he chose to bless me. I have two boys and a girl. Chelsea is 2, Devin is 13 and Blake is nine. Chelsea has also blessed me with a granddaughter named Ariel who is getting ready to turn three. Devin plays football at Robinson Middle School and Blake plays for a team at the Boys and Girls Club. Devin gets up every morning and makes me coffee. He says it is just something he wants to do for me and those little things mean more than I could ever explain. It is easy for a single parent to get caught up in the hustle of each day, but I stop and remind myself that these kids won’t be little forever and I am shaping the people they are going to become. To sum up my family/kid situation, blessed and proud. BRIAN: Finally, I can’t end this without letting you tell people about your business. I have watched you work at this for many years and I know you do great work for people and don’t burn them on money. Tell people about what you do and how they can learn more. DAVE: My company name is Handyman A-Z and that pretty much says it all. We do everything from painting, plumbing, decks, remodeling, small electrical jobs, landscaping, and etc. IF people want to learn more about us, see pictures of jobs we have done or get in touch with us, they can go to our Facebook page, Handyman A to Z. I can be reached directly at 423-963-0415. In my experience, every job is different, even if it is doing something we have done before. However, I do not see that as a bad thing. When something challenges us it stretches our capabilities and makes us better. I enjoy what I do and I am good at it, so if something comes along that needs a unique solution, I love to take that task head on.
theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
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Answers on page 28
JOHNSON CITY CHRISTMAS PARADE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS
Johnson City has finalized and released the details for this season’s annual Christmas Parade. This year’s parade, sponsored by TVA, will take place on December 3, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. Themed “It’s a Whoville Christmas,” floats in the parade should depict different, fun and outrageous decorating ideas around the popular, Dr. Seuss Christmas story. Floats will be judged on creativity and relevance to the theme. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place floats, as well as a Biggest Grinch award for the least creative float and an award for the best depiction of the line from the Grinch movie, “maybe Christmas means a little more after all.” Businesses, churches, schools and community organization are encouraged to come be a part of this family friendly event. Your organization will be seen by thousands of people lining the streets and it is the hope of the planning committee that this will be the biggest Christmas parade ever. Parties wishing to participate in the parade should fill out the waiver and application found on www.downtownjc.org by November 21, 2016. The entry fee is $95 for profit organizations and $45 for non-profit organizations. Applications can also be picked up or dropped off at the Johnson City Chamber located at 603 East Market Street. Line up for the parade will begin at ETSU parking lot number nine at 9:30 a.m. on December 3 and line-up placement will be emailed to participants the Wednesday prior. Trophy sponsors are being accepted as well, and will be given one complimentary parade spot as well as identification on a banner that will be placed at the front of the winning entry. Details on sponsorship can be found at downtownJC.org. No horses, Santas, or vehicles entered for advertising purposes will be permitted. Candy and other items must be handed out, not thrown. For more information, go to downtownJC.org or email blueplumdirector@gmail.com.
BARTER THEATRE STAGE
GETS NAMED
During a historic ceremony, Barter Theatre named its main stage in honor of two couples, Marvin and Marcia Gilliam and Richard and Leslie Gilliam. Never before in the state theatre’s 83-year history has the stage been dedicated to any individual or organization, making this momentous occasion truly unique. Barter Theatre’s Director of Advancement, Katherine Foreman, said, “In theater, naming a stage is a huge deal. This particular stage was built in 1837 and Barter started calling the space home in 1933. In all that time, it had never been named until now.” Among their myriad of contributions to Barter Theatre, the Gilliam family generously made the single largest donation to any theatre in Virginia state history. Producing Artistic Director Richard Rose, said, “We enjoyed the opportunity to thank Richard, Leslie, Marvin and Marcia for their tremendous leadership and commitment to Barter and the Southwest Virginia region. I simply cannot say enough about how truly touched I am by their actions and by their support.” As a part of the dedication, Kyle Macione, the president of Barter Theatre’s board of trustees, along with Rose, revealed stunning portraits of both Gilliam couples. Now the additions adorn the entrance to Gilliam Stage at Barter Theatre, alongside founder Robert Porterfield’s portrait. Also, a new handcrafted and lighted sign, revealed during the event, hangs above the theatre’s entrance. Barter Theatre, the nation’s longest running professional theatre, is located in Abingdon, Virginia. The theatre opened in 1933 during the Great Depression. Founder Robert Porterfield offered patrons admission to the theatre by bartering food and livestock. Barter Theatre was designated as the state theatre of Virginia in 1946. It exists today as one of the last year-round professional resident repertory theaters remaining in the United States. Barter Theatre is funded in part by The Virginia Commission for the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts.
theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
IT’S A WHOVILLE CHRISTMAS:
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theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
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THINGS TO DO PATRIOT REGIMENT BAND BAZAAR Get your shopping done early Fundraising Event. Saturday, Dec. 3 Piney Flats Volunteer Fire Deptartment 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Vendors, crafts, bake sale and basket auction. Vendors: Pampered Chef, Origami Owl, Scentsy, Jewelry in Candle, Snap Jewelry, paparazzi, Lularoe, Mary Kay, Initials, and more. Handmade crafts: Crochet, baskets, quilts, sewn crafts, fleece items, household gifts, soy candles and melts, handbags, wooden signs, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, bread and more. Gift wrapping will be available. Please come out and support our wonderful group of young people.
Sycamore Shoals seeking Handmade Wreaths for 5th Annual Lamplight Wreath Exhibit On Sunday, November 27th Sycamore Shoals welcomes the Watauga Valley Art League for the annual December art show. The exhibit area is decorated with lamp posts with welcoming wreathes hanging from them that are created by organizations from throughout our local communities. The art show and wreath exhibit is viewed over the holiday season by thousands of visitors to Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park and is highly complimented by the park guests. We would like to invite your community organization to make and display a wreath during this event. This year’s theme is “Christmas Carols,” providing creative opportunities for the artist in you to interpret your favorite carol!
Wreathes can be made from grapevine, wire, and various purchased forms and can be decorated with artificial plant material, ornaments, pine cones, ribbons, or anything that you feel creates beauty and will hold its form indoors. We ask that you don’t use live greenery. For additional information and an application to participate in the annual Lamplight Wreath Exhibit, please call the park at 423-543-5808 and ask for Ms. Johnnie Pilk or request an application. Wreathes need to be brought to the park no later than Tuesday, November 22, 2016. Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park, 1651 W. Elk Avenue, Elizabethton, TN 37643 423-543-5808 ETSU Wind Ensemble to present ‘… and we danced …’ East Tennessee State University’s Large Ensemble Concert of the fall semester, titled “… and we danced …,” will be held Thursday, Nov. 17, at 7:30 p.m. in the D.P. Culp University Center’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium. The free public concert will feature the ETSU Wind Ensemble performing compositions that showcase historic dances, dance rhythms and the art of dance. Selections will include Norman
Dello Joio’s “Satiric Dances,” Adam Gorb’s “Summer Dances,” Peter Mennin’s “Canzona,” Robert Russell Bennett’s “Suite of Old American Dances,” John Zdechlik’s “Chorale and Shaker Dance II” and more. The ETSU Wind Ensemble is conducted by Drs. Christian Zembower and Joe Moore, director and associate director, respectively, of bands in the ETSU Department of Music. For more information, call the Department of Music at 423-439-4276. For disability accommodations, call the ETSU Office of Disability Services at 423-439-8346. Parks and Rec accepting applications for seasonal lifeguards The Johnson City Parks and Recreation Department is now accepting applications for seasonal lifeguards. Applications are available at Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St. For more information, please call (423)434-5755. Sassy Stitchers meet Nov. 18 at Gray Library Persons interested in doing any kind of handcrafts, such as crossstitch, crochet, or knitting, are invited to join the Sassy Stitchers at Gray Branch Library on Friday,
Nov. 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. (NOTE: This month’s meeting has been scheduled for a Friday instead of a Monday.) The library encourages adults at all skill levels to come and bring their own projects to work on, while providing assistance and encouragement to others in the group. For more information, call the library at 477-1550. Candle Making Workshop offered at Marble Springs State Historic Site Marble Springs State Historic Site will host a Candle Making Workshop on Saturday, December 3 starting at 11a.m. This hands-on workshop will teach visitors about lighting sources of the 18 th century; participants will get to make their own beeswax candle by the open hearth. Packing a lunch is recommended. Reservations are required and space is limited to twenty participants. The enrollment fee is $20 for the cost of materials. Details are subject to change. For more information call (865)5735508, email info@marblesprings. net, or visit our website at www. marblesprings.net. All activities take place at the Marble Springs State Historic Site, 1220 West Governor John Sevier Highway, Knoxville, TN
Cryptogram: Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports... all others are games. Drop Quote: “It is fortunate that each generation does not comprehend its own ignorance. We are thus enabled to call our ancestors barbarous. “
Mickie is a 2 year old female. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. She loves to play!
Patches is a 1 year old male. He is neutered and up to date on all vaccines. He is ready to go home with a family!
The Bridge Home has an ongoing aluminum can can collection in front of the shelter at 2061 Hwy 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 The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue has started a pet food pantry for people that have had financial hardships because of job loss or medical problems and are struggling to feed their pet. They can come by the shelter and get cat or dog food to get through the tough time. Donations can be sent to The Bridge Home Shelter PO Box 654 Blountville, TN 37617 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
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
PETS
OF THE WEEK
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theloaferonline.com | November 22, 2016
30 PLACING A CLASSIFED LINE AD:
Go to: www.theloaferonline.com, create an account, and enter your classified. Call 423282-1907 or email: classifieds@theloaferonline.com if you have any questions.
63 Community Tri Cities Ladies Only Board Game Group - 423-609-575 This is a Meetup group for ladies either bi, lesbian or straight who are serious about playing board/ card games. We want ladies who will actually attend game nights. The goal of the group is for ladies to meet, get to know each other, form friendships while playing different types of games: Cards Against Humanity, Masquerade, Nanuk, Coup, Cash N Guns, Dixit, One Night Ultimate Vampire, Smart Ass, The Game of Baloney, The Game of Things, Salem: A Card Game of Deception and Exploding Kittens.
Interior Painting (Senior Specials ! ) 315-725-0562 Interior Painting - A new paint job inside will make your home feel like a million bucks ! Beautiful soothing, appealing COLORS ! Bedrooms, Living Rooms, ALL Rooms, Whole House ! High Quality Painting Service. GET IT DONE IN OCTOBER BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS ! SENIOR SPECIAL ! Call / text David TODAY @ 423930-8097
For The Best Hair Services In The Tri-Cities Area 423-534-9825. We are a full service salon owned and operated by hair stylist Sandi Smith, that offers professional cuts, styles, colors, perms, waxing, manicures, and pedicures all at afford70 Real Estate able prices. The best prices in the KINGSPORT LOT for sale by own- Tri-Cities area. Mens haircuts are $10. Womens are $12. Sandi has er. 423-247-7959 over 32 years experience in the $ 8,500.00 business and she wants to help you get your style on! We are lo107 Services cated at 943 Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee, near Auto Interior Painter Zone. Appointments available Phone: 423-361-0325 and Walk-ins welcome. Don’t purchase new kitchen cabinets!!! Have them painted by CEP Interior Painting Don’t purchase Painter. CEP Painter is an interior new kitchen cabinets!!! Have finish painter, we do everything them painted by CEP Painter. CEP from walls to trim to ceilings to Painter is an interior finish paintcabinets!! Pictures and refer- er, we do everything from walls to ences available. Free estimates. trim to ceilings to cabinets!! PicLicensed and insured. tures and references available. Pet Grooming Professional Pet groomer for most dog breeds and cats. Over 20 years experience. I can have most pets groomed and ready to go home in 2 hours. This eliminates stress on your pet. Groom includes trim,bath,blow dry,ear cleaning,anal gland expression and nail trim. Located at 410 Hazelwood St Bristol TN. Visit our Family Pet Grooming Facebook page. Prices start at 25.00 Give is a try, you Will be glad you did. Call or text for an appointment 276-591-0877
Free estimates. Licensed and insured. 423-361-0325
Affordable Professional Wedding & Event Photography Phone: 423-956-0820 N&N Photography offers Affordable Professional Wedding and Event Photography in Johnson City, Tn and surrounding areas. We photograph Events, Engagements, Weddings, Prom, Senior, Glamour Portraits, Sports, Graduation, Family, Sweetheart, Individual Portrait Shoots (male or female), & more. See our web-
site at: www.nandnphotoshoot. com and our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ nandnphotoshoot/ for more information and pricing. Model Call** Phone: 423-956-0820 **Model Call: I am looking for 2 models, one male 18+ and one female 18+. No modeling experience needed. One for a male edgy masculine portrait shoot, the female for a glamour portrait shoot. Your shoot will take place on a weekday at a local outdoor public park/venue in the tri-city area, TN. For modeling you will receive a complimentary photo shoot, professional makeover, 2 finished images on a dvd and the experience to be a model for a day! If you are interested please email us. Thank you!
Yarntiques Yarntiques offers a large variety of hand knitting/crochet yarns from cotton to cashmere. Instruction is offered during business hours: Tuesday - Friday 1:00 - 6:00 and Saturday 10:00 - 5:30, Call for details. Come join the community table, anytime during business hours, for conversation, fellowship and knitting/crochet assistance. Mention this ad and receive a 10% discount on your purchase. Phone: 423-232-2933
145 Mind, Body & Spirit Stop Smoking Naturally with Hypnosis! Tired of being chained to the deadly habit of smoking? Are you motivated to stop smoking without using chemicals or chewing gum or wearing patches? I can help motivate you to stop this expensive, negative, unhealthy habit. Call us today at A New Path Hypnosis, 423-3418898 or visit www.anewpathhypnosis.com to get started living a healthier life today. Free information session for all new clients.
WATCHING
TELEVISION Just
Kelly’s Place
By Jim Kelly since 1989 jkelly@ theloaferonline.com
in time for the holiday gift-giving season, the preeminent film historian and critic David Thomson has produced an oversized book about television that should find itself under many trees this Christmas. After filling a film lover’s bookshelf with thought-provoking volumes like HOW TO WATCH A MOVIE, THE BIG SCREEN: THE STORY OF THE MOVIES, MOMENTS THAT MADE THE MOVIES, and THE WHOLE EQUATION: A HISTORY OF HOLLYWOOD, Thomson has turned his attention to what he calls “the elephant in the room”—the television set that became the focus of our living rooms in the post-World War II era. His account is more than a little bittersweet as we find ourselves living in a time when “watching television” has taken on a host of new meanings. No longer confined to our living rooms, television has now migrated to our phones, tablets, and other yet-tobe invented mobile screens that give us 24/7 access to information and entertainment. So, this is the appropriate time for someone like Thomson to take a critical look at the many ways television has created the world in which we live. Thomson’s initial observations about television in TELEVISION: A BIOGRAPHY sets the tone for the remainder of his impressive tome: “The invention, or the quaint piece of furniture, wandered into our life in the 1940s, as a primitive plaything, a clever if awkward addition to the household. It was expensive, unreliable, and a bit of an invalid . . .The household pet of once upon a time became a strange, placid being—the elephant in the room, if you like—not a monster that attacked us and beat its Kong chest in triumph but an impassive force that quietly commandeered so much of what we thought was our attention, or consciousness, or our intelligence. Television wasn’t just an elephant in the room. It became the room, the house, and the world.” This last sentence gives a very succinct history of television from approximately 1945 to the very recent past. Thomson is not really interested in writing a standard history of television that covers all the major developments in chronological order. He prefers instead to look at television in a variety of thematic ways, including chapters on sitcoms, Donna Reed, the popular late 1950s criticism from Newton Minnow that TV is little more than a “vast wasteland,” the role of TV in shaping American and world politics (a certainly relevant topic in light of last week’s Presidential hoopla), comedy, police shows, commercials, variety shows, talk shows, and documentaries. He divides these discussions and examinations into two parts—“The Medium” that focuses the reality that TV creates and “The Message” that defines the language of TV and how that language is being translated in the world of mobile technology.
One of the more interesting insights--and there are many--in Thompson’s analysis is the emergence of what he calls “television people.” When TV was in its infancy, during the 1940s and early 1950s, most television shows were live recreations of plays or radio dramas. In fact, many of the early stars of TV were recycled vaudeville or radio personalities. All this changed with “I Love Lucy,” arguably the first TV sitcom. Admittedly, members of the show’s cast, with the possible exception of Desi Arnaz, were no strangers to the movie and radio crowd, but “I Love Lucy” transformed them into full-fledged television people. During the Cold War era, particularly in the early 1950s, there was widespread fear among the “movie people” that the new medium of television would all but shut down movie theatres. Why take the trouble to venture outside your living room to see a movie when you could more easily transform your living room into a theatre? Television changed the contours of the American home--at least the middle class home. Whereas the kitchen had formerly been the focus of the architecture, television shifted this focus into the living room. Think of how many family photographs during the 1950s show family members clustered around the living room TV set. I can vividly recall the “TV Lounge” my parents added to Kelly’s Motel when I was growing up.
My dad didn’t want to go to the expense or the aggravation of installing a TV in each of our guest rooms, but he saw the necessity of our TV Lounge.
This quickly became a gathering place for our guests--we only had 12 rooms--and a focal point in those pre-Facebook and texting days. When we refer to “television people” we must also include those watching as well as those performing on the small screen. The list of television people is now pretty vast and includes not only the stars of those early sitcoms-Lucy, Desi, Fred, Ethel, Marshall Dillon, Ozzie, Harriet, Andy, Barney--but also later additions like Archie Bunker, Mary Richards, Columbo, and the many denizens of Reality TV, not to mention news anchors and talk and game show hosts. Yes, we should also include the casts of those endless mini-series that have come to dominate cable and streaming networks (i.e. “Mad Men,””Game of Thrones,” “Breaking Bad,” and “The Walking Dead”). Some, like Thomson, tend to place these later developments into a post-TV-era category, given
the fact that streaming has changed the traditional definition of what a TV is. As much as I hate any term with the word “post” in it, I will have to admit that my wife and I belong to the post-TV generation. We have been without a cable box for several years now, preferring to stream everything or to watch stuff from our extensive DVD and Blu-Ray collection.
Thomson invites us to peek into the future (which is now the present by the time you read this) by considering how the VR revolution will further alter our definitions of TV. “It is Oculus now,” observes Thomson, although “it will have rivals and other names. Perhaps it is just the latest big thing, soon to be surpassed. But it may be a radical reappraisal of movie and TV so far. So big a thing, it makes us forget the past.” And he then asks us a provocative question: “Isn’t it the best evidence that we are becoming screens—plastic, masked, anonymous, isolated?” I urge you to read Thomson’s book and to contemplate what he is saying. At this point, there is no better source on the history and meaning of TV culture. See you (no pun intended) next week.
theloaferonline.com | November 15, 2016
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