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Volume 28 Issue #45
Publisher - Bill Williams • Editor/Graphic Arts Director - Don Sprinkle • Office Manager - Luci Tate Cover Design - Bill May Advertising - Dave Carter, Akey Kincaid, Terry Patterson Contributing Staff - Jim Kelly, Andy Ross, Ken Silvers, Mark Marquette Published by Tree Street Media, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com • info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof.The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement,including claims or suits for defamation,libel,right of privacy,plagiarism,and copyright infringement.
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Muddy Creek readies for
SUZUKI TOP GUN SHOWDOWN One of the premier amateur motocross events in the country, the Suzuki Top Gun Showdown, invades Muddy Creek Raceway for the 27th annual event Oct. 17-19. The season finale in the Thor United States Mega Series, a 16-event series that runs in Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia, will feature hundreds of the top amateur riders from across the nation competing in 42 different classes with competitors as young as four taking part in the event. The legendary track, which for the past two years has been hosting an AMA pro national event, has welcomed numerous motocross stars over the years at this event. With a $10,000 purse on the line, Sam Gammon, the four-time national promoter of the year who owns Victory Sports, which runs Muddy Creek, is looking forward to yet another spectacular event. “It’s the series finale so we’re expecting another great weekend,” said Gammon. “As always, we’ll have some of the top riders in the country competing and we’re looking forward to getting them out here to see who ends up winning the championships.” The Showdown has grown steadily each year, drawing a record 1,662 riders in 2012, along with nearly 5,000 spectators. “We’re expecting another big turnout with riders and fans,” said Gammon. “We’ve built quite a fol-
lowing and it is one of the biggest events of the year so I honestly do expect us to have record numbers again this year. I think that says an awful lot about our facility, how great the action on the track is and our fan base.” Top Gun Showdown number 1 plates will be awarded to all class winners along with the event awards and product. In addition, this year the event will feature a round of the WOMENS Professional MX Championship.. The three-day event features a Test & Tune practice day on Friday, Racing for the PARTS UNLIMITED Ultra Series, then Sunday will be the THOR United States Mega Series and the Suzuki Top Gun Showdown Sunday to cap the weekend. A number of other activities are scheduled, including a Pit Pike Race, Wheelie Contest, Barbie Car Extreme Downhill Race, and much more. A Kid’s Village, with an inflatable jump house and slide, also will be available. A weekend ticket for spectators is available. Tickers for Sunday’s Top Gun Showdown finale are for $15 for adults and $5 for children. Tickets are available at the gate. Gates open at 4 p.m. Thursday and at 6 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please call (423) 323-5497 or visit www. victory-sports.com.
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Chef Robert Irvine
Tuesday, October 14th at Niswonger Performing Arts Center Chef Robert Irvine comes to NPAC on Tuesday, October 14th at 7:30 pm. The Food Network star is taking his brand of no-nonsense cooking on the road, but this time he won’t be the only star of the show. No recipes, no script, no holds barred; this event is like nothing else. Audience members will choose the challenges and Chef Robert Irvine will do the impossible. This all-new multimedia and multi-sensory event is offers much more than a simple cooking demo. The performance is described as a theatrical event, featuring neverbefore-seen interviews, physical challenges, culinary challenges and more. Chef Irvine will have no prior knowledge of the challenges that await him on the NPAC stage. Instead, producers will invite audience members to use the digital challenge wheel to choose everything from time limits to ingredients to the challenge itself. This approach makes every performance a new and unique experience. Robert Irvine Live involves a
tremendous amount of audience participation. Throughout the evening, several guests will be called-up to become part of the action on stage. Every challenge Robert receives will require assistance, and members of the audience serve as his sous chefs and helpers. From Master Chefs to the worst cooks in America, audience members should be ready for Robert to call on them for help completing various tasks. Walters State Community College is sponsoring this performance. Tickets are $45 for orchestra level seating, $40 for mezzanine seating and $35 for balcony seats. Tickets may be purchased online at www.npacgreeneville.com, in person at the NPAC box office, or by calling 423-638-1679. NPAC offers online seat selection and no-fee ticketing. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 5 pm. The 1130 seat performing arts center is located adjacent to the campus of Greeneville High School in Greeneville, TN. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com.
Have an event coming up? Email a press release and photos to:
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Zombies To Invade the
The Blue Moon Dinner Theatre, Johnson City’s premier dinner theater located at 215 E. Main St., presents their new interactive murder mystery, “THE WAKING DEAD,” starting this Friday October 17th and running Fridays and Saturdays thru November 15th. Barbara is trapped in an old farmhouse when the dead awaken from their eternal slumber to feast upon the brains of the living. Fighting tooth and nail to survive, She is about to give up when Deputy Rick Rhimes and his son, Carl show up to help. During the night, several familiar faces stop by the farmhouse as well a horde of the undead. Can our heroes survive the zombies? Can they survive each other? “The Waking Dead” spoofs the TV smash “The Walking Dead” while taking a few jabs at zombie classics like “Night of The Living Dead” and “Zombieland” It features some local favorites such as Linda Wakely, Dave Hutton, Matthew Anderson, Matthew Quick, Wendy Potter and a cast of the undead. “In 2012 we did a Zombie Comedy on our stage and ever since then, our audiences have been asking for more” Says Artistic Direc-
tor Edward Breese “So this year we have written our own zombie murder mystery that is going to have our audiences dying with laughter. Written by Clayton Van Huss and Stage Managed by Jada Nave the show is a perfect night out for the Halloween season. Prizes will be awarded for guessing “Who Done It?” and for best costume of the night. (So feel free to come dressed as your favorite zombie!) At the Blue Moon, a 3 course dinner is served by candlelight before the show. Doors open at
6 p.m. with food service starting at 6:30pm and the show at 7:30. Dessert and show only tickets are available as well as menu upgrades at an additional price. Special requests require a 24 hour notice. Groups of 10 or more receive a special group discount. For more information or to reserve your tickets, call 232-1350 or visit bluemoondinnertheatre.com. Follow us on Twitter @BlueMoonJC and “like” us on Facebook for special offers and information about upcoming shows.
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Jonesborough Welcomes
Storyteller Jennifer Munro Jennifer Munro, a British-born storyteller who is based in New England, will be the next performer in residence for the International Storytelling Center in downtown Jonesborough. Known for her piercing, but hilarious, personal stories, Munro has recently been expanding her repertoire to include original fiction and traditional tales. During her time in Jonesborough, she plans to share stories from her life—everything from learning to read to being a parent to her own children—as well as myths, an original fairy tale, and more. “I don’t want to be pegged as someone who just tells personal stories, although I love doing that,” she says. “I like to think I’m somewhat eclectic. I love a good story, whether it’s my own story or a traditional tale. I’m really trying to branch out, but my goal is always to remind people of stories from their own lives. “I’m just having a ball right now working on new material,” she adds. “It’s a great joy.” Munro’s focus is frequently stories from her childhood, which brings a certain sense of nostalgia to her performances. But her quick wit infuses her work with a lightness that keeps people laughing through even her saddest stories. Reflections on the loss of her parents are simultaneously celebrations of their lives—a balance she always tries to bring to the stage. “I think I have a finely tuned sense of humor. Maybe most British people do,” she observes. “It’s sort of that dry sense of humor. I love telling stories that make people laugh. Also, lot of British comedians are storytellers. They tell about their own lives in story format. I remember watching those performances years ago and feeling transported.” During her weeklong residency, Munro will perform daily matinees, October 21 – 25, Tuesday through Saturday, at 2:00 p.m. in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling
Hall. Tickets for all shows are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Advance purchase is highly recommended. As teller in residence, her goal is to surprise not just her audience, but herself. “As a storyteller, you always have to be prepared to reach into your bag of tricks, as it were, and pull out exactly the right story,” she says. “Every storytelling performance is a totally different experience, yet the connection is always the same. It’s incredibly deep, heart-to-heart communication.” Munro will be the next-to-last performer in the 2014 season of the International Storytelling Center’s Storytelling Live! series, which runs from May through October. Further information about the Teller-in-Residence series is avail-
able at www.storytellingcenter. net. Storytelling Live! is supported by Presenting Sponsor CrestPoint Health, program sponsors Eastman Chemical Company and Eastman Credit Union, and media sponsors News 5-WCYB, FOX TriCities, Tri-Cities CW, Johnson City Press, Kingsport Times-News, Herald & Tribune and Cumulus Media. Ticket holders will save 10 percent on same-day dining at The Olde Courthouse Diner, The Dining Room, Jonesborough General Store and Eatery, or Main Street Café. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live! or to make a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 or (423) 913-1276.
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Whitetop Mountain Band at Carter Family Fold Saturday, October 18th, 2014, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert of old time music by the Whitetop Mountain Band. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, $1 for children 6 to 11, under age 6 free. Whitetop Mountain Band is a family-based band from the highest mountains of Virginia. Whitetop is an area rich in old time music tradition, and this band has deep roots in mountain music. The band’s members have worked tirelessly to preserve the region’s style of old time fiddling and banjo picking and are legendary musicians and teachers of the style. Their shows are high energy and unlike any other show you have ever seen. There’s everything from fiddle and banjo instrumentals to powerful solos and harmony vocals on blues, classic country, honky tonk, traditional
bluegrass numbers, old timey ballads, originals, four-part mountain gospel songs – and some flat foot dancing. Well-known for their charisma on stage and their ability to engage audiences of all ages, this group has been performing at the Carter Fold since shows first began at the A.P. Carter Grocery in the 1970s. The Whitetop Mountain Band is one of the most popular dance bands of the Appalachian Mountains. They have a great following at square dances all over Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky at venues like the Carter Fold. The group has performed throughout the U.S. at festivals, concerts, competitions, and colleges. The Smithsonian Folklike Festival, National Folklife Festival, World Music Institute in New York City, the Carter Family Festival, the Dock Boggs Festival, the World’s Fair, the Virginia Arts
Festival, Floydfest, Ola Belle Reed Festival, and Merlefest are a few of the many festivals that have featured the band. The group has toured in England, Wales, Ireland, and Australia. They have taught at workshops and classes all over the U.S. Arhoolie, the Virginia Foundation of the Humanities, JuneAppal, Heritage, and Rounder Records are a few of the labels they have recorded for. In addition, they have been featured in many magazines, TV shows, and radio programs. Whitetop Mountain Band was recently given the “Entertainer of the Year” award in the old time category at the ACMA’s Blueridge Acoustic Uprising. The band originated with Albert Hash in the 1940s. Albert was a well-known and beloved fiddler and luthier. As a teenager, Albert played with Henry Whitter of Grayson & Whitter. Grayson & Whitter recorded in the 1920s. The
In the 1970s, Albert’s brothertune “Hangman’s Reel” that Albert recorded is the same version in-law, Thornton Spencer, and his played by so many old time mu- wife Emily joined Albert in the sicians today. He taught Wayne Whitetop Mountain Band. The Henderson, Audrey Ham, and Whitetop .. many others to build instruments. continued on next page
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Whitetop .. continued from previous page three also started an old time music program at Mt. Rogers School, a small K-12 public school in Whitetop. The students learn fiddle, banjo, guitar, bass, and dancing. Emily Spencer has carried on the program, and it has received a lot of regional and national attention for its’ uniqueness – including Grammy and CMT nominations. The Whitetop Mountain Band is still carried on today by Thornton Spencer on fiddle and Emily Spencer on banjo and vocals. Their daughter, Martha Spencer plays with the band as well. She is a multi-instrumentalist (guitar, banjo, fiddle, and bass) and fine vocalist and dancer. Jackson Cunningham plays mandolin, guitar, clawhammer banjo, and harmonica; and he does vocals for the group. Jackson is originally from Oregon, and he’s played music since early childhood. He has performed with duet and trio groups and recorded on the VFH label. Debbie Bramer moved from Michigan to Fancy Gap, Virginia. She plays bass in the band and dances. Debbie has been part of
several clogging teams and has been active in many dance workshops and competitions. Ersel Fletcher plays guitar and adds his vocal talent to the group. For additional information on the group, go to http://whitetopmountainband.com/. Carter Family Memorial Music Center, Incorporated, is a nonprofit, rural arts organization established to preserve traditional, acoustic, mountain music. For further information on the center, go to http://www.carterfamilyfold. org. Shows from the Carter Family Fold can be accessed on the internet at http://www.carterfoldshow.com. Carter Music Center is part of the Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail. You can visit the Crooked Road Music Trail site at http://thecrookedroad.org. Partial funding for programs at the center is provided by the Virginia Commission for the Arts the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054.
We are the World
Free concert in Cumberland Square Park hosted by The Crisis Center The Crisis Center is pleased to announce a fall event sure to please all ages – We Are The World – a free concert in Cumberland Square Park on Saturday, October 18 from 11 am to 5 pm. We Are The World will feature local artists Annie Robinette, Wyldehart, and Jana and the Ukuladies, to name a few. Two Nashville recording artists Paul E. Zokowski (P-E-Z) and Edgar White are coming in to town to help raise awareness of the work The Crisis Center does. In addition to lots of music, there will be food, drink and children’s activities for your pleasure. Active military and veterans are invited to eat free. We ask that veterans please bring VA or current ID. “The Crisis Center has been a part of our community since 1973
and we just want to say ‘Thanks’ to all of the folks who have supported us over the years” says Bob Frank, Executive Director. “Hopefully, folks who haven’t heard of us will learn more too. As a nonprofit serving the underserved, we always look for opportunities to spread the word about the work we do and gain new supporters.” “The Crisis Center was originally founded out of the need for a local hotline – that hotline still exists. In addition, The Crisis Center takes calls from over 6 national hotlines including 2 national suicide hotlines. The hotline is answered by staff and volunteers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year” says Emily Anne Thompson, Community Educator. “We want people to know that there
is something they can do to help – in addition to posting something to facebook. They can contribute to the local organization that answers the hotline locally.” Your support is greatly appreciated and we hope to see Cumberland Square Park hopping with We Are The World on Saturday, October 18, 2014 from 11 am to 5 pm. The Crisis Center continues to serve our community with education, advocacy and intervention allowing individuals to find positive solutions for personal crises. Through support, hope and education we strive to restore emotional balance to both individuals and communities in which they live. For more questions, contact The Crisis Center, 276.466.2218.
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Playing now thru Oct. 18th, 2014 at the Renaissance Arts Center Theatre
The City of Kingsport Office of Cultural Arts is proud to present the musical Nanyehi: Beloved Woman of the Cherokee, its Tennessee debut, in mid-October 2014 at the Renaissance Arts Center & Theatre in Kingsport at 1200 E. Center St., in collaboration with the Kingsport Theatre Guild. Reserved seat tickets are $12 for Adults, $10 for Seniors (Over 50) and Students, $8 Children. Book now at www.EngageKingsport. com or call (423) 392-8414. Nanyehi is a two-act musical with 17 songs brought to you by Grammy Award nominated songwriter, Becky Hobbs and coplaywright, Nick Sweet, based on the life of Becky’s 5th-great grandmother, Nancy Ward, who was first honored as a Cherokee warrior, then as a peace maker in the 1700’s. She was first named
Nanyehi, and later known as Nancy Ward. Nanyehi means, “she who walks among the spirit people.” On the day she was born, a white wolf appeared on the horizon. This was very significant to the Cherokee people, as “white” was the color that symbolized “peace,” and Nanyehi was born into the Wolf Clan, one of the most prominent of the seven Cherokee clans. She was born in approximately 1738, in Chota, the capital of the Cherokee Nation, in an area that is now eastern Tennessee. Enormous changes took place during her lifetime, she died in 1822. Hobbs said she hoped to inspire and make a difference with people after they watched the production. “There are a lot of people who have given up hope today and especially young people,” she said. “We look around and they’re liv-
ing in a virtual world. I want to inspire people to do better to make this world a better place.” In 1776, after the illegal sale of lands in Tennessee, Ward’s cousin, Dragging Canoe, organized a series of attacks against white settlers. However, Ward sent runners to warn the whites of the approaching attacks. Dragging Canoe was wounded and three of the attacks were unsuccessful. “That Nanyehi could be such a strong woman back then when woman weren’t considered important, just shows that in the Indian culture they were” said Hobbs. Highlights from the musical include the Battle of Taliwa, a Cherokee marriage ceremony and Ward saving the life of a white settler and a stickball game. The two-act production also includes several dance numbers and songs such as Song of the Nunnehi or spirit people, Pass the Whiskey, This Land is Not Our Land and There Will Be Blood. Cherokee Nation citizen Jenna Stocks choreographed the dances. “The songs are really contemporary and they use contemporary instruments, so the dancing has been more contemporary and less traditional,” Jenna Stocks said. “It’s a very meaningful play. It’s meaningful to the Cherokee Nation because she was a strong leader, and so I think it’s very touching”. Hobbs came up with the idea of telling Ward’s story via a musical after writing some of the songs Nanyehi .. continued on next page
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now in the production in the 1990s. It was after meeting Nick Sweet, who directed the Cherokee Heritage Center’s Trail of Tears drama that the musical “Nanyehi, Beloved Woman of the Cherokee” was set into motion. Today, the production contains 17 songs. Hobbs is best known for writing Angels Among Us, recorded by Alabama, as well as writing and recording her hits, Jones on the Jukebox and Honky Tonk Saturday Night. Her co-writer, Sweet, is a freelance stage director who has directed more than 100 productions, including the historical outdoor drama Trail of Tears in 2002. For “Nanyehi,” Sweet directs the musical production and Hobbs serves as musical director. Other characters included Dragging Canoe, Ward’s mother, Tenia; Cherokee chiefs Attakullakulla and Oconastota; Ward’s first husband, Kingfisher; and second husband, Bryant Ward as well as Ward’s friend Sequina. “Becky Hobbs’s and Nick Sweet’s inter-
pretive story of Nanyehi is a world-class musical production. As one of her descendants, the story of Nancy Ward is both inspirational and deeply personal to me. The stirring compositions, riveting dialogue and modern choreography make this a must-see piece of musical theater. Cherokee Nation history enthusiasts and theater fans will be mesmerized with Becky’s wonderful creation.” ---Bill John Baker, Cherokee Nation Principal Chief “NANYEHI is a powerful, sweeping saga told in achingly personal terms. Nashville performer and songwriter Becky Hobbs has long been able to turn a phrase and evoke an emotion with the best of her peers; collaborating here with veteran stage director Nick Sweet, her songs propel a real-world story that reverberates with wisdom. feeling, and shared humanity.” ---John Wooley, author of SHOT IN OKLAHOMA and FROM THE BLUE DEVILS TO RED DIRT: THE COLORS OF OKLAHOMA MUSIC
The Haunted Howl disc golf tournament announced at Steele Creek
We are all familiar with the haunted howls of Steele Creek Park, right? This year, park officials have decided to recognize the long talked about phenomenon and do something to honor the howls during the howl high season- Halloween. The “Haunted Howl” Disc Golf Tournament has been set for Saturday, October 25, 2014 at Steele Creek Park. Steele Creek is a tournament player’s course designed on the traditional golf course at Steele Creek Park. Featuring back to back water holes and multiple big-air downhill drives, Steele Creek is a championship caliber disc golf course in the beautiful Tennessee hills. Steele Creek Golf course is only open for disc play five days a year. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to play the most exclusive course in Tennessee. The field will be lim-
ited to 90 players. “This is a unique opportunity to play disc golf on a manicured golf course and enjoy the hospitality of the City of Bristol and Steele Creek Park,” said Mike Musick, Recreation Superintendent. “This is one of the most exciting events we will host in disc golf play. It is a great time of year; the weather should be cool yet comfortable. We are expecting a great turnout, so everyone needs to register early.” All players will receive a tournament shirt, stamped disc, and mini disc in their players pack. For more information and to register go to www.bristoltn.org then click on Parks and Recreation tab on the left. Please be sure to give your shirt size. Lunch will be available on site but will need to be ordered as one registers.
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Holston River Brewing Hosts First Annual Oktoberfest Holston River Brewing Company has made quite a name for itself in the short time since its inception, whether for the crowd-pleasing beers that it produces daily, or the consistently solid music lineup that graces its stage regularly. If you come for one, you’re generally gonna stay for the other, and once you’re hooked - well, you’ll keep coming back for more. Being a beer-producing entity as it is, it comes as no surprise that an Oktoberfest celebration would be in the works, and this year, the Brewery and a few local music standouts have banded together to make that idea a reality. On October 25th, Holston River Brewing Company will welcome JV Squad, Wise Old River, and Sigean to take the stage, laying out a full evening
of fine music and good entertainment, and hoping to make the night one to remember. There will be great beers on tap, good food on the grill, games to play, events to behold, and plenty of surprises throughout the night. The night’s entertainment will kick off at 7 pm with the traditional Irish sounds of regional legends Sigean, who have been known to play a jig or two to get the masses moving, and will be followed by the soulful southern song stylings of the wonderful Wise Old River and the powerful Mountain Soul of JV Squad. An eclectic mix of music that holds together in one simple truth - it is honest, good, and fun - the best of all possible labels. The JV Squad is an eclectic
Mountain Soul band featuring the powerful vocals of Jared and Vanessa Bentley, the incomparable Rob Russell on guitar, the talented fingers of Jerry Henninger on keys, and the rock-solid rhythm section of Lance McCloud (bass) and Mike Sams (drums). The Squad got its feet wet utilizing a different lineup throughout East Tennessee for a year or so, struggling to find and develop an identity and sound that the band felt represented who and what they are as a group. “We all knew what sort of feel we wanted, or were looking for, but never seemed to make it happen for one reason or another - it singer and rhythm guitar player. was elusive and waning, but pa“And then the pieces fell totiently waiting to be realized,” gether.” said Jared Bentley, the group’s With the addition of Henninger on keys and Russell on guitar, the JV Squad was able to develop the sound that they were striving for - an honest, roots-based, soulful
sound that is equal parts Rock, Americana, R&B, and Soul. Says Bentley, “People had referred to us before as “Mountain Soul”, and we carried that moniker with pride - but now we feel
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Oktobefest .. continued from previous page like we have earned it.” You’ll get a lot of things at a JV Squad show, from a few country standards to a lot of New Orleans soul, from a heartfelt ballad to a brand new barn-burner, from Stevie to Tweedy, and all points in between - and t’hey’ll make sure it all comes hard, from the first note to the last. Wise Old River blends a variety of influences and instruments that combine tradition with originality. The group features vocalist/ guitarist Jamen Denton (formerly of Virginia Ground and was recognized as best male vocalist by the GOTRICITES MUSIC AWARDS in 2005). Jeanne Denton provides well crafted harmony vocals and occasional percussion. Steve Marshall provides a solid foundation on the “dog house” bass. Jim
Denton adds acoustic lap steel, 12 string slide guitar, and bouzouki. Their sound has been described as “Eclectic-Americana.” The group has performed on local and national television programs such as the PBS syndicated show “Song of the Mountains”, which is taped at the Lincoln Theatre in Marion, VA. The show airs on over 90 PBS stations across the United States. Other venues and events include the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2010), Bristol’s Paramount Theatre, Virginia Highlands Festival in Abingdon, VA, Hungry Mother Park Arts and Music Festival in Marion, VA, the Little Chicago Blues Festival and the Home Grown Show Case at the Down Home in Johnson City,
TN, The Pickin’ Porch in Bristol, TN, the Tim White Blue Grass Radio Show, Studio One (WETS 89.5 FM) at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN, and many other local and regional venues. Wise Old River recorded their first CD in 2009 entitled “De Novo” and “My Land” in 2011. Sigean was formed in 1997 by four friends who shared a common interest in Irish Traditional Music– Clay Henry, Tom Swadley, James Skeen, and Eric Olive. Together they practiced and performed Sigean’s first gig at Roan Mountain State Park and began to bring the traditional music of Ireland to growing audiences. The region has always been a hotbed of traditional American music, with audiences who know and love the
sound of string bands, Bluegrass, traditional dance music, and balladry. The fact that audiences here are perfectly-primed to enjoy Oldtime dance music’s Irish cousins, the jig and reel, comes as no surprise. The lineup has changed since 1997, with former Sigean members moving on to play with other regionally-important and internationally-known acts, but the signature sound, repertoire, and spirit remains the same. Sigean plays acoustic Irish music, in a traditional way, like you’d hear in a kitchen amongst good friends, and they do it as well or better than anyone you’re likely to see in this region. The current line-up looks like this: Tom Swadley - Guitar, Frank Wing - Fiddle, Tenor Banjo and Vocals, John Rushing - Upright
Johnson City Parks and Recreation will host a Super Spooky Saturday event for all ages at Winged Deer Park on Saturday, Oct. 18. From 5-9 p.m., families can enjoy arts and crafts, snacks, games, a pumpkin hunt, marshmallow roasting, face painting, and lots of fun for the whole family! Admission is free, hayrides are $2 person, and concessions will be available on site. 5-7 p.m.: Children’s Hayrides ($2 per person) • 5-7 p.m.: Pumpkin Hunt sponsored by Fenders Farm • 6:30-7:30 p.m.: Storytelling • 7-9 p.m.: Haunted Hayrides ($2 per person) Parents are asked to plan accordingly because the darker the sky, the scarier the ride! All activities will be held at the Robert Young Cabin, adjacent to the Park and Recreation Administration Office at Winged Deer Park. For more information, please call (423)434-5749.
Bass and Vocals, Marcianne O’Day - Fiddle and Vocals, Reagan DeBusk - Flute and Whistles, Buz Lee - Bodhran, Tim Harkleroad - Whistles, Vocals and Bodhran So - whatever you think your plans are for October 25th, you might think of changing them and adding the Holston River Brewing Company’s First Annual Oktoberfest Celebration to your schedule, because the music is primed, the people are happy, and the beer is second-to-none. The HRBC is located at 2623 Volunteer Parkway, just two tenths of a mile past the Bristol Motor Speedway. If you haven’t been there, feel free to check out their website at www. hrbrewing.com, or find them on Facebook.
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Starry Nights Inspire Astronomy Poems
I love poetry and prose about astronomy, and many of the books in my collection of antique astronomy tomes are laces with poems. One of the oldest books I have is the 1892 first edition of “The Storyland of Stars” by Mara L. Pratt, a science writer for a books series called Young Folks’ Library of Choice Literature. And throughout Ms. Pratt’s brief history of astronomy and constellation mythology throughout the seasons, there are many poems, some credited and some not. The stargazing lady begins her book thusly: “What can be more in order, children, than that now, when the Earth flowers are all gone, and the air, so clear and frosty, is bringing out the stars in all their brightness, we should turn to study them—the sky flowers, as we may well call them?” Reading these words can inspire and start the mind wondering...and wandering. They do for me. Sky Flowers. What a beautiful way to look at the star field that presents itself every clear night. Civilized man has always tried to put a human persona on the pattern of varied bright stars that cycle through the seasons. The Sun, Moon and stars have also inspired the artists of time to draw, paint, photograph and write about the experience of looking up. There is a lot of non-scientific literature that has been written about the stars, but it is the poet who has touched our hearts and minds by translating what touches our eyes in the starry sky. Get comfortable, clear your mind of the day’s toils, and see how you enjoy some astronomy poetry from more than 120 years ago:
UNTITLED Tell me, ye splendid orbs, as, from your throne, Ye mark the rolling provinces that own Your Sway—What beings fill those bright abodes? How formed, how gifted? What their powers, Their state, Their happiness, their wisdom? Do they bear the stamp of human nature? Or has God peopled those purer realms with lovelier forms And more celestial minds? WARE * * * * * Silently, one by one, in the infinite meadows of Heaven, Blossomed the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels. – LONGFELLOW * * * * * Ye are A beauty and a mystery, and create In us such love and reverence from afar That fortune, fame, power, life, have named themselves a star. – BYRON * * * * * THE STARS What do the stars do Up in the sky, Higher than wind can blow Or the clouds fly? Each star in its own glory Circles, circles still’ As it was lit to shine and set And do the Maker’s will. --- Christina Rosetti ***** Lo! The small stars, above the silver wave Come wandering up the sky, and kindly lave The thin clouds with their light, like floating sparks Of diamonds in the air; or spirit barks, With unseen riders, wheeling in the sky. --- Albert Pike ***** The spacious firmament on high, With all the blue ethereal sky, And spangled Heavens, a shining frame, Their great Original proclaim. The unwearied Sun, from day to day, Does his Creator’s power display, And publishes to every land The work of an Almighty hand. ---Anonymous Stargazer .. continued on next page
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Skies This Week
Mara Pratt ends her book, “Storyland of Stars” by telling children to forget the words of the popular “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are.” Instead she offers this revision to end her book of 122 years ago: Celestial events in the skies for the week of Oct. 14 - Oct. 20, 2014, “Twinkle, twinkle little star, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. I don’t wonder what you may be, For I have learned more things of you than you can ever learn of me.” The evening is free of moonAnother classic antique book I possess is the 1898 edition of Mary light as our celestial neighbor Proctor’s “Stories of Starland.” Also filled with the latest science of asnow belongs to the after-midnight tronomy in a prose written for the layman, there are lots of interesting skies. That puts the spotlight on poems in this book: the Milky Way spanning overhead THE NIGHTS and the planet Mars in the south. Oh, the Summer night High in the northeast are the four Has a smile of light stars of the Great Square of PegaSTARLIGHT AT SEA And she sits on a sapphire throne; sus the Flying Horse. The Summer Overhead the countless stars Whilst the sweet winds load her Triangle of Deneb, Vega and Altair Like eyes of love were beaming, With garlands of odor, are still prominent as they drive Underneath the weary Earth From the bud to the rose o’erblown! westward, and the “W” of CassioAll breathless lay a-dreaming But the Autumn night peia is now rising in the northeast. Has a piercing sight, It’s a wonderful time of year to see The twilight hours like birds flew by And a step both strong and free; the transition of the seasons in the As lightly and as free; And a voice for wonder, night sky! Ten thousand stars were in the sky, Like the wrath of thunder, Tues. Oct. 14 Ten thousand in the sea. When he shouts to the stormy sea! The Moon is at Last Quarter For every wave with dimpled face And the Winter night tomorrow, Wednesday, and rises That leaped upon the air Is all cold and white, after midnight today and about 40 Had caught a star in its embrace And she singeth a song of pain; minutes later each succeeding day. And held it trembling there. Till the wild bee hummeth, Wed. Oct. 15 --- Amelia B. Welby And the warm spring cometh, On this 2003 date in space hisWhen she dies in a dream of rain! tory, China became the third na--- Adelaide Proctor tion to orbit a human by launching Shenzhou 5 with Yang Liwei aboard, the Communist nation’s first “taikonaut,” and now a national hero. Since then, China has successfully flown five manned missions, including two to their first, small space station. Space watchers expect a new manned minor shower, you might see three sion to Jupiter. And in 1993 STS-58 mission soon as China has an- to five an hour. All this month mission flew Columbia and six nounced ambitious plans to build you might also see meteors of the astronauts on a 12-day mission space stations and go to the Moon Orionid Meteor Shower, which studying the effects of weightlessin the next 20 years. peaks the morning of next Tues- ness on humans. day the 22nd. Orionids are bright Sun. Oct. 19 Thurs. Oct. 16 Be sure to check the times when and swift and sometimes leave a Mars is out of Scorpius and at the International Space Station smoky trail that lasts just an in- the feet of Ophiuchus the Serpent is flying overhead as usually ev- stant. Handler, and the 13th undeclared ery month there are a week in the Sat. Oct. 18 constellation of the Zodiac. Watch morning and a week in the eveStargaze with experienced ama- Mars continue moving eastward ning when the huge complex flies teur astronomers tonight at the into the spout of the teapot of stars over America. Veteran meteorolo- Bays Mountain Park “StarWatch” that make up Sagittarius the Argist Mark Reynolds of WJHL-TV program beginning at 7 pm. The cher. The Red Planet and crescent posts ISS fly-overs on his Face- program is free, and there will be a Moon will be in Sagittarius and book page. Or check out the In- short program in the planetarium the edge of the Milky Way on the ternet sites of NASA.gov, Space- if skies are cloudy. But clear skies nights of Oct. 27th and 28th. Weather.com and Heavens-Above. will amaze visitors with views Mon. Oct. 20 com for fly-over dates and times of through some serious telescopes at On this 1995 date in space histhe Space Station and other easily the Kingsport Park’s Observatory. tory, Space Shuttle Columbia was visible satellites like the Hubble Two NASA Space Shuttles were rocketed 200 miles high in the Space Telescope. launched on this date, four years usual 9 minute rocket ride. Seven I heard the trailing garments of the night apart. In 1989 Atlantis was blasted astronauts spent a record 16 days Fri. Oct. 17 Sweep through her marble halls, The Epsilon Geminid Meteor into space on mission STS-34 with conducting microgravity experiI saw her sable skirts all fringed with light Shower is in progress all week the interplanetary spacecraft Gali- ments for the US military and genFrom the celestial walls. peaking tonight after midnight. A leo, deployed for a successful mis- eral contractors. --- Longfellow
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No Love on Valentine Road Documentary spotlights teen murder causes, repercussions
The Newsweek magazine headline read: “Young, Gay and Murdered.” At the height of the bullying scandal that rocked the U.S. in 2008, a 15-year-old boy named Lawrence “Larry” King asked another boy to be his valentine in a suburban schoolyard in California. The next day Larry was dead, shot by his 14-year-old crush Brandon McInerney. The documentary Valentine Road looks deeply into the homophobia, sexism, racism and class-struggle that affect everyday American life – and reveals an American justice system unprepared to deal adequately with teenage crime and punishment.
Mary B. Martin School of the Arts at ETSU will present Valentine Road with filmmaker Marta Cunningham as part of South Arts’ Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers Monday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. in Martha Street Culp Auditorium. After the screening, producer and director Cunningham will engage the audience in a discussion about the film and her work as a filmmaker. A reception with the filmmaker will follow the Q&A session. Film and reception are free and open to the public. At the screening, the School of the Arts will provide a “Memory Board” where viewers can write and post personal experiences with bullying, violence, marginal-
ization and gender or hate crimes. Valentine Road is Cunningham’s first feature documentary. “I first heard about Lawrence King and the tragic circumstances of his death from a small article in the Southern Poverty Law Center magazine,” Cunningham says. “I was horrified by what I read and wondered how I had not heard about the incident when I lived a mere 45 minutes away.” The story is difficult, says Anita DeAngelis, director of Mary B. Martin School of the Arts. “It’s really about learning to accept one another and fear of change and the unknown,” DeAngelis says. “One of the things we should be doing different sides to a particular arguon a college campus is providing ment and teaching students how to sort through all of the media they might see and form opinions that have some validity to them, not just rely on emotional responses.” Valentine Road has been screened across the country, to positive reviews. “Haunting, heartfelt and even-handed, Valentine Road should be required viewing in teaching tolerance on middle school and high school campuses,” says Claudia Puig of USA Today. “Moving and infuriating,” says Gary Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times. “For viewers, Brandon’s action feels tragic and inexcusable. The hard part is how to respond to it, and Valentine Road, like much of ‘the system,’ doesn’t suggest any easy answer,” says David Hinckley of New York Daily News. Filmmaker Cunningham is an actor turned first-time filmmaker. A native of Northern California, she was so moved by the story of Lawrence King’s murder that she embedded herself in Oxnard and began filming those whose lives were touched by the tragedy. The result became Valentine Road, a feature-length documentary selected to compete in the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and which premiered on HBO in October of 2013. The Southern Circuit Tour of
Independent Filmmakers is a program of South Arts. Southern Circuit screenings are funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. South Arts, founded in 1975, is a nonprofit regional arts organization building on the South’s unique heritage and enhancing the public value of the arts. Their work responds to the arts environment and cultural trends with a regional perspective through an annual portfolio of activities designed to address the role of the arts in impacting the issues important to its region and linking the South with the nation and the world through the arts. For information about the film series or ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts, call 423-439TKTS (8587) or visit www.etsu. edu/martin. Please “Like” ETSU Mary B. Martin School of the Arts on Facebook and follow it on Twitter and Instagram @ArtsAtETSU.
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WETS-FM/HD on-air fundraiser begins WETS-FM/HD, the public radio station licensed to East Tennessee State University, receives almost half of its operating budget from listeners. On Wednesday, Oct. 15, the station will begin its fall, on-air fundraising campaign to ask those listeners to contribute. The 10-day campaign will feature special editions of public radio favorites like “Fresh Air,” “Car Talk,” “This American Life,” “A Prairie Home Companion” and “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!” Locally produced programs like “Your Weekly Constitutional” and “Studio One” will also offer special editions during the fundraiser. And the station will feature a special hour of music with three popular local performing groups. The station, heard at 89.5 Mhz, hopes to raise at least $120,000 during the fall fundraiser, according to station director Wayne Winkler. “We have a unique partnership,” Winkler says. “The university provides salaries and services for the station, while listeners pay for the programming. It’s worked well for the past 40 years.” On Saturday, Oct. 18, at 3 p.m., the station will broadcast an hour of music recorded at the station’s “Listener Appreciation Dinner and Concert,” which was held in downtown Johnson City at the end of September.
Performers include the Celtic band Sigean, ETSU’s a capella group Greyscale and The Billy Crawford Band. The topic of the “Your Weekly Constitutional” program to be heard during the fundraising campaign is the controversial “Citizens United” decision of the United States Supreme Court. The Court ruled in the 2010 case that the Federal Election Commission couldn’t restrict independent political expenditures of corporations, labor unions and other organizations. Produced by Winkler and hosted by Stewart Harris, who teaches constitutional law at the Appalachian School of Law, “Your Weekly Constitutional” will be heard Sunday, Oct. 19, at 3 p.m. and Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 8 p.m. During the campaign, which will continue through Oct. 24, volunteers will answer telephones to take pledges from listeners. Volunteers are needed from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. each weekday; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. Prospective volunteers should call 423439-6440 or toll-free 888-895-9387, or email the station at wets@etsu.edu. The station also welcomes contributions in advance of the on-air campaign. Contributions may be made online at www.wets. org.
Civic Chorale begins 41st Season The Civic Chorale launches its 41st season at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 19 in First Presbyterian Church in Johnson City with a program entitled American Psalms. The church is located at 105 South Boone Street. While there is no admission charge for the concert; donations are gratefully accepted at the door, with a $10 suggested donation. The program is comprised of settings of psalm texts by 20th-century American composers. Most famous are the Chichester Psalms by Leonard Bernstein, and Psalm 90, by Charles Ives. A special feature will be the regional premiere of Psalm 147 for choir and harp by Indiana composer Richard Wienhorst. Other works are by F. Melius Christiansen, Kirke Mechem, Jean Berger, and Alexander Peloquin. While all the composers are from the 20th century, the selections encompass a wide range of styles, from the lush romanticism of Christiansen’s Psalm 50, to the sparkling I Will Sing Alleluia, for flute, percussion and choir by Kirke Mechem. There are high contrasts within the Ives work from jarring dissonance to elegant and harmonious calm. Jean Berger’s setting is a traditional motet texture, but filled with lush jazz harmonies throughout. Peloquin’s Psalm 100 and Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms are both influenced
by dance rhythms, with the former also influenced by Gregorian chant. In addition its to regular accompanists, Dr. Lisa Runner, piano, and Dr. David Runner, organ, the Chorale is joined by guest artists Grace Wepner, harp, and Dan McGuire, percussion. The Civic Chorale was founded in 1973 by Robert LaPella with a small group of invited singers and Jane LaPella as the gifted accompanist. Over the years, the group has grown to become the region’s premiere auditioned volunteer chorus. In addition to singing the standard choral repertoire from Gregorian chant to modern compositions, the Chorale has presented numerous world and regional premieres and frequently collaborated with other music organizations in the region, including the Symphony of the Mountains, the Johnson City Symphony Orchestra, and the East Tennessee Children’s Choir. Since 1998, the Chorale has been led by conductor David Hendricksen. For additional information, visit the Chorale web site at www.thecivicchorale.org or contact the conductor by phone at 423-638-0409 or by email at conductordavid@embarqmail. com
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Halloween Thriller Performed at LampLight theatre “Macabre Masquerade” - Rated PG-13
Enter LampLight Theatre’s Mortality Room and prepare to face your fears in the debut production of “Macabre Masquerade” (Masquerade of Death). As a high school prepares for the Harvest Masquerade Ball at the old Sensabaugh Mansion, demonic forces are about to wreak havoc on the student body. Dark entities terrorize the souls of the most unexpected victims. This production unveils the masks of the ordinary to expose the evils of Satan and his minions. This horrific grandeur event is hosted by a malevolent Grand Marshal and his iniquitous sidekick, The Jester. They will introduce you to a legion of masked nefarious demons. These “fallen ones” summon Lucifer, who masquerades as “The Angel of Light” to destroy the lives of the most innocent. “Macabre Masquerade” exposes the dark realities of true life which can be very disturbing. When you step into the halls of Sensabaugh Mansion, the Grand Marshal will introduce you to a world of disbelief. Beware of Lucifer as he uses his disguised sinister spirits into deceiving you into believing
his lies. When this legion of principalities and dark forces gets done with this band of teens, their mortal souls will hang in the balance of the “after life” of eternity. LampLight Theatre’s cast and crew are ready to present their ultimate Halloween experience. This production is staged on a beautiful gothic set complete with creepy staircases and ominous candelabras. They have many illusions and special effects up their sleeves as well. Don’t let the elaborate, menacing masks and beautiful costumes deceive you. Things aren’t always as they seem at 140 Broad Street in Downtown Kingsport. Our fiendish ghouls are preparing to give you the scare of a lifetime, if you dare accept our invitation to this masquerade ball. The invitation is open. However, Mortality Room’s “Macabre Masquerade” is NOT for everyone. Due to its true-to-life situations and scary images, this show is rated PG-13. Performances will be October 17, 18, 19, October 24, 25, 26, and October 28, 29, 30, 31. Performances nightly at 6:30 PM with additional performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 9:00 PM. The show’s seating is general admission with a suggested donation of $8. Reservations are recommended in order to guarantee times and seating. Outdoor concessions will be available from 5:30 until 9:00. For Reservations and information please contact the LampLight box office at (423) 343-1766, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or online at www.lamplighttheatre.com.
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Arts Array presents
“A Most Wanted Man” The Arts Array Film Series presented by Virginia Highlands Community College is in its 44th year. All films are presented at the Abingdon Cinemall on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 pm. A Most Wanted Man (October 20 and 21) When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, brutally tortured immigrant turns up in Hamburg’s Islamic community, laying claim to his father’s ill-gotten fortune, both German and U.S. security agencies take a close interest. As the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man’s true identity - oppressed victim or destruction-bent extremist? Based on John le Carré’s novel, A Most Wanted Man is a contemporary, cerebral tale of intrigue. The Arts Array Film Series is part of the comprehensive cultural outreach program of Virginia Highlands Community College. The series is co-sponsored by the Abingdon Cinemall, the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center, Emory& Henry College, and King University. Admission to the films is free for the faculties and students at the supporting institutions. Members of the general community may attend for $7.75. For a brochure on the series or more information, please contact Tommy Bryant at 276-739-2451 or email him at tbryant@vhcc.edu.
Tastes of the Town Tours Features New Food Truck Tastes of the Town Tours is set to host their monthly food tour in Abingdon, with a special stop featuring a brand new food truck in town, on Tuesday, October 21, 2014. Participants will visit 5 stops for small tastes highlighting each establishment’s food and drink. Tickets are now available for purchase online for the food tour. “I’ve been eagerly awaiting a food truck in Abingdon,” says tour organizer, Sara Cardinale. “When I heard Toni’s Hawaiian Taco’s was up and running, I jumped on the chance to include them on the tour. Stops for the tour include: Glenrochie Country Club, Bonefire
Smokehouse, Wolf Hills Brewery with Toni’s Taco Truck and Rain Restaurant. This tour is limited to 25 participants, and is expected to sell out. Tastes of the Town Tours features restaurants that are part of the Rooted in Appalachia campaign, a local food branding initiative collaboratively launched in 2012 by the Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau and Appalachian Sustainable Development. Establishments identified as Rooted in Appalachia partners are dedicated to featuring locally purchased food in their menus, serving local wine or beer and making a good faith
effort to purchase local food year round. Cardinale explains that “at each stop diners will get the chance to hear directly from the chef or owners about what efforts they are making to utilize local products, as well as get a taste of their specialties made with these items.” The tickets for the tour are $38/ ea, and can be purchased online or by phone. Participants should meet at the Municipal Lot in Abingdon at 5:30. For more information about this event, please visit us on the web at www.tastesofthetowntours. com or reach us by phone at 276274-5483.
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The new film “Gone Girl”, based on a 2012 novel of the same name, has influences of film noir. If you are not familiar with the aforementioned term, it is used to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, especially those that emphasize sexual motivations and cynical
attitudes. “Gone Girl”, is directed by David Fincher (“The Social Network”), and stars Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, in a mystery thriller set in Missouri. Affleck stars as Nick Dunne, and Pike as Amy Dunne, a married couple, who hit their fifth wedding anniversary with a deteriorating marriage. How the couple met and got married is told in flashbacks, and
the story kicks into gear when Nick returns home one day to find Amy missing. When he contacts the police, soon the whole town is involved, and a media frenzy is created, with suspensions pointing to Nick as the prime culprit in Amy’s disappearance. Of course, his almost cavalier attitude doesn’t help any, even though he is attempting to convince the police and everyone else of his innocence. As the media frenzy continues to escalate, a Nancy Grace type television journalist continually grills Nick on her show, not helping his efforts to prove he is innocent. Nick has been comforted by his twin sister Margo (Carrie Coon), who is doing everything in her power to help her brother, despite the mounting evidence against her brother. Oh, but is Amy really missing or dead? As the investigation continues, Nick discovers his wife is not all she pretends to be, and again in flashbacks, we discover many shocking revelations. Events prove so bad for Nick, he is forced to hire high profile lawyer Tanner Blot (Tyler Perry), who specializes in defending husbands
accused of killing their wives. Tanner then begins a campaign to help improve Nick’s tarnished reputation, and turn the public’s thoughts in his favor. I will not reveal any other plot points, less to spoil the fun and mystery, other than to say Amy proves to be quite the challenge. I loved the fact the movie keeps us guessing until the final scene, and the surprises and shocks in the story are great. The actors, led by Affleck, are all wonderful, and a film that features the talented Neil Patrick Harris in a detestable role wins points with me. If you have read the novel, never fear, as screenwriter Gillian Flynn has stated the film deviates from the novel, but how much I have no idea. So don’t attend the film with preconceived notions. Director Fincher does a masterful job in making the characters vary from likable to detestable, sometimes within the same scene. With wonderful acting and plenty of plot twists, “Gone Girl” is a film that keeps you on the edge of your seat and completely caught up in the story line from beginning to end. (Rated R) A-
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The Seats Are Buzzing: The Films of William Castle As October rolls around we begin to make our lists of must see Halloween movies. Many of which are horror films that we’ve been watching forever. It all starts in September when I begin to look at my movie shelf and start to ponder what I want to watch in the coming month. If there is one director whose films I get really excited about watching every October, it’s the films directed by William Castle. Castle’s career as a director spanned from the early 1940s right up to the mid 1970s. I don’t wish to go too deeply into Castle’s past, or his whole life, really. There’s a fantastic documentary on the man called “Spin-Tingler: The William Castle Story” that is worth checking out. Instead, the exact period of films I want to focus on that make a “William Castle Movie” what they are, would be the films Castle produced and directed from 1958-1965. What is it about this span of films that makes them so special and such an excited part of my Halloween celebrations? Simple. William Castle made horror movies unlike anyone else. I want to point out that even to say “horror” feels a little overblown in the modern vernacular. William Castle’s films are more fun than they are fright. Castle was a sort of cinematic P.T. Barnum, and the last great showman of the movies, he modeled himself on Alfred Hitchcock, and has often been called “The poor man’s Hitchcock.” A William Castle movie is the cinematic equivalent of your crazy rich uncle who builds a haunted house in his garage every year. Let’s start by looking at the titles, shall we? Here’s the run down of the prime Castle films in order: “Macabre,” “House on Haunted Hill,” “The Tingler,” “13 Ghosts,” “Homicidal,” “Mr. Sardonicus,” and “Strait-Jacket.” Those titles alone makes you want to throw yourself in front of a drive in movie screen with a stack of burgers and a bag full of Halloween candy, don’t they? Outside of marvelous titles, the thing that really sets William Castle’s world apart of the other worlds of the macabre are gimmicks. Castle financed his first horror film himself, going so far as taking a mortgage out on his own home. This terrified Castle into a state of fear and worry that the film would be a disaster at the box office. Castle had a knack for generating
buzz and publicity, he knew that with the just the right trick, he could get people in the theaters to see “Macabre.” Castle came up with an idea that was so crazy it just might work. Castle contacted Lloyd’s of London, and had legitimate “$1,000 Fright Insurance” policies created. Before being allowed admittance into the theater, each patron had to fill out a short insurance form. This form guaranteed that if you died of fright while watching the movie, your benefactor would receive $1,000. The trick paid off, “Macabre” was a success. Castle followed up his “Macabre” formula with Vincent Price staring in 1959’s “House on Haunted Hill.” This time the gimmick Castle dreamt up was a process he called “Emergo.” Emergo was a concept in which during one of the more amped up moments in the film, a plastic skeleton would float over the audience in the theater. The promotional material amped up the concept to make it sound like something inconceivable would be happening during the movie. The ballyhoo paid off, and “House on Haunted Hill” was a gigantic hit. The film’s success was so noticeable, that it caused one Alfred Hitchcock to wonder what might happen if he made a low-budget, black and white thriller of his own. The next year Hitchcock would release “Psycho.” In the same year Castle’s “House on Haunted Hill” was released, he would follow it with his second and final film with Vincent Price. A film that is in many ways William Castle’s masterpiece, “The Tingler.” “The Tingler” has many things that make it the quintessential William Castle movie. Vincent Price aside, the film was the first to fully show the Castle form. This is the film that Castle began to emulate Hitchcock’s promotional style on. Appearing in the trailer for The Tingler, telling the audience about how “shocking” it is, and that it’s a new film experience like they can’t imagine thanks to “percepto.” Castle also began to “host” his movies with “The Tingler.” Directly after the Columbia Pictures logo appears on screen, Castle walks into frame in front of a movie screen, to inform the audience that the “more sensi-
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www.theloaferonline.com Andy Ross .. continued from page 23 tive” among them might experience some of the same sensations as the actors on the screen will. The plot of “The Tingler” involves Price as a doctor/scientist who is performing experiments on the subject of fear. Price knows there’s some strange force inside of us that fear can generate, and he wants to get to the bottom of it. Price finds that when we become frightened, a creature begins to grow on our spines. Price dubs this “The Tingler” and when he captures one of the creatures, which looks like a cross between a rubber lobster and a centipede, Price finds that the only way to stop the creature from killing you is to scream. Castle promised that during each running of “The Tingler” the titular creature would break loose into the theater and attack the audience, all thanks to his new modern day miracle of “percepto.” Castle convinced Columbia to spend an additional $250,000 to go around rigging up theater seats with surplus WWII airplane wing deicer boxes—that vibrated. All of this comes within the film’s great climax, it begins first with a woman fainting in the audience and being carried out on a stretcher. Yes, Castle paid a plant to faint at each showing of the film. Five minutes from when the plant faints and a voice over is played into the theater of Vincent Price assuring the audience that there is no need to panic, is when all hell breaks loose. The film appears to break, and The Tingler is seen in silhouette crawling across the screen. The film stops, the theater goes dark, once again a voice over of Price comes in to declare “The Tingler is loose in this theater! Do
not panic, but scream! Scream for your lives!” This is the cue for the projectionist to flip a switch, causing sporadic seats in the house to buzz. After about a short 45 seconds or so of madness, Price assures the audience that The Tingler has been subdued, and the film will resume shortly. “The Tingler” was another box office success for Castle. Castle’s next three films would feature gimmicks in lesser degrees of “impact.” Following up “The Tingler” was “13 Ghosts” filmed in “Illision-O.” This time Castle handed out “ghost viewers” the his audiences. A variant on 3D glasses with red/blue filters, the “ghost viewers” allowed the audience to either see the ghosts on screen, or filter them out. The film was another success. During this time Castle also had his own national fan club with 250,000 members. Castle’s main audience were pre-teens. Kids loved his films, audience flocked to the gimmicks, and the critics dismissed him outright. Much in the same way that “House on Haunted Hill” influenced “Psycho,” Castle in turn was influenced by “Psycho” to make his own “homage” to the film with his next movie, “Homicidal.” “Homicidal” was the last film to feature one of Castle’s “epic gimmicks.” “Homicidal” came with a fright break, a 45 second pause right before the film’s climax that would allow the more frightened of the audience to leave and get their money back. Only it wasn’t that simple. In order to receive your full refund, you had to stand in a booth called the “coward’s corner” and show to the entire audience that you were far too chicken to see the ending of
“Homicidal.” Following “Homicidal,” Castle turned down the gimmicks and relied more on his reputation, by the time “Homicidal” was made, he had even adopted his own version of the Hitchcock Profile, by having his feature himself in a directors chair, with the image of a long cigar sticking out from his mouth. Castle also began to try to change his style with a few light comedies starting Tom Poston, “Zotz” and “The Old Dark House.” Castle’s last big horror epic is “Strait-Jacket” featuring, in words borrowed from Castle fan John Waters, “the greatest gimmick of them all,” Joan Crawford. Castle’s efforts to move into A pictures culminated when he produced “Rosemary’s Baby.” Castle had wanted to the direct the film himself, but Paramount Pictures, wary of his “shlock-mister” reputation, insisted he only produce, though Castle does have a cameo
in the film. The momentum from the success of “Rosemary’s Baby” was sadly short lived, Castle began to develop a series of health issues, and slipped back into directing B pictures. Castle, who smoked cigars regularly, kept having more and more issues with his health. Passing away from a heart attack at age 63 in 1977. It’s a deep shame that Castle couldn’t have lived just a little while longer. In the early 1980s, the generation who grew up loving his movies as kids, began to revive the films. A popular feature for years at the Film Forum in New York City would be the annual screening of “The Tingler” complete with Percepto Buzzers wired to seats. The films began to be released to home video and both “House on Haunted Hill” and “13 Ghost” saw remakes in the late ‘90s. Today William Castle is rightfully seen as a truly unique, truly American filmmaker.
A man whose films are all a world of their own. I can’t think of many other directors who brand of “fun spookhouse” on celluloid could be more perfect for this time of the year. Many of his films are readily available on DVD, and even iTunes. So this year, why not rent a copy of “The Tingler” and gather the family around the TV? Screaming because Vincent Price told you to is far more fun than you’d think. See you next week.
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Halloween Horrors 2014, Part Two: Forty Years of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre Tobe Hooper’s now-iconic movie The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (“chain” and “saw” are separate words in the original movie title) was released to an unsuspecting world on October 1, 1974. A few days before Halloween that same year I was in the audience when the movie was screened in one of only two theatres Boone, North Carolina. I was a student at Appalachian State University at the time and an enthusiastic fan of horror movies. Although I had experienced The Exorcist the previous year in the other Boone movie theatre, I was not quite prepared for what I saw (no pun intended) during that Halloween week forty years ago. To this day, after having seen the movie at least twenty times (including one more time this week, when I watched the very impressive recently-released 4K digital restoration version), I am not sure I have recovered from my first viewing from inside that darkened Boone movie house. Interpreted by some as the greatest American horror movie, reviled by others as a deeply revolting and offensive piece of garbage, Hooper’s movie has become, according to Janet Staiger’s suggestive essay, “Hitchcock In Texas,” “as ubiquitous in the American landscape as McDonald’s” (included in The Cult Film Reader, edited by Ernest Mathijs and Xavier Mendik, 2008) Trash or treasure? I guess it all depends on what point of view and range of experiences you bring to the movie. No doubt some have been guilty of reading too much meaning and symbolism into the movie, while others have dismissed it as low-brow nonsense. In any case, it is a movie to be reckoned with, and without doubt an essential item for any respectable/disrespectable Halloween viewing list. Where you
stand on this movie reveals a great deal about who you are. Maybe this should be a question included on every job interview—“Tell us what you think about The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.” Needless to say, any applicant who references the remake starring Jessica Biel (or any of the other remakes and reimaginings, for that matter) and doesn’t mention the original will not stand a chance of getting the position. Where do you begin in your quest to understand what this movie is all about? Obviously, you should watch the original movie as a starting point. Next, if you have it on DVD or Blu-Ray, sit through the commentaries (the new restoration version treats us to four quite interesting and enlightening ones with various members of the cast and crew). Then I suggest you read what others have said about the movie, particularly those who were involved in the production. On the top of this list is the very entertaining and informative memoir written by Leatherface
himself, Gunnar Hansen—Chain Saw Confidential: How We Made The World’s Most Notorious Horror Movie (2013). This is a highly detailed, but never boring, account of nearly every day of filming, containing enough anecdotes to keep you busy for quite some time. And along the way Hansen, who has graduate degrees in Scandinavian studies (he was born in Iceland) and English, offers several thought-provoking reflections about the true nature of this movie, such as “In most horror movies, evil is vanquished in the end and order is restored. But not in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. . . .The monster goes unpunished. He is still there, still capable of returning. The normality, the predictability of the world is gone. There is no punishment. There is no relief of suffering. There is no justice. There is no order. Without justice and order, how can we have meaning? It is all nothing. This is the real horror.” That just about sums up what this movie is all about, doesn’t it? Not a very pretty picture.
Several commentators have placed the film in the context of the time, noting that the picture was made in the wake of the Watergate scandal, when the Manson family was still making headlines, as Americans were reeling from defeat in Vietnam, and all the while being frustrated at having to wait in lines to purchase gasoline (remember that our unfortunate victims first meet up with Leatherface while they are on a mission to find gas for their blood-splattered van). The film also mirrors the Seventies’ obsessive concern over family values and the real or illusionary breakdown of the traditional family. Following this line of reasoning, I like to see the film as a satire of Fifties-era sitcoms like Leave It To Beaver, Father Knows Best, and My Three Sons (a goofy and irritating sitcom I like to see as the model for Hooper’s screenplay). Chief among these cultural interpretations is Kendall R. Phillips’ Projected Fears: Horror Films And American Culture (2005). In a chapter comparing the chain saw
epic to The Exorcist, Phillips takes as his theme America’s preoccupation with images of the apocalypse and end-of-the-world scenarios, the kinds of images that pervade both movies. My favorite analysis of Hooper’s movie is a chapter in Makita Brottman’s wonderful book Offensive Films (2005) titled “Once Upon A Time In Texas.” As her title suggests, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is perhaps best viewed as a modern day fairy tale--a retelling of such classic tales as “Goldilocks And The Three Bears,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Little Red Riding Hood.” These tales, filled with dark woods, sinister houses, cannibalism, wild beasts, and children losing their way mirror the structure of the film. Echoing what Phillips and Hansen have to say about the film’s absence of redemption and preoccupation with apocalyptic visions, Brottman adds that in “the fairy tale, virtue is as omnipresent as evil; good and evil are both given body in the form of some figure and their actions. But in this fairy tale there is only evil: The good that exists is defeated, annihilated, or driven away . . .A fairy tale that misleads, bewilders, confuses, and ultimately delivers the expectation of defeat is a dangerous story indeed.” The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is indeed a very dangerous story— a fairy tale for modern viewers. And, for this Halloween season, it is a story worth retelling, although you should be warned that the horror doesn’t diminish with each successive telling of the tale. Needless to say, I encourage you to watch (or rewatch) this classic fairy tale during this Halloween season. And don’t pick up any hitchhikers.
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