Page 2 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
www.theloaferonline.com
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 3
Volume 29 • Issue #46
Tri-Cities BOO BASH
Publisher Luci Tate
Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle Office Manager Luci Tate Cover Design Bill May Advertising Dave Carter Terry Patterson Lori Howell Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop Nathan Cox Distribution Jerry Hanger Teresa Hanger Published by Pulse Publishing, LLC., P.O. Box 3238, Johnson City, TN 37602 Phone: 423/283-4324 FAX - 423/283-4369 www.theloaferonline.com info@theloaferonline.com e-mail: editorial@theloaferonline.com (editorial) adcopy@theloaferonline.com (advertising) All advertisements are accepted and published by the publisher upon the representation that the agency and/or advertiser is authorized to publish the entire contents and subject matter thereof. The agency and/or advertiser will indemnify and save the publisher harmless from any loss of expense resulting from claims or suits based upon contents of any advertisement, including claims or suits for defamation, libel, right of privacy, plagiarism, and copyright infringement.
Founder: Bill Williams
happenings 4
Boo Bash
5
WKMA exhibit “From These Hills”
6
Brewly Noted, Craft Beer Trail
7
‘Over the Moon’
8
Mountain Park Old Time Band at Carter Fold
9
Rocky Mount Museum’s “Spirit of the Harvest”
10
CYB’s “Dracula: Ballet with a Bite”
11
Josh Turner at NPAC
13 Wilson at Capone’s 19
Storytelling Live! Welcomes Michael Parent
21
Arts Array presents “The Babadook”
23
Annual Flag Retirement Ceremony
14
Spotlight - Great Music & Fun Times
24
Crossword & Sudoku
music & fun
columns & reviews 14
Batteries Not Included - A Dark and Un-Stormy Night
16
Stargazer - Dwarf Planets and Comet Still Astound
17
Skies This Week
18
Screen Scenes - “The Walk”
20 The Trivial Traveler - The Toilet Bowl Building of Tyson’s Corner 25
Lock, Stock & Barrel - Gun Control Legislation
26
Kelly’s Place - Halloween Horrors 2015, Pt 3
Page 4 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
www.theloaferonline.com
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 5
WKMA celebrates regional artists with From These Hills
William King Museum of Art continues to celebrate the diversity of regional artistic talent with its twelfth biennial exhibition, From These Hills: Contemporary Art in the Southern Appalachian Highlands, opened on Friday, October 16. From These Hills is a major exhibition of new works by artists working in all media in Southwest Virginia, Northeast Tennessee, Western North Carolina, Southern West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky. This exhibition is guest-curated by Stephen Wicks, the Barbara W. and Bernard E. Bernstein Curator at the Knoxville Museum of Art in Knoxville, Tennessee. Wicks has guided the Knoxville Museum of Art’s curatorial department for 20 years. He manages the museum’s exhibitions program and guides the development of its collections of East Tennessee-related art and international contemporary art. Historically, From These Hills boasts a wide range of media and subjects with reference to this notable time and place. Wicks reviewed nearly 100 portfolios and selected the following twenty-seven artists: Jennifer D. Anderson (Roanoke, VA), Gerry Bannan (Roanoke, VA), Laken Bridges (Telford, TN), Jason Brown (Knoxville, TN), Deborah Bryan (Johnson City,
reach programs. Accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, the William King Museum of Art is a partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, a member of the Virginia Association of Museums and is funded in part by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts.
TN), Virginia Derryberry (Asheville, NC), Travis Donovan (Vilas, NC), Lynn Duryea (Boone, NC), Cavan Fleming (Blacksburg, VA), Gary Mesa-Gaido (Morehead, KY), Marcia Goldenstein (Knoxville, TN), Carl Gombert (Maryville, TN), Travis Graves (Elizabethton, TN), Jennifer Hand (Dublin, VA), Jean Hess (Knoxville, TN), Megan G. King (Johnson City, TN), Brett LaGue (Fincastle, VA), Paul Lee (Maryville, TN), Allison Luce
(Mooresville, NC), Lillian Minix (Abingdon, VA), Amanda J. Richardson (Honaker, VA), Ann Ropp (Johnson City, TN), Halide Salam (Blacksburg, VA), Brian Sieveking (Roanoke, VA), Marvin Tadlock (Bristol, VA), David Underwood (Jefferson City, TN), and Katherine Wood (Roanoke, VA). From These Hills will be on display through February 14, 2016. For more information about this and all other exhibitions call 276-
628-5005 or visit us on the web at www.williamkingmuseum.org. William King Museum of Art is located at 415 Academy Drive, off West Main Street or Russell Road, in Abingdon. The Museum features five exhibition galleries, artist studios and outdoor sculpture garden. Educational programs in the visual arts are offered year-round for both children and adults, and school audiences are served by in-house and out-
Page 6 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
Bristol, Johnson City, Kingport CVB’s Unveil
Brewly Noted, The First Multi-State Craft Beer Trail In The Country
The Brewly Noted Beer Trail, the nation’s first multi-state craft beer trail, was unveiled Oct. 13th at Yee-Haw Brewing in Johnson City. A collaborative effort by the Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport Convention and Visitors Bureaus, in partnership with Superfly Fabulous Events, Brewly Noted covers the Tri-Cities region of Tennessee and Virginia. The trail currently consists of nine breweries, along with dozens of unique tourism locations in both states, that create a one-of-a-kind craft beer experience. Brewly Noted showcases an array of craft breweries, each of them offering their own distinctive atmosphere and flavor. Breweries currently on the Trail are Bristol’s Holston River Brewing Company (Tenn.), Bristol Brewery (Va.) and Studio Brew (Va.); Johnson City’s JRH Brewing, Johnson City Brewing Company and Yee-Haw Brewing; Jonesborough’s Depot Street Brewing; Kingsport’s Hook Sleepy Owl Brewery and Triple B Brewery. Superfly Fabulous Events Executive Director Aaron Carson feels the Brewly Noted Beer Trail will be extremely popular as it encompasses several cities, all of which
are committed to promoting the craft beer industry. “Having the nation’s first multistate craft beer trail is really pretty amazing and this obviously would never have gotten off the ground had it not been for the partnership between the Bristol, Johnson City and Kingsport CVBs,” he said. “They all know that beer trails are extremely popular and the trail is a reflection of the growing importance of craft beer in the region.
“Our Convention and Visitors Bureaus, who are all about promoting tourism, know that the Brewly Noted Beer Trail will shine a light on local businesses and bring more visitors to the area. There’s certainly not a doubt in my mind that the trail will do just that, which is just one of the reasons we’re so happy to be part of this endeavor.” Beer enthusiasts can go to www. brewlynotedbeertrail.com to register for a Trail Log. They then will select the brewery at which they would like to start their beer adventure, which is where they will pick up their Trail Log. Once they have visited each of the nine breweries they will receive a Brewly Noted Beer Trail t-shirt. At the 32nd Annual Craft Beer Conference and BrewExpo held this year in Portland, Ore., it was evident that the craft beer industry is booming. There are over 3,400 breweries in the United States with another 2,000-plus in the works. Currently there are approximately 1,870 microbreweries in the coun-
Brewly ....
Contiued on page 22
www.theloaferonline.com
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 7
‘Over the Moon’
Chanticleer’s ‘orchestra of voices’ ‘nothing short of thrilling’ Dubbed the “Rolls Royce” of men’s choruses by The Los Angeles Times, Chanticleer premiered a new program this fall that literally has audiences “over the moon.” “Chanticleer opened its season with an ingeniously programmed and beautifully sung evening of music old and new,” says reviewer Joshua Kosman of SF Gate
‘over the moon’ to be singing such a wonderful program.” That program includes, Scott says, pieces about being over the moon in love, contemplating the Virgin Mary, “who might just live over the moon,” the way the moon affects the tides, songs with “moon” in the title and even a little music of madness and lunacy. “We
the arrival of William Fred Scott, who recently joined Chanticleer as music director.” While the two-time GRAMMY®winning ensemble was founded in 1978 by tenor Louis Botto with the mission of bringing Renaissance music back to the stage, the group – hailed by The New Yorker as “the world’s reigning male
newspaper. “From the pull of the tides and the intoxicating force of moonstruck love to the magic of the full moon, this was a program full of mystery and enchantment … nothing short of thrilling.” Fresh from the program debut in Asia, Chanticleer will present Over the Moon on Sunday, Oct. 25, at 6 p.m. in ETSU’s Martha Street Culp Auditorium, with the ETSU Chorale performing a pre-concert at 5:30 p.m. Over the Moon features a world premiere by Nico Muhly, music by Mahler, Mantyjaarvi, Bates, Paulus, di Lasso, Monteverdi, Desprez and others. The title, says Chanticleer Music Director William Fred Scott, “comes from the idiom which means, ‘More than happy …’ We are ‘over the moon’ to be singing at East Tennessee State,
are excited about the combination of styles we have to think about as we sing this program,” he says. “There are works from early Renaissance (Busnois) to high Italian baroque (Monteverdi). We have Romantic Mahler and mysterious Mantyjaarvi. There are pop tunes, spirituals and five new works on the program written especially for us.” This moonstruck season is the first season with Chanticleer for Scott, a music icon in Atlanta, who served as the artistic director of the Atlanta Opera for 20 years and associate conductor of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra from 198188. “The current [Chanticleer] lineup has clearly reached some new pitch of excellence,” Kosman says in a September review. “Maybe it’s
chorus” – now travels the world to perform music spanning more than 10 centuries, singing programs of medieval plainchant and modern pop and many genres in between. Chanticleer, which earned a spot in American Classical Music Hall of Fame, is not only known for its tours and more than 30 albums, but also for its own National Youth Choral Festival and myriad educational programs with young singers, which engage more than 5,000 young people annually. The San Francisco-based Chanticleer takes its name from the clear-singing rooster in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and has gained a reputation for its “seamless blend
Chanticleer .... Contiued on page 23
Page 8 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
Mountain Park Old Time Band at Carter Family Fold
Saturday, October 24th, 2015, at 7:30 p.m., the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, will present a concert by the Mountain Park Old Time Band. Admission to the concert is $10 for adults, children 6 to 11 $1, under age 6 free. Mountain Park Old Time Band was formed seven years ago as a group of friends who happened to enjoy old time music got together to have a good time. Over the past several years, the Mountain Park Old Time Band has been creating a stir in old time music circles. The group has five members, all of whom are very versatile and talented musicians. Nancy and Johnny Gentry played for years with the Whitetop Mountain Band. Johnny plays guitar, dobro, and fiddle as well as doing vocals for the band. Nancy drives the rhythm with her excellent bass playing. She and Johnny both teach music, and Johnny also makes beautiful banjos. Roger Stamper handles the fiddling for the group and he plays guitar and bass as well. C. T. Janney plays the washboard – an “instrument”
rarely played today. C.T. also cuts a mean rug when he dances. Dr. Mark Handy plays banjo and does vocals – he’s also a champion clogger. When he’s not playing old time, Dr. Handy practices medicine in Abingdon, Virginia, and helps to run his family’s farm. Johnny Gentry made and donated a beautiful Carter Fold banjo that will be given away at our 42nd annual festival – the first weekend in August, 2016. For a chance to win this exceptionally beautiful, one-of-a-kind, instrument, see any Fold volunteer at one of our shows or contact Johnny or Nancy Gentry at 336-874-2033. The Mountain Park Old Time Band has played at the Blue Ridge Music Center, the Alleghany Jubilee, the Rex Theater, and at Bristol’s Rhythm and Roots Festival. They have also been featured on National Public Radio. The group has released two CDs – Fire on the Dance Floor and Dancing with Sally Goodin. Mountain Park Old Time has performed at several Carter Family Fold shows and at our annual festival. Their group
has very quickly become a Carter Fold favorite. Fans of groups like the Whiteop Mountain Band will love the Mountain Park Old Time Band. Be sure to bring your dancing shoes, and be ready for a night of down home fun. Nothing gets you out of your seat and on the dance floor faster than a rousing old time band. Don’t miss the Mountain Park Old Time Band at the Carter Family Fold! For more information on the group, go to: http://www.mountainparkoldtimeband.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 and the National Endowment for the Arts. For recorded information on shows coming up at the Fold, call 276-386-6054. The Fold is on Facebook – page Carter Fold – and Twitter – @carterfoldinfo. To speak to a Fold staff member, call 276-594-0676.
www.theloaferonline.com
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 9
Rocky Mount Museum’s “Spirit of the Harvest”
Rocky Mount will present “Spirit of the Harvest” event on Saturday, October 24 from 11-5. “Spirit of the Harvest” is Rocky Mount’s annual event celebrating the harvest season of the Cobb Family and the other early settlers of Tennessee. In addition to Living History tours of the Cobb home, there will be a number of demonstrations and craft classes related to the fall season and storytelling and music. Demonstrations include hearthside cooking, apple butter making, and apple cider pressing. Historic salt-making demonstration by Jim Bordwine of Saltville, VA will be a distinctive demonstration for this year. Admission is $5 per person aged 5 and up; members of the Rocky Mount Historical Association get free admission. Craft classes of cornshuck dolls and candle dipping will be offered for an additional $2 per craft. Jim Bordwine has been demonstrating traditional saltmaking for over 10 years. The European settlers first came to the Saltville area
around 1750 and started the salt industry soon after discovering the huge body of salt under their feet. Before refrigeration, salt was of the utmost importance for preservation of food. During the Civil War Saltville was producing salt for all the Southern States. In 1864 alone they sold one hundred million dollars’ worth of salt, even with two battles fought in the valley that year. Salt is still being produced in Saltville today. Storytelling: Members of the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild will be telling historic and family friendly stories Music: Students of Appalachian Music Teachers Association will be performing Food vending: Lunch & desserts offered for sale by Cocoa Connection of Piney Flats. For more information call (423) 538-7396 or 888538-1791. Rocky Mount Museum is a “living history” museum, which uses first-person interpretation to portray people living in 1791. Rocky
Mount is open for tours Tuesday through Saturdayfrom 11:00 am until 5:00 pm. Living History tours and the facility are available by reservation at any time, including Sundays and Mondays for school and other groups, with advance reservations. For more informa-
Super Spooky Saturday volunteers needed
Johnson City Parks and Recreation is calling on citizens age 16 tion, call (423) 538-7396 or visit and older who want to help put on our website at www.rockymounta super spooky event for our commuseum.com. Rocky Mount State munity. Super Spooky Saturday is Historic Site is funded under an set for Oct 24, and volunteers are agreement with the Tennessee needed from 4-11 p.m. Please call Department of Environment and (423)434-6224 or email rbowers@ Conservation, Tennessee Historijohnsoncitytn.org by Wednesday cal Commission. (Oct. 21) to sign up or for more information.
Fourth Friday Dance
And the beat goes on-and so does the Fourth Friday Dance. Limited Edition will keep up the beat to the music we love. These two brothers, popular with the dancers, will keep you entertained even if you aren’t a dancer. For those who have never attended this dance you may like to know the Visitors Center probably has the best dance floor in the areadesigned by a dancer. We all know there is a difference! Join the fun on October 23 at the Jonesborough Visitors Center. The dance begins at 7:00 pm with line dance lessons offered from 6:30-7:00. Cost $6.00. For additional information call 423-952-0772.
Page 10 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
City Youth Ballet’s
“Dracula: Ballet with a Bite”
set for Jonesborough stage on Oct. 24 The chilling yet timeless story of Dracula arrives in Jonesborough just in time for the Halloween season as the City Youth Ballet presents this full-length ballet Saturday, October 24, at The McKinney Center at Booker T. Washington School. Two performances are set for 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. at the center, 103 Franklin Street in Jonesborough. “Dracula: Ballet with a Bite” tells Bram Stokes’ classic of a Transylvania village set amok with fear with the visit of Dracula and his band of vampires. Darien Chancellor, owner of Johnson City Ballroom, portrays Dracula. He and his wife, Tifanny, choreographed much of the ballet along with City Youth Ballet’s artistic director and owner, Susan Pace-White. “Halloween is always a great time to tell this story using the medium of dance,” Pace-White said. “Our dancers and Darien do a great job of setting that eerie mood while providing an impressive performance of classical ballet.” Costumes, the scenery, and even the setting of The McKinney Center also provide a perfect backdrop for Halloween revelers. General admission tickets are $10 at the door with payment of cash or checks appreciated. For more information, call the City Youth Ballet at (423) 434-2195, find us on Facebook, or visit us atwww.cityyouthballet.org.
www.theloaferonline.com
Josh Turner
Sat, Oct. 24th at NPAC
Niswonger Performing Arts Center announces a sold out show for country music singer and songwriter, Josh Turner. Turner will perform on the NPAC stage October 24th at 7:30 pm. Multi-platinum MCA Nashville recording artist Josh Turner is one of country music’s most recognizable hit-makers. With a rich, deep voice and distinctive style, Turner is a disciple of traditional country music and one of the youngest members of the Grand Ole Opry. From his 2003 platinum-selling debut Long Black Train, Turner has garnered multiple Grammy®, CMA, and ACM nominations with hits including “Your Man,” “Why Don’t We Just Dance,” “Firecracker,” “Would You Go with Me,” “All Over Me,” and “Time Is Love.” Turner released his single “Lay Low” in September 2014. Turner recently added author to his list of accomplishments. His first book, Man Stuff: Thoughts on Faith, Family and Fatherhood, was
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 11 released in 2014. A supporter and mentor of music education, he created The Josh Turner Scholarship Fund to assist students interested in pursuing a future in arts and music. As a high school student, Turner had very little access to music education, and therefore realized first-hand the importance of arts education in schools. All seats for the concert are sold out. Josh Turner will perform at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, October 24th at 7:30 pm. For more information visit www.npacgreeneville.com or call 423-638-1679. NPAC offers online seat selection with no processing or delivery fees. There is a $1.50 ticketing fee per ticket regardless of purchase method. The box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am until 5 pm. The 1150 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
Page 12 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
A Dark and Un-Stormy Night I arrived home later than I had planned, my mind was quite alert with no intention of settling down. I knew I needed a bedtime yarn to distract my active brain and soothe my soul. Being the month of October the obvious choice was to settle down with a few episodes of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” that I hadn’t seen in some time. Who better than The Master of Suspense for
your bedtime story teller? I got myself cozy in bed, turned out the lights, then let Uncle Alfred send me to dreamland with spooky tales and droll introductions. Typical fare for an “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” story? A murder here and there, someone alone trapped in a cabin in the mountains with a killer on the loose. A ghost story, the usual stuff. At some point dur-
ing the ghost story episode, my eyes began to feel heavy. I took my glasses off, set the off timer on my TV, laid my head down, and began to slowly drift away while the sounds of spooks filled the room. I don’t always fall asleep to the TV, but I usually sleep with a radio on, something from my childhood that I’ve always carried with me. Today it’s evolved to a bluetooth
capable radio that I connect my iPhone to, I stream internet radio these days. I mention this as the radio uses audible tones to let you know that bluetooth is on, searching, connected to your device, or disconnected from it. This is what abruptly woke me up at 1:05 in the morning. A series of minor key tones to indicate my phone was no longer connected to my radio. I woke and looked at the radio, then at my phone, “That’s odd” I thought as I reached over and tried to reactivate bluetooth, but then the radio went dead. “O...K…” I said quietly as I noticed the room seemed darker than usual at night, and that the house itself seemed eerily quiet. Something was up with the power, the outlet my phone was plugged into was fine, certain switches didn’t work, yet the night lights that illuminate the house at night were still on. I did what anyone would be, I began to feel anxiety over this. “Oh, crap. I bet something is about to explode! I better go check the breakers in the basement, they’re bound to be crackling with electrical overrun!” I grabbed my phone and used its flashlight
mode to light my way down to the basement--where some lights were working. Now having just binged on some Hitchcock yarns, I was convinced that some shady figure in a long coat and hat was lurking around on my property, determined to get inside to where I was. Clearly, this mysterious figure is the one who was in the process of cutting the power to my home. I was cautious as I made my way through the basement to the breaker box, knowing the garage door had windows, I wondered if the gentleman who was going to break into my home was watching me. Paranoid and assuming he was, I extended my middle finger behind me as I guided myself onwards. I checked the breakers, all were fine, all were on. Nothing had tripped, no crackling sounds of impending doom were being heard. “OK. Well. I guess the panic can stop” I thought. I made it back up to my bedroom, I knew the doom of a strange lurker was gone, but I still felt paranoid that maybe the ghost of someone I had wronged was in my house--blame it on the Hitchcock. Would I suddenly find myself in a “Picture of Dorian Grey” type situation, where above my mantel I find a portrait of myself aged and decayed to reflect a multitude of sins? Would I find some creepy dollar store mask type spirit coming closer to me? Maybe I’d learn the true meaning of Halloween and ask a street urchin to run to the shop and get me the biggest popcorn ball hanging up in the window? The answer was none of these. I got back into bed, and the power went fully out. I googled my local power board to see if there was a number I could call, but found an interactive map that would tell of outages. Turns out that there was a huge red circle over my part of town, about 50% of my district was without power. No 1930s B movie villains outside, no spooks and specters inside. Before too long, the power was back at full, calm returned to the house and I was able to get some sleep. The ordeal had lasted just about an hour, and in that hour my brain had dreamed up my own Hitchcock scenarios for myself to be in. I’ll still let Uncle Alfred put me to bed, I’ll just try to not let my mind get carried away when the power goes out again afterwards. See you next week.
www.theloaferonline.com
Wilson at Capone’s Friday, Oct. 23rd
Wilson has come a long way since their bombastic, brash, and ballsy 2013 full-length debut album, Full Blast Fuckery. Through grass roots efforts and non-stop touring the band emerged on to the scene with a raucous, raw, and righteous rock sound that saw them become a live favorite. Bringing the party to their shows, Wilson has shared the stage with everybody from Black Label Society and Down to Five Finger Death Punch and Motörhead. Armed with a battering ram of riffs and swaggering grooves, songs like the title track capture that spirit, while tapping into a distinctly “live” energy, offering a tribute to their home and rock music. Wilson is Chad Nicefield Wilson released their sopho- pummeling beats and killer leads. (vocals), Jason Spencer (guitar), more album, Right To Rise ear- The album buckles listeners in on Kyle Landry( guitar), James Lascu lier this year - iTunes, Google Play, a memorable journey, demanding (bass), and Matt Puhy (drums). and Amazon. The band’s first head banging and fist pumping. People love this band’s live single “Right To Rise” is impactThe Detroit Free Press raves, performance for both its passion ing Active Rock Radio now. Right “Wilson’s new album looks poised and sense of humor. Don’t miss To Rise was produced by Johnny to propel the band onto the wider their show at Capone’s on October Andrews (Halestorm, All That rock radar” and Metal Injection 23 when they support Tremonti Remains, Three Days Grace) and declares Wilson, “sounds like on the Hard Drive Live tour. Cais a raging engine full of convic- He Is Legend and Andrew W.K. pone’s is located at 227 E Main St tion and heart, driven by the fuel got together and wrote a hooky, Johnson City. For more informaof their hometown, Detroit. The riff-stuffed party anthem that de- tion call, 423/928-2295. songs tread forward with drum mands to be blasted.”
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 13
Who’s Forbidden at Barter?
Community leaders partner with Barter Theatre actors for an exclusive, one night only performance of mayhem, laughter, and the unexpected. This evening of events, known as Forbidden Barter, will be held on Wednesday, October 21, 2015. For only the second time in its 82-year history, Barter Theatre is hosting Forbidden Barter. The evening of events will be capped off with performances mocking recent Barter productions. Catherine Bush, Playwright in Residence for Barter, is writing spoofs of recent Barter hits in a Forbidden Broadway style. “Nothing gives me more joy than taking a well-known, beloved melody and writing lyrics for it that make people laugh. Forbidden Barter is an evening of doing what Barter folks do best – making fun of ourselves,” said Bush. “When you get community members onboard with that endeavor, it just makes it that much more fun.” No recordings or photos will be made at this event, which means
you must be in attendance to witness this spectacle. A few of the community members participating include: CEO of Food City Steve Smith, Abingdon businessman Mike Quillen, local artist Jan Hurt, and Kathy Gibian with The William King Museum of Art. This is a black-tie optional, fundraising event for Barter Theatre, and hosted at The Martha Washington Inn & Spa. Tickets to this event are available through Barter Theatre’s Advancement office for $150 per person, and include all evening events. To reserve your tickets, call Katherine Foreman at 276-619-3304. Schedule of Events: • 6:00 PM Champagne reception in the East Parlor • 6:30 PM Stroll the red carpet, have your souvenir photo taken, and be seated for dinner with a Barter actor in the Ballroom • 7:45 PM Forbidden Barter performance • 9:00 PM Dessert & Live Auction by Kimball Sterling featuring 20 favorite items from Barter productions
Page 14 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
JUBAL
CHRIS LONG
SHAKE IT LIKE A CAVEMAN
MOUNTAIN PARK OLD TIME BAND
at Yee Haw Brewing Company
- TUESDAY - Oct. 20th JASON LLOYD & FRIENDS at Biggies Clam Bar THE BILLIES at Northeast State Performing Arts Center OPEN MIC at Acoustic Coffeehouse - WEDNESDAY - Oct. 21st OPEN MIC at WoodStone Deli PETE KENNEDY at Down Home
CHRIS LONG AHSLEY MONICAL at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- THURSDAY - Oct. 22nd JAZZ at Wellington’s - Carnegie Hotel PENNY & SPARROW at The Down Home
LEFTOVER SALMON
at Holston River Brewing Co. 7pm
at 620 State Street
SOUTHERN COUNTRYMEN BAND at The Outdoorsman
at Jiggy Ray’s Pizzaria 7pm
SHOOTER
(Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at State Line Bar & Grill
NIGHTSHIFT
(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at The Lion’s Club 7pm
FRONT PORCH SWING BAND
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
JP PARSONS FUGITIVES
at Country Club Bar & Grill 8pm
- SATURDAY - Oct. 24th JASON ‘THE COMEBACK KID’ EDAWARDS
CHUCK JOHNSON & CHARLEY HORSE
at Jiggy Ray’s Pizzaria 7pm
DAVE EGGAR / BETH SNAPP
(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at The Show Palace 7pm
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm
SHOOTER
LIVE MUSIC
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
ETHAN HARRISON SMITH MAL COOPER
5IVEMOR
SOUTHERN SOUND
at Country Club Bar & Grill
SOUL FINGER
at O’Mainnin’s Pub & Grill 9pm
PULSE
at Capone’s
THE STRAY BIRDS at Down Home
MARK MAHONEY BLUES at Uncorked
LIVE MUSIC
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
at Bristol Brewery 7pm
NIGHTSHIFT
at Carter Family Fold at The Mecca Lounge
EC FRAZIER
at The Bonnie Kate Theater 7pm
at Triple B Brewery
KENNA MAE MUSI ROANOKE at Acoustic Coffeehouse
BAKERSFIELD
at The Outdoorsmen 7pm
- SUNDAY - Oct. 25th LIVE MUSIC at Bone Fire Smokehouse
LA TERZA CLASSE at Acoustic Coffeehouse
- MONDAY - Oct. 26th OPEN MIC
(Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Elizabethton Elks
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
at Sleepy Owl Brewery 8pm
at Hardee’s (Boones Creek)
FOLK SOUL REVIVAL
BLUEGRASS JAM
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
- FRIDAY - Oct. 23rd DARREN MICHAELS JOE CAT
WEDNESDAY
Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke At Bristol VFW - BTN Turn the Page Karaoke At VFW Post 2108 - JCTN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Busted Still Brewery ***********************
THURSDAY
Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Electric Cowboy - JCTN Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Macadoo’s 8pm Karaoke At Holiday Inn - JCTN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JCTN ***********************
FRIDAY
KaraokeAt Bristol VFW - BTN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertaiment at Rainbow Asian Cuisine - JCTN Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 9pm Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - JCTN Karaoke At Elizabethton VFW Karaoke w/ DJ Marques At Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - BVA Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN *********************** Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - JCTN Karaoke At Numan’s - JCTN ***********************
CHARLEYHORSE
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm
FOLK SOUL REVIVAL
SUNDAY
at The Down Home
The Hard Drive Live Tour at Capone’s
TUESDAY
KaraokeAt Numan’s - JCTN ***********************
SATURDAY
at Acoustic Coffeehouse
TREMONTI / WILSON:
KARAOKE
Folk Soul Revival
Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Mellow Mushroom - JC TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Everette’s Bar & Grille - JCTN
www.theloaferonline.com
Spotlight Directory
620 State Street 620 State St. Bristol 423/ 652-0314 Acoustic Coffeehouse 415 W Walnut St. Johnson City 423/434.9872 Biggies Clam Bar 417 W Stone Dr Kingsport 423/765-9633 Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon VA 276/623-0037 The Bonnie Kate Theater 115 S. Sycamore St. Elizabethton, TN 423/ 543-1933 Bristol Brewery 41 Piedmont Ave Bristol VA 276/ 608-1220 Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 620 State St Bristol 423/573-2262 Capone’s 227 E Main St Johnson City 423/928-2295 Carter Family Fold 3449 A. P. Carter Hwy Hiltons VA 276/594-0676 The Casbah 807 W. Walnut St. Johnson City Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 Elizabethton Elks 1000 N. Sycamore St Elizabethton 423/ 543-2341 Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol VA 276/466-4100
Holston River Brewing Company 2621 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton 423/ 518-1500 The Lions Club 116 Industrial Park Rd. Chilhowie VA 276/646-3916 The Mecca Lounge 117 Spring St Johnson City 423/928-9360 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 The Outdoorsman 4535 Highway 11W Kingsport Show Palace 14364 Lee Hwy Bristol VA 276/494-6610 Sleepy Owl Brewery 151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476 Triple B Brewery 935 Wilcox Ct. #105 Kingsport 423/963-3609 Uncorked 316 Broad St. #102 Kingsport 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
THE STRAY BIRDS Down Home Saturday | Oct. 24th
The Stray Birds have been flying high since the 2012 release of their critically acclaimed self-titled album. Two years, hundreds of gigs, and thousands of highway miles later, the genre-melding acoustic trio made its Yep Roc Records debut with Best Medicine, released on October 21, 2014. They will arrive in Johnson City on the tail end of a busy summer that included stops at several classic roots music festivals in the region, including Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion and Merlefest. The Stray Birds sing 3-part harmonies into one microphone, in the style of many more traditional bluegrass bands. However, with original songwriting at the center, the band draws inspiration from everything from The Carter Family and Bill Monroe to The Beatles and The Band.
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 15
Page 16 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
Dwarf Planets and Comet Still Astound Three on-going interplanetary missions are still astounding astronomers as each download of data changes our understanding of the worlds under scrutiny. Pluto has blue skies and icy mountains 2 miles high; Ceres has mysterious bright spots and an enormous pyramid mountain; and Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko was definitely at one time two comets that melded together somehow. So incredible are the images that have been received from three amazing spacecraft, I have asked Loafer editor Don Sprinkle to save some space for photos and I’ll make my story short and sweet. New Horizons is the NASA spacecraft that has put major interest back into the former planet Pluto. Just look at these two photos and you see why. The first photo is an astounding landscape of a frozen water, methane and nitrogen mountain range on the Pluto terminator of day and night. There are twelve layers of atmosphere defined above, and fog in the valley below—all in a world that is -350 F. degrees below zero! As New Horizons went behind the 1,474 mile-wide Pluto, it turned to look back and snapped the second photo accompanying this column. The atmosphere surrounding the dwarf planet glowed a beautiful blue from the feeble light of the Sun 4 billion miles away. Why the sky is blue and why the former planet Pluto is such a dynamic and obviously active world at the edges of the Solar System are big mysteries. Over the next six months, New Horizons will continue sending back the large files of data accumulated during the July 15, 2015 flyby. And the dwarf planet’s large
moon, 750-mile-wide Charon, is also an astro-geologist’s delight with a giant chasm with fresh layers of surface and a surprising copper-colored polar cap that might come from some sort of interaction with Pluto’s vibrant atmosphere. Next up is ion-powered Dawn, the NASA spacecraft that has been in orbit around the other famous dwarf planet, the asteroid belt’s largest object Ceres. Dawn has been using a suite of instruments to analyze the
570-mile-wide Ceres, and right now is at an altitude of 915 miles. Sometime in November, the orbit will be lowered to its final goal of just 230 miles where incredible detail will be seen just 2 feet across. It will take that low orbit to exactly figure out the latest enigma in the Solar System, a blazing white group of splotches inside a 60 mile crater called Occator (oh-KAY-tor, a Roman god of harrowing fields). Over the area of the stunning bright regions is an atmosphere of carbon
dioxide, but the gas doesn’t spread all over the crater—very strange. The best bet on what is inside crater Occator is salt deposits, which means water somewhere. Other guesses are geysers, volcanoes, ice…or an alien Krispy Kreme! The final analysis is just a month or so away. The other amazing feature on Ceres is a five mile mountain the shape of a pyramid with a very bright side and no rubble at its base. Again, astronomers are baffled and await the lower orbit for a closer look and probing with the scientific package. The third interplanetary mission that is changing the understanding
of comets is the European Space Agency’s spaceship Rosetta, orbiting Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko for a year. Rosetta dropped the dishwasher-sized lander called Philae on the surface in November, and has been keeping formation as the comet came alive with jets of gas, water and dust erupted from the surface as it looped around the Sun last August 2015. The explosion of jets of gas and dust from the comet has been the closest view yet of the dynamics of comets and their interaction with the heat and radiation of the Sun. And though it got stuck in a crevasse, the lander Philae sent back valuable data and photos from the surface of a comet. Comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko looks like a bathtub rubber duck from one angle as it has two lobes with a narrow area connecting them. Data from Rosetta has confirmed that the comet was once two comets, and somehow, and somewhere in time, the two comets merged into one. That’s another big enigma to solve. Today’s “Information Age” is the way to stay in touch with the “Space Age” as interplanetary robots New Horizon, Dawn and Rosetta all have their own websites, Facebook, Twitter and whatever social media sites that are available to get the word out. And that word is “AWESOME!” when it comes to the new discoveries being made in our Solar System.
www.theloaferonline.com
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 17
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Oct. 20th - Oct. 26th, 2015 as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette. The Moon will turn all heads upward this week, particularly the weekend when the gibbous phase will be shining down on sports stadiums. Saturn will be visible for about two hours in Scorpius before setting, and the Milky Way moves westward like a jump rope. The morning, pre-dawn sky is dominated by brilliant Venus and Jupiter nearly merging together on Sunday with red Mars below.
Thurs. Oct. 22
On this 1992 date in space history, Space Shuttle Columbia was launched with six astronauts on an intense 10-day mission with a dozen experiments packed in its cargo bay. After deploying an Italian science satellite, work began on a variety of experiments with names like Phase Partitioning in Liquids, Materials Exposure in Low-Earth Orbit, and Modular Star Sensor, Yaw Earth Sensor and Low Altitude Conical Earth Sensor.
Fri. Oct. 23
The Moon will be in Aquarius as heads look up during the Americana that is Friday Night High School Football. Turn those binoculars away from the football field and look at the Moon, you’ll be sure to see a few craters and details of the frozen lava seas.
Sat. Oct. 24
The Great Square of four stars that make up the body of the Flying Horse Pegasus are high above the northeast. And as the night wears on Pisces, Aries and Taurus rise above the horizon.
Sun. Oct. 25
Jupiter and Venus stand side-by-side in the pre-dawn skies, just like they did last December in our evening twilight. Mars is below the pair. On this 1975 date in space history, the Soviet Union landed Venera 10 on Venus. The crushing atmosphere and 900 F. degree surface heat disabled the lander after 50 minutes of transmitting data and images.
Monday, Oct. 26
Spend some time outside and enjoy some starlight while taking in the neighborhood view of Autumn stripping our trees bare. In the north, a giant “W” on its side, Cassieopia the Queen, is fun to watch wheeling upward Tues. Oct. 20 The Moon is First Quarter today, directly and turning into an “M” around midnight. south at sunset and setting around 1 am. On this 1995 date in space history, Space Shuttle Columbia was rocketed 200 miles high in the usual 9 minute rocket ride. Seven astronauts spent a record 16 days conducting microgravity experiments for the US military and general contractors.
Wed. Oct. 21
Sunset is around 6:40 pm, and in the deep twilight looking directly south, Saturn is still visible in the claws of Scorpius, with red Antares to the left. October nights are historically some of the best for perfect atmospheric conditions that make starlight steady with less twinkling. The twinkling of stars is caused by the moving atmosphere literally bending starlight back and forth.
Page 18 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
IN THEATRES NOW Box Office Top 10
In Theaters Now
The Martian (2015)
If you don’t plan on seeing any films at the theater for the rest of 2015 (I can’t imagine why considering 007 and Star Wars are on the way), you need to make an exception and rush out to see the new film “The Walk”. This new film, based on the story of French high-wire artist Philippe Petit who walked between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974, is the type of film you need to see in a theater, especially in the 3D format. The story begins with Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) narrating the film while atop the Statue of Liberty, as he relays how he planned his journey from Paris to NYC for his epic performance. Petit gets his idea after seeing a photo of the Twin Towers in a magazine, and he is convinced this will be his new piece of performance art, as the towers are calling to him. Petit has been performing in the streets of Paris as a juggler and high wire walker when he meets a fellow street performer named Annie (Charlotte Le Bon), and the two begin a romantic relationship, which results in Petit recruiting Annie as his first “accomplice” in his plan to conquer the towers. Not long after Annie becomes part of Petit’s plan, her recruits two fellow Frenchmen as accomplices. Eventually all four make the journey to NYC, and after Petit has finished extensive research on the towers and the construction workers who are still placing the finishing touches on the buildings, and several American accomplices join in, the date of August 6th, 1974 is set for his “illegal” walk. As the group head to the Twin Towers the night before
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
“The Walk”
Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)
force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
After having escaped the Maze, the Gladers now face a new set of challenges on the open roads of a desolate landscape filled with unimaginable obstacles.
The Walk (2015)
In 1974, high-wire artist Philippe Petit recruits a team of people Dracula and his friends try to to help him realize his dream: to bring out the monster in his half walk the immense void between human, half vampire grandson in the World Trade Center towers. order to keep Mavis from leaving Black Mass (2015) the hotel. The true story of Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and Pan (2015) 12-year-old orphan Peter is spir- the most infamous violent crimiited away to the magical world of nal in the history of South Boston, Neverland, where he finds both who became an FBI informant to fun and danger, and ultimately take down a Mafia family invaddiscovers his destiny -- to be- ing his turf. come the hero who will be forever Everest (2015) known as Peter Pan. A climbing expedition on Mt. Everest is devastated by a severe The Intern (2015) 70-year-old widower Ben Whit- snow storm. taker has discovered that retirement isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The Visit (2015) A single mother finds that things Seizing an opportunity to get back in the game, he becomes a senior in her family’s life go very wrong intern at an online fashion site, after her two young children visit their grandparents. founded and run by Jules Ostin.
Sicario (2015)
An idealistic FBI agent is enlisted by an elected government task
the walk, several obstacles must be overcome in order to get to the top of the towers. After Petit and accomplice Jeff (Cesar Domboy) finally make it to the top of one tower, the two other fellows helping, photographer Albert (Ben Schwartz) and American J.P. (James Badge Dale) are across the way atop the other tower ready to help secure the cable for the early morning walk. Once the cable is secure, Petit begins his early morning walk between the towers and the historic event begins. Petit
reveals how at peace he was walking between the towers and makes the walk six times before he finally stops. During the walk he kneels and even lays down on the cable! If that isn’t enough to put you in edge, at one point a police helicopter flies about him making threats. Even though Petit is immediately arrested after completing his walk, he receives congratulations and thunderous applause from those who witnessed the amazing event. During the film it is revealed now New Yorker’s initially hated the
look of the towers, but fell in love with them after Petit’s walk. Of course I watched the film at times with a heavy heart knowing the towers are no longer there, but the film is as much Petit’s story as it is a love letter to the Twin Towers. I will also never forget the poignant last line of the film, when Petit reveals he was given a “forever” pass to the top floor of the towers. The performance of Gordon-Levitt is wonderful, and he actually trained to walk on a high-
Source: IMDb.com (10/17/2015)
wire with Petit, now 66-years old. As I touched on earlier, you must see the film in 3D to get the real effect of being atop the towers. However, if you have a fear of heights you might want to stay away, unless you are ready to conquer your fear. “The Walk” is an amazing film that left me breathless, and is the type of epic Hollywood should release more often.
Rated: PG
A
www.theloaferonline.com
Storytelling Live! Welcomes
Michael Parent
It’s nearly the last call for storytelling in Jonesborough. Renowned teller Michael Parent will be the last resident performer in the International Storytelling Center’s Storytelling Live! series this year. After Parent’s weeklong residency, storytelling fans will still have a few more chances to get their fix. ISC will round out the 2015 storytelling season with a number of exclusive performances, including “My Father’s War,” a concert in honor of Veteran’s Day on November 12, and a series of holiday shows through the month of December. The Uncalled for Trio—Bil Lepp, Andy Offutt Irwin, and Kim Weitkamp—will perform their annual holiday show December 3 – 5, and Tim Lowry will return with his wildly popular rendition of “A Christmas Carol,” the Charles Dickens classic, on December 19. Parent has been a much-loved figure on the storytelling scene for more than 30 years. One of his
specialties is sports stories, especially true tales about baseball and hockey. “I think the best sports stories are those that are about much more than sports,” he says. While Parent has long been known for his original fictional stories, he’s been gravitating more towards traditional tales in recent years. “I’m especially keen on folk tales right now,” he says. “The trend seems to be more toward personal stories, and those can be really good. But folk tales have been around for centuries, so they’re honed in a way that personal stories often are not. They still resonate after hundreds of years of being told.” During his week in Jonesborough, Parent will offer daily matinees October 27 – 31, Tuesday through Saturday, in the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall. All shows begin at 2:00 p.m., and all ticket holders will save 10 percent on same-day dining at The Dining Room, Jonesborough General
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 19 Store and Eatery, or Main Street Café. From New Zealand to France, Parent has performed all over the world, but his favorite audiences are the people who come to his shows in Tennessee’s oldest town. “Jonesborough—there’s hardly any better audience in the world,” he says. “There’s a special relationship between the audience and the teller that is really unique and special. “In storytelling, you relate directly to the audience. There’s something magical about that,” he adds. “I still get a thrill when I’m telling a story and I’m looking at the faces of people who are listening and they’re totally enthralled. They’re coming along for the ride. I think by now I’ve learned how to be a pretty good driver and they trust me.” Tickets for all matinees are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. The International Storytelling Center’s Storytelling Live! series brings a new performer to Jonesborough each week through the end of October. The 2016 season will begin in May. More information is available at www.storytell-
ingcenter.net. Storytelling Live! is supported by program sponsors CrestPoint Health and Eastman Credit Union, and media sponsors News 5-WCYB, FOX Tri-Cities, Tri-Cities CW, Johnson City Press, Kingsport Times-News, Herald & Tribune, Cumulus Media and Foster Signs. Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the
Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the Niswonger Foundation, and the Arts Fund of East Tennessee Foundation. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., 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.
Page 20 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
The Toilet Bowl Building of Tyson’s Corner
It’s official name is the Tycon Courthouse, but any locals you come across will likely only know it by the affectionately bestowed nickname, “The Toilet Bowl Building”. A mixed- use office building, this impressive piece of architectural madness makes giving directions in the area a snap. For those who have never spent time there, Tyson’s Corner is an unincorporated Census Designated Place in Fairfax County, VA, approximately 13 miles west of Washington DC. The archetypal ‘Edge City’, as defined by Joel Garreau in his eponymous book on the recent tendency of commercial space to gather en masse near major transportation nodes, Tyson’s is home to more than 25 million square feet of office space and 3500 hotel
rooms. This traffic hell has more retail space than any place south of NYC on the east coast. Now, let’s get back to the Toilet Bowl Building (or the Stargate Building as it’s sometimes called). I’m finding it a particularly futile effort to make any of the following information as interesting as the mere sight of this thing, so I think I’ll try a different (lazy) approach today. Let me just take a stab at answering some of those burning questions you must have about this monstrosity: Where is it? You can find it at 2070 Chain Bridge Rd. in Vienna, VA. You really can’t miss it. I’m legally blind and I always notice it.
How long has it been distracting drivers? Tycon Court-
house was completed in 1983.
What the hell were the architects thinking? Actually, I
have no idea. All I could turn up was a completely unverified rumor from the internet alleging that the building was originally home to the headquarters of the Olivetti Company (typewriter and business machine manufacturer) and that the façade was the company’s way of showing us its ‘O face’. If any of you Northern VA folks have further info, I’d really like to hear it. What can I find inside? You can find offices for Freddie Mac, a dentistry, a decent Indian restaurant (3.5 out of 5 stars on Yelp), some kind of language school, and the Tycon Courthouse Lobby Shoppe, among other things.
www.theloaferonline.com
Arts Array presents “The Babadook”
The Arts Array Film Series presented by Virginia Highlands Community College is in its 45th year. All films are presented at the Abingdon Cinemall on Mondays and Tuesdays at 4 p.m. and again at 7:30 pm.
The Babadook
(October 27 and 27) Amelia, who lost her husband in a car crash, struggles to cope with her fate as a single mom. Her son’s constant fear of monsters doesn’t help her cause either, which makes her friends become distant. When things can’t get any worse, they read a strange book in their house about the ‘Babadook’ monster that hides in dark areas. Even Amelia seems to feel the effect of Babadook and desperately tries in vain to destroy the book. Directed by Jennifer Kent. 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.
Annual Fall Leaf Collection Start Nov. 2nd The City’s annual fall leaf collection will take place from Monday, Nov. 2 through Friday, Dec. 18. Several trucks will be used throughout the City and a minimum of two pick-ups should occur within each neighborhood during the leaf collection period. Residents are asked not to bag leaves and to have leaves piled behind the curb (not in front of the curb or on the street). Leaves will not be collected in alleys. All leaf piles should be free of trash, debris and limbs or they will not be collected. As a reminder, brush collection takes place year-round but may be altered due to leaf collection. The City defines brush as: tree trimmings, shrubbery (with no roots), limbs, etc., generated by routine maintenance of a property by the homeowner. Here are some collection guidelines to help homeowners
as they clear brush and prepare for fall yard work. • Brush piles must not exceed 10-foot lengths, must be piled straight and placed behind or on the curb for collection. Do not place brush on center medians or islands. • Do not place brush next to objects such as fences, guy wires, and poles or under trees. Equipment is restricted in those areas. • Brush may not be mixed with other debris. Brush mixed with leaves, grass, lumber, dirt, rock, concrete, building materials or other debris will not be collected until properly separated. Anyone hired to trim or remove trees, shrubs, etc., is required to remove the resulting brush from the property. Failure to do so may result in a court citation.
Silver Sneakers® Shindig Scheduled Citizens are invited to celebrate three years of Silver Sneakers® programming with a Silver Sneakers® Shindig from 1-3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27 at Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St. The Shindig will showcase programs, offer a meet-and-greet with instructors, and introduce participants
to the Strive for 10 Kick-off Challenge. Refreshments will be served. Admission is free. Pre-registration is required by Saturday (Oct. 3) at the Memorial Park Community Center Senior Services desk or by calling (423)434-6237.
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 21
Page 22 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
Brewly ..... try (33 percent growth), more than 1,400 brewpubs (20 percent growth) and 135 regional breweries (17 percent growth). Over the last decade craft breweries have averaged nearly 11 percent growth. Craft beer now makes up 11 percent of the market. Another interesting statistic? The majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft beer brewery. Following is a synopsis of each brewery on the trail:
Bristol, TN/VA
Bristol Brewery was founded with the passion to make great beer and has a goal of providing a beer for everyone, whether they’re a novice or a beer aficionado. Expect to see a wide selection every time you come to visit. The dream started between two home brewers with the idea to operate a brewery in Downtown Bristol. After spending several months looking for the right location, we found the Historic Bus Station in downtown Bristol. The brewery has a 10 barrel brewing system which is one of the largest in the area but small enough so custom-
Contiued from page 6 home brews and craft beers from
ers know they care about the community.
Holston River Brewing Company – Voted the best beer
maker in the state by Scoutology, Bristol Tennessee’s first and only brewery contains several different components, including the brewery, taproom, outdoor area, and stage. The Taproom boasts a wall with 12 different taps and the garage doors stay open when it’s warm, while a crackling fire is almost always being lit once the sun goes down. There are picnic tables outside and seats around the bar to enjoy the music and company in comfort. The stage is utilized for many live concerts and special events! The outdoor area has a cornhole boards, giant jenga and a picnic tables. Studio Brew, (opening late October) housed in the old Bristol Fire Museum, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Place, is owned Erich and Pamela Allen. Erich Allen, a master brewer, says they will feature a 15 barrel micro brewery and 15 and 30 barrel fermenters and will also install a full bottling line so customers will have more craft beers throughout the region. Studio Brew has over 17 artisan beers in rotation with Allen working from a palette of more than 100 recipes. An additional tasting room, as well as a distillery, is also part of the brewery.
around the world, which led to them deciding to open their own brewery when they moved to Johnson City in 2011. Traditional beers on tap are Perfect Tennessee Blonde Ale, Hopollo 13 India Pale Ale, J-Town Brown Ale and Little Chicago Stout, as well as a number of seasonal beers. JRH Brewing (Opening early November) -- JRH Brewing is owned and operated by the Henritze family, John, Jill, and their son Fletcher. JRH Brewing started as a homebrew hobby and quickly turned into a craft beer passion. John left his career in the medical field to pursue his brewery dream and hopes the brewery will inspire others to follow their own dreams. JRH Brewing plans to be a family and pet friendly hangout for enjoying craft beer and celebrating life’s accomplishments no matter how big or small. Our tag line says it all… Dedication. Determination. Delicious beer. Yee-Haw Brewing is about fun and about balance. They provide a mix of the finest ales and lagers while their beer is bold and flavorful, but easy to drink. Their year-round Pilsner, Pale Ale, Eighty schilling Scottish Ale and Dunkel dark lager are go-to staples, while seasonals will offer customers a chance to try something new and exciting. Our beer is as good as it gets and we make beers you want to have more than just once – beers that celebrate good times and good company.
Johnson City / Jonesborough Kingsport Depot Street Brewing – MiSleepy Owl Brewery is a
chael Foster opened Depot Street Brewing opened 11 years ago in Jonesborough, making it the first production brewery in East Tennessee. Its beers are now distributed across East and Middle Tennessee, as well as Western Virginia. Depot brews about 20 different beers, all of which are GMO free, including seasonal, one-of-a-kind barrel-aged beers and sours. Depot has won numerous awards across Tennessee and North Carolina.
nano brewery, located in historic downtown Kingsport that serves a number of craft beers, including Belgian, Blonde, Brown, Honey, Irish Red, Pale Ale and wheat. There’s plenty happening at Sleepy Owl, which has plenty of live music throughout the week and on weekends. Triple B Brewery, a local favorite in Kingsport, is well known for their fresh, seasonal beers. You’ll always find something going on at Triple B with bands playJohnson City Brewing Com- ing on must weekends, while our pany was founded in March 2014 outdoor patio is the perfect place by a group of home brewers and to unwind, whether it’s a cool day craft beer enthusiasts. The group or during warmer weather. They first got together in 2009 when Eric have a great list of American, Gerand Kat Latham formed the Pey- man and Belgian Ales, as well as ton Street Beer Club. They would seasonal selections and several ciinvite friends and family to taste ders.
www.theloaferonline.com
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 23
Chanticleer ..... of 12 male voices, from soprano to bass,” its diverse a cappella repertoire, “accuracy of intonation, purity of blend, variety of color and swagger of style,” says The Boston Globe. This fall, its vocalists also range from their first season with the ensemble to their 26th. They rehearsed twice a day, five days a week for five weeks to prepare for the luminary new tour. “Once the fundamentals have been laid down and rehearsed, then it’s time for the members of the ensemble to internalize the works,” Scott says. “Twelve individual points of view become one. The music director becomes less of a conductor and more of a listener. The men learn to trust each other and they react with eyes, ears, body language, trust and devotion.” Bringing the finely tuned group provides an opportunity to collaborate with ETSU’s Department of Music, says Anita DeAngelis, director of event sponsor Mary B. Martin School of the Arts. “It took us a while to get on Chanticleer’s schedule,” she says. “They are in very high demand internationally. ETSU has such a strong vocal music program and there are so many vocal groups in our region, this is really an opportunity to bring the community and campus together for something very special.” In fact, the 44-member ETSU Chorale will not only perform a 30-minute pre-concert Oct. 25, but it will also reprise that performance for Chanticleer, spectators and auditors on Monday, Oct. 26, in a master class format, from 10:30-noon in Culp Auditorium. The pre-concert will consist of four pieces – two from the Renaissance period, “Ihr Musici, frisch auf!” by Hans Leo Hassler and “Sfogava con le stele” by Claudio Monteverdi; a new arrangement of an American folk tune, “Bright Morning Stars;” and a new work, “Angele Dei” by Walton Music editor and contemporary composer Susan LaBarr. The ETSU Chorale will benefit from Chanticleer’s wealth of vocal experience and knowledge at the
Contiued from page 7
master class. “We are looking forward to getting the feedback from this great group,” says Dr. Matthew Potterton, director of ETSU Choral and Vocal Activities. “They work at a high artistic level, so the things that they will catch in our performance and advise us on are sometimes the smallest of details but it can make such a huge difference. “Whenever we can bring in professionals in the field our students gain a tremendous amount. Last year we brought in Alice Parker, who is a legend in our field … and now we’re bringing in Chanticleer, a world-renowned ensemble. This is an invaluable educational tool for our students.” Chanticleer will be an exemplar for other choral groups, as well – whether they are from ETSU, the region’s schools or local church choirs and ensembles, Potterton says. “They are just spectacular,” he says. “When you see them live, it is so polished and so incredible and also so moving. They sing with heart. It’s not just a technical sound.” Building a connection between people, as well as presenting an illuminating evening of music, is part of Chanticleer’s mission in East Tennessee. “We hope that the special bonds that we have when we sing with each other will be obvious and enjoyable to the audience,” Scott says. “There is nothing more remarkable than the way communities are built around singing together. We have our own [community] of 12 men. We hope you will join us as you listen, so that the community will get bigger and stronger as we sing.” Tickets for Chanticleer are $10 for students of all ages with ID, $25 seniors 60 and over and $30 general admission. Group rates are available. Anyone interested in attending the master class should contact Dr. Matthew Potterton at 423-439-6949 or by email at potterton@etsu.edu. For information or tickets, call 423-439-TKTS (8587) or visit www. etsu.edu/martin.
Annual Jonesborough Flag Retirement Ceremony
Every year, Jonesborough’s Flag Committee along with the Daniel Boone High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC retires more than 1,000 American Flags from the region in a ceremonial fashion following codes set forth by the National Flag Foundation. The Town’s American Flag Retirement Ceremony will take place on Sun., Oct. 25 at 2 p.m. in the Jonesborough Post Office Parking lot. The ceremony will include a keynote address by Jonesborough Alderman David Sell. Following the keynote address, the Daniel Boone Junior ROTC will conduct the official retirement of American flags that have been torn, faded, replaced and are no longer in use. A Congressional Research Service report to Congress found the Flag Code specifies that flags be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning. Flags to be retired are folded in the traditional triangular form. “The flags are properly burned on a bed of hickory coals and the ashes are then buried,” Town Flag Committee Chair Ruth Verhegge said. Flag drop off boxes are located at the Jonesborough Post Office, David Crockett High School and the Food City located in Gray. For more information about Jonesborough’s Flag Retirement Ceremony, contact 423-794-0237.
Page 24 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
www.theloaferonline.com
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 25
Gun Control Legislation There has been a lot of talk lately about gun control, especially in the realm of politics. This is due primarily to all the mass shootings that have taken place over the last few years. The fact of the matter is that these shootings are atrocious and there is always a public outcry in their wake. It is easy to get swept up in this outcry and get confused. You see the outcry is not truly for stricter gun laws, but for changes to be made to prevent any more mass shootings. Politicians tend take advantage of that outcry, twisting it to meet there own agendas. When law abiding firearms owners hear the words “Gun Control” it sends up all kinds of red flags, they start quoting the Second Amendment. Likewise when antigun people hear the words “Gun Rights” it likewise sends up red flags and they start quoting firearms violence statistics. However neither side proposes a solution to the real problems, the root of the debate, which are mass shootings. The quote “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result” comes to mind. Despite your opinion of President Obama, he did bring up some valid points in his speech following the Umpqua Community College shooting. He pointed out that the United States is the only advanced country in the world to have mass shootings, not to say other countries don’t suffer from firearms related violence. However, the FBI defines a mass shooting as four or more random fatalities associated with a firearm. Disarmament is non-conducive with the US Constitution, and is therefore not a valid option, so what can be done to prevent mass shootings? A series of things must
happen, some of which you are likely to disagree with depending on which of the before-mentioned camps you belong to. First there needs to be unilateral interstate firearms purchasing legislation, meaning that a Texas and a Tennessee resident must both follow the same steps to purchase a firearm. Furthermore private sales must be regulated (You might have just thrown your copy of The Loafer across the room, please let me explain.). Private sales, like public sales, should be subject to permit/ background check requirements. If you’re thinking a background check wouldn’t have flagged the last three mass shooters you are correct, none of them had prior convictions. This ushers in step two, psychological screenings as part of the permitting process. Each Sheriff’s Office would have a licensed psychologist on staff to evaluate each applicant. They should, at least in theory, pick up on any homicidal cues and decline the permit. The third step is to require a standard training program as part of the application process, nothing crazy like a week-long excursion, but something like a four-hour basic safety and fundamentals class. The fourth step is to encourage citizens to get trained and carry, if an average of one law-abiding, trained citizen per classroom, or office, store etc were to be armed there would be no successful mass shootings because the threat would be stopped almost immediately, imagine if that number was three instead of one! The fifth step is to stop immortalizing mass shooters, some of these shooters are just glory seekers and want to “go out with a bang” but if they know their name will not be mentioned and no one will know who they were, they might not
be motivated to commit the mass shooting. The last step, once all the other steps have been completed, would be to alter the law to allow universal carry, meaning that with the exception of private property whose owners prohibit carry, law enforcement facilities, and government buildings, a trained, law-abiding citizen can carry anywhere. This would include educational property, imagine if such an armed citizen had been at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, and Umpqua? You might disagree with these steps; you might even have some ideas of your own. The great thing about living in this country is that we have a voice. Write your congressman and tell them your ideas, if you like mine feel free to forward them this article. Remember the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over expecting a different result, break the cycle and let your voice be heard. As always I hope you enjoyed this article and if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me. I look forward to your feedback.
Page 26 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015
Halloween Horrors 2015, Part Three: Burnt Offerings The famous and oft-quoted introductory paragraph of Shirley Jackson’s 1959 novella, “The Haunting Of Hill House” presents us with the quintessential definition of what a haunted house is and should be: “No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. Hill House, not sane, stood by itself against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, walls continued upright, bricks met neatly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.” This dark little passage was used to introduce Robert Wise’s 1963 film version of Jackson’s novel—a version I consider to be the best haunted house movie ever made (don’t bother with the 1999 remake). Using Hill House as our jumping off point, let’s take a look at the haunted house genre by focusing on the recent, and greatly appreciated Kino Lorber Blu-Ray release of Dan Curtis’ 1976 horror flick, “Burnt Offerings,” based on Robert Marasco’s 1973 novel by the same name; the previous print of the movie was very grainy, and the folks at Kino Lorber have exceeded expectations by giving us a version of the film that looks crisp and clean, but no less squirm-inducing. “Burnt Offerings” tells a fairly simple tale of haunting and possession. It begins with a shot of a family station wagon (oddly reminiscent of the infamous “Family
Truckster” taken on a cross country trip by the Griswold family in 1983’s “National Lampoon’s Vacation”—wonder if “Vacation” is paying homage to “Burnt Offerings”) and follows its threemember family occupants as they move into a house they’ve rented for the summer. Father, Mother, and Son are greeted at the house by a strange brother-sister duo and in a very short time the family comes to regret renting the house; the house in question is the Dunsmuir House, built in 1899, located in Oakland, California, and used for other movies like the cult classic “Phantasm,” the James Bond thriller “View To A Kill,” and Clint
Eastwood’s “True Crime.” To make a long story short, and not to reveal any “spoilers,” the family is possessed by the house and begins their transformation from loving to malevolent. In this sense, the movie reminds us of Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 masterpiece, “The Shining.” Ben Rolf, the driver of the Family Truckster, is, like his Jack Nicholson counterpart, an aspiring author who rents the house for some peace and quiet. And the ending of the movie bears a very creepy resemblance to the climatic scenes of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” (1960). Actually, the creepiest experience while watching the new Blu-Ray
version is the realization that we are watching a family of ghosts on the screen—the principle players (Oliver Reed, Karen Black, Eileen Heckart, Burgess Meredith, and Bette Davis) are all dead. The only survivors are Lee H. Montgomery who plays the young son and Anthony James, who plays a very scary and sinister ambulance driver. In the 1920s Virginia Woolfe wrote about all movies being ghost stories, and “Burnt Offerings” certainly bears out the truth of her contention. The real star of this movie is of course the house itself, and we can say the same thing about most haunted house movies. Prime examples include the aforementioned “The Shining” (1980), starring Mt. Hood Oregon’s Overlook Hotel, and “The Haunting” (1963), starring Ettington Park, located in Warwickshire, UK. Add to our list “House On Haunted Hill” (1959), starring LA’s Ennis-Brown House, “The Legacy” (1978), an oftenoverlooked little B-movie gem, starring Loseley House in Surrey, UK, “Sunset Blvd” (1950), a very frightening movie not generally classified as a horror film, starring the now-demolished Getty Mansion in LA, and “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968), starring New York City’s rambling and cavernous Dakota apartment building, the place where John Lennon was shot in 1980. Our list of haunted houses should also include, but not be limited to, essential films like “The Changeling” (1980), a very creepy George C. Scott vehicle; “The Innocents” (1961), based on Henry James’ “The Turn Of The Screw;” “The Old Dark House” (1932), the film that became a prototype for much of what was to follow; “The Cat And The Canary” (three versions: 1927, 1939, and 1978); “The Sentinel” (1977); “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974); “The Ghost Breakers” (1940), a delightful Bob Hope haunted house spoof; “The Uninvited” (1944), an English ghost story; and “Cat People” (1944), a disquieting little outing featuring a scary swimming pool that is referenced in “Burnt Offerings.” If you are familiar with this list of movies, you should watch “Burnt Offerings” to see if you can spot all the references (a kind of “Where’s Waldo” for horror movie buffs). If viewing isn’t enough, I rec-
ommend that you read a fascinating study of haunted house movies, Barry Curtis’ DARK PLACES: THE HAUNTED HOUSE IN FILM (2008). Curtis is ideally suited for writing such a book, because he teaches both film and architecture courses at the Royal College of Art in London. Like Freud, who described the concept of “the uncanny” as a phenomenon that occurs when the familiar and comforting becomes bizarre and terrifying, Curtis believes the attraction of haunted houses lies in the way they so vividly demonstrate the uncanny. He writes that “Haunted house films reconnect the fact of death, and the unsettled business that this disturbingly implies, with the desirable safety of the home and the disturbing paradox of the uncanny . . .The cinema of the haunted house has created a secular space somewhere between the cemetery and the sitting room where the unresolved issues of the past can be negotiated and symbolically resolved.” For Curtis, watching haunted house movies is actually a therapeutic process that, as Aristotle believed over twothousand years ago, cleanses us a safe way of our baser instincts. I urge you to watch the BluRay version of “Burnt Offerings” this week. It was released the week before last and is readily available on various online services (I haven’t seen it in any local stores). This version now only looks remarkably better than the visually washed-out version that has been circulating on DVD for several years. And this new version contains an extra audio commentary and interviews. And it was directed by the late Dan Curtis (another ghost), who brought us the TV horror classic, “Dark Shadows,” as well as “The Night Stalker” (which became the inspiration for the TV series starring Darren McGavin), and “Trilogy of Terror,” a made-for-TV movie starring Karen Black in three roles that progressively get more terrifying as the show goes on (the story featuring the Zuni warrior doll is a horror classic). Tune in next week for a look at “It Follows,” one of the best horror movies of the last ten years, and its companion, Herk Harvey’s weird 1963 surreal thriller, “Carnival of Souls,” a movie I’ve written about before. See you then.
www.theloaferonline.com
October 20, 2015 | The Loafer | Page 27
Page 28 | The Loafer | October 20, 2015