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STorytelling Festival
Volume 30 • Issue #44
happenings
Publisher Luci Tate Editor Graphic Arts Director Don Sprinkle
4 National Storytelling Festival 5 NSF Pre-Show Entertainment 6 Buddhist Teacher Leads Retreat
Cover Design Bill May
7 1st Thursday in Abingdon 8 Opening Reception @ William King Museum
Advertising Dave Carter Patti Barr Sam Jones Shawn Hale Jeffrey Pom Paul Kavanaugh Contributing Staff Jim Kelly Andy Ross Ken Silvers Mark Marquette Brian McManus Joshua Hicks Brian Bishop Daniel Worley Jason Worley Langley Shazor 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)
9 Annual Fishout 10 Wayne Taylor to be inducted into VA Country Music Hall Of Fame 11 Civic Chorale begins 2016-17 Season
columns & reviews
18 Stargazer - Space Week 2016 Around The World 19 Skies This Week 20 Batteries Not Included - Spend An Afternoon with Vincent Price And Me 20 The Casual Word - One Day 22 Pop Life - The Magnificent Seven 24 Mountain Movers - The Jimmy Neil Smith Interview 27 Appalachian Wanderers - Hungry Mother State Park 31 Kelly’s Place - Halloween Horrors 2016 (Part 1)
12 TN Pirate Fest 13 Jazz In The Park 14 Aussie Folk Band Coming To JC 15 Sawyer Brown To Perform @ NPAC 23 Jonesborough Welcomes Clare Muireann Murphy 25 19th Annual Wildlife Weekend 28 Things To Do 29 Pets Of The Week 30 Classifieds
music & fun 16
Spotlight - Great Music 26 Puzzle Page
POP EVIL
w/ RED SUN RISING at Capone’s
Saturday, Oct. 8th
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
theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 3
October Ushers in the
National Storytelling Festival
I
a World-Famous Tradition
n Jonesborough, Tennessee, the storytelling capital of the world, tickets are now on sale for the National Storytelling Festival (NSF), an annual gathering of some of the world’s top talent. The oldest and most prestigious festival of its kind, NSF offers one-day and weekend passes for regular programming, as well as one-time admission to special events. The three-day celebration of oral traditions from around the world—recently named one of the top tourist attractions in the nation by TripAdvisor.com—is the flagship event of its producer, the International Storytelling Center. The Festival runs October 7 – 9, with regular programming scheduled from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. The autumnal celebration of the world’s oral traditions has been an annual tradition since 1973, when the first National Storytelling Festival spawned the American storytelling revival. The 2016 Festival will feature nearly two dozen storytellers, who will take turns performing under big-top tents scattered across downtown Jonesborough. The diverse lineup includes Irish teller Clare Muireann Murphy; Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton, a multiinstrumentalist and teller whose work embodies the spirit of 1920s music; Minton Sparks, who fuses wildly original poetry and an intoxicating gift for storytelling into memories of growing up in a smalltown southern family; Motoko, a native of Japan, whose repertoire includes Asian folktales, Zen tales, and mime vignettes; and Barbara McBride-Smith, who transports audiences from the ancient world of the Greek gods and goddesses to the eclectic shenanigans of her
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Baby Boomer generation. A homecoming for some of the industry’s finest performers, this year’s featured tellers also include perennial favorites such as Donald Davis, Elizabeth Ellis, Bil Lepp, and Tim Lowry. By showcasing oral traditions from the South and all over the world, the Festival inspires unexpected connections and promotes cultural understanding. In addition to the Festival’s signature programming, there’s a handful of special events included in the price of the ticket, such as Exchange Place, a concert featuring new talent; the Swappin’ Ground, where anyone can tell a story; and a Story Slam. Separately ticketed events include two nights of al fresco Ghost Stories; and the Friday night Midnight Cabaret, featuring Kevin Kling. Two pre-Festival concerts will also be held on the Festival grounds on Wednesday, October 5 featuring Donald Davis and Thursday, October 6 with Kathy Mattea. Both all-ages shows begin at 7:30 p.m, and tickets can be reserved in advance or purchased on site, while supplies last. Tickets for the National Storytelling Festival — as well as all special events throughout the week — can be purchased online at www.storytellingcenter. net, at the International Storytelling Center (ISC) in downtown Jonesborough, or on the Festival grounds. The National Storytelling Festival is sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, Dunkin’ Donuts, Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa, the Niswonger Foundation, and Alliance for Peacebuilding. For more information or to make reservations, call ISC at (800) 9528392, ext. 221.
Top Talent Brings Pre-Show Entertainment to National Storytelling Festival
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he National Storytelling Festival will be preceded by not one, but two, special concerts this year, on October 5 and October 6. Christmas comes early when storytelling icon Donald Davis presents his collection of holiday stories, “Don’t Kill Santa” On Wednesday, October 5, at 7:30 p.m. on the Festival grounds. Tickets are just $15 for all ages. The second concert, which is also all ages, will feature Grammy awardwinning singer Kathy Mattea and her guitarist Bill Cooley. The duo has shared one of Nashville’s most musically rich partnerships for more than two decades. A genuine storyteller, Mattea draws inspiration from her Appalachian roots. That show is scheduled for Thursday, October 6, at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are only $20. Advance purchase for both events is highly recommended. Seating is limited and tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis. The Pre-Festival Concerts are a relatively new addition to the National Storytelling Festival. Designed as standalone shows that take advantage of the Festival grounds, these events offer two excellent opportunities to see storytelling at its finest before the weekend festivities begin in earnest on Friday. The National Storytelling Festival runs October 7 – 9, Friday through Sunday, with 19 master tellers offering rotating performances from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. each day. Most performances take place beneath big-top tents scattered across downtown Jonesborough. Seating is plentiful and refreshments are available at the food court, the Festival’s wine and beer garden, and the town’s regular eateries. Tickets for both Pre-Festival Concerts — as well as for other special events like Ghost Stories and Midnight Cabaret — can be purchased online at www.storytellingcenter.net, at the International Storytelling Center in downtown Jonesborough, or on the Festival grounds. For more information or to make reservations, call ISC at (800) 952-8392, ext. 221.
Beer and Wine Garden
Relax in the afternoon at the Festival’s Wine and Beer Garden, featuring a selection of regional beer and wine available for purchase. A popular festival feature. The Wine and Beer Garden is sponsored by Holston Distributing. On the front plaza of the Mary B. Martin Storytelling Hall. 4–7 p.m. Thursday 4–8 p.m. Friday & Saturday
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Buddhist Teacher Leads Retreat At Appalachian Dharma & Meditation Center
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October 7th & 8th, 2016
he public is invited to participate in a mini Buddhist Retreat offered October 7th & 8th, at the Appalachian Dharma & Meditation Center in Johnson City. The Friday and Saturday talks and instruction will be given by the Venerable Dr. Pannavati Bhikkhuni, an ordained Buddhist monk from Hendersonville, NC, who has given talks at the Center several times over the past few years. Friday, October 7, from 7-8 pm, the talk is “Cultivating The Buddhist Path.” Cultivation is working to increase good karma and working to avoid bad karma. It is increasing good karmic conditions, planting good causes, and reaping good effects. In Buddhism there are eight fundamental right views to cultivation, each one building on the previous one. In this dharma talk we will discuss them and how they lead to liberation from suffering. Saturday, October 8, is a mini retreat from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a break at noon for lunch. The topic is “Protecting The Heart From A World On Fire.” At the very heart of all Buddhist practices, you will find the twin practices of metta and tonglen — the cultivation of universal friendliness and compassion. In these times of increasing polarization and violence, metta and tonglen are powerful antidotes that can literally change our minds. Do we hold too tightly to views that prevent us from opening up? Do we find ourselves insecure, anxious, and inflexible in predictable ways? Do we feel helpless to change? On our meditation cushion, we can safely practice what it would be like to discard these habits that lead to the suffering of ourselves and others. Ven. Dr. Pannavati, a former Christian pastor, is co-founder and co-Abbot of Embracing-Simplicity Hermitage and meditation center; Co-Director of Heartwood Refuge, a new intentional community, residential retreat and conference center in Hendersonville, NC.; and President of The Treasure Human Life Foundation. A black, female Buddhist monk ordained in the Theravada, Chan, and Mahayana traditions, she is an international teacher, an advocate on behalf of disempowered women and youth globally, and insists on equality and respect in Buddhist life for both female monastics and lay sangha. She was a 2008 recipient of the Outstanding Buddhist Women’s Award. Both talks will take place at ADMC, 108 W 10th Ave, Suite 3 (lower level) Johnson City, TN 37604. The public may attend one or both events. There is no fee but a suggested donation or dana of $20 is requested. All dana will be given to the teacher to offset her expenses and contribute to her efforts. For more information contact dharma4et@gmail.com.
Senior Services to offer Friday Night Dances
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Citizens are invited to put on their dancing shoes and join Senior Services the first and third Friday of each month to dance the night away. Memorial Park Community Center, 510 Bert St., will host Friday Night Dances from 7-10 p.m. Admission is $5 per person; Silver Sneakers® discount is available for eligible members. (Pricing may vary for special events.) Schedule is as follows: • Friday, Oct. 7 – Kids Our Age For more information, call (423)434-6237.
Abingdon’s arts organizations bring gallery-goers together one night a month for art, food, music, and more! 6 – 8 p.m. - William King Museum of Art at 415 Academy Drive - Opening Reception from 6 - 8 p.m. for Cherry Bounce: Appalachian Art, American Politics and Realms of Earth and Sky: Indian Painting from the 15th to the 19th century. 5 – 8 p.m. - Arts Depot at 314 Depot Square - New shows in all three galleries! Spotlight Gallery:Susan Egbert “Mixing it Up”, Founders Gallery: Highlands Camera Club 12th annual group exhibit and in the Members Gallery: Corann Kitchen, Lisa May, Carol Basham and Patsy Ingle Phillips. Abingdon Thumb Strummers play 6-7 pm and Appalachian Center for Poets and Writers “Open Mic” 7-8 pm. Everyone welcome to participate. *Image: Susan Egbert’s “Lili Pads” -Acrylic Batik 5 - 7 p.m. - Abingdon Visitor Center, 335 Cummings Street - James E. Turner, also known as Corry the Psychic, is currently in residence at the Visitor Center. On display are a 6-foot-high canvas “mural” for the gallery, as well as a collection of his abstract paintings titled “Wheels Within Wheels.” Turner, who is also a practicing psychic, creates “spirit paintings,” applying multiple layers of iridescent colors to create abstract, organic shapes. “As an artist with a brain condition, I capture the beautiful visions I experience,” Turner says. 5 – 9 p.m. - Heartwood at 1 Heartwood Circle (A short drive from Exit 14) SOUTHERN BBQ and JAM SESSION – Start your evening with our phenomenal southern BBQ dinner, shop in the galleries filled with juried handmade goodies from Southwest Virginia artisans, then settle in for the best jam session around. A bluegrass and old-time music jam session begins at 6:30 p.m. Come to listen or bring your instrument! Free admission and a great time! 6 - 9 p.m. - FRAGMENTED at 108 Court Street, NE, Lower Level - Handmade Art Jewelry and Mixed Media Assemblages - Mimi Harris, artist, metalsmith, maker and gatherer of needful things and handmade art jewelry has her working studio and shop open for fun and refreshments. 6 – 8 p.m. - Tracy Ference Gallery and Studio at 120 N. Court Street - Portraiture and Still Life paintings - Tracy Ference, portrait artist, is now located in the Summer’s Law office, a historic building located at 120 Court Street NE. Come tour the new space, see what she is working on and enjoy refreshments in the beautiful court yard! 5 - 8 p.m. - T Tilley Gallery and Garden at 100 N. Court Street - An eclectic home and garden boutique with a spattering of local art, jewelry, new line of resort bamboo wear, fairy gardens and more! 5 – 6 p.m. - Zazzy’z Coffee Roasters at 380 E. Main Street - Meet old friends and make new ones at this friendly “Place to Be”. It’s a happy place! Serving coffee, espresso drinks, sandwiches, soups and quiches. Local Artists showcase artwork throughout the year. Find us on Facebook! - www.facebook.com/abingdonfirstthursday
Like us on Follow us on theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 7
WILLIAM KING MUSEUM OF ART
HOSTS A NEW PANORAMIC ARTIST AND STUDENT GALLERY ARTISTS FOR ABINGDON’S FIRST THURSDAY IN OCTOBER
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n Thursday, October 6, William King Museum of Art hosts an opening reception for two new exhibits from 6 – 8 p.m. Amanda Richardson’s Fell off the Parade Float opens in the Panoramic Gallery with a collection of paintings that explore and dissect the mundane. Reflecting on her series she states, “Everything is alive with psychedelic vibrancy and technicolored yawning. I see the way out in the clearing. It involves paintings of unknown friends. Sometimes especially at the most mundane moments, I think I have dreamed this before.” The Student Gallery offers a collection of artwork by school age children from the Tri-Cities. This month instructors Carlene Presnell and Sue Lepsch showcase works of art in pastel, watercolor, pencil, and computer art by the student group, Young@Art. The artists range in age from 7 to 17 and represent some of the finest art by young students in the region. Admission to this event is free and open to the public. For more information about this and other exhibits please call us at (276) 628-5005 or visit us on the web at www.williamkingmuseum.org.
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Annual fishout
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slated for Oct. 8
egion Street Pool will be transformed into a fishing hole on Saturday, Oct. 8, with 2,000 rainbow trout up for grabs in Johnson City’s annual “Say YES to Fishing, Say NO to Drugs” fishout. Children ages 3-14 (accompanied by an adult) are invited to participate from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. in this free event. Poles and bait will be provided, and hundreds of prizes will be given. Volunteers will clean the fish caught by youth so they can take them home to cook! Then, on Sunday, Oct. 9, the rest of the community is invited to fish for the remaining trout for a donation of $10 per hour (proceeds go to the fishout program). Fishing will take place from noon until 5 p.m. “Say YES to Fishing, Say NO to Drugs” was started in 1989 as a way to get area youths involved in a fun, wholesome activity. “We want to encourage young people’s interest in the positive things life has to offer, and to discourage involvement with drugs,” said Johnson City Police Chief Mark Sirois. The program has seen broad-based community support ever since. Area sponsors provide prizes, exhibits and activities for participants. Local volunteers donate their time to work the event, along with representatives from the Johnson City Police, Fire, Community Relations and Parks and Recreation departments; Washington County Sheriff’s Office; and Army National Guard. For more information, contact the Johnson City Police Department at (423)434-6122.
ETSU Alumni Golf Classic set for Blackthorn Golf Course
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he 50th annual East Tennessee State University Alumni Golf Classic will be held at Blackthorn Golf Course at The Ridges on Friday, Oct. 7. The two-person select shot tournament, hosted by the ETSU National Alumni Association, is open to the community, alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the university. The day will begin with check-in and practice time at 10:30 a.m. Massages and warm-up stretches will be offered courtesy of Jones Chiropractic at 10 a.m. A lunch buffet is included in the registration fee and will be served at 11 a.m., followed by a noon shotgun start. Golfers will compete in nine divisions: Gold Flight for those with handicaps of 10 and lower; Blue Flight for players with handicaps from 11 to 20; and White Flight for those with handicaps of 21 and above, Women, ETSU Faculty and Staff (teams with players who are current or retired faculty or staff), Senior (both players aged 55 or older), Co-ed teams, Greek teams (players must be an alum or current member of a Greek organization), and Student Division (team members must both be currently enrolled at ETSU).Players will also compete in four skills contests. In addition, this year’s event will feature several hole-in-one prizes, including a chance to win a top-ofthe-line luxury vehicle provided by Chaparral Buick GMC of Johnson City. An array of door prizes will also be awarded. Through Oct. 4, registration is $125 for alumni and friends who are not members of the ETSU National Alumni Association, $115 for alumni who are members, as well as senior citizens and military personnel with a valid I.D. and $100 for ETSU students. Registrations received after that date will increase to $135, $125 and $110, respectively. For registration or more information, contact the ETSU Alumni Office at 423-439-4218 or alumni@etsu.edu.
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Blue Highway’s Wayne Taylor to be Inducted into
Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame
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lue Highway’s highly respected bass player, songwriter, and vocalist Wayne Taylor will be honored as the 2016 Inductee into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame in a ceremony to be held at the Chesterfield County Fairgrounds at 10300 Courthouse Road in Chesterfield, VA, on Saturday, October 8, at 7:00 pm. One artist or band who has significantly contributed to country or bluegrass music is chosen annually by a board sanctioned by the Governor of Virginia, with past inductees including legends such as Patsy Cline, the Statler Brothers, Dr. Ralph Stanley, Jimmy Dean, Mother Maybelle Carter, and Roy Clark. The Executive Board of the Virginia Folk Music Association (VFMA) selected Wayne Taylor as the 2016 Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee, and Governor Terry McAuliffe will sign a congratulatory letter to accompany the induction proclamation, according to board member Yvon Jackson. The VFMA was founded in 1947, with the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame being created in 1972, and the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame Museumbeing dedicated in 2011. Wayne Allan Taylor, the Virginia native honored with the 2016 Hall of Fame Induction, epitomizes the pure American dream. A child of humble parents, Wayne overcame four early years spent on crutches and in a wheelchair to become a coal truck driver in the mountains of southwest Virginia for 18 long years before a golden door opened for him to become a founding member of one the most influential and respected bluegrass bands in modern history, Blue Highway. Wayne’s musical path started when his cousin taught him two chords on a guitar as a teenager. As an adult, Taylor played in garage bands at night, in a gospel group called The Christian Heirs, and in several regional bluegrass bands, which led to his friendship with Tim Stafford. Tim and Wayne, along with Shawn Lane, Jason Burleson, and Rob Ickes, formed Blue Highway in 1994. The 22-year strong, internationally heralded Blue Highway has earned 25 IBMA Awards, 6 SPBGMA Awards, one Dove Award, and two prestigious Grammy Nominations as a band. The gifted songwriting and pure vocals of Taylor, Stafford,a nd Lane have been like rocket fuel for Blue Highway, helping skyrocket each of their 10 studio albums to #1, with their last album ‘The Game’ reigning at #1 for 7 consecutive months on the Bluegrass Unlimited Album Chart. With powerful songs from ‘The Game,’ Blue Highway charted the Most Radio Airplay of Any Bluegrass Artist in 2014. Blue Highway was also recently voted the Favorite Bluegrass Artist of All Timein April 2016 by the readers of Bluegrass Today. “I want to thank the Virginia Folk Music Association for this honor,” Taylor said. “This took me completely by surprise. I never imagined I’d be named in that group, with people like Patsy Cline – that’s the greatest honor in the world.” Taylor’s formal induction will be on October 8 during the 18th Annual Jumping Bluegrass Festival, an October event created by
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Civic Chorale begins 2016-17 season October 9: A Jubilant Song
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he Civic Chorale, under direction of its new Music Director, Dr. Rodney Caldwell, presents its Fall concert, A Jubilant Song, on Sunday, October 9 at 3:00 PM at First Presbyterian Church, 105 South Boone Street, Johnson City, Tennessee. The concert repertoire includes A Jubilant Song by Norman Dello Joio, Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré, Sure On This Shining Night by Morten Lauridsen, and works by a variety of other composers. There is a $10 suggested donation at the door. The Civic Chorale, founded in 1973, is the region’s premiere auditioned volunteer adult chorus. Dr. Caldwell begins his tenure as Music Director this season after being selected from a number of talented applicants. Dr. Caldwell is also the director of choral studies at Mars Hill University in Mars Hill, North Carolina. For additional information, visit the Chorale web site at www.thecivicchorale.org.
Taylor . . . continued from previous page the VFMA in 1998 to host each year’s Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and help preserve the heritage of country, bluegrass and gospel music. Wayne will be inducted into the Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame at 7:00 pm, followed by a performance by Taylor and his band Blue Highway. Tickets for the four-day Jumping Bluegrass Festival are $40 prior to October 1, with single-day tickets ranging from $10-$20. Single-day tickets for Saturday, October 8, the day of Taylor’s induction, are $20 each. For more ticket info, please go to www.VAFolkMusic.org, or call 804-832-0950.
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“Avast, Ye Swabbies!” Get your pirate on!
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he first annual Tennessee Pirate Fest is on the horizon. This daytime family-friendly costume-play event is being produced by Darkhorse Entertainment, LLC, and will be held at the Tennessee Medieval Faire site in Harriman--just 30 miles west of Turkey Creek. Patrons will feel transported to the fictional town of Port Royale in the Tortugas, circa 1700-1800’s. “We are throwing a pirate party and everyone is invited,” said Barrie Paulson, VP-Manager & Entertainment Director. “International Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day (September 19) was a great warm up to ‘Get Your Pirate On!’” Patrons are encouraged to dress in costume and enter the costume contest to win a prize. There will be two categories, ages 5-12 and 13+, and winners will be decided by audience applause. Free activities will be available to play, including karaoke by Ward Entertainment, porthole (corn hole), volleyball, tetherball, limbo, stocks, and steel drum. Also, for $2, children may participate in a treasure hunt. Professional entertainment includes the Tortuga Twins, an interactive comedy show; Pirates, Inc., sea shanties; Outlaw Ritual, blues/swamp rock duo; PanEZ, Caribbean steel drum; Three RRR’s, comedy stunt show; Trouble the Waters, Irish musical duo; Captain Anton Neal and the Sirens, sea shanties; and Kombat Kroquet. An entertainment schedule will be available online and at the entrance gate. The village of Port Royale will consist of interactive street characters--including British red coats, the Governor’s household, and pirates. Merchants will also help create the village, selling custom crafts, festival food, and hot and cold beverages, including beer. The Pirate Fest will be held on October 8 & 9 from 11am-6pm ET--rain or shine. Ticket prices are $13 for ages 13+, $8 for ages 5-12, and there will be free admission for children 4 and under. Parking is free, and tickets may be purchased with cash or credit at the ticket house on show days.
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Tennessee Pirate Fest is on the Horizon!
The festival is located at 550 Fiske Road, Harriman, TN. Festival rules include the following: No sharp weapons or loaded guns (stage weapons must be sheathed and zip-tied); no pets (service animals only); no outside food or drinks; no visibly intoxicated persons will be admitted; no onsite patron camping (for a list of local accommodations, please visit www.roanetourism.com/ stay/list/). For more information, please visit www.TNPirateFest.com, call 865-248-8414, or “Like” them on Facebook.
MECC Hosts AnnuaL
Haunted Forest Event
Jazz In the Park with
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Keith Brown Friday, October 7 • 6:00 PM — 9:00 PM
ree Jazz Concert! Come to Founders Park for a great evening with Keith Brown and his band Blueprint! http:// www.keithbrownpiano.com/ Keith Brown- Keyboards Jamel Mitchell- Tenor Sax William Boyd- Tenor sax Josh Howard - bass Nolan NevelsDrums. Jazz in the Park! Founders Park Amphitheater, 120 Commerce St,, Johnson City, TN Adult Beverages provided by JRH Brewery and Holston Distributing All proceeds from the sale of beer to support the he woods around Mountain Empire Community ColUMOJA Festival. lege will soon come alive with the spirits of the “undead.” MECC will host its annual Haunted Forest beginning Friday, October 7 from 7-11 p.m. The event will be held every Friday and Saturday until Halloween. Admission is $10. The Haunted Forest is recommended for age 10 & up. All proceeds will benefit student scholarships at MECC. This year, Mama Lebow’s vile anger has conjured another spell. The creatures of the woods are developing a taste for two legged meat and the butcher has lost control of the animals! In the Slaughterhouse, you will be in a fight for your life against demonic animals that have taken control. No turn is safe as they hunt for their prey! For more information, please check out the MECC Haunted Forest Facebook page at www.facebook.com/MountainEmpireHauntedForest or contact Cindy Ringley at (276) 523-2400, ext. 264.
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The Heart Collectors Aussie Folk Band - Coming to Johnson City
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synergy of Fleetwood Mac and Peter Paul and Mary influenced indie folk, this Australian group returns to the USA for the second time this year. After finding their festival feet in the heart of Austin, Texas, for “South By South West” music festival and conference, they are back again recording and travelling with their music, collecting hearts along the way. In Spring this year, they spontaneously toured, finding gigs, house concerts and pop up shows along their way. As word spread, the love-tide grew a groundswell of interest which began in Austin. The high demand for their folkish tunes and vibrant authenticity saw them play 32 shows in a 6 week period – billed as ‘Aussie Folk Band’ The Heart Collectors captivate you with both their unique sound and wild-spirit personalities. This Fall, they found themselves in Wimberely, Texas, where they have just recorded their latest album, set to be released early 2017. Playing through Austin and Round Top, TX, the independent group have self-funded their travels completely through their music. With many stops and stories later, The Hearts have travelled north coming to Johnson City, as their last stop in Tennessee, before continuing on to Massachusetts and New York. The heart tugging sounds of the cello melt with intricate acoustic guitar, mandolin and banjo play to the character of each unique original piece as the majesty of their song writing is brought to light in both the complexity and sweetness of an irish lullaby. However, in amongst all this beauty there is a driving force to their sound that is the combing of four voices in depth and richness of vocal harmony. Don’t miss your chance to see them at the Acoustic Coffee House Johnson City, TN October 8th at 10pm 2016. To see their other Johnson City Shows, find their gig guid at www.theheartcollectors.com or email info@theheartcollectors.com
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Sawyer Brown
Ready to rock the stage at Niswonger Performing Arts Center
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ailed as the Rolling Stones of country music, Sawyer Brown brings their high-energy, legendary show to NPAC on October 8th at 7:30 pm. Sawyer Brown broke onto the country music scene in the early 1980’s with a fresh sound and creative energy, blending traditional country roots with bar-room rock n’ roll. With a strong Alabama influence, Sawyer Brown has connected with its fans through thoughtful ballads like “The Walk” and “All These Years,” as well as the honky-tonk rockers like “The Boys and Me” and “Some Girls Do.” With more than 4,500 shows, 23 albums, over 50 chart singles and a number of CMA, ACM and CMT awards behind them, Sawyer Brown has earned its place as one of the premier live acts in music. Night after night, the band delivers high-energy entertainment in every live show. Tireless road warriors, the band thrives on playing live. “Live is where it all comes together for us,” keyboardist Hobie Hubbard says. “The audience brings its own energy, we bring our own energy and the music – and the combination of all of that is what makes playing live so unique. It exists for that moment in time – you’re either there, or you’re not a part of that moment. We’re blessed to be able to be a part of those moments night after night.” Connect with Sawyer Brown at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center (NPAC) in historic downtown Greeneville, TN on Saturday, October 8th at 7:30 pm. 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. This performance is sponsored by Leonard Manufacturing Resources and Charter Foods. 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. For venue information, and to purchase tickets, please visit www.npacgreeneville.com. theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 15
S O LG T P
T I
- TUESDAY - Oct. 4th -
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- FRIDAY - Oct.7th -
If you or your band are playing in the upcoming week and would like to be in The Spotlight, call in advance to (423) 283-4324 or go online to: theloaferonline.com. Due to last minute cancellations or changes, please call the location to confirm.
- SATURDAY - Oct. 8th -
ADAM MCMILLAN
SHOOTER
ROB ICKES & TREY HENSLEY
at O’Mainnin’s Pub
LOVE UNIT TIN FOIL HAT LATRELLE
at Jiggy Ray’s 6:30pm
FLAT TOP MIKE
HOLY SMOKES THE GODFORSAKEN ROLLERS at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
GUIDO AU’SOME & THE OPEN MIC PLAYERS DOWNTOWN COUNTRY - WEDNESDAY - Oct. 5th -
ROB ROBINSON COLIN HOTZ & CO. at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
SINGER SONGWRITER NIGHT w/ SCOTT TUCKER at Our House Restaurant
BUCK GOOTER THE GROWTH SHE BLINDED ME WITH BOXCUTTERS at The Hideaway 10pm
THE DUO TONES at O’Mainnin’s Pub
(A little bit of everything) at Hungry I Apex
at The Hideaway 10pm at Woodstone Deli
VICTOR LAWSON at Studio Brew 8pm
DAVID GERALD & DETROIT BLUES at The Lincoln Theatre
SOUL’D OUT
at The Willow Tree Coffeehouse & Music Room 8pm
MARCUS BOYD
at Jiggy Ray’s Pizzeria 8pm
VVULF / AMERICAN DROPOUTS OF SEA & SHORE
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
THE HEART COLLECTORS at Capone’s
ADAM MCMILLAN (A little bit of everything) at Rainbow Asian Cuisine
DENNIS COFFFEY
at Art in the Heart Gallery 6pm
WYLDE HEART
at Quaker Steak & Lube
GLENN DIAMOND
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
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at Buffalo Ruritan
STAGECOACH
(Classic & New Country, Southern Rock, Classic Rock, Bluegrass & Gospel) at Silver Spur
LAUREN COLE BAND (Blues, Rock)
at Studio Brew 8pm
at Down Home
THE THOMAS CASSELL PROJECT
at Holston River Brewing Company 8pm
LIVE MUSIC
at O’Mainnin’s Pub
COAL CREEK w/ BIG DON
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
JASON KEISER THE HEART COLLECTORS
SIDELINE
DOUBLEWIDE INC
NEW MEXICO CHEMICAL LIVE MUSIC
CROOKED ROAD REJECTS at Country Club Bar & Grill
THE WORLD OF WENDEL WERNER RESTLESS LEG STRING BAND at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
- SATURDAY - Oct. 8th -
NIGHTSHIFT
MENS ACAPELLA GROUP MARK HUFF
SOUTHER COUNTRYMEN BAND
DRY HILL DRAGGERS
at Rock’s Wood Fire Pizza & Grill 7pm at Bristol’s Pickin’ Porch 7pm
at Sleepy Owl Brewery 8pm
at Founders Park - JC 6pm
POP EVIL w/ RED SUN RISING
SIDELINE w/ BOOTS ON GROUND
EXIT 23
SUGAR LIME BLUE
at O’Mainnin’s Pub
JAZZ 251
at JJ’s Restaurant & Sports Bar 9pm
at Quaker Steak & Lube 8pm
at Wellington’s Restaurant 8pm
LAURA THURSTON (Folk)
JET BLACK AUDIO
GENTLEMEN & LIARS
JAZZ IN THE PARK
LIVE MUSIC
at The Damascus Brewery 7pm
at Lion’s Club 7pm
NIGHTSHIFT (Country, Southern Rock, Oldies)
CAROLINE COTTER - THURSDAY - Oct. 6th -
RON SHORT & THE POSSUM PLAYBOYS
THE DIAMONDS
DAN DEEL
at The Harvest Table 6:30pm
at Natural Tunnel State Park 7:30pm
at Capone’s
OPEN MIC at Jiggy Ray’s
(Country, Classic Rock, Oldies) at Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 9pm
at Capone’s
(Country, Southern Rock, Oldies) at JC Moose Lodge 8pm
SAWYER BROWN
at Niswonger Performing Arts Center 7:30pm
BILLY CRAWFORD BAND at Down Home
at Rock’s Wood Fire Pizza & Grill 7pm at Jiggy Ray’s Pizzeria 8pm at O’Mainnin’s Pub at Carter Fold
at Gypsy Circus Cider Company 7pm at Bone Fire Smokehouse
at Country Club Bar & Grill
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
- SUNDAY - Oct. 9th -
LIVE MUSIC
at Bone Fire Smokehouse
THE DEER
at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
- MONDAY - Oct. 10th -
OPEN MIC at The Acoustic Coffeehouse
theloaferonline.com
Spotlight Directory Bone Fire Smokehouse at the Hardware 260 W Main St Abingdon Va 276/623-0037 Buffalo Ruritan 200 Willowbrook Dr. Bluff City 423/391-7382 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 Country Club Bar & Grill 3080 W State St Bristol 423/844-0400 The Damascus Brewery 32173 Government Rd. Damascus VA 276/469-1069 Down Home 300 W. Main St. Johnson City 423/929-9822 The Harvest Table Restaurant 13180 Meadowview Sq Meadowview Va 276/944-5140 The Hideaway 235 E. Main St Johnson City 423/ 926-3896 Holiday Inn (Exit 7) 3005 Linden Dr Bristol Va 276/466-4100
Holston River Brewing Company 2621 Volunteer Pkwy Bristol TN Hungry I at the Apex 604 W. Market St. Johnson City Jiggy Ray’s 610 E. Elk Ave Elizabethton Johnson City Moose Lodge 1801 W. Lakeview Dr. Johnson City 423/926-6400 The Lions Club 116 Industrial Park Rd. Chilhowie VA 276/646-3916 Natural Tunnel State Park 1420 Natural Tunnel Pkwy Duffield, VA 276/ 940-2674 Niswonger Performing Arts Center 212 Tusculum Blvd Greeneville TN 423/ 638-1328 O’Mainnin’s Pub 712 State St Bristol 423/844-0049 Our House Restaurant 4903 N. Roan St. Johnson City 423/ 282-1555 Quaker Steak & Lube 629 State St Bristol VA 276/644-9647
KARAOKE TUESDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Boomershine’s Pizza Karaoke w/ Marques at Painter Creek Marina Karaoke at 50Fifty Sports Tavern Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** WEDNESDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at American Legion 8pm Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Smokey Bones - Johnson City TN Turn the Page Karaoke At VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN *********************** THURSDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN Karaoke At Holiday Inn - Johnson City TN Karaoke at Jiggy’s Rays Pizzaria Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment at Mellow Mushroom - Johnson City ***********************
Rainbow Asian Cuisine 2412 N. Roan St. Johnson City 423/ 232-6688 Rock’s Wood Fired Pizza & Grill 3119 Bristol Hwy. Johnson City 423 / 262-0444 Sleepy Owl Brewery 151 E. Main St. Kingsport 423/390-8476 Studio Brew 221 Moore Street Bristol VA 423 / 360-3258 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
FRIDAY Karaoke w/ Southern Sounds Karaoke at Sportsman’s Bar & Grill 9pm Karaoke w/ Reverb Karaoke at The Cottage 8:30 pm Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke At Elizabethton VFW - Elizabethton TN Karaoke w/ DJ Marques At Holiday Inn (Exit 7) - Bristol VA Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** SATURDAY Karaoke at The Horseshoe Lounge Turn the Page Karaoke at VFW Post 2108 - Johnson City TN Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Macado’s - Kingsport Karaoke At Numan’s - Johnson City TN *********************** SUNDAY Karaoke w/ Absolute Entertainment At Biggie’s Clam Bar ***********************
theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 17
Space Week 2016 Around the World
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et’s get some gratitude for our hi-tech world and have some fun celebrating Space Week 2016, observed around the world from Oct. 4-10 as the focus of the 59th anniversary of the launch of Sputnik 1 that ushered in the Space Age. The theme for 2016 is “Remote Sensing: Enabling Our Future,” a tribute to the satellites looking down and monitoring Earth. There are more than 1,800 events happening in 73 countries. You can check out the events on the Internet at worldspaceweek.org. Around the word, science centers, planetariums and schools will be full of Space Week activities. Veteran astronauts will share their experiences in outer space and planetary scientists will relive their successful missions. And, of course, the Space Week website has all the information you need to share the love vicariously around the world. All the social media networks will feature Space Week posts and tweets. So log on “World Space Week” and enjoy the space adventures that have created a true global society on Earth. Oct. 4, 1957 is a date that forever changed the world when the Communist Soviet Union shocked everyone with the launch of the first artificial satellite, a 200-pound, basketball-sized metal sphere that broadcast a tape-recorded radio beeping signal from its four trailing antenna. Here’s where our Space Age stands in the second decade of the 21st Century: • Only three nations have placed a human in space; Russia, America and most recently China. And that total number of space travelers is just 536 individuals from 38 countries (as of October 2016). • The crowning achievement is the International Space Station, one of the greatest technological achievements of mankind. Continuously occupied for 13 years by at least two people, the ISS has witnessed the cooperation of the one-time space rivals America and Russia with 15 other countries. Millions around the world have seen the ISS pass overhead as it is extremely bright and predictable. • Thirteen of the world’s 196 countries have launch facilities and have placed satellites into earth orbit. They are their first launch: 1) Soviet Union (Russia), 1957; 2) United States, 1958; 3) France, 1965; 4) Japan, 1970; 5) China, 1970; 6) United Kingdom, 1971; European Space Agency (ESA is 20 member nations), 1979; 8) India, 1980; 9) Israel, 1988; 10) Ukraine, 1991; 11) Iran, 2009; 12) North Korea, 2012; 13) South Korea, 2013. • Nations like Canada, Brazil and Australia actively participate in the space adventure by building satellites and components that are launched by other countries. • There have been 24 American men on three orbital and six landing missions to the Moon with 12 men setting foot on the surface—the last being in December 1972. No manned mission has gone farther than the 240,000 mile distance to the Moon. • Interplanetary missions in the Solar System total in the hundreds, with two Pioneer and two Voyager spacecraft leaving the influence of our Sun and now in
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interstellar space. • Two private firms are now rocketing satellites in orbit and supply ships to the ISS—Space X and Orbital Space Services. Both are developing manned spacecraft. Every aspect of your life is now influenced by a spinoff of the Space Age. One of the greatest accomplishments has been the miniaturization of computer circuitry, allowing complex instruments and cameras to be taken into space as an extension of our eyes and hands. But the foundation of all space travel are the giant rockets that pack the punch to blast objects off Earth, overcoming the clinging bond of gravity to escape into the weightless void of outer space. The rocket scientists have figured out how to make their powerful space missiles reliable at a cost of $200-400,000 million dollars a launch, depending on the mission destination. Space progress is all about the money. And a lot of it. It’s money, not technology that dictates the space missions of today. Our space agency NASA has a 2016 budget of $19 billion a year budget that has changed only for inflation during the last 20 years. That’s just one-half cent of every tax dollar—and look at the impact on society and our minds. The 2016 cost per pound of launching anything to the required orbital speed of 17,500 mph varies from $3,000-$10,000 depending on the height of the orbit and rocket type. NASA has been without human access to space since the mothballing of the three Space Shuttle orbiters in 2011, relying on the Russian three-person Soyuz spaceship for trips to the International Space Station. The new, four to six-person Orion spaceship is scheduled to have its maiden, manned voyage in 2021. What’s the future of space exploration? The future of the 21st Century Space Age is probably in the hands of China. As American apathy leads to poor funding for any space vision, China is boastful that they plan to build their own space station and then go to the Moon and Mars in the next 20-30 years. They may partner with Russia, who has supplied China with technology for their manned program. Indeed, the Shenzhou manned spaceship is a three-person knock-off of the Russian Soyuz space vehicle. Definitely private industry will be getting involved in advancing space travel— even to Mars. Leading the way is Space X and Orbital Services, sending cargo ships to the ISS. Despite some recent failures, Space X is now pledging to send humans to Mars in the early 2020s. When you look at the progress in just five decades of venturing into outer space, the changes in our everyday life are amazing. In fact, I fact-checked this “Stargazer” column by googling items on my Smart Phone instead of poking around my extensive astronomy and space library! One lesson of the Space Age is that science facts have turned out to be more incredible than science fiction. And the next 50 years are likely to be beyond our current imagination. Let’s hope so.
Celestial events in the skies for the week of Oct. 4th-10th, 2016, as compiled for The Loafer by Mark D. Marquette.
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his is Space Week 2016 celebrating the first artificial satellite launched by the USSR in 1957. Since then, the Space Age has changed the world and our individual lives beyond the wildest dreams of 60 years ago. Reminding us of outer space will be the crescent Moon, beautiful in the early evening skies. Tues. Oct. 4 On this 1957 date in space history the Space Age began as the Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite in Earth orbit, Sputnik 1. Today our world is dependent in many ways by orbiting satellites. You can see some of those bright satellites passing overhead in the early evening as beautiful October skies show off the Milky Way and planets Saturn and Mars. Wed. Oct. 5 On this 882 date in space history, the “Father of Rocketry,” Robert Goddard was born in Worchester, Massachusetts. On this 1984 date in space history, Space Shuttle Challenger was launched on the STS-41G mission. This was the first seven person crew in outer space, and included Kathleen Sullivan becoming the first woman to walk in space. Thurs. Oct. 6 A beautiful scene in the early evening tonight with the crescent Moon and Saturn below it in Scorpius. In 1990, Discovery was rocketed into space from Cape Kennedy on a mission that deployed the Ulysses spacecraft, the first to orbit the Sun’s poles. In 1992, NASA and the Russian Space Agency signed an historic agreement to share astronauts and cosmonauts in the construc-
tion of the International Space Station. Fri. Oct. 7 On this 1959 date in space history, the Soviet Union’s Luna 3 spacecraft returned the first photos of the backside of the Moon. Today NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter is taking photos in unprecedented detail and sniffing for chemicals on the surface of our closest neighbor in space. Sat. Oct. 8 This is official “Observe the Moon Night” across the world, celebrating Autumn Astronomy Day and Space Week. There will be stargazing at Bays Mt. Park Observatory beginning at dusk around 7:30 pm. Go to the Kingsport Park and see the Moon, Saturn, Mars and more! Sun. Oct. 9 First Quarter Moon is right after midnight, a beautiful sight in our evening sky. When you look at the Moon tonight, and you know you probably will—even if out a window—think of the frozen water at the poles. On this date in 2009, NASA announced their spacecraft called LCROSS had discovered ice beneath the surface of craters at the South Pole that never see the warmth of sunlight. Mon. Oct. 10 On this 1846 date in astronomy history, William Lassell discovered the Neptune moon Triton, slightly smaller than Earth’s moon. In 1989 Viking 2 photographed Triton with icy geysers of super cold nitrogen erupting. The Hubble Space Telescope has followed the action, and astrobiologists believe Triton could harbor life in its bizarre, super-cold liquids.
theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 19
Spend an Afternoon with
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Vincent Price and Me
ello, dear readers. First off, OCTOBER! It’s here! Finally! Secondly, this week’s column is a bit of self promotion for a very fun and exciting event I have coming up later this month. Longtime readers know that I’m a huge fan of classic film, and that I love the movies of one of the most unique directors who has ever lived--William Castle. Castle was the director who made fright films fun, like delightful carnival rides. I’m thrilled to tell you that Sunday, October 23rd, at 2:00 in the afternoon-your humble writer will be introducing a screening of Castle’s “House on Haunted Hill,” starring the one, the only, Vincent Price--at The Capitol Theater in downtown Greeneville, TN. I’ve longed hoped to someday have the chance to introduce a movie in a theater setting, and I’m very excited I get do so with a favorite film. “House on Haunted Hill” is about Price as a rich eccentric who has rented out a haunted house for a party in honor of his wife. Seven people have died in this house, and Price promises anyone $10,000 (about $80,000 in modern terms) to anyone who survives the night--with the doors locking tight at midnight, of course. William Castle’s trademark were the gimmicks he cooked up for each of his films, The Capitol will be showing “House on Haunted Hill” with its original gimmick of EMERGO. EMERGO is a feature in which the spooks on screen come off screen and appear in the theater. There’s going to be great fun at this event--The Capitol won’t allow anyone in unless you fill out a Fright Waiver--which absolves them of responsibility if you die of fright while watching the movie. They’ll have nurses standing by, door prizes courtesy of Warner Archive, and even a curated pre-show that will begin half an hour before the movie at 1:30 (who curated it? Oh, maybe this guy who writes for this paper…). I hope you don’t mind me taking time this week to promote this, but I’m really excited for this. I hope you’ll take time out this month to join me for a really fun afternoon with Vincent Price. It’ll be the ideal kick off as we get closer and closer to Halloween, and give thanks the damn heat finally went away--I hope. See you next week, and on the 23rd.
the casual word
By Langley Shazor
Follow Langley on FB & Youtube at TheCasualword
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One Day Being with you is like watching a sunrise and sunset The warmth of your skin as it touches mine. The way you shine, being aware of your aura even when you aren’t in the room. The way your eyes change color like a sunset Soft; inviting. Reminding me that there is yet another sunrise to come. And in between these two glori-
ous events, your smile. Which, like the moon, illuminates the darkest of rooms and emptiest of places in my heart. Your eyes giving way from the waning of the sun to the sparkle of stars. Enchanting; mesmerizing. A day with you is a day of you. And every day I can watch the beauty of God’s creation reveal itself again.
theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 21
The Magnificent seven 4 gunslingers (out of 4)
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he new film “The Magnificent Seven” has hit theaters with guns blazing. The western/action film is a remake of the 1960 film of the same name, which was a remake of the 1954 Japanese film “Seven Samurai.” Thus you have the background of this film starring Danzel Washington in his first role as a cowboy. Washington stars as Sam Chislom, a bounty hunter, who is hired by Emma Cullen (Haley Bennett) to track down and kill corrupt industrialist Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) who is responsible for killing her husband and taking over her western mining town of Rose Creek in order to expand his empire. After Chislom hears all that is involved with the mission, he begins to recruit help in the form of the following: Josh Faraday (Chris Pratt), a gambler who loves explosives; Goodnight Robicheaux (Ethan Hawke), a sharpshooter; Jack Horne (Vincent D’Onofrio), a tracker; Billy Rocks (Byung-hun Lee), an assassin; Vasquez (Manuel Garcia-Ruflo), a Mexican outlaw, and Red Harvest (Martin Sensmeier) a Comanche warrior. After Chislom recruits his fellow gunslingers, the seven men begin training the local farmers and miners to fight for
their town against the impending invasion from Bogue and his army of gunslingers. The seven men and the fellows from the town prepare quickly for the invasion, and know the odds are stacked against them, but refuse to give up without a fight. The well planned tactics against Bogue and his horde work well in the beginning of the fight, but the tide begins to turn against our heroes when the bad guys bring a Gatling gun into the fight. All is not lost, however, as our heroes stage a gallant comeback and
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take out the villain of the story. The has excellent pacing and delivers on all fronts. I enjoyed how the diverse cast developed complete trust in each other and became a band of brothers. The film, while violent (this is a western!), still allows the characters time to exchange quips and develop into characters we care about by the conclusion of the story. The main characters do a masterful job in their respective roles, with Washington leading the way as a character you would never want to cross. Of course, Pratt, as he always, excels at bringing comedy relief to the proceedings, and his exchanges with Garcia-Ruflo are a highlight of the film. Concerning the female lead, I thought I was watching Jennifer Lawrence in the role of Emma all the way until the closing credits. Actress Haley Bennett has to be a doppelganger of Lawrence, and the resemblance is uncanny! Hawke is also a stand out as the troubled former Confederate solider who has horrible flashbacks about the war. Personally I really loved the performance of Sensmeier as the very cool and loyal Comanche warrior. Speaking of cool, Rocks falls in that category as well, as he is ultra cool with his knife fighting talents. This film is just cool overall, and is great for younger fans who may have little interest in Westerns before this film. For a rip-roaring time at the cinema, saddle up and head out to see “The Magnificent Seven”. After all, in this case, justice has a number. Rated PG-13
Jonesborough Welcomes Storyteller Clare Muireann Murphy
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fter her upcoming appearance at the National Storytelling Festival, a three-day event in downtown Jonesborough that kicks off October 7, Irish performance artist Clare Muireann Murphy will remain in Tennessee’s oldest town to serve as its teller in residence for a week’s time. It’s a rare opportunity to catch a master storyteller in two contexts that bring out different aspects of the work: the electric crowds of the bustling Festival scene and the intimate setting of the International Storytelling Center’s state-of-the-art theater, which holds about a hundred people. “Performing a lot is a strange and wonderful high,” she says. “It leads to a real deepening of my own understanding of the work.” The storyteller’s last appearance in Jonesborough was in 2011, when she was a breakout performer at the National Storytelling Festival.
The premier sponsor of Storytelling Live! is the Mountain States’ Heart & Soul program. Additional funding comes from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, the East Tennessee Foundation, Eastman Credit Union, the Mooneyhan Family Foundation, the Niswonger Foundation, and Massengill-DeFriece Foundation, Inc. The International Storytelling Center is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. For more information about Storytelling Live! or to make a group reservation, call (800) 952-8392 ext. 222 or (423) 913-1276.
Murphy lives and works in London, where she collaborates with big-name clients like the Globe Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, and the National Theatre. Originally from Dublin, she came of age as an artist in Galway, a tiny Irish town with a lively community of artists that helped her hone her craft. During her residency, Murphy will offer a mix of original tales and traditional stories from Ireland and all over the world. Matinee performances are daily at 2:00 p.m., from October 11 – October 15, Tuesday through Saturday, on the International Storytelling Center’s campus in downtown Jonesborough. Tickets are just $12 for adults and $11 for seniors, students, and children under 18. Ticketholders for all performances can present their ticket stubs for a 10 percent discount on same-day dining at JJ’s Eatery and Ice Cream or Main Street Café, two popular eateries in Jonesborough. The International Storytelling Center’s Storytelling Live! series is renowned for bringing live storytelling to Tennessee’s oldest town for six months of every year. Performances often sell out, so advance purchase for matinee tickets is strongly recommended. Walk-in seating is also available on a first-come, firstserved basis. Murphy will be followed by another storyteller each week through the month of October. Information about all performers, as well as a detailed schedule for 2016, is available at www. storytellingcenter.net. Programming for the National Storytelling Festival will run October 7 – 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, with several separate ticketed events throughout the weekend, including a Midnight Cabaret concert on Friday and ghost stories on Friday and Saturday nights. Other ticket options include one-day passes and weekend passes. theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 23
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The Jimmy Neil Smith Interview
his gentleman can either tell you a great tale or get you in touch with someone who can! I have had the pleasure to talk with Jimmy Neil Smith several times over the years and interview him about his work with the International Storytelling Center. Here is your chance to meet one of the true pioneers of our region. Get to know Jimmy! BRIAN: First of all, thanks for taking time to talk with me. I want to start by asking about your experience growing up. Where did you grow up and how did your childhood shape you? JIMMY: I was born at my grandparents’ home in the Lamar community, eight miles from Jonesborough. But when my father was elected Superintendent of Schools in 1948, my father, mother, and I moved to Jonesborough so he could be very near to his office in the courthouse. I was about two years old. We initially lived in a small brick house on the Old Jonesborough Highway, which is now known as East Main Street. Jill Oxendine, my sister, and I were part of a group of neighborhood kids. During our free time from school, we played kick the can and Indian Bat Ball and staged shows for our families in our basement. I was Ed Sullivan. It was a typical childhood. But by the time I was 12 years old, I had developed an entrepreneurial spirit. I raised chickens and sold the eggs to my neighbors. I raised fishing worms, but I had only one customer—a fish camp in Greene County. I raised two Holstein calves from the time they were only three days old until I sold them (with my grandfather’s help) at the livestock market in Johnson City. I earned enough money to later buy my first car. I look back on those early experiences as being a bit odd for a 12-year-old kid, but those experiences gave me the foundation for my life. However, the turning point came when I was 16 years old. In 1964, my father was a candidate for Superintendent of Schools. He had served two successful terms in the 1940s and 1950s, but he was asked to become a candidate to serve again. I invested my life in the election and his campaign. But he lost, and I was devastated. It was then that I realized I could not depend upon anyone or anything to give me my future. I had to do it myself. So, I ventured out. With my father’s introduction, I eventually became the reporter for the Herald and Tribune. And after graduation from high school, I became a reporter for the Johnson City PressChronicle while earning a teaching degree at East Tennessee State University. My life was on its way. BRIAN: The region we live in is truly unique in a lot of ways and I know you love a lot of things about it because you choose to live here. What is it about this region that makes us special in your view? JIMMY: We are what is special. The people. You and me and everyone who lives in Jonesborough and the surrounding
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region. Sure, we don’t always agree, but in the end, we find a way to come together to be a community that is always striving to reach its highest potential. It’s the “striving” that inspires me and gives me great pride in who we are as a community. And, oh, by the way, I love the mountains, the rivers, the farmland, the busy cities, and, especially, the tiny Tennessee town of Jonesborough. BRIAN: Family is a very important thing to folks in this region, take a minute to tell folks who may not know you about your family. JIMMY: Family is very important to me—my father and mother, my sister Jill and her family, my uncles and aunts and cousins, and especially, my son Eric and his family. But the greatest influence in my life was my grandmother, Pearl Jackson. We called her Mam-maw. She helped my mother raise me. And from Mam-maw, I received unconditional love. She was a role model, someone I looked up to, as an example of a person who was living an authentic life. My grandmother’s claim to fame was the cream pies she baked at home and at restaurants in Jonesborough. BRIAN: Everybody loves a good story. Before I ask about the storytelling center specifically, can you talk about how the history of storytelling is part of our regional culture? JIMMY: Every culture in the world is rooted in its stories. Our Southern Appalachian culture is no exception. Many cultures, like ours, are immersed in stories. We may not realize it, but we are all storytellers, and we all live our lives through a network of stories. When I dreamed up the idea for the first National Storytelling Festival in 1973, I was responding to two emerging opportunities. They became my dreams. First of all, Jonesborough was facing a serious decline, but there was an opportunity to put our town on a pathway to pursuing its full potential. The restoration of our downtown was in the planning stages. To complement that work, the Festival was designed to help build awareness of and appreciation for Jonesborough and its history and traditions. Secondly, we were, as a culture, losing our stories. Storytelling was not a part of our lives and was being ignored by most everyone except the historians, folklorists, and children’s librarians. The Festival was an opportunity to shine a light on the ancient tradition of storytelling, give our stories the place of honor they deserve, and encourage people around the world to mine, make, and tell their stories. Thankfully, both dreams are coming true.
SMITH . . . continued on next page
SMITH . . . continued from previous page BRIAN: You have so much going on with storytelling that it is hard to keep up with you! Will you take just a minute and let folks know what you have going on and how they can find out more? JIMMY: In 2012, I retired as president of the International Storytelling Center, but I didn’t retire from my passion. Since my retirement, I have planned and led a project in Africa to help people living in the tiny island nation of Comoros recognize its storytelling traditions and appreciate its stories. Our goal was to help the Comorians build their very weak economy and create jobs by supporting their efforts to grow their infant tourism program. They were given training to use their stories to attract and entertain visitors. Since retirement, I have been creating an online training and coaching program to provide young and emerging leaders with the knowledge, skills, and tools to create a better future for the communities they serve. It’s all about helping communities and the people who live there to reimagine their future, rewrite their stories, and realize their dreams. With the support of Mountain States Health Alliance, I am producing a five-hour video program that will be delivered to every patient’s room through the in-house television system. Healing Moments, an alternative to commercial television, is being designed to enhance the healing environment, improve the patient experience, and boost patient satisfaction in Mountain States’ hospitals in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. I will also sell subscriptions to Healing Moments to other hospitals and hospital systems throughout the United States.
Full schedule of activities planned for
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19th annual Wildlife Weekend
ocal nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts are encouraged to attend the 19th annual Wildlife Weekend, hosted by the Bristol, Tennessee Parks and Recreation Department along with the Friends of Steele Creek Nature Center & Park. Organizers of the event have planned a full slate of activities, beginning with a welcome reception at 6:30 PM on Friday, October 7th, followed by a photography show with awards and exhibition of competition entries as well as an update on the ongoing Nature Center expansion. The evening culminates with a special presentation by renowned local photographer Mark Marquette titled “A Photojournalist’s View of Nature, the Sun, Moon, and Stars.” The weekend continues on Saturday the 8th with a number of exhibits, hands-on activities, and guided walks beginning at 8:30 AM and continuing through the afternoon. “We’re entering one of the best times of the year to really take advantage of and enjoy all that nature has to offer,” said Jeremy Stout, Manager of the Nature Center at Steele Creek Park. He added, “There’s no better place to start exploring the great outdoors than here in our own back yard, and we’re always excited to provide opportunities for families to enjoy it together.” Check-in for all activities will
take place at the Steele Creek Park Lodge next door to the Nature Center. For more details and a full schedule of activities, please visit or call the Nature Center at 423-989-5616, or go to www.bristoltn.org. There is no cost to participate in any Wildlife Weekend events. For more information please contact Jeremy Stout, Nature Center Manager, at jstout@ bristoltn.org or by calling 423989-5616.
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Answers on page 28
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Hungry Mother State Park Photo and article by
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egend tells the story of an attack on several settlements throughout southwest Virginia in the early days of our nation. While many of the inhabitants were killed, others were taken prisoner. A mother known only as Molly was able to escape and carry her child with her to safety; with no food or other supplies, they could only make it to the outskirts of present day Marion before she could go no further. The child, however, was eventually rescued and attempted to lead her saviors back to her mother. Unfortunately, they arrived too late, as Molly had passed due to exhaustion and lack of food. Hungry Mother State Park now protects this site, as well as the nearby Molly Knob, named in honor or the brave woman who risked everything to save her child. For our next chapter in the state parks series, we decided to leave the Blue Ridge and feature a park located in the valley while providing just as Autumn is already beginning to show along the park’s trails as sourwood trees begin their transition to brilliant red hues. much fun and outdoor adventure as those in the mountains. The park is also easily accessible from Interstate 81, located just an hour away from Bristol. Covering over 3,334 acres, the state park features a wide variety of geographic features as well as providing plenty of recreation options for visitors. Hungry Mother Lake is by far the park’s most attractive feature and usually crowded with swimmers at the park’s guarded beach. At 109 acres, the lake furnishes plenty of room for everyone to get away to their own little slice of paradise. Paddleboats, canoes, and kayaks are available to rent daily Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend. A launch site is included as well for those who bring their own watercraft. Be mindful, however, that motorboats are not permitted under any circumstances, as park officials wish to preserve the peaceful nature of the lake. Almost twenty miles of hiking trails wander throughout the park, allowing exploration of all the habitats and ecosystems. Several paths climb to the peak of Molly’s Knob, and the nearby vista trail leads to a fantastic overlook of the park and the surrounding ridge and valley region. Lake Trail Loop is by far one of the best routes in the park; it completely circles around Hungry Mother Lake in a distance of just over five miles. Access to fishing areas, overlooks of the marsh habitats
bordering the shoreline, and opportunities to observe wildlife such as beaver and cranes make this our favorite trail. Picnic shelters are available to reserve for events and can seat upwards of seventy people; smaller picnic areas are available throughout the park as well, though we prefer a blanket on the edge of the lake. A campground is located nearby, with areas set up for tents and RV camping. If sleeping in a tent isn’t for you, cabins and the Hungry Mother Lodge are also available to rent year round. The lodge has six bedrooms total and sleeps up to fifteen people, while the cabins can accommodate up to eight guests. With the leaves soon to change within the next month, now is the ideal time to place a reservation to ensure that you have a spot available if you decide to get away for a little weekend getaway. Cabins fill up quickly and the lodge is available on a weekly rental basis. We haven’t camped here yet, but that may be changing soon! Perhaps the best amenity offered by the park are the rangerled activities which range from campfire talks and leaf identification walks to guided hikes throughout the surrounding forest. The Restaurant, a full-service dining facility, adds yet another reason to visit this hidden gem of a park. Open from March to November, the restaurant serves brunch on Sundays and is open during select hours throughout the week. Please check the park website to check the restaurant’s hours, as they change several times throughout the year. Directions: From Johnson City, take I-26 West 14 miles to exit 8B and merge onto I-81 North. After 64 miles, take exit 45 and turn left onto VA-16. Follow VA-16 5 miles to the park boundary. Park information for campsite and cabin reservations can be found by calling 1-800-933-PARK, or by visiting the park’s website at www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/hungry-mother.
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things to do
use one of the shared instruments, and bring a portable chair if you can. Held rain or shine April through October. Do Something BIG Bringing Hope Through Join the Facebook group for Mentoring: Big Brothers Big Sisters more information and event Have you ever wondered potential volunteers. Stringent notifications: www.facebook. how you can do something safeguards are in place to as- com/groups/drumming.in.tri. BIG to make a difference in the sure that all parties are safe. cities.tn/ life of a child in need? Some- Volunteer and parent engagetimes just having someone to ment and training also play a Johnson City Improv talk with can turn a path of big role. Games Meetup hopelessness into one of surAnyone wanting to find out Varying Times and Locations vival. That’s one of the compel- more about Big Brothers Big Have fun and laugh your way ling premises behind the work Sisters of Greater Tri-Cities to better relationships, more of Big Brothers Big Sisters of should contact the office by self-confidence, and an easier Greater Tri-Cities. Spending 2 calling 423-247-3240, or visit- life. It’s kind of like a playdate to 4 hours a month with an at- ing TennesseeBig.org.3, 2016. for adults, with very practirisk youth can help them im- Free. Info: www.folkheritage. cal applications. Newcomprove in school, their behavior org or (828)258-6101 x345. ers are always welcome. This and their self-esteem. group plays improvisational Our local Big Brothers Big Johnson City Commu- games in a safe environment Sisters office is part of one of nity Drum Circle to: lighten up, become better the oldest and largest youth Wednesdays, 7:00 - 8:30pm listeners, move our bodies (a mentoring organizations in the Farmer’s Market Pavilion @ little, at least), be present in the United States. It’s a system that Founders Park moment, build collaboration has been proven to work and A free, fun, and family-friend- skills, be spontaneous, enhance transforms the lives of children ly rhythmic experience for ev- creativity, meet new people, who might not otherwise ever erybody (not just musicians). and more. No experience necget the support they need to Come and drum, dance, hoop, essary… these are all beginnergrow and successfully meet blow bubbles, make a joyful level games designed to allow life’s challenges. noise, or just hang out and soak maximum participation. Get Child-volunteer matches in the grooves. No experience more information and sign are made based on in-depth or talent necessary. All ages up for events on Meetup.com: and comprehensive interview- and skill levels are welcome. www.meetup.com/Johnsoning with parents, children and Bring a rhythm instrument or City-Improv-Games-Meetup/ Cryptogram: I think the American public wants a solemn ass as a President, and I think I’ll go along with them. Drop Quote: “There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking.”
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Wildlife Weekend Celebration
Mark your calendar for the 19th annual Bristol Tennessee Parks & Recreation Wildlife Weekend celebration at Steele Creek Park on October 7-8, 2016. Friends of Steele Creek Nature Center and Park will again be sponsoring an amateur photography contest and show. Come get your Passport to Nature at the Park Lodge Friday, October 7th beginning at 6:30pm. The evening program includes a photography lecture featuring Marq Marquette along with a reception and photography contest awards ceremony. Also featured will be information on the exciting expansion of the Nature Center. Saturday events begin at 8:30am and include bird banding, a children’s nature walk, lots of kids’ activities, fossils, mushroom and wildflower walk, geology hike and much more. For more information, please visit www.friendsofsteelecreek.org. or call the Nature Center at 423.989.5616.
Home Craft Days Festival Seeking Vendors
Mountain Empire Community College’s is seeking vendors to participate in the college’s 45th annual Home Craft Days Festival, October 14-16. Vendors may include craft, antique, or demonstrators with emphasis on Appalachian crafts, artistry, and music. Acceptable products include Quilts, Needlework, Woodcraft, Basketry, Straw Brooms, Corn Husk craft items, Woodburning, Leather Work, Lye Soap, Grapevine Wreaths, Chair Caning, Storytelling, Art-Traditional, Candlewicking, Pottery, Candlemaking, Wagon Rides, Country Carving, Crochet, Bees and Honey, Wooden Toys, Stained Glass, Portraits, Dulcimers, Porcelain Painting, Berry Buckets, Fiddles, Caramel Apples, Apple Cider, Rag Dolls, Banjo, Tatting, Weaving, Net Darning, Homemade Ice Cream, Goat Cheese, Apple Butter, Funnel Cakes, and Molasses. Applications are open online at www. homecraftdays.org/for-vendors.
A registration fee of $100 for craft booths will be due at the time of registration. For more information, please call MECC’s Workforce Development at (276) 5237489 or (276)523-2400 Ext. 372.
Buddy the Elf is coming to the area!
The Jonesborough Repertory Theatre will be holding auditions for Elf Jr. on Sunday, October 9th, and Monday, October 10th, at 7:00pm at the theatre located at 125½ Main St in Jonesborough. The large cast— including Buddy the Elf, Buddy’s father, Santa Claus, and Jovie—is limited to students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The audition will consist of a cold reading, group singing, and dancing. If you’re interested in a lead role, please come prepared with a solo. The show will open Thursday, December 8th, and run through Sunday, December 18th. For more information, please visit jonesboroughtheatre.com or email jrtpublicity@gmail. com. Applications being accepted for Civil Service Commission The Johnson City Board of Commissioners will consider three appointments to the Civil Service Commission. The Civil Service Commission addresses Police and Fire employees’ civil service grievances and meets quarterly. Each term is two years. Applications may be picked up at the Municipal and Safety Building, 601 E. Main St., or may be mailed or faxed by calling (423)434-6009. To complete an application online, visit www.johnsoncitytn.org/ boards. Deadline for submitting an application is Monday, Oct. 31. Applications are kept on file for current year only. For more information regarding Civil Service Commission functions, please contact Richard Lockner at (423)4346018.
pets of the week
Snowbal is a one year old domestic short hair. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines! She is reaching out for her forever home!
Mya is a two year old domestic short hair. She is spayed and up to date on all vaccines. This sweet cat loves to be pet! The Bridge Home has an ongoing aluminum can can collection in front of the shelter at 2061 Hwy 75 in Blountville,TN 37617. The cans are collected by a volunteer and the money from the aluminum goes towards badly needed food and supplies for the animals The Bridge Home No Kill Animal Rescue has started a pet food pantry for people that have had financial hardships because of job loss or medical problems and are struggling to feed their pet. They can come by the shelter and get cat or dog food to get through the tough time. Donations can be sent to The Bridge Home Shelter PO Box 654 Blountville, TN 37617 Every animal in their care is spayed or neutered and fully vaccinated before being adopted. Being a non profit the shelter is funded entirely by membership dues and private donations. They always need volunteers or monetary donations. Other always needed items:pet food, cat litter & cat toys dog treats & dog toys,paper towels, cleaners, office supplies,Purina weight circles. Phone: 423.239.5237 Hours are Mon-Fri 12pm-6pm Sat 12pm3pm and Sun 2pm-4pm. Website is www.bridgehomerescue@gmail. com or like them on Facebook: www.Facebook.com/bridgehome theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 29
PLACING A CLASSIFED LINE AD:
Go to: www.theloaferonline.com, create an account, and enter your classified. Call 423282-1907 or email: classifieds@theloaferonline.com if you have any questions.
Game of Baloney, The Game of Things, Salem: A Card Game of Tri Cities Ladies Only Board Deception and Exploding KitGame Group - 423-609-575 tens. This is a Meetup group for 70 Real Estate ladies either bi, lesbian or straight who are serious about KINGSPORT LOT for sale by playing board/card games. We owner. 423-247-7959 want ladies who will actually $ 8,500.00 attend game nights. The goal of the group is for ladies to 107 Services meet, get to know each other, Interior Painter form friendships while play- Phone: 423-361-0325 ing different types of games: Don’t purchase new kitchen Cards Against Humanity, Mas- cabinets!!! Have them painted querade, Nanuk, Coup, Cash by CEP Painter. CEP Painter is N Guns, Dixit, One Night Ulti- an interior finish painter, we mate Vampire, Smart Ass, The do everything from walls to
63 Community
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trim to ceilings to cabinets!! Pictures and references available. Free estimates. Licensed and insured. Pet Grooming Professional Pet groomer for most dog breeds and cats. Over 20 years experience. I can have most pets groomed and ready to go home in 2 hours. This eliminates stress on your pet. Groom includes trim,bath,blow dry,ear cleaning,anal gland expression and nail trim. Located at 410 Hazelwood St Bristol TN. Visit our Family Pet Grooming Facebook page. Prices start at 25.00 Give is a try, you Will be glad you did. Call or text for an appointment 276-591-0877
terior finish painter, we do everything from walls to trim to ceilings to cabinets!! Pictures and references available. Free estimates. Licensed and insured. 423-361-0325
Affordable Professional Wedding & Event Photography Phone: 423-956-0820 N&N Photography offers Affordable Professional Wedding and Event Photography in Johnson City, Tn and surrounding areas. We photograph Events, Engagements, Weddings, Prom, Senior, Glamour Portraits, Sports, Graduation, Family, Sweetheart, Individual Portrait Shoots (male or female), & more. See our website at: www.nandnphotoshoot. Interior Painting (Senior Spe- com and our Facebook page at: cials ! ) 315-725-0562 https://www.facebook.com/ Interior Painting - A new paint nandnphotoshoot/ for more job inside will make your information and pricing. home feel like a million bucks Model Call** ! Beautiful soothing, appealing Phone: 423-956-0820 COLORS ! Bedrooms, Living **Model Call: I am looking for Rooms, ALL Rooms, Whole 2 models, one male 18+ and House ! High Quality Painting one female 18+. No modeling Service. GET IT DONE IN OCexperience needed. One for a TOBER BEFORE THE HOLImale edgy masculine portrait DAYS ! SENIOR SPECIAL ! shoot, the female for a glamCall / text David TODAY @ our portrait shoot. Your shoot 423-930-8097 will take place on a weekday at a local outdoor public park/ For The Best Hair Services venue in the tri-city area, TN. In The Tri-Cities Area 423-534-9825. We are a full ser- For modeling you will receive vice salon owned and operated a complimentary photo shoot, by hair stylist Sandi Smith, that professional makeover, 2 finoffers professional cuts, styles, ished images on a dvd and colors, perms, waxing, mani- the experience to be a model cures, and pedicures all at affordable prices. The best prices in the Tri-Cities area. Mens haircuts are $10. Womens are $12. Sandi has over 32 years experience in the business and she wants to help you get your style on! We are located at 943 Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, Tennessee, near Auto Zone. Appointments available and Walk-ins welcome.
for a day! If you are interested please email us. Thank you! Yarntiques Yarntiques offers a large variety of hand knitting/crochet yarns from cotton to cashmere. Instruction is offered during business hours: Tuesday - Friday 1:00 - 6:00 and Saturday 10:00 - 5:30, Call for details. Come join the community table, anytime during business hours, for conversation, fellowship and knitting/crochet assistance. Mention this ad and receive a 10% discount on your purchase. Phone: 423-232-2933
137 Transportation
1999 Mazda Miata for sale Price: $ 1,600.00 Needs some work. Black on black. 131,000 miles. $1,600.00. Call 423-833-2095
145 Mind, Body & Spirit
Stop Smoking Naturally with Hypnosis! Tired of being chained to the deadly habit of smoking? Are you motivated to stop smoking without using chemicals or chewing gum or wearing patches? I can help motivate you to stop this expensive, negative, unhealthy habit. Call us today at A New Path Hypnosis, 423-341-8898 or visit www.anewpathhypnosis.com to get started living a healthier life today. Free information session for all new clients.
HALLOWEEN HORRORS 2016 (PART ONE):
CAT CARNIVAL
W
elcome to this year’s “Halloween Horrors” series, a four-part look at movies, TV shows, books, and other pop culture offerings that give us the creeps. It has been my scary pleasure to present this series since 1989, and I hope you look forward to it as much as I do. So, let’s get started with two of my favorite movies that are now available in stunning HD versions by the good folks at Criterion. As with each entry in Criterion’s catalog, these two discs come packaged with lots of extras, including enlightening and thought-provoking commentaries, essays, and interviews. I’ve written about the Criterion series on several occasions, and it never hurts to remind you how fortunate we are to live on the same planet as the Criterion production team. Released a couple of weeks ago in a restored edition, the 1942 horror classic “Cat People” is a welcome addition to Criterion’s extensive catalog. This essential horror film was the first one produced by RKO Studio’s Val Lewton, and it led to a series of films that generally appear on every respectable Halloween must-see list. The list includes “The Curse Of The Cat People,” “The Leopard Man,” “I Walked With A Zombie,” “The Body Snatcher” (one of Boris Karloff’s finest performances), “The Seventh Victim” (my favorite Lewton-produced movie), and “Isle of The Dead.” Interestingly enough, Lewton, who was hired by RKO to shore up the studio’s reserves after the financial disaster of “Citizen Kane,” was given his film titles before each movie was created. Although his bosses expected titles like “Cat People” to materialize as sensational monster movies, Lewton instead produced highly nuanced films that generate their goose bumps by the power of suggestion rather than by graphic effects (1940s style, that is) and scary creatures. Two scenes from “Cat People” are now included on a list of the scariest—the tense walk to a bus stop and a dip in the swimming pool. Each segment derives its scares from the interplay between light and shadow, and reminds us how effective black and white is when it comes to producing shivers. And, after watching “Cat People” we are better able to understand why Alfred Hitchcock decided to make “Psycho” in black and white. “Cat People,” was directed by Jacques Tourneau, who joined fellow directors Mark Robson and Robert Wise (who later directed “The Curse Of The Cat People,” “The Day The Earth Stood Still,” “The Haunting,” “West Side Story,” and “The Sound of Music”) to create a canon of classic horror films that have yet to be equaled. As many have pointed out, all horror movies are ultimately about sex, and “Cat People” may very well be one of the most sexual horror films ever made—and accomplished without showing any overt sexual activity. This defining feature was corrected in Paul Schrader’s 1984 remake, starring Nastassia Kinski and Malcolm McDowell, in a sexually charged color film that is anything but subtle, replacing the troublesome romance between an unfaithful husband and his cat-like wife with a daring story of incestuous love
between brother and sister. Schrader’s film, more of a reimagining than a remake, is also a must-see at Halloween, perhaps as a double feature with Tourneur’s original. Criterion also recently released an HD version of a movie I’ve written about on at least two occasions. Appearing in my Top 10 list of Halloween Horrors is the 1962 gem, “Carnival of Souls,” directed by Herk Harvey, and written by his business associate, John Clifford. This is the finest horror movie ever produced in Kansas (and perhaps the only horror movie ever produced in Kansas, unless you count the now-iconic “In Cold Blood”). Although Harvey had produced numerous industrial and training films for Centron Corporation, located in Lawrence, Kansas, he had never made a feature film until “Carnival of Souls,” and he would never make another one. Although his only full-length film was largely ignored at the time of its release, achieving cult status only much later, we can only wonder what he might have turned out had “Carnival” been a success upon its release. But we should be grateful that he filmed this wonderous horror film. And what is this film about? Defying a neat plot summary, this movie must be seen to be appreciated. As Kier-La Janisse writes in the perceptive booklet essay that accompanies this new HD offering, “Carnival” puts us into a dream-like state, where “one place becomes another, and the notions of ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ cease to have strict definition.” Like its contemporary television counterpart, “The Twilight Zone,” “Carnival of Souls” exemplifies Rod Serling’s opening monologue about a dimension that is “the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition [that lies] between the pit of man’s fears and the summit of his knowledge.” In the movie, we follow young organist Mary Henry (played to unsettling perfection by Candace Hilligoss) as she travels from Kansas to Utah to take a church musician position. En route, she passes a deserted structure that seems to beckon her; and she is pursued by a very spooky man (played by Harvey), who recalls the “Twilight Zone” episode “The Hitchhiker.” In fact, I suggest you watch “Carnival of Souls” as a double feature with my favorite Zone episode, “The After Hours,” and draw your own comparisons between the roles played by Hilligoss and Anne Francis. I won’t offer any spoilers. Of course, you can easily find these on the many online resources about the film and the TV series. At this point, I am tempted to write about two other recent, and excellent HD Criterion horror releases—“The Uninvited” (1944) and “The Innocents” (1961)—but I have come to the end of this column. I will leave you to explore these two movies on your own. See you next week for Part Two of this year’s Halloween Horrors series, where we will consider eyes without faces. theloaferonline.com | October 4, 2016 | 31
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