Vox Magazine by Vox Magazine

V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 0 9 . 2 4 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY

DWIGHT YOAKAM BRANDI CARLILE NEEDTOBREATHE BUDDY GUY DR. JOHN THE WORD LUCINDA WILLIAMS PUNCH BROTHERS G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE ROBERT CRAY LUCERO CHARLES BRADLEY & HIS EXTRAORDINAIRES JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE THE WOOD BROTHERS IRMA THOMAS HERE COME THE MUMMIES TAB BENOIS WHITNEY MORGAN MIKE FARRIS DALE WATSON DANIELLE NICOLE MUSIC MAKER BLUES REVUE CHUMP CHANGE

SOUL SOUNDS SAUCE Go hog wild at Roots N Blues N BBQ

STAY A LITTLE LONGER

Blues legend Buddy Guy returns to Columbia PAGE 6

TAKE A BITE

Our guide to finding the perfect BBQ PAGE 7

SCHOOLHOUSE BLUES

Roots N Blues brings music and history into classrooms PAGE 10

This week

Online

SEPTEMBER 24, 2015 VOLUME 17 ISSUE 37 | PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN

WATCH LIST The Toronto International Film Festival ended on Sunday. We’re dying to see these five flicks, including Spotlight (above).

320 LEE HILLS HALL COLUMBIA MO 65211 573-884-6432 VOX@MISSOURI.EDU ADVERTISING: 573-882-5714

WELCOME BACK, SHONDALAND All is right in the world now that Shonda Rhimes’ fall TV shows are back. Get ready for three action-packed seasons.

BBQ ON A BUDGET You don’t have to be a Platinum Pig to attend Roots N Blues. Enjoy the fest whether you’re strapped for cash or living large.

Get down with familiar names and bold flavors at Stephens Lake Park this weekend. It’s Roots N Blues N BBQ time again, and this year’s fest is bigger than ever.

We’re social.

FROM THE EDITOR

THE SCENE What makes Tim Gunn work? Here are 10 things to know about the Emmy award-winning co-host of Project Runway before his lecture at MU. PAGE 4

MUSIC Roots N Blues isn’t the only place to hear live music. Dismal Niche, a local artist-run record label, is hosting its first art and music festival this weekend. PAGE 17

ARTS

COVER DESIGN: BEN KOTHE

Go hog wild at Roots N Blues N BBQ

STAY A LITTLE LONGER

Blues legend Buddy Guy returns to Columbia PAGE 6

TAKE A BITE

Our guide to finding the perfect BBQ PAGE 7

SCHOOLHOUSE BLUES

Roots N Blues brings music and history into classrooms PAGE 10

CAN’T GET ENOUGH VOX? DOWNLOAD THE IPAD APP

This is your guide to the festival — from what to chew, art to view and how to groove. Can you dig it? PAGE 5

What started as an online community for redefining beauty standards has evolved into an international tour. The SuicideGirls brings its Blackheart Burlesque show to The Blue Note. PAGE 18

SOUL SOUNDS SAUCE

ELIZA SMITH

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

My college roommate Amanda was one of the last smart phone holdouts. After a family vacation this summer during which she was surrounded by Apple products, she finally caved and invested in a shiny iPhone 6. Before that, she was tapping away what sounded like Morse code on a dinosaur of a flip phone, and we never let her hear the end of it. Truthfully, though, I’d been toying with the idea of joining her in the mobile Stone Age for a while. I hopped on the smart phone bandwagon in 2008, and the constant connectivity can be draining. But whenever I think about unplugging, my excuse is always the same: Journalism makes me do it. It’s true that working in magazines requires a certain level of being in the know. This used to mean reading the newspaper every morning; now it means social media and text updates and clawing our way out of Internet rabbit holes. It also means that journalism students need to finesse their digital and social media skills if they want to get hired. That’s why we’re pulling out all the stops this weekend for Roots N Blues N BBQ. You can follow along at VoxMagazine.com, tweet us at @VoxMag or add us on Snapchat (voxmag) to satisfy your appetite for live coverage of bands, beards and barbecue. But before that, set down your phone and peruse our festival guide. We profile some class acts, explore the art and fashion that set the tone and recommend a few vendor concoctions (insider tip: don’t read on an empty stomach). We hope you’re as excited as we are for the weekend. If you can’t be there, you know where to find us.

VOX STAFF Editor: Eliza Smith Deputy Editor: Bryan Bumgardner Managing Editor: Haley Pitto Creative Director: Tracee Tibbitts Digital Managing Editor: Abby Holman Art Directors: Ben Kothe, Madison Alcedo Photo Editor: Alex Menz iPad Art Director: Morgan Purdy VoxTalk Editor: Ciera Velarde Multimedia Editor: Haley Reed Calendar Editor: Carson Kohler News & Insight Editors: Sarah Dettmer, Adrienne Donica, Kendyl Kearly The Scene Editors: Veronica DeStefano, Abby Kass, Casey Nighbor Music Editors: Scott Germanetti, Rebecca McGee, Sara Trimble Arts & Books Editors: Christine Jackson, Hannah Pederson Contributing Writers: Paul Albani-Burgio, Madison Feller, Niki Kottmann, Bayli Martin, Patrick McKenna, Cassa Niedringhaus, Molly Olmstead, Annie Rees, Dan Roe Editorial Director: Heather Lamb Executive Editor: Jennifer Rowe Reporting Beat Leader & Digital Director: Sara Shipley Hiles Writing Coach: John Fennell Office Manager: Kim Townlain

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 09.24.15

PHOTOS BY OR COURTESY OF JOSH CHEUSE; DINO PERUCCI; TIM TAI; OPEN ROAD FILMS; JERRY HUDDLESTON/FLICKR

Feature

V O X M A G A Z I N E / / 0 9 . 2 4 . 1 5 / / F R E E E V E RY T H U R S D AY

Radar

Vox’s take on the talk of the week

LET THE RECORD SHOW

Election year is nearing, and Planned Parenthood is caught in the crosshairs. How do the sound bites and facts stack up? “It is like an abortion factory, frankly … that should not be funded by the government.” –Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate who leads in Missouri

Fact check: The amount of federal funding for abortion is $0 by law (Section 1008 of Title X, 42 U.S.C. 300a–6 a). BY THE NUMBERS

Fact check: It is illegal for the health organization to sell tissue for profit, but they can charge for the cost of preserving and transporting it.

332

Incidents of sexual misconduct at MU between August 2014 and July 2015.

30.8%

Fact check: Last year, abortions were 3 percent of all of Planned Parenthood’s health services. VOX ASKS COLUMBIANS

CROSSING LINES

MU released its sexual assault and harassment data report and campus climate survey this week. Both reveal a glaring issue on campus. Here are some of the numbers:

PHOTOS COURTESY OF FLICKR/REDCARPETREPORTTV.COM; FRITO LAY; ABC/IMAGE GROUP LA; WIKICOMMONS/BASEBALL DIGEST; KAHLIE KILCHER

“Missourians deserve to know the truth behind this potentially “(Planned Parenthood is) an industry of abortion.” atrocious violation of our state laws and human values.” –Mike Huckabee, the most broadly liked –Sen. Kurt Shaefer, R–Columbia, on the now-debunked videos Republican presidential candidate in Missouri that showed Planned Parenthood officials selling aborted tissue with a 71/20 favorability rating

“The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. You cannot win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there.”

If you were planning a music festival, who would be your headlining act?

Viola Davis was the first black woman to win best lead actress in a drama at the Emmys. She honored fellow women of color for bridging the gap from stereotypical roles.

MARY ALMLIE, 55

HAMM AND BUBBLY

“It would have to be the Foo Fighters because they put on a dynamite show.”

SCOTT JOST, 23

Pour another drink and toast MU alum Jon Hamm on his Emmy win for Mad Men.

“My favorite group is WuTang Clan. I think they’re the best hip-hop group ever, so influential and they’ve got great music.”

MU women who have experienced nonconsensual sexual contact by their senior year.

#MizzouMade

Students disciplined for violating campus sexual misconduct policies.

TASTE THE RAINBOW

“This will be the first time finishing a bag of Doritos has ever been associated with pride.” – Seth Meyers on Doritos’ new LGBT pride rainbow chips, which were made in partnership with the It Gets Better Project

IT AIN’T OVER ‘TIL IT’S OVER

If you can’t imitate him, don’t copy him. – Yogi Berra, MLB Hall of Famer and St. Louis native who was known for his nonsensical sayings died Tuesday at the age of 90

SHELLEY TIMMTHOMPSON, 57 “Pokey LaFarge. They’re really good. I know the mother of one of them, so we’re proud about that.”

PUMPKIN OVERLOAD

A 2,145.5-pound pumpkin in Wisconsin broke the record for biggest pumpkin grown in North America. That’s the equivalent of 68,256 grande Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Praise the PS(X)L! Written by: Veronica DeStefano, Adrienne Donica, Casey Nighbor, Hannah Pederson 09.24.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

THE SCENE

Tim Gunn makes it work

Get the rundown on the Project Runway mentor speaking at MU

Where: Jesse Auditorium When: Tonight, 7:30 p.m. Cost: $20; free, MU students Call: 882-3780 Online: stufftodo.missouri.edu

KOPN 89.5fm...Where Else?

1. Tim Gunn began his career in architecture. He earned a bachelor’s of fine arts from Corcoran College of Art and Design and taught design there after graduating. In 1983, he was hired at Parsons. 2. His father was an FBI agent under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover, and his mother helped found the CIA library in Washington D.C. 3. Gunn hated school, he told NPR. Growing up, he was a target for bullies because he stuttered and struggled to understand his sexuality. After a suicide attempt, Gunn recovered and now is an advocate for the LGBT community. 4. Tim Gunn is responsible for two concepts in Project Runway: designers sewing clothes themselves and closing the workroom to avoid all-nighters, according to The New York Times.

Smithsonian. While teaching at Parsons for 24 years, he wanted his students to solve problems rather than start over. 6. Gunn started drinking Manhattans after 9/11 to celebrate and remember his favorite city, according to The New York Times. 7. His work on Project Runway earned him an Emmy with Heidi Klum in 2013 as host of a reality show. Gunn keeps it in his favorite room in his apartment: the kitchen, according to the website The Kitchn. 8. Gunn voices Baileywick in Disney Junior’s Sofia the First. He has also guest-starred on hit TV shows including How I Met Your Mother, Gossip Girl and Ugly Betty. 9. He keeps a photo of himself and Oprah on his bedside table, according to the New York Post.

5. Gunn’s catchphrase, “Make it work,” originated before Project Runway. It was “born in my classrooms,” Gunn told the

10. Gunn walks to the Metropolitan Museum of Art through Central Park every week, according to The New York Times.

The Licensed Production of Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s

Monday thru Friday National Programming Line-up... Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman 8-9am and Noon-1pm

The Diane Rehm Show 9-11am

Fresh Air with Terry Gross 11am-Noon On your radio dial at 89.5 fm or live streaming at kopn.org 4

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 09.24.15

SEPTEMBER:

10-13

17-20

24-27

2015

$ Adults 12 Students $10 Seniors $10

Even grown-ups can learn a lesson or two from the nanny who advises that “Anything can happen if you let it.” Mary Poppins is

1800 Nelwood Drive Columbia, MO

an enchanting mixture of irresistible story, unforgettable songs, breathtaking dance

www.cectheatre.org

numbers, and astonishing stagecraft.

This season brought to you by:

PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE ARTISTS AGENCY

At age 62, Tim Gunn is an Emmy award-winning celebrity fashion mentor and New York Times best-selling author. Before his celebrity status, he was a faculty member at Parsons School of Design for 29 years before serving as chief creative officer at Liz Caliborne Inc. MU welcomes Gunn to Jesse Auditorium tonight. The Delta Gamma Foundation Lectureship in Values and Ethics Committee partners with Missouri Students Association/ Graduate Professional Council to bring speakers to campus. “We want our speakers to be fresh and ones that the students will receive and appreciate their meaning,” says Lucinda RicePetrie, chairman of the Delta Gamma Foundation Lectureship in Values and Ethics at MU. Like all DG Lectureship speakers, Gunn will stress respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence — the four tenets of the university, says Rice-Petrie. Gunn’s appearance has been planned for about a year, says Landon Jones, MSA/GPC speakers committee co-chair. His speech will touch on mentorship, his newest book, Project Runway and his time at Parsons, says Jones, who helps execute and market the event. “I think audience members should expect to take something more from the event than fashion advice,” Jones says. Gunn is more than just a reality TV star. Learn how he rose to fame and became the man he is today.

BY KAHLIE KILCHER

YOUR GUIDE TO THE 9TH ANNUAL

Get ready to come together in the name of blues and BBQ. Columbia will be born again this weekend in an explosion of good vibes, good food and good people. Like the taste of mama’s favorite recipe and the sound of the Midwest’s heart and soul, Roots N Blues feels like coming home. We’ll meet you there.

NINE THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ROOTS N BLUES BY DANIELLE ZOELLNER Size matters. When Roots N Blues N BBQ started in 2007, 22 artists performed. This year, the lineup has expanded to 28 performances. There were only about a dozen food vendors for the fest’s inaugural year, but that number has grown to 27, with more than 130 menu options. Even the pickiest eaters can find something they’ll relish. There will be six retail vendors this year, so your wallet might be lighter by the end of the fest, but at least your belly will be full.

Before 2011, pit masters could enter a BBQ competition hosted by Roots N Blues to show their chops. But following the city’s food regulations created the ultimate food tease — only the judges could eat. Festivalgoers could walk around and feast with their eyes, but because the contestants weren’t working as vendors, the public couldn’t actually eat the barbecue.

From 2007 to 2012, the festival was held in downtown Columbia. 3 In 2013, it moved to sprawling

Stephens Lake Park. “We outgrew that footprint,” says Betsy Farris, president of Thumper Entertainment, who organizes the fest. “Now, we’re allowed to spread out across 48 acres.” The first Roots N Blues lasted only two days. After the shift to Stephens Lake Park in 2013, the schedule extended to include Sunday.

Roots N Blues used to be free for anyone and everyone. Nice, right? But due to increased popularity, festival organizers started charging in 2008. Now, it costs $49.50 for a day pass on Friday or Sunday and $65 on Saturday. Some of the new costs include the fee for the park, paying the growing number of artists and providing shuttles to and from the venue.

Roots N Blues has become an internationally known festival. People from 43 states and four countries attended last year. The topnotch performers and variety of music helped attract the most geographically

diverse crowd the festival had seen yet, Farris says. Last year, 27,000 people attended the festival over the course of the three-day weekend, and the numbers are on track to beat that this year. Will you be jammin’ along? The budget for the festival this year is $1.2 million. While you’re picking your jaw up off the floor, consider the money needed to put on such a large event. With the number of performers, vendors, venue fees and providing shuttles, this isn’t a cheap festival to produce.

There are nearly 800 volunteer shifts for the festival this year. When it was downtown, there were 1,200. Volunteers were needed at each intersection to staff the barricades. Now volunteers work security, ticketing and hospitality, among other duties.

Whether the mode of transportation is plane, train or automobile, many of the artists will travel more than 1,000 miles for

this weekend’s 28 performances. Collectively, the musicians will travel more than 20,000 miles to Columbia.

ONLINE

VOXMAGAZINE.COM

Head to VoxMagazine.com for more guides, artist profiles, festival tips and live coverage of Roots N Blues. RNB 411 POINT AND SHOOT Bring your phone or small digital camera so you can share your fest memories long after the last note fades in Stephens Lake Park. Leave your professional recording equipment at home; it won’t be permitted. Tweet along with @VoxMag using #RNBNBBQ and follow the brand-new Voxmag on Snapchat. —Katie Akin

ROOTS N BLUES N BBQ

A LOOK AT THE ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HALL OF FAMER’S 60-YEAR HISTORY OF SINGING THE BLUES BY MITCH SAWYER

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 09.24.15

wind rolling off Lake Michigan could cut through. Whether by luck or divine providence, he found himself alongside Otis Rush on stage at the 708 Club. Muddy Waters happened to be in the crowd that night. After Guy’s set, Waters pulled him aside to offer a solid meal and a regular gig. More shows followed at clubs across the city, which led to an eventual session deal with Chess Records. The Chicago of this time electrified the blues. Artists like Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Guy refined the gritty Delta country – blues style – with the galvanic sound of electric guitar and the backing of a full band. Meanwhile, rock ’n’ roll began to embrace its bluesy roots as it grew, says Maya Gibson, assistant professor of musicology at MU. In 1967, Guy moved from Chess to Vanguard Records, partially due to Chess’ reluctance to put out a credited solo album. With Vanguard, Guy started a working relationship with famed harmonica player Junior Wells, who featured regularly on Guy’s live albums until Wells’ death in 1998. As much as Guy has accomplished, there’s an acute understanding that no legacy is ever fully secure, and time inevitably marches forward. Each new generation of blues artists is one more removed from the roots of the genre in which Guy grew up. At 79 years old, he has been around long enough to see many blues titans die. During the last week of Waters’ life, Guy called him. According to Guy, Waters encouraged him to keep playing the blues. “Don’t let that blues die,” he said. The blues is more than any one musician’s life, and Guy knows it won’t die easily. But that doesn’t mean the roots of the genre aren’t important. Guy regards himself as a “caretaker of the blues” because he wants his life’s work and the genre he helped define to live on beyond himself.

SEE HIM

LIVE

BUDDY GUY

Friday, 9:30 p.m. Missouri Lottery Stage

RNB 411 MAKE A PARKING PLAN

ONLINE VOXMAGAZINE.COM THE MAGIC OF NEW ORLEANS New Orleans, Louisiana, is a legendary epicenter of American blues music. Learn how Dr. John, Rebirth Brass Band and Irma Thomas are bringing the indescribably unique music of The Big Easy to Roots N Blues this weekend.

Parking around Stephens Lake Park is sparse at best. Carpool with friends and use any of the six downtown garages. Shuttles will run to the park all day, starting one hour before the festival gates open and running until after the last performance of the night. You can also cruise over on your bike; Roots N Blues offers secure bike parking. COMO Connect will also run its regular bus schedule for free all weekend. —Katie Akin

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSH CHEUSE

The first time Buddy Guy played the guitar, he says he sounded like a swarm of angry bees. His first guitar was a homemade rig strung together with wire and scraps from his family’s sharecropping farm in Lettsworth, Louisiana. Without electricity or radio, the only music Guy heard as a child came from nearby yellow warblers and family friend Henry Smith. Guy would listen, enraptured, on Christmas mornings while Smith plucked out Lonnie Johnson songs on his twostring guitar. Without an instrument of his own, Guy stripped the wires from a screen window to fasten between old tin cans to play. In 1949, when Guy was 13, he bought his first record, John Lee Hooker’s Boogie Chillen, for less than a dollar, mail order from Tennessee. This was how he learned to play: note by note, trying to match those same sounds he heard crying out of his beat-up phonograph. It takes a lot to be so respected within a genre that your name becomes synonymous with the form. But Buddy Guy’s status as a blues legend is hardearned. A session musician for Chess Records from 1960 to 1967, Guy backed up giants such as Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf. Eric Clapton once called Guy the greatest guitarist alive, and his distorted, aggressive approach influenced artists from Jimi Hendrix to John Mayer. In fact, Guy played guitar behind his back and with his teeth years before Hendrix. “Guy is brilliant,” says Richard King, owner of Thumper Entertainment and former owner of The Blue Note. “You look at any blues artist on the planet, and they always look to Buddy Guy as one of their influences.” In 2015, when Guy received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, rock legend Jeff Beck wrote for GRAMMY.com, “I know that my guitar wouldn’t sound half as good if I hadn’t heard his first.” This recognition came on top of six previous Grammys. He was also inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Guy has released 40 full albums, which have been ranked among Billboard’s Top Blues Albums 18 times. When Guy left Louisiana for Chicago in September 1957, he was broke, starving and dizzied by the smells of the steel mills and slaughterhouses. The stench hung so thick in the city air that only the frigid

A FACE LEFT UNSTUFFED IS A FROWNING ONE. DON’T GET THE FOOD BLUES; WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK WHEN IT COMES TO PICKING YOUR BBQ BY JENNA FEAR

PICK YOUR MEAT

SOMETHING LEAN

HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING?

ARE YOU DOWN FOR SOME VEGGIES?

OK, BUT LIKE WHY AREN’T YOU DRINKING?

I’M DRIVING. NOT A DROP

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL VAUGHN/TWITTER

I’M SAVING ROOM TO DRINK MORE LATER

BOURBON CHICKEN ON A STICK YOU’RE THE ONLY ONE TO BE TRUSTED WITH SHARP OBJECTS

NO. I AM CARNIVOROUS

BBQ FRITO PIE ADD SOME BBQ AND SLAW TO A BAG OF FRITOS. WELCOME TO THE AFTERLIFE

ARE YOU WEARING WHITE?

DECENTLY HUNGRY, BUT NOT FAMISHED

I COULD LITERALLY EAT AN ENTIRE HOG

FULL SLAB OF PORK RIBS NOT THE ENTIRE PIG, BUT A PRETTY HEFTY PORTION

Daniel Vaughn BBQ editor, Texas Monthly

YES, I’D LIKE TO KEEP MY SPARKLING WHITES SPARKLING, PLEASE

I’M TRYING TO KEEP IT CLEAN. I’VE GOT A HOT DATE

TIPS FROM A SEASONED VETERAN

NOPE. I AM FULLY PREPARED TO GET DOWN AND DIRTY

NOPE. THE VACANCY IN MY STOMACH IS STRICTLY FOR FOOD

PICK A UTENSIL

KNIVES. THEY MAKE ME FEEL IN CONTROL

GOOD OLDFASHIONED FORK. NOTHING FANCY

... MAYBE?

HANDS. THESE THINGS WERE MADE FOR FACE-STUFFING

BBQ BRISKET SANDWICH BREAD IS TO BBQ AS BUMPERS ARE TO BOWLING

T-SHIRT AND SNEAKERS BBQ BEANS PRECISE SPOON-TO-MOUTH MOVEMENT MAKES FOR A MINIMAL MESS

PULLED PORK BISCUIT LIKE MAMA USED TO MAKE PULLED PORK SLIDERS JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF MESSINESS

EATING RIBS

BBQ WISDOM

HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING?

PICK AN OUTFIT

FLANNEL AND BOOTS

I LIKE TO FOCUS ON MY FOOD

BETTER MAKE IT TO GO

YES, PLEASE

ARE YOU TRYING TO IMPRESS SOMEONE?

NOPE. I’M WEARING MY EATING SHIRT, AND I AM READY

HOW HUNGRY ARE YOU?

EAT SITTING DOWN OR ON THE GO?

SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE

YES. I AM TANKED AND RAVENOUS

NOPE, I’M A SOBER SALLY

SOMETHING FAT AND FLAVORFUL

“It doesn’t feel right to eat ribs with anything but your hands.”

BURNT ENDS BORN IN KANSAS CITY, EMBRACED EVERYWHERE

BBQ PORK & COLESLAW WRAP IT’S BASICALLY A SALAD, BUT IT’S GOING TO GET ALL OVER YOU

BBQ OPINIONS

“If you listen to everybody’s personal opinion about what BBQ isn’t, then we’d pretty much be left with no BBQ.”

BBQ BRISKET A FORK-TENDER CLASSIC

RIBEYE STEAK THE BIGGER THE KNIFE, THE MORE CONTROL YOU HAVE

FULL RACK OF BEEF RIBS YOU CAN ALSO BENCH PRESS THEM TO GET IN A GOOD WORKOUT

BBQ SPAGHETTI

“Do I think it’s good? I think there are more noble uses for leftover chopped pork than that. But it’s certainly interesting.”

ROOTS N BLUES N BBQ

A LONG HISTORY OF RHYTHM AND BLUES LED THIS BASS GUITARIST TO THE LIMELIGHT BY JENNA FEAR

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 09.24.15

“The main thing he would have wanted was for me to continue playing,” she says. Briefly after her father’s death, she started another blues band called Fresh Brew. After three years of playing with Fresh Brew, she and her two brothers discussed the possibility of forming a family band. Soon after, she moved to Philadelphia with her brother Kris Schnebelen to start the band with their other brother, Nick Schnebelen. The three of them founded Trampled Under Foot. Nicole and her brothers had a successful 11-year run with Trampled Under Foot, including two previous appearances at Roots N Blues N BBQ in 2010 and 2012. In 2014, Trampled Under Foot won the Blues Music Award for Contemporary Blues Album with Badlands, but in 2013, Kris began talking about leaving the band. Nicole had to start thinking about the future of her own career. When faced with obstacles, she always finds a way back to the blues. She decided to go solo. Her self-titled solo EP came out in March, and her upcoming album, Wolf Den, will hit shelves on Sept. 25 — the day she’s playing at Roots N Blues. The best part of the festival for Nicole is that the shows don’t feel as big as they are. “When you get there and you’re playing, there’s a certain intimacy you wouldn’t expect it to have,” she says. “You would think it would be easy to get lost and feel small, get lost in the vibe. You still feel that the people are right there with you.”

SEE HER

LIVE

THE DANIELLE NICOLE BAND Friday, 5:30 p.m. Shelter Insurance Stage

ONLINE VOXMAGAZINE.COM MODERN ROCK WITH A BLUES SOUL Grammy-nominated Christian rock musicians NEEDTOBREATHE push themselves to create unmatched live musical experiences. They pour their heart into every set, so catch them at the Shelter Insurance Stage Saturday at 9 p.m. for a high-energy, emotional show.

RNB 411 BRING CHAIRS AND BLANKETS Enjoy the relaxed vibes of the weekend. Kick back, and spread out, but be conscious of others. Camping chairs must be removed from their bags before entering the festival area and have to stay behind the marked lines. —Katie Akin

PHOTOS BY DINO PERUCCI; SULLY SULLIVAN

Danielle Nicole never knew her grandmother, but the memory of a photograph that hung on the wall of her childhood home still stays with her today. In the photo, Evelyn Skinner sits among several men and a piano, a lone female big band singer. “They say it’s a man’s world now,” Nicole says, “but just imagine back then.” Nicole, born Danielle Nicole Schnebelen, became the first female winner of the Blues Music Award for Best Instrumentalist in 2014, showing that she knows how to make her way in this so-called man’s world. Her confidence shines brightest when she’s behind the microphone; her voice comes through with strength. Bold and brazen behind her bass guitar, she belts the blues with a vigor that’s impossible for audiences to ignore. Growing up in a family of performers instilled in Nicole a love for music that led to powerful dedication to the craft. In addition to her grandmother, her mother and father were very musical. They always had a record spinning or were playing instruments when she was a child in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Her brother Nick Schnebelen recalls the albums their parents would play in the house, especially Muddy Waters and Johnny Winter. These became Nicole’s introduction to the blues. Nicole developed a love for the stage while watching her parents perform the blues together in Kansas City, where she still lives. Her mother fronted her parents’ band, Little Eva and the Works, a reference to her grandmother, the big band singer. Nicole’s parents separated when she was 12, and two years later when her mother left the band, Nicole performed with her father in Little Eva and the Works. She then took over as lead vocalist when she was 15. She sang with the band for about a year and a half until her father, who was battling pancreatic cancer, became too sick to play. When he died in 1999, Nicole shied away from the stage, she couldn’t stay away for long.

OLD BEAN CANS AND DISCARDED CHANDELIER PARTS BECOME ART IN THE PARK BY THERESA NGUYEN

PHOTOS BY HALEE ROCK

Anything can be made into art. Vegetable cans, water bottles, old chandelier structures and even old artwork can be made new. That’s the style of Lisa Bartlett, the visual director of Roots N Blues N BBQ, and her art team, who gather each week in a small studio off Walnut Street to create art for the festival. Various power tools, art supplies and artwork from past and future festivals clutter the studio. There’s barely enough walking room for the eleven members of the art crew when they start to set up what will be one of the largest art installments at the festival: a 45-foot dragon. Polly Sweitzer, a former member of the art crew, sent Bartlett the idea of creating a dragon for the festival after one greeted her at a hotel in Bali. The idea became a reality when Bartlett stumbled upon 16 aluminum hoops, old parts of chandeliers, that the craft store Michaels was throwing away. Bartlett was unsure what to use them for until she decided to bring Sweitzer’s dream to life. “Sometimes the art is dictated by what you have and what you can do with it,” she says. String lights twist around the 5-foot hoops, and green metallic spandex stretches across the outside to create the body of the dragon. Wood panels line the floor so festivalgoers can climb through the tunnel. Two pieces of red wood pieces make up the head of the dragon. Water bottles are cut into strips, painted red, black, purple or green and stapled onto the head of the dragon like a colorful mane. Lights are interwoven throughout. RNB 411 GET FUNKY IN THE DISTRICT Roots N Blues N BBQ is about the food, music and vibes, sure, but it also showcases Columbia. Many downtown businesses will celebrate with discounts or specials. Look for the Roots N Blues guitar pick logo in shop windows and ask retailers about specific deals. —Katie Akin

The dragon, though stationary, will wind and curve like a snake in the middle of the park. She envisioned a dragon ushering people into the festival gates. “Everything we do has to be huge, many, or it has to make a statement because at the park there’s 48 acres to art up,” Bartlett says. “It’s a lot of landscape.” Ten totem poles made from recycled 100-ounce. vegetable cans join the dragon in the park. One art crewmember who works at Mary Paxton Keeley Elementary School collected the cans used by the school’s cafeteria. An elementary school can go through 20 of these cans a day, Bartlett says. Each totem pole consists of nine to 12 stacked cans that are etched with music notes, smiley faces, handprints and various other designs. Lights are put inside the poles to create a discolike lamp when lit. The Guitar Henge will make a returns to this year’s festival with a new style. In 2014, the Guitar Henge had 10 8-foot guitars painted by different artists and groups. This year, the Guitar Henge is made up of 12 guitars, all created from the byproducts of last year’s art. The silhouettes of the guitars lie on one side of an 7-foot door from Habitat for Humanity and a quote by a blues musician on the other. Also reappearing for this year’s festival are the Astral Gypsies Giant Puppet Troupe, a company from St. Louis that creates the huge LED aliens and octopus puppets that roam the audience during performances. Festival director Julie King says they asked the Astral Gypsies to return for their third year to add to the fan experience. “A festival experience is more than audio,” Sweitzer says. She fought to bring arts into Roots N Blues when the festival was created. “Bands on stage don’t make a festival in my opinion. It’s the art and magic in between, and the irrefutable lure of great music that takes you away from the ordinary.”

Lisa Bartlett and volunteers make the artwork for the upcoming Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival Friday, Sept. 25.

Top: A volunteer decides how to put whiskers on a fox mask. The formed heads will be attached to golf carts for Roots N Blues. Left: Music notes are burned into repurposed vegetable cans that have been made into totem poles.

Anything can be made into a work of art. Old water bottles are used as scales for a dragon at the festival. They are cut, painted and stapled to the exterior. 09.24.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

ROOTS N BLUES N BBQ

Musician Tj Wheeler sings “Big Rock Candy Mountain” from the film O Brother Where Art Thou? to students at Paxton Keeley Elementary School while playing the diddley bow. Wheeler taught the students how to make a kazoo sound with their nose, as well as facts about blues music and its history.

Wheeler demonstrates the ukelele for children at Paxton Keeley Elementary School as part of his teaching for the Roots N Blues N BBQ Foundation.

ROOTS N BLUES FOUNDATION BRINGS SOUL TUNES AND HISTORY LESSONS TO CLASSROOMS BY MEREDITH MCGRATH PHOTOS BY SARAH BELL B.B. King, Billie Holiday, Muddy Waters and Ray Tj Wheeler, a blues artist who has been a part of the Charles are names today’s kids don’t often hear. The big Blues in the Schools program for 25 years, has seen the names of the blues genre fall wayside to artists like Taylor genre wane in popularity and made it his mission to keep Swift, Justin Bieber and One Direction. However, thanks the music alive. “Sing the blues to lose the blues,” he says. to the Roots N Blues Foundation, students in midAt Grant Elementary School, Wheeler pairs his Missouri classrooms will recognize these musicians. music lessons with what the kids are already learning Since 2007, the Roots N Blues N BBQ Foundation in class, and the teachers do the same with their core has been bringing blues lessons to classrooms in classroom subjects. For instance, in music teacher Pam Columbia and mid-Missouri through a partnership with Sisson’s third-grade classroom, the students learn about the national Blues in the Schools program. “In this time the physics of music and how sound waves work. of shrinking budgets, fine arts programs are sometimes Grant Principal Jen Wingert says there’s an the first to go,” says Tom Smith, the foundation’s board of intentional flow that enhances not only the experience trustees vice president. “We’re of the music class but of other really helping fill in the cracks subjects as well. “Everyone “OLD MCDONALD CAN BE on those kinds of programs. sees that it’s not just a Some schools may not be able 50-minute music class; it’s all BLUES-IFIED LIKE NOBODY’S to fund that as well as they day.” BUSINESS”—JEN WINGERT could have in the past.” Sisson gets giddy when The foundation began its she talks about the blues Columbia program with a fourth-grade class at Grant lessons and the clapping, singing and dancing that goes Elementary School. The program now extends to 18 along with them. Every song becomes a blues song, and elementary schools, three middle schools and two high the kids have the wildest imaginations, she says. “Old schools, as well as three out-of-school programs at McDonald can be blues-ified like nobody’s business,” the Columbia Public School’s Center for Responsive Wingert adds. Education, the Fulton Treatment Center and the Boys & “The kids really benefit from the consistency of Girls Club. having the same artist come every year,” Sisson says. Through Blues in the Schools, students learn about “They love saying they are best friends with a famous blues music origins, history, diversity, traditions and blues musician.” legends from musicians and educators brought in for Wheeler’s main lesson for students is titled Hope, assemblies and weeklong classroom workshops. Heroes and the Blues. “I hope to dispel the negative 10

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stereotypes that it’s negative music, that it’s the devil’s music,” he says. “I try to negate that negativity, turn it inside out and show that it really was not about feeling sorry for the South, but something that made people feel more confident and stronger. Not just musicians, but anyone that they played for, too. The musicians in their own way were heroic.” By the end of his time at each school, Wheeler has taught students about the origins of blues in Africa, the oppression of African-Americans that influenced blues and how blues is a release of negativity through song. Wheeler’s goal is to spread awareness and appreciation of blues. At the end of blues week, each class writes its own song to perform at the festival. This year’s performance will be held Saturday at noon at the Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater. Each year, the foundation raises funds to continue the program and works to expand it. The foundation’s goal is for the program to reach across the state of Missouri and continue support of blues music throughout the year. The impact of the program cannot be measured, but felt, Sisson says. The whole school comes together in support of the program, and it’s a fun time for everyone. “Some of the seeds we’re planting won’t bear fruit for maybe 10 or 15 years,” Smith adds. “You never know when one of the students who attends one of these programs will end up being the next Buddy Guy.”

A 28-ARTIST LINEUP CAN BE OVERWHELMING. THIS GUIDE BY GENRE GIVES YOU A NUDGE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION BY NICOLA DALL’ASEN

R&B/HIP HOP

POP

CHARLES BRADLEY

ROBERT CRAY

He might be a reincarnation of Otis Redding or James Brown (whom he used to impersonate for a living). No one would be surprised if Jay-Z or Kanye decided to sample one of his songs a la Otis. Friday, 7:45 p.m. Missouri Lottery Stage

If you’re a fan of ‘80s classics like Bruce Springsteen, you’ll appreciate some of Robert Cray’s set list; he found fame with his 1986 Grammy-winning album Strong Persuader, which brought blues back to the mainstream with a mix of pop, rock and R&B. Saturday, 7:15 p.m. Shelter Insurance Stage

G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE

This group is a must-see for the quirkier bunch. If you get down to Jason Mraz or Gym Class Heroes, something that’s not quite hip-hop and not quite rock, you’ll want to listen to this laid-back band. Saturday, 6 p.m. Missouri Lottery Stage

ROCK/INDIE

THE EVOLUTION OF THE BLUES BY PATRICK MCKENNA Traced back to the 1890s in the Mississippi Delta, the blues began as a form of expression originated by African-Americans living through oppression without an outlet. These musical savants told their stories by mimicking work songs and combining European and African music styles. They created rudimentary elements of music like call and response and the blues chord progressions so recognizable today.

1920

MIKE FARRIS DANIELLE NICOLE

Swap Taylor Swift for Kansas City native Danielle Nicole, a bassplaying vocal powerhouse writing breakup songs with twice the bite. Friday, 5:30 p.m. Shelter Insurance Stage

Looking to slow things down? Mike Farris has a soulfully smooth and deep voice comparable to Hozier’s. Even Rolling Stone describes it as heavenly. Sunday, 1:30 p.m. Missouri Lottery Stage

1930

PHOTOS COURTESY OF RICK OLIVER; NEEDTOBREATHE; DANIELLE NICOLE

IRMA THOMAS

For those in search of old-fashioned soul, this one’s a no-brainer. Irma Thomas, the “Soul Queen of New Orleans,” displays the vocal ability of Gladys Knight and Aretha Franklin. Saturday, 4:15 p.m. Missouri Lottery Stage RNB 411

LEAVE THESE AT HOME Save yourself a hike back to your car or a trip home. Pets, coolers, outside food or drink, umbrellas, laser pointers or noisemakers are not allowed at the fest. Bags and backpacks are permitted, but keep them small; no one likes a bag in his or her face. Do bring your own (empty) water bottle. Fill up at the water bottle-filling station located east of the food vendor area. — Katie Akin

Unlike the male-dominated country blues, classic blues gave women like Bessie Smith and Ma Rainey a chance to show their brilliance during the ‘20 –’30s, influencing future music legends like Janis Joplin and Aretha Franklin with a bigband, jazz-influenced sound.

COUNTRY BLUES

1940

HERE COME THE MUMMIES

Although there might not be a single musical similarity between Miley Cyrus and Here Come the Mummies, if you like performers who are a little … eccentric, this is your band. Come for the dancing mummies, stay for what the band’s website describes as “terrifying funk from beyond the grave.” Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Shelter Insurance Stage

CLASSIC BLUES

The country blues centered on articulating emotion, whether sadness, pride or envy. Most rural blues is acoustic, often featuring a single guitar. Artists like Robert Johnson helped define the sound by singing truthfully about life experiences.

URBAN BLUES

NEEDTOBREATHE

1950

Gospel band NEEDTOBREATHE’s harmonic acoustic pop-rock anthems are reminiscent of tobyMac or Gavin DeGraw, who features on one of the group’s biggest singles, “Brother.” Saturday, 9 p.m. Shelter Insurance Stage

1960 LUCINDA WILLIAMS

Joan Jett’s dark and gritty voice can be matched by no other than Lucinda Williams, whose music is a raw yet even blend of country and rock ‘n’ roll. Veterans to the Columbia music scene will recognize her; she performed at The Blue Note in 2009 and headlined a show at Stephens Lake Park in 2012. Saturday, 7:45 p.m. Missouri Lottery Stage

In the ‘30s and ‘40s, AfricanAmericans from the South took their music to Chicago, Detroit and Harlem, where it evolved into the electric blues. Artists like Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters made this gritty variation of the blues popular nationwide.

RHYTHM AND BLUES

During the ‘50s, R&B began as a concoction of traditional blues, jazz and gospel, mixed into a faster, boogiewoogie rhythm. By taking the standard 12-bar blues chord progression and adding more energy and improvisation, R&B artists like Fats Domino and Little Richard ushered in rock ‘n’ roll.

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ROOTS N BLUES N BBQ

TRIUMPHING OVER TRIBULATION, MUSICIAN FINDS HIS GROOVE BY PATRICK MCKENNA

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 09.24.15

SEE HIM

LIVE

CHARLES BRADLEY & HIS EXTRAORDINAIRES

ONLINE VOXMAGAZINE.COM

Friday, 7:45 p.m. Missouri Lottery Stage

says the first time he heard Bradley’s music, he was blown away. King says despite some artists not being a household name, the fact that the festival might introduce attendees to new artists, like Charles Bradley, is part of what makes Roots N Blues N BBQ so special. RNB 411 GET DIBS ON THE BEST MERCH Check out the festival merchandise table, but don’t forget the craft vendors. Shop early for the best selection of Roots N Blues merchandise. Pick up an oil painting or pencil drawing of your favorite musician at the Phil Kutno Studios booth, or some handmade tie-dye clothing at the Terra Tree Studio booth. Many vendors will accept cash only; be sure to bring some to avoid surcharges at the festival’s ATMs. —Katie Akin

BRINGING BACK THE MAGIC G. Love & Special Sauce rocked the ‘90s with its hip-hop influenced funk jams. To celebrate the band’s 20th anniversary, the members reunited and are bringing fresh beats to Roots N Blues. Get Funky with G. Love & Special Sauce at the Missouri Lottery Stage Saturday at 6 p.m. Learn more at VoxMagazine.com DESIGN YOUR DAY Need help choosing who to see and what to do at Roots N Blues this weekend? Visit VoxMagazine.com to look at plans for different types of festivalgoers.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHARLES BRADLEY; G. LOVE

Most up-and-coming musicians struggle through tiny gigs and receive little recognition during their 20s before breaking through. However, Charles Bradley’s time didn’t come until he was in his 60s. His age keeps him humble when he talks about his life, from cleaning tables and impersonating James Brown to being discovered by Daptone Records and finally releasing his debut album, No Time For Dreaming, at 62. “With my music, I just want to share with the world,” Bradley says. “When I see faces in the crowd at my show, I can see the lines on their faces and see the cries and the laughter and love they’ve felt.” Bradley says when he performs, he hopes his own expressive, give-everything-you-got style can move people toward being happier. One song in particular summarizes his life and music career: In “Why Is It So Hard,” a track off his first album No Time for Dreaming, Bradley sings of being born in Gainesville, Florida, and eventually moving to New York to find better opportunities and reunite with his mother and older brother. The song includes soulful instrumentals courtesy of Bradley’s backing group, the Menahan Street Band, and is anchored by passionate, hair-raising howls of sorrow matched with bombastic horns. The lyrics fill listeners’ ears with messages of hope and raw emotion. He says he has been through so much and no misfortune could keep him from seeing his dreams come true. A rough life gave him the material he now sings about for growing audiences. “I’ve faced a lot of pain and hardship, but I learned from my grandmother and mother that there’s no time in life for bitterness,” Bradley says. Music helps him focus on the world. Bradley has made a name for himself with his exhilarating live performances. Proving his dedication to fans, he once performed to the point of dehydration. After playing at a festival in Texas this summer while on the verge of passing out, Bradley says he delivered a set with all his normal heart and energy. He was hospitalized for two and a half days but felt well enough to go to Toronto and perform for a crowd of 20,000. “I would do that show all over again because nothing can take away how incredible seeing all those happy people at my show was,” Bradley says. At 14, the soul-revivalist ran away from his home in Brooklyn, New York after experiencing family struggles; he had been living in a dirt- and sand-covered basement. He wanted to be a singer by 18 but had to support himself financially by working dead-end jobs. The whole time he performed at small clubs while working on his craft. Richard King, the owner of Thumper Entertainment and former owner of The Blue Note,

LOOKIN’ GOOD WHILE YOU GROOVE BY BRIELLE GREGORY PHOTO BY ELLISE VERHEYEN Coachella sings to the hippie at heart, Lolla shakes vibes for the enthusiastic head nodder and Roots’ twang speaks to the Southern spirit. Just like every festival has its own style, each has its own trends to boot. Fest fashion has become the epitome of street-style inspiration, and we’ve got the looks to keep your style on point this weekend.

Risky Briskets

Twang and Tweed

Buddy’s Guys and Gals

Barbecue means business. For that homegrown look, stick with traditional flannels and torn denim, but add some edge with a pair of chunky-heeled boots.

For the more deeply rooted festivalgoer, stick to your Southern guns. Keep things folksy with earth tones and, in the true spirit of Dwight Yoakam, don a denim shirt or jacket to complete the look.

As you’re trying to get down in bluesy town and look fly as the Guy himself during this year’s fest, pair suede shoes with Buddy’s beloved polka dots.

For her: Toss a flannel on over a crochet top and distressed denim shorts. Trudge into a pair of black combat boots for flair, and prepare to conquer those barbecued beauties in your no-nonsense look. For him: Forget keeping your brisket intake in check. Minimize the appearance of messes with a plaid shirt layered over a pair of dark jeans. For the barbecue warriors of the bunch, add a classic red bandana around your neck or tucked into your pocket for easy-access sauce cleanup.

For her: Pair a denim shirt with a flouncy printed skirt hitting just above the knee and high leather boots to add some modern chic to this country look. If Roots weekend brings the heat, ditch the denim, and go for a fringe vest instead. For him: Mimic the man by tossing a tweed jacket over a denim shirt. For the extremely dedicated, work in a cowboy hat, and start daydreaming of guitars and Cadillacs.

For her: Give a polka dot dress even more of a kick with a pair of simple ankle booties. Top off the look with a structured felt hat. For him: Pair a simple button-up with casual rolled-up denim over suede Chukka boots. To add some boldness, try out a bow tie in a bright hue.

PLAID FLANNEL SHIRT

WIDE-BRIMMED FELT HAT

SMOKIN’ STYLE We tracked down this year’s Roots trends so you can spend more time learning your blues grooves and less time worrying about your dancing shoes. Whatever the weather, keep footloose, fashionable and fancy-free.

WIDE-BRIM FELT HATS Ditch the floral headband, and try one of these of-the-moment favorites to finalize your look and create a little shade. Wear a hat with everything from maxi dresses to your mom’s denim cutoffs from the ‘80s.

T-SHIRT DRESSES They’re breezy, they’re simple, and they don’t have waistbands that will get uncomfortable after one brisket too many. They also tend to run on the budget-friendly side, meaning you could pick them up in a variety of colors for each day of the fest and spend that extra cash on just one more funnel cake.

MORE FLANNEL At this festival, there’s no blues without the roots, and plaid cotton is about as homegrown as it gets. For an updated flannel look, try a longer plaid as a dress, or for the gents, toss it on over a plain T-shirt, and treat it as a jacket.

POLKA DOT DRESS

BIRKS Known for their comfort and simplicity, Birkenstock sandals are a footwear staple of Roots N Blues. The shoes will be on full display as the earthy trend has even invaded more fashion-forward retailers such as J. Crew.

OVERALLS Whether you wear them long, short or somewhere in between, this trend will be buckled in as a festival go-to. Wear them with a wide-brimmed hat and Birks to finish the look.

09.24.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

ROOTS N BLUES N BBQ

THIS 10-PIECE FUNK BAND COMBINES INNUENDO AND ANONYMITY INTO ONE WILD PERFORMANCE BY NICOLA DALL’ASEN for members to have fun writing and playing music than it does to make a name for itself, and it shows. “They have a very dynamic stage presence, very entertaining stage presence, a lot of crowd participation, a very humorous show. … I think that at the end of the day, that’s what makes them a great festival band,” says Scott Leslie, coowner of The Blue Note and a coproducer of Roots N Blues. Drummer Eddie Mummy says the craziest stunt one of them has ever pulled was during “Carnal Carnival,” when vocalist Java Mummy performed on stilts despite the venue’s low ceiling. “I’m not going to say that the lights caught his top hat on fire, but the smell of imminent combustion was in the air, and there was even more smoke than usual,” he wrote in an email. Not only is the band’s energy infectious, its laughter is, too. Each Here Come the Mummies song is its own lyrical mastery of filthy puns; listen to “Pants” or “Kinda Lingers,” and try suppress your snickers. As far as sound goes, the band draws inspiration from an eclectic range of artists. “It’s as though a clan of orangutans were musical geniuses on the order of a Mozart or a Stevie Wonder, but orangutans.” Eddie says. Here Come the Mummies has a haunting effect on the audience because of both its undead appearance and the music’s habit of following you home. If you listen to any one of the band’s songs, it will remain stuck in your head all day — in a good way, of course.

RNB 411 BE A FRIENDLY FESTIVALGOER Don’t be that awful crowd member people complain to their friends about. Be conscious of other festivalgoers while you’re enjoying your time at Stephens Lake Park. Be sure not to smoke in other’s faces in the smoking areas or take up an entire bench for yourself. Keep conversations to a minimum during performances so others can enjoy the music. There’s nothing worse than someone wearing a big hat or holding someone on their shoulders and blocking your view after you elbowed your way through crowds of drunk and sweaty fans. —Katie Akin 14

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SEE ‘EM

LIVE

HERE COME THE MUMMIES Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Shelter Insurance Stage

PHOTO COURTESY OF HERE COME THE MUMMIES

A hoard of dudes in full-blown, ancient Egyptian mummy costumes is probably the last group you’d expect to show up on stage at a blues festival. Even so, the anonymous, bandage-clad members of Here Come the Mummies will bring their dirty-minded groove to Roots N Blues N BBQ and leave audiences asking, “Who are these guys?” The band’s story is just as unconventional as they are: A professor named Nigel Dumblucke unearthed a cursed group of mummies from an ancient discotheque in 1922. At least that’s what the band’s website says. It’s rumored they were really formed in 1999 by musicians who were already committed to record labels and were restricted from creating side projects. Since then, 70 different members of this band have made seven albums under their mummy pseudonyms. That’s where the ancient get-ups come in: No one has ever seen their faces, heard the members’ real speaking voices or learned their real names. Band members stay in character for every performance, appearance and interview they do. They’re so strict about keeping their identities a secret that no one is even allowed to witness their sound check, says Richard King, owner of Thumper Entertainment and former owner of The Blue Note, where he previously booked the Mummies. King doesn’t know the band’s true identities. “I can tell you from my reliable sources they were considered very solid studio guys,” he says. The band serves more as an outlet

THIS YEAR FOOD VENDORS WILL OFFER NEW CREATIONS AS WELL AS THE CLASSICS WE’VE BEEN CRAVING. SO LOOSEN THAT BELT, AND GRAB A FEW NAPKINS. IT’S GONNA GET MESSY. BY DANIELLE ZOELLNER

READY FOR THEIR DEBUT

TRADITIONAL FEST FOOD

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHAWN MARTIN; KELSEY DEAN; KONA CORPORATE; FKICLR/JEN; BROADWAY BREWERY; BRYAN MANESS; MICHAEL URBAN

General Tso and Tsos Sandwich

Color-changing Kona Klassic

LONG-TIME FAVORITES

THE WILD AND CRAZY

The whole hog

Broadway Brewery

Grill-A-Brothers

Kona Ice

The General Tso and Tsos sandwich is Chinese food for sandwich lovers. This sandwich features smoked pulled chicken with sweet and spicy General Tso’s sauce. To finish it off, it’s topped with steamed broccoli and vegetable tempura. If that’s too unusual for you, the Baby Back Burger will hit the spot. Grill-A-Brothers smokes, chops and then forms pork spare rib into patties seared on the grill and topped with a broccoli slaw.

This sugary and colorful treat is bound to cool down anybody during a hot day at the festival. The shaved-ice truck provides flavors that range from blue raspberry to mystery, which changes each day. You can catch the truck selling root beer flavor, pink lemonade sour or margarita (virgin, of course). Tiger’s blood, another favorite, mixes strawberry and coconut to create a bright-red concoction that contrasts against the stark white ice.

The hog is back, and it’s bringing four friends. That’s right, the restaurant is upping the number of hogs to five this year, three for the stand and two for the Hog Lounge, in this fanfavorite meal that will feed the large crowds over the weekend. Each hog will be roasted at 220 degrees for approximately 18 hours before their unveiling at the festival; the roasting helps retain all the juices while the fat continues to baste the meat.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap

Funnel cake with whipped cream

Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich

Brisket and mac and cheese on a split Long John

Harold’s Doughnuts COMO Smoke and Fire One dish turns the traditional funnel cake into a nacho plate like no other. With soft and fluffy funnel cake to replace tortilla chips and topped with pulled pork, barbecue sauce, sour cream, tomatoes, cheese and powdered sugar, this BBQ Nacho Funnel Cake is the ultimate mix of sweet and savory. Want more? How ‘bout a brisket and mac and cheese on a split Long John doughnut. The rectangular doughnut is light and fluffy compared to a typical hamburger bun. Buttered on one face and grilled on the other, these slices provide the perfect bread to encase the BBQ brisket and mac and cheese inside. RNB 411 MAKE A CLOTHES CALL

Lyla’s Catering & Events

Kindle Concessions

Ozark Mountain Biscuit Truck

A customer favorite is the Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap. This wrap is jampacked with fresh ingredients such as tomatoes, onions and lettuce from Ole Tyme Produce in St. Louis. The chicken is grilled for a touch of that charred taste. Once you bite, the taste of the chicken comes through along with the homemade thick and creamy ranch sauce. Bacon bits are sprinkled on top with lettuce and black olives cocooned in a spinach tortilla.

This concession stand is a classic, with favorites like corn dogs, funnel cakes and ribbon fries. The corn dogs are hand-dipped in homemade batter once you place your order. If a sugar high is more what you have in mind, the traditional funnel cake is the way to go. Kindle Concessions keeps it simple with this fried dough treat, stacking it with powdered sugar. Don’t forget to get some extra napkins; it’s bound to get everywhere.

Five years at the festival means five years of delicious biscuits for everyone, and Ozark Mountain is a festival classic. The company makes everything from scratch starting with the fresh buttermilk biscuits that are used in each sandwich. One item the truck is known for is the Chicken Fried Chicken Sandwich. The chicken has a crispy buttermilk crust that is initially crunchy in your mouth until you reach the soft middle. Sweet, sweet goodness.

Far-out fashion is encouraged at Roots N Blues N BBQ, but wear something you don’t mind sitting on the ground in when all the seating near the food vendors is inevitably taken. Factor in the danger of BBQ stains when making your wardrobe decision. Also be sure to wear shoes that will be comfortable for three days of walking between stages, waiting in lines and dancing your heart out. —Katie Akin

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ROOTS N BLUES N BBQ

SUZANNE VANSICKLE CREATES FASHION WITH A FLAIR EXCLUSIVE TO ROOTS N BLUES BY KATIE AKIN

How did your partnership with Roots N Blues come about?

It started when Polly and Steve Sweitzer were still doing a lot of the organizing. Polly called me three weeks before the festival and said: “Hey, I hired a bunch of buskers (public entertainers) this year. I noticed that all of the buskers from St. Louis and Kansas City are wearing your clothes. So I thought, we need you somehow. What do you want to do?” So we kind of brainstormed; we would bring some of my costumes and dress people up who stood in the VIP area.

What’s the best piece of clothing you’ve made for Roots N Blues?

I love the flame skirts this year. We really strove to make them have a good fit. One of my philosophies is that not only does it need to look good, it needs to be comfortable. I’ve always designed for performers or massage therapists or people who practice yoga, and they need to be able to move and be comfortable and not feel sausaged in their clothing.

Why is repurposing such a major factor in your designs?

Part of my philosophy as a designer is to be as ethical as possible. When you can repurpose something, that’s the best. I’ve always noticed that anywhere I’ve ever worked, they advertise with T-shirts. And then you see them all over thrift stores, and that just breaks my heart. We really focus on the repurposed, ethical part of the line.

Your website says your clothes are “enriched with womanly ju-ju.” What does that mean? It’s loving intention. Your clothing is your second skin, and it’s so personal to you that you should have somebody who enjoys making it because you can feel that difference. It’s just like with food; you can taste whether something has been processed, or if something has been made by your mama.

What makes Roots N Blues special for you?

I said to Polly: “How about next year, if you want me, why don’t you let me do what I do really well, which is make clothing? Let me make some merchandise. Don’t you always have a ton of shirts left over? Why don’t you give them to me, and we’ll brainstorm what to do with them.”

What I’ve found in the process of working with Roots N Blues over the past several years is that it is a community. The same people volunteer every year. It’s not about getting the free ticket; it’s about being a part of the community. These big festivals take hundreds of people. To be able to stand in Stephens Lake Park and look around at my community and hosting people from other communities — it just feels really good.

This backpack and all other VanSickle merchandise at Roots N Blues is made from repurposed merchandise. $20

A new addition to the line this year, the Flame Skirt is now VanSickle’s favorite piece of the recent designs. $60

How did it evolve from there?

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 09.24.15

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SUZANNE VANSICKLE/FACEBOOK

A lack of money and distaste for mainstream clothing drove Suzanne VanSickle to hand-stitch a new wardrobe and a career. She started distinguishing her own fashion sense while in college in the ’90s and now owns House of VanSickle, a line of women’s clothing sold online in her Etsy store and at Muse Clothing on Ninth Street. In 2012, VanSickle partnered with Roots N Blues N BBQ to create one-of-a-kind merchandise. This partnership evolved into a unique line of clothing created from repurposed Roots N Blues staff T-shirts from previous years and other recycled fabric. VanSickle’s upcycled clothing is available for prepurchase on the Roots N Blues website and will be for sale at the festival in the merchandise tent. Shirts, skirts, backpacks and headbands are for sale, ranging from $20 to $60. The visibility from the festival gear helps expand VanSickle’s brand deeper into Columbia.

House of VanSickle designed several styles of garments for the festival as a part of the Upcycled Collection, including T-shirts, button-downs, a miniskirt and a drawstring bag.

The Flaming Hips Tee is part of VanSickle’s push for comfortable and stylish designs for all genders. $35

MUSIC

Discover a new niche of music

Dismal Niche Music and Arts Festival provides an alternative scene BY MARLEE ELLISON

PHOTOS COURTESY OF DISMAL NICHE

When they aren’t making music, local musician Matthew Crook and Chicago-based artist Ben Chlapek maintain Dismal Niche, a Columbia-based music label, hub of creativity, eccentricity and self-described “labor of love.” Since 2013, the label has been producing cassette tapes and collaborating with both local and international artists. By definition, Dismal Niche is an experimental cassette label with a cult following. Its creation was inspired after one of Columbia’s only DIY music spaces, the Hair Hole, was demolished in 2013 to make way for residential apartments downtown.

Crook has been busy preparing for the Dismal Niche Music and Arts Festival, the label’s first largescale event. The fest will entertain listeners at eight different venues downtown and is a lesser-known but more affordable alternative to Roots N Blues N BBQ. “With the way that we’ve been doing shows, I try to just experiment with different spaces,” Crook says. The high-energy shows will take place at traditional local concert settings such as Café Berlin, and folksy, quieter artists will play in more intimate venues such as Maude Vintage. Following the style of the Dismal Niche’s label,

concertgoers can expect whimsical and unabashedly experimental shows with bands that eschew tradition for a fresher sound. In addition to live music, there will be an art component to the fest. Artist Sasha Goodnow will host an experimental video workshop in conjunction with the festival, and there will be an art exhibit showcasing three artists from Columbia and Chicago. A weekend pass for the festival is $25, which covers food, entry into all the venues and the art exhibit. Be sure to catch these standout bands, and visit VoxMagazine.com for coverage of the weekend.

LAKE MARY

BOB BUCKO JR.

HYLIDAE

NEATLY KNOTTED

Californian and professional guitarist Chaz Prymek dabbles in drone-folk under the name Lake Mary. Drone music tends to be rhythmically slower and emphasizes repeated notes. Prymek describes his latest release, And The Birds Sing In Chorus First, through the French label Eilean Records as more of a journal and an exploration of life in the American West than strictly a musical pursuit. This much is clear: The album’s sound is beautifully atmospheric and sways listeners through its poetic nostalgia. “It takes me back to a specific place and time,” Prymek says. Each track was recorded in a different space, from his sister’s home in Salt Lake City to a temporary dwelling in North Dakota.

Bob Bucko Jr. is entranced with experimental jazz and was raised on indie rock, but his new music changes pace from his signature sound, “Drone-Americana.” On his 2015 album, I Did What I Could With What I Had, he adapts to a distinctly Western drawl. The album is his first pursuit to record in a studio. “I’ve been kind of a home-taper for about 20 years, so this is kind of a different idea,” he says. Bucko got involved with Dismal Niche after opening for Matthew Crook’s band Nevada Greene in Dubuque, Iowa. It was a miserably cold day, and only about eight people showed up. But he says the musicians still formed a lasting friendship, and that camaraderie with other artists is one reason Bucko keeps touring.

After living on a rural farm, St. Louis electronic-dance artist Jon Burkhart, who goes by the moniker Hylidae, was inspired by the restless nature of the city and transcendental musical performances (think Talking Heads). He describes his sound as hardware-based electronic music, which is both bold and experimental in nature. Tracks on the album like “Unwound” are bright and flood the senses, while others are mathematical and drone like an early Boards of Canada song. Burkhart is going to promote his latest release, Intransitive, at Dismal Niche Fest. “I guess I’ve been playing for a few years, but this is the first thing I’ve taken seriously and tried to release officially,” he says.

Dismal Niche’s Ben Chlapek has played under the moniker Neatly Knotted since his Casio keyboardheavy album Sore Throat City was released in 2011. He has grown since then, but his setup remains minimalistic: synths, an old organ, a drum machine and scattered, ghostly vocals construct the foundations of his music. Inspiration for sound draws from influences such as Dublin shoegazers My Bloody Valentine and ambient innovator Brian Eno. His musical style is earthy and dark but not oppressively so. At the festival, Chlapek will release his new mini-album, Backspace. It’s sure to be innovative as his last collaboration was released on thumb drives inside re-branded beer bottles.

Where: Ragtag Cinema When: Saturday, 11 p.m. Cost: $8, free with festival pass Call: 441-8504 Online: ragtagcinema.org

Where: Café Berlin When: Saturday, 6 p.m. Cost: $6, free with festival pass Call: 441-0400 Online: cafeberlincomo.com

Where: Café Berlin When: Friday, 7 p.m. Cost: $6, free with festival pass Call: 441-0400 Online: cafeberlincomo.com

Where: Café Berlin When: Tonight, 8 p.m. Cost: $6, free with festival pass Call: 441-0400 Online: cafeberlincomo.com 09.24.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

ARTS

Alternative allure

SuicideGirls brings beauty and booty to Columbia BY KELSIE SCHRADER Although the female body is proudly shown off and celebrated by dancers and audience members alike at SuicideGirls Blackheart Burlesque, there’s a more significant message to the show: redefining beauty standards. Founded by Missy Suicide (Selena Mooney) in 2001, SuicideGirls is an online community for those who reject society’s traditional definition of beauty. In the days before social media, the website served as an open space for members to share blog posts, videos, pinup photos and more. Now the community stretches from the original site onto Facebook, Twitter and the stage. In 2003, SuicideGirls began performing an international live burlesque show. Dubbed Blackheart Burlesque, the shows serve not only as risqué entertainment but also as empowerment for women of all shapes, appearances and interests. After a six-year break to develop fresh promotional materials, SuicideGirls rebranded Blackheart Burlesque to celebrate all things nerdy and pop culture. Star Wars, Planet of the Apes and Pulp Fiction have all popped up in the popular performances. The show will soon take the stage at The Blue Note with toy guns and ape masks. “Come ready to have a good time,” Missy says.

Blackheart Burlesque is all about pop culture and embracing nontraditional beauty in its shows. Tattoos, unnatural hair colors, movie references and nerdy props are all fair game.

FIVE LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT THE SUICIDEGIRLS 1. SuicideGirls embraces alternative style. In modeling, the term “alternative” includes those with bright or unnatural hair colors, something Missy is no stranger to. “I haven’t had my natural hair color since I was 14,” she says. 2. Most SuicideGirls have normal jobs. According to SuicideGirls model Zephi Suicide, the vast majority of models and members of SuicideGirls have so-called normal careers, such as hairdressers and chemists, to name a couple, and “just happen to also be famous for being naked on the Internet.”

VOXMAGAZINE.COM | 09.24.15

5. Becoming a SuicideGirl isn’t easy. Models submit a photo set for review on the site before even having a chance at becoming an official SuicideGirl, Zephi says. The sets include 40–60 photos that start fully clothed and end fully nude. Dancers face difficult tryouts with tough competition. Most importantly, though, all members must have “a personality that comes through,” Missy says. THE SUICIDEGIRLS Sept. 30, 8:30 p.m.,The Blue Note, $25; $85, VIP; $250, table VIP, 874-1944, thebluenote.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF DEREK BREMNER

3. Missy and Manwe, the Blackheart Burlesque choreographer, were close before the show. Famed choreographer Manwe SaulsAddison, who has worked with Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, met Missy while they were working with VH1 about two years before they began producing the show together.

4. No two shows are exactly alike. With a rotating cast for each performance and people participating in dance contests and other audience-interaction bits throughout the show, there’s an air of surprise for both the crowd and the performers.

THIS WEEK IN COLUMBIA

The to-do list ARTS & CULTURE John Morgan

John Morgan, former opener for Jerry Seinfeld, is coming to Columbia and bringing his unique brand of comedy and criticism. Morgan’s routine is as spicy as his Cajun roots. Thursday, 9 p.m.; Friday, 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., Déjà Vu, $9–10, 443-3216

Portraits of Family and War

Artist Lupus Garrett presents his exhibit, Portraits of Family and War. Garrett prints photos on canvas and then embellishes them with paint, beads and appliques. The exhibit opens with a reception on Sept. 25 and will remain on display until Oct. 21. Friday, 5 p.m., Greg Hardwick Gallery at Columbia College, Free, 800-231-2391

Museum Day

The Museum of Art and Archaeology hosts its annual National Museum Day with seven local cultural hubs. Participate in a museum-wide scavenger hunt, and partake in a tea ceremony with the Confucius Institute. Saturday, 1–3 p.m., Mizzou North Lobby, Free, 882-3591

CIVIC Green Dot Conference

Learn how bystander intervention can stop violence before it occurs. The annual Green Dot Conference is hosted by MU’s Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center. Register online to attend. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., University of Missouri, Free, 882-3621

Big Tree Bike Ride

Join MU’s Environmental Leadership Office for a 20-mile bike ride on the MKT Trail. Picnic under the Big Tree and discuss tree preservation. RSVP online; MU students only. Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., MKT Trail, Free, 882-8207

FOOD & DRINK Farm to Table Dinner

The Columbia Farmers’ Market is hosting its second annual dinner. Columbia chefs will prepare food from local vendors. Logboat Brewery and Röbller Vineyards will provide libations. Proceeds go to the Columbia Farmers’ Market and its educational program for children. Thursday, 5 p.m., Blue Bell Farm, $75, 823-6889

MUSIC Todd Snider

Pre-party for Roots N Blues N BBQ with Americana and alternative country singer Todd Snider. His latest album is filled with songs that take an unabashed look at heartbreak and hope. This will be an intimate, seated show with special guest, folk-singer Elizabeth Cook. Thursday, 8:30 p.m., The Blue Note, $25, 874-1944

Lee Ruth at Cooper’s Landing

With over 50 years of experience performing at Cooper’s Landing, singersongwriter Lee Ruth brings his mastery of traditional river folk music to the stage. Saturday, 6 p.m., Cooper’s Landing, Free, 657-2544

Blues Traveler

Get ready for some sick harmonica solos because Blues Traveler is coming to Columbia. The band’s newest album, Blow Up the Moon, is its first collaborative effort with other musicians. The album features artists such as 3OH!3 and Secondhand Serenade. Tuesday, 7 p.m. doors; 8 p.m. show, The Blue Note, $25 advance; $30 day of, 874-1944

SCREEN The Intern (PG-13)

Ben Whittaker (Robert De Niro) is 70 years old, but he’s not ready to slow down. After landing a job as a senior intern at an online fashion magazine, he quickly becomes an office favorite and source of wisdom for Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway) as she works to make her place in the business world. F, R RUNTIME = 2:01

High-quality, affordable, confidential health care in

Columbia STD testing, birth control, emergency contraception, and more Call: (573) 443-0427 or visit: www.PPKM.org

FREE PREGNANCY TESTING through September and October!

Hotel Transylvania 2 (PG)

It’s been seven years, and things are a little different in Transylvania. The hotel is now open to humans, and Dracula has a half-human, half-vampire grandson named Dennis. However, when Drac’s human-hating father, Vlad, flies into town, things get a little batty. F, R RUNTIME = 1:29

Best of Enemies (R)

In 1968, ABC televised a series of political debates between conservative William F. Buckley and liberal Gore Vidal, two prepschool educated intellectuals with deeply different opinions and the gall to state them. Morgan Neville, director of 20 Feet from Stardom, compiles archived footage in this True/False Film Festival featured documentary. RT RUNTIME = 1:45

Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri

More Vox. (You’re welcome)

Still playing

Ant-Man (PG-13) R Best of Enemies (R) RT Black Mass (R) F, R Everest (PG-13) F, R Grandma (R) RT The Green Inferno (R) R Listen to Me Marlon (Unrated) RT Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (PG-13) F, R Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (PG-13) R The Perfect Guy (PG-13) F, R The Visit (PG-13) F, R A Walk in the Woods (R) R War Room (PG) R Theaters F = Forum R = Regal

RT = Ragtag = Available in 3D

Check out movie reviews on VoxMagazine.com.

Daily news and views on mid-Missouri culture and entertainment

VoxTalk

Find out what’s happening in Columbia.

www.voxmagazine.com/blog/ 09.24.15 | VOXMAGAZINE.COM

THE ROOTS N BLUES N BBQ FESTIVAL • • • • • • •

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for tickets and information visit rootsnbluesnbbq.com or the MSA/GPC Box Office

WEEKEND 4-PACK! 4-Pack of 3-Day Passes for $395 (a savings of $125) **while they last LIVE! IN 2015 • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

FEAT.

DWIGHT YOAKAM BRANDI CARLILE NEEDTOBREATHE BUDDY GUY DR. JOHN THE WORD ROBERT RANDOLPH,

JOHN MEDESKI & THE NORTH MISSISSIPPI ALLSTARS LUCINDA WILLIAMS • •

PUNCH BROTHERS G. LOVE & SPECIAL SAUCE ROBERT CRAY •

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CHARLES BRADLEY & HIS EXTRAORDINAIRES LUCERO JUSTIN TOWNES EARLE

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