Pulse: Dec. 2013

LIQUID

GOLD Small breweries are big business in Iowa

DECEMBER 2013

2

IN GOOD TASTE

10

MAMMA MIA!

12

ALBUM REVIEWS

16

THEATER RUNDOWN

19

HOLIDAY CHEER PULSE 1

HERE WE GO AGAIN!

HILARY MAHONEY | PULSE WRITER

COURTESY PHOTO

H

ey dancing queen, you ready to kick up your heels? Take a chance on Mamma Mia!, the smash musical sensation that features the greatest hits of super group ABBA. Mamma Mia! hits the Paramount Theatre stage in Cedar Rapids Dec. 15 and 16.

Now in its 15th year, the global megahit has been seen by more than 54 million people.

Audiences have been known to dance in theater aisles to the sounds of Money, Money, Money, Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You and other ABBA hits.

“The music is so catchy and so well crafted. It’s just brilliant,” said Georgia Kate Haege, who plays the role of Donna. “They’re very hooky and very catchy pop songs that most people know from

their youth. It’s just so danceable. And then secondly, it’s the story. It’s very, very funny. There are some poignant, sad moments too, but for the most part, it’s a very, very funny, heartwarming story.”

Haege gives a rundown of the plot: “It’s set on a Greek island, and there is a mother — that’s who I play; her name is Donna — and 20 years prior she dated or slept with three different men around the same time. And she gets pregnant and she doesn’t know who the father is.

She has a daughter, Sophie, and Sophie has always wondered who her father is.

Basically it’s the eve of Sophie’s wedding and she’s read her mother’s diary. She’s found out the three men who are potential candidates to be her father and she’s invited them all to the wedding. … And

all this drama ensues from that. And all the great music of ABBA, of course, interspersed throughout the story.”

The film version, starring Meryl Streep and Pierce Brosnan, premiered in 2008, and was a hit. But the stage version, “well, that’s something all together different,” Haege said.

“They obviously had to cut some stuff to make it fit into the movie format. …

We have the full catalog. And it’s live every night; it’s a living thing. It changes — every single performance changes in some way. … The energy of live performance, there’s nothing quite like that.

And we feed off the audience too.”

The music and story of Mamma Mia! appeal to a wide audience, Haege said, making it a real family affair.

“I could say come along; bring your mother, your best friend, your grandmother, your dog! Everybody gets something out of it. There’s gorgeous women to admire. There’s gorgeous men to admire. The music is fantastic. The costumes are out of control, fabulous. The lighting, the sound, the staging. Our set is amazing. It takes four trucks to ship it all around the country.

“There’s lots of laughs to be had. You will not leave disappointed. If you come to the show, you will leave with a smile on your face.”

Mamma Mia! Dec. 15 @ 7 PM | Dec. 16 @ 7:30 PM Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids $53-$73 | paramounttheatrecr.com

PULSE 11

REVIEWS

H

HAR-DI-HAR HARD PARENT/THICK CHILD

ar-di-Har is a self-described experimental band. Applied to Har-di-Har, experimental has two meanings. It accurately describes the band’s blend of traditional and acoustic rock and experimental electronic arrangements.

It also describes the band itself — experimenting in ways to make ends meet and the duo’s ongoing search for their sounds.

Former Cedar Valley residents and University of Northern Iowa alumni Andrew and Julie Thoreen make up the band. The two recently moved to Minneapolis but still book frequent shows in Iowa and work to bring other bands to the Hawkeye state through their music promotion project, Slim Beast Productions.

The group’s newest EP, Hard Parent /Thick Child, has a heavier, more robust and driving sound than the duo’s previous releases. The entire album is superbly mixed with intricate layers of instruments and ambient noises.

In performance and through their previous EP releases, Feudal Kind and Words of Whim, the Thoreens demonstrate how two people can create a full band sound. Julie is usually on keyboard and the upper half of a drum kit and Andrew plays guitar or

JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER

bass while he plays the lower half of the kit. Combined with the couples’ tight harmony vocals, Har-di-Har creates a blend of sound like a three- or four-piece band.

The beginning, Through Trees (part I) features a thumping deep, bass drum and a driving, robust keyboard riff.

It crescendos into a whirling mix of electronic noise before giving way to light keyboard riff and strumming acoustic guitar, like a dizzying ride calmly coming to a safe end. Andrew shows his solo vocal and guitar picking prowess in a song that begins in the vein of old folk tunes but brings in Har-di-Har’s signature layered vocals, electric keyboard work and timing changes.

Andrew Thoreen shows his musical versatility playing trombone and guitar in the entrancing and melodic song Move Over Forward. Unlike the other songs, Forward doesn’t feature the imaginative but ambiguous lyrics that make up most Har-di-Har songs.

The second track, Once Branches, has been a part of Har-di-Har’s live performance sets for quite some time.

The track on the album features vocal effects and layering that listeners won’t experience in a live performance.

The album wraps with Through Trees (part II), which bookends with the first song like a palindrome. It’s a short song but plays a big role by completing the album. EPs rarely offer the experience and feeling of a journey that full-length albums do.

The recording also features shifting tones in Andrew’s trotting bass line.

The song features a hooky refrain that can stick in one’s head all day. Boarding Fare, which follows, has a brighter, cadence and sounds like a relatively conventional rock ’n’ roll song (for Har-di-Har).

Har-di-Har, through adept composing and songwriting, has created a full-length album experience. The arrangement of each song and its placement gives the listener a fulfilling journey.

HOLY WHITE HOUNDS OH MAMA

D

es Moines rock band Holy White Hounds has been building a fan base in the Cedar Valley by playing shows in eastern Iowa and sharing gigs at home with Cedar Valley performers.

The group’s new EP, Oh Mama, may also be a reason their following is growing.

The album is lively and polished.

That’s mainly because of the talents of frontman Brenton Dean and bassist Ambrose Lupercal and their comfort from playing together for years. Having Envy Corps members Brandon Darner and Micah Natera, who recorded Imagine Dragons, assist in producing the album certainly didn’t hurt either.

— John Molseed, Pulse Writer

CARDBOARD KINGDOMS THE WHEEL IS COME FULL CIRCLE

C

added Denver, Colo., native Sean Gonzalez.

The four-song album was recorded in Cedar Falls and mixed by frontman Andrew Droogsma. Droogsma has been performing with drummer Luke Anderson since 2011, and they later

Their post-punk sound is uncomplicated, but their lyrics take some deciphering and contain some religious overtones. Their brand of punk, laced with distorted guitar and noise, is a unique sound in the Cedar Valley.

ardboard Kingdoms’ first EP, The Wheel Is Come Full Circle, has a loud, energetic and raw sound.

— John Molseed, Pulse Writer

Heavenly JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER

G

eorge A. Romero, the director of Night of the Living Dead who essentially single-handedly founded the modern zombie movie, said that AMC’s The Walking Dead is “just a soap opera with a zombie occasionally.” He’s not entirely wrong, as The Walking Dead doesn’t demonstrate any of the cultural criticism that gave a razor-sharp edge to Romero’s films.

Without speaking to the man myself, I suspect he doesn’t see the forest for the trees. The Walking Dead might not be an effective piece of cultural criticism, but it doesn’t try to be. But it is a searing, occasionally provocative drama, one that is making increasingly smart use of the pressure cooker conditions forced upon its characters by the zombie apocalypse.

This season picks up after the third season’s finale, which saw the villainous, apparently insane Governor (David Morrissey) massacre his own people in a fit of rage. This resulted in series’ protagonist Rick (Andrew Lincoln) bringing the surviving inhabitants of nearby Woodbury into the prison. It was a surprising, brilliant piece of plotting, one that illuminated the value of mercy and compassion in a series known for its high levels of brutality, a different sort of thematic resonance than the one Romero criticized for lacking, but one at least as profound.

Beginning several months later, the survivors have made a pitiful but functional life for themselves at the prison, with Rick voluntarily giving up leadership duties in favor of farming. There’s a lot going on when we drop in: fan favorite Michonne (Danai Gurira) is relentlessly searching for the Governor; Carol (Melissa McBride) is secretly teaching the prison’s children how to kill zombies; and other fan favorite Daryl

AMC PHOTOS

As the body count rises, The Walking Dead is still soaring

(Norman Reedus) finds himself the recipient of respect he’d have never gotten pre-apocalypse.

Of course, this warped version of tranquility, one that sees a team impale monsters by the hundreds on a daily basis, can’t last long. Things are set in motion when a Woodbury group teen suddenly drops dead, which, of course, means he promptly gets back up and begins devouring people in his cell block. This is only the beginning, as even after surviving zombie hordes and marauding humans, mankind’s oldest foe, contagious illness, strikes the prison, sickening most of the prison and leaving the few healthy survivors to work out a seemingly impossible solution.

This contagion has the dramatically convenient effect of thinning out the cast before the number became unmanageable, but also provides for some of the series’ most tense, challenging moments. Rick, pressed back into command by necessity, has more to worry about than the usual supply runs and mass zombie disposal; there’s a murder mystery that, although quickly solved, expands upon the show’s long-standing exploration of morality in the face of imminent death. Grim decisions are often made, but it’s not so much the measures that are interesting, but the acknowledgement that actions have consequences, which in turn have their own consequences.

At times, The Walking Dead is hard to watch, not just because of the endless, gory violence bestowed upon man, sort-of-man and even animal, but because of the pervasive tone of sadness and loss.

With its countless, often

elaborate action scenes, this show manages to be simultaneously the most exciting and depressing series on TV, no small feat. Showrunner Scott M. Gimple, the third boss after Frank Darabont and Glen Mazzara, has thus far kept the series bloody and solemn, while allowing for its large cast of characters ample time to mix and produce their own chemistry. We get to know these characters well enough through each other that there’s genuine suspense in every episode as to whether someone we’ve grown to like might suddenly become a zombie’s next meal.

And, whether one finds much intellectual nourishment from any of the themes, there’s much to care about with the survivors. Even if The Walking Dead is a soap opera with zombies, it is the story of people struggling to remain human, spiritually and literally, in the worst of circumstances. If that’s not serious TV, what is?

PULSE 13

We video game types are really easy to shop for, in theory. But knowing what title to pick and stick in a stocking can be a challenge if you’re not well-versed in the controller arts. So here’s a (semi-)helpful cheat sheet.

THE OBVIOUS Not to be a spoilsport, but a hardcore gamer likely already has these, so check first:

ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER

Grand GrandTheft TheftAuto AutoVV

Call CallofofDuty: Duty:Ghosts Ghosts

Saints SaintsRow RowIVIV

God GodofofWar: War:Ascension Ascension

POWER UP Most heroes have a trademark ability. If your gift recipient was a superhero, they could: Tear space-time

Use PSI Rockin

Become a drawing

Cast spells

Morph into weapons

Battlefield Battlefield44

THE QUICK BROWN FOX These might appeal to people with favorite letters: X

BioShock BioShockInfinite Infinite

EarthBound EarthBound

Zelda: Zelda:AALink LinkBetween BetweenWorlds Worlds

Ni NiNo NoKuni Kuni

The TheWonderful Wonderful101 101

Project ProjectXXZone Zone

PET PROJECT The company you keep says a lot about you, especially the animal variety: Ducks

Cats

Bats

Puppies

Whatever the hell this is W Zelda: Zelda:Wind Wind Waker WakerHD HD D, M or C

DuckTales DuckTales Remastered Remastered

Batman: Batman: Arkham ArkhamOrigins Origins

Super SuperMario Mario 3D 3DWorld World

Animal AnimalCrossing Crossing New NewLeaf Leaf

Pokemon Pokemon XX&&YY

HEAD SPACE To get inside their head, look at the outside. What’s up with what’s on top?

A flower

Blue hair

Hoodie

Special physics

Plastic DmC: DmC:Devil DevilMay MayCry Cry F

Pikmin Pikmin Pikmin333

Fire FireEmblem: Emblem:Awakening Awakening

Assassin’s Assassin’sCreed CreedIVIV

DOPPELGANGER How do we like our Ellen Page?

Tomb TombRaider Raider

LEGO LEGOCity: City:Undercover Undercover

BRAINZZZZ Has zombie fatigue set in yet?

Yes

Final FinalFantasy FantasyXIV: XIV: AARealm RealmReborn Reborn

No

Any other letter

Dead DeadIsland: Island:Riptide Riptide

Adventure AdventureTime: Time:Explore Explore the Dungeon the DungeonBecause Because I IDON’T DON’TKNOW! KNOW!

Unintentional The TheLast LastofofUs Us

Intentional 14 PULSE

Beyond: Beyond:Two TwoSouls Souls

Sonic SonicLost LostWorld World

Call of Duty: Ghosts falls short JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER

T

he Call of Duty series has become the standard-bearer for first-person shooters with its annual releases and top-flight gameplay.

But it’s that regularity of release and sky-high expectations that have become an albatross around the franchise’s neck, threatening to seriously damage its reputation should even one entry fall well short of its predecessors.

With Call of Duty: Ghosts, that moment has arrived. This isn’t to say that Ghosts is a bad game. Really, it’s a disappointing one, yet it’s blessed with many of the exciting elements and the multiplayer system that made Call of Duty the Madden of shooters.

After last year’s Call of Duty: Black Ops II raised the bar, this one lowers it, letting

For: PC, PS3, PS4, Wii U, X360, XB1 Price: $59.99 | Rated: M

gamers know that a launch-week investment may no longer be worth it.

Take the campaign. Black Ops II featured one of the series’ best, an elaborate blast that spanned decades with key choices that would dramatically alter the course of the story.

In Ghosts, the campaign consists of barely more than a handful of stages, which took about five and a half hours to complete.

With a story allegedly written

by Oscar-winning filmmaker Stephen Gaghan, there’s little to the universe of Ghosts, which feels narratively lethargic.

There are some thrilling missions, such as a fight in a Caracas skyscraper, and some interesting additions, such as Riley, a

German shepherd, used as both stealth device and weapon. Yet the campaign ultimately remains forgettable and, in this case, almost deliberately vestigial.

Many serious Call of Duty fans haven’t even spent an hour on the single player experience, instead diving into the addictive time-vacuum that is the series’ multiplayer mode. Again, “Ghosts” falls short, with the standard multiplayer mode feeling very much a boilerplate replica of years past.

Surely it will entertain millions of players for countless hours, but many more will yearn for the near-flawless online experience of “Black Ops II,” which contained a host of features that don’t show up here.

There is a bright spot in the form of Extinction, Infinity Ward’s answer to Treyarch’s famed Zombies mode. In Extinction, the player enters survival mode against insect-like aliens that actually make more entertaining opponents than the lumbering zombies.

Alas, that’s not enough. It’s difficult to see this as anything other than a step backward. Here’s hoping that when Call of Duty 2014 rolls around, it’s not only worthy of the latest hardware, but of the name that makes it an event.

Ace Attorney 5 fun in spite of slim cast ALAN SIMMER | PULSE WRITER

P

hoenix Wright makes his triumphant return to the courtroom in Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies, the fifth entry in the long-running legal talkies.

Well, as triumphant as can be for someone who bluffs his way through trials. But he’s got help in the form of associate Apollo Justice and his new rookie, Athena Cykes.

Athena is a double-edged sword. She’s fresh-faced and earnest, though her facial expressions surely are meant as selfparody of the series. And her analytical psychology ability is a nice twist and provides some of the more interesting moments at trial.

But part of the charm of the Ace Attorney series is how characters pop up again and again and cases often have personal ties to the lawyers working them.

to cram them all in and do any of them justice. I can accept folks like Gumshoe might not be a part of the series anymore (though at least he’s got the Investigations spin-offs). But the absence and disuse of some major players is keenly felt.

For: 3DS | Price: $29.99 | Rated: M PROS: Great soundtrack; bizarre cases.

CONS: Can I get some channeling, please?

Since Athena’s the new kid on the block, it’s her story that is at the center of the web. It’s her journey that unfolds, featuring new characters like “demon prosecutor” Simon Blackquill.

And that could be fine, as long as this isn’t the last game in the series.

Apollo’s giant, twisty story arc from the fourth game gets exactly zero attention.

Phoenix is almost an afterthought. While some old prosecutors put in acceptable appearances, many other cast members are done a disservice or missing entirely.

That’s the problem with an everexpanding cast: there’s not enough time

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That rather large beef aside, the game is pretty good. The interlocking stories all serve a common theme, and the varied gameplay between Phoenix, Apollo and Athena keeps each case exciting.

The voice acting, anime-style cutscenes, 3D modeling and I-need-it-in-myear-holes-now soundtrack all help take this game to the next level.

The familiar frustrations are still there — like any legal system would work like this!

— but that’s all part of the fun.

For: PC, PSN, XBLA, Wii U eShop Price: $14.99 | Rated: M

How to Survive makes mayhem in multiplayer JAMES FRAZIER | PULSE WRITER

O

nly time will tell if we’ve yet to reach the peak of our cultural obsession with zombies, but for now, the abundance of games like How to Survive suggests that we’re close. It’s a fun hack(or shoot)-and-slash zombie killer along the lines of Diablo, one that makes an effort at both tongue-in-cheek humor and light tension as the player fights his or her way through an undead paradise.

The premise is simple enough, with the player shipwrecked on a small island chain infested with countless zombies. With some helpful tips from a survival guide scattered through the islands and the occasional survivor, the player takes on missions that gradually turn escape from an impossibility to a likely outcome.

Though of a gameplay style seen many times before (in addition to Diablo, think Super Smash TV), How to Survive imbues the action with moderate depth via a skills and needs system that makes staying among the living about more than slaying the undead.

Players choose one of three characters with differing skill levels, and that character levels up as the game progresses. But you also must satiate needs for food, water and sleep. Additionally, players will find a few different zombie types to trouble them, such as zombies covered in armor or ones that violently explode after being dispatched. The game’s design doesn’t make this particularly difficult, but it reinforces the theme in an amusing way, though there’s also a crafting system that comes off as superfluous rather than necessary.

Multiplayer with a friend is especially entertaining, the co-op value of butchering a zombie horde giving the game it’s most pleasurable moments. While this might not pose serious competition to top-tier zombie titles such as The Last of Us or Left 4 Dead, as a modestly priced game that quickly serves up bloody zombie fun, it doesn’t need to.

PULSE 15

DECEMBER 6

Stars: Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Zoe Saldana, Woody Harrelson When Rodney Baze mysteriously disappears and law enforcement fails to follow through, his older brother, Russell, seeks his own justice.

Stars: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott and Patton Oswalt A daydreamer escapes his anonymous life by disappearing into a world of fantasies filled with heroism, romance and action. When his job, along with that of his co-worker, are threatened, he takes action in the real world, embarking on a global journey that turns into an adventure more extraordinary than anything he could have ever imagined.

DECEMBER 27

OTHER DECEMBER MOVIES DECEMBER 6 Inside Llewyn Davis

16 PULSE

DECEMBER 13 Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas

DECEMBER 20

DECEMBER 13 DECEMBER 27

American Hustle

Lone Survivor

Saving Mr. Banks

The Wolf of Wall Street

Walking With Dinosaurs 3D

August: Osage County

Her

47 Ronin

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues

Grudge Match

Stars: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch Genius director Peter Jackson is back again for another Middle Earth adventure. Here, the dwarves, along with Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf the Grey, continue their quest to reclaim Erebor, their homeland, from Smaug. And of course Bilbo is in possession of a mysterious and magical ring.

WARNER BROS., PARAMOUNT, 20TH CENTURY FOX, RELATIVITY MEDIA PHOTOS

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PULSE 17 Š 2013 Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. Must be 21.

Gambling problem? There is help. And hope. Call 1-800-BETS-OFF.

DECEMBER NCC CALENDAR OF EVENTS 14th - Go Kart Races – McElroy Auditorium 21st – Nightstorm Teen Dance – Pepsi Pavilion 8:00 – 11:00 pm Admission: $10.00 28th – Lonesome Road – country band/dance – Electric Park Ballroom 8:00 – Midnight Admission: $10.00 27th- 29th – Midwest Arms Gun and Knife show – McElroy Auditorium Friday 5:00 – 9:00, Saturday 9:00 – 5:00, Sunday 9:00 – 3:00pm. $7.00 Admission – good for all 3 days.

31st - New Years Eve with WAGG and FatCat – Pepsi Pavilion 7:00 – 1:00 Admission: $15.00 31st - Faythe Kubik – DJ dance – Electric Park Ballroom 7:30 – 12:30 Admission: $20.00

The more the merrier

JANUARY NCC CALENDAR OF EVENTS Jan. 18th – Derby Divas Jan. 25th – Barn Dance – Electric Park Jan. 26th – Cedar Valley Show Stoppers *Bingo Sunday and Thursday at the Pavillion Call 319-234-7515 for more information or visit www.nationalcattlecongress.com

Pepsi Pavilion

National Cattle Congress Grounds Waterloo, IA.

DECEMBER 31ST

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go. Including the Brucemore Mansion in Cedar Rapids. Cozy up to a unique holiday experience with Brucemore’s Evening Holiday Mansion Tours. You’ll stroll through the softly lit rooms of the 21-room mansion, taking in the seasonal splendor of 13 glowing trees, a dining room set for Christmas dinner, stunning mantel arrangements, the lush garland adornment of the grand staircase and live music from the original 1929 Skinner Pipe Organ.

“EPIC NEW YEAR PARTY” Two Legendary Bands WAGG & FATCAT

• Doors Open 7pm, Bands 8pm-1am • $15 Per Person

Cash Bar...Hors d’ oeuvres At 11:30pm...Champagne At Midnight...

Party Favors...Prizes... & More!

Continuous Music: Blues rock...Classic Rock...Funk...R & B...And More!

TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR SALE NOVEMBER 29th NCC Office in Advance or At the Door 257 Ansborough Ave. Waterloo, IA. 319.234.7515

CELEBRATE

www.nationalcattlecongress.com ss.com ss.c om

www.1057kokz.com www.

Brucemore Holiday Mansion Tours December 5, 12, 19, 26 @ 6 PM Brucemore Mansion, Cedar Rapids $15 adults, $7 ages 6-18 Advance tickets required. Space is limited.

319.362.7375 | brucemore.org DEC 5 DEC 6 DEC 7

DEC 13 DEC 14 DEC 20 DEC 21 DEC 27 DEC 28 DEC 31

COMEDY NIGHT FEATURING DON “DONZILLA” TJERNAGLE NO COVER HIP HOP SHOW 9PM 5$ HOUSE OF LARGE SIZES HOLY WHITE HOUNDS THE MITTENS PEAS AND CARROTS 8PM 10$ MOONSHINE AND SORROW 9 PM NO COVER FAILURE OF PROGRESS 9 PM 5$ URBAN LEGEND 8PM NO COVER LOCAL ROCK SHOWCASE 9 PM PARTY PARTY THE ULTIMATE KARAOKE BAND 9 PM ACOUSTIC X MAS ACOUSTIC PERFORMANCES 9 PM NEW YEAR’S EVE TRIBUTE TO ROCK FEATURING PERFORMANCES BY THE MOTHER LOVIN TRUCKERS (AC/DC) WALKING DEAD ZEPPELIN (LED ZEPPELIN) MORE TBA 9PM

3555 University Ave Waterloo 287-5747

WWW.THEREVERB.NET 18 PULSE

SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO

Upcoming shows at

The HuB

COURTESY PHOTO

Under the Streetlamp Under the Streetlamp, America’s hottest new vocal favorite songs from The Drifters, The Beach Boys, The group, will perform an electrifying evening of classic hits Beatles, The Four Seasons and more. from the American radio songbook at the Adler Theatre on Dec. 19. Exuding the irresistible rapport of a modernday Rat Pack, the quartet – recent leading cast members Under the Streetlamp of the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys – deliv- Thursday, Dec. 19 @ 7:30 PM ers an evening of unforgettable entertainment packed Adler Theatre, Davenport with tight harmonies and slick dance moves. The night $29.50, $39.50, $49.50 will feature doo-wop, Motown, old time rock ’n’ roll and 800.745.3000 | ticketmaster.com

Christmas Stew: A Recipe for Family Disaster

29 NOV

6PM

THE RAMBLERS

30 NOV

9PM

TOM PETTY TRIBUTE - FREE FALLIN’

2 DEC

9PM

GRATEFUL DEAD NIGHT

3 DEC

9PM

FREE KEG & KARAOKE (EVERY TUESDAY!)

5 DEC

9PM

UNI JAZZ BANDS I, II, III

6 DEC

6PM

CHECKER & THE BLUETONES 10PM EDM EVENT W/ DARKGREY, ARNIE, TRILLABYTE, DAMN JUHL

7 DEC

8PM

SLIMBEAST PRESENTS: HAR-DI-HAR, DYLAN SIRES & NEIGHBORS, RIVER MONKS, HOST COUNTRY, BURNING PALACE

8 DEC

8PM

ACOUSTIC OPEN MIC

13 DEC

6PM BOB DORR & THE BLUE BAND 9:30PM PORK TORNADOES

14 DEC

9PM

DECOY (DES MOINES)

19 DEC

9PM

EDM EVENT - SUB CULTURE UGLY SWEATER PARTY

20 DEC

9PM

JOURNEY/REO/STYX BY: ARCH ALLIES

21 DEC

9PM

PORK TORNADOES

26 DEC

7PM

KUNI X-MAS EXTRAVAGANZA W/ CHECKER & THE BLUETONES, RAMBLERS, RALDO SCHNEIDER, AND MORE! PROCEEDS BENEFIT IOWA PUBLIC RADIO

27 DEC

9:30PM DENNIS WAYNE GANG

HTTP://WWW.THEHUBLIVEMUSIC.COM

** = ADVANCE TICKETS AVAILABLE

* = ADVANCE TIX AVAILABLE

Fridays and Saturdays @ 7 PM; Sundays @ 2 PM Nov. 30-Dec. 22 Lampost Theatre & Coffee C., Cedar Falls 319.277.8034 | lampost.com Tickets include show, dessert and coffee or cocoa.

PULSE 19 SHUTTERSTOCK AND COURTESY PHOTOS

making plans? we’ll point the way

ReaD. WATCH. sURF CVPulse.com

IN GOOD CEDAR FALLS Beck’s Sports Grill | American, Sports Bar 2210 College St., Cedar Falls 319-277-2646 Hours: Open daily at 11 am www.barmuda.com

Bourbon Street | American, Cajun and Creole 314 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-5285 Hours: Monday - Saturday 4 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com Bourbon Street is a step off of Main Street into the French Quarter featuring Certified Black Angus steaks and delicious seafood complimented by an extensive wine list. Voted best choice for dinner with best steak in the Cedar Valley

Ferrari’s Ristorante | American and Italian 1521 Technology Pkwy., Cedar Falls 319-277-1385 Hours: Monday - Friday 11 am - 10 pm Saturday 4 - 10 pm www.barmuda.com

Ginger Thai Cuisine | Authentic Thai Food 111 W. 2nd Street, Cedar Falls 319-266-2150 Hours: Monday - Saturday 11 am - 3 pm, 5 - 9 pm; Sunday 10 am - 4 pm facebook.com/ginger-thai-cuisine Authentic thai cuisine offering lunch and dinner options. Appetizers, entrees, desserts and express menu for a quick lunch. A variety of flavors from coconut, fresh lemongrass, ginger, tofu and vegetables. Take-out and delivery available.

Soho Sushi Bar & Deli The Stuffed Olive | Deli, Sushi, Tapas, Martinis 119 Main St., Cedar Falls 319-266-9995 Hours: Mon-Fri at 6:30am and Sat-Sun at 7:00am www.barmuda.com

Fresh made sushi and deli sandwiches, salads Ferrari's features only the finest steaks, and paninis combined with globally inspired freshest seafood and authentic Italian fare. tapas dishes and over 100 different martinis.

Offering light, quick lunch options along Homemade cookies made from scratch daily! with an extensive dinner menu and wine list.

Now open for breakfast too! Stuffed Olive Voted best place for a business lunch. voted best place for a girls’night out.

The Lone Wolf | WATERLOO Beck’s Sports Brewery Sports Bar | Bar, Restaurant American, Microbrewery Hilton Garden Inn | 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo 3295 University Ave., Waterloo Guerilla Brewing/Lava Lounge | Conference Center 319-833-2157 319-234-4333 Microbrewery and Bar 7213 Nordic Dr., Cedar Hours: Monday-Friday-Breakfast 7:00 am - 10:30 pm Hours: Open daily at 11 am 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo Falls Sunday-Thursday 11:30 am - 1:00 am www.barmuda.com 319-234-5686 319-266-6611 Friday & Saturday - 11:30 am - 2:00 am Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 am - 9 pm New Hilton opened in Voted best burger, best happy hour, best locally owned restaurant Karaoke - Wednesday 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm 2012, elegant dining and A double brown ale and an imperial American pale ale were the and sports bar in the CedarValley Howl Hour 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm Monday - Thursday entertaining of Hilton first two to debut; other varieties will follow depending on the $2.00 drafts & domestic beers and food specials standards. Full service hotel season. None of the brews will be less than 7% alcohol. www.waterloo.isleofcapricasinos.com with Ballroom seating up to Whether you feel like getting food to go or plan to stay a while,The 350 people. Garden Grille ® Otis and Henry’s Bar and Grill | Lone Wolf is sure to please. We have mouth-watering food and thirst- Restaurant and Bar open to quenching drinks with an atmosphere unlike any other.

Bar and Grill Southtown Bar & Restaurant | the public for breakfast, lunch 777 Isle of Capri Blvd., Waterloo American and dinner as well as large 319-833-2241 2026 Bopp St., Waterloo exterior patios with firepits.

Rudy’s Tacos | Hours: Tuesday - Saturday open at 5 pm 319-236-9112 Full service dining on site, Mexican Closed Sunday and Monday Chefs with banquet menus Hours: 7 am - 10:30 pm, bar open later 2401 Falls Ave., Waterloo www.waterloo.isleofcapricasinos.com and banquet bars available. www.southtownwaterloo.com 319-234-5686 Deposits and minimums Hours: Monday Saturday 11 am 9 pm Combines the comfort of a neighborhood bar and grill with the Located next to Witham Ford behind Golf Headquarters. Stop required, full payment required www.rudystacos.com favorites of a steakhouse.

Choose from the delicious pastas, in for the great broasted chicken or fresh-made pork tenderloin. prior to event. Guest room Rudy’s uses local ingredients through the Northern Iowa Food sandwiches, salads, steaks, fish and more. blocks available. and Farm Partnership’s Buy Fresh/Buy Local program.

Featuring Beck's homemade microbrews, voted best burger, locally owned restaurant, sports bar and place to play pool in the Cedar Valley.

PRICING GUIDE (per entrée) 2 PULSE

|

$10

$20

$30

$40+

GALLAGHER GALLAGHERBLUEDORN BLUEDORN

2013-14

season

RAIN A TRIBUTE TO THE BEATLES

Performing the full range of The Beatles’ discography live onstage plus previously unheard songs that The Beatles themselves never performed for an audience, the Associated Press raves RAIN is “the next best thing to seeing The Beatles!” Together longer than The Beatles, RAIN has mastered every song, gesture, and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance in this multi-media, psychedelic, rock concert that’s as infectious as it is transporting. From early hits to late classics including “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “Hard Day’s Night,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Let It Be,” “Come Together,” “Hey Jude,” and “Can’t Buy Me Love,” this performance will take you back to a time when all you needed was love and a little help from your friends! RAIN returns to the Gallagher-Bluedorn direct from Broadway on the 50th anniversary of The Beatles first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show!

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Performed by the remarkable Winnipeg Ballet, Moulin Rouge – The Ballet has been seen by over 100,000 people in more than 30 cities across North America, bringing cheering audiences to their feet at every stop! Featuring French period music and high-kicking choreography, the ballet follows two innocents, Matthew and Nathalie, drawn to the passionate city of Paris in search of romance and stardom. Their passion ignites a powder keg of emotion as they tempt the fates while seeking love and destiny in the infamous cabaret…the Moulin Rouge.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH SHOW VISIT

20 PULSE

WWW.GBPAC.ORG

CONTENTS HEADS UP, DRINKERS

13

Iowa beer makers have grabbed a hold of the craft beer market, pushing the Hawkeye state to the top in per capita breweries.

GOOD SPIRITS

6

cedar falls

cedar rapids

iowa city

14

SIBLING SUPERSTARS

1213

ALIVE AND WELL With plenty of human spirit, living and otherwise, The Walking Dead, now in its fourth season, is still compelling and damn good TV.

Whiskey is making a comeback as the spirit of choice among a new generation of sippers. We’ll drink to that.

8

waterloo

December 2013

Issue No. 111

4

dubuque

in this ISSUE

GAMER GIFT GUIDE Need help deciding which blockbuster to get that special someone? We’ve got you covered. Sort of.

18

The Band Perry will make stops in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids as part of its We Are Pioneers Tour.

HOLIDAY CHEER There’s nothing quite like a tour of the Brucemore mansion’s decked halls to make you warm and fuzzy.

10

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Alan Simmer 319.291.1487 alan.simmer@wcfcourier.com

John Molseed 319.291.1418 john.molseed@wcfcourier.com

David Hemenway

Chris Koop

PULSE 3

BREWING UP A STORM

Iowa cracks open craft beer market JOHN MOLSEED | PULSE WRITER

F

or a state more known for its fertility than fermentation, Iowa has produced a bumper crop of craft beer brewers.

More than 50 craft breweries, microbreweries and brew pubs operate in Iowa.

That’s enough to push the Hawkeye state ahead of other states like California, known for craft beer, in breweries per capita. A number of factors (including, yes, a smaller population in Iowa) have led to this rise. First, cultural shifts have brought more interest in craft beer and pride in a local product, area brewers said.

“The way beer used to taste is coming back,” said Clark Lewey, owner of Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. in Decorah.

Changes in state laws have made it easier for brewers to make and distribute their beer in Iowa, brewers said.

“Under the old laws, in order to sell our own Golden Nugget here, we would have to send it to a distributor in Minnesota and pay them to bring it back here,” Lewey said.

Iowa law now allows state brewers to self distribute. Another law, passed in March 2010, allowed Iowa brewers to produce and sell beer containing up 15 4 PULSE

Toppling Goliath owner Clark Lewey.

percent alcohol by volume and allowed Iowa beer wholesalers to distribute beers of similar strength. Under these laws and others, brewers would have had a difficult time selling the beer they make in Iowa to their fellow Iowans.

Toppling Goliath and other craft breweries are flourishing under these changes. Iowa breweries are starting to catch notice nationally. Toppling Go-

liath’s Kentucky Brunch Brand Stout broke Beer Advocate’s top 100 best beers from around the world.

Lewey sold a house for start-up funds to establish the brewery in 2009. Although he has yet to pay himself, the brewery now employs more than a dozen people full time. This summer, he invested more than $2 million into expanding the capacity of the operation.

Before the expansion, the brewery was producing one beer at a time non-stop at a 30-barrel-per-day rate. The new setup will allow the brewery to produce 110 barrels per day of four different brews at a time.

The brewery also installed machinery that can fill up to 3,000 bottles per hour.

That will allow Toppling Goliath to enter retail markets. Despite the bottler and increased capacity, the expansion won’t mean a sudden flood of Toppling Goliath beer. The new capacity will allow the operation to meet the demands of the markets it’s already in.

“It’s not like we’re going to seem like we’re doing anything different,” Lewey said. “Demand is there.”

Many of the venues that distribute Toppling Goliath run out and have to wait for more, he added.

“West Iowa is on the phone daily,” Lewey said, and Davenport is champing at the bit for more.

By stretching its production, Toppling Goliath had managed to expand its market distribution before the company expanded its facilities. One of the early outlets to sell Toppling Goliath beer was

Toppling Goliath head brewer Mike Saboe.

Patrons enjoy beer and conversation at the Toppling Goliath tap room in Decorah.

BRANDON POLLOCK | PULSE PHOTOGRAPHER

Mulligan’s Brick Oven Grill & Pub in Cedar Falls. Dave Morgan, Mulligan’s owner, said seeing his customers’ enthusiasm for Toppling Goliath and other craft beers and being ready for a new challenge inspired him to try commercial brewing himself.

Morgan opened Single Speed Brewing Co. in Cedar Falls in December last year. Within a few months, the brewery had reached capacity and had to expand by adding two more fermentation vessels in May. Although demand for Single Speed beer is high, Morgan said he has no plans to go retail any time soon.

At the Single Speed brew pub, Morgan shares tap wall space with other craft breweries, including Reinbeck’s Broad Street Brewing Co. Trevor Schellhorn, owner of Broad Street, initially looked to start his brewery by distributing and bottling beer around the area. Since Schellhorn started the brewery in December 2010, he has shifted his strategy to put a face with the beer and build a customer base by personally introducing people to the beer whenever possible. The strategy

gives beer lovers a deeper connection to the brewery and builds a fan — and friend — base, he said.

“By keeping this sort of model, we’ve got to meet a lot of people and forge these relationships that I think is pretty groovy,” Schellhorn said. “It takes more time to do that but foundationally, it’s much more solid.”

Competing for shelf space in the increasing variety of craft beers can be difficult, Schellhorn added. Craft beer enthusiasts like to try new things. Even people who enjoy the beer he brews may not come back for seconds if they don’t feel a personal connection to the brewery, he said.

Selling beer as an experience is a key to survival for many breweries in the face of increasing competition.

“I really try to make sure each beer is exciting and a good experience for everybody,” said Mike Saboe, head brewer at Toppling Goliath.

The other key strategy sounds simple: Make good beer.

“There’s going to be a bubble burst because mediocre breweries are not going to survive,” Lewey said.

Tap house manager Chelsea Adams fills a glass for a customer at the Toppling Goliath tap room.

PULSE 5

MAD ABOUT WHISKEY A

merican whiskey is no longer the fuddy-duddy drink favored by dads in cardigan sweaters.

Maybe it’s the Mad Men effect or renewed enthusiasm for the cocktail culture, but suddenly it’s hip to drink whiskey and bourbon. In fact, it’s booming.

According to the Distilled Spirits

MELODY PARKER | PULSE WRITER

Council of the United States, whiskey sales in 2012 increased faster than all other spirits, and revenues for Kentucky and Tennessee whiskey and bourbon have soared. Last year, 46 new bourbons and three flavored whiskeys were introduced, the Distilled Spirits Council reports.

Did you know you can sample – and savor – whiskey in the same manner as wine? It’s a white-hot trend among aficionados who favor sipping over swilling and view sampling as a cerebral and sensory experience.

“It’s growing like mad,” says Dwight Dehl of HyVee Wine & Spirits at Kimball

Avenue, Waterloo. “Bourbon, especially.

They’ve added flavors like honey, maple, cherry, hardcore cider, cinnamon. With the premium whiskeys, people really enjoy the honey flavor and the maple, sipping it neat or on the rocks.”

Dehl is both a whiskey expert and aficionado.

taste. A tasting is a user-friendly and refined way to sample several types of whiskey without getting toasted.

If you want to enliven your holiday entertaining, why not host a whiskey tasting? Dehl talks us through how to do it:

There’s so much variety in whiskey, it pays to do some background research on chosen brands – heritage, locale, how they’re made, etc., so you know what to expect in flavor. Consult an expert at your favorite wine and spirits shop for guidance.

Choose a variety of whiskeys to deepen and broaden the tasting experience, especially for novices. Taste and flavor is what it’s all about, but complexity of flavor and a long finish is paramount.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Whiskey can be confusing. That’s because the word is used interchangeably with Bourbon, Irish, Scotch, Canadians and rye, although they aren’t really interchangeable at all. Let’s take Bourbon.

It’s a whiskey, but not all whiskeys are Bourbons. To be labeled Bourbon, it must be made in the U.S.A., made with at least 51 percent corn mash, aged in new, charred oak barrels, distilled at no more than 160 proof or 80 percent alcohol, entered in the barrel at no more than 125 proof, bottled at no less than 80

proof and have nothing added to it but water. To be really authentic, it should be from Bourbon County, Kentucky.

So think of whiskey as the patriarch of the family tree with Bourbon, rye, single-malt and blended Scotch, Irish and Canadians as its branches.

Whiskey or whisky? You say tomato, we say “tomah-toe.” Whisky usually is used for Scotch and Scotch-inspired liquor. Whiskey refers to American and Irish liquors.

For most of us, whiskey is an acquired

◆ FIRST, THE WHISKEYS

He recommends premium whiskeys for the most satisfying tasting experience. Include Irish, Scotch, bourbon and sourmash types. Names to look for: Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek, Jameson, Bushmills.

◆ NEXT, THE GLASSWARE

Select tulip-shaped glasses. Save the shot glasses and tumblers for another time.

“The tulip shape channels the vapor from the wide base up the narrow top and concentrates the aroma, so you get a bigger nose hit,” Dehl says “A big part of tasting is your sense of smell. Your nose is sensitive and will pick up hints of flavors and fragrances long after you’ve swallowed.”

An ounce is considered the perfect size serving for a tasting.

6 PULSE

THE TASTING 1 Set up the table. Give it a holiday theme and make it a little

masculine, too, if you’re so inclined. It suits the subject matter to have a cigar humidor at hand, for example, but save the stogies for after the tasting is concluded or you’ll muck up the flavors. Arrange the whiskey bottles, then arrange the same number of glasses for each participant.

2 Pour 1 ounce of whiskey into each glass. Like wine, you need

to examine the color. Hold it up to the light and look for clarity. It should sparkle. Murkiness is a bad sign.

3 Study the color, which can range from light to deep amber. Color will tip you off to the intensity of the whiskey’s flavor. Light color means lighter flavor; darker colors are fuller flavored. Usually the longer a whiskey ages, the darker the color.

4 Now is the time to decide whether to add a drop or two of water — before you sniff the whiskey. Be sure the water is room temperature. Some experts say adding water allows you to “nose” more of the whiskey’s character. Obviously, it also reduces the impact of the alcohol.

5 Gently swirl the glass to release the aromas. Bring the glass to

your nose and delicately sniff, keeping lips slightly apart. Try to discern notes in the whiskey – chocolate, spice, leather, fruit, etc. Don’t take a big snort over the glass because all you’ll smell is alcohol.

6 Taste. Try to identify flavors you nosed in the glass. There is no

wrong answer to the flavors you sense because everyone’s palate is different.

7 Cleanse your palate and move on to the next whiskey. Repeat the process until you’ve tasted all the offerings.

◆ WATER, WATER

Whether you “cut” the whiskey with room-temperature spring water is up to you. For some palates, it smooths out the flavor. But the more water you ad, the more it distorts and weakens the flavor. Whiskey is already cut with water when it’s bottled unless it is labeled “barrel-strength,” in which case it’s too expensive and rare to share at a mere tasting.

If you add water, don’t match the cut 50-50. “I like 1 part water to 3 parts whiskey. That usually works for me unless it’s an excellent whiskey I can drink neat,” Dehl said.

Neat means straight-up, out of the bottle.

Why spring water? Because tap water can have minerals and chemicals that alter whiskey’s flavors and aromas.

◆ CLEANSE YOUR PALATE

No, don’t take a toothbrush to your tongue. And this isn’t the time to make a Doritos run. Oyster crackers or unsalted saltines are perfect palatecleansers.

So, why cleanse and refresh your palate? Dehl says, “Whiskey is definitely going to impart flavor on your tongue, and you’re going to get crossover flavors.”

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PULSE 7

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Sibling superstars Award-winning family trio The Band Perry will make stops in Dubuque and Cedar Rapids in February and March as part of its We are Pioneers World Tour. “We live to play,� band member Kimberly Perry said in a press release. “In our minds everything we do -- writing, recording, interviews, appearances -- is the means to the live end. To fully and totally understand our band, you have to see us live. It’s the three of us in our element, our living room, our therapy session, our recess.�

Throughout the tour the group will debut an entirely new show, including a new set, sound, lights and even a few new tricks. “Marching forward and making noise together.

That’s what a Band Perry show is all about,� Reid Perry said. “There are these moments that we’ve

built into the show when the three of us and our band are like an army or a marching band. Us, our band and the crowd – it’s like we’re a team and we’re all in it together. We are very fortunate that we get to walk on stage and do what we love to do – and it’s our fans that have given us that opportunity.� “We believe pioneers are everywhere. Big and small, young and old, on North-American shores and abroad – we are coming to find you!� said Neil Perry.

The Band Perry Feb. 13, Five Flags Center, Dubuque March 2, U.S. Cellular Center, Cedar Rapids Livenation.com | ticketmaster.com

365 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • MOVIES • LIVE MUSIC

er emb c e D

8PM-10PM

12/7:

CHRIS DRAFFEN

12/14:

DAVE MALAM

12/20:

OPEN MIC HOSTED BY 3 BLIND MICE

12/21:

UNCLE CHUCK

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8 PULSE

COURTESY PHOTO

EVERY THURSDAY JAZZ BY HANDS OF TIME ALL PERFORMANCES 8-10 P.M.

DRESSED TO KILL Her three-year Farewell Tour from 2002-2005 was supposed to be her last, but a star with such super power just won’t burn out, and the tour became known as The Never Can Say Goodbye Tour. It also was one of the most successful tours ever by a solo artist, playing for a record-breaking 325 dates and seen by more than 5.5 million fans.

Well, say hello again to the 67year-old megastar Cher for her Dressed to Kill Tour, stopping at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on June 9.

Her newest album, Closer to the Truth, dropped in September. Those who purchase concert tickets online will receive a copy of the album.

Cher Monday, June 9 @7:30 PM Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines $27.50; $47.50; $87.50; $107.50 866.553.2457 | dahlstickets.com

That’s My Kinda Night ACM Entertainer of the Year Luke Bryan will scoot his boots to the Cedar Falls UNI Dome Feb. 7 as part of his That’s My Kinda Night Tour.

The tour will kick off its first leg on Jan. 16 in Columbus, Ohio, and will perform 18 shows through March 8. The tour will also

feature Lee Brice and Cole Swindell.

The country superstar will be at the iWireless Center in Moline, Ill. on Feb. 6 and heads to Omaha after the Cedar Falls show.

As of press time, no information was available on when tickets will officially go on sale.

COURTESY PHOTO

Glory Box Acclaimed performance artist Tim Miller brings back his one-man tour de force, Glory Box, a funny, sexy and charged exploration of his journeys through the challenges of love, marriage equality.

Tim originally premiered the work at CSPS back in 1999. He returns with this victory lap performance in celebration of the overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act and his marriage to Australian Alistair McCartney.

From Miller’s hilarious grade school

playground battles over wanting to marry another boy to the harrowing travails of being in a bi-national relationship with his Australian lover, Glory Box leads the audience on an intense and humorous journey into the complexity of the human heart that knows no boundaries.

Tim Miller Thursday, Dec. 5 @ 7 PM CSPS Hall, Cedar Rapids $16 advance; $20 door www.legionarts.org

COURTESY PHOTO

PULSE 9